《Labyrinth of the Mad God [An Isekai LitRPG] (Book 2 Complete)》 Chapter One: Prelude to the Apocalypse Twelve hours until the end of the world I¡¯ll grind one more level before I crash. Nick opened the mini fridge tucked beneath his desk, pulling out a can of iced coffee without looking away from the screen. He cracked open the tab and chugged the bitter brew, although the infusion of caffeine would do little to extend his gaming marathon, thanks to the epic tolerance he had built up over the week-long event. Nick sucked out the final drops hiding in the crevice and then flicked the can into the wastebasket, typing with his free hand all the while. He glanced up and refreshed the auxiliary monitors positioned above the massive display that dominated his desktop, taking in the various spreadsheets and timers before deciding which raid to join next. He normally wouldn¡¯t party with casuals, but the rest of Nick¡¯s guild had called it quits for the day after defeating a particularly aggravating boss. The LEDs embedded in his peripherals pulsed in a soothing flux of neon light, coaxing Nick into a trancelike state as he willed his sleep-deprived brain into one final push. Three hours later, he leveled up, and the satisfaction of watching his character incrementally increase its attributes washed over him. He had even found a shield one tier better than the one he was wearing, letting him jump six ranks on the leaderboard. If he kept up this pace over the next two days, he had a real shot of breaking into the top five by the end of the event. But none of that mattered now. Only sleep mattered. Nick kicked off his loafers and closed his eyes with a groan, seeking the will to rise from his chair and drag his ass into bed. He was out cold ten seconds later. Sometime later, he began to dream. It was a strange dream, more vivid than even a lucid dream, with a level of clarity and substance that would have shocked him if he was in a state of mind to ponder the matter properly. Nick found himself floating in the vastness of space. He was surrounded by myriad pinpricks of light arranged in dazzling configurations, framed by the ghostly radiance of nebulae and other breathtaking celestial spectacles. He looked over his shoulder and saw the sun; raw elemental power contrasted against the abyssal blackness of space. For the first time in his life, Nick was able to meet Sol¡¯s gaze without searing his retinas to a crisp, filling him with a profound sense of awe. He kept expecting to wake up at any moment, since this remarkable vision had already lasted far longer than any dream he had experienced before. But since the dream just kept on going, he decided to shelve the mystery, lean in, and enjoy the unique experience. He spun in a few lazy circles before looking down, where a ball of primordial elements was congealing below his feet, bits of matter coming together to form a larger mass. Somehow, Nick knew that this swirling cloud was the Earth billions of years ago, back at the dawn of its formation. It seemed that in this dream, time was sped up by a multiple that he couldn¡¯t even begin to estimate. Events were moving along at a reasonable rate, instead of taking countless multiples of his natural lifespan. The embryonic planet slowly condensed and strengthened its grasp. It began drawing in lesser clouds of matter orbiting the sun and the occasional asteroid caught by the Earth¡¯s gravitational field. Since it seemed like this show would take some time to get to the good part, even at this mind-boggling rate of progression, Nick raised his gaze and took a long look around. He realized in that moment just how blind the earthbound are to the true beauty of the heavens, thanks to the blanket of light pollution we live beneath. That each of the radiant stars represented stories of creation taking place across the universe, forming a grand tapestry on a scale that defied belief. Even in the void of space, powers beyond his comprehension warred and danced. A force that he could barely perceive wove its way between the stars¡ªthe primal energy of the cosmos itself. Nick traced vast tendrils of power unfurling across the aether, tiny ribbons of which were winding their way around the sun and flowing into the planet below. They were guiding the Earth¡¯s formation by helping simple chemical interactions grow increasingly complex. His jaw dropped in awe when a colossal chunk of stone came streaking out of the void, crashing into the Earth with incredible force. The planet-staggering collision obliterated an area the size of a continent. Debris soared into high orbit, filling the air with carbon dioxide and water vapor. I think I just watched the birth of the moon. Millions of years passed with each blink of Nick¡¯s eyes as the Earth continued to develop. Its mass eventually reached a critical point, and the core began to melt, magma bubbling up to form a roiling hellscape. Over time, the atmosphere thickened to cool the planet¡¯s exterior. Meanwhile, immense geological pressures created towering mountains and vast trenches, their placement guided by patterns contained within the nurturing energy of the cosmos. After countless eons, water spread across the surface, stirred by tremendous discharges of lightning. That was when he saw the first spark¡ªa tiny release of energy that felt distinct from the boundless vitality of the heavens. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. When he focused on that pinprick of power, Nick was drawn down and down and down¡­ flying toward the surface of the planet like a meteor. He streaked across the sky and then plunged into the depths of a primordial ocean. He came to a stop as he drew near the source of the delicate sparks, which had multiplied during his descent. I¡¯m witnessing the origin of life on Earth, he realized when the microscopic protoorganisms released another flash. As they replicated and spread throughout the oceans, the little balls of chemicals were refining the cosmic energy infusing the planet, changing it into a power of a different order. With the mystery of the flashes solved, Nick rose through the primeval waters and returned to low Earth orbit. He watched spellbound as life evolved and grew more complex, propagating throughout the oceans and across the land, altering the composition of soil and sky. With the advent of life on Earth, the planet was able to refine cosmic energy faster and then faster still, the smoldering power congealing within its core. When the core was saturated, something amazing would happen. Something that would change the destiny of the world. An event just as important as those first sparks of life. The process was agonizingly close to its culmination when mankind appeared and began conquering the globe, transforming the planet at a rate unmatched in the history of life on Earth. As humankind thrived and flourished, the planet¡¯s power was refined and purified. The ambient cosmic energy was tempered by humanity¡¯s struggles. Our joy and our pain. Our triumphs and tragedies. When machines rose to fill the sky, Nick knew that his vision had nearly caught up with the present. By some strange twist of fate, he had been born at just the right time to witness the finale of this incredible journey. To observe the transformation of the old world into something new. Everything slowed to real time as the scene arrived at the present. He held his breath as a final sliver of energy entered the Earth¡¯s core, filling it to the brim. In that moment, he was overcome with a tremendous sensation of anticipation. A cliffhanger of epic proportion. Whatever was about to happen, it was going to be big. Just before the vision reached its climax, his alarm went off, and he woke up. Cool dream, but kind of a tease. Nick opened his eyes with a groan, shaking his head to clear the lingering afterimages of the surreal experience. Warm sunlight was streaming in through the cracks in his blinds, blades of light stabbing deep into his retinas. He wiped the drool off his face while flailing at the snooze button, not awake enough to notice that he was still sitting at his desk and not lying in bed. He finally managed to silence his alarm, realizing that it was only a few minutes before noon. He had slept in his chair for over eight hours. Crap. I have to get back online, or the guild is going to kill me. But first, he needed to put on a fresh pot of coffee and run through the shower. Then bag up the garbage piled around his ankles and purge the mountain of dishes that were growing more disgusting by the minute. Nick summoned his willpower and rose to his feet, skin peeling free from the chair¡¯s leather embrace. He had just drained the lizard and stepped out of his bathroom when he noticed a strange distortion in his vision¡ªa squat blob lurking in the periphery of his view. He tried wiping the smudge with his fingers. Although he dislodged a wad of gunk from the corner of his eye, the blurry spot stubbornly refused to clear up. If anything, it was darker than before, separating as it started to spread. He walked into the kitchen and held his eyes beneath the faucet. But the running water didn¡¯t help at all. By now, Nick was starting to get nervous. If this gets any worse, it¡¯s going to impact my play. Maybe it¡¯s an optical migraine. Mom said they could really do a number on your eyesight. As he pondered the matter, the distorted area continued to expand, forming a kaleidoscopic fractal across the top of his field of view. The strange shapes became more complex as they separated from the mass, forming intricate geometries that resembled some kind of runic language. Weird. The placement reminds me of a menu. Nick pulled out his phone and started looking up his symptoms. He was praying that whatever this was, it wouldn¡¯t ruin his plans for the day, let alone wind up being something serious. Whenever he moved his head, the distortion followed his gaze like a sophisticated AR overlay, hovering just above whatever he was looking at. The shapes rapidly grew more distinct, forming weird alien symbols. All sharp points and sweeping curves, bordered by fractal filigree. As he continued to stare, his phone forgotten in the face of this unprecedented experience, the symbols shifted and became words. Please wait¡­ I don¡¯t think that an optical migraine can form phrases in English. Nick was growing increasingly worried as his symptoms progressed. No. I can understand the symbols now, but that¡¯s not any language I recognize. This is starting to feel like a complex hallucination rather than a problem with my eyes. Fuck. I hope there¡¯s nothing wrong with my brain. I need to go to the emergency room and get an MRI before this gets any worse. Like it or not, it¡¯s time to call 911. Nick had just dialed the final digit when the symbols abruptly multiplied and started streaking in front of his eyes, filling the entirety of his vision. System Message: Planetary alert. Notice to all residents. Planet [Earth, 0] has refined sufficient cosmic energy to gain a level. New planetary level: 1. The playtime of planet [Earth, 1] is 4.543 billion years. The minimum threshold for System candidacy has been met. Integration into transdimensional space initiated¡­ Integration complete. Initiating preparations for planetary ascension. Scanning the planet for higher-order lifeforms¡­ Search failed. No higher-order lifeforms have been detected on [Earth, 1]. Scanning for the closest match¡­ Search complete. Dominant species identified as [Humans]. Initiating System Protocol 147dx3. Enhancing human geneline to meet the minimum threshold for System eligibility¡­ Problem: Humans of Earth have no innate capacity for magic or other advanced energies (Species average: 0 Magic, 0 Resonance, 0 Psi). Solution: Awaken human geneline to enhance magical aptitude from 0 to 1. Problem: This geneline enhancement exceeds the developmental credits allocated to [Earth, 1] by approximately 300%. Solution: Remove 75% of biomass from the human species prior to enhancement (acceptable margin of error: 0.5%). Requesting emergency authorization for pre-tutorial, mandatory questing¡­ Authorization received. Initiating a species-wide quest: Welcome to the System. Chapter Two: Welcome to the System As the alien symbols faded away, a window popped into existence. Unlike the bizarre System messages, this floating screen was in English. The display felt like it had been made just for Nick, rather than giving him the impression that he was looking behind the scenes at an administrator¡¯s OS. The formatting was different from the other messages too. Quest: Welcome to the System. Only the strong shall survive. Location: Planet Earth. Objective: Survive the culling. Enter a portal before the shroud of annihilation consumes you. Rewards: Continued survival (Personal). Geneline enhancement (Species). Mentorship eligibility and access to System tutorial (Species). ¡°This is 911. Please state the nature of your emergency.¡± Nick was about to tell the operator that he was having a psychotic break when he noticed a strange blue light shining through his window. He opened the blinds and saw that the house across the street, a well-maintained two-story building that belonged to his neighbor David, was bathed in a coruscating column of radiance. Swirls of green, blue, and purple warred with one another, as if the northern lights had migrated south and settled into his neighborhood. The phenomena formed a cylindrical pillar of light, rising from the ground before disappearing amid the clouds. It stretched halfway across the street in Nick¡¯s direction, the beam¡¯s perimeter forming a perfect circle. The space within the pillar shone with a scintillating teal radiance. The living lightshow was beautiful, otherworldly, and totally alien to his existence. He had just decided that the spectacle was another symptom of whatever had broken inside his brain when the entire column pulsed in a blinding flash. ¡°Hello? Can you hear me?¡± The operator¡¯s words turned to screams as the phone clattered against the floorboards, forgotten as Nick stared out the window, eyes wide with shock. Unless he had become totally detached from reality, the entire building was gone¡­ bare earth visible where its foundation had stood mere heartbeats before. Everything man-made that the light had touched had vanished without a trace, including the surface of the street and the power lines running between the poles. Half of David¡¯s van sat parked along the remnants of the curbside, rubber and metal sliced away as cleanly as a surgeon¡¯s scalpel. The pillar had taken a modest bite out of the apartment complex behind the house too. He could see an astonished man sitting at his kitchen table in his boxers, a piece of pizza held halfway to his mouth. Nick could still hear the operator¡¯s panicked voice coming out of his phone, but the meaning of the words no longer reached his ears. He watched entranced as dozens of phantasmic pillars descended across the city, each lasting for about thirty seconds before they flashed and disappeared, erasing whatever the light touched. When the final column pulsed and then dissipated, silence reigned for a breathless moment. Then, all across the city, terrified screams resounded, accompanied by the mournful wail of sirens. Those lights are the shroud of annihilation. He stared out his window, witnessing the end of the world as he knew it. I¡¯m not crazy. The System messages were real. This is really happening. Although he was still in shock, a distant part of Nick¡¯s brain remembered the instructions he had received and was already searching for any sign of a portal. That was when he realized that he could see the azure glow again. Only this time, instead of looking at it, he was looking through it, radiant patches of color swimming beside his head. One of those pillars is right on top of me. He began to panic. He had less than thirty seconds to get out of the beam¡¯s path before it obliterated him along with his living room. Heading for the furthest point in his apartment, Nick sprinted down the hallway, desperately searching for the shroud¡¯s edge. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. Less than ten seconds left. If the column extends past the far wall, I¡¯ll need to jump out the window. He took two steps into his bedroom before the light cut off. Fortunately, the shroud was only bisecting his apartment instead of covering the whole building. Nick shuddered in relief at the sight. Staying indoors is a deathtrap. I need to get down to the street where I¡¯ll have some room to maneuver, then avoid the pillars until I can figure something out. The shroud won¡¯t be as dangerous once I understand how it operates. No sooner had that thought entered his head than his front door flew open. Angie, his childhood friend and on-and-off girlfriend, ran into the living room. ¡°Nick, where are you? Something terrible is happening.¡± Angie¡¯s face broke into a relieved grin upon sighting him, shifting into a confused frown after noticing his horrified expression. ¡°I saw your parents pulling into the driveway. Let¡¯s meet up with them and head over to the emergency shelter.¡± ¡°Angie, get out of the light. RUN!¡± Nick screamed and took a step toward her. He willed himself to dart into the shroud and pull her to safety, but his body flat out refused to obey his commands. She had always been quick on the uptake, and Angie started sprinting toward him, covering most of the distance in a frenzied handful of heartbeats. Just before she escaped the pillar¡¯s radius, an intense flash forced Nick to close his eyes. When he opened them again, for just a fraction of a second, he saw Angie for the last time, her features lit from within by an unearthly glow. But then she was gone, erased from this world along with half his apartment. Nick stood dumbfounded, reeling with the sudden loss, as his desk and computer tumbled down the new cliff they straddled. His eyes traced the journey of a family of rats that had been living in the walls, shrieking in terror as they plummeted to the ground below. The shroud doesn¡¯t affect plants or animals, noted the stray corner of his brain that was still functional. Just people and man-made objects. The rest of his mind struggled to process the fact that Angie was dead or that his parents waiting for him downstairs were in mortal peril. That was when the shroud descended once more, completely covering his bedroom along with the rest of the building. Staring at the open air where his living room had stood ten seconds prior, Nick grasped that he was trapped. Out of options and out of time. He had less than thirty seconds before the shroud of annihilation ended his life too. He was preparing to dive over the edge, knowing that the light would likely kill him even if the fall didn¡¯t, when he caught sight of a doorway set into the interior of his closet. A heavy piece of rough-cut oak with brass fittings that he had never seen before. A liquid orange glow flowed out from between the cracks, bathing his closet in a tangerine radiance that wavered like sunlight reflecting off a pool of water. Nick had reflexively started a timer, and he was certain that this unprecedented event must be connected to whatever was happening to his world. If there was a portal to be found, this was where he would find it. Five seconds until the shroud activates. With no time left to think, let alone process what was happening, he leapt into his closet and flung the strange door open. Inside stretched a long tunnel lined with rough brick. A space that could never have fit within the dimensions of his building. The brickwork was crude and covered in hand-painted graffiti. The air was heavy with the scents of wood smoke and animal droppings. It was a strange passage, like a preserved slice of a bygone era. At the far end of the corridor sat a shimmering circle of tangerine light that his game-forged mind instantly recognized as a portal. He stepped past the threshold just before the shroud flashed, disintegrating Nick¡¯s apartment in between one beat of his heart and the next. While he tried to make sense of what was happening, another message appeared, its contents piercing the fog of his bewilderment. System Message: Planetary alert. Geneline culling is 99% complete. All portals will close in ten seconds. Warning: Candidates who fail to enter a portal will not survive the Earth¡¯s ascension. In the wake of that terrible proclamation, the need to live overrode the need to understand, and Nick started to run. Faster than he had ever run before. In his haste, he failed to spot a patch of broken glass along the way. The soft soles of his bare feet were brutalized by the sharp surfaces, slicing into his flesh as he sprinted past. He didn¡¯t even feel these injuries with the supersized blizzard of adrenaline swirling in his bloodstream. The distance was greater than he had originally estimated, the portal growing larger agonizingly slowly. Nick felt a wet sensation spreading below his feet as his savaged flesh stamped the ground crimson with his own blood. All portals will close in 5 seconds. 4¡­ 3¡­ Knowing that he wasn¡¯t going to make it in time, Nick reached inside himself, tapping into a well of strength he had never realized was there. The world faded to gray as he threw every fiber of his being into reaching the end of the passage before the clock hit zero. 2¡­ 1¡­ Just as he arrived before the portal, the circle started closing, radiant edges folding in on themselves like origami. Before the center collapsed into nothingness, Nick threw himself into the shrinking ring of light. The portal winked out of existence a fraction of a heartbeat later. Chapter Three: Integration An infinite expanse awaited Nick on the other side of the portal. A limitless horizon of silver and gold stretching out in all directions. Threads of power were woven throughout the tapestry of celestial radiance, pulsating bands of ruby and jade. He felt like he was floating, unable to touch the ground beneath his feet. He tried to take a deep breath before noticing that there was no air in this place. Not that it mattered much, because Nick no longer had lungs. He realized that his heart had ceased to race. Which made sense, because he didn¡¯t have a heart anymore, or a body at all for that matter. He would have panicked if he could. But in this disembodied state, he could do nothing but wait and see what strange twist fate had in store for him next. He discovered that one benefit of being kicked out of your body was that you had no adrenaline to make you feel afraid. No cortisol to stress you out. No nerves to feel pain, or living cells demanding food, water, or sleep. Before long, Nick began to calm down. He took in the otherworldly display dancing all around him. Sooner or later, something was bound to happen. For now, being suspended within the beating heart of the void felt safe. And he really needed to feel safe right now. While he waited, he tried to process what he had experienced. But his confusion and grief were overwhelming despite his strange state of dissociation. His mind recoiled from the attempt, like a hand brushing against a hot stove. Angie¡­ Her name resounded within his soul, alongside a profound sense of sorrow and loss. At least she didn¡¯t suffer. Sometime later, an alien voice spoke, mirroring the words that appeared within his vision. Quest complete: Welcome to the System. Congratulations and condolences. 75.33% of your species has perished, but you are one of the lucky ones. Reward: Your physical and energetic structures will be altered to enable eligibility for System membership. Hidden Objective Complete: Escape through a portal while experiencing a debilitating traumatic event. Bonus Reward: All traumatic memories will be suppressed until your psyche is prepared to deal with them (survival instincts will not be impaired by this process). What the fuck? Nick tried to scream. Stay out of my head. I want to go home. The System paid no heed to his desires. The inhuman voice droned on as if his objections meant nothing, which, to be fair, did seem to be the case. Although the System was perfectly articulate, its words lacked emotion or anything remotely resembling compassion or empathy. Partitioning memories to prevent catastrophic mental trauma¡­ partition created. At that point, there was a sensation of ghostly fingers reaching inside his brain¡ªwell, more accurately, his mind¡ªas Nick¡¯s brain was still MIA at the moment. The feeling was invasive, irresistible, and utterly foreign. He felt the ethereal probe make a few small adjustments before the overwhelming emotions assailing his psyche were severed, leaving him unable to remember why he was upset or what had happened to him after falling asleep in his chair. After its task was complete, the spectral touch of the System withdrew, and its voice echoed within his mind once more. Planet Earth now has sufficient developmental credits to awaken its dominant species. Preparing to alter the geneline of all surviving human beings¡­ Preparations complete. Creating a stable baseline to enable tutorial participation. Healing life-threatening injuries and curing all illnesses present in participants (All other injuries will be locked in place until the tutorial begins). Rejuvenation protocols are in effect for participants over the age of 51. Maximum age set to 50. Although he had no idea what any of this meant, at this point, several interesting sensations sprang to life. Nick felt a strange tingling inside his chest, surprised to discover that he had a body once more. Tiny worms of pure electricity began inching their way throughout his tissue. He felt a subtle shifting within the cells of his lungs¡ªand near where he thought his liver was¡ªbefore the tingling faded away and the System moved on. Generating personal statistics from biometric data. Establishing baseline attributes (species average set to 5 for physical and mental attributes). Evaluating physical attributes¡­ At this point, Nick felt a bizarre, penetrating heat, as if a great, impersonal eye was scanning every aspect of his being. The gaze of the System permeated his body, charting every organ and every cell. Each network formed by artery and nerve. The fibers of his muscles, sinew, and bone. Every drop of bile and blood. The spiraled helix of his DNA itself. The System mapped his body down to the last molecule. To every atom and quark that comprised his being. Throughout this process, which seemed to stretch on for weeks on end, he could hear the System¡¯s voice in the background. Faint, as if it were speaking to itself rather than addressing him directly. It was listing a series of game-like attributes and their corresponding numbers. By the end, the System knew Nick better than his doctor. Better than his own mother. Better than he knew himself. However, it seemed that the process was only halfway finished. Because the all-seeing eye returned its gaze to his head, or more precisely, his brain. Physical evaluation complete. Creating psychological profile and evaluating cognitive attributes¡­ With that, the eye started scanning his brain, reading the connections between his neurons as easily as he absorbed text on a screen. The incomprehensible entity sifted through his memories, logging everything that he had ever done. Everything that he could have done but never tried. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. More than just a record, he felt the System teasing out the reasons behind these decisions. The ones that Nick knew and many more he did not. It dredged up every good feeling and every bad. The worst moments of his life weigh alongside the best. When this process caught up to the present, he lost the ability to track its progress. He could tell that the System was still reading his life¡¯s story, but he couldn¡¯t follow along past the end of his last gaming session. It was a bit like having the dentist probe his mouth a few minutes after a shot of novocaine, before the anesthesia had taken full effect. Nick knew that he was still being evaluated, but he couldn¡¯t feel the business end of the scanner at all. Several days later, the process was complete, and the System moved on. Psychological and cognitive evaluations complete. Forgoing evaluation of energetic attributes as all values are effectively zero (less than 0.1% of sector average for newly integrated citizens). All members of the human race have been evaluated. The human geneline is ready to be enhanced. Forging energetic pathways and awakening attribute: Magic from [0] to [1]. Up to this point, the System¡¯s touch had been relatively light. After walling off his recent memories, it evaluated his body and mind and recorded its findings. What happened next was anything but light. The entity charted out where it wanted to build, then began forcibly altering his cellular structure. Nick lacked the words to describe this process, as the experience was totally foreign to his existence. At first, it felt like something had gripped him by the stomach, holding him tight while shaping a cavity within. A foundation upon which to lay the next layer of its construction. A few minutes later, he felt heat building within his chest. A marble of crackling energy was condensing below his heart, fusing to the very fiber of his being. He thought it was over, but the strange sensation was only the beginning of what the System had in store. As soon as his core finished forming, silver beams began carving subtle channels across his body. It started with a big line running straight down his torso, etching a pathway from nose to toes. It added dozens of auxiliary networks before completing what felt like thousands of tiny conduits running between the nodes and lines. Finally, some sort of energy was pumped directly into Nick¡¯s being¡ªa heady warmth that somehow tasted sweet. The power filled his newly forged core and began circulating throughout his nascent energetic channels. The System filled his body completely. Then it added a bit more juice for good measure, until the spreading warmth extended a few inches beyond his skin, forming a mantle of force that he could feel as clearly as his own body. Over the course of this process, he began to feel that he understood what was happening. There was an order and logic that made inherent sense to him, although he was still struggling to take all this newness in. By the time the System finished infusing his channels with energy, Nick was poised on the brink of epiphany. An insight that would allow him to understand the changes occurring within and beyond his body. Mere heartbeats before he reached enlightenment, the fey sensations faded away and soon could no longer be felt at all. Geneline alteration complete. Humans of [Earth] have gained the geneline trait [Awakened to Magic]. Awakened to Magic The System has modified the human geneline, awakening their capacity to manipulate magical energy. Effects: +1 to Magic As with all newly integrated planets, members of the human race have also been granted the geneline trait: [Gift of Tongues]. Gift of Tongues You can understand and speak the languages of all intelligent creatures. After being held captive for what felt like months, Nick felt the strange force trapping him within the space between worlds start to dissipate. Just before the System let him loose, its grip tightened once more. The reason for this abrupt reversal became apparent when he absorbed its next announcement. Terminating geneline alteration protocols. Problem: Process is unable to terminate. Reason: A latent geneline trait has been detected. Warning: Spontaneous activation of a geneline trait will result in the death of approximately 97% of the human species. Solution: Guide the activation of the latent geneline trait prior to species integration. The things Nick had experienced up to this point were easily the most intense sensations of his life. What awaited him next was a hundred times worse. The energy that had been trickling throughout his body became a flood. A torrent. A tsunami of incandescent force. It permeated every fiber of his being. Every cell, molecule, and atom. He had no idea how long this process took because all he was aware of was pain. Fire burned away the impurities inside his body, ridding him of countless imperfections and inefficiencies. It erased the dross to forge his essence into something stronger than before. At last, what felt like weeks later, the procedure was complete, and Nick shivered like a newborn foal. However, his ordeal was far from over. The otherworldly energy returned with a vengeance. It went surging into his brain, triggering a cascade of changes within his skull. This time, instead of pain, the alterations were pleasurable, as if his tissue had always wanted to be this way. As a result, instead of fighting the surgery of the System, his body was an active participant in the process. It took what was strong and made it stronger, smoothing away weakness like an artist sculpting wet clay. It felt like every speck that made up his being had been improved, as well as the connections between them. He was tougher, smarter, faster, and generally more capable than ever before¡ªlike his prior incarnation had been nothing more than a facsimile of his true self, a crooked xerox of his unbound potential. This shaping seemed to go on for days on end, and Nick soon lost all sense of time¡¯s passage. Eventually, the last cell in his body had been transformed, and he heard the voice of the System once more. Humans of [Earth] have gained the geneline trait: [Versatile]. Versatile Human beings are known throughout the multiverse for their remarkable adaptability. The humans of Earth have taken this to the next level, improving their proficiency across the board. Effects: +1 to all attributes. +1 free ability slot. At last, the System seemed satisfied. Its tendrils unwound themselves from Nick¡¯s psyche and soul, releasing him to stand under his own power. Despite the mind-boggling implications of everything he¡¯d experienced, he was intensely curious to find out what would happen next. The mysterious entity didn¡¯t make him wait for long. Humans of [Earth] have gained the geneline traits: [Awakened to Magic], [Versatile], and [Gift of Tongues]. As a result, your species has evolved to grade [E]. Congratulations! Your species now meets the minimum standard for System candidacy. Generating citizen profile¡­ profile complete Nicholas ¡°Nick¡± Henry. Level: 0. Tier: 1. Species: Human of Earth (E). Class: (none). Attributes
Strength: 3 Dexterity: 5 Toughness: 3
Mind: 7 Creativity: 6 Charisma: 5
Magic: 2 ??? ???
Skills: (none). Abilities: (none). Class Traits: (none). Bloodline Traits: (none). Geneline Traits: Gift of Tongues, Awakened to Magic, Versatile. The System only flashed his profile for an instant before continuing. Commencing integration protocols¡­ Integration complete. Planet [Earth, 1] is now connected to the local transdimensional network. Eligibility for System mentorship program confirmed. Bidding open¡­ Bidding closed *(awaiting final confirmation). Number of divine entities engaged in bidding: What followed was a number so big that it flooded the entirety of Nick¡¯s view. Thousands of digits surged around his head like a maelstrom, somehow still contained within his view. They threatened to extinguish his sanity with the sheer scale of the universe¡ªno, the multiverse and his own insignificance. Then, everything froze for a fraction of a second, like a gaming PC under heavy load, before the ocean of digits collapsed back into the original prompt. The line where the number had begun wavered before being replaced by a single word, ¡°many.¡± Planet [Earth, 1] is now under the mentorship of [Astra, the Green Mother, S]. Implementing tutorial protocols and engaging portal network. Chapter Four: Tutorial: The Searing Isle When Nick came to, he was lying on the beach. He had always loved the ocean. No matter what was going wrong in his life, the rhythmic pounding of waves crashing against the shore inevitably soothed his soul. He had spent some of the worst days of his life at the beach, drawing comfort from the eternal cycle of the tides. Standing juxtaposed between the boundary of three realms: the ocean, land, and sky. Although he couldn¡¯t remember it yet, that part of his life was over. Dead and buried alongside three-quarters of the human race. The calm that Nick felt from resting on the shore clashed with the adrenaline still surging in his veins, the tension of his overtaxed muscles wrapping tight around his body like constricting bands of steel. The sting of sunlight warmed the cuts on his feet. As the roar of the surf beckoned him back to consciousness, he realized that he couldn¡¯t recall how he had made his way down to the beach. His mind was filled with mist and haze. He couldn¡¯t remember anything after he had logged out of the game and fallen asleep. Although he would soon be swept up in the gravity of his situation, for now, in this fleeting moment of serenity, Nick was okay. He opened his eyes, then shut them tight again, as the sunny blue sky thrust lances of light deep into his retinas. He squinted, barely opening his eyelids. He waited for his vision to adjust while rubbing his aching temples with the palms of his hands. I must have been asleep for a while. He felt groggy and discombobulated, still half lost in the space between worlds. He focused on the rhythm of the surf, waiting for reason and recollection to return. When he could bear to keep his eyes open, Nick sat up and took a long look around. He found himself alone on a pristine dunescape formed from ivory folds of sand, staring out across the open water. It¡¯s beautiful here. He took a deep breath and smiled. The piercing cries of gulls filled the air, carried by a moist breeze that had kissed the sea for countless miles, leaving the tang of salt upon his lips in passing. Eventually, his mind was clear enough for questions to begin drifting up from his subconscious, like bubbles rising from the bottom of a muddy lake. Where am I? How did I get here? Did I get blackout drunk and miss the raid? No matter how intensely he probed his murky memories, he couldn¡¯t remember anything since he had passed out the night before. At least Nick hoped it was the night before. The possibility that he had lost days of his life was a frightening proposition. When he looked down at his fingers, cognitive dissonance hit him like a punch to the gut. He was shocked to discover that his fingernails were almost an inch long. He shaved every night and trimmed his nails every few days. Suspecting that he was the victim of some sort of practical joke, Nick tried pulling what he thought were press-on extensions free from his fingertips, only to find that they were his own, natural nails. What the fuck? He was floored by this discovery. It made even less sense than waking up on the beach, since it would take months for his fingernails to grow to such a length. His shock turned into alarm when he raised his hands to his face. Extending well past his jawline jutted a full mustache and beard. His bangs were so long that they touched his chin, and the back of his hair fell below his shoulders¡ªlonger than he had ever worn it before. The sense of calm that sitting on the beach had evoked was shattered in that moment. Like a wrecking ball passing through a pane of glass. As hard as it was to process, it appeared that Nick¡¯s body had aged months since the night of his last memory. Was I in a coma? Why can¡¯t I remember anything? I¡¯m still wearing my jeans and bathrobe, and my muscles show no signs of atrophy. This makes no sense. What¡¯s happening to me? After a bit of probing, he determined that his head didn¡¯t have any scars or bruises, so his condition wasn¡¯t likely to be a hallucination brought on by a concussion or other traumatic injury to his brain. And though his mind was filled with a roiling mist, his consciousness did not feel otherwise altered. The possibility that he was lost in a drug-induced vision seemed unlikely as well. As he sat there, eyes reflecting the dawn of an alien horizon, the first part of his life came to an end, and the next chapter of Nick¡¯s tale began. Although his thoughts were slowly starting to sharpen, his memories stubbornly refused to return. He was going to have to tackle this situation without them. He reached into the pocket of his bathrobe to pull out what he thought was the familiar bulk of his cellphone, only to discover two lightly sanded chocolate chip cookies instead. While it didn¡¯t really make sense, he was beginning to wonder if he was the victim of an elaborate practical joke after all. Regardless of the truth of his circumstances, he needed to find someone and call for help, then get his brain looked at by a doctor. Nick rose to his feet, screamed, and immediately fell over. Pain radiated through the bottom of his soles as hot, salted sand pressed into the cuts covering his feet. Wounds that he had no memory of receiving. He froze and tried to focus on the comforting crashing of the waves, gritting his teeth until the pain dipped from excruciating down to merely agonizing. He gingerly brushed off his toes with a corner of his bathrobe, scared to see what his skin would look like under the layer of sand. When he was finished, he sighed with relief. His feet were sensitive and raw, but the damage wasn¡¯t nearly as bad as he had feared. His reaction had been due to surprise as much as pain. After spotting some scrapes and bruises on his legs, he carefully probed every inch of his body. The injuries appeared fresh, but most were only skin deep. The bottom layer of my feet is shredded, but none of the cuts look infected. I¡¯m a bit banged up, but nothing seems to be broken. Did someone jump me and leave me for dead? I seem to have been running without my shoes. Fuck. I don¡¯t have shoes or a hat, and the sunlight is intense. I¡¯m going to get burned if I¡¯m not careful. Nick had learned long ago that when life seems overwhelming, rather than focusing on a problem as a whole, it¡¯s best to break things down into the simplest possible steps and then solve them one by one. Thus, rather than letting such worrisome thoughts consume him, he focused on his immediate needs. He tore two long strips from the bottom of his T-shirt, carefully wrapping the cloth around his feet, then tying it in place. Probing them through the wraps still hurt, but he should be able to walk on the soft sand without aggravating his wounds. Thousands of hours of competitive gaming had conditioned him to always have a plan. He engaged the problem-solving part of his brain while bracing himself to rise to his feet once again. I need to borrow someone¡¯s phone, call the police, and let my family know that I¡¯m all right. Everything else can wait until I¡¯m safe. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. After a final, frustrating moment spent trying to remember how he had arrived on these shores through sheer effort of will, Nick sighed and stood up for a second time. He took a deep breath as he rode out the initial wave of discomfort. Putting weight on his feet still hurt, but it wasn¡¯t nearly as bad as he¡¯d feared. After taking a few tentative steps and adjusting his wrappings, he was ready to begin searching for civilization. He found that if he didn¡¯t step on shells or stones, he could walk along the wave-smoothed sands at a reasonable pace. The heat was intense, especially with the sunlight reflecting off the white dunes. He was already sweating, and he was just getting started. I need to stick to the shade as much as possible and find something to keep the sun off my head. Before committing to a direction, Nick cast his gaze across the pristine beach, searching for any signs of other people. But no matter how hard he looked, he found nothing but an unbroken expanse of ivory sand and crystalline water. There were no beach towels or umbrellas set up along the shoreline. No kayaks or surfboards floating atop the waves, which shimmered with strange hues when the light hit them at just the right angle. He couldn¡¯t spot a single wake or sail, and when he looked up, there were no planes crossing the sky or the ubiquitous trails of vapor they left behind. There wasn¡¯t even any trash. Not so much as an empty can of beer or discarded wrapper. Nick had never laid eyes on such a flawless natural location. Even the national parks were grungy by comparison. He strained his ears, listening for the sound of voices or engines in the distance. For the first time in his life, no mechanical reverberations rode the breeze. Only the timeless music of wind and water, accompanied by the mournful cries of seabirds. Moving on, Nick tried to identify the beach by examining the terrain, hoping to spot a familiar landmark along the skyline. The white sands stretched on for as far as his eyes could see in both directions, the shore gradually curving as it merged with the horizon. Behind him, the beach sloped gently upwards until it transitioned into what appeared to be a wide swath of woodlands. That was when he saw the mountain looming above the roof of the canopy. A mountain billowing a thin band of black smoke. For a long moment, he was terrified that he was standing near a forest fire before his brain processed what he was seeing. It¡¯s a volcano. This shocking revelation was followed by another. I¡¯m on an island. Decent-sized one too. He looked out across the water, realizing that the unusual color wasn¡¯t just a trick of the light. There were hints of rose and emerald swirling around the endless expanse of blue. Am I somewhere in the Ring of Fire? It doesn¡¯t matter where I am, Nick decided, still coming to grips with one shocking observation after another. I¡¯m in the middle of nowhere. There¡¯s no sign of anyone nearby. I have little food, no water, no shoes, and no idea where to go. In that moment, he was filled with a sinking certainty that his circumstances were even more dire than his amnesia. This is a serious situation. You don¡¯t have time to wait for your memories to come back. You¡¯re going to be in trouble if you¡¯re still out in the open when the sun goes down. He knew that he could go several days without finding food, especially with the cookies in his pocket to sustain him. But water was another story, since Nick was sweating profusely due to the heat. First things first, I¡¯m going to burn if I stay under this sun. He looked around and saw a palm tree a bit further down the beach. No. It isn¡¯t a palm. The leaves are wrong, he noted as he moved to stand beneath their shade. While he took stock of his situation, he adjusted the wrappings on his feet, realizing that his toes were already sore from walking with such long nails. Before he set off on his unwilling adventure, he nicked them with a rock and then carefully tore the ends off his crazy-long finger and toenails. They were far too uneven, but they would have to do for now. Nick picked up a fallen frond to use as a makeshift umbrella, then rose to his feet and started walking. He continued down the beach for what had to be two or three miles. In addition to searching for water and shelter, he was also looking for a private dock or parking lot. He was still hoping to find another living soul somewhere out here, or at least a path that he could follow back to civilization. But no matter how far he traveled, he couldn¡¯t spot a single sign that anyone else was around. No evidence that other people had ever been in the area, for that matter. Despite this disappointing development, he pressed on. Okay Nick, it¡¯s time to activate survival protocols. Step one: survey the area, looking for water, shelter, and food in that order. You might still find help, but you can¡¯t count on it given what you¡¯ve already seen. Putting up an SOS is a good idea, but not until you know where you¡¯re going to be waiting it out. Stay on the beach and avoid the trees for now. Visibility will be poor under the canopy, and it¡¯s not a good idea to walk in there without boots. Keep an eye out for clumps of vegetation, animal activity, or other signs of fresh water. Try to find some elevated ground so that you can take a better look around. Judging from the position of the sun, it''s either a few hours before or after noon. Hopefully before. Because, as bad as things are now, when the sun goes down, it¡¯s going to get a lot worse. Two hours later, running his tongue across increasingly dry lips, he was forced to admit that finding his way back home might take longer than he had hoped¡ªdays or possibly even weeks. The further Nick went, the thirstier he became. He was still sweating profusely, even with the frond to block the sunlight. At least it wasn¡¯t getting any warmer, or he would have had to worry about heatstroke too. The magnitude of his situation began intruding on his state of mind, cementing his understanding that this wasn¡¯t simply a matter of being injured or lost. His life was on the line, and the next choices he made could mean the difference between surviving this catastrophe or succumbing to it. He came to a stop as the full implications of his ordeal caught up to him. His breath came fast and shallow, and his pulse began to race. Don¡¯t freak out. Shut out everything but the next step and just keep breathing. Panicking will only make things worse. Nick had been calling for help every few minutes, but he stopped when he grasped that his voice wouldn¡¯t carry much further than his eyes could see. If there were any dangerous predators in the area, drawing attention to himself would be a critical mistake. To distract himself from his growing fears, he took a quick survey of his inventory. The top half of a cotton T-shirt. A pair of blue jeans with four small pockets. Two crude foot wraps that won¡¯t last long. A bathrobe with two large pockets holding two chocolate chip cookies and a random stick. One palm frond and¡­ a couple of rocks. He picked up a few stones the size of tangerines and slid them into the empty pocket of his robe, figuring that he could use them to drive off wild animals as a last resort. He would keep an eye out for a suitable walking stick as he traveled. Other than the cookies, the most valuable item was his bathrobe. Most bathrobes were basically beach towels with arm holes, but his was top of the line. The fuzzy beige fabric was durable and soft. Although Nick always wore it when he was home alone, which was pretty much whenever he was home, it hardly showed any signs of wear. It felt weird walking without the familiar bulges filling its pockets. Despite the severity of his situation, he laughed when he realized how naked he felt without his cellphone, keys, and wallet. From the changing angle of the mountain, he determined that he was slowly rounding the perimeter of the island, still heading in the same general direction. By now, the sun had risen enough for him to know that it was morning rather than evening, which meant that he was facing west when looking out across the water. Nick continued walking south along the beach, marveling at how vibrant the shoreline was. The cries of gulls filled the air, and tiny crabs scuttled along the water¡¯s edge. Clouds of midges flocked around mounds of kelp, adding a tangy scent that reminded him of sushi. He had just crested the top of a low dune when he stopped dead in his tracks, eyes wide with astonishment. Because that was when his gaze fell upon a large group of animals in the distance, scampering along the shore in scattered clumps. Those look like monkeys, but I don¡¯t recognize the species. Where in the world am I? There were at least fifty of the creatures moving in a roving tribe. He dropped to his hands and knees to reduce his profile. He knew that many species of primates were aggressively territorial, so being spotted was the last thing he wanted. His heart pounded in his chest. The fear of discovery sent adrenaline coursing through his veins. Nick had never tried to conceal his presence before, and he poured every drop of concentration into his fledgling attempt at stealth. He knew that if he made a single mistake, it might be the last one he ever made. Chapter Five: Close Encounter of the Primate Kind After making sure that he hadn¡¯t been noticed, Nick took a few deep breaths to help him calm down. Despite the distance, he was able to take a good, long look at the primates making their way along the beach. His vision seemed unusually sharp, perhaps because the air here was so clean. Although he was still incredibly wary, what he saw helped him relax, if only by a hair. What he had originally thought were monkeys, were closer in appearance to lemurs the size of golden retrievers. He realized that the creatures might not actually be lemurs, since they were over twice the size of the largest variety he knew of. But since Nick didn¡¯t know what else to call them, he decided that lemurs would be good enough. Maybe they¡¯re some kind of crossbreed or genetic experiment. The beasts in question were covered in short brown fur with white accents around their hands and faces. They had large eyes and long tails, bounding across the dunes on all fours. He spent a good ten minutes watching them play in the surf while hunting for crabs. They were surprisingly cute and didn¡¯t appear to be threatening. But that didn¡¯t mean they weren¡¯t dangerous. Nick was completely certain that, like all members of the primate family, the beasts were strong for their size and had a powerful bite. There was no question that the lemur tribe could fuck him up if they were so inclined. If he was locked in a cage with a single beast, he could probably use his mass to crush it. But even then, he wouldn¡¯t emerge unscathed. Their jaws could easily snip his fingers free from his hands. That was when Nick spotted a lemur sitting in a tree, just a few paces away from where he crouched. It was half the size of the others and was looking straight at him. His heart rate kicked into high gear, and adrenaline surged into his bloodstream. He tensed up and got ready to run, planning to dive into the ocean if the creature proved faster than himself. But then he realized that the little primate didn¡¯t seem to be alarmed by his presence. It showed no sign of hostility as it peered at him, just curiosity. This lemur was male and had black rings around its eyes, giving it a racoon-like mask with the banding of its fur. Hoping that the creatures would be willing to tolerate his presence in their territory if he appeared friendly, Nick slowly reached into his pocket and broke off a piece of cookie. He made eye contact with the lemur, waved, and then tossed the morsel into the sand near the base of the tree. ¡°Hey there, little bandit. I¡¯m cool. You¡¯re cool. Everyone here is friends.¡± The lemur that Nick had decided to name Bandit cocked its head, gaze following the path of the cookie, seemingly captivated by his antics. It leapt from the branches and landed with a spray of sand. The lemur carefully approached the pastry, bending down to sniff at the chips like they were foreign to its experience, which they probably were. The beast clearly liked what it smelled, because it snatched up the morsel, brushed off a layer of grit, then shoved the cookie into its mouth. Letting out a few excited chitters, the lemur took another long look at Nick and then bounded off to join its tribe, gesturing back to where he stood. He got the impression that Bandit was telling them that Nick was a friend, not a threat that needed to be dealt with. Now that he had managed to pass a preliminary inspection, he hoped that the tribe wouldn¡¯t attack him on sight, though he planned to keep his distance whenever possible. Although his palms were still sweating, he rose to his feet and revealed his presence. You weren¡¯t hiding anyway. They knew you were here the whole time. After a few nervous minutes spent watching Bandit and the tribe, who occasionally stopped to look back at him, Nick decided that it was safe to continue down the shore, immensely relieved that the oversized lemurs didn¡¯t consider him to be either predator or prey. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. He thought about trying to follow them, but they moved far faster than he could and were soon out of sight. I¡¯m lucky that they didn¡¯t chase me down and demand the rest of my cookies either. He decided to finish the smaller pastry now, just in case. After another hour or so spent walking along the beach, he caught sight of something dark rising from the white sands along the horizon, where the shoreline rose to form an elevated point. Fifteen minutes later, he was close enough to make out additional details. The object was formed from what appeared to be solid obsidian, a jet-black obelisk at least fifteen feet tall. It must be some kind of art installation, he decided. It was the first man-made structure that Nick had spotted since waking up on the island. He hoped that it would lead him to a parking lot, or at least a walking trail. If it was some sort of monument or tourist attraction, perhaps people would be nearby as well. As he drew near, he was able to make out more of the obelisk¡¯s features. He didn¡¯t recognize the architecture or artistic style. But that wasn¡¯t too surprising, as he had never been much of a patron of the arts. A platform carved from the same type of stone ringed the base of the structure, and a third of the way up on the side facing him, he saw a rectangular block that looked like a touch screen. The same kind you would find on an ATM or ticket kiosk. Nick ascended the rise and slowly circled the edifice, looking for writing that would offer him some clue as to what country he was in. By the time he had completed a full circuit around the base, he had discovered nothing of the sort, nor any of the footprints or tire tracks he¡¯d been expecting to find. With no other promising leads, he shrugged, climbed the last sunny stretch of sand, then walked up to the screen. The blank display was shielded by a thin layer of glass set seamlessly into the face of the stone. Hoping that the computer within had entered sleep mode to conserve power rather than being completely out of juice, Nick put down his frond and tapped the center of the screen, swiping a bit for good measure. Ten seconds later, nothing had happened. It¡¯s busted or out of batteries after all. He stifled his disappointment and was about to turn away when the screen started to glow. Rows of weird symbols scrolled past for just a moment, tickling his subconscious and filling him with a vague premonition of dread. He blinked, and by the time his eyes reopened, the feeling had passed and the words in front of him had morphed into English. He expected the display to contain information regarding the artwork, or perhaps details about the local geography. Thus, the words on the screen came as a complete surprise. Instead of an information blurb, Nick discovered a menu with three options that were straight out of a classic RPG. Active quests (1) Contestant profile System encyclopedia (Tutorial knowledge points: 0) Quests, tutorials, and contestants? What is all of this? It looks like the menu of a game. It doesn¡¯t matter. This is the first sign of civilization I¡¯ve discovered so far. Checking it out might tell me where I am and what is happening. Maybe even point me in the direction of other people. Nick started off by pressing the field marked System encyclopedia. He was hoping that even without knowledge points, it would still provide some sort of overview or introduction to¡­ whatever the screen was all about. However, selecting the prompt led only to a blank page with a back arrow in one corner. Shrugging, he returned to the main menu and selected the first option on the list. This time, a page of words scrolled down to fill the screen. Quest: System Tutorial. Location: The Searing Isle. Objective: Survive for 31 days or escape the Searing Isle. Welcome, contestant, to your tutorial. Here, you will learn the basics of survival within the Labyrinth. The format for this quest has been changed by your sponsor from [Training Grounds] to [Survival Challenge]. The island is home to a wide variety of beasts, biomes, and natural resources, some of which are harmless. Most, however, are not. Your goal is to learn how to fend for yourself. How to survive the elements, forage for food and water, fight off hostile beasts, and endure various environmental hazards. This tutorial is divided into three distinct phases. The details of each phase are up to you to discover. Hidden throughout the island are a variety of reward chests. They range in quality from wood on the low end to gold on the high end. These colors correspond to the rarity of the reward contained within. Each chest will grant items and other prizes that will help you survive, as well as tutorial knowledge points (KP), which can be redeemed at this kiosk. Note: Chests holding items that are above average for their quality will provide a smaller pool of KP. Rewards: To be determined based on performance. Remaining time: 30 days, 20 hours, 7 minutes. Time until the tutorial¡¯s second phase begins: 6 days, 20 hours, 7 minutes. Chapter Six: A Game of Life and Death It was odd that the quest countdown seemed to match the time that Nick had woken up on the beach, but this could be a lucky break. The start of a new round meant that other players should be somewhere nearby. People who could help him get home. As with the main menu, the information on the questing screen was remarkably game-like. He was still processing everything that he¡¯d read, but it appeared that he had stumbled across an elaborate prop for some sort of live action role play. He wasn¡¯t sure what the Labyrinth was¡ªmaybe the setting for their adventure. Thinking about it filled Nick with a vague sense of unease whose origin he couldn¡¯t pin down, so he moved on to the rest of the description. The Searing Isle, huh? I don¡¯t recognize the name, but it might be made up for the game. I wonder where it comes from. Probably the volcano. Although he was reasonably certain that this computer wasn¡¯t connected to the internet, and that the information about the game was unlikely to be helpful, he still felt immensely relieved. This wasn¡¯t an uninhabited island after all. People had been here before and were either somewhere in the area or would return relatively soon. The obelisk looked pristine, handmade, and expensive. Not the kind of thing that you would use once and then abandon. While he doubted that it would reveal anything useful, he went ahead and selected the final option from the main menu. Despite his predicament, he found that he was curious about the game these people were playing out in the middle of nowhere. Nick¡¯s predictions were shattered the moment he began to read. The words that appeared shocked him to his core. Contestant Profile: Nicholas ¡°Nick¡± Henry. Level: 0. Tier: 1. Species: Human of Earth (E). Holy shit. My name is in the database. How is that even possible? He took a reflexive step back, as if retreating from the display could shield him from the impact of the words. Was I playing this game before I lost my memories? No. I couldn''t have been playing already if I¡¯m still Level 0. And I wouldn¡¯t start a round without shoes or bandaging these injuries properly. Hoping that it would tell him more about what was happening, Nick ran his eyes across the rest of the screen. Class: Survivor (Basic). Base attribute points per level: 0. Free attribute points per level: 1. Attributes
Strength: 3 Dexterity: 5 Toughness: 3
Mind: 7 Creativity: 6 Charisma: 5
Magic: 2 ??? ???
Abilities Ability slots: 2 active, 1 passive, 1 free. No spells or abilities have been acquired. When Nick saw that he had been assigned a basic class, he felt a surge of disappointment. He knew that he had been cheated somehow, although he had no idea where the emotion came from. A second page followed the first, which he ignored for now, returning to the questing screen instead. He slowly reread the prompt, pondering every word while trying to suss out its implications. A one-month time limit. Does that mean if I can hold on until the end, someone will show up and rescue me? Wait, that would mean someone knows I¡¯m here already. What could they possibly want from me? Is this some sort of sick game like that Korean show Angie made me binge last summer, where everyone wound up killing each other? That thought triggered an outpouring of anxiety, repressed memories scraping along his consciousness like nails dragged across a chalkboard. Why do I feel so sad when I think about Angie? After a moment, Nick¡¯s discomfort began to fade, and he went ahead and examined the final page of his profile. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Class Traits Survivor: You require 25% less food, water, oxygen, and sleep. Geneline Traits Gift of Tongues: You can understand and speak the languages of all intelligent creatures. Awakened to Magic: +1 to Magic. Versatile: +1 to all attributes. +1 free ability slot. Bloodline Traits None. Skills Wand: 0. Evaluate Danger: 0. Foraging: 0. Inventory (Unfiltered) Blue Jeans (Basic). 1 Chocolate Chip Cookie (Basic). Bathrobe (Common). Wand (Uncommon). Modifications: Soulbound. Skill activation (Wand). I guess my shirt doesn¡¯t count as an item since it¡¯s ripped into pieces. Wait, does that mean this database is being updated in real time? It only lists one cookie instead of the pair I started with. Is there a satellite, spy camera, or drone watching my every move? Unable to make sense of what was happening, Nick stared at the screen, seeking the meaning hidden behind the words. Gazing at the bottom of his inventory, he thought that he saw a blurry space at the end of the list. Like an entry had been obscured by a drop of water. When he wiped the area clean with his thumb, it disappeared, so he dismissed the blur as merely a smudge. Awakened to Magic? Gift of Tongues? While it would be great if these traits were real, I don¡¯t have time to figure out the rules to this game right now. He sighed in disappointment. This display is useless to me except for the clock. I can¡¯t see how it has anything to do with a real-world survival situation. After reading the word wand for the tenth time as he collected his thoughts, Nick realized that something was sticking out of the pocket of his robe. An item that he had dismissed as a stick during his initial survey of his possessions. Hoping that it could provide him with clues that the obelisk had not, he reached into his pocket. His fingers brushed past the gooey cookie, which had melted a bit over the course of his hike, and pulled out an object that had to be the wand listed on his profile. The carved strip of dark wood was the length of the space between his elbow and his wrist. It was covered in engravings that looked like some kind of runic language, all sweeping curves and sharp points. One end came to a rounded knob, while the thicker side was flat on the bottom. Near the base, there were three small gems embedded at regular intervals¡ªclear stones that glistened beneath the light of the noonday sun. The only other features were two raised protrusions that sat where Nick¡¯s thumb rested when he gripped the wand with the gems facing up. For just a second, he thought that he felt something when he touched the device. A sense of familiarity, like he¡¯d been using the wand all his life. But when he took a closer look, the feeling passed. It was, honestly, rather elegant. Prop or not, the carvings had been etched with skill and an impressive attention to detail. It was probably worth something to a collector. More importantly, once Nick got home, a forensic analysis of the wand might reveal hints as to what had happened to him and who was responsible. He tried fiddling with it for a few more minutes, but nothing happened, no matter what he tried. In short, the wand was weird, but wasn¡¯t worth wasting any more time on right now. Hidden clues aside, he had no need for a theater prop and nearly tossed the wand aside to reduce the weight of his clothing. He hesitated, nearly chucked it a second time, then slipped the device back into his pocket. When he did, the strange feeling came back, stronger this time. While he had never seen its like before, Nick was certain that the wand belonged to him¡ªthat he had claimed it for himself on a primal, fundamental level. It was a weird sensation, but he attributed it to the strange day he was having and moved on to more important matters. Since Nick had no knowledge points to spend, or any idea of where he might find a chest, he shelved these issues until he had time to spare. With a sigh, he turned away from the screen, considering and discarding a dozen plans out of hand before committing to a course of action. If this is some kind of reality show or snuff film, whoever is responsible is probably watching me in real time. Operating under the assumption that he was being observed, he scanned the air above his head for drones but found nothing of the sort. He moved on to the obelisk itself, putting his face against the stone, then examining every inch of its surface for pinhole cameras. Finally, Nick pinched the fabric of his robe and jeans, sliding his fingers across every fold of cloth to check for embedded tracking chips. But that plan was a bust as well. Discovering no trace of hidden observers, he returned to the matter at hand, securing the resources he needed to survive until he was rescued. He was already growing hungry once more, and his throat was dry, making it hard to swallow. He was sweating less now that he was in the shade, but the heat was still wringing him dry far faster than normal. He needed to find a source of water within the next twenty-four hours before dehydration began to affect his coordination and judgment. Since there was a chance that he would lose it and it was already crumbling into pieces, Nick went ahead and ate most of the cookie, the grit of sand crunching between his teeth with every bite. It magnified his thirst by a hair, but it helped to restore his energy. For just an instant, he was seven years old, standing in his grandmother¡¯s kitchen as she told him stories. The memory lasted for only the ghost of a moment, but it made him feel better, even if his situation was no less dire than before. Although he was ready to head out, he was weary from his journey across the sands. While it was embarrassing to admit, even inside his own head, he had really let himself go over the last couple of years. He used to play sports back in high school and had exercised regularly. Now, hiking just a few miles along the surf had tired him out. I can¡¯t afford to sweat more than I already am. I need to conserve fluid. Judging that he would fully recover sometime within the next ten minutes, Nick walked around to the shady side of the pillar and set his back against the stone, reviewing his strategy while waiting for his body to recuperate. His legs were tired from his morning hike, and he had to cover as much ground as possible without exhausting himself further. After cooling off and calming down, he was ready to go. He tightened his impromptu bandages, hefted his makeshift umbrella to protect him from the sun, and resumed his trek along the beach. As he walked, vibrant hoots and caws resounded in the distance. Nick assumed that they belonged to familiar animals from the world of his birth, unaware that the Searing Isle was every bit as dangerous as the obelisk had promised. An unforgiving wilderness filled with tooth, fang, and claw. Chapter Seven: Fight or Flight Shelving the mystery of his situation now, Nick continued making his way down the shoreline. He was careful not to walk too fast so that he didn¡¯t tire himself out or aggravate his injuries along the way. He decided that he would survey the area, building a map in his head while looking for water and somewhere that he could hole up for the night. Whatever is really going on here, there are probably resources in the area that won¡¯t be too hard to find. It wouldn¡¯t be much of a game if everyone died from dehydration by the end of the week. Nick had already hiked along the northern coastline for hours, and had seen no signs of water, so heading in that direction would be a waste of time. As he continued walking south along the beach, he examined the surrounding terrain. Except for the area around the obelisk, the interior of the island is higher than the shoreline. There should be water pouring down the slope somewhere as it drains into the sea. There must be a river or lake nearby that the animals use as a primary source of water. I need to find it and wait until nothing dangerous is nearby. Due to his recent discoveries, the prospect of encountering other people now felt rather threatening. If Nick ran into anyone out here, he would watch them from a distance before approaching. He needed to get his hands on a satellite phone or steal a boat, then make his escape and contact the authorities. Twenty minutes later, he spotted a narrow swath of green jutting up against the horizon. The verdant smudge was far too small to be the mainland. It had to be another sizable island. One that might not be monitored by the twisted minds that had created the obelisk. It was interesting, but it didn¡¯t help him right now. Without knowing how strong and in which direction the currents ran, it would be suicide to swim to the distant shore. Although he was tired and sore, he was making better time than he¡¯d expected. By now, Nick had adjusted to the discomfort of walking on injured feet. The pain had even died down a bit over the last few hours. His body felt lighter than usual, and when he tried chucking a few rocks to warm up his arm, his coordination seemed unusually sharp. He wasn¡¯t exhausting himself as badly as he¡¯d feared, although he was still sweating far too much. Now that he thought about it, he felt stronger than before too. Nick stopped and took a close look at his torso and limbs. His muscles were still embarrassingly flabby, but his body had a tad more tone and definition than before, a bit less fat clinging to his waist and rear. Maybe he wasn¡¯t quite as out of shape as he¡¯d thought. I must have been getting regular exercise before I lost my memories. At least there¡¯s a perk to all this insanity. He was alone, confused, and afraid, but his mind was clear as a mountain stream. Despite the holes in his memory, his thoughts felt honed to a razor¡¯s edge. He was ready to solve the puzzle of this place, no matter what truths he uncovered. As he ran his gaze across the untamed wilderness surrounding him on all sides, he felt his will to endure solidify, and his resolve burned fierce and bright. In that moment, Nick vowed that he would endure the island¡¯s challenge. Make his escape and find his way home¡ªno matter what he had to do to survive the days ahead. Nine miles and three short breaks later, he was starting to worry that he was in even more trouble than he¡¯d realized. He had already traveled a considerable distance and had yet to discover a source of fresh water or any manner of shelter. Nick was afraid that if he didn¡¯t find something soon, he would have to brave the forest and cope with the rough terrain and reduced visibility. He began looking for any sign of the lemur tribe, figuring that since it was hot outside, following them might lead him to water. Unfortunately, he hadn¡¯t seen any of the furry creatures over the last few hours and didn¡¯t know where they lived. The lemurs were the closest thing to company he had found on the island. Observing them could teach him how to survive. But there was no guarantee that he would run across them again so easily. I¡¯ll try to follow them next time, but it will have to wait. If Nick walked all the way back and couldn¡¯t find Bandit¡¯s tribe, he would be in even worse shape than he was now with no water or shelter for miles. Although he was taking it easy, he hadn¡¯t stopped sweating since waking up on the island, meaning that dehydration would kick in faster than usual. He needed to find water before that happened, or his condition would rapidly decline. If he was lucky, it would rain sometime over the next few days, but he couldn¡¯t count on luck to save him. In this strange and unprecedented situation, he could only count on himself. His wits combined with the skills he had learned from a lifetime spent solving a vast variety of puzzles. Before long, Nick¡¯s throat felt as dry as a bone bleaching beneath the desert sun. He knew that it was his mind playing tricks on him; he wasn¡¯t that thirsty yet. He was already growing hungry again, despite finishing off all but the last bite of the second cookie. Delicious or not, the pastries were a poor substitute for a proper meal. He rode the ragged edge of panic, internalizing the fact that he might die without ever knowing the reason why. He was stressed out, scared, and growing increasingly worried that his condition would deteriorate before he found the resources he needed to survive. But another nervous half hour of walking along the sun-warmed sand later, Nick caught a lucky break. As he rounded the southwestern edge of the island and started heading east, he broke into a broad grin. Because that was when he caught sight of a narrow stream running down from the woods. It meandered its way across the beach, bordered by a double row of palms. It looks like fresh water won¡¯t be a problem after all. Scanning the banks for the presence of animals, he walked over to the brook¡¯s edge. After making sure that nothing was lurking below the surface, Nick dipped his finger into the stream and stuck it in his mouth. The salty tang turned his smile into a frown. Instead of being fresh, the water tasted brackish. Not nearly as salty as the ocean, but too contaminated to drink. There¡¯s no reason to worry, he told himself. If I follow the flow upstream and get closer to the source, I should eventually find water clean enough to drink. Nick was worried about the possibility of microorganisms. The last thing he needed was an upset stomach and explosive diarrhea, on top of being abandoned in the middle of nowhere. Not that he had much choice. He would just have to take his chances until he could build a fire and find a container to bring the liquid to a boil. He climbed the incline leading to the forest¡¯s edge, glad that the streambank was formed from soft earth that didn¡¯t aggravate the cuts on his feet, although they still stung with every step. His crude wrappings were already starting to wear, and he needed them to hold up until his wounds healed. Otherwise, there was a risk of dirt working its way in and causing an infection. No longer worried about working up a sweat, he picked up his pace, savoring the image of drinking until his stomach was full. He felt the thrill of danger hanging in the air as he left the beach behind and stepped beneath the canopy. Hoots and howls resounded in the distance, feeding his imagination with images of predators hiding behind every trunk. He steeled himself and pressed on. He would drink his fill and leave as quickly as he could, planning out his next move from the safety of the beach. Thankfully, it seemed that Nick¡¯s journey into the forest would be a short one. A bit further upstream loomed a dense grove of trees, which meant that he was drawing close to a sizable body of fresh water. Though he was filled with a rising tide of excitement, he had to slow his steps. The mud was growing deeper, and the undergrowth had begun to thicken, forming a dense latticework of brush and vine. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. Due to his distraction and reduced field of view, Nick didn¡¯t realize that he wasn¡¯t alone on the bank until he heard an angry squawk. After taking a quick step back, he looked down to track the noise. That was when his gaze landed on the biggest lizard he¡¯d ever seen. The bulky beast was eight feet long. It had muscular limbs and a thick neck. A forked tongue darted out of a wide mouth filled with row after row of razor-sharp teeth. It reminded him of the Komodo dragons from the nature documentaries he used to watch with his parents, although the color of the scales seemed off. Instead of green or tan, the lizard¡¯s hide was a muddy brown, scales gleaming with purple iridescence when struck by direct sunlight. The creature had a thick tail that made up nearly half the length of its body and sharp black talons jutting past the end of each foot. Unfortunately for Nick, the lizard was hungry, hostile, and only too happy to make his acquaintance. He had never come face-to-face with a predator in the wild until that moment. Never felt the electric fear of staring at a creature that could tear him to pieces without bars or glass between them. The terror of knowing that if he made one wrong move, he would be eaten alive. When faced with a situation where one¡¯s life hangs in the balance, some people freeze up, paralyzed by the sheer intensity of the moment. Others panic, overwhelmed by the primal need to flee. If he had done either, he would have died within minutes. Fortunately for Nick, he was the kind of person who reacted to extreme stress in a third, much rarer manner. Instead of locking up or freaking out, he was the type who met every challenge head-on. His reaction to staring death in the face was intense concentration, focusing only on what he had to do and shoving everything else aside. Although he had been caught completely by surprise, his brain began analyzing the emergent threat without waiting for a conscious command. The lizard was a fearsome predator, and it outweighed him by at least a hundred pounds. Its frame was built for quick leaps and long runs, allowing it to tear pieces from the bodies of its prey and then follow until they collapsed from exhaustion and blood loss. To Nick¡¯s dismay, the reptile was distinctly less friendly than the supersized primates. It opened its mouth and hissed, offering him a front-row view of its powerful jaws. He could sense a coiled tension inside the beast, torn between caution and outright aggression. Uncertain whether Nick represented a dangerous intruder or was just another meal. That uncertainty would evaporate the instant that he showed weakness or lowered his guard. If he had a weapon, he could have driven the lizard off by using his superior reach. Well, if he got lucky and landed a solid blow. But the pair of rocks in his pocket weren¡¯t going to cut it. Nick was effectively unarmed; had no shoes, and getting into a fight was the last thing he wanted. He began backing away from the menacing reptile, resisting the urge to turn and run. He knew that predators could become confused when meeting new animals, especially ones exhibiting behavior they didn¡¯t recognize. But if you gave them a reason to categorize you as prey, like running while screaming at the top of your lungs, they¡¯d decide that you¡¯re a suitable meal and pounce. Not that anything guaranteed the lizard wouldn¡¯t attack him anyway. He needed to get out of range of the creature¡¯s lunge, then make a wide circle around and resume his trek upstream. He was able to take another ten steps before the beast determined that, strange or not, Nick looked good enough to eat. It hissed, surging forward with explosive speed. The instant it charged, he spun on his heels and fled, wincing every time his battered soles slapped against the muddy ground. Although the big lizard was surprisingly agile, his legs were longer, and he was spurred onward by what felt like a gallon of adrenaline sloshing through his veins. Nick ran for his life, and the beast followed in his wake as they began the timeless dance of predator and prey. For the next two minutes, everything went well. He¡¯d managed to open some distance and had calmed down enough to begin charting the path he would follow. Given how everything had gone up to this point, Nick estimated that if he could keep up this pace, he would make good on his escape sometime within the next few minutes. Which was fortunate, because he was starting to feel weak and was in no shape for a prolonged race. That was the moment when his toes caught a protruding root. He fell face-first into the sand, placing his throat within easy reach of the lizard¡¯s jaws. Primal terror gripped every cell of his body as the patter of its pursuit drew near. Knowing that hesitation would be the end of him, he scooped up a lump of mud with his left hand and slid the wand out of his pocket with his right. He rolled to one side just as the beast pounced, soaring through the air that his head had occupied a fraction of a heartbeat prior. The vicious reptile spun to face him, jaws spread wide while streaking for his legs. Nick hurled a handful of muck into the creature¡¯s face, splattering mud across its eyes. He hoped that it would frighten the beast, but it kept on coming while clawing blindly at the air. The lizard would regain its sight within a matter of seconds. If he was going to turn this around, then he needed to act fast. He raised his right arm and clocked the beast square in the jaw with his wand. It was just a glorified stick, but it was the closest thing to a weapon he had. Although the blow couldn¡¯t have done any real damage, the forceful contact surprised the creature, and it darted back to wash its face clean in the stream. The instant it lifted its head out of the water, Nick pulled a rock from his pocket, took aim, and threw it as hard as he could. The lump of stone went streaking through the air, striking the big lizard between the eyes with a hollow thud. A second rock followed a heartbeat behind the first, whizzing past the end of its snout. The beast hissed and scrambled back, uncertainty causing it to hesitate. Against the odds, Nick had created an opening. An opening that he didn¡¯t intend to squander. He rose to his feet as the reptile reoriented on his position. He was out of rocks, so he started running. The creature followed hot on his heels, and he could tell that it was pissed. I wish I had those skills listed on my profile. They would really come in handy right around now. By now, he was almost back to the beach. Just a little further, and he wouldn¡¯t be trapped on the narrow strip of clear ground running between the undergrowth and the riverbank. Although he was desperately weary, he was managing to outpace his pursuer. Unfortunately for Nick, while he had hoped that he was nearing the end of his first fight for his life, his struggle had only begun. He skidded to a stop three steps later when a pair of lizards came streaking out of the woods on an intercept course. They spread out to come at him from three sides at once, blocking his escape. Nick understood in that terrible moment that he¡¯d been driven into a trap. That the lizard had deliberately let him pull ahead, conserving its stamina while maneuvering him to the spot where its brethren were lying in ambush. With the stream on one side and the predators spread out in a half circle along the other, his path of retreat was completely cut off. There wasn¡¯t enough room to go around. His only chance was to force his way through. While his odds were less than stellar, if he waited for the beasts to tighten their net, they would attack from his blind side and land a crippling blow, swarming over him in the blink of an eye. He only had one chance of escaping with his blood still inside his body. He had to catch them by surprise, make it past the beasts barring his path before they closed the distance. That, or jump into the water. Nick strongly suspected that the reptiles could swim faster than himself. He would dive only as a last resort. With no time left to consider his options, he opened with a feint. He took a step forward like he was planning to dart into the woods. The instant the lizards moved to counter, he spun on his heels, heading straight for the beast blocking his way to the beach. In that moment, his attention was drawn to the lizard¡¯s posture. Somehow, he could tell that the creature was out of position to counter a direct approach. Its momentum was pulling it in the other direction. If he timed this just right, he could get away before it recovered. The lizard hissed and started to turn, intending to catch his legs and drag him down into the mud. At the last possible second, he gathered his strength and sprang. Mouthing a silent prayer, he soared into the air. His body was definitely stronger than he remembered, because Nick leapt higher than he ever had before. He tucked in his legs while visualizing his next move. In that instant, he understood with arctic clarity. His next act would determine if he escaped with his life or was torn to pieces. His plan wasn¡¯t going to cut it. Leaping over the beast wasn¡¯t going to be enough to break free. If he wanted to live, he had to fight. And he needed to do it now. In the heart of that moment, born of adrenaline and need, Nick realized that he had another weapon after all. His own body. The second he landed, he jumped again, heading in a new direction. The beast was slow to realize that instead of leaping away, Nick had jumped straight for its back, whipping its head up half a heartbeat too late. Its jaws snapped shut with the clatter of tooth against tooth, but the blinding pain he was anticipating never came. It only caught the rim of his robe, tearing a corner free from the fabric. The creature hadn¡¯t expected him to attack instead of run, and he could see fear in its eyes as he came back down. The first fight for his life had arrived at its climax. Waiting for just the right moment, Nick brought his feet together, braced his knees, and drove both heels into the center of the beast¡¯s torso with the full power of his body behind it. There was an incredible snap as the creature¡¯s spine fractured, accompanied by a series of lesser cracks as its ribs followed suit. He had been hoping to stun the beast, teach them that he wasn¡¯t easy prey. But his attack was more effective than he expected. Some of the shorn ribs must have punctured the lizard¡¯s lungs. Because instead of turning around and eviscerating him for his trouble, the giant reptile spasmed and went still. After leaping away from the corpse, for the next handful of heartbeats, everything came to a standstill. Nick stared into the eyes of the cold-blooded predators, who appeared astonished that he had defeated a member of their pride in a single blow. But then another pair emerged from the tree line, and he understood that his ordeal was still underway. As furious hisses emerged from the creatures, Nick burst into motion and continued his mad dash for survival. Chapter Eight: Turf War Nick shut out the agony encasing his feet. His desperate attack had reopened his wounds, but the pain was muted thanks to the adrenaline surging through his veins. He was so focused on running for his life that he didn¡¯t notice when his bandages fell apart and were left behind. His legs were shaky. He was afraid that they would give out with every step he took, but he kept on struggling with everything he had. Thirty breathless seconds later, the squish of mud transitioned to the shifting grit of sand beneath his toes. He¡¯d made it back to the beach at last. This was as far as his planning had taken him. He was hoping that the lizards¡¯ territory ended at the edge of the dunes; that they would abandon their pursuit or at least give him a chance to catch his breath once he left their turf. His unfounded optimism turned to ash only a handful of heartbeats later, when the reptiles darted onto the beach. If Nick had been forced to sprint any further, he would have lost his life over the hours-long pursuit that followed. Fortunately, the lizards moved slower across the uneven terrain than he had feared. Perhaps they considered him to be a greater threat than he really was, since he had taken out one of their own and intended to wait until he collapsed from exhaustion. Either way, they were gaining on him by the footfall. By this point, he no longer believed that he could escape so easily. He had been sweating profusely for miles, the merciless sun squeezing out his body¡¯s moisture like a hand wringing out a sponge. He had tried taking off his bathrobe, but the direct sunlight was even worse, so he put it back on. It blocked the light and provided good ventilation if he left the front open. He was weak enough that he would succumb within minutes if he dove into the ocean, and he hadn¡¯t come across anything that could serve as shelter. At least his run had given him time to think, allowing a plan to spring to life within the adrenaline-soaked depths of his mind. Nick only had one chance of living through the day. He had to make it back to the lemur tribe and hope that they were willing to defend their territory. Around this time, he realized that sweat was no longer pouring down his body and that his heart was pounding like a taiko drum. This was a sure sign of dehydration. Running for miles in the intense heat was drying him out far faster than normal, and he would soon reach the end of his reserves. He was well into the red on calories and blood sugar too, sapping the power from his limbs and blunting the edge of his thoughts. Two breathless miles later, Nick had grown so thirsty that he almost ran to the shore to drink straight from the ocean, knowing that it would be the final nail in his coffin. His hands felt like parchment, and his throat was so dry it might crumble like clay. His legs were rubber¡ªso wobbly that he could barely keep himself from collapsing on the spot. The sunlight reflecting off the white sands felt like an oven, baking away the last drops of moisture in his body. He was soon so dizzy that he didn¡¯t notice he was falling until he crashed into the side of a dune with a great spray of sand. He had just enough strength left to turn his head. In his final moments, Nick found the resolve to look death square in the eyes. As he watched the quartet of not-quite Komodo dragons devour the distance between them, an absent corner of his brain noticed that they had changed color. No longer the deep brown of the muddy banks, they were now the same ivory as the surrounding sands. They can change their hue like chameleons. No wonder I didn¡¯t notice them until it was too late. Even now, engulfed within this black moment, Nick refused to surrender. Rendered helpless, sprawled out along the shore, he intended to spend the last seconds of his life fighting. With a tortured groan, he rolled onto his back. He scooped up a rock in one hand and a fistful of sand in the other, determined to make the beasts bleed before they tore him to shreds. Just as the brawny reptiles crossed the final stretch of sand, a scream of pure primate rage resounded across the dunescape. Then another cry, followed by a third. Nick spared a glance over one shoulder. His eyes widened with shock when he saw dozens of lemurs charging for his position. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. For the first time in what felt like years, the light of hope was kindled in his heart. But it was a guarded hope until he learned how the lemurs would react, assuming that they made it in time. He prayed that the tribe would continue to tolerate his presence. Otherwise, it was game over, and his life was forfeit. In the end, his planning saved him, if only by the narrowest of margins. Instead of finishing Nick off, the lizards changed course to charge straight for the lemurs, showing no sign of fear whatsoever. The events that he witnessed over the next seven minutes shocked him to his core. This time, he didn¡¯t need a documentary to know that the lemurs¡¯ behavior wasn¡¯t natural. Their actions and abilities were different from those of any earthly creature he knew. For one thing, they were heading into a direct confrontation with predators several times their size. But more importantly and stranger still, each of the furry warriors heading Nick¡¯s way was armed for battle. The tribe ran on three legs, the big beasts carrying an assortment of heavy clubs and long sticks with jagged tips. Their smaller members carried rocks and started picking up more as they fell into line. The tribe tossed their rocks into a rough pile as they drew near, warriors shifting to wield their weapons in both hands. The slender lemurs stopped beside the stones and began chucking them at the lizards, while the rest assumed what could only be described as a military formation. The lemur spearmen spread out to surround the reptiles, except for a pair that grounded their weapons beside the contingent of club-wielders, shielding them from being flanked. Their formation kept the cold-blooded beasts from darting around to the sides, and from charging full tilt at the primates in front of them. Whenever a lizard advanced, a spear was planted right in its face, forcing the creature to abandon the attack. Each time the bulky beasts were driven back, a club-wielder darted in to take a body shot. All the while, the agile flingers pelted the lizards with rocks, switching to sand when they reached the bottom of the pile. Nick cheered as a stone the size of his fist struck a reptile between the eyes, glad that the lemurs were competent warriors and strong for their size. The not-quite Komodo dragons hissed in red rage and charged the primates¡¯ line, scoring a few wounds with their claws. During this exchange, the lemur spearmen completed their encirclement of the giant reptiles, cutting off their retreat. It appeared that the tribe took incursions into their territory even more seriously than he had hoped, because they didn¡¯t intend to let the predators escape. Battered and incensed, the reptiles threw themselves into the fray, allowing several spears to pierce their sides as they dove into the line of club-wielders with open jaws. Two lemurs fell during the frenetic melee that followed, as the primates stabbed and bludgeoned with a ferocity that defied their stature. Five minutes later, it was over. The last lizard collapsed into the blood-encrusted sand before drawing its final breath. Nick had just enough time to realize that he wasn¡¯t going to be eaten alive after all, before he noticed that every last lemur was staring straight at him. Oh shit. I hope they aren¡¯t pissed that I drew enemies into their territory. They haven¡¯t attacked you yet, just play it cool. Forcing his mind to delay the nervous breakdown that was oh-so-inevitably coming, he smiled, bowed his head, and said, ¡°Thanks guys, you really saved my ass. I owe you big time. If it¡¯s cool with you, I¡¯m just going to lie here and lose my shit for a while.¡± Still in a daze, he began examining his feet, careful not to reveal the storm of emotion raging inside his chest. That was the moment when the last of his strength failed him, and Nick collapsed into a heap, too weak to even move. I think I won the battle but lost the war. Maybe a sip of seawater won¡¯t hurt. It¡¯s not like I have any other options. Before he could find the strength to poison himself, he heard a familiar chittering coming from beside him. He turned his head, smiling at what he saw. He¡¯d thought that the lemurs had already left, but one little guy was staring at him from the top of a nearby dune. It was Bandit, the same raccoon-faced fellow Nick had shared his cookie with earlier in the day. His furry friend chattered a greeting, then tossed something into the sand beside him. A pair of plump berries the size of kiwis. Without hesitation, he reached out and shoved them into his mouth, sand and all. When he bit down, an explosion of juice broke over his tongue. It was shockingly sour, so the fruit must not have been ripe. But in that moment, it was the most delicious thing he¡¯d ever tasted. He carefully chewed and then swallowed the tart mush, energy spreading throughout his body with every bite. It wasn¡¯t sufficient to restore his depleted reserves, but the sugary juice was enough to pull him back from the edge of collapse. Nick¡¯s mind began to clear. He was overcome with relief when he realized that he was going to live. At least for the next few hours. He was still in dire straits, but the lemurs¡¯ kindness had saved him from being devoured and granted him a narrow window to continue his search for water. He waved his thanks and tossed Bandit the last bite of cookie in his pocket. To his surprise, the friendly little beast returned the gesture before snatching up the morsel and scampering off to join the tribe. He rose to his feet with a groan, planning out his next move. Today had been the most dangerous day of Nick¡¯s life. He¡¯d come close to dying on several occasions, and his ordeal was far from over. Chapter Nine: King of the Beasts Soaked in sweat, mud, and generous dollops of his own blood, Nick sat within the shadow of a palm, watching the waves sparkle in the sunlight. He took solace from the roar of the surf while processing the shock of nearly being eaten alive by a pack of wild animals. He didn¡¯t have time to recover for long. His trial was still underway. He understood in that moment that he had a choice to make. That if he chose wrong, he was going to die. He was in desperate need of water, but the stream was miles away. He imagined trying to sneak past the lizards sunning themselves along the bank. Just the thought made his heart race. Nick rose and started walking in that direction. He came to a stop three steps later. He simply couldn¡¯t thrust himself into another dangerous situation, so soon after surviving the last. He was dead if the reptiles found him again, and he didn¡¯t trust himself to sneak past. He would have to bet everything on option two. Follow the lemurs that were disappearing into the distance, and pray that they led him to water before he collapsed again. Noon had come and gone during his marathon escape. The sun hung low in the sky, and there were only a few hours left until nightfall. It was finally cool enough that he wasn¡¯t sweating anymore, but that was the extent of the good news. He couldn¡¯t afford to wait until morning, he needed to find something to drink before he lost the light. His makeshift footwraps were long gone, and his feet were bloody and raw. Nick limped his way over to the shoreline and rinsed them off in the surf, thrilled to discover that his injuries were less extensive than he had feared. If anything, they seemed a bit better than before, although he¡¯d rubbed off his scabs while running for his life. The salt stung, but he gritted his teeth until the pain died down, working the debris out of his wounds. It was a silver lining in what had turned out to be the worst day of his life, at least as far as he could remember. He shredded the rest of his T-shirt to fashion fresh bandages, then began staggering after the tribe. In the end, it was all that he could do. Nick would have to endure the pain and hope that his wounds didn¡¯t become infected. He would have to deal with it tomorrow. Right now, he needed to find a way to live through today. At least the lemurs were easy to follow. They stopped every few minutes to hunt for crabs and make brief forays into the forest. He found it odd that the long-limbed primates preferred to reside on the beach instead of climbing into the canopy. But this oddity was nothing compared to the shock of watching them use weapons in battle. Nick traveled north for the better part of an hour, following his own footsteps in the sand, before he caught up to the tribe. He came to a stop beneath the shadow of a palm, trying to figure out what all the commotion was about. The lemurs had spread across the dunes, breaking into smaller groups with boisterous whuffs and chitters. Although they already knew he was there, he lowered himself onto his stomach, trying to draw as little attention as possible while he figured out what was going on. He counted far more of the furry primates than he had expected. The group he was following had merged with another, forming a band at least a hundred members strong. At first, he didn¡¯t understand what the lemur tribe was doing. He was afraid that they had finished foraging and decided to call it a day. Nick needed to find water now, not to mention something to eat. But then his eyes traced the path of an object plummeting from the treetops to where a group of lemurs were plucking something free from the branches and tossing it down into the sand. He broke into a grin when he spotted several more crews up in the trees, harvesting fruit from a grove of tall palms with bright green leaves. His eyes locked onto the profiles of coconuts the size of basketballs, hanging from the fronds in bunches. For some reason, Nick was certain that the fruit was nutritious and, more importantly, contained a fair amount of fluid. His suspicions were confirmed when the industrious primates knocked down the next bunch. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Their method was ingenious. Two lemurs grasped the trunk, holding the feet of a third who had leapt on top of the coconuts. Then a second primate joined the one hanging from the fruit. They began swaying back and forth like a kid on a swing, until their combined momentum popped the coconut loose. Their companions swung them around and back onto the trunk, repeating the process until every fruit had been plucked. Stomach rumbling, Nick scanned the rest of the grove, spotting another score of brown husks hanging from the branches. That was the only promising aspect of the situation. No sooner had the last coconut hit the ground than a pair of lemurs walked over to the pile, carrying rocks and sharpened lengths of bone. While one held the fruit in place, the other drove the bone into the surface twice, in what was clearly a practiced maneuver. They carried their prize over to where an elderly lemur stood waiting, then went back to open the next. The white-furred lemur took the fruit while chittering its thanks. It brought the holes up to its lips, then tipped its head back to drink. Nick¡¯s eyes were riveted on the drops that ran down the elder¡¯s chin before falling onto the white sand below, wincing as the fluid soaked into the thirsty dunes. His hunch had been confirmed. Now he was certain that the coconuts were full of water. He was so close, but it wasn¡¯t close enough. He knew what he wanted, but not how to get it. Although his life was on the line, he had no strength left in his body. No clue as to how he could get his hands on one of the life-giving fruits. While the tribe was willing to let Nick chill in their territory, he doubted that they would let him walk up and steal their dinner. One thing was certain, if he managed to rouse the lemurs¡¯ ire, he wouldn¡¯t survive to regret his mistake. Watching the tribe feast was torture. His tongue felt so dry it might crumble to powder, then blow away in the pervasive breeze that kissed the shoreline. His muscles were stuffed with nettles, and his limbs were wrapped in lead. His mind was cluttered with cobwebs and haze, but he forced his thoughts into motion. Meanwhile, the lemurs kept pounding the coconuts with rocks, drinking from the cracks, before pulling the shells open and devouring the meat inside. I need to swipe one of those before they¡¯re all eaten. How can I steal a drink without the tribe turning on me? As the remaining coconuts dwindled from eight to five to three, Nick wracked his brain. He was desperate to come up with a strategy that would let him claim one for himself, or at least the fluid inside. He considered and discarded a dozen plans out of hand, pondering how he might frighten the tribe off or lure them away. How to create a distraction and slip in without them noticing. Nick felt bad for betraying the lemurs¡¯ trust after some of them had died while saving his life. But his gratitude didn¡¯t run so deep that he was willing to lay down and die. When the final three coconuts were plucked and tossed into the sand, he knew that he was out of time. The best idea he had come up with was to rush in and get his hands on a drupe. He¡¯d drain the water, then hand the rest back and hope that the lemurs forgave him. He would wager their goodwill against certain death any day of the week. Just before Nick rose from the sand, tensed to make a mad dash and try to steal a drink, death came streaking out of the forest and descended upon the tribe. Before anyone knew what was happening, the foliage lining the edge of the woods exploded, forming a blizzard of shorn fronds and sundered leaves. Half a heartbeat later, a creature the size of a bull elephant burst out of the tree line, moving so fast that it blurred before his eyes as it leapt high into the air. Neither Nick nor the lemurs understood that an attack was underway until the brutal beast claimed its first victims. He wouldn¡¯t have noticed in time to stop himself from revealing his presence, if he hadn¡¯t been looking in just the right spot. One second, a burly lemur was carrying one of the last coconuts over to a pair that had been patiently waiting. The next, a predator the size of a hunting lodge came crashing onto the shore with an impact he felt in his bones. The beast stopped for a heartbeat in front of the unlucky lemurs, letting Nick get a good look before it struck in a flash, devouring the primates in a bright spray of blood. The apex predator he decided to call the lurk was enormous. Its tail and limbs looked reptilian. But instead of feathers or scales, the towering beast was covered in shaggy gray fur, like an allosaurus crossbred with a muppet. The lurk walked on two powerful legs, ending in taloned feet that bristled like sabers. Its arms were short relative to the size of its body, featuring claws that looked dainty compared to its talons. It had a long, agile neck and a whiplike tail that helped the beast keep its balance when it lunged. In that moment, a terrible clarity descended upon Nick, cementing his certainty that two things were true. The first was that whatever was happening to him went far beyond a simple kidnapping. None of what he had witnessed was possible on the planet of his birth. Not without a level of genetic manipulation decades beyond the most generous estimate. The second was that his place in the world had undergone a radical realignment. He had fallen from his comfortable perch at the top of the food chain and landed somewhere near the bottom. In short, Nick¡¯s Level 0 ass was mincemeat if the beast looming over the tribe caught wind of his presence. Chapter Ten: Blood and Water Nick¡¯s brain stuttered and came to a stop as his understanding of the world shattered like toppled glass. While he stood frozen in the throes of an existential crisis, the battle between the tribe and the colossal creature raged on. The lurk leapt into the middle of the gathering and caught three more lemurs between its talons. They died before they even knew what hit them. For another breathless second, the tribe stood motionless, processing the fact that a multi-ton predator had landed in their midst. Then the elder¡¯s voice rang out, and they sprang into action. Instead of scattering to the wind like Nick had expected, the tribe ran for their weapons and prepared for battle. A barrage of sticks and stones rained down upon the gigantic beast, distracting it long enough for the lemurs to fall into formation. While the primates continued hurling whatever they could reach, four of the club-wielders charged straight for the shaggy behemoth, taking a few projectiles themselves as they drew near. When the stonefall began to wane, the brave quartet leapt into the air. Meanwhile, the rest of the tribe made their escape, heading south along the shoreline. The towering beast opened its jaws and eviscerated a lemur mid-flight, the ivory daggers it had for teeth snapping shut with a crunch that Nick felt in his bones. But the tribe¡¯s warriors were undeterred. They grabbed onto the lurk¡¯s fur and started wailing with their clubs, offering up their lives so that the others could survive. Primal instincts came bubbling up to the surface of his awareness. Reactions branded into mankind¡¯s DNA in an age long-since passed. He wanted nothing more than to rise and run away, no matter how poor his odds. He restrained himself through sheer effort of will. While he was having trouble processing the events playing out before his eyes, he knew that his strength would fail after taking a few faltering steps. Instead, Nick froze every muscle in his body, closed his eyes to slits, and ceased to breathe. His instincts were certain that if the lurk noticed him, he¡¯d be dead before he had time to scream. That his corpse would join the lemurs digesting in its stomach. Unable to run, he pressed himself deeper into the sand, further reducing his profile. He didn¡¯t dare to so much as twitch as he watched the primates make their final stand. The fifteen-foot-tall creature roared and whipped its body from side-to-side, furious that its hunt had been cut short after such a meager haul. The violent motion flung one lemur to the sand, where it was splattered between the beast¡¯s talons. Another misjudged the reach of its arms, which were far from vestigial after all. The lurk¡¯s razored claws speared the lemur through the stomach, popping the unfortunate creature into its mouth like a cocktail shrimp. In defiance of the odds, the final lemur managed to escape. The rampaging beast spun so hard that it threw the furry warrior high into the air, sailing up into the forest with a terrified shriek. The lemur reached out and latched onto a branch mid-flight, scampering into the safety of the canopy. All the while, Nick suppressed the urge to shudder. He put every scrap of concentration into remaining utterly still, doing his best impression of a piece of driftwood. After witnessing the brief, bloody battle, he was certain that if he moved a muscle, he was dead. He watched as the powerful predator returned to the spot where it had slain the first lemurs, growling in frustration as it began a paltry meal. Oversaturated with terror, Nick discovered that it was possible to feel even worse when he realized that one of the coconuts had vanished. Another had been shattered and ground into the sand, lost beyond any hope of recovery. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. But none of that mattered until the lurk left the area. The beast finished its gory meal and started sniffing at the air. As if it could smell something that it couldn¡¯t quite place. Just as he was certain that it would turn and track him down, the lurk grumbled, licked the blood from its fur, and disappeared into the trees. When he had recovered enough to scan the battlefield, Nick¡¯s gaze landed on a single coconut that had survived the predator¡¯s rampage. The rest had been eaten by the tribe or pulped to a smear beneath the lurk¡¯s feet. Every fiber of his being wanted to turn back. To get as far away as he could as quickly as possible. But he couldn¡¯t give into the urge to flee, no matter how badly he wanted to. He needed to eat that fruit. He¡¯d already pushed his luck, and his body was dangerously low on resources. If Nick wanted the strength to sneak past the lizards and make his way upstream, he had to grab the coconut now, while he had the chance. That beast must have massive territory. It has no reason to stick around and is probably long gone. Nick was about to rise when a sensation of overwhelming danger blossomed in his mind. He realized that the cries of the animals along the shore, which had ceased when the lurk appeared, were still completely silent. In that moment, he knew. The creature was still out there, waiting for him to reveal himself. Ten breathless minutes later, he saw the lurk again. The beast had been hiding in the woods just behind the grove. With a dissatisfied grunt, it abandoned its place of concealment, turned around, and ambled into the forest. Not long after, the music of life returned to the environment, and the delayed reaction to what Nick had witnessed hit him with full force. He began to hyperventilate, limbs shaking like grass in a hurricane. Eventually, he regained control of his body, and his mind began to clear. It was time to get as far away from this place as he possibly could. But not until he walked over to the site of the ambush and claimed the final coconut. Forcing himself to cross the blood-stained grove was the hardest thing that Nick had ever done. Every cell in his body screamed that he should turn and run, even though he would die the next day if he did. Every time the branches swayed in the wind, he had to stifle the urge to panic, convinced that the lurk would come streaking out of the trees again. Battling his own imagination, he forced himself to walk, not run, toward the site of the massacre. Straining his ears to the limit, he listened for the silence that had preceded the creature¡¯s arrival. As he drew closer, the metallic stench of blood, rose to hang heavy in the air. He would have thrown up if he had anything left in his stomach. That was when Nick realized that he couldn¡¯t see the coconut. It must have been buried in sand by the constant sea breeze. He arrived at the spot where he¡¯d last seen the fruit and started to dig, terrified that it had been stolen by another animal when he wasn¡¯t looking. That the lurk would return before he found it. But then his fingertips brushed against something hard beneath the sand. With a grunt of exertion, he pulled the intact husk out of the ground. There might be another somewhere in the area, but his nerves were shot. Nothing could stop him from getting the hell out of there while he still could. He picked up a rock and the bone the lemurs had used as a pick when he spotted them near his feet, then kept on walking until he could no longer see the blood-drenched dunes. At last, shaking with stress, exertion, hunger, and fear, Nick carefully set the coconut in the sand and tapped the bone with his rock, afraid that he would accidentally split the shell and spill the fluid inside. To his relief, the crude tool went in easily and came out again with a bit of twisting. He raised the coconut to his lips and tilted his head. Nothing came out, although Nick could smell something sweet wafting out of the hole. A black wave of despair threatened to overwhelm him before he remembered that the lemurs had drilled two holes, allowing air to replace the liquid inside. He tapped a second hole and tried again. This time, delicious, life-giving coconut water poured into his mouth. He drained it down to the last drop, tears running down his mud-stained cheeks. Thanks to the lemurs¡¯ misfortune and his own good luck, he¡¯d found enough fluid to survive the night and resume his hunt in the morning. He pulled the husk in half, shoving bits of coconut meat into his mouth as he walked south, heading for the obelisk in the middle of the lemurs¡¯ territory. A point as far away as he could possibly get from the island¡¯s resident predators. The lurk to the north and the color-changing lizards to the south. As he hiked, Nick refused to think about what he¡¯d witnessed. An impossible sight that he wasn¡¯t ready to process until he was somewhere safe. Or at least beyond the territories of mysterious, bloodthirsty beasts. Chapter Eleven: Revelation by Mist and Moonlight Nick limped along the shadow-dappled sands, trying his best to keep it together. To think of nothing beyond scanning his surroundings for danger. Despite his intentions, his attention drifted every time he lowered his guard, until he returned it to the shoreline through sheer force of will. It was hard to focus with such a volatile mixture of emotions and sensations swirling inside him. He was bone weary, deeply frightened, and filled with euphoria. He had escaped two separate crises with his skin intact, then found enough food and water to live another day. Thrust into a situation he couldn¡¯t even begin to understand, pungent and contrasting emotions churned within his breast, like paint blending as it swirled down the drain. He was exhausted and elated. Terrified and triumphant. Grateful to be alive, and ground raw from the intensity of what he¡¯d experienced. Nick had pushed himself harder today than he had in his entire life. Half his body was covered in bruises, and every muscle ached from overuse. He knew that, as sore as he felt now, his body would be even more tender in the morning. And yet, he had survived a series of threats to his life without receiving a wound that would cripple or kill him. Other than the cuts covering his feet, he was in remarkably good shape, considering everything he had been through since waking up on the beach. He patted the reassuring bulk of the coconut stuffed into his pocket, which he had wrapped with the last shreds of his shirt to keep the sand from ruining the meat. While Nick wanted to analyze everything that had happened so he could plan out his next move, he was too overwhelmed to begin processing the day¡¯s events just yet. Thus, rather than focusing on his feelings, he kept his attention centered on the path he trod¡ªthought of nothing other than putting one throbbing foot in front of the other. It would be too dark to see before long. He was afraid of being caught out in the open at night, yet he could still appreciate that he was surrounded by exquisite beauty. The ruddy eye of the sun hung low in the sky, poised to dip below the horizon. Sunset painted the heavens in radiant violet and fathomless crimson, casting the dunes in soft light that made them shimmer like molten copper. Watching the sunset over the ocean in such a pristine natural location was the most stunning sight that Nick had ever witnessed. Being engulfed in the timeless beauty of the end of the day made him feel just a little bit better, even with a riot of emotions racing through him like wild stallions. Although he tried to clear his mind, his thoughts ran in circles. He struggled to process what he had seen but didn¡¯t know where to begin. As the sun vanished beneath the waves, the final rays fading away like the last lingering notes of a lullaby, a veil of fog that had been hovering offshore rolled in. Uttering a groan, he forced himself to pick up his pace. He had to make it back to the obelisk before it was too murky to make out the ground in front of him, or he¡¯d be forced to stop for the night on this exposed stretch of shore. The mist congealed as it drifted past his head, and Nick became increasingly certain that he¡¯d failed to make it back in time. Just before he was forced to camp where he stood, he spotted the profile of the obelisk jutting against the horizon. With a sigh of relief, he walked over to the closest tree. He dragged several fallen fronds behind him, then climbed the bluff that held the onyx pillar. After determining which side was sheltered from the wind, he piled the fronds on top of him and pressed his back against the stone, soaking in the warmth it had absorbed throughout the day. Although he was rigid with accumulated stress, his muscles unclenched just a hair. At least nothing could attack him from behind. He clutched a stout stick in one hand and held his robe closed with the other. At last, Nick was ready to unpack the impossible events that had transpired today. But it would have to wait a little longer. He must have been even more exhausted than he¡¯d realized. Though he would never have believed it possible, he was fast asleep only ten minutes later. His dreams were hazy and fragmented, filled with snarling beasts, shimmering portals, and destructive pillars of light. But it wasn¡¯t all images of devastation. Nick also dreamed of the home he¡¯d left behind; spending quality time with his parents and Angie; lazy days of conquest bathed in the soft glow of his monitor. As he slept, tears rolled down his cheeks. While he wasn¡¯t ready to face the truth in his waking hours, deep inside, he already knew. As he slumbered, he grieved for the friends and family he had lost. Of a life he would never know again and a world that was so far away. Then, like bubbles rising from the depths of a murky lake, the memories of what had happened after the System altered Nick¡¯s body began to play.
24 Hours Earlier Implementing tutorial protocols and engaging portal network. Summoning a certified mentor and initiating System orientation. After a bright flash of light, Nick felt an abrupt sense of motion, as if he were sliding along a vast expanse of ice. When it stopped, he found himself standing on an endless plain of white. Gazing around in all directions, he couldn¡¯t see a ceiling or walls, but at least he could feel the floor. He was immensely relieved to have solid ground beneath his feet again. To see the tip of his nose protruding past the corners of his eyes. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. I¡¯m back in my body. The orientation must be starting. With that thought, the last vestiges of his recent experiences vanished like smoke on the breeze. His head was stuffed with fuzz and fog, like he was trapped in the last moments of a dream before waking. Although he was bewildered and disoriented, Nick was lucid enough to try to make sense of his surroundings. But he had no way to make sense of standing in a room that appeared large enough to hold the Earth several times over. While his thoughts were muddled, his body felt strangely good. Except for his feet, which really fucking hurt, like he had decided to use steel wool for a pedicure. The pain jumpstarted his awareness, reminding him that he had a mountain of questions to consider. Where am I? What¡¯s happening? Why are my feet bloody, and why can¡¯t I remember anything? Since Nick had no way to begin searching for answers, he sat down with his head between his hands. He tried to recover his wits while he waited for something to happen. At least he didn¡¯t feel hungry or need to use the bathroom. Sometime later, a woman¡¯s voice spoke from somewhere nearby. ¡°Your name is Nick, right? Sorry it took me so long to find you. Why are the default settings for these temporary dimensional spaces always crap?¡± Nick opened his eyes. When he began looking for the owner of the voice, he realized that there was now a single feature on the infinite plain stretching out before him. An exquisitely crafted office desk with an oversized leather chair behind it. It was facing away from him, so he couldn¡¯t see if anyone was in it. ¡°Give me a minute to tweak the scale and plug us into the network.¡± With those words, the world changed. The light coming from above grew distinct and drew closer, forming a textured ceiling twenty feet above his head. Shapes and colors appeared in the distance and soon went flying past, moving at a rate that his brain was simply not able to process. He had the impression that he was standing in the middle of a block of cubicles the size of a continent, each containing a terrified individual and a calm person wearing a suit. Then everything stopped moving, and four walls snapped into place, like instead of being transported, the room had come to him. When he was able to process these changes, Nick found himself standing inside a swank office. A high-end suite that would satisfy an executive from any corporation on Earth. Although his head felt much clearer, these rapid changes to his environment did nothing to alleviate his confusion. As the mysterious voice hummed a merry tune, more furniture popped into existence, creating snaps of displaced air with each new arrival. A cluster of paintings materialized and then leapt onto the walls. Each was a masterwork of oil and canvas, none of which he recognized. Nick could feel carpet rising beneath his feet¡ªa rich blue shag that must have cost a fortune. A window appeared, through which warm sunlight spilled into the room. A small bonsai tree floated onto the desktop to complete the arrangement. Finally, a chair just his size rose from the floor, though he couldn¡¯t see a mechanism that would allow for such an occurrence. ¡°Sorry again for not having everything ready before you got here. Your planet¡¯s evolution wasn¡¯t on the list, and everything was thrown together in a rush after the bidding war. I think these settings are good enough for now. But let me know if there¡¯s anything I can do to help you feel more at home.¡± With that, the chair on the other side of the desk turned to face him. As he leapt back with a hiss of pain, Nick took in the image of a woman wearing a white three-piece suit, looking him straight in the eye. She had to be at least eight feet tall because he met her gaze head-on even though she was seated. Her eyes were amber, like a wolf, and every inch of her skin was covered in a complex latticework of scars. Even her face. Nick had never seen anything like it, but his instincts told him that the markings had come from a lifetime of battles. Her platinum blond hair was drawn back in a no-nonsense ponytail, but her eyes were sincere, and her smile was kind. ¡°Please take a seat. We have a lot to go over, and it can¡¯t be fun standing on those mangled paws. I would just heal you up, but I¡¯m afraid that the System won¡¯t allow treatment for any injuries received during integration. Well, anything that isn¡¯t life-threatening. The pain will be better soon. You¡¯ll find that you heal a great deal faster than before if your wounds aren¡¯t too severe.¡± Nick felt something brush against the back of his knees. The chair had moved and was now positioned directly behind him. Although he was utterly bewildered and had no clue as to what was happening, he sat, groaning in relief as the weight came off his lacerated soles. The chair was raised as he settled into it so that he could look the woman in the eyes instead of having to stare up. ¡°That¡¯s better. Why don¡¯t you take a few minutes to relax and let the shock wear off? Have a cookie and a glass of lemonade while you wait.¡± She slid a cafeteria-style tray toward him. A tray that Nick was quite certain had not existed until that moment. On it loomed a steaming pile of chocolate chip cookies that were straight out of the oven, sitting beside a frosty glass of lemonade. The cookies were oddly familiar and smelled absolutely divine. Why not? He shrugged, picked one up, and took a bite. Despite everything, for just a moment, he was back in his grandmother¡¯s kitchen, listening to her tell stories while she mixed the dough. ¡°I hope you don¡¯t mind.¡± The woman snatched a cookie off the top of the pile. ¡°I took the liberty of borrowing the recipe from your memories. Mmm¡­¡± She sighed in contentment as she chewed the gooey morsel. ¡°These are fantastic. I always love sampling the local cuisine¡ªbest part of integrating an unregistered planet.¡± Her words made little sense, although they tickled the sensation that he was forgetting something important. Unsure as to what was happening or how he should proceed, Nick finished off his cookie and then started on a second, buying time while he struggled to unpack his bizarre situation. This is either really happening or I¡¯m a lot worse off than I feared. Either way, I need to treat this as real for now. He took a sip of lemonade to wash down the cookie. He didn¡¯t recognize the brew, but it was heaven on the tongue and immensely refreshing. Despite the strangeness of it all, the happy memories and taste of his childhood soothed Nick¡¯s soul, helping him to think. Still half-convinced that he was trapped within his own subconscious, he turned to the woman and asked, ¡°Who are you? What is this place, and how do you know my name? Wait, before we get to that, how did you create a cookie from my memories?¡± The woman slapped her forehead with a self-deprecating chuckle. ¡°Forgive my poor manners; I got distracted. Marax always said that my sweet tooth is my critical weakness.¡± She laughed at her own joke and then stuck out her hand. ¡°My name is way too long by the standards of your culture, but you can call me Pax. And this.¡± Pax gestured to include Nick¡¯s surroundings. ¡°We¡¯ll get to that in just a minute. First, allow me to officially welcome you to your orientation and System tutorial.¡± Deciding to go with the flow while he figured out what to do, Nick reached out and gripped Pax¡¯s calloused palm. He could tell from the texture of her skin and the power of her grip that she had worked with her hands all her life. By now, the fog filling his head was starting to lift, and his thoughts had begun to race. He needed to figure out his situation and understand what was happening to him. The closest thing that he could think of were the mangas where the hero dies in his home world and is reincarnated in another. While he wasn¡¯t completely off the mark, it turned out that in this case, the truth was far stranger than fiction. Chapter Twelve: Pax the Momentary Mentor Now that the shock was wearing off, Nick was ready to learn more. ¡°Where am I? Am I dead? Are you a goddess? Is this some kind of isekai?¡± ¡°Those are some great questions, Nick. Let¡¯s tackle them one at a time. Like I said, my name is Pax, and this is a temporary dimension created for your orientation. For everyone arriving from your planet. Although you¡¯re far from home, you are very much alive, standing at the starting line of your adventure.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a mortal like you, not a goddess. Although my boss and your sponsor most certainly is. As to your final question, just let me look up the word isekai.¡± Pax got a distant look in her eyes, like someone who¡¯s having a conversation while reading the screen of their phone. A few minutes later, she began to laugh. ¡°No, Nick, you haven¡¯t been isekai¡¯d. Wait¡­ I guess maybe you have, although I¡¯m a lot gentler than Truck-kun. Wow. This is incredible. I can¡¯t believe that a pre-integrated society made a whole genre out of this concept. Moving on, this isn¡¯t your reincarnation. Although, to be fair, you went through some considerable changes before you got here and have many more in store on the road ahead.¡± Pax stopped to make a few notes on a pad of paper, then looked up again. ¡°Thanks for telling me about this genre. I know what I¡¯ll be binging for the next few years. These mangas and light novels sound intriguing.¡± ¡°Forgive me if this question is impolite.¡± Nick interrupted Pax before she could discover anime and web serials. ¡°You said that you were mortal. But you aren¡¯t human like me, are you?¡± ¡°Rude.¡± She chuckled to let him know she was joking. ¡°I am human, but I¡¯m not from your planet. Technically, we¡¯re not the same species according to the System, although our bits and bobs are in the same places. We just run a size bigger back home. This isn¡¯t quite a first-contact experience, but close enough.¡± Pax laughed again. Her warmth melted the edges of Nick¡¯s unease, although a cold core remained. ¡°Let¡¯s give you a proper explanation and begin at the beginning. We have plenty of time left until your tutorial, and I¡¯m here to get you started off on the right foot during this exciting change for your planet.¡± Figuring that this was going to take a while, Nick helped himself to another cookie. ¡°This is a huge moment for your species. I¡¯m honored to help you take your first steps into the multiverse, maybe even the greater omniverse one day.¡± Pax was friendly and enthusiastic. Nick let her words wash over him as he took another long sip of lemonade. The frosty brew was a perfect balance of sweet and sour¡ªthe most delicious drink that he¡¯d ever tasted. Although the woman was a bit odd, Nick couldn¡¯t sense any malice in her. She seemed genuinely excited to be here with him. ¡°Welcome to the first day of your new life.¡± Pax beamed. ¡°You¡¯re lucky to have been sponsored by our GM¡ªthat¡¯s short for Green Mother if you didn¡¯t notice the prompt. Astra loves to mentor newly awakened species and always puts her thumb on the System¡¯s scales to help you make it out of the gate without stumbling. Let¡¯s go over the basics, then hook you up with a class and some premium gear.¡± ¡°Since you lucked out and your sponsor is a big spender, you should be able to get a rare class or even an epic right away, providing a ton of advantages right from the start. No toiling for decades in a common class, or, gods forbid, a basic. Most of those poor souls don¡¯t even survive their tutorial. Once we have you sorted, I¡¯ll send you off to a manicured tutorial planet for some power leveling and easy questing. I¡¯ll see you again at the end to help you decide your next steps.¡± ¡°Tutorial? Sponsor? I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m not following.¡± ¡°Right, I¡¯m skipping ahead again. Let¡¯s start at the very beginning.¡± Pax¡¯s expression turned serious. ¡°Nick, I have some good news and some bad news.¡± ¡°Hit me with the bad news first.¡± He braced himself for what she would tell him. He had a sinking feeling that, although he felt safe at the moment, something was deeply wrong. The fuzzy part of his memory wasn¡¯t there because something wonderful was happening to him. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. Pax got that distant look in her eyes again. She took a long moment to reply, meeting Nick¡¯s gaze with genuine sympathy. ¡°Sorry. It seems I¡¯m not authorized to discuss the matter after all. Don¡¯t worry, the System will fill you in when the time is right.¡± Nick wanted to press the issue and discover the dark truth that she was keeping from him. But then a strange thing happened. His attention¡­ slid around the subject like water over wax, and he couldn¡¯t remember what he¡¯d been thinking about. Seeming to recognize the blank expression on his face, Pax gestured to grab his attention. ¡°I know that you have some holes in your memory, but I promise that it¡¯s temporary. Think of it as a trauma band-aid. It will let you process all the emotions subconsciously without having to face the truth head-on, keeping you from shutting down so you can concentrate on surviving. Just focus on the here and now, and it will all come bubbling up to the surface before you know it.¡± Her choice of words and display of empathy only made Nick feel worse. Before he could dwell on it further, Pax continued. ¡°Actually, there¡¯s a good chance that you won¡¯t remember our encounter either, once the tutorial begins. It would pose too many questions that you aren¡¯t ready to have answered. Regardless, everything should come back to you within a few weeks, maybe even the first day if you¡¯re unusually resilient. ¡°Back to the good news. Like I mentioned earlier, your planet has been claimed by Astra, the Green Mother. She¡¯ll be your sponsor and protector until your species has adjusted to living in our little corner of the sector. The GM is a benign deity who will watch over your people until you can stand on your own two feet. Again, this is one of the best possible outcomes for a newly awakened species. Being part of our faction grants access to premium training worlds, incredible resources at bargain prices, and expert guidance along the myriad paths to power. ¡°A full mentorship package was included with her bid, which means you¡¯ll be receiving lots of help courtesy of yours truly. The GM believes in full species autonomy, so there won¡¯t be any nonconsensual tinkering with your mind, body, or soul, unlike some of the more¡­ hands-on deities. All for just a small tax on the experience and essence you acquire.¡± By now, Nick was starting to feel tentatively optimistic. Although his newfound hope didn¡¯t square with the tendrils of dread still lurking in his bowels. ¡°While you¡¯re free to join anyone you wish after the tutorial, our faction boasts one of the highest survival rates for neonates. And your advantages don¡¯t stop there. ¡°In addition to having found an ideal sponsor, your species has awakened an amazing geneline trait, which will stack with the boost to your magic that came straight from the System. Versatile is one of the best traits available for a species in the E-grade. Those bonus attributes will help you survive your tutorial and will open doors when it comes time for class advancement. Most people would kill for that extra free slot, literally.¡± Nick¡¯s unease sharpened at Pax¡¯s repeated use of the word survival. It seemed to imply that there was no guarantee that he would live through whatever awaited him next. He leaned in, trying to parse the meaning of her words and what was hidden between them. ¡°And everyone who doesn¡¯t have Gift of Tongues is jealous of those who do. I¡¯m not joking; your kids will hate you. Okay, half-joking, but new planets wouldn¡¯t be able to integrate without it. All things considered, your odds of living through the tutorial and reaching Tier 2 are well over 90 percent. Some of the best numbers I¡¯ve seen since landing this gig.¡± Nick was still processing what he was hearing, since it sounded too good to be true. His unease must have been clear on his face, because Pax offered him an encouraging smile as she wrapped up her spiel. ¡°I remember how overwhelming all of this is, at first. You must feel pretty confused and isolated. Don¡¯t worry, Nick. I¡¯ll get you paired up with some of your own kind as soon as we exit the orientation and you finish your tutorial. It will be a solo run for you since they group participants by the portal they took. It¡¯s a dollop more dangerous than going in with a group, but the rewards are better as a result. After you finish, your next quest will involve forming a party and working as part of a team.¡± Rate of survival. Class advancement. Odds of living to reach the next tier. He had by no means begun to absorb the full implication of Pax¡¯s words. But the terms she used were surprisingly game-like, and the gaming part of Nick¡¯s brain processed them the same way as when he was navigating the early hours of a new release. He focused on committing every sentence to memory, although it seemed like it might be some time before he could ponder her orientation at his leisure. It was around this time that he noticed flashing at the edges of his vision. System prompts that only existed for a slim fraction of a second before fading away¡ªfar too brief for him to read. It seemed odd, almost as if the System was struggling to process something. Pax didn¡¯t seem to notice anything out of the ordinary, and it didn¡¯t last long. So, Nick chalked it up to the stress he was under and focused on unpacking his orientation. Chapter Thirteen: Hacking the System ¡°With that out of the way, let¡¯s start digging into the details.¡± Pax helped herself to another cookie. ¡°First things first. After roughly 4.5 billion years of processing cosmic energy, life on Earth has evolved enough for your planet to reach Level 1, the minimum threshold to be eligible for System membership. ¡°We don¡¯t have time to go into what the System is right now. It takes years just to cover the basics. At this stage, you can think of the System as the natural laws that govern this region of the multiverse, as well as the umpire that makes sure those rules are followed. It can also act like a coach or a critic, but you¡¯ll learn more about that during your tutorial.¡± Nick nodded along with Pax¡¯s words as she continued to explain. ¡°Now that the Earth has been integrated into the System, your species has been granted access to metrics that outline your present capabilities and evaluate your growth. You now have a tier, a level, attributes, and more. After you pick your starter class, you can start gaining experience and level up, becoming more powerful as you defeat enemies, complete quests, and overcome various threats that the System throws at you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s kind of like those games that you enjoy so much.¡± She stopped to think about it for a second. ¡°I mean, not really, but it¡¯s the closest thing that you have. Many of the concepts are related, but there are some big differences too. Each level will come slower than you¡¯re used to, but they will provide bigger gains. Your stats won¡¯t shoot up as fast, but each attribute point will really make a difference. You will receive experience for overcoming challenges and surviving danger, rather than mindless killing.¡± Nick opened his mouth to utter a question, but Pax cut it short with her next words. ¡°Sorry, that¡¯s all I¡¯m allowed to say about the matter until you¡¯ve officially picked a class and started your tutorial. Then you¡¯ll get access to the System compendium and can look up the details yourself. ¡°Moving on. While both emphasize strength through conflict, this isn¡¯t a cultivation-based System. Although some parts overlap, now that I think about it, such as tiers and the requirements for species evolution. You won¡¯t be able to advance by sitting on your ass and absorbing cosmic energy or by ingesting random pills and natural treasures. But I¡¯ve always found those paths to power to be rather dull; meditating in a cave for decades to reach a higher level of consciousness, just to move on to sitting in an even bigger cave for centuries.¡± Pax stopped to take a deep breath, downing a frosty glass of lemonade before flashing Nick a grin. ¡°That¡¯s probably TMI for now and I¡¯ll be able to give you a better rundown the next time we meet. You¡¯re a fantastic listener, Nick. I could keep chatting with you all day, but I don¡¯t want to cut into the time we¡¯ve reserved for you to decide on your class. Unless you have any questions, let¡¯s get you geared up and then send you on your way.¡± ¡°I do have one question.¡± He actually had a horde of questions, but only one that he needed to have answered right away. ¡°You keep talking about conflict and battle. Do I really have to fight and kill to survive from now on?¡± Pax looked down and clasped him on the back. When he looked up, he saw sadness around the corners of her eyes¡ªsorrow that had to stem from painful memories. ¡°I¡¯m afraid so, Nick. While you might eventually specialize in crafting or trading, you need to be able to protect yourself. Otherwise, you¡¯ll be easy prey for any person, beast, or abomination that crosses your path. Not to mention, the System tends to push you into conflict. You won¡¯t last long if you aren¡¯t willing to draw blood. ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean you have to become a sociopath. Taking a life should always have weight, and you don¡¯t have to be cruel to be strong. Unfortunately, the pursuit of power turns some people into predators, killing or subjugating anyone weaker who crosses their path. Others submit to someone stronger, gambling their freedom on the whims of another. ¡°We can keep talking as we walk. Follow me.¡± Pax stopped to grab the plate of cookies. Then she walked over to a door that hadn¡¯t been there until now, ushering Nick into a corridor beyond. He followed her out of the office, down a long hallway, and through another door that opened into a massive warehouse. The walls stretched up for hundreds of feet before they met the ceiling, every visible surface filled with rack after rack of weapons. He ran his eyes across a column of swords, tracing their gleaming points and razor edges. Across from it sat a rack holding hundreds of rifles. Although he had seen thousands of weapons throughout his lifelong obsession with gaming, this was his first time taking in these killing tools with his own eyes. Pax stopped beside a long wooden bench and motioned for Nick to take a seat, letting him take the weight off his feet. They still hurt, but like she had promised, they seemed a bit better already. She made her way over to the racks and started pulling down weapons, handing them over for him to examine. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Before I send you into your tutorial, I¡¯ll help you pick a class and your starting gear, then hook you up with a spatial storage ring. It¡¯s important to try a range of these weapons out so that you can find one that really suits you. Bear in mind that you aren¡¯t just picking out a tool to fight with. This selection will affect what classes are offered, alongside your life experiences, preferences, and aptitudes.¡± While she spoke, Pax brought a short sword over to the bench, followed by a long spear, a pistol, a bow, a pair of daggers, and finally, what appeared to be some sort of magic wand. ¡°You can choose anything in this room, but I suggest that you start with a simple melee weapon. A short sword or spear will be useful in almost any situation, while the others are less well-rounded. ¡°A gun would be a solid pick if you want to maximize your odds of surviving the tutorial, although it will be useless later without a lot of expensive modifications. Too many powers can bend the laws of physics and interfere with their firing mechanisms. I lost my last mentee when a pyromancer detonated all the magazines in her bandolier at once. But running a sword through someone¡¯s heart is a sure kill on any plane of existence. At least when fighting anything in your own tier. Not that you have a chance of walking away from an encounter with anything Tier 2 or above regardless. ¡°I recommend that you try out each of these before you decide. We¡¯ll head over to the class selection kiosk as soon as the System turns it on. Not everyone is picking up the basics as quickly as you Nick, so you get to spend more time with the weapons. It¡¯s bending the rules a little, but I¡¯ll hook you up with a training session before you go and let you learn the ins and outs of your class with one of our virtual instructors. Slay a few training dummies, raise your skills off the floor, and start you off with a bit of experience. While you think it over, I¡¯ll hit you with some information about classes.¡± Nick listened with one ear as he picked up the wand. He would look over the other options, as Pax had suggested, but he already knew that he would choose this device. If magic had become a part of his world, then he needed to acquire some as quickly as possible. While the wand was an unfamiliar tool that would take him time to master, the pistol would be useless once it ran out of rounds. Whatever Nick would have to fight once he reached the tutorial, he wanted to be able to neutralize it at range rather than trying to land a decisive blow with a sword or dagger. But the deciding factor was the last tidbit Pax had given him¡ªabout the selection affecting his classes. The wand would probably put him on the path of magic instead of hunter or warrior type. ¡°Let¡¯s pull up your profile and take a look at your stats while you decide.¡± Pax got that distant look in her eyes while Nick got used to the weight of the wand in his hand. ¡°While your starting attributes are¡­ a few points shy of spectacular, I¡¯ll help you pick a solid class that will help compensate for the disadvantage until you can condition your body, which I suggest you prioritize early on. Let¡¯s see, you have been offered one hundred and seventeen classes to choose from. Not bad at all.¡± He set down the wand and picked up the sword. Despite everything that was happening, it was undeniably kind of cool to swing the weapon through the air¡ªlike the fantasies that had lived inside Nick¡¯s head all his life could finally come out and play. ¡°Filtering out all the common and basic classes, we have thirty-two left to pick from. The list includes four rares, and wow, is that a Shadow Knight? I¡¯m almost certain that¡­ Yup, that¡¯s an epic class all right. You¡¯ve hit the jackpot! You¡¯re probably going to pick the SK, Nick, but let¡¯s go over your options in detail. A good fit is just as important as rarity, and some of these rare classes are pretty awesome too. ¡°Making this decision will be a crash course in System mechanics, especially how skills, classes, attributes, and abilities work. This will be time well spent, even though I know that I¡¯ll be calling you Sir Knight by the end of the day. We still have a few minutes before the System unlocks the class selection menu, so we can take our time going over the basics. ¡°Man, my face must be emerald with envy. I had to make do with an uncommon duelist for decades, and that¡¯s about as basic as classes come. Except, of course, for the common and basic classes. But no one ever picks those unless they¡¯re insane, suicidal, or have no other choice.¡± Nick had just set down the daggers and picked up the pistol, ready to fire off a few rounds before committing, when the entire world shook. He dropped the weapon and grabbed the bench for support, looking to his mentor for reassurance. What he saw on her face made his premonition of dread rise to the surface once more. Because the massive, battle-scarred woman looked terrified. ¡°What the fuck is happening? This shouldn¡¯t be possible.¡± She seemed stunned by the occurrence. That was when a message popped into existence in front of them. Pax gasped as she read the words along with Nick. System message: Legal challenge. Problem: On review, it has been determined that two winning mentorship bids were received simultaneously. One of the parties has lodged a formal complaint. Challenge review initiated¡­ Review complete. Objection sustained. Solution: The mentorship of planet [Earth, 1] will be determined by simple roll of the dice (d20). Astra and Taltos will roll to determine the outcome of the bidding war. Roll completed. The challenger has won (20 vs 19). Outcome: Planet [Earth, 1] has been removed from the mentorship of [Astra, the Green Mother, S] and has been assigned to the care of [Taltos, the Mad God, SS]. Chapter Fourteen: Apocalypse 2.0 As the message from the System faded from Nick¡¯s view, clarion alarms rang out. Their screams were accompanied by a frantic broadcast, playing from speakers mounted to the wall above his head. ¡°Code Red. The periphery of this dimensional space has been breached by a class SS entity. All personnel are to cease orientation activities immediately and proceed to the nearest emergency evacuation portal. The intruder has been identified as Taltos, Lord of the Labyrinth, also known as the Mad God.¡± Nick turned to face Pax, trying to make sense of what was happening. When he saw the horror in her eyes, he realized that the situation was even more dire than he¡¯d feared. It was deeply unnerving to see sheer terror on a face that had survived thousands of battles. It was worse when she spoke, voice shaking with fear. ¡°Oh shit. Oh fuck. Taltos is coming. He¡¯s managed to hack the System again and will be here within minutes. This is really happening. Don¡¯t freak out, Pax. Remember your training.¡± ¡°Pax, talk to me. What is happening?¡± Nick was now certain that catastrophe had descended upon his head. He needed to get some answers now, while he still could. ¡°Taltos has infiltrated the sector and stolen your world from the Green Mother. He can¡¯t bypass the System for long, and its enforcers will be here soon to undo the damage. But by then, he¡¯ll be gone with your planet in his pocket, spiriting you away to his seat of power. ¡°His domain is known as the Labyrinth of the Mad God, a twisted mockery of the natural order. It¡¯s an ever-shifting maze of worlds, dimensions, and other planes of existence where the Sytem¡¯s influence is weak. A blood-drenched playground for Taltos and his pantheon. The sadistic bastard loves corrupting newly integrated worlds. Those he doesn¡¯t destroy outright and recycle for raw materials.¡± ¡°That sounds less than ideal, Pax. What can I do?¡± As Nick spoke, the room continued to shudder. That was when the roof began to buckle and warp before falling away, torn free from the walls within a handful of heartbeats. Behind the white tiles drifted the starless expanse of an endless void, which felt lifeless and barren compared to the space Nick had floated in before. He already knew from the look on her face what Pax was going to say. ¡°There¡¯s nothing that anyone can do now. Your planet and your people are in peril. The System can only offer you minimal protection once the Earth is plugged into the Labyrinth. But that only matters if you can convince Taltos that your world is worth keeping to begin with. ¡°Try to find a way to escape the dead zone. If you do, I¡¯ll contact you and help you as much as I can. Focus on surviving the tutorial for now. Even Taltos can¡¯t override the integration protocols completely, although his mods will tilt the scales against you at every turn.¡± As a forcefield flickered to life to seal the breach, the speakers blared once more. ¡°Ward blocks 1 through 277 have been destroyed. Blocks two-seven-eight through four hundred are still active, but their collapse is imminent.¡± That was when a voice rang out, cutting through the clamor like a blade¡ªa booming growl thick with irritation originating from the void looming over Nick¡¯s head like the graveyard at the end of time. ¡°Astra, you have something that belongs to me. I suggest that you return it before I grow weary of this farce and annihilate your followers inhabiting this pocket dimension. Even outside the Labyrinth, your strength is no match for my own. You are merely delaying the inevitable. If you continue to annoy me, I will make you bleed for it.¡± With that declaration, Nick felt an immense sense of pressure¡ªa cruel, merciless presence suppressing his ability to think. He collapsed like a rag doll, body no longer responding to his commands. In that terrible moment, he couldn¡¯t blink or breathe, let alone try to escape. Not that there was anywhere for him to run that would lead him somewhere safe. ¡°All ward blocks have been destroyed. Taltos is approaching this vessel. His estimated time of arrival is: Imminent.¡± With those words, the side of an immense face along with a gigantic eye peered over the edge of the shorn ceiling, staring down at Nick. His mind went blank, unable to comprehend the sheer size of the titanic being, let alone the overwhelming aura of bloodthirst it emanated. ¡°Take these. I give them to you freely and without coercion.¡± Pax slid the last two cookies into the pocket of his bathrobe. Then she reached out to embrace him before taking his hands within her own. ¡°May fortune smile upon you, Nick, even as you walk within the heart of darkness. Be brave and be bold. Find a way to live on, no matter what. We¡¯re all counting on you.¡± At her touch, the pressure threatening to grind him into oblivion lifted, if only by a hair, letting him move his limbs again. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. As Pax clasped Nick¡¯s hands between her own, something pricked his flesh. He looked down to see a single drop of blood beading on the end of his fingertip. He thought he saw something that looked like a shard of glass protruding from the wound. But when he blinked, it was gone. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Nick, but I need to leave while I still can. There¡¯s nothing else I can do. The only tools that can help you now are those that you claim for yourself.¡± She looked into his eyes and then down at the floor, where hundreds of weapons had fallen from the walls in scattered piles. Without warning, her body flew back into a rack of polearms, and the grizzled warrior landed in a heap. The booming voice resounded once more, words dripping with scorn. Nick could see irritation flashing in the giant¡¯s eye. ¡°It¡¯s time for you to go, servant of Astra. Any more meddling, and I will end you here and now. If even a hint of a spoiler passes your lips again, I¡¯ll cast you into the void and seal you inside. Now leave, unless, of course, you wish to become part of my collection.¡± ¡°Sorry. Bye. Good luck.¡± With that, Pax scampered over to a hatch in the floor that hadn¡¯t been there two seconds before. After one last look at Nick, she leapt through and closed the portal behind her, which promptly vanished without a trace. ¡°Much better. There¡¯s nothing quite as satisfying as the sight of a prize newly won. Welcome to my domain, little light. I would offer you a proper greeting, but even with my¡­ encouragement, the System will simply not allow it until your tutorial is complete. I do hope you survive, because after that, the real fun begins.¡± Up to this point, the voice had sounded welcoming while addressing Nick, even downright friendly. But then it shifted, turning soft and sinister in a way that sent shivers running down his spine. ¡°Before I send you on your way, let¡¯s adjust these stale default settings to something with a bit more¡­ spice.¡± With that, a window appeared in front of Nick¡¯s eyes, filled with the elegant geometries he had come to associate with the System. Altering tutorial parameters based on the request of user: [Taltos, SS]. Problem: Tutorial difficulty exceeds the maximum threshold. Warning: Illegal modifications detected. Solution: Resetting all parameters to default and removing Taltos from the mentorship registry¡­ Reset failed. As he watched, a second script began filling the screen. Alien characters that undulated like serpents formed of hooks and jagged angles. After a moment, he realized that he could read these runes as well. Before his eyes, Nick beheld a struggle between Taltos and the System. Two incomprehensibly powerful entities, far beyond his understanding. Although he couldn¡¯t even begin to grasp the dynamics of what was happening, Nick was able to monitor the outcome of their conflict by watching the screen. The two fonts were warring with each other. Striking out, multiplying, and eradicating one another. As if they were living creatures instead of mere language or code. After a brief but intense battle, the System messages stuttered and started to warp, taking on aspects of the other script. Nick had the sense that both entities had expended enormous amounts of energy. In the end, Taltos had been willing to spend more, claiming the Earth at a considerable cost to himself. With that, the System ceased its struggles, and the notifications continued without further delay. Altering tutorial parameters. Installing the following modifications: System membership changed from [Citizen] to [Contestant]. Class rarity maximum changed from [Epic] to [Basic]. Class selection rescinded. Contestant class set to Survivor (Basic). Starting inventory changed from [Generous] to [Minimal]. Contestant profile and questing menu access changed from [Free] to [Restricted]. System encyclopedia deactivated. Relevant information gated to [Knowledge Points] (Tutorial Only). Additional event categories enabled: Taltos¡¯s challenges and bargains. An event has been queued. ¡°The Fate of Earth¡± will be enabled upon tutorial completion. ¡°Much better. It was a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Nick. I¡¯ll see you on the other side. Try to live long enough to put on a good show. Our last contestants were so¡­ disappointing.¡± With that, the Mad God vanished without a trace. The immense sensation of pressure lifted, letting Nick draw in a ragged gasp. A gasp that contained only a fraction of the oxygen he was expecting. He was still reeling from everything that had happened. The fact that Taltos had addressed him by name. But Nick wasn¡¯t in a position to process the event right now. The air was rapidly thinning due to the gaping hole in the roof. He looked up in time to see whatever had been sealing the breach cut out completely. He watched in horror as the entire armory was sucked into the void, a parade of longswords followed by a flock of leather armor. Nick would have flown up to join them in oblivion if an even greater force hadn¡¯t been pulling him in another direction, to where a shimmering portal had opened a few feet away from his head. He felt like he was being torn in half, caught between two intense natural forces. But the pull of the portal proved to be fractionally stronger. His body began sliding toward it, drawing him into another dimension. Just as he was lifted into the air, he saw something rolling around near his feet. It was the wand that had been lying on the table. Nick screamed, fighting against the portal''s pull. He reached out and snatched the wand off the floor. He tightened his grip, certain that the thin length of wood represented a lifeline in the raging storm that had descended upon him. But no matter how hard he tried to hold on, he felt the wand slipping from his grasp as his body was pulled into the portal. MINE! he willed with every fiber of his being, acting on an instinct born somewhere deep within. After a second try, the wand seemed to vibrate and then settled into his hand, no longer caught in the dimensional drag. With no time to think, Nick shoved it into his pocket, beside the pair of cookies Pax had given him. That small act of defiance took everything that he had, leaving him helpless to resist the pull of the portal. Not that he was inclined to fight it, given the alternative. A heartbeat later, he was hurled into the shimmering ring of light, peeled away from the pocket dimension like a cellophane wrapper. Then, once again, Nick knew only darkness. Chapter Fifteen: Origin Story Back in the present Nick woke up several hours later, shivering in the misty breeze that was flowing across the shoreline. The only fragment of his dreams that remained with him was a strange place that seemed like a cross between an office building the size of a continent and a superhero¡¯s secret lair. The space where Pax had informed him of the fate of the Earth, his integration into the System, and its game-like rules. The existence of magic and other fey forces far beyond his comprehension. While the memory of his orientation was fuzzy, he knew deep in his bones that it wasn¡¯t just a dream. With that realization, more details came into focus, each more surprising than the last. That his world had been claimed by the System. That he was taking part in a survival challenge it had called a tutorial. Nick still couldn¡¯t remember what had happened before his orientation or how it had ended, but he could sense that it was bad. Too painful to face just yet. That something was shielding him from the worst of it for just a little longer. Though his memories were returning at last, he set them aside for a few final moments. He wasn¡¯t ready to ponder the full implications of his new reality yet. For now, reflecting on his first day on the island was all that he could handle without falling to pieces. As Nick gazed into the blanket of fog shrouding the heavens, he took a deep breath and closed his eyes, turning inward to face what had happened head-on. He had been avoiding thinking about the impossibility of what he¡¯d seen until he had a few hours to himself, but now was the time. He was deeply shaken by everything that had happened over what was officially the longest day of his life. To keep himself going, he had shoved his emotions into a box while he struggled to survive, but they all burst free in that moment. Nick was engulfed in a tsunami of fear, confusion, and excitement as he began sorting through his experiences. He had woken up alone on a mysterious shoreline, his recollection of recent events filled with more holes than Swiss cheese. He was carrying none of the gear required for surviving in the wilderness. Not even shoes on his feet, for fuck¡¯s sake. With no source of water and only a pair of cookies to sustain him, he had been forced to explore the island¡¯s unfamiliar and increasingly hostile terrain. When he¡¯d discovered the obelisk, the interface had proven to be extremely responsive, displaying an updated list of Nick¡¯s possessions like he had a camera watching over his shoulder. He had been attacked by a pack of carnivorous lizards shortly after, escaping after a desperate battle that had ground him down to the dregs of his reserves. But what was really upsetting Nick¡ªwhat did more than scare him, made him question his fundamental understanding of the universe and the laws that governed it¡ªwas what happened next. The friendly-until-that-moment supersized lemurs had responded to the lizards¡¯ intrusion with lethal force. Using tools and tactics that should have been impossible for any animal on Earth. While that much might be explained away by some kind of intensive genetic manipulation, it still left the greatest shock and the deepest mystery of them all. The one that Nick had been avoiding processing for as long as he could. The existence of the monstrous beast that had ambushed the lemurs. Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. The furry dinosaur that Nick had decided to call the lurk was utterly terrifying. He was certain, on a primal, fundamental level, that if the lurk had noticed his presence, he would be digesting in its stomach instead of shivering beneath a blanket of fog. The beast was unthinkably strong, lightning quick, and stealthy enough to sneak up on a pack of hyper-intelligent lemurs, despite the sentries they had posted. In addition to being an apex predator, the lurk was an ambush predator, making the northern forest a constant, threatening presence. Not only was the lurk a creature that didn¡¯t exist on Earth, it was one that had never walked the surface of the planet. An entity beyond the powers of modern science to create. Thus, he could no longer think of his situation as an elaborate prank. It wasn¡¯t a sociopathic death game or a mad scientist¡¯s paradise either. That only left two possibilities to consider. The first was that Nick was lost in some kind of complex hallucination. The problem with this theory was that he felt sober, with no trace of altered consciousness besides his memory loss. Moreover, this place obeyed none of the rules of being inside your own mind that he had learned from lucid dreaming and the chemical experimentation of his youth. There¡¯s too much clarity. Too much consistency. Novel stimuli, pain, and lasting consequences to each decision. This is no vision or dream. If he wasn¡¯t lost inside himself, that left only the most amazing possibility of all. The one suggested by the memories of his orientation. With a sigh, he examined them head-on, blended the shards of his recollections with his experiences on the island to form an undeniable truth. ¡°It¡¯s all real.¡± Nick spoke the words aloud. In that moment, he admitted what he had known deep within his soul from the moment he first set eyes on the lurk. Everything that he¡¯d read at the obelisk and remembered from his dreams was true. The rules that governed his corner of the universe had been overwritten by the System. He was standing on the face of an alien planet, engaged in a contest with his life as the prize. For all of Nick¡¯s faults, he had never ignored the evidence of his own eyes or refused to face unpleasant realities. Thus, though it rocked him to his core, he accepted the truth of his situation and made it his own¡ªa part of himself. In that transformative moment, the clouds parted. He found himself staring up at foreign stars arranged in unknown constellations¡ªundeniable evidence that he was stranded on another planet. Lost, bereft from his loved ones, and far away from home. Although he had yet to encounter it, Nick knew that the magic the System spoke of must be real too. Classes, levels, traits¡ªall of it. Taken together, it meant that this was only the beginning of the changes occurring inside him. That, given time, wise decisions, and a bit of luck, he could become something he had never dreamed was possible. A person with the powers he had been fantasizing about for his entire life. As shocking as this revelation was, he realized that he was excited too. Maybe even happy to be here. He was experiencing something far beyond his games and stories. Walking along an alien shore in his own flesh. Level 0 and bursting with potential. This was Nick¡¯s origin story. The end of his old life and the start of something new. He stood at the starting line of a journey that would transform him in ways he couldn¡¯t begin to imagine. A grand adventure that he¡¯d been preparing for his entire life. Although he would be processing his trauma for months to come, by accepting his new reality, his mind stopped fighting with itself, freeing his subconscious to assist him in the battle for his survival. If his survival hinged on rules that took on aspects of a game, then Nick would play to win. After all, he¡¯d been playing games for more hours than he could count. He lived them. Breathed them. Dreamt of stats and strategies every time he closed his eyes. In that moment, he vowed that he would unravel the rules of the System. Learn how to thrive in this strange new world. He would fight with every fiber of his being. Use every skill, tactic, and trick that he¡¯d gathered from a lifetime of competition. He would find a way to come out on top in this new and wondrous existence and protect the people he loved. Bathed in the light of nameless stars, Nick swore that he would find his way home, no matter how rough the road. Chapter Sixteen: From Midnight to Dawn Though he was too wound up to go back to sleep, Nick eventually closed his eyes. He soon entered a light trance, breathing deep while taking it all in. He came out of it a few hours before dawn. By the time he rose to his feet, the stars were fading fast, as the black sky gave way to the deepest blue. Determined to make the most of his day and take the first step toward surviving his tutorial, he began to stretch out while planning his next move. Despite everything he had experienced, he felt remarkably refreshed thanks to his Survivor trait. He was weary and sore, but his body hurt less than he expected. Pax was right; I¡¯m healing faster than before. The scabs covering his feet were noticeably smaller, and his bruises had faded, as if he had received them days earlier instead of mere hours. He was already growing thirsty again, but there was moisture inside his mouth, and his skin felt supple. Judging by his recent experiences, he should be all right if he didn¡¯t move too much during the hottest part of the day. Nick had time to locate a reliable source of water, though there wasn¡¯t a moment to waste. His odds of living through the day had risen considerably if he could avoid crossing paths with any of the island¡¯s predators. He needed to head back to the stream and rehydrate. Then move on to finding food, shelter, and something he could use to defend himself as quickly as possible. That was when Nick remembered his profile. He had managed to kill the big lizard. Maybe it was enough to raise my level or skills. Excited despite his dangerous situation, he walked over to the obelisk and tapped the display. However, it was still too dark to read. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn¡¯t make out the words. Further complicating matters, the screen was on the side facing west, in the shadow of the edifice. It would be another few hours before it was light enough to make out the screen. Although he was feeling better, he couldn¡¯t afford to wait that long. With his life on the line, every minute was a precious resource, and the temperature would rise by the middle of the day. He would have to get a drink first, then check out his profile as soon as he got back. By now, it was light enough to make his way along the beach, thanks to the white sand being so easy to see. Nick picked up a few rocks, grabbed the biggest stick he could find, and started walking. He was taking it slow but wanted to put a few miles behind him before dawn. As he hiked, he ate half of his coconut, the nutritious meat filling his muscles with energy. While he chewed, he tried viewing the situation through the lens of his gaming background. Although his life was on the line, this tutorial shared elements in common with the games he had played for years on end. Enough to help him organize his thoughts and decide on a course of action. Before I dive into the weeds, I should come up with a system of reference. I wasn¡¯t given an ability like Identify or Analyze, so I don¡¯t know the real names of any of these plants or animals. But I can¡¯t keep thinking of them as ¡°the predatory reptiles that kind of remind me of Komodo dragons,¡± or the ¡°way-too-intelligent supersized lemur-like creatures.¡± Even ¡°palm-like trees¡± is kind of annoying. I need a shorthand reference like the one I¡¯m using for the lurk. Lemurs and hrm¡­ Komodo dragon, komo. Komos, lemurs, and palm trees it is. Same thing goes for anything else I find until I learn its proper name. Nick nodded to himself, realizing that he¡¯d already been doing it with the coconuts and seagulls without noticing. With his naming convention out of the way, his next goal was to analyze everything he¡¯d seen in his environment, helping him to minimize his risks and maximize his gains. After decades of gaming, he had learned to pay close attention to a level¡¯s design while he was learning how to conquer it. Some games are intended to be beaten, while others provide escalating challenges until a player is overcome. Some hold your hand early on, introducing you to its mechanics in a clear progression. Others are like playing in a sandbox. You tinker with the pieces and learn from their interactions, offering a thousand paths forward with no clear expectations. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. Regardless of the details, in any game, there¡¯s always a way to advance using the hand you¡¯re dealt, at least during the preliminary stages. Thus, there should be a way out of this mess somehow. Nick just needed to live long enough to find it. Moving on to the details he had observed, the forest was clearly a different biome than the beach. In a normal ecosystem, that wouldn¡¯t mean anything special. But within this gameified environment, the woodlands were likely home to more dangerous creatures and offered superior opportunities and resources. Since he was still Level 0 and had little information to work with, for now, he would stick to the beach as much as possible while fleshing out his map of the area. Except for a short journey into the southern forest to find the stream¡¯s source. Shifting topics to the dangers he had uncovered thus far, he hoped that the lurk would remain on the north side of the island and that the komos ranged far to the south. Regardless of the boundaries of their respective territories, Nick had no choice other than to make his way back to the stream and face the lizards once again. He hadn¡¯t spotted any coconuts on his way back to the obelisk, and the brook was the only source of fresh water he had discovered so far. Now that he had witnessed the komos¡¯ abilities firsthand, if he was diligent, he thought that he could avoid being drawn into another trap. He couldn¡¯t afford to get into another fight. Not until he knew his enemy better and was armed with a proper weapon. Something better than rocks and sticks. That thought reminded him that he might have one already. He took the wand out of his pocket to consider. By now, thin bands of ginger and gold were peaking over the eastern horizon, and color was bleeding back into the world around him. The gulls awoke and took flight, and the cries of the lemur tribe reverberated across the misty morning air. Since it was light enough to make out the details, Nick gave the wand a thorough inspection. Now that he knew the device was the real deal, he was determined to unlock its secrets. He felt certain that the three gems mounted along its base were significant. But no matter what he tried, he couldn¡¯t get it to do anything. He resolved to keep trying every time he took a break, since the wand felt alive in a way that he couldn''t quite describe. Like the device was sleeping but would be ready to wake soon. As he rounded the southwestern corner of the shoreline, there was one last matter that he wanted to ponder. To probe the holes in his memory and make an educated guess as to what was missing. Perhaps even cobble together a theory as to why. I can¡¯t remember how I got from my bedroom to Pax¡¯s office or what happened at the end of the orientation, including why my feet were so cut up. I think I can recall most of the details about my daily life. The office building that I worked in after college. The bike I got last Christmas. But it¡¯s hard to focus on the people I know, especially my friends and family. Recalling interactions from years ago was easy. But trying to concentrate on recent memories was like reaching for the stars from the bottom of a well. It felt like something was stopping Nick from thinking about his loved ones in the present. The weird thing was that he had the sense that the System was doing it for his own good. Protecting him from something that he wasn¡¯t ready to face. At least his ability to reason and his sense of agency seemed intact. The holes were only a few scattered fragments of his psyche. He had a vague impression that the rest would come back to him soon and that he wouldn¡¯t be happy when it did. By now, Nick was approaching the last stretch of sand where he¡¯d seen the tribe the day before. His plan was to locate the edge of the komos¡¯ territory. The border they shared with the lemur tribe. Once he was as close to the stream as he could get without having to run or fight, he would wait until the lemurs were scouring the southwestern shore for crabs, then head back to where he¡¯d spotted the grove bordering the streambed. If he was attacked, he would retreat, lure the komos into the lemurs¡¯ territory, and let the beasts fight it out. He would repeat the process until the way forward was clear or the lemurs grew tired of his antics. But Nick was hoping that he wouldn¡¯t have to do any running or fighting today. While the komos were willing to work together when hunting large game, they were sizable predators. He was hoping that each had their own established territory. If that was the case, his path upstream might still be unguarded. At least until the other beasts in the area realized that five of the lizards had been erased from the picture. Nick journeyed east while watching the sunrise, taking it easy to conserve as much energy as he could. His muscles throbbed, and his bruises ached. But the pain was manageable, and he enjoyed the warmth of the sunlight bathing his skin. He was still worried about getting sunburnt, but his arms were only a tad pink after a full day of exposure, so hopefully it wouldn¡¯t be too much of a problem. He decided to carry a frond with him anyway. A bit of shade would help keep him from sweating so much. Half an hour later, he was nearing the edge of the lemurs¡¯ territory. When he came to a stop at the top of a tall dune, he spotted several members of the komo pride in the distance, sunning themselves along the southern shore. He had been hoping that they preferred to remain in the forest, but it was clear that the predatory reptiles had claimed a section of the coast as well. Wary of their color-changing ability, Nick carefully scanned the surrounding sands to make sure none were lurking nearby. Before he was ready to risk following the stream once more, he wanted to learn as much about the lethal lizards as he could. Chapter Seventeen: Exploration Reward Chest Now that Nick had found the border of the komos¡¯ domain, he sat down and watched them as closely as he could. He began teaching himself how to spot the lizards quickly, even when they weren¡¯t moving. Their camouflage is dangerous, but their bodies don¡¯t reflect sunlight the same way that sand does. They don¡¯t blend in completely when there are multiple colors nearby, and they block my view of anything behind them, creating areas of contrast. He eventually decided that unless he was in a hurry or there were komos with an advanced version of the ability, he could spot them from further away than they could detect him. At least with their eyes. To test this theory, he rose to his feet and waved his arms like a bird taking flight. The lizards showed no sign that they had noticed him, even the ones facing his direction. Be careful not to lower your guard. If their vision is poor, they must hunt by using their other senses. Having learned everything that he could from a distance, Nick cut across the beach at an angle, retracing his steps from the day before. His heart started pounding the moment he crossed into the komo pride¡¯s territory, anticipating another ambush with every step. He forced himself to take slow, deliberate breaths, carefully scanning the path ahead as he made his way back to where the brook spilled across the shore before pouring into the sea. He hadn¡¯t sighted any lizards near the spot where he¡¯d killed the komo with his drop kick. However, the corpse was nowhere to be found. He was afraid that the lurk¡¯s tracks would be in the area, revealing that the massive predator hunted this far to the south. But the tracks he discovered looked like they had been left by a pack of wild dogs instead. Prints from paw pads ending in long nails. The beasts must have come ranging out of the forest. The tracks led straight up the incline and into the woods, including a broad swath of displaced mud where the pack had dragged the corpse behind them. Fortunately, the trail veered away from the direction that Nick was heading. This discovery confirmed his suspicions that the woods were home to creatures more dangerous than the ones spread out along the beach. It strengthened his resolve to avoid the forest¡¯s interior for now. Before committing to a course of action, he bent down and took a sip from the stream to test the quality of the water. He spat out a mouthful of brine while nodding to himself. The flow tasted significantly less salty here than it was closer to the shore, but it wasn¡¯t clean enough to drink. This was still welcome news. The rate of improvement meant that the source of the stream was somewhere nearby. His gaze followed the meandering brook until it landed on the same patch of dense growth that he had noticed the day before, which he thought marked the location of a sizable body of fresh water. Now that he was past the stretch of streambed claimed by the lizards he had run into yesterday, Nick slowed his pace to a crawl as he moved to higher ground. He started panning his gaze back and forth over the terrain ahead, advancing once he was certain that no camouflaged komos barred his path. He cupped his hands behind his ears to improve his hearing, seeking out any sound that might reveal the presence of beasts moving through the forest. To his relief, Nick met nothing larger than horseflies and mosquitoes as he walked along the water¡¯s edge, which now ran parallel with the shoreline instead of leading him deeper into the woods. He crept over the top of a sloping rise, where a sight awaited him that made him shudder with relief. A natural spring was gushing out from between a cluster of colossal obsidian boulders, sparkling in the sunlight as the water fell to feed a clear pond about thirty feet across. While there were plenty of tracks in the area, the spring wasn¡¯t nearly as crowded as he¡¯d feared. He could see birds and small critters milling around the water¡¯s edge, but none of them appeared aggressive or looked dangerous. Nick had been afraid that this was the only source of fresh water nearby¡ªthat it would be guarded by ferocious beasts and so clogged with komos that he couldn¡¯t reach the reservoir. But in addition to forming the stream he had followed, the runoff pouring out of the pond spawned small creeks branching off in every direction, as the ground was relatively flat at this elevation. There must be other places for the animals to drink all throughout the forest. They don¡¯t have any reason to compete to claim this spot. But that doesn¡¯t mean nothing nasty lives nearby. He held no illusions that it was safe to remain here for long. Even if this spring wasn¡¯t home to dangerous animals, they likely used this place as a hunting ground and a convenient place to drink. While the fresh water offered a solution to a pressing problem, if Nick wanted to head further out and explore more of the island, he needed to find a sheltered location somewhere nearby and a reliable source of food. Then he could survey the region in earnest, begin gathering resources, and come up with a plan to survive the days ahead. But all of that could wait until he quenched his thirst, which had been magnified by sighting more water than he could ever hope to drink. Although he was excited, he didn¡¯t lower his guard. His eyes swept the path ahead for komos, in case he had missed one at first glance. Before long, he found himself standing at the pond¡¯s edge. He gazed down at the rocky bottom, peering into crystal-clear water continually stirred by the flow of the spring. Except for a few silver fish the size of his fingers, he couldn¡¯t see anything lurking within its depths. Since the coast was clear, he lowered his head and took a long sip from the shockingly brisk reservoir. He swallowed and let out a long, shuddering sigh. It¡¯s pure spring water. I¡¯m not going to die of dehydration after all. He took another gulp and then forced himself to stop before he filled his stomach with cold liquid. Nick had read that it wasn¡¯t a good idea to drink too quickly if you were dehydrated. While he waited for his stomach to settle, already feeling immensely better, he caught a glimpse of his reflection. It was the first time that he had seen his own appearance since coming to this world. His familiar features stared back at him from a dirt-smeared face. Green eyes, brown hair. Strong nose and a square jaw. The long locks and thick beard changed his look dramatically, but he would deal with them whenever he found a blade. He was surprised to discover that he was significantly leaner and more muscular than before. Like he had looked back in college, when he had taken courses in athletics every other semester. Even with everything he was going through, it was nice to see some improvement in his physique. Nick smiled as he ducked down to take a longer drink. Just as he was about to turn away, he caught sight of something resting on the bottom of the pool. A lump of wood that seemed unusually symmetrical, almost boxlike in appearance. That¡¯s because it isn¡¯t a piece of debris, it¡¯s a chest. One of the hidden reward chests mentioned in the quest¡¯s description. You need to get your hands on it, his power gaming reflexes insisted. Whatever is in there will help you survive the tutorial and might reveal clues as to the nature of the System. It¡¯s not worth the risk. Something might show up while you¡¯re in the water, Nick¡¯s survival instincts argued, the memory of the lurk sending a shudder of primal fear rippling throughout his body. But it was countered immediately by his original train of thought. There aren¡¯t any large tracks around here. You haven¡¯t seen any giant turds, and this spring is hours away from where you saw the lurk. Go. Get the chest. Do it now. After wondering if his isolation was already affecting his sanity, Nick¡¯s ego stepped between his warring impulses, making an executive decision despite his reservations. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. While he intended to play it safe when it made sense, this opportunity was too good to pass up. He quickly stripped down to his skin, laughing at the absurdity when he reacted with embarrassment, like he was streaking into his neighbor¡¯s pool. Bracing himself, he dove headfirst into the clear water, shocked at how much colder it was than the air above. His eyes were locked on the box resting on the rocky bottom, beckoned by the promise of treasure below. It took longer to reach the chest than he¡¯d anticipated. Refraction made the box appear closer than it really was. He was starting to run low on air, but instead of returning to the surface, Nick started swimming faster. He wanted to get a good look on this initial pass, then claim the contents if he could. He had to get out of the water before he froze or something nasty walked into the grove. Thanks to his Survivor trait, he could hold his breath for longer than he¡¯d expected. His fingers soon brushed against the bottom of the spring. With no time to waste, Nick tugged on the trunk to assess its weight, hoping that he would be able to retrieve it without needing to fashion any tools. To his delight, the box was lighter than it looked. He wrapped his arms around it and then kicked off the ground, legs paddling madly toward the surface high above. His lungs burned, but he was able to make it back without abandoning his prize. Ten seconds later, his head breached the water, taking in a great gasp of air. As he struggled to haul the chest to the shoreline, he scanned his surroundings to make sure nothing hostile had arrived while he was underwater. Spotting nothing but birds and bugs, he set down the box, toweled himself dry with the least grimy section of his bathrobe, and pulled on his pants. Then he washed the robe as clean as he could in the cold water, wrung it out, and draped it over one shoulder, letting it dry as he walked. Shivering as the sunlight restored warmth to his skin, Nick turned to inspect his find, dopamine surging into his brain with the avaricious anticipation of acquisition. The chest was made from dark brown wood. It was carved with beautiful etchings of interlocking, geometric shapes that had weathered being submerged incredibly well. In fact, the elegant trunk looked so pristine that it could have been part of a museum¡¯s collection. He doubted that the chest was trapped. It had been resting underwater, and this was all supposed to be a tutorial. But his belief that it was a reward chest was only a working theory. Just in case, after unfastening the latch, he propped the lid open with a stick and then leapt back. As he had expected, nothing happened. Unable to endure the suspense any longer, Nick bent down and peered inside, thrilled to see that a variety of objects were contained within. On top of what appeared to be a canteen rested a single sheet of paper. After prodding the interior of the chest with his stick, he fished it out, eyes lighting up as he read the words written on the page. Congratulations! You have discovered an Exploration Reward Chest (Wood). A tutorial knowledge point has been awarded. Contents: Large Canteen (Basic). Shirt (Basic). Sunhat (Basic). After receiving confirmation that this was a reward provided by the System after all, Nick was no longer worried about the chest being trapped. I think I just found a basic supply drop. Useful stuff, although I would have preferred a pair of shoes. He pulled the shirt over his head, glad to have another layer of cloth between his flesh and the world. The light beige fabric was thick but surprisingly supple and smooth. It would offer some protection from the elements and was far more durable than the cotton T-shirt he¡¯d shredded for bandages. The woven straw hat fit neatly on his head and would keep the sun off his face and out of his eyes. Nick no longer had to worry about being burned. The wide brim would come in handy if it rained during his stay, which seemed likely given the prolific growth covering most of the island. As nice as upgrading his wardrobe was, the final object in the chest was the one that really excited him. True to its description, the canteen was sizable and was clearly the best prize of the bunch. It was fashioned from stainless steel wrapped in a thin shell of yellow leather, which kept the metal from glinting in the sunlight. The canteen had a clip mounted beside the neck, although he wasn¡¯t sure what its intended use was just yet. He began to revise his plans on the fly. Being able to carry water with him would let him explore a great deal further than before. After filling the canteen and sliding it into the pocket of his bathrobe, Nick bent down to pick up the chest. He was planning to use it to store food, perhaps even water, if the seals were tight enough. Before he could grab it, the box crumbled into dust before his eyes, disintegrating into powder in between one breath and the next. The dust blew away with the next puff of breeze, leaving nothing behind to prove that the trunk had existed besides a rectangular impression in the mud¡ªundeniable evidence that magic had become a part of his life. The chests contain rewards but are not part of them. Too bad, although I suppose it makes sense. With his need for water met and his unexpected loot drop obtained, it was time to get back to work. Nick had several goals to accomplish before he started losing the light. It was already a little before noon, judging by the position of the sun overhead. He had another eight or nine hours left to find food and shelter. The days on this world were somewhere in the ballpark of twenty-four hours, judging by the timer on the obelisk¡¯s display. As he had no idea where he might find a suitable shelter, his next goal was to find a reliable source of food and, ideally, figure out some way to make a fire along the way. He had already decided that his best bet was to follow the tribe and watch what they ate, as he didn¡¯t feel up to exploring the komos¡¯ side of the beach just yet. He needed at least one more day before his wounds were healed enough that he could exert himself without risking secondary injury. On his way back to the lemurs¡¯ domain, Nick made a detour to pass by the obelisk. He needed to redeem his knowledge point and examine his profile. The more that he knew about the System, the better his odds of survival and the more effective his strategies would be. Keeping an eye out for predators and interesting terrain alike, he made his way over to the edifice. He saw a half-dozen lizards enroute. Now that he knew how to spot them, he avoided the color-changing reptiles by walking along the surf, as the komos tended to avoid the water¡¯s edge. By the time his shadow was poking its head out from between his ankles, Nick found himself standing in front of the mysterious structure once more. When he reached out and activated the display, he discovered several welcome surprises. The first detail that caught his eye was a new field listed on the main menu. It seemed that he had some notifications from the System awaiting his perusal. The second was that the display had automatically updated his KP total. With a grin of anticipation, Nick ran his gaze across the screen. Notifications (4) Active quests (1) Contestant profile System encyclopedia (Tutorial knowledge points: 1) Bursting with curiosity as to what would be revealed, he pressed the section marked Notifications. Congratulations. You have accumulated enough experience to reach Level [1]. You have one free attribute point awaiting allocation at your discretion. You have conditioned your body and improved the following baseline attribute: Toughness has increased from [3] to [4]. Through use, you have improved the following skills: Foraging has increased from [0] to [1]. Evaluate Danger has increased from [0] to [1]. Nick took a look at his new and improved attributes while he pondered how to spend his first free point. He was still wrapping his head around the concept that he could enhance various aspects of himself by selecting an option from a list. He had done it all the time with his characters. But the idea that he could do it to his own body and mind was both bizarre and awesome to contemplate. He knew that making the right decision was critical to his survival, especially during his early levels. Attributes
Strength: 3 Dexterity: 5 Toughness: 4
Mind: 7 Creativity: 6 Charisma: 5
Magic: 2 ??? ???
While he considered his stats, he realized that several variables were not listed on his profile. To begin with, Nick had no way of determining how much experience he¡¯d acquired¡ªno way of knowing how close he was to reaching the next level. There was nothing indicating his current or maximum health, or any other depletable resources such as stamina or mana. He wondered if there was a way that he could measure or sense them, but soon shelved the issue as a problem for another day. Nick had a hazy memory of the System mentioning that five was the average for his species in physical and mental attributes, although he couldn¡¯t recall exactly when he had learned that fact. Well, look at that. Taking everything together, I¡¯m finally average. Chapter Eighteen: The Numbers Go Up Nick let out a self-deprecating chuckle. In truth, he was stoked that he had been able to raise one of his attributes already. It seemed that his System-enhanced body responded to exercise much faster than before. He wondered how physical conditioning interacted with the free points that came from his levels. Whether spending a point to raise an attribute too early would prevent him from maximizing his gains. Not that Nick would hoard his points under any circumstances while his life was on the line. He was delighted that Toughness had been the first attribute to tick up. Even without understanding the details, it was a clear choice for advancement. He was now certain that the improvements to his physique he had noticed earlier were caused by his geneline trait Versatile, although he still had no idea where it had come from. It was easy to tell that he had grown a bit stronger, but he wondered how his other gains were affecting him. He didn¡¯t feel any smarter, more creative, or more likeable. But he lacked a means to objectively measure those aspects of himself. Having the capacity to use magic was thrilling. At least in theory. He would be overjoyed to be able to cast spells of any kind. While the possibilities offered by magic were intriguing, Nick wasn¡¯t willing to invest in the attribute until he understood the benefits and opportunity cost involved. He found the question-mark fields to be equally intriguing. Whatever they were hiding was sure to be interesting. Regardless of the details, he wasn¡¯t going to make any decisions until he spent his knowledge point. Before he moved on to that section of the menu, he stopped to consider the improvements to his skills, nibbling on the last bites of coconut he¡¯d been saving. Nick still had no idea how skills worked, but he was glad to have gained a point in Evaluate Danger and Foraging. They both sounded incredibly useful at face value. He suspected that his Foraging skill was the reason why he had been so certain that the pseudo-coconuts were filled with water, even though he had never seen them before. It might have been helping him to judge whether the brackish stream was clean enough to drink too. His Evaluate Danger skill had already saved his life. He was certain that it was the reason why he had noticed the opening he had used to kill the komo. The skill might also explain why he had begun to think of most of the creatures on the island as animals, and the more dangerous ones as beasts. Although there wasn¡¯t a clear distinction between them, beyond an instinctual desire to avoid attracting the beasts¡¯ attention. You know, I really don¡¯t like the term Evaluate Danger. It¡¯s dry and lacks a certain flair. If I¡¯m just thinking about it to myself, I should come up with something catchier. Hrm¡­ I know. From now on, I will refer to the skill as ¡°Size Up¡± instead. To Nick¡¯s surprise, the moment he made the decision, the skill listed on his profile updated to display its new name. It was both eerie and kind of awesome to watch the words on the screen shift in response to his private thoughts. Like he had leapt forward centuries and was living in the future. It felt intrusive to realize that the System could read his innermost thoughts. But then again, he supposed that it knew everything about¡­ presumably everything. Finally, he turned his attention to his Wand skill, which still displayed a fat goose egg. He wondered what the wand did, as it had to have a purpose. Maybe it would become clear once he found a way to raise the skill. He decided to spend a few minutes each night tinkering with the device until he figured out how to use it and could start training his skill. He was certain that he was missing a critical piece of the puzzle. That when he solved it, he would have a new tool at his disposal. Having learned as much as he could from staring at his profile, Nick moved on to the final consideration before spending his attribute point. It was time to turn in his knowledge point, which he decided call KP for short from now on. He returned to the main menu and selected ¡°System encyclopedia.¡± He read the words that scrolled down to fill the screen. The section had been blank before, since he didn¡¯t have any points to spend. Now it provided him with an introduction to the KP system. Knowledge points (tutorial only): 1 To use knowledge points, select the icon below and then the part of the profile you wish to know more about. The cost in knowledge points will be displayed. If you choose to pay, an explanation of that term will be provided. As promised, there was a flashing magnifying glass icon in one corner of the menu, as well as a field where he could enter queries directly. When Nick hit the blinking button, the screen returned to his profile. To get a feel for how it worked, he pressed the word tier, and a prompt appeared on the display. Would you like to unlock the primer on category [Tiers]? Cost: 1 KP. ¡°No,¡± he answered aloud. Whatever tiers were, it would likely take considerable time and investment before he was ready to raise his. And he had a whole mountain of questions that he needed to have answered first. He pondered his options while checking the price for each morsel of knowledge, any of which might save his life under the right circumstances. Most of the options only cost a single KP to unlock, except for species and geneline, which cost two, and bloodline, which cost five. While he poked at his profile, Nick sorted through his questions regarding the System. He began working out a hierarchy based on what he needed to know now versus what could wait until later. He definitely wanted to learn more about each of the physical attributes and Mind, as they were prime candidates for early investment. He was no match for even the weakest beasts on the island. He needed to do everything in his power to change that if he was going to have any chance of surviving an entire month here. He also wanted to know more about the leveling system in general. How did earning experience work? Were fighting and killing the only way to grow? He had a hunch that this wasn¡¯t the case, but it would be nice to be sure. He wondered if there were any benefits to gaining a level besides the free point and how long the process would take. Nick was eager to learn how he could change his class. But he doubted that the information would be relevant until he finished his tutorial. Besides, he was relying on his Survivor trait to help stretch out his rations and supplement his scant hours of sleep. Switching classes too soon was probably a bad idea, although being given a basic class still chafed him, even if he couldn¡¯t quite put his finger on why. He was eager to learn more about abilities and the difference between active, passive, and free slots. He was certain that they would play a central role in helping him grow more powerful. But it wasn¡¯t a good first pick since he didn¡¯t have any abilities to work with yet. Mulling his options over, he returned to the KP menu to inspect the custom prompt. Just to see what happened, he entered, ¡°What is an optimal leveling strategy for a Level 1 Survivor?¡± This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it Nick expected the display to throw an error back at him. That his question would wind up being too specific or somehow out of bounds. But instead, the prompt read: An answer to this question will cost 10 KP. You have insufficient knowledge points at this time. He tried out a few more and learned that questions that provided advice or explained the relationship between terms cost more KP. The cheapest would set him back five points, well beyond his present means. He could potentially hoard knowledge points and attempt to fashion the ultimate question, trying to outwit or game the System. But Nick had no idea how many KP he would find on the isle, and every point he didn¡¯t spend represented another way he might die today. Ten minutes later, he was ready to make his decision. After deciding to tinker with the custom prompt later, to see if he could learn anything from the point cost involved or an outright rejection of a question, he went back to his profile and clicked on the icon next to the word attributes. Now that he knew he could raise his physical attributes through conditioning his body, he needed to learn more about the process. How free points and conditioning interacted, including any limitations that might not be obvious. Nick would consider how to spend any KP he found later long and hard, but he was certain that this was the right place to start. Would you like to unlock the basic primer on category [Attributes]? Cost: 1 KP. He waited for a minute, then another, but nothing happened. Then he realized that he had never confirmed the prompt. He went to touch ¡°Yes,¡± only to find that there was no such button, or a digital keyboard for that matter. Wait. How did I fill in the prompt before? The display had responded to his thoughts so naturally that he hadn¡¯t even noticed. It probably wasn¡¯t a touch screen at all. Um¡­ yes? he thought, feeling a bit weird that he was trying to command what looked like a computer with his mind. But once again, Nick¡¯s will proved sufficient to guide the display, and several paragraphs of text scrolled up to fill the screen. Attributes Attributes correspond to the various physical, mental, and energetic aspects that define your present capabilities. Their values reflect your level of development relative to other members of your species at the time of integration. For physical and mental attributes, the average values for humans of Earth have been standardized to 5 (not including the bonuses granted by your geneline traits). As your species was awakened to energetic attributes during integration, your scores are unusually low. Instead, 5 represents the average for Level 0 contestants residing in your sector. Attributes are a composite of baseline values and gains from leveling. Baseline attributes include points acquired from geneline traits, as these represent fundamental changes to your genetic structure. Baseline attributes can be improved through conditioning up to a value of 10 (for grade-E species). It is relatively easy to raise baseline attributes to 5, moderately difficult to raise them to 7, and reaching 8 or above requires intensive effort over a prolonged period. They will improve faster in dangerous situations than through general exercise. Additional attribute points are gained with each new level, at values determined by your class. The word integration triggered an echo of dread somewhere in the depths of his subconscious. Before those buried truths could rise to the surface of his awareness, something reached into his head and shoved them back down, returning his attention to the words on the screen. The mention of sectors and other species was absolutely intriguing, offering the tantalizing prospect that Nick might one day stand face-to-face with aliens from another world. The info regarding his mysterious geneline traits was equally fascinating. He nodded, satisfied with what he had learned. He had been provided with more information than he had expected for a single KP. He would normally have geeked out for hours, riding the high of exploring such extraordinary possibilities. Instead, he shoved his excitement to one side and returned his attention to the task at hand. It was time to decide how he would spend his free point, then find something to eat before it grew too dark to forage. He had thought that since his physical and mental attributes averaged five, he was totally typical for his species after the recent increase to his Toughness. It was a bit disappointing, but it wasn¡¯t too humbling. Nick had really let himself go after switching his career to professional gaming. But he had been including the bonuses provided by his Versatile trait without realizing it, since the values on his profile incorporated them. Now he was faced with the uncomfortable truth that other than his Mind and Creativity, he had been below average across the board. This was both sobering and humiliating, but it stoked his competitive spirit. At least I can do something about it now. The System has given me a chance to catch up to the rest of the pack. In that moment, he came to a decision. No matter the price, he would overcome his weakness. Apply himself and train rigorously. The old Nick was gone, and the new Nick had no intention of remaining ordinary any longer. Now that he knew investing his free points didn¡¯t count toward conditioning his body, he didn¡¯t have to worry about squandering his potential by spending them too soon. He wasn¡¯t sure how everything worked behind the scenes. But it seemed that the System would let him grow in whatever direction he desired without having to worry about wasting his points by investing them in underdeveloped attributes. Which was great since Nick was going to spend his free point, no matter what. He had already had too many close calls over the last day and a half. He needed to improve his odds now, while he had the chance. Since he had just been given a powerful incentive to condition his physique, he took a few laps around the obelisk while mulling his options over, considering which attributes would enhance his immediate prospects of survival. Charisma and Creativity were out. Although they sounded useful in general, neither attribute seemed geared toward helping him endure a month on the Searing Isle. Nick was all alone and had more ideas than he could act on already. Improving his Mind was an intriguing possibility, although it still wasn¡¯t clear what self-aspects it governed. Getting smarter at the press of a button was a dream come true, and he would likely invest in Mind once he knew exactly what it did. But it wasn¡¯t a good first pick. His Mind was the only baseline attribute that was naturally above average. He was already good at strategic planning and confident that his skills were sufficient to tackle the challenges he had encountered thus far. Besides, he wasn¡¯t sure that there was a direct relationship between Mind and intelligence. His Versatile trait had already raised his Mind by one, and he had yet to notice any obvious effects since waking up on the island. Specializing in magic sounded straight-up awesome, and Nick did have his wand, which he hoped would tie into the attribute somehow. But it was likely going to take some time to figure out the rules of magic, making it too early to invest in that direction too. Fuck. Why did they have to make learning the rules of the System its own minigame? I hate having to speculate when making such an important decision. He wished that he was able to unpack the details of what each attribute did now, but he was out of KP and was burning daylight. There¡¯s no use in complaining. Just focus and do the best you can. At least the applications of the physical attributes seem relatively intuitive. With the bottom two rows out of the running, he returned his attention to the top, carefully considering each before making his decision. Strength was clearly top-tier. Nick had already learned that he was a poor match for even the weakest creatures on the island. If he was forced to fight, being able to land decisive blows would be critical, especially when using primitive weapons like rocks and sticks. Raising his Strength should also let him carry more without overburdening himself, which would be helpful in nearly any situation. Dexterity would likely improve his ability to dodge and might provide a boost to his accuracy. That would be great if he wanted to specialize in melee combat. But for now, he was effectively unarmed. Getting up close and personal with the beasts on the beach sounded like a terrible idea. He wasn¡¯t sure which attribute would help him run faster. Which was too bad, as Nick desperately needed to be able to outrun the local predators. His first encounter with the komos had nearly cost him his head. Would Dexterity help me make less noise? Not unless I already know how to move silently, and I don¡¯t even know where to begin. Eventually, he was ready to make his choice. He sent his will into the display and selected Toughness, raising its value to 5. He had been leaning toward picking it all along, but now he was certain that his reasoning was sound. Right now, a sprained ankle, a short fall, or a bite from a komo could end his life, either killing him outright or crippling him to the point where he could no longer defend himself or forage for sustenance. Whether Toughness rendered his body better able to withstand punishment, allowed him to heal faster, or passively improved his stamina, raising it would likely save his life before his trial was over. A confirmation window appeared on the display, which he had been expecting. But Nick was completely unprepared for the intense sensations that came along with the package. Chapter Nineteen: The Thing in the Sea Nick expected using his free point to be sensationless, as he hadn¡¯t felt anything special when his Toughness had improved through conditioning. But that was not what happened. Two seconds after the display confirmed his choice, he felt something squirming in the pit of his stomach¡ªa writhing warmth that blossomed into electric heat, spreading from his core out toward his extremities. As the energy flowed throughout his body, his tissue and organs¡ªmuscles and bones¡ªshifted before snapping into a new configuration. It was the strangest experience of his life. Like lightning was surging through his veins, sculpting his body into a new, more efficient alignment. Five minutes later, the current gathered at his fingertips and then dispersed. Although his muscles still twitched, Nick was back in control of his body. He turned his awareness inward and realized that he felt¡­ great. In that moment, he didn¡¯t even miss his morning cup of coffee. He had more energy than he knew what to do with and his frame felt more solid than before. Like he had leapt between the before and after pictures from an exercise advertisement, without having to go through any of the work in the middle. Laughing in wonder at the strangeness of it all, he turned away from the screen, eager to find out what his upgraded body could do. With his points spent, it was time to secure his next meal before he started losing the light. He walked north for about twenty minutes, heading over to where the lemur tribe was gathered along the rise leading from the beach to the forest. There was no way that Nick was going to step below the canopy just yet, even though he hadn¡¯t seen any tracks except the lemurs¡¯ along this sunny stretch of shoreline. He was hoping that he could find something to eat while walking along the border separating the biomes. He had a hunch that this was where the berries that Bandit had gifted him had come from. While the fruits were sour, they had also been surprisingly nutritious. Hefting a stick in one hand and a rock in the other, he carefully crept his way up the sandy rise. He lowered his profile before reaching the top so that he wouldn¡¯t reveal his position to anything waiting on the other side. After studying his surroundings, he hadn¡¯t spotted anything that made him want to turn back. He could see dozens of lemurs further in, scouring clusters of dense bushes with blue green leaves that were scattered throughout the area. Nick waved hello to Bandit when his new friend scampered past. The little lemur chittered a greeting before going about his business. Along this edge of the woods, the trees were sparse, and the visibility was adequate. He decided to go just a little further and get a better look at what the tribe was up to. It felt good to stride out of the sunlight and into the shadows. As he waited for his eyes to adjust, he took a long look around before committing to a plan of action. He could hear the tribe calling to one another a few dozen yards further in, accompanied by the cries of gulls and the chirping of insects. The woods looked more like paradise than a region more dangerous than the beach. But Nick had seen the lurk emerge from the trees and the doglike tracks near the stream. He knew that the serenity was fleeting at best and an illusion at worst. Trusting the lemurs to alert him to anything dangerous coming from their direction, his first order of business was to examine the ground for any sign of predators living in the area. But he couldn¡¯t spot any tracks or droppings that didn¡¯t belong to the furry primates. He tried using his Size Up skill on the woods themselves, scanning the area while trying to determine if anything felt threatening. But either the skill didn¡¯t work without a specific target, or the coast was clear. If Nick didn¡¯t already know that he was exploring a hostile alien world, he would have been convinced that he was standing in a national park back home on Earth. It was a beautiful, peaceful scene. The wind ruffled the treetops. The air was warm and clear. Bees and butterflies danced between the blossoms. The System must have chosen a planet analogous to my own for my tutorial, he mused, gazing at flora and fauna that were surprisingly similar to the world of his birth. There were details, although subtle, such as the red diamonds emblazoned on the bees¡¯ abdomens, that revealed the limitations of the illusion. I wonder how many planets the System encompasses. While he was still nervous, the serene atmosphere boosted his confidence enough to explore a little further. He followed the chitters of the tribe until he arrived in a clearing filled with more of the teal bushes. Scores of lemurs were going through the branches, picking hundreds of the fat purple berries he had been hoping to find. He noticed that the tribe never left sight of the shoreline. Nick resolved to trust their judgment and not delve any deeper into this biome. The beasts had done a thorough job of harvesting the bushes¡¯ exteriors. But due to the presence of dense, thorny vines, they had left a handful of fruits unplucked. He eventually discovered a pair of berries lodged inside the brush, too deep for the lemurs to reach without getting poked. Luckily, his arms were longer. He wound up covered in scratches and was pricked several times. But five minutes and some colorful cursing later, he came out with his prize in hand. He found a few more berries along the way, but his instincts told him they were still unripe, and that eating them would upset his stomach. He would have to come back later if he wanted to claim them. By now, the shadows were beginning to grow long. The tribe was getting ready to leave the area, so he decided to follow them back to the beach. Once he was out of the woods, Nick stopped to eat dinner. To his delight, the fruits he had picked were fully ripe and sweeter than he was expecting¡ªalthough they were still sour enough to make his lips pucker. They tasted like lemons and cantaloupes, along with hints of spices he had no words to describe. The pair of plum-sized berries weren¡¯t much of a meal. But combined with the last pieces of coconut digesting in his stomach, they should get him through the rest of the day. It was weird to consider that, thanks to his Survivor trait, he only needed three-quarters of the food and water that he was used to. But he was glad for every advantage he could get. Needing two hours less sleep each night was even better, as it would give him more time each day to plot and plan. He was curious about the diminished need for oxygen, so he tried holding his breath as he made his way along the beach. It was impossible to be certain without prior benchmarks and a timer, but it took several seconds longer than he expected before the discomfort became too great. He wasn¡¯t taking everything that the System told him at face value. Although so far, everything seemed legit. It made him yearn for a towering pile of knowledge points. Nick couldn¡¯t truly plan out the course of his advancement until he understood the rules of the game. This meant that it was time for him to seek out more reward chests. To explore the island, locating as many threats and resources as he could without getting in over his head. His first goal was to circle the shoreline and see what he could discover along the beach. In addition to being home to what were presumably the weakest beasts on the island, the coast provided the best visibility. It would be impossible to get lost if he only had to follow the water to make it back to where he¡¯d started. With only a few hours left until he started losing the light, Nick decided to head north and get a better feel for the terrain along that side of the tribe¡¯s territory. He had no intention of getting anywhere close to where the lurk had ambushed the lemurs. But he wanted to make sure there weren¡¯t any resources close to the obelisk that he had missed earlier, when he had been distracted by his dire situation. His destination decided, he started walking north, staying as far away from the tree line as possible. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. He waved a greeting to the tribe, walking beside them as they hunted for crabs hiding between rocks scattered by the surf. After a few embarrassing failures, he managed to capture a pair of the bird-sized crustaceans, just to see if he could. As he had no desire to eat uncooked shellfish or a way to light a fire, he tossed his crabs over to the lemurs to help ensure that their goodwill toward him endured. They chittered what sounded like thanks, and Nick was glad for their company. It made being stranded on the island just a little less lonely. Twenty minutes later, he had ventured as far north as he was willing for the time being. Although he found nothing else to eat, his efforts weren¡¯t a total waste of time. In addition to fleshing out his mental map of the shoreline, he spotted a handful of unripe coconuts that he could harvest later unless the tribe beat him to it. By now, the sun hung low above the horizon, and his shadow stretched across the dunes. He was in the middle of working out a few contingency plans while watching the waves roll in when his gaze ran across the neighboring island once again. He had forgotten about it after nearly losing his life twice in the same day, and seeing another landmass made him realize that he hadn¡¯t fully considered his options. The quest said that I could either survive for thirty-one days or escape the island. I wonder what conditions must be met for an attempt to count as a successful escape. I probably need to make it somewhere that I can survive, like that island or a proper seafaring vessel. I doubt that letting the current carry me out into the ocean would work, and I can¡¯t experiment when failure would result in certain death. Recalling the ferocity of the lurk¡¯s attack, it was tempting to think that there might be a way to complete the tutorial early. It would increase his odds of surviving, although it would likely cost him something too. He rubbed his chin while considering whether reaching the far shore represented a genuine opportunity or was merely a distraction. Since there appeared to be two viable paths he could walk, Nick decided that it was worth mulling his options over. He had plenty of time to sit down and think the matter through. By now, he was confident that he knew the beach well enough to make his way back to the obelisk, using the light of the stars to guide him. The other isle was too distant to swim to, but floating was another story. Supposing that I can find a boat or build a raft, could I really make it over there if my life depended on it? He ran his gaze across the island in question, a hazy green mound along the skyline. I know nothing about the tides, currents, or wind here. I would risk getting dragged out to sea or smashed against a reef. Still, it¡¯s only a few miles away, and traveling in a straight line will get me to the far shore. If I can fashion a makeshift sail and carve an oar, then wait until the breeze is blowing the right way, I think my odds are decent. His train of thought trailed off when something pink leapt out of the water in a prismatic spray of droplets. The creature soared through the air in a graceful arc, the last rays of sunlight glistening off its graceful curves. It¡¯s a dolphin. Nick smiled at the unexpected flash of beauty as the dolphin dove and then breached again. Or the local equivalent. I wonder if it¡¯s friendly. He knew that back on Earth, dolphins were a natural enemy of sharks and were known to carry drowning sailors to the safety of the shore. Seeing a dolphin while thinking about sailing is a good omen. Maybe I should leave the lurk behind and get started on building a raft¡­ His thought died as swiftly as it had been born when a second, much larger emergence erupted beneath the airborne dolphin. A violent motion, as something massive tore itself free from the sea, rather than gliding out of the waves. His eyes widened in shock as a gigantic shark rose from the depths. Great jaws spread wide like a living avatar of savagery. The dolphin was helpless, unable to alter its trajectory mid-flight. It let out a terrified shriek as gravity carried it back toward the predator rising from below. Nick shuddered as the shark caught the dolphin by the belly, maw snapping shut in a spectacular geyser of gore. As the colossal creature completed its own arc above the waves, its full form was revealed to his eyes. It must be at least twenty feet long. Just before the great shark completed its dive, the thing in the sea struck. From six points around the shark, titanic tentacles burst forth from the brine. Each of the electric purple appendages was as thick as the predatory fish and at least twice as long. In less than the span of a heartbeat, each of the impossibly long limbs lashed out in unison. They wrapped tight around the shark¡¯s torso, immobilizing what he had assumed was an apex hunter while binding its jaws, which still held the corpse of the dolphin. That was when the head of the thing rose from the depths, revealing a face featuring a colossal yellow beak and far too many eyes. Its strike was so fast that its tentacles became a liquid blur before Nick¡¯s disbelieving eyes. In a frenzy of motion, the thing unwrapped its limbs from the shark¡¯s tail and took a bite. It devoured half of its body in a single chomp, like a hungry kid tearing into a fish stick. After finishing the rest of the shark in two seconds flat, the thing turned to look straight at him. Its baleful gaze rooted him to the spot, frozen in terror, despite the distance and the solid stretch of shoreline standing between them. He blinked. By the time his eyes reopened, the thing in the sea was gone. Only bloody froth riding the waves remained. He closed his slack jaw with a click, his plans to sail the seas as dead as the dolphin and shark. Right¡­ survival challenge it is. Shaken by another encounter with an impossibly powerful predator, he no longer felt confident enough to traverse the coastline in the dark. As he had yet to discover a suitable shelter, Nick decided to jog back to the obelisk and use the last of the light to improve his ramshackle refuge. On his way, he picked up a stout branch that he could use as a walking stick as well as a deterrent if he ran into any beasts. Looking down at his crude weapon, he decided that he needed to find something that he could use as a cutting tool. It would greatly expand the range of what he could craft using natural materials. A proper weapon would be even better. Given the game-like layout of the tutorial, Nick thought that he would come across one eventually, especially if he was able to get his hands on one of the higher-value reward chests. Once he was back, he walked over to the obelisk to check the display, where a pleasant surprise was waiting for him. Congratulations. You have accumulated enough experience to reach Level [2]. You have one free attribute point awaiting allocation at your discretion. Killing that komo must have given me almost enough experience to level up twice, and exploring took care of the rest. After a long moment of deliberation spent staring into the sunset, he decided to put this free point into Toughness too. Nick needed to be able to shrug off a few hits without taking a critical injury in the process. But the main reason for the investment was that he had noticed how much longer he was able to run and hike after raising Toughness the last time. The heat wasn¡¯t bothering him as much now, either. Having another point would make a big difference, helping him to survey the island as efficiently as possible. ¡°I¡¯ll take another point of Toughness.¡± He sat down to ride out the intense sensation of electric worms reconfiguring his tissue. While was still kind of creepy to have the System tinkering around with his insides, he knew that it was worth it. These changes were making his organs and bones¡ªhis muscles and skin¡ªmore resistant to wear and tear. Not to mention increasing his endurance along the way. When it was over, he decided that it was time to upgrade his sleeping arrangement. He started gathering all the fallen fronds that he could find, then collected various pieces of driftwood. He arranged them in a half-circle around the back of the obelisk, where its broad base provided partial shelter from the perennial sea breeze. To top it off, Nick piled up several feet of sand to improve his windbreak, glad for the extra warmth provided by his new shirt and hat. As the last sliver of sunlight disappeared below the horizon, he stepped back to consider his handiwork. Despite his best efforts, it was a crude and dilapidated shelter. A half measure not even worthy of calling a hovel, but still a marked improvement. He would sleep a bit more comfortably and be significantly warmer than he¡¯d been last night. Although he doubted that anywhere on the isle was safe, this location was more secure than anywhere else he¡¯d found. It was further away from the spring than he liked. But the area around the obelisk was higher than the rest of the beach, offering him a clear view along the approach to his shelter. Better yet, it was as far away from the komos and the lurk as he could get, and the lemur tribe roving the surrounding sands was the closest thing that he had to a security system. As conditioning his body was imperative to his survival, Nick watched the horizon fade to black while stretching and working out, careful not to aggravate his injuries. Going through a few sets of crunches, back lifts, squats, and sit-ups every day would help improve his Strength¡ªmaybe even bolster his Toughness and Dexterity to a lesser extent. After eating his last sliver of coconut and drinking most of the water in his canteen, he pulled the blanket of fronds over himself. He contemplated his day while playing with the wand. Not that it did anything, as far as he could tell. As the last bands of twilight vanished and the stars began to shine, he closed his eyes, intending to work out a few new plans in his mind before calling it a night. But he had underestimated how much the last two days had taken out of him. Before long, Nick entered a deep and dreamless sleep. Chapter Twenty: Earnest Exploration Nick awoke early the next morning, feeling remarkably refreshed. His injuries were almost healed, and he¡¯d gotten enough sleep to recover from his exhaustion. While he was still a bit stiff and sore, he was ready to begin exploring the island in earnest. As conditioning his body had become one of his survival objectives, he decided to work out while planning out his day. He did yoga and calisthenics while waiting for the sky to lighten, mulling over strategies and contingencies inspired by his recent experiences. His short-term goals were to find or fashion a better shelter, locate a reliable source of food, and train his skills as he gradually mapped out the shoreline. He hoped to come across additional resources and find more reward chests along the way. By now, he was certain that he had only discovered a fraction of the dangers residing on the Searing Isle. He needed to learn as much as he could about his new neighbors before they came knocking on his door. Not that Nick had a door, although he hoped to build one soon. After repacking his supplies, he made his way back to the stream. When he got there, he noticed that the other komos had already begun moving into the territory of the lizards that had died the day before. With the aggressive predators crowding his path, he had to work hard to avoid the beasts without being noticed in return. Training himself to spot the camouflaged lizards was already paying off. He was able to reach the spring without being forced to run or fight. He needed to find an alternate route around the komos¡¯ territory or come up with a way to drive them out of the area. Otherwise, Nick would be risking confrontation every time he passed through. The grove was ethereal in the misty morning light, wisps of fog dancing around the water falling into the pool. He took a drink, enjoying the refreshingly brisk spring water, then filled his canteen and continued on his way. He followed the stream back to the beach, then began walking along the perimeter of the island, sticking to the surf where the komos were sparse. On two separate occasions, Nick had to beat a hasty retreat when the lizards spotted him. Fortunately, they seemed less inclined to pursue him when he wasn¡¯t wounded or trapped between them. With a bit of patience, he eventually made it past, hugging the shoreline until he was heading directly east. His biggest worry was being surrounded by komos. Since they seemed reluctant to let saltwater touch their scales, he continued to skirt their territory by walking along the surf, frothy foam bathing his feet. He was careful not to lower his guard and let the waves wash him out to sea. He hadn¡¯t cared much for the outdoors in his old life, but he still knew better than to turn his back on the ocean. An hour later, Nick spotted the shimmer of water rippling in front of him. He realized that he was looking at a bay that cut a wedge out of the southern shoreline. A narrow strip of sand ran between the water¡¯s edge and a rocky rise that topped off about thirty feet above the cove. A sheer cliff separated the forest from the shore, and it would be difficult to cross into the woodlands from this location. Of greater concern, the floor of the bay dropped off abruptly, opposed to the gradual incline of the shoreline. If he fell in, he would have a hard time dragging himself back onto the bordering rocks. He hugged the cliffside as he walked, staying as far away from the water as he could. After making sure that no komos were lurking along the beach, he decided to press on and circumvent the bay. He had explored less than a third of the island¡¯s coast by his rough estimation, and he needed to know what was out there. On his way, Nick spied a ripe coconut growing on a palm that was shorter than the others he had seen. Offering reassurances to his grumbling stomach, he wrapped his fingers around the back of the trunk and started to climb. It took him an embarrassingly long time to get the hang of it and reach the fruit. Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. He fell twice in the process, adding some fresh scratches to his hands and feet before he completed the ten-foot climb. Borrowing the lemurs¡¯ technique, he grabbed the coconut with both hands, then let go of the trunk with his knees. He had to swing back and forth before the shell popped loose from the branch, and he landed awkwardly with his prize in hand. He broke the casing open with a rock, then drained the water using the bone he''d picked up earlier before cracking the shell. Nick ate half of the meat and saved the rest for a late lunch, glad to have discovered palms in the territory of beasts that couldn¡¯t climb up to harvest them. He would probably find more in the area, which would help bolster his supply of food. Especially if he was able to supplement his stash with a handful of berries every now and then. Humming in contentment with his hunger sated, he resumed his trek along the interior of the bay. Not long after, he found himself staring at what appeared to be a cave leading into the cliffside. That would have been interesting enough by itself, as it was a prime location to discover another Exploration Reward Chest. But what really captured his attention was the big bronze door blocking access to the cavern¡¯s interior, along with the display set into the frame beside it. Intrigued, Nick walked over and tapped the screen, curious to see what would appear. He nodded to himself as he read the words. What lay beyond the door offered the promise of an even greater reward, along with correspondingly greater risk. Tutorial Dungeon: The Sewers of Castilla. This door is a portal leading to a high-threat, self-contained zone known as a dungeon. Warning: This dungeon is recommended for contestants of at least Level 5. Once entered, the dungeon can be exited after twenty-four hours without penalty. More details will be provided upon entering. Rewards will be allocated based on performance at the time of completion. I wasn¡¯t expecting to run across a dungeon during the tutorial. Nick thought the matter through while nibbling on a bite of coconut. Since I¡¯m barely Level 2 and my attributes are underdeveloped, it would be a fatal mistake to enter anytime soon. I should give it some serious consideration once I¡¯m better prepared. He was certain that delving the dungeon would be more dangerous than exploring the beach. On the other hand, clearing it would likely prove to be invaluable in the long run. He had severe reservations about willingly entering a space that the System considered to be highly threatening, but the mention of rewards made his gaming senses tingle. There wasn¡¯t any point in overthinking the matter yet. He would revisit the issue once he was stronger. Ideally, at least a few levels higher than the dungeon¡¯s recommended minimum. He was extremely curious and wanted to take a peek behind the door now, but he restrained himself with an effort of will. He couldn¡¯t afford to get stuck inside and didn¡¯t want to pay the penalty for leaving early. Glad that his explorations were already bearing fruit, both literally and metaphorically, Nick turned and left the cave behind him. He completed his trek around the bay without further incident. He came to a stop fifteen minutes later, certain that he had found the eastern edge of the komos¡¯ domain. This was because he had caught sight of the southern shoreline¡¯s occupants, bulky crabs the size of goats. Their thick shells were spiraled, striated with bands of jade, beige, and cream, and looked solid enough to deflect a blade. Massive claws jutted out from both sides of their profiles, giving the crustaceans a menacing appearance. But although the closest crab had clearly seen him, it didn¡¯t seem to care that he was in the area. After observing them from a distance for another half hour, Nick was certain that the crabs weren¡¯t going to attack him unless he drew near. There was plenty of room to go around and the beasts seemed significantly slower than the lemurs and komos. He decided to keep exploring for another hour or two, then call it a day and reflect on what he had found. Giving the big crustaceans a wide berth, he walked along the dunes as the sun climbed high into the sky. From the island¡¯s southern shore, he had a clear view of the mountain, the dark stone contrasting against the cloudless blue sky. The beach was wider here, offering a line of sight over the tree line. As impressive as it was, the mountain wasn¡¯t what had been drawing his gaze for the last twenty minutes, ever since he had spotted the glint of metal reflecting off a beam of sunlight high above his head. A glint that Nick hoped was cast from one of the metal chests listed in the tutorial¡¯s description. Chapter Twenty-One: Treasure in the Treetops There was only one reason that Nick hadn¡¯t already set off to claim his prize. The sparkling speck sat high in the branches of what was undoubtedly the tallest tree in the forest. The good news was that the towering trunk was relatively close to his location. It was just a couple miles down the beach and a few hundred yards into the canopy. He should have decent odds of getting in and out without attracting the attention of anything nasty. He had no desire to meet a komo face-to-face ever again, let alone an apex predator like the lurk. The bad news was that he still had no shoes, and the awe-inspiring tree dwarfed the tallest sequoia redwoods on Earth. If Nick fucked up and fell from even a fraction of that height, he would be dead the instant he hit the ground, or at least break every bone in his body. Which still meant that he was dead, but his demise would come with a complementary side order of excruciating pain. Despite the risk, he really wanted to get up there if he could. He was in desperate need of better clothing, basic tools, and, most important of all, a weapon. Additionally, the view from the top of the great tree would provide him with a wealth of information. Knowledge of the island¡¯s terrain would be invaluable when planning out the days ahead. The first step is to determine if free-climbing the trunk is even possible. Getting close enough to evaluate the situation shouldn¡¯t pose too much of a risk if I keep my eyes open. If this works out, I might walk away with loot, and be able to survey more of the shoreline than I could by continuing along the ground. His decision made, Nick began walking down the beach, heading for the spot where his path through the forest would be as short as possible. Twenty minutes later, he was there. He climbed the edge of the shore and stopped before the tree line, peering into the shadows layered beneath the canopy. In this part of the forest, the trees grew thick. Their trunks were close enough together that their branches overlapped. Although the density limited his visibility, it would be impossible for a creature as large as the lurk to penetrate. The trees here appeared coniferous, featuring green needles, long limbs, and textured bark. Their foliage smelled of pine and citrus, along with a hint of something that he had no vocabulary to describe. The army of trees dominated the local landscape, forming a verdant roof that blocked out most of the sunlight. Here and there, errant sunbeams wove their way through paths opened by wind stirring the branches. Radiant columns that winked in and out of existence from one moment to the next. Due to the trees¡¯ supremacy, the undergrowth was sparse enough to pass through without forging a trail. Nick was pleased to discover that the bed of needles carpeting the raw earth was blessedly soft, since they had looked jagged enough to slice into his bare skin. If nothing caught him by surprise, he would be able to maneuver here better than he could on the sandy shore¡ªalthough the extra mobility wouldn¡¯t help him much if he ran into something like a tiger. The thought of encountering a predator that he couldn¡¯t outrun made his heart race, almost convincing him to turn back. Stop imagining the worst-case scenario and focus on the tangible problems in front of you. The ones you have the ability to solve. You need to internalize that the risk-versus-reward calculations from your old life are nothing but a hindrance here. This situation is deadly serious, but it¡¯s also remarkably similar to a game. You must get stronger and learn the rules of this System-governed reality as fast as you can. At least until you can keep your head above water. Fear will always be useful, but you have to rewrite its meaning in your head. Instead of running from the things that frighten you, you need to do whatever will offer you the greatest chance of survival over the long term. Even if it scares the shit out of you now. By the end of Nick¡¯s impromptu pep talk, his eyes had adjusted to the gloom beneath the canopy. Instead of wasting any more time or giving his imagination another chance to psych him out, he took a deep breath and stepped into the forest, the needles and loam adding a slight spring to his step. He advanced as silently as he could. He wasn¡¯t particularly quiet, but his bare feet and the soft flooring prevented him from announcing his presence to every creature living in the forest. At least he hoped that it did. As he crept deeper into the woodlands, he kept his eyes roving from one side to the other. Lanes appeared between the trunks with one step, then vanished with the next, creating the illusion that the trees were dancing all around him. Nick held his left hand cupped to his ear to boost his hearing. He gripped a stout stick of driftwood in his right, prepared to use it as a crude club as a last resort. Every gust of wind that swayed the branches, every chirp, crackle, and snap, sent a jolt of adrenaline surging into his bloodstream. This tension in the air is my new normal. I might as well start getting used to it. It¡¯s only a fraction of the stress of an actual battle, and acclimating myself to a hostile environment is the first step in learning how to fight. Despite his trepidation, he encountered nothing scarier than a pair of squirrels arguing overhead. Or whatever passed for a squirrel on this planet. Twenty nervous minutes later, he arrived at his destination. The network of trunks gave way to a wide clearing, letting Nick breathe a bit easier as the visibility improved. After a cursory inspection, it was clear that this was the domain of the king of the forest, at least as far as its vegetation was concerned. The sheer scale of the towering tree was mind-boggling, and the base of its trunk was hundreds of feet across. After scanning the area as thoroughly as he could, he stopped to take a break. He drained half of the water in his canteen and polished off his coconut to bolster his blood sugar. He needed to be in top shape to tackle the challenge ahead. After taking one look at the trunk, he was certain that he could climb it if his body didn¡¯t give out along the way. The origin of his newfound confidence was twofold. First, the bark of the tree was riddled with cavities and protrusions. Natural texture that would offer him numerous handholds and footholds. The second reason was that after about twelve feet, branches began growing out from the trunk, forming what had to be thousands of individual limbs. While picking out a path for his ascent, Nick noticed that the needles close to the trunk were a different color, rust red instead of evergreen. He wondered if they were there to process a different frequency of light or served some other purpose. Shrugging to himself, he lowered his gaze and then slowly circled the base, looking for tracks or droppings that would reveal the presence of beasts living in the branches above. Except for a few white stains that appeared to have been left by gulls, he discovered nothing of the sort. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. Before he began climbing, he reviewed his strategy one last time. This is going to be a marathon, not a sprint. Move too fast or too slow and you will waste energy that you can¡¯t afford to squander. Never commit your weight without testing out a new hold. Always have a plan for what you will do if any given branch or section of bark gives way. Never pull yourself up with one hand. Stop to rest from time to time on stable branches and abort the operation if it looks like you won¡¯t make it to the top before you run out of juice. Since you¡¯re out of shape, this is going to be an ordeal no matter how well you perform. Keep an eye out for anything flying nearby and creatures capable of climbing the tree. If you¡¯re careful, this might be a real windfall, he concluded. Poor choice of words, but you know what I mean. To prevent himself from hesitating further, Nick picked out a series of holds leading up to the branches, gripped a knob on the trunk, and started climbing. Supporting the weight of his body was easier than he had anticipated. He really was stronger than before and had lost some of his flab. Although the climb was tiring, he didn¡¯t exhaust himself as quickly as he had feared. Seven handholds and five minutes later, he was up to the level where the branches began. He let out a sigh of relief as he looked down at the ground below. While this was still a rather risky situation, at least nothing living in the forest could reach him up here. Unless it¡¯s something that can climb. Like, oh, say a tiger. He bit his tongue to punish that unhelpful part of his psyche and returned his attention to the task at hand. The mechanics of climbing the tree were even easier than Nick had hoped. The bark was rough and slightly tacky. It was perfect for gripping, and the countless branches were easy to balance against. The tricky part was finding a clear route for his ascent. The tree¡¯s limbs were so dense that they formed a solid wall in many places, blocking his way forward. He was forced to circle around the trunk time and time again, seeking breaks wide enough to squeeze through. That was when the world suddenly grew brighter. The needles changed color, shifting from dull red to vibrant green. Nick looked over his shoulder, squinting to protect his eyes from the sunlight washing over his face. Without realizing it, he had climbed above the level of the canopy. He looked out across a vast sea of branches. A roiling ocean of living wood, stirred by the pervasive breeze that blew across the island. He paused while waiting for his eyes to adjust, taking a sip of water after stabilizing himself between two branches. From this height, all he could see was the verdant green of needles, the gray-green ocean beyond, and the radiant blue sky above. Looking out from the level of the treetops created the illusion that he was standing on the ground. Like a mole tunneling up to the surface from the deep earth below. But he didn¡¯t have time to enjoy the view. While he had made significant progress, he still had another two-thirds of the way to go. After firming his resolve, Nick turned to face the bark and continued to climb. By now, the main branches were as thick as the trunks of lesser trees. They formed a network of overlapping limbs that looked like a great highway in the sky. As he climbed higher, he wondered if this tree was special or just incredibly ancient, not that it mattered in the end. Although nothing happened that made him turn back, his adventure was not without incident. Twice, pieces of bark that had seemed stable gave out under his weight, sending chunks of wood spiraling down to the forest floor far below. The sight filled him with electric jolts of adrenaline as he imagined himself falling beside them. Once, a branch broke beneath his feet, although he had only been using it to support half his weight. He shifted his stance before he lost his balance, but it left his heart pounding. By now, Nick was growing short of breath and his muscles were shaky, despite his newfound vigor. His arms had become disconcertingly leaden, no matter how long he stopped to rest, and he was beginning to wonder if this had been a bad idea after all. But when he looked up, he saw that he was almost there. If he was able to scale one last section of trunk, which was now only a bit thicker than the base of a regular tree, he would make it to his destination. A long branch near the top of the great tree. He locked his gaze on that final stretch of bark, which was only a fraction of the distance he had already climbed. He had refused to look down for some time now, to reduce the chance of vertigo, and he didn¡¯t look now. Nick narrowed his focus to encompass only the series of handholds he needed to reach the top, refusing to allow his mind to process just how high he was. He almost psyched himself out anyway. But ten sweat-soaked minutes and a few uncomfortably close tests of balance later, he hauled himself up onto the branch. He held onto the trunk for dear life while he pulled himself back together. First things first. It¡¯s time to see if there really is a chest up here; then you can check out the view. He was worried that he had been mistaken¡ªthat the glint was cast from water or sap¡ªand he had risked his life for nothing. But when he had recovered enough energy to inspect the trunk beside his feet, Nick¡¯s toes brushed against what appeared to be an iron plate embedded into the bark. It was offset from the base of the branch; otherwise, he would never have been able to see the reflection from down on the shore. A pair of hinges protruded from one side of the plate. There was a handle on the other, as if he had stumbled across the mailbox of a giant eagle. With a sigh of relief, he adjusted his grip, sat down on the broad branch, and then pulled on the bar. He was worried that it was locked. But the panel opened smoothly, revealing a cavity cut into the trunk, roughly one foot on each side. Inside the nook sat two objects. The first was a simple scrap of paper, like the one he had found inside the wooden chest at the bottom of the spring. The second was a thick leather belt. Nick trapped the paper against the belt before the wind could blow it away, then fished it out so that he could read the words. Congratulations! You have discovered an Exploration Reward Chest (Iron). Two tutorial knowledge points have been awarded. Contents: Adventurer¡¯s Toolbelt (Uncommon). These toolbelts are a staple for explorers and travelers of all stripes. This durable leather belt features numerous pockets and loops to secure a range of tools and comes stocked with several useful items. Modification: Self-maintenance. This item will clean and repair itself over time as long as its core remains intact. Nick had been hoping to receive a weapon, or at least a pair of shoes. But after pondering the item for a minute, he decided that it was honestly a great find. The belt was certain to be useful in the days ahead. It was the only modified item that he had seen, other than his wand. Better still, it came packed with tools, which would give him something to work with beyond rocks, sticks, and his bare hands. It was interesting that the reward provided a brief description and not just a name, likely due to its uncommon rarity. He was curious what an item core was¡ªthe first time that he had come across the term. Focus on the task at hand. It doesn¡¯t matter right now. He could worry about the details later, once he was safely back on the ground and out of the woods. He slipped the belt into the pocket of his bathrobe and took a few deep breaths, bracing himself for what came next. Wrapping both hands around the tree for support, Nick turned his head to look out over the island, jaw dropping in wonder as he surveyed the terrain far below his feet. He laughed in exhilaration. While being up so high with only the strength of his arms tethering him to the trunk was terrifying, it was also thrilling. Flocks of gulls rode the steady sea breeze, unaware of their observer from on high. A powerful gust of wind threatened to pluck him from his perch, sending adrenaline coursing through his veins. But he refused to panic. He had made it up here in one piece, and now it was time to claim the rest of his prize. Upgrading his mental map of the isle. Nick raised his gaze to the horizon, taking in the endless ocean. Sunlight glinted off the rippling waves, texturing the sea like filigree. Here and there, he could see the green and brown of other islands, although nothing that looked like it connected to the mainland. Not that he had any reason to believe there was a continent anywhere nearby. Out in the distance, he spotted snaking banks of purple-green clouds, bellies swollen with the promise of rain. He could smell a hint of something strange riding a warm gust blowing in from that direction, off-putting in a way that he couldn¡¯t quite put his finger on. Fortunately, the storm didn¡¯t seem to be heading toward the island, but it reminded Nick that he needed to finish his scouting run as quickly as he could. Chapter Twenty-Two: Danger Below Nick¡¯s next objective was to examine the stretch of shoreline visible from this vantage. An ivory strip of sand in the shape of a rib. The southern side of the island spread out before him in a breathtaking panorama. He could see the streams running from the spring gleaming like bands of molten silver. Bits and pieces of the western coast were peeking out from beyond the boundary of the canopy, including the bluff holding the obelisk. He tried to make out the forms of individual komos and lemurs, but they were too far away to pick out from here. To the east, he spotted what appeared to be a colossal pile of firewood splayed out along the shore. The distinct angles and curves were out of place with the organic contours of the terrain. After a few moments, he realized what he was looking at. That must be a shipwreck. I should check it out sometime soon. He panned his gaze to the north, turning his attention from the shore to the interior of the island. From here, he could see a series of foothills ringing the base of the mountain, the tallest topping off just below his perch. It looks like there is a highlands biome that is separate from the mountain. Nick memorized the layout of the hills since he suspected that he would visit the highlands eventually. Then he twisted to inspect the woods running between mountain and shore. Part of the reason that he had been willing to climb the massive tree to begin with was to get a sense of the biome bordering the beach. It took only a glance for him to be certain that avoiding the woods had been the right call, shoes or no shoes. Beyond the area claimed by the conifers, the overgrowth was incredibly dense. Visibility in those regions would be terrible. Getting lost or ambushed would be inevitable unless he was properly prepared. Even more worrisome were the landmarks that could never have appeared on Earth. He turned his head to the northwest, toward the section of forest closest to where he had woken up on the island. Nick¡¯s gaze landed on what appeared to be a giant, Alice in Wonderland¨Cstyle mushroom jutting above the treetops like a lighthouse. It sported a speckled red cap the size of a barn, rising up to half the height of the surrounding canopy. The pale stalks and ruddy caps of lesser mushrooms were scattered across the region too. He frowned while muttering to himself. Something about the area seemed off, beyond the presence of fungi of unusual size. He doubted that he could activate his Size Up skill from this far away, but he didn¡¯t need it. He was already receiving unmistakable vibes that practically screamed ¡°danger.¡± Nick had felt an instinctual aversion to the colossal shroom the instant that his gaze landed upon it, and he resolved to avoid that part of the forest completely. What he saw when he examined the woods to the northeast was even worse. At first, he thought that the wisps of white shrouding the treetops were some kind of localized fog or mist. But as he moved his head, points of light slid along what revealed themselves to be long strands of translucent material. It took him a minute to understand what he was looking at. It¡¯s silk, Nick realized in horror. A wide swath of the woodlands was covered in the stuff. It looked like someone had stretched an immense sheet of gauze over the treetops, although it didn¡¯t extend all the way down to the border with the beach. That much silk had to come from enormous worms or caterpillars¡­ Who are you trying to kid? He sighed. It¡¯s obviously spiders. Gigantic, nightmare-fuel spiders. That was the moment when a golden mass clinging to one of the largest webs moved, followed by a black dot perhaps half its size. He felt a surge of fear when he realized how big the creatures must be to be visible from miles away and hundreds of feet in the air. That was definitely a pack of humongous fucking spiders. The yellow one must be the size of a building. That settles that. I¡¯m never going anywhere near that side of the forest. When Nick began exploring the woods, he resolved to stick to the south and stay as far away as possible from both areas. Before he picked out a permanent shelter, he would make sure that the site was far enough back that there was no chance it was within the spiders¡¯ hunting grounds. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Sighting the giant spiders and shrooms made him wonder what lived within the woodlands below him, as well as the forest on the north face of the isle that was obscured by the mountain. Not that he wanted to find out anytime soon. Now that he had obtained clear evidence that the woods were significantly more dangerous than the beach, he decided to leave before he discovered what beasts lived beneath him sooner rather than later. While he wasn¡¯t happy with what he had seen, the information was invaluable. He would ponder what to do about it once he was back at the obelisk. His mission complete, he carefully began his descent. He focused on the task at hand, not letting himself think about anything other than completing the climb as safely as possible. An hour later, Nick was only halfway down, and he was really feeling the burn. His muscles were starting to cramp, and his limbs felt like they were stuffed with broken glass and wrapped in sandbags. He was certain that he was going to be incredibly sore by tomorrow morning, accelerated healing or not. He needed to make it back to the obelisk and recover as best he could. Climbing the tree had been a major undertaking, and he¡¯d been up in the branches for three or four hours already. He would still have a few hours before dark after he made it back to the lemurs¡¯ territory. Enough time to find a few berries or another ripe coconut if he was lucky, although he could wait until morning to forage if he had to. At least climbing down used a different set of muscles than climbing up. Another exhausting half hour later, to his immense relief, he swung down from the lowest branch and landed lightly on his feet, thrilled to have completed his objective and retrieved his prize. Although he was beat, he left the woods as quickly as he could. Then he stopped by the spring to refill his canteen and drink his fill. This time, he spotted two komos sunning in the grove. Nick was able to get in and get out before they caught wind of his presence. When he made it back to the obelisk, he sat down at the base, groaning in relief as he took the weight off his battered feet. After pulling out a few splinters and nibbling on a berry he¡¯d found along the way, he took the belt out of his pocket and examined his reward. Hefting it in his hands, he judged that the toolbelt weighed about five pounds. His initial impression of the accessory was that it was both serviceable and stylish. The Adventurer¡¯s Toolbelt was formed from deep red leather, punctuated by jagged stripes of yellow that looked like stylized bolts of lightning. He couldn¡¯t decide if the effect was a natural property of the leather or had been added as an artistic flourish, but the result was elegant either way. The stitching and leatherwork had clearly been fashioned by a skilled artisan, even to his untrained eye. Unlike a belt intended to hold up his pants, the toolbelt hugged his hips and rode low across his waist, where it wouldn¡¯t interfere with his range of motion. The front of the belt was thicker than the back and about three inches wide in the middle. The exterior was interspersed with small pockets and a series of loops. Nick wasn¡¯t sure what the loops were for until he remembered the clip on the side of his canteen. Sure enough, the canteen snapped into place like it belonged there and came free just as easily. He tried sticking his wand through the next loop over and was pleased to discover that it was a perfect fit. This belt will improve my carrying capacity. More importantly, it will help me keep any tools I find organized and within easy reach. According to the description, the modification is the best part of the package and likely the reason for its uncommon rarity. I should be able to use this belt for quite some time to come. It won¡¯t wear out over time like the pockets of my robe, which are already beginning to fray. Satisfied with the toolbelt¡¯s construction, Nick moved on to inspect the pockets, which opened from the top and were secured by what appeared to be magnetic snaps. To his delight, several pouches were already full. He removed the items within, eager to inventory the new tools at his disposal. One pocket was filled with a roll of white fabric. Bandages suitable for basic first aid. Let¡¯s hope I don¡¯t need to use them. The next pouch held a spool of twine. The cord was thin, but it revealed surprising strength when he pulled it taut between his hands. He wouldn¡¯t trust the line to hold his weight, but having some string would prove useful in any number of ways. The next two pockets were empty, but the last was smaller and shaped differently than the others. It held the best items of the bunch. When Nick popped open the tab, he discovered a row of tiny leather straps intended to secure small objects, which reminded him of the interior of a sewing kit. The top loop held a metal hook about an inch and a half long, with a barbed tip built to trap a fish once it took the bait. Unfortunately, the hook wouldn¡¯t do him much good until he found something to use as a line. The cord was too thick and easily visible from below the water. The final object inside the pocket was a pair of tiny steel scissors, the sight of which made his face light up like Christmas morning. He knew what he would be doing the instant that his inspection was complete. At long last, it was time for his bristling beard and mustache to die. Chapter Twenty-Three: Shave and a Haircut After repacking his kit and memorizing which pouch held which item, it was time to try the belt on. The leather strips looped around his waist and fastened at his left hip. The toolbelt was surprisingly comfortable and didn¡¯t restrict his movements at all, even with the canteen attached. It couldn¡¯t have fit him better if it had been custom tailored for him, which, for all Nick knew, it had. When he tried twisting from side to side, he noticed a leather tab sticking out from behind the clasp. Curious, he tugged on it, and the entire belt slid free from his hips, falling to the ground with a clatter. It¡¯s an emergency release. Neat. The last box on his inspection checklist was to test out the self-maintenance modification. He took out the hook and used it to scratch the leather surface so that he could see how long it took to regenerate the damage. It required a surprising amount of force to create what was more of an indentation than a gouge, but it was good enough for his purposes. It seemed that Nick had acquired his first piece of armor, if only across a tiny fraction of his body. After strapping the belt back on so that he could get used to the weight, he put up the hook and took out the scissors, smiling in gratitude at the sight of the simple tool. At last, he was going to get rid of his excess hair and trim his nails properly. With a deep sigh of satisfaction, he cut each fingernail short and smooth. He was relieved to no longer have to worry about snagging or breaking them as he went about his day. After pruning his fingers, he moved onto his toes, wincing as he probed the bruises covering his feet. Now it was time for the real challenge in Nick¡¯s self-imposed quest to restore his personal hygiene, hacking away at his mustache, locks, and beard. Lining the scissors flush against his skin, he battled with the mess of snarls. He began reclaiming his face inch-by-inch until his stubble was as short as he could manage without cutting himself. With each snip, tangled brown strands fell into the sand, and he felt more and more like himself. He still hated the hair covering his face, but his new look was a big step in the right direction. Humming in contentment, he moved on to his head. He cut his bangs short and straight so they couldn¡¯t blow into his eyes. Finally, he drew his hair back into a ponytail, then chopped it off near the base. Short enough that it wouldn¡¯t tangle or snag on protruding branches. The job was rough, and Nick knew that he probably looked like shit. But at least he could feel the wind on his cheeks again. Better still, he no longer had to stare at tufts of hair sticking out past the end of his nose like unwelcome houseguests. Feeling better than he had since waking up on the island, he walked over to the display and activated the screen. He was thrilled to discover that he had another batch of notifications awaiting his perusal, and he eagerly read through his updates. You have conditioned your body and improved the following baseline attributes: Strength has increased from [3] to [4]. Toughness has increased from [4] to [5]. Through use, you have improved the following skills: Size Up has increased from [1] to [2]. Foraging has increased from [1] to [2]. Awesome. That¡¯s just what I wanted to see. Nick was thrilled to have raised two of his physical attributes as well as his core skills. It made climbing the tree even more worthwhile, although he suspected that part of his gains had been earned earlier in the day. As the System had promised, it had been relatively easy to raise his baseline Toughness to 5. But it would be more difficult to improve via conditioning going forward. Judging from his experiences so far, it shouldn¡¯t be too hard to raise his Strength over the next few days, given his new exercise routine and the effort required to explore the isle. At some point, he needed to figure out the exact relationship between attributes and physical ability. But that would have to wait until he found tools to measure his performance or had a pile of KP to spare. Hopefully, I can pool my knowledge with others once I make it out of the tutorial. With his attributes out of the way, he turned his attention to his skills. He still wasn¡¯t sure how skills worked, but he had already discovered how useful they were. He doubted that he would have been able to find enough food without his Foraging skill. He might have even hurt himself drinking brackish water or eating unripe fruit. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. As learning more about skills had already been at the top of his list, Nick decided to spend one of his knowledge points to unlock the basic primer. Skills Your skills will assist you with various actions and procedures. Each skill will influence a range of related activities. For example, your Foraging skill will help you identify foods that are safe to eat and the ideal means of harvesting them in the wild. Skills are provided by your class, profession, and other rare opportunities. Skills facilitate the growth and success of associated actions, assisting learning and reinforcing good habits. The simplest understanding of how skills enhance performance can be summarized as, ¡°It feels right when you¡¯re doing it right.¡± To receive guidance from your skills, their value must be high enough relative to the difficulty of the task. Or, put another way, advanced feats have a minimum threshold before skills can help you accomplish them. Complex actions may be governed by more than one skill. Skills increase slowly through training and advance rapidly when used in challenging situations. Skills that are disabled by changing classes are considered to be inactive. Inactive skills can still be used but cannot be increased until they are active once more. Skills provided by basic classes are limited to a value of ten. Reaching this limit does not prevent you from increasing your proficiency in those areas on your own. Skills sound like a training program that corrects mistakes and helps me learn more efficiently, rather than a brain modification that directly alters my proficiency. Kind of like a tactile augmented reality overlay. That¡¯s a better scheme than I expected. I don¡¯t like the idea of knowledge being beamed right into my head. But this seems more like the System watching over my shoulder and mentoring my progress. This was the first time that he had seen the term profession mentioned. When Nick tried entering it into the custom KP prompt, it required ten points to learn more about it. It must be an advanced aspect that won¡¯t be relevant until later. Still, it¡¯s nice to have a heads-up as early on as possible. There was also a reference to changing classes. Unfortunately, the details weren¡¯t included in the entry. Once again, the System seemed to be tailoring the text to his specific situation while providing tidbits on related topics as well. Almost like it was going out of its way to be helpful in teaching him the basics of his new life, which he deeply appreciated. The other mechanic that he was curious about was how levels were obtained. Most games rewarded experience for defeating enemies and completing quests. But Pax had mentioned that wasn¡¯t the only way to grow that was sanctioned by the System. While he was willing to kill if he had to, Nick didn¡¯t like the idea of slaughtering peaceful creatures simply to fuel his own advancement. No matter what happens in the days ahead, I¡¯m not a sociopath. I¡¯m not going to massacre whatever crosses my path for slivers of experience and loose change. It would be easy to lose myself and go full murderhobo once I¡¯m stronger. That isn¡¯t who I am, and it isn¡¯t the person I want to become. He spent his KP, then let out a sigh of relief when he started to read. While it seemed that fighting and conflict were important for growth, he wouldn¡¯t have to kill to advance unless he chose to. Levels Levels represent the crystallization of experience inside the body. Experience is acquired in situations that cause you to challenge your limitations and expand your capabilities. Especially when doing so entails a high degree of risk. It can also be earned by completing quests. When critical thresholds are reached, this energy acts as a catalyst, enhancing your attributes along paths determined by your class (or at your discretion in the case of free points). In addition to developing attributes, levels improve your baseline stamina, mana, and health in a linear progression. The effective values for each form of vital energy are heavily modified by additional factors, such as traits, attributes, and abilities. Reaching certain milestones will unlock additional features. For example, a new class can be chosen at Level 25, and reaching Level 50 will unlock secondary attributes (one of the prerequisites for advancing to Tier 2). Awesome. As he had been hoping, Nick had been given some tips on how to level up, and now he knew how to change his class. Unlocking the primer on experience would still be a good choice when he picked up more KP, as he wasn¡¯t clear on several details related to the process. As shitty as it felt to start off with a basic class, at least the free point it awarded with each new level let him develop his attributes in whatever direction he desired. When he found his next batch of knowledge points, he would have to decide between learning more about specific attributes, which would help him allocate his free points as efficiently as possible, and abilities, even though he had none at the moment. Nick also wanted to learn about health, mana, and stamina. They were obviously important but weren¡¯t listed on his profile. Once he took care of all the basic terms he had added to his list, he hoped to find out more about magic in general, as well as the item schema used by the System. But that was a worry for another day. After spending his KP, he had plenty to mull over, especially with what he had learned from his climb. He had only found a single berry on the way back and was running low on food. But what he had would tide him over until morning, and he still had a canteen full of water. That meant it was time for another evening spent exercising and planning. He kept his workout light since his body was aching. After forcing himself back onto his feet so that he could take a quick lap around the elevated portion of the beach, Nick tucked himself into his hole in the sand. He stretched out while watching the sunset over the ocean, content with how his day had gone. He spent some time trying to get the wand to do something before giving up for the day and closing his eyes. Chapter Twenty-Four: Learning to Kill When he woke up, Nick was sore as shit. The good news was that it wasn¡¯t as bad as he had expected, thanks to his improved Toughness. While he winced with every step, he could walk without issue and even run if he had to. Although if he was forced to sprint, he would pay for it later. After going through a light version of his morning exercises, he walked over to the forest¡¯s edge and picked a half-dozen ripe berries for breakfast. Then he resumed his exploration of the southern coast. He wanted to check out the shipwreck that he¡¯d spotted from the treetop, then keep on going until he had a clear view of the northern shore. Nick planned to camp somewhere in the area, finish scouting the far side of the island, then make his way back to the obelisk tomorrow afternoon. On his way, he hoped to locate a secure shelter. Right now, he was far too vulnerable while he was asleep. With the beach surveyed, it would be time for him to decide where he would enter the forest. He needed to tackle the woods eventually, but he wanted to raise his baseline Strength to 5 and reach Level 3 before he did. Hopefully, his exercises combined with a multiday hike would do the trick. If he pushed himself hard, he might even boost some of his physical attributes to six. Although he was worried that the only reliable way to raise his baseline Toughness past 5 was to take a beating. He would have to use some KP to learn more about the process when he had a few points to spare. As he walked, he felt a cool breeze blowing in from the east, heavy with the promise of rain. Sure enough, when he looked up, he saw a cluster of dark clouds crossing over the mountain. They looked like normal rainclouds, not the weird green ones he had seen from the treetop, and didn¡¯t seem to be part of a larger storm system. Thus, he decided to press on and continue his scouting run as planned. Fifteen minutes later, the first drops hit him, a refreshing patter that helped cool Nick down. He was glad for his straw sunhat, as it kept his head dry and the rain out of his eyes. By the time he rounded the bay, the shower had blown past, leaving the sand sparkling in the sunlight. On this pass through the area, he intended to find the precise boundary of the komos¡¯ territory. While they seemed to avoid the bay, he had spotted several lizards after gaining the far side. He doubted that their claim extended much further because he suspected that the beefy crabs were another of the island¡¯s beasts¡ªalthough they were passive enough that Nick wouldn¡¯t be certain until he got close enough to use Size Up on them. Not long after, he came to a stop at the top of a tall dune, eyes drawn to a big crustacean moving across the sands below. While he waited, frozen in place, the brawny creature drew closer, letting him make out more details than he had the day before. That¡¯s definitely a beast, he decided after using his skill. The crabs felt dangerous in general, although not directly threatening like the komos and the lurk. Since he was going to have to deal with them if he wanted to explore the rest of the coast, Nick took a long look. He began analyzing the creature¡¯s abilities while coming up with a name. Thick shell, retractable limbs. Stops every few minutes to touch the sand, likely sensing vibrations. Since it looks like a crab with swords for claws, that¡¯s what I¡¯ll call it. He continued to catalog the features of the newly named swordclaw. It looks strong but not too fast, although I won¡¯t be sure until I see one run. Less aggressive than the komos, but less friendly than the lemurs, judging by how they responded to my intrusion yesterday. Adding it all together, this species is likely a defensive specialist, unless it can spit acid or something equally crazy. Even if one decides to approach, I should be able to outpace it. This area should be safer than the komos¡¯ domain, unless the swordclaws share the shoreline with another species of beast. Nick realized that a few of these insights went beyond the details he had witnessed firsthand. He would be careful not to rely on this knowledge blindly, but it must be part of the information provided by Size Up. He reminded himself that there were likely pieces missing due to the low level of the skill. Just knowing that the swordclaws weren¡¯t likely to be a threat was invaluable. While he was busy analyzing its capabilities, the crab found a starfish that had washed ashore. It was busy devouring the unfortunate creature, garnishing its meal with a few bites of kelp. He was in the middle of coming up with potential strategies, just in case he was forced to fight a swordclaw after all, when the sand above the crab exploded. His heart leapt into his throat when a komo burst forth from the side of the dune and struck from concealment. Nick¡¯s initial reaction was sheer terror. The tactic shattered the fragile sense of security he had been forming as he learned more about the island. If the komos could rise from below and attack at any time, nowhere was safe. His ability to see through their camouflage was worthless if they could enhance the effect by covering themselves with sand. There could be dozens of lizards surrounding him at this very moment, waiting to strike. Calm down. That doesn¡¯t make any sense. They have no reason to invest in an ambush unless they¡¯ve already spotted a target. Be extra careful until you collect more data, but you should only have to worry about this style of attack when you¡¯re walking along the dunes on the border of the lizards¡¯ territory. It should still be safe to travel along the surf. As the komo closed the distance, the swordclaw spun to face it, having noticed the reptile¡¯s approach at the last possible moment. This marked the beginning of a fierce battle. Nick realized that a prime opportunity had landed in his lap. He could wait up here until one of the creatures finished the other off, then race down and steal the prize. He wasn¡¯t desperate enough to try eating raw lizard or uncooked shellfish. But if he could establish a camp and figure out how to build a fire, his plunder could solve his food problem for the next several days. Even with his Survivor trait, Nick hadn¡¯t been getting enough to eat. Hunger pains had become a constant companion. One that he would be happy to leave by the wayside. Besides, his vegan diet wasn¡¯t ideal for building muscle, though it had done wonders for taking some air out of his spare tire and melting the edges off his love handles. His musings were driven from his mind as the komo and swordclaw faced off, each beast fighting with its life on the line. The crustacean was perhaps half the size of the vicious reptile, but its massive shears offered better reach than the lizard¡¯s teeth and claws. Watching the powerful creatures exchange a fearsome barrage of blows, he grasped that this was an opportunity to gain something even more valuable than securing his next meal. Nick could learn how to fight by watching two creatures that had been born for battle duel¡ªbegin bridging the gap between the tactical theory he had learned while gaming and the visceral reality of embodied combat. The first detail that he absorbed was that the komo¡¯s ambush had borne fruit. One of the crab¡¯s legs was protruding from the lizard¡¯s mouth. While this wasn¡¯t a fatal wound, the crustacean was bleeding a fair amount as it scrambled for position, splatters of blue soaking into the sand below its shell. The injury meant that the crab would grow weaker over the next few minutes until its body could form a clot and staunch the flow. Losing a second limb would likely cause the swordclaw to bleed out, or at least weaken the beast enough for the komo to overpower. The crab was slower than its assailant to begin with, and now that it was injured, it was having trouble keeping up. The dynamics of the battle were forcing the swordclaw to assume an offensive stance, racing to score a critical blow before it grew too weak. While it had to remain in the area to keep its opponent from escaping, the komo could stay out of range of the crab¡¯s claws until it saw an opportunity to follow up. The passage of time was now the lizard¡¯s ally and the crab¡¯s foe. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. Nick watched on, riveted by the epic struggle taking place before his eyes. In the opening move of the battle, the komo scored a debilitating wound and took control of the flow of combat. No, that attack was premeditated. The lizard¡¯s advantage was won before the fight even began. As he analyzed their tactics, the battle between the beasts raged on. Although its gambit had paid off, the komo¡¯s victory was by no means assured. The crab¡¯s claws were strong and agile. They hung low, guarding its eyes and legs, now that it was facing its foe. The razored blades could easily tear into the komo¡¯s flesh if it was able to land a hit, whereas the lizard would have a hard time cracking the crab¡¯s shell unless it could pluck another limb and disable the beast. This was a lesson that Nick could only have learned while watching the fight with his own eyes. The nature documentaries he had binged back home didn¡¯t convey the overwhelming tension and split-second timing of a life-and-death struggle. Or perhaps this insight was a consequence of accepting his new, conflict-oriented reality now that the System was in charge. He grasped that each beast was a specialist in a different style of fighting, which took advantage of their unique natural weapons and divergent physical attributes. Although the komo had been willing to launch an attack, it soon became clear that neither species was an ideal match for the other. The lizard could outrun the crab but couldn¡¯t wound its opponent while its guard was raised. The swordclaw could end the battle with a single, decisive blow. But the komo refused to face the crab head-on, letting blood loss weaken it over time instead. No matter what direction I guide my development, I need to invent my own fighting style or learn from someone more experienced. To fend off beasts with powerful bodies and deadly natural weapons, I need to develop strategies to mitigate their strengths and exploit their weaknesses. Catalog their tendencies and anticipate likely moves, but remain on guard for surprises. To round things off, I need to have some viable contingencies already in place so that I can react to surprises effectively when I don¡¯t have time to engage in extensive planning. Like what to do if I¡¯m surrounded or forced to fight beasts capable of using ranged attacks. Nick had let his mind wander while the battle below remained deadlocked. But he returned his attention to the conflict when the melee entered a new phase. The crab had clearly decided that it wasn¡¯t going to be able to catch the lizard before it grew too weak to hold its own. After a feinting charge, the swordclaw changed tactics. It tried to retreat and dive into the sea. Before it gained the safety of the surf, the lizard darted around to cut off its approach, forcing the crustacean to abort its rush or risk losing another limb in passing. This close to the water¡¯s edge, the komo couldn¡¯t move out of the way without abandoning its meal. Nick watched with avid attention as the beasts faced each other head-on for the first time. The swordclaw used its enemy¡¯s intentions to constrain its movement, countering the komo¡¯s evasion tactics while boosting its odds of escape. He watched on in awe, committing each detail to memory as claw and tooth, shell and scale, struck, dodged, and parried in a blur of motion. As it was forced deeper into the surf, the lizard appeared to make a mistake, dodging too slowly as the crab¡¯s claws sheered a foot off the end of its tail. The swordclaw expected the komo to back off after receiving the wound, unaware that it had fallen for the lizard¡¯s ploy. Instead of retreating, the komo spun along the inside of the blow and bit. Its jaws tore one massive claw free from the crab¡¯s body, then its talons raked out an eye. Half-blinded and overwhelmed with pain, the crab darted back. It started to circle futilely, spilling its life essence into the thirsty sands to form a ring of blue blood. Every revolution cost the swordclaw more of its remaining strength. It soon started to falter, like a clockwork toy, just before the gears stopped turning. Eventually, the crab collapsed, and the lizard struck. It tore the crustacean¡¯s face off before dragging it far enough back that the ocean couldn¡¯t claim its prize from under it. Out of everything that Nick had learned from watching the battle, this was the most important lesson of all. Sometimes, you must sacrifice something in order to gain something. Especially when facing off against a powerful foe. He nodded and rubbed his chin, offering his thanks to the formidable hunter for the lessons it had taught him. With the battle won, it was time for the victor to tend to its wounds. The komo walked over to where the shore was dry, then drove the end of its shorn tail into the sand, which stuck to the bloody stump to form a seal. Then the lizard began to feast on the swordclaw¡¯s remains. Having learned a valuable lesson on attacking while your enemy was distracted, Nick rose to his feet and crept down the side of the dune. Approaching the wounded komo from behind, he raised his stick above his head, ready to incorporate the insights he had gleaned. He inched his way across the white sands, every scrap of concentration focused on the lethal reptile feeding in front of him. He kept his breathing slow and steady, stepping as lightly as he could. Every time that the komo raised its head from its gory buffet, he froze in place, praying that the beast wouldn¡¯t turn around. Before long, Nick was almost close enough to strike. The next time that the lizard took a bite, he took a big step to channel his strength and brought the stick down as hard as he could. A hearty crack resounded across the dunes as the branch stuck the lizard square in the back. It hissed and spun to face him. But he was already darting back, out of range of its teeth and claws. He reached into the pocket of his bathrobe and took out one of the stones he had gathered. Before the enraged reptile could close the distance, he took aim and threw, clocking the lizard in the head with a satisfying thunk. The beast came to a skidding stop, seeing Nick as a threat for the first time. At this point, he knew that he had a decision to make. While his attack had been successful, he wasn¡¯t doing much damage with his primitive weapons. He could continue the battle, but the odds of winning without being injured in the process were poor. In the end, it was only practical for him to drive the komo back, grab the shorn tail and claw, then beat a hasty retreat. There wasn¡¯t anything else he could accomplish that would justify the danger. He wouldn¡¯t have been able to carry any of the extra meat with him. While he needed to obtain combat experience to survive the days ahead, this wasn¡¯t the right time or place to take a chance. He didn¡¯t have a problem killing one of the hyper-aggressive, carnivorous lizards. But he wasn¡¯t willing to risk his life to finish off a single komo when there were hundreds more roaming the beach. Especially when he had only his walking stick to fend off the lizard¡¯s talons and teeth. After making sure that the wounded reptile went to devour the swordclaw¡¯s corpse instead of following him, Nick turned his attention to the meat he had stolen. He was trying not to think about the fact that the rapidly cooling chunks of flesh had been parts of living creatures only a few minutes prior. He had no idea how to skin or dress an animal, but the severed appendages seemed like they would be relatively easy to cook over an open fire. He had other plans for the claw too. He was hoping to convert its edge into a weapon. Or at least a basic cutting tool, letting him start a few projects that were beyond the scale of what his tiny scissors could handle. Once the site of the ambush was far enough behind him, he stopped to catch his breath. Judging by the crustaceans meandering in the distance, he was now at least a quarter mile into the swordclaws¡¯ territory. He hadn¡¯t seen any more lizards, but now that Nick knew they could burrow, he walked over to the surf and scanned the closest dunes with extra vigilance. When he was certain that no hidden beasts were lurking nearby, he was ready to find a better way to carry the meat until he was able to cook it. To start, he rinsed off the blood in the ocean. After a bit of trial and error, Nick wrapped the appendages in palm fronds, bound them with cord, and then hung the bundles off his belt using the tie of his bathrobe. The prospect of eating grilled meat made him hungry enough to drool. But he forced his attention back to scanning his surroundings and resumed his trek along the coast. He was glad to leave the ever-present tension of traversing the komos¡¯ domain behind him. While the swordclaw crabs were fearsome fighters, their territory proved to be almost as safe to cross as the lemurs¡¯ domain. After running a few tests, he discovered that the crabs wouldn¡¯t respond to his presence until he was fairly close. Even when they assumed an aggressive posture, the swordclaws did not seem inclined to pursue him. Either because Nick didn¡¯t fit their image of predator or prey, or because it required far less effort to harvest the sea¡¯s bounty than to battle a creature larger than themselves. If the lemurs were friendly and the komos were hostile, he would classify the swordclaws¡¯ temperament as neutral. Even if he accidentally goaded them into attacking, if he didn¡¯t let the crabs box him in, he could easily evade them, and their presence kept the other predators away from the region. He made good time from that point on. Judging by the position of the mountain and the giant tree, it would take Nick another hour or so to arrive at the first stop on his journey¡ªthe sprawling wreckage set along the southeastern shoreline. He realized that he would soon be passing by the part of the forest claimed by the giant spiders. He walked as close to the ocean as he could, where he could see anything coming out of the trees early enough to double back the way he had come. As he pressed on, he remembered to check out the scratch he had drawn on his belt. The mark had already repaired itself, and the drops of beast blood that had splattered on the leather had vanished without a trace. He wished that the rest of his clothing had self-maintenance modifications too. His other garments were filthy, and his jeans were becoming more ragged by the mile. With any luck, Nick would receive the next upgrade to his wardrobe sooner rather than later. Chapter Twenty-Five: Shipwreck and Plunder As the sun rose high in the azure sky, Nick rounded the southern tip of the island. Not long after, a massive mound came into view a bit further down the beach. After another ten minutes of hiking along the shore, he could make out enough details to be certain that he was peering at the remnants of a shipwreck. It was big enough that Nick could identify it as a cargo ship, even with his limited knowledge of wind-powered vessels. Half of the hull had been splintered to smithereens from being tossed against the rocks before it had washed onto the shore. The biggest intact piece was impressive, at least thirty feet high and twice as wide. When it was whole, the ship must have been hundreds of feet long. Worried that this was a guarded point of interest that had been placed here by the System, Nick cautiously approached the wreckage. He was eager to find another chest, or any reward for that matter. The komo¡¯s ambush was still fresh in his mind. Thus, his first goal was to survey the nearby stretch of shoreline. He wanted to see if there were any swordclaws nesting nearby or other species that he hadn¡¯t encountered. Staying as far away from the forest as possible, he walked east for a while longer. Although he spotted a dozen beefy crabs combing the dunes, they seemed content to hunt small game along the waterline. None of them were heading in his direction, as far as he could tell. He noticed a few long trails of smoke drifting up along the northern horizon, which he thought might be channels where the volcano was venting magma to relieve pressure. Nick doubted that it would erupt while the tutorial was underway, as he didn¡¯t think it would be possible to survive such an occurrence¡ªalthough the possibility still made him nervous. Just to be thorough, he ran his gaze along the ocean before heading back to check out the wreck. It was a windy day, and the waves were high. He spotted a pod of pink dolphins out in the distance, shuddering as he remembered his thankfully long-distance encounter with the thing in the sea. He stopped for a few minutes just to enjoy the soothing roar of the surf, then turned his gaze to the elevated ground leading up to the tree line. Nick twisted from side to side, then jumped into the air and lowered himself onto his belly. He was looking for the telltale shimmer of silken threads reflecting back the sunlight. To his immense relief, he discovered nothing of the sort. If he had seen even a hint of silk, he would have abandoned his exploration of the northern shoreline without a second thought. At last, Nick was satisfied that nothing would sneak up on him while he was inside the ship. He turned around and walked back the way he had come, eager to explore the intact portion of the vessel. He began by circling the wreckage, looking for any indication that beasts were living atop or inside it. Except for a few faded trails left by wandering swordclaws and a flock of gulls perched on the highest point, he saw nothing that suggested the presence of anything laired nearby. As the wreck was presumably an artifact left behind by people native to this planet, he was curious about the story of the shattered vessel and the lives that had been lost at sea. The hopes and dreams that had descended to the briny depths alongside it. However, except for a few faded symbols painted onto the hull, he found no clues as to who had piloted the vessel or what had become of them. The wreck was too far from the waterline to have been deposited by the tides. It must have been washed up by a violent storm. This was a lucky break, as Nick wouldn¡¯t have to worry about it being carried out to sea. The bird shit caked onto the hull, and the weathering of the exterior indicated that the ship had been resting here for some time. After making sure that the wreckage appeared stable, he was ready to head inside. He shuddered at the prospect of coming across rotting corpses, although he was extremely curious to discover what the inhabitants of this world looked like. But then he realized that it must have taken months, if not years, for the sunlight to bleach the paintjob. Any remains that he discovered would be skeletal, if they had washed up with the debris instead of sinking into the ocean. On alert for the presence of hostile beasts or other unknown threats, Nick hefted his walking stick and took his first step inside the wreck. The interior of the shipwreck was shady and cool. The cavity was wide and spacious along the level of the sand, and he was happy to discover that it was free of swordclaws or other dangerous critters. He enjoyed the refreshing sensation of no longer standing in direct sunlight as he waited for his eyes to adjust. Then he took a long look around. A slice of what must have been the bottom of the main deck ran along one side of the hollow at an angle, sheared off by either the collision that had sunk the vessel or when it had rolled its way up the shoreline. Looking up, he could see segments of the lower decks peeking out from between gaps in the boards running over his head. Leaning against one side of the hull was a piece of the mast that had been jumbled up with a pile of rocks when the vessel flipped upside down. Along the far corner, Nick noticed a small door high above him. The only intact piece of woodwork he could see. If there was anything more valuable in this place than a lifetime¡¯s worth of firewood, he was certain that he would find it on the other side of that door. Assuming that he could get up there without breaking his legs in the process. By now, his internal loot finder was tingling. It would be a crime not to place an Exploration Reward Chest in such an obvious point of interest, at least while he was in a System-moderated tutorial. Although his greed sang to him, cajoling him to scamper up the wreckage and begin looting in earnest, he sat down in the sand and unfocused his eyes, taking in the arrangement of the shipwreck as a whole. The longer he looked, the more certain he became that he could find a way up, because the layout reminded him of a platform puzzle. This meant that using his brain would be just as important as leaning on his athletic ability, which was still far from Nick¡¯s strong suit. Twenty minutes into his deliberations, he was satisfied that he had traced out a viable path. If I can reach the top of the incline, that section of mast is a straight shot to the roof of the lower deck. Those boards look less stable than the ones down here. I¡¯ll need to distribute my mass and walk along the interior of the hull, where the beams have the most support. I should take my time and test each step before committing my weight. But I doubt that the entire deck will give out from under me. Nick was convinced that this course would take him as far as the door. Hopefully, a reward chest would be sitting on the other side, waiting patiently for him to open it. If there was anything dangerous inside, he would slam the door shut and scamper away as fast as he could without falling through the floorboards, then regroup and consider his options. First things first. You can worry about what¡¯s inside once you make it to the door. Ready to begin his climb, he removed his robe and hung it on a shorn piece of railing. Both to lighten his load and to set his meat high enough that a wandering swordclaw couldn¡¯t saunter by and steal his dinner. His plan in place, Nick rolled up his sleeves and went to work. He crouched down low and started scaling the inverted deck, placing one hand on the wall and the other on the floor to maximize his traction and stabilize his balance. He winced as he picked up a few painful splinters, but thankfully, nothing deep enough to interfere with his explorations. After climbing the shattered deck, he stopped to catch his breath while he inspected the clipped mast. He had been worried that it would roll under his weight. But up close, he could tell that it was wedged tight between the bilge and one side of the hull. If he slid off the end or his grip failed him, he would fall a good ten feet down into the sand, which would hopefully cushion his landing enough to keep him from cracking his shins. Releasing a huff of frustration that he hadn¡¯t put more work into developing his athletic ability in his former life, Nick took aim and made an awkward leap. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. His arms wrapped around the mast and then started to slide, gifting him with a surge of adrenaline until he remembered to grip with his knees. Thanks to his improved Strength, he barely managed to keep himself from slipping off the end of the pole. Huffing and puffing, he dragged himself up. He made a solid impression of a clumsy caterpillar until his legs were even with the lowest deck, which was now the highest point in the inverted wreck. Fortunately, the mast was close enough that he could reach out with one foot and then transfer his weight, as he had no leverage to launch himself through the air. The boards creaked ominously as his feet came down but held firm for the moment. Nick didn¡¯t like the amount of play in the joinings, so he crawled on his belly, spreading his mass over as wide of an area as he could. Twice on his way to the door, his hands pushed through rotten wood, forcing him to detour around after probing to determine the extent of the damage. But despite the tension now filling the air, he found himself sitting in front of the entrance a few minutes later, winded but whole. While he waited to catch his breath, Nick put his ear up to the wood, straining to catch any indication that something living was waiting on the other side. Other than the roar of the surf reverberating through the bones of the ship, he heard nothing beyond the rise and fall of his own breath and the steady rhythm of his heart. Since the portal is latched and the exterior of the vessel is intact, there shouldn¡¯t be anything in there. It¡¯s probably safe to stick my head in. Ready to retreat just in case, he rose into a crouch and then slowly opened the door, widening it inch-by-inch as the interior of the chamber was revealed. After poking his head in far enough to determine that the coast was clear, Nick stepped inside and closed the door behind him. He was glad for the narrow slits of sunlight shining through the cracks in the hull. They provided enough light to see, and he felt safer with the portal shut. This might be a decent place to use as a base of operations when I¡¯m on this side of the island. It¡¯s a bit far from the obelisk and spring, but not unmanageably so. None of the beasts can reach me up here except for the spiders, assuming that they ever leave the forest to begin with. Either way, they shouldn¡¯t be able to get past the door. The swordclaws aren¡¯t as friendly as Bandit and the lemur tribe, but they don¡¯t seem like bad neighbors, all things considered. While Nick mulled his options over, he began sorting through the contents of the room. At first, he only found the jumbled remains of what appeared to have once been a writing desk, a collapsible bunk, and a three-legged stool. Each had been bolted to the floor before being shattered by the catastrophe that sank the ship. He cracked a wide smile five minutes later when he noticed an intact wooden box resting in the corner, formed from lumber the same color as the deck. This wooden chest was as simple as the last had been ornate. Its smooth, unadorned sides reminded him of the projects he had made in the woodshop back in high school. Although there was a level of precision to the work that surpassed his own modest abilities. He mouthed a silent prayer to the gods of RNG, which he fervently hoped was not an actual thing in this new reality. Nick stood to one side, just in case the box was trapped, and then flipped open the lid. He laughed in delight when he saw what was inside. I never thought that I would feel your loving embrace again. But here you are, right when I needed you most. At long last, after opening the third reward chest he had discovered on the Searing Isle, Nick had finally found a pair of shoes¡ªor more precisely, a pair of badass-looking boots. He never thought that something so simple would make him happy enough to cry. But after running for his life on his bare, battered soles, he felt no shame. He glanced at the slip of paper inside the box, noting that the boots were common quality, but he didn¡¯t care. In this wondrous, fortuitous moment, the boots were an epic item to him. Hoping that they fit him as well as his belt, Nick plopped down onto his ass and then shoved his right foot inside. He groaned in pleasure as the soft lining slid along his skin. The sensation promised cushioning, support, and protection, all rolled into one magnificent accessory. Shivering in satisfaction, he quickly put on the other boot, rose to his feet, and took his first step. It felt like he was walking on clouds, each footfall padded and braced. It was exactly what he had been dreaming of for the last several days. As his feet purred in contentment like a pair of stroked kittens, he fished out the scrap of paper and read the description in full. Congratulations! You have discovered an Exploration Reward Chest (Wood). A tutorial knowledge point has been awarded. Contents: Explorer¡¯s Boots (Common). These rugged, waterproof boots are suitable for use across a wide variety of terrain. They have been built for both comfort and durability from raw materials boasting a moderate resistance to corrosion and flame. These boots feature reinforced arch and ankle support and incorporate steel shanks and toes to protect your feet. Awesome! These are even better than I thought. Nick was so enraptured that he barely noticed when the wooden chest crumbled to dust and blew away. I wonder what the deal with these scraps of paper is anyway. They are far more detailed than the descriptions provided in my profile. Then it hit him. This lets the System grant prizes that are pre-identified instead of giving me an Analyze skill or Scrolls of Identification. I know exactly what the contents of my rewards do. But other items I find in the field will have unknown properties. At least with the abilities and skills I have at my disposal. Although he was excited enough to dance, he took his shoes back off and went to work, pulling all the splinters out of his feet. He stopped to examine the boots up close before putting them back on. They were fashioned from jet black leather, embroidered with subtle white stitches that accentuated their profiles. The soles were rough and textured with what felt like a layer of dense rubber. Nick could already tell that they would provide superior traction. Instead of laces, they featured a series of adjustable straps running up one side, pre-configured so that they were perfectly aligned to the contours of his feet. He pulled them back on and decided to dance a little jig in celebration after all, laughing at his own whimsy. His feet felt like fortresses after hiking dozens of miles barefoot across the island. He no longer had to worry about slicing his heels on jagged rocks or impaling his soles with random sticks and thorns. No more jamming his toes against what felt like every rock on the island. Not to mention the risk of having them bitten off, clawed, or stung. Nick pranced his way across the room. He was thrilled to have ankle and arch support, and better yet, a steel plate running across his toes. With the Explorer¡¯s Boots, he would be able to survey the interior of the island without risking his mobility with every step he took. At least once, he had a plan in place and more attributes under his belt. Just as he turned to leave, eager to complete his objectives for the day, he noticed a dull lump of brass wedged between two floorboards. Curious, he bent down to take a closer look. After making sure that it didn¡¯t seem dangerous or connected to any hidden mechanisms, he used the skinny end of his wand to lever the object out. He rolled what appeared to be an eight-inch tube between his hands, running his thumbnail across a series of ridges that ran down the length at regular intervals. When he rubbed away the dust with the corner of his shirt and looked through the end, he realized what he had found. It''s a telescoping spyglass, like in those pirate films that Angie loves. Confused by a momentary swell of sorrow whose source he could not identify, Nick shook his head, cracked open the door, and then peered through the spyglass. The far end of the wreck leapt out at him, offering a magnification of perhaps 300 percent by his rough estimation. This would have been useful to have at the top of the tree, and finding it is a good lesson. Not all treasure comes in chests. Using your eyes and brain will yield rewards as well. After wiping away every speck of grime lodged in the crevices, he gently closed the device. There was a hint of gritty resistance before the spyglass collapsed down into a thick ring of brass, a third of its prior length, allowing the tool to fit neatly into one of the empty pouches on his belt. Okay, I¡¯m sold. This toolbelt is even more useful than I imagined. Riding the high of cracking open his third loot chest, Nick began contemplating how he would spend his KP as he carefully retraced his route back to the bottom of the wreck. Although the boards creaked ominously beneath his weight, he was able to climb down to the entrance with no further mishaps. He retrieved his bathrobe, walked through the hole in the hull, and then stepped out into the sunlight. He waited for his eyes to adjust before he continued surveying the shoreline. He still intended to make it up to the north shore and find a place to camp before it got dark, then head south and make it back to the obelisk sometime in the late afternoon. He had no intention of taking the shorter way around the northern coast, as it would lead him through an area that he knew was part of the lurk¡¯s hunting grounds. It''s too bad I don¡¯t have a flint or another way to start a fire. That was when it hit him. As his gaze panned over the volcano¡¯s smoke, he realized that he had already found the solution to starting a fire. He just hadn¡¯t put the pieces together, with his attention focused on looting the shipwreck. The lava. I can use it to light a bonfire if some of the flows come out along the beach. He broke into a broad grin, looking down at the bundle hanging from his toolbelt as his stomach started to growl. For the first time in Nick¡¯s new life, meat was back on the menu. Chapter Twenty-Six: Beachside Barbeque It took Nick another two hours to cross the southern coast and start walking north. He decided to explore the eastern shore for a while before finding a place to camp along the beach. He could check out the northern coastline after the sun rose the next morning. He had another three hours before he started losing the light, then maybe thirty minutes more to complete his preparations before it would be too dark to see. On the way, he picked a runty little coconut, enough to keep his stomach from grumbling and supplement the fluid sloshing around in the bottom of his canteen. Nick had been smelling smoke for a while now. When he came to a stop at the top of a tall dune, he discovered the reason why. All along the northeastern shore, rivers of lava formed an incandescent network of molten stone, flowing out toward the sea like the island was bleeding. Vast clouds of steam billowed along the surf, where the streams of superheated minerals met the ocean¡¯s frigid embrace. It seems that I won¡¯t be exploring the northern coast after all, at least not anytime soon. But as a consolation prize, I can grill this meat while it¡¯s still fresh. After making sure that nothing more menacing than a few scattered swordclaws was lurking nearby, who seemed to have a territory bigger than the lemurs¡¯ and komos¡¯ combined, Nick moved closer so that he could analyze the terrain bordering the closest flows of lava. The raw power of nature was fiercely beautiful to behold. Despite the gravity of his situation, he was grateful that he was able to witness such a magnificent sight with his own eyes. Something that he would never have experienced back in his old life. He was mesmerized by the searing swaths of yellow, red, and orange, checkered with patches of black where the surface had cooled enough to resolidify. The lava¡¯s living lightshow was even more captivating than embers burning in a fire. It created a unique, flowing pattern. A rippling river of neon radiance. Although he couldn¡¯t locate the origin of the lava, it didn¡¯t seem to be pouring down the mountain. The trees were thick, and there wasn¡¯t much smoke coming from the forest above. There must be channels running from the interior of the volcano to where the magma vents out along the shore. If I was left with no other choice, I could probably walk all the way around the island by moving deeper into the interior. Not that Nick had any intention of doing so for the time being. While he pondered the intricacies of this unusual terrain, he took out his new spyglass and examined every bit of ground visible from this elevation and angle. He was trying to determine how extensive this lava-obstructed band of beach was, and if he could spot any beasts moving on the other side of the smoldering blockade. If there was a fourth species that had claimed a section of the northern coast, he wanted to know before he tried approaching from the other side. What Nick didn¡¯t expect to find was another reward chest sitting in plain sight. What appeared to be a copper jewelry box was sparkling in the sunlight from its perch atop a massive obsidian boulder, deep within the nexus formed by the twisting branches of lava. As with the shipwreck, the layout of the obstructed terrain reminded him of a platform puzzle. Although instead of being another low difficulty challenge, this route promised certain death with the slightest mistake. While his view was obscured by smoke and air warped with heat displacement, he was able to make out a narrow path leading from where he stood over to the copper chest. Following it would entail leaping across the lava on a series of staggered stones, each resting on mounds of bedrock, like islands in a fluorescent sea. This was the highest tier reward chest that Nick had found so far. Perhaps the best one that he would discover on the island. The ornate jewelry box presumably had something great inside, perhaps a powerful magical artifact. The sight of it called out to his greed in a siren¡¯s song, beckoning him to take a chance and find out what treasure waited within. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. It was enticing enough that he started visualizing following the route that he¡¯d discovered. If I hop over three narrow flows of lava, then leap across the scattered boulders to make it across the thickest part of the river¡­ Yea¡­ no. Fuck that. He took one last lingering look at the treacherous path before abandoning his fantasy and returning to the task at hand. Nothing is worth taking a lava bath or getting splattered with searing droplets. Not to mention those rocks look hot enough to melt my brand-new boots, fire resistance or not. Given my current capabilities, that looks a lot more like a greed trap than a viable opportunity to grow stronger. While now wasn''t the right time, Nick had by no means given up on obtaining the chest. I¡¯ll revisit the situation after I upgrade my attributes, but this is another valuable lesson in its own right. Trying to blindly seize every opportunity, no matter how poorly suited I am to tackle the challenge, will be a short road to an early grave. Satisfied that his deliberations had led him to the proper course of action, he was ready to face the much smaller risk of using the lava to light a fire and get busy grilling. He licked his lips because it was finally time to prepare his long-anticipated all-meat dinner. First, he picked out a spot on the beach that was free of lava and hostile critters. Then he went to work, building up a fire pit so that he could cook the meat he had stolen from the komo earlier in the day. This would be the first hot meal that Nick had eaten in nearly a week¡ªand better yet, the first meat that he had tasted since waking up on an alien planet. He wouldn¡¯t have been willing to try it if he hadn¡¯t received the okay from his Foraging skill. Eating the flesh of a creature that had evolved on a different world didn¡¯t seem like the smartest idea, even if these animals were remarkably similar to the fauna of Earth. But when he looked down at the severed appendages, he received a clear impression that the claw and tail were a viable source of sustenance¡ªif he didn¡¯t eat them raw. After a bit of consideration, he decided that he had to trust the tools he had been given by the System if he wanted to live through the tutorial, at least to this extent. Nick sat the frond-wrapped morsels on the ground near the base of a palm. He covered them with rocks to keep any animals from stealing his dinner while he was busy. Then he scoured the shoreline until he found enough large stones to form a ring around the perimeter of his firepit, digging deep enough to shelter the bottom from the ever-present breeze. When it was done, he went to work collecting pieces of sundried driftwood, setting them upright against one another in a shape like a tepee. To finish the job, he laid a bed of kindling beneath the firewood, formed from dried fronds he had shredded and a few smaller twigs. By this point, Nick¡¯s stomach was growling nonstop in anticipation of his feast. After using his scissors to shave the sides off a pair of sticks to serve as spits, all that was left was to light the fire and proceed with his beachside barbeque. Around this time, he realized that he might not need to use the lava after all; that his new spyglass might do the trick. Figuring that it was worth a shot, he pulled it out of his pouch and held it up to the sunlight, pointing the other end at the kindling below. Unfortunately, the focus wasn¡¯t quite right when the tube was fully extended, and the lenses didn¡¯t line up unless it was perfectly straight. Nick could probably tighten the beam and make it work if he took the device apart, but he was afraid that he would break it in the process. He put the idea back on the shelf as something that he could try in an emergency. Okay, Nick, lava it is. Before making his way down to the closest flow, he picked up a long, dry branch and then walked over to where he had a good view of the churning flows of molten stone. He waited patiently until he found an area that looked relatively safe. A place where the ground seemed unlikely to collapse beneath his weight. When he was ready, Nick carefully crept his way forward, awestricken by the mesmerizing bands of liquid flame. He ran his eyes across layers of intermingled amber, ruby, and gold, textured with a crust of dark rock where they had been kissed by the breeze. The air twisted in the rising heat, and he waited until the wind was blowing the searing clouds of steam out to sea instead of back in his direction. He could smell the lava in the air. An earthy mixture of hot rocks, cooking plant matter, and the occasional wisp of sulfur. It released a constant chorus of crackles and pops, punctuated by the skittering cascades of rocks sliding to the side as they were dislodged by the flow. There¡¯s no time to be impressed; this place isn¡¯t safe. Just get in, get a light, and get out. You can watch the show from a distance while you¡¯re cooking. Whatever you do, Nick, don¡¯t fall in. Chapter Twenty-Seven: Now You’re Cooking with Lava Another twelve steps brought Nick to the lava¡¯s edge. After making sure that this patch wasn¡¯t bubbling and splattering, he raised one hand to shield his eyes from the sunlight and then touched the tip of his branch to the smoldering stone. The dry wood caught fire instantly, greedy flames licking the sides of the stick before he raised it upright. He took two big steps back, turned around, and then walked over to his firepit, arriving just before the burning branch singed the hair off his knuckles. With a grin of anticipation, Nick leaned the firebrand against the woodpile, then sprinkled some kindling on top to ignite the tinder below. After releasing a great cloud of white smoke, the rest of the wood caught. His bonfire sprang to life, hot enough to make him take a hasty step back. At last, it was time for the good part¡ªpreparing and then savoring his feast. He walked over to where he had hidden his prize, brushing off the wrappings so that no sand fell onto the meat below. He untied the knots in the twine and then put the cord back into his belt pouch. After unwrapping the fronds he had used as casing, Nick realized that he had a dilemma on his hands. He looked at the claw, then the tail, rubbing his chin all the while. Which one do I want to eat first? After mulling it over, he decided that the claw meat looked enough like lobster that it might be palatable. Perhaps even delectable. He would still eat the lizard¡¯s tail. But reptile hadn¡¯t been a part of Nick¡¯s diet back on Earth, and he had a hard time getting excited about the prospect of consuming it. Besides, while the swordclaws were omnivorous hunters, the komos were predator scavengers. The flavor of their flesh would likely leave something to be desired. His decision made, he picked up the claw and tried to slide out the meat trapped inside. He quickly realized that there were several places where cartilage was anchored firmly to the shell. He took out his tiny scissors and carefully cut the flesh free from the chitin, wishing for the twentieth time that he had found a proper knife. A steel blade would make his life easier in so many ways. At last, fingers covered in the crab¡¯s blue blood, Nick severed the final strands, and the meat slid free. The swordclaw¡¯s flesh was spongy and pale, streaked here and there with pink and orange, marbled thick with muscle and fat. It made his mouth water just looking at it. He speared the steak through the middle with his crude spit, and after testing to make sure that the meat wouldn¡¯t slide off the wood, he held it over the open flame. Soon, the steak started to sizzle. Rich drops of fat fell into the fire, releasing clouds of greasy smoke that smelled absolutely delicious. Nick was careful not to let his dinner burn as he roasted the claw meat over the firepit, waiting until the surface shimmered with a bronze sheen as it seared on the spit. By this point, his stomach was growling like a big bear trapped in a small cage. It felt like a singularity had formed inside his abdomen. Rendered ravenous by the anticipation of the feast to come, it took everything that he had to resist the aroma of roasting meat until both sides were fully cooked. The instant it looked ready, he set the hot steak onto a flat stone he had rinsed clean in the ocean, then used his scissors to cut through the center. The moment he was sure that the flesh was cooked all the way through, Nick shoved half of the filet into his mouth and started to chew, shuddering in pleasure as a savory tide of flavor broke over his palate. He singed his tongue in his haste, but he didn¡¯t care. He was utterly captivated by enjoying what was unquestionably the best meal of his life. At least as much of his life as he could remember. The next thing he knew, the last bite was sliding down his throat and into his stomach. He didn¡¯t even remember picking up the other piece. While I respect their live-and-let-live philosophy, I need to figure out a way to hunt some of these crabs without pissing off the rest. He wiped away the hot grease running down his chin, then licked every drop of flavor from his fingers before turning his attention to the lizard¡¯s tail. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. The komo¡¯s scales proved too tough for his miniature shears to sever. Without a way to remove the skin, Nick had a harder time cooking the tail. As a result, he wound up burning the shit out of his impromptu kabob, but at least the interior wasn¡¯t black when he scraped off the layer of char. The aroma made his nostrils flare in disgust. He really didn¡¯t want to eat the tail so soon after bringing his tongue to heaven. But food was food, and Nick needed all the energy he could get if he wanted to survive the ordeal to come. Wrinkling his nose, he proceeded to take his first bite. The komo¡¯s meat was as disgusting as the swordclaw¡¯s had been divine, and he wished that he had something stronger than water to wash it down. Pinching his nose to mute the flavor, he forced himself to devour every bite of the stringy mess until only scraps were left hanging on the bone. He would have used the bones to make stew if he had a way to boil water, but there was no point in wishing for what he didn¡¯t have. He rinsed away the lingering traces of nastiness with the last of the water in his canteen, then pulled the hollowed-out claw onto his lap to take a closer look. The interior edge was rock solid and razor sharp, and this observation gave him an idea. Enjoying the sensation of a belly full of warm meat, he ran his fingers across the uneven stubble covering his face. At long last, Nick was going to shave. After rinsing it off and sterilizing it in the fire, he pulled the claw apart and set it between a pair of flat rocks. Then he used a third to break off a segment near the tip. He inserted the fragment of chitin into a crack running along the side of a short stick, formed as it had dried in the sun. He used his scissors to cut a strip free from his roll of gauze and wrapped it around the bottom of the shattered bit of claw to keep it from cutting through the twine he wound around the base. Now, he could grip the makeshift razor without slicing his fingers. He grinned as he walked back over to the shore so that he could rinse off the razor as he went to work. Fifteen minutes later, he ran his hands over his clean-shaven face, wincing as the salty spray splattered against his skin. Nick had given himself the worst case of razor burn in his life, but he had managed to shave without slicing his throat in the process. He wished that he had a mirror to look at his reflection, because he finally felt like himself again. Before he called it a night, he used the rest of the claw to whittle away at the end of a long branch, shaping it into something resembling a spear. It was crude and would likely break after scoring a few solid hits, but he finally had something that felt like an actual weapon. Although he doubted that it would even qualify as a basic item for the System. Hoping that the fire would discourage any beasts from drawing near, Nick settled down into the sand. He had set up his camp on a triangular strip of land. With the lava running along one side and the ocean on the other, anything dangerous would approach from the south, where its view of him would be obstructed by the bonfire. Just to be safe, he rubbed handfuls of ash into his skin and clothing to mask his scent, covered his body with fronds, and worked his way deeper into the hole he had dug. With this setup, he should be hard to notice. The flame-warmed sands would even keep him from being spotted by creatures that could sense body heat. While he by no means felt safe, this was the best arrangement he could come up with. Nick needed to get some sleep, or it would dull his mind and impair his reflexes. He then turned his attention to the soundscape of the shoreline. He filtered out the snaps and pops of his fire and listened as closely as he could. He was trying to get a sense for what this environment sounded like when everything was calm so that he would have an easier time noticing anything out of place later. Nick eventually hoped to train himself to wake up instantly after hearing anything unexpected. But for now, he had to accept that falling asleep was the most dangerous part of his day. At least with his Survivor trait, he only needed six hours of shuteye a night. While he attuned himself to his surroundings, he reviewed his plans for the next stage of his survival-vacation on the Searing Isle. He would continue to train his body and skills along the beach. But now it was time to penetrate deeper into the island¡¯s interior, starting with the southern forest around the giant tree. It was bound to have its fair share of danger, but at least the terrain wasn¡¯t as overtly threatening as the territory of the spiders and shrooms. He spent longer than usual trying to unravel the mystery of the wand, running his fingers along the gems. He thought he felt something for a moment, like there was something slumbering inside that wasn¡¯t quite ready to wake up, before giving up for the night and closing his eyes. Nick slept remarkably well under the circumstances, too deep in his dream to hear the thunder rumbling in the distance. Chapter Twenty-Eight: Day 5: Apex Ambush Nick woke up every few hours to add more wood to the fire. Each time, he took a quick listen to his surroundings and went right back to sleep, warm at night for the first time since arriving on the isle. He met the dawn feeling better than he had in days, although his stomach informed him that it would appreciate breakfast sometime soon. While he took in a magnificent sunrise on one side and the flowing field of lava on the other, Nick went to work, planning out his day. He spotted some dark green clouds strung out along the southern horizon. But with any luck, they weren¡¯t heading his way. With his survey of the shoreline complete, he decided that he needed to head back to the spring right away, unless he found more coconuts on his journey south. After that, he should have half of the day free to further his objectives. Although he wanted to return to the obelisk to check for any updates to his profile, making the trip to the western shore wouldn¡¯t be an efficient use of his time until he was ready to make camp. Instead, he would head north from the spring, beginning his first foray into the forest, not counting the brief incursion he had made to climb the giant tree. He intended to investigate and determine what manner of beasts inhabited the region, then forage for food and uncover any other resources that might prove useful. He would keep an eye out for more Exploration Reward Chests, although he had a working theory that the crates on the beach were easier to find than those placed along the interior of the island. He had only spotted the cache secured at the top of the great tree through a stroke of luck. Once Nick had a better idea of what he was dealing with, he would come up with a concrete plan of action and decide how to go about exploring the rest of the island over the weeks ahead. While it was tempting to stay holed up on the beach until the end of the tutorial, he knew that it would be a losing proposition in the long run. For one thing, the resources along the coast were gradually dwindling. The coconuts grew slowly and were already becoming scarce. He couldn¡¯t count on finding any after a few more days of harvesting. The berries growing near the border of the beach had been scoured clean by the tribe, at least over on the western shore of the island. He needed to find another source of forageable food. One that would last until he devised a means of hunting the swordclaws or discovered a place to spearfish. That being said, he held little hope that the situation on the island would remain stable for much longer. The phases mentioned in the quest¡¯s description implied escalating challenges, and the first phase would end in another two days. The dynamics of the Searing Isle would change at that point, and he would have to scramble to adapt. Nick still had no idea what to expect. As he gathered more data, he hoped to form a theory regarding the logic governing the tutorial so that he could thoroughly prepare before the final phase began. Regardless, he was certain that he would be forced deeper into the island sooner rather than later. This scenario was too much like a game for the System to leave so much prime real estate untouched. At one point or another, he would have to enter the forest and the highlands beyond, and he intended to do so on his own terms. More than anything, he needed to avoid the predatory beasts roaming the isle. At least until he gained a few levels, acquired a proper weapon, and trained himself to basic competency in its use. He prayed that he wouldn¡¯t run into the lurk again. These incremental increases to his inventory and attributes meant nothing in the face of that living mountain of muscle and ill-will. Before he broke camp, Nick shoved the most usable bits of claw into the pocket of his robe and stored his razor in his toolbelt. He spent a few minutes drawing a map of the island in the sand, to solidify his observations with a tangible representation. Finally, he reached into the firepit and filled several empty pouches with charcoal, in case he wanted to mask his scent again or found a reason to write or draw, adding a few rocks for good measure. His preparations complete, he began the long hike back around the shoreline. To his delight, he spotted another ripe coconut along the way. He decided to hold onto it without breaking it open, using the method he had worked out earlier to tie it to his belt. The durable fruit would serve him best as an emergency source of food and water, assuming that he could find something else to eat later in the day. He needed to build up as big of a buffer between himself and starvation as he could. While he walked, Nick began incorporating brief wind sprints into his daily routine. He was hoping to improve the capacity of his lungs, as well as the strength of his legs and heart. He wondered idly if the attribute increases he received due to conditioning applied themselves generally or were slanted toward developing the specific muscles he used. If he did pushups until his Strength hit 10, would he look relatively normal, or wind up with massive biceps out of scale to the rest of his body? He laughed at the image conjured by his daydreams. Then he stopped fucking around, although he was glad for a momentary diversion to break up the tension of his prolonged ordeal. He had to circumvent several roving bands of swordclaws. The beasts seemed more agitated than usual, less willing to suffer Nick¡¯s presence in their domain. He wondered what had the crabs on edge, hoping that it wasn¡¯t anything he needed to worry about, although he suspected that it was. There¡¯s a storm brewing along the horizon, he decided as he caught sight of another thick pack of clouds far to the south, tinged green like the ones he had seen from the treetop. Maybe it¡¯s headed our way after all. Nick was glad to have discovered the room at the top of the shipwreck. Unless the waves rose high enough to reclaim the remnants of the vessel, it would be a perfect place to ride out the storm. If I get caught in the rain, I¡¯ll just skip the obelisk until it passes, eat my emergency coconut, and refill my canteen with rainwater. I¡¯ll decide once I¡¯m back in the area, based on the movement of the stormfront. The system had only blown a little closer three hours later when he caught sight of the wreckage in the distance. As he was growing thirsty and had no guarantee that the rain would arrive anytime soon, he decided to head for the spring as planned. Then he would revise his itinerary based on the progression of the clouds. He made surprisingly good time. Nick didn¡¯t spot a single swordclaw or komo between the shipwreck and the spring. On his way around the bay, he stopped to ponder the doorway leading to the dungeon. Now that he¡¯d had time to think it through, he was planning to head inside a few days before the tutorial entered its final phase. Hopefully, I¡¯ll be a few levels above the recommended minimum by then. The grove surrounding the spring was free of beasts too. He drank his fill and topped off his canteen, enjoying what had been his most relaxing day on the island to date. He was debating whether he should wash off the grime he had rubbed into his clothing the night before when a vibrant vermillion butterfly landed on his forearm. Nick had just enough time to feel a faint pulse of danger from Size Up before the elegant little shit stung him. It hurt like hell¡ªmore than a bee sting¡ªbut didn¡¯t seem to be too venomous. It was a timely reminder that while the beasts were the most pressing threat on the island, regular animals could be dangerous too. He would keep an eye out for strange insects going forward In case his assailant was still fluttering somewhere nearby, he darted over to the opposite side of the grove before dunking his arm beneath the brisk spring water. He was waiting until the throbbing pain subsided before heading deeper into the woods. Due to the distraction of being stung, he was slow to notice the electric tension that had risen to fill the air. The series of gigantic talon marks pressed into the mud. The silence that had descended as the animals living in the woodlands went to ground. A steaming pile of bone-studded shit topping off near the level of his knees. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. The lurk gazed down at Nick from the concealment of the branches. Despite his fervent prayers to the contrary, the creature did not confine itself to the northern shore of the island. To the shaggy apex predator, every biome on the isle was part of its domain. Grounds to hunt at its leisure. While the massive beast didn¡¯t range this far south often, it had decided to make the trip today, following that strange scent it had noticed before. It tensed its powerful legs, took aim, and then struck in a blinding flash. Although his instincts had been screaming to get his attention for the last few seconds, Nick had just processed the fact that something was terribly wrong when the foliage erupted in a blizzard of shorn leaves and vines. Accompanied by the crackle of shattered branches, the lurk emerged from the tree line with a savage growl. To his abject horror, the hulking brute gathered its strength and pounced, furry body streaking straight for where Nick stood. He looked up, taking in the sight of ivory talons flashing in the sunlight. Sunlight that was extinguished a heartbeat later as a solid wall of green clouds passed in front of the sun, the boom of thunder echoing in the distance. He would have died then and there if his body hadn¡¯t responded without waiting for a conscious command. Nick turned to run, slipped in the mud, and fell flat on his back, just as the lurk soared through the space that his chest had occupied half a heartbeat prior. The impact of the multi-ton predator slamming into the earth reverberated through his bones, as a tsunami of adrenaline flooded every artery and vein. He scrambled back onto his feet, anticipating a fatal strike, just in time to watch the lurk slide across the muck before toppling into the spring with an enormous splash. He prayed that, with its heavy body and short arms, the creature would be unable to swim. Those hopes were dashed three seconds later, when the beast¡¯s head resurfaced, unleashing a deafening roar of rage. The lurk did have a hard time navigating the terrain along the edge of the spring, slipping in the mud bordering the shore as it fought to regain its footing. Nick knew this obstacle would only delay the agile beast for a matter of seconds. He had mere heartbeats to make his escape before the colossal predator caught up with him. It can swim, but it¡¯s not good at it. His brain latched onto any detail that might boost his odds of living through this colossal blunder, which at the moment sat just a hair above zero. If he survived, this would be an invaluable lesson. In addition to letting a trivial injury distract him, he realized with cold clarity that he had grown overconfident after learning how to avoid the lesser beasts on the island. Now Nick¡¯s hubris might cost him his life. He ran south along the stream. Despite pushing his body to the limit, the lurk would catch him within another minute at most. Rather than chancing the mud a second time, the beast had decided to circle around to avoid the streambed. While his life was still in imminent danger, Nick had bought himself enough time to come up with a desperate plan. He could feel the impact of its footfalls, although he couldn¡¯t see the beast while it was moving through the forest. Though he would have a hard time maintaining his lead long enough to get there, his only chance was to dive into the depths of the bay. Hopefully, the sheer walls and the powerful waves breaking against them would discourage the lurk from jumping in after him. Now he needed to come up with a way to widen his lead before he was caught from behind. He was tempted to run into the ocean, but he knew it would never work. While he doubted that the lurk would be willing to dive into the tumultuous waters of the bay, anywhere else along the shoreline was too shallow. The colossal creature would catch up and pluck him from the sea, well before the floor grew deep enough for Nick to dive below the reach of its jaws. Although he could see the dynamics of his dilemma with stark clarity, after his original burst of inspiration, he was drawing a blank as to how he might outwit the apex predator. The cacophony of pursuit was growing closer by the heartbeat as the lurk snapped branches off the trees in passing. The rhythmic pounding of its feet slamming into the earth grew closer and then closer still. Although he continued to sprint with everything he had, Nick already knew that it wouldn¡¯t be enough. Before he made it halfway to the bay, the creature would catch him, and there wasn¡¯t anything he could do to stop it. Not that he wasn¡¯t going to try his best regardless. He didn¡¯t have time to look over his shoulder; every scrap of focus was devoted to picking out his path. As he burst out of the brush and began running along the shore, the sound of the hunt cut off abruptly. A visceral tide of relief flooded through every cell of Nick¡¯s body, along with a fair amount of confusion. In defiance of the odds, the lurk had abandoned the chase mere moments before its climax. Maybe I lucked out and it came across a juicier meal. Ten seconds later, the rising flame of his hope was extinguished like a snuffed candle. Because that was when Nick looked up¡ªto where an army of angry green clouds was marching across the sky, conquering the heavens from horizon to horizon. Fey bolts of purple lightning danced throughout the nebulous host, and he could feel the pressure dropping deep within his bones. During his brief venture into the spring, the storm had changed course, and now it was looming over his head. He had just decided to head back to the shipwreck, then process his close brush with death, when the wind shifted, blowing hot and moist like the breath of a titanic beast. The scorching air stung his skin, and looking up at the sky, Nick understood that the searing breeze heralded worse to come. The main body of clouds was fast approaching. Their texture and color were wrong, making the phenomenon unlike any storm on Earth. Layers of emerald and cerulean were banded around their dark bellies, swollen with the promise of rain. The few animals that he could spot along the shore were scrambling madly for cover. Even the predators were ignoring potential prey in their all-consuming flight. Something is terribly wrong. This must be a significantly greater threat than a regular storm. I need to make it back to the ship and take shelter before the stormfront breaks over the island. That was the moment when the rain began to fall. A fat raindrop struck Nick¡¯s elbow, and pain exploded across the surface of his skin. The water was scalding hot. In the heart of that terrible moment, he came to understand the origin of the Searing Isle¡¯s name. It wasn¡¯t the volcano after all. Internalizing this revelation, he understood that he didn¡¯t have time to make it back to the spring or over to the shipwreck. He had mere seconds to find shelter, or he was going to be boiled alive when the full fury of the storm descended upon him. Nick pulled his bathrobe tight around his body to protect his skin, knowing that this feeble shield would only endure for the handful of seconds it took for the superheated liquid to saturate the cloth. He would have already been blinded if not for his hat. The cover of the canopy would do nothing to protect him from the superheated air generated by the storm. The only thing he could do was continue running and dive into the bay after all, gambling that the deep water would be sufficient to insulate him from the searing storm¡¯s wrath. He sprinted across the dunes, now engaged in a race for his life against a very different opponent. The unbridled ferocity of nature herself. The scalding rain intensified with every step he took, searing his arms and back, although his sunhat kept it from blistering his face. Wisps of steam rose from the sand like ethereal serpents. Soon, they would grow too thick to see the path ahead. The temperature was still climbing by the footfall. He knew that instead of inflicting superficial injuries, the sweltering downpour would raise his body temperature enough that he would pass out before much longer, sealing his fate. But Nick just had to hold on for a few final seconds. Long enough to dive into the chill water of the bay, then find a spot beneath the rocky ledge where he wouldn¡¯t be cooked by the rain or drowned by the surging currents. Moving so fast that the world was reduced to a liquid blur of color and motion, he streaked across the final stretch of beach and set foot on the sand bordering the bay. His body was coated in a sheen of boiling water, creating a living latticework of agony all along his skin. A few more steps would see him to the water¡¯s edge. Just as Nick was about to dive in, he saw a komo perform the same leap that he intended to take. The instant the reptile plunged below the surface, a set of massive jaws rose from the murky depths as a gigantic shark devoured the unlucky reptile in a single bite. All along the shoreline, scores of the bulky lizards, who must have had the same idea as Nick, were being consumed in a gore-studded feeding frenzy. His mind recoiled on spotting dozens of black fins cutting through the froth-capped waves. The sharks must be native to this planet and tough enough to withstand the heat. They knew the storm was coming and that it would drive prey into the water. The bay is just as much of a deathtrap as getting caught out in the storm. In the depths of that black moment, Nick knew that he only had one chance of living through the day. The dungeon¡ªit¡¯s just around the bend. I can still make it in time. He put everything that he had left into sprinting down the interior of the cove, skidding to a stop in front of the metal door. His hands were covered in blisters, and each breath pulled searing air into his lungs. With no time left to ponder the implications of his decision, he flung it open and leapt through the portal inside. Half a heartbeat later, Nick was standing below the surface of another planet. Chapters Twenty-Nine to Thirty-Seven (There is a gap in the numbers here, everything is fine.) I put in some major revisions to improve the pacing of the early chapters, including merging a number of chapters together. Everything past this point uses the old chapter numbers for now. Sorry if anyone got confused while I got everything into the new order. Ignore the word block below, I needed 500 words to be able to create this note. I put in some major revisions to improve the pacing of the early chapters, including merging a number of chapters together. Everything past this point uses the old chapter numbers for now. Sorry if anyone got confused while I got everything into the new order. Ignore the word block below, I needed 500 words to be able to create this note.I put in some major revisions to improve the pacing of the early chapters, including merging a number of chapters together. Everything past this point uses the old chapter numbers for now. Sorry if anyone got confused while I got everything into the new order. Ignore the word block below, I needed 500 words to be able to create this note.I put in some major revisions to improve the pacing of the early chapters, including merging a number of chapters together. Everything past this point uses the old chapter numbers for now. Sorry if anyone got confused while I got everything into the new order. Ignore the word block below, I needed 500 words to be able to create this note.I put in some major revisions to improve the pacing of the early chapters, including merging a number of chapters together. Everything past this point uses the old chapter numbers for now. Sorry if anyone got confused while I got everything into the new order. Ignore the word block below, I needed 500 words to be able to create this note.I put in some major revisions to improve the pacing of the early chapters, including merging a number of chapters together. Everything past this point uses the old chapter numbers for now. Sorry if anyone got confused while I got everything into the new order. Ignore the word block below, I needed 500 words to be able to create this note.I put in some major revisions to improve the pacing of the early chapters, including merging a number of chapters together. Everything past this point uses the old chapter numbers for now. Sorry if anyone got confused while I got everything into the new order. Ignore the word block below, I needed 500 words to be able to create this note.I put in some major revisions to improve the pacing of the early chapters, including merging a number of chapters together. Everything past this point uses the old chapter numbers for now. Sorry if anyone got confused while I got everything into the new order. Ignore the word block below, I needed 500 words to be able to create this note.I put in some major revisions to improve the pacing of the early chapters, including merging a number of chapters together. Everything past this point uses the old chapter numbers for now. Sorry if anyone got confused while I got everything into the new order. Ignore the word block below, I needed 500 words to be able to create this note.I put in some major revisions to improve the pacing of the early chapters, including merging a number of chapters together. Everything past this point uses the old chapter numbers for now. Sorry if anyone got confused while I got everything into the new order. Ignore the word block below, I needed 500 words to be able to create this note. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Chapter Thirty-Eight: Dungeon Deep When his senses unscrambled from his journey through the portal, Nick found himself standing on an island of light surrounded by darkness. Other than the ground beneath his boots, all that he could see was a prompt from the System floating in front of his eyes, the first direct message that he¡¯d received since the tutorial had begun. That realization prodded at the memory of his orientation. The terror and chaos that had ensued before. It wasn¡¯t enough to cause his missing memories to rise to the surface, although they were floating just below the threshold of awareness. Nick shook his head to clear his mind of distractions. He shut out the pain of his burns and turned his attention to parsing the meaning of the words. Welcome, contestant, to your first dungeon. This dungeon has been curated to teach you the basics of dungeon crawling. All challenges have been scaled to the minimum recommended level of [5]. You will encounter a series of escalating threats as you progress deeper into the dungeon. If any challenge seems insurmountable, you should abandon the crawl and retreat through the portal behind you. Tutorial Dungeon Information Location: The Sewers of Kastilla. Deep below the capital, they unearthed a sealed chest. Instead of treasure, they found death inside, releasing a Tier 3, calamity-class entity known as the Crimson Blight from its long confinement. An intelligent, parasitic fungus that feeds upon all known forms of magical energy. After a battle that reshaped the surface, the core controlling the blight and its network of infected creatures was destroyed, erasing the Kastillan civilization along with half the life on the planet. But lingering traces of the blight¡¯s influence remain hidden in dark places. Within these sewers, four natives dwell beneath the ruins of their capital, foraging from the garbage of their lost civilization. Prolonged exposure to the parasite has mutated its hosts. These changes have preserved their bodies but destroyed their minds, trapping the Kastillans in a state of waking death. They will attack any creature not infected by the same strain of the blight without hesitation. Objective: Free all four natives (three workers and their foreman) from their eternal bondage. An exit portal will be generated in the final room of the dungeon. Rewards: Will be allocated based on performance at the time of completion. Warning: The entrance portal will remain locked for the next twenty-four hours. Dungeon Modifiers: For the tutorial dungeon only, negative statuses will be displayed the first time that you acquire them, and additional information will be provided. Additional information Without a controlling core, the parasitic plague is not transmissible through exposure to its hosts. It is not possible for your species to become infected at this time. The time limit for this dungeon is seventy-two hours, after which you will be forcibly removed and all prizes will be forfeited. Time spent in the dungeon will count toward your tutorial survival goal. Be advised that there may be unforeseen consequences of a prolonged stay. The dungeon cannot be reentered. You will be completely healed on dungeon completion. Leaving the dungeon through its entrance will yield no rewards, and you will not be healed, although you will be allowed to keep any items that you find along the way. Nick focused on the meaning of the words while waiting for the cascade of pain and adrenaline surging throughout his body to subside. Then he began taking inventory of his injuries. His arms were as red as lobsters and covered in superficial blisters. Nothing that looked like it would result in lasting damage, although his skin felt like it was on fire. His legs and back had been scalded, but the damage wasn¡¯t as bad as where the boiling rain had struck bare flesh. Fortunately, his eyes had been protected by his hat, and his feet were still in pristine condition, thanks to the waterproofing and heat resistance of his boots. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. If he had been caught in the storm for even a minute longer, it would have been so much worse. He wasn¡¯t ready to process the fact that he had nearly been killed by both the lurk and a searstorm within the span of ten minutes, so Nick distracted himself by analyzing his situation instead. I¡¯m stuck in here for at least a day, but I can¡¯t stay longer than three. Meanwhile, the tutorial¡¯s second phase will begin in a little less than forty-eight hours. I¡¯m not sure if it will solve or create a problem if I¡¯m in here when the phase progresses¡ªperhaps a bit of both. As far as surviving the dungeon goes, I¡¯m way under level. That means most of the creatures in here will be able to slaughter me in a direct confrontation. But I can¡¯t afford to waste this opportunity either. Although I¡¯m weak, that doesn¡¯t mean that I can¡¯t progress. If I can¡¯t defeat the dungeon¡¯s inhabitants by going head-to-head, I will have to rely on my wits instead. Although Nick had left a life of games behind him, he could still make use of some of the habits and reflexes he had gained from his years of sitting in front of a monitor. With that thought, a checklist popped into his head, helping him to decide what he needed to do in what order. My first goal is to find out if the area around the entrance is safe. Then I can expand my search and map out the surrounding terrain. My top priority is to avoid drawing attention to myself while maintaining a clear line of retreat. Once the first day has passed, I can either keep going or leave right away, but I won¡¯t be trapped anymore. After the portal reopens, my risk of being cornered will go down as long as I don¡¯t get caught by surprise. If I do manage to get stuck somewhere, I can hole up and hide until the dungeon ejects me after the third day. If I¡¯m lucky, I will find a System display down here somewhere. Even if I don¡¯t, I should still be able to level, train my attributes, and raise my skills. But I won¡¯t be able to spend my free attribute points and KP. If I can reach Level 3 early on, it will improve my odds, although I wish I hadn¡¯t been forced in here earlier than I had planned. The minimum recommended level for the dungeon is five, but the System said that threats will escalate the deeper I delve. Hopefully, the challenges near the entrance will be closer to my level. As Nick pondered his situation, he began to calm down, especially when the pain of his wounds started to ebb. Thankfully, this dungeon was set up to be a tutorial. The dangers he would face should be relatively easy to understand. The System said this dungeon was intended to be a learning experience. There should be an underlying logic to its layout and the progression of the threats introduced. He had explored thousands of dungeons across the games he had played. While he wouldn¡¯t rely on those experiences here, they could still help him mitigate his risks and maximize his gains. The tricky part was that he was still Level 2, far below the recommended level of the dungeon. While the entrance was peaceful enough for now, whatever he encountered was certain to be a deadly threat. Despite the danger, Nick had reason to believe that he could make it out in one piece, perhaps even complete the dungeon and secure a high-tier reward if he could level and gear up along the way. No matter how he decided to proceed, he was stuck in here for the time being. He couldn¡¯t afford to squander the opportunity, and he couldn¡¯t leave with the storm raging outside, regardless of his other considerations. In short, this was a bad situation, but one infinitely better than what he¡¯d left behind him on the isle. No matter what threats were waiting within the depths of the dungeon, it couldn¡¯t be any worse than the lurk¡¯s ambush and the burning rain that Nick had decided to call a searstorm. I¡¯ll just scout the periphery and see what I find. If it seems too risky, I can camp out in this room and leave through the portal after the timer expires. While he continued mulling over his options, he began inventorying his tools and supplies. He was surprised to discover that he still held his crude spear in one hand. He hadn¡¯t even realized that he was carrying it while he was fleeing for his life. This spear is more of a deterrent than a proper weapon, but I can use it to prod and manipulate objects from a distance. Moving on, I have half a day¡¯s worth of food and about a day and a half¡¯s worth of water, including the coconut on my belt. I won¡¯t need to worry about starving before the lockdown of the entrance portal lifts. I have all the tools in my belt, plus some sharp bits of shell and a handful of rocks in the pocket of my robe. If I¡¯m careful about how I crack open the coconut, I might be able to use it as a backup canteen if I come across a source of fresh water. After mapping out the region, my next objective is to find anything that I can use to expand my toolkit. Whatever I do, I must avoid walking into a trap or ambush. As this was Nick¡¯s first time delving into an actual dungeon, he had no real idea what to expect. However, he felt certain that at least one convention would translate from his gaming experiences to his new, System-governed reality. You can¡¯t call something a dungeon unless it contains monsters, puzzles, or traps. Usually, a hearty blend of all three. He had no clue as to what form traps would take in a non-digital world, but he doubted that they would be nearly as easy to spot as their analogues in games. Clearly marked pressure plates, thick strings stretched across the bottom of doors, and poised pendulum blades just waiting to be triggered were all far too obvious. Instead, Nick tried to imagine what tricks he would use if he were trying to kill another person. Traps will likely be placed around chokepoints, like the entrances of rooms, routes leading to valuable objects, and the like. They will be hardest to spot from the angle of approach, and the true triggers might be concealed behind easy-to-spot false mechanisms. There should be a simple way to avoid, disarm, or set them off remotely, at least while I¡¯m in the tutorial dungeon. Finally, the goal of traps is to punish intruders, not to make the area a nightmare to traverse for its own residents. With his crash course on trap logic out of the way, Nick tried to mine his lifetime of gaming for any other relevant information. The only other thing he could think of was to watch out for trapped chests and statues. He nodded to himself, then moved on to pondering biological dangers instead of mechanical ones. I wonder if the monsters, beasts, or whatever they are called in here roam or have set territories. Probably the latter in a tutorial, but I will have to confirm their behavior firsthand. If there is a portal at the exit, it will be in the last room along with a powerful opponent or some other nasty surprise, likely the foreman mentioned in the quest¡¯s description. All right, that¡¯s enough stalling, Nick. It¡¯s time to find out what you¡¯ve gotten yourself into this time. Chapter Thirty-Nine: Scouting Run Now that his eyes had adjusted to the dim lighting, Nick found himself standing in an enclosure formed from a blend of brickwork and concrete. It looks like some kind of bunker network or service tunnel. Water dripped incessantly from the roof, falling from tufts of moss that were growing down from the ceiling like wispy beards. The runoff formed shallow pools that reflected the pale-yellow glow shining from the walls. It came from some sort of recessed electric lights, far too weak to be modern LEDs. Behind him stood an open doorway. Instead of leading to another chamber, the space beyond the frame was obscured by an opaque golden glow. The color was different from the others Nick had come across, but it had to be the portal that would take him back to the beach after a day had passed. He was soaked from his brief exposure to the searstorm, but it wasn¡¯t chilly enough down here to make him shiver. I wonder how long that boiling rain will last. He winced at the painful blisters covering his arms. I should stay here for as long as I can, regardless of the timer. If I leave and the searstorm is still raging overhead, I¡¯ll be trapped out in the open with nowhere to hide. With a sigh, he turned his attention to the other surfaces of the chamber. In the center of the floor sat a rusty iron grate, which drained the excess moisture dripping from the ceiling. Bordering the grate was rough concrete, covered in a wide variety of slime and grime. Running along the red bricks forming the walls was a maze of corroded pipework¡ªancient ducts ranging from the width of Nick¡¯s thumbs to wider than his hips. They were bracketed into the masonry with simple metal bolts, many of which had corroded away with the passing of years. The brickwork looked ancient, but it seemed to be well made if poorly maintained. A trio of rotting barrels was stacked against one wall, and a fenced-off corner held a series of rusted-out storage tanks, sitting beside what appeared to have once been a boiler. There was only one exit besides the portal, an opening over on the far side of the room. By now, his shock was starting to recede. After making sure that none of his wounds were deep enough to require bandaging, he carefully crept his way across the concrete, then stuck his head through the doorway. The scent of raw earth hung heavy in the humid air, so thick that he could taste it. It was clear from the packed dirt visible behind a cluster of missing bricks that he was underground. Through the cracks in the concrete, roots were poking through the ceiling, suggesting that the surface wasn¡¯t too far above his head. Not that Nick had any intention of discovering what, if anything, lay beyond the boundaries of the dungeon. He was afraid to leave this chamber since he couldn¡¯t afford to stumble into anything hostile. He had nowhere to run and would be trapped in here if he was forced to fight. But he couldn¡¯t just sit here either. Well, he could, but that would entail squandering the opportunity to profit from the dungeon, which he was loathe to do. Thus, after working up his nerve, Nick decided to take his first steps into the tunnel ahead, where he could see the darkness of other passages outlined by the wan and flickering light. On his way out the door, he took off his sunhat and set it beside the portal. He would come back for it later. But it wasn¡¯t practical to carry, and wearing it down here would reduce his field of view. Heart pounding in his chest, he tiptoed up to the first adjoining chamber, lowered himself onto his hands and knees, then poked one eye past the border of the doorway. Ten seconds later, he let out a soft sigh of relief. This room was smaller than the one Nick had left behind, and nothing seemed to be living within. It looked like some kind of storage room, but the handful of objects inside were even more weathered than the ones he¡¯d found near the portal. Everything piled against the walls had long since been reduced to shapeless piles of rust and rot. Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. He poked through the garbage with the end of his spear, hoping to uncover any clues that could clarify the nature of the dungeon or the people who had created it. He soon abandoned the effort as a lost cause. On his way out, he reached into the belt pouch he had filled with charcoal. He made a mark beside the doorway to indicate that he had cleared the chamber. The last thing that he needed was to fuck up and skip a room, as that could lead to a situation where he became trapped between something that walked out of it and the depths of the dungeon ahead. Now committed to his course, Nick began what would prove to be a nervous three hours spent exploring the network of subterranean tunnels. His path was illuminated by the flickering light, which gave birth to an endless array of ever-shifting shadows. He was forced to assume a draining state of hypervigilance, cortisol spiking his bloodstream whenever he thought he saw movement at the periphery of his vision. He froze in place for long minutes each time that he heard distorted echoes reverberating against the stonework, their origin impossible to divine. As he searched, he wondered about the story of these ruins. It was clear that the tunnels had been built by an advanced civilization with a level of technology at least at the level of Earth¡¯s industrial revolution, if not closer to modern times. Could something like this be happening to the Earth while I¡¯m stuck in my tutorial? I wish that I could remember what happened before my orientation. All that Nick could recall was a vague sense of dread, and his blurred memories stubbornly refused to focus within his mind¡¯s eye. His musings added a somber tone to his exploration of the dungeon, complementing the pervasive tension spawned by the knowledge that he was guaranteed to encounter something dangerous eventually. As he crept down the tunnels, he subconsciously mourned for the people and the world he had lost, sparing a bit of his sorrow for the fallen civilization of Kastilla as well. While he hadn¡¯t found anything useful or threatening just yet, not all the chambers were barren. Nick¡¯s path took him past rusted sluice gates, decrepit machinery, and collapsed stairwells. Some chambers held the remnants of gigantic pipes and gaping ducts, banked by mildew and crumbling mortar. Most of the tunnels were narrow and short, but there were occasional segments featuring wide pathways and high ceilings. Some housed the remnants of an ancient ventilation system, forming a decaying maze of ducts and debris, vents and fans, their origin shrouded in mystery. Not long after, his stomach informed him that it was time to take a break and eat a late lunch. Or perhaps an early dinner. Being underground was already starting to mess with his sense of time. His walk back to the portal only took twenty minutes, revealing the extent to which caution had curtailed his pace. By now, Nick was certain that nothing was lurking close to the dungeon¡¯s entrance. But he knew deep in his bones that this peace wouldn¡¯t endure once he left the periphery of the zone. None of this looks like a city¡¯s sewer system. I will have to delve deeper before the true dungeon begins. While he pondered what he¡¯d seen so far, he broke open the top of his coconut, careful not to shatter the sides of the shell so that he could use the husk for storage. He drained the sugary fluid and then devoured every scrap of meat so that he wouldn¡¯t have to worry about his provisions being contaminated by the grungy environment. He used his finger and the charcoal in his pouch to draw the layout of the level on one wall, trying to determine if the design suggested anything that wasn¡¯t obvious while walking through it. All that Nick could tell for certain was that this was only one wing of the dungeon, likely a self-contained area intended to give him a chance to obtain his bearings before the System started turning up the heat. After reviewing his map, he was ready to begin his final foray for the day. He would explore for another four hours, then return to this spot and call it a night. Based on what he discovered, he would either wait out the timer and return through the entrance portal or continue to investigate the dungeon¡¯s depths. Nick hoped that he wouldn¡¯t run into anything too treacherous, but his gut told him that danger was coming sooner rather than later. Chapter Forty: The Weight of a Life With a weary sigh, Nick came to a stop in front of the entrance to the final chamber on this floor. Over on the far side of the room, he could make out the top of a concrete ramp leading to the level below. He lowered himself to the ground, then stuck his head past the corner of the brickwork. As he scanned the enclosure, he caught wind of an acrid stench that made his gag reflex twinge. That must be the sewer I¡¯m smelling. I¡¯m not looking forward to finding out how much worse it gets. At least I don¡¯t have to worry about going down there until tomorrow. I should take a peek and find out what I¡¯ll be dealing with, then head back to the entrance and call it a day. Wary that the dungeon¡¯s dangers would escalate past this point, he decided to walk down to the bottom of the ramp, check out the space visible from the landing, and then get the fuck out of dodge. Setting foot onto the lower level wasn¡¯t a risk-free venture. But even a glimpse would give Nick a starting point when he began his nightly strategy session. He rose to his feet and entered the room. He placed every scrap of his focus into moving silently, watching for anything emerging from the passage ahead. When he drew near the ramp, he could hear a faint, rattling wheeze, which he assumed was echoing up from the opening ahead. He slowed his pace to a crawl, walking past piles of rubbish that were indistinguishable from the hundreds he had seen so far. Nick had just reached the top of the ramp when he heard a distinct cough emanating from behind his back. He spun on his heels and got ready to run, horrified by the implications posed by the nature of the sound and its origin. That was the moment when what he had thought was a man-sized pile of junk rose to its feet with a groan. As the garbage-coated creature let out a sleepy yawn, the hood of its grime-studded robes fell back, revealing a head roughly the same size as his own. Its features, however, could never be mistaken for human. This was partially because of the matted fur covering its face, so encrusted with muck that it was impossible to determine its original color. But the distinction was mostly due to the creature¡¯s mouth, more specifically its teeth. The profile of its protruding muzzle was punctuated by a pair of massive incisors, filed down to razored points. The rest of its teeth were brown and rotting, shattered remnants festering in its mouth. The creature¡¯s breath smelled like microwaved diarrhea, making him gag despite the distance between them. Nick suppressed the urge to panic, willing his brain into overdrive as he analyzed the organism. It looks like some kind of rodent or vole. It must be the native species mentioned in the dungeon¡¯s description. I can¡¯t see its arms. But since it appears to be humanoid, I should assume that it can use weapons and tools. His fleeting moment of clinical appraisal ended abruptly as the creature, which he absently categorized as a ratman, finished waking up from its nap. Its beady red eyes locked onto his own, then widened with astonishment. Before he could hope to dart past, the creature broke into a chilling snarl, every crook of its face twisting with rage. It began to drool while lurching in his direction as he desperately tried to determine his next move. Despite Nick¡¯s best efforts, he had let an enemy get between him and his line of retreat. Although the rat is clearly hostile, it doesn¡¯t seem very alert. Maybe I can slip past and get out of this without having to fight. If it follows me back to the dungeon¡¯s entrance, I¡¯ll engage it there, where the sound won¡¯t attract anything lurking on the level below. That plan went down in flames a heartbeat after its conception. To his dismay, the ratman was not nearly as disoriented as he had thought. It deliberately stepped in front of the exit, trapping him inside the chamber. Nick was now caught in the jaws of a dilemma. He could either fight until he was able to break free or retreat deeper into the dungeon. Neither of which he wanted to do. Just in case he had misjudged the situation, he raised a hand in greeting and said, ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to disturb you. I¡¯m a bit lost and was hoping that you could give me directions.¡± With those words, two events occurred within the span of a single heartbeat. First, the fleeting hope that he could talk his way out of this situation collapsed like a house of cards. When he looked into the creature¡¯s eyes, he saw only madness and suffering in its gaze. The second was that the ratman unsheathed a pair of rusty daggers from somewhere inside its armor of rags, charging straight at Nick with its weapons poised to strike. Ah. There are the arms. Definitely humanoid, an absent corner of his brain cataloged. Left with no other options, he raised his spear in front of him and waited for an opening to disengage and make his escape. Although it was dishearteningly swift, the ratman was anything but graceful. It lurched and staggered its way across the floor, as if its body was too heavy for its legs. It was wrapped in a heavy cloak fashioned from what appeared to be a pile of rotting blankets, the bulk of which made the creature nearly as wide as it was tall. Though this armor was both crude and absolutely disgusting, Nick was certain that it would absorb blunt force efficiently, distributing the impact of a blow issued by a foot or fist. A sword could likely split the mass of fibers in a single slash. But his spear would be nearly useless unless he managed to hit a critical point, like an eye or the hollow of its throat. Which was unlikely, as he had absolutely no experience in wielding the weapon. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. In the middle of that hectic moment, he felt an urge to grab his wand but forced his attention back onto his foe. Stupid, useless fucking wand. I should have picked the pistol instead. Nick was too distracted by the impending battle for his life to process the fact that he had recovered another snippet of his missing memories. As the ratman¡¯s rush devoured the distance between them, time seemed to slow, granting him a fleeting moment to plan and reflect. Think Nick. Pretend this is a game. You¡¯re fighting an intelligent humanoid, although it seems short on processing power. Its armor has blunt damage resistance, and its weapons include two short blades, claws as a backup, and a nasty-looking bite. I don¡¯t think the rat can stand up straight, so expect its attacks to land somewhere between your knees and lower ribs. Watch out for surprises, but since the ratman seemed shocked to see you, the odds of an ambush or traps are low. Although it looks pissed, I think it¡¯s trying to be quiet¡­ Why? Maybe it doesn¡¯t want to share my meat with the other denizens of the dungeon. With that thought, time resumed its full course. Half a heartbeat later, the rat was right in front of him. In that moment, Nick knew with stark clarity that his options had been reduced to two¡ªwin or die. Hesitation fell away as he raised his spear, launching a jab at the ratman¡¯s face to keep it from closing the distance and striking with its daggers. His attack caused the creature to leap back, buying him time. He was almost able to line up a second thrust before the rat jumped back into his path, twin daggers poised to strike. Something in his stance must have revealed his inexperience. Because when he tried jabbing again, the ratman kept right on coming, using one blade to push his spearpoint aside while it drove the other straight at his stomach. As adrenaline surged into his bloodstream, Nick spun to one side and took a step back. If he misjudged the angle of his torso, the blade would bury itself up to the hilt inside his abdomen. The motion caused part of his bathrobe to pass in front of the dagger, fouling the rat¡¯s aim enough to keep his guts inside his body. As he completed his hasty dodge, the ratman¡¯s weapon became tangled in the folds of his bathrobe. The fabric twisted tight around the hilt after it passed through the slit opened by the blade, narrowly missing his stomach in the process. When he leapt back a second time, the force tore the dagger free from the creature¡¯s grasp, falling to the concrete below with a chiming clatter. The ratman lashed out with its other blade. It brought it around in a wide arc to drive Nick back so that it could retrieve its weapon. It¡¯s not mindless after all. It can reason on at least a rudimentary level. He changed tactics after incorporating this observation. Instead of leaping out of harm¡¯s reach, he brought his weapon to bear. He drew the spear into the path of the blade, at an angle that he hoped would keep his fingers from being severed during the exchange. Since the rat¡¯s attack was only a feint, the blow lacked follow-through and didn¡¯t have the weight of the creature¡¯s body behind it. Although the impact stung his hands, he blocked the swipe cold, catching the dagger a few inches down from where his hands gripped the spear¡¯s shaft. Through the shared point of contact, he felt the ratman freeze in surprise for just a second. It hadn¡¯t expected Nick to counter its maneuver. This time, a second was all that he needed. He struck out with his newly acquired boots, catching the fallen dagger¡¯s pommel with the steel plate running across his toes. The weapon shot forth like a greased rocket, skittering across the floor before sailing out over the grate and slipping between the bars. It disappeared into the depths below with a hearty plop. Shit, Nick growled in frustration. He had removed one of the weapons from the ratman¡¯s possession, which would make tracking its attacks significantly easier. But he had been hoping to slide the dagger in a different direction, where he would be able to retrieve it. He didn¡¯t have time to wallow in regret. The ratman stepped inside the angle of his spear while lashing out with both hands. One clawful paw came streaking for his eyes, while the dagger went darting around to sever his jugular. With no time to dodge and no room to parry, he dropped his spear and grabbed the ratman by both wrists, catching a face full of its rancid breath in the process. Straining to hold back the rust-coated blade, which was hovering three inches away from his throat, Nick¡¯s eyes locked onto a section of the ratman¡¯s robes. It seemed that he had inadvertently discovered a weak spot in the creature¡¯s armor. The bottom is split so that it can walk. The padding is thinner on the inside of its legs to allow for mobility in the joints. Target acquired. Knowing that this attack would determine whether he lived or died, Nick struck without mercy. He brought his right foot back and then swung it fast in a low arc, with the full power of his body behind it. After passing between the ratman¡¯s knees, his toe came up, crashing into his opponent¡¯s pelvis with a thunderous crack. His fear that there might be unanticipated anatomical differences between their species was allayed when an agonized whimper escaped the creature¡¯s lips. Its veil of madness was pierced by the excruciating pain of having its babymaker smashed to pulp. The dagger fell free from its spasming fingers, rebounding from the concrete with a clang. Before he could fully process this turn of events, instinct kicked in. Still holding the creature¡¯s wrists, he assumed a wide stance, reversed his facing, and then threw the ratman over one shoulder. It came slamming down into the concrete hard enough to make its head bounce. Nick leapt on top of the rat to keep it from turning around or leveraging the strength of its arms. Then he wrapped both hands around its neck and squeezed with everything that he had. The creature bucked and writhed, flailed and screamed, but he gritted his teeth and held on for dear life. His arms shook with exertion as he strangled his enemy, but he didn¡¯t let up. Nick was certain that if he lost his grip, he would be dead. It was as simple as that. With his survival hanging in the balance, he choked the life from his opponent until the rat went limp. He wanted to grab the dagger and stab it in the back, but he was afraid that this was some sort of trick. Instead, Nick kept on squeezing for the next five minutes, until he was certain that his enemy was dead, heart hammering in his chest all the while. Chapter Forty-One: Alone Again Taking a deep, shuddering breath, Nick stepped back from the corpse and then hurried to retrieve his spear and the ratman¡¯s dagger. Although he was shaking with fear and exertion, he was immensely relieved to be armed with a metal blade for the first time since the tutorial had begun. He looked down at his body, making sure that he hadn¡¯t taken anything worse than scrapes and bruises. As his gaze ran across the wand resting in a loop on his toolbelt, he noticed that one of the gems was glowing with a pale pink light. A mystery for another day, or at least another hour. While he wanted to run straight back to the dungeon¡¯s entrance and freak the fuck out, Nick ruthlessly suppressed the urge long enough to wrap up the encounter in a manner that would maximize his odds of survival. He needed to obtain a better understanding of his enemy, so he set down his spear and used the dagger to cut away a section of the creature¡¯s rag armor. The body beneath was bloated and twisted, riddled by what appeared to be hulking tumors. The deformities look unnatural and explain the rat¡¯s lurching steps. He considered trying to take the armor for himself, no matter how disgusting it was. However, he discovered that the fabric was fused with the ratman¡¯s flesh, portions running below the surface of its skin. Deep veins of crimson bulged beneath its fur, which continued to pulse even though its heart no longer beat. He was careful not to touch them while he finished looting the body. Beneath its robes, the creature was wearing a thick leather toolbelt. It was similar in design to the belt Nick was wearing¡ªalthough it didn¡¯t have a self-maintenance modification, judging by the decrepit condition of the leather. Not letting himself think about the fact that he was in the middle of stripping supplies from a dead body, he started rummaging through the pockets. Most were empty, although two contained piles of white powder that smelled caustic enough that he was reluctant to touch them. But the last two pouches held genuine tools, which he recognized from games, although he had never used them in real life. The first was a simple block of chert, with a deep groove worn across the middle of the stone. It¡¯s a whetstone. That explains why the daggers are so sharp. Following that thought, he wondered where the creature had stowed the weapons between battles. He found the answer when he took a closer look at the ratman¡¯s belt, where two sheaths were secured to the leather strap by a pair of slits that threaded it. He cut the belt in half, then slid the sheaths off, attaching them to his own toolbelt before sliding the dagger inside. At last, he had a basic cutting tool that could double as a short-range weapon. Nick would be able do some basic crafting once he was back on the island. The last item in the ratman¡¯s pockets was a crude flint and steel, so worn that he doubted he could use it to light more than a handful of fires before it crumbled into fragments. It was still a great find, as any ability to start a fire was a godsend at this point. He transferred the tools to his pouches and then stepped away from the stinking corpse. Shaking with the adrenaline-charged exhaustion that arose in the aftermath of fighting for his life, he left the body behind him and staggered back to the dungeon¡¯s entrance. He was lucky that he had already cleared the floor. He couldn¡¯t bring his thoughts into focus, grappling with the shock of having killed another person for the first time in his life. It wasn¡¯t a person anymore, Nick, and you didn¡¯t have a choice. That body was just a shell for the parasite living inside, even if it was more responsive than you expected. If the rat was still self-aware, your Gift of Tongues trait would have allowed you to communicate. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. That realization did little to assuage the sick feeling that had risen to fill his chest. Even if these creatures had been reduced to animal intelligence, supplemented by ingrained reflexes and muscle memory, the encounter had driven home the understanding that he would have to kill thinking beings at some point. Maybe even others of his own kind, no matter how hard he tried to avoid it. After all, humans had been killing each other since long before the dawn of civilization. Integration into the System would provide ample opportunities for those with predatory proclivities. At least he wouldn¡¯t have to worry about it until after he escaped the island. It was a chilling reminder that the world Nick knew no longer existed. Even if he made it back to the planet of his birth, the presence of the System would change everything that he had ever known. He hoped that he would be able to return as soon as the tutorial ended and that his family would be waiting for him. He hated to think that they were stuck in their own survival tutorial, forced to endure the same trauma and hardship that he¡¯d faced over the last week. Assuming that they are still alive¡­ He pushed the thought aside. He couldn¡¯t afford any distractions if he wanted to live long enough to make his way out of the dungeon. With a heavy heart, he continued walking back to the entrance of the level. After passing through the final tunnel, Nick sat down beside the portal and set watch over the chamber¡¯s only entrance. He was still too keyed up to sleep. Too shaken to plot and plan. Instead, he kept replaying the fight in his head, realizing just how close he had come to being gutted by the blade of his newly acquired dagger. He wasn¡¯t just ruminating. He was trying to decide how he could have handled the encounter better and what he would do in a similar situation going forward. Not that he intended to let an enemy get the drop on him like that ever again. From now on, he would spear-check every pile of rubbish and debris before deciding that a room was safe. None of this changed the fact that he had a decision to make. Should I keep going? Or should I leave through the portal when it reopens tomorrow afternoon? Is it more dangerous to explore the next level of the dungeon or to risk being caught out in the searstorm? While Nick was terrified of running into another ratman, he knew the battle would have been more manageable if he hadn¡¯t been caught by surprise. For all its speed and ferocity, the infected creature was clumsy and easy to predict. On a brighter note, he had obtained a weapon that he could use to land a finishing blow, although he longed to find a sword or something with comparable reach. While he was deeply disturbed by what he had experienced in the dungeon and earlier in the tutorial, he realized that his multiple traumas weren¡¯t impacting him as significantly as they should. By now, he should have developed PTSD or something similar. Many of his experiences had been intensely frightening, and he¡¯d come close to death on numerous occasions. But he hadn¡¯t suffered any nightmares, flashbacks, or uncontrolled thoughts. I wonder if the System is shielding me from my trauma. Or maybe it¡¯s a change related to my attributes. Regardless, while the old Nick would never have been willing to risk his life in order to grow stronger, it turned out that the new Nick was. Going forward, his decisions needed to be geared toward maximizing his odds of survival in the long run instead of avoiding every danger that came his way. Thus, he was reluctant to abandon this unique opportunity. Successfully delving the dungeon would improve his chances of living through the tutorial and whatever awaited him after its end. A single battle had yielded him a dagger, two sheaths, and a pair of useful tools. It had taken him closer to leveling up again too. He could only imagine what he would be leaving behind if he abandoned the dungeon without even cracking open a single chest. Even if completing this quest proved to be too dangerous, there should be ample opportunity to grow stronger along the way. In the end, the decision was simple. While every step into the sewers would be fraught with peril, it was also laden with possibility. On the other hand, getting caught in the heart of the searstorm was guaranteed to be fatal. Ultimately, he was more afraid of being boiled alive than of being forced into another fight, and collecting more gear would help him survive the days ahead. His choice made, Nick settled down to conserve energy and steady his nerves, intending to enter the sewer early the next morning. Or whatever passed for morning within the sunless depths of the dungeon. Chapter Forty-Two: Escalating Threat Five hours later, Nick decided that unless he was able to find somewhere safe to sleep, he had received all the benefits from taking a break that he was going to get. Going by his internal clock, it was sometime in the early morning back on the Searing Isle. While he felt a bit groggy, it wasn¡¯t as bad as pulling an all-nighter had been in his old life, thanks to his Survivor trait. Although he sensed that sleep deprivation would hit him hard if he stayed up for another night. He sat up and took a long swig from his canteen, stretched out his body despite the protests of his aching muscles, then took a long look at his new dagger. Nick had never practiced fighting with a knife before. He needed to familiarize himself with the weapon before he tried wielding it against a live opponent. At least to the extent that he wouldn¡¯t fumble the blade or wind up stabbing himself in the process. While his digital escapades were no replacement for hands-on experience, his background was able to provide him with a few basic pointers. This dagger is a bad matchup against a longer blade, but it has penetrative power far superior to my shitty spear. He tried out a few basic slashes as he pondered his new weapon, his movements following his train of thought. The edge won¡¯t do much against proper armor, but it can inflict painful wounds by slicing the skin. Severing nerves or tendons can cause crippling injuries. To finish the fight, thrusting with the tip can inflict lethal damage if I hit a vital point like the eyes, heart, or throat. Nick continued maneuvering the dagger around his body, focusing his attention on the position of the blade so that he didn¡¯t accidentally cut himself. Too bad the weighting is wrong for throwing. Not that I¡¯m inclined to toss my only real weapon at anything. Over the next hour of trial-and-error training, he discovered that holding the knife in a forward grip offered him better control and a longer reach. A reverse grip allowed for more powerful stabs, and the blade could be used to parry a weapon, though it was too short to block a blow except as a last resort. Before Nick set out, he used his new whetstone to sharpen his dagger and his dagger to carve his spearhead into a proper point. He decided that the wooden weapon was sturdy enough to penetrate flesh at least once before it broke, although it still wouldn¡¯t be effective against the ratman¡¯s padded armor. While he walked back across the level, on guard against newly arrived threats, he considered the layout of the dungeon overall. As there had been only one path to follow thus far, he couldn¡¯t shake the feeling of being placed on rails. There was only one route that led to the floor below. No matter how he had proceeded, there was no way that he could have avoided fighting the ratman. Well, he could have attacked it while it was sleeping. But passing by hundreds of identical piles of junk had conditioned Nick to disregard their presence. Or quietly slipped past, but that could have easily led to an even worse situation where his path of retreat was blocked and he became trapped between enemies on both sides. When he made it back to the room where he had killed the ratman, he was surprised to discover that its corpse was nowhere to be found. Before he headed down the ramp, he tried to remove the grate in the floor to see if he could retrieve the dagger that had fallen through during the fight. But the grill was either heavier than it looked or had been welded in place. Unless the hole led to somewhere that he could access from the sewer below, he would have to accept that the weapon was beyond his ability to recover. Nick tried using Size Up on the section of ramp visible from this angle. But he couldn¡¯t sense anything overtly dangerous about the passage. While he could feel electric tension riding the air, it was likely a byproduct of nervous anticipation rather than anything provided by the skill. Before heading down, he went through a final set of preparations. He slid his dagger back into its sheath, where it sat within easy reach of his right hand. Then he raised his spear before him, ready to counter an attack from the front. He moved all his rocks into the pocket of his bathrobe, in case he wanted to throw some as a distraction. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. After listening to make sure that there was nothing moving around below, he walked down the ramp, turned the corner, and took a long look around. The moment that Nick set foot into the sewers, the stench hit him like a swift kick to the face. He pinched his nose to keep himself from vomiting on the spot. The air was so foul that he could taste it gliding past his tongue. The first detail that leapt out at him was the underground spillway, a broad channel running along the center of the passageway ahead. Instead of being a series of interconnected chambers like the floor above, this area was a single long tunnel. It featured a high ceiling and concrete walkways running along both sides of the waterway, with an occasional bridge spanning the flow. All along the ceiling, rivers of garbage poured in from vast pipes, so contaminated that the falling fluid formed opaque streams of gray and brown. Judging from the piles of debris scattered along the walkway, it appeared that the ratmen were salvaging the slop for bits of wood, cloth, and metal. They¡¯re eating it too, if their breath is anything to go by. Although the stench was awful, it didn¡¯t actually smell like shit¡ªat least any shit that Nick was familiar with. It was more like this channel was the runoff from a gigantic garbage dump than a sewage waste collection system. Which made sense, as the civilization on the surface had been destroyed and there was no one left to flush excrement through the pipes. He eventually decided that the ruins over his head must have degraded over time and begun clogging the city¡¯s drainage system, leading to the transformation of what had originally been a proper sewer. Nick was interested in learning more about the rats¡¯ civilization, and he intended to keep an eye out for any artifacts that were intact enough to inspect. But other than a few battered stools and a pair of unadorned ceramic bowls that he fished out of the flowing filth, he found nothing to satisfy his curiosity. Ready to move on, he began the arduous process of scanning each section of walkway for traps, ratmen, or beasts, before moving up and scouting the next. He kept one eye on the ceiling above, although he was mostly worried about enemies emerging from the channel on his right. At least there were more of the recessed lights lining the walls, as he lacked the proper materials to make a torch. His brain gradually began tuning out the ever-present stench. At least to the extent that he could breathe without having to hold his nose or risk vomiting. As he made his way forward, Nick spotted several passageways that had been covered by bricks, barred beyond his ability to bypass. For now, there was only one clear path to follow. Which pretty much guaranteed that he would run into something nasty sooner or later. Not long after, he discovered his first true fork in the tunnel network. One branch veered off at an angle, while the other continued in a straight line. The main channel of garbage was separate from the one running along the branch, and the water in the side passage was much cleaner. The lack of filth made him want to follow it instead, but the layout made him suspicious. He stopped to carefully inspect the tunnel before deciding on his course. He was soon glad that he had decided to think it through before heading in there. The longer he looked, the more certain he became that the side passage would lead him to lethal danger, although Size Up wasn¡¯t providing him with anything useful. But Nick had already been warned not to rely on the skill over his brain and eyes. His skills wouldn¡¯t be able to help him against challenges that surpassed their level, and his were only a few points above zero. Not long after, his gaze ran across deep claw marks scored across the concrete. Piles of bones scattered along the walkways. Dense barricades extending below the waterline that the rats had placed to bar access to the tunnel. Taken together, it was clear that a powerful beast was laired somewhere ahead. Something large and aquatic, based on the evidence he had to go on. He had absolutely no intention of facing off against a powerful predator with his crude weapons. Even less so when the beast could ambush him from the water at any time without warning. He was just glad that it was cordoned off from the main dungeon. If this was a game, he would have been willing to bet that this side area was an optional challenge, featuring some sort of reward if he could defeat or bypass a creature far above his level. If Nick were better geared or had a class featuring combat skills, he might have gone for it. However, as matters stood, his instincts were screaming that proceeding down that path was a veritable deathtrap. Not that the main dungeon seemed all that much safer. Chapter Forty-Three: Jump Scare Relieved to have been given the option of avoiding a fight far above his paygrade, Nick continued making his way down the central tunnel. He crept forward, following the putrid river and decrepit concrete infrastructure. The sewer that had been built by the ratmen before the calamity had destroyed the city above and stripped the survivors of reason. He eventually came across a few additional passages that were unblocked. But nothing he saw made him want to take the time to investigate. He was tired, hungry, and running low on water. Not to mention the time limit imposed by the dungeon itself. By this point, Nick just wanted to find an Exploration Reward Chest. Then he could head back to the portal and wait until he ran out of food before gambling that the storm had blown past the island. He doubted that the deadly weather system would linger for more than a day or two, as it would make completing the tutorial pretty much impossible. If he was able to find the last room of the dungeon, he would consider trying to clear it before giving up. As he progressed, he found more clues that revealed how the rats had been living down here, scavenging from the remnants of their lost civilization. Every so often, he passed by flooded intersections. Crossroads where the rivers of garbage merged and divided as they floated past. Grates and other perforated pieces of metal had been wedged into place across the thickest sections of the flow, allowing water to pass through but trapping larger pieces of debris. Nick eventually found signs that normal animals were living in the area, mostly small insects and rodents. But it was only a slim fraction of the numbers that he would have expected given the scale of this place and the prolific piles of filth. He began spotting clues that the humanoid rats frequented the area ahead, cementing his certainty that he would run into more of them before long. He considered heading back to the entrance and leaving the dungeon rather than fighting. But he was convinced that he would come across a reward chest or another major opportunity sooner rather than later. Something to compensate him for exploring a sizable portion of the dungeon, beyond whatever the System would offer him for clearing the final room and leaving through the exit. If Nick was lucky, he could avoid getting into another fight, collect his loot, and make it back to the entrance portal sometime within the next few hours. In case he came across an area where the lighting was insufficient, he decided to experiment with removing one of the bulbs from the wall. He was curious if the power source was localized rather than networked, so he carefully reached into the recess to separate an orb from its socket. He was hoping to learn something about the technology that still powered this place years after the last maintenance crew had walked these lonely halls. The crystal sphere was warm, but not too hot to touch. It was held in place by brackets rather than being screwed in. It came out easily enough, and Nick was thrilled to discover that the device continued glowing after being removed from the wall. He moved on to inspect the mountings, half-expecting to find a familiar set of electrical contacts. But rather than metal plating or wires, the base of the socket held only a tiny green gemstone. Regardless of how it worked, he was elated to have found a portable source of light. One that he could take back with him to the island. Maybe he could carve out the shell of a coconut for housing and fashion a proper lantern. Unfortunately, he soon learned that the bulb would only shine for about ten minutes before flickering and fading away. At least I can remove an orb as needed for spot lighting while I¡¯m down here. I¡¯ll try taking this one back with me. Maybe I can figure out how to make it work. He slipped the orb into the pocket of his robe, wincing as the thread securing the pouch snapped in several places. I need to find or make a backpack as soon as I can so that I can transport larger objects without having to carry them in my hands. These pockets won¡¯t last much longer. I¡¯ll think about it once I¡¯m back on the island. Around this time, Nick decided that the tunnel was approaching something significant. A nexus or service station of some kind. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. The further he went, the cleaner the passage became, and soon the water was pure enough to see the channel¡¯s bottom. Unfortunately, it was still thick with random pieces of garbage, rendering it too polluted to drink. He saw more signs that the rats were living down here along the way. Chairs cobbled together from random bits of detritus, with what looked like fishing rods resting beside them. Nick wasn¡¯t eating anything that lived in this water. He didn¡¯t need his Foraging skill to tell him that it would result in catastrophic consequences. He did find a spool of fishing line that might come in handy later, which he slid into one of the pouches on his toolbelt. It was further evidence that whatever the exact relationship between the parasite and its hosts, the afflicted ratmen were still capable of using simple tools. Additionally, they needed food to sustain themselves, despite their artificially prolonged lifespans. Ten minutes later, the layout of the sewers changed. Instead of consisting of one long passage with a series of smaller branches, the route ahead took him through a network of chambers, like what he had found at the level above. Convinced that he would run into another rat at any moment, Nick slowed his pace to a crawl, carefully inspecting every crevice and mound of debris he came across. While he didn¡¯t discover any more ratmen along the way, two empty rooms later, he found himself standing in front of an obstacle of a different sort. The chamber ahead was filled with water. To cross over to the far side, he would have to wade through. After debating turning back, he decided to take a chance and pass through the half-flooded room. While the water came up to his knees, it was relatively clear and smelled only a bit tainted instead of absolutely revolting. Just before he made it to the far side, something slimy brushed up against his leg. Nick was not particularly proud of what happened next. He might possibly have let loose a high-pitch squeal, which he ruthlessly suppressed before it could turn into a full-throated scream that would reveal his presence to anything nearby. Despite the jump scare, nothing else happened. Heart pounding in his chest, he emerged from the water and exited the doorway on the far side of the room. It opened into a chamber that was surprisingly spacious and clean, at least compared to the others he had traversed. There were only two exits, both of which were clearly visible, and the floor was featureless and free of obstructions. The far end of the room opened into a narrow tunnel that was long, dark, and damp. Nick could see light shining out from the exit, about a hundred feet away. As this would be a perfect place to set a trap, he came to a stop and spent half an hour searching for anything out of place. He discovered nothing of the sort, so he began inching his way forward. Without a core controlling them, the parasites must not be sophisticated enough to place traps. Or maybe it¡¯s because they haven¡¯t had any visitors in decades. Either way, he was glad for the absence of mechanical threats. The ratmen and beasts living in the dungeon were more than enough danger as it was. Before emerging from the tunnel, Nick came to a stop before the exit. He listened closely, then dropped into a crouch and put one eye past the entrance. A move that had become second nature after clearing the top floor of the dungeon. The first detail that he noticed was that the room had a broad metal grate that served as a section of flooring. Unlike those on the first floor, this grill featured a series of hinge-lined hatches, allowing access to the water beneath. Below the grid flowed what appeared to be a true underground river, or perhaps a still-functioning aqueduct. Either way, the water was clear and clean, pure enough to top off his stores. He spotted a bucket with a rope sitting next to one of the openings in the grating, then turned his attention to the water below. The gurgling current was swift and steady. For the first time since entering the dungeon, his Foraging skill informed him that the water was safe to drink. He would be able to rehydrate and fill his canteen, which would allow him to explore a little longer. The room appeared to serve as a disposal site for larger pieces of garbage that flowed out from the sewer, as well as the ratmen¡¯s primary source of water. In the corner that was visible from Nick¡¯s position stood the decaying hulks of decrepit storage tanks. Beside them sat a pair of barrels, which appeared to be in serviceable condition compared to the rusted-out specimens that he had seen so far. Sitting on top were a pair of metallic tins that featured the same kind of clip that was mounted on his canteen. Even if they were empty, he was eager to add more containers to his toolkit. He was just about to set foot into the room when he heard a faint, rattling wheeze. A sound that he now recognized as a ratman snoring. Sure enough, when he peered into the shadows, he saw a rat lying on a fetid pallet, surrounded by a ring of white powder. He was now faced with a dilemma. If he wanted to finish looting the area, he was going to have to kill the creature while it slept. The problem was that Nick wasn¡¯t sure that he had it in him. Chapter Forty-Four & Five: Premeditated Murder The newly developed, survival-oriented part of Nick¡¯s brain wanted him to walk straight in and slit the rat¡¯s throat. This was an enemy that couldn¡¯t be reasoned with. That would kill him without hesitation if given the chance. Ending the infected ratman¡¯s life would take him one step closer to completing his quest. It would also offer him a chance to acquire some experience. Experience that he desperately needed if he wanted to live through the rest of the tutorial. He was lucky to have come across the creature while it was asleep. A perfect opportunity to put the rat out of its misery while minimizing the danger to himself. A chance that he would be foolish to pass up. Moreover, the ratman was blocking his access to clean water, not to mention the metal tins and whatever they were storing in the barrels. The rest of Nick, the person who had grown up in a comfortable, civilized life on Earth, was deeply conflicted. He had never fought or killed anything before, other than the komo, which had been trying to eat him, and the rat on the first level of the dungeon. Unlike his other battles, this wouldn¡¯t be self-defense. It would be premeditated murder. If I do this, I will open a door that can never be closed. Change a part of myself forever. I will become Nicholas Henry the Murderer, and my hands will be dyed in blood. While he stood there, caught between his rational mind and his humanity, he remembered the description of the dungeon and the torment he had seen reflected in the ratman¡¯s eyes. They aren¡¯t self-aware anymore. They aren¡¯t people. They aren¡¯t even conscious animals, just unwilling hosts for the parasite. All they feel is hunger, pain, and rage. As he reasoned with himself, clasping his hands together to keep them from shaking, Nick visualized sneaking up close and drawing his dagger across the creature¡¯s throat. It¡¯s not murder; it¡¯s an end to suffering. If I do this, I will become a killer. There is no denying that fact. But in this case, delivering death will be a mercy rather than mere savagery. If I slit its throat while it¡¯s sleeping, its end will be quick. It¡¯s all that I can do for them now. It¡¯s all that anyone can do. Mercy aside, there was no way that Nick would have been willing to eliminate the ratman if it wasn¡¯t helpless. The battle with the first rat was still fresh in his mind, and he had no desire whatsoever to engage another in a fair fight. His life was on the line, and he would do whatever it took to make it through the dungeon and the rest of the tutorial. Over the last week, he had begun to internalize that he was locked in a brutal battle for survival. A contest that he had no guarantee of winning. A merciless struggle where passing up an opportunity to grow stronger could be even more dangerous than the risks involved in seizing it. Nick knew that he was stalling. The creature could wake up at any moment. When it did, his chance to penetrate deeper into the dungeon would be lost forever. He had to make his decision now, then see it through to the end. It was time for him to either become a killer or abandon the dungeon and head back to the island. After allowing himself a final deep breath to consider, he made his choice. The glint in his eyes was colder than ice and sharper than his dagger. Nick grabbed the handle of the door that led to his new self, opened it wide, and stepped through, ready to act at last. He took off his robe and set it on the ground next to his spear. This assassination would require stealth, and the spear was borderline useless against the ratmen anyway. After taking three steps into the room, he came to a halt. Not due to hesitation, but because he had realized something important. The noise he had been hearing sounded off for a single ratman, so he took two more steps to widen the angle of his view. Sure enough, he saw a second rat sleeping in the far corner. Their territories must border each other, and they bunk here due to the convenient access to water. You can still do this, Nick. If you kill them both, there will be only the foreman left. You might actually be able to complete the dungeon if you can survive the next few minutes. Heart pounding like a jackhammer on methamphetamine, Nick took one trembling step after another. He barely dared to breathe as he approached his target in slow, measured steps. He was worried that the creature would appear peaceful in sleep, extinguishing the sparks of his newly forged resolve like a candle in the rain. But as he drew near, the look on the ratman¡¯s face was one of agony. It slept fitfully, whimpering in pain, lips locked in a tight grimace. Like it was trapped in a nightmare with no end. It¡¯s clearly suffering, he told himself. I¡¯m here to put it out of its misery. Nick couldn¡¯t completely assuage his doubts, but it was enough to keep him moving. He took a long look at the other sleeping ratman, which showed no signs that it was about to wake. Then he stepped in front of his target, foot sliding through a line of white powder ringing its bunk. Forcing himself to look straight into the creature¡¯s face, he raised his blade as he came to a halt, pausing until his shaking hands were fully under his control before proceeding. While he waited, he looked for the beating of a pulse along the rat¡¯s neck, until he was certain that he had identified a major artery. Ten seconds later, something deep inside Nick told him that it was time to act. He listened to this inner voice rather than his doubts, then brought the edge of the dagger down on a patch of skin pulsing below the ratman¡¯s fur. The instant cold steel touched the creature¡¯s throat, its eyes snapped open. He knew with crystalline clarity that if he hesitated in this moment, he was going to die. Instead of faltering or fumbling, Nick¡¯s hands moved with a brisk efficiency that surprised him. He drew the blade clean across the ratman¡¯s artery, windpipe, and jugular in a single, savage motion, cutting the rat¡¯s throat all the way down to its spine. The creature¡¯s eyes bulged, wide with panic. It tried to rise from the bunk as it shook and gurgled and gasped. He used his elbows to hold the ratman in place as hot spews of blood poured over them both. Fortunately, it didn¡¯t take long before it was over. The rat bled out so fast that it was unconscious within seconds and dead soon after. A part of Nick was revolted by what he had done, but he ruthlessly suppressed the useless emotion. Dangerous baggage from his prior, peaceful life. He silently spun in place, terrified that the soft sounds had been enough to wake the other rat. But when he looked over, he saw that it was still fast asleep. One down and one to go. Do it fast, then you can freak the fuck out, throw up, or do whatever you need to do. If you fuck this up, your blood will be painting the pavement instead of theirs. He kept up his inner monologue to distract himself from his tumultuous and roiling emotions, preparing to repeat what had wound up being a flawless assassination attempt. Keep it together. One more time, quick and clean. Then you can fall to pieces and lose your shit. Although he could do nothing to slow the frenzied beating of his heart, he forced himself to take deliberate, measured breaths. Eyes on the prize, and let your ears guard your back. Nick forced his body into motion. Walk, don¡¯t run. Don¡¯t think about what you are about to do. Just walk on over like it¡¯s no big deal until your body believes it. It¡¯s do or die. Fake it till you make it. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. Despite the tension saturating his body, which felt taut as a drawn bowstring, he crossed the room silently and swiftly. He raised his blood-splattered blade in front of the sleeping ratman, waiting to find the ideal angle to land another critical blow. This rat looked less agonized than the others, if no less wretched. As he gazed into its sleeping face, the morals of his previous life began to stir within the depths of his subconscious, shrieking that he was slaughtering a defenseless creature; that killing a living being while it was helpless was wrong. Evil. Abhorrent. With a surge of determination, Nick ruthlessly plunged that obsolete piece of his heart back into the lightless depths of his soul. He knew that listening to it would make him hesitate. That in his new, System-governed life, hesitation was just another word for death. It¡¯s not intelligent. It¡¯s not a person. It¡¯s mercy. Do it, Nick. Do it now! When the creature coughed and turned its head, the opening that he had been waiting for appeared. In a single, smooth motion, he brought the dripping dagger up to the ratman¡¯s neck. The muscles in his arm were poised to end its life. A heartbeat before he started cutting, the ratman whimpered piteously in its sleep and uttered a single word, shocking Nick to the core of his being. ¡°Mother,¡± the creature begged, as if pleading for help. Nick froze, his resolve vanishing like a dream on waking, just as his blade touched the rat¡¯s throat. The creature¡¯s eyes snapped open, and its hate-filled gaze met his own. The fleeting moment of humanity was lost as the parasite resumed full control. He willed his arm to strike, but his hands remained frozen in place. He could no longer bring himself to end the ratman¡¯s life. He was about to say, ¡°Wait. We can talk this out instead of killing each other. Find a way to free your people together.¡± He only got as far as ¡°wait¡± before the rat¡¯s fangs sank into his shoulder, as its claws tore into the hand that held his dagger. In that moment, Nick didn¡¯t feel the pain. Instead, the intense sensation shocked him into fight or flight mode, all thoughts evaporating except for a single truth. Kill or die. His hesitation vanished, and he started to struggle, fighting to bury the dagger in the rat¡¯s throat, his muscles filled with a feral strength that he had never known before. He screamed as the creature bit down, sending hot blood pumping out of the open wound where its fangs had punctured the meat of his shoulder. Nick¡¯s surge of strength caught his opponent by surprise, almost letting him land a fatal blow. But he was learning how to kill for the first time in his life, whereas the rat had decades of combat experience. Before the blade could part the soft tissue around its throat, the creature rolled off the cot and fell onto the floor, dragging Nick down to the ground by his wound. The position stripped him of his ability to leverage his body¡¯s weight, and his blood-slicked grasp was quickly losing its strength. The rat continued to thrash all the while, claws and jaws shredding Nick¡¯s flesh with ease. It let go with one hand and reached out with the other, intending to slit his throat in a total reversal of their starting roles. Just as the rat¡¯s claws began sinking into his jugular, something clicked into place. In that moment, where life and death stood balanced on the blade of a knife, Nick¡¯s mind grasped the meaning of something that had been trying to get his attention for the last few minutes¡ªthe understanding that if he wanted to live, he had another weapon that could save him. A tool that had awoken at last, ready to obey his command. My Wand skill is kicking in for the first time. In the blink of an eye, Nick¡¯s left hand shot down, fingers wrapping tight around the hilt of his wand. He pulled it out of the beltloop in a single motion, then raised his arm to point at the center of the rat¡¯s chest, where its heart sat beating beneath the bulk of its padded armor. As naturally as if he had been using it all his life, his thumb pressed a button on the side of the shaft, sliding it up half an inch before it locked into place. That button is the safety, and the other is the trigger. The gem lights display the number of charges. A small voice in Nick¡¯s mind ran a commentary as his thumb changed positions, coming to rest on top of a protrusion along the wand¡¯s base. The instant he pressed the button with a soft click, an intense shockwave erupted from the business end of the wand, slamming into the ratman¡¯s chest with incredible force. The part of Nick¡¯s mind that was observing everything with a strange sense of detachment expected the blast to do nearly as much damage to his own torso as it did to the rat¡¯s. Releasing that much force so close to his body should have a kick like a mule on steroids. However, while he could see kinetic energy ripple throughout the creature¡¯s tissue, not so much as a jolt passed back in his direction. His hand didn¡¯t even tremble. He had no time to process this remarkable development because the rat¡¯s jaws had opened in surprise, freeing Nick from their grasp but causing his wounds to bleed profusely. Pushing past the pain, he prepared to drive the dagger home. That was when he realized that the creature had stopped struggling and that its eyes had glazed over. Holy shit, it¡¯s dead. The force must have crushed its heart. I¡¯m sorry, wand. Nick held the weapon in front of his eyes, thoughts muddled by his state of shock. I take back everything I said. I think I love you. In the next heartbeat, the thin shell of dissociation protecting him from his pain burst like a soap bubble. He began to drown as a red wave of agony broke over him. The clinical part of him knew that although he had defeated his opponent, the fight for his life was far from over. If I want to live, I must stop the bleeding. Then clean and bandage my wound. Half-delirious from the pain, he staggered over to the metal grate. He picked up the bucket beside it, which was filled with clean water. He pulled his shirt over his head and then emptied the pail, screaming as the cold water broke over his wound. Fighting to control his body, Nick took the roll of bandages out of his belt pouch, then wound a strip under his armpit and over the spot where the ratman¡¯s fangs had sunk deep into his flesh. He didn¡¯t let himself think about his injury. He had to stop the bleeding before he could worry about the damage. Although the white gauze was soon stained crimson, the bleeding eventually began to slow, and he moved on to his other injuries. Fortunately, the scratches on his wrists weren¡¯t nearly as deep, so he washed them off and let them coagulate on their own. That was as far as he got before his exhaustion caught up with him. One second, he was struggling with his pain. The next, Nick was engulfed in a wave of dizziness. Rendered lightheaded and unable to focus. I¡¯m still in shock, the clinical part of his brain reported. I need to recover before I can do anything else. He looked up at the cots that the rats had been sleeping in. But even in his dazed condition, he was unwilling to touch fabric that was soaked in the creatures¡¯ blood. He didn¡¯t know what was in the next room, but the one behind him was clear, and the sewers beyond hadn¡¯t revealed any obvious threats. Weaving from side to side like a drunk one shot short of oblivion, Nick forced his body into motion, nearly passing out several times in the process. Although he desperately wanted to lie down, before he left the room, he cut the belts free from the corpses and then pushed the bodies into the river. He couldn¡¯t risk attracting the attention of any scavengers living in the area, especially when he was so weak. He was certain that the bodies would have drawn beasts like a magnet, eager to feast on fresh flesh. He left everything else where it lay. He would come back and loot the room after he had recovered from his ordeal. Although Nick would not become aware of this fact until it was far too late, his actions had shifted the dynamics of the dungeon. As the parasites that had been animating the ratmen¡¯s bodies fell into the river and drowned, the energy they had been harvesting flowed out. Adding their power to the ancient, parasitic egg waiting in the heart of the dungeon, they brought it to the precipice of hatching after decades of stasis. By the time he finished lurching his way down the tunnel and stepped into the empty chamber, he had grown dizzy enough that he could no longer think. With a groan, he collapsed into a corner where he could watch both entrances, ready to rest for a few hours. He used his final drop of willpower to finish the water in his canteen to help restore his missing fluids. He would have to wait until he came out of shock and recovered from his injuries before deciding what to do next. Nick would never have believed that he could fall asleep in the middle of a dungeon. A foul maze filled with hostile, alien beings, heavy with the putrid stench of rot. But he had underestimated how much energy he had burned over the last two days. Less than ten minutes later, he was fast asleep. Not long after, his dreams shifted, transforming into true nightmares. Chapter Forty-Six: A Venom-Drenched Nightmare Trapped within the throes of a nightmare, Nick found himself submerged. Bound beneath the surface of water as black as ink. The liquid was deathly cold. He struggled to break free, desperate to reach the surface before he drowned. But his limbs were constrained. Held tight by a mass of elastic tentacles, their rubbery surfaces radiating a sickly warmth that grew as his body began to freeze. The chill was so deep that it numbed his bones, and he found himself growing weaker by the heartbeat. A few more moments, and he would lose the will to resist. Give in and let the onyx depths consume him. Nick looked up when he saw a flash, where vast pillars of light were forming along the surface¡ªcolumns of terrifying, merciless radiance that offered him no comfort. Rather, it seemed that the shrouds were heralds of annihilation, a living lightshow celebrating his imminent demise. As he fought to break free from the tentacles¡¯ grasp, struggles growing weaker by the heartbeat, the light from above cast a patchwork radiance along the muddy bottom. To his abject horror, he realized that other people were trapped here as well. People who Nick recognized. He took in the rotting faces of Angie and his parents, bound beside the three ratmen he had killed in the dungeon. Of countless millions who had lost their lives when the System integrated the Earth. Somewhere in the depths of his subconscious, a voice was screaming at him. Wailing that dream or not, he was fighting for his life. That if he didn¡¯t wake up soon, this horror show would be the last thing that he ever saw. With that understanding, Nick began to thrash. No longer trying to escape the rubbery appendages but battling to wake himself up. Despite his mounting alarm, his struggles were futile, and he soon found himself fighting to breathe. A sensation coming from his actual body, beyond the boundaries of dream. His thoughts were growing increasingly distant, and the lens of his cognition was blurred. He had time for one last, frantic effort, and then his body went limp. The part of Nick¡¯s subconscious that was aware enough to be scared realized that he could no longer feel the beating of his heart. Just as his lungs drew their final breath, an inhuman voice resounded across his soul, penetrating the shroud of the nightmare. System Message: Negative statuses acquired. You have been sedated. Source: Leech venom. Your consciousness has been diminished. This status will dissipate naturally in approximately 30 minutes. You have been weakened. Source: blood loss (moderate). All physical attributes have been reduced. This status will dissipate naturally in approximately 24 hours. Somehow, the meaning of these words penetrated the fugue that held Nick below the threshold of consciousness. Rallying the dregs of his reserves for one final, desperate push. Leech venom¡­ blood loss. I¡¯m being attacked in my sleep! Something deep inside his body resonated with his alarm, emitting a weak pulse of energy that allowed his heart to beat for a few final seconds. Combined with the certainty that he was about to die, it was enough to send a tsunami of adrenaline surging into his bloodstream, waking him instantly. Nick opened his eyes and drew in a great gasping breath. He flailed about with weak, rubbery limbs before the world snapped into focus. His gaze landed on a leech the size of a housecat, its gooey body sitting two feet in front of his eyes. The repulsive creature was perched on his chest. It had eaten through the cloth of his shirt and was latched onto his stomach, feeding from the spot where his ribcage came together. Its slimy skin reeked of the sewers. Ruddy flesh stained crimson with a fresh infusion of blood. My blood, he realized in horror. The foul beast had drained so much of his vitae that its form was fat and bloated, like a water balloon filled to bursting. The leech¡¯s pulsing mass was searing hot against the deathly chill of his pale flesh. Nick found himself horrified, repulsed, and terrified to a degree that not even the lurk¡¯s ambush had evoked within him. Being attacked while he was helpless and asleep, sedated and drained of his life¡¯s essence, brought a half-formed memory to the surface of his mind. It harmonized with his buried anger at the fate of the human race. The lives that had been lost due to Taltos and the System. It filled him with a fury that reverberated across the depths of his soul. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. Thoroughly enraged, he locked his gaze upon the leech, ready to throttle the creature on the spot. However, though his arms flopped about like a pair of dying fish, his fingers did not so much as twitch. The uncoordinated motion was enough to let the leech know that its prey had awakened. It detached its face from his flesh, sluggishly sliding off his chest and rolling onto the concrete with a wet smack. Filled with incandescent fury, there was no way that Nick was going to let the creature escape. He just had to get his body to cooperate with him first. Tilting his head, he caught sight of two other leeches sliding across the space between his boots, unaffected by the realization that had frightened off their satiated brethren. Knowing that if they bit him, the additional venom would knock him out and seal his fate, he poured every drop of his will, every fiber of his being, into rising from the floor. Nick willed his arms to move over and over again, certain that only seconds remained before it was too late. Spurred on by fear and adrenaline, his heart continued pumping blood back into his extremities, gradually restoring feeling to his numbed limbs. Meanwhile, the pair of leeches wormed their way beneath his bathrobe, traveling along the inside of his legs and seeking the warmth of the arteries running between his thighs. Just as the leaches began tearing their way past the denim, preparing to sink their faces into his flesh, his fingers twitched. He screamed as feeling flowed back into his arms. Rivers of fire ran rampant throughout his extremities as his blood began to circulate once more, restoring life to his muscles and nerves. His heartbeat was wild and thin¡ªan erratic jangle caused by his fear and lowered blood pressure. Screaming in white fury, Nick rose to his feet and peeled both parasites free from his legs in a single motion, hurtling them against the wall as hard as he could in his weakened condition. However, their bodies were dense and muscular, and the impact did not appear to injure them. He wasn¡¯t done with them yet, by any means. But before he dealt with the beasts beside him, he had another score to settle first. He looked around before spotting the fat leach sliming its way along the concrete. In another five seconds at most, the creature would plunge into the water filling the flooded room, escaping unscathed with his stolen life force inside it. Angrier than he had ever been before, Nick staggered after his nemesis, ignoring the molten knives that were driven into his extremities with every lurching step. Just as the leech arrived at the water¡¯s edge, he pounced, repeating the maneuver he had used to break the komo¡¯s back. He brought his feet together, landing on top of the leech with the full weight of his body behind it. He expected the living blood bag to burst like a water balloon, fluid geysering up in a spectacular plume of gore. But that was not what happened. Although a spew of blood did splatter out from a tear in the leech¡¯s side, the creature was tougher than Nick had anticipated, even if it was effectively defenseless against his attacks. The unexpected resistance made him stumble, and he nearly fell headfirst into the waters of the flooded chamber. After regaining his balance, he unleashed a furious barrage of kicks upon the leech, driving it back into the room where he had been sleeping. With a savage gleam in his eye, Nick unsheathed his dagger, raised it high above his head in a two-handed grip, then drove it down with the full weight of his body behind it. The blade reluctantly parted the leech¡¯s dense, muscular exterior before sliding down into the organs below. This time, a true goresplosion ensued, crimson splattering against the walls and ceiling before raining down onto the floor below. Bathing him in the blood of his enemy. Well, technically, it was mostly his blood, but it was definitely a step in the right direction. A violent thrill of satisfaction crackled along his spine, but he did not stop to revel in it. Although he had been roused to fury by his suppressed memories, he was already regaining control over his emotions. Acting out of anger wasn¡¯t Nick¡¯s style, and doing so would inevitably lead to his demise sooner or later. But furious or calm, his job wasn¡¯t finished yet. He darted back into the room to cut off the retreat of the two remaining leeches, who seemed to understand that their hunt had gone horribly wrong and were seeking out any avenue of escape. Nick was hesitant to engage the beasts in melee at first. He was still weak and drugged, and the sewer-dwellers might be able to counterattack in ways that were not immediately obvious. But after probing the creatures¡¯ defenses with his dagger while preparing to leap out of the way, he was confident enough to close in for the kill. By this point, he had determined that while the leeches could sense his presence, even dodge his strikes with limited effect, they were sluggish and cumbersome on land. It was clearly not their preferred environment, and they were effectively helpless against someone who was alert enough to avoid their clumsy attempts to bite him. While Nick was unable to land a critical hit with the creatures¡¯ guards raised, he was able to rack up a weeping collection of cuts across their slimy gray skin. Their blood was a viscous gray sludge that stank even worse than the rivers of sewage they called home. Eventually, he was able to bleed both leeches to death. The ironic reversal would have amused him if he wasn¡¯t half-dead and traumatized to boot. Chapter Forty-Seven: One Final Push As the final leech fell lifeless to the floor, a surge of energy and vitality entered Nick¡¯s body. Now, instead of being one step away from death, he merely felt severely weakened. I think I just leveled and increased my base stamina and health, he noted absently, then shuddered in delayed terror. In that moment, Nick felt certain that he would never be able to fall asleep again, regardless of whatever the System was doing to blunt the impact of his trauma. He was deeply disturbed by the realization that he had been rendered helpless for hours, leeches feeding on his life¡¯s blood, trapped within this den of horrors. He sat down in the corner with his back against the wall, where he could watch both entrances to the chamber while he waited for the sedation to wear off. As promised, half an hour later, the fog in his head dissipated, leaving him clear and focused. While he still felt weak, his nap and the boost to his vital energy had restored his concentration enough that Nick could think and plan once more. He began to carefully examine his body, afraid that he would barely be able to move without a gallon of adrenaline boosting his performance. But the damage wasn¡¯t nearly as bad as Nick had feared. He was sluggish, and the dagger felt heavy in his hand, but he wasn¡¯t in danger of collapsing on the spot. He wasn¡¯t sure what he wanted to do, but regardless of all other considerations, his next step was clear. He needed to head back into the room where he had slain the sleeping ratmen, then drink his fill from the bucket to replenish his lost fluids. After that, he would loot the gear that he had stripped from their bodies before dumping them into the underground river. As he staggered back through the narrow tunnel leading to the chamber, Nick realized that he had likely spent two full days down in the dungeon by now. This meant that the second phase of the tutorial should have begun. As such, even assuming that the searstorm had blown past, he had no guarantee that the conditions on the island were any safer than those in the sewer. The only thing he knew for certain was that a reward awaited him if he could make it all the way to the end of the dungeon. Better yet, there was only one more rat that he needed to kill in order to complete his quest. Not that Nick wanted to fight anything ever again if he could avoid it, although he had resolved himself to the fact that battle would be a regular part of his life going forward. When he made his way back to the ratmen¡¯s den, several details jumped out at him that he had missed during his botched assassination attempt. Most notable were the rings of powder surrounding the rats¡¯ pallets. The same substance he had found on the first rat at the level above. He took in the sight of a pair of desiccated leeches that appeared to have died trying to cross the ring of what seemed to be chemical-infused salt. The pile of half-eaten leeches sitting next to the hatch the rats used for waste disposal. Now that he knew about the leeches, the pieces fell together in Nick¡¯s mind to paint a complete picture. That powdery substance must be toxic to the leeches. The rats use it to protect themselves from being attacked while sleeping and to lure their meals to them. I missed an obvious clue, and it nearly cost me my life. After drinking from the bucket, he walked over to the barrel in the corner and carefully opened the lid. As he had expected, it was filled with more of the chemical salts, which the rats must be extracting from one of the various substances floating down the sewage channels. The tins sitting on top were full of salt as well, and Nick clipped both of them onto his belt. While he didn¡¯t plan to linger in the dungeon for much longer, the chemicals might be useful later, and the containers would certainly come in handy. He then moved on to ransacking the rest of the room, starting with the belts that he had cut free from the rats before disposing of their remains. Unfortunately, except for a small blue gemstone that he slid into his pouch, their belts were empty of anything except for what appeared to be dried leech jerky¡ªfoul gray flesh that he had no intention of eating even if his Foraging skill hadn¡¯t told him that it was toxic. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. However, the sight of meat reminded him that he hadn¡¯t eaten in over a day. When he searched the rest of the room, Nick found another dagger beneath one of the cots, although this one wasn¡¯t nearly as well preserved as the knife he had found on the first rat. Feeling just a tiny bit better now that nothing had tried to kill him for a good half hour, he walked over to the opening in the grate to refill his canteen from the river below. Then he began scrubbing the accumulated grime off his body and clothing as best he could. Whatever level of cleanliness he managed to achieve was certain to be undone before long, but going through the motions made him feel better and gave him time to think. His next task was to inspect the state of his gear. His spear was still in pristine condition, resting where he had set it before moving in to kill the rats. Nick was glad to have a weapon with a longer reach, despite its shoddy craftsmanship. It was annoying that his new shirt already had a gaping hole in it, but at least it was otherwise intact. His bathrobe was in bad shape, and it wouldn¡¯t last much longer. The soft fabric was torn and frayed, the pockets had begun to fall off, and there were so many stains that it was hard to find a swath of the original beige. His jeans were in marginally better condition. The thick denim had a few tears but was holding out for now, not that he expected his pants to survive past the end of the tutorial. While he regretted the deterioration of the only keepsakes he had from the planet of his birth, Nick knew he needed to find a replacement soon, ideally before the tutorial ended. He was in desperate need of armor¡ªa fact that his recent fights had driven home. With his inspection complete, he turned his attention to the matter that he had been avoiding while he recovered from a day filled with multiple traumatic experiences. It was time for him to decide whether he wanted to proceed or cut his losses and exit the dungeon from the entrance. The fleeting moment of lucidity he had seen on the ratman¡¯s face before it bit him horrified Nick. It implied that their minds were still intact, trapped by the parasite within this damp hell of the sewers for years on end. Although they weren¡¯t his species, the rat had called out to its mother. They had once been people who could think and feel, and he wanted to free them from their bondage if he could. Even if he had to kill them in order to do it. In addition, he had a hunch that he was nearing the end of the dungeon, and his internal loot finder was tingling. There was treasure somewhere not far ahead. He was certain of it. According to the System, there should only be one more ratman living down here. The foreman, who was likely more dangerous than the other three Nick had encountered. In addition to whatever else he found within the sewers, the System had promised a reward for completing its quest, which he had nearly accomplished. While he wasn¡¯t in great shape, his timely level had restored him enough to be able to function. Though he would have preferred to go back to the safest place he knew and recover fully from his blood loss, he was out of food and the dungeon would eject him in less than a day, rendering the progress that he had made so far meaningless. At this point, Nick couldn¡¯t afford to lose the time and energy it would take to go all the way back to the dungeon¡¯s entrance just to recover. This is my final push, even if I have to give up and return from this run empty handed. His condition would only deteriorate the longer that he waited, and all signs pointed to him finding something significant before much longer. It was around this time that he noticed the end of his wand was glowing brighter than before. When he took a closer look, he saw that two of the three gems along the base were now lit. He wasn¡¯t sure why, and he needed to figure it out once he was back on the island, but he hoped that it meant the wand now had two charges stored. In the end, he decided to explore just a bit further, then make his decision once he was able to see what he was dealing with. He pulled his mostly dried robe around him to preserve warmth, arranged one dagger on each side of his belt, then held his spear before him, ready to step foot into the dungeon¡¯s heart. Although Nick could only sense the changes occurring within the dungeon on the distant periphery of his awareness, his actions had awoken something far more deadly than the rats and the leeches combined. An entity that was, even now, using the traces of his blood that it had extracted from the rats¡¯ corpses to adapt to human physiology, preparing to make a new home for itself inside Nick¡¯s body. Chapter Forty-Eight: End of the Road Beyond the room where Nick had slain the sleeping ratmen stretched another long tunnel. However, unlike the rest of the sprawling sewer network, this section had never been completed. The brickwork along the walls was up and the concrete had been poured, but the central channel was free of water since the pipework had never been connected to the drainage system running throughout the ruins of the city above. For the first few hundred feet, everything looked pretty much the same as the rest of the sewer. Although, without the garbage-saturated water running through it, this section wasn¡¯t nearly as nasty as the rest of the dungeon. Past that point, Nick found signs indicating that this extension had been in the early stages of its construction when the disaster that had destroyed the rats¡¯ civilization struck. The area where the channel would have run had been marked off, but the concrete had never been poured, and the floor was formed from raw earth. Not long after, the bricks lining the walls ended abruptly, as if the builders had stopped working for the day and never returned. Which was likely exactly what had happened. The other infrastructure, including the lighting, stopped about twenty feet before he reached the last section of brickwork, forcing him to double back and retrieve an orb from the wall to light his way. Five minutes later, Nick arrived at the end of the half-finished tunnel. The terminus of the passage was formed from solid gray stone, chipped and scored from being gouged away by picks and other metal tools. Piles of raw rock were scattered throughout the area, waiting to be carted away by people long since dead. When Nick spotted a jagged crevice marring the face of the rock, he knew that at long last, his exploration of the dungeon was nearly complete. That must be where the rats came into contact with the parasite that devoured their species. He frowned and then sighed in frustration. While he had been considering trying to complete the dungeon, exploring an unlit, subterranean tunnel was far too dangerous. There is no way that I¡¯m going to delve into those lightless depths. Even if the parasite isn¡¯t contagious to my species, something awful is certain to be lurking within. Accepting his defeat, Nick was about to turn back and head for the entrance to the dungeon, when a thought struck him. I should peek past the threshold and see if I can spot anything that looks valuable before I go. If this were a game, I would expect to find a lesser reward chest for exploring the main dungeon and a door or passageway leading to the boss. Perhaps one last enemy or a nasty trap too. I¡¯ll turn back right away if I don¡¯t see anything worthwhile. Nick ran back to unsocket a fresh bulb from the wall and then jogged over to the crack in the stone, figuring that the ten minutes its light would endure would be sufficient for his needs. Holding his new light in one hand and one of his daggers in the other, he crept up to the looming gap. Before he looked inside, he held his body completely still, straining to detect any sign of creatures dwelling within. But all he could hear was the wet gurgle of the sewer in the distance and the gentle rise and fall of his own breathing. Tightening his grip on the dagger clasped in his right hand, Nick stuck his head through the hole and then took a quick step past the threshold. He immediately looked left, right, and up, in case there was a trap above the entrance or a hungry beast waiting to ambush him. Fortunately, despite his abundance of caution, he found nothing of the sort. Breathing a soft sigh of relief, he stood still and diligently scanned his surroundings. He found himself standing in what appeared to be a natural cavern formed from raw bedrock. The cavity was oblong, narrow, and had a low ceiling. Rather than mechanical devices or the nightmarish creatures that Nick had imagined, the most prominent feature of the enclosure was fungi. Vast mounds of ivory mushrooms, with caps roughly the same size as a human skull, were growing everywhere, including the ground beside his feet. He froze in place, trying to evaluate their danger by using his Size Up skill. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Looking at the carpet of fungi made him vaguely nauseous, but the shrooms did not feel otherwise threatening. He eventually decided that the reaction was caused by his Foraging skill informing him that the mushrooms would be poisonous to eat, rather than Size Up indicating direct danger. The pool of radiance cast by his light did not extend all the way over to the far corners of the chamber, so Nick took a dozen cautious steps forward until the far wall was revealed. His eyes surveyed the ground ahead, but his ears were glued to the sewers behind him. While he was certain that no ratmen remained in the area, if something did approach from the rear, he would be trapped in this cave with no clear route of escape. From his new vantage point, three details emerged. Two that made him nervous and one that made his eyes glitter with the excitement of avarice. The largest and most dramatic of these features was an archway that had been cut into the face of the bedrock. Its border was perfectly symmetrical, about fifteen feet tall in the middle, and perhaps half as wide. Most unusual of all, every inch of the arch¡¯s surface was covered in intricate runes. The mysterious symbols revealed a style and level of craftsmanship that felt out of place in both the interior of the natural cavern and the architecture of the sewers behind him. However, the sigils were not the reason that Nick was certain that he had arrived at the end of the road and was staring at the entrance to the dungeon¡¯s heart. The reason was the bank of roiling mist that swirled within the archway, like a living storm trapped between two panes of glass. It¡¯s a fog door. Nick stared at the most game-like feature he had encountered within the dungeon thus far. The ratman foreman must be trapped on the other side. Since this is a tutorial, the door is probably there to keep the boss from wandering into the sewers and insta-wiping contestants before they knew what hit them. During this analysis, he had reflexively fallen into his power gaming mindset. When he pulled himself out of it, he realized that these details were unimportant, because there was no way in hell that he was going in there. He would have been willing to entertain the possibility of completing the dungeon if he had been able to observe the final challenge, then rigorously plot and plan before trying to clear it. But going in blind was a non-starter, especially as the fog door might only open one way, trapping Nick inside after he passed through. If this wasn¡¯t reason enough to turn back, his certainty was cemented by the chamber¡¯s second feature¡ªthe forest of crimson mushrooms covering every surface of the wall surrounding the arch. The fungi seemed to belong to the same species as their pale cousins, but their forms were twisted and covered in running sores that looked eerily like open wounds, leaking a foul brown ooze that dripped onto the floor below. Nick didn¡¯t need his skills to recognize the decaying scarlet shrooms as a lethal danger. If the color and weeping weren¡¯t obvious enough clues, the rot-shrooms pulsated like internal organs, making that entire wall look like the inside of a living creature. Like he had been swallowed by a diseased giant and was crawling his way through its guts. I¡¯d bet my last dollar that those are the dungeon¡¯s final trap, he grimaced while slowly backing up. Or whatever the System uses for currency. Confirming his suspicions, the mass of mushrooms was clearly reacting to his presence, because the pulsing stopped as soon as he widened the distance between them. At least they were immobile and didn¡¯t seem to remain agitated if Nick stayed away from their half of the chamber. The only thing that kept him from bolting out of the room then and there was the presence of the final feature of the chamber¡ªa wooden chest sitting on the ground, about a third of the way between the entrance and the fog door. Unlike the other Exploration Reward Chests that he had found so far, this one was dingy and caked in grime. This didn¡¯t mean anything in and of itself. Each chest on the island had a unique appearance, and he was standing in a completely different region than the rest of the tutorial. An entirely different planet if the dungeon¡¯s description was to be believed. Thus, he judged it likely that he was looking at a genuine Exploration Reward Chest, although he wasn¡¯t willing to bet his life on it. Nick just needed to retrieve the loot inside and he would be ready to leave the dungeon behind him, perhaps reexamining that side passage on the way back out. With any luck, he would be out of here soon, with a pile of treasure in his arms. Chapter Forty-Nine: A Fatal Mistake None of the creepy crimson mushrooms were growing anywhere near the wooden chest. There were no protrusions or crevices in the wall where a trap could be placed, or a creature could be waiting in ambush. The idea of walking even a few paces closer to the deadly fungi was terrifying, but Nick recognized that his emotions were being manipulated by the dungeon¡¯s design. Every box that he had opened so far held items that had proven instrumental to his survival. He couldn¡¯t afford to skip a chest unless it was placed in an immensely treacherous location, like the one sitting between the lava flows. The knowledge points alone were invaluable. Besides, if the shrooms were so deadly that standing thirty feet away was dangerous, how would anyone be able to enter the dungeon¡¯s final room and complete the quest? It felt like the chest¡¯s placement was intended to trick Nick into skipping an important power-up, his fear unwittingly contributing to his eventual demise. However, the rules might have been different while he was inside the dungeon. Thus, there was absolutely no way that he would assume that the chest was free of traps. Fortunately, he already had a plan in place for dealing with trapped chests, and the five minutes remaining on his light should give him more than enough time to enact it. He began by examining the wall and ceiling, taking a few steps to one side so that he could see the space behind the chest as well. He couldn¡¯t spot anything suspicious, and there were no noises coming from the passage behind him, so he decided that he was willing to take the risk and turned to face the box. After taking a deep breath to clear his mind, Nick went to work, eager to claim his prize before retreating to the portal. Step one: check for pressure plates and tripwires. The raw stone floor was an unlikely candidate for pressure plates, but he wasn¡¯t taking any chances. He stopped well before where a person would stand when opening the lid, then reached out with his spear. He brought the tip to the ground, then raised it around each side of the chest, where it would pull any hidden wires. Next, Nick scooped up the rocks he had been carrying in his pocket, throwing them at the ground in front of the box as hard as he could. As he had expected, nothing happened. Step two: stab the lid in case the chest is a mimic or something similar. He took two big steps back while unsheathing his backup dagger. He held it by the tip and then flicked his wrist, sending the blade spinning through the air. The blade stuck into the surface and then fell out, leaving a fresh scar of bright wood behind. He stabbed it a few times with his spear for good measure, then let out a sigh of relief, now certain that the wooden chest was indeed made out of wood. Nick skipped step three, as he had already checked the room for deadfalls or other mechanisms that could seal him in. Since he would need to perform the next actions in rapid succession, he reviewed the rest of his steps before continuing. Step four: use your spear to pry the lid open. Be on guard for projectiles shooting out of the chest, as well as the ceiling and wall behind it. Stand back at an angle that keeps you out of the kill zone in front of the box. Step five: get close enough to peek inside, but be ready to leap back if there is a proximity trigger. Final step, use the rags from your T-shirt to grab whatever is inside the chest, in case it¡¯s covered in contact poison, then dart back at an angle and sprint for the exit. This last bit was probably overkill, just in case there was a time-delayed trap, like something that summoned a monster, or anything else in the more esoteric range of possibilities. Then rinse off the object in the underground river and see what you found. With only three minutes left on his light orb, Nick retrieved his dagger and then sprang into motion. He followed his plan to the letter and was thrilled when everything went smoothly. After checking off each item on his anti-trap checklist, he opened the chest without incident. He peeked over the edge, spotting what appeared to be a pair of fingerless leather gloves. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. Nice! Every scrap of armor is a godsend at this point. Without stopping, he reached in and grabbed the gloves with the soiled cloth wrappings he had originally used to bind his feet, then started running for the exit. However, despite his painstaking preparations, his journey through the dungeon was not fated to end so simply. While he was busy exploring the sewers, the entity trapped behind the fog door had been hard at work as well. As the message at the dungeon¡¯s entrance had stated, the parasite infecting the rats was not contagious. More accurately, it had not been contagious to Nick in its present form, and without a controlling core, the parasite was unable to adapt to a new host. However, killing the trio of infected rats living in the sewer had changed things. The energy animating them had been absorbed by the blight¡¯s last remaining seed, allowing it to hatch after lying dormant for nearly a century. The newly born controlling core had used the raw materials to alter its DNA, assuming a form tailor-made to his biology. While Nick was busy opening the chest, a thin tendril of red mycelium had wormed its way through the wall beside the fog door, emerging from a narrow crack in the stone near the entrance to the cavern. The living thread of fungus rose from the floor just as he grabbed his prize and began to run. It carried the core, a fat vermillion bead made of what looked like blood jelly, which pulsed in time with the ruddy mushrooms surrounding the archway. Before he could dart through the entrance and make good on his escape, the tendril struck like a serpent. The razor-sharp fiber effortlessly penetrated the denim of his jeans, slipping into his flesh without resistance and depositing the core deep inside Nick¡¯s body. He felt a strange sensation sliding up his leg, heading for his brain, but the presence of the foreign body was relatively painless. He leapt back into the sewers and began palpating his limbs, trying to understand what had happened. Since there didn¡¯t seem to be anything wrong with him, Nick shrugged and kept on walking. It seemed that despite the scare, he had pulled off his heist and would manage to escape the dungeon unscathed. Too bad I couldn¡¯t finish the quest, but at least I got some experience and a decent amount of loot. He became aware of the dire magnitude of his situation five minutes later. The moment that Nick entered the room where he had killed the sleeping ratmen and rinsed off his prize in the river, a System Message appeared before his eyes. System Message: Negative status acquired. You have been infected. Source: The Crimson Blight. You have been infected with a Tier 1 controlling core belonging to the fungal parasite known as the Crimson Blight. It has no known cure. You will succumb to its effects over the next thirty minutes, gradually entering a state of rage before your mind is consumed, your body becoming a host for the newly evolved parasite. It appeared that this time, despite his abundance of caution, Nick was well and truly fucked. Suffocating dread wrapped tight around his soul as he internalized the dire contents of the status message. Overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of his dilemma, his mind raced as he descended into full-on-panic mode. Fuck. FUCK! This can¡¯t be happening. I¡¯m infected. I. Am. Going. To. Die! His thoughts circled around in a vortex of terror as the true nature of the dungeon¡¯s lure became clear. He slipped his new gloves into the pocket of his robe without even realizing that he was doing so, every scrap of concentration focused on the calamity that had befallen him. Praying that somewhere within the heart of this black moment, there was a path leading to salvation. Calm down, Nick. There¡¯s no time to waste. Take in the variables and think. This place calls itself a tutorial. Unless this is all some kind of sick joke, in which case you¡¯re screwed no matter what you do, this situation is intended to be beatable. The no-cure part is a red herring. All the challenges in here should be possible to overcome with the tools you have on hand or can find within the dungeon. The System wouldn¡¯t have bothered to tell you that you were dying and provided you with a timer if there wasn¡¯t a way to survive. Heart beating wildly inside his chest, Nick kicked his brain into high gear, knowing that if it failed him now, he was a dead man walking. Chapter Fifty: Heart of the Dungeon Nick dunked his head into the underground river, using the water¡¯s biting chill to help clear his mind. As soon as he was calm enough to process what was happening, the answer came to him. He had already been given the key to his situation. It had been with him from the moment he first set foot into the dungeon. I need to clear the final room and kill the foreman before the blight consumes me. The System said that I would be fully healed upon successfully completing the dungeon. That must include negative statuses as well. If Nick had time to spare, he would have been furious at himself for missing an obvious clue. Being able to leave the dungeon with no penalty influenced my judgment and convinced me to keep pushing until I triggered this trap. I thought that I could turn back if the danger was too great, but I was never meant to leave the sewers without facing whatever lies beyond the fog door. His psyche shifted into overdrive as he pulled his head out of the water and started running back the way he had come, his tactical brain working hand-in-hand with the rest. Every neuron was firing in a frenzy, helping him navigate this deadly threat. One small piece of his mind was busy counting down the time remaining until the blight overcame him, while the rest were busy planning. He couldn¡¯t feel the parasite affecting his judgment yet, but the horror evoked by his situation filled him with an electric cascade of adrenaline, which made it hard to concentrate. Due to his haste, he lost his grip on his spear, and it fell into the sewer channel with a plop. Nick left it behind without a second glance. He didn¡¯t have time to retrieve it, and his daggers were more reliable regardless. It¡¯s do or die, Nick. Roguelike protocols. Prepare for a blind boss fight with a strict time limit. One attempt only. This situation exemplified everything that he had been trying to avoid, so he didn¡¯t have a plan ready to go. He would have to rely on instinct and whatever tricks he could come up with over the next few minutes. He had no choice other than to gamble everything on a single strategy, as there was simply no time for contingencies. You only have two charges in the wand right now. You need to make them count. By the time he made it back to the unfinished section of the tunnel, Nick was clenching his jaw so tightly that his teeth were grinding together as an alien rage began bubbling up through the surface of his awareness. He knew that it had to be the parasite influencing his emotions. Just a taste of what was in store when it finished reducing him to the same mindless fury as the ratmen he had fought. Suppressing the urge to draw his knife and hurl his body through the fog door then and there, Nick stepped through the crack in the bedrock and reentered the cavern where he had been infected. Although the clock was ticking, he forced himself to stand still and take a few deep breaths. Even in this dire situation, he refused to act out of anger, parasite be damned. It wasn¡¯t who Nick was, and it wasn¡¯t who he was going to become, even if this was fated to be his final moment. On accepting the reality of his imminent demise, a strange thing happened. From somewhere deep inside, arctic clarity spread forth across his mind, extinguishing the white fury stoked by the parasitic fungus burrowing into his brain. All the tension flowed out of his body, and an intense, feral lucidity blossomed within his mind¡¯s eye. Don¡¯t rage. Don¡¯t act out of fear. Use your brain and always be cool, calm, and collected. As his reason returned, the gears in his head started turning once more, faster and then faster still. His thoughts became a juggernaut of analysis, born of need and desire. You got me this time, Taltos, but I¡¯m not going down. My name is Nick Henry, and you will not be the end of me. He stopped in front of the fog door, taking two minutes to review his opening move once he entered the boss¡¯s chamber. He had been worried about the red mushrooms surrounding the archway, but now that he was infected, they no longer seemed to respond to his presence. At least he wouldn¡¯t have to worry about being blown up or flooded with poison before the fight even began. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. Nick made sure that his daggers were in the best place on his belt, and quickly reviewed the tools at his disposal, considering how he might use each while fighting for his life against a powerful foe. That reminded him that he had acquired a new piece of armor. He took the gloves out of the pocket of his bathrobe, pulling them on while scanning the strip of paper that had been rolled up inside. Congratulations! You have discovered an Exploration Reward Chest (Wood). A tutorial knowledge point has been awarded. Contents: Pugilist¡¯s Gloves (Uncommon). These gloves are worn by fighters as well as a wide range of craftsmen. They provide superior protection for the palms and knuckles while leaving the fingers free to perform precise motions. Modification: Durable. This item is resistant to damage from all sources, increasing its armor value and enhancing its longevity. By the time he finished reading the gloves¡¯ description, he was ready to go. Knowing that he had less than twenty minutes remaining before the Crimson Blight turned his brain to mush, Nick stepped into the swirling fog and entered the chamber beyond. He found himself standing in an underground space roughly the size of a basketball court. This area was brightly lit compared to the sewer access tunnels, thanks to a cluster of glowing crystals that bathed the enclosure in a cool and steady light. He immediately started scanning the cavern, searching for hostile creatures and traps alike. But two precious minutes later, he had yet to find anything of the sort. He knew that it wouldn¡¯t last, but it appeared that Nick had been granted a moment to prepare for the trial ahead. An opportunity that he intended to take full advantage of before the desperate battle that would inevitably follow. Despite the pressure of a ticking death clock, he still had plenty of time. He doubted that his fight with the foreman would take more than five minutes, ten tops. If he couldn¡¯t win by that time, he would likely be killed well before the parasite finished establishing control. Not that he intended to waste even a single second. The first feature that Nick noticed was the gleaming crystal coffin dominating the far end of the room. He decided that coffin wasn¡¯t quite the right word, since there was no indication of what was inside. The shape closely resembled a casket¡ªa rectangular box carved out of what appeared to be a solid slab of diamond. Its surface sparkled beneath the crystals¡¯ light, forming a glittering contrast to the dark bedrock that formed the walls of the chamber. One side of the box was chipped and shattered, as if someone had tried to break their way inside using hand tools, then given up and completed the job using an explosive or magical equivalent. Maybe this was a vault instead of a tomb. The next detail that caught his eye was that every inch of the floor, walls, and ceiling, even the damaged surfaces of the diamond container, were covered in runes. An intricate tapestry of interlocking symbols that he could not even begin to guess the meaning of. Nick would have been interested enough to take a closer look under happier circumstances, but instead, he drew his knife and prepared to charge. He had already decided to attack the most conspicuous object in the room as soon as he took stock of his surroundings, then keep on smashing until the boss revealed itself. He didn¡¯t have time to play wait and see. The clock was ticking. However, on this occasion, the strategy proved to be unnecessary, for that was when Nick¡¯s gaze landed on the third and final feature of the chamber¡ªthe ratman foreman sitting in the far corner. The creature looked more like a pile of rancid mushrooms than it did a living creature¡ªjust a hint of arms and legs extending past a heavy coat of vermillion fungi. But even a passing resemblance to a person was enough for him to understand what was happening. He had already fallen for this trick back on the first level of the sewers. He crossed the room and raised his dagger above his head, hoping to start the battle by landing a critical blow. He brought the weapon down straight and true, using the strength of his arms combined with the full weight of his body and the force of his momentum. His blade streaked for the hollow of the ratman¡¯s throat, barely distinguishable amidst the pulsating mushrooms covering every surface of its skin. Had Nick been just a tiny bit faster or more skilled with his weapon, his blade would have met flesh and sank deep into the foreman¡¯s neck. But on this occasion, his best wasn¡¯t good enough. Just before his knife struck true, the ratman came to life and deflected his attack. Chapter Fifty-One: Boss Battle I In the blink of an eye, the foreman¡¯s hand shot up, streaking into the air between throat and blade. A clawed hand that was shod in a solid steel gauntlet. Half a heartbeat later, Nick¡¯s knife rebounded from the ratman¡¯s armor, releasing a bright spray of sparks and the hideous screech of tortured metal. The force was redirected into his hands, shocking him badly enough that he almost dropped his weapon. He had a brief flashback of the time he had swung an aluminum baseball bat at a stop sign as a kid, then suppressed the memory to focus on the battle. Thanks to his new leather gloves, he was barely able to maintain his grip. Although the foreman¡¯s hasty defense stopped Nick¡¯s dagger from punching a hole in its jugular, the impact knocked its body to one side. The angle caused the creature to fall instead of rising to its feet, granting him a few extra seconds to analyze the dynamics at play. That armor is a problem. I won¡¯t be able to wound the rat with anything other than a precision strike. It seemed that Nick would have to bet everything on a single, decisive blow. But he wasn¡¯t going to blindly rush into the range of an unknown threat. Not while there was still time left on the clock. Charging an armored warrior with a six-inch knife would end in defeat in almost every scenario that he could imagine. Instead, he used the opportunity to take in as many details about his opponent as he could so that he could come up with a tentative strategy before committing to a course of action. Running his gaze over the foreman, who was in the middle of rising to its feet, Nick saw that it was bigger than the other ratmen he had encountered, at least a foot taller and wider at the hips and shoulders, although its body was so bloated and twisted by the parasitic growth that it was hard to make out the details. Beyond its sheer size, the foreman looked a lot like the other ratmen, with one critical difference. Instead of being wrapped in layers of rotting cloth, this creature was clad in a suit of decrepit chain and plate. As its head turned to face Nick, the rat¡¯s eyes opened, whites veined with writhing threads of scarlet fungus. He found himself meeting a soulless gaze. One utterly devoid of emotion instead of being consumed with the rage he had seen in the others of its kind. The instant it rose to its full height, the foreman¡¯s hands came streaking for his throat. Although he was still off balance from his deflected knife strike, Nick had anticipated the move and begun to lean back the moment the creature started heading his way. As a result, a steel-clad fist passed by his face so closely that he could have puckered his lips and kissed it instead of rendering his skull concave. Nick leapt back to recover his stance as the foreman turned to face him head-on. There were fewer mushrooms growing on its chest, which had been resting against the stone floor, letting him take in a few additional details. Like the other ratmen, the foreman¡¯s armor had begun to merge with its flesh, bits of skin and rot bleeding through the links of its chain, although the solid sheet of steel guarding its torso remained intact. Fucking plate mail? You must be joking. Shit, what am I going to do? What can I do that will even slow it down? He started hyperventilating as panic descended upon him like a blanket of raw electricity, warring with the icy calm he had summoned earlier. He had few tools and even fewer stratagems that could help him best an armored opponent. Calm down, Nick. Breathe. Think. You aren¡¯t dead yet. The rat still has weak points, if you can manage to hit them. You just need to create an opening, stab it in the eye, and perforate its brain. Easy peasy. No sooner had that thought crossed Nick¡¯s mind than the foreman rose one hand up to its face, lowering the metal visor of its helmet with a clink that chilled his soul. He hadn¡¯t even noticed the helm beneath the mantle of throbbing mushrooms covering the surface of the rat¡¯s skull. He spared a heartbeat of irritation at Taltos and the System. Okay, now you¡¯re just fucking with me. As he struggled to process this most unwelcome development, Nick noticed that thin threads of mycelium were trailing from the foreman¡¯s body, connecting to tiny gaps in the walls and floor, crevices filled with more of the ruddy fungus. He wasn¡¯t sure if something external was controlling the foreman or if it was the other way around. If he should try to sever the threads to impede the creature¡¯s movements, or if killing the rat would destroy the network of mushrooms running throughout the sewer. Regardless, there were too many filaments to sever them all while the foreman was trying to strangle him. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. He was really feeling the pressure now. He had only fifteen minutes remaining until the fungus merged with his body on a cellular level, at which point the parasite would assume control and Nick would be no more. He wasn¡¯t sure how quickly his mind would deteriorate as the clock approached zero, and he had no desire to find out. He wracked his brain for a plan¡ªanything that might let him survive this nightmarish situation. But this was too intense. Too real. Nothing from Nick¡¯s life as a gamer had prepared him for anything like this. He would have to wing it and pray. The problem was, nothing that he could think of would allow him to hurt, let alone kill, a fully armored warrior with only his knives and the limited tools at his disposal. Watching the ratman stagger toward him, Nick decided that, enthralled or not, the foreman was not completely mindless. It retained at least animal instincts while under the parasite¡¯s control and seemed to be better coordinated than the other rats he had fought. He had to work fast and find some way to create an opening. One solid blow will cripple or kill me. Those fists alone are more than enough. But that was all the time for observation that he had, because at that point, the foreman charged him. There was no warning. It didn¡¯t even turn its head to look at him. Fortunately, Nick had been expecting the sudden surge and had anticipated the attack that followed. The foreman unleashed a furious barrage of blows, fists streaking so fast they were reduced to a liquid blur of steel before his eyes. It took everything he had to avoid being slaughtered on the spot, beaten like a meat pi?ata until his organs burst. Every second of Nick¡¯s training, every insight that he had harvested from his prior battles, every attribute that he had improved¡ªall of it came together in that moment. For what felt like an eternity but was probably closer to thirty seconds, he dodged and spun. Ducked and rolled. Threw his body from one side to the next at the last possible second. Sweat was pouring down his chest, and each breath had become a battle of its own. As he desperately dove to avoid the rat¡¯s fists, Nick could feel tendrils of rot spreading below his skin, weaving their way into his muscles and organs. When they finished permeating his heart and brain, it would be the end of his journey, and there was a chance that he would lose his mind first, despite the strange, chilling calm that was helping him keep it together. With its help, he was able to shut out the overwhelming terror and put everything he had into winning the fight while he still could. If he had been battling the foreman in its prime, Nick would have lost his life within seconds. His fledgling skills were nothing compared to its years of martial training and combat experience. However, the parasite-driven shell of the ratman seemed incapable of strategic planning. Thus, it continued pursuing Nick blindly rather than trying to control or predict his behavior, like it was a vessel containing the warrior¡¯s reflexes and muscle memory but not the understanding of how to use them effectively. Thus, although the foreman was stronger, faster, and generally more dangerous than Nick, it could not quite manage to land anything more damaging than a glancing blow. While he found the comparison absurd given the stakes, it almost felt like he was playing a game against a computer. At least enough to help him analyze the rat¡¯s patterns and predict its behavior. Maybe my gaming brain isn¡¯t useless here after all. Every time that he entered range, the foreman would jab with its left hand, then unleash a roundhouse blow with its right. When he ducked, the ratman would snap a kick at his chest. At the end of each of these maneuvers, there was a momentary pause, as if the rat¡¯s body wanted to follow up with a more complex combination but could no longer remember what attack should come next. Spotting this narrow window gave him an idea. A way to create an opening and do some real damage, while he still had some gas sloshing in the bottom of his tank. The next time that the ratman completed its combination punch, instead of leaping back, Nick ducked under the blow, nearly losing his ear as a gauntlet went whizzing past his head. As he had anticipated, the foreman¡¯s foot came snapping at his chest. Using all the concentration he could muster, he tracked the trajectory of the blow as his left hand slid down to his belt to retrieve his wand. Half a heartbeat before the rat¡¯s metal boot could shatter his sternum, Nick pointed the business end of the wand at the inside of its leg, staring at a foot only inches away from landing a crippling blow. Chapter Fifty-Two: Boss Battle II Nick pressed the trigger at the last possible second, firing the wand from point blank range. The cone of force slammed into the rat¡¯s armored leg, knocking it to one side hard enough to sweep the foreman¡¯s feet out from under it. Caught by surprise, it fell heavily to the stone floor, accompanied by the grating screech of tortured steel. With the first display of emotion that Nick had seen so far, the rat growled as it rolled back onto its feet. The wand isn''t strong enough to do much damage through all that armor. It''s probably tougher than the other rats as well. The ratman was slow to rise to its full height, momentarily disoriented by the force reverberating throughout its body. Before the foreman could recover and resume its offensive, he darted over to its side. He slipped the wand back into its loop while unclipping one of the metal canisters from his belt. Without allowing himself to hesitate, Nick opened the ratman¡¯s visor with one hand, and popped the lid off the tin with the other. Before it could pull back, he poured the tube of caustic chemicals into the foreman¡¯s helmet, burying its face beneath a layer of toxic salt all the way up to its eyes. He slammed the visor down, narrowly avoiding a savage bite to his hand, and darted back, gaze locked onto his armored foe. In the heart of that fateful moment, Nick knew that what happened next would determine whether he would survive the battle. Or at least decide if he still had a chance. He knew that regardless of the exact mechanism by which the parasites controlled their hosts, the rats¡¯ bodies were still vulnerable to attack. The corpses he had left rotting in the sewer were a testament to that fact. Given the precautions they took to prevent their skin from touching the stuff, he was gambling that the salts were toxic to the ratman hosts, the parasites within, or ideally both. Although it didn¡¯t seem to need its eyes to see, Nick was hoping that he had managed to poison his opponent, wounding or weakening it to some extent. Perhaps even dull its senses enough that he would be able to fight the foreman on even footing. Nick soon discovered that while the salts were as toxic to the Crimson Blight as he had hoped, instead of collapsing or convulsing on the floor, five seconds later, the foreman went completely fucking berserk. The ratman writhed, screaming all the while like a banshee driving a firetruck. An unearthly, piercing wail that bit into Nick¡¯s eardrums like teeth. In an explosion of motion, the foreman leapt onto its feet and started running around the room, flailing at its face in wild, uncontrolled slaps. Armored gauntlets slammed into its helm time and time again. For the first dozen blows, the metal held firm, withstanding a series of strikes that would have burst every organ in Nick¡¯s body. But then the steel plating, weakened by decades of exposure to the moist air, started to buckle and bend, spews of salt flying out from the slits in the visor with every strike. He was forced to leap out of the way on several occasions, ready to drive his dagger into the rat¡¯s neck the moment the helm came loose. It gave him a few seconds to recover, although he was too stressed and exhausted by this point to use them to plan. At last, with a ripping groan of suffering steel and flesh tearing in unison, the helm broke free from its moorings in a geyser of salt and blood. The face that was revealed as the chemical mixture fell away would haunt Nick¡¯s dreams for months to come. A ruined, weeping mess of scorched skin and fungus that ran like wax. The foreman¡¯s eyes and lips were simply¡­ gone, revealing the shocking white of bone beneath, but the creature still drew breath. As if driving that point home, it slapped itself to cast off the remaining salt crusted to its molten flesh and turned to face him once more. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. The moment that the helmet came free, Nick charged and raised his dagger, poised to strike with everything that he had left. Before he could attempt to land a critical blow, the foreman wailed again and then darted in an unexpected direction, heading away from him and over to the far side of the room. It leapt headfirst for the hole in the crystal container, forcing its head and shoulders through the narrow opening like an eel, shedding tissue and fragments of steel as the top half of its torso disappeared inside. At first, Nick thought that the dungeon¡¯s boss was running away to recover; that he would have no choice other than to follow it and hope that he could end things in the handful of heartbeats he had remaining. But that was not the case. What happened next was much, much worse. Before he could close the distance, the foreman¡¯s movements shifted. It ripped its torso back out of the gleaming container, trailing ribbons of shredded skin and tendrils of crimson fungus, as black blood dripped from its gaping wounds. For a moment, Nick thought that the parasite¡¯s host was falling apart. But then he saw that the rat¡¯s lacerations were sewing themselves closed, noticed the sword clasped between its hands. The arm-long weapon was ragged and warped. Its blade was etched and full of holes, like drops of solvent had eaten away at the metal, leaving a tattered edge like the blade of a saw. Before he could decide how to respond, the foreman took the option out of his hands. It came whirling at Nick like a walking blender, twice as deadly as before. In the heart of that dark moment, all the damage that he had managed to inflict felt meaningless. The situation was even worse than he had feared. The first swing of the sword nearly cost Nick his head. He was still adjusting to fighting an opponent who didn¡¯t need eyes to track his movements and had underestimated how much the blade would extend the ratman¡¯s reach. Its arms are longer than I thought. He leapt back at the last possible second, a drop of blood running down his throat as the tip of the blade scratched his skin. Although he had avoided a lethal strike, in his haste to evade the blow, Nick bungled his footing. He stumbled as he landed, twisting his ankle, although he couldn¡¯t feel any pain through the torrent of cortisol and adrenaline electrifying his nervous system. Half a heartbeat later, well before he could hope to regain his balance, the foreman followed up its slash with a flowing combination of attacks. Holding the sword seemed to have strengthened the parasite¡¯s control. Or maybe the rat¡¯s body had ingrained using the blade to such an extent that its muscles still knew what to do. In either case, the weapon enabled the foreman to unleash a blurring frenzy of attacks. Each of which would have been sufficient to shear Nick¡¯s limbs free from his body. As he ducked beneath a wild swipe, he saw that the links of chain running beneath the rat¡¯s right armpit had torn from the stress, creating a slit half the length of his thumb. He didn¡¯t have enough experience to anticipate the rat¡¯s strikes. But somehow, Nick was able to stay just beyond the reach of this living flurry of steel, although his efforts cost him almost all of his remaining stamina. Despite his exertion, his heartbeat was starting to slow, casting a shadow across his mind. In that moment, he knew that he was dying; that his organs were being subsumed by the parasite altering his insides. He began desperately searching for any opening that he could exploit. Despite his fervent focus, Nick could discern no way to end the fight in his favor. When the ratman¡¯s fluid combination failed to claim his head, it reversed its grip and took a step forward to adjust its stance. He had just enough time to blink before the foreman sent the blade streaking up in a diagonal slice intended to eviscerate him from navel to nostril. With no time to dodge, Nick let gravity carry him to the floor, the sword¡¯s razored edge screaming through the space that his heart had occupied a fraction of a second prior. At this point, he had no choice other than to play out his hand and hope that it was strong enough to save him. Focusing with every scrap of concentration he could muster, he tucked in one shoulder and executed a clumsy roll. Nick was hoping to spring back onto his feet inside the foreman¡¯s guard, but he wasn¡¯t particularly nimble and had never performed the maneuver before. Thus, by the time that he completed his roll, the foreman had changed its grip once more. It now held the sword over its head, the blade angled to face Nick. He had just enough time to realize that he was in trouble before the foreman took another step, and the blade came down. Chapter Fifty-Three: Boss Battle III Sometimes, in the midst of an intensely stressful situation, where life and death stands balanced on the blade of a knife, time slows down. For some, this moment seems eternal, allowing them to contemplate their choices. All the twists and turns¡ªinsights and decisions¡ªwhich had led them to that moment. For Nick, it lasted for just a single second. But this time, a second was all that he needed to pull his bacon out of the fire. He knew with absolute certainty that when the sword came down, the blow would kill him instantly; that from this position, the foreman would not miss and that nothing he could do would let him get out of the way in time. Although he had never been in a situation even remotely like this one before, Nick was no stranger to making split-second decisions. Choices upon which his survival hinged. He had made them all the time in ranked competitions and other high-stress environments. It was enough to keep his mind from going blank. Thus, instead of freezing up or spending the final moment of his life lamenting his fate, he judged the sword¡¯s vector of approach and prepared to make his move. The foreman¡¯s strike was imminent, the angle telegraphed by its position and stance. Now, it all came down to timing. In the next beat of Nick¡¯s heart, time resumed its full course. The ratman¡¯s sword came down, so sharp it seemed to cleave the air itself, and his dagger came up. He wasn¡¯t strong enough to block the blade, halting its momentum with the power of his arms alone. Unable to block, unable to dodge, the only option remaining was to parry the strike. Knowing that this might be the last second of his all-too-short life, Nick aimed for the descending blade and swung his dagger as hard as he could, hoping to divert the sword¡¯s angle enough to pass him by. In the blink of an eye, his knife collided with the falling sword, the pure note of steel against steel ringing in his ears. He felt an incredible impact and then blood running down his chest, convinced in that moment that he had been cut so deep that he had yet to feel the pain. That was when the foreman¡¯s blade came crashing into the floor, hard enough to send shards of dark stone flying into the air. Nick looked down at his chest, where the blade of his dagger was protruding from the folds of his bathrobe, the shorn fragment buried deep into the flesh below. He looked back at the hilt he held in a white-knuckled death grip, shattered steel shining bright against the rust coating its exterior. Defying the odds, his gamble had worked, although he had not escaped unscathed. He had lost one of his weapons in less than a heartbeat and taken a serious wound in the process. But for now, Nick was still alive. Where there is life, there is hope¡ªand hope was reason enough for him to fight on. Striking the bedrock with full force had unbalanced the ratman, buying Nick a few precious seconds to turn the tables, or at least scramble out of the way. He would normally have been concerned with the dagger buried in his stomach. But in this case, it didn¡¯t seem like the wound would kill him any faster than the blight or the foreman¡¯s blade. With no time to think, he grabbed the piece of shorn steel with a corner of his robe to keep it from slipping between his fingers. He pulled the blade out of his stomach, staring in detached fascination at the bright sheen of ruby blood as he staggered back onto his feet. Now Nick could feel the pain. A wet, searing agony centered around the hole in his gut. He didn¡¯t have time to succumb to the sensation. No time to panic or second-guess his decisions, for a plan had been born within the depths of his mind. A blood-soaked epiphany, delivered by adrenaline and a fierce desire to survive. A plan that he would never have considered under any other circumstances, but one that just might manage to save his life¡­ if it didn¡¯t kill him first. Nick slid his final dagger out of its sheath, just as the ratman regained its balance. If this was going to work, he needed to hold out until the sword was in just the right position. He could feel the blight surging in his veins, a flowing anguish mingling with the molten misery in his belly. He darted back as the ratman advanced, staggering into a shambling dash that left bloody footprints in his wake. Just before Nick could duck behind the crystal box, the ratman leapt over the top, cutting off his retreat and boxing him into the corner. Its movements are sharper now. The parasite must be going all out to put me down. This is your last chance. Make it count. Before the foreman unleashed a killing blow, Nick raised his dagger up to one ear, in position to fling it at the ratman¡¯s face. His stance left his chest wide open, with no room to duck or dodge. Thus, rather than trying to wound the man, the ratman went for a finishing strike. It drew the sword¡¯s hilt up to its center of gravity, took aim, and then thrust straight forward. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. In the last second before the sword skewered his heart, his wand came up. Instead of pressing the trigger, he shoved the wand¡¯s shaft against the side of the blade, altering its trajectory by a few degrees. As a result, instead of skewering Nick¡¯s heart and killing him instantly, the blade plunged into his chest and slipped between two ribs. Impaling his lung but leaving his spine and heart intact by the width of a hair. The tip burst out of the other side of his body and penetrated the stone, sticking into the wall behind. The foreman began struggling to free the blade, reaching forward and pulling back in rapid succession. Nick smiled, hot blood pouring from his lips. The motion left the foreman¡¯s armpits exposed, and he could see pale, rotting flesh peeking through the slit in the chain. If this doesn¡¯t work, at least I¡¯ll die betting on myself rather than merging with the blight. By now, Nick was drifting into shock. Viewing the world as if it were at the end of a long tunnel. He knew that the final seconds of his life were slipping through his fingers. But if he was destined to die this day, he would meet his end on his own terms. After all, his plan was agonizingly close to culmination. There was just one thing left that he needed to do. By now, the foreman was completely absorbed with retrieving its sword, likely believing that Nick was already dead. With the last of his strength, he brought his dagger up in one hand and placed the point inside the slit in its chainmail, angling the tip down toward the ratman¡¯s heart. With the other, he brought the wand to bear, placing its end against the dagger¡¯s pommel. As his vision faded to black, Nick pulled the trigger and activated the wand. Although he was blind, he could feel the force transfer throughout the rat¡¯s body, reverberating through the sword and pinning him to the wall like an insect in a collection box. Then, his strength failed him completely, and he knew only blackness. Nick could no longer think. He couldn¡¯t breathe. He could feel his heartbeat faltering, and his limbs were frozen in the icy embrace of death. Slower. Slower. And then his heart beat for the last time. Somewhere deep in his brain, he was able to watch as the light of his life flickered and began to fade. Soon, there was only a tiny ember remaining. Within seconds it would be extinguished, succumbing to the endless winter beyond. Just before his neurons fired for the last time, Nick heard a voice calling to him in the distance. Speaking the words he had been desperately hoping to hear. Tutorial Dungeon, the Sewers of Kastilla, has been successfully completed. Restoring contestant to pristine physical condition. In a surging rush of color and sound, the light of the world returned. Two seconds later, Nick felt his heart lurch and begin to beat once more. After coughing out a lungful of blood, he was able to draw a shaking breath. He felt his tissue contract, forcing the sword out of the wall and out of his chest. The blade came crashing to the floor with a chiming clatter. His muscles and organs, bones and sinew, writhed as they began knitting themselves back together. That was the moment when Nick felt intense pain blossom within his chest as a foreign mass was dragged away from his brain and toward his open wound. The parasitic core thrashed, sinking barbed tendrils into his flesh as it struggled to remain inside his body, fighting against the healing triggered by the System. After a final, blindingly painful jerk, a pulsating crimson mass, dripping with Nick¡¯s blood, flew out of the cut where the foreman¡¯s sword had impaled him, falling to the ground with a wet splat. He looked down in shock, in time to see a squirming bead of alien tissue, covered with hooked tendrils, crawling away from him. It¡¯s the parasite, he realized. It¡¯s getting away. Nick pushed past his disorientation, raising his boot high into the air before bringing it down with all his remaining strength. With a sickening crunch, he ground the parasite to pulp beneath his bootheel, putting an end to the horrific invader once and for all. Fifteen seconds later, his restoration was complete. He slid down the wall, collapsing into the corner while staring down at the unbroken skin of his chest, stone chilly against his back. Dazed and confused, he focused on his breath, a cascade of adrenaline surging throughout his body. Ten minutes later, Nick rose to his feet and took a single, trembling step before realizing that there was more to the System¡¯s message. Before he could process the meaning of the words, his emotions caught up with him. Abject terror from his close brush with death. Sheer joy that only those convinced they were about to die can understand. Anger that he had been forced into this hell, but most of all, triumph. By the skin of his teeth, he had pulled it off. I¡¯m still here. Still alive. Still me. Nick had gambled with his very life, and, by the narrowest of margins, he had won. He wiped the blood from his body as best he could, noticing that his poor robe was on its last legs. Then he started to laugh. A great outpouring of bottled emotion, escaping in a cackling rush. He laughed so hard that he began to cry¡ªor perhaps the other way around. He couldn¡¯t tell, and he honestly didn¡¯t care. Sometime later, Nick regained control of himself at last¡ªenough to take a long look around and remember where he was. He was just about to read the rest of his notifications when a motion in the corner of his eye drew his attention. He looked down at the ratman beside him, then screamed. Because its ruined visage turned to face him, wheezing as it let loose a chuckle of its own. However, this surprise was nothing compared to what Nick felt when the foreman gestured to him and spoke. Chapter Fifty-Four: Blood-Soaked Aftermath ¡°Ah, to laugh once more. What a marvelous gift to pair with the freedom you have brought me.¡± Nick scrambled back in confusion, causing the rat to laugh again. ¡°Calm yourself, child. I¡¯m dying, and the parasite that controlled me is already dead. Through some strange twist of fate, it seems that I have been granted a final moment to thank my liberator in person.¡± Nick tensed, ready to run, when the ratman began to move. But the foreman merely adjusted its position on the ground, bending its knees to sit cross-legged and then placing its hands in its lap. It was bizarre watching something that had been trying its hardest to kill him change its demeanor so abruptly and completely. He was worried that it was some kind of trick, but Nick could no longer sense any hostility in the foreman¡¯s posture, which radiated a calm joy that felt starkly out of place within the dungeon¡¯s depths. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± The creature put on its battered helmet and closed the visor, obscuring the weeping ruins of its face. ¡°I won¡¯t bite. Your strike destroyed the parasite controlling my body, and the danger has passed. You did it, youngling. You won. You should have received a System notification confirming the truth of my words. Take a look and read it now so that you know you can trust me. I want to enjoy my final conversation, no matter how brief it may be.¡± Nick glanced at his message, reading just enough to see that the ratman spoke true. It seemed that despite the odds, he had completed the tutorial dungeon at the last possible moment before he perished. ¡°How did you know?¡± Nick asked, bewildered by this unexpected and unprecedented situation. Nothing within the dungeon had prepared him to converse with an alien creature, let alone one that had been trying to kill him only a few seconds prior. ¡°And how are you still alive? I thought that I stabbed you through the heart.¡± In response to Nick¡¯s question, the foreman began to laugh once more. A rusty chuckle that came bubbling out through the slits in its helm, like it had been so long since the rat had last laughed that it was struggling to remember how. ¡°Lucky and new. Ah, to be young again. I will answer your question, and any others I can in the little time I have left. It¡¯s the least I can do by way of thanks. To begin, I knew that you were on a quest because that was System healing if I¡¯ve ever seen it. Well, smelled it to be more accurate, as your attack dissolved my eyes. After you were run through by my blade, you were closer to death than I am to my own shadow. Then, in the next breath, you¡¯re back in peak condition. ¡°Not that death would have saved you from the blight. The controlling core would have been more than capable of completing the fusion and then reanimating your body. It¡¯s why I was allowed to attack you to begin with. My parasite wasn¡¯t trying to kill you, at least not for long; it merely wanted to prevent you from completing your quest. The core was likely planning to use your body to make it back to your people, unleashing the horror of the Crimson Blight upon them. Your quick thinking saved not only your own life but likely your entire species as well.¡± While Nick tried to process what the foreman had revealed, horror rising in his breast, the rat continued. ¡°I assume that the System finally took pity on us. Or, more likely, we were just convenient tools, and it turned this place into an official dungeon to serve its own ends. These sewers have been a prison for me and my crew for what has to have been decades now, judging by how much of that blade has been eaten away by the blight. If you have not yet freed my friends from their bondage, I beg of you: Do so before you leave this place. Wait¡ª¡± The rat sniffed at the air. ¡°I can smell their blood upon you already. How many of my kind did you fell?¡± ¡°Besides you? Three others that were living in the sewers. I didn¡¯t see anyone else.¡± He saw no harm in answering the question, and the foreman sagged in relief on hearing Nick¡¯s reply. ¡°Praise to the Deep Father. You saved them all. From the bottom of my soul, I thank you.¡± The foreman bowed from where it sat. ¡°To answer your second question, my heart is central and lower in my body. I assume that you aimed for where your own would be?¡± Nick nodded, then felt dumb for gesturing and grunted an agreement. ¡°Fortunately for all of us, the heart of your species is in the same place that the blight¡¯s nexus resided within my own. Stabbing me through the heart would not have saved you anyway, despite your brilliant final ploy. The parasite would have healed the injury within minutes, and you would have become a host for its spawn.¡± Nick shuddered at the thought. ¡°Be it through skill or blind luck, you have won, and the blight is no more. Now the changes it made to my body, which allowed me to live far beyond my natural lifespan, are crumbling like a rotten roof in a summer storm.¡± A wet cough racked the foreman¡¯s body to emphasize the point. The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Hopefully the parasite didn¡¯t have time to tinker with your insides, those kinds of changes are much harder to reverse. I have enough time left to answer one final question, maybe two if they are brief. Ask, and I will answer true.¡± Nick knew that he should probably ask something profound about the System. Something that would give him an edge in the days to come. But in part because he was curious and more because his mind had gone blank as the reality of his close brush with death washed over him, he asked instead. ¡°What happened here? Who are you, and what is your story? By the way, my name is Nick.¡± ¡°I am called Trell.¡± The foreman nodded. ¡°And I am honored to know ye, Nick. The short version is that this is a section of the sewers and aqueducts that run below the Grand City of Kastilla, Capital of Bravil, the Empire of Flames. I served as vice-captain of the Underguard, who work alongside the miners and engineers that keep this place running. Or at least we used to. My job is¡ªwas¡ªto drive away or clear out the various creepies and crawlies that occasionally dig their way up from the depths and attack. Sometimes, something particularly nasty shows up and people die. In such instances, the empress sends down an elite squadron of dragoons to pacify the area. But that wasn¡¯t what happened here. What happened to my crew was something else entirely. Something so much worse. ¡°The miners were finishing a routine extension of Tunnel 329 when their excavations broke into what we thought was a natural cavity in the bedrock. You must have passed by it on the way here. We thought it might connect to the underworld, which is always a nightmare to seal away, but instead it led to what appeared to be a single, System-generated room. When we looked inside, we caught sight of this cursed relic.¡± Trell gestured to the crystal box. ¡°We thought that it had to be a diamond reward chest, not that any of us knew exactly what one looked like. Of course, we didn¡¯t tell anyone. One glimpse of the chest and we were driven mad with greed. That much was not our fault and would have happened to anyone. Someone besides the royal family finding an iron chest happens once or twice a generation, and the contents are almost always valuable enough to elevate the caste of their entire family. ¡°And here we had the chance to open not silver or gold, but diamond. Bigger than any chest we had ever seen to boot. The kind of treasure that the empress herself would have emptied the treasury to acquire. It was odd that it was sealed, which should have warned us that something was not as it seemed. But by this point, we were no longer thinking clearly. We tried hacking through the surface, but soon discovered that it would have taken years to break through. Nick listened intently, captivated by Trell¡¯s story. ¡°When we finally brought down enough explosives to crack her open, we did indeed find a prize worthy of song. That sword is an artifact beyond gold, or at least it must have been when it was still intact. But the weapon wasn¡¯t all we found, or we would have been the luckiest crew in the history of the empire, instead of the most cursed. I don¡¯t know the story behind the sword or why it was sealed away in such a manner. The reason must have something to do with the Crimson Blight, because the parasite was trapped in there as well, along with a single egg. Imprisoned for what must have been eons, slowly eating away at the blade¡¯s weapon core to keep itself alive. ¡°The parasite infected us before we knew what was happening. The moment that I understood, I activated a mist ward to seal us inside this room and keep the blight from getting out, although that effort was ultimately futile. The others escaped, leaving me trapped in a waking nightmare. After being starved for decades, the parasite¡¯s grip slowly began to weaken. Granting me a few hours of awareness each day while it slumbered. I used that time to carve the history of my people¡ªthe story of my life¡ªinto the stone around you. Perhaps one day, my descendants will find this place and learn about the glory of our empire. The honor of our people, and the duty I was proud to fulfill.¡± Nick realized that he was weeping, moved by the passion in Trell¡¯s words and the lives that had been lost. ¡°Since no one came to rescue us, I am afraid to ask. But I must know. The fifth member of our crew specialized in resisting corruption and disease, granting him a natural resistance to the parasite. Not that anything could hold it back for long. I fear that he lived long enough to reach the surface and spread the blight throughout the capital. Tell me true, Nick. What has become of my people?¡± Nick didn¡¯t have the heart to tell Trell the full truth. That his entire civilization, everyone living on the surface of the planet, had been corrupted by the blight. That his world had fallen into chaos before the parasite was finally purged. So instead, he said only, ¡°The blight spread throughout the city, and a lot of people died. I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t know how many. I believe there were some survivors. I wish I had better news to share.¡± Trell let out a long sigh, thick with sorrow and regret. ¡°I thought it would hurt more to hear those words. But it seems I knew the truth all along. The corrupted waters flowing down from above could only have resulted from calamity. Our mistake was responsible for the deaths of so many others. But I have paid the price for my sins, and now I will join my people in the great beyond. One last¡±¡ªTrell opened the visor to spit out a mouthful of black blood¡ª¡°Request. Take the sword with you; I give it to you freely. It is but a shell of its former glory, even compared to when I first found it. But that shell contains a whisper of a power greater than any I have known.¡± Trell must have sensed Nick¡¯s hesitation, even without eyes. ¡°Worry not, with the final egg hatched, the parasite no longer infests the sword. The blade has some connection to the blight I do not pretend to understand, but the core remains whole and uncorrupted. If you ever discover who was responsible for bringing the Crimson Blight to my world, I implore that you take our vengeance for us. It seems our conversation has come to an end, young Nick. I can feel death coming to claim me at last¡­ May the Deep Father bless the road you walk¡­¡± With that, Trell shuddered for a final time and then went still. Chapter Fifty-Five: Major Gains As the echo of Trell¡¯s blessing faded from the air, Nick collapsed to the ground. Delayed terror from his close brush with death had sapped the strength from his limbs. If I had cut that any closer¡ªif the parasite had assumed control a few seconds faster¡ªI would have died. And what followed would have been a fate far worse than death. He took a long time just to lay there and process, comforted by the knowledge that, for a fleeting moment, he was whole and safe; that he didn¡¯t hurt anymore; and that nothing could hurt him now. When Nick came back to himself, he realized that there were two new additions to the chamber. The first was a glowing golden door, like the one at the entrance to the dungeon, set against the far wall. The second was a gleaming silver chest. His recent experiences had given him an awful lot to process, but not unlimited time in which to do so. Attached to the message still floating in the periphery of his vision was a countdown clock. It had begun at one hour but was now sitting just a few seconds shy of twenty-eight minutes. He would have to wait until he was back on the island to deal with what had happened to him. Because right now, he needed to maximize his gains while he was still inside the dungeon. To begin, Nick read the message from the System in full. Responding to his intentions, the prompt glided back into the center of his view. Tutorial Dungeon, The Sewers of Kastilla, has been successfully completed. Restoring contestant to pristine physical condition. Your performance has been rated as: exemplary. As a result, you have earned a high-tier Quest Reward Chest (Silver). Additionally, you have received bonus experience and essence. Please open the chest and exit the dungeon. You will be automatically teleported back to your tutorial after one hour unless you step through the portal first. Wait, what is essence? Nick bookmarked the thought for later as he turned his attention to his surroundings. Now that he knew what he was looking at, he was in awe of the legacy that Trell had left behind, because every surface of the stone chamber was carved with intricate runes. The story of Trell¡¯s life and the history of his people. The writing was neat and clean but became increasingly smaller as it progressed across the chamber, as if Trell had realized that the chronicle he wanted to leave behind was going to take up more space than he had originally believed. Nick wished that he could read the words, but apparently his Gift of Tongues only worked for languages spoken by living beings. He realized that the carvings had been made with the strange sword Trell had given him, which must have been enchanted with some sort of magic to have kept the edge razor sharp despite countless years of abuse. Mouthing a silent prayer for the fallen ratman and its people, Nick went to work. He began by looting the room, looking for anything that might be useful later. He wasn¡¯t willing to go anywhere near the entrance bordered by the nasty rot mushrooms, although they appeared to be inert now that the parasites and the core inside him had been destroyed. He briefly considered running back to the dungeon¡¯s entrance to retrieve his straw sunhat, but quickly decided that it wasn¡¯t worth risking his life for a basic item. Hoping that Trell would forgive him for the indignity, Nick tried to remove the rat¡¯s chain and plate mail. But like the other bodies he had inspected, the metal was somehow fused with the corpse¡¯s flesh and anchored to its bones. He had neither the time nor the tools to pry it free. Nor the willpower, if Nick was being honest with himself. The helmet was loose, though. He removed it, then retrieved his dagger and the sword before walking over to the chest that had appeared beside the glowing golden doorway. The intricately carved chest was a gorgeous piece of metalwork and would have fetched a pretty penny back home. Inside was a considerable pile of loot and a single sheet of paper. Excited by his haul despite his horrifying ordeal, Nick picked up the paper and read. Congratulations! You have received a Quest Reward Chest (Silver). Two tutorial knowledge points have been awarded. Contents: Potion of Lesser Antidote (Common, Consumable). Drinking this potion will cure one instance of poison or disease (tier 1 species only). 5x Orb of Flashbang (Common, Consumable). If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. A favorite of rogues of all stripes, these magic-infused orbs will release a bright light and loud sound after their trigger has been pressed. The delay can be set between four and ten seconds. Adventurer¡¯s Coat (Uncommon). This reinforced leather coat is a favorite of adventurers across the multiverse. It is made from materials that are naturally resistant to a wide variety of elements and is waterproof as well. Modifications: Self-maintenance, durable. Bag of Molding (Uncommon). This bag can hold up to one hundred pounds worth of items, regardless of shape, as long as they can fit through the opening of the bag. The bag reduces the weight of its contents by 10% and stores items separately from one another. He turned to examine the object in question, which looked a lot like the backpack Nick used to wear to school, with a flap over the top in place of a zipper. He removed it from the chest and took a closer look. Like everything the System had given him, the Bag of Molding appeared to have been fashioned by a skilled craftsman. The leather was so dark that it was nearly black, and delicate lines and swirls had been stamped into its surface. He was pleased to discover that the pack weighed almost nothing when empty. When he tried it on, it fit like a glove and was surprisingly comfortable to boot. While he was a tad disappointed not to have been given an unlimited storage item, Nick was still extremely satisfied with his reward. Just having a backpack is a huge upgrade for me, and the magic storage is pretty awesome. Although there is no way I¡¯m calling it by that name. With his preliminary inspection out of the way, he was ready to see the bag in action. His new sword would be a perfect test, as it was about twice as long as the bag was deep. He danced with excitement as he slid the tip of the sword into the mouth of the backpack. He watched in fascination as it went down and down and down, until the blade disappeared all the way up to the hilt and then vanished completely. Well beyond the point where it should have touched the bottom. This was Nick¡¯s first true experience of magic other than his wand, which was close enough to a gun not to trigger the same sense of wonder. He reached in to retrieve the sword, only to touch the bottom of the empty bag, afraid in that moment that he had been tricked or made a mistake and lost his first real weapon. But when he lifted the bag, he realized that it was heavier than before. Thinking about how the screen on the obelisk had responded to his thoughts, Nick held the image of the sword in his mind and reached in again, this time wrapping his fingers around the hilt before drawing the blade free. He played with the bag for another five minutes before breaking the spell that witnessing magic with his own eyes had evoked, remembering that the clock was ticking. He pulled the sword out one final time to take a closer look before storing it away. The blade was longer than Nick¡¯s arm and top-heavy like a machete, likely due to its missing pommel stone. It would be a bit awkward for precision swordplay, although it was still an imposing weapon. The body of the blade was full of holes, like the metal was Swiss cheese, leaving the edge serrated like the teeth of a saw. Due to the missing pieces, the sword was surprisingly light despite its imbalance. Nick tried out a few experimental slashes, able to guide it even with his modest strength as long as he used both hands. As Trell had implied, the sword was either magical or forged from an incredibly robust ore. Despite the damage to its body, the tip still held an edge after carving Trell¡¯s legacy into the bedrock of the cavern, not to mention the surface of the crystal container. The consumable items seemed useful but didn¡¯t require a close inspection just yet. So, after slipping one of the flashbang orbs into the pocket of his toolbelt, he dumped everything else into the bag, along with his sword, and slid his remaining dagger back into its sheath. As advertised, the bag seemed to shave off a bit of the weight, and when he shook it vigorously, Nick could feel nothing rattling around inside. That meant the potion and orbs within were likely immune from being broken by outside forces and that wearing the pack would not throw him off balance. Yet another awesome feature provided by the accessory. Last but not least, Nick turned his attention to the leather coat. He was ecstatic as he pulled the jacket out of the chest and held it before his eyes. In addition to having another layer to ward off the chill ocean breeze, he had finally found his first piece of body armor. The leather wasn¡¯t all that thick, but with the durable and self-maintenance modifications, he was sure that it would offer his torso substantial shielding. Night and day compared to the pittance of protection provided by his battered bathrobe. The leather jacket was deep red and textured with a pattern that looked like scales. Or perhaps they were scales after all, now that Nick took a closer look. The front had a pair of deep pockets to help keep his hands warm, and a series of buttons ran along one side. Trying it on, the coat was a perfect fit, and it came down a bit below his waist. When he looked down, he saw that the chest had already begun to melt, running like water to form a pool of silver along the ground. The metal soon sank into the stone, disappearing without a trace. With a shrug, Nick took the various objects out of the pockets of his robe and packed everything into the bag except for his canteen and the two tins, since they clipped onto his belt, leaving him free to use the pack for other resources. Finally, he took off his bathrobe, bidding the article of clothing a fond farewell before storing it in his bag and pulling on his new leather coat. With only five minutes left on the clock, Nick moved on to the final object he had decided to keep¡ªthe helmet he had removed from Trell¡¯s body. There was no way he was trying it on without washing it out, as the ratman had been wearing it for decades without bathing. But just by looking at it, he realized that it wasn¡¯t going to fit. He decided to keep the helm anyway, so he put it into his new bag alongside the rest. Part of him was curious about the side passage he had found earlier in the sewer, but there simply hadn''t been enough time to return, and he wasn¡¯t ready to pick a fight with a powerful underwater predator regardless. He decided that he would be more aggressive with the risks he took going forward, but not until he gained a few more levels and increased his attributes. Nick had barely survived his first dungeon, but in the end, he had come out on top. He was back in peak condition, had secured some amazing loot, and was in much better shape to survive the dangers of the Searing Isle. He used the final seconds he had been granted to adjust his gear and go over his contingencies, since the tutorial had entered its second phase while he was exploring the dungeon. He needed to be prepared to face just about anything on the other side of the portal. When the countdown dwindled to thirty seconds, Nick finished reviewing his plans, walked over to the portal, and stepped into the light. Chapter Fifty-Six: From Deep Below to Deep Under There was no warning whatsoever. Nick had just finished breathing out and had begun to breathe in when suddenly, the air became water. A shockingly cold pressure encased him on all sides, and the light of the world dimmed to a deep, murky blue. He nearly choked as he continued to inhale for a fraction of a second; drawing water into his throat but halting the motion before the brine spilled into his lungs. The instant the salty brew hit his tongue, Nick understood what was happening. He had been teleported outside the dungeon as promised. But instead of bringing him back to the door that he had entered through, the System had portaled him into the bay, judging by the sheer wall of stone rising from the ocean¡¯s floor. Although its features were obscured by deep shadows, the contour of the cliffside looked familiar. When Nick spotted a sheet of metal glinting from the face of the rock, he realized that he was back where he had started after all. However, the island had undergone some drastic changes in his absence. The strip of sand running along the bay was now submerged. He found himself floating in front of the broad steel door, with one set of rocky cliffs in front of him and another behind his back. It seemed that the sea had risen while he was exploring the dungeon, which had to be related to the tutorial entering its second phase. Although the last gasp of air in his lungs was rapidly running out, Nick suppressed the urge to panic, knowing that he would drown if he didn¡¯t take action immediately. While the abrupt transition was disorienting, the water rising was one of the scenarios that he had considered, although he hadn¡¯t planned to come out of the dungeon below sea level. However, he knew that the next phase of the tutorial had begun while he was in the sewers. Nick had anticipated that it would trigger changes on the isle. A taste of what was to come when the tutorial entered its third and final phase. That¡¯s how the System is ramping up the danger. The water rises over time, driving me into the interior of the island. He didn¡¯t have time to ponder the matter further. He needed to devote every last braincell toward reaching the surface before he drowned, then drag his waterlogged ass back onto dry land. The pressure in his inner ear allowed him to estimate his depth. I¡¯m still on the beach, and the water has risen by thirty feet, give or take. Since the dungeon¡¯s entrance was a bit below sea level, I¡¯m maybe forty feet from the surface and twice that distance from the new shoreline. I should pause for a few seconds about halfway up if I can hold out that long, but at this depth, my risk of getting the bends is low, if that''s even possible without breathing compressed air. Nick yearned to breathe, desperate to reach the surface before it was too late, but he forced himself to look around rather than flail. It was hard to tell which way was up without enough air in his lungs to make him buoyant. The sun must be low in the sky, or it would be easy to see the surface. Fortunately, it seems to be dusk rather than night, or I would be completely screwed. Shutting out the discomfort rising in his chest, he began casting his limbs out, searching for the sandy bottom while looking for the surge of waves breaking against the shore. Just as he was beginning to grow seriously worried, his fingertips brushed against the ground. With no time to lose, he used the point of contact to pull his feet under him. He pushed with his legs as hard as he could, launching himself toward the surface and forcing his eyes open against the pressure and the sting of salt. Just as Nick was deciding that, despite having received a bit of a scare, he had everything under control, his eyes locked onto a dark shape gliding through the water above. A massive profile of muscle and fin¡ªa wedge-shaped face filled with stark white teeth and dead black eyes. Distracted by the abrupt transition and the urgency of his situation, he had forgotten about the sharks that prowled the shoreline by the bay. This area is part of their hunting grounds. Out of air, halfway to the surface, and still a good sixty feet away from shore, he was struck by the grim realization that he had a rather serious problem on his hands after all. A carnivorous problem the size of an SUV that had turned and was heading straight for him. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. None of Nick¡¯s weapons or tools were suitable for fighting underwater, except for maybe his dagger. But there was no way that he would be willing to battle the beast unless it was going to bite him anyway. The idea of trying to melee a predator of that size, in its own domain, no less, made him want to laugh. Well, if he could have laughed without drowning. Confronted by his lack of options, his brain frantically ran through every tool at his disposal, considering and discarding each out of hand. His wand might work as a last resort, but Nick was hesitant to draw it. He suspected that, despite its momentum-deleting magic, using the wand underwater would have severe repercussions for the soft tissue of his body. That was all the time that he had to think before the creature was upon him. He was still desperately trying to reach the surface while searching for any way that he could live through the next few minutes. Fortunately for Nick, while he was in a bit of a hurry, the shark felt no need to rush. After all, he had no chance of escaping, and his presence within the predator¡¯s domain was a novelty. Thus, the shark veered off after making a close pass, examining this strange new creature before deciding what it wanted to do about it. It must have concluded that he looked good enough to eat after that brief moment of consideration, because the beast¡¯s demeanor shifted, every motion now conveying the coiled tension of a predator about to strike. The surface and the shore were gradually growing closer, but Nick¡¯s vision was beginning to fade around the edges. His journey through the water was maddeningly glacial compared to the efficient motion of the apex hunter. It gave the impending attack a sense of inevitability. Like watching a trainwreck in slow motion while standing on the tracks. The shark was coming straight for him, its colossal jaws spread wide to rend his flesh asunder. He knew that his existence would end the moment it arrived. In short, Nick had ten seconds left to find a way to save his life. He ceased his frantic flailing so that he could focus with everything he had. While he would drown in less than a minute, that was fifty-five seconds longer than he had. He used his final moments to mine his memories for every scrap of shark-related lore that Nick had learned from games and nature documentaries. As the shark¡¯s ragged grin grew to fill the entirety of his vision, something useful popped into his head at last. Sharks hunt by scent as well as by sensing electric currents. Its sense of smell must be incredibly sharp. That tiny tidbit gave him an idea¡ªenough inspiration to form a plan. A last-ditch, all-or-nothing gamble with his life as the prize. Mere heartbeats before the shark struck, Nick reached down to his belt and unscrewed the cap of the canister filled with salt, opening the container and then shaking it vigorously. The motion spread the chemical salts out into the water, where they rapidly diffused to form a broad cloud. He drew his dagger and resumed paddling like mad, praying to any god that was listening. Half a heartbeat later, the beast streaked through the cloudy water, ready to tear him in two in a single bite. His last spark of hope died as the shark passed through the salt, still heading straight for him. Nick flinched and raised his dagger, watching death descend upon him. Searing pain forced him to close his eyes, and he felt the flow of a massive body passing beside him. He lashed out blindly, but the blow he was anticipating never landed. He opened his eyes to take in the sight of the shark, which had begun lurching violently from side to side, then closed them tight again before the caustic salt could do any permanent damage. The last thing he saw was the shark streaking in the opposite direction. It didn¡¯t even look at Nick as it regained control over its body and began swimming away from the polluted area as fast as it could, disappearing into the murky depths of the bay. Filtering the contaminated water through its gills must have been incredibly painful. He had no time to revel in his victory. The need to breathe was nearly overwhelming, and his body was heavy, limbs barely responding to his commands. Just before he slipped into oblivion, he breached the water at last, taking in a great gasp of air as the world and his awareness of his body snapped back into place. Nick wasn¡¯t out of the woods yet. In addition to fighting the current that was pulling him out to sea, he could see dozens of fins gliding toward him, and there was no way that his chemical screen would last long enough to protect him. Fortunately, he was closing in on the shore. He strained his body to its limits and continued to swim, shutting out his fear and pushing past his exhaustion. Mere seconds before the sharks arrived, he felt mud shifting beneath his toes, and he hastily scrambled up to higher ground. The swarming fins made a few frustrated circles before dipping back below the waves. With a groan, Nick crawled onto the Searing Isle, too weary to worry about the danger he would face in the days to come. Chapter Fifty-Seven: Day 8: A Night on the Beach Nick stumbled out of the ocean, spat out a mouthful of sand, and then stepped onto the rocky shore. Judging from the surrounding terrain, it was clear that his intuition had been correct. The Searing Isle had undergone a radical transformation in his absence. The entire beach biome was now submerged, and the new shoreline came all the way up to what had originally been the border of the forest. Soaked with seawater and alight with adrenaline after his close encounter with the terrors of the deep, Nick sat down with his back against a boulder after checking to make sure there were no hostile creatures lurking nearby. He was unfamiliar with the local terrain, even though he had rounded the bay below it on several occasions. He regretted not exploring the forest when he had the chance, but his reasons had been sound, and there was no point in worrying about it now. Regardless, Nick intended to use the remaining hours until the sun rose to decompress. He needed time to recover from his ordeal, and it was too dark to relocate until the morning anyway. He took off his shirt and wrung it out as best he could, then pulled out his bathrobe and put it on underneath his new leather jacket, shivering in the moonlight as the sea breeze broke over him. But he didn¡¯t mind the cold, at least for tonight. The chill wind blowing across his face meant that, against the odds, he had survived the dungeon and made it back to the island in one piece. He was uninjured thanks to the System¡¯s healing and his own quick thinking, but Nick was hyperstressed, overstimulated, and deeply shaken by the traumatic events he had endured, despite whatever the System was doing to help keep him sane. He hadn¡¯t had time to internalize almost being killed by leeches while he was sleeping or his pyrrhic victory with the sword-wielding rat boss. And that wasn¡¯t even the worst of it. He had not only almost lost his life. He had nearly wound up with his mind trapped inside his body while he roamed the island, collecting energy for the parasitic plague that had destroyed the ratmen¡¯s civilization. The whole ordeal honestly felt like bullshit, considering that the dungeon was supposed to have been a tutorial where Nick ¡°could learn the ropes of dungeon crawling.¡± Although, to be fair, it would have been easier if he had begun the challenge at the recommended level of 5 instead of stumbling inside while he was still Level 2. He sat there, listening to the waves lapping against the shore while processing just how close he had come to dying on at least four occasions since arriving on the Searing Isle. While Nick¡¯s extensive planning had kept him alive by the skin of his teeth, it hadn¡¯t been nearly as helpful as he had hoped. He would have to reexamine his approach going forward. At least he wasn¡¯t tired or hungry. Apparently, being completely healed by the System included restoring him to a pristine condition on every conceivable level. Bathed in the soft silver light of the moon, Nick unfastened the clasp of his magic bag, took out his new sword, and set it across his knees, thrilled to have obtained a decent weapon at last. It felt like he was finally standing at the starting line of his new life, at least as far as having adequate gear for adventuring was concerned. Although it felt dangerous to sit beside the forest at night, waiting for the sun to rise gave him an opportunity to internalize the events of the last week. A night of reflection without the distraction provided by starvation, deadly magical weather, or being hunted by predatory beasts. He passed the time by reviewing everything that had happened to him, then consolidating his plans for the future. Despite being forced to engage in a series of risky moves that had nearly ended Nick¡¯s life, his gains from completing the dungeon had been enormous, especially once he was able to spend his KP and assign his free attribute points. While he never wanted to cut it so close again, he was in a better position to survive the rest of the tutorial than he had been a little less than three days earlier. But he held no illusions that he would survive repeated gambles of that magnitude. I need to take control of this situation. Become faster, tougher, and stronger. Start playing the game instead of letting the game play me. Ever since he had begun evaluating his circumstances through the lens of a game, Nick had felt like he was well below the power curve of his environment. Or, put another way, he was weak enough that every threat on the board, even simple accidents or misfortune, had a real chance of crippling or killing him. But he had been closing the gap hour by hour and day by day, climbing up from the bottom of the food chain on the Searing Isle. He had begun to rigorously condition his body, bolstering his underdeveloped attributes and training his skills. Both the ones provided by his class and the mundane skillsets he had brought with him from his old life. Nick had begun his journey unarmed and unarmored, with only his trusty bathrobe standing between his tender flesh and a world filled with talons, fangs, and claws. At long last, he had acquired gear appropriate for an adventure, and he was no longer easy prey for every beast on the isle. He realized that he had been lucky in more ways than he could count. This backpack was a godsend. I would have lost most of my inventory after being portaled into the ocean otherwise. He was shocked at how much he had changed over the last week. Back on Earth, Nick had been sheltered from casual violence, along with a wide range of the hardships that had plagued those less fortunate than himself throughout most of human history. Before waking up on the beach, he had no experience dealing with predators, both animals and those of his own kind. He had spent his days playing games, competing from behind the safety of his monitor and keyboard. He knew that he was only beginning to adapt to the reality of his new life as part of the multiverse. But he could feel himself changing by the day and could only wonder who he would become in the years that followed. Assuming that he lived long enough to find out. Now that he had acquired a genuine advantage, Nick intended to do everything in his power to keep the ball rolling. He held no illusions that he was special or uniquely blessed; that he would gain ridiculous power through luck or by gaming the System; that he would survive mistakes and misfortune through the serendipitous plot armor that protected the heroes in the stories he had read all his life. In the end, he didn¡¯t care if he had been dealt a raw hand and the deck was stacked against him. He gritted his teeth, looking up as he made a promise to the heavens above. Somehow, he was going to find a way to beat the odds. Going to survive. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. Bathed in moonlight, staring up at alien stars, Nick vowed that he would find a way back home, protect the people he loved, and do everything in his power to ensure that humanity established a foothold in this new, magical multiverse. Taltos and the System be damned. On that note, he realized that more of his memories had returned to him ever since that sedative-and-blood-loss-induced nightmare in the sewers. He still couldn¡¯t remember what had happened before his orientation, although he was now certain that something terrible had occurred. But the rest of that experience, including Taltos hacking the System and stealing the Earth from the Green Mother, was now clear to him. None of it changed what Nick needed to do in the short term. He would grapple with those cataclysmic events later. For now, he just needed to worry about finishing the tutorial and finding a way back to his people. Everything else could wait. Nodding to himself, he shelved his existential crises and returned his attention to his immediate survival. Taking in the weight of the blade balanced in his lap, he began contemplating the weapons and tools he had added to his kit. Nick set his worries aside as he took in the sword gleaming in the moonlight, soaking in the menace that the mangled blade exuded. He could already tell that it would change his life on the island because the weapon gave him a way to deal damage while keeping his enemy away from his body. Being armed with the pockmarked killing tool offered him a level of reach, penetration, and defense far beyond that of his crudely hewn spear. Fighting with it would be a night and day difference from facing the beasts on the island with what had basically amounted to rocks and sticks. Trell¡¯s sword would let Nick dish out serious damage, keep his opponents from closing the distance, and block a blow if held at the right angle. Your origin and properties are still a mystery, he mused while running his finger along the holes etched into the metal. But I can already tell that we¡¯re going to be friends. It was weird that the edge was so sharp while the rest of the blade was in such bad shape, but it would serve him well until he was able to repair the weapon or trade it in for something better. Finding the dagger was almost as valuable in its own way. More than a mere backup weapon he could use in a pinch, having a sharp knife gave Nick the power to manipulate his environment in ways that had been impossible before, including the ability to create a wide variety of simple devices. Once he had some time to harvest raw materials and get busy crafting, the cutting tool would dramatically increase his range of options going forward. In that moment, he felt a deep appreciation for the ingenuity that had led humans to develop these tools over countless generations. Now that he had been forced to survive in a hostile wilderness, he understood that these devices had been born out of a brutal struggle between man and nature, eventually allowing his species to dominate their environment and conquer the globe. In addition to acquiring his sword and dagger, Nick had finally learned how to use his wand. It was definitely a magical device, releasing a powerful cone of force without transferring any of the energy back in his direction. He still had no idea what allowed the wand to accumulate charges, making each use a precious resource until he gained the ability to refill it at will. Even with its limitations, the wand was a powerful tool, able to distract, unbalance, and wound opponents within a radius about twice as far out as the reach of his sword. His new jacket would help shield him from the elements and offered him substantial armor across his torso, especially compared to his shirt and bathrobe. He knew that it would provide only marginal protection from blunt force trauma, but it would make a world of difference against being bitten or clawed. Under the light of the moon, Nick reached into his new pack and drew out the final items he had been given for completing the dungeon. The potion of antidote was a deep green liquid held within a skinny glass vial that was corked to keep the viscous fluid from leaking out. He was glad to have it, as it would help him survive a form of danger that he had no other protection against. The flashbang orbs were formed from what appeared to be beaten copper spheres that reflected the stars above. There was a small dial placed next to the big button on top, which must be the mechanism that let him set the delay before the devices activated. The flashbangs were an incredibly useful tool that Nick intended to make the most of. He would ponder how to use them best in the days ahead. Nodding in satisfaction, he put everything back in his pack and turned his thoughts to the next steps he needed to take if he wanted to survive the tutorial. Now that he was armed and at least partially armored, what he needed most was to acquire combat experience. Ideally, in situations where he wasn¡¯t a single mistake away from suffering a gruesome death. Nick had a firm grasp of tactical strategy from his years of competitive play, including how to read an opponent and disrupt their rhythm, but he lacked the experience that would allow him to transform those tactics into techniques suitable for use in live combat. In short, everything that he had learned while gaming did not fully translate to standing on the battlefield in the flesh. Or offer tangible actions he could take when the stakes were ¡°kill or be killed.¡± Fights in games were too abstracted and streamlined, lacking nuance and complex interactions between hundreds of subtle variables. While his life as a gamer could suggest some useful starting points, he would have to train hard if he wanted to learn how to fight for real. His basic class wasn¡¯t doing him any favors either, for Survivor provided no weapons skills or combat abilities, much to his regret¡ªalthough Size Up was invaluable when deciding which fights to avoid. Nonetheless, he could still learn how to fight on his own. The System only added to his innate capabilities. Nick still had everything that he had been born with, including a remarkable ability to learn. Fortunately, he had a source of inspiration far superior to his clumsy attempts to familiarize himself with the physicality of battle¡ªthe beasts on the island. Watching a single battle between a komo and swordclaw had taught him more about hunting and one-on-one combat than all his decades behind a monitor combined. He hoped to learn more from the creatures on the island before his tutorial came to an end. He could find a proper teacher once he managed to rejoin human civilization. With his reflections out of the way, Nick moved on to his plans for the immediate future. First goal: Head back to the spring and see if I still have a reliable source of water. I think the grove should still be above sea level, but I need to know for sure before I worry about anything else. Judging by the height of the shoreline, the obelisk should still be accessible as well. I¡¯m lucky that section of the beach was so much higher than the rest. After hitting up the spring, I¡¯ll head there next and spend my free attribute and knowledge points. I know I gained at least one level in the dungeon, hopefully a second after completing the quest. Once that¡¯s out of the way, I¡¯ll need to start scouting to determine how much the island has changed since the tutorial¡¯s second phase began. With the beach gone, the surface area of the isle has been reduced by at least a third. That means more competition between the beasts for territory and resources. I¡¯m not sleeping without protection ever again, so I¡¯m going to have to find or build a shelter somewhere in the woods. Which means I need to figure out what lives in the southern forest right away. I¡¯ll consider the pros and cons of looking for more Exploration Reward Chests once I¡¯m established and find a reliable source of food. I need to work out some contingencies for what might happen if the water climbs higher as well. As his analysis wound down, Nick couldn¡¯t think of anything else to do, so he turned his focus inward to his body, unclenching all the muscles that had been tight with stress for days on end. Eventually, his breathing slowed, and his body began to relax, letting him sit more comfortably and breathe a bit easier. While he wasn¡¯t sure that he would ever sleep again, hours passed as he entered a light trance, staring up at the foreign constellations above. Shaken but not defeated, Nick fixed his gaze upon the heavens, ready to face the next phase of the tutorial and the challenges that were certain to accompany it. Chapter Fifty-Eight: Level Three By now, the sky had begun to lighten with the coming of dawn. Enough for Nick to make out the shadowy forms of trunks all around him. As the sleepy sun crested the horizon, the hoots and howls of animals resounded across the canopy as they awoke and began to stir. With a groan, he rose to his feet and walked down to the water¡¯s edge, where the visibility was better. He watched the sunrise while checking out the strip of coastline visible from this angle. As he had thought, he was standing at the boundary of the forest, above where the bay had been before the water rose. He could see a piece of the shipwreck lodged between two massive trunks further to the east, although it would be useless as firewood until the debris had time to dry. Examining the surrounding terrain, Nick could already tell that it was going to be harder to travel across the island now that the sandy beach was submerged. At least until he found a trail that let him cut across the forest instead of walking along its edge. Not that he was willing to explore the deep woods until he knew what was living in there. His preparations complete, he drained the water from his canteen, rearranged his gear, and then started walking west. He followed the new shoreline as he made his way over to where he hoped the spring still stood. At least it was easy to keep himself oriented. Even when he lost sight of the ocean, he was able to use the giant tree and the mountain to determine his direction. Two hours later, Nick found signs that the lurk had passed through the area sometime within the last twenty-four hours. A reeking turd the size of a beachball sat beside a pair of massive tracks stamped into the mud. Part of him wanted to turn around and avoid the area, but to do so, Nick would have to enter the domain of the spiders or shrooms. The lurk¡¯s territory is the whole island. It has no reason to stay in one spot unless it¡¯s setting up an ambush. If it was hunting here yesterday, it¡¯s probably somewhere else now. Prey will scatter once they catch wind of its presence. The lurk wasn¡¯t the only beast to have left its mark on this section of the woodlands. As he hiked, he discovered numerous signs that the beasts living on the beach had survived the flood. He came across tracks left by swordclaws and komos and could hear the lemur tribe calling out to one another in the distance. The sound warmed Nick¡¯s heart, glad to know that his furry friends were still alive. Better still, their presence told him that nothing nasty was living in the trees, which lowered his chances of being ambushed by something lurking in the canopy above. On several occasions, he discovered more of the pawprints that he had first seen running alongside the stream. Judging by their size and prevalence, he decided that they likely belonged to whatever species of beast had claimed the southern section of woodland¡ªthe stretch running between the spiders and the shrooms. Nick needed to figure out what they were, where they were laired, and where they hunted as soon as possible, then decide how to deal with the situation. But not just yet. For now, reaching the spring and then the obelisk was more important. Three hours later, he stepped into the grove surrounding the spring, keeping an eye out for both the lurk and the stinging butterflies that frequented the region. Fortunately, the ground here was still several feet higher than the new sea level. While half of the streams were gone, the spring itself was intact and did not seem to have been contaminated by its proximity to the ocean. Judging from the plethora of tracks that ran all along its muddy border, the grove was now frequented by more beasts than before. Nick would have to be careful whenever he was in the area. As the last thing he wanted was to be forced into a fight, he drank his fill, refilled his canteen, and then continued on his way before any beasts found him. Although he wasn¡¯t happy about these changes to his environment, at least water wouldn¡¯t be a problem in the short run. He hoped that food would be easy to find as well, as his stomach was starting to grumble. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Two hours later, Nick pushed his way past a pair of ferns and then stepped into the sunlight. He broke into a broad grin when he spotted the familiar profile of the black pillar contrasted against the sea. After taking several detours to find the right trail, he had finally made it back to the obelisk. What had been a prominent rise overlooking the western beach was now a lonely little peninsula rising just above the waves. A long sandbar led from the edge of the forest over to the base of the obelisk. Nick was thrilled, since he had been afraid that the monument had been completely submerged, or that he would have to swim part of the distance in order to reach it. After making sure that nothing was lurking nearby, he walked across the sandbar and stopped in front of the obelisk, reflecting on how much had happened since he last stood before it. Shaking his head to dispel the unpleasant memories, he stepped out of the sunlight and activated the display. Nick started off by reading the prompt for the tutorial quest. He skimmed the description to make sure that nothing had changed until he got to the timer at the end. Remaining time: 22 days, 16 hours, 17 minutes. Time until the tutorial¡¯s third phase begins: 20 days, 16 hours, 17 minutes. After reading the message, he knew that he had a little less than twenty-one days until the final phase began¡ªa span approximately three times the length of the first phase. Given the extent of the changes that had occurred on the island in his absence, Nick was glad to learn that the final phase would only last for forty-eight hours. Although he was worried that the disparity indicated that the conditions for the final phase would be that much more severe. Then, with a great deal more enthusiasm, he moved on to the pile of notifications that was awaiting his perusal. Congratulations. You have accumulated enough experience to reach Level [3]. Congratulations. For completing your first dungeon, you have been awarded one free attribute point. You have two free attribute points awaiting allocation at your discretion. Through rigorous training, you have conditioned your body and improved the following baseline attributes: Toughness has increased from [5] to [6]. Dexterity has increased from [5] to [6]. Through use, you have improved the following skills: Foraging has increased from [2] to [3]. Size Up has increased from [2] to [4]. Wand has increased from [0] to [2]. Nick was thrilled to discover the extent of his gains, especially when he learned that he had hit Level 3 after his battle with the leeches after all. He suspected that his showdown with the foreman had nearly taken him to Level 4 as well, given the difficulty of the fight. While the point in Toughness wasn¡¯t too surprising given the extensive beatings that he had taken, he hadn¡¯t expected his Dexterity to go up as well. My fights with the rats, especially dodging the foreman¡¯s sword, must have been enough to let the attribute tick up. He noticed that the wording was different this time, giving a nod to the fact that conditioning attributes above five required rigorous effort instead of simple exercise. He hadn¡¯t been able to check his skill gains before entering the dungeon, but Nick suspected that his Foraging skill had increased thanks to his impromptu grilling session and that his gains to Size Up had occurred in the dungeon itself. While it was awesome every time his skills went up, what really had him excited was getting his Wand skill off the floor. The wand had gone from useless to vital during his stay in the sewers, and seeing the skill go up at last was immensely satisfying. Although he didn¡¯t understand the mechanisms governing it, Nick was certain that the skill was the reason why he had known when and how to use the tool effectively. The wand had already saved his life twice, and he was certain that it would do so again before long. He still needed to raise his Strength to 5, but he wasn¡¯t worried. It should happen over the next few days if he kept up the exercise routine he had begun before his involuntary detour into the dungeon. He wasn¡¯t surprised that it hadn¡¯t gone up, as nothing that he had accomplished in the sewers had required raw power. He was eager to spend his free attribute points and finish consolidating his gains. But before he did, he was going to spend his knowledge points to get a better sense of how each attribute worked. Nick had already decided to use all three KP on unlocking the primers on his physical attributes while he was hiking back to the obelisk, so he proceeded to spend them without having to stop and consider his options. He unlocked them in the same order that they appeared in his profile and then eagerly began to read. Chapter Fifty-Nine: Knowledge is Power Strength Strength is the attribute governing the physical power of the body. Baseline Strength can be raised by using your muscles to their full extent. Strength includes: Endurance: The application of strength over time. Power: Creating brief bursts of energy beyond your normal capacity. Flexibility: The ability to apply force without damaging the body. Put simply, the Strength attribute determines how hard you can hit, how much you can carry, and how long you can run. As he read, Nick saw that his physical attributes worked a bit differently than he had expected. Most notably, he was surprised to learn that Strength directly affected his endurance and that it improved his flexibility, which he had thought was governed by Dexterity. It seemed that Strength was not only a measure of his raw power but also the ability to use that power effectively without damaging his body in the process. After deciding that it might be worth investing a few points into Strength at a later date, he moved on to the next attribute on the list. Dexterity Dexterity is the attribute governing control over the body. Baseline Dexterity can be improved by performing complex actions that require a high degree of coordination. Dexterity includes: Reflexes: instinctual and nearly instantaneous movements in response to stimuli, such as dodging or rolling with a blow. Coordination: The ability to move smoothly and efficiently when performing complex actions. Agility: The ability to move quickly and easily without losing balance or control. Put simply, the Dexterity attribute determines the coordination of your movements, the speed of your reflexes, and your ability to maintain balance. Now that Nick had acquired a sword, he decided that improving his Dexterity was more important than increasing his Strength, although he would try to raise that attribute through physical conditioning. While Strength would let him do more damage with every slash, even a light touch of the razored blade was dangerous. But the sword was useless if he couldn¡¯t land the blow to begin with. Dexterity would harmonize with Toughness to keep him alive. While Toughness would help him survive the hits he took, Dexterity could help him avoid taking damage outright. Or let him turn what would have been a critical strike into a glancing blow. Dexterity would also assist Nick in combat by helping him control his weapon as well as parry the blows of his opponent. Additionally, keeping his balance while running for his life or navigating dangerous terrain would likely save his life sooner rather than later. Thus, he decided that he would invest at least one of his free points into Dexterity. Finally, Nick spent his last KP and read the description of what was currently his favorite attribute. Toughness Toughness is the attribute governing the resilience of the body and the mind. Baseline Toughness can be improved by surviving significant damage as well as by experiencing intensely stressful situations. Toughness includes: Fortitude: The ability to tolerate pressure and pain without being overwhelmed. Resistance: The ability to shrug off damage from and endure exposure to physical attacks, poison, acid, fire, ice, and disease. Recovery: The natural rate of health and stamina regeneration. Put simply, the Toughness attribute determines how much stress you can endure, how much punishment you can withstand, and how fast you recover from injury and exhaustion. Nick was surprised to learn that Toughness affected his mind as well as his body, although he supposed that it made sense based on his own experiences. His early gains to Toughness explained why he had been unusually resistant to mental trauma, although he suspected that the System had a hand in that as well. Otherwise, anyone who chose to specialize in other attributes would inevitably suffer lethal breakdowns before the end of the tutorial, let alone whatever awaited them on the other side. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. In addition to keeping his sanity intact, Toughness regulated how fast he recovered his energy and the rate at which he healed wounds. Not to mention the ability to shrug off various types of damage. This explained why his injuries had not incapacitated him to the same extent they would have back on Earth, although the gains to his raw health with each level likely played a role as well. After mulling his options over for the better part of an hour, Nick was ready to spend his points. He loved Toughness. It was his favorite attribute by a fair margin, especially after reading the full extent of its benefits. While investing heavily in it was a fantastic idea if he wanted to survive the hardships ahead, it had also been the easiest attribute to raise naturally. It would likely tick up again sooner or later, whenever Nick got the shit kicked out of him without dying in the process. It wasn¡¯t what he was aiming for, but by now it seemed more or less inevitable, at least at his current level of martial proficiency. Strength was generally useful but not critically important to fighting with a sword, and Nick intended to fight barehanded as little as possible going forward. On the other hand, Dexterity would help him land more hits while wielding a weapon and take less damage in return. Thus, he decided to split his points and invest one point each into Dexterity and Toughness. Satisfied that he had made the right choice, he walked over to the display, verbalizing his train of thought as he made his confirmation. He almost spent both free points at once, but then Nick remembered how intense the experience had been last time. He changed his mind just before he pulled the trigger. ¡°I¡¯ll start with another point of Toughness please.¡± As the display flashed a confirmation message, a ball of heat formed near Nick¡¯s navel. A writhing wave of fire built up in his gut and went coursing throughout his body, surging across his torso before spreading through his extremities. This time, he was ready for the intense sensation, and he paid close attention to the changes occurring within his body. He could feel the flowing energy reinforcing his tissue. Systematically reforging his muscles and tendons, his organs and bones, into a new, more resilient configuration. The energetic worms crawling through his veins were not quite as freaky this time around, now that Nick knew what to expect, but it was still quite a rush. Since he had remembered to sit down, he spared himself an uncontrolled faceplant as well, which was always nice. When the tremors in his body stilled twenty minutes later, he walked back up to the display and said, ¡°All right, now a point of Dexterity to top it off.¡± He quickly plopped back down with his back against the stone. This time, there was no heat. Instead, a wave of vertigo passed through Nick from head to toe, stripping him of his bearings. Although he was braced and seated, he still managed to fall over, no longer able to tell which way was up and which was down as the world spun madly around him, like a sock tossed into a washing machine. It played merry hell upon his inner ear, and it was all that he could do to keep himself from vomiting in his own lap. The experience was by no means fun, but eventually, the sensation subsided, and Nick regained his sense of body and space. Spitting out a mouthful of bile, he dragged himself back onto his feet. As soon as his legs supported the weight of his body, he realized that his stance felt wrong. His center of gravity was too high and several inches in front of his spine. Nick adjusted his posture instinctually, placing his weight between the balls of his feet where he could shift his center with less effort. He straightened his lower back and pulled his hips over his heels, where gravity naturally held him in a stable configuration. He stepped back and forth, then from side to side, feeling his weight transfer with a clarity he had never known before. Laughing, he hopped from one foot to the other, managing to keep his balance despite his antics. After confirming that his balance had been improved as advertised, he was ready to test out his new coordination. He slid his dagger out of its sheath and took a few experimental slashes, recreating a few choice moments from his fights with the rats. Nick found that it was easier to control the weapon without having to actively concentrate on the motion. To sense where the blade was and how it was moving in relation to his body. He tried changing his grip and found that the motion was smoother and more natural than before. He could feel the balance of the blade faster and more reliably. Although he couldn¡¯t think of a way to test out his involuntary reflexes, he was more than satisfied with his investment. While he dearly loved Toughness, he decided that Dexterity was pretty great too. With his points spent, Nick took a look at his full profile for the second time since arriving on the Searing Isle, contemplating how far he had come in such a short span of time. Contestant Profile: Nicholas ¡°Nick¡± Henry. Level: 3. Tier: 1. Species: Human of Earth (E). Class: Survivor (Basic). Base attribute points per level: 0. Free attribute points per level: 1. Attributes
Strength: 4 Dexterity: 7 Toughness: 9
Mind: 7 Creativity: 6 Charisma: 5
Magic: 2 ??? ???
Abilities Ability slots: 2 active, 1 passive, 1 free. No spells or abilities have been acquired. Class Traits Survivor: You require 25% less food, water, oxygen, and sleep. Geneline Traits Gift of Tongues: You can understand and speak the languages of all intelligent creatures. Awakened to Magic: +1 to Magic. Versatile: +1 to all attributes. +1 free ability slot. Bloodline Traits None. Skills Wand: 2 Size Up: 4 Foraging: 3 Before moving onto his inventory, Nick decided to see if the display could filter out anything below common rarity, as he already knew what he had in his pockets and didn¡¯t need to see the full list of his tools. Inventory (Common and above) Explorer¡¯s Boots (Common). Kastillan Dagger (Common). Potion of Lesser Antidote (Common). 5x Orb of Flashbang (Common). Adventurer¡¯s Toolbelt (Uncommon). Modifications: Self-maintenance. Pugilist¡¯s Gloves (Uncommon). Modifications: Durable. Adventurer¡¯s Coat (Uncommon). Modifications: Durable. Self-maintenance. Wand of Force (Uncommon). Modifications: Soulbound. Skill activation (Wand). Bag of Molding (Uncommon). ??? Chapter Sixty: Into the Woods It was interesting that the wand¡¯s description had been updated now that Nick knew more about its function. However, most of his attention was focused on contemplating the final item on the list. The cluster of question marks had to be referencing his sword. Come on. He frowned at the screen. It¡¯s obviously a sword. Responding to his thoughts, the description shifted, changing from ¡°???¡± to ¡°??? Sword.¡± He wasn¡¯t sure if the System was genuinely trying to be helpful or if it was just fucking with him, although he supposed that it ultimately didn¡¯t matter. Lending credence to Trell¡¯s claims, the question marks suggested that the sword was special. It was also confirmation that the System wouldn¡¯t automatically identify items that he found outside of reward chests, although he hoped to discover a means of doing so eventually. All things considered, Nick had come a long way during his survival retreat on the Searing Isle. His attributes and skills were growing like a well-tended garden, and now he understood his physical attributes well enough to streamline his training going forward. He still needed to acquire at least one ability and ideally switch to a better class¡ªalthough, to be fair, his Survivor trait had already saved his life on multiple occasions. But Nick needed something more combat-oriented going forward, especially as he was having an easier time securing food and water as he became more familiar with living off the land. The only real downside would be giving up the reduced need to sleep. Even under ideal conditions, the trait gave him an extra two hours every night that he could use to plot and plan, which suited his inclinations perfectly. Not drowning quite so fast had proven its worth several times over as well, even if the benefits were somewhat specialized. He decided that pondering his plans for his future growth would have to wait. Survivor or not, he was getting awfully hungry by this point. It was time to head into the forest to forage for berries. Then Nick would figure out which section of the woodlands the lemur tribe had relocated to and do his best to identify the dominant predator in the southern forest. He also needed to come up with a strategy to survive any future searstorms, beyond finding a shelter with a roof overhead, but he was already working out a few ideas related to the issue. Nodding to himself, he left the obelisk and stepped onto the sandbar, enjoying the warm sunlight against his skin, ready to face the tutorial¡¯s second phase. His first stop was the berry patch a few miles to the north, which used to lie between the boundary of the beach and forest but was now right up against the island¡¯s redrawn coastline. Even with his new and improved Foraging skill, it took Nick the better part of two hours to pick enough fruit to last him through the day. The tribe had scoured the surface layer clean, and the berries that he eventually found were wedged deep within the thorny brush. After racking up a painful collection of scratches, he decided to use his sword to cut a hole in the side of the bushes to retrieve the fruit inside. A process that proved to be significantly more labor-intensive than he had hoped, but at least it kept his blood inside his body. Nick doubted that it was worth coming back here to forage except as a last resort. The pickings were sure to be slim, even after waiting a few days for more berries to ripen. To make matters worse, all the coconut palms growing on the beach had been devoured by the rising sea. In addition to finding a sheltered location to shield him while he was sleeping, he needed to locate a reliable source of sustenance as soon as possible. At least he wasn¡¯t in danger of running out of water anytime soon. But that would have to wait until he understood what he was dealing with, now that he had been forced to explore the southern woodlands. He thought that the area might be controlled by something akin to a pack of wolves or wild dogs, judging from the paw prints he had found. Although he had enough information to make a rough guess, Nick knew that since he was standing on the surface of an alien world, the creatures in question could wind up being just about anything. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. He decided to start his search by heading back toward the area where he had heard the tribe in the distance, as their presence reduced the odds that anything dangerous was living in the trees. Once he found a likely spot, he intended to climb into the canopy and wait until the predatory beasts passed below, hopefully without them catching wind of his presence in the process. He passed by the obelisk and began hiking east, cutting deeper inland this time to expand his mental map of the woodlands along the way. While he walked, Nick avoided a half-dozen komos that had been driven from the beach by the rising ocean. Thankfully, their optical camouflage didn¡¯t work nearly as well in the heavily layered woodlands as it did along the sandy dunes and muddy streambanks. There wasn¡¯t nearly as much direct sunlight beneath the canopy, and he could no longer rely on reflections, giving the lizards¡¯ positions away. He had suspected that the komos were getting bigger over time, but after seeing several up close, he was certain of it. It was as if the beasts were leveling up and training their stats, just like Nick was in the process of doing¡ªwhich, for all he knew, was exactly what was happening. He quickly fell in love with his new backpack as he hiked across the woodlands. Not having to carry heavy objects in the front pockets of his bathrobe wound up improving his balance almost as much as boosting his Dexterity. Additionally, it freed up room on his toolbelt for the items that he needed to be able to retrieve as quickly as possible. Even more critically, Nick would have had a hard time carrying his sword around without owning a proper sheath to store it. But now he could arm himself with only a few seconds of effort. He was even able to fit a pair of spears in there as a backup. All in all, his new backpack was incredibly useful, and once he found a place to hole up for the night, he would start filling his pack to its maximum capacity while working out as an easy way to train his Strength. Late in the afternoon, he caught his first glimpse of the beasts that had claimed this section of the forest as their territory. He had been seeing signs of the creatures¡¯ presence for hours. Crisscross scratches on the trunks of trees, surrounded by lumps of rank feces studded with bones, moist enough that they must have been deposited sometime within the last few hours. These markers, combined with the animals¡¯ dog-like tracks, led Nick to believe that the beasts were either pack hunters or scavengers, possibly both. Judging by the depth of their tracks and the height of their claw marks, the beasts were more massive than mountain lions but smaller than bears. Definitely nothing that he would want to run into unprepared. He needed to learn more about the creatures without being discovered in the process. Not long after, he found a trail with prints leading in both directions. It was clearly a central slice of the beasts¡¯ territory and one they used frequently. Now that he knew he was in the right spot, Nick backtracked, walking over to a tree that he had spotted a few minutes earlier. A hearty specimen with broad branches that made for easy climbing. After making sure that nothing was watching him, he climbed high into the branches and inspected the canopy for any unfriendly residents. He then wedged himself between the trunk and a forked branch and made himself as comfortable as he could. Which, as one might imagine, was not particularly comfortable. Once he was secured in the canopy, Nick reached into his belt pouch and removed a lump of charcoal left over from his beachside barbeque. He ground the blackened chunks into fine powder between his palms, then rubbed it into his skin, hair, and clothing to mask his scent. Then Nick sat down and waited for the creatures to return, which he hoped would occur sometime within the next few hours; otherwise, he might need to rethink his strategy. While he waited, he reviewed a selection of the tactics he had been developing to battle the komos and swordclaws, since he intended to make use of them soon. After picking a terrain and deciding how he would open the engagement, Nick cleared his mind and visualized how the creatures would move in response to various actions and how he could position himself to counter¡ªan activity that he had dubbed ¡°shadow boxing lite.¡± Although he was just trying to kill time, he found his visualization to be surprisingly engaging. Before long, he had fully entered a state of flow, and the minutes sailed past without him being remotely aware of time¡¯s passage. Nick was halfway through a second imagined fight between sword and crab when his patience was finally rewarded. He was pulled out of his reverie when his ears picked up the sound of approaching animals. A series of high-pitched chattering yips, punctuated by an occasional growl. Judging by the rising volume of their cries, the creatures would pass directly beneath his tree sometime within the next five minutes. Chapter Sixty-One: The Bonecruncher Pack This was the most dangerous part of the operation. Nick had no way to escape if he was detected. He would be in trouble if the creatures¡¯ senses were sharper than he expected, and they decided to stake out the tree until he was forced to come down. Or worse, if they can climb. This was a calculated risk, but one Nick felt he had to take. Running into the predatory beasts on the ground, on their own turf, no less, was a clear recipe for disaster. He realized that he was sweating through his shirt. In part because it was an unusually warm day on the isle, but mostly because he was nervous. Although the tension was ratcheting up with the heartbeat, the moment wasn¡¯t fated to last for long. Because that was when, right on cue, the beasts entered his view as they crossed the trail below. Shit. Nick frowned to himself. Not because he had been discovered, but because what he saw was worse than he had feared, for the creatures in question were both more numerous and more dangerous than he had hoped. The beasts were big and had to weigh several hundred pounds each. At first glance, they looked like hyenas crossbred with wild boars. Their canine muzzles were long and round, and their eyes were placed further on the sides of their heads than on most earthly predators. Powerful muscles ran along the back of their jaws, and their teeth were long and sharp. Designed to crack bones and suck out the marrow inside. In front of their canine teeth, a pair of short, wickedly sharp tusks curved up before jutting out, allowing the creatures to gore and rend as well as bite. Their bodies were coated with short, wiry fur the same color as the earth below, spotted with darker patches like speckles of mud. The beasts¡¯ forelegs were significantly higher than their hindlegs, and their necks were thick and short. Their limbs ended in broad paws, and between their toes jutted long, sharp nails. At least their legs aren¡¯t designed to let them lash out and use their claws as weapons, like the komos or the lurk. They can still scratch the shit out of anything they leap on top of, though. In addition to their prolific selection of natural weaponry, the beasts had one feature that worried him deeply¡ªa pair of ears that were giant relative to the size of their heads. When Nick noticed them, he slowed his breathing and tried to go completely still. It was clear that the creatures possessed superior hearing¡ªa trait that he would have to be on guard against going forward. All in all, the beasts looked strong and fast and were clearly capable pack hunters. Although they moved together as they crossed the forest floor, the hyena-boars seemed to have less cohesion than a pack of wolves or wild dogs. Watching them closely as they walked past his tree, Nick was convinced that the beasts were vicious and cruel as well, since the minor disputes he witnessed between them were inevitably resolved with violence. It was obvious that he had no chance of battling the pack using conventional means. Even a lone member would likely be able to slaughter him without having to expend much effort. There were seven creatures in total. Two were smaller than the rest, and they seemed to be the lowest members of the pack¡¯s hierarchy, judging by how they continuously gave way to the others. One was considerably larger and was obviously the alpha of the pack. The leader of the beasts seemed to rely on intimidation and, at times, outright aggression to keep the others in line. Nick could see fresh scratches and old scars covering the hides of the pack, many of which appeared to have been inflicted by their own kind. In short, he had no chance of taking them on in a straight fight. He would have to go out of his way to avoid the pack until he came up with a plan to drive them out of the area. Unfortunately, he would not be able to avoid their notice for long. Not with those ears. By now, it was clear that the hyena-boars would pose a constant threat as long as they shared the southern forest with Nick and the tribe. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. As he watched them go, he realized it was lucky that the beasts seemed inclined to move as a group, as it made them easier to both notice and avoid. He would likely have already been forced into a fight if they were spread out across the region. If he wanted to keep the creatures from ambushing him, let alone find a way to defeat the pack, he needed to study their behavior over the next few days and figure out where the pack was laired. Nick waited for another half hour before he was willing to climb down from his perch, tiptoeing down the path opposite the one they had taken. In the meantime, he decided on a name for his new hyena-boar opponents. Bonecrunchers, or crunchers for short. Now Nick just needed to figure out a way of dealing with them that would keep his own bones intact. Once he was certain that the crunchers had not circled around to follow him, he continued heading northeast across the forest, keeping an eye out for the lemur tribe and any foraging grounds that hadn¡¯t been picked clean. By now, the sun was directly overhead, making him miss the hat that he had left behind in the dungeon. When he stopped to catch his breath, he heard the lemurs crying out in the distance. It took him a good twenty minutes to figure out where the sound was coming from, then find a trail that led in that direction. Eventually, Nick¡¯s patience was rewarded, and he stepped into a clearing where the tribe was hard at work. At the moment, the industrious lemurs were busy harvesting roots and nuts, which his Foraging skill informed him were not suitable for human consumption. This was a disappointing discovery, as having other options for food would have been nice. When the sentries noticed his approach, one ran off while the other warned him not to come any closer, barring his path with a weapon raised. The other lemur came running back five minutes later with Bandit at her side, who had grown considerably bigger since the last time he had seen the beast. Bandit seemed genuinely happy to see him, especially after Nick tossed a berry his way. It meant that he would have to find something else to eat before it grew too dark to forage, but maintaining a good relationship with the tribe was vital at this stage. Besides, he liked Bandit and the obvious pleasure the furry primate took in devouring the sweet treat made Nick smile. And he really needed a reason to smile after everything that had happened in the dungeon. This time, instead of scampering off after saying hello, Bandit grabbed him by the hand and led him deeper into the area controlled by the tribe. This development piqued his curiosity, and since being around the lemurs was safer than exploring the area alone, Nick decided to follow along and see what Bandit wanted to show him. As they walked, he had a chance to check out the other members of the tribe. It wasn¡¯t just Bandit; the other lemurs were bigger too¡ªfurther evidence that the beasts were gaining levels and raising their attributes over time, just like Nick. The friendly primate led him over to the far side of the clearing, where a group of lemurs were busy rolling rocks to harvest the grubs beneath. These creepy crawlies were edible, at least according to his Foraging skill. He memorized the spot, in case he wanted to hunt some grubs when the tribe wasn¡¯t around. Although this definitely counted as a backup plan, because, skill or not, Nick wasn¡¯t willing to eat insects unless there was no other choice. He was still changing by the day, but some changes were easier to make than others. After walking past a pair of the burliest lemurs that he had ever seen, who seemed to be stationed as bodyguards, Bandit presented Nick to a positively ancient lemur, whom he immediately began thinking of as ¡°the Elder.¡± Despite her age and status, it was obvious that the Elder was a powerful warrior because she was even bigger than her guards. Though her fur was white with age, every inch of her body was coated with dense, powerful muscles. Her hide was a patchwork of old scars, evidence of a lifetime of battles fought and survived. To be honest, the Elder¡¯s stature was intimidating. Standing before her made Nick a bit nervous, as the elite lemur and her guard could casually tear him to pieces if they were so inclined. I¡¯ve already come this far. I might as well see this through to the end. Besides, Bandit had earned Nick¡¯s trust. His furry friend had already saved his life and had no reason to set him up. Chapter Sixty-Two: Leader of the Lemurs After letting out a few incomprehensible whuffs and chitters while gesturing at Nick, the Elder decided to approach and take a closer look. She was tall enough to stare him straight in the eye, and she met his gaze without fear or hostility. As the tactic had worked well for him thus far, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a ripe berry. He handed it to the Elder, then made a small bow. She sniffed at the offering and then shoved it into her mouth, letting out a small grunt that he interpreted as approval. After giving him another long look, the Elder pointed at Nick, made a few vocalizations to the others, and then headed off to supervise a group of lemurs who were digging up roots. Having received the Elder¡¯s blessing, the other lemurs accepted Nick¡¯s presence. The guards visibly relaxed, and the tribe went about its business, now treating him as a guest rather than a curiosity. ¡°Thanks, Bandit.¡± He reached out to pat the lemur¡¯s head, realizing too late that this wasn¡¯t the smartest thing to do with a wild animal, even one that seemed to enjoy your company. Fortunately, Bandit didn¡¯t mind, leaning in as Nick rubbed the spot behind his ears. But then the Elder let out a cry that he interpreted as, ¡°You need to get back to work.¡± Bandit issued a final friendly whuff and then bounded off to join the other members of his tribe. Glad to have made a new friend, even if he belonged to a different species, Nick began heading toward his next destination, the giant tree another mile to the east. He had no intention of climbing to the top any time soon. But until he discovered something better, the great tree was the closest thing to a proper shelter that he had found. As night was only a few hours away, Nick decided to explore the terrain around the base of the trunk, then get himself set up in the tree. If he ran into the cruncher pack, he would be able to climb into the branches to escape. He hoped it wouldn¡¯t come to that, as the tree was in the opposite direction that the pack had been heading when he encountered them earlier in the day. Based on the tracks and territory markers he had seen so far, he believed that the pack was laired somewhere to the north, where the forest transitioned into the highlands surrounding the mountain looming in the middle of the island. Unfortunately, Nick didn¡¯t find anything else to eat, but he did get a better sense of the local landscape. On a brighter note, he didn¡¯t spot any signs that the crunchers had been in the area recently. It didn¡¯t mean that he was safe, but it lowered the odds of a chance encounter. Which was great, as Nick intended to conceal his presence from the powerful predators for as long as possible. Not long after, he began to lose the light. Night came early beneath the dense canopy of needles. Rather than risk stumbling around in the dark, he returned to the great tree and, after a bit of trial and error, managed to pull himself into the branches along with his heavy backpack. He had to climb higher than he wanted before the branches were sturdy enough to stretch out on. If Nick fell out of the tree in his sleep, it was really going to hurt. But he wasn¡¯t going to try camping up here without taking some precautions first. He took out the ball of twine from the pocket of his belt and began looping it around the neighboring branches, creating an anchor that he could tie his belt to, as well as one of his ankles. It wasn¡¯t comfy, but after a bit of testing, he was confident that the setup would keep him from falling off the branch in his sleep. At least the sound of the wind stirring the canopy was soothing, and the air smelled pleasantly of pine. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. With nothing left to do, Nick pulled his bathrobe over him like a blanket and then closed his eyes, intending to wake with the break of dawn. Sleeping in the branches was a challenging endeavor, especially with the chill wind that blew in from the sea. But at least none of the beasts that he had seen in the forest could get him up here, except for the giant spiders. Fortunately, he was far enough away from their territory that he doubted they would be willing to square off against the hyena-boars. They had plenty of prey closer to their webs. Nick awoke as the sky began to lighten, shivering but otherwise no worse for wear. The discomfort was a small price to pay for the security this location provided. Safety aside, the tree wasn¡¯t going to work as a shelter for more than another night or two. In addition to being uncomfortable, there was nowhere for him to build a fire up here. No space to craft tools or set traps, and most importantly, the canopy would be woefully insufficient to protect him from the boiling rain that accompanied the searstorms. He needed to find a shelter with walls to guard his back, only one entrance, and a roof overhead. He hoped to find something suitable today, once he had foraged enough food to get by. After untying his harness and climbing down from the tree, it was time for Nick to find a dependable source of food. He took a deep breath of the misty morning air, stretching out the kinks in his muscles while deciding which part of the forest he wanted to explore. He was hoping to run into another critically injured swordclaw, as their meat was one of the most delicious things he had ever tasted. But he couldn¡¯t afford to wait until he came across another of the delectable crustaceans, who were harder to spot beneath the canopy than they had been on the sandy shore. Regardless of the source, he needed to find enough food to make it through the next several days, freeing up his hours to figure out how he was going to deal with the bonecruncher pack. Nick was willing to fight some uninjured komos or swordclaws if he had no other choice, but after his various battles in the sewer, he wanted to figure out a way to fill his belly that didn¡¯t rely on violence. He had a hunch there would be plenty of fighting in the days ahead regardless. The tribe had been scouring the area south of the great tree for days, and the crunchers were laired somewhere to the north. Heading further east would take Nick uncomfortably close to the domain of the giant spiders, who scared him almost as badly as the lurk. Even the brutal bonecrunchers seemed friendly by comparison. Thus, he decided to survey the land to the northwest. It would mean walking toward the stretch of forest claimed by the enormous mushroom looming in the distance, although he had no intention of getting anywhere close to the absurdly large fungal growth. No matter what danger the area posed, at least the mushrooms couldn¡¯t actively hunt Nick like the predatory beasts on the island. He was dead certain that the giant shroom was bad news, but hopefully it would be safe enough to explore the border of its domain. He had already spotted berry bushes in the region, and the tribe flat out refused to range deep enough to pick them. His decision made, Nick started walking west, planning to stop by the spring and then head north until he passed the berry patch that he had already picked clean. He was looking forward to filling his belly, as he had given his dinner to the lemurs to ensure their goodwill. As he traveled, Nick studied the terrain carefully, both to familiarize himself with the interior of the woodlands and to always have a tree nearby that he could climb into if the pack arrived on scene. Thanks to his diligence, his journey through the woodlands was peaceful, and he arrived at the island¡¯s west coast about an hour later. He passed by the barren bushes and continued walking north, keeping the ocean in sight on his left to ensure that he didn¡¯t accidentally veer too far inland. This part of the forest was remarkably peaceful. He didn¡¯t see any beasts, and there were fewer animals on this side of the island as well. In retrospect, Nick should have recognized this detail as the massive red flag that it was. But in that moment, he was simply relieved that nothing was trying to murder or eat him. Chapter Sixty-Three: Ravenous Creepers Half an hour later, his efforts were rewarded. Nick¡¯s eyes came to rest upon a trio of berries growing on a hearty bush covered in blue-green leaves. They were a different species than the other berries he had seen, although his Foraging skill informed him that they were edible as well. The plump fruit reminded him of blackberries the size of ripe strawberries. After taking a closer look, he was certain that the berries were not only safe to eat but at their peak of ripeness as well. Ignoring both the grumbling protests of his stomach and the confidence granted by his skill, the tactical, calculating part of Nick¡¯s mind insisted that he take only a tiny nibble, then wait to see if there were any ill effects before eating the rest. He didn¡¯t want to become totally reliant on his Foraging skill, in case there were plants capable of tricking it or were beyond his present level of proficiency. Thus, Nick decided to play it safe. After all, there were plenty of bushes nearby, and waiting a few minutes to eat lunch wasn¡¯t going to hurt him. His mouth watering in anticipation, he raised the fruit¡¯s soft flesh to his lips and took a tiny bite off the end. The flavor was sweet and satisfying. He groaned in delight as the juice broke over his tongue, tasting a bit like a peach combined with a watermelon. Nick nearly devoured the rest of the berries in a frenzy of gluttony before finding the resolve to wait. Dying of self-inflicted poison was not how he intended to go out, even if he judged the odds of such an occurrence to be low in this case. While he waited, Nick began looking for another bush, spotting one a dozen yards deeper into the forest. At first, he thought that the local wildlife had picked this shrub clean, but then his gaze landed on a single berry, hidden behind a dense snarl of vines. He reached in, carefully avoiding the stalks¡¯ shallow thorns, to claim his prize, collecting a second berry that he discovered along the way. By now, the tease of the juice and the aroma of the ripe fruit sitting in his pockets had coaxed the empty feeling in his stomach into full-blown hunger pains, and he could feel no adverse effects from his initial taste. No longer able to restrain himself, Nick devoured all five berries back-to-back, savoring the flavor as the sugary mass slid down his throat and into his stomach. He felt better immediately as the carb-laden fluid revitalized him, although his stomach informed him that it was only half full. I should load up my pack with as many of these as I can find. This is a major windfall and should solve my food problems for days. Before he ventured deeper into the woods, he needed to make sure that he wasn¡¯t taking a foolish risk. Nick had not seen any dangerous animals¡ªor any animals at all now that he thought about it¡ªsince entering this side of the forest. It raised the possibility that there were predators nearby, creatures stealthier than the komos. Worried that hidden eyes were watching him from the shadows, his heart began to race. He dropped into a low crouch and started scanning the foliage while cupping his hands behind his ears. But other than the rhythmic pounding of his own heart, Nick heard nothing beyond the gentle rattle of the wind blowing through the treetops. He did, however, spot another bush twenty feet deeper into the forest. Unfortunately, this one had no berries, but another a bit further back had several hanging within easy reach. I¡¯ll eat this bunch, pocket the next, and then quit while I¡¯m still ahead. The peace and quiet encouraged him to keep going. Even the stealthy lurk could not step between the crowded trunks without making noise and revealing its presence. Nick passed by a cluster of mushrooms along the way, which looked like miniature versions of the giant shroom he had seen from the treetop. Both his Size Up and Foraging skills indicated that they were not poisonous or otherwise dangerous, but he left them untouched. He wasn¡¯t about to eat an unknown mushroom based on a gut feeling, no matter what skills he had. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. Now fully inside the forest proper, the plants began to change. In addition to the squat mushrooms, this part of the woodlands was filled with looping creeper vines, laden with bright yellow flowers in the shape of trumpets the size of his fists. He immediately disliked the look of the deep green vines, a sentiment that was heightened when his Size Up skill gave off a resounding ping of danger. Nick turned on his heels without hesitation, ready to leave before he found out why the hard way. He would stick to harvesting the bushes on the periphery of the region going forward and avoid the strange plants completely. Although he didn¡¯t see it, the creeper vines reacted the instant that he changed course. The flowers¡¯ petals unfolded like bananas peeling themselves, revealing dense balls of golden pollen that glittered as they dispersed into the wind. Ten seconds later, the wave of pollen broke over Nick¡¯s head, thousands of minute grains flying deep into the crevices of his lungs. That fragrance smells good. I wonder what it is. Wait, something isn¡¯t right¡­ was the last thought that passed through his mind before the drug surging into his bloodstream took effect. Although he had been feeling pretty full thanks to his feast of berries, only a heartbeat later, Nick was ravenous¡ªhungrier than he had ever been in his life, hungrier than he had known it was possible to be. His stomach now contained a singularity¡ªa yawning void so intense that the pain was utterly disorienting, removing every consideration from his mind except for the need to feed. He leapt to the ground and began devouring the nearby mushrooms. He ate on all fours like a beast, uncaring of the copious mouthfuls of dirt that he consumed in the process. Lost in a gluttonous daze, he darted to the nearest bush, furious to discover that he had already stripped it clean. Nick was about to start shoving handfuls of thorn and vine into his mouth when the aroma of fresh berries hit him like a hammer¡¯s blow. The scent of fresh fruit on the breeze was so heavy that he could taste it. He followed the cloud of flavor deeper into the forest, scooping up the odd mushroom along the way so that his mouth was never empty. He absently weaved his way between the thick clumps of white flowers that now studded the region like a carpet of lace. The light grew brighter as Nick entered a wide clearing. His eyes locked onto a massive bush covered with dozens and dozens of berries that was growing beside the base of an immense tree, thicker than a sequoia redwood. Compelled to consume, he no longer bothered to avoid trampling the flowers, ignoring the dry crackling that accompanied his every footfall. He frowned without realizing it as a new scent entered his nostrils, then made a beeline for the berry bush. A small, terrified part of Nick¡¯s brain registered the aroma of putrefaction and decay. Of old death and new. Although his compulsion had begun to weaken, the sight of the berries so close at hand was irresistible. With a primal growl, he closed the final stretch of bare earth and began to feed, ignoring the rivers of juice running down his chin. That was when, out of the corner of his eye, he spotted scores of slithering forms making their way toward his location. At first, he thought they were snakes, but then Nick realized that they were the same yellow-flowered vines that he had seen growing throughout the region. The small voice that had gone unheard since he was hit with the drug-laden pollen screamed in his mind, informing him that he was in serious danger¡ªthat if he didn¡¯t act now, he was going to die. With a surge of willpower, Nick turned away from the fruit-laden bush and began running for his life. Before he took two steps, the flowers attached to the serpentine vines unfurled, dosing him with another massive infusion of pollen. He nearly forgot his dire predicament as a fresh wave of hunger consumed him. But this time, the painful bloating of Nick¡¯s stomach allowed him to retain a modicum of lucidity, born from the paradox of being both ravenous and stuffed to bursting at the same time. This frantic sliver of awareness merged with the electric cascade of adrenaline released by his reptile brain, driving him to think even as he continued shoving berries down his throat. By now, the first wave of vines had arrived at his location. They began climbing his legs, their grip shockingly powerful. The predatory plants would finish binding his limbs and immobilize him within seconds, then crush his lungs and throat, leaving Nick¡¯s body behind to fertilize the area. Chapter Sixty-Four: The Boneyard Knowing that he would die if he wasn¡¯t able to shock his senses and regain control over his body, Nick bit down hard on his tongue while driving the jagged edges of his fingernails deep into the flesh of his palms. Fortunately, he hadn¡¯t stopped to trim them yet since leaving the dungeon. Pain drew the blurred lens of his awareness back into focus, pulling two facts to the forefront of his mind as he wrestled the vines free from his legs and hurled them away as hard as he could. The first was that Nick was not standing beside a towering tree after all, but at the base of a gigantic mushroom. The same mushroom that he had seen in the distance on multiple occasions. The second was that what his drug-addled senses had dismissed as white flowers were in fact the skeletal residents of a vast boneyard, blanketing the grove for as far as his eyes could see. Nick stood amidst the decaying remains of hundreds of animals. The skeletons of komos, lemurs, and other creatures that he could not even begin to identify were lying all around him. All of them had shattered necks and ribs. A testament to the power of the vines¡¯ vicelike grip. As he struggled to regain full control over his body, the dire dynamics of his situation became clear. The berries are bait, creating a trail that leads prey deeper into the vines¡¯ territory. Pollen makes the quarry lose awareness of their surroundings, and then the creepers come in for the kill. As he staggered away from the surging mass of tendrils, Nick realized that he was still missing a piece of the puzzle. I was able to shake off the drug before the vines could subdue me, even after a second dose, and the beasts on the island are more resilient than I am. This setup has too great a chance of prey escaping before the drug wears off to have claimed so many victims. There must be another element that hasn¡¯t come into play yet. Then it hit him. The mushroom. Nick tried sizing up the towering fungus, looking over one shoulder as he ran. His suspicions were confirmed by the screaming blare of danger returned by the skill. Kicking a pair of vines from his path, he charted a course to avoid the rest and continued running for his life. The vines surged to overtake him once more, weaving and lunging like constrictor serpents. He spun, leapt, and dodged like mad, evading their grasp by the narrowest of margins. He was deathly afraid that he had realized the danger too late; that the creeper vines¡¯ trap would close around him and catch Nick in its jaws. That was when the great mushroom reacted to his imminent escape. A solid sheet of spores descended from its gills, falling from above to form a glimmering green curtain. Every instinct within Nick was screaming that the spores were another type of drug or poison, one that would disable him more thoroughly than the hunger-inducing pollen. But his survival instincts had finally awoken in response to the looming threat, and this time, Nick was ready. He quickly scanned the ground ahead, then closed his eyes, pressed his lips together, and pinched his nostrils shut with one hand. Nick began running blind, relying on memory to carry him beyond the spores¡¯ reach. A terrifying thirty seconds later, he risked a glance through squinted eyes, narrowly swerving around a pack of newly arrived creeper vines. He had deduced that the spores¡¯ range covered roughly the same area as the field of bones. Thus, he made sure that he was well past its perimeter before he drew in a great gasp of air. He felt an immediate surge of lethargy as traces of the spores were absorbed into his bloodstream, but it wasn¡¯t enough to stop him. Lurching unsteadily like he was blackout drunk, Nick staggered out of the grove without looking back. As he fled, he slowly regained full control over his body, and his shambling footfalls soon steadied. He kept on running until he was well past the spot where he had first sighted the ravenous creepers, then stopped to catch his breath. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. He was overcome with a sudden wave of weakness from straining his body to the limit, but Nick knew that he couldn¡¯t stop here for long. He had to hole up somewhere that he could hide from the bonecruncher pack, as well as any stray komos wandering throughout the region. He could hear the crashing of waves in the distance and knew that the coast couldn¡¯t be much further ahead. He forced himself back onto his feet and into motion. Five minutes later, he stepped out of the canopy and into the sunlight, the endless expanse of the ocean spreading out before him. It would take him days to fully integrate the lessons he had learned from his nearly fatal encounter. But by this point, one thing was abundantly clear. Nick really fucking hated mushrooms. As the danger receded into the distance, the adrenaline flooding his nervous system drained away like a bucket with a hole in the bottom, allowing the other sensations of his body to return to the forefront of his mind. The first thing that Nick became aware of as he continued walking south along the shoreline was the intense pain radiating throughout his stomach. Fortunately, he didn¡¯t feel poisoned, but his belly growled and burbled like an angry beast, churning with a viscous mixture of berries and indigestible matter. It had only been twenty minutes, but Nick was already paying the price for eating so much dirt and random bits of plant. He wanted to force himself to vomit, but he couldn¡¯t afford to lose the nutrients that would come up in the process. He had a few berries left that he barely remembered placing into his pockets while his mouth was full. But they wouldn¡¯t last him more than half a day, and for now, they were the only source of sustenance Nick had. He drank some water to settle his stomach as the obelisk came into view. It helped with the intense cramping, if not by much. he staggered across the sandbar and set his pack against the onyx pillar, groaning in discomfort as his guts fought to sort out the churning mess inside. The better part of an hour later, he felt an intense, insistent pressure building within his abdomen. An imminent urge to purge the nastiness clogging his bowels. Nick had just enough time to dig a hole in the sand, pull down his pants, and squat before everything began working itself out, explosive diarrhea style. The next three hours were highly unpleasant, and he firmly resolved never to think about them again. The random vines, rocks, and chunks of dirt that he had eaten were no more enjoyable going out than they had been going in. The whole chain of events was disgusting and deeply embarrassing, not to mention terrifying, as Nick had nearly died. Again. But at least he had secured enough food to last him the rest of the day, and now he knew where he could pick more berries if he was willing to risk the ire of the creeper vines. Not that he would be venturing into that part of the forest again if he could help it. Late in the afternoon, Nick finally felt good enough to walk a few miles. He needed to make it back to his temporary refuge while there was still enough light to see. He carefully made his way along the southern shoreline before angling north. Fortunately, he arrived at the base of the great tree without further incident. With a weary sigh, Nick climbed into the branches and attached his harness, then spent the rest of the evening recovering from his ordeal. Bandit must have realized that something had happened, because the furry primate stopped by to check on him every few hours, a gesture that Nick found deeply touching. For once, he decided to pass out without engaging in his nightly exercise session. He was tired and sore. He didn¡¯t have any energy left in him after his run in with the drug-laden vines and carnivorous mushroom. He passed the time by reviewing and discarding various scenarios for dealing with the pack. His latest encounter had made one thing abundantly clear. If Nick wanted to survive, he needed to clear a section of the forest for himself. Which meant that one way or another, he was going to have to face one of the island¡¯s powerful predators sometime soon. At present, his only sensible course of action was to find a way to defeat the bonecrunchers, as the other dangers lurking in the woodlands were beyond his ability to subdue. Although the crunchers were ridiculously powerful, he realized that he might have found a way to even the odds. But first, Nick needed to recuperate, familiarize himself with his new weapons, and refine his plan to the point where he had at least even odds of walking away from the endeavor. He fell asleep not long after, strategies and machinations whirling through his mind like leaves dancing in the wind. Chapter Sixty-Five: Day 10: Sword versus Lizard By the time he awoke early the next morning, Nick felt recovered enough to survey the strip of forest that ran between his temporary base of operations and the new shoreline. It was the only part of the southern woodlands where he hadn¡¯t seen any signs that the bonecrunchers had passed through the region. He started off his scouting run by hiking over to the spring, washing himself off, and refilling his canteen. On his way, he kept an eye out for any stray berry bushes. But as he had expected, all the plants in the vicinity had been thoroughly harvested. Not only by the tribe, but by the other animals and beasts that had been driven inland when the beach biome sank beneath the waves. While he walked, Nick pondered what he had learned from his close call the day before. The shrooms and the creeper vines have a symbiotic relationship. The vines are better at luring prey and the mushroom specializes in disabling creatures long enough for the creepers to go in for the kill. The corpses fertilize the ground and benefit them both. Their territory has better foraging than the rest of the island, likely because the animals have learned to avoid the region. Taken together, he decided that the fungus/shroom duo were likely native to this world. A part of the local ecosystem. He had come to believe that the komos were not, based on how they had thrown themselves into the shark-infested waters of the bay when the searstorm broke over the island. Judging by everything he had seen so far, the komos, crunchers, lurk, and lemurs seemed to have been placed on the island around the same time as Nick and were less aware of the isle¡¯s dangers, although they appeared to be catching on over time. Perhaps there was some way to turn this dynamic to his advantage, although doing so would entail taking some significant risks. Although his mind was busy plotting and planning, his primary goal was to hunt down a swordclaw and treat himself to a decent meal, now that he had a means other than the hot lava of starting a fire. It was his way of making up for the punishment he had inflicted on his tongue and stomach the day before. He left the spring heading due east, and soon Nick began spotting evidence that both the komos and swordclaws had moved into this part of the forest. Not long after, he stumbled across both species at once. He heard the clamor of conflict well before he drew close enough to witness the action with his own eyes. He crept up as quietly as he could, peering out from behind a trunk while he watched the beasts¡¯ battle. This time, two of the color-changing lizards had managed to corner a swordclaw against a cluster of boulders, cutting off its avenue of retreat in a tactic they had used against Nick back on his first day on the island. By the time he arrived on scene, the brawl was well underway, but it was clear from the blood-soaked earth that a furious melee had ensued. One of the lizards lay dead in the dirt, cut nearly in half by the crab¡¯s razored claws. The other komo seemed to care not a whit for the fate of its fallen brethren. It continued pressing the attack with a relentless barrage of blows. The swordclaw had paid a heavy toll for its kill, likely due to being ambushed and outnumbered, and it was clear that it wouldn¡¯t last much longer. Three of the beast¡¯s legs had been bitten off, and heavy bleeding made its motions sluggish. Its increasingly desperate strikes lacked power and coordination. It wouldn¡¯t be long before the crab succumbed to its wounds and was eaten by the lizard trapping it against the rocks. This was an ideal situation for Nick to attempt his first real surprise attack. He was glad that he only needed to kill the komo. He would have felt bad slaughtering a swordclaw that was minding its own business, although by now he was willing to hunt to ensure his own survival. He felt no such consideration for the brutal komos, who would invariably attack him on sight, not relenting until he was dead or managed to evade their pursuit. He tiptoed closer to the battle, which was now in its final stages. He timed his advance with the lizard¡¯s attacks, using the sound of their melee to conceal his presence. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. Five minutes later, Nick was within striking range. He took off his backpack and pulled out his sword, adjusting his grip until he was sure that he could swing the weapon at the angle he desired. He set down his pack and snuck up behind the komo, creeping closer and closer, waiting for the right moment to strike. As it happened, Nick didn¡¯t have to wait much longer because the swordclaw abruptly retreated into its shell, having lost the strength it needed to actively defend itself. The instant it pulled back, the lizard charged, tearing at the bits of flesh it could reach through the cracks in the crustacean¡¯s chitin. He raised his sword high above his head, took a step to gather momentum, then brought the blade down on the komo¡¯s back with everything he had. The lizard noticed his arrival at the last possible moment and began to turn, but it was already too late. It was an awkward swing, big on power but light on control. It never would have landed if the beast had seen the strike coming. But as a surprise attack, Nick was barely able to pull it off. The jagged edge of the sword bit deep into the lizard¡¯s torso, severing the spine in front of its rear legs. He leapt back as the reptile began dragging itself toward him, unleashing a final burst of strength to bring its assailant down with it. With the beast¡¯s mobility curtailed, Nick was able to remain out of reach. Less than five minutes later, the komo fell unconscious from blood loss and soon drew its final breath. He looked over and saw that the swordclaw had expired during the interim, sparing him the need to finish it off. Excited that one of his plans had concluded with no complications for the first time in memory, Nick walked over to the crab¡¯s corpse, turned it sideways, and started shoving it into his backpack. He was glad that, thanks to the pack¡¯s magic, he didn¡¯t have to worry about gore contaminating the bag¡¯s interior along with the items inside. When he tried to put his sword back in, it wouldn¡¯t move past the opening, no matter how hard he pushed. He realized that he must have reached the pack¡¯s weight limit, as the crab¡¯s shell was heavier than he expected. With a shrug, Nick put the pack on and started making his way back to the great tree with a sword in hand. He was careful to hold the blade away from his body so he wouldn¡¯t cut himself with an accidental touch. One day, he would have to find a proper sheath so that he could carry the blade within easy reach without having to worry about impaling himself every time he took a bad step. It was quite a struggle to haul that much weight for miles. He figured that the effort was good progress toward raising his Strength, so it wasn¡¯t all that inconvenient in the end. When he finally made it back to the clearing, Nick hung his pack in the branches of the great tree, then went to work building a fire pit. He double-checked his handiwork when he was finished, making sure that the ring of stones was sufficiently thick and that he had brushed the carpet of needles far enough away. The last thing that he needed was to burn the forest down around him. Once he had collected enough firewood, he took out his new flint and steel from his toolbelt and spent a frustrating fifteen minutes learning how to use them. It had been long years since Nick had done any camping back on Earth. In the end, everything worked out, and soon he had a merrily blazing fire crackling in front of him for the second time since arriving on the Searing Isle. All that was left was to figure out how to butcher the swordclaw¡¯s corpse and enjoy his feast. Before he got to the hard part, Nick was going to cook up both of its claws, as he had already devised a workable method of grilling the meat inside during his original beachside barbeque. By the time the first sizzling steak was ready to eat, Nick had realized that he was surrounded. Dozens of hungry eyes were watching him from all sides, and more were arriving by the moment, drawn by the delicious aroma of Nick¡¯s grill. The only reason that he kept on cooking was that the eyes in question belonged to the lemur tribe. While their avaricious interest did make him a little nervous, he was pretty sure that the lemurs wouldn¡¯t straight-up attack him to steal his dinner. Just to be safe, Nick devoured the first steak before he started grilling the second claw. Nothing was going to stop him from eating his fill. He ate so fast that he barely stopped to chew, savoring the intense, wondrous flavor. Then he gestured for Bandit to come on over. The friendly lemur seemed both wary of and entranced by his fire. Once the furry primate was confident that the flames would not leap free of their stone prison, Bandit sidled up to Nick¡¯s side, looking up at the cooking steak with unmitigated fascination and longing writ clear upon his furry face. Although his stomach protested sharing even a bite of his feast, he couldn¡¯t find it in himself to deny his friend the pleasure. It seemed that Nick¡¯s tree-side barbeque was about to become a full-on party. Chapter Sixty-Six: Meals Taste Better When You Eat With Friends Nick laughed at the drool dripping from his friend¡¯s face, glad to have found a reason to smile after everything he had gone through. When the second claw filet was golden brown, he pulled the spit off the fire and then cut the meat in half. Bandit tried to claim his portion the instant he realized that Nick intended to share. He had to stop the lemur from grabbing the sizzling steak right away so that Bandit wouldn¡¯t burn his fingers. It earned him a comically reproachful look, but all was forgiven when Nick handed over the slice thirty seconds later. He was curious how the lemur would react to the taste of cooked meat, which was not normally a part of his diet. He watched closely as Bandit popped the morsel into his mouth and started chewing. It was love at first bite. Bandit polished off the swordclaw filet even faster than Nick, licking the juices off his fingers with a look of such pure satisfaction that Nick burst out laughing. He gave the rest of the claw to the Elder, who was trying to restrain herself and maintain a modicum of dignity. Her efforts held out until she took her first bite, at which point she let out a bark of delight and devoured the rest of her portion so quickly that it looked like she inhaled it. He felt guilty when he ran his gaze over the rest of the tribe. Every lemur in sight wanted to try this wondrous new culinary experience, but he had nothing else ready to share. The claws had been simple to cook, but Nick had no idea how to butcher the rest of the crab¡¯s corpse, and even if he did, there wasn¡¯t enough to go around. Peering out at the ring of pleading faces, Nick decided that he was willing to give it a try. If he didn¡¯t char the meat, the tribe should be able to eat it, as they normally consumed crab raw. The problem was that he had no prior experience cooking shellfish, much less gutting and cleaning the carcass beforehand. However, he had read a lot of stories and played a few in-depth survival simulations where hunters prepared the game they caught. It was enough information to provide him with a place to start. Nick began by using his new sword to cut off the crab¡¯s face, offering the creature a silent apology as he went to work. With some help from the tribe, he used rocks to crack open the shell, then cut away the gills and abdomen before taking a closer look at the main body. He used his dagger to carve out the guts as best he could, then rinsed the meat clean with water from his canteen before pulling the shell apart and slicing the big chunks of meat into manageable pieces. After adding a fresh pair of logs to his fire and adjusting his makeshift spit, a process that the lemurs found absolutely fascinating, Nick was ready for the next stage of his impromptu barbeque. The lemurs seemed utterly entranced by the concept of grilling, gazing up at him like he was Prometheus and Gordan Ramsay rolled into one. Once they understood what he was up to, the Elder barked a command, and half of the tribe ran off, heading south into the forest. The mystery of their disappearance was resolved twenty minutes later, when the missing lemurs returned. They chittered as they dragged a pair of fresh swordclaw corpses into the clearing, along with a towering pile of lesser crustaceans. Nick had seen the tribe hunting the little crabs before, but he was surprised that the lemurs were willing and able to take on the more dangerous swordclaws. By now, the next round of steaks was ready. As Nick had feared, these filets didn¡¯t cook nearly as evenly as the ones that came from the claws. Sections were definitely too raw for human consumption, but at least he didn¡¯t burn them too badly. When they were cool enough to eat, Nick cut the meat into even portions and then slid the pile over to the Elder, trusting her to handle the distribution while he went to work carving up the crabs that the tribe had piled beside the fire. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! Nick¡¯s fledgling attempts at butchery were embarrassingly poor. Fortunately, his lemur friends didn¡¯t seem to mind. They tore into the sizzling crabmeat with a gusto, crying out in delight while pestering him to give them seconds right away, as their understanding of the concept of cooking was still a little spotty. The boisterous primates were generally patient with one another, despite their fervent desire to eat as much cooked crab as possible. Nick stole bites from every other claw steak, keeping the orders coming without neglecting his own stomach in the process. After grilling up the pair of swordclaws, he moved onto the smaller crabs. Instead of trying anything fancy, he impaled them with his sword to make a hole, then placed them on the spit whole. When they were ready, the lemurs pulled the shells apart. They ate everything inside, tossing the remains to the ground like fast food wrappers. Curious, Nick tried a nibble of the lesser crabs, deciding that while they were edible, they didn¡¯t offer the same depth of flavor as the swordclaw steaks. Nick wouldn¡¯t have been willing to make such a commotion and risk the pack or the lurk crashing the party if it weren¡¯t for the two dynamics of the situation. The first was that the grove was open and spacious, thanks to the giant tree claiming the surrounding sunlight for itself. The width of the clearing gave Nick plenty of time to retreat into the canopy if any hostile beasts emerged from the tree line. The second was the presence of the tribe itself. Even a creature as stealthy as the lurk wouldn¡¯t be able to evade their sentries while crossing open ground. It had gotten the drop on them before because the slope running from the beach to the woods had provided an angle where the lurk was hidden from the tribe¡¯s view. On this flat strip of clearing, there was no way for it to hide its presence. It was late in the day before the last crab was ready to eat. Nick handed it to the Elder, who had been watching the proceedings with clear amusement, but hadn¡¯t eaten anything since her first steak, making sure that everyone else got their full share. She grunted out what Nick interpreted as thanks and then tore into the morsel. The lemurs kept watch while he finished putting out the fire. When he climbed into the branches for the night, they dispersed into the woodlands. After waving Nick a fond farewell, Bandit followed suit. From the safety of the branches, he let out a satisfied sigh while rubbing his full belly, reflecting on how strange his day had been by the standards of his old life. It was surprisingly satisfying to have fed the tribe, cementing their relationship going forward. Nick was thrilled to have found some reliable allies. Friends who could help him out in any number of ways, at least for the remainder of the tutorial. After all, the tribe had saved Nick¡¯s life on multiple occasions, keeping him from becoming komo chow and dying of dehydration, and he intended to repay them in kind. Eliminating the bonecruncher pack should save the lives of numerous lemurs, as well as boost his odds of surviving the days ahead. His grilling sessions might offer additional benefits as well. If the tribe liked his cooking enough to do the hunting, Nick might be able to eat without having to risk himself in the process, at least every now and then. He was curious where the lemurs were camping but was glad that they hadn¡¯t decided to use his tree. No matter how much he enjoyed their company, he wouldn¡¯t want to have to deal with their waste raining down on him all night, and he suspected that the presence of the tribe would lure predators into the area. Although I might have done that already, given the mess we made today. That thought made Nick realize that he would have to be extra diligent when climbing down in the morning until he had time to bury the remains of their feast. The mess would inevitably attract scavengers if he didn¡¯t take precautions. All things considered, taking a day off to recover had done wonders for his condition as well as his morale. He had strengthened his relationship with the tribe in the process and learned a bit about butchery to boot. Nick fell asleep not long after, enjoying the contentment that came with a belly full of meat and a body free from pain. Chapter Sixty-Seven: Remedial Weapon Training When Nick awoke early the next morning, he decided that it was almost time to start tracking the pack in earnest. However, before he moved on to the next stage of his plans, he needed to become more familiar with the weapons he had found in the dungeon. First on the menu was his new sword. He finished cleaning the clearing of all the remaining shells and then took the weapon out of his pack, not entirely certain where he should begin. Nick raised the sword and then closed his eyes, letting his awareness of the weapon wash over him. He kept his breathing slow and steady, clearing his mind of everything beyond the blade in his hands, its weight pulling his arms down and bringing his center of gravity forward. His palms pressing against the rough leather grip wrapped around the hilt. With each inhalation, he took a single step forward, willing the sword to move with him in a natural, flowing glide. With each exhale, he stepped back and to one side, seeking a stable stance where he could shift from offense to defense at will. The exercise was difficult at first, but as the minutes ticked past, Nick gradually began to feel more attuned to the presence of the blade. The next time that he took a step back, he realized that his stance felt right. At last, he was balanced and stable, ready to strike out at any angle. At least, that was the idea. The reality was somewhat less satisfying. When Nick brought the blade down in a light slash, his concentration evaporated, and he was forced to open his eyes or risk fumbling the sword. With a sigh, he decided to take a break, at least long enough to regain his focus. While he took a long slug from his canteen, he ran his eyes across the battered weapon, soaking in the air of menace the pocked blade exuded. The chilling presence of a tool designed with one purpose¡ªto end the lives of Nick¡¯s enemies. He could only imagine what the sword must have looked like before the blight went to work, gradually devouring the weapon from the inside out. When the blade was whole, gleaming, and freshly forged, without the countless pits and gouges marring its surface. He had already discovered that the damage was not limited to the blade¡¯s exterior. When Nick tapped certain sections along its fuller, he could hear a hollow clang, as if the inside was honeycomb rather than solid steel. The pommel stone was missing entirely, which must have been heavy, as he had to fight to keep the tip of the sword from lowering whenever he changed his stance. The real surprise was how sturdy and stable the sword felt despite the decay. It must have been crafted from materials or magic beyond Nick¡¯s experience. Strangely enough, except for circular sections that were missing entirely, the edge and point were sharper than his straight razor, granting the sword a ragged profile like the blade of a saw. At least the damage made the sword significantly lighter, as without the missing pieces of metal, he would never have been able to effectively wield it. Even in its reduced form, his arms were shaking with strain after practicing with the weapon for only a few minutes. Despite the difficulty, he intended to master the sword, or at least take himself to basic proficiency. Once he had the luxury of choice, Nick could decide if he wanted to learn a different weapon instead, although he felt an instinctual draw to the simple elegance of a long blade. With a sigh, Nick rose to his feet and resumed his training session, this time keeping his eyes open. Superimposed over the empty air, he visualized a komo standing in front of him, jaws spread and poised to strike, then carefully brought the sword down in a gentle slash. With the pommel missing, its balance was top-heavy, the momentum of his swing coming down like the chop of an axe. He could already tell that the sword would be poorly suited to engaging another weapon in a direct exchange of blows. Not that he intended to get into a swordfight anytime soon. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. Rather than trying to develop his raw technique, his first goal was to be able to control the trajectory of the weapon without falling over or slicing himself to ribbons in the process. With his current skills, which were basically nothing besides a bit of basic theory, Nick was nearly as much of a danger to himself as he was to his opponents. Thus, he intended to train diligently until he could use the sword to defend himself, as it was light years better than the other weapons he had to choose from. After repeating his slash from a variety of angles, Nick returned his awareness to his stance, shifting his weight while visualizing various actions he might take once he was grounded in the basics. Although he was wary of the holes permeating the steel, the sword had an air of strength and solidity to it, the weight of a history beyond his ability to imagine. Nick had already run several tests to make sure that it wouldn¡¯t break the first time he tried to fight with it, which the sword had passed with flying colors. When he had set the tip against a rock and then stepped on the blade with the full weight of his body, the sword refused to bend further than the width of his fingernail. He eventually decided that blocking with the weapon should work fine, but trying to parry would unbalance him and force him to lower his guard, leaving him exposed. Such advanced feats would have to wait until he had mastered the basics and repaired the pommel. Straight thrusts seemed to work all right. Although the maneuver was sluggish on the retraction, as Nick had to strain to keep the point facing straight ahead. The best motion came when he whipped the sword down like an axe, taking advantage of the top-heavy weighting to drive the edge directly into his target. In addition to maximizing his cutting power and penetration, this kind of strike allowed the imbalance to work in his favor, transferring the force generated by the momentum directly into his opponent, making his blows more difficult to block or parry. Nick had read that all attacks with bladed weapons were variations on eight basic slashing angles, as well as the thrust, creating nine core attacks that formed the foundation for all advanced techniques. With that in mind, he tried out each of these fundamental motions, getting a feel for which worked best with the unique properties of his weapon. It felt good bringing the blade down in a straight, overhead chop as he took a step forward, using the weight of the sword and his body to unleash a powerful attack. Changing the angle felt all right on the right diagonal down, and Nick could manage a weaker, shorter chop coming down from the left. Along the other angles of attack, the weight of the blade worked against him. As such, slashing straight left to right, left diagonal up, and straight up were simply not possible for him with his current strength and skill. The final two angles were more manageable, although his clumsy attempts were a far cry from a proper technique. The blade was too heavy to draw a horizontal arc straight from Nick¡¯s right, but he was able to manage a rising strike starting from that position. He could also bring the tip low in a sweeping strike as he twisted his hips left, sending the weapon down to target his opponent¡¯s legs. On defense, the hilt was designed to catch another weapon, stopping it from sliding down the blade and hitting his hands. However, the cross-guard was poorly suited for keeping his fingers safe from tooth or claw. He had discovered a workaround if he wielded the sword in two hands, not that he was anywhere near strong enough to swing it with one arm just yet. With a bit of trial and error, Nick discovered that he could place one palm along the back of the blade, bracing the body of the sword to take a hit without knocking it out of his hands. He just had to make sure that whatever he was blocking didn¡¯t land anywhere near his fingers. He used his right arm to control his strikes and his left primarily as support. One day, he might be able to train his left hand into some form of ambidexterity, but for now, he only felt confident in guiding the blade with his dominant hand. An hour into his impromptu weapon training session, Nick was covered in a chill sheen of sweat. His arms shook with weakness, his control dead and leaden. With a cry of exertion, he lowered the sword into the dirt, unable to bear the weight of the blade any longer. Don¡¯t get discouraged. I think I can get these basics down after a few more hours of practice, but I¡¯ll have to wait until my arms recover. With a sigh, he slid the weapon into his bag and then drained the rest of the water in his canteen. He only let himself rest long enough to catch his breath because Nick¡¯s improvised training regimen wasn¡¯t over yet. With the heavy lifting out of the way, it was time to familiarize himself with his backup weapons, starting with the dagger he had taken from the ratmen. Chapter Sixty-Eight: Unexpected Advancement The dagger was in better shape than Nick had thought. After scraping off most of the rust with his whetstone, the knife had revealed itself to be a serviceable close-ranged weapon, if one of last resort. He held no illusion that he would be able to land a killing blow with such a short blade. Coming that close to a beast¡¯s jaws and claws would likely be a fatal mistake. Instead, he practiced using the dagger as a deterrent¡ªa threat to keep creatures from closing the distance. All things considered, having the dagger at his side was still rather comforting. It gave Nick options beyond his bare hands if he were disarmed of his sword, didn¡¯t have time to draw it, or was somewhere that a weapon with a longer reach wouldn¡¯t work, such as indoors, underground, or underwater. As it was impractical to travel with his sword in hand, having the dagger on his belt meant that Nick was always armed. It was enough to boost his confidence, subtly altering his body language, which might discourage the advance of lesser predators all by itself. Having a weapon on display would also change the impression that he made on other people. Transforming him from a helpless victim to a potential threat at first glance. Not everyone who survived will be friendly. It will take more than the apocalypse to change human nature. Nick might one day have to use these weapons against others of his own kind, although he had yet to truly wrap his mind around this truth. Shaking his head, he turned his thoughts away from such dark speculations and placed his attention back into the dagger in his hand, unaware that the final pieces of his missing memories were rising to the surface like bubbles from the bottom of a pool. His initial goal in training with the dagger was the same as when practicing with his sword. Namely, how to maneuver the weapon around his body without having to watch his hands or cutting himself in the process. Nick eventually hoped to develop an instinctive awareness of where each weapon was in relation to his body at any given moment. But for now, he just wanted to be able to reliably point the blade at an angle that kept it facing his opponent and away from his own tender flesh. The dagger lacked a proper hilt guard, although there was a bump that kept his fingers from sliding up onto the blade. The treated handle repelled water and blood with ease, ensuring that Nick¡¯s grip would hold firm in the middle of battle. After watching his first dagger get cut in half by the foreman¡¯s sword, he would never again risk using a dagger to block a heavy blade. Unless he learned a skill to help refine his technique, even parrying was impractical. Thus, Nick planned to rely on dodging attacks while fighting with the dagger, using the edge to guard his vital points, and attacking by thrusting with the point. Eventually, he needed to learn how to use some ranged weapons as well. Perhaps a set of throwing knives or a bow that was small enough to fit into his pack. Not that he could do anything about it while he was stuck on the island. After some consideration, he decided not to practice his ¡°driving nails¡± combo with the wand, the move he had used to defeat the ratman who had wielded the sword before him. Although it could penetrate an enemy¡¯s defenses as a last resort, the move was impractical. It only worked when he was at extremely close range, his wand had charges to spare, and it would likely destroy the dagger in the process. Eventually, Nick managed to clear his mind once more, placing his attention on the dagger as he brought it around his body, imagining strikes coming at him from various angles. While he worked, he visualized the beasts he had encountered on the island. What it felt like when they attacked him. How they moved, reacted to, and anticipated the motions of their opponents. How each of their strikes and stances blended seamlessly into one another. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. After a while, Nick¡¯s trance deepened, and he began replaying his prior battles upon the theater of his mind¡¯s eye, imagining how he could use the dagger to counter each blow. Identifying the ideal moment to close the distance and strike. How did the komos move when they lunged for me? All I remember is being overwhelmed. I need to visualize the movement of their entire body, not just the teeth and claws headed my way. How did the lizards open the engagement? That¡¯s right, it¡¯s starting to become clear. Now, go beyond the how, Nick. Why did the beast choose to lead with that attack? Why from that angle? What was the komo intending to accomplish with each move? How could I have countered to disrupt its rhythm? After another hour, Nick came out of his trance, bone weary but immensely satisfied with his progress. As he waited to catch his breath, he munched on a crab steak that he had saved from his feast with the tribe. Fortunately, his Foraging skill informed him that the meat was still fresh enough to eat, if only by a hair. While he enjoyed his lunch, he decided to wait until the evening before practicing with his remaining weapons since he had other goals that he needed to accomplish today. Since he had drained all the water from his canteen, he stopped by the spring to quench his thirst, ducking out of the path of a flock of stinging butterflies on his way. As he was already in the area, Nick made a quick detour over to the obelisk, where he found a pleasant surprise waiting for him. With a grin of excitement, he scrolled through his notifications. Congratulations. You have accumulated enough experience to reach Level [4]. You have one free attribute point awaiting allocation at your discretion. You have conditioned your body and improved the following baseline attribute: Strength has increased from [4] to [5]. Through use, you have improved the following skills: Foraging has increased from [3] to [4]. Size Up has increased from [4] to [5]. Clearing the dungeon must have awarded me with a significant chunk of experience, enough to hit Level 3 and most of what I needed to reach Level 4. It mentioned that completing the quest gave some bonus experience beyond what I earned along the way. While he had not expected to level up for at least a few more days, the point of strength came as no surprise. Nick had been training toward that goal, and it was relatively easy to condition his baseline physical attributes up to five, although pushing them past that point took considerably more work. His skills were steadily improving as well. Which was great, because he was learning to rely on them, and the higher his skills rose, the clearer the feedback they provided. This did leave him with a dilemma on his hands, as he hadn¡¯t expected to level up so soon and hadn¡¯t already decided how he would spend his free attribute point. He was tempted to keep putting them into Toughness, as the attribute was intimately tied to his own survival, although Dexterity and Strength offered tempting advantages as well. Nick wished that he had racked up more KP so that he could unlock the descriptions of the rest of the attributes listed in his profile and make a fully informed decision. But he couldn¡¯t afford to hoard his free points. Not while each day was a brutal struggle for survival. In the end, he decided to experiment and put the point into Mind. He didn¡¯t know exactly what Mind did yet. But it had been Nick¡¯s highest attribute at the start of the tutorial, meaning that Mind was related to a part of himself that was naturally above average. Considering how much of his former life had involved crunching numbers, coming up with plans, and competing head-to-head with other top strategists, he was certain that Mind would come in handy now, regardless of the particulars. Additionally, the next obstacles he wanted to tackle were not problems that Nick could overcome with a few pounds more muscle or a bit of additional resilience and control. Right now, he needed to come up with a way to defeat the pack or drive them out of the region, and so far, he had been drawing a blank. Investing in Mind might provide the boost that he needed. It might even help him predict what was coming when the tutorial entered its third and final stage. Worst-case scenario, it was only marginally helpful, and he would deemphasize that attribute going forward. But Nick had a good feeling¡ªa hunch that this was the perfect time for just such an investment. Thus, he decided to go ahead and give Mind a try and eagerly sent his intentions into the display. Chapter Sixty-Nine: Mind Over Muscle Excited to find out what changes it would bring, Nick made his choice and saw the confirmation prompt appear on the screen. He quickly sat down in case the alterations knocked him off his feet like the others he had experienced. But what happened this time was unlike anything he had felt before. Nick¡¯s attention was drawn to the periphery of his senses, the place where raw data was filtered into clear concepts. It was like the forefront of his mind was a window, a portal through which he viewed the world around him. Meanwhile, a buzzing tingle built between his temples, becoming a roar that was formed from all five senses combined, along with bits from sources that Nick had as of yet no words to describe. Five minutes later, the pins and needles faded away, and a great wave of clarity spread out from his brain, coursing along his nervous system and into his sensory organs. It was as if someone had taken a clean cloth and wiped it across the window of his mind, clearing away a layer of grime that had been there so long it had become completely invisible to the people looking through. It reminded Nick of getting laser eye surgery, but instead of just sharpening his vision, his other senses had been enhanced as well. He could feel the input from his sensory organs with a crisp precision, shocking in its vibrancy and intensity. When he looked around in wonder, everything was clearer and brighter. Every swath of color and every swirl and crevice forming the carvings on the obelisk were sharp and distinct. Nick had to pull himself back before he became lost in contemplating their intricacies. He could taste the salt of the ocean in the air he breathed. Feel the sea breeze caressing every inch of his body. Hear the cries of gulls circling high above. When he inhaled through his nose, he could smell the green of the forest. The earthy scents of soil and loam. It wasn¡¯t that the raw data from his senses had been dialed up a notch. Rather, Nick was able to pay closer attention to them. Tease out subtle distinctions that had blended together before. In addition to his perceptual changes, he felt incredibly lucid as well. It was as if he had been reunited with his long-lost love, caffeine, without any of the jitteriness or body load that came with consuming the drug. If anything, he felt¡­ more like himself than before, as if it were easier to travel down the familiar roads formed by his own thoughts and tendencies. Nick hoped that boosting his Mind would ultimately improve his ability to plan and analyze, although that would be harder to subjectively measure. All in all, raising his Mind was fucking awesome. He would seriously consider investing heavily in it once he had unlocked the primer on the attribute and knew exactly what he was doing. Armed with a new and improved nervous system, Nick was ready to tackle the next item on his agenda, studying the pack in the hope of uncovering any weakness that he could exploit. Then it would be time to track them back to their lair so that he could begin working on a plan to remove the crunchers from the board, staking his claim on this section of the forest at last. With a spring in his step, Nick left the obelisk behind him, marveling at the sensory wonderland buffeting him on all sides. He hiked east until he passed by where the shipwreck had come crashing into the forest, then turned to head north. He angled toward the strip of ground he had come across a few days prior, where the crunchers¡¯ tracks were laid thick across the soil. He was increasingly certain that the trail had been formed when the pack ventured from their lair to hunt within the southern forest. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. It took him the better part of an hour to locate the area in question. Only seconds after Nick arrived, he decided to call his mission off until tomorrow. The tracks were fresh, and beside them sat steaming piles of shit. The pack had passed through only minutes ago and was still somewhere nearby. He had missed his chance to hide in the trees and observe, and tracking the crunchers on foot was a terminally bad idea. That was when he heard a yipping bark coming from somewhere to his east, then another to the north. Yup, definitely time to go. Heart racing, Nick crept back the way he had come, every snapping twig and falling leaf sending a surge of adrenaline coursing through his bloodstream. He realized that he needed to build a better model of the pack¡¯s behavior. A way to anticipate their movements so that he could place himself in a suitable vantage without risking being caught before he could conceal his presence. So far, none of the tracks he had seen had been left in the early morning, so he would try again at dawn. At least he had spotted a suitable tree before fleeing the area. He made the journey to the great tree with one eye over his shoulder, afraid that the brutal bonecrunchers had caught wind of his intrusion and were hot on his heels. But through luck or mere coincidence, Nick made it back to the tribe¡¯s section of the woods without running into the brutish hyena-boars. He spent the rest of the afternoon foraging from his original berry patch, the one that had been picked clean several times over. Although it took him three full hours, Nick finally managed to gather enough food to get him through the rest of the day. He had been forced to penetrate deep into the heart of the brush to secure his meager haul. He emerged covered in scratches from head to toe for his trouble, even with the aid of his sword. It made him wonder if there was a way to dry out the meat that he harvested from the swordclaws, as even a single crab would provide him with enough to eat for a fair portion of a week. Nick eventually decided that he would try to make jerky if he had the opportunity to butcher another swordclaw. Other methods of preservation required specialized tools and techniques that were beyond his means for now. When he made it back to the tree, he spent the rest of the evening conditioning his body. This was the only place where he could safely exhaust himself. Nick could pull himself up into the branches before anything hostile could reach him, even if he drained his stamina dry during his workout. As his arms were still sore from a morning full of weapon training, he focused this session on increasing his flexibility. After making his decision, he began going through all the yoga poses he knew, then tossed in some of the exercises he had learned back in school. As soon as he started, Nick knew he had chosen wisely. It felt amazing to stretch out. To separate the knots that had been pounded into his muscles from the various trials he had survived thus far. He threw himself into his workout, groaning as he gradually began to relax, pulling overlapping muscle fibers apart to their natural resting length. He split his attention between focusing on his body and prioritizing his time for the next few days. Nick had approximately two and a half weeks before the tutorial entered its third and final phase. He had a lot that he still needed to accomplish if he wanted to survive to see its end, such as surveying the interior of the island. The looming mountain and the highlands surrounding it. He was certain that if there were any clues that would reveal the true nature of the Searing Isle, the dangerous central biomes were where he would find them. While he worked out, he spotted a few wispy green clouds on the horizon, which were thankfully not heading his way. Their presence renewed Nick¡¯s resolve to drive away the cruncher pack because he needed to find a suitable haven before the next searstorm broke over the island. However, that would have to wait at least a little longer. Moving into a shelter on the ground with the bonecrunchers patrolling the region was like asking to be ambushed and eaten. Nick had discovered a few less-than-promising solutions to use as a stopgap storm shelter, such as boulders with hanging protrusions. But he was not even remotely confident that they would offer sufficient protection from the boiling rain. Not with the howling winds he had felt during his desperate sprint to the bay, which had forced him to enter the dungeon earlier than he intended. With his thoughts on the future, Nick climbed into the branches to watch the sunset. He planned to wake up well before dawn, then stake out the crunchers before finalizing his plans to remove them from the board. Chapter Seventy: Day 12: Know thy Enemy Nick watched, barely daring to breathe, as the bonecruncher pack converged on a trio of komos that had wandered into the region a few minutes earlier. Although the lizards would not realize it for another thirty seconds, their fate was already sealed. The hyena-boars had heard the komos coming well before they arrived on scene, spreading out to cut off all avenues of escape. The brutal beasts¡¯ method of hunting was both fascinating and deeply frightening. He raised his estimation of the crunchers¡¯ prowess by another notch as he watched them go in for the kill. Nick would not have been nearly as copacetic about the beasts prowling below had he not been watching from the safety of the treetops, where he had been waiting for the pack for the better part of two hours. At the moment, he was further inland than he had ventured before by quite some distance. His journey had taken him to the northern edge of the southern forest, where the woodland terrain transitioned into the highlands that ringed the mountain jutting up from the center of the island. He would never have been willing to press this deep into the pack¡¯s territory if his first, early morning scouting mission had not been a resounding success, for he had learned a great deal about the crunchers¡¯ capabilities. Now, Nick was confident that he could avoid the pack¡¯s notice¡ªif he was careful. Although they were incredibly strong and much faster than him, the hyenas were impatient and highly vocal. It was easy to hear them coming when Nick paid close attention to his surroundings. The beasts had poor eyesight and a weak sense of smell, relying on their excellent hearing to track their prey. Taken together, it meant that he could avoid the pack if he took to the trees and remained silent after. After waking before dawn, he skipped his morning training in favor of entering the pack¡¯s territory before the beasts were up and about. Traversing the woodlands in the misty morning light, he found the tree he had picked out the day before, climbed to the top, then settled in to wait. After rubbing in some ash to mute his scent, Nick climbed into the branches, a spot that offered him a wide view of the surrounding terrain. He had come to love the leather gloves that he had found in the dungeon with all the climbing he had been doing lately. An hour or so into his stakeout, the sounds of conflict drew his attention to a nearby clearing. From his post in the treetop, Nick was able to observe what had begun as a fight between a pair of lemurs and a komo¡ªa three-way standoff that involved a great deal of hissing and shrieking as the lemurs and the lizard contested the half-eaten corpse of a swordclaw. Their posturing had eventually broken out into a full-blown melee, the lemurs having armed themselves with a pair of stout sticks. Nick would have helped them had the lemurs not had the option of climbing to safety whenever they wanted. It wound up being a good thing that he had stayed put. Before any of the beasts could land a decisive blow, the pack, who had been drawn by the sounds of their battle, burst into the clearing while the fight was underway. In the blink of an eye, the warring trio had ceased their melee and stood stock-still, remaining frozen in place rather than trying to flee. The closest cruncher was about the same distance away from their location as it was from the nearest tree. The lemurs must have been convinced that the hyena would beat them in a race to the trunk, although it didn¡¯t explain why they were just standing there. Nick had been puzzled by this behavior until he realized that the pack had stopped moving as well. They spread out while cocking their ears to the side, poised like they were waiting for something. If the crunchers had eyesight like Nick¡¯s or a nose like a dog¡¯s, they would have spotted the lemurs and komo immediately. Instead, they started darting around the clearing, picking directions seemingly at random. That was when, without warning, all seven hyenas let loose a piercing howl, causing him to flinch despite the considerable distance between them. Although their eyes went wide with fear, the lemurs remained as still as statues, gazes locked onto the prowling predators. As for the komo, it startled at the sudden sound. It only took two small steps before it became motionless once more, but that tiny scramble was enough to seal the lizard¡¯s fate. Fourteen furry ears swiveled to face the komo, and the pack surged into motion half a heartbeat later. The instant it realized that it had been spotted, the komo began a mad dash for its life, fear fueling its muscles into a blurring burst of speed. But its impressive velocity was no match for the pack. In less than a minute, the crunchers had spread out to surround the unfortunate reptile, trapping it within a ring of jutting tusks and snapping jaws. They performed the maneuver with impeccable teamwork, offering Nick a crash course in pack tactics. Although the lizard had four sets of claws and its own razored jaws, it could only look in one direction at a time. Each time that a cruncher feinted to draw the komo¡¯s attention, three more would strike from the rear and flanks, charging in from beyond the komo¡¯s field of view. The reptile was unable to attack or mount a proper defense, although it somehow managed to avoid the first round of attacks. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. Utterly outmatched, the komo started spinning in circles in a desperate attempt to catch one of the bonecrunchers off-guard and land a decisive blow. Its plan was clear. Create an opening, break through, and escape the living cage of ivory while ringing it on all sides. Suddenly, an opportunity presented itself in the flow of battle, as a hyena overextended itself after a clumsy lunge. The lizard pounced, jaws streaking for the cruncher¡¯s throat, seemingly set up to score a devastating bite. But that was exactly what the pack had been waiting for. Lured into lowering its guard for a handful of heartbeats, the komo failed to notice a second beast closing in from the side, timing its attack with the advance of its packmate. That entire setup was planned. A trick to draw the komo into an exposed position, allowing the crunchers to close the distance without being wounded in return. The terrified lizard realized its mistake at the last possible moment, but it was already too late. The bonecruncher¡¯s jaws closed around its throat, tearing into scale and flesh before pinning the lizard to the ground with its superior mass. The pack pounced the instant that the komo was disabled, tearing the helpless lizard apart in a feeding frenzy and devouring its legs and tail while the beast was still alive. To Nick¡¯s relief, the lemurs had darted for the safety of the treetops the moment the pack¡¯s attention was absorbed in consummating their kill. A pair of hyenas mounted a half-hearted pursuit, but they abandoned the attempt when the lemurs climbed into the canopy, returning to where the pack was deciding how to split the spoils from their hunt. The cruncher who had initiated the trap tried to carry off the komo¡¯s head, which seemed to be the choice piece of the carcass. But the alpha forced its packmate back with a menacing growl, claiming the gore-smeared prize for its own. Nick watched, torn between fascination and revulsion, as the pack pulled the corpse into pieces and began to feast, jagged teeth shearing through tissue and bone with no appreciable resistance. I can¡¯t fight those head-on. He nodded to himself with total certainty. Even facing off against one of the smaller ones would be a terrible idea. There is no way I can win in a fair fight. I need to find a way to stack the deck. Watching their hunt had only solidified his resolve to remove the pack from the board. If Nick made a single mistake while crossing the forest and failed to notice their arrival, it would surely cost him his life. Plans were cycling through his mind as Nick considered and discarded a dozen strategies back-to-back. Each was more suitable than the last, although he was unable to find a solution that satisfied him. I need to work out a way to break the pack¡¯s cohesion, lure them away from their territory, and then whittle down their numbers once they are isolated. Only then will a path to victory lie before me. Although he still needed to form a viable plan, Nick¡¯s scouting run had been worth the effort. After watching their movements closely, he was able to evaluate the crunchers¡¯ abilities. At a rough estimate, they hunted 70 percent by sound, 20 percent by sight, although their vision was shit at picking out stationary targets, and only 10 percent by smell. While the hyenas stopped to sniff at feces and other strongly scented objects, they seemed to use the information to identify the species in question rather than following the odor to track their prey. Their eyes helped them to home in on their target once they were near, although their hearing seemed sufficient for that task as well. Taken together, Nick had learned that if he wanted to evade detection, he had to change how he moved through the forest as he began tracking the pack to their lair. Once the coast was clear, he had begun hiking north, intent on following the brutal bonecrunchers into the highlands beyond the forest. Now that he knew the beasts were able to perceive their prey well before it came into view, Nick was certain that they could hear him as he advanced into their territory. He had countered this threat by only moving for short stretches before going completely still. The crunchers could tell what direction he was heading from a considerable distance, but not where he was standing once he stopped making noise. By the time the pack arrived, they were unable to pin down Nick¡¯s exact location. Fortunately, the crunchers were not patient hunters and quickly gave up in favor of finding an easier meal. Even so, each time he heard the deadly beasts drawing near, he broke into a cold sweat, certain that this time they would find him. He knew that his luck wouldn¡¯t last forever. If he stumbled across the bonecruncher pack without sufficient warning, they would be on him before he knew what hit him. He was also worried that they would hide somewhere nearby, waiting to launch an ambush when Nick revealed his presence. So far, they hadn¡¯t tried it, but if the hyena-boars took offense at his intrusion into their territory, their behavior might change. That was why he had decided to keep on pushing and try to determine where the pack was laired, although he wasn¡¯t ready to scout any further than he had today. Nick pulled himself back into the present as the crunchers converged on their prey. By now, the pack had fanned out to surround the komos, cutting off all avenues of retreat before the lizards even realized that they were under attack. It was the same tactic that the color-changing reptiles had used on Nick on his first day on the island, and he felt a grim satisfaction in watching the tables turn. Five minutes later, it was over. The pack enjoyed their meal before heading north into the highlands, returning to their lair with full bellies. Having learned all that he could from direct observation, he was ready to move on to the next stage of his preparations. Just to be safe, Nick waited twenty minutes before climbing out of the tree and heading back to the lemur¡¯s side of the forest, plots and plans whirling madly within his brain. Chapter Seventy-One: Tools and Tactics Nick spent the next two days foraging for food, training with his weapons, and studying the beasts on the island. He paid special attention to the abilities and tendencies of the pack, which had begun ranging further south with every day that passed. Thanks to his efforts, he was able to raise his skills. The next time that he stopped by the obelisk, he had a pair of notifications waiting for him. Through use, you have improved the following skills: Foraging has increased from [4] to [5]. Size Up has increased from [5] to [6]. Nick hadn¡¯t been able to increase his attributes despite his diligent training regimen, although he hoped that he was closing in on his next series of gains. Yesterday, he had hunted his first swordclaw that wasn¡¯t critically wounded. Killing the beast made him feel a bit guilty, but he needed to eat. It was his only real option, as the pickings had become slim enough that foraging was no longer sufficient to sustain him. At least the crustaceans were dumb, as Nick doubted that he would ever be willing to kill an intelligent beast that wasn¡¯t directly threatening him. His calculus might change if his life were on the line, but Nick would do everything in his power to ensure that such a dilemma never came to pass. The idea of eating creatures with personalities on par with the lemurs filled him with an instinctual revulsion, like someone had suggested killing a child. While the swordclaws were relatively peaceful, they had no thoughts or emotions that Nick could perceive. Additionally, he was certain that the crabs wouldn¡¯t think twice about killing him if they were hungry or decided that he was a threat. Thus, he decided to treat the swordclaws in the same manner that he did regular animals. He was happy to live and let live under normal circumstances, but hunting the giant crustaceans for food was fair game. This was no easy feat when the crabs were uninjured, since their defense was strong and their weapons were on par with Nick¡¯s own. The biggest obstacle was getting past the crabs¡¯ razored claws, which they swung with considerable strength and precision. Thankfully, the bulky beasts were slow, and their senses were not particularly sharp, or Nick would not have walked away from the encounter unscathed. After several close calls, he finally succeeded in sneaking up on his victim and landed a strike from ambush. His chop was ugly, but it caught the creature by surprise, blade shearing off one of its massive claws in a single strike. He didn¡¯t try to follow up. Instead, he darted out of reach, trailing the crab at a distance until it expired from blood loss¡ªa trick he had learned from watching the komos hunt. After stopping to catch his breath, Nick put the carcass into his pack and carried it back to the great tree, ready to try out an idea that had come to him. A solution to how he could convert a portion of the meat into jerky. After grilling enough crab steak to last him through the day, Nick cut the rest into thin slices and then draped them over a pair of broad branches that were sitting in direct sunlight. He had to push past his initial disgust. By the standards of his old life, this method was far from hygienic. You didn¡¯t eat food that had been lying on the ground or hanging from a tree for hours. He eventually decided that the five-second rule would have to be changed to the five-hour rule, using his Foraging skill to make sure that his food had not been contaminated. Fortunately, there weren¡¯t many insects on the island, except for the spring and the streams that ran off it. Nick turned the hanging meat over every few hours, and by the end of the day, it was dehydrated enough to store in his pack. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. He suspected that his crude air-drying method had only extended the shelf life of the steaks by a few days, rather than the weeks a true curing would add. But it was enough that he wouldn¡¯t have to waste increasingly long hours futilely foraging for berries. At least until his store of jerky ran out. Perhaps when Nick grew more proficient in living off the land, he could figure out how to properly smoke meat and create a lasting reserve. A problem for another day. After judging his experiment a success, he put the jerky into his pack and moved onto his training. In addition to his daily sword and dagger sessions, which were starting to shape up into a basic level of competency, Nick had begun training with his other weapons as well. Next on the list was his wand, the most powerful tool in his arsenal. He spent long hours working on improving his draw and his aim. He had to cut the motion short before firing the device, as he couldn¡¯t afford to squander its limited supply of charges. At present, all three gems along the base were glowing with a pale pink light, unchanged from when Nick had exited the dungeon. Until he figured out how to recharge the device, he intended to use the wand as a means of last resort. But when he needed it, the wand could save him from threats his blade could not, and he needed to be able to fire the force-flinging tool quickly and reliably. He practiced sliding the wand free from its belt loop as smoothly as possible, positioning the business end so that it was pointed at targets arriving from various angles. At the same time, Nick worked on automatically sliding his thumb across the safety and over the trigger, until the motion was natural enough that he did it every time without having to think. It was frustrating at first, as he had trouble drawing the wand from its loop without dropping it. Even when he did, his thumb was out of place to fire the wand quickly. In a real fight, he would have been dead before he had time to correct his mistakes. Instead of giving up, he doubled down, repeating the motion until the action became an ingrained reflex. Once Nick had the basics down, he tried mixing it up, drawing and aiming the wand in the middle of practicing with his sword. He needed to be able to use the force-emitting device in the middle of a fight without disarming himself in the process. While Nick trained, he pondered the wand and the strange way it had come into his possession. He was curious about the modification soulbound, which he had seen before in games, but he wasn¡¯t sure how the term would play out in his new life governed by the System. The wand wasn¡¯t the only tool he that needed to master. He also wanted to increase his accuracy with his Orbs of Flashbang, as the devices bolstered Nick¡¯s range of options when dealing with various threats. He needed to improve his throwing skills in general, as they would likely come into play later when using other weapons or consumables. Rather than risk damaging the irreplaceable tools, Nick found a pair of rocks that were roughly the same weight and practiced throwing them instead. His aim was shit at first, but after two full days of training, his precision had improved by a fair margin. If he spent a few minutes every morning refining his throw, he should improve his accuracy enough to use the flashbangs in battle well before the end of the tutorial. Last and least, Nick devoted a few minutes each session to training with his spear. As he wasn¡¯t sure that he would wind up using it, he drilled with the spear for only a fraction of the time he spent learning his other weapons¡ªjust enough to be able to bring the point to bear quickly without fumbling. Although the crude weapon wasn¡¯t ideal in most circumstances, Nick intended to spend a few hours each week learning the ins and outs. There were some situations where a long weapon would offer him advantages over his sword. Better still, the spears were easy to make and were more or less disposable, which gave him a few options that were not practical with his irreplaceable weapons. He practiced changing up his stance and thrusting along various angles, visualizing using the tip to drive off a charging komo. The spear¡¯s reach was superior to his sword, and it was easier to hold at the ready for prolonged periods of time. He was experimenting with different shapes in an attempt to fashion a proper throwing weapon, but so far he had failed to create a working prototype. All the while, Nick¡¯s mind raced while his hands were busy. Pondering strategies that would allow him to slaughter the bonecrunchers and lay claim to their piece of the woodlands. Yesterday afternoon, an idea had come to him at last. A means of using the pack¡¯s constant proximity and propensity for resolving internal disputes with violence against them. However, to pull off his plan, he needed to acquire a resource that he had been hoping to find but had not yet spotted. That all changed late the next morning, which marked the beginning of Nick¡¯s third week on the Searing Isle. Chapter Seventy-Two: Day 15: Deadly Harvest Nick moved mindfully as he traveled through the forest, going out of his way to avoid bringing his weight down on dry branches or loose piles of rock. After observing the crunchers up close, he had begun teaching himself how to move more quietly, hoping to boost his chances of evading the pack¡¯s notice. Although it slowed his progress to a crawl, he considered the time to be well spent. Being light on his feet would help him avoid unwanted attention going forward, enhancing his prowess as a hunter and reducing his odds of being hunted himself. While he practiced his fledgling powers of stealth, Nick had continued to explore the southern forest, seeking out any tools or terrain that could help him defeat the vicious hyena-boars. At the moment, he was surveying the boundary of the great shroom¡¯s territory, picking an occasional berry while mapping out the border of the danger zone where the hunger-inducing vines grew thick, which he had decided to call ravenous creepers. It was nervous work, but the tension saturating the region helped Nick focus, driving him to refine his technique like a whetstone working its way down a rusty blade. He couldn¡¯t just pay attention to where he placed his feet. Nick had to remain aware of his surroundings as well, retreating the instant that he spotted the creepers¡¯ vibrant yellow flowers. He had his potion of antidote resting in one of the loops on his toolbelt, ready to use if he fucked up and was dosed with pollen again. It should protect him if he was quick enough to quaff the vial before the drug overrode his ability to reason. But Nick was hoping to save the murky green potion for an emergency down the road and would hate to waste such a precious resource recovering from a careless mistake. Thanks to the ever-present threat of drug-wielding flora, this strip of woodlands had not been scavenged as thoroughly as the rest. It was the only spot where he could still forage an occasional berry, helping him stretch out the dwindling supply of crab jerky in his pack. But stealth training and acquiring an occasional snack were only side goals in scouting the region so thoroughly. His true purpose was to search for a weapon. Nick was certain that he would eventually find what he was looking for. He was less confident that he could acquire it without paying a heavy price in return. Twenty nervous minutes later, he finally found what he had been searching for over the last two days. Because that was when he spotted a solitary creeper vine wrapped around the base of a sapling that was basking in a pool of sunlight. Instead of boasting a deep jade stalk and pristine golden flowers, every inch of this vine was desiccated, its once vibrant colors muted to a muddy brown. On sighting the creeper, Nick¡¯s heart began to race, the memory of being trapped within the pollen¡¯s daze rushing back to him in a wave. Part of him was convinced that this had to be a trick; that the System had laid yet another trap; that Nick would trigger the flowers the moment he drew near, their judgment-reaving pollen washing over him. But he refused to give in to his fear, even if his aversion was justified by his last encounter with the creeper vines. He forced himself to breathe as he thrust the memories aside. Nick willed his surging pulse to slow, focusing every scrap of his attention on the deadly plant. He walked to one side and then the other, viewing it from every angle before drawing near. Eventually, his nerves began to steady, since what he saw gave every indication that the creeper was lifeless and inert. All living things die, Nick assured himself, as his roaring fears receded to a quiet whisper in his brain. Especially on a world like this one. As he worked up his courage for what came next, a heady surge of excitement kneaded its way into the mix, blending with his jumbled emotions until an anticipatory grin broke across his face. He was in desperate need of a weapon powerful enough to defeat the bonecruncher pack, and now he was looking straight at it. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. He was hoping that a creeper that had died of natural causes would remain filled with pollen until it decayed or was disturbed. That the drug within would retain its potency for at least a few days beyond the death of the plant. Of course, if the pollen was still active, harvesting it would entail the risk of exposure. A prospect that frightened him deeply despite the antidote hanging from his belt. Nick had no desire to experience the pollen¡¯s power ever again. The hell that his stomach had endured, paired with a disastrous clouding of his judgment. But if he was going to face the pack and claim their territory for his own, the pollen was the only tool he had found that could help him overcome the crunchers¡¯ overwhelming advantage in both strength and numbers. He sat down on his heels and made sure that the coast was clear, surveying the area in excruciating detail until he was certain that the tree was free of living vines or threats of another nature. While he waited, Nick reviewed the plan he had concocted, starting with the equipment at his disposal. One long dagger for my cutting tool, freshly honed and sufficiently sharp. One rag soaked in water to use as a crude filter, limiting my exposure to any ambient traces of pollen. One airtight metal canister to scoop up the pollen and serve as the trap¡¯s delivery mechanism. And, last but not least, one dimensional storage backpack. A secure place to store the drug and a failsafe to shove everything into in case something goes wrong mid-extraction. After rewetting his rag mask and taking a final look to ensure that the woods were free of beasts, Nick was ready to go to work. Agonizingly slowly, he tiptoed toward the dead creeper, afraid that the flower was designed to blow open in the presence of animals, even after the vine¡¯s death. Despite the adrenaline dripping into his veins, he closed the distance without encountering further obstacles. After arriving at the base of the trunk, he examined the vine closely to make sure it was really dead, and that no others were lurking in the nearby treetops. But the woodlands were quiet. Nothing moved beneath the noonday sun. After mouthing a silent prayer to whoever might be listening, Nick turned to face the ravenous creeper, reviewed his plan one final time, then began his extraction surgery. He sat his backpack down and opened the flap, ready to tear the flower free and shove it inside the dimensional space if anything went wrong. Once his pack was in place, Nick unclipped the metal canister he had found in the dungeon from his beltloop. He opened the tin and secured the lid between the fingers of his right hand, which were wrapped tight around the hilt of his dagger. Not daring to breathe, Nick held the body of the canister in his left hand inverted so that the opening was facing the forest floor. With immense concentration, he carefully lowered the tin over the blossom protruding from the vine, careful not to let the metal touch the flower on any side. Ever so slowly, he brought his dagger down and then drew its blade across the stem, severing the flower cleanly without jostling the plant. Without letting himself think about what he was doing, he dropped the dagger and slid the canister¡¯s cap into place in a single, smooth motion. He sighed in relief when the lid snapped tight, sealing the flower inside. Part of the way through this process, Nick spotted a second, smaller blossom sitting behind the first. He regretted not being able to harvest it as well, as he had lost his other cannister while fending off the shark. The more pollen he collected, the greater the odds that his plan would succeed. But then inspiration struck. He smiled as he placed the tin in his bag. He concentrated as he reached inside his pack, visualizing bringing out the tin but leaving the flower inside his storage. To Nick¡¯s immense relief, it worked. The cannister came out empty, clean of any residual pollen sticking to the interior. With a predatory grin, he repeated his pollen-collecting procedure on the second blossom. This time, his hand slipped as he slid the cap onto the canister. Although he was quick enough to keep the pollen contained, the flower shook as the lid snapped shut, a faint thump conducting through the metal. Shit, I just activated the spreading mechanism. Thank god the first one is still intact. Expanding on his initial experiment, Nick placed the pollen-filled tin into his backpack once more. He then visualized removing the canister with both flowers sealed inside, verifying their presence through the added weight, before returning the container to his bag for safekeeping. He had already tested to make sure the pollen bomb would be secure in his pack. For whatever mechanism the dimensional storage operated by, once inside, the contents would not be jostled by the pack¡¯s motions, preserving the larger flower in its present, operational state. I did it. Nick¡¯s eyes lit up as he let loose a bloodthirsty cackle. At last, he was ready to face the pack. Well, nearly ready. He needed to complete a few final tasks, then it would be time to spring his trap. If everything went well, all seven crunchers would be lying dead in the dirt by the time the sun set tomorrow. Chapter Seventy-Three: An Ambush in the Making Nick turned and left the shroom¡¯s territory, filled with a heady blend of contrasting emotions. His fear mingled with his hope. His satisfaction swirled alongside his apprehension. While he had overcome a major obstacle barring his path, accomplishing his next goal would be even more dangerous than harvesting the pollen. It was finally time for Nick to follow the bonecrunchers and scout out their lair. This was going to be tricky. He needed to survey the region without the deadly predators catching wind of his intrusion, tipping his hand before he was ready to lay down his cards. This was a perilous mission, but also a necessary step if he wanted his plans to succeed. There were too many unknown variables to engage the pack while flying blind. If he wanted the pollen to hit the hyena-boars at full potency, he needed to set off his bomb while they were resting in an enclosed space. To ambush the crunchers in their den and inflict maximum carnage, Nick had to scope out the lay of the land beforehand. To understand the terrain that he would be working with before placing his bait and springing his trap. Entering the heart of the crunchers¡¯ territory was wildly dangerous, even by the drastically lowered standards of Nick¡¯s new reality. It wouldn¡¯t be so bad if he were able to follow the beasts¡¯ tracks back to their lair, but it was beyond his ability to read the various marks scattered across the forest floor. Instead, he would have to follow in the pack¡¯s wake, trailing the beasts without being detected by their keen sense of hearing. It wasn¡¯t all bad news. Nick had made significant headway in learning how to move without revealing his presence. His body had become stronger and more agile than he had dreamed was possible in his old life on Earth. By now, scanning the ground had become second nature, seeking out where to place his feet without disturbing leaves or snapping twigs. While he headed toward the strip of woodlands that the crunchers passed through several times each day, he reviewed his strategy. He needed to minimize every risk he could if he wanted to walk out of this trial with his blood inside his body. It¡¯s game time, Nick. Stealth, roguelike protocols. Your primary goal is to evade detection. Secondary goal: be in a position to survive if you fuck up the primary goal. To that end, always stand beside a tree you can climb if this goes sideways. Stop moving every few seconds until you¡¯re sure that the pack hasn¡¯t caught on. Listen for their yips to track their position, but don¡¯t assume that you will be able to hear them before they hear you. Watch the animals in the forest for signs that danger is headed your way. Don¡¯t forget that the lurk is somewhere out here too. Keep one eye over your shoulder, and always be wary of being encircled. Nick repeated the rules intended to keep him alive like a mantra until he came across the pack¡¯s trail and then climbed into a tree. While he waited for the crunchers to pass through as they returned to their lair for the night, he rubbed some charcoal into his skin to mute his scent. He took everything out of his belt except for a flashbang and his dagger, placing the other tools into his pack and then hanging it on a branch. While Nick waited, he adjusted his clothing, tightening laces and securing straps so that nothing would tap or rub together. He felt naked without the bulk of his pack and the tools inside. But none of them would help him now. They would only weigh him down and increase the noise he made as he moved through the forest. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. His preparations complete, all that was left was to wait. In the final moments before he began his dangerous gamble, Nick was filled with electric tension. It was as if a spring was coiled around his spine, ready to burst into motion at the slightest touch. Mercifully, he wasn¡¯t forced to wait for long. Twenty nervous minutes later, familiar yips and growls made his ears prick up in anticipation. Soon, the pack came into view, fortunately headed north rather than back into the forest. Their daily hunt finished rather than still underway. Nick¡¯s heart leapt into his throat when one of the crunchers stopped to sniff around the base of his tree, as the beast must have caught a whiff of his scent. After cocking its ears while listening intently, the hyena-boar continued on its way. Luckily, the beast never thought to look up. He normally would have waited until he was sure the coast was clear before climbing back down. But on this occasion, he couldn¡¯t afford to. Bidding farewell to his trusty sword and backpack, Nick lowered himself out of the branches, shaking with the exertion required to reach the ground without making a sound. Following a pack of ferocious beasts, ones that could hear even the slightest misstep from a considerable distance, was an intense, nerve-wracking experience. The pressure only grew as Nick trailed the pack deeper into the forest, and before long, he was further inland than he had ever gone before. On two occasions, he screwed up and made a bit of noise. Although the pack stopped to listen, they soon continued on their way, evidently deciding that the sounds had not been made by competing predators or prey. Despite his best efforts, Nick lost sight of the pack after entering a sparsely wooded area that was studded by a cluster of low hills. For the first time, he stood within the borderlands, running between the forest biome and the highlands beyond. Filled with a pungent flare of frustration, Nick was in the process of resigning himself to spending the night in a tree and resuming his hunt in the morning when he spotted a rough hole torn into the side of a nearby hillock. It¡¯s the entrance to a hollow or natural cavern. He sighed in relief as he heard a series of angry barks emanating from within, for he had found the pack¡¯s lair at last. His first goal complete, Nick froze in place and took a long look around. He needed to work fast, for every heartbeat he lingered increased the odds of the crunchers noticing his intrusion into their domain. Five minutes later, his lips curled into a grin as sharp as a blade. In spite of his fears, this terrain was a perfect venue for the plan he had concocted. It¡¯s going to be dangerous as hell, but I can do this. If everything goes right, I can eliminate the pack or drastically reduce the danger they pose. I just need to complete the last items on my list, then make it back here without being eaten in the process. The board is green. It¡¯s time to find out what you¡¯re made of. As the gears of his mind spun with manic energy, Nick carefully made his way back to the tree where he had hung his pack, then retrieved his gear. He hiked back to the lemurs¡¯ side of the forest while reviewing the final steps he needed to take before he was ready to enact his gambit. With any luck, he would have everything ready to go by late tomorrow afternoon, launching his assault before the sun set once more. He reviewed everything that he still needed to do, deciding which step to take in what order to maximize his odds of success. This was going to be one of the biggest risks that Nick had willingly taken, but it was something that he knew he had to do to maximize his odds of survival over the long run. He would use the final hours before his showdown with the pack to stack the deck in his favor. He just prayed that it would be enough. The final pieces of Nick¡¯s plan needed to be placed only a few minutes before he began his assault. But several elements could be taken care of today, and he could wrap up the rest tomorrow morning. With a spring in his step, he reorganized the tools in his belt and went to work. He suspected that as time went on, he would be facing stronger and stronger opponents, not all of which would be beatable in a straight fight. But that didn''t mean he couldn''t take down big game. It just meant that Nick would have to fight with his brain as well as his sword, and this was a perfect opportunity to find out what he was made of. Chapter Seventy-Four: Building a Bomb The most important item on his agenda was completing the construction of what Nick was calling his ¡°pollen bomb.¡± One of the creeper bulbs had burst while he was harvesting it, but the other was still intact. The natural mechanism contained within the blossom would serve as the device¡¯s propellant, dispersing the pollen after he tossed the bomb inside the pack¡¯s den. The drug-infused pollen was the weapon¡¯s primary payload. Although he planned to add three more elements into the mix, enhancing the pollen¡¯s ability to strip the beasts of reason while filling them with an all-consuming desire to devour. If everything worked out as he hoped, the device would let Nick turn the tables on the pack, and the hunters would soon become the hunted. He was planning to toss in a flashbang immediately after launching the pollen bomb, impairing the bonecrunchers¡¯ vision and stripping them of their ability to hunt by sound. He also wanted to confuse the pack¡¯s sense of smell and irritate their mucus membranes. Thus, it was time for a bit of impromptu alchemy. Nick started by grinding a pile of charcoal into a fine powder between two rocks. He repeated the process with the last bit of chemical salts he had found in the dungeon, which had been sitting in the bottom of the canister he had poured into the foreman¡¯s helm before he had moved them into an empty coconut husk. He placed both powders inside the bomb using the inventory management trick he had invented while harvesting the pollen, manipulating the objects while they were inside his backpack. Nick couldn¡¯t blend or refine his concoction within the dimensional storage, but he could alter each ingredient¡¯s position relative to one another and pack them inside the container. He used this method to remove the petals from the flower with the blown dispersal mechanism, pouring its pollen into the tube along with the other powders. He was pleased to discover that there was plenty of space in the canister for the intact blossom and the various substances he had prepared. The flower still had room to expand and should be able to disperse the pollen without being impeded. The goal of all this tinkering was to drown the hyena-boars in sensory overload while the drug muddled their minds, infecting them with an insatiable desire to feed. Blind and deaf, driven to a feeding frenzy and stripped of reason, Nick was gambling that the pack would turn on one another; that a brutal melee would ensue within their den, killing several crunchers on the spot and wounding the rest. To achieve his goal, he needed to saturate the crunchers¡¯ lair without getting caught in the blast or the chaos that would follow. He had figured out how to deliver the bomb from a safe distance over the last few hours. But for it to work, he had to rig the canister to pop open when it collided with the cavern¡¯s floor. To create such a mechanism, Nick had carved thin strips of leather from the hide of a komo that he had stumbled onto the day before. The corpse was half-eaten and starting to rot, but that wasn¡¯t a problem for what he had planned. He chopped the carcass into gory chunks with his sword, storing the rancid flesh inside his pack after cutting away a portion of the leather. He sliced the lizard skin into strips and left them soaking in a coconut shell filled with seawater. Nick would use the treated leather to bind the canister and form a seal. One that would preserve the payload mid-flight but burst open after impacting the ground. Visualizing the mechanism that he intended to create, he removed the tin from his pack, leaving the rest of the bomb inside his storage. He cracked open the lid wide enough to insert his pinky, then wound the leather strips around the gap, leaving the seal to tighten as it dried in the sunlight. When Nick went to check on it four hours later, the ring of leather was secure enough to hold firm against a bit of tugging, but it seemed inclined to give way when struck with sufficient force. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Just to be safe, he tested the mechanism by tossing the container high into the air. It completed its arc before slamming against the ground. To his relief, the bomb¡¯s casing held firm until it struck the earth. Then the lid popped neatly off the canister, revealing the cavity inside. Elated by his success, Nick reset and rebound the bomb¡¯s casing, then slid it into his pack once the leather was dry. When he replaced the payload from the safety of his dimensional space, his pollen bomb was complete. After stopping by the spring to wash up and fill his canteen, Nick spent the rest of the day training. When the light began to fade, he climbed into the branches of the great tree. Although his mind was racing, trying to prepare for any possible contingency, he willed his inner monologue to still so he could fall asleep as quickly as possible. It still took several hours before he was calm enough to pass out. For tomorrow, he would willingly participate in the most dangerous battle of his life. He awoke with the rising sun, surprised that he had been able to sleep at all. As he ate a breakfast of cold crab jerky and spring water, he visualized the steps he still needed to take before his preparations to battle the bonecrunchers were complete. Although he had doubts that this was a wise plan, the stormfront on the horizon told Nick that his time was nearly up. He needed to take out the pack and find a shelter where he could hole up and ride out the approaching searstorm. Their den was his best option, and he needed to eliminate the hyena-boars before he could sleep safely at ground level regardless. Nick would never have believed that he would willingly face down seven massive predators at once, each able to obliterate him in a direct exchange of blows. The practical, survival-oriented part of his brain urged him to turn back and screamed that this undertaking was insanely dangerous. But that piece of his mind was viewing the matter through the filter of his old life on Earth. A survival instinct that had been rendered obsolete by the arrival of the System. In spite of the danger, he was certain that this was his best chance of living through the next two weeks. However, his fears were not without merit. He knew deep inside that there was a significant chance he was watching the final sunrise of his life. Despite his mixed feelings, all the pieces of his plan were almost in place. Nick just needed to arrange a few final elements and he would be ready to fight. After stretching out his muscles, he made his way north, stopping to say hello to Bandit and the Elder when he ran across the tribe. Today, Nick only paused long enough to greet his furry friends before continuing on his way. The lion¡¯s share of his attention was riveted on his looming showdown with the bonecruncher pack. His next stop was to finish the pit trap he had begun working on after realizing that he would eventually be forced to fight the pack. Nick had been hoping to find multiple holes where he could construct a series of pitfalls, but in the end, he only located one that was suitable for his needs¡ªa depression in the forest floor about three feet wide, twice as long, and seven feet deep. He would have dug more holes if he had found anything that he could use as a shovel, but his attempts to craft one with the limited tools at his disposal had ended in frustrating failure. Finishing this trap by hand had been a monumental chore, requiring hours of grueling labor for several days. In the end, Nick was satisfied with his handiwork. The sides of the pit were sheer and deep, located behind a gentle rise where it was hard to spot until you were standing right beside it. The fall wouldn¡¯t be enough to finish off a beast as tough as the bonecrunchers, but he had already found a solution to that problem. After some consideration, Nick lined the bottom of the pit with dagger-sharpened stakes. Working from the front to the back, he planted them in the earth until the spikes were dense enough that several were guaranteed to catch anything that fell inside. He needed to make sure that everything was still in place, then complete the camouflage job that ran over the top. After a thorough inspection, he carefully replaced a few stakes that had worked themselves free, shoving their bases deeper into the soil. He took out his dagger and sharpened another handful that looked a bit dull, until he was satisfied that their points would penetrate hide and flesh with ease. While his hands were busy digging and carving, Nick devoted the rest of his attention to contemplating his plan for getting the pollen bomb inside the hyenas¡¯ den. He needed to make sure that his method would work without getting caught in the blast himself or being swarmed by ravenous beasts after the device detonated. Visualizing the terrain around the pack¡¯s lair, he estimated that it would take him two full minutes to sprint to the closest tree once he had launched the bomb. It was going to be close, but Nick thought that he could pull it off¡ªif everything went according to plan. Chapter Seventy-Five: Trapmaking 101 This was the weakest link in his plan by far, but it was a risk Nick had to take. He needed to defeat the pack before the searstorm arrived, and he was running out of time. Even if he found somewhere else to ride out the storm, if Nick wanted to survive the rest of the tutorial, he needed to be able to travel through the forest without the constant threat of ambush. He was certain that the pack would catch him sooner or later if he didn¡¯t deal with them first. This fight was the best shot he had, since the creatures living to his east and west would be even harder to defeat. Furthermore, if the System shrank the size of the island again, an occurrence that he rated as falling somewhere between probable and inevitable, he would have no hope of evading the pack thanks to their incredible hearing. Dealing with the spiders and the lurk in a smaller space would already be enough of a nightmare. It took Nick the better part of two hours until he was satisfied with his pitfall. Now he was ready to conceal the pit and lay out his bait. He began by taking a series of long twigs and placing them across the gap in the earth. Once they were arranged in a stable configuration, he ran a second set over the top in a diagonal pattern, forming a wide mesh. He then covered the lattice with dried leaves, needles, and a bit of dirt until the depression was no longer visible. He took a branch from a pine tree to use as a brush and went over every bit of ground that he had crossed over the last few days, erasing his tracks as thoroughly as he could before deciding that his pitfall was serviceable. Nick stepped back to give his pit trap a final inspection. It wasn¡¯t a perfect job by any means. The pattern of the leaves was distinguishable from the rest of the forest floor, but not by much. The trap wouldn¡¯t trick the sharp senses of most animals; the disturbed ground was still too obvious. But it should work well enough for what he intended if the crunchers reached the spot while under the effects of the creeper¡¯s pollen. When they rushed over to take the bait, gravity would take care of the rest. This trap should be sufficient to finish off one member of the cruncher pack, but Nick¡¯s work was far from over. Even one survivor would pose a lethal threat, and he needed to slaughter them all before he could claim their lair as his own. He hoped that his opening gambit with the pollen would severely wound or kill at least half of the hyena-boars, but he couldn¡¯t count on a best-case scenario. Even if one or two survived his initial round of traps, it would represent a major step forward. However, Nick hoped that his machinations would slaughter them all without forcing him into direct confrontation. He was especially wary of engaging the Cruncher Alpha, who was stronger and tougher than the rest. To hedge his bet, in addition to his pit trap and pollen bomb, he had concocted one final ruse that could eliminate another pair of crunchers if everything else went according to plan. After making a final adjustment to the sticks covering the pit, Nick was ready to begin the final step, laying the trails of bait intended to seal the pack¡¯s fate. He reached into his pack and drew out a piece of bloody, half-rancid lizard meat, then carefully set it on top of the pitfall. He walked twenty feet to the north and then pulled out the next morsel, a slippery section of entrail. Although it was a grisly, nauseating task, Nick had chopped up the half-rancid flesh of the komo into gore-smeared chunks the size of his fists. It was a deeply unpleasant experience, but at least he was able to toss the pieces into his pack without having to worry about the mess contaminating everything inside. Even though the meat had started to rot, he couldn¡¯t smell it from inside the bag¡¯s spatial storage. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! He continued moving toward the crunchers¡¯ lair, using the bloody pieces to create a trail of meat across the woodlands. He had to act fast or risk the remains getting eaten by other animals, so Nick went to work as quickly as he could. Twenty minutes later, he found himself standing at the spot where his trail of bait ended, or where it would begin, from the crunchers¡¯ perspective. He judged that the first glob of flesh was in clear sight of the entrance to the beasts¡¯ lair. If they emerged from their den, they should find it within seconds. He just needed to make sure that they didn¡¯t find him first. As time was of the essence, Nick kept moving, heading due south while laying down a second trail. This one led to the section of forest where the komos resided. After arriving at the boundary of their territory, he crept forward to take a quick look at their forces, taking in the sight of at least fifty lizards enjoying the afternoon sunlight. He stopped to consider komos¡¯ alpha, who was twice the size of the next largest lizard¡ªanother beast that he wanted to avoid if at all possible. Half of the lizards were hard at work digging out a network of tunnels into the side of a small hill, which must be how they intended to ride out the approaching searstorm. Nick judged that the combined might of the komo pride was more than a match for a solitary cruncher. They would make short work of an intruder if the beast entered their territory alone and with enough haste that it failed to recognize the danger in time. It was a bit of a gamble, as he couldn¡¯t set the final piece of meat too close to the lizards, or they would find it and eat the trail he had left. But if everything worked out as he hoped, it would be close enough to start a fight. Racing to place his third and final line of bait in time, he began jogging northwest, crossing into the shroom¡¯s side of the woods. Creating the final trail was dangerous, making him break out into a cold sweat. That was because the bloody chunks needed to be tossed within the kill zone of the ravenous creepers. Nick wouldn¡¯t have even been willing to entertain the possibility if he didn¡¯t have his antidote sitting in the loop of his belt, ready to quaff at the first sign that the creepers had released their pollen. He threw the last lumps of komo meat as hard as he could, sighing in relief when they landed close enough to the vines. He was certain the plants would respond to the crunchers¡¯ intrusion if they tried to eat the morsels. The moment the last scrap of flesh hit the dirt, he spun on his heels and got the hell out of there. Even looking at the vines made him so nervous that his hands were shaking. He consoled himself with the fact that the pollen would seal the fate of at least one cruncher¡ªif Nick could get the beast to follow the trail to begin with. He finished laying the last line of bait as he headed toward the crunchers¡¯ den. He soon found himself back at the clearing where the three trails of meat converged, just inside the tree line before the hills began. His preparations complete, all that was left was to act. Nick took a long moment to steady his nerves and visualize the opening moves of his assault. Although he eventually managed to stop shaking, he couldn¡¯t stop the racing of his heart. This was unquestionably a desperate venture; a wildly dangerous gamble, where failure would entail a serious risk of death. And unlike the other life-and-death battles that he had experienced during the tutorial, this was one of his choosing. But he didn¡¯t have time to second-guess himself. He needed to act while the meat trails were still intact; otherwise, all the work he had put into his plan would go to waste, costing him at least a day. A day that Nick did not have. While he traveled across the southern forest, he watched a band of angry green clouds advance along the horizon. Feel occasional licks of searing wind interspersed with the chill sea breeze. Another searstorm was brewing overhead, and he needed to find a suitable shelter before the boiling rain broke over him. If he didn¡¯t claim the cruncher¡¯s lair for his own, Nick was going to wind up dead, one way or another. In short, it was time to roll the dice and see how the pips landed; to learn who would live to see the sun rise tomorrow¡ªNick or the ferocious bonecruncher pack. Chapter Seventy-Six: Opening Gambit Heart pounding in his chest like a caged animal struggling to break free, Nick crept his way closer to the entrance of the pack¡¯s lair. The stretch of earth where his decisive battle would momentarily ensue. It was a deceptively peaceful scene. An open hillscape blanketed by warm sunlight and fragrant wildflowers. Despite the rugged beauty of his surroundings, Nick was filled with an electric sense of anticipation. He was about to engage in the riskiest plan of his life. Face his strongest enemies to date, other than his showdown with the foreman. But while the ratman might have been a match for a lone cruncher, the danger of his sword paled beside the combined might of the pack. He forced himself to keep his breathing slow and steady, although he could not convince his body to relax. His muscles were poised to sprint if he discovered even a hint that the ferocious predators had caught wind of his intrusion. Not that he expected to survive such an unfortunate occurrence. This close to the den, Nick could smell the stench of blood and decay wafting out of the hole torn into the hillside, the reek of death old and new. His instincts were screaming that he should turn and run until his legs gave out. Abandon this insane plan and take his chances facing down the pack in the forest. He shut out the voices debating the merits of his plan. Despite their well-justified reservations, he was certain that this gambit represented his best chance of surviving the days ahead. Nick had to learn how to face danger head-on if he was going to make it in his new System-governed reality. And a perfect opportunity to take a crash course in fear management lay before him. During this final moment of reflection, he had moved close enough to begin his assault. From where he stood, it was a straight shot to his target, the shadowy entrance to the pack¡¯s lair. Mouthing a silent prayer, he slipped off his backpack and opened the flap. Visualizing the item that he wanted to remove, he pulled out a three-foot section of a bamboo-like plant that he had found growing near the lemurs¡¯ side of the forest. He had chosen this piece because it was perfectly cylindrical and ran straight as an arrow. Better still, the interior was smooth and just a hair wider than the metal canister he had acquired in the tutorial dungeon. The container that he had converted into a deadly chemical weapon. Not allowing himself to hesitate, Nick went to work assembling the makeshift mortar that would allow him to launch the pollen into the crunchers¡¯ den. First, he slid his wand out of his beltloop and then placed it in the bottom of the tube so that the trigger was lined up with the notch he had carved into the side of the stalk. Then, ever so carefully, he removed the canister, holding the bamboo tube parallel with the ground as he slid the bomb inside the far end. Now came the tricky part¡ªpointing the end of the mortar toward the entrance to the cavern ahead. As gently as he could, Nick lowered the base of the tube to the ground, a millimeter at a time. He let the container glide down at a glacial pace so that he didn¡¯t jostle the pod inside and set off the bomb in his face. If he did, he would probably charge straight into the beasts¡¯ lair and serve himself for dinner, although he did have his antidote ready to go as a last resort. Despite the cold sweat running down his neck, Nick¡¯s hands remained steady and sure. The intense concentration that he had come to associate with do-or-die moments honed his focus to a razor¡¯s edge. He felt the minuscule tap when the canister touched the end of the wand and then stopped. With a silent sigh of relief, he set the base of the mortar into the earth, with the canister held in place by the wand. He reached back with one hand and made sure that the trigger was still turned in the correct orientation. Everything is ready to go. Stick to the plan and prepare to pull the trigger. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. Suppressing the urge to shudder, he raised one leg and straddled the tube. Gripping it between his thighs to stabilize it, then aiming with his left hand and reaching back with his right. The crude device that Nick had constructed was based on the wand¡¯s unique power to transmit force in one direction without kicking back in the other¡ªa perfect stabilizer beyond the laws of physics to explain. At least the physics from his old universe. Nick intended to use the wand to blast the bomb out of the business end of the mortar without providing any of the physical infrastructure such a device would normally require. His body should be heavy enough to keep the tube from shooting forward when it fired, and there was just enough space for the canister to slide through without creating significant countervailing pressure. Despite his ingenuity, the quality of his construction was poor. The mortar would not be remotely accurate beyond a few dozen feet. But this close to the crunchers¡¯ lair, he didn¡¯t need the device to be particularly precise. He just needed to launch the canister thirty feet straight ahead, until it hit the back of the cave and delivered the payload of pollen within. Knowing that if this failed, he was almost certainly going to die while being eaten alive, Nick tightened his grip, double checked his aim, stuck his finger into the hole in the tube, and pressed the wand¡¯s trigger. With a great whump of displaced air, the canister burst out of the mortar. It went streaking toward the cavern¡¯s entrance like a greased rocket. Eyes riveted on the flying bomb, Nick¡¯s soul resounded with the rattle of dice rolling across the table. He had officially arrived at the point of no return. He had bet everything, and now it was time to see how the pips landed. If his ingenuity and luck would be sufficient to overcome seven brutal beasts that had endured a lifetime of battle. Every fiber of his being wanted to watch how the next ten seconds played out. To make sure that his pollen bomb landed inside the beasts¡¯ lair instead of striking the hillside. But that was not what happened. What happened was that the instant Nick felt the reverberation of the wand¡¯s activation, he slid the device out of the bamboo tube, shoved it into its beltloop, and then hastily pulled on his pack. He pulled an Orb of Flashbang out of his belt pouch, pushed the activator, threw it at the cave, and then leapt and spun around in a single motion. He was sprinting at full speed before his feet hit the ground. No matter what happened next, Nick had to make it to the tree before the pack emerged from their lair, or he was dead by any reckoning. Before he had taken ten steps, an enormous boom ensued from behind his back, followed by a deluge of furious yips and growls. If the hyenas hadn¡¯t realized that something was wrong before, they most certainly knew it now. Although he ran faster than he ever had before, it felt like he was trapped in a waking nightmare. The tree was growing closer agonizingly slowly, like a mirage retreating toward the horizon when drawn near. Each step caused his heart to lurch within his chest. If he stumbled and fell, if he was slow to reach or scale the trunk, if the beasts had heard the mortar fire and emerged in time to witness his retreat, Nick was in a great deal of trouble. Just as he was certain that the bomb had veered off course; that all his time, energy, and intensive plotting had come to naught, a bloodthirsty cacophony resounded from the hillside. Shaking with fear, excitement, and an electric cascade of adrenaline, he pressed himself into a greater burst of speed. He shut out the searing agony of his overtaxed muscles, taking ragged gasps as he poured everything that he had into reaching the branches before the beasts were upon him. At last, Nick was growing closer to his destination. His arboreal sanctuary where he intended to ride out the blizzard of fang and claw brewing behind his back. Evade the maddened beasts that would follow inevitably in his wake. He darted around to the far side of the trunk, in part to reduce his profile, but mostly so that he could see what was coming his way. Then he wrapped his arms around the rough bark and climbed for all he was worth. He felt an overwhelming surge of relief when his head drew level with the lower branches. But he couldn¡¯t afford to relax. The most dangerous part of his plan had yet to come. Shutting out the fierce and primal emotions swirling in his chest, Nick closed his eyes and willed himself to calm down. To not do anything that would reveal his presence. He had to settle into place and slow his breathing before the crunchers drew near. Their keen ears would surely detect him if he made even the slightest sound. His muscles burned and threatened to cramp, but he could barely feel the pain, intensely focused on mastering his fear. Just as Nick wedged himself between the trunk and a broad branch, the bonecrunchers burst out of the cavern in a clamor of yips and growls. Chapter Seventy-Seven: First Kill Nick watched from between the branches as three of the crunchers emerged into the clearing, the alpha and two of its largest subordinates. He prayed that the sounds of battle that had preceded their arrival meant the other four beasts had already been critically wounded or killed. If that were the case, his trio of traps could take care of the rest, offering Nick a path to victory that did not require engaging the fierce bonecrunchers in direct confrontation. He just needed the survivors to take the bait and fall prey to his scheme. While the hyena-boars had yet to notice his lure, what he saw was almost as good. Because the brutal crunchers were locked in a furious three-way battle. Each of the beasts was covered in dozens of minor wounds, and more were inflicted with every exchange of blows. While nothing looked life-threatening, it raised the odds that the beasts who were still underground were in even worse shape. Nick had to stop himself from cheering as he witnessed the wild free-for-all taking place below his boots. The crunchers¡¯ attacks were savage even by the pack¡¯s standards, rending gores and ripping bites intended to tear pieces of living meat free from their muscular bodies. However, it seemed that even in the throes of the pollen¡¯s intoxicant, hunger had not extinguished the beasts¡¯ survival instincts. Each hyena positioned themselves to avoid the others¡¯ advances while they tried to turn the brawl to their advantage. At least until they decided to attack. The only reason that the alpha had not been able to finish off the pair of lesser crunchers was that each time it lunged to land a killing blow, the unengaged beast would throw themself at it from behind. Forcing the alpha to disengage or risk being taken out by a strike from its blindside. Nick forced himself to keep his breathing slow and deep, although he had yet to recover from his mad dash and yearned to take a deeper gasp. But he couldn¡¯t stop his hands from shaking like a willow in a hurricane. The sounds of his body were minuscule compared to the clamor of the pack¡¯s ferocity, but he was terrified that they would pick out the gentle wheeze of his breath. The wild beating of his heart. Cease their struggles and turn on him as one. The skirmishing bonecrunchers crossed the clearing as they fought. Drawing closer and then closer still, until they were fighting directly below his branch. If they happened to look up, they would spot him for sure, even with their vision impaired by the flashbang¡¯s radiance. Nick watched on in awe at the fight taking place beneath his toes. The hyena-boars were skilled combatants, and the beasts were going at it with everything they had. He was mesmerized by their barbaric frenzy. By their struggles to dominate the flow of battle and turn the fickle tide of war in their favor. Although he was deeply worried about his own survival, he was trying to learn from what he saw. To absorb the beasts¡¯ tactics so that he might one day make them his own. He willed himself to commit every second to memory as the bonecrunchers feinted and circled one another. Fighting to gain an advantage sufficient to land a killing blow. Striking at the sides the instant their opponents were focused on one another. Rushing in to break momentum, then retreating before their enemy could recover. Watching the melee from his front-row seat, Nick was able to deduce several important details. The crunchers had been driven to the edge of madness by hunger and the shock to their senses, but had not quite reached the point where they totally lost control. They seemed to be resisting the pollen¡¯s effects better than Nick had, even though they had received a comparably massive dose when his bomb flooded their lair. He hoped that the effects would linger long enough for the crunchers to follow the meat trails he had laid, all the way to the traps waiting at their end. Nick had doubts that his plan would work now that he had a chance to observe just how tough the beasts truly were, because they shrugged off powerful blows that would have ended his life on the spot. Furthermore, their endurance was incredible. They had been fighting at full strength for the better part of ten minutes and still showed no signs of fatigue. There is a significant chance that the crunchers will hold each other at bay until the drug wears off, Nick realized with a sinking feeling. If that proved to be the case, he was well and truly fucked. His entire body went slack with relief only ten seconds later. Because that was when the first hyena-boar broke away from the others, heading to the point where the three trails of meat converged. The beast¡¯s abrupt departure made the others hesitate for a moment, like they were deciding whether they would call a truce and fall upon their retreating pack member. But then their nostrils flared as they sniffed at the air, drooling as their chemically impaired noses caught the scent of bloody meat at last. With a final growl at each other, the remaining crunchers bounded toward the forest in search of an easier meal. Each split off to devour its own line of rancid flesh, leaving Nick alone in his tree once more. But he had no time to rest and recover because, with the fight no longer taking place below, he could hear growling and whimpering emanating from the cave. It appeared that some of the bonecrunchers had survived their initial free-for-all after all. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Thunder rumbled within the brooding cloudscape above. With the storm poised to let loose at any moment, he needed to finish the pack off before he could claim the hyenas¡¯ lair for his own. He hoped that the crunchers would exit the den of their own accord, since Nick had no means of combating them within the shadowy interior of the cavern. But he couldn¡¯t afford to linger in the branches either. The storm was heading his way fast, and he needed to make sure that the other beasts had succumbed to his traps before he could rest. Otherwise, they could return the moment the storm passed, trapping him inside the cave. I¡¯ll wait five more minutes, then try to lure them out. Fortunately, he didn¡¯t need to act on the plan he was improvising. Only thirty seconds later, a powerful form came sauntering out of the cavern and started walking his way. A creature so covered in blood that its entire body was stained scarlet. Nick shivered as he watched the wounded cruncher close the distance. Following the fresh trail that the others had left. Just before the beast passed him by, he felt the urge to sneeze. He clasped his hand over his mouth and pinched his nose, desperately attempting to cut off the reaction before he let out an explosive release of air. Somehow, he managed not to sneeze. But that tiny inhalation made the hyena-boar stop dead in its tracks, looking around as if it wasn¡¯t quite sure where the noise had come from. It can¡¯t smell me over the stench of blood, and fluid must have worked its way into its ear canals. The cruncher started scanning the clearing, trying to spot Nick with its weak eyesight, which had been further impaired by the flashbang¡¯s radiance. But before long, the beast gave into its hunger and went streaking into the forest, intending to hunt the others or anything else that crossed its path. He needed to press his advantage while he could. To finish eliminating the pack while their judgment was clouded and their teamwork was in shambles. But he found that he simply couldn¡¯t force himself to move just yet. He sat there, shivering in delayed terror, as the warm storm winds whipped his hair across his face. Knowing that time was of the essence, Nick struggled to overcome his instincts. He eventually regained enough control over his body to force himself back into motion. Mouthing a silent prayer to whomever might be listening, he lowered himself out of the branches while deciding which trap to head toward first. The instant his boots hit the ground, he realized that he had made a mistake. He should have listened a bit longer to make sure that nothing was still alive within the den. Because that was when the final surviving member of the pack came staggering out of their lair. He froze in place, but it was already too late. The wounded hyena-boar had noticed his intrusion. It howled in fury as it charged for the ground where Nick stood¡ªwell, tried to charge, because the beast¡¯s body was covered in gaping wounds and one of its legs had been sheared off at the knee. But with the judgment-reaving toxin stoking its innate ferocity, the debilitating dismemberment only slowed it down. The critically injured cruncher came limping toward him with its jaws spread wide, leaking blood like a sieve as it ran. He wanted to flee. To let the beast expire from its grievous wounds sometime over the next half hour. But Nick realized with grim certainty that he couldn¡¯t avoid this fight. He needed to follow the other crunchers and finish off any that managed to avoid his traps before they regained their wits. If he tried to outrun the hyena coming for him, he ran the risk of running into one of the other pack members, trapping himself between two ravenous beasts. A recipe for certain death. Thus, instead of running, Nick drew his sword from his backpack and prepared to engage in a desperate battle for his life. The cruncher was on him in a blood-tinged flash, moving with a speed that belied the severity of its wounds. Weak from blood loss and stripped of reason. With only three legs to stand on and disoriented from multiple shocks to its system, the cruncher was still more than a match for Nick and his fledgling martial prowess. It began the fight by unleashing a fierce barrage of blows that nearly overwhelmed him on the spot. He was pressed back by a flurry of razored ivory, the beast¡¯s tusks streaking at his vitals time and time again. Using his sword to deflect the worst of it, Nick was barely able to keep the strikes from tearing him to shreds. He had to devote every scrap of concentration to bringing his blade to bear, leaving him unable to reach for his wand or pull out another flashbang. He took a few glancing hits from the cruncher¡¯s tusks despite his best efforts, leaving bruises that would have been severe lacerations had his torso not been protected by his Toughness imbued leather jacket. Nick would have been done for if the cruncher had not been severely injured. But over the next few minutes, which felt like hours in the time-warped heat of battle, the beast began to slow. Its movements were rendered clumsy and weak as its life essence spilled out onto the thirsty earth below. After a final lunge, the bonecruncher staggered and then collapsed into the rocky soil. He didn¡¯t wait to see if it was dead. Taking advantage of the opening, he brought his blade down in a vicious arc with the weight of his body behind it. The sword struck deep between the cruncher¡¯s neck and shoulder, carving a wedge through hide and muscle in turn¡ªa ragged ruby gash that ran all the way down to the bone. He must have severed a major artery, for a great spray of blood gushed forth as the hyena spasmed in the throes of death. Nick sat down in the dirt as he fought to catch his breath, listening to the howling winds tighten their grip on the isle. Straining to watch the approach from both sides while he recovered from the brief but exhausting melee, he decided that the battle had been informative. It had taught him that he had no chance of taking on a cruncher that wasn¡¯t wounded to the point where it had one foot in the graveyard. Let alone face down the Cruncher Alpha. Nick prayed that his traps would be sufficient to put an end to the remaining members of the pack, or at least hurt them enough to even the playing field. Chapter Seventy-Eight: Intermission: A Different Point of View While Nick was busy fighting for his life, the trio of crunchers who had taken the bait were each following a trail of rancid meat. Gorging on the foul flesh while struggling to shrug off the pollen¡¯s effects. They crossed a forest floor that was eerily silent. The animals and beasts alike had gone to ground to ride out the storm. With nothing more promising to pursue, the hyenas gobbled each stinking morsel in turn, their shocked senses slowly recovering from the powerful blast of light and sound that had driven them from their den. The first beast was now far to the west of Nick¡¯s location. It ate on the move, ceaselessly searching for the next bloody bite. Stopping just long enough to snatch a morsel between its jaws before darting to claim the next. With the creeper¡¯s pollen surging in its bloodstream, the beast was able to think of nothing beyond the hunger raging inside it¡ªa need to consume so intense that it left room for nothing else. A distant and unheeded part of its awareness was concerned that it was acting alone. It was against the cruncher¡¯s nature to range so far from its den in a solitary hunt. But this tiny voice was drowned out by a primal need to feed, although reason was slowly beginning to return as the minutes ticked past. The cruncher had finally recovered enough to consider seeking shelter from the storm when its eyes locked onto a pile of meat that was larger than the rest, sitting in the middle of a patch of sticks and leaves that were a different color than the surrounding terrain. The little voice inside screamed that something was wrong, but it was washed away by a surge of pure, primal hunger. The drive to consume was so intense, it felt like the hyena would starve if it stopped eating for even a moment. Perhaps this meal would be enough to still the vortex swirling within its belly. Closing the distance in a flash, the beast leapt, taking a huge bite of rancid flesh before its paws hit the ground. It swallowed without stopping to chew, lowering its head to finish off the rest of the pile. Without warning, the ground beneath its claws gave way, and the cruncher found itself falling, walls of rough earth rising to fill its vision. Its brief flight was fated to end only half a heartbeat later, when the beast hit the floor of the pit hard, a white flash of pain shocking it back to its senses at last. The fallen hyena tried to move, confused as to why its limbs no longer responded to its increasingly frantic commands. Only then did it see the bloody spike lodged deep inside its gut, along with a pair that had pierced its breast and flank. The beast squirmed, bucking and writhing, eventually managing to shatter the stakes between its jaws. It took a single, staggering step before its legs collapsed out from under it, blood leaking from the holes in its hide like a funnel. The cruncher began to drool as the savory odor of fresh blood broke over it, vaguely aware that the blood in question was its own. The moment of clarity dissipated as the beast¡¯s brain started shutting down. It began lapping at the blood-soaked earth as the world faded to black. Less than a minute later, the cruncher was consumed by a frigid darkness. Its heart beat for a final time and then went still.
Two miles to the south, a hunger-maddened hyena-boar was racing through the forest, stopping only long enough to gobble each glob of rancid meat before darting to devour the next. Consumed with an insatiable hunger and blind fury that its own pack had betrayed it, the enraged beast did not question why the bits of komo were spread out over such a wide area. It followed the trail, leading it south toward the coastline. The light was beginning to fade as the stormfront passed in front of the sun, turning the forest floor into an ever-shifting shadowscape, occasionally punctuated by bright flashes of purple lightning. All too soon, it arrived at the end of the trail. The cruncher was unable to find another morsel, although its senses had recovered significantly by this point. The beast came to a halt, panting until its heart rate slowed. It cocked its ears, trying to hear anything over the painful ringing that had accompanied the madness that had descended upon the pack. After a long moment spent fighting the urge to eat the dirt beneath its paws, the beast heard the scrabbling of claws across the forest floor, croaks and hisses accompanied by the scent of familiar prey. Spitting out a mouthful of soil, the cruncher turned and ran toward the delectable odor of lizard. It had found enough meat to fill its belly at last. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. The beast darted into a wide clearing two minutes later, barely slowing down when it realized that hundreds of reptilian eyes were staring straight at it. The hyena-boar growled and prepared to charge, as the komo pride reacted to its intrusion with a mixture of skepticism and rage. Never before had they seen one of its kind apart from the pack, and even together, the pack had been unwilling to face the combined might of the komo pride. After all, the lizards outnumbered the hyenas fifty to one. Normally, the cruncher would have considered the odds and then beat a hasty retreat. Taking on hundreds of giant lizards by itself was a suicidal proposition, especially as Komo Alpha was racing forward to meet it, hissing out a furious challenge as it ran. But caught in the throes of the mind-muddling pollen, the cruncher only stopped long enough to identify the fattest target, then charged without anything remotely resembling hesitation or self-preservation. While it had been able to feel caution when facing down its packmates, it simply couldn¡¯t contemplate retreat when confronting creatures that it had hunted dozens of times before. The cruncher bounded over to its chosen prey and caught the beefy lizard between its jaws. It ripped out a chunk of raw flesh and then swallowed it whole, unheeding that its rear and flanks were totally exposed. Ten seconds later, the cruncher was buried in a furious tide of tooth and scale. Torn to pieces by the pride with its mouth still full of meat.
The Cruncher Alpha followed the trail of bait, which led it west toward the domain of the creeper vines and the giant mushroom. The alpha was more robust than the other members of the pack. It had already begun to shake off the effects of the pollen and the other chemicals that Nick had dosed it with. Although the beast was overstimulated and ravenous, its race to consume was no longer a blind pursuit. While it ran, the alpha pondered its unprecedented circumstances. It knew that this situation was not simply a matter of bad luck or mere happenstance. No, this affront was deliberate. Something had ambushed it in its home. Threatened its dominance and diminished the might of the pack. A creature whose scent lingered across the trail it followed. A new enemy, and one that would pay for its affront in kind. Even more than it wanted to sate its fathomless hunger, the alpha yearned to make the intruder suffer. It would pay a toll in blood for this outrage. The alpha intended to make the invader scream long and loud before it breathed its last. While the massive cruncher contemplated the havoc it would wreak, it continued following the trail of meat, devouring each bite before bounding toward the next. It streaked across the forest floor, panting beneath the storm-wracked sky. As it ran, the alpha grew increasingly certain that something was wrong. This trail led to a part of the forest where it dared not go, as it was home to an even greater predator than itself. A force more powerful than the combined might of the cruncher pack. The bonecrunchers were specialized for close-range combat. They had no way to battle the great sleep-inducing mushroom and the host of ravenous creeper vines at its command. Following that thought, the alpha caught sight of a swarm of yellow-flowered creepers nested in the tree ahead. At the base of the trunk sat a fat pile of meat, which called out to its stomach with a siren¡¯s song. The alpha knew that if it went to claim the prize, it would be the last act of its life. With a surge of willpower, it suppressed the urge to mindlessly devour. Turned around and began heading back toward its lair. It would hunt the intruder responsible for this calamity and then feed until its stomach was full of rich meat and sweet blood. Once the storm had passed, it would find the other survivors of its pack and reestablish control over its domain. Just as the alpha was leaving the shroom¡¯s territory, one of its packmates came bursting out of the brush. The cruncher went straight for the alpha¡¯s throat but backed off when the beast growled to assert its dominance. The alpha ordered its packmate to follow behind, but the other cruncher was still caught in the grip of the pollen¡¯s power. It could smell the fresh meat at the end of the trail and went bounding off to its death, heedless of its leader¡¯s order. With a furious howl, the alpha retreated as a cloud of glittering pollen engulfed its packmate. The doomed beast fell upon the mound of flesh and then disappeared into the mushroom¡¯s domain, lured by the sweet scent of berries riding the breeze. The alpha found itself consumed with a rage that had nothing to do with the traces of pollen floating in its bloodstream. The loss of yet another member of the pack filled the beast with incandescent fury, driving it to hunt down the creature that had left its strange scent beside the odor of blood on the wind. If the alpha was quick enough, it would be able to exact its revenge and return to its lair before the boiling rain began to fall. Chapter Seventy-Nine: Storm-Wracked Showdown Nick stood sweating in a dwindling patch of sunlight, watching the storm roll in as blood dripped down the sleeve of his jacket and onto the torn earth beside his boots. He judged that it would take another half hour before the searstorm arrived overhead, and it was critical that he use the remaining minutes wisely. He had to finish off any surviving crunchers before they could recover and regroup, then retreat into their lair to ride out the storm. He wished that he could rely on Mother Nature to finish the job for him, but Size Up had told Nick that the beasts would find a way to survive the boiling rain. His best and only chance was to ambush the bonecrunchers while they were still isolated and impaired by the pollen¡¯s intoxication. Even armed with his flashbangs, sword, and wand, he judged his odds of overcoming more than one beast at a time to be effectively zero. One of the crunchers lay lifeless at his feet. Two more had never left their den and were likely dead as well, judging from the state of the last creature to emerge. That still left three of the larger hyena-boars unaccounted for, along with the deadly Bonecruncher Alpha. Unfortunately, the beasts had only scored superficial wounds on one another before they caught wind of his bait and dispersed to follow it. While Nick was hopeful that his traps had been sufficient to take out three more of his opponents, he doubted that his plans had worked out perfectly, and there was still a final cruncher to deal with regardless. There was a chance that the beast would follow the others to their doom, but he wasn¡¯t counting on it. He had no intention of blindly placing his life in fate¡¯s hands. He needed to check his traps and see how much damage he had managed to inflict, then finish off as many of the crunchers as he could. Besides, he needed to acquire more experience so that he could keep on leveling, and he had a hunch that he would gain more if they died by his hand. Filled with adrenaline and the buzzing thrill of danger, Nick began to run, racing the fierce and rising winds. He began by following the trail to the southwest, the path leading to the pit trap. It was the closest site to his location and only a short walk from the line of bait leading to the komo pride. He was hoping that the alpha had chosen to follow the southern path. If the powerful beast had taken on the komo pride, it would drag some of the lizards with it into the grave, and each predator that fell made his prospects of living through the tutorial that much brighter. Ten breathless minutes later, Nick arrived on scene. He let loose a panting sigh of relief because he could tell at a glance that one of the crunchers had fallen for his trap. The gaping hole where the covering had given way was not a subtle clue. Filled with apprehension that he would find only an empty pit, he crept up to the edge and peered over the precipice. A surge of satisfaction flooded through him when his gaze landed on the corpse of a bonecruncher that had been impaled by a trio of spikes. One down, three to go. With no time to spare, Nick made his way south, crossing the forest faster than he ever had before. The light was fading by the footfall as the stormfront congealed in front of the sun, causing him to trip and fall on several occasions. But the time for caution had long since passed. Nick merely gritted his teeth and pressed his body into another burst of speed. He slowed when his ears caught the screams of agitated lizards, which he took to be a promising sign. He crept closer until he could see the clearing that had been claimed by the komo pride. A scene straight out of a war sim awaited his gaze. A half-dozen lizards lay dead in the dirt, with gaping holes torn into their scaly hides. In the middle of this panorama of carnage sat the corpse of the cruncher that had taken the bait. Unfortunately, it was not the Bonecruncher Alpha. Komo Alpha was in the middle of tearing the carcass to shreds. It seemed that the powerful beast had taken the intrusion into its domain personally. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Nick quickly backed away, noticing that the other lizards were retreating into a series of burrows dug into the side of a ridge. Their strategy for surviving the storm. All in all, this was still an excellent outcome. Only two crunchers left. The plan is working. You can do it. He felt a rising tide of optimism as he made his way north, praying that the Cruncher Alpha had met a similar fate at the hands¡ªerr¡­ coils¡ªof the creeper vine colony and their mushroom allies. If he was fortunate, the final cruncher had followed the alpha to its death. If Nick was unlucky, he would run into both beasts before long. He was prepared to blow his entire stash of flashbangs and both charges in his wand the instant that he met his foe. He had already learned firsthand that he was no match for the hyena-boars without expending his limited stock of emergency tools. There was no point in trying to hoard them if doing so led to his demise. Nick had nearly arrived at the boundary of the creepers¡¯ domain when a violent crackling ensued from the brush behind him as something massive forced its way through the undergrowth. He turned and used Size Up reflexively, receiving a savage ping of danger the instant that he activated the skill. Knowing that his gambit had reached its climax, he threw himself behind a tree while reaching for his wand. He blinked, and when his eyes opened once more, a massive form erupted from the brush, streaking straight for the spot where he had been standing only half a heartbeat before. The emerging beast flew straight into the tree, kicked off the trunk, and landed lightly on the ground. The Bonecruncher Alpha stared straight into Nick¡¯s eyes, unleashing a scream of rage so pure that it sent a jolt of terror streaking down his spine, like he had been struck by an errant bolt of lightning. Despite Nick¡¯s fervent hopes and prayers, the Bonecruncher Alpha had not succumbed to his ploy. The beast had shrugged off the pollen¡¯s effects, then circled back to hunt him down. The instant Nick met the alpha¡¯s gaze, he was certain that the beast knew he was responsible for the death of its brethren. Its wrath was evident in every crook of its posture as it stopped to savor his terror before tearing him to shreds. He had dared to challenge the alpha and the might of the pack. Now the furious beast would make him pay for the affront in kind. While the alpha paused to consider Nick, his mind was hard at work. Racing furiously to evaluate his foe and come up with any strategy that might help him survive. He had already known that his odds of defeating an uninjured cruncher were poor, but the alpha¡¯s dramatic arrival had shown him that matters were even worse than he had feared. He had never seen anything move so fast, except maybe the lurk, and the Cruncher Alpha had flown at least thirty feet before rebounding off the tree. It must be using some kind of ability to enhance its leap, he realized, as a sick, sinking feeling rose heavy in his chest. While he had considered the possibility of encountering beasts that could use abilities, Nick had not been able to incorporate them into his contingencies. He possessed no abilities of his own and thus had no way to anticipate the range of powers they might bestow. While his brain went into overdrive, Nick¡¯s hands never stopped moving. Without breaking eye contact with the alpha, he slid his pack off his shoulders and set it on the ground. He opened the flap and stuck it in his hands, glad that he was able to pull out his sword before the battle began. Knowing that this moment would only last another handful of heartbeats, Nick struggled to incorporate the blindingly fast leap into the profile of the Cruncher Alpha he had constructed. If the alpha could jump so fast and so far, it made his chances of winning the fight that much more remote. He had no hope at all unless he was able to hit the beast with his wand or a flashbang before it closed the distance and tore him to pieces. To make a terrible situation worse, the alpha appeared to have broken free of the pollen¡¯s spell without suffering any further injuries since he had seen it last. At least the final cruncher was nowhere in sight. Although he desperately wanted to flee, Nick knew that his odds of escape were even worse than his chances of victory. He would never be able to outrun the agile beast. Even without the looming threat of the storm, which would break at any moment, a leap like that could easily snatch him out of the branches if he tried to climb. Which, he realized absently, meant that he had never been safe in the trees. Nick had been extremely lucky that he had not been spotted while watching from the branches, because the alpha would have dragged him to the ground without any chance of defending himself. But none of that mattered now. All that mattered was using the tools at his disposal to survive the alpha¡¯s wrath. Chapter Eighty: Flashbang Nick tossed his antidote into his pack after drawing his sword, leaving the bag in the dirt where it sat. He used the final heartbeats before the battle began to inventory the tools at his disposal. I have two charges in the wand, the sword in my hands, the dagger on my belt, three flashbangs in the pouches of my toolbelt, plus the fourth in the pocket of my jacket. As Nick gripped the hilt of his blade and assumed a fighting stance, the Cruncher Alpha began a leisurely advance that revealed not a trace of fear, letting him take in the sight of his enemy. The alpha was a tough bastard, at least 50% bigger than the other crunchers. Its hide was covered in a dusky patchwork of old scars, and its jaws looked strong enough to shatter logs, to say nothing of Nick¡¯s bones. He had learned through observation that the alpha was smarter than the other members of the pack. He hoped that its edge would be dulled when fighting alone, as the beast¡¯s tactics were specialized for pack combat. It was likely wishful thinking. He knew that the cruncher wouldn¡¯t have been able to rule over the others through violence and intimidation if it wasn¡¯t able to fend off challengers in one-on-one duels. That was all the time for preparation that Nick was granted. With a savage growl, the alpha exploded into motion, surging over the ground so fast that its form fuzzed before his eyes. He barely had time to raise his sword before the raging beast was upon him. He thought that the alpha would go straight for his throat. Instead, the beast lithely wove its way around his blade, put two paws against his chest, and pushed while raking down with both limbs. Nick¡¯s leather jacket prevented his torso from being shredded by its claws. But he was taken by surprise and knocked backwards, falling hard onto his ass with a jolt of pain lancing across his tailbone. The alpha followed up by launching itself straight at his fallen form, using its ability to streak forward at incredible speed. Although he had anticipated the move, he had drastically underestimated the velocity of the alpha¡¯s flight. It hit him with enough force to drive the air from his lungs and send him skidding across the dirt, riding his body like a wakeboard. As he flew, Nick frantically tried to clock the cruncher with the hilt of his sword, but he was much too slow to prevent it from landing a blow to his vitals. He could only watch in horror as the alpha lowered its head, a savage glee gleaming in its eyes. The beast¡¯s brutal jaws closed tight around Nick¡¯s stomach, poised to rip out his entrails in a single motion, nearly shearing off his balls in the process. In the heart of that dreadful moment, he knew he was dead. Both Nick and the alpha expected blood to come gushing out of his stomach when the beast closed its steel trap jaws and then ripped with incredible force. What happened next surprised them both. Instead of carving deep into Nick¡¯s tender flesh, the beast¡¯s fangs closed around his toolbelt, preventing them from burrowing into his guts like a chainsaw. The thick leather of his belt, magically reinforced to enhance its resilience, tore like a fat strip of beef jerky, nearly severing the accessory in twain and causing the tools inside to come spilling out onto the forest floor with a musical tinkle. Although it was clearly surprised by this turn of events, the alpha did not let go. It kept right on pulling and twisting, tightening the belt around his waist until he was certain that the pressure would cut him in two. Heartbeats before he suffered severe internal damage, Nick¡¯s hand darted down and pulled the leather strip sticking out near the belt¡¯s clasp, activating the emergency release mechanism. The belt came free in a single motion, causing the alpha to stumble back and granting him a moment to recover his balance and regain the initiative. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. Knowing that the alpha would not fail a second time, Nick let go of the sword with his left hand and scooped up his wand, which had fallen free from its beltloop when the leather gave way. He pointed the business end at the alpha as the beast spit out the shredded toolbelt and reoriented on his position. The alpha tensed, a tell which Nick now knew meant it was preparing to leap, just as his thumb came down on the trigger of the wand. In the same heartbeat, the beast activated its ability, streaking straight for his chest with the intention of sending him flying for a second time. As a result, the alpha was only a foot in front of his hand when the wand fired. A wave of concussive force so intense that it warped the air around it erupted from the end of Nick¡¯s wand, angled up so that it caught the alpha straight in the sternum. The kinetic energy tore into the flying beast, altering the angle of its ascent so that it was pointing up toward the treetops instead of straight at him. The alpha let loose a shriek of pain and confusion as it soared a good thirty feet into the air before crashing into a tree, toppling to the forest floor in a heap of spasming limbs. Nick clenched the wand between his teeth and charged, raising his sword in a two-handed grip. Despite the odds, he had opened a window where the momentum of the battle was renegotiable. An opportunity that he intended to make the most of. As his feet slapped against the needle-covered earth, Nick¡¯s entire world narrowed. He shut out everything besides the sword in his hands and the enemy before him and ignored the frantic voice in his head screaming that this was his only chance of winning the fight¡ªthat the alpha would recover any second and his wand was no longer a surprise. Not to mention, he only had a single charge remaining. Nick arrived in front of the alpha just as the beast staggered back onto its feet, murderous rage glinting in its pitiless eyes. He swung the sword with everything he had, praying that his aim was true as the battered blade soared toward the alpha¡¯s chest. If he missed, he was dead. It was as simple as that. He wouldn¡¯t have time to take a second swing. The alpha would tear out his throat in less than a heartbeat. But despite his inexperience with the weapon, Nick¡¯s sword landed on target. With the next blink of his eyes, the jolt of impact reverberated through his arms. He expected the blade to bite deep, slaying the alpha on the spot or at least critically wounding it. But matters were not fated to be resolved so simply. Nick looked down, only to see his weapon clasped between the cruncher¡¯s jaws. The brutish fucker had caught his sword out of the air, arresting its momentum and trapping the blade between its hulking fangs. With a look of immense satisfaction, the alpha¡¯s jaws bulged as it tried to snap the pockmarked weapon in two. Then it cocked its head and redoubled its efforts, the powerful muscles along its skull straining with effort. The alpha seemed shocked when the scarred metal refused to give way. In truth, Nick was nearly as astonished himself. Trell¡¯s sword must be made of some incredibly tough material, far beyond the durability of mere steel. With a growl conveying equal measures of confusion and irritation, the cruncher leapt back, yanking the sword from Nick¡¯s grasp, then releasing the blade to free its jaws. The alpha immediately lunged back in, trying to disembowel him with the points of its tusks. He was driven back across the clearing as the beast came for him. Nick barely managed to step out of the way in time, but the motion caused him to fumble and lose his grip on the wand clasped between his teeth. As blade and wand came crashing to the ground, the alpha stopped to glare at him. Its expression revealed immense satisfaction with this turn of events, in spite of a momentary hiccup. While he was terrified, Nick didn¡¯t hesitate. He was already fully committed and ready to bet it all on a final roll of the dice. The moment he knew that his sword was out of play, his hands began to move. His left reached down to the tatters of his belt and pulled his dagger free from its sheath, the short blade laughable in the face of such a powerful foe. But Nick had no intention of ending the fight with his dagger. Although it had cost him his sword, the last exchange had bought him enough time to slide the flashbang free from his jacket. He pressed the trigger and threw the device into the dirt by his feet, barely remembering to close his eyes in time. The last thing he saw was the cruncher glancing down at the orb before resuming its advance, certain that Nick was at its mercy. Chapter Eighty-One: Bloody Climax With his eyes pressed shut, Nick began stabbing at the air in front of him, trying to distract the alpha for a heartbeat longer while he waited for the flashbang to detonate. In that sightless moment, he was filled with a fierce and rising terror, deathly afraid that the orb had misfired; that he had bungled pressing the trigger, and before he had time to recover from his blunder, the alpha¡¯s jaws would close around his neck and tear out his throat. He desperately wanted to open his eyes, but he knew that he would blind himself if he did so before the flashbang detonated. That was when Nick heard the alpha lunge. He leapt back, avoiding a thrust that came so close that he could feel the tip of a tusk brush against his cheekbone. Something is wrong, the orb isn¡¯t working. Just before he opened his eyes to assess the situation, the world turned white as the flashbang activated from point-blank range. The pulse was blinding, and the roar was deafening, nearly disabling Nick even though he had covered his eyes and braced himself for the impact. But it was even worse for the cruncher, who had been looking right at him and had hearing many times more sensitive than his own. Nick opened his eyelids, shutting out the roaring in his ears and peering past the fat purple blobs floating in his vision. What he saw made him shudder in relief. The alpha appeared completely disoriented, striking blindly at the air around it. Crude lunges that lacked the agility the beast normally displayed. He had scant seconds to take advantage of the opening he had created. At any moment, the alpha might recover. Even while blind, its attacks would end his life if the beast landed a lucky blow. Tuning out the ringing in his ears, barely able to see past the electric afterimages left in the wake of the flash, he raised his dagger while scooping up his wand with his free hand. Issuing the first battle cry of his life, Nick locked his gaze upon his flailing foe and charged, ready to end the fight or die in the attempt. Arriving before his bestial adversary, he threw himself to one side, narrowly avoiding being eviscerated by the alpha¡¯s tusks. He rose into a battle stance, ducking beneath a wild swipe of its claws. He came to a stop in front of the beast, searching for a vital spot to lunge with his dagger and land a crucial blow. That was when the alpha¡¯s eyes snapped back into focus, looking straight into his own with a murderous glare. Shrugging off the effects of the flashbang through sheer effort of will, its muscles tensed up and poised to strike. Nick knew with absolute certainty that before his heart beat again, the furious beast would lunge and end his life. However, he had already realized that his dagger was insufficient and had begun bringing the wand to bear. By now, it was pointing straight at the alpha¡¯s face, the end hovering between its slavering jaws. Just as the alpha leapt, Nick pressed the trigger, sending an avalanche of kinetic energy surging into the cruncher¡¯s face, most of which went straight into its mouth and down the dark tunnel of its throat. The force of its ability-enhanced leap met the energy released by the wand, like two speeding cars colliding head-on. Nick watched in morbid fascination as the shockwave rebounded throughout the alpha¡¯s torso, causing its stomach to stretch and bend. The beast¡¯s jaws snapped shut, closing half an inch in front of his nose before its body was thrown back, skidding across the dirt before colliding with the trunk of a nearby tree. Blood was leaking from the alpha¡¯s ears and nose, dripping down its fangs from where the impact had caused the beast to bite off the tip of its own tongue. It stood stock-still with a glassy look in its eyes. Nick knew that he had to follow up before it recovered. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. He wasn¡¯t sure if he had landed a critical blow or if the blast had merely stunned the nightmarishly resilient beast. Either way, the alpha was still alive, and Nick knew deep in his bones that this was his last chance. His sword was out of reach, his wand out of charges, and the tools in his belt would take too long to retrieve. Everything came down to one final attack with his dagger¡ªan all-or-nothing strike that would determine who lived and who died. Filled with a crystalline clarity that hesitation was death, Nick took aim, gripped his dagger in both hands, and lunged with everything he had. It was a desperate, clumsy thrust. But with the alpha looming directly in front of him, it was hard to miss. As Nick watched, waiting to discover if this would be his final moment, the tip of his dagger penetrated the alpha¡¯s eye, then kept right on going to punch a hole into its brain. A spray of hot blood washed over his hands, but he didn¡¯t stop to see how much damage he had managed to inflict. The instant the hilt of his dagger hit the front of the beast¡¯s skull, he let go of the weapon and went darting for the nearest tree. In his haste, Nick faltered his grip and nearly came tumbling back down to the ground below. Through sheer will alone, his fingertips caught a rough protrusion on the bark. He felt it shift beneath the weight of his body, then begin to crumble. Praying that the bark would hold, he pulled hard, launching himself high enough to grab ahold of the lowest branches. He looked down, hoping to see the alpha lying dead in the dirt. But the battle was not destined to end so simply. The beast had vanished, leaving only the lingering scent of blood in the breeze. Although it was mortally wounded, the alpha wasn¡¯t finished yet. Nick desperately scanned the shadow-ridden forest floor, seeking his errant foe. Just then, he felt its jaws brush against the back of his calf. He frantically pulled himself higher into the canopy before looking down once more. There, with the dagger sticking out of its ruined face, stood the alpha. While the beast was clearly in the process of dying, its remaining eye looked straight into Nick¡¯s own, promising that it would return the favor in kind before death took it. Heedless of its wounds, the alpha launched itself straight at Nick, who barely managed to scramble out of the way in time. Fortunately, the beast¡¯s movements lacked the coordination it had displayed before. But even a glancing blow would be sufficient to pluck him free from the branches like a piece of overripe fruit. As soon as the alpha landed, it leapt again. Then a dozen times more. Trying its best to snatch him off his perch and drag him down to hell with it. Nick climbed as high as he could without snapping off the top of the tree, and even that was barely enough to save him. The alpha launched itself into the air with furious growls, flying nearly twenty feet straight up. In that moment, Nick was sure that he was done for. He had overplayed his hand, and now he would pay the ultimate price. He had come so close, but in the end, his best simply hadn¡¯t been good enough. But despite its fury and remarkable tenacity, the alpha was living on borrowed time. Five utterly terrifying minutes later, its incredible reserves began to falter at last. After one final attempt that nearly shattered the branch Nick was standing on, the alpha let out a whimper, then collapsed like a rag doll. The beast began spasming as the cumulative effects of its wounds began shutting down its organs. It convulsed in the torn earth before eventually going still. The light in its eyes faded, glazing over as the furious frenzy that had animated the alpha evaporated, leaving him alone in the tree beneath a storm-wracked sky. Nick sat frozen in place, shivering with delayed terror. But he had no time to rest, for the storm was directly overhead. As he fought to slow the wild hammering of his heart, a veil of stinging mist descended, heralding the boiling rain that would break over the island at any second. Nick frantically scrambled back down to the ground. He scooped up his scattered weapons and tools and threw them into his pack along with his shredded toolbelt. He was utterly exhausted and overwhelmed by his showdown with the alpha, but he pushed past his limits and began staggering away, heading north toward the safety of the crunchers¡¯ den. As fey bolts of lightning danced amid the roiling heavens, Nick picked out his path and began running for his life. Chapter Eighty-Two: Shelter from the Storm The searstorm raged across the sky, painting the heavens in a riot of vibrant colors and seething swirls, like an abstract painting on a continental scale. Bands of vivid green clouds streaked over Nick¡¯s head, like the grasping tentacles of a leviathan. The illusion was so captivating that a primal part of his brain worried that one would reach down and carry him into the churning maw of the storm. The wind screamed as it passed between the treetops, accompanied by wild, forking bolts of purple lightning. They landed close enough that their peals of thunder vibrated his teeth within his jaw. He was bone weary and deeply shaken, but Nick had no time to recover from his ordeal. Although he wanted nothing more than to lie down and rest, he forced his battered body into a greater burst of speed, wincing every time his feet hit the forest floor. At least the lightning revealed the path ahead, helping Nick to maintain a steady course as he raced north, sprinting toward the promise of sanctuary. At any moment, the sky would open, and a deluge of boiling rain would fall across the island, bringing death to any creature that was unable to find a suitable shelter in time. He had to make it back to the crunchers¡¯ cave before the superheated precipitation turned him into Nick stew. You can freak the fuck out in another half hour. Right now, you need to move. You¡¯re still alive, so shut out the pain. Shut out the fear. Focus only on the trail ahead and run, Nick, run. Wincing at the memory of being caught in the periphery of the deadly, alien weather before escaping into the dungeon, Nick continued sprint-limping his way back to the hyenas¡¯ den, racing the turbulent skies above. A deadly enemy that he had no chance of defeating. Although the run was agonizing, it was also exhilarating. He began to internalize that he had done it. In the face of terrible odds, he had slain the cruncher pack and defeated the alpha in close combat. As long as he made it below ground in time, he would live to see another day. Although he put everything that he had into moving fast and not veering from his path, Nick¡¯s exhaustion gradually lulled him into a daze, and his mind began to wander. Exalting in a victory that had entailed another close brush with death. Not only had Nick come out the other side of his most difficult ordeal to date, he had successfully removed the bonecrunchers from the southern forest, meaning that it was finally safe to move into a shelter on the ground. The lurk was too massive to enter the crunchers¡¯ burrow, and he had already come up with a plan to keep the komos from making their way inside without revealing their presence beforehand. Nick knew that the other beasts would eventually encroach on the territory the crunchers had claimed, but he hoped that it would take them the better part of a week to realize that the pack had been slaughtered. Time that he could use to train in earnest and prepare for the tutorial¡¯s third and final stage. He realized that he was drawing near his destination when the trees began to thin. With a great gasp, he burst out of the forest, racing to cover the last bit of ground between himself and the hole torn into the hillside. Nick prayed that none of the crunchers were still alive in there. He was burning through the dregs of his reserves and had no strength left with which to fight. But he had no time to scout out the cave before he entered, because that was when the rain began to fall. The first drops were light, just a molten kiss of what was to come, but they were still hot enough to blister Nick¡¯s flesh. He screamed as he sprinted up the hillside. A writhing mist rose from the earth to permeate the air, creating swirling pools of steam along the rocky ground, the air shifting from warm to sweltering in the blink of an eye. He followed the trail of fresh blood to the den¡¯s entrance and then threw himself inside, just as the rain began to fall in earnest, sheets of boiling drops drenching the isle in a deadly deluge. Forcing his exhausted brain back into something loosely approximating vigilance, Nick stepped into the crunchers¡¯ den, accompanied by the patter of rain striking the earth and the shriek of fierce and rising winds. He stopped by the entrance long enough to open his pack and pull out his sword, although there wasn¡¯t much room in here to swing it. Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. He strode into the lair with his sword in hand, intending to execute a clumsy thrust if any of the crunchers were still alive. Fortunately for Nick, his fears were not borne out. Nothing larger than ragged fragments of bone and crimson splatters of gore remained of the first bonecrunchers to fall. Even though he had experienced the pollen¡¯s effects firsthand, he was shocked by the gruesome panorama of carnage that awaited him a few steps deeper within. Tufts of fur and pools of blood lay strewn across the dirt. The ground was marred by hundreds of fresh claw marks, left by the lethal free-for-all that had ensued after his bomb went off. Quivering chunks of flesh were stuck to the ceiling and the walls, and blood, bile, and excrement stained the dark earth. The pack must have begun devouring its weaker members while they were still alive, Nick noted while fighting down the urge to vomit. Beside the recent gore sat the remains of old kills, mostly skeletons covered with a few flaps of rotting meat. Must not have been enticing enough to devour with live prey so close at hand. Nick had hoped to claim the den for his own, but he had no way to remove the copious mounds of viscera and offal, not to mention the sheer volume of blood that had soaked into the dirt. Even if he cut the bodies into pieces and removed them, the smell would soon become unbearable, and the rotting tissue would foment bacteria and disease. Although it was a deeply frustrating proposition, it seemed that he would have to seek shelter elsewhere once the storm had passed. But Nick didn¡¯t have the energy to worry about it now. He was so exhausted that he could barely think. After making sure that nothing was alive within the den, he set his back to the wall where he could watch the entrance, took a sip from his canteen, then closed his eyes. He was out cold five minutes later. He awoke with a start sometime later, the ground thrumming from the aftershock of a nearby bolt of lightning. Nick had no idea how long he had been asleep, but he was glad that the searstorm was still falling, shielding him from the approach of aggressive animals and beasts. Outside, the storm continued to pummel the island, warming the air to the point that it was painful to breathe. Nick strode through the gore toward the back of the enclosure, where the heatsink formed by rock and earth brought the temperature down from dangerous to merely uncomfortable. Thankfully, the floor of the cave was angled down toward the entrance so that the blood slowly ran out and no water could find its way inside. He realized that he must have been sleeping for hours, since Nick felt recovered enough that his mind was clear, which helped him realize that there was a way for him to make the cavern livable after all. Although he wanted nothing more than to go back to sleep, he couldn¡¯t afford to squander this opportunity. Not if he wanted to use this cave as his base of operations going forward. Bracing himself for what came next, Nick took a moment to regain his energy, eating his remaining jerky and draining the water from his canteen. Then, with a weary sigh, he took up his sword and began hacking at the rotting corpses of the packs¡¯ victims, slicing them into chunks small enough to carry out of the cave. At least none of the crunchers¡¯ remains were still intact, as dragging out pieces of the massive beasts would have required a feat of strength beyond what he was capable of at present. Wrinkling his nose in disgust, he dragged the skeletons to the entrance of the cave, then threw them out into the rain. While he worked, he took the coconut husks that he had collected early on in his adventure and set them outside the mouth of the cavern. Nick winced as a few stinging drops fell onto his fingers, glad for the protection offered by his gloves and leather jacket. When the husks were full of water, he took them over to the worst of the bloody mess and poured them out, steaming blood pooling before draining out of the cave. It took him a good twenty trips before the job was done, but in the end, the cave was clean enough to use as a base. Nick would have to move the bodies again as soon as the storm passed. Otherwise, the scent of blood on the wind would draw carnivores and scavengers, and he had no desire to engage in another desperate battle quite so soon¡ªwell, ever again, if he could help it, but he knew that wasn¡¯t going to happen. When the dirty job was finally finished, he wanted to start exploring the darker recesses of the cave, but he was simply too exhausted to labor further. After pouring out a final husk of steaming rainwater to wash away the last pool of blood, Nick curled up in a corner where he had a good view of the entrance, propped his pack beneath his head to serve as a pillow, and promptly fell asleep. Chapter Eighty-Three: Hot Shower and Cold Iron By the time Nick woke up, the storm had spent its fury. The tumultuous thunder and lightning had relented and ceased pummeling the isle, and the temperature had dropped from sweltering to something more manageable. Although a warm drizzle was still falling, the steamy mist had long since sublimated, and he judged that the storm would pass the island completely within another hour or two tops. As he was covered in mud, blood, and a rank sheen of sweat, Nick decided to take advantage of the opportunity to take his first hot shower since his new life had begun a little over two weeks ago. He stepped outside, passing through the cavern¡¯s entrance with sword in hand. Nick was surprised to find that something had already come and carried away the bones. Likely a swordclaw, judging from the width of the trail it left behind, although the ground was still too wet to form proper tracks. After climbing the hill to ensure that no beasts were lingering in the vicinity, he walked back over to the mouth of the cave and then stripped down to his skin. When he did, he noticed that his wand had gained a charge from defeating the alpha. He sighed in contentment, savoring the luxury of hot water running down his naked body. As a thick layer of grime dissolved, revealing healthy tan flesh beneath, Nick took an inventory of his injuries, marveling at the realization that, while it had been close, he had lived and his enemies were no more¡ªalthough he needed to keep an eye out for the final cruncher until he was certain it was dead. He ran his fingertips across a patchwork of bruises, purple and black from his recent battle, layered on top of faded green and yellow from those acquired during prior ordeals. His chest and arms were covered in scrapes and scratches, and a band around his stomach was tender where his belt had been twisted tight between the alpha¡¯s jaws. Remarkably, none of Nick¡¯s cuts were more than skin deep. His bones were unbroken, and his organs remained intact. All in all, it was a small price to pay for the gamble he had undertaken. That investment into Toughness is really paying off. Standing naked upon the surface of an alien world, Nick shook his head at the wonder and absurdity of it all, then went to retrieve his gear and clothing so that he could clean them off as well. His canteen had a few minor dents but seemed to be holding up well. His jacket, boots, and gloves were unmarked and still in pristine condition. After washing off a layer of mud, his backpack seemed to be in good shape too. Nick had noticed that the bag was incredibly resilient, even without any modifications to enhance its Toughness. He was unsure if the durability was due to the materials the pack was fashioned from or a byproduct of the dimensional storage space inside. His other garments were in considerably worse condition. His shirt had a hole in the middle, where a leech had dissolved the material to feed from Nick¡¯s arteries, but was otherwise intact. However, his original clothing¡ªhis blue jeans and his trusty bathrobe¡ªwere on their last legs. Both articles were shredded and worn thin, covered in countless stains. At least the deterioration of his robe had begun to slow after placing it below his jacket to serve as a bit of padding, but his jeans were well into the process of falling apart. Nick hoped that they would hold on until the end of the tutorial, as he had no desire to face down beasts and other deadly threats with his bits and bobs dangling free, although it was pleasantly liberating at the moment. He wrung the grime out of his clothes as best he could, then set them on a flat, clean rock, where they would dry quickly when the sun returned. Then he started cleaning his weapons and the rest of his gear, drinking a few mouthfuls of rainwater as he went. The stormwater tasted of minerals, leaving a tangy aftertaste. When he was done, Nick reached into his pack and took out his crab claw straight-razor and shaved, then cut his nails with his tiny scissors. While his hands were busy with menial tasks, his mind was free to wander. His victory over the pack represented a major milestone in his progress through the tutorial. He had two weeks left until the final phase began. With the threat of the bonecrunchers put to rest and a shelter to ride out the searstorms acquired, Nick could finally devote some serious time to training and physical conditioning while he prepared for whatever awaited him during the last two days of this trial. He had a lot that he needed to do now that the southern forest was safe to survey in earnest, but Nick¡¯s first goal was simple compared to the rest of the list¡ªfinish exploring the den. In part to make sure that there weren¡¯t any hidden tunnels or other unpleasant surprises in his new home, but mostly because he was hoping to secure a reward for all his hard work¡ªalthough the cave itself is a significant prize by any reckoning. He pulled on his wet jeans and boots, leaving the rest of his clothing to dry as the last drops of rain struck the earth. Nick turned his gaze to the heavens as the sun emerged from behind the clouds, bathing the island in early evening light, then he walked back into the den. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. Although it was lighter inside than when the storm had been raging overhead, half of the den was cast in impenetrable shadow. He would have lit a small fire, but his flint was still damp after washing off the mud it had acquired when his belt broke during the fight. Nick held a wooden spear in one hand, tracing the contour of the walls to make sure that he didn¡¯t miss any openings as he continued, heading deeper into the cave. He felt his way across the rough earth, probing folds and crannies that he could barely see. He moved slowly and methodically, making a thorough job of it. Nick was certain that there would be a chest or other reward somewhere in here, based on the logic of where he had found the others. The alpha¡¯s corpse had nothing on it, and no chest had appeared in the aftermath of their battle. Sure enough, in the deepest part of the enclosure, his eyes ran across the profile of what appeared to be a cast iron toolbox. An object strikingly out of place in a natural environment like this. For a moment, Nick stood frozen in fear, caught in the memory of being infected with the Crimson Blight and nearly losing his life as a result. A bolt of terror shot down his spine like a jolt of electricity. Fighting down the urge to run, he forced himself to stand there and master his fear. Calm down, Nick. Breathe. Relax. Think. It would violate the nature of a tutorial to boobytrap the rewards given to a contestant for overcoming a challenge. You knew the fog door room was sketchy from the start. That chest wasn¡¯t actually trapped anyway. You got hit with the blight over by the exit to the room. Besides, most types of traps would be impossible to set in this natural, underground space, and any that could would have been triggered by the proximity of the pack. Worst-case scenario, it¡¯s rigged to blow when opened. But it should be totally safe to take the box out of here and examine it under the light. His decision made, Nick reached out and decisively grabbed the handle, although he was unable to stop himself from shaking when his fingers touched the cold iron plating. As he walked toward the sunlight, he realized that the box was surprisingly light. There isn¡¯t enough weight for a bomb or complex mechanism. I guess it could be poisoned, but do I really think the System would set me up like that? Why make everything a contest if it was just going to kill me outright? Thinking the matter through, Nick realized that all the System chests had appeared without warning, were immaculately clean despite their grungy environments, and had disintegrated or melted away the moment he retrieved the items inside. Except for the one in the dungeon. But on the island, they behaved exactly the way that reward chests should and were clearly generated by the System. Although it dredged up some scary memories, there was no reason to be afraid of the box he held in his hands. So, while Nick would reserve his paranoia for any ordinary, non-System related storage containers that crossed his path, he resolved not to agonize every time he opened an Exploration Reward Chest. With the issue laid to rest, he flipped up the fastenings and cracked open the toolbox. What appeared to be a pile of emerald fabric sat inside, neat and folded as if it had just come back from the cleaners. As he had hoped, another informative scrap of paper sat on top. Nick smiled as he read the first few lines. More KP, always helpful. Then he moved on to the item¡¯s description. Congratulations! You have discovered an Exploration Reward Chest (Iron). Three tutorial knowledge points have been awarded. Contents: 1 voucher for a random, relevant, high-cost knowledge point entry unlock. Cloak of Thermal Regulation (Uncommon). While it provides no defensive value, this cloak will help the wearer retain or eliminate body heat as needed. Insulation/thermal conductivity will occur at a modest rate. Modification: Self-maintenance. This item will clean and repair itself over time as long as its core remains intact. A voucher; that¡¯s new. I wonder what information it will unlock. While he pondered how to spend his new knowledge points, Nick took out the cloak and held it up under the sunlight. The silky fabric was a rich shade of green that would blend in well with the woodlands, although it would make him stick out like a sore thumb when standing on the beach. Not that there was much of a beach left at this point, just the strip of sandbar over by the obelisk. The cloak was short enough not to get dragged through the undergrowth, and it hung tight around his body when he draped it over his bare shoulders. The silky fabric was remarkably light, although Nick felt a little embarrassed to be wearing a cloak outside of Halloween, even though he was alone. It was comfortable and didn¡¯t hinder his movement in any way. Although it was a trivial concern, the color clashed with Nick¡¯s innate sense of style, but at least he didn¡¯t have to wear it in public. The material was elastic and incredibly smooth, to the point that he had a hard time trapping the edge between his fingers. That was one thing less to worry about, as the cloak wouldn¡¯t snag on foliage or be easy to grab ahold of in battle. Of course, such concerns were secondary to the true value of the item¡ªthe property and modification it bore. Sure enough, even though the cloak was as light as a daydream and open in the front, the moment it settled around his shoulders, Nick began to feel warmer. The chill breeze that had returned with the searstorm¡¯s passing now felt pleasantly brisk against his skin. The added insulation should help him sleep more comfortably, as he had only plant matter to use for bedding and nothing beyond his clothing to serve as covering. Nodding in satisfaction at the latest addition to his inventory, Nick moved on to securing his shelter before calling it a night. Ready to face the new adventures that would come with the rising sun. Chapter Eighty-Four: Major Milestone Now looking every inch the part of someone undertaking a dangerous adventure on a magical planet, Nick made a brief circuit of his new base, surveying the other half-dozen hills scattered throughout the region. Although he carried his sword with him, he wasn¡¯t too worried that he would be forced into another fight this day. Nothing dangerous should be laired anywhere near the pack¡¯s former den, and most of the island¡¯s predators would be returning to their shelters until the sun rose tomorrow. By now, Nick¡¯s shadow was long, and the light was beginning to fade. So, he walked back to his cave, got dressed, and finished repacking his gear. As he had expected, his toolbelt was still in tatters. He would have to adventure without the belt hugging his hips until its modification restored the accessory, which he hoped would take a few days at most. While there was still enough light to see, he walked over to the tree line and dragged out a few big branches that had fallen during the storm. When they dried, he could strip their needles and use them for bedding, although he wouldn¡¯t be able to light a fire tonight. Nick intended to build a series of defenses around and within the cavern over the next two days, but he only had enough time to construct the first layer now. While he went inside to retrieve his pack, he considered the cavern that he had risked his life to claim. If he had intended to use this place as a permanent shelter, the lack of a bolt hole or concealed entrance would have been a serious liability. But he only needed somewhere safe to sleep for the next thirteen days. A place where he could acquire some genuine rest and recover from his multiple ordeals. While he pondered the days ahead, Nick reached into his pack, pulling out his dagger and the ball of twine that had come with his toolbelt. Then he withdrew a modest pile of swordclaw shells¡ªlittle pieces of chitin that he had collected while cooking up the crabs. He took his dagger and pressed the point into the middle of each bit, then turned the hilt between his palms to create a crude drill, bearing down until there was a hole in each jagged fragment. He took out a spear to measure the height of the cavern¡¯s entrance, then marked the length by notching the shaft with his dagger. Straining to see in a world that had become a shadow-ridden realm of monochrome, Nick bent down and unrolled the length of twine. He slid each bit of shell onto the string in turn, then tied a knot beneath it to hold it in place until the entire line was covered. Once the first strip was finished, he cut the twine and then moved on to the next until he had six strands in total, enough to cover the entrance with only a few inches of open air between them. Nodding in satisfaction at his handiwork, Nick walked over to the branches he had gathered and broke off segments of sticks to use as stakes. He wound the twine around the wood and then hammered each line into the cavern¡¯s raw earth ceiling using the pommel of his dagger. When he was finished, he stepped back to examine his construction¡ªa shell-encrusted curtain that ran from the top of the cavern¡¯s mouth all the way down to the ground. A screen that made a fair bit of noise when disturbed, even when he tried to pass through as quietly as he could. Nick had never been a heavy sleeper. He was certain that the noise would be loud enough to wake him if anything tried to enter the cave while he slept. Barely able to keep his eyes open, he curled up in the cleanest, driest part of the cave with his sword propped up beside him, where he could see the entrance and anything lurking outside. With a mighty yawn, Nick set his head against his pack, spreading out his new, self-cleaning cloak to keep his freshly washed clothing from becoming soiled again. Then, filled with a buzz that was equal parts satisfaction and exhaustion, he closed his eyes and let the sandman carry him away to the land of dreams. The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. He awoke late the next morning, having needed a few extra hours of shuteye given his emotional and physical expenditures the day before. Although he had slept on bare earth, he felt remarkably refreshed. Despite its lack of amenities, sleeping in the cavern was a considerable upgrade from slumbering sprawled out along the branches of the great tree. After relieving himself and burying the waste, Nick drained the water from his canteen and ate the final strips of dried crab sitting in his bag, ready to face the day and the challenges it would bring. Nick needed to construct the rest of the defenses he had devised to guard his shelter, but before that, he wanted to restock his supply of food and visit the obelisk. He had high hopes that his efforts had netted him another level, and he had a pile of knowledge points that needed spending regardless. While he was thinking things through, he found the canister that had housed his pollen bomb sitting in the far corner of the cavern. Although one end sported a massive dent, the lid still fit tight, and the container remained serviceable. Nick thanked the tool for its service and then stored it inside his pack. Before he got to work, he took out his toolbelt, pleased to discover that a portion of the damage the alpha had inflicted had already been repaired. Within another day or two, the belt should be back in pristine shape¡ªa magical phenomenon that Nick found absolutely fascinating to watch. But for now, he would have to keep the mangled toolbelt and the items it contained stored safely in his pack. It was strange to think that the thick strip of leather was the only reason that he was still breathing. The alpha would have gutted him like a fish had the belt not been in the way. He still had plenty of water in the husks he had set out to collect stormwater after cleaning out the cave, so Nick skipped stopping by the spring as he made his way to the coast. Although he felt safer with the alpha out of the picture, he moved through the forest with caution. While he was confident that he could avoid any komos that crossed his path, the lurk was still somewhere out there, as well as a final cruncher he had yet to confirm was dead. Not to mention, he had no guarantee that the giant spiders wouldn¡¯t decide to encroach on his domain, with the pack no longer serving as a deterrent. But today, Nick saw nothing of the sort. The only creatures he encountered were the non-beast animals that inhabited the island, along with an occasional lemur, although he didn¡¯t catch sight of Bandit or the Elder. Before long, the isle¡¯s western shore came into view, and soon after, his gaze landed on the familiar profile of the obelisk, the stark lines of its majestic silhouette contrasting against the deep blue sea. He wondered if it had been built by the natives of this planet or if the System had placed or grown it for Nick to use during the tutorial. If it had some symbolic meaning or was purely utilitarian in function. Not that it mattered in the end. He crossed the sandbar with a surge of anticipation, then walked up to the pillar¡¯s base and activated the display mounted on the side, grinning at the notifications that awaited his perusal. As Nick had hoped, he had gained a level from his showdown with the bonecruncher pack and improved his skills in the process. Congratulations. You have accumulated enough experience to reach Level [5]. As a reward for reaching level [5], you have been awarded a bonus free attribute point. You have two free attribute points awaiting allocation at your discretion. Through use, you have improved the following skills: Size Up has increased from [6] to [7]. Wand has increased from [2] to [3]. Well now. That¡¯s a pleasant surprise. A bonus for hitting Level 5. Nick was thrilled that he had been awarded an extra attribute point and wondered if there were other level-based bonuses in store for him later. He supposed that he would find out whenever he hit Level 10, as it was a prime candidate for another reward. He was eager to start improving himself, but before Nick decided how to allocate his free points, he was going to spend his knowledge points, finally unlocking the primer on Mind so that he could make a fully informed decision. But first, it was time to redeem the voucher for a free, high-value KP unlock. Chapter Eighty-Five: Day 17: System 101 Unsure of how the System kept track of his non-item rewards, Nick shrugged and said, ¡°I would like to use the voucher I received in my reward chest.¡± Although he was slowly getting used to the existence of magic and the entirely new laws of nature that governed his day-to-day reality, he still felt a jolt of awe as the display shifted in time with his thoughts. A computer that could read his mind simply blew him away. Although Nick wasn¡¯t sure that the System was a computer per se, now that he thought about it, its prompts and responses did give him the impression of an unimaginably complex AI. Hoping to one day make sense of his strange new reality, he turned his attention to the screen in front of him. Nick nodded in satisfaction when he saw what he had unlocked, because it was a question that he had already tried entering into the custom KP prompt but had been discouraged by the cost. What is the difference between animals and beasts? Beasts are animals that have evolved to be able to accumulate experience and collect essence. As a result, they possess the capacity to level and have powers comparable to the skills and abilities used by contestants. While some animals are innately incredibly powerful, their growth is capped by the genetic limits of their species, although in rare cases, individual animals can evolve and become beasts, passing this status on to their descendants. Beasts range in intelligence from that of mere animals to a level of self-awareness comparable to various contestant species. Note: This voucher will unlock a second, rarer piece of knowledge at the end of the tutorial. Fascinating. Nick nodded to himself, realizing that the information was in line with his own observations. With that interesting tidbit of knowledge acquired, it was time for him to decide how he would spend his KP. He returned his attention to the display in front of his face, eager to learn more about attributes. He was burning with curiosity regarding magic, both as an attribute and a law of nature, but that could wait until he had some spells at his disposal. With any luck, he would acquire some soon. However, Nick definitely needed to know what Mind did so that he could plan out his free point expenditures now. He sent his intentions into the obelisk and selected Mind, then began to read. Mind Mind is the attribute governing cognitive abilities. Baseline Mind can be increased through rigorous study, completing difficult tasks and puzzles, and by learning to think in novel ways that expand your prior conceptions. Mind includes: Focus: The ability to concentrate on a train of thought in the presence of distractions. Analysis: The ability to scrutinize and unpack complex concepts with numerous variables. Perception: The ability to pay close attention to sensory details. Put simply, the Mind attribute determines how intensely you can concentrate, how accurately you can analyze, and how well you can sift useful information from raw sensory input. Wonderful. He had been hoping that non-physical attributes could be raised through training as well. Now he had confirmation of that possibility and an idea of where to begin. Nick would have to experiment to develop effective techniques to train his baseline Mind, as he hadn¡¯t managed to increase it yet, despite hours spent planning every day. Then again, his Mind was naturally in the range where it was difficult to increase via conditioning. It was interesting to learn that Mind didn¡¯t seem to correlate directly to intelligence, although the analysis component came close. Regardless, all three aspects of Mind were incredibly useful, both in survival situations and for life in general. Nick was now certain that he would devote a portion of his free points into the attribute going forward. He would figure out the ideal ratio over time as he learned more about his new reality governed by the System. As none of the other attributes on his profile were likely candidates for an upgrade in the short term, Nick decided to spend his final pair of knowledge points unlocking the primers on health and stamina. He had seen both terms mentioned before, but they did not appear anywhere on his profile and seemed important to understand. He was happy to discover that they needed only a single KP each to unlock, as it meant that he could afford both now. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. Nick went ahead and confirmed the expenditures and then started to read, starting with the primer on health. Health Health is the vital force governing the body¡¯s core functions and regenerative abilities. Raw health increases with every level. Health synergizes with Toughness to determine the maximum damage that can be sustained before death. Most non-fatal wounds will regenerate rapidly while an individual has health to expend, but this process will stop after reaching a minimum threshold to prevent organ failure. Health also governs how much raw damage can be sustained before an organism dies, although certain wounds (severe organ damage, extreme blood loss, etc.) are inherently fatal regardless of the size of an individual¡¯s health pool. As the interactions between health and injury are complex, a brief example will be provided below: If a Tier 1 being gets stabbed through the stomach, it generally results in a fatal wound without immediate medical attention. The shock to the body is immense, and the organ can¡¯t regenerate tissue fast enough. At Tier 2, the situation becomes more complex. If the health pool is large enough, an entity can survive the initial shock to the system, and then endure the secondary injuries caused by blood loss and stomach acid flooding the abdominal cavity. With sufficient health, the body will begin to regenerate new tissue and even reattach severed nerves and veins. An organism¡¯s health pool regenerates faster when resting and after eating a nutritious meal. Nick was intrigued by the System¡¯s first mention of Tier 2 beings, but he decided to keep on going and read the second entry before reflecting on what he had learned. Stamina Stamina is the vital force governing physical expenditures. Raw stamina increases with every level. Stamina synergizes with Toughness and Strength to enable prolonged physical activity. Stamina has two core uses. First, it can be spent to activate and maintain certain abilities. Additionally, stamina is consumed naturally during physical activity. Stamina allows the body to perform bursts of motion as well as sustain strenuous actions over time. Put another way, both sprints and marathons will deplete stamina at a rate corresponding to the level of energy expended. Stamina recovers faster when resting and is depleted more slowly when a person is well-hydrated. This was more information than Nick had been expecting, and it gave him a lot to think about. Both stamina and health were apparently forms of vital energy, and he wondered if there were others as well. Since magic existed here, mana was a likely candidate. The entries also confirmed Nick¡¯s suspicion that raw levels were important beyond the associated attribute points that came with them. Intending to ponder what he had learned throughout the rest of the day, he shelved his analysis for now. Because he was ready and eager to spend his free attribute points. Although he wanted to raise his Dexterity another point or two soon, he decided that it wasn¡¯t quite the right time just yet. He had barely survived his fight with the pack, and the plans he had laid beforehand had been pivotal in tipping the scales in his favor. Although he had nearly lost his life in the battle, without his various preparations, Nick would now be digesting in the alpha¡¯s stomach instead of standing on the beach, enjoying the roar of the waves crashing into the forest¡¯s rocky shore. Toughness was another story, however, as Nick suspected that his high Toughness was the only reason he had walked away from the fight without severe internal damage. It seemed likely that, even if things went well, he would continue taking beatings regularly throughout the tutorial, and he needed to reduce the damage he suffered as a result. Nodding along with his thoughts, he signaled his intention to spend one of his free points on Toughness. He quickly sat down to ride out the waves of electric worms writhing throughout his muscles, sculpting his tissue into a new, more resilient configuration. Once he had recovered and his insides stopped squirming, Nick spent his final free point on Mind, enjoying the visceral clarity that descended on him and the feral vibrancy of his senses. I wish there was a way to bottle the sensation that comes with increasing Mind, he mused. It would be helpful when I¡¯m stuck on a particularly tricky problem. Ready to get on with the rest of his day, Nick pulled up his profile to check out his attributes before moving on. He caught himself frowning when he realized that it was getting harder to keep track of his baseline versus level-modified stats. It was an important distinction, as the baseline values of attributes represented the cut-off points for being able to raise them via conditioning. Then it hit him. This display can probably be customized as needed. Sure enough, responding to his intentions, the numbers on his profile shifted, now showing both his baseline and level-modified attributes side by side. Attributes
Strength: 5 Dexterity: 6 (7) Toughness: 6 (10)
Mind: 7 (9) Creativity: 6 Charisma: 5
Magic: 2 ??? ???
That¡¯s better. Now it was simple for Nick to track how easy it would be to condition his body further. He could theoretically raise each baseline attribute to 10. But at 5, this process became harder, and past 7, gains required either extensive effort over time or extraordinary circumstances. Enjoying the invigorating sensations provided by his newly improved body and mind, Nick left the obelisk behind him and entered the forest, ready to explore the woodlands in earnest and reap the bounty of the forest. Chapter Eighty-Six: Midnight Assault Whistling a merry tune as he traveled through the forest, which had been steam-cleaned by the searstorm the day before, Nick passed by the great tree and kept heading north, returning to the cave he intended to use as a base for the remainder of his survival vacation on the Searing Isle. Or at least until the final phase began, two days before the tutorial¡¯s end. He felt a surge of satisfaction upon sighting his new home. Through his efforts, Nick had created a window for himself. He freed up days that he could devote to tempering his mind and body, as well as anything else he could think of. He intended to use this opportunity to acquire every advantage that he could in order to maximize his odds of living to see the Earth once more. He had gradually become aware that his memories of integration were starting to return, and with them, a sense of exquisite loss and pain, like barbed wire wrapped around his heart. Just thinking about not thinking about them hurt, and he didn¡¯t have time to wallow in misery. So instead of trying to dredge the memories up to the surface, Nick avoided contemplating them for now, intending to take advantage of whatever was shielding him from the emotions they carried until the tutorial was over. Or at least until he had fortified his new home. With that goal firmly in mind, Nick was ready to start constructing the cavern¡¯s defenses in earnest. He began by walking over to where the shipwreck had been tossed back onto the shore by the merciless tide. As he had no skills or tools appropriate for logging, the wreck was his only supply of lumber. He needed to claim some of the sturdy wooden planks if he wanted to build some sort of barricade and hopefully pry free a piece large enough to create a low wall as well. At the very least, he needed to build something solid that he could stand behind while thrusting with a spear. Before long, the ship came into view. It was propped upright against a pair of sprawling trees, returned to its original orientation after countless of years resting upside down. He took a quick survey around and within before deciding that the region was free of hostile beasts. Then, humming a merry tune, Nick rolled up his sleeves and went to work. While he was picking through the wreckage, he found a long pole that had once been the banister for a stairwell. He cut it in half and whittled the ends into points, crafting a pair of spears that were sturdier than the ones he had carved from fallen branches. Not long after, he was pleased to uncover some big chunks of the ship¡¯s deck that had broken free during the storm. They would be perfect to reinforce his makeshift barrier. With a bit of effort, Nick was able to pull his prize free from the wreckage, and after another two hours, he had enough timber to build a barricade to shield the cavern¡¯s entrance. It took several trips to carry all the lumber back to the cave, but he didn¡¯t mind the labor. It was time well spent and would help condition his strength as a bonus. Before he began building his bulwark, he decided to gather up a large pile of baseball-sized stones. He figured that being able to unleash a primitive ranged attack would help discourage any curious predators from drawing too close to his shelter, ending the encounter without having to engage in hand-to-hand combat. Once he was done, he used the two largest pieces of deck to form the front of his barricade, giving him a solid structure to duck behind that would also guard his legs. Once the planks were wedged tightly together, Nick piled debris to plug the gaps on both sides, then went to work carving a series of short stakes from various bits of wood. He inserted these crude spikes into the gaps in his construction. While some of them would likely fall out if something heavy slammed into them, the stakes shoved between the planks were a better fit. They could do a bit of damage if a creature charged but were mostly there to keep enemies from being able to scale the barrier and overwhelm Nick before he was able to man the wall. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. Once the fence of debris was in place, forming a bottleneck inside the cavern¡¯s entrance, he spent a few minutes refining his primitive alarm trap. When he was satisfied with his handiwork, he gave the barrier a thorough inspection from both in front and behind, kicking at it until he was sure that it would be able to take a beating. Then Nick walked into the forest, looking for lunch while pondering how to best use the days ahead. After some foraging and some training, he decided to call it an early night, tweaking his plans for a few hours until he passed out. Nick was fast asleep atop his newly crafted bed of dried needles when something tripped the alarm trap he had set up along the entrance to his shelter. Although he was awake in an instant, for an adrenaline-soaked moment, his dream-addled mind was back in that terrible moment in the dungeon. He woke up to find a gigantic leech perched on his chest, feeding from his arteries. After running his hands over his body and finding nothing there, he heard the shell-studded strands of twine clacking again, followed by the sound of claws scrabbling across the floor of the cavern. I¡¯m under attack by beasts, he scrambled to arm himself as he prepared to defend his shelter. Instead of reaching for his sword, which was poorly suited to swinging in such a confined space, Nick picked up one of the spears he had crafted from the pile that was propped up against the wall beside him. He could tell from the sound what creatures were headed his way. The tap of short claws coming down against hard-packed earth. One¡­ no, two komos. They either heard me breathing or were watching the cave and waiting for me to lower my guard. Nick wasn¡¯t surprised by the beasts¡¯ intrusion, as he had been expecting it sooner or later, although this was the first time that he had witnessed the predatory reptiles hunting at night. He had been seeing signs all day that one of the smaller komo prides was encroaching on the land once claimed by the cruncher pack. He had known that he would have to fight the lizards sooner or later if he wanted to defend his claim. Nick¡¯s heart raced, and his adrenaline began to flow as he prepared himself for battle. He knew from experience that the komos wouldn¡¯t stop unless he drove them off with force. Even then, the lizards would likely return if he didn¡¯t kill them now. He ran his eyes across the earthen floor, trying to anticipate when his opponents would make their move. He could barely make out anything with the wan starlight pouring through the mouth of the enclosure, but he could see the dim outlines of the chamber¡¯s interior. Two blobs of darkness stood frozen by the entrance, holding themselves so still that Nick could scarcely make out their outlines against the murky gloom. I¡¯m lucky that the komos aren¡¯t very bright. When the second one entered and rattled the alarm, the first must have thought that something was attacking from behind and spun to face the noise, startling the second as well. This welcome development gave him a few seconds to wake the rest of the way up and, more importantly, time to think. If they come at me together, they will probably take down the barrier before I can inflict too much damage with my spear. But I doubt they can see the low wall or the spikes any better than I can in the dark. If I can convince them to come charging in fast before they notice the obstruction¡­ This was all the time for contemplation Nick had, because that was when the komos began gliding forward once more. The beasts advanced with surprising agility, like blobs of ink spreading across the floor. They didn¡¯t seem to realize that Nick had noticed them yet¡ªa lucky break that he intended to take full advantage of. Before the reptiles could close the distance, he reached back, took aim, and then threw his spear into the creatures¡¯ path. Although he had no practice with this technique and the spear was a poor missile at best, the lizards were big enough and close enough that he was able to get the job done. The spear completed its short flight and struck the closest lizard on the flank. Unfortunately, the crude spearpoint was barely able to scratch the komo¡¯s scaley hide. But the wound was deep enough to hurt, and more importantly, his attack caught the creature totally by surprise. By now, he understood the komos well enough to anticipate how they would react. As he expected, the instant that the creatures pieced together what had happened, both lizards hissed and came charging straight for Nick, showing no sign they were aware of the barrier¡¯s existence. Chapter Eighty-Seven: Fresh Meat Nick was already in motion. He retrieved his second spear and took his stance behind a trio of wooden spikes, drawing the lizards to where his makeshift barrier was the strongest. The inky blobs took on definition this close to his eyes, revealing a profile of scale and claw against the dark walls of the cavern. Putting everything that he had into tracking his opponents¡¯ positions, Nick waited until the first lizard darted past the end of his weapon, then lowered his spearhead into the path of the second and braced for impact. At this point, two events took place at nearly the same moment. The first was that the closer reptile, which Nick was calling Komo One for reference, gathered its strength, getting ready to leap straight for his throat. Apparently, it could see a bit better than he thought and knew that he was standing behind something solid. The second, equally exciting event was Komo Two¡¯s head-on collision with Nick¡¯s spear. Although his stance was solid and his angle was perfect, the carved wooden tip was a far cry from being a proper weapon. Thus, instead of perforating Komo Two¡¯s skull and shish kabobbing its brain, the spearpoint cut into the lizard¡¯s flesh before deflecting off bone and following the contour of its head, drawing a ragged red gouge. Before it slid past entirely, the spear caught the joint where neck met shoulder. Nick pressed forward as the beast¡¯s momentum impacted the wooden weapon with the full force of its charge behind it. This time, the spear bit, driving the tip deep into the muscles around the joint before shattering with a resounding crack, leaving a foot and a half of the shaft protruding from its flesh. This was a significant injury, and Komo Two pulled back to free itself. It started working the spear out of the wound with its jaws, taking it out of the fight. Unfortunately, this still left Komo One soaring for his tender flesh. The lizard¡¯s jaws spread wide as they streaked toward his unprotected throat, intending to tear out his jugular and complete a one-shot kill. The beast¡¯s plan would have ended in Nick¡¯s untimely demise if it weren¡¯t for the presence of one small variable. While he had been wrong about the reptiles being able to see the barrier, he had been right about them not being able to make out the spikes amidst the midnight gloom. Three of which were lined up along the trajectory of Komo One¡¯s approach. Now only three feet in front of his face, Nick could make out the lizard¡¯s features clearly. Thus, he recognized the alarm it exhibited when it caught sight of the sharpened stakes jutting below its neck. Komo One opened its jaws and, incredibly, managed to bite one of the stakes in half. A remarkable display of airborne agility. Fortunately for Nick, the aggressive reptile was unable to chomp away the remaining stakes pointed at its chest. Half a heartbeat later, the lizard¡¯s body caught the spikes, slamming into the planks hard enough to crack the wood. The beast¡¯s mass drove it down onto the stakes, impaling the komo through the stomach and heart. It spasmed in the throes of death, bringing down one side of the barrier in the process. Nice job, Nick. Komo One is now Komo Zero. The other one is still alive, he reminded himself. He grabbed a fresh spear and spun to face the beast, only to realize that it was no longer inside the cavern. This was the first time that Nick had seen a komo take enough damage to make it retreat, proving that they weren¡¯t recklessly suicidal despite their tenacious aggression. He would have been happy to let the creature go, if there wasn¡¯t a good chance that it would come for him again as soon as it recovered, bringing the rest of the pride along to join in the hunt. Over his weeks on the Searing Isle, Nick had come to realize that there was a calculus to risk management. In essence, every fight was a risk. The more that he fought, the sooner he would make a critical mistake and die. It was as simple as that. Thus, he had no desire whatsoever to risk it all for mere scraps of experience. But right now, his chances of winning this fight were good, and accepting a modest risk today to avoid a greater risk tomorrow was another equation entirely¡ªa gamble that Nick knew he had to take whenever he could if he was going to survive his new reality. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Without hesitation, he swapped his spear for his sword and then walked out into the night, tracking Komo Two by following the faint shimmer of moonlight reflecting off the trail of blood it left in its wake. Nick was careful to follow the tracks without trying to anticipate their direction, which could cause him to miss critical details. Each time he lost the trail, he waited until he saw a fresh splatter of blood before moving on, guarding himself against the possibility of ambush as best he could. As he moved, Nick recalled the lessons that he had learned while observing the beasts on the isle. He knew better than to let the pursuit of a quarry blind him to other dangers. As he advanced, his ears scanned for fresh threats as he followed the wounded komo across open ground. If it makes it into the forest, I¡¯ll have to let it go, he decided. Entering the verdant growth would obscure the starlight, and the rest of the pride was lurking somewhere in the nearby woods. Well before he reached the tree line, Nick¡¯s ears picked up the familiar hiss of an agitated komo. Turning his head to track the sound, he caught a flash of movement, which resolved itself into the form of the wounded lizard limping its way across the clearing. The spearpoint must still be embedded in its shoulder joint. It¡¯s lost a lot of speed and mobility. Knowing that the scent of blood on the wind would draw trouble to his location and that he had no chance of sneaking up on the beast despite the darkness, Nick raised his sword in a two-handed grip and started running toward the injured lizard. The creature spun to face him, realizing that it would not be able to make a clean escape with Nick nipping at its heels. For once, instead of charging, the reptile stood waiting, yielding him the opening move of the melee. Mindful of the creature¡¯s reach and offensive capabilities, he advanced with his weapon poised, visualizing the exact placement of his sword and the orientation of both of their bodies. It can¡¯t leap or charge, and it won¡¯t retreat. He prepared to engage. That means it will try to land a crippling blow the moment I enter its range. Angling the blade over his right shoulder, Nick stepped in front of his scaled foe. Rather than swinging, the second that his sword was in reach, he feinted, throwing a kick at where the lizard stood waiting. The creature almost struck out but decided to hold its ground, waiting for a better angle before committing to the attack that would determine its fate. Resisting the impulse to charge or flee, Nick forced himself to take another step forward, where the komo would be able to reach his thighs and stomach. If it wants to land a decisive blow, it will have to lunge¡­ now! Both combatants struck in the same heartbeat. His sword came down, while the lizard¡¯s jaws came up. Its neck strained to reach inside his guard, intending to shear his left leg off at the knee. A bare second before its teeth closed around Nick¡¯s flesh, his sword tore into the komo¡¯s neck, severing scale and then muscle, vertebrae then spine, leaving the beast¡¯s neck attached to its body by a thin thread of sinew before pulling apart completely. The moment that his blade emerged from the far side of the lizard¡¯s neck, he released the hilt and leapt back. He dodged a steaming spew of gore when the komo¡¯s head fell to the earth, landing beside its body with a wet thump. The battle won, Nick retreated to the edge of the clearing, waiting for the tsunami of adrenaline surging in his veins to run its course. Once he had recovered, he made his way back to his cave. With a bit of effort, he extricated the lizard¡¯s remains from his barrier and then dragged the body outside. He chopped the corpse of Komo One into pieces before tossing them into his bag. Too amped up to sleep, he drained his canteen and sat down behind his barrier while he waited for the sun to rise. When there was enough light to see, Nick scooped up handfuls of raw earth and then buried the blood in the cave as best he could. Thankfully, Komo One had died with the stakes still inside it, so there wasn¡¯t too much gore to clean. He left the other corpse to whatever scavengers cared to claim it, as it was far enough away not to draw trouble to his location. At least I have enough meat to last a few days now. He wiped the sweat from his brow, deciding to head over to the great tree and whip up a big batch of lizard jerky. Even if it is nasty as shit. Fortunately, the nearby komo pride was spooked off by the loss of two of their members and soon moved out of the area¡ªfar enough away that they no longer posed a constant threat. Now that Nick had a decent stockpile of food and water, as well as a defensible shelter that should see him through to the next phase of the tutorial, he was ready to begin his training in earnest, preparing himself for the ordeal to come. Chapter Eighty-Eight: Training Montage I Over the next seven days, Nick spent every waking moment tempering his body and honing his mind for the ordeal to come. He needed to grow faster, tougher, stronger. Become powerful enough to survive a life filled with constant bruises, falls, cuts, and the occasional exposure to unknown drugs and toxins. To his immense satisfaction, now that he was a part of the System, he was able to grow more powerful at a remarkable rate. With nothing trying to eat him, Nick soon fell into a loose routine. He would wake up a few minutes before dawn, then eat breakfast and begin his Strength training while waiting for the sky to lighten. Three sets of pushups, crunches, and back lifts to exhaustion, followed by squats and a round of tossing stones to improve his aim and strengthen his shoulders. Sometimes Nick would intensify these sessions by wearing his backpack and filling it with rocks to its maximum one-hundred-pound capacity. As he cooled down, enjoying the burn that came with pushing his body to new heights, Nick would move on to his Dexterity training. He had set up a primitive obstacle course where he could balance on logs and leap from rock to rock, then hone his footwork by using a vine as a jump rope. Then came yoga and other stretches to enhance his flexibility and widen the range of motion of each joint. Nick ended his morning routine with a session of Toughness training. Wind sprints and long leaps to fortify his lungs and heart and enhance his overall endurance. He suspected it would be even more effective if he injured himself in the process, but that ran counter to his goal of keeping his blood inside his body. He performed these exercises in front of his cave so that he could retreat behind his barrier if he was attacked while he was exhausted. Once he recovered from his morning workout, it was time for his daily skills training. Heading out of his cave, he completed a series of exercises that he was calling ¡°Survival 101.¡± To begin, Nick would forage his way south across the woods, grabbing up any stray berries or mushrooms that he discovered along the way. Thanks to his experience with the creepers¡¯ pollen, he knew that the white caps were indeed safe to eat and had reluctantly added them to his diet, even if they came with an unwanted side order of bad memories. Throughout the day, Nick sized up every beast and animal he saw, dangerous or not. He was unsure to what extent this helped to train the skill, as the only time he had seen it improve was after sizing up a new creature for the first time. But every sliver of a skill point was a vital acquisition. Not only had Size Up saved his life on numerous occasions, but it was also growing more useful over time. Early on, the skill had only given him a general impression of how dangerous the creature in question was, but as it grew, it had started to provide a bit of extra information related to its evaluation. The lemurs were dangerous because of their group tactics and ability to use primitive weapons; the spiders because of their trap webs and all-around combat prowess; the komos had their camouflage, endurance, and stubborn tenacity. Nick had eventually realized that Size Up could be used to identify dangerous terrain as well, although fortunately, there wasn¡¯t too much treacherous ground along his little slice of the forest. In addition to working on boosting foraging and Size Up, Nick was determined to adapt to living in the wilderness. Although this part of his training was unrelated to the skills on his profile, he considered it to be equally important. This portion of his regimen focused on three main areas: listening, tracking, and stealth. He called the first part listening, although it was really his attempt to take in and become more aware of useful information gathered by all five of his senses. In the shadow-ridden woodlands, his ears were generally more useful than his eyes. As the days went by, Nick began to notice how the birds and bugs went to ground whenever a predator was stalking nearby. The ambient music of their chirps and cries had come to mean that everything was okay. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. Thanks to the enhancements to his sensory perception that came with raising his Mind, he was gradually learning how to tell the difference between subtle sounds that he would never have been able to pick up on before. The scrape of stray leaves blowing across the forest floor became distinct from those disturbed by animals passing by. He learned to judge the timber of an abrupt crack to tell which belonged to an old branch falling from a tree and which had been shattered by a predator¡¯s mass. Although Nick¡¯s nose was no match for the island¡¯s beasts, he had begun to identify the scents of various animals as well¡ªtheir body odor as well as the stink of the shit they left behind. The musky fur of the lemur tribe, the reptilian funk of the komos, the acrid stench of the lurk¡¯s droppings. While he was out practicing his listening, he stopped to train his tracking whenever he came across anything interesting. Tracking meant learning everything that he could about the animals on the island from the evidence they left behind. As the days passed, Nick gained a better grasp of which trails were laid by which species. He followed them to learn where the animals hunted and foraged. Where they took shelter for the night. He had devised a series of questions to help further his fledgling ability. ¡°Are these tracks fresh or old? Was the creature unhurried or running for its life? Was this shit left by carnivores, herbivores, or something less discriminate, and what was the last meal they ate?¡± Poop and prints, tracks and trails, Nick began learning how to read the stories written by the animals and beasts. Outlining their behaviors and habits. Their tendencies and territories. No matter what else he was doing, he always practiced hiding at the same time. This began as an attempt to learn how to move silently, inspired by the consummate stealth exhibited by the lurk. Through trial and error, Nick figured out which leaves would slide silently when swept by his foot and which would crackle. He taught himself how to step down and transfer his weight mindfully, only committing to each footfall when he was confident that he knew what lay below his boots. How to arrange his gear so that he could move his body without rattling his tools against each other. In addition to muffling the noise he made, Nick worked on reducing his visibility. He tried to be mindful of what he looked like from any likely angle. He made himself harder to spot by breaking up his profile. Stopping to rest beside a tree trunk or after crouching behind a brush. To lie flat on his stomach when approaching a ridgeline, instead of announcing his presence by walking along it. To pull himself up into the branches of a nearby tree at a moment¡¯s notice without making a racket in the process. By the end of the week, he was starting to get the hang of it. Although he wished that he had a skill that would help him improve his stealth, rather than having to teach himself the basics from scratch. Even still, it seemed to be working because Nick had an easier time evading random komos as he improved. By now, he was able to spot the lemurs¡¯ scouts from a distance, before they reacted to his presence with their ¡°a friend is coming¡± call. However, he was utterly unsuccessful at evading their notice up close. To the point where Nick was sure that the furry sentries were watching his failure with pity. Every few days, he would climb to the top of the great tree. This was, in part, to test his progress. To see how far his body had come since arriving on the Searing Isle. And in part because it was the only way to view the highlands without climbing up to that terrain, which Nick was unwilling to do until he was certain that he could avoid the lurk. Scaling the immense tree had begun to feel less dangerous with his enhanced Strength, Dexterity, and Toughness, and the view from the top was phenomenal. Gorgeous enough to let him forget his worries, at least for a moment. To his surprise, he caught sight of the thing in the sea on two separate occasions, and he decided that the colossal beast must be laired somewhere nearby. Eventually, Nick received a pair of notifications that he had been waiting for. Through rigorous training, you have conditioned your body and improved the following attributes: Strength has increased from [5] to [6]. Through use, you have improved the following skills: Foraging has increased from [5] to [6]. And then, a few days later¡­ Through use, you have improved the following skills: Foraging has increased from [6] to [7]. He had less success in improving his baseline Dexterity and Toughness, although he was optimistic that he was making significant inroads toward increasing them as well. Nick¡¯s rate of growth was getting faster by the day; he just hoped it would be enough to let him endure the tutorial¡¯s final phase. Chapter Eighty-Nine: Training Montage II As important as it was to improve his skills and all-around outdoorsmanship, Nick put just as much effort into bolstering his martial prowess. When his daily skills training was complete, he would emerge onto the island¡¯s southwestern shore, then head over to the obelisk to track his growth and check the time. The last sunny stretch of sand on the island was Nick¡¯s preferred spot for weapon training, as it was a perfect place to fall on his ass without bruising his tailbone. And while teaching himself the basics of weapon handling without the assistance of any System-granted skills, he tended to fall with an embarrassing regularity. At least he managed not to impale himself in the process. Although Nick did run into an occasional komo or swordclaw, this spot was one of the safest places on the island. The sandbar connecting obelisk to isle was too wide for the thing in the sea to approach, and none of the beasts in the woods were laired nearby. Better still, he had yet to discover any signs that the sandbar was part of the lurk¡¯s hunting grounds. He would have moved out here at the beginning of the tutorial¡¯s second phase if he had been able to build a shelter sufficient to protect him from the searstorms, and it wasn¡¯t so far away from everything else on the island. Enjoying the soothing roar of the surf and the beauty of the open ocean, he would begin by selecting a weapon and then transition between a series of basic stances. His goal was to be able to strike along each of the eight basic angles as well as thrust without having to think about what he was doing, to the point where each motion became an instinctive reflex. Nick would practice his strikes until his arms were throbbing to strengthen the specific muscles used in each attack. Once he was warmed up, he moved on to his favorite part of his regimen, shadow boxing. Leaping and dodging across the white sand, he relived old fights and invented new scenarios, facing down imagined enemies in real time, visualizing each in as much detail as he could. This part of his routine could only be done on the sandbar or in front of his cave. Shadow boxing required all of Nick¡¯s concentration, and he needed to do it somewhere where he was safe from ambush. Fortunately, that wasn¡¯t a problem with the obelisk. No matter how distracted he was, there was no way that he would miss a predator walking along the empty stretch of sand leading to his position. If he spotted anything emerging from the trees, he would step behind the obsidian pillar to obscure his profile. He had even found another submerged sandbar that he could follow back to the island if the main path was blocked. It was unstable and sketchy as all hell, but on a planet filled with ravenous, highly intelligent beasts, an emergency exit was always welcome. Early on, Nick¡¯s shadowboxing was a crude tool at best. Although he could clearly imagine his opponents in his mind¡¯s eye, he had a tough time overlaying his mental images on top of the physical world. Even when he managed to do it, they were only shadowy outlines that didn¡¯t move like live opponents. But as the days passed, Nick started to get the hang of it. He had learned to repeat a mantra as he concentrated, helping him to recreate not only the appearance and movements of his enemies but their presence as well. Then he moved on to visualizing the beasts and the tactics they had taught him. Remember what they looked like, Nick, then go beyond. To how it felt to face them head-on. Imagine the beast closing in, muscles poised to strike and filled with killing intent. Remember how they moved; how they reacted to each choice you made. Now, go beyond the memory. Your enemy is here, standing in front of you. Make the fight real. Anticipate and neutralize. Dodge and strike. Push past merely reacting and take control of the momentum of the fight. Disrupt their tactics, then counter and land a finishing blow. Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. Nick trained as diligently as he could, but there were hard limits to how long he could drill each day. He couldn¡¯t afford to completely exhaust or injure himself, or he would leave himself vulnerable for the rest of the afternoon. He wished that he had some formal training in his weapons of choice, or better yet, a relevant skill, but he did the best he could without them. Even working under these constraints, he made noticeable progress every day. By the end of the week, his sword felt more at home resting between his hands, and he was confident that he would be able to respond to a wide variety of attacks and ambushes without losing his head. After training with his sword, dagger, or wand, occasionally mixing it up by adding in a bit of spear work or rock chucking, Nick would eat a late lunch and head back into the forest, stopping by the spring to top off his canteen and wash the grime from his body. He wasn¡¯t sure if he wanted to make the spear a permanent part of his arsenal. The crude wooden weapons had poor penetration compared to his metal blades, although the length offered him a key advantage when fighting against animals. He decided to keep at it for now. He wanted to be comfortable enough with the spear to fend off beasts from behind the barricade guarding his shelter, since the komos¡¯ night invasion was still fresh in his mind. Whenever he was walking, he drilled himself into reaching back over his shoulder. Sticking his hand into his open pack, then withdrawing the sword in a single motion. Nick had decided to use the pack as an impromptu sheath, since carrying the sword in front of him as he hiked was both awkward and dangerous. The motion was still a bit clumsy, but his draw was growing smoother with practice. He was gradually getting used to performing the maneuver whenever he sensed danger nearby. He was ambushed twice by komos, and Nick could tell that the beasts were growing stronger over time. But he was able to bring his sword to bear, create an opening, and escape without taking any serious wounds. He had even managed to kill the second one with a lucky strike. He kept an eye out for the lurk, but while Nick had seen its tracks in the region, he hadn¡¯t had another encounter with the deadly beast just yet, much to his relief. Before returning to his cave for the evening, he would try to find a swordclaw to fence with. Their bladed claws were the closest that he could get to sparring with actual weapons. The swordclaws were excellent partners. The armored beasts were happy to accept a draw and slow enough to escape from when he was finished. Although he would fight to kill if he were defending himself or hunting for dinner, Nick was glad that he didn¡¯t need to slaughter the crabs in order to train. The giant crustaceans were dangerous beasts but had never gone out of their way to threaten him, as they didn¡¯t seem to categorize him as a predator or prey. His sword didn¡¯t do much damage to the chitin of their claws unless he hit them with a fully powered chop, so he wasn¡¯t causing the bulky crustaceans to suffer unduly either. In addition to practicing parrying and blocking with his sword, Nick used these man-versus-crab sparring sessions to develop his combat mindset. Maintaining awareness of his environment and his opponent amidst the rush of combat. Learning how to keep a cool head in the heat of battle. To act rather than react. Not to become lost in the rush of adrenaline or freeze due to the desire to avoid taking a hit. He felt no such compunction against harming the komos that crossed his path, as the carnivorous lizards were insanely aggressive and would hunt him for days once they caught wind of his presence. He would stop to kill any solitary lizards that were lurking near his shelter, although he tended to avoid the others he encountered. When he was finished for the day, Nick would stop to say hello to the tribe and then head back to his shelter to make dinner and engage in a second round of Strength training. As the light began to fade, he would scout the perimeter of the clearing, examine his alarm traps and barricade, then review tactics and his goals for the next day before falling asleep. While it was still stressful, lonely, and dangerous, this week was relatively relaxing compared to the rest of the tutorial. He didn¡¯t let the break lull him into a false sense of security. Nick was certain that whatever was coming would be worse than anything he had experienced so far. Chapter Ninety: Noisy Neighbors In addition to improving his skills and attributes, Nick spent some time every day checking out what the islands¡¯ beasts were up to. They still had a great deal to teach him, and he didn¡¯t want to be taken by surprise if their behavior changed before the last phase of the tutorial. Although the swordclaws could be found throughout the woodlands, the majority were concentrated in the western forest. The crabs were doing surprisingly well in their campaign against the ravenous creepers and their partner, the great sleep shroom. The powerful crustaceans had established a foothold after invading the territory of the carnivorous plants and fungi. They must have innate resistance to pollen and spores, likely from having evolved in the same environment. The creepers aren¡¯t nearly as dangerous when their prey isn¡¯t disabled by their pollen, and the crabs¡¯ shells are hard to crush, while their claws are perfect for severing vines. As the swordclaws preferred to dine on fungus now that there was less seaweed washing up along the shore, the encroachment of the crabs made the edible mushrooms scarcer but the berries more plentiful. By the end of the week, the crabs had driven the creeper vines deep into the heart of their territory, exposing hundreds of bushes that were previously inaccessible to Nick and his lemur buddies. It let him supplement his diet of dried meat with ample portions of fresh fruit for the first time in weeks, reducing the time he needed to spend hunting to maintain his stock of provisions. While exploring a strip of woodlands that the crabs had annexed from the creepers, Nick finally found the remains of the missing cruncher. The swordclaws had stripped the corpse down to the bone, but by now he could recognize the remains of the beasts he had encountered by examining their spines, hips, or skulls. He was glad to have solved the mystery, as it meant there was one less deadly beast out there that was hounding for his blood. He still kept an ear out for the crunchers¡¯ yips as he traveled across the forest. While Nick had seen no signs of them yet, there was no guarantee that the pack he had defeated was the only one on the island. While the ravenous creepers were in decline, the komos were thriving. It turned out that there were far more lizards living on the isle than he had originally believed. Fortunately, most of them were arranged in smaller prides and generally remained within their established territories. But there were two prides that were home to dozens of the giant lizards. The biggest pride was led by a hulking, scarred reptile that Nick had dubbed Komo Alpha. It was a brutish, vicious beast that Size Up insisted was more than capable of slaughtering him if they were to face one another head-on. He took the warning to heart, and he went out of his way to avoid the clearing claimed by Komo Alpha and her pride. While he had to remain on guard against being surrounded, running into solitary komos had begun to feel less dangerous. Nick had eventually decided that their camouflage simply wasn¡¯t designed to work against eyes that could perceive color and contrast as well as his, or he would have been under the constant threat of ambush wherever he went. Their teeth and claws were still bad news, but he had long since learned how to anticipate the lizards¡¯ reactions, and he could reliably beat them one-on-one in a straight fight. He assumed that he was leveling faster than most of the komos, thanks to his experiences in the dungeon and in defeating the bonecruncher pack. His physique had undergone some drastic changes since arriving on the island, and the improvements to his gear were even more pronounced. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. Nick had gone from being nearly naked to moderately armored, armed with a variety of weapons and tools. He had begun his adventure overweight and out of shape but was now lean and toned, stronger and tougher than he ever thought he could be. The lizards had definitely grown bigger over the last three weeks, but it wasn¡¯t enough to counter the cumulative effects of Nick¡¯s increased attributes, combat experience, and the extra reach provided by his sword. The lemurs had been growing even faster than the komos. By his rough estimate, they were nearly twice the size they had been when he had woken up on the beach. Their growth had slowed over the last week, but the furry primates still seemed to be leveling up, becoming more agile and resilient as the days ticked past. Nick was glad that food had become plentiful on this part of the island. Under no circumstances would he want to compete with the tribe in order to survive. He was reluctant to make enemies with the lemurs, in part because he had come to genuinely enjoy the company of the only creatures on the island that welcomed his presence. But even more important, Nick was sure that the lemurs would absolutely destroy him in a serious fight. He was fortunate that he had developed a friendly relationship with Bandit and the rest of the tribe early on. Near the middle of his week of training, Nick had hosted another barbeque session at the tribe¡¯s insistence. As he was heading back to his cave for the night, Bandit had appeared out of the bushes. His furry friend had taken his hand, then led him over to the great tree, where a pair of slain swordclaws and a mound of lesser crabs were piled up by the firepit he had dug. The lemurs let out a boisterous greeting when he arrived, and he started grilling with a smile on his face. To his surprise, this time the lemurs had done some of the cooking themselves, prying open shells and cleaning out the guts, then holding the meat over the fire once Nick had arranged it on the spit. As clever as they were, the friendly primates were still a little weak on the concept of grilling. Most of their crabs came out of the fire raw, burned, or a bit of both. But their stomachs were stronger than his own, and the lemurs devoured the crabmeat with gusto regardless. While he was out checking on the other beasts, Nick had devoted considerable time to learning everything that he could about the lurk, investigating the tracks and other trail signs the beast left in its wake. He had begun mapping everything out on the floor of his cave, eventually forming a working model of the shaggy predator¡¯s behavior. He held no illusions that he would ever be able to defeat the lurk in a straightforward exchange of blows, so his efforts were geared toward allowing him to avoid the deadly beast. He needed to investigate the highlands before the tutorial¡¯s next phase began, and right now, the lurk was in the way. He had an idea how to deal with the problem, but Nick wasn¡¯t ready to put that plan into motion just yet. The final beasts that he was tracking were a colony of giant spiders living in the woods a few miles east of his cavern. The colossal spiders seemed to be thriving, which wasn¡¯t too surprising as Nick hadn¡¯t run into anything on the island that was capable of invading their territory. Except for the lurk, who had no reason to mix it up with the lethal arachnids with every other creature on the isle on the menu. While Nick stayed as far away from the spider colony as possible, he still patrolled the border he shared from a distance using his spyglass. He needed to spot any changes to their behavior as quickly as possible so that he could retreat from the area if he had to. He knew that the colony was well fed, as he spotted komos, swordclaws, and the occasional lemur trapped within their webs. There was, however, one worrisome anomaly. Near the end of the week, he started spotting signs that one of the spiders was scouting out his valley, eventually catching sight of the beast from a distance. Fortunately, it was just a single spider, and not one of the truly colossal ones, but it was still an unwelcome and dangerous development. In addition to the threat of the spider ambushing him, Nick was afraid that if its encroachment were left unchecked, the rest of the colony would follow suit, forcing him to retreat to the island¡¯s southern shore, where the komos were thick. He suspected that he would have to drive the spider off sooner rather than later, but he was hoping that the beast would leave of its own accord. Regardless, Nick had a feeling that his week of relative peace was coming to an end. Chapter Ninety-One: Eight-Legged Killer Although Nick tried his best to sidestep unnecessary conflict, at the end of his week of intensive training, he found himself forced into a confrontation with a species of beast that he had been fervently hoping to avoid. To his dismay, instead of leaving the area, the spider that had entered his valley had grown more aggressive over time. Instead of simply observing Nick, the beast began overtly stalking him, like it wanted him to know that it was coming for him. Challenging him directly rather than hunting him for food. At first, Nick had been hopeful that the beast was simply scouting the area, determining what had happened to the missing bonecruncher pack, as their absence had shifted the dynamics between the creatures living in the forest. But after sighting the oversized arachnid for the fourth time, the last just outside the spring near the island¡¯s southern shore, he had realized that, for some reason, this spider was targeting him specifically. Unless he did something about it now, he would likely walk into an ambush that he wouldn¡¯t walk out of. If the rest of the spider colony followed suit, Nick was afraid that they would set trap webs along the trails he walked, or worse, attack his hideout in force. He needed to send the beasts a message that would encourage them to err on the side of caution¡ªa way of communicating despite the language barrier, telling the spiders, ¡°Something dangerous still lives in the neighborhood.¡± The idea of striding headlong into a sticky web strung across his path, of the spider pouncing from the branches overhead, was enough to make him break out into a cold sweat. He had been waiting to see if the beast would lose interest, but now Nick was convinced that he needed to deal with the problem once and for all. At least the elite members of the spider colony hadn¡¯t wandered into the area¡­ yet. He held no illusions that he could hold his own against one of the colossal specimens that he had spotted from the treetops. Now certain that a fight was inevitable, Nick wanted to face the beast on the ground of his choosing, developing a series of tactics designed specifically for the nature of his enemy. He knew from observation that the spiders were agile and strong for their size. They could produce prolific webbing and likely had a venomous bite as well. At least he had his potion of antidote to use in an emergency, but that wouldn¡¯t do him much good if he found himself bound up in webbing. What gave him pause, beyond the beast¡¯s frightening visage, was its unusual behavior. Nick was convinced that the spider was revealing its presence to him on purpose. During his last encounter, he found the grayhound-sized arachnid watching him from the trail ahead, moving along after stopping to consider him for a nervous handful of minutes. Each time they met, the beast had come closer than the last, and Nick¡¯s instincts were certain that the next time he saw the spider, it would decide to engage him head-on. Now that a showdown was a foregone conclusion, he was planning to lure the beast to favorable terrain and then initiate the battle himself. He was confident that he would run into the spider again today, and he was ready to put an end to the threat it posed. In order to have their confrontation take place on the ground of his choosing, he had risen early and spent the morning waiting in an open clearing where nothing could be waiting in ambush, especially from the treetops. He was in the middle of drilling with his sword, the noonday sun compacting his shadow into a small ball between his legs, when the beast arrived on scene. After scanning the clearing, the spider advanced to within a hundred feet of Nick and then stopped to consider him. He got a good, long look at the beast in turn as it watched him from the shin-high grass. The ochre arachnid was the size of a large dog, although it was over twice as wide given the spread of its spindly limbs. He already knew that the creature was incredibly fast, and its chitin looked tough enough to turn a blade. The spider¡¯s agile limbs were as thick as his wrists, and its body was powerfully built. The hairs on its legs and abdomen shone with a faint iridescence in the sunlight. Nick knew these filaments were sensitive to tiny vibrations, enhancing its perception of the environment. The beast¡¯s mandibles twitched as its compound eyes stared back into his own, regarding him with no fear whatsoever. Size Up did not like Nick¡¯s odds, but it wasn¡¯t like he had been given much of a choice. He took the opportunity to analyze the beast while he could, using his reason and his instincts to supplement the feedback from his skill. Overall, he was left with the impression that the spider was a dangerous opponent, but one that he could best if he found a way to take control of the momentum of the battle. Taken together, Nick concluded that the eight-legged predator was less dangerous than one of the crunchers but far more deadly than a solitary komo. He had a hunch that it would rush or leap for him at breakneck speed, delivering a venomous bite while laying down immobilizing webbing as it maneuvered into position. The exoskeleton on its body looks tough, but the legs seem fragile by comparison. One good slice with my sword will severely hamper its mobility. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. In short, the prospect of facing the giant spider in melee was utterly terrifying. Even his sword seemed like a poor tool for the job. If Nick missed, the beast would close the distance before he could hope to recover his stance. Thankfully, he had a few tricks of his own up his sleeve, or more accurately, attached to his belt. He reached down with one hand, making sure that his flashbang orbs were in the proper pouch and that his wand would slide free from its loop without resistance. Although he hoped to win the battle without them, these tools were Nick¡¯s ace in the hole if he found himself severely outmatched. Since it seemed that his opponent was waiting for him to finish his preparations, Nick slipped off his bag and then took up his sword in a two-handed grip, visualizing the best angles to swing the blade to counter both a low rush and a high leap. He took a sip of water from his canteen and then began walking forward, curious to see how the beast would respond to his challenge despite the danger. The spider mirrored his advance, both combatants coming to a stop when there was about twenty feet of open ground between them. Then, for a long, tension-saturated moment, man and spider stood poised beneath the high noon sun, each waiting for the other to make the first move. Nick could feel a bead of sweat form before running down his neck, smell the fragrant wildflowers in bloom all around him. Hear the music of the birds and bees. He let these sensations wash over him unappreciated, every scrap of concentration placed upon the beast before him. He held his sword at the ready and prepared himself for battle. His goal was to prevent his opponent from closing the distance until he was certain that he could counter its attack. For now, his strategy was simple¡ªkeep the blade between himself and his enemy until he found a chance to cut. Under no circumstances would Nick let the spider leap and wrap its legs around him; his soul shuddered at the thought. At that point, the time for consideration evaporated like water dripping onto a hot pan. Because that was the moment when the beast decided to take the initiative and came skittering toward him in a blurring rush. Nick expected the beast to keep charging straight for him, mirroring the komos¡¯ direct approach. Instead, the oversized arachnid came to a stop just outside the reach of his blade, doing that creepy thing that spiders did where they raised two of their legs to use as arms. This close, he could hear the beast¡¯s limbs articulate, a gentle grind of chitin sliding across chitin. He could smell its scent in the air¡ªa spicy musk with acrid overtones. He could see the delicate markings along its flanks¡ªswirls of tan and onyx against the dark hairs covering its limbs. Why isn¡¯t it attacking? It¡¯s clearly hostile. What is it waiting for? Nick adjusted the angle of his blade to keep it on target, watching as the spider¡¯s limbs shifted slightly in response. I think it understands what my sword is. The dynamics involved in setting up a slash. In fact, now that I think about it, it¡¯s standing like it¡¯s ready to parry a blow¡­ Oh shit. Oh fuck, came Nick¡¯s eloquent internal dialogue as the realization came crashing home as to what this behavior indicated. It was now appallingly obvious that he had radically misjudged the situation. He was not merely about to fight to the death against a gigantic, nightmare-inducing spider. Instead, Nick was heartbeats away from mixing it up with a nightmare-inducing spider that could think. Could plan and predict. Anticipate and counter. This is one of the beasts the System mentioned that is smarter than any animal on Earth. Perhaps even as intelligent as myself. Not only was this development horrifying on any number of levels, but it also changed the dynamics of the battle completely. To prevail, he would need to rely on strategies and tactics of a different nature than those suitable for fighting mere animals, rendering most of his plans and preparations useless or nearly so. But their conflict was imminent regardless. Nick¡¯s mind raced to catch up, desperately trying to come up with anything he could do to improve his odds against a mind that might be equal to his own. If the spider can anticipate my swordplay, it can also be misled and surprised, but that blade cuts both ways. I really, really hope that it¡¯s willing to fight because it¡¯s sure that it can win and not because it has friends chilling in the neighborhood, ready to tag in if the battle goes my way. That was all the time for analysis that Nick was given. Half a heartbeat later, the spider burst into motion again, darting in low as it sped for his knees. He nearly panicked and brought the blade down hard. He remembered at the last possible second to keep the razored edge out and facing the spider center mass. Because if he missed, he would leave himself critically exposed at this range. Nick¡¯s caution proved to be well founded, because the beast abruptly skittered to one side, circling to flank him the moment he started his swing. It had clearly anticipated his reaction and intended to dodge the blow rather than continue its charge. The instant Nick regained control of his sword, he saw the spider freeze for a second before scampering out of range. It¡¯s baiting me into overswinging before committing to an attack. It definitely has at least a rudimentary understanding of the physics involved in swordplay. Over the next few minutes, Nick and the spider jockeyed for position. Feinting and probing. Repositioning and taking the measure of one another. He was certain by this point that the spider was a great deal smarter than any other beast he had encountered, including the lemur tribe. It was clear that Nick had bitten off more than he could chew. Now, his only options were to swallow or choke. Chapter Ninety-Two: A Battle of Wits Nick was woefully unprepared to face an enemy of this caliber. The spider¡¯s ability to anticipate his attacks was even more terrifying than its fearsome natural weaponry. Making a bad situation even worse, he had a sinking feeling that the beast had far more combat experience than himself. If that wasn¡¯t enough of a problem, he was already growing tired, whereas the spider appeared almost casually exuberant. The longer this fight dragged on, the worse his odds would grow, and Nick had no desire whatsoever to find out who would come out on top in a prolonged contest of endurance. However, he doubted that he would prevail in a melee or that he could outrun the creature and escape without wounding it first. That left him with only one option. Although he had no real insight into the mind of his opponent, Nick had no choice but to best the spider in a battle of wits, then use the advantage he created to land a critical strike. I don¡¯t care how clever it is. I grew up with opposable thumbs, the internet, and a smart phone in my pocket. I was raised on Google, Reddit, and Wikipedia, and I have a million random facts stored somewhere in my brain. In addition, through a life of gaming and consuming works of fantasy in dozens of formats, Nick had been exposed to tens of thousands of stories, many of which contained tactics that might help him live through this encounter. Over the next seven and a half minutes, he managed to battle the spider to a standstill, during which he enacted every plan and ploy that he could think of. He tried posturing and screaming. Throwing dirt and chucking stones. Acting like he was about to fall, then spinning to slash from an unexpected angle. Unfortunately, none of it worked, although his antics captured the spider¡¯s curiosity. The beast seemed intrigued as to what he was about. Almost as interested in seeing what Nick would do next as it was in ending the fight, occasionally trying out an experimental maneuver of its own. Observing the spider exposed him to a slew of novel tactics as well. Strategies that he would study at his leisure¡ªassuming that he survived the next few minutes, which was by no means a sure thing at this point. But if there was one thing that a life full of competition had taught him, it was this. When it was time to go all in, always bet everything on yourself. By this point, Nick was scraping the bottom of his bag of tricks, and he was certain that the spider could overwhelm him in a direct exchange of blows. However, since it had more endurance, the beast was waiting until he was exhausted before launching a decisive attack. It doesn¡¯t want to have to fend off my sword with its legs. They must not be tough enough to turn the blade aside, although I doubt that I can penetrate the thicker chitin across its body without a massive windup that would be easy to avoid. I need to find a way to pin it in place long enough to execute a sweeping slash down low. If I can carve off a few legs, I think I can manage the rest. It was at this point that the spider made a single, small mistake. It was slow to withdraw as it completed another rushing feint, remaining in Nick¡¯s kill zone long enough for him to swing the sword into its forelimbs. Covered in a sheen of sweat, knowing that he would not find another opportunity as promising as this one, Nick brought the blade down in a horizontal slash, ready to redirect the weapon into the spider¡¯s path if it darted to either side. As the sword carved a silver arc through the open air, the spider remained frozen in place, as if it welcomed the razored steel streaking for its legs. Just before his sword carved the spider¡¯s limbs free from its body, the beast abruptly shot straight backwards, flying five feet without moving its body in the process. Nick was baffled until he saw a single strand of webbing riding the breeze, reflecting the sunlight above. It must have secured a string to the ground earlier and retracted it in order to dodge. Fuck, it¡¯s even more mobile than I thought. In the pair of heartbeats it took for this observation to pass through Nick¡¯s brain, his sword continued past the point where the spider had stood and struck the protruding root of a nearby tree stump, the top-heavy tip biting deep into the wood. He tried to pull the sword free, strength born of desperation flooding into his limbs. But despite his increasingly frantic efforts, the sword remained stuck for a moment longer. Unfortunately for our protagonist, a moment was all that the spider needed to close the distance, intending to end the fight then and there. It came streaking straight for him at last. But instead of circling or leaping, it ran straight up to the trapped blade and began to climb, using the flat of the sword as a ramp. A bridge between its fangs and Nick¡¯s jugular. With the beast¡¯s weight holding the blade in place, he had no way to bring the edge into play, even though, after a final twist, the sword was no longer stuck. The intelligent spider had bided its time and chosen a perfect moment to strike. The nature of its approach had closed the distance and countered the threat of Nick¡¯s sword in one fell swoop. Everything leading up to this decisive moment had proceeded according to the spider¡¯s plan. Now the beast was ready to reap the blood-drenched harvest it had sown. Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. A flash flood of adrenaline surged into Nick¡¯s arteries, accelerating his heartbeat to a wild staccato. He knew with utter certainty that the next five seconds would determine who would live and who would perish. The spider must have shared his insight, because the beast didn¡¯t hesitate. In a streaking blur, it finished climbing the sword all the way up to the hilt, poised to lunge for Nick¡¯s throat and land a killing blow. This would have been the last mistake that he ever made¡­ if Nick had made a mistake to begin with. However, and most fortunately for him, while the spider¡¯s ploy had come to fruition, events had proceeded according to his own plans as well. He had known that the spider would catch him before long. It was only a matter of time. The beast¡¯s unpredictable maneuvers, extreme agility, and ability to adapt on the fly meant that Nick could only counter its attack if he knew exactly when and where the beast would arrive. And the only way that he could anticipate its approach was if he created the opening himself. This was the reason why he had intentionally disarmed himself, lowering the sword like a drawbridge leading to his unprotected vitals. Thus, by this time, he had already released the hilt of his sword, both hands darting down toward his belt. His right hand grabbed the metal canister clipped to his toolbelt as his left unsheathed his wand. The instant Nick had realized the spider was intelligent, he had decided to use his wand and flashbangs. Despite his desire to conserve their limited uses, the weapons wouldn¡¯t do him any good if he were dead and rotting in the ground. Letting the lid fall to the grass, he had placed the body of the metal canister over the business end of the wand while waiting for the spider¡¯s fang-filled face to appear over the hilt of his sword. Half a heartbeat before the spider struck, he committed to his gambit. Mouthing a silent prayer, Nick took aim and pulled the trigger, knowing that if this failed, he was a dead man. There was no time to come up with another ploy. With the metal container directing the force of the blast, instead of unleashing a spreading cone of force, the wand discharged its energy directly into the makeshift projectile. With explosive vigor, the canister rocketed forth, like a metal-encased fist swung by an angry ogre. Nick¡¯s hopes rode alongside the makeshift missile as it burst into flight. The canister went streaking from the end of his wand, just as the spider committed to its lunge. Its fangs were halfway to his throat when metal met beast with extreme prejudice. The improvised missile caught the creature completely by surprise, striking it square in the head. The ensuing impact reverberated across the open air. In that moment, he was terrified that it wasn¡¯t going to be enough to stop the beast; that before his heart beat again, he would feel its venom surging into his veins. But on this occasion, luck was on Nick¡¯s side. The canister rendered the spider¡¯s face concave and kept right on going, rupturing the beast¡¯s organs and shattering its exoskeleton before sending the corpse rocketing across the clearing and into the woods. He stood sweating in the sunlight, frantically scanning his surroundings in case the spider¡¯s friends were nearby and wanted to settle the score. But he could hear nothing over the ragged rise and fall of his breath and the wild beating of his heart; see nothing besides blades of grass swaying in the breeze. When Nick glanced down to holster the wand, he noticed that the device held two charges, even though he had just used the last one to end the fight in his favor. The gems seem to light up when I kill some creatures, but not others. The ratmen and the spider gave charges, but the komos and bonecrunchers didn¡¯t. Weird. I need to figure out the mechanics governing the wand as soon as possible. While thinking the matter through, Nick walked in the direction that the spider¡¯s body had flown. Though he had no desire to do so, he had one more task to complete before he called it a day. Twenty minutes later, he found the beast¡¯s body pressed into the trunk of a tree, its segmented legs curling in toward the center. After stabbing it in the head a few times to make sure that the spider was deader than dead, Nick gingerly grabbed one leg and then dragged the body back to his cave. He needed to retrieve the corpse if he wanted to send a message to the spider colony. It was his only hope of convincing them to leave him the hell alone. But that could wait until he finished processing his near-death experience. The moment that he stepped behind his barrier, he proceeded to freak the fuck out. Going head-to-head against an arachnid capable of tactical planning was an entirely novel form of terrifying. After he came down from what he assumed was a mild anxiety attack, Nick walked back to the shipwreck to retrieve another length of pole about as thick as his wrist. He sharpened one end after returning to his shelter, then drove the pole through the spider¡¯s corpse lengthwise, creating a makeshift taxidermy. He then carried the pole over to the eastern edge of his territory and planted it in the soil, where it was in clear view of the spider colony. Before hiding behind his barrier for the rest of the night, Nick built a roaring bonfire in front of the entrance to his cave, where nothing could enter without revealing its silhouette against the flames. He refined his plans for the days ahead with a spear clasped between his hands, since he wouldn¡¯t be able to sleep until he learned how the colony responded to his gruesome memo. If he was lucky, the intelligent spiders would get the message and decide that he wasn¡¯t worth hunting, as prey was plentiful on the island. Hopefully, they would decide not to kill him in retaliation as well. When he spotted the first rays of dawn bleeding light into the world of shadows, Nick carefully emerged from his cavern, making his way over to where he had left the corpse-draped pole sticking out of the earth. To his surprise, the spider¡¯s remains were gone. In its place sat a fat pile of fresh fruit, which he hoped was some sort of peace offering. When he scouted the area, to his immense relief, he decided that the move appeared to have worked. Nick discovered no further traces of the spiders within the pack¡¯s former territory, although he had a hunch that he would see them again before the tutorial came to an end. Chapter Ninety-Three: No Man’s Land With less than six days to go until the tutorial¡¯s third phase, Nick shifted his focus from intensive training to beginning his final preparations, although he still spent several hours every day developing his skills and attributes. When he stopped by the obelisk, he was pleased to learn that he had leveled after his latest fight and had made some progress with his skills as well. Congratulations. You have accumulated enough experience to reach Level [6]. You have one free attribute point awaiting allocation at your discretion. Through use, you have improved the following skills: Size Up has increased from [7] to [8]. Wand has increased from [3] to [4]. After a moment of deliberation, Nick decided to spend his free point on Dexterity. He had barely been able to keep up with the spider¡¯s movements, which had nearly cost him his head. Additionally, he needed to be able to strike and parry with greater speed and precision if he wanted to bring out his sword¡¯s full potential. He signaled his intentions and then sat down, riding out a wave of vertigo before rising to his feet once more. He spent part of an hour training, enjoying the improvements to his balance and coordination, before moving on to his next objective. With the threat of invading spiders behind him, Nick was ready to initiate the next stage of his plans, mapping out the rest of the island. He needed to scout the center of the isle, but there was a problem. His model of the lurk¡¯s behavior was still incomplete. He had several key details that he needed to nail down over the next few days before he was willing to enter the highlands, where he believed the beast was laired. While he pondered the matter, he decided that his hiding skills had improved enough to take a lesser risk today. He was ready to explore the final portion of the forest that was still a blank spot on his mental map¡ªthe northern strip of woods over on the far side of the mountain that dominated the middle of the island. Up to this point, Nick had scouted only a small fraction of that side of the Searing Isle. The view from the great tree was obstructed by the volcano, and the northmost strip of beach had been barred by churning rivers of lava. However, the molten stone had emerged from channels threaded throughout the bedrock rather than pouring down the mountainside. The forest itself was clear of the telltale signs of smoke created by the molten flows. There were other reasons that he had yet to set foot into the northern forest as well. In part because it was an inconvenient distance from the obelisk and his primary source of water. But mostly because it was close to the area where Nick had nearly stumbled into the lurk¡¯s ambush of the tribe, back on his first day on the island. That didn¡¯t mean he was uninterested in surveying the region, as it was surely home to additional resources as well as the likely hiding place of another valuable Exploration Reward Chest. After tracking its movements for weeks, Nick now knew that the lurk could strike anywhere. Thus, the northern forest no longer felt more dangerous than anywhere else on the island. In addition to scouring the region for resources, he wanted to find out what lived in that section of the woods. He needed to devise plans ahead of time in case he was forced to battle another dangerous species during the tutorial¡¯s final phase. Even more importantly, he wanted to open every reward chest that he could get his hands on. He needed to add to his collection of gear if he wanted to survive, and every chest he had found so far had bolstered his odds of living through the tutorial. One possibility was the chest he had found sitting in the lava field, although he knew that he had made the right decision by leaving well enough alone when he first found it. While the pull of greed was a powerful incentive, Nick couldn¡¯t make use of whatever was inside the copper container if he died while retrieving it. Attempting to cross the lava field would have been a reckless gamble, especially with no shoes on his feet. He was considering going back for it now, but the sharks were patrolling the water in even greater numbers than before. Not to mention the thing in the sea, which he had spotted several times over the last few days. He was reluctant to waste too much time and energy on a copper chest because Nick had his heart set on silver and gold. There should still be plenty of superior chests to find, since he had only explored roughly a third of the island by this point. Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. His destination decided, he left his obelisk in high spirits, heading northeast so that he would come out along the coast near the border of the ravenous creepers¡¯ territory. He planned to circle around the coastline as he made his way north, taking advantage of the strip of land the swordclaws had stolen from the killer vines. With 90 percent of his attention focused on his surroundings and the other 10 percent enjoying the fantasy of opening an endless procession of reward chests, Nick made his way to the coast. After emerging from the woods, he skirted the perimeter of the island, keeping an eye out for any stray creeper vines along his path. He walked along a waterline that had once belonged to the shrooms and vines before the advance of the crabs had driven them deeper into the forest. The sun was high overhead by the time that Nick found himself standing near the northern edge of the shroom¡¯s territory. He judged his location from the giant mushroom¡¯s position and the angle of the mountain, measured against his view of the nearby island. At this point, he stopped in a small clearing to eat lunch, prepared himself mentally, and then crept his way beneath the canopy, entering uncharted territory for the first time in over a week. He didn¡¯t intend to linger long, although he expected his outing to take most of the day. Nick¡¯s first order of business was to identify the dominant species in the region, then devise a strategy for how he could safely avoid them. He would also determine the best means of confronting the beasts if he were left with no other choice. His secondary objective was to uncover any useful resources that were not readily available elsewhere on the isle, as well as pick out any unusual terrain where another Exploration Reward Chest might be concealed. Although nowhere on the Searing Isle was safe, Nick¡¯s adrenaline started to flow as he stepped out of his comfort zone and into terra incognita, on alert for anything that might try to end his life. After another hour of hiking, the terrain began to change. The dominant species of tall, stout trees gave way to a shorter variety with glossy red branches that swept all the way back down to the ground, like unruly braids of hair. The undergrowth transitioned from bush and brush to sweeping ferns striped with vibrant shades of yellow and orange. It appeared that unlike the rest of the woodland strata, the north side of the island constituted a unique and separate biome, leaving Nick with no idea what to expect when he ventured deeper in. After thinking the matter over, he decided to explore just a bit further. He had yet to uncover any trace of the dominant species, and, in addition to novel threats, a new biome meant new resources. Resources that could expand his toolkit and grant him new options to survive the tutorial¡¯s dangers. Fifteen minutes later, his foot came down with a wet splat¡­ then sank another six inches into the soft mud before he recovered his balance and retreated to firmer ground. He took a long look around, trying to find a path around the cloying mud. But the layer of muck only grew deeper from this point. Nick tried walking along its perimeter for another ten minutes, but only mud and more mud awaited him, although he could see broad pools of water reflecting the sunlight further to the north. He eventually found a break in the tree line that let him take a gander at the terrain ahead. ¡°Well shit.¡± He sighed in disappointment. Although he had indeed discovered a novel biome, it was one that was utterly unsuited to further exploration. At this point, Nick had to accept that he could go no further; that it was time to turn around and head back to his little corner of the southern forest. The reason for his decision was simple. In the end, this portion of the island did not contain the woodlands that he had expected. It was filled with what appeared to be a tropical swamp instead. Nick cast his gaze out over the mangrove-like trees that stretched toward the horizon, between which radiant patches of blue and white were visible, pools of water reflecting the sky above like polished mirrors. The humidity was noticeably higher here, causing him to sweat despite the cool breeze blowing in from the ocean. He could feel the moisture encasing his skin and in the air he drew into his lungs. The aroma of the swamp carried a cloying sweetness that he could not readily identify, punctuated by the occasional wisp of rot. Making the iffy situation even sketchier, he could hear the furious buzzing of insects nearby. He could already tell that various creepy crawlies would be everywhere, thanks to the copious volume of open water. Nick had been lucky that there weren¡¯t many bugs elsewhere on the island, and he had no desire to get up close and personal with the local fauna. The lemurs could probably adapt to living in this environment, as they preferred to stay off the ground, keeping to the trees whenever possible. But for Nick, the terrain was simply awful¡ªa veritable death trap that he had no intention of stepping within. The land itself was treacherous. Hidden pockets of deep mud were scattered throughout the shallow water. He would have to slow down to a crawl if he wanted to survey the region, and he would be next to helpless while he did. Any creature native to the marshlands would be able to ambush and pursue him effortlessly, and he would be hard-pressed to defend himself on the semi-solid ground. Nick shuddered as he imagined encountering whatever resided deeper within the swamp. Alligators, snakes, the lurk. Any of these could end him with ease, and out here, none of his tricks would be able to save him. He shivered as he imagined being forced into such an encounter, walking out of the area as quickly as he could. On his way, he passed by more of the bamboo-like plants growing throughout the region. Having some on hand had already proven useful. So, following that train of thought, Nick stopped to pick out a few choice pieces and put them into his pack, then hurried on his way. The chops of his sword masked the rumble of thunder in the distance. Chapter Ninety-Four: Water Above and Water Below In spite of his fears, nothing attacked Nick on his way back to the coast. He stepped onto the rocky shore of the forest thirty minutes later, wiping the sweat from his brow. However, escaping the swamp unscathed didn¡¯t mean that his journey was destined to be hazard free. While Nick was busy retracing his steps along the waterline, he felt the wind shift. Warm gusts blowing the other way licked his face with increasing frequency. Familiar with the warning signs of an approaching searstorm, he looked over his shoulder and frowned. Now certain that his day was going to be exciting after all, he tracked the advance of an angry pack of blue-green clouds, upon which danced vibrant bolts of purple lightning. This searstorm was moving faster than the others Nick had observed. He wouldn¡¯t have time to make it back to his cave before the boiling deluge broke over the island. The danger sent adrenaline racing through his body, but he wrestled down the urge to panic. He had known that he would be caught outside during a searstorm sooner or later and had planned for this eventuality as extensively as he could. Thus, he had already scouted a number of locations where the shoreline was deep enough to fully submerge himself, but too shallow for the sharks to reach him, no matter how aggressive their attempts. Armed with a strategy but not much time in which to enact it, he ran to the water¡¯s edge, looking for one of the landmarks that he had identified during his initial hike along the shore. Knowing that he would be in for a world of hurt if the searstorm caught him, he sprinted along the coast, racing the rising storm. It wasn¡¯t much of a contest since the stormfront was moving many times faster than himself. But as he only had a half-mile to go, Nick had a fighting chance of arriving at his destination before the storm turned him into soup. By now, the clouds had devoured the clear blue sky, lightning throwing shifting shadows across the ground as he pressed himself into a greater burst of speed. He laughed in sheer exhilaration as the screaming winds fought to fling him into the sea. While this situation was deadly serious, it was also exhilarating. Filling him with the most curious sense of being alive. The first stinging drops were already hitting him when Nick found what he was searching for¡ªa shelf of rock below the waterline that was formed from the surface of a massive boulder. He remembered looking at the rock before the island had sunk, and its shape was perfect for what he intended. Nick winced at the bite of boiling droplets striking the back of his neck, although they were unable to burn him thanks to the thermal regulation provided by his cloak. That would change when the full stormfront broke over him sometime within the next five minutes, transforming the steaming drizzle into a lethal torrent of superheated water far beyond the ability of his equipment to handle. Knowing that every second he delayed increased his risk of incurring serious injury, he propped his backpack under a stout tree, where it was in no danger of being washed away. He opened the flap and pulled out a long tube of bamboo. It was the same piece he had used to launch his pollen bomb, as it was already cured, had a hollow core, and had no cracks along the interior. Pressed for time, Nick took off anything that could be carried away by the ocean and tossed it inside his pack. He closed the flap, hung the bag on a branch, and sprinted back to the shoreline. Rushing to stay in front of the deadly weather, he ran to the water¡¯s edge and walked out onto the middle of the submerged boulder. Then Nick ducked beneath the surface of the ocean and lay flat against the stone, holding one end of the tube up to his mouth so that he could breathe. With his other hand, he grasped a protruding knob of stone so that the current wouldn¡¯t carry him out to sea. Thankfully, its pull wasn¡¯t too powerful along this strip of shore. He wrapped his cloak tight around his body, hoping that its magic would offer some degree of protection from the hot water raining down from the deadly storm. Nick wasn¡¯t a physics major, so he wasn¡¯t completely certain that this would work. But it was the best shot he had of riding out the storm without a roof overhead. He already knew from watching the animals that the canopy wasn¡¯t dense enough to protect him. Hopefully, the cold water below would keep the depth that he was at from reaching the temperature of the rain carried by the searstorm. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. If he was wrong, he would have to chance diving into the depths along the base of the boulder and pray that the sharks didn¡¯t find him, returning to the surface every few minutes to take a fresh breath through his tube. Surely, at a depth of more than ten feet below the waves, the storm would not raise the temperature to anywhere near boiling. At least that was what Nick told himself as he held onto the boulder, bracing himself for the ordeal to come. He was gambling that this storm would pass faster than the others, given its rate of approach. He was stronger and tougher than he had ever dreamed was possible, but not strong enough to grip the boulder for hours on end while fighting against the pull of the tide. Five minutes later, the full fury of the storm broke over Nick¡¯s location. It was surreal watching the deluge overhead from beneath the surface of the ocean. The rain created countless ripples and unimaginably complex interference patterns as the falling droplets collided with the roiling sea. At first, everything went according to plan. He remained safe and cool as he grabbed the boulder and held on for dear life, praying that the storm would pass before his muscles ran out of endurance. Before long, the superheated water trickling down the tube started burning his lips, so Nick shifted tactics. He kept the bamboo below the surface until he needed to breathe, poked it above the waterline at an angle, blew out to expel the liquid inside, then took a couple of quick breaths before retracting his tube. Another ten minutes later, Nick could feel threads of heat winding their way through the cool water as the currents began swirling, mixing the layer of hot water above with the cold liquid below. Some of the flows were uncomfortably warm, but nothing that would cause him any lasting harm. At least not yet. The experience was surreal and unexpectedly beautiful. Sound was muted and warped beneath the waterline, and the surface swayed and swirled, playing strange tricks on his sense of time. While the ocean shifted from cold to tepid to uncomfortably warm, Nick watched the elemental dance where water met air, the storm melding sea and sky into a single, living entity. But then the water at his depth began to grow hot, nearly scalding his skin. He fought down the urge to panic, as the rising heat made him writhe like an eel on hot sand. Shit. I¡¯m going to have to dive in and take my chances after all. Too bad I don¡¯t have any more chemical salts to use as shark deterrent. Just before Nick was forced to brave the depths, the tail of the storm went soaring past the isle, the surface shifting from green gray to baby blue within a handful of heartbeats. The instant the rain ceased falling, he burst out of the water and took in a great gasp of air, wincing at the leaden soreness of his overtaxed arms. Although the wind was nearly as hot as the water for a few final seconds, a cool breeze began to blow, swirling as the atmospheric pressure returned to equilibrium, carrying the heat away. With a relieved sigh, Nick walked over to retrieve his pack and started to cackle, offering a one-finger salute to the last smudge of searstorm fading into the distance. While this situation had by no means been ideal, his plan had worked. He had survived a searstorm without being underground and could likely do so again if he picked out a suitable location ahead of time. The experience had been both stressful and shockingly beautiful. Another strange interlude that would never have been possible before the System entered Nick¡¯s life. Just as he was turning to leave, a glint of metal caught his attention¡ªa coppery sheen shimmering just below the waves. Heart racing with excitement, Nick made his way back to the shore, then used his spyglass to get a better look by placing the fat end just below the surface. He laughed when he realized what he was looking at, for a copper chest was wedged between the boulder on which he had ridden out the storm and its nearest neighbor. The same copper chest that he had seen sitting beside the lava. The current must have washed it closer to shore, where it got caught between the rocks. Smiling at his good fortune, Nick dragged the chest onto dry land and then cracked it open, reading the slip of paper he found inside. Congratulations! You have discovered an Exploration Reward Chest (Copper). Contents: Charm of Muffling (Uncommon). The user will make 10% less noise when they are trying to remain silent. The charm must be worn in order to function. Hrm, no KP this time. It must be because the item is unusually good for the rarity of the chest. Nick held the item up to the light, taking a close look at what appeared to be a brass loop the size of a quarter, with a pin and fastener on the back that would let him attach it to his clothing. While it only had a passive effect, the charm would be of great use in the days ahead, helping Nick to explore dangerous locations without drawing attention to himself. Now, where to put it? After a bit of consideration, he pushed the pin through the leather of his belt since his Toughness modified jacket was too resilient to penetrate. With a smile on his face, he began walking south, pleased that his explorations had paid dividends after all. Sore and exhausted, he made it back to his cave an hour before sunset, pondering the strangeness of his new reality. Too worn out to build a fire, Nick ate a cold dinner, checked his bedding for creepy crawlies, and passed out, ready to tackle his biggest problem tomorrow. Chapter Ninety-Five: Dilemma: What to do About the Lurk With only five days left on the clock, Nick was ready to begin his final preparations. The tutorial would soon enter its third and presumably final phase. A forty-eight-hour period where he expected to face his toughest challenge yet, although the precise nature of this trial had yet to be revealed. Beyond gathering as many resources as possible, including any final loot boxes that he could get his hands on, Nick had two main objectives that he needed to accomplish before time ran out. First, he needed to scout the highlands and try to scale the mountain in the middle. He was certain that exploring the region would uncover clues that were vital to his survival. Given how dangerous the isle had been up to this point, it would be reckless, bordering on suicidal, to enter the tutorial¡¯s climax while flying blind. It also ran counter to his nature. Nick¡¯s approach wasn¡¯t nearly as effective unless he was able to craft viable plans and contingencies ahead of time. He had to know what the System was going to throw at him before he was forced to face it head-on. His second goal was to deal with the lurk once and for all. To kill the apex predator, or at least injure the beast, and reduce the constant threat it posed. But despite wracking his brain for over a week, he had been unable to concoct any method that could slay the massive mountain of muscle and ill will. However, he had eventually come up with a way that might be able to wound the lurk if he was lucky. The problem was that enacting that plan would be almost as dangerous as facing the lurk head-on, and Nick judged his odds of success as falling somewhere between poor and none. Until he came up with a better option, he decided to focus on his first goal for now. Unfortunately, the lurk¡¯s presence was a major obstacle to completing his scouting mission as well. He was now certain that the lurk¡¯s den was located somewhere in the northern highlands, if not on the mountain itself. This deduction was based on the trail signs he had observed, as well as the game-like logic of the island¡¯s layout. The Searing Isle had been divided into distinct biomes, with the danger and rewards scaling up as Nick moved closer to the center of the island. The weakest of the beasts, the lemurs, komos, and swordclaws, had been placed on the outer ring of the isle, where the pristine white sand beach had stood before the waters rose to devour it. The forest was the next layer in, and it was home to uniformly stronger predators. Namely, the creeper-mushroom symbiotes, the bonecruncher pack, and the spider colony. Not to mention whatever manner of beasts lived within the northern swamp. Following this pattern, it was safe to assume that the strongest creatures on the island would claim the center, although Nick was uncertain if the highlands and the mountain constituted one large region or two medium ones. This was an important distinction. If they were separate zones, there might be unknown beasts stronger than the bonecruncher pack left to contend with. Perhaps even a species capable of going toe-to-toe against the lurk. Yet another reason why surveying the region was vital to his survival. To explore the foothills surrounding the mountain, he needed to enter the highlands while the lurk was out hunting. To get the timing right, he needed to be able to predict the lurk¡¯s movements. Given the beast¡¯s incredibly sharp senses, Nick couldn¡¯t survey the region while the lurk was home without alerting the deadly beast to his intrusion. If it caught wind of his presence within its territory, he strongly suspected that the terrifying predator would go out of its way to end his life. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. In short, the moment Nick left the forest, he would be gambling with his life. To maximize his chances of success, he needed to be able to model the beast''s behavior and anticipate how it would react across a range of scenarios. Compared to the rest of his dilemma, this was an easier problem to solve, and he had devoted considerable effort to it. He had begun building a profile of his nemesis early on, after the lurk had nearly caught him just before the searstorm forced him into the dungeon. Nick had been observing the lurk¡¯s tracks, droppings, and kill signs for weeks. He had compiled his observations onto a plank that he recovered from the shipwreck, mapping out the island in charcoal and noting the location and time of each sighting. Over the last week, he had supplemented and analyzed these observances to come up with a working theory of the lurk¡¯s behavior, which had not been possible until his proficiency in reading its tracks reached a critical threshold. Armed with the results of his strategic analysis, Nick was now certain that the lurk was diurnal, active during the day and asleep at night. He had never found fresh trail signs anywhere near the southern half of the island until noon at the earliest. The time it took for the beast to walk from its lair in the north to the furthest reaches of the island. This timing also provided Nick with a rough estimate of how fast the lurk moved while traveling. Of greater importance, he had deduced that the lurk had a method to its hunting. It was similar enough to his foraging strategy that he had eventually recognized the pattern at play. In short, the lurk had a basic rotation to where it hunted. A five-day cycle that took it to five distinct locations on the island. Although Nick had learned that the beast sometimes skipped a day, which he believed occurred after days when the lurk¡¯s hunt had been particularly successful and it was able to bring back enough carcasses to consume at its leisure. The intermittent staggering to the cycle made it harder for other creatures to recognize the logic to its movements, but he had finally cracked the code. Judging by the handful of sightings he had made early on, the lurk had used a more complex rotation before the outer rim of the island sank. In a sense, Nick was lucky that the surface area of the isle had been curtailed. He would not have been able to collect sufficient information if the beast was free to roam across a wider area. But since the second phase had begun, the lurk simply worked its way clockwise around the isle. It hunted swordclaws and komos most of the time, but also targeted the lemur tribe when its rotation brought the beast around to the southern forest. He was lucky it knew that the crunchers were out of the picture, as the lurk no longer hunted within the valley that was home to his cave. It wasn¡¯t until the end of his week of training that Nick had collected enough evidence to complete his working model of the lurk¡¯s behavior. At least to the extent that he was able to predict roughly when and where it would strike next. All that was left was to test the theory by matching his predictions up against reality, and he would be ready to risk exploring the highlands while the lurk was away. To confirm his hypothesis, he was presently hiding in the branches of a tree on the komos¡¯ side of the forest, which offered a clear view of the surrounding terrain. After sizing up every komo in sight, he had passed the time by engaging in the purely visual version of his shadow boxing, as well as watching scores of the vicious lizards hunt wild game within the clearing below. Nick had chosen a tall tree that was downwind of the glade, positioned so he could peer into the space where the second-largest pride of komos resided, rivaled only by the group led by the hulking lizard that he had dubbed Komo Alpha. As he had learned firsthand that the lizards were relatively dumb and remarkably easy to ambush, he figured that the lurk would strike where the sentries were lax and the meat was plentiful¡ªalthough he had no idea when the show would start, beyond ¡°sometime after noon.¡± In addition to confirming its hunting rotation, the time of the attack would reveal vital information as well, letting him deduce how long it took the lurk to walk from its lair over to Nick¡¯s side of the island. It was the last piece of the puzzle he needed to place before he was ready to test his luck exploring the highlands. Chapter Ninety-Six: Carnage: King of the Beasts While it was a bit boring up in the branches, Nick had grown used to chilling in the treetops over the last three weeks. A little less than two hours later, his patience was rewarded in spectacular fashion. Although the lurk was an enormous beast, hefty, heavy, and huge, he would never have noticed when it entered the clearing had he not already identified the prime spot for a predator of its scale to hide¡ªa modest outcropping of boulders located on the northwestern side of the glade. This was in part because the lurk was utterly silent when stalking its prey; so quiet that not one of the countless lizards scattered around the region noticed its approach. In fact, the beast was so ridiculously stealthy that Nick wondered if magic or some other power was responsible for the feat. Perhaps something equivalent to a class trait or ability. The other reason that he nearly missed the lurk¡¯s arrival on scene was the way that it moved. Nick had never witnessed such an agile advance. It made the other predators on the island seem awkward and clumsy by comparison. The multi-ton dynamo flowed with the breeze, its movements seamless and organic. It glided between the trees like greased lightning, with a liquid gait that made the lurk seem like a feature of the landscape rather than a distinct entity. One second, the boulders were unoccupied. Then, a hint of motion, gray fur amidst the shadows, and suddenly the lurk was there. While the creature¡¯s consummate stealth was horrifying to contemplate, as the lurk could appear out of nowhere and end Nick¡¯s existence in the blink of an eye, it was also quite thrilling to observe the hunt of an apex predator. An advanced lesson in the art of the kill. Nick just hoped that he was able to remain hidden, as he had no desire to become part of the demonstration. The first thing that he noticed after the lurk settled into position was the beast sniffing at the air like a dog. Nostrils flared as they sampled the breeze, like a patron running his finger down the menu of a restaurant. As he had suspected, unlike the komos, the lurk relied on its nose to locate its prey. Then, for a long while, the lurk simply waited in the shadows while scanning the clearing and occasionally scenting the breeze. Nick was immensely relieved that he had chosen a location downwind of the creature¡¯s hunt and had acquired his new charm to help him hide. He held no illusion that the tree would protect him from a predator of the lurk¡¯s caliber if it detected his presence and decided to do something about it. At this point, Nick was certain that the reason for the lengthy delay was that the lurk had a plan. A plan that would come to fruition another half hour later. It was now the hottest part of the day, and the komos were basking in the warm sunlight bathing the clearing. Before long, most of the reptiles were fast asleep, digesting the meat they had hunted earlier that morning. This is a perfect moment to strike, he decided, strangely excited to see what would happen next. The lurk clearly agreed with his assessment, because no sooner had that thought crossed his mind than the beast struck in a flash. Moving so fast that its form was reduced to a liquid blur before Nick¡¯s eyes, the lurk charged into the center of the clearing, tearing into the komo pride before the sleepy lizards knew what hit them. The cunning predator swerved between the torpid reptiles, targeting its ambush exactly where he had predicted, a flat brown rock upon which three of the fattest komos were fast asleep. A few of the brighter lizards noticed the lurk¡¯s advance and began running for their lives, scrambling for everything they were worth, hissing in terror as they fled the clearing. But since the lurk made no noise to announce its arrival, most of the komos didn¡¯t register the existence of the massive predator until it was right beside them. By now, the pride had begun to rouse, but it was already much too late for the lurk¡¯s intended victims, because that was the moment when the shaggy monstrosity took flight. It oriented its body toward its chosen prey and leapt high into the air, spreading its wicked talons wide. Turning its legs out so that its sword-like claws landed dead center on two fat komos, the lurk eviscerated the lesser beasts before they realized that they were under attack. Half a heartbeat after the lurk¡¯s feet hit the ground in a bright spray of blood, its jaws darted down. They snapped shut, accompanied by the crackle of shattering bone, ending the third komo¡¯s life in a spectacular spew of gore. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! Now the lizards knew that they were under assault. Without an alpha to lead them, the pride responded to the lurk¡¯s ambush with abject panic. Together, the pride might have been able to fend off the lurk, forcing it out of their territory and mitigating the losses they took. But the komos were completely helpless while fleeing in terror, mindless with fear. Lizards went streaming out of the clearing in all directions, in a desperate attempt to escape the carnage that was already underway. Well, every direction except for where the lurk stood staring them down with contemptuous nonchalance, watching their rout with its pitiless gaze. Nick was afraid that the lurk would chase down the komos that were headed his way, inadvertently picking up his scent in the process. Luckily, the deadly hunter had other plans. Rather than stopping to consume its kills, the lurk moved on to slaughtering the beasts that had been slow to flee. Its furry form went darting from lizard to lizard, slashing dozens of komos to gore-studded ribbons of flesh before they could take refuge within the forest. The great beast appeared almost bored as it dashed back and forth between the thickest packs of reptiles, killing another dozen before it seemed satisfied with its haul. In the end, it allowed a few final stragglers to escape. Nick assumed that the lurk had hunted as many komos as it could eat; that it was saving the rest until it passed this way again. Not daring to so much as twitch while the lurk was lingering in the vicinity, he was treated to the gruesome sight of the lurk enjoying its late afternoon lunch. From his perch, he had a front-row seat to observe its dagger-like teeth in action. Watching the lurk tear corpses into pieces with no appreciable resistance, Nick knew with complete and utter certainty that he had absolutely no chance of even wounding the lurk in a direct confrontation. It would be a miracle if he was able to hold it off long enough to escape. I¡¯ll have to scrap my plan to injure it and take my chances. This was a most unfortunate realization. If the lurk decided to ambush him again, he would be dead before he even knew it was there. Nick had only survived his first encounter by burning through a lifetime¡¯s worth of luck when he had slipped in the mud by the spring. Although he was beginning to suspect that the beast was as much a stranger to this world as Nick himself, for the time being, the lurk was the undisputed king of the Searing Isle. He could only think of one other entity that might be able to hold its own against the shaggy gray dinosaur. Following that train of thought, his eyes locked onto the profile of the massive mushroom jutting above the canopy¡ªthe only predator on the island that scared him as bad as the lurk. Nick returned his gaze to the feasting hunter and kept it there, tracking the beast¡¯s movements with every scrap of concentration he could muster. He was irrationally afraid that if he lost sight of the creature, he wouldn¡¯t see it again until it was right below him. After its bloody banquet was concluded and the beast was satiated, the lurk grabbed up two final corpses between its jaws, then another in each stubby hand. With a bloody belch that echoed across the woods, it casually sauntered away and left the clearing. Although the lurk had brought back a snack, he judged that the haul wouldn¡¯t stop it from hunting again tomorrow, since the massive beast burned through an incredible number of calories every day. He was still reeling from having witnessed the brutal exchange but found that he was also filled with a fierce and rising excitement. Nick was now certain that he could predict the lurk¡¯s behavior well enough to evade it. He was ready to begin exploring the southern highlands early tomorrow morning. After waiting another half hour to be safe, he climbed back down and went about his day. When he stopped by the obelisk on his way to the spring, he had a surprise waiting for him in his notifications. Apparently, he was able to train his Size Up skill a small amount by using it on members of a species that he was already familiar with. Because the words on the display read: Through use, you have improved the following skills: Size Up has increased from [8] to [9]. Nick was thrilled, as this meant he had a real chance of raising the skill to the maximum value of ten before he left the Searing Isle for good. If he was given an opportunity to change his class sooner rather than later, he wouldn¡¯t have to worry about losing the chance to top off the lifesaving skill. Climbing so many trees was helping him grow stronger as well, because there was a second notification. Through rigorous training, you have conditioned your body and improved the following baseline attributes: Strength has increased from [6] to [7]. Awesome, that¡¯s more like it. With a spring in his step, Nick moved on to his daily training regimen, eager to break new ground tomorrow and prepare himself for the ordeal ahead. Chapter Ninety-Seven: Lemurs in Danger: Nick to the Rescue Now that Nick understood the lurk¡¯s habits well enough to stay the hell out of its way, he was ready to explore the highlands. He needed to know what was up there, and he was running out of time before the tutorial entered its final phase. Unlike most aspects of his new life, Nick¡¯s plan was straightforward and simple. He would leave early in the morning, pick a path opposite from the one the deadly predator had chosen for its daily hunt, then explore the highlands until the middle of the afternoon. If everything went well, he would find what he needed and be out of there well before the lurk returned to its lair. He awoke before dawn, walking toward the isle¡¯s western shore. Although his goal was finally within reach, when he saw where the lemurs had relocated, he realized that his day wasn¡¯t going to be so simple after all. The problem was that the lurk¡¯s next target was the same section of forest that the tribe had begun to forage. As matters stood, the lemurs would take heavy casualties when the lurk struck. Nick needed as many of them to survive as possible to give his plans for the third phase a decent chance of succeeding. Besides, as dumb as it sounded when he said it aloud, he had begun to consider the lemurs his friends. And if there was one thing that was just as true in his old life as it was in his new, it was this. Nick would never let anyone fuck with his friends. Not on his watch. He had already lost too much to stand on the sidelines as further tragedy unfolded. As he was unable to communicate complex ideas to the intelligent but nonverbal primates, if Nick wanted to save his friends, he had no choice other than to disrupt the lurk¡¯s ambush himself. It wasn¡¯t a decision that he made lightly. The idea of putting himself on the lethal creature¡¯s radar was a deeply frightening prospect. Let alone being close enough to interfere with its hunt. The lurk had nearly put an end to his adventures during their first encounter, and he had no desire to roll the dice a second time. Although today would offer an ideal opportunity to avoid the lurk and explore the highlands, he owed the lemur tribe his life several times over, and he intended to repay his debt as best he could. That being said, by no means did Nick intend to sacrifice himself by incurring the lurk¡¯s wrath. Thus, instead of continuing toward the highlands, he began scrambling to come up with a way of ruining the lurk¡¯s ambush without getting caught in the crossfire. The first component of his calculations was relatively simple compared to the rest; he needed to predict exactly where the lurk would strike based on the lemurs¡¯ precise location and the natural features of the surrounding terrain. By the time the lurk entered the southern forest, the tribe would be busy foraging in the berry-rich area that the swordclaws had annexed from the creeper vines. The lemurs had settled nicely into the region, as the tribe had become skilled at hunting swordclaws from the safety of the trees to supplement their diet of fresh fruit. Although Nick knew roughly when and where the lurk would attack, he ran into a major snag while working out the next part of his plan; figuring out how he could intervene without becoming lunchmeat in the process. If he was going to pull this off, he needed to determine the beast¡¯s precise point of ambush. When he had predicted the lurk¡¯s assault on the komo pride, the equation was simple. There had been only one way for a predator of that size to approach the lizards¡¯ clearing without being spotted. Better yet, Nick had been able to hide himself high in a tree that was downwind from the action, dramatically reducing his odds of being spotted. In the strip of forest where the lemurs resided, the trees were shorter, and there were numerous routes from which the lurk could strike from concealment. If this was all the information that he had to go by, it would have been impossible to come up with a viable plan. But thanks to his years of competitive gaming, he knew several strategies that could help him whittle down those options and improve his odds. The first factor that Nick considered was the placement of the lemur sentries. Although the lemurs¡¯ senses were not as sharp as the lurk¡¯s, they set watch in pairs and formed a tight ring around the tribe. To counter their defense, the lurk would want to launch an ambush where security was thin and prey was thick. The inordinately stealthy beast would inevitably find a way to sneak up close, then pounce to inflict maximum carnage and incite a panic. Otherwise, the tribe would be able to counter by sacrificing a small number of warriors while the others escaped, a repeat of what had happened back on his first day on the Searing Isle. Having practiced sneaking up on the lemur sentries himself, in addition to having witnessed the lurk¡¯s agility and stealth with his own eyes, Nick believed that there were only three places where the lurk could evade detection and penetrate the lemurs¡¯ surveillance network. Two of these approaches were spots where the undergrowth was so prolific that it could conceal a predator as massive as the lurk. The third was a break in the woodlands with no trees nearby, since the sentries on that side were placed much closer to the rest of the tribe. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Three potential points of attack were still two too many. Nick had an idea as to how he could eliminate at least one of these routes, possibly two, but he wouldn¡¯t know which until it drew closer to the time that the lurk would strike. He spent most of the morning pondering how he could thwart the lurk and make a clean getaway. His mind raced, considering and discarding a dozen plans out of hand. Contemplating nightmare scenarios where everything went wrong, and Nick found himself running for his life just in front of the two-ton behemoth¡¯s jaws. Every minute was precious, since he only had a few hours to come up with a workable solution. He was lucky that he had skipped his morning workout to conserve energy. He surveyed the region while reviewing contingency plans and performing a final inspection of his equipment. He had at least one card that he could play in a worst-case scenario where the lurk spotted him and decided to attack, but Nick offered a silent prayer that he wouldn¡¯t have to use it. After repacking his equipment for the third time, he forced himself to eat a breakfast of fresh fruit and dried meat, though nervousness had robbed him of his appetite. Then he set off to find Bandit and the rest of his lemur buddies. The forest was ethereal in the misty morning light, canopy shimmering with tiny drops of dew. The woodlands looked like an enchanted forest straight out of a fairy tale, which he supposed wasn¡¯t too far off the mark. Fortunately, the fog was light and would soon evaporate completely, or Nick would have been forced to abandon his counter-ambush and leave the lemurs to their fate. He had absolutely no way to thwart the lurk if his vision was obscured. Pulling this off was going to be hard enough already. After making a final circuit of the recently reclaimed berry zone, Nick greeted the tribe, receiving a few good-natured chitters in return. He was glad to see that they were exactly where he expected, as it cut down on the number of improvisations he would have to make. On a whim, he tried his best to warn the Elder of the impending attack, pantomiming the arrival of the fearsome predator. Nick wasn¡¯t sure if he got the point across, since the lemurs remained in the area. But he thought the sentries looked extra alert after delivering his message, perhaps picking up on his own anxiety. He judged that he had less than three hours until the lurk arrived in the area, and when Nick felt a rising breeze blowing in from the north, he sighed in relief. If the wind held steady for the next few hours, he was now certain which approach the lurk would choose. Well, reasonably certain. Regardless, he decided that he would post up a bit to the south of the tribe, on the opposite side of where the lurk would strike if his prediction was wrong. But Nick was confident that the lurk would arrive from the south, choosing the only concealed approach that would allow it to attack from downwind. The beast had no reason to suspect that he had figured out its hunting strategy, which was the only reason why his plan had any chance of working. Knowing that he had two hours tops to complete his preparations before it was time to hide, Nick opened his pack and went to work, walking over to the southern approach that he had identified as the lurk¡¯s presumed point of entry. He could already tell that the lemur sentries were not watching the massive patch of brush closely enough to prevent disaster unaided, likely believing that nothing large enough to be dangerous could weave its way through the dense undergrowth. To be fair, few of the beasts on the island could manage such a feat, but by now, he was certain that the lurk could pull it off. That was why he had returned to his cave and removed his alarm traps from the entrance the moment he committed to this course of action. When he was done, he constructed four more shell-coated lines, using up the last of his twine. His crafting complete, it was time to put his primitive detection system in place. Although it scared the hell out of him to take a tour of the lurk¡¯s likely route, Nick braced himself and then forced his body into the bushes so that he could survey the terrain below. In addition to spotting several clumps of berries that he would come back for later, what he saw confirmed his suspicion that the lurk would be able to weave its way through the brush. The spaces between the bushes were just wide enough for its shaggy body to slide between. Nick spent the next hour dragging various rocks and fallen branches beneath the overgrowth. He tried to place them in a pattern that would appear natural yet force the lurk to travel down the central lane that he had left clear. This was the area where he proceeded to set most of his alarm traps, although he placed one long line on each side just in case. He pulled the chitin-covered lengths of twine tight, wrapping each around a pair of stakes that he drove into the earth. Nick tested the devices by strumming his finger down the length of cord, satisfied at the tinkling rattles that wafted up when the bits of shell were disturbed. No matter how quiet its movements, he was certain that the lurk would shake the interspersed cords as it passed through the brush. It was too big to avoid all the lines, and it had likely never encountered anything like them before and thus had no reason to be suspicious of their presence. After everything was in place, Nick answered a quick call of nature and climbed into the branches of a nearby tree. It was the tallest one he could find, although his branch was still much too close to the height of the lurk¡¯s fearsome jaws. This was the spot he had chosen to play his role in the events that would follow. If he succeeded, he would save the lives of countless lemurs, improving his own odds of survival in the process. If he failed, Nick would precipitate his own untimely demise. After swapping out a few of the items in his belt pouch and performing a final inspection of his gear, all that was left was to make himself as small as possible and wait for the lurk to arrive. Chapter Ninety-Eight: To Catch a Predator Today¡¯s episode of Hide and Wait was immensely more nerve-wracking than any of Nick¡¯s prior experiences. This time, he would be getting up close and personal with an apex predator. A clever creature that could end his existence without breaking a sweat. Although he wanted nothing more than to climb back down and start running for all he was worth, he forced himself to breathe. To think. To remain calm, ready to act without hesitation and at a moment¡¯s notice. Electric chains of adrenaline wrapped tight around Nick¡¯s spine. Cortisol surged within his veins. His senses were strained to the limit, and every noise the tribe made sent his heart racing. The moment when his plans crashed straight into the lurk¡¯s was fast approaching, and the anticipation was killing him. Despite the imminent risk to his life, he found that he was vibrating with excitement, filled with the heady rush of fear and a primal sensation of being alive. Who would come out on top in this exchange? A towering nightmare made flesh, or Nick and his wits honed by a lifetime of strategic competition. The atmosphere was terrifying but also thrilling, almost intoxicatingly so. It reminded him of his peak gaming experiences, epic boss battles, and desperate roguelike victories. He cracked a grin as he pressed his body tight against the trunk. He found the comparison amusing, although his present rush put those curated experiences to shame. Heart pounding like a drum set falling down a flight of stairs, he made himself as small as possible and waited for the lurk to arrive. Every crackle of the wind stirring fallen leaves, every time the canopy was shaken by a roving lemur, sent a shiver of anticipation shimmying throughout Nick¡¯s body. All things considered, it was excellent training in keeping a level head in the midst of an extremely stressful situation. A rare opportunity that he intended to take full advantage of. He needed to learn not to panic when fighting for his life. To keep his wits about him, even when running from wild animals that intended to devour him. Haste and anxiety would cause him to react on instinct, leaving him at the mercy of the whims of his fight or flight reflex. His experiences on the isle had taught him that doing either at the wrong time would lead him to an early grave. Nick had to be able to act, not react, to any situation that Taltos and the System threw across his path, if he wanted his plans to be of any use. Nick¡¯s strategic thinking was the only advantage he had brought with him from his former life. A toolkit that he needed to be able to rely on if he wanted to survive his new reality. Without his wits, he was no match for even the weakest beasts on the island, let alone the predators that stood up at the pinnacle of the food chain. Knowing that his eyes would not aid him in his vigil, he strained his ears and listened, scanning the surrounding soundscape while visualizing how he would respond the moment he detected the lurk¡¯s arrival. He couldn¡¯t afford to make the slightest mistake if he wanted to walk out of this showdown in one piece. He forced his adrenaline-amped body to remain still and put everything he had into sifting through the input from his senses, ignoring the shaking of his hands and the cold sweat soaking into his shirt. Nick battled with his imagination all the while, refusing to entertain the possibility that he had made a mistake and wasted a precious day for nothing. Or worse, that he had misjudged his opponent, and the lurk would arrive from a different approach. He wrestled down his fears and forced himself to remain calm. His logic was sound, and his preparations had been perfect. Second-guessing himself at this point would only invite disaster. Nick forced his muscles to unclench and kept his ears focused on the dense patch of brush, cupping one hand to the side of his head to enhance his hearing. Eventually, his efforts were rewarded. Ninety minutes later, he heard the faint tinkling of shell against shell. Then another rattle. Then nothing at all. It was as if something had, ever so lightly, brushed up against his wards, was surprised by the sound, and then stopped to ponder the matter. The disturbance was so subtle that it almost seemed incidental. Nothing more menacing than the wind passing over Nick¡¯s alarm lines. But the logic to the pattern of trigger, trigger, pause was all the warning he needed. He was certain, deep down in his gut, that the lurk had arrived and was crouching within the brush; that the deadly beast was only a stone¡¯s throw away, waiting for its moment to strike. The roiling tension made his limbs shake like reeds in a hurricane, but fear did not break his concentration. Focusing on the berry bushes with every scrap of concentration he could muster, Nick pulled a pair of rocks out of the pocket of his jacket, staring at the overgrowth while waiting for the lurk to reveal its position. There was no further noise, but eventually he saw a faint ripple spread across the cluster of brush to his left, a motion just a heartbeat out of sync with the natural rhythm of wind blowing through the branches. There! Nick took aim, visualized his trajectory, and threw his stones back-to-back, each baseball-sized lump of granite streaking for where he had seen the foliage move. The first missile struck the earth with a dull thud, but the second produced a hollow thump, the reverberating echo of rock rebounding from flesh and bone. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. Then, for a fraction of a second, nothing happened. In that instant, he was consumed by doubt, certain that he had fucked up; that he had misjudged the situation and blown his only opportunity to foil the lurk¡¯s plans. But half a heartbeat later, the bushes exploded in a geyser of shredded leaf and shorn branch, accompanied by a primal scream of rage so loud that it vibrated Nick¡¯s teeth together inside his jaw. At this point, several things happened at once. The forest writhed with sudden motion as the lurk tore its way out of the undergrowth. The lemurs, along with every other animal in the area, went running in all directions, shrieking in terror. Every direction except for where the lurk stood, venting its fury to the heavens. Holy shit, I did it. Mission complete. Nick had already lowered himself out of the branches and was about to start running madly for his life when he saw something that changed his plans in an instant. Something that made him abandon his moderately dangerous counter-ambush and replace it with an exceedingly dangerous alternative. Engage in what was, by far, his riskiest gamble to date. His abrupt change of heart resulted from a simple equation¡ªopportunity plus greed. Because when the lurk rose from the brush and assumed its full height, its shaggy gray body was bathed in an errant sunbeam that had threaded its way through the canopy. As he turned to run, Nick¡¯s gaze was drawn to a tiny golden box strung around the lurk¡¯s neck like a pendant, casting gleaming reflections that cut into the surrounding shadows like resplendent blades¡ªa tantalizing container that could only be a gold-tier reward chest. It must have been wearing it the whole time, but the box is normally too small to see. Nick had already decided that it would be worth taking a significant risk to acquire a silver chest or above, as long as he had a chance of succeeding without being critically injured in the process. He knew from experience that the contents of such a high-tier reward would likely save his life more than once later on down the road. And this was not a silver chest, but a gold one, containing an item of such worth that Nick could not even begin to guess its contents. Opening the gleaming auric box represented an incredible opportunity to grow stronger¡ªa chance to rise above the curve that might never come again. Even still, he would never have been willing to risk his life trying to recover the diminutive golden chest if he didn¡¯t already have a plan in place. An exceptionally dangerous strategy that he had been saving as a last resort. One that he was standing in an ideal location to enact. The lurk was a horrifying opponent. The beast had proven itself to be remarkably clever, unthinkably fast, and terrifyingly powerful. Under normal conditions, it could catch him within seconds, no matter how hard he ran or which evasive tactics he employed. Even if he somehow managed to open some distance, the beast¡¯s senses were so sharp that Nick had little chance of escaping from the apex predator once it was on his trail. However, his battle with the bonecruncher pack had taught him that sharp senses were a double-edged sword. It was this understanding that offered him a means of both leveling the playing field and enraging the lurk sufficiently that it would chase him deeper into the forest instead of following the lemur tribe. Before the lurk noticed his presence, Nick threw another rock straight at its head while simultaneously reaching into his belt. He withdrew an object from a pouch and then tossed it up in a lazy arc. A half-second later, his rock hit the lurk square between the eyes. The dull thunk of stone bouncing off bone filled the air for the second time in less than a minute. The instant the missile struck true, the lurk¡¯s gaze locked onto Nick. It opened its jaws and roared, murderous rage gleaming in its eyes. The sound curdled his blood and filled his veins with ice. He understood on a deep, instinctual level, that the powerful predator knew that Nick was the impertinent creature who had dared to interfere with its hunt. The one who had presumed to cause it pain, however slight the injury. In short, the lurk knew that Nick had challenged its supremacy, and the lurk was pissed. The roar was a message, letting him know in no uncertain terms that it was time to settle the score; that Nick would pay for his affront in the universal currency of grievous bodily harm. The beast would have ended him then and there if it wasn¡¯t for the final rock Nick held in his hand. Although the threat was slight, the crude projectile was enough to make the beast hesitate for half a heartbeat longer. Before the moment faded like smoke on the breeze, he sent the stone streaking straight for the lurk¡¯s face. He saw the lurk tense up, preparing to leap out of the way, but he did not see what happened next. The reason why was simple. Nick had already ducked behind the trunk, eyes firmly shut, and hands clasped over his ears. The logic to this strange behavior would soon be apparent to the lurk as well. Because just as it sidestepped his stone, a flashbang grenade exploded right in front of the beast¡¯s eyes. The lurk had ignored the languid arc of the seemingly harmless projectile in favor of tracking the clear threat posed by the soaring stone. A shockwave that Nick could feel in his bones was accompanied by a pulse of radiance so intense that it hurt his eyes, even though his closed eyelids were shielded by the tree¡¯s bulk. The combined assault of noise and light caught the lurk completely by surprise, causing it to freeze up from the agony of sensory overload. He didn¡¯t wait to see how severely the lurk had been affected by his flashbang; didn¡¯t stop to make sure that the beast had begun chasing him. He didn¡¯t need to. Because at that moment, a second cry of rage, even more vicious than the first, erupted across the forest floor, followed by a vigorous pounding as the gigantic predator burst into motion. Nick ran for his life, for there was no longer any doubt. The lurk was coming for him. The hunt was on. Chapter Ninety-Nine: Death Race Nick sprinted across the forest floor, running faster than he had ever run before. His world was reduced to a liquid blur of color and motion, streaks of brown and green blending together to form a chaotic, patchwork jumble. Nick¡¯s heart hammered like a metronome on methamphetamine. His breath came fast and ragged. His lungs burned as they fought to supply his body with oxygen. He must have sprained his ankle along the way, since every desperate step drove daggers into his joint. At the moment, he wanted nothing more than to lie down and sleep for a week. To give his battered body the rest it so desperately desired. But such thoughts were a deadly distraction. He ruthlessly suppressed them along with his awareness of the pain in his body. He banished his fears, his doubts, and his suffering to the periphery of his awareness. If Nick stopped now; if he hesitated, stumbled, or fell, it would be the last mistake he ever made. No matter how fast he ran, the lurk was faster still. The cacophony of the predator¡¯s pursuit was growing louder by the heartbeat. Nick could tell from the racket that the beast was no longer colliding with random boulders and trees, although it was still much clumsier than usual from taking his flashbang point-blank. Due to its temporary diminishment, the lurk made enough noise for him to track its progress, although its movements had become noticeably quieter over the last five minutes. Although the sounds were growing closer by the footfall, he considered this to be a positive sign. Because when the lurk fully recovered, it would overtake him within seconds. As it was, it took everything that Nick had to stay in front of his multi-ton assailant. He prayed to whomever might be listening that his luck would hold out for just a bit longer. Nick was fortunate that this path ran along familiar ground. If he hadn¡¯t followed a trail wide enough to run, the lurk would have caught him already. Even still, his effort wasn¡¯t going to be good enough. I¡¯m not going to make it. Nick spared a glance over one shoulder without slowing his stride, catching sight of the beast at last, a menacing profile of tooth and claw jutting between the treetops like an avatar of fury. It paused to sniff at the air before resuming its half-blind pursuit. Nick realized that the lurk still couldn¡¯t see him from this distance, although its vision was improving rapidly as its eyes recovered from the blinding flash. He had been in the middle of choosing between several, equally poor options, but this observation gave him an idea. Fifteen seconds later, the lurk caught up with Nick at last. Its big, much-too-intelligent eyes locked onto his retreating form. The massive beast opened its maw to vent its fury, roaring loud enough to cause a veil of leaves to fall from the canopy like rain. The sheer ferocity of its cry caught him by surprise, and he reflexively tensed up while turning to track the lurk¡¯s progress. As a result, he failed to spot the patch of mud that was spread out in front of him, and his boots hit the muck while running at full speed. Nick¡¯s heart skipped a beat as his legs shot out from under him. The world spun and he fell hard, performing a face-planting dive that would have been funny under happier circumstances instead of utterly terrifying. It saw that I was about to run into the mud and distracted me on purpose. Clever bastard. He wriggled on his belly like a newt, turning his grime-coated torso to witness the lurk¡¯s advance as he struggled to regain his footing. Completing a clumsy spin, Nick found himself in a perfect position to watch as the lurk pounced, the look in its pitiless eyes conveying an impression of immense self-satisfaction. This time, mud would seal Nick¡¯s fate instead of facilitating his escape, and the lurk seemed to savor the irony. This was his second time witnessing a predator the size of a hunting lodge soaring through the air, and he fervently hoped that he never would again. But none of that mattered now. If the beast¡¯s talons landed on target, it would be the end of him. He would be sliced to shreds the instant that the lurk¡¯s body slammed into the soil. Although he hadn¡¯t expected to take a tumble in the mud, Nick wasn¡¯t done fighting yet. As the lurk¡¯s talons came streaking down like an ivory blender, his right arm came up, fingers wrapped around the shaft of his wand in a white-knuckled death grip. A heartbeat before he was eviscerated, Nick aimed the device at the lurk¡¯s left foot and fired. Although the wand packed a powerful punch, the blast wasn¡¯t strong enough to divert the momentum of the beast¡¯s soaring leap. The lurk was simply too massive. But the resulting shockwave was sufficient to knock its leg to one side, causing the arm-long razors jutting out from between its toes to miss his face by an inch and some change. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. The lurk stumbled at the awkward landing, sliding a few feet across the muck before recovering its balance. In the scant handful of heartbeats that the desperate maneuver bought Nick, he managed to roll onto his back, looking up at the consummate predator straddling him like a lion looming over a mouse. This was, to put it mildly, a less than ideal situation. While his wand had caught the lurk by surprise, there was no way that the beast would let the opportunity to end his life slip through its claws. Not when he was lying helpless within easy reach of its jaws. The lurk took aim and lunged for Nick¡¯s fallen form three erratic heartbeats later, the carrion reek of its breath washing over him with the promise of oblivion. Just before its colossal jaws bit him in half at the waist, he pointed the wand and fired again, consuming its final charge. This time, the impact of the blast caught the lurk square in the jaw from point-blank range. Its head snapped back like the beast had been slapped by an angry ogre, snout pointing up toward the sun high above. As a wave of saliva poured over Nick¡¯s face, he scrambled back onto his feet, knowing that this brief diversion would only distract the lurk for a few seconds at most. Even a direct hit from the wand wasn¡¯t enough to rattle the massive predator. His best strike could inflict only a moment of disorientation and a bit of light bruising tops. At this point, Nick would have been well and truly fucked if it weren¡¯t for one minor detail. Exactly nine seconds earlier, a full two seconds before the lurk arrived on scene, he had wedged a flashbang orb into the crevice where a low-hanging branch forked and pressed the trigger. While he had not foreseen the lurk tricking him into falling in the mud, revealing that the beast was even more intelligent than he had anticipated, he had known two things with absolute certainty. The first was that one way or another, the lurk would catch up to him imminently. The second was that the only way the beast would fall for the same trick twice was if its attention was focused on Nick as it lined up a killing blow. Thus, while by no means had everything proceeded according to plan, these circumstances were close enough to his predictions to keep him breathing. At least for the next few seconds. The reason why would soon be apparent to the lurk as well. Because that was when, for the second time in less than ten minutes, a blast of intense sound and a flash of blinding light erupted just in front of the lurk¡¯s head, inflicting a fresh round of suffering on its sensitive eyes and ears. This time, Nick was not able to cover his own ears, although his eyelids were shut tight, despite the nearly overwhelming instinct to track the lurk¡¯s advance. Standing only a few feet from the detonation, the magical flashbang was so intense that it felt like he had been punched in both sides of his head at once. All he could hear was a ringing that reverberated in his skull, although he could feel the vibration of the lurk¡¯s furious roar shaking the mud beneath his boots. While he had known it was coming, the high decibel attack had disoriented Nick as well, nearly disabling him along with the deadly predator. Part of him wanted to lie in the mud until the pain in his ears subsided and the world of light was restored to his flash-blind eyes. Nick pushed aside such frivolous desires, seeking a path between the lurk¡¯s legs. A space that was obscured by fat purple blobs floating across his field of view. He had to start running if he wanted to survive. He was standing mere inches from the lurk¡¯s razored talons, and he needed to open some space before the beast¡¯s furious thrashings swatted him like a fly. Nick scampered forward on unsteady feet, dodged a wild swipe coming for his face, then stepped through the lurk¡¯s legs and darted out from under its shadow. As the lurk unleashed a bone-jarring roar of rage, thick with the promise of murder, he turned his back on the incredible hunter and began running once more, ignoring the screams of his overtaxed muscles. Less than a minute later, the lurk had closed most of the distance. Although it was temporarily blinded and deafened once again, the beast had adapted to this form of attack, now tracking Nick¡¯s location by scent alone. He had no time to ponder the implications of this unwelcome development. No time to do anything other than run for all he was worth, legs pumping harder than they ever had before. For the first time in his life, Nick found himself drawing on his body¡¯s full power, utilizing every last sliver of the increases that had come with the improvements to his attributes. Despite his groundbreaking feat of athleticism, it was clear that the lurk would catch him sometime within the next ninety seconds. There was no time to place his final flashbang, and he had used up the charges in his wand. In short, Nick had no way to delay the apex predator for a third time. But the situation wasn¡¯t completely hopeless. At least not yet. By his rough calculations, he had just enough time to arrive at his destination before the ferocious killer put an end to his struggles once and for all. Not that Nick had any choice at this point. He had already gone all in. Now it was time to call and see where the chips fell. Chapter One Hundred: Clash of the Titans On a marginally brighter note, the terrain was starting to change, letting Nick know that he was drawing near the spot he had chosen for the climax of his showdown with the lurk. A grim little slice of the island that he normally wanted to stay as far away from as possible. Knowing that if he made the slightest miscalculation from this point on, it would cost him his life, Nick reached down to his belt while sprinting at full speed. His fingers felt their way past his canteen and his wand, closing around the object that he had slipped into a loop on his belt only moments before enacting his rash plan. He had been afraid that the glass vial had shattered when he tumbled into the mud, fallen free from the loop during the mad dash for his life. But on this occasion, fortune smiled upon him because the antidote he had received for completing the dungeon was still intact. Bursting out of the tree line and into the sunlight, Nick ran toward the spot he had chosen, skidded to a stop, and then pulled the cork free from the vial. He downed the potion in a single motion without spilling a drop, absently noting that the mossy concoction tasted a bit like lavender and peppermint. Seven adrenaline-fortified seconds later, the lurk stormed out of the overgrowth and onto open ground. Bone shards went flying into the air as the enraged beast shattered skeletons beneath its talons with every step. The lurk¡¯s gaze locked onto Nick¡¯s form with lethal intent, eyes burning with an incandescent rage that the beast intended to quench in a geyser of his blood. But then the lurk turned its shaggy head to examine its surroundings. It belatedly realized where he had led it, having missed the warning signs due to the myopia born of its fury and flashbang-dulled senses. For the first time since their game of cat and mouse began, the massive predator looked away from him, staring up at the colossal growth towering behind him. Nick grinned as he took in the beast¡¯s trepidation. The lurk looked alarmed by what it saw, perhaps even afraid. This was because, although the lurk was still half-blind, there was no way that it could fail to notice the sequoia-sized mushroom that made even the apex predator seem small by comparison. Without hesitation, the lurk abandoned its quest for vengeance. It turned on a dime and started running in the opposite direction, away from Nick and the killer mushroom looming beside him. The beast would have been quick enough to make good on its escape, if its presence had been what had unleashed the cascade of yellow-green spores descending from the shroom¡¯s gills in a glimmering curtain. However, it was not the lurk¡¯s intrusion that had triggered the mushroom¡¯s torpor-inducing trap, but his own arrival ten seconds prior. Thus, before the lurk had taken three steps, a blizzard of drug-laden spores engulfed it. When Nick breathed them in, he was overwhelmed with lethargy¡ªa need to sleep so intense that he nearly passed out while standing on his feet. The antidote isn¡¯t working, shrieked the last speck of his consciousness that was still aware enough to think. You really fucked up this time. Just when he was certain that his scheming had cost him his life, a wave of warmth spread out from his stomach, absorbing the need to sleep like water soaking into a sponge. Nick¡¯s eyelids snapped open. He hastily reoriented on the lurk, terrified that the beast had closed the distance while he was out of it. To his immense relief, the big bastard was still standing in the same place, staggering from side to side to keep itself from falling and struggling to keep its eyes open. The last time he had stood within this bone-studded glade, he had fled too quickly to witness the full power of the sleepshroom-ravenous-creeper symbiote combo. But now Nick had front-row seats to watch the show. The vines had no need to release their pollen with their prey already sedated. Instead, a writhing sea of creepers emerged from atop the great shroom and started slithering down its girth, with countless more streaming into the clearing from all sides. The first wave of serpentine vines was already climbing the lurk¡¯s limbs, twisting tight around its legs while reaching up to grasp its throat. Another group was closing in on Nick¡¯s position, and he knew that despite beating the odds to survive to this point, he was still in terrible danger. If the creepers caught him, their coils would end his life as surely as the lurk¡¯s jaws. He had no idea how long the antidote would protect him from the spores¡¯ sedation, not to mention the clouds of hunger-inducing pollen the vines would pump into the clearing when they realized that Nick was still awake. Although his coordination was impaired by the spores¡¯ toxin, he forced his body into motion, turning around and running away from both behemoth lifeforms as quickly as he could. Four steps later, he stopped dead in his tracks, fighting against survival instincts ingrained on a cellular level to remain within the clearing. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. His plans were not yet complete. If he ran now, he would abandon his prize. The reason that he had been willing to risk his life to begin with. And there was no way that Nick was going to let that happen. Although he was so scared that his arms shook like the limbs of a storm-wracked willow, he forced himself to turn around and start walking back the other way, away from the tantalizing promise of safety and toward the vine-coated lurk and the giant mushroom directing the creeper host. He wove a treacherous path between the surging tide of ravenous creepers, lurching and leaping around their probing tendrils, like a snake charmer wading through a den of vipers. Inching his way forward while dodging like a madman, Nick forced himself to approach the beast that he had been desperately avoiding. Overriding every reflex he had through sheer effort of will, with no time to hesitate, he found himself stepping in front of the lurk. Standing within easy reach of its jutting jaws. The beast appeared to have been rendered unconscious by the great shroom¡¯s soporific. The horde of ravenous creepers had risen past the lurk¡¯s legs and were scaling its muscular torso, weaving through its shaggy gray fur to wrap around its throat. Nick knew that the beast was asleep, or at least sedated enough that it couldn¡¯t hurt him. Otherwise, there was no way that it would stop fighting for its life. But his instincts were dead certain that willingly entering the two-ton predator¡¯s kill zone was tantamount to suicide. He would not have been able to resist the impulse to run for his life if not for the training he had undergone. The brutal battles for survival in the dungeon and facing down the bonecruncher pack. Thanks to the hardships he had overcome since arriving on the isle, Nick was able to press on. Not stopping to think about what he was doing, which would inevitably cause him to hesitate, he grabbed the lurk by one stubby arm and began climbing alongside the creeper horde, performing the most dangerous pull-up in human history. Within reach of his prize at last, he let go with one hand and started grasping for the chain looped around the lurk¡¯s neck, his nostrils flaring at the beast¡¯s stench. His fingers missed the chain the first time and the second time as well, pulling out a handful of gray fur instead. The motion caused his grip to slip, and Nick nearly fell back down to the ground. Just as his strength faltered and failed him, his fingers closed around the golden box at last, and he let go of the lurk¡¯s arm, pulling down on the chain with the weight of his body behind it. For a heart-wrenching moment, the links held firm, and he was desperately afraid that this had all been in vain. But then he twisted his body around in a single motion, snapping the thin chain with the musical ping of overstressed metal. The instant his feet hit the ground, fortunately coming down on a narrow patch of clear earth instead of a lashing creeper, Nick gave into the urge to run for his life. He leapt and ducked and dodged like mad as more creepers flooded into the clearing in a verdant tide. Some of them were releasing their pollen now that it looked like he might escape, but most of the carnivorous plants were focused on bringing down the lurk, a hearty entr¨¦e compared to the bite-sized appetizer he represented. Just before he darted into the woods, he heard a strange groan that made him stop long enough to look over his shoulder. An immense growl that sounded like an avalanche of falling timber. He was certain that the scene playing out in front of his eyes would fuel his nightmares for quite some time to come. Because that was when, to Nick¡¯s utter astonishment, the great mushroom began to move. A dark line formed along one side of its stalk, growing deeper and more distinct as layers of creamy tissue parted, revealing a yawning cavern of a mouth. He had thought that the lurk¡¯s breath was bad, but the stench emanating from the great shroom¡¯s maw made him want to curl up into a ball and retch until his stomach was empty. He could see hundreds of corpses rotting within the hollow stalk, comprising the mixed remains of every creature on the island that he had seen so far, along with several he had not yet encountered. But none of this was what made him stop for a solitary heartbeat longer, watching the gruesome spectacle taking place within the bone-studded clearing. Lashing out from the charnel house behind the great shroom¡¯s jaws came a writhing mass of mycelium, which looked like nothing so much as a gigantic tongue. Although Nick was enthralled by his horror and would have stopped to watch this clash between titans under safer circumstances, a fresh cascade of adrenaline broke his trance, and he sprinted out of the clearing, shaking off a creeper that had wrapped itself around his boots. The antidote was wearing off, and Nick needed to get away before he was dosed again. He had to put some miles between himself and the clearing, no matter which apex predator came out on top. Either would destroy him as an afterthought the instant they were no longer preoccupied. The last thing he saw was the great white tongue lashing tight around the lurk¡¯s furry waist and the beast¡¯s eyes darting open in response. Both creatures roared, their combined fury sending leaves sheeting down from the canopy, and their battle began in earnest. Somehow, despite the shroom¡¯s legion of vines and slumber-inducing spores, Nick was certain that the lurk would survive the melee. Hopefully, it would be injured and unable to hunt for at least a few days, but that was something for him to consider once he was safely behind his shelter. Accompanied by shrieks of fury and collisions that shook the treetops, Nick fled the clearing as fast as he could, savoring the cold, crisp edges of the golden box he held in a white-knuckled death grip. Part of him wanted to burn this entire side of the forest to the ground, taking out both behemoths in a wave of searing flame. But as he had no way to control its spread and ensure that the blaze would not consume him as well, he contented himself with the fact that he had succeeded; claimed his prize with most of his blood still inside his body. Nick let loose a wild cackle as he sprinted across the woodlands, eager to find out what he had won in exchange for gambling with his life. Chapter One Hundred & One: The Power of Gold Covered in sweat, shaking from excitement, exhaustion, and the shock of surviving his closest call yet, Nick staggered his way across the forest floor. He laughed all the while, dragging his bruised and battered body south along the coastline. He could still hear the lurk¡¯s furious screams and the unearthly roar of the gigantic sleepshroom, although they were gradually fading into the distance. They were sounds that he would never forget. He was certain that they would haunt his dreams for months to come. Nick had decided to head for the obelisk. He was too worn down to hike all the way back to his cave, and he needed to get as far away as possible from the war between monsters raging behind his back. Climbing into the branches of the great tree or ducking behind the barrier in his cave would have been safer places to recover. But he simply didn¡¯t have the energy to walk that far. It was hard enough hiking to the obelisk a bit further down the coast. He was still fatigued and dazed, oversaturated with stress to the point that he wasn¡¯t thinking clearly. Now that the adrenaline was beginning to fade, his body felt like it was wrapped in bands of thorn-studded lead. It took all his willpower not to collapse and pass out where he stood. Despite his distraction, every part of Nick¡¯s brain was crowing in triumph, alight with visceral satisfaction. After all, he had faced down the two greatest predators on the island at once and had walked away from the encounter¡ªwell, limped away at least. He realized that he was more satisfied at this moment than he had been at any other point in his life. In the end, his plans had been sufficient to not only endure the lurk¡¯s wrath but to come out the other side of the gauntlet with his prize in hand. He was happy that he had been able to save the lemur tribe as well, rewarding the goodwill they had shown him since he had woken up on the beach, which already felt like a lifetime ago. Nick was lucky not to run into any komos on this trip. Right now, he had no reserves left with which to fight and no charges in his wand. He would be next to helpless if he were forced into another battle before he had time to recover from his ordeal¡ªanother reason why he needed to get out of the forest as quickly as he could. He did eventually spot a pair of lizards in the distance, fighting over the remains of a well-chewed swordclaw. As the komos were busy resolving their dispute and not looking his way, he avoided them by taking the long way around. Eventually, the top of the obelisk came into view. Ten minutes later, he made his way across the sandbar, climbed the rise, and then set his back against the sun-warmed stone, savoring the sensations of his body. Despite the pain and exhaustion, Nick was still in one piece, still alive, and still able to continue his journey. He wanted to find out what he had won; to check out the notifications waiting on the display. But right now, Nick was too tired to rise to his feet once more. He barely had enough energy to pop the top off his canteen, drain it dry, and scarf down a few rations from his pack before a black wave of enervation carried him away. When he woke up, the sun hung low in the sky, the horizon bleeding with the end of day. It seemed that he would be camping here tonight, like he had during his first few days on the Searing Isle. Nick didn¡¯t mind. Now that he was aware enough to process what had happened, he was ready for the big reveal. He laughed when he realized that he had been clutching the golden box the entire time he was asleep, guarding his hard-won prize even while dreaming. ¡°You did it, Nick.¡± He took a moment to savor the delicious tingle of anticipation dancing throughout his body. Then he raised the box in front of his eyes and cracked open the lid. ¡°Fuck!¡± he cried out as the stiff sea breeze caught the slip of paper, carrying it out over the ocean before he was able to snatch it out of the air. But then he remembered that System-granted items were listed in his profile. While he might have lost a bit of detail on the full description, he should still be able to figure out what he had won. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. I¡¯ll have to make sure that doesn¡¯t happen again. Nick shrugged philosophically, then looked inside the golden container to examine the jewel nestled within. The multifaceted gem was the size of a robin¡¯s egg¡ªa glittering ruby with flawless depths the color of freshly spilled blood. Every speck of its surface was covered in intricate sigils, which looked to be the same language used by the System. Or maybe it¡¯s some kind of code rather than a dialect, he mused, for the interlocking symbols formed geometries that looked like some kind of formula rather than words. Not that he was an expert on xenolinguistics or the mathematics of magic. Nick didn¡¯t know much about gems either. Calling it a ruby was just a hunch. But he was certain that the beautifully cut stone would be worth a fortune back on Earth¡ªif anyone was still alive to buy it. He would have been frustrated if the gem was merely a precious jewel, worth no more to him on the island than any random rock that crossed his path. But if finding the gemstone inside a gold reward box and the presence of System writing weren¡¯t clear enough clues that the jewel was special, it glowed softly with a steady inner light. A phenomenon suggesting magic at work or some other technology beyond his understanding. Staring into those ruddy depths, he felt hope rising within his breast. The promise of power that would soon be his to command. It was a most welcome development since, as his latest escapade had highlighted in excruciating detail, Nick desperately needed to find a way to increase his odds of survival. Something that would grant him the power to deal with threats like the lurk and the pack, or at least begin to close the gap. As he rolled the gem between his fingertips, Nick was certain that the jewel would offer him such a chance, and he believed that he would unlock its mystery sooner rather than later. It made no sense that the best reward he had found in the tutorial would be useless during its final phase. Hoping that the description in his inventory would be sufficient to unravel the mystery of the gem¡¯s power, he rose to his feet with a groan. He walked over to the display mounted on the obelisk while there was still enough light to read. The moment that the display activated, he realized that all his worries had been for nothing. In addition to a thick pile of notifications, a second window opened without need of his prompting, and the words on the screen made the gem¡¯s nature crystal clear. Nick¡¯s face broke into a broad grin as he read the prompt. Not only was his reward worth the risk entailed in acquiring it, but it was exactly what he had been hoping for. An ability stone (Active, Offensive) has been detected in your inventory. Would you like to activate the stone and learn a new ability? Available ability slots: 2 active, 1 passive, 1 free. ¡°Fucking awesome.¡± Nick danced in circles while whooping with delight. At long last, almost a month into his survival tutorial, he was about to acquire his first ability. Thanks to Taltos¡¯s interference, he had been forced to take a basic class, the lowest of the rarities. And though it offered him a decent trait and a pair of useful skills, Survivor had provided him with zero abilities. Pax had implied that acquiring abilities early on was critical to his growth. He had been worried that he wouldn¡¯t be able to obtain one until he changed his class, as Nick had absolutely no idea when such an opportunity might come along. Although it seemed like they were divided into categories, he didn¡¯t know if there were different rarities of ability stones; if the powers they granted were random, based on his choices, or followed some other criteria beyond his understanding. Even if such stones did come in different qualities or rarities, something that Nick had found inside a golden reward box, obtained at incredible risk to his life, had to land somewhere on the decent side of the scale. He took out the gem and held it before his eyes, savoring the moment. Nick was about to take his first big step down the myriad paths of power. Now it was time to find out what form that power would take. Chapter One Hundred & Two: Forked Choice Nick was filled with a feral, crystalline clarity. He understood on a primal, instinctual level, that this was a critical moment in his development. A chance to rise above the curve and carve out a place for himself in his new, System-governed reality. Alight with an intoxicating cocktail of dopamine and adrenaline, he turned to face the display, eager to discover what power the stone would grant him. Anything at all would be great at this point, offering him a crucial advantage going forward. While he had no idea what the limits and constraints of acquiring abilities were just yet, there was no chance that Nick would regret using the stone now. If he understood what Pax had told him regarding the mechanics of his free slot, even if the stone offered a passive ability with a significant drawback, he could disable the ability at will by placing it into his free slot, effectively granting the passive an off switch. Although, now that Nick thought about it, he wasn¡¯t exactly sure how to move abilities from his core slots into his free slot. Or if he could unlearn suboptimal abilities if he were offered better picks later down the road. In fact, he had a whole mountain of unanswered questions regarding abilities, magic, and other System mechanics, none of which impacted his choice to use the stone here and now. He sent his thoughts into the display while saying ¡°yes,¡± every neuron aglow with a surge of excitement. Nick was giddy with anticipation as he waited to see what ability he would receive, certain that this moment represented a pivotal turning point in his existence¡ªthe chance to become a true adventurer, like the characters in the stories he had been reading all his life. In the handful of heartbeats it took for these thoughts to pass through his brain, he had yet to receive his ability. For an instant, he was irrationally terrified that something had gone horribly wrong. However, the reason for the unexpected delay became obvious when he took another look at the screen. Wrapped up in his enthusiasm, he had failed to notice a second prompt appear on the display. When he read it, Nick became even more thrilled than he already was. This ability stone possesses the hidden modifier [forked choice]. As a result, you may choose to receive either of the following abilities. Warning: The first spell or ability you acquire will greatly impact your options for future class selections. It will become an integral part of your fighting style, shaping the nature of your battles to come. Although it was a tad ominous, Nick appreciated the System offering him a clear warning before making a decision that would impact his development in such a fundamental manner. It made this choice even more important than he had realized, and he intended to choose wisely. So amped up that he was literally vibrating with excitement, he read on, ready and eager to take this foundational step along his path to power. Choice 1: Heavy Blow (combat art). Type: Melee attack. Activation speed: Instant. Range: Weapon. Heavy Blow consumes stamina to imbue a weapon strike with extra inertia, increasing its destructive potential. Maximum uses are determined by the user¡¯s stamina pool, and the ability¡¯s parameters scale with the user¡¯s physical attributes. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. Although Nick still had far more questions than answers at this point, he was thrilled to have been provided with these details instead of being forced to make his choice based on the ability¡¯s name alone. Before moving on to his second offering, he stopped to consider the combat art he had been offered, which was his first time seeing the term. After a long moment of contemplation, he decided that he was more than happy with the first ability on the screen, as it would greatly increase his combat prowess going forward. While Nick¡¯s sword was missing pieces and was a bit unwieldly, it was honestly a decent weapon now that he was growing accustomed to its dynamics. Being able to amplify the hurt that the pockmarked blade could inflict, instantly and at will, was inarguably a fantastic boon. He had already run into several creatures that were able to block or turn aside his blade. The Bonecruncher Alpha had stopped his swing cold by catching the sword between its jaws, nearly costing him his life. If he had been armed with Heavy Blow, he could have broken through the beast¡¯s guard, ending the fight in a single, decisive swing. Even against lesser opponents, the faster that he could disable or kill an enemy, the greater the odds that Nick would emerge from the battle unscathed. With the right weapon, the ability would help him pierce armor, like the chainmail the ratman foreman had worn. It would also make it easier to crack the swordclaws¡¯ shells, helping Nick to hunt more efficiently and lowering his chances of being injured in the process. Additionally, with its instant activation time, he could use Heavy Blow to knock a bulky enemy off balance. Or catch his opponent by surprise by alternating his regular strikes with attacks that were unpredictably stronger than the rest, increasing his range of tactics in melee combat. Better still, the ability wouldn¡¯t just work with his sword, but with any weapon he could hold in his hands. Thus, Heavy Blow would prove equally useful when fighting with a dagger or spear, and it was forward compatible, as it would synergize with any other weapon that Nick found in the future. In short, Heavy Blow was amazing, and he would be thrilled to add it to his toolkit. An impulsive part of him wanted to pick it here and now. Take the ability for a test drive and find out what it was capable of. Of course, Nick wasn¡¯t going to make such a crucial choice without knowing what other offer was on the table. Now certain that no matter what his other option was, he had already come out a winner, he returned his attention to the display. What he read on the screen surprised him, and he pondered each word carefully before comparing the proposals and making his decision. Choice 2: Mana Dart (spell). Type: Magical attack. Activation speed: 3-second casting time. Instant use once active. Range: Determined by energetic attributes (Current range: 15 feet). Mana Dart consumes mana to create an energetic missile. Once conjured, the dart will hover above the caster until it is directed by their will or dissipates after five minutes have passed. Mana Dart can only affect living creatures or magical constructs and function by directly diminishing the vital energies inside their bodies. Damage dealt, maximum range, and other parameters scale with the user¡¯s energetic attributes. A spell. Nick hopped from one foot to the other as the full realization of what he had read washed over him, unleashing reverberations of unrestrained glee. Holy shit. The System can teach me how to use magic. His jaw dropped as his understanding of the universe shifted, revealing hidden dimensions that he had never before imagined, despite magic being listed in his attributes. I can become a wizard, or maybe some kind of healer. I don¡¯t have to specialize in hand-to-hand combat unless I want to. There was an awful lot for Nick to consider before he made his choice, relating to both his immediate survival and his prospects for the future. He realized in that moment that he was more than excited; he was having fun while thinking the matter over. It was one of the few times that he had been truly happy since waking up alone on the island. He let himself bask in the pure joy of speculation for the better part of an hour, daydreaming of a life filled with swords or sorcery, or perhaps a bit of both. Although the System had given Nick a clear warning about the lasting consequences of this decision, he doubted that a single ability would lock him into or out of various combat styles over the long term. Based on what Pax had told him, his attributes, skills, and even his choices would influence the classes offered when he was eligible to change his. Not that he was going to get anything great until he was able to overcome the basic class restriction that Taltos had imposed on humanity, but that was a worry for another day. For now, he would make his decision based solely on the impact that each ability would have on his odds of living through the tutorial. He sat down as he pondered his options, letting the soothing roar of the surf calm his racing thoughts. Nick needed to choose wisely, and his countless hours of gaming had all been leading up to this moment. Chapter One Hundred & Three: Decisive Decision With that in mind, Nick fired up his min/max mindset for the first time in days, engaging in one of its most practiced powers. Analyzing various strategic options in the context of overcoming a specific challenge. Although it would lead him to facing most of his enemies in melee combat, his first choice was appealing due to its clear function and reliable nature. While Heavy Blow required a weapon to use, Nick had no intention of facing a world filled with rending claws and razored jaws with his own tender paws. Thus, the weapon requirement wasn¡¯t much of a detriment. He moved on to processing everything he knew about how Heavy Blow would operate, based on the information the System had provided and a bit of old-fashioned logic. Ability aside, all weapon strikes deal inherent damage. Regardless of how much the increase to inertia powered up any given attack, using Heavy Blow would always do more damage than an unmodified strike. This equation offered Nick a clear baseline for the ability¡¯s effectiveness, which would improve as he continued to increase his physical attributes, both by training his baseline values and allocating his free points after leveling. On the other hand, he had no idea how much damage Mana Dart would dish out. Or how diminishing a creature¡¯s vital energy would affect it, especially in combat. He knew that health played a major role in healing wounds over time, but that didn¡¯t matter much if the goal was to keep something nasty from trying to eat him. Additionally, his Magic was only 2 as matters stood, which meant that the spell would likely start off weak. He had no idea how or even if he could train his baseline Magic naturally, so the spell¡¯s growth might be limited by the free points Nick was willing to spend. That being said, both options were classified as attacks. Thus, Mana Dart and Heavy Blow should be equally useful with proper investment if the System played fair, which so far appeared to be the case. It seemed like Heavy Blow would be stronger at the outset, which was a major mark in its favor. But raw power wasn¡¯t the only variable that Nick was considering. Given how large and agile the beasts on the island were, he would greatly prefer to at least partially specialize in ranged attacks instead of focusing solely on hand-to-hand combat. Thinking about the series of close calls that he had barely survived, Nick realized that he had no desire to fight within easy reach of a beast¡¯s jaws, although it was crucial that he was able to defend himself when a hungry critter got up close and personal. Moving on, he had fallen in love with the small bits of magic he had encountered thus far. His wand and the consumable flashbang orbs had saved his life on numerous occasions, and the idea of trying to fight something like the lurk with his sword was laughably ludicrous, no matter how hard he was able to swing it. His golden chest had only come with one knowledge point, likely because the reward had been so good, and he already knew how he wanted to spend it. After all, this was the perfect time to learn more about Magic, the only attribute that Nick was interested in investing in that he didn¡¯t fully understand. After sending his intentions into the display, he began to read. Magic Magic is the attribute governing the use of mana both inside and outside of the body. Baseline Magic can be raised by engaging in mana-shaping exercises and other advanced practices. Magic includes: Density: The quality of internally generated mana and the capacity of your mana pool. Manipulation: The ability to control mana with a greater degree of precision. Generation: The rate at which mana naturally regenerates. Put simply, the Magic attribute determines the potency of your mana, how quickly it regenerates, and how precisely you can control mana while casting spells. Aha. As Nick had been hoping, raising his Magic increased not only the power of his spells, but also the rate at which his mana refilled. He was extremely curious about the manipulation component of the attribute. It seemed that his control would improve with practice and further increases to his Magic. He hoped it meant that he could fine-tune the properties of his spells over time, improving not only the power of his abilities but also their versatility. The description of manipulation suggested that it was possible to control not only the behavior of his spells but the flow of mana outside his body, although he had no idea what the applications of doing so were at this time. The concept was inherently fascinating. Perhaps one day he could tap into the ambient mana in the atmosphere as well. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. Last but not least, Nick had finally learned how to improve his baseline Magic, even if he had no idea what mana-shaping exercises were just yet. There didn¡¯t seem to be a time limit on making his selection, so he mulled the matter over carefully as he prepared and ate his dinner, the sky fading from radiant red to dusky twilight to star-studded night. Heavy Blow or Mana Dart. Guaranteed usefulness in every battle versus the option of being able to start and end a fight from a distance. Nick was torn between his options, waffling back and forth between them. But then it hit him. If there was one feature common to anything that could be considered an attack, it was that it hurt when it hit you. Even if Mana Dart only stung for a moment and did no lasting damage, he could use the spell in battle to great effect. Especially as he was able to conjure the darts ahead of time and then fire them off instantly as opportunities presented themselves in the flow of combat. Besides, using Heavy Blow drained stamina with each activation, and Nick had learned that stamina could be used for other combat actions besides powering abilities, whereas he knew of no uses for mana besides casting spells. It was concerning that his Magic was only 2 at the moment, but that meant any spells he acquired would have substantial room to grow. Wait. Do I even have mana? He wondered exactly one second after deciding to choose Mana Dart. A consideration he wished he had thought of before making such a pivotal, life-altering decision. It turned out that Nick did not, in fact, have any mana just yet. But this massive problem was fated to be solved less than a minute after it appeared. Because that was when a string of words appeared directly in his field of view¡ªthe first time that the System had addressed him without using the display as an intermediary since he had left the dungeon. Words that Nick could make out clearly, even in the dark. System Message: Critical update Contestant has received their first mana-using ability. Transferring [Mana Dart] to contestant¡¯s active ability slot and initializing latent mana pool. At this point, two things happened at once. The first was that a beam of ruby light shot out from the surface of the ability stone, transfixing Nick¡¯s brain with a spear of pure, undiluted information before crumbling into a fine powder that dispersed into the wind. He felt the familiar sensation of ghostly fingers poking around inside his brain as the System modified his synapses on a molecular level. Carving out new neural pathways that would allow Nick to use the spell as naturally as if he had been casting it all his life. While most of his brain was grappling with sheer sensory overload, a small corner of Nick¡¯s awareness could still appreciate how bizarre it was that he suddenly knew how to do something that he had never tried before. While countless changes were taking place upstairs, a second, equally profound transformation was occurring within Nick¡¯s chest. More precisely, at a point exactly two inches below his heart. One moment, everything behind his ribs was business as usual. The next, there was blazing heat, like a nuclear reactor had been switched on behind his left lung. He screamed at the potent, searing sensation, certain that he had been hit from behind and was critically injured. Although the intensity did not subside, Nick realized that the feeling was not actually pain, even though it was nearly overwhelming. Rather than an external force acting against him, the pulsating flame coursing inside him was an integral part of himself. A missing piece that Nick had been unable to perceive until now. That was when he felt something foreign reach inside his chest. Something that he had experienced before, before his orientation had begun. This time, instead of a sensation of ethereal fingertips, he got the whole hand and a bit of the arm as well. As he struggled to process what he was experiencing, an alien force penetrated his torso. It plucked a thin strand from the surface of his newly formed energetic core and attached the free end to a spot near the base of his skull, linking the tendril to the new neural network inside Nick¡¯s brain, irrevocably binding them together. Then, all the strange sensations vanished as mysteriously as they had appeared. He found himself quivering while lying in the sand. He didn¡¯t know when he had collapsed or how long he had been out, although the moon had risen sometime during the process. While he waited to regain control over his body, Nick took his time contemplating the magnificent expansion of his consciousness. Although he could no longer directly perceive it, he was certain that the warmth inside his chest was either the source or the container for his magic, perhaps a bit of both. In addition to acquiring his first spell, he had learned a great deal about the System from this experience. Information that he would ponder at his leisure, bright and early tomorrow morning. But not now. Right now, Nick was utterly drained, and there was only one thing that he desired more than sleep. ¡°Mana Dart,¡± he whispered while visualizing casting the spell as best he could, signaling his intent and letting the ability do the rest. He felt a vague tingle inside his chest, and Nick knew that he had to concentrate on it until the spell manifested, or he would waste the attempt. Despite his exhaustion, he was able to hold onto the spell for the three seconds it took to coalesce. Right on time, with no further preamble, a silver sliver of light popped into existence in front of his nose, forming a wedge-shaped spear the size of his pinky that began circling his head like a satellite orbiting a planet. Nick¡¯s eyes tracked the glowing point of mana, which he could feel clearly, as if it were a part of his own body. While most of him was lost in wonder, the rational layer of his mind noticed that the dart created a bit of light. A side effect that might prove useful in a pinch. As he had nothing that he wanted to shoot just yet, he watched the dart dance through the air for five ecstatic minutes, until it completed a final lap around his forehead and winked out of existence. I did it. I just cast my first spell. He wanted to summon another dart right away, since he had just achieved his childhood dream. But he resisted the temptation through a combination of willpower and sheer exhaustion. Until he was able to experiment with the spell, Nick had no idea how many darts he could use per day or how quickly his mana would regenerate once spent. Since mana isn¡¯t listed on my profile, hopefully I can learn to keep track of my reserves by feel. A problem for another day. His heart alight with the joy of being initiated into the mysterious world of magic, Nick closed his eyes and let the roar of the surf carry him into the land of dreams. Chapter One Hundred & Four: Mana Dart Nick awoke with the rising sun, filled with a visceral wave of excitement when he realized that it hadn¡¯t all been just a dream. He had survived his insane plan to go toe-to-toe against the lurk, acquired his first ability, and unlocked the magic inside him. He was filled with such a heady surge of triumph, of wonder and delight, that he simply couldn¡¯t help it. Nick rose to his feet, drew in a deep breath of crisp dawn air, and screamed for all he was worth. After letting loose a victory cry that reverberated across the foam-capped waves, he walked back to the obelisk and activated the display, only to realize that it was still too dark to read. Instead of going through the trouble of lighting a fire, Nick stretched out his aching muscles, watching the resplendent glory of the sunrise reflecting off the face of the sea until it was light enough to make out the words on the screen. His joy only magnified when he began to read. Congratulations. You have accumulated enough experience to reach Level [7]. You have one free attribute point awaiting allocation at your discretion. Through rigorous training, you have conditioned your body and improved the following baseline attributes: Dexterity has increased from [6] to [7]. As Nick had hoped, the notification he had skipped last night in favor of making his big decision was from leveling up, giving him another free attribute point to spend at his discretion. Better still, all the running, throwing, and dodging he had done the day before had solidified his training, netting him another point of Dexterity. Wanting to give his first spell a bit more oomph, he decided to use his free point to raise his Magic from 2 to 3. Nick signaled his intentions and then quickly sat down, curious to discover what sensations would accompany the allotment. Before long, a familiar point of heat began buzzing within his chest. The energetic core that he had ignited the night before. The sensation wasn¡¯t nearly as overwhelming as when the System had jumpstarted Nick¡¯s mana pool. He took advantage of the opportunity and paid close attention to the feeling, hoping to one day be able to sense the mana within his core as easily as he could the air in his lungs. As he focused on the changes taking place inside his body, he felt something shift subtly. He thought that his core was expanding. Its boundaries spreading a minute fraction wider, the energy inside just a tiny bit hotter. Then, for just a second, he could feel something moving within his body¡ªtiny threads that connected to his core and led¡­ somewhere else. One of them entwined up and around his spine before passing into his head, which had to be the link between Nick¡¯s energetic core and his brand-new spell, but the rest of the ghostly tendrils were a mystery. Some of the channels led to other places in his body, some into his brain, and yet others seemed to travel outside of himself; to places beyond his ability to perceive or comprehend. Inspired by the mere existence of fey forces far beyond his understanding, Nick sat there until the sensations receded before fading away like the memory of yesterday¡¯s dream. He would have meditated if he had time to spare, savoring the experience for hours, but necessity was a harsh mistress. Against the odds, he had managed to exhaust the lurk, perhaps even injure it, and he needed to take advantage of the opportunity before the window swung shut. With only three days, eight hours, and fifteen minutes on the clock, he needed to explore the highlands and then finalize his preparations for the tutorial¡¯s final phase. That was when he realized that all three gems on his wand were glowing. Either opening the gold chest or the System jumpstarting his mana pool had refilled the fickle device. Icing on the cake. With his decision made and his new spell gained, it was time for Nick to take a look at his profile and check out the rest of the growth he had undergone. Contestant Profile: Nicholas ¡°Nick¡± Henry. Level: 7. Tier: 1. Species: Human of Earth (E). Class: Survivor (Basic). Base attribute points per level: 0. Free points per level: 1. Attributes
Strength: 7 Dexterity: 7 (9) Toughness: 6 (10)
Mind: 7 (9) Creativity: 6 Charisma: 5
Magic: 2 (3) ??? ???
Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. Abilities Ability slots: 2 active, 1 passive, 1 free. Active abilities: Mana Dart (spell). No passive abilities have been acquired. Class Traits Survivor: You require 25% less food, water, oxygen, and sleep. Geneline Traits Gift of Tongues: You can understand and speak the languages of all intelligent creatures. Awakened to Magic: +1 to Magic. Versatile: +1 to all attributes. +1 free ability slot. Bloodline Traits None. Skills Wand: 4 Size Up: 9 Foraging: 7 Inventory (Common and above) Explorer¡¯s Boots (Common). Kastillan Dagger (Common). Adventurer¡¯s Toolbelt (Uncommon). Modifications: Self-maintenance. Charm of Muffling (Uncommon). Pugilist¡¯s Gloves (Uncommon). Modifications: Durable. Adventurer¡¯s Coat (Uncommon). Modifications: Durable. Self-maintenance. Cloak of Thermal Regulation (Uncommon). Modifications: Self-maintenance. Bag of Molding (Uncommon). Wand of Force (Uncommon). Modifications: Soulbound. Skill activation (Wand). ??? Sword. Before he climbed the foothills leading to the highlands, there was one other objective that Nick wanted to accomplish first. Something that he could take care of on the way. In short, it was time to take his new spell for a test drive and see what it could do. Thus, he rose to his feet and put on his pack, ready to face the day and see what adventures it would bring. He was certain that before long, he would have a chance to try out Mana Dart in battle for the first time. Deciding to forgo the rest of his exercises, he left the obelisk behind with a wave in parting and then crossed the sandbar leading back to the island. As he needed to find something to fill his stomach, Nick foraged his way across the forest while heading toward his cave, stopping every now and then to engage in a bit of skills training, although he was barely able to focus. Two words kept repeating over and over in his head, increasing his anticipation with every cycle. Mana Dart. Mana Dart. Mana Dart! Nick laughed out loud as he internalized that he now had mana inside him; that he could cast a spell like the characters in the games he had played all his life. This awareness filled him with a perennial sense of wonder. The realization of his childhood dream made him deeply happy for the first time since being thrust into his new reality. He wanted to summon another dart and begin experimenting with his new spell immediately. But with unknown limits on its uses and recharge time, he couldn¡¯t afford to be wasteful. Nor would it be wise to take unnecessary risks in the process. Thus, Nick needed to test out Mana Dart in a fight that he knew he could win, even if his magic failed him. The only creatures that fit the bill were a solitary swordclaw or komo. He forced himself to be patient. He knew that he would run into one eventually as he made his way across the southern forest. In the meantime, his brain was hard at work, compiling a list of questions regarding Mana Dart as well as magic in general and its relationship to various attributes. Some of them wouldn¡¯t be possible to cross off until he had more knowledge points to spend. For now, Nick would focus on testing out four primary aspects of his spell. How many Mana Darts can I cast back-to-back? How long does it take for my mana to refill after casting each spell? Finding the answer to his first two questions would provide him with a rough measure of his mana pool and his rate of regeneration. His other inquiries involved the dart¡¯s behavior and utility in battle. Can I cast the darts effectively mid-melee, or do I need to prepare their use beforehand? And most importantly, how much does the spell hurt? He wasn¡¯t as concerned with how much damage it did relative to a creature¡¯s maximum health, although Nick was curious about that as well. Rather, did the spell inflict pain, and if so, how much? Two hours, one small mushroom, and four half-ripe berries later, it finally happened. As he finished the final bite of his freshly foraged lunch, he heard a familiar hiss emanating from somewhere nearby. Practically dancing from one foot to the next, he crept toward the noise, stopping behind a wide trunk after arriving at the edge of a narrow clearing. Within the sunny glade sat the second-largest lizard that Nick had ever seen, a bulky specimen that was almost as big as Komo Alpha. The beefy lizard was in the middle of enthusiastically devouring what appeared to be a shaggy brown rabbit with stripes like a tiger. On spotting his soon-to-be research associate, his heart started racing in anticipation. His palms grew slick with sweat as he prepared to conduct his first live trial of his new spell. Before he jumped the gun, Nick stopped to make sure that his impatience wasn¡¯t goading him into making a dangerous mistake. Such as failing to properly identify the threat that the beast posed before rousing its ire. He spent the next five minutes watching the lizard eat, sizing the creature up while analyzing its appearance. The beast did seem to be a bit more dangerous than the average komo, but Size Up was sure that he could handle the challenge. Nick¡¯s mundane analysis came back clean as well. Although it was burly, the reptile in question looked exactly like the others. It didn¡¯t appear to be a different species or a special variant. Certain that the komo would be busy for a few more minutes as it methodically tore the rabbit¡¯s carcass into bite-sized pieces, Nick forced himself to make a careful circuit of the clearing, seeking out any sign that other dangerous creatures were lurking in the area. After finishing his second lap around the tree line and sensing nothing out of the ordinary, it was finally time for his experiment to begin. Although most of the parameters of his spell were still unknown, the System had told him that its current reach was fifteen feet. A span of two and a half times his height. Thus, Nick¡¯s first order of business was to creep within range. Thanks to his daily training, his attempt at stealth went well, and he arrived at the edge of the clearing just as the final bite of rabbit disappeared down the komo¡¯s throat. Before the beast decided to leave, Nick climbed into the branches and locked his gaze on his opponent, whispering the words, ¡°Mana Dart.¡± Chapter One Hundred & Five: Live Fire Exercise It was just as magical watching the silver dart wink into existence the second time as it had been the first. Well, technically, it would always be magical, since Nick was literally casting a spell. But in this case, the word referred to the feelings that the sight evoked within him, filling him to the brim with the most curious sense of awe. He watched the dart¡¯s mercurial dance for a good fifteen seconds before forcibly breaking his gaze. The dart circling around his head was on a timer, and it was time for spell to meet lizard with extreme prejudice. This situation made Nick realize that he had left one rather relevant question off his list. How do I target and fire the spell? For once, he found himself glad that he was alone on the island and that only the birds and bees could witness his efforts. Otherwise, the next series of events would have been utterly mortifying instead of merely profoundly embarrassing. He began by simply willing the dart to fire, or more specifically, he spoke the word fire within his mind. Despite an overwhelming sense of anticipation, nothing happened. Figuring that since he was up in a tree, it didn¡¯t really matter if the komo knew Nick was there, he decided to move on to the shonen approach, which felt oddly appropriate considering the situation. He proceeded to intone the name of the spell while making various throwing gestures, trying to sound as badass as possible while willing the dart to move. ¡°Mana Dart. Maaaana Daaaart. Mana Dart!¡± Nick tried and failed a hundred times over the next four and a half minutes. Of course, the komo heard him right away. The big lizard came running, hissing in fury while circling the tree. Around attempt number eighty-five, the lizard stopped to stare at him. It gave Nick a look that clearly implied that he was the dumbest creature the komo had ever seen. By this point, the spell was beginning to fade out of existence, and he was growing increasingly frustrated. He had just tried making a finger gun while saying ¡°pew,¡± then moved on to literally begging the spell to work, when Nick finally stumbled onto the trick to firing the dart. He was looking right at the center of the komo¡¯s scaley forehead while imagining how satisfying it would be to watch the dart fly straight as an arrow and blast the lizard between the eyes when the chrome-colored projectile abruptly shot forth, following the same path that Nick had envisioned. The komo did not react to the streaking mote of light until the dart struck the top of its head and vanished without a trace. It was at this point that he learned that his Mana Darts did indeed inflict pain. Because the komo let out an ear-piercing scream, convulsing for a good ten seconds before regaining control over its body. Despite a brief but intense infusion of pain, the komo appeared unaffected by the spell. It hissed in red rage before throwing itself at the base of the tree over and over again, scaling the bark through sheer effort of will. Shit. Komos can climb after all. They just suck at it. While the lizard continued its furious ascent, Nick drew his sword from his pack, then tossed both the sword and his bag to the ground. He took three seconds to summon a second Mana Dart, then leapt down to retrieve his weapon. Nick had just enough time to rearm himself and take his stance before the komo realized that he had relocated. At this point, the beast looked almost happy, jaws spread wide as it charged straight for his position. Before the komo could close the distance, he locked his gaze onto its head, visualizing the dart following the same trajectory he had used before. To his delight, the dart shot forth, just as Nick had hoped. As he had deduced, the spell needed both a precise target and an angle of approach before it would fire. None of the commands did anything. I probably don¡¯t need to say the spell¡¯s name to cast it either. In the two seconds that it took for these thoughts to pass through his mind, the dart arrived at its intended target. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. Only this time, things didn¡¯t go according to plan. Nick expected the dart to stun the komo long enough for him to land a solid slash, but that was not how events played out. What happened was that the komo¡¯s eyes tracked the incoming missile¡­ and it leapt to one side just before the spell made contact. The sliver of silver streaked past before disappearing into the dark earth below. Crap. The darts can be guided, but they aren¡¯t capable of homing¡­ This was all the time for reflection that Nick had before the enraged predator leapt for his throat. He brought his blade to bear just in time, scoring a shallow slash along the komo¡¯s flank after the lizard used its claws to block the sword and land by his side. It was a good opportunity to try casting the spell mid-battle, so he took a defensive stance and activated the ability, hoping that he had enough mana to conjure three darts back-to-back. Mana Dar¡ª Before he could finish gathering his will, the lizard lunged, unleashing a fierce barrage of tooth and claw. Only Nick¡¯s numerous encounters with these beasts, along with his new levels and daily training, allowed him to endure the komo¡¯s wrath while keeping his skin intact. Well, mostly intact. As usual, he had already taken a few light scratches from the lizard¡¯s natural weaponry. Eventually, the beast began to tire, although Nick had grown quite weary by this point as well. After failing to land a bite aimed at his knees, the komo opened some space to recover its energy. He finally had a few uninterrupted seconds to concentrate. Mana Dart, he willed, and a fresh dart blinked into existence. Ready to end the fight, he tried casting the spell one more time so that he could test directing two darts at once. This time, instead of completing the spell, Nick felt a strange sensation pulsing below his heart. It reminded him a bit of what it felt like when he accidentally stuck the hose of his vacuum cleaner against his skin, as if something had tried to suck energy out of his core, but the container was empty. It was accompanied by a wave of disorientation, which only lasted for a heartbeat. Three-dart limit, Nick noted. Combat casting works fine, but it takes most of my attention. Meaning that there are advantages to both saving my mana for when I need it and pre-casting the spell before a fight begins. There seem to be consequences to running completely out of mana as well, but I¡¯ll have to explore that later. It¡¯s time to conclude today¡¯s experiment. He only had one more test that he wanted to run before he was done. He raised his sword above him in a two-handed grip, then gave the dart its marching orders. The komo looked confused when the dart shot straight up, disappearing among the treetops as it streaked away from the battlefield. The beast quickly shook off its bewilderment and took advantage of the opening by charging in low, barreling straight for Nick¡¯s undefended stomach. Just before the komo¡¯s jaws came snapping shut, a streak of silver descended from the canopy like a miniature meteorite plummeting from the heavens. The dart¡¯s trajectory carried it beyond the komo¡¯s field of view, just as Nick had visualized. While the beefy lizard was busy closing the distance, his spell had shot up to its maximum range of fifteen feet, then turned around and come straight down, targeting the komo¡¯s back center mass. Once again, the magical missile disappeared into the komo¡¯s body without leaving a mark behind. It wound up stunning the beast for exactly two and a half seconds, the second application proving less effective than the first. But it was more than enough time for Nick to take aim and bring the sword streaking down, with the weight of his body behind it. The razored edge met the komo¡¯s extended neck and cleaved straight through, severing flesh and bone in turn before erupting out the other side in a ruddy plume of gore. It seems the dart can follow a tight arc but not reverse its momentum on a dime. Fifteen feet is the limit of my control, not the maximum distance that the dart can travel. Nick analyzed the results of his experiment as he went to work butchering the komo¡¯s corpse, collecting enough nasty meat to last him through the next few days. He had gained some incredibly useful information, and there was a great deal more to discover through further testing, but not today. Before it grew any later, Nick needed to explore the highlands. While he had no idea how badly the lurk had been injured during the intense melee with the sleepshroom, it seemed likely that the beast would be out of commission for at least a day, offering him the best chance to survey the region he would get before time ran out. He stopped by his cave long enough to grill up a pair of lizard legs, then shoved them into his pack and set off to the north. Nick was ready to scout the highlands as thoroughly as he could before he was forced to call it a day by the setting sun. Chapter One Hundred & Six: Scouting the Highlands With a spring in his step, Nick began hiking north, heading into a part of the borderlands between the highlands and the forest that he had never seen before. This close to the mountain, he stood within its shadow. The shade was a welcome companion, as the ascent along the foothills was steep and the effort was draining. But Nick was no longer the person he had been a little over three weeks ago. Thanks to his efforts and the powers granted to him by the System, his body was lean and toned. His stamina had become a deep pool compared to the shallow puddle it had been back in his old life. He wove his way between a series of increasingly steep hills, and before long, Nick reached an elevation that was higher than the forest¡¯s canopy. He stopped to catch his breath while looking out over the sea of green. He stared up at the great tree while considering how much he had changed since the day he had climbed to the top and taken in his first view of the Searing Isle from on high. How much everything in his life had changed. As he continued on his way, he saw a variety of plants and animals that were new to him, but nothing that seemed hostile or otherwise dangerous. He soon found himself breathing hard. This was the most intense workout he had given his lungs outside of combat. He could tell that the air was growing thinner, although it didn¡¯t seem to take more out of him than any other strenuous exercise. The experience offered Nick a renewed appreciation for his newly increased attributes as well as his Survivor trait. The reduced need for oxygen must help in more ways than I thought. He reached the base of one of the tallest hills an hour later, panting and covered in sweat, but still willing and able to carry on. After draining his canteen, he was ready to explore the highlands in earnest. He looked up at the three largest hills, which rose to ring the mountain like children hugging their mother¡¯s knees. Nick planned to climb at least one of them before calling it a day, but he decided to explore the valley running between the closest hillocks first, giving his body a chance to recover before asking more from it. From up close, Nick was able to catalog a wealth of details that he hadn¡¯t been able to make out while standing in the branches of the great tree. Each provided clues as to what might occur during the final phase of the tutorial. He was glad that the region was free of trees and that the groundcover cut off below his knees. It made it easy to survey his surroundings, and there wasn¡¯t anywhere for a sizable predator to be waiting in ambush. Unless, of course, they could fly, but he was hoping that flying predators were too dangerous to be included in the tutorial. Keeping one eye on the sky just in case, Nick ran his gaze across a broad valley filled with knee-high grass and wildflowers. It was a jumbled riot of bright colors and sweet fragrances. He felt a surge of fear after smelling the myriad blossoms, as his memories of the ravenous creepers¡¯ deleterious effects were dredged up to the surface of his awareness. While part of him wanted to run, he took control of his breathing and forced himself to calm down. Relax Nick. They¡¯re just flowers. It¡¯s a good reflex to be on guard against drugs and poisons, but you need to dial it down a notch. Just because a given stimulus reminds you of something scary, you can¡¯t react like you¡¯re in immediate danger. Sometimes a flower is trying to eat you. But usually, it¡¯s just a flower. Wisdom lies in knowing the difference. While he talked himself out of developing a brand-new phobia, Nick turned his gaze to take in the most prominent feature of the island. Directly ahead of him loomed the volcanic mountain. The closest face was a sheer sheet of stone, rising from the valley floor to form a series of clifftops hundreds of feet above his head. Although he was hoping to climb at least part of the way up before he called it a day, it was impossible to ascend to the peak from this location. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. On either side of the basin where Nick stood rose a pair of steep hills, topping off perhaps a hundred feet above the valley floor. But the most interesting feature by far was the pair of bridges connecting the top of each hillock to the mountainside, which appeared to grant access to a series of passes leading all the way up to the summit. After making sure that nothing more menacing than songbirds and butterflies called the valley home, he decided that he would learn nothing more until he climbed one of the hills. Peering up at the peaks, he chose the one on his left, as it was furthest from the spiders¡¯ corner of the woods. Knowing that he would likely find himself up here again before the end of the tutorial, Nick did his best to memorize the features of the terrain, adding them to his mental map of the isle, imagining what it would be like if he had to camp up here, fight, run, or hide amid the elevated hills and valleys. As he ran various scenarios through his mind, he gradually worked his way up the incline, stopping every few minutes to catch his breath. It soon became apparent that the wind was stronger up here, without any trees to serve as a buffer. The breeze sent his clothing and hair aflutter, helping to keep him cool despite the intense workout. About halfway up the hillside, Nick took note of a broad area where the ground was mostly level, which his game-trained brain recognized as a natural fortification. A perfect point of deployment for an army holding the hilltop. It¡¯s too bad that the closest thing I have to an army is a tribe of stick-wielding primates. But beggars can¡¯t be choosers. Twenty grueling minutes later, Nick completed the climb. He sat down on a flat rock while he ate lunch, looking out over the isle while refining his map of the region. He panned his gaze across the forest, surprised at how small the swath of terrain looked when viewed from above. The island where he had spent the last twenty-odd days fighting to survive the dangers of an alien world was less than fifty square miles. Smaller than the city of San Francisco, where Nick had grown up. After pulling the last, bitter bite of lizard meat free from the bone, he turned his head to examine the other hills. Two nearly identical hillocks were visible from this vantage, forming a triangle between them with the mountain in the middle. Between the hillocks ran a pair of valleys that were the mirror image of one another, and he assumed that there was a third basin that was obscured by the mountain. That was the region that he had identified as the lurk¡¯s likely lair, and not coincidentally, the section of the highlands that he most wanted to avoid. After his recent run-in with the shaggy gray beast, he wanted nothing more than to never see it again. Nick then turned to consider the mountain itself, lording over the island like a queen atop her throne. From his elevated vantage, two details stood out that were not obvious from below. The first was that, in spite of its immense height, the mountain looked relatively easy to climb, at least when ascending from the slopes adjacent to the hilltops. Although they weren¡¯t accessible from the valley floors, there were trails and switchbacks leading all the way up, some of which looked wide enough for creatures the size of the lurk to navigate. The second detail was that the summit appeared to be relatively flat. The edge of the plateau formed a crisp curve, as clearly defined as the rim of a bowl. While it was now only a stone¡¯s throw away, it appeared that Nick wouldn¡¯t be climbing the mountain today after all. Not unless he figured out how to overcome the final barrier lying between his position and the trailhead leading to the summit. Although there was a bridge running from the hilltop to the mountainside, the path was blocked by a massive metal gate. Not ready to give up just yet, he walked closer while taking in the features of the edifice. He had no idea why the barrier was there, but Nick was certain that it had something to do with the tutorial¡¯s final phase. Now he just had to figure out what in the world was going on. Chapter One Hundred & Seven: Alien Artifacts The wide bridge was formed from gray stone blocks, connecting the hilltop to the face of the mountain. It was anchored into the dirt by long pillars of rock, studded by what appeared to be solid steel beams. Nick turned to examine the other bridge that was visible from this angle, rubbing at the stubble on his chin with a frown on his face. As he had expected, it was barred by a gate that was identical to the one looming in front of him. The gates and bridges were the first man-made objects that he had seen on the island, other than the shipwreck and the obelisk. Manmade? Wouldn¡¯t alien-made be more accurate? Wait, I¡¯m the alien here. Let¡¯s just go with manufactured. He took a long look at the gateway in front of him, taking in every detail he could identify while considering the layout as a whole. Spanning the bridge and blocking the pass leading to the summit was a twenty-foot-tall gate that barred access to the mountainside. Its face had no obvious handholds, and its borders ran all the way out to the edges of the bridge. There was no way that Nick could scale the obstruction unless he found a chest containing climbing gear in the little time he had left. Scowling at the unwelcome presence of the unexpected blockade, he walked out over the bridge. He took a long look while considering the barrier¡¯s construction, on the lookout for a hidden switch or anything that even remotely resembled a puzzle. After discovering nothing of the sort, Nick decided that the gate was intended to keep him from inspecting the summit before the tutorial¡¯s final phase began. He wondered why there were three hilltops and three gates, since, as far as he knew, he was the only contestant on the island. Maybe they use this place for larger groups sometimes. As interesting as it was to examine his first piece of otherworldly architecture, it paled in comparison to what he saw when he drew close enough to inspect the face of the gateway. Painted on the surface was a massive metallic mural. An intricately detailed rendition of the starry heavens, with vibrant lines in burnished bronze that suggested a vast network woven between the stars. Some of the planets had auras that reminded Nick of that strange dream the night before the System arrived. He wondered if the luminescent latticework was intended to represent the System, binding inhabited worlds together like the stitching of a patchwork quilt. It was a gorgeous, awe-inspiring piece, but he felt that something was missing. That the masterwork painted onto the surface of the gate was missing a major element. The cruel, pitiless nature of the System, which was willing to slaughter billions of innocent lives to enable the advancement of the rest. After committing the image to memory, Nick walked back across the bridge and found the best spot to examine the mountain passes on the far side of the gate. As he had suspected, there was a series of switchbacks leading from this elevation all the way up to the summit. While each path started off wide and straight, they soon began to fork. Each twisting branch was narrower than the last, merging with one another as they wrapped their way around the mountain. Judging by what he could see from this angle, the situation was the same behind the other gates, a symmetrical design dividing the highlands into three identical slices. He had already learned a great deal. But in the hour or so he had left until he needed to head back, there was something else that he wanted to check, although doing so would be harder without being able to climb the mountain. Nick had a working theory regarding the nature of the Searing Isle as it related to the tutorial¡¯s final phase, but he wouldn¡¯t know for certain until he was able to take a closer look at the slope. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. He reached into his belt pouch and pulled out his spyglass, then started combing over every inch of the mountainside visible from the hilltop, occasionally walking one way or another to switch up the angle of his view. His thorough survey was, in part, to search for any new beasts that inhabited the region. But his true purpose led Nick to take a closer look at the top of the cliffs that loomed over the valleys, where the stone formed a series of natural shelves. Along the flat sections, the clifftops had collected piles of loose rock and other debris that had tumbled down the slope. He had to pan over the area closely to make out what lay beneath. Eventually, he found what he was looking for¡ªthe gleaming white of bone contrasting against the dark stone surrounding it on all sides. I knew it. Shattered piles of shell were scattered across the ground, although those could have been carried here by the birds. What Nick was quite certain had not been dropped here by birds was the intact skeleton of a dolphin, seemingly the same variety that he had seen the first time that he had caught sight of the thing in the sea. Volcanic activity, rising water, searstorms. The final pieces of the puzzle fell together within Nick¡¯s mind. At last, he knew what variables would comprise the endgame of the tutorial, although he had the feeling there was still something missing. Following that train of thought, Nick looked to the summit for the telltale sign of smoke. As usual, the air above the mountain was clean and clear. The magma must vent through subterranean channels, like the ones that came out onto the beach. Hopefully, that means the volcano isn¡¯t ready to blow anytime soon. Taken together, these features combined to grant Nick the rudimentary framework of a plan, but there was still one more thing that he wanted to check. Just in case the dolphin had been dropped on the cliffside by something beyond his understanding instead of the mechanism he imagined. With nothing to use as a shovel, he took out a spear and started to dig, pulling out clods of raw earth with his hands until he had a towering mound of topsoil looming in front of him. Judging that he still had a few minutes before he needed to head back, he began sifting through the dirt, seeking confirmation of his theory. Ten minutes later, he found it. As Nick wiped the mud from his hands and started poking through the mound with his spear, he became increasingly certain that the island sank on a regular basis, judging from the shells and fishbones embedded throughout the soil. The water is going to rise again all right. It¡¯s time to head back and start preparing for what happens after. Mind whirling with variables, forming and discarding dozens of potential plans out of hand, he made his way back down to the valley floor, passing through the other basin this time. There, he found something that he hadn¡¯t been expecting, a few fragmented skeletons that belonged to toadlike creatures that were roughly the size of dairy cows. From this discovery, Nick deduced that there had been another species of beast living in the foothills at the start of the tutorial. The lurk had either slaughtered them all or driven them out of the highlands and into the northern forest, which he had been unable to explore due to the swampy terrain. He added their presence to his calculations as he walked down from the highlands, summarizing what he had learned as he went. The center of the island has three distinct elevations. The valley floors, the top of the foothills, and the mountain itself. Each time the water rises, the total surface area of the region will shrink. Over time, there won¡¯t be enough dry land for all the beasts on the isle, assuming that most of them survive the initial flood. It will be even worse when you add all the regular animals. In short, the tutorial¡¯s final phase was going to be an all-out war between the beasts, and Nick needed to find a way to survive the conflict in the little time he had left. It was a delicate, deadly situation. One that would become even more complex if the System decided to throw additional challenges into the mix, which he thought was more likely than not considering everything he had been through so far. Mulling over his options, he climbed back down to the level of the forest, making it back to his cave as the light began to fade with the end of the day. Nick ate a quick dinner and then went to sleep behind his barrier, planning to use the final hours of this phase as wisely as he could. Chapter One Hundred & Eight: Final Preparations Nick woke up before dawn, busy tweaking his stratagems before he even opened his eyes. When he went to stoke his campfire, he found a pleasant surprise waiting for him. The tribe had dropped off a handful of berries and a pair of small crabs. Nodding his thanks to his furry benefactors, Nick enjoyed a breakfast that was vastly more palatable than filling his belly with day-old lizard steak, intending to repay the favor during the tutorial¡¯s final phase. He had a long list of goals that he wanted to complete in the day and a half he had left, the first of which was to find out what had happened to the lurk after its battle with the giant mushroom. Having nearly lost his life twice there already, Nick was never going anywhere near the bone-studded clearing again. Instead, he started walking toward the only place on the island where he could examine the killer shroom¡¯s domain from a safe distance, the top of the great tree. As Nick made his way across the forest floor, grateful not to have to forage until he was ready to find dinner, he stopped to collect any fallen branches that were straight, relatively dry, and about twice as thick as his thumbs. He shaved off the smaller twigs along the sides, relieved to find that while they still had a bit of bend, the spears were solid enough to drive into the ground without cracking. He sharpened the tips to points with his dagger, then did some crosshatching across the other end to give the crude weapons a bit of grip. Nick had filled his pack to the point that it was getting hard to carry by the time he arrived at the glade that was home to the colossal tree. He was satisfied with his haul, although it was only a fraction of the arsenal that he hoped to craft over the next thirty-odd hours. He hung his pack from one of the lowest branches and got busy climbing, marveling that an ascent that had required a herculean effort just a few weeks ago was now just a modest workout, thanks to his increased attributes. Nick scampered up the great tree, the only place where he could get a good look at the base of the giant mushroom other than the clearing where it resided. After reaching the top and stopping to admire the view, he took out his spyglass and peered down at the predatory fungus, hoping to see the lurk¡¯s corpse laid out beside it, or perhaps a gigantic bulge along its creamy white stalk. But as he had expected, the lurk was nowhere to be found. There were fresh gouges scored across the clearing and he spotted a few massive chunks missing from the mushroom¡¯s stalk. Evidence that a brutal battle had taken place after Nick made good on his escape. As the lurk had been able to shake off the effects of both pollen and spore within a few short minutes, and the creeper vines were insufficient to bind a beast of its size, neither of the alien predators was well suited to finish off the other. It seemed that the lurk had withdrawn after working out some of its frustration. Nick only hoped that the shaggy monstrosity had been wounded in the process. Other than the spider colony, the lurk was the greatest threat to his survival during the tutorial¡¯s final days. Hopefully, his risky encounter had bolstered his odds in addition to granting him his first spell. Either way, he suspected that he would find out what had happened to the lurk before long. Just before he turned to leave, Nick was treated to a sight beyond his expectations. Because that was when the great mushroom started to shudder. Its speckled red cap folded down like an umbrella collapsing, crimson gills drawing tight around the stalk. Then the entire shroom began sinking into the ground. Disappearing into the soil like someone slipping into a bath. Five minutes later, the colossal fungus was completely submerged, only a fresh pile of disturbed dirt revealing that it had stood within the glade to begin with. Huh. Must be how the big bastard survives being underwater. Nick wondered how the island¡¯s other plants and animals endured its submersion cycle, before dismissing it as a mystery beyond his ability to solve. Just one more facet to the alien planet that he hadn''t seen coming. This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. After climbing back down, Nick carried his load of spears over to his cave, then set out to make another half-dozen batches. Late in the afternoon, he dropped off the final set, bringing the total to nearly one hundred. After carefully inspecting each weapon, improving their tips and grips while tossing out some inferior specimens, he had seventy-six crude spears finished. Not bad for a day¡¯s effort, if he did say so himself. He spent the rest of the day hunting down as many swordclaws and komos as he could, running more tests on mana dart as he went. After firing the first pair of darts, Nick walked over to the obelisk, marking the time by looking at the timer listed on the quest¡¯s description. Now he just needed to empty his mana pool by casting the third spell and he could measure how long it took his energetic reservoir to refill enough to fire off a fresh dart. Nick confirmed that mana dart was able to inflict raw damage by flinging the final spell at one of the stinging butterflies infesting the overgrowth around the spring. He was pleased to discover that the dart killed the insect in a single shot. Afterwards, Nick dried out the massive mound of meat he had gathered by draping it across the top of the black stone edifice. He remained in the area while continuing with his daily routine, trying to summon a fresh dart every few minutes. At last, seven and a half hours later, it finally worked, allowing him to draw some conclusions about the dynamics of his new ability. Three dart limit. Eight-hour cooldown until a charge can be used again. He still had a long list of questions, but Nick had learned enough about his spell to know that it would be invaluable in combat. Over the days ahead, he would integrate what he had discovered and incorporate the spell into his arsenal of tactics. Eventually, he would devise further experiments to learn more about mana dart and magic in general, but right now, he had other pressing matters to attend to. Nick took stock of his progress while walking back to his cave. After making a few more weapons along the way, he had crafted roughly one hundred and twenty-five spears and prepared a fat pile of meat. He hoped to have enough time tomorrow morning to fashion around thirty crude clubs and make a final foraging run, gathering up all the berries and mushrooms that he could find. These were far more supplies than Nick needed, but the provisions weren¡¯t just for him. He intended to partner with the lemur tribe during the climax of the tutorial. Keeping as many of them alive as possible was vital to his own survival. Unfortunately, he had only been able to find eight relatively intact coconut husks to date, as most of the palms were now below the waves, but they let him add a bit of water to his stockpile in addition to what he could carry in his pack. Throughout the day, the tribe stopped by to say hello from time to time. While they seemed curious as to what he was up to, Nick was unable to communicate his intentions well enough to solicit their aid. He would have to trust the lemurs¡¯ instincts when they arrived on scene and pray that he had predicted how the clever beasts would react accurately enough to follow through with his plans. Nick had been hoping to raise his strength and toughness another point in the little time he had left, but his other preparations had burned through all of his energy. With any luck, they would tick up shortly after the fighting began. Using the last hour of daylight remaining, he began transporting all the supplies to the highlands, where he expected a massive battle to take place as soon as the ocean started to rise. It was an exhausting effort, but Nick didn¡¯t have time to take it easy. When he finished dropping off the food and weapons, he started piling up every rock he could find in the highlands, placing half of them on the hilltop he had chosen to fortify, and the others on the flat area halfway up the hillside. He wished that there was more he could do, but with the limited resources and tools at his disposal, this was everything that Nick could manage by himself. After making a final inspection of the hillside, he returned to his cave and packed up his personal supplies, bidding farewell to his hard-won shelter, as this would be the last night that he called the cavern home. He spent the evening reminiscing on his experiences on the isle, and preparing himself for the challenges that would come with the rising sun. Fortunately, the phase timer wouldn¡¯t hit zero until late afternoon. Nick had plenty of time in the morning to carry a few final loads up to the highlands without having to rush. It took him quite a while to fall asleep, head filled with strategies and the anticipation of a life and death struggle to come. Eventually, the land of dreams opened its doors, and Nick drifted off with plans still whirling madly within his brain. Chapter One Hundred & Nine: Phase Three Less than an hour remained until the tutorial entered its third and final phase. Nick was standing atop the hillock he had fortified, looking down over the island. He had transported the last of his supplies earlier in the morning, then took a few hours to stretch out and cool off. He felt good despite the air being so filled with tension that it nearly crackled, which was important, as Nick would need every scrap of his energy, every drop of his stamina and mana, to survive the ordeal ahead. He was fairly certain that he knew what was about to happen, but if he was wrong, this would be a good spot to observe how events played out. What he thought was going to happen was that the ocean would rise when the phase timer hit zero. Or, more precisely, the island would sink. It had already happened once while he was inside the dungeon, and introducing a clear threat and then magnifying it over time was a common logic for a tutorial to follow. Shoring up his suspicions, Nick had discovered ample evidence that this had all happened before; that the punctuated submersion and reemergence formed a natural cycle for the island. He had a working theory that the creepers, shrooms, and crabs were native species. Creatures capable of hunkering down and riding out the flood. But the rest of the beasts were foreign to this world, and they would be forced to mass migrate into the highlands when the water rose once more. At the end of the tutorial¡¯s first phase, the beach had been devoured by the sea. Nick believed that the forest was next, and that even the highlands would be underwater before the tutorial reached its end and the cycle repeated. The timing of the first rise and the warning from the System had led him to believe that each of these stages occurred on a regular cycle. As most of the komos and lemurs had survived the end of the first phase, he hypothesized that the water would rise over time rather than all at once. If he was wrong, this stage might wind up being easier than he expected, although he would be sad if his lemur friends endured this long only to drown two days before the tutorial¡¯s end. He cast his gaze out over the ocean, eagerly anticipating the chaos to come. While Nick wasn¡¯t looking forward to the battle itself, he was more than ready to leave the Searing Isle behind him for good. To find out what had happened to the rest of humanity. What the System had in store when the next chapter in Nick¡¯s story began. He scanned the horizon for any sign of an incoming searstorm, breathing out a sigh of relief when nothing but sunny blue skies and puffy white clouds met his gaze. He waited for the show to start, forcing his breath to remain slow and steady despite the adrenaline flooding his veins. Then he waited some more. Just as he was deciding that he had misjudged the situation completely, he felt the first tremor. The soil beneath his boots began to tremble, then started to buck and writhe, forcing him to wrap both arms around a nearby boulder and hold on for dear life. Five minutes later, the worst of the shaking subsided, although Nick could feel a constant vibration transmitting through the stone and into his fingertips. The first thing that he noticed when he got back onto his feet was that the water was closer than it had been just a few minutes ago. The shoreline was disappearing with every beat of his heart as the ravenous tide devoured the woodlands inch by inch. Out in the distance, Nick caught sight of the tip of the obelisk just before it sank beneath the waves, confirming his suspicions that he would have to do without System access for the remainder of the tutorial. He had wanted to stop by and check out his gains one final time. Allocate his free attribute point if he had managed to level again last night. But there simply hadn¡¯t been enough time. As dramatic as this terrain-altering event was, it wasn¡¯t what he was waiting for. He forced his muscles to unclench and his breath to remain slow and steady. When he found what he was looking for, it was even closer than the shrinking shoreline. Stolen story; please report. Nick set his gaze upon the vast clouds of dust billowing up from the forest floor, which had emerged the instant that the shaking subsided. The earth churned by thousands of frantic paws, feet, and claws. The reason why was simple. As they came to understand the nature of the calamity, every creature on the island had begun tearing for the interior of the isle. Sprinting toward the highlands in a deadly race against the rising sea. By his rough estimate, he had approximately half an hour before the water would begin climbing the foothills below. Long before that, the first wave of beasts would arrive and start streaming into the valleys. As of now, Nick¡¯s plans still had a decent chance of working out, but to enact them, he would have to move fast. He had to hold on to the ground beneath his boots. Claim the southern hillock for himself and the lemur tribe if he was to have any chance of surviving the war between beasts. A conflict that would inevitably follow as the water rose to engulf the final stretch of dry ground. In short, Nick needed to ensure that the lemurs survived the initial chaos, joining him on the hilltop he had fortified while corralling the komos down in the adjacent valleys. He thought that he could handle the lizards, based on the estimates of their population he had made over the last week, but the other beasts on the island were a deadly threat. The spiders and the lurk could easily slaughter Nick and the tribe, and he might not have cataloged every beast taking part in the tutorial. If he misjudged the next few hours or if the various species failed to move in roughly the direction he hoped, there was a good chance that he was about to embark on his final adventure. Tracking the stampede by following the trail of dust, he climbed halfway down the hill, careful not to take a fall due to haste, although his heart was pounding wildly. The instant his boots hit flat earth, he started to run, moving from his observation point to the defensible swath of ground where he intended to enact the first stage of his plan. He sprinted as fast as he could, leaping over protruding rocks and grasping brush. Nick needed to be in position before the beasts arrived in the valley below. The first minutes would be crucial, setting into motion the momentum of the battle to come. The sun was high overhead, bright sunlight offsetting the chill in the air. Nick ran until sweat was pouring down his body, and black specks floated in front of his eyes. With a great gasp of air, he arrived at the fortified section of the hillside and skidded to a stop, catching his breath while staring down at the borderlands running between the woods below and the highlands above. For a fleeting handful of heartbeats, the region remained peaceful. A pristine panorama, capturing the isle¡¯s rugged natural beauty. But Nick knew that this land would soon run red with rivers of blood. Because he was now certain that the System had forced the beasts on the island into a brutal free-for-all. A fight that would determine who would remain standing above the waterline and who was fated to sink into the depths of oblivion. He used the final seconds at his disposal to review his plan one last time, inspecting his gear to make sure that his tools were ready to use as needed. After consuming the woodlands, Nick expected the water to stop for a while at the forest¡¯s edge, eliminating any creatures too slow or too stupid to head for high ground while giving the survivors some time to recover from the grueling ordeal. He knew that the water wouldn¡¯t stop there for long. What would start off as six safe areas¡ªthe three hillocks and the valleys running between them¡ªwould shrink to three when the island resumed its descent. At that point, only the creatures that had claimed the peaks of the three tallest hillocks would live to see the tutorial¡¯s end. Nick wasn¡¯t sure what would happen next, but he suspected that the survivors would be forced to climb the mountain itself, culminating in some sort of showdown as the final minutes of the tutorial ticked past. But none of that mattered unless he survived the chaos that would ensue when the beasts came stampeding out of the forest, still mixed in scattered clumps. The southern peak and the two adjacent valleys would become the battleground for the komos, lemurs, and giant spiders. Nick needed those valleys to serve as a buffer between himself and the most powerful creatures on the island¡ªthe lurk and whatever beasts were living in the swamp. Nick couldn¡¯t afford to be kicked off the hilltop. In addition to the risk of being drowned, he had no chance of holding off the komos unless his team was able to defend a fortified position from high ground. It was time to see if his schemes were sufficient to stack the deck in the war between beasts. A war that was destined to begin only a handful of heartbeats later. Chapter One Hundred & Ten: Beginning of the End Nick could hear the beast hordes coming well before he saw them. A chorus of piercing wails, thick with panic and bewilderment, sent shivers running up his spine. Not because the sound was disturbingly eerie, although it most definitely was. Rather, the sheer volume of shrieks and shouts revealed that far more beasts were heading Nick¡¯s way than he had expected. In that black moment, as the guttural cacophony rose to fill his ears, he knew that he was in trouble; that his plans were insufficient for the scale of the challenge to come. Not that he had any choice other than to press on and pray that he could manufacture a miracle and survive the battle that would begin at any moment. The bestial cries grew louder by the heartbeat. Soon, Nick could pick out the distinct voices of individual komos and lemurs reverberating across the valley. The clamor of claws and paws scrambled madly as they raced across the forest floor, stampeding for the presumed safety of the highlands and racing the rising tide before they were devoured by the surge of dark water that was engulfing the Searing Isle. Over the last five minutes, the air had grown thick with beast-churned dust, coating the inside of his throat. A turgid, electric tension rode the breeze, like a storm on the cusp of breaking over his head. He gripped the hilt of his sword, waiting for the first wave of beasts to start streaming into the elevated valley. The horde that would follow in their wake. Nick forced himself to remain calm; to breathe; to think; to tune out the adrenaline coursing in his veins. He needed to suppress the realization that the first make-or-break moment would arrive within seconds, when the battle for the highlands began. He knew that the next few minutes would establish the flow of events to follow. Unless matters proceeded according to his plans, he rated his odds of living through the day as falling somewhere between slim and none. Turning his mind to his most pressing concern, he needed the lemur tribe to survive if he was to have any hope of making it up to the top of the mountain. Controlling the emerging situation would be easy if this were all just a game. Nick had played so many tactical simulations over the years that he could handle a skirmish of this scale in his sleep. Unfortunately, this was no game. Or perhaps, in a sense, it was. But in this game, Taltos and the System were the players, and Nick was a bottom-tier NPC at best. An extra in the grand story of the multiverse. He had no way to control the actions of individual lemurs, let alone on such a granular level. He couldn¡¯t even communicate with the friendly primates beyond directing their attention. But he had been observing the beasts on the island for weeks now. Modeling their behavior, then testing his predictions against the choices they made. Thus, he knew that the lemurs were smart enough to grasp basic tactics without needing his guidance. He should be able to lead the tribe toward making decisions that were in their best interest if the dynamics were readily apparent. At least in theory. By now, Nick¡¯s nervous pacing had worn a groove into the hillside¡ªa trail across the terrain where he had laid the groundwork for enduring a prolonged battle, fortifying the wide swath of defensible high ground that he had identified during his initial survey of the region. He was deeply worried that all his preparations would come to nothing. He hadn¡¯t expected the churning cloud of dust, which had grown so thick that he could no longer see the hill on the other side of the valley. He didn¡¯t have time to change his plans, but his tactic wouldn¡¯t work as matters stood. Nick needed the lemurs to see him if he was to have any chance of influencing their behavior. Just as he was deciding that he was well and truly fucked, the wind picked up and cleared the air over the valley, granting Nick a clear view of the terrain below. Just in time to watch a trio of komos and a pair of lemurs leap over the ridgeline. The first beasts to complete the climb to the highlands, at least in this valley. He watched them like a hawk, since their initial interaction would reveal critical information. Information that would help him decide which approach to take when the others of their kind arrived. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. There was a tense moment when both groups of beasts noticed each other. They seemed poised between attacking and withdrawing to recover from their exhaustion, their confusion as to what was happening clear in their posture. Nick let out a breath he hadn¡¯t realized he was holding when the beasts moved apart, heading to opposite sides of the valley floor. As he had hoped, for now, the creatures were too shaken up by the dramatic changes occurring across the island to battle one another. He knew that the uneasy truce would not last for long; that the time to act had arrived. ¡°Lemur bros. I¡¯m up here. Look at me!¡± He had to yell for a good thirty seconds before one of the lemurs noticed his antics and glanced up at him. Nick made sweeping gestures in his direction, trying to indicate that the lemurs should head over to where he stood on the hillside. But the furry primate clearly had no idea what he wanted and started to look away once more. Just as he was growing desperate, inspiration struck. Nick set down his sword, then raised up a spear in one hand and a fat berry in the other, waving them over the piles of resources that he had deposited on the hillside over the last two days. Mounds of spears and freshly foraged fruit, as well as the towering pile of rocks he had placed beside them. The presence of weapons and food was a message that the lemur could understand. It reacted immediately, now that it knew what he was trying to say. It grabbed its mate by the hand, tugging to get its attention while pointing up at him. Giving the komos a wide berth, both lemurs scampered up the rise to join him, chittering in what he interpreted as gratitude as they armed themselves with a pair of spears from the pile. Nick let out a sigh of relief, nibbling on the berry to top off his reserves. This was only the beginning of the first stage of his plan, but it had been a critical moment. The next step would be easier to pull off, although he was not even remotely looking forward to the struggle to survive that would follow. During this brief exchange, dozens of komos and lemurs had come streaming into the valley. Defying his expectations, only beasts were emerging onto the highlands. Nick didn¡¯t spot a single animal among them, although he didn¡¯t have time to ponder the significance of their absence. As he had hoped, the newly arrived lemurs took one look at their tribemates standing on the hillside, now equipped with Nick¡¯s spears, before heading for his location without needing to be prompted. For the next ten minutes, everything went according to plan. He was able to gather and arm another twenty-seven members of the lemur tribe. A force sufficient to defend the hillside against the few scattered komos that were advancing on their position. Five seconds after the last lemur scampered up to his side, his troubles began. Nick had just spent a nerve-wracking minute wondering if he had severely miscalculated before the trio of spiders that had entered the valley darted up the adjacent hillside. The deadly beasts had moved on after stopping to evaluate his position for far longer than he was comfortable with. Even without being pressured by the giant arachnids, there was a problem. By now, nearly a hundred komos had scampered into the basin below, along with another score of lemurs. The lizards were layered so thickly across the valley floor that the newly arrived lemurs were having trouble darting past. Four primates fell to the komos¡¯ jaws as they fought their way through the press of scaled bodies to join their brethren on the hillside. While every lemur¡¯s life mattered, these losses were within Nick¡¯s expectations. The real problem was that the ratio of komos to lemurs that he had predicted was way off the mark. If the numbers so far were representative, there had to be at least twice as many lizards living on the island as he had estimated. There were so many komos that the tribe could no longer break through as they completed the ascent to the highlands. The lemurs gathered below had broken into two main groups, while the komos claimed the rest of the region, a solid wall of lizards barring access to the hillside. The situation only grew worse as the valley filled up, since the predatory reptiles tended to spread out unless they were hunting as a pride. As matters stood, the rest of the tribe would be slaughtered instead of joining the group by Nick¡¯s side. A force far too small to face the army of komos milling below his boots. Chapter One Hundred Eleven: Saving the Tribe It was hard to track the komos from this distance, thanks to their color-changing ability. Nick chewed on his lip, considering his options as his odds of victory dwindled before his eyes. With these numbers, his plans could still work. But everything would end in disaster if the rest of the tribe remained cut off by the solid wall of tooth and scale milling below. Even if the lemurs tried to break through, far too many would be picked off before they could climb the hillside, succumbing to the reptiles¡¯ superior numbers. Nick had been hoping that the Elder would arrive and take charge before the komos inevitably turned on the lemurs trapped within the valley. By now, he could hear the water growling as it engulfed the forest floor. A surging, gurgling roar that vibrated the dirt beneath his toes. Don¡¯t rush it, Nick. Wait for the right moment to act. It won¡¯t be long now. Over the next five, nerve-wracking minutes, he monitored the standoff taking place in the valley below, praying that the elite members of the tribe had survived the raging flood; that the komos wouldn¡¯t start slaughtering the lemurs before he was ready to act. Just as he was beginning to lose hope, Nick saw what he had been waiting for. In the final seconds before the ocean consumed everything below the highlands, the rest of the tribe came running out of the woods. The Elder and Bandit led the way, emerging into the valley beside an immense clump of komos. Thank god it¡¯s one of the lesser prides and not the one led by Komo Alpha. Nick relaxed, if only by a hair. While the situation was grim, the tribe was in better shape than he had expected. Not only had most of the lemurs managed to stick together, they had brought a modest stash of weapons and supplies along with them. While this was good news, it did little to resolve the problem at hand. With the komos¡¯ numbers bolstered by the recent arrivals, the tribe was surrounded by vicious predators. On a brighter note, several smaller groups of lemurs were able to dart around and join the army led by the Elder, consolidating their position. Nick hissed through his teeth, trying to find a way out of this mess before it was too late. There were now over two hundred giant lizards barring the path leading to the hilltop. A force four times the size of the Elder¡¯s, and each lizard was over twice the size of the average lemur. For the moment, the beasts merely eyed one another, as a few of the more aggressive komos were forced back by the tribe¡¯s warriors. But this fleeting moment of equilibrium was fated to erupt in a storm of blood. Nick was certain that as soon as the pride regained their composure, they would fall upon the tribe as one, tearing the lemurs to pieces. Even without an alpha to lead them. He had mere heartbeats before it would be too late to prevent tragedy from unfolding. A merciless slaughter that would seal his fate alongside the tribe¡¯s. He had been wracking his brain over the last ten minutes, and he had eventually come up with an idea. But the tactic wouldn¡¯t work without the lemurs¡¯ cooperation. With no time to second-guess himself or concoct another plan, he sprang into motion. Hoping that the tribe would understand what he was up to, Nick took aim for the strip of earth running between the trapped lemurs and the base of the hill, then started throwing rocks as quickly as he could. Due to his haste and being drowned in enough adrenaline to jumpstart an elephant¡¯s heart, his aim was shit. Fortunately, that didn¡¯t really matter, since it was impossible to miss with so many lizards bunched so tightly together. To bolster the strength of his throw, Nick sent the rocks sailing up in a high arc, letting gravity add its power to the force of the impact. With a savage smile, he watched as his first stone clocked a komo right between the eyes, causing the beast to stagger while whipping its head around to determine where the attack had come from. Although it didn¡¯t seem to do much damage, the lizard scampered away from the area, shoving its way between its brethren and creating a ripple of momentum leading in that direction. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. Nick tried his best to gather the attention of the increasingly agitated lemurs beside him, who were calling out to their trapped kin with worry writ clear upon their expressive faces. ¡°If you want to help them, then do what I¡¯m doing,¡± he implored. He threw another rock to emphasize his point. For a long, tension-saturated minute, the tribe looked past him, and he was deathly afraid that he had run out of time; that there was nothing more he could do. But then one little lemur picked up a stone and hurled it at the mass of komos gathered below. Then another joined in, followed by a third. Soon, all the lemurs by Nick¡¯s side were chucking rocks down into the valley. The lizards hissed in agitation as the storm of stones pelted them, drawing their attention away from the trapped lemurs. Then, to his immense relief, the komos started moving out of the way. Over the next five minutes, the lizards shoved their way out of the stonefall and created a narrow strip of open ground, although they were clearly contemplating charging his position. He knew that the moment to act had arrived, before the window he had opened slammed shut forever. Praying that the lemurs would understand what he had in mind, Nick grabbed a bundle of spears and started running down the hill, heading for where the bulk of the tribe sat surrounded by enemies. Activate real-time strategy protocols. He shifted his perspective, preparing to immerse himself within the hundreds of bodies filling the valley floor. As he ran, overlaid across his field of view, he visualized an overhead representation of the forces laid out below. It showed each creature as a glowing dot, green for the tribe and red for the pride, as well as marks representing the surrounding terrain. This was an ability that Nick had developed during the years he had been obsessed with competitive RTS gaming. It let him view the battlefield as a whole, offering an impression of the overall flow of combat and helping him predict how the melee would unfold. It was by no means a perfect model since Nick wasn¡¯t a computer, but it was good enough to broaden his perspective and help him revise his plans on the fly. He sprinted down the hillside and into the valley. He took a pair of rocks on his shoulder, and as before, the lemurs stopped throwing and started following him. Each primate held an extra spear in their other hand as they ran along the narrow column of cleared ground. Pushing past the double wall of lizards who had yet to notice his arrival, Nick ran up to the Elder and tossed his bundle of spears to the ground by her feet. Then he turned around and darted back the way he had come, passing the lemurs following behind him. By now, the komos had realized that the primates were among them. They turned, responding to the tribe¡¯s proximity with aggression clear in their posture, hundreds of lizards hissing in unison. On his way out of the valley, Nick kicked one komo in the face, dodged a set of streaking claws, then used his dagger to drive back a third before he made it past the pride and started running up the hillside. Nick had no intention of participating in the melee that would momentarily ensue. While he really hoped that this would work, he wasn¡¯t willing to die if it didn¡¯t. He made it back into position, looking down to learn how events unfolded, breath held and jaw clenched tight. He turned around in time to watch a final pair of lemurs deliver their spears to the main group. Then the lemurs who had come down from the hillside turned to fight the komos, who had begun to form ranks and attack now that the rain of stones was over. The armed members of the tribe arranged themselves into two long rows. Fighting back-to-back with enough space for the other lemurs to run past, the spearmen held the lane open while the unarmed lemurs ran through to join Nick on the hillside. Bandit and the Elder fought with the ferocity of beasts twice their size, taking down a half-dozen komos between them as they struggled to protect the others¡¯ escape. Although Nick¡¯s plan had averted catastrophe, the tribe took casualties as the spearmen withdrew, harried on all sides by a solid wall of fang and claw. Throwing stones to help secure their retreat, he saw seven lemur spearmen fall while fighting on the line, then a final four who pulled back too late and were surrounded by furious lizards. As sad as it was to watch the lemurs fight and die, he was relieved. Against the odds, they had pulled it off. The tribe had escaped the valley floor, taking only a fraction of the losses they would have suffered had Nick not intervened. However, he knew their real test was yet to come. Chapter One Hundred Twelve: War of the Beasts The Elder and Bandit came running up to Nick while the other lemurs fell into formation, forming a curved line that hugged the face of the hillside. A few squared off against a handful of stray komos that had followed behind the tribe. To his immense relief, most of the pride seemed content to remain in the valley while they recovered from their mad dash into the highlands, although he couldn¡¯t count on the stalemate lasting for long. Knowing that every minute of preparation was precious, Nick showed the newly arrived lemurs the piles of supplies that he had arranged on the hillside. Confident that the tribe could hold this position without his assistance, he turned and started climbing the hilltop, Bandit and the Elder at his side. Wiping the sweat from his brow, he crested the hill and then led the group over to the other side. He looked down into the adjacent valley, where a fierce battle was underway. The valley floor was jam-packed with lizards, at least half as many as where the tribe was stationed, rendering Nick¡¯s predictions even less reliable than he had thought. But his surprise did not stop with the sheer volume of komos that awaited his gaze. Engaging the vast host of carnivorous reptiles were dozens of giant spiders, each of the towering arachnids facing down several lizards each. Nick immediately dropped onto his stomach. He gestured for the tribe to follow suit. Luckily, this time the lemurs got the message, hunching down to reduce their profiles as best they could. It was vital that they didn¡¯t draw attention to themselves. Either of the forces warring in the valley below could effortlessly overwhelm his position. Fighting off even a fraction of the beasts down there would leave the tribe critically vulnerable to the komos arranged along the other side of the hill. He thanked his lucky stars that the creatures weren¡¯t headed his way already. Thankfully, the komos were aggressive and direct. They would likely continue battling the spiders until they received severe injuries. Unless, of course, they caught sight of an easier meal first. This cold-blooded army was comprised of the largest komo pride, and Nick caught sight of the massive Komo Alpha leading the charge, holding its own against two spider warriors at once. As threatening as the battalion of reptiles was, he was even more worried about the spiders. False bravado aside, the giant spiders were straight-up terrifying. The last thing that he wanted was to fight them for the hilltop, although unlike the lizards, the highly perceptive arachnids had already noticed his arrival. Needing to understand what was happening so that he could predict what might happen next, Nick took out his spyglass and surveyed the valley, starting with the main contingent of the spiders¡¯ forces. He let out a long sigh in relief when he caught sight of an immense golden spider walking along the crest of the other hilltop, directing her forces in a two-way battle between the komos and whatever was lurking in the third valley that was obstructed by the mountain. This was the best news that he had received since the chaos had begun. The spiders were significantly less likely to attack the tribe if they were defending their queen while holding another position. Under the guidance of the spider queen, a frenzy of activity was unfolding. While their warriors engaged the komos, a squadron of smaller arachnids was furiously weaving a wall from what appeared to be strands of silk wrapped around the trunks of trees. They must have felled the trees ahead of time and dragged them up into the highlands over the last few days. Nick shuddered. He hadn¡¯t sensed even a trace of their presence, although the spiders must have already been up here while he was finalizing his own plans. He was lucky that he hadn¡¯t run into them, or more likely, that they had seen him and decided that he wasn¡¯t worth the effort of hunting down. Regardless, their preparation was yet another detail revealing that the spiders were capable of a level of foresight and planning far beyond the other beasts on the island, except for maybe the lurk. With more than enough to worry about in the opposite valley, Nick could only spare a few minutes to watch the fight, but what he witnessed during that time was fascinating. Instead of trying to score clean kills, the spiders looked like they wanted to inflict as much chaos and hesitation as possible, buying time until they finished erecting their barrier. Rather than prolonged engagements with superior forces, the spiders darted in just long enough to inject their opponents with venom. They pushed the poisoned reptiles back into the lizards¡¯ line as their bodies went rigid or began to convulse, snapping at the komos that clawed their way over their maddened kin. Instead of taking the lizards¡¯ attacks head-on, the spiders caught their extended limbs in webbing and then anchored the lines to the hillside, tethering the lizards to the earth and turning them into mobile barriers. Nick thought that the colony might manage to clear the entire valley without taking casualties, which he judged as deeply concerning but still a net positive, when the flow of battle shifted. The brutal Komo Alpha, who was nearly twice the size of the other lizards, began nipping and barking at the scattered members of the pride, bullying them into obeying its commands. Soon, the panic that the spiders had wrought was muted, and a large group of komos charged as one, swarming over a long strip of the spiders¡¯ line before they could recover. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. The powerful arachnids¡¯ discipline and ingenuity could not save them from being buried in a living avalanche of snapping fangs and rending claws. Ten of them were quickly torn to pieces. Under the alpha¡¯s command, the komo swarm forced their way up the hillside, uncaring for their own losses as they ran toward the incomplete portion of the great web above. They are trying to assassinate the spider queen before her web-fort is finished. To contain the breach, more spiders came running down the slope, crossing around from the far side of the hill. Their numbers were sufficient to bring the pride to a momentary standstill, although the spiders¡¯ line was buckling like an overburdened mule. Just before the lizards broke through to threaten the queen, the second-largest spider that Nick had ever seen, the one that he had spotted from the top of the massive tree, leapt over the bodies of its fallen kin and barreled into the thickest part of the pride¡¯s advance. The eight-legged warrior rushed to where Komo Alpha was in the middle of ripping a lesser spider to shreds in a spray of ichor and shorn chitin. The powerful arachnid tore into the lesser lizards like a force of nature before turning to challenge the might of Komo Alpha. In as many heartbeats, the immense spider warrior impaled four of the smaller lizards in succession, striking out with what appeared to be its unadorned legs. It took enough pressure off the spiders¡¯ line to let reinforcements arrive and plug the gaps, holding off another half-dozen komos in the process. The lizards scrambled back in terror, shocked by the fury of the great spider¡¯s onslaught, not that Nick could blame them. All except Komo Alpha, who screamed out a challenge and charged. The martial prowess of the elite spider that he had decided to call the Bulwark was one of the most impressive displays of skill that Nick had ever witnessed. It was also utterly horrifying. An even contender with the lurk to take center stage in his nightmares to come. The fight between the Bulwark and Komo Alpha was shockingly savage. The alpha used its teeth and all four sets of claws, attacking in a furious frenzy of blows. Nick saw the beast use its tail as a whip, diverting one of the spider¡¯s legs that was streaking for its throat. The elite lizard was strong, fearless, and nimble. Komo Alpha displayed a lifetime of combat experience as it faced down the larger predator through sheer ferocity and grit. The alpha was unwilling to yield an inch, not when victory would collapse the spiders¡¯ formation and leave their leader critically exposed. But the Bulwark quickly proved itself to be the alpha¡¯s match in both power and agility. And while the alpha had six natural weapons by Nick¡¯s count, the spider had ten. Each of its eight legs, plus its spinneret and venomous bite. However, the true tiebreaker was the spider¡¯s intelligence, as the Bulwark was capable of using misdirection and superior tactical reasoning. It held the alpha back, who hissed in fury, trying to rouse the other lizards to its side. But while the komos were willing to face down the rest of the spider colony, only the alpha dared to meet the Bulwark on the field of battle. Even still, the fight was far from one-sided. Even with its advantages, the Bulwark took damage while evading and deflecting the alpha¡¯s furious barrage. Within a minute of the beginning of their duel, bitemarks marred the surface of the spider warrior¡¯s body. Chunks were torn free from its chitin armor, wounds oozing viscous ichor. But for every blow it received, the elite spider exacted a toll in blood, piercing the komo¡¯s hide with its limbs time and time again. Nick watched on in awe as the Bulwark avoided a fatal bite, then attached a band of immobilizing webbing to the alpha¡¯s tail. The immense spider traded a series of blows, then darted in to score a hit with its toxic bite once, then a second time. Watching the two ferocious creatures battle to the death was shockingly intense. It was clear that Nick wouldn¡¯t have stood a chance against either of the battle-hardened beasts. For a breathless minute, he thought that the alpha was either immune to the spider¡¯s venom or had enough raw Toughness to mitigate its effect. But then one of the alpha¡¯s legs collapsed out from under it, and he saw that its movements had become sluggish and were poorly coordinated. A heartbeat after Komo Alpha faltered, the spider warrior pounced, forelimbs poised to land a finishing blow. The Bulwark pulled its front legs back to gather its strength and then drove them straight through the alpha¡¯s flank, piercing its heart and lungs before erupting out the other side in a spectacular plume of gore. Before the other lizards could recover from the shock of watching their leader and strongest fighter fall in battle, the Bulwark leapt back, turned around, and then climbed over the top of the web-barricade, which its companions had completed only seconds earlier. The komos had lost at least fifty members of the pride. The survivors seemed stunned by the death of the alpha. The spiders had suffered less than a third of those losses and had established a superior position to withstand the battle to come. Nick wished that his own defenses were even half as well fortified. Demoralized by their defeat, the tide of komos hesitated. Their line faltered, then collapsed into a confused rout. A few lizards were undeterred and tried forcing their way through the webbing, where they were picked off by the spiders manning the barricade. The survivors from both sides started snatching up the nearby corpses, then began feasting on the bodies of the fallen, including their own kind in the komos¡¯ case. After dragging their share of the carcasses to the valley floor, the remaining lizards settled down to recuperate from their defeat. Nick sat down in the grass, taking in this fleeting moment of respite. Chapter One Hundred Thirteen: Poison versus Acid The battles in both valleys ground to a halt as the komo, spider, and lemur forces nursed their wounds and lay down in the dirt, recovering from the exhaustion inflicted by their prolonged ordeal. Watching their movements through his spyglass, Nick could tell that the beasts understood that their trial was still underway; that this moment was only a lull in the storm, and that the worst was yet to come. Taking advantage of the opportunity to take stock of the evolving situation, he turned his attention to the third hilltop. Until now, the only beasts he had seen up there were a few scattered komos. As he ran his gaze across the hillcrest, he watched as a row of undulating figures ascended the hilltop from the far side. Beasts that he was unable to identify at first glance. Nick peered through his spyglass to get a better sense of what was happening. It took him a minute to process what he was looking at because it was a battle unlike anything he had seen before. Raging across the hilltop was a fierce melee between giant snakes and giant frogs. Or, to be more precise, twenty emerald frogs a bit smaller than the bonecrunchers were engaged in a brutal brawl with a colossal vermillion serpent the size of a shipping crane. Both species must have been living in the swamp. Nick was immensely glad that he had decided to abandon his exploration of that region immediately after discovering the marsh. I wouldn¡¯t have stood a chance against either of them. His certainty only grew more pronounced when he realized that instead of fighting by leveraging the strength of their bodies like the other beasts on the island, the oversized amphibians were mid-range projectile specialists. The first beasts utilizing ranged attacks that he had encountered thus far. Every few seconds, the frog battalion paused in their evasive maneuvers, long enough to spit a mouthful of neon yellow goop at the snake. Wherever the corrosive mucus landed, it bubbled and smoked as it ate through the beast¡¯s scales before dissolving the tissue below. Inflicting what had to be incredibly painful wounds all along the great serpent¡¯s body. The snake writhed and bucked as it struck back, crushing three of the frogs beneath its bulk before they could hop out of the way. Pressing its advantage, the great serpent opened its mouth and blew, emitting a cloud of bright blue venom that engulfed another pair of frogs before they leapt out of the noxious haze. The unfortunate amphibians were dead within seconds, convulsing in a heap of tangled limbs, foaming bloody froth from every orifice. Maybe the megasnake can turn this around despite the severity of its wounds. Wait, that¡¯s a stupid name. Nick was saved from the trouble of having to invent a less cringeworthy moniker when he saw what happened next. Although he had judged this epic battle between venom and acid to be a tossup, it soon became clear that he had underestimated how badly the frogs¡¯ caustic compound had injured the serpent during the earlier stages of their battle, which had taken place on the hillside that was hidden from his view. Less than a minute later, the toxic serpent abandoned its wanton rampage and began thrashing in place, overwhelmed by agony as the frogs¡¯ solvent devoured its flesh all the way down to the bone. The instant the snake lost control, the remaining frogs swarmed it in unison. Effortlessly avoiding its erratic thrashing, they took aim and prepared to fire, moving with impeccable teamwork that sent a jolt of fear running down Nick¡¯s spine. As one, the green amphibians pointed their heads toward the serpent¡¯s face and launched a barrage of bright yellow goo, encasing the snakes¡¯ head in a solid sphere of acidic mucous. It tried to wipe the gunk off by dragging its face along the hillside, tearing a deep rent into the soil in the process. But the frogs¡¯ acid proved to be just as sticky as it was deadly. Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Nick wasn¡¯t sure what killed the gigantic snake in the end¡ªthe massive shock to its system, suffocation, or the solvent dissolving its brain. Perhaps a combination of all three. Regardless, he was intensely relieved that he had not been forced to face either of the deadly species himself. Especially the snake, which he could not even begin to imagine being able to injure. The giant serpent seemed just as lethal as the lurk, with a mid-range area of effect attack to boot. As the frogs celebrated their victory by feasting on the serpent¡¯s solvent-softened flesh, Nick lowered his spyglass and returned his attention to the problem at hand. How to survive the next series of battles as the surviving species fought to claim the hilltops. If he waited to act until the ocean rose to flood the valleys below, an occurrence that seemed certain given how events had proceeded up to this point, both prides of komos would be forced out of the basins, attacking his location from both sides of the hill at once. While it was possible that the lizards would head for the other hilltops instead, Nick judged the odds of that happening as near zero. The spiders had fortified their position, and he was willing to bet that the corpse of the titanic serpent would trigger the komos¡¯ instinct for self-preservation, minimal as it was. Even without these considerable deterrents, Nick¡¯s hilltop was clearly the weakest position of the three. The one that he would choose to attack if he were fighting alongside the lizards instead of the lemurs. His sword and the tribe¡¯s crude spears simply didn¡¯t stack up compared to the might of the other beasts. Unless he found a way to alter this dynamic before the ocean rose, Nick¡¯s team was going to get hit from both sides simultaneously and overwhelmed within minutes. Before the island sank and precipitated a hopeless battle, he needed to figure out a way to cull the lizards¡¯ forces. Or at least obstruct their path up the hillside so that the tribe would only have to face a portion of their enemies at once. The problem was that Nick had no idea how he could accomplish either objective given the limited time and tools at his disposal. The tribe was in bad shape from their flight through the jungle and the skirmish with the komos. In addition to having lost over a dozen members outright, at least a quarter of the lemurs had mangled limbs or chunks torn out of their furry hides. Although they whimpered in pain, the lemur warriors did not panic or break ranks, a show of courage that Nick found unexpectedly touching. He wondered idly why they had no young or nursing mothers among them, but he didn¡¯t know enough about beasts or System-sanctioned tutorials to hazard a guess. Hopefully, it meant that the children of Earth would be spared a survival tutorial as well. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, little buddies. I¡¯ll come up with a plan before it¡¯s too late.¡± Despite his show of bravado, this was a bad situation. One beyond the ability of Nick¡¯s background to suggest a solution, no matter how many stratagems he cycled through. While he analyzed the dynamics of his desperate dilemma, he walked over to where the lemur soldiers were strung out along the hillside. He worked his way down the line, using his dagger to sharpen every spear, then handing out berries and scooping up scattered stones to deposit into the pile, although the modest mound wouldn¡¯t last long once the fighting began in earnest. As Nick wracked his brain for everything that he was worth, time marched inexorably on, bringing him ever closer to the cusp of annihilation. An hour passed, then another, as the sun completed its daily arc and began sinking toward the horizon. And still, nothing that he could come up with was good enough. He thought that he could eliminate one of the lizard armies, although the tribe would bleed to eke out the victory. But nothing Nick could do would stop the other band of komos from overwhelming the lemur forces, slaughtering them without hesitation or mercy. Just as he was beginning to despair, an unexpected event tilted the game board, throwing the pieces into chaos and disrupting the flow of events to come. A familiar yipping growl reverberated across the eastern valley, then another, followed by dozens more. Nick stared on in shock as twenty hyena-boars burst out of the water and came charging into the valley, led by an alpha even burlier than the one he had slain. After falling into a tight formation, the bonecruncher pack charged, tearing into the komos with bloodthirsty abandon. Chapter One Hundred Fourteen: Cruncher Versus Komo Nick was stunned at the sight of the battling beasts. He had failed to detect the presence of the deadly band of bonecrunchers during his survey of the island, although most of his time had been spent in the southern section of the forest. There must have been another pack living somewhere in the northern woods. They were either at the border of the highlands when the water caught them, or they decided to avoid the melee between the snake and frogs and circled around to take on a less lethal opponent. He couldn¡¯t predict how events would play out, but one thing was already clear. The time for planning was over. If Nick wanted to survive, he had to take the initiative before death came knocking at his door. For the moment, the island¡¯s most aggressive predators were intent on destroying one another, but he knew that it wouldn¡¯t last long. Both forces would suffer catastrophic losses if they tried to finish off each other. It was only a matter of time before one of the beast armies disengaged and came charging up the hillside. If it were the komos, the ones in the other valley would join in the attack, cementing the lemurs¡¯ defeat. Not that facing the bonecruncher pack would go any better. There were simply too many of the powerful beasts. The tusked hyenas would charge the lemurs¡¯ line, break through, and then tear into the tribe like a buffet. It was a grim and frustrating situation. Nick had not felt so powerless since he had arrived on the island. While his efforts had been critical up to this point, his contribution had been one of foresight and provisioning. There was little that he could do to turn the tide in a wide-scale confrontation. Nick doubted that he could handle more than one of the crunchers in a straight fight. A fight that would be a risky venture at best, even if he burned through the charges in his wand and all three Mana Darts. In the midst of that black moment, he wished that he had invested every free attribute point into Mind, even though he knew that he wouldn¡¯t have survived if he had. Despite his lifetime of gaming and weeks of planning and preparations, nothing that Nick could come up with was good enough. He was only one man, new to the System and stuck on a basic class. There simply wasn¡¯t anything he could do that would matter, and he was running out of time. While the brutal battle between the komos and crunchers raged across the valley floor, stray lizards began fleeing from the chaos-wracked carnage, racing up the hillside in a trickle that would soon become a flood. Nick desperately wished that he was able to communicate with the lemurs. It was vital that they contained the beasts before they climbed the hillside. If any of the lizards broke through and gained the top of the hill, their presence would draw hundreds more resting in the adjacent valley, trapping he and the tribe in a hopeless two-way battle. Grinding them down like wheat before the millstone. He was equally terrified that the pack would decide to cut their losses and start heading his way. But there was nothing that Nick could do to assuage that worrisome possibility. However, the scattered clumps of lizards scaling the hill were a problem within his power to resolve. Lacking time to think the matter through any further, he darted over to where the first komo was climbing up toward a gap in the lemur spearmen¡¯s line, as most of their forces were arranged on the other side of the hillock. He could tell by its frantic movements that the beast was caught in the throes of panic, desperate to get as far away as possible from the ruthless savagery of the pack. Unfortunately, this only made the komo more dangerous under the present circumstances. Nothing Nick could do would deter the beast from its chosen course. The only way to stop the komo from precipitating catastrophe was to put it down before it darted past. Before the komo was able to pull itself up onto the flat portion of the hillside, he arrived in front of it. He had just enough time to grip his sword in both hands and take his stance before the lizard saw him barring its path. Unleashing a vicious hiss, the komo pounced, intending to tear out his throat without breaking its stride. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. Although he knew it was coming, the speed of the beast¡¯s decisive attack caught him by surprise. Before he had begun training with the blade, the komo¡¯s assault would surely have claimed his life. But Nick had been preparing himself to meet a strike from any angle and at a moment¡¯s notice for weeks. As a result, he reacted fast enough to change his grip and adjust the angle of the blade. He braced himself and caught the lizard¡¯s jaws with his sword edge first, slicing deep and widening its smile all the way to the back of its throat. The beast came crashing down in an uncontrolled fall, blood pouring from its ruined face like a sieve. Nick didn¡¯t wait to see if the blow had been fatal. He raised his blade over one shoulder, took a step to build momentum, and then brought the sword streaking down, decapitating the komo in a single blow. With no time to revel in his victory, he turned his attention back to the hillside, where six more lizards were headed his way. Fortunately, the Elder had spotted the problem as well, directing her elite guard to reinforce the line during Nick¡¯s brief battle. The tribe¡¯s best warriors plugged the gaps in the spearmen¡¯s formation, now outnumbering the charging komos by approximately three to one. Confident that the lemurs could handle the next part without him, he walked a few paces behind their line, fighting to catch his breath while watching to see how the fight would progress. This was his first opportunity to witness the tribe fight in a proper formation. Every bit of data that Nick obtained would improve his ability to predict and influence what came next, when the battle for the highlands entered its second, blood-drenched phase. Ten seconds later, the panicked lizards barreled into the lemurs¡¯ line. Two of the komos went down right away, impaled on the tips of the lemurs¡¯ spears. But the other four had either been luckier or were smart enough to slow down because they threaded their way through the wall of spears to launch an attack on the lemurs¡¯ line. The lemur spearmen were unable to pull back and strike with their long weapons. Not with their opponents right on top of them. Instead, the front row leapt back, allowing the handful of club-wielders behind them to face the komos head-on. While the battle raged on, each side scoring wounds on the other, the spearmen regrouped, forming a tight ring around each melee. At a signal from the Elder, the club-wielders darted back, leaving the lizard quartet caged in a ring of wooden weapons. Acting in unison, the spearmen thrust, striking out from all sides. Crude spearpoints inflicted cuts and scratches until scales gave way and parted, spears biting deep into the tissue below. Once again, Nick found himself deeply impressed by the lemurs¡¯ ingenuity and teamwork. This wasn¡¯t a tactic that would work unless their line was charged head-on by a weaker force. But in this situation, the Elder¡¯s strategy was remarkably effective. Two of the komos died within seconds, pierced through one vital point or another, but the other pair managed to break free after taking a few painful pokes. Before the tribe suffered any more losses, the Elder ran to throw her might into one of the melees, while Nick sprinted to assist in the other. Despite its diminished state, his sword was better suited to land a killing blow than the coarse wooden spears. Visualizing the angle of his attack, he darted around to the komo¡¯s blindside and then thrust with his blade, its point cutting deep into its scaley hide. The beast spun to face him, exacerbating its wound in the process, but it was already too late. The tribe¡¯s warriors stepped in to overwhelm the injured reptile, slaughtering it within another handful of heartbeats. Thanks to his precision, Nick was still fresh enough to join in the other fight. When he looked over, he saw that his assistance was unnecessary. The reason why was simple. The Elder, who was wielding a massive, two-handed club, had already broken her opponent¡¯s back. When she saw him looking, the Elder raised a hand in greeting. Nick returned the gesture with a wild grin as the tribe reformed their line, ready to meet the next wave of komos headed their way. Chapter One Hundred Fifteen: The Battle for the Highlands Over the next ten minutes, Nick and the tribe were able to hold on, despite a handful of casualties inflicted on their line. They watched from the hillside as the beasts warring below fought and died. He estimated that between the lemurs, the pack, and the spiders holding the other hilltop, a third of the komos in the eastern valley had been slain. It was a promising development, although there were still hundreds of beasts to deal with, not to mention the army of lizards in the other basin. However, this moment of equilibrium would prove to be the calm before the storm. The eye in the hurricane of battle that would break over their heads. A moment that was fated to end only a handful of heartbeats later. When Nick saw a second bonecruncher fall beneath a swarm of komos, their alpha turned to look straight at the tribe. It growled out an order to the pack, and Nick¡¯s stomach dropped to his ankles, weighed down by a bone-chilling mantle of dread. He yelled to get the Elder¡¯s attention, but the lemurs¡¯ leader had already spotted the problem. Half a heartbeat later, the hyena-boars disengaged from the komo forces, bounding up the hill in a river of tawny fur, powerful bodies charging straight for the lemurs¡¯ line. The tribe shrieked in terror but held firm for now. Nick sensed that their resolve would only endure a moment longer; that their morale would collapse once the slaughter began. By this time, most of the pack had spread out to charge the spear wall in a long line, lowering their heads to use their tusks as lances. The rest of the crunchers broke into two groups of three and started racing up opposite sides of the hill. Oh shit. I forgot that the pack could use tactics too. The crunchers in the middle are going to engage our line, while the rest wrap around to tear into the spear wall from behind. We have no chance of holding out once they do. Nick looked over his shoulder and saw Bandit cresting the hilltop, leading a squadron of spearmen that comprised most of the tribe¡¯s remaining forces. The newly arrived lemurs unleashed a fierce barrage of stones the instant that the pack entered their range. Bandit must have decided that the situation warranted burning through their limited stores of ammunition. Nick couldn¡¯t agree more, as the distraction would help slow the crunchers down, blunting the force of their charge and buying the tribe a few minutes to adapt to the emerging threat. Not that he could see any way to salvage the situation at this point, despite his furry friend¡¯s foresight and ingenuity. Hopeless or not, he intended to go down fighting. Every minute that they could delay their defeat was a precious resource. A chance for the flow of battle to shift. Despite the odds, Nick was determined to find a way to survive the bonecruncher¡¯s relentless onslaught. While he searched for such an opening, he raced to reinforce one flank, using the final seconds before the battle began to decide how to deploy his own limited resources. Although he had been hoping to save his Mana Darts, wand charges, and final flashbang for whatever awaited him on the summit, this situation had reached the level of a genuine emergency. While Nick struggled to come up with a ploy that could save them from the crunchers¡¯ jaws, the pack continued racing up the hillside, heading straight through the rain of rocks. While most of the hyenas sported injuries from their previous battle, it wasn¡¯t enough to delay the powerful creatures for long. Nick¡¯s tactical brain estimated that he had somewhere between thirty and forty-five seconds before the pack was upon them. Their only chance of surviving the assault was if the lemurs were able to hold the line. That wasn¡¯t going to happen unless the crunchers heading for their flanks were thwarted before they could disrupt the tribe¡¯s formation. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Fortunately, the Elder had come to the same conclusion. She barked out an order to the club-wielders, then gestured to the smaller lemurs who had been throwing rocks and resupplying the warriors holding the line. Both groups bent down to grab spears from the pile and joined the spear wall, doubling its thickness as the lemurs braced themselves to receive the pack¡¯s charge. Good. The clubs were poorly suited to facing off against that species. If the spear wall can stymie the initial charge, the line can take full advantage of the high ground and stand firm for at least a few more minutes. But none of that matters if the hyenas advancing along the periphery of the battlefield break through and flank us. All things considered, it was a grim, borderline hopeless situation. But Nick had no choice other than to do what he could and hope for the best, not unless he wanted to die without fighting until his last breath. He sprinted to take on the crunchers following the contour of the mountain, while Bandit and the Elder raced to shore up the side closest to the waterline. He pressed himself into a greater burst of speed, heading toward the sheer side of the mountain. At least I can fight with the wall guarding my back. He estimated that it would take him another ten seconds to reach that location. That the pack would arrive another fifteen seconds later. As he ran, he conjured a pair of Mana Darts into existence, intending to save the third for a later emergency. When he cast the spells, Nick realized that there was enough energy in that weird spot below his heart for another two darts instead of just one. I must have leveled up during the fight. It¡¯s too bad that I can¡¯t use the obelisk to spend my free point. Not that it matters if I don¡¯t survive the next ten minutes. Arriving at the strip of earth where he had chosen to make his stand, Nick fished out the final flashbang from his toolbelt, then squeezed his body between a pair of terrified lemur spearmen. Using the final, fleeting seconds at his disposal to judge the hyenas¡¯ vector of approach, he steeled his resolve. He was ready to fight to the death but praying for deliverance. Unfortunately, the handful of heartbeats it took him to reach the flank had not been sufficient to devise a novel battle plan, even for someone as resourceful as Nick. But that didn¡¯t slow him down. While the war would likely end in his death by dismemberment, this engagement fell neatly into one of his contingencies. Operation chargebreaker. Step one: throw the crunchers off their game and disrupt their pack tactics. He raised his sword in one hand and picked out a path for his first dart, aiming for the chest of the closest hyena, which had outpaced its brethren by a couple of body lengths as they bounded up the hillside. Drawing on the lessons he had learned during his stay on the Searing Isle, Nick followed the beast¡¯s gaze to judge its intent. He immediately realized that there was a problem. Rather than looking at the lemurs¡¯ formation, the hyena was gazing over their heads. It wasn¡¯t going to stop, and it wasn¡¯t going to hit them head-on, leaving only one possibility. It''s going to leap over the line. Two seconds after Nick deduced its intention, the powerful predator bounded down low, gathered its strength, and prepared to unleash a mighty leap. A weaker version of the ability the Cruncher Alpha had used during their fight. It would have been too late to do anything had Nick been a hair slower in reading the beast¡¯s gaze. But thanks to his foresight, he had already fired his dart. He was gambling that, like the other beasts on the isle, the hyena-boar wouldn¡¯t react to the intangible missile until it knew the dart was dangerous. Like a miniature silver comet, his dart flew straight and true, plunging into the beast¡¯s haunches just as it poised to pounce. The painful magic caused its legs to spasm a heartbeat before it sprang. As a result, instead of flying over his head, the hyena howled and stumbled, its momentum carrying it straight into the spears of the lemur tribe. The beast desperately tried to roll out of the way, but it was already too late. Four spearpoints and the tip of Nick¡¯s sword plunged into the hyena¡¯s chest half a second later. Three of the crude wooden weapons shattered before doing much damage, causing painful flesh wounds but failing to penetrate the cruncher¡¯s dense layer of muscle. But the fourth spear, along with his blade, sank deep into the beast¡¯s flesh, severing nerves and arteries before puncturing both lungs. Chapter One Hundred Sixteen: Desperate Measures They were clearly fatal wounds, but thanks to the cruncher¡¯s impressive Toughness, the beast was still alive for the moment. The outcome was good enough for Nick, since watching one of their packmates fall while facing down what had seemed like easy prey startled the advancing bonecrunchers. They made a break to one side, regrouping instead of bounding over his head. Step one complete. He let out a relieved sigh, because that was exactly what he had been counting on. The unexpected loss had blunted the pack¡¯s morale. Better still, they no longer had enough momentum to leap over the lemurs¡¯ line. It wasn¡¯t much in the grand scheme of things, but it bought Nick time¡ªprecious seconds to craft a slapdash miracle with the limited tools at his disposal. Despite having recovered the initiative, he knew that he was in serious trouble. Because ten seconds later, the remaining crunchers charged. This time, instead of trying to leap, the brutal hyenas attacked the lemurs¡¯ spear wall head-on, initiating a bloody melee as spears collided with snapping jaws all across the line. While the long weapons were useful at keeping the four-legged beasts at bay, their poor penetration was already causing problems. Although the brave primates landed countless hits, only a handful were able to inflict serious damage. While they fought to keep the spear wall intact, several of the crunchers were able to close the distance and land lethal blows. One unfortunate lemur failed to step back in time when a hyena darted in low, taking the spearpoint along the thick hide by its shoulders. Before the tribe could move to counter, the cruncher grabbed the lemur by the leg and hauled it back into the pack. The pitiful primate had just enough time to let out a mournful wail before it was torn to shreds, the iron tang of fresh blood rising to ride the breeze. During this exchange, the main cruncher contingent had spread out to engage the lemurs¡¯ line, the powerful alpha squaring off against the Elder and her elite guard. Several hyena-boars were fighting near Nick¡¯s location, and the beleaguered lemurs were barely holding on. If the pair of crunchers in front of him pulled back and threw their strength into the central brawl, they would breach the line within a few minutes at most. But Nick wasn¡¯t going to let that happen. Due to the effectiveness of his opening salvo, the flanking beasts were wary of him. Or, more precisely, of the Mana Dart orbiting his head. Afraid of being stricken by the magic missile, they were still watching him instead of the battle, just like he had planned. Step two: a bit of misdirection while the magician performs his trick. With a feral grin, he raised his sword and stepped out in front of the line, telegraphing his intention to attack. The hyena-boars immediately pulled back from the spear wall, then spread out to come at him from both sides at once, intending to remove the unknown variable from the fight. To kill the creature that was preventing them from achieving what should have been an easy victory. The instant the beasts began to move, converging on him like a noose tightening around his throat, Nick launched his dart, sending it flying straight up into the air. The beasts looked up in surprise as the silver missile sailed toward the clouds above, then turned to face him. They were confused by his apparent ineptitude but more than happy to take advantage of the opportunity to put him down for good. A heartbeat later, the beasts sprang in unison, jaws spread wide to tear out his throat. Instead of dodging or angling his weapon to defend himself, Nick stuck his sword into the dirt and spun around. He covered his ears and closed his eyes, turning his back on the streaking hyenas and the promise of death gleaming in their eyes. In most situations, this would have been tantamount to suicide, but in this case, the maneuver was necessary. While the beasts had been distracted, following the flight of his errant Mana Dart, Nick had tossed the flashbang he was holding in his other hand. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. The magic-imbued orb exploded in front of the hyenas¡¯ eyes half a second later. He bid farewell to his final flashbang, sad to see them go but satisfied that he had used them well. He had learned firsthand just how debilitating the piercing flash of light and high-decibel shockwave were, and the crunchers¡¯ ears were many times more sensitive than his own. He wished that he had been able to warn the lemurs. Hopefully, stepping forward to lower his elevation had helped shield his allies from the blast. He need not have worried. When Nick spun around and opened his eyes, he saw that the tactic had been more effective than he had anticipated. As far as halfway down the lemurs¡¯ line, the pack was momentarily disoriented by the sonic attack, allowing the lemurs to recover their formation and score several finishing blows in the process. The pair of crunchers that had been coming for him were rolling on the ground, whimpering while clawing blindly at the air. But that was the only bit of good news. While Nick had underestimated the initial impact of his flashbang grenade, he had severely overestimated how long it would incapacitate the hyenas. Except for the pair who had been standing at ground zero of the blast, the pack had already recovered. Even those two were looking less dazed, although, judging by the blood running from their ears, they had been at least temporarily deafened. Not that the bloodthirsty hyena-boars needed to hear Nick to tear him to shreds. While the crunchers¡¯ rapid recovery was a worrisome development, he had already laid down his cards and had no choice other than to play out his hand. Fortunately, there was still a wildcard in play. Judging the distance, he leapt toward one of the half-dazed hyenas, sword poised to strike, its blade gleaming in the light of the sun. The beast looked up and took a reflexive step back¡­ just in time for his Mana Dart to complete its descent and land on target. Nick had used the trick he had come up with when battling the komo, sending the dart up to its maximum range as slowly as possible before arcing back down. The chromatic wedge hit the hyena between its bulky shoulders, causing the creature to freeze up as the pain-inducing magic coursed along its nerves like a living flame. Before the cruncher¡¯s partner could come to its defense, Nick brought his sword around in a horizontal arc with the weight of his body behind it. Although it was a wild strike, his aim was true. The tip of the blade cleaved the air before parting flesh, slicing the beast¡¯s throat all the way down to the bone. He let out a whoop in triumph, for his desperate defense was working out better than he had any right to expect. Unfortunately, his run of good fortune was not fated to last. Because that was the moment when a pair of jaws closed around his thigh like a fang-studded vice, then began tightening their crushing embrace. As it happened, Nick was not the only creature capable of strategic misdirection. While his focus had been locked on guiding his sword to its target, the critically injured hyena that had fallen for his first trick had enacted its revenge, crawling toward him while he was distracted. Somehow, he could sense that it had burned all its remaining health, stamina, and mana to regain its mobility for one final push, hastening its death to settle the score. Nick had seen what the crunchers¡¯ jaws could do on numerous occasions. He knew that the beast could tear his leg clean off within a handful of heartbeats. Could cripple him by shattering his femur in only a fraction of that time. Acting on instinct, his left hand shot down to his belt and pulled his wand free from its loop. Just before his bone cracked like an eggshell, he placed the wand against the wounded hyena¡¯s chest and pulled the trigger twice in rapid succession. A pair of powerful shockwaves erupted from point blank range, crushing the bonecruncher¡¯s heart and stealing the life from its eyes. While he had managed to save his leg, he had already taken considerable damage. With an effort of will, he shut out the blinding pain. He desperately sought out his remaining enemy, looking up just in time to see the final cruncher leap straight for his jugular, too fast for Nick to bring his sword to bear. On this near-death occasion, time didn¡¯t slow down at all. But even if it had, it wouldn¡¯t have done much good. In addition to being wounded, the situation had evolved beyond his ability to control. The cruncher¡¯s attack had caught Nick flat footed, and he had nothing left up his sleeve that could save him from having his throat torn out. Left with no better option, he let his knees go limp, dropping to the ground as quickly as he could. Chapter One Hundred Seventeen: The Monster Men Call War Halfway through Nick¡¯s desperate dodge, his injured leg collapsed out from under him. Instead of ducking, he wound up diving headfirst down the hillside. The unplanned fall was the only reason that he lived through the next eleven seconds. As he hit the ground hard, tumbling down the steep hillside head over heels, a massive body went streaking through the airspace occupied by his throat only half a heartbeat prior. It was the cruncher, passing close enough to brush Nick¡¯s nose with the tip of its tail. His collapse bought him another few seconds of life, even if his situation was only marginally better than before. He completed seven full revolutions before he regained control over his momentum, earth and sky changing positions in a disorienting jumble of rotating color, each impact driving molten daggers into his injured leg. Miraculously, he had embarked on his brief journey back down the hillside without losing his grip on his sword or skewering himself in the process. Caught in the jaws of a battle that had broken free of the net cast by Nick¡¯s theoretical understanding of large-scale combat, it took everything that he had not to give into the urge to panic. Not only because he was wounded and behind enemy lines, although that was undeniably terrifying. But because all his plans had fallen apart, the situation had progressed from marginally manageable to completely out of control within a scant handful of heartbeats. Although his preparations had been better than nothing, they had proven to be woefully insufficient when matched up against the inherent chaos of conflict. His initial strategy to counter the komos had gone more or less according to plan, the battle proceeding along the course that he had set. But the lizards were simple-minded beasts and relatively weak compared to the rest of the creatures trapped in the tutorial. As Nick rolled to a stop, staring up at the sunny blue sky above, an epiphany struck him. Revealing just how inadequate his understanding of large-scale conflict truly was. Until now, he had been contemplating strategies and variables in a dry and clinical manner. Despite his flexibility and diligence, his calculations were based on his gaming experiences. And though each game claimed to capture the grim reality of war, they were all ultimately simulations governed by a computer program¡ªthe millions of variables present on a real battlefield reduced to a few hundred abstractions and arbitrary conventions. Now Nick grasped with bleak certainty that games could never hope to contain the infinite ocean of information surging across a true killing field, the myriad opposing forces at play as hundreds of intelligent beings did their best to outmaneuver and destroy one another, each unified by a single, overarching desire¡ªto live through the day. Having witnessed true conflict with his own eyes, he came to understand that a real battle was a living thing. A writhing sea of forces and feelings. Of intentions, revelations, and reactions. This fleeting moment of epiphany only lasted for the blink of an eye, although it was a moment that would change Nick forever. But he would have to ponder the insights he had obtained and how he might apply them later. Because in between the drawing of one breath and the next, his awareness snapped back into its usual configuration. With it, the realization that he was seriously injured and trapped behind enemy lines rose to the forefront of his awareness. The knowledge that at any second and from any direction, a blow might land that would claim his life, bringing his story to an untimely end. In that instant, Nick understood that the next decision he made would determine whether he lived through the day or died on the spot. With his life on the line and not a moment to lose, he pushed through the pain, overcoming his terror-tinged disorientation through sheer effort of will. With an agonized groan, he rolled back onto his feet and assumed a fighting stance, raising his sword in an unsteady grip. Knowing that his power and speed would be severely curtailed by the wound to his leg. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. He swept his gaze around his body, trying to analyze his situation as quickly as he could¡­ only to discover that what he decided to do next would not wind up mattering after all. Because standing right in front of him, jaws spread wide and muscles poised to strike, was the Bonecruncher Alpha. It looked him straight in the eye and then pounced. Nick reached for his wand as he started to duck, every cell in his body screaming that it was already too late; that in less than a second, he was going to die, and there was nothing that he could do to save himself. The monster men call war had closed its fangs around his throat, and now the alpha would follow suit. He watched on in horror, understanding that this would be the final moment of his all-too-short life when the fickle flow of battle shifted once more. The alpha¡¯s jaws were mere inches from closing around Nick¡¯s neck, splayed wide enough to tear his head clean off when they snapped shut. All he could see was the dark tunnel of the beast¡¯s throat¡ªthe ivory mountains of its ragged teeth¡ªand smell the fetid death thick upon its breath. Lost in the depths of the darkest moment of his life, half a heartbeat before the alpha extinguished Nick¡¯s light, help arrived from a most unexpected quarter. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a thick strand of silk wrap itself around the alpha¡¯s jaws¡ªa line of webbing moving faster than thought. At the last possible second, the string pulled taut with such force that the beast bit off the end of its own tongue, as something pulled on the web-rope with incredible strength. Nick watched on in mute incomprehension as the alpha¡¯s face turned, then jerked hard to one side. Fast enough to snap the neck of a lesser beast. It altered the trajectory of the cruncher¡¯s flight by a scant handful of degrees. In that moment, he knew that he had a chance, throwing his body back at the last possible moment. It was enough to cause the alpha¡¯s body to knock Nick off his feet instead of landing on top of him, crushing his ribcage to pulp. The impact knocked him out for a moment, and when he came to, he was lying on the ground once more. A white wave of pain reverberated throughout his leg, stunning him but not inflicting any permanent damage. While struggling to regain control over his body, he was rendered helpless for the time being. With nothing left to do but watch, the game-trained part of his brain began putting the pieces together, processing the battle playing out before his eyes. He realized that he was lying on his back while looking uphill, staring up at where roughly a hundred komos were locked in a fierce melee with the tribe¡¯s spear wall. It was a fierce, bloody exchange, but one that cost the lizards far more lives than the lemurs, thanks to the Elder¡¯s tactics and Nick¡¯s foresight. What he was seeing didn¡¯t make sense. The pack was nowhere to be found, and while the forces in the valley had shifted positions, it looked like only half of the komo pride was engaged in the battle for the hillside. When Nick was able to turn his head, changing his view to look straight at the mountainside, he discovered the first half of his answer. Because dozens of giant spiders were streaming down the side of the cliff looming over the valley floor. Rappelling down the sheer rock wall, then launching themselves onto the battlefield in what was clearly a practiced maneuver. I knew the spiders could get up there if they tried. Nick was shocked by the sight, but he didn¡¯t have time to stare. He shook off his daze through sheer effort of will, then continued turning his head until he was looking down at the valley floor. Taking in a battle that had taken a turn far beyond the scope of his predictions. He sat up, still too weak to stand, watching the carnage wrought as the spider army initiated a surprise attack upon the predatory beasts trapped between the hilltops. It was now clear that the spiders had deliberately ambushed the pack, waiting until they were engaged with the lemur spear wall before descending from the mountainside and falling upon the crunchers from behind. I think I was only out for a couple of minutes. Nick struggled to process what was happening as the sounds of battle raged all around him. The pack must have fallen back and regrouped the moment their alpha was hit. These crunchers are more disciplined than the first group I fought. As vicious as the hyena-boars were, the pack¡¯s prowess was blunted by the sheer skill displayed by the warriors of the spider colony. Across the blood-drenched hillside, teams of spiders waged war upon the bonecruncher battalion. A battle that the intelligent arachnids had instigated on their own terms. Chapter One Hundred Eighteen: Picking a Side Nick would have been fascinated by absorbing the arachnids¡¯ impeccable teamwork and tactics under other circumstances. A time when he wasn¡¯t standing in the middle of said battlefield, so frightened that his mind had gone completely blank. He wanted to run, but his leg could barely support his weight. Besides, there wasn¡¯t a safe way to approach the lemurs¡¯ line while scores of komos were engaging the tribe¡¯s frontline fighters. But Nick didn¡¯t need to think to watch the carnage play out¡ªspider facing down hyena in a savage contest of pack tactics. As enthralling as they were, the other battles paled in comparison to the duel taking place between the spider Bulwark and the Bonecruncher Alpha. Unlike the hastily joined skirmish to hold back Komo Alpha, every aspect of this fight had been orchestrated by the elite spider. The culmination of an ambush intended to remove the crunchers from the board in a single, decisive assault. In addition to saving Nick¡¯s life, the Bulwark¡¯s opener had stunned the alpha while binding its jaws. Disrupting the beast¡¯s control of the pack and sealing one of its primary weapons in a single move, although the hulking brute could still rely on its wickedly sharp tusks. Judging by the alpha¡¯s wounds, the fight had only been going on for a few minutes. The Bulwark had gained the upper hand right from the start, creating momentum that the cruncher commander had been unable to counter. As Nick scrambled back from the fierce melee, he found himself drawn into the fight. He was unable to look away, despite the danger engulfing him on all sides. He ducked behind a cruncher¡¯s corpse to reduce his profile, eyes never leaving the fight. While he watched spellbound, the Bulwark unleashed a relentless series of blows. Utterly dominating the flow of battle and revealing a mastery of one-on-one tactics that he could only dream of. Fortunately for Nick and the future of his advancement, while he had been unable to watch the bulk of their battle, he was able to witness its end. By this point, the alpha was bleeding from a dozen minor wounds, although it had managed to avoid becoming further entangled in webbing or being stricken by the Bulwark¡¯s venom. While the latter was injured from its earlier fight, the massive spider didn¡¯t seem to have taken any serious damage. Nick tried to commit every moment to memory while avoiding being trampled in the process. It was clear from the get-go that the Bulwark had a method to its melee. A style of fighting centered around controlling the flow of battle and limiting an enemy¡¯s options. At least when facing down a deadly beast that was able to hold its own in a contest of raw strength. While the Bulwark was nimble for a creature of its bulk, it was too big to rely on dodging. And though its natural armor looked tough, it wasn¡¯t strong enough to withstand direct attacks from the alpha¡¯s tusks. Thus, most of the Bulwark¡¯s defense consisted of blocks and parries. Predicting its enemy¡¯s attacks and blunting their impact. Baiting them into overextending, then scoring wounds once it had created an opening. Its offense was a combination of direct damage and disabling strikes. Its forelimbs were as deadly as swords, and it could strike out with its other legs as well, although they seemed to have less power and control. Perhaps the result of some ability at work. The colossal spider was also trying to influence the mental state of its opponent. More specifically, some of its moves were chosen with the goal of enraging its foe. Nick watched as the alpha crouched low and poised to spring, a posture he now recognized as preparing to aggressively leap. A heartbeat later, the cruncher went sailing straight for the Bulwark, flying so fast that its form was reduced to a streaking blur. The giant spider took a fraction of a second to judge the angle, then stepped lightly to one side, letting the deadly tusks go whizzing past its torso. As the alpha¡¯s leap carried it past the Bulwark, the spider reached out with one leg and pushed. Not trying to impale the hyena, but to foil its landing. The shove spun the cruncher to one side. It came crashing down, tumbling twenty feet down the hillside in an uncontrolled fall. At that point, the bonecruncher totally lost it. It started clawing at its face, uncaring of the rents it tore into its own flesh as it shredded the webbing binding its jaws, unleashing a furious howl as it leapt back onto its feet. The giant hyena charged straight for the Bulwark, intending to make the spider pay no matter the cost. For a second, it looked like the blind rush would break through the spider¡¯s guard. It had been slow to react, and it was too late to move out of the way. The cruncher darted in low, intending to gut the Bulwark from below, only to come to a jerking halt a few inches before its tusks collided with the great spider¡¯s chitin. When the spider stepped back, Nick could see webbing shimmering in the sunlight, a complex construction that had been concealed within the Bulwark¡¯s shadow. Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. The alpha voiced its fury as it flailed, doing its best to shred the silken strands restraining its mobility. Although the beast managed to sever several thick threads, its every movement pulled the web-woven cage tighter until it was completely enmeshed. Incredibly, the fight wasn¡¯t over yet. The alpha went into a frenzy, bucking, writhing, and biting like a creature possessed. The silken prison began to warp and bend. It was clear that it would break before much longer, releasing the creature from its confinement. The Bulwark darted from one side to the other, searching for an opening but finding none. By this point, Nick had already picked up a rock the size of a baseball and taken aim, having recognized that the fight had arrived at a pivotal moment. He wasn¡¯t sure what would happen if the spiders won the war, but he knew he was dead if the crunchers did. He cocked his arm back and threw. The rock went streaking out of his hand with incredible force. Nick had put every last point of his upgraded abilities, every scrap of stamina, into making the moment count. The missile went flying in a liquid blur, fast enough to coax a dull roar from the air in passing. It arced over the battlefield, catching the alpha in the side of the skull with a thwack that resounded across the hillside. It wasn¡¯t enough to bring the big bastard down, but it hit hard enough to stun the brute for a few seconds. Nick knew the beast would recover within a handful of heartbeats. But the Bulwark wasn¡¯t about to let that happen. It darted behind the alpha¡¯s back and bit. Once, then twice more in succession. The alpha spun to face its foe, but the damage was already done. The spider darted back and let its venom do the rest. Just as the bonecruncher pulled itself free from the web-trap, its body began to seize. It took a final, staggering step while foaming at the mouth, then collapsed into the dirt. The life faded from its eyes a few seconds later, breaking the trance that the battle had evoked within Nick and bringing the danger of his situation back to the forefront of his mind. Over the last five minutes, the spiders could have attacked him at any point; culled his life as easily as the crunchers and komos they had slaughtered. For some inexplicable reason, they had chosen to avoid him. But they weren¡¯t avoiding him now. That was the moment when Nick came to two highly related realizations. The first was that every hyena in the valley was lying dead in the grass, along with most of the komos. The second was that all the spiders that had taken part in the ambush, including the behemoth spider Bulwark, had moved to form a circle around Nick and were staring straight at him. The experience offered him an unexpected insight into what a steak must feel like, sitting on a plate while looking up at the person on the other end of the fork. ¡°Shit,¡± Nick said, staring into the eyes of the elite spider. ¡°I got lost in the moment. Sorry guys, I didn¡¯t mean to wear out my welcome. I will gladly get the fuck out of here if you would be kind enough to let me pass.¡± He spoke without paying attention to his words, as he was just trying to buy himself a few seconds to think. In addition to being dazed by his recent battering, he was caught in the middle of a truly bizarre situation. A situation that was worse than any of those covered in his contingencies, and yet, simultaneously, not nearly as bad as it could be considering. Eager to avoid being the centerpiece of a feeding frenzy, Nick desperately wanted to make a break for it. But he was deathly afraid that doing anything of the sort would shatter this strange moment of equilibrium and goad the spider pack into swarming him. Unable to understand why he was still alive, his brain whirled like never before, coming up with a hundred problems for each plan he concocted without managing to work out a solution to any of them. Try as he might, this wasn¡¯t the kind of dilemma that Nick could think his way out of. He was prepared for a final, desperate struggle, his only goal to break free and run for his life. He expected the spiders to rush him as one, binding his movements while the Bulwark darted in to deliver a lethal bite. Thus, Nick was completely dumbfounded by what actually happened. Instead of slaughtering him for a post-battle snack, the spiders seemed more interested in saying hello. First, the towering arachnid that he had dubbed the Bulwark raised its body up, holding its forelimbs in the air in that creepy gesture spiders make. It followed up with a motion that was unlike that of any spider on Earth. The Bulwark gestured with one leg and then bowed deeply in Nick¡¯s direction. As it didn¡¯t have a waist, it tilted its whole body down before returning to a neutral position with a flourish. As soon as the Bulwark came back up, the other spiders repeated the gesture, creating a rippling ring of bows that felt strangely like a ritual. Completely flabbergasted, the only thing that Nick could think of was to bow from the waist, overwhelmed by the strangeness of the situation. Apparently, it was the right thing to do. Without skipping a beat, the spiders broke formation and went running past him, moving to engage a final handful of komos that had moved too close to their web-fort. Did that really just happen? He struggled to process this remarkable and totally unprecedented occurrence as he staggered back up the hill and slid through the lemurs¡¯ line. Fortunately, by this point, the tribe had created large gaps in the komos fighting along the spear wall. Nick walked to the back of the flat strip along the hillside and collapsed, laying down against the incline behind him, filled with poignant gratitude that he was still alive. At least for now. Chapter One Hundred Nineteen: Injury and Imagination When the shock-and-adrenaline cocktail stopped surging through Nick¡¯s veins, the pain radiating throughout his thigh shot up by an order of magnitude. Searing suffering blossomed into incandescent agony over the span of a dozen breaths. By this point, Nick¡¯s left leg was drenched in his own blood, completely soaking his blue jeans, although it was already starting to dry. While most of his mind grappled with the sheer sensory overload of the most serious wound he had taken yet, a distant, dissociated portion of his brain began cataloging his injuries with clinical neutrality. Lost some blood, but not enough for it to start filling my boots. If the bleeding is already slowing, then I didn¡¯t nick an artery. If I was able to walk this far, I didn¡¯t sever a tendon or nerve either. It¡¯s likely a moderately deep laceration with a lot of bruising to my skin and surrounding muscles. Nick groaned as a lance of pain pulsed from deep inside his leg. Might have cracked my femur for good measure. While he waited for the hurt to subside, riding the ragged edge of panic, he continued to think. He started pondering any topic he could come up with that might distract him from the overwhelming pain of his injuries. From his position, he wasn¡¯t able to witness the fighting, as most of the melee was taking place a bit further down the hillside and was obscured by the lay of the land. Desperate for a diversion, he tried to follow the progress of the battle with his RTS overlay, using his ears and the movements of the spearpoints to visualize the fight taking place below his field of view. At first, it was just a crude image¡ªa bunch of question marks overlaid across his memory of the terrain. It was completely useless, but Nick kept at it, highly motivated to focus on anything besides the inside of his own body. He let the sounds of battle wash over him¡ªthe screams of the lemurs and the roars of the lizards¡ªthe scents of fear and blood riding the breeze. He let the bits that he could see form patterns within his mind, each motion revealing hints of a greater order below. Nick¡¯s awareness of his own body faded into the background, providing blessed relief as his mental model grew sharper and more responsive. As he concentrated, something clicked into focus, like the pieces of a puzzle coming together. That was when the story playing out across his mind¡¯s eye shifted, and then evolved. Instead of representing the various fighting forces as dots laid out along a two-dimensional map, the scene filled out into three dimensions. It gained clarity and depth, like a complex VR simulation rather than a basic top-down view. Although he knew it wasn¡¯t perfect, Nick could visualize what was happening in the battle below, clued in by the sights and sounds that reached him, but even more by reading the underlying logic to the battle, the hidden interactions contained within the myriad variables playing out all around him. Watching through his new and improved mental map, Nick saw that the lemurs¡¯ western flank had wrapped up their melee with the lizards. That side of the line had finished their fight faster due to the presence of the Elder and her elite unit. With Bandit at her side, the Elder was presently running past the middle of the line, which was holding its own, over to where the fighting was still fierce along the cliffside¡ªthe spot where he had been stationed before being wounded by the crunchers. Tracking the movements of the lemurs¡¯ army as a whole, Nick was able to deduce the reason why. A cluster of komos has broken through the spear wall. If left unattended, the breach would create increasing pressure on the tribe as more lizards pushed past and fell upon the spear-wielders from behind, leading to the collapse of their formation. But the Elder had no intention of letting matters devolve to that extent. She was sprinting like the wind while shrieking and gesturing to direct the rest of her forces. Thanks to his strange new ability, Nick could sense the tide of battle shift the moment she arrived. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. The flow of komos pouring in through the break in the line slowed before drying up completely. The panicked cries of the lemur spearmen grew more confident as the furry warriors regained cohesion, some reforming the wall while the others moved to support the elites. Fighting alongside the Elder, the lemurs¡¯ reserve unit surrounded the scattered komos like antibodies swarming a pathogen, guarding the backs of the spear-wielders so that they could focus on the threat coming from the front. The Elder¡¯s tactic was remarkably effective. A few minutes later, the final reptile that had broken past the line fell dead at her feet. Not long after, the komos abandoned their push to claim the hilltop. The scattered survivors disengaged and retreated down the hillside. The direction of their rout told him that the spiders had completed their operation and had vacated the valley floor. With nothing left to process, his mental map dissolved, leaving Nick in need of a fresh distraction. Fortunately, he had one waiting in the wings. Over the course of the battle, the spiders had risen to become the biggest mystery on the island. Proving themselves to be far more intelligent and far less hostile than Nick¡¯s initial encounter had led him to believe. That ambush felt less like an animal attack and more like military tactics. They moved like professional soldiers, waiting until the beasts in the valley were distracted before striking from behind. Fighting with remarkable precision and coordination that could only have resulted from rigorous training. Their behavior left him with mixed feelings. On one hand, Nick and the tribe had clearly been used as bait, which he was not inclined to regard favorably. On the other, the spiders had saved them. Prevented the tribe from taking severe casualties if not being wiped out completely. The spiders had been ruthless opportunists, but they hadn¡¯t engaged in wanton slaughter. If the arachnids had wanted to wipe out the lemurs as well, they had been given a perfect opportunity. Not that they needed to engage in any fancy maneuvering to defeat the tribe, the weakest force fighting in the battle for the highlands. The strangest part of all was his encounter with the spider Bulwark and its entourage, which he was still struggling to wrap his mind around. Just before the elite beast had bowed to him, Nick had almost felt like he could understand its intent. The giant spiders had been¡­ apologizing to him. Which was odd, considering what he had done to the body of one of their own. Weird or not, there it was. It also turned out that the spider colony could climb their way up the mountainside whenever they wanted. Instead, they had joined the rest of the beasts in the highlands. Not only waiting until the gate opened on its own, but picking a fight that they could have easily avoided, losing at least a dozen of their warriors along the way. Whatever was going on, Nick knew that the spiders weren¡¯t acting out of altruism, although he appreciated their intervention nonetheless. Following that thought, he raised his gaze to the mountain looming above him; to the summit that was hidden from his view. Whatever they saw up there must be playing a role in this as well. By this point, he had realized that his self-distraction tactic was working. Over the last ten minutes, the pain in his leg had gradually receded. His left thigh still really fucking hurt, but the agony was no longer disabling due to sheer sensory overload. With a groan, Nick summoned the courage to look directly at his wound, afraid that he had underestimated the extent of the damage. He took out his scissors and cut a slit in the denim of his jeans so that he could dress his injuries without taking off his pants, as they would finish falling apart the next time he undressed. Even that bit of jostling made Nick scream. He used his canteen to wet the fabric around the wound so that he could peel back the cloth without it sticking to his skin. Staring down at the patchwork of cuts and bruises beneath, he could tell what had happened right away. Most of the hyena¡¯s bite had caught the end of his leather coat, which had helped shield his flesh from the beast¡¯s steel trap jaws. Although that area was purple with bruises, Nick¡¯s skin was still intact. But about halfway down his thigh, a fang and two smaller teeth had chomped him directly, creating two modest gashes and one deep puncture, through which blood was slowly seeping out and dripping onto the grass below. Taken together, it was the worst injury that he had ever suffered. Not counting the foreman¡¯s sword through his chest, as that had been healed by the System only seconds after it happened. While the pain was certainly distracting, it was no longer disabling¡ªat least to the extent that Nick could still move. Still plan. Still think. It meant that he could still contribute to the battle for the highlands, at least to some extent. Chapter One Hundred Twenty: Regroup and Recover Nick wished that he had found a healing item in one of his reward chests, or at least a basic first aid kit. Unfortunately, all that he had to work with was the roll of gauze that had come with his toolbelt. At least you still have the leg. You almost lost the whole thing. To reduce the risk of infection, he opened his canteen and rinsed the wound clean, using as little water as he could. He cursed all the while at the necessary but unanticipated hit to his supplies, skeptical that his stockpile would last until the end of the tutorial. When the puncture was free of dirt, he used the last strip of gauze in his pouch to bind it tight. After Bandit stopped by to see how Nick was doing, a gesture of friendship that he found deeply moving, he tried to figure out how to keep his ruined jeans from falling apart. The only thing he could come up with was to sew the slit back up using the hook from his toolbelt and the fishing line that he had found in the dungeon. He wasn¡¯t going to win any fashion awards, but he thought the crude patch would keep everything together for the next few days. While he worked, he reflected on how events had proceeded thus far. In the end, the first battle for the highlands had been a mixed bag for Nick. He had survived a fight that should have been unwinnable, thanks to the spiders¡¯ timely intervention, but had suffered a serious injury in the process. He was still alive, but his mobility was impaired, and he had a steep climb ahead of him when the water rose again. He was lucky that the melee was over for now. While he was able to stagger about if he had to, Nick wouldn¡¯t be back in fighting shape until his wound had scabbed over enough not to start bleeding from the exertion. The good news was that he had improved his understanding of real-world tactics, and he had been given some time to recover from his ordeal. The shadows were growing long with the end of the day, and sometime over the next hour, dusk would descend upon the weary combatants. He should have until morning before the battle resumed¡ªif the water didn¡¯t start rising sooner than he expected. The spiders were more than capable of launching a night raid if they were so inclined, but circumstances had led him to believe that, at least for now, the spiders were on his side. While Nick was unable to deduce their intentions, it seemed that the formidable beasts were not actively trying to kill him. With any luck, their goodwill would endure when he arrived on the summit, and the spiders would be willing to work together to tackle the tutorial¡¯s final challenge. Injured or not, he couldn¡¯t afford to just rest and wait for nightfall. Every second was a precious resource¡ªtime that he needed to spend surveying his situation and refining his plans. Hissing through his teeth, he forced himself back onto his feet. Using a spear to help support his weight, he limped his way up the hillside, intending to inspect the battlefield and evaluate the condition of the lemur forces. Before he went to work, Nick stopped to grab a bite from the communal stores, preserving the resources in his pack to stretch out his reserves for as long as possible. He felt a little guilty for hoarding some supplies for himself, but he had been the one that had carried most of these resources up here to begin with. Besides, his small stash wouldn¡¯t meet the tribes¡¯ needs for more than a few hours at most. At least, that¡¯s what he told himself. After eating a pair of ripe berries the size of tangerines, he turned his attention to the lemur warriors, who were battered but not yet broken. Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. The tribe had held on, fighting bravely in the face of overwhelming odds, but a full one in five had fallen, and many more were injured, at least as badly as Nick. While he was busy tending to his leg, the primates had arranged their dead in a long row along the hilltop. He was surprised to discover that what looked like a funeral procession was taking place. Mournful lemurs stopped in front of the fallen to say goodbye, touching their faces and placing wildflowers in their hands. He could hear both sorrow and resolve in their voices as they cried out to one another. He bowed his head in a moment of silence, acknowledging the tribe¡¯s courage and the debt he owed them. Nick looked out over the grim procession, their gazes harder than steel. The lemurs knew that more of their kin would fall when the sun rose tomorrow. Despite the somber mood, the beasts were comforting one another, holding hands, clasping shoulders, and dropping off a handful of fruit to a friend. In that moment, he understood that the tribe was truly a family. It made him miss his own with an intensity that took his breath away. He wiped away the tears that were running down his face because the tribe¡¯s sadness resonated with his own. He too had lost loved ones not long ago, and he hadn¡¯t truly let himself process his grief. But Nick was ready. It was time to face the truth head-on. Unable to hold back the acrid tide of memory, he let his repressed emotions wash over him at last, bawling his eyes out as he watched the tribe pay their respects. Scattered bits and pieces of his memories had begun rising to the surface weeks ago, but Nick hadn¡¯t been willing to face them until this moment. I¡¯m ready. He gritted his teeth, bracing himself against the pain as it all came flooding back. Nick remembered the arrival of the System. The shroud of annihilation that had slaughtered most of humanity and scoured their works from the face of the Earth. He remembered Angie¡¯s last moments. The look of fear in her eyes before the pillar of light devoured her. He remembered the mind-warping pain of integration and the System awakening his geneline; what Pax had told him during his brief orientation; the arrival of Taltos, the Mad God, hacking the System to claim the Earth for his own; twisting the rules so that humanity began their tutorial with only a basic class and the clothes on their backs. Despite the emergence of his sorrow and his loss, Nick didn¡¯t give into his misery and didn¡¯t let the pain break him, because as bad as things were, there was still reason to hope. ¡°Angie is dead.¡± It broke his heart to say those words, but he was finally ready to face the truth. There was a chance, however slim, that his brother, perhaps even his parents, were still alive. Maybe some of his friends as well. The survivors of Earth were out there somewhere, however few of them there were left. Nick imagined what his friends and family must be facing if they had survived the purge of integration. Perhaps they were wrapping up their tutorials as well. Hopefully, he would find out in just a little over a day and a half. As night fell, the air grew bitingly cold, although thanks to Nick¡¯s thermal cloak, he was able to bear the chill. He built a small fire from dried brush and shattered spears, then sat down near the periphery of the huddled mass of lemurs. He moved close enough to the press to keep the wind off one side, listening to the distant chatter of lizards and the croaking of frogs and the wind whistling across the face of the mountain. He slept in scattered snatches, interrupted by the pain in his leg and the understanding that he was still in the middle of a prolonged battle for his life. Whenever he woke up, Nick would plot and plan, preparing himself as best he could for the trial ahead. He expected the water to rise sometime after dawn, forcing the lizards in the valley up the hillside and kicking off another melee. Then it would be time to scale the mountain and face whatever trial awaited them on the summit. Before Nick knew it, the sky had begun to lighten with the coming of dawn, heralding the start of the tutorial¡¯s final full day. Chapter One Hundred Twenty-One: Blood-Drenched Dawn Listening to the cries of the beasts that had been driven into the highlands by the rising sea, Nick found himself wide awake, breath steaming as he stared up into the predawn sky. He was lucky that he had gotten any sleep at all, considering the circumstances. Although he let his battered body rest for a few final moments, his brain was hard at work, taking in the condition of the lemur warriors and the size of their remaining stockpiles. While he wanted nothing more than to close his eyes and drift away, he rose to his feet with a groan and then walked over to the communal store¡ªa dwindling pile of dried meat and berries that would run out sometime over the next few hours. Nick ate breakfast and drained the rest of the water in his canteen, then went to find the Elder, wincing every time he put weight onto his injured leg. His thigh was swollen, and his bruises throbbed with every step. But at least the puncture had scabbed over, and his leg could bear his weight, as long as he carried the spear that he had conscripted for a walking stick. He wouldn¡¯t be able to run to help reinforce the line, like he had the day before, but he could still defend himself and help coordinate the overall defense. On the bright side, Nick¡¯s wounds didn¡¯t seem to be infected. He wondered if it was due to sheer luck or maybe a result of his dramatically increased Toughness. Perhaps the local bacteria were unable to infect creatures that had evolved on an entirely different planet. In the end, he dismissed it as one of the many mysteries posed by Taltos and the System¡ªmysteries beyond his ability to solve for the foreseeable future, although he would definitely pick up some disinfectant and sterile bandages as soon as possible. Maybe even a fancy healing item if he was lucky. Nick had enough problems to deal with without tempting fate. In addition to his mangled leg, he was covered in a host of lesser scrapes and bruises acquired during his brief battle with the pack, culminating in a painful tumble down the hillside. As the horizon ran red with the break of day, he found the Elder standing on the bridge leading to the mountainside. She spent long minutes staring down at the valley that was still filled with komos, then looked directly at the gate, or perhaps the painting of the System emblazoned upon its face. Nick raised a hand in greeting and then came to a stop beside the lemurs¡¯ leader. The position offered him an excellent view of both battlefields, and he took the opportunity to inspect them in detail. The view of each valley was a mirror of contrast. Except for a few bloody patches of grass and the fresh gouges torn into the dirt, Nick would never have known that the valley running between his hilltop and the spiders¡¯ had been a killing field less than twelve hours earlier. It soon became clear that the spiders had launched a night raid after all, because the last score of komos that had fled to the furthest corner of the basin were nowhere to be seen. Following that train of thought, he saw a pair of spiders dragging the last of the corpses over the web-barricade, where they would become food for the colony. Except for a half-dozen guards posted atop the web-wall, he had no idea what the spiders were up to, as the view of their camp was obscured by their fortifications. Regardless, Nick was immensely relieved that he hadn¡¯t been forced to fight the intelligent arachnids, as it dramatically improved his odds of surviving the remainder of the tutorial. Now that one valley was free of hostile beasts, the lemurs could concentrate their forces on the other side of the hill. He was thrilled that they no longer had to worry about being caught in a pincer attack, although there were more than enough problems to contend with as matters stood. Over on the other hillcrest, the acid-slinging frogs were huddled along the interior of the giant serpent¡¯s bones, shielding themselves from the frigid mountain breeze to preserve body heat. Peering through his spyglass, Nick could see a faint emerald glow emanating from the chest of the largest frog, which he suspected was the product of a spell or spell-like ability, as the surrounding air was warped with heat displacement. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Deciding that the frogs had no reason to assault the lemurs¡¯ position, Nick turned his gaze to the valley between them, where the most pressing source of danger resided. Using the sheer side of the mountain as a windbreak, the komos were bunched together to preserve heat. But without any supportive magic, the cold-blooded creatures appeared to be significantly impaired by the chill. The few that were awake looked lethargic, although the carnivorous lizards would perk back up once the sun was high enough to shine down into the valley floor. Even still, this was a welcome development. Every hour of peace was precious, buying Nick and the tribe time to recover before the next battle began. While he pondered the distribution of the various beast armies, he took the opportunity to Size Up every creature in sight, even though it took him a good half hour to finish. The skill had saved his life on a regular basis, and Nick wanted to max it, if at all possible, before he switched classes and lost the opportunity. When he was finished, he walked back across the bridge and ate one of the last berries from the communal pile. He refilled his canteen with the water in his pack, drained it dry, and finished off the last strips of dried meat as well. He was going to run out of water before the tutorial ended. Hopefully, it wouldn¡¯t be long enough for dehydration to impair him. Deciding that his pack was too heavy to carry up the hill on his injured leg, he dumped all the raw resources out of his bag, keeping only his equipment and a small trove of items that might be valuable or could come in handy later. Nick dropped off the rocks and sticks he had removed into the piles sitting beside the lemurs¡¯ line. That¡¯s a lot better. He gave his backpack an experimental heft. I should be able to carry it up the mountain without all that junk weighing me down. With his pack sorted, Nick moved on to his toolbelt, making sure that each item was stowed securely and in working condition. He wished that he had more flashbangs, antidotes, or other useful consumables, but he had finally run out of the supplies he had collected throughout the tutorial. Even his trusty wand was out of juice, leaving him with far fewer tools at his disposal than he preferred. At least one of Nick¡¯s Mana Darts had recharged overnight, bringing the total that he could cast back up to two, and he would recover a third sometime within the next few hours. After completing his prep work, he stopped to say hello to Bandit, then took up his place in the defensive line. For now, half of the tribe was resting. The others were in formation along the flat strip of hillside, ready to face off against the komos below at a moment¡¯s notice. Unable to work out while wounded, Nick passed the time until the next battle began by trying to anticipate what awaited him on the summit. He was certain that he would have to race the rising sea up the mountainside, but he had too little information to make predictions past that point. He had considered everything from a kaiju boss battle to a lava-lined obstacle course, but no one possibility seemed more likely than the rest. The only clue that Nick had was the spiders¡¯ behavior, since they presumably knew what was up there. Why are the spiders waiting for the gate to open? They can clearly climb the mountain without using the pass. There must be a good reason. Those web-slingers are way too smart to waste time or lives. They must have an incentive for clearing out the beasts in the valley before ascending to the summit. They saved you on purpose, so hopefully they don¡¯t have any nefarious plans for you later. As baffling as their behavior was, he could sense an underlying logic to the spider colony¡¯s choices. He had even made some hypotheses regarding the patterns he observed. Over the last week, Nick had come to the conclusion that the Searing Isle was not only a tutorial for him but for all the beasts living on the island. At least the ones that were not native to this planet. Now it was time to find out which of them would live to see the tutorial¡¯s end. Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Two: A Dark and Rising Tide Staring down at the army of komos filling the valley below, Nick continued to ponder his unlikely allies, the colony of giant spiders who had saved his life the day before. The beasts in the tutorial must have quests and events that they are forced to contend with. Some kind of survival scenario and advancement system, although I doubt that they are subject to the same set of rules that apply to human contestants. The spiders¡¯ behavior must be a consequence of one of those conditions. If there was an open portal up there, the colony would have already left. If there was a giant monster, it would have made more sense to hide on the hillside and leave the komos and crunchers alone. Let the aggressive species climb the hill and wear the boss down before engaging it themselves. Instead, the colony chose to thin out the predatory beasts trapped within the valley while leaving a friendly force unmolested. The conditions on the summit must create a situation where the tribe and the colony can cooperate with one another. Or at least one where we¡¯re not forced to fight it out. They also left the acid frogs alone. There must be enough room for several species on the summit, but not enough space for everyone. That was as far down the tracks as his train of thought could travel before it was derailed. Because that was the moment when he realized that the ground beneath his feet was rumbling. The same sensation that Nick had felt just before the ocean rose to devour the woodlands. He raised his gaze to the waterline, where great, frothing waves were rising as the ocean churned. While this was more or less what he had been expecting, he hoped that the flooding would be gradual, giving enough time for the tribe to finish their battle with the komos before they were forced to race the sea up the mountainside. ¡°Get ready! It¡¯s happening.¡± Nick raised his sword and pointed to the lemurs standing beside him. ¡°The komos will attack at any moment.¡± This time, the tribe seemed to get the message because they tightened their formation immediately while calling out to their brethren resting on the hilltop. As the cries of the furry primates filled the air, lemurs came running to reinforce the line. Most grabbed spears to bolster the wall, while the rest armed themselves with rocks and clubs. Nick saw the Elder arrive in the periphery of his vision, just before the writhing sea began pouring into the valley below. This time, it was easy to tell that the island was sinking rather than the ocean rising, although that was the only thing that had made sense from the start. The army of komos hissed when the first river of seawater entered the valley, as if the tide was an intruder that they could frighten off with a show of force. But the lizards quickly realized that the water wasn¡¯t going to stop, and they started scampering their way up the hillside. In their confusion, thirty of the reptiles ran in the wrong direction, moving toward the hilltop held by the acid-swilling frogs. But most of the komos were smart enough to head for the weaker lemur forces. Nick took in the sight of a band of carnivorous reptiles roughly twice the size of the tribe, although fortunately, this bunch was not led by an alpha. The earth swayed beneath his boots, and he had to fight to remain on his feet. As the island gave way, the water rose higher. Faster and then faster still. Judging by the rate of the flow, he estimated that it would take approximately half an hour for the ocean to reach the level of the hilltop. This time, Nick didn¡¯t expect the process to stop. The gates would open, and the beasts on the hills would race against the rising sea. Heading up the mountainside toward whatever awaited them on the summit. Well before that happened, the komos would hit the lemurs¡¯ line. And this time, the lizards would hold nothing back. Both species had been left with a single, stark choice. Fight or die. Neither was willing to share the narrow mountain passes. There simply wasn¡¯t enough room up there, even if the beasts had been willing to tolerate each other¡¯s presence to begin with. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. As it happened, the decisive battle was fated to occur even sooner than Nick had expected. The instant the final lemurs fell into formation, a trio of komos decided to swim over from the frog hill, a dozen more only a short stretch behind them. They began crossing the shallow bay to rejoin the main body of lizards that was climbing up to where Nick stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the lemur spearmen. That was the moment when he caught sight of dozens of triangular fins cutting through the turbulent waters. Much to the surprise of the komos swimming across what had been the valley floor only moments before, the sharks had decided to join the battle for the highlands. The frantically paddling reptiles had just enough time to scream before the killer fish struck, reducing the komos to bloody froth upon the waves. A few more were picked off before the other terrified lizards either completed the crossing or hastily abandoned the attempt, deciding that fighting to the death against the solvent-spewing amphibians was the better bet after all. The cold air and the flooding of the valley had disoriented the komos, but the apex predators hunting in the rising waters had shocked them back to their senses. The swarming sharks jumpstarted the pride¡¯s survival instincts, breaking their daze and sending them scrambling for higher ground. Thus, with no hesitation whatsoever, every komo in the valley charged straight up the hillside. The first wave came crashing into the lemurs¡¯ line twenty seconds later. If the komos had been led by an alpha or hadn¡¯t been divided by their tumultuous circumstances, they would have overwhelmed the tribe or inflicted mass casualties during the melee that ensued. Instead, this battle was the polar opposite of the last. Instead of being tactical, prolonged, and full of surprises, the melee was a brief, brutal exchange of force, with a progression as straight as the flight of an arrow. Spear met scale, claw tore at flesh, both sides racking up wounds until the final lizard tumbled back down the slope and into the rising waters. Much to the sharks¡¯ delight. With his injuries, Nick wasn¡¯t able to wield his sword effectively. He took up a spear instead, fighting with Bandit at his side. His furry friend had been going out of his way to watch out for Nick ever since the hyena had chomped his leg. They took out four of the giant lizards between them, guarding each other¡¯s backs. Although it was blessedly brief, the battle was exhausting. Every impact made his bruises ache, but he gritted his teeth and soldiered on. The moment that the last lizard died, the lemurs dropped their spears and started heading for the gate, following the Elder¡¯s lead. Apparently, she understood the situation even better than Nick had thought, as many of the lemurs instead took up clubs¡ªweapons that were better suited to fighting in small groups. He supposed that the beasts were receiving prompts from the System as well¡ªlikely in a form more direct than Nick¡¯s interface with the obelisk. With no time to ponder the matter further, he slipped a few of the sturdier spears into his pack. He followed the tribe across the bridge to stand in front of the gate, looking up at the mountain looming before him. He was not looking forward to navigating the treacherous mountain pass, especially in his battered condition, but he hadn¡¯t been offered much of a choice. He left his sword in his pack, as it would only get in the way while climbing. Nick would have to rely on his dagger if he was forced into a fight¡ªan occurrence that he judged as falling somewhere between likely and guaranteed based on what he could see of the trail above. By now, the ocean was almost level with the hilltop. It would reach the crest sometime within the next five minutes. Just as he was certain that the gate wouldn¡¯t open in time, the structure started to move. Instead of opening from the middle like Nick had been expecting, the entire gate began sinking into the ground, as if it were mounted onto a hydraulic lift. The articulation was smooth as butter despite the incessant shaking of the island. Before the top of the gate disappeared into the earth, the tribe¡¯s Dexterity-based warriors began leaping over, rushing to secure the perimeter before the other lemurs joined them on the far side. To his immense relief, there wasn¡¯t another fight waiting for them around the corner, at least not yet. For now, the only danger in sight was the rising tide. With no time to waste, Nick and the tribe began hiking up the mountain, Bandit never more than a few paces from his side. Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Three: Treacherous Climb Along the bottom of the pass, the trail was wide and free of obstructions. For the moment, the tribe was able to stick together and maintain a steady pace. Nick was limping, wincing with every step, but thanks to his heavy investment into Toughness, he was able to keep pace with the main body of lemurs. Unfortunately, the difficulty of the climb would soon escalate, well before he reached the summit. Only an hour later, less than a quarter of the way up the mountainside, the path narrowed and began to fork. He looked up with a grim expression on his face. Past this point, the trails were narrow, winding, and treacherous. The tribe was forced to break into smaller and smaller groups to stay ahead of the rising sea. In places, the raw earth forming the trail was unstable. Two lemurs fell over the edge as the ground gave way, wailing piteous cries before they were swallowed first by the ocean and then again by the swarming sharks. By this point, the path had transitioned from a gentle rise to a steep incline, making the climb slow and arduous. The ascent was rough enough that the sea was steadily gaining on them, erasing the distance they had opened during the early stages of the climb. Gritting his teeth through the pain, Nick forced his body into a burst of speed, running alongside Bandit and a trio of lemur warriors. As he had feared, the winding, ever-branching paths dispersed the climbing beasts, drawing the various species into contact with one another. By now, fighting had broken out all along the mountainside. The piercing cries of lemurs and the roaring of the giant frogs echoed alongside less identifiable noises, reverberating across the rocky heights to add thick and mounting tension to his every step. By this point, Nick was certain that, like the other aspects of the tutorial, this phase had been designed to force the beasts on the island into direct conflict with one another. The scale of their ordeal was such that his presence in the mix felt like an oversight. He was glad that he had thrown his lot in with the tribe. He would never have made it this far acting alone. He knew that it was only a matter of time until his path drew him into a fight that he couldn¡¯t avoid. Sure enough, just as they were about to merge with a trail that was even steeper and sketchier than the last, a giant frog appeared from behind a blind turn, following a different path leading up the mountain. Nick would have been happy to let the acid-spewing amphibian pass in peace, but to his dismay, the deadly beast had other plans. Before the tribe could hope to close the distance, the frog turned to face them and spat. The neon yellow ball of mucus caught one of the smaller lemurs square in the face. Engulfing her furry head completely, like what had happened to the colossal snake during the battle for the hilltop. The poor little lemur didn¡¯t even have time to flinch before the acid started dissolving her face, reducing her head to a weeping lump of flesh within a handful of heartbeats. At least it was quick. Nick didn¡¯t have time to mourn the loss because the battle was already underway. Bandit let loose a primal scream of primate fury, preparing to leap straight for the killer frog with his club poised to strike, followed by the two surviving lemurs. He had already sprung into action as well. He used the lemur¡¯s final moments to summon a Mana Dart and launch it at the frog, staggering toward the melee while drawing his dagger from its sheath. While the close confines of the twisting mountain pass were unfavorable for the lemurs, they were even worse for the frog, who would normally have used its agility to maintain distance and disable its opponents at range. The lethal amphibian had just enough time to fire a second barrage before his group closed the distance, somehow shooting two globs of acid at once, just as Bandit sprang for the kill. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. One of the caustic missiles flew straight for him, while the other went streaking to intercept Bandit mid-flight. Nick barely managed to dodge in time, almost tumbling down the mountainside in the process. As a result, the glob of acidic mucus went sailing past his head instead of eating his flesh down to the bloody bone. Bandit, however, was still soaring through the air, unable to alter his trajectory mid-flight. He was certain that he was about to witness the final moments of his brave, furry friend, but that was not what happened. Faster than Nick would have believed possible, Bandit took aim and threw his club, swatting the acid from the air in an impressive display of martial prowess. ¡°Bandit!¡± Nick yelled, tossing his dagger toward his now weaponless companion. Bandit heard him cry out, turning his head in time to snatch the dagger out of the air. Bandit took aim and plunged the knife into the frog¡¯s hide, his blow landing in time with Nick¡¯s dart. The painful bite of the spell stunned the ferocious amphibian for a handful of seconds¡ªample time for the tribe to exact their revenge. The enraged lemurs rained blows upon the bulky beast with a furious vengeance, striking out at the frog time and time again. Not giving the beast a chance to recover after the dart had run its course. He came to a stop when he realized that his presence wasn¡¯t needed. Bandit finished the fight by stabbing the frog through both eyes back-to-back, returning Nick¡¯s dagger with a satisfied grin. He shook his head in wonder, then started running up the mountainside. While it was good to see that the lemurs had grown stronger than he had realized, the water had climbed ever closer during the course of the battle. By now, Nick was no longer confident that he could outrun the voracious maw of the rising sea. It was going to be a near thing, even if the maze-like trails didn¡¯t lead him into direct confrontation with another hostile beast. If this path loops around and then dips back down at any point, the water is going to catch us. Which, despite Nick¡¯s best efforts to pick up the pace, was exactly what happened. To his dismay, the next segment of trail wound around to avoid a sheer section of cliffside, then came back down to cross only a few yards above his head. By the time he reached the spot ten minutes later, the surface of the pass was submerged by several feet of seawater, obscuring the path until the trail rose sharply another hundred feet out. Nick and the lemurs had no choice but to rush into the surging water before their feet could no longer find purchase and the current washed them out to sea, where the sharks were waiting with open jaws. Out of options, he drove his body into the flooded portion of the pass. The water was shockingly cold, which quickly numbed the surface of his legs, much to his relief. As they fought to reach higher ground in time, the waves pulled at their limbs like the grasping tongues of ravenous creatures. It was hard for Nick to keep ahold of the mountainside and even worse for the lemurs, who were barely able to keep their heads above the waterline. Each step was more arduous and treacherous than the last, the water that much deeper, the current that much stronger, ebbing away at the remnants of his reserves. If Nick had a stamina bar, it would be sitting at just an eyelash above empty. When it ran out, his grip would falter, and he would no longer have enough energy to resist the pull of the surf. Just as that whimsical thought crossed his mind, an enormous wave slammed into the side of the pass. In that terrifying moment, he was overcome with a disorienting blend of blindness and force that nearly dragged him out to sea. Unwilling to give in, Nick screamed in defiance. He gritted his teeth and clung to the face of the mountain, holding on for dear life until the surging water receded. When the stinging saltwater cleared from his eyes, Nick realized that one of the lemurs was no longer standing beside him, leaving only one primate alive besides Bandit. He felt bad, but there was no time to search the dark water for their missing companion. No time to do anything other than press on. He wouldn¡¯t be able to shrug off another wave of that size. He simply didn¡¯t have enough strength left. Although it was a nerve-wracking, grueling slog, they made it to the far side of the submerged section without further calamity. After emerging shivering from the water, Nick¡¯s group climbed the steep slope for another ten minutes before stopping to catch their breath. They sat down along a broad bend, where a terminal tumble down the mountainside was not a constant threat. However, danger of another sort reared its ugly head only a handful of heartbeats later. Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Four: A Most Unfortunate Reunion They sat there, shaking and panting, fighting to regain what little strength they could during the minutes they had won through their struggles. But this moment of respite was not fated to last. Nick had just drained the last of the water from his canteen and clipped it back onto his belt when Size Up unleashed a resounding ping of danger, the most intense response he had gotten from the skill to date. He wouldn¡¯t have even realized there was a problem if he hadn¡¯t fallen into the habit of evaluating the terrain ahead before he walked across it. At first, he couldn¡¯t see what the trouble was. But when he followed the rise and surveyed the trail ahead, Nick came to grasp with crystal clarity the reason why his danger-sensing skill was going absolutely ape shit. ¡°Fuck me.¡± The words escaped his lips as he stared up at the lethal obstacle looming over his head. It was the last thing that he wanted to see. Fifteen feet above the trail he walked, the lurk was standing on what appeared to be a dead-end section of pass. If the unexpected arrival of the apex predator wasn¡¯t problematic enough, the multi-ton behemoth was staring straight at him with what could only be described as a cold, calculating stare. He would never have noticed the stealthy creature¡¯s presence without the feedback from his skill. Nick would have walked blindly into the beast¡¯s ambush if he hadn¡¯t gotten into the habit of sizing up any suspicious terrain that he came across. It was a lucky break. Not that being trapped between the lurk and the rising sea was a cause for celebration. Seeming to relish his dilemma, the beast simply stared down at him, giving Nick a chance to inspect the shaggy gray creature at his leisure. The lurk had undergone some dramatic changes since the last time he had laid eyes on the beast¡ªwhen Nick had lured it into a fight with the gigantic, carnivorous mushroom that ruled one corner of the woodlands. It appeared that the battle that had continued in his absence had been hard fought. The lurk¡¯s once pristine coat was now a mottled patchwork of scars, although most of the wounds appeared to have healed during the interim. Most shocking of all, one of the lurk¡¯s eyes was missing, its skull engulfed in a ragged scar that ran across its head and down one hulking shoulder. The beast¡¯s impairment did nothing to assuage the electric terror flooding his chest. If anything, its new look was even more menacing than before. Even more so than the last, this version of the monstrous lurk was metal as fuck. Maybe everything will be fine, Nick reasoned in a desperate bid to quell his mounting panic. We are all in a hurry, and there¡¯s plenty of room for it to move past. Even if the lurk remembers me, there is no way that it¡¯s smart enough to hold a grudge. Even if it did, this crisis should trump any desire it feels to settle the score. It will hop down and head right up the mountain¡­ any second now. Most unfortunately for Nick, in this matter, he was wrong on nearly all accounts. To his abject horror, the lurk leapt effortlessly down to the trail below, cutting off any hope of retreat. Staring him down all the while, it soon became appallingly obvious that the lurk did in fact remember him. It rightly blamed him for the indignity of its maiming and was only too happy to set aside a few minutes to balance the scales. Staring up into its pitiless, split-pupil eyes, it was clear as day that the lurk was ready to enact its revenge. Every crook of its posture told the same story. The lurk was the type to hold a grudge, and the lurk was pissed. The lurk savored the moment as it sauntered up to them. It began closing the distance with a gleam in its big, dinosaur eyes that Nick could only describe as immense satisfaction. While the lemurs cowered in terror, he fired a Mana Dart, hoping that the spell would be sufficient to drive the lurk back. Five seconds later, he discovered that he wasn¡¯t the only one who had leveled up over the past two weeks. The lurk didn¡¯t even try to dodge his spell. It let out a growl, tanking the dart head-on, and kept right on coming. The big bastard didn¡¯t so much as twitch, implying that Nick¡¯s attack wasn¡¯t worth the effort of moving out of the way. He was so focused on the impending conflict that he barely noticed the sound of something massive emerging from the water behind him. Despite the lurk¡¯s apparent nonchalance, Nick was certain that it would grow bored with intimidating him and strike at any moment, exacting its vengeance before climbing the final stretch of mountainside leading to the summit. Before he could come up with anything that might get him out of this mess, the decisive moment arrived. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. While this was a bad situation, he wasn¡¯t going down without a fight. Though the lurk was a fearsome foe, he had come a long way since the start of the tutorial. More than any other time in his ordeal, it was time to lean on every attribute point he had gained; every insight he had obtained into the nature of battle and conflict. Nick reached into his pack and pulled out his sword, edge flashing silver in the light of the sun. He took a deep breath and assumed a battle stance, holding his blade in front of him, ready to attack the instant that the lurk entered range. His odds were poor, but Nick shut out his thundering heartbeat, the wild surge of adrenaline crackling in his veins. I need to strike a critical point without getting eviscerated in the exchange. Taking out its good eye is my best shot. A heartbeat later, all time for preparation vanished like smoke on the breeze, and he steeled himself for the most dangerous battle of his life, his prayers rising to ride the mountain breeze. Still looking straight into Nick¡¯s eyes, the lurk lunged so fast that its body was reduced to a liquid blur of tooth and scale. He shifted his stance a fraction of a degree, ready to meet fate head-on, the odds be damned. The lurk¡¯s jaws opened wide, streaking down to bisect Nick in a single chomp. He focused with everything that he had, shutting out the screams of the lemurs and the splashes coming from behind his back. At the last possible moment, he leapt out of the way and lashed out with his blade, carving a gouge that ran all the way down one side of the lurk¡¯s skull, missing its eye by the width of his thumb. The massive beast roared in fury and reoriented on his position, ready to lunge for him again. Nick knew with absolute certainty that this time, the lurk wouldn¡¯t miss. For a fleeting moment, time slowed to a crawl, giving him an opportunity to fully appreciate the chaos that ensued half a heartbeat later, when help arrived from a most unexpected quarter. Before the lurk struck out again, the ocean next to the pass exploded. Faster than thought, eight colossal tentacles whipped through the air and wrapped tight around the lurk¡¯s body, catching the shaggy dinosaur and holding it aloft. Rising from the depths while the lurk was distracted by terrorizing Nick, the thing in the sea arrived on scene. Unlike the shark that had been devoured by the thing during his early days on the island, the lurk was not fated to go down without a fight. He could see the beast thrashing behind the elastic bands of flesh constricting its body, straining to break free from the crushing prison of tentacles. It was incredible that the lurk was able to hold its own in a contest of strength against the vastly bigger beast, even for a short while. Nick didn¡¯t have time to be impressed or to watch what happened next, as much as he would have wanted to witness the outcome of the struggle under other circumstances. He only had time to run. He had been granted an opportunity to escape from what had seemed like certain death, and he intended to take it. Tugging on the lemurs¡¯ hands to get them moving, he wove his way through the quivering appendages, each thicker than the full span of his arms. He could smell a salty musk emanating from the nightmarish squid monster, feel the vibration of its limbs as they strained to crush the life from the lurk¡¯s body. He could see the thing watching him with dozens of eyes covering its alien head, clustered around a serrated yellow beak that looked powerful enough to snap redwoods like dry twigs. The thing tracked Nick¡¯s progress as he moved along the trail, but fortunately, it didn¡¯t have the luxury of devouring him at the moment. It was terrifying ducking beneath and, at times, climbing over the appendages of a beast that could swallow him whole as a light snack and almost certainly would under any other circumstances. But he would have to process the surreal encounter later. He shut out his fear and other distracting sensations, focusing solely on moving past without being crushed by the thrashing coils or flung into the sea. With the overbearing tension of the situation, it felt like hours crept by as Nick fought to escape the battling beasts, although his trek past the struggling titans could not actually have taken longer than a minute. Even still, the delay almost let the rising swells catch him again. But at last, Nick and the lemurs squeezed past the final tentacle, running up the pass as fast as their legs would carry them. He eventually gave into the temptation to look back over his shoulder when a scream of primal rage shook the air hard enough to vibrate his teeth within his jaw. He turned in time to watch the writhing mass of tentacles erupt in a storm of inky blood. From the curtain of falling fluid, the profile of the lurk was revealed to his gaze. The beast had somehow managed to shear off an entire tentacle and was poised to move on to the next. With an ear-piercing scream, the thing threw the lurk away from its body before diving into the sea. The lurk was hurled a good thirty feet before it landed on a mountain trail, higher than the one it had been following. Unsurprisingly, despite its remarkable feat, the lurk had not escaped from the thing¡¯s ambush unscathed. Half of its talons had been shattered, and one arm dangled at its side, the bone broken in multiple places. It cast a baleful glare at Nick, then turned to scale the mountain. Somehow, he was certain that the lurk wasn''t done with him yet; that the thing''s intervention had bought him a reprieve but not an end to their rivalry. The realization filled him with rising dread, fear gripping his guts and squeezing tight. This time, Bandit was the one to pull on Nick¡¯s arm to get him moving. He snapped out of his daze and kept on running. At last, thirty minutes later, they rounded a final switchback and stepped onto the summit, ready to face the final moments of the tutorial¡¯s climax. Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Five: Summit What Nick witnessed when he set foot on the summit was unlike anything he had imagined or planned for. He hadn¡¯t had enough information to work with, and he needed to refine his strategy as quickly as possible. The first detail that drew his attention was the glowing silver portal suspended over the crater of the volcano. The radiant tear in space was sitting on a platform connected by three evenly spaced walkways that divided the surface of the summit like a pie graph. Floating above the portal, a countdown clock was ticking down, reading just a bit shy of eleven hours at present. Each walkway was sealed by a heavy gate that bordered the rim of the crater, which Nick supposed would open around the time that the clock reached zero. Realizing that Bandit had been tugging on his arm for some time now to get his attention, he turned to see what his friend was trying to show him. When he did, Nick finally understood what the spiders were planning, their efforts far exceeding his expectations. Around each of the gates leading to the walkways sat a bulky, web-woven barricade, similar to the structure that the spiders had spun to defend their hilltop during the battle for the highlands. For a second, he thought that the spiders intended to claim the entire mountaintop for themselves¡ªin which case Nick and the tribe were well and truly fucked. But then he noticed that the spiders were only occupying one of the fortifications they had woven, the one to Nick¡¯s left. To his right, the Elder and the other members of the lemur tribe who had survived their journey up the mountain were in the process of rearming themselves from a pile of rocks and stout wooden sticks. The spiders must have prepared this well in advance, he realized. However, the surprises had only just begun. For looming in the middle of the final silk stronghold, much to his astonishment, stood the lurk. The shaggy beast looked absolutely exhausted but was still deadly enough to slaughter Nick a dozen times over. He shook his head in wonder, trying to make sense of it all. Even after accepting all this strangeness, one factor still didn¡¯t add up. Why don¡¯t the spiders just climb over the gates and enter the portal early? Nick discovered the answer to his question when he went to take a closer look at the interior of the volcano. What he saw when he peered down into the crater could not have been further from his expectations. Instead of a roiling lake of lava, he looked down upon paradise. His gaze ran across a field of lush grass, trees laden with fresh fruit, and a stream providing clear, running water. Amidst the verdant valley, thousands of animals were lounging in the sunlight, seemingly without a care in the world. It¡¯s all the non-beast species on the island, he realized, solving the mystery of their disappearance over the last several days. The System gave them a way of surviving the tutorial after all. This must be the work of powerful magic. The System is testing us, not them, and it doesn¡¯t want to destroy the isle¡¯s ecosystem in the process. Maybe it wants to use this place as a tutorial again later. As shocking as this development was, it had nothing to do with why the spiders had fortified the mountaintop or why they hadn¡¯t moved down into the crater themselves. The answer to that riddle was the presence of an invisible forcefield that separated the crater¡¯s interior from the rest of the mountain. An impenetrable barrier that also covered the walkways sticking out from behind the gates. As Nick pushed against the transparent obstacle, the final piece of the puzzle fell into place. At last, he understood the fundamental nature of this challenge, if not the full scope of its intricacies. In a little less than half a day, the gates leading to the portal would open, and the tutorial would come to an end. Well before that happened, the water would finish climbing the mountainside, presumably stopping before it covered the lip of the summit. The problem was that the force-capped crater took up nearly all the space on the peak. As a result, there wasn¡¯t enough room up here for all the beasts taking part in the tutorial. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. If the spiders had skipped the battle for the highlands, far more beasts would have survived and climbed the mountain, pouring out onto the summit. No matter how well the spiders fortified their own position, they would have been overwhelmed by an avalanche of desperate beasts at that point. Especially as Nick and the tribe would have been slaughtered without the spiders¡¯ aid, replacing what was effectively a friendly force with a selection of the most dangerous predators on the island. The way that the intelligent arachnids had orchestrated events, a greatly diminished population of beasts had lived to reach the final battleground. By constructing two additional forts, the spiders had guaranteed that whatever moved inside them would have no interest in assaulting their own¡ªnot with the end of the tutorial so close at hand. Better still, the beasts arriving at various points along the summit were forced to divide their attacks between the three web-forts, taking yet more pressure off the spider colony. Nick suspected that the arachnids had originally intended the third bunker to be occupied by the serpent or frogs, as the lurk had laid low during the previous battles and its arrival had surprised them all. All the beasts that the colony had helped were smart enough to look out for their own interests instead of engaging in mindless aggression, and guarding a fortified position was a better proposition than participating in a wild free-for-all for the last bits of unclaimed space. Not to mention that the beneficiaries would owe the spiders a debt. If their paths crossed again, the survivors of the tutorial would be less inclined to see the colony as enemies. These thoughts passed through Nick¡¯s head as he followed Bandit over to the lemurs¡¯ fort. Although they had lost another twenty warriors during the climb, he was glad that most of the tribe had survived their latest trial. When he stepped behind the web-woven walls, he had another surprise in store. Defying his expectations, an obelisk sat beside the sealed gate, which appeared to be a replica of the one on the beach at one tenth of the scale. The lemurs stopped to touch it from time to time, confirming his suspicions that they had something comparable to his own System menus. While he fought to recover from his fatigue, Nick walked over to the obelisk, glad to discover that its display was full-sized. When he activated the screen, the thickest pack of notifications that he¡¯d seen yet awaited his eager perusal. Congratulations. You have accumulated enough experience to reach Level [8]. You have one free attribute point awaiting allocation at your discretion. Through rigorous training, you have conditioned your body, honed your psyche, and improved the following baseline attributes: Toughness has increased from [6] to [7]. Creativity has increased from [6] to [7]. Mind has increased from [7] to [8]. Through use, you have improved the following skills: Foraging has increased from [7] to [9]. Size Up has increased from [9] to [10]. Wand has increased from [4] to [5]. Holy shit. Nick grinned, taking in this most welcome surprise. He hadn¡¯t had time to check the obelisk while he was making his final preparations, but it seemed that all the foraging he¡¯d done had paid off. The rest of his gains must have come from the back-to-back battles in the highlands and his climb up the mountain. Another point of Toughness almost made the pain of his injuries worth it, and his Wand skill was steadily improving, though its progression was slowed by the device¡¯s limited charges. He was thrilled to have finally maxed out Size Up. Nick had really wanted to raise it to ten before he changed classes and lost the opportunity, although he honestly had no idea when that might happen. It was nice to see that his Foraging skill had gone up two points since the last time he looked. Ultimately, he only needed the skill to let him know what was safe to eat and what was poisonous, although the advice on how to gather various resources was nice too. But the real shocker was that, for the first time, he had discovered a concrete method of raising his baseline Mind and Creativity, which must have resulted from his intense visualization of the battle between the lemurs and komos. He wasn¡¯t sure how to boost them efficiently until he had time to experiment, but it was still a major step forward. Eventually, he wanted to learn how to train all his baseline attributes outside of combat, not only his physical stats. Nick had already decided to spend his next free point on Magic. He sent his intentions into the display, then sat down and concentrated on the sensation of his energetic core expanding and increasing in potency. Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Six: Level Eight Then, for the last time on the Searing Isle, Nick pulled up his full profile, marveling at how much he¡¯d grown since waking up on the beach with his memory in tatters. Contestant Profile: Nicholas ¡°Nick¡± Henry. Level: 8. Tier: 1. Species: Human of Earth (E). Class: Survivor (Basic). Base attribute points per level: 0. Free points per level: 1. Attributes
Strength: 7 Dexterity: 7 (9) Toughness: 7 (11)
Mind: 8 (10) Creativity: 7 Charisma: 5
Magic: 2 (4) ??? ???
Abilities Ability slots: 2 active, 1 passive, 1 free. Active abilities: Mana Dart (spell). No passive abilities have been acquired. Class Traits Survivor: You require 25% less food, water, oxygen, and sleep. Geneline Traits Gift of Tongues: You can understand and speak the languages of all intelligent creatures. Awakened to Magic: +1 to Magic. Versatile: +1 to all attributes. +1 free ability slot. Bloodline Traits None. Skills Wand: 5 Size Up: 10 Foraging: 9 Inventory (Common and above) Explorer¡¯s Boots (Common). Kastillan Dagger (Common). Adventurer¡¯s Toolbelt (Uncommon). Modifications: Self-maintenance. Charm of Muffling (Uncommon). Pugilist¡¯s Gloves (Uncommon). Modifications: Durable. Adventurer¡¯s Coat (Uncommon). Modifications: Durable. Self-maintenance. Cloak of Thermal Regulation (Uncommon). Modifications: Self-maintenance. Bag of Molding (Uncommon). Wand of Force (Uncommon). Modifications: Soulbound. Skill activation (Wand). ??? Sword. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. Eventually, Nick turned away from the screen and returned his attention to his preparations and recovery. The tutorial wasn¡¯t over yet, and he was certain that the System had something special in store for its final hours. As dusk fell, the shadows grew thick, and the water stopped rising at last, stopping just short of flooding the ring of dry stone surrounding the summit. After a final heave, the island settled into a stable configuration with a grinding that Nick could feel deep in his bones. The sinking had been slowing down for hours now, and he was relieved to see that the process was finally over. Looking out over the top of the web-woven barricade, he took in the sight of waves lapping against the narrow band of stone that bordered the summit like the rim of a cup. A brief battle ensued when a final group of beasts completed the climb at the last possible moment, fighting to claim the last bits of open ground. Apparently, a handful of the komos in the third valley had survived, along with a flock of the rabbit-like critters he¡¯d seen a few times. Fortunately, the frogs had been few in number to begin with, and only a couple of them were left. Nick didn¡¯t bother to watch the melee. Similar squabbles had been taking place ever since he¡¯d set foot onto the summit. However, few of the creatures had decided to launch an attack on the web-forts and their occupants in favor of challenging the beasts huddled in less defensible positions. None of the frogs attacked their position, and the lemurs standing guard were more than capable of dealing with a few scattered komos. He would have been willing to lend them a hand anyway. But his leg was throbbing and hurt like hell, thanks to his rough journey up the mountainside aggravating his injuries. Besides, the Elder seemed all right with Nick taking the night off, and he wasn¡¯t inclined to refute her kindness. He propped his head against his magic pack, stretching out while peering through the gaps in the web-woven fortress. This left him in the unusual position of watching the final hours of his survival tutorial on the Searing Isle tick past from a position of relative safety. It gave him a chance to reflect on what a long, strange trip his last month had been. He had changed more in the last four weeks than he had in the previous four years. Growing not only in the numbers listed on his profile but in myriad, less tangible aspects as well. Nick had gone his whole life trying to avoid conflict whenever possible. Now, he¡¯d grown used to experiencing turmoil on a daily basis. He even found himself savoring aspects of his new life¡ªthe excitement of making his way into a dangerous, magic-filled multiverse. He had even learned to enjoy combat, although he took no pleasure in inflicting death and pain. An insight that would have shocked his prior self all the way down to the core. Over the last, danger-filled month, he had learned to live off the land. How to fight for his life. He had honed his body and mind in ways that he¡¯d never dreamed possible. Most remarkable of all, Nick had gained the ability to wield the force of magic, like the characters he had played in his games. Now, he was leaving a life filled with games behind him forever, stepping into a new reality that was shockingly similar in certain aspects and radically alien in others. Stranger still, he had begun to internalize that this was only the beginning of his transformative journey. Assuming he survived, if Nick kept walking down this path, he would one day look in the mirror and discover that he¡¯d become someone beyond the boundary of his imagination. When he stepped through the portal tomorrow, he would begin searching for a way back home, helping humanity adapt to their new life as part of the System. To begin exploring the Labyrinth, the realm of Taltos, the Mad God. A bizarre being utterly beyond his understanding. He only hoped that he was ready to rise to the challenge. Nick savored the last fading glory of the most spectacular sunset he had ever seen, then nodded to himself. While his wounds still ached, his stamina and mana had begun to recover. He was ready to face the night and everything that would follow with the breaking of dawn. Despite his determination, the twilight hours proved to be even more peaceful than the dusk that had preceded them. Every beast on the island had fought long and hard to reach this point, and each desperately wanted to rest while they could. Battered and bloody, the survivors of the tutorial huddled together for warmth, waiting for the sun to rise. With Bandit at his side, Nick set his head against his pack, staring up at foreign constellations spanning the limitless heavens. Searching for the pale blue dot of the world of his birth. His thoughts were filled with memories of the people he had lost. Of a home that was so far away. Nick drifted in and out of consciousness, straddling the boundary between dream and waking life, as the timer over the portal ticked down toward zero. He knew that he should be using these final moments to plot and plan. To eke out any advantage that he could in the little time he had left. But he was simply too exhausted to bring his thoughts into focus. He let his mind drift as he took in the surreal scene playing out before his eyes. He must have fallen asleep eventually. When Nick opened his eyes, the cries of seabirds arose to accompany the lapping of the waves, and he knew that dawn was not far off. He rose to his feet, glad to discover that the pain in his leg had diminished during his rest. He polished off the last of his provisions, waved good morning to the Elder, then turned to look at the portal. The time on the clock was now just a few seconds shy of four hours. Enjoying the relative peace engulfing the summit, he hoped that the final minutes of the tutorial would be as peaceful as the hours that preceded them. But matters were not fated to be resolved so simply. Instead of glowing red with the coming of dawn, the horizon remained as dark as ink. Nick pulled out his spyglass and took a long look at the place where sea met sky. When he realized what he was looking at, a bolt of fear shot down his spine, filling his veins with electric adrenaline and icy dread. Streaking toward the summit of the Searing Isle was a raging searstorm that put the others he had seen to shame. The eastern skyline roiled with angry, green clouds¡ªa nebulous host, filling the air from sea to stratosphere. Purple lightning erupted without cessation within the brooding stormfront¡ªwild, horizon-spanning bolts, each containing the unbridled fury of nature¡¯s wrath. He lowered his spyglass as a sinking feeling arose within his chest, just as the first lick of hot wind brushed his cheek like a lover¡¯s caress. The churning storm was mingling with the atmosphere above, drawing in air that was warm and wet, like the breath of a living creature. Nick had been hoping that the next storm would strike after the tutorial was over. Tracking the progress of the army of clouds, he became certain that his hopes were in vain. By now, he could feel the pressure dropping by the heartbeat from somewhere deep inside his ear. ¡°Well¡­¡± He turned to Bandit, who was looking out with a grim expression plastered on his furry face. ¡°Shit,¡± he concluded, as there really wasn¡¯t anything else to say about the matter. Bandit let out an aggravated whuff that Nick correctly interpreted as agreement. Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Seven: Fury of the Storm At the Elder¡¯s command, the tribe surged into motion, racing to prepare themselves before the boiling rain broke over them. Truthfully, there wasn¡¯t much they could do that would help. After shifting around some debris to reinforce the web-walls, the lemurs moved to huddle against the steel frame of the gate, using the dome of force capping the summit to shield them from the brunt of the rising gale. Nick didn¡¯t have many resources left in his pack, but he did have a decent number of vines that he¡¯d gathered over the past few days. He took them out of his bag, spent a few minutes deciding where they would do the most good, then went to work. He looped the vines around the logs that formed the framework of the shelter, reinforcing the webbing that ran between them, then tying them off as tight as he could. It made the structure a bit sturdier than before. Hopefully, it would be strong enough to last until the portal opened. He wracked his brain, trying to come up with anything else that would improve the tribe¡¯s odds of survival, or failing that, at least bolster his own. Nick invented and discarded a dozen plans out of hand while watching the storm close its fist around the isle, crossing the sky faster by the heartbeat. There aren¡¯t enough resources up here to further reinforce our shelter. Even if there were, there isn¡¯t time to build anything substantial. Not that I have the tools I¡¯d need regardless. When the rain starts to fall, most of us are going to be dead within minutes. It was, in short, a bad situation. One that was becoming more hopeless by the heartbeat as the massive weather system streaked across the sky. The best plan that he¡¯d been able to come up with was to prop his back against the gate, angle his bag over his head, then drape his cloak across the top. So far, Nick¡¯s backpack had proven to be even more resilient than his Toughness-modified armor. With any luck, it wouldn¡¯t get hot either, and the cloak could help cool the air that blew through the gaps. Maybe, just maybe, there would be enough room for Bandit too, but Nick couldn¡¯t come up with any way to save the rest. A few lemurs might survive by hiding under the bodies of the fallen, but even that seemed like a slim hope at best. In the end, most of the tribe would have died without question if the spiders hadn¡¯t decided to lend their assistance yet again. Because that was when six arachnids that were built differently from the others he had seen arrived, guarded by the massive Bulwark. Strangely, the lemur tribe didn¡¯t seem too alarmed by their presence, although some cast uneasy glances in the direction of the powerful warrior. Nick wondered if the beasts had a rudimentary means of communicating with one another beyond his ability to understand. It would explain several interactions that had mystified him until that moment. But there wasn¡¯t time for speculation now. The storm was fast approaching. Thinking back to their prior encounter, he turned and bowed to the Bulwark. The spider had saved his life during his run in with the Cruncher Alpha. Nick had returned the favor in kind, cementing their alliance in the process. The powerful arachnid bowed back, then went to work alongside the smaller spiders, who revealed themselves to be weaving specialists¡ªthe spider colony¡¯s version of combat engineers, who had been responsible for erecting their various web-forts and other defenses. As the dark legion of clouds surged across the roiling skies, the weavers built a waterproof sheet over the top of the circular barricade. It was strange to watch the gigantic spiders spin a web from up close, like Nick was looking up from a fly¡¯s perspective. He was in awe of the colony¡¯s proficiency. In addition to being fearsome fighters, the spiders were expert craftsmen. Their silk was such a versatile tool, serving as both a building material and a direct threat on the battlefield. It let the spiders fortify any position they desired within a matter of minutes and likely had myriad other uses beyond his understanding, in addition to the traps laid by ordinary spiders. Nick was doubtful that the sheet of webbing over his head would be sufficient to shield them from a storm of that magnitude. But it turned out that the first layer was only the initial step because the spiders continued to weave at a frantic pace when the primary barrier was finished. Moments before the first boiling drops fell from the inky skies above, the weavers completed laying down the final swath, reinforced a few joints in the walls, then retreated to bunker down inside their own fortification. Nick was so tense that he couldn¡¯t stop shaking, but at least his death now seemed probable instead of certain. Over his head stretched a triple-layer waterproof dome, and the walls of the fort were twice as thick as before. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Despite the seriousness of his situation, he found himself curious as to whether the spiders would offer the lurk the same courtesy and whether the hulking beast would tolerate their presence in order to receive it. However, the lurk required no further charity. As Nick watched on, the powerful predator used its intact talons to cut half of the fort¡¯s walls into segments, then wrapped them tight around its body before ducking beneath the rest of the silk. The furry lurk now looked like a giant wearing a raincoat who was standing beneath a tarp. While the spiders had saved the lemurs and the lurk, the rest of the beasts on the summit were not so fortunate. Although they had survived the brutal free-for-all the night before, now, only two hours before the end of the tutorial, their luck had finally run out. Nick put his hands over his ears to shut out the screams when the first drops of searing rain struck the summit. The panicked cries fell silent fifteen minutes later, when the true stormfront broke over the mountain and a steaming deluge poured from the sky. Although the beasts that perished would have been more than happy to end his life, he couldn¡¯t help feeling sorry for them. Even the brutal komos, who had harassed him relentlessly since his first day on the island, didn¡¯t deserve to meet such a grisly end. A cruel twist of fate by any accounting. He wondered if he was witnessing the extinction of a species before turning his thoughts aside from such morbid topics. He prayed that the grim event wasn¡¯t foreshadowing the fate of humanity as well. But that was all the time for reflection that Nick was given. Because that was when a fierce, all-consuming struggle for survival began. As the storm intensified, promising that the worst was yet to come, the wind began to howl, shrieking as it pummeled the summit. The gusts were so intense that he was terrified the webbing would break, despite its incredible resilience. He wouldn¡¯t survive five minutes past that point. The wind would pick him up and send him flying, crashing into the ocean after being flung for miles. Not that he would live long enough for the fall to end him¡ªthe boiling rain would see to that. While Nick was watching the storm overhead, the lemurs had stationed themselves beside the wooden beams reinforcing the web-walls, holding the bracings in place every time they shifted in the storm winds. The gale was a lethal threat, but the purple lightning was equally bad news. This close, the incessant booms were deafening, and the panoply of bolts were blinding. Electric afterimages were seared into his retinas every time he looked up to track the searstorm¡¯s advance. Within a few short minutes, the ringing in his ears made it hard to hear anything else. His heartbeat came fast and wild as he gazed upon the full fury of nature¡¯s wrath, alien planet style. As bad as the wind and lightning were, it wouldn¡¯t have been a searstorm if the water wasn¡¯t hot enough to reduce Nick to stew. Early on, the summit had been buffered by pockets of intermingling air, where the pressure zones converged. But this close to the stormfront, the sea breeze no longer provided any relief. It was already hot as hell, and the temperature was climbing by the minute. What had started off as a sauna soon became a suffocating, searing veil that threatened to scorch his lungs before he thought to try breathing through his cloak as a filter, which reduced the blistering heat from unbearable to merely painful. This ordeal gave Nick a renewed appreciation for the resilience of the surviving beasts. Even with his heavy investment into Toughness, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to endure the storm without the aid of his cloak, keeping his flesh from cooking and his organs from shutting down. Peering past the blinding rain, he looked through the forcefield and saw that there were just fifty-two minutes left on the clock. The portal beckoned to him like a beacon of salvation along a deadly, desolate shore. As tough as they were, the lemurs looked absolutely miserable, and several of their wounded had succumbed to their injuries and perished since the storm began. The final trial of the tutorial was less combat-oriented than Nick had expected. He had also been wrong about the volcano playing a role, due to the unusual situation inside the crater. While the battles that had taken place over the last two days had been brutal, terrifying, and chaotic, this final trial of endurance was even worse. With every breath he took, Nick fought against the urge to break down completely. Knowing that at any moment, the wind might carry away their silken shield and let the full fury of the storm engulf him. The ordeal would have been unbearable if it wasn¡¯t for the countdown clock hovering over the portal. It let him know that time was still passing; that if he could hold out for just a little longer, he would have a chance to escape from this place once and for all. He sat there, shaking beneath the storm-wracked skies, as the clock finally hit the half-hour mark. It was a much-needed boost to Nick¡¯s morale. At long last, the tutorial was nearing its end. Not long after, he noticed that the wind was dying down, although the raging storm was still right on top of the isle. He was foolish enough to sigh and say, ¡°I think the worst is finally over.¡± He immediately realized that this was a blatant death flag. ¡°Just kidding,¡± he added. While Nick doubted that the System was responding to his thoughts, his prediction was as premature as it was unwise. As it happened, the worst was far from over. The worst was yet to come. It was a fact he would come to fully appreciate only seven seconds later. Because that was when Nick looked out over the ocean, where a cyclone the size of a small continent was tearing its way across the waves like destruction incarnate. It was, of course, heading right toward him. Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Eight: Race to the Portal Nick knew deep in his bones that the timing was no coincidence; that the raging vortex of water and wind would arrive at the same moment that the clock hit zero and the gateways opened. The cyclone would engulf the mountain, transforming the walkway leading from his gate to the portal from an easy stroll into the most dangerous obstacle course that he could imagine. Nick watched the spiraling maelstrom of mind-boggling proportion obliterate the final traces of blue sky in the distance, erasing the world of light from horizon to horizon. The conflux that had briefly shielded the summit from the headwinds fell away, dissipating completely when the clock hit the ten-minute mark. Battered by the full fury of the storm once more, the wind began tearing into the webwork, pulling it apart layer by layer, like the fingers of a furious giant. His heart pounded in time with the gusts slamming into the spiders¡¯ handiwork, striking with the power of an artillery barrage. At eight minutes remaining, the top layer of the silken roof was ripped away. The second followed shortly after. By this time, the body of the cyclone had become a raging black wall of staggering scale, shutting out the sun so utterly that the world became darker than pitch, veiled by a midnight curtain of ever-churning clouds. The summit was encased in screaming murk, which only made the immense pressure worse. Nick¡¯s blindness was punctuated by intermittent flashes of lightning, turning the world a brilliant purple before casting it into darkness even blacker than before. At two minutes left on the clock, the final anchors supporting the web-fort snapped and the threads began to unravel; the spider¡¯s silk pulled taut and beyond its limit at last. The entire edifice was going to give way at any moment, subjecting them to the scalding wrath of the storm overhead. But Nick didn¡¯t have time to worry about this pressing problem. At the moment, he was busy tossing every bit of debris that he could find into his pack, racing to fill the bag to its one-hundred-pound capacity before he was forced to brave the hurricane winds while fighting to reach the portal. He stopped when he realized that he couldn¡¯t shove the shattered spear he was clutching into the mouth of the bag. The storage inside was maxed out. As the final layer of webbing tore down the middle, Nick rose to his feet and slipped his pack onto his back, pulling the straps as tight as they would go. He glanced at the clock and saw that only forty-eight seconds remained. The web-fort was going to collapse within heartbeats. The last strands of silk were pulling apart like taffy in the periphery of his vision. ¡°Okay. Climb aboard!¡± He gestured frantically to Bandit, hoping that the lemur understood the situation well enough to grasp what he was trying to tell him. To Nick¡¯s relief, Bandit leapt and landed on his pack, grabbing the straps tight between his hands. He took an experimental step, so weighed down that he could barely move. Nick hoped that it would be enough to keep the storm winds from lifting him off the platform, although his efforts felt laughable compared to the overwhelming power of the superstorm. At least the lightning was striking so frequently that it was easy to maintain his bearings, blasting the dome of force over the crater every few seconds. Huddling in the last stable corner of the disintegrating web-fort, the lemurs had adopted a different tactic. The tribe had spent the last several minutes breaking off to form teams of five¡ªunits that would attempt the crossing together, where they were close enough to support one another. Nick grimaced when he noticed that all the seriously injured lemurs had been grouped together, although he understood the Elder¡¯s position. Any other arrangement would increase the casualties they were certain to take, and the Elder had to prioritize the survival of the tribe over all other considerations. She was clearly upset by the situation, judging by the mournful glances she kept making at the unfortunate bunch. This was the true burden of leadership, something that Nick had yet to experience for himself. All such thoughts were erased from his mind half a heartbeat later, when he looked at the portal and saw that only seven seconds were left on the clock. Unfortunately, it only took another two seconds before the web-fortress collapsed, log-studded silk soaring up to dance amid the clouds surging across the sky. With nothing to blunt its impact, the wind hit them like a fist, hard enough to throw Nick right off the mountain, scattering the lemurs like dust on the breeze. They all would have died in that moment if it weren¡¯t for the Elder¡¯s foresight. An instant before the webbing gave way, she wedged herself into the frame of the gateway, holding onto both sides with her feet. Both of her hands were grasping those of her elite guard, forming a daisy chain of interlocking limbs, with the Elder¡¯s incredible strength serving as the linchpin that kept everything together. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. The maneuver was so impressive that Nick would have wondered if the lemurs¡¯ leader was using multiple abilities if he wasn¡¯t in the process of being violently dragged across the face of the summit. Holding onto the hand of the lemur beside him for dear life, the long line of primates whipped about like the tail of a kite. The screaming gale that had slammed into the mountain subsided when the clock hit zero, bringing Nick and the airborne members of the tribe back down to the ground, just as the gate groaned and swung open. This marked the start of a mad dash across the walkway. Before he could make it to the gate, the storm winds slammed into them again. With them came a searing curtain of rain. Bandit and Nick cried out as the boiling deluge broke over them. Shutting out the incandescent agony, he passed through the gate, stepping onto the pathway alongside the tribe. As he passed the threshold, the rain cut off abruptly, providing blessed relief. It turned out that the dome of force covered the walkways as well, creating three tunnels leading from the summit to the portal. While the transparent barrier shielded Nick from the rain and lightning, the wind was another matter. Violent gusts surged back and forth, wailing as they flew into the tube. One second, the storm was pulling him back out onto the summit. The next, it was threatening to send him flying forward, past the portal, and down one of the other pathways. Nick fought for every step, the combined weight of Bandit and his pack barely keeping his feet on the ground, at least for now. Although the portal ahead demanded the lion¡¯s share of his attention, a piece of his brain couldn¡¯t help but take in the strange scene unfolding all around him. It was just so intense. So surreal. Above him, the angry skies writhed like a living being, fey bolts of violet lightning dancing across the face of the turbulent heavens. The advancing cyclone was only seconds away from engulfing the summit. When it arrived, the pressure would suck the beasts back out of the tunnels like water through a straw. Nick had to reach the portal before that happened, or he would die without a doubt. Only the shield formed by the dome of force had kept him from being carried into the sky already. Down one walkway streamed a triple line of spiders, with the massive Bulwark and the golden queen striding down the middle of their formation. Down the other lane surged the lurk, still shrouded in a cloak of webbing. Nick had no idea how the beast had endured the searstorm and the hurricane that followed. He could only admire the tenacity and resolve of the magnificent hunter. Below his boots, the island¡¯s animals scampered across the volcano¡¯s crater with total serenity, shielded by a solid layer of forcefield. Nick shook his head in wonder as he took in predators passing beside herbivores with no hostility to their movements, oblivious to the epic struggle taking place above their heads. The System must be keeping the peace. He set his gaze upon the portal, fighting to get there in time. In the end, this final trial claimed far fewer victims than those that had preceded it. Although they had to race the cyclone while battling the wind tearing through the open gates, the crossing was easier than Nick had anticipated. A rare act of mercy by the System. As a result, the lemur tribe was able to assist their wounded. One unlucky pair was dragged out of the passage and devoured by the raging skies, but everyone else made it to the portal and disappeared into its silvery depths. That same gust nearly pulled him outside too, erasing some of his progress. He dove onto his stomach and gripped the edge of the walkway, Bandit shrieking madly all the while, until the surge passed, and he was able to scramble forward once more. Ten seconds later, he crossed the final stretch of walkway and stood before the portal. Despite everything¡ªthe long odds and terrifying days on the Searing Isle¡ªhe¡¯d made it to the end of the tutorial. At long last, Nick would leave this world behind him and discover what fate had in store for the survivors of the human race. Before he could take the final four steps and leap into the light, he felt a thump conducting through the metal beneath his boots. He looked up and realized that the lurk was standing beside him, having arrived at the portal at the exact same moment. Outlined by the immense vortex, contrasting against the lightning, the lurk turned to consider him. Nick¡¯s approach was cut off. If he tried to run past, the beast¡¯s jaws would close around him half a heartbeat before he could reach whatever safety lay on the other side of the glowing aperture. He conjured two Mana Darts while staring at his nemesis, the suction increasing by the second. Any moment, it would pull Nick back outside and into the storm. He was bone-weary and battered; burned and so tired that his limbs felt like rubber. But the lurk was in bad shape too. It was down an eye, an arm, and a set of talons. It was covered in countless blisters and bite wounds that Nick hadn¡¯t been close enough to see until that moment. He knew with absolute certainty that if either of them pressed their vendetta, they were both going to die. By now, Nick thought that he had a sense of the lurk¡¯s personality. The creature was incredibly intelligent and prideful to a fault, but it wasn¡¯t reckless or cruel. If it came for him now, it would be the end of them both, and a stalemate would be just as fatal. Praying that he was reading this right, he raised his open palms and fired both spells into the passage behind him. ¡°How about we call it a draw, just for today?¡± The lurk bent down low to look Nick straight in the eye, its gaze conveying frustration, simmering alongside a grudging respect. The recognition of a rivalry that could only be settled when both sides were at their best. Meanwhile, Bandit was freaking out, clearly believing that Nick had gone insane. He must have read the situation right in the end, because instead of tearing into the man¡¯s torso like a meat pi?ata, the furry bastard made a gesture, implying that they would meet again one day; that the lurk would prove it was the superior hunter before it claimed his life. Then it grunted and stepped into the portal. Nick and a screaming Bandit followed suit a fraction of a second later. Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Nine: Tyrannical Twist When Nick¡¯s senses unscrambled, he found himself standing in someone¡¯s living room. It was simultaneously the most normal and the most bizarre setting he¡¯d seen since his new life began. He looked over his shoulder, only to discover that Bandit was gone, spirited away to wherever the rest of the tribe had vanished. He looked around in disbelief, the wild racing of his pulse slowly steadying. The contrast between the summit and this room was staggering, to the extent that he was having trouble processing what he was seeing. Everything is so¡­ ordinary. A lounge chair. A comfy couch. A fire crackling merrily in the hearth. One second, Nick had been fighting for his life against the unbridled power of the searstorm, and the next, he was completely safe. Cozy and warm. Surrounded by the relics of his former life. Looking at the family portraits on the walls, depicting people and places that likely no longer existed, he expected someone to walk in and tell him that he¡¯d been in a coma or caught in the throes of a psychotic break. But the gear on his body, the pack on his back, and the pain of his wounds were evidence that everything that had happened to him was real. Whatever was going on, it didn¡¯t change what Nick was going to do next. Uncaring of the grime caked across his body, he set down his pack and plopped into the recliner. He took the weight off his feet, enjoying the realization that, for now, nothing was trying to kill him. After a month of sleeping on rocks, needles, and branches, the chair felt miraculously soft. Putting all his questions and concerns on hold, Nick sank into the cushions, letting the stress in his muscles melt away. He sat there for what must have been hours when a message appeared in front of his eyes. For the first time in what felt like ages, the System was the bearer of good news instead of bad. Nick broke into a broad grin as he started to read. System Message: Quest update. Congratulations. You have completed the quest: ¡°System Tutorial.¡± This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it Additional bonus objectives completed: Taking this into account, your performance has been rated as: Exemplary. Additional experience and essence have been awarded. Distributing [Gold] quest reward and bonus [Copper] and [Iron] quest rewards¡­ ¡°Hold that thought,¡± a voice echoed across the chamber as a door in the wall cracked open. A door that hadn¡¯t been there until that moment. The voice was eerily familiar. Nick knew that he¡¯d heard it before, but he couldn¡¯t quite place it. Before he could collect his thoughts, a figure stepped through and entered the room, taking a seat in the chair facing Nick. Too exhausted to think straight, he didn¡¯t even try to make sense of what was happening. Instead, he took a long look at the person sitting across from him. It was a man with long white hair, streaked here and there with bands of gray. He wore a blue silk coat, dark pants, and worn brown boots. Despite the normalcy of his appearance, Nick was certain that the man wasn¡¯t human. He projected an atmosphere of menace and unimaginable power. Nick had the sense that there were endless worlds circling behind him, trapped in his aura like rats in a cage; that if he were so inclined, the man could end Nick¡¯s life without batting an eye. That was when he remembered where he¡¯d last heard the voice. Adrenaline surged into his arteries as alarm bells resounded inside his head. It was the same voice that he¡¯d heard booming out from the void during the final moments of his orientation. Taltos. ¡°Hello, Nick.¡± The Mad God met Nick¡¯s gaze. His mind reeled, struggling to take in this latest twist as Taltos offered him a Cheshire cat grin. ¡°How lovely to see you again. Congratulations on surviving your tutorial. It¡¯s time for us to have a friendly chat about the fate of your home world.¡± Despite his disorientation, those words demanded Nick¡¯s full attention. He listened with every fiber of his being as the Mad God¡¯s eyes stared into his own. ¡°But before we get to that, how would you like to slip out of that basic class and into something more¡­ comfortable? I have an offer that is simply to die for. Quite literally in this case.¡± END OF BOOK ONE Book two release date and cover reveal Here is today''s bonus content, the cover reveal for book two. Tomorrow will be a much larger piece of content, concept art from the first half of book one. Check out the update below the image if you didn''t read yesterday''s author''s note. The following information was included in yesterday''s author¡¯s note, but I¡¯m posting it again since not everyone reads them, and I want everyone to have the details regarding the launch of book two (the first chapter comes out on 2/6). If you¡¯ve already read this, I¡¯ll see you tomorrow for the first big piece of bonus content, concept art from the first half of book one. Thanks.
We did it everyone! At long last, we¡¯ve arrived at the end of book one and reached the conclusion of Nick¡¯s tutorial. But his epic adventure has only just begun. I¡¯m taking one week off before launching book two on February 6th, but there will be some bonus content on every scheduled release day until then to help tide you over. When book two starts next week, there will be fresh challenges and major rewards coming down the pipeline. Nick will gain a shiny new class and some powerful items and abilities, all over the next few weeks. What you can expect from book two: I wanted to take a few minutes to reflect on how far we¡¯ve come before we chat about the future. Labyrinth of the Mad God was the first book that I¡¯ve shared with other people. It means so much to me that so many of you have been enjoying Nick¡¯s journey. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. I¡¯ve learned a ton along the way, thanks to all the insightful comments, corrections, and suggestions that you''ve left. Listening to you has made me a better writer, and I¡¯ll work hard to keep improving as I keep pumping out those chapters 5 days a week. Thank you so, so much. You¡¯ve helped to make this story so much better than it would have been without your participation and feedback. Your encouragement and advice have been invaluable. I still have a long way to go, but thanks to your help, I¡¯m one step closer to my dream of writing full time, and I¡¯m optimistic about the future. The first book was mostly a solo story while Nick went through the tutorial and learned how to survive in his new, magic-filled, reality. But now the isolation is over, and the training wheels come off. We¡¯ll be meeting a lot of new characters soon, and the danger and rewards are about to be dialed up to 11. If you don¡¯t want to wait to get started on all the fun, the patreon is already well into the first new arc. On that note, the patreon will be expanded soon, and then again sometime during book two, fulfilling a long-term promise. A lot of crazy stuff is going to happen from this point on, and I hope to see you there. That being said, if you¡¯ve been enjoying Nick¡¯s story so far, and want to help make sure that the series succeeds over the long-term, I have a special favor to ask today. If you haven¡¯t had a chance to follow or rate the story yet, and would be willing to do it now, it would be tremendously helpful at this critical stage of the novel¡¯s growth (It¡¯s also super motivating to see that people are enjoying the book and really puts a smile on my face). My deepest thanks to everyone who has clicked those buttons already. You¡¯ve helped put the story in front of fresh eyes, and I am in your debt. If you have a few extra minutes and want to help out even more, some reviews from people who have enjoyed the first book in its entirety would be a fantastic asset right now, helping me take the success of LotMG to the next level and beyond. I know that the story isn¡¯t perfect. I¡¯m still learning every day and working hard to improve my craft. But I gave this book everything that I had, and I¡¯ve been tweaking it ever since day one. I deeply, truly hope that you have enjoyed it so far along with all of Nick¡¯s adventures to come. Thank you so much for your ongoing support. I hope that you like the bonus content, and I¡¯ll see you next week for the start of book two! All the best, Magnus Grey Concept Art Part 1 The first chapter of book two comes out on 2/6. To help tide you over, there are four pieces of bonus content coming, starting with today''s, which is concept art from the first half of book one. These images are some of the ones I generated while brainstorming various scenes and settings. They are included entirely for fun and will never be monetized or profited from in any way. They will never be as good as your imagination, so if you see something that isn''t quite the way you pictured it, stick with the version that naturally comes to mind. I hope you enjoy them! Nick on the night before integration. Angie The shroud of annihilation. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. Pax the momentary mentor. Nick''s first day on the Searing Isle. Close encounter of the komo kind. The lurk, king of beasts. The first night of Nick''s new life. The great tree. The ocean is lucky! ... or maybe not (the thing in the sea). Shipwreck and plunder. Salvation for savaged feet. Nick regains the use of fire. That''s it for today everybody. See you tomorrow for the next piece of bonus content, concept art from the second half of the book. Concept Art Part 2 The first chapter of book two comes out on 2/6. To help tide you over, there are three more pieces of bonus content coming. Today''s is concept art from the second half of book one. These images are some of the ones I generated while brainstorming various scenes and settings. They are included entirely for fun and will never be monetized or profited from in any way. They will never be as good as your imagination, so if you see something that isn''t quite the way you pictured it, stick with the version that naturally comes to mind. I hope you enjoy them! 1: The sewers of Kastilla. 2: Zombie ratman. 3: From deep below to deep under. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. 4: A night on the beach. 5: The island after the water rises. 6: The bonecruncher pack. 7: The obelisk. 8: The lemur tribe. 9: The great sleepshroom. 10: Making komo jerky. 11: Searstorm over the mountain. 12: Race to the portal. That''s it for today everybody. See you tomorrow for the next piece of bonus content, an interlude with Nick and Bandit. An Interlude with Nick and Bandit: Book One Recap ¡°Hi everybody, it¡¯s Nick. I¡¯m here with Bandit to give you a quick rundown on what happened in book one before the first chapter of book two comes out in a few days. I know that we just finished the first volume, but these recaps should be helpful later on, especially for people who aren¡¯t reading the books back-to-back. If you¡¯re all caught up, you can skim or skip this review and I¡¯ll see you back in the safe room where we left off, where some wild stuff is about to go down. What¡¯s that little buddy? Ok, I¡¯ll tell them. Bandit wants you to know that even though he won¡¯t be appearing much in volume two, he is off having his own crazy adventures and that we haven¡¯t seen the last of the lemur tribe. Fine, I''ll talk to the author and see if I can get you a few intermission scenes in book 2. Alright, enough with the preamble. It¡¯s time to get this recap rolling. Our story began on a night like any other. I was just wrapping up an epic gaming marathon when I passed out in front of my computer. I had the weirdest dream ever, where I watched the story of life on Earth. From that very first spark, all the way until the present day. Earth was busy processing cosmic energy all the while, and as I watched, floating above it all, the planet¡¯s core reached critical mass and the Earth hit level one. What¡¯s that Bandit? No, I don¡¯t need to tell them that this is going to be important to the plot. It¡¯s already heavily implied. Anyway, when I woke up, a quest prompt from the System was floating in my vision, telling me to jump into a portal before I was erased by these killer beams of light. During the chaos, one of the beams killed my girlfriend Angie, vaporizing her right in front of my eyes before I escaped through a portal in my closet. Thanks Bandit, I appreciate the sentiment. I¡¯m sure that she would have liked you too. While I floated in the space between worlds, the System made some crazy changes to my body, giving me attributes, geneline traits, and unlocking the ability to use magic. It totally blew my mind. When the System was done rewriting my DNA, the Earth was assigned a mentor. A benevolent goddess known as Astra the Green Mother. I thought that the worst was over, but that¡¯s when things really started to go downhill. I was in the middle of my orientation, getting shown the ropes of life in the multiverse by a cool lady called Pax, when Taltos made his appearance. Yes Bandit, they know that Mad God a key player in our story, it¡¯s right in the title. Moving on, Taltos hacked the System and stole the Earth from Astra. We haven¡¯t learned what he has in store for our little blue planet just yet, but something tells me that we¡¯re about to find out. No Bandit, that isn¡¯t a spoiler. It¡¯s called foreshadowing and it¡¯s a good way to¡­ never mind, I¡¯ll explain it to you later. Anyway, Taltos modded the settings for our tutorial, locking us into basic classes and dialing the difficulty up to eleven, before shoving me into another portal. I woke up on the beach of the Searing Isle, with more holes in my memory than Swiss cheese and only my trusty bathrobe on my back. They didn¡¯t even give me shoes for fuck¡¯s sake. I got super dehydrated while I was trying to figure everything out and was almost eaten by these giant lizards I wound up calling komos. I ran for my life before being saved by the lemur tribe, which is where I met my new best friend, Bandit. What¡¯s that little buddy? Fine. To be precise, Bandit saved my life again a few minutes later, by giving me some fresh fruit to keep me going. Although he might have just been hoping to score another cookie. No Bandit, I don¡¯t have any more. You will have to ask Pax the next time you see her. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. Not long after, I ran into a furry dinosaur called the lurk and realized that I was a lot further away from home than I thought. I spent a few days learning how to survive in the wild and hit level two. That was when I was forced into the tutorial dungeon by the lurk and nasty bit of weather known as a searstorm. I was super under leveled for the dungeon, but for a bunch of reasons that made sense at the time, I decided to explore the Sewers of Kastilla anyway. I wound up killing a bunch of gross zombie ratmen, who were possessed by a creepy parasitic lifeform capable of destroying entire civilizations. I think it was called the crimson blight. I got beaten and battered and almost died on several occasions. I beat the rat boss by the skin of my teeth, which is where I picked up my trusty sword, leather jacket, and magic backpack. Yes Bandit, I¡¯m sure you would have kicked his ass if you had been there. After an unplanned swim through shark-infested waters, I made it back to the Searing Isle, only to find out that the beach had sunk while I was exploring the dungeon. At that point, I had no choice other than to scout out the dangerous interior of the island, starting with the southern forest. I spent a few days training my skills and investigating the woods before I took on a pack of giant hyena-boars known as bonecrunchers. What Bandit? Yea, I really hate them too. With some clever traps and a bit of luck, I eliminated the pack and claimed their cave for my base, then got busy preparing for the tutorial¡¯s final phase. I worked hard, leveled a bunch more, and raised my skills and attributes. I even wound up pulling a fast one over on the lurk to claim my first gold chest. That¡¯s how I obtained my first ability, mana dart, which is a super cool spell if I do say so myself. During the tutorial¡¯s third phase, the water rose again, forcing the beasts on the island to fight it out in the highlands, before we could climb the big mountain in the middle of the isle. With Bandit and the lemur tribe at my side, we had to battle a bunch of komos and more bonecrunchers. It was a brutal brawl, and we probably would have died if we hadn¡¯t had our asses saved by a colony of giant spiders, who wound up being a lot friendlier than I expected. I got chomped on the knee by a cruncher, had a breakthrough with my mind and creativity, then had to climb the mountain while the island kept right on sinking. We made it up to the summit after a scarry reunion with the lurk and a giant squid monster I call the thing in the sea. On top of the mountain, we finally found the portal leading off the island. Before we could jump through, we had to endure a supersized version of a searstorm, which isn¡¯t my idea of a good time, but we made it through in the end. When I leapt into portal, I found myself in some dude¡¯s living room. Just before the curtain fell, Taltos, the Mad God himself, walked through the door. I totally didn¡¯t see that coming, even if Bandit thinks it was obvious. Taltos made some cryptic remarks about the fate of the Earth and offered me a chance to get a better class, but I was cruelly cliffhangered before we could get to the good part. Ok, that¡¯s it for today¡¯s recap. Thanks to everyone who stuck with me until the end and to all of our readers who have supported us along the way. If you enjoyed this adventure and want to see more of it, kindly consider following the story, leaving a rating or review, or mentioning it to your friends. We can¡¯t do it without your help. Anyway, see you in a few days, book two starts on 2/6. Bye for now. What Bandit? No, I don¡¯t think the story would do that much better if you were the protagonist instead. Don¡¯t complain to me little buddy, those decisions are way above my paygrade. What, my mike is still on? I need to press the button by the¡­¡± (This is Bandit''s original size. The lemurs are bigger now.) Nicks complete (longform) profile at the end of book one. Want to see everything Nick is carrying, down to every last tool and scrap of resource? Well, wonder no more, because here it is! I also included the complete descriptions of his abilities and traits, along with the flavor text on his items, just as a refresher. The profile does not include his gains for completing the tutorial, since he hasn''t seen them yet. Note: This is the end of the bonus content, the tomorrow''s scheduled release is chapter 1 of volume 2, I''ll see you there soon! Contestant Profile: Nicholas ¡®Nick¡¯ Henry. Level: 8. Tier: 1. Species: Human of Earth (E). Class: Survivor (basic). Base attribute points per level: 0. Free points per level: 1. Attributes
Strength: 7 Dexterity: 7 (9) Toughness: 7 (10)
Mind: 8 (10) Creativity: 7 Charisma: 5
Magic: 2 (4) ??? ???
Abilities Ability slots: 2 active, 1 passive, 1 free. Active abilities: Mana dart (spell). Creates a projectile formed from pure mana that damages all forms of vital energy (health, mana, and stamina). If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. No passive abilities have been acquired. Class Traits Survivor: you require 25% less food, water, oxygen, and sleep. Geneline Traits Gift of Tongues: you can understand and speak the languages of all intelligent creatures. Awakened to Magic: +1 to magic. Versatile: +1 to all attributes. +1 ability free slot. Bloodline Traits None. Skills Wand: 5 Size up: 10 Foraging: 9 Inventory Shredded blue jeans (poor). Hemp shirt (basic). Worn bathrobe (basic). Kastillan helmet (basic). Kastillan dagger (common). Explorer¡¯s boots (common). These rugged, waterproof boots are suitable for use across a wide variety of terrain. They have been built for both comfort and durability from raw materials boasting a moderate resistance to corrosion and flame. These boots feature reinforced arch and ankle support and incorporate steel shanks and steel toes to protect your feet. Adventurer¡¯s toolbelt (uncommon). Modifications: Self-maintenance. These toolbelts are a staple for explorers and travelers of all stripes. This durable leather belt features numerous pockets and loops to secure a range of tools and comes stocked with a handful of useful items. Modification: Self-maintenance. This item will clean and repair itself over time as long as its core remains intact. Charm of muffling (uncommon). The user will make 10% less noise when they are trying to remain silent. The charm must be worn in order to function. Pugilist¡¯s gloves (uncommon). Modifications: Durable. These gloves are worn by fighters as well as a wide range of craftsmen. They provide superior protection for the palms and knuckles while leaving the fingers free to perform precise motions. Modification: Durable. This item is resistant to damage from all sources, increasing its armor value and enhancing its longevity. Adventurer¡¯s coat (uncommon). Modifications: Durable. Self-maintenance. This reinforced leather coat is a favorite of adventures across the labyrinth. It is made from materials that are naturally resistant to a wide variety of elements and is waterproof as well. Cloak of thermal regulation (uncommon). Modifications: Self-maintenance. While it provides no defensive value, this cloak will help the wearer to retain or eliminate body heat as needed. Insulation/thermal conductivity will occur at a modest rate. Bag of molding (uncommon). This bag can hold up to one hundred pounds worth of items, regardless of shape, as long as they can fit through the opening of the bag. The bag reduces the weight of its contents by 10% and stores items separately from one another. Wand of force (uncommon). Modifications: Soulbound. Skill activation (Wand). ??? Sword (unidentified). Tools Basic 5 alarm traps made of twine and shell. Canteen. Brass spyglass. Tiny scissors. Fishing hook. Fishing line. 2 belt sheaths. Crude/raw resources Bamboo tubes. Crab claw straight razor. Coconut husks. Several crude spears/stakes. Whetstone. Flint and steel. Soiled bandages. Bits of shell. Charcoal. Rocks and sticks. Unknown Small blue gemstone. Magic-tech lamp orb. Chapter One Hundred Thirty: A Most Unexpected Offer Nick stared into the eyes of a deranged god, who looked back at him with an expression of predatory delight. In one corner of the cozy saferoom, Nick sat in a comfy recliner, still covered in grime and muck from his tutorial¡¯s climatic conclusion. In the other stood Taltos the Mad God, the mysterious being who had hacked the System and claimed the Earth for his own. Between Nick and the deranged deity, a fire crackled merrily in the hearth. Completing the bizarre scene were the relics of his former life, or someone¡¯s former life at any rate. Family portraits hung on the walls, brass frames and glass faces gleaming in the firelight. They were displayed beside crude drawings of dinosaurs and rocket ships, children¡¯s names in the corners, written in an unsteady hand. Works of art celebrated by their loving parents. Souvenirs from dozens of family vacations lined the mantle above the fireplace. Decorative knickknacks, ticket stubs, and commemorative statues wove a story of happy days spent together. Of carefree adventures, good cheer, and fierce love for one another. Artifacts of a civilization that no longer existed. Treasures of people who were dead and gone. After delivering his greeting, Taltos seemed content merely to watch, gazing at Nick with a piercing stare. Savoring his confusion, his shock, his rising panic. His mind reeled as he struggled to wrap his head around the situation. In front of Nick loomed Taltos himself. The architect of immeasurable suffering and the arbiter of humanity¡¯s fate. Clearly enjoying Nick¡¯s bewilderment, the Mad God took a few steps and cast his gaze around the room. He ran his fingertips across a photograph of the family enjoying a day at the beach, then plopped down into the recliner across from Nick, stretching out his legs as he fiddled with the footrest. Taltos chuckled when the mechanism popped out, then kicked his feet out in front of him. To say that Nick was surprised would be an understatement of the highest order. Never in his wildest dreams did he expect to find himself face-to-face with Taltos, lord of the labyrinth. A being so far above Nick that he couldn''t even begin to comprehend the magnitude of the chasm lying between them. Sitting across from an insane deity, moments away from having a cozy fireside chat with a being incomprehensibly more powerful than himself, boggled Nick¡¯s mind, threatening to overwhelm him completely. He fought the urge to panic. To keep his brain from shutting down. He was able to summon a ghost of his arctic clarity, just enough focus to keep it together. He knew that whatever was happening, he was helpless to do anything other than take the situation as it came and learn everything that he could. Although Nick sensed that saying the wrong thing would have dire repercussions. He ran his gaze across Taltos¡¯s figure, cataloguing his features while he tried to form coherent thoughts. In his present incarnation, the Mad God looked a bit like an absent professor, though his ominous aura made him seem sinister rather than scholarly. Like a dragon playing with its prey before pouncing. Taltos had long white hair streaked with bands of grey, and his weathered face was lined with deep creases. If he had been human, Nick would have placed him in his early seventies, although there was an ageless sense to his features that was hard to quantify. The Mad God wore robes of blue silk, embroidered with creatures in gold thread that reminded Nick of mythological beasts, although their forms were subtly different from the legends of Earth. He wore dark pants and plain leather boots, caked in layers of unknown muck, like Taltos had walked here rather than opened a portal and stepped through. Each article emitted an air of power and majesty, though they were muted by the fell might radiating from Taltos like heat from a bonfire. Nick knew on a deep, instinctual level that Taltos was suppressing his presence. That Nick¡¯s mind would unravel, and his body would burst at the seams if he were to face the god in his full, fell glory. I have to say something before he gets bored. ¡°Taltos. What a pleasant surprise,¡± he managed not to stammer. I need to get him talking. Learn whatever I can from this encounter. A chance like this won¡¯t come again. Taltos saw those thoughts register on Nick¡¯s face, and his expression shifted into a beaming smile, obviously enjoying the moment. ¡°I made enough of an impression that you remember me. How flattering. It¡¯s good to see you again Nick,¡± Taltos leaned forward. Nick was unable to step away, so he pressed himself into the back of his chair to keep himself from trembling. ¡°Before your tutorial officially comes to a close, I thought that we should have a little chat.¡± Taltos knows my name. That can¡¯t be good. ¡°What?¡± Nick¡¯s brain struggled to process what was happening, going round and round like a hamster on a wheel. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I see that you aren¡¯t one for small talk, Nick. Asking the big questions right out of the gate. Fair enough, I suppose. I¡¯m not really the type to provide clear answers, but I think that I¡¯ll make an exception in this case. As you have surmised, my name is Taltos. I own this little corner of the multiverse, your planet, and every creature and speck of dust on it. I know that the transition for your species has been a little¡­ rocky. Freeing you from the clutches of that prude Astra must have been quite a shock. But rest assured, Nick, it¡¯s not all bad news.¡± Nick knew that this was a once in a lifetime situation. He had no chance of outsmarting the being lounging in front of him. No way to make him reveal anything beyond what he chose. All that Nick could do was keep the Mad God talking for as long as possible. Commit every word to memory, hoping that they contained a hint that would lead to his planet¡¯s redemption. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. This time, Taltos didn¡¯t wait for Nick¡¯s mind to catch up, continuing with his revelation at full steam. ¡°Yes, the Earth is slated for recycling, but it doesn¡¯t have to end like that. Out of the boundless generosity of my heart, I¡¯m here to offer you a chance to win it all back. Return the Earth to humanity¡¯s stewardship for all time, if you can complete a little challenge I¡¯ve whipped up.¡± Those words cut through Nick¡¯s shock like a blade. The knowledge that the Earth was in imminent peril, that there might still be a way to save it, riveted him to the core of his being. If a path to salvation lay before mankind, Nick needed to know how to find it. However, rather than laying it all out for him, Taltos¡¯s words took a different course. ¡°Before we get to that, I¡¯ve heard some complaints about capping your species at basic classes. Your objections have been noted, and I assure you, the adjustment was a regrettable oversight. An artifact of the code I used to liberate your little blue planet from the System. Not that it¡¯s possible to remove its influence all together. That meddlesome, busybody AI thinks that it''s superior to the gods, but I digress. ¡°Back to the matter at hand. It may surprise you to hear this Nick, given how my good name has been slandered by the lesser deities, jealous lot with no sense of humor. Reputation aside, I¡¯m not a heartless monster.¡± Nick nodded, unsure to what extent Taltos was speaking to him instead of at him. ¡°I can admit when I¡¯ve made a mistake. In short, I¡¯m here to remedy the situation. To make amends for my oversight and help humanity unlock some better classes.¡± Nick didn¡¯t believe a word of it. He was dead certain that Taltos was playing with him. Nick could see it in his eyes, although he didn¡¯t trust that either. There was no way that he could sense anything that the ancient, immensely powerful deity didn¡¯t want him to see. Games within games. But Nick couldn¡¯t afford to squander this opportunity either. Even though his instincts were screaming that Taltos was leading him into a trap. ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡± Nick¡¯s heart hammered within his chest. He tried to keep his fear off his face. His hope. His rising anger. His efforts were likely futile. Nick was certain that the Mad God could read his thoughts and emotions as clearly as the words on a page. ¡°Exactly what are you proposing? Some kind of deal?¡± ¡°My, that¡¯s a sharp insight Nick.¡± Taltos¡¯s grin sent shivers running down Nick¡¯s spine. ¡°I knew that I liked you. Unfortunately, the System won¡¯t let me unilaterally raise the class rarity cap, now that it¡¯s been established. Power must be earned. Strength through conflict, and all that.¡± The Mad God¡¯s words were dripping with scorn and dark mirth. ¡°Technically, until you receive the System¡¯s rewards, your tutorial hasn¡¯t officially ended. There is still time to sweeten the pot, as long as you¡¯re willing to put your life on the line. I propose that we add a bit of icing on top, to mix my metaphors. Cap off the tutorial with style. It¡¯s time for, what do your people call it again? Ah yes, a bonus round! ¡°With that little preamble out of the way, let¡¯s get down to brass tacks. I¡¯ve set up a modest brawl in one of my arenas, and I¡¯m extending an invitation to the top scorers of the tutorial. A round ten thousand has a nice ring to it. If you win, I¡¯ll pay to unlock common classes for your entire species and let you pick a new class right away. To encourage anyone still sitting on the fence, I¡¯ll give the winners a special reward. A chance to choose an uncommon class and take your first true step upon the myriad paths of power. ¡°Participation is optional, but I¡¯m offering a prize that won¡¯t come your way again. At least not within your lifetime.¡± With those words, Taltos¡¯s demeanor shifted. He began making a wheedling pitch that would have reminded Nick of an infomercial if the situation wasn¡¯t deadly serious. ¡°Are you bummed out about being stuck with that basic Survivor class? Would you like to have your choice between a range of commons instead? Well turn that frown upside down. I¡¯m here to offer you the chance not only to unlock common classes for your entire species, but to secure yourself a sweet pick from a choice list of uncommons as well. What do you say Nick? Are you willing to wager your life for a chance of climbing the peak of ascendancy?¡± Taltos turned to look Nick straight in the eye, his good cheer morphing into predatory anticipation. ¡°Would you care to make a deal?¡± Nick knew that subterfuge wouldn¡¯t work against a being far beyond himself. But every word that he could pry out of Taltos was an invaluable chance to understand what was happening. ¡°Why are you here? What makes me so special?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t flatter yourself Nick. While your performance has been more entertaining than most, it¡¯s nothing to write home about. I always try to introduce myself to new arrivals. It isn¡¯t always possible, but with a small batch of only a few hundred million, dividing my attention long enough to say hello is a trivial task." A few hundred million? That¡¯s all that survived integration and the tutorial? Nick was staggered by the loss of billions. A tragedy of such immense proportion that he barely noticed when Taltos lowered the footrest and got back onto his feet. Part of Nick had already decided to participate. Humanity needed those upgrades if they were to have any hope of surviving the dark days ahead. But he was desperate for any additional information that he could get. ¡°After that, you''ll give us a chance to win back the Earth?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Taltos offered a beaming smile. ¡°I promise to give your species a fighting chance to keep your world off the slag heap, although incorporation into the labyrinth is nonnegotiable. But whether your planet will become a full member, world untouched by my hand, or recycled and used as raw materials. Well Nick, that remains to be seen. Either way, it should be quite a show. With that, the time for questions is over. As much as I¡¯ve enjoyed our little chat, it¡¯s time for me to be on my way. I¡¯m a busy god after all. Worlds to steal, others to destroy. I won¡¯t bore you with the details.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll consider it,¡± Nick sighed. ¡°Excellent. I knew I had a good feeling about you. I¡¯ll authorize the challenge with the System and let it handle the details. When you see the prompt, you can register your decision and make your entry official. We can discuss the fate of the Earth once the bonus round is over. Goodbye for now, Nick. Try to survive, I¡¯m looking forward to our next little chat.¡± Humming a merry tune, the Mad God walked over to the door, stopping to snatch a drawing of a T-Rex from the wall along the way, and then another featuring an angry rhinoceros. Taltos turned to look him in the eye, winked, and then left by the doorway he had come through. It vanished the moment that it closed, leaving Nick alone with his thoughts. Chapter One Hundred Thirty-One: Bonus Round Nick sat stunned, reeling in his recliner. He was shocked all the way down to his core, struggling to process what had happened. Taltos. I just met Taltos in the flesh. Holy shit. Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined that he would have a cozy, fireside chat with the Mad God himself, even if the manifestation had only been a fragment of the deity¡¯s consciousness. Sometime later, his musings were interrupted by a message from the System, which appeared on the screen of a television mounted to the wall. System message: Quest update. The quest, ¡°System tutorial,¡± has been modified. The mentor for the planet [Earth, 1] has paid the cost to authorize an extra, invitation-only phase to the tutorial. You have been invited to take part in the bonus round. Note: participation is optional. The bonus round will belong to the category: Two-stage arena battle. Volunteers will be transported to a secure location, where they will participate in two back-to-back arena fights. Rewards: If anyone survives the challenge, humans of Earth will permanently unlock the ability to choose from a range of common classes. Additionally, you will be given the opportunity to change your class at the end of the tutorial. Participants in the bonus round will have their personal class selections unlocked at uncommon. They will have a chance to recover after the battle before moving on. Would you like to participate? You have one hour to make your decision before the bonus round begins. The words faded from the screen as Nick read the last line, leaving him with a timer ticking down and a colossal decision to make. Although he was on the clock, for the next twenty minutes, he simply sat there, enjoying the uncomplicated comfort of the fire¡¯s warmth as he took it all in. Surviving the tutorial. Meeting Taltos face-to-face. Being offered a chance to unlock common classes for the whole human race, if he was willing to put his life on the line. Although Nick didn¡¯t pretend to understand how inconsequential his existence was in the eyes of a god, it was deeply disturbing that Taltos knew who he was. While his intentions and motivations were perilous mysteries at present, Nick was utterly certain that attracting the Mad God¡¯s notice would invite nothing welcome into his life. All in all, Nick found the encounter to be profoundly unsettling. How¡­ friendly Taltos had seemed. How delighted he was by the catastrophe that had befallen the Earth and all the creatures who called it home. By humanity¡¯s desperate struggle to survive. What chance do we have if that¡¯s what we¡¯re up against? The Mad God¡¯s cheerful malice made the pitiless System seem downright wholesome. He glanced at the countdown clock that was displayed on the television, the ever-diminishing digits reminding him that his ordeal was not yet over. That it would likely never be over. Nick found himself spurred into action once more, with no time to decompress and process his trauma and grief. A situation that was becoming achingly familiar the longer that his reality was governed by the cold, calculating logic of the System. With a bone-weary sigh, he gathered his will and forced his beleaguered mind into action once more. He would have to contemplate Taltos and his bizarre behavior later. While he wanted nothing more than to stretch out on the recliner and sleep for a week, it was time for Nick to make a decision. As he struggled to come to grips with his dramatic change in circumstance, he helped himself to a pitcher of water and a plate of dried fruit sitting on the coffee table, which he hadn¡¯t noticed until now due to Taltos¡¯s dramatic arrival. While the System¡¯s prompts were clear as a bell, Nick didn¡¯t trust a word that Taltos said, although he had yet to catch the deity breaking any of the rules he set or uttering words that were patently false. Regardless, Nick sensed elements of deception at play. He didn¡¯t buy the Mad God¡¯s charity act and his offer was too good to be true at face value. After all, only a single person needed to win the bonus round to secure a reward that would benefit millions. Why would Taltos lock us into basic classes, then offer us the chance to raise the bar to common only a month later? He must be getting something out of this that is beyond my comprehension. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. In addition to his latest offer, the deity had promised that he would give humanity a chance to win back the Earth. That failing his challenge would lead to the destruction of Nick¡¯s home world and the extinction of humankind, along with all life on the planet. The two events must be connected. He was certain that failing the bonus round would make winning the Earth back impossible. That the success of the latter was predicated on that of the former. However, there were other considerations in play. The offer to participate in the arena match had only been extended to the top thousand participants in the tutorial. Those individuals who were, at the moment, the elite fighting force of his species. If the best of the best suffered catastrophic losses during the arena bouts, it would make winning back the Earth a great deal harder, even if they managed to get everyone better classes in the process. On the other hand, if humanity¡¯s elite did well in the arena, their strongest members would gain access to uncommon classes, multiplying their power and giving them an edge during the challenge for the fate of the Earth. But that was only part of the equation. Even if they somehow won the bonus round and the challenge to win back the planet, if too many of Earth¡¯s strongest fell during the process, it would leave humanity critically understaffed to deal with whatever awaited them on the other side. When Earth was officially recognized as a sovereign member of the labyrinth. Nick desperately wanted to obtain a better class, and he was convinced that humanity was doomed if they let this chance slip through their fingers. He had no idea how many people would volunteer to take part in the arena battle, but if they failed, it would be the end of them all. He knew that the arena would offer his toughest fight yet. That Taltos was certain to stack the deck in one manner or another. That the Mad God had deliberately created this dilemma, and was likely watching every move they made, laughing all the while. Part of him wanted to sit this one out. To let others take the risk while he got some much-needed rest and enjoyed the benefit of their efforts. He had already decided to participate in the challenge that would determine Earth¡¯s fate, since if that failed, they were all dead anyway. But Nick was worried that most of the survivors would feel the same way. That the trauma of integration and the stress of the tutorial would make many unwilling to jump right into another life-or-death struggle. Although it had served him better than he had expected, if he was stuck with his Survivor class much longer, Nick had severe reservations that he could endure whatever came next. He was still wound as tight as a drum. Still coming down from his prolonged ordeal. The last thing he wanted was to throw himself back into the fray. But despite all of that, he couldn¡¯t deny that he was tempted. Not only to make sure that humanity was given a fighting chance, but because of the lure of personal power. The chance to leave behind his basic class and win an uncommon for himself was indisputably tantalizing. If there was one thing that Nick was now certain of, it was that he was weak. So far down on the cosmic totem pole that he was utterly powerless to make a difference. He desperately wanted to grow stronger. He needed it. Powerful enough to fight for his people. To bend fate to his will. With the way that the System rewarded risk with power, Nick knew that he would never become strong enough if he took the easy path. On the other hand, taking the wrong risk or going all in every hand would inevitably result in a short life, and if he died, he wouldn¡¯t be able to change anything either. As he mulled the matter over, polishing off the bowl of fruit along the way, the timer on the TV hit twenty minutes. Nick wished that he could collect the rewards for completing the tutorial before he had to decide if he wanted to fight in the arena. But due to Taltos¡¯s intervention, his tutorial hadn¡¯t technically ended. He wondered about the strange struggle taking place between Taltos and the System. The entities were often working in tandem, like how the System handled the administrative aspects for the Mad God¡¯s offers, but they were clearly not allied with one another. In certain instances, their wills seemed diametrically opposed. Like when Taltos had hacked the System to claim ownership of the Earth, then modified the parameters of Nick¡¯s tutorial, forcibly overriding the System¡¯s objections. And yet, while Taltos could influence and even thwart the System at times, he clearly had to play by the rules more often than not, leaving Nick uncertain as to which entity was more powerful. In the end, it was a problem for another day. He was running low on time, and he didn¡¯t have enough information to analyze the dynamic further regardless. ¡°Fuck it. I¡¯ll do it.¡± Nick sighed and rose to his feet. While his concerns were valid, in the end, he was unwilling to pass up the opportunity to gain a new class that was two rarities higher than his own. He could score an uncommon class now, then level it up during the next challenge. Be in the best possible shape to fight for the fate of his planet and his people. As his words faded from the air, a message appeared on the television. He wondered why the System bothered communicating via display when it could make the words appear directly in his vision. Perhaps it was a compromise with Taltos or a way of saving energy. Nick realized that he was stalling, so he turned to face the screen and started to read. Chapter One Hundred Thirty-Two: Journey Across the Stars You have chosen to participate in the bonus round of the tutorial for planet [Earth, 1]. Please select your gear and then enter through the door before the timer hits zero. Any items you leave behind will be returned to you when the event is complete. When the words faded from the screen, Nick looked up and saw that another door had appeared along the far wall. For some inexplicable reason, it was in a different style than the one Taltos had exited through, polished metal instead of painted wood. Shaking his head at the strangeness of it all, he opened his pack and took out all the resources and other random objects that he had shoved inside his dimensional storage during the final moments of his tutorial on the Searing Isle. Most of what he was carrying wouldn¡¯t help him in a fight, although he stowed away a few odds and ends that might come in handy in various scenarios. It lightened his load considerably. Nick thought about leaving his pack behind, but decided that it didn¡¯t weigh too much now. Besides, it was the best piece of armor he had, as the bag had proven to be even more resilient than his modified leather jacket. Plus, if there was a chance to pick up anything interesting on the other side of the doorway, he was loath to let the opportunity go to waste. Nick only had half an hour to get ready. When the clock hit zero, he would be shunted off to another alien world. Forced to fight to the death with the future of his people hanging in the balance. He set all other considerations aside, so that he could prepare himself as best he could in the little time he had left. His latest snack wasn¡¯t nearly enough food to fill his belly, so to bolster his recovery, he walked over to the kitchen on the far side of the living room. He drank his fill from the faucet, idly wondering how things like electricity and running water were working in a pair of rooms that, as far as Nick could tell, existed in their own, separate dimension. Although the answer was obviously magic. He stared out the window, where only billowing mist met his gaze, glowing with its own inner light. Is this really some dude¡¯s house? Or did the System replicate this setting just for me? It¡¯s crazy weird either way. Hydration complete, Nick refilled his canteen, washed his hands, and then walked over to the refrigerator, hoping to restock his provisions. When he opened the door, the only thing he found inside was a pair of turkey sandwiches; diagonally sliced white bread sitting on paper plates. Nick shrugged, grabbed them both, then sat back down in the recliner. Contemplating just how surreal his existence had become, he picked up a sandwich and started to eat. The turkey was dry, and the sandwiches were plain, but he devoured them within seconds, rendered ravenous as his body realized just how much his latest ordeal had taken out of him. He was nurtured by the taste of his old life even more than the calories in his stomach, shedding a tear when the last bite went sliding down his throat, making the short voyage to his belly below. With twenty minutes left on the clock, Nick continued his preparations, readying himself for what was sure to be another desperate battle. His next objective was to check in with his body and evaluate his condition. Thanks to his high toughness, Nick now had the endurance of an Olympic athlete. He was still worn out from the tutorial, but even this brief rest had helped to restore his depleted stamina. He judged that it would be topped off before his time ran out, or at least close enough that he no longer felt tired. His mana was recovering rapidly, and he still had some left in the tank. With that out of the way, he moved on to inventorying his injuries. His leg still hurt, but the swelling had gone down considerably, and Nick was able to bear his own weight without limping. His mood was rapidly recovering thanks to his rest in the chair and his recent snacks. The good news was that Nick could still walk. His leg had healed to a remarkable degree from the bite he had taken from the bonecruncher the day before. He realized that his body was regenerating faster over time, as his attributes and level grew. However, the scrapes, bruises, and burns that Nick had picked up during the mega searstorm were still fresh. The pain was distracting, but at least there was nothing that would cause him lasting impairment. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. The bad news was that his wits were dulled from multiple nights of poor sleep, even though his Survivor trait had blunted the worst of it. Equally worrisome, his mobility was impaired by his wounded knee. Nick judged that he was about seventy percent functional at the moment, and that was being generous. With a groan, he rose to his feet and walked back over to the sink, dunking his head beneath the faucet to wash away the worst of the mud. Then he began inspecting his gear. Thanks to his toolbelt and magic backpack, his devices and supplies were still in good order. Unfortunately, he was out of consumables, like the flashbang orbs he had picked up during the tutorial. On a brighter note, his wand was sitting at full charges, although he still had no idea how the force-blasting device recharged. Hopefully, he would figure it out before long. All in all, he was in decent shape for a fight, although nowhere near the top of his game. Hopefully, whoever Nick wound up fighting beside would have some useful powers as well. Something to add versatility to his limited mid-range attacks. After placing his wand and sheaths back onto his belt, he was ready to go. He spent the final minutes before the countdown hit zero preparing himself mentally. He stopped to look at a family portrait on the wall, gazing up at a happy couple with two blond toddlers running around their legs. ¡°I¡¯ll win this thing, for all of us,¡± he promised, just as a doorway cracked open in front of him. He sighed, opened the door, and stepped through the portal beyond. The instant that he crossed the threshold, a roaring wave of white energy engulfed him, carrying him away in a surging tide of magic. Nick¡¯s body dissolved into boundless motes of light as his consciousness spread across the ether, resplendent channels of cosmic might draped across the multiverse like a great web of molten silver. His sense of self shrank to a dim pinprick of awareness, a state that straddled the boundary of dream and waking life. Meanwhile, the rest of his mind expanded like a balloon, elevating his perspective like a celestial eagle soaring over all of creation. Somehow, this strange state of being allowed Nick to look out as he traveled along that great cosmic highway, letting him observe his journey between the stars in a detached, dreamlike manner. Straddling the cusp of awareness and oblivion, he watched in awe as galaxies streaked past. He was soon moving so fast that the stars merged into an endless river of light, utterly mesmerizing contrasted against the abyssal blackness of space. Although his recollections of this journey would only come to him in fragments and fuzz, this was, without a doubt, the most beautiful experience of Nick¡¯s life. A perennial source of wonder that would provide him with solace during the dark days ahead. He had the sense that tears were streaking down his face, despite the fact that he was only a disembodied presence at present. At times, his path passed close to inhabited worlds, momentarily slowing as he was shunted off one great glowing lane and onto an adjoining branch. He could sense billions of lives concentrated across the sprawling folds of earth, before he soared past in the blink of an eye. Eventually, he sensed that his momentum was winding down, although time and space were vague concepts at best in this inexplicable realm between the stars. A short time later, Nick came to an abrupt stop, hovering over a vast world of sand. A fierce and thirsty planet where most of the water was trapped within vast underground channels and most of the population dwelled within great, subterranean caverns. As his sense of self and space grudgingly began to resolidify, he cast his gaze across the planet¡¯s surface. Freed from the limits of his eyes, crude fleshy lenses that distorted the true shape of things, his vision was impossibly crisp and clear. Even from this great height, he could see winding caravans crossing the endless desert below, led by great purple beasts pulling wagons the size of buildings. Far above their heads, immense leather-winged lizards rode the searing desert breeze, the undisputed rulers of their domain. Nick would have been content to stay in this place forever, juxtaposed between the celestial beauty above and the terrestrial majesty below. However, as with all things in life, the good and bad alike, the moment was not fated to last. Before long, his awareness was pulled down toward the surface. Drawn to where one of the few cities that existed on the planet¡¯s surface was clustered around a sprawling series of oases. Splashes of green and blue painting life across the vast plains of sepia and beige. He plummeted toward the center of the city like a meteor, to where a vast arena jutted above the surrounding buildings like a dragon surveying its horde. Nick wondered what would happen when he slammed into the ground, but he didn¡¯t have to wonder for long. With a visceral pop that was by far the strangest sensation of his life, Nick snapped back into his body and opened his eyes. Announcement: Additional Content (Concept Art) Hey everybody, I hope your week is going well. I just wanted to pop in and let you know about a change that''s happening to LotMG for book two. Since the bonus artwork for book one was so popular, and I''ve received a lot of requests to post more of it, I have decided to make it a weekly thing instead of just at the end of each book. While a lot of people really like this kind of content, I know that there are others who are against AI art in any form, and that placing it right beside the text can be annoying and damaging to their immersion (the art will never be sold or monetized in any way). With that in mind, going forward, I will post the concept art for each week after each Friday''s chapter, right after the main post so you won''t get any annoying popups at weird times over it. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. That way, it will be easy to avoid for the people who choose to opt-out of the content, and it will be a fun way to end the week for everyone else. The first bonus art will drop this week, and I''ll keep it up as long as people are enjoying it. As always, thank you so much for following along with Nick''s adventures and I hope you enjoy the rest of the arc! (Also, we just hit 1 million views. Hurray! I couldn''t have done it without you. Thanks for all the support and feedback over the last 5 months.) All the best, Magnus Chapter One Hundred Thirty-Three: The Grand Arena of Papillion The first thing that Nick noticed when his eyeballs rematerialized was that he was standing inside a dimly lit chamber, perhaps twice the size of the one he had left behind. But instead of a cozy living room, he found himself within an unfurnished enclosure, gazing across roughly textured walls carved from white stone blocks. That was the moment when he felt something lurch within his chest, followed by a strange pounding. He laughed, realizing that the abrupt sensation was his heart beating once more, then frowned. Wait? Why wasn¡¯t my heart beating before? He shook his head, trying to rid himself of his lingering disorientation, as the memory of his strange journey gave way to an intense excitement. That was when the dynamics of his situation came flooding back, filling him with an overpowering sense of urgency. Nick remembered meeting Taltos and accepting his offer, suffusing him with the awareness that a battle for his life would soon commence. With an effort of will, he set everything else aside and focused on the task at hand, surviving his latest ordeal. He would have stopped to get a better sense of his surroundings if it wasn¡¯t for the man standing in front of him. A figure who had appeared in the blink of an eye. Nick knew that the man wasn¡¯t really there, because his image stayed centered in Nick¡¯s vision no matter how he turned his head, even when it meant floating in the air or clipping through a wall. It was like a dollar store version of the visions the System generated when it wanted to communicate with him directly. He frowned, trying to dismiss the motionless construct with his will, but the gently glowing illusion showed no inclination toward responding to his thoughts. Left with no other obvious course of action, Nick simply shrugged and said, ¡°Hello?¡± Right on cue, the radiant figure turned to meet his gaze, offering him a clear view of its features and form. At first glance, the hovering construct seemed to be a rotund gentleman somewhere in his early forties. But when Nick leaned in and took a closer look, he realized that the man¡¯s features were¡­ off. His eyes were a touch too large, his mouth a whit too narrow. His limbs were set at odd angles, like the joints weren¡¯t properly connected. Taken together, the man looked less like an alien from another world, and more like someone had tried to draw a human being from description, without having ever laid eyes on one before. The overall effect was intensely creepy, which Nick doubted was the reaction that its creator had been going for. It made the construct¡¯s welcoming smile feel hollow and manufactured, and Nick hoped that he wouldn¡¯t have to deal with the projection for long. At least the voice was spot-on when the not-a-man started to speak. ¡°Welcome, brave contestant, to the grand arena of Papilion. Our records indicate that you have volunteered to take part in a two-round match hosted by our esteemed establishment. A System-sanctioned event sponsored by your mentor deity.¡± Nick had the impression of someone reading off a teleprompter, or an AI-generated recording, rather than someone speaking directly to him. He frowned, then forced himself to pay closer attention to the construct¡¯s words, rather than its bizarre appearance and unsettling mannerisms. ¡°My name is public relations liaison two-one-seven. I am here to explain the rules of this event before you confer with your assigned party in preparation for your match. You have been designated as a member of team three. A participant in one of the one thousand, one hundred and fifty matches taking place in our arena and other affiliated establishments." The wheels in Nick¡¯s brain turned as he began processing the dynamics of his situation, not waiting until the construct was done with its spiel before setting the machinery of his mind into motion. More of us decided to participate than I expected. That¡¯s either great or terrible news, depending on how many of us survive. ¡°I can see that you¡¯re injured,¡± the liaison continued. ¡°Fear not. A complimentary regeneration crystal has been placed within your ready room to assist with your recovery. Unfortunately, the crystal will not be available between rounds. As time is of the essence, allow me to lay out the rules of your match in an expedited manner. When you pass through the door behind me, you will enter into a ready room and meet your team. The room has been stocked with a range of basic provisions, as well as a selection of suitable weapons and armor to use during the match. ¡°I regret to inform you that you will be unable to keep any of this equipment once your fight is over. But if you are lucky, it will keep you alive until your battles are complete. As I mentioned, today¡¯s match is a two-round challenge, and the nature of your opponents will be hidden until the start of each bout. A one-hour period of rest will be provided between rounds, during which you will return to your ready room to recover as best you can. Finally, a small prize will be provided by this establishment for each fight you complete. This is in addition to whatever rewards your sponsor and the System have deemed fit to offer.¡± The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. This was honestly a better setup than Nick had been expecting, although he still had a bad feeling about the fight itself. He opened his mouth to ask a question, intending to pry every detail that he could out of the creepy artificial person. Before he could utter a word, the construct cut him off. ¡°I can see that you wish to make an inquiry, and I applaud your enthusiasm. Unfortunately, that is all the information that I have been authorized to divulge. Your first match begins in less than an hour. Please step through the door behind me, confer with your team, and prepare for the first match. On behalf of our executive board, welcome to the Grand Arena of Papilion. We hope you put on quite a show!¡± With that, the not-a-man vanished like smoke on the breeze, leaving Nick alone with his thoughts once more. It was darker now that the glowing construct was gone. He had to squint to make out the doorway in front of him. Part of him wanted to stand there in the gloom. To take a moment to himself before he was plunged into another life and death struggle. With a surge of will, he pushed past his reluctance, squared his shoulders, and took hold of the doorknob. Knowing that every second of prep time was precious, Nick opened the door and stepped through, officially kicking off the start of his latest adventure. Nick entered what appeared to be some manner of locker room, although the facility was grander than any he had used in his old life on Earth. Every visible surface was formed from sparkling white stone, carved from solid blocks the size of buildings, so massive that he couldn¡¯t spot any seams from his present vantage. At regular intervals along the ceiling, clear gemstones the size of his fists were mounted into brass fittings, each crystal shining with a steady white glow. They reminded him of the lights he had seen in the tutorial dungeon, and he wondered if magical gems were a common source of energy in the multiverse. Unfortunately, such academic concerns would have to wait until Nick¡¯s life wasn¡¯t in imminent jeopardy. He shelved his questions for now, reluctantly returning his attention to surveying the rest of the room. While he waited for his eyes to adjust to the brighter level of lighting, he placed his awareness into his ears, seeking out any clue that might reveal what awaited him when he stepped out onto the fighting floor. A rumbling murmur emanated from the ivory sheets of rock; the sound of countless voices conducting through the thick sheet of stone running above Nick¡¯s head. The ceiling muffled the myriad conversations, making it impossible to pick out individual words. He could sense an eagerness to the crowd¡¯s boisterous chatter. The electric tension of anticipation as they waited for the curtain to rise, reminding him that the next fight, his fight, would begin within a paltry handful of heartbeats. Nick¡¯s nostrils flared as he scented the air, taking in the fragrances of sweet herbs and acrid antiseptic, behind which lingered the faint odors of metal and salt. A pervasive stench that he had become intimately familiar with since his new life began. Sweat and blood. This chamber must be somewhere near the fighting floor, like the locker room of a professional sports stadium back home. Nick became certain that his guess was correct when he ran his gaze across the room, now able to make out fine details without having to squint. Lining every inch of three of the four walls were wooden racks filled with countless weapons and various pieces of armor. It was enough equipment to outfit a hundred warriors and still have plenty of steel to spare. He ran his fingertips across suits of plate and skirts of chain. Across blades and bludgeons of every shape and size, many of which Nick knew the names of, but even more that were as inscrutable as they were lethal. One corner was stocked with ropes and straps, set between rows of tools and basic medical supplies. This was a wealth of high-quality gear. A score like Nick had dreamed of finding since the early days of his tutorial. Too bad I don¡¯t get to keep any of it. Regrets aside, this selection would more than compensate for his paltry collection of supplies, and he would gladly take advantage of whatever was offered while he was a guest of this establishment. Standing in the bowels of the arena, he was overcome with a sense of timelessness. That these stones had been standing for countless ages, their history stretching back to before Nick¡¯s ancestors had descended from the treetops. How many people have stood within this room, waiting for that gate to open, gathering their thoughts, preparing themselves for the fight ahead? Uncertain if they would live to see the sun rise again. He imagined that he was surrounded by ghosts. The memory of fighters dead and gone absorbed into these white walls. Their presence lingering long after their lives had flared and faded away. Their presence was so real, so intense, and the next moment the strange perception was gone, leaving Nick alone with his thoughts once more. Friday Concept Art: Chapters 130-133 Hey everybody. It''s time for our first installment of our new weekly feature, Friday concept art. Today''s art is from chapters 130-133, and I hope you enjoy it. Just a reminder, this concept art is included entirely for fun, and will never be sold or monetized in any way. It will never be as good as your imagination, so if it doesn''t fit with the version of something in your head, go with your imagination instead. -Magnus Taltos, the Mad God. T-Rex on the wall. And a version from a kid who is a better artist than I am. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. The angry rhino. Journey through the stars part one. Journey through the stars part two. Desert world viewed from orbit. The Grand Arena of Papillion. Public relations liaison 217. A gladiators'' locker room. That''s it for today. Have a great weekend everyone and I''ll see you Monday! Chapter One Hundred Thirty-Four: Meet the Team Nick was supposed to meet the rest of his team, but he didn¡¯t see anyone else in the ready room. I must be the first person to arrive. While he waited for the others to appear, he continued to inspect the chamber, seeking out any detail that might reveal what this challenge had in store. Peering past the vast arsenal engulfing him on all sides, he turned to consider the only unadorned surface of the enclosure. The final wall featured only a single, massive gate carved from rich red wood, the direction from which the loudest sounds were emanating. The arena floor must be on the other side. Nick walked over and tried to peer through the cracks, eager to obtain even a hint of what lay beyond the barrier. But other than a thin line of sunlight, the gate confounded his efforts. The tiny gaps between the boards were too narrow to peek through. Frowning to himself, Nick turned his attention to the interior of the room. Hanging from the ceiling was a rectangular sheet of quartz, upon which a fifty-minute timer was counting down, reminding him that he only had a short while to prepare for the battle ahead. Part of Nick¡¯s brain was trying to piece together the clues embedded within his environment. Another fragment was busy sorting through the gear to determine which pieces he wanted to take, calculating how each item would increase his range of strategic options against various types of opponents. While his tactical brain was hard at work, Nick continued to pace, making a slow circuit of the chamber to inspect the objects clustered in the middle of the room. Jutting up from the dead center was an engraved chunk of pink crystal that came up to his waist. Standing beside the rock made his skin tingle, and he realized that it was rapidly healing his blisters, cuts, and bruises. It seemed to be topping off his stamina as well, because Nick felt better than he had in weeks. Within a few minutes he was bursting with energy, like he had just got a full night¡¯s sleep and started his morning off with a big cup of coffee. That must be the regeneration stone the construct mentioned, Nick decided, idly wondering if there was any way to steal it before giving the effort up as a lost cause. It appeared that Taltos wanted everyone in top shape for the fight ahead. He wants us to put on a show. Something exciting enough to please the crowd. Good, that means we should have a real chance of winning. Or at least that our loss isn¡¯t a forgone conclusion. With the System acting as a mediator, the fight should be a true competition, rather than a thinly veiled excuse for an execution. Nick sighed in relief, calmed by having the constant stinging of his blisters fade away. It was replaced with a refreshing tingling sensation, which itched a bit as his sundered flesh wove itself back together. He was even happier to note that his knee no longer throbbed with every step he took. It should be completely restored within another few minutes, he grinned and started to stretch. It seemed that his mobility wouldn¡¯t be a serious liability in this fight after all. While he waited for the regeneration crystal to finish working its wonderous magic, Nick completed his survey of the interior of the chamber. He noticed that the floor was slightly inclined, leading to a series of drains in one corner. That must make it easier for the staff to wash away all the blood. Along both sides of the great crystal ran a series of curved benches, carved from a luxurious dark wood with spiraling grains that were bookended by a pair of freestanding sinks. Water was flowing freely from one pipe before draining into another mounted to the bottom of each basin. He walked over to a sink to rinse off his sword, then washed away the grime from his neck and arms, now cleaner than he had been in weeks. If his situation wasn¡¯t so serious, he would have been profoundly embarrassed by his ramshackle appearance. When he was done, Nick noticed that the room had changed while he was busy. Ten doors had appeared around the circumference of the chamber, each disappearing in a flash of orange light after a person stepped through. He realized that the door he had arrived through had vanished and then shook his head, wondering if he would ever get used to a life where such magic was commonplace. Through the first door walked an athletic young man, carrying a wicked double-bladed axe that was nearly as tall as himself. He had sandy blond hair and navy-blue eyes. A steady gaze and a winning smile. His skin was bronzed with a dark tan, and he had a build that suggested some manner of professional athlete. He squinted, looking around before realizing that someone was already in the room. The athlete met Nick¡¯s gaze, smiled wider while raising a hand in greeting, then sat down on the bench, lowering his axe to the floor with a sigh. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. The next person to emerge was a middle-aged man with a shaved head and a series of scars running across his neck and cheeks. His expression was intense, and his manner focused. Somehow, Nick could tell that he was already analyzing the room and its contents, working them into the plans whirling inside his head. Good. Someone else with a strategic outlook is more than welcome. The scarred man opened his mouth to say something, then realized that the others were still in the middle of arriving. Instead, the strategist offered a small bow in greeting, then moved to take a long drink from the sink beside Nick. The next member of the team to walk through a door was a woman in her early thirties. She had dark skin, natural hair, and alert brown eyes. She was wearing rich blue robes that Nick suspected must have a self-maintenance modification, given how clean and crisp they appeared compared to everything else she was wearing. The robed woman offered Nick a wary stare, as if unsure whether his presence was a threat, before silently walking over and taking a seat on the bench as far away from the others as she could. A few seconds later, another man emerged. He had curly brown hair, a sharp nose, and carried a longbow that came all the way up to his chest. The bowman wore a wry expression. His smile seemed to say that he expected the worst and was rarely disappointed. Unlike the others, he stayed on his feet, resting his weight against his massive bow, raising a hand in greeting as he took his place around the circle. Hot on his heels came a woman and man in their late twenties. They appeared from adjoining doorways, then immediately moved to stand beside each other. Something in their features told Nick that they were siblings, even though the woman was as blond as the man was dark. That¡¯s seven of us, he counted, pleased so far by the appearance of his teammates. The next to arrive was a woman with medium skin that was covered in intricate tattoos, which were visible thanks to the light leather armor she wore. She moved with such agility and grace that Nick was certain she had sunk quite a few free points into dexterity. Something in the tattooed woman¡¯s posture told him that she was trying to give away as little as possible. He caught her surreptitiously removing something from her wrist before sliding it into her pack, which he thought might be some manner of crossbow. The strategist frowned at the sight of the tattooed woman, and looked like he might say something, but was interrupted by the arrival of the final three members. Two teenaged men and a woman who seemed a few years older stepped through their doors in unison before huddling together. They obviously knew one another, since the relief in seeing each other was clear in their eyes. That was how Nick found himself sharing the chamber with ten other people, four women and six men, each looking around at each other and the gear lining the walls. When he heard a soft groan followed by a sharp curse, he realized that some of them were injured. ¡°Come stand by this crystal,¡± Nick gestured to the new arrivals. ¡°It generates a field that has a powerful restorative property.¡± Everyone who wasn¡¯t already in the circle moved into the center of the room. Staring up at their worried faces, Nick waited for someone to speak. He knew that they were on the clock. That they needed to get organized before the first fight began. But while he was used to leading others in online games, Nick had little experience directing people in the flesh. On top of that, he hadn¡¯t spoken to another person in over a month, unless you counted Bandit and the lemur tribe, and his social skills were dull as a rusty knife. Fortunately, the strategist seemed happy to take charge, addressing the others with a no-nonsense attitude, although Nick could hear compassion in his tone flitting beside an intensely focused will. ¡°It looks like everyone has arrived,¡± he said. ¡°I can¡¯t tell you how good it is to see some friendly faces at last. I would love to get to know all of you better, but if we want to live to see the other side of this ordeal, we need to make use of the little time we have left before our first fight begins. ¡°Why don¡¯t we take turns introducing ourselves and our preferred fighting styles, while the rest of us start picking out our equipment? Everyone who is injured, stay near the crystal until you¡¯re healed. If you need a piece of gear, point it out and I¡¯ll bring it to you.¡± With those words, Nick returned his attention to the clock on the crystal display, noticing that additional details had appeared on the screen when the last person arrived through their door, recapping what the liaison had told them. Welcome to the grand arena of Papillion. You have volunteered to participate in a two round arena battle. The nature of your enemies will be revealed at the start of each fight. You have forty-five minutes to prepare and are welcome to use any of the gear available in this room. Chapter One Hundred Thirty-Five: Kenji While everyone moved closer to form a ring around the pale pink glow of the regeneration crystal, Nick took in the image of weary faces and disheveled clothing. He looked into each of their eyes in turn and saw glimpses of fear and resignation. Of guarded hope and determination harder than steel. Apparently, he wasn¡¯t the only one who had gone through the wringer during their tutorial. The people with fresh wounds began to dress their injuries, although Nick hoped that the crystal would have time to heal the worst of it before the fight began. Although he was thrilled to see other people after a month of isolation on the Searing Isle, Nick honestly wasn¡¯t sure how to proceed past this point. He only knew that they couldn¡¯t afford to waste the handful of minutes they had been given to prepare. He wanted to help bolster their morale, to begin formulating strategies and prepare for the challenge ahead. But in that moment, his exhaustion caught up to him, threatening to pull him down into a numbed daze, despite the crystal¡¯s magic propping him up. Even if he had been feeling up to the task, Nick wasn¡¯t much of a leader outside of online gaming, and this was the first time he had spoken to anyone in weeks. Nick struggled to shake off his fugue, trying to decide how he could help, when the older man rose to his feet and began speaking once more. ¡°My name is Kenji,¡± he said. ¡°It appears that this is going to be some manner of team competition. Judging from the extent of your injuries, you have just completed your tutorials as well. Eat up and drink your fill, then start grabbing any gear you need while we go over our strategy. Feel free to jump in if you have anything to add. Unless anyone has any objections, I will facilitate this meeting so that we don¡¯t squander the little time we have.¡± Nick was glad that someone competent was taking charge. Most of the others appeared to be equally relieved, although the woman in the blue robes still had a mistrustful glint in her eyes. ¡°I know that I don¡¯t need to remind you, but winning this fight is crucial.¡± Kenji met each of their gazes in turn. ¡°Not only for our own survival, but for all of humanity. We don¡¯t know each other and have no reason to trust one another. But right now, here in this moment, we¡¯re in this together. Whether we live or die will be decided by how well we can work as a team, and we only have a few dwindling minutes to get ourselves sorted out. I¡¯m fine if anyone has a better approach, but I suggest that we introduce ourselves, summarize our powers, and lay out our preferred fighting styles first. ¡°While we go around the room, start sorting through the racks. I advise that everyone picks out a set of full body armor, a helmet, and a spare weapon that expands your options for attacks. Stick to leather and chain unless you have prior experience wearing plate. Even though our new bodies are remarkably strong, it takes long hours of training to be able to fight effectively in heavy armor, especially with a sheet of iron strapped to your chest.¡± Nick took a closer look at Kenji, who was walking over to the racks lining the walls. He had medium skin and appeared to be somewhere in his early fifties. That was when Nick remembered a detail from integration that he hadn¡¯t thought about until now. The System had set the maximum age of contestants to fifty, which meant that Kenji could be significantly older than his appearance would suggest. In addition to his face, his arms were covered with a patchwork of scars, many of which appeared to have been acquired decades ago, well before their recent trials had begun. Kenji reached up to remove a massive tower shield from the wall, a behemoth slab of deep, burgundy wood. He began pulling on a suit of chainmail as he continued to address the team. ¡°Since we don¡¯t know who or what we¡¯ll be fighting, diversifying our selection of weapons is critical. Daggers won¡¯t do much good against creatures made of rock, and clubs will be ineffective against opponents like jellies and slimes. Other enemies might be resistant to slashes or piercing points.¡± Nodding along with Kenji¡¯s words, Nick turned and began sorting through various suits of leather armor, seeking something that was close to his size that wouldn¡¯t restrict his mobility in battle. He soon found a likely candidate, a set of medium leathers with metal rings sewn into the chest, and pulled the armor free from the rack. After a bit of consideration, he began strapping on the suit piece-by-piece. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°When you have everything else picked out, select a ranged weapon or two if you can fit them into your kit. I recommend a short bow, crossbow, or javelin if you don¡¯t have any training with something else. Don¡¯t pick throwing knives or longbows unless you already know how to use them. They aren¡¯t as easy to handle as the other weapons I mentioned, and we can¡¯t afford to take any friendly fire.¡± Nick continued pulling on pieces of treated leather, immensely relieved to have something guarding his legs besides the mangled, gore-splattered blue jeans he was wearing. Unlike System-generated rewards, these armors came in a range of sizes and were not preconfigured to the contours of his body. He walked back to the middle of the room and sat on the bench beside the crystal, fumbling with various straps and buckles, until the armor lay flush against his skin without impairing the mobility of his joints. By now, Nick¡¯s heart was racing. Fear and excitement swirling within his chest to form a heady rush of anticipation, like two pigments of paint blending as they whirled round the drain. While the others were busy pulling gear free from the walls and strapping it onto their bodies, Kenji continued to offer advice, which Nick sensed was built on years of firsthand experience. ¡°I suggest that you stick with light or medium leather unless you have invested free points into both strength and toughness. We don¡¯t know how long these fights are going to take and running out of stamina mid-match will be a death sentence as surely as taking a blade through the gut. Pick out a helmet that won¡¯t restrict your field of view or significantly hamper your hearing.¡± Kenji continued to offer his guidance as he made his way through a row of spears, selecting one that was half again as tall as himself, then picking out a second, shorter weapon. When he was satisfied with his selection, Kenji hefted his tower shield to test the weight. It was the largest shield that Nick had ever seen, even in games, formed from thick wooden planks the color of old blood, banded with strips of titanium to make it even tougher. He doubted that he would even be able to lift it. Kenji¡¯s strength must be well into the double digits. ¡°With that out of the way, let¡¯s finish introducing ourselves. Like I said, my name is Kenji. With my current attributes and abilities, I¡¯m effectively a support fighter. I¡¯m also a strategy and tactics buff. I can project an aura with a minor regenerative property, like a baby version of what that crystal is providing. I won¡¯t be healing any critical wounds, but it should be sufficient to forestall death by a thousand cuts. It should also help a bit between the rounds, when we won¡¯t have access to the regeneration crystal. If I take a central position, I can help stretch out our health over the course of the fight. Otherwise, I¡¯ll prioritize protecting our casters and ranged attackers. I¡¯ll let the rest of our melees focus on offense. ¡°Full disclosure. I¡¯ve done my fair share of fighting, even before the System entered our lives, and I have at least some experience with most of the weapons on these walls. Ask me if you need any help deciding which pieces of gear to take with you. When we finish our introductions, I want to use the rest of our time going over five basic strategies and assign a code word to each. It¡¯s the best that we can do until our next break between the rounds.¡± Nick nodded along with Kenji¡¯s words, placing his sword into his pack for now. The strategist¡¯s advice made sense and the man¡¯s intense focus was helping them use the limited time they had available as efficiently as possible. While he was figuring out how to tighten the last row of straps along the back of his leggings, Nick turned to take a closer look at his new teammates, focusing on their equipment this time rather than their faces. When no one immediately spoke up, he rose to his feet and broke the silence. ¡°My name is Nick. My main weapon is that big sword I just put away, although I¡¯m still a novice at using it. Other than that, I can cast four mana darts out to about twenty feet; ranged attacks that do a bit of damage and cause a fair amount of pain. I have a wand that projects a cone of force I can fire three times, which works best if the target is less than ten feet away. I also maxed out my size up skill, although I¡¯m not sure if it will be useful here.¡± At the looks of confusion he clarified, ¡°Sorry. The skill was originally called evaluate threat. I renamed it. My toughness and mind are pretty high, and my dexterity is decent, but my strength is only middling. I¡¯m well-versed with tactics as well. Most of what I know I learned from games, but I spent a lot of time in the tutorial learning how to translate what I know to the battlefield. However, I¡¯m happy to defer to Kenji¡¯s experience. Oh, and this bag can hold a lot more than it looks. I can use it to carry some extra supplies with us when we head into the arena.¡± With a weary grin, Nick yielded the floor to the next person, with thirty-eight minutes left on the clock. Chapter One Hundred Thirty-Six: Strategy Session ¡°Thank you, Nick,¡± Kenji said. ¡°It¡¯s good to have an offensive spell or two in the mix and your main weapon seems formidable. We don¡¯t have enough information to create complex strategies. But try to save your spells for critical moments or for enemies that aren¡¯t a good match for conventional melee tactics. I don¡¯t think many people have evaluate threat maxed by this point, so I¡¯d appreciate it if you kept an eye out for hidden dangers that the rest of us miss. It should be especially useful with your high mind to help sift through the data.¡± Nick was deeply impressed by Kenji¡¯s evaluation and efficiency. His gaming senses told him that the scarred man was an experienced tactician. That following his advice would greatly improve their odds, especially given the limited time they had to prepare. Now that his armor was on, Nick walked over to the racks holding weapons. He picked out a short sword, then attached the scabbard to his belt along with a pair of daggers that were in better shape than the one he had found in the dungeon. He picked up as many javelins as he could carry and put them into his pack, along with a coil of rope and a few other odds and ends, intending to toss them into a pile for people to use once the fight began. Nick wasn¡¯t sure that he could use a bow effectively in the middle of combat, but his throwing practice should help him hurl a javelin to at least some extent. By now, the others had made their selections and begun to introduce themselves as well. ¡°Devin,¡± the athletic man flashed a nervous smile, raising a hand in greeting. His sandy blond hair had begun to form rough spikes, thanks to a month of hard living, far from conditioner and other modern conveniences. ¡°I prefer to do my fighting up close. I only have two things that make me stand out, besides some decent physical attributes and an affinity for swinging an axe. ¡°The first is my ability, flashfire pulse. I have to take a beating to let it build up a charge. Thankfully, blocking blows with my weapon or shield counts. I can release the stored energy to create a brief sphere of flame. The power depends on how much force I have absorbed. Even at full blast, flashfire pulse doesn¡¯t do a ton of damage, but it¡¯s great for searing soft tissue and it can blind if I get fire into my opponents¡¯ eyes. I can¡¯t control the detonation at all, so I need to move away from the party to safely activate it. ¡°My other unique aspect is this,¡± Devin lofted his wicked double-bladed axe into the air for the others to examine. Its haft was forged from a strange blue metal, so dark that it was nearly black. The double crescent blade was formed from a radiant white ore, creating a sharp contrast where the two metals came together. ¡°This version is great against large or heavily armored opponents, but it leaves me exposed between swings. However, when I do this¡­¡± Devin flexed and pressed a button on the shaft. There was a flash of yellow light. When it faded away, Nick realized that Devin was holding something different than before. In one hand was a smaller, pure white axe, the shape reminiscent of the weapons wielded by Vikings. In the other, Devin clasped a blue-black round shield. It was circular and perhaps two feet in diameter. ¡°Both versions are unbreakable, at least so far. The change is instantaneous with no restrictions on the number of shifts. Obviously, in this configuration I¡¯m better defended, and this axe is better suited to fighting in a line.¡± When Devin was finished, Kenji offered a few pointers, keeping the conversation moving along at a steady clip. The next person to speak was the longbowman, who appeared to be Russian or from somewhere nearby. Watching his lips move, Nick realized that the man wasn¡¯t speaking English. That his Gift of Tongues trait allowed him to communicate not only with the alien species he met, but to anyone of his own kind as well. ¡°My name is Paul. I fight primarily with a short sword and a longbow. I put all my free points into dexterity, allowing me to fire with incredible accuracy. I have an ability that can weaken and confuse any enemy within twenty feet of where my arrows land. The effect becomes stronger if I can hit them directly. The downsides are that the debuff will affect any allies that are caught in the blast, and I can only use it twice a day at the moment. My other attributes are balanced, so I¡¯m decent in most situations, but I can¡¯t take a ton of hits and don¡¯t have much staying power if I¡¯m forced into melee.¡± When Paul was finished, the woman with dark skin and natural hair addressed the group. She was wearing a set of sky-blue silk robes and had a guarded expression, as if she wasn¡¯t quite certain how much she should reveal about herself. ¡°Sophia. I specialize in a fighting style that uses two daggers and focuses on targeting vital points. I¡¯m good at dealing damage but am weak against enemies with strong armor or ranged attacks. I have a passive ability that will make everyone a bit stronger and tougher if they stay within twenty feet of my location. It won¡¯t work if I get knocked out. Oh, and these robes are magic. They offer a level of protection comparable to chainmail but are light and don¡¯t restrict my movement.¡± Sophia concluded her brief address, then moved to pick out a short bow from the wall. The next people to speak had arrived together and appeared to be a few years younger than Nick. Somehow, he was certain that they were siblings, although their features were strikingly different. The man had short black hair with a mustache and goatee that had been recently trimmed. He had high cheekbones and angular features, and his frame was lean and muscular. He was in the middle of putting on a heavy set of half-plate, reinforced with chain, and had a massive two-handed claymore propped up against the bench beside him. He¡¯s either ignoring Kenji¡¯s advice or has prior experience wearing heavy armor. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. His sister was short and sturdy, with soft features and long blond hair. She wore black clothes beneath her light leather armor and wielded an unusual pole weapon with blades on both ends, which she had carried with her through the portal. ¡°Sarah and Bret,¡± Bret spoke for them both. ¡°Our gear is as you see. Sarah can create simple illusions and I can blind enemies with patches of darkness if I can land a direct hit with my sword. Our spells will only last for a few minutes, and we work best when fighting side-by-side.¡± Their personalities were a study of contrast. Sarah was bright and sunny, her expression radiating a cheerful warmth, despite the stress lining her face. Bret¡¯s features had an indifferent cast, as if he only cared about what happened to his sister and himself. Something in his eyes told Nick that Bret would gladly sacrifice the rest of them if it came to it, and Nick resolved to keep one eye on him once the battle was underway. After a brief comment from Kenji, the next person in the circle rose to her feet. ¡°Veronica,¡± the leather-clad woman made a small bow. ¡°I specialize in dealing damage over time. I have high dexterity but lack the toughness to take many hits. These are my weapons of choice.¡± She pulled back the sleeves of her tunic to reveal a pair of crossbows mounted to her wrists, the objects she had initially concealed. Then Veronica made a gesture, like a cat unsheathing its claws. To Nick¡¯s astonishment, her fingers began to lengthen as her hands grew wider. Her nails surged forth, extending past her fingertips to form talons with serrated edges. Ragged ivory blades designed not to slice flesh, but to shred it. Nick stared at Veronica¡¯s hands, his jaw hanging slack, because he had never seen anything like it. ¡°I have two active abilities. The first creates these claws and drains my stamina to exude a poison that makes whatever they cut bleed profusely for a couple of minutes. The drain is low when I just have them out like this, but regenerating the poison takes a lot out of me. The other is a spell that infuses my crossbow bolts with a powerful blend of acids. It costs mana instead of stamina. I can use both abilities twice a day without repercussions. I can squeeze out a third bleed in a pinch, but it will leave me critically low on stamina and I won¡¯t be worth shit for the rest of the fight.¡± The final three people had entered as a group and were wearing t-shirts and backpacks stamped with the logo of the university they had been attending when the System integrated the Earth. The men were eighteen and the woman was only a few years older. Shockingly young to be engaged in a contest with their lives on the line. They were doing their best to keep it together, but they were clearly overwhelmed by the magnitude of the situation. When Nick reflexively sized them up, he got the impression that they were several levels lower than the rest of his team. They already knew one another, and the woman briefly explained that they went to the same college and had entered their tutorial together. None of them had acquired any abilities yet and only the woman had found a modified item. Her name was Julie, and she wielded a staff that could act like a flamethrower three times a day. Kevin, the young man with long black hair and piercing brown eyes, preferred to fight with a spear, although he grabbed a bow from the wall too. The other teenager, James, had dark skin, braided hair, and wielded a compound bow that he had carried with him from Earth. Nick was surprised that they were counted in the top thousand participants, since he could tell that they hadn¡¯t spent much time leveling or training their attributes during the tutorial. He was worried that their presence would be more of a liability than an asset once the fighting was underway. Still, they must have raw talent and a few tricks up their sleeves, as they were some of the top scorers in the tutorial. When Julie was finished, Kenji continued. ¡°It seems that only Paul and I have practiced with our weapons outside of the tutorial, and that Nick has the highest level among us by a fair degree.¡± He rubbed his bare scalp with one hand as he processed what he had learned. ¡°Alright, Devin and I will be the primary tanks. He can guard the front line while I protect our ranged fighters. Nick and Veronica will do best alternating between short and mid-range, so try not to get locked into hand-to-hand for long. Bret and Sophia are our finishers, although Devin can swap into that role as needed thanks to his unusual weapon. ¡°Nick, you¡¯re well-rounded and battle-tested, so use your own judgement and put yourself where you¡¯ll be most effective during the fight. You three have some experience in fighting as a group, but are too low level to trade blows on the front line.¡± Kenji pointed to the young trio. ¡°Your job is to work with Paul to dish out damage at range, or to flank our enemies once someone else has engaged them. Don¡¯t face anything head on unless you have no other choice. Julie, save that flamethrower for when it will do some real damage, or to drive back an opponent if they break through our line.¡± Following along with Kenji¡¯s words, Nick made his final selection from the racks and placed a treated leather cap over his head. The reinforced rim stopped just above his ears, but the armor would help keep his skull from being staved in, giving him some protection for his head for the first time. With their formation decided, they used the rest of the time going over Kenji¡¯s five strategies, fear and excitement writ clear upon their faces. As he began filling his pack with additional weapons to distribute during the fight, Nick wondered how many of them would live to see the sun rise tomorrow, assuming that any of them survived at all. ¡°We¡¯re out of time,¡± Nick pointed to the clock a few minutes later. As everyone rose to their feet and gathered their weapons, he looked each of them in the eye in turn. He wanted to say something, anything, to acknowledge their bravery, and spoke the first words that came to mind. ¡°Ok people. Let¡¯s do this. It¡¯s time to show these bastards what humanity is made of. We¡¯re going to win both rounds, get a shiny new class, then pry the Earth free from Taltos¡¯s grasp. I hope to see all of you again on the other side.¡± With those words, the clock hit zero and the gate creaked open, letting bright sunlight and the roar of the crowd come flooding into the room. Chapter One Hundred Thirty-Seven: Round One Side-by-side with his team, Nick stepped through the gate and set foot onto the arena floor. He knew that a fight for his life would begin at any moment. That his world would soon narrow to the desperate struggle of kill or be killed. He treasured this final moment of calm, perhaps the last that he would ever know. Raising a hand to shield his eyes from the glare, he looked up and took it all in, casting his gaze across the grand arena of Papillon. The sun was high in the azure sky, but there was something off about it. Its hue was a shade too green. Its face larger and dimmer than the cheerful yellow sun he had known all his life. Despite the warmth of its light, the sun looked fake. Nick knew the effect was merely a byproduct of his brain struggling to adjust to the reality that he was standing on his second alien world in a little over a month. That he had traveled distances that boggled the mind, journeying between the stars in the blink of an eye. Although his situation was deadly serious, he found himself grinning, for he was taking part in history in the making. Nick and the brave women and men standing beside him were the first people from Earth to tread upon this world. The first to gaze upon these limitless heavens. To take in the sights of an alien culture and countless beings from another planet. As they crossed the arena floor, he lowered his gaze, examining the edifice in which he and the ten brave souls walking with him would fight to determine the fate of humanity. As he ran his eyes across the arena, the first detail that Nick absorbed was the sheer scale of the place. Behind his back rose a great white wall, at least a hundred feet tall. It stretched out into the distance before curving around to enclose an arena floor the size of several city blocks. The wall was carved from blocks of flawless white marble, striated with bold streaks of black and green that reminded Nick of bolts of lightning. The floor was carved from the same type of stone, textured to keep the fighters from slipping once the blood began to flow. Watching the tawny sunlight sparkle against its surface, he realized that there were thousands of scratches marring the stone. He intuited that if he were to study them closely, a story of countless battles would come to life. Tales of agony and exhilaration. Of triumph and tragedy. Staring down at the legacy of a million melees, Nick wondered how his own story would be remembered. If this contest would mark the end of his tale or was only the beginning. Eyes drawn to motion above, Nick raised his head to take in the stands. The endless rows of seats and the floor below them were hewn from the same material as the inner wall. Unbroken bands of color were woven throughout, as if the entire arena had been carved from a single block of marble, which for all Nick knew, it had. It was hard to tell from where he stood, but he was certain that the space was hundreds of times larger than the most ambitious stadiums on Earth. The terraced stands rose for hundreds of feet, where they were backed by another great marble wall. Ringing the top of the towering facade were eight colossal statues, set at even intervals like the spokes of a wheel. Even from this distance, Nick could tell that the craftsmanship was incredible. Each figure was so lifelike, it looked like they might walk off the platform at any moment. It was as if a convoy of giants had stopped to peek inside the arena before going about their business. Each statue represented a different humanoid species, displaying a range of features and forms as varied as the arms they bore. More than just their grandeur, something about the statues called to Nick. Their weapons radiated palpable auras of power, hinting at secrets that tickled something deep inside his core. He was especially drawn to a swordsman clad in flowing white robes. Unlike the other statues, the curved sword he wielded was simple and unadorned, yet seemed to convey such sharpness that he was forced to look away, lest the sight of it slice his retinas. Nick would have stared up at the statues for days under other circumstances. Pondering their radiant auras. Absorbing the reality that aliens were real and learning all that he could by examining their features and adornments. But he wasn¡¯t fated to be granted such an opportunity, because his match would begin at any moment. As he lowered his gaze from the towering figures that would frequent his dreams for many nights to come, he realized that the stands were full. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. More people than he had seen in his entire life were packed into the endless marble rows. Nick¡¯s jaw dropped as he took in the sight of millions upon millions of beings taking their seats and arguing with their neighbors. Smoking from long pipes that emitted a pale blue smoke. Many were in the middle of buying steaming bowls and chilled flasks, delivered by diminutive creatures driving wheeled concession stands. What the fuck is going on? he turned to speak with his team, who looked just as confused as he felt. Before Nick could open his mouth, a voice resounded from all sides, washing over the arena in a rising tide of sound. ¡°Thank you for your patience, esteemed patrons of the labyrinth. Finish your business and find your seats. The main event will begin in just a few minutes.¡± Nick looked around before spotting a person draped in jet black robes standing upon a raised dais, the announcer who was addressing the crowd. While the robed being encouraged the crowd to settle, his team came to a stop near the middle of the arena floor. Nick opened his bag and started piling up the extra weapons he had brought from the ready room while the others began preparing themselves for the ordeal to come. ¡°It¡¯s been a long day and some of the exhibition matches were a bit tepid. But I promise you, this is a show worth waiting for,¡± the announcer¡¯s voice rose with exuberant enthusiasm. ¡°Yes, my friends, we have something special in store for you today. Only minutes have passed since they completed their survival tutorial, and they¡¯re already leaping headfirst into another challenge. For your viewing pleasure, standing before you are the, let me check my notes, humans from planet Earth! This is truly a special event, because the stakes for our virgin contestants could not be higher. ¡°Today, team Earth is putting their lives on the line for a chance to improve the class selection for their entire species. They are pitifully weak and appallingly ignorant, but no one can fault their courage. Because these humans have accepted a direct challenge from Taltos himself, our host and the sponsor of today¡¯s event. ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, as well as everything outside and in between, let¡¯s have a big round of applause for Taltos. He is always watching. Always listening. And that¡¯s just the way we like it. Please put your hands, paws, flippers, and pseudopods together for the lord of the labyrinth, the master of the maze, the emperor of entertainment, Taltos the Mad God!¡± With those words, a formless roar broke over Nick like a cresting wave. The ceaseless rumble of millions of voices cheering in excitement. Thrilled that they would soon watch Nick and his team fight for their lives. ¡°Thanks to Taltos¡¯s masterful sniping during the mentorship bidding process, the blood is really going to fly today. ¡°Esteemed patrons, I urge you to take advantage of this final opportunity to place your bets, while I introduce today¡¯s lineup. Earth is a backwater planet on the fringes of known space, but that¡¯s not what makes this event so exciting. Thanks to a rare oversight by the System, the Earth managed to reach level one without being scouted beforehand. Thus, humanity was not on anyone¡¯s radar, so no pre-vetting or reconnaissance was able to take place before today¡¯s match. Humanity¡¯s last-minute incorporation into the System was a complete surprise, thus their history and abilities are still a mystery. All we know for certain is that their species had absolutely no affinity for magic until the System awakened them. Their powers are as untested as a freshly whelped Zerzex.¡± This was a lot to take in, but Nick shoved everything he was feeling to one side, steeling himself for the battle ahead. ¡°Although these humans have fought to survive their tutorial, facing animals, beasts, and the elements, they have yet to encounter the true horror of the labyrinth. Well, today we are going to watch them get their first... Oops, I almost gave away the big surprise. Just know that you have something to look forward to during the main event. ¡°But first, we have a preliminary match to whet your appetite for the spectacle to come. Today, we have a special treat for our opening round. Let¡¯s move the angry fellows up here so you can witness their strength with your own eyes. For your viewing pleasure, we bring you eleven frostfury wasps!¡± As the announcer¡¯s words reverberated across the arena¡¯s immensity, a trapdoor opened in the floor in front of Nick. From it arose a crystal box that was nearly as large as the arena¡¯s ready room, accompanied by an ominous buzz. Announcement: Chapter Format Adjustment and Increased Daily Word Minimum Hey everybody, I hope that your week is going well. I wanted to pop in to let you know about a change to LotMG that I''ll be implementing one week from today. Instead of posting one long(ish) chapter each day, I''ll be posting two shorter ones instead (sometimes, I''ll just post two long ones, especially in the next arc), at our usual time, Monday - Friday. I will also be raising the minimum daily word count by 200 words from that point on. This is something that I''ve been working on for months now, and the adjustment is finally ready to go live. I wanted to finish releasing book one and give you advanced notice before changing up your viewing experience even a little, and take the time to explain why I''m making the adjustment beforehand. I''m thrilled to have made it this far with my story, and I''m super grateful for what I already have. But I still have a long way to go if I want to make this my career and the next major step for me, as far as Royal Road goes, is to get my story higher on the popular this week list. The way that the list works means that releasing more more chapters will make any given story more competitive. At my size, if I want to have any chance of rising on page one, let alone break into the top ten (the RR frontpage), going beyond 5 chapters per week is the only way to make it happen. Many of the top authors (Actus, Wolfshine, Kae, DreamTickler, etc.) are already going with a 7-14+ chapters per week model, and I''m learning by following their example (they are also all amazing writers with excellent stories). On your end, it just means that you will have to click one more button every day to read the story (which might take a few days/weeks to get used to), but on mine it means a chance to have the story reach far more eyeballs, draw in additional income through patreon, and improve my odds of finding a publisher (when the time is right). Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. But there are other, story based reasons why the change is good too (or I wouldn''t be willing to do it no matter what). It will let me write shorter complete scenes some of the time, instead of having to pad each of them out to 1.5k words (there will still be lots of longer scenes too). I will have more flexibility with the pacing and variety in the kind scenes can I write going forward, which should help make the story better over time. The chapters released each day won''t always be the same length, although they will always be designed to be read together. Instead, they will be divided in the best places for completing each scene, which gives me even more options for creating content (for example, pairing a long scene with a short scene on the same day, two medium scenes, or one really long one). As a result, each book will be released at least two weeks faster than before with the combined results of these changes. As I mentioned earlier, I''ll be increasing the minimum words per day from 1400 to 1600. There will still be many days that are longer than this, including quite a few 3000+ word days in the next arc. I hope that this change will bolster the success of the book over time, as well as increase the story''s flexibility and variety. Please let me know if you have any questions, your feedback is invaluable as always. Thanks for your ongoing support, it makes all the difference while I''m learning how to make this my fulltime career. All the best, Magnus TL/DR: There will be more chapters per week, and also more words, taking us through the book at least two weeks faster than before. Chapter One Hundred Thirty-Eight: Frostfury The announcer¡¯s words had given Nick an awful lot to contemplate, none of which he had time to process now. Another explosion of cheering washed over him as a section of the arena floor slid open, allowing a platform to rise from below. Mist billowed through the cracks as a massive object ascended, ratcheting up until it was level with his boots. The haze was punctuated by flashes of brilliant blue light, special effects intended to heighten the moment. The crowd¡¯s cheers intensified as the fog reached a crescendo and began to disperse, revealing what looked like a crystal aquarium the size of a racquetball court. Within, eleven murky shapes were darting through the air, throwing themselves at the walls in a frenzy. Nick could hear a furious buzzing well before the air was clear enough for him to peer into the cage and discover its origin. As the platform holding the crystal container snapped into place with a hearty clack, he was able to make out what was trapped inside at last. Wasps. Big ones. Nick frowned as he took in the sight of ten flying insects the size of housecats, hovering around one that was bigger than a border collie. The beasts were striped with bands of black, forming stark lines against their vivid azure carapaces. Each had an onyx stinger the length of his forearm and a wicked pair of barbed mandibles. Although the arena had stopped pumping in fog, the walls of the cage were still wreathed in mist and rime. As if the temperature inside the box was far colder than the air passing into his lungs. He used size up the moment that he saw them. Fortunately, the skill was able to work its magic through the thick crystal surfaces. While the announcer drew out his introduction to pump up the crowd, Nick reported his findings to the team. ¡°These wasps are agile but fragile. They seem to rely on some manner of poison, although the big one has considerable melee ability as well. This last bit is just a hunch, but their movements feel coordinated. Expect some manner of pack tactics,¡± he concluded. His last observation wasn¡¯t based on the impression he had received from size up, but from his extensive run-ins with beasts throughout the course of his tutorial. ¡°Excellent analysis Nick,¡± Kenji said, instantly incorporating the information into his strategy. ¡°We need to watch each other¡¯s blind spots and anticipate combination attacks. The wasps will likely try to disrupt and disorient us, then close the distance to strike from an unexpected angle. Use flashfire pulse, Julie¡¯s staff, and Nick¡¯s wand to counter any attempts to swarm us. Make the first hit count, since they don¡¯t know that we have any area attacks yet. ¡°Those wings look fragile and are wider than their bodies, so aim for them when striking in melee. Paul, use one of your disabling arrows early on in this fight, but save the other for round two. Try to get as many as you can, but don¡¯t wait too long to use it. We¡¯re in the greatest danger while the wasps have full mobility. Finally, don¡¯t fight the big one alone. If anyone has anything to add, save it until the announcement is over, this next bit sounds important.¡± Nick shifted his attention back to the announcer¡¯s words, who had just finished introducing each member of their team. ¡°For our first event in this two-round competition, the freshly integrated humans of Earth will face off in an eleven-versus-eleven battle to the death. This is supposed to be the warmup folks, but I have serious doubts that our challengers will live to see round two. That¡¯s because their opponents are some of the deadliest low-tier beasts that I¡¯ve ever seen, packing a punch well above their level. ¡°Frostfury wasps were discovered on a frontier planet less than a century ago. Their ferocity and tenacity allowed them to conquer the globe while they were still mere animals, dominating all other forms of life on their world. Their queens and royal guards are far too powerful to match up against a fledgling tier one species, but their scouts are perfect for today¡¯s event. Perfect in the sense that they are at the extreme upper limit of what we¡¯re allowed to throw against the human team. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°We were even able to squeeze in a single soldier, balancing the scales by providing the humans with a regeneration crystal and basic equipment in their ready room. But don¡¯t count our contestants out yet ladies and gentlemen, they have proven themselves to be resourceful and are chock full of surprises. But they will have to fight hard if they want to overcome¡­¡± The announcer¡¯s next words were muffled. Nick realized that this part was being deliberately concealed, letting the audience hear, but not those fighting below. ¡°The wasps are going to try to break us apart and pick off our weakest members,¡± Sophia pointed a dagger at the cage, just as the announcer¡¯s words became clear once more. ¡°Which is why the frostfury soldier is classified as an elite opponent. But enough with the foreplay, esteemed patrons. It¡¯s time for some¡­penetration.¡± The audience burst into raucous laughter, rising into screaming cheers as the announcer¡¯s voice went up another octave, crashing over the stands like a tsunami as Nick¡¯s heart began to race and his adrenaline started to flow. ¡°You know what time it is. Are you ready for¡­ CARNAGE!¡± The entire stadium roared the last word as one. The sound of millions of voices crying out for Nick¡¯s blood was infuriating, but he refused to give into their taunts. Cool, calm, and collected, he repeated his mantra. That was all the time for thought that Nick had. For at that very moment, all four walls of the crystal cage dropped as one, as the top vanished in a puff of smoke. The glass fell outward to land with a decisive thud as the swarm was freed from its bondage. For a fleeting handful of heartbeats, he entertained a faint hope that the creatures would simply fly off, perhaps even turn and run rampant throughout the stands. But he wasn¡¯t counting on it. Nick was certain that the arena had a means of ensuring that the two forces faced off against one another. Sure enough, instead of dispersing, the wasps circled the arena floor and then regrouped in the air in front of him. Beads of cold sweat went sliding down his neck, since it was clear that the swarm would attack at any moment. Nick¡¯s team fell into a loose formation, shifting from their default stance to one of the arrangements Kenji had outlined during their final minutes of prep time. This one was designed to counter agile opponents with numbers roughly equal to their own, although facing flying foes would add challenging dynamics to the exchange. Team Earth spread out and assumed a staggered wedge. In the front stood the melee fighters who were able to take a hit, Nick, Kenji, and Devin. To the sides, the agile Sophia and Veronica protected their flanks. Paul and James stood behind the first row, far enough back to be able to fire their bows over the frontline. Everyone else stood further back, tasked to guard the rear and protect their weakest members. At Kenji¡¯s signal, both bows and Veronica¡¯s crossbow fired a shot before the wasps could attack. Although the odds of hitting flying targets from this distance were poor, the move allowed them to gauge their opponents¡¯ dexterity. Unfortunately, the wasps were every bit as nimble as size up had warned, evading the missiles effortlessly before regrouping with a furious buzz. But that wasn¡¯t the only reason they had fired the shots. Kenji had used them to test the limits of the arena as well. Fifty feet into the air, the arrows rebounded against an invisible forcefield. A barrier that kept the beasts from escaping and shielded the audience against incidental fire. Before Nick¡¯s team could fire off a second round, the swarm charged, surging forth in a wave of frantically buzzing wings. The wasps broke into three separate groups. Their main force, consisting of the soldier and four of the scouts, attacked the party from head on while the other beasts made their way around the sides. Sophia was right. They are aiming to drive us apart, then pick off whoever gets separated. Thanks to her foresight and Kenji¡¯s leadership, Nick was ready to counter the wasps¡¯ tactic. It was terrifying being attacked from the air, by agile opponents with venomous stings. Even worse, multiple enemies had moved into Nick¡¯s blind spot, where he would be helpless to counter if they hit him from behind. But for the first time in his life, he was fighting as part of a team. People he could trust to watch his back, leaving him free to focus on the attack from the front. In this game of life and death, Nick had his own role to play. Friday Concept Art: Chapters 134-138 Hey everybody. It''s time for our second installment of our new weekly feature, Friday concept art. Today''s art is from chapters 134-138, and I hope you enjoy it. Just a reminder, this concept art is included entirely for fun, and will never be sold or monetized in any way. It will never be as good as your imagination, so if it doesn''t fit with the version of something in your head, go with your imagination instead. -Magnus Devin Kenji Sophia The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. Veronica Sarah and Bret Julie, Kevin, and James A view from the stands One of the statues ringing the top And another And the one that Nick felt a connection to Alien announcer Frostfury Soldier That''s it for today folks, see you Monday! Chapter One Hundred Thirty-Nine: Paul Keeping his eyes on the frostfury soldier and its retinue, Nick broke ranks and started running to one side. Moving like the pressure had gotten to him and he had fled in a panic. The audience had clearly bought into his act. Laughter, boos, and other derisive cries resounded across the arena floor. But none of that mattered. The only thing that mattered was what the wasps thought of his performance. To Nick¡¯s mingled horror and relief, the main group of killer insects turned to track his movement, flying straight for the swath of ground on which he stood. Visualizing the swarm¡¯s advance for everything he was worth, he glanced over at Kenji while pointing to his belt. Nick let out a soft sigh when he caught the look of recognition in the older man¡¯s eyes, and Kenji nodded in reply to Nick¡¯s silent query. At Kenji¡¯s command, the party shifted formation, spreading out to guard Nick¡¯s back from the other wasps, which had begun to circle back the moment that the soldier selected its first victim. He turned his head to track his opponents, who would be upon him in another¡­ seven seconds, his tactical brain informed him. Nick broke into a dead sprint, taking another half dozen steps before his leg collapsed out from under him and he landed on his ass. He scrambled to regain his footing, but it was already too late. On sighting his plight, the frostfury soldier and its contingent committed to their attack, goaded into action by his show of weakness. They came at him as one, their descent transforming into a streaking dive. The frantic buzzing of their wings thundering in his ears. Nick looked up, taking in the image of glossy blue bodies shining in the sunlight. The shimmer of iridescent wings. The cruel onyx barbs of the wasps¡¯ stingers, poised to strike with the full force of their charge behind it. The squadron of killer insects bunched tighter as they converged upon Nick¡¯s fallen form¡­ which was exactly what he had been waiting for. At the last possible moment, he raised his wand and pointed it toward the swarm, which he had drawn the moment that he hit the ground. Something in the soldier¡¯s posture told him that the beast recognized the weapon in his hand and knew that it had been tricked. But its revelation had arrived too late. The beast was already in range. Nick pressed the trigger and fired off two blasts a fraction of a second apart, praying that the wand would prove effective against airborne opponents. To his immense relief, the cluster of wasps was flung back with incredible force, soaring up until their bodies were pressed against the protective field running above the arena floor. Unfortunately, while the wand made the beasts lose control over their trajectory, the blast didn¡¯t deal out any lasting damage that he could see. Fortunately, that wasn¡¯t what he had been counting on. All that he had really been hoping to accomplish was to disorient the creatures while forcing them to bunch together. The reason why Nick had set all of this up was Paul¡¯s power. The wasps were too agile to gamble on landing a direct hit with an arrow. They flew too high for Paul¡¯s disabling ability to engulf them if it was triggered by the missile striking the floor, since his debuff only had a range of ten feet from the point of impact. Even more critically, Devin had revealed that some beasts could sense mana during their strategy session. As a result, Paul was afraid that the nimble wasps would be able to dodge his attack if he tried to hit them when they were clumped naturally, like when they had converged to attack Nick. But when Nick saw the forcefield shimmer into existence above his head, he realized that he had found a way to both corral the swarm and place them somewhere that Paul¡¯s arrow could reach. If the man had grasped what Nick was planning and was quick enough to react in time. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. Nick rose to his feet and scrambled back into formation, shaking with nervous anticipation when he saw that Paul¡¯s arrow was already in flight. It was clear at a glance that the missile was enchanted. The arrowhead shone with a pulsing lime radiance, streaking up toward the corner of the force-dome where Nick¡¯s blast had shoved the soldier wasp and four of the scouts. He had hoped that his ploy would be sufficient to take out the most dangerous opponent on the field, but matters were not fated to be resolved so simply. Unfortunately, although it was still dazed, the soldier sensed the attack coming at the last possible moment. The beast dodged a heartbeat before the arrow struck the barrier, escaping through the expedient process of stopping its wings and letting gravity carry it to safety, just before Paul¡¯s spell detonated on contact. As disheartening as it was to watch an elite enemy escape a trap that had cost him two of his wand¡¯s charges, Nick¡¯s eyes lit up when the arrow exploded. The glowing missile released a bright flash of yellow-green light, expanding into a neon sphere in the blink of an eye to engulf the quartet of scouts. The wasp in the center was grazed by the arrowhead in a remarkable feat of precision, and he heard Paul cry out in triumph. The effect of his spell was apparent immediately, especially on the beast that Paul had scratched, which had received an extra dose of his disabling magic. The creature¡¯s limbs locked up. Its wings ceased to beat, causing the scout to plummet toward the arena floor far below, in a move that mimicked the soldier¡¯s escape. But instead of banking out of its dive halfway down, the stricken scout kept right on falling, striking the marble below with a sickening thud. The other three scouts that had been caught by Paul¡¯s spell were able to remain airborne. However, it was clear that his magic was already causing them problems. Instead of the crisp movements they had displayed before, the beasts bobbed and wove a drunken dance above Nick¡¯s head. Size up told him that the wasps were still able to fight, but also that the beasts were operating well below peak efficiency. ¡°How long will your spell disable them?¡± Sarah asked while tracking the other wasps circling over their heads. ¡°Longer than this fight will last,¡± Paul punctuated his statement by releasing a pair of arrows back-to-back, nearly taking out one of the stricken scouts before it lurched out of the way. Seeking to mitigate its disadvantage, the frostfury soldier recalled the unafflicted wasps to its side. Ten seconds later, the swarm descended upon Nick¡¯s party in a loose formation. The rest of the wasps timed their attacks to land in sync with the muddled scouts, who were now operating independently instead of coordinating their movements with the swarm. The next five minutes were a chaotic jumble of strikes and dodges. Nick¡¯s team fought to keep the wasps at bay without overextending themselves in the process. Whenever he had a free moment, he targeted the soldier, trying his best to disrupt the beast¡¯s ability to coordinate the attacks of its minions. Each time Nick got in the way, he provoked the soldier¡¯s wrath, a creature capable of ending his life in an instant if it wasn¡¯t for his team. Even with Kenji and Devin watching his back, Nick was barely able to keep the killer insect from perforating him, pumping his veins full of venom in the process. But every time that its stinger slipped past Nick¡¯s guard, Kenji¡¯s spear was there. Even with his allies¡¯ assistance, Nick had to use a mana dart to save himself when the soldier broke through their defense, having summoned the silvery spell during a brief lull in the melee. A few seconds after his dart forced the elite insect to abort its attack, he saw Veronica leap, higher than he would have thought possible. The nimble woman used her cloak to snatch one of the impaired scouts out of the air, then speared it with her claws right through the fabric. Two down, two disabled, Nick took stock of the evolving situation. One elite and six uninjured wasps. At this point, he knew that they were in trouble. Although team Earth was holding its own, the fight had already been dragging on for far too long. Their nerves were shot from the constant stress, and their stamina was dwindling by the dodge. Nick knew that it was only a matter of time before someone made a fatal mistake. A dark premonition that came true twenty seconds later, when their luck took a dramatic turn for the worse. Chapter One Hundred Forty: The First to Fall Half a heartbeat later, two of the unimpaired scouts converged upon Julie as one, diving at her from opposite directions. When she realized that her angle of escape had been cut off, the woman panicked, leaping to one side while activating her magical staff, just in time to save herself. Julie¡¯s timing was solid, and she blasted her assailants with a roaring torrent of flame. One of the wasps was consumed by the conflagration, reduced to a smoking lump of char in the blink of an eye. The other was only grazed, one of its wings curling in as the delicate membrane was singed. But in her haste, Julie caught her partner in the periphery of the blast, the man who was wielding the short bow and spear, whose name escaped Nick in that moment. Although he was only engulfed by the searing cone for a second, the man¡¯s clothing and hair were set ablaze. He dove to the ground, rolling to extinguish the flames while slapping at his head. He was able to put out the fire, but the motion had carried him into the path of two of the frostfury scouts. Adrenaline poured into Nick¡¯s veins the moment he realized that the man¡¯s life was in danger. With Kenji and Devin at his side, Nick ran toward his fallen ally, intending to use his wand to cover the man until he could get back onto his feet. But at that very moment, the frostfury soldier and the three uninjured scouts flew straight into Nick¡¯s face, exchanging a furious series of blows instead of engaging in their usual dive-bombing tactics. The soldier¡¯s barb was more than a match for his sword, and he was helpless to do anything other than hold the beasts back from his throat. He couldn¡¯t draw his wand or summon a mana dart with the creatures swarming him. Nick would be dead the moment he tried, although he did manage to scratch the soldier in the process. The intense melee lasted only a handful of heartbeats, but that was long enough to seal the fallen man¡¯s fate. Before the others could reach his side, the unengaged wasps struck. Nick could only watch in horror as the beasts completed a streaking dive, their stingers piercing the man¡¯s flesh with no appreciable resistance. One wasp stung him in the pit of his stomach, while the other barb bit into the hollow of his throat. For the ghost of a moment, the young man seemed to be ok, rising to his feet and darting over to rejoin the party. But then a horrified expression crossed his face and the man started to scream. ¡°Kevin! No¡­¡± Julie cried, staff clattering against the floor as she raced over to his side. Kevin. His name is Kevin. Nick vowed to remember, as his mind raced to come up with anything that might save the stricken teenager. But even if Nick had deduced some way to help, there simply wasn¡¯t enough time. Only half a heartbeat later, two patches of frost appeared where Kevin was stung, the lower one visible through the hole the wasp had bored through his leather armor. Kevin lurched from side-to-side and began to convulse, wailing in consummate terror, the whites of his eyes visible all the way around. In between the drawing of one breath and the next, the creeping circles of frost expended from the size of a quarter to the width of Nick¡¯s palm, encasing the afflicted tissue in a steaming layer of rime, as Kevin¡¯s body turned to ice from the inside out. Seeing that it was already too late, and that their formation was in imminent danger of collapsing completely, Kenji called the party back. The others pulled themselves together, but Julie was consumed with panic and grief and kept right on running, screaming that she was sorry all the while. It would have been a death sentence with the fight still underway. But just before Julie darted out of reach, Kenji turned and punched her in the face, knocking her to the floor in a daze. The rest of the party fell into formation around Julie¡¯s fallen form. Nick was still reeling with shock, but he knew that Kenji¡¯s brutal act of mercy had not only saved the woman¡¯s life, but spared her the sight of what happened next. Because that was when Kevin¡¯s frozen form toppled, body shattering into ragged ruby chunks as he collided with the floor in a spew of frost-rimed gore. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°And there it is, ladies and gentlemen!¡± the announcer screamed. ¡°After a surprisingly strong showing from team Earth, the frostfury wasps have claimed their first kill and forced our contestants to take out one of their own. This fight has been far closer than I expected, but how much longer can the humans hold on? They have already burned through a ton of abilities, and at their level, they can¡¯t have many more in reserve. The frostfury scouts have been whittled down, but the soldier is still buzzing strong. I can¡¯t wait to find out who will live through the next few minutes. This match is still anyone¡¯s game!¡± Nick shut out the rest of the announcer¡¯s commentary, which he had been doing throughout most of the fight without conscious effort. He was shocked to his core to see another person die in front of him, the first time that Nick had witnessed the death of his own kind in battle. Kevin¡¯s demise would haunt his dreams for countless nights to come, but he didn¡¯t have time to think about it now. His survival instincts kicked in to partition his awareness of the tragic event to the far recesses of his mind. Nick couldn¡¯t afford to stop and process their loss now. Not while the first battle was still underway, and another was yet to come. He sensed that the others were only moments away from breaking down. That they needed to win this round fast if they were to have any chance at all. Fortunately, after managing to knock one of the scouts from the air with his axe, Devin reported an event that offered them a fighting chance. ¡°That last hit did it. Flashfire pulse is charged and ready to go. I only have enough juice to use it once, so we have to make it count.¡± At this point, there were five scouts left, two that were disabled by Paul¡¯s magic and another whose wing had been singed by Julie¡¯s staff. The frostfury soldier had racked up a collection of minor scratches during the melee, but nothing that did more than slow the elite beast down. Nick knew that the announcer was right. His team had to finish this now, or they were all going to die, either to the wasps¡¯ frigid venom or in the following round. ¡°If only they couldn¡¯t sense our mana,¡± Paul cursed. ¡°I could hit them with my other arrow. There¡¯s no point in saving it if we die here.¡± ¡°I have an idea,¡± Devin said. ¡°Keep the bugs busy for another minute while I set it up.¡± Devin ran over to Julie¡¯s unconscious form, where Sarah and Bret were standing guard beside a grief-stricken James, who was still in shock from watching his friend die in front of him. Nick didn¡¯t have time to listen in and see what they were up to. Trusting Devin to work out the details, he threw himself into the fight, using the threat of his wand to keep the swarm from converging on their position. Nick was stung twice during the frenetic melee that followed. Luckily, the beasts¡¯ barbs couldn¡¯t penetrate his toughness-modified leather jacket, which he¡¯d put on over his other armor. By now, black exhaustion had sunk its languid claws into his muscles. His arms were leaden as they swung his sword, and his breath came fast and ragged. Beside Nick, Kenji and James fought bravely, burning through the last of their reserves as well. He knew that it was only a matter of time before one of them made a fatal mistake and gave the wasps an opportunity to claim another victim. That was when matters went from bad to worse within a paltry handful of heartbeats. Because that was when Nick realized that Julie, the unlucky woman who had set her friend on fire, was no longer unconscious. She had risen back onto her feet, slipped past the people guarding her, and was running toward the door of their ready room in a blind panic. Julie was weaponless and made no move to defend herself in her haste. Worse, she had darted out of position before the others had noticed her flight. Julie was completely vulnerable, and though the party was running to support her, Nick knew that they would never reach her in time. The frostfury swarm clearly agreed with his assessment. Continuing with their strategy of picking off the weakest prey first, the soldier and the remaining scouts disengaged from the main group and went streaking toward the defenseless woman, the buzzing of their wings resonating in his ears like a premonition of doom. ¡°No! Not again.¡± Nick screamed in helpless frustration as he sprinted to save her. He knew that it was already too late. That Julie was dead and nothing he could do would save her. Chapter One Hundred Forty-One: Friendly Fire Before Nick could take two steps, he was stopped by Kenji¡¯s hand on his arm. ¡°You don¡¯t want to do that my friend, or you¡¯ll get caught in the blast.¡± For a moment, Nick struggled to free himself. But then the meaning of Kenji¡¯s words penetrated his panic. ¡°Devin¡¯s flashfire pulse is our only area of effect attack that has an instant casting time. Once the swarm enters his range, he can hit them so fast that they won¡¯t see it coming.¡± Nick still wasn¡¯t sure what was happening, although he could tell from Kenji¡¯s words that this situation wasn¡¯t the crucial mistake he had feared. In the heat of the moment, he had forgotten about the other spell-wielders on their team. Specifically, Sarah, who was able to craft some manner of illusion. It all became clear ten seconds later, when the frostfury wasps converged upon Julie¡¯s fleeing form; the elite soldier spearheading their formation. Part of Nick was convinced that he was about to watch the unlucky woman meet the same grisly fate as her fallen friend. But that was not what happened. What happened was that half a heartbeat before the soldier struck from behind, a hemisphere of orange flame erupted to engulf Julie¡¯s position, forming a crackling dome of liquid blaze. The abrupt conflagration was so hot that Nick had to turn his head to shield his face. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched as the inferno continued to expand, overtaking the swarm before they could abort their dive. When Nick whipped his gaze back around a few seconds later, all the wasps were ablaze except for a scout that had been flying in the back of the bunch. The burning beasts went streaking through the air in a desperate, but ultimately futile effort to flee the flashfire¡¯s searing embrace. All the scouts, minus the insect that had escaped the periphery of the blast, came crashing to the arena floor like comets plummeting from the heavens. Incredibly, the soldier was still airborne despite the flames wreathing it in a flickering mantle, consuming its wings from the outer edges in. As Nick watched the mesmerizing display, the soldier contorted and then stung itself, extinguishing the ravenous flames in a flowing tide of frost, saving its life in the process. Not sure about the physics involved in that one. There must be magic at play, and it must have resistance to its own venom. When Nick took a closer look at the site of the blast, he understood what had happened. Because Julie was gone. In her place, Devin was unleashing his might upon the swarm. He used the flat of his massive two-handed axe to smash the wasps as they hit the ground, ensuring that they would not repeat the soldier¡¯s flame-suppressing trick. When Nick glanced over his shoulder, Julie was lying unconscious at Sarah¡¯s feet. Sarah must have cast two illusions. One to hide Julie¡¯s body and one to alter Devin¡¯s appearance. This entire setup was a ruse. A visceral wave of relief went surging through Nick at the sight, along with respect for the ingenuity of his team. But it was far too soon to lower his guard. There was still one scout and the elite soldier to deal with. While it was clear that the beasts had lost the battle, the final pair of wasps was converging on Devin, trying to claim his life in retribution before the rest of the party could back him up. ¡°We have to finish this now,¡± Kenji cried, clearly agreeing with Nick¡¯s assessment. ¡°Someone deal with the scout. Everyone else, focus on the soldier. Don¡¯t let it sting again.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll finish the scout,¡± Nick took off in a dead sprint, heading to where the smaller wasp was circling around to come at Devin¡¯s flank. The lethal insect had been frightened by the flame and was hesitant to rush back in, or Nick would never have made it in time. It must be wary of getting caught by his ability again. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw his team stop to fire off a round of missiles before sprinting to Devin¡¯s side, who was running back toward them with the soldier hot on his heels. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. The cacophony of battle was resounding all around him, but Nick didn¡¯t get to watch the rest of their fight. He only had eyes for his chosen prey, the wasp scout with the singed wing. Nick¡¯s world narrowed, encompassing only his opponent and the approach he would follow. He shut out the roar of the crowd. The screeching commentary of the announcer. He pushed past his exhaustion. His hope. His fear. His feet slapped a rhythm against the stone below his boots, sprinting like mad to cut off the lesser beast before it could rejoin the soldier. The killer wasp looked almost as tired as Nick felt. Or perhaps it was demoralized by the demise of the swarm. Its glossy blue body hovered low to the ground, and thanks to its injury, it could no longer maneuver with the agility it had displayed throughout the early stages of the battle. The soldier was too busy to give it orders, and as a result, the scout simply charged straight for him, trying to get past his blade to land a lethal sting. Nick lashed out with his short sword time and time again, unable to catch his opponent with the two-foot blade. He missed the reach of his usual sword, which was stored in his pack, but he didn¡¯t have time to swap weapons now. Regardless, the large blade was too unwieldy to fend off agile flyers, even with their diminished capacity. For an eternity that could only have lasted a couple of minutes tops, he battled the scout in a direct exchange of blows, both combatants barely managing to avoid taking critical wounds in the process. But then his foe overextended itself, committing to a streaking lunge that Nick was able to evade at the last possible moment. As the scout went buzzing past, he took aim and lashed out with his blade, carving a pair of wings off the insect¡¯s back and transforming its streaking pass into a plummeting dive. But instead of trying to escape, the beast seemed to accept its fate. It used its remaining wings to divert its momentum, making a tight spiral straight into Nick¡¯s chest in a kamikaze maneuver. Taken by surprise, he failed to leap out of the way in time. The wasp slammed into his chest half a heartbeat later, clamping onto his jacket with all six legs. Its stinger probed his stomach, stabbing time and time again, trying to find the edge of his jacket. Nick knew that within seconds at most, he would feel its venomous barb plunge into his flesh, a tide of searing cold, and then nothing at all. This was the first time that he¡¯d been attacked by a beast who attached itself to his body, and it wasn¡¯t a situation that he had trained to counter. The wasp was so close that he couldn¡¯t stab it with his sword. He tried to slash instead, but in his haste, he wound up losing his grip. The weapon fell to the arena floor with a mournful clang as he desperately fumbled for one of the daggers sheathed at his hip. The instant that Nick¡¯s fingers closed around the hilt he drew the dagger, reversed his grip, and thrust it toward his chest, trusting his jacket to stop the tip from plunging into his flesh. He drove the blade into the wasp¡¯s body with a strength born of unmitigated terror. The weapon slid into the joint where the beast¡¯s head attached to its thorax, severing its head in a spray of ichor. Just as he realized that he had won the fight, Nick felt a burning pain erupt along his left forearm, followed by an arctic chill that bit him all the way down to the bone. He looked down in horror to see blood-tinged ice spreading across his skin. Caught in the throes of death, his enemy had exacted its retribution. Nick pushed past the pain and his rising panic, forcing his mind into action. He only had seconds to act before the frigid venom claimed his arm, and his life shortly after. He cried out to let the others know he was in trouble while hastily examining his wounded limb. What he saw offered a wan ray of hope in the raging storm of shit that had risen to engulf him. Instead of sporting a deep puncture like the stings that had claimed Kevin¡¯s life, Nick¡¯s arm now featured a rime-encrusted scratch that ran from his left wrist to the crook of his elbow. It only grazed me and didn¡¯t deliver a full dose of venom, he realized. That¡¯s why my arm isn¡¯t already frozen solid. I still have a chance if I can outlast the chilling effect. During the handful of seconds it took Nick to make this observation, his teeth had begun to chatter violently. He could no longer feel his afflicted appendage, starting from a point just below his shoulder. Whatever he was going to do, he needed to do it fast, or Nick was going to lose his left arm if not his life in the bargain. Chapter One Hundred Forty-Two: Venom Nick didn¡¯t have time to freak out or hesitate. Not if he wanted to save his arm. Fighting down the urge to panic, he opened his jacket with his right hand and pulled his left arm free, spreading rime engulfing more of his flesh by the heartbeat. When the frost venom reached his shoulder, he would lose his limb. When it reached his heart, he would lose his life. A plan was forming within his mind. Nick prayed that it would be enough to save him. Not that he had any choice other than to proceed and hope for the best. He reached behind his back to gather up the material of his cloak, then wrapped it tight around his frozen forearm. He had learned back on the Searing Isle that the cloak¡¯s temperature-regulating effect was stronger when the fabric was touching his skin. The moment that it drew tight, he felt the surging numbness begin to slow, but it wasn¡¯t going to be enough. He was still in imminent danger. As soon as his arm was bound, Nick reached down to his belt and grabbed his canteen. He opened the top with his teeth and then poured the contents over the fabric. His plan was to add the heat sink of the water to the blood in his limb, diluting the venom that had suffused the surface of his skin in the process. But the ice was still spreading, and he couldn¡¯t think of anything else that would help. If Nick were alone, it might have been the end of him. But for the first time in his new life, he was working as part of a team. People he could rely on in an emergency. ¡°Nick, are you alright? Oh god, you¡¯ve been stung!¡± Devin cried out, voice shrill with horror as he took in the sight of frost-spawned fog billowing up from the afflicted appendage. ¡°Water,¡± Nick struggled to speak through the pain. ¡°Pour it onto my arm fast. Piss on it if you have to. I was only grazed, and the venom¡¯s potency is starting to wane.¡± Devin didn¡¯t argue or hesitate for a heartbeat. He just nodded as he emptied his canteen onto Nick¡¯s arm, then started reaching for his belt. ¡°I can¡¯t believe that I¡¯m doing this.¡± As fate would have it, Devin was spared the embarrassing spectacle of exposing himself to the millions of spectators peering down from above. Because at that very moment, the rest of the team arrived at Nick¡¯s side and started pouring their canteens onto his arm. By the time they were done, the water was dripping through the bottom of the wrap instead of being frozen en route, and he knew that the worst was over. He was worried that the damage would keep him from contributing to the next match, but he couldn¡¯t do anything about that now. His left arm was encased in a solid block of ice and a molten wave was sliding down his bicep. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. He knew that he had frostbite, but the pain was a good sign. Hopefully, only the cells of his skin had ruptured, and he wouldn¡¯t lose too much tissue deeper down. He could fight through the pain, but damage to his muscles was another story. In short, he wasn¡¯t out of this mess yet. ¡°Nick! Stick your arm in this,¡± he turned his head to track Sophia¡¯s voice, just as a flaming mass skidded to a stop beside him, trailing embers all the while. Stepping back from the edge of hysteria, Nick laughed at the sight, realizing that Sophia had kicked one of the burning scouts over to him, like the world¡¯s most disgusting soccer ball. He thrust his arm into the flame, cloak and all, trusting its self-maintenance modification to repair any damage he inflicted to the fabric. The fire rapidly melted the ice, helping to thaw his flesh in the process. ¡°Thanks everyone,¡± Nick let out a shuddering sigh of relief as feeling gradually returned to his fingers, his arm radiating a searing pain as if ablaze. ¡°I think that I¡¯m going to be alright.¡± Teeth chattering despite the warmth of the alien sun, he turned and looked into the faces of his comrades. ¡°Is it over? Did we win the fight?¡± ¡°Indeed you did,¡± the announcer answered his query. ¡°But don¡¯t worry folks, the show is far from over.¡± The crowd roared its dissatisfaction, although a handful of voices were elated, which must have belonged to the people who had bet on Nick¡¯s team. ¡°With that amazing turnaround, we mark the end of round one. Team Earth pulled off a stunning upset late into the match, but the real challenge has yet to come. With only a single death and a self-inflicted incapacitation, the humans advance to round two, with the future of their species¡¯ advancement hanging in the balance.¡± Nick was still busy rubbing his arm, but he noticed that the others had not been idle during this break between the rounds. Sophia was running around the arena floor, collecting the corpses of the wasps they had slain, even the ones that had been reduced to char from Devin¡¯s flashfire pulse. I suppose that makes sense. They mentioned that we can¡¯t keep the gear, but they didn¡¯t say anything about the bodies of our opponents. The others were busy piling up javelins and other weapons, placing them where the team could use them in the second round. That was when Nick felt something pulling him toward the arena¡¯s ready room. A foreign compulsion that he was powerless to resist. His team started heading over to the door in the wall, Kenji and James carrying Julie¡¯s unconscious form, accompanied by the announcer¡¯s spiel. ¡°We have an hour-long intermission while our staff mops the fighting floor and team Earth gets ready for their next challenge. While you wait, we will have live music and a series of exhibition matches between volunteers selected from our audience. ¡°The betting windows have reopened with updated odds, so go grab a refreshment and place your wagers while you can. I promise that it will be worth the wait, this next show is really going to be something special. Don¡¯t worry about a bait and switch folks, we removed the regeneration crystal from team Earth¡¯s ready room, so their injuries will carry over into the next round.¡± By now, Nick¡¯s team was almost back to the door they had entered through, which had opened sometime during the announcement. He was able to catch a few final words before they stepped past the threshold and the gate swung shut behind them. ¡°As a reward for winning round one, we¡¯ve added a commemorative dagger to the prize pool provided by the System. Not that I expect any of them to live long enough to see it.¡± Chapter One Hundred Forty-Three: Were in This Together As the gate swung shut behind their backs, everyone sat down on the bench to process what had just happened. Kenji lowered Julie¡¯s unconscious form beside them with surprising tenderness, blinking back tears as he brushed some blood from her cheek. After everything that had happened, Nick was glad that the woman was still unconscious. Hopefully, they will let her stay here during the next round. He wished that they could leave James behind as well. While everyone else had contributed to the fight, their three weakest members had been nothing but a liability, not that he could fault their courage. They shouldn¡¯t have volunteered, although I understand why they did. While the others began treating their wounds using the rack of medical supplies on the wall, Nick walked over to the fountain, drank his fill, and refilled his trusty canteen. As everyone recovered from their shock and exhaustion, he carefully unwrapped the cloak from his arm to see how bad the damage was. His nerves felt like they were on fire, and moving it hurt like hell, but that was to be expected after having his tissue frozen past the point of numbness. His tissue was swollen, his skin a mottled patchwork of white and red. But at least Nick could still feel his fingers. Still move his arm with only a little stiffness. His quick thinking combined with his team¡¯s assistance had been enough to avoid a worst-case scenario. ¡°That¡¯s going to sting like crazy, but I think it¡¯s only second degree,¡± Kenji moved closer to examine Nick¡¯s injury. ¡°You might have some scars but there shouldn¡¯t be too much muscle loss. Hopefully, my regeneration aura can help take the edge off before the next round starts.¡± Nick nodded while he wrapped his arm in gauze, as the older man rose to his feet. ¡°I¡¯d like to pay my respects to the fallen and mourn Kevin now, but we simply don¡¯t have time,¡± Kenji turned to address the team. ¡°It will have to wait until the next fight is over, although I¡¯m deeply sorry that we couldn¡¯t save everyone. Recover your stamina and replace any weapons and armor that were damaged. We only have fifty-five minutes before the next round begins and we need to make them count. ¡°I have a few ideas as to what we might expect during the next fight. But before we get to that, I need everyone to update the team and let us know what you have left as far as spells and consumables are concerned. I¡¯m down to about half mana, but my regeneration field should last us through the next fight,¡± Kenji concluded. ¡°My aura is in similar shape,¡± Sophia said, then went back to sorting through the weapons on the wall. ¡°I have two more mana darts and one blast from my wand.¡± Nick removed another bandage from the shelf and wound it around his injured arm, trying not to let the pain show on his face. ¡°I can manage one more flashfire pulse, but I¡¯ll have to charge it first.¡± Devin started pulling javelins from the rack and set them beside the gate. ¡°I have enough mana for one more illusion, two if they''re small,¡± Sarah said. ¡°One more disabling arrow.¡± Paul sighed, then began refilling his quiver with fresh arrows. ¡°I haven¡¯t used my magic yet,¡± Bret added. ¡°I need to touch my opponent to activate it, but I can blind something for a couple of minutes before I run out of juice. If we save it for the right moment, with any luck, we can catch our enemy by surprise.¡± ¡°I¡¯m close to full as well.¡± Veronica patted the crossbow strapped to her wrist. ¡°I have enough in the tank to use both of my abilities twice. A bleed-inducing poison for my claws, and an acid injection for my crossbow bolts, although both need to penetrate to do any damage.¡± Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. ¡°Ok,¡± Kenji said. ¡°That¡¯s better than I feared. We¡¯re going to need it all for the next round. What about Julie¡¯s staff? It still has two flamethrower charges, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid that we won¡¯t be able to use it.¡± James explained that Julie¡¯s staff was keyed to her commands alone. Unfortunately, this meant that no one else could activate it while she was unconscious, depriving the team of a much-needed weapon. No one suggested waking her up, since her mental state was too unstable regardless. When he was done binding his arm, Nick pulled on his jacket and sat down beside Sophia, who had moved on to removing the stingers from the corpses of the wasps and placing them into her bag. Now that everyone had finished reporting, Kenji continued addressing the group. His calm efficiency helped them to maintain focus, despite the shock of Kevin¡¯s death and the close calls with Julie and Nick. ¡°As far as strategy goes, since the first round was against a swarm with numbers equaling our own, going by pure entertainment value, our next opponents should be creatures that are stronger than us by a fair margin. ¡°I expect that it will be some manner of beast again, although I suppose that they could force us to fight other contestants. I hope that¡¯s not the case, but if it is, we¡¯ll have to play it by ear depending on what weapons they use. Here¡¯s what I have in mind for the next round.¡± This began an intense discussion, ending when the time on the clock had only five minutes remaining. When they were done, Kenji rose to his feet and turned to face the team. ¡°No one asked for this. But humanity is at war with the fate of our species, of our entire planet, hanging in the balance. And in war, people die. It¡¯s tragic and it¡¯s wrong and you¡¯re never going to get over it. But it¡¯s going to happen again and again, and it won¡¯t stop until we pry the Earth free from Taltos¡¯s clutches. We will have to wait until then to truly process our grief. To honor our dead and celebrate the lives that were lost fighting dark forces beyond our comprehension. But not today. Not right now. ¡°Right now, we need to get our heads back in the game. We¡¯re about to begin another, presumably more difficult fight. We¡¯re down two members and have burned through a fair portion of our stamina, mana, and limited abilities. We need to win this battle, no matter what it costs us. Too much is on the line to hold anything back. Even if we all die in the process, we need to drag our enemy down with us. ¡°Except for you James,¡± Kenji turned to face the grief-stricken teenager. "You¡¯ve already lost enough, and this challenge is way above your paygrade. If you want, you can stay here with Julie and break the bad news to her when she wakes up. She¡¯s going to need a friend when she remembers what happened to Kevin, that kind of guilt can take decades to heal. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll knock you out too if they try to interfere. Go ahead and rest, my brave young friend, you¡¯ve earned it. With any luck, we¡¯ll see you on the other side.¡± For a moment, James simply nodded, weeping beside Julie¡¯s unconscious form. But then his features hardened, resolve clear on his face, and he shook his head. ¡°No. I¡¯m coming with you.¡± He cut off Kenji¡¯s protest as he rose to his feet. ¡°I know that I¡¯m weaker than the rest of you. That if I walk through that door, I probably won¡¯t be walking back out. But that doesn¡¯t matter. It¡¯s like you said, there¡¯s too much at stake to hold anything back, no matter what it costs us. If there¡¯s a chance that my presence boosts our odds of victory, even by a fraction of a percent, then I¡¯m going out there to give it my all. I¡¯m the weakest member of this team, so don¡¯t try to save me if the cost is too high, but we¡¯re all in this together. Now, let¡¯s go show those alien bastards just what humanity is made of.¡± The young man¡¯s words touched them all, stoking the flames of their resilience. Nick felt a fierce and rising determination come over him, steeling his nerves for the fight ahead, just as the final seconds on the clock dwindled down to zero. ¡°It¡¯s time,¡± Nick began walking back toward the arena floor, as the gate swung open once more. ¡°Let¡¯s give these assholes a show that they¡¯re not expecting and dominate this round.¡± With that, there was nothing else that needed to be said. Side-by-side, the surviving members of team Earth turned to face the gate, and the ordeal that would begin the moment they stepped beyond the threshold. Together, they walked back onto the arena floor, ready to face a challenge even greater than the one they had just overcome. Chapter One Hundred Forty-Four: Rage Nick walked across the arena¡¯s ancient stone floor, keeping pace with his team. He shut out the murmur of the crowd, millions of voices merging together to create an unending river of sound. He looked up at the statues ringing the top of the stadium, wondering if those fearsome fighters had once been standing here too, preparing themselves for what might well be the final minutes of their lives. In the heart of that moment, Nick was filled with fierce and contrasting emotions. The fear of death mingled with the relief that he was still alive. His sorrow for the people they¡¯d lost warred with his excitement for this chance to grow stronger. Rising above the rest, lending him the strength to carry on in the face of adversity, was hope. Hope that they could pull off another victory, granting their entire species better classes and improving their odds of survival. Hope that they would grow powerful enough to pry the Earth free from Taltos¡¯s grasp. Hope that humanity could endure this trial and carve out a place for themselves within this strange new reality. Nick¡¯s teammates were lost in thoughts of their own, a riot of emotions carved deep into their features. Fear and sorrow. Exhilaration and anxiety. Burning brighter than the rest, he could sense a fierce determination dwelling within each of the brave souls standing beside him. The intention to fight with everything they had. To bring out the best within themselves, now, when it mattered the most. To win their next battle and secure a future for their species and their planet, no matter what it cost them. The wind had picked up sometime over the last few minutes. A cool breeze that helped to mitigate the warmth of the alien sun high above. They stood there in silence, preparing themselves to fight for their lives, as the announcer addressed the crowd. ¡°Please take your seats ladies and gentlemen. The main event is about to begin! Team Earth is back on the field and ready for their decisive battle. Will our challengers triumph, ascending two class rarities at once and securing common classes for their entire species? Or will their hopes be drowned in a sea of their own blood? ¡°I know where I¡¯m placing my bet, and I can¡¯t wait to find out what happens next! Now that our contestants have taken the field for round two, it¡¯s time to unmask their opponents. This time, instead of pitting them against dangers from another world, we¡¯re having our contenders face off against creatures native to their own planet. Big gray brutes that they call rhinoceroses.¡± As the announcer spoke, the crowd began to cheer, and another crystal cage rose from the arena floor. It was quite a bit bigger than the last transparent enclosure and was divided into three separate chambers. Inside each partition stood a massive bull rhinoceros, majestic animals who honestly looked more terrified than hostile. Not that Nick could blame them. This is bullshit. He wasn¡¯t happy about having to fight innocent animals, who were just as much victims as Nick and his team. He knew that he didn¡¯t have a choice in the matter, and it made him hate Taltos all the more. You can¡¯t afford to hesitate Nick. Your people are counting on you. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°These magnificent creatures are most certainly dangerous, but they aren¡¯t nearly as aggressive as their appearance would suggest¡­ which is why we¡¯re pumping rage gas into their cages as we speak, getting them all hot and bothered before round two begins. Our proprietary cocktail will make the rhinos stronger, tougher, and utterly fearless, consumed by the need to destroy everything in their path.¡± Nick could hear the crowd laughing along with the announcer¡¯s words, and he realized that he was shaking in fury. He forced himself to breathe and allowed himself to be guided by reason. Arctic clarity spread across his mind, cooling his passion, and helping him to focus once more. I¡¯ll make you pay Taltos. I don¡¯t know how, but I will. I swear it. ¡°I can tell by your tone that you already know about the drug¡¯s little twist.¡± The crowd roared in response to the announcer¡¯s words. ¡°The gas will make these animals just as likely to turn on each other as attack our contestants, but the chaos is all part of the fun.¡± As the alien continued playing up the crowd, bright pink vapor began venting into the crystal cages, engulfing the trio of rhinos trapped within. The instant that they inhaled the first wisps, they started to shake, letting out increasingly furious growls as their muscles began to bulge. In a red flash, the rhinos went utterly berserk, slamming their faces into the crystal walls time and time again. Trying to gore and bite one another with such ferocity that the entire cage was soon rocking back and forth. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, these walls are impregnable for an E-grade species. They can¡¯t be broken by our four-legged friends, although the same cannot be said of our contestants. Now, without further ado, let¡¯s get this show on the road!¡± Nick tensed his muscles and intensified his focus, ready to play his part in their plan the instant that the rhinos were released. This was going to be an even tougher fight than he¡¯d expected, but there was a chance that they could use the gas to help even the odds. If our opponents are enraged and willing to attack each other, we should be able to use that against them. Maybe even¡­ his thought was cut off by the announcer¡¯s next words. ¡°Hold that thought, esteemed patrons of the labyrinth. I¡¯ve just received word of a special event, and it looks like we¡¯re in for a treat. One of the arenas hosting team Earth will be selected at random, and one of Taltos¡¯s generals will add a special challenge to the fight in question, something that will really get your blood pumping. ¡°The odds of our humble establishment being chosen are small, but we can watch the event play out on the big screen, then continue with today¡¯s fight. Don¡¯t worry, the rhinos will only get angrier the longer we wait. Thanks to the rage gas, they have more than enough endurance to battle all day long.¡± At that point, a ball of crimson light appeared in the air above Nick¡¯s head, positioned in the dead center of the arena floor. ¡°You know all the rules, but I¡¯ll provide a quick overview in case this is anyone¡¯s first time witnessing this event with their own eyes. This light represents a point on a wheel that Taltos will spin. When the arrow is pointing at our arena, the orb will glow green. If the wheel stops on us when it¡¯s done turning, our contestants will be treated to a unique contest, and everyone in the stands will receive a fabulous prize. ¡°Since this is a System-sanctioned event, the law of balance applies. If the challengers can triumph and overcome this ordeal, they will receive a valuable reward too, unlikely as that outcome may be. It looks like Taltos is ready to begin, so sit back and enjoy the show.¡± Chapter One Hundred Forty-Five: The Herald of Slaughter With those words, the orb hovering over the arena floor began to blink, turning green for just an instant before changing back to blood red once more, releasing a pure note like a bell each time that it shifted. The audience¡¯s cheering rose like a wave, greed and bloodthirst writ clear on their features. The process sped up until the orb was flashing at a ten second interval. It set Nick¡¯s heart racing, and his adrenaline began to flow, internalizing that this fight might be even harder than he¡¯d thought. He had an image of Taltos standing over a roulette wheel with a Cheshire cat grin, waiting to see what number the spinner would land on. After ninety tension-saturated seconds, the flashing began to slow down, like the wheelhead was running out of momentum. It turned slower and slower, staying red for longer on each pass until it seemed that the process was nearly compete. The floating orb flashed green again, held steady for a few seconds, then shifted to a deep crimson glow once more. Nick felt an intense flush of relief at the sight, letting out a breath he hadn¡¯t realized he was holding as the crowd began to boo. He said a prayer for the unlucky group that would face this new challenge, but he wouldn¡¯t choose to take their place for anything. Whatever was happening, Nick was certain that he wanted no part of it. ¡°That¡¯s too bad, ladies and gentlemen. We didn¡¯t win this time, but we knew the odds were long. Let¡¯s watch our lucky contenders duke it out on the big screen. Rago, please patch us into the winning arena¡­¡± The announcer¡¯s words were cut off as the orb changed again, shifting color for a final time. It started glowing with an ominous emerald light that suffused the coliseum, as if the marble edifice had been plunged underwater. It felt like Nick had been kicked in the gut. Caught in the jaws of a trap that were in the middle of snapping shut, an instant away from closing around his throat. His heart began to race as a raging tsunami of adrenaline surged into his veins. All across the arena, an electric tension rose to fill the air. The anticipation of a spectacle to come. Every voice in the crowd went silent as one. Every eye staring up at that verdant glow with expressions of wonder lighting up their faces. ¡°Shit. That can¡¯t be good,¡± Devin muttered, mirroring Nick¡¯s train of thought verbatim. He glanced over at the rest of his team, taking comfort from their presence, although everyone looked as frightened as he felt. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it. Esteemed patrons, we¡¯ve won! Our humble establishment will be the host for¡­ bear with me, I¡¯m getting more information as we speak. No¡­ it can¡¯t be. But it is! Brace yourselves ladies and gentlemen, because we have been granted a visitation by the Herald of Slaughter. A being only one step below the Red Lady herself. ¡°This is a once in a lifetime opportunity folks. A story to pass down through generations of your progeny. We will find out what prize we¡¯ve won after the event is over, so please be patient. Let¡¯s show the Herald the utmost respect and, for all our sakes, don¡¯t do anything to piss her off.¡± This last bit came out as a whisper, even though the announcer¡¯s voice was being projected to every corner of the stands. ¡°Do not presume to speak for me,¡± a woman¡¯s voice replied. The soft-spoken words resounded through Nick¡¯s soul, the voice seeming to well up from every speck of matter in the arena at once. ¡°And if you mention my mistress so casually again¡­¡± With that, everything was drowned out in an ocean of pressure. A force that Nick couldn¡¯t even begin to comprehend cast him to the bloodstained ground, spasming and gasping for breath. It pressed down upon the arena, driving the audience into the floor until every knee was bent and every head was bowed. A show of force that was utterly irresistible and completely overwhelming. It was all that Nick could do to hold onto his sanity and keep his sense of self from shattering, ground to nothing beneath the unrelenting pressure. A heartbeat before his soul was extinguished like a candle in a monsoon, the alien energy vanished as abruptly as it had appeared. ¡°Your eminence,¡± the announcer sounded just as stunned as Nick felt. ¡°Forgive my impudence. We are honored by your presence and unworthy of basking in your light.¡± The man fought for breath. All traces of his jovial persona gone as he sought to mollify the being who¡¯d materialized beside him. ¡°Excellent,¡± the voice of the Herald continued as if nothing had happened. ¡°Now, where is the creature that will receive my lady¡¯s salvation?¡± Nick¡¯s strength was gradually returning, allowing him to rise to his feet once more. He looked up toward the announcer¡¯s booth before freezing every muscle in his body. Because that was when he realized that a woman with crimson wings, a being capable of obliterating him with the force of her presence alone, was floating in the air above him, gliding toward the arena floor where the rhinos were locked in their cages. Nick was filled with a premonition of death and despair, helpless to do anything but watch as disaster descended upon his head. All he knew for certain was that whatever was about to happen, his day was about to get a whole lot worse. Friday Concept Art: Chapters 139-145 Hey everybody. It''s time for our latest installment of our new weekly feature, Friday concept art. Today''s art is from chapters 139-145, and I hope you enjoy it. Just a reminder, this concept art is included entirely for fun, and will never be sold or monetized in any way. It will never be as good as your imagination, so if it doesn''t fit with the version of something in your head, go with your imagination instead. -Magnus Paul getting ready to use his disabling arrow. And a close up. Julie using her flaming staff 1. Julie using her flaming staff 2. Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. His name was Kevin. Devin''s shape changing axe, one handed version. The two handed version, getting ready to use flashfire pulse. Sarah and Bret, anime style. The announcer going nuts. And a version of him as an orc. The rhinos in their crystal cages. Rage gas. The Herald of Slaughter Have a great weekend everyone. See you Monday! Chapter One Hundred Forty-Six: Pure Spark of Massacre Nick didn¡¯t dare to meet the Herald¡¯s gaze. Even glancing at her figure out of the corner of his eye made his psyche quiver and quail. That one look was enough to burn her image into his spirit, like a red-hot brand searing his soul. He knew in that moment that he would never forget her face. She had the features of a petite young woman, perhaps nineteen years old, clad in a flowing red dress with no jewelry or other form of adornment. She had pale white skin, sharp features, and deep ruby hair, her expression falling somewhere between boredom and disdain. While all of this looked human enough, there was no mistaking the Herald for one of his kind. What separated her from any woman Nick had known, from any person on Earth for that matter, were her eyes and even more notably, her wings. Both were a brilliant crimson hue, somehow more intense than any color Nick had seen before. Even when looking from the periphery of his vision, his psyche was assaulted by what felt like torrents of freshly spilt blood. An endless ocean of battle and death, bound together by an insatiable killing intent. He had a sense that she had power sufficient to extinguish entire worlds, and a temperament that would find such an outcome deeply satisfying. He knew in that instant that despite her form, the Herald was far removed from anything even remotely human. That she had been the victor of a thousand battles. Was capable of killing millions in the blink of an eye, and would do so if offered the slightest provocation. She¡¯s a monster in the form of an angel. Nick stood stock still, terrified of attracting even her casual attention. He knew that if he did, it would be the end of him. That she could erase his existence as an afterthought if he displeased her, and every member of his species alongside him. The other members of his team were frozen in place, waiting to see what happened next with helpless dread. The Herald paused her descent as she came to a stop in front of the crystal cage, floating without needing to flap her wings, her feet never touching the ground. The arena was silent as a tomb. No one in the stands dared to make a peep as the woman with blood red eyes looked down at the enraged rhinoceroses, who were caught in the throes of their mindless aggression, slamming into the crystal walls while trying to rend their brethren asunder. The Herald frowned as she took in the sight. ¡°Stop that. I¡¯m trying to think.¡± If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Nick nearly threw up when her presence flared once more, even though it was only a brief flash this time and was less intense since it wasn¡¯t directed at him. The effect of the Herald¡¯s displeasure on the captive animals was instant and total. Despite the senseless fury evoked by the gas, the rhinos obeyed her command, trembling in terror as they stared up at the girl with crimson wings, eyes wide with horror. ¡°That¡¯s better. Now, which of you seeks the pure release of true rage, instead of this paltry, tainted shadow? The salvation that comes with embracing Slaughter and casting aside the weakness of hesitation.¡± Nick could sense a deeper meaning behind those words. A force that he wasn¡¯t capable of comprehending. Something dark and primal, like a storm brewing along the horizon. In response to her question, one of the rhinos stopped quivering, turning to look the Herald right in her ruby eyes, as if answering some longing hidden in the recesses of its soul. ¡°Yes,¡± the entity in the form of a girl considered the creature in the cage. ¡°You possess a pure spark of massacre, waiting to be stoked into a roaring flame. You will serve my lady¡¯s purpose well. ¡°Although you may fall this hour, your form will be immortalized, living on in memory until the end of days and serving as the template for a new breed of chosen.¡± The Herald turned to address the crowd and spread her arms wide, as millions of spectators listened to her proclamation, spellbound in their seats. ¡°Behold, assembled mortals. Rejoice that you have arrived at this nexus of fate and fury as you witness the birth of a new species.¡± With that, the Herald reached out and shattered one side of the translucent barrier, fracturing the crystal wall as if it were made of spun sugar. She flew into the cage, never breaking her gaze with the rhino in front of her. ¡°Allow me to uncloud your eyes, revealing the true beauty that can only be found in destruction. The symphony of a world dyed red with the ecstasy of ruin.¡± With those words, the Herald smiled and floated forward, leaning in to kiss the rhino on the horn. A tender gesture, like one might bestow upon a beloved pet. The instant that her lips touched ivory, she vanished without a trace, leaving Nick wondering what in the hell he¡¯d just witnessed. He found out less than a minute later. Knowledge that would come at a terrible price. A heavy fist of foreboding closed tight around Nick¡¯s heart. He knew deep in his gut, his bones, his blood, that something terrible was about to happen. The countless faces filling the stands were as still as the surface of a frozen lake. The crowd stared down at the arena floor enrapt, waiting to see what would happen next. They can feel it too. Nick¡¯s adrenaline began to flow, tinging the ominous silence with a refulgent electric afterglow. ¡°Ready yourselves for the fight of your lives,¡± Kenji¡¯s voice cut through the silence like a blade. He opened his mouth to speak again, but whatever the scarred man might have said was fated to remain unuttered. Because that was the moment when the rhino began to change. To mutate. To be remade into something... monstrous. Its eyes started to glow with a baleful ruby light, an echo of the aura contained within the blood-drenched wings of the Herald of Slaughter. Chapter One Hundred Forty-Seven: Mutation Some inner sense, as of yet unknown to Nick, told him that the corrupted rhinoceros was no longer an animal, but a beast. Albeit one that was twisted in a way that he was unable to quantify. Five seconds after the creature¡¯s eyes lit up, as if the fires of hell were roiling within its skull, the beast¡¯s body started to transform. Its muscles pulsed and writhed beneath its wrinkled grey skin, like snakes were slithering through the rhino¡¯s veins. Tissue shifting, breaking apart, and giving way, like wet clay upon a potter¡¯s wheel. Somehow, the process reminded Nick of the changes that occurred within his body when he spent his free attribute points, but this version felt wrong. These alterations were dark and sinister, a mockery of the growth precipitated by the System. Instead of enhancing the beast¡¯s physique, the Herald¡¯s energy was forcibly altering its body on a cellular level, destroying the old as it gave birth to the new. While raising some of his attributes had been painful, especially his strength, the process that the rhino was undergoing looked excruciatingly agonizing. The beast¡¯s screams were intense and unending. Shrieks of anguish so forceful that they broke through the fury of the drug-maddened animals in the adjoining cells, who looked disturbed on a deep, fundamental level. Not that Nick could blame them. He felt exactly the same way. The differences between System-sanctioned growth and the Herald¡¯s mutation soon became even more pronounced. Five breathless seconds later, the creature¡¯s flesh ruptured, leathery hide splitting open in a spectacular geyser of blood and viscera. From the ragged, weeping gaps, a living tide of muscle fibers came bursting through the seams, wrapping themselves tight around the exterior of the beast¡¯s body. Growing bigger and bigger, even as the tendrils of muscle continued to condense. There was soon far too much mass to be contained within the creature¡¯s skin. Every surface of its body now glistened with a patina of fresh blood, which the beast apparently no longer needed to survive. Patches of weeping grey flesh fell to the ground like rain as the fallen creature shed its skin, and something monstrous emerged. What Nick was witnessing felt wrong. A perversion of the natural order that he couldn¡¯t capture with mere words. Watching the forced transformation was revolting, terrifying, and utterly captivating all at the same time. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. Nick would have tried to attack the beast now, before its grim metamorphosis was complete. But the rhino was still shielded by the walls of the crystal cage and rushing in through the hole that the Herald had made didn¡¯t seem like the best idea. He forced himself to think through his shock, trying to come up with a plan that would let him live through the day as he witnessed the finale of the gruesome spectacle. Before long, the corrupted beast was so big that he was certain it wouldn¡¯t be able to leave the cage. The hole in the wall was far too small for its hulking form to pass through. A twist that he had absolutely no idea how it was going to play out. When the creature finally stopped growing two minutes later, now at least three times its original size, its limbs began to swell. A repulsive crackle filled the air. The sound of every bone in the rhino¡¯s body shattering in choir, which would haunt Nick¡¯s dreams for long nights to come. From the four balls of muscle encasing the fallen rhino¡¯s feet, jet black talons emerged, severing muscle and vein as they pushed their way through the mounds of quivering flesh like knives cutting through a bowl of pasta. There was noticeably less blood pouring from the mangled tissue this time, and the damage seemed inconsequential. Each blade was twice the length of Nick¡¯s dagger, tipped with cruel barbs that were designed not to slice flesh, but to tear it apart. Maybe the changes will stop there, Nick prayed. When the head pops out, it will have the face and horn of a typical rhino. Nothing that will obliterate us without breaking a sweat. Nick¡¯s prayers were fervent, as his world view now accepted the existence of gods and other greater beings. But if any of them were listening, they were as powerless as he was to stop what was happening. Although he was even more worried about what would happen next. Nick¡¯s fears proved to be well founded. Because at that very moment, the tip of the fallen rhino¡¯s horn slid out from the condensed globe of muscle encasing the corrupted creature¡¯s skull. Instead of a single gleaming point, what emerged was a legion of horns, all sharp edges and sweeping tines that looked like the roots of a demonic tree. They tore the rhino¡¯s flesh to rags a second time, as an endless procession of obsidian barbs pushed through its weeping tissue. The sprawling array of black ivory was so massive that it pinned the beast against the floor, pressing its head into the corner of the crystal prison. Shuddering like a creature possessed, the fallen beast opened its jaws, muscle fibers parting like rubber bands to reveal the midnight cavity of its maw. Nick felt a chill premonition of dread as he took in the sight of jagged teeth like scimitars, braced by hulking jaws that could tear him in half effortlessly. The beast drew in a great breath and roared out its rage, bellowing like a living avatar of fury. It cried out again, even louder than before, the sound so intense that it vibrated Nick¡¯s teeth within his jaw. He knew deep in his bones that the mutant wouldn¡¯t be trapped for long. That within a fleeting handful of heartbeats, his next ordeal would begin. Chapter One Hundred Forty-Eight: Unleash the Beast The final glimmers of fell ruby light faded from the rhino¡¯s eyes, revealing a pair of cruel onyx spheres set into its skull, the stark white of bone visible around the edges. As the reverberations of the beast¡¯s roar faded into echoes, the crowd broke free of its reverie and began to cheer, their bloodlust so thick that Nick could taste it in the air. ¡°Incredible,¡± notes of reverence colored the announcer¡¯s voice, his excitement soaking into the spectators like water into sand. ¡°Stay seated everyone. Give us just a few minutes while we find someone skilled enough to dispel those crystal barriers and we can proceed with the fight as scheduled. While the Herald¡¯s gift has allowed us to witness history in the making, it put a few kinks in our plans that we need to iron out.¡± He was about to say something else when the alien¡¯s voice was cut off by a crack that resounded across the arena floor, louder than a peal of thunder. There was a second sharp retort, followed by a series of shorter breaks, like a wrecking ball busting through a house of mirrors. Every eye in the stands widened in surprise, the tension riding the breeze skyrocketing with every beat of Nick¡¯s heart. When he turned his head to track the sound, he saw that a deep crevice now marred the surface of the crystal cage. A jagged gap that widened as the magical material was stressed beyond its limits by the mutant creature straining against the walls confining it. ¡°That shouldn¡¯t be possible,¡± the announcer cried over the roar of the crowd. ¡°It seems that our fallen¡­ err chosen beast is even more powerful than I imagined. I can¡¯t tell you how glad I am that I¡¯m up here with you instead of down there with them.¡± The words passed through Nick¡¯s ears unheard, as an electric tide of adrenaline began pumping through his veins. Every scrap of his attention was focused on the ominous events playing out before his eyes. He was desperate to learn whatever he could in the handful of heartbeats before the next battle began. Anything that would increase his chances of living through this catastrophe. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Inside the crystal cage, which the announcer had claimed was indestructible, a horrific scene was playing out. The pair of gas-maddened rhinoceroses, who were still trapped inside their partitioned cells, were wailing in terror, pressing their massive bodies into the far corners and shrinking down as far as they could go. Their eyes were wide with rising horror and burgeoning panic. A fear so intense that it cut through the rage-inducing intoxicant like a battle axe through a stick of butter. The reason for their mounting terror was plain as day. Their gazes were riveted upon the monstrous rhino that the Herald of Slaughter had corrupted. The hulked-out abomination, a weeping mass of blood-drenched muscle fibers and obsidian blades, was still trapped within the enclosure, pinned to the floor by the girth of its immense array of horns. Being confined with prey so close at hand had driven the beast mad with fury. It continued to strain, bucking and writhing, as it let out an unending roar of rage. An otherworldly cacophony that sounded like a family of goats falling down the side of a mountain, causing the hairs on his neck to rise and stand on end. Every violent convulsion vibrated the stones below Nick¡¯s feet, reverberating across the arena floor. Each heave and flex splintered the magic crystal further, taking it inevitably closer to disintegration. By now, it was a forgone conclusion that the mutant would break free, and it was clear that it wasn¡¯t going to take much longer. ¡°Get ready!¡± Kenji bellowed. ¡°It¡¯s coming. Change of plan. We can¡¯t take that monster head-on. Switch to snare kiting. Let¡¯s wear it down and pray that its toughness isn¡¯t nearly as high as its strength.¡± There was no time for discussion. Because at that very moment, the crystal cage shattered like glass. Shorn fragments cascaded to the stones below to create a hauntingly brief series of notes that sounded almost orchestrated. ¡°The chosen beast is free ladies and gentlemen,¡± the announcer¡¯s voice was shrill and shaking, his persona collapsing due to sheer exhilaration. Incredulity was thick in his tone, as he fought to recover from his bout of astonishment. ¡°And with that dramatic and most unexpected entrance, the official start of round two has commenced! A reminder to our esteemed patrons, the betting windows closed the moment that the Herald appeared. My sincere condolences to everyone who lost their money gambling on team Earth. On a brighter note, when the killing is over in another few seconds, we can all open our prizes.¡± Chapter One Hundred Forty-Nine: Nightmare Made Flesh A distant corner of Nick¡¯s awareness took in the announcer¡¯s words, but the overwhelming majority of his attention was locked onto the emerging beast. The cage¡¯s obliteration had freed all three creatures trapped within, letting them move after their long confinement. The pair of unaltered animals reacted on instinct, each choosing a different last-ditch survival strategy. The closer rhino bent down in submission, falling onto its knees as if genuflecting before rolling onto its back like a dog, every crook of its posture radiating total submission. The one that was farther away bolted, sprinting as fast as it could in the opposite direction of its mutated brethren. It didn¡¯t even glance in his direction. While Nick judged the second approach to be the wiser by far, in the end, the result was the same. Sanguine oblivion at the claws of the fallen rhinoceros. The grotesque wall of muscle and ill-will had finally stopped screaming, allowing Nick to feel the frantic pounding of his heart once more. Hear the enthralled murmur of the crowd, despite the ringing in his ears. The fallen beast reared up, savoring its newfound freedom, then took three steps to saunter over to the supplicating rhinoceros cowering before it. Almost casually, the mutant reached up with both forelimbs, rearing back before bringing the bladed appendages down with blinding speed and incredible force. The terrified animal had just enough time to let out a single, shrill bleat, before a maelstrom of living weaponry erupted across its body. A solitary heartbeat later, its shredded remains were flung high into the air, like someone had dropped a live animal into an industrial-strength blender and forgot to close the lid. Raw tatters of quivering flesh flew beside torrents of blood and bile, painting the pristine arena floor in a thousand shades of gore. Nick blinked, and when his eyes opened once more, the corrupted creature emerged from the cloud of viscera, which was still raining to the ground in a panoply of carnage. The entrail-encrusted beast paused, gathering its strength before surging forth. It moved with blinding speed, reduced to a crimson blur before his eyes. A solitary heartbeat later, which marked the tenth second since the cage had shattered, the corrupted beast overtook its former kin, towering over the fleeing animal like a nightmare made flesh. The animal turned and tried to dodge, letting out a shrill scream of terror. But it was already far too late. The fallen beast slowed just before it struck, so that it could lower its head and line up its horns, allowing Nick to follow the action once more. The mutant hit the terrified rhino broadside. A hundred onyx points pierced its hide in a single moment, driven home with the force of a battering ram. At this point, Nick expected the corrupted creature to stop-thrust. To eviscerate the rhino by raising its head while stepping back. Instead, the hulking brute gathered its strength and then lifted the entire rhino over its head, its body transfixed by an endless array of swordlike horns. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. Crimson blood came pouring down in a waterfall of steaming fluid, as the animal¡¯s dying cries rang out and then abruptly cut off. The fallen beast opened its mouth and drank deeply from the downpour of viscera. Somehow, Nick could tell that it wasn¡¯t feeding. That it was relishing the wanton joy of slaughter instead. ¡°Spread out now,¡± he yelled to the others, who were still grappling with the shocking turn of events. ¡°Slow it down however you can, but whatever you do, don¡¯t let it catch you. We won¡¯t have a chance if it does.¡± The fallen rhino bucked and then whipped its horrific head up and around, flinging the carcass free from its horns. The savaged remains went sailing into the air, the perforated corpse cartwheeling straight for the lowest tier of stands, gouts of blood spiraling in all directions. For a moment, Nick thought the body was going to crush an entire row of bystanders, a sight that he might have enjoyed given the circumstances. But then the barrier sprang to life. The sodden mess of weeping flesh came to an abrupt stop, right in front of a screaming family of bright blue aliens, the arena¡¯s protective magic momentarily flashing into translucency. A heartbeat later, the corpse came tumbling back down to the floor far below, exploding with a sickly splat when it collided with the stones. ¡°Spread out and don¡¯t let it near you,¡± Kenji bellowed. ¡°Whoever it¡¯s chasing, try to lead it into our arc of fire while we whittle it down at range. None of us will survive more than a glancing blow from that monster. We must prioritize defense until we can find a way to use its size against it. I don¡¯t think it can turn once it activates that rushing surge. Call it out if you see it tense up, then whoever its chasing needs to leap to one side as fast as they can.¡± A heavy clang resounded from beside Nick as Bret shimmied out of his breastplate, eschewing armor in favor of speed. The black-haired warrior clearly agreed with Kenji¡¯s assessment that mobility was the key to winning this fight. ¡°Watch out guys, it¡¯s looking our way,¡± Devin¡¯s voice was tinged with barely repressed panic. ¡°Dispersal pattern,¡± Kenji yelled over the roar of the crowd, as he began running toward the center of the party. ¡°Remember to call out when it charges or changes its target.¡± Nick expected the fallen beast to rush right for them. Instead, it began sauntering their way, almost casual in its demeanor. A feral gleam of anticipation was flashing in its fell, black eyes. The party gave way before the mutant, falling back to one corner of the arena floor, spreading out in a pattern like a football team taking to the field. Nick found himself standing front row center. He gritted his teeth and held his ground, although he desperately wished to be anywhere else. ¡°It¡¯s not taking us seriously,¡± Veronica¡¯s voice rang out. ¡°Hit it now while its open, but don¡¯t burn through your abilities until we know what we¡¯re dealing with.¡± Knowing that her advice was solid, Nick reached across his back, sheathing his sword into his dimensional storage, a motion that had become smooth through repetition during the tutorial. He visualized the weapons he wanted and pulled two throwing javelins free from the flap, fumbling a bit with the extra length. Unlike the crude spears that Nick had crafted back on the Searing Isle, these were proper weapons. Flame-treated oak shafts, tempered iron tips. Perfectly straight and well-balanced. By now, the rhino had closed half of the distance between them. Nick¡¯s heart pounded within his chest like a blacksmith hammering an anvil. He was dead certain that at any moment, the fallen beast would stop toying with them, and the true battle would begin. Chapter One Hundred Fifty: Acid Bolt Nick willed himself to remain focused, fighting through the fear and adrenaline surging through his veins. His electric anticipation of the battle to come. He took a deep breath and concentrated, conjuring a mana dart in the little time he had left. The silvery missile shimmered into existence and started circling round his brow, ready to fire on his command. His preparations complete, he gripped his javelin tight and took aim, looking for somewhere that an attack would make a difference. He decided that his best bet was to arc the weapon around the beast¡¯s prolific horns and penetrate the joint of its shoulder, which was hidden behind the glistening sheets of muscle covering the monstrous creature¡¯s body. Nick waited until he heard the twang of bowstrings to let loose, attacking in concert with his team. He knew that this was the only free shot they were going to get, and only because the mutated beast seemed unable to conceive of them as threats. Four javelins, three arrows, and a crossbow bolt went streaking through the air, the javelins lagging behind the rest by a handful of heartbeats. He prayed that it would be enough to make a difference, eyes tracking the missiles in flight. The rhino didn¡¯t even flinch. It came waltzing through the rain of missiles like it was stepping through a light spring shower. Half of the attacks went wide, fell short, or glanced off its array of horns. But the rest, including Nick¡¯s javelin, struck true, sinking a few inches into the creature¡¯s dripping flesh. It blinked in confusion as wounds blossomed across its body, astonished that its prey had the audacity to fight back, however slight the injuries. The beast opened its maw and roared, its fury so raw that it chilled Nick¡¯s bones, tensing up as it prepared to charge. ¡°Shit. That thing is a literal meat shield,¡± Kenji muttered. ¡°Conventional weapons aren¡¯t going to do much damage unless we can hack our way down into its guts.¡± The moment that the mutant was distracted, Nick took aim and fired his mana dart. The magic missile went streaking toward the fallen rhino. The angry beast ignored his spell until it drew near, then whipped its face out of the way at the last possible moment. ¡°It can sense mana,¡± Nick called out. ¡°Don¡¯t use your ability unless you¡¯re sure it will hit. We can¡¯t afford to¡­¡± His words were cut short when a glowing emerald crossbow bolt sank into the side of the rhino¡¯s neck, which had been exposed by the abrupt turn of its head. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. Veronica had used the momentary distraction provided by Nick¡¯s spell to land a hit with her acid-infused bolt. Unfortunately, Paul couldn¡¯t follow suit. Not while there was a chance that the team could be caught in his ability¡¯s radius. Still, this development was a hopeful sign, as it demonstrated that their abilities could still be useful if they got the timing right. Half a heartbeat after the bolt sank into the disgusting muscle-hide of the fallen beast, the sickly green glow flowed out of the missile, suffusing the fibers of the monster¡¯s flesh. ¡°I don¡¯t think that it¡¯s used to its new body yet,¡± Veronica yelled. ¡°It¡¯s easy to land a hit when it¡¯s distracted. With any luck, this bolt will eat right through its neck and take off its head.¡± The effect of Veronica¡¯s ability was instantaneous and shockingly efficacious, especially considering the sheer power of the mutated beast. The vast chasm in attributes lying between themselves and their corrupted opponent. The meat around the puncture wound began to sizzle like bacon frying in a hot pan. Muscle smoking and spitting, then running like beeswax beside a bonfire. The powerful solvent quickly began to spread, the patch of afflicted tissue widening from the size of an orange to that of a watermelon within a paltry handful of heartbeats. It must be naturally vulnerable to acid. It doesn¡¯t have any skin and that ability attacks its tissue directly. ¡°What¡¯s this, ladies and gentlemen?¡± The announcer¡¯s voice jumped an octave. ¡°Is it possible, however inconceivable, that team Earth is still in this fight? I can¡¯t believe that such a weak ability is working so well.¡± For a moment, Nick felt a spark of hope ignite within his chest. Maybe, just maybe, Veronica¡¯s attack would be enough to win this fight all by itself. Unfortunately, Nick¡¯s newborn optimism was fated to falter and die exactly five seconds later. Because that was when the fallen rhino¡¯s neck began to shudder and pulse. Not the natural movement of its body, but an animation of its muscle fibers themselves. Just like when the corrupted beast had transformed, the individual strands of sinew running along its powerful neck began to writhe, undulating like serpents as they came to life and began moving of their own accord. The dissolving mass of acid-infused tissue started to separate from the rhino¡¯s body, like an invisible sculptor was pinching off a piece of wet clay from a work in progress. The ball of sizzling meat fell to the arena floor with a sickly splat, still bubbling away as the hunk of flesh was reduced to a puddle of foul pink goo. A premonition of doom arose to constrict Nick¡¯s heart. The rhino was immensely powerful and lightning fast. If it was capable of high-speed regeneration as well, they were all going to die. It was as simple as that. Chapter One Hundred Fifty-One: Instinct Nick had been terrified of running into a regenerating opponent since the moment that he became aware of the System. Self-healing enemies were a common trope in fantasy games and were notoriously difficult to deal with, especially at low levels. While he was aware of several strategies for taking regenerators down, none of them were available within the confines of the arena floor. Even if they were, his team hadn¡¯t been given sufficient time to prepare. Nick wracked his brain as the grotesque once-rhinoceros recovered from its acidic surprise, but he came up empty despite his increasingly frantic attempts. In the end, there simply wasn¡¯t anything he could do to counter an enemy that could heal so quickly, especially one the size of the monster looming before him. A white wave of despair rose to engulf him, but before Nick could drown within its depths, Sophia yelled out an observation that changed the situation entirely, offering a tantalizing glimmer of hope that they might still manage to pull this off. ¡°It¡¯s purging the afflicted area, not regenerating! It¡¯s lost a decent chunk of mass, and the missing muscle isn¡¯t growing back.¡± Sure enough, now that Nick knew what to look for, it was easy to spot the pit in the side of the corrupted rhino¡¯s neck. There was a deep depression where Veronica¡¯s bolt had struck, like someone had scooped out a ball of flesh like ice cream. ¡°Save your other acidic shot,¡± Kenji lowered his spear and braced himself to counter a charge. ¡°Wait until it¡¯s distracted so it doesn¡¯t dodge. We have to make it count, so aim for somewhere that it doesn¡¯t have enough muscle to jettison the acid.¡± As Kenji¡¯s words faded from the air, the rhino lowered its head, its pitiless black eyes staring straight into Nick¡¯s own. It paused for a heartbeat to gather its strength, then erupted forth with explosive speed, so quick that it barely telegraphed the move at all. The mutant¡¯s form was reduced to a pink and black blur, streaking straight for the spot where Nick stood like it had been shot out of a cannon. In another second, its branching horns would rend his flesh to smithereens, reducing his legacy to a gore-studded stain along the arena floor. There isn¡¯t a lot that you can do within a fragment of a second. There¡¯s no time to strategize or evaluate vectors. For an ally to come running to your aid. If he had waited to mindfully react, his life would have been riven from him with the next blink of his eyes. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. This would have been the end of Nick¡¯s story, if a primitive, fundamental awareness in the dark recesses of his mind hadn¡¯t recognized the danger the instant that the rhino poised to charge. That spark of intuition goaded his body into action without waiting for a conscious command. Thus, by this time, he had already bent his knees and begun leaping to one side. He had just enough time to realize that if this didn¡¯t work, it was going to be the last moment of his life. The primal part of his soul resonated with that terror, that aching desire to live through the day. Acting on instinct, Nick called upon a form of energy that he had never been able to sense clearly before, which felt like a deep pool of water saturating his being. It had been there all along, but he hadn¡¯t been aware of what it truly was until that moment. It¡¯s stamina. He started pulling the flow of stamina away from the rest of his body and pouring it all into the muscles in his left leg, transforming the pool into a raging river for a fraction of a moment, right where his toes touched the stone below his boots. A half-second before the fallen beast struck, he pressed against the arena floor with every fiber of his being. The immense monstrosity had grown to fill the whole of his vision by the time that Nick¡¯s body began to move, leaping to his left in an explosive release of power, as that strange energy multiplied the strength of his jump like gasoline poured upon an open flame. In that fragment of a moment, he was awash in a tsunami of incredible force. A hot, tearing pain erupted within his left leg, as muscle fibers were stressed beyond their limits, snapping like rubber bands pulled apart by an angry giant. There was a jumbled sense of motion and impact, the world reduced to an inchoate blur as his body was flung hard to one side. But the killing blow he was anticipating never landed. Nick had dodged the rhino¡¯s horn in the final instant before it struck. The razored tines passed him by so closely that they shredded the tail of his jacket, carving through the toughness modified leather like a chainsaw passing through cheesecloth. The fallen creature went streaking past his position, its hideous form tearing through the air as wind resistance pushed back against its abrupt acceleration. The beast shrieked in fury, trying to turn and snap at him, but it was helpless to do anything other than ride out its ridiculous momentum. It braced its legs against the arena floor at an angle, dragging its claws along the polished rock like anchors. The mutant tore great gouges out of the pristine white marble, leaving long scars along the face of the arena. Nick only had a few precious seconds before the mutant gained control over its inertia and came charging back to claim his life. He really needed to make them count. Before he could decide what to do next, the consequences of his expenditure caught up to him. Chapter One Hundred Fifty-Two: Black Exhaustion Nick processed the details of his evolving situation all in the blink of an eye. Half a heartbeat later, a black wave of exhaustion plowed into him. It nearly dragged him down into unconsciousness, a veritable death sentence under the circumstances. He wondered why the world had rotated ninety degrees before realizing that he had fallen and was sprawled out upon the arena floor. He was so tired that he could barely think and had to fight just to keep his eyes open. He couldn¡¯t summon the will to move, much less pick himself up and rise to his feet. He lay there, straddling the cusp of oblivion as the roar of the crowd washed over him, eager voices thrilled by the prospect of his imminent demise. Nick knew that he should be using this opportunity to concoct fresh plans. To start running back toward his team, drawing the beast into their line of fire. But it was so hard to process what was happening. So arduous to move. He¡¯d never burned through so much stamina so quickly before, having directly expended his reserves for the first time. Thus, he had yet to build up any innate resistance against the backlash of consuming so much vital energy so quickly. To develop the control required to moderate his output, instead of unleashing all his stamina in a single burst. Nick was drowning in a tsunami of utter exhaustion, threatening to extinguish the light of his consciousness with every beat of his heart. On top of that enormous impediment, as if it wasn¡¯t enough for him to deal with, the beast was making a skidding turn along the marble surface, preparing to come for him again the instant that it regained control over its momentum sometime within the next few seconds. Making a terrible situation that much worse, he now had two painful injuries competing for his attention. His left arm was alight in a living latticework of incandescent agony, now that his nerves had regenerated enough to let him feel his frost-ravaged tissue once again. Meanwhile, his left leg was filled with acid and razor blades from where he had torn various tissues during his epic leap. Apparently, Nick¡¯s leg hadn¡¯t fully healed from his bite wound after all. The parting gift of the bonecruncher he¡¯d killed during the climax of his tutorial. While most of his awareness was trapped within a turgid, onyx fugue and the sheer sensory overload of his wounds, a small part of his mind was still analyzing the events playing out before his eyes. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. The scene felt fuzzed and far removed, as if he was watching the world through a long, dark tunnel. I¡¯m in shock, a detached realization came trickling up to the surface of his awareness. My body¡¯s shutting down and that thing will be back any second. He struggled to regain control, trying to wall off the torment of his tissue. To rise above his seething lethargy. To start fighting for his life once more. It almost worked. With a surge of determination, Nick took a step forward in that midnight tunnel. A step closer to returning to the world of light and clear thought. By now, the fallen beast had come to a skidding stop, spinning to reorient on his position with a furious roar. It began running back, slower now that it wasn¡¯t relying on its charging ability, but still terrifyingly quick all things considered. I¡¯m not going to pull this off in time. I¡¯m going to die. The rhino had closed half of the distance while Nick struggled to gather his will. Despite his best efforts, he still hadn¡¯t regained control over his body and raging emotions, although he was able to pull his legs under him and assume a seated position. That was the moment when something hit him in the back of his head, just below the rim of his helmet. But instead of shattering his skull, the object shattered instead, depositing its viscous contents along the back of his neck. Something sticky and warm and surprisingly refreshing. ¡°Thanks for the potion, Veronica. I hit him.¡± Nick heard Devin¡¯s voice in the distance, unable to process the meaning of the athlete¡¯s words. His neck started to tingle, as the fluid was absorbed into his skin. A heartbeat later, vitality began coursing throughout his body, refilling the depleted basin of his stamina until Nick was brimming over with unbridled energy, washing away his fatigue in a tide of pure adrenaline. It was as if he had gone from being severely jetlagged to overcaffeinated in the blink of an eye. While the potion¡¯s wonderous magic replenished his stamina, a tide of healing energy sank into his sundered tissue, repairing a portion of the damage and reducing the pain from incapacitating to merely agonizing. With any luck, his leg would be able to bear his weight once more. Equally important to his odds of living through the day, the fey magic thrumming through his body hastened his journey toward restoring control over his body, snapping him out of his shock and back into true awareness after a final pulse of disorientation. Now Nick could move. Could plan. Could think. The problem was, the rhino was only thirty feet away from where he sat, cantering forth in a ground-devouring stride like an avatar of impending doom. With the world of light returned to his mind, Nick could once again hear the roar of the crowd. The chatter of the announcer. The panicked cries of his teammates urging him to rise and start sprinting for his life. ¡°Nick!¡± Devin¡¯s voice sang in his ears. ¡°Get up and fucking run!¡± Chapter One Hundred Fifty-Three: Javelin Devin¡¯s rather sensible suggestion jumpstarted Nick¡¯s survival instincts, drawing him fully back into the fight once more. As the potion¡¯s magic erased the final traces of fugue from his mind, he sprang to his feet, pivoted on his toes, and began sprinting back toward the others. He could hear the fallen beast roaring in fury, the crowd screaming in anticipation of his imminent demise. Feel the ground rumbling beneath his boots as the mutant came running back in his direction. Nick shut out each of these distractions, placing all his concentration into moving his body away from the lethal threat before it was too late. He remembered two steps in, not to lead the rhino back toward his party. To draw it out along one side of their formation, where the others could start hitting it from range without the constant threat of the creature changing targets without warning. He didn¡¯t have time to look over his shoulder. To plan, process, or hesitate. Instead, he just kept on sprinting for everything he was worth, following the contour of the arena¡¯s wall about twenty feet out. It was terrifying running away from that monster without being able to watch it coming. With every step he took, Nick was afraid that its horns would come punching through his back and out the other side. That its slavering jaws closing around his waist would be the last sensation of his life, punctuated by the sound of its teeth snapping shut. Fleeing from an enemy whose position he couldn¡¯t track made an already horrifying situation that much worse. But then Nick realized that although he hadn¡¯t known them for long, he trusted his team to watch his back, except for maybe Bret. He tuned out the cries of the crowd, listening for the directions of his allies instead. ¡°Nick, jump left!¡± three of his teammates called out at once, their voices blending together. He flung his body to one side as fast as he could without tapping into his stamina again. Half a heartbeat later, he was shoved by a cushion of wind as the rhino went screaming through the space he¡¯d just vacated like an incarnation of the end of days, eviscerating the air where he¡¯d stood a fraction of a moment prior. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. Nick came to a staggering stop, wincing as he put weight onto his injured leg, turning to track his opponent¡¯s position. It took considerably less time for the rhino to recover from its charge the second time around. Veronica is right, it¡¯s still getting used to its new body. It¡¯s learning how to fine tune its control. He realized that there were several new missiles embedded in the mutant¡¯s grotesque muscle-hide. It seemed that his efforts had borne fruit, although he was worried that these attacks weren¡¯t doing nearly enough damage. Not that he had much choice other than to keep on running and hope for the best. Nick shook his head to clear his mind, preparing himself for round three, although he was already exhausted again despite the unexpected pick-me-up provided by Veronica¡¯s mysterious potion, which had to be some manner of high-end consumable she¡¯d found in her tutorial. But this time, instead of returning its baleful gaze to Nick, the fallen beast locked its eyes upon Sarah¡¯s form. The corrupted rhino advanced with deliberate intent, its gaze never wavering from Sarah, even when a cluster of arrows went plunging into its back. It seemed utterly disinterested in Nick now that it had chosen new prey. It took him a second to adjust to the reality that the fiendish quadruped was no longer running him down. Then he remembered what his new role was supposed to be. Given a moment to catch his breath, Nick took in great, heaving pants, trying to blink away the black spots dancing across his vision. He forced his brain into high gear, pushing through the adrenaline and exhaustion evoked by the epic battle. Hit the big bastard from range while I recover my stamina. Call out when it charges or changes targets and be ready to run again if it locks its gaze upon me. Nick hobbled over to the nearest javelin, which were now strewn across the arena floor instead of in piles. As he bent down to scoop up the weapon, Kenji¡¯s voice registered within his ears. Nick was immensely relieved to know that the competent strategist was directing the team. That he only had to focus on his own role and let someone else¡¯s brain handle the heavy lifting for once. ¡°Someone draw its focus off Sarah. She can¡¯t evade or outmaneuver the beast like Nick. Everyone else, maintain a dispersal pattern with Sophia and me in the middle, so you can benefit from our auras.¡± When Nick looked into the distance to take stock of the situation, he saw Sarah running before the beast as fast as she could, fear and determination clear in her eyes. Her motions were deliberate and controlled, although she was pale, and her hands were shaking. Despite her best efforts and the others¡¯ attempts to distract it, the rhino was rapidly closing the distance. Knowing that every second was precious, Nick hefted his javelin over his shoulder and took aim. He stepped forward while letting the weapon fly, putting the full power of his body behind it. Chapter One Hundred Fifty-Four: Sarah Since there wasn¡¯t another javelin nearby, Nick ran toward his team while tracking the weapon¡¯s flight. The javelin arced high, glinting in the light of a foreign sun, before plummeting back down to where the fallen beast was dangerously close to catching up with a sweat-soaked Sarah. He prayed that it would be enough to make a difference, because in that moment, Nick simply didn¡¯t have anything else to give. All he could do was run, try to recover, and watch how events played out as his weapon closed the distance between his position and the mutant beast. Half a heartbeat later, the javelin punched into the rhino¡¯s flesh, where its spine extended to form its tail, which was now just a slightly larger bulge along its grotesquely muscular hindquarters. The point sank deep, half its length disappearing into the beast¡¯s body, penetrating far enough to strike vital tissue despite the sheet of living armor. This time, the rhinoceros flinched as Nick¡¯s weapon struck true, causing its gore to fall short, and allowing Sarah to evade evisceration by the narrowest of margins. The beast screamed as it spun around, trying to dig the shaft out of its back. It shattered against the protruding horns instead, driving the tip of the weapon deeper still. He let out a long sigh of relief as Sarah opened more distance, although she wasn¡¯t safe yet by any means. It can feel pain after all. He watched the mutant thrash with grim satisfaction. The fallen rhino bucked and writhed to no avail, allowing several more arrows and a pair of bolts to slam into its flank in a procession of meaty thunks. Unfortunately, most of the missiles were absorbed into its hideous hide, the wounds too shallow to do more than chip away at its vast pool of health. The creature must have understood where each attack was coming from, because the monstrosity¡¯s gaze whipped around to lock onto Nick. It poised, preparing to charge in his direction. Oh shit. It¡¯s time for another round of run or die. He groaned and got ready to sprint, not at all prepared to exhibit the exertion it had required to stay one step ahead of the beast¡¯s slavering jaws. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. What happened next surprised them all, revealing that the corrupted rhino was more than just a bladed conduit for pure rage. That a dark and predatory consciousness had been given life with the Herald¡¯s kiss, creating a creature that could plan and think. Anticipate and deceive. Feint, and then go in for the kill. Everyone was already shifting to disperse, providing support while Nick kited the rhino around for another lap. All his attention was focused on judging its blindingly fast charge and leaping out of the way in time, blinding him to the beast¡¯s true intentions. Sarah had begun to circle around, inadvertently drawing closer to the mutant pachyderm in the process. That was the moment when, without warning, the rhino spun and surged forth. It started heading straight for Sarah without bothering to charge. It doesn¡¯t need to in order to catch her now, and it doesn¡¯t want to risk overcorrecting again. A sinking feeling arose within Nick¡¯s chest, like he had taken one step over the edge of a ravine and would begin falling half a heartbeat later. Sarah was now trapped within one quadrant of the arena, unable to dart past the reach of the rhino¡¯s horn to rejoin the rest of the team. It merely needed to advance, and it would force her back, inevitably trapping her against the wall. A certain kill with no means of escape. The crowd went wild, bloodlust thick in their chanting cries, as team Earth began sprinting to Sarah¡¯s side of the arena. Paul was able to land a pair of arrows back-to-back mid-sprint, executing an advanced feat of archery far beyond Nick¡¯s comprehension. Although both arrows sank deep into flesh, the wounds were shrugged off by the fell monstrosity, whose posture now radiated a savage joy. A feral brutality that would soon be sated in a shower of crimson vitae. Staring death in the eye, Sarah struggled valiantly, evading a lunging thrust of horn, then leaping out of the path of the beast¡¯s snapping jaws. Even when her body was pressed against the curvature of the arena wall, Sarah never lost her look of defiance. The wild hope gleaming in her eyes. Although the stark terror on her face told Nick that she knew her time was up. That the beast would strike again in a fraction of a moment. That this time, it wouldn¡¯t miss. Chapter One Hundred Fifty-Five: Bret A hush fell over the audience, breaths held in anticipation of the cruel spectacle to come. The rhino gazed into Sarah¡¯s eyes, then reared up high on two legs, poised to bring its entire arsenal of natural weaponry down upon her quaking form in a single strike. The fallen beast stretched to its full height, as if reaching out to reave the heavens themselves, revealing its glistening pink underbelly, a foul sheet of bulging muscle. It was at least twenty feet tall when standing on two legs, with more gristly mass than two regular rhinos chained together. A monster by any reckoning. The crowd was on the edge of their seats, ready to go absolutely fucking nuts the moment that its bulk came down. They started cheering once again, but Nick shut out the thunder of their applause. The rhythmic chanting of a million voices repeating a single word. ¡°Kill. Kill. Kill!¡± Nick walled out his pain and his fear. His certainty that this was the end of Sarah¡¯s story. Everything but the pumping of his legs and the bellows of his lungs. He kept on striving for everything he was worth, desperate to make it to Sarah before the beast struck, even though he knew that he would never arrive in time. Time slowed down to a glacial crawl, but even that wasn¡¯t sufficient to salvage the situation. He didn¡¯t want to admit it, but the truth was undeniable. There was simply nothing that he could do. No matter how many plans whirled madly through his mind, it was already far too late. The slowdown did, however, give Nick a chance to observe what happened next. To follow what would have otherwise been a chaotic jumble of events that were resolved within the blink of an eye. The fallen rhino cast its forelimbs wide, ragged talons splayed out to form a living wall of jet-black ivory. Its slavering jaws cracked open, eager to devour whatever remained of Sarah when its wrath was unleashed upon her. The hideous mockery of the once noble creature stood balanced for half a heartbeat more, savoring the scream that emerged unbidden from Sarah¡¯s lips. Then its weight came down, as ponderous as a mountain falling. A living avalanche of muscle, horn, and claw. That was when Nick saw the shadow. Confused, still fighting with every step to close the distance, he tracked the blob of spreading darkness gliding across the rhino¡¯s muscular profile, as if a cloud were passing in front of the sun. He looked up and then up some more, to where a person was falling from nearly halfway up the arena¡¯s inner wall. A person wielding a massive two-handed sword. His eyes widened with astonishment when he realized what he was looking at. It can¡¯t be¡­ but it is. It¡¯s Bret. Shocking Nick to his core, Sarah¡¯s brother had closed the distance with blinding speed, springing off the base of the wall to gain over forty feet of air. That¡¯s why his shadow is so big. He must have burned stamina while using an ability. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Understanding dawned as Nick took in Bret¡¯s falling form. No, he isn¡¯t falling. That¡¯s an attack! Both of Bret¡¯s arms were arced behind his head, reaching back as far as he could go. His hands were clasped around the hilt of his claymore, every muscle rigid with strain, bulging and corded as he tensed to unleash the full power of his body in a single strike. As impressive as this was, it wasn¡¯t the most remarkable part. Every inch of the four-foot sword was covered in a coruscating sheet of shadow, as magic dark as midnight spread out to enshroud the blade. As one, the audience¡¯s chanting fell silent. They had all noticed Bret¡¯s incredible approach in the same breath. By now, the warrior had crossed half the distance, plummeting toward the arena floor like a comet descending from the heavens. Below his boots, the fallen beast lunged for Sarah, who was tensed to make a final, desperate dodge. A last-ditch effort that had no hope of saving her life. But Bret wasn¡¯t about to let that happen. Propelled by an ability that the man hadn¡¯t revealed during their strategy session, Bret¡¯s form rocketed toward his foe like the fury of the gods descending. Powered by his meteoric dive and gravity¡¯s embrace, his sword struck first. Before the mutant rhinoceros closed the distance to Sarah¡¯s head, Bret joined the battle in a midnight flash. A fraction of a heartbeat before contact, he swung with everything he had. His great sword came whipping around and down, cleaving the very air as it went streaking past, leaving a stark black crescent behind like a tail. Bret had been silent while setting up his all-or-nothing attack, but in the moment that he struck, the warrior unleashed a primal scream of rage, meeting the raw fury of the fallen beast hate for hate. Half a heartbeat later his claymore struck true, the screaming blade tearing into a thick wall of muscle where the beast¡¯s neck met its shoulder. With a sound like every bungie cord in the world snapping in chorus, the glistening mass of meat parted, muscle fibers snapping as they were freed from the enormous strain of carrying the corrupted rhino¡¯s mass. The sword carved a shadow-strewn wound into the beast¡¯s body, lodging deep into its bones before Bret¡¯s incredible momentum was absorbed. At that point, three things happened at once. The first was that Sarah dove through the rhino¡¯s legs, the maneuver that she¡¯d been planning all along. It would never have worked when the mutant was watching, but due to the distraction of taking a critical wound, she barely made it through. Sarah tucked in one shoulder as she dove, coming to a rolling stop ten feet behind the creature¡¯s claws. The second event was that a pair of crossbow bolts sank into one of the rhino¡¯s rear knees with a hearty thunk. One of the missiles was shining with a sickly emerald light as Veronica¡¯s acidic ability landed on target. The third thing was that Bret¡¯s body collided with the rhino¡¯s torso, nearly impaling himself on its horns in the process. With a wet smack he rebounded off its bulk before slamming into the floor in a sprawling heap of tangled limbs, dazed or unconscious Nick didn¡¯t know. The rhino came crashing to the ground beside him, wicked talons falling short of decapitating the man by the width of his palm. For a heartbeat more, all was still. The only sound to reach Nick¡¯s ears was the slap of boot leather striking marble as he kept on running for everything that he was worth. Friday Concept Art: Chapters 146-155 Just a reminder, I completely respect that not everyone likes the inclusion/existence of AI art, so I''ve put it in it''s own chapter so that it''s not side by side with the story. If it''s not your thing, I totally understand where you are coming from. This concept art is included entirely for fun, and will never be sold or monetized in any way. It will never be as good as your imagination, so if it doesn''t fit with the version of something in your head, go with your imagination instead. -Magnus The Herald''s Kiss And a different look for her The rhino begins to transform Transformation complete You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. It''s coming And one more because these are cool Acid bolt Potion of rejuvenation Javelin (the AI does not like making these, best I could get) Sarah (without her armor) Bret to the rescue And two more because they are cool Nick''s backpack (minus the shoulder straps, this one was a request) Chapter One Hundred Fifty-Six: Fierce Melee Nick blinked. The moment that he reopened his eyes, pandemonium ensued. The rhino¡¯s body hit the ground hard, shaking the stones beneath his feet. The audience unfroze, screaming and cursing and cheering in an endless roar of thunderous emotion. Nick kept on running as fast as he could, desperate to reach the melee in time to help his team. That was when he got a good look at the mutant¡¯s flank, and the damage that Bret had inflicted while fighting to save his sister. For a moment more, the blade remained lodged within the creature¡¯s body, but that all changed a heartbeat later. Bret¡¯s claymore was ejected from the fallen beast¡¯s torso, its malleable muscles emitting a wet cough as they spat the sword out, losing a bit of tissue in the process. Nick¡¯s jaw dropped in astonishment when he saw that the devastating slash had carved a three-foot canyon into the fibrous tissue encasing the mutant¡¯s shoulder. A yawning trench of weeping pink flesh, at the bottom of which glimmered the shocking white of bone. Blood began seeping out of the open wound, painting the arena floor in dribbles and drops and globs. It was a grievous injury, and it would have been fatal to any animal on Earth, but something told Nick that it wouldn¡¯t be enough. That the monster was down, but not out. Although the beast was bleeding far less than he expected, it was still a promising start. For the first time since the rhinoceros had transformed, he felt a true flicker of hope. We might have a chance of winning this after all, but the fight isn¡¯t over yet. Before Nick could close the final stretch of ground and rejoin his team, his hunch was borne out. The great and twisted creature began to stir half a heartbeat later. The others had been closer when the rhino went down but were still a few seconds away. They started yelling to draw its attention, while Paul and Veronica laid down covering fire, but Nick could already tell that it wasn¡¯t going to be enough. The creature shook its hideous head from side-to-side, then rose ponderously back onto its feet, limping when it put weight onto its left foreleg, the limb below the open wound. Bret made no such reemergence. He was still sprawled out along the arena floor, only inches away from the rapidly recovering mutant. Nick hoped that he wasn¡¯t unconscious, merely incapacitated from the tremendous expenditure of mana and stamina that had powered his miraculous shadow-clad cleave. Regardless, he was helpless for at least a few more seconds. Seconds they didn¡¯t have. The beast¡¯s baleful gaze locked onto Bret¡¯s fallen form. It cocked its gruesome visage to one side, like it was surprised to find him there, then raised one massive foot high, ready to grind the man to mincemeat beneath its razor-studded bulk. The others had almost arrived at his side, but it was already too late. The creature¡¯s claws spread wide and came crashing down, cleaving through the bones of Bret¡¯s chest while liquefying his guts in a great plume of gore. It stomped a few times, like a child playing in a muddy puddle, flinging drops of blood high into the air. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Horror rose thick in Nick¡¯s throat, only for relief to come coursing through him two terror-tinged heartbeats later. Because that was when the vision of carnage faded away like smoke on the breeze, revealing an unmauled Bret lying a few feet over to one side. It¡¯s Sarah¡¯s illusion, Nick grinned at the sight. They managed to save each other in the end. While this was unreservedly good news, it only bought the team a couple of seconds. The rhino¡¯s horns were already whipping back around, poised to slice through Bret¡¯s flesh like a fistful of razor blades through a ripe melon. He knew that this time, the blow would be fatal. Sarah didn¡¯t have enough mana to cast another spell. At the last possible moment, a shield of blue and a shield of red came darting between man and beast, as Kenji and Devin rejoined the fight, a few steps ahead of Nick and the rest of the team. Even together, they weren¡¯t strong enough to stop the blow cold, although their quick thinking saved Bret from certain death. There was an incredible clang as ivory met metal. Devin went cartwheeling through the air like a rag doll, deep ruby gashes vivid against the skin of his arms where the branching tines had reached around his shield. Kenji screamed his defiance, slamming the base of his massive tower shield against the stones in front of Bret¡¯s body, defending him from the mutant¡¯s strike when it followed up a heartbeat later. Both men went skidding back along the arena floor, remaining just out of reach of the battalion of branching blades. Before the rhino could thrust again, Kenji charged, moving the fight away from Bret while shoving the beast¡¯s head up, its chin braced against the rim of his shield. Although the heavy shield was pitted and marred, it held together, mostly due to Kenji¡¯s masterful control in Nick¡¯s estimation. The shield did not, however, survive what happened next. For a few final seconds, the beast struggled to lower its head, wood creaking and titanium threatening to give way. But the shield was perfectly aligned against the stone floor below, the best possible angle to withstand force from that direction. The rhino strained against the thick length of red wood, clearly confused by the novel situation. It gave Nick enough time to arrive at Sarah¡¯s side, who was in the process of dragging Bret¡¯s body away from the melee, despite the utter exhaustion carved into her features. Working together, they were able to move quickly, sliding Bret a good twenty feet along the arena floor in less than ten seconds. Nick let go of the man¡¯s foot, drawing his sword from his pack in a single motion, ready to join Kenji on the frontline. But that was not what happened. He looked up in time to watch the corrupted rhino come to an epiphany. Instead of straining against the body of the shield to force its head down, it tensed, preparing to activate its charging ability. Alarm bells resounded within Nick¡¯s mind. ¡°Kenji, it¡¯s about to¡­¡± But it was already too late. Half a heartbeat later, the fallen beast¡¯s bulk went surging forth, taking a few steps instead of breaking into a full gallop. Just enough to transfer its incredible momentum into Kenji through the medium of his shield, which was blocking the man¡¯s view of his opponent. The scarred strategist went rocketing back through the air like a cork from a bottle of champagne, flying a good thirty feet before slamming into the arena wall with a sickening thud. The quick-thinking tactician stood sprawled out against the white marble for a fraction of a moment before toppling to the ground in a spasming pile of limbs. Chapter One Hundred Fifty-Seven: Creeping Shadow The rhino didn¡¯t stop to watch the show. It had already moved to launch its next attack. But instead of targeting the members of Nick¡¯s team, it vented its fury onto Kenji¡¯s enormous shield. Apparently, the durability of the defensive device had offended the creature deeply and it was time to settle the score. The mutant opened its wicked jaws and picked up the thick slab of red wood and titanium, the muscles along its jaw bulging like a pair of basketballs. It¡¯s not seriously going to¡­ was as far as Nick got before the shield exploded, emitting a fountain of jagged splinters and twisted metal strips. The beast chewed a couple of times and then swallowed the rest of the mess in a single gulp, metal and all. With a satisfied grunt, it locked its gaze onto the nearest person, Devin, who was just returning from being flung away a few seconds prior. He immediately turned to run, anticipating that the beast would charge again, desperate to open enough distance to give him room to dodge. His prediction was borne out only a moment later. The rhino paused for a heartbeat to gather its strength, then started stampeding straight for Devin, entering a full gallop this time with the intent of running the man down. Devin was limping, having hurt his leg during the last exchange, and Nick was worried that he wouldn¡¯t be able to get out of the way in time. But three steps into the mutant¡¯s charge, the knee below the massive gash that Bret had carved gave way. The leg had lost too much of the surrounding muscle to bear the beast¡¯s weight, combined with the force of its explosive acceleration, causing the joint to collapse. The corrupted creature lurched to one side and came crashing to the ground, its bulky body rolling along the arena floor. Its journey was accompanied by the sharp crackle of shattering tines, segments of its ivory horns snapping as they were trapped beneath the beast¡¯s immense girth. It rolled a few more times before coming to a stop, getting its feet back under it with disheartening speed before letting out an ear-shattering wail. But it wasn¡¯t all bad news. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. In that instant, the waning fires of hope were kindled once more within the guarded hearth of Nick¡¯s heart. Because that was the moment when two critical details snapped into place. The first was that the rhino had not one but two bad legs. The hindlimb that Veronica had shot with her final acidic bolt had begun to falter as well. As Kenji had predicted, there wasn¡¯t enough muscle around its knee for the beast to quarantine the afflicted tissue, like it had with the bolt that struck its neck. A necessity if the creature was to retain mobility in the joint, despite its monstrous transformation. By now, Veronica¡¯s acid had eaten away at the rhinoceros¡¯s knee, reducing flesh to weeping pink goo before Nick¡¯s eyes and revealing the bone below, which had begun to take on a rubbery appearance. The second detail was that the magic powering Bret¡¯s attack had enabled more than just an enhanced chop. Over the last few seconds, the shadows that had wreathed his blade had come boiling back out of the cavernous wound, like a living creature pouncing upon weakened prey. A wave of concentrated shadow began sweeping across the mutant¡¯s neck, spreading like a plague of ink, reaching for its head, then crossing its face. Its eyes. This is the blinding ability Bret mentioned. Understanding dawned as the creeping patch of midnight wrapped around one side of the beast¡¯s skull, like a scar of shadow, completely covering the eye closest to the gaping wound the blade had riven into its flesh. Once the first eye was buried in darkness, the shadow began to spread, reaching for the other to blind the beast completely. But just before Bret¡¯s magic reached the rhino¡¯s remaining good eye, it came to a halt. The edges stretched thin like someone reaching up on their toes, then came back down, leaving that organ untouched. Apparently, the ability wasn¡¯t strong enough to fully affect such a powerful opponent. Even so, it had greatly reduced the fiend¡¯s field of view, further diminishing its combat capabilities. In that moment, the myriad variables woven throughout the battlefield snapped into focus, instilling a crystalline clarity within Nick¡¯s mind. This was the moment to go all out. Their best and only chance of winning the fight before the beast could adapt to its impairment and change tactics. The party was running on fumes, and while the rhino¡¯s wounds were serious, Nick was dead certain that they wouldn¡¯t be enough to bring the monster down. Team Earth had to come together to finish the mutant off, and they had to do it now. Chapter One Hundred Fifty-Eight: Ultra Combo I ¡°Charge,¡± Nick and Sophia cried out as one, each having come to the same conclusion. Paul hadn¡¯t hesitated for a heartbeat either, having found a perfect chance to use his ability at last. He yelled out a warning, letting everyone know not to close the distance until his power discharged. Three seconds later, Paul¡¯s arrow, shining bright with his disabling magic, buried itself into the rhino¡¯s hide. There was a flash of light as the aura around the missile flared up and then vanished after delivering its payload. Paul must have fired the moment that he knew where the beast would land after its tumble, gambling that it would be too disoriented to dodge in the moment that it regained its feet. Now it¡¯s time to find out how much of a difference it made. The colorful detonation had obscured Nick¡¯s view of the mutant for the blink of an eye. When it faded, the rhino was weaving drunkenly back and forth, its movements ponderous and clumsy, like the air around it had been replaced with jelly. It seemed that in its weakened state, Paul¡¯s magic was able to take full effect. It¡¯s up to the rest of us to make it count. Screaming a battle cry, Nick raised his trusty sword and committed to his charge, convinced that this was their last chance of snatching victory free from the jaws of defeat. When they met the mutant in melee in another handful of heartbeats, it would be for the last time. Only one side would be walking away from the exchange. He was joined by Sophia, Veronica, Devin, and James. Kenji and Bret were still down, guarded by an exhausted Sarah. As they closed the distance, Paul laid down covering fire, arrows planting themselves deep into the rhino¡¯s face and neck, forcing it to turn its head to preserve its remaining good eye. Most of his shots threaded their way through the forest of horn-spikes, in a remarkable display of precision that kept the beast off balance during this critical moment. ¡°Whoever it¡¯s facing, focus on evasion,¡± Nick yelled. ¡°Everyone else, keep circling around to its blind side and dish out some serious damage. If we don¡¯t win this before those spells run out of juice, we¡¯re done for.¡± Nick and Devin were leading the pack, almost within striking distance of the dazed monstrosity, who was only now realizing that it was under attack from more than Paul¡¯s barrage. The fell beast cocked its head to one side, trying to track them both with its unobstructed eye, the other still hidden behind the coruscating sheet of darkness summoned by Bret¡¯s ability. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. This is a perfect opportunity for a pincer attack. Nick glanced over at Devin and saw that the same thought had entered his head. Without a word, they split up, each veering to opposite sides as they entered striking range of their lethal adversary. Every scrap of Nick¡¯s attention went into reading the beast¡¯s next move, preparing to attack or dodge depending on who it came for. The rhino roared out a challenge, wheeling its body to keep its gaze locked onto Devin, freeing Nick to blindside the beast. Even disoriented, trying to evade Paul¡¯s rain of arrows, the creature was remarkably quick, displaying a drunken alacrity that defied its girth. Nick raised his sword high above his head, ready to strike with the full weight of his body behind it, bolstered by the momentum of his charge. The mutant whipped its head around in a vicious arc, seeking to shred Devin upon the jagged tines of its horns instead of goring the man outright. At the last possible moment, he pressed the button on the haft of his axe, transforming the weapon into a shield to catch the blow a bare instant before it could claim his life. Although it lacked the full weight of the beast¡¯s body, the hit was hard enough to send Devin flying again. Nick wanted to run over and help him, but he couldn¡¯t stop now. Instead, he gritted his teeth and swung his sword down as hard as he could. The pitted weapon bit deep into the rhino¡¯s flank, the edge nearly parallel with its heaving torso. The attack shaved off a wide swath of muscle as thick as his thumb, like a chef carving up a leg of lamb. The beast let loose an ear-shattering scream and spun to face Nick, two sets of claws and its teeth streaking for the spot he had stood half a heartbeat before. But he was already leaping back and out of harm¡¯s reach, having anticipated the move. It swung again, claws lashing out to rip off his face. He stumbled, losing the chance to dodge, so he reached down to grab his wand instead. He raised it and fired, just in time to deflect the black blades, and then leap back out of the way. The creature took a step to follow up, intent on running Nick down before he could retreat, but that was the moment Veronica arrived on scene. With a cry, the lithe woman dove beneath the razored horns and between the rhino¡¯s legs. Instead of striking at its throat, Veronica rolled under the beast, her wicked claws refulgent beneath the light of an alien sun. She completed a full revolution, and when her arms came wheeling back around, Veronica lashed out with both weapons at once, carving eight ragged red gashes into the rhino¡¯s underbelly. She must have activated both uses of her remaining ability. Because as she came rolling past the beast¡¯s bulky hindlegs, the cuts erupted into twin fountains of gore. Her claws opened the cavity where it stores its vital organs. It must need at least some blood after all. The mutant whirled around to face Veronica, who was already back on her feet and ready to run. But before she could bolt, the enraged beast struck in a flash, thrusting its horn straight forward to repeat the maneuver it had used to slaughter its unfortunate cousin at the start of the match. Veronica saw the attack coming and tried to dodge, but the look on her face told Nick that it wasn¡¯t fast enough. That she knew in that moment that she was about to die. Chapter One Hundred Fifty-Nine: Ultra Combo II But that was not what happened. What happened was that mere inches before horn met flesh with extreme prejudice, Devin¡¯s battle-axe came into view, his approach obscured by the beast¡¯s immense bulk. Screaming his defiance, Devin¡¯s two-handed axe came streaking down, with the full power of his body behind the blow. Magic metal met mutated ivory with a retort like a thunderclap, hitting hard enough to sheer off a three-foot segment of horn in the process. It wasn¡¯t enough to keep Veronica from being hit, but Devin¡¯s strike sapped some power from the blow. As a result, instead of rupturing every organ in her body, the beast¡¯s horns knocked Veronica back, scoring a deep cut across her stomach along the way. Devin dropped his weapon, helping her get out of the way before the fallen creature could follow up, dragging the leather-clad woman beyond its reach. Meanwhile, Nick and James hacked away at the rhino¡¯s damaged flank. Each slash carved foul chunks out of its increasingly tattered hide, the once thick sheet of muscle reduced to weeping ruin. Another few hits and I¡¯ll penetrate to its organs. We just need to hold on for a short while longer. The monster spun to face its assailants, then locked its gaze upon James, sensing that he was the weakest opponent within range. ¡°Get back and focus on defense,¡± Nick yelled, jabbing the tip of his sword into the beast¡¯s neck before it struck the younger man. It growled in pain and took a blind swipe in Nick¡¯s direction, reaching out to claim his life. He ducked just in time, scimitar claws whizzing half an inch above his helmet. He leapt back to avoid a sweep from the rhino¡¯s horn, painful cuts opening across his shoulder as he failed to dodge by the narrowest of margins. Nick shut out the pain and resumed his stance. By this point, he was gasping for breath. Black motes of exhaustion danced before his eyes. Sweat poured down his body, and his muscles burned from overuse. The mutant turned to face him, lowering its head to execute a straight thrust. Just as Nick tensed to dodge, his back slammed against something cold and hard. Fuck. Oh fuck. A spike of pure adrenaline went surging through Nick¡¯s veins when he realized that he was trapped against the arena wall, having lost track of his position while scrambling to survive the frantic melee. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. The beast took aim and poised to lunge, eager to take advantage of his mistake. But a heartbeat before it could claim Nick¡¯s life, Sophia arrived at its side. A javelin slammed into the creature¡¯s flank, punching between two thick ribs now that the layer of protective muscle had been sliced away. Sophia bent her knees and leapt like a cat, landing upon the protruding shaft with a dagger clasp in each hand. She sprang from her perch before the rhino could react, long legs flashing in the sunlight as she rolled over its back, looking in that moment like nothing so much as a rodeo star. In the blink of an eye, she was past its spine and sliding down the other side of its broad torso, weapons poised to strike. On the way back down to the ground, Sophia lunged with both daggers at once, using the momentum she¡¯d gathered to carve a pair of twin gouges deep into the fallen rhino¡¯s uninjured flank. Nick didn¡¯t stop to watch the amazing feat of athleticism, using the opening that Sophia had created to make a break for it. He sprinted away from the wall before whirling back around with his weapon at the ready. He turned in time to watch the rhino spin to face Sophia, but the remarkable woman was already gone. Where? Nick sought to find her, afraid that Sophia had endangered her life to save his own. There! She was hunched under the beast¡¯s belly, beneath the fountain of blood still pouring out from the cuts powered by Veronica¡¯s ability. Sophia had left her daggers embedded in the rhino¡¯s side, and already had another set of weapons in hand. Instead of more daggers, she was wielding a pair of the stingers that she had removed from the bodies of the frostfury wasps, the reason she had claimed them becoming clear in that moment. Sophia took aim for the knee that had been ravaged by Veronica¡¯s acidic bolt, then lunged with both stingers at once; powerful stabs that lodged the black barbs deep within the joint of the rhino¡¯s knee. Nick immediately understood what she was attempting. He only prayed that there was enough venom inside of the stingers to prove effective. His fears were allayed only three seconds later, when the rhino¡¯s knee began steaming with frost. Spreading rime crept forth, growing into a solid block of ice within a handful of heartbeats. As Sophia scrambled out of the way, Nick caught a glimpse down the front of her shirt. Embedded in the space between her breasts was a gleaming black gemstone the size of his thumb. It was weird, but he didn¡¯t have time to ponder it now, because the battle had reached its climax. The pivotal moment that would determine their fate had arrived at last, and Nick was ready to give it his all. Chapter One Hundred Sixty: Courage and Sacrifice The corrupted rhino understood that their showdown had arrived at a decisive moment as well. It stood perfectly still, so that its movements didn¡¯t shatter its frozen leg, giving Sophia time to scramble out from under it and rejoin the rest of the team. Analyzing its behavior, Nick had the sense that the creature had some means of countering the frigid venom, given the guarded position it had assumed. He wanted to charge in and end the fight while his opponent was immobilized. But the rhino was facing the arena floor with its back against the wall, offering him no angle of approach. Everyone nearby formed a half circle in front of the beast, desperate to end the fight but unable to close the distance. They had to figure out how to get around its guard sometime within the next few seconds, while the subzero toxin was still in effect. Waiting too long would spell certain doom. The party was wounded and exhausted. Out of abilities, and down to the final dregs of their endurance and morale. The mutant, on the other hand, seemed to possess an endless well of stamina and health. And though it was wounded and dazed, it showed no sign of running out of steam. If it could drag out the fight for just a short while longer, it was going to kill them all. As if to emphasize this grim truth, the patch of shadow shrouding the beast¡¯s eye chose that moment to pulse and flicker. It was clear that within another handful of heartbeats, Bret¡¯s ability would falter and fade out of existence. Equally alarming, the rhino was beginning to regain its coordination, as Paul¡¯s disabling arrow started to wear off. Nick growled in frustration, seeking an opening but finding none. Watching the final seconds of their last chance fall through his fingers like water through a clenched fist. Only the beast¡¯s frozen knee held it at bay. He realized with sinking horror, that fluid was dripping to the ground and the block of ice was noticeably thinner than before. Team Earth had mere moments remaining before the fallen rhino was back in fighting shape. If they didn¡¯t end this now, they were done for. It was as simple as that. While the mutant¡¯s mobility was impaired by the wounds they had dealt it, the injuries weren¡¯t enough to bring it down. If it regained the use of its legs, Nick was certain that the creature would slaughter the party before they could take it out. That was when, in the heart of that black moment, he caught sight of Kenji sprinting along the perimeter of the arena wall, his approach hidden within the rhino¡¯s blind spot. The strategist had removed his armor and was running almost silently as a result. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. Livid bruises were tattooed against every inch of the man¡¯s skin and his expression was tight with pain. In his hands, Kenji wielded his long spear, body poised to strike the instant that he came into range, no matter what the cost. He''s trying to take out the frozen knee. Nick started throwing random items from his pack, desperate to draw the beast¡¯s attention away from the brave warrior with the shaved head. The others quickly followed suit. Devin initiated a feinting charge before breaking to one side at the last moment, drawing the rhino¡¯s gaze away while lining up Kenji¡¯s spear with the creature¡¯s ice-encrusted limb. It¡¯s going to work. He¡¯s going to make it. Nick advanced, intending to finish the beast off the moment that Kenji took out its leg and rendered it vulnerable. Seven seconds before spear met knee with incredible force, the patch of shadow covering the mutant¡¯s face vanished in a puff of black mist, restoring sight to that eye in an instant. An eye that was now perfectly positioned to watch as Kenji began his lunge, unaware that his target could see him coming and was ready to counter the blow. It¡¯s going to parry, then impale Kenji like a shish kebab. Nick cried out a warning, but it was already too late. Kenji couldn¡¯t arrest his momentum in time, and if he did, this final chance to bring the beast down would be lost, cementing their demise. He wracked his brain but there wasn¡¯t enough time. There was nothing that Nick could do. Kenji was about to die, sealing their fate and depriving humanity of one of its most skilled strategists in a single fell swoop. But team Earth wasn¡¯t about to let that happen. Because that was the moment when James let loose a war cry, charging straight for the beast with blinding speed, burning the remaining reserves within his body to unleash a final burst of motion. Nick only caught a glimpse of the young man¡¯s face. But when he saw his expression, Nick knew what was about to happen. Something in James¡¯s eyes told Nick that he had read the situation and come to the same conclusion. That he had weighed the value of his own life against Kenji¡¯s, then decided that he was willing to die to keep the tactician alive. In short, James was about to sacrifice himself to ensure that humanity had a chance to win back the Earth. Lay down his life for the future of his planet and his people. It was the most profound, beautiful, and horrible moment of Nick¡¯s life. An instant that would be seared into his consciousness forevermore. A source of anger and strength during the trials to come, leaving him in awe of James¡¯s selfless courage. Having made his decision and accepted his fate, all the tension flowed out of James¡¯s body. He sprinted forward in a flash of motion, reduced to a streaking blur as he burned the dregs of his stamina, releasing an explosive surge of speed powered by every fiber of his soul. Chapter One Hundred Sixty-One: James Kenji looked up, eyes widening in horror as he realized what was happening. That James was offering his life to save Kenji¡¯s own. That he was helpless to stop it. Nick saw the older man steel himself before turning away and committing to his attack, intent on not letting James¡¯s sacrifice be in vain. Focused on slaying Kenji, the rhino had yet to notice James¡¯s abrupt acceleration. It lowered its horn with a growl, preparing to deflect the spear and then run the man through. Every crook of its posture conveyed a savage satisfaction. A hunger for carnage that would soon be sated. A bare second before Kenji entered the mutant¡¯s kill zone, James was there, moving so fast that Nick¡¯s eyes had trouble tracking him. The brave young man raised his sword above his head in a two-handed grip, let loose a battle cry, and then plunged the tip straight into the beast¡¯s left eye. The blade penetrated several inches before its progress was halted by the thick ridge of bone comprising the creature¡¯s eye socket. Nick cast his final mana dart, hoping against hope that it would distract the mutant long enough to let James get away. But the enraged creature ignored it completely, taking the hit without aborting its lunge. The fallen beast screamed and bit in a single motion, severing James¡¯s torso at the waist in a spectacular geyser of gore, Kenji forgotten as it exacted its revenge. Half a heartbeat later, Kenji struck, driving his long spear into the rhino¡¯s frozen knee with the full force of his charge behind it. Flesh and bone shattered like glass, shearing the entire leg off at the knee. Letting loose his fury, Kenji whipped the spear around in a high arc, then thrust it deep into the beast¡¯s guts before leaping out of the way. The rhino lurched as it fought to regain its balance, but it was unable to recover before gravity took hold. The hideous creature came crashing to the arena floor with a sickening thud that Nick could feel in his bones, shards of frozen tissue sliding along the stone. At that signal, team Earth charged as one, converging on the fallen beast, vengeance thick in their cries. The Herald-touched rhinoceros flailed, splashing in a pool of its own blood, afraid for the first time since the fight had begun. At last, the tables had turned, and the predator had become their prey. Thanks to James¡¯s heroic act, it was blinded in the eye that was facing up, accelerating its burgeoning terror into full-on panic. It clawed frantically at the ground, gouging fresh scars into the arena floor as it fought to right itself. But Nick and his allies never gave it a chance. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. They came sliding to a stop as one, forming a ring around the flailing beast, hacking away at its neck and exposed limbs. Side-by-side with Kenji and Devin, Nick struck out at the leg that had been weakened by Bret¡¯s epic attack, carving it off at the hip, ducking claws and blocking sweeps of its horn all the while. Meanwhile, Paul planted arrow after arrow into its underbelly, striking vital organs now that the creature couldn¡¯t defend itself. That was when Sophia and Veronica darted forward as one. Sophia planted another stinger straight into the rhino¡¯s good eye, blinding it completely, while Veronica tore out its throat with her claws. As the women leapt back, Kenji charged in from the side, sliding his spear straight through its neck. ¡°That was for James, you bastard.¡± Kenji held onto the shaft of his weapon, preventing the weakened rhino from lunging with its horn. Devin and Nick came darting around the side, sword and axe coming down together onto the side of its neck, almost severing it but failing to penetrate its spine. With a furious roar, Bret appeared from behind their line, one arm dangling at his side as he brought his claymore down in a wicked arc. The palm-wide blade struck true, shattering vertebrae with a great hollow crunch, before coming out the other side and colliding with the rock below. The force of the blow popped the rhino¡¯s head from its shoulders like a grape plucked from the vine, as Bret leapt away from the spasming remains. Just to be safe, Nick plunged his sword into the mutant¡¯s head, as the last glimmer of life faded from its eyes. With that act, dead silence descended upon the arena, before a single spectator began to cheer. As if waiting for that signal, a million voices cried out as one, roaring out their approval, accompanied by the thunder of their applause. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it,¡± the announcer spoke above the rising cheers, tone indicating that he was shocked to his core. ¡°They did it. They actually did it. In one of the greatest upsets in the history of our humble establishment, team Earth has defeated a chosen beast and won their match. In addition to living to see the sun set, they have secured a vital class upgrade not only for themselves but for their entire species. ¡°What a day it has been, ladies and gentlemen. I¡¯m proud to have stood at your side to witness history in the making. My sincere congratulations to the fighters below. They¡¯ve managed to pull off the impossible and deserve every bit of their reward. Stay seated for some post-fight entertainment after we open our prizes, provided by some local talent, but that marks the official end of today¡¯s event. Please give a big round of applause for our winners, the underdog, team Earth!¡± Nick turned to regard his blood-splattered teammates, triumph and tragedy carved deep into their features as the crowd¡¯s adulation washed over them. Kenji rose to his feet and picked up the length of horn that Devin had shorn off, opening his mouth to speak. But Nick could already feel an inescapable force pulling him away. Chapter One Hundred Sixty-Two: Massive Reward I ¡°I hope that we meet again soon,¡± Kenji bowed to the team. ¡°It was an honor to fight alongside you.¡± Nick opened his mouth to reply. But before he could bid the others farewell, reality dissolved into an endless horizon of white light, and he was dragged into the space between worlds. When his senses unscrambled, Nick found himself sitting in the waiting room of a dentist¡¯s office, staring up at cartoon diagrams outlining the proper steps to brushing one¡¯s teeth. There were blank walls where the doors should be, and through the windows he could see a featureless plain of roiling mist. Spread out on the table in front of him, stacked between piles of magazines filled with images of a civilization that no longer existed, were all the items that he¡¯d removed from his pack before entering the portal that had taken him to the arena. Before he started repacking his gear, he took a long look around, seeking any sign of other people or some clue as to what was happening. After determining that he was alone and checking for messages floating in the periphery of his vision, Nick refilled his canteen from a water cooler standing in the corner, then made himself a meal out of the remaining scraps of provisions sitting in his bag. He had already noticed that his wounds had vanished. His host of cuts and bruises had healed, and the skin that had been ravaged by frostfury venom was whole once more. His stamina and mana were topped off as well, leaving him feeling more refreshed than any time in recent memory. He was still grappling with what had happened. Having witnessed the deaths of two people and nearly losing his own life in the process. As traumatic as the experience had been, he felt a fierce buzz of satisfaction as well. Somehow, against the odds, they had done it. Nick and his team had won their arena battle. Secured class upgrades for not only themselves, but for all the humans of Earth. Hopefully, most of the other volunteers had won their matches as well, providing humanity with its first wave of sorely needed elites. Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. While he sorted through his feelings and waited for the System to let him know what was going on, Nick sifted through the magazines, taking in the images of his old life, awash in bittersweet nostalgia. He picked out several volumes featuring art and famous buildings, relieved to discover that he was able to store them inside his pack. He had no idea how much of old Earth had survived integration. If these safe rooms he found himself within were bits that had been stolen by the shroud of annihilation, or if they were reproductions crafted by the System. Either way, it was nice to have a tangible piece of his old life. A record that might preserve a few scraps of Earth¡¯s history and culture once he made it back to his people. Eventually, Nick figured out what was causing the delay. He had forgotten how many people had taken Taltos up on his offer. Volunteered to fight for their lives for the chance of gaining a better class. But then he remembered that over a hundred matches were taking place at the same time. Some of them must have taken longer to conclude. He assumed that the System was waiting for the last contests to be over, before addressing the survivors as a group. Sure enough, half an hour later, a System message blinked into existence in front of his eyes. Although Nick was emotionally raw and drained to the dregs of his mental reserves, he read the words with excitement, eager to unveil the rewards he¡¯d won after risking his life time and time again. System message: Cumulative updates. You have multiple issues awaiting resolution. They will be resolved in the following order: First, the outcome of Taltos¡¯s challenge round will be announced. Then, the rewards for completing the tutorial will be distributed. Finally, the offer from Taltos regarding the fate of the Earth will be outlined in detail. Despite everything, all the pain and loss he was still in the middle of processing, Nick found himself grinning, eager to gain a new class and receive the rewards the System had in store. He knew that this was a pivotal moment. A chance to grow stronger. To climb several rungs of the power curve in the blink of an eye. He was certain that he would need every advantage he could get if he wanted to survive the fight for the fate of Earth, let alone whatever awaited humanity on the other side. Vibrating with excitement, sitting on the edge of his seat, he scrolled down and continued reading. Chapter One Hundred Sixty-Three: Massive Reward II Bonus event complete: The Grand Arena of Papillion. Congratulations, you have survived your battle in the arena. The overseer of the venue has added the following rewards to your prize pool: For winning your first round, you have been awarded a commemorative dagger (uncommon). You put it all on the line and came out on top, leaving your opponents lifeless in a pool of their own blood. To commemorate the event, we have awarded you this dagger, which features our establishment on the pommel. We hope to see you again soon. Modification: Eversharp. This blade is resistant to chips and breaks and will never need sharpening. For winning your second round, you have received complimentary healing. Not bad, but let¡¯s move on to the good part. For completing Taltos¡¯s challenge, your class rarity cap has been raised from [basic] to [uncommon]. Additionally, you will be allowed to change your class immediately, instead of having to wait until level 25. Update: your party has completed a hidden bonus objective. Details: first victory for your species against a fallen lifeform. For completing the hidden objective, the rewards of this challenge have been enhanced. Details: sufficient bonus experience to reach level 15. ¡°No,¡± the word reverberated throughout the room, coming from everywhere and nowhere at the same time. By now, Nick recognized the voice as belonging to Taltos, immensely relieved not to see the Mad God standing before him once more. ¡°That reward is unacceptable. I will not abide by powercreep.¡± A heartbeat later, Nick felt an incredible sensation of pressure. As if two incomprehensibly vast powers were wrestling with one another somewhere in the space between dimensions; a contest that Nick could only perceive the barest fraction of. His menus were filled with rows of alien text, the words buried beneath warring armies of mystic symbols and arcane formulas. Eventually, the script that he¡¯d come to associate with the System gave way and the wording of his message shifted, becoming legible once more. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Taltos¡¯s objection is sustained. The stated reward has been retracted. What the fuck? Nick felt a white flash of anger. Once again, the Mad God was shafting him hard. But then a new prompt appeared, carried by the crisp geometries of System text rather than the serpentine font Taltos favored. His anger died down to a simmering boil as he read the words. Apparently, he was getting something for his trouble after all, and he had to admit that it was good. An alternate reward will be issued instead. Reward: bloodline opportunity. Your current class trait will be strengthened and is eligible to become a permanent part of your bloodline. New trait: Survivor (enhanced). You require 50% less food, water, oxygen, and sleep. This is an optional bloodline alteration. Warning: this choice is not without consequence. If you accept this reward, the trait in question will become a permanent part of your bloodline, consuming one third of its current capacity. Bloodlines can be strengthened or modified, but never removed. Your bloodline may influence the selection of classes offered and will shape other aspects of your development. You have ten minutes to make your decision. ¡°That¡¯s still a bit over the top. But if it¡¯s only for one group of eight, I find the compromise acceptable. Fighting over every little thing would be a massive waste of energy.¡± Nick felt Taltos¡¯s presence recede and then vanish without a trace. He sighed in relief, returning his focus to the offer on the table. Nick would have preferred to take a day or two off before making such an important decision, pondering the pros and cons at his leisure. But he hadn¡¯t been given a vote and this opportunity was too important to pass up. It seemed that instead of a fat pile of experience, Nick had been given the option of having his Survivor trait strengthened and become a permanent part of his bloodline, whatever that was. While he would have loved to have hit level fifteen right away, he would get there eventually if he lived long enough, while this opportunity was one of a kind and wouldn¡¯t come his way again. He might have even come out ahead in the exchange. Nick had the sense that the System had pulled one over on the Mad God this time, tricking him into wasting cosmic energy before making its play. That this was the reward it had intended to give Nick all along. He found the prospect of only needing to sleep for four hours a night to be tantalizing. Four extra hours every day to plan, train, strategize, grind, or use however else he pleased would help him no matter what his goals were. The trait would also help him endure rough situations, where sleep, food, and water were hard to come by. The lesser version of the Survivor trait had saved his life on numerous occasions during the tutorial, and he would have been sorry to see it go. The warning message did give him second thoughts, but he decided to accept the offer anyway. He would be foolish to turn down such a potent trait he could use right now on the possibility that he might find something better later. Especially as Nick still had plenty of room in his bloodline and, if he understood the message properly, his capacity could be improved later down the road. Besides, the System had indicated that the opportunity was unusually valuable. He suspected that letting it slip through his fingers would be an incalculable loss. ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± Nick said. Acknowledged. Strengthening class trait and binding it to contestant¡¯s bloodline. Chapters One Hundred Sixty-Four and Five: Bloodline By now, Nick was familiar enough with the System to expect some intense sensations accompanying the impending alterations. He leaned back in his chair and braced himself for whatever was about to happen. For a breathless moment, he felt nothing at all. But then his skin began to tingle, like he had brushed up against an electrical field. Within the span of a breath, the buzzing intensified. He felt hot, then cold, then burning up again, all in the blink of an eye. He was intensely nauseous, then completely drained of energy. Pain and arousal, apathy and ecstasy, suffused him, the sensations in his body giving way to one another like someone flipping through stations on the radio. All the while, he could feel his insides squirming, as his organs, bones, and blood reconfigured themselves on a cellular level. Then the changes went deeper still, penetrating into the heart of his being. Somehow, Nick knew that his very DNA was being altered. After a final, blindingly intense surge of sensation, the System¡¯s presence receded, leaving him panting in his chair. Bloodline alteration successful. Trait: Survivor [enhanced] has become a permanent part of your bloodline. Now that the bonus objective reward has been allocated, you will be given a chance to change your class. Warning: this opportunity must be accepted now, or class change will be unavailable until level 25. Would you like to change your class and pick from a range of uncommon options? ¡°Fuck yes,¡± he replied, as an avalanche of excitement drove his disorientation away. ¡°What¡¯s on the menu?¡± Based on your behavior, attributes, abilities, and traits, you have been offered a choice between six uncommon classes. Please read through the list and make your selection. You have one hour to decide. Trembling with anticipation, Nick entered a state of fierce concentration. He was ready to start reading through the list, then use the hour to ponder his choices long and hard before deciding on his new class. But instead of one long menu, this time the floating box broke into six separate pieces, hanging in the air in two rows of three. Meanwhile, the font subtly shifted, changing to a format better suited to absorbing large sets of data. Nick was pleasantly surprised as he examined the first block of text. The arrangement made it easy to compare his offerings, now that he could consider them side-by-side. Option 1 Class: Trapper (uncommon). Primary attributes: Dexterity, mind, creativity. Attributes per level: +1 dexterity, +1 free point. While most combat classes specialize in direct confrontation, the trapper focuses on predicting the behavior of their prey and laying the groundwork for victory before the battle begins. They are capable of building and disarming a wide range of mechanical devices, from those that disable or restrain to those that kill outright. Fighting in melee is an option of last resort for most trappers, reserved for finishing off critically wounded quarries. Some trappers specialize in hunting dangerous beasts, while others focus on creating defensive mechanisms. Their primary combat method is throwing weapons. Examples include: poison darts, explosives, spears, and javelins. Skills: Construct trap. Disarm device. Throwing weapons. Tracking. Stealth. Note: the skill cap for uncommon classes is 25. Ability: Concoct poison (spell, active). A trapper can consume mana to create a hemotoxic poison sufficient to coat a single weapon or trap. Potency and uses per day scale with energetic attributes. Trait: Sense Trap. Trappers are so in tune with various mechanical devices that they can anticipate their presence based on a variety of subtle forces. This trait doubles the scaling of all attributes when detecting, disarming, and bypassing traps set by entities no more than one tier higher than the Trapper. Nick wasn¡¯t sure what primary attributes were, but he assumed that they would either be easier to raise or would synergize optimally with a given class¡¯s skills and abilities. Regardless of the details, their inclusion offered him some clues as to the expectations the System had for how each class would fight and solve problems in general. Dexterity was a solid contender, as anything that helped him avoid taking damage or escape from a fight gone wrong was top tier. Additionally, he already knew that he wanted to boost his mind again soon, regardless of the class he chose. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. He didn¡¯t know what self-aspects creativity governed, as Nick hadn¡¯t spent his knowledge points to unlock the primer on that attribute. However, it was clear that the Trapper was geared toward coming up with complex plans and then setting them into motion, a methodology he was naturally inclined toward. The ability seemed useful, if somewhat sinister. He could think of dozens of ways that poison could have helped him during the tutorial. Best of all, the range of skills the Trapper offered was fantastic. Nick wasn¡¯t that into handheld throwing weapons, but he had learned on the isle that any ranged option was better than none. Both tracking and stealth were insanely useful, and each would have helped him immensely while living on the island. Most aspects of the class were a strong fit for him, as he preferred to strategize and plan as much as possible. Discerning where his enemies were prowling without revealing himself in the process had allowed Nick to survive his encounters with the lurk and the bonecruncher pack, powerful beasts who would have slaughtered him in a head-to-head brawl. The part that he wasn¡¯t so sure about was the traps themselves. While Nick was favorably inclined toward traps in principle, as anything that let him defeat his enemies without risk to himself was preferable to a melee, they had several limitations that were much less palatable. He would have to know what his quarry was ahead of time, understand its behavior, then set his traps and lure his enemy into them. It would be great if he was in the same place for a long time, like during the tutorial, but he had no guarantee that his next challenge would be similar. Moving on, if he was forced into an unexpected fight, he would have nothing new to bring to the table beyond poisoning his weapons and throwing them at a relatively short range. On the other hand, Nick would have a means of protecting himself while he slept, something he had learned to value immensely. He didn¡¯t want to be the kind of fighter that relied on the perfect alignment of so many variables, factors that would not always be under his control. Additionally, nothing about this class synergized with Nick¡¯s mana dart, force-flinging wand, or mysterious magic sword. He was worried that choosing Trapper would leave him with critical vulnerabilities as he encountered progressively tougher opponents. Finally, while the Sense Trap trait was useful in theory, and could definitely save his life under certain circumstances, it would be useless in most situations. Although, to be fair, it would be perfect for dungeon exploration or scouting behind enemy lines. In the end, Nick wanted a trait that he could rely on across a wide range of threats. So, while Trapper was certainly better than his Survivor class, he turned his head to consider the next floating box. Option 2 Class: Woodsman (uncommon). Primary attributes: Dexterity, toughness, strength. Attributes per level: +1 dexterity, +1 toughness, +1 strength. Although many classes focus on operating outdoors, the Woodsman is a consummate specialist, supremely effective when standing within his chosen domain. The Woodsman prefers to deal with problems directly, relying on his robust physical attributes to persevere in the face of adversity. Woodsmen utilize a straightforward fighting style, laying their enemies low with powerful swings of their trusty axe. Woodsmen are highly aware of the denizens of the forest, plants and animals alike, and are experts at reaping the forest¡¯s bounty. Many become proficient in the use of healing herbs as well as crafting and building using wood. Skills: Tracking. Sense life. Herbalism. Woodworking. Axe. Ability: Woodland stalker (passive). Your presence in the forest is diminished, significantly enhancing your chances of concealment. This ability helps you blend into the background, as well as obfuscating your sounds, scent, and heat signature. Additionally, you will leave no tracks while walking in wooded areas. Trait: Forester. This trait provides the Woodsman with a significant boost to all attributes and skills while standing upon wooded terrain. He receives a minor penalty to all attributes and skills while indoors or traversing any other environment. Well now, that¡¯s definitely different, Nick rubbed his fingertips against the stubble on his chin. After a moment of consideration, Nick thought he understood why the System had offered him this class. After all, he had spent most of his time on the Searing Isle living in the woods, learning how to survive the elements and the company of hostile beasts. He wasn¡¯t sure that he wanted something so specialized, but the high points were strong enough to make the class worth considering. For starters, the Woodsman provided three attribute points per level compared to the trapper¡¯s two. He would effectively gain three times the power every time he leveled, compared to his basic Survivor. On the other hand, all three attributes were purely physical in nature. Strength, dexterity, and toughness were certainly useful, but Nick wasn¡¯t interested in becoming a fighter that relied on brute force over all other options. Additionally, he had come to love the flexibility that came with spending free attribute points, which he could assign as needed based on the dynamics of his current situation. Choosing Woodsman would remove that option from the table. While the Woodsman offered the same number of skills as the Trapper, Nick liked this selection better. The class had both tracking and a weapon skill, and sense life and herbalism both sounded useful. Even woodworking could be a godsend in the right circumstances. However, this class was even more restrictive than the last. It would be amazing as long as he stayed in the woods. He could have breezed through his tutorial with this offering, able to brave the forest¡¯s dangers without the constant risk to his life. If Nick knew that Taltos¡¯s next challenge, which would decide the fate of Earth, was taking place somewhere similar, he would have taken Woodsman without a second thought, despite the considerable downsides. But that was the problem. Nick had no idea where he would find himself in the future. He might wind up underground, in the desert, or on the moon for all he knew. Not only would the Forester trait not help him outside the woods, it would actively harm him in all other circumstances. Combine that with a lack of synergy with his current weapon and ability, and he was ready to give the Woodsman a pass. Although he did entertain a brief fantasy of becoming an axe-focused warrior, dominating the battlefield with various cleaves and chops that would rend reality itself. Hoping that his next option would be useful across a wider range of circumstances, Nick moved on to the third screen floating in front of his eyes, breaking into a broad grin when he saw what was on the screen. Friday Concept Art: Chapters 156-165 Just a reminder, I completely respect that not everyone likes the inclusion/existence of AI art, so I''ve put it in it''s own chapter so that it''s not side by side with the story. If it''s not your thing, I totally understand where you are coming from. This concept art is included entirely for fun, and will never be sold or monetized in any way. It will never be as good as your imagination, so if it doesn''t fit with the version of something in your head, go with your imagination instead. We''ve been in the same place for a while now, so there will be more variety again starting next week. I tried to focus more this week on the characters we haven''t seen as much of yet, since they will all be important to the story going forward. Have an awesome weekend. -Magnus He was angry before, but now he''s furious. Kenji with his armor. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. Paul lining up a shot. Veronica. And slightly more evil looking. Sophia to the rescue. Nick in anime form. Nick in non-anime form. James, from a regular college student. To one of Earth''s heroes. A few more shots of our first big baddy from book 2 before we say goodbye. Waiting room between time and space. Chapters One Hundred Sixty-Six and Seven: The Martial Path vs the Path of Magic Option 3 Class: Squire (uncommon). Primary attributes: Strength, toughness. Attributes per level: +1 strength, +1 toughness, +1 free point every other level. Although many classes focus on melee combat, squires are committed to advancing along a martial path. While not as specialized as other types of fighters, squires are versatile and have a guaranteed route to reaching the rare knight class if they train diligently with their skills. Squires are frontline warriors who are adept at taking blows and dealing damage, and they are a welcome addition to any party. Ability: Minor regeneration (passive). The regeneration ability grants the user a modest boost to the rate at which they naturally recover health. It also provides a weak resistance to certain ailments that deal damage over time, such as acid, frostbite, and hemotoxins. Skills: Sword. Axe. Hammer. Spear. Great weapons. Shield. Medium armor. Heavy armor. First aid. Trait: Stalwart. Squires can take heavy hits better than most. They are especially resistant to being knocked aside or bowled over. That¡¯s more like it, Nick¡¯s eyes sparkled with the promise of power as he read the words on the screen. Although he was not inclined to choose a pure melee class, the Squire was undeniably amazing. This class was worthy of his full consideration, unlike the two that had come before. The Squire offered solid attributes per level, including an occasional free point, and provided more skills than any class he had seen yet. Becoming a Squire would dramatically improve Nick¡¯s battle prowess as he advanced, although he would prefer to have more free points, as they offered him the flexibility to guide his growth beyond the dictates of his class. Additionally, this option offered him a powerful passive ability; a hole in his profile that he was aching to fill. Better still, regeneration sounded flat-out amazing and would be useful in almost any situation where he was injured. An occurrence that had become a regular part of his life since the System had entered his world. He wasn¡¯t sure what the differences between traits and abilities were just yet. But Nick believed that traits were bound to a class and were lost when a class was changed, whereas abilities could eventually become permanent, although he had no idea how to do so at this time. While all the skills offered were melee oriented, they included a nice selection of weapons and defensive choices, including a shield and options between armor. If Nick had been a Squire during the arena battle, he could have used almost any weapon in the ready room. Better still, it would allow him to upgrade his arsenal every time he found a superior weapon, as well as swap out his sword on the fly for a killing tool that was better suited for a given battle. Wearing heavy armor and a shield would reduce Nick¡¯s mobility but would boost his survivability on the battlefield, especially when paired with the regeneration ability, whereas medium armor would be useful across a wide range of situations. Although mana dart did not directly synergize with the Squire class, the spell would still provide him with a ranged attack and a means of distracting his opponent, which he knew from experience was a highly effective tactic. He wasn¡¯t crazy about the Stalwart trait, but it wasn¡¯t too bad now that he thought about it. Falling over was generally a bad thing when something was trying to eat or otherwise kill you. It was also the first step in unfortunate events such as falling over a cliff or into a pool of lava. He could even go big if he wanted, with the great weapon skill on the table. Nick laughed as he imagined wielding a comically oversized sword, like something straight out of a JRPG or anime. When all was said and done, this option was strong enough to make him rethink his desire to become a mid or long-range specialist. The cherry on top of these powerful advantages was a guaranteed path to the knight class, which he assumed was strong since the System had mentioned it by name. Thus, Nick kept Squire in the running as he moved on to the next entry, which was odd enough that he had to read it twice before deciding what to make of it. Option 4 Class: Beast-friend (uncommon). Primary attributes: Charisma, toughness. Attributes per level: 2 free points. You have spent a prolonged period of time in the company of beasts, working side-by-side and befriending individuals from a species other than your own. A beast-friend can communicate to a limited extent with non-verbal beasts. He gains various bonuses when allied beasts are nearby, and can eventually learn how to cast spells that will strengthen his furry friends. This class provides various skills and abilities that will help you survive in rugged, untamed lands. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Ability: Sense beast (passive). This ability grants the user the power to sense the presence of nearby beasts, friend and foe alike. It can directly counteract beasts using abilities of stealth and concealment, an invaluable asset when traveling in the wild. Skills: Evaluate beast. Non-verbal communication. Foraging (advanced). First aid (beast). Trait: Beast Warrior. Your physical attributes are significantly enhanced in the presence of friendly beasts, and their attributes are enhanced in turn. Hard pass. Nick dismissed this option out of hand. While he had enjoyed befriending Bandit and the lemur tribe, he had no desire to become some kind of beast specialist. Although sense beast and advanced foraging seemed generally useful, most of the powers would require him to travel alongside beasts and wouldn¡¯t be practical in a wide range of situations. That being said, he had fond memories of the tribe and he hoped that he would run into Bandit and the Elder again. While he was annoyed to have one of his options taken by this questionable offering, it confirmed that his choices played a major role in the classes he was offered, a piece of information that might come in handy later, helping him to guide the path of his development to a greater extent. The last two choices on the list, however, were both strong contenders, fully worthy of his full consideration. Option 5 Class: Kineticist (uncommon). Primary attributes: Dexterity, magic. Attributes per level: +1 magic, +1 free point, + 1 dexterity every other level. Kineticists specialize in the manifestation of physical and pure mana, forever forsaking the paths of elemancy. They are mid-range specialists. Although they have means of fighting in both melee and long ranged combat, they are generally less effective than classes specializing in those distances. Kineticists use swords and thrown tools to supplement their offensive magic and can eventually learn defensive powers as well. Ability: Piercing ray (active spell). This spell creates a mass of pure kinetic energy (force mana). This energy can be attached to a target to launch a penetrating beam at high speed. Piercing ray is a purely physical attack and will not affect ethereal life forms in any way. Uses per day are determined by the user¡¯s mana pool and all parameters scale with energetic attributes. This spell will take ten seconds of concentration to cast with your present energetic attributes. Skills: Sword. Evasion. Throwing. Light shields. Trait: Force Adept [permanent]. Force Adepts receive a bonus to mana efficiency and the scaling from energetic attributes when casting spells that use force and pure mana (such as piercing ray and mana dart). However, Force Adepts are unable to cast elemental magic and receive a substantial penalty when manipulating elemental-aspected mana. They may cast non-elemental spells without restriction (comprising the majority of all spells). Warning: this trait will become a permanent part of your bloodline (taking 1 of your 2 remaining slots). It will remain with you after changing classes, significantly altering your future class options. After reading it over for the third time, Nick decided that the Kineticist was a fascinating option. He liked the primary attributes it came with, as well as the free point per level. Although he already had an active spell, mana dart was apparently considered to be a pure mana ability. Meanwhile, piercing ray utilized force mana, giving him both a physical and pure mana attack at range. Nick wasn¡¯t sure what situations would warrant which spell, but he already knew that mana dart wasn¡¯t all that useful against creatures with high health pools, such as the lurk and the fallen rhino. It would likely be ineffective against opponents with innate magical defenses, whereas force magic should work on anything lacking heavy armor or other forms of physical resistance. Pure magic sounded like it would be useful against opponents that force magic would not effect, and vice versa, offering a nice synergy despite the other limitations. Furthermore, the Force Adept trait would let Nick cast more spells per day and add extra power to each, significantly increasing his combat potential here and now. The skills all sounded great, except for maybe light shields, and having a sword skill would enhance Nick¡¯s primary means of fighting. Evasion was perfect, since the best way to avoid taking damage was not to get hit to begin with. He had already used throwing to great effect during the tutorial, even without a skill to supplement his aim. All in all, the Kineticist class felt like a great fit and Nick would have picked it then and there if it wasn¡¯t for the trait permanence warning. He was still standing at the starting line of his new life in the System, and although he wanted to survive at any cost, locking himself into a path that restricted most types of magic was a serious drawback. One that he had no way of calculating the costs of here and now. Thinking the matter through based on his inner library of fantasy knowledge, elemental magic was a staple of most games. Nick had accumulated a wealth of information regarding potential uses, synergy, counters, and the like. Closing the door forever on elemental forces made him extremely nervous, although his concern was not strong enough to dampen the lure of the class. Unable to resolve his dilemma, Nick decided to consider the Kineticist for a while longer. While he pondered the matter, he went ahead and read the last class offered by the System, which appeared to be more of a pure mage type that also fit his needs well. Option 6 Class: Magician (uncommon). Primary attributes: Mind, magic, creativity. Attributes per level: +1 magic, +1 mind, +1 free point every other level. The Magician is a common entry point to many advanced spellcasting classes. Weak in melee, strong at range, the magician can master a wide range of spells and abilities, making them useful in almost any situation. They tend to be bursty in nature, dealing massive damage early on in a fight. The downside is that their attacks quickly drain their mana pool, although this limitation can be overcome with intensive training and proper gear. Ability: Meditation (passive). The Magician can enter a trancelike state at will. While meditating, his mana will regenerate 25% faster than the usual rate, although his perception of the world around him will be dulled. Ability: Fireball (active spell). Fireball consumes a large amount of mana to create a destructive sphere of flame. This spell can be targeted by the caster and thrown at a considerable distance. On arrival the fireball will detonate, spreading its flames out in a modest radius. All spell parameters scale with energetic attributes. Skills: Offensive magic. Defensive magic. Ritual magic. Sense magic. Trait: Generalist. The Magician casts a wide net and can use most spells effectively. Generalists receive a minor mana cost reduction when casting any spell and gain a minor increase to the scaling of all spell parameters with energetic attributes. Not bad at all, Nick rubbed his chin as he weighed his options. Now, which one do I want? Chapters One Hundred Sixty-Eight and Nine: The Decision of a Lifetime Nick hummed to himself while considering his final option, eventually deciding that he liked pretty much everything the class had to offer. The Magician seemed great when fighting at range, and the idea of becoming a true mage made his inner geek gush with excitement. The class featured a decent number of attributes per level, had two useful abilities, and provided a trait that seemed like a weaker version of the Kineticist¡¯s with none of the drawbacks. The Generalist trait would pair well with his mana dart, as well as the fireball that came with the class. The meditation ability would let him cast more spells per day if he had a chance to rest between fights. The skills, on the other hand, were harder to quantify, although they sounded decent at face value. However, they were all specialized in dealing with magic, and offered nothing that would help him in melee combat. Nick didn¡¯t know what ritual magic was, but he was certain that being able to use it would come in handy in situations where he had the luxury of time. Being able to sense magic in any capacity was certain to be useful across a wide range of circumstances as well. His only concern was that the class was geared toward quick battles at range. Nick was worried that it would fare poorly if he was ambushed or had to fight for prolonged periods, like his recent match in the arena and the end of the tutorial. Being able to drop magical bombs from long range sounded amazing, but it would be far more useful when fighting as part of a team than if he were off on his own. Unfortunately, Nick had no idea what conditions on the ground would be like when he began Taltos¡¯s challenge for the fate of Earth. He glanced at the timer floating in the corner of the display. He had just a little over forty-five minutes to make the most important decision of his life, and he intended to make every second count. Squire, Kineticist, or Magician? Each class offered powerful advantages and featured distinct drawbacks. Nick was certain that all three would suit his needs, and he was already considering how they could be used to create novel strategies and tactics. But which is the best choice here and now? He wracked his brain, trying to decide which class offered him the greatest chance of surviving the ordeal ahead. And, equally important in its own way, which represented the kind of person that he wanted to be? This choice would dictate how Nick made his way through the mysterious multiverse for quite some time to come, both on and off the battlefield, and each resonated with different aspects of himself. The Squire excelled at fighting up close. Its emphasis on physical attributes and martial skills would enable Nick to go toe-to-toe with powerful adversaries. The regeneration ability would let him fight for far longer than the other two offerings, with less downtime when the battle was over. As a Squire, he would become a bulwark on the battlefield, able to deal out and take heavy hits while shielding the rest of his team. It was the strongest pick for pure survivability and would grant him incredible flexibility in developing his unique fighting style. Also worth considering, the Squire offered a straight shot to obtaining the rare and presumably powerful Knight class. Taking Squire would let him master his sword and wear armor far superior to the thin layers of cloth and leather guarding his tender flesh. The main drawback was a lack of ranged skills or abilities, although Nick already had mana dart, and nothing would stop him from using a bow if he wanted to. However, becoming a Squire would be stepping away from the mastery of magic. That mysterious force that was, day by day, becoming an integral feature of his life. He decided to keep Squire in the running and moved onto the next class he was considering, the Magician. The Magician class was, in many ways, a polar opposite of the Squire, forsaking the martial path in favor of the magical. It excelled at fighting from a distance and would arm Nick with powerful area of effect spells that could take out multiple opponents in a single strike. Fireball would be devastating if he got the drop on his enemy, enabling a fiery alpha strike that would end the battle the moment it began. As a Magician, he would become a linchpin for his team when fighting as a group. A heavy hitter that could turn the tide of battle all by himself. The strategic use of powerful spells synergized strongly with his tactical nature as well. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. There were two major downsides to the Magician, the first being that his big spells would be limited in number. His offensive output would plummet the moment that he ran out of mana. On top of that, the class offered nothing that would help him when fighting up close and its attributes were purely mental/energetic in nature. If Nick was alone or his party was ambushed, the enemy might take him out before he could retaliate. He risked getting burned by his own fireball if an opponent was already in his face, although mana dart would be useful in a brawl, which helped to mitigate the drawbacks of the class. On the other hand, it seemed that the Magician could learn new spells relatively easily, greatly enhancing his flexibility and lethality over time. As he leveled, he would likely learn combat magic better suited to fighting up close and his energetic core would expand, letting him fight longer in each battle before running dry. The Kineticist class split the difference in many respects. If he chose it, Nick would have his sword skill for fighting up close and combat spells that were most effective at medium range. The attributes were balanced between physical and energetic, and the free point would offer him some flexibility in determining his growth going forward. The sticky issue was the Force Adept trait, which would offer him considerable power here and now at the cost of drastically limiting the direction of his magical development. Leaving him compatible with only two types of mana going forward and forever closing the door on countless advanced classes. Taking Force Adept would also lock in another part of his bloodline, a resource that was critical to his ongoing survival and continued growth. After long deliberation as he watched the timer inexorably tick toward zero, Nick crossed Magician off the list. While the class might become incredibly powerful over the long run, it posed too many vulnerabilities here and now, both in combat style and staying power. If he was certain that he would be working with a team throughout the entirety of Taltos¡¯s next challenge, he might have reconsidered. But while he knew that other people would be participating, he might find himself alone once more when he stepped through the next portal. Moreover, the skills sounded like they would require considerable investment to raise, perhaps even necessitating a formal education that might not be available for quite some time to come. While he found every aspect of magic to be absolutely fascinating, with the fate of his planet hanging in the balance, he couldn¡¯t afford to wait to grow into his new class. Nick needed power and he needed it now. While he pondered his remaining options, he drew his sword and conjured a mana dart, focusing on these tangible representations of a martial or hybrid path while searching for inspiration. The timer ticked down as Nick weighed the most important decision of his life, evaluating the various pros and cons of the Squire and Kineticist to the best of his ability. In the end, his lack of information helped him to arrive at a conclusion. He had no idea what challenges he would face in the future. What lands he would travel to, and what forces would stand in his way. He needed a class that was balanced. That could handle the widest range of situations. That offered abilities he knew would help him, no matter what he encountered. Being able to cast more powerful mana darts more often would be incredibly useful, and Nick really wanted to keep using his sword, as he had grown comfortable with the weapon at his side. Finally, he didn¡¯t want to face every problem head on, an approach that would do him little good when fighting magic-and-ranged-attack-wielding opponents. If he was going to survive his new reality, find his family and fight for the future of the Earth, then he had to be willing to take some risks. Risks like forever losing the ability to use elemental magic. Before he committed to a choice that would irrevocably change his life, both now as well as altering the course of his future advancement, Nick spent the final seconds at his disposal visualizing taking each of the three appealing options one final time. Just in case he¡¯d missed something important or had been hasty in his analysis. When he was done, he was certain that he was making the right choice, and the last traces of hesitation faded away. In the final seconds before the clock hit zero, Nick made his decision, voicing his intentions to the open air. ¡°I¡¯m ready to choose. I want to become a Kineticist.¡± For just a moment, nothing happened. But then a new message appeared before his eyes. Acknowledged. Class selection is confirmed as: Kineticist (uncommon). Deactivating all abilities and skills provided by class Survivor (basic). Note: deactivated skills can still be used, however they can no longer be improved. Activating new skills and abilities. Ten seconds later, Nick felt the System¡¯s presence intensify. At that point, things really started to get interesting, triggering an experience that he would remember for the rest of his days. Chapters One Hundred Seventy and One: Affinity The moment that the words faded from the air, Nick felt the now familiar sensation of ghostly fingertips reaching into his brain. Their gentle dance rewired the connections between his neurons, laying down pathways that would guide his future development. Wearing a beaming grin, he felt a door open within his mind. A sense that there were new possibilities for growth that he could choose to pursue. After a final twist, the ethereal digits withdrew. A heartbeat later, an image popped into his head. A vision of a churning vortex of invisible force, the framework for casting piercing ray that had been etched into his psyche. However, the changes being wrought by the System were far from over. A warm prickling began to build below Nick¡¯s heart, as the System plucked a thread free from his energetic core, winding it up and around his spine before attaching it to the pathway for his new spell. It was an intriguing feeling, thankfully not nearly as intense as when the System had jumpstarted his mana pool after acquiring his first spell back on the Searing Isle. By this point, Nick was shaking with excitement, eager to open his profile and check out his new and improved stats. But that would have to wait a while longer, because the System wasn¡¯t done with him yet. To his surprise, another message appeared in front of his eyes. Beginning activation of trait: Force Adept. With those words, the world exploded into psychedelic color, consumed by swirling hues of the most vivid pigments Nick had ever seen. The scintillating tide washed over everything in a resplendent skein. A living latticework of incomprehensible shades in undulating, dazzling furls. He watched on in awe. He had no clue as to what was happening, although he could feel the System tinkering with the energetic core resting below his heart. Nick looked down at his hands, to where the same mysterious substance flowed across his skin like some kind of¡­ magic. The realization came crashing home. It¡¯s mana. Whatever is happening, it¡¯s allowing me to perceive mana for the first time. The image was bizarre, majestic, and heart-achingly beautiful. Filled with a fierce and rising joy, he dove headfirst into the wonderous experience, intent on learning as much as he could, before the mind-bending effects of the System¡¯s manipulation faded away. With a shit-eating grin plastered on his face, Nick stopped staring at the flowing tapestry as a whole, now trying to isolate the individual flows. To pick out the distinct threads of the weave, each of which featured a unique color and texture. At first, he could barely make out any fine details. But as he grew accustomed to the intense colors and dazzling patterns, he began to see individual bands of pure pigment, woven together to form refulgent hues that Nick had as of yet no words to describe. Some of the mana-strings were virulent vermillion and gave off an impression of immense heat, while others were a deep blue-black, emanating a chill pressure like the depths of the sea. Some were soothing and entrancing, others caustic and painful to look at directly. Each was vibrating with limitless potential, raw energy yet to be given form. The ingredients to create thousands of spells and abilities danced before his eyes. The longer that Nick stared at the wondrous display, the more certain he became that these myriad ribbons of light represented different types of mana, each bearing unique properties, like distinct frequencies of light or notes of music. There were dozens of types that Nick could discern, along with countless more that he couldn¡¯t quite figure out. Earth and air. Shadow and light. Bone, blood, and beast. He would have kept on staring until hunger and thirst dragged him away, but at that very moment, the System stepped back in, its words crisp and clear against the riot of chaos undulating behind them. Deactivating compatibility with all elemental aspects. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it An eruption of heat sprang to life within Nick¡¯s chest. It was followed by a searing pain that lasted for just a fraction of a second. He had the sense that his energetic core was being compressed and reshaped in an instant, like a prism shifting to refract different colors of light. Both sensations faded away a heartbeat later, and with their passing, color bled from the world like white paint running down the face of a masterpiece. But then he realized that it was more like a curtain being drawn while the set was rearranged, because the show was only halfway over. Not all the pigments disappeared. The regular world that Nick had been seeing all his life remained, but the eye-rending vibrancy of mana in the air was gone. It was as if someone had briefly shone a light into a dark room, leaving it even blacker than before with its passing. No. Not gone. Muted. Somehow, he could sense that the tapestry of mana was still there, but it was now so faint and fuzzy that he could no longer focus on it or make out distinct details. It was as if the vivid world of elemental mana was obscured by heavy fog at dusk. It all changed again when the System chimed in once more. Activating affinity for mana types: force and pure. Binding trait Force Adept to contestant¡¯s bloodline. With an electric jolt, the mana collage reappeared. Only now, it looked radically different than before. While most of the threads were still dim and out of focus, two distinct varieties of mana were now crisp in his vision. He could discern and follow their flows clearly, like someone putting on prescription glasses for the first time. One type was silvery white, or perhaps platinum was the better word. The threads of chromatic mana shimmered like a shroud of mercury, as if the world had been bathed in the light of the full moon. In fact, it was almost the same color as his mana darts, which was enough for him to deduce the rest. That must be pure mana, Nick marveled at the sight. The metallic ribbons made up only a slim fraction of the full web of magic that he had seen before. Pure mana felt ethereal and clean. Gentle, but hinting at untold power residing within. He had a harder time focusing on the other variety of mana threads, mostly because they weren¡¯t any color at all. The vibrating lines were nearly transparent, like cables of spun glass or the heart of a flawless gem. Perceiving them became much easier when Nick stopped trying to focus on them with his eyeballs. A frustrating exercise, like trying to follow the individual strands of a spider¡¯s web from all the way across the room. Instead, he sat back in his chair and unfocused his eyes, like he was looking at one of those magic-eye posters that had been popular back in the day. He let everything else go, immersing himself within the flow of magic engulfing the room and his body. That was when Nick began to see. There was another force moving betwixt and between the delicate threads of pure mana, flowing in waves like heat rising from an oven. Like the curvature of compressed air that rode the edge of a shockwave, flows of something were rolling across the waiting room. Nick had the sense of something ponderous and heavy. As weighty and tangible as pure mana was insubstantial. Part of the reason that this type of mana had been hard to pin down was that there was so much of it. This clear force was hundreds of times more prevalent than the ghostly lines of pure silver that represented pure mana. So this is force mana. Incredible, he watched the writhing cables wind and flow, mingling with the bands of mercury and all the other elements that he could no longer perceive. He drank in the sight of two types of mana, so different from one another. Each intense and awesome in their own unique manner. It made Nick wonder what he had given up by choosing to walk down this path. But he had no regrets. These were forces that would serve him well on his path to power, and he was more than satisfied to claim them for his own. He would have watched the mana undulate forever had he been given the choice. Basking in the flow while learning everything that he could from their mercurial dance. But like all things in life, the good and bad alike, the moment was not fated to last. The otherworldly display was already fading from the air, revealing a mundane world that felt frozen and washed out by comparison. It took him a long moment to readjust, like Nick had stepped back onto land after a long sea voyage. Soon, he could no longer sense the threads of mana at all, just a vague tingle out on the periphery of his awareness. But he was certain that he would see it again one day. A facility developed from his own efforts, instead of being gifted to him by a fey twist of fate. As the strange sensations faded away like the remembrance of yesterday¡¯s dreams, he focused as hard as he could, doing his best to commit it all to memory. He¡¯d learned more about magic in the last ten minutes than over the last month combined, and he was certain that the experience would lead to insights and breakthroughs later down the road. Nick wanted to sit there and rest, reflecting on what he¡¯d seen and everything that had come before, but the System had other plans in store. Your class change is complete. Proceeding to distribute the remaining rewards from your tutorial. Chapters One Hundred Seventy-Two and Three: Basic Booster Pack ¡°Do I have to do this now? Could I please get some rest first?¡± While Nick wanted to check out the rest of his rewards, he had just experienced a life-altering change. Not to mention, he was in desperate need of some downtime after leaping from one life and death situation to the next. To his surprise, on this occasion, the System decided to answer his query directly. A period of rest will be provided as soon as the tutorial rewards have been distributed. ¡°Oh. Ok then. What else are you giving me?¡± Your evaluation for the main tutorial quest has been rated as: exemplary. Your evaluation for the tutorial bonus round has been rated as: strong. Calculating tutorial rewards based on overall performance¡­ calculations complete. You have been awarded 10 knowledge points, access to a treasure vault appropriate for your tier, and three basic items of your choice. Additionally, your safe room during the upcoming rest period has been upgraded from (iron) quality to (silver) quality. You have thirty minutes to redeem your common item selections, then you will be transported to a treasure vault, where you will claim the rest of your prize. Please select three basic items made from common materials. Despite everything, all the suffering and loss that he had endured since the System had rewritten the rules of reality, Nick found himself growing excited again as he read the words. While he had no idea what a treasure vault was, he was certain that this was another critical opportunity. An invaluable chance to become stronger, tougher, and more versatile. With any luck, it would be enough to survive the challenge ahead and win the Earth back from Taltos. Still amped up from receiving his new class, Nick returned his attention to the task at hand. Picking out which three basic items he wanted the System to grant him. It was an important decision in its own right. Just because an item was basic didn¡¯t mean that it couldn¡¯t save Nick¡¯s bacon or upgrade his quality of life, playing a critical role in his adventures to come. The items in his toolbelt had already proven their worth a dozen times over. He could take advantage of this opportunity to add new tools to his kit or restock his medical supplies. Perhaps grant himself a new capability that would help him to climb, hunt, or a hundred other possibilities. He had a sense that this was a trap for the unwary as well as a genuine reward. Whatever the survivors of Earth encountered beyond the tutorial was certain to feature its own deadly threats. Threats people might not be able to survive without the proper tools and equipment. The term basic combined with getting three items at once would encourage lazy thinking, cementing the impression that this opportunity wasn¡¯t a big deal. With the main reward coming next, a lot of people would spend far too little time and energy thinking things through, making hasty picks that would put them at a significant disadvantage sooner rather than later. After a few minutes of careful consideration, Nick decided that his first priority was to do something about his clothes. His jeans were one stich short of falling apart completely, and his shirt had a gaping hole where the leech had burrowed through in the dungeon. Not to mention the dozens of tears and snags that he had picked up during the battle for the highlands and surviving the raging searstorm on the mountain¡¯s summit. Nick almost used two of his picks asking for new pants and a shirt; replacements for the garments that were in critical condition. But then he realized that doing so would be wasting this opportunity. I need to find a way to swap out my jeans and shirt with a single pick, then choose something that will make finding food easier. Something tells me that during the next challenge, I won¡¯t have time to learn the lay of the land to nearly the same extent that I did on the island. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. That was when it hit him. Coveralls. Coveralls, also known as boilersuits, are loose garments that cover the whole body except for the head, hands, and feet. Nick¡¯s old roommate had worked in manufacturing and had worn them while on the job to offer a layer of protection over his clothing. It was a perfect way to replace Nick¡¯s pants and shirt with a single pick. Now, what to do about the fabric. The System said I can only choose from common materials, so I doubt that I can ask for anything fancy like Kevlar or spider silk. After some deliberation, Nick decided on denim. It was the most rugged cloth that he could think of; a top choice of workers for well over a century. Denim was famously durable, designed to endure the stress of hard labor. He turned to address the System, only to realize that there wasn¡¯t really a proper way to face a discorporate entity. With a shrug, he said, ¡°I would like a pair of denim coveralls please, as thick as you can make them without impairing my mobility.¡± There was a brief flash of light on the table in front of Nick¡¯s knees. When it faded, a pair of heavy denim coveralls were sitting in a neatly folded pile. With a grin of anticipation Nick held them up for inspection and then put them into his pack. Trying them on could wait. He was running out of time to make his other choices, and he was eager to discover what awaited him in the System¡¯s treasure vault. His next priority was obtaining a tool that would help him find food during his next ordeal. Since the System seemed unusually chatty today, he decided to see if he could coax a bit more information out of the AI before he made his decision. ¡°One last question. Would you be willing to tell me what kind of terrain I will find myself in if I accept Taltos¡¯s challenge and participate in the fate of Earth event? Please,¡± he added, figuring that it never hurt to be polite. For a long moment, Nick thought that the System wouldn¡¯t answer his question. After all, it normally ignored him completely unless he was interfacing with its displays. But here in this safe room, it seemed more inclined to communicate, and a few seconds later, an answer popped into existence in front of his eyes. The first phase of the challenge will take place in Blackmist Bog. That would have been nice to know when I was picking my class, although I supposed it wouldn¡¯t have changed my decision. Just in case the System was feeling extra generous, Nick tried again. ¡°Would you mind telling me if I¡¯ll be alone or working with others this time?¡± Unfortunately, the System didn¡¯t reply, so he began mulling over his options. A bog hrm¡­ Ok, that gives me a fair amount to work with. Bogs are a mix of various marshlands and there should be large bodies of water distributed throughout the region. And where there¡¯s water, there should be fish. After a few minutes of deliberation, during which Nick reviewed everything he knew about bogs and the tools in his kit, he was ready to make his decision. He would use his second basic item pick to acquire a fishing rod. Fortunately, he already had a line and hook sitting in his belt pouch. Nick wished that he had grabbed one of the rods he had seen in the sewer, as it would have let him use his pick on another tool now. But the rod would have been awkward to carry before he had found his dimensional storage pack and he had been grappling with bigger problems at the time. He also knew what he wanted to spend his final choice on. It had come to him while he was reviewing what he had learned so far by spending his tutorial knowledge points, as well as the entries he hadn¡¯t been able to unlock. In short, Nick needed to obtain a means of recording knowledge. Both to consolidate what he had learned and to make it easy to share info with other people. Ready to confirm his decision, he looked up and made his request. ¡°I would like a fishing rod, made from whatever you think will be the most durable. And for my third item, a travel journal with a waterproof cover, with as many pages inside as you will allow.¡± The System must have approved of Nick¡¯s request. Because without further ado, a second flash of light lit up the room, heralding the appearance of a stout fiberglass fishing rod sitting beside a three-inch-thick journal. He could tell at a glance that both were high quality despite their basic designation, and he was certain that they would serve him well on the road ahead. Nick would have to check them out later though, because he was excited to get on with the main event. ¡°Alright. I¡¯m ready. Treasure vault here I come.¡± Please step through the portal along the wall. You may leave your equipment behind. It will be returned to you once you complete the vault and begin your rest period. He looked up, casting his gaze around the room before spotting a door that hadn¡¯t been there before, a heavy slab of oak that felt out of place with the rest of the office. With a grin, Nick rose to his feet and pulled the door open, taking in the now-familiar glow of a portal waiting on the other side. With a spring in his step, he passed through the doorway, the world dissolving into a frantic blend of color and motion. Chapters One Hundred Seventy-Four and Five: Treasure Vault Nick closed his eyes to shut out the bewildering display. When he opened them again, he was standing somewhere else, relieved that his latest journey between worlds had been brief compared to his other experiences. He looked around to take in his surroundings, only to discover that he was inside what appeared to be some manner of museum, gazing upon a curated collection. The floor was tiled in elegant black marble, with rich swirling patterns in bands of azure and cream. The domed ceiling was interspersed with great glass panels, revealing a vivid bronze sky, striated with wispy copper clouds. Although it was a fascinating spectacle, Nick was too worn out to appreciate the view. All he really wanted was to claim his reward and then sleep for a week. With that goal firmly in mind, he lowered his gaze to examine the enclosure. The first thing that leapt out at him was the sheer scale of the place, his eyes running across rows of elegant display cases that filled a space bigger than a football field. While the room was undeniably impressive, he wasn¡¯t quite sure what he was looking at or what he was supposed to do, but it all became clear when a System message appeared before his eyes. To claim your reward, choose one item from the vault. The items on display are the equivalent of those contained within gold exploration reward chests or higher. A description of each offering and its properties is posted near their display. You have one hour to explore the vault and make your selection, otherwise a reward will be chosen for you at random. Gold reward chests or better? When the meaning of those words came crashing home, adrenaline poured into Nick¡¯s bloodstream, shocking him back to full alertness as his heart began to race. It seemed that this was an even better opportunity than he had realized, and it was vital that he made the most of it. Crystalline, arctic clarity descended across his mind, honing his thoughts to a razored edge, as Nick dusted off his gaming filters to assist him in making his selection. When he saw the countdown clock floating in the periphery of his vision, he knew that he had to work fast. He only had fifty-seven minutes to choose his prize. To sort through the contents of this gigantic space and claim the reward he had won through weeks of agony and fear, nearly losing his life along the way on numerous occasions. Although there were thousands of displays, Nick intended to read each and every one of them before he made his decision, or at least as many as he could before time ran out. With not a second to waste, he darted over to the nearest shelf to examine its contents, a brass-rimmed box holding a sky-blue gem resting on a small pillow. He would have enjoyed taking his time, absorbing the elegant artistry of the collection, had he the luxury of minutes to spare. But as matters stood, he barely even glanced at the item inside the case. Instead, his eyes locked onto the description mounted to the exterior and he started reading as fast as he could. What he saw almost made Nick pick the item for his reward then and there. Ability stone (passive) This stone contains a random, high quality, passive ability that is compatible with your current class. Warning: the abilities you acquire will influence your options during future class selections. Nick was shocked to have come across such a great item right from the start. Acquiring a passive ability was something that he had desperately wanted for some time. It would fill a gap in his profile that sorely needed bridging, permanently increasing his capabilities here and now. He already knew how useful the powers contained within such stones could be. Mana dart had saved his life more times than he could count. It had also helped him acquire his Kineticist class, which he felt was ideally suited for him, even though he hadn¡¯t had an opportunity to take it for a test drive and see what it could do just yet. But no matter how powerfully the sky-blue stone called to him, Nick would never be the kind of person who made such a critical choice based on impulse alone. Besides, if it was at all possible, he would prefer to choose his ability rather than having one assigned at random, although he strongly suspected that whatever he received from consuming the stone would be helpful during the trial ahead. He realized that he was overanalyzing his options considering the constraints on his time. He¡¯d already eaten up two minutes while contemplating the stone, so he quickly moved on, darting over to the closest display. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. His next stop was a tall rack holding various weapons, each of which featured the same modification. High quality modification: Eversharp. This weapon is incredibly resistant to chipping or breaking. It will repair itself and return to prime condition over time as long as the weapon core remains intact. Nick was curious to learn more about modifications, weapon cores, and item cores in general. As time was of the essence, he filed the information away in the ¡®ponder later¡¯ section of his brain and quickly moved on. While these weapons were masterfully crafted and almost certain to be better balanced than his own blade, he suspected that the foreman¡¯s sword had a comparable modification or something even better, even though the System refused to provide him with the details. After all, the sword had survived centuries of being locked in a chest with a magic devouring lifeform, before Trell had used it to carve his legacy into raw bedrock. Despite decades of abuse, the weapon still held its edge, and it was impervious to wear and tear as far as Nick could tell. Besides, the battered blade was starting to grow on him. He would prefer to find a way to repair or upgrade it, rather than having to adapt to using a totally new weapon. All this passed through his mind in the blink of an eye, and he was already moving on to the next offering. He made it to the end of the row without anything catching his interest, rounded the corner, and then moved on to the next set. He ran past shelves holding potions of antidote in bundles of five and potions of full healing in cases of three. While such consumables were incredibly useful, Nick wanted something that would aid him in the long haul. An item that he could rely on going forward as he faced the dangers that were certain to be lurking within Taltos¡¯s challenge for the fate of the Earth. He came to a skidding stop as a description caught his eye, pausing long enough to read the listing in full. The tokens sitting on the shelf in front of him were closer to what he was hoping to find. Of greatest interest was a pouch of three tokens that could improve the rarity of any item from basic to common, as well as a single token that would do the same for a common item, raising its rarity to uncommon. He took ten seconds considering the likely results of upgrading his existing gear, before deciding that it wasn¡¯t quite what he was looking for. It amused Nick to imagine upgrading his bathrobe over time, transforming the fuzzy garment into an epic magic item, but after a quick chuckle he was ready to move on. He might have taken the single token if he knew that he could use it on his sword. But since the blade had been given to him by the ratman foreman rather than being a direct System reward, he had no idea how rare it was or what its modification did. His wand was worth improving as well, but it was too rare and beyond the power of the token to enhance. Over twenty minutes had passed since he entered the vault. He had accepted the fact that he would never make it to all the displays before the clock hit zero, even if Nick found a way to drastically increase the speed of his perusal. Fortunately, he had come up with a plan to maximize his remaining minutes. It was time to rely on his gaming background and the thousands upon thousands of hours he had spent staring at item rewards, calculating how they would synergize with hundreds of different abilities and builds. Thus, Nick decided to spend less than five seconds scanning each description he ran past. Not even stopping to think about what the words meant unless something leapt out at him that screamed ¡°OP.¡± Nick knew himself well enough to trust his instincts. That his brain would be drawn to the best offerings the moment that he saw them. Worst case scenario, if he ran out of time, he would run back to the first display and choose the passive ability stone. Now that he had experienced the vault firsthand, he had a better sense of the dynamics at play. He suspected that the wide range of options was both a mechanism for rewarding the quick witted and a trap for the unwary. Being faced with a deluge of choices, having to consider what was lost in passing up each, could paralyze an unprepared mind. The time limit only turned up the heat, making the decision that much harder. Luckily for Nick, decades of gaming had caused his brain to develop an internal item filter. A process for sorting through screens full of numbers and parameters without having to sift through unimportant details. With a plan in place, he focused on maximizing his speed. He picked a long, straight lane of displays and took off at a dead sprint. He slowed down for a fraction of a second whenever he scanned a new description, bursting back into motion the instant that his eyes reached the bottom of the text. Shields and armor streaked past in liquid blurs of treated leather and burnished steel. Books and bags, scrolls and stones, merged into an endless procession of treasure. Nick glanced at the clock as he rounded the end of the row and prepared to sprint down the next. Eighteen minutes left, he grinned. I¡¯m covering way more ground now. This is working. Although he had yet to find anything better than the stone, Nick could tell that his filter wasn¡¯t passing up anything incredible. All the items it turned down were either too weak, too situational, or possessed a finite number of uses. He needed to find something that would help him scale the power curve. An item that would serve him well here and now as well as in the future, taking the next step along his personal path to power. Something that would give him an edge over the legion of beasts and other hostile entities that were sure to cross his path. Seven breathless minutes later, his gaze landed on something that made him stop dead in his tracks. Alerted by his subconscious, he carefully reread each word of the description placed below a short sword and round shield forged from sea-blue ore. Nick broke into a broad grin as he considered the final words. Now we¡¯re talking. Friday Concept Art: Chapters 166-175 Just a reminder, I completely respect that not everyone likes the inclusion/existence of AI art, so I''ve put it in it''s own chapter so that it''s easy to skip and not shown side by side with the story. If it''s not your thing, I totally understand where you are coming from. This concept art is included entirely for fun, and will never be sold or monetized in any way. It will never be as good as your imagination, so if it doesn''t fit with the version of something in your head, go with your imagination instead. Have an awesome weekend. -Magnus Safe room (basic quality) Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. The tapestry of mana Pure and force mana Denim Coveralls Wooden fishing pole Travel journal Treasure vault Chapters One Hundred Seventy-Six and Seven: It’s Perfect Animated guardian (rare) This paired sword and shield possess the joint modification: Sentry. For one hour each day, the guardian can be activated to fight alongside its owner. Sentry items can obey simple commands and will operate independently if they remain within fifty feet of the point of activation. If damaged, these items will gradually repair themselves unless the weapon core is destroyed (at a rate much slower than self-maintenance modifications). Nick let out an appreciative whistle. The animated guardian was a fantastic item, even better than the ability stone. Picking it would greatly improve his offensive capabilities and would offer him some additional protection as well. The guardian would have been great to have during the tutorial. He imagined using the sword to distract the bonecruncher alpha, then sneaking up from behind to land a fatal blow while the shield held off the rest of the pack. If he didn¡¯t use it on a given day, he could order the guardian to protect him for an hour while he slept, which was far better than nothing at all. He could also fight beside the guardian in battles against multiple opponents, shielding his flanks while adding to the damage he could deal out. In short, the animated guardian was awesome. Finding it made him glad that he had waited to make his selection. Although, he would have preferred that the System provide more details regarding the guardian¡¯s abilities, including how precisely it would obey his commands. But none of that would stop Nick from picking it. Just looking at the gleaming shield and sword made his soul burn with greed, as the item felt like a perfect fit considering his present needs. However, he still had enough time on the clock to explore one final section of the collection. He took a lingering, lustful look at the animated guardian and started sprinting once more. By the time that he drew near the end of the row, he was gasping for air, so winded that he could barely think. He would have pushed himself even harder if he could, but Nick simply didn¡¯t have anything else to give. Although it disappointed the min/max portion of his psyche, he had to accept that he wouldn¡¯t be able to examine every display in the vault before the timer hit zero. I¡¯ll take a close look at two more, then head back and pick the guardian before I run out of time. He turned to the closest offering and started reading. This shelf held three pouches that were bound together in a set, each containing a reusable ward that could be activated once a day. Each pouch held a series of stones that were inscribed with an enchantment that could be activated when the stones were placed in a ring and a command word was spoken. The first was an alarm ward that could be keyed to sound in the presence of a variety of life forms. The second detected hostile magic cast within its perimeter, and the third was a deterrent for something called an astral parasite. Nick¡¯s nearly fatal encounter with the giant leeches in the sewers of Kastilla had severely traumatized him. If he had been carrying these alarm wards, the leeches wouldn¡¯t have been able to approach him without warning, pumping him full of sedative venom while he slept. The uses of the other two types were less obvious, but he was sure that if he knew what an astral parasite was, it would find a home in his nightmares as well. These wards weren¡¯t as flashy as the sentry or as reliable as a new ability, but they were still an incredible item that would serve him well on the road ahead if he decided to claim them. Nick had less than two minutes to decide between three solid options, each item offering unique and powerful advantages. With most of his attention allocated to making his choice, he turned to a display at random and started scanning a final block of text. Five seconds later, he looked up and broke into an ear-to-ear grin. ¡°I¡¯ll take this one,¡± Nick pointed to the display in front of him, eyes lighting up as they drank in the image of his prize. ¡°It¡¯s perfect.¡± Selection confirmed. Stand by for transportation. After the System made its announcement, the world around Nick began to fade, everything besides the display case in front of him gradually dissolving into an indistinct blur. He needed to rest, and he desperately wanted to learn more about Taltos¡¯s latest challenge. But all of that could wait until he stepped through the next portal. Before he did anything else, he was going to take a moment simply to savor the reward he had chosen from the treasure vault. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. The object in question honestly wasn¡¯t all that impressive to look at, but it seemed that you couldn¡¯t always judge the quality of an item by its appearance. Nick peered through the display case, running his gaze across a crystal flask twice the width of his thumb, which he estimated would hold about eight ounces of fluid when full. The top of the flask was secured by what appeared to be a snap-on cap. The exterior of the crystal was embedded with tiny black and golden gemstones and etched in what appeared to be System writing, although Nick couldn¡¯t decipher the meaning of the glyphs. When he took a closer look, he decided that the symbols looked more like a mathematical formula than words. However, it wasn¡¯t the flask that had him dancing from one foot to the other in excitement, but what it held. Or rather, what would appear inside the container sometime within the next twenty-four hours. Before he reached out to crack open the display case and claim his prize, Nick read the attached description one more time, savoring every word as the thrill of growing stronger by gearing up coursed through his veins, a rush more intoxicating than any drug. Flask of restoration (rare) Consuming the contents of this flask will restore 25% of the owner¡¯s health, stamina, and mana over a period of sixty seconds. Anyone besides the owner of the flask who drinks the elixir will receive half of the listed benefits. If the elixir is removed from the flask without being consumed, it will lose potency after one hour. The flask will absorb ambient essence and mana from the atmosphere to regenerate the elixir of restoration. This process will take approximately twenty-four hours on a tier one planet. Modifications Soulbound: This item will be rendered nearly indestructible as long as its owner is alive. It will be destroyed instantly if they perish. If separated from its owner, this item will automatically reappear somewhere close at hand after ten minutes have passed. Ownership of this item is registered to: Nicholas Henry. Nick sighed in contentment as he arrived at the last word of the description, noting that it had been updated to include his name since the last time he had read it. This is such a great find, he let out an enthusiastic whoop as a portal materialized beside the display. He was glad that he had resisted temptation and waited as long as he could to make his decision, because this was exactly the kind of item that he¡¯d been hoping to find. The flask of restoration filled a critical hole in his skillset, a lack of regenerative or direct healing abilities. Better yet, it restored a fixed percentage of his health rather than a raw amount. This meant that the elixir would scale to his level and attributes, although Nick still had no idea how to measure his health pool. On top of everything else, the flask couldn¡¯t be lost, stolen, or taken from him by force, and although the elixir only refilled once per day, the item had effectively unlimited charges. In addition to serving as a lifeline by providing emergency medical treatment, the elixir generated by the flask would restore a portion of his stamina and mana as well. This feature could prove useful in any number of ways. It would let him fight at full capacity for longer or recover more quickly after a battle had ended. He should be able to figure out how to use the flask to perform feats he otherwise could not, although Nick had a lot of experimenting to do before he attempted such a risky maneuver when his life was on the line. He could even extend its benefits to others at half strength, which might be enough to save the life of an ally in the midst of battle. All things considered, the flask was a flexible tool that he could rely on for the rest of his life. An item that could help him form his own personal fighting style over the months to come. He assumed that its rarity was partially balanced by the soulbound modification. While being soulbound offered a number of benefits, it also meant that Nick could not sell the item if he somehow outgrew it. Couldn¡¯t trade it for a tool better suited to his future needs. He suspected that the animated guardian that had sorely tempted him would have one day outlived its usefulness, but the flask never would. As a bonus to having received such a wonderful reward from the System, he had finally learned the function of the soulbound modification, although he had no idea why his wand had it too. It was interesting to see the term essence mentioned again. Nick intended to investigate essence as soon as possible, before the System locked him out of the kp database at the end of the rest period. Deciding that he was done geeking out over the reward for now, he opened the display case and removed the flask, savoring the weight of the crystal in his hand. Nick slid the flask into a loop on his toolbelt, turned away from the display, and took a quick look around, noticing that the portal had finished forming sometime over the last few minutes. Without waiting for the System to prompt him, Nick stepped through the glowing aperture, ready to discover what fate had in store for him next. Chapters One Hundred Seventy-Eight and Nine: Luxury Saferoom Nick soared through the space between worlds. This time, instead of being granted a vision of his journey across the stars, he only had a vague impression of traversing vast distances at an incredible rate. He wasn¡¯t in any shape to appreciate the view regardless. Now that the adrenaline from running through the item vault was no longer coursing through his veins, his exhaustion returned in full force. It left him reeling, unable to focus on anything besides the desire to curl into a ball and sleep for a month. He forced himself to read the message from the System when it appeared in front of his eyes, sensing that he was approaching the terminus of his journey through the portal network. All contestants have been granted a 96-hour rest period before the next mentor-sponsored event, the Fate of Earth, begins. Due to your exemplary performance during the tutorial, the quality of your safe room has been upgraded. Your profile may be freely accessed during this time via the display mounted on the wall. A final reminder: The tutorial knowledge point system will be deactivated at the end of this rest period. Any unspent points will be lost, and participants are encouraged to spend them while they can. When the world reappeared, all that Nick could see was a boundless skyscape. An endless ocean of fluffy white clouds stretching from horizon to horizon. His jaw dropped in awe, his exhaustion fading into the background as he gazed into the distance. He was too overwhelmed by the stunning view to remember to be disoriented, so he simply stood there and took it all in. He remained lost in wonder for long minutes, soaking in the breathtaking spectacle. This panorama of surpassing beauty was indescribably moving, almost agonizingly precious when contrasted against the brutal battle for survival that had come before. Eventually, Nick realized that he was hungry, which jolted him out of his trance long enough to wonder where on what world he was. When he turned around to discover the answer, he found himself looking at the interior of a luxurious penthouse suite. Half of the sprawling space was open, with comfortable furniture clustered here and there along the floor. The walls and ceiling were formed from something transparent. Nick couldn¡¯t see them at all until he reached out to touch the glass, leaving dirty fingerprints upon the pane. In addition to the open area, he could see a kitchen and dining room running along one corner of the bottom level. Another was filled with exercise equipment, and a third was taken up by what appeared to be a small art gallery, where a gigantic painting was hanging on the wall. Above the kitchen was another level, with a staircase leading to a loft that overlooked the room below. Unlike the rest of the suite, the walls on that floor were heavily tinted. When he raised his gaze to take a closer look, Nick caught sight of what appeared to be a bedroom and bathroom, a heavy curtain controlling how much light poured in from the rest of the space. He had no idea where he was, but he was certain that it wasn¡¯t anywhere on Earth, since this building had to be unimaginably tall to rise so far above the clouds. Nick peered out the window and scanned the horizon, but there wasn¡¯t another structure in sight. Nothing besides the vast, roiling cloudscape extending in all directions. When he pressed his face against the glass and tried to look down, he had the sense of something perfectly flat and nearly invisible continuing below his boots, but he couldn¡¯t get a good look from this angle. Nick wanted to explore the safe room. To pull up his profile and check out his new powers. To learn more about the challenge ahead, then start training his skills and laying down fresh plans for the future. But in that moment, a black wave of fatigue rose to engulf him, threatening to drag him off his feet. Despite the benefits of his Survivor trait, he had been driven past the point of exhaustion time and time again. Although he had been healed by the curators of the arena, their magic had done nothing to assuage the stress of the experience. All the pain and fear. Blood and death. He still had a warehouse full of issues that he needed to ponder. An ocean of grief and anxiety to process. Not to mention the incredible ordeal that he had undergone at the end of the tutorial on the Searing Isle. It was hard to believe that Nick had been standing in a raging searstorm only a few hours prior, which already felt like a lifetime ago in the time-warped heat of battle. It was easy to forget that he had barely slept in days. Hadn¡¯t been able to relax in over a month, when the System had entered his life and changed his world forever. Thus, the realization that he was truly safe. That nothing was trying to eat or otherwise kill him, coaxed Nick into lowering his guard, letting all the emotions that he had been suppressing leap out of their cages and come surging to the fore, like inmates rushing through the halls after breaking out of prison. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. Nick wasn¡¯t ready to process these feelings now, although he no longer fought to hold them back. Right now, all he wanted was to close his eyes, fall into bed, and sleep for days. Because no matter what came next, he was going to crash in a proper bed for the first time since waking up in his new life. But, as he caught a whiff of his own rank sweat, He realized that there was one thing that he wanted even more. Something that beckoned to him even more powerfully than the exquisite feather mattress just beyond the bedroom door. Before Nick let weariness carry him into the realm of dreams, he really needed to take a fucking bath. It¡¯s time to get clean. His healing had done nothing to remove the grime covering every inch of his body. A month¡¯s worth of dirt and muck. Blood and gunk in every color of the rainbow. The filth-tinged legacy of hard days spent sleeping in branches and on dirt floors. Of traversing muddy streambeds and trekking through the fetid bowels of the tutorial dungeon. Nick¡¯s skin was stained. His hair was thick with mud. His odor so potent that it formed a veritable aura around him. His destination decided, he began heading up the stairs, taking them two at a time on his way to the bathroom. At long last, it was finally time to wash up. By now, he was shedding clothing with every step, stripping down to his skin with renewed enthusiasm. He didn¡¯t even try to salvage his mangled blue jeans, which were so tattered and threadbare that they simply fell apart as he peeled them off his legs. He was immensely relieved to see unbroken skin where the bonecruncher¡¯s bite had mangled his thigh, his latest round of healing leaving not even scar tissue behind. He tossed his leather jacket and shirt to the floor, then pulled the release lever on his toolbelt before kicking off his boots. Nick was naked by the time he entered the bathroom. Unlike the open part of the suite, the walls and floor were formed from a luxurious black wood with deep, spiraling grains. He could smell hints of flowers and citrus, wafting up from jars of soap and ointment artfully arranged on a corner shelf. On his way over to the shower, he caught sight of his own reflection in a full-sized mirror hanging on the wall. Despite his fervent desire to wash up and then pass the fuck out, Nick stopped dead in his tracks after catching sight of his reflection, jaw dropping as he took in the lean lines and chiseled muscles that banded the contours of his body. He had been an athletic teenager and had played sports back in high school. But after graduating college, especially when he started gaming as a full-time job, he had begun to let himself go, gaining an extra twenty-odd pounds and losing a fair amount of tone in the process. But even at his peak, he had never looked this good. So radiantly healthy and full of life. Although he had begun to internalize his enhanced strength and speed, he hadn¡¯t realized until this moment just how profound the changes that the System had wrought upon his body truly were. His attribute-assisted conditioning was bolstered by a month of hard living and constant exercise during his tutorial. Thanks to his efforts, Nick¡¯s spare tire had vanished completely, and his ass, abs, and pecs were tight and toned. If it wasn¡¯t for all the dirt, he would have looked like a model walking off the set of an underwear commercial. The realization made him wonder just how much he had changed in other, less tangible ways. How much more he would change during the hard days ahead. Look on the bright side Nick, he grinned back at his own reflection. The apocalypse wasn¡¯t all bad news. After a final, appreciative glance, he stepped into the shower, which appeared to serve as a bathtub as well, depending on how he turned the knobs. The basin was formed from beaten copper, with delicate swirls etched into the surface to add a bit of traction. He set a towel and bar of soap on a stool within easy reach and then stepped inside, deciding to start with a shower to wash away the grime caked to every surface of his body. After a bit of fiddling with the plumbing, pure water began streaming through the faucet, wisps of steam billowing into the air. A surging waterfall of cleansing liquid that put every shower Nick had taken before to shame. All thoughts fled from his mind as he stepped beneath the miraculous flow, leaving nothing but the wonderous sensation of hot water scouring his flesh. He grabbed the bar of soap and started scrubbing, working the suds into every crevice of his body. Rivers of mud coursed down Nick¡¯s legs, banded spirals of viscera swirling thick around his feet before disappearing down the drain. The outer layer of his stress sloughed away with it, taking away some of the pervasive tension lodged deep within his muscles, far more strain than he had realized was there. He shuddered when he felt a knot deep inside his gut, a sensation like a metal hand had grabbed him by the stomach and squeezed, soften and then unravel. Nick sighed in relief as the aftershocks spread throughout his body, helping him to release more of the stress he had been holding in his muscles during his month-long ordeal. For the next thirty minutes, he let hot bliss wash over him until at last, the water ran clean off his skin. He staggered out of the shower and began toweling himself dry, barely able to walk with his muscles feeling so loose, clean for the first time in what felt like ages. Nick lurched his way into the bedroom, his gaze locking onto the most comfortable looking bed he had ever seen. A luxurious featherbed covered with a shimmering green sheet that looked like a cross between satin and silk, which was easily big enough to hold five people his size. Surrendering to the moment, he fell forward like a diver beginning his leap, groaning as the supportive softness of the mattress engulfed him. Nick was fast asleep ten seconds later. Chapters One Hundred Eighty and One: 96 Hours Nick awoke surrounded by impenetrable, delicious darkness. There was something warm and indescribably supple propped beneath his head, bracing his neck with a perfect blend of softness and support. He was so relaxed, free from stress and pain for the first time he could remember, that he wanted nothing more than to fall back into bed and sleep for a week. Give into the urge to close his eyes and let everything else go. But a small voice in Nick¡¯s head, spurred on by retreating dreams saturated with blood and death, refused to let him drift below the threshold of consciousness once more. It called to him, tugging him back into the waking world one grudging step at a time, until the blurred lens of his cognition snapped into focus once more. He came back to himself with a start, panicking when he realized that he had forgotten to set the makeshift alarms he had crafted during the tutorial. He opened his eyes, scanning the cave for hostile beasts, confused as to why he had fucked up and lowered his guard. When his fingers brushed against the satin covers, he began laughing at himself, rubbing sleep from his eyes while his mind finished catching up with the present. He wasn¡¯t back in his cave, but resting in a System-generated saferoom, where nothing hostile could reach him. He spread his arms wide and flopped back onto the mattress. Nick spent the next few minutes enjoying the sensation of lying in bed with a roof overhead, savoring this ghost of his former life. Before long, he was awake and alert, and the full realization of where he was and what had happened came flooding back in a tide of bittersweet memory. The tutorial and arena battle, Taltos¡¯s challenge for the fate of his home world. His four-day period of rest and recovery, part of which was already spent. There would be time to unwind and decompress later, but not now. Right now, Nick needed to get busy planning and preparing. Determine how to use his time in the safe room as efficiently as possible. But before he was ready to contemplate such weighty matters, he had a smaller problem to solve first. How the hell do I turn on the lights? He reached past the edges of the sprawling mattress, fumbling in the dark for a light switch on the wall or a lamp cord he could pull before remembering that he was residing on an alien world. That the conveniences of an earthly hotel might not be the standard here. Shrugging to himself, Nick decided that the simplest solution was probably his best bet. ¡°Could you please turn on the lights?¡± he asked. To his relief, soft light sprang to life from small crystals embedded in the walls and ceiling. They revealed the most extravagant bedroom that he had ever seen. He grinned as he took in the opulent furnishings, having been too tired the night before to properly appreciate the quality of his accommodation. He rose from the bed, walked across the room, and slid open the blackout curtains that served as a doorway, separating the bedroom from the rest of the safe room. He walked into the bathroom to take care of business before heading down into the central area, where a sight awaited him that caused all other thoughts to vanish from his mind. While Nick was fast asleep, night had fallen upon this world. A resplendent alien moon hung full and fat in the star-studded sky, clearly visible through the transparent ceiling that covered most of the penthouse. The great glowing orb was massive, at least five times the size of Earth¡¯s Luna, its cratered face gleaming with a magnificent silver radiance. Ethereal moonlight reflected off the infinite cloudscape swirling below Nick¡¯s feet, painting the whirls and waves in a thousand shades of lead and chrome, transforming the textured surface into a nocturnal wonderland. He was still buck naked and starting to get cold. Drinking in the marvelous sight as he crossed the penthouse, Nick walked over to where the System had placed his gear and picked up his new denim coveralls. The thick blue cloth looked rugged and durable, but the fabric was remarkably comfortable when he ran his fingers across the weave. He slid his legs into the holes and pulled the boilersuit on. Like all System-generated rewards, the coveralls fit like a glove, with no pulling or chaffing whatsoever. After pushing his hands through the sleeves, Nick reached down and closed the zipper, the teeth of which looked different from those made on Earth but functioned just the same. After taking a moment to enjoy the sensation of clean, well-tailored cloth lying flush against his skin, Nick was ready to peruse his notifications and check out his new class. Before he got busy crunching numbers and formulating strategies, he opened the menu to check the time, relieved to discover that he had only been out for five hours, despite feeling like he had slept twice that span. Duh, Nick. It¡¯s your new and improved Survivor trait. It¡¯s nice to see that it¡¯s pulling its weight already. After taking a seat in a comfortable armchair where he could admire the view, he was ready to peruse his profile in full, the first time he had read it since leaving the tutorial behind. But before he got to that, he opened the main menu once more to read through his notifications. Notifications (2) Active quests (1 quest offer pending) Contestant profile System encyclopedia (Tutorial knowledge points: 10 + voucher) The quest offer stared back at him with an air of menace. A promise that Nick would soon be fighting for his life once more, with the fate of his world hanging in the balance. He would get to it in just a minute. But first, he wanted to read something more encouraging, and enjoy the satisfaction that came with watching his numbers go up. As he had hoped, his fight in the arena had come with additional benefits, beyond his new class and magic flask. He took a deep breath and sent his intentions into the display, willing his notifications to appear on the screen. Congratulations. You have accumulated enough experience to reach level [9]. You have one free attribute point awaiting allocation at your discretion. Through rigorous training, you have conditioned your body and improved the following baseline attributes: This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. Dexterity has increased from [7] to [8]. Ah well, Nick sighed. It¡¯s still good news. While he¡¯d been hoping to have level nine count as coming from his new class and benefit from its improved attributes per level, he hadn¡¯t really expected it. The level had come from his battle in the arena after all, before he had been given the option to choose his class upgrade. He had a hunch that he would be reaching level ten sooner rather than later, since he¡¯d engaged in two difficult fights back in the arena. With his new class, each level would offer far more power than before. Still, progress was progress, and a free attribute point was nothing to scoff at. Nick decided to wait until he had read the quest details in full before spending his free point and moved on to examining his profile. He was thrilled that his battles in the arena had been sufficient to raise his dexterity. All the desperate dodging with his life on the line had paid off in more ways than one. Contestant Profile: Nicholas ¡®Nick¡¯ Henry. Level: 9. Tier: 1. Species: Human of Earth (E). Class: Kineticist (uncommon). Base attribute points per level: +1 magic, +1 dexterity every other level. Free points per level: 1. You have 1 unspent free point at this time. Attributes
Strength: 6 Dexterity: 8 (9) Toughness: 7 (10)
Mind: 8 (10) Creativity: 7 Charisma: 5
Magic: 2 (4) ??? ???
Abilities Ability slots: 2 active, 1 passive, 1 free. Active abilities: Mana dart (spell). Piercing ray (spell). No passive abilities have been acquired. Class Traits None. (The trait for this class has been incorporated into your bloodline). Geneline Traits Gift of Tongues: you can understand and speak the languages of all intelligent creatures. Awakened to Magic: +1 to magic. Versatile: +1 to all attributes. +1 free ability slot. Bloodline Traits Filled bloodline slots: 2. Open bloodline slots: 1. Survivor (enhanced): you require 50% less food, water, oxygen, and sleep. Force Adept: you receive a bonus to mana efficiency and scaling from energetic attributes when casting spells that use force mana or pure mana. Force Adepts are unable to cast elemental spells and receive a substantial penalty when manipulating elemental-aspected mana in any way. Skills Active Sword: 0 Evasion: 0 Throwing: 0 Light shield: 0 Wand: 5 Inactive (inactive skills may be used but not improved) Size up: 10 Foraging: 9 Inventory (unfiltered) Elixir of restoration (rare). Modifications: Soulbound. Bag of molding (uncommon). Arena dagger (uncommon). Modifications: Eversharp. Adventurer¡¯s toolbelt (uncommon). Modifications: Self-maintenance. Pugilist¡¯s gloves (uncommon). Modifications: Durable. Adventurer¡¯s coat (uncommon). Modifications: Durable. Self-maintenance. Cloak of thermal regulation (uncommon). Modifications: Self-maintenance. Wand of force (uncommon). Modifications: Soulbound. Skill activation (Wand). Explorer¡¯s boots (common). Ratman dagger (common). Hemp shirt (basic). 5 alarm traps made of twine and shell (basic). Worn bathrobe (basic). Denim coveralls (basic). Canteen (basic). Brass spyglass (basic). Ratman helmet (unidentified). ??? Sword (unidentified). Tools Bamboo tubes. Tiny scissors. Crude straight razor. Fishing hook. Fishing line. Small blue gemstone. Magitech lamp orb. Coconut husks. Several crude spears/stakes. Whetstone. Flint and steel. Soiled bandages. Bits of shell. Charcoal. 2 belt sheaths. Fishing pole. Travel journal. For just a moment, Nick thought that he saw a blurry spot at the end of his inventory. A phenomenon that he had noticed the first time he had opened his profile on the Searing Isle. He blinked, and when his eyes opened once more, the distortion was gone, leaving him wondering if the System was glitching or he was, before dismissing it as a symptom of all the stress he had been under lately. He sighed in satisfaction as he made his way through the various lists and menus. He gave himself a pat on the back, immensely satisfied by his overall progress. Not only were his stats growing at a steady pace, he had greatly improved the quality of his equipment and expanded his toolkit as well. After leveling up his Kineticist class a bit, Nick would become significantly more lethal than he already was, thanks to his new trait and the increased attributes per level. He hoped that it would be enough to overcome the dangers that awaited him the next time he stepped through a portal and set foot upon the world beyond. Nick¡¯s next objective was to read Taltos¡¯s challenge in full, then decide how to spend his free attribute point. When he was done, he would cash in his final tutorial knowledge points and the voucher for a rare kp unlock he had won back on the island. But in that moment, he realized that he wasn¡¯t ready to face such weighty matters head on. Not on an empty stomach at any rate. He would dive down that rabbit hole soon¡­ after arming himself with the comforting glow of a full belly. With that goal firmly in mind, he was ready to head into the kitchen and make himself some breakfast. His stomach agreed with his priorities, and the mere thought of food had it grumbling in anticipation. With a sigh, he rose to his feet, crossed the open floor, and walked into the kitchen. While the upper level of the suite was accented in rich, dark wood, the lower rooms featured a brighter motif. The floor of the kitchen and dining areas was formed from a cheerful blond timber, with complex patterns to the grain that wove their way around one another, reminiscent of a great labyrinth. When Nick bent down to take a closer look, he realized that he couldn¡¯t see any breaks at all. It was as if the entire area had been formed from a single piece of lumber, which, for all he knew, it had. There was a long bar set along one wall, with shelves above it holding various pieces of cooking equipment. Nick ambled past a large dining table painted with bright patches of lacquer, heading toward the sink and what appeared to be a refrigerator carved from a deep blue stone. He stepped up to the faucet, turned the handle, and bent down to drink straight from the tap for a good thirty seconds before drawing back with a sigh of satisfaction. The water was cold, clean, and utterly refreshing. Being able to drink his fill after having to conserve his resources for so long was an indescribable luxury by this point in his life. Speaking of luxury, he walked over to the stone box and pried open the door, grinning from ear to ear when he saw the feast arranged within. He stuck his head inside, enjoying the brisk chill, then removed what appeared to be a rack of smoked ribs. Deciding that he was too hungry to bother to heat them up, Nick grabbed a plate from the shelf, sat down at the table, and began gnawing the meat off the bone. Cold or not, eating properly cooked meat, topped off by a blend of spices, was so delicious that it brought tears to his eyes. Chapter One Hundred Eighty-Two: Breakfast Surprise Eating breakfast at the table was something that he hadn¡¯t done in a long time. Before he had moved out of the house, eating with his family had been a regular morning ritual. Sitting there, he could almost hear his father joking with his mother, his brother chatting him up about the latest manga he had read. It made Nick miss them with an intensity that took his breath away. They might still be alive. Don¡¯t lose hope. After you help win the Earth back, you¡¯ll find them again. He sat there, tears streaming down his face for long minutes, before he caught a whiff of something that dragged him out of his reverie and back into the present. Looking in the direction of that delectable aroma, Nick spotted a cylindrical canister with a spigot, sitting on the bar beside the fridge. Is that¡­ oh gods, please let it be. He sprang from his seat and ran over to the container, the light of hope burning bright within his breast. He cracked open the top, stuck his nose in, and took a big whiff, praying all the while that his instincts were correct. When the aroma of cold brewed coffee rose to fill his nostrils, he began to cry, tears of joy washing away the last traces of his sorrow. Finally. We are reunited at last, my love. I never thought that I would feel your tender touch again. At long last, over a month since the System had entered his life, Nick was going to drink a cup of fucking coffee. As much as he wanted to guzzle it down, this moment was too perfect to spoil by gulping it cold from the canister. While cold brew was great on a hot day, Nick preferred his coffee piping hot. Dancing with excitement, he fished out a mug from the cabinet, filled it to the rim with the thick, dark brew, then started looking around for a heat source. There must be a way to warm food up around here somewhere. Aha! Nick spotted several circles of various sizes set into the surface of the bar, formed from rings of copper that reminded him of an electric stovetop. He sat the mug down inside one of the smaller rings, then went to work trying to figure out how to turn the device on. He had a breakthrough two minutes later, when he noticed a series of gemstones embedded into the countertop beside the metal rings. He tried touching one, and the jewel lit up with a cheerful orange glow. When he held his hand over the ring, he could feel heat rising from its surface. Alight with anticipation, he waited until the cup was warm and then brought it to his lips, savoring the experience that he had dreamed about for so long. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. The instant that hot, perfectly brewed coffee touched his tongue, he moaned, overcome with delight as he rolled the dark roast across his palate. It might be months or even years before he found a reliable supply, but now he knew for certain that coffee had not been erased from his life. That Nick would know the loving embrace of caffeine once again. He took another slow sip, marveling at the rich notes caressing his tongue, the flavor enhanced by his upgraded mind. He could already feel the electric crackle of caffeine jumpstarting his nervous system. He took another long plug and then walked back over to the table. He sank into the chair and propped his elbows on the tabletop, enjoying the sensation of stretching out his legs with a full belly for the first time in what felt like ages. Sitting there, with the taste of coffee and smoked meat dancing across his palate, it hit him. At last, for the first time in over a month, he was safe. For the next three and a half days, give or take a few hours, Nick was residing somewhere where nothing was trying to kill him. A place where nothing could even hurt him unless he managed to injure himself. He had already known that it was true in his head, but now he could feel it deep in the bowels of his gut. Nick had forgotten what it felt like to unwind without Taltos and the System breathing down his neck. To be free from ravenous beasts forcing him to fight or flee. Rather than trying to process what he was feeling, he simply sat there and let his psyche recover, knowing that the wounds to his heart would take longer to heal. At last, the better part of an hour later, he was able to come down completely from his survival induced state of hyper-vigilance. He let down his guard, no longer trying to shield himself from every angle, anticipating an endless procession of potential dangers. While it was only a brief window of calm, he savored this moment of security, although he knew that another storm loomed dark on the horizon. While this period of rest would only last for another few days, making it this far was cause for celebration. Rather than ruminating on the dark days ahead, for just a while longer, he let himself bask in his accomplishments. He had survived integration and the tutorial, island and dungeon alike, dodging the reaper¡¯s scythe by the skin of his teeth. Nick had beaten the odds and walked away from an arena battle with one of the fallen, although not everyone in his party had been so lucky. He had acquired his first pair of abilities, gained a rare and powerful item, and replaced his basic Survivor class with one that suited him better, picking up an improved version of his trait in the process. In short, Nick had fared far better than he¡¯d feared, although he knew deep in his bones that the worst was yet to come. With that sober reminder, he was ready to get down to business. Now, with caffeine singing in his bloodstream, he felt ready to take on the world. It was time to find out just what the Mad God had in store for the survivors of the human race. Chapter One Hundred Eighty-Three: Taltoss Challenge With a satisfied groan, Nick rose to his feet and approached the display mounted on the wall. He opened the main menu and selected the pending quest prompt, bracing himself for bad news. It was time to read the details of the Mad God¡¯s challenge and face the dangers of the multiverse head on. The instant that he selected the questing menu, Taltos materialized in front of him, shocking Nick to his core. The elder god met Nick¡¯s gaze and then turned away, sauntering over to the painting in the corner to examine the piece. Today, Taltos wore fine robes of gray silk. His features appeared subtly different from before, as if the deity¡¯s face and form were no more a part of himself than the clothes Nick wore on his back. It took him long seconds to process that the Mad God wasn¡¯t really in the room this time. That this image was some sort of sophisticated magic, rather than the deity himself. Nick could see the contours of the penthouse peeking through his body, as if the rendition was some manner of high-tech hologram. He let out a deep sigh of relief. Just looking at Taltos¡¯s likeness was enough to set his heart racing and make him break into a cold sweat. As disconcerting as it was, the detailed illusion was nothing compared to the true presence of the maleficent deity. Although Nick suspected that Taltos was watching from the shadows, laughing it up at his expense. He offered a silent prayer of thanks that he wasn¡¯t forced to interact with Taltos again so soon, then placed all his attention into memorizing the words when the Mad God turned to face him. ¡°Hello again, brave contestants. I can¡¯t tell you how pleased I am that you¡¯ve made it this far. The System can provide you with all the dry, boring details, but I wanted to lay out the big picture for everyone myself. But first, a round of applause.¡± Taltos clapped vigorously, before moving on as if nothing had happened. ¡°You¡¯ve managed to survive your tutorial. Well, most of you at any rate. That¡¯s nothing to brag about, even with the little tweaks I tossed in to spice things up. But here¡¯s where events get interesting, since it¡¯s time to wade over to the deep side of the pool. ¡°What was surprising was how many of you volunteered for my bonus round. Even more astonishing, most of you came out the other side in one piece, including the group that vanquished a chosen beast blessed by my dear friend Slaughter. Bit of friendly advice, don¡¯t do anything else to attract her attention, it won¡¯t end well for you. But I digress. ¡°Overall, the representatives of your planet fared magnificently in my arena. I hope that your future is equally¡­ entertaining. Speaking of your future and the possible lack of it, I believe that what you really want to know is what happens next. Well, wonder no longer. The waiting is over, brave contestants. It¡¯s time to discuss the fate of your little blue planet. Earth, I believe it¡¯s called. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°Acquiring the Earth was a lucky find. Its rich resources have been rendered even more valuable, now that the System has finished making its alterations. As matters stand, the entire planet, every speck of dust and living creature that calls it home, belongs to me. What¡¯s that you say? That¡¯s not fair? Well, no. It isn¡¯t.¡± Taltos grinned like a wolf, causing the hairs on Nick¡¯s neck to rise and stand on end, even though he knew that he was watching a recording. Well, he thought he was at any rate. He didn¡¯t even want to consider the alternative. ¡°As of this moment, the Earth remains untouched by my hand, and let no one say that I¡¯m unsympathetic to your plight. You might be surprised to learn that I¡¯m willing to give it all back. Assign the planet into humanity¡¯s stewardship for perpetuity. I¡¯ll even grant you full citizenship into the labyrinth, along with everything that it entails. In fact, I¡¯ll do you one better and throw in a year¡¯s protection from your new neighbors, giving you time to prepare before they come knocking at your door. ¡°But alas, nothing in the multiverse is free. If you want me to surrender my prize, you¡¯re going to have to prove that investing in your future is worth the cost of preserving your home world. After all, this trial is just an appetizer before the main course to come. A little taste of what¡¯s in store for you inside the labyrinth. If you can¡¯t rise to the challenge, then you never had a chance anyway. Once you¡¯re inside the endless maze, it¡¯s win or die, unless of course you wish to pledge your allegiance to me. ¡°In short, if you want to keep your planet off the scrap heap, you must accept and overcome my challenge. Well, the best among you at any rate. No one wants to watch a bunch of weaklings get slaughtered.¡± A feral gleam of dark mirth flashed in Taltos¡¯s eyes. ¡°Who am I kidding? Of course they do, but we¡¯ll save that exhibition for when you fail the next round. ¡°Moving on, I invite the strongest among you, Earth¡¯s champions, to climb the Tower of Rizzen. A rite of passage for your little corner of the sector. Make it to the tower, climb to the top, defeat the guardian on the roof of the world, and the Earth is yours. Even if only a single contestant survives, I¡¯ll hand the whole planet back to you package and parcel. You couldn¡¯t ask for a better deal. ¡°Fail, and let¡¯s just say that our more¡­ enthusiastic patrons will get to watch the carnage they were hoping for after all. Whether you find liberation or annihilation, your efforts will help expand the labyrinth in its full, fell glory. While I suspect that you will enjoy one outcome far more than the other, either way, it should be quite a show. So, give it your best and try to survive. With any luck, I¡¯ll see you again on the other side. Make no mistake, this marks the beginning of your first true test. Struggle and rage, little lights. It¡¯s time to sink or swim. Fall or fly. ¡°Tremble and despair, all ye who walk the Earth, for the labyrinth calls to you.¡± With those ominous words still echoing in the air, Taltos winked out of existence, leaving Nick alone once more, ready to consider the Mad God¡¯s offer. Chapters One Hundred Eighty-Four and Five: The Fate of Earth He turned to face the display to read the details. On the screen was a message rather different from the one Nick had been expecting. Not so much the content, but rather the alien language it was written in. While he could still understand the meaning of the runes, they appeared starkly different from the dialect the System used for its messages. Instead of elegant curves and sweeping geometries, symbols like snakes undulated their way across the screen. Nick realized that he had seen these runes several times before. Most recently when Taltos and the System had clashed to determine which reward he would receive after completing his battle in the arena. The information provided was similar to quests generated by the System, although the format was a bit different, featuring several new fields, including the conditions and penalty for failure. Taltos¡¯s challenge: The Fate of Earth. Location: Blackmist Bog, planet Drezen. Conditions for victory: Climb to the top of the Tower of Rizzen and defeat the tower¡¯s guardian. Rewards for victory: All stewardship rights pertaining to the planet: [Earth, 1] will be transferred to its inhabitants in perpetuity. The planet will be preserved in pristine condition until the end of the challenge, with no nonconsensual modifications to its residents or natural resources extracted. Planet Earth will be relocated to a frontier region of the labyrinth, in a sector appropriate for a fledgling tier one species. Finally, the Earth will receive a shroud of protection, which will endure for a period of one year. Conditions for failure: The death or surrender of all contestants participating in the challenge event. Penalty for failure: the Earth will remain in the stewardship of Taltos. All resources on the planet, including the creatures living upon it, will be recycled into raw materials and used to construct new sectors within the labyrinth. Contestants who surrender during the challenge will become full citizens of the labyrinth, including all rights and protections afforded thereof. After receiving standard cognitive and physical enhancements, they will be offered permanent positions serving Taltos and his senior staff. That last bit seems like a completely legitimate offer and is no way suspicious as fuck. Nick shuddered as he read between the lines, certain that Taltos intended a fate worse than death for those who surrendered and received his ¡®enhancements¡¯. He wondered why the Mad God was willing to give up the planet at all, although he was certain that it wasn¡¯t out of any sense of altruism. That Taltos¡¯s cruelty was as genuine as his words were hollow. One way or another, Taltos was going to benefit from this arrangement, and there wasn¡¯t anything that Nick could do about it. All he could do now was fight to save his people and every creature that called the Earth home. No matter what happened, Nick had to make sure that the Earth passed through the other side of this gauntlet intact. Whatever the future held, plugging the planet into the labyrinth had to be better than the alternative. A future that would only come to pass if enough brave souls volunteered and were able to overcome the Mad God¡¯s challenge. Committing every word to memory to ponder later, he read on, glad that this quest provided a more in-depth outline than the last. This event will proceed in three distinct stages. In the first stage, participants will be transported to random locations along the perimeter of the bog. Starting spots will be placed a considerable distance away from the Tower of Rizzen (commonly referred to as Darkstone Tower), which can be found in the center of the zone. Blackmist Bog is a spacious region containing distinct sub-biomes in addition to the primary terrain, each featuring unique wildlife, ecosystems, and environmental hazards. Blackmist Bog has been seeded with numerous proximity triggered events, which will offer rewards in proportion to the difficulty of the challenge. Be warned: many of these events cannot be easily left once they have been activated. The goal of the first stage is to form a party of up to five people, then enter the tower through one of the entrances ringing the base. Participants will be fully healed when entering the tower. This stage has no time limit, but each time that a party enters, it will contribute to a series of escalating dangers. When key thresholds are crossed, global events will be triggered. Many of these events involve new and progressively more dangerous beasts and magical constructs being introduced to the environment, as well as threats assuming other forms. Each time a global event begins, an update will be sent to all contestants. There will be no additional compensation provided for completing global events, survival is its own reward. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. It¡¯s not just a survival challenge this time, Nick realized. It¡¯s also a mind game. These dynamics are designed to break people down over time. To narrow their focus until they prioritize their own survival over the fate of Earth, no matter how noble their intentions were the moment they volunteered. What makes the most sense. What will give us the best odds of completing the quest, is to have everyone gather at the base of the tower before anyone heads inside. That way, we can form full parties of five, optimal arrangements based on the capabilities of each individual. Then have everyone enter at the same time, avoiding the entrance penalty so we won¡¯t trigger any global events. While this was the best approach in theory, he was dead certain that everything wouldn¡¯t proceed so smoothly. For one thing, the survivors of Earth had no way to communicate or coordinate over distances. With no central leadership or a prearranged plan, people would be incentivized to enter the tower as quickly as possible, especially once the first few global events were triggered. While Nick believed that everyone intended to succeed as a team, he was certain that the bog was home to a variety of lethal dangers. With every passing day, the stress of surviving in a harsh land would wear people down, encouraging them to seek refuge within Darkstone Tower or surrender to Taltos outright. Additionally, the threat of deadlier enemies arriving at any moment, spurred on by the global update messages, would create immense psychological pressure on those waiting outside. Especially as no one knew how much stronger the beasts would become every time a new group entered the tower. On top of everything else, the lure of complete healing would force anyone with critical wounds to either enter the tower early or die, a dilemma that Nick was intimately familiar with thanks to his time in the tutorial dungeon. The best chance they had was for people to meet up as quickly as possible, then coordinate their entrance before it was too late. There was a real chance that the fate of Earth would be sealed during the first phase of the quest. If only a handful of volunteers survived to climb the tower, he doubted they would have any chance of defeating the guardian waiting at the top. Nick needed to get to the base of Darkstone Tower as fast as he could. In part, so that he had time to form an ideal party, maximizing his chances of surviving the climb. Even more critically, he intended to do everything in his power to ensure that the vanguard of Earth, those brave women and men who were willing to risk everything for the future of their species, did not fall prey to Taltos¡¯s manipulations. His resolve to participate growing firmer by the heartbeat, he gritted his teeth and read on. In the second stage of the quest, each party will enter the tower and attempt to climb three floors before exiting onto the rooftop. Each floor of the tower is effectively a separate pocket dimension, although many connect to the outside world in various ways. Due to the presence of spatial partitions, parties will not encounter one another except during special group events. The floors vary wildly in both content and the nature of their challenge, and each features its own rules, which will be revealed upon entering the preceding safe room. The difficulty of each floor will be greater than the one before, and completing a floor will grant rewards corresponding to its challenge. After exiting a level, parties will be granted a six-hour period of rest before proceeding to the next. Once entered, a floor can only be cleared by completing its unique victory conditions. Or put another way, you can only climb up, not head back down. Occasionally, branching options may be presented, where the party will be able to choose between two or more floors. This was the most game-like convention that Nick had encountered since the System had entered his life. After reading the prompt for a second time, he decided that he liked these rules a great deal more than the mindfuck involved in stage one. Rather than setting the survivors of Earth up for a cascading disaster, this phase was relatively straightforward. Arrive on a floor, overcome its challenge, then proceed to the next. A guaranteed reward for completing each level was a welcome windfall, as was the possibility of a choice between floors. Having any measure of control would offer Nick¡¯s team a chance to increase their odds of survival, once he had a better understanding of the dynamics involved in climbing the Tower of Rizzen at any rate. Fortunately, learning the rules of a brand-new game while he was in the middle of playing it was one of his specialties. A skill that he hoped would translate to Taltos¡¯s challenge to at least some extent. He did, however, have mixed feelings about being forced to join up with others and form a party. On the one hand, having allies that he could rely on was a deeply comforting prospect. He had been forced to grapple with the fate of his planet and species in isolation for an entire month while stranded on the tutorial island, and it had been a lonely and frightening experience. But the last time that Nick had been part of a team, two people had lost their lives, and the battle in the arena had almost ended in the obliteration of his entire party. He was scared of watching more good people die in front of his eyes, and even more afraid of being responsible for the wellbeing of others, lives and futures that were infinitely precious. He took a deep breath and strengthened his resolve, reminding himself that everyone who would be taking part in Taltos¡¯s challenge had chosen to be there. Brave souls who were willing to put their lives on the line for the fate of the Earth and every creature that called her home. With an effort of will, he put his misgivings aside, eager to face the dark days ahead with friends at his side. He would form a party and climb Darkstone Tower, risking pain and loss once again. His decision made, Nick moved on to the next page, reading the description of the quest¡¯s final stage. In the third and final stage of the quest, the surviving contestants will participate in a decisive battle for the fate of the Earth, pitting them against the guardian of the tower and its elite minions. Be advised: while the difficulty of this encounter will scale to some extent to the number of contestants, arriving with insufficient forces will place the challengers at a significant disadvantage. With the successful completion of this phase, the Earth will be returned to its inhabitants. In addition, each contestant will be granted a personalized reward based on their performance. An additional reward package will be granted to the entire team based on aggregate performance. Announcement: Chapter Sprint Event (Double chapters all next week). Hi everybody, I hope that your week is going well. I''m here today with a special announcement. A few weeks back, we hit a major milestone. Labyrinth of the Mad God''s six month anniversary. It''s hard to believe that time has passed so fast. So much has happened since I published that very first chapter, and now we''ve grown to over three hundred thousand words and counting. It''s been one heck of a ride so far, and I''m thrilled to have you along for it. I''ve learned an incredible amount since that first, thanks to all your feedback, corrections, questions, and suggestions. Since you have given so much to me, now it''s time for me to give something back to you, my way of saying thank you for all the help while I put my very first story out for the world to see. I couldn''t do it without you, and I just wanted to make sure that you knew it. To celebrate (a little over) 6 months since I started publishing this story on Royal Road, and to help get us through the downtime arc faster, we are going to have our very first event next week. All week long, I will be posting double chapters every day. That''s twice as many chapters as normal, not just the 2 a day we''re doing right now. With a few extra bonus chapters tossed in just for fun, we will have in between 4 and 5 chapters every day, all week long. There will be a second art chapter coming too, for the people who enjoy that kind of stuff. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. I also wanted to take this opportunity to reflect on how far we''ve come. I never dreamed that nearly 5 thousand people would follow my story when I wrote those first few words detailing the end of Nick''s world. On that note, it means the world me to have so many people enjoying Nick''s adventure. Again, I would never have been able to do it without you. All your helpful comments and questions have helped make this book far better than it ever would have been without your support. So thank you, it really means a lot to me. I also wanted to give a special thank you to all the people who have shown their support by leaving a follow, rating, or review. You''ve let the story reach fresh eyes and have helped me stay focused and motivated while learning how to be an author for a webserial, and I really appreciate it. Just a quick reminder that this arc is the last part of the story that was written before I started posting on RR. Everything past the downtime arc will be paced with a web serial format in mind, so thanks again for being patient, I think the next arc will flow a bit better. I''ll try to do something like this event again in the future, maybe for the 1 year anniversary if I can build up enough backlog. I will also check in sometime next week with an event update and some good news regarding book three. I hope you enjoy the double chapter week event. And thanks again for everything. -Magnus Chapters One Hundred Eighty-Six and Seven: All In After reading the last word, Nick sat down in his chair, staring out over the sea of clouds streaming below his boots. He kicked up his feet and closed his eyes, reflecting on what he had learned, as well as what he could infer from the presence of two distinct dialects of runes within his questing menus. He eventually decided that this challenge seemed like a true collaboration between Taltos and the System. This quest felt completely different from those issued during Earth¡¯s integration and humanity¡¯s tutorial, when the two unimaginably powerful entities were working toward opposing ends, each seeking to gain advantage over the other. So far, the System¡¯s approach seemed to be designed to weed out the weak and foster the development of elite warriors, although he still had no clue as to why. On the other side of the coin, the Mad God¡¯s goals were completely inscrutable. Nick couldn¡¯t even begin to guess as to whether he wanted the Earth to endure, perish, or was utterly indifferent to the fate of humanity. While Taltos was cruel and mercurial, appearing to act purely on whimsy while seeking only his own amusement, Nick had a hunch that the deity had a hidden agenda, far beyond his understanding. Either way, he was certain that Taltos¡¯s involvement in the event would only make things harder for the survivors of Earth. Reading between the lines, he was certain that the vanguard of Earth would be annihilated by the tower¡¯s guardian if their performance in the first two stages was poor. Nick intended to do everything in his power to make sure that didn¡¯t happen. He just hoped that he would be able to find a way to make a difference. The first thing that he needed to do was get to the tower fast, then help everyone get organized and enter once they were fully prepared. That approach would maximize their odds of reaching the top alive. Mitigating the damage team Earth inflicted on themselves by having too many parties enter the tower before everyone arrived at the base. Nick would have to figure out the rest once he was on the ground and had a better feel for the true nature of the challenge ahead. Ready to begin his preparations, he walked over to the display and opened the questing menu. The final prompt was back in the usual System writing, reminding him that he still needed to officially confirm his decision, even though he had already decided to throw his hat into the ring. Contestants who choose not to participate in this quest will be transported to the Earth to begin repopulation. Warning: if this quest is failed, the Earth will be recycled, and the lives of all contestants will be forfeit. You have until the end of your rest period to decide if you will participate in the Mad God¡¯s challenge event: the fate of Earth. A part of Nick was tempted to sit this one out. To head back to Earth, start looking for his family, and begin laying the foundation of his long-term plans. The problem was, there wasn¡¯t going to be a long-term if they weren¡¯t able to overcome the Mad God¡¯s challenge. He knew that he wasn¡¯t strong, smart, or generally important enough that humanity would win or lose by his efforts alone. But that isn¡¯t what matters, he decided after long minutes of soul-searching. It was just like James had said. What mattered was whether or not his presence would improve their odds at all. False humility aside, Nick was certain that it would. He might not be the highest-level person on team Earth, but he had a hunch that he was ahead of the curve, based on what he had experienced in the arena. He had no desire to witness more death and despair, but he knew deep in his heart that death would pave the path beneath his boots, no matter which road he walked from here. The System seemed to view conflict as a necessary ingredient for growth, while Taltos appeared to relish the struggles of others. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! Another part of him was excited to face the challenge ahead. Since his new life had begun, Nick had changed in myriad ways, including being infused with the desire to grow stronger. To see if he had what it took to make it in the magic-drenched multiverse. ¡°There¡¯s no need to draw it out,¡± he addressed the System with a sigh of resignation. ¡°I¡¯ll do it. You can sign me up, here and now. It¡¯s time to go all in.¡± Acknowledged. Contestant Nicholas Henry has accepted Taltos¡¯s challenge. You will be transported to Blackmist Bog at the end of your rest period. Good luck. ¡°Thanks,¡± he muttered, mulling over everything that he had learned. In the end, none of it changed where he wanted to invest his free attribute point. After a final moment of deliberation, he opened his menus and signaled his intent to put the point into magic, which was still below average compared to members of other newly integrated species. While his other attributes had begun to grow via conditioning, he hadn¡¯t figured out the trick to train his baseline magic yet, and he wanted to make the most out of his new spell. He walked back to his chair and sat down, leaning back with a grin of anticipation as the sensation of the System refining his energetic core rose within his chest. This was a valuable opportunity to get better at sensing the source of his mana. A point of heat centered a few inches below his heart. Nick poured all his concentration into the experience, noticing once more that his core seemed to be expanding and compacting at the same time. Five minutes later, the process was complete, and his awareness of his core faded away completely. After a bit of contemplation, Nick decided to wait a while longer before spending his final tutorial knowledge points. Facing the next challenge head on had taken some of the wind out of his sails and he wanted to recharge before making any more choices that he couldn¡¯t take back. Not wanting to waste any time either, he decided to check out his new equipment and then strategize on how to make the most out of his remaining hours within the safe room. He walked over to the table in the corner of the open area, where the System had laid out his inventory after Nick completed his jaunt through the treasure vault. While most of the items were old friends to him by now, two of them were new acquaintances, both of which he was glad to have at his side. He ran his fingertips over his new dagger, a prize that the management of the arena had given him for winning his first fight. It was a huge improvement over the rusted, worn down knives that he¡¯d found on the ratmen back in the tutorial dungeon. The dagger was forged from silvery metal, heavy in his hand and a good six inches long. Nick took an experimental slash, able to tell from the first stroke that this wasn¡¯t just a tool, but a true weapon. Designed and balanced for use in combat. It had a hilt guard to protect his fingers and was wrapped with some manner of leather to keep his grip from slipping when wet. The pommel was engraved with an image of the Grand Arena of Papillion, along with a single phrase. ¡°Victory or death.¡± Unlike Nick¡¯s old blade, which was starting to chip away at the edges, this weapon featured the eversharp modification, which would prevent it from breaking under all but the most extreme circumstances, keeping the blade sharp without requiring regular maintenance. The dagger was a solid weapon for fighting up close, as well as environments where his sword would be more of a liability than an asset, such as confined spaces with narrow halls or low ceilings. It came with a custom leather sheath that slid neatly onto his toolbelt, so he would always have it close at hand. Satisfied with his newest weapon, his next order of business was to take a closer look at his flask, the first rare item he had been able to acquire. He ran his gaze over the sparkling facets of clear crystal, amazed that something that looked so simple could be as awesome as the description had promised. Some manner of pink liquid had begun to coalesce within the length of crystal. By the time that Nick woke up again, the elixir should be ready to consume. He was excited to try it out and planned to use it over the next few days to get the most out of his training sessions. After another lingering look, he moved on to figuring out how to attach the flask to his belt, where he could quaff it quickly during an emergency. With a bit of trial and error, he discovered how to secure it within the loops of his toolbelt. He pulled and prodded the arrangement, deciding that the fit was snug and the crystal tube was unlikely to fall out, even when running or fighting. Soulbound or not, he had no intention of letting the flask out of his sight, certain that it would save his life more than once during the dark days ahead. After sifting through the rest of his inventory so that it would be fresh in his mind when he got busy planning, Nick was ready to move on to the next part of his day. Looking down at the muddy pawprints stamped onto his backpack, he wondered what Bandit was up to, imagining the adventures his friend was undertaking in his absence. Friday Concept Art: Chapters 176-187 Just a reminder, I completely respect that not everyone likes the inclusion/existence of AI art, so I''ve put it in it''s own chapter so that it''s easy to skip and not shown side by side with the story. If it''s not your thing, I totally understand where you are coming from. This concept art is included entirely for fun, and will never be sold or monetized in any way. It will never be as good as your imagination, so if it doesn''t fit with the version of something in your head, go with your imagination instead. Have an awesome weekend. -Magnus Racing through the treasure vault Almost out of time Flask of Restoration The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Luxury penthouse safe room Nick''s new living room The view from the window Sleeping in a bed for the first time in a month Looking good Nick And a close up Shower and Bath Nick''s long lost love Chowing down before tackling Taltos''s challenge Chapter One Hundred Eighty-Eight and Nine: Intermission: The Dreadbeast War Bandit swung from vine to vine, soaring beneath the canopy as he sped across the jungle. While his hands were busy picking out his path, his eyes were hard at work, scanning the ground far below. The trees were so much bigger than they had been in the world that came before. Then again, everything had gotten bigger since the Voice had arrived and ended the rule of the hairless tribe. The entity that his friend Neek called ¡®the System¡¯. Despite everything that had happened, the changes to the jungle and the crisis underway, it was good to be home. But Bandit didn¡¯t have time to think about the past or the future right now. He had nearly arrived at the boundary of the shadow tigers¡¯ territory, where a decisive showdown would soon commence. A war that would determine which species would live to see another day, and which would vanish like dust in the breeze, their flesh becoming food for the insatiable jungle. The air was filled with the electric tension of imminent conflict. The knowledge that the world could erupt into blood-drenched violence at any moment. Beside Bandit ran fifty of the tribe¡¯s best warriors, a mixture of veterans and up-and-comers from Bandit¡¯s generation. Brave friends and family he was proud to call his tribe. Even if they won the war, not everyone who had set foot upon this path would be coming home, if any of them did at all, and he offered a silent salute to their courage and resolve. The rest of the tribe¡¯s strength was arranged in a second group, ranging behind the assault team until their path was clear. Only a handful of the Elder¡¯s elite guard had remained to protect the tribe¡¯s leader, young, and expectant mothers. If Bandit lost this fight, they would be forced to flee into unexplored territory with only a handful of guardians, and their odds of survival were poor at best. The cries of animals and beasts resounded in the distance, but Bandit ignored their clamor, every scrap of concentration focused on searching for his enemies. He knew from experience that the tigers would never reveal themselves by making a sound. The cruel hunters who stalked in the shadows had besieged the lemurs ever since they had made it back from the island, returning to a home transformed in their absence. It wasn¡¯t just the tribe and the tigers who were evolving by the day. Every beast who called the jungle home was undergoing their own metamorphosis. Not to mention the strange creatures that came from another world entirely, something that beasts could sense on an instinctual level. But it wasn¡¯t any of the new arrivals who were slaughtering Bandit¡¯s people, at least not more than any other predator who called the tropics home, but the lemurs¡¯ ancient enemy, the tigers. Specifically, a small group of tigers who had become monsters by their own will, earning them the name of dreadbeast. The shadow tigers were abominations. Creatures who took life but no longer gave it. They had sacrificed their ability to sire offspring, forsaken the natural order, all for the pursuit of personal power. It was enough to make Bandit¡¯s blood boil. But what really made him see red was how the shadow cats used their newfound abilities. Their wanton cruelty and needless slaughter. If they weren¡¯t stopped, not only the tribe would suffer long by their claws. The entire jungle would be drained of vitality and die, leaving only rot and devastation behind. While the shadow tigers were few in number, they were growing more deadly by the day, as the cursed beasts hunted all living creatures within their territory. Consuming them to fuel their dark evolution. They were far more powerful than any lemur, except for the Elder, whose incredible strength still had Bandit in awe. But the matriarch of the tribe no longer had the endurance to participate in a lightning raid like this. It was up to him to lead his people to war, and Bandit vowed that he would win this fight, no matter what it cost him. There was only one reason that the tribe stood a chance. Although the tiger¡¯s leader had gathered them together, they refused to live near one another. Instead, the shadow tigers shared bordering territories, coming together only to repel threats or stalk greater prey. The tribe could kill the abominations one-by-one, carving a path to their heart before they knew they were under attack, then finish off the tiger king before his minions could gather their might. Within a fleeting handful of heartbeats, the tribe would put an end to their aggressors once and for all, or they would die, and their people would perish. An outcome in accordance with the law of the jungle since time immemorial. The tribe would never have been able to survive in this strange new world if it wasn¡¯t for the changes they had undergone on the island, and the hard lessons they had learned along the way. Not for the first time, Bandit wished that his friend Neek was standing by his side. Neek was a powerful warrior, and the smartest person Bandit knew. Neek was a true friend and someone Bandit could rely on, even if he was a member of the hairless tribe, who had wronged the lemurs greatly in the past. Neek had taught the lemurs how to command the powers of flame. To use fire to make meat even more delicious, at least most of the time. Neek had shown the lemurs how to fight in formation and numerous other tactics. He had taught them the advantage of surprise attacks, coordinated maneuvers, and fighting on the ground of one¡¯s own choosing. How to take down prey many times his size with clever traps, deception, and metal fangs that could bite deeper than any beast. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Bandit hoped that Neek was thriving and had been reunited with the others of his kind, before shoving all such distractions aside. Now was the time for maneuvering and planning. The time for killing and dying would come soon after. Following that thought, Bandit reached back to touch his metal fang. Across his back was a sheath that looped around his body, holding the razor-sharp blade the System had granted him after leaving the island. Neek had shown Bandit how useful such weapons could be while climbing the mountain, and he¡¯d decided to master their use then and there. Armed with his weapon of choice, he could rend flesh as well as any tiger. That was when, as if summoned by the thought, a tiger emerged from the shadows. It pounced and went streaking through the air, tearing out a lemur¡¯s throat before vanishing once more, having never made a sound. It was one of the scouts patrolling the boundary of their territory, a subservient male bound by the iron rule of the tiger king. Bandit let out a cry, letting the assault team know that an enemy had been spotted. The tribe closed on the area like a fist, converging on his location. It was vital that they eliminate the scout before he reported their presence. They were lucky that the dreadbeast had decided to hunt the tribe instead of running away. The shadow tigers were agile and impossible to detect by conventional means when their powers were active. If they lost track of him now, all their planning would come to naught. Fortunately, the shadow cats tended to underestimate the lemurs, unable to conceive that they could pose a true threat. That they were no longer the easy prey they had been in the world before. If Bandit was right about what was about to happen, the tiger¡¯s conceit would lead him to his doom. Bandit drew his fang and concentrated on his surroundings. Not looking, not listening, but feeling the world around him. Seeking the subtle sense of motion beyond the periphery of his vision, the whispering that was too quiet for his ears to register. Casting his senses beyond the boundary of his body, Bandit reached out and touched the heart of the jungle. In this state of total concentration, he could sense the web of life binding the forest together. Bandit ran his fingertips across the shimmering threads connecting all living things, seeking the creature that had forsaken the natural order. A drop of death amidst the ocean of life. Not the pure death that was merely the end of the great cycle, but the taint that was life¡¯s antithesis. Just when he was afraid that the tiger had fled after all, he felt it. An overwhelming intent to kill blossomed behind Bandit, sending adrenaline pouring into his veins. He launched himself off the trunk with explosive force, throwing his body out of the way half a heartbeat before the tiger¡¯s claws eviscerated the bark he¡¯d vacated. Bandit grabbed a vine, swung around, and turned to face his assailant, intent on not letting the scout merge with the shadows again. He let loose a bark, telling the tribe to hold back, having come up with a plan in a flash. The tiger leapt straight for him, ghostly body nearly invisible amid the shadow-strewn forest floor. Instead of swinging to another vine, Bandit let go. He landed lightly on the ground, as if fear had made him clumsy and he¡¯d lost his grip. Enticed by his show of weakness, the cat came bounding after him. Bandit retreated, running in the opposite direction, straight into a clearing with an enormous boulder in the middle. The tiger followed without hesitation, every crook of his posture conveying pleasure that he had driven his prey into favorable terrain. Bandit could no longer retreat to the safety of the treetops, and the scout would catch him before he could gain the far side. Looking around as if hoping to find his allies but spotting none, he pressed his back against the boulder, holding his blade before him with trembling arms. With sinister grace, the tiger leapt in front of him, cutting off any avenue of retreat. He leisurely advanced, pinning Bandit with his back against the wall, delighting in his fear, and savoring his suffering. In a black flash, the shadow cat went in for the kill. Before he finished closing the distance the dreadbeast paused, confused. The lemur in front of him didn¡¯t smell afraid after all. It smelt like¡­ death. The tiger realized that something was wrong and turned to flee, but it was already too late. A hundred rocks rained from the treetops, driving the dreadbeast straight toward Bandit, which was exactly what he¡¯d been waiting for. Bandit had lured the beast into range and was ready to spring his trap. He raised one fist into the air, and a roiling ball of flame sprang to life with a whoosh, bright enough to make the tiger snarl. Knowing that he was trapped, the scout rushed forward to take Bandit down with him. In that moment, Bandit knew exactly where the creature would be. Exactly where he should strike. Half a heartbeat later, he let loose with his spell, light streaking toward shadow with death looming behind them both. By the blink of an eye, Bandit struck first. The fireball streaked through the air to catch the tiger broadside, engulfing his head in flame. Bandit grabbed onto a vine that a lemur on top of the boulder had lowered and was pulled away in the nick of time. The burning tiger slammed into the rock with a sickening crunch, as the stench of scorched fur rose to fill the air. Overcome with pain and blinded by smoke, the dreadbeast stumbled across the forest floor, rolling on the ground to put out the fire. Before he could smother the blaze, Bandit hit him with another spell, transforming the predator into a roaring pillar of flame. The cat let out an agonized howl and then collapsed, consumed by the conflagration within a matter of moments. Bandit let loose a bloodthirsty cackle, now one step closer to winning the war. Fighting with a blade wasn¡¯t the only trick that he¡¯d learned from Neek. Eyes reflecting the flickering flames, Bandit wondered where his friend was and where his adventures had taken him next. Chapters One Hundred Ninety and One: Target Practice Nick had deep and weighty matters to consider, but he couldn¡¯t find it within himself to ponder them just yet. Instead, he decided to start with an equally important but eminently more palatable use of his time, training up some of his brand-new skills. He took a quick look at his profile while deciding where to start. Light shield would have to wait until he found a shield to practice with. And while he could visualize evading while shadow boxing, he sensed that he wouldn¡¯t be able to improve the skill unless something was actually trying to hit him. But his sexy new throwing and sword skills were another matter entirely. After a moment of reflection spent gazing out the window, Nick decided to try out throwing first. He¡¯d been swinging his sword around an awful lot lately and he wanted to enjoy a few final hours before he picked up the weapon once more. Besides, his survival had hinged upon a few lucky tosses back during the tutorial, especially when lobbing the consumable flashbang orbs he had found in the sewer. Improving his aim with a wide variety of objects would increase his range of options during the ordeals to come. As he began working out the details of his training regimen, Nick realized that he was smiling. That he had come to genuinely enjoy the prospect of improving his capabilities, along with the undeniable satisfaction he felt in watching the numbers on his profile go up. Despite the heartache and the pressure, the stress of having humanity¡¯s future hanging in the balance, he had to admit that he liked this aspect of his new reality. That he liked almost all of it now that he thought about it, except for the blood and the fear and watching good people die in front of his eyes. Back in his old life, before the System threw everything into chaos, he had been comfortable, content, and relatively satisfied with his daily grind. Competitive gaming had been a solid hobby, a reliable source of income, and a decent social outlet to boot. But quality of life aside, Nick had always considered his existence to be low impact. He didn¡¯t add to the suffering of the world, and his choices did little to leave the planet a better place, excepting his relationships with his family and friends. But now, now his life mattered. Here, in this very moment, his choices were impacting the fate of his home world. The survival of his species, alongside the myriad lifeforms that called the Earth home. With the shadow of the Mad God looming over their future, Nick was fighting for his people and everything that he loved. He was taking part in events that had shattered the very foundation of human existence. Had witnessed the death of their old way of life and the birth of a new, wonderous and terrifying, chapter in the story of mankind. Bad Nick, he bit his tongue to punish his brain. No deep thoughts until after dinner. Behave yourself, and let¡¯s go throw some shit around the room. Chuckling at his whimsy, he turned away from the infinite cloudscape and started scanning his suite, searching for promising objects to throw and things to throw them into. After getting a sense for what he had to work with, he decided to start by fashioning a target. He walked over to his pile of gear and unsheathed his new dagger. After examining its razored edge with appreciation, he headed into the bedroom and pulled a blanket free from the mattress. His plan was to cut holes of various shapes and sizes into the covering, then stretch it out between some furniture to use as a target. But to his surprise, when he tried sliding the dagger through the cloth, the satiny fabric proved to be utterly impenetrable to his blade. No matter how hard Nick pushed, he couldn¡¯t even work the tip through the light weave. Shrugging to himself, he tried again with his sheet, only to get the same result. His curiosity aroused, he walked into the kitchen, removed the plainest glass he could find from the shelf, then tossed it high into the air. He ducked behind the fridge, peeking past the corner as the glass came down, preparing himself for a crash followed by long minutes of cleaning up the resulting mess. But that was not what happened. What happened was that the delicate container struck the floor with a chiming thud before rolling to a stop by his feet, whole and unmarred in any way. Oh. I get it, he slapped his forehead with the palm of his hand. The safe room protects the objects inside as well as the people. This must be the System¡¯s version of home-owner¡¯s insurance. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. I wonder if this suite belongs to someone who rents it out to the System. It does seem a bit different from the other safe rooms I¡¯ve seen. In the end, Nick decided that this feature would help his practice more than it hurt it. While this development left him with a momentary lack of a target, it meant that there were now considerably more options as far as things to throw were concerned. After a bit of contemplation, he was armed with a new plan. Using the kitchen table as a staging area, he began collecting every container that was bigger than his coffee mug, then moved on to gathering up any object he could find that was remotely reminiscent of aerodynamic. When he was done, he went to work spreading his targets across the room. Pots and pans, wastebaskets and dresser drawers, were staggered across the floor at various ranges. He even put some up on shelves and along the furniture to create targets at various heights and angles. Twenty minutes later, his impromptu training ground was complete and at long last, it was time to start throwing. His first projectile was his shiny new dagger, even though he could tell that it wasn¡¯t properly weighted to be thrown. He clasped the dagger¡¯s blade between his fingertips, with the hilt rising above his hand like they show in the movies. He took aim for a pot he had set sideways on a bookshelf, cocked his arm back, then flicked his wrist while extending his elbow. The dagger went whizzing from Nick¡¯s fingers, flashing through the air in a wobbling arc. He could tell that his throw was off from the moment of release, dagger missing the pot by a good five feet before crashing to the floor with a clatter. Embarrassed despite the fact that there was no one to witness him fail so spectacularly, he opened his profile, hoping to see that his skill had improved. To his disappointment, throwing still displayed a fat goose egg, refusing to budge from zero after another dozen throws. I guess you¡¯re going to have to work for it after all Nick. He went to collect his makeshift arsenal, which was scattered around the room, not discouraged in the least. He honestly hadn¡¯t expected his training to bear fruit just yet. After all, he hadn¡¯t felt the skill¡¯s guidance kick in and more importantly, he hadn¡¯t really learned anything yet. Two hours later, Nick was getting into the swing of things. He had stopped obsessing over checking his profile after every throw and begun placing his full attention into the movements of his arms and shoulders. By now, he was doing the same thing he would be trying if he had wanted to improve his aim without picking up the throwing skill to begin with. He had set aside all the objects that were poorly balanced, leaving them for advanced practice later on, focusing his efforts on a smaller pile that featured a central balance point and were closer in shape to the spheres and rocks he had been flinging around back in the tutorial. Right now, he was in the middle of cocking a ceramic mug over his shoulder, aiming for a deep pot he had set halfway across the room. Nick closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths, placing his concentration into the weight of the crockery in his hand. Visualizing which muscles he would move to send it sailing along the trajectory he had chosen. How the force would carry the mug forward in a controlled, clean line of force that began with the motion of his throw and extend all the way to his target. This time, as Nick prepared to engage the muscles in his shoulder, something clicked into focus. A clear impression of the vector he had chosen, and the movement required to bring it to life. Following the flow of this feeling, he brought the mug to one side and then raised it higher, where it would receive a perfect launch from his throw. A spot that somehow felt right. In that same moment, he opened his eyes and let loose. His instant of perfect concentration lasted just long enough to release the mug and send it flying. He watched in delight as the ceramic container went soaring across the room, arcing up and then curving down to land dead-center in the pot with a resounding clang. Yes! That¡¯s more like it. Acting on instinct, Nick opened his profile. As he had hoped, there was a new notification awaiting his review. Through use, you have improved the following skills: Throwing has increased from [0] to [1]. Eager to internalize what he had learned, he kept on throwing for another hour, trying to reach the same level of focus when releasing overhand, underhand, sidearm, as well as a few more exotic angles. He wasn¡¯t able to raise the skill again, but he was already developing a better sense for the mechanics of throwing. His new skill subtly guided his efforts, helping him notice when the object he was flinging was properly supported by the movements of his muscles. Of which toss to use at what angle, and how hard to throw to keep the object on target. That¡¯s a good start, Nick began putting everything back into piles on the kitchen table. His arms were sore from the hours¡¯ long session, but he figured it meant that he had gotten in a little strength training on the side. He decided that it was a good time to take a break and unwind, the first time he had thought about relaxing since his new life began. Event check in and Book 3 update. Hey everybody, I hope that you are enjoying the double chapter week event. Tomorrow we will have a bonus chapter on top of the double chapters for a grand total of five in one day. But why stop there when we could have even more? I don''t have all the details right now, but I will try to find a way to extend the event for a few more days, just to get us to the very end of the downtime arc and the beginning of the next major arc. The Bandit side arc will also be finished by that point, I hope that you''ve been enjoying seeing what the tribe is up to on a new and changing Earth. I''ll check back in a little later in the week regarding the details, but I''ll get it all ironed out soon. Since we''re moving through book 2 much faster than I originally planned, I also wanted to take this opportunity to give you an update on book three, which is nearing the halfway point of completion as of today. Don''t worry, it''s all good news. Everything is going well, and all the major arcs have been outlined (arc one is about 75% complete). The pacing for the book (and the rest of the entire series going forward) has been planned out for a web serial format right from the start, which I hope will keep the tension from going slack for too long like at certain points in books one and two. I think the big moments will be pretty fun and we''ll get some answers to some of the important questions introduced so far. I hope to see you there! Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. I''ll try to think of some other, differently themed events going forward, whenever my backlog allows. They are fun and I''ve been enjoying this one so far. Thank you so much for all the feedback and support as I continue to learn and grow, it really means a lot. All the best, Magnus I also wanted to take the time to thank all the people who have pointed out inconsistencies with things like remaining spell and wand charges, and any other sort of continuity issues. I go through a lot of drafts before releasing the story and sometimes things get switched around. I try to fix everything past that point, but sometimes little things get through and its hard to spot them after having gone through everything several times already. Oh and one final shoutout for all the people who aren''t shy about letting me know what you don''t like and what isn''t working out for you. That kind of feedback has led to major improvements in the story over time, and has helped push me to become a better writer as a result. Of course, it''s always great to hear when something is working out well for you too, so another thank you to everyone who has offered feedback in any form, you guys are the best and I couldn''t do it without you. Chapters One Hundred Ninety-Two through Four: Alien Art Nick¡¯s body was too worn out to do any more training just yet. His brain was too saturated to plot and plan until he had taken some time to decompress. In short, he needed to find something to help him unwind and breathe easy, something¡­ recreational. He laughed when he realized that the concept of having fun for its own sake now felt foreign to his existence. Back in his old life, he would have turned to his trusty computer or started swiping away at the screen on his phone. Fired up the latest animated series or game and zoned out for hours on end. But Nick didn¡¯t have any of those options here. On a deeper level, he sensed that even if he had a way to access them, they wouldn¡¯t have the same appeal anymore. Too much had changed since the System entered his life, including Nick himself, for him to truly feel nostalgic about those carefree days parked in front of his wide-screen monitor, idling his life away. Fortunately, what he did have at his disposal was something even better. A cool alien penthouse that was begging to be explored, including an art gallery that he had only taken a cursory glance at so far. Having decided how he wanted to spend the next few hours, he walked into the kitchen to make himself a snack, hoping that there were enough ribs left to take the edge off his appetite. Much to his surprise, when Nick opened the fridge and stuck his head inside, the contents had changed since the last time he looked. He was going to be able to eat his fill after all. Shrugging to himself at the mystery of it all, he reached in and pulled out a frosty carafe of orange juice and a ceramic plate topped with sliced fruit and cheese, seemingly of the normal Earth variety. He dragged a comfy chair and a coffee table into the gallery, then spread his lunch across the tabletop. Nick was already nibbling away by the time that his gaze landed on the first work of art. He had known from the start that he would begin with this painting, in part because it was so much bigger than the rest. The lacquered frame stretched all the way from floor to ceiling and was a good ten feet wide to boot. Nick knew what he was looking at immediately. He had identified the subject of the piece the moment that he first laid eyes upon the canvas. The intricate swirls of oil and ink depicted an experience that transcended any cultural barriers. An ordeal that had been branded upon the collective soul of the human race. Integration. He rose to his feet to take a closer look, his profile outlined against the exquisite rendition of devastation. Dominating the center of the piece was the shroud of annihilation. The great glowing pillars in all the colors of the northern lights that had erased three quarters of the human population within a matter of minutes. Unmade everything they had built during their reign as the uncontested kings of Earth. The luminescent beams exuded an air of menace and inevitability, sending a jolt of fear running down his spine at the dark memories they evoked. The top of the painting revealed a storm-wracked sky. Swirling clouds of purple and pink, so vivid that they seemed to writhe their way across the canvas, heralding the destruction below. Nick gritted his teeth and faced his feelings head on. The terror and anger. Loss and grief. Horror and wonder that Taltos and the System had left in their wake. Eventually, he was ready to move on and lowered his gaze to take in the rest. Unlike the rest of the masterwork, the bottom of the painting was murky and indistinct. He had the sense of a great city stretching on for miles. Of the millions of people who called it home. But the fine details were inchoate, like the entire city was dissolving into mist. Disintegrating in the wake of this inescapable global catastrophe. Long minutes later, he turned away from the painting. While gazing upon the gorgeous rendition was deeply moving and strangely cathartic, it wasn¡¯t helping him out much as far as relaxing was concerned. Nick plucked a wedge of smoked cheddar from his plate and then turned to face the other wall, walking closer to examine a set of three smaller paintings. Each featured a fantastic landscape, rendered in vivid, flowing colors that reminded him of watercolor, although there were subtle differences that he couldn¡¯t quite put his finger on. After a few minutes of perusal, he decided that this must be an alien version of the four seasons. A three seasons if you will. Each painting depicted the same rugged landscape. Rolling hills, a serpentine river running through them, and a small wooden house in the distance. In the first painting, lush blue grass covered everything, reaching up toward the sun high above. In the second, the grass had changed color, taking on an electric yellow hue. The area around the homestead had been cleared; the grass rolled up into massive bales upon which furry red creatures were building nests to guard their young. In the final scene, pink snow was piled high, obscuring the river, and burying the house to the rafters. In this painting, Nick could see smoke rising from the chimney in billowing waves. He stepped forward to take a closer look, hoping to catch a glimpse of the people inside. It would be his first chance to get a clear look at a member of an alien species, not counting Pax, who had appeared completely human despite her considerable size, the people in the arena, who had been too far away to make out fine details, and Trell, who had been reduced to a decaying wreck of his former self. He had gotten a good look at the statues above the stands, but their features were obscured by elaborate armor. Nick had seen Taltos twice as well, but he strongly suspected that the vision of the Mad God he had been granted was nothing more than a convenient illusion the deity wore, rather than his true visage. Unfortunately, he could only make out the vague profiles of the people inside the cottage, but even that was enough to set his heart racing with the excitement of discovery. After finishing the final scraps of food on his plate, he was ready to continue his tour. Having examined the walls, it was time to move on to the pair of sculptures displayed in the center of the gallery, each resting upon a marble pedestal that came up to his waist. The first piece was a complex contraption formed from ornate crystal lenses and fine copper wires. Nick stared at it in perplexion, trying to figure out what he was looking at for a good ten minutes before spotting a gemstone mounted to the base of the pedestal. Jewel-infused control panels were a technology that he had seen several times since setting foot into the mysterious, magical, multiverse. When he reached out and pressed the gem, a section of the wall became transparent. It was set at just the right angle to let an errant sunbeam engulf the first lens of the sculpture, splitting the beam and guiding it to the crystals deeper within. In the blink of an eye, dozens of crystal surfaces were dividing the sunlight, throwing wild bands of color across the room. Guided by the complex arrangement of fine wires, the lenses slowly rotated, causing the remarkable lightshow to undulate as if it were alive. Nick was surprised to discover that not all the colors were contained within the spectrum of the rainbow. He caught flashes of metallic copper and molten gold as well, twirling alongside hues that he had as of yet no words to describe. When he saw a shimmering band of silver the same color as his mana dart, Nick realized what he was looking at. The captivating construction was an artistic rendition of the full spectrum of mana, not merely of light as he had originally assumed. Taken together, the scene was reminiscent of the mind-blowing tapestry that Nick had observed the day before. While this arrangement lacked the raw vitality, the sense of power and purpose he had witnessed while the System attuned his energetic core, it was still hauntingly beautiful and utterly captivating. Nick found himself spellbound, staring on for at least an hour before touching the gem to deactivate the sculpture, ready to examine the final item on display. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. The object in question was an unadorned golden cube the size of his head. Unlike the rest of the art displayed in the room, this piece didn¡¯t exude any emotion, style, or intention that Nick could understand. Shrugging to himself, he decided that he needed to give it some time to sink in, sitting down in the chair while contemplating the cube. He gave it his honest best for a good ten minutes before deciding that it wasn¡¯t going to click for him, no matter how hard he tried. Oh well. Not every piece is going to resonate with every viewer. We¡¯re members of entirely different species after all. ¡°Better luck next time.¡± He reached over and gave the cube a friendly pat, wondering in that moment if his prolonged isolation was getting to him more than he had realized. The instant that his fingers brushed the surface, sound rose to fill the room. A sweeping, haunting melody that was captivating yet consummately foreign in a way that Nick couldn¡¯t define. That was when it hit him. It¡¯s not a sculpture, it¡¯s a music player. It must operate on a different principle than all the gem-mounted devices I¡¯ve run across. Nick leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and let the music carry him away. It blew his mind to realize that he was listening to a tune composed on an alien world. Conceived of by a mind that had evolved along a completely separate path. Performed on instruments with no earthly equivalent. The music kindled a boundless sense of wonder within him, bringing a smile to his lips and tears to his eyes. He was the first human being to hear this song, this requiem of longing that transcended the space between worlds. He listened enrapt, committing each note to memory, intent on making the most of this strange and glorious experience. He wouldn¡¯t be able to say how long the song had played when he revisited the memory later. He was drawn completely into the moment, entranced from the first note until the final chord faded away. Fortunately, this was only the beginning of Nick¡¯s introduction to the music of the multiverse. The next song that emerged from the golden speaker was something else entirely. It began with a deep, rhythmic pounding, reminiscent of the clash of steel against steel. Not the measured cadence of a blacksmith working over an anvil, but the clash of weapon striking weapon in a life and death battle. The melody was evocative and entrancing in equal measures. It set his pulse racing and adrenaline flowing into his veins. More percussive instruments rose to join the clanging beat. Sounds that evoked the slapping of boots against the earth as warriors circled one another, seeking an opening through which to strike, laying their enemies low. Voices rose to complete the melody. A guttural, wordless chanting that summoned images of struggle and loss. Triumph and tragedy. The overall effect was mesmerizing, filling him with manic energy. The need to take part in the music of war. Giving into the impulse, he rose to his feet and began to dance, moving in time with the rhythm of the alien battle chant. After a while, Nick realized that the music was helping him to become more in tune with the mechanics of his body. It drew his attention to the play of his muscles animating his joints. The feeling of his weight transferring with every step. The balance formed by heels and toes, legs and hips, shoulders and spine. Lost in the invigorating music, he leapt and spun. Circled, retreated, and advanced, each movement guided by the booming song of war. This experience was completely different from his imagination-fueled shadow boxing. He was responding to emotion and instinct rather than a distinct image of his opponent. Regardless of how it conveyed the information, he could tell that the music was teaching him something. Deepening his fundamental understanding of the mechanics of motion, the foundation upon which all physical skills are built. The song eventually came to an end, but Nick didn¡¯t stop moving. He adjusted his pace to the rhythm of the next tune and then a dozen more. Hours passed by as he danced, moving his feet in time with the beat, lost in this exquisite trancelike state. He finally came to a stop when the music ended of its own accord. Nick snapped out of his trance, drenched in sweat and shaking with exertion. He felt remarkably refreshed, despite the fact that he had pushed his body to the point of exhaustion. He wasn¡¯t sure if these songs were infused with some manner of magic, or if his experience had been the culmination of the recent changes he had undergone. Either way, it was a perfect way to end the day. He opened the display to check the time and saw that dawn was fast approaching. It was time for dinner and a steaming hot bath, then he would be set to pass the fuck out. All in all, it had been an immensely productive and healing day, and he was ready to start working hard first thing in the morning. Having burned through his body¡¯s reserves, he was rendered ravenous. Ready to stuff his face before slipping into bed with a full belly. Wincing in time with his hunger pangs, Nick walked into the kitchen and opened the blue stone door of the refrigerator, eager to discover what was on the menu this time around. On this occasion, a fat iron pot covered with a glass lid was the only thing inside. When he set the container on the counter and pulled off the top, he discovered that the pot was full of chunky beef stew, thick with potatoes, carrots, onions, and a hearty blend of spices. Stomach growling with anticipation, Nick picked up the stewpot and moved it onto the burner. He turned it on by touching the gem, then poured himself a pitcher of water after drinking his fill from the faucet. While he waited for the stew to warm up, he set a place for himself at the table, wondering idly where all the food was coming from. If the System was transporting it from the pieces of Earth it had stolen or generating it from scratch, like a magic-powered Star Trek replicator. Before long, a savory aroma filled the air, and Nick couldn¡¯t wait any longer. He grabbed a ladle from a rack on the wall and eagerly filled his bowl to the brim. He dipped in his spoon, scooped up a fat piece of steak and potatoes, and stuck the first bite in his mouth. Delicious, he let out a long sigh of satisfaction, because the stew was so good it brought tears to his eyes. A welcome taste from a home that was so far away. He didn¡¯t bother with his spoon past that point, he just raised the bowl to his lips and drank. In the end, he was scraping the bottom of the pot before his belly was full, his appetite incredible considering that his Survivor trait was effectively doubling the calories he consumed. He supposed that it made sense when he stopped to mull the matter over. Every day, he was pushing himself far beyond what he would have dreamed possible back in his old life. All that energy has to come from somewhere. Speaking of energy, Nick let out a sleepy yawn and went to take care of the dishes, only to realize that he didn¡¯t need to. That the safe room had been cleaning up after him without him noticing until now. His plate from lunch and mug from breakfast were already back on the shelf, shining and spotless. This apartment rules. A man could get used to this. It was too bad that the magic housekeeping didn¡¯t extend to his clothing or equipment. He supposed that he would have to wash them by hand in the morning. Blinking back sleep, stomach purring like a kitten, Nick climbed the stairs and ambled into the bathroom, adjusting the knobs on the tub to draw himself a proper bath this time. As thick wafts of steam rose to fill the air, he turned to look in the mirror. When he met his own gaze, he experienced his greatest surprise of the day by far. The face in the mirror wasn¡¯t the same face that Nick had known all his life. My eyes¡­ what happened to my eyes? He hadn¡¯t taken a close look at his face last night. He had been too busy checking out his sexy new muscles on top of being fatigued from his recent ordeal. Accompanied by the music of water falling from the faucet to fill the tub below, Nick stared deep into his own eyes. All other thoughts faded away as he took in a pair of irises that had undergone some remarkable changes since he had last examined his own reflection. The bottom half of each eye, the part below the pupil, was the same greenish hazel that Nick had sported all his life. But the rest was something else entirely. The slice of iris above each pupil had changed, shifting into another color. A hue that he had never seen on any eye before, human or otherwise. There was a band around each pupil that was almost clear, with the lightest threads of silver and green woven within. Above them was where the real changes had occurred. The strange metallic highlights intensified as they rounded the top of each eyeball, forming a mesmerizing sheen of ethereal silver. These changes were bewildering, magical, and remarkably striking. He suspected that he would turn heads the next time he found himself walking through a crowd. It must have something to do with my new mana affinity, Nick decided after long minutes spent contemplating the dramatic changes to his appearance. The color was the same hue as his mana dart. The silver of pure mana that Nick had beheld after gaining his Force Adept trait. Now that he knew what he was looking at, he turned his attention to the clear band around each pupil, deciding that it reminded him of the flows of force mana he had witnessed during that strange experience. While it was concerning on some level to find someone new looking back at him from the other side of the glass, he decided that the overall effect was undeniably awesome. A cosmetic modification far beyond what had been possible back in his old life. ¡°Nick, meet new Nick.¡± He took a final lingering look before slipping into the tub, soaking away the stress he had worked into his muscles from his vigorous exercise. He closed his eyes, absorbed by the bliss of hot water surrounding his skin. Sometime later, Nick rose from the tub, toweled himself dry, slipped between the covers, and promptly fell asleep. Chapters One Hundred Ninety-Five and Six: Memories and Maintenance Nick woke up four hours later feeling remarkably refreshed, ready to face the day with fresh eyes and a clear head. Or the early morning in this case, since it hadn¡¯t been too long since he had fallen asleep. His enhanced Survivor trait was supercharging his productivity by adding extra hours to his daily routine. Nick suspected that before long, he wouldn¡¯t be able to remember how he had gotten by without it. By now, he was immensely glad that he had taken advantage of the opportunity to bind the trait to his bloodline, even if he wasn¡¯t sure exactly what a bloodline was just yet. Nick had a lot that he needed to accomplish over the next three days. Every hour in this safe space was a precious resource, a valuable opportunity that he had no intention of squandering. Before he jumped into the thick of things, he walked downstairs and headed into the kitchen, praying that what he was hoping to find would be waiting there to greet him. He moved over to the counter and picked up the canister with the spigot, excitement surging through him as he judged its weight in his hand. When he pulled off the top and looked inside, he broke into a broad grin. Just as he was hoping, a fresh pot of coffee had been brewing while he slept. It was still hot and ready to drink, restocked by the incredibly convenient magic governing the high-quality safe room. Nick grabbed a mug and poured himself a steaming cup of caffeinated bliss, savoring the heady aroma before taking his first sip. He drank half of it down in one go before walking over to his toolbelt and opening the smallest pocket. He fished out his crab-claw straight razor and then headed into the bathroom. The last time he had used the device to shave, he had given himself one hell of a case of razor burn. Luckily, he now had access to a variety of ointments that he could use to lubricate the blade. Nick proceeded to shave, then rinsed off the lather in the sink, enjoying the sensation of his fingertips running across his bare cheeks and lips. His stomach grumbled, requesting some breakfast, so he decided to plan out the rest of his day over a plate of whatever he found inside the magical refrigerator. Since his ponderings left his body free to perform simple tasks, he decided to make himself a proper breakfast for the first time in over a month. He stretched out his back, then walked over to the fridge, hoping that it had switched to breakfast automatically. When he opened the door and looked inside, Nick sighed in satisfaction, because he found all the makings of a classic breakfast. He left the door cracked open to make sure that the contents wouldn¡¯t change, deciding that his first objective was to analyze everything that had happened to him, from the start of the tutorial until now. From waking up on the beach, to his desperate battle in the arena. While Nick critiqued the various strategies he had employed and the choices he had made, he opened a cabinet and poked around at the cookware inside. As he analyzed his early days on the Searing Isle, he filled up a pitcher from the sink, poured himself a glass of water, picked up a metal pan, then walked back over to the refrigerator. He opened the stone door wide and removed a thick slab of bacon, half a dozen eggs, and a pair of shiny red apples. Proper Earth apples, not some weird alien variety. By this time, his review had moved on to his various close calls in the tutorial dungeon. His battle with the leeches, the horrific encounter with the parasite controlling the ratmen zombies, and his pyrrhic victory over the foreman Trell, who had gifted him with the blade he now wielded. He picked up the pan and moved it over to the cooking surfaces spread out along the countertop. He touched the gem to activate the closest burner, and after a bit of experimentation, figured out how to set the output to medium heat. By now, Nick had finished recounting his battle with the bonecruncher pack and shifted to his various encounters with the furry dinosaur he had named the lurk. He was pleased with the strategy he had concocted for dealing with the pack and his performance in executing it. Overall, he had handled himself well in his contest with the ferocious hyena-boars, efficiently using the tools at his disposal to forge a trap that had been surprisingly effective. His ambush had allowed him to slaughter the superior predators, breaking their cohesion and disrupting their ability to fight as a group. However, his run-ins with the lurk had been far too reckless. Nick had emerged unscathed by the narrowest of margins. Now that the pan was nice and hot, he separated the bacon and set the pieces inside, savoring the delectable aroma and the visceral sizzle of frying fat. He polished off one of the apples, then went to work preparing his eggs, using the hot grease filling the bottom of the pan. Seven minutes later, everything was ready, and Nick¡¯s recap was winding down. He had arrived at the spectacular climax of the tutorial¡¯s final phase. A six-way battle on the mountainside as the island sank into the sea. He was satisfied with his performance during those trying days. While not everything had gone according to plan, his calculations and preparations had boosted his odds of survival. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. That left him with two final topics to mull over as he wolfed down his hot bacon and eggs. The first was one that left him with far more questions than answers. The Mad God had been waiting for Nick in the safe room he had emerged into after stepping through the portal. He still had no real read on the insane deity. Which made sense, as the incomprehensibly powerful entity was so far beyond Nick¡¯s understanding that he couldn¡¯t even begin to guess as to Taltos¡¯s motivation and intent. He was certain, however, that some of Taltos¡¯s mannerisms were merely an act, although his cruelty was all too real. After Taltos¡¯s appearance, Nick had decided to accept his bargain, resulting in the desperate battle in the Grand Arena of Papillion, where he had won the right to upgrade his class by two rarities at once. Nick let out a sorrowful sigh as he recalled the gruesome deaths of Kevin and James. He imagined the horror that Julie must have felt on waking up alone, wondering about the fate of her missing friends. They were only the most recent losses that he had experienced, and he was left with the grim realization that there were certain to be more in the grueling days ahead. As the survivors of the human race fought for the fate of their future and their world. He took a moment to grieve for Angie, his best friend and occasional lover, who had been erased from his life when the System came to Earth. Wiping the tears away with the corner of his sleeve, he prayed that his parents and brother were ok, as well as his friends and extended family. Nick knew that statistically, only a fraction of them would have survived the shroud of annihilation and the tutorial that followed, but he refused to let go of hope. He vowed to do whatever he could to find them when he made it back to Earth. But if that was going to happen, Nick needed to endure Taltos¡¯s latest challenge first. With his resolve firm and a goal clear in his mind, he was ready to roll up his sleeves and get to work. The clock was ticking, and he needed to use every minute he had left to increase his odds once he set foot onto Blackmist Bog. After finishing his pitcher of water, he was ready to contemplate his plans for the day. He needed to revise some of his older strategies, incorporating the use of his wand and new spell. He decided that it could wait until later. He had some time-sensitive tests that he wanted to run first, involving his new flask of restoration. Before he could begin, he needed to deplete some of his stamina and mana. Before he got to the heavy lifting, he figured that he might as well take care of a few quick chores. Top of the list being his laundry. His new coveralls were still fairly clean. They were a bit sweaty, but he could wait until tomorrow to wash them. His shirt and bathrobe on the other hand, were filthy, not to mention his pack, gloves, shoes, and weapons. Fortunately, his belt, jacket, and cloak were in pristine condition, thanks to their self-maintenance modifications. Nick would give the rest a thorough cleaning before he left the safe room, but he wanted to wash his shirt and bathrobe now, so that he could wear them over the next few days. He walked over to his pile of gear, opening the flap on his magic pack to remove the robe from inside. He held up his bathrobe in front of his eyes, a bit sad at the sight that met his gaze. The once velvety fabric was now threadbare, ragged with tears and covered in countless stains that would never wash out. Although it took up a bit of room in his pack, Nick decided to hold onto the robe as a memento rather than throwing it out. Not only was it the only remaining object from his old life and world, it was a symbol of everything that he had gone through during the tutorial. Those desperate days trying to survive while learning the rules of his new existence. ¡°Thanks for everything, old friend.¡± He grabbed his shirt from the pile before heading back into the kitchen, then turned the faucet and waited until the water ran hot. He gently washed both garments in the sink, working in a few drops of soap, rinsing them clean, then wringing them out by hand. While his hands were busy, Nick tried holding his breath to test out how his enhanced Survivor trait synergized with his recent improvements to his toughness. It was amazing that he could now hold his breath for in between three and four minutes, a tangible reminder of his new magic-filled reality. When he was finished, he hung his shirt and robe out to dry by draping them over a chair in front of the window, where the sunlight could warm them over the next few hours. By now, dawn was breaking over the infinite cloudscape below, a bit late in the morning due to his incredible elevation. The giant windows must have featured some manner of auto-tinting, because he was able to watch the sunrise without having to squint or hold up his hand. Glorious. Before he got started on today¡¯s experiment, Nick walked over to where he had laid out his toolbelt and took a close look at his new flask of restoration. He noticed immediately that the elixir was almost ready for consumption. The flask was now filled with fluid, which had materialized while he slept and seemed to be slowly darkening, picking up a reddish tint. Nick was curious, so he tried to open the cap to sniff at the contents. To his surprise, the lid was impossible to remove no matter how much force he used. Not even a wiggle. It must stay sealed until it¡¯s ready to be quaffed. It shouldn¡¯t take much longer, judging from the description I read in the treasure vault. With that out of the way, he was ready to begin. His plan was to push himself hard. First training with his sword to deplete his stamina, then doing the same with his spells to bottom out his mana pool. Then he would be ready to find out what the flask could do firsthand. First things first. It¡¯s time to burn off some stamina and train up your new sword skill. Nick walked over to his pile of gear, picked up the blade, then moved into the corner of the suite designed for working out, ready to make the most out of his day and practice the art of war. Chapters One Hundred Ninety-Seven and Eight: Intermission: The Art of War Bandit sat in the branches of the tallest tree for miles around, casting his gaze out over the jungle. In the distance, a sprawling hillcrest emerged from the canopy, capped by an imposing edifice of white stone. It was the stronghold of the pig-charmer, the shadow tiger he¡¯d come to kill. Running along one side of the hill was a broad river surging with whitewater. An impenetrable barrier whose current was too swift to cross. Along the other, a deep gorge stretched on for an hour¡¯s journey in either direction, whose lightless depths the tribe had never delved. Where river met ravine, a great waterfall plummeted over the precipice. Bandit listened to its surging roar as he surveyed the ground that would soon become a battlefield, as the falls devoured a portion of the waterway before the river wrapped its way around. In front of the unobstructed side of the hill, a squadron of giant hogs patrolled the region with unwavering diligence, thanks to the pig-charmer¡¯s mind control. The army that the lemurs needed to eliminate before assassinating the dreadbeast puppet master. Bandit wished that there was a way to kill the shadow tiger who could dominate the minds of animals without slaughtering the hogs. Not only were the pigs powerful combatants, they hadn¡¯t done anything to deserve this fate. If the tigers hadn¡¯t subjugated them, the hogs would have ascended into beasts within a matter of months, perhaps becoming staunch allies instead of foes. It wasn¡¯t the tribe¡¯s way to slaughter their enemies wholesale, but they had been left with no other choice. The pigs were strong, though not as powerful individually as the beasts that Bandit had battled on the island of burning rain. But the imminent conflict would still be hard fought, and victory would come only with sacrifice. The hogs were durable and massive, not to mention fearless and impervious to pain while under the tiger¡¯s spell. At least the pig-charmer¡¯s power was limited. If he was able to control beasts, the tribe wouldn¡¯t have a chance of winning this battle, even if they were immune to the dreadbeast¡¯s ability themselves. Most of the beasts the tribe had met still acted like animals, but some were different. Most notably, the tribe that ran on eight legs and the death that walked on two. Only the shadow tigers seemed to revel in slaughter that had nothing to do with the satisfaction of a full belly, earning them the title of dreadbeast. Even when untainted tigers killed members of the tribe, it was simply the law of the jungle, despite an animosity that reached back across millennia. But when Bandit had seen how his brothers and sisters had been slain by the dreadbeasts, he knew that his options had dwindled down to three. Fight, run or die. Thinking about their guts spread across the forest floor, how their deaths must have taken hours while the tigers cut them apart piece-by-piece, filled Bandit with molten fury. But now, now they would pay. It was time for the hunters to become the hunted. The lemurs and the other awakened beasts would use the powers the Voice had granted them to fight for their place in the new world. And with great power came the responsibility for protecting the animals that hadn¡¯t made the change yet, along with the rest of the living world. Running would lead to the death of the jungle, so the tribe had decided to fight, no matter what the cost. One of Bandit¡¯s scouts came scampering up the tree to rest upon the same branch. His chattering cries communicated concepts and sensations, rather than the ¡®this sound means this thing¡¯ speech that Neek used. Only Bandit and the Elder understood that a voice could be used for more. Sometimes Bandit thought that Neek¡¯s words made sense on a deeper level, following an underlying order that Bandit could almost grasp as new parts of his brain continued to activate and evolve. He still didn¡¯t fully understand the changes that his people had undergone over the last few months, since that strange day when the Voice had arrived, filling the sky with searing flame and transporting the tribe¡¯s adult population to the surface of another world. Among them was an understanding of complex concepts, such as strategy, tactics, and the effective use of weapons of war. But pondering the matter further would have to wait. By now, they were neck deep in tiger territory. The advanced team had taken out two more scouts, losing one of their own in the process. The scouts were the weakest and lowest members of the shadow cats¡¯ hierarchy. They had no territories of their own and were forced to guard the domains of the stronger. A flaw in their creed that Bandit would use to break them. With the tiger scouts out of the way, the support team was able to move into the region, under guard from the heavy hitters, who lacked the agility of Bandit¡¯s assault unit. Their plan was to maintain the element of surprise, killing the tiger king while the other dreadbeasts were away. The tribe didn¡¯t have the strength to take out all the tigers at once. Instead, they would eliminate their strongest and cruelest member, then get out with minimal losses. Their victory wouldn¡¯t end the threat of the shadow tigers by itself, but it would throw the rest into chaos and convince the untainted tigers not to succumb to the dreadbeasts¡¯ corruption. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Before the lemurs could assassinate the dreadbeast¡¯s king, there was one other battle that had to come first. They couldn¡¯t reach the king¡¯s stronghold with the pig-charmer standing in the way. The hogs bred rapidly, had sharp senses, and were incredibly durable. The tigers were using them as grunts for their army. There weren¡¯t enough of them yet to guard the entirety of the dreadbeasts¡¯ vast claim, but there were enough to ring the domain of the tiger king, and a few select positions. Killing the pig-charmer would cause the boars to run wild, removing them from the tigers¡¯ forces and poking a hole in their defenses. With any luck the pigs would turn upon their former masters, taking retribution on their captors the moment they were freed. By the time that the tiger king understood what was really going on, the tribe would be at his throat and their showdown would commence. Bandit barked out an order and the lemurs began to advance, making their way to the edge of the tree line. The trees had been their home since time immemorial, but today they would leave them and fight upon the ground. The pigs had razed the jungle for miles around. Fortunately, Bandit had ample experience fighting on hillsides, thanks to his trial on the island. Today, the tribe would fight in formation, using the tactics they¡¯d invented and some Neek had taught them, which they had improved on since returning from the island. It was only possible because of the reward that the Voice had granted them. Weapons and tools suited to the evolving bodies of beasts, subtly different than those made for human hands. With them, the lemurs had begun to develop a range of specializations, roles never before seen in the history of their species. The Voice had granted them snap-on harnesses that gripped their weapons while they ran. Gear that could repair and maintain itself. Bandit¡¯s forces consisted of several groups of such specialists. They included assault fighters wielding blades, and archers carrying bows designed for creatures that ran on four feet instead of two. There were shield bearers who carried nets, a handful of earth casters and assorted magic users, and the heavy hitters, who wielded a collection of two-handed great clubs and long weapons. The last would be especially important today. The lemurs didn¡¯t use crude wooden spears like Neek made anymore. The Voice had given them something specifically designed to counter their four-legged foes. Heavy pikes. Mind filled with thoughts of war, Bandit flung himself from the branches of the last tree and landed on the ground, the noonday sun shining high above. All around him, his brothers and sisters fell into formation. The supply unit helped them with their gear, then retreated into the canopy until the fighting was over. Without hesitation the lemurs began to march, ready to win this battle and then the war. The hogs would see them any second, but Bandit was determined to draw first blood while they were still scattered across the hillside. He drew in a full breath, opened his mouth, and let loose a battle cry, which was taken up and down the line. With that, he drew his fang and charged, heading for the first line of hogs ringing the hillside. He could hear pigs wailing as they caught sight of the lemurs. Feel the earth pounding as their massive bodies broke into motion. They were coming. They were still disorganized, but at any moment¡­ That was when he heard a snarl, filled with venomous hate. Bandit looked up to take in the sight of his target. The pig-charmer had emerged from his den to take control of his forces. Moving the hogs into position would take some time, since he could only issue orders to one animal at once. Bandit locked his gaze upon his enemy, anger gleaming in his eyes. But killing the tiger would have to wait. The first wave of hogs was almost upon them. The tribe had pressed as far as it could without creating an opening; the battle had truly begun. Bandit cried out an order and the lemurs came to a stop, chittering their support to one another. The shield bearers planted their shields in the dirt while the other units fanned out in a half circle. The pikemen stepped forward, lifting their heavy weapons with bodies that had specialized in raw power. They arranged their weapons between the shields, forming a curve like the back of a hedgehog. The shield bearers readied their nets, preparing to fling them and then brace for a charge. The earth-casters began drawing mana from the jungle, and hundreds of stones rose from the ground to go dancing over their heads. The bowmen nocked their arrows and took aim, ready to let loose. The ground shook with the force of the pigs¡¯ charge, a rumble Bandit felt deep in his bones. He could smell the stench of the hogs¡¯ bodies, who no longer took care of themselves like regular animals. Closer and closer they came, until at last it was time. The moment that they were in range, the lemurs let loose their might, hurling a barrage into the hogs¡¯ teeth. Arrows flew beside nets. Rocks alongside jets of flame. Bandit¡¯s heart raced, the battle only heartbeats away from breaking over him. The tribe¡¯s barrage arced and came down, lancing into the first wave of pigs. Squeals rang out as the missiles struck flesh, taking down a dozen hogs and wounding many more. But they kept right on coming, trampling their unfortunate brethren without a second glance. With an impact he could feel in his skull, the first wave of hogs hit the lemurs¡¯ line. Six of them died on the ends of pikes, but the rest kept right on coming, pushing their way past their dying kin. Bandit ordered the pikes to pull back and start guarding the flanks, then stepped into the opening in the lemurs¡¯ formation. It was time for the fang-wielders to shine. He set his gaze upon a burly black pig that was bigger than the rest, conjuring a fireball while raising his weapon. It was time. His moment had arrived. Bandit sent his spell streaking toward his foe and then leapt for her throat, blade reflecting the sun high above as he fought for the future of his people. Concept Art: Chapters 188-198 Just a reminder, I completely respect that not everyone likes the inclusion/existence of AI art, so I''ve put it in it''s own chapter so that it''s easy to skip and not shown side by side with the story. If it''s not your thing, I totally understand where you are coming from. This concept art is included entirely for fun, and will never be sold or monetized in any way. It will never be as good as your imagination, so if it doesn''t fit with the version of something in your head, go with your imagination instead. Old Nick New Nick (these are really hard to make, so this was as close as I could get to showing his new eyes) Another version If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Nick standing in front of the painting "The Shroud of Annihilation" A few alternate versions Device that replicates the spectrum of mana Alien music player The tower at night A taste of home Bandit leading his people to war Chapters One Hundred Ninety-Nine and Two-Hundred: The Art of the Blade Nick sat cross-legged on the mat with his sword across his knees. His form was silhouetted against the limitless heavens stretching beyond his window. He closed his eyes and turned his focus inward, letting his breath flow slow and deep, waiting patiently for his mind to grow still. Breath by breath, Nick let everything else go, focusing on the physicality of his body and the weight of his blade. Over time, thoughts rose to the surface of his mind of their own accord. Recollections of desperate battles fought and won. Of triumph, tragedy, and good people lost along the way. Memories of his family, his world, and a life that he would never know again. He watched as these images floated across the theater of his mind¡¯s eye before sinking below the threshold of awareness once more, waiting until nothing remained but the here and now. Sometime later, Nick opened his eyes, surprised to discover that the sun was hanging high in the sky above. By this point, the blade in his lap almost felt like an extension of his own body. He looked down as he ran his fingertips across the sword¡¯s pitted surfaces. The missing pockets and patches of metal that had been consumed by the magical parasite known as the crimson blight. He traced the ragged break where the pommel stone had been snapped off completely. What is your story, my mysterious friend? What wonders have you witnessed, and horrors have you endured, far beyond my understanding? Sensing that the moment was right, Nick took hold of the hilt and rose to his feet. He began his training by examining the properties of his weapon of choice, starting with the grip. Wrapped tight over the sword¡¯s metal core were bands of fibrous tissue, pulled taut to form an intricate swirling pattern. The wrappings were impervious to damage as far as he could tell, yet soft enough to stop his flesh from being shredded by the power of his strikes. The material was tacky enough to keep his grip from slipping, even when immersed in water or covered in blood. The hand-and-a-half hilt was long enough to wield the sword in both hands, which was good, since Nick wasn¡¯t nearly strong enough to swing the heavy blade with one arm just yet. Although he could tell that it had been forged with that option in mind. The hilt guard swept down to shield his fingers before bending back up to catch blade or claw. The sword¡¯s blade was long and gently curved, sharp along one edge to maximize the cutting force as the blade impacted and was drawn across its target. There was an intricate hamon worked into the metal, which reminded him of the markings on a katana. The tip came down to a wickedly sharp point, so fine that he had a hard time focusing on the place where steel ended and air began. The metalwork was elegant but unadorned, free of engravings or embellishment other than its hamon. The sword needed none. Every inch of the weapon radiated a regal lethality, even in its diminished state. Nick didn¡¯t need experience to know that it was a masterwork, forged by an artisan beneath the light of an alien star. As Trell had implied, there was far more to the sword than its mere physicality. It had yet to take any damage since he had begun wielding it into battle, let alone being used to carve Trell¡¯s legacy into raw bedrock. If anything, the sword was even sharper than when he had found it, the ragged saw-like edge slowly healing over time. The inexplicable restoration hinted at magic at work, even if the System refused to reveal the blade¡¯s origin or properties. Now that the sword¡¯s totality was etched into Nick¡¯s consciousness, he raised his gaze and began to move. To begin, he placed all his concentration into how the movement of his shoulders and the twist of his hips changed the angle of the blade. Ready to start incorporating some footwork, he kept his gaze facing straight ahead, resisting the temptation to track the weapon with his eyes. Instead, he tried to sense the length of sharpened steel as if it were an extension of his arms, moving naturally in accordance with his will. He had only been fighting with the weapon for a few weeks, but in that moment, he arrived at an epiphany. If he truly wanted to master the blade, Nick needed to be able to track its position unerringly in space first. Develop an unconscious awareness of where the sword¡¯s point and edge were at all times in relation to his body. Beyond that, he needed to sense its balance and momentum. How its trajectory would flow naturally into the next move that he made. Not only so that he could bring his sword to bear upon his foes with a higher degree of precision, but also so he could swing it using every point of his growing attributes without maiming himself in the process. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Slowly, focusing on mindful control rather than power or speed, Nick raised the sword in front of him and brought the blade down. He began executing a series of glacially slow slashes along each of the eight basic angles that were the foundation of all weapon techniques. He began with a vertical chop along his midline, then worked his way around, practicing each strike in a clockwise rotation until he was back where he began. The moment that he completed the final slash and his grip was firm, he stepped forward and thrust. A clean transfer of power combining his mass and momentum, bringing the tip sliding home into a point finer than the head of a needle. During each attack, he bent his focus toward developing his awareness of the reach of his weapon. The range from where he could initiate an effective strike in a single move. Ideally, he would fight within the reach of his blade whenever possible, remaining beyond his opponent¡¯s to give him more time to dodge and counter. Then Nick raised the sword over his head and started the whole sequence over again. As he warmed to his practice, he lost track of the passage of time. Sweat dripped down his body to patter against the matting below. Still living within the eternal now, responding to a primal instinct, Nick imagined that a komo was standing before him, one of the aggressive carnivores he had fought back on the Searing Isle. He focused on that image, shutting out the world around him, until the giant lizard was the only thing that existed except for Nick and his sword. The exercise was an extension of the shadow boxing technique that he had been practicing over the last few weeks. This time, the image was even sharper than before, due to his recent improvement to his creativity. Watching the vicious reptile circle him, he could make out every fold of skin. Every tooth and claw, in clear, crisp detail. See the beast¡¯s muscles moving beneath its hide as it positioned itself to attack. Follow its feet and its gaze as it committed to an angle of approach and then charged with blinding speed. It¡¯s coming in low. It¡¯s trying to hamstring me! Without conscious intent, he stepped to one side, bringing the sword around in a tight arc in front of his knees. His blade met his imagined foe square in the neck, cleaving through flesh and bone in turn before shearing its head from its shoulders in a bright spray of blood. Before he had a chance to lower his guard, a sensation of imminent danger caused Nick to leap to one side, narrowly avoiding the attacks of not one, but two additional komos that had decided to join the battle, sneaking up on him while he was distracted. The twin beasts came surging for his position, circling to opposite sides to divide his attention and poke a hole in his guard. Knowing that if he made a single mistake, the komos would overwhelm him, Nick began to dance, the lizards hissing as they came at him from two sides at once. Half forgetting that this was all a projection of his recently upgraded imagination, he began dodging and leaping. Slashing and thrusting. Doing everything that he could to remain unbloodied without losing his awareness of his body and blade. He was slowly developing the sense that a battle wasn¡¯t the mere sum of a hundred disjointed motions, but a single interwoven exhibition of intention and force. As closely connected as the cells of a living organism. After a while, Nick switched it up, swapping out the carnivorous komos with some of the other beasts he had battled back on the Searing Isle. He began with a group of swordclaw crabs, then moved onto the brutal bonecruncher pack, before taking on one of the ratmen he had fought in the sewers of Kastilla. His concentration finally broke an hour later when he tried to summon the lurk. Not because Nick¡¯s imagination failed him on this occasion, but because it did not. The multi-ton apex predator was so present, so real within the theater of his mind¡¯s eye, that he knew with utter certainty that nothing he could do would work. The stark truth was that Nick could never hope to overcome an opponent of the lurk¡¯s caliber with his current attributes and abilities. At least not with his sword alone. Even holding it back long enough to beat a hasty retreat felt impossible, let alone the laughable goal of wounding or slaying the majestically lethal beast. As the image of the lurk wavered out of existence, his body came to a shuddering stop. The hilt of his sword slipped through fatigue-numbed fingers to clatter against the matting below. Coming out of his battle trance, he was shocked to discover that the moon was now high in the silver sky. Day had given way to night without him being remotely aware of time¡¯s passage, so total was his concentration. He wandered into the kitchen to drink straight from the faucet, moving onto the fridge when he realized that he was starving. While he went to work devouring a bowl of what tasted like spicy lamb curry, Nick walked over to the display and pulled up his profile. Through use, you have improved the following skills: Sword has increased from [0] to [2]. Nick was thrilled to discover that he had gained not one, but two skill points during his lengthy training session, likely due to his intense concentration and prior experience in wielding the sword. It was rare to make such rapid gains through training alone, and he knew that he was lucky to have solidified the improvement within the span of a single session. I wonder if it was because my opponents were so real to me this time. He had been so absorbed by the exercise that he hadn¡¯t even thought to track his progress until his workout was complete. Although night had fallen, Nick still had plenty of energy. So, after taking a quick shower to rinse off his sweat, he went back to the exercise room to clear the second condition required to perform his experiment, draining his mana pool while testing his new trait and trying out his new spell. Chapters Two Hundred One and Two: Mastery of Magic Enjoying the afterglow of a full belly, Nick lowered himself back onto the mat, crossed his legs, and closed his eyes once more. For a long while, he merely focused on his breath, drawing his awareness away from the outside world and into his body. The gentle rise and fall of his lungs were deeply soothing, something so simple compared to the chaos that had broken over his life like an endless, raging storm. The chaos that would inevitably follow when the deluge engulfed him once more. But not yet. Not today. Right now, only the air passing through his nose and the beating of Nick¡¯s heart intruded on his consciousness. It was a rare moment of calm, free of stress and fear. A genuine instant of serenity, without a trace of adrenaline surging through his bloodstream. The lack of external pressure made the minutes seem to stretch on forever, like a song without end. The exercise was so uncomplicated that its purity was almost painful, contrasted against everything that had come before. Eventually, his instincts told him that he was ready to move on. Keeping his breathing slow and steady, Nick encouraged his awareness to permeate his body, reaching ever deeper while seeking the core of energy two inches below his heart. Eventually, he became aware of a pulsating point of concentrated magic. The font and receptacle for his mana that he had first felt when the System jumpstarted his energetic channels. That he could perceive to a lesser extent each time he spent a free point to increase his magic attribute. Nick was still a novice in this pursuit. Still working through the initial stages of being able to perceive his core unaided, failing far more often than he succeeded. But he didn¡¯t let his inexperience discourage him. He just kept on breathing slow and steady, guiding his awareness ever deeper, seeking that warm point of power within his chest. He could sense that his efforts were close to bearing fruit, but he couldn¡¯t quite lock his perceptions upon his core. It felt like he was looking in the right direction, but he didn¡¯t understand exactly what he was looking for. Once he was certain that he was as close as he was going to get, without breaking his concentration, Nick gathered his will and signaled his intention to activate his first spell, mana dart. Two seconds later, a silvery missile winked into existence, flickering like a candle¡¯s flame before locking into a stable configuration and rising to circle his head. Still focusing on the space below his heart, he opened his eyes, grinning from ear to ear as he took in the appearance of his spell. Not only had he felt something subtle move when the spell coalesced, his mana dart looked so much cooler than before. Badass, he laughed as he ran his eyes across his upgraded spell. His mana dart had been enhanced from placing several free points into magic, but even more so by the amplification provided by his new trait, Force Adept. The pulsating dart had grown to twice the size it had been when Nick first cast the spell, back on that lonely stretch of beach on the Searing Isle. The dart was brighter now too, enough to light his path in a pinch, although he was loath to burn mana for such a mundane purpose. But even more impressive than its new size and luminosity were the changes to the spell¡¯s shape. No longer a wedge-shaped needle of silver light, the dart now featured a crisp geometry. The body had become a steep pyramid with a perfectly flat base, tapering to form a wickedly sharp point. As usual, Nick felt a vague sense of connection with the magical missile. An impression of its position as the dart continued circling his head like a miniature satellite. He walked over to the display to check the time, then sat down in his chair, letting everything else fade away except for the feeling of the spell soaring above his head. He came back to himself when his connection began to weaken. The dart¡¯s silvery light had started to dim, and he could sense that it would expire sometime within the next few seconds. Stolen story; please report. Before the spell died out, he visualized a trajectory and sent the dart streaking across the room. The silver wedge made it a little over halfway before popping out of existence with a faint musical ping. Nick checked the time, surprised at what he saw on the screen. I was able to hold it for nine minutes. That¡¯s a significant improvement in duration. He grinned in response to the surge of satisfaction he felt on witnessing the growth of his ability. Its range is longer than before too. At least a ten-foot gain at a rough estimate. Let¡¯s assume that the damage the spell inflicts scales at roughly the same rate. It feels like the bigger dart costs more mana, but with the improved efficiency granted by Force Adept, I¡¯ll have to run some tests to see how many darts I can cast per day and how quickly my core refills. Now it¡¯s time to find out what my new spell can do. Piercing ray, pleased to meet you. I have a feeling that we¡¯re going to be the best of friends. Nick chuckled at his own whimsy, then gathered his will once more. He sent his concentration into the rudimentary pathways that had been implanted when the System granted him the spell after changing his class. He couldn¡¯t deny that he was incredibly excited. Not only to have increased his offensive options, but on a deeper, fundamental level. After all, being able to wield magic and cast spells was the realization of his childhood dream. Feeling the magic coalesce was an act that would never grow old, even though it was gradually becoming a regular part of his existence. He shifted his weight onto the front of his seat, eager to discover what shape piercing ray would take. For the ghost of a moment, Nick felt something stir. Something tugging at his core, just a bit below his heart. He had a brief sensation of magic starting to form, drawing in far more mana than the dart he had just cast, before the feeling cut off completely, like the growing mass of magic had been nipped in the bud. He learned the reason why two seconds later, when a System message appeared in front of his eyes. Piercing ray may not be cast within a safe area. He waited until the words faded into nothingness before deciding how to proceed. There was no further explanation, but Nick took this development to be a promising sign. If the System wouldn¡¯t let him cast piercing ray inside the safe room, then it stood to reason that the spell must be dangerous. Hopefully in a ¡°only to my enemies¡± kind of way. He wasn¡¯t discouraged in the least. It just meant that he would have to save the test run of piercing ray until he was out on the bog. There was still plenty of training that he could do with mana dart here and now. After returning his attention to his energetic core, Nick gathered his will once more, conjuring three mana darts back-to-back within the span of ten seconds. They went whirling around his head, throwing soft and shifting shadows across the room. Somehow, he felt certain that this was the limit on the number of darts he could maintain at once. Fortunately, he couldn¡¯t imagine too many circumstances where he would benefit from preparing a bigger batch of mana darts in advance. Now that he had examined the spell up close, tested its duration and distance, and found the limit on the number of darts he could sustain simultaneously, there were a few things left that he wanted to try. The first was to see if he could guide the flight of multiple missiles at once. Accompanied by the trio of orbiting darts, Nick walked over to where he had piled up various objects to train his throwing skill and selected three large pots. He set them across the room at different heights and distances, including one behind the chair where he would have to curve the spell¡¯s trajectory to strike his target. He moved over to the window and focused his will. Strengthening his connection to each spell while visualizing the path he wanted it to take. He traced a straight path for two of the missiles, while imagining the third curving up before arcing down to land in the pot behind the couch. Holding three trajectories in his mind at once took considerable effort, even with the recent improvements to his creativity and mind. Eventually, he was able to see all three flight paths that he wanted his spells to follow. Before his concentration broke, Nick signaled his intention, willing all three darts to fire at once. To his delight, the trio of missiles leapt into motion, each streaking toward their intended target, leaving trails of silver light in their wake like chromatic tails. Both of the straight shots hit their pot, although neither landed perfectly in the middle. The third wound up clipping the top of the couch instead of bending around the piece of furniture, dissipating before it came out the other side. Chapters Two Hundred Three and Four: Mana Sickness I must have let my focus wane just before I fired, Nick decided. Still, two out of three isn¡¯t bad and I think I can improve my accuracy if I practice. He was pleased with his progress, since he had learned that many beasts could sense magical energy. Thus, being able to fire multiple spells at once along complex trajectories would increase his range of options mid-battle, allowing him to land more hits more reliably. After checking in with his energetic core, he could sense that he still had enough mana left for one final dart, although conjuring it would drain his reserves completely. He decided to use the opportunity to send a dart along the most complex flightpath that he could imagine, then move on to experimenting with his flask. However, the attempt didn¡¯t wind up working out quite how he¡¯d planned. The instant that he summoned his final dart, he was overcome with a wave of disorientation. He sat down as fast as he could, so he wouldn¡¯t faceplant due to the vertigo that had risen to engulf him. His thoughts were muddled, his body felt weak, and it was all Nick could do to keep himself from passing out on the spot. It felt like his body was covered in ants, an itching crawling sensation moving along every inch of his skin. His ears began to ring, so loud that he had trouble hearing the sound of his own thoughts. His sense of smell was muddled, and even his taste was affected. Waves of sour and spice, sweetness and rot, broke over his palate, making bile rise hot in his throat. Well, this really fucking sucks. Let¡¯s try not to do it again. This condition must be related to running out of mana, he forced himself to think through the cloying haze, lying flat on the floor while looking up at the ceiling. While he had felt a bit of discombobulation after draining his mana before, it had been nothing like this. Just a momentary flash of disequilibrium, instead of a fugue state comparable to being black out drunk. It must get worse the higher that I raise my magic attribute, he mused, pleased to discover that he was already beginning to recover. While it would be a critical liability in battle, at least it wouldn¡¯t cost him part of the day to recover. As his thoughts gradually returned to their usual clarity, he decided to call the phenomenon ¡®mana sickness.¡¯ He was still too out of it to visualize a trajectory for his dart, so Nick let the spell fizzle out while he contemplated his discovery. If mana sickness was only going to get worse as he became more powerful, Nick needed to make sure that he never ran completely out of juice in battle. Another key variable to keep in mind as he progressed along the path of magic. Maybe I can take advantage of the phenomenon by hitting my opponents with a mana dart when they¡¯re already low on mana. Then the spell can steal the last bit, sending them over the edge and into this debilitating state. Five minutes later, the last traces of mana sickness had passed. The trickle of mana that had accumulated within Nick¡¯s core seemed sufficient to prevent the condition from manifesting. He tried his best to sense the cutoff point now, while he was just above the cusp. On a brighter note, now was a perfect time for him to try out his flask of restoration for the first time. He was low on stamina, and near the bottom of his mana pool. It was an ideal opportunity to judge the extent to which the elixir restored his energetic reserves. While the description had stated that it would refill a quarter of each resource, he needed to know what that meant on a visceral, instinctual level. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Since he had no way of seeing his mana or stamina as a numerical value, the percentage was an abstraction, and he needed concrete results. Nick was excited to try out his rare item reward for the first time regardless, and while it was less important than the rest, he was curious to find out how the magical elixir tasted. Buzzing with anticipation, he pulled himself off the floor, walked over to his pile of gear to retrieve his flask, then sat down in his chair. He held the crystal container in front of his eyes, examining the changes it had undergone since he had last looked at it, eager to experience the item he had won after his month-long ordeal on the Searing Isle. The flask was now completely full, a rose-colored liquid fizzing with tiny bubbles like the elixir was carbonated. When Nick held the flask in a beam of sunlight and looked through it, he could see tiny golden flakes swirling within the elixir, like one of those fancy drinks people ordered at high-end bars. Ready to find out what the elixir could do, he used his thumb to pop the lid open. Now that it was ready to use, the cap came off without resistance. Before he drank it down, he brought the flask up to his nose and took an experimental sniff, pleased to discover that the fluid had a pleasant aroma of citrus and spice, strong enough that it cut through the lingering effects of mana sickness. He brought it to his lips and drained the contents in a single gulp. Nick sighed in contentment because the elixir was delicious. The taste reminded him of mangos and basil, with just a hint of lemon and lime. It wasn¡¯t an exact match to the flavors that came to mind, but it was the closest comparison that his brain could make, given his limited experience with alien culinary sensations. It went down smoothly and left a pleasant aftertaste on his tongue. The moment that the mysterious magical fluid hit his stomach, he started feeling better. His energetic core began burning brighter, like someone had tossed another log onto a dying fire. The exhaustion from his intense exercise session evaporated, like warm sunlight dispelling morning mist. His warped senses and perception righted themselves within a matter of moments, and Nick let out a long sigh of relief, resolved to never let himself run out of mana again if he could possibly help it. The effect continued over the next minute before tapering off, leaving him feeling much better than before. It hadn¡¯t completely recharged his stamina or mana, as the elixir only restored a quarter of his pool. But it was enough to make a major difference, especially when Nick was near the bottom of his reserves. He was extremely pleased with the results, satisfied that he had chosen wisely from his options in the treasure vault. He had some other tests that he wanted to run at some point, but they weren¡¯t as vital as understanding what the elixir did on a fundamental level. For example, if he drank half of the elixir, would he receive half of the benefits, or was it an all or nothing deal. Questions for another day. With his major goals for the day met, Nick was ready to relax for the rest of the evening. He spent several hours listening to the alien music player, dancing until he had worked up quite a sweat. He didn¡¯t reach the same level of trance that he had the day before, but the exercise was still incredibly enjoyable. He just wished that he had a way of recording the songs, so that he could listen to them later and share them with his friends and family once he made it back to Earth. After running through the shower, he stretched out while gazing upon the great cloud ocean below, then made himself dinner. On the menu tonight was a pair of loaded baked potatoes, some kind of fish stew, and, most delightful of all, a massive slice of cherry pie. He had worked up quite an appetite during his day of training, and he wolfed down the main course enthusiastically before reaching for the pie. It was the first dessert that Nick had eaten since waking up in his new life and he devoured every last crumb before licking the plate clean. Satisfied with his progress for the day, Nick slid between the covers and closed his eyes, ready to enjoy four hours of sleep before getting back to work in the morning. Chapters Two Hundred Five through Seven: Intermission: Shadow and Stone Bandit ducked beneath a pair of razored tusks and lashed out with his blade, severing artery and nerve then leaping back when the pig tried to trample him. His opponent took a final, staggering step and collapsed, the life fading from her eyes at last. The giant pigs were just so damn tough. They took twice as many hits as most animals their size before going down, and were impervious to pain to boot. Bandit stopped to catch his breath, as black motes of exhaustion danced before his eyes, casting his gaze across the corpse-strewn hillside. The scent of blood hung heavy in the air, so thick that he could taste it, the metallic bite merging with the electric adrenaline flowing through his veins. Everywhere he looked, lemurs and hogs were killing one another, as the tribe fought its way up the hillside to where the pig-charmer was directing his forces. The evil fucker seemed almost bored as his minions gave up their lives to protect his own. The tribe was lucky that the tigers had almost no experience in conducting a military campaign, defeating most of their enemies through sheer numbers alone. Thus, while the battle was grueling and Bandit¡¯s friends were dying all around him, the fight was going better than he¡¯d dared to hope. The shield-and-pike phalanxes were devastating the heavy creatures, the long weapons turning the hogs¡¯ mass and momentum against them. Scores of pigs with pike wounds through their torsos littered the rocky soil, the bodies so thick they had created choke points that slowed the hogs¡¯ advance. The shield wall had minimized the casualties they¡¯d taken in return, although there had been several breaches that the tribe had paid in blood to seal. While the melees held the line, the archers and mages defended the rear, their ceaseless barrage keeping reinforcements from falling on the lemurs from behind. At least for now. A few of the hogs patrolling the jungle had answered the pig-charmer¡¯s call, rushing back to the hill to defend their master. So far, it hadn¡¯t been enough to overwhelm the tribe¡¯s ranged specialists. On that note, Bandit traced the path of a flight of arrows as they rained down upon a trio of hogs who were running along the riverside, followed by a cluster of rocks the size of his body. Arrow and stone struck true, slaughtering the pigs, leaving them broken and bleeding in the grass until they breathed their last. As promising as these developments were, it was a grim, touch-and-go situation. While the hogs died by the dozen, there were far too many left, and Bandit¡¯s forces still had to climb the final third of the hillside. He didn¡¯t have time to watch the battle play out on the periphery of their formation. He had to focus on his mission, killing the charmer and ending the fight. He would have to trust his captains to handle the rest. Right now, Bandit had his own job to do. The pig-charmer was guarded by a trio of tiger scouts, standing behind a contingent of the meanest hogs that Bandit had ever seen. But he was determined to break through, before too many of his people perished. The fight would end the moment that the shadow tiger died, then the tribe would disengage and retreat into the jungle. Ready to make his final push, Bandit called up a unit of heavy club-wielders from the reserve, along with a trio of pikemen. The lemurs fell in with the advanced unit and began climbing the hill. He let out a bark to let his assault team know that it was time to engage, stopped to cut the throat of a hog who had broken through the line, then began charging straight up the hillside. At least the charmer wouldn¡¯t retreat into his den when the fight reached the hillcrest. A show of weakness would turn his own kind against him, lowering his place in the shadow tiger¡¯s hierarchy. Pigs raced to stop them, taking pressure off the lemurs¡¯ flanks as the animals pulled back to protect their master, leaving them vulnerable to attacks from behind. The reaction was predictable, since the dreadbeasts valued no life other than their own. Hoping for this exact outcome, Bandit already had a counter underway. At his signal, the archers and earth casters turned their might toward the hilltop, thinning out the incoming pigs and blunting the force of their charge. Two groups of assault fighters wielding weapons comparable to his own raced among the wounded animals, slitting throats and hamstringing limbs, preventing them from reaching Bandit¡¯s unit. He set his eyes on the hilltop, ready to take out the elite hogs and their master beyond. Bandit broke into a sprint, spearheading his unit while the rest of the tribe darted forward, keeping the pigs from falling back. He began burning stamina, pushing his body into a greater burst of speed, streaking across the hillcrest with his unit beside him, knowing that the pivotal moment of the battle had arrived. In another twenty seconds, Bandit would be at the charmer¡¯s throat, leaving the tiger¡¯s guard to the rest of his team. Ten seconds. Five. That was when everything changed in the blink of an eye. One second, the lemurs were mopping up the remnants of the tigers¡¯ forces, ready to take on the charmer¡¯s elite guard, and the next the world grew dim. It was as if someone had flung mud and splattered it across the sun, plunging the jungle from sunny noon into dusky twilight within a scant handful of heartbeats. All along the murky hillside, shadows writhed their way across the earth like an endless river of serpents. Some bands of blackness were thinner than the others, letting wan strips of sunlight bleed through. It cast an ever-shifting net across the hilltop, like a living latticework of scars. In the heart of that dark moment, Bandit cast his senses beyond his body. When he felt a surge of wrongness in reply, he understood what was happening. It was clear in that moment that this was no ordinary darkness, but foul magic he¡¯d only seen from a distance until now. He cast his gaze across the hilltop, only to have his worst fears confirmed. Because walking out of the pig-charmer''s lair, wreathed in a mantle of coruscating shadow, was the tiger king himself. The leader of the dreadbeasts corrupting the heart of the jungle and the tribe¡¯s mortal enemy. The king was a grizzled old male, half again bigger than the rest. A wicked scar ran all the way down one side of his face, leaving his ear in tatters. Every inch of his body was covered in dense, rippling muscle. Every move was lithe and agile, like oil flowing over water. Most disconcerting of all, instead of the normal black bands that all tigers wear, the dreadbeast king was striped in living shadow. A striking testament to his dark art. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. Bandit knew in that moment that he¡¯d been lured into a trap. That the tigers had sacrificed the hogs without a second thought to draw the tribe up the hillside. That before they could hope to escape, the teeth of that trap would come swinging shut. Hoping against hope, Bandit sounded the retreat, but it was already too late. In between the drawing of one breath and the next, the shadows blanketing the hillside came alive. The patch of midnight closest to him began to shimmer and warp, the magic fading away as something walked out of it. As bile rose hot within his throat, a creature born of nightmare stepped into the waking world. It looked like no animal or beast that Bandit had ever seen, not in the jungle and not on the island. Instead of hands, feet, hoofs, or paws, the shadowspawn ran on dozens of blades, each as long as Bandit¡¯s fang. It was impossibly slim when facing him directly. Though it had a head, it had no eyes, ears, or other sensory organs, just a wicked mouth filled with row after row of needle-sharp teeth. It gave off no scent and no presence. Had no blood in its veins or a heart to pump it through. The thing was wrong in a way that he¡¯d never felt before, a shaping of the dreadbeast¡¯s tainted magic. The instant that it came to life, the shadowspawn struck in a flash, leaping atop the nearest lemur and tearing her to pieces. She was dead before she had time to scream, body reduced to ragged tatters of flesh and fur upon the hillside. All around him, his people were screaming and dying, as the shadowspawn multiplied with every beat of his heart. Bandit desperately tried to come up with a plan, but nothing he could think of would work. All time for thought came to an end when the shadow-thing turned and came straight at him. Bandit wanted nothing more than to run for everything he was worth, but he couldn¡¯t. He wouldn¡¯t. Not with his friends counting on him. The shadowspawn streaked for his throat, moving like no creature born of this Earth. It glanced off a dozen blows along the way, as if weapons of steel meant nothing to it. That realization was the only thing that saved his life. Fortunately, steel wasn¡¯t the only weapon that Bandit had. Just before the blade-studded horror reached him, he finished casting his spell, hurling a fireball straight into the shadow¡¯s teeth. Bandit prayed that this would work. If it didn¡¯t, he wouldn¡¯t live long enough to regret his mistake. But he had sensed on a deep, fundamental level that when magic meets magic of the same potency, shadow is weak against light. It appeared that his intuition was correct. The thing¡¯s head exploded and then vanished like smoke, the rest of its body dissipating a heartbeat later. Either the light or the force of the blast had unmade it. Bandit couldn¡¯t tell, and he honestly didn¡¯t care. It seemed that the tiger king¡¯s shadow army was vulnerable to magic, at least against certain elements. But that welcome bit of good news was all there was to be found. While flame had been enough to save Bandit, it wasn¡¯t enough to save the tribe. Most of the lemurs¡¯ mages were earth casters. Only a few could wield other elements. The rocks they threw weren¡¯t nearly as effective, although they did slow the shadowspawn down, buying the lemurs precious seconds to react. Regardless, they would only endure for another few minutes at most. Soon, their line would collapse, and the slaughter would begin. Bandit knew that his only chance was to take out the king. To break his spell before the shadowspawn were among them like claws in the dark. Before he committed to what would likely be the last act of his life, he glanced over his shoulder to survey the battlefield, afraid of what he would see. He was surprised to discover that the hogs had pulled back, even the elite unit on the hilltop. Apparently, they were so afraid of the taint-spawned shadows that it pierced the pig-charmer¡¯s control. Not completely, but enough to let the pigs pull back. Not that Bandit could blame them. The shadows scared him so much that his body was shaking. But that was the extent of the tribe¡¯s good fortune. As he had feared, hundreds more shadow-things had come to life, encircling the lemur warriors. They tightened around their position like a creeper vine around his throat, drawing closer with every passing second. Lemurs were dying with every breath that he took, but the worst was yet to come. Within another handful of heartbeats, the bladed shadows would pour over them in a razored tide, and they would all be dead. The future of their species dying alongside them. But Bandit wasn¡¯t about to let that happen. Not while his lungs still drew breath, and his hands could grip a blade. He would put an end to this now, no matter what it cost him. He set his gaze upon the dreadbeast king, shrieked out his fury, and charged. Half of his assault unit came with him, while the rest held the shadowspawn back at the cost of their lives. Shutting out the screams of the dying, at last, Bandit arrived at the hilltop. The pig-charmer came at him, seeking to win favor with his master, but Bandit drove him back with a cluster of fireballs. The tribe¡¯s elite forces followed up, going in for the kill, lemurs fighting tigers until one side breathed their last. But in the heart of that moment, Bandit didn¡¯t even notice. He only had eyes for the king. Over the last desperate seconds, he had come up with a plan. He only had one shot at this, and it wasn¡¯t going to work if the dreadbeast monarch saw it coming. He cried out, signaling the final pair of earth casters who were still by his side, then scampered on top of a boulder resting beside a bigger rock. Pulse pounding in his ears, adrenaline surging in his veins, he felt magic coalescing beneath him, as both stones began to rise. Half a heartbeat later, the first boulder shot straight for the king, screaming through the air as it approached the master of shadows. A bare instant before the boulder struck true, the tiger leapt out of the way with liquid grace, letting the rock go rushing over his head. That was when the dreadbeast saw the second boulder, which had been hidden behind the first. By this point, Bandit was streaking through the sky, riding the rock that was sailing straight for the tiger lord. A lesser creature would have been hit, but the king was so agile that he leapt out of the way at the last possible second, the boulder missing his head by mere inches. Instead of being the end of the tribe, the move offered them a final hope of living through the day. Because that was exactly what Bandit had been counting on. He had leapt off the boulder half a second before, anticipating where the tiger would land. He spread his arms wide and hit the king broadside, the impact so intense that it fractured his ribs. Bandit gripped tight and let momentum carry them both down the far side of the hill, where the grade was so steep that it was almost a cliff. Round and round they tumbled, soil and sky changing position with wild abandon. Even now, the king didn¡¯t panic. He scrambled for purchase, clawing at Bandit all the while. But Bandit shifted positions and held on, keeping the dreadbeast from breaking their fall. Earth and stone pummeled his battered body. The king¡¯s claws shredded his flesh as they sought to cast him aside. But Bandit merely gritted his teeth and held on for everything he was worth, sinking his teeth into the tiger¡¯s remaining ear for good measure. After a final rotation, they rolled over a bluff and soared out over the raging river. For a handful of heartbeats, they were airborne, but neither beast could fly. Just before the water rose to engulf them, Bandit released his grip and kicked off, trying to propel himself back toward the shore. But he was too weak and disoriented to pull it off and they both fell into the water. Struggling against the current, both lemur and tiger were trapped in the powerful pull. Before either of them could hope to escape, they went over the edge of the falls. Bandit found himself plummeting for the final time that day, plunging deep into the bowels of the earth. There was a shocking chill, then an incredible sensation of impact, after which Bandit knew only darkness. Chapters Two Hundred Eight and Nine: A Whole Lot of Ouch Nick looked up, taking in the glory of the noonday sun shining through the windows of his luxury safe room. He had already finished his morning exercises, including some throwing and sword practice, then made himself a hearty breakfast. Now he was ready to move on to his major goals for the day; performing one final experiment, then deciding how to spend his last tutorial knowledge points. Once that was out of the way, all that was left was his final preparations, including revising his various strategies and plans based on what he learned today. First on the list was another experiment with his mana darts. One that was considerably more dangerous than anything else he had tried. It was something that he had been tempted to do for some time now. But performing this test hadn¡¯t been practical until he was holed up in a safe space with his elixir of restoration ready to drink. Today, Nick was going to shoot himself with his own mana dart. While he had some reservations regarding the wisdom of this venture, he had concluded that he needed to know what taking the hit felt like if he wanted to incorporate the spell into his plans as effectively as possible. So far, the pain that the spell inflicted had been the most useful component of its effects, but there were other, subtle aspects that he wanted to investigate as well. Although a small voice inside was whispering that this was a bad idea, his gaming instincts were certain that a single dart wouldn¡¯t be enough to severely injure him, even with his new Force Adept trait amping the output of the spell. After all, he hadn¡¯t been able to kill anything bigger than a butterfly with his darts so far, even after shooting an injured beast two or three times. In order to fully appreciate what it could do, Nick needed to know how much the dart hurt and for how long, as well as whether the spell had other effects that weren¡¯t immediately obvious. He had already learned that the darts had little lasting impact on living tissue, which made sense, since the spell¡¯s description stated that it directly attacked its target¡¯s vital energy. Thus, after setting his flask down on the table beside him, Nick settled into his chair, took a deep breath, and conjured a single mana dart into existence. This time around, he wanted to see if he could modify the ability¡¯s output in any way. In this case, by trying to infuse the spell with as little mana as possible, his first time attempting to influence the shaping of a dart. After visualizing what he was trying to accomplish as clearly as he could, Nick gathered his will and began. He watched as the dart winked into existence and started orbiting his head. He wasn¡¯t certain, but he thought that this manifestation was a little smaller and a bit dimmer than the ones created by the spell¡¯s default configuration, which Nick took to be a promising sign. When he had more time to spare, he would run more tests to measure the difference between their mana costs. He realized that he was stalling by means of speculating, so he banished all other thoughts from his mind and prepared himself as best he could, bracing himself against the pain to come. After taking a few deep breaths, he set the trajectory of the dart and willed it to fire, aiming for the meaty part of his left thigh. There was a moment of hesitation, as if the spell was asking Nick if he really wanted to shoot himself after all. After confirming his intentions, the silvery missile seemed to shrug and lurched forth, making the short journey from his head to his leg before sinking into his flesh and vanishing without a trace. What followed was the third most painful experience of his life, ranking just behind the time Trell had impaled him with his sword and when the bonecruncher¡¯s jaws had savaged the flesh above his knee. His world turned white as the dart¡¯s magic ran rampant throughout his body before dispersing a few seconds later. Letting loose a primal shriek of agony, Nick put everything he had into pushing past the pain without passing out. His body spasmed violently, nearly throwing him out of his chair and onto the floor, every inch of his skin aflame, as if his leg had been dipped in molten lava. Blind to the tears that were streaming down his cheeks, he ruthlessly suppressed the nearly overwhelming urge to slam the elixir as fast as he could, intent on riding out the pain to see how long it would endure. His vision came back online almost instantly, and his limbs ceased convulsing five seconds later. The incandescent pain lambasted him at full blast for another five seconds after that, then gradually dissipated over the next minute. Nick took a deep, shuddering breath, then let out a grateful sigh of relief. It was weird to have gone from hurting so badly to feeling nothing at all in such a short span of time. At least the worst was finally over. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Note to self, the darts hurt like a motherfucker. That instant of blindness will come in handy too, if I can manage to get the timing right. He wiped the tears from his face with a towel, then kept right on wiping after realizing that he had broken out into a cold sweat over his entire body. When he was done cleaning himself off, he slid his left leg out of his coveralls to inspect the damage to his tissue. The flesh where the dart had impacted was red and slightly swollen. Nick¡¯s skin was lightly scorched, but not badly enough to blister, and the hairs on his leg were singed. When he went to put his clothes back on, he noticed that the denim of his boilersuit was completely unaffected by the dart passing through. It wasn¡¯t even warm to the touch. The darts dissipate rapidly when passing through nonliving material, but a thin layer of cloth isn¡¯t enough to disrupt their payload. Although he was sorely tempted, rather than drinking his elixir right away, he sat back down in his chair, breathed deep, and sent his awareness inside his body. He still had one component left that he wanted to examine. This was the first time that Nick had knowingly lost health, the vital energy governing the body¡¯s natural regenerative properties, and he wanted to see if he could feel any difference now that some was missing. As he tuned in to the sensations of his body, the first thing that he noticed was that his mana was lower than it had been after casting the spell. Not by a lot, but enough to feel the difference. He was glad to see that he was slowly learning how to sense the mana within his core, although it took intense focus, and his impression was murky and vague. He decided that he felt a little worn out as well. It might just be a byproduct of the painful experience he had endured, but Nick had a hunch that the real reason was that he had lost some stamina too. The modest hits to his mana and stamina made sense, now that he thought about it. After all, the spell¡¯s description said that his darts directly damaged the target¡¯s vital energies, not only their health. This observation was intriguing on any number of levels, but it wasn¡¯t what he was hoping to learn right now; how to sense the pool of health circulating throughout his body. Seconds turned into minutes as Nick deepened his concentration, until the better part of an hour had passed. He was about to give up when he felt something new. A pulsating surge, like a backbeat to the rhythm of his heart. A warm and vital flow of something Nick had never felt before. Somehow, he could tell that this mysterious flow was a little weaker than it should be. That the embrace of the energy supporting his body could be just a tiny bit more uplifting. The experience endured for only the ghost of a moment. But that was enough to put a smile on his face. Health. That¡¯s what my health feels like. Although it was only on the most primitive, transitory level, Nick had now experienced all three vital energies listed by the System: stamina, health, and mana. Satisfied with his findings, he officially concluded the day¡¯s testing. He picked up his flask, popped the cap, and then quaffed the elixir inside. He began to feel better immediately, and by the time a minute had passed, Nick could no longer tell that he had been shot by the dart at all. Even the red circle on his leg had healed, although he was still missing a dart-shaped patch of hair. He nodded in satisfaction, immensely pleased by the results of his experiment, glad that he had taken the risk. Not only had he become intimately familiar with the effects of his mana dart, he had also made significant progress on what he suspected was a foundational step to walking the paths of power, sensing the vital energies inside his body. It was important that he learned how to sense the state of his various energetic reserves, which was critical on a tactical level. But that wasn¡¯t the main reason he felt driven to gain this faculty. Nick had come to believe over the last few weeks that progressing with his spells and combat abilities past a rudimentary level would require consciously manipulating the vital energies within his body. It was something that he would continue to work on over the days ahead. Now that he had cleared the first hurdle, he suspected that his sensitivity would increase over time. When he went to check the display, Nick learned that his experiment had paid off in other ways as well, one that he hadn¡¯t been expecting. You have deepened your connection to the mana within your body and improved the following baseline attribute: Magic has increased from [2] to [3]. Hell yes! Nick had been trying for some time now to increase his baseline magic, the only critical attribute he had yet to improve until now. He wasn¡¯t sure which part of his experiment had resulted in the change, or if it was the cumulative result of his attempts to sense his core, but he had a hunch that blasting himself with more darts wouldn¡¯t help him progress any further. Now that he had shot himself with his own spell, he was ready to move on to his other key goal of the day. Spending his final tutorial knowledge points as wisely as possible, then using that information to refine his plans. New series pre-teaser teaser and sprint week event extension. Hi everybody. I hope that your week is going well and that you have something fun planned for the weekend. I happen to have something special planned myself... more bonus chapters, starting right now! We''re at the end of the original sprint week event, but since we''re still not quite at the end of the dreaded downtime arc, I''ve decided to throw more chapters into the event so that it takes us through all the way to the start of the new arc. The updated schedule is five chapters today, four chapters on Saturday, and four chapters on Sunday. Monday will be the last day of the arc. That will see us through all the way to the end of the event, and conclude the Bandit side arc as well. I hope that you have been enjoying the sprint week event, I''ll try to do it again for the 1 year anniversary if I can build up enough backlog (I''m working hard every day to improve my capacity). Past the end of the downtime arc, everything was written with a web serial format in mind, so I hope that you find the pacing to be a bit tighter going forward. Thanks again for being patient and for all the helpful feedback. But that isn''t the only news I have to share with you today. Although it''s still in the early stages, I have officially begun writing a second series, that I will put out alongside this one as soon as it''s ready. Right now, the estimated time till release is a little under four months, but I will update you as soon as it gets closer to being ready for launch. So far, I have a little over 60k words written, and the first two major arcs outlined, so let''s call it a third of the way done. This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. It''s too early to release any major details, but as a pre-teaser I wanted to let you know that it''s another high fantasy LitRPG with just a splash of sci-fi and old west thrown into the mix. It will take place on a partially explored magical planet with an outlaw society, and the main character will be more of an antihero this time around. It will be faster paced right from the start, with more of an action, adventure, exploration theme than the psychological survival theme of LotMG. Expect another update with more details in a little over a month, but I''m really starting to get excited about it. I hope that you are enjoying the sprint week event and the bog arc to follow. I''m working on an event with a different theme to try next, well before another six months, and I''ll let you know more as soon as it''s ready to go. Take care and have a great day, Magnus P.S. I just wanted to put out a special thank you to everyone who has taken the time to make editing suggestions, especially the people who have put in dozens of them. I really, really appreciate you taking the time to help out, I become blind to spotting a lot of them after working with the same text through multiple laps while writing. Chapter Two Hundred Ten and Eleven: The Gift of Knowledge Before Nick was ready to invest his final tutorial knowledge points, an invaluable resource that wouldn¡¯t be available going forward, he decided to organize his thoughts using his brand-new journal. He wanted to copy all the entries that he had already unlocked during the tutorial now, while he was able to create a perfect word-for-word record instead of having to rely on memory. He smiled as he opened his travel journal, satisfied that he had used his basic item picks wisely, as he began searching the room for something that he could use as a pencil or pen. He eventually found a likely candidate while rooting around in the pile of objects he had been using to train his throwing skill; a tapered length of wood a bit longer than his finger with a core of dark material that reminded Nick of a graphite pencil. It hadn¡¯t made a mark when he ran it along his skin, but when he tried drawing a line in his journal, the stick left a liquid trail of ink behind, which glistened for a few seconds before drying. He shrugged at the sight, as there was clearly magic at work. Or maybe the core is made from some alien substance. Either way, it would suit his needs just fine, as the ink refused to smudge once dry. After trying and failing to store the pen inside his pack, just in case the System was willing to let him keep it, Nick went to work. He began by copying all the unlocked kp entries like he had planned. By the time that he reached the end of the list, he realized there was more that he wanted to write. After all, he had lived through a pivotal moment in human history. If he survived long enough to share it, his story could help shed light on what had happened during those terrible and transformative days. A record of the apocalypse. The end of the old world and the beginning of the new. So, starting from the beginning, he recorded his tale into the journal. From the arrival of the System, all the way to the present day. The changes that the System had made to his body, and what Pax had revealed before the Mad God arrived to claim the Earth for his own. Nick¡¯s interactions with the beasts on the Searing Isle, and the story of Trell the ratman foreman and the calamity that had befallen his people. The better part of an hour later, Nick had caught up to his battle in the Grand Arena of Papillion, the arrival of the Herald of Slaughter, and the mutation that had created the fallen rhinoceros. He put in as many details as he could remember, annotating his record of events with his speculations about Taltos and the System, along with everything he had learned regarding strategy, tactics, and the fey force known as magic. He concluded his account with his brief experiences of sensing health, mana, and stamina, then sat back with a sigh, stretching out his wrist while contemplating the story of his adventures. As he went to grab a glass of water, Nick realized that he felt better than before. That committing his memories and feelings to ink had helped him to process what had happened. To come to grips with the intense stress and other powerful emotions he had been grappling with over the last month and some change. His impromptu journaling session had also given him ample time to decide how he wanted to spend his final knowledge points. After playing around with the custom kp prompt to check out the cost of various queries, Nick was ready to cash in the final knowledge points he had earned for completing the tutorial. He had been hoping to learn more about the ??? field in his profile, but that entry cost a whopping 25 points. Spending his first point was easy. Nick wanted to learn everything about the mysterious force known as mana that he could. He knew that it was one of the vital energies mentioned by the System, along with health and stamina, but he was eager to discover more of the details. His decision made, he sent his intentions into the display and began to read. Mana Mana is the vital force powering spells, beast abilities, and magical constructs. An individual¡¯s mana pool grows with every level, along with increases to the magic attribute. The quality and quantity of internal mana scales with energetic attributes, increasing the potency and efficiency of spells. In addition to being consumed when casting spells, the mana residing within an energetic core creates what is known as the arcane barrier. The arcane barrier is a shield that protects all living creatures, creating an innate resistance to hostile magic that directly alters their bodies and minds. The strength of the arcane barrier is proportional to the size of an individual¡¯s mana pool and mana is automatically expended when defending against such attacks. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. Mana is a catchall term encompassing all forms of spell-compatible energy, which comes in countless varieties known as aspects. Mana can resonate with the natural energies of an environment over time, becoming what is known as elemental or elemental-aspected mana. Elemental mana has unique properties that can aid or hinder certain spells based on a wide range of variables. There are numerous aspects of non-elemental mana as well, such as the pure and force varieties. While most of this entry was in line with Nick¡¯s expectations, it was incredibly useful information that would give him a great deal to ponder over the days ahead. For one thing, it confirmed the existence of other aspects of mana that were non-elemental in nature, beyond the pure and force aspects that he had already perceived. While he had closed the door forever on manipulating elemental energies, there was still a range of mana subtypes out there that he could one day learn to control, adding some versatility to the pair of aspects that Nick could use right now. Equally interesting was the material regarding the arcane barrier. It made sense that creatures that had evolved on worlds where magic was an everyday occurrence would develop an innate resistance to hostile spells and abilities, even if they were not specialized in its use. Otherwise, a simple fire or frost spell targeting the inside of an opponent¡¯s body could kill creatures that were vastly more powerful than the caster. It also explained why disabling spells were less effective on high level beasts. Their large mana pools created a powerful arcane barrier, reducing the effect of the spell. He had a sense that this was an oversimplification and that the details would prove to be far more nuanced, but it was still a major step forward in broadening his horizons. In the future, Nick would have to take the existence of arcane barriers into account, both when anticipating the effect of various spells on creatures with large pools of mana, and as a potent form of defense to protect himself against potentially lethal abilities. He wasn¡¯t sure what the full range of powers that could affect the inside of his body or mental state was yet, but he was completely certain that getting hit by most of them would lead to catastrophic consequences, especially in the middle of a fight. Maybe once he made it back to civilization, the survivors of Earth could begin researching the issue under controlled conditions, broadening humanity¡¯s understanding of magic and reducing their vulnerability to spell-wielding opponents over time. I wonder if my mana darts are an exception to that rule, since instead of altering my target¡¯s physical form or mental state, they attack their vital energy directly. If so, they¡¯re even better than I thought. Before he spent his last ten kp unlocking a major entry, it was time to redeem the voucher from the chest he had found in the bonecrunchers¡¯ lair on the Searing Isle, since there was a chance that it would influence his final pick. Nick voiced his request to the open air. ¡°I¡¯d like to turn in that voucher for a free unlock if you don¡¯t mind.¡± Responding to his query, a new menu opened on his display. Acknowledged. Redeeming high value kp unlock voucher. The topic it has unlocked is: bloodlines. Great. That¡¯s perfect. Nick really wanted to know more about bloodlines, since he had already acquired two permanent traits and only had room for one more. Thus, he was immensely satisfied with his voucher reward. He eagerly read the block of text, recording each word into his journal. Bloodlines Bloodline traits are unique to individuals and their descendants, although they may be imparted or stolen in rare cases. The capacity of a bloodline is determined by a contestant¡¯s species grade, commonly referred to as bloodline points. Most E-grade species have a capacity of three bloodline points. Bloodline traits can be acquired in a number of ways. Some class traits include mandatory trait permanence, which are bound to an individual¡¯s bloodline and retained after the class is lost. They can also be rewarded for completing difficult quests. Acquiring bloodline traits can offer powerful advantages, but they can also lock the user out of certain classes going forward (and can open them as well). Bloodline traits can be enhanced, evolved, and merged in rare cases, in a process similar to abilities. Enhanced bloodline traits are generally more powerful and cost effective than their prior forms, although some offer entirely novel features as well. They are highly sought after and usually can only be obtained in top-tier quest rewards. Fascinating. This is all good news. Now Nick knew for certain that he would be able to expand his bloodline later, and that his enhanced Survivor trait really was a rare and powerful reward. The part about abilities being able to evolve in a similar matter was intriguing, and something that he would try to learn more about when he had the chance. After jotting down the entry word for word, Nick was ready to blow the rest of his kp in a single go. He had thought long and hard about this choice, eventually deciding to learn about something advanced, rather than unlocking the primers on the rest of his attributes and other basic aspects of advancement mentioned in his profile. Chapters Two Hundred Twelve and Thirteen: Essence His final unlock wasn¡¯t something that had been listed in his menus at all, but a term that he had seen mentioned several times now. Often enough that Nick was certain the concept was vital to understand sooner rather than later. It wound up costing far more points than any of his other choices, which he hoped would directly correspond to its value. Eager to discover what the System would reveal, he entered his question into the custom kp prompt with a flourish. ¡°What is essence?¡± With a grin, he opened his journal to a fresh page, picked up his pen, and got busy reading. Essence As the myriad creatures inhabiting the multiverse advance in levels, they develop a concrete understanding of themselves and the path of power they desire to walk. Over time, advancing down this path generates a transformative energy known as essence. Essence is the precursor to the advanced characteristic known as concepts, which are used at higher tiers to develop unique classes and builds. Essence can be gained by completing quests, raising skills, and killing other creatures. Unlike experience, essence must be compatible in order to be absorbed. Normally, only a small fraction of a slain opponent¡¯s essence can be absorbed, even when its nature is highly compatible. Essence has a wide variety of uses. The most common application for low tier beings is the advancement of spells and abilities. Accumulating sufficient essence (combined with a fundamental understanding of the ability in question) will allow abilities to rank up, becoming more powerful or taking on novel aspects at key milestones. Certain items and relationships are powered by essence as well. Nick read the description three times before copying the entry into his journal, trying to wrap his head around everything that had been revealed before lowering the book with a grin. The information contained in the entry had been even more valuable than he¡¯d hoped, although it might be some time before he could take full advantage of the knowledge he had gained. He closed the journal and set down his pen, mulling over the words that he¡¯d read. In the end, Nick was deeply satisfied with how he had chosen to spend the last of his knowledge points. It seemed that essence was even more important than he¡¯d thought, and he had gained some information on concepts and abilities for free as well. The more that he thought the matter through, the more certain he became that he had uncovered a vital component of his future advancement, even if it didn¡¯t have any obvious applications just yet. Regardless, he was convinced that understanding essence and concepts would be of critical importance during the days ahead. Knowing about them early on was certain to offer advantages that he could benefit from as he continued to level. For one thing, Nick suspected that the transference of essence was the missing piece to the puzzle of his wand. The reason why the device only regained charges after defeating certain creatures and completing System quests. The ratmen must have released a form of essence that was compatible with the wand. Maybe I can learn how to generate some manner of force related essence as I advance. Then I¡¯ll be able to recharge the wand all by myself and start using it more freely in battle. It was relieving to learn that essence could be gained by completing quests and raising skills, in addition to killing various creatures. Nick was certain to do his fair share of fighting as he progressed, but he was glad to know that he wouldn¡¯t be forced to slaughter intelligent beasts simply to fuel his own advancement. Let alone other people. Finally, the information provided in this entry implied that he would have increased control over the direction of his development as he grew more powerful and advanced his tier. That there was a way of customizing his class and abilities at critical milestones, influencing the manifestation of his powers beyond the options offered by the System. It was even possible to create unique abilities and classes at higher tiers, although it would be long years before he was anywhere near that stage. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. It meant that Nick wouldn¡¯t be locked into a specific path based solely on his early experiences, although he was certain that they would play an important role as well. Whenever he made it back to civilization, he would try to see if anyone had acquired more information on tiers, which had seemed almost as useful as essence but was more of a long-term thing at this point, since he would have to be at least level fifty before that could happen and there were likely additional requirements that he wasn¡¯t aware of yet. Armed with a wealth of new information, he put his journal into his pack and stepped away from the display, ready to begin his final preparations to leave the safe room and begin the first stage of the Fate of Earth quest chain. While he was sad to see the last of his knowledge points go, Nick was thrilled by what they had taught him. The information he had gained today was invaluable, a true beginning of learning more about life as part of the System and the multiverse. But it was only the first step, and his education was far from over. Whenever he ran into other people, he could trade the knowledge he had gained for other pieces that he hadn¡¯t been able to afford, expanding the entries in his journal into a comprehensive guide over time. By the time that he arrived at the base of the Tower of Rizzen, Nick hoped to learn about all the terms listed on his profile along with whatever people had gleaned from their custom kp queries. Swapping kp unlocks would help to counter the restriction on information that the Mad God put into place when he had stolen the Earth, improving humanity¡¯s odds of surviving over the long haul. But that was a worry for another day. Now that he had accomplished his key goals for his time spent in the safe room, he was ready to move on and ready himself for the challenge ahead. He would keep on training and exercising during the time he had left on the clock, as well as revise his various plans and contingencies. Although he doubted that he could raise the skill now, Nick decided to spend a few hours practicing with his wand while he had the chance, including some drills involving using his wand and sword together to take down powerful opponents. While he was still in the middle of working out the details of exactly how the wand was powered, he had eventually developed a solid sense of what his wand skill did. In addition to helping guide his aim, the skill was able to point out ideal times to use the force-flinging tool in battle. It helped him notice when an enemy was off balance, or when the blast would disrupt an incoming attack. With that goal in mind, he continued drilling with the device, using his shadow boxing visualization to practice firing the wand against various opponents. Over time, he wanted to learn how to use it to bolster both offense and defense in a range of potential circumstances. While he wasn¡¯t able to increase the wand skill without actually firing it off, Nick felt better prepared for a range of contingencies. Until he could refill it at will, his plan was to save the wand¡¯s charges for repelling ambushes, escaping from monstrosities like the lurk, and taking down opponents more powerful than himself. Done with training for the day, he slid the wand into its beltloop, then sat down in his chair to watch the sunset, enjoying some alien music playing over the speaker. Since this was his last full day in the safe room, he put in some extra effort just to relax and unwind. To shed the layers of stress he had built up over the last month, before he leapt back into the thick of it. In a little less than a day, he would be risking his life once more, fighting alongside the other volunteers with the fate of the Earth hanging in the balance. He would finish steeling his resolve and inspecting his gear in the morning. But not right now. Not tonight. Tonight was Nick¡¯s to do with as he pleased. To remind himself that even now, not every aspect of his life revolved around fighting and killing, surviving in a multiverse filled with incomprehensibly powerful beings. That there was still some space to enjoy good music and good food. He paired his newfound optimism with the anticipation of working alongside other people. Something that Nick was greatly looking forward to after his long, lonely weeks on the island. Before he was ready to call it a night, he decided to end his day with an intense workout. Nothing as deliberate as training his skills, just simple exercise while taking in the beauty of nature. It felt good to put his body through its paces. To think of nothing beyond the uncomplicated burn of his muscles. The simplicity of lifting his body until his arms gave out. When he was done, he took a long shower, running the water nice and hot, enjoying the sensation of being clean and safe for the last time in who knew how long. He slipped beneath the covers, savoring the soft mattress and silky fabric caressing his skin. Nick was fast asleep less than a minute later, dreaming of an Earth that was so far away. Concept Art: Chapter 199-213 Just a reminder, I completely respect that not everyone likes the inclusion/existence of AI art, so I''ve put it in it''s own chapter so that it''s easy to skip and not shown side by side with the story. If it''s not your thing, I totally understand where you are coming from. This concept art is included entirely for fun, and will never be sold or monetized in any way. It will never be as good as your imagination, so if it doesn''t fit with the version of something in your head, go with your imagination instead. Nick''s mysterious sword Bandit leading the tribe to war Lemur spearwall The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Pig-charmer The tribe advances Lemur heavy unit Earthcasters The Tiger King arrives Shadow-thing Chapters Two Hundred Fourteen to Seventeen: Intermission: Regicide Bandit groaned and opened his eyes, surprised to discover that he was still alive. He was soaked to his skin and covered in blood, mud, and grime in every color of the rainbow, but alive. He spat out a mouthful of muck and then sat up, trying not to aggravate his impressive collection of injuries. He was bruised and battered, sliced up and sore. But his heart still beat, and his lungs still drew breath. In defiance of the odds, Bandit hadn¡¯t been crippled or killed. He was still able to fight for the future of his people. That was when the full realization of what had happened broke over him. The ambush of the shadow-things, and the arrival of the tiger king. Their tussle as they went rolling down the hillside before tumbling into the river and going over the falls. Bandit was certain that the shadow cat monarch had taken the same plunge. He had to be somewhere down here. If Bandit was still alive, then the king was too. After all, the leader of the shadow tigers was a powerful dreadbeast, a great deal tougher than any member of the tribe. The king boasted a constitution superior to that of any lemur, himself included. It seemed that Bandit¡¯s fight wasn¡¯t over yet. The battle was still underway. He had to find the king before the tiger found him. It was kill or be killed. It was as simple as that. The cruel creature would never leave this place without Bandit¡¯s head as a trophy, not after the scar Bandit had left on his pride. The dreadbeast was coming, and Bandit had to be ready. Searching for any sign of his enemy, he cast his senses into the environment while scanning his surroundings, careful not to move a muscle or make a sound. In the distance he could hear the endless roar of the falls, as the water plunged into the depths of the earth to form an underground river. The waterway that had carried him to the sandy patch of soil where he now sat. But try as he might, Bandit could uncover no trace of the tiger king. Since this was the place where the riverbank began, the shadow cat was either further downstream or even better at hiding than Bandit had feared. Having been granted a moment of respite, he moved on to probing his wounds, trying to determine if he could walk without opening his injuries and bleeding out. Every inch of his body was bruised, and he was half-drowned to boot, but at least nothing seemed broken and most of his blood was inside his body. His claw wounds had already begun to close, a gift of his resilient new form. But that was the extent of the good news. His left leg was badly sprained, and some of those cuts ran deep. He wouldn¡¯t last long in a fight, so he had to make every move count. Ready to begin exploring his surroundings, he reached for his metal fang, only to find it missing. Bandit wrestled down the urge to panic as he began searching the nearby shoreline. As bad as things were regardless, he had no chance without his weapon of choice. The dregs of mana in his core weren¡¯t going to cut it, and his natural weapons were laughable compared to those of a tiger. He sniffed at the air and started to walk, catching a whiff of blood that wasn¡¯t his own before breaking into a wicked grin. The king was wounded too. He might still have a chance. The ravine overhead threw scattered shafts of sunlight across the riverbank, interwoven with thick pools of shadow. It was an ideal location for the shadow tiger¡¯s power, but at least Bandit wouldn¡¯t be fighting blind. He had enough mana to cast one, maybe two fireballs if they were small, and just enough stamina to use his other abilities if left with no other choice. He was already exhausted and activating them would deplete his limited pool of vital energy. As he crept forward as quietly as he could, Bandit¡¯s thoughts turned to the tribe and the jungle high above. He hoped that he¡¯d broken the king¡¯s spell in time to save his people. That they¡¯d been able to escape and were already long gone, back over on their side of the jungle without further slaughter. But he couldn¡¯t worry about that now. It didn¡¯t change what he had to do next. Bandit wasn¡¯t leaving here without the king¡¯s head, even if it meant that he never left at all. He wasn¡¯t well suited to fighting solo. The tribe¡¯s strength had always been built upon working together, guarding each other¡¯s backs at every turn. Being alone in the darkness made his worst fears run rampant across the theater of his imagination. He scanned the muddy earth, tensing at every shifting shadow. Every unidentifiable echo reverberating across the ravine. He knew that each step he took might lead him into an ambush. That every breath he drew could well be his last. But Bandit refused to give up or give in, taking comfort from Neek¡¯s example. Neek had been trapped on the island, away from his tribe, but the brave warrior had never fallen into despair. He¡¯d faced every challenge that was thrown his way, no matter how great the task. Even the death that walks on two legs hadn¡¯t been able to claim his life and she¡¯d looked Neek¡¯s way with respect in her eyes. Bandit would follow in Neek¡¯s footsteps and face his fear. Die fighting for every last breath. A patch of sunlight flittered across Bandit¡¯s eyes, leaving an afterimage floating in his vision. For a moment, he thought that he was under attack. But when it happened again, he turned his head to track the motion, relief flooding every cell of his body when he realized what it was. There, flashing in an errant sunbeam, was Bandit¡¯s blade. The weapon that he had chosen to be his fang was protruding from the riverbank like it was attacking the darkness. He limped over to retrieve the blade, then secured it to his harness with a touch, glad to have its comforting weight resting across his shoulders once more. It was fated to be a short-lived solace. The moment that the weapon snapped into place, Bandit heard a low growl, followed by sinister laughter. ¡°By all means, arm yourself. This wouldn¡¯t be any fun if you couldn¡¯t bite back.¡± Bandit drew his fang and cast his gaze across the ravine, desperately searching for the origin of the voice, but spotting nothing but shadows within shadows. For a moment, he thought that it was a member of the hairless tribe, perhaps someone who could help him win the fight. But then Bandit realized that he recognized the flavor of the voice if not its tone. The cruelty, arrogance, and sadistic amusement. Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined it, but in that moment Bandit knew. The dreadbeast monarch could talk. ¡°Surprised that I can speak, are you? The feat is simple enough once you learn the trick. After I devoured a few dozen of those ugly two-legged creatures, the ones you call the hairless tribe, I was able to absorb their language. After that, recreating the sound of their mouth-noises with magic was a trivial task. You can understand me, can¡¯t you? I¡¯ve heard rumors that you have a proficiency for language far beyond that of the rest of your people.¡± While Bandit was indeed shocked to learn that the tiger could speak, and did in fact, understand the meaning of the words, he knew that this was a good sign. If the king was trying to distract him in a bid to buy time, his injuries must be worse than Bandit had thought. The proud creature would never choose to address him otherwise, let alone as an equal. His suspicions were confirmed with the shadow cat¡¯s next words. ¡°Your life doesn¡¯t have to end down in this dank hole. You could join us. Transcend the old order and embrace the new. Live forever and consume all who dare challenge your domain.¡± Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. Bandit decided that the tiger must be summoning more shadow-things, but his injuries were slowing him down. Bandit had to stop him before the king completed the spell. Shutting out the dreadbeast¡¯s banter, he cast himself out of his body, following the great web of life that flows through all places. He knew that he was running out of time when bloodthirst started seeping through the dreadbeast¡¯s fa?ade, the anticipation of a hunger that would soon be sated. ¡°Now, the hunt begins. It¡¯s time to repay you for this indignity, little beast. I¡¯ll enjoy listening to your screams then devour your people down to the last shrieking cub.¡± Mold and moss. Bats and beetles. Bandit felt the threads of life winding around one another, binding earth, water, and sky into a single tapestry. He started probing those bonds until he found what he was looking for. A fetid patch where the web was broken. A festering blight that was¡­ directly behind him. Bandit spun and raised his fang, bringing the blade up and then bracing himself for impact. The magic metal caught both sets of the tiger¡¯s claws, half a heartbeat before they could tear out his throat. Bright sparks and flakes of keratin rained into the air, granting Bandit a brief vision of his enemy¡­ and the pair of shadow-things that had spread out to flank him. They would have gutted him in that moment if the flash hadn¡¯t let him see them coming in the nick of time. Instead of being torn asunder, he threw his body back, ducking beneath one set of midnight jaws and leaping away from the next. He knew that his next move would mean the difference between life and death. As the summons spread out to flank Bandit, the king kept on coming straight down the middle. His steps were unhurried, like this was nothing more than a game. Bandit realized in that instant that it was a deception. That one of the tiger¡¯s hindlegs was broken, though he forced himself to walk on it without flinching. This was better news than he¡¯d dared to hope. If Bandit could take out the shadows, he still had a chance of winning the fight. The problem was, the shadow-things were impervious to physical attacks and he was almost out of mana. At least the king was running dry too, otherwise he¡¯d have called up a score of shadows instead of just a pair. Bandit took his stance and held his blade before him, drawing upon the magic within. He was certain that in another handful of heartbeats, they¡¯d come for him as one. Now it all came down to timing. Instead of waiting for their attack, Bandit took the initiative, charging straight for the king with his fang poised to strike. His heart pounded in his chest. Adrenaline sang in his veins. He knew with stark clarity that the next few seconds would determine whether he lived or died. Whether his people had a future or would vanish like dust on the breeze. He refused to let such thoughts distract him. Instead, he poured every scrap of his strength, every drop of his will, every fiber of his being into making this moment count. Both shadows converged on him from the sides, ready to hit his exposed flanks the moment that Bandit committed to his attack. But instead of lashing out with his blade, he leapt to one side, feinting and then leaping over the shadow on his left. Still in midair, he completed his spell, and a raging ball of flame flickered to life within his palm. He let loose his magic at point blank range, catching the shadow-thing square in the back. It burst into pieces that vanished like smoke. He scampered back to open some space, but before he could disengage, wet agony erupted along one side of his head. Bandit looked up to see the king examining his claws, upon which one of Bandit¡¯s ears was transfixed. The tiger popped the ear into his mouth and then swallowed. ¡°Not bad at all, if a little gamey. I wonder what part of you I¡¯ll savor next.¡± Bandit didn¡¯t let the performance distract him. He knew it was just a ruse. Sure enough, he sensed magic gathering behind him, as the shadow-thing stepped from one patch of darkness to another. He spun and forced the last of his mana into his hand, summoning a wan fireball that barely dispelled the darkness around it. This spell was weak and wouldn¡¯t last long. It wasn¡¯t going to do any damage unless Bandit got close. Thus, rather than darting away when the thing sprang at him, Bandit ducked and rolled underneath, reaching up to shove his fireball straight into the shadow¡¯s chest. It was enough to destabilize the mana holding it together and the shadow-thing dispersed¡­ right after it lashed out with its claws, claiming one of Bandit¡¯s hands in exchange. ¡°Down an ear and a hand. What¡¯s next, I wonder? I think I¡¯ll claim¡­ your head.¡± With that, the king leapt at Bandit, both clawful paws streaking down to claim his life. Only able to hold his blade with one arm, Bandit deflected one set of claws and ducked beneath the other. Before he could get away, the king¡¯s fangs sank into his shoulder, shearing muscle and nerve all the way down to the bone, keeping Bandit from pulling back. It was a bad situation by any reckoning¡­ and also exactly what he¡¯d been counting on. Out of mana, unable to dodge or block with his blade, Bandit only had one thing left he could do. He had an ability that burned stamina and health instead of mana, and it was only effective up close. He stabbed his fang into the king¡¯s paw, certain that his arm would give way within seconds, while sending all his remaining vital energy into his palm. His hand began glowing with a fiery light, as heat warped the air around it. The tiger realized that something was wrong, but before he could get away, Bandit struck. He jabbed his searing palm into the king¡¯s chest, burning through fur and flesh and then the tissue below. He felt his bone give way a heartbeat later, shearing his arm off at the shoulder, the same arm that had already lost its hand. Yowling in pain, the dreadbeast tried to pull back and let Bandit expire from blood loss. But before that could happen, Bandit leapt onto the tiger¡¯s back, grabbing hold with his hind legs while pouring his life into his burning hand. Sending the flames not only into the dreadbeast¡¯s flesh, but deeper, into the energetic core that all beasts share, searing away the king¡¯s very essence. With that, the tiger went mad, rolling in the dirt, bucking and writhing, doing everything he could to knock Bandit off. But Bandit merely gritted his teeth and held on, as the dreadbeast¡¯s claws carved into his body time and time again. By now, cracks were forming along the tiger king¡¯s core, but Bandit¡¯s hide was a weeping mess of sundered flesh. The king turned to bite him, severing Bandit¡¯s tail in the process. His next swipe claimed Bandit¡¯s eye. His vision was growing dark, as incandescent pain consumed his world. The final drops of his stamina and health were pouring into his burning palm, as Bandit traded his life to take his enemy down with him. Just before the last flicker of health vanished, the king¡¯s core shattered. The dreadbeast reared back, tossing Bandit aside before crashing to the ground, terror carved into every crook of his features. ¡°No, this can¡¯t be. I can¡¯t lose, not now, not to you. They promised me that I would rule forever. They promised¡­¡± With that, the shadow cat twitched a final time and the life faded from his eyes. Bandit could no longer see. No longer hear. He no longer hurt, he just felt cold. The icy chill of the grave. In another few seconds, his heart would stop, and he¡¯d join the king in feeding the jungle. As Bandit took his final breath, he sensed a massive release of power. The king¡¯s core had shattered, releasing the energy trapped inside it. There was an incredible concentration of mana, along with something more, and in that moment, it burst forth from its prison, washing over everything. It bathed him in coruscating sheets of shadow, sinking deep into his body and his core. His bones and his blood. Bandit was terrified that he was being infected with the dreadbeast¡¯s taint. That he would become a monster like them no matter what he willed. He tried to crawl away before it was too late, to die on his own terms, but he was too weak to move. He was helpless to resist the change, cursed to become a creature of darkness like them. But then he realized that this darkness felt pure. Natural mana, with the taint washed clean. It was seeping into his being, filling Bandit with energy and remaking him on a fundamental level. When the darkness arrived at his burning core, instead of extinguishing the flaming sphere, the shadows merged with it, becoming one and the same. Darkness mana and shadow essence combined, forming something more than either. In that moment, a concept was born. Shadow flame, the words resounded across his soul. The potent concept transformed Bandit¡¯s core, filling it, then catalyzing his evolution, remaking his body on a fundamental level. The burning shadows stitched his hide closed, reattaching muscle and vein. They remade his arm, then his hand. His tail, then his eye. The restored parts were still flesh¡­ but shadow and flame as well. When it was done, Bandit realized that he could see the murky ravine as clear as noon. That darkness was no longer a barrier to his sight. He took a step on his new leg, reveling in the power filling his body. Now able to see in the dark, he held up his shadow hand and drew upon the energy welling up from his core. A ball of roiling shadow flame flickered into existence, fire that cast shadow instead of light. He held up his other hand, willing his old spell into being. Flickering orange flames formed a second fireball, a mirror contrast of its twin. It seemed that this ordeal had left him transformed but alive, catalyzing his evolution into something new, never before seen. Shaking his head at the strangeness of it all, Bandit strapped his fang onto his back and began looking for a way out of the ravine, ready to rejoin his people. End of Sprint Week and the Start of Marathon Week (and the end of arc wrap up). Hi everyone, I hope that your weekend went well. Today''s announcement is before the chapters because I have a little surprise in store today. We''ve reached the end of the double chapter sprint week event, but I still have enough backlog to do another, slightly more restrained event. And what could be better to pair with a week-long sprint than a week-long marathon? Here''s how this week will play out. Sprint week was a straight doubling of the chapters released, getting us through the book at about 225% of the regular speed. For marathon week, we''ll be pulling back the throttle to around 140% of our normal words per week. Each day will be centered around one extra long scene. For the duration of the event, the daily word minimum will be going up from our usual 1600, to a staggering 2k+. But that isn''t enough to justify calling it an event (and wont take us to 140%, for those of you who did the math). So on top of that, we will also be getting chapters released on Saturday, for a minimum of 12k words this week. If I can stay ahead and keep writing fast enough, I might be able to extend the marathon event, but I''ll have to see how it goes and play it by ear. Other than keeping things moving along at a steady clip, my other goal in setting this up is to place the arc''s major events all in the same (or occasionally two) day(s), so that each group of linked chapters feels complete. But the end result is that we will be moving through the story faster than normal and I hope that you enjoy what is coming down the pipeline. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. With that out of the way, it''s time for the end of arc wrap up. Today is the end of the downtime arc, and yesterday was the culmination of the Bandit/dreadbeast war side arc. I just wanted to acknowledge that the downtime arc had a few issues. I know that I changed up the pace of the arc quite a bit from the arena arc, and that it was too slow and too long for some people. To everyone who enjoyed it, awesome, I''ll have more content like this in later books, but not nearly as much at the same time. To everyone who did not particularly like the changes, thank you for being patient. Going forward, the pacing will be much more consistent from arc to arc and I won''t stick you in the same place for multiple weeks in a row like that again. Tomorrow is the beginning of the bog arc, it will take a few chapters to ramp up (about a week), and then the action will be intense the whole way through to the end of book two and beyond. Have a great week everyone, I''ll check in again at the end of the marathon event. -Magnus Chapters Two Hundred Eighteen to Twenty: The Clock Hits Zero For the next seven hours, Nick slept like the dead, taking advantage of the opportunity to rest and recover well past the minimum required by his trait. After all, who knew how long it would be before he was able to enjoy another full night¡¯s sleep? Close his eyes and let go, without having to worry about being attacked while he was helpless or a fresh disaster descending upon his head. Warm and clean, body nestled between the soft sheets, he spent the night dreaming of Angie and his parents. His brother and his friends. Of smiling faces and good times in the company of the people he loved, many of whom he would never see again. Of a way of life that was lost forever and a world that was so far away. Nick woke up feeling remarkably refreshed, despite some lingering sadness, ready to spend his final hours in the safe room laying plans and preparing his gear. To get his head back in the game before facing the danger that was certain to be waiting for him once he set foot onto the bog and the tower beyond. He watched his final sunrise over the vast cloud ocean, committing the moment to memory to call upon when he needed a reminder that for every new horror the multiverse threw his way, there was a mind-blowing new wonder to match it. After a quick shave, a cup of coffee, and a hot breakfast, he began his day with a final round of skills training, followed by a lengthy meditation session to focus his will. By the end of it, his mind felt clear, and his thoughts were sharp. He was ready to turn his attention to the task at hand and ready himself for the long road ahead. He turned on the alien music player, enjoying his last hours of listening to compositions composed on alien worlds while he went about his day. He stopped to eat a light lunch, then moved on to his next objectives, pillaging the safe room and preparing himself to survive the threats of another alien world. His first stop was raiding the kitchen. Nick was relieved when the food in the fridge disappeared into the maw of his magical backpack, along with a full pitcher of water. He put in as much as he thought he could eat before it went bad. This would start him off with a few days¡¯ worth of food, and having familiar foodstuffs from Earth was comforting in a way that he hadn¡¯t anticipated. Unfortunately, the System drew the line with the rest of the objects in the luxury suite. The cutlery and cookware he¡¯d selected flat out refused to go into his pack, as well as his pillow and bedspread. They treated the open flap as a solid object, which left him feeling both frustrated and idly curious as to how all the magic worked behind the scenes. He had been fantasizing about being able to sleep on a real pillow every night, no matter how rough his surroundings, but it seemed that he would be propping his bag beneath his head for the foreseeable future. With a sigh of resignation, he abandoned his efforts and moved on to more fruitful pursuits. After all, none of that was what he really wanted to take with him. He¡¯d been saving the best for last to keep the dream alive. The true prize of the safe room, an item that he would be willing to trade almost anything for, was the magic canister that refilled itself with fresh coffee every morning. It hadn¡¯t gone into his backpack either, but that didn¡¯t mean he was going to give up without a fight. He didn¡¯t think that it would work, but just in case, Nick wrapped the coffee canister and the pen he had found inside the blanket from his bed, then set the bundle beside his pile of gear. He was planning to carry it with him when he stepped into the next portal, on the off chance that the System would let him keep them if they were carried on his person, even though he really doubted it at this point. With that out of the way, it was time to maintain his gear as best he could, then repack everything in preparation for his departure. After washing out his canteen with soap and hot water before filling it to the brim, Nick started cleaning and repairing his gear, glad that a few of his belongings were able to maintain themselves. As he scrubbed blood and grime from the crevices of his old dagger and sword, using his bedsheet to polish them out of spite, he began grappling with some of the bigger questions posed by his new reality. Events that had shattered his understanding of the universe. He was still coming to grips with the fact that the fate of his home world was resting in the hands of a madman. An insane deity who seemed intent on trampling the hopes and dreams of billions just for kicks. Ending countless lives on a whim, for what seemed to be idle entertainment. Nick had formed a tentative theory that the System was inherently fair. Remorseless, brutal, and drenched in the blood of the weak and the unfortunate, but honest and direct in its methods. Taltos, however, represented an entirely unknown factor. The Mad God was able to hack the System under certain circumstances, like when he had stolen the Earth from the stewardship of the Green Mother, and later, when he had blocked Nick from receiving a reward for defeating the Fallen rhino. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it However, it had become clear that Taltos¡¯s control was far from complete. Nick had witnessed the System fight back and win a number of their disputes. He had the sense that the System was the more powerful entity, but that Taltos was able to bend the rules when certain conditions were met. Not that Nick had any clue as to what they might be. At present, he had no idea what to do with this information. How he could use it to eke out even the slightest advantage for his people. The dynamics of the multiverse and the greater entities that called it home represented a situation far beyond anything he had ever imagined. Nick knew that he could only perceive what was happening on the smallest possible level. It was like trying to understand the structure of the cosmos by staring at a single grain of sand. Both the System and Taltos were so far above him that influencing either of them to the slightest degree felt like an ant trying to deadlift an aircraft carrier. He hoped that over time, such insights might offer clues that could give humanity an edge in their future dealings with the Mad God and his minions. Nick took off his clothes and washed everything in the shower, leaving them to dry in the sunlight so they would be ready before the portal opened. Next, he took everything out of his pack, to refamiliarize himself with his complete inventory and to check each item and ensure that it was still in working condition. He spread the full collection out along the kitchen table, grinning as he examined his haul. Every item was connected to a story of his adventure. While not everything had an obvious use, he was hoping that some of the resources would be valuable to the right buyer. When he was finished organizing everything, he prioritized them by order of importance, deciding which he would keep no matter what, and which he was willing to let go of if his pack became too heavy or he found something better. Then it was time to put it all back. He repacked his toolbelt first, putting each item into the proper pouch with each tool snug behind its strap. He slid his old dagger into the sheath beside the one he had gotten from the arena, then clipped his canteen to the belt and slid his elixir into its loop. Satisfied with his handiwork, he put everything else into his pack and set it beside his belt, ready to be grabbed when the portal opened. The last thing that he needed to do before he was ready for his next adventure was get his body nice and limber, in shape to spend hard days living in the wilderness while fighting for his life. After making sure that he hadn¡¯t forgotten anything important, he lay face down on the floor and started stretching out. He hoped that some yoga could finish the loosening of his muscles that his bath and a full night of sleep had begun, draining his body of the final pockets of tension that his weeks on the Searing Isle had pounded into his tissue. While he stretched, Nick moved on to the final stage of his review and planning session, creating new contingency plans for every situation he could imagine. Strategies and tactics based on his new gear, powers, and what little he knew of the challenge to come. He knew that he couldn¡¯t always have a plan ready to go for every conceivable encounter. That had been true enough back on Earth, and was even more so now that he had become part of a magic-saturated multiverse. Additionally, relying on prepackaged plans could potentially backfire, robbing him of the flexibility he needed to adapt on the fly to an evolving situation. But having a basic strategy in place for various possibilities was a valuable tool in most cases. Having a plan ready to go gave Nick a clear direction in the heat of the moment, rather than having to rely on the product of his split-second reactions. With a grunt, he flipped onto his back and started loosening up his legs and hips, contemplating beasts, traps, and natural dangers of every shape and size. What should I do if I¡¯m swarmed by hundreds of tiny creatures? Attacked by flying beasts like the frostfury wasps? How can I increase my chances of surviving if I¡¯m surrounded, or am forced to face an overwhelming enemy like the lurk or the fallen rhino? As Nick¡¯s spine lengthened with a series of immensely satisfying pops, he pondered how he could combine his primary tools, his blade, wand, and mana dart, with the new capabilities offered by his Kineticist class and flask of restoration. He was dying to try out piercing ray as soon as possible, but it would have to wait until he found a substantial shelter to hole up for the night. It would be nice to start testing out his new spell right away, but he couldn¡¯t afford to explore a hostile world without a full tank of mana. That insight brought Nick to the end of his checklist. He was as ready as he could possibly be to face the challenge ahead. He decided to spend his final moments of peace listening to one last song on the alien music player. He rose to his feet, turned on the speaker, then went to gather his equipment. He enjoyed a rousing melody, fierce and wild and free, as he put on his armor, then strapped on his belt and donned his magic pack. As the final notes faded from the air, the System prompt that he had been waiting for finally appeared. He grabbed the bundle holding the coffee container, then read the words floating in front of his face. System update Your time in the safe room has come to an end. Everyone who accepted Taltos¡¯s challenge will be transported to the outskirts of Blackmist Bog. All contestants who declined to participate will be sent to Earth to begin rehabitation. Please gather your belongings and step through the portal. With no further warning, the closest wall flashed orange, then a circular portal shimmered into existence like a mirage in reverse. He took one final moment to ready himself and strengthen his resolve, then began walking toward the radiant ring. With a shrug, Nick drew his sword, hefted the blanket bundle over his shoulder, and stepped into the glowing circle, ready to embark on his latest adventure. Chapters Two Hundred Twenty-One to Twenty-Three: The Defenders of Earth There was a bright pulse of light and a tone like a bell, followed by the bizarre sensation of being dragged through time and space. Stars went whizzing past his head as Nick soared through the cosmos, riding the magical conduits and portal network that the System had woven to bind the multiverse together. He doubted that he would ever get used to the experience, although it no longer felt completely foreign to his existence. Today¡¯s interstellar voyage was far briefer than his journey to the Searing Isle; a flash of disorientation, accompanied by a feeling like every molecule in his body was being pulled apart piece-by-piece. As the fragments of himself slid back together, a surreal process that took a few seconds to complete, Nick found himself filled with a fierce and rising excitement. After getting a few days off to recover, it was time to save the world or die trying. His vision was the last sense to come online, and he couldn¡¯t wait to see what came next, caught up in the timeless joy of imminent discovery. I¡¯m standing on the surface of an alien world. This is so fucking cool! Terrifying in any number of ways, but cool. As it happened, Nick was wrong about one key detail. It turned out that he wasn¡¯t standing on the surface of a planet after all, at least not yet. When his eyes were able to perceive light once more, he found himself floating in outer space, something that he had slowly been growing accustomed to since the System had entered his life. Unlike his other orbital experiences, this time, he was back in his own body, rather than exploring the great beyond as a discorporate entity. This realization led him to a series of related questions. Wait. How am I breathing and regulating my body temperature? Then, a few seconds later. Where am I, and where is planet Drezen? He discovered the answer when he turned around, trading his view of the infinite starscape for that of an alien world, its radiant curvature contrasted against the abyssal blackness of space. Nick¡¯s jaw dropped in wonder as he took in the sight of the planet far below, so different from any of the others he had seen. Instead of being covered with oceans or deserts, this world¡¯s exterior was tinted with a thousand shades of green. A vivid, verdant collage that suggested a surface dominated by dense forests and lush jungles. As his eyes traced the endless emerald contours, Nick realized that he was no longer carrying the blanket and the items wrapped inside, which wasn¡¯t really a surprise but had still been worth a shot. He momentarily mourned the loss of his infinite supply of coffee, before returning his attention to the task at hand. The Woodsman wouldn¡¯t have been such a bad pick after all. The errant thought crossed his mind as he began analyzing every aspect of the planet he could perceive, intent on learning everything that he could from this vantage before he found himself standing on the surface far below. It¡¯s not all green after all, he observed as he caught sight of gleaming bands of silver threading their way across the overgrowth like a vast spiderweb. He realized that the luminescent lines were immense rivers when he paid closer attention to their reflective gleam, catching sight of coin-shaped patches here and there that were either vast lakes or modest oceans. Nick opened his pack, took out his journal, and pulled out a nub of charcoal from one of his belt pouches. He took a moment to decide where to begin, then started sketching the planet turning below his boots. He didn¡¯t know where they would wind up when he landed, and having a map to carry with him would be a major asset. Figuring out the relationships between major landmarks like the lakes and rivers would be impossible from the ground, given the prolific growth. He had never been much of an artist, but it turned out better than he expected. His hands were steady thanks to his high dexterity, and his grasp of shape and perspective had been boosted by his improved mind and creativity. He finished his sketch within a matter of minutes, then nodded, satisfied with his work, waiting until he could see the far side of the planet before putting everything away. It was around this time that Nick noticed the display, one of the physical interfaces that the System favored, seemingly supported by nothing at all. When he reached out to touch the screen, his fingers encountered a transparent barrier, extending past the edges of the display. The presence of the invisible force-field solved the mystery of what was preventing the air he was breathing from dispersing into the void. Now that he knew it was there, he could sense an egg-shaped container formed from something that he could almost, but not quite perceive. Due to his recent experience, when the System had attuned his energetic core, Nick strongly suspected that the energy in question was force mana. A layer of magic serving as both containment and protection. Maybe I¡¯ll be able to make something like that one day. It would come in handy in a wide variety of situations. When he turned his attention to the screen once more, a block of text awaited his gaze. He read the same quest description for the fate of Earth that he had seen back in the safe room, along with a new line at the end. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. Contestants will be moved to a random location along the periphery of Blackmist Bog in 5 minutes. Prepare yourselves for atmospheric entry. After giving the quest message another full onceover, he set his eyes upon the planet turning beneath his boots, imagining what it would be like to be standing amongst the dense overgrowth. Visibility is going to be a problem. I might have to use the sun and stars to help chart a course. Deciding that he had learned everything that he could from this elevation, he started revising his plans and strategies to incorporate this new information. While he was excited and a little bit scared, it wasn¡¯t nearly as overwhelming as his prior ordeal. This time, Nick wouldn¡¯t be starting from zero. The knowledge that he had gained while learning how to survive in the forests of the Searing Isle would serve him well in the days ahead. He was about to pull out his spyglass to take a closer look when he saw a woman waving at him, the unexpected sight driving all other thoughts from his head. She was floating several hundred feet out, suspended in her own magic bubble, her profile outlined against the emerald expanse below. She was too far away for Nick to read her expression, even looking through his spyglass, but he could tell that she was offering him encouragement, transmitting positive energy across the void of space. Her gesture filled him with a warm glow, bringing tears to his eyes. It was a welcome and timely reminder that he wasn¡¯t fighting alone. That there were others from the world of his birth struggling alongside him. Brave souls who were risking it all for the survival of their species. Nick grinned and waved back with both arms; his morale boosted by this unexpected encounter with a friendly face. After going through his tutorial solo, he was immensely relieved that he wouldn¡¯t be alone for much longer. That there were others fighting alongside him. He should start running into potential allies before long, once everyone was on the ground and began heading toward the tower in the center of the bog. His curiosity aroused, he made another slow revolution inside his pod, trying to see if he could spot anyone else nearby. Now that he knew what to look for, he was able to make out the forms of dozens of people who had volunteered for this quest. He knew that there must be many more, hundreds if not thousands, who were too far away to see just yet. Some of the people floating nearby were standing still, their thoughts turned inward, but many more were waving and gesturing, cheering for one another as they waited for their ordeal to begin. Nick took in the sight, tears flowing down his cheeks, as the defenders of Earth reached out to one another across the abyss, sharing their courage, their resolve, and their hope for the future. It was the most moving experience of Nick¡¯s life. A sight that would fortify his morale during the dark days ahead. It made him think about his friends and family. About everyone he had known back in his old life. The trials they had overcome and the changes they had undergone along the way. He wondered where they were right now, and what the future would hold. If he would ever see any of them again. Hang in there, Nick. You have to keep hope alive. Surrounded by the defenders of Earth, Nick prayed that Sophia and Kenji were floating somewhere nearby, along with the other brave souls he had fought beside in the arena. He hadn¡¯t known them for long, but somehow Nick felt certain that they were close. That they had volunteered for this challenge because they would never give up. Never stop fighting until their hearts ceased to beat. He took a deep breath and then let it out, wiping away tears from the corners of his eyes. Until now, Nick had been fighting alone, or with a small group of people at his side. But now, here in this moment, he could truly appreciate the scale of this struggle. It let him internalize that this wasn¡¯t just his fight. That his entire species was struggling alongside him. That despite their differences, they were all in this together. It made him feel honored to be a member of the human race, something that he had never really considered until this moment. On reflection, he took pride in humanity¡¯s achievements, both in the world that had been, and during this critical juncture that would determine their future. We are the culmination of billions of years of natural selection. This is only one new challenge amidst the countless trials we¡¯ve overcome. Our ancestors came down from the trees, then conquered the land. We overcame natural disasters and fearsome predators as we spread across the globe, until we rose to the top of the food chain. With teamwork and insight, we mastered the myriad forces of nature, each generation building upon the achievements of the last. We developed language and science, with our eyes on the horizon, never giving up simply because something seemed impossible. We watched birds fly through the air, then built machines that would let us soar alongside them. We turned our gaze to the stars and took our first steps to join the limitless heavens. It¡¯s not just my generation that is rising to this challenge, but everyone who has come before, all the way back to the dawn of time. We stand upon the shoulders of giants, supported by every great mind in the history of our people. And now it¡¯s my turn to fight. Humanity, despite our myriad flaws and short-sightedness, deserves better than the hand we¡¯ve been dealt. We¡¯re not going down like this. Not if I have anything to say about it. As long as my neurons keep firing. While my heart still beats. While there is blood in my veins and breath in my lungs, I will fight for our future. Gazing upon the champions of Earth, Nick felt his resolve deepen, his resolution stronger than steel. He would play the Mad God¡¯s game, and with the help of the brave women and men floating beside him, he would win it all back. Carve out a place for his planet and his people in this strange new existence, Taltos and the System be damned. The fight for Earth would only be one chapter in the proud story of humanity, and he vowed in that moment that it would not be the last. That the death of their old world would be the birth of the new. That the next generation would still take their place among the stars. With his thoughts on the future, he returned his attention to the planet below. He was certain that the road ahead would be long and fraught with peril, but Nick was ready to face the dangers of an alien world head on. Chapters Two Hundred Twenty-Four to Twenty-Six: The Tower of Rizzen Nick would have kept searching for a familiar face in the crowd. But at that very moment, his pod began to move, a rapid acceleration that pressed him firmly against the conveyance¡¯s curvature. Before long, he was circumnavigating the globe at an incredible rate, the defenders of Earth flying alongside him. The emerald planet turned beneath his boots, great waterways flashing in the sunlight as his pod made a measured descent, heading toward the surface far below. The growth was so tall and intermeshed that he had trouble identifying features of the landscape from this height, so he sat back and enjoyed the ride until he was a bit closer to the ground. When the layer of force mana forming his pod began to glow, he realized that he was entering the upper atmosphere, the friction of his meteoric arrival coaxing the air to simmer and burn. First, a faint aura of flame flickered to life, which quickly brightened to an electric cherry red. A roar arose to fill Nick¡¯s ears, soft at first, like an engine arriving from far away. The reverberations intensified with every beat of his heart, the pod howling as the atmosphere thickened, creating considerable drag. By now, he was certain that his destination was over on the far side of Drezen, judging by his vector and velocity. He could sense that his ride was slowing as it rounded the globe, surprised that he felt no turbulence or heat. That his acceleration and subsequent deceleration were not subjecting his body to immense g-forces. It was clearly the work of powerful magic at play, displaying a degree of sophistication far beyond Nick¡¯s comprehension. It must be an advanced type of force magic creating the buffer, something different from the spell generating the surface of the pod. He cast his nascent energetic senses into the weaves of mana forming his conveyance, searching for inspiration that could fuel his future development. That was when the tower came into view, driving all other thoughts from his head. At first, Nick didn¡¯t know what he was looking at, his brain processing the immense onyx spire cresting the horizon as some kind of optical illusion or exotic atmospheric effect, rather than an actual physical structure. His mind simply wasn¡¯t prepared to accept the enormity of what he saw. The Tower of Rizzen was so out of scale to any human structure, dwarfing even the tallest mountains on Earth, that it took his synapses several minutes to decode what his retinas were reporting. He had been hoping that the tower would be big enough to serve as a landmark, but he could never have imagined anything like this. The black tower was not merely visible from space, it connected the ground below and the heavens above. An endless black pillar, piercing the sky like a spear of the gods. A staggeringly colossal construction that made the penthouse saferoom Nick had left behind look like a dollhouse by comparison. I have to climb¡­ that? For a long, disheartening moment, he despaired of the impossibility of the task, before remembering that his party only had to climb three floors before emerging onto the roof, surely the result of intricate and powerful magic far beyond his experience. Nick stared at the tower for a good ten minutes before the world turned white, his view of the planet obscured by a diffuse mass of clouds. By now, his ride had decelerated enough that the pod no longer screamed as it tore through the atmosphere, dialing down the intensity of the experience by a notch and helping him to focus on his thoughts and plans. My first goal is to identify anything between my landing point and the tower that will be visible from the surface. They will help keep me from getting lost once I¡¯m out on the bog. I¡¯ll figure the rest out as I go. When Nick broke through the bottom of the cloud bank, he was much closer to the ground. He was soaring at an altitude comparable to the passenger jets he had ridden back in his old life, albeit with a vastly superior view. Before turning his attention to the local geography, Nick made a final inspection of his ultimate destination, the impossibly tall figure of Darkstone Tower looming in the distance. It blew him away that someone had created something so impossibly large. Nick wondered who Rizzen was and what he had been hoping to accomplish as he took out his spyglass to get a better view. By now, the tower was growing close, or at least a great deal closer than it had been before. It was likely still hundreds of miles away, the impression of drawing near an illusion created by its immense stature. The top of the tower was now hidden by countless clouds floating across the sky, which appeared to be more common on this side of the planet. Regardless of the actual distance, the tower was big enough for Nick to make out additional details. Nothing as fine as its entrances or adornments, but enough for him to discern that the edifice was more than a simple length of stone, metal, or whatever alien materials could bear the titanic weight of the floors above. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. Some of the levels featured considerable extensions, bulging and branching out from the structure¡¯s base in a vast array of forms. Some segments had what appeared to be huge holes in the walls, leaving the interior of the tower exposed to the outside air. Some areas were hazy and faint, shimmering in and out of focus as if they existed only partially within this dimension. Others were rimed in thick bands of ice or warped the air around them, as if the space inside was hotter than an oven. Nick took in the sight of racing electricity, the glints of metal and even more exotic substances, reflecting and refracting from surfaces forged from a thousand different materials. The unusual arrangement gave the tower an aura of impenetrable mystery and untold power. It drove home the realization that Nick was gazing upon a genuine artifact of an alien civilization. Of a people who had long-since become accustomed to the magical multiverse and the strange laws that governed it. Gazing upon the Tower of Rizzen was awe-inspiring and deeply frightening. A portent of what they were up against during the tumultuous days ahead. These were the powers that humanity had to contend with if they wanted to survive. The new reality to which they must struggle and adapt. What was by far the strangest sight of all was also the most terrifying. Moving along the exterior of the tower were colossal¡­ somethings, hanging from the core by impossibly long arms. Going about inscrutable tasks that he couldn¡¯t even begin to imagine. From this distance he couldn¡¯t tell if the clinging giants were monsters or beasts. Machines or constructs animated by fey and fantastical magic. What he did know was that they were big. Immense on a scale that completely boggled his brain. Calm down Nick. Deep breaths. Let¡¯s hope that the guardian on the roof is somewhat¡­ smaller than those behemoths. Nick let out a fearful chuckle, praying that the nature of this challenge was scaled to at least be theoretically possible for the contestants of Earth to overcome. It was a standard he had sensed that the System adhered to, although anything sponsored by the Mad God was likely to be as lethal as the System would allow. He still couldn¡¯t guess at the nature of the relationship between them, although he was certain that they were rivals if not bitter enemies. Nick would have to ponder the bizarre symbiosis/war between the two incomprehensibly powerful entities later. Right now, he needed to focus and learn more about the lay of the land below his boots while he still could. After shaking his head to clear his mind, Nick turned to a fresh page in his journal, then started sketching the tower. He wanted to diagram the layout of the stranger sections, in case the information would be useful once he was inside and started climbing. When he was done, he moved on to drawing the land stretching out around the base of the structure, focusing on landmarks that would let him chart a course once he was standing on the surface. Now that he knew that he could use the tower itself as a primary point of reference, he was most interested in mapping features that would help him judge his progress en route. He lowered his eyes to examine the ground, now able to make out fine details as his pod began its final descent. He frowned at the image that met his gaze, because the entire region was dominated by incredibly massive trees, on the scale of the giant that Nick had climbed back on the Searing Isle. In that moment, he was deeply worried that the entire surface would be covered by such monstrous growth. It would be nearly impenetrable for a creature of Nick¡¯s size, especially one not native to this environment, slowing his progress to a crawl and leaving him vulnerable to attack from all sides. But then he remembered that there wasn¡¯t enough water here for this biome to be considered a bog. Thus, the primeval forest was unlikely to be his final destination. Sure enough, just before his pod reached the level of the treetops, the canopy cut off abruptly, revealing a gorgeous vista of sprawling rivers and mirrored pools, set within a massive basin that stretched on for hundreds of miles. It seemed that a meteor the size of a city had crashed into the planet long ago, rendering the surface concave and creating a bowl-shaped depression that collected runoff from Drezen¡¯s surface, creating a vast marshland. That must be Blackmist Bog. The vegetation was short and sparse by comparison, patches of rose and orange colored foliage interspersed amongst the greenery. Here and there, Nick caught sight of crumbling buildings that had been half-devoured by the overgrowth, as well as the shattered expanse of what had once been a major highway, well into the process of being reclaimed by the wilderness. He began sketching as fast as he could, using his remaining seconds before landing to record the lay of the land, especially the stretch running between his location and Darkstone Tower. Unfortunately, a glimpse was all that he was able to obtain from this elevation. He only had enough time to chart the major waterways and the orientation of the roadway. But that brief view was enough for Nick to tell that something was strange about the marshlands contained within the massive crater. In addition to plants and waterways, he had caught sight of dark patches sliding along the surface of the bog, like someone had spilled a gigantic bottle of ink, and it was running along land. He got a bad feeling just looking at them, and he had a hunch that he would discover their nature sooner rather than later. He wanted to study the phenomena and learn more about it, but he had run out of time and his view of the bog was cut off by the rim of the crater as his pod began to land. Ten seconds later, his ride came to a halt, hovering a hundred feet in the air. A few heartbeats after it stopped, the pod dropped straight down, heading toward an open clearing ringing the periphery of the massive crater containing Blackmist Bog and the Tower of Rizzen. Nick¡¯s heart began to race as he drifted toward the ground. He was ready for his next adventure, which would begin the moment that his boots hit the soil. Chapters Two Hundred Twenty-Seven to Twenty-Nine: Blackmist Bog As it happened, Nick¡¯s adventure was fated to begin even sooner than he expected. Only a handful of heartbeats after his pod began to drop, the world was plunged into impenetrable darkness. He had just enough time to mutter, ¡°What the fuck?¡± before his ride came to an end and settled onto the grass below. Before he could make sense of the unexpected event, the field generated by his transport faded out of existence. Stripped of the protective layer of force magic, Nick could feel the air around him, hear the wind blowing through the grasslands, as the scents of the bog washed over him. Standing blind upon the surface of an alien world, uncertain as to what was happening, his heart began to race. He strained his ears to the limit, seeking any sign that hostile creatures were in the area. Any hint that a life-or-death battle would momentarily ensue. He drew his sword from his pack and held it at the ready, prepared to meet any threats head on, sightless or not. Hopefully, no vicious predators were headed his way just yet, but Nick could only hope for the best and prepare for the worst. As the minutes ticked past, he began to calm down, although he didn¡¯t lower his guard. He focused intently on the four senses that were working properly, trying to learn as much as he could about his environment. Hopefully, my vision will return sooner rather than later. Otherwise, Nick was going to have to navigate this terrain without it, ideally without tumbling into the crater in the process. Wondering if he had sunk through the soil and fallen into some manner of subterranean chamber, he raised one hand in front of his face. However, he couldn¡¯t see his fingers at all. Couldn¡¯t see the sun or sky when he turned his head to look straight up. I¡¯m not underground after all, unless the entrance closed after I passed through. Confirming his suspicions, when he shifted his weight, he could feel plants crunching beneath his boots. He ducked down to touch the ground, the textures of stalk and dirt crisp against his fingertips. Somewhere out in the distance, he could hear the music of what sounded like crickets, punctuated by a deep croaking that reminded him of bullfrogs in summer. Nick took a deep breath in through his nose, sampling the various components riding the breeze. The air was moist and full of life, like the minutes following a brisk spring shower. It smelled of earth and rain. Of green grass and wildflowers in bloom. He drew in a second breath, savoring the scents of an alien world. Floral, with a hint of sweetness and spice. This is exactly what I would expect to find standing so close to the bog. The day was pleasantly warm, although the humidity made him sweat, even while standing still. That observation made him realize that he couldn¡¯t feel the sunlight warming his skin. This was good news in a sense. It meant that whatever was happening, it wasn¡¯t a problem with his eyes. Confused and uncertain how he should proceed, he gathered his will and summoned a mana dart, hoping to pierce the midnight veil with its magical light. Although he felt the spell activate and begin to orbit his head, Nick still couldn¡¯t see anything at all, despite the radiance his magic provided. What in the world is going on? Is this a natural phenomenon, or some kind of event? Am I going to have to try to find a way down into the bog while flying blind? I never imagined a situation like this. It turned out that Nick would discover the answer to his questions only ten seconds later. Because that was when the wind shifted and a cool breeze began blowing across the grasslands from a different direction, sending a shiver running down his spine. As the chill air swept over him, bright patches of color flickered across his vision. Streaks of heavenly blue, cotton white, and lush green. The familiar silver of his mana dart. A heartbeat later, the shroud of impenetrable blackness flew past him in a rush, like ink sliding down the surface of a window, revealing the world beyond. Just as the last streaks of creeping midnight flew past his head, Nick felt something brush against his face. It was long and soft, like a tentacle covered in feathers. It radiated heat, and he was certain in that moment that it belonged to a living creature. Something massive was flying just above his head, judging from the direction that the tendril was moving. He felt it quiver the moment that it touched his skin, tensing up like it was poised to strike. Nick leapt back and swung his sword, terrified that he was under attack from something he couldn¡¯t see. He felt the blade encounter the groping appendage, with an impact that set the blade ringing. He sent his dart out along the point of impact, aiming high toward where he thought the main body of the creature was located. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. He felt the air stir as whatever it was reared back to strike again, but before it could lash out, the last patch of blackness retreated beyond his position, carrying whatever had attacked him along with it. Heart hammering in his chest, Nick prepared to battle for his life. But to his immense relief, nothing else happened beyond a single black feather floating to the ground to land beside his feet. He raised his hand to shield his eyes, as the light of day emerged, leaving his vision awash in a range of radiant hues. Nick turned to watch as a cloud of utter blackness retreated into the distance, creating the world in its wake like a painter adding to the edge of her canvas. He thought that he saw just a hint of wings break the surface, before sinking back into the darkness once more. As it faded into the distance, he was able to get a sense for the scale of the phenomenon, judging that it was big enough to erase miles of terrain at a time. Although the light-devouring substance didn¡¯t seem to have harmed him, it was clearly dangerous given its hostile residents, just a taste of what was in store during the days ahead. He began to calm down, adrenaline running dry when nothing else revealed itself nearby. The weird haze of anti-light, or whatever it was, soon disappeared into the woodlands, leaving him standing upon a sunny patch of grasslands, uncertain as to what he should do next. The good news was that Nick¡¯s eyes had been working the whole time. The bad news was that he had discovered a dangerous new type of weather that was home to something large and unfriendly. A hazard that he would have to contend with during his stay on planet Drezen. That had to be the blackmist that the bog is named after. Nasty stuff, especially if I get caught in it by surprise. I¡¯ll have to adjust my plans going forward, creating some contingencies for what to do if the mist makes a sudden appearance. He pulled himself away from pondering the strange experience and returned his focus to the task at hand, saving his analysis of the bizarre, possibly magical weather phenomenon until he found a safe place to think. First, he needed to survey the area, prioritizing identifying any immediate threats, which were pretty much guaranteed to be out there. While he explored his surroundings, he would hammer out his strategy for the first stage of this challenge, tweaking his plans depending on what he found. With the mystery of the sudden darkness solved, Nick put the feather into his pack and turned his attention to examining his environment, learning what he could now that he was standing on the ground before heading down into the bog. As he turned in a slow circle to scan the local terrain, his lingering fear was replaced by a rising tide of excitement. It was the thrilling call of the unknown. The perennial joy of exploring an uncharted frontier. Something that had always resonated with Nick, but that he had never expected to experience for himself back in his old life. By his count, this was the fourth planet he had set foot upon since the Earth had been integrated into the System and stolen by Taltos, not counting the various safe rooms he had visited. Nick realized that he might be the first person in the history of his species to explore such a wide range of alien terrain. Even more astounding, he had made contact with an intelligent species back in the tutorial dungeon, and then again in the arena, answering the age-old question once and for all. Mankind was not alone in the universe, and he had been part of the generation that made first contact, cementing his place in history. It would have felt even better if the System wasn¡¯t manipulating events behind the scenes, or deranged deities hadn¡¯t placed their fingers on the scales, but it was still an incredible, mind-blowing insight. Nick realized that he was smiling as he finished scanning the grasslands. Despite the danger and the future of his people hanging in the balance, he couldn¡¯t deny that he was having the time of his life. And this was only the beginning of Nick¡¯s story. In the span of a month, he had gazed upon the face of a god, visited the ruins of a lost civilization, and learned to wield the foreign natural force known as magic. He had never dreamed that he would accomplish things that would be spoken of for millennia to come, assuming that his species survived the latest challenge Taltos had thrown their way. In short, he had experienced events that would make any fantasy or space geek boil with envy, and he was proud of what he had achieved. He was ready to begin the next chapter of his incredible journey, eager to give it his all to win back his home. Although he welcomed any excuse to feel hope, awe, and joy, he didn¡¯t ignore his surroundings during this brief celebration of his accomplishments. Still grinning from ear to ear, Nick turned his thoughts toward more practical matters. After all, the clock was ticking. It was time to find a way down into the crater and start exploring the bog. Hopefully, as he made his way toward Darkstone Tower, he would cross paths with other people and form an effective party, before entering the tower and tackling the next stage of the challenge. But before he got to that, there was something that he needed to do first. Nick intended to camp at the base of the tower for as long as possible, lending a hand to anyone in need and contributing to their joint preparations. After doing everything that he could to help the volunteers get organized, it would be time to head inside and climb to the top, ultimately facing the guardian waiting on the roof. If everything went well, the Earth would be returned to humanity and integrated into the labyrinth, and he could start looking for his friends and family. If I¡¯m lucky, I¡¯ll run into some of the people I fought beside in the arena. They were all formidable, and I know a bit about how our powers synergize already. Except for Julie. She wasn¡¯t strong enough to be there and had to deal with the trauma of losing two close friends back-to-back. Nick said a prayer for Julie, Kevin, and James, as well as everyone who had been lost since the System arrived. Then he slid his sword into his pack and went about his day, his sorrow and joy mingling like paint swirling as it was washed down the drain. Chapters Two Hundred Thirty to Thirty-Two: Precipice While these thoughts passed through Nick¡¯s mind, he looked up and then lowered his gaze to the horizon, trying to determine what time it was and which way he should go. The sun was high overhead, the sky a mixture of endless blue and patches of puffy white clouds. It must be sometime around noon, however long the days on this planet happen to be. At least not all the mist on this world is made of impenetrable darkness, he noted with relief. I should start looking for shelter well before the sun sets. I don¡¯t want to get caught out in unfamiliar terrain after dark. He turned in a slow circle, trying to get a sense of the local terrain. To make sure nothing dangerous was nearby, and that no more blackmist was headed his way. To the south lay a solid wall of green where the great forest began, the terrain he had flown over before his pod landed. Fortunately, he would be heading in the opposite direction of that impenetrable mass of vegetation, toward the crater¡¯s edge a few hundred yards to the north. When he got there, Nick was hoping to find a trail that ran along its perimeter. Otherwise, walking through the knee-high growth was going to be a chore. He crouched down to take a closer look, hoping that there weren¡¯t any more surprises in store before he headed out. The groundcover was different from any grass he had seen. The end of each stalk bent back down and appeared to grow into the soil, leaving a curved loop of green that looked a bit like needlepoint. It didn¡¯t seem dangerous, and he eventually spotted a game trail leading in the right direction. He tightened the straps on his pack and began to follow it. In addition to being the stage for Taltos¡¯s challenge, Nick needed to enter the marsh if he wanted to live past the next few days, when his food and water ran out. Because the grasslands bordering the crater containing the bog were featureless and unwelcoming. Other than the trail he followed, there were no signs of animals living anywhere nearby. No edible plants or a source of water in sight. Even though this elevated biome looked safe, he proceeded with caution. He was certain that this moment of calm was not fated to last for long, whether or not he entered Blackmist Bog. After all, the System seemed geared toward forcing people into conflict. It would turn up the heat sooner rather than later, driving Nick and the other volunteers into the tower. Not that they had much choice regardless, unless they wanted to eke out an existence in this random corner of the multiverse for the little time they had left. With a shrug, he shelved these thoughts until later. Right now, he needed to cover as much ground as he could before danger reared its ugly head once more. As he walked, he took in the sight of the tower rising above the marshlands, jutting above everything lying on the surface of the planet. An endless onyx pillar that bridged the heavens above and the earth below. Nick set his gaze upon Darkstone Tower, where the guardian stood waiting at the top. Hoping that he could catch a glimpse of the creature from this distance, which might offer him a hint as to its nature, he took out his spyglass and followed the tower¡¯s profile as it stretched up to kiss the sky, so large that it made him feel infinitesimal, even from this distance. Unfortunately, the top of the tower was still covered by clouds, offering him nothing beyond an appreciation for the sheer scale of the edifice, which would have cost trillions of dollars to build back on Earth, assuming that engineering such a marvel had been possible to begin with. With any luck, he would uncover some clues as to the tower¡¯s nature and purpose before he set foot inside. He slid his spyglass into his belt pouch and returned his attention to the crater¡¯s edge, a barrier that he would have to scale before long if he wanted to help pry the Earth free from Taltos¡¯s grasp. Nick wasn¡¯t sure why the Mad God had stolen the planet only to offer humanity a chance to win it back. But he was certain that whatever the reason, Taltos had nothing pleasant planned for the Earth and its inhabitants. A few minutes later, he could see the rim of the precipice looming ahead, leaving him with one final question to ponder. How the hell am I going to get down there? He closed the last stretch of ground and found himself standing at the edge of a cliff, able to get his first good look at Blackmist Bog. Before he went to work searching for a way down, Nick took the opportunity to cast his gaze across the marshlands, surveying the region while he was still standing above it. Most of the bog was hundreds of feet below the level of the grasslands, offering him a glimpse into the first strata of the biome. Low trees covered much of the ground bordering the crater¡¯s rim, but they were clustered compared to the forests on the Searing Isle, granting him a clear view of the terrain below his boots. Close to the crater¡¯s edge, the soil seemed relatively solid, which was a relief. From the name, he¡¯d been afraid that the entire bog would be wetlands, but it seemed that there was quite a bit of variety to the terrain. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Further in, there were fewer trees and more brush. He saw stretches of brown mud interspersed with the occasional flash of sunlight reflecting off water, but fortunately nothing that appeared as extensive and inhospitable as the swamp on the island. Rather than forming a continuous marsh, the bog was home to thousands of shallow ponds, with streams and channels running between them to form an organic maze. Nick opened his journal to update his map. He began scanning the area as thoroughly as he could, cataloguing any interesting features and the various creatures living within the bog. Here and there, he saw the occasional patch of what appeared to be white rock, interspersed with shattered pillars like a mouthful of broken teeth. Eventually, his brain pieced together the significance of the scattered outcroppings, which no longer appeared continuous now that he was on the ground. The white stones are the remnants of the road that winds throughout the marshlands. It hasn¡¯t been maintained and is gradually being reclaimed by the wilderness. Now that he knew what to look for, he saw signs that buildings had once lined the roadside, and the tops of what looked like crumbling towers in the distance. The decaying infrastructure made it clear that people had lived in the area at some point. They had abandoned the bog sometime within the last few decades, judging from the state of the ruins. It seemed that there would be more places to explore than the endless expanse of wilderness. With any luck, some of the structures would still have valuable items inside. It made Nick wonder if the locations of the quests and dungeons were real places with their own history, or if they were merely simulations or stages created by the System. While anything was possible in a multiverse filled with unfathomable magic, his instincts told him that it was the former. Everything he had experienced so far, especially his encounters with the ratmen in the sewers of Kastilla, pointed to them being real. He wondered why the System chose these places for its events. If the presence of humanity on alien worlds was intended to accomplish something beyond fulfilling the parameters of Taltos¡¯s challenge. If Nick¡¯s decisions would have lasting consequences for this land and the creatures who called it home. Let¡¯s worry about tomorrow¡¯s problems tomorrow. For now, you need to keep your mind focused on today¡¯s. With that, Nick returned his attention to the crumbling roadway, recording its twists and turns so that he could use it to gauge his progress once he was out on the bog. It would serve as a useful landmark, giving him another way to judge his location in addition to the position of the sun, stars, and the black tower looming in the distance. When he was done updating his map, he added his observations to the page and outlined a tentative route. Once he got down there, he would try to stick to dry ground, which seemed to be concentrated along the road, the wooded areas, and the rim of the crater. After a bit of consideration, Nick decided that it would be too dangerous to hike along the roadway. It was an ideal place to launch an ambush or set a trap, and walking the intact portions of the elevated highway would make his movements far too predictable for anything smart enough to anticipate his route to the tower. Before continuing along the crater¡¯s perimeter, he decided on a whim to use size up on Blackmist Bog itself, by far the largest area he had ever evaluated. He honestly hadn¡¯t expected the skill to do anything and was surprised when he felt just a ghost of a response, although he couldn¡¯t be sure that the sensation was anything more than his mind playing tricks on him. Nick thought that he felt a faint ping of danger, like a signal at the edge of a radar¡¯s range. It offered the impression that the marshlands were home to creatures far more dangerous than the residents of the Searing Isle, and that the terrain contained hidden threats as well. But that was all he could process before the feeling faded away, leaving him wondering if the experience was anything more than a figment of his turbocharged imagination. In the end, he supposed that it didn¡¯t matter. Regardless of whatever was waiting for him down in the bog, it was time to find out what dangers it held firsthand. His next order of business was to figure out how to climb down from the rim of the crater and enter the periphery of Blackmist Bog. Along the edge near where he had landed, the incline was too steep to scale without specialized gear or a proper path. One wrong step, and he would tumble down to the level of the marsh, breaking every bone in his body along the way if the fall didn¡¯t kill him outright. Thus, his next objective was clear. He needed to find a path leading into the crater that was wide enough for him to follow. Well Nick. Your first choice is simple enough. Left, or right? After a few more minutes spent studying the terrain, he turned to the right and began following the contour of the precipice. In part because that side of the basin seemed slightly less steep, but mostly because he could see dry land running in that direction. More of the long fingers of earth covered in vegetation, and fewer of the lakes and rivers running between them. With any luck, he would get a chance to study more of the bog¡¯s inhabitants before he found a way down. It would be good to have a better sense of the local predators before he was forced to fight them. As he walked, he eventually spotted some massive creatures out in the distance, including what appeared to be a titanic turtle with a bright red shell. It seemed that some of the bog¡¯s most fearsome residents lived within the water, a lesson he would take to heart during the trying days ahead. With a grin that was even parts apprehension and excitement, Nick picked up his pace, eager to discover what strange twist of fate the multiverse had in store for him next. Concept Art: Chapter 214-226 Just a reminder, I completely respect that not everyone likes the inclusion/existence of AI art, so I''ve put it in it''s own chapter so that it''s easy to skip and not shown side by side with the story. If it''s not your thing, I totally understand where you are coming from. This concept art is included entirely for fun, and will never be sold or monetized in any way. It will never be as good as your imagination, so if it doesn''t fit with the version of something in your head, go with your imagination instead. I will try and get a picture of Bandit''s new form soon, it''s too complex for the AI to do a good job. Bandit alone in the dark Shadow things (only two were in the scene) Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. Tiger king Epic battle Drezen A friendly face The Tower of Rizzen Up close The pod is landing Blackmist Chapters Two Hundred Thirty-Three to Thirty-Five: First Day on the Bog As he fell into the rhythm of his hike, Nick opened his senses to the natural world, practicing the survival skills that he had started developing during the tutorial. Fortunately, he didn¡¯t sense anything dangerous lurking along the crater¡¯s rim or the grasslands that bordered it. However, there was a great deal going on within the bog stretching out below his boots. Every time that he spotted something new, he pulled out his brass spyglass to take a closer look. It was an excellent opportunity to get a glimpse of the creatures he would be hunting and battling as soon as he made it down into the marsh. The first beast of interest was a great serpent, at least thirty feet long and as thick as his waist. Nick would never have seen it if it wasn¡¯t in the middle of devouring its prey, some manner of giant frog with bright red skin. Ten minutes and most of a mile later, he caught sight of a pair of graceful avians fishing along the waterways. They reminded him of herons, but these birds were over twice the size and boasted brilliant blue accents to their wings that shimmered in the sunlight. Their legs ended in powerful talons, which looked sharp enough to slice into leather with ease. He followed their flight as they soared above giant otter-like creatures playing in the water below, sharing the lakes and streams with shelled lizards that had features reminiscent of both turtles and crocodiles. They were too far away for size up to provide any additional details, but the skill let him know that they were dangerous. While he spotted numerous animals as well, Nick was certain that many of the creatures he observed were formidable beasts. Lifeforms capable of using powers comparable to the spells and abilities the System granted to contestant species. It meant that he would have to be on guard against a wide range of magical abilities, not just the beasts¡¯ sheer size, strength, and natural weaponry, which were lethal enough all by themselves. He would have to choose his prey carefully going forward. Be prepared to face off against stealthy predators adapted to the wetlands, including quite a few giant species, based on what he¡¯d seen thus far. Nick could already tell that this was going to be his most difficult challenge yet, but it was also an excellent opportunity to fight and grow stronger. To level and train his skills, honing his body and mind to face the final trial that would determine the fate of the Earth, climbing the Tower of Rizzen and battling the guardian waiting for him on the roof. The misty marshlands were beautiful and mysterious when viewed from above, although he was certain that they were home to hidden dangers as well, deadly threats beyond those posed by the bog¡¯s resident predators. On top of everything else, there would be ordeals and opportunities thrown into the mix by Taltos and the System, events that would provide powerful rewards if he could survive long enough to claim them. As these thoughts passed through his mind, Nick thought that he could sense a pervasive tension riding the air rising from below. Like an ominous note hidden within a peaceful melody. He had a hunch that within a few hours of setting foot onto Blackmist Bog, he would find himself fighting for his life. And given the nature of the quest he¡¯d undertaken, the heat would only intensify past that point. It didn¡¯t surprise him at all. He¡¯d known all along that whatever challenge the System whipped up would be fraught with peril, especially with an entire planet as the prize. That the dangers he would face in the days ahead would pose an even greater threat than surviving on the Searing Isle. He had come here with open eyes, ready to put his life on the line for the future of his people and every living creature that called the Earth home. He set his eyes upon the black tower looming large on the horizon, steeling his resolve, ready to face the trial ahead. Now, how am I going to get there? Two hours later, Nick finally found a likely candidate for a way down. While the trail he had uncovered was far too steep and uneven for his liking, he was pretty sure that he could make it to the bottom in one piece. After a moment¡¯s reflection, he decided to go for it. The clock was ticking, and he hadn¡¯t seen anything else remotely as promising after surveying the ridgeline for long minutes. His decision made, he stepped onto the trailhead, testing each foothold before committing his weight. Placing all his focus into maintaining his balance, he navigated the winding path as it cut back and forth along the crater¡¯s edge. It must have rained sometime over the last few days. The earth was moist, although the soil was firm enough to support the weight of Nick and his gear. Twenty nervous minutes after he began his descent, he rounded the last stretch of slope and set foot onto the bog, a heady blend of fear and excitement swirling within his breast. While he stopped to catch his breath, Nick assessed the area, on alert for hostile beasts as well as dangerous terrain. Trees and shrubs dominated the local landscape, thinning out as they approached the pools further ahead. Stolen novel; please report. Most of the streams looked shallow enough to ford, not that he intended to cross open water except as a last resort. The reflective surfaces concealed the terrain below the waterline. Anything could be hidden down there. From dangerous beasts, to quicksand, to god knows what magical phenomena were common to this world besides the roving clouds of ink black fog. Thankfully, it seemed that even in the wetlands, there were patches of dry earth that connected to one another, forming a network of pathways that ran between the rivers and pools. A natural maze that was certain to slow him down, and likely featured other dangers as well. Before he moved on, Nick took a long plug from his canteen and ate some provisions from his pack, resting his feet while sitting on top of a modest boulder. Knowing that he would soon leave the borderlands behind, he took in the ambiance of the biome ahead, trying to learn whatever he could before he faced its dangers head on. The buzzing of insects filled the air, frenetic buzzing and chirps accompanied by the deep croaks of what sounded like bullfrogs and the cries of birds circling above. Deeper in there were more ferns, and most of the trees were growing along the water¡¯s edge, with roots dipping into the pools like mangroves. He could smell flowers in bloom and the marshy scents of aquatic life, interspersed with an occasional whiff of decay. He would have liked to camp here for the night, using the crater¡¯s wall to guard his back, but there was still plenty of daylight left and Nick was on the clock. While he adjusted to his new environment, Nick began tweaking his plans, including his goals for the remainder of the day. Given the prevalence of ambush predators out on the bog, he would hike with his wand in hand, ready to fire at a moment¡¯s notice. He really needed to find a sheath for his sword, so that he could wear it on his hip and not have to draw it from his pack, but that was a worry for another day. Today, he hoped to hike for at least fifteen miles before calling it a night, and make better time tomorrow as he became accustomed to the marshlands. He didn¡¯t need to hunt or forage for several days, given the state of his provisions. Although he would pick up anything edible he found along the way to extend his stores, if it didn¡¯t slow him down. In short, he needed to find out what he was dealing with as he made his way to the tower, then find somewhere that he could hole up for the night. At least he wouldn¡¯t have to worry about getting completely turned around, not with Darkstone Tower and the road to guide his path. After stretching out his legs, Nick leapt down from the boulder, ready to find out what Blackmist Bog had in store. Three hours later, he had left the borderlands behind him and entered the main body of the marsh. Unlike the vast forests he had flown past in his pod, this was a land featuring considerable variety in both terrain and hue. The bog revealed a landscape that was saturated in color. Vivid patches of green, pink, and orange growth were interspersed with sparkling mirror pools and streams reflecting the sunny blue skies above. Unlike the Searing Isle, in Blackmist Bog, the insects were abundant and inescapable. The water, ground, and sky were filled with warring species of bugs, each determined to claim this land for their own. Their musical chirps and the buzzing of wings filled the air, punctuated by the cawing of birds overhead and the occasional roar of unknown beasts out in the distance. All in all, it was a lush, vibrant ecosystem. A wondrously living land, bursting with beauty and mystery. While Nick was certain that the bog possessed its fair share of both danger and opportunity, he was eager to be standing here, taking it all in. One of the first members of his species to tread upon this world, and the very first person to set eyes on this locale. Although it had yet to be determined if anyone would be alive to record it, he was taking part in history in the making. Nick would do whatever he could to ensure that his people survived long enough to adapt to this strange new reality in which they found themselves. With not only his future, but the fate of his home world at stake, the situation was deadly serious. But part of him was filled with eager anticipation. He was having fun, he realized in shock, amazed at how much he had changed since all this madness had begun a little over a month ago. The old Nick, the gamer sitting in front of his computer, would have given an arm to be a part of this. He wouldn¡¯t return to that existence if someone were to offer him the choice. Not unless they can bring the dead back to life, he decided, his joy shifting to become bittersweet. He shook his head to clear it of dark thoughts, focusing on the buzzing thrill of anticipation instead. Right now, Nick was in the middle of something inherently amazing and profoundly significant, a true adventure. A quest of utmost importance, and a journey beyond his wildest dreams. At least the dreams of his old life. He was immersed in a profound experience that challenged him not only to find, but to surpass his prior limitations. To become someone new, greater than before. As he ventured forth into the great unknown, he began to get a feel for the land beneath his boots, the marsh stretching out before his gaze. It was a domain of water as much as earth, which offered unique challenges. Case in point, after walking into a dead-end peninsula for the second time, resulting in a nervous ten minutes of backtracking where his only route of escape could be cut off, he learned to carefully inspect the land ahead before picking his path. He soon learned to avoid not only potential cutoffs, but also routes that forced him to walk too close to the waterline. The lakes and slow-moving rivers might conceal any number of horrors lurking just below their mirrored surfaces. Fortunately, none of the myriad insect species appeared to be bestial, or overly concerned with his intrusion as he passed by. He would be careful to avoid them when choosing a campsite however, as many of the bugs featured wicked stingers and mandibles, and Nick had no desire to rouse their ire, let alone attract the attention of the bog''s prolific predators. Chapter Two Hundred Thirty-Six: One Last Taste of Summer and Sunshine I Nick walked along the bog for miles, occasionally following fragmented strips of cobblestone that had once been proper footpaths, but mostly traversing endless stretches of multicolored grass. On several occasions, he caught glimpses of blackmist in the distance. Fortunately, they were only small patches that weren¡¯t headed his way and nothing on the scale of the massive bank that had engulfed him earlier in the day. They looked like roving banks of creeping midnight, like holes torn into the fabric of the world. He hoped to learn more about the magical weather before he was caught by it again. From time to time, he practiced drawing his dagger and wand, sliding them free from their sheaths to point at imaginary targets coming at him from various angles, preparing himself to fend off beasts rushing low for his knees or diving from the air above his head. He could tell that his training was paying off. He was getting better at bringing the weapons to bear without looking away or breaking his stride. Sometimes, Nick substituted his armaments with various items from his belt pouches or quaffing his flask, stopping the motion before breaking the seal and popping the top off the artifact. It was comforting to have the curious concoction ready to go for a true emergency down the road. Once he was satisfied with his progress, he added throwing into the mix, chucking rocks at various targets to simulate using them in battle and training his skill in the process. From time to time, he came across bones and other remains, a grim reminder that the bog was home to countless predators, many of whom would consider him to be nothing more than a tasty treat. With any luck his new spells and the training he had undergone would be sufficient to teach them the error of their ways. When the sun was high overhead, which was smaller, brighter, and more copper colored than Earth¡¯s own, Nick decided to break for lunch, estimating that the days on this world were a bit longer than twenty-four hours. After wiping the sweat from his brow, he plopped down on top of a large grey boulder that offered an unobstructed view for miles in every direction. Thus far, he had managed to avoid the myriad predators that called the bog home, but he had a hunch that his run of good luck wouldn¡¯t last much longer. This was a treacherous land at the best of times, and it would be doubly so with the quest adding its challenges into the mix. Behind Nick ran the rim of the crater, which looked a bit like a series of foothills from this distance. Ahead of him loomed Darkstone Tower, his ultimate destination and the place where the fate of his people would be determined. On both sides, the mirrored pools and wetlands stretched out for as far as his eyes could see, a wild land that promised adventure and danger in equal measures. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. A cool breeze blew through his hair, carrying away the heat of an alien sun upon his skin. It was a powerful, private moment. A few final hours of calm before all hell broke loose. A time for reflecting on how far he¡¯d come to reach this place, and the long road ahead before he would touch the soil of his home world once again. He sat there, taking it all in, then slipped off his backpack while deciding what he wanted to eat for lunch. He took a banana out of his pack and began to peel the fruit, which he had found inside the safe room¡¯s refrigerator before entering the portal. Staring down at the banana in his hand, a wave of nostalgia broke over him. The food from home evoked a wave of memories, reminding Nick of the people he loved, the planet of his birth, and a life that he would never know again. But he didn¡¯t have time to get lost in the past, the clock was ticking. He would have to live off the land when his supplies ran out sometime over the next two days. But Nick wasn¡¯t worried. He trusted his foraging skill to carry him through, at least for now. It would let him know what was safe to eat and what wasn¡¯t, as well as the best way to harvest and consume the various plants and animals within the bog. Although he wasn¡¯t in danger of running out of provisions just yet, he would keep an eye out for anything that he could eat as he hiked, along with anything that thought it could eat him. At least water wasn¡¯t going to be a problem. While Nick would have to watch out for predators hiding below the waterline, his skill informed him that most of the water he saw was safe to drink. He decided that it would still be a good idea to boil it before consumption whenever possible, since it never hurt to be too careful. He could use the steel helmet he had taken from the ratman foreman as a crude pot, since it wasn¡¯t the right size for his head anyway. A few stagnant pools where vivid red ferns grew thick did seem to be mildly toxic, and he resolved to avoid both the plants and the surrounding waters. Nick would never have been able to navigate this uncharted terrain so easily if it wasn¡¯t for the skills he¡¯d developed back on the Searing Isle. Although he had already fallen in love with his new class, he was hoping to find an opportunity to boost foraging and size up in the future. Both skills had saved his life a dozen times over, and surviving on an alien world was hard enough with them at his disposal. They were still incredibly useful right now, since Nick had trained them diligently during the tutorial. But he was afraid that they would grow less helpful as he ventured into more dangerous places, at least at their current level. The skills that had come with his basic class had been capped at ten, but uncommon classes could raise their skills to twenty-five. While he was eager to find out what his new combat skills could do, he had to admit that his survival-based skills were worth their weight in gold. In addition to their raw utility, he had grown accustomed to the feedback that his skills provided. Sensations that had come to feel like natural extensions of his own senses rather than information provided by an external source. He could only imagine what it would be like to have dozens of high-level skills guiding his hand and watching his back. Something to look forward to in the future. Chapter Two Hundred Thirty-Seven: One Last Taste of Summer and Sunshine II With a sigh, he set aside his contemplations and donned his trusty pack once more. He rose to his feet and stretched out his back, prepared to resume his journey deeper into the heart of the bog. He planned to hike for another few hours before finding a place to hole up for the night. As Nick walked across a wide-open patch of dry soil covered in knee-high grass, he passed by a patch of gorgeous pumpkin-colored flowers with fat blossoms bigger than his fists. Now a habit when encountering anything conspicuous, he hit the growth with both size up and foraging from maximum range. His encounter with the ravenous creeper vines on the Searing Isle had left him with an instinctive wariness for eye-catching flora. To his surprise, not only did both skills indicate that the orange flowers were harmless, he was left with a strong impression that they were edible and highly nutritious to boot. After a brief internal debate, Nick¡¯s curiosity overruled his mistrust. He hesitantly walked over to the closest blossom, plucked a single petal, then stuck it into his mouth. It didn¡¯t taste like much until he crushed it between his molars and started to chew, at which point a wonderous sensation broke over his palate, saturating his tongue in both sour and sweetness. It was so intense that it took him a minute to adjust, but once he became accustomed to the taste, he decided that the flavor of the flower was absolutely divine. The aftertaste reminded him of strawberries and watermelon. Summer and sunshine along with hints of spices for which there were no earthly equivalents. An alien flavor to pair with the exotic terrain he was exploring. Nick enthusiastically devoured all the petals on one blossom and stored the other three flowers in his pack. He would save them as a special treat, after removing any seeds he found, in case he was able to plant them later. Nick resumed hiking with a spring in his step. He soon realized that not only were the petals significantly more filling than any flower had a right to be, they had topped off his thirst as well. There must be some manner of magic at work, he decided. If we can learn the flowers¡¯ secret or cultivate them in mass, it might dramatically improve the quality of travel provisions once we¡¯re back on Earth. As an added bonus, the petals had a mild stimulant property, filling him with a wave of longing for his dearly departed coffee. The flowers offered only a tingle of euphoria compared to caffeine¡¯s brutish rush of energy, but he couldn¡¯t complain, as it was still a pleasant surprise. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. As he made his way across the endless mire, he spotted countless species of insects, along with the occasional bird, amphibian, or reptile. Nothing that looked warm blooded, or whatever passed for mammals on this planet. Unlike Nick¡¯s tutorial, the various critters all appeared to have evolved on this world, and fortunately, they were more concerned with each other than they were with him. They were similar enough to creatures from Earth that he wondered if life throughout the multiverse had common origins or trends, or if the System was deliberately sending him to worlds similar to his own. Either way, he appreciated the familiarity of it all. It made crossing an alien landscape a little less lonely. Two hours later, he spotted his first beasts since descending from the precipice. They looked like giant yellow otters, leisurely swimming their way across one of the larger pools. Although they didn¡¯t register any hostility when Nick used size up, he gave the curious creatures a wide berth. He had learned firsthand that while not all beasts were aggressively inclined, they were invariably formidable fighters. Not that regular animals couldn¡¯t be just as deadly. Although he might be able to survive a bite from a cobra or another venomous critter with his high toughness, it would still be a crippling blow, leaving him vulnerable to attack from a bigger predator. On that note, massive creatures were still perfectly capable of killing him without using magic, even though he was able to dish out far more damage these days. While he was already superhuman by the standards of his former life, Nick held no illusion that he could take on an elephant, saltwater crocodile, or great white shark without some manner of elaborate setup. Although I might be able to handle a large bull or small bear if I managed to get the drop on them. Nick laughed to himself before abandoning the strange train of thought. There would be plenty of creatures to battle on the bog without imagining more. He returned his attention to where it was needed, watching the terrain below his feet and anything approaching from the water. Fortunately, it was impossible to get turned around and lose his bearings, thanks to the ever-present tower looming in the distance. The unimaginably immense black pillar rose to pierce the clouds above. A bridge connecting soil and sky, like the finger of god reaching down from above. The product of magic or science far beyond any he had known. Shaking his head at the marvelous strangeness of it all, Nick kept putting one foot in front of the other, heading toward the mysterious tower jutting up from the heart of the bog. He was certain that danger would rear its ugly head sooner rather than later. His hunch was born out only a few hours later. Later that afternoon, as Nick was crossing through a series of winding valleys formed from a long string of low hills, he realized that he was being followed. Or, more accurately, Nick was being stalked. It seemed that the first battle for his life on this planet had arrived right on schedule. Now it was time to find out what he was dealing with and come up with a way to begin the fight from an advantageous position. Chapter Two Hundred Thirty-Eight: Frog Fight I Every time that Nick stopped to look behind him, the bog was serene and unthreatening. The birds were chirping, and the bugs were buzzing, their music vibrant and energizing. But when he began walking once more, he felt a vague sense of unease. The sensation rapidly grew stronger, becoming a premonition of impending danger. He didn¡¯t feel anything when he tried sizing up the glade, but Nick was learning to rely on his instincts every bit as much as his skills. Besides, size up wasn¡¯t as effective when he didn¡¯t know what he was looking for. The local landscape was dominated by lush teal grass that topped off a few inches below his knees. Their blades were so soft that they felt like velvet sliding across his fingertips. While it made for pleasant hiking, the verdant groundcover provided a perfect hiding place for anything smaller than Nick himself. Gearing up for a fight, he reached behind his shoulder to open the flap of his bag, drawing his sword without missing a beat. A motion that had begun to feel natural with repetition, although it would never be described as graceful. Instead of turning around again, Nick held the blade before his eyes, using its edge as a mirror so that he could look behind him without giving his intentions away. I doubt that any animal or beast will catch on to this trick. Sure enough, he could see three patches of grass bending as they gave way, yielding before a trio of creatures that were otherwise invisible to his gaze. At the moment, two were ranging out to the sides, while the last was coming straight for his back. By this point, he was certain that he was being stalked by some of the bog¡¯s resident predators, which appeared to be some manner of pack hunters if he was reading the signs correctly. His heart began to race, and while Nick was undeniably afraid, part of him was tingling with excitement as well. It was finally time to find out what his Kineticist class was capable of. To see what his brand-new spell, piercing ray, could do. He shifted his sword into a one-handed grip, changing his route to head toward the closest hillock, meandering like he didn¡¯t have a care in the world. Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. He was certain that the creatures would strike before he left the concealing grass. While he had no idea what he was up against just yet, Nick could use the creatures¡¯ predatory natures to predict how they would react. At least to some extent. Having caught wind of their ambush ahead of time would help him take control over the flow of the battle to come, allowing him to make his first move before the melee began. Sure enough, as soon as he changed direction, the trails in the grass began converging on his position. The hunters abandoning their attempt to encircle him in favor of the presumed advantage of a stealthy assault. Nerves alight with adrenaline and the visceral thrill that arises from putting one¡¯s life on the line, Nick conjured two mana darts into existence. As he had observed back in the safe room, the pair of silver lances were bigger and brighter than they had been before changing classes. A gift of the Force Adept trait that came with picking Kineticist. The magical missiles left streaking trails of chrome around his head like an oversized halo, ready to fire on his command. The tension grew thicker by the heartbeat, as his assailants closed the distance like a noose tightening around his neck. He fought the urge to turn around and assume a battle stance, keeping his footsteps steady and natural. Forcing himself not to telegraph that he had seen through the hunters¡¯ ruse, he waited for the creatures to enter the range of his wand. A distance that Nick could now perceive clearly, like he had been fitted with an AR overlay. A sense that had appeared over time as he continued to raise his wand skill. Just before the disturbed patch of grass behind him slid into range, he set down his sword, bending forward like he was tightening the laces on his boots. To his hidden observers, Nick appeared to be momentarily disarmed, his posture open and unguarded. You couldn¡¯t ask for a better chance to jump me. Sure enough, half a heartbeat later, he heard a surge of motion behind his back. A skittering rustle as something darted through the lush aquamarine groundcover. As he had been hoping, his concealed adversaries were only too happy to take advantage of what seemed like a perfect opportunity to ambush their prey. A bare instant later, Nick burst into action. He spun on his heels, reversing his facing while rising to his full height. In a single motion, he took aim for the depressed patch of grass and then pressed the trigger on his wand. Chapter Two Hundred Thirty-Nine: Frog Fight II It was at this point that both Nick and his soon-to-be-unmasked opponents came to learn an interesting fact. Not only had the power of his spells been amplified by his new trait, but for reasons he had yet to understand, his wand¡¯s output had been magnified as well. Before the hunters could react to his abrupt change in behavior, a cone of rippling force so intense that it warped the atmosphere erupted forth, flattening the grass in an expanding hemisphere, like a wave breaking over the shoreline. The closest beast took the brunt of the blast straight in the face. Before Nick could get a good look, it went rocketing backwards across the earth, revolving head over heels in an uncontrolled tumble. The other two creatures were caught in the periphery of the shockwave, bracing themselves with heads bowed low like they were standing in a hurricane gale. He only had the blink of an eye before the grass rebounded with verdant resiliency, but it was long enough for him to catch a glimpse of what he was dealing with. Predators unlike any he had seen before. It turned out that Nick was being stalked by a trio of frogs. Bright red, black-striped arrow frogs the size of golden retrievers. If their sheer size, bulging muscles, and the strangely angular cast to their features wasn¡¯t sufficient to let him know that these were unlike any frogs of Earth, their jet-black exoskeletons were enough to clue him in. Contrasting against the frogs¡¯ vivid vermillion flesh were glossy black bands of what appeared to be chitin or bone, rising about an inch past the glossy hides below. It must be some kind of armor to protect them against claws and bites. The ridges and plates will deflect slashes from bladed weapons. Even thrusting between them will be tricky. Nick analyzed the information he had obtained while backpedaling toward the hillside, the boundary of the tall grass now only a few steps away. The battle had already begun, and he adjusted his strategy on the fly, incorporating the existence of the beasts¡¯ armor into his plans. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. The strange onyx material was embedded into their skin, and likely continued all the way down to the bone, forming an interlocking framework anchored to their skeletons. In addition to protecting their torsos, the beasts¡¯ natural armor formed ridges along the front of the frogs¡¯ limbs. The biggest problem was the series of plates running along their chests, backs, and the top of their heads. Nick turned to run, processing these details while sprinting toward the hillside, taking advantage of the beasts¡¯ surprise to relocate to favorable terrain. Fortunately, the hilltop was well suited to his style of fighting. As soon as he had enough room to maneuver, Nick spun around while returning his wand to its holster. He assumed a defensive stance while gripping his sword in both hands, certain that his show of force hadn¡¯t been enough to convince the beasts to give up the hunt. Unfortunately, on this occasion, his hunch was right on the money. Five seconds later, two of the armored frogs burst out of the grass, stopping for a heartbeat as they prepared to launch what would surely be some manner of ranged attack, given the distance between them. Letting his opponents fight on their own terms was a poor plan at best, and he had no intention of surrendering the initiative he had won. Before the frogs could complete their attack, he took aim and visualized his trajectory, sending a silver mana dart streaking for each of his crimson assailants. The first dart struck the closest beast right between the eyes. The predatory frog fell flat on its face, letting out a pained croak while convulsing in the dirt. Nick felt a surge of satisfaction at the sight, proud that his darts were finally packing a real punch. Half of the wind left his sails only a heartbeat later, when his second spell impacted its target. It seemed that Nick was in for a tough fight after all. Although his dart struck true, instead of hitting skin, the missile collided with the frog¡¯s black breastplate. To his dismay, instead of penetrating the material, the chrome missile deflected off the mysterious substance, angling down and disappearing into the ground between the beast¡¯s feet. He wanted to summon another round of darts, but the uninjured amphibian didn¡¯t give him the chance. Its maw pointed straight at his chest and then cracked open, unleashing an attack so fast that it would have ended him then and there if he hadn¡¯t already begun throwing his body to one side. Luckily, size up had gone nuts the instant that the frog¡¯s mouth parted. As a result, an onyx-spiked tongue as thick as Nick¡¯s wrist went tearing through the spot that his head had occupied a fraction of a second prior, streaking past his shoulder with the force of a battering ram. Chapter Two Hundred Forty: Sexy New Skills I Shaken by his close shave with the deadly projectile, Nick fought to maintain his concentration, adding the attack to his profile of his opponents. Although he had dodged the initial strike, he was certain that the danger had not yet passed. His hunch was proven right half an instant later. When, faster than the blink of an eye, the frog¡¯s tongue retracted, lashing back in the other direction. It went whipping toward Nick¡¯s skull like a barbell tied to a bungee cord. Although his swordplay was no match for the beast¡¯s lightning quick natural weaponry, his brain was up to the task. Fortunately, this was a situation covered by one of his contingencies. A counter culled from a lifetime of gaming. When fighting against a lengthy tongue or tail, wait for a full extension. Then target the retracting appendage while you know where it¡¯s going to be. Nick ducked and threw his body to one side. At the same time, he raised his sword and adjusted his grip, pressing the flat of the blade into the flesh of the frog¡¯s tongue and letting physics handle the rest. At least some natural laws still hold true. Creating pressure at that angle caused the tongue to change trajectory, wrapping around his sword instead of flying past. The tension allowed the blade to bite deep, the tongue¡¯s elasticity working against it when pulled tight around the weapon¡¯s edge. Pink flesh parted and began to bleed, steel sinking into the rubbery appendage. But not deep enough. The blade didn¡¯t cut all the way through. Assuming that the tongue would be tough to sever, he was prepared for this outcome, ready to take advantage of the opening he had created. Thus, rather than allowing the tongue¡¯s momentum to pull the sword free from his grasp, Nick deepened his stance and swung as hard as he could, pushing in the opposite direction that the appendage was headed. Although he wasn¡¯t strong enough to finish the job by himself, the opposing forces caused the elastic tissue to tighten, allowing the sword to sink another inch into the flesh below. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Just as he was sure that the beast would disarm him anyway, the last ragged bands of tissue parted before the magically sharpened blade, severing the tongue in multiple places, and bathing him in a spray of blood the color of mountain honey. The critically wounded amphibian collapsed into the dirt, amber blood gushing from its ruined mouth like a fountain. He turned his attention to the other frog, who had just finished shaking off the lingering effects of Nick¡¯s mana dart. Half a heartbeat later, the beast he had hit with the wand emerged from the grass and joined the assault. He had just enough time to take his stance and conjure another dart before the furious frogs were upon him and the battle resumed in full force. Two triangular heads swiveled to orient on his location, ruby mouths cracking open with an ominous click. Knowing that he had no chance of pulling off the same move against two enemies at once, he threw himself to one side, just as a pair of black-barbed tongues flickered through the air he had vacated. They might have hit him anyway if these strikes hadn¡¯t been a bit slower and shorter than the attack he had countered. They¡¯re adjusting their strategy too, putting less power into each blow after watching what happened to their friend. They won¡¯t overextend if they miss anymore, eliminating the possibility of being taken out in the same manner. Even at half power, the beasts¡¯ tongues lashed out fast enough to coax a rippling roar from the air in passing, streaking forward to end Nick¡¯s life at blinding speed. The frogs¡¯ opening strikes were only the beginning of what would prove to be a continual barrage, pressing him so severely that all he could do was duck and dodge until he found a chance to create an opening. As he twisted and dove, leapt and spun, he noticed that his movements felt more natural than before. That on top of the recent improvements to his dexterity, he was getting small nudges to guide his performance. Tiny corrections to his mechanics, a hunch that moving in one direction would be better than the other. It must be my evasion skill kicking in. Even with the skill''s assistance, the only reason that he didn¡¯t wind up with a dozen crushed ribs or a fatal smack to the skull was because Nick had noticed that the tongues could only project in a straight line from the frogs¡¯ angular faces. He had instinctively begun to track the direction that their heads were facing, rather than reacting after the beasts¡¯ blisteringly fast attacks were headed his way. It was enough to keep him alive for the moment, but he needed to find a way to gain the advantage before he took a hit that would end his day in the worst possible way. Chapter Two Hundred Forty-One: Sexy New Skills II Over the next adrenaline-soaked minute, it took everything that Nick had to remain unbloodied. The frogs, which he had decided to call spear-tongues, attacked with precision and impeccable coordination. Whenever a tongue forced him to leap to one side, the second was aimed at the ground where he landed. By the time that he dove out of the way, the first beast had recovered and was ready to strike again. Although he was holding his own for the moment, he knew that if the melee continued much longer, this stalemate would lead to his defeat. Right now, he was completely engaged in defense and unable to launch an attack of his own. Whenever Nick inevitably failed to get out of the way in time, the second beast would take advantage of the opening and end his life. In short, he needed to close the distance and strike with his sword, and he needed to do it fast. The problem was, if he committed to a charge, the spear-tongues would simply leap back to maintain the distance. Even more worrisome, he doubted that he could dodge their natural weaponry if he had less time to react to each blow of their relentless barrage. He was barely managing to hold on as it was. To make matters worse, he was reaching the point of exhaustion. His last reserves of stamina were rapidly running out. Taken together, this was a bad situation. A dilemma that was growing more treacherous with every beat of Nick¡¯s heart. He couldn¡¯t get close enough to thrust with his sword, and his mana darts were much less effective against the beasts¡¯ magic repelling armor. The fight was going to end in blood-drenched catastrophe if he didn¡¯t find a way to alter the dynamics sometime within the next few seconds, before he fucked up and took a direct hit. Now that he had experienced the beasts¡¯ agility firsthand, he was certain that he would receive a critical wound the moment that his stamina ran out or his attention waned. On that note, if the frogs spread out to flank him, or even worse, if one managed to maneuver behind and blindside him, Nick was a dead man. He expected the spear-tongues to reposition as soon as they decided that their frontal assault wasn¡¯t sufficient to end the fight. Which was exactly what happened four desperate dodges later. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. While one of the frogs unleashed a furious volley of lashes that took every point of his dexterity to evade, the other circled around the battlefield in a series of low leaps, entering his blind spot from close range. Setting itself up to land a killing blow from a distance that would be challenging to dodge, even if he was able to see the strike coming. It was a brutally effective tactic, elegant in its savage simplicity. He would have appreciated it even more if the attack in question wasn¡¯t trying to claim his life. The coordinated flanking maneuver would have been enough to take Nick down if it wasn¡¯t for one small fact, that the attempt was exactly what he had been waiting for. He had been paying close attention to his opponents, and he was certain that this was the frog that had been stung by his mana dart earlier in the fight. The creature that knew firsthand that the diminutive bolts of mercury light really fucking hurt. The instant that the advancing frog leapt to land behind him, he spun on his toes to face the beast, dropping down low to let the other¡¯s tongue come streaking over the top of his head. He moved his sword into his left hand while reaching into the pocket of his jacket with his right. Shifting to evade the tongue¡¯s second strike on the retraction, Nick fired his mana dart at the encroaching amphibian, deliberately aiming toward the right side of its torso. As he had hoped, the beast lurched left to avoid the painful spell¡­ putting it straight in the path of the baseball-sized rock that he had thrown with full force the instant he knew where the creature would land. Nick knew a bit about old-school survival of the fittest himself, thanks to his experiences back on the tutorial island. After finding the flashbang orbs in the dungeon, he had spent time every day improving his aim. When the orbs were used up, he had continued with the practice, increasing his proficiency with the forefather of all human weaponry, big old rocks. After picking up the throwing skill with his new class, he had trained even harder. Thanks to Nick¡¯s daily diligence, the lump of stone left his hand and went streaking for its target, clocking the frog right between the eyes, slamming into soft vermillion flesh rather than the resilient black ridges guarding its body. Now it was time to find out if it was enough to make a difference. Chapter Two Hundred Forty-Two: Piercing Ray I With his modest level of strength, Nick¡¯s best pitch was only good enough to stun the creature for a moment, more out of surprise than any damage the rock inflicted. But on this occasion, a moment was all that Nick needed. He leapt forward just as the frog behind him struck again, its black-barbed tongue passing close enough that it stirred his hair like a lover¡¯s caress. As the hillside filled his vision, he tucked in his shoulder and rolled, mindful of the blade in his hand. For half a heartbeat, grass and dirt filled his view. The instant that the world righted itself, he oriented on his enemy and pivoted on one foot, converting his momentum into a vicious horizontal slash. The heavy blade whipped around to whack the spear-tongue in the side of the head. The sword collided with the beast¡¯s black plating, releasing a dull thud that reverberated throughout the bones in his arm and sending a fresh tide of adrenaline flowing through his bloodstream. Fortunately, Nick hadn¡¯t been counting on that strike ending the fight. He was just hoping to extend his stun for a few more seconds, which seemed to work as the beast hadn¡¯t turned to face him yet. Aware that his back was critically exposed, he crouched low and stepped behind the dazed amphibian, at an angle that kept the other frog from being able to land an attack until it repositioned. Knowing that he had only bought himself a couple of seconds at most, he took aim and pulled the hilt of his sword behind one hip. After a quick step, he thrust with the full weight of his body behind it, praying that the force would be sufficient to land a critical blow. Half a heartbeat later, the tip of the blade threaded the gap between two plates shielding the frog¡¯s underbelly, steel biting deep as he followed through with everything that he had. When the blade would sink no further, Nick reflexively twisted his wrist to widen the wound, which in the heat of the moment had felt like the right thing to do. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. Keeping a low profile, he yanked his weapon free in a gush of golden blood. He started scanning for the third spear-tongue, since it was clear at a glance that the beast beside him was already dead. He still had a handful of heartbeats before the final frog could reposition far enough to have a clear shot at him. Nick took the opportunity to come to a decision, determining how he wanted to spend the rest of his mana. He could either conjure a swarm of mana darts or try out his new spell for the first time. The momentary paralysis that the darts inflicted was certainly useful. But the spell didn¡¯t do enough damage to put the spear-tongue down, and sapping a portion of its vital energy wasn¡¯t going to end the fight. Of greater concern, the beast¡¯s black plating had the power to deflect the pure mana-based spell if it struck the strange material instead of living flesh. Nick had a hunch that the frog would shift so that the mana dart hit its armor if it saw the spell coming, now that it knew to expect the attack. After all, countering and contending with magical abilities was a daily occurrence for the various beasts that called the bog home. Thus, although it would cost him nearly all his remaining mana, leaving just a few drops to prevent mana sickness, he decided to take his new spell for a test drive. Piercing ray, he signaled his intention. He immediately felt something forming in the space between his hands. A mass of churning, swirling energy started to coalesce, draining his reservoir of mana as it grew more intense. It was his first time casting a spell that used force mana, and the energy felt ponderous but potent. Difficult to set into motion, but even harder to stop once it was unleashed. Now comes the tricky part, he began planning out his next move. Unlike mana dart, piercing ray took a full ten seconds to prepare and needed to be unleashed the moment that it was ready. Nick didn¡¯t know what would happen if he was interrupted or couldn¡¯t find a target in time, although he was certain that he would lose the mana that went into casting the spell. He had the sense that he could cast it using one hand if he had to, but that the magic would build faster if he used two. Since he wasn¡¯t sure what form piercing ray would take, he needed to know exactly where his opponent was. To lock down its movements long enough for the ray to land on target. This was the reason why he had removed his leather jacket just before casting the spell. He had one last trick up his sleeve he was saving for just such an occasion. Chapter Two Hundred Forty-Three: Piercing Ray II Not having any reason to understand the intricacies of clothing, Nick was gambling that the spear-tongue would assume that the jacket was an integral part of his body, instead of an article that he could remove at will. By now, the spell had almost finished forming. With no time left to hesitate, he transferred the burgeoning ball of force into his left hand and then flicked the jacket out by the collar with his right, causing it to open when it shot out from behind the frog¡¯s corpse. Half a second later, a black-barbed tongue drove itself into the center of the leather garment, with an impact that would put a charging bull to shame. Apparently, the spear-tongue took Nick¡¯s victory over its kin personally, and it intended to settle the score by scattering his guts across the hillside. The blow would have torn a hole in his stomach and shattered his spine, had he been standing where his foe believed him to be. As the jacket-wrapped tongue rocketed off into the distance, he rose to his feet after darting around to the other side of the corpse. He locked his gaze onto his opponent as the spell hit critical mass. Remembering the lessons that he had learned from using mana dart, Nick visualized the ray leaving his hands and striking the beast center mass. Just as the frog¡¯s tongue reached its full extension, hanging frozen in the air for a fraction of a second, the spherical vortex raging between his palms hit critical mass and began to expand. In the series of events that followed, Nick would come to learn three things about his new spell. The first was that piercing ray traveled at blinding speed. Faster than the blink of an eye, a thin cable of force with something spinning on the tip shot forth. The ray flew straight as an arrow, striking the frog in the center of its boney breastplate. The second revelation was why the spell was called a ray. Instead of being transmitted all at once, the magic within the sphere proceeded to shrink over a span of several seconds, feeding ever more power into the spinning drill of force, ramping up the pressure all the while. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. The third thing that he learned about piercing ray was that the first half of its name was just as apt as the second. Instead of being deflected by the frog¡¯s natural armor, the ray stuck fast to its point of contact. Now that it was locked in place, Nick could see that the head of the beam was capped by what appeared to be a white drill bit, which began to glow as more force magic poured into it, increasing the kinetic energy of its rotation. He had the sense that the spell was drawing upon tiny threads of pure mana along with the heavy flows of force, helping to concentrate a portion of the magic into the drill and allowing it to maintain its shape. However, while the spell was certainly impressive, it wasn¡¯t doing much damage. Staring down in confusion at the rapidly dwindling sphere suspended between his hands, he was worried that despite all the special effects, nothing significant was happening. There has to be more to it than this, the ray was too dangerous to use in the safe room. The beast was alarmed by the strange spell stuck to its chest, but it didn¡¯t seem to be otherwise affected. Nick breathed a sigh of relief half a heartbeat later, when he spotted a series of circular scratches forming along the boney black plating. As the ray reached full force, the tip bit deeper, onyx flakes drifting to the ground like ash, becoming a flurry as more of the plating was ground away. Despite the damage to the frog¡¯s armor, he was afraid that it wasn¡¯t going to be enough to end the fight. A moment later, the ball in his hands dissipated completely. The last bit of energy traveled along the cable of force, retracting as it fed into the whirling head of the ray. Just before the spell ran out of juice, the beam broke through, lancing across the soft tissue behind the plating. It came bursting out of the other side of the beast¡¯s body in a fountain of amber blood, shearing through muscle and organ alike along the way. The frog had enough time to let out a confused croak before falling dead to the ground, a hole the size of a quarter drilled through its heart. That¡¯s more like it, Nick nodded in appreciation, taking in the carnage wrought by his new ability. Chapter Two Hundred Forty-Four: Aftermath Analysis I The moment that the last spear-tongue fell dead, Nick felt a rippling pulse of warmth building below his heart. It was his energetic core condensing and expanding at the same time. A sensation that he had last felt back in the safe room after allocating his free attribute point to boost his magic. He surveyed the hillside to make sure that nothing nasty had arrived while he was preoccupied, then sat down to catch his breath, trying to figure out what was going on inside him. I just leveled, he realized. That feeling is my magic attribute going up again. Nick hadn¡¯t expected to be able to sense it so clearly when he leveled up. But after a moment¡¯s reflection, he decided that it made sense. His old class had only given him free attribute points, which didn¡¯t create any sensations until he decided to spend them. But a point in magic was included every time that he leveled his Kineticist class. Next time, he would pick up a point of dexterity as well. He was a little worried about what that would feel like. The sensations from raising his attributes one at a time were powerful enough, and he suspected that boosting two at once would be even more extreme. It reminded Nick that he had another free point to spend the next time that he opened his menu. He decided to ponder how he wanted to spend it until he camped for the night, then check his skill gains and cash in the free point at the same time. This Kineticist class is amazing, he laughed, took a drink from his canteen, and then rose back onto his feet. He was thrilled to have acquired so many perks from upgrading to an uncommon class, as Survivor had only been basic, the lowest possible rarity. Although to be fair, in Nick¡¯s case, the Survivor class had lived up to its name. The trait that came with it had been useful, even before it had been enhanced and fused with his bloodline, and the skills it granted had helped him to endure the dangers of the wild. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. I will never forget you Survivor, he addressed his old class as he slid his pack onto his back. You were my first, and you will always have a special place in my heart. Although he was cracking jokes to amuse himself, most of his attention was fixed upon that fading point of heat originating from his energetic core, gently throbbing in time with his heartbeat. It was important that he took advantage of the opportunity. To do everything he could think of to learn how to sense his mana pool at will. At present, he could only feel his reserves when casting a spell or when his magic attribute ticked up. Right now, it was easy for Nick to do the math and keep track of how many spells he could cast at any given moment. But the equation changed every time that he leveled or raised his magic by another point. This counting method would become increasingly obsolete as he delved deeper into the magical arts, which he firmly intended to do. Further complicating matters, he was learning how to fine-tune how much mana he put into his darts. Thus, he needed to know instinctively, without having to stop and think, how much gas he had sloshing around in his tank at any given moment. In a similar vein, he was hoping to learn how to sense his health and stamina pools at will. Perhaps even track the accumulation of experience, so that he could predict how close he was to reaching the next level. His health and stamina were tied to unique physical sensations, and Nick thought that he would be able to figure it out eventually. He had already made some progress back in the safe room that he could build upon now. Experience, however, was far more elusive, and he had no clue how to perceive it, if such a thing was even possible to begin with. Either way, it was a problem for another day, so he drew his analysis to a close and returned his attention to the task at hand, retrieving his equipment and then taking a closer look at the remains of his opponents. After stretching out and taking another long drink from his canteen, Nick went to retrieve his jacket, which had been flung out into the distance by the frog¡¯s tongue. Fortunately, the grass was relatively short on the hilltop, so it wasn¡¯t too hard to find. He spotted the garment five minutes later, driven deep into a clump of brush. He gave it a quick once over, pleased to see that the leather was unscathed by the powerful impact. Note to self. The jacket is better protection versus slashing and piercing than against a high-velocity bludgeon. He donned his armor then decided to break for lunch. After all, more meat than he could eat had just been delivered to his door. Chapter Two Hundred Forty-Five: Aftermath Analysis II After checking in with his foraging skill, he was reasonably certain that the frogs were edible, if not ideally suited for human consumption. Having obtained a fair amount of practice in dressing and cooking wild game during the tutorial, he unsheathed his dagger and walked over to the tongueless corpse, whose insides were still intact. After making an incision along the belly, he carefully removed the guts. When he pulled the beast¡¯s heart free from the remains, Nick discovered something interesting. There was a crystal sphere the size of a marble mixed in with the tissue, cloudy with just a hint of green. Figuring that it might be valuable, he stored it in his pack and returned his attention to the task at hand. He washed his hands, walked to the top of the hill to make sure nothing had arrived over the last few minutes, then began building a small fire from dried marsh grass and a few sticks he was carrying in his pack. After sharpening a short pole to use as a spit, he was ready to get busy grilling. He ran into an obstacle when he tried to pull the legs free from the frog¡¯s body. They flat out refused to detach from the skeleton no matter how hard Nick pulled, even resisting a couple of full-strength chops with his sword. Those bones are really tough. Shrugging, he decided that he would have to improvise. He proceeded to awkwardly cook the meat by lifting the corpse above the fire and slowly rotating the body, charring the outside before the inside was fully cooked. It was one of the worst meals he had made so far. But it was good enough to fill his stomach and left him with plenty of meat for dinner. Given the difficulty of cooking the first frog, Nick decided to leave the other corpses alone. It wasn¡¯t worth spending the time. The meat would go bad before he could eat it, since he didn¡¯t have time to make jerky. Besides, he still had plenty of provisions left in his pack. He did check to see if they had more of the strange stones inside, but didn''t find anything of the sort. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. As he awkwardly chowed down on a grilled frog leg that was still attached to the torso, he saw that the beast¡¯s bones were made of the same black material as the ridges and armored plates covering its exterior. It turned out that they weren¡¯t so much of an exoskeleton as a direct extension of the frog¡¯s skeleton. Since the bones had proven to be incredibly durable and seemed to offer some innate protection against magic, he decided to store the remains inside his bag. The bones might come in handy later and he could always ditch them if he needed more room. While the fire was still nice and hot, he used the steel helmet he had found in the sewers to boil some water, then drank his fill and refilled his canteen. Maybe if he found a better way to secure the helm over the flames, he could use it to make soup. Around this time, Nick noticed that his wand was back at full charges. Apparently, defeating the spear-tongue frogs had released compatible essence, allowing the mysterious device to restore its depleted energy. As he put out his fire and started walking down the hillside, he reflected that as much as he liked his leather jacket, he really needed to acquire some additional armor as soon as possible. Something rigid enough to distribute the force of a blow over a wider area. Even more critically, he needed to find a helmet. My head is an obvious weak point for my opponents to target. One solid headshot and all the healing in the world won¡¯t save me. Nick hoped that he would come across civilization at some point, as he desperately needed to go shopping. Not to mention, being alone for so long was really starting to get to him. His brief meeting with the others during the arena battle had only highlighted his prolonged solitude. With any luck, he would be able to trade with some of the other people who had volunteered for this challenge once he reached the base of the tower. I can¡¯t wait to find some reliable party members to climb the tower with. It will be great to have someone I can trust to watch my back. Maybe Kenji or some of the others from the arena will be there when I arrive. With his belly full and his thoughts on the future, Nick left the hilltop and resumed his journey across the bog. Concept Art: Chapter 227-245 Just a reminder, I completely respect that not everyone likes the inclusion/existence of AI art, so I''ve put it in it''s own chapter so that it''s easy to skip and not shown side by side with the story. If it''s not your thing, I totally understand where you are coming from. This concept art is included entirely for fun, and will never be sold or monetized in any way. It will never be as good as your imagination, so if it doesn''t fit with the version of something in your head, go with your imagination instead. The art chapters got a little messed up because of all the extra chapter events, so this one is extra big. Getting down to the bog. Blackmist Bog. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. Tasty flowers Spear-tongue frogs Nick casting mana dart New and upgraded darts Nick casting piercing ray Drill bit of force mana Chapter Two Hundred Forty-Six: First Night on the Marsh I Four hours later, Nick had walked a good ten miles, becoming more familiar with the intricacies of the bog as he crossed the marshlands and its myriad waterways. He had spotted some impressive beasts out in the distance, but fortunately he hadn¡¯t run into anything else that considered him to be prey. As the shadows lengthened with the end of day, he began searching for a good place to camp, uncertain what changes would occur when the sun set. He needed to find somewhere that was out of the open with a roof over his head, or failing that, something solid to guard his back. Twenty minutes later, he came across a likely candidate. Because that was when he caught sight of the ruined spire of what appeared to have once been some manner of watch tower, jutting up from the crest of a modest hillock. The tower was roughly twenty-five feet tall. Its walls were formed from blocks of dark grey stone, with tiny gold flecks that glittered in the light of dusk. Half of the structure¡¯s exterior had long-since crumbled away, the legacy of an ancient battle whose story Nick would never know. The mystery and the lingering signs of conflict scarring the tower sparked his imagination. He wondered who had fought and died struggling to hold the hilltop while deciding whether the structure was stable enough to use as shelter for the night. The observation platform looked intact, which he took to be a promising sign. It would likely bear his weight, which was trivial compared to that of the remaining masonry. The real problem was the stairs. The planks ringing the interior of the tower were in even worse shape than the wall. Many of the boards were shattered or missing completely. But after running his gaze over the ones that were still intact, he felt confident that his dexterity would see him through to the top. Pleased with what he had seen so far, he carefully circled the base of the structure, running his gaze across the dark earth along its perimeter. He was seeking fresh tracks or other signs of predators passing through the area, but luckily, Nick found nothing of the sort. After completing his inspection of the interior of the watchtower, which was filled with rocks and debris along with a few ambitious bushes pushing up through the foundation, he stepped onto the first stair and began to climb. Ten minutes and two uncomfortably close tests of balance later, Nick shouldered open the hatch and stepped out onto the observation platform. He was just in time to take in a truly spectacular sunset. The molten orb cast refulgent glory upon the land as it sank below the horizon, painting the heavens crimson and the earth gold, interspersed with reaching fingers of shadow that grew longer by the heartbeat. Finding solace in the timeless beauty of the natural world, Nick cast his gaze into the distance, hoping to chart out some of the terrain he would be crossing over the days ahead, when he resumed his journey in the morning. He took in the sight of hundreds of mirrored pools reflecting the neon clouds above, pockets of rippling light in a thousand shades of ruby and amber framed by the rainbowed hues of the bog¡¯s flora. The overwhelming splendor of nature took his mind off his troubles for long minutes. The profound moment of respite was soothing to his soul. He drank in the wonderous sight of an alien world, simply taking it all in. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Eventually, as the world faded to soft shadows, he made a final survey of the ground below the tower, saw nothing threatening, then sat down to rest for the night. Having found a decent shelter took the edge off the constant stress that came with journeying across a dangerous and uncharted wilderness, if only by a hair. It wasn¡¯t completely safe up here by any measure. Flyers and climbing beasts could still appear without warning, but it was a great deal safer sleeping on top of the tower than camping down on the ground. The only downside was that he couldn¡¯t build a fire up here, as the light would announce his presence to every creature within miles. Before he settled down to plot, plan, and pass out, there was one last thing that he needed to do. It was time to pull up his menus and check out his progress for the day. He was glad that he could pull up his profile once a day from anywhere during this quest, instead of having the process bound to the obelisk like it had been in the tutorial. Nick had decided how he wanted to spend his free attribute point a few minutes prior. As he had been hoping, in addition to having leveled up, he had a fat pile of gains awaiting his perusal. Congratulations. You have accumulated enough experience to reach level [10]. You have gained one point of magic from your class. As a reward for reaching level [10], you have been awarded a bonus free attribute point. You have two free attribute points awaiting allocation at your discretion. Through use, you have improved the following skills: Sword has increased from [2] to [3]. Evasion has increased from [0] to [2]. Wand has increased from [5] to [6]. Throwing has increased from [1] to [2]. Awesome, Nick broke into a broad grin, filled with the warm glow that came from watching the numbers go up. That¡¯s just what I wanted to see. Getting another free attribute point for reaching level ten wasn¡¯t completely unexpected, since the same thing had happened at level five, but it was a most welcome boost arriving just when he needed it. Since it was now so dark that he could barely see his hand in front of his face, he realized that the text displayed on the menus wasn¡¯t actually black, something he had never considered before. Right now, the words appeared white, easy to read in the darkness. The System must automatically adjust my menu¡¯s color and contrast to stand out clearly against whatever I¡¯m looking at. Or not looking at in this case. Nick was thrilled to discover that in addition to having leveled for the first time with his new class, he had gained five skill points in a single fight. He suspected that just like his attributes, the first few points for any given skill would be easier to obtain than the rest, but it was still a welcome development. Getting evasion off the ground and boosting sword and wand were literal lifesavers, and throwing had all kinds of utility as well. Before he called it a night, he needed to confirm how he would spend his free points. He quickly reviewed his thinking before pulling the trigger. He had invested a lot into magic recently, and while Nick would always want more, the attribute went up automatically every time that he leveled his Kineticist class. His toughness was pretty high for his level, and although he could use more strength soon, boosting it didn¡¯t seem vital at the moment. So, what will it be, Nick? Dexterity, mind, or a bit of both? Chapter Two Hundred Forty-Seven: First Night on the Marsh II After a long moment of contemplation, Nick decided to put both points into dexterity. This stage of the quest was more about speed and stealth and was less reliant on plotting and planning. To seal the deal, he had barely walked away from his fight with the trio of frogs without some broken bones or worse. While his new flask was an invaluable lifeline, the elixir wouldn¡¯t save him from severe injuries. Although he now healed much faster than back on Earth, the System had warned him that the effect was limited by his health pool. In short, taking a critical hit could easily end Nick¡¯s life, and the best defense against them was not to get hit to begin with. Besides, dexterity had some awesome synergy with his sword skill in addition to evasion, so boosting dexterity would increase his offense as well as his defense. His choice made, Nick sent his intentions into the display, spending his free attribute points to raise his dexterity. As an experiment, he decided to spend both points at once, so that he would be prepared for the sensation the next time he leveled. He leaned against his pack and braced himself for the intense changes that came with spending a free point, gritting his teeth as a wave of vertigo broke over him. The experience was significantly more intense than spending a single point, and nearly made him vomit, but it wasn¡¯t as bad as he had feared. When it was over, he felt more aware of his body than ever before, especially his balance and how his weight transferred with the movement of his joints. Thanks to his enhanced Survivor trait, he only needed to sleep for four hours each night. So instead of passing out right away, he reflected for a while on his progress for the day and his goals for tomorrow. He was glad that he hadn¡¯t been forced to use his flask yet. It would be there when Nick needed it if he was injured while crossing the bog. After taking an inventory of his tools and resources, he decided to use the rest of his planning session contemplating his new powers, now that he had tried them out in battle for the first time. After taking them for a test drive, Nick was thrilled by the performance of his new skills and upgraded spells. Having a class that focused on battle was a perfect complement to his original skills, which were geared more toward survival. He hoped to find a way to upgrade size up in the future, and he wouldn¡¯t pass up an opportunity to boost his foraging skill either, since both had saved his life on numerous occasions. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Evasion and throwing were great, and would come in handy in a wide variety of situations, but the skill that really had him excited was sword. Nick already understood the basics of throwing and dodging, since the ideas behind them were relatively intuitive. But until now, his understanding of how to wield a weapon had been based on game mechanics and a bit of basic theory. The sword skill was already teaching him things that would have taken him months to figure out on his own, like twisting his wrist to widen a wound. Having never been trained in the use of a blade, being provided with clear guidance on how to hold the weapon, how to move it through space and bring the edge to bear, was invaluable. The timing couldn¡¯t be better, since there would be countless battles over the trying days ahead. Nick would never have been able to pull off that tongue-severing slash without the feedback provided by his sword skill, and he was certain that it was helping to improve his accuracy. The impressions of rightness and wrongness transmitted via the skill were teaching him how to properly block and parry, in addition to refining his offensive techniques. These options expanded his defensive playbook and were complemented by his evasion skill, whose value should be obvious to anyone now that the System had arrived. The combination of sword-based defenses and dodging offered him a range of options in the midst of battle, making him less predictable and less vulnerable than before, a trend that would continue to improve as the skills ticked higher. Until he mastered the blade, Nick would try to get out of the way of any given attack as a preferred option, then block or deflect an incoming strike if left with no other choice. If he was able to find a suitable shield, his light shield skill would make him even more versatile, and he was looking forward to finding out what it could do. But as useful as they were, skills were no replacement for old-fashioned learning from a knowledgeable source. Not unless Nick had years of practical experience to develop his technique from scratch. He had begun to sense that his sword work would contain inefficiencies and weak points until he received proper training from an instructor. In the end, his skills could only approve or disapprove of his chosen actions. Refine and perfect his natural inclinations, as his preexisting conceptions of swordplay were tempered with firsthand experience on the battlefield. Despite their vital importance, his skills could not impart broad concepts, holistic theories, or refined styles passed down across generations. Those were things that he would have to figure out for himself, at least for now. While Nick was trying his best to fashion his own style through trial and error, followed by a thorough post battle analysis, he would have a hard time holding his own against someone with proper training. But that¡¯s a problem for another day, Nick let out a sleepy yawn, closed his eyes, and let sleep carry him away to the land of dreams. Chapter Two Hundred Forty-Eight: Danger in the Water I Nick awoke to the murky violet glow of predawn. He finished the rest of his frog meat, then ate a flower petal to wash the taste out of his mouth, ready to resume his journey as soon as the sky was bright enough to reveal the path ahead. He wanted to cover as much ground as possible today. To reach the base of the tower before too many people went inside, triggering one of the deadly global events mentioned in the quest¡¯s description. Before climbing down from the watchtower, he set his gaze upon his objective, the looming profile of Darkstone Tower along the northern horizon, jutting up from the center of the bog like a titan¡¯s finger. It stretched up to breathtaking heights, a pillar of midnight bridging the heavens above and earth below. Nick wondered about the man named Rizzen, the story of why he had built such an incredible structure. Perhaps he would discover some of the answers once he set foot inside and began to climb. By the time that the sun crested the rim of the crater containing the bog, bringing color back to the world, he was well on his way. After hiking for another few miles, he realized that he was entering a different biome, passing through a region where the rivers and pools were even more prevalent than the rest of the marsh. He decided to call the area the lakelands, a swampy terrain studded by patches of solid land, forming a string of islands connected to one another by narrow fingers of dry earth. The lakelands continued to the east and west for as far as his eyes could see, so his best bet was to cross straight through the middle. He could see low hills covered with trees when he took out his spyglass and scanned the horizon. Hopefully, he could reach the far side sometime around noon. It would be an understatement to say that Nick wasn¡¯t thrilled to be walking so close to the water¡¯s edge. It made him deeply uneasy to remain in proximity to terrain that he couldn¡¯t clearly perceive. The water¡¯s mirrored surfaces were impossible to see through unless you were standing at just the right angle. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. After taking a short break to catch his breath and consider his options, Nick decided that he didn¡¯t have a choice. There wasn¡¯t a way to avoid the wetlands unless he wanted to walk for hours to circumvent the biome. Time that he simply didn¡¯t have. He began weaving his way between the ponds and lakes, on guard against attack from above and below. As he crossed an endless series of land bridges, he watched the local wildlife as closely as he could. He was hoping to learn more about the region¡¯s dangers by studying their behavior, rather than stumbling into trouble headfirst. Nick soon came to view the great herons and otters as good luck charms. He doubted that any dangerous predators were lurking below the water where the beasts were moving along the surface. He picked a path that kept him near the nonaggressive critters as often as he could. It made him wonder what had happened to Bandit and the lemur tribe he had befriended back on the Searing Isle. He hoped that he would see them again one day, although he had no idea what the odds of such an encounter were. After stopping on an island that was bigger than the rest, he decided to eat an early lunch. He took out some of the food from Earth he had taken from the safe room along with a few of the pumpkin-colored flowers he had found. When he was finished, Nick continued making his way across the open expanse of ponds and lakes. He was glad not to have run into anything nasty so far. It was a welcome break from his usual routine. He hoped that his luck would endure until he crossed over to the far side of the biome sometime within the next couple of hours. Not long after, he ran into his first true obstacle, when the branching paths in front of him ran along the water¡¯s edge for long stretches at a time. After a bit of consideration, he picked the wider footpath. If he was forced into a fight, he would have more room to maneuver. The trail led him around the perimeter of a dense growth of bushes that dominated the land bridge he was crossing. The hearty shrubs were coated in wicked black thorns, covering the plants¡¯ bright purple leaves, which were as broad as both of Nick¡¯s hands put together. The overgrowth would have been impenetrable if not for the trail, which must have been broken by creatures a great deal bigger and tougher than himself. Chapter Two Hundred Forty-Nine: Danger in the Water II Nick frowned as he considered the path ahead, which ran right up against the shore of one of the larger mirror pools, so close that mud was piled thick along the trail. There weren¡¯t any otters or herons nearby, which didn¡¯t mean anything by itself, but was reason enough to proceed with caution. The way forward looked safe enough at first glance. Apparently, this route saw a lot of traffic from the local wildlife. There was a plethora of tracks stamped into the soft soil, a clear sign that numerous species used this trail to cross the bog. Even still, Nick had some reservations about getting so close to the water¡¯s edge with no clear line of retreat. What he had observed while crossing the marsh led him to believe that some of its largest predators dwelled within the endless waterways. Before committing to his course, he sat down on his heels, reducing his profile while being as quiet as he could. After spotting nothing threatening, he slid his spyglass out of his belt pouch to take a closer look, running his gaze over the shoreline, then deeper within the thorny brush. He needed to make sure that nothing dangerous was lurking within, waiting for hapless prey to come walking past. When he tried sizing up the terrain, he got a neutral sensation from his skill. An ambiguous shrug, like size up wasn¡¯t sure if it was safe or not. Five minutes of careful observation later, Nick felt reasonably certain that the coast was clear. He had been as careful as he could, and he couldn¡¯t sit here all day wallowing in indecision. Just before he rose to his feet, he caught sight of a long stalk protruding from the water. A feature that he had somehow missed during his initial inspection. Hanging from the top was a cluster of plump golden orbs, which looked a bit like an oversized bunch of grapes. His foraging skill was certain that the fruit was both delicious and nutritious, a lucky find that would help top off his provisions. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. But something didn¡¯t sit quite right with him. A vague sense of unease that was magnified when Nick used size up a second time, although the skill still wasn¡¯t able to home in on a distinct source of danger. That was when a creature emerged from the foliage. A pink, long-limbed animal that looked like a reindeer crossed with a pig. Hoping that its presence would help to unravel the mystery, he decided to change his lunch menu. While the creature was absorbed in its meal, Nick would sneak up and strike from behind. With any luck, he would be having steak for dinner tonight. He had a hunch this animal would taste better than the spear-tongue frog. However, that was not what happened. What happened was that the pig-deer stepped deeper into the mud, moving right up against the water¡¯s edge. It leaned in to pull a juicy orb free from the cluster of golden fruit. It was clearly love at first bite. The creature let out a squeal of delight, enthusiastically devouring the first mouthful before reaching for a second, dangling globe that was set just a little further out than the first. The pig-deer extended its neck, its long tongue poised to pull in the entire bunch. Just before its lips closed around the cluster of juicy spheres, the angler struck. It was all over in a gore-studded flash. One second, the pink animal was stretching to claim its next bite. The next, the surface of the mirror pool erupted into motion, as a colossal something came surging up from the pool¡¯s edge, water and earth flying into the air. The pig-deer had just enough time to let out a terrified scream before jaws as wide as a redwood tree snapped shut, swallowing the creature whole and taking a big bite out of the trail before disappearing into the lake¡¯s depths once more. Nick was left with the impression of an immense, scaley body. Of ragged black teeth the shape of corncobs and eyes the size of dinner plates, before the angler vanished from view. The whole thing only took a heartbeat. The massive predator left no trace of its presence behind beyond raw gouges carved into the soft earth and a ripple skating along the surface of the water. Note to self. Stay away from the pools. A chill ran down his spine as he grappled with the sheer scale of the predatory beast. He would have no chance of surviving an attack like that if he stepped into the angler¡¯s crosshairs, and size up hadn¡¯t been powerful enough to warn him of the danger. The big bastard must have a skill or ability to boost its concealment. Heart hammering in his chest, Nick rose to his feet, retraced his steps, and began searching for an alternate route. Chapter Two Hundred Fifty: Global Event I Later in the day, Nick had his second encounter with the mysterious, vision-devouring weather known as blackmist. Fortunately, by this time he had left the lakelands behind him, moving on to cross rocky terrain featuring scattered trees and long swaths of solid ground. He would have been in serious trouble if it had caught him near the water, since the mist flowed across the bog with incredible speed. He only had a few minutes to prepare before it overtook him, even though he had seen the tide of midnight coming from miles away. In the end, Nick had just enough time to set his back against a boulder, pull out his sword, and take up his stance, before the jet-black fog rolled over him, stealing the light of the world and depriving him of the sense that he relied on the most. The first time had been bad enough, but being consumed by the blackmist while down on the bog was so much worse. It was terrifying being rendered blind in such a treacherous stretch of wilderness, home to powerful predatory beasts, not to mention the creature he had run into back on his first day on the planet. Calm down Nick. It didn''t react to your presence until you touched it last time. He called upon his arctic clarity to help him focus, forcing himself to breathe deep and open his other senses, instead of getting caught up by his impairment. To concentrate on making it through this ordeal, rather than imagining what might be coming at him from any direction. With his eyes out of play, Nick placed his attention into his hearing. He cupped one hand behind his ear, listening for the approach of anything dangerous. After the rush of adrenaline faded away, his heart began to slow. Pressing his back into the stone, he started to analyze the way that the mist distorted his senses while waiting for the bank to pass. Although his sight had been taken from him and the sounds were warped, his ears were still able to pick up clues from his surroundings. While it was hard to tell exactly what he was hearing, Nick thought that he could still track the direction of various sounds with some degree of accuracy. Maybe if I wind up being caught in this stuff enough times, I can learn to adapt, at least to the extent that I can still aim my wand or anticipate a blow. Since the source of the distortion was carried in the air, he sat down and put one ear to the ground, pleased to learn that the mist couldn¡¯t warp the vibrations carried through the rock and soil. If something big was headed his way from the waterline, he should be able to track its presence well before it arrived, thanks to the upgrades to his senses that had come with improving his mind. While the mist was certainly dangerous, this discovery made him feel just a little bit better. Maybe he could figure out some additional tricks over time. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Fortunately, since the mist flowed so fast, it didn¡¯t take long for the bank to pass him by. Better still, the smaller patches didn¡¯t appear to have any of the feathered beasts dwelling within. Ten minutes after it erased the landscape around him, the waves of blackmist rolled past to reveal light and color once more, like a layer of ink running down a pane of glass protecting a painting. As soon as he could see again, he resumed his journey across the marsh. He spotted the blackmist out in the distance throughout the remainder of the day, relieved that none of it came his way. Whenever he noticed it flowing across the bog, Nick stopped to study the phenomenon as closely as he could. He began trying to teach himself how to predict its heading. To estimate how long it would take for the mist to cross the marsh. He was most worried about being caught in the stuff while traveling near the water¡¯s edge, when one wrong step could send him tumbling into the bog. As a precaution, every time that his path took him close to a lake or stream, he scanned the horizon in every direction, seeking any sign of approaching blackmist, then moving past the waterways as quickly as he could. Nick began taking short breaks throughout the day. In part to keep him from getting too stressed out, but also so that he could continue training his skills. He hoped to make significant progress with sword, throwing, and evasion before he entered the tower. Taking some time to work on them now would pay dividends later down the road. By now, he had come to realize that there was more than one part to learning from his skills. The first stage was the raw feedback they provided, a sense of rightness when he was performing in a manner that worked well, and a heightened sense of inefficiencies and errors in his movements when he wasn¡¯t. The second part was internalizing the guidance that his skills offered, integrating the proper way of moving into his muscle memory, so that he did it reflexively without the need for intervention. The third part was reflecting on what he¡¯d learned, expanding his theoretical understanding of the entire process, and then incorporating it to revise his existing tactics, plans, and contingencies. As he did so, his skills would continue to improve, taking the feedback they provided to the next level of precision, so that he could start the whole cycle over again. During these rests, he also spent a few minutes trying to sense his stamina, health, and mana, which he judged to be just as important as boosting his skills. While Nick was gradually learning how to feel the pool of mana residing within his energetic core, he hadn¡¯t been able to sense his health or stamina since entering the bog, although he was convinced that he would figure out the trick sooner or later. Chapter Two Hundred Fifty-One: Global Event II Nick chose to stop and camp for the night when he came across a deep pocket of earth running along the side of a small hill. It wasn¡¯t a proper cave, since the back wall was only ten feet inside, but the recess was deep enough to conceal his presence and protect his flanks. Nick decided that it was worth taking the risk of building a fire after finding a suitable space behind an outcropping of rock. The obstruction would limit how much light leaked out and he wanted to boil some water and eat a warm meal, since he had hunted a rabbit-like animal a few hours prior. He still had time before he lost the last of the light, so Nick set up his sleeping area and got in a full workout after dinner, followed by a lengthy skills training session. Before calling it a day, he took out his sword and engaged in an hour of shadow boxing, visualizing fighting the various animals and beasts he had encountered while crossing the bog. Ever since his breakthrough in the luxury safe room, the images conjured by his imagination were crisp and realistic. It made Nick wonder if he had stumbled across a reliable method of training his creativity, as his ability to visualize was clearly connected to the attribute. He hoped to figure out a good way to train his mind and magic as well, adding it to his list of mid-term goals. When he was done, he took out a rag to polish his sword. It felt like the right thing to do, even though the weapon didn¡¯t seem to require regular maintenance. He decided that the blade¡¯s ragged edge looked cleaner than before. That the holes etched into the metal seemed just a hair smaller. It was heavier too, as the honeycombed regions inside started to fill with additional metal. He wasn¡¯t sure why, but Nick was now certain that the sword was gradually repairing itself, sharpening its already impressive edge in the process. He was glad for the results, no matter what the cause. Unfortunately, the restoration seemed unable to replace the missing pommel stone, preventing the sword from being properly balanced. Something that he intended to address the first chance he got. After setting up his alarm traps across the entrance to the cave, the shell-studded lines of cord that he¡¯d crafted back during the tutorial, he propped his head against his pack, set his sword and wand within easy reach, closed his eyes, and went to sleep. When he awoke, the soft patter of rain filled his ears. It seemed that a storm had broken over the bog sometime during the night. Fortunately, it was just a regular, relatively mild spring shower, nothing like the raging searstorms he had barely survived back on the island. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. He made himself breakfast while waiting for the skies to clear. Two hours later it was still sprinkling, and Nick decided that he would have to head out into it after all. He didn¡¯t know how long the rain would last and he couldn¡¯t afford to delay his journey to the tower any longer. The gray skies muted the palette of the reflective pools, but the moisture coaxed the wildflowers into bloom and the insects to a fervor bordering on frenzy. Nick made good time during the early part of the day, accompanied by the chirps of bugs and the croaking of frogs, along with the soft squish of his own footsteps. He spotted a wide variety of animals and beasts as he put more miles behind him, crossing through several distinct biomes in the process. One entire hillside was covered in bright green flowers that produced a humming sound, as if the bog itself was singing in choir. After taking a long moment to enjoy the wonderous experience provided by the magic-saturated wilderness, he continued on his way with a spring in his step. Despite his countless worries and a dark and uncertain future looming in the distance, Nick realized that he felt¡­ good. He was pleased with his growth and was ready to push himself to new heights over the days ahead. After all, he had acquired an awesome new class, had new skills to train, and had found some great gear to add to his collection. More than just his gains, Nick felt alive. Filled with a sense of purpose and drive that he had never known in his old life on Earth. This was a place where his choices, his very existence, mattered. Where his blood, sweat, and tears might well lead him to an early grave, but just might shift the future of his people onto a brighter path. He was fighting not only for himself, but for the people he loved and countless others as well. Then, for a long while, he let his mind grow still and thought about nothing at all. Savoring the strange new emotions swirling within his breast. Breathing in the wonder of exploring an alien world and his new, System-governed reality. While he might be stuck in another hellish situation tomorrow and the future of his planet was in peril, Nick realized that he had never felt so free. Now he just needed to ensure that the rest of humanity could experience the same feeling. That the next generation would be able to grow and thrive in their new, magical reality. As he hiked, he decided that the rain wasn¡¯t so bad after all, especially with his temperature-regulating cloak to help keep him warm. Not long after, a message shimmered into existence in front of his face. Nick frowned as he read the words floating before his eyes. Because rather than letting him know about an opportunity for growth, this notice was the bearer of bad news. System message: Global event. 2% of participating contestants have entered the Tower of Rizzen, triggering the first in a series of escalating threats. Event initiated: the rising mists. From this point on, the blackmist will be significantly more pervasive within the bog. Before long, creatures specialized in hunting within their depths will appear with increasing frequency. Hurry and enter the tower before they find you. Event: Long Chapter Week(s), Book 3 and New Series Check In Hey everybody, I hope that your week it going well. I just wanted to pop in to let you know that I''m running another event, and to check in with book 3 in this series and book 1 of the new series that I''m working on. The event is simple this time around. No format changes, no schedule changes. Just some extra long chapters (2k+ a day) for the next eight chapters in a row (including today). Book 3 of LotMG is going well. I''m about 66% done at this point with the word count, and all major plot points have been decided. Everything is on schedule and looking good. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Book one of the new series is progressing slow and steady. I''m right around the half way point with the word count, but am still developing the world, magic system, and characters, after which things should speed up a bit. Right now, the ETA for launch is about three months, but that date is soft until I get closer to being ready. Once all the elements have been finalized, I''ll do a more extensive sneak peak. Thanks to everyone who has shown their support by following, rating, or reviewing the story. I couldn''t do it without you. That''s all for today. Have a good one! -Magnus Chapter Two Hundred Fifty-Two: About to Get Worse I Great. Nick quickened his pace after reading the last word. If people were already entering Darkstone Tower, then he needed to make it to the center of the bog even faster than he had thought. While the first global event wasn¡¯t as bad as he had feared, it was still going to cause problems, and the message implied that the next event would be significantly worse. He had to reach the base of the tower sooner rather than later. Confer with the people who were already there, intercept the rest as they arrived, and encourage everyone to wait as long as possible before heading inside the tower and kicking off the next stage of the quest for the fate of Earth. If only people who were critically injured entered early for the full healing, maybe they could keep things manageable and prevent a catastrophe. The problem was, more blackmist on the bog would slow everyone down, more than the rain was already. Right now, the blackmist was more of an environmental danger than a direct threat, although getting caught within it unprepared was certainly bad news. But if beasts could attack people in the mist while they were blind, the casualties team Earth suffered were certain to rise. Lengthening our travel time while providing a constant source of stress is going to drive more people into the tower, Nick frowned while breaking into a light jog. Too many parties are already inside and if the situation is left unchecked, the hunters in the mist will accelerate the process when they appear. Any injuries they inflict will only make things worse, since people will be forced to enter the tower for the free healing, or risk dying from their wounds. Any way that he looked at it, Nick was certain that the consequences would be disastrous if too many global events were triggered before all the contestants reached the tower¡¯s base. Each event would ratchet up the pressure to head in early, creating a cascade of escalating threats that would lead to the doom of his entire species if too many people died during the quest¡¯s first stage. A blood-drenched snowball effect that would leave countless bodies in its wake. But there was no way that Nick was going to let that happen. Not without giving everything he had to help bolster their chances. Regardless, the next step was clear, he had to press on as hard as he could and pray that he made it in time. Maybe he could come up with a plan while he was on the way. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. After checking the position of the tower to get his bearings, he pushed himself into a greater burst of speed, the squish of his boots striking waterlogged earth accompanying the racing of his heart. Nick ran long and hard, occasionally stopping to scan the terrain ahead for threats, then throwing himself into motion once more. He put mile after mile beneath his feet, at a pace that would put a marathon runner to shame, at least by the standards of his old world. He was still getting used to his amazing new body and he didn¡¯t get tired as quickly as he expected, a gift of his increased toughness and the reduced need for oxygen granted by his Survivor trait. The rain died down an hour later, and he began to dry out when the sun reappeared from behind the clouds. Nick decided to break for lunch after spotting some edible tubers that looked like blue potatoes, taking some dry wood out of his pack so he could cook them. He lit the fire with his flint and steel, then boiled the tubers in the ratman¡¯s helm. The starchy plants turned out to be a pretty good meal, although he suspected that they would taste even better with some proper spices. He stopped long enough to unearth a second batch to top off his provisions, then continued on his way, enjoying the sensation of a full belly after a warm meal. At least he didn¡¯t have to worry about getting lost. Nick set his sights on the impossibly tall tower on the horizon and kept on running with everything that he had. Nick soon entered a region covered in short yellow bushes, which were sparse enough that it was easy to wind his way through. The footing was firm, and visibility was good, letting him lengthen his stride and pick up his pace. Since the foliage was thin and the waterline wasn¡¯t nearby, there wasn¡¯t any way for a predator to catch him unaware. Not unless they were unusually small. That was when his gaze landed upon a diminutive beast. He would never have noticed it if the creature hadn¡¯t been a half second slow to freeze, after noticing him looking in that direction. He came to a stop gradually, as if he was pausing to catch his breath, head half turned to keep it in sight. Nick tried not to peer directly at the beast, so that he wouldn¡¯t give away his intentions, examining it in the periphery of his vision while loosening the flap on his pack. The creature in question was a small hunting cat that couldn¡¯t weigh more than thirty pounds soaking wet. It had an angular face, wedge shaped ears, and long whiskers. Nick decided that it was actually kind of cute. On the other hand, its claws were long and sharp, and it gazed at him without a trace of fear. He didn¡¯t lower his guard as he weighed his options, uncertain how he wanted to proceed. He blinked, and when his eyes opened once more, the beast was gone. The little cat must have noticed that Nick had spotted it after all. Since it didn¡¯t seem to be threatening, he turned to face the tower and continued on his way, making better time now that the rain had stopped. Chapter Two Hundred Fifty-Three: About to Get Worse II When Nick saw another cat fifteen minutes later, he realized that he was being stalked. This feline was a size larger than the first, with dark stripes running along its coat of tawny fur. It looked a bit like a bobcat from back on Earth, although anything tough enough to survive on the bog likely had a few tricks up its furry sleeves. Sure enough, when Nick tried sizing it up, the skill reported that the beast was dangerous for its size. That it was agile and perceptive, adapted to the local terrain. He was sure that he could take it in a straight fight without much risk. But if he had already seen two of the stealthy creatures, there were likely more that he had not. He thought he could handle three or four, but if there were more, it was going to be bad news. His heart began to race, and his adrenaline started to flow. It seemed like Nick might be in for a spot of trouble after all. A fight against multiple small opponents was a bad matchup for him with his present skills and spells. It would be easy to blow through his mana conjuring enough darts to drive them off, and they could strike from behind every time that he turned to face a fresh attack, taking advantage of their low profiles. He had no desire to have the fuzzy little critters ambush him while he was distracted either. Further complicating matters, who knew how long the beasts would pursue him now that they had decided Nick was on the menu? After a moment of contemplation, he figured that his best bet was to frighten them off, rather than concocting an elaborate scheme to kill them all. It would require too much effort and take time that he couldn¡¯t afford to squander. In short, it was time to come up with a plan before he ran out of time and the beasts attacked. Now, how can I scare away these adorable little predators¡­ The next time that he saw a marsh cat duck behind a nearby tree stump, Nick conjured a mana dart and picked up a rock. Concentrating on his timing, he fired the dart high, arcing the missile up to its maximum range before coming back down. He took aim and let loose with the rock in his hand, throwing the stone a few feet wide of where the little cat was hiding, an intentional miss on Nick¡¯s part. The rock came crashing to the earth with a hearty thud, half a heartbeat before his mana dart descended on the stump from above. He had been gambling that even if the beast could sense the mana in his spell, a facility that seemed to be relatively common in the multiverse, the loud noise would serve to distract it, increasing the odds of the dart striking true. Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. Nick knew that his plan had succeeded when a pained yowl resounded across the bog. The moment that he heard the little cat cry out, he unleashed a thunderous roar of his own, charging straight for the stunned feline as aggressively as he could. He did his best to look big and scary, staring right into the eyes of the diminutive beast. The marsh cat recovered well before he could close the distance, running for its life in the opposite direction¡­ followed by six of its friends. Nick could tell from their behavior that the beasts no longer considered him to be prey, otherwise the rest wouldn¡¯t have given away their positions. He came to a stop and let out a long sigh of relief, glad that he had decided to bluff his way out of this situation. He had managed to avoid a fight that he might not have won and had gotten some practice with his throwing skill in the process. The encounter was a timely reminder that raw strength wasn¡¯t the only thing that made a creature dangerous. Teamwork, ambushes, and other basic strategies could allow a beast to take down prey with higher attributes, at least some of the time. Let alone the wildcard that magic introduced into the mix. Nick pondered the matter as he resumed his trek across the marsh, curious to discover what the bog had in store for him next. Enjoying the warmth of the sunlight on his skin, he reviewed what he had learned, laying down fresh plans for what he would do in a similar situation. Next time, I¡¯ll drive them off right from the start, but if I get the chance, I need to pick up a power that can hurt multiple opponents at once. I¡¯ll be in real trouble if I run into opponents like that who aren¡¯t willing to back down. At least it shouldn¡¯t be as much of a problem once I run into someone and form a party. Someone to watch my back and help compensate for my weaknesses. With any luck, it won¡¯t be too much longer. The rest of the day was blessedly uneventful, and he stopped for the night when he spotted a ruined building ahead. Only two walls remained upright, forming a corner where Nick could set his back. After setting his alarms and checking his gear he decided to call it an early night, worn out from having run for so much of the day. When he checked his menus, he had a pair of notifications awaiting his perusal. Through rigorous training, you have conditioned your body and improved the following baseline attribute: Toughness has increased from [7] to [8]. Through use you have improved the following skills: Throwing has increased from [2] to [3]. Nick nodded to himself as he closed his eyes, spreading his cloak over him like a blanket. Watching the numbers go up is always a perfect way to end the day. But I have a bad feeling that things are about to get worse. Chapter Two Hundred Fifty-Four: Jewel of the Night I Nick was woken from dreams by a block of text floating in front of his face, bringing him back to full alertness within a matter of seconds. Apparently, the System could reach him whenever it wanted, even in the murky depths of unconsciousness. While he wanted nothing more than to go back to sleep, it was one of the few times that the System had messaged him directly, and he knew that whatever was going on, it had to be important. His flash of irritation faded away as he focused on the meaning of the words and began to read. System message: Proximity triggered event. Event: ¡®The Jewel of the Night¡¯ has begun. Once a year when the moon is full, the emerald star lotus produces a single fruit, commonly known as the jewel of the night. The rare fruit cannot be cultivated and has the power to increase any skill by a single point, making it a valuable commodity throughout the multiverse. Somewhere nearby, a star lotus fruit has reached maturity, sending its call out to every contestant and beast within range. If you don¡¯t find it soon, another surely will. Immensely relieved that this event was an opportunity rather than an imminent threat, Nick opened his eyes, sat up, and took a long look around. It was a bright night on the bog and the air was clear. The radiance of the moon offered clear visibility, draping the landscape in a thousand shades of silver and lead. He took a deep breath in through his nose, catching a whiff of something delectable riding the midnight breeze. A zesty citrus tang that set his mouth watering, sparking a hunger within him that was deeper than the desire to fill his belly. A strange sensation unlike anything that he had experienced before. Intrigued by what he was feeling, Nick started scanning the surrounding terrain for signs of anything hostile lurking nearby. While he did so, he fired up the risk versus reward part of his brain, pondering whether he wanted to participate in the event. This event seemed to lack the inherent danger of the others Nick had come across. It felt more like a side quest without major stakes, although that didn¡¯t mean the event would be safe. Regardless of the details, the prospect of improving one of his skills was nothing to scoff at. While he wasn¡¯t willing to risk it all for the sake of a single skill point, he decided that it was worth trying to find the fruit before anything else ate it. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. If he couldn¡¯t locate the star lotus fruit within an hour or two tops, he would give up and go back to bed. Not that he expected the fruit to last that long with its enticing scent riding the breeze. Rubbing the sleep from the corner of his eyes, Nick rose to his feet, drew his sword, and put on his pack. He sniffed at the air to get a better sense of where the smell was coming from, then started walking, picking a path that would keep him away from the water or any deep brush. Just because the quest was simple didn¡¯t mean that Nick would lower his guard. The bog was a dangerous place at the best of times, home to a variety of fearsome beasts and rough terrain. Further complicating matters, he had a hunch that the local wildlife was converging on the ripe magical fruit, drawing closer with every beat of his heart. Although the silver moon was shining bright, it was no easy feat to cross the bog at night. Nick would have to pay close attention to the surrounding soundscape as he followed the mouthwatering aroma. In this ethereal half-light, his ears were just as useful as his nose. On that note, he could hear the cries of animals and beasts in the distance, growing louder by the footfall. Nick would have to move fast if he wanted to claim his prize. Fortunately, this stretch of marshland was flat and relatively dry. There were a few shallow ponds here and there, but nothing deep enough to conceal any of the massive predators he had seen hunting within the water over the last few days. When he sized up the terrain ahead, the skill didn¡¯t report any hidden dangers either. Even still, he kept his distance as he wove his way between shadow-studded bushes and shrubs, stopping every few minutes to reorient on the zesty tang riding the breeze. He followed the tantalizing odor, keeping a low profile as he crossed the marshlands as quickly as he could without giving his position away. Ten minutes later, Nick found himself standing on the top of a low rise, the elevation offering him a decent view of the lay of the land. When he cast his gaze across the bog, his eyes landed upon a small pond. It was surrounded by a ring of tall trees with yellow bark and wispy leaves that reached all the way down to the ground below. However, it wasn¡¯t the trees that had captured his undivided attention, but what he saw growing in the middle of the pond. Dominating the entire pool was a lotus pad the size of a minivan, a great sprawling plant that glowed with a soft emerald radiance. Clued in by the plant¡¯s color and shape, Nick became certain that he was looking at his target when he spotted the fruit. A lone, star-shaped growth was hanging from the highest part of the lotus, a single offering that was bigger than both of his fists combined, shining brighter than the rest. The instant that he laid eyes upon it, Nick felt a surge of desire. A need to consume the star lotus fruit that went beyond the mere pursuit of his next meal. Unlike the hunger-inducing pollen of the ravenous creeper vines that had nearly ended his life, this attraction felt natural rather than any kind of external compulsion. Like his body knew on an instinctual level that consuming the fruit would allow him to grow stronger. Chapter Two Hundred Fifty-Five: Jewel of the Night II By now, Nick was already making his way down the hillside, heading toward his prize with no further hesitation. He quickly scanned the ground ahead to pick out a path, then broke into a run, rushing for the fruit dangling from the lotus. He was certain that he wasn¡¯t the only one heading that way. That the scent would draw in beasts for miles around. Right now, he didn¡¯t see anything else crossing the marsh, but he knew that it wouldn¡¯t last much longer, and he took the System¡¯s warning to heart. Sure enough, before he had closed half of the distance, he spotted a massive creature arriving from a different direction. Something bigger than a bear, covered in wiry brown fur. As the beast devoured the last stretch of ground between its position and the lotus, Nick was able to make out additional details. It was one of the giant otter-like beasts that he had seen several times while crossing the marsh. This one was a bit smaller than the others he had encountered, and size up indicated that it was less dangerous, leading Nick to believe that it was a juvenile. But even half grown, the beast was much bigger than he was, and it had to be tough to endure the myriad dangers that called the bog home. He didn¡¯t want to fight it unless he was left with no other choice, although he was willing to as a last resort. The otter wasn¡¯t particularly agile on dry land, but it still crossed the marshlands at a decent clip. It would reach the lotus pad within another few minutes at most. In short, if Nick wanted to claim the magic fruit, he would have to pick up his pace, because his hunt had just become a race. Abandoning any pretense of stealth, he kicked it up another gear, sprinting for the emerald lotus as fast as his feet would carry him. For a few minutes, it seemed that he would win the race, but that was the moment when the otter noticed his presence. It let out an angry squeal and pushed its furry body into a greater burst of speed, now flying across the marsh at a rate twice that of Nick¡¯s own. He was closer but the otter was faster, and he could tell by now that it was going to be a photo finish. He could hear other beasts drawing near as well. If Nick didn¡¯t make it to the lotus fruit soon, he would have more than a yellow otter the size of a pony to contend with. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. Lungs pumping like bellows, Nick ran for everything that he was worth. By now, both he and the otter were less than a hundred feet away from the pool holding the emerald star lotus. I¡¯m not going to make it, he growled in frustration. By now, he was only twenty feet away from the dangling fruit. Its scent was heavy in the air, rich and intoxicating, filling his cells with the need to consume it and claim its power for his own. The otter was streaking across the last stretch of ground in a blur of brown fur, every scrap of its focus fixed upon the lotus ahead. Although Nick was agonizingly close, he wasn¡¯t going to make it in time, the beast was surging too fast. When it reached the border of the pond, the otter leapt into the air with jaws spread wide, poised to close around the lotus fruit. Just before the beast could devour the fruit in a single bite, a wedge of silver light slammed into the side of its head, as Nick¡¯s mana dart landed on target. It was the first time that he had been able to cast a spell while moving and it caught the giant otter completely by surprise. The beast let out a squeal of pain and came crashing into the water beside the lotus pad in a great spray of droplets, teeth missing the fruit by a matter of inches. It recovered less than ten seconds later, gazing up at the lotus fruit just in time to watch Nick pluck it with a twist of his wrist. He shoved the soft plant into his mouth and began to chew, letting out a moan of culinary delight. The emerald star lotus fruit was every bit as delicious as its aroma had promised. Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t have time to stop and savor the flavor. Dozens of beasts were headed his way fast, and the otter was looking up at him in resentment, having regained control over its muscular body. Maybe this wasn¡¯t such a good idea after all. Nick quickly chewed and then swallowed the pulp filling his mouth, washing it down with a plug of water from his canteen. The instant that the tangy mush completed its short voyage down to his stomach, he felt a strange energy building up inside him. A churning mass of raw potential that had yet to be given shape. For a tense moment, the beasts kept right on coming, leaving Nick afraid that the creatures would smell the juice on his breath and decide to hunt him down. An outcome far more dangerous than the System had implied. Hopefully it¡¯s not this guy¡¯s family coming to settle the score. Fortunately, the tide of beasts came to an abrupt halt another twenty seconds later. He prayed that his luck would hold, watching the various creatures looking his way for a long moment. Nick sighed in relief when they turned away, letting out a few disappointed grunts before heading back the way they had come. After issuing a reproachful chitter, the otter turned and began wandering back to the closest lake, disappearing into the night. Concept Art: Chapter 246-255 Just a reminder, I completely respect that not everyone likes the inclusion/existence of AI art, so I''ve put it in it''s own chapter so that it''s easy to skip and not shown side by side with the story. If it''s not your thing, I totally understand where you are coming from. This concept art is included entirely for fun, and will never be sold or monetized in any way. It will never be as good as your imagination, so if it doesn''t fit with the version of something in your head, go with your imagination instead. Sunset over Blackmist Bog Camping on top of the ruined watchtower The Tower of Rizzen Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. Crossing the bog Danger in the water Adorable ambush Nick''s competition for the lotus fruit (daylight shot) The Jewel of the Night Someone asked me for some shots of Angie, from waaay back in chapter two. I added them to the bonus art from book 1, but here they are so you can see them too. Chapter Two Hundred Fifty-Six: Premonition of Calamity I As Nick had hoped, the creatures were drawn to the lotus¡¯s potent magic instead of its scent. Magic that had been completely absorbed by his energetic core over the last few seconds. Confirming that the danger had passed, and the event was complete, a System message appeared in front of his eyes. When he read the last word, his heart began to race. It seemed that his adventure wasn¡¯t quite over yet. System message: Event update. Event: ''The jewel of the night'', is complete. Now that you have consumed the star lotus fruit, you have five minutes to decide which skill to raise or its magic will be lost forever. Be advised that this bonus cannot raise a skill above its class-governed maximum. Nick fired up his gamer¡¯s perspective for the first time in weeks and then kicked it into high gear. He had to think fast and decide which skill he wanted to raise before time ran out. Thanks to his new Kineticist class, he had quite a few options to consider. Sword and wand were both top contenders, but he had a hunch that he would be able to raise those skills over time without the need for an additional boost. More evasion would be nice too, but it was still low enough that it was going to improve rapidly with every battle. Shield was out of the running since he hadn¡¯t found one yet. Maybe I should just go with sword after all. Somewhere around the time that the clock struck the two-minute mark, it hit him. Foraging. He hadn¡¯t been able to raise his foraging skill to ten while he had it unlocked by his original Survivor class. Nick had thought that the opportunity to max it out had been lost, but maybe he still could thanks to the lotus¡¯s magic. Now that foraging was inactive, this might be his only chance to improve a skill that had saved his life on numerous occasions. After a final moment of consideration, he was certain it was the best choice. On top of everything else, he had noticed that each time he increased a skill, it became more difficult to raise further, similar to the process of conditioning his baseline attributes. This meant that even if it were still unlocked, boosting foraging would be more efficient than any of his other options, since it was already at nine. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. His decision made, Nick sent his intentions to the System, adding, ¡°I¡¯ll take a point of foraging please,¡± for good measure. Selection confirmed. By taking advantage of a rare opportunity, the following skill has been improved: Foraging has increased from [9] to [10]. A perfect ten. Enjoying the warm glow of satisfaction that came with watching the numbers tick up, especially when capping a skill at its maximum, Nick carefully made his way back to his campsite. He was hoping to catch another hour or two of shuteye before dawn broke over the bog. Although he kept an eye out for predators along the way, nothing dangerous crossed his path before he settled down to rest. He woke up early the next morning, completely refreshed thanks to his enhanced Survivor trait, despite his scant hours of sleep. He met the rising sun with a grin plastered on his face, thrilled to have successfully completed the midnight event without being injured in the process. He had even scored a delicious free meal in the process. It was the most pleasant event that he had experienced by far, and he strongly suspected that he wouldn¡¯t enjoy the next one. He began planning out his day while strapping on his gear. Right now, his goal was unchanged. Nick needed to head for the tower as quickly as possible, so he picked up his pace and started hiking across the marshlands, enjoying the fierce beauty of the wetlands as he put some miles beneath his boots. Be it through luck, coincidence, or other factors beyond his understanding, it was his most relaxing day on Blackmist Bog to date. Nick didn¡¯t run into any hostile critters or rough terrain as morning gave way to noon, and the patches of blackmist he encountered were thin and quickly flew past his position. He made remarkably good time as a result, the tower gradually growing larger, although the distance was deceptive given the sheer scale of the edifice. Late in the afternoon, he came across a small pond filled with silver fish the size of his hands. Size up told him that they were regular animals, not beasts, and posed no danger whatsoever. After scouting the area to make sure that no predators were lurking nearby, Nick approached the water¡¯s edge. At this time of day, it was easy to peer below the surface, revealing that nothing besides the fish and a few aquatic insects called this pool home. Since his foraging skill was convinced that the fish were good eating, he decided to take a break and try out one of the items he had been given for completing the tutorial for the first time. The fishing pole he had chosen for one of his basic item picks. Nick reached into his pack and pulled out the rod, which was made of flexible fiberglass the color of bamboo. It took him a few minutes to figure out how to attach the fishing line he had found in the tutorial dungeon, and the hook that had come with his adventurer¡¯s toolbelt. Once he was sure that everything was properly assembled, he used a stick to dig into the muddy soil running along the pool¡¯s edge. He eventually unearthed several fat worms, and after sizing them up to make sure they weren¡¯t dangerous, he placed one on the end of his hook, then cast his line into the water. Chapter Two Hundred Fifty-Seven: Premonition of Calamity II The fish scattered the instant that the bait broke the surface, but quickly decided that the disturbance wasn¡¯t anything they needed to worry about. They were intrigued by the worm writhing on the end of the line, and after a few cautious passes, the fish began to nibble. Resisting the urge to pull on the pole too soon, Nick waited until he felt a solid bite before yanking on the rod and reeling for all he was worth. The fish were heavy for their size, and he was afraid that the line wouldn¡¯t hold, but his fears proved to be unfounded. Twenty seconds later, he hauled a fat fish out of the water, flopping around on the end of his hook and casting a spray of droplets into the air. He wasn¡¯t quite sure what to do next. After a moment of contemplation, Nick set the rod on the ground, trapped the fish beneath his boot, and decapitated it with his dagger, offering the animal a silent apology. He worked the hook out of its mouth, reset his rod, and tried again. Half an hour later, he had four fish sitting beside him and the rest had stopped biting, deciding that whatever was going on, it was nothing they wanted any part of. He was pleased with his haul and after making sure that nothing dangerous had arrived while he was busy, he built himself a small cookfire. He cleaned and gutted his catch, stuck a stick through the fish fillets, and got busy grilling, pleased that he was getting better at living off the land over time. The fish proved to be tasty and filling, and after polishing off two of them, Nick put the rest into his pack for a late snack or early dinner. He walked for another ten miles after lunch, enjoying his peaceful day. He was certain that the moment of calm wouldn¡¯t last long, and he was wise enough not to take it for granted. Even still, it was good to unwind, letting some tension out of his muscles as he devoured the miles beneath his boots. He chose to camp early in the evening, after finding a large tree that had been hollowed out by a lightning strike long ago. The cavity was big enough for Nick to fit comfortably inside and it would go a long way toward concealing his presence. After spending a few minutes inspecting and maintaining his gear, he decided to get in a lengthy strength building session before hitting the hay. Nick hadn¡¯t been able to raise many attributes via conditioning since setting foot onto the bog, but he sensed that he was getting close to increasing his strength. He realized that he was gradually becoming more attuned to the various new energies infused within his body. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. Acquiring fewer baseline improvements through exercise wasn¡¯t surprising at this stage of his development, since his toughness and dexterity had entered the range where it was difficult to break through from exertion alone. The System had told him those last few points were normally acquired through intense, life and death situations. He knew that he would get them sooner or later, since deadly threats were never in short supply for the defenders of Earth. But Nick¡¯s strength could still go up another two points before it entered that range. Thus, he had decided to shift his daily workout to emphasize strength training until it did. Letting out a sleepy yawn, he made a final survey of the area before calling it a day. By now, the moon had risen over the rim of the crater containing the bog. It was just a hair shy of being full, and would be perfectly round by tomorrow night. When his gaze landed upon it, his eyes went wide with surprise and the hairs on his neck rose to stand on end. Something isn¡¯t right. Normally, Drezen¡¯s moon was silver and bright, but tonight it was different. Its diameter was half again as large as it had been the night before. The phenomenon was bizarre enough by itself, but Nick supposed that in a multiverse packed to the brim with strange magic, the old rules of physics were suggestions rather than laws. However, it wasn¡¯t the moon¡¯s inexplicable growth that had him worried, but its color. Instead of being the same radiant silver as his mana darts, tonight, its surface was tinted pink. As if someone had poured a drop of crimson ink into a clear pond. The ring of light around the moon was reddish too, granting it an aura like it was wreathed in blood. More than just the unsettling color, when he looked up at the moon, Nick felt a pervasive sense of wrongness. An impression of otherworldly danger unlike anything he had experienced before. In that moment, he was overcome with a premonition that something dark and foul was looming on the horizon. That something terrible was on its way, and would arrive the next time the moon rose. Acting on instinct, Nick tried sizing up the moon, feeling a bit silly about the whole thing. But to his surprise, the skill let loose a resounding peal of danger, a clear warning that something deadly was brewing after all. Ok, that can¡¯t be good. I¡¯ll try to find cover early tomorrow. When he was done gazing at the sky, he stepped inside the hollow trunk, set a pair of alarm traps across the entrance, and closed his eyes. Given the strange and ominous sign he¡¯d just witnessed, he wasn¡¯t ready to pass out just yet. Nick spent the next few hours refining his plans, tweaking various strategies, and engaging in the purely visual version of his shadow boxing before drifting off into dreams, wondering what the next day would bring and the night that would follow. Chapter Two Hundred Fifty-Eight: Great Beauty and Terrible Danger I Nick woke up a few hours later, roused from slumber by light shining in his face, even though nothing had triggered his alarms. When he opened his eyes and stepped out of the hollow, he was in for quite a surprise. The strange aura that had enshrouded the moon was gone, the sinister feeling it had evoked vanishing along with it like the memory of yesterday¡¯s dream. Instead, something truly wonderous met his gaze when he stared up at the sky. It was still the middle of the night, but the heavens were no longer black. Instead, a river of scintillating color flowed across the brilliant starscape above his head. His eyes widened in astonishment, drinking in the sight of vivid bands of yellow and orange spanning the horizon, woven together with threads of fiery red, along with the occasional ribbon of purple or green. He laughed in delight, marveling at the sight, because the sky had become a vast canvas upon which a marvel of natural splendor was painted. And this was no static display, but a work in motion, a glowing flowing river of the most vivid hues that Nick had ever seen. He had the sense that mana was woven into the atmosphere far above his head, reacting with the energy emanating from the planet¡¯s sun to form this extraordinary latticework of radiant pigment. But the spectacle above was only half the show. He lowered his gaze and cast it across the marsh, which had been completely transformed by the magic above. The living lightshow threw patches of ever-shifting neon and shadow across the bog, forming mesmerizing, dazzling patterns. Each time he thought that it couldn¡¯t be more beautiful, the array shifted, forming a conflux of color and light even more gorgeous than the last. The aurora of planet Drezen reminded Nick of the northern lights, but with a warm color palette instead of cool, and the wild bands of pigment were even brighter and more vivid. The twisting ribbons of amber and ginger surging across the night sky were utterly captivating, the heavens awash in otherworldly beauty that took his breath away. He laughed in delight as he left the canopy to get a better look, having found another experience to treasure when he least expected it. Nick leaned against a boulder, looked up, and took it all in, intent on committing every second to memory. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. He was glad for the tangible reminder that for each new horror the System had added to his life, there was a mind-blowing new wonder to match. Shocking moments of awe-inspiring beauty to make the tragedy humanity had suffered seem a little less bleak. It didn¡¯t come close to balancing the scales, not by a long shot. He would never forgive the System or the Mad God for the suffering they had inflicted to the people he loved. For the lives they had cut short and the civilization they¡¯d erased without any sign of remorse. But Nick had to admit as he stared at the sky that it was one hell of a view. Since it was bright enough to draw, he took out his journal and a nub of charcoal and started to sketch. He would have to add the color later, when he found the right materials, but he still wanted to capture the moment as best he could. When he was satisfied, he put them away and let his mind go blank, thinking of nothing at all as he absorbed the magnificent sight. The intensity of the aurora began to wane an hour later, dispersing completely when the sky lightened with the coming of dawn. He had slept for nearly four hours and wasn¡¯t too tired, so Nick decided to get an early start on his day. As color bled back into the terrain around him, he gathered his gear and slid on his pack, ready to face the word with a smile on his face. By the time that the noonday sun was hanging high in the cloudless sky, Nick found himself walking along a series of peninsulas and isthmuses that crisscrossed the middle of a swampy biome that he hadn¡¯t been able to find a way around. He crossed the marsh with a spring in his step, hoping to end his solo trek before the sun set this day. He had spotted his first signs of other people a few hours earlier, a series of tracks leading away from a small firepit. He was eager to run into whoever had left them, but he¡¯d lost the trail despite his best efforts. At least he knew which way they were headed. Everyone in the bog would be traveling to Darkstone Tower, moving as fast as they could. But before he was ready to pick up his pace, he had one small diversion to take care of first. Over the last ten minutes, he had been trying to track down a pair of the rabbit-like creatures he had caught earlier. Nick didn¡¯t like walking so close to the waterline, but the terrain was wide and open. The adjacent waterways were shallow, so at least nothing large should be able to sneak up behind him or ambush him from the water¡¯s edge. I¡¯ll make this quick and then head for defensible ground. A frustrating half hour later, he was ready to move on. He had managed to catch one of the agile animals, but the other had proven remarkably difficult to pin down. It would be good enough for his next meal, but since his provisions were running low, Nick would have to do some hunting and foraging whenever he made camp. Chapter Two Hundred Fifty-Nine: Great Beauty and Terrible Danger II Nick was bending over to tighten the straps on his boots when a wispy tendril of darkness flitted across his vision. That was weird. A jolt of adrenaline mingled with his bloodstream when the realization of what he had just seen washed over him. Nick spun around, ready to find out how fucked he was, part of his mind already searching for the closest shelter. But instead of the marshlands, all that was there to meet his gaze was a solid wall of midnight. A writhing bank of impenetrable blackness that was rushing toward him like an avalanche of oblivion, erasing the light of the world in its wake and concealing the contours of the bog within its inky depths. Knowing that he was in serious trouble, he desperately sought out a path that would take him to solid ground before the blackmist broke over him. Half a heartbeat later, he discovered that it was already too late. The mist had risen as fast as thought and was reaching out to engulf him. Nick had just enough time to scan the ground by his boots before the yawning void swallowed him whole. A lack of light so complete it made ordinary darkness seem grey by comparison. It was as if an alchemist had distilled the very concept of lightlessness, then poured the concoction out over the bog. Nick could feel the onyx vapor gliding across his skin. An oily caress that made the hair on his arms rise and stand on end. The unnerving sensations didn¡¯t stop there. In addition to blinding him, the blackmist distorted the local soundscape, warping the ambient music of the bog into something haunting and sinister. Calm down Nick, he fought the urge to panic. This isn¡¯t as bad as it looks. If you just stand still and wait, the bank should pass you by before long. It was moving fast, and it can¡¯t go on forever. Besides, none of the beasts should be able to see in this stuff either. So far, you haven¡¯t run into another one of those creatures that brushed up against you back on that first day. You might be safer now than you were before. He knew that he shouldn¡¯t have thought that last bit the moment that he did. While Nick had never been the superstitious sort, he didn¡¯t want to give the System ideas. Not that the impersonal entity needed an excuse to fuck up his day. After a long, tense moment, he let out a sigh of relief, laughing at his own contradictory nature. The instant that he lowered his guard, Nick felt something massive brush past his shoulder, a rubbery tendril that felt cold and clammy, followed by a segment covered in soft feathers. The moment that it touched him, it jerked back in response. A piercing cry broke out, warped and twisted by the billowing mists. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. The raucous caw was followed by another, then a third. That can¡¯t be good. His fears were confirmed half a heartbeat later, when a System prompt flashed across his vision, the only thing that existed within the all-consuming void. System message: Global event. 10% of participating contestants have entered the Tower of Rizzen. As a result, a new danger has been introduced to the bog. Event: Hunters in the mist. From this point forward, the redfang hunters populating the blackmist will become far more aggressive. Their numbers and strength will grow as more contestants enter the tower. The hunters will become actively hostile in approximately sixty seconds. Note: for global events triggered by tower entry, survival is its own reward. Nick had been doing a decent job of fighting down his fears thus far. But now he began to panic. Whatever the redfang hunters were, one of them had just brushed past his shoulder. In a little less than a minute, it would start stalking him in earnest. In short, Nick needed to get out of here fast. However, he was surrounded by water and wasn¡¯t sure which way he should run. Now that he knew that something was pursuing him from within the mist, he needed to either make his way out of the inky haze before he was caught or find a place to hole up. Somewhere he could hide or defend himself until the bank blew past. The hunters seemed to be confined to the mists, so the danger they posed should end when the light of the world returned. He reached for the state of icy clarity that had come to him in the past. But on this occasion, only a trace of that frigid awareness answered his call. It was enough to keep him from losing his shit, but only by the narrowest of margins. What should I do? What can I do? What options are there other than pray and stand my ground or start running blind? He was certain that either of those choices would lead to his demise. But then he remembered that moment back in the tutorial, when he had been able to visualize the battle on the hilltop without needing to see it with his eyes. That time in the safe room, when he¡¯d been able to imagine his opponents so clearly, that they had appeared before him in lifelike detail. Maybe, just maybe, that ability could save him now. With no time to waste, Nick desperately latched onto his last memory of the world of light, superimposing it over the impenetrable darkness through sheer effort of will. To his surprise, it almost worked. He could see the vague outlines of the surrounding channels and lakes, even the contours of his own body when he held his arm out in front of him. Unfortunately, in this case, almost wasn¡¯t good enough. After taking two steps, his boot came down onto water instead of dry earth. Nick nearly fell into the swamp then and there, wheeling his arms before recovering his balance with a horrified gasp. It turned out that this was only the beginning of his trouble. Because that was when something cried out only a few feet away from where he stood. Something big and headed his way. Nick drew his dagger and began swiping blindly at the air around his head, as taunting caws reverberated across the marsh like mocking laughter. Chapter Two Hundred Sixty: Hunters in the Mist I Standing in the heart of that black moment, Nick knew his time was up. That the redfang hunters had begun to prowl, and their assault would begin any second. Sure enough, he felt a gust of wind brush past his shoulder before something sharp hit the back of his left hand, slicing into his flesh, and sending a jolt of terror arcing down his spine. Realizing that he was being targeted by some manner of ranged attack, and that his vital points were critically exposed, Nick sat down fast. He moved his knees in front of his head to guard his eyes and throat. He pulled his durable leather jacket over his head and ducked behind his backpack, buying time while he tried to figure out some way out of this mess. Calm down, Nick. Breathe. Think. Another missile hit him in the temple, resulting in a white flash although the leather absorbed most of the shock. Ranged attacks. Cutting edge, but not heavy enough to pack much of a punch, he analyzed the strikes pummeling his pack and jacket. Whatever is out there should decide that this approach isn¡¯t working before long. I should assume that it knows I¡¯m blind and stationary. The redfang will close the distance soon, then switch to melee attacks to strike my vitals or drown me in the bog. As another half-dozen projectiles impacted his armor in the span of as many seconds, he unsheathed his wand and held it in front of him, finger on the trigger. The thunder of his own heartbeat booming in his ears. His sword wasn¡¯t going to do him any good while fighting blind, but his wand had a wider spread and a longer reach. Nick knew that he needed to get up and move. If he sat still long enough to let his opponent land a premeditated blow, he would wind up taking a critical wound sooner rather than later. Firing his wand while blind was a longshot at best. He needed to come up with a better plan before it was too late. The problem was, he wasn¡¯t sure which way he should go, and one wrong step would send him straight into the water, a lethal outcome under the circumstances. His only option was to rely on his visualization, but it wasn¡¯t going to cut it in its present state. While part of him remained poised to pull the trigger the instant that he had a target, the rest of his mind raced to even the odds. It began correcting the defects in his mental map, so that he could use it to make good on his escape. He wrestled with his imagination, forcing aside visions of monsters slithering up to eat him as he called his recent memories to the forefront of his mind¡¯s eye. The ground and features that he had observed while walking along the marsh. Set against the inky blackness, Nick redrew the contour of the waterline. The rise and fall of the long fingers of earth as they wound their way across the bog. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. To his surprise, the effort made a considerable difference. The map he had overlaid upon the blackmist shifted and grew more detailed. Gaining resolution with each iteration like a computer rendering a complex landscape, until everything was crystal clear. The overlay was so crisp, so real, that it felt like Nick was in a waking dream. Or maybe an augmented reality program created by his own brain was a better description. Seeing without his eyes was incredible enough to make him forget his predicament, at least for half a heartbeat. But as his jaw dropped in wonder, something heavy landed right in front of him. It released a visceral thud that Nick could feel through his boots, reminding him that his newfound ability couldn¡¯t help him track moving objects. He didn¡¯t have time to hesitate, the time for action had arrived. It was time to go all in and let the chips fall where they may. Nick pointed the wand straight ahead and fired. Then he raised his aim and fired again. At least one of the shots must have connected, striking his opponent from pointblank range. He heard a distorted squawk and then a great splash, as the creature flew back before falling into the water. The redfang hunter let out a furious shriek, beating its leathery wings as it climbed back onto the shore and then took to the air once more. While the creature was recovering from the unexpected attack, Nick rose from his jacket and ran for his life, following the course he had chosen while he was refining his mental map. He sprinted across the bog, with only the vision he had conjured to guide his feet, praying that it was enough to stay one step ahead of his unseen assailant. That more weren¡¯t on the way. While this new application of his imagination was amazing, it was terrifying to trust it with his life. If Nick fucked up a single detail. If he got turned around and misjudged the direction he was facing, the bog was more than capable of claiming his life on its own. Although the redfang hunters would be more than happy to lend a hand. Don¡¯t think about what might happen, just focus on the here and now. You have to keep moving until the blackmist passes you by, hopefully taking the redfang with it. Nick called upon his arctic clarity, allowing the chill to bury his fear and all other distractions. The worry that if he lost track of his position, misremembered the lay of the land or ran into an obstruction he had overlooked, he would break his own neck, serving himself up to the redfangs or another horror lurking in the marsh. Not that he had any choice but to run as fast as he could and hope for the best. Trying to fight in the sight-reaving fog was a recipe for disaster. He was lucky that things had worked out thus far, but luck was a fickle mistress at the best of times. A truth that was driven home only thirty seconds later. After a blessed but dishearteningly brief moment of respite, he heard the creature call out from above, followed by a second coming from behind. Chapter Two Hundred Sixty-One: Hunters in the Mist II Nick endured a barrage of stinging slaps as more bladed projectiles slammed into the leather of his jacket. They left deep bruises behind, although fortunately nothing hit his head or unprotected flesh. His left hand hurt like hell, but at least the wound didn¡¯t seem to have severed any nerves or major blood vessels. A silver lining in the storm that had descended upon his head. The twisted cries of the redfang hunters were growing closer by the footfall, but it wasn¡¯t all bad news. By now, Nick was nearly out of the swamp. A little further and he would reach the closest hill and could climb to higher ground. He had seen the ruins of a windmill jutting up from the hillcrest earlier in the day. If he could endure this assault long enough to gain the safety of its walls, he had a real chance of holding out against the creatures who were stalking him. He stumbled as he reached the bottom of the hill, having misjudged the start of the rise by several feet. He had only viewed this terrain from a distance while moving through the swamp, and his visualization of the area was part memory and part approximation. Thanks to his sudden stagger, a pair of projectiles went whizzing past his ear instead of striking him in the back of the head. A serious blow that Nick wouldn¡¯t have been able to walk away from. Now that he knew his opponents were aiming for his vitals instead of center mass, he tried to move unpredictably. He ran while weaving from side-to-side, taking another two hits to his back and dodging another strike to his skull in the process. By now, Nick was gaining elevation quickly, moving faster after leaving the swampy terrain behind him at last. Before much longer, he should rise above the bank of mist, which tended to hover low to the ground. After climbing halfway up the hillside, he abruptly broke free from the blackmist¡¯s inky grasp. The sunlight shining in his fog-blinded eyes was so bright that for a moment, he thought it was another form of attack. He had to close his eyes to slits until they began to adjust, savoring the warmth of the sunlight on his skin. The knowledge that no unseen assailants prowled the skies ahead. That he would gain the safety of the windmill¡¯s walls within another handful of heartbeats. At least he had grown used to running sightless over the last few minutes, so the penetrating radiance didn¡¯t slow him down. He staggered away from the seething ocean of darkness, desperate to gain more elevation and leave the blackmist behind him for good. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. The moment that his eyes adapted to the afternoon light, he spun around, gazing down into the swirling mass of magical mist below his boots. He turned just in time to see something shooting out from the fog, heading right for his face. Lacking time to dodge, he drew his dagger and raised the weapon in a single motion, turning his head to one side to protect his eyes. With a ringing ping, the object struck the flat of his blade and shattered, fragments falling to the ground by his boots. While the hunters had yet to leave the mist, he wouldn¡¯t be safe until he moved beyond their range. Now that he could see their attacks coming, Nick could actively dodge instead of moving unpredictably and praying that they missed. He started walking backwards, heading for the shelter of the mill¡¯s stone walls, evading another half dozen strikes as he went. That was the moment when two enormous wings emerged from the mist like a pair of fins, with a second set trailing behind. Shit, they¡¯re coming right for me. Escaping from the blackmist might not be enough to stop them. I might have to drive them off with force instead. Nick drew his sword, conjured a mana dart, and braced himself for combat, expecting the redfang hunters to come streaking out from the pitch-black fog, eager to finish the fight. But that was not what happened. What happened was that each of the redfangs fired a parting shot before turning around, disappearing into the blackmists, which were already receding into the distance. As a cry of bestial frustration rang out over the marsh, Nick let lose his dart in the direction they were headed, then sprinted to the mill and darted inside. Thank god, they¡¯re bound to the mist after all. To his immense relief, he discovered that nothing was laired within. He was safe at last, at least for the moment. Now that the adrenaline and his arctic clarity were fading away, the pain of his wounds caught up to him, alongside the exhaustion and stress from his near escape. He looked down at his injured hand while fighting to catch his breath. The projectile was still embedded in his flesh, and he winced as he pulled a long onyx feather free from the wound. When he sat down and leaned against the wall, he realized that a dozen more were sticking out from the leather of his jacket. Fortunately, the needlelike quills hadn¡¯t been able to pierce all the way through the toughness-modified armor, or he would have been in serious risk of bleeding out, assuming that he made it out of the mist to begin with. Going forward, he would have to take the hunters into account. Thanks to the latest global event, the blackmists had transformed from an inconvenience into a lethal threat. But through a combination of luck, quick thinking, and the growing power of his imagination, Nick had emerged from another crisis with only modest wounds. Now it was time to recover while he could before his next ordeal began. Chapter Two Hundred Sixty-Two: From Bad to Worse I After inventorying his injuries, Nick reached for his flask and quaffed the elixir. He groaned in relief as the cut on his hand sealed shut over the next minute, the magical brew taking the edge off his myriad bruises as well. Energy flowed back into his body as the elixir restored some of his missing stamina, allowing him to breathe easy once more. With a weary sigh, he put all the feathers into his pack and dragged himself back onto his feet. He couldn¡¯t afford to rest until he was sure that the blackmist wasn¡¯t coming back and that nothing nasty was lurking nearby. There were still a few hours remaining before sunset, but he decided to camp here for the night. The mill was the safest place he had seen all day, and Nick didn¡¯t have another fight in him just yet. Instead, he decided to go hunting and foraging to top off his stores, so that he could travel for the next two days without having to stop to gather food, regaining the time that he had lost by calling it early today. Thanks to his new and improved foraging skill, his efforts were soon rewarded. He gathered up a dozen more of the potato-like plants, picked a few of the pumpkin-colored flowers growing on the other side of the hill, and caught another rabbit before heading back to the mill. He reached into his pack and pulled out some dry wood he¡¯d found earlier in the day, then set it ablaze with his flint and steel. When the fire was burning bright, Nick started cooking up all the food he had found. He had never been much of a cook in his old life, the microwave and delivery apps being his primary source of sustenance. Anything that let him fill his belly without getting in the way of his games. But since the System had arrived, Nick found that he enjoyed the process far more than he would have guessed. Maybe when this is all over, I¡¯ll take up baking as a hobby. Once he was done, he enjoyed a hot meal and put the extra rations into his backpack. After one final scouting run, he decided that the coast was clear. He set his alarm traps at various points around the hilltop, then allowed himself to relax at last. Nick watched the sun set over the bog while revising his tactics for the next time he encountered the hunters in the mist, focusing on avoidance over direct confrontation. Then he moved on to pondering ways that he might use his new visualization ability both on and off the battlefield, even though he could sense that it would take time and practice before he could call on it reliably. After settling in for the night, he pulled up his profile to check out his gains, where he found a pleasant surprise waiting for him. Not only had he managed to increase an important skill, enduring the latest crisis had improved his attributes as well. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. Through rigorous training, you have honed your psyche and improved the following baseline attributes: Mind has increased from [8] to [9]. Creativity has increased from [7] to [8]. Through use, you have improved the following skills: Wand has increased from [6] to [7]. It was only the second time that Nick had improved his baseline mental attributes. As he contemplated the matter, he realized that the circumstances were remarkably similar to the first time, when he had been visualizing the battle between the lemurs and komos back during the tutorial. His baseline mind and creativity were reaching the range where they were hard to increase naturally. Apparently, visualizing while his life was on the line was a valid path to improving both attributes at once, although he would prefer to find a safer method. He noticed that his wand had regained one of its missing charges sometime throughout the day. It was the first time that a gem had lit up without Nick killing something. He wasn¡¯t sure what the reason was just yet, but it was still a most welcome occurrence. He was worried about what dangers the morning would bring, especially when the next global event was triggered. An outcome that now felt like a certainty rather than a possibility. Despite his fears for the future, he was filled with the warm glow of satisfaction that came after witnessing his own growth. Nick fell asleep accompanied by a sense of fulfillment that was only partially tempered by fear. He resumed his journey as soon as the light of dawn was bright enough to reveal the world around him. After taking out his spyglass and surveying the ground ahead, Nick made one final inspection of the horizon, looking for blackmist and dangerous beasts alike, before resuming his journey. His pack was stocked with fresh provisions. He wouldn¡¯t need to stop and hunt again today. He could devote all his time and energy into reaching the tower as quickly as possible. Nick wanted to arrive at the base of Darkstone Tower today if he could. He had to stop more people from entering the tower early, or the casualties that team Earth suffered were certain to skyrocket. The situation would only grow worse if another global event was triggered while so many of his people were still crossing the marshlands. As he left the mill behind him and started hiking down the hill, he checked in with his injuries. His ribs were still bruised from the battering he had taken the day before, but they were healed enough that Nick decided to save his flask once it finished refilling later in the day. The cut on his hand was now just a thin red line, tender to the touch but nothing that would interfere with his movements. All things considered, Nick was in good shape and ready to devote the entire day to traveling. It was a chilly morning on the marshlands, and he was glad to have his temperature-regulating cloak to shield him from the brisk breeze flowing across the waterways. Chapter Two Hundred Sixty-Three: From Bad to Worse II By the time that the sun was shining directly overhead, he knew that reaching the Tower of Rizzen wasn¡¯t going to happen today. Likely not tomorrow or the day after either. The black pillar hadn¡¯t grown much closer, despite him putting the miles beneath his boots as quickly as he could. The sheer scale of the edifice made it hard to judge its distance, although he had no choice other than to press on and hope he got there sooner rather than later. The terrain that Nick crossed was a bit trickier than the day before, as the paths between the rivers and lakes were covered in dense brush and short trees. But the real problem was the blackmist. Thanks to the last two global events, the wretched stuff was everywhere, inky patches floating across the surface of the marshlands like a vial of oil poured over a pool of water. Most of the mist banks were small enough that they passed him by within a few minutes at most. The little patches had proven to be unpopulated by the deadly redfang hunters, or he would have been forced to slow his pace to a crawl. But the big ones were another matter entirely. They could take up to an hour to fly over his position, and in their depths, the redfangs prowled. By now, Nick had heard the mocking calls of dozens of the deadly flying creatures that had nearly killed him the day before. Adding to his frustration, he hadn¡¯t been able to learn anything more about the hunters in the mist. Without being able to see them, he couldn¡¯t size them up or analyze their behavior. Couldn¡¯t tell how dangerous they were, how they fought, or even discern if they were animals, beasts, or something else entirely. But he didn¡¯t need his skill to know that running into the redfangs was a recipe for disaster. Not after his first encounter and narrow escape. Thanks to the growing prevalence of the blackmist, instead of traveling in a straight line, Nick was forced to journey from potential shelter to potential shelter, adding both time and distance to his trek across the bog. It was a good thing that he had possessed the foresight to adjust his strategy, since he wound up being caught within two enormous tides of blackmist throughout the day. After sighting the inky fog, he sprinted for safety, ducking below cover only seconds before the mist engulfed him on both occasions. The mad dash left him with no choice other than to huddle and hide, setting his already frayed nerves on edge. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. The only bright spot in all of this was that the redfangs appeared to track their prey by some manner of echolocation, rather than by tracing scent or sensing body heat, or Nick¡¯s day would have been so much worse. So far, they hadn¡¯t been able to find him when he wasn¡¯t standing out in the open. Even a layer of dense brush was enough to conceal his presence. It was a lesson he had learned only a few hours prior, after diving into a thicket only seconds before the pitch-black tide washed over him. He had also realized that he had yet to see any blackmist at night, making the unpleasant situation just a little more manageable. Learning more about these fearsome foes had been incredibly stressful. He hadn¡¯t been sure that they wouldn¡¯t be able to find him until the mist blew past. Sitting in the darkness, trying not to make a sound while waiting for an unseen attacker to fall upon him unaware, was one of the most frightening experiences of his life. It got a little better over time, once he grew confident that he¡¯d figured out the redfangs¡¯ abilities, but the tension had taken its toll. But Nick couldn¡¯t afford to dwell on it. He would just have to relax as best he could whenever he got the chance and pray that it was enough to keep him sane. He supposed that this was a form of training as well, leaning to deal with the fear of death without letting it drive him mad. A lesson that he could take with him going forward, into a life that was certain to be filled with danger, at least for the foreseeable future. To his relief, his luck was better during the second half of the day. He didn¡¯t run into any more blackmist, and the handful of beasts he spotted from a distance was easy to avoid. That all changed a few hours later, as afternoon transitioned into evening. Nick was in the middle of crossing a grassy plain running between two shallow streams, when a System message popped into existence in front of his eyes. He prayed that it was another proximity triggered event instead of a global trial, before letting out a muffled curse. Apparently, the changes to the moon he¡¯d witnessed the night before were only a warm-up to the main event. The ominous feeling he¡¯d been having ever since had been no figment of his imagination, because what Nick read was even worse than he¡¯d imagined. System message: Global event. A hidden condition has been met, triggering a global event. Event, ''Blood moon rising,'' has begun. They slumber beneath the soil for decades at a time, waiting for the blood moon to rise over planet Drezen and begin the next cycle of consumption, terror, and rebirth. Tonight, the blood moon will fill the sky, and with it, the chittering swarm will arise, heralding a night of blood and death for all who dwell within the bog. The swarm will disperse with the light of dawn, hibernating within the bowels of the planet once more. Hide while you can. They are coming. Chapter Two Hundred Sixty-Four: Blood Moon Rising I ¡°Well,¡± Nick muttered as he read the final word of the message. ¡°Shit.¡± Something about the tone of the System¡¯s update felt more sinister than the others he had read, and he took its warning to heart. He already had a bad feeling about what was coming, but this sounded even worse than he¡¯d feared. Nick needed to find somewhere to hide and lay low, and he needed to find it now. His instincts told him that climbing into a tree or ducking below a bush wasn¡¯t going to cut it this time, which had been his backup plan up to this point. But now he was certain that he needed to find something sturdy that could conceal his presence completely. A building or cavern would be his best bet. Although he had been keeping an eye out as he hiked, he hadn¡¯t passed by anything of the sort all day. Even if he had, there was less than an hour left until dusk, then only a few final minutes before moonrise. Nick came to a stop, scanning the terrain in all directions, seeking out anything that might work as a hiding place but coming up short. That was when the wailing began, the haunting music of bestial voices calling out to one another. It set his heart racing and adrenaline surging into his veins. In that moment, his apprehension crystallized into true fear. What was coming wasn¡¯t just some manner of environmental hazard, a calamity was descending upon his head. Countless cries reverberated in the distance. Electric tension saturated the air he breathed. The fear filling the voices of animal and beast alike told him that the denizens of the bog knew what was coming. That it was bad enough to induce terror within its most ferocious predators. He had to hide before the moon rose and the swarm began to hunt, or it would be the end of his adventure. There was motion all along the horizon, as creatures began racing toward the water¡¯s edge before leaping into the pools. At least those capable of submerging themselves for long periods at a time. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. Nick envied their convenient escape route, as well as the thousands of birds taking to the sky above. From these observations, it seemed unlikely that the chittering swarm could breathe underwater or fly, not that this knowledge helped him any. Since no better option had presented itself, Nick decided to head toward a series of low hills that he could see in the distance. There was a chance that he could find a cave or burrow to borrow. Failing that, it would give him a vantage point to look out over the bog, increasing his chances of locating a suitable hiding spot before time ran out. Sparing a grimace at the setting sun, which was approaching the horizon with a sense of inevitability, he picked out a path and began to run, pushing his body for everything it was worth. His apprehension deepened by the footfall, dread thickening with every beat of his heart. Nick was certain that although he couldn¡¯t sense anything out of the ordinary yet, a horrific ordeal would arrive before long, and he was running out of time. Forty minutes later, Nick was drawing close to his destination, still sprinting as fast as he could. Despite his best efforts, he hadn¡¯t found anything that he could shelter in yet. It seemed that the hills would be his last shot, or he was going to have to climb a tree after all. He ran like the wind, straining to reach higher ground while it was still light enough to see. Whatever he wound up doing, he had to get situated before the sun set, or he was going to be confounded by the low light and caught up in the blood moon on open terrain. By now, the horizon was aglow with the reds and yellows of sunset, a sight that would normally have brought a smile to Nick¡¯s face instead of a chilling premonition of doom. He set foot onto the base of the closet hillock shortly after, as the shadows grew long with the end of day. As the last rays of sunset vanished behind the crater¡¯s rim, they shone upon the hilltop, reflecting back the sparkle of glass in the distance. The glint caught his eye and drew his gaze to the hillcrest, revealing the profile of an ancient building with massive stained-glass murals running along the sides. He didn¡¯t know what the ruins had once been, and he honestly didn¡¯t care. All that mattered was that he had found a substantial shelter at last. Now he just needed to make it up there before it was too late. With the fall of night, an eerie silence descended over the bog, as the creatures that hadn¡¯t already fled went to ground. Nick could sense that they were racing to erase their presence, before a tide of horrors emerged from the deep earth below and began to prowl. Chapter Two Hundred Sixty-Five: Blood Moon Rising II Without the moon¡¯s light, the night was dark, concealing rocks and dips along the hillside. Nick had no choice other than to proceed with his headlong flight. He supplemented what little he could see with his memory of the terrain ahead, his experiences with the blackmist having prepared him for this moment. Nick leapt over protruding roots and darted around grasping brush, moving as fast as he could without tripping over debris and breaking his neck in the process. At least he didn¡¯t have to worry about being ambushed by any of the bog¡¯s prolific predators. Even the greatest among them were hiding in their dens, desperate to stay out of sight of the killing tide that would wash over the bog at any moment. Each minute that passed felt like hours, as adrenaline and cortisol flooded his veins, driving him into an even greater burst of speed. The building was growing closer by the heartbeat. He wasn¡¯t sure he would make it in time, although it was going to be close. As he rounded a colossal boulder, Nick realized that he was having an easier time making out the ground below his feet. Not because of anything that was occurring on his end, but because the sky had begun to lighten once more, as if the sun had decided to rise from a different direction. But it wasn¡¯t the sun. The rising light cast a sanguine glow upon the bog, bathing the world in a ruddy radiance that was growing brighter by the footfall. By this point, he was halfway up the hillside, running along the final stretch of ground between himself and the structure ahead. By now, the southern horizon was aglow with an ominous crimson light, as the final seconds before moonrise dwindled away like water through a clenched fist. Before the blood moon ascended the crater¡¯s rim, Nick poured everything that he had into his dash, legs pumping like mad. But it was already too late. Half a heartbeat later, the rim of a bloodred moon crested the horizon. The crimson orb was a gaping wound upon the face of the heavens, pouring its fell, sanguine radiance across the bog like a portent of the end of days. Event update: The blood moon has risen. The swarm comes. This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. The ominous ruby glow spread to engulf the southern edge of the bog, racing across the surface of the water like a rising tide of viscera, moving faster as the blood moon rose. At this point, something primal within Nick was screaming in terror. Shrieking that he had to find cover before the moon¡¯s light overtook his location sometime within the next few seconds. That this was his last and only chance of living to see the sunrise. Every cell in his body alive with fear and feral anticipation, Nick pushed himself into a greater burst of speed, actively burning stamina for the first time since his battle in the arena. The world was reduced to a liquid blur of color and motion, as he sprinted up the hillside for everything he was worth. The ruins were growing closer by the heartbeat, but the light of the blood moon raced faster still, its periphery now only a mile away at most. He still had a chance of making it before the moonlight broke over the hilltop, but even burning through his stamina like logs upon the bonfire it was going to be close. That was the moment when Nick¡¯s ears picked up a bizarre sound. A whispering, crackling clamor like a great pile of bones tumbling down a mountainside. The ominous chittering was growing louder by the footfall. Every instinct he had was certain that it heralded the impending arrival of the swarm. That was when the screams began. Guttural, agonized cries issued from the maws of myriad beasts echoed across the bog. The blood-curdling screams of desperate battles fought and lost as the denizens of the marsh were devoured, starting while they were still alive. Nick thought that some of the piercing wails might have been issued by human throats. But he couldn¡¯t be certain, and they were too far away for him to help regardless. Heart hammering like a jackhammer on overdrive, he raced across the final stretch of soil, the stone building now only seconds away. He spared a glance over one shoulder without slowing his stride, taking in a sight that chilled Nick all the way down to the bone. Wherever the light of the blood moon touched, pale figures were rising from the earth, shedding soil and leaf as their alien bodies emerged to bask in the ruddy radiance. The swarmlings ranged in size from that of small dogs to bigger than the building in front of him. Nick could make out dozens of the creatures from that single glance. Thousands must be rising across the bog at this very moment. He prayed for the safety of his people as well as his own, certain that not all of team Earth would survive the night. Size up was screaming that the swarm posed a lethal threat. That fending off even the smallest swarmlings would be a desperate gamble, requiring every trick up his sleeve to walk away from, assuming he survived at all. He needed to get inside the building, and he needed to do it now. But before Nick could take another step, the bloodlight engulfed him, painting the walls of the ruins an electric shade of crimson. Concept Art: Chapter 256-265 Just a reminder, I completely respect that not everyone likes the inclusion/existence of AI art, so I''ve put it in it''s own chapter so that it''s easy to skip and not shown side by side with the story. If it''s not your thing, I totally understand where you are coming from. This concept art is included entirely for fun, and will never be sold or monetized in any way. It will never be as good as your imagination, so if it doesn''t fit with the version of something in your head, go with your imagination instead. Magic Aurora Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Hunters in the mist The setting sun, run Nick run Blood moon rising Church on the hill The chittering swarm Chapter Two Hundred Sixty-Six: The Chittering Swarm I Nick looked over his shoulder to scan the horizon, filled with a dark foreboding. To where a sliver of neon ruby was peeking past the rim of the crater containing the bog. It was at least three times the size of the regular moon, as if the satellite¡¯s orbit had shifted to swing closer to the planet¡¯s surface. He supposed that it could be another moon altogether or that some manner of magic might be magnifying its image. His understanding of the laws of physics had been rendered obsolete the moment that the System had entered his life. Either way, the sight filled him with an instinctual dread. An apprehension beyond that roused by the awakening of the swarm. A sense of otherness, of consummate wrongness, that he had never known before. He had a sense that whatever was happening, the cause was up there, and what was happening down on Drezen was merely a symptom. A magical malady on a global scale. But Nick had no time to ponder the significance of the blood moon or the chittering swarm right now. No time to do anything other than sprint madly for his life, heading for the doorway beckoning to him another hundred feet ahead. Moving faster than he ever had before, for just a moment longer, he thought that he was going to make it. That he would gain the safety of the walls before the moonlight struck him, rousing the swarm in its wake. But that was the moment when the bloodlight broke over the hilltop and Nick¡¯s true ordeal began. The instant that the sanguine moonlight touched bare soil the chittering began. A gnawing, gnashing, shrieking cacophony. A predatory dirge, growing louder by the heartbeat as the creatures burrowed up through the ground at breakneck speed. He could feel the ground rumbling below his boots, size up wailing like a banshee that danger was no longer on the way. It had arrived. A threat on a scale that left Nick with absolutely no chance of surviving if he was caught out in the open when the swarm emerged. Eighty feet to go¡­ sixty. His legs throbbed and his lungs burned within his chest. By now, he was running on the dregs of his stamina and only sheer determination let him keep placing one battered foot in front of the other. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. Forty feet. When he glanced at the ground, he could see the earth sinking in several places, as whatever was coming breached the last few feet of topsoil between themselves and the surface. He had to get inside before that happened, then hide and pray it couldn¡¯t find him. At thirty feet to go, he realized that he had a problem. He had been hoping that the door was ajar, but the entrance to the building was shut tight. Nick suspected that if it had remained closed for so long, the door must be thick, was likely barred, and potentially barricaded as well. Even if it was locked but not barred, running straight into the door at maximum speed seemed like a bad idea. Surrounded by the imminently arriving swarm, he couldn¡¯t afford to slow down either. Nick¡¯s instincts were certain that he was dead if the chittering horrors caught him. It was as simple as that. Twenty-five feet. The urge to panic rose within his gut, a churning mass of bile and apprehension. The knowledge that his next action would likely determine if he survived the night or was eaten alive. Instead of giving into his fear, he entered a state of total concentration. A cold, clear reason born out of need that he had experienced several times before. A state that he had begun to think of as arctic clarity. At twenty feet until impact, he began looking for another point of entrance. The obvious choice was the great stained-glass window, reflecting the gore-smeared light of the rising moon. Simply crashing through the thick panes of glass was an option of last resort. Nick would do it if he had no other choice, but the noise would likely draw fatal attention from the chittering swarm, defeating the purpose of hiding within the walls. Those are all separate panels held in place by metal rods and brackets. Breaking through one shouldn¡¯t bring down the rest. But there might be a better option. What are the odds that not a single piece of glass has broken over the years that this place has been abandoned? With fifteen feet to go, the stone wall was looming large. In the periphery of his vision, he could see dirt flying out of the ground and soaring into the air. Whatever was coming was breaching the soil, and it was doing it now. Nick observed these facts and then cast them aside. Every scrap of his concentration was devoted to scanning the individual panels, surveying the first half of the window in the blink of an eye. Chapter Two Hundred Sixty-Seven: The Chittering Swarm II Just as Nick was deciding that he would have to break through the middle of the window after all, he found what he was looking for. A square panel of glass that had been knocked out of its brackets, leaving only shattered remnants hanging from the corners. The cleared space was a few inches wider than his shoulders and pack, barely enough space to squeeze through. Complicating his entrance, the opening was a good ten feet off the ground and at a tricky angle to boot. But Nick didn¡¯t hesitate. He knew that this was his last chance of living to see the sunrise. That it was time to go all in and pray that his hand would win. Betting his future on the growth he had undergone since the System had arrived, he leaned on every point of strength and dexterity he had accumulated. As his boot passed the ten-foot mark, he poured his final dregs of stamina into his legs, took aim, and then leapt for everything he was worth. Faster than thought, Nick sprang, soaring through the air hands first, like a diver at the start of a plunge. His life hanging in the balance, bathed in the fell light of the blood moon, Nick pulled his shoulders closer together, making his body as compact as he could. Ahead, the great glass wall was approaching at blinding speed. Behind, a pair of eldritch horrors were emerging from the deep earth, eager to begin their hunt. Five feet until impact. Nick¡¯s prayers rose to meet the crisp night air, certain that the next sensation he would experience would be his body smashing through the vast plates of glass. Although he wanted nothing more than to watch his destiny approach, the wind resistance caused him to blink. Fighting down the urge to yell, Nick felt a line of pain erupt along the tip of one thumb. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! He opened his eyes just before the world turned black. He flew through the gap with millimeters to spare and soared into the building, falling toward whatever was waiting for him on the far side. He only had a heartbeat to take it all in. But in that state of frozen focus, he was able to process what he was seeing much faster than he normally could. At his best guess, this building was some manner of church after all. There was an altar standing on a raised dais on the far end of the enclosure. Rows of decaying pews lined the center, slowly being eaten away by bugs and mildew. But none of that mattered now. All that mattered was landing without breaking his neck or making a racket. Judging his trajectory, Nick tried to determine where he was going to land, and what he needed to do in the final second before he hit the ground. While the interior of the building was littered with rotting furniture, the floor below his body was relatively clear, the ground revealed by the light of the blood moon before it was obscured by his shadow. Half a heartbeat later, his state of intense concentration dissipated. Fortunately, Nick didn¡¯t need it for what came next. He already knew what he needed to do. Judging the distance and angle of approach as best he could, he tucked in one shoulder while covering his head with his hands to protect his skull. A bare second later, Nick hit the ground hard, landing between a row of pews instead of crashing into their bulk. His preparations allowed him to roll with his momentum, lessening the shock to his flesh and bones¡­ until he collided with a pillar fifteen feet of tumbling head-over-heels later. There was an incredible impact. He felt a surge of pain, but not nearly as much as he had expected considering the circumstances. Better still, he had managed to break his impetus on stone instead of wood, muffling the sound of the impact. Nick was stunned and badly bruised. He had knocked the wind out of himself, but thanks to his impressive dexterity and heavy investment into toughness, nothing seemed to be ruptured or broken. He lay there, breathing as quietly as he could, palpating his injuries while recovering from the fall. After turning his head and sticking his hand into a spreading beam of moonlight, Nick learned that the pain in his thumb was from a fragment of glass catching his flesh as he fell through. It seemed that his gamble had paid off in the end, now it was time to find out if it would be enough to save him. The dislodged shard fell to the floor a heartbeat later with a faint, musical tinkle. Chapter Two Hundred Sixty-Eight: Gruesome Slaughter I Even more pressing than his pain, a black wave of exhaustion rose to engulf him, threatening to drag Nick down into the murky depths of unconsciousness. It was an unfortunate consequence of burning through the last remnants of his stamina to fuel his incredible leap. If he didn¡¯t do something fast, he was going to pass out, helpless if any of the swarming horrors found him. An instant before the rising fugue could knock him out, he reached down to his belt and pulled out his flask of restoration. After popping the cap off with his good thumb, he quaffed the elixir in a single shot, which had finished refilling a few hours prior. The second that the elixir completed the short voyage to his stomach, a roiling ball of energy coalesced inside him. It condensed and then expanded, releasing a concentrated tide of stamina that met the onyx flood of exhaustion head on. The opposing forces brought each other to a standstill, allowing him to straddle the cusp of consciousness as the potion took full effect over the next minute. For a long moment, Nick was deathly afraid that he was going under, even with the elixir¡¯s assistance, rendered powerless against the monsters milling just beyond the glass. But a few heartbeats later, the wave of energy and the tide of exhaustion canceled each other out, leaving him bone-weary but relatively functional, all things considered. Meanwhile, the flask¡¯s healing properties had sealed the cut on his thumb and taken the edge off his tapestry of bruises, reducing the damage he had inflicted to the muscles of his legs while unleashing his explosive burst of speed. Nick lay sprawled out with his back against the cold stone floor. He fought to keep his breathing slow and steady. To be as quiet as he could, every scrap of concentration focused on the chittering and scraping outside. He was afraid to so much as twitch, lest he disturb the nearby debris, alerting the swarm to his presence. By now, the monstrosities had finished rising from the earth around the ruins and begun to prowl, hunting for the taste of fresh meat. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. There must be even more of them than I thought, he shuddered in horror. Because the bone-chilling cacophony had risen, swelling to become a thunderous, nightmarish dirge. An otherworldly racket, evoking images of teeth tearing into flesh and gnawing upon bone. While he lay there recovering, his eyes began to adjust to the dim lighting inside. Over the last few minutes, more of the blood moon¡¯s light had started shining through the glass, bathing the interior of the building in its abyssal sanguine radiance. When Nick was able to see clearly enough to make out his path, he began crawling toward the window on his belly. He needed to see what was going on out there, or fear would drive him mad well before the sun rose. Slowly. Slowly. Taking excruciating care not to make the slightest sound, Nick approached the window. He braced his hands against the stone to peek one eye past the boundary of the glass. Awaiting his gaze was a hellish scene. A twisted panorama straight out of a fever dream. A sight that would haunt his nightmares for long days to come, if he survived to see the sunrise. Peering out from the hilltop, he had a clear view of the bog below. Of a world bathed in an eerie crimson light, like Blackmist Bog had been submerged beneath an ocean of blood. All across the marsh, the chittering swarm had begun to hunt. Nick could see dozens of glossy white bodies in the distance, including a pair that were bigger than bull elephants. They were lightning quick, streaking across the marsh grass as they sought out living meat, occasionally stopping to tear apart one unfortunate creature or another who hadn¡¯t hidden well enough. It was a terrifying show of force, power on a scale that he had never witnessed before. Size up told him that facing even the smallest of them would result in a desperate battle. That fighting any of the larger specimens was a recipe for disaster. Nick didn¡¯t know how the foul creatures sensed their prey. He was hidden behind cold stone and glass, but if they could locate their quarry by using some manner of magic, he was likely a dead man walking¡­ or standing perfectly still in this case. To guard against the possibility that the swarm hunted by scent, he reached into his belt pouch and removed the charcoal filling one pocket, rubbing the gritty powder across his body before working it into his hair. All the while, Nick moved with glacial slowness, careful not to make even the slightest sound or move in a way that would be visible through the glass. Just as he was deciding that he had done everything he could to reduce his odds of being detected, a primal scream erupted from nearby. The earth started shaking as something massive ran alongside the wall of the building. Chapter Two Hundred Sixty-Nine: Gruesome Slaughter II For a long, terrifying moment, Nick was sure that he¡¯d been spotted. That a monstrous creature would come bursting through the glass and initiate a desperate battle for his life. Thus, what he saw next filled him with a strange blend of horror and relief. Unleashing a piercing wail, a gigantic beast rounded the corner of the structure and darted into view. It had a wedge-shaped face and was bigger than a grizzly bear. Its earthy brown torso was coated in thick spines longer than Nick¡¯s arms, tapering to form razor sharp points. Most unusual of all, every inch of the beast¡¯s body was covered with intricate swirling grains, like it had been carved from living wood. The combined effect made the beast look like an oversized wooden hedgehog, with powerful jaws and jutting claws on each foot. Size up informed Nick that fighting this beast one-on-one would be a risky venture at best. A battle that he would choose to avoid in almost any circumstances. But what followed behind the beast half a heartbeat later was so much worse. There were three of the god-awful things, two the size of wolves and a third as big as a donkey. The smaller swarmlings looked like maggots or grubs, covered in chitinous spikes with round, gaping maws protruding from the fat end. They wriggled and slithered across the ground with a sickening grace, surprisingly dexterous given their forms. With the mobility they displayed, Nick was certain that they could close the distance by using some manner of leap as well. The big one ran on six legs, the front two reaching up before narrowing to form a pair of wicked blades, each the length of Nick¡¯s sword. This monster was a bit slower than the hellish grubs, but size up was screaming that it was considerably more dangerous than the other two combined. That if Nick attracted its attention, he was doomed. That moving to lower his head would be even more dangerous than remaining exposed. Each of the swarmlings was covered with a sickly white exoskeleton, pulled tight around their heads like cloth over a skull, revealing faces trapped in eternal anguish. Nick had the sense that their true form was contained within, the white shells being some manner of armor or container for their bodies. Whatever was inside the macabre exterior was even more foul. Something that felt wrong in a way that he had never known before. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. They weren¡¯t the biggest creatures that Nick had encountered, but his instincts were convinced that they were among the deadliest. More dangerous than beasts many times their bulk. A truth that was revealed in the language of carnage and blood only five seconds later. The hedgehog was running straight down the hillside, fifty feet away from where Nick huddled in terror. It pressed its body into a greater burst of speed, sending clods of earth flying beneath its claws and pulling further ahead of the monstrosities that followed. For a moment, it looked like the beast might escape after all, but that was when its luck ran out. The moment they had a straight shot, both grubs skidded to a halt, scrunching their bodies tightly together like springs being pressed down. In the next blink of Nick¡¯s eyes, both ghastly hellgrubs shot forth like bullets, screaming through the air toward the beast fleeing below. Their unearthly chitters reached a fevered pitch as they flew. It was a deeply disturbing sound, evoking images of a hunger that would soon be sated in flesh. The swarmlings hit the hedgehog half a heartbeat apart. The first landed squarely upon the end of a wooden spine, impaling itself and holding it back. The creature didn¡¯t even flinch at its injury. It merely squirmed, driving the spike deeper into its body, sliding down the length as it reached for the warm meat below. The hedgehog revealed remarkable reflexes, sensing the danger, and detaching the spine within the blink of an eye. The motion dropped the grub to the ground, where it fought to free itself and resume the hunt. Unfortunately for the clever beast, that was the moment its luck ran out. The other grub slammed straight into one of its hindlegs, its chitinous spikes penetrating wooden flesh to hold its body in place. Its jaws closed around the beast¡¯s knee, shearing straight through the fibrous tissue like a hot blade through cream. Its first bite tore the beast¡¯s limb free from its body, releasing a fountain of bright green blood. The hedgehog cried out in agony and came crashing to the ground, turning upon its assailant to fight back with tooth and claw. Chapter Two Hundred Seventy: Foul Feast I The attack might have been enough to save the hedgehog¡¯s life, at least for a few more moments, if the delay hadn¡¯t allowed the mantis-shaped swarmling to catch up and join the fray. The grub dodged a powerful swipe of the beasts claws and then its snapping jaws, displaying a level of dexterity that chilled Nick to the bone. Before the injured hedgehog could try again, the hellgrub squirmed out of reach, escaping with the bottom half of the beast¡¯s leg clasped between its teeth. The wooden beast turned to flee while it still could¡­ only to find the mantis barring its path. It recovered with astonishing swiftness, striking with a claw-lined paw in the blink of an eye. But the blow that Nick was anticipating never landed, because the mantis moved faster still. Snip. Snip. The swarmling lashed out with both blades at once. For a heartbeat longer, Nick thought the monstrosity had missed, until the beast¡¯s leg came apart into three separate pieces, releasing another spray of chlorophyll-infused blood, accompanied by an anguished scream. Despite the shock of losing two limbs within a matter of seconds, the resilient beast wasn¡¯t finished yet. It continued turning, using the momentum of its attack to spin around, reversing its facing before its severed foot hit the ground. The move caught the monstrous insect by surprise. It didn¡¯t expect the hedgehog to go in for the kill after taking such grievous wounds. Before the mantis could recover, the quill-covered beast activated an ability. A power that transformed its coat of spines into a cascade of projectiles. All of its quills fired at the same moment, releasing enough force that Nick could feel the vibrations transmitting through the ground beneath his boots. The barrage of spikes lanced forth in a tight cone, like the spread of a tactical shotgun. The attack was perfectly aligned. The mantis had no chance to move out of the way in time, only to cross its blade arms in front of its torso. The magic-infused wooden spikes were shockingly effective, tearing straight through the swarmling¡¯s white carapace in at least a dozen places, including two that were driven completely through its head. The only undamaged portion of its body was the spot behind its crossed blades, receiving what Nick normally would have assumed was a lethal blow. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. But size up was convinced that the danger had not passed. If anything, it was greater than before. The hedgehog whipped its body back around, the bleeding of its limbs already beginning to slow, inspecting the results of its surprise ace in the hole. The beast must have thought that the battle was over. It started limping away in the opposite direction that the hellgrub had slithered. But it had underestimated its opponent as well. Before the hedgehog took two steps, another snip snip rang out. The mantis¡¯s first slash sheared through the spines perforating its body, restoring mobility to its joints. The second blow landed a heartbeat later, as the swarmling¡¯s blade caught the hedgehog square in the flank, slicing through flesh, bone, and organ in turn before emerging out the other side with no appreciable resistance. The mortally wounded beast came crashing to the ground, bleeding profusely and unable to run. It let out a piteous wail as the mantis sauntered over to its side. It was the saddest, most hopeless cry that Nick had ever heard. What happened next was both surprising and disturbing on a fundamental level. Instead of devouring the hedgehog alive like Nick had been expecting, something far worse occurred over the next five minutes. A gruesome display that chilled him all the way down to his marrow. Through the holes that had been punched into the swarmling¡¯s exoskeleton emerged a foul black fluid. Something so toxic that Nick was certain a single touch would be lethal. The mantis rose to its full height and heaved, making a sound like a drunk man retching, spreading a layer of the noxious fluid over the dying hedgehog like a fisherman casting a net. Instead of dripping down to the ground, the nightmare fluid behaved like a solid object, maintaining integrity as it slid across the beast¡¯s thrashing torso, until every inch of its wooden hide had been covered. In the span of a breath, the beast was embraced by whatever was living inside the pale insectoid exoskeletons that the chittering horde wore. It reminded Nick of flatworms devouring their prey, which had horrified him back in his old life. Videos that Angie had tormented him with after realizing they creeped him out so deeply. He would rather watch them for weeks instead of the nightmare playing out before his eyes, because this alien version was so much worse. For an endless, tortured minute, the captive beast bucked and writhed. Screaming and shaking and shrieking, its cries were filled with equal measures of agony and horror. The surface of the swarmling¡¯s black coating pulsed and contracted all the while, shrinking over time as the hedgehog¡¯s tissue was dissolved, absorbed into the depths of the monster¡¯s exoskeleton. Chapter Two Hundred Seventy-One: Foul Feast II It was a shocking, terrifying display. Nick wanted to look away but was too afraid to move. He felt a visceral wave of relief pass through him when the beast¡¯s struggles ended at last. It¡¯s dead now, its suffering is finally over. But that wasn¡¯t the end of the blood-curdling scene. As the black fluid retracted back into the mantis¡¯s shell, its body began to shake and throb. He could see something expanding within its interior, a mass that was excreted through the bottom of its abdomen. It was a perfectly spherical object the same color as the spawnling¡¯s true form, about the size of a basketball. Even from here, Nick could smell its foul scent riding the blood-tinged breeze. It made his eyes water, and he blinked away tears. That was when the mantis began to move. It fixed the orb, which he assumed was an egg, onto its back, secured by a band of black fluid. The swarmling started to dig, tearing through the soil as if it were no more substantial than Styrofoam. Five minutes later, it leapt inside the tunnel it had formed, heading back into the bowels of the earth until the blood moon called to it once more, beginning the next spawning cycle. The instant that the mantis was out of sight, Nick ducked down, shaking in delayed fear with his back against the stone wall. Even though he hadn¡¯t spotted any more swarmlings nearby, he knew that he wasn¡¯t safe. The blood moon still hung full in the sky, like a great bloody eye, as the chittering swarm prowled the bog below. He had several hours left until the sun rose, and one of the nightmarish creatures could find him any time. By now, he had begun to recover from his exhaustion. Nick would be able to fight if he had to, although he prayed to anyone who was listening that he would remain hidden until dawn. This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. Hours passed as he huddled behind the wall. He could hear the swarm hunting in the distance. The screams of their prey and the chittering gnashing of their bloodlust. He was too afraid to raise his eye past the glass to view the world beyond the window. His last look had been more than enough. All the while, he remained perfectly still, praying that he lived to see the sunrise. As the minutes ticked past, he found that not knowing was even worse than taking another look. It might have been safer to huddle in a corner, but Nick was barely keeping it together. If he couldn¡¯t see what was coming, suspense would push him past the breaking point. Instead of raising his head past the glass, he used the blade of his sword as a mirror, angling the flat to see the bog beyond every now and again. Fortunately, the swarmlings on the hillside had moved on, seeking fresh prey deeper within the bog. By now, the moon was low enough to send more ruby light shining through the stained-glass window, casting the inside of the building in a thousand shifting shades of blood and gore. Nick was just deciding that he might make it through the night without a fight after all, when he spotted a patch of bare earth in the center of the room. It was a square of dirt no larger than his palm, where the paving stones had been shifted by a tree root growing below. It had been impossible to see in the dark, hidden between various piles of debris, but now the moonlight was only a fraction of an inch from striking the bare earth. The instant that he saw it, adrenaline surged into Nick¡¯s bloodstream. This was a possibility that he hadn¡¯t considered. But he didn¡¯t need to think, he already knew what would happen if the blood moon¡¯s light touched bare soil. Foreboding and dread suffused every fiber of his being, nerves alight with the knowledge that he was in imminent danger. He reacted in the same moment, grabbing the nearest piece of rubble and darting over to the menacing patch of dirt. He threw the scrap over the hole in the paving stones, just as the light of the moon reached out to engulf it, praying that he had made it in time. But it was already too late. His insight had come just an instant too slowly. The crimson light touched the earth half a heartbeat before Nick covered it, cutting off the ominous ruby glow. Chapter Two Hundred Seventy-Two: Swarmling I For a long, terror-saturated moment, nothing happened. Nick held his sword in front of him, fighting the urge to hyperventilate. His racing heart began to slow as a minute passed, followed by another. Maybe the exposure wasn¡¯t long enough, or maybe there wasn¡¯t anything slumbering below¡­ His thoughts were erased by a tsunami of terror when he heard chittering coming from below. A gnashing bark, growing louder as it rose through the soil, heading his way fast. Shit. Oh fuck. He began to panic before forcing his thoughts into order, every scrap of concentration focused on living through this blunder. He tried and failed to summon his arctic clarity, arms shaking like branches in a hurricane. Nick took a deep breath and tried again, managing to summon a chill tendril of focus this time. It was enough to ground his thoughts and keep him from freaking out, if only by a hair. What¡¯s my best move? Should I run, or should I fight? He wasn¡¯t sure which option was better, and he was running out of time. Something deadly was headed his way fast, but sprinting out into the open wasn¡¯t any safer than staying where he was. While Nick was terrified by the prospect of facing one of the pale horrors in combat, he decided to wait and see what he was dealing with. If it was a hellgrub, he would stand his ground and pray that he could fight it off. If it was a larger swarmling, he would make a break for it and hope that he could find somewhere else to hide. He had no chance of fighting one of the mantises, let alone the elephant-sized horrors, and slim odds of surviving were better than none. As the dreadful clamor grew louder in his ears, he could feel the ground shifting beneath his boots. Whatever was rising from the deep earth was breaking through the final feet of topsoil between itself and the floor of the building. A handful of heartbeats later, the patch of bare earth began to sink, disappearing as a hole widened to take its place. Nick made a final review of his weapons and tactics as globs of dirt began flying into the air. It¡¯s too small to be a mantis, he decided. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. I¡¯m going to have to take my chances and try to kill it before it kills me. I need to fight in a way that won¡¯t attract the attention of the swarmlings outside. While his odds of defeating a single hellgrub were less than stellar, his chances of fighting more than one monster at once were flat out zero. At least his energetic reservoir was full, and his wand had all three charges. He considered casting some spells now, but he couldn¡¯t afford to waste them if the creature could sense his mana. I need to save them for when it¡¯s distracted, then land a critical blow. Although he had watched them move when they took down the giant porcupine, Nick needed to know exactly what he was dealing with before meeting the creature in melee. To start the fight, he would try to keep some distance between them, until he came up with a plan. He spent the final few seconds at his disposal surveying the contours and contents of the room, grabbing anything that looked like it would be good to throw without looking away from the widening hole. With his sword in one hand and a brick clasped in the other, Nick ducked behind a crumbling statue¡­ just in time to watch a pale, chitinous body emerge from the dirt. At a glance, he was certain that it was a grub after all. At least it¡¯s not one of the big ones, he tried to calm his racing heart, willing himself to focus rather than giving in to his fear. The instant that the hellgrub broke the surface, Nick lobbed his brick and stepped behind the statue. Thankfully, his aim was true. The ragged chunk of masonry struck the swarmling broadside, producing a dull thunk before falling to the ground. The creature hissed and spun to face the direction the attack had come from, looking around as if it wasn¡¯t quite certain what had just happened. Watching the swarmling¡¯s movements, he was certain that the creature didn¡¯t hunt by scent or sensing heat. If it did, it would have already found him. Having seen how quickly the hellgrubs moved, he had no desire to fight one of the agile creatures up close unless he was left with no other choice. The rapid leaps and rushes would be hard to deal with in this enclosed space, and there was a good chance that it had other abilities as well. Since it hadn¡¯t spotted him yet, Nick changed his mind, deciding to open the fight with a spell after all. His best chance was to end things here and now by unleashing his most powerful ability, then follow up with his sword and wand if the spell wasn¡¯t sufficient to kill the hellgrub in a single shot. Chapter Two Hundred Seventy-Three: Swarmling II Piercing ray. Nick gathered his concentration and willed the spell into being, preparing to drill a hole straight through the middle of the swarmling¡¯s head. However, that was not what happened. What happened was the instant that mana began gathering between his fingertips, the creature spun to face him, letting out a keening wail. He heard a dozen more cries out in the distance, certain that the swarmlings hunting outside had sensed his magic as well. Crap, that¡¯s not good. He let the spell dissolve, aborting the ray before it formed, even though he lost a fair amount of mana in the process. In the heart of that moment, a terrible revelation had been born. The swarmlings hunt by sensing mana. Sure enough, the instant that his spell dissipated, the wailing stopped. Nick prayed that the two seconds he¡¯d been casting wasn¡¯t enough to let the horrors outside know where he was. He was quite sure, however, that the horror inside had homed in on his position. Because without further warning, the white grub came slithering toward him with incredible speed. He had half a heartbeat to decide how he wanted to begin the engagement. His options had dwindled since he couldn¡¯t use his spells. Not unless he wanted to fight off dozens of these things instead of just one. He had a hunch that firing his wand would draw their attention too. Unable to use his spells or his most powerful tool, Nick realized with grim certainty that he was going to have to battle the hellgrub in hand-to-hand combat after all, and size up only gave him even odds of surviving the encounter. I¡¯ll have to watch out for its leap and bite and avoid the fluid inside its shell at all costs. Superficial wounds or even direct hits won¡¯t stop it. Not unless I hit the mass protected by the exoskeleton. That was all the time for thought that he was given. Half a breath later, the grub rounded the statue, the barbed hooks protruding from its quivering maw poised to strike. The instant that the creature revealed itself, Nick brought his sword down in a tight arc, aiming his chop to both decapitate the creature and block its path so that it couldn¡¯t leap for his throat. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. His sword came down as the swarmling¡¯s gaze locked upon him. Nick¡¯s hopes for survival rode alongside the weapon, flashing crimson in the light of the blood moon. The creature pulled its body back at the last possible moment, the blade carving a wedge into the flagstones below. The hellgrub darted back in response to the near miss, hissing like a gas leak at the affront. He blinked, and when his eyes opened once more, the creature attacked in a skittering rush. It wriggled using the tiny hooks along its body to pull itself forward, so fast that its form was reduced to a streaking blur before his eyes. He had just enough time to adjust the angle of his blade and throw his body to one side before the hellgrub hit him, coming in low to cut his legs off at the knee with its swordlike teeth. The ring of chitin striking steel resounded like a bell, as Nick blocked the blow head on, the force of the impact causing his boots to slide back along the stonework. He nearly lost his balance and fell when the swarmling hit him, which would have surely been the last mistake of his life. He recovered just in time, reversing his grip and driving the tip of the blade into the middle of the creature¡¯s pale body. It would have been a serious injury for an ordinary animal or beast, but like the mantis he¡¯d observed earlier, the penetrating wound only inconvenienced the otherworldly monster. The creature reared back with surprising strength, forcing Nick to pull the blade out or have it torn from his hands. It lunged forward, the edge of its spikes brushing the leather of his jacket as he threw his body back. If the attack had caught his leg instead, it would have sliced through his flesh all the way down to the bone. The moment that it recovered, the hellgrub changed tactics. Instead of slithering forward, it compressed its maggot-like body and then sprang into the air, coming straight at him even faster than before. It would have caught him completely off-guard if he hadn¡¯t watched its siblings make the same move against the giant porcupine. Instead of trying to block the strike and risk getting caught by its spines, Nick threw his body behind the statue, the grub shearing off a chunk of rock as it snapped at him in passing. Chapter Two Hundred Seventy-Four: No Magic Cage Match I Over the next four minutes, Nick put everything that he had into avoiding the creature¡¯s fierce barrage of blows. It was all he could do to keep his blood inside his body, leaving him unable to land another hit during the exchange. He blocked and dodged and ducked in a frenzy, his world reduced to a frantic blur of color and motion. By now, he was starting to adapt to the swarmling¡¯s shocking power and speed. But he wasn¡¯t doing any damage, and exhaustion was knocking at his door with an iron fist. Before long, he would run out of energy, and the hellgrub would catch him. I have to find a way to end this before that happens, it¡¯s time to roll the dice and press the attack. He managed to get in a few good slashes during the next exchange. Although they sliced into its carapace, they didn¡¯t even slow the monster down. While he was lucky to still be alive, the creature¡¯s counterattacks had been far too close for comfort. Now that Nick was able to judge the grub¡¯s defense as well as its offence, he was certain continuing to brawl up close was a losing proposition. A single bite would cripple or kill him, and the hellgrub seemed immune to his attacks. Making a bad situation so much worse, he couldn¡¯t use his magic. On top of that, Nick¡¯s elixir was out of juice, and the small reservoir of stamina he¡¯d regained since leaping through the window was rapidly running dry. He fought to maintain his focus, trying to come up with a plan while holding the swarmling at bay. The grub came at him in a chittering rush, gliding over stone and debris with disheartening speed. It occasionally collided with decaying furniture and upturned stones, leading Nick to believe that its vision wasn¡¯t very good. He threw his body from side-to-side, staying one step ahead of the deadly creature, terrified all the while that the ones outside would hear the clamor of their conflict and come to investigate. He needed to end the fight within the next minute or two tops, but he was barely drawing even as it was. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. His heart pounded like a taiko drum. His breath came fast and shallow. Black specs danced within his vision, and his sword became heavier with every swing, until his arms felt like they¡¯d been wrapped in lead. He prayed for salvation to whomever might be listening, but there was none to be found beneath the blood moon¡¯s light. As bad at the swarmling¡¯s skittering rush was, its leaps were even worse. Every time that it stopped to compress its body, it shot forth with blinding speed. The fraction of a second it took for the hellgrub to leap was barely enough time for Nick to dart out of the way. He took several light wounds in the process, only a fraction of an inch away from being critical injuries, as his blood fell to the stones below in drips and dribbles and gobs. Nick had to change the dynamics of their dance, and he needed to do it now. Keeping the otherworldly creature from his throat was a herculean task, an ordeal that was becoming more trying with every passing second. By now, he was certain that his only hope was to rely on his wits. To outsmart the swarmling and find a way to even the odds. There must be something in here I can use. Some weakness that I can exploit. Figure something out and do it fast, Nick, or you won¡¯t last another five minutes. The swarmling must have decided that a change in tactics was in order too. It came to an abrupt halt and tensed its body, compressing its shell with the motion. As he fought to come up with a plan, a stream of black goo began pouring through the holes in the hellgrub¡¯s carapace, the same thing that had happened when the mantis devoured the porcupine. Nick didn¡¯t need size up to tell him that he was in trouble. If even a drop of the foul stuff touched him, he would be dead before he even knew what hit him. He used the moment of respite to crunch more variables, leaning on his strategic background for everything he was worth. But Nick was only granted a handful of heartbeats to think. The moment that the swarmling emerged from its shell, it braced itself against its exoskeleton and launched itself at him. Its body spread as it flew, like a fisherman casting a net, still connected to its shell by a thin thread of blackness. He threw his body back, ducking out from under its embrace at the last possible moment, the tail of his jacket dissolving where the hellgrub¡¯s true form touched it. The sight sent a fresh infusion of adrenaline surging into his veins. If it could do that to the toughness imbued armor, it would eat away his flesh with even less resistance. Chapter Two Hundred Seventy-Five: No Magic Cage Match II There must be a reason why they wear those exoskeletons. Some vulnerability that they¡¯re compensating for. They don¡¯t eat everything that they touch, or it would have sunk through the ground when it came out. Since they don¡¯t seem to need the armor, maybe they need their shells to move quickly¡­ and to dig. As the black fluid retracted into its carapace, a revelation washed over him, and a plan sprang to life within his mind. A means that might allow him to turn the tables on his otherworldly opponent without risking his life with every exchange of blows. He would have to go all in for his plan to have a shot of succeeding. But since Nick was dead if it didn¡¯t, he proceeded without hesitation. I have to draw it out of its shell again before I can try to finish this. First things first, I need to turn that hole into a pit trap. It might escape and come back if I don¡¯t block its retreat. Over the next breathless minute, the grub chased Nick around the room, coming within inches of ending his life on three separate occasions. He only had drops of stamina remaining in the tank. Black motes of exhaustion swirled in front of his eyes, as his blood dripped down to paint the tiles below. He shut out the pain, pushed past his fear and exhaustion, putting everything he had left into making the next few seconds count. Almost¡­ there! One last dodge and I think it should work. In the end, he was able to lure the grub into position, the features of the room lining up just as he imagined. Everything should pan out¡­ if the creature decided to leap instead of rushing him again. To help it come to that decision, Nick stepped out into the open with his sword held before him. The tip hovered just a little too low to form an effective guard. A gap in his defenses that left his throat exposed. Just as he was certain that it wasn¡¯t going to work, that the grub would run him down and overcome him, it happened. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Its body compressed and took aim, then sailed into the air in an explosive release of force, even faster than before. Dodging would have been impossible if he hadn¡¯t seen the attack coming. As matters stood, instead of that strike being the end of him, it offered him his only chance of living through the night. Nick was already moving to one side, throwing his body out of the way with the aid of his final dregs of stamina. Even still, it was a near thing. He moved out of the grub¡¯s flightpath a bare heartbeat before it went streaking past the space where his throat had been half an instant before¡­ then slammed straight into the statue with incredible force, releasing a crunch that he could feel in his bones. The exoskeleton collided with the marble figure, shattering the top half in an explosive spray of rubble. The statue rocked back, then remained balanced on one edge for half a heartbeat¡­ before tipping over and falling into the hole, just as Nick had planned. The marble sculpture tumbled into the burrow that the hellgrub had emerged from, rolling down a good ten feet before sticking where the tunnel began to bend, completely blocking the hole. The grub had fractured its armor in the process, exacerbating the damage that Nick had inflicted, deep cracks marring the pale surface. Better still, part of its body was trapped beneath a fragment of the shattered statue, leaving it momentarily unable to reach him with its jaws. However, this had only deprived the creature of its auxiliary weapons, leaving the worst threat unmitigated. Before Nick could rise to his feet and scamper out of the way, the swarmling¡¯s true form began seeping through the cracks, pseudopods of foul black filth reaching for his face with disheartening speed. Since he was sitting on the ground, only a few feet away and unable to dodge, the hellgrub decided to gamble, coming all the way out of its shell to finish him off before he could recover. After all, a single touch of its body would kill him, providing the swarmling with the food it needed to complete its spawning cycle. Committing to the attack, the foul creature shoved itself through the cracks in its shell, releasing a sickly squishing sound and an acrid stench that singed Nick¡¯s throat. It came for him half a heartbeat later. Concept Art: Chapter 266-275 Just a reminder, I completely respect that not everyone likes the inclusion/existence of AI art, so I''ve put it in it''s own chapter so that it''s easy to skip and not shown side by side with the story. If it''s not your thing, I totally understand where you are coming from. This concept art is included entirely for fun, and will never be sold or monetized in any way. It will never be as good as your imagination, so if it doesn''t fit with the version of something in your head, go with your imagination instead. Bloodmoon Behind the walls If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Hell mantis Wooden hedgehog Swarmlings Chapter Two Hundred Seventy-Six: Reversal of Fortune I The swarmling surged across the floor like a pool of ink, reaching out to embrace Nick. In less than a second, the deadly fluid would reach him, quenching his life as surely as a candle before a tsunami. It was a bad situation, and it would have been the final moment of his life, if it hadn¡¯t been exactly what he was waiting for. The instant that the swarmling¡¯s true form emerged from its ivory exoskeleton, Nick sprang into the air, drawing his knees beneath him while arcing his sword behind his back. As the dark fluid passed below his boots, the magic blade came down. The sword intercepted the black goo, right at the base of the white chitin. It parted the soft tissue with ease, severing the connection between the puddle of alien goop and the shell that contained it when it wasn¡¯t feeding. Nick had bet his life that since his sword had been able to resist the crimson blight, it would be able to harm the nightmarish entity without being destroyed in the process. Luckily, his judgement was correct, and his gamble paid off. To his immense relief, the blade parted the swarmling¡¯s tissue with minimal resistance, releasing a foul-smelling smoke where metal met ectoplasm. He pushed himself off a piece of rubble, barely managing to avoid landing on his enemy in the process, then set his gaze upon his opponent. The swarmling let out a shrill shriek and tried to flow back into its shell. But before its reaching tendrils could touch the glossy surface, he leapt over it, racing over to the pale covering before the swarmling could react. The creature glided across the stone floor, stretching for its shell. But Nick had already sprang into motion. He leapt over the black puddle, grabbing the exoskeleton and tossing it out of the goo¡¯s reach before it could slide back inside. The chitin carapace was surprisingly light. It flew a good ten feet before coming back down with a hollow clatter. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. The swarmling chased it across the floor. Its movements were sluggish without the reinforced exoskeleton to articulate its motion, allowing Nick to reach the carapace first. He opened his bag and shoved the hellgrub¡¯s shell inside, praying that it would count as a nonliving object and be accepted by the dimensional storage device. To his delight, it worked, and the whole thing vanished into the mouth of his backpack. The killer blob let out a shrill shriek of rage, surging back toward Nick to exact its vengeance for the affront. Before its reaching pseudopods could deliver their lethal touch, he turned his sword sideways and smacked the swarmling with the flat of the blade, knocking it back. He still had a dangerous fight on his hands, but his odds of survival had skyrocketed, optimism turbocharging the adrenaline singing in his veins. Without its armor, the grub was far less mobile, and while its touch was still deadly, it could no longer leap or bite or gouge. There was just one thing left that he had to do, get the monster down into the hole. Fortunately, he had just come up with a way to do it. Nick slid his bag free from his shoulders and struck with his pack, which had proven impervious to every attack so far. It slammed into the swarmling with a hearty whap, momentarily stunning the creature. Using his bag as insulation, he lashed out with one boot and kicked as hard as he could, shoving the grub back down into the tunnel it had emerged from. He looked down, praying that this would work, only to discover that the swarmling was now stuck in the bottom of the hole. It couldn¡¯t stretch far enough to climb back out, and couldn¡¯t dig around the statue without its hard exoskeleton. At last, he had created an opening. Now it was time to finish the fight. Nick threw blocks of rubble and shards of glass at the trapped monstrosity. While the barrage seemed to cause the creature pain, perhaps even inflict some trivial damage, it clearly wasn¡¯t going to kill it. He set watch over the pit, praying that the foul entity was stuck down there, but not willing to chance it. Nick was tempted to try to bury it alive, but was afraid that if he did, he would inadvertently provide the creature with a way to climb out instead. That was when the last sliver of sanguine light from the blood moon vanished, as the moon sank below the rim of the crater containing the bog. The puddle of nasty black goop, the true form of the chittering swarmling, hissed and writhed, trying to climb free from the pit, to dig deeper into the soil. But without its rigid exoskeleton to pilot, it was unable to do more than shuffle around the loose layer of dirt and debris. Chapter Two Hundred Seventy-Seven: Reversal of Fortune II Nick realized that the world outside had grown completely quiet over the last few minutes. That the chittering had vanished shortly after the moon set. Keeping one eye on the pit, he walked over to the great stained-glass window and looked out over the bog. Try as he might, he couldn¡¯t see a single swarmling anywhere, and the screams of their prey had gone silent as well. They must have headed back underground, he let out a long sigh of relief. The trapped creature began to gyrate with increasingly frantic energy, as if it was desperate to escape. It must be afraid of the sunrise, Nick deduced. The System said they would all be gone by the break of day. He suspected that sunlight would be fatal to the trapped swarmling. That when the sun rose high enough to shine through the window and into the pit, it would kill the foul thing. But he wasn¡¯t inclined to wait or take the chance that he was wrong. Now that the swarm had vanished, he had a way of dealing damage that wouldn¡¯t attract dozens of monstrosities that he had no chance of overcoming. After a long and terrifying ordeal, Nick¡¯s spells were back on the table. Besides, he suspected that he would get more experience and essence if he defeated the creature himself, rather than letting mother nature do the heavy lifting. Nick was tempted to use piercing ray, but thought better of it after a long moment of reflection while looking down at his prey. Physical attacks don¡¯t seem to do much damage, and there¡¯s a chance that the ray will wind up digging the thing an escape route if it survives. Mana darts directly attack vital energy, so they should be effective, even if I have to cast a lot of them to finish it off. Before he committed to spending the rest of his mana, Nick decided to give it a test run. If his spell proved to be ineffective, he would just wait for the sun after all. Mana dart, he summoned his will and focused. Two seconds later, a silvery dart shimmered into existence and began orbiting his head. The spell threw shifting shadows across the building, offering Nick a better look into the pit and its prisoner. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. The instant that his spell coalesced, the black goo went nuts, redoubling its efforts to penetrate the soil, occasionally launching a pseudopod Nick¡¯s way that fell just short of reaching the rim of the hole. Since the creature could obviously sense the mana in his spell, Nick decided that he needed to reduce its chances of dodging before he fired his dart. He began throwing rocks and various bits of rubble. The swarmling dodged the first few, but then a big chunk of tile hit it square in the middle, pinning it against the earth. Before it could slide out from under, Nick visualized his trajectory and fired his dart, sending the missile down into the pit at top speed. The living liquid tried to pull out of the way, but it couldn¡¯t get out from under the tile in time. The silvery dart hit it right in the center. Nick expected his spell to sink into the creature¡¯s tissue, like it had every time before. But that was not what happened. What happened was that the dart exploded, sending bits of dirt flying into the air. It wasn¡¯t a big eruption, more like the pure mana comprising the spell and whatever the swarmling was made of had reacted violently. The blast tore a chunk free from the black puddle, leaving a smoking, bubbling hole where the silver spell had touched its flesh. Nick wasn¡¯t sure why the dart had behaved so strangely. Perhaps it was a natural interaction between the pure mana of his spell and whatever type the swarmling had an affinity for. The result was promising regardless. Now certain that his attack would work, he summoned three darts at once, pouring as much mana into them as he could. He sent all three at the swarmling, which had freed itself from the debris and begun desperately seeking any escape. It managed to dodge a dart by throwing its mass to one side, but the other two caught it before it could squirm away. Another blast ensued, this one big enough to rattle the windows, tearing ragged chunks off the swarmling. The otherworldly horror was still alive, but it was clearly grievously wounded. Nick poured all his remaining mana into a final round of darts. He took aim and fired, alight with a visceral thrill of satisfaction at bringing an end to the otherworldly entity that had nearly claimed his life. This time, the swarmling was too weak to get out of the way. All three darts hit the creature dead center. When the dust cleared from the air, only smoking flecks of black goo remained. They quickly dissolved, leaving nothing behind but a foul-smelling smoke that made Nick want to puke his guts out and stung his eyes. Chapter Two Hundred Seventy-Eight: By Dawn’s Early Light I That was the moment when an intense cyclone of vertigo broke over Nick, knocking him to his knees. Any sense of balance and position was stripped from him, causing him to vomit as he struggled to regain his bearings. At the same time, a fierce and fiery heat rose within his chest, pulsating like a backbeat to the rhythm of his heart. The combined effect was completely disabling, leaving him adrift in a surging tide of sensation. For a long moment, he thought that he was under attack once more, before realizing what was happening. I just leveled. This is what it feels like to gain a point of dexterity and a point of magic at the same time. To his relief, the overwhelming experience receded over the next few minutes, leaving Nick sitting on his ass with a grin on his face. Apparently, surviving his ordeal had come with some compensation. He walked over to the building¡¯s door, which was barred from the inside just as he had suspected. After shoving at the mechanism while bracing his back against the wall, the ancient iron gave way, allowing Nick to open the front door and step outside. He took a long look around, afraid that there was another swarmling still out there, but the bog was eerily silent in the predawn light. The chittering horde was gone, burrowing back into the planet¡¯s depths until the next blood moon rose. The beasts and animals were still hunkered down in their shelters, recovering from their terrifying night. Too keyed up to sleep and unable to travel until it was lighter, Nick leaned against the wall and opened his profile. While this event might not have granted a reward per se, he already knew that he had leveled from the fight. Sure enough, when he looked at his updates, there was a thick batch of notifications awaiting his perusal. For completing the quest, you have gained additional experience and essence. For completed the hidden objective, defeat a swarmling, you have gained additional species experience. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. Congratulations. You have accumulated enough experience to reach level [11]. You have gained one point of magic and one point of dexterity from your class. As a reward for defeating your first creature from another plane of existence, you have been granted a bonus free attribute point. You have two free attribute points awaiting allocation at your discretion. Through use you have improved the following skills: Throwing has increased from [3] to [4]. Evasion has increased from [2] to [3]. Sword has increased from [3] to [4]. Hell yes! Nick pumped his fists and raised his arms into the air, reveling in his victory and the growth that had come with it. More skill points were always welcome, but boosting his attributes was even better. He hadn¡¯t been expecting another bonus free point so soon, but it seemed that the System awarded them for other major milestones beyond leveling. He wondered what the presence of creatures from other planes of existence foretold, before deciding that it was a problem for another day. He needed to decide how to spend his free points, then it would be time for breakfast. Maybe a bath after that, if he could find somewhere safe to wash off the blood, puke, and other assorted nastiness caked across his body. After a bit of pondering, Nick decided that his magic was growing steadily all by itself, and his dexterity was in a solid range for his level. His mind and toughness were good for now as well. His strength, however, was lagging behind the rest, and his pack was heavy now that he had so much inside it, valuables he was loathe to unload just yet. All things considered, it was a good time to try out spending his free points in other areas. His creativity had been proving its worth lately and could use a boost as well. Why not? Nick decided to experiment. He would put one point into strength and the other into creativity, the first time he had used a free point to increase either attribute. That only left charisma to invest in. He had no intention of doing so unless he knew exactly what it did, and he was certain that it was important to his survival. At least until he figured out what the deal with the ??? fields on his profile were all about. He decided to begin with a point of strength, having no desire to spend both points at once after his latest experience. Nick sat down with his back against the wall, then said, ¡°I would like to buy a point of strength please.¡± He braced himself for whatever was about to happen. Raising some of his attributes with free points had been pleasant, while others had been extremely uncomfortable. It turned out that strength belonged to the second category, because the next five minutes proved to be intensely painful. Chapter Two Hundred Seventy-Nine: By Dawn’s Early Light II It began with a feeling of extreme discomfort. An itching coming from inside his skin, which rapidly swelled into a fierce burning sensation. Not heat, but a caustic sting, like someone had poured acid into Nick¡¯s veins. He kept his breathing slow and steady as tears streamed down his face, certain that it would all be over soon. More than just the molten agony, he could feel his muscles soften and expand, as the bonds between the fibers were broken down before knitting themselves back together. Their connections are becoming tougher and more resilient than before. He felt his clothing become a little tighter as his muscles grew bigger, before the pain started fading away. Nick rose to his feet, relieved that the worst was over. He lifted his pack, then set it down and drew his sword, taking a few experimental slashes at the air. Both bag and blade felt lighter than before, and he had a sense that there was more power behind his attacks. While raising his strength had been unpleasant, he knew that it was a wise investment, since it had been lagging behind his other attributes. Hopefully, he could raise it another few points through conditioning before long and spare himself the acidic sensation. Ready to move on before he lost access to his profile for the day, he sat back down and said, ¡°Now a point of creativity to top things off.¡± He tensed, praying that this increase would be more pleasant than the last. Nick sat back down and waited¡­ then he waited some more. Just as he was convinced that nothing was going to happen, that boosting his creativity would be the first sensationless free point he had spent so far, he felt something shift inside his head. An idea came bubbling up to the surface. A strategy for how he could cross the marshlands faster than before, while avoiding the dangers of the blackmist in the process. No sooner had that thought ended, than another began. It was only the start of a deluge of concepts and possibilities, each bleeding into the next like a tapestry of raw inspiration. There were far too many to focus on them all, so Nick took out his journal and began writing as fast as he could, outlining the best of them while detailing the parts he might not remember later. He moved the nub of charcoal he was using as a pencil across the paper at blinding speed, like an all-night brainstorming session compressed into a couple of minutes. Strategies, tactics, an analysis of Taltos and the System, the nature and principles behind magic, all went into the journal. When the effects wore off several frantic minutes later, Nick nodded to himself as he inspected his handiwork. With the distilled inspiration fading away, he could already tell that not all of these ideas were winners. Many had been based on wild speculation and weakly connected concepts. But a number of them could lead to promising developments, once he had taken some time to consider them at length. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. He was supremely satisfied with the results of raising his creativity and had gained a better idea for what the attribute did along the way. He might consider trying to use a free point on it when he was stuck on a tricky problem or a bottleneck in his development. The experience had been mind-expanding and extremely pleasant, especially compared to the ordeal of raising his strength. In short, boosting his creativity was amazing and he would invest in the attribute again sometime later down the road. Eager to check out his new and improved stats, Nick willed the display to show his full profile, minus his inventory. Contestant Profile: Nicholas ¡®Nick¡¯ Henry. Level: 11. Tier: 1. Species: Human of Earth (E). Class: Kineticist (uncommon). Base attribute points per level: +1 magic, +1 dexterity every other level. Free points per level: 1. You have 0 unspent free points at this time. Attributes
Strength: 6 (7) Dexterity: 8 (12) Toughness: 8 (11)
Mind: 9 (11) Creativity: 8 (9) Charisma: 5
Magic: 3 (8) ??? ???
Abilities Ability slots: 2 active, 1 passive, 1 free. Active abilities: Mana dart (spell). Piercing ray (spell). No passive abilities have been acquired. Class Traits None. (The trait for this class has been incorporated into your bloodline). Geneline Traits Gift of Tongues: you can understand and speak the languages of all intelligent creatures. Awakened to Magic: +1 to magic. Versatile: +1 to all attributes. +1 free ability slot. Bloodline Traits Filled bloodline slots: 2. Open bloodline slots: 1. Survivor (enhanced): you require 50% less food, water, oxygen, and sleep. Force Adept: you receive a bonus to mana efficiency and scaling from energetic attributes when casting spells that use force mana or pure mana. Force Adepts are unable to cast elemental spells and receive a substantial penalty when manipulating elemental-aspected mana in any way. Skills Active Sword: 4 Evasion: 3 Throwing: 4 Light shield: 0 Wand: 6 Inactive (inactive skills may be used but not improved.) Size up: 10 Foraging: 10 With a spring in his step, Nick left the ruined building behind him, ready to trade a night full of sanguine horror for a day filled with bright sunshine. Alone on the Bog Arc Wrap-Up Hey everybody. We''ve arrived at the end of the alone on the bog arc. I hope that you enjoyed the big fight! This was the first arc that was designed from the ground up with the webserial format in mind, so I hope that the pacing was improved over the previous arc(s). Going forward, the arcs will continue to be tighter and generally faster than the ones that came before. Nick will be with other people for quite a while past this point, so if you were wondering what all the other characters were up to, we will find out soon. As always, I am thrilled to have so many people following along with Nick''s adventures, and I have a special favor to ask today. If you have been enjoying the story so far, and would be willing to rate it right now, it would really, really help me out. This is a key moment in the success of LotMG, and I could really use your support right now. Clicking that button will go a long way toward helping the story get published and succeed over time, taking me one step closer to my dream of writing for a living. (It''s also super motivating and makes me feel good to know that people are enjoying my story, so thanks.) This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. And if you really want to help make sure that the story continues and thrives, more reviews from people who have read a lot of the book would make all the difference right now. (My deepest thanks to everyone who has already followed, rated, or reviewed the book, you are the real heroes of the story). Thank you so much for following along with Nick''s story. There is a lot of exciting stuff ahead and I hope to see you there! -Magnus Chapter Two Hundred Eighty: Alone No More I To his relief, Nick made excellent time crossing the marshlands, hiking all day without running into any hostile beasts or other significant setbacks. His hastened progress was due in part to his new strategy, which helped him to identify potential shelters from further out, and in part because the myriad beasts that called the bog home were unusually subdued. Many were still recovering from the night of the blood moon. From the horror invoked by being hunted by the chittering swarm. As a result, he didn¡¯t have to go out of his way to avoid anything dangerous all day, and the patches of blackmist he came across were thin enough to quickly pass him by. As evening drew near and his shadow grew long, Nick came across the road that he had first spotted from the rim of the crater, a crumbling length of white stone winding its way across the bog. After making sure that nothing hostile was prowling nearby, he camped for the night in what appeared to be some manner of ruined waystation that still had most of its walls. Nick was back on the marsh bright and early the next morning. Now that he was closer to the tower and in sight of a major landmark, his odds of running into some of the other individuals who had volunteered for this quest were growing by the footfall. The prospect of no longer being alone was a soothing balm to his frazzled nerves and poignant loneliness, putting a spring in his step and a smile on his face. With any luck, he could join up with some competent fighters on the way to the tower. People who could watch his back and round out his strategic options during the next event, which he suspected would be even more terrible than the last. He began following the road from a distance, keeping an eye out for footprints, smoke from cookfires, or other signs that people were somewhere nearby. He decided to avoid walking along the intact portions of the highway unless there was no other choice. While doing so would increase Nick¡¯s chances of running into other volunteers, any creature smart enough to come to the same conclusion could use the broken stretches of cobblestone to set an easy ambush. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Along the way, he drove off any predators that were lurking along the roadside, doing his part to ensure that as many of his people as possible survived the dangers of the marsh. So far, he hadn¡¯t run into anything more promising than a few abandoned campsites, but at least some of them were fresh. Nick had high hopes that he would meet their makers sooner rather than later. Three hours later, as the planet¡¯s coppery sun rose high overhead, he finally saw something interesting peeking through a break in the overgrowth. He crouched down low on spotting movement along one of the intact stretches of roadway, having caught sight of a pair of shapes trying to conceal themselves behind a massive pile of debris. After pulling out his spyglass to take a closer look, he breathed out a long sigh of relief. Because at last, Nick had caught up to others of his kind. Before long, the crouching figures revealed themselves to be two men who were watching the road along the southern approach, the way that other people would be walking as they headed for the tower. Something in their posture made him decide to observe the situation for a bit longer instead of approaching right away. The men appeared anxious but didn¡¯t seem overly afraid. Like they were in the middle of dealing with a stressful situation, but not caught in a crisis or some other emergency. Nick couldn¡¯t blame them for being nervous. Being out in this wild and dangerous land was more than enough reason to be on edge, although their attempts at stealth were clumsy and unlikely to protect them from prowling beasts. If they¡¯re in trouble, I¡¯ll try to help them out, Nick decided. They won¡¯t last long out here if they¡¯re that bad at hiding. I should at least be able to give them some pointers on how to reduce their profiles. They need to stop drawing attention to themselves by moving more than they have to. Still feeling a need for caution, at least until he knew what kind of situation he was walking into, Nick crept a bit closer, easily evading the men¡¯s notice even though he was approaching from the direction they were looking. Chapter Two Hundred Eighty-One: Alone No More II Before long, he was near enough to make out additional details. Both men were armed with short swords, and he could see a hand axe strapped across the younger man¡¯s back, hanging beside what appeared to be a shovel. They were covered in treated leather ponchos, which would offer decent protection from the elements but not much by way of armor, unless the items were modified to that end. One of the men was in his late thirties or early forties, a thick beard and full mustache complementing his raven locks. The other man was younger, roughly the same age as Nick, with short red hair and a prominent nose. The pair was dirty and disheveled, but that wasn¡¯t much of a surprise. Nick was sure that he looked like shit too, after weeks of rough living with a few battles to the death thrown into the mix. Although both men looked stressed out, he couldn¡¯t see any visible injuries on their bodies. No blood on their weapons indicating that they had been recently used. After scouting the area to make sure that nothing nasty was hiding nearby, Nick was ready to find out what was going on. He rose to his full height then stepped out from behind a tree, far enough away from the pair that he hoped his appearance wouldn¡¯t startle them too badly. With a smile on his face for the first humans he had seen since setting foot onto this world, he raised a hand in greeting, leaving his sword in his pack and his dagger sheathed to show that he wasn¡¯t a threat. After taking one last look around, he raised his voice and called out. ¡°Hello there. Is everything all right? You seem to be in the middle of dealing with something unpleasant. I was hoping that I could offer you some assistance.¡± Even with Nick¡¯s best effort, the men appeared shocked by his arrival. He had approached without attracting their attention, despite no longer trying to conceal his presence. For a tense moment, it seemed like the men would draw their weapons and attack. Just as he was deciding to turn around and leave, the pair took a closer look at him and lowered their hands from the hilts of their swords. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. The red-haired man took a step in his direction, returning his wave with a smile. ¡°Fuck me sideways, it¡¯s another person! Forgive the delayed greeting friend, but you startled me something fierce. We¡¯ve only seen beasts out here all day. This place is making me as jumpy as a frog on hot cement.¡± ¡°Well met fellow traveler,¡± the raven-haired man added as he lowered his arms, showing his open palms to let Nick know that he didn¡¯t intend to draw his weapon. ¡°Brave one too, to be wandering these wilds alone. Unless you happen to have some equally stealthy companions waiting to jump out of the bushes.¡± He let loose a nervous laugh that felt a little forced, the tone containing a hair too much tension for someone who professed to be happy to see Nick. He¡¯s probably stressed out after running into some beasts on the bog. Nick began walking over to their position, keeping his tone friendly and his posture unthreatening. ¡°Nope. Just me,¡± he replied, trying to get a feel for the situation by gauging their reactions. ¡°Not that I¡¯m alone by choice.¡± ¡°He must be dangerous to have either soloed his tutorial or survived whatever killed off the rest of his party.¡± The younger man took a step back with a nervous look, clearly uncomfortable with Nick¡¯s abrupt arrival. ¡°Only to my enemies,¡± Nick joked, hoping to ease the tension. But his effort backfired. Both men took a step back and moved to draw their weapons, before the older man let loose a nervous chuckle, sheathing the few inches of blade he had pulled from his scabbard. Oops. Nick decided that it was time to lower the temperature of their interaction. ¡°Sorry, bad joke. What are you looking for if you don¡¯t mind me asking? Are you in trouble, and if so, is there any way that I can help you out?¡± He did his best to radiate sincerity and good intentions, hoping to win them over by displaying a bit of empathy. ¡°Err¡­ yes. We do need some help,¡± the older man offered a crooked grin. ¡°Sorry, the tension from surviving the blood moon must have scrambled my wits more than I realized. As you surmised, we are in dire need of assistance. Right now, we¡¯re on the lookout for enough manpower to deal with one of the nastiest beasts on the bog. We¡¯re lucky to have run into someone so capable so soon. We have an unpleasant situation on our hands and were hoping to cross paths with someone who has a healing class or ability. Or at least an item that can cure blood loss or other serious wounds. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t happen to fit the bill, would you friend?¡± he asked while giving Nick a long look that could only be described as calculating. Chapter Two Hundred Eighty-Two: Too Much Information I ¡°I have something that might help.¡± Nick ran his gaze across the nervous duo standing in front of him. ¡°What exactly is the problem?¡± ¡°Our companion was seriously wounded,¡± the older man replied, offering Nick a smile that was intended to be reassuring. ¡°We were able to slow the bleeding, but her injury is beyond our ability to tend, and she doesn¡¯t have enough health to recover. Our only chance was to find someone on the road before it¡¯s too late.¡± Nick was surprised that they hadn¡¯t mentioned their friend right away. Maybe they were worried that I would take advantage of their weakness. Regardless, if there was someone out there who needed his help, there wasn¡¯t any time to waste. ¡°Lead the way,¡± Nick gestured. ¡°Wasn¡¯t it dangerous to leave her alone? The bog is full of beasts and other predatory animals.¡± ¡°Yes. Thank you for your kindness,¡± the red-haired man chimed in. ¡°Leaving her was risky, but she should be able to hold on for a bit longer. We set her up in a shallow cave after wrapping her wounds, then rolled a boulder over the entrance to keep any predators from being able to reach her. It should be enough to keep Aya safe for at least a few hours.¡± ¡°We should hurry and make our way back to her,¡± the older man added. ¡°She might succumb to the poison at any moment, so time is of the essence. Let¡¯s head over to the cave where we left her, it¡¯s only a fifteen-minute hike from here. By the way, my name is Greg, and this is Shaun.¡± Poison? I thought they were worried about her bleeding out. Something isn¡¯t right. Nick wasn¡¯t sure what was going on, but he decided to see this through to the end. He wasn¡¯t willing to leave someone to die just because their friends were a little flaky. ¡°Nick,¡± he exchanged a pair of handshakes, then followed the men along a path that led them away from the road and deeper into the bog. They looked nervous when Nick drew his sword from his pack, in case they ran into whatever had attacked their friend, then gave the bag an appraising look. Shaun and Greg said nothing as they set a brisk pace, leaving their own swords sheathed for now. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. ¡°You know,¡± Nick said as they wove a path across the tall grass, avoiding the streams and ponds whenever possible. ¡°You still haven¡¯t told me what attacked you. Could you describe the beast and its powers now, so that I know what to expect? Try to remember every detail that you can. It will help me prepare if we¡¯re forced to fight it on the way.¡± ¡°A flying¡­¡± the younger man, Shaun, spoke at the same time as his companion. ¡°Mole,¡± finished Greg, shooting a glare at his friend. ¡°You were attacked by a venomous, flying mole?¡± Nick raised one eyebrow at the exchange. ¡°Weird right?¡± Greg let loose a nervous chuckle. ¡°This fucking place.¡± Shaun kept his mouth shut while Greg filled in more of the details. According to his account, the beast in question could both burrow and fly, and was armed with long claws as well as its venomous bite. Here too, their story didn¡¯t quite add up. After all, if the beast could burrow through the ground, hiding their friend in a cave wouldn¡¯t be enough to keep her safe, even if the entrance was blocked. By now, they had arrived at the outskirts of a modest grove, featuring the first tall trees that Nick had seen since climbing down to the level of the bog. There weren¡¯t any hills in sight, meaning that the chances of a cave being anywhere in the area were vanishingly slim. As they entered the shadow-studded growth, the tension began congealing by the footfall. Both men looked incredibly nervous, jumping at every creaking branch and shifting shadow. It felt like they were walking toward danger, instead of arriving with much needed help. I suppose that they could be afraid of the beast, Nick mused, although he already knew that it wasn¡¯t the true cause of their distress. He started scanning the terrain while keeping one eye on his guides, unable to stop himself from sighing deeply in disappointment. While he was genuinely on the lookout for any unpleasant surprises, most of his attention was devoted to deciding how he wanted to handle this situation. He didn¡¯t much like his choices. The joy of running into other people had long since been soured by their suspicious behavior. Nick wasn¡¯t stupid. It had been clear for some time that Greg and Shaun were lying to him. Although he had been hoping that he was reading their tells wrong, it had become appallingly obvious over the last few minutes that they intended to harm him. That instead of leading a rescue operation, they were planning to rob Nick, perhaps even kill him. Chapter Two Hundred Eighty-Three: Too Much Information II Whatever was really going on, both men were remarkably bad at subterfuge. Their contradictory responses combined with the inconsistencies of their story were glaring. After analyzing everything that had happened so far, he thought that at least part of their tale was probably true. It seemed likely that they were heading toward a third member of their party, who was waiting in ambush somewhere nearby. After meeting him on the road, Shaun and Greg had apparently decided that Nick was too tough to handle without their full group and the element of surprise. He fervently hoped that their incompetence was born of inexperience. That this was the first time they had tried something like this and had yet to harm any member of team Earth. Whatever he learned during their imminent confrontation would determine how Nick dealt with the situation, perhaps forcing him to make a decision that was deeply unsettling to him. He had realized back during the tutorial that something like this could happen, although he had hoped that the survival of their species and the fate of their planet would bring out the best in people and suppress the worst. Apparently, not even the apocalypse could blunt the darker aspects of human nature. Part of him simply wanted to walk away. To step into the brush and disappear into the wilderness. He knew that the men would never find him after watching them move across the marshlands. But if he left now, the group might try again and attack the next person they encountered instead. Nick didn¡¯t want that on his conscience. Besides, team Earth couldn¡¯t afford to lose a single member if they wanted to defeat the guardian waiting on top of Darkstone Tower. On top of that, he wasn¡¯t completely certain that there wasn¡¯t an injured person out here, even if the rest of their story was a lie, and the prospect of leaving someone to die left a bad taste in Nick¡¯s mouth. It wasn¡¯t in his nature to turn his back on someone in need, although he was only willing to risk so much to save a stranger. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. While he struggled to make up his mind, he followed the increasingly nervous duo deeper into the trees. They must have seen something in his expression that gave them pause, because only a few seconds later, Shaun decided that Nick was in need of reassurance. ¡°We¡¯re nearly there, friend. Thank god we found you so quickly. I doubt that Aya had enough time to bleed out yet,¡± Shaun finished, missing the look of alarm that flashed across Greg¡¯s face. ¡°Bleeding out,¡± Nick repeated the phrase. His tone was flat, and his tongue felt leaden in his mouth. He decided that it was time to bring an end to this charade and he knew that his next words might precipitate violence. ¡°I thought you said she was poisoned. Also, there don¡¯t seem to be any caves around here. Your story doesn¡¯t add up. Why don¡¯t you tell me what¡¯s really going on?¡± ¡°Err, yes¡­¡± Shaun fumbled his words as he tried to recover, slow to notice that it was already too late. ¡°The bleeding is almost as bad as the poison, and it¡¯s really more of a burrow than a cave.¡± ¡°Ah, shit. Shaun, you¡¯re a fucking moron.¡± Greg unsheathed his blade with a desperate glint in his eyes, as his deception fell apart like spun sugar in the rain. ¡°Draw your sword you idiot. He knows. Aya! The mark figured it out too soon. We need your support now.¡± Greg turned to face Nick as his companion drew his short sword and fell in beside him, lack of skill with their weapons clear in their stances. ¡°I¡¯m truly sorry about this, but it is what it is. We¡¯re not killers. There¡¯s no need for anyone to die today. Drop your weapon, kick over your sword, and hand me your pack along with everything else you own. If you don¡¯t make us fight you for it, I¡¯ll let you keep your canteen and the dagger sheathed on your belt.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t want to hurt you,¡± Shaun added. ¡°But we will if you resist. Aya is an archer. She has an arrow nocked and pointed for your heart. Don¡¯t try to resist, we all have our weapon skills maxed.¡± ¡°Shaun, too much information,¡± Greg hissed. Fucking amateurs. Nick sighed and stepped into a defensive stance, scanning the surrounding woodlands while keeping one eye on the men in front of him. While this was the last thing he needed, he was relieved to witness the group¡¯s incompetence. It told him that they hadn¡¯t practiced this routine before. It was obvious that Nick was their first intended victim, and they lacked the skills to discern that robbing him was well above their paygrade. Chapter Two Hundred Eighty-Four: A Friendly Face I Nick didn¡¯t bother to reply. He held his sword in front of him, scanning the trees for signs of the hidden archer. She couldn¡¯t be too far away, given the density of the overgrowth. While this was an unpleasant turn of events, he wasn¡¯t too worried about the weapons pointed in his direction. He had already sized Greg and Shaun up, and he was dead certain that they were lying about their weapon skills, along with almost every aspect of this situation. By now, Nick had witnessed a wealth of evidence indicating that the men were weaker than himself and poorly suited for battle in general. He was honestly surprised that they had lived this long, especially after the night of the blood moon. While the sniper in the trees posed a genuine threat, he was confident that he could defeat both men without relying on his spells or wand. Unfortunately, he was still a novice with his sword. Nick wasn¡¯t sure that he could disable or disarm the pair without critically wounding them in the process. Maybe I can use my mana darts to take them out long enough to steal their blades, then force them to surrender. While he thought the matter through, the men advanced on his position with swords at the ready. They could attack at any moment, but were clearly hesitant to do so, despite their threats and show of bravado. Case in point, instead of charging, they continued speaking, hoping to talk their way out of this without meeting Nick sword-to-sword. ¡°Just drop your blade, and we can all walk away from this unharmed,¡± Greg pleaded, his composure unraveling now that his robbery had fallen apart before his eyes. ¡°Unharmed?¡± Nick felt his anger rising as the full implication of what they intended became clear. ¡°You would leave me out here to starve, with only a dagger to make my way through a bog full of ravenous beasts, let alone the next global event? What the fuck is wrong with you? We could have worked together. Formed a team and fought side-by-side to save our people and our planet. Instead, you¡¯re out here preying on your allies. You are utterly reprehensible and a disgrace to humankind.¡± This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. Both men took a step back at the venom in Nick¡¯s tone, realizing at last that they had bitten off more than they could chew. He knew that they would either run or attack him soon, but he was too angry to care, walking toward the duo as they hastily backpedaled. ¡°You can lie to yourselves but not to me. Dress it up all you want, but you¡¯re sentencing me to die, not just taking what¡¯s mine. You are murderers, or nearly so, and I¡¯m afraid that I can¡¯t leave you out here where you might harm someone else. ¡°The fate of the Earth and our entire species is at stake, you shit-eating cowards, and you¡¯re trying to shoot us in the foot before the race has even begun. I am deeply, truly disappointed in both of you, and I don¡¯t appreciate what you¡¯re forcing me to do.¡± He brought the blade into a neutral position, ready to attack or defend himself as needed. By now, one thing was abundantly clear, Nick wasn¡¯t going to let this slide. ¡°I¡¯m not giving you my equipment.¡± He analyzed their stances as he steeled himself to spring into action. He wasn¡¯t sure that he could pull this off without crippling or killing the inexperienced muggers, but the encounter had reached the point where he no longer had a choice. Meanwhile, he gathered his will, preparing to conjure some mana darts as needed. He was reluctant to use his pain-inducing spells on another person, but it was better than cutting them down with his blade. Before he started sword-swinging or spell-slinging, Nick tried to intimidate the men into surrendering one final time. ¡°I had to risk my life time and time again to acquire my gear. If you want to take it from me, it¡¯s only fair that you risk yours as well. Drop your weapons or prepare yourselves for a world of hurt. My patience has reached its end.¡± ¡°Shit. Fuck you man,¡± Shaun was still working up the nerve to follow through on his threats. Nick grimaced, ready to take Shaun out with his first attack before moving on to his partner. ¡°You don¡¯t know us. The hell we had to go through since the System arrived. It¡¯s anarchy out here, and the only way to survive is to look out for yourself. Just remember that you asked for this.¡± Shaun tensed his body, preparing to charge in time with Greg, but waiting for something before he did. ¡°Aya, where are you? Fucking shoot him already.¡± Chapter Two Hundred Eighty-Five: A Friendly Face II Nick tensed, ready to leap to one side the instant that he spotted the archer¡¯s position. It was clear from the men¡¯s behavior that this part of their story was no lie. Once he dodged the first arrow, he would rush in close to foul the sniper¡¯s aim, then take out both men as quickly as possible before rushing ahead to deal with Aya. He couldn¡¯t afford to mess this up. Even with his superior level and attributes, an arrow through the throat could easily kill him. But the promised attack never came. In that moment, Nick decided to change tactics, planning to take out the archer before dealing with the swordsmen. The next time that they looked away, he threw himself behind the closest trunk, judging the archer¡¯s firing arc by following their gazes. Trusting his ears to track his assailants¡¯ position, Nick steeled himself to turn his blade against others of his kind for the first time in his life. But even after all that, the expected arrow never landed, nor did the men charge to close the distance. ¡°Aya,¡± Greg yelled, frustration clear in his voice. ¡°He¡¯s getting away. What the hell are you waiting for?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid that Aya can¡¯t make it to the party. She¡¯s a bit¡­ tied up at the moment,¡± a woman¡¯s voice rang out from deeper inside the woods. A familiar voice that Nick had last heard while standing on the surface of another world. He stuck his head out from behind the tree to see what was happening, immensely relieved that he hadn¡¯t been forced to strike just yet. He caught sight of a hooded figure walking out of the tree line, arriving from a point halfway between him and his would-be robbers. The woman, who seemed completely unthreatened by strolling into the middle of a tense standoff, looked contemptuously at the men¡¯s bared blades before turning to face Nick. When their eyes met, she raised her hand in greeting, lowered her hood, and said, ¡°Hello Nick. Short time, no see. We really need to stop meeting like this. You just can¡¯t seem to keep yourself out of trouble, can you?¡± Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. Nick¡¯s jaw dropped in astonishment. Now that he was able to put a face to her voice, he realized that he knew the woman after all. He had fought beside her only a handful of days prior, facing off against the fallen rhinoceros in the Grand Arena of Papillion. ¡°You have no idea,¡± he replied with a sigh, as a surge of relief poured into his veins. ¡°Sophia, it¡¯s a pleasure to see you again. Your timing is impeccable as always.¡± Greg and Shaun were taken aback by the reunion taking place before their eyes. Sophia seemed even less concerned by their presence than Nick had been, treating the swords as if they were no more menacing than theater props. She must have some trick up her sleeve that she hasn¡¯t revealed yet. I should get ready to jump in if something goes wrong. ¡°Who the hell are you?¡± Shaun yelled, turning to face Sophia, rage coloring his cheeks even redder than his hair. Greg wore an expression like he had just bitten into something foul when he had expected a palatable meal. He kept turning his head, dividing his attention between watching Nick and tracking the movements of the newly arrived Sophia. The fight seemed to have gone out of him, although Shaun was still raring to go. ¡°What did you do to Aya?¡± Greg asked warily, coming to grips with the evolving situation faster than his companion. ¡°A lot less than you were willing to do to Nick, and far less than you deserve.¡± Sophia turned to take a closer look at both men and then asked. ¡°Now, what are we going to do with you?¡± ¡°This is still manageable,¡± Shaun growled. ¡°This is a good thing, Greg. We just doubled our haul. We just need to take her out too¡­¡± Shaun¡¯s words were cut off cleanly, as if they had been severed by a knife. Because at that very moment, a wasp the size of a loaf of bread landed lightly upon his shoulder, barbed stinger pressed against his throat with enough force to dimple his flesh. He froze in place, afraid that he would be stung if he so much as twitched, which was an accurate read of the situation from Nick¡¯s perspective. Nick wasn¡¯t sure where the giant bug had come from, but he realized in that moment that he recognized it. The creature threatening Shaun was a frost venom wasp, the same species that he had fought side-by-side with Sophia in their arena battle. In that moment, his shoulders sagged in relief. It seemed that he might find a way out of this situation without bloodying his blade after all. Concept Art: Chapter 276-285 Just a reminder, I completely respect that not everyone likes the inclusion/existence of AI art, so I''ve put it in it''s own chapter so that it''s easy to skip and not shown side by side with the story. If it''s not your thing, I totally understand where you are coming from. This concept art is included entirely for fun, and will never be sold or monetized in any way. It will never be as good as your imagination, so if it doesn''t fit with the version of something in your head, go with your imagination instead. Bloodmoon showdown Crossing the marsh This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. Crumbling roads Shaun Greg Sophia to the rescue Chapter Two Hundred Eighty-Six: Summoner I ¡°I wouldn¡¯t move if I were you,¡± Sophia walked over to Shaun¡¯s side with a black-bladed dagger in her hand. Her steps were deceptively casual, but Nick could tell that she was ready to strike at a moment¡¯s notice. ¡°Buzz tends to get a little stabby when his perch shifts while he¡¯s resting. We wouldn¡¯t want that, would we? He doesn¡¯t like people holding weapons near him either. I suggest that you drop yours before he loses his temper. His venom is quite potent.¡± By now, Shaun¡¯s eyes had gone so wide that Nick could see the whites all the way around. The red-haired man trembled in fear, trying to hold his body perfectly still despite the terror writ clear upon his face. He opened his hand and let his sword tumble to the ground, staring down in horror at the giant insect clamped onto his shoulder. The moment that the sword hit the dirt, Greg took one last glance at his partner, then took off running without looking back, leaving Shaun and Aya to their fates. I suppose there¡¯s no honor among thieves after all. Nick thought about chasing after the older man and beating an apology out of him. But he found that he simply didn¡¯t have it in him, despite his lingering anger at their antics. Hopefully, this experience would be sufficient motivation for the men to change their ways. Shaun¡¯s brain had finally caught up to the present, realizing that the wasp at his throat was being controlled by Sophia, a detail that made Nick intensely curious. Without turning his head, Shaun looked in her direction. ¡°Please. Please don¡¯t kill me,¡± he begged. ¡°I¡¯ll do anything you say, just let me live.¡± ¡°You¡¯re scum. Just looking at you fucking disgusts me,¡± Sophia¡¯s voice was thick with menace. ¡°Preying upon those brave souls fighting to save the Earth, just to further your own advancement. You should never have come here. People like you are worse than deadweight. You¡¯re human garbage, weakening our forces with the fate of our planet hanging in the balance. None of us are going to survive if we can¡¯t climb the tower and defeat the guardian, you short-sighted fools.¡± Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. She sighed deeply after her outburst. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not like you. We¡¯re not like you,¡± she nodded to Nick, who had stepped out from behind the tree but was unsure how to proceed. ¡°I won¡¯t kill you, but I¡¯m taking everything that you have. A bit of poetic justice is fair game at this juncture, wouldn¡¯t you say Nick?¡± ¡°In that case, we can leave him with one canteen and a knife. Wasn¡¯t that the plan Shaun?¡± Nick let his own malice shine through in his tone. He found that he took their attempted robbery rather personally, now that he had a moment to process what was happening. ¡°Please, no. That¡¯s a death sentence. You can¡¯t do that to someone, it¡¯s inhumane.¡± At that, Nick shared a long look with Sophia, seeing his own incredulity mirrored in her face. Shaun must have realized the implications of what he was saying, because he kept on going without being prompted. ¡°Oh shit. I get it alright. Fuck. I have no idea what I¡¯m doing, but we were wrong and I¡¯m sorry. I swear, I¡¯ll never try it again. Don¡¯t leave me to die out here, please.¡± Tears were streaming down the young man¡¯s face. He seemed so afraid that he was ready to soil himself, comprehending that his fate was now in the hands of his intended victims. ¡°Fine,¡± Sophia let out a sigh heavy with disdain, as the wasp on Shaun¡¯s shoulder vanished in a puff of emerald light. ¡°But if you ever pull this shit on another person, I¡¯ll hunt you down and skin you alive, then let the beasts finish you off. Now get out of my sight,¡± she gestured with her dagger. ¡°Head straight to the tower and make yourself useful. Untie that archer before you leave, she¡¯s bound to a tree twenty yards north of our position.¡± ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll do it, I swear. I mean I won¡¯t do it. Ahhh! You know what I mean,¡± Shaun turned to flee before Sophia could change her mind, tears of relief streaming down his cheeks. ¡°Wait,¡± Nick said, stopping the man in his tracks. ¡°Drop the hand axe and the shovel before you go. Consider it payment for wasting my time.¡± ¡°Sure. I really am sorry. And you¡¯re right. We never should have come here.¡± Shaun unstrapped the tools from his pack, tossed them to the ground, then sprinted off. The expression on his face said that he planned to run all the way to the tower before they could reconsider letting him leave. Chapter Two Hundred Eighty-Seven: Summoner II ¡°Alone at last,¡± Sophia said as Nick put the tools into his bag. She raised an eyebrow as the items disappeared into his pack, despite being longer than the backpack itself. ¡°Dimensional storage,¡± he explained. ¡°Awesome, but not as good as it sounds.¡± He moved to stand in front of Sophia, taking a good look at her for the first time. He had been too overwhelmed by the arena battle to pay attention to her features the first time they had met. He ran his gaze across her as she considered him in turn. He decided that Sophia was somewhere in her late twenties, a few years younger than Nick himself. Her eyes were the steely blue of the ocean at dusk, her expression curious and confident as she met his gaze without a hint of self-consciousness. She had a short, sharp nose and high cheekbones. Deep brown skin, accenting a frame both lithe and muscular. Her head was covered in dark, natural hair that was tightly braided at the ends but frizzy near the hairline, the new growth since the System had swept them all up. The biggest change since Nick had seen her last was her gear. Sophia''s sky-blue robe was so fresh and clean that Nick was certain it had a self-maintenance modification or something similar. She had a pair of daggers sheathed at her hips. One was the same weapon that he had received from the owners of the arena, but the other was something else entirely. Instead of a blade, the end looked like a long black barb. It¡¯s the stinger she removed from the frost venom soldier, he realized. She must have found a way to turn it into a proper item. Returning his scrutiny in kind, Sophia ran her eyes across Nick¡¯s features boldly, nodding to herself at whatever she saw in his expression. She was about to say something when a look of surprise dawned on her face. ¡°Wait. What the hell happened to your eyes?¡± ¡°New trait.¡± To her credit, Sophia didn¡¯t ask for more information. But she did lean in to take a long, lingering look, close enough that he could feel the warmth of her breath on his cheek. He turned away, embarrassed by the scrutiny, but also curious to find out what she thought about his new appearance. Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. ¡°They¡¯re pretty and kind of mysterious. Not a bad vibe to cultivate. Magic eyes, who knew?¡± She left it at that and gave him some space to recover. Mysterious, eh? I can live with that. Eventually, Sophia seemed to come to a decision. She looked him straight in the eyes and said, ¡°C¡¯mon, let¡¯s put some miles between us and the sorriest muggers I¡¯ve ever seen, just in case they¡¯re stupid enough to try something else.¡± Her lips quirked to form a crooked smile. ¡°Although something tells me they won¡¯t. That dude nearly wet himself when you told him to wait. In the end, I think he was even more afraid of you than he was of Buzz. Your sword is badass by the way. With all those pieces missing it looks metal as fuck.¡± Returning her lopsided grin, Nick walked beside Sophia in a companionable silence, still in the middle of processing what he had experienced. Part of him was furious that human predators were out here, preying on their own kind. Hurting their chances of saving their species and reclaiming the Earth. Taltos must be laughing it up right now, getting his kicks out of watching our folly. A more cynical corner of Nick¡¯s mind told him that he was foolish to have expected anything else. That he should have been on guard against this possibility from the start. In the end, not even the apocalypse, the System, and being portaled off to a distant corner of the universe could change human nature. At least not yet. However, the overwhelming majority of his mind was simply grateful for Sophia¡¯s intervention. She had arrived just in time to stop Nick from bloodying his blade. He was immensely relieved to have been extracted from the situation without having to hurt anyone. A few more seconds, and he would have done something that changed him forever. Nick hadn¡¯t needed his wand or spells to kill both of his assailants at any time, and possibly the archer as well. It had been clear from the start that Greg and Shaun were too weak to pose a real threat. At least while he was awake and on guard. He felt indebted to Sophia for coming to his rescue and was thrilled to his teeth to no longer be alone. Nick had been fighting to survive, without anyone to talk to or share this incredible burden, ever since the tutorial had begun, except for those brief hours in the arena. But now, everything had changed. Today, Nick had gained a companion. Someone he could trust to watch his back for as long as Sophia was willing to have him. Chapter Two Hundred Eighty-Eight: One Good Day I Eventually, Sophia broke the brooding silence that had descended upon the pair in the aftermath of their encounter. ¡°You were in a tutorial with only a few other people, weren¡¯t you Nick?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± he replied, caught off guard by her insight. ¡°Actually. I was alone, although I shared my tutorial with several species of beasts. How could you tell?¡± ¡°Partially by how you look,¡± she ran her gaze across his body, then nodded appreciatively. ¡°Your level and attributes are clearly above average, judging from my own experiences. Not to mention all the modified gear. But the main reason I could tell was how you reacted to that rank bit of bullshit. Your indecision made it obvious that you hadn¡¯t been forced to deal with that kind of scum before.¡± ¡°So, in your tutorial, robbery was common?¡± Nick asked gently, intuiting that this was a delicate subject from the tone of her voice. ¡°Robbery, assault, and¡­ worse. There was fierce competition for reward chests, food, and other resources. A lot of people got hurt, some died¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Nick let the matter rest, changing the topic to something happier instead. ¡°Thank you for saving me from that situation. I had no idea what I was supposed to do. I froze up when I realized that they weren¡¯t going to back down. By the way, what was that wasp? It looked just like the ones we fought in the arena, and it seemed to obey your commands.¡± ¡°It was,¡± Sophia nodded. ¡°At least in form. It¡¯s the ability that came with my new class. The System let me trade in those bodies I harvested to acquire a summoning-based class along with this dagger.¡± She unsheathed a finger-long black stinger mounted to a burnished bronze handle, then handed it over so that Nick could take a closer look. ¡°It produces the same freezing venom as the wasps, although it takes a while to regenerate if I use it all. And you¡¯re welcome. It¡¯s nice to see a friendly face.¡± Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. He gave the weapon an experimental heft, then gave it back to her. Nick was intensely curious about Sophia¡¯s summoning ability, along with her new class in general. But he sensed that she wasn¡¯t ready to say anything more just yet, and he didn¡¯t want to jettison the goodwill between them by asking too many probing questions too soon. Instead, he decided to share a bit about himself to help establish trust and improve their teamwork going forward. ¡°My new class is called a Kineticist. It¡¯s a hybrid of melee and magic with a focus on swords and mid-ranged spells. My new trait is Force Adept. It provides a substantial power up to those mana darts you saw in the arena, although there are some significant tradeoffs as well. Going forward, all my spells will either use force mana, or something called pure mana, which is what my darts are made of. My new spell is piercing ray. It packs a punch but takes a while to cast and is a bit of a mana hog.¡± Nick went on to explain how many of each spell he could cast how often, as well as his fledgling efforts to sense his mana pool and adjust the mana he put into each spell. He didn¡¯t mention his new elixir or explain the ins and outs of his wand just yet, keeping a few of his cards hidden until they knew one another better, which he was sure Sophia was doing as well. ¡°Oh neat. You have another spell now. I can¡¯t wait to see it.¡± Sophia looked genuinely excited by the prospect. ¡°I haven¡¯t got to observe many yet. Everyone still had a basic class during my tutorial. I got separated from the others after climbing down into the bog when the blackmist first hit us. Which was fine by me, as I never want to see several of them again.¡± She frowned, then returned to the topic of Nick¡¯s spell. ¡°Since we were kidnapped and dragged into this crazy, magic-drenched multiverse, I want to enjoy the special effects.¡± She laughed, the musical sound bringing a smile to his face. ¡°Thanks for letting me know about your powers. How about we pick up the pace and save the rest of this conversation until we make camp? Come Nick, Darkstone Tower awaits!¡± Side-by-side, they continued their trek across the marsh. Comforted by the fact that, no matter what fate had in store for them next, they no longer had to face it alone. Chapter Two Hundred Eighty-Nine: One Good Day II This marked the beginning of two immensely enjoyable days of journeying together. He soon learned that Sophia was an excellent traveling companion. She was good company and didn¡¯t ask too many probing questions right off the bat, waiting for Nick to reveal his story when he was good and ready. She had a keen eye and sharp reflexes. So far, nothing nasty had decided that hunting them down was worth the effort, in part because between the two of them, they were able to spot most predators before they were seen. As they put more miles beneath their boots, they gradually learned more about one another and their respective abilities. Sophia was deeply impressed by Nick¡¯s maxed out foraging skill. She requested that he teach her anything it revealed about living off the land, which he was happy to do. As their trust in one another deepened, they began sharing more about their past and what had happened during their tutorials, although each had secrets they were unwilling to reveal just yet. It was clear by this point that Sophia¡¯s tutorial had been even more traumatic than he thought. An ordeal filled with grim realizations and hard choices, where other people were just as dangerous as any beast. It made Nick feel lucky to have been alone for his. It gave him time to adjust to his new reality, without dealing with the worst parts of human nature in the process. During this time, he learned more about her magic as well. She could summon up to five wasps back-to-back, but each spell cost stamina on top of mana, requiring twelve hours to recover from each casting. If she cast more than two wasps in a day, she couldn¡¯t completely refill her mana pool. As a result, expending multiple summons in the same battle needed to be saved for defeating powerful enemies or as a weapon of last resort. Nick felt a little stronger and tougher whenever Sophia was near, a consequence of her passive ability. It was on all the time, unless she moved it into her free slot, and had a range of about thirty feet. He was intrigued to learn that you could swap abilities in and out of your free slot without restriction, other than having your menu open. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. The downside was that the aura cut into her mana regeneration, but since the boost benefited her as well as her summons, she usually left it on. The first time that they made camp for the evening, Nick found out that Sophia had taken the enhanced Survivor trait into her bloodline too. It meant that they were able to divide their nightly watch into two, four-hour shifts. Additionally, they didn¡¯t need to hunt or forage any more often than he had grown accustomed to. Nick got along with Sophia remarkably well, and they were well into the process of becoming friends. Although she was far blunter and more cynical than himself, she was a good, kind-hearted soul, and their sense of humor complemented one another¡¯s. They ran into far too much blackmist along the way. But thanks to what Nick had learned about its properties and the redfang hunters, they didn¡¯t lose more time than was strictly necessary. After noticing his proficiency, Sophia had him share the story of being surrounded by the hunters, examining the feathers that he had pulled out of his jacket with interest. Most of the beasts she had battled on the bog had been various forms of giant insects, including a nasty flying species that Nick was glad not to have run into himself. Two days passed in a pleasant blur of hiking, hunting, and camping, the profile of the Tower of Rizzen growing larger by the hour. By now, Nick could tell that they were about a week away from arriving at its base, having learned how to process its scale at last. Fortunately, there hadn¡¯t been another global event to deal with along the way. While they spent considerable time chatting and getting to know one another, many miles were walked in a companionable silence. They both had a lot on their minds, and he had long since grown used to not speaking for hours at a time. All in all, it was the happiest Nick had been since the System arrived and upended his life. It was nice to have someone to share these moments of profound beauty and poignant loss. A partner in his battle to save his planet and his people. It was great to have another competent fighter at his side when facing the myriad dangers that called the bog home. Nick¡¯s long stretch of solitude had come to an end, and he slept so much better knowing that someone reliable was standing watch while he was passed out. As with all things, the good and bad alike, their moment of peace was not fated to last. Late on the morning of their third day traveling together, Nick and Sophia stumbled across the site of a massacre. Chapter Two Hundred Ninety: An Abrupt Change of Pace I Nick had been avoiding walking along the crumbling roadway ever since he had first laid eyes upon it, an instinctual caution that Sophia shared. Not only was there scant cover amongst the shattered cobblestones, some beasts were smart enough to realize that people would be tempted to walk along it. Not to mention predators of the human variety, like the men Nick had run into before Sophia had rescued him. It made the road a perfect site to lay an ambush, which turned out to be exactly what had happened. At first, he didn¡¯t realize what he was looking at, since the dark mounds lying atop the cold stones were completely covered by insects. A buzzing blanket of flies writhing atop a squirming mass below. The sound was awful, and the smell was worse, making bile rise hot in his throat even before he understood what he¡¯d come across. Sophia stopped him with a hand on his shoulder before Nick walked close enough to make out the traumatizing, revolting details. It was clear from the expression on her face that she had come across something like this before. It hit him harder than he expected when she told him that the mounds were bodies. That the stinking remains had been people just like himself only a few days ago, before their hopes and dreams had been shattered between a beast¡¯s powerful jaws. The same end that he had almost met himself on more occasions than he cared to count. Now that Nick knew what he was smelling, if he got any closer, he would likely lose his lunch. They debated picking through the remains for any usable equipment, but neither of them wanted to peel the gear off rotting bodies. Besides, there were signs that someone else had already examined the corpses up close before continuing toward the tower, collecting any intact items in the process. After a long moment of silence, they stopped to survey the area, looking for evidence of any survivors before moving on. Finding nothing of the sort, they continued in the direction that the people who had arrived before them had gone. Unfortunately, the footprints disappeared less than a mile later, leaving the fate of whoever had left them an unsolved mystery. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Along the way, Nick spotted a bag lying near the side of the road, which appeared to have been abandoned for days, judging by the layer of dirt that had gathered on top. When he looked inside, he discovered some rotting food along with several objects that he decided to keep. After washing them clean, he added a small metal cookpot, a ladle, and a pair of plastic plates to his inventory, which would make cooking and eating meals a bit easier. He felt glum when considering the fate that had befallen their former owners, but they were items that he had been hoping to acquire for some time now and there was no point letting them go to waste. Coming across the bodies and the bag drove home the grim reality that people were dying out here, fighting with their lives on the line for the future of the human race. He had known it all along, but seeing it with his own eyes hit him like a blow to the face. Although Nick had obtained his first taste of death in the arena, leaving the fallen to rot, far from the world of their birth, made him profoundly sad, as well as furious that Taltos and the System had forced this situation upon them. He had wanted to honor the dead, but his obligation to the living was even more important. It would have taken the better part of the day to dig a mass grave and bury the bodies. Time they simply didn¡¯t have with the fate of the Earth hanging in the balance and another global event inevitably headed their way. Sophia said little as they left the road behind them, letting Nick process what he¡¯d seen. Her smile was kind, and he could tell that she was trying to cheer him up, occasionally telling small jokes or sharing stories of her life on Earth. For the rest of that day and into the next, the darkness they had witnessed hung heavy in the air. The duo walked side-by-side in silence, each struggling to process the tragic series of events. By the time that the sun was high in the sky, their spirits were lower than an ant¡¯s toes. Nick knew that he needed to do something to snap them out of it. Before their sorrow congealed into a sickness in their souls, poisoning their morale and sapping their will to carry on. As morning transitioned into noon, he wracked his brain, searching for something pleasant that could serve as a distraction, drawing them out of the past and into the present. A golden opportunity presented itself a few hours later, when Nick caught sight of a broken bridge. The remaining portion stretched halfway across one of the larger rivers running through the region. Chapter Two Hundred Ninety-One: An Abrupt Change of Pace II The side facing him was nearly intact, while the other half of the bridge was missing completely, removed from the surface of the marsh as neatly as if it had been sliced away by a surgeon¡¯s scalpel. But the shorn bridge wasn¡¯t the reason why he was so excited. The reason why a broad smile had blossomed on his face was swimming in the water below. Hundreds of fat fish the length of Nick¡¯s forearm were gliding across the clear waters, weaving their way between the pillars anchoring the stone edifice into the earth below. Otherworldly creatures with scales of amethyst and lilac, that sparkled like the facets of gems. But what really captured his attention wasn¡¯t the animals¡¯ unusual appearance, although they were undeniably remarkable, but the reaction that his foraging skill was making at the sight of the gleaming purple piscine. As he stared into the crystalline waters, Nick¡¯s skill told him that not only were the colorful creatures edible, they were absolutely delicious. ¡°Sophia, hold up.¡± He came to a stop, scanning the riverbank to make sure that nothing unpleasant was lurking around or below the waterline. ¡°What is it?¡± She fell into formation beside him, drawing her dagger in a flash. ¡°Do you sense something stalking us? I can¡¯t see anything, but your evaluate threat skill is better than mine.¡± ¡°No. Nothing like that.¡± Nick smiled as he watched her lithe movements. ¡°It¡¯s not a threat that I¡¯ve spotted, but an opportunity. The fish in the river are highly nutritious. We¡¯ve stumbled across a perfect chance to top off our stores.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s keep going,¡± she frowned, glancing up at the tower in the distance. ¡°We still have plenty of food in our bags. Besides, how would we even catch them?¡± If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. ¡°We both need a break,¡± Nick gestured toward the severed bridge. ¡°Something fun to let off a bit of the pressure we¡¯ve been under. Besides, you said that you wanted to see if my foraging skill could teach you anything useful. This is a perfect opportunity to find out why my level ten skill is going nuts at the sight of those fish. As to your other question¡­¡± he let the mystery hang in the air as he slipped off his pack and opened the flap. He reached inside and pulled out his fishing rod with a dramatic flourish. ¡°Nick¡¯s magic bag has you covered.¡± As he had hoped, the absurd performance was enough to get her to laugh. A musical chuckle, full of delight, that warmed his heart to hear. ¡°Be careful Nick." Sophia walked over to the bridge, giving in to his request with rising enthusiasm. ¡°Or I¡¯m going to expect you to always have exactly what I need in there. Where did you find all this,¡± she pointed to the line and hook that Nick was in the process of attaching to the rod. ¡°The hook came with my toolbelt, and I found the line in a dungeon back in the tutorial. The rod was one of my basic item choices the System offered after the tutorial. My travel journal and these denim coveralls were the others, since my clothes were bloodstained rags by that point.¡± ¡°Combining pants and shirt into a single item, clever. You seem to have a good eye for collecting useful items too, not just those that were handed out by the System. That pack, combined with a high foraging skill, makes you a pretty handy person to have around. Let¡¯s get on with it then. It would be a crime to let all that hard work go to waste.¡± ¡°That reminds me,¡± Nick added. ¡°I¡¯ve been recording all the knowledge point unlocks I earned back in the tutorial into my journal, along with anything else I could think of. You should look at it later and see if there¡¯s anything in there you haven¡¯t already read, then jot down any entries you unlocked that I didn¡¯t. I eventually hope to compile a System encyclopedia, then distribute it to everyone I can. The info should help people make the best decisions when spending their free attribute points and training various attributes via conditioning.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a great idea, Nick.¡± Sophia looked impressed by his ingenuity. ¡°I¡¯ll take a look through it when we camp for the night. I know about most of the terms on our profiles. We pooled our points together during my tutorial so that we wouldn¡¯t waste kp unlocking the same entry twice. But for now, let¡¯s focus on the fishing.¡± Chapter Two Hundred Ninety-Two: I’ll Drink to That I Already feeling a bit better, Nick walked over to the base of the bridge and took a long look around, searching for danger residing both in and out of the water before stepping onto the paved stone surface. At least he didn¡¯t have to watch his back, not with Sophia watching it for him. Side-by-side, they climbed the shorn structure to its terminus then sat down, dangling their legs over the edge while staring into the water below. ¡°You can take the first turn.¡± He took a grub that he had found by digging in the mud along the shore, put it on the end of the hook, and then handed the rod to Sophia. ¡°I¡¯ll stand watch and make sure that nothing nasty sneaks up on us while you¡¯re busy. I saw some blackmist in the distance, but it doesn¡¯t seem to be heading our way. Oh, and my rod didn¡¯t come with a bobber, so just tug if you feel anything take the bait.¡± ¡°I should be able to manage. I used to go on fishing trips with my father every spring until he passed away, a little over ten years ago now.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Nick said, wiping away a tear. Her words had reminded Nick of his own family, evoking a surge of mingled sorrow, worry, and hope. He knew that his parents were likely already dead, joining Angie and the other three quarters of the human race who¡¯d been exterminated the day the System came to Earth. He tried to hide his feelings so that he didn¡¯t ruin the mood, but Sophia must have heard it in his tone or saw it in his eyes. ¡°No worries,¡± she smiled at him with sympathy writ clear upon her face. ¡°Everyone alive today has lost loved ones by this point, thanks to the calculated cruelty of Taltos and the brutal indifference of the System. May they both suffer and rot. It¡¯s just so unfair.¡± For a moment, her brave fa?ade crumbled, showing all the pain and regret that she normally kept hidden below the surface. ¡°We didn¡¯t ask for any of this.¡± With a hard look in her eyes, Sophia regained her composure, flicked her wrist, and cast the line into the river. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°No. We didn¡¯t.¡± Nick felt the embers of his own fury flare. While he had chosen not to let his anger rule him, he had a score to settle with Taltos and the System too, impossible as exacting his revenge seemed in this moment. ¡°I might be just a minor character playing my role upon an infinite cosmic stage. But if I ever find a chance to thwart either of them. To make them pay for what they¡¯ve done, even in the slightest way, I¡¯ll put it all on the line. Make them regret that they chose to fuck with humanity, so they never forget what they did.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll drink to that.¡± Sophia let go of the rod with one hand and reached into her pack. To Nick¡¯s surprise, she pulled out what looked like two of those little bottles of liquor they serve on airplanes and in hotel rooms. Which turned out to be exactly what they were. ¡°My safe room was the interior of a commercial airplane,¡± she explained. ¡°It was stocked with dozens of these.¡± She tossed a bottle to Nick, who plucked it out of the air effortlessly, thanks to the improvements to his dexterity. He saw that it was filled with whisky as Sophia handed him a little bag full of peanuts. ¡°A toast,¡± she gestured and unscrewed the cap, waiting for him to follow suit before continuing. ¡°To all the people we¡¯ve lost and the ones we¡¯re fighting to protect.¡± ¡°To the Earth. The home we will reclaim for generations yet to come,¡± he added as they raised their bottles and tapped them together. They looked into each other¡¯s eyes before tossing their heads back to drain the flasks in a single shot. As the heat of liquor slid down Nick¡¯s throat and into his stomach, he stopped to appreciate just how surreal it was to be taking a shot of whisky with a beautiful woman, fishing for crystal creatures as they explored the surface of a world so far away from their own. In unison, they poured the final drops into the river in tribute, honoring the memory of the fallen. As the glow of alcohol spread throughout Nick¡¯s body for the first time in his new life, the twin drops of whisky fell, sparkling in the sunlight before plunging into the river below. The fat purple fish, which had stubbornly refused to take the bait thus far, erupted in a frenzy of motion the instant that alcohol entered their domain. They began whipping the surface of the water into froth with such intensity that for a moment, Nick thought they were under attack. Especially when Sophia suddenly lunged forward, bracing her body against his own so that she didn¡¯t fall over the edge. Chapter Two Hundred Ninety-Three: I’ll Drink to That II Sophia cackled as she fought against the weight of something massive below, bowing the rod beneath its mass. For a second, he thought that she would need his help to reel it in, finishing the rest of his peanuts in a single bite. He opened his pack to sheath his sword. Before he could put the weapon inside, she straightened her back and lifted her feet onto the bridge. Laughing all the while, she rose to her full height while reeling for all she was worth, her balance steadying now that she had her feet under her. It was a timely reminder that as much as Nick had grown, there were people out there who were far stronger than himself. That in the world of the System, size no longer correlated with raw power in the same manner he was used to. A lesson that he needed to internalize sooner rather than later if he wanted to keep his blood inside of his body. Bathed in the coppery light of a foreign sun, Sophia fought to claim her catch, careful not to let the fish pull free by letting the line go slack or snap the rod while reeling it in. It was a delicate dance of judgement and force, revealing a proficiency with the tool that Nick couldn¡¯t hope to match. Before long, her persistence was rewarded. With a great spray of droplets, a fat amethyst fish nearly as long as his arm came splashing out of the water, a cascade of rainbows gleaming in the fine droplets flung by its tail. She looked over and then handed the rod to Nick, who finished reeling their catch up and onto the bridge. Now that her hands were free, Sophia bent down and pricked the creature in the head with the tip of her dagger, injecting just enough poison to freeze its brain and kill it instantly. ¡°I think that monster is more than enough to top off our stores.¡± He started putting his gear back into his bag, mouth watering in anticipation of the meal to come. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Oh. I¡¯m sorry. You didn¡¯t get a turn. We can stay a little longer if¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. I¡¯m more than satisfied with watching you land that magnificent catch. Thank you, Sophia,¡± he turned to look her in the eye. ¡°For the drink and for¡­ well everything I suppose. It means a lot not having to go through this alone.¡± She bit off a hasty reply, sensing the depth of feeling behind his words, then nodded and stuck out her hand. ¡°You too Nick.¡± They shook hands, releasing their grip after a final squeeze. ¡°It¡¯s good to have found someone worth the risk of trusting. Now, how about we go fry this bad boy up and celebrate my world-record catch in style?¡± Sharing a smile, Nick put the fish into his pack, wondering idly if there was a safe way to use Sophia¡¯s frost venom as a form of refrigeration. After taking a last look around from their elevated vantage, they walked down the broken bridge and continued on their way, heading for the black tower looming in the distance. Late in the afternoon, as the sunlight shifted from warm copper to molten brass, they came upon a wide hilltop that was a respectable distance from the water¡¯s edge. With no better options in sight, the duo proceeded to call it a day. They went to work making camp near a cluster of bushes they could use to conceal themselves from the redfang hunters if the mist caught them. After building a fire, Nick took the enormous violet fish out of his pack and drew his dagger to carve out the guts. Taking a closer look, he was surprised to find that the scales were translucent, as if they were truly gemstones rather than flesh. They were so hard that his dagger couldn¡¯t penetrate. He had to slice the fish open using the razored edge of his sword instead. Since they were so durable, Nick decided to hold onto the scales for now. Maybe these fish were beasts after all. There wound up being more than enough fish for dinner and the following breakfast too. Well before the skewers were ready to pull from the fire, they were both drooling from the delectable odor wafting into the burnished air. They groaned in pleasure as they took their first bites of the crispy filets. Nick¡¯s foraging skill hadn¡¯t led them astray. All other thoughts faded away as a wonderous flavor broke over his palate, because the fish that Sophia had caught was absolutely fucking delicious. Chapter Two Hundred Ninety-Four: Sparring Session I Since they still had a few hours before dark, Nick was able to get in his full exercise routine, along with a lengthy round of skills training. Sophia watched his efforts with interest, occasionally taking a break from her own practice so that they could share tips and compare techniques. When he was ready to move on to drilling with his weapons, she walked over to him and said, ¡°I think we should try sparring against one another. We¡¯ll learn faster that way and it will help prepare us for fighting other people when the time comes.¡± Nick wasn¡¯t sure that it was a good idea. The idea of accidentally harming Sophia with a careless strike was a deeply frightening proposition. He wasn¡¯t nearly as worried about getting hurt himself. By now, he trusted her aim far more than his own. He voiced his doubts, and they discussed the matter at length. But in the end, she talked him into it. ¡°We aren¡¯t always going to be battling against animals and beasts, Nick. Before long, likely before we reach the top of Darkstone Tower, we¡¯re going to have to fight creatures capable of wielding various weapons. We need more experience facing off against weaponry in live combat. To get used to swinging them at something that looks human. I hope that it never comes to it, but we might have to defend ourselves against people like those bandits one day. If we aren¡¯t prepared, it could wind up being the end for us.¡± Nick knew that Sophia was right. His encounter with Greg and Shaun had already driven that point home, not to mention his desperate battle with the ratman foreman back in the tutorial dungeon. He was still inexperienced with his sword, but he knew enough to realize that the mechanics of fighting against other weapon wielders were completely different from battling beasts. If they didn¡¯t start to master them now, the consequences could be catastrophic later down the road. He set aside his reluctance and drew his sword, facing off against his partner on the hilltop, their shadows growing longer by the heartbeat as the sun made its lazy descent toward the horizon. She borrowed his arena dagger to pair with her own, since even a prick from her frost venom stinger could be deadly. Sophia took her stance and raised her weapons, squaring off against his blade with a knife in both hands. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. At that point, there was no reason to stall any longer. So, Nick shelved his reservations and took his first swing. For their first sparring session, they moved with exaggerated slowness, focusing on footwork and technique rather than landing blows and following through. Nick thought that he would have a considerable advantage due to his longer blade, but he quickly learned that it wasn¡¯t so simple. While he did have a superior reach, Sophia¡¯s fighting style was versatile and lethal up close. She had a remarkable ability to step into his attacks, ducking or deflecting his blade, then following up with a stab to his vitals with the weapon in her other hand. The downside to using two short blades was that Sophia had a hard time blocking his heavy sword, even with her considerable strength. Its momentum could drive her back and knock her off balance, especially when Nick started working in kicks and shoves too. She could deflect his attacks with greater success, but she mostly relied on dodging, making her movements easier to predict. While she could inflict flesh wounds by slicing from the boundary of her reach, to go in for a kill, she had to get in close, giving him a moment to prepare his defense. He scored a half dozen points before she started to adapt, pressing him back while searching for a way around his blade. Once she was inside his guard, Sophia was a force to be reckoned with. Her strength and unerring ability to strike for the least armored parts of his body made her a deadly fighter. He knew that it would be even harder if she were using the stinger, where a graze was enough to inject her opponent with venom. But as matters stood, they were remarkably evenly matched. They called it quits an hour later, both drenched in sweat despite keeping their movements to half speed until they were comfortable sparring with real weapons. They sat across from each other in front of the fire, eating the last of the tasty flower petals Nick had picked as a post-workout snack. ¡°That wasn¡¯t too bad, was it?¡± she asked with a grin. ¡°No. You were right, Sophia. This was a good idea, and we should make it a regular part of our routine. I wonder if it was enough to raise my sword skill.¡± On that note, he opened his profile, pleased to see that their training had paid off in more ways than one. Through use you have improved the following skills: Sword has increased from [4] to [5]. Chapter Two Hundred Ninety-Five: Sparring Session II Sophia had gained a point with her dagger skill as well. That was when Nick remembered his journal. ¡°Why don¡¯t you read through this before bed? You can check out the kp unlocks I earned in the tutorial, then add your thoughts to what I¡¯ve learned about Taltos, magic, and the System. Feel free to add anything that I haven¡¯t got in here. I hope to one day make a comprehensive guide to share with the other members of team Earth." Nodding her agreement, Sophia went to work. She started reading through the journal, occasionally nodding along or letting out a soft grunt of agreement or surprise. Eventually, she asked Nick for a nub of charcoal and added two entries to the pages, then handed the journal back to him. ¡°Thanks for sharing that. You have some interesting stuff in here, especially the parts about beasts and essence. I was able to complete the two attributes you were missing. The wording might not be exactly the same as what the System used, but it should be close. Go ahead and take the first watch if you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯m a little worn out.¡± He had a hunch that she wanted some time to herself rather than being tired, but he was happy to agree to her request. While Sophia stretched out in front of the fire, Nick opened his travel journal to peruse what she had added. Creativity Creativity is the attribute governing creation and expression. Baseline creativity can be increased by using your imagination in new and challenging ways, especially in situations with a high degree of risk. Creativity includes: Visualization: the ability to picture ideas clearly within your mind. Generativity: the ability to form novel concepts and ideas, and connect new thoughts to one another. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. Expression: the ability to translate ideas into the world. Put simply, creativity determines how easy it is to come up with new ideas, how clearly you can see them in your mind, and how well you can translate them into the world. Charisma Charisma is the attribute governing social aptitude. Baseline charisma can be increased through engaging in social interactions, taking the perspective of other people, and risky encounters with social components. Charisma includes: Empathy: the ability to read the emotions and intentions of others. To sense when someone is hiding something or lying. Influence: the ability to exert and resist psychological pressure. Allure: the ability to make one¡¯s words and actions appealing to others. Put simply, charisma determines how easily you can understand the perspective of other people, how to speak and act in an appealing matter, and how effectively you can pressure them into doing what you wish. Note, charisma is not a form of mind control, but an enhancement of your natural social skills. They made good time all the next day, only slowing down to avoid dangerous beasts, take cover from the blackmist, and scout out locations where they thought other people might be hiding. Fortunately, Nick was able to forage on the march to top off their stores, so they didn¡¯t have to worry about running out of food for a while. Near the middle of the afternoon, they crossed into a biome made up of hills with narrow streams running along the valleys strung out between them. After climbing to the top of a particularly tall hillock, the duo was able to look out over the marshlands, taking in a wide swath of terrain standing between themselves and the tower. By now, he was certain that they were only a few days away, taking into account the manner in which its immensity messed with his head. ¡°We¡¯re going to have to cross that river sometime soon,¡± Sophia pointed into the distance, where a wide waterway was reflecting the cloudy sky above. ¡°I think you¡¯re right. There doesn¡¯t seem to be any way around that big one.¡± Nick nodded his agreement. ¡°Hopefully, we can locate an intact bridge once we¡¯re down there, or a place where the water is shallow enough to ford. If we can¡¯t find either, we¡¯ll have to reexamine our options once we¡¯re able to scout out the riverbank from up close.¡± Relieved to be drawing near their destination at last, and that no global events had been triggered since they had begun traveling together, the pair started climbing down the far side of the hill with a spring in their step. They were eager to leave this stage of the quest behind them and start climbing the Tower of Rizzen. Concept Art: Chapter 286-295 Just a reminder, I completely respect that not everyone likes the inclusion/existence of AI art, so I''ve put it in it''s own chapter so that it''s easy to skip and not shown side by side with the story. If it''s not your thing, I totally understand where you are coming from. This concept art is included entirely for fun, and will never be sold or monetized in any way. It will never be as good as your imagination, so if it doesn''t fit with the version of something in your head, go with your imagination instead. Sophia Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. Crossing the bog Crumbling bridge Fishing Gemscale fish I''ll drink to that Chapter Two Hundred Ninety-Six: Down in a Hole I A few hours before sunset, Sophia and Nick came across a sandy basin running between a trio of short hillocks. Defensible terrain that was drier than anywhere else he had seen on the bog. The slopes would contain the light from their campfire, reducing the attention they drew from the denizens of the marsh that dwelled in the dark. Not to mention predators of their own kind. They had set down their packs ten minutes earlier, then went to work making camp for the night. At the moment, Sophia was surveying the surrounding terrain, making sure that nothing unfriendly was laired nearby, while Nick took care of dinner. After digging out a pit in the sandy soil, he built up a fire using dried marsh grass for kindling, then broke enough branches off a dead tree to last them through the night. When he was done piling the wood beside the firepit, he reached into his belt pouch, pulled out his flint, and struck it with the steel. He lit the fire with a bright spark then blew on it until the kindling caught. Humming to himself, Nick dug into his pack and retrieved a pair of spits he had fashioned a few nights prior, then pulled out a couple of fish Sophia had caught earlier in the day. They were tiny compared to the amethyst monster she had reeled in atop the broken bridge, but there was enough meat to make a single meal. He used his dagger to gut the carcasses and skewered the fillets, eager to get on with the grilling. He had a surprise in store when she got back, having found an edible herb a few hours prior that smelled like onions mixed with black pepper. He rubbed the leaves into the meat and then set the fish over the fire. Soon the soothing crackle of fat sizzling in the firepit filled the air, as rich drops of grease dripped down from the spits. It was a savory aroma that set Nick¡¯s mouth watering. While the fillets browned, his thoughts turned to Sophia, the woman who had become his partner, at least for this stage of the quest. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. Sophia was an excellent traveling companion, and Nick hoped that they would form a lasting friendship. She had a powerful personality and a great sense of humor, and was practical, bold, and direct. She possessed sharp instincts and quick reflexes, which complemented his tendency to extensively plan and analyze. The woman was kind and considerate as well, although her heart was guarded, surrounded by a moat of pain. But Sophia was far from naive. Her level-headed compassion was a strength rather than a liability in this new System-governed reality. Sophia held no illusions regarding the darker side of human nature, and she was willing to face the grim truths of their changing circumstances head on. While Nick hoped that he was contributing equally to their partnership, he suspected that she was both a better fighter and a better judge of character than he was right now. Nick was an excellent strategist, but she was a superior tactician. He was happy that she seemed impressed by his ingenuity and the toolkit he had been developing over time. He thought that there might be a spark of mutual attraction between them as well, but that wasn¡¯t something he would be able to explore until they had won their planet back from the Mad God. All in all, Sophia was a fantastic partner. While Nick had no idea if they would remain together after the quest to climb the tower was complete, he was more than happy to have her at his side here and now. After all, none of them knew what tomorrow would bring. What ordeals the System and the Mad God had in store for the survivors of Earth over the days to come. He still had a lot of questions about her past, but he trusted her to reveal her secrets in time, and didn¡¯t mind if she kept some parts of her story completely to herself. Nick had some skeletons in his own closet that weren¡¯t ready to see the light of day. His contemplations were interrupted when their subject returned. Just as the steaming skewers were ready to pull from the flames, Sophia¡¯s form emerged from behind the closest ridge. ¡°You¡¯re just in time, dinner is almost ready. Did you find anything out there that we need to worry about?¡± Nick raised a hand in greeting. ¡°Lots of marshland animals. Some looked dangerous, but nothing seemed overtly hostile or bestial. Most of them should go to ground before the sun sets, although I have no idea what nocturnal species live around here.¡± Chapter Two Hundred Ninety-Seven: Down in a Hole II Nick flicked his wrist and tossed a skewer at Sophia, who was still a good thirty feet away from the fire. He knew her well enough by now to trust that she could pluck it out of the air, which she did with such grace that the motion appeared effortless. He let loose a disbelieving chuckle when he realized what he¡¯d done. Both his throw and her catch would have been impossible back in his old life. It was another small reminder of just how much humanity had changed in the few short weeks since the System had descended upon them, upending their world and redefining what it meant to be human. It made him wonder how much more they would change during the days ahead. But there was plenty of time to worry about that later. Right now, it was time to eat. They both stopped to take a big bite of grilled fish, humming in satisfaction as the savory flavor broke over their palates. He swallowed, then opened his mouth to share his revelation with his companion, just as he felt a faint vibration coming from below. Whatever Nick might have said was fated to be forever lost to time. As, unfortunately, was the remainder of his dinner. Because that was the moment when the ground began to move. Within a fleeting handful of heartbeats, the shaking intensified tenfold and the sands started to buck and writhe. He rose to his feet, skewer falling unnoticed from his fingers. When it hit the ground, his grilled fish began to sink, lost from sight a bare second later. By now, the entire basin was roiling, forming heaving swells of sandy earth that reminded him of a storm-wracked sea. He didn¡¯t know if the shifting terrain signaled an impending attack, another event, or some bizarre alien weather. But he didn¡¯t need to understand what was happening to get the hell out of the way. Nick shifted his stance, struggling to keep his balance as he slid on his pack. A reflex that had become as natural as breathing. He tossed Sophia her bag, so that her items wouldn¡¯t be swallowed by the hungry soil, already scanning for the best way out of the valley. By now, the waves of sand were big enough to knock him off his feet, and he hastily leapt out of the way as they converged on his position. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. While heading for higher ground, he started sizing up the valley, looking for the source of the disturbance or anywhere that he might be able to take cover. While Nick did get a resounding ping of danger from size up, it didn¡¯t feel the same as when something was directly threatening him. The warning didn¡¯t seem to be coming from any given direction or location this time. Instead, the entire basin had suddenly become a threat. It must be a proximity triggered event, he determined, even though he had yet to see a notification appear within his view. ¡°Run,¡± Nick yelled. ¡°We need to get to solid ground.¡± Sophia had evidently come to the same conclusion. He saw her sprinting toward the ridgeline, as the surrounding sand swirled and heaved. He ran after her, fighting to maintain his balance with every step. Over the next ten seconds, they struggled to escape the valley in time. But at that point, matters took a sharp turn for the worse. When he glanced over his shoulder, he saw that a hole had opened behind him, widening by the heartbeat as it pulled the ground toward it in a ravenous tide. Faster and then faster still. Nick burned stamina, pushing his body into a greater burst of speed. Each step more difficult than the last as he fought to make headway against the widening sinkhole. For a long, adrenaline-charged moment, he thought they were going to make it. But that was as far as either of them got. Half a heartbeat later, the sinkhole tripled in size, transforming the basin into a steep ravine. The sands swirled and sucked at their boots, forming a vortex that spun them around the basin. Nick had just enough time to panic, since the sand had risen above his knees, when his balance faltered, and he came crashing to the ground. Desperate, he fought to keep his head above the flowing earth, searching for respite but finding none. Five seconds later, the floor gave out entirely and sand swallowed them whole. He saw his rising terror mirrored in Sophia¡¯s eyes before they both went under. Lungs burning despite his Survivor trait, he fought to claw his way back up to the surface, but it was a hopeless endeavor. Encased in a shell of increasing pressure and sinking depth, Nick knew only darkness, before he passed out and knew nothing at all. Chapter Two Hundred Ninety-Eight: The Flesh-Renders’ Lair I Nick awoke sometime later, his body bathed in a pale blue glow. At first, he was too muddled to remember what had happened. All he knew for certain was that his mouth was full of sandy grit, which had been shoved deep into every crevice of his body, and that he was hungry. After all, he had only had one mouthful of fish for dinner. Two bites, he corrected himself. I have a fancy bloodline trait that doubles whatever I eat. Or close enough at any rate. With that thought, Nick realized that the haze shrouding his mind was lifting. Before long, he could remember everything that had happened. He rubbed away some of the stress banded tight around his temples as the realization came crashing home that the ground had opened up and he¡¯d been swallowed by the bog. ¡°Shit.¡± He rose to his feet and spat out a mouthful of sand, his relief at being alive shifting into concern when he saw that Sophia wasn¡¯t lying beside him. Before Nick was ready to start looking for her, before he was ready to do anything, he turned his attention to the words floating in front of his face. As he had been expecting, a block of text was hovering in the periphery of his vision, waiting patiently for his perusal. While finding his partner and making sure she was safe was his primary concern, he had learned to pay close attention to the direct messages that the System sent his way. Especially out on the bog, with its proximity-and-tower-entry-initiated events. With a now familiar signaling of intent, the floating text shifted to the center of his view, and he read the words as quickly as he could. System message: Proximity-triggered event. Event, ¡®Escape the flesh-renders¡¯ lair¡¯, has begun. You have discovered a regional point of interest and have been offered the chance to participate in an optional quest. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Victory conditions: leave the lair without being detected or defeat the inhabitants for an additional reward. Primary reward will be determined based on performance. Warning: the event¡¯s danger will increase dramatically once the lair¡¯s residents take notice of your intrusion. Optional quest my ass, Nick griped. That sinkhole in our campsite wasn¡¯t an invitation that I could refuse. He was careful not to make any undue noises while he processed what was happening, taking the System¡¯s warning about stealth seriously. While the galaxy-spanning AI tried to kill him on a regular basis, it was direct and honest with its approach to doing so, unlike Taltos, who seemed to take a perverse delight in misleading his victims. Although Nick had to admit that he had yet to catch the Mad God breaking his own rules or lying outright, though his experience in dealing with the deity was thankfully rather limited. Before surveying his surroundings to discover what he had gotten himself into this time, he began palpating his body to make sure that nothing was broken. That he hadn¡¯t lost any of his gear to the sinkhole. All the tools and resources that he had collected over the course of his adventures. Nick let out a soft sigh of relief five minutes later, having discovered nothing worse than a few new bruises and a stiff neck. Better still, his pack was still on his back, and all the objects attached to his toolbelt were still in place, held secure by their straps. This belt wound up being worth its weight in gold, he gave his very first modified item a friendly pat, then turned his mind toward more serious matters. Steeling himself for a dangerous encounter rather than the night of sleep he¡¯d been looking forward to, he drew his dagger, rose to his feet, and took a long look around, trying to figure out just where in the hell he was. Nick found himself standing in a vast underground cavern, the floor of which contained equal measures of sand and bedrock. But the unusual footing wasn¡¯t the most interesting feature of the sprawling subterranean space. Every bit of exposed stone emitted a pale azure glow, which provided a decent amount of light given the sheer scale of the place. By now, his eyes had adjusted, and he was able to make out the entirety of the enclosure. He realized that the sand didn¡¯t possess the same luminescent properties as the rock, rendering the chamber¡¯s floor a molted patchwork of radiance and shadow. Oddly enough, the place felt strangely familiar. Its contours triggered memories from his old life, those lazy days filled with an endless procession of online games. He had been relying on those experiences less and less as time went on. But they still came in handy from time to time, and they had something to offer him now. Because Nick¡¯s gaming brain was telling him that this wasn¡¯t just a cavern. It was an extensive underground mine. Chapter Two Hundred Ninety-Nine: The Flesh-Renders’ Lair II Or it had been a mine at one point at any rate. When he examined the walls for confirmation of his theory, he discovered countless facets that had been gouged out of the bedrock. Marks left behind from what must have been decades of hard labor, miners chiseling away at the rock to extract¡­ whatever it was they were digging for down here. Although he was concerned for her safety, Nick resisted the urge to call out to Sophia. He couldn¡¯t afford to make too much noise and risk alerting the lair¡¯s residents to his presence. He was worried about what had happened to his traveling companion, but he was no longer afraid that she had been suffocated by the swirling vortex of sand. Since they had stumbled into an event that was sanctioned by the System, Nick trusted it not to kill her out of hand while transporting them from one environment to another. However, what happened during the event itself was an entirely different prospect. With that goal in mind, he resolved to waste as little time as possible, rather than engaging in the extensive planning he preferred. He turned his attention to the task at hand and began examining his surroundings, scanning the enclosure for any sign of his missing partner while tracing out a route that would lead him from where he stood to the lair¡¯s exit. The great cavern in which he found himself stretched on for the length of a football field. It appeared to have served as a central nexus for the abandoned mining operation. Nick ran his eyes over the decaying remnants of metal tracks, interspersed by the occasional mound of a rusted-out cart. Skeletal profiles that looked like the remains of ancient beasts. From this angle, Nick could see the entrances to at least a dozen tunnels, branching off from the network of tracks crisscrossing the chamber. And that was just what he could make out from where he stood. There were likely more passageways ringing the enclosure that were hidden from view by the contour of the cavern¡¯s wall. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. This place is huge. Hopefully I won¡¯t have to explore it all to find the way out. We need to reach the tower, and we¡¯re running out of time. He soon realized that all the infrastructure was laid out over solid bedrock, weaving around the pockets of dark sand like a series of highways connecting a cluster of islands. The tracks were set as far away from the sandpits as possible, which made him nervous for a reason he couldn¡¯t quite put his finger on yet. Not having found anything that offered a clue as to which path he should take, he began walking as quietly as he could, trying to use the uneven walls and decaying carts to break up his profile. He was hoping to make himself harder to spot to anything lurking deeper within the cavern. He instinctively avoided crossing the open sand, although size up didn¡¯t seem to think that they were any more dangerous than the rocky floor beneath his boots. But Nick was unwilling to blindly trust the skill to identify every source of danger, as helpful as it was in a wide variety of situations. His caution was in part because size up had become less reliable since leaving the tutorial behind him. He had a growing suspicion that the skill could fail to recognize certain forms of danger entirely. Possibly due to the presence of other skills and abilities designed to counter perceptual powers. He wasn¡¯t sure how the results of competing skills were determined, but he doubted that size up would work on something with a concealment skill that was significantly higher than his own. A danger sense radar jammer if you will. Not to mention, he had just been sucked into a patch of sand without prior warning and had no desire to repeat the experience. Regardless of the specifics, with size up capped at ten for now, it would become increasingly less reliable over time. On a brighter note, it seemed like the skill would always help Nick recognize certain types of danger quicker and more reliably than he would without its guidance, boosting his natural powers of perception. Creeping forward, Nick soon found himself standing in front of the first tunnel lining the walls of the cavern. It was a long, narrow straightaway that seemed to have been dug out to facilitate moving ore from one part of the mine to another. Figuring that one way was as good as another until he had more information, he stepped past the threshold and began exploring the mine, hoping to run into his partner before the flesh-renders found them. Chapter Three Hundred: Winding Tracks I Hoping that he would run into his partner before long, Nick shrugged and began following the decaying metal tracks into the tunnel ahead, avoiding stepping down on the rotten bits of wood that ran between them. With the fate of his species and home world at stake, he had no intention of delaying their journey long enough to complete the event¡¯s bonus objective. Thus, his priorities, in order of importance, were: One, identify the animal or beast inhabiting this lair so that he could begin devising appropriate countermeasures. The creatures that the System called flesh-renders. Two, find Sophia, so they would be free to leave as soon as they passed the mine¡¯s exit. And three, keep an eye out for anything valuable that he passed along the way. Even without his other concerns, Nick had no desire to risk more than he had to, just to obtain an unspecified reward. But he hoped to find something down here that made this diversion worth his time. He had learned during the tutorial that rewards beyond those offered by the System could be found in dangerous places. Valuables waiting to be claimed by those with keen eyes and a sharp mind. Not all treasure comes in chests, Nick. He smiled at the memory of the sewers of Kastilla, an adventure that already felt like a lifetime ago. While the stakes couldn¡¯t be higher and the danger was certain to escalate the moment they entered the tower, his situation wasn¡¯t all bad news. At least I¡¯m not alone anymore. And when we reach the base of the tower, there should be lots of people waiting to find a group before entering together. Nick snacked on a bit of smoked fish he had prepared the day before as he walked, washing it down with a swig from his canteen. He was immensely glad that he hadn¡¯t been separated from his pack, belt, or sword, as they collectively represented everything of value to his name, other than the clothes on his back. While scanning the path ahead for traps, enemies, and less obvious forms of danger, a part of his mind couldn¡¯t help but wonder about the people who had toiled in the mine through which he trod. It was presumably a remnant from the same civilization that had erected the ruined buildings scattered throughout the bog. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. Who were you and why are you gone? Is the story of this place a happy tale, or another tragedy wrought by Taltos and the System? At least I don¡¯t see any signs of violence. Maybe they just mined out the deposit and moved on, long before the new residents moved in. Keeping his movements as quiet as he could, Nick gripped his dagger in one hand and the wand in the other, leaving his sword in his pack for now. The long blade required considerable room to swing at full force, and the prospect of hitting the wall or ceiling made the heavy weapon more of a liability than a reassurance in such a confined environment. Unlike Sophia, Nick preferred to fight with his dagger only as a last resort, but these narrow passageways were a perfect place to deploy his wand. The rocky walls would help to contain and transmit the force of the blast, so dodging the wand would be next to impossible. Thus, he wasn¡¯t too worried about running into solitary beasts down here, not while his wand still held charges and he had enough mana to power his spells. As long as the System had offered him a challenge appropriate for his level, he thought that he could handle anything short of the lair¡¯s boss without needing Sophia¡¯s assistance. At least that¡¯s what he told himself as he followed the tracks stretching out into the distance, his path outlined by the faint blue glow shining from the walls. Eventually, the passage that he was exploring came to an end, opening into a long gallery that was wide enough for several sets of tracks to run side-by-side. The ceiling was perhaps half as high as the cavern that Nick had left behind, and the walls were riddled with circular shafts that were large enough to ride a horse through. Before proceeding any further, he came to a stop, put his ear against the wall, and listened as closely as he could. Nick kept his breathing slow and deep, straining his ears to hear anything moving within the chamber ahead, or vibrations transmitting through the rock. When he was satisfied that nothing was nearby, he drew in a long breath through his nose, sifting the air for the odors of blood, shit, rotting meat, or anything else that would indicate he was drawing close to the flesh-renders¡¯ lair. He had no idea what manner of beasts called the abandoned mine home. Judging from the name and the fact that the System had warned him against attracting their attention, he was certain that running into them wouldn¡¯t lead to a good time. Chapter Three Hundred One: Winding Tracks II When nothing but the earthy scents of soil and rock greeted his nostrils, he decided that the coast was clear. He walked deeper into the chamber and stuck his head into the closest opening in the bedrock, immensely glad that he was able to see, thanks to the blue glow shining from the stone surfaces. He wouldn¡¯t have to waste time crafting a makeshift torch, and he wouldn¡¯t have to worry about the light giving his position away. Nick had enough on his plate already. Instead of running relatively straight like the track-covered tunnels he had seen thus far, the warren of cylindrical shafts was chaotically crooked. The bore holes wove from side-to-side seemingly at random. Meandering, merging, and splitting with no rhyme or reason that Nick could discern until it finally clicked, and he realized what he was looking at. These openings were dug out by some manner of mining machinery. The pattern was formed by the miners following the seam of ore, or whatever mineral or metal they were digging for down here. Given the sheer scale and winding nature of the burrows, Nick quickly decided that he wasn¡¯t going to explore the endless network of shafts without a compelling reason. It would take days to poke through them all, and it would be easy to get lost once he was inside. Besides, there wasn¡¯t any indication that they went anywhere of note to begin with. Instead of wasting time that he didn¡¯t have, he started walking toward the far end of the oblong enclosure, the ambient light shining from the walls casting the world in turquoise radiance. The color made him feel like he was walking along the bottom of a tropical lagoon. Once he had traveled far enough to inspect the far end of the chamber, he decided to move on as quickly as he could. Being here made him nervous. The cavern had far too many points of entry to watch them all at once. Far too many places where something nasty could be waiting in ambush. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. On making this realization, his heart began to race, as Nick¡¯s imagination was unleashed in full force. He was unable to stop himself from picturing hordes of horrors spilling out from the honeycombed bedrock and drowning him in a tide of bladed limbs, each more terrible than the last. He knew that it was just his brain processing the presence of the unknown beasts that had made the mine their lair, rather than any indication of a tangible threat. But it still left him jumping at every shifting shadow or unknown noise. He tried to summon his arctic clarity, but the strange state of focus refused to materialize. He had noticed that it came to him most reliably when his life was on the line and was far more mercurial under other circumstances. No worries. I¡¯ll just have to deal with my fear the old-fashioned way. He crept forward on his tiptoes, barely daring to breathe, deciding that while he generally enjoyed the effects of his enhanced creativity, a powerful imagination had a few downsides as well. Thanks to his turbocharged anticipation, Nick nearly gave himself a heart attack after passing by a bulky protrusion jutting out from the stone wall on his right. When the wall opened after passing by the other side, he found himself staring at a massive shadow that was coiled along the side of the cavern. While his body entered fight or flight mode, ready to kill or run, adrenaline singing in his blood, the clinical part of his brain was busy analyzing what he had uncovered. Which was why he stopped dead in his tracks, halfway through turning around to sprint to safety. Dagger and wand held before him, Nick let out a silent chuckle at his own antics, then turned to take a closer look at what he had found. Instead of a massive shadow belonging to monster, man, or beast, he found himself staring up at some manner of machine. By itself, this was no reason to lower his guard. While he had yet to meet a mechanical device that wanted to kill him since starting his new life in the System, he had a hunch that it was only a matter of time. The reason that Nick felt a visceral surge of relief regardless was because this machine was ancient, inert, and so worn down that even if it suddenly sprang to life, it would fall to pieces within a matter of moments. Chapter Three Hundred Two: Lucky Find I Despite the seriousness of his situation, Nick decided to stop for a few minutes to take a closer look. In addition to being a prime spot to find a tool or other useful object, this was the first artifact of another civilization that he had seen with his own eyes. Not counting the random bits of garbage or decaying architecture that he had encountered thus far. The body of the machine was cast from a pitted black metal that he couldn¡¯t even begin to identify. Jutting out from a barrel shaped body as wide as two bulls standing shoulder-to-shoulder was a pair of long arms that ran parallel with the ground, like a person bent forward in an asana. Connected to the end of each arm was a massive, adjustable drill. They had been hard to identify at first, because the drills¡¯ bits and blades were so worn that they were smooth to the touch and nearly flat. They had clearly dug their last tunnel long ago and had been abandoned when the mining operation was shut down for good. It was propelled by a pair of massive metal treads, textured to provide traction when navigating a grade. While part of him wanted to figure out how the machine worked, the practical piece of his brain informed him that there wasn¡¯t enough time. Instead, he started searching for the control panel, which he thought might be inside a rounded section near the rear of the treads. He wasn¡¯t sure what kind of tools were used to maintain the bulky device, but he was curious to find out. He made a slow circuit around the decrepit behemoth, scanning its surfaces as he went. But try as he might, Nick found no point of entry that allowed him to access the inside. It must be piloted remotely or controlled by some other means beyond my understanding. I haven¡¯t come across many utility abilities yet, but there must be many that are used in labor, crafting, and other situations beyond combat and general survival. Maybe when we manage to win back the Earth, people will be able to assume roles that don¡¯t center around battle and magic will become a part of everyday life. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. Despite striking out on uncovering the controls, he was eventually able to work his way into a pair of cylindrical chambers. They were designed to separate the desired ore from the rest of the bedrock the drills bit off as they dug. Perhaps if he was lucky, there might still be a few pieces of something valuable inside. When Nick ducked below one arm and stuck his head inside the chamber, he found nothing but decades worth of dust residing within. Of course, they finished processing the last shipment before shutting the device down. Disappointed, he turned to leave¡­ then went to examine the other cylinder just in case. At first glance, the ancient storage drum looked just as empty as its twin. But then he noticed a faint yellow glow shining from the far corner of the receptacle. He reached inside, felt around, and pulled out a stone the size of his fist, which seemed to be formed from the same material as the surrounding bedrock. When Nick turned the deposit over, he felt it rattle, catching another glimpse of gold shining through a crack in the surface. It reminds me of a geode, he mused. Not really expecting it to work, he twisted the rock between his hands while pulling from both sides, trying to open it up to see what was trapped inside. To his surprise, the stone broke open cleanly, revealing a cavity hidden within the glowing teal rock. Golden light washed over Nick¡¯s smiling face. Resting within the recess was a bar of lemon-yellow metal the size of his thumb, its light bright compared to the dim glow suffusing the mine. With any luck, it would wind up being precious, given how much effort the miners had gone through to dig the stuff up. After sizing the mineral up, in case it was radioactive or dangerous in general, he was ready to leave. Well look at that, Nick grinned as he put the blue-green rock shards that had encased the metal into his pack. I found a fantasy-style glowstick. If it shines this brightly forever, I might have solved my light source issue. I won¡¯t need to carry a torch ever again. It¡¯s time to find Sophia and get the hell out of here. Chapter Three Hundred Three: Lucky Find II He found space in one of his belt pouches for his fancy new light, already working out how he might convert the luminescent metal into a proper lantern. Maybe I can mount it to one of my beltloops, so I can leave both hands free while I explore. Now that Nick knew more about the mine¡¯s purpose, he had a better idea where he might find the exit. Part of this network must follow the seam of ore that the miners were excavating. It seems likely that all the narrow tunnels with tracks lead to places like this enclosure, so I can cross the others I saw off the list. There¡¯s probably a large ore separator or refinery somewhere down here, in addition to the mining tunnels, but what I really need to find is the loading dock. The place where shipments went out and people came in. It should have an exit leading back to the surface of the bog. Armed with the beginnings of a plan, Nick doubled back and walked out the way he had come, ready to explore the wider passages he had seen earlier. He quickly retraced his steps, entering the yawning cavern and its nexus of cart tracks, gazing out over the mingled bands of bedrock and soft sand. Before picking a path from a smaller range of possibilities, he walked out onto the first luminescent island of stone and took a long look around. After careful consideration, he narrowed his choices down to two, equally likely candidates for the mine¡¯s exit. Each of the paths sloped gently upward. He decided to start with the one on his left, as it was a bit wider than the other. His destination determined, he started working out the best route to get there, which would require crossing the length of the sprawling cavern. It was the same process that he had developed when picking out a path between the mirror ponds in the bog above. He wanted to keep solid ground beneath his boots, having been swallowed by the sand once already. He charted a course that would take him across the thickest bands of bedrock and crept his way forward. Nick was intensely aware that this abandoned mine was now home to something dangerous. He used every bit of stealth at his disposal to muffle the sound of his steps, grateful for the aid of his charm. That he had put so much effort into learning the basics of stealth back on the Searing Isle, an exercise that had already paid off countless times since. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! He was careful to keep his breathing slow and deep. Not to kick up any loose rocks or grind his boots against random sprinkles of sand. Now that he had room to swing the weapon, he sheathed his dagger and took his sword out of his backpack, feeling a bit safer with the heavy weapon leading the way. As he progressed from island to island, Nick diligently scanned the ground in front of him, sizing up everything that he came across. Although this required the lion¡¯s share of his attention, a part of him couldn¡¯t help but wonder what stories these ruins would tell if they were given a voice. Tales of the miners who had toiled beneath the bog and the lives they had led. He found that he wanted to know more about their hopes and their dreams. Their causes and countries. Loves and losses. It made him wonder if there were scared aliens walking through the wreckage of his civilization at this very moment. What Taltos and the System had planned for them all. His musings ended abruptly when he approached a narrow strip of solid stone running between two massive pools of sand, glowing like a highway stretching over a dark and hungry ocean. In addition to bringing him closer to the sand than at any other point in his journey, something about the spot made the hairs on Nick¡¯s neck rise and stand on end. His heart rate accelerated, and his adrenaline started to flow. But size up couldn¡¯t pinpoint a specific source of danger, and his eyes and ears weren¡¯t any more successful at sussing out an imminent threat. Raising his sword before him like a talisman to ward off evil, he crept across the isthmus of bedrock, on guard against anything striking from the sand. He thought that he heard a few faint scratches from time to time, but every time he stopped to look, he found nothing out of the ordinary. In defiance of his instincts, Nick reached the far end of the land bridge safe and sound, encountering nothing more menacing than his own shadow along the way. He shrugged and returned his attention to the ground ahead, relieved to discover that the path was wide and straight. Puzzled as to what had come over him, Nick took one last glance over his shoulder¡­ just in time to spot a pair of razored mandibles the size of his forearms closing around his neck. Chapter Three Hundred Four: Close Shave I Nick lurched back while whipping his head to one side, pulling his throat out of reach of a lethal bite at the last possible moment. He felt blood running down his neck from a pair of fresh cuts, as the beast¡¯s jaws snapped shut with the clack of chitin striking chitin. He made a clumsy leap to open more space, spinning to face his ambusher as he brought his blade to bear, the grit of sand grinding beneath his toes. A glossy black body as thick as his waist undulated near the boundary of the bedrock, emerging from the sandpit like a sea serpent rising from the deep. A set of multifaceted eyes stared back into his own, pitiless orbs reflecting the cavern¡¯s ambient glow. He backpedaled as the beast regarded him in turn. Nick took advantage of the opportunity to figure out what he was dealing with before the giant bug came at him again. It was clear at a glance that it was one of the flesh-renders mentioned in the event¡¯s description, since the beast¡¯s hulking mandibles clearly fit the bill. Not to mention the double row of razored claws running all the way down the length of its body. He was confused for a handful of heartbeats, but then the various components resolved themselves into something that he recognized. In that horrifying moment of clarity, Nick realized that he was squaring off against the top half of some manner of giant centipede. Its shiny black body was covered in wedge-shaped plates of chitin, segmenting its rippling coils with a layer of interlocking armor. He decided that he was in trouble as he took in the sight of countless grasping limbs, any of which were more than capable of flaying the flesh from his bones, each tipped with a bladed black barb. In short, the beast¡¯s entire body was a weapon. The flesh-render¡¯s mandibles looked thick enough to block his sword, and it was sure to be strong given it size. He had already learned that it was lightning fast, at least when the centipede was in position to whip its head down from a stable anchor. Nick didn¡¯t need a skill to know that the bladed beast was bad news. Although he was pleased to learn that size up gave him even odds of surviving a straightforward exchange of blows. Not that he had any intention of fighting in such a risky manner. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. On a slightly more promising note, the skill didn¡¯t sense any hidden abilities. The beast¡¯s danger came from the obvious threats posed by its powerful body and extensive natural weaponry. Nick would have ignored the System message that popped up half a heartbeat later, if it hadn¡¯t been so short that he could absorb it at a glance. Event update: Your presence has been detected by a juvenile flesh-render. Optional objective: defeat the beast before it informs the matriarch of your presence. ¡°Well,¡± he sighed. ¡°Shit.¡± Of course, there¡¯s an even bigger one. There¡¯s no time for complaints, Nick. You need a battle plan ASAP. Step one: make it mad enough that it wants to kill you instead of running to mommy. Step two: survive step one. Nick wanted to weigh his options, decide which of his spells or tools was the best fit for the battle to come. But on this occasion, he wasn¡¯t given much time to decide. The centipede that the System called a flesh-render, chose that moment to start sinking into the ground. Pulling its glossy body down into the sand, where it would be impervious to anything he could do from the surface. Making a bad situation worse, instead of needing to turn and dig, the beast slipped into the sand like it was water, the rate revealing that some manner of magic was involved in the process. Nick darted forward, shifting his sword into his right hand while drawing his wand with his left. Thanks to a combination of increasing his dexterity, raising his wand skill, and diligent daily practice, the maneuver had become smooth and simple, almost as natural as breathing. He only had time to make a single play before the beast disappeared, and he was gambling that his wand was the right tool for the job. It was the only thing he could think of that would stop the centipede from burrowing away and rousing the hive. Since the sandpits didn¡¯t seem to be continuous, the wand was unlikely to attract more attention. It was relatively quiet when it wasn¡¯t smashing objects together and if the beasts had been able to sense vibrations from anywhere inside the mine, the rest would have found him already. Just in case, I should get out of here fast when I finish dealing with this one. All this passed through his mind as he raced forward, desperate to stop the render before it was too late. Nick leapt and landed on his knees, sliding to a stop near the edge of the pit. Mouthing a silent prayer, he pressed the end of his wand against the sea of grains, then fired. Chapter Three Hundred Five: Close Shave II Conducting through the stone beneath his knees, Nick felt it when the wand shifted the sand below. While the force of the blast was nothing compared to the weight of the countless tons of sand, it was sufficient to compress the swath directly in front of him. The wand packed the grains tightly together, like they were caught in the grip of a playful giant, momentarily trapping the beast, and stopping it from digging any deeper. It hissed and began to writhe, trying to submerge itself. But the surrounding sand was significantly more solid than it had been mere moments ago, and the beast could only move at a fraction of its prior speed, buying him a few more seconds to pull off his next move. With no time left to entertain doubts, he hopped back onto his feet and charged, running out onto the sandpit while summoning a mana dart. Being able to cast on the move was a product of all the practice he¡¯d put in since learning the spell. While he continued closing the distance, Nick visualized his trajectory and gathered his will. A heartbeat after the metallic missile popped into existence, he fired. He lined up his shot so the dart would strike the render¡¯s head before it was swallowed by the sands, since the beast was already submerging itself once more. Fortunately for Nick, his aim was true. Instead of being deflected to one side, like when it had struck the spear-tongue¡¯s armor, the mana dart sank into the centipede¡¯s chitin and discharged into the brain below. He wasn¡¯t sure if headshots magnified the pain inflicted by his spell, or if the beast was particularly sensitive to this manner of magic. Either way, the attack wound up being more effective than he anticipated. Because half a heartbeat later, the flesh-render went completely fucking berserk. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. The beast undulated in fury-saturated agony, its array of blade-arms striking out at random. The thrashing motion pulled its submerged half out of the sand. The centipede curled in on itself until it was a tightly wound, armor-plated ball. Sensing an opportunity to end the fight here and now, Nick focused his will and started casting piercing ray. Before he could finish the spell, the maddened flesh-render recovered from its shock. Its head whipped around to face him, cold murder gleaming in its beady black eyes. The way that the beast¡¯s body was poised sent alarm bells ringing inside his head. Acting on instinct, he canceled the spell and dove to one side¡­ just as the twelve-foot centipede launched itself like a coiled spring. He barely avoided taking a pair of razored mandibles to his face, hopping back to create more room to maneuver. It didn¡¯t just try to cut me with its blades, it was planning to land right on top of me. If it manages to clamp onto me with all those legs, I¡¯m dead. Not that getting bitten sounds like a ton of fun either. Nick skidded to a stop, kicking up a shower of grains, gaze locked onto his opponent to anticipate its next move. At least it¡¯s off the sand and isn¡¯t trying to run anymore. It doesn¡¯t seem afraid of me, despite taking several blows. Maybe it can sense that my darts aren¡¯t powerful enough to finish it off, and that the wand won¡¯t hit nearly as hard without a medium to conduct the force. That was all the time for analysis he was given. As he slipped his wand back into its holster, the centipede lifted half of its body into the air and brought its head whipping around low, trying to cut his legs off at the knee. Nick resisted the impulse to block with his sword. With its superior mass, the beast could easily knock the blade aside or send him tumbling to the ground, then start stabbing with hundreds of spike-tipped limbs. Instead of blocking, he leapt straight up while bending his knees, lifting his feet out of the line of fire. He felt the air stir as the centipede passed below his boots, but he wasn¡¯t out of the woods yet. The beast resumed its assault half a heartbeat after its attack failed to connect, the clatter of its mandibles clacking shut as sharp as a rifle shot. Still only halfway through his leap, Nick nearly had his legs swept out from under him as the centipede brought its body back around for a second pass. Concept Art: Chapter 286-295 Just a reminder, I completely respect that not everyone likes the inclusion/existence of AI art, so I''ve put it in it''s own chapter so that it''s easy to skip and not shown side by side with the story. If it''s not your thing, I totally understand where you are coming from. This concept art is included entirely for fun, and will never be sold or monetized in any way. It will never be as good as your imagination, so if it doesn''t fit with the version of something in your head, go with your imagination instead. The dinner that never was Sinkhole Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! Nick is not happy Abandoned mine Boring machine Lucky find Juvenile Flesh-render Chapter Three Hundred Six: Whump I Thanks to Nick¡¯s heavy investment into dexterity, he was able to pull off something fancy. He landed lightly on the beast¡¯s head then disengaged with a backflip as it rose. While the maneuver was one of the more badass feats he had accomplished, the landing placed him squarely inside the bug¡¯s strike zone, staring up at the jagged hooks jutting from its mandibles. The centipede lunged as he lashed out with his blade, the sword¡¯s edge catching one side of the streaking lengths of chitin. It was obvious that the beast expected to effortlessly block the strike, then end Nick when it moved to counterattack, but that was not what happened. Instead, the mysterious weapon bit deep into the bug¡¯s natural armor. It might have sheared the appendage off completely if the creature hadn¡¯t managed to arrest its momentum and pull back at that point, mitigating the damage in an impressive display of agility. The sword is definitely getting sharper as it regenerates the missing pieces. The render skittered back to evaluate its injury, hissing in pain as spews of hot ichor dripped onto the stone below. They painted the rock with faintly glowing splatters that reminded Nick of a blacklight reaction. Although he had failed to land a critical blow, he wasn¡¯t about to let the opening go to waste. He advanced to keep the beast within his reach then reversed his grip, borrowing momentum from his charge to send the sword whipping around in a high arc. He gathered his strength and sent the weapon streaking back down, aiming for the same mandible that he had already wounded. As he expected, the centipede turned its head to track the blade. Before the sword landed, the beast pulled its head out of the way¡­ which would have caused him to miss if that had been his true target. But Nick had been counting on this exact outcome, and the abrupt motion left the bug¡¯s flank wide open. He continued guiding the powerful swing, bringing the sword down to follow the contour of the beast¡¯s body. He sheared through a dozen bladed limbs in the process, which fell to the floor in a twitching, ichor-coated heap. Now the centipede was seriously injured, causing it to reevaluate the threat that Nick posed. The beast hissed and tried to retreat, the motion rendered clumsy from the missing appendages and the blinding pain of its wounds. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. He had done well to make it to this point, but he still had a serious problem on his hands. After his latest attack, Nick had finished judging his ability to penetrate the beast¡¯s chitin plates. Although his sword had proven to be more effective than he¡¯d anticipated, he couldn¡¯t swing it hard enough to shear through the thick shell protecting its body. While he could wound the creature with his weapon if he struck its mouth or legs, Nick had no way to dish out enough damage to end the fight quickly. Though he had managed to remove several limbs, the beast still had hundreds more. On the other side of the equation, one good slash would be enough to take him out of the fight. Once the centipede realized his limitation, it could easily escape into the sandpit or overwhelm Nick by rushing straight at him and binding his movements with its legs. But he had no intention of letting the fight drag on long enough for either of those things to happen. While those thoughts passed through his head and his opponent recovered from the shock of its wounds, he had already begun casting piercing ray while drawing the wand from his belt. The beast reacted the instant that Nick started pulling mana into the spell. It was clear by this point that it could sense what he was up to. The big bug seemed to intuit that he was nearly helpless during the ten seconds it took to cast piercing ray. Which was why the beast came charging straight for him, intending to end the fight before he could pull his ace out of his sleeve. Fortunately for Nick and the integrity of his organs, the giant centipede was operating under a slight misconception. While it was true that Nick was nearly helpless while casting, as forming the spell required most of his attention, the flesh-render would soon learn that there is a vast chasm lying between nearly and totally helpless. A lightless depth into which the creature would momentarily fall. As the beast¡¯s momentum carried its body forward, mandibles rising to disembowel Nick from stomach to sternum, he brought his wand to bear and fired. He activated the magical instrument from point-blank range, pointed straight at the top of the creature¡¯s head. With a whump that he could feel in his bones, the wand discharged, arresting the beast¡¯s momentum in the blink of an eye. Its armored head was blown straight down, slamming into the bedrock with a sickening thud. Its face impacted the rocky surface so hard that it bounced back up, sending an undulating ripple down the length of its segmented body. Perfect. Now to finish the job. Chapter Three Hundred Seven: Whump II He was certain that he had only stunned the beast for a moment, rather than inflicting any lasting damage. Fortunately for Nick and his unborn children, a moment was all that he needed. His wand had bought him all the time that he needed, and his opponent was too dazed to dodge. Half a heartbeat later, his spell was ready to cast. ¡°Piercing ray,¡± he intoned, taking aim as a churning ball of force congealed in the space between his hands. He visualized his trajectory while dense bands of kinetic energy swirled inside the spherical field, like a raging vortex locked inside of a child¡¯s snow globe. Nick willed the ray to fire before his opponent had time to recover. Faster than thought, a thin beam of force mana lanced out from the spinning mass of magic. The whirling white drill bit came streaking out from the surface of the sphere to land on target. Touching down at a point right between the bug¡¯s beady black eyes. In the second and a half that it took for the centipede to regain its wits and comprehend that its life was in imminent jeopardy, the ray expanded from the width of a pencil to as fat as Nick¡¯s thumb. The ball in his hands rapidly dwindled, as the spell¡¯s mana transferred additional energy into the rotating bit capping the end of the ray, causing it to spin faster and faster as the pressure behind it grew. Please. Let this be enough to finish the fight, Nick prayed to anyone who might be listening. He had already used far too many of his limited tools and abilities. If he was forced to burn through more, he would be seriously fucked if he was drawn into subsequent battles, an eventuality that seemed inevitable by this point. He watched as his spell began to scratch the bug¡¯s dense natural armor, as the magic in his hands shrank from the size of a basketball to that of a tennis ball. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. Over the next three seconds, Nick¡¯s piercing ray battled to break through his opponent¡¯s carapace. He was growing more nervous by the heartbeat, adrenaline churning in his veins. The spell was about to run out of juice, and it had yet to penetrate the thick plating covering the surface of the beast. By this point, he could tell that it was going to be close. Thick slices of chitin were falling to the ground as the spell reached its full power, boring into the centipede like a great, ghostly drill. But the ball of mana in Nick¡¯s hand was no larger than a walnut, and the rapidly rotating ray only lasted for a heartbeat longer before its power was expended. But in half that time, it broke through the creature¡¯s exoskeleton. No longer restrained, Nick¡¯s spell surged forth in a flash. The ray bored straight through the beast¡¯s body lengthwise, drilling a hole the size of a quarter all the way along its abdomen before emerging out the other side in a thick spew of ichor. Shaking with exertion, he sank to one knee. His thoughts were muddled, and a wave of dizziness broke over him. Nick didn¡¯t have time to rest and recover, and he forced himself back onto his feet. The fight wasn¡¯t over just because he was ready for a time out. He pushed through his disorientation, raising his blade while preparing himself for round two. But when he saw the extent of the beast¡¯s wounds, he was able to relax at last. It¡¯s already dead. It just hasn¡¯t quite realized it yet. He opened some space just in case, leaning his back against the cavern¡¯s wall for support. Nick stared out over the shadowed sands, straining his senses to detect any sign that more flesh-renders were on the way. Meanwhile, the stricken beast writhed in agony as its bodily fluids pumped out onto the bedrock, splatters of bioluminescent ichor adding splotches of purple to the stone¡¯s teal glow. He was worried that the creature might have some kind of final ability, triggered by its imminent demise. It was a convention common in the games he had played all his life, and he expected to run into something similar sooner or later. But not today. As it happened, the big bug boasted no such ability. It finished dying a few seconds later, curling in on itself then going still after a final twitch of its limbs. Nick let out a weary sigh and lowered his body to the ground, bathed in the cavern¡¯s azure glow. Chapter Three Hundred Eight: Fleeting Sunlight I Nick sat down to recover from the brutal, exhausting melee, listening for any sounds that would indicate another desperate battle would soon begin. A fight that he couldn¡¯t afford in his present state. He pressed his body into a crevice in the wall, making himself as small and still as he could while he waited to see what would happen. He was prepared to quaff his elixir if another flesh-render reared its ugly head, but he wanted to save it for an emergency if he could. There was a chance that Sophia was injured, and he needed to make sure that his partner was ok before he used his only source of healing. Nick stared out into the distance, with one hand gripping the hilt of his sword and the other holding his wand, straining his ears for the sound of chitin-covered feet skittering across the stone floor. To his relief, nothing arrived on scene. It seemed that he¡¯d avoided alerting the matriarch to his intrusion, at least for now. He looked down at the force-flinging tool, hoping to see more gems lit up, then frowned. Unfortunately, defeating the beast hadn¡¯t recharged the fickle device. I need to figure out how to power my wand reliably, but there¡¯s no time to worry about it now. With a growl of frustration, Nick rose back onto his feet and continued on his way, heading for the path leading up, and hopefully out of the infested mining complex. He unclenched his jaw and let out a breath he hadn¡¯t realized he was holding, leaving the sandpits behind him as he approached the far wall of the cavern. Whatever awaited him ahead, at least he would be able to see it coming. Nick kept walking with his sword held before him, ears straining to pierce the ominous silence. The tunnel gradually widened as the grade grew steeper, which he took to be a promising sign. Before long, other branches began opening along both sides of the corridor. He stuck his head inside each, listening for a few minutes before pressing on, searching for any sign of Sophia or indications that more flesh-renders were lurking nearby. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Not long after, Nick came to a stop, having spotted something interesting ahead. He ran his gaze across the room that the tunnel opened into, a chamber where the tracks came to an end in front of some sort of shaft. He took in the remnants of a decaying conveyer belt and what appeared to be the frame of an elevator inside. It must have been used to lift ore from the carts and haul it up to the surface. Suspecting that he was finally getting close to the mine¡¯s entrance, he began following the only other tunnel branching off from the chamber, which inclined steeply as it wound its way up toward the level of the bog. Before long, he realized that the light had begun to change. Huh. That rock is glowing a different color than the rest. No, wait. That¡¯s sunlight! Nick felt a visceral surge of relief as he crossed the final stretch of passageway and stepped into daylight. He raised one hand to shield his eyes from the blinding swath of blue sky above, until they had time to adjust to the brighter environment. That was a lot easier than I feared, and I didn¡¯t run into the matriarch along the way. When Nick was able to peer into the distance, he started scanning his surroundings, searching for any trace of Sophia or predatory beasts nearby. Taking in the lay of the land, he realized that he was standing on a hillside, looking down at a part of the bog that he didn¡¯t recognize. This wasn¡¯t too surprising, as he¡¯d only crossed a fraction of the marsh. Any given stretch of the biome looked the same to his untrained eye. That was when he realized that he hadn¡¯t seen a message confirming that the quest was complete, even though he had stepped beyond the boundary of the mine. It was an ominous sign, but maybe the System was waiting for them to find each other first. ¡°Sophia,¡± he called, raising his voice in the hope that she¡¯d already made her way out of the lair. With any luck, his partner was waiting for him to arrive, having found an alternate route to the surface. As Nick completed an increasingly frantic and ultimately futile search, a ball of leaden dread formed within the pit of his stomach. A foreboding that proved itself to be a genuine premonition twenty seconds later. That was when he heard a faint, frantic voice emanating from the passage behind him. It was Sophia, calling out for help. As little as Nick wanted to return to the deadly underground lair, he didn¡¯t hesitate for a heartbeat. Leaving his friend behind never even crossed his mind. Chapter Three Hundred Nine: Fleeting Sunlight II He bid farewell to the sun-kissed terrain while holding the lump of metal he¡¯d found inside the machine. The golden glow revealed the path to eyes newly reacquainted with the world of light. He pressed his body into a burst of speed, racing deeper into the darkness ahead, sprinting toward her voice with everything that he had. Nick raced down the blue stone passageway, following the sound of Sophia¡¯s voice. Her cries were accompanied by the rap of boot leather striking stone and the rhythmic pounding of his heart. Although he¡¯d hoped to escape the event without getting into another fight, he found himself heading back underground. Into the heart of the flesh-renders¡¯ lair, ready to face overwhelming danger once again. He burned some stamina, forcing his body to sprint faster still. He knew that her situation must be dire, filling his chest with molten dread. Sophia wouldn¡¯t risk crying out, revealing her position to every beast living in the mine, if her life wasn¡¯t in imminent peril. He had to make it to her side before it was too late. Nick tried to concentrate on the path ahead, but he couldn¡¯t stop images of her plight from dancing across his mind. Her lifeless body, bleeding into the sand. With a surge of will, he summoned his arctic clarity. Frigid focus answered his call, battling with electric adrenaline and a rising sense of dread. It wasn¡¯t enough to erase his fear completely, but it helped Nick shut out all such distractions and turn his mind to the task at hand. He needed to prepare himself as best he could in the little time he had. Worst case scenario, she ran into the matriarch already. If it backed her into a corner, my priority is to distract the beast long enough to help her escape. Then we can make a break for the surface. Straining his ears to filter out the sound of his own movements, he skidded to a stop after shooting past a passageway on his left. He held his breath long enough to reorient on his partner¡¯s voice, turned back, then darted down the steep and winding passageway, which felt more like a shaft than a proper tunnel. Every step carried him deeper into the bowels of planet Drezen. Where a lethal threat was waiting with open jaws. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Five breathless minutes later, Nick heard Sophia¡¯s voice rise in pitch and abruptly cut off, just as he burst into a narrow chamber that was home to a three-way junction. He danced from one foot to the other, consumed by the need to rush to her aid, but unable to tell which way he should turn. Waiting was pure torture, but he knew it was his best chance of arriving in time. If he darted down the wrong passage, he would never find her down here. With the aid of his arctic clarity, he ruthlessly suppressed the urge to panic. Banished visions of his friend, besieged and mortally wounded, from the theater of his mind¡¯s eye to a dark corner of his subconscious. The frigid fountain of focus soothed his raging emotions, and Nick did everything he could to hasten the process. If he wanted to help Sophia, he had to keep a level head. Freaking out would only make things worse. A few minutes later, he still hadn¡¯t heard anything. He reluctantly came to the decision that unless he heard her call out again, he was going to have to choose a branch at random and pray that luck was on their side. Half a heartbeat before Nick entered the opening on his left, he heard the clamor of battle echoing up from the passage on his right. Not a voice, but the sound of something heavy scraping against the bedrock. He took off at a dead sprint, following the fading echoes deeper into the mine. He put his new light back into his pouch. By now, his eyes had adjusted enough for him to make his way through the turquoise gloom unaided. He prayed that this tunnel was a straight shot, leading to wherever his partner was holed up. The last intersection had cost him far too many precious seconds. In this one small manner, fortune chose to smile upon the pair. Less than two minutes later, Nick burst free from the narrow confines of the passage and stepped into the largest underground space that he¡¯d ever seen. An enclosure the size of an Olympic stadium met his probing gaze. With no time to admire the view, he pulled out his spyglass and started scanning the area as quickly as he could, cataloging only those details that had tactical significance and filtering out the rest. Chapter Three Hundred Ten: Summoner Under Siege I In the center of the cavern was a vast pit of sand. An imposing bay of black, contrasted against the glow of the surrounding bedrock. The dark stretch of grains was a bit bigger than a football field. Nick didn¡¯t need size up to know that crossing it was a terrible idea, not with the rest of the flesh-render hive somewhere down here. Fortunately, there was a way around the obstruction. Ringing the dark sea of sand was a rim of solid stone. A ring of raw rock the size of a two-lane highway, wide enough for three sets of minecarts to run side-by-side. A quick survey told him that Sophia wasn¡¯t anywhere along the sides of the enclosure. Praying that she wasn¡¯t trapped on the shadow-ridden stretch of sand, Nick turned his attention to the far side of the cavern. There, to his relief and dismay, he caught sight of his companion at last. Her form was obscured by a double wall of minecarts, one row standing behind a second that had been turned onto their sides. Behind her back loomed a massive machine. An endless tapestry of gears, pipework, and less identifiable bits of metal ran all the way up the wall, touching the domed ceiling high above his head. That must be the central refinery, Nick noted, absently wondering if all the sand in here was related to the defunct mining operation, either as a component or byproduct of the refining process. But most of his attention was focused on weightier matters. Specifically, the pair of renders that was positioned in front of the carts. He was relieved to see that they were being held back by Sophia and three of the frost venom scouts created by her magic. I forgot that she could summon several wasps at once. She must be desperate to burn through so much mana and stamina. Nick had put away his spyglass and resumed running the moment that he caught sight of his friend under siege. By this point, he had already made it one quarter of the way around the circle, halfway to the battle taking place in front of his eyes. To his astonishment, he spotted two more of the lethal centipedes lying dead on the floor, heads encased in solid blocks of venom-spawned ice. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. Holy shit. She was battling four of those beasts at once. No wonder she¡¯s too distracted to keep yelling. She must have put up one hell of a fight. Even that realization didn¡¯t prepare Nick for what he witnessed when Sophia burst into motion, moving to defend her position as the killer bugs surged forth to press the attack. His eyes went wide with astonishment as he watched her fight. Sophia moved in perfect unison with her creations, forming a unified engine of carnage. Acting in concert with her trio of minions, she spun to face one of the charging centipedes, her arena dagger in one hand, and her modified stinger in the other. While a pair of wasps fought by her side, the third summon went streaking for the other flesh-render, flying straight for its face with stinger poised to strike. The aerial assault forced the creature to divert to one side or risk taking a prick to its head, the same move that had felled its brethren. Its momentum momentarily took the beast out of the fight, buying Sophia precious seconds in the process. Nick assumed that the other render would strike from over the top of the cart-wall. But at the last second, the creature dove low to go under, squeezing into a space between the wheels that seemed far too small for its body. Rather than panicking and letting the centipede bypass the barrier, Sophia ran to intercept its maneuver. His respect for his companion only grew as he watched her fight. Sophia was bold and fearless. Tactical, but flexible enough to improvise on the spot. As Nick fought to arrive in time, he saw her reach out with her dagger to weave a path around the beast¡¯s jutting mandibles. Not hesitating as she closed to strike, even when the slightest mistake could cost her both hands. The centipede¡¯s head whipped to one side to avoid her black dagger, clearly recognizing the frost venom blade as a lethal threat. But that reaction was exactly what Sophia had been counting on. One of her wasps was clamped onto that corner of the minecart, where it had been waiting for the last few seconds, concealed from the centipede¡¯s field of view. When the render¡¯s dodge carried its head into the wasp¡¯s kill-zone, the summon lunged and plunged its stinger into a compound eye. On a less promising note, the wasp was torn to shreds by the beast¡¯s mandibles half a heartbeat later, vanishing in a puff of emerald light before its body hit the ground. Chapter Three Hundred Eleven: Summoner Under Siege II Fortunately for Sophia, the damage was already done. The bug¡¯s black eye turned a milky grey, as its fluids were frozen beneath a spreading tide of venom, mist billowing up from the afflicted tissue. The stricken centipede pulled itself out from under the cart, letting loose an ear-piercing screech as its fluids began to congeal, ichor turning to slush within a handful of heartbeats. It whipped its head from side-to-side in increasingly erratic arcs, hissing like two snakes tied together before its brain finished freezing and it fell lifeless to the ground, encased in a creeping coat of rime like the other dead bugs. My god¡­ that was incredible. I don¡¯t blame her for being scared. But I don¡¯t think she needed my help to begin with. I¡¯m glad that she called me though. Now we can finish off the last render and leave this place together. It was at this point that Sophia noticed his imminent arrival. His joy turned to confusion when he realized that she didn¡¯t seem happy to see him. Instead of the relief that Nick expected to find on her face, he saw a fierce frustration instead. She called out to him in a voice ragged with exhaustion, while her remaining wasps held the final centipede at bay. ¡°Nick¡­ no. I told you to run away from here, not toward me. You need to get out of the cavern before¡­¡± It was at this point that he felt the ground shaking beneath his boots, growing more intense with every beat of his heart. ¡°Fuck, it¡¯s too late. She¡¯s back. Come here and run faster! Get away from the sand and take cover behind the carts. The big one is hiding below¡­¡± The rest of her warning was cut off by the same event that rendered it unnecessary. Because at that very moment, a great glossy figure emerged from the depths of the pit, shrouded in a veil of falling sand. A long, sinuous body as thick as a tree rose fifteen feet into the air before turning to face him. Nick didn¡¯t have time to stop and take a closer look, not with every scrap of his attention focused on putting one foot in front of the other as fast as he could. But he already knew what had happened. The flesh-render matriarch had just joined the battle. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. He didn¡¯t hesitate, although he was shocked by the enormous beast¡¯s abrupt arrival. Nick was already in the middle of darting to Sophia¡¯s side. Before he closed half of the distance, a sinking feeling pulled at his guts, his instincts telling him that he was in imminent danger. This is bad. I¡¯m still inside her strike-zone. Only the momentary sand shower had prevented the immense beast from spotting Nick and attacking him already, but it wouldn¡¯t delay the beast much longer. If that wasn¡¯t a big enough problem, the juvenile centipede had turned away from Sophia, rushing Nick¡¯s way to attack him instead. The creature must have identified him as the weaker opponent, especially since he was trapped between two hostile forces. He turned his head to track the matriarch¡¯s movements without slowing his step, desperate to get behind cover and away from the edge of the sandpit. Away from the towering beast that was dozens of times more massive than himself. But he couldn¡¯t afford to ignore the bug in front of him either. Within a handful of heartbeats, his path would take him within range of the juvenile flesh-render. Certain that he was dead if he mistimed his dodge, he ran his gaze across the smaller centipede, trying to anticipate its reaction. Not that the word small was a good fit for a creature over twice his size. It¡¯s not coiled to spring or embedded to lash. That means it¡¯s going to¡­ Nick leapt high as the centipede brought its blade-like mandibles slashing down low, trying to cut his legs off at the knee. The move was easy to predict since he¡¯d seen it before. Before the beast could reverse its momentum to come at him again, he dove forward while rounding his shoulder. His leap carried him over the bug¡¯s body, turning his dive into a roll before landing back on his feet. Just before he rose to his full height, he felt the air stir as something immense and lightning quick flashed through the space above his head. Right where Nick would have landed if he hadn¡¯t lowered his profile. A great, bladed shadow loomed over him for the blink of an eye, before whipping its glossy girth back toward the roof of the cavern. Swordlike mandibles clacked shut then spread wide, eager to end his life. Chapter Three Hundred Twelve: Big Mama I As a leaden dread churned in his gut, Nick realized that he had nearly been bisected by the flesh-render matriarch. The veil of falling sand wasn¡¯t blocking its view after all. It meant that he was totally exposed, within easy reach of her hulking jaws. Nick wouldn¡¯t have believed that he could run faster than he already was, but apparently, he could. With a fresh infusion of distilled terror coursing along his nerves, he pressed his body into a greater burst of speed, reflexively channeling some stamina into his legs. He was afraid that he would lose his footing in a patch of freshly strewn sand. But he was even more afraid of what would happen if he didn¡¯t get away from the pit before the beast struck again. With the juvenile render hot on his heels, he sprinted for all he was worth. Knowing that at any moment, a lethal blow might fall on him from behind, he gathered his strength and leapt, flying straight over the double row of minecarts to land by Sophia¡¯s side. Nick tried to turn his momentum into a skidding stop, taking three sliding steps to regain his balance, at which point his legs shot out from under him. He hit the floor hard enough to knock the wind from his lungs and went rolling along the stone. It wasn¡¯t his most impressive performance by any measure, but Nick had no time to be embarrassed. No time to do anything other than get ready for one of the toughest battles of his life. Fighting for every breath, he reached over to retrieve his sword, then staggered back onto his feet. A potent cocktail of cortisol and adrenaline flowed through his veins, as he turned to face the battlefield he had inadvertently crossed. When he realized what had happened, his jaw dropped in awe, taking in the sheer size of the flesh-render matriarch. The immensity of the furious beast reached up toward the cavern¡¯s ceiling like a great onyx pillar, towering over the duo like a force of nature personified. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. The creature was simply¡­ monstrous. Nick had no idea how they were supposed to escape from the immense predator, let alone complete the optional goal of slaying the colossal bug. Their odds of making it out of this predicament were laughably poor. Just looking at the matriarch made Nick want to crawl into the guts of the refinery and hide until it went away. He probably would have tried it, if he wasn¡¯t certain that the great beast would rip the machinery apart before making a light lunch out of Nick and his companion. Not to mention, he had no idea how many juveniles were living in the lair. There was a good chance the duo would be swarmed by dozens of beasts if they tried to hole up and endure a siege. They couldn¡¯t fight and they couldn¡¯t run, they would be dead the moment they tried. It was a bad situation. One that would only grow worse the longer they waited. Their only chance was to figure out how to escape the cavern now, before their odds dwindled down to nothing. While he stared up at the matriarch in consternation, Sophia fell in beside him. ¡°Shit. I¡¯m sorry Nick. That plan backfired. I was trying to keep you out of this mess. Instead, I wound up pulling you right into the thick of things.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± He forced a nervous smile that didn¡¯t quite reach his eyes. ¡°We¡¯re in this together, right? We agreed to work as a team, if purely on a trial basis.¡± Despite the gravity of the situation, he got her to laugh, the musical sound lowering the overwhelming pressure of the dire situation, if only by a hair. During this brief exchange, most of Nick¡¯s attention was elsewhere. His eyes took in their opponents, the environment, and the condition of his partner. Meanwhile, his tactical brain was hard at work, trying to think of anything they could do that might get them out of this mess, even though the situation seemed impossible to manage at the moment. ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you can freeze the big one too,¡± he muttered, weighing and discarding a dozen plans out of hand, feeling his way toward a solution to their dilemma. ¡°Already tried,¡± Sophia replied, surprising him with her next words. ¡°I managed to get an eye, although its tissue was too tough for the venom to spread into its brain. It cost me two of my wasps to pull off, and I don¡¯t have enough reserves to summon more. Besides, after that attack, she won¡¯t let them get close enough to try stinging her head again.¡± At those words, Nick turned to take a closer look at the matriarch, who seemed content to remain within the pit for at least a little longer. Even the little one had pulled back to the boundary of the sand, granting him a moment to catch his breath and keep searching for a way out of this mess. Chapter Three Hundred Thirteen: Big Mama II Even though he had been granted a temporary reprieve, the beasts¡¯ behavior gave him a bad feeling. He suspected it meant that reinforcements were on the way. There wasn¡¯t any reason for the bugs to hold back, unless doing so would strengthen their position. But it also provided him with an opportunity to observe and analyze with one hundred percent of his attention, the raw ingredients Nick needed to form a fresh plan. The matriarch wasn¡¯t quite as tall as she had looked from up close, perhaps three times the length of the juveniles. Assuming that half of her body was immersed in the sand, the creature would come out to around thirty feet from end to end. She was still one of the most massive beasts that Nick had seen, heavy enough to crush him without much effort. Her chitin armor was so thick that it made the matriarch look more like an armored vehicle than a living creature. Nick could tell at a glance that he had no chance of cutting all the way through with his sword. Even severing one of the thinner plates guarding her countless limbs would require considerable effort. Her endless legs were as long as his body, ending in cruel scimitars of barbed chitin that could gut him like a fish. Not that Nick expected to live long enough for that to happen if he moved into her strike zone. Her wedge-shaped head was the size of a cart, ending in a pair of mandibles the length of greatswords. Unlike the juvenile centipedes, the matriarch had a ring of eyes going all the way around her head, offering the beast a three-hundred-and-sixty-degree field of view. Or it had before Sophia had taken one out. Nick turned his attention to the eye that was clouded with frost. A patch of ice that extended to cover the closest eyes on both sides as well, creating a narrow blind spot that he had no idea how to take advantage of just yet. All in all, the flesh-render matriarch seemed effectively invincible. While Sophia¡¯s wasps might be able to finish her off in a perfect situation where they could land repeated stings, Nick strongly suspected that even if he fired off his remaining spells back-to-back, then swung his sword until his arms stopped working, he still wouldn¡¯t be able to land a lethal blow. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. He had the sense that piercing ray would be insufficient to penetrate those densely armored plates. That even if he tried, she would reduce him to paste before he had time to finish the spell. Given the beast¡¯s reach and blinding speed, trying to run past along the stone ring was a veritable death sentence as well. Crossing the sandpit was an even worse idea. Nick needed to come up with some trick to distract the towering insect, then slip past while she was preoccupied. The problem was, he had absolutely no idea how he could accomplish such a feat. Meanwhile, every second that passed increased the odds that her spawn would come pouring into the chamber and drown him in a tide of bladed limbs. Consumed with indecision, Nick took up his stance by Sophia¡¯s side, hoping to hold out long enough for an opportunity to present itself in the fickle flow of battle. There has to be something we can do. Don¡¯t give into your fear and focus with everything you have. He spotted an opening only a few heartbeats later. Apparently, the patch of venom-spawned frost on the matriarch¡¯s face was painful to endure, or at least cold enough to irritate the big bug. Nick let out a sigh of relief when she dipped below the surface of the sand, retreating long enough to tend to her wound. Or she might just be baiting you into drawing near, even still, this might be the chance we¡¯ve been waiting for. For a fleeting moment, he thought that they could use this opportunity to escape the renders¡¯ hive. However, his tension spiked right back up only five seconds later, when Nick caught sight of three more juveniles emerging from the tunnel he had taken to get here, blocking their only avenue of retreat. The bug waiting in the pit raced to meet its littermates, raising its head in a manner that made it look like it was relaying the events that had occurred in their absence. While the reinforcements were bad news, their meeting gave him a moment to gather his thoughts. Unfortunately, in this case, a moment wasn¡¯t long enough. Before Nick could come up with anything promising, all four beasts started surging for his position, the promise of murder gleaming in their chitinous compound eyes. Chapter Three Hundred Fourteen: Four Versus One I Nick cursed under his breath as he raised his sword in front of him, steeling himself for one of the toughest battles of his life. While he refused to simply lay down and die, he couldn¡¯t deny that this was a black, borderline hopeless situation. Nick and Sophia were battered and exhausted, and their enemies were fresh. Even still, he thought that they could overcome the four beasts skittering across the sand with the help of her wasps. The quartet of killer insects wasn¡¯t the reason why dread was pooling in his guts like molten lead. The real problem was that the matriarch was sure to return before long, turning a grim situation into a recipe for certain death. But Nick had neither the time nor the temperament to give into despair. Instead, he used the handful of heartbeats until the battle resumed to inventory their resources and evaluate their options. Sophia still had a pair of frost venom wasps in the air, but they had already been out for a while, and she didn¡¯t have enough mana to summon more. Worse, one of the summons was missing a part of its wing, limiting its mobility. He suspected that they wouldn¡¯t last much longer before fading away regardless. Evaluating the renders¡¯ rate of advance, Nick judged that there was less than a minute left until their ordeal entered a deadly new phase. He had to use the final seconds at his disposal to come up with a plan. A strategy that would give them a chance of living long enough to see the sun again. They couldn¡¯t run and had no hope of defeating the matriarch in their current condition. Finishing off the juveniles before she returned would require everything that they had. Their only chance was to kill the youngsters before their mother rose from the pit, or they would be overwhelmed within a matter of heartbeats. Nick was low on mana and exhausted from all the running and jumping. While he still had his flask, if he drank it now, they wouldn¡¯t have anything that could save them if they took a critical wound. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. Come on Nick. Breathe. Think. Shut out the stress, the panic, the pain. Always stay cool, calm, and collected. Despite straining his brain to the limit while calling upon artic clarity to enhance his focus, no grand revelation came to him, and they were almost out of time. None of his plans covered a situation like this, and he couldn¡¯t come up with anything that might work in the handful of heartbeats they had left. Thankfully, while Nick had no cards left to play that might save their lives, it turned out that Sophia still had a final ace up her sleeve. She let out a long sigh, seeming to have come to a decision, then turned to face him. ¡°Nick. I need you to hold them off for another five minutes and pray that the big one doesn¡¯t come back just yet. I have one last ability I can use. I¡¯ll be completely helpless while it¡¯s charging and as weak as a kitten after, so I need to use it while I¡¯m hiding in that machine. My summons are almost out of juice. I can send them on a suicide run to disrupt the renders¡¯ charge and take out one of the juveniles, but you¡¯ll have to hold off the other three until I finish. I¡¯m sorry that I couldn¡¯t do more.¡± ¡°Go. Do it now.¡± Nick didn¡¯t hesitate. Didn¡¯t delay her by asking useless questions about her mysterious ability. All of that could wait until later. No matter what his partner was planning, it could only improve their odds at this point, even if his chances of holding off three twelve-foot centipedes for that long were poor at best. With a grateful nod at his show of trust, Sophia touched the strange black gem embedded between her breasts and disappeared into the guts of the mazelike machine behind her, leaving him to guard the entrance. During the course of their brief exchange, both of her wasps had vanished, although he could hear their wings buzzing faintly. Ten seconds later, Nick learned that they had flown all the way up to the roof of the cavern. He caught sight of them again when both summons tucked in their wings and dropped straight down, streaking for one of the centipedes in a kamikaze dive. The one that had seen some action already and wasn¡¯t quite as alert as the others. The moment he saw what they were up to, Nick started yelling, running forward with his sword raised over his head, as if he intended to meet the centipedes¡¯ charge head on. As he¡¯d hoped, they turned to look at him with a pitiless glint in their compound eyes. His antics were enough to focus their attention on his position, keeping them from noticing the attack coming from above. Chapter Three Hundred Fifteen: Four Versus One II Half a heartbeat later, the first wasp hit the sand at breakneck speed, unable to arrest its dive due to its missing wing. The abrupt collision spooked the closest beast. It turned to look at the wasp crawling toward it and reared back, pulling its head beyond the reach of its lethal stinger. On a brighter note, the move put the render right in the path of the final wasp, who rammed the beast¡¯s head, clamped on with its legs, and stung it in the eye. Half a heartbeat later, the other centipedes realized what had happened. The swarm converged on Sophia¡¯s summons and tore both wasps to shreds, but the damage had already been done. Leaving their wounded member behind to succumb to the spreading frost encasing its head, the other three centipedes zoomed straight for Nick. He had taken advantage of the distraction to reposition, and was now standing behind the modest protection provided by the minecarts. He took inventory of his supplies without breaking his gaze. While this was still a tight spot, removing one of the renders from the board gave him more options to work with. A strategy for how he could hold off the other three beasts for a few more minutes was beginning to form. Unfortunately, his newly built plan collapsed like a house of cards only five heartbeats later. Because that was the moment when, to his rising dismay, another centipede arrived through the mouth of the tunnel. Nick was once again left to contend with four of the deadly beasts. They turned and began streaking for his position, swimming across the sandpit like fish in a river. Shit, this is looking bad. What am I going to do? He was making steady progress on judging how much mana he had left in his core. At the moment, he had just enough energy to cast four mana darts without running out of juice. Or one piercing ray and one dart, if he decided to use his spells that way instead. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Neither option would save him from the matriarch when she reappeared, given the beast¡¯s keen reflexes and thick natural armor. But he only needed to hold out for another four minutes while Sophia finished up with¡­ whatever it was she was in the middle of preparing. At least both of his spells had worked well against the juvenile renders. His darts could temporarily disable them, and his ray was able to put them down for good¡­ if he was able to finish the casting without being interrupted. As he raced to decide how he would hold the beasts back, he could hear Sophia¡¯s chanting echoing out from the bowels of the refinery, her voice thick with excruciating pain. That doesn¡¯t sound good. I think she¡¯s doing something that¡¯s a lot riskier than she implied. He wanted to rush over and see what was wrong, but Nick couldn¡¯t afford to stop moving. Not if he wanted either of them to survive. He hardened his heart and shut out the sound as best he could, devoting his attention to the task at hand. In the end, Nick trusted Sophia to do her part. He needed every scrap of concentration that he could muster if he was going to do his own. I don¡¯t need to kill them, just slow them down. It¡¯s not impossible, just closer to improbable than I would like. But if the plan is to delay rather than defeat, then my best move is to¡­ he made his decision and conjured three mana darts in succession, the maximum that he could control at once with any degree of accuracy. By the time that the third silvery wedge flew to join the others in their orbit around Nick¡¯s head, the flesh-render pack had cleared the side of the sandpit. The bladed beasts came charging across the bedrock, streaking for his position along the edge of the refinery. Three minutes, a fragment of his awareness that he had partitioned to maintain a countdown clock informed him. A little trick he had learned through a lifetime of competitive gaming. First things first. Slow them down and make them hesitate. With that goal in mind, he brought his wand to bear and pointed it at the ground ahead. Nick took aim while judging the optimal distance, preparing to expend the wand¡¯s last charge not on the quartet of lethal bugs swarming for him, but on the pile of loose rocks he had stacked while waiting for the beasts to arrive. Wait for it. A little longer. Now! Concept Art: Chapter 306-315 Just a reminder, I completely respect that not everyone likes the inclusion/existence of AI art, so I''ve put it in it''s own chapter so that it''s easy to skip and not shown side by side with the story. If it''s not your thing, I totally understand where you are coming from. This concept art is included entirely for fun, and will never be sold or monetized in any way. It will never be as good as your imagination, so if it doesn''t fit with the version of something in your head, go with your imagination instead. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Whump Crossing the mine Fleeting sunlight Chapter Three Hundred Sixteen: Distract and Delay I Nick pulled the trigger and a pulse of force erupted from the end of the wand, picking up the mound of stones and flinging them forward in a spreading arc. The rocks flew forth with a vengeance, like the pile had been kicked by an irate ogre, colliding into the charging creatures shotgun style. Only the render leading the pack took any real damage, and only enough to break a handful of its seemingly endless limbs. But the beast¡¯s pain-filled hiss, combined with the unexpected barrage, unnerved the swarm. The centipedes swerved to one side and stopped, evaluating the evolving situation before resuming their assault, buying Nick a handful of seconds in the process. He slid his trusty wand back into its holster and took up his sword in a two-handed grip, certain that the beasts¡¯ confusion wouldn¡¯t last much longer. Sure enough, the big bugs regained their confidence half a heartbeat later, splitting into two groups before surging forward once more. They came at Nick from two sides at once, their injured member trailing behind the rest. Without taking his eyes off his opponents, he bent down and picked up a rock, flinging it at the closest centipede before firing his spell. As he¡¯d hoped, the beast flinched when it caught sight of the stone, not realizing that it was powered only by the strength of his arm rather than the force of the wand. Its dodge carried it three feet to the left¡­ straight into the path of his dart. He shuddered in relief as the silver missile sank into the chitin of the creature¡¯s flank. The stricken flesh-render came crashing to the ground and began to convulse, although the body blow seemed less effective than hitting it in the head, judging by what had happened during his previous battle. Fortunately, Nick wasn¡¯t trying to dish out any lasting damage. His goal was to make the beasts hesitate. To make them overestimate his combat potential, holding back long enough to reassess the threat that he posed. This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. Two minutes, his internal timer informed him. Now comes the tricky part. A distant part of his awareness registered that Sophia¡¯s chanting had reached a fevered pitch, but he suppressed the urge to dwell on it. He hoped that whatever she was planning would be enough to save them and refused to consider the consequences if it wasn¡¯t. Nick was certain that the matriarch was still somewhere nearby, tending to her wounds while biding her time to strike. Even if he managed to defeat the quartet of centipedes skittering in front of him, the mistress of the lair would never let them walk away unchallenged. But none of that changed what he had to do. Nick would deal with the enemies in front of him and trust his partner to handle the rest. He had chosen to believe in Sophia, and he wasn¡¯t going to doubt her now just because she¡¯d been keeping one of her powers to herself. Despite the seriousness of his situation, he was intensely curious to find out what she was up to. But he couldn¡¯t afford to lose focus, so he returned his attention to the problem at hand. They¡¯re off balance but will recover any second. You need to follow up before they do. Encourage their caution by unleashing an unexpected show of force. Hurry, before they regroup. Letting loose the fiercest battle cry that he could muster, Nick picked out his path and charged. He sprinted past the double row of carts, heading straight for the pair of uninjured beasts on his left, who had begun to advance once more. When they saw what he was doing, the bugs came to a stop and hunkered down, bracing themselves to meet his charge. By this point, he was fully committed to his gamble. If the next part didn¡¯t go how he hoped, Nick would find himself surrounded by four furious beasts within a matter of seconds. A death sentence under these conditions. Knowing that his life hung in the balance, he called upon his arctic clarity to enhance his focus, letting the state of frigid focus wash over him like a breath of winter air. Ninety seconds, he visualized his trajectory and fired both darts back-to back. In the blink of an eye, the pair of chrome-colored missiles went streaking for the centipede closest to his position. It seemed that the beast had learned from watching its littermates¡¯ struggles, because it clearly recognized the threat that his spell posed, turning its head to track their progress. Just before the spells landed on target, the centipede twisted to one side and threw its body out of the way, streaking like a bolt of chitin-plated lightning to evade not one, but both of Nick¡¯s darts. Chapter Three Hundred Seventeen: Distract and Delay II He would have been well and truly fucked at this point if the beast had been his intended victim. Fortunately for Nick, his true target was the creature behind it. Its view of the darts had been obstructed by the other¡¯s body, leaving the beast with no time to dodge out of harm¡¯s way. With immense satisfaction, he watched both silvery projectiles sink into its chitin a heartbeat apart. One dart struck the render near the middle of its body, and the second landed right between its eyes, vanishing in a flash of light. The centipede must have really felt the bite of his spell. It began hissing and screaming, writhing like one end was plugged into an electrical socket, taken out of the fight for at least a few minutes. But Nick had no time to admire the results of his plans. No time to do anything other than run while bringing his weapon to bear. His ordeal was still underway. By now, he had finished closing the distance and was halfway through swinging his sword. He brought the heavy blade down in a vicious arc, aiming for the last uninjured beast. Everything is riding on this move. Please, please let it work, he prayed as his blade cleaved the air with a roar of displaced air. He had done well to draw things out this long already, and this was the last trick he had up his sleeve to buy Sophia time. In the end, his luck held out. At least for a little longer. As Nick had hoped, like the first flesh-render he¡¯d fought, the beast tried to block the blow with the side of its mandible, trusting its chitin armor to stop his swing cold. It was treating his sword like a mundane weapon, unaware of the magic it contained. That was the reason why he had put everything that he had into the swing. The weight of his sword, the strength in his body, and the momentum accumulated during his reckless charge. He was gambling everything on the sharpness of his mysterious weapon, and now it was time to see how the cards came down. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. Thanks to the extra force, this time, instead of making it halfway through, the blade sank deep into the reinforced chitin shielding the render¡¯s mandible¡­ and kept right on going, cutting straight through both bladed appendages before emerging out the other side in a plume of gore-studded ichor. Unlike the other blows he¡¯d struck, this was a critical wound. Enough to take the juvenile out of the fight for good. The injured beast threw itself back and skittered away, racing for the sandpit and retreating from the combat. Although the beast didn¡¯t know it, he had no intention of following up the attack. By the time that it dove into the sand, Nick was already sprinting back toward his barrier, adrenaline singing in his veins. Another few heartbeats would see him to the small measure of safety it provided. Better still, Sophia should be done any second with¡­ whatever it was she was up to. Holy shit. It all went according to plan. I think I¡¯m going to make¡­ Nick¡¯s optimism was fated to die a bare instant after it was born. Because that was the moment when the ground started to shake, the sand in the immense pit heaving like waves upon a storm-wracked sea. Of course, he sighed at his inevitable reversal of fortune, having known that this would happen sooner rather than later. There was no doubt that all the shaking heralded the imminent reemergence of the flesh-render matriarch. Nick had been hoping to take at least two of the juveniles out of the fight, but only one of them was down and he had run out of time. Sure enough, at that very moment, the matriarch¡¯s sinuous form emerged from the surface of the sand, like leviathan rising from the deep. Nick dove for cover and ducked behind the closest cart, hoping to buy a few final seconds before the colossal creature was able to pin down his exact position. Only half a heartbeat later, he learned that his effort was in vain. Before he could hope to leap out of the way, the matriarch¡¯s body contracted, her serpentine form coiling around itself like a spring. In the same moment that he realized his luck had just taken a dramatic turn for the worse, the colossal beast erupted into motion, sending great spews of sand flying into the air. Before he had time to blink, she closed the distance in a flash, her swordlike mandibles spread wide to cut him in twain. In less than a heartbeat, the airborne matriarch would crash into Nick with the force of a freight train, ending his life as surely as if he had stepped onto the tracks. Chapter Three Hundred Eighteen: Bonefiend I Before the flying beast could reduce Nick to paste, another massive form leapt in front of him, moving so fast that it was reduced to a solid black streak before his eyes. A humanoid blur that came into focus as it braced itself for impact, taloned feet digging into the bedrock like the stone was soft clay. As the colossal centipede came crashing down, the newly arrived creature spread its spindly arms wide. Then, to Nick¡¯s utter astonishment, the unknown lifeform reached out and caught the flesh-render matriarch by its razored mandibles. While he struggled to process this unprecedented series of events, the force of the impact broke over him, slamming into his body like he¡¯d shot himself with his own wand. He went flying through the air before landing in a tangled jumble of limbs, narrowly avoiding impaling himself on the end of his sword in the process. Shocked and stunned, Nick looked out from where he lay, taking in the battle of titans playing out in the spacious cavern. The rest of the fight only lasted ninety seconds. But in that time, his eyes beheld a gore-splattered miracle. Standing ten feet in front of him, matching the immense matriarch in a contest of raw strength, was a creature that looked like it had walked here from out of a fever dream. Its form was sleek and alien. All sharp angles and midnight plates, surfaces that seemed to absorb the surrounding light. It looked like someone had taken the skeleton of the strongest man ever born and pulled sheets of flexible plastic armor tight over the bones, which were clearly visible beneath the creature¡¯s armor. Its legs were long and slender, built for agility despite the obvious strength they exhibited. Nick wouldn¡¯t be surprised if the creature could leap far enough to clear the sandpit in a single bound. Its hands looked almost human, although they were twice the size of his own. Each finger ended in a wicked claw, and jutting out from the end of both wrists were a pair of black blades that extended two feet past its arms. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. Judging by appearance alone, it was the scariest entity that Nick had ever seen, exuding a sense of wrongness even greater than that of the chittering swarm. Despite the creature¡¯s incredible power and fearsome visage, it was struggling to contend with the matriarch¡¯s superior mass. That was the moment when size up released a resounding ping of danger. This time, he was able to get a sense of what form the threat would take. Although he still wasn¡¯t sure what was happening, Nick needed to do whatever he could to help turn the fight in his favor. ¡°Watch out,¡± he cried. ¡°The matriarch is about to spit out a cloud of acid. You need to turn its head and keep it pointed away from you.¡± He wasn¡¯t sure if the summon, which he had decided to call the bonefiend for now, would be able to understand his words. But if Sophia heard his warning, she might be able to direct its actions. Either way, it seemed to work. The fiend shoved the beast¡¯s head up¡­ just in time to avoid taking a cloud of acid to its face. A stream of murky green gas shot out from the render¡¯s maw, and Nick hastily scrambled back to avoid being caught in the crossfire. Although the angle was off, the periphery of the aerosolized solvent washed over the fiend¡¯s body a few seconds later. The acid caused its jet-black armor to bubble and hiss, but it wasn¡¯t enough to penetrate its exoskeleton and inflict a serious wound. Up to this point, the juvenile flesh-renders had been cowering in the far corner of the cavern. They were terrified of the bonefiend, which had proven itself to be a match for their mother. But then the matriarch let out a furious hiss, still struggling to break free from the fiend¡¯s grasp. It must have been a command, since the lesser beasts started streaking back toward the battlefield, ignoring Nick in favor of converging upon the fiend. ¡°Look out! The other bugs are coming at you from the sides.¡± Nick didn¡¯t dare get any closer to the clash between titans. One wrong move would leave him smeared across the cavern¡¯s floor. But he wasn¡¯t just going to stand there either. Although he was still winded, he rolled back onto his feet and started throwing rocks, doing whatever he could to delay the centipedes¡¯ advance. Meanwhile, the matriarch whipped her body around to one side, curling in to engulf the fiend within her endless, blade-tipped appendages. Before the beast could complete the maneuver, the bonefiend threw the matriarch¡¯s head up and released its mandibles, arresting its momentum in the process. Half a heartbeat before the behemoth bug could recover, the fiend gathered its strength and unleashed a ferocious roundhouse kick. It completed one full revolution before a taloned foot came lashing out in a jaw-dropping display of power. With an incredible crunch that Nick felt in his bones, the matriarch went sailing back toward the sandpit with a deep cut carved into one flank. Chapter Three Hundred Nineteen: Bonefiend II The mistress of the lair went skidding across the sands, just as the other beasts converged on the fiend from both sides. They desperately tried to abort their attack, unwilling to close the final few feet without the support of their elite member. But it was already too late. In a black flash, the bonefiend pounced, eviscerating one beast with a lightning quick swipe of its claws. The moment that its back was turned, the other two renders leapt, draping their bodies across the fiend¡¯s back while clamping down with their bladed legs. For a gut-wrenching second, Nick thought the incredible summon was done for, as hundreds of chitin barbs struck it as one. But then it burst into motion, sending both centipedes flying as it reared back and roared. Nick could see countless scratches scored along its armored flesh, dripping a viscous black ooze, but they hadn¡¯t dug deep enough to hit any vital points. By this point, the matriarch had righted itself. The furious beast came charging back, ready to end the battle now that its opponent was impaired. Nick knew that he needed to help even the odds. All that he could do was take out the weakest centipede that was still in the fight, the one whose legs he had shattered with his wand. With his sword raised before him, he ran to engage the beast before it could join the brawl. As he closed the last few feet, he summoned his final mana dart. Nick didn¡¯t get to watch the next part of the bonefiend¡¯s fight. With only one spell and no charges left in his wand, it took every scrap of his concentration to face the wounded beast head-on and remain unbloodied. Dodge. Strike. Parry. Leap. Nick fought like a wild animal, as sweat poured down every surface of his body. His mind was muddled from lack of mana, his body exhausted from reaching the dregs of his stamina. Bruised and battered, harried and hounded, he summoned his will and fought on. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. He couldn¡¯t afford to let the battle drag on for much longer. The moment that one of them made a mistake, the other would land a critical blow. Fortunately for Nick, the beast faltered first. He managed to drive it back with a ferocious combination attack, ending with a kick that sent it skittering back. Without the support of the legs on that side, the render failed to find purchase on the stone and went rolling in an uncontrolled tumble. Before the bug could right itself, Nick was there. While it was unbalanced and unable to dodge, he took aim and fired his last dart. The silvery missile sank into the beast¡¯s exoskeleton, evoking an agonized hiss. Finish it now, Nick. While it¡¯s still paralyzed. Burning through the last of his energy, carrying on through sheer will alone, Nick sprinted over to where his enemy lay convulsing on the ground. Lacking the strength to swing his sword at full power, he slid the tip between two thick chitin plates, then thrust with everything he had left. His aim was true, and the sword slid deep into the beast¡¯s body, rupturing organs and severing nerves along the way. He yanked out the blade in a great spray of ichor, leaving the critically injured creature to expire on its own terms. He started limping toward the sandpit, scrambling to find some way to back up the fiend even though he was totally spent. When he surveyed the battlefield to see what had transpired while he was busy, Nick realized that the other juveniles were dead. One centipede was still twitching even though its torso was crushed, its guts spread out along the luminescent stone. The other had been cut completely in half. The bonefiend and the matriarch were facing off near the border of the sandpit, each powerful combatant sporting significant wounds. Nick was just in time to witness their battle¡¯s climax. Half a heartbeat later, the immense beast reared back, poised to thrust with its mandibles with the full strength of its body behind it. The fiend looked barely able to remain upright, rocking from side-to-side like a prize fighter one punch away from kissing the mat. In a flash of bladed chitin, the matriarch struck, moving so fast that his eyes could only follow the afterimage of the blow. In the heart of that dark moment, he was certain that he was about to witness the defeat of his strange and unsettling ally, leaving Nick to face the beast¡¯s wrath unaided. Chapter Three Hundred Twenty: One Question at a Time I The render¡¯s attack would have been the end of Nick if it wasn¡¯t for one critical detail. That the bonefiend¡¯s fugue state was merely a ruse. A deception to lure its enemy into range. At the last possible second, the fiend leapt out of the way, flying straight up rather than out to one side. As it rose, it lashed out with a bladed arm, plunging the black sword jutting from its right wrist into one of the matriarch¡¯s eyes. Anchored by the blade protruding from the beast¡¯s head, the fiend whipped around in a tight arc, weaving a path between its opponent¡¯s gaping mandibles. It swung up and landed on top of the matriarch¡¯s back, like a cowboy perched atop a raging bull. The giant bug went nuts, maddened by the pain of the wound and the creature straddling its back. It began bucking and writhing its way toward the sandpit, intending to either crush the fiend or suffocate the creature by dragging it down below the sand. But it was already too late. A heartbeat later, the bonefiend raised its free arm and sent its blade screaming down¡­ straight into another of the matriarch¡¯s eyes. Then again, and for a third and final time. The last stab was so powerful that the creature¡¯s arm disappeared all the way up to the elbow, onyx sword cleaving deep into the brain below. The fiend shuddered as it pulled its arm free, body going limp after that final show of strength. It lost its grip, fell from its perch, and then hit the ground hard with a hearty thwack, although it didn¡¯t seem to be critically injured. It must be out of stamina too. Unsure as to what the relationship between the creature and Sophia was, Nick ran over to its side, helping the bonefiend back onto its feet. The summon was surprisingly light for its size. He was able to help support its weight as they ran from the matriarch¡¯s thrashing body, narrowly avoiding being caught in the colossal beast¡¯s death throes. When they were in the clear, Nick hastily backed up, hoping that the fiend was as friendly as it seemed, despite its fearsome appearance. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°Thanks,¡± he said, then collapsed to one knee, drained beyond the point of being able to move. He thought he saw the fiend nod in reply. The matriarch twitched a final time and then went still. The moment that she breathed her last, Nick felt his energetic core contract and then expand. He felt a smidgen less exhausted as a bit of mana and stamina entered his system. I just leveled, he realized, before turning his attention to his unexpected ally, at least for the next handful of heartbeats. Before Nick could figure out what he was supposed to do next, the creature darted away. He blinked. When his eyes opened, the fiend was gone, leaving him staring out in awe at the carnage it had wrought upon the flesh-render hive. He had a mountain of questions about what had just happened, but one thing was certain. The beasts had been wiped out and the fight was finally over. Sophia and Nick had completed the event and would live to see another day. The reason for his newfound confidence was the wall of text that had materialized in front of his eyes. He wasn¡¯t ready to read it yet, so he moved it with a thought to the periphery of his vision. While he was excited to start looking over his notifications, he hadn¡¯t heard Sophia¡¯s voice since she had unleashed her trump card. He knew that she was still alive, because her summon hadn¡¯t vanished until the battle was over, but Nick was deeply worried about his friend. He dragged himself back onto his feet and started limping his way toward the sprawling maze of metal. Before he could climb into the machine to look for her, Sophia came staggering out of the refinery, her profile appearing from behind a wall of rusty pipes. Although he was immensely relieved to see her moving under her own power, Nick became deeply concerned when he saw what condition she was in. She looks even worse than I feel. Sophia¡¯s face was ashen, and her body was covered in a sheen of sweat. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Nick ran to her side, offering his shoulder for support. ¡°What the hell just happened?¡± ¡°One question at a time.¡± She groaned as he helped her to the ground, setting her back against an upright cart. ¡°I¡¯ll live if I don¡¯t take any hits until I recover. We got the big bastard, right? I can see a wall of text, but I¡¯m still too muddled to focus on the words.¡± Chapter Three Hundred Twenty-One: One Question at a Time II Nick assured her that all the centipedes were dead, then handed her his canteen. He watched her drain it dry, then let out a long, shuddering sigh. She looked him in the eyes, seeming to come to a decision before offering him an explanation. ¡°Long story short, I made a terrible bargain back during my tutorial. Formed a contract with something I shouldn¡¯t have. Something¡­ vile. The upside is¡­ well you saw what it can do. But the price isn¡¯t worth it. In addition to some side effects that I don¡¯t feel like talking about just yet, that power is far too finicky for my tastes. ¡°I can only call it for three minutes at a time, and once I do, I can¡¯t use it again for a week. On top of that limitation, it requires half of my health to summon, and I can only activate the ability when I¡¯ve bottomed out my mana and stamina. Not to mention the ridiculous casting time and the difficulty of maintaining control in that... ¡°But enough of that,¡± Sophia smiled through the pain, catching herself before she completed the sentence. ¡°We did it Nick! We survived another stupid fucking event. Optional objective my ass. May as well find out what we got for our trouble.¡± By this point, Nick had a heaping helping of questions regarding what he¡¯d heard, but he sensed that it wasn¡¯t the right time to ask. ¡°That power sounds super sketchy, but I can¡¯t complain given the circumstances. I trust your judgement, although it¡¯s not easy to see you in that condition.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not my idea of a good time either, Nick.¡± She dug into her pack and started devouring provisions at random. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re ok too. Stellar job holding them back for so long.¡± Deciding to come clean since Sophia had unveiled her own trump card, Nick continued. ¡°I have something that I¡¯ve been saving as well, although it¡¯s not nearly as impressive as that,¡± he gestured toward the pulverized beasts scattered on all sides. ¡°It¡¯s a support item.¡± ¡°The flask, right? It¡¯s magic.¡± She managed a weak chuckle at the surprise on his face, then moaned as if the effort had cost her. Stolen novel; please report. ¡°How did you know?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not exactly subtle. You put all your most powerful items on your belt. Doesn¡¯t exactly scream subterfuge if you know what I mean.¡± Trying not to show his embarrassment, Nick summarized his run in the treasure vault and explained how his flask functioned. ¡°It¡¯s only half as effective on other people, but here,¡± he handed the flask over. ¡°I want you to take it.¡± She started to protest, but Nick cut her off. ¡°Drink,¡± he insisted. ¡°My bruises will heal on their own. You¡¯re below half life and are out of stamina and mana. It¡¯s making you weak and spacy and more importantly, you¡¯re in serious danger of taking a lethal wound. Based on what the System told me, you could die from the injuries you already have if you don¡¯t recover your health quickly enough.¡± Sophia looked like she wanted to object, but when he popped the flask¡¯s seal and handed it over, she brought the crystal container to her lips and drank, surprised by the refreshing flavor. Nick suppressed the urge to groan as he laughed, not willing to show how painful the bruises along his ribs were after forcing the issue. The elixir¡¯s effects on Sophia¡¯s condition were obvious. Over the next minute, color returned to her cheeks and the trembling of her limbs stilled. She still looked bone weary and battered, but her head no longer drooped like she might pass out on the spot. ¡°Thank god it restores mana too. I hate how hard it is to think when you¡¯re totally out of gas. I wonder if that means our brains now require mana to function.¡± ¡°I know just what you mean and that¡¯s an interesting question.¡± Nick nodded, still feeling a little out of it himself. ¡°How about we find out what we¡¯ve won and get the fuck out of this mine.¡± She laughed and then her gaze went distant, as they both started reading their notifications. He didn¡¯t open his profile, leaving the gains to his level and skills until later, starting with the most exciting notice instead, the reward for completing the high-difficulty event. Congratulations. Event: Escape the flesh-renders¡¯ lair, has been successfully completed. You have cleared all optional objectives and increased the quality of your reward. Event? Optional objective? I think you misspelled System-generated deathtrap. Nick grumbled to himself and then kept reading. Taking into consideration the difficulty of the challenge and your party¡¯s performance, you have been granted a gold event reward chest along with a modest bonus to your essence, experience, and species experience. Open the chest to claim your prize. Chapter Three Hundred Twenty-Two: Claim Your Prize I ¡°You can crack this one open.¡± Nick gestured to an ornate gold container that had risen from the floor, phasing straight through the rock before solidifying by his feet. ¡°Alright. But you get first pick. You had to hold off the swarm while I was chanting.¡± Sophia staggered over to the magical receptacle and lifted the lid, fishing out a scrap of paper from the top of the pile. ¡°Actually,¡± she handed him the slip of parchment. ¡°Do you mind if I choose first? My class has a special use for active ability stones, and I desperately need another.¡± ¡°No problem. I would have picked the passive stone anyway.¡± A surge of excitement granted him a jolt of energy, despite being utterly drained from the prolonged battle. In fact, excited was too tepid of a word to describe what he was feeling. Nick would have danced if he could. After all, he had just been given the opportunity to fill a gaping hole in his profile. He broke into a wide grin as he read the list in full. Contents: 1 active ability stone (hidden modifier). 1 passive ability stone (hidden modifier). 1 gear upgrade token (uncommon). This token can be consumed to strengthen the core of an uncommon item, improving its unmodified properties, and increasing it to rare rarity. ¡°You can have the upgrade token,¡± Nick offered, since Sophia had done the lion¡¯s share of the work in his opinion. ¡°No. You take it,¡± she countered. ¡°My venom dagger is already rare. None of my other items are worth it, except maybe the ward. With all the gear you¡¯ve found so far, you will get the most out of the opportunity. If you want to make up the difference,¡± she cut off Nick¡¯s protest, then continued. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°You can help me hunt down a beast to become my new summon. I need an ability stone, the full skeleton of the creature in question, and a rare item known as a beast core. We might need to kill quite a few before we find one with an intact core inside. ¡°One of the centipedes might have one, but they¡¯re too similar to my wasps. I don¡¯t want to over specialize in a single summon subtype. It would create overlapping weaknesses and leave me vulnerable to potential counters. Also, I don¡¯t want to do anything that will box me in the next time that I¡¯m able to change classes. Ideally, I¡¯d like to find something tough enough to take a few hits that can also attack from range. Or maybe something that specializes in counter magic. I¡¯m far too vulnerable to spells at the moment. Besides,¡± she flushed with embarrassment. ¡°I really don¡¯t want to be known as the bug lady.¡± ¡°Actually, I have something in my pack that might check all those boxes.¡± Nick took out the remains of the spear-tongue frog. He explained its abilities while she bent down to take a closer look, examining the bones with a clinical eye. ¡°I found the core inside by chance while I was grilling up the meat.¡± ¡°While you were what?¡± Her nostrils flared in disgust. ¡°No, that¡¯s wrong Sophia,¡± she corrected herself. ¡°New world, new rules. Thanks Nick, it¡¯s a deal. That frog sounds ideal for my purposes. It¡¯s better than any of the other beasts I¡¯ve run into on the bog.¡± She reached down and picked up the skeleton. He handed her the core, wondering what it signified regarding beast anatomy before dismissing it as a mystery for another day. The core was warm to the touch and despite its unassuming appearance, he had the sense that some manner of energy was trapped within. ¡°This ritual is part of my class trait, and it takes about an hour to complete. It transforms the beast¡¯s essence into a matrix to wrap the spell around whenever I summon it. My summons aren¡¯t alive by the way, except for the big one, so you don¡¯t need to feel bad about how often they get mutilated.¡± Nick nodded along with her explanation, happy that Sophia trusted him enough to divulge critical information about how her abilities functioned. ¡°The bodies are made of condensed mana, with an infusion of my stamina inside to power their movements. Although they inherit the base instincts of the beast they were based on, muscle memory, sensory processing, and the like, they don¡¯t recreate its mind or sense of self. I have to control each summon directly or give them simple instructions. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be able to guide them and fight at the same time if it wasn¡¯t for my battlefield awareness skill. We can talk more about it when I¡¯m back if you like,¡± she turned to face the great machine. ¡°I¡¯m going to head into the refinery to perform the ritual. I¡¯d appreciate it if you didn¡¯t try to sneak a peek. I¡¯d prefer that you didn¡¯t associate me with that image as it''s super gross to watch.¡± ¡°No problem,¡± Nick nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll stand watch while you¡¯re busy and use my upgrade token and ability stone while I¡¯m waiting.¡± With a grateful smile, Sophia carried the frog¡¯s remains into the guts of the refinery and vanished from view. Chapter Three Hundred Twenty-Three: Claim Your Prize II He was eager to use his passive ability stone right away, but since there might be a lengthy decision involved, he decided to use the token first. While he was debating which piece of gear he wanted to upgrade, Nick walked over and picked up one of the matriarch¡¯s mandibles, which had been sheared off in the attack that claimed her life. Unfortunately, the other had been shattered during the final moments of the fight. He walked out onto the sand and slipped the razored length of chitin into his pack, figuring that the high-grade material might come in handy later. By the time that the wicked scimitar of chitin had disappeared into his magical backpack, he was ready to use the upgrade token. Unsure if this was going to work, he touched the token to his blade and said, ¡°This. I want to upgrade my sword.¡± Nick felt a fierce tingle of excitement. By now, he had grown accustomed to his unusual weapon and was eager to upgrade his primary offensive tool. But five increasingly frustrating minutes later, he realized that it wasn¡¯t going to happen. The lack of reaction wasn¡¯t all bad news. Thus far, the System had stubbornly refused to identify his pockmarked blade. While he had received several hints that the sword might boast hidden properties, the token¡¯s failure confirmed that his weapon was a rare item, possibly even epic. With the sword out of the running, his next choice would have been his flask of restoration, but it was too rare for the token as well. Ok, wand it is. When Nick tried using the token on his wand, this time, a message from the System appeared. This item is incompatible with the upgrade token due to a hidden modifier. Now that is interesting. Nick had suspected for some time now that his wand was special, and its description had mentioned hidden modifiers the first time he had seen it in his inventory. It might explain why my Force Adept trait wound up boosting the wand too. I¡¯ll have to investigate it when I get a chance. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. This left him with a three-way tie between his dimensional storage pack, his toolbelt, and his leather jacket. Nick had fallen in love with his toolbelt from the moment he first strapped it on, and it had become integral to his fighting style. That being said, the item could already repair itself and its utility came from its form, not its modifications, moving his tools closer to his hands, where he could use them in battle. He wasn¡¯t sure how the toolbelt¡¯s usefulness could be improved, although he was curious to find out. His leather jacket, on the other hand, was a solid pick for an upgrade. Whether the leather became tougher, more resistant to various destructive energies, or gained some other property, it was sure to come in handy in the days ahead. But given all of that, the jacket was still an article of clothing and not proper armor. Nick strongly suspected that he would eventually swap it out for something more specialized, upgraded or not. But his bag was another matter entirely. His backpack was already far more useful than an ordinary pack. In addition to reducing the weight of the items it carried, it was only limited by mass, not the dimensions of its contents. If he could fit something through the flap, the bag could hold it, even if it was a fifteen-foot pole. Not to mention the trick he had discovered when crafting the pollen bomb back on the Searing Isle, when Nick had learned that he could manipulate the items inside of the dimensional storage. At least to some extent. The bag was crazy durable too. So far, not even attacks that had penetrated his toughness modified jacket had been able to leave a scratch on it. In short, his bag was an inherently useful tool. One that he intended to use for the foreseeable future. Breaking into a broad grin, Nick pressed the stone against the pack and said, ¡°I would like to upgrade my backpack please.¡± For a breathless moment, nothing happened. But then the token grew warm before crumbling into dust. His backpack began to glow, and when the light faded away a few seconds later, the bag looked just the same as it always had. But when he read the System message that appeared in front of his face, he let out an enthusiastic ¡°hell yes!¡± of triumph. It was exactly what Nick had been hoping for. A clear cut, across the board upgrade of the pack¡¯s primary function. Bag of molding (rare) This dimensional storage space can carry up to two hundred pounds, reducing the weight of the items inside by 25%. It can store any discrete item, regardless of its shape, if it can fit into the bag. The rate of decay of items stored within this space will be reduced by a small amount. Chapter Three Hundred Twenty-Four: Passive Ability I Nick gave the backpack an experimental heft, savoring how much lighter it felt when its bulk came down. Without a doubt, his new pack was simply awesome. Not that I¡¯m strong enough to wear it while it¡¯s full just yet, he read the description for a second time. But I appreciate the vote of confidence. In addition to its reduced weight and improved carrying capacity, Nick was thrilled that his bag had gained a minor preservation effect. It was sure to offer all kinds of fringe benefits, beyond the obvious advantage of extending the shelf life of his provisions. He wanted to start testing some of its properties right away, but playing with his pack would have to wait a bit longer. With the delicious appetizer of spending the upgrade token out of the way, it was time to savor the five-star entr¨¦e of his rewards. Activating his passive ability stone and acquiring a brand-new ability. Bouncing with excitement, Nick sent his intentions into the glowing yellow jewel clasped between his fingertips. A new prompt appeared before his eyes half a heartbeat later. A heartbeat that was already racing, fueled by the unique and wonderous excitement that came with obtaining a major upgrade. His eyes opened wider the further he read. It seemed that Nick had a decision on his hands after all. Just like the first ability stone he¡¯d found, which had offered him a choice between mana dart and heavy blow, the System¡¯s message revealed a range of options. The nature of the selection, however, was a bit different this time. You have activated a passive ability stone. This stone contains the hidden modifier [three-way split]. Would you like to learn a passive ability that belongs to the offensive, defensive, or utility category (subclass: enhanced mobility)? Note: the ability you are granted will complement your current build. Nick rubbed his chin as he considered his options. While he would have preferred a clear choice between the abilities offered, he appreciated having at least some control over the direction of his development. As was his nature, he pondered each possibility long and hard before making his pick. To complement his existing powers, an offensive passive ability would have to enhance Nick¡¯s spellcraft or his swordplay, as those were the only methods he used to fight. If he was lucky, a spell-focused passive would increase his output across the board, buffing the damage caused by both mana dart and piercing ray. But there was a good chance that the passive ability would be more specialized, affecting either force or pure mana, but not both. That wouldn¡¯t necessarily be a bad thing, but it could wind up offering a benefit that was more situational than he¡¯d like. An offensive passive that bolstered his martial maneuvers would likely make his sword cut deeper or hit harder. Or maybe it would generate a field around the blade, letting him harm enemies that were resistant to physical damage. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. Either way, while Nick was growing more accustomed to life as a swordsman, he didn¡¯t want to overspecialize in hand-to-hand combat if he could help it, more than he already was. At least not until he was better versed in the long-term consequences of becoming a magic-melee hybrid. Moving on, Nick had a hunch that a defensive passive ability would either use pure mana or kinetic energy too, aligning with his Kineticist class and Force Adept trait. A pure mana-based defense could be interesting, perhaps offering some protection against certain types of spells, similar to how the spear-tongue¡¯s black bones functioned. A force-based defense would almost certainly grant Nick additional shielding against old-fashioned cuts, punctures, and bashes. This could be something hard like force armor, or something that absorbed a portion of the kinetic energy of an enemy¡¯s blows. In short, choosing defense was a good option, as Nick was sorely lacking in the armor department, no offense to his leather jacket. A mana-based defense would be more situational, protecting him from a form of attack that he presently had no way to counter, other than leaping out of the way. As much as he liked the defensive choice, Nick¡¯s mind kept drifting toward the third possibility. If the System had simply offered him a utility passive, he would have expected an ability that did something like boosting his mana regeneration. Maybe help him to recover stamina, supporting his melee side. Perhaps even something with benefits that extended to his party, like Sophia¡¯s power. But unlike the first two categories, for the utility offering, the System had specified a mobility enhancing subtype. If it wound up being a pure-mana-based ability, Nick had no idea what to expect. Maybe something exotic, like the power to walk on water or cling to walls like a spider. But what really got him hot and bothered were all the possibilities he could imagine for a force-based movement ability. Because each and every one of them would be awesome to have at his disposal. Force dash. Force leap. Maybe even some kind of levitation or enhanced reflexes. The minutes ticked past as he pondered the possibilities spread out before him, dialing his old gaming filters up to eleven before making the hardest decision that he¡¯d been confronted with yet. Eventually, he was able to cross the first option off the list. While Nick would always want more firepower, he was satisfied with his offensive output, at least in the short term. He could keep improving the damage he dealt by raising his attributes. However, he was torn between the other two options. After a solid half-hour of agonizing, Nick remembered an old adage, which helped him break the tie. ¡°The best counter to a powerful blow is being fast enough not to get hit to begin with.¡± Ok, maybe Nick just made that up on the spot. But it still felt true when he considered it, both logically and intuitively. Although there were countless circumstances where being able to take bigger hits would be a literal lifesaver, extra mobility could reduce the damage he took too. Besides, after running away from what felt like every beast in the tutorial, Nick knew that there were countless situations when being able to move out of the way in time was preferable to meeting an attack head on. Not to mention various encounters where running away was the only possible means of survival. Ultimately, a defensive power would only come in handy while fighting, except for a few edge cases, like being stuck in the middle of a natural disaster¡­ again. Ok, maybe that one¡¯s not as much of an edge case as I thought. Regardless, a movement enhancing ability would be useful across a vast range of situations, both on and off the battlefield. Right now, compared to most beasts, or even a dexterity-based build like Sophia¡¯s, Nick was slow as shit. Easy to overtake or outmaneuver. He had decent dexterity for his level, but not enough ways to take advantage of it yet. The utility choice might also have some interesting synergies with his evasion skill. I¡¯d like to see what¡¯s behind door number three. Nick laughed as he made his choice, eagerly reading the prompt that appeared on the screen as the System responded to his thoughts. Chapter Three Hundred Twenty-Five: Passive Ability II Congratulations. You have been granted the passive ability: Force acceleration. Force acceleration consumes mana at a rapid rate, greatly increasing the speed of every move you make. Note: this ability may be deactivated at will. You are currently using 1 active ability slot, 1 passive ability slot, and 0 free ability slots. Nick had just enough time to process the fact that abilities provided by his class didn¡¯t take up a slot, while the ones granted by ability stones did, before all thoughts were driven from his mind. The moment that the message faded from the air, a beam of light shot out from the rune-covered gem, passing through his skull before piercing his brain. The System¡¯s ghostly fingers reached out to touch grey matter, rewiring his neural network before attaching the new pathway to his energetic core. He felt hot, cold, then tingly all over before the System¡¯s touch withdrew, leaving Nick changed in a fundamental way. He was excited to try out his new power right away. But when he got ready to take force acceleration for a test drive, he realized that there was a problem. Unlike when he had learned mana dart, this ability came with none of the knowledge of how to use it, beyond a vague sense that it was connected to his core. Nick shrugged, wondering if this was an innate difference between active and passive stones, or if his first ability had been a freebie, letting him use its power right away without having to undergo extensive training. No worries, Nick shrugged philosophically. I¡¯ll just have to figure it out for myself. Since Sophia was still busy consolidating her recent gains, he decided to give force acceleration a quick try here and now. He was low on mana, but he had recovered enough to at least find out what it did. He took a stance like a runner at the start of a race, braced himself, then burst into motion. Nick came to a skidding stop only three steps later, because he hadn¡¯t felt his new power kick in. After a bit of trial and error, he discovered that he had to concentrate and turn the ability on before it did anything. It wound up being more of an active process than he was expecting, but it made sense considering the ability¡¯s intensive mana drain. It''s like an on and off switch to a machine that¡¯s capable of independent operation. No longer requiring direct input past that point. Hopefully, the rate of drain is proportional to how much I move, so just flicking it on won¡¯t drain me dry. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. Nick realized that he had a bit more mana in the tank than he expected, having forgotten that he¡¯d just leveled from the fight in his excitement. Now that he¡¯d figured out the basics, he willed his force acceleration to switch on. Then, for a long moment, he simply stood there, judging the rate of mana loss while learning what it felt like to have force acceleration turned on before he tried it out while moving. To his relief, his mana leeched out slower than he feared. Nick wouldn¡¯t burn through his reserves simply by priming force acceleration for use. Before he inadvertently subjected himself to mana sickness for the second time in an hour, he decided that he would take a quick victory lap, then shut the ability off until he had the luxury of sufficient downtime to experiment with it further. Or at least a victory fifty-yard dash. Nick braced himself and took his first step¡­ only to find himself streaking straight for the wall ahead, the interior of the cavern reduced to a liquid blur of color and motion. Moving far faster than he had anticipated while staring at the rapidly approaching barrier, he panicked. Instead of shutting the ability down, he tried to correct his course instead. It only made things worse given his inexperience. He took a pair of hasty steps, increasing his pace in the process, then ran straight into the cavern¡¯s wall at breakneck speed. Although, fortunately for his bones, not literally in this case. He held his arms in front of his face and turned force acceleration off at the last possible moment, saving Nick from an embarrassing death by shattering his own spine. On a less promising note, he still wound up running straight into a stone wall while moving twice as fast as he could normally sprint. With a resounding thud, Nick met rock and rock won, which was how he wound up losing his first and hopefully last contest of Nick versus wall. Thanks to his heavy investment into toughness, the impact left him bruised and dazed but not critically injured, the reverberation from his collision rebounding across the cavern. Sophia must have heard the impact, because she came running out of the refinery a minute later. ¡°What was that crash? Are we under attack?¡± She drew her dagger as her eyes darted across the cavern, seeking the arrival of a new enemy. ¡°No,¡± Nick picked himself off the ground with a self-deprecating chuckle, face flushed with embarrassment. ¡°Just plain old user error,¡± he explained his new ability and unfortunate lack of control. He had to give Sophia credit. She didn¡¯t laugh, although she was unable to speak for a long moment, and he saw her wipe away a tear from the corner of one eye. ¡°Sorry to worry you. I didn¡¯t mean to interrupt your ritual.¡± He changed the topic, firmly intending never to think about what had just happened ever again. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± she said, suppressing a final chuckle. ¡°I finished just before I heard the collision.¡± She walked over and gave him an encouraging pat on the back. ¡°I still haven¡¯t checked out the rest of my notifications, but how about we get the fuck out of this bug-ridden hellhole first?¡± ¡°Nothing would please me more.¡± Nick picked up his bag and slid it onto his back. Together, covered in blood and grime, they walked out of the darkness and into the light, where Darkstone Tower awaited. Concept Art: Chapter 316-325 Just a reminder, I completely respect that not everyone likes the inclusion/existence of AI art, so I''ve put it in it''s own chapter so that it''s easy to skip and not shown side by side with the story. If it''s not your thing, I totally understand where you are coming from. This concept art is included entirely for fun, and will never be sold or monetized in any way. It will never be as good as your imagination, so if it doesn''t fit with the version of something in your head, go with your imagination instead. Boss battle Juvenile renders Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Matriarch Bonefiend Gold chest Ability stone Item upgrade token Chapter Three Hundred Twenty-Six: Level 12 I Ten minutes later, they left the mine and stepped into warm sunshine, the bog feeling downright welcoming after their stint inside the flesh-renders¡¯ lair. After making sure that the coast was clear, the triumphant duo pulled up their menus, eager to examine the progress they¡¯d made by clearing the hive and completing the event. Glad that during this quest, he could summon his profile once per day as needed, Nick willed the screen into existence. He broke into a broad grin after reading the notifications awaiting his perusal. In addition to acquiring an amazing reward from the chest, he¡¯d boosted his stats quite a bit. Congratulations. You have accumulated enough experience to reach level [12]. You have gained one point of magic from your level. You have one free attribute point awaiting allocation at your discretion. Through use you have improved the following skills: Throwing has increased from [4] to [5]. Wand has increased from [7] to [8]. Sword has increased from [5] to [6]. Evasion has increased from [3] to [5]. By pushing yourself to the limit in the midst of a deadly battle, you have conditioned your body and improved the following baseline attributes: Dexterity has increased from [8] to [9]. Strength has increased from [7] to [8]. Yes, Nick pumped his fist when he read the last line. He¡¯d been waiting for that point of strength for a while now and was thrilled that his baseline dexterity had risen as well. The boosts to his skills were most welcome too. Sophia must have made comparable progress, because when he glanced over, he saw that she was smiling. The distant look in her eyes told him that she was still reading through her updates. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. A few minutes later, she turned to him and said, ¡°Not a bad haul at all. That was way too fucking close, but the progress we made was more than worth the time we lost. Let¡¯s rest for a few hours to recover some stamina, then put as many miles behind us as we can before dark.¡± As exhausted as he was, Nick knew that the fight had taken even more out of his partner. ¡°Sounds like a plan.¡± He started looking for a good spot to stand watch. ¡°Take a nap while I stand guard. You¡¯ve earned it.¡± Sophia looked like she wanted to protest, then staggered as her exhaustion caught up to her, letting out a sleepy yawn. ¡°Thanks Nick. I think I will.¡± She sat down with her back against a tree. Her breathing told him that she was fast asleep a few minutes later, leaving him to reflect on everything that had happened. He was pleased by their performance, but the fight had been far too close for comfort. Worse, they had wound up being trapped by an elite enemy. If Sophia hadn¡¯t been saving her mysterious summoning ability, they would have died down in the mine. We need to grow stronger fast and get better at running from fights we can¡¯t win. Hopefully, force acceleration will help on both fronts. His mana reserves were starting to feel insufficient to take full advantage of his spells, so Nick decided to invest his free point into magic. He signaled his intention to the System and sat down, focusing as intently as he could on the sensation of his core condensing and then expanding. Trying to get better at sensing his mana and the various conduits leading from the reservoir below his heart. When he was done, he looked at his menu before he lost access to it for the day, checking out his upgraded attributes. Attributes
Strength: 8 (9) Dexterity: 9 (13) Toughness: 8 (11)
Mind: 9 (11) Creativity: 8 (9) Charisma: 5
Magic: 3 (9) ??? ???
Sophia woke up two hours later, letting Nick know that she was ready to guard him while he slept. But he was already feeling quite a bit better, now that his stamina wasn¡¯t bottomed out. ¡°I¡¯ll sleep first when we camp for the night. Let¡¯s head for the tower while the bog is free of blackmist.¡± She nodded her agreement, then picked up her pack. Together, they set off into the marshlands, heading for the black tower looming in the distance. They made good time for the rest of the day. Nick was really feeling the battering he had taken by now, but he tried his best not to let his discomfort show on his face. He must have failed to hide it after all, because even though there was still an hour left until sunset, Sophia insisted that they make camp when they passed by a defensible grove of trees. He wanted to protest, but found that he simply didn¡¯t have it in him. ¡°Sleep Nick. You¡¯ve earned it. I¡¯ll take care of everything tonight. I¡¯ll have dinner waiting for you when you wake up.¡± Chapter Three Hundred Twenty-Seven: Level 12 II When he came to, the moon was high in the midnight sky. Sophia must have let him sleep longer than usual to recover from the battle with the flesh-render hive. As promised, there was a pot of what appeared to be frog stew bubbling over the firepit. Little ones, not the lethal spear-tongues. Apparently, Sophia had taken her own advice while Nick was asleep. She handed him a steaming plate, not speaking until the final bite slid down his throat and into his stomach. The stew was surprisingly good. She must be a better cook than I am. Nick licked the plate clean and put the dirty dishes into his pack to wash later. I should ask her for some pointers. ¡°I have some packets of salt and pepper I picked up in the last safe room,¡± she explained. ¡°A little spice makes all the difference. Come here,¡± she held up a round token made of white stone. ¡°I have something that I want to show you. I think we¡¯re past the point of keeping secrets from one another.¡± Nick found that he agreed with the sentiment. After all, they had already shown each other their trump cards. Sophia explained that the stone in her hand was part of a matched set of wards, similar to the ones he¡¯d seen in the treasure vault. She must have been using them the whole time they¡¯d been traveling together, but had been subtle enough when placing the stones that he¡¯d never noticed. While he watched with interest, his partner set five identical discs in a ring around their campsite, then activated the wards by giving them a predefined target. ¡°Anything hostile,¡± in this case. He was glad to learn of their existence. Nick would sleep even better knowing that there was a second layer of protection supplementing the eyes and ears of the person standing watch. When she was done, Nick divulged the details of his wand and spells, along with the ins and outs of his flask of restoration. She told him about her dagger in return, which generated enough frost venom to use three times a day. When they were done with show and tell, he went about his daily training and workout session. While he worked up a sweat, Sophia sat down in front of the fire with her legs crossed and eyes closed. After hearing Nick mention his growing ability to sense vital energy, she had begun experimenting on her own. Trying to learn how to perceive and control the forces known as stamina and mana flowing throughout her body. She was still at it by the time he finished his routine. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. While his partner was busy, he sat in front of the fire and took out his journal. It was time to take care of something that he had been meaning to do for some time, take a proper inventory of his¡­ inventory. Sophia cracked one eye open when she heard him laughing at himself, then smiled and resumed her meditation. By now, Nick had filled a fair portion of his dimensional storage. In addition to provisions, tools, and basic resources, he had gathered a considerable collection of items. Items that he was hoping were valuable or would have other uses to someone with the proper knowledge or abilities. What he would have called crafting components and rare resources if this was one of the games from his old life. Some he had claimed from dangerous enemies, like the swarmling¡¯s exoskeleton and the matriarch¡¯s mandible. Others had seemed rare or unusual, like the blue gem Nick had found in the dungeon, or the glowing lump of metal he¡¯d recovered from the mine. He was hoping to find a place where he could sell or appraise them before long, or he would have to start limiting such acquisitions to small items only. But for now, he still had enough space in his pack for these oddities, along with his gear and provisions. Especially with his recent upgrade. Maybe his next class would be able to make use of them, like how Sophia¡¯s had a special interaction with beast¡¯s bones and ability stones. When he was done, he saw that she was waiting for him, dagger in hand. Without needing to communicate with words, they began sparring by starlight. Working out some of the stress of almost being killed earlier in the day, being gentle enough not to aggravate each other¡¯s injuries. After an hour, he could tell that Sophia was getting tired, so he brought their session to a close. He stood watch while she got some sleep, and they set off the moment that the sky began to lighten with the coming of dawn. They covered ground quickly that day and the next. Only stopping long enough to hunt, forage, and take cover from the blackmist, which was still growing thicker by the hour. They did make one diversion at Sophia¡¯s request, when they spotted a pack of spear-tongues in the distance. She wanted to watch them hunt, so that she could use her new summon more effectively. He handed her his spyglass while the frogs took down a pair of otters, then continued on their way. They spoke often as they hiked, getting to know more about each other and learning to work as a team. Throughout this time, they began spotting the river in the distance. A great waterway that divided the bog like a silver serpent, so massive it put the others to shame. It looked deep and the current ran strong, at least three times as wide as any of the other rivers they¡¯d seen. Every time they reached elevated ground, Nick began looking for a bridge or ford in the waterway. By now, he was certain that if they wanted to reach the tower, they were going to have to find some way to cross the river. The sooner they found something promising the better, because they would reach its banks early the next day. End of Mine Arc Wrap-Up Well everyone, we did it. We made it to the end of another major arc. I hope that you enjoyed it and that the pacing has been working out better since Nick made it onto the bog. We''re going to get to know some of the other major characters soon, in addition to Sophia, so no more long solo arcs for a while (just a few short ones). There''s just one arc left in volume two, which means that we''re barreling toward the book''s climax. It makes me super happy that so many people have been enjoying Nick''s adventures. We''ve come a long way since I published that first word about ten months ago. I know that the story isn''t perfect. But I''ve put everything I have into it and am doing my best to keep learning and growing as a writer, a large part of which has been due to feedback from you (thanks again). I''m getting ready to try to sell the book before too long, and am hoping to boost it just a little further first to make it that much more attractive. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. On that note, if you have been enjoying the story and would be willing to rate it today, or possibly even leave a review, it would help me out a ton right now (and make me feel good too). I could never have made it this far without you, so thanks again for all your supportive actions, comments, feedback, and corrections, it really means a lot to me. Finally, I have some exciting news to share. My new story will be launching on July 16th, and I will have a sneak peak ready for you sometime in the next few weeks. That''s it for today everybody, have an awesome week. I hope that you enjoy all of Nick''s adventures to come. -Magnus Chapter Three Hundred Twenty-Eight: Passive Training I They set camp later that night, planning to scout the riverbank when the sun rose. After going through their usual training regimen, Nick was ready to move onto something new. Learning how to control his passive ability well enough to use it in battle. Each evening since they¡¯d left the mine behind them, he had burned through a chunk of his mana training with force acceleration. He couldn¡¯t afford to go overboard. Especially on days when he¡¯d cast multiple spells. He had to keep some mana in reserve in case they were attacked at night, as it was a critical component to his combat effectiveness, and needed to be full again the next day, able to bring his full power to bear against the countless dangers roaming the bog. Fortunately, his wand was still gaining charges on its own, at a rate of about one charge per day. By now, it was full once more, ready to use in an emergency. While these were valid concerns, it was important that Nick learned how to use his new ability as soon as possible, because right now it was useless in a fight. He didn¡¯t have enough control over his movements, and he couldn¡¯t afford to jettison the mana it consumed by wasteful actions. Right now, he would wind up impaling himself on his opponent¡¯s claws or leaping straight into the bog, if he were foolish enough to give it a try. The main reason why force acceleration was so tricky to use was that it didn¡¯t just enhance the part of Nick¡¯s body that was involved in whatever maneuver he was attempting. It made every move he made faster and more forceful, all at the same time. Worse, it offered him no protection against the power contained within his mana-boosted movements. This point had been hammered home during his last training session, when he had turned his head to track a noise and almost given himself whiplash. If Nick tried to pick his nose while force acceleration was active, he would probably poke out his own eye instead. Thus, his first goal was to learn how to turn the ability on quickly and reliably. His second was to wait until he needed it, rather than activating it beforehand. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Too soon, and Nick would waste mana and risk losing control over his body. Too late, and the opportunity the extra speed granted would pass him by. Even when he got it right, there were some real restrictions on how useful the ability was, at least until he raised his attributes enough that his body could withstand the pressure. Even with his high toughness, if Nick tried using force acceleration to throw a rock at full power, he risked tearing the muscles in his shoulder, possibly breaking his own arm for good measure. This wouldn¡¯t be a problem if he knew how to use only a portion of the power at once, but right now, activating the ability was an all or nothing deal. His third goal was to learn how to control his body more precisely. To flex only the muscles involved in his chosen movement and nothing else. This level of precision required Nick to deepen his understanding of the mechanics of motion, especially those used in evasion and swordplay. An extension of what he had learned while dancing to the alien music back in the safe room. The best part about this step was that he could practice it without turning on the ability. It helped improve his coordination in general, taking him closer to capping his baseline dexterity. The final step was a mirror to the first. Nick needed to be able to turn the ability off the moment that he was done using it, or risk unintended consequences. He had to learn how to stop using force acceleration instantly, rather than panicking, overcompensating, or generally making things worse. Like what had happened when he¡¯d run right into a wall when he was down in the mine. Some of this would take him months to master, let alone to use freely in the middle of battle. Right now, he just wanted to be able to take an accelerated leap back or to the side without losing control. To dodge a blow that would otherwise be too quick to get out of the way in time. Once he learned the trick, Nick would be able to accelerate in tiny bursts to enhance his defense and heighten his mobility in general. After training for a few days, he had reached the point where he could manage a short leap if he concentrated intensely, but his timing still felt off. Which was why he had asked Sophia to start throwing rocks at him, so that he could turn his jumping into a true dodging technique. Even if he had more control, the ability wouldn¡¯t live up to its potential until he could react on the fly to novel stimuli, instead of only being able to pull off premeditated maneuvers in controlled conditions. On that note, out of the corner of his eye, he saw a rock flying for his face in a lazy arc. Chapter Three Hundred Twenty-Nine: Passive Training II Nick tensed, but forced himself to remain perfectly still as he turned on force acceleration. Concentrating on exactly how he needed to move, he took aim and leapt, all within a couple of seconds. It still took long enough that he barely made it out of the way in time. He could have sidestepped the stone faster if he hadn¡¯t bothered with the ability, saving himself a chunk of mana in the process. But that was the point of practicing and refining his technique. At least he didn¡¯t get hit this time. Progress is progress, Nick. No point in getting frustrated. He turned to share his triumph with Sophia¡­ just in time to see a second rock heading his way. Not having anticipated the follow up strike, although by now he probably should have, Nick panicked and fucked up his reaction. He managed to activate force acceleration in time, but when he leapt, he lost control over his speed and direction. Wasting a piercing ray¡¯s worth of mana, he soared over twenty feet straight up. He could hear the roar of the air in passing, the force against his knees sufficient to make his bones creak. ¡°Fuuuuck!¡± he cried out, praying that he wouldn¡¯t land hard enough to break his legs as his ascent began to slow. As Nick looked down upon Sophia¡¯s astonished face, he stopped gaining altitude at last. For one glorious fraction of a heartbeat, he was flying, then completely weightless, hanging in midair. Then gravity dug its merciless talons into him, and he began dropping like a rock. He had just enough time to be terrified. Not only was he about to take a considerable fall, he was angled to come down right on top of the campfire. With a sinking feeling that was a great deal more literal than usual, Nick realized that he was about to cripple himself and light himself ablaze in the process. He tried to come up with a solution, but there wasn¡¯t enough time. The ground rose in a streaking blur, poised to strike like the planet itself had reached out to slap him. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. He couldn¡¯t decide if he should brace himself or go limp, suspecting that he wasn¡¯t going to enjoy the outcome either way. Just before his feet plunged into the fire, something hit him hard from one side. Something warm and pleasantly soft. When the world stopped moving, Nick found himself cradled in Sophia¡¯s arms, her eyes staring down into his own. They both looked surprised, relieved, then embarrassed in turn. She quickly set him down and looked away, deciding to pretend that the last thirty seconds had never happened. ¡°Thanks,¡± he sat down on the ground and buried his head in his hands, cheeks flushed with embarrassment. ¡°No worries,¡± she sighed. ¡°That was at least half my fault. That ability has too much raw power to rush your training like that. I¡¯ll be more careful going forward.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have to take it even slower until I get a few more levels under my belt. This ability isn¡¯t well-suited to someone with my stats, or with the size of my mana pool. On the bright side, it should be great once I have some time to grow into it. I may have made a poor choice when I picked the utility category instead of offense or defense.¡± ¡°No point in second-guessing the decision now. The same thing could have happened no matter what you chose. At least you wound up with something with a lot of potential.¡± ¡°I know. You¡¯re right,¡± Nick smiled. ¡°Hopefully, with your help, I¡¯ll live long enough to make something of it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what friends are for. Besides, I have a similar problem with my strongest summon. I wouldn¡¯t have time to use it at all if you weren¡¯t there to watch my back. All other issues aside, a five-minute casting time is a ridiculous liability and one that I¡¯ll have a tough time resolving. I can¡¯t train with it much since my power doesn¡¯t lend itself to practicing in small bites, like you¡¯re doing with force acceleration.¡± She took a seat beside him at the fire. ¡°Let¡¯s worry about tomorrow¡¯s problems tomorrow. For now, how about we grill up some dinner and then hit the hay? We still have a long and treacherous road ahead of us.¡± Nick nodded his agreement and reached for his pack, glad to have Sophia at his side. Her presence was a bright spot during these dark days, and right now, Nick needed all the light he could get. Chapter Three Hundred Thirty: Home of the River King I The duo set out as dawn broke over the bog, reinvigorated by a night that had proven to be blessedly uneventful after Nick¡¯s little tussle with the law of gravity. By now, they were growing close to the tower, to the extent that it dominated a large swath of the northern horizon. When he climbed a tree and looked out over the marsh, Nick could almost see its foundation at last. He judged that they had another half day of travel ahead of them until they reached the grand river running east to west across the marshlands. Once they navigated the crossing, another few hours should see them to the tower¡¯s base where, with any luck, the bulk of team Earth would be waiting for their arrival. While the immense waterway was imposing, there was reason for optimism. The good news was that after scanning the riverbank with his spyglass, Nick had spotted a region where the water ran shallow, judging by the series of boulders protruding from the surface. They might even be able to hop from one rock to another, saving them precious time in the process. The bad news was that to reach the shallows, the duo needed to cross through several miles of a dense forest biome. A region where the trees grew so thick that the only way through was to follow a narrow stream that wound its way across the woodlands. The visibility would be terrible and the footing questionable, but the stream should take them all the way down to the riverbank, letting them bypass the compact overgrowth along the way. Ten minutes later, they had arrived at the borderlands between the biomes, staring up at stout orange trees with golden leaves that topped off fifty feet above the forest floor. After scouting the region as thoroughly as possible from the tree line, they began following the streambed and stepped between the towering trunks, crossing into a terrain different from any they had seen yet. While there were no overt signs of danger and size up was quiet for now, Nick¡¯s heart started to race, and his adrenaline began to flow. Though the insects were plentiful, there were few animals and fewer beasts darting among the treetops, which he took as a clear warning sign. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. Given the prolific vegetation and convenient source of water, the only reason that more creatures didn¡¯t call the region home had to be the presence of a powerful predator. After a long moment of deliberation, the duo decided to press on. This route was the only way to reach the crossing that Nick had seen from above, since the trees grew too thick to approach the ford by following the riverbank. Left with no other choice, they made their way along the stream, on alert for anything waiting to ambush them from the treetops, the dense undergrowth, or below the water. Despite an abundance of caution, they didn¡¯t run into anything more menacing than mosquitoes and songbirds for the first half hour, making Nick wonder if his concern was unwarranted. Not that he expected the matter to be resolved so simply with the System and Taltos working behind the scenes. Five minutes later, they navigated a sharp bend in the stream and found themselves staring out across the dead zone. A wide swath of trees had been burned to the ground, creating a lane about twenty feet wide that led deeper within the forest. Sizing up everything in sight, Nick went perfectly still, straining his senses to the limit to detect the presence of anything hostile. Whatever happened to the forest here, it can¡¯t be anything good. The more that he thought about it, the more Nick felt that the burn zone looked like a planned road through the woods. A fire-razed route made for something big to pass by. In short, the lane of charred trees was clearly unnatural, likely the work of magic beyond his comprehension. A normal fire would never have contained itself to a single corridor, leaving the trees on both sides untouched. Without needing to speak, the duo settled down to wait, hiding behind a tree while scanning the area for danger. After ten minutes of spotting nothing of the sort, they moved a few feet deeper into the charred region and started inspecting the ground along the burn zone. Not long after, Sophia frowned and pointed. Nick followed her finger to where a massive set of tracks was stamped into the soil. He took in deep gouges torn into the forest floor. Scratches along the tree trunks where something heavy had been dragged along the charred area. Tiptoeing over to the markings, on guard against ambush from all sides, he bent down to take a closer look. The center of the trail contained a continuous depression, as if someone had taken a fat log and dragged it all the way along the charcoaled ground. Along both sides of the gouge ran a series of curved markings that reminded him of flippers. Chapter Three Hundred Thirty-One: Home of the River King II After conducting their investigation, Sophia and Nick put their heads together, whispering into each other¡¯s ears to make as little sound as possible. ¡°Those have to be the tracks of some kind of beast, right?¡± He frowned. ¡°That¡¯s what I was thinking. Big bastard, given the size of its feet and the space between each step. I tracked a variety of creatures back in the tutorial, but I¡¯ve never seen anything like this. What do you think we should do?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have much choice other than to press on, hope for the best, and plan for the worst. For now, let¡¯s keep following the stream for as long as possible. Walking along the cleared ground would get us out of here faster, but I don¡¯t want to run into whatever left all those tracks.¡± ¡°Me either,¡± Nick nodded. ¡°I¡¯m even more worried about the burned trees than the sheer size of the beast. Whatever is out here must be able to create flame and control it with a high degree of precision. It was able to carve out a path for itself without burning the entire woodlands down in the process. The stream might offer some protection if we run into something that can hurl fireballs and none of our powers can counteract flames. Let¡¯s keep going for now. If we run into anything nasty, you can use one of your wasps to distract it long enough for us to get away. ¡°Sounds good,¡± she stepped back and they resumed walking. Twenty minutes later, they came across a second flame-razed path, then a third shortly after. Nick didn¡¯t like the look of them one bit. Whatever was out here, they were getting closer to its lair, crossing through the middle of its territory rather than skirting the border as he¡¯d hoped. On a brighter note, they were almost to the far side of the forest. Another ten minutes and they should make it to the ford and cross the river, hopefully without running into whatever had laid claim to the woodlands. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. Not long after, the trees began to thin. Not because they had been burned away like elsewhere in the forest, but because the stream ended abruptly, transitioning into a modest lake surrounded by a large clearing. There were a few scorched trunks here and there, and several more of the burned corridors, but he didn¡¯t see more of the strange tracks anywhere nearby. Before leaving the concealment of the forest, they stopped to inspect the open space ahead. Here too, the beasts were scarce, although Nick saw more birds nesting in the trees than elsewhere in the woods. There were several fern-covered islands in the middle of the lake, including a big mound that was covered in some manner of rust red growth. After waiting in silence for a good ten minutes, he decided that the coast was clear. Moving as quietly as they could, Sophia and Nick skirted the boundary of the clearing, heading for a break in the trees on the far side of the lake, through which he could see the river in the distance. Despite the tension and unsettling surroundings, nothing dangerous revealed itself as they crossed the halfway point. Maybe we¡¯ll make it through without a fight after all. That was the moment when what Nick had thought was a small island opened its eyes. The great red mound grew even larger as it rose from the lake. A dozen birds that had been resting on top took to the air with a chorus of frightened squawks. Half of them made it away in time. Before the rest could fly to safety, a great plume of flame shot forth from the waterline, so intense that Nick could feel the heat on his face from where he stood. The burning birds plummeted back down toward the surface of the lake. Before they hit the water, the river king struck. A great leathery head snapped up with incredible speed, jaws closing around the incandescent avians in the blink of an eye. As the immense beast stopped to chew, it began sniffing at the air, malice clear in every crook of its posture. ¡°Nick. We need to get out of here.¡± He had already come to the same conclusion. By now, Nick had realized that what he had believed was an island was in fact the shell of the biggest beast he¡¯d ever seen. He had hoped that they could retreat before it noticed them, but it was already too late. At that very moment, angry red eyes that smoldered like fireplace embers turned to regard him with contempt, followed by a ferocious growl. Chapter Three Hundred Thirty-Two: Flaming Retreat I Nick knew that he had to run. But for a solitary heartbeat longer, he simply stared at the colossal creature, taking in its towering form. The beast he had named the river king looked like some monstrous amalgamation of turtle and dragon, merging the worst features of both species. It ran on four powerful legs, long enough to reach the bottom of the pond while floating on the surface. A sinuous tail stuck out from the back, helping the beast to swim, and likely serving as a weapon as well. Near the base of its shell, wicked serrations lined the perimeter, curved like the edge of a saw. Its neck and face were covered in thick scales, ending in a beak like a turtle¡¯s, if a turtle was powerful enough to bite a car in half without breaking a sweat. Judging from its fiery breath and the width of its shell, it was clear that the beast had created the charred passages running through the woods. It was an apex predator, perched at the top of the local food chain. He prayed that it couldn¡¯t run as fast as it swam, because the beast was coming in hot, surging through the water at a disheartening rate. He turned to run then looked back over his shoulder, trusting Sophia to pick a path through the trees. It was a good thing that he did, otherwise the river king¡¯s attack would have caught them by surprise, ending their lives in a jet of superheated flame. The beast opened its beak and roared, tearing leaves from the treetops beneath the intensity of its fury. A ball of roiling red flame flickered to life in front of its face. The incandescent sphere rapidly swelled, shifting from red, to gold, to blinding white within a fleeting handful of heartbeats. A shrieking flare of danger resounded when Nick used size up, not that he needed the skill to know that the river king¡¯s breath was bad news. In the heart of that terrible moment, he was certain of two things. The beast¡¯s attack was imminent and would reach them from that distance, reducing them to skeletal ash like the trees it had carved its way through. There was no time to cry out a warning. Nick grabbed Sophia by the shoulders and dove behind a tree. A fraction of a moment later, a searing cone of flame erupted from the water¡¯s edge, impacting the nearest trees and reducing them to char. The beast¡¯s breath soon caught the trunk they had hidden behind, incinerating the entire area in the blink of an eye. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. It would have been the end of them both if they were still standing there. But instead of trying to hide, they¡¯d begun weaving their way through the dense growth. By this time, the duo was a good seven trees back from the space where incandescent flame met a wall of living wood. The river king¡¯s ability took out dozens of trees as it panned its breath from one side to the other, growing closer each time that a trunk went up in flames. With cracks like gunshots the burning trees exploded, as the moisture within them vaporized and expanded. By now, the air was so hot that it stung his face. Neither of them dared to breathe, lest it sear their lungs. Just as Nick was certain that they were going to die despite their best efforts, the flames cut off, fading away to the crackle of burning timber as black smoke wafted into the air. He was convinced that the beast had just started an immense forest fire, when suddenly, every lick of flame cut off at the same moment. It was clearly the work of a powerful spell or ability. Makes sense. It doesn¡¯t want to burn its home down just to eliminate some intruders. That was the moment when the ground began to rumble beneath his boots, and he realized that their troubles were far from over. ¡°It¡¯s headed our way. Fast.¡± Sophia confirmed his suspicions as they pressed their bodies into a greater burst of speed. They left the thick woods behind them and stepped out onto an open trail, running away from the river king for everything they were worth. They sprinted down a lane that had been burned into the forest by the great shelled beast. Nick¡¯s heart hammered in his chest, and adrenaline sang within his veins. He knew that if the creature closed even a portion of the distance, if they offered it a clear line of fire to strike them with its breath, they were dead. It was as simple as that. Their only chance was to escape its territory and hope that the river king lost interest once they were out of the woodlands. In short, this was an opponent they had no chance of defeating. A grim reminder that as powerful as they had become, the multiverse was filled with countless monsters that could end their existence in the blink of an eye. Although they pushed their bodies to the limits, the world around them reduced to a blur before Nick¡¯s eyes, they couldn¡¯t seem to widen their lead. If anything, judging from the roaring behind their backs and the vibrations transmitting through his boots, the beast was gaining on them steadily. Chapter Three Hundred Thirty-Three: Flaming Retreat II When Nick looked back over his shoulder, the shelled reptile appeared from around a bend in the tree line. It began to inhale, a roiling ball of flame gathering in front of its maw then lancing forth. Just before the conflagration hit them, they turned the next corner. The trees beside them erupted into rising pillars of flame for a few seconds, before the fire was extinguished between the drawing of one breath and the next. ¡°We have to do something,¡± Sophia said. ¡°We¡¯re not going to make it out of here at this rate.¡± ¡°Summon a wasp,¡± Nick replied. ¡°I¡¯ll buy you enough time to get it in the air.¡± They came to a skidding stop as a rising tide of terror broke over him. He summoned his arctic clarity to maintain focus and keep himself moving, although it couldn¡¯t completely dispel his fear. He knew that if what they were attempting didn¡¯t work out, it would be the last mistake they ever made. But he didn¡¯t have time to second guess himself, only to proceed with his plan and pray. Piercing ray, Nick gathered his will, pouring as much mana as he could into the spell coalescing between his hands. Meanwhile, Sophia began to chant, somehow managing to increase the speed of her casting, judging by the flows of chitin and tissue that were appearing in the air beside her. Nick waited seven full seconds until his spell was nearing completion, then stuck his head out from behind the trunk. He could feel the rhythmic pounding as the beast¡¯s footsteps drew near, but he shut out his awareness of the creature¡¯s imminent arrival. He knew it would appear from behind the bend any second. Before it did, Nick needed to select a target for his spell. There! Just as the beast¡¯s snout came into view, he visualized his trajectory and let loose his magic. This was the most powerful ray that Nick had cast yet, the whirling drill bit nearly as thick as his wrist. Instead of aiming at the beast, which he strongly suspected could either dodge, deflect, or endure the attack, he sent the ray screaming toward a thick row of trees, commanding it to bend so that it struck several towering trunks in succession. Bark and branches went flying into the air as Nick panned the ray in a wide arc, tearing into living and charred wood alike, like a chainsaw attached to a bungie cord. As the cacophony of falling lumber rose to fill the air, the shelled beast skidded to a stop, watching the spell play out before orienting on Nick and preparing to breathe once more. Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Before its flames could coalesce, a sharp crack rang out, followed by another and then a third within as many heartbeats. The creature tried to get out of the way, but it was already too late. Before it could do more than retract into its shell, three massive trees came crashing down on top of it, burying the river king beneath an avalanche of wood and leaf. It let out a furious roar from somewhere below the pile. It¡¯s not hurt, just pissed off. Nick knew that his impromptu deadfall hadn¡¯t been enough to wound the creature. He doubted that the falling trees could even injure it from inside its dense shell. But winning the fight wasn¡¯t what he¡¯d been going for. He only needed to slow it down. Before the beast could dig its way free, Nick poured his remaining mana into casting a second, weaker ray, toppling several more trees with the spell before running back to Sophia¡¯s side, just as she finished her summons. ¡°I managed to delay it, but it won¡¯t hold the beast back for long. It¡¯s time for your friend to shine.¡± She smiled back at him as they started running for their lives. Meanwhile, her wasp flew high, heading over the branches. To where the dragon-turtle was in the middle of freeing itself from Nick¡¯s trap. The frostfury wasp wouldn¡¯t be able to injure the powerful beast either, but that wasn¡¯t what Sophia intended. It only had to distract the king long enough to get away. Judging by the furious roar that shook the forest ten seconds later, Nick knew that their plan was working. Burning stamina like there was no tomorrow, the pair raced out of the woods, abandoning the river crossing in favor of fleeing for their lives. For ten heart-wrenching minutes, the beast continued to pursue them, growling in the distance as it chased after them. Before it could catch them, they burst out of the tree line, retreating into the bog to find somewhere to hide. Fortunately, for all its size and ferocity, the great shelled beast was slower than they were on land. They ran for another half hour, until they reached the bottom of their reserves, then came to a stop at the top of a small hillock and ducked behind a boulder to conceal their profiles. Nick took out his spyglass and started looking back the way they had come. Fortunately, it seemed that they had left the beast¡¯s territory behind them, and it wasn¡¯t inclined to spend all day chasing after what would only amount to a light lunch. Since fording the river was no longer an option, Nick and Sophia would have to find another way across. Chapter Three Hundred Thirty-Four: Rough Crossing I Sophia and Nick had been traveling alongside the river for most of the afternoon. They were pushing themselves hard, trying to get as far away as possible from the river king while looking for a place where the water ran slow and narrow. Unfortunately, the only bridges they had come across had long since been reduced to rubble. While it was possible that there was another natural crossing somewhere ahead, they couldn¡¯t afford to spend days looking for a place where the water was shallow enough to ford and free from the presence of hostile beasts. After deciding that the only way across the river was to float and row, the duo had begun searching for the best place to attempt the crossing. They needed to get to the tower fast, before the next global event was triggered, unleashing fresh hell upon the bog. In short, their only option was to build a raft and sail to the far side. Fortunately, the raft didn¡¯t need to be seaworthy, or even particularly riverworthy. It just had to hold together long enough for the pair to row across and continue their journey. That being said, if their vessel broke apart or sank halfway across the river, it was going to be a serious problem. While Nick felt confident that his stamina and physical attributes would see him through to the other shore, once they were in the water, they would be easy pickings for the predators that prowled the depths. There was a chance that they would be attacked anyway, but the local beasts shouldn¡¯t have much experience with manmade vessels or guess that people were riding on top. Hopefully, the raft would shield their presence for the handful of minutes it took to paddle across to the opposite bank. None of that changed what they needed to do first. Now that they had left the fire breathing turtle behind them, it was time to find materials sturdy enough to hold their weight, then bind them together using the limited tools at their disposal. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. First on the list was to figure out what kind of wood would be best for building the raft¡¯s body. Once they saw what they had to work with, the duo could decide how to lash it together. Finally, they needed to carve a pair of oars, and ideally a third for backup, in case one of them fell into the water. Nick was lucky that the crude vessel wouldn¡¯t require anything fancy like a mast, sail, or rudder, as crafting such complex components was beyond his ability. After conferring with Sophia, they decided to split up to cover more ground. He would focus on finding lumber suitable for the raft¡¯s frame, while his partner searched for vines sturdy enough to tie everything together. Nick spent the next hour scouting along the riverbank, looking for a likely candidate while watching out for anything predatory living in the nearby waters. He eventually found a promising specimen, a toppled tree that was floating alongside the shore. The tree in question had already begun to rot, but now that he had identified a species light enough to float, he took out his spyglass to survey the surrounding terrain. Not long after, he spotted a small grove of the same kind of tree, five of which were tall enough to lash together, but not so big that he would have to waste time cutting them into three or more pieces. After scanning the area to make sure no beasts were lurking nearby, Nick took out the axe he had taken from Shaun and went to work cutting down the trees. He kept one eye over his shoulder as his axe bit into wood, in case the noise drew the attention of something nasty. By the time that he had felled the second tree, Sophia came walking over to his side. Wrapped around her shoulders was a thick loop of vines, which would stretch out to a few hundred feet when unrolled. ¡°This stuff is really tough,¡± she set down her load and inspected his efforts. ¡°I think it will hold the logs together. Let me take a turn chopping, so you don¡¯t get completely exhausted. You¡¯ll need your strength to row and fight, although hopefully we can avoid the latter. You can stand guard while I knock down this last bunch.¡± Chapter Three Hundred Thirty-Five: Rough Crossing II Nick was glad for the offer. His arms were growing sore, and his partner was a lot stronger than he was. She could chop down the last three trees with considerably less effort. While she went to work with the axe, Nick took the bundle of vines, unrolling them to their full length and then laying them side-by-side. When the last tree hit the dirt half an hour later, they decided to break for lunch. They ate smoked fish while discussing their next steps and watching the river sparkle beneath the light of an alien sun. Afterwards, they could move everything closer to the water, lash the logs together, and attempt the crossing. When they were done eating, Nick picked out three long branches that he would carve into crude oars. After trimming each limb and cutting off the narrow ends, he used the axe to taper down the other sides. When everything was ready, they began the laborious process of dragging all five trees over to the riverbank. They set the logs next to each other, then began figuring out how best to tie the vines to hold everything together. Fortunately, they both had prior experience living outdoors. Before long, they had decided which way to wrap and knot the buoyant trunks. Working in tandem, they began passing the loop of vine back and forth, weaving it between each log before moving it down to start the next row. Two hours later, their makeshift raft was complete. While they recovered from the grueling labor, Nick used his dagger to carve the finishing touches on his paddles. Hopefully, they could propel themselves across before the current carried them too far downstream, adding to the time it would take to hike to the tower after. He went to work, whittling away the extra timber, while Sophia tightened the knots and tested the vines for weakness. They waited until a family of giant otters finished passing through the area, then rolled up their sleeves and went to work. Sophia and Nick dragged their raft over to the water¡¯s edge. It took a fair amount of effort, even with her considerable strength added to the mix. At least the vessel was easy to slide once it hit the muddy riverbanks. If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. After stopping to catch their breath, they made a final inspection of their equipment, tossed the oars aboard, and pushed the raft into the river until the water was waist high. The duo quickly scampered aboard before the current dragged it away. Once they were situated, they used their poles to push the raft further out, until they could no longer reach the bottom. They assumed positions on opposite sides of the ramshackle vessel, pointed the front at an angle, then began paddling for everything they were worth. The moment they left the shallows, Nick felt a rising tension in the air and his adrenaline began to flow. He couldn¡¯t spot or sense anything dangerous yet, even with size up. But he hadn¡¯t felt this exposed, this vulnerable, since the night that the blood moon had risen. Nick had been on the bog long enough to know that some of its most dangerous denizens lived below the water. While he was hoping that the crossing would be uneventful, he had a hunch that they would be in for a fight before they set foot onto the far shore. Ten minutes later, they were still less than a third of the way across. It was taking them longer than he had expected, due to the poor quality of their oars. Thankfully, the river ran relatively slow here, so they hadn¡¯t drifted too far downstream. On a brighter note, the raft was sufficiently buoyant. It easily held the weight of both partners and their gear. The vines lashing the logs together were holding firm, and the raft would likely see them all the way through to the far side of the river. Nick scanned the water with one eye and the sky with the other, on watch for beast and blackmist alike. He had no desire whatsoever to try maneuvering the raft while flying blind, and he fervently prayed that no mist would arrive until their crossing was complete. Following Sophia¡¯s lead, he kept his strokes strong and slow, moving them steadily across the surface of the water while making as little noise as possible. Despite his pervasive unease, nothing assailed them as the raft floated past the halfway mark, and Nick let out a soft sigh of relief. That all changed ten seconds later, when a ball of condensed water broke the surface of the river, streaking straight toward his head with blinding speed. Concept Art: Chapter 326-335 Just a reminder, I completely respect that not everyone likes the inclusion/existence of AI art, so I''ve put it in it''s own chapter so that it''s easy to skip and not shown side by side with the story. If it''s not your thing, I totally understand where you are coming from. This concept art is included entirely for fun, and will never be sold or monetized in any way. It will never be as good as your imagination, so if it doesn''t fit with the version of something in your head, go with your imagination instead. Spear-tongue skeleton Force acceleration The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Last days on the bog Jumping too high The river The river king Rough crossing Chapter Three Hundred Thirty-Six: Aquatic Assassins I There was no warning whatsoever. The surprise attack left Nick with only a fraction of a second to react. He never would have moved in time if he wasn¡¯t already on high alert, on guard against such an occurrence. Given the attack¡¯s angle, he couldn¡¯t leap out of the way, or the water bullet might hit Sophia instead, and there wasn¡¯t enough time to draw his sword. Instead, he judged the vector of the watery missile, then raised his oar to intercept. He angled the flat end out so that the projectile would deflect to one side, rather than taking the brunt of the blast head-on. Even still, the impact was incredible. The magic bullet tore a hearty chunk out of the oar, sending splinters and droplets flying into the air as the shockwave traveled through Nick¡¯s arms, almost making him lose his grip. ¡°Ambush from the water,¡± he cried out, glad to see that Sophia was already in motion. Before his words faded from the air, another three shots were fired from below the waterline. Nick dove onto his stomach, narrowly avoiding the pair of bullets that were headed his way. Sophia sidestepped the third, shifting her weight as graceful as a dancer to let the lethal missile go sailing past her shoulder. From his new vantage point, Nick could see shapes moving within the river below. ¡°It¡¯s some kind of fish the size of dogs. There are three of them I can see from here. Hopefully there aren¡¯t any more.¡± ¡°Shit,¡± Sophia ducked down beside him to take a closer look. ¡°We have to drive them off or we¡¯ll never make it to the far side. Cover me long enough to summon a pair of spear-tongues. It¡¯s going to take a minute to summon each. Unlike the wasps, I can only create one at a time.¡± ¡°Ok,¡± Nick handed her the damaged oar, making sure that the other two were stowed safely in the middle of the raft, where they wouldn¡¯t be in danger of falling over the side. ¡°Use this to guard your head and I¡¯ll try my best to draw their fire while you¡¯re casting.¡± The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. By now, the archer fish had pulled back, moving to where they could angle their shots lower to get them past the edge of the raft. ¡°Lie flat on your back and shield your side closest to the water with my backpack. It¡¯s proven to be indestructible so far.¡± Keeping his eyes on the river, he slid off his pack and set it beside Sophia, who laid down behind it while using the oar to cover her other flank. ¡°I¡¯ll distract them while you¡¯re busy casting.¡± Nick had no chance to hear her reply, for at that very moment, three more water bullets came streaking out from the surface of the river. Each attack was coming from a different angle, flying for his body with lethal force. He knew in that moment that if he messed this up, he was in for a world of hurt. That the magic projectiles would break bones and pulverize organs, likely knocking him into the water as well. Summoning every scrap of concentration he could muster, he tracked the trajectory of all three projectiles, the sensation of icy focus that sometimes came over him when his life was on the line infusing his consciousness. Just before the bullets struck true, Nick swung his sword up in a flash, the length of its blade shining like molten bronze in the light of an alien sun. He stepped in time with the motion, moving his head four inches to the right in the process. Halfway through his slash, Nick twisted his wrist to adjust the angle of the blade, cutting straight through the first streaking bead of water, then turning the weapon once more. At this point, three things happened at once. The bullet that he¡¯d slashed disintegrated into a fine spray of mist, the spreading curtain of droplets forming a rainbow over his head. Meanwhile, the second shot went screaming past the tip of his ear, tearing through the space that his face had occupied a fraction of a second prior. The third thing was that the final bullet collided with the flat of Nick¡¯s blade. The impact kicked like a mule, nearly knocking the sword from his grasp and into the river below. A tone like a bell resounded to accompany Sophia¡¯s frantic chanting. He stumbled to regain his balance, nearly falling on top of her in the process and ruining her spell before the summoning was complete. Meanwhile, the deflected bullet angled down. It struck the raft with a hearty thwap, tearing a chunk of wood free from one log while carving through a section of vines holding the raft together. Chapter Three Hundred Thirty-Seven: Aquatic Assassins II Over the next fifty seconds, Nick spun, leapt, and dodged like mad, striking out with his blade to supplement the holes in his defense. Thanks to his state of heightened focus, which felt cool and crisp against the electric adrenaline of battle, he was able to avoid taking a direct hit in the process. Despite his best efforts, he didn¡¯t emerge unscathed. One particularly close shave grazed his ribs after catching the leather of his jacket, leaving a livid bruise and a series of sore ribs behind. By now, he was sure that there were only three of the archer fish assailing them from the river. If there had been any more, he would have long-since been overwhelmed. Just as he felt his arctic clarity evaporate, leaving Nick vulnerable against further attacks, Sophia¡¯s chanting reached a crescendo and abruptly cut off. She took a deep breath and adjusted the pack guarding her back, then started the process over again to summon her second frog. Beside her prone form, the first spear-tongue started to form, given shape by the woman¡¯s unusual magic. Unlike Nick¡¯s mana darts, which kind of popped into existence after a waver of silver light, Sophia¡¯s spell worked more like an organic, high-speed 3-D printer. First, the frog¡¯s skeleton emerged into being, black bones expanding layer-by-layer from the inside out. The protective plates were the last to form, at which point vivid color was drawn across the frog¡¯s skeleton. Nick could only catch a quick glimpse of the process at the moment, his first time witnessing her spell from start to finish. As he continued to distract the fish, organs and muscle, arteries and nerves, spread their way across the framework provided by the jet-black bones. A visceral arrangement that grew into being, all within a handful of heartbeats. The frog¡¯s vermillion flesh was the last to form, and when the final patch of skin was complete, the summon opened its eyes and let out a croak. It took one look at Nick and then leapt into the water, taking the fight to the archer fish on their own terms. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. He felt the pressure lessen immediately, with far fewer shots coming at him from the surface of the river. It gave him a chance to cast a spell of his own. Mana dart, he willed, focusing for the two seconds it took to conjure a dart, then leaping out of the way of another bullet. Now that he could spare some attention, he kept one eye on what was happening below the water. He began tracking the movements of the trio of fish, so that he could anticipate their attacks and get out of the way in time. The next time that a ball of condensed water came streaking for his head, Nick returned the greeting in kind. He visualized the trajectory that he wanted his spell to take and sent his mana dart streaking back along the same angle, projecting the magic missile faster than he ever had before. The spell¡¯s speed has been enhanced too, he noted while wondering what was about to happen. One thing that Nick hadn¡¯t thought to test out yet was whether or not his darts could travel through water without slowing down or dispersing due to the interference. A second after the chrome-colored wedge disappeared below the surface of the river, he found out the answer. Fortunately, the dart continued on its course unabated, striking the fish broadside. The beast clearly hadn¡¯t been able to detect the dart coming. It was either distracted by the frog, or not all beasts can sense mana particularly well. Taken completely by surprise, the fish went stock still and then started to thrash¡­ half a heartbeat before it exploded into a gore-studded cloud. ¡°The frog got one, but it was taken out by the other two.¡± Nick looked down to see Sophia staring up at him, having completed her second spell while he was distracted. Her new frog began growing its way into being, just as the first set of vines came apart with a series of sharp snaps. The whole raft shuddered and one of the logs started to detach from the others. ¡°We don¡¯t have time to fight off the other fish,¡± Sophia rose to her feet. ¡°Start rowing. Hopefully my summon can hold them off while we paddle to the far shore.¡± Nick didn¡¯t need to be told twice. He put his weapon back into his pack, trading sword for oar as he slid his backpack on once more. The moment that he dipped his paddle into the water, the unsecured log came free entirely, nearly knocking him into the river before he could transfer his weight onto the center of the raft. Major Announcement: New Series Coming Soon Hey everybody, I hope that your week is going well. I''m here today with an exciting announcement, the full release information for my new series Skill-Eater: Prison World Saga. It''s coming on July 16th, just a little less than a month from now. Since everything is looking good, I''m ready to provide more info, starting with the blurb and cover. Please let me know if you see anything that could be improved, so that I can have it ready before I launch. Thank you so much for following along with Nick''s adventures and I hope that you enjoy the new story too. -Magnus Skill-Eater: Prison World Saga Other men call them monsters. He calls them lunch. Edge never expected to find himself stranded on the most dangerous planet in inhabited space. A world where artifacts known as cores let their bearers wield the planet¡¯s magic. Where skills grant superhuman abilities and kaiju roam the wilds. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. In the aftermath of an unprecedented magical disaster, he wakes up alone in a monster-infested wilderness, standing on the bottom of the food chain. But he won¡¯t be there for long. After finding a unique core known as Skill-Eater, Edge gains the power to steal the skills of monsters, men, and beasts, and a chance to fight his way up to the top. It seems that his luck has finally changed, although he will soon learn that power never comes without a price. What to expect: Chapter Three Hundred Thirty-Eight: A Problem with Teeth I Fortunately, they had lashed each log to its neighbor, rather than simply looping the vines around them all. Otherwise, they would have lost the whole raft then and there. Nick suspected that the rest would give way within a matter of minutes regardless. They resumed paddling with everything they had, dodging the occasional bullet as they fought to reach the other side before being plunged into the water, where they would be easy prey for the predators prowling below. At least they were making steady progress. Dodging the gauntlet of watery blasts was a lot easier now that there were only two would-be snipers firing at two separate targets. Especially since Sophia¡¯s summon was harassing the beasts and their attack was no longer a surprise. Nick was still deeply uneasy. He was certain that the raft wouldn¡¯t hold out much longer, and they were still a few hundred feet away from the riverbank. Worse, the current was growing stronger, making it that much harder to paddle across. The vines still holding their ride together were groaning, their lengths drawn tight with strain. Nick judged that the rest could go at any second, transforming the situation from moderately manageable to unquestionably deadly, all in the blink of an eye. That was when he realized that no shots had been fired over the last several seconds, as Sophia¡¯s spear-tongue leapt back onto the raft. ¡°Something isn¡¯t right,¡± they said at the same time¡­ just as a massive shadow rose from the depths, heading straight for their failing vessel. As his stomach dropped with a sinking feeling, Nick realized that he had seen that profile before. ¡°It¡¯s an angler,¡± he said. ¡°Carnivorous fish the size of a whale. If it catches us, we¡¯re dead. It will swallow us whole, raft and all.¡± His mind raced as he tried to figure out his best course of action. What will offer us the best chance of living through the day? ¡°Send your summon back out,¡± he suggested. ¡°Have it attack and try to draw the angler in the opposite direction to buy us some time.¡± Sophia didn¡¯t waste the time it would take to reply. She merely nodded and continued to paddle, her spear-tongue diving back into the river before he finished his sentence. The situation had become deadly serious over the last few seconds, the shore growing closer agonizingly slowly. Nick and Sophia began burning through their remaining stamina, racing the giant beast as the raft continued to come apart. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. When the angler¡¯s shadow came to an abrupt halt before darting off to one side, relief shot through his adrenaline-saturated veins¡­ only to falter and die a handful of heartbeats later when Sophia swore. ¡°Another angler caught my frog from behind. They¡¯re both headed our way fast.¡± Their oars slapped the water time and time again, as the partners pulled against the resistance, fighting for their lives with every stroke. The good news was that the shore was only fifty feet away. The bad news was that in addition to the anglers coming to get them, the vines were fraying faster by the heartbeat. If they lost another log, the whole raft was going to fall apart. Judging by their progress so far, he thought that they would make it to the other side in another two or three minutes at most, but they didn¡¯t have that long. The colossal anglers would catch them well before that happened. The first killer fish would reach the raft sometime over the next thirty seconds, and the second wasn¡¯t far behind. ¡°Keep us on course while I slow them down.¡± He set down his oar and turned to face the rear of the raft, where he had a clear view of the middle of the river. He could see on Sophia¡¯s face that she wanted to ask what he was doing. Instead, she nodded and returned her attention to her oar. It was a gesture of trust that Nick would have found deeply touching if he wasn¡¯t so distracted by the prospect of their imminent demise. Piercing ray, he signaled his intention to cast the spell, focusing intensely for the ten seconds it took for the magic to coalesce. Meanwhile, the massive profile of the angler approached the raft. Its titanic jaws spread wide, coming at them even faster than he had anticipated. He watched in helpless horror as its hulking maw opened further, ready to devour the raft and its riders in a single bite. Half a heartbeat before it arrived, a ball of churning, twisting force manifested in the space between Nick¡¯s hands. With no time to hesitate, he visualized its trajectory and unleashed the ray. The spinning drill bit formed as the ball of force shimmered into existence. It went shooting out in a flash, crossing the distance between the raft and the angler faster than the blink of an eye. The predatory fish must have sensed the spell coming, because it lurched its scaley body to one side with a flick of its oversized tail. Fortunately for Nick and Sophia, it wasn¡¯t fast enough to get out of the way in time. The drill bit attached to the side of its colossal body and started spinning, picking up speed as the ball of mana in Nick¡¯s hands transferred more power into the ray, increasing its kinetic energy. For a moment, as the swirling maelstrom between his hands began to shrink, he was worried that it wasn¡¯t going to be powerful enough to break through. But then the ray penetrated the beast¡¯s thick scales, boring into the flesh below. It burst out the far side a few seconds later, releasing a great plume of blood into the water before the spell ran out of juice and fell apart. Chapter Three Hundred Thirty-Nine: A Problem with Teeth II Nick picked up his oar and began paddling as fast as he could, praying that they could make it to shore before the second angler reached their raft. He pulled his makeshift paddle through the water as hard as he could, timing his strokes with Sophia¡¯s to keep the disintegrating vessel on a steady course. While he fought to cross the river, Nick desperately tried to come up with a way to fend off the other predator. He didn¡¯t have enough mana for a second ray, and the darts he could summon wouldn¡¯t do more than annoy a creature of that size. He decided that if he was forced to make a last ditch move, he would use his wand to launch the damaged oar like a harpoon, although he doubted that it would buy them more than a couple of seconds tops. Then it would be time to slam his flask, and hope that the mana it restored would be enough. In the end, his plotting proved to be unnecessary. Only two seconds later, an intense shockwave rippled through the water, nearly sinking the raft and knocking him into the river. Before he could fall, a hand grabbed him by the toolbelt, hauling him back and helping him to regain his balance. He nodded his thanks to Sophia, then looked back over his shoulder to see what had caused the disturbance. Nick was just in time to watch the beginning of what would prove to be a vicious deathmatch between the pair of anglers. Apparently, the beasts were more than happy to hunt one another if they sensed an opportunity to strike from a position of strength. It seemed that the wound Nick had inflicted had been enough to kick off a feeding frenzy. Blood, bubbles, and scales rose to the surface as the twin titans battled. The battered raft rocked beneath the waves that the titanic predators kicked up from their fierce exchange of blows, placing even more strain on the loops holding it together. The relief that had risen within Nick vanished a handful of heartbeats later, when another set of vines snapped, leaving only the ones on the other end holding the raft together. ¡°Hurry Sophia,¡± he cried out. ¡°It¡¯s going to fall apart sometime within the next few seconds!¡± Sure enough, ten terrified heartbeats later, the final section of vines parted and gave way. Before the logs could separate, Sophia ran to the back of the raft and then charged forward in a blur, leaping when she reached the front. She soared a good fifteen feet before diving into the water with a loud splash. Nick followed her example without hesitation, the whole raft falling apart half a heartbeat after his boots left the ground. His leap didn¡¯t take him quite as far as his partner¡¯s. His vision was obscured as he plunged into the river, the water shockingly cold against his sun-and-exertion-warmed muscles. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Vulnerable and afraid, Nick began swimming as fast as he could, fighting against the current as terror filled his veins with adrenaline, turbocharging his imagination. He forced aside images of gaping jaws closing around him with every stroke, focusing on moving through the water as fast as he could. The anglers must have been consumed with finishing each other off, frightening off the lesser predators in the process. Because the blow that he¡¯d been anticipating never landed. By now, the riverbank was only a dozen feet away, and Sophia had already made it to the far shore. When Nick put his legs down, to his immense relief, he could feel mud squishing below his boots. Gasping for breath, he staggered out of the river and stepped onto shore. He walked a few dozen feet further onto dry land before laying down beside his partner on a warm patch of sand. Drenched and filled with adrenaline, they looked at one another and began to laugh. A long series of cackles that were half the thrill of surviving a close brush with death, and half triumph at having cleared the last major obstacle standing between them and the Tower of Rizzen. They peered into each other¡¯s eyes and when Sophia raised her fist toward him, Nick returned the gesture in kind, bumping fists while the coppery light of a foreign sun warmed their waterlogged clothing. Their brief swim made her blue robes wrap tight around her muscular curves, causing him to take a reflexive second glance, then looking away before she noticed. That was when he felt a great rush of disorientation and heat. It was intense, but not nearly as bad as the first time, now that he knew what to expect. I just leveled. We must have gotten exp for the assist when the wounded angler was killed. Ten minutes later, they had recovered from the worst of their exhaustion and their clothes were starting to dry. They made a light lunch from their provisions, then pulled up their profiles. Both of them had leveled from their latest adventure and had free attribute points to spend. Congratulations. You have accumulated enough experience to reach level [13]. You have gained one point of magic and one point of dexterity from your level. You have one free attribute point awaiting allocation at your discretion. Through use you have improved the following skills: Evasion has increased from [5] to [6]. By the time that he was done looking over his menus, Nick was ready to make his decision. He put the point into toughness, then sat down to ride out the electric worms reconfiguring his tissue, molding his body into a new, more resilient configuration. It had been a while since he¡¯d put a point into toughness and he wanted to be able to shrug off bigger hits, now that their opponents were growing in both power and size. Equally important, there had been several recent encounters where Nick had needed to perform at his peak for prolonged periods of time. More toughness would help with that as well. When they were done, they began hiking once more. In just a few short miles, they would reach the tower at last. We¡¯re coming, Taltos. We will win back our planet and rebuild. After that, I¡¯m coming for you. Chapter Three Hundred Forty: One Last Detour I Half an hour later, they crested a tall hill. When he reached the top and peered down, Nick found himself looking at their destination. After weeks of crossing the marsh, they had finally reached the Tower of Rizzen. The place where the fate of the Earth and all creatures who called her home would be determined. He set his gaze upon the immense black pillar dominating the center of the bog, able to see the structure¡¯s base at last. They stood there in a companionable silence, taking in the impossible image. Darkstone Tower was so tall that it boggled his mind, even after watching it draw closer for days. The base was wider than four city blocks and stretched up for miles and miles. Able to get a sense of the tower¡¯s true scale for the first time since he had viewed it from orbit, the sight explained why Nick had kept expecting that they would arrive any moment. An illusion that had persisted throughout yesterday afternoon and into the early hours of the evening. Finally, he ran his eyes across the immense edifice, then lowered his gaze to examine the base. What he saw brought a smile to his face and tears to his eyes, his relief so intense that it hit him like a blow. He was able to set aside all the worry, the fear, that he¡¯d been carrying on his back like a millstone. Breathe easy for the first time in weeks, ever since the global events had begun. With Sophia at his side, Nick let out a long sigh as she draped one arm across his shoulder. He could feel joy radiating from her like a stove, mirroring his own rising delight. The reason why was simple. In a wonderous refutation of their darkest fears, he could see what appeared to be hundreds¡­ no thousands of people walking around the foundation. More people had survived the blackmist and the chittering horde than he¡¯d dared to hope. Better still, rather than heading into the tower and triggering the next ordeal in the escalating series of global events, they were waiting for everyone to arrive before entering together, just like Nick had planned. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Better still, their delay meant that even more people were still crossing the marsh. On their way to join the other members of team Earth, like Nick and Sophia were doing. In fact, he could hear some of them now. ¡°Something isn¡¯t right,¡± Sophia said, turning to face the sound. His smile vanished when he realized that it wasn¡¯t idle chatter reaching his ears, but panicked voices calling for help. They were so close to the tower that a part of him wanted to round up some backup before charging to the rescue. With their destination in sight, part of him was reluctant to take any more risks. To face danger once again when there was an army within his view. It was clear that Sophia felt no such dilemma. She went running in their direction with no hesitation whatsoever. You¡¯re right, Nick fell in beside her. We might not be able to make it back in time. They followed the fearful cries down the hillside and into a section of the bog where long fingers of land and water intertwined to form a labyrinthine mesh. His eyes were drawn to motion ahead, and his gaze landed on a narrow peninsula, where three people were in the midst of a desperate battle. At the moment, they were trying to hold back a pair of beasts that looked like weasels the size of lions. Nick began analyzing the battlefield, trying to figure out how he wanted to join the fight. As he ran, he took in the image of two women fighting side-by-side. A warrior clad in chain who was holding a broad sword and a round shield, and another in robes wielding a long spear. The man stood behind them, doing something that Nick couldn¡¯t make out until he changed the angle of his view. That guy must be a ranged specialist, he judged by their formation. Sure enough, Nick spotted a crossbow in his hands, as the man struggled to reload the weapon before the beasts could break through. At first, Nick was surprised that they were having such a hard time, as their movements were crisp and confident. They¡¯re decently leveled and have clearly fought together before. But then the crossbowman gestured, and the head of his cocked bolt burst into flame. At his signal, the women stepped back and opened a gap between them. A narrow space through which the man fired without hesitation. Chapter Three Hundred Forty-One: One Last Detour II Nick watched on as he ran, impressed by their proficiency and teamwork. His appreciative grin melted into a worried frown only a heartbeat later. The enchanted missile struck the closest weasel head-on before shattering in a ball of flame, inflicting no appreciable damage whatsoever. When he took a closer look, he saw that a wide swath of the beast¡¯s hide had transformed into what appeared to be solid stone, evidence of a powerful spell or ability at work. Ok, he nodded in understanding. The situation is a lot worse than I thought. By now, Sophia and Nick were drawing close to the site of the battle. So far, none of the combatants had noticed their arrival. He began planning out his attack, hoping that the weasels¡¯ stone form was directed and not automatic. That a surprise attack could pierce their formidable protection. Nick turned his head as a flash of red light appeared beside him, coalescing into the form of a spear-tongue frog, the summon keeping pace with his partner as she ran. She just figured out how to summon them while on the move. Incredible. A heartbeat later, a frostfury wasp popped into existence above her shoulder, and she raised her dagger, poised to strike. Despite the seriousness of the situation, Nick took a moment to appreciate the sheer level of mastery that Sophia displayed with her abilities. Powers that she had been granted only a few weeks prior. Nick had learned mana dart weeks earlier, but he still had to concentrate for two uninterrupted seconds to conjure each spell. On that note, he stopped long enough to prepare three darts now, using the last chunk of mana in his core. He was too far away to use piercing ray, since the spell could only be directed the moment that it was set free, unlike his darts, which would orbit his head for several minutes before dispersing. The brief delay let Sophia take the lead, and she darted across the final stretch of marsh grass between herself and the trapped party. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. I hope that our powers are effective. We just burned through the last of our mana, since we didn¡¯t start this fight full. Regardless, he trusted his partner¡¯s judgement. With Sophia¡¯s battlefield awareness skill, her grasp of small group tactics was superior to his own. On par with any top-level gamer from his old life. Nick would have loved to have faced off against such a competent opponent back in the day, but fighting by her side was even more rewarding. Thus, despite the seriousness of the situation, he found himself intensely curious. Fascinated to learn how she would initiate the fight. After summoning his third dart, Nick looked out over the battlefield while running at full speed, checking out the changes that had taken place over the last handful of heartbeats. It seemed that the besieged trio had been hard-pressed during the interim. The woman holding the spear now had a bleeding gash along one arm, and the other warrior was drenched in sweat. The man had set aside his crossbow and taken the spear from his injured comrade, trying his best to keep the rock weasels from overwhelming them, despite his obvious inexperience in wielding the long weapon. By now, the trio was exhausted. It was only a matter of time before they went down or took a serious wound. Just as Nick burned some stamina to press his body into a greater burst of speed, the beasts made their move. Screaming a battle cry, both weasels¡¯ bodies turned to stone, leaving only their joints soft to preserve their mobility. The beasts rushed forward in unison, brushing spear and sword aside as they converged upon the injured woman with lethal intent. In that moment, Nick thought that the woman was done for. Sophia wouldn¡¯t arrive for a few more seconds and he was still out of range of his darts. But then the spear-wielding warrior recovered her weapon from the crossbowman, blood running freely down her arm, staining her white robes crimson. Nick saw something coalesce around her body, and suddenly, the woman sped up. For the next two seconds, her movements were increased by a factor of ten. She let loose over twenty attacks in the span of a breath, unleashing a furious barrage against her stone enemies by activating what had to be a top tier ability. Although the shaft of her weapon became a living blur of wood and steel, she was unable to pierce the weasels¡¯ rocky hides. On a brighter note, her barrage bought them precious seconds, driving the beasts back and away from her party. Just before the weasels released their full-body transformations, the spear shattered, shorn fragments splashing into the surrounding water. It appeared that the beasts had been enraged by weathering the fierce attack, because they surged forward to settle the score with a ravenous gleam in their eyes. Chapter Three Hundred Forty-Two: Making Friends in Damp Places I That would have been the end of the brave trio had Sophia not arrived on scene half a heartbeat later. She came darting in from the creatures¡¯ blind spots, stabbing with her dagger in concert with her wasp. Before the beasts knew what hit them, two black barbs pricked one of the weasel¡¯s hides. Nick was relieved to see the stingers sink into flesh, instead of being rebounded by rock. The afflicted tissue turned to stone a fraction of a second later, but it was already too late. The frost venom was already inside the weasel¡¯s body and flowing into its veins. It looked like her attack was effective, judging by the twin patches of creeping rime spreading along the beast¡¯s hide. The stricken creature hissed in pain and spun to face its assailants. Instead of engaging the weasel directly, Sophia leapt back, content to let her venom do the work while her wasp kept the beast from closing on her location. While this was a promising development, the trapped party was still in peril. While its companion was busy, the other beast had knocked the sword out of the warrior¡¯s grasp and stood poised to land a lethal blow. Nick thought that he was about to watch the weasel strike a lethal blow, but before its jaws could close around her throat, the spear-tongue frog struck in a flash. Instead of the attack with its tongue spike that he had been expecting, the amphibian¡¯s elastic appendage came lashing around to wrap tight around the weasel¡¯s torso, pulling its head away from the woman¡¯s neck at the last possible moment, and initiating a contest of raw strength. He was confused by the choice of attack. Sophia might have been able to land a heavy hit if the blow had been a surprise. Now the weasel would harden the flesh below the frog¡¯s tongue, preventing it from tightening its crushing embrace. Which was exactly what happened. The half-stone beast turned and started lashing at the frog with its wicked talons, talons that appeared to be covered in a layer of razored rock. In that moment, it looked like Sophia had misjudged her opponent. But both Nick and the weasel had underestimated the extent of her tactical mastery. Stolen novel; please report. Instead of engaging in a losing battle with the bigger beast, the frog turned and leapt into the bog, rubbery tongue trailing behind it like the string of a kite. In that moment, the creature¡¯s eyes widened in dawning realization, and his face broke into a broad grin, having realized what her plan was. Then the frog¡¯s tongue retracted, dragging the rock weasel¡¯s body away from the battlefield and down toward the water¡¯s edge. For a desperate minute, it scrambled for purchase, thick spews of mud flying into the air. Holding out against the force dragging it down into the marsh through sheer effort of will. Unfortunately for the substance-shifting predator, it had pursued its quarry onto terrain that was not well-suited for its power. A decision that would soon seal its fate. After a panicked scream, the riverbank gave way, and the weasel went sliding into the mire, disappearing below the surface of the bog, a landscape where the spear-tongue had homefield advantage. Nick could feel the reverberations from the battle taking place below the waterline, bubbles streaming back up to the surface before they abruptly cut off. Simply brilliant. The full understanding of what had happened came to Nick as he closed the final stretch of ground. The frog¡¯s opening move had forced most of the air from the beast¡¯s lungs, leaving it little leeway to escape the amphibian¡¯s grasp. It had only grown worse for the weasel during the ensuing struggle, further depriving it of oxygen before pulling it underwater. He would have stopped to admire the sheer badassery of Sophia¡¯s tactic had the fight been over. But there was still an injured weasel to deal with and now it was Nick¡¯s time to shine. He crossed the battlefield and arrived by his partner¡¯s side, just as the wounded beast darted past her wasp and lunged for her. It was hindered by the pain and numbness of the creeping venom, but that only seemed to enrage the stricken rock weasel. The beast feinted to draw their attention, then swatted the frostfury wasp out of the air, shredding the summon¡¯s wings in the process. It turned on a dime and came charging straight for Sophia, eager to settle the score. She had a hard time getting out of the way, thanks to the narrow confines formed by the finger of earth. The weasel darted in low and then reared up before her, preparing to rend her with its claws. Chapter Three Hundred Forty-Three: Making Friends in Damp Places II Before the beast could strike, Nick was there. He brought his sword down in a powerful overhand chop, with the momentum of his charge and the weight of his body behind it. As he had expected, the weasel¡¯s flank shifted from russet brown to grey, turning its flesh to stone in anticipation of his blow¡­ only to lose control of the transformation a fraction of a second later, rock reverting to flesh and fur. The reason why was simple. Before Nick¡¯s blade completed its descent, all three mana darts hit the predator at once, coming in from three separate angles beyond its field of view. The painful attack rendered the beast unable to move or activate its ability, completely helpless for the next few seconds. His sword struck true half a heartbeat later, carving a ragged gash all the way down the creature¡¯s side. Nick could see the white of bone protruding through the crimson gore and knew that he had landed a critical blow. The beast was injured but not out of the fight yet. It was already regaining control over its body, intent on taking at least one of its enemies down with it. As the weasel reared back, a black-barbed tongue shot out from below the waterline, slamming into the side of the beast¡¯s neck with a sickening crack. The creature fell to the ground, head twisted at an unnatural angle as its spine shattered beneath the force of the blow. The rock weasel twitched a final time before the life faded from its eyes, as the frog¡¯s tongue vanished in a flash of ruby light. Sophia fell in beside Nick and then sank to one knee, exhausted from the melee and using multiple abilities in succession. ¡°Thanks,¡± the man raised a hand in greeting while the women tended to their injuries. ¡°We lowered our guard when we heard other people nearby and let those weasel bastards ambush us. I¡¯m Ethan, and this is Elaine and Kira,¡± he gestured towards the swordswoman and spear-wielder in turn. ¡°My thanks as well.¡± Elaine bowed, then went back to treating her wounded companion, cleaning and binding her cuts with a brisk efficiency. ¡°You showed up just in time.¡± Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. ¡°I¡¯m Sophia, and this is Nick. Why don¡¯t we walk the rest of the way to the meeting point together?¡± The injured party was glad to have them along, so everyone turned and left the marsh, making their way up the final set of hills once more. They arrived at the base of the tower twenty minutes later. Nick and Sophia bid farewell to their new acquaintances, then stopped to take in the spectacle unfolding before their eyes. Thousands of people were spread out along the bottom of the tower, which was so massive that the crowd covered only a fraction of its circumference. Nick raised his gaze to take in the sight of Darkstone Tower, because at long last, they had arrived before its foundation. From up close, he could see that every inch of its surface was covered with intricate engravings. Some of the markings looked like decoration, artistic swirls and geometric shapes arranged in pleasing configurations. Other sections were covered in what appeared to be writing. The language wasn¡¯t like anything that Nick had seen before. They weren¡¯t the runes that the System used, so he had no idea what the markings meant. However, the most interesting feature of the tower by far was the statues. He ran his gaze across thousands of figures emerging from the surface of the dark stone. Some were just the suggestion of faces and forms, while others were complete renderings of people, beasts, and other creatures beyond Nick¡¯s experience. Many reminded him of gargoyles. Winged humanoids with powerful bodies, long claws, and hooked beaks. He wondered if they were the people who had built the tower, one of the beasts that called the bog home, or had another, even stranger origin, before dismissing the mystery as one he was unlikely to ever solve. Once he had taken his fill of the remarkable structure, Nick lowered his gaze to examine the gathering taking place below. Where far more people than he had seen since his new life began were walking, chatting, and training with one another. To one side, there were rows of makeshift tents. On the other stood a common area where people were mingling and chatting, and a smaller grouping that appeared to be a barter-based market. From here, Nick could see a few of the closest merchants, who had spread out their wares along the ground. It seemed to be a random assortment of provisions, gear, and other, less identifiable resources. Just as Nick was about to ask Sophia if she wanted to go check out what was being offered, she pulled on his arm to get his attention. ¡°Nick, some people are headed our way. They¡¯re armed and they don¡¯t seem very friendly.¡± Chapter Three Hundred Forty-Four: Instant Rivals I Nick followed Sophia¡¯s gaze and soon caught sight of the group in question, three people heading out of the crowd who were looking his way. Walking in front was a middle-aged man with streaks of grey peppering his short black hair. He wore light leather armor and had several gold chains looped around his neck. While he wasn¡¯t visibly armed, something about the way that he watched, the way that he moved, told Nick that this man was no stranger to violence. That his calm demeanor and plastic smile were nothing more than a poorly fitting mask. The warrior beside the middle-aged man was heavily equipped, the hilt of a long sword poking up above the profile of his breastplate. His spiky brown hair had once been well-maintained, but now sported the same self-chopped look as Nick¡¯s own. Something in the warrior¡¯s eyes made Nick size him up. He shifted his stance and got ready to start casting spells when a ping of danger resounded. Nick reached for his wand and began planning out his opening move, since the man moved with clear aggression and would be a dangerous opponent if they fought one another. ¡°Hold up. There¡¯s no need to start things off on the wrong foot,¡± the woman said as the group came to a stop in front of Nick and Sophia. Her hair was auburn, and her graceful movements suggested a dexterity build, perhaps some manner of magic using hybrid. She was in her early thirties and wore clothes that were remarkably clean, if somewhat threadbare. Although she wore a short sword at her hip, the woman had no hostility in her posture or tone whatsoever, helping Nick to relax by a hair, despite the tension in the air. But he wasn¡¯t about to lower his guard, considering the company she kept. The swordsman was still radiating hostility, and Nick couldn¡¯t get a read on the other man at all. When Nick tried sizing him up, the skill seemed to shrug rather than offering a distinct evaluation. ¡°We¡¯re all on the same side,¡± the woman continued, flashing a warm grin that clashed with the stress lining the corners of her eyes. This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°If only that were true,¡± the older man said. ¡°Unfortunately, not everyone shares such noble sentiments. The regrettable truth is that there are parasites and predators in our midst. We must root them out here and now for the sake of our species and our civilization. But I¡¯m sure that our new friends will be welcome among us.¡± The man offered a smile that in no way felt welcoming. ¡°Surely the lingering scent of blood on them is merely a testament to the danger they faced in reaching this place, and not evidence of aggression against their own kind. Isn¡¯t that right¡­¡± ¡°Nick,¡± Nick managed a grin that stopped well short of his eyes. While he didn¡¯t trust these people at all, except for maybe the woman, he had no desire to precipitate a conflict between other members of team Earth. Keep your guard up but try to deescalate the situation. It¡¯s no surprise that people are on edge. Not after everything we¡¯ve been through. ¡°Sophia,¡± she added, noticeably not sheathing her dagger. ¡°Your turn. It¡¯s only polite to identify yourselves when asking someone¡¯s name.¡± ¡°Indeed. Please forgive my lapse. My manners are a bit frayed due to some recent¡­ unpleasantness in the camp. You can call me Jim, and this is Ken and Elizabeth. Now, if you wouldn¡¯t mind sharing your story, I¡¯m sure that we can get this sorted out.¡± ¡°Wait a minute,¡± Sophia cut him off, earning her a glare that was quickly smoothed over. ¡°Names are nice, but who are you and what gives you the right to interrogate us? Forgive me for not buying the friends bullshit, but it doesn¡¯t really fit when two of you are emitting killing intent like heat from a bonfire.¡± ¡°Easy Ken,¡± Jim placed a restraining hand on the swordsman¡¯s arm, which was in the process of reaching back to draw his massive weapon. ¡°There are too many eyes on us and besides, what she said is absolutely correct.¡± He offered a predatory smirk, the first genuine expression that Nick had seen on Jim¡¯s face thus far. ¡°To answer your questions, the three of us are the leaders of this little gathering.¡± Jim gestured to include the thousands of people milling around the base of the tower. ¡°We¡¯re here to keep anyone from entering too early. At least until we can come to an understanding regarding group composition and formulate a strategy for facing the guardian at the top. Unfortunately, we¡¯ve also been forced to deal with a few bad apples who were trying to prey upon the weakest among us. Now, why don¡¯t we go somewhere quiet to discuss the matter at length? I promise to keep the two of you together if at all possible.¡± Chapter Three Hundred Forty-Five: Instant Rivals II ¡°Fuck this, Nick.¡± Sophia scowled. ¡°We don¡¯t need to deal with their shit, and I don¡¯t trust them a whit. Ken and Jim seem like the type to stick a dagger in your back the moment that you lower your guard. Elizabeth seems nice enough.¡± Sophia smiled at the woman, who was looking back and forth between the groups, uncomfortable with how things were proceeding but unsure what to do about it. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not going anywhere with them,¡± Nick replied. ¡°But I do have something to say before we part ways. One,¡± he raised a finger into the air. ¡°You¡¯re not my leader. I don¡¯t know you, I didn¡¯t vote for you, and I doubt that these people did either. Two, I don¡¯t like you and I don¡¯t trust you. You say that you can smell the blood on us? Well, right back at you, Jim. Your friend is itching for a fight, and it¡¯s clear that you¡¯re hiding far more than you¡¯ve revealed. And three,¡± Nick spat on the ground. ¡°If you suggest separating Sophia and me again, we¡¯re going to have a problem, and I promise that you won¡¯t much like my solution.¡± Nick was surprised to hear the anger in his own voice. But after everything they had been through, to receive a greeting like this, filled with subterfuge and intimidation, set off a part of himself that he hadn¡¯t realized was there. A part that had come to accept violence and death as a way of life. That wasn¡¯t about to let him get pushed around, and that wouldn¡¯t back down from a fight. ¡°Finally, a friendly bit of advice. Don¡¯t try ordering people around until you earn their trust. Trust isn¡¯t earned with innuendo and veiled threats. I genuinely hope that we never see one another again, so I¡¯ll leave you to your work and only ask that we stay out of each other¡¯s way.¡± By now, Jim¡¯s jaw was clenched so tight that Nick could hear his teeth grinding together. He knew that he could have handled this better, but he honestly didn¡¯t care. After everything they had endured to make it this far, he wasn¡¯t about to be manipulated and bullied by others of his own kind. Even still, I should try to end this on a better note. Defuse some of the tension and let the man save a bit of face. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°I¡¯m going to look for my friends and then I¡¯ll consider working together with your team. A bad first impression isn¡¯t a reason for us to start anything we don¡¯t have to. If what you say makes sense, I¡¯m willing to cooperate to some extent, but not until I have a better understanding of what¡¯s going on. ¡°Either way, I¡¯ll wait to enter the tower until everyone is ready. We¡¯re not here to cause any trouble, and I agree with what Elizabeth said. We¡¯re all in this together. If you have a problem with any of that, step up and let¡¯s get this over with now. Otherwise, kindly step aside. You¡¯re delaying me from a well-deserved dinner.¡± So much for the high note. Both men looked ready for a brawl, but Elizabeth threw herself in front of them before they could attack. ¡°No. You can¡¯t. Not again and not here. If you pick another fight in public, no one will listen to us. It¡¯s hard enough as it is considering what you¡¯re asking of them.¡± Those words were enough to cement Nick¡¯s certainty that he wanted nothing to do with Jim¡¯s group. It sounded like they had clashed with other new arrivals, and it was clear they were more than happy to solve their disputes with violence. Reading between the lines, whatever they were asking of team Earth was probably something that benefited themselves at the cost of others. For a moment, Jim seemed like he was going to push past Elizabeth and bring their confrontation to a head. Then he visibly regained control of himself and put that fake smile back on his face. ¡°She¡¯s right, Ken. It¡¯s not the right time. We¡¯ll talk again soon friend.¡± Jim gave Nick a long, lingering look and then turned to leave with the others. ¡°I¡¯ll remember your name, Nick. You can count on it.¡± With that, the group disappeared into the crowd, leaving Nick with a bad taste in his mouth. ¡°Whatever they¡¯re planning is going to be a problem. I¡¯m sure that we¡¯ll be seeing them again if we don¡¯t enter the tower soon,¡± Sophia said, mirroring his thoughts verbatim. ¡°Me either. Hopefully we can avoid them for now. I¡¯m sure that it won¡¯t be more than a day or two before we all head inside. Now, how about we mingle and try to find some of our friends?¡± Concept Art: Chapter 336-345 Just a reminder, I completely respect that not everyone likes the inclusion/existence of AI art, so I''ve put it in it''s own chapter so that it''s easy to skip and not shown side by side with the story. If it''s not your thing, I totally understand where you are coming from. This concept art is included entirely for fun, and will never be sold or monetized in any way. It will never be as good as your imagination, so if it doesn''t fit with the version of something in your head, go with your imagination instead. Crossing the river Assassin fish You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. A problem with teeth Almost there Stone weasel Jim Ken Elizabeth Chapter Three Hundred Forty-Six: Campfire Tales I Nerves crackling with adrenaline from the tense interaction, Nick didn¡¯t want to venture too deeply into the main press of bodies. After meeting Jim and Ken, he felt just as threatened by other people as by the beasts roaming the bog, although everyone nearby seemed friendly enough. Instead, he followed Sophia past a pair of massive makeshift tents pitched in the middle of the gathering and began walking toward the periphery of the campground. When he noticed that no one was resting below the canopy, Nick turned to the closest person and asked, ¡°What¡¯s the deal with the empty tents?¡± ¡°You must have just arrived,¡± a woman holding a staff that was taller than she was replied. ¡°I¡¯m sure that you¡¯ve had to deal with the blackmist and the redfang hunters while crossing the marsh.¡± Nick nodded his agreement. ¡°The tents are reserved as shelter for whenever a big patch of mist hits us. The hunters can¡¯t see inside with their echolocation. So far, they haven¡¯t figured out our trick and tried forcing their way in. Jim has set up some nasty surprises for the first ones that do, but hopefully we¡¯ll all be in the tower before it comes to that.¡± Nick thanked the woman and hurried to catch up with Sophia, who had found a campsite away from the crowd and was busy removing rocks from the area. While they would still be sleeping on the ground, it seemed that they would be able to stretch out tonight without stones and roots poking into their backs. It was a small luxury in the grand scheme of things, but he was looking forward to it anyway. He let Sophia know what he had learned, then suggested that they split up and try to find Devin, Veronica, Kenji, Sarah, Bret, and Paul. While they were at it, they would learn whatever they could about the tower and the group organizing the people camped out along its base. Nick waved farewell to his partner for now, then began heading over toward the central area. Before he could begin the journey, a cry resounded from the lookouts, followed by another. ¡°Blackmist incoming! Take shelter and prepare to fight off the hunters if they breach the tents. Do your best not to draw attention to yourselves. We can¡¯t afford to take any losses. ETA four minutes.¡± The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Everyone began heading for cover in an orderly fashion, most of the people moving toward the big tents he had seen. It seemed this wasn¡¯t the first time this had happened. Although everyone looked nervous, no one was panicking or trying to shove their way through the crowd. At least Jim¡¯s planning seems competent, even if I don¡¯t trust him an inch. Nick drew his wand but left his sword in his pack. He didn¡¯t want to accidentally stab anyone in the press of bodies. He followed Sophia into the closest tent, curious to see what was about to happen. When the shelter was full, someone pulled the entrance closed, the interior lit up by dozens of personal light sources. A minute after the flaps were tied shut, a wave of darkness broke over the canopy, blotting out the sunlight like a river of ink. ¡°Keep as quiet as you can,¡± a guard ordered. ¡°Prepare to defend yourselves, but don¡¯t do anything to draw attention to our position.¡± Everyone turned to face the exterior of the tent, leaving a space in the middle that was filled by the injured and exhausted. Nick drew his dagger for good measure then took his place in the outer ring. The air was tense, and he could see licks of blackmist peeking through the gaps in the covering, but the enchanted vapor seemed unable to enter an enclosed space. The crowd flinched when an abrupt cry rang out, followed by another, as the redfang hunters began prowling the sky above. But no one screamed, panicked, or lost their shit. A testament to the courage of the volunteers from team Earth. Clearly, they had undergone their own trials over the last few weeks, just like Nick and his friends. These experiences had transformed them from civilians into warriors, or at least the first strong step in that direction. The blackmist engulfed the tower for a good twenty minutes before the sun emerged once more, signaling that the bank had blown past. ¡°All clear,¡± a voice from outside confirmed a few seconds later. ¡°The mist has passed us by for now. We took no casualties this time, thanks to your orderly behavior. Well done!¡± With that welcome bit of good news, someone opened the flap and people began filing back outside. I suppose the people in charge are good for something after all, he decided. This could have gone so much worse. He bid farewell to Sophia and started walking around the periphery of the gathering. He felt a momentary surge of lightheadedness, realizing that he had left the range of her aura. He had grown so used to having the buff that her ability provided that it had become his new baseline. Just as Nick was about to head into the market, he felt a hand on his shoulder. Chapter Three Hundred Forty-Seven: Campfire Tales II Cortisol surged into his veins, and he reached for his dagger before realizing that there was no hostility in the gesture. When he turned to see what the person wanted, he found himself staring into Devin¡¯s smiling face. ¡°Nick, just the man I was hoping to see.¡± Nick flashed a grin of his own, as they turned to embrace one another, Devin¡¯s bearhug so tight that it felt like his ribs would creak. ¡°Devin. It¡¯s good to see you too. Now, if you don¡¯t mind, let me go so I can breathe.¡± He laughed, only half joking, as the athletic man released him from his hold. If anything, Devin looked even bigger than before, every inch of his frame packed with dense muscle. It seemed that the last few weeks had treated him well. The man had new armor of leather and chain that looked significantly tougher than his old set. Devin still carried his massive battle axe, a unique weapon that had the ability to change into a hand axe and shield with the press of a button. ¡°I was hoping to find you out here. I¡¯m here with Sophia. Have you run into any of the others we fought beside in the arena? It would be great if we could form a party and enter the tower together. Or two parties, if we can find everyone.¡± ¡°I met up with Veronica while I was crossing the bog. V¡¯s out shopping but she should be back before long. I heard rumors that Kenji is around here somewhere, but I haven¡¯t been able to find him yet. No word on Sarah, Bret, or Paul. Hopefully, if they¡¯re out here and we don¡¯t run into them first, they can party together. Those three would form the core of a solid team if they can find a defensive specialist. "How about we catch up while we wait for everyone to get back? I can¡¯t wait to tell you about my new class and ability. I got some great gear from completing the tutorial too. Something tells me that you have some fun things to share as well. Wait. Before that.¡± Devin turned to look Nick straight in the face. ¡°What the fuck happened to your eyes? Did you pick up a mana affinity too?¡± ¡°Sure did, and that sounds great,¡± Nick laughed. ¡°Wait, you must have one too. I just realized that your eyes look like there¡¯s a fire blazing behind them. They are wicked awesome. Why don¡¯t we pool our provisions and start cooking, then discuss the changes that happened while we were apart? We can have a celebratory meal waiting when everyone shows up.¡± This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. Since Devin hadn¡¯t set up camp yet, he followed Nick over to the spot Sophia had chosen. They spoke of small things while they built the fire and started preparing their dinner. They would save the major updates until everyone was together, so they didn¡¯t have to run through them twice. Twenty minutes later, a thick pot of stew was bubbling over the firepit, set beside a row of skewers threaded by sizzling meat. Not long after, Sophia came walking up to the fire. She broke into a broad grin on spotting Devin sitting beside Nick. They exchanged a warm greeting and a friendly embrace, taking delight in each other¡¯s company and continued survival. A few minutes later, another familiar voice reached Nick¡¯s ears. ¡°Who said that you could start the party without me?¡± Veronica let loose a delighted chuckle as she walked over to the group. ¡°I knew the pair of you were too tough to die on the bog. Our chances of making it to the top of the tower are looking brighter by the minute.¡± Everyone took a seat in front of the fire and began to eat, basking in the warmth of the blaze and each other¡¯s company. Despite the suffering they had endured, and the hardships they¡¯d overcome, they were full of mirth and light. There was something magical about having made good friends in the middle of their desperate struggles. It made the path they walked feel a little brighter. Their uncertain future just a shade less black. After they devoured the main course, they began sharing their adventures and pulled out their tastiest snacks. After all, tonight was a perfect excuse for a celebration. And you can¡¯t have a party without good food to complement the good cheer. While they munched on the final flower petals Nick had picked, Sophia took out the last of the liquor that she had saved from her tutorial. Not to be outdone, Veronica pulled out a bottle of wine she had acquired god knows where. It wasn¡¯t enough to get them drunk, which would have been a bad idea anyway, but it was enough alcohol to warm Nick¡¯s belly. To soften the hard edges of his constant stress. It was a night full of stories and laughter. The joy of reunion and the hope that arose with not having to face a deadly challenge alone. Together, they would climb Darkstone Tower and face the guardian at the top. Fighting side-by-side, they would win back the Earth, freeing it from the Mad God. Nick knew that it wouldn¡¯t be easy. That the days ahead would be fraught with peril and loss. But right now, here in this moment, he felt a fierce and rising optimism. And it was a good, good feeling. Chapter Three Hundred Forty-Eight: Humanity 2.0 I After dinner, they took turns sharing what had happened during their journeys across the bog; the trials they had undergone and the gains they had made along the way. It turned out that Veronica and Devin had run into each other on the second day and had been traveling together ever since. The pair had clearly grown closer in the process, although Nick wasn¡¯t sure about the exact nature of their relationship just yet. They revealed their new classes, traits, skills, abilities, and gear, brainstorming on how to fight effectively as a team once they entered the tower. Both Veronica and Devin had taken the same deal that Nick and Sophia had, enhancing their Survivor trait, and making it a permanent part of their bloodline. Devin had gained the uncommon class Flamestriker, which synergized with his unique weapon and flashfire pulse. He had gained an affinity for fire magic in the process, which explained the changes to his eyes. The bottom halves were still blue, but the top of each iris was a blend of yellow, orange, and red. They were powerful and striking. Devin would be drawing more eyes than ever, and his athletic body had only grown more toned over the last few weeks. Devin¡¯s class trait provided him with an innate resistance to fire, so that he wouldn¡¯t sear himself with his own flashfire pulse. He¡¯d also gained an interesting new ability called blast strike, which took a bit of stamina and mana to make the end of his weapon release an explosive burst of flame on contact. The only other news he had to share was an upgrade to his armor. He had acquired chainmail that was modified to be extra light and durable, as well as a pair of heavy leather pants that were resistant to acid and fire. Veronica, who insisted that her friends call her V, was somewhat less forthcoming. She revealed that her new class had enhanced her existing abilities, acid bolt, bone claws, and bleeding slash, rather than granting her new ones. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. Her new trait synergized with her improved attributes, making her claws sharper and more deadly than before. She had also gained several skills that would help her when scouting or attacking from concealment. On the gear side of things, V explained that she was carrying a concentrated potion of stamina. It didn¡¯t refill automatically like Nick¡¯s elixir, but a single drop would turn into a potion when placed inside a container. It was similar to the concoction that Devin had hit him with in the arena fight, minus the healing component. The main limitation, besides its finite volume, was that a person could only benefit from her potions once every twenty-four hours. Veronica had been awarded new armor for completing the tutorial as well. An improved set of toughness-modified leathers that reduced the force of the hits she took and helped her to move silently. Her last major gain was an upgraded set of wrist-mounted crossbows, which refilled their quivers once each day, letting her use the ranged weapon in combat without having to worry about running out of bolts. All in all, everyone had made significant progress since the last time they¡¯d all been together. It made Nick wonder how the others they had fought alongside were doing. With any luck, they would run into more of their arena team before heading into the tower sometime within the next few days. Since everyone only needed four hours of sleep, there wasn¡¯t a reason to cut the party short. Instead, they made the most of it, sharing stories and singing songs. Enjoying good food and good company to fortify their spirits against the dark days ahead. At last, late into the night, they finished their celebration and got ready for bed. Nick closed his eyes with a full belly and a full heart, ready to face the challenges tomorrow would bring with his friends at his side. He awoke early the next morning, feeling better than he had in weeks. Some of his friends were alive and well, and far more of team Earth had survived than he¡¯d dared hope while crossing the bog. Before they went to work preparing to enter the tower, Nick shared his encounter with Jim and Ken, revealing his concern that they would cause trouble sooner rather than later. The others hadn¡¯t met the men yet, but they had heard a mix of good things and bad about their group, depending on who you asked. Nick decided that it warranted further investigation before he chose how or if he wanted to intervene. Since they didn¡¯t know how long they had until they would be forced to enter the tower, they agreed to split up and tackle different tasks. They set up a schedule for meeting back up every few hours, then put a plan in place for what they would do in an emergency to make sure that no one got separated. Chapter Three Hundred Forty-Nine: Humanity 2.0 II Nick¡¯s job was to head over to the market. He would trade the various items his team had picked up during their adventures for tools and provisions that would help them climb the tower at peak efficiency. Sophia was searching for the other people they had fought beside in the arena. V and Devin would register their party and get a door assignment, since Nick and Sophia weren¡¯t on good terms with Jim and his followers. Nick started walking with a spring in his step, eager to finalize their preparations and enter the tower when everyone was ready. He waved goodbye to his companions and started making his way through the camping grounds, heading for the impromptu market in the distance. He had a number of items he had collected over the past six weeks that he wanted to trade for tools and fresh supplies, as well as a smaller pile that he had been given by the others. At the top of his wanted list was a pencil and some travel rations that would stay good for at least a few weeks. Nick had no idea what he would find once they entered the Tower of Rizzen, and there was no guarantee that there would be opportunities to hunt or forage within its walls. The last thing he needed was to starve to death before he finished climbing to the top. As he walked, Nick took in the sound of voices all around him as people chatted with one another. They were telling stories and making plans, enjoying this rare moment of peace before the next ordeal began. It had been so long since he¡¯d been around a crowd that the constant murmur and press of bodies was a bit overwhelming at first. Rather than plunging into the thick of things, he picked a path that led him around the perimeter. On the way to the market, Nick passed by an impromptu training ground, where the members of team Earth were sparring with one another and taking their best shots against a line of wooden dummies. Ok, maybe calling them dummies is an overstatement. They were more upright logs with crude faces carved across the top, but the result was more or less the same. When Nick took a closer look at the firing range, he came to a dead stop, jaw dropping in surprise. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. It was clear at a glance that the other volunteers had undergone their own remarkable transformations over the last few weeks. He saw fireballs sailing alongside arrows. Swords, spears, and every weapon he could think of were bringing the pain to their wooden adversaries. But what really got his blood pumping was the magic in the air. Nick saw a woman with spiky blond hair unleash a bolt of lightning at the nearest dummy, reducing it to burning splinters as ozone rose to fill the air. There was a girl with a cloud of rocks floating around her head, which she fired off in a rapid barrage, each hit tearing chunks of wood free from the logs and sending splinters flying. There was another woman who had a massive ball of water hovering over her shoulder, in which murky shapes were swimming. When Nick pulled out his spyglass to take a closer look, a pair of eyes materialized on the side of the ball, looked straight at him, then vanished a heartbeat later. Absorbing all the powerful spells on display, Nick felt his optimism begin to grow. He stood there for long minutes, staring up in wonder at jets of black flame, beams of blue energy, and powers that came in every color of the rainbow. Not to be outdone, the warriors were sparring vigorously, performing feats of strength and dexterity that would put any Olympic athlete to shame. Nick took in the sight of humanity 2.0. Women and men wielding every weapon and element that he could imagine, along with several that he¡¯d never seen before. He let his mind go still, ceasing his constant plotting and planning in favor of simply listening and taking it all in. These were his people. Individuals who were risking their lives for a chance at saving their planet. People who had just been going about their day before the System arrived and threw their existence into chaos. Who were willing to die to give their loved ones a chance of making it in this strange new world. The sight filled Nick with fierce and conflicting emotions. Sorrow for the loss they had already endured, and the pain they would surely suffer again. Hope that most of them would live to see the top of the tower and walk upon their home world again. Frustration that they had been forced to play the Mad God¡¯s game, and fury at the senseless slaughter of billions. But most of all, the sight of the gathered members of team Earth filled Nick with pride. A deep and growing respect for the brave women and men who had gathered here today, whose courage and sacrifice humbled him to his core. Chapter Three Hundred Fifty: Barter and Stealth I Eventually, Nick¡¯s journey took him around the edge of the sparring grounds and over to the market proper. A few dozen enterprising individuals had set up stalls, using logs and rocks to create simple displays for their wares. Many more had their goods spread out along the ground. Though the merchants kept a watchful eye over their stocks, the atmosphere was bright, full of goodwill and good cheer. After all, they were all on the same side, fighting as part of a team. As a result, most of the traders seemed more interested in helping people out than in turning a profit, although it didn¡¯t mean they were willing to give their merchandise away for free. Nick walked past weapons and armor, bucklers and bags. Tools and supplies of every kind, including a few consumables that he really wanted to acquire, but wasn¡¯t sure he could afford. I should keep an eye out for a helmet or shield too. While he perused the various goods on display, he considered what he might offer for barter. He had a few items that might sell for a pretty penny in a proper shop, various materials and resources that he was hoping were worth something. But none of them would help people reach the top of the tower, so selling the bulk of his possessions would have to wait until he made it back to civilization. Armed with a better idea of what he was looking for, Nick rolled up his sleeves and got busy shopping. While he was talking to the vendors, he learned the reason why some of the global events had occurred days before he was able to reach the tower. It turned out that the north side of the bog had fewer waterways and more predators. People were able to cross faster, but many had been wounded along the way, driving them to enter the tower early to receive healing from the System. Eventually, Nick found an item that he wanted that shouldn¡¯t set him back too much. An Earth made ball-point pen with a reservoir filled with ink. Staring down at the length of plastic, he wondered what its story was. Someone must have been carrying it in their pockets when they stepped into the portal the fateful day that the System had arrived, then managed to hold onto it all the way through the tutorial to bring the pen to this place. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°I¡¯ll give it to you if you make me a half decent offer.¡± The merchant, a young woman wearing a bright yellow robe, noticed Nick¡¯s interest. He realized that it was the same woman he had seen waving while floating in orbit. It put a smile on his face to know that she was doing well. ¡°Not many people seem keen on record keeping just yet. I suppose that there isn¡¯t enough paper to go around.¡± He considered her words before reaching into his pack. ¡°I could give you this ladle,¡± Nick handed her the tool he had found while crossing the bog. ¡°It¡¯s not likely to sell either, but if the pen helps you out, it¡¯s a deal. I already have a spare anyway.¡± She smiled at Nick as they made the trade. ¡°What are you planning to use it for, if you don¡¯t mind me asking?¡± He took out his travel journal and explained that he was compiling a list of knowledge point unlocks, and everything else he¡¯d learn about magic, Taltos, and the System. Along with strategies to train baseline attributes, survival tactics, and hypotheses regarding the various forms of mana. ¡°That¡¯s a great idea,¡± she nodded along with his account. ¡°Let me borrow it for a few hours so that I can make a copy. In exchange, I¡¯ll add anything I know that you haven¡¯t locked down already, along with whatever my customers have heard. Plus, you can have your ladle back.¡± After a moment of contemplation, he agreed. After all, sharing this information was what he was planning to do anyway, and this was a far better method of distribution than any he could come up with. Flashing a friendly grin, the merchant handed him the pen. ¡°Come back to pick up your journal in the morning. With any luck, I¡¯ll have made some progress with filling in the gaps.¡± While leaving the book with the woman was a risk, Nick had already memorized everything that he had written. There was a chance that this trade would help him to acquire some valuable information. More importantly, the knowledge he had gathered could help other people out, which made the possibility of losing the journal worth it in his mind. ¡°It¡¯s a deal,¡± he reached out to shake her hand. ¡°By the way, my name is Nick.¡± ¡°Kerry,¡± she took the book from him with a smile. ¡°Take care, Nick. I¡¯ll see you soon.¡± Chapter Three Hundred Fifty-One: Barter and Stealth II Before he left the market and continued with his day, Nick had some more trading to do. After a few hours spent perusing the various wares and making offers, he was able to barter a pile of raw resources for some smoked meat and dried fruit that would stay good for a few weeks, especially with the minor preservation effect that his bag now provided. He was already feeling good about his exchanges when he caught the scent of freshly baked bread, a delectable aroma that he had last smelled in another life. To his delight, someone had learned how to make travel bread from a grain-bearing plant growing along the marsh. Dense loaves with the moisture baked out that should last for a while without molding. He traded for ten of them plus a small prybar, a rope ladder, and a handsaw. Nick swapped the tools and the loaves for some odds and ends from his pack, along with a bundle of kindling and a fat pile of tubers that he¡¯d picked up while crossing the bog. His last acquisition of the day was a simple leather cap that came down to just above his ears. It wasn¡¯t modified or special in any way, but the armor would help to keep a glancing blow from giving Nick a concussion or cracking his skull. An outcome that he¡¯d been worried about ever since running into the spear-tongue frogs during his early days on the marsh. While it was lighter than he preferred, the cap didn¡¯t restrict his hearing or reduce his field of view, making it an upgrade with no real downside. Nick wound up leaving the market with more supplies than he¡¯d been hoping to find. Enough to extend the party¡¯s provisions by several days, bringing their combined stores to over a week¡¯s worth of food for five people. Maybe I¡¯ll have enough time to top things off by catching and smoking a few dozen fish before we enter the tower. On his way out, he slowed his pace, meandering long enough to eavesdrop on various groups he walked past. What Nick heard was alarming. If he understood the matter properly, Jim¡¯s team had taken over by force rather than mutual agreement, and not everyone was happy with the result. It appeared that he was grouping the strongest people together, forming elite teams while leaving the rest to fend for themselves. The best gear was going to those hand-picked squads, along with choice door assignments that were closest to the gathering. People who complained were silenced with intimidation and thinly veiled threats, and several of them had vanished mysteriously during the night. The official story was that they had been ambushed by beasts, but the rumors implied that Jim was responsible. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. If disaster struck, the elite groups would have an easy time making it into the tower, but everyone else would have to rush to the far side. Some of them were camping there already just in case, which meant that they had to do without the various protections everyone in the main gathering had been provided. This isn¡¯t right. Jim¡¯s sacrificing the weakest among us instead of trying to have as many people survive as possible. And he¡¯s ruthlessly silencing any dissent from what I¡¯m hearing, although no one has been able to prove anything yet. Worried about what this development entailed for the future of team Earth, Nick realized that he had another stop to make before he went to join his friends. He needed to learn more about Jim and his followers, so that he could decide what to do about it. In the end, he figured that the best way to proceed was to hear straight from the horse¡¯s mouth. After a long moment of deliberation, Nick decided to sneak up to Jim¡¯s campsite and learn what the man was planning firsthand. Before he was willing to risk confrontation, Nick needed to lay the groundwork for his investigation. He began by making a lazy circuit of the area where Jim and his crew had pitched their tents, on the lookout for sentries or other people who might object to his presence. He had only met Jim, Elizabeth, and Ken so far, but Nick assumed that more people belonged to their faction, given how effortlessly they had established dominance over the rest. He eventually spotted a pair of blond teenagers who were trying not to draw attention to themselves. They were standing near a big tent in the middle of the camp with a ring of gear piled around the exterior. There. That must be the command tent where Jim is orchestrating their operation. Thanks to his diligent stealth training during the tutorial, a practice that Nick had continued while crossing the marsh, he was able to make his way around the back of the tent without drawing attention to himself. When the sentries were looking the other way, he ducked between a pile of firewood and what appeared to be sheets of leather drying on a rack, making himself as small as he could. After a few nervous minutes spent looking over his shoulder, Nick was satisfied that no one had noticed his intrusion so far. Now, how do I find out what¡¯s really going on? He took a long look around, learning what he could from the provisions piled nearby, before deciding that if he really wanted to investigate Jim¡¯s intentions, he was going to have to head inside the tent. He looked for a place where the covering was loose as his adrenaline began to flow. Nick reached down and grabbed the bottom of the fabric, getting ready to duck under, when the sound of voices drawing near made him freeze in place. Chapter Three Hundred Fifty-Two: Opposing Views I It seemed that Jim had just made it back with Elizabeth, and they were in the middle of a heated argument. Nick kept his breathing slow and steady as he listened to the woman make her case. ¡°I don¡¯t care how efficient your method is. You can¡¯t leave all those people unsupported when they enter the tower. It might improve the odds of more elite teams completing the climb, but it¡¯s going to leave us critically understaffed for whatever comes next. Besides, you¡¯re effectively signing their death warrants. Taltos is bad enough, we don¡¯t need to help the Mad God exterminate our species.¡± ¡°Come now, Liz. Don¡¯t be so dramatic. Not all of them will die, and the ones that survive will come out of the ordeal stronger than before. This is our best chance of having our top performers reach the boss on the roof of the tower and you know it. Without their support, we don¡¯t have a shot of winning the challenge. The number of survivors for this stage is meaningless if the whole planet winds up getting recycled as a result.¡± ¡°The quest¡¯s description said that we¡¯ll be at a significant disadvantage if too few of us reach the last phase. What if we get up there and the challenge is something that only a large number of people can accomplish? A handful of elites won¡¯t do us any good if we have to deal with a swarm, or some other ordeal where bodies contribute more than raw offensive power.¡± ¡°Most of them are going to die anyway,¡± Nick could hear the sneer in Jim¡¯s voice. ¡°Why waste good weapons and valuable consumables on people who won¡¯t make it in this new reality regardless? If our elites hadn¡¯t won in the arena, we¡¯d still be stuck with basic classes, and winning back the Earth would be impossible.¡± After another five minutes spent listening to the back and forth, Nick was able to pick up the gist of their disagreement. Jim wanted to group the most powerful people together and outfit them with the best gear, effectively giving up on everyone else. He believed that they should adopt a two-tier system going forward, and that nearly all their resources should go toward fostering the elite. That everyone should devote themselves to supporting the top teams, regardless of the cost. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Every time that Elizabeth made a moral objection, Jim scoffed. Whenever she tried reason, he countered with his own cold logic. When she accused him of leaving people to die, he implied that she was weak and naive. That humanity wouldn¡¯t survive if they were held back by compassion and morals from their old way of life. They weren¡¯t at odds on every point. Elizabeth believed that nurturing the elites was important too. But also, that boosting the average person¡¯s level and the quality of their gear would make team Earth stronger in the long run. That people were still adjusting to life in the multiverse and that the last few weeks hadn¡¯t been long enough for everyone to adapt. ¡°We can¡¯t afford to lose so many promising individuals by underinvesting in them now. Having a handful of top-tier elites won¡¯t solve every problem we encounter. They are great for dealing with difficult quests or taking out powerful opponents, but they won¡¯t be as valuable as a well-maintained fighting force when engaging in large-scale conflicts, let alone rebuilding civilization once we make it back to our planet.¡± Instead of jumping in or ducking out, Nick listened for a long while, trying to decide who had the right of it, despite his instinctual dislike of Jim. Nick had to admit that both positions held merit, even if he hated how cavalier Jim was when weighing the lives of others. But in the end, he decided that Elizabeth was right. Resources should be distributed evenly amongst the survivors gathered at the base of the tower. Considerable effort should be devoted to fostering the elites, but not until they were back on Earth and rebuilding human civilization, ready to face the dangers that being part of the Labyrinth was certain to bring. While Nick respected her values, he didn¡¯t agree solely for the reasons she¡¯d mentioned. Having more people in the mid-range was an invaluable opportunity to gather information too. Each member of team Earth could try out different paths of advancement and report their findings, increasing their understanding of the System¡¯s mechanics over time. Having people follow a wide range of classes and builds would contribute to humanity¡¯s research and development, offering balance and flexibility when dealing with various problems later down the road. In the end, Nick decided not to intervene here and now. He wouldn¡¯t let Jim get away with what he had planned, but Nick needed to talk to his friends first. To ponder how to deal with the situation before making his move. Chapter Three Hundred Fifty-Three: Opposing Views II There wasn¡¯t any time to waste, so they would have to work fast. The next crisis could arrive at any moment, and he needed to figure out how to save as many people as possible before it did. Nick knew that he might have to take Jim and Ken out of the picture, at least long enough to reorganize the teams and get them into the tower. But before he made his move, he needed to gather more allies and have his friends at his side. If he wasn¡¯t careful, Nick would make things worse than they already were. He needed team Earth at their best if they were going to survive climbing the tower and face the guardian waiting on the roof. As he turned to leave, Nick disturbed a piece of firewood, making it clack against its neighbor. Before he could move, Ken¡¯s voice rang out, who had arrived sometime over the last few minutes. ¡°Did you hear that? I think someone is sneaking around outside.¡± By this point, Nick had begun moving away from the tent as quietly as he could, grateful for his charm of muffling. As he crept, his heart began to race, and adrenaline coursed within his veins. If Ken and Jim caught him now, they wouldn¡¯t let him leave without a fight. He summoned his arctic clarity long enough to analyze his surroundings, diving beneath a pile of blankets just as Ken rounded the side of the tent. Nick held his breath and went perfectly still, praying that his charm would mute the wild racing of his pulse. That the muscular warrior didn¡¯t have a skill that would give his position away. Ken came to a stop beside the racks of leather, examining the tracks running along the dirt before growling in frustration. ¡°There¡¯s too many footprints,¡± he muttered. ¡°I can¡¯t tell which belong to whom.¡± A nervous minute later, the sword-wielding warrior headed off in the opposite direction. Nick waited until the coast was clear, slipped out from under the pile, and got the hell out of there as fast as he could. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. Looking over his shoulder the entire way, he rounded the tower and made it back to their campsite. To his relief, no one seemed to be following or looking for him. Nick had been hoping that everyone would be there, so he could share his concerns. But Sophia was the only one around, who was tending the fire at the moment. He told her what he¡¯d overheard and asked her to think about what they should do. Nick let her know that he wanted to take a lap around the campgrounds, getting a better feel for the terrain and the layout of the doors while pondering how to deal with the situation. When the others got back, they could decide how to proceed as a team. ¡°Sounds good,¡± Sophia said. ¡°I think Devin is out looking for the others. Veronica is taking one of the classes in weapon proficiency being offered, while they¡¯re still going on. I¡¯m going to stay here and finish maintaining my gear, then maybe take a dip in one of those pools they cleared while I still can. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t go anywhere else without letting you know where to find me, and I won¡¯t be gone long regardless.¡± Glad that they already had enough food for now, he began following the base of the tower, heading through the campgrounds and toward the unoccupied part of the region. As he walked, Nick kept an eye out for Kenji as well as any natural resources he could collect along the way. He was primarily looking for some better kindling, since everything near the main grounds had already been picked clean. Although wood was heavy, gathering enough for at least one fire would be a welcome addition to their stockpile, since he had a hunch that team Earth would be entering the tower sooner rather than later. By the time that he made it back to camp, the others were waiting for him, expressions of concern writ clear upon their faces. Nick relayed everything that he had discovered about Jim¡¯s plans so far, along with his suspicions regarding the availability of entrances into the tower. When he was done, everyone else shared what they had learned over the last few hours. Chapter Three Hundred Fifty-Four: Killing Intent I It turned out that Nick wasn¡¯t the only one who was worried. A lot of people were upset about what was going on. Dealing with the problem would be easier with other people lending their voices to Nick¡¯s team, so they decided to wait until morning, then bring everyone together before confronting Jim and Ken head-on. If the men refused to budge, Nick¡¯s party would have to disable them long enough to reform the groups, distribute supplies, and get everyone in front of their assigned door. Far fewer people were showing up today, and there was a general consensus that the rest would make it to the tower by tomorrow afternoon if they were still alive. There would probably be a few people left behind no matter what plan they followed, but there wasn¡¯t anything that Nick could do about it. They didn¡¯t have the time or the resources to enable a widespread search of the bog. Doing so would wind up costing far more lives than the attempt would save. With any luck, some of the stragglers would survive the global events triggered by team Earth¡¯s mass exodus into the tower and enter on their own, although Nick knew that the odds were long. Before they crashed for the night, everyone took time to check their equipment and redistribute their provisions, since there was a good chance they¡¯d be entering the tower sometime the next day. Nick wasn¡¯t looking forward to fighting others of his own kind, but he knew that the odds of a direct confrontation were extremely high. Each side viewed the matter too differently to find common ground in such a short span of hours, and after listening to the argument, he was certain that persuasion wasn¡¯t going to cut it. Hopefully, Nick¡¯s team could take Jim¡¯s group by surprise. Separate them from their followers, and take them out of the picture without anyone getting seriously hurt in the process. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. Battling other people was the last thing that he wanted to do, but he didn¡¯t see another option and they¡¯d run out of time. It was a good thing that Nick only needed four hours of shuteye, because he had a hard time falling asleep with everything that was going on. At least he had trusted friends to watch his back while he was unconscious, or he wouldn¡¯t have slept a wink. Eventually, as the music of the marshlands sang him a lullaby, he fell into a deep and dreamless sleep. Nick awoke with the rising sun, only to discover that everyone was already up and strapping on their gear. They stoked the fire for a bit of grilling, enjoying a hot breakfast and the pleasure of each other¡¯s company, steeling themselves for the unpleasant task ahead. When everyone was done eating, they decided to spend a few hours taking care of loose ends and rallying support, then meet back up to confront Jim and his crew a little after noon. Nick wanted to get his journal, investigate the tower, then take one last lap around the market, searching for more people to back his cause. He had become increasingly certain that there was something deeply flawed with the tower door distribution plan that Jim was pitching. Once he had paper to pair with his new pen, Nick would be able to prove it. He stopped by the market to get his book back from Kerry, only to find a surprise awaiting him. A long line of people was queued in front of her stall, taking turns reading from what appeared to be a copy of Nick¡¯s journal. ¡°Thanks again Nick,¡± she returned the original to him, along with a sheaf of handwritten notes written on scraps of paper. ¡°This is already making a big difference by helping people decide how to spend their free points. The loose part is the new information I¡¯ve learned since I started swapping for what you gave me. ¡°And here¡¯s a little something extra to thank you for the increased business to my stall.¡± She handed him a wheel of what turned out to be waxed cheese. ¡°Cheddar from back home,¡± she smiled at his surprise. ¡°Someone carried it all the way here from their safe room without taking a bite. Lactose intolerant they said.¡± Nick thanked Kerry for the unexpected snack, then turned and left the market. Now that he had his journal and a pen, it was time to take a lap around the tower. In part to see if he could deduce anything about its nature, but mostly so that he could count the doors. Chapter Three Hundred Fifty-Five: Killing Intent II Nick had already made a rough estimate based on the number of doors that he had seen so far and the total population of team Earth. He had arrived at an unsettling conclusion. Contrary to what Jim was saying, Nick strongly suspected that there weren¡¯t enough doors for everyone. If he was right, Jim must be assigning some of the far doors to multiple teams, intending to sacrifice the weak to foster the strong. By the time they realized that something was wrong, it would be far too late. Everyone else would have already entered, leaving the unlucky remainder to face the wrath of the global events unaided. In this case, a hunch wasn¡¯t going to cut it. Nick needed compelling evidence before confronting the man face-to-face. Additionally, he wanted to take a few hours to see if there was a better solution to the problem. Hopefully, one would become evident once he was able to see the big picture. Either way, the next step was to survey the tower and record his findings, then meet back up with his team to discuss what they wanted to do about it. With those weighty matters on his mind, Nick set off to take a closer look at the tower. He would examine the doorways ringing its base, then evaluate the plan Jim had proposed before coming up with his own and assigning each team a new door. The first thing that he noticed was that the tower was at least half a mile around. The entrances were tightly packed near the side where people were camped out, thinning out the further that he walked from that spot. He supposed that it made sense. If team Earth had to enter with little warning, this arrangement would see as many teams inside the tower as quickly as possible. Nick soon realized that the doorways were as varied as the statues adorning the stonework above his head. Some were wide enough to drive a car through, while others were so narrow that he would have a hard time squeezing his pack past the threshold. Most sat flush with the ground, but some were dozens of feet up in the air and would require a difficult climb to reach. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Here and there, sentries were posted. Women and men he assumed belonged to Jim¡¯s faction. Nick wasn¡¯t sure if they were there to watch for approaching danger, or to stop people from going in early and without their assigned team. Probably both, he decided, waving at one of the guards who was watching him with suspicion. By the time that Nick had circled around the far end of the tower and started walking back toward camp, he realized that there was a problem. It was just as he had feared. There aren¡¯t enough doors for everyone. Jim must have assigned some of the far entrances to multiple teams after all. But the longer he looked, the more certain Nick became that he was missing something. This feels like a puzzle rather than a deathtrap. There must be another solution that I¡¯m not seeing. He couldn¡¯t prove it yet, but he hoped that once he took a closer look, something would present itself. If I¡¯m right, a lot of good people are going to die for no reason unless we do something to stop it. Forty minutes later, he had nearly completed his count. Even with a full team entering each doorway, it wasn¡¯t going to be enough for everyone camped around the tower¡¯s base. While it wasn¡¯t a huge shortage, it meant that hundreds of people were going to get stranded out here when everyone else went inside, triggering a cascade of global events that they wouldn¡¯t survive. Nick came to a stop in front of the final door, marking its location on his journal. Now that he had the proof he¡¯d sought, he wanted to take one more lap around the tower before he ran out of time. With any luck, he would spot a few entrances that no one had noticed yet. He let out a long sigh as he made his way back around, muttering to himself. ¡°I knew that there weren¡¯t enough doors. Jim has been lying to everyone.¡± Nick¡¯s voice rang harsh against the silence that surrounded him. His adrenaline began to flow as he realized that the air was filled with a subtle sense of menace. That he hadn¡¯t seen anyone else for a good ten minutes. Something about the scene didn¡¯t sit right with him. The way that the birds and bugs had stopped chirping. The electric tension that had risen to ride the breeze. That was when he felt it. Without warning, a sensation of danger blossomed in his mind. Not feedback from size up, since he hadn¡¯t activated the skill, but an impression of an intense desire to harm. Or perhaps killing intent was the better word. Acting on instinct, he drew his dagger and spun on his heels, raising his blade just in time to meet the sword that was streaking for his neck. Concept Art: Chapter 346-355 Just a reminder, I completely respect that not everyone likes the inclusion/existence of AI art, so I''ve put it in it''s own chapter so that it''s easy to skip and not shown side by side with the story. If it''s not your thing, I totally understand where you are coming from. This concept art is included entirely for fun, and will never be sold or monetized in any way. It will never be as good as your imagination, so if it doesn''t fit with the version of something in your head, go with your imagination instead. Jim Ken Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. Elizabeth Base of the tower Kerry Chapter Three Hundred Fifty-Six: Intermission: Sophia’s Day I One Hour Earlier Sophia let out a contented sigh, awash in bliss as she slid beneath the stress-obliterating water of the hot springs. She was naked for the first time in nearly two months, and far more importantly, she was clean. She had spent the last twenty minutes scrubbing layers of muck and grime from her skin, hair, and clothing. Now she had nothing to do except sit back, relax, and enjoy the wonderous experience. Some enterprising individuals had discovered a cluster of springs just a few minutes away from the main campgrounds. They had chased off the local predators, set up some simple privacy screens, and placed guards around the perimeter. In exchange for some empty glass bottles and a bit of dried meat, Sophia had purchased an hour to herself in a private pool. She paid the price gladly, eager to enjoy a bath for the first time in her new life, not counting her dunking in the river. She had wanted to come here yesterday, but the line was so long that she hadn¡¯t been willing to wait. She had plenty to worry about, both before and after her team entered the Tower of Rizzen. But not just yet. For now, for a few marvelous minutes, all that existed was the paradise of hot water and the joy of being clean. For the first time in memory, Sophia finally felt like her old self. Or a presentable version of her new self at any rate. She leaned back, let her muscles relax, and closed her eyes, listening to the melody of the marshlands. She must have fallen asleep, because she came back to herself with a start when words from outside the privacy screen reached her ears. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t mean to interrupt, but your time has run out. If you want to stay longer, I¡¯ll have to charge you for another session.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine.¡± She stood up and began shaking the water off her skin. ¡°Give me a second to dry off and get dressed, and I¡¯ll be right out.¡± Her clothes were still damp, but her silk robes would dry quickly beneath the coppery light of Drezen¡¯s sun, since she didn¡¯t need to wash them to keep them clean. Stolen story; please report. After pulling on her boots and gathering her gear, Sophia left the hot springs with a sigh of regret. She stopped to thank the young woman who was serving as an attendant, waved to the guards on duty, then went about her day. She would meet up with Nick and the others in a few hours, then decide what to do about Jim and his crew. But before that, Sophia wanted to take a closer look at the tower. To get a sense of the structure and the doors ringing its base before proceeding any further down the path they had chosen. With her thoughts on the future, she retrieved the shovel that she had borrowed from Nick earlier in the day, walked over to the base of the tower, and began contemplating the statues adorning its surface. Once she had a sense for the overall layout, she started following its perimeter counterclockwise, walking away from the main press of bodies and toward the boundary of the marsh. Something about the number of doors and the number of parties didn¡¯t sit right with her. If the entrances she had counted so far were representative of the tower¡¯s arrangement as a whole, then there weren¡¯t enough doors for everyone, no matter what Jim said. It seemed out of character for the System to offer a challenge that wasn¡¯t at least theoretically possible to overcome. It made her ¡°there¡¯s something more to this¡± sense tingle, and Sophia had learned to rely on her instincts since the System had arrived and upended her life. It was the only reason that she¡¯d survived her tutorial and her early days on the bog. She stopped to ponder the matter while staring up at the endless expanse of dark stone. Sophia was by no means an expert on the System, but this setup went against what she knew of its nature. If there aren¡¯t enough easily accessible entrances, there must be some that are either hidden or in hard-to-reach places. Probably both. Sophia slowed her pace and began examining the stonework, looking for concealed doorways that were either disguised or placed out of sight from ground level. Eventually, she spotted what appeared to be a narrow window about thirty feet up from the base of the tower. Her eyes traced the wall between the ground and that position, looking for a path that might let someone get up there. If people climb from statue to statue, they should be able to reach it. Especially if they have a grappling hook or another form of climbing gear. To test her theory, Sophia grabbed ahold of the nearest statue, a rendition of a winged beast that was so realistic it looked like it might come to life at any moment. After waiting to make sure that it hadn¡¯t responded to her touch, she picked out her next handhold and started climbing. Chapter Three Hundred Fifty-Seven: Intermission: Sophia’s Day II Scaling the tower was surprisingly easy, thanks to her improved attributes. It was one part of the System that she had to admit she enjoyed. Her body responded to her commands with a level of precision that she still found shocking, and her muscles were stronger than she¡¯d ever dreamed possible. Supporting the weight of her body with a single hand was almost effortless, and her coordination had improved to the point where she wasn¡¯t worried about losing her balance or her grip. Free climbing from one carving to the next, she found herself in front of the window five minutes later. As she had suspected, the opening appeared to lead into the tower rather than being some form of ornamentation. She was careful not to touch it or put any part of her body past the threshold, lest the System count it as entering the spire and trap her on the other side. If there are more of these hidden entrances, there might be enough for everyone after all. We need to hurry and map them out before the next global event forces anyone inside. While less people are entering the tower with the guards standing outside, there are big gaps in their perimeter. We can¡¯t count on our luck holding out for much longer. She still had plenty of time before noon, so Sophia decided to uncover as many entrances as she could, then report her findings to the people in charge of door distribution so they could update the assignments. With any luck, there would wind up being enough for everyone after all, preventing a needless tragedy from unfolding. The reveal would also be a powerful piece of evidence to undercut Jim¡¯s position, hopefully to the extent that he would lose his authority. To let everyone reorganize based on maximizing their odds of survival. But she could ponder that when she met back up with Nick and the team. For now, all she had to worry about was completing her survey as efficiently as possible. Sophia found two more window entrances as she made her way back toward camp, and spotted another pair of doors that were placed behind some of the larger statues, where you could only see them once you were standing behind the carvings. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. She was about to head back and report what she¡¯d found, eager to help more people make it inside, when she spotted what appeared to be the corner of a doorframe jutting up from the earth. Taking a quick look around to make sure that no one was nearby, Sophia removed the shovel from her pack and started to dig. After removing several inches of topsoil, the blade broke into open air, revealing a pocket that extended below the surface. Nice work Soph, she grinned to herself, suspecting that she¡¯d just found a hidden entrance. Sure enough, when she widened the hole and stuck her head in, she found another door awaiting her perusal. Something about this hidden door was different from the rest. She had a sense that it might lead to a unique portion of the tower or offer some sort of reward. In a situation like this, Sophia had no qualms about keeping the entrance to herself. She had found it after all. It was only right that whatever opportunities lay on the far side went to her team. She carefully covered the hole with sticks and branches, then spent a good ten minutes memorizing its location, so that she would be able to find it quickly the next time that she looked for it. When she was done, Sophia made her way back to the central area. She reported her findings to the person in charge of assigning doors. She left out the buried entrance that she¡¯d found, although she mentioned that there might be some hidden below ground. The woman was grateful for the information. Wasting no time, she assigned a team to check out Sophia¡¯s findings and search for more entrances, flag each with a scrap of cloth, then assign the new doors to teams who didn¡¯t have one yet. With a spring in her step, Sophia made her way back to camp. She arrived a few minutes later, glad to have created new opportunities for team Earth and ready to confront Jim head on. Just as she sat down to wait for her party, a System message appeared in front of her face, heralding the start of the next global event. Sophia frowned as she read the words, then began to curse. It was bad news, worse than any that had come before. She picked up her gear and got ready for battle, certain that her day was about to become a whole lot less relaxing. Chapter Three Hundred Fifty-Eight: Bared Blades I The humming chime of steel against steel rang out as Nick blocked Ken¡¯s sword just in time to save his life. The heavy weapon hit hard, sending sparks raining into the air, the impact reverberating throughout his bones. Before Nick could process what was happening, a boot collided with his gut, sending him sprawling in the dirt with the wind knocked out of him. ¡°I knew that you were going to be a problem,¡± Ken¡¯s voice echoed from behind Nick. He struggled to regain control over his body, certain that the next blow would land at any second. But by the time he turned his head, the swordsman was nowhere to be found. Gasping for air, fighting to remain conscious, he rolled into a protective crouch, searching for any sign of his assailant. They knew I was listening after all. Ken must have been stalking me ever since, waiting for a chance to finish me off when no one was around to see. Nick rolled back onto his feet with a grunt, casting his senses out in every direction. Try as he might, he could find no sign of his attacker, although he was certain that the man was nearby. He wanted to take off his pack and remove his sword, but Nick had a hunch that Ken was waiting for him to lower his guard. That was when the sensation of killing intent flared again, coming from behind his back. Still half-stunned from taking a boot to his stomach, Nick dove to one side, narrowly avoiding a slash coming for his neck. Had it connected, the blow would have slain him on the spot, targeting the unprotected flesh between his jacket and his leather cap. He spun on his heels and lunged, aiming for his opponent¡¯s legs, just as the warrior leapt back and out of reach of Nick¡¯s dagger. This time, he was able to keep his eyes on his attacker, who instead of following up, took a step back to regard Nick with disdain. ¡°I¡¯ll admit that you¡¯re better than I thought,¡± Ken said, a frown twisting his lips. ¡°It didn¡¯t have to be like this. You should have just done what you were told. We don¡¯t have the luxury of entertaining dissent or pandering to the weakest among us. Our planet is on the chopping block, and we¡¯ll do whatever it takes to save it.¡± Nick rose to his feet and assumed a defensive stance, recovering his balance as his opponent kept talking. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. ¡°Jim¡¯s plan is the right move. It¡¯s the only way that we can beat Taltos at his own game. I don¡¯t have anything against you, Nick. But if it comes down to you or the Earth, then I choose Earth. Since you seem hellbent on causing trouble, I have no choice other than to remove you from the equation. One death means nothing compared to the fate of millions.¡± Killing another person must have bothered Ken more than Nick thought, judging by the man¡¯s need to explain himself, even if it gave Nick time to recover. He couldn¡¯t say that he was surprised by how the situation had evolved. He¡¯d expected another run in with Jim¡¯s crew after all, was planning on it in fact. He just hadn¡¯t anticipated that they would try to assassinate him before he got the chance to make his move. It made some of the darker expressions he¡¯d seen fall into place. And the fucked-up thing was, Nick couldn¡¯t say for certain that Ken was wrong. In the end, he didn¡¯t know which approach would work best, although Nick believed that his way of thinking was correct. But if Jim was right, then Nick and his friends really were lowering humanity¡¯s chances of survival. If that¡¯s what was motivating Ken¡¯s animosity, then Nick had to respect that on some level. If their positions were reversed, Nick honestly wasn¡¯t sure what he¡¯d be willing to do. Since he seems willing to talk, I should buy time until I can open my bag and draw my sword. It was clear from their initial exchange that Ken was skilled with his blade, likely more skilled than Nick himself. There was no way that Nick¡¯s dagger would let him fend off the next series of blows that was coming the moment that Ken¡¯s test of resolve came to an end. They shouldn¡¯t know about the bag¡¯s powers or suspect that my sword is in there. ¡°I knew something was rotten,¡± Nick began sliding his backpack free from his shoulders, trying to keep Ken¡¯s attention on his words and hands instead. ¡°But I didn¡¯t think that you would straight up try to murder me. Why are you doing this? We¡¯re all on the same team, fighting for the sake of our planet. I respect where you¡¯re coming from, but there must be a better way. We should be working together, not trying to kill one another.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because of what¡¯s at stake that problems like you need to be eliminated before your naive optimism ruins everything. If our strongest champions don¡¯t reach the top of the tower and level up along the way, none of us will survive what comes next. I have people back home who need my help, and I¡¯ll do anything to save them, no matter what I must sacrifice. I wish it didn¡¯t have to be this way, but like you said, there¡¯s too much hanging in the balance to hold back.¡± Chapter Three Hundred Fifty-Nine: Bared Blades II Something in Ken¡¯s tone told Nick that he would launch his next attack before he finished his sentence. Sure enough, before the last word left the swordsman¡¯s lips, he was surging into motion once more, slashing even faster than Nick had expected. Having anticipated the blow and recovered his breath over the brief exchange, he burned stamina as he threw his body back, turning to catch the strike on his backpack before sliding his arms free from the straps. As he had hoped, the magical bag blocked the blow cold, the unexpected resistance unbalancing Ken in the process. But the man must have been close to Nick¡¯s level, with even more points invested into dexterity. He recovered a heartbeat later, reversing his momentum and bringing his sword down low to cut Nick off at the knee. By this point, Nick was already reaching for the wand on his belt. His fingers wrapped around the shaft, just as his opponent¡¯s weapon came whipping back around. He took aim and fired before Ken¡¯s sword could chop off his feet, releasing a surging wave of force right into the swordsman¡¯s breastplate. Although the man had been caught by surprise, he must have activated some manner of defensive ability. Instead of sending Ken flying through the air, the wand¡¯s magic sent him skidding back in the dirt, his boots leaving a double scar along the soil in his wake. Having created a narrow opening, Nick didn¡¯t hesitate. While this was his first time fighting another person for real, he didn¡¯t have time to deal with the morality of killing another of his kind right now. Not if he wanted to survive the ambush. With the swordsman gunning for his life, it was either Nick or Ken, and Nick wasn¡¯t going down without a fight. Although Ken recovered with remarkable alacrity, the grimace on his face said that Nick was a tougher opponent than he¡¯d expected. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. While Ken wasn¡¯t going to back off so easily, the wand¡¯s blast had bought Nick enough time to summon a mana dart. Ken¡¯s eyes widened in surprise and began tracking the silver wedge orbiting Nick¡¯s head, as well as the wand in his hand. With his foe on the defensive while he adapted to two unexpected abilities, Nick knew that it was time to make his move. But he had underestimated how quickly Ken would recover. The swordsman beat Nick to the punch and launched another attack, resuming his offensive with a fierce intensity. Instead of darting back in to strike with his blade, Ken reached down to his side lightning-quick, then flung a throwing knife right at Nick¡¯s face. The instant that Nick leapt to dodge, Ken closed the distance, planning to use the diversion to land a critical blow. But that was not what happened. This time, Nick had known the strike was coming. He sent his dart streaking out to intercept the swordsman, cutting off his angle of attack while holding his wand in front of him like he was preparing to fire it again. As Nick had hoped, Ken spun to one side to avoid the unknown spell, then backpedaled beyond the range of the wand instead of committing to his attack. Having bought himself a chance to take the initiative, Nick ducked down and opened his bag, drawing his sword from the flap just in time to block the wicked overhand chop Ken had begun the instant that Nick looked away. Dropping his wand so that he could use the strength of both arms, the silver clang of blade striking blade resounded across the open air once more, as Nick caught Ken¡¯s sword mere inches above his head. By this point, he was dead certain that Ken was stronger than he was. That if their exchange continued, the man would force his sword into Nick¡¯s body. Before that could happen, Nick looked Ken in the eyes and spat straight in his face, the fat glob of spittle passing between the swordsman¡¯s lips to land upon his tongue. Ken flinched at the unexpected move, taking his eyes off Nick for a split second as his nostrils widened in disgust. Fortunately, on this occasion a second was all that Nick needed. The moment that Ken stopped pushing with full force, Nick let go of the sword with his left hand, drew his arm back, and punched his foe in the face as hard as he could, fist impacting nose with a hearty crunch. Chapter Three Hundred Sixty: Shadow Hunt I Nick wasn¡¯t the strongest person that he knew by any means. Sophia and Devin had him beat hands down in that regard. But he was still far stronger than he¡¯d been back in his old life. This growth had a host of implications that weren¡¯t particularly relevant at this moment, along with one that was. Thanks to the changes that his body had undergone since the System entered his life, Nick could now throw a mean left hook, and he¡¯d put everything that he had into his punch. As a result, knuckles met nostrils with considerable force, hard enough to fracture the bone behind. The swordsman¡¯s head rocked back as blood shot out his nose, lowering his guard for a fraction of a second. Nick followed up with a flowing combination of slashes and thrusts, trying to end the fight while the other man was unbalanced. But Ken was a tough bastard, and he recovered faster than Nick expected, fighting through the pain as their battle continued. Their swords met time and time again, bright sparks raining from Ken¡¯s blade each time their weapons collided. Nick¡¯s sword had a longer reach, but the balance was unwieldy. Ken was both faster and stronger than he was, and was heavily armored to boot. By now, it was obvious that the other man had more experience in wielding his weapon, although their skills felt more evenly matched than Nick had originally assumed. On top of that, it clearly wasn¡¯t Ken¡¯s first time engaging in a swordfight against another person. While the situation was still manageable, if barely so, he suspected that Ken had an ability that he hadn¡¯t revealed yet. That the man was saving it for when it would kill Nick on the spot. It was true for both of them, since Nick had yet to unveil piercing ray. But it wasn¡¯t likely that he would get a chance to cast it, given the uninterrupted concentration it took to fire the spell off. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. In short, although Nick had done well to hold his own up to this point, if he didn¡¯t find a way to end the fight soon, he was going to lose. He could try using his wand or conjuring another dart, but he doubted that he could land a direct hit against his agile opponent with either, now that Ken knew what Nick could do. He couldn¡¯t hold his wand and use his sword with both hands, and Ken was already learning how to take advantage of that fact. Nick compromised by retrieving his wand and gripping it between his teeth, where he could grab it faster than usual. Sweating in the light of an alien sun, each man did their best to kill the other. Over the course of their next exchange, Nick wound up taking a few minor cuts despite his best efforts. They were trivial wounds, but still deeply frightening to receive. One good slice would end his life, and each of the cuts had come close. He still couldn¡¯t believe that Ken was trying to murder him, but Nick didn¡¯t have time to focus on anything other than keeping his blood inside his body. Although it was the last thing that he wanted, he couldn¡¯t afford to hold back any longer. Ken was simply too good for Nick to disarm or disable him. The only way that he would survive the assault was to cut the other man down, the consequences be damned. At this point, Nick admitted to himself that he hadn¡¯t been giving the fight his all. That despite his best efforts to abandon his outdated morals, he was still reluctant to kill another person. That holding onto them any longer would lead him to an early grave. In that moment, it all became clear. Nick was going to have to sacrifice a part of himself here and now if he wanted to save his friends, let alone his planet. He took a deep breath as he ducked beneath a powerful swing, ready to face the truth head on. His anger and his fear, his hesitancy to end the life of another, were all deadly distractions. Faulty instincts that could well mean the difference between life and death. He had to take Ken down now and then make it back to his team, before more of Jim¡¯s people attacked them. After driving the man back with a wild thrust, Nick bid farewell to a part of himself as he summoned his arctic clarity, prepared to throw everything that he had into putting the other man down for good. Subzero focus washed away the electric adrenaline coursing through his veins, burying his humanity in an avalanche of chill concentration. At last, Nick was ready. It was time to take Ken out. Chapter Three Hundred Sixty-One: Shadow Hunt II I need to create an opening, then use my wand or spells. Gain control over the momentum of the fight before landing a decisive blow. Ken has more points invested into his physical attributes than I do. It¡¯s up to my magic to make up the difference. By now, Nick was low on stamina and out of breath. He had to end the fight soon, while he still could. He assumed his stance and willed his arctic clarity into high gear. Entering a state of total concentration, the wintry chill stilled the last vestiges of turbulent heat that the combat had stoked within him. Judging the situation with serene focus, he knew that everything was going to come down to the next exchange of blows. He was prepared to put everything that he had left into the next attack and sensed that his opponent was bracing himself to do the same. Nick could feel coiled tension radiating from the other man like a stove, as both of them unleashed their killing intent. Sometime within the next handful of heartbeats, they would explode into motion and hold nothing back. He knew in that moment, that only one of them would be walking away. Nick tightened his grip and steadied his breathing, prepared to bet his life on the next swing of his sword, then follow up with his spells. Time seemed to slow as both men looked each other in the eyes, bound by the knowledge that one of them was going to die when their weapons met again. Nick tensed, half a heartbeat away from launching his attack, certain that he had arrived at a pivotal moment in his life. He raised his sword, poised to strike. In that moment, the weapon seemed to be a part of himself, a living extension of his own arms, and he knew that it was time. A blink of an eye before Nick and Ken came at each other with every scrap of power at their disposal, a message from the System appeared in front of their eyes, accompanied by an unearthly wail somewhere in the distance. Its contents caused each man to lower their blade if not their guard. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. While they had been ready to kill each other only the ghost of a moment before, each now had more pressing concerns than ending the other¡¯s life. System message: Global event. 25% of contestants have entered the Tower of Rizzen, triggering the final event in the series. Event, ¡®The shadow hunt,¡¯ has begun. The lord of the hunt has awakened and assumed command of his army. From this point on, the blackmist and the hunters that dwell within it can detect contestants at any distance and will actively seek them out. Run while you can, the shadow hunt has begun. The instant that the message appeared, both men leapt back, opening space between them as they read the dire proclamation. A deep breath later, the hostility vanished from Ken¡¯s posture. Keeping a wary eye on Nick, the warrior sheathed his sword and held up his open palms. He must have decided that whatever threat Nick posed paled in comparison to the crisis that had descended upon them all. Watching to make sure that Nick didn¡¯t intend to resume their battle, Ken spoke. ¡°We don¡¯t have time to finish this now, and neither side has time to implement complex plans. We need to get everyone into the tower before it¡¯s too late. We can resume our debate another time if we are fated to meet again. Let¡¯s call it a draw for today.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine by me,¡± Nick replied. ¡°This isn¡¯t what I wanted anyway.¡± He lowered his own sword and took a step back, since he could see on Ken¡¯s face that the man spoke the truth. Besides, the swordsman was right. Their quarrel was trivial compared to the imminent threat of the global event and it was now meaningless to fight over which strategy was best. All the planning both teams had done had gone out the window the moment that the message appeared. All that mattered was saving as many lives as possible before the blackmist engulfed the tower and the lord of the hunt arrived. Nick sheathed his sword and said, ¡°Get everyone into the tower while you still can. I¡¯ll go and help anyone who isn¡¯t already waiting near the base. We should have a few minutes before the mist arrives, and we need to make them count.¡± Without another word, the men exchanged a nod between equals. They took off sprinting in opposite directions, as the strange cries reverberating in the distance grew louder by the footfall. Chapter Three Hundred Sixty-Two: Calamity on the Half-Shell I Thousands of panicked voices rose to fill the air, as everyone read the ominous contents of the System¡¯s message. People began running a handful of heartbeats later, sprinting toward the tower in a fearful mass. Many of them started leaping through the first door they came across, their assigned location and group forgotten as they fled for their lives. In the end, all Jim¡¯s planning had come to naught, and Nick¡¯s strategy hadn¡¯t been implemented either. Regardless of the method, with team Earth scattered across the region, it was going to take time for everyone to enter the tower. There were going to be people trapped outside if the hunters didn¡¯t get them first, but there wasn¡¯t anything that Nick could do about it now. There hadn¡¯t been enough doorways to begin with, and he prayed that as many people as possible survived what was coming. As bad as this development was, he refused to panic. He had to find the other members of his team, then leap through an unclaimed door before the fresh hell that the System was brewing descended upon their heads. With any luck, he would make it in time. He couldn¡¯t see any blackmist yet. Hopefully it would take a few more minutes before the hunters and their master arrived. I need to get to our meeting point fast, then wait for the others. But matters were not fated to be resolved so simply. Because that was when Nick felt the ground beneath his feet begin to pound and shake. A heavy, rumbling beat that he recognized from soloing his beast-based trial back on the Searing Isle. Something was headed their way fast, and Nick could already tell that it was going to be big. Now near the spot that his team had picked to meet up during an emergency, he planted his feet and fought to remain where he was, pushing against the press of the crowd while looking for a friendly face. If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Unless he was left with no other choice, there was no way that Nick was going to leave Sophia and the others behind. He knew that she wouldn¡¯t be able to hear his voice over the clamor of the mob, and it was hard to see anything with all the bodies in the way. He called out anyway, scanning the faces streaming past with increasing desperation. Things only got worse when the screaming started. Uncertain as to what was happening, Nick abandoned his position and started running toward the tower. He needed to see for himself how events were unfolding, so that he could decide what to do next. The tower was the only place where he could get a good look from an elevated position, and he had to get there fast. Besides, this wasn¡¯t a viable meeting point anymore. The ring of stones they had been using for a landmark was lost beneath the surge of panicked bodies. The fearful cries were growing louder by the heartbeat, as everyone started diving into the closest door they could find. Nick saw that a fair portion of people were moving as a team. But many more were running on their own, cut off from their groups by the momentum of the mob. More people must have slipped past Jim¡¯s guards. The arrival and severity of the global event had caught everyone by surprise. Now, it was every man for himself. Here and there, people were trying to restore order, encouraging everyone to head to their assigned door and wait for their teams for as long as they could. But it simply wasn¡¯t possible now that the closest doors were taken, the entrances vanishing in a flash of light the instant that the fifth person stepped past the threshold. After another disorienting moment, Nick forced himself through a clump of bodies and broke through into clear ground. Fortunately, there weren¡¯t nearly as many people standing near the closest face of the tower, because all the entrances nearby had already been taken. He wanted to help, but he wasn¡¯t sure what he could do given the circumstances. Regardless, his next step was to meet up with his own team, then lend what little assistance they could before entering the tower themselves. No matter what happened, there was no way that Nick was going to get stuck out here when the last door closed. He didn¡¯t need a skill to know that it was a veritable death sentence. But try as he might, he couldn¡¯t spot the faces of his friends. Chapter Three Hundred Sixty-Three: Calamity on the Half-Shell II Nick summoned his arctic clarity to quell his urge to panic, only to discover that it was hard to call on it again so soon. Just a hint of icy lucidity rose to the forefront of his mind, but it was enough to maintain focus amidst the incredibly stressful situation. Where can I get a good view of what¡¯s going on? He started scanning the tower above his head. There! Concentrating with everything that he had, he activated force acceleration for half a heartbeat and leapt into the air. He went sailing up a good fifteen feet before hitting the wall, landing almost where he¡¯d been aiming for. After a hasty scramble for purchase, his fingers wrapped around an imposing statue that reminded him of a feline gargoyle. He grabbed hold tight and then spun around to face the clearing. Knowing that every second was precious, Nick started surveying his surroundings, now able to peer out over the crowd. To his relief, he didn¡¯t see any of the black fog rolling into the clearing, at least not yet. But an inky tsunami was advancing across the marsh, devouring the world of light as it came. Judging by its rate of advance, we should have a good ten minutes before it gets here. Taking in the only good news he had found in the grim situation, Nick sighed, letting out a breath he hadn¡¯t realized he was holding. If the blackmist had overtaken them now, it would have resulted in mass casualties, stripping team Earth of their ability to find a door and enter the tower. While it was a bright spot in the midst of a black moment, what Nick saw next was almost as bad. The mystery of the rumbling was solved in that instant. Because emerging from the marsh and heading his way fast, a great and lumbering beast appeared. A massive red reptile covered with a spiked turtle shell. The same flame-breathing monstrosity that Nick and Sophia had barely escaped before arriving at the tower. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. To Nick¡¯s abject horror, the river king had arrived on scene. The powerful beast had undergone some dramatic changes since Nick had last laid eyes upon it. Most notably, a fifty-foot spear of black wood was protruding from the top of its blood-splattered shell. Cracks and gouges scarred the length and blood was leaking from a dozen different places. It was clear that the massive predator had run into something even worse than itself out on the marsh. It had narrowly escaped after taking a critical wound, driving the beast mad with pain in the process. Nick knew that the colossal spear had to be related to the shadow hunt that the System had mentioned. If their advance had already taken them past the river king¡¯s territory, the hunters in the mist were closing fast on Darkstone Tower, likely just behind the great wave of blackmist. He was certain that the lord of the hunt and its fell host would arrive within a matter of minutes, precipitating a bloodbath and obliterating the forces still outside the tower. But well before that happened, the river king¡¯s charge would overtake the back of the crowd, and the stricken beast was more than capable of decimating team Earth all by itself. The closest people had noticed the creature¡¯s arrival. Their panicked screams went up another octave when they realized that not everyone would get away before it plowed into them like a runaway freight train. A few brave souls were firing off spells, trying to slow the turtle-dragon down, although their efforts would buy team Earth a few seconds at most. Run faster. Nick willed the people fleeing in front of the beast to pick up the pace, knowing there was no way that everyone would make it to safety in time. Even if he wanted to help, he had no chance of fighting through the press of bodies before the slaughter began. Even using force acceleration to get there, Nick would burn through his mana before he crossed a fraction of the distance. He didn¡¯t like it, but he needed to go stake out a door and hope that his friends found him, before the last portal swung shut, trapping them on what would soon become a killing field. That was the moment when a woman wearing full plate mail slipped in the mud and fell, horror writ clear upon her face. Before she had time to rise, the river king was there. The warrior scrambled back onto her feet and tried to run, but the powerful creature was far too quick. She took two panicked steps before its jaws snapped shut around her torso, sheering through her thick steel plate like the skin of an apple. The giant beast stopped long enough to chew and swallow. It spat out a mangled pauldron, then kept right on coming, heading straight for the thickest part of the crowd. Chapter Three Hundred Sixty-Four: Desperate Dilemma I ¡°This is bad, Nick. We need to get the fuck out of here while we still can.¡± He turned his head to find Veronica hanging from the next statue over. She must have spotted me clinging to the wall. ¡°Not without Sophia and Devin,¡± he replied, scanning the faces in the crowd with increasing desperation. During their brief exchange, Nick watched the river king slaughter another straggler. He bowed his head and offered a silent apology. Sorry, there wasn¡¯t anything I could do. Although the situation was dire, part of him wasn¡¯t willing to give up. Not without considering his options. He wracked his brain while sizing up the colossal creature, but he couldn¡¯t see any obvious weaknesses or come up with a way to slow it down. While the beast¡¯s wounds were severe, it didn¡¯t seem to be running out of energy. Likely the work of powerful abilities at play combined with its monstrous pool of health. It would continue to attack until the blackmist broke over the tower, heralding the arrival of something that he strongly suspected would be even worse. Watching the carnage play out, he couldn¡¯t find it in himself to argue that they should take on the creature, no matter how hard it was to watch members of team Earth fall to its wrath. In the end, Nick knew that V was right. There wasn¡¯t any way for the two of them to make a difference, and he wasn¡¯t willing to risk it all to save every stranger that was in danger. Not when his only option would be to sacrifice his own life in exchange. At least no one was in range of the dragon-turtle¡¯s jaws at the moment. Maybe it won¡¯t get anyone else before we make it inside the tower. Nick knew that he was lying to himself. The beast was coming in hot, heading for the thickest part of the crowd, where progress was slowed by the thick press of bodies. The river king was going to kill dozens of people, possibly more, before everyone made it to an entrance, the beast¡¯s bloodlust was sated, or it expired from its wounds. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. As bad as that was, it was going to be much, much worse if the creature had enough mana to unleash its fiery breath. Nick could only hope that its injuries were too serious to let loose the devastating cone of flame. That was when he noticed that three people had turned around. They were heading back to engage the beast and delay it so the others could escape. It¡¯s Kenji and Devin. Horror rose within his breast as the realization of what was happening broke over him. His heart only sank further when he saw that Sophia was with them. He turned and looked at Veronica, who had come to the same grim conclusion. ¡°I¡¯m going,¡± Nick said, as he tensed his body and prepared to leap off the wall. While risking his life for strangers was one thing, sticking his neck out to save his friends was another matter entirely. Besides, with those three fighting beside us, we just might have a chance. ¡°Fuck that. You¡¯re on your own,¡± V said. ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong. I like you guys, but I¡¯m not dying for anyone.¡± But when Nick jumped down and hit the ground running, Veronica landed beside him. The leather-clad woman kept pace as they began sprinting toward trouble instead of heading the other way. At least the crowd was thinning as the bulk of team Earth reached the tower and began circling around both sides. Grumbling protests all the while, he heard Veronica mutter to herself, ¡°But I¡¯m not ready to be alone again either.¡± Not long after, Nick broke free of the crowd, eyes locked onto the profile of the river king¡¯s shell. They should arrive at the fight within another few minutes, as long as he was willing to keep burning stamina. He couldn¡¯t afford to waste mana on force acceleration. Not if he wanted to be in fighting shape when he got there. His imagination ran wild as screams filled his ears, but Nick shut out his fear and kept on running. He had to reach his friends before it was too late. Despite her declaration, Veronica looked just as worried, running by his side with a grimace on her face. Nerves alight with adrenaline, the pair raced toward danger, with an even greater threat looming on the horizon. With the shadow hunt arriving immediately, they had to join the battle before the elite beast could overpower their allies, put the river king down, then make it back to the tower before the blackmist devoured them whole. All the while, panicked people continued pouring into the tower. Some with fully formed parties, some with random strangers, more doors disappearing with every beat of his heart. Another exit vanished every time that his boots hit the ground. Chapter Three Hundred Sixty-Five: Desperate Dilemma II While he fought to close the final stretch of soil, Nick examined their opponent, suppressing his fear and bringing his tactical mind back online. They would have to either finish the river king quickly or hold it off for a few minutes then disengage, buying enough time for the people racing for the doorways lining the base of the tower to step inside. The dragon-turtle was in even worse shape than Nick had realized. The great shelled reptile was covered in deep lacerations, bloody gouges torn free from its shell in dozens of places. Hundreds of black feathers were embedded in its exposed flesh, from what must have been scores of redfang hunters. The sight only magnified his apprehension of the lord of the hunt and its fell horde. If the shadow hunt was able to do this to such a powerful creature, it would obliterate team Earth effortlessly when it arrived. But Nick didn¡¯t have time to worry about that now. He had to find a weakness to exploit before he arrived at his allies¡¯ side. Something that he could take advantage of using the limited tools at his disposal. Keep it together Nick. Breathe. Think. He tried and failed to summon his arctic clarity, unable to use the mysterious ability so soon after the last time he¡¯d called upon it. He would have to fight this battle without it. He would be there in another thirty seconds, so he continued to examine the king as adrenaline turbocharged his racing heart. The beast¡¯s eyes darted around erratically, like it was having trouble focusing. Its movements were clumsy for all their power, and Nick suspected that the creature had been poisoned or afflicted by some manner of disabling ability. While it was slower and weaker than before, it was strong enough to kill him in a single strike if it scored more than a glancing blow with its claws or jaws. And despite its sorry state, the thick shell would turn aside all but the most powerful of attacks. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. The great black lance protruding from the king¡¯s back must have missed its vital organs, or it would have died already. It meant that despite its critical condition, the creature might still be able to fight for long minutes. Far more time than Nick had under the circumstances. Our only chance is to distract it, then attack it along the places where it¡¯s already injured. Prime targets are its eyes and the cracks in its shell. I would prefer to lead it away from the tower rather than engaging it directly, but if we do, we won¡¯t make it back in time. We need to end this fast, or at least hamper its mobility, then retreat while we still can. By now, Nick and Veronica had nearly closed the distance, and the rest of his team had circled out to engage the wounded beast. At the moment, Devin and Kenji were trading blows with the creature, trying to divert its attention without taking a hit in return. While he ran, Nick summoned three darts back-to-back, so they would be ready to fire at a moment¡¯s notice, managing to cast on the move for the first time. He judged that he still had enough in the tank to cast a few piercing rays without incurring mana sickness, but he would have to save them for the right moment. With a surge of will, he put on a final burst of speed and arrived by Sophia¡¯s side. She was casting for everything she was worth. For a moment, Nick was afraid that she was summoning the bonefiend, which would leave her critically vulnerable and unable to retreat. But then five frostfury wasps grew their way into existence in a flash of emerald light, flying off to join the men holding the river king at bay. She staggered from exhaustion before bringing a green vial to her lips and drinking deep. One of the stamina potions that V had passed out earlier in the day. Sophia¡¯s movements sharpened as she realized that Veronica and Nick had arrived by her side. ¡°Nick, it¡¯s good to see your face. You too V. You¡¯re a bit late to the party though. Now, how about we put on a good show for our guest of honor and then get the hell out of the bog. The blackmist will break over us any minute.¡± With his friends at his side, Nick drew his sword, turned to face the towering beast, and charged, ready for the fight of his life. Concept Art: Chapter 356-365 Just a reminder, I completely respect that not everyone likes the inclusion/existence of AI art, so I''ve put it in it''s own chapter so that it''s easy to skip and not shown side by side with the story. If it''s not your thing, I totally understand where you are coming from. This concept art is included entirely for fun, and will never be sold or monetized in any way. It will never be as good as your imagination, so if it doesn''t fit with the version of something in your head, go with your imagination instead. Command tent Kerry The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. Tower statues Sophia in the hot springs Nick is pissed He''s back Chapter Three Hundred Sixty-Six: Buying Time Sophia, Veronica, and Nick spread out as they drew near the patch of earth where the river king was facing off against their friends. The women darted around back to remain within its blind spot, while he ran to reinforce Kenji and Devin, who were barely holding their own. Both men were using their shields to deflect the reptile¡¯s claws, leaping out of the way whenever its hulking beak came snapping in their direction. They had spread out to attack both sides of its head at once, each launching blows at throat or eye whenever the beast turned to attack the other fighter. Kenji had acquired some new gear since the last time Nick had seen him. The battle-scarred strategist was wearing a new set of chainmail and wielded a heavy spear that was tipped with the horn he had claimed from the fallen rhino back in the arena. In his other hand, he held a shield that was even bigger than the last one. Despite the seriousness of their situation, it was good to see Kenji alive and well, at least for the time being. Barring the king¡¯s rampage with just the three of them must have been a grueling ordeal. Both men were battered and weary, covered from head to toe in cuts and bruises, blood and mud. Though they looked utterly exhausted, the fierce determination on their faces revealed that they still had some fight left in them. Nick had drawn his sword and begun circling around to the beast¡¯s blind side as well, hoping to land a heavy blow before the creature realized that reinforcements had arrived. But half a heartbeat later, Devin slipped in the mud and fell hard on his ass, within easy reach of the creature¡¯s razored beak. It lunged for him without hesitation, intending to pluck his skull from his neck like a grape from the vine. Nick abandoned his plan and ran to the rescue, knowing that he would never make it in time. Not even his darts would be fast enough. Just before the king could end the athletic man¡¯s life, Kenji was there. He took the attack right in the center of his massive shield, releasing a thud that Nick could feel in his bones. The move saved Devin¡¯s life, but it knocked Kenji off-balance, and he nearly fell over too. While the strategist struggled to recover, a set of scimitar claws came streaking for his face, as the colossal beast struck out with its forelimb. Kenji fought to regain his balance and duck behind his tower shield, but there simply wasn''t enough time. Before the claws covered half of the distance, Nick¡¯s spells arrived on target. He had fired two darts back-to-back the moment he realized that his friends were in danger, trusting Kenji to hold the beast back for a few final seconds. Both silver missiles struck true and sank into the king¡¯s left eye, disappearing into the brain beyond. It let out a roar as excruciating pain engulfed its head for a handful of heartbeats, causing its attack to fall short. Unfortunately, the darts couldn¡¯t paralyze a creature of that size, but at least they had bought Nick time. He closed the final stretch of ground, swinging his sword with the weight of his body and the force of his charge behind it, praying that his aim was true. His weapon came down onto the beast¡¯s scaled neck, just like he had planned. But instead of biting deep into the tissue below, the sword only carved a shallow cut before deflecting, stonelike scales resisting the magic blade better than any creature Nick had fought before. He leapt out of the way as the dragon-turtle turned to face him, an all-consuming rage burning in its eyes. While his move had saved his friends, what he had learned was even worse than he¡¯d feared. Even without the protection of its shell, the river king¡¯s body was incredibly durable. His attack had only made the big bastard mad. Nick dodged the beast¡¯s snapping jaws by the skin of his teeth. He leapt back beyond the reach of its claws as they tore through the air, shredding the end of his toughness modified jacket with no appreciable resistance. He was down a considerable chunk of mana, and hadn¡¯t managed to inflict much damage. At least he¡¯d bought the seconds they needed to get Kenji and Devin back on their feet and back in the fight. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Nick, I knew you would make it.¡± Devin grinned as he resumed his fighting stance. ¡°Your timing is impeccable.¡± Kenji planted his shield and raised his spear. ¡°Hurry,¡± Sophia yelled from somewhere behind the beast¡¯s shell. ¡°The blackmist will be here any minute.¡± ¡°She¡¯s right,¡± Kenji braced himself to receive a blow. ¡°We have to end this fast and retreat, or we¡¯re dead even if we win the fight.¡± That was all the time for talking they had, for the beast had recovered from the sting of Nick¡¯s darts and begun to advance once more. By now, he could feel the effects of Kenji¡¯s aura, which had grown stronger since their fight in the arena. Unlike arctic clarity, which filled Nick with an intense sense of focus, Kenji¡¯s aura strengthened his resolve. A steady determination to do whatever he must, and to face his problems head on. It also seemed to be regenerating his stamina, which Nick sorely needed considering how much he¡¯d burned through already. On that note, he took out the potion that Veronica had given him and downed it in a single gulp. Energy came rushing back into his body as he raised his blade, eyes tracking the beast¡¯s advance while probing it for weakness. Seeking the best place to land a critical attack with his sword. The only reason they had been given this long to prepare was that all five of Sophia¡¯s wasps were harassing the reptile, flying into its face every time that it reared back to strike. They must not be able to penetrate its hide with their stingers. Before anyone could land another blow, the king turned and snapped, crushing one of the summons in the blink of an eye before reorienting on the three men standing before it. For the next two minutes, they battled the beast to a stalemate. Spear met scale, shield deflected claw, sword and axe rebounded from shell. Nick couldn¡¯t see what the women were up to, but he knew they must have something planned. The king took out two more wasps during the exchange, each sacrifice stopping a blow from claiming someone¡¯s life. ¡°Nick and Devin, draw its attention,¡± Kenji cried out. ¡°There¡¯s something that I want to try.¡± Trusting the man¡¯s instincts, Nick darted in low and then thrust with his blade, aiming for the beast¡¯s baleful eye. It turned its head at the last possible moment, taking the blow across its beak with a terrible screech that left a scratch behind. The creature roared and lunged for Nick, but before the blow landed, Devin was there. He absorbed the hit on his blue metal shield, let the force throw him back a few feet, then leaned in and brought his axe down in a wicked overhand chop. It smacked the creature on top of its skull with a hearty thwack, followed by a boom as blast striking activated. It wasn¡¯t enough to break through, but the attack enraged the wounded beast. It began scrambling for Devin, completely consumed with exacting its revenge. The moment that it was distracted, Kenji stepped in, aimed for a crack in the shell, and lunged with his spear with everything that he had. The weapon struck true, the fallen rhino¡¯s horn biting deep into the soft flesh below the hard shell, releasing a bright spray of blood. The king whipped its body back around. The motion tossed Kenji aside like he weighed nothing at all, nearly causing him to lose his weapon in the process. They¡¯d managed to score their first significant injury, but it didn¡¯t seem to have done more than aggravate the beast and cause it to change target. Moving faster than before, it began running Kenji down, ignoring the blows that Devin and Nick unleashed it in passing. Just before the king caught him, the last two wasps landed beside the hole that Kenji¡¯s spear had widened. The creatures began stinging the open wound, frost billowing up from the afflicted tissue. That was when, with a crack like a gunshot, something came whipping around from the king¡¯s back, so fast that all Nick could see was a blur until it hit. The beast¡¯s tail crushed both bugs to paste in the blink of an eye, then reoriented on Kenji with murder gleaming in its gaze. Devin used the opportunity to change his weapon into its two-handed form, wailing on the dragon-turtle¡¯s shell as hard as he could, each strike releasing a pulse of flame upon impact. But the river king must have been resistant to the heat, because it ignored the blows and kept right on coming, Kenji only heartbeats away from being trampled by its charge. It would have been the end of the brilliant strategist if it wasn¡¯t for one small detail. While the king was distracted by spear and wasp, the women had climbed onto its back. At the moment, Sophia and Veronica were scaling the peak, standing beside the massive spear penetrating the beast¡¯s shell. They looked at each other, nodded, and then split up. Their weapons poised and ready to strike. Chapter Three Hundred Sixty-Seven: Hard Target Sophia slid down one side of the dragon-turtle¡¯s shell, jabbing her frost venom dagger into a crack while Veronica took aim with her crossbow. The king¡¯s tail came whipping around the moment that Sophia¡¯s weapon stung its flesh. But she had learned from her summons¡¯ demise and was waiting for the blow. She leapt out of the way at the last possible moment, as the beast¡¯s whiplike appendage collided with its shell, a few feet away from where the great black spear protruded. The tip came crashing down with the power of a battering ram, widening the fractures beneath the force of the strike. It must have hurt like hell, because the giant reptile let out an unearthly screech. It began bucking and writhing but couldn¡¯t dislodge its agile assailants. When it stopped to catch its breath, Sophia stung it twice more in succession, injecting the final drops of venom from her dagger to goad the beast into a frenzy. The king issued a furious roar. It extended its neck and then reached toward its back, ready to end Sophia¡¯s life between its hulking jaws. But that was not what happened. Because the reaction was exactly what the women had been hoping for. The angle offered Veronica a perfect line of fire and she had already set up the shot. Before the beast struck, she fired four bolts back-to-back, each missile glowing with a sickly green light. The first shot deflected off the beast¡¯s thick scales, but the rest hit the gouge that Nick had carved in a remarkable display of precision, bolts sinking into flesh and then discharging their acid. The king shrieked as solvent began flooding its veins, softening its scales as the acid ate away at the bonds holding the tissue together. The fresh infusion of pain was the final straw, taking the beast past the edge of madness and beyond, overcome with mindless fury. Veronica held onto the great spear to keep her balance, while Sophia leapt to the ground. The king hadn¡¯t noticed V yet, since she had attacked from range. She crouched behind the shaft to stay out of sight, waiting for a chance to follow up. It went charging for Sophia in a red flash, but before it could reach her, Devin was there. He covered her with his shield while smacking the beast with his axe to draw its attention. ¡°Close your eyes,¡± he yelled, then unleashed his flashfire pulse. There was an intense flare of heat as a dome of flame expanded from his location, stopping just short of Veronica¡¯s position. The fire didn¡¯t seem to hurt the king, but it served to momentarily blind it, letting Sophia and Devin fall back and open some distance between them. The dragon-turtle reared back reflexively, stretching its neck out of its shell while preparing to lunge, offering the opening that Veronica was waiting for. She timed her leap and then sprang like a cat, wicked sets of bone claws protruding from the back of her hands. Before the king knew she was there, she took aim for the patch of scales she had weakened with her acid and struck, working the claws into its neck, then letting her momentum do the rest. Thanks to her acid infusion, her weapons bit deep. The bone blades parted scale and sliced into the tissue beneath, injecting the poison created by her ability. Blood began pouring out of the wounds in great, pulsing sprays, as her anticoagulant went to work. Crimson vitae rained down, splattering into the beast¡¯s eyes, and obstructing its vision. Nick¡¯s spirit rose when he saw how effective V¡¯s move had been. If we can hit that spot again, we might actually be able to kill it. While the king was distracted, Veronica darted beyond the reach of its claws, ducking behind Devin¡¯s shield to stand beside Sophia. Blinded by blood and maddened by pain, the beast spun to face where Devin, Veronica, and Sophia stood. But its movements were slower than before. The powerful predator was finally reaching the end of its reserves. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Nick felt a flash of optimism as he ducked beneath a wild swing of its tail, which died only three seconds later, when he realized that flames were flickering in front of the king¡¯s beak. ¡°It¡¯s going to breathe fire,¡± he cried out. ¡°Run!¡± But it was already too late. The river king inhaled, its breath rattling in lungs that were half-filled with blood. A ball of ruby flame shimmered into existence in front of its mouth a bare second later. Nick knew from experience that it would finish charging its ability within a matter of moments, then unleash a killer cone of flame upon his friends. ¡°Breath attack incoming,¡± Kenji cried out. ¡°Disperse and dodge!¡± Everyone spread out and began scrambling for cover, as the beast¡¯s flames grew more intense, shifting from cherry red to electric orange. In the heart of that dark moment, Nick knew that they were in trouble. There wasn¡¯t anything substantial enough to hide behind and there wasn¡¯t enough time to run out of range. Unless he did something now, some of his friends were going to die. But Nick wasn¡¯t about to let that happen. Heart hammering in his chest, he began running straight for the river king, drawing his wand free from its sheath. As Nick sprinted toward the fierce and rising flames, Devin fell into place at his side. The athletic man had come to the same conclusion and was here to help. By now, the heat was so intense that it scorched Nick''s face. He could feel his hair burning as he ran toward the roaring conflagration. Within a fleeting handful of heartbeats, the beast would let loose a lethal jet of flame. He had to close the distance before that happened. ¡°Nick, here!¡± Devin called out while tossing his shield low along the ground. Nick dove, catching the shield and riding it across the muddy soil, sliding below the burning sphere and then rolling to cover himself with the sheet of blue metal. By now, the ball of roiling blaze had changed color, shifting from red, to orange, to blinding white. Half a heartbeat before the river king let loose its fury in a torrent of living flame, Nick took aim with his wand and fired two shots back-to-back, targeting the bottom of the beast¡¯s scaley head. Blam, blam! The reverberation of the wand echoed across the open air, powered by Nick¡¯s trait and the points in magic he had gained while crossing the bog. The blasts sent the beast¡¯s head whipping up, just as it released its ability. A pillar of raging flame shot over a hundred feet into the air, lighting up the side of the tower. The heat was incredible. It would have seared Nick¡¯s lungs had he been foolish enough to breathe. It would have snuffed his life like a candle if it wasn¡¯t for Devin¡¯s shield. He darted away to open some distance and then looked over his shoulder, overcome with horror when he realized that the king¡¯s head was coming back down. That its flaming breath hadn¡¯t finished firing. It seemed that despite his best efforts, his friends were going to die after all. That was when he saw Devin running straight toward the beast, trailing smoke as bits of his clothing were consumed. Before the dragon turtle¡¯s head came all the way down. Devin was there. He reached up and caught the creature below its jaw, straining to keep its breath from reaching the ground. In that moment, Nick was terrified for his friend. If the heat was this intense from behind the shield, how could Devin hope to survive? That was when Nick remembered the man¡¯s flame resistance ability. He prayed that it would be enough, although his heart was darkened by doubt. By now, Devin¡¯s hair was scorched, and his face was covered in char and blisters. Incredibly, he endured, overpowering the immense creature long enough for its breath attack to expire. Muscles corded with strain, shaking and screaming his defiance, he fought the beast to a standstill until the last lick winked out. The instant it did, the river king struck, lashing out with one foot. Devin saw it coming at the last possible moment, raising his weapon to keep its claws from gutting him like a fish. The impact was incredible, sending the armored man flying through the air like a toy soldier kicked by an angry child. The enraged beast turned its head, ready to end the life of the being who had dared defy it. Its jaws spread wide, darting down to rend Devin asunder. Half a second before the blow landed, two of Nick¡¯s mana darts caught it straight in the face, sinking into both of its eyes. Although the spell was less effective against giant opponents, the double headshot must have really fucking hurt. Because instead of biting Devin in half like a fish stick, the river king jerked back like it had been struck by lightning, convulsing as Nick¡¯s magic surged into its brain. Before the beast could recover, Kenji and Sophia were there. While Veronica laid down covering fire, Sophia grabbed Devin and dragged him beyond the reach of the maddened beast, while Kenji helped Nick back onto his feet. ¡°Now while it¡¯s disabled,¡± Kenji yelled above the king¡¯s roar. ¡°We need to end this while we still can.¡± Chapter Three Hundred Sixty-Eight: Frenemy Although Nick¡¯s team gave it their all, the fight was not fated to end so simply. The great shelled beast recovered within seconds, far too quickly to launch a strike at its vitals. By now, it was clear that they were going to have to create a longer opening before they could land a blow that could take the dragon-turtle down. The problem was, everyone was burned, battered, and hovering near the point of exhaustion. V¡¯s potions were able to help with the last, but on top of everything else, they were running out of time. Soon, the blackmist would wash over them in a midnight tide. At which point the hunters would devour them if the river king didn¡¯t. Over the next three minutes, the party unleashed a fierce barrage of attacks, doing their best to take out an eye, throat, or knee. Anything that would let them get close, or failing that, retreat to safety. Every time they tried to pull back, the beast surged forward, and despite its prolific wounds, it was faster than they were. They couldn¡¯t kill it, and they couldn¡¯t run. All that was left was to fight with everything they had and hope that a chance to end things appeared within the fickle flow of battle. Although they couldn¡¯t land a finishing blow, they managed to score several good hits in the process, slicing flesh and cracking scale. But the river king had monstrous pools of stamina and health, and it was winning the battle of attrition despite the severity of its wounds. Under other circumstances, the party¡¯s efforts would have been enough to grind it down, but the situation was far from anything that could be described as ideal. By now, the blackmist was surging toward the edge of the clearing. It would begin devouring the open ground around the tower within another two minutes, tops. When the inky vapor broke over them, they were going to die, if the dragon-turtle didn¡¯t finish them first. When Nick had time to look away, he saw four giant creatures on the horizon, converging on Darkstone Tower from cardinal directions. Only their heads were visible above the ocean of surging mist, revealing the cruel faces of nightmarish hounds. At least the lord of the hunt hasn¡¯t arrived yet. Whatever it is, it must be even worse than those monsters. But that was the extent of the good news. They hadn¡¯t come up with a plan to finish off the river king, and before long, fatigue would sap the last of the strength residing in their limbs. In short, the party was low on mana and running on the dregs of their stamina. Veronica¡¯s potions had helped buy them time, but each person could only use them once per day. They only had enough energy for a few final abilities, and they needed to make them count. The enraged beast wouldn¡¯t let them pull back. Even if they could, there were still far too many people entering the tower. If they ran now, team Earth would lose hundreds of promising warriors within a matter of minutes. At least the shelled menace hadn¡¯t breathed any more flame, a clear sign that it was running out of juice too. A desperate minute later, the mist was almost upon them. The ocean of blackness emerged from the marshlands and began eating away at the clear ground around the tower¡¯s base. In another handful of heartbeats, it would overtake their position. If the party didn¡¯t end the fight before that happened, they were going to lose the war even if they won this battle. Nick wracked his brain as he swung his sword, trying to figure out any way to cripple or kill the incredibly resilient reptile. But nothing he could think of would work given the limited time and resources they had at their disposal. Another few seconds and they were going to have to make an ugly decision. Run and let the beast hit team Earth from behind, sacrificing at least one of their lives in the process, or fight and die where they stood. No matter which choice he made, Nick was afraid that Kenji and Devin would battle till the bitter end, costing him two good friends and the Earth a pair of its most promising protectors. That was when Jim and Ken came darting out of the mist, sprinting for the Tower of Rizzen for everything they were worth. Nick was shocked to see them. He¡¯d expected Jim to enter the tower the instant that everything went to shit. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. Behind them ran Elizabeth and a group of ten other people. Latecomers who were just arriving at the tower after crossing the marsh. As much as he disliked Jim¡¯s way of doing things, Nick couldn¡¯t fault the man¡¯s courage. When Jim¡¯s party drew close enough to hear their voices, Sophia cried out. ¡°Help us you bastards, or a lot more people are going to die.¡± Jim merely scowled and averted his gaze. He kept on running until he was past their position, but Ken came to a stop beside Nick¡¯s team. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Jim yelled. ¡°They might be yesterday¡¯s enemies and tomorrow¡¯s as well,¡± Ken replied. ¡°But right now, they¡¯re doing the right thing. In this moment, we¡¯re all in this together.¡± With that, the swordsman reached to his belt and drew a gleaming silver blade the length of his hand. ¡°No, that¡¯s far too valuable to waste on the likes of them. You need to save it for the boss.¡± Instead of listening to Jim, Ken ran closer to the river king, took aim, and then threw his blade. It must have been some manner of rare and powerful consumable. Because the moment that the weapon left Ken¡¯s hand, it burst into crackling electricity. The resplendent display contrasted against the blackmist behind as the weapon shot forth so quickly that Nick could barely track it. With unerring accuracy, the magic blade, wreathed in living lightning, went streaking through the air. Buzzing like a thousand furious hornets, it closed the distance faster than thought. The lightning blade went plunging straight into the river king¡¯s left eye, destroying the organ before discharging the electricity into its brain. The beast reared back and came crashing to the ground, spasming as the voltage went coursing throughout its body. Ken turned to look at Nick and they shared a nod, before the swordsman sprinted back to Jim¡¯s side, who was still cursing in frustration as they led the stragglers around the side of the tower. ¡°Ok. I like him more than Jim,¡± Sophia muttered, as their party fell into formation, ready to end the fight while they still could. ¡°Although that isn¡¯t saying much.¡± Ken had created a genuine opening, distracting the beast while stealing the vision from one eye, creating a blind spot while drawing its attention away from Nick¡¯s team. Recognizing that the battle had arrived at a pivotal moment, the party didn¡¯t hesitate. The five of them burst into motion and converged upon the king, ready to unleash the final drops of mana and stamina at their command. Kenji had reacted faster than the others, and was the first to reach the beast¡¯s thrashing form. The scarred strategist gathered his strength and leapt high into the air. On the way down, he raised his spear over his head and swung it in a powerful arc¡­ straight into the black lance that had broken through the river king¡¯s shell. It drove the massive weapon deep into the beast¡¯s body, tearing through tissue in the process. The instant that Kenji¡¯s boots came down on its shell with a hollow thump, he reared back and thrust his weapon into the gap he¡¯d just widened, inflicting more damage to the king¡¯s savaged innards. The effect was immediate. The beast screamed while pitching its massive body from side-to-side, flinging Kenji off in the process. To Nick¡¯s horror, Kenji landed badly and went down hard. Everyone was still a few seconds away from arriving at his side. The king¡¯s head came whipping around, ready to end the strategist¡¯s life between its jaws. A pair of Veronica¡¯s bolts struck it in the face, but it wasn¡¯t enough to distract the maddened creature. At the last possible second, Kenji rolled onto his feet and leapt to one side, as the king¡¯s beak snapped shut with a clamorous clack. For a second, Nick thought that Kenji had gotten away clean. But when the man fell to the ground for a second time, to Nick¡¯s horror, he saw that Kenji¡¯s left arm had been sheared off at the shoulder, bright blood pumping into the soil below. ¡°No!¡± Sophia cried out, burning the last of her stamina to push her body into a final burst of speed. But it was far too late. The river king reared back, raising its body high into the air. In another few seconds, it would come crashing back down to claim Kenji¡¯s life, and the others wouldn¡¯t reach him in time. In the heart of that dark moment, inspiration struck. Nick called upon his arctic clarity, drawing upon the intense focus it granted. This time, it worked, but he knew that it would only last a second given his condition. But on this occasion, a second was all that Nick needed. He had already come to a stop and reached down, scooping up a rock the size of a grapefruit and cocking it behind his head. It was a reckless gamble, but he was willing to pay the price. Anything to save his friend. Screaming his defiance, Nick activated force acceleration while burning stamina at the same time. A raging tsunami of vital energy went coursing into his limb, turbocharging the power of his arm. As the king¡¯s body came down, slavering jaws spread wide to end Kenji¡¯s life, he took aim and threw as hard as he could, his power bolstered by two different energies, not to mention a surging tide of adrenaline. It was far more than his body could take. He heard a resounding crack, followed by incredible pain as his arm shattered in a dozen places. Wet agony erupted as muscles and ligaments tore beneath the force of his reckless throw. But none of that mattered. All that mattered was what happened next. Chapter Three Hundred Sixty-Nine: One Hell of a Pitch Powered by mana, stamina, and every scrap of strength in his body, the rock erupted from Nick¡¯s hand with explosive speed. It was soaring so fast that it tore the air in passing, unleashing a rippling roar. The turbocharged stone went screaming across the battlefield, streaking toward the king like a meteor descending from the heavens... just as the beast¡¯s weight came down. The jagged lump of granite hit the rugged reptile in the side of its beak with the force of a cannonball. An incredible crack rang out across the clearing, cutting through the clamor like a blade. Nick¡¯s ruined arm hung limp at his side. But he shut out the pain and blinked away his tears, desperate to find out if his efforts had been enough. What he witnessed over the next three seconds rekindled the light of hope within the guarded hearth of his heart. The king¡¯s beak shattered beneath the incredible blow. The force was so intense that it arrested its momentum, throwing its head up to point at the sky as blood fell to the ground like rain. The attack had only delayed the multi-ton behemoth¡¯s descent by a trio of heartbeats. But that was all the time his team needed to arrive on scene. As the beast¡¯s body came crashing back down, Sophia and Veronica appeared in front of it. Just before they arrived at Kenji¡¯s side, the one-armed man reached back and attached his shield to a strap running below his shoulders. When it touched the leather strip, the huge shield shrank to one tenth its prior size, hanging from the line like a child¡¯s toy. He reached out to recover his spear, as the women darted in and dragged his body out of the way. Heart hammering in his chest, adrenaline singing in his veins, Nick watched as the king toppled to the earth, falling short of crushing Kenji by a couple of feet. The grievously wounded strategist didn¡¯t even look, he just calmly reached back and attached his spear to his strap. The long weapon shrank just like the shield, clearly the sign of a powerful magic item at work. Veronica took out a cord to bind the stump tight, stemming the flow of blood. Then she helped Sophia carry Kenji away from the dazed reptile. From somewhere nearby, he heard Devin whistle and then say, ¡°Damn, Nick. That was one hell of a pitch.¡± Nick right arm dangled uselessly at his side, so he put his sword into his pack and started running. He was out of mana and unable to fight. Just thinking about it made his shattered bones ache. Not that they needed much encouragement on that front. But there was one last thing that he could do to help. He still had his elixir, and Kenji needed it even more than Nick did. It was amazing that he was still conscious after losing so much blood. As Nick ran toward Kenji¡¯s side, a battered and charred Devin went in for the kill. The river king lay motionless, stunned from the shockwave reverberating through its brain. Its neck was exposed, its posture unguarded. Nick wasn¡¯t sure if the powerful creature was unconscious or just critically wounded. But in the end, it didn¡¯t really matter. Devin wasn¡¯t taking any chances. The man had shifted his axe into its two-handed version, drawing the weapon up and over his head as he arrived in front of the beast. He gathered his strength and swung down hard, with the weight of his body and the force of his charge behind it. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. The massive axe came down onto the river king¡¯s neck, the same spot that had been weakened by Veronica¡¯s acid and shredded by her claws. The beast¡¯s eyes snapped open, unable to focus. Before it could recover, Devin¡¯s great axe landed on target, releasing a bright burst of flame as it exploded on contact. This time, instead of deflecting, the heavy blade parted scale and kept right on going. It sheared through muscle and sinew, vertebrae and spine, before erupting out the other side in a spectacular geyser of gore. It left the king¡¯s head hanging by a thread, claiming its life in the process. At this point, Nick arrived at Kenji¡¯s side. He used his left hand to reach for his flask, popping the cap with his thumb. He poured the concoction into Kenji¡¯s mouth, bringing the man back from the edge of unconsciousness. ¡°Thanks Nick. I really needed that.¡± A bare second later, Nick felt an incredible surge of disorientation, while heat ran rampant below his heart. I must have just leveled. He fought to remain upright, as his team began running toward the tower. With the king out of the picture, it was time to get the hell out of there as quickly as they could. The stamina he¡¯d gained from leveling gave him just enough energy for one last burst of motion. That was the moment when the shadow hunt stormed into the clearing. Arriving just ahead of the endless tide of mist, the four great hounds bounded into the open space. A host of redfang hunters flew beside their immense, muscular bodies. Although most of team Earth had entered the tower by this point, there wasn¡¯t anything else that Nick¡¯s party could do. The hounds fell upon the stragglers with wild abandon, tearing into the fleeing women and men like wet tissue paper. Nick watched on in horror as one of the beasts snatched up a man and flung him high into the air, catching him between its jaws on the way back down. There was a sickening crunch before his screams cut off and his body went sliding into the creature¡¯s throat. The other hounds had found their own prey, and a heartbeat later, the redfangs unleashed their might. Hundreds of razored plumes went streaking into the crowd, killing several people outright and wounding dozens more. But none of that carnage held a candle to the pandemonium that ensued when the lord of the hunt rode into the clearing. Mounted atop a skeletal stag that was half again the size of the hounds, the lord of the hunt was visible for the first time. It was impossible to discern his true form, because every inch of his body was covered in jet black plates of iron. His face was concealed beneath a heavy helmet sporting wicked crimson antlers. Even at a glance, Nick knew. This was a being far more powerful than any he¡¯d seen before. An entity stronger than the rest of the hunt combined. He could slaughter everyone within minutes if given the chance. The good news was that there were only a few members of team Earth still outside the tower. While far too many had fallen, most of them had made it to safety in the end. But that welcome development didn¡¯t do Nick any good right now. Fewer people outside meant that there were less targets to choose from, and his team was closer to the lord than anyone else. As if following along with Nick¡¯s train of thought, the lord of the shadow hunt turned to face him, sending a tsunami of adrenaline flowing into his veins. The iron-clad giant¡¯s mount came to a stop. He reached back over one shoulder to unsheathe a great onyx spear, the same kind that had been driven into the shell of the river king. ¡°Disperse,¡± Nick yelled. ¡°He¡¯s going to throw¡­¡± That was as far as he got before the lord took aim and hurled his weapon. It shot forth like greased lightning, streaking to where the final stragglers were rounding the side of the tower, desperately searching for an unclaimed entrance. Nick¡¯s team leapt aside at the last possible moment, the spear passing by so close that he could have reached out and touched it. The weapon carved its way through three unlucky people before slamming into the side of the tower with an impact that rattled his teeth in his jaw. Dodging scraps of shrapnel the length of his body, he rejoined his team and kept right on running. Meanwhile the king reached back and took out another spear. Just before the titan let loose his throw, the blackmist washed over Nick, stealing the light of the world from his eyes at the worst possible moment. Chapter Three Hundred Seventy: Race to the Tower Nick ran, blind and terrified, until he crossed into a patch of clear ground once more. He threw himself onto his stomach when he felt a disturbance in the air, an immense black shaft passing just above his head. This time, the impact was close enough that the shockwave rippled throughout his body, magnifying the agony of his shattered arm. He screamed, resisting passing out on the spot through sheer effort of will. Then he climbed back onto his feet, grateful for every point of toughness he¡¯d acquired. By now, an ocean of blackmist had risen to engulf the base of the tower. Only a narrow ring of clear ground remained, and it would be submerged within the inky mists within a fleeting handful of heartbeats. Running behind the others, Nick could hear the warbling cries of what had to be hundreds of redfang hunters, perhaps thousands, converging on his position. As terrifying as the creatures were, the fear they evoked was nothing compared to the terror that chilled his heart like ice in his veins when he looked over his shoulder and saw what else was heading his way. All four hounds were closing on his position like heralds of the end of days. They were twenty feet tall at the shoulder, and a glance told Nick that they were at least as deadly as the shelled beast he had come to call river king. Their canine faces were high enough to emerge from the roiling bay of blackmist, and their noses pointed unerringly at the people who had yet to make it to the tower and dive inside a door. But even the horror that the fell hounds evoked was put to shame by what Nick saw when he raised his gaze to the horizon. To where a great horned figure, the lord of the shadow hunt, was fast approaching. The giant had abandoned his spears and drawn his sword, a wicked barbed blade long enough to reach the ground far below. Nick watched on as death approached him. He knew in that moment that none of them would survive when the lord in black iron arrived. Not that he expected there to be many survivors once the hounds and the redfang hunters closed the last few feet. There were hundreds of bladed feathers darting out from the fog in a ceaseless barrage, striking down unlucky people as they ran for their lives, desperate to enter the tower before it was too late. In short, if Nick didn¡¯t enter the Darkstone Tower within the next handful of seconds, he was dead. It was as simple as that. The problem was, he had no idea where a doorway was, if there were any left to begin with. But his team seemed to have a destination in mind. Nick shut out his fear, pushed past his pain, and kept right on running, racing past the places where hundreds of other doors had disappeared after their parties passed through. He couldn¡¯t afford to lose track of the others. If he got turned around and fog overcame him, it would be the last mistake that he ever made. He hardened his heart to the screams of people being torn to shreds by the redfangs¡¯ bombardment. Ignored the growls of the hounds riding hot on his heels. The screech of armor as the lord raised his blade and began walking in Nick¡¯s direction. Except for a few fallen stragglers who he was able to help back onto their feet, there was nothing that Nick could do. He had to focus on his own survival, praying that as many people as possible entered the tower in time. Although he knew deep in his bones, that for far too many members of team Earth, these were the final moments of their lives. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°Hurry,¡± Devin cried out, face raw with blisters and burns. ¡°That ocean of blackmist is almost upon us.¡± Veronica ran by Kenji¡¯s side, helping him move while he held a strip of leather tight around his missing arm, stopping himself from bleeding out while V guided his steps. At least the elixir kept him from passing out. Nick followed up from behind, with Sophia a few feet in front of him. The pain of his wounds was excruciating, but he couldn¡¯t stop now, though each staggering step drove molten daggers into his arm. The pain doesn¡¯t matter. Once we make it into the tower, the System will heal our wounds. All they had to do was survive long enough to make it to a door, assuming there were any left. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Sophia yelled over the screaming crowd. ¡°I know where a hidden entrance is. Follow me, it¡¯s only a little further.¡± Nick felt a surge of relief on hearing those words, grateful that his partner had found a door while he was busy fighting Ken. It seemed that they wouldn¡¯t be left behind after all, if they could get there before the onyx mist broke over them. The ocean of inky fog was already filling the last bit of open air. It would cover them within a few dozen heartbeats at most. Behind his back emerged the wails of the redfang host. But though the flying creatures were a deadly threat, they weren¡¯t what filled him with dread. The fell hounds would be upon them within another few seconds, their lord only a few steps behind. If the redfangs caught them, they would be dead within minutes. If the hounds overtook them, they would last mere seconds. If the lord of the shadow hunt unleashed his might, Nick would be dead before he had time to cry out a warning. By now, the mist had overtaken the slowest members of the crowd, screams erupting on all sides as the final members of team Earth sprinted for the last remaining doorways with everything they had left. Everyone knew that their lives would be forfeit if they remained outside the Tower of Rizzen any longer. ¡°Just a few more seconds,¡± Sophia yelled. ¡°We¡¯re almost¡­¡± That was the moment when the blackmist broke over them. Before Nick could cry out a warning, a redfang closed in for the kill. Multiple feathers slammed into his jacket, missing his flesh by a matter of inches. He called upon his mind¡¯s eye visualization to help guide his path. It let him see the ground and the tower, but not his enemies or his friends. In that moment, the realization of what had just happened came crashing home. He didn¡¯t know where the hidden doorway was, and he had no way of finding it. He clasped his wand in one hand, taking aim above his head. When he felt the hunter come back for a second pass, he fired, immensely relieved that the wand didn¡¯t send any of the force back in his direction. Before it could launch more feathers, the redfang was caught in the blast, slamming into the tower with a thunk before falling to the ground, dazed or dead Nick didn¡¯t know. He began feeling his way around edge of the spire, hoping against hope that he could uncover an entrance, knowing that he had mere seconds remaining before the shadow hunt extinguished his life like a candle in a monsoon. That was when Nick heard a growl coming from behind him, so deep that it vibrated his teeth within his jaw. One of the hounds has arrived. Its jaws will close around me any second. Just then, he heard Kenji run past him, chainmail jingling with each step that he took. Nick turned and ran after the one-armed strategist, praying that he had a better idea of where the party had gone. The hound followed hot on Nick¡¯s heels, savoring his desperate plight. Before he could make it much further, Nick lost track of Kenji¡¯s position. His bad situation had just taken a dramatic turn for the worse. Nick groped his way forward, defenseless and blind, unable to determine which way he should go. Just before the towering creature caught up to him, he felt a hand grab onto his own. Nick knew by now what Sophia¡¯s touch felt like. His partner had arrived to light his darkest hour. Relief mingled with terror as she guided him forward, pulling hard despite his injuries¡­ just as the hound closed the distance and struck. He felt the air stir as the immense creature¡¯s jaws closed around his head. It¡¯s breath moist against his neck. Half a heartbeat before its teeth snapped shut, Nick¡¯s foot stepped onto open air. He fell down into a hole, rolled, and then passed through a doorway, the midnight hell engulfing him dissolving into boundless light. END OF BOOK TWO Concept Art: Chapter 366-370 Just a reminder, I completely respect that not everyone likes the inclusion/existence of AI art, so I''ve put it in it''s own chapter so that it''s easy to skip and not shown side by side with the story. If it''s not your thing, I totally understand where you are coming from. This concept art is included entirely for fun, and will never be sold or monetized in any way. It will never be as good as your imagination, so if it doesn''t fit with the version of something in your head, go with your imagination instead. Kenji River king (minus the big spear in his back) Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. Lightning dagger Blackmist rolling in Redfang hunters Fellhounds Lord of the Shadow Hunt I hope you enjoyed the art for book 2! End of Book Two Wrap-Up Hey everybody, Magnus here. We did it! We made it to the end of another book of LotMG! Thank you so much for following along with Nick''s adventures, it''s great to have you here. I have several announcements to share with you today. First, there will be a one week break before book 3 starts on the 22nd. I''ll drop the recap chapter the Friday before. The next bit of news is super exciting. My new series Skill-Eater will launch on the 16th (15 chapters day 1, one or more chapters every day while on rising stars). I''ve really enjoyed writing this one, and I hope that you will check it out! Next, I got an offer on Labyrinth of the Mad God, which means that the first three books are going to be published (and more if everything goes well). Thank you so much for all your supportive comments, suggestions, and corrections. I couldn''t have done it without you. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Heading into book three, we will be keeping the long chapter format. Thanks for being patient with the shorter chapters while I was working on building up my follower count. I will also be pulling back the throttle for a little while I get used to running two series at once and work on editing book one of LotMG, all at the same time. We''ll be going with a MWF release schedule until I can build up some more backlog. When I do, I''ll start releasing content faster again. I''ll keep the arcs tighter and faster going forward, and try to make the chapters a little longer too. Book three will conclude the Fate of Earth series arc and will feature some serious progression for all our main characters. It should be a lot of fun, and I''m excited to share it with you. Again, thank you so much for taking this journey with me, and I hope you enjoy Nick''s adventures to come. All the best, Magnus Oh, and here is the cover art for book 3. See you soon! My new series, Skill-Eater, has launched! Come check it out! Hey everybody. The big day has finally arrived. My new series, Skill-Eater has officially launched! The first 15 chapters are out right now, and a ton are coming every week during rising stars. Please come check it out. I had a lot of fun writing this one, and I think you''re going to like it. It''s faster paced and more action packed than LotMG, but it will have a lot of the same elements that you love from this series. I''m also here to ask you for a giant favor, something that will make a massive difference in my writing career. If you could please help give me an early launch boost by following and rating Skill-Eater today, it would mean the world to me. Early clicks will help me climb the Rising Stars list, where I will get maximum exposure and grow as fast as possible. You only get three weeks on there, and every day is critical for a new story. Good numbers will also make the series more attractive to publishers, so you will be voting for my success in more ways than one. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. If I can manage to sell this series too, I can finally reach my dream of writing for a living full time, and start getting those chapters out faster and with more time for editing. (Thank you so much for all your help with LotMG too, I couldn''t have done it without you.) Here is the blurb and cover for the new story if you didn''t catch it during the earlier announcement. All the best. -Magnus Book 3 Chapter 0: Book Two Recap ¡°Hi everybody, it¡¯s Nick. I¡¯m here with Sophia to give you a rundown on the events that took place during book two, just in case it¡¯s been a while or you¡¯re in need of a quick refresher. But before we get to that, Sophia, would you care to introduce yourself and say a few words? I know that there are a lot of people out there who have been hoping to meet you.¡± ¡°Sure. Why not? I¡¯ve never done one of these before. It¡¯s actually kind of exciting. Oh wow, you weren¡¯t kidding Nick. There are way more people here than I expected. I didn¡¯t realize that so many readers have been following our adventures.¡± ¡°I know what you mean, I¡¯m still getting used to this too. Don¡¯t worry, everyone here is friendly. Isn¡¯t that right folks? All you have to do is say hello and then share some of your thoughts about what happened to us during our adventures on planet Drezen. The first chapter of book three is coming out soon, when we get to find out what¡¯s inside the tower and take our best shot at winning back our planet.¡± ¡°Ok. I¡¯ll give this a go. Hello everybody, Sophia here, I¡¯m glad you¡¯re with us. Nick and I went through some crazy shit crossing Blackmist Bog and we barely made it into the tower in one piece. Sorry, I¡¯m getting ahead of myself. Why don¡¯t I hand this back to you to start things off, since we didn¡¯t meet up until book two?¡± ¡°Sounds good Sophia, I¡¯ll get back to you soon. To set the stage, back in book one the System came to Earth, killed a lot of people, and forcibly evolved everyone else, giving them the ability to use magic, level, and all the rest. It looked like that was going to be the worst of it, but then Taltos the Mad God hacked the System, stole the planet, and switched the settings for our tutorial to hell mode. ¡°I went through a lot of unpleasant stuff learning how to survive and make it in the multiverse. Including entering a dungeon way below the recommend level and almost having my mind overwritten by a nasty alien parasite. I fought a lot of critters when I got back on the island, culminating in a crazy war between beasts when the isle began sinking into the sea. We all had to climb the mountain and then jump into a portal before a cyclone the size of a continent ruined our day. On the other side, I found Taltos waiting for me in some dude¡¯s living room. ¡°That takes us to the start of book two. When I made it through the portal, the Mad God himself was waiting to greet me, which was quite a surprise and not a good one. While I don¡¯t trust him an inch, Talos made me an offer that I couldn¡¯t refuse. A chance to win an uncommon class for myself and unlock common classes for everyone else, if I agreed to participate in a two round arena battle. I wasn¡¯t really feeling it after barely surviving my tutorial, but there was no way that I was going to pass up such a critical opportunity to grow stronger. ¡°After giving the matter some thought, I agreed to his terms then stepped into another portal. I had a crazy vision of traveling across the galaxy, then found myself standing in the nicest locker room I¡¯ve ever seen. Only instead of sporting equipment, it was filled with a medieval combat enthusiast¡¯s wet dream. ¡°A creepy hologram appeared and filled in the details. Our challenge would consist of two fights, with a break between rounds. Apparently, it was some super famous colosseum called the Grand Arena of Papillion. Maybe I¡¯ll make it back there sometime, you¡¯ll have to keep reading to find out. There was a cool crystal there that helped heal my injuries, and some extra weapons to top off my stores. That was when the rest of my team arrived, including you, Sophia. Why don¡¯t you take it from here?¡± Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Thanks Nick, happy to help. That sounds like quite a trip. Anyway, we introduced ourselves to one another, and made some friends that will be showing up again soon. There was Kenji, the spear-wielding strategist. Veronica, the leather-clad rogue. Devin, a good looking fellow with some flashy fire attacks. The siblings Sarah and Bret, wielders of light and dark. And Paul, who had some nifty arrow-based disables. There were a few others there too, but unfortunately, they didn¡¯t make it. It¡¯s sad, but that¡¯s our life now, so it is what it is. ¡°We stepped out onto the arena floor, only to find millions of people watching us from the stands. There was an announcer who I would love to get alone in a room for five minutes, although I doubt that he would appreciate what I have in mind. After an aggravating bit of showmanship, we were introduced to our first opponents, a swarm of frostfury wasps led by an elite soldier. ¡°It was a tough battle, and we lost our first ally during the melee. But in the end, we pulled through by the skin of our teeth. I took the corpses, since no one else wanted them, which is how I wound up getting my dagger and my summoning class. But we can talk more about that later. Why don¡¯t you tag in for a few rounds here Nick.¡± ¡°Sure thing Sophia, thanks for taking us this far. For round two we had a surprise visitor show up, the Herald of Slaughter, a being only two steps below Taltos himself. After scaring the crap out of everyone, she used some strange power to transform a rhinoceros into a hideous, muscle-bound mutant. That fight was even tougher than the first, and we lost another good man along the way. But in the end, we pulled it off, and managed to unlock common classes for everyone. ¡°Before we could say goodbye, the System whisked us away, then finally gave us the rewards for completing the tutorial, on top of what we¡¯d just won. I was able to pick up a sexy new Kineticist class, got my spell piercing ray, and my first rare item, a flask of restoration, along with some other nice gear. ¡°I had some downtime in a luxury safe room, training my skills and decompressing from my adventures up to that point. While I was there, we learned about what was going on with the lemur tribe back on Earth, who I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll run into again before long. When my time was up, I was ready to take on Taltos¡¯s latest challenge for the fate of the Earth. ¡°I was transported to planet Drezen, had a cool orbital experience, then set foot onto Blackmist Bog. I had some solo adventures, including fighting some killer frogs and surviving a night where horrors from another dimension rose from the soil, with the blood moon high in the sky. Not long after that, I ran into Sophia, who saved me from getting mugged. Since you were back in the book from that point on, why don¡¯t you wrap up the rest.¡± ¡°Will do. Nick and I traveled for a week, heading for the Tower of Rizzen in the distance. Along the way, we got to know one another and became friends. After being sucked into an abandoned mine and fighting a horde of giant centipedes, we ran into a nasty beast called the river king, who looked like a cross between a dragon and a turtle. After escaping from the king, we crossed the river, almost got eaten by some killer fish, then made it to the tower. ¡°When we got there, we learned that some dude named Jim had taken over, investing in the elites at the cost of everyone else. We were gearing up to stop him, when the last global event was triggered, causing the mists to come streaking for the tower, with the lord of the shadow hunt behind them. The river king was driven our way by the lord, and we had to fight it to let everyone get inside. ¡°It was a close call, but we pulled it off, jumping into a door at the last possible moment. I thought we were done for a minute there, but now we¡¯re inside the tower and ready to climb. That¡¯s everything I can think of Nick, would you like to wrap this up?¡± ¡°Sounds good, thanks again Sophia. That¡¯s it for today¡¯s recap everyone. I hope to see you inside the tower in a few days, thank you so much for following our adventures so far. Bye for now!¡± Book Three, Chapter 1: The True Tower Over the last two months, Nick had crossed the threshold of a wide variety of portals. Leapt though mysterious rings of light in every color of the rainbow. Some of those journeys had been relatively short, brief jaunts from one star to its nearest neighbor, while others had taken him beyond the Milky Way. Although he wasn¡¯t sure why, he had frequently been granted a vision of his voyage, as his essence was shuffled from one planet to another. While each trip had been different in both character and content, there had also been similarities that made them feel related. As a result, he¡¯d developed an appreciation for the System¡¯s power and precision as he rode the channels that the galaxy-spanning entity had carved into the cosmos in an age long since passed. What Nick experienced when he entered the Tower of Rizzen was something else entirely. Instead of an orderly disassembly of his body and mind, it felt like he¡¯d fallen through a hole that was torn into the fabric of the universe. Instead of connecting two distant locations, the tower¡¯s portal ripped him away from the surface of Drezen and thrust him into a different dimension. A realm beyond time and space where the true tower resided. Nick had thought that the spire he¡¯d observed from Drezen¡¯s orbit was big, which was fair, as it was more massive than any building he¡¯d ever seen by several orders of magnitude. But what he witnessed in this strange place between places, this plane between planes, was so much more. There was no point of reference to compare the true tower to, since nothing existed here besides the structure and the pathways leading to its body and heart. But he had a sense that the Tower of Rizzen was bigger than the world of his birth, existing in this mysterious place and various points in three-dimensional space simultaneously. That Darkstone Tower on planet Drezen was only one small mote of its mind-boggling totality. A twig on tree large enough to shade countless worlds beneath its canopy. Winding across, around, and through the surface of the tower were conduits. Tunnels of stable space that were shielded from the ravages of the surrounding void. Highways connecting distant regions of the sprawling edifice to one another, without relying on the System¡¯s portal network at all. There were other differences too. Instead of breaking him down into energy or particles, Nick¡¯s body remained intact, floating within a stable pocket of space as it was shunted down the line. As he was transported from a distant branch to somewhere closer to the trunk, he could make out additional details, places that he soared past at a staggering rate. There were rooms the size of continents, wings the size of moons. A reservoir running along one side that could hold every ocean he could name with room left over. Most unusual of all were the branches threading into other planes of existence, and the roots planted in hundreds of worlds. He could only receive a vague impression of their endpoints within this alternate dimension, but every conceivable type of terrain was represented, along with some that were so strange that his mind couldn¡¯t even begin to process them. Although his subjective sense of time had slowed to a crawl, Nick had the sense that this journey was only taking a couple of seconds. Not long enough for exposure or oxygen deprivation to harm him. It was a good thing. Although the pocket of space he rode was stable, it was cold, airless, and far from comfortable. Being immersed within this baffling otherness had distorted his perception of distance as well as time. It let him appreciate the tower¡¯s scale in a way that he wouldn¡¯t be able to comprehend in his usual state of mind. It helped him get a sense of the structure as a whole, as his ride connected to a larger network surrounding the trunk of the true tower. Like a car merging from a one-lane country road onto a fifteen-lane superhighway. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. As Nick tried to make sense of what he was experiencing, the pathway his body followed began to speed up, as it traveled along a winding route leading toward the main body of the tower. Instead of trying to analyze the entirety of the edifice, a task far beyond his means in any state of being, he started studying the individual rooms and floors, learning whatever he could before the mysterious vision faded away. Without any air to distort the light, everything was crystal clear. Even from this distance, Nick was able to focus on the chambers and the stairs, at least the ones nearby, as he flew by fast enough to circle the Earth within a matter of seconds. When he looked closely, he could see a writhing tapestry of color permeating the various structures, bathing them in living light. Apparently, in this place, he could sense mana clearly, a facility he had yet to develop in his daily life. The first thing he noticed was that every floor had its own unique arrangement of elements and energies, creating specific conditions for reasons that he could not begin to imagine. Some of the floors seemed to be controlled by the tower itself, while others were leased to powerful entities in a vast array of forms. The next details he considered were the properties of the stairs. Although the word ¡®stairs¡¯ was deceptive, as each staircase was actually an entrance to the portal network. They connected the floors to one another in a way that has nothing to do with their physical relationship within the tower. Having learned what he could about its layout, Nick turned his gaze to the heart of the tower, hoping to uncover its mysteries while he still could. To understand its true nature on at least some level. Near the top was an immense source of energy, brighter than the sun and twice as potent. He had the sense that it contained magic, heat, and countless types of power that he had as of yet no words to describe. Channels separate from the portal network flowed down the middle of the edifice. Conduits for this energy as well as various substances that were shunted from one floor to another, following a logic far beyond his grasp. By now, he sensed that his ride was slowing. His path drew near the base of the tower and then began to descend. Down and down and down, zooming past thousands of floors along the way. Before it was too late, Nick unfocused his eyes and used size up, trying to get a sense of the tower as a whole. To his surprise, it worked. At least enough to learn a little more. Taking in the Tower of Rizzen in its entirety, he could sense that it was governed by a cold logic. Ordered around a greater purpose. A desire to understand that transcended any need to cling to traditional morality. Darkstone Tower was full of deadly danger, but it was also a place of experimentation and learning. A nexus of innovation, gathering knowledge from across the multiverse, no matter who was consumed in the process. While there were millions of projects underway, he had an impression that one directive reigned supreme. An obsession to unlock the secrets of time and space. To unravel the mystery of the System¡¯s power, perhaps even transcend or supplant it. That was when Nick caught sight of the person looming behind it. A shadowy figure dwelling in the background, whose influence could be felt in every nook and cranny of the galaxy-spanning conglomerate. The absolute ruler of the grand machine known as Darkstone Tower and a thousand names besides. Rizzen, the man who stood at the heart of it all. Nick had the sense that Rizzen was distracted, consumed by a project for so long that the tower had changed greatly during his absence. He wasn¡¯t sure if the man was really there at all, or if it was just the lingering afterimage of the entity¡¯s powerful presence. He wound up learning the answer a great deal sooner than he expected. Because that was when the titanic phantom turned to look straight at him, analyzing every last fiber of Nick¡¯s essence in less than the blink of an eye. Although Rizzen¡¯s regard was terrible to behold, as the being could unmake Nick with a thought, he could sense no hostility in Rizzen¡¯s gaze. Just a burning thirst for knowledge that trumped all other considerations. For just a fraction of an instant, Nick met Rizzen¡¯s gaze, before the entity nodded and then turned away, returning to whatever he¡¯d been pondering before noticing Nick¡¯s presence. The experience was both enlightening and profoundly disturbing, but he didn¡¯t have time to dwell on it now. Because at that point, his descent abruptly ended, as his channel drew near its terminus portal. Nick was able to take a last look around before arriving at the end of the line. He saw that he was being drawn to one of the sub-basements near the foundation of the tower. To a place where waste from many floors flowed and little returned. To a tiny room that sat beside the floor, separate but only a short portal away. He focused intently, committing what he¡¯d seen to memory before facing whatever awaited him on the other side. Half a heartbeat later, Nick arrived at the room and was forcibly ejected from the space between worlds in a rush of sensation. Spat out of a portal and into the saferoom beyond. Chapter 2: Saferoom During that moment of disorientation, recent events became jumbled. The last thing that Nick could remember was racing for the tower with the colossal hound hot on his heels. His eyes snapped open, the whites showing all the way around as fear wrapped icy fingers around his spine and squeezed tight. His hands shot down to his waist, desperate to arm himself as quickly as he could. He grabbed hold of his wand with one hand and his dagger with the other, searching for enemies hidden within the blackmist. All the while, the adrenaline pumping into his veins went to war with the haze that had risen to cloud his mind. As Nick raised his weapons before him, adrenaline won the fight, sending a crackling jolt surging throughout his body that shocked him back to his senses. I was just teleported inside the tower. It all came rushing back to him. Their victory over the river king, running from the lord of the shadow hunt, and being shunted through the tower¡¯s transportation network. Nick had experienced a similar state of discombobulation several times before, a phenomenon that he had begun thinking of as portal sickness, although this was the most jarring experience by far. The portals powered by the tower must operate by a different mechanism than those provided by the System. Those conduits felt like a fundamental part of its architecture rather than something coming from outside. The momentary confusion must be some kind of side effect. By this time, Nick had processed two critical details of his environment. The first was that he was standing in a small room formed from grey stone blocks. The second was that he was alone. Where are Sophia and the others? For a moment, he was terrified that he was the only one who had made it to safety. But then he remembered that she was holding his hand when they went through the door. The others were nearby when the mist hit us. She must have led them in then come back to get me. He let out a long sigh of relief. This must be another saferoom. Hopefully, everyone will be waiting for me when I leave. All in all, Nick decided that this was good news. At least in the sense that nothing was trying to kill him, which was a rather different situation than the one he¡¯d left behind. Better still, his painful collection of wounds had vanished without a trace. Moving his arm no longer hurt, and his bones no longer seemed to be broken. As promised, the System had provided full healing to everyone on entering the tower. The others should have been restored too, including Kenji¡¯s arm. But that was way too close for comfort. While he couldn¡¯t be certain that the rest of his party was safe, there was ample reason to believe they were fine. The quest had promised that the people who entered the tower together would climb it as a group, so there shouldn¡¯t be any reason to worry. Now that Nick had regained his wits enough to realize that he was standing inside Darkstone Tower, he began looking for a block of text floating in the periphery of his vision. The System¡¯s update to his fate of Earth quest, and the rewards for completing the first stage. To his surprise, it was nowhere to be found. Even when he willed them into existence, his menus refused to open. Confused, he took a closer look at his surroundings. He was standing in a stone chamber the size of a small studio apartment. There was a bed in one corner, a toilet in the other, and a pitcher of water sitting on a nightstand beside an empty glass. It was a far cry from his luxury penthouse in the sky, but the furniture looked comfortable enough, especially compared to sleeping on the ground. That was when he spotted a recessed area set along the far wall. Within the nook sat a miniature obelisk, like the one Nick had found on top of the mountain back on the Searing Isle. Although he strongly suspected that he was safe, at least for the moment, he crossed the chamber with caution, on guard against traps, concealed enemies, or anything else that Taltos or the System decided to throw at him today. An anticlimactic ninety seconds later, he found himself standing in front of what he had come to see as a tiny avatar of the incomprehensibly vast System. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. When he looked down at the onyx statue, Nick caught sight of a display set into the wall beside the obelisk, oriented like a plaque in front of a museum exhibition. The System must have put it here so that we can read our quest updates, even if we already accessed our menus today. Never one to turn down free information, he reached out and activated the display. What he read let him relax completely. It turned out that he was safe after all. As a reward for completing the first stage of the quest. ¡®The fate of Earth,¡¯ you have been granted a 6-hour rest period in a basic quality safe room. Time remaining: 5 hours 55 minutes. Notifications (4) Quest updates (1) Nick scrolled past his notifications for now and pulled up the questing menu, eager to discover what the System had in store now that Taltos¡¯s challenge had entered its second stage. Quest: The fate of Earth. Stage one complete. Congratulations. You have survived the perils of Blackmist Bog and entered the tower with a party more or less of your choosing. He cocked an eyebrow at the odd choice of phrasing. It seemed that the System was growing more¡­ colorful in its messaging over time. Stage two: Climbing the Tower of Rizzen. The details for this stage are as follows: Goal: The goal of this stage is to clear three full floors and then emerge onto the roof, where all surviving contestants will battle the tower¡¯s guardian at once. That last bit was interesting, but pondering the full implications of the message would have to wait, as the next block of text was more pertinent to his immediate situation. Tower rules: Each floor of the tower has its own unique rule(s), as well as multiple exits, each leading to a different floor. The first floor has been chosen at random. At the base of each staircase, a display will be mounted to the wall with the rules for the adjoining floor listed on it. Completing each floor will provide a reward, and each level will be more difficult than the last*. You will begin each floor in a safe room, which will be free of all forms of danger. The contents and duration of the safe room will be determined by your performance of the previous floor. In addition to being able to access your profile once a day as in the last stage, you may browse it without restriction while standing inside a safe room. Got it. Wait, was that an asterisk? That can¡¯t be good. While this observation was generally true, in this case, Nick¡¯s fears were unfounded, at least for the most part. While the symbol¡¯s implications were a bit of a mixed bag, the details were a great deal more promising than he¡¯d feared. As he read them, he let out a breath he hadn¡¯t realized he was holding. *You have discovered a secret entrance leading to the tower¡¯s basement. This is a bonus floor that follows the same rules as the others with one exception. While the difficulty of the basement is equal to that of the first floor, the reward it provides is equal to the third. Floor rules: A high tier reward at just a fraction of the danger. Could be a lot worse. It seems that Sophia uncovered a valuable opportunity for us. I¡¯ll have to thank her later. In retrospect, Nick wasn¡¯t surprised to read that the tower¡¯s staircases were actually portals, since it was in line with what he¡¯d seen in his vision. Besides, there was no way that he would have been able to reach the top after climbing only three or four floors. Not when the tower held thousands or more. The strange arrangement had to be the legacy of the tower¡¯s builder, the mage named Rizzen, who appeared to be some sort of spacial magic specialist. While having found a bonus level was generally good news, he didn¡¯t care much for the rules governing the basement, which seemed designed to make him feel pressured. We should get out of here as fast as we can once we find each other. After reading the quest¡¯s details for a second time while recording them into his journal, Nick moved on to the final page of the questing menu. You have successfully completed the first stage of the quest, ¡®The fate of Earth.¡¯ The overall performance of team Earth has been rated as: strong. Your personal performance has been rated as: impressive. For completing the first stage of the quest, you will receive part of your reward now. The rest will count toward increasing the rarity of the reward package that your entire team will receive after completing the final stage. The current value of team Earth¡¯s reward package is [silver]. The maximum value for this quest chain is [platinum]. You have earned a silver quest reward chest and have received a modest bonus to your essence and experience. Additionally, your team has earned a small bonus to your species experience. You may open the chest at any time to receive your prize. While some of this information was totally new, the word ¡®chest¡¯ was something that Nick had no trouble understanding. Before he thought about everything else he¡¯d just read, it was time to see what he¡¯d won. Chapter 3: Moving on Up Excited by the prospect of gearing up followed by sleeping in a real bed for a change, Nick looked around until he spotted a gleaming silver box resting by his boots. A container that hadn¡¯t existed until he finished reading through his quest updates. He reached down and cracked it open, relieved to find a familiar strip of paper resting on top. Seeing it made him miss the knowledge points that chests had granted during his tutorial, since Nick still had a mountain of questions regarding the System and the strange laws governing his new reality that he needed to have answered. It reminded him that Kerry the merchant had added some notes to his journal, which he planned to check out before leaving the safe room and entering the tower. Intending to make every second of safety count, Nick quickly read through the document in his hands. Congratulations. You have earned a silver quest reward chest. Contents: Caster¡¯s buckler (uncommon). This item has two forms. The first is a vambrace, meant to be worn on the outer arm. When its owner wills it, the plates contained within the vambrace will fan out to form a circular shield (This buckler counts as a light shield.) The metal it is made from offers a modest resistance to most forms of mana. Modifications: Durable, self-maintenance. Consumable item voucher (common). This voucher is redeemable for a choice between a range of consumables (the token may be used at any time when your menu is open). A new shield, awesome! I can finally put my light shield skill to work. It seems versatile too. Filled with a buoyant enthusiasm, Nick strapped the vambrace onto his left arm, pacing while he gave the device a thorough examination. It seemed that the System had given him exactly what he needed, at least as far as armor was concerned. Nestled along the back of his forearm was a three-inch-wide band of what felt like aluminum, although it was probably something far more exotic, given its innate resistance to magic. At first, Nick thought that it was black. But when he held it beneath the gem-lights embedded into the walls, he realized that the metal was navy blue instead, the hue so dark that it barely reflected light back. Not the best color for camouflage, but sunlight shining on it won¡¯t give my position away. The vambrace was surprisingly light, but hard enough that he couldn¡¯t even scratch it with his old dagger. He sensed that the blade would snap long before the buckler gave way. Like all rewards granted by the System, the item fit Nick perfectly. The padded straps hugged his arm without restricting his range of motion. He drew his sword, so that he could try swinging it with the vambrace in place. It didn¡¯t hamper his movement at all, at least not in its compact form. With the appetizer out of the way, it¡¯s time for the main course. Grinning with excitement, he sent his intentions into the buckler. Open. In the blink of an eye, the vambrace transformed into a shield, expanding in all directions as the metal plates fanned out to form a circle. The surface was contoured, designed to redirect force rather than blocking it head on. A detail that Nick needed to internalize before he deflected an arrow into his face or stomach. That must be the difference between a light shield and a heavier type. He could already tell that his new armor was practical, offering substantial protection against projectiles. The caster¡¯s buckler would help to mitigate two of his biggest weaknesses. Low defense and vulnerability to ranged attacks. Better still, it seemed that the metal would repel spells to some extent, giving him an option when facing down casters that was vastly superior to desperately trying to leap out of the way in time. He would practice using it before leaving the safe room, but not just yet. Nick needed to take a nap first. More importantly, he had other gains awaiting his eager perusal. Satisfied with the latest upgrade to his gear, he walked back over to the display and opened his menu. Before checking out his notifications, he decided to turn in his voucher. There wasn¡¯t any reason that he could think of to save it. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! More consumables were always welcome. The flashbang orbs and potion of antidote that he¡¯d found back in the tutorial had been literal lifesavers, not to mention Veronica¡¯s concentrated potion of stamina. This voucher is a real windfall. I hope that everyone else received one too. Excited to find out what he would get, Nick sent his intentions into the display. You have one voucher in your inventory that can be redeemed at this time. Would you like to do so now? ¡°Yes please,¡± Nick replied, figuring that it never hurt to be polite when addressing a universe-spanning entity of mind-boggling power. You may exchange your voucher for one of the following consumable item packages: 4 Orbs of flashbang. 2 Potions of antidote. 3 Barriers (2 physical, 1 energetic. 5-minute duration). 25 Caffeine pills. 2 Freeze grenades. 6 Smoke bombs. 2 Large bags of caltrops. 1 Bottle of coagulant spray. 3 Glue traps. 15 Instant meals. That¡¯s a tougher choice than I expected. There¡¯s a lot of good stuff on that list. Nick was sorely tempted by the caffeine pills, but he knew they would be a poor pick. They weren¡¯t nearly as effective as Veronica¡¯s stamina potions, and caffeine just wasn¡¯t the same without coffee. He continued crossing off everything with functions that he could replicate or that he could make for himself, taking the instant meals and caltrops out of the running. The spray sounded useful, but it overlapped with Nick¡¯s flask, and with his high toughness he didn¡¯t usually bleed all that much before his wounds started healing on their own. That left him with the flashbangs, the antidotes, the barriers, the freeze grenades, and the glue traps to consider. They all sounded super useful, and Nick had used flashbangs to great effect back during the tutorial. But the enemies he¡¯d faced on the bog had been a great deal stronger than those on the island. He suspected that whatever awaited him in the tower would be even nastier, able to shrug off considerably bigger blasts. Thus, he reluctantly took the flashbangs and glue traps out of the running, since his mana dart had a modest stunning effect already. Nick could probably make his own smoke bombs with the right ingredients and a bit of testing. While they would still be useful, he narrowed his options down to the three items that he had no way of replicating. The antidotes, freeze grenades, and barriers. He eventually decided on the barriers, since they offered a form of protection different from any he had seen so far. While the antidotes could save him under the right circumstances, the barriers would prove useful in almost any tough fight. Satisfied with his choice, he turned to face the screen. ¡°I¡¯ll take barriers, thanks.¡± There was a bright flash of light. When it faded, a pair of glass beads shimmered into existence beside the obelisk, along with another scrap of parchment. He picked it up and started to read. Instant barriers (set of three). Crush these beads to create a dome of force (fifteen-feet in diameter) that will last for five minutes before dispersing. The user and their party may step through these fields freely. Each will absorb a considerable amount of damage (equal to a rank 5 ability). The clear barriers will protect against physical attacks, while the blue will repel energetic threats. Not bad at all. Nick slipped the glass orbs into his toolbelt, then returned his attention to the display, opening his list of notifications. He broke into a broad grin as he took in the hearty pile of gains he had made since the day before. Congratulations. You have accumulated enough experience to reach level [14]. You have gained one point of magic from your class and one free point. Congratulations. You have accumulated enough experience to reach level [15]. You have gained one point of magic and one point of dexterity from your class and one free point. As a reward for reaching level [15], you have been awarded a bonus free attribute point. You have three free attribute points awaiting allocation at your discretion. Through use, you have improved the following skills: Sword has increased from [6] to [7]. Evasion has increased from [6] to [7]. Wand has increased from [8] to [9]. Throwing has increased from [5] to [7]. By pushing yourself to the limit in the midst of a deadly battle, you have conditioned your body and improved the following baseline attributes: Dexterity has increased from [9] to [10]. Toughness has increased from [8] to [9]. For reaching the attribute cap in dexterity, you have been awarded with an additional point of dexterity. Holy shit. Nick was floored when he read through the biggest pile of increases that he¡¯d ever seen. He was thrilled to learn that he¡¯d been awarded with a point of dexterity for reaching the cap of ten, on top of everything else. A feat that had taken him considerable time and effort. No wonder I was so disoriented when I leveled before, that was a ton of points to get at once. He was about to move on to reading his full profile to check out his new and improved stats, then decide how he wanted to spend his free points, when another message popped onto the screen. It revealed something that Nick hadn¡¯t been expecting. Something even more exciting than all the rest. For reaching level 15, you have unlocked the ability mastery system. From this point on, once certain conditions are met, you may upgrade your abilities along the path of your choosing. Warning: the choices you make will influence the classes offered during the next class selection opportunity at level 25. ¡°Now we¡¯re talking.¡± Nick¡¯s eyes lit up as he kept on reading, digging into the juicy details of this amazing new facet to his growth. Chapter 4: Ability Mastery System The Ability Mastery System (AMS) The ability mastery system becomes active at level 15, when an individual¡¯s path to power begins to solidify, releasing a form of transformative energy known as essence. When enough compatible essence has been accumulated (a process that begins before the AMS is activated) and an individual¡¯s understanding of the fundamental nature of their power crosses a critical threshold, abilities can undergo powerful transformations, advancing along a series of six milestones known as ranks. Ranks 1, 3, and 5 are known as minor steps. When an ability advances to a new minor step, it becomes more efficient, costing less mana or stamina to produce the same effects, or enabling an enhanced effect with an expenditure at the previous level. Ranks 2, 4, and 6 are known as major steps. When an ability advances to a major step, their wielder is offered a choice that will change the ability¡¯s core function, influencing the path that it will follow from that point on. Additionally, any class-granted ability that has advanced to rank two can be kept when a class is changed without requiring an ability slot. Abilities that are granted via an ability stone will no longer require a slot once they advance to rank 6. Beyond rank 6, ability customization is still possible, but their advancement must be shaped by their wielder directly, as they continue to develop their unique concept. This was a lot to take in, and all of it was great news, filling Nick with a heady rush at the promise of power to come. It seemed that he¡¯d just unlocked a whole new way to grow stronger. Something beyond the methods already offered by his level, class, and attributes. Just thinking about what it could mean for the survivors of team Earth had him dancing with excitement, not to mention his own odds of living to see the top of Darkstone Tower. When he was done reading the primer and recording it into his journal, Nick realized that there was a new menu for the AMS listed in his profile. When he opened it, he found a pleasant surprise awaiting his perusal. Something that dialed his thrill of anticipation all the way up to eleven. AMS Notifications You have accumulated sufficient essence to advance [piercing ray] to rank one. However, you lack the understanding required to advance the ability at this time. You have accumulated sufficient essence to advance [mana dart] to rank two. You have obtained a sufficient understanding of the ability to advance its rank at any time. Would you like to advance [mana dart] to rank one and see the options for rank two? (There is no time limit for ability advancement decisions.) ¡°Why not? That sounds fucking amazing.¡± Nick sent his intentions into the screen, willing mana dart to advance to rank one. That was when he realized that he should probably lie down, rushing over to the bed and then sliding beneath the covers. By now, every fiber of his being was tingling with the rush that came with acquiring a major gain. This was Nick¡¯s first time advancing an ability. But if it was anything like spending his free attribute points or leaning a new ability, then he was about to experience some intense sensations. Sure enough, less than a minute later, he could feel something building within his core. When it hit critical mass, he was granted a vision, unlike any he had seen before. His consciousness was pulled out of his body, to a place where he could watch his own memories like movies on a screen. Without further preamble, images began to play, compressing hours of experience into a concise summary. Nick realized that this vision was a playback of every time he had used mana dart so far, both on and off the battlefield. Summarizing not only his actions, but his understanding of each experience, like he was making a presentation in front of the class. It was surprisingly informative, not only refreshing every thought and insight about his darts that he¡¯d had thus far, but granting him additional perspective, letting him notice new details and facets that were hard to spot during the middle of battle. When it was over, the nature of his vision changed, and his attention was drawn inward. Down into the pathways that the System had carved into his brain, and the cord that linked the ability to his energetic core. Where something fascinating was already underway. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. He watched on, giddy with anticipation, as the System altered the foundation of his ability. The energetic nodes and arrays that controlled his darts became more complex, compact, and efficient. Somehow, Nick could tell that his brain and core had developed enough to handle the higher load and additional infrastructure. The whole process only took a couple of seconds, but it felt like hours due to the intensity of the experience. ¡°Wow. What a trip.¡± He lay there for a few minutes, committing every detail to memory, so that he could reflect and build upon the insights later. Now he knew what the System meant when it mentioned his fundamental understanding of the ability. What Nick had learned about mana dart over the last few months let him know what he was still lacking with piercing ray and force acceleration, knowledge that would help him develop his abilities going forward. That was when he remembered that there was still another, even more profound advancement awaiting him. The chance to change his mana dart on a fundamental level. He rose to his feet, walked over to the screen, and opened the AMS menu, so pumped up that he nearly broke into song. Congratulations, you have successfully advanced the ability [mana dart] to rank one. Would you like to look at the options for rank two? ¡°Yes, please.¡± Nick continued to read, certain that whatever options were presented to him, they were going to be good. You can alter the ability [mana dart] in one of the following ways: Hrm. That¡¯s a tough one alright. Each of those options sounds really, really useful. While he thought the matter through, Nick pulled up his profile, considering his skills and attributes while he decided how to upgrade mana dart and spend his free attribute points. Contestant Profile: Nicholas ¡®Nick¡¯ Henry. Level: 15. Tier: 1. Species: Human of Earth (E). Class: Kineticist (uncommon). Base attribute points per level: +1 magic, +1 dexterity every other level. Free points per level: 1. You have 3 unspent free points at this time. Attributes
Strength: 8 (9) Dexterity: 10 (16) Toughness: 9 (13)
Mind: 9 (11) Creativity: 8 (9) Charisma: 5
Magic: 3 (11) ??? ???
Abilities Ability slots: 2 active, 1 passive, 1 free. Used: 1 active, 1 passive. Active abilities Mana dart (spell). Rank 2. Piercing ray (spell). Rank 0 (You have enough essence to advance to rank 1 but lack the understanding required to do so). Passive abilities Force acceleration. Rank 0. Class Traits None. (The trait for this class has been incorporated into your bloodline). Geneline Traits Gift of Tongues: you can understand and speak the languages of all intelligent creatures. Awakened to Magic: +1 to magic. Versatile: +1 to all attributes. +1 free ability slot. Bloodline Traits Filled bloodline slots: 2. Open bloodline slots: 1. Survivor (enhanced): you require 50% less food, water, oxygen, and sleep. Force Adept: you receive a bonus to mana efficiency and scaling from energetic attributes when casting spells that use force mana or pure mana. Force Adepts are unable to cast elemental spells and receive a substantial penalty when manipulating elemental-aspected mana in any way. Skills Active Sword: 7 Evasion: 7 Throwing: 7 Light shield: 0 Wand: 9 Inactive (inactive skills may be used but not improved.) Size up: 10 Foraging: 10 Inventory (basic and above) Bag of molding (rare). Elixir of restoration (rare). Modifications: Soulbound. Arena dagger (uncommon). Modifications: Eversharp. Adventurer¡¯s toolbelt (uncommon). Modifications: Self-maintenance. Pugilist¡¯s gloves (uncommon). Modifications: Durable. Adventurer¡¯s coat (uncommon). Modifications: Durable. Self-maintenance. Cloak of thermal regulation (uncommon). Modifications: Self-maintenance. Wand of force (uncommon). Modifications: Soulbound. Skill activation (Wand). Caster¡¯s buckle (uncommon). Modifications: Durable. Self-maintenance. Explorer¡¯s boots (common). Ratman dagger (common). Hemp shirt (basic). 5 alarm traps made of twine and shell (basic). Worn bathrobe (basic). Canteen (basic). Brass spyglass (basic). Ratman helmet (unidentified). ??? Sword (unidentified). With his profile out of the way, it was time for Nick to commit to a course and decide how he wanted to upgrade his mana darts. While he was eager to rank the ability up, he forced himself to breathe slow and deep, activating the tactical part of his brain while he thought the matter through at length. He was certain that this was one of the most important decisions that he¡¯d been given, second only to his class selection, and he was determined to get it right. Concept Art: Book 3, Chapters 1-3 The True Tower This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. Shadow of Rizzen Chapter 5: Decisions, Decisions How he upgraded his mana darts wouldn¡¯t just affect his combat capabilities in the present. It would influence his future development too, changing the course of his path to power. Nick needed to consider each option in that context before arriving at a decision, starting with boosting the dart¡¯s pain and the duration of its stunning effect. So far, the pain that his darts inflicted had honestly been the best part about them. While he was convinced that tearing a chunk out of his opponents¡¯ stamina, life, and mana simultaneously had made a real difference on numerous occasions, it hadn¡¯t tipped the balance between winning and losing a fight in and of itself. The blinding agony that the darts caused, on the other hand, had created countless openings that Nick had used to land a decisive blow. Increasing the intensity and duration of the pain would make the spell even more effective as a distraction, widening the window to land a killing strike, or countering an opponent¡¯s charge. Additionally, it would bolster the darts¡¯ utility against large and powerful foes, who had an easier time shrugging off the spell¡¯s effects at present. In short, it was an amazing opportunity to increase the ability¡¯s effectiveness in a brawl. Taking option one would make Nick more dangerous when fighting with his sword, alone or with his team, giving him a way to take the pressure off his friends when they needed it the most. If it was the only good choice that he¡¯d been offered, he would have taken it with no regrets. But options two and three had their strong points too. Boosting the spell¡¯s ability to damage vital energy was a sorely tempting prospect. If his darts hit harder, they could start scoring kills all by themselves, especially with the increase to his magic that Nick had picked up from leveling and the increased efficiency granted by taking mana dart to rank one. And the benefits didn¡¯t stop there. Draining both mana and stamina in addition to health could prove useful across a wide range of situations. Especially when facing off against a powerful caster or unusually resilient beast, like the river king he¡¯d battled just before leaving the bog. Reducing the number of times that his enemies could use their most powerful abilities could save his life all by itself, granting him a fighting chance in a battle of attrition. And eating away at their stamina would limit their mobility over time, giving him a powerful advantage in longer fights. It seemed like the most useful option when combating other people as well, narrowing their range of options and helping Nick take control of the battlefield. The third option was interesting in a different way. While it wouldn¡¯t directly increase the power of his spell, it would greatly enhance its utility. It would let Nick shoot each dart faster, further, and with a higher degree of control, countering opponents who relied on evasion as their primary form of defense. Quite a few beasts had been able to sense his spells coming, letting them leap out of the way and avoid the hit. He suspected that this problem would only grow more pressing over time. Picking the third option would help to mitigate this variable, increasing his accuracy and making his tactics more reliable, letting him execute more control over the fickle flow of battle. It would be most useful when firing his spell from the limit of its range, which the upgrade would also increase. This choice would transform his darts from a mid-range tool to something that worked from long range as well, offering Nick the option of sniping his foes from concealment, at least to some extent. It would also let him fire his darts along more complex flight patterns, guiding them around cover and hitting his enemies from multiple directions at once. He pondered the matter long and hard while finishing the pitcher of water. After a final moment of consideration, he crossed the third option off the list. He needed his darts to do more when they hit, not just hit more often. He was afraid that they would never really turn the tide of battle otherwise, even if every shot found its mark. Besides, his class was a short-to-mid-range specialist, and he intended to do most of his fighting from that distance. If he wanted to attack from further back, nothing was stopping him from learning how to shoot a bow, even if he didn¡¯t have a skill for it. That first option was still incredibly tempting. More pain and longer stuns would absolutely increase his offensive output, and would be especially useful when fighting as a team. But Nick was worried about how the choice would influence his class selection. He didn¡¯t want to be the kind of fighter who specialized in causing pain, and was concerned choosing the upgrade would leave him with more suffering-based classes during the next selection. It also wouldn¡¯t help at all when fighting magic constructs, something that mana dart¡¯s description had mentioned that it was especially good at. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. Even still, it was a hard option to turn down. Nick pondered the matter long and hard as he walked over to the obelisk and opened his menus. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m ready to make my decision.¡± After careful consideration, it was time for mana dart to receive a major upgrade, and he couldn¡¯t wait to find out what it would do. In the end, he decided to go with option two, giving his darts an across-the-board enhancement in the amount of health, stamina, and mana they destroyed. Ready to make his choice, Nick sent his intentions into the screen, eager to find out what would happen next. A few seconds after he made his selection, his awareness was drawn back inside his body. He could tell right away that this was going to be different from any vision he¡¯d seen before. Instead of watching a replay of his memories and thoughts, he found himself staring at his own brain once more, looking down at the pathway for his ability that the System had etched into his neurons and energetic channels. He was far closer than during his rank one vision, like he was floating in a room and the network was a rug covering the entire floor. This vantage point provided far more detail than any of his prior experiences, letting him take a good look at the elegant structure for the first time. It was remarkably complex, composed of hundreds of individual conduits with different shapes and properties, bound tightly together to form a single network. He knew from experience that this arrangement drew in mana from his core and wove it into a specific shape, which gave the spell its unique properties. Nick couldn¡¯t begin to make out the intricacies of the design, since this was his first time observing how the System¡¯s magic operated on such a fundamental level. He didn¡¯t even know where to start if he wanted to unravel the mystery playing out before his eyes. It made him feel like a caveman poking around at the guts of a gaming PC. But that didn¡¯t mean he couldn¡¯t learn from this experience, even if understanding would lag far behind sensation. Because while Nick had no idea what was going on, the System knew exactly what it was doing. He let go of the need to comprehend and focused as intently as he could, committing every second to memory for later review. He didn¡¯t have to wait for long. A paltry handful of heartbeats after the image popped into his head, he felt the System reach inside and begin tweaking the spell. While Nick had an axe to grind with the galaxy-spanning AI, he had to admit that it was a marvelous show. Like a surgeon completing a delicate procedure, it severed some threads and reconnected others. Mending and weaving, swapping out tiny fragments of various materials, reshaping the structure and the properties it bore. He watched spellbound as the pathway for mana dart became something new, something greater than before. Rather than developing theories based on his observations here and now, he took a broad view and let his mind go blank, trying to record it all rather than focusing on his analysis. Making meaning could come later, but experiences like this were few and far between. Nick had a hunch that studying this performance could lead to major innovations later down the road. Within a matter of minutes, the construction was complete, and the System¡¯s touch withdrew. He snapped back into his body and opened his eyes, still looking inward, probing the changes to his brain and his core. He still had a lot of things that he needed to take care of, none of which were nearly as exciting as what he was about to do. Fortunately, the System¡¯s healing had topped off his stamina and mana in addition to repairing his body, which meant that the board was green to give his new and improved spell a test drive. He would regenerate the mana before leaving the safe room, so Nick was ready to take a long, lingering look at his upgraded mana dart. Dancing from one foot to the other like a kid on Christmas morning, Nick gathered his will and conjured a dart, setting its output to maximum power. He felt warmth building just below his heart, as mana from his core went surging along the conduit leading to his brain, winding up and around his spine before connecting with the upgraded channel containing the spell. He could sense energy gathering in front of his face, the spell pulling in more mana than it ever had before. At the same time, he could tell that it was using the mana more efficiently. Two seconds later, without further preamble, a glowing silver blade shimmered into existence and began orbiting his head. When Nick had first learned the spell, the mana darts had appeared as faint metallic wedges. When he became a Kineticist and gained his Force Adept trait, the darts had become bigger and brighter, forming translucent arrows with clear, crisp geometry. Both versions were put to shame by what he was witnessing now. His new mana dart looked like a blade without a hilt, a gleaming silver spike as long as his hand. It was bright enough to throw wild, ever-shifting shadows across the chamber, the pure mana so dense that he could no longer look through it. He could tell at a glance that it was far more potent than before, to the extent that the word dart no longer did it justice. He laughed in delight, every scrap of his concentration focused on the whirling weapon formed from pure mana. He almost reached out and touched it before thinking better of it. Nick wasn¡¯t going to shoot himself this time around. Not with this. Not when his upgraded spell felt so dangerous. He waited ten minutes to judge its duration, until he sensed that the energy was ready to dissipate. Before the spell¡¯s matrix collapsed, he visualized the most complex trajectory that he could imagine, then ordered the spell to fire. It raced around the room before winking out of existence. It felt just a little slower than before, at least at its maximum output, but the difference was trivial compared to the added power. Nick couldn¡¯t wait to try it in battle and was looking forward to upgrading his other spells as soon as he could. He needed to figure out the trick to deepening his understanding, then take piercing ray to rank one. Immensely satisfied with everything he¡¯d just witnessed, he turned his attention to completing the next stage of his preparations, eager to lock in the rest of his gains. Chapter 6: Picking a Path Now that upgrading his first spell was taken care of, it was time for Nick to decide how he wanted to spend the three free attribute points he¡¯d acquired for defeating the river king and completing the first stage of ¡®the fate of Earth¡¯ quest chain. When he was done, he wanted to check out the new knowledge point entries he¡¯d picked up just before entering Darkstone Tower, then pass out for a few hours before his next ordeal began. Figuring out how he wanted to spend his free points was always a little tricky. Since life as part of the System was still so new, he had to rely on his instincts as much as his reason. There wasn¡¯t any established wisdom or prior research for him to consult or consider. Advancing along the myriad paths of power was still terra incognita to the inhabitants of Earth. Nick would just have to do the best he could with the limited information at his disposal. He walked over to the display and opened his profile, taking in each stat individually as well as their distribution as a whole. Reflecting on how each increase over the last two months had bolstered his capabilities and improved his odds of survival. Each of the attributes on his profile offered multiple benefits, and he¡¯d reached a place where he could take the direction of his development along more than one viable path. Over time, he would have to choose what kind of life he wanted to live in this strange new reality, both on and off the battlefield, planning out his expenditures with one eye on the horizon. But he wasn¡¯t there yet. Right now, Nick needed to make the choice that would offer him the best chance of living through today. There would be time to plan for tomorrow once they pried the Earth free from the Mad God¡¯s grasp. That still left him with two potential strategies to consider, capitalizing on his strengths or shoring up his weaknesses. The only attribute that was completely out of the running was charisma, since Nick had been alone more often than not and got along fine with his new friends. He had no real need for a boost to his social skills and emotional intelligence. Maybe that would change when they made it back to Earth and it was time to rebuild human society. But for now, it left him with eight attributes to consider. His magic was rising rapidly, thanks to his Kineticist class, and his dexterity was moving along at a steady pace too. While he would always want more, he was happy with how both attributes were progressing. Since they would keep going up on their own as he leveled, he didn¡¯t need to bolster them with free points for the foreseeable future. Given how useful they¡¯ve been in getting out of some tough spots, I should probably invest at least one point into my mental attributes. Creativity had proven to be incredibly beneficial in the right situation, and Nick wanted to enhance his ability to visualize and create sometime relatively soon. But raising it didn¡¯t feel like the right choice now, considering the dynamics of his latest challenge. But his mind was another story, given what he¡¯d seen when he stepped through that last portal. The layout of the Tower of Rizzen was incredibly complex, more of a maze than a structure. His vision had left him with a sense that there were opportunities and mysteries infused within every stone of the tower, along with countless threats in a vast away of forms. Boosting his mind would help him to unlock the tower¡¯s secrets, making it easier to choose the best route to the top and maximize his gains along the way. As an added bonus, the side effect of spending a free point in mind could give him a head start in working through the problem right now. Mind it is. Ready to spend his first point, Nick nodded to himself and sent his intentions into the display. The moment that he confirmed his choice, he crossed the chamber and sat down on the bed. He pulled up his memory of the tower and started pouring over the particulars. The vision that he¡¯d experienced while journeying through the portal network was still fresh, and he was able to recall it with vivid detail. A few seconds later, the free point kicked in, accompanied by the sensation of someone wiping a clean cloth across the dirty lens of his cognition, leaving everything clearer and sharper than before. His thoughts felt honed to a razor¡¯s edge, and he called upon his arctic clarity to push it even further, that strange ability he¡¯d been developing since early on in his tutorial. Frigid focus drew him into a state of total concentration, letting him orchestrate his heightened awareness like a musician conducting a symphony. The countless variables began falling into place like a puzzle assembling inside his head. As Nick had hoped, he started to get a better sense of the Tower of Rizzen as a whole. Not its true purpose and ultimate nature, as that was far beyond the scattered pieces he¡¯d seen, but its underlying logic and the arrangement of its various structures. There was only so much that he could learn from the information that he had on hand. But as he pondered the matter long and hard, he began to get a sense that the various floors and the conduits running between them were almost like an ecosystem containing its own patterns and cycles. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. Various substances and energies were created in certain parts of the tower, then sent to others to be used in a thousand different ways, refined and transformed in the process. Each step created some manner of waste, which was all shuttled down to the basement levels, near where Nick had stepped off the conduit and into his safe room. Judging from what I¡¯ve seen, this floor plays a role in waste management. Some kind of disposal, processing, or storage facility. Or perhaps a mix of all three. The more that he thought about it, the more certain he became. He wasn¡¯t sure how to use that knowledge just yet, but he had a hunch that it would come in handy sooner rather than later. Done pondering the tower for now, Nick spent a few minutes enjoying the upgrade to his senses that came with improving his mind. His vision, touch, and hearing were all crisper than before, and he knew from experience that his smell and taste had been enhanced too. When he was done checking in with his body, he was ready to spend his other points. Nick was tempted to put them both into strength. His sword was getting heavier as the weapon repaired itself and was becoming more difficult to control, especially with its missing pommel stone. On top of that, his pack could now hold up to two hundred pounds, which would weigh one-fifty with its mass-reducing power. But after considering the matter, he decided that it was still manageable for now. While he would invest more in strength soon, he had a sense that it wasn¡¯t quite the right time. That his other needs were even more pressing. In the end, he decided to put both free points into toughness. He needed to be able to fight without being taken out by a lucky hit, to shrug off blows that would cripple or kill him otherwise. To be able to fight for longer at a peak level of performance. As important as these improvements were, they were only a secondary concern. The main reason for his choice was force acceleration, the ability that had made all the difference during his last fight. Nick needed his body to be able to withstand the pressure generated by the explosive motion if he wanted to rely on it in battle. Especially if he added stamina into the mix, like when he¡¯d hurled the rock at the river king. Since he¡¯d nearly lost control of his body the last time that he¡¯d gone up two levels at once, he decided that he needed more experience in handling multiple attribute upgrades simultaneously. Thus, although it would probably be unpleasant, he decided to spend both points at once and try to build up some tolerance to the process. He hopped off the bed, walked over to the display, and sent his intentions into the screen, letting the System know that he wanted to spend two points on toughness at the same time. Since he was trying to acclimate to the bizarre experience, instead of sitting down, Nick decided to ride out the changes on his feet, simulating what it would feel like if he leveled multiple times in the same battle. Before long, he felt energy congealing in his extremities before flowing throughout his body, a sensation like electric worms gliding down his veins. As the System¡¯s power flowed throughout his limbs, his flesh began to unravel before drawing tight, muscles writhing like eels in a sack. The changes went through his body one part at a time, rebinding each layer of connective tissue so that it was denser and more durable than before. Able to shrug off more damage and perform at a higher level without running out of energy. Nick wouldn¡¯t have enjoyed fighting while these alterations were underway, but he thought that he could have managed it if left with no other choice. I just hope that it doesn¡¯t come up too often, single point gains aren¡¯t nearly as intense as two in the same attribute at once. Five minutes later, his transformation was complete. After a final pulse of energy, everything went back to normal. He made a fist, feeling the muscles and tendons in his right arm draw tight, the same parts that had been savaged by his epic throw before entering the tower. With any luck, I¡¯ll be able to use force acceleration without damaging my body as badly. Although he still had a long way to go before he could use the ability at full power without suffering any consequences. Now that his points were spent, Nick pulled up his profile to check out the changes to his stats, enjoying the satisfaction that always came with watching the numbers go up.
Strength: 8 (9) Dexterity: 10 (16) Toughness: 9 (15)
Mind: 9 (12) Creativity: 8 (9) Charisma: 5
Magic: 3 (11) ??? ???
Damn Nick, looking good. His strength and creativity were reaching a level that was equivalent to the best in the world, back on pre-System Earth. And his mind was even higher, something that boggled his brain whenever he stopped to think about it. But that was only the beginning. His toughness and dexterity had crossed a threshold where he could compete at the level of an Olympic athlete, even without the rigorous training they underwent to perform at that level. The rapid growth to his attributes let him compensate for the gaps in his skillset, at least to some extent. To fight and dodge, run and jump, well enough to survive his various ordeals. The difference would become even more pronounced as he earned more skills and trained them up. First on the list, Nick was looking forward to finding out what he would be capable of after a little more development with sword and evasion. But there would be time to test his evolving limits later. Right now, it was time to bolster something equally important in its own way, his knowledge of the various laws governing the System. Chapter 7: Mysteries Revealed The last item on Nick¡¯s checklist before he started getting ready to enter the tower was to check out the new knowledge point unlocks Kerry had added to his journal. Information that would undoubtedly prove useful during the trial to come. He sat down on the bed and flipped it open, reading through the loose sheets she¡¯d stuck between the pages. The first entry was fascinating, and he hummed to himself as he took it all in. Species Grade All integrated species (contestants and beasts alike) are graded on a scale from F to A, beyond which lies the realm of divinity. Species grade determines an individual¡¯s baseline attribute cap. For example, an E-grade species has an upper limit of 10, while a D-grade species has a cap of 25. After evolving to a higher grade, it becomes easier to train baseline attributes once more, following the same progression as before (it requires considerably less effort to raise deficient attributes via conditioning than ones that are near the cap). Additionally, species grade influences the durability and performance of internal organs and the strength of the physical senses. It also determines the capacity of a species¡¯ geneline and an individual¡¯s bloodline. When a species accumulates sufficient transformative energy, generally referred to as species experience, it triggers a species-wide evolution to the next grade, offering a wide range of benefits. Novel attributes may be acquired during species evolution, as well as new geneline traits. Existing geneline traits can also be enhanced. On occasion, an individual may evolve before the rest of their species, if their personal species experience contribution is unusually high. In such cases, the individual will benefit from the improvements to their baseline attributes and bloodline capacity. However, they will not receive upgrades to their geneline or acquire novel attributes until the entire species evolves and votes between the available options (based on their collective performance). Species experience can be acquired by achieving species milestones, overcoming rare and difficult challenges, and by completing species-wide quests issued by the System. Holy shit. I had no idea that we could keep on evolving. Those benefits sound amazing. I need to do everything in my power to make sure that it happens as quickly as possible. Nick couldn¡¯t even begin to image what a windfall it would be if humanity could move up to the D-grade before they were forced to contend with the next challenge that the Mad God threw their way. If his species had the chance to evolve, it would greatly increase their odds of surviving in the multiverse, let alone the depths of the Labyrinth. In retrospect, it made the species exp points granted by this quest seem vitally important, rather than a garnish on the main reward. He copied the information into his journal, freeing up the sheet of paper for other uses, thrilled by what he¡¯d learned. The first new entry had already proven to be invaluable. Nick was immensely glad that he¡¯d loaned his book to Kerry as he kept on reading. The next sheet held the details of bloodlines, a topic that he had already unlocked. But when he took a closer look, he noticed that there were some differences with the wording and a few details that he hadn''t seen before. Bloodlines Bloodlines represent an individual¡¯s capacity to permanently bind class traits to their lineage, so that they will not be lost when selecting a new class. Binding desirable bloodline traits is a key component in guiding development along a chosen path of power and should never be undertaken lightly. The capacity of a bloodline is determined by species grade (and rare geneline traits). Bloodline traits are bound to individuals and their descendants, but they may be transferred or stolen in rare cases involving extraordinary means. Being granted the option to make a class trait a permanent part of a bloodline is a common reward for completing difficult quests. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. Additionally, some class traits include mandatory trait permanence, automatically becoming part of a bloodline once acquired. Selecting classes with trait permanence can be a powerful tool for rapid advancement. However, this approach can lock the individual out of other options later on, both by influencing the choices offered during class selection and by rendering certain classes unavailable once all bloodline slots have been filled. Finally, bloodline traits can be enhanced, strengthening their effect without requiring additional space in the bloodline. The means for enhancing bloodline traits are few and far between, requiring expensive and highly sought after resources, or as rewards for exemplary performance on the most arduous of quests assigned by the System. Much of this information was in line with Nick¡¯s predictions based on his experiences so far. But there was some new information that was fascinating to contemplate. He only had one more bloodline slot available until he evolved his species grade. Nick would have to ponder any opportunity to add another long and hard before committing to a course. The implication that bloodline traits could be stolen was a worrying proposition, and he intended to learn more about that threat whenever he could. The next entry was on genelines. Genelines Genelines are comparable to bloodlines in many respects. Instead of granting individual traits, geneline traits are shared by all members of a species. As a result, geneline traits are generally hereditary. Exceptions to this rule do exist, such as the Gift of Tongues trait provided to all newly integrated species. When a species evolves to a higher grade, they are presented with a list of options (based on their collective performance) for enhancing their geneline, which are actualized by spending what are known as geneline points. Geneline points can be used to purchase a new trait or strengthen an existing one. Every member of a species can vote on how to spend their points. On rare occasions, unique geneline traits are gained when evolving, without requiring an expenditure of points. Individuals who contribute an extreme amount of species experience are occasionally given the opportunity to evolve early. In such cases, they will not receive these upgrades to their geneline traits until their entire species evolves. That¡¯s the second mention of being able to evolve early. It¡¯s something that I should aim for if I get the chance. Except for the part on voting and unique traits, most of this was in line with what Nick had been expecting. He pulled out the notes on bloodlines to compare the differences side by side before moving on. The last sheet Kerry had added was on classes, one of the unlocks that Nick had almost bought with his knowledge points back when he had the chance. He was thrilled to see it included, since he really wanted to learn more about classes before he hit level twenty-five and became eligible to change his again. Classes Every member of the System is eligible to advance along distinct developmental pathways known as classes. There are millions of classes that have already been discovered, and many more that have yet to be revealed. Each class offers unique advantages and drawbacks. Selecting the best class for an individual¡¯s environment and needs is a critical component to their long-term survival and growth. All members of the System are granted the child class at birth, a neutral pathway designed to facilitate growth without guiding them in a predetermined direction. New classes are chosen at puberty and every 25 levels thereafter (a period of advancement commonly called a cycle). If this option is declined for any reason, it will be offered again every 5 levels until a new class is selected. The number of classes offered (and their rarity) is determined by the System¡¯s evaluation of an individual¡¯s performance during the last cycle. They are influenced by their achievements, choices, preferences, the growth of their skills, and which upgrades they select for their abilities once the AMS is activated at level 15. Additionally, each class provides a unique class trait. Since classes determine the path of attribute development, they are often chosen to guide the overall distribution of attributes in addition to other considerations. Each class is assigned a rarity. The rarity of a class influences: the growth of attributes on leveling, the number of skills provided and the upper limit they can reach, and the relative power of the abilities provided. While rare classes are generally more powerful (featuring potent traits and abilities), they take longer to level and may not be ideal in certain situations. Reasons to choose a lower rarity class include: to rapidly increase an individual¡¯s baseline mana, stamina, and health, to fulfill prerequisites required for desired classes, rapid leveling for tier advancement, shoring up underdeveloped areas, and to learn specific skills, traits, or abilities. Certain powerful classes can only be acquired by following a chain, starting from common or even basic classes in some cases. Be warned, individuals who chose the easiest classes to level have an advantage early on, but often arrive at a bottleneck when attempting to reach the next tier. It requires intensive training and dangerous opportunities to push past such a bottleneck. As such, it is generally advisable take a common or basic class only for the first few cycles, then move on to a higher rarity beyond that point. Ok, that was a ton of useful information. Nick let out a sigh of relief. It looks like starting with a basic class didn¡¯t fuck up my development. One less thing to worry about. Concept Art: Chapters 4-6 Mini obelisk Basic safe room Caster''s buckler This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Upgrade vision Magical circuits up close Improve mana dart Chapter 8: Calm Before the Storm Nick was thrilled to learn that being stuck with his survivor class for the first nine levels hadn¡¯t hurt him in the long run, something that he¡¯d been worried about for some time. Starting off with a basic class might even have been ideal, given the extreme conditions of his solo tutorial. It had helped him to level fast, increasing his stamina and health. Not to mention his mana, which he relied on to power his spells. While the skills he had started off with weren¡¯t geared toward combat, they had dramatically improved his odds of survival and his quality of life. Maybe that¡¯s part of the reason why the System didn¡¯t do more to stop Taltos. Everything that is happening must be advancing its own agenda too. Either way, they can both go fuck themselves. I¡¯ll never forgive them for what they¡¯ve done. He¡¯d been given a lot to think about, so Nick decided to process everything that he¡¯d read while getting in some exercise and skills training. It was the first time that he¡¯d been able to go through his full routine since leaving the luxury safe room and traveling to Blackmist Bog. As numbers and words danced across his brain, he sat down on the floor and began to work out, enjoying the simplicity of following his breath while taking his muscles through their paces. Now that he wasn¡¯t injured or fighting for his life, Nick realized that his body felt good, better than ever before. He¡¯d gained more attributes over the last few days than at any other point in his adventures, and he could already tell that it was really starting to make a difference. His limbs felt strong, power welling up from his muscles like a deep and endless river. Acting on impulse, he started doing pushups, curious to find out how many he could squeeze off before his arms gave out from under him. Ten. Thirty. One hundred. At two hundred pushups, Nick realized that he could probably keep doing them all day. Lifting the weight of his body was no longer sufficient to tire him out, especially with the recent improvements to his toughness. It meant that if he wanted to discover his limits, he was going to have to work for it. He decided to pick up the pace, going faster and faster until his arms were pumping as quickly as they could without impeding his form. When he built up enough steam, he pushed even harder, so that both hands left the floor, clapping them together before his weight came down. It took enough effort that he was starting to feel the burn, but Nick wasn¡¯t done yet. He did another hundred pushups with just his right arm. Then he rounded things off with his left before coming to a stop, sweating and short of breath at last. He pulled himself into a seated position, then crossed his legs and closed his eyes, drawing his focus within. His heart rate was elevated, and his arms were shaking, but even now he could fight if he needed to. The gains to my toughness are shining through in more than one way. To his delight, he recovered within minutes and began working out the rest of his body, noticing a similar improvement on and down the line. When he was done with his calisthenics, Nick pulled out his sword, going through the various drills that he¡¯d devised over the last month. While he took the blade thorough its full range of motion, he studied his weapon of choice, the mysterious artifact he¡¯d been gifted by the ratman foreman Trell. He was certain by now that the sword was repairing itself. It had been growing heavier over time, the holes eaten into its surface gradually filling in. The edge looked more like a proper blade than the ragged, saw-like length of metal he¡¯d taken back to his tutorial. Even with its recent restoration, Nick had a sense that the sword was only a shadow of its former self. Something critical was still missing after being devoured by the blight for centuries. But that was a matter for another day. Right now, he just needed to become skilled in its use as fast as he could. It was still awkward wielding the weapon in one hand. In part due to the weight, and in part due to the missing pommel stone. But his control was improving regardless. The extra strength and dexterity he¡¯d obtained were more than enough to compensate. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. As he slashed along the eight basic angles, Nick abandoned his analysis, giving himself completely to the feeling of the blade in his hand. The weapon that had become his partner as he explored the mysterious multiverse he now called home. He sliced and thrust, leapt and dodged. While he trained, he imagined facing off against dozens of different opponents, coming at him alone or in groups. Nick¡¯s ability to visualize the enemies in front of him, an exercise he called shadow boxing, had been growing sharper ever since his mind and creativity had started to improve near the end of his stay on the Searing Isle. When he was really into it, it felt like his opponents were in the room with him. Their physicality and killing intent so genuine that it set his heart racing and adrenaline singing in his veins. The minutes ticked past as he battled enemies of every type, never hitting the walls or ceiling despite the narrow confines of the safe room. He could sense his improvement with every move he made, aware of the orientation of his body and blade at any given moment. While Nick knew that his technique needed some work, the sword had come to feel natural in his hand, each attack flowing effortlessly into the next. Now that he was fully warmed up, he started working his shield into the mix, occasionally blocking with the vambrace instead of the full shield for good measure. He frowned at how clumsy the movements felt. Not due to a lack of agility, but because using the shield was so new, changing his balance and granting him additional options that he hadn¡¯t had time to integrate. A few points into his light shield skill would go a long way toward fixing the problem, although just like his sword, Nick needed to receive proper training in its use at some point. At last, worn out and immensely satisfied, he decided to call it a day. He needed some time to cool off and regain his stamina if he wanted to be in top shape when he left the safe room and entered the tower. Since he still had over three hours left on the clock, he helped himself to a glass of water, used the pitcher to refill his canteen, and then crawled into bed. While the System had restored his body, he still needed to decompress from his latest adventure. Starting the next ordeal with a full night¡¯s sleep sounded like a fantastic idea. Nick pulled the covers over his head and closed his eyes, melting into the mattress. The bed was as basic as the System had promised, but compared to weeks of rough living on Blackmist Bog, it felt like a cloud to him. He spent a few minutes reflecting on how much easier he could fall asleep in random places than back in his old life, then stepped into the land of dreams. He awoke two hours later feeling completely refreshed, since it had only been late afternoon when he¡¯d stepped through the portal and entered Darkstone Tower. The power nap had helped him to relax both physically and mentally. Now Nick was ready to finish preparing himself for the trial that would begin the moment that the door to the safe room cracked open in a little over an hour. He made himself a meal from his provisions, used the bathroom, then got ready to fight, starting with a series of stretches intended to increase his range of motion. He wanted to be at his best from the moment he entered the tower¡¯s basement, and limbering up his body was the next step in the process. While he stretched, he began pondering his goals for the immediate future. Laying down various plans to speed up his advancement, and contingencies to use in a range of situations and emergencies. Nick¡¯s biggest consideration was integrating the new ability mastery system into his long-term plans. He needed to think about how he wanted to upgrade each of his spells when given the chance. What role would suit them best over time. He pondered what he had learned so far, trying to suss out why he had gained enough understanding to advance mana dart¡¯s rank, but not his other abilities. But then he realized that he¡¯d been testing and tweaking his darts ever since he first learned the spell, including shooting himself for good measure. While he was starting to get a better feel for piercing ray, he hadn¡¯t tried to figure out how it worked to nearly the same extent, although he wasn¡¯t going to be shooting himself with that one. I¡¯ll have to experiment and work it out while I¡¯m climbing the tower. Maybe I can improve my ability to perceive mana and study how the spell operates more closely. When he was done with his yoga, he opened his menu to check the time, and saw that he had a little over half an hour left on the clock. The next goal on Nick¡¯s checklist was to prepare himself to enter a hostile environment. To steel himself toward the danger that would assail him the moment that he stepped foot out of the safe room. To be ready to act at a moment¡¯s notice. While he visualized various scenarios and how he would deal with each, Nick went over his equipment, cleaning the pieces that didn¡¯t have a self-maintenance modification, then making sure that all his tools were in the right pouches of his toolbelt. With five minutes left to go, he was as ready as he could be. He slipped on his pack and drew his sword, humming to himself as the seconds wound down. When the clock hit zero, a stairwell shimmered into existence, the kind that circled around a central pole as the stairs wound their way up toward the ceiling. He couldn¡¯t see an exit up there, but he supposed that it didn¡¯t matter. He knew that the stairs were just the entrance to another kind of portal after viewing the tower from the outside. Ready to begin his latest adventure, Nick took the first step and began to climb, the rap of boot leather striking metal echoing across the stone chamber. His body vanished in a flash of light before he reached the top. Chapter 9: Sterile Devastation When the molecules comprising Nick¡¯s body finished putting themselves back together, a process that felt like feathers were tickling every inch of his skin at the same time, he opened his eyes. He raised his blade and started scanning his surroundings, ready to find out what strange place his adventures had brought him to next. Today¡¯s journey though the portal network had ended in a flash, and there hadn¡¯t been time for any out of body experiences. No teleportation sickness either. Probably because my trip was so short. He spun in a circle and took a deep breath in through his nose, sampling that first whiff of a brand-new world. However, on this occasion, no exotic scents were riding the breeze. In fact, there wasn¡¯t even a hint of alien smells or sounds, despite his senses being more acute than ever before. He couldn¡¯t detect any trace of life in his surroundings. No moisture or decay. The whole place was eerily sterile and as quiet as a tomb. Nick had been ready for dozens of eventualities. From being attacked right from the get-go, to being transported into an environment without air, gravity, or light. None of which were what he encountered. What he saw as he completed his survey was completely unexpected, to the extent that it took him several minutes to make sense of what he was seeing. All that he could say for certain what that he was inside a large room, or some manner of enclosed space at any rate, standing on the only intact object that he could spot. A small pedestal that was designed to receive teleported individuals, judging from the diagram on the surface displaying the proper way to exit the platform. It felt out of place, now that he thought about it, since the System generally created doors and portals wherever the hell it wanted, instead of using designated locations. It must be part of the internal network designed to take people around the tower. The ones who live here and aren¡¯t being tested by the System. But the presence of the unusual device wasn¡¯t the reason why Nick was so perplexed as to where he was. It was because the rest of the chamber was a scene of utter devastation. Scores of desks and chairs had been reduced to scorched splinters and slag. Thick piles of glass shards were scattered everywhere, which appeared to have once been some manner of laboratory equipment, judging by the larger fragments. Even the floor was cracked and scarred, wide swaths of stone having melted at one point before fusing back together. But the most prevalent feature by far was the mounds of the raw rock piled everywhere. When he examined the larger pieces, he realized that some of the surfaces were smooth and polished. That the rubble had once been part of the walls and ceiling before being torn loose by what must have required incredible force. I think that I¡¯m underground. This enclosure must be carved into bedrock. It¡¯s the only reason that the damage didn¡¯t cause the whole room to collapse. Even still, standing here made him nervous. Nick stared up at the countless tons of stone stretching out above his head, afraid the roof would come down on top of him with every beat of his heart. He knew that he was being dramatic, since this configuration had clearly been stable for some time. Nick had the sense that the damage had been inflicted long ago, months if not years before. Besides, this was part of a System-sanctioned quest. While there was bound to be danger at every turn, he doubted that the first building he entered would collapse and crush him, although he wasn¡¯t taking it for granted. Before he tried to find the exit. Before he did anything, Nick needed to know what kind of environment he¡¯d stepped into and figure out what he was dealing with. For now, his best bet was to stay put and observe everything as closely as he could. Maybe his newly improved mind could work in concert with his creativity to help him start shifting through the remnants for clues. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Figuring that it was worth a shot, Nick took a deep breath, let his mind go blank, and visualized. Straining his creativity to the limit, he tried to piece together the copious mounds of debris, reconstructing the room into what it had looked like before it was¡­ I¡¯d say it¡¯s a tie between demolished and devastated at this point. To his surprise, it worked, and an image wavered into existence within his mind¡¯s eye. While he couldn¡¯t be certain that his vision was correct, it probably wasn¡¯t too far off the mark. What he pictured was some manner of combined laboratory and office space, with glass partitions dividing the large enclosure into three separate areas. Now that he knew what to look for, he could see where the glass had been mounted to the stone. There were still a few fragments stuck to the rocky walls. He decided to begin his investigation with the offices and turned his attention to them. A pair of enormous desks had sat in opposite corners of the room, surrounded by some manner of furniture and decor, all of which had been smashed to smithereens. Curious about the people who had worked here, he began sifting through the rubble, hoping to uncover their remains. But after a few minutes of fruitless searching, he gave up and moved onto the shared lab space in the middle of the room. Using his visualization as a guide, Nick could make out the pulverized remnants of a double row of sinks and burners, with countertops and shelves running between them. All of it had been crushed so thoroughly that only fragments of their frames remained. Even after poking through the wreckage for a second time, Nick couldn¡¯t figure out what had shattered the walls, floor, most of the ceiling, and everything bigger than a ping pong ball that had once stood between them. The scars in the rocky exteriors didn¡¯t seem to be bullet holes, toolmarks, or the gouges that rampaging beasts left in their wake. Whatever it was had done a remarkably thorough job. The weird thing was, given that it looked like a war had been fought in here, there weren¡¯t any bodies or gore. No skeletons or cadavers, fragmented or otherwise. There wasn¡¯t even any blood. In the end, Nick only learned two things. The first was that this section of the floor appeared to be some manner of industrial or research facility. The second was that whatever had happened here was something that he wanted no part of whatsoever. The force required to carve dozens of feet into raw rock must have been tremendous, vastly more power than he was capable of exerting. Having explored the area and learned what little he could, he was ready to move on and figure out where the closest exit was. When Nick turned to leave, he caught a glint of metal shining from beneath a massive slab that had fallen from the ceiling. When he went to take a closer look, there seemed to be some manner of container embedded within the floor, hidden behind a false panel until the destruction of the chamber had shattered the tile. After bending down to inspect the area for traps, he decided that he had discovered something like a floor safe. A concealed container that had once sat beneath the biggest desk in the room. Maybe it¡¯s the personal stash of whomever worked in this office. There might be something valuable inside. Nick reached into his pack and pulled out his prybar, working the end into a crack that had been formed by the floor shifting. After some straining and pulling, he was able to widen it further, enough to peek inside. Most of the contents had been destroyed by the immense forces that had unmade the room. But in the back, he spotted what appeared to be a length of yellow crystal protruding from a metal base. The whole thing was covered in runes that looked a lot like System writing, with some subtle differences that made it impossible to read. For a moment, he thought that he¡¯d found another ability stone, before deciding that it wasn¡¯t quite the same. Regardless, the gem was probably valuable, and Nick intended to retrieve it. It took a bit of finesse to slide the heavy stone slab a few inches over to one side, far enough that he could fit his hand into the gap to claim the curious object. After sizing it up just in case, Nick reached in and grabbed the crystal-coated device. The instant that his fingers brushed its surface, a voice began to speak. For a moment, he was worried that he had activated some manner of trap or other nasty surprise. But when he listened to the message that was playing, he began to relax. Since it was a voice recording, his Gift of Tongues trait allowed him to understand the meaning of the words. ¡°This personal assistant construct is the registered property of: Kellan, Deputy Director of Waste Disposal. All functions have been locked by a biometric seal. Error: bioseal degradation detected. Function, ¡®review audio logs,¡¯ is no longer sealed. Would you like to play the entry encoded into this location?¡± As far as Nick could tell, he had stumbled upon some manner of alien data device. Perhaps he could figure out what had happened here after all. ¡°Sure, why not?¡± With any luck, I¡¯ll learn something useful about this place. Chapter 10: Kellen’s Log The moment that Nick acknowledged the prompt, the base of the crystal projected a beam of light into the air beside him. To his surprise, it formed a three-dimensional hologram of a tall man wearing a white lab coat with a lanyard around his neck. The detail was exquisite, to the extent that Nick couldn¡¯t tell the person wasn¡¯t actually standing beside him until he passed his hand through the rendering. It was clear at a glance that the man wasn¡¯t human. His skin was yellow, textured like aged parchment. His bright blue eyes were twice the size of Nick¡¯s own, and he had no nose at all. Every crook of his posture screamed ¡°scientist.¡± If it wasn¡¯t for his face, he could have fit in with any college research lab or corporate R&D division back on Earth. Despite the differences in their anatomy, Nick had no trouble reading the man¡¯s expression, a combination of confidence, frustration, and disdain. This dude seems to think pretty highly of himself. An impression that was reinforced when the researcher began to speak. His tone was brisk, and there was anger burning in his eyes. ¡°Video diary, day five-hundred and eleven. While the corpse-gnawers and the garbage-eaters are useful for day-to-day elimination of failed test subjects and other assorted waste, Groff, the head of the Disposal Division, lacks the ambition to deal with our greatest problem with anything remotely approaching elegance or efficiency. The issue with the highest cost in the division by an order of magnitude in resources, energy, and lives. ¡°I am referring, of course, to the occasional class-seven hazard that passes through the floor. Ranging from powerful entities who don¡¯t die when they¡¯re dead, to the radioactive spores that wiped out all of team three before they realized that the microorganisms were eating through their containment suits. But no longer. I am pleased to report that the lack of vision in our department ends today, courtesy of yours truly. ¡°In fact, I¡¯ve figured out a way to end the problem in perpetuity. Best of all, it will cost us nothing that we don¡¯t already have on hand. If we merge the genelines of several omnivorous species developed by the extreme environments division, then forcibly upgrade its tier, we can create a superorganism. A creature that can absorb almost any type of waste, living or otherwise, and regenerate whatever damages it takes in the process. ¡°If Groff doesn¡¯t approve my proposal this time, I¡¯m proceeding to experimental trials on my own initiative. I¡¯ll have it all wrapped up before he realizes I¡¯ve begun. Kestryl will have no choice other than to let me back into R&D on floor seven-hundred nineteen when he witnesses the results. With my proprietary blend of traits added to the mix, the lifeform should be easy enough to control¡­¡± The projection cut off midsentence, prompting an update from the device. ¡°Error. The rest of this log has been corrupted.¡± With that, Kellen¡¯s image flickered and then wavered out of existence, leaving Nick alone in the room once more. Well now, I certainly wasn¡¯t expecting that. More logs might explain what happened on this floor, and offer some clues as to how we can avoid the same fate. I might be able to learn more if I can discover additional areas with encoded entries. With any luck, I can find a way to get past the bioseal and access the rest of the device. It¡¯s bound to have some useful functions. Since it wasn¡¯t a mystery that he was going to solve right now, Nick put the crystal into his belt pouch and left the ruined chamber. He stepped past the threshold and into the hallway beyond, ready to find his friends and start climbing Darkstone Tower. When he made his way out of the decimated enclosure, he found himself standing in a broad hallway, or perhaps tunnel was the better word. The landing around the room¡¯s entrance was badly damaged, although the devastation wasn¡¯t as thorough, and more of the area¡¯s stonework remained intact. Even still, what Nick saw when he stepped into the tunnel was something right out of a war zone. Or maybe a horror flick, given the lighting. Half of the crystal lights lining the ceiling were shattered or missing completely. The rest were flickering like they were on their last legs, casting the rocky tube into a patchwork of ever-shifting shadows. The passage was at least thirty feet wide and twenty feet tall, with a curved ceiling built to withstand the immense pressure of the ground above. Like the room he¡¯d just left, ragged gouges and gaping holes had been torn from the tunnel¡¯s stone surfaces, by something that must have emitted immense force. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. When Nick ran his fingertips across a particularly massive crack in the floor, he felt a strange vibration. Some manner of energy still lingered in the scarred stone after all this time. It resonated with something deep within his energetic core, like there was a greater truth instilled within the devastation. Traces of a power that his abilities shared. This feels different than mana. It must be remnants of a force-related essence. Something similar enough that it¡¯s compatible with my spells. Maybe being on this floor will help me rank them up just by passing through the area. Now that he knew they were there, he had a sense that the motes of essence were gradually flowing into him. Since touching the gouges didn¡¯t seem to speed up the process, he returned his attention to his surroundings. As with the last room, Nick called upon his mind¡¯s eye visualization to figure out what had happened. The longer he looked, the more certain he became that a fierce battle had been fought in this place, a siege if his intuition was correct. The far wall was covered by thousands of scorch marks and impact craters, which seemed to have been caused by some manner of magic or conventional weaponry. The other wall, the one running alongside the room he¡¯d come out of, looked like it had been hit by the same power that had demolished the contents of the chamber. Judging by the direction of the blasts, the people inside the room held off whatever was assaulting them for some time before it breached their defenses and forced its way inside. I still don¡¯t see any blood or remains, and I can¡¯t tell what manner of magic, beast, or machine was able to carve up the bedrock like a leg of lamb. There aren¡¯t any tracks or droppings either. Unable to learn anything more from the panorama of prolific devastation stretching out before his eyes, Nick turned his attention to the layout of the tunnel instead. He thought that there was a slight bend to the passage stretching out in both directions, but he couldn¡¯t be sure given all the rubble and debris obstructing his view. Unidentifiable echoes resounded in the distance, warped and bent as they bounced their way down the ruined halls. It was honestly kind of freaky, but at least they didn¡¯t seem to be headed in his direction. There was another large room next to the one that Nick had been portaled into. When he walked over to the doorway to take a closer look, he saw that the ceiling had completely collapsed, sealing the space behind countless tons of rock. I won¡¯t be exploring that one. Having found nothing hostile in the area, or nothing living for that matter, he started analyzing his surroundings with the goal of picking out a path, trying to decide which way he should go. On guard against enemies from ahead and behind, he began exploring further out, looking for clues that might reveal where he was, what had happened, or the location of the stairs that would lead him out of this floor and into the next. Nick soon discovered that the hall continued in both directions with no end in sight. Figuring that one way was as good as another, at least until he had more information to work with, he continued walking forward with his sword held in front of him, trying not to focus on how creepy this place was. He had enough to worry about without encouraging his imagination to invent more. He didn¡¯t come across any more rooms or passageways after walking for a good ten minutes, revealing that this place was much bigger than he¡¯d expected. Here too, while the scarring to the stonework was extensive, Nick found no traces of blood, bodies, or any organic material. After taking a closer look, he eventually uncovered a metal plate mounted to one wall. On it was a half-destroyed diagram revealing the layout of the level. It seemed that Nick was standing in a circular tunnel that wrapped all the way around the exterior of the facility, assuming that it was still intact. When he saw a small arrow indicating his location, he was finally able to get a sense of the scale of the floor. It was hard to be precise, but he had the impression that the outer ring was dozens of miles long, maybe even hundreds, making the total size of this level mind-bogglingly big. The prospect of exploring it would have been completely overwhelming if the rooms weren¡¯t so spread out. After taking in the details, he discovered that the chambers were arranged in dozens of clusters along the perimeter, with a second ring lying between his position and the middle of the floor. Even still, what had to be thousands of individual chambers bordered both sides of the hall, some even bigger than the one he¡¯d started in. Although, judging by what he¡¯d seen so far, he doubted that more than a fraction of them were still accessible. While this was welcome news, it still left hundreds of rooms to search, spread out across long miles of tunnel. And Nick didn¡¯t have the luxury of taking his time. In addition to the sheer scale of this place, the floor¡¯s rule was an escalating threat. While he had a window to get his bearings and catch his breath, the System was bound to turn up the heat before long. He needed to rejoin his party before that happened, then locate the stairs before the pressure became too great. In short, Nick needed to hurry. The clock was ticking. Friday Concept Art Sterile devistation Alien device If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Kellen Outside the room Chapter 11: A Fork in the Road This place is enormous. I¡¯m never going to find the others if I just search through rooms at random. We could wind up chasing each other¡¯s tails for days without ever bumping into one another. I need a better plan. Eventually, as Nick stared at the floorplan mounted to the wall, an idea came to him. Although part of the map is missing, there seems to be three central tunnels that lead from the outer ring to the middle of the floor, and maybe an inner ring before that point. He couldn¡¯t say for certain, because that part of the plaque had been reduced to molten slag at some point, erasing the diagram it had displayed. But it was the best he could do with the information he had. Staying on the outer ring is a recipe for disaster. The only thing that makes sense is if we all head to the middle and meet up there, if we don¡¯t run into each other along the way. Hopefully, the others will come up with the same idea and we can regroup near the exit. Nick hadn¡¯t traveled with his teammates for long, but he already knew that they were smart people. He trusted that they would come to the same conclusion after discerning the layout of the floor. With the clock ticking, he needed to make it to the center of the basement as quickly as possible. To take the shortest route to the interior. There simply wasn¡¯t time to explore the far side of the level. He couldn¡¯t be sure that the central tunnels were still intact, but since they were his best bet, he would try the one closest to him and hope for the best. But when he took a closer look at the map, Nick saw that he was right in the middle between two central tunnels, stretching out to the perimeter loop like the spokes of a wheel. Since either would work as far as he knew, he took a few final minutes to plan out his route. Set below the map-plate were a pair of arrows, each leading in opposite directions. Fortunately, there was a series of runes engraved beside each. It was the same script used by the System, so Nick was able to read it. One arrow led to an area called ¡®waste disposal,¡¯ while the other would take him to a place labeled ¡®specimen refinement.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t a lot of information to work with, but it was better than nothing. It seemed that he had a decision on his hands after all, since Nick would have to walk one way or the other. But which is my best bet? In the end, he decided to try his luck with specimen refinement. In part because the destruction in that direction seemed moderately less thorough, and in part because after his journey through the sewers of Kastilla, Nick had smelled enough of other people¡¯s garbage to last a lifetime. Before he started walking, he stopped long enough to record the floorplan into his travel journal, glad for the clean lines provided by his new ballpoint pen. When he was done, he realized that he¡¯d just made an exact copy of the map, freehand and without messing up a single stroke. Apparently, the upgrades to his dexterity and mind since the System had entered his life were helping him out in more ways than he¡¯d realized, not to mention his creativity. When Nick found time, he would give drawing some serious practice, even though he¡¯d only had average artistic ability back in his old life. It seemed like a natural way to both train his attributes and improve the quality of his records over time. Not to mention, he could use a hobby that didn¡¯t involve fighting for his life. He took a final look at his map, drew his sword, and started walking. Creepy destroyed research facility, here I come. While he made his way down the debris-filled tunnel, Nick pondered everything that he knew about this floor from his portal vision, combining it with what he could deduce from the map in his hand and what he¡¯d learned from Kellen¡¯s log. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. Given all the laboratory equipment I saw, this place seems more like a high-tech processing plant than any sort of landfill or catacombs. The tower must refine or reuse a lot more waste than it disposes of, and this is one of the floors dedicated to that process. If there are multiple divisions or production lines, then each must specialize in dealing with a different type of substance or end product. While Nick was curious about how everything worked on some level, only a small corner of his awareness was actively pondering the matter. The rest of his brain was concerned with a far more pressing problem. What in the hell reduced half of this place to rubble and how can I stay out of its way? One thing that he hadn¡¯t been able to internalize from looking at the map was the sheer scale of the place. But as he put a mile under his boots, then another and a third, Nick began to understand. This floor was big, far bigger than the version of the tower he¡¯d seen from the surface of planet Drezen. He must have underestimated its diameter even more than he had thought, because he¡¯d already walked for several miles and hadn¡¯t come across any of the inner pathways displayed on the diagram. He did, however, come across another cluster of rooms shortly after. Most of the chambers were huge, and each group continued on for what would have been several blocks of his old neighborhood. Some were empty, save for the remnants of furniture and lab equipment. Many were so destroyed that he couldn¡¯t find a way inside. Even if he had, he wouldn¡¯t have trusted the ceiling not to collapse on top of his head. But every now and then, Nick came across an enclosure that was both stable and only partially wrecked. He hadn¡¯t seen anything interesting in them so far, so after taking a quick look to make sure that his friends weren¡¯t inside, he continued on his way. After passing each intact chamber, he made a mark in charcoal over the door with an N and an arrow, letting his party know which way he was headed if they were following behind him. Two nervous hours later, he found himself standing inside what must have once been a cafeteria. It was large enough to hold a thousand people at once, judging by the long rows of tables, racks for trays along the walls, and a massive kitchen and storage area in the back. Since the lights inside were still working and he needed a change of pace to help break up the tension-laden monotony, Nick decided to spend a few minutes going through the food preparation area, mostly to look for some new tools. But before he made it halfway across the cafeteria, he came to an abrupt stop, ducking behind a bench while freezing every muscle in his body. Because that was when Nick came across his first living creature on the floor. Although, when he took a closer look, he decided that living might not be an accurate description after all, because the entity in question was a clockwork rodent the size of a chihuahua. He had spotted the mechanical critter from a goodly distance away, thanks to the improvements to his vision that had come from raising his mind. It didn¡¯t seem to have spotted him yet, so he pulled out his spyglass to take a closer look, curious despite the tension that had risen to fill the air. He had never seen anything like it. Not back in his old life, or during the various adventures that had followed. The clockwork rodent seemed to be some manner of robot, although it looked far more steampunk than anything modern. It was likely the work of advanced magic at play, given its sophistication and lifelike movements. He needed to call it something, so Nick decided to name the construct a gear-rat, the first term that popped into his head. Its body was formed from a complex brass mechanism. Layers of cogs and springs covered by a coating of something clear and flexible that reminded him of plastic, shining with a faint iridescence beneath the ceiling-crystals¡¯ light. Other than the unusual composition of its constitution, the mechanical creature looked a great deal like a giant rat. It had a wedge-shaped head and a long tail. Delicate paws were attached to each of its four legs, thankfully without the razored claws that most of the beasts Nick had encountered thus far were packing. For a long while, he simply stared at the rat, taking in its movements and features. The construct was amazing to watch, displaying a level of agility and precision that would rival any robot from his old life. He wondered who had made it and for what purpose, along with what its presence foretold. The longer he watched, the more impressed he became. The behavior of the construct made it seem alive, moving exactly the same way that a flesh and blood beast would. When Nick tried sizing it up, the skill informed him that the creature wasn¡¯t particularly dangerous, with one exception, its bite. Getting caught between the critter¡¯s teeth would be bad news, advice that he was only too happy to follow. Of course, while one gear-rat might not pose too much of a threat, facing a swarm would be far more dangerous. And if these mechanical rodents were anything like their flesh and blood cousins, where you saw one rat, there were inevitably more. Chapter 12: Construct After a good five minutes of long-distance surveillance, Nick was ready to leave. Picking up some random cookware wasn¡¯t worth the risk of alerting the construct to his presence. Just before he lowered his spyglass, the gear-rat turned to face him. When he saw what it was holding between its paws, he stopped dead in his tracks and his adrenaline began to flow. Because the little brass beast was in the middle of devouring a wedge of cheddar cheese. The same cheese that Kerry had given him before entering the tower. This observation changed the situation entirely. One of my teammates was here recently. They might still be in the kitchen. It seemed that Nick had a compelling reason to finish exploring the cafeteria after all. He put away his spyglass and drew his sword, debating how he wanted to proceed. He could either take out the gear-rat from a distance, try to sneak past, or get close and see how it reacted. Given size up¡¯s evaluation and the fact that the construct was alone, Nick decided to approach it and see how it responded. He wanted to find out if the machine was hostile and if so, how it fought, before he ran into more of them. With any luck, it would ignore him or run away, like a real rat would. Although Nick doubted that matters would end so simply, considering where he was and the rules of this floor. Regardless, he needed to get past, poke his head into the kitchen to see if his friends were inside, then keep on moving before the escalating threat mentioned in the quest¡¯s description reared its ugly head. With a plan in place, Nick rose to his feet and started walking once more. He decided to pass the construct from a distance of about twenty feet, where he wouldn¡¯t appear overtly threatening. A nice, neutral distance to judge its reaction and learn what its presence foretold. He kept his eyes straight ahead like he wasn¡¯t that interested, although he was ready to defend himself at a moment¡¯s notice. Then he started making his way toward the back of the immense cafeteria. One hundred feet. Fifty. So far, the gear-rat hadn¡¯t responded to his intrusion. It kept on gnawing away at the final bite of yellow cheese in its hands. At twenty-five feet it finally saw him, looking up while freezing in place, perched upon the corner of the table. Nick stopped for a moment so as not to appear threatening. ¡°Hey there, little fellow. No need to stop eating on my account. I¡¯m just going to head on by and check out the room behind you. You have no reason to worry about me.¡± He looked away and kept walking, keeping his movements slow and steady, not getting any closer in the process. For a moment, Nick thought that the gear-rat would let him pass unchallenged. Perhaps it¡¯s not hostile after all. But before he could take another step, matters took a sharp turn for the worse. The clockwork construct shoved the last bit of cheese into its mouth, then turned to look straight at him. It let out a vicious, rattling hiss that reminded him of a gas leak, then sprang from the tabletop, clearing the distance between them in a single bound. The gear-rat was fast. Far swifter than Nick had expected given its size. It streaked straight for his throat with jaws spread wide. Jaws lined with teeth that looked strange in a way he didn¡¯t have time to contemplate right now. Fortunately, this move was something that he¡¯d planned for, and with a body bolstered by fifteen points of dexterity, Nick moved faster still. It looks like we¡¯re not going to be friends after all. He took aim and then swung his sword, bringing the blade whipping through the air fast enough to coax a dull roar. Having been prepared for this eventuality, his aim was true. He caught the clockwork creature in the torso with the end of his weapon. There was a considerable impact, as the brass beast was quite heavy for its size. The gear-rat went flying back, skidding along the tiles before slamming into the leg of a table with a metallic thud. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. Surprisingly, while the construct had taken some damage from the attack, his sword hadn¡¯t been able to cut all the way through. The blade had, however, penetrated the rat¡¯s clear skin and carved into a row of the gears bound inside, stripping the mobility from two of its legs. The machine turned to face Nick and started dragging itself forward, fury smoldering in its beady brass eyes. It¡¯s tougher than I expected, but that wasn¡¯t too bad. He walked over and raised one foot high into the air, then feinted with his sword. When the rat turned to snap at the blade, he brought his boot down hard, with the full weight of his body behind it. There was an incredible crunch as the gearwork was forced out of alignment, and several big cogs warped beneath the force of the blow. He must have destroyed something important, because the gear-rat let out a final screech and then went still. Nick was about to bend down and examine the body, hoping to learn more about this strange new type of opponent. But before he got the chance, the construct¡¯s remains started glowing, and then vanished with a pop of displaced air. ¡°That¡¯s new,¡± he shrugged and kept moving. He was eager to explore the room and then get out as fast as he could, in case the rat¡¯s friends had heard the noise and were coming to investigate. He made his way past another twenty rows of tables before reaching the opposite side of the cafeteria. Running along its length was a half-wall, which had once held tray racks and serving bins, judging by the intact portions. Rather than looking for a way around the counter, he leapt over the barrier, then stepped into the food prep area beyond. The kitchen was huge and stocked with enough equipment to feed an army, or at least it had been before disaster had descended upon this floor. Here too, not a trace of organic material remained. Nick strongly suspected that the gear-rats were responsible for this occurrence, solving the first item in his long list of questions. However, the damage wasn¡¯t limited to the wooden implements. Most of the metal tools had been eaten too. The knives and pots he found were reduced to scrap metal, with tiny tooth marks running along the intact edges. These guys take the word omnivorous to a whole new level. I hope they didn¡¯t already eat everything valuable down here. He picked up his pace and surveyed the area, finding no sign of his party or any indication that they had been in this part of the room. When he stuck his head into two adjoining chambers, which appeared to have been a freezer and dry goods storage area, nothing but rubble-studded ruin met his gaze. His friends weren¡¯t inside and there wasn¡¯t anything useful in there either. But he didn¡¯t strike out completely. When he turned to leave, Nick spotted a butcher¡¯s knife resting on top of an intact piece of ductwork, out of sight from the gear-rats crossing the floor below. He stopped to put the blade in his pack, along with what appeared to be a vegetable peeler, before making a hasty exit. When Nick was about to step into the hallway, he heard a high-pitched squeal coming from near his boots. Afraid of what he would find, he leapt back and looked down at the floor¡­ just as two more gear-rats scampered through the door. After stopping to look straight at him, they attacked without hesitation. One went streaking for his legs in a surging rush, while the other leapt straight for his face. Before the airborne rat could sink its teeth into him, Nick felt a sudden impulse to raise his left arm. A sensation that he recognized as coming from his skills, one that he¡¯d never used before. A certainty that using his shield now was the best thing to do. Giving into the urge, Nick sent his intentions into his vambrace and began moving his arm, the magic shield fanning out to its full size in the blink of an eye. He let go of his sword with his left hand and let loose a powerful backhand, catching the rat with the center of his shield and sending it soaring back. Before he could finish it off, the second gear-rat arrived at his feet. It made a short hop, landed on his jacket, and started to climb, heading for his exposed throat, nose, and eyes. Nick had already experienced something similar once before. Back in the arena, a wasp had landed on his chest and clamped on tight, nearly claiming his life in the process. Since then, he had come up with several contingencies for dealing with clinging enemies, one of which would work now. He opened the front of his jacket with his left hand, pulling the leather away from his body. He judged the timing and then struck the inside with the hilt of his sword. His blow caught the climbing critter square in the belly. The impact broke its grip and sent it flying, screaming its outrage all the while. That was the moment when Nick felt pain erupt along the heel of his right foot. Along a swath of skin that should have been protected by his steel-plate-lined boots. He looked down and leapt back, taking in the sight of a clockwork rodent swallowing a mouthful of leather, steel, and flesh, chewing through the metal as if it were no thicker than ice cream. Chapter 13: Bite Apparently, the constructs¡¯ bites were even more dangerous than he¡¯d realized, even if their bodies were weak. He was lucky that it hadn¡¯t been worse. The wound hurt like hell, but it wasn¡¯t deep enough to impede his movement. It shouldn¡¯t pose a problem, but the damage to his boot was another matter. Nick¡¯s boots were only common items. While they were durable, they didn¡¯t feature the self-maintenance modification that his best gear had. They wouldn¡¯t repair themselves over time, and he would be in trouble if they fell apart before he found a replacement. The last thing he wanted was to explore an alien industrial facility with bare feet. Even more concerning, if the constructs could bite through the steel plates in his boots, there was a good chance that they could tear through the leather of his jacket too. It meant that when facing these mechanical menaces, Nick was effectively unarmored. I need to end the fight without letting them get close. By now, the first gear-rat, the one he¡¯d sent flying with a smack from his buckler, had recovered from the blow. The tiny brass gears behind its plastic skin were turning faster than before, conveying a sense of irritation as they churned. The construct came skittering back in his direction, eager to repay the affront in kind. But Nick had already conjured a mana dart and taken aim, planning to finish the fight at range so that he wasn¡¯t bitten again. The spell¡¯s description had mentioned that it was effective versus magical constructs, and this was a perfect opportunity to test out the truth of that claim. He resisted the urge to fire it off right away. Since his opponents were agile, he needed to create an opening so that the rat couldn¡¯t avoid the spell. He threw a kick as a feint, forcing the critter to dodge to one side. Then he visualized his trajectory and let loose. The rat¡¯s hasty move placed it directly into the line of fire as Nick sent his dart streaking forward. The construct saw the magical missile coming at the last possible moment. Its little brass feet tried to scamper out of the way, but it was already too late. The radiant dart struck the gear-rat broadside and sank into its torso, discharging its pure mana in a flash of silver light. It was the first time that Nick had used his spell since it had gone up two ranks. He was hoping that the dart would be powerful enough to score a kill by itself, which it hadn¡¯t been able to do until now. He broke into a broad grin when he saw what happened next, because his newly upgraded spell exceeded his expectations. After absorbing his mana, the vicious little machine spasmed and then went still, the life fading from its eyes. And that wasn¡¯t all. Not only had the dart killed the rat in one shot, it had another effect that he hadn¡¯t been expecting. This time, instead of vanishing, the corpse remained where it lay. It was the first time that Nick had slain an enemy with his darts alone, but he didn¡¯t have time to celebrate or ponder the presence of the remains. Not with the other gear-rat coming straight for him. By this point, he could cast quite a few darts without running out of mana, so he ran back to open some space, recast the spell, and repeated the process. The construct must have learned from what had happened to its companion. Because this time, the gear-rat was able to leap out of the way despite his feint, having clearly predicted the blow. It was not, however, able to dodge the thrust of his sword that followed. The weapon skewered it cleanly, piercing the rat straight through the middle before emerging out the other side. The body disappeared with a pop a few heartbeats later, leaving him alone in the room once more. Nick took off his boot and bandaged his ankle, frowning as he poked his finger through the hole. He plugged it with a strip of leather, wiped off the blood, and put his boot back on. Before he kept moving, there was just one thing left to do, collect the construct¡¯s body so he could study it later. He sized up the remains to make sure that they were safe, then he picked them up and put them in his bag. After making sure that he wasn¡¯t trailing any blood behind him, he got out of there as fast as he could, afraid that the sound of his fight would draw more trouble to his location. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. His intuition was spot on, but it was already too late. The instant that Nick set foot into the hallway, he heard a chorus of squeals, accompanied by the patter of brass feet clicking against the stone floor below. He turned toward the noise, taking in the sight of another five gear-rats approaching, coming from the direction that he had already explored. ¡°Shit.¡± While each construct wasn¡¯t too dangerous on its own, fighting five at once seemed like bad news, especially since his last battle had led fresh enemies to his location. This must be the escalating threat the System mentioned. Staying in the same place for long will end badly for me. Since his goal was to find his friends and climb the tower, not fight every inhabitant of the massive floor, Nick turned in the other direction and started to run. He figured that discretion was the better part of valor, at least in this instance. He sprinted down the stone tunnel as fast as he could, leaping over debris and swerving around the copious mounds of rubble as his heart pounded in his chest. He spent the next ten minutes doing his best to lose the rat-pack that was following hot on his heels, before they drew more trouble to his door.
Nick ran down the ruined passageway. The rap of boot leather striking stone accompanied the racing of his pulse and the adrenaline singing in his veins. Behind him skittered seven of the clockwork rats, two more having joined the pack sometime over the last few minutes. The rhythm of their paws tapping against the floor echoed down the tunnel as the constructs continued their relentless pursuit. Sweat poured down his body and every step sent a jolt of pain radiating throughout his wounded ankle, but at least the bleeding had stopped. Otherwise, he would have left a clear trail behind him, making it impossible to get away from his mechanical assailants. He needed to open some distance and then find somewhere to hide. But nothing promising had appeared in the direction he was running. While it was a moderately stressful situation, he wasn¡¯t in any real danger yet. The gear-rats were fast and showed no sign of tiring out. But Nick was faster and had enough endurance to sprint for hours, thanks to his heavy investment into toughness. He should be able to evade them eventually, unless the pack cornered him, or another group arrived from a different direction. Hopefully, he would make it to an intersection or another cluster of rooms before long. But for now, he only had one option. Keep on running down the half-lit tunnel and hope that no new threats appeared. While he had to keep part of his attention on outpacing the gear-rats, Nick couldn¡¯t afford to ignore his surroundings. Not unless he wanted to be driven into a trap or walk into an ambush. Not to mention the possibility of tripping over a random piece of rubble and falling flat on his face. It looks like I¡¯m approaching another row of chambers. It seems to be a series of small offices this time. As he ran along the battle-scarred tunnel, he noted any rooms that looked intact, in case he wanted to come back and explore them later. But what he was really looking for was somewhere to hide. As far as he could tell, the gear-rats¡¯ senses weren¡¯t particularly sharp, other than their hearing. A detail that could offer him a way out of this mess. Nick had practiced evading creatures with keen ears back on the Searing Isle, during his weeklong struggle with the ferocious bonecruncher pack. He knew how to keep quiet, and he knew how to hide. He just needed to open some distance and get out of sight of his assailants. He''d already run past two chamber clusters without spotting anything more promising than an occasional empty room. The problem with hiding in one of those was, if he was wrong about the means the rats used to track him, he¡¯d wind up trapped inside with the only entrance blocked. The last thing that Nick needed was to be besieged by a swarm. Surrounded as more and more constructs arrived on scene, wearing him down until they broke past his guard. In addition to the danger of being overwhelmed, he couldn¡¯t afford to waste that much time. He needed to find his friends fast and then keep on moving, before whatever had blown this place to hell and beyond wound up crossing his path. He was already dead certain that the floor was home to something far worse than the rat pack, and facing it alone was a losing proposition. On a brighter note, Nick had gained some ground while pondering his situation. By now, the swarm was far enough back that he could barely see or hear them. He could break line of sight anytime that he wanted if he pressed his body into a brief burst of speed. He counted the doors as he flew past, comparing their layout with the map in his head. The next set of rooms was coming up fast. If Nick had been tracking his location correctly, he should be drawing near what he¡¯d been waiting for. A few steps later, finally saw it. After maneuvering around a tall chunk of debris, he was certain that he¡¯d come across a chance to escape at last. Friday Concept Art Basement tunnels Ruined cafeteria Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. Gear rats Chapter 14: Escape A hundred feet ahead was an intersection, where a tunnel leading deeper into the interior crossed the ring running along the outside of the floor. Better still, there were some massive pieces of rubble scattered across the junction, including a big rock that went up almost all the way up to the ceiling. There were two directions for Nick to flee, in addition to the nearby rooms. But he had something else in mind rather than picking a path and sprinting like mad. A way to use this opportunity to lose the swarm completely. He burned some stamina to put on more speed and widen his lead. The moment that he broke line of sight with his pursuers he got ready to jump, preparing to implement the plan that he¡¯d concocted. The intersection was coming up fast, so Nick summoned his artic clarity to enhance his concentration, activated force acceleration long enough to launch himself into the air, then immediately turned it off again. Thus far, he¡¯d only had limited success in controlling the ability. There was just too much power for him to handle without being able to regulate its output. But the recent increases to his toughness kept him from damaging his own legs too badly, and this time, he¡¯d judged the distance just right. Nick went sailing through the air, almost crashing into the roof before arcing back down. As the big rock grew to fill the entirety of his gaze, he reached out and grabbed the top, hanging below a gap running between the fallen stone and the ceiling. He held on tight, caught his weight, and then scrambled inside, twisting a bit to slide his pack through the narrow opening. As soon as he was out of sight, he froze in place and became as quiet as he could, keeping his breathing slow and steady. He couldn¡¯t do anything about his racing heart, which made him thankful for his charm of muffling. The magic bangle would help him remain hidden from his sharp-eared pursuers, reducing the sound produced by his internal organs. Nick turned his head so that he could see through the crack, careful not to brush against the stone in the process. He was ready to launch himself back into the tunnel if he had to, but he was praying that his ruse would work. That the constructs would keep on running until they were past his position. A few seconds later, he could see the gear-rats approaching. The swarm was coming straight for the intersection at a rapid rate, little brass bodies streaking down the tunnel as they spread out to cast a wider net. A fresh surge of adrenaline poured into his veins when half of the constructs slowed their pace instead of sprinting past. Please don¡¯t let them have a sense of smell, or some magical means of detecting my presence. If they did, Nick was going to have to fight them after all, then get out fast before more arrived on scene. It would be a risky venture, as his powers weren¡¯t well suited to taking on multiple small opponents, and the constructs¡¯ bites could shear through his armor with ease. The rat pack began investigating the various pieces of rubble spread out along the crossroads, looking behind, below, and on top of each before moving to the next. A few tried to climb the one that he was hiding on. But they soon gave up. It was too sheer to scale, and they hadn¡¯t seen him jump up there. The swarm came back together a few minutes later, letting out metallic squeaks as they took turns reporting their findings to one another. To his immense relief, they dispersed a few minutes later, some rats going down each passage while the rest started scouting out the closest rooms. Nick wasn¡¯t coming down until he knew that they were gone, so he decided to break for lunch while pondering what he¡¯d seen. Ever so slowly, he unfastened the clasp on his backpack and reached one arm inside, pulling out a few provisions from the dimensional storage device. They don¡¯t seem to be alive, but they¡¯re clearly intelligent. Whether they are individually aware or exist as part of a collective isn¡¯t obvious yet. At least they don¡¯t seem to be able to communicate with each other over distances, or they would have surrounded me before I made it this far. While their bodies are machines as far as I can tell, I saw one eating cheese and I haven¡¯t found anything on this floor that¡¯s organic. The swarm must have devoured it all. There has to be a reason for that behavior. Maybe they¡¯re connected to the waste disposal aspect of this facility. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. During his analysis, Nick ate some smoked meat for a post-running-away snack, savoring the flavor as he restored the calories he¡¯d consumed while fleeing for his life. The gear-rats don¡¯t seem all that powerful alone or in small groups. That being said, they are pretty agile and surprisingly durable. Given the power of their bites, getting swarmed would end my day in the worst possible way. An outcome that will become more likely the longer we¡¯re here. There could be hundreds or even thousands of the clockwork critters down here with us, so running isn¡¯t the best strategy either. I got the feeling that they could have kept chasing me for hours. Even taking all that together, it feels like I¡¯m missing something important. I¡¯m not sure how they tie into the floor¡¯s rule of escalating threat, other than sheer numbers. But I have a hunch that I¡¯ll find out sooner rather than later. When Nick was done with his meal, he took a swig from his canteen, then moved on to the next item on his agenda, checking out his profile to see if he¡¯d made any gains. The only thing of interest was a stack of skill-up notifications, which he absorbed at a glance before closing his menu. Through use, you have improved the following skills: Sword has increased from [7] to [8]. Evasion has increased from [7] to [8]. Light shield has increased from [0] to [1]. Nick had already known that he¡¯d finally managed to improve his light shield skill. The System always awarded that initial point the first time that he followed a new skill¡¯s guidance, and he¡¯d felt it kick in during the battle a few hours prior. It was nice to see that his other skills were rising too, since both were critical to his performance in melee. He was certain that he¡¯d be using all three of them again before long. He hadn¡¯t received enough experience to level again just yet. But he¡¯d only taken out three of the gear-rats so far and had just hit level fifteen when he¡¯d entered the tower. Hopefully, the next fight will do it. Nick slid his body toward the edge of the rock, moving as slowly as he could. When his head was over the ledge, he took a long look in every direction, then moved to the opposite side to repeat the process. By now, most of the constructs had left the nearby rooms and disappeared down the nexus of tunnels. But the scampering noises reaching his ears told him that there were still one or two left, so he stayed put while his stamina and mana gradually recovered. He spent a few minutes replaying the last fight in his head, learning everything that he could from the experience. When he was done, he used the information to revise his tactics, including a few new plans for various contingencies. The next thing that Nick wanted to do was check out the machine that he¡¯d taken out with a mana dart. It was the only corpse that hadn¡¯t disappeared after the gear-rat was killed, or perhaps disabled was the better word. It must have something to do with completely draining their mana. They must rely on it to vanish like that. I wonder where they went and what purpose it serves. Curious to learn more about these strange new opponents, he took the body out of his bag for a closer look. This was the first time that Nick had encountered what had to be a magical construct, although he¡¯d seen the System use the term several times by now. He knew that the rat was inert, since the bag wouldn¡¯t have accepted it otherwise, so holding it should be safe enough. But he wasn¡¯t taking that for granted. The instant that the remains appeared from his pack, he set them down and sized them up again. The skill seemed to think that they were safe enough too, so Nick held the brass body up to his face, eager to see what he was dealing with. The gear-rat was heavy for its size, which wasn¡¯t surprising considering all the metal inside. Its plastic coating was smooth, supple, and incredibly durable given its thickness. Fascinated by the intricate clockwork, Nick began tugging on the limbs to watch the gears articulate, amazed by their precision and complexity. Something like this would have been worth a fortune back home. The construct¡¯s body was far more malleable than he¡¯d expected. It felt like a fresh corpse rather than a rigid machine. The device¡¯s construction was amazing to behold, a brand-new type of magic-machine hybrid, unlike any technology he¡¯d seen before. Thousands of delicate springs, gears, and components that he didn¡¯t have the words to describe came together to create a lifelike critter, completely made of clockwork. Maybe someone can use this design for inspiration when I get back to Earth. I should keep at least one. After poking and prodding for a good ten minutes, Nick carefully pried the rat¡¯s mouth open to get a better look at the teeth that could chop through steel plates with ease. To his surprise, they didn¡¯t look all that sharp. When he put a piece of scrap between its jaws and pressed them shut, they didn¡¯t penetrate the metal at all. The rats must use some kind of magic to enhance their chomp, but why do they eat at all? There¡¯s no opening for waste to come out. I wonder where it all goes. He used his arena dagger to cut through the plastic encasing the rodent¡¯s belly, then pushed his fingers inside. There didn¡¯t appear to be a stomach or anything analogous in their torso at all. Maybe it¡¯s broken down into fuel or transported to wherever the bodies do when they vanish. Weird. Chapter 15: Specimen Refinement Since he hadn¡¯t been able to learn much except that the constructs needed mana to perform a variety of functions, Nick put the body back into his bag. He intended to collect more if the opportunity presented itself, as he had a hunch that they¡¯d eventually prove to be valuable in one way or another. While he waited to make sure that the rats were really gone, he spent the next few minutes wondering how the rest of his team was doing. He wasn¡¯t too afraid for Veronica, Sophia, or Devin, based on what he¡¯d seen so far. While it was by no means safe on this floor, he knew that they could handle themselves. Nick was, however, quite worried about Kenji. He wasn¡¯t completely sure that the strategist had made it into the tower, or that the System would heal a missing arm even if he had. Maybe it just sealed the wound but didn¡¯t regrow it. Even someone as capable as Kenji could run into trouble down here if he was short a limb. While it was cause for concern, there wasn¡¯t anything that Nick could do about it now. His only option was to make it to the middle of the floor as fast as possible and hope the others were waiting for him. Since this was the safest place that he¡¯d come across so far, and he wasn¡¯t certain that the coast was clear, Nick decided to take a quick powernap. He had learned by now that you needed to rest whenever you could, since you never knew when you would get another chance. He strung his alarm lines along the perimeter of the platform, those shell-studded vines he¡¯d crafted back in the tutorial. They were a crude tool by any reckoning, but they should work well enough here. He woke up feeling remarkably refreshed. He had no way of telling time down here. But at his best guess, about an hour had passed, judging by how long he¡¯d been awake. Since this had proven to be a safe hiding spot, he¡¯d keep an eye out for anything similar going forward and sleep whenever he found a suitable shelter; concealed places where the gear-rats couldn¡¯t reach him. After wiping the crust from the corners of his eyes, Nick crawled over to the edge of the rock, put away his alarms, and took a long look around. After finding no sign that the rats were still in the area, he slid out of the crevasse and leapt lightly to the ground. When he landed, he realized what he¡¯d done, shaking his head in wonder that an eighteen-foot drop no longer felt threatening to him in the least. He poked his head into the closest rooms, to make sure that nothing was hiding within, waiting for him to reveal his presence. To his relief, he didn¡¯t see any more of the clockwork critters nearby, or anything else for that matter. Nick continued on his way, glad to have been granted a chance to recover from his fight and subsequent escape. After checking a final time to make sure that the passage was free of killer machines, he turned and entered the branching tunnel. At last, he was heading toward the center of the floor where, with any luck, he would find his friends healthy and whole. He kept his sword drawn as he proceeded and was ready to reach for his wand at a moment¡¯s notice. He was certain that whatever awaited him ahead would be considerably more dangerous than the rats he¡¯d left behind. Nick knew by now that neither Taltos nor the System would let him leave this place without a fight. He began putting the miles beneath his boots, keeping an eye out for more gear-rats as he went. Not to mention traps, whatever had destroyed the walls, and anything else that wanted to kill him. He kept up a brisk pace while moving as silently as he could. All that stealth training back on the Searing Isle and Blackmist Bog is really paying off now. This tunnel was a bit smaller than the one circling the level, and its surfaces were in considerably better shape. Whatever disaster had occurred within these halls hadn¡¯t been as bad in this area, although he could still sense lingering traces of a force-related essence residing within the scarred stonework. Since there wasn¡¯t as much rubble to navigate or places for enemies to be lying in ambush, he made remarkably good time over the next few hours. Nick widened his stride and walked for a good ten miles without coming across the next landmark on his route, a circular path that ran closer to the tower¡¯s core. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Apparently, the floor was even bigger than he¡¯d thought. The inner ring was separated from the outer loop by what had to be twenty miles of bedrock or more. It made the word ¡®floor¡¯ feel inadequate, since this underground facility was easily the size of a major metropolitan city. At least there was solid stone rather than open air running between the blocks, or exploring the tower¡¯s basement would have been completely overwhelming. Although he kept most of his attention on his surroundings, there was plenty of time to think, giving Nick a chance to reflect on what he had experienced so far, and how he wanted to proceed. With any luck, he was following the same path that part of his team had taken, whoever had been eating cheese back in the cafeteria. Given the sheer scale of the place and the long stretches of passageway running between the room clusters, it felt like Nick was delving into an underground realm than exploring the basement of Darkstone Tower. Although he knew from his vision that the true tower encompassed far more space than the physical tower he¡¯d seen back on planet Drezen. Eventually, he came across another block of chambers, which were smaller than the rooms running along the outer rim. More of their interiors were intact, and before long he started passing by places that were far more interesting than the empty rooms and collapsed enclosures he¡¯d seen so far. There was a long series of what had once been dormitories, housing the skeletal remains of bunkbeds and storage trunks. Set along the opposite side of the tunnel was a row of private suites. If Nick had to guess, he¡¯d wager that this section was the living quarters for the people who had staffed the facility, including nicer rooms for the individuals in charge. Some of the doors were still functional, and the items in those chambers were still intact, which made this a perfect spot to rest for the night. Maybe I¡¯ll come across my team sometime soon. When he poked his head into the next furnished suite, Nick broke into a broad grin. He could see the charcoaled remains of a fire in the hearth, and the faint scent of smoke still lingered in the air. One of his friends had been here sometime within the last few hours. With any luck, he would catch up with them before much longer. Since he had reason to hurry and there wasn¡¯t anything in here that seemed valuable, he didn¡¯t linger for long. They probably picked up the best stuff already. After a quick survey of the adjoining area, which had once been filled with showers, sinks, and the decaying remnants of exercise equipment, he continued on his way with a spring in his step, optimistic that his solo arc was coming to an end. Not long after, Nick came across a large room set apart from the rest, with decorative carvings adorning its exterior. He almost walked past it, since the entrance was covered in debris, but then he saw that System writing was engraved across the top of the doorway. When he wiped it clean, he could make out the runes, which read, ¡°Director of Specimen Refinement.¡± It was the most promising place that he¡¯d seen so far. Figuring that this was a good chance to learn more about this floor and possibly pick up something valuable along the way, he decided to take a quick look inside before moving past. He squeezed between the rubble piled outside, slid through the doorway, and entered the enclosure beyond. Nick found himself looking at what had once been a swank office. The walls were covered in hand painted tiles, although most of them were smashed. The floor had once featured a rich blue carpet. However, the rats had eaten it away, leaving only a few scattered patches behind. Some of the furniture was still standing, likely because it was made of stone, one of the few materials that the constructs wouldn¡¯t touch. There were the remains of a smaller desk for what looked like a personal assistant, a waiting area, and the skeleton of a larger desk in the back. Behind them were several objects mounted to the wall on racks, set too high for the swarm to reach. Nick was curious and wanted to check everything out. But he forced himself to remain perfectly still and size up the room first. Which wound up being a lucky break, since he got a ping of danger in response. It was a good thing that he had chosen to exercise caution and use the skill, because he caught sight of a pair of gear-rats a few seconds later, who were busy harvesting the last bits of carpet. The disaster might be more recent than I thought. They haven¡¯t eaten everything yet. So far, the mechanical critters had proven to be extremely sensitive to sound, but they hadn¡¯t reacted to mana in the air, unlike many of the beasts he had fought. Nick nodded to himself at the sight, not discouraged in the least. After all, it was a perfect chance to experiment and learn more about the magical constructs while there were only a few around. He¡¯d already identified a good hiding place a mile or so back. If he drew too much attention, he would just sprint away at top speed and use it to lose the swarm. Now it was time to pick up some experience, construct remains, and gain a bit of knowledge in the process. Mana dart. Nick concentrated and conjured a pair of metallic missiles. They shimmered into existence and went whirling around his head, waiting for him to pick his target and give the order to fire. He took a moment to appreciate how much bigger and more menacing the spells looked after their latest upgrade, then settled down to wait. Chapter 16: Samples The first test that Nick wanted to run was simple. He merely stood in place for the next five minutes, hidden behind the half-closed doorway, waiting to see if the constructs reacted to his spells. To his relief, they showed no sign of noticing the mana he¡¯d spent and just kept gnawing away at the floor. The second was a live test of his spell¡¯s speed and precision. In addition to their newfound potency, he had gradually been gaining more control over his darts as he practiced using them and increased his magic attribute. By now, he was capable of guiding two at once with a high degree of accuracy. He waited until the rats were facing away from him and were focused on their meal. Then he visualized his trajectory and fired both darts at once. Each magical missile went streaking toward its target, hitting them at almost the same moment. As Nick had been hoping, neither of the rats could sense the spell coming. When the silvery blades sank into their little brass bodies, the constructs spasmed and fell lifeless to the ground, dropping dead only a few seconds after the dart hit them. He waited in the hall until he was sure that they hadn¡¯t sent out some manner of alert, then walked into the room. He put both bodies into his pack, made a quick survey of the waiting area, then stepped inside the executive office. He was confident that if there was anything good left in this place, then this was where he would find it. The moment that Nick crossed the threshold, he heard a faint beep. It was somewhere close to his body, and it made him jump, afraid that he had missed a rat, or that something else was lurking nearby. His heart began to race, and his adrenaline started to flow. He raised his blade and dropped into a combat stance before realizing that the noise had originated from his belt pouch. The same pouch holding the crystal device that he¡¯d found earlier. Chuckling at the jump scare and curious as to what was going on, he took out the rune-covered crystal and held it in front of his face. When he did, a soft voice spoke into his ear. An area-specific log has been detected. Would you like to play it now? ¡°Yes,¡± Nick replied, unsure if the crystal could understand his words or was responding to his intentions, the same way that the System¡¯s displays did. A few seconds later, the figure of Kellen the researcher wavered into existence beside him. The man appeared even more frustrated in this recording than in the last, letting out a long sigh before speaking. ¡°I met with Grebble today, hoping to drum up support for my visionary new project, an artificial lifeform that I have designated ¡®the Janitor.¡¯ Since the man oversees specimen refinement and is intimately familiar with the need to process dangerous waste more effectively, I was hoping to obtain a sample of the mobile dissemblers¡¯ geneline to use as a template for my prototype. ¡°But the short-sighted desk-jockey shot me down within seconds, then locked me out of the database and threatened to have my position terminated. Apparently, Vera has been spreading rumors that I¡¯m breaking protocol and proceeding to experimentation on my own initiative. ¡°Which I am, but there¡¯s no way that she knows it yet at this stage, jealous fools the lot of them. Fortunately, I was able to break into the network last night and copy the relevant files. Even without a material sample of the swarm¡¯s geneline, studying the fruits of Grebble¡¯s labor may lead to breakthroughs in my own endeavor.¡± At this point, the image wavered. When it snapped back into focus, Kellen was wearing a different undershirt and seemed more composed. Nick had the sense that this portion had been recorded at an earlier date, judging from the lack of tension in the researcher¡¯s posture. ¡°Observational notes on the mobile disassembly network used by the Specimen Refinement Division. These clockwork constructs work in tandem with the insect colony bred by waste disposal. While the bugs deal with eliminating various substances in massive quantities, the constructs are specialized in refining more resilient or problematic materials, especially those contaminated by the countless experiments taking place throughout the tower. ¡°The dissemblers come in three core varieties, the most numerous by far being the rodent-shaped model, known colloquially as corpse-eaters. Their teeth are coated in a layer of spacial magic that disrupts the bonds between almost any organic substance, as well as a variety of metals and minerals, making them ideal for refining unusually durable specimens. Stolen novel; please report. ¡°Since most of these materials still have value, once they are broken down, they are sent to the main refinery on floor seven-thousand nineteen. Inside each corpse-eater¡¯s torso is a micro portal leading to a pocket dimension where the entity that controls the swarm resides. In addition to collecting the materials they gather, it can teleport the entire construct after receiving critical damage, retrieving both the body and the data related to its destruction, as well as anything else it observed while active. ¡°The central controller allocates a portion of these materials to restore the swarm to its ideal number whenever a construct is lost. Based on the data it retrieves, the controller can introduce changes in their design as needed, granting the swarm the flexibility to deal with specific problems or unusual varieties of waste. The corpse-eaters aren¡¯t too strong individually, but they don¡¯t need to be to get the job done, since ninety-four percent of their food is already dead. ¡°In over three hundred years of operation, only two tier-one species have proven unable to be dissembled, samples of which are stored in Grebble¡¯s office. I plan to acquire a piece of each through subterfuge, since reason has yet to yield results and they might prove useful to my research. One is a predator with crystalline bones that somehow repel the dissemblers¡¯ spacial magic, and the other is a type of ivory that produces a field of energy that disrupts their internal mechanisms. ¡°In addition to the basic model, the construct swarm features pacifications units. They are designed to deal with specimens that aren¡¯t as dead as they were supposed to be on entering this floor. The third model is the protectors, which shield the swarm from threats capable of eliminating large numbers of corpse-eaters at once. While I can appreciate the time and resourcefulness that went into their creation, my project will render the entire disassembly line obsolete, freeing up considerable resources and energy for other projects.¡± When the image of the researcher vanished, Nick turned and took another long look at the items mounted on the wall. They must be the samples that Kellen was talking about. One looked like a femur big enough that it could have belonged to a horse or cow, and the other appeared to be a horn. The bone was made of a green crystalline substance and the horn was a deep crimson hue. After sizing them up to make sure they weren¡¯t dangerous to touch, Nick put both objects into his pack, figuring that if they were unusual enough for the researchers to keep, they might be valuable or have some other use. He took a quick lap around the rest of the room. After spotting nothing else of interest, Nick slipped back out through the gap in the door and continued walking down the tunnel. It seems like those gear-rats, the ones he called corpse-eaters, are designed to devour the remains of various creatures. The tower must be conducting experiments with living beings on some of the other floors. The rats are part of the disposal system that takes care of the waste. The swarm must have gone haywire when the basement was attacked, since they¡¯re eating anything they can find now, including the facility itself. If they normally dispose of corpses, it explains why the rats are relatively weak. Although that bite sounds worse and worse the more that I learn about it. The pacification models seem like bad news. If I run into any, I should probably avoid them rather than fighting. Most worrisome of all, it sounds like the swarm can adapt to various threats after losing too many members. They will become progressively more dangerous the longer I¡¯m down here and the more that I¡¯m forced to kill. It¡¯s consistent with the escalating threat rule. While he pondered the matter, Nick made his way down more miles of tunnel. He moved slower and searched more thoroughly now that he knew he was in the vicinity of at least one member of his team. Just as he was considering camping for the night, he came across a second four-way intersection. A place where a passage that must be part of an inner ring connected with the tunnel leading toward the center of the floor. When he stopped to take a closer look, adrenaline started seeping into his bloodstream and his heart began to pound. Because splattered here and there across the floor was blood, and it looked like it was only a few hours old. One of his friends had been attacked in this spot and it seemed that they were hurt. While there wasn¡¯t enough blood to indicate a critical wound, it was still far too much for comfort. Nick forced himself to take a deep breath and tried to calm down. None of his friends were weak or strangers to combat, and he knew that they could hold their own in a fight. It was still unpleasant to imagine that they were in danger when he wasn¡¯t there to help, but it was the reality of his new life as part of the System. Nick had done his fair share of bleeding over the last few months, and he was sure to be wounded again sooner rather than later. Thus, rather than worrying about matters he couldn¡¯t control, he turned his attention to what he could do right now. After studying the splatter pattern, he realized that trail was leading further down the passage he¡¯d been following. Heading toward the middle of the floor, rather than turning down this ring. Nick broke into a sprint, hoping that his allies were alright, but afraid that they were still in trouble. Fifteen minutes later, his fears were realized, because he could hear the clamor of battle echoing up from ahead. He pressed his body into a burst of speed, praying that he would make it in time. Friday Concept Art Just some setting art this week, next week will have a lot more variety The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Chapter 17: Warrior Rogue Nick sprinted down the tunnel, his pounding pulse accompanying the slap of his boots striking the rocky floor below. He fought down the urge to burn stamina along the way, so that he would be ready to leap into the fight at full power the moment that he arrived. He wasn¡¯t sure what he would find when he caught up to the action, but he suspected that he was in for a challenging fight. His companions were all capable warriors. Anything that gave them trouble would represent a serious threat. At least the blood splatters he followed were few and far between. Hopefully, it meant that their injuries weren¡¯t too severe. As he ran, Nick prepared himself for multiple contingencies. From a massive swarm of gear-rats to whatever had destroyed most of the floor, and everything in between. While he was worried about his friends, it wasn¡¯t all bad news. He had full charges in his wand, his elixir was ready to use, and he still had plenty of stamina and mana in the tank. Running at full speed didn¡¯t deplete his reserves nearly as much as it used to, a gift of increasing his physical attributes to superhuman levels. At least by the standards of his prior existence. He passed by several clusters of rooms along the way. But after poking his head in to make sure that his team wasn¡¯t inside, he kept on running. Not long after, he could hear echoes bouncing back from the tunnel ahead. The sound of collisions and then a woman¡¯s voice crying out in pain. It must be Sophia or Veronica, and it sounds like she¡¯s in trouble. Nick burned a bit of stamina to increase his speed. He needed to get there while he was still able to help, and there wasn¡¯t much further to go. The walls of the passage became a smear of color and motion as he ran at a rate that would have been a decent clip for a bicycle back in his old life. Three minutes later, he knew that he was getting close, because the clamor of combat was growing crisp, and he could feel the vibrations transmitting through the stone. He reined in his pace as he drew near the commotion. He didn¡¯t want to give himself away so that he could use the element of surprise to launch an alpha strike from concealment. He¡¯d been afraid that he would run into more gear-rats that were racing to reinforce the others, but so far, he hadn¡¯t seen any. Hopefully, it meant that there weren¡¯t any more in the area, although he couldn¡¯t count on it. Nick knew from experience that luck was a fickle mistress at the best of times. Less than a minute later, he came to a stop behind a chunk of stone that had been ripped free from the ceiling. When he peeked out from behind the edge of the rock, he was finally able to see what was going on. It¡¯s Veronica. She¡¯s trapped. Sure enough, fighting with her back against a massive pile of debris was V. It seemed that the tunnel was completely blocked past that point, creating a dead end. She must have tried to get away, and made it that far before being cut off by the rats. Holy shit, there are even more of them than I was expecting. At the moment, at least twenty of the corpse-eating constructs were converging on her position. The scrape of little brass feet sliding against the stonework filled the air, alongside a procession of metallic squeaks. Unfortunately, while this was already a considerable threat, it was far from the extent of the danger. A second wave of gear-rats was waiting behind the first, lined up along the tunnel to keep Veronica from breaking through and making good on her retreat. Although Nick wanted to rush to her aid right away, he took a few seconds to scope out the battlefield and plan his attack. Doing so would help her more in the end than mounting a reckless charge. The first thing that drew his attention was how capable V was. Alone and outnumbered, wounded and besieged, she was holding her own while dishing out considerable damage in exchange. She leapt and ducked and dodged like mad, evading dozens of gear-rats that were coming her way, both skittering along the ground and leaping through the air. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Every time that her unpredictable movements created an opening, she attacked. Nick watched her eviscerate two airborne rats with her claws, opening the belly of a construct with each swipe of the bone blades protruding from the back of her wrists. Scores of little brass gears came flying free and went rolling across the ground, before the constructs¡¯ bodies disappeared with a pair of pops. When ten rats came at her at once, Veronica turned on a dime and started running for the wall. She gathered her strength, leapt into the air, and then sprang off the rock in a backflip. Halfway through the maneuver, while upside down no less, she fired a pair of bolts from her wrist-mounted crossbows, both missiles glowing with a sickly green light. Each bolt caught a rat in the back, the acid melting them from the inside out before they vanished as well. She landed lightly on her feet a heartbeat later, sent a rat flying with a kick, then crushed another beneath her heel before surging into motion once more. Badass. Nick would have loved to watch her fight all day had the situation not been so serious. Although they had worked together before, V was even more capable than he¡¯d realized. She could probably teach him a thing or two about combat when they had time to spare. Despite her impressive display of skill, it was clear that the agile warrior was in trouble. Now that he had time to take a closer look, Nick could see that she was bleeding in at least half a dozen places. Bites where the rats had torn pieces free from her armor, slicing into the flesh below. It wasn¡¯t enough to stop her, but he was sure that V was running low on stamina, and likely mana as well. He needed to get in there and turn the tide before she made a mistake and took a serious wound. But he couldn¡¯t just rush right in, not with the second group of rats blocking his path. He needed to deal with them first, then help her break free from the swarm. Trying to decide what move would make the biggest difference, he took a closer look at the stationary group, trusting Veronica to hold her own for at least a few more seconds. When he ran his gaze across the line of brass bodies, Nick realized that the problem was trickier than he¡¯d thought. Specifically, three of the constructs were different from the rest. They were bigger than the rat-shaped models, closer to the size of large dogs, and their bodies were wider and flatter. They walked on six legs with a pair of razored claws hanging in front and a tail raised over their backs to face their prey. He realized that they looked like mechanical scorpions, with the same clear skin and brass components that the gear-rats featured. Along with their additional armaments, they glowed with a faint green light, the same color as Veronica¡¯s acidic bolts. Nick wasn¡¯t sure what the emerald radiance foretold, but it couldn¡¯t be anything good. Those ones look like bad news. They must be the pacification models that Kellen mentioned. I should deal with them first. By now, Nick had conjured three mana darts, the prior limit of what he could control at once. But in that moment, he sensed that he could handle one more, so he added a fourth spell to the trio of missiles that were orbiting his head like chrome satellites. When Veronica next looked his way, he rose to his full height and waved, letting her know that he had arrived on scene and was ready to help her out. ¡°Nick,¡± she yelled, ducking beneath one leaping rat then jumping over a second, as sweat poured down her leather-clad body. ¡°Watch out for the big ones. They can¡­¡± Her words were cut off by the same event that rendered them unnecessary. Because at that very moment, all three gear-scorpions turned to face her, tails pointing straight at her athletic form. Before Nick could react, all three constructs fired something from the end of their appendages, which went streaking for Veronica at incredible speed. While they were invisible to the naked eye, Nick could sense their presence. They felt just like the force mana he had observed when the System attuned his energetic core. The same energy that powered his piercing ray. Although she couldn¡¯t see them, V must have known that the shots were coming, and she flung her body to one side at the last possible moment. Two of the forcebolts went wide, tearing chunks of rock free from the wall along with a spray of gravel. The third blast grazed her stomach, slicing through skin and leather alike as the magic bit into her side. Fortunately, it was only a minor wound, but it was far too close for comfort. If it had been an inch deeper, it would have resulted in a critical injury. While it must have hurt like hell, V didn¡¯t even flinch. She just kept right on leaping and dodging, taking out another rat along the way. While she had survived the volley, the danger was far from over. More rats were converging on her position and the gear-scorpions were already lining themselves up to fire off another round. But Nick wasn¡¯t about to let that happen. Chapter 18: Nick to the Rescue By now, Nick had activated arctic clarity to sharpen his focus. He was already in the middle of casting another spell, picking out his targets while gathering his will. Piercing ray. It was the first time that he¡¯d been able to cast a ray while sustaining mana darts, a clear sign that he was getting better at controlling his abilities. A ball of churning force mana gathered between his palms over the next three seconds. A raging vortex of kinetic energy with a rotating drill bit coalescing along the exterior. Before the six-legged constructs could fire again, his spell was ready to go. Nick took aim and sent the ray streaking for the closest gear-scorpion, which arrived at its target in the blink of an eye. The bit attached itself to the machine¡¯s torso and started to spin, drilling into its body with incredible force. Up to this point, Nick had only fired his rays at unusually tough enemies, the drill breaking through just before the spell ran out of juice. But he had grown more powerful in a short amount of time, and the results were clear to see. On this occasion, the ray bored through his opponent while the ball of mana hovering between his fingertips was only halfway depleted. There¡¯s still enough power left to launch another attack. Not sure if it would work, Nick picked a new target and then willed the ray to bend, the first time he¡¯d tried to guide its flight after the initial attack. To his delight, the spell obeyed his command. The whirling drill of force went streaking through the air, catching the next scorpion square in the head. It was a promising development, and it wasn¡¯t the extent of his opening move. By this time, he¡¯d already given his darts their marching orders too. Three silver blades sped for the remaining gear-scorpion, whose tail had almost finished orienting on V. Meanwhile, the last dart streaked for a gear-rat that had climbed a pile of rubble and leapt at Veronica¡¯s blindside, catching her unaware. At this point, three things happened at once. The first was that his ray drilled a hole through the scorpion, and it collapsed to the floor before vanishing in a flash of light. The second was the trio of darts hit the final ranged construct. The machine froze in place before it could fire the next shot, as the mana powering its body was stripped away. The third was that Nick¡¯s final spell caught the airborne gear-rat, which was only inches away from sinking its teeth into the back of V¡¯s neck. It slammed into her shoulder instead, before falling lifeless to the ground. She whirled around with fear in her eyes, before realizing that the clockwork creature was already dead. As soon as she saw what had happened, Veronica reached into her pocket and threw an object at the swarm, a white sphere the size of a paintball. When it hit the ground, it expanded to form a vast spider web, big enough to catch half the remaining rats inside. It must be what she chose for her consumable reward, and she used it at the perfect time. While this was a marked improvement to their situation, they weren¡¯t out of the woods yet. There were still too many rats that were free to attack, and the rest were already gnawing away at the webbing. It was clear that it wouldn¡¯t hold them for long. There wasn¡¯t enough time to finish them all before the rest broke free, and more constructs could arrive any moment. By this point, Nick had traded the element of surprise and most of his mana to take the three most dangerous constructs out of the melee, a fair exchange by any accounting. While it was a perfect way to start the fight, he didn¡¯t have time to savor the moment. He¡¯d already blown through a big chunk of his reserves, and the battle wasn¡¯t over yet. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. All the nearby rats were coming for him, now that they knew Nick was there. Shit. What should I do next. There are still too many to fight with my sword. He wasn¡¯t great at taking on multiple small opponents with his current skillset, and the rest of the swarm would break free before too long. Fortunately, Veronica was armed with a plan, and he was happy to follow her lead. ¡°Nick, use your wand to knock the rest of rats into my web and I¡¯ll finish them all off at once.¡± He had no idea how she intended to accomplish the feat, but he didn¡¯t need to understand to do his part. Trusting V without question, Nick drew his wand and took aim. He fired a blast at five rats that were headed his way. It was the first time that he¡¯d used the wand since entering the tower, and the boost provided by the extra points to his magic attribute were plain as day. A cone of force so intense that it warped the air in passing erupted from the business end of his wand, flinging the mechanical critters across the tunnel like they¡¯d been slapped by a giant. Four of them were caught in the web and came to a stop, while the fifth recovered and came streaking back toward him. By now, Nick was sprinting for Veronica, who was running a few steps ahead of the swarm. She had to fight to maintain her lead since she was wounded and exhausted. He fired a second shot the moment that she passed him, catching the rest of the gear-rats, save for the one that had evaded his first blast. The wand shoved the mechanical menaces across the stone floor, adding their bodies to the mass struggling to break free from the sticky white strands covering that side of the passage. ¡°Guard my back and open some space,¡± V cried. The final rat leapt for his throat a heartbeat later. Nick skewered it neatly with his sword, the feedback from his skill helping to guide his thrust. By this point, all the injured constructs, except the ones that his darts had killed, had vanished with pops of displaced air. Nick was safe for a moment, but he couldn¡¯t relax yet. The trapped rats were chewing through the web. In just a few more seconds they would begin to break free, adding another twenty opponents to the battlefield. Worse, he was certain that the commotion would draw more enemies to their location before long. Neither of them was in shape for another fight, and he wasn¡¯t sure that he could get away this time if he had to flee again. He had used up a fair amount of his stamina during the final sprint and V was running on fumes. While there wasn¡¯t anything that they could do about potential reinforcements, the rats bound in webbing were another matter. It turned out that Veronica wasn¡¯t out of the fight just yet. The reason for her request would become apparent to them all in another handful of heartbeats. While her battle so far had been amazing to behold, she still had one last trick up her sleeve. A finale to bring the curtain down on the rest of her performance. Wearing a satisfied grin, V spun to face the rats squirming in the web. Then she took aim and raised her right arm. Nick thought he saw something attached to her wrist that looked a great deal like a miniature grenade launcher fitted to the base of one crossbow. Which wound up being exactly what it was. With a whump, a small canister shot forth. It went flashing through the air, arced high, then landed in the middle of the pack. ¡°Fire in the hole!¡± With those words, the canister cracked open, unleashing its payload upon the swarm. A river of liquid flame surged forth from the point of impact, engulfing the trapped rats in a pool of crackling fire a good ten feet across. The gear-rats began squealing, writhing to break free, desperate to escape the all-consuming conflagration. Although a handful of them came darting out of the blaze, trailing lines of fire in their wake, whatever was inside the grenade was sticky like napalm, and the little brass critters kept right on burning. Their plastic skin emitted a foul black smoke as the gears within began melting. Nick looked over at V in surprise. He was shocked that she¡¯d taken so many enemies out at once, even if the move had required considerable setup. ¡°New gear for completing the bog,¡± she explained. ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here while we still can. I¡¯ll fill you in on the details later.¡± Nick stopped long enough to throw the mana-drained constructs into his pack, then started running with Veronica at his side. He was curious if the burning rats would disappear too. Sure enough, he heard them vanish as he raced down the tunnel. They made it down to the intersection, turned left, and then darted into the first doorway they saw, taking cover behind a pile of destroyed laboratory equipment. They were just in time. No sooner had they ducked out of sight than a tide of gear rats came running past, heading for the site of the battle. There were at least fifty of the little constructs, along with a dozen of the gear-scorpion models. A veritable army of mechanical beasts. This time, instead of glowing green, most of them were covered in a field of silvery energy that looked just like Nick¡¯s mana darts. Chapter 19: Battlefield Reunion They waited until the constructs passed them by, then they moved to a room with a door they could close and a window they could peer through. ¡°Don¡¯t use your darts on those silver-coated ones if we wind up fighting any,¡± V whispered. ¡°The swarm adapts and creates specialized defenses to counter our abilities. The green shields are resistant to my acid, which was why I couldn¡¯t take out those scorpions at range.¡± ¡°That sounds like a real pain in the ass.¡± Nick sighed and then raised his fist to bump it with V¡¯s. ¡°Hey Nick. It¡¯s good to see you and thanks for the save, but we really need to stop meeting like this.¡± He laughed under his breath. ¡°You too V. I¡¯m glad that I ran into you before I found out the hard way. It would have been bad if I had to face those shields unaware. I can¡¯t handle that many rats at once regardless. Your new launcher is badass by the way. Well, everything you just did was fucking amazing, but that was quite a cherry on top.¡± ¡°That was a pretty amazing job yourself. I fucking love that wand, and your spells are really starting to shine. We make a good team.¡± She laughed and then winced, as if the motion had hurt her. Nick took a closer look and saw that she was bleeding in a half dozen places, where the rats¡¯ bites and the scorpions¡¯ blasts had torn chunks free from her leather armor and savaged the flesh beneath. She followed his gaze. ¡°Downside of investing in dexterity over toughness is that while you don¡¯t get hit as often, when you do, it really hurts. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll put some more points into toughening up the next time I level.¡± ¡°Here, take this.¡± He slid his elixir of restoration free from its belt loop and handed it to her. ¡°It¡¯s not that effective when other people use it, but it should help to stop the bleeding and put a bit more fuel into your tank.¡± She held up the flask, broke the seal, sniffed at the contents, and then slammed the elixir before handing it back to him. ¡°Ah¡­ that¡¯s better. Tastes good too. I still feel like shit but that took the edge off. Thanks again Nick.¡± She looked him in the eye, her expression shifting from jovial to serious as she let the banter die down. ¡°I mean it. I think I would have walked away from that fight, but who knows how much it would have cost me or if I would have been able to avoid the next batch. Kenji was right, you really do have good timing.¡± She sighed. ¡°I need to treat some of these cuts and regenerate my stamina, but let¡¯s find another place to hole up first. The rats can follow my blood here and we¡¯re close enough to the site of the battle that they will check every nearby room anyway. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be trapped again if more of those things show up, and something tells me that it won¡¯t be long before they do. Once they realize that we¡¯re on the move, they will spread out and start hunting us down. We need to be long gone before they make it this far.¡± ¡°Sounds good.¡± He fell in beside her and they started walking, heading away from the intersection as quickly as they could without running. As they traveled down the endless tube of stone, Nick took a good long look at his companion, making sure that her wounds weren¡¯t worse than she¡¯d let on. He was strong enough to carry V now without too much trouble, although he wasn¡¯t sure that she¡¯d let him. Nick ran his eyes across her figure, taking in her features and form. Veronica was about a foot shorter than himself, with long brown hair that had just a hint of curl to it. She had medium skin that was well tanned from their stay on planet Drezen, much of which was covered in intricate tattoos. He couldn¡¯t make out the designs with her leather armor in the way, but he thought that the piece on her right shoulder was of a crow taking flight with the full moon above. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. Her body was lithe and muscular, even more so than most people in the post-System world. It was clear that she had invested heavily into dexterity, and had put a fair number of points into strength as well. She didn¡¯t just look like a warrior, she moved like one too. Even while injured, Veronica walked with consummate grace, so quietly that he could barely hear her footfalls. She wore a full set of light leather armor that was so deep a brown it was nearly black. It shone with faint hints of red when the light hit it directly. The armor accentuated her curves, and Nick suspected that she was used to drawing eyes as she walked through a crowd. She had a backpack that was smaller than his own, and a new toolbelt similar to the one he wore. Set along its length were a series of sheaths holding a set of knives that he hadn¡¯t seen before, likely part of the reward for completing the first stage of the fate of Earth quest. Both arms had collapsible crossbows mounted to her forearms, where they were out of the way until she activated them with a mental command, like Nick¡¯s new shield. Unlike most of his team, she didn¡¯t have a large weapon strapped to her back. Instead, she could extend and retract a set of bone claws from each wrist, which she could coat with a poison that made her enemies bleed profusely. Since she seemed to be holding up alright, and there wasn¡¯t any blood dripping to the ground, he turned his attention to her face before looking the other way. Veronica had freckles sprinkling her cheeks and a short, sharp nose. Round cheekbones and baby blue eyes. Her ears held several studded earrings, and there were marks indicating that she¡¯d had other facial piercings that she¡¯d removed so they wouldn¡¯t get torn out while hiking or fighting. She was younger than himself, closer to Devin in age, perhaps twenty-five years old. While Nick wasn¡¯t the type to stare, he had to admit that V was strikingly beautiful, and likely had been even before the System began enhancing their bodies. If he was playing a game from his old life, Nick would have pegged her as some manner of thief or rogue, although her powers seemed more geared toward dealing damage over time than assassination. He didn¡¯t know all the details of how her class worked, since Veronica had been less forthcoming than the other members of his team. He decided that he would ask about them straight-out whenever they found a place to rest. Right now, Nick needed to devote his attention to watching out for the corpse-eaters he had named gear-rats, so he returned his attention to the path ahead. So far, they hadn¡¯t run into any more constructs headed their way, and the ones they¡¯d left behind were still out of sight. With any luck, they would find somewhere to hide without being forced to run or fight, since it would be at least half a day before they were back in top form. Twenty minutes later, they came across another intersection. This one was a bit different than the others Nick had seen. Instead of being a simple four-way crossing connecting two intersecting passages, this one branched out in eight different directions, none of which led directly toward the center of the floor. It seemed that they had a decision to make, and this time it wasn¡¯t so easy to figure out which way to go. The good news was that this part of the facility was still on Nick¡¯s map, although everything past this point had been destroyed on the plaque that he¡¯d seen. Unfortunately, he hadn¡¯t found another mounted map, although he¡¯d checked every time that they came to a fork in the road. They came to a stop while mulling the matter over. Nick pulled out the copy in his journal to refresh his memory, as V moved beside him to read over his shoulder. He gave her a quick run down on everything that he¡¯d seen before meeting up, then listened as she added her own observations. ¡°The area we came from was where the staff for this floor lived and took care of basic needs,¡± she said. ¡°The section ahead seems more like some kind of factory floor. See these markings?¡± She pointed to his drawing, where a series of thin lines ran across a series of adjoined rooms. ¡°They look different from the tunnels we¡¯ve been exploring, likely conduits for moving various substances from wherever they enter the floor to the places where they¡¯re processed. That part of your map is incomplete, but it looks like there are a bunch of large enclosures set beside one another instead of the room clusters we passed along the way.¡± ¡°I think you¡¯re right.¡± He nodded. ¡°Since the gear rats were originally designed to help process part of the waste, they are likely more numerous closer to the materials intake to our left. We should head right if we want to avoid them.¡± ¡°That makes sense to me. Now let¡¯s find some place to rest. I want to bind my wounds, eat, and then sleep for a few hours. Then I¡¯ll be ready to keep exploring. I¡¯m worried about the others though. I hope they¡¯re down here, but the only person I saw enter the tower was Devin before the blackmist broke over us.¡± ¡°I¡¯m concerned too, especially about Kenji¡¯s arm. But I know for sure that Sophia is here somewhere, since she¡¯s the one who led me to the tower door.¡± ¡°That¡¯s one less thing to worry about.¡± V sighed and they turned down the passage they¡¯d discussed. After that, they walked in silence, each lost in thoughts of their own. Concept Art Veronica You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. Gear-scorpians Chapter 20: Strategy Session Half an hour later, they came across a room whose entrance was partially blocked by fallen rubble, with a narrow gap running along one side where they could squeeze through. The runes above the door were obstructed, but judging from the interior, it seemed like they¡¯d found another one of the executive offices for the floor¡¯s senior staff, like the room where Nick had found Kellen¡¯s latest log. They scouted a bit further ahead, then returned to the entrance to wait. Ten minutes later, nothing had come looking for them from either direction. It seemed that they¡¯d lost the swarm for now. Nick and Veronica had been working out a series of hand signals, so that they could communicate without making noise. She raised a fist, indicating that she was ready to head into the room, and he nodded in reply. They slipped inside, made sure that nothing was waiting in ambush, then plugged the gaps around the door with random bits of debris. Nick stepped back to inspect their work, satisfied with what he saw. Nothing could get past without digging its way through, and if they were quiet, they should be safe enough from the clockwork constructs. At least for now. Once they were situated, Veronica began tending to her wounds. After cleaning and binding the cuts on her arms, she looked over at him, cheeks flushed with embarrassment. Then she leaned in close to whisper into his ear. ¡°Would you mind facing the other way for a few minutes? I need to undress to treat to the rest.¡± ¡°Sure V. No problem, just let me know when you¡¯re decent.¡± Nick walked over to the far side of the room and started examining the wall. It seemed that it had once held artifacts similar to the ones he¡¯d collected in the last office. Unfortunately, the displays had been mounted lower to the floor, and the rats had been able to reach them. He thought that nothing was left, but then he found a fragment of what appeared to be shell lodged behind a bracket. He shrugged and put it into his bag, figuring that there was a chance that it was valuable. He had been hoping to discover another log, but it seemed that there wasn¡¯t one tied to this location. While Nick was inspecting the wall, Veronica removed her leather armor, pants, and shirt. Then she washed her wounds and bound them with some sterilized cloth she had acquired at the base of the tower. Thanks to his upgraded attributes, he discovered was able to track her progress by the sounds. He was trying not to think about the fact that a beautiful woman was naked in the same room with him, so as not to make things awkward. Part of him was tempted to use his visualization ability, but he forced himself to behave. When we make it back to Earth, I really need to find a girlfriend. ¡°Ok, I¡¯m dressed.¡± Nick turned around in time to catch a flash of bare skin as V pulled her leather jerkin down over her stomach. He was amazed by how radiantly healthy the human body looked after being transformed by the System. He knew that his appearance had been changing too, but it was more apparent when looking at another person. After that, they settled down to rest. They were still amped up from their latest fight and subsequent escape. So, rather than trying to sleep just yet, they put their heads together, speaking softly so they didn¡¯t attract the rats¡¯ notice. To kick things off, they brought each other up to speed on everything that had happened since they were last together. First, they went over what they¡¯d gained for completing the first stage of the Fate of Earth quest. When they were done, Nick revealed the existence of the ability mastery system, which Veronica would unlock in another level, since she¡¯d hit fourteen during the fight. Nick still had a few hours until he could open his profile again, so he would check out his own gains when he woke up. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! Once that was out of the way, they moved on to developing tactics specialized for the two of them working as a team, going into the details of what they were capable of, along with their strengths and weaknesses. This time, Veronica was forthcoming about her gear, class, and abilities, revealing a great deal more than she had while they were camped in front of the tower. ¡°My class is called an Afflicter. As the name suggests, it¡¯s geared toward bringing enemies down by inflicting damage over time. Right now, that means bleeding, burning, or injecting them with acid. I suspect that other forms of poison would count too, so I might acquire some of those later on. It has an emphasis on stealth and agility, so I¡¯ve been working hard to train up the skills that will let me scout and hide. Both the ones from my class and my general capabilities. ¡°When I¡¯m fighting by myself, I try to sneak up on my opponents, hit them with the abilities that will be most effective, then back off while the DoTs go to work. My regular crossbow bolts and these claws are good at forcing enemies back and restricting their movement, but they aren¡¯t particularly effective at landing a killing blow. I¡¯m good at evading and dishing out damage, but not at taking hits or exchanging strikes on the front line. It¡¯s better if you keep their focus off me in a fight.¡± Nick nodded to show that he was following along, glad that V trusted him enough to reveal her secrets. ¡°My class trait lowers my target¡¯s innate resistance to abilities that deal damage over time. The effect grows stronger every time I land a hit on them, bolstering their output by a fair margin once I can rack up some blows. Doesn¡¯t do any good if they are totally immune though. My bleeding poison is useless against those rats for example. The full list of skills that came with my class are claws, crossbow, evasion, stealth, and acrobatics. ¡°You¡¯ve seen most of my gear, although this little beauty is new.¡± She raised her right wrist so that Nick could look at the compact canister delivery system mounted beside her crossbow. ¡°The grenade launcher is a bit like your wand, in that it can be used once per day and the charges refill automatically. The launcher responds to my thoughts, like how these crossbows collapse and expand when I need them. Right now, I only have access to napalm shots, but I hope to upgrade it later. Oh, and I have a charm of listening that improves my hearing, which comes in handy when I¡¯m scouting things out.¡± Nick followed along with every word, adding Veronica¡¯s abilities to his tactical considerations, pleased by what he¡¯d heard. V¡¯s powers were unique, useful, and a solid complement to his own. ¡°Ok, I think I¡¯ve got it. Wait, how many of those webs do you have? They were a perfect way to take out a large group of rats at once.¡± ¡°Two more, and about twenty uses left of my concentrated stamina potion. What consumable did you pick by the way?¡± ¡°I have a single use energetic barrier and two physical barriers that works the same way.¡± Nick went on to explain the details of his class and gear, as well as his skills and attributes, focusing on the changes that had occurred since they had last been together. She nodded along, paying close attention while asking an occasional question. When he was done, they spent an hour going over tactics to use across a wide range of situations, then he summarized their plans for the next fight. ¡°Our strong point is that, between the two of us, we have the midrange locked down. We both can control the battlefield and fight in melee to some extent. The bad news is that we¡¯re both light on armor, have extremely limited healing, and nothing that is effective at long range. If we run out of mana and our limited use abilities, our combat prowess will plummet. We need to try to win each fight before things drag out long enough for that to happen.¡± She nodded, then added her own thoughts. ¡°We should try to cross the floor quickly and quietly. Only stopping to loot extremely promising opportunities and avoiding fighting whenever we can. Although, if we get another chance to kill that many rats at once, we should consider taking it. That battle netted us a ton of experience at once. ¡°Fighting too often will cost us more than it¡¯s worth. The rats keep getting stronger the more we destroy. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if we see more of the scorpions with them going forward, and more of those magic barriers. I¡¯m not sure that we¡¯re even killing them, except the ones you sniped with your darts, although we¡¯re getting experience for it either way. Love the bag, by the way, super jealous.¡± By now, their strategy session was winding down. ¡°Let me give you another stamina potion now, then another every time that you run out. Try to use them sparingly. They¡¯re limited, and I¡¯d like to save some if possible. Thanks again for letting me use your elixir, it helped to mitigate the blood loss and cleared my head.¡± ¡°No problem, your potion saved my ass back in the arena, and that was a one-use item. Thanks, by the way. I would be dead if you hadn¡¯t used it on me. That rhino would have ground me into paste.¡± ¡°Sure thing, Nick. We¡¯re in this together, right?¡± They shared a grin, then separated, reaching into their bags to pull out their camping supplies and get some rest. Chapter 21: Level 16 Thanks to their enhanced Survivor traits, they only needed four hours of sleep. Since he had already taken a nap after entering the tower, Nick volunteered to take the first watch. When V propped her head against her pack and stretched out, he loaned her his temperature-regulating cloak to use as a blanket. ¡°Thanks.¡± She smiled up at him. ¡°That¡¯s nice and warm.¡± While she slept, he faced the door, listening for anything moving down the passage. He¡¯d written his name by the entrance with charcoal before sealing it up, so he shouldn¡¯t have to worry about the other members of his team walking past without realizing they were inside. Now that he had some time on his hands, Nick kicked his tactical brain into high gear, pondering everything that had happened since setting foot inside the tower. Veronica woke up on her own a few hours later, and it was his turn to hit the hay. When he opened his eyes and sat up, she handed him a plate of assorted provisions. ¡°Breakfast in bed.¡± She grinned. ¡°Best I could do without being able to cook anything.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± He took a sip from his canteen and reached for a loaf of travel bread. ¡°This hotel has better service than I was expecting.¡± When they were done eating, they started stretching out, warming up their bodies before facing the ordeal that was sure to be waiting for them when they stepped outside and began crossing the floor. It turned out that Veronica had come up with a few questions while he was asleep. She wanted to know a bit more about the rank two upgrade options offered by the ability mastery system, so that she would be ready to make her picks when she gained access to the AMS in another level. Nick was happy to oblige. He went into more detail this time, recounting the visions he¡¯d been granted by the System and the options for upgrading his mana dart. Finally, he outlined his reasoning for the path he had chosen, and his speculations regarding the direction he wanted to take his other abilities. She listened closely to every word, saving her comments until he was done. ¡°No wonder your darts hit so much harder now. But don¡¯t expect any ability to remain effective for long. It¡¯s like you learned in that recording. If anything destroys too much of the swarm, they start adding counters to deal with the problem. Those green scorpion things were able to completely shrug off my acidic bolts. I doubt more than one or two napalm grenades will work against them either.¡± ¡°I hear you. Hopefully there is some limit to how many elements they can shield themselves against at once.¡± After that, they spent a few minutes discussing each of their abilities, in case someone had an insight that the other had missed. ¡°Piercing ray sounds like it has a lot of potential. I recommend that you upgrade its penetration if you can, it¡¯s our only counter to heavily armored opponents. It should be great against big beasts too, especially when you take it to rank two. With how fast the beam travels, you can use it to execute precision strikes against various weak points. ¡°Force acceleration seems OP, if you can get it under control. Maybe wait on upgrading that one until you put more points into toughness, or you learn to fine tune the mana you put into it. I saw what happened to your arm when you threw that rock at the river king. If you move any faster, you¡¯ll tear yourself to pieces.¡± Before he was ready to head out, Nick opened his profile to see if he¡¯d gained anything from their latest fight. He had a hunch that he¡¯d leveled, although he¡¯d been too distracted during the melee to notice any gains to his attributes. That made him realize that the accompanying sensations had become less intense over time, as his pool of attributes grew. Good, that means that leveling up won¡¯t be as much as a liability in battle going forward. To his delight, he had earned enough experience to hit level sixteen after all and had several skill gains awaiting his perusal. Congratulations. You have accumulated enough experience to reach level [16]. You have gained one point of magic from your class. You have one free attribute point awaiting allocation at your discretion. Through use, you have improved the following skills: Sword has increased from [8] to [9]. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Wand has increased from [9] to [10]. Nick put his free point into toughness, then waited until the sensation of electric worms crawling through his muscles subsided. Definitely less intense that time. When he was done, they made a final inspection of their inventory, reviewed some tactics that incorporated both of their abilities, and unblocked the doorway. They stepped into the hall and resumed their exploration of the floor. They began heading as best they could toward the center, where with any luck they would find Kenji, Sophia, and Devin if they didn¡¯t run into them along the way. They made good time over the next few hours, doing their best not to get lost as they navigated one turn after the next. It was trickier since there weren¡¯t any of the clean, four-way intersections in this area. Nick soon decided that the layout of this section felt more organic and less like a preplanned city. Or maybe there is some structural reason for it. Unfortunately, they were well past the piece of map that Nick had recorded, and he hadn¡¯t found another. He began filling in the gaps as they traveled, judging their position as best he could. Before long, their surroundings began to change. Instead of long tunnels broken up by the occasional cluster of rooms, the passageways started taking them through large open areas that reminded him of factory floors or some kind of chemical refinement plant. While the devastation was prolific, it wasn¡¯t nearly as complete as the outer region holding the living quarters, granting them a better idea of what they were dealing with. They passed by giant tanks connected to one another by a mazelike warren of pipes and ducts. Vats were arranged along conveyor belts, set beside stone tables covered in beakers and tubes. Cauldrons and machines whose purpose he couldn¡¯t even begin to guess. Nick kept an eye out for useful tools along the way, eventually putting some of the intact beakers and a few dozen test tubes into his pack. He figured that they would be useful for storing various liquids, including V¡¯s concentrated stamina potions. Here too, not a scrap of organic material remained. Not so much as a drop of blood or splinter of wood. Although far more metal and glass remained unmauled, indicating that the clockwork constructs frequented this region less often. It was honestly pretty spooky, especially with the way that sound echoed off the stone surfaces, like taking an unguided tour of a disaster zone. Although they spoke little while on the move so as not to attract the swarm¡¯s attention, Nick was glad for Veronica¡¯s company. She set a different tone than traveling with Sophia. V was blunt and direct instead of reserved, although she was more secretive as well, less forthcoming about herself. Her sense of humor was considerably darker too. All in all, Veronica was good company, both as a traveling companion, and as a reliable teammate. He soon learned that she had remarkably sharp senses, even by Nick¡¯s new standard, helping him to avoid several packs of gear-rats that he would have stumbled onto otherwise. The difference was even more pronounced when she was concealing her presence. Although she couldn¡¯t move fast while sneaking, V was quiet as a whisper. She was a perfect scout, able to conceal her presence to a remarkable degree. Agile enough to get around or over all but the most difficult of obstacles in her path. Nick soon learned that she was right about the constructs. After their last battle, all the gear-scorpions had added another layer to their shielding. The silver of pure mana swirling against a green shell of energy that was able to repel acid. Half of the rats had them now too, leaving him wondering if any of his spells would be effective by the time that they reached the stairs leading to the next floor. Late into what Nick was calling their first full day of traveling together, they came across something that he¡¯d been hoping to find for some time now, a solitary gear-rat with a silvery shield of light. ¡°Hold up,¡± he whispered into V¡¯s ear. ¡°I want to test how effective those barriers are before we¡¯re forced to fight another group. If it looks like the rat is going to get away, finish it off before it can draw any of the others.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good idea,¡± she murmured after turning her head, her breath tickling his ear. ¡°This is a good chance to see what we¡¯re dealing with. I¡¯m ready whenever you are.¡± With that, Nick concentrated and conjured three of his mana darts. Veronica watched on with interest, since it was her first time seeing him cast the spell without something trying to eat them. Once the third dart was ready, Nick visualized the trajectory he wanted each to follow and then signaled his intention to fire. Fast as an arrow, each dart flew up, arcing high to come down from above the rat¡¯s field of view. The chromatic projectiles followed their flightpaths with unerring precision. They hugged the tunnel¡¯s ceiling as they sped for the little construct, then dropped straight down, staggered so they would hit the rat a heartbeat apart. The first dart caught the machine completely by surprise. But instead of killing it, the missile was absorbed by the translucent barrier. The magic field dimmed noticeably, but the construct appeared otherwise undamaged. It clearly knew that it was under attack and started darting for safety. But before it took two steps, the second mana dart caught it from behind. This time, the energetic barrier cracked like an eggshell, shattering into glowing fragments before fading out of existence. The third dart landed a second later, striking the unguarded rat right in the head. Like the others that had been felled by Nick¡¯s darts, it fell lifeless to the floor, remaining inert instead of popping out of existence. ¡°Interesting.¡± Veronica walked over and poked at the corpse. She picked it up to take a closer look after Nick indicated that it was safe to do so. ¡°Those barriers are strong but not invincible. It was good to discover their limitations, but we should probably avoid wasting our mana on them whenever possible.¡± When she was done inspecting the construct, Nick stuck it in his bag along with the rest. ¡°What are you saving those for anyway?¡± she asked. ¡°I¡¯m not sure yet,¡± Nick replied. ¡°But they don¡¯t weigh too much and I¡¯m hoping that they might be valuable to the right person. They also might be useful to research later. We barely know anything about magic, and constructs are a total mystery right now. Maybe one day we can figure out how to make our own.¡± ¡°Smart.¡± She nodded her approval. ¡°I like the way you think. Let¡¯s keep moving. Hopefully, we can find the rest of our team and get out of here before the swarm gets any stronger.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± he grinned. ¡°I just hope that the others are alright.¡± Chapter 22: Intermission: Sophia and Devin Sophia lashed out with her frost venom stinger, stabbing the giant cockroach in the middle of its hideous head. She leapt out of the way as its mandibles snapped shut with the clack of chitin against chitin. She darted back to open some distance, letting the toxin finish the beast off. Its movements were already losing coordination, as the fluid around its brain began to congeal and then freeze. Beside her, Devin was facing off against three of the oversized bugs at once, taking hit after hit upon his unusual shield. It was a fierce barrage of blows, and he wasn¡¯t able to land a strike with his axe in exchange. It was good that he had been given his new helmet after entering the tower, or he would have taken some cuts to his face in the process. The lack of resistance seemed to encourage the roaches, and they darted in to finish him off. Someone watching from a distance might have thought that he was in trouble, but she knew that this was exactly what the athletic man was counting on. ¡°It¡¯s ready. Cover your eyes,¡± he called out. Sophia did as he suggested, opening her eyes after waiting for the bright flash of light. Flashfire pulse was growing stronger as he leveled, the heat from his ability warming her face even from this distance. When she looked over at Devin, all three bugs were on fire, and he was in the middle putting them down with his axe. She directed her wasps to help him out. Then she reached down to her belt to draw a pair of the throwing daggers the System had awarded her for completing the first stage of their quest to save the Earth. While Devin dealt with one of the oversized insects, both wasps converged upon the second. One flew ahead to cut off its escape while the other dove to sting, coming in from outside the beast¡¯s field of view. Sophia took aim and then threw both daggers at the final cockroach, catching it square in the thorax. It let out a shrill cry as ichor splattered onto the stone floor below, then came charging straight for her. Before it could take two steps, Devin planted his two-handed axe right behind its head, nearly severing it in the process, having changed his weapon¡¯s shape while she was busy. The last roach fell to the ground a heartbeat later. Ice spread across the surface of its exoskeleton as wasps¡¯ venom froze the beast from the inside out. She let her summons vanish in a flash of emerald light, gritted her teeth as she rode out a wave of exhaustion, then walked over to Devin¡¯s side. ¡°Are you alright?¡± she asked. ¡°That was the biggest group that we¡¯ve dealt with so far.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got a few bruises and scratches, but nothing that won¡¯t heal by itself by morning if we can get some rest before running into more.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s find a room where we can hole up for the night. Or whatever passes for night in this place.¡± Side by side, Devin and Sophia started walking down the stone tunnel, heading deeper into the part of the floor that was labeled ¡°waste management¡± on the map that she¡¯d found. Not that the map had been all that helpful in the end. Not with so many of the passageways collapsed by whatever had devastated the facility, and even more that had been converted into the roaches¡¯ lair. This was her third fight since stepping out of the safe room, separated from the rest of her team. At least there weren¡¯t any of the acid-spitting variants this time. The first spitter had caught her by surprise, nearly ruining her gear, not to mention her own tender flesh. The other variants weren¡¯t quite as bad, but they were still extremely unpleasant to deal with. There seemed to be a whole nest of giant cockroaches down here. Sophia would love to leave this section behind without running into more. Not that she expected the matter to be resolved so simply. Her luck just wasn¡¯t that good. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. At least she¡¯d joined up with Devin early on, after following the marks he¡¯d left on the walls in passing. It was reassuring to have the reliable warrior standing at her side, and it would be doubly so when she closed her eyes and tried to sleep. She hoped that Nick, Veronica, and Kenji were alright. That they would all be reunited soon. She didn¡¯t like this floor already, and she had no desire to find out just how far the ¡®escalating threat¡¯ aspect would go. Not after what she¡¯d gone through on Blackmist Bog. As they walked, Devin seemed lost in thoughts of his own, so they continued down the labyrinthine tunnels in a companiable silence, occasionally stopping to investigate a potential shelter or to sneak past more of the oversized cockroaches that were laired somewhere nearby. The big bugs had incredibly sharp eyesight, and could sense movement in the air currents. But their hearing was bad, and they didn¡¯t seem to track prey by scent, unlike many of the insects from Earth. It meant that if they could find somewhere out of sight, it should be safe enough to camp, especially if they came across another room with a working door. While they walked through the stinking, earth-encrusted halls, Sophia wondered what had happened to this place before the System had decided to use it for the quest. What the story of the Tower of Rizzen was, and what had happened to the people who had lived here before the beasts took over. When they made it back to Earth, she intended to start studying the System and the Labyrinth, starting by compiling the experiences of everyone who had participated in this quest. Team Earth needed to have a better idea of what they were dealing with if they wanted to survive the days ahead. An hour of wandering the lonely and rather spooky passageways later, they came across a large enclosure with a row of intact doors running along the back wall. When they cracked one open, they found what appeared to be some manner of utility closet inside, filled with junk and various cleaning tools. ¡°This should work well enough, and I¡¯m too exhausted to look for something better,¡± she said, and Devin nodded his agreement. After emptying it out and setting Sophia¡¯s ward stones across the entrance to the adjoining room, they took out some provisions and ate dinner, sharing stories or jokes to help keep up their spirits. ¡°Do you think the others are alright?¡± Devin asked, then took another big bite of dried meat. ¡°I¡¯m sure they are,¡± she replied. ¡°Kenji is the smartest person I know. Veronica is tough as nails, and Nick is remarkably resourceful. As long as Kenji¡¯s arm was healed when he stepped through the door and entered the tower, I¡¯m sure that they can hold their own, at least until the floor starts turning up the heat.¡± ¡°Speaking of Nick. There¡¯s something that I¡¯ve been meaning to ask you, now that we¡¯re alone.¡± Devin offered a winning smile, with a mischievous glint in his eyes that was part of his natural charm. ¡°You two seem awfully close.¡± He raised two fingers and then slowly brought them together. ¡°What exactly are you to one another?¡± ¡°We¡¯re friends.¡± She hoped that the heat coloring her cheeks wasn¡¯t visible, although from Devin¡¯s grin, she had a hunch that it was. ¡°I think that I can trust him. I mean really trust him. But we haven¡¯t known each other for long, and every waking moment was spent fending off one disaster or another while rushing for the tower. There wasn¡¯t time for anything else.¡± ¡°But you¡¯ve thought about it?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve¡­ you know, you¡¯re awfully nosy Devin? That¡¯s a pretty personal question.¡± She threw a jab at his shoulder that he easily avoided, and wouldn¡¯t have hurt him even if it landed. ¡°Ah, come on. Who knows if either one of us will live to see tomorrow. Indulge my curiosity. I haven¡¯t been able to swap any juicy gossip since my new life began.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± She found that she wanted to talk about it, and Devin was a good listener. ¡°You win. I honestly don¡¯t know how I feel about Nick. I think maybe there¡¯s a spark, but who knows if anything will come of it? Like you said, we might all be dead by this time tomorrow. Or on another planet, or an entirely different dimension for all I know.¡± She decided to change the subject. ¡°What about you and V? The two of you seem pretty¡­ friendly.¡± ¡°I think that you can definitely call us friends.¡± She laughed as his own cheeks colored. After all, turnabout was fair play. ¡°Just friends?¡± she pressed. ¡°Friendly friends. But that¡¯s all that I¡¯m sure of just yet. I think¡­¡± ¡°Shh.¡± She cut him off. ¡°I hear something coming. Hopefully they will pass us by, but if my wards trigger, get ready for a fight.¡± No sooner had those words passed her lips than her alarm wards rang out, accompanied by the chitinous scratching of insects skittering across the stone. ¡°Shit, some must have been following us.¡± With a sigh, they grabbed their weapons, opened the door, and prepared for battle. It seemed that they were going to have to work for their night off after all. Friday Concept Art Roaches You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. Fire roach Acid roach Chapter 23: Supply Run Nick crept down the passageway with Veronica at his side, trying to move as quietly as possible without sacrificing speed in the process. She nodded her approval as he stepped between the piles of loose debris, keeping one eye on the tunnel ahead in case any gear-rats were headed their way. After their latest discussion, he had been trying to teach V how to sense the mana in her core. He had also explained how to consciously guide stamina through her body to enable explosive bursts of speed, although he was still a novice himself. In exchange, she¡¯d been coaching him on how to move silently. It was already helping him to reduce his presence, though he had a long way to go before he would be anywhere close to her league. Nick and Veronica had been hiking for a few hours after leaving the office behind them. At the moment, they were in the middle of heading down another long stretch of tunnel, instead of the big industrial areas they¡¯d been crossing the day before. They were making good time, since all the doors in this section were sealed and locked. After taking a close look at several, they had decided to leave them alone. It would take too much time and effort to break in, and the noise would attract unwanted attention. On the bright side, they hadn¡¯t run into any constructs all day, allowing them to fully recover from their fight. Nick¡¯s wand had gained another charge, even faster than usual, thanks to the ambient force essence flowing across the level. It was nice to get a break, even for a few hours, although he was sure that it wouldn¡¯t be long until the next ordeal was upon them. However, neither a break nor an ordeal was what fate had in store for them next. It seemed that the duo was in for a bit of excitement after all, and a pleasant surprise to boot. As they passed by the last chamber in the cluster, a message from the System appeared in front of Nick¡¯s eyes. When he saw the first line, he read the rest of the details with interest. Proximity-triggered event: Sealed storeroom. This storeroom was magically sealed to preserve the contents inside. If you choose to participate in the event, you will have fifteen minutes to sort through the items before you will be automatically ejected. You may keep anything that you find but are limited to what you can carry on your persons. Do you wish to participate in the event? ¡°Huh.¡± Nick rubbed his chin. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect there to be any more location-triggered events once we made it inside the tower. This one seems safe enough and it won¡¯t take too much time. I say we go for it. What do you think V?¡± ¡°Sounds good to me. Before we head in there, we should come up with a plan to maximize our gains. Since we can only take what we can carry, this is a perfect chance for your magic bag to shine. Why don¡¯t you take out anything heavy that isn¡¯t too critical before we enter? There¡¯s a chance that the rats will eat it while we¡¯re gone. But we don¡¯t need firewood down here and whatever we find in the storeroom is probably going to be a lot more useful.¡± ¡°That makes sense. How do you want to proceed once we¡¯re inside?¡± They spent a few more minutes discussing their strategy and priorities for looting the storeroom. Meanwhile, Nick took various raw resources out of his bag and set them beside the door. Five minutes later, they were ready to head inside. ¡°We¡¯ll participate in the event,¡± he addressed the System, and the door to the storeroom cracked open. They shared a grin and then stepped through the doorway, eager for a chance to pick up some loot that didn¡¯t come with a fight attached. They hadn¡¯t been able to look inside the room before beginning the event, so their first order of business was to figure out what they were dealing with, then revise their strategy as quickly as they could. Nick began by examining the interior, firing up his looting protocols. It was the first time he had relied on his old gaming skills in weeks. He was glad that they were still good for something now that he was fully immersed within a magical, danger-filled reality. First step, figure out where they store the most valuable items, then start prioritizing the rest by utility and weight. The storeroom was big, at least thirty by thirty, with a textured floor and a high ceiling. Nick broke into a broad grin as he took in the sheer volume of goods on display. This must have been used by the workers that maintained the facility. Everything appeared to be in good shape, and there wasn¡¯t so much as a speck of dust to be found. Since time was of the essence, he ran his gaze across the enclosure while walking over to the nearest shelf, trusting his internal loot filter to point out anything unusually valuable. Veronica was excited too. After all, they had thousands of items to choose from. Tools and hardware in a vast array of functions and forms. There were metal racks running along each of the walls, with four broad shelves stuffed with gear arranged in well-organized piles. The center of the room held a series of smaller displays, with dozens of sealed crates stored below them. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡°Let¡¯s start with a quick survey,¡± he suggested. ¡°Call out what you find as we work our way around the room. We can spend the rest of our time grabbing whatever gear seems most useful. Claim anything that looks good without stopping to confer until we get a sense of what we want the most.¡± They broke apart and started going around the chamber in opposite directions. V grunted her agreement, not wasting a second as she started digging through the piles. As they had planned, Nick had already placed his pack beside the door, where they could both reach it easily. Anything top tier would go inside immediately. Anything that was a maybe would be placed next to it, so that they could make their final decisions during the last few minutes. He began by investigating everything that was sitting on the shelves, since it was easy to see what he was working with. While the crates were labeled, the words weren¡¯t written in the runes the System used. He couldn¡¯t tell what was inside without cracking them open, and it would take some time and effort to pry open the tops and take a look. The shelves closest to him were filled with an assortment of utility supplies. There were lengths of chains and coils of rope. Buckets and bags of every shape and size. Thick piles of cloth, leather, and even a few oiled tarps. It was all basic stuff, but it would help fill in the gaps in his kit, including some items that would improve their collective quality of life. He reached out and grabbed a coil of rope made from what appeared to be silk, then threw it across the room to land beside his bag. He flung a second coil, a few leather pouches, two towels, and a big tarp. It took him less than a minute to move on to the next rack, eager to see what he¡¯d find. It was a decent start. What he saw on the next set of shelves really dialed his excitement up to eleven, because it was filled with a wide variety of tools. Nick didn¡¯t stop to consider what he was grabbing, anything that looked useful got thrown beside the bag. A series of mallets was his next acquisition, then a metal pick, a backup canteen, and what appeared to be a hand drill with some manner of gemstone coating the bit. A claw hammer and a box of nails soon joined the rest. Tweezers and lockpicks. Pliers and bolt cutters. Even a coil of wire. All of it was made from a lightweight metal that he didn¡¯t recognize, which made them light for their size. Meanwhile, he could hear Veronica laughing as she looted like a woman possessed, items flying through the air in a frenzy. ¡°I just found a bunch of medical supplies, Nick. This is some good shit!¡± When he looked over his shoulder, he saw rolls of sterilized gauze streaking across the room, followed by what looked to be a bottle of disinfectant and a needle and thread. None of it seemed magical or better than basic quality, but it was still an enormous windfall by any accounting. With a chuckle of his own, he returned his attention to his own acquisitions. By now, they¡¯d used up about half of their time, and they only had a few of the open-air racks left to examine. The next shelf held an assortment of dried provisions. While they still had some food left in their bags, running out while climbing the tower was a real concern. So far, they hadn¡¯t come across anything edible on this floor, and while the garbage-eaters sounded like beasts, he wasn¡¯t eating anything that dined on trash unless he was starving to death. Although they were dry, the packaged rations weren¡¯t particularly light, so he tried to limit himself to about fifty pounds. Prioritizing the stuff that at least resembled human food, Nick tossed a good twenty meals into the pile before moving on. The last set of racks was filled with clothing. Something that he¡¯d really been hoping to find, since all his gear that didn¡¯t have self-maintenance mods was stained and full of holes. You wore through clothes fast in a world where a thirty-mile hike and a couple of fights was just another day of the week. Nick grabbed a pile of shirts that were close to his size, a few pairs of pants, a warm hat, a scarf, and several pairs of socks. ¡°Hey V, I found some clothing. You should check this pile out and grab some in your size.¡± He pulled down a few final items for the other members of his party, then got out of the way. ¡°Thanks Nick!¡± They traded positions so that she could get some new threads too, high fiving each other as they went. In that moment, Nick realized that not only was this a great opportunity to pick up some sorely needed items, it was a great deal of fun too. It was the only moment of pure recreation he¡¯d had in far too long. He¡¯d savor the memory when it was over. But for now, all that mattered was using the last few minutes as efficiently as he could. By now, they had completed their survey of the shelves, which meant that it was time to start looking inside the crates. They each picked up a mallet and prybar from the pile of tools, then started levering open the tops of the wooden containers. The first few were a bust, holding nothing of interest. But the next one Nick cracked open contained glass vials, metal canisters, and other assorted storage containers. Figuring that they might be useful later and didn¡¯t weigh much, he picked out an assortment and put them into his bag. Then he went back to grab a few final items from the crate that V had just opened. Veronica had found some flint and steels, whetstones, and an assortment of utility knives, along with a sewing kit that appeared to be designed for repairing leather armor. It seemed that the people staffing this floor had occasionally ventured outside the tower and used these supplies to keep their weapons and armor in top shape. Since there were only two minutes left on the clock, they both ran back to the bag as planned. They threw in everything light without bothering to sort it, then spent a few seconds debating which of the larger items they wanted. When the bag was full, they started piling up the rest in their arms. Nick had just picked up the last item he could carry when the System informed them that they were out of time. Event complete. The items you collected are their own reward. No additional experience or essence has been awarded. With that, he felt an irresistible compulsion to leave the room. Side by side with Veronica, they stepped through the door and back into the hall. The doorway closed behind them, sealing itself with a faint hiss. They spent the next half hour reorganizing their haul. Then they packed it all up and left the rest behind. As they continued on their way, Veronica reached over and slapped him on the back. ¡°That was the best event ever. Nothing was better than basic, but being able to pick out what we wanted and not having to fight for it was amazing.¡± ¡°You said it V. I couldn¡¯t agree more.¡± Nick started walking with a spring in his step, glad for the gear and the moment of sorely needed recreation. He strongly suspected that it was the last moment of levity he would enjoy for quite some time to come. Chapter 24: Veronica and Nick This marked the beginning of three days spent traveling together, as Veronica and Nick continued working their way toward the center of the floor. Although it was taking them far longer than he¡¯d originally estimated, he was certain that they were getting close by now. Part of the problem was that it was hard to navigate the vast underground space without a compass or a complete map. As a result, they made several wrong turns that cost them part of a day. It would have been even worse if Nick wasn¡¯t expanding and correcting the map in his journal as they went. But over time, picking their path became less reliant on guesswork and process of elimination. Another issue was that even when they knew exactly where they were, they often couldn¡¯t follow a route that made a beeline toward the middle of the facility. Instead, they were forced to weave a path that took them back and forth across the same section more times than he could count. This was in part due to the facility¡¯s complex layout and in part because of collapsed passages, but mostly because of the tunnels that were filled with enemies and too risky to break through. Along the way, they came across two medium-sized rat packs that were too tempting to pass up. And after some planning and setup, were able to kill both by luring them into an empty room, bunching them up with Nick¡¯s wand, and then finishing them off with V¡¯s napalm grenade. Both fights were relatively easy, so they hadn¡¯t gained any skill ups or new levels, but he had a sense that they were drawing close on both fronts. It was exciting that Veronica would hit level fifteen soon. They were both eager to see what upgrades her powers would get when she could access the ability mastery system. Nick also managed to collect two more gear-rats and one scorpion by ambushing them with his mana darts. He could only afford to take out solitary machines. By now, most of the constructs had silver shields, so he had to blow through a considerable amount of mana on each occasion. They used these fights to strengthen their teamwork, practicing using their abilities and skills in concert. Over time, they started to feel less like two people attacking the same target and more like a single unit, working efficiently toward a common goal. Their progress was in part because they were learning more about each other¡¯s preferences and fighting styles. But even more crucially, they were starting to trust one another. Not just in general, but with their lives. It let them take advantage of tiny gaps in their enemies¡¯ defense. Precision maneuvers where if someone made a mistake, it would likely result in the other taking a serious wound or worse. On the second day, after carrying around his full pack for miles and miles, Nick finally got an update that he¡¯d been looking forward to for some time. By engaging in rigorous exercise over a prolonged period, you have conditioned your body and improved the following baseline attribute: Strength has increased from [8] to [9]. Finally! Just one more point and I can cap that one too. On top of letting him swing his sword harder, the gain made his pack feel lighter. A most welcome development under the circumstances. Thanks to their long hours traveling together, Nick had plenty of time to reflect on how much better it was to explore the magical multiverse with a friend at his side, compared to his lonely month on the Searing Isle. Fighting beside Veronica felt different from the time that Nick had spent with Sophia out on Blackmist Bog. Both women were intelligent, competent teammates. But their powers and personalities were a stark contrast to one another. On the battlefield, Sophia tended to take a direct approach that relied on overwhelming her opponents until they were off-balance and exposed. Her primary weapon was her summoned beasts. Semi-expendable forces that could deal damage, distract, and provide cover, guided by her keen tactical awareness. Her powers meant that neither of them had to fight their enemies head on during most engagements, reducing the damage they suffered as a result. Veronica was the opposite in many respects. Rather than facing their foes directly, she preferred to take them from behind, avoiding exchanging blows whenever possible. Her powers of stealth combined with her natural scouting ability let her land the first hit, inflicting enemies with powers that did considerable damage over time. One of her favorite tactics was to sneak up close, strike at range with her acidic bolts, then withdraw before their enemies could home in on her location. With V at Nick¡¯s side, they were able to win fights before they even began. Once a brawl was underway, she preferred to stay at range, especially since her claws¡¯ bleeding poison didn¡¯t work against the gear-swarm. She was incredibly agile but didn¡¯t have the toughness or armor to take big hits. She let Nick engage the constructs, using her bolts to keep her enemies off balance. Distracting them and disrupting their formation while her acid went to work. While there were more green shields than before, there were still far less than the silver, leading them to believe that the swarm would rather have its members melted than stolen. Veronica¡¯s new grenade launcher provided an element that only she and Devin could add right now, area of effect damage. Her grenades were perfect for fighting multiple small opponents at once, compensating for one of Nick¡¯s biggest weaknesses. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. The downside was that she could only use it once a day, so she had to make each shot count. Even the red-shielded rats were blinded by the flame, giving Nick a chance to get up close and disable them with his sword. As they traveled, they shared more of their experiences with one another. Both their lives before integration, and everything that had transpired after the System arrived and ended the old world with searing beams raining from the sky. Veronica had been a fitness instructor back in her old life. Although she had studied geology in college and worked in that field for years before deciding to change things up. She was deeply impressed when she learned the details of Nick¡¯s solo tutorial run. V was captivated by his description of Bandit and the lemur tribe, and his various run ins with the lurk. ¡°I hope that I can meet the tribe one day. With any luck, they will be waiting for us when we make it back to Earth.¡± Other than that, she was most interested in his description of what he¡¯d seen when the System attuned his energetic core-- when Nick was able to behold the full spectrum of mana for the first time. Right now, she could only sense mana as a vague impression of heat, and they both spent some time trying to improve their energetic senses as they walked. They went over the ability mastery system in detail, speculating and strategizing, trying to figure out how to gain the understanding required to rank up their various powers. They also spent time reviewing everything they had learned about essence so far, trying to bridge the gap between essence and concepts. Nick knew that he was already generating essence, since his wand had begun refilling automatically, although it still recharged instantly after killing certain creatures. It was filling up even faster in this place, since some manner of force related essence permeated the damage to the stonework. He hoped that it was being absorbed by his force powers too, taking him closer to ranking them up without having to fight. Since he already had enough essence to rank up piercing ray, Nick devoted considerable time to trying to understand the ability better, working the problem over with V so that she could apply the same logic to her own abilities. She was extremely helpful, making him go over everything that he¡¯d done with mana dart to understand the underlying principle. He realized that he¡¯d gone through significantly more testing with his darts, both on and off the battlefield, developing an instinctual sense of their limits and capabilities. Whenever his mana was full, he began trying the same thing with his ray. Testing how fast it moved, how much he could control the beam, its maximum range, duration, and the like. He also tried putting as much and as little mana into the spell as he could, to see how it changed the results. He discovered that he could pump in what he estimated was between seventy-five and one hundred twenty-five percent of the default mana. Since the spell was most efficient at its base level, he left it there most of the time. Since he had been able to use his ray while sustaining his darts, he also tried casting two rays at once. But that failed spectacularly, and seemed to be more trouble than it was worth, at least for now. Meanwhile, V continued to teach him what she knew about stealth. How to move quietly, and to pick a path where unseen eyes would have a harder time following his movements. After the first day, she judged him proficient with the basics, and started teaching him advanced drills. How to stay quiet in complex environments with multiple enemies nearby. Through their various discussions, Nick learned that Veronica knew the details regarding several knowledge point unlocks that he didn¡¯t have in his journal yet. Her tutorial had quite a few people in it, and they had planned out their kp use in advance. It allowed them to explore most of the terms on their profiles, then work on custom queries that went beyond it. After reading through the rest, she added what she knew to the growing list of entries in his journal. Nick read each of them closely, committing each word to memory, eager to learn everything that he could about the laws of the multiverse and the System. Builds Some individuals choose to develop their path to power entirely on their own, especially among newly integrated species. But among established species, a far more common strategy is to follow a build, especially while progressing through the early tiers. Builds refer to known ways of distributing attributes, training skills, and taking classes in order, guaranteeing that the desired class will be offered at class selection. Following a build offers predictability and stability. A chance to learn from experienced practitioners who know their ins and outs. They are fiercely guarded secrets by the factions that develop them. A process that typically takes multiple generations and a significant investment of resources to complete. Complete builds, which take an individual to epic classes or through higher tiers, are even rarer and more valuable than partial builds, which generally only span the first tier and part of the second. Many builds focus on unlocking key abilities early on and reaching critical attribute thresholds. Some are incredibly strict, while others have room for minor variations. Free ability slots All individuals start off with two active ability slots and one passive ability slot. Class abilities from a current class do not require the use of slots. Empty slots are filled when an ability gem is used. Such abilities must be slotted until they are fully mastered at rank 6 or forgotten. Free slots, on the other hand, allow an ability to be stored in an inactive state. The contents of free slots can be swapped with another ability once per day, if an individual is able to access their profile. In addition to letting an individual have one more ability than they could normally slot, free slots have a number of uses. Common uses for free slots include: keeping a class-granted ability when changing classes (when the ability is below rank two), swapping out active or passive abilities based on the needs of a given situation, and turning off passive abilities with significant drawbacks that cannot normally be deactivated. Forgetting abilities Occasionally, situations may arise where an individual wishes to remove an ability from their profile, a process colloquially known as forgetting. Since the use of abilities is tied to channels carved into an individual¡¯s brain and energetic network, this process can be intensely unpleasant. When an individual gains the opportunity to learn a new ability, usually by activating an ability stone, but does not have an available slot, an existing ability may be forgotten instead. Forgetting an ability forcibly converts the pathways and any accumulated essence into the raw materials needed to learn the new ability. All excess essence is lost in this process. Specialized items and professions can complete this process with no further cost, otherwise the individual must sacrifice class experience to complete the exchange (forgetting an ability is not possible without sufficient experience.) As class granted abilities do not normally take a slot, they can only be forgotten if they have been slotted to retain the ability when changing classes (for rank 0 or 1 abilities. Rank 2+ abilities may be kept without requiring a slot.) Chapter 25: An Unfortunate Change of Scenery Late on the duo¡¯s third day of traveling together, their surroundings began to change. At first, it was just a faint scent that Nick couldn¡¯t quite place, which grew stronger as the hours ticked past. They kept on walking for miles, making their way through those lonely halls of stone. It was the best-preserved section of the facility that he¡¯d seen yet. It felt less like they were walking through a post-apocalyptic war zone, and more like they were touring a tomb. Which, if Nick understood what had happened here, wasn¡¯t too far from the mark. It made him especially glad for Veronica¡¯s company. It made all the difference having someone to share stories and jokes with to lighten the mood. Not to mention a skilled tracker to keep an eye out for trouble and a trusted friend to watch his back. Still, he would be thrilled to leave this place behind him for good. He much preferred the natural environments of the Searing Isle and Blackmist Bog to the vast underground ruins. ¡°Nick,¡± she said as they passed by what looked like a decimated warehouse, the contents long-since devoured by the construct swarm. ¡°There¡¯s something that¡¯s been bugging me for a while now.¡± He turned to look her in the eyes. ¡°It¡¯s slight, but there¡¯s a grade to the floor here, see?¡± She took out her canteen and poured out a bit of water. Sure enough, the pool began gliding across the stonework, moving in the direction they were headed. He frowned, processing the meaning of her observation. ¡°Wait, if the passages aren¡¯t completely flat, does that mean¡­¡± ¡°I think this place has more than one level. The floorplan might be more complex than the layout we were envisioning. It could wind up being a three-dimensional maze.¡± ¡°Shit.¡± He groaned, rubbing his temples with his fingertips. ¡°I think you¡¯re right. That¡¯s going to make getting out of here even harder than I thought. This place is already massive. If there are multiple layers to it, who knows how many miles these tunnels stretch on for?¡± ¡°Yea, that¡¯s what is worrying me too. It¡¯s a good thing that we didn¡¯t try to explore the whole exterior, or we would never have made it this far. The good news is that our strategy is still sound. We¡¯ll keep heading toward the middle and meet up with the others when we get there, assuming that we don¡¯t find them along the way. Once we¡¯re reunited, we¡¯ll start searching for the closest stairwell. With any luck, we will pass one before then. Then we can retrace our steps and get the hell out of here without wasting any more time.¡± Her words helped to cheer him up. Nick nodded as he replied, ¡°I¡¯m sure that Kenji and Sophia will come to the same realization. Devin can be surprisingly sharp sometimes too. Once they grasp how big this place is, the others will head straight to the center, unless they get stuck somewhere along the way. It¡¯s the only logical way for us to find one another, and everyone is smart enough to come to the same conclusion.¡± Veronica and Nick walked in silence for the next few hours, each lost in thoughts of their own. They decided to take a break and eat a late lunch after finding an empty room with a door that still worked; a perfect place to conceal themselves from the construct swarm. He was glad that they¡¯d found the extra food in the storeroom, since there hadn''t been any other opportunities to restock their provisions since entering Darkstone Tower. At least water hadn¡¯t been a problem, since they had found intact sinks every so often whose plumbing was still functioning. Not long after they resumed their journey, the changes to their environment became more pronounced. The floor, which had been free of anything organic up to this point, began to crunch beneath Nick¡¯s boots with every step he took. The layer of grit gradually grew thicker, until they could only see patches of the stonework beneath. ¡°I think that its dirt.¡± Veronica bent down to take a closer look. ¡°Or maybe not. It smells super gross.¡± Her nose wrinkled in disgust. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Sure enough, when Nick took a sniff, a faint yet lingering aura of nastiness washed over his nostrils. ¡°Yea. That¡¯s foul all right. I think that we must have left specimen refinement and crossed over into the waste disposal division a while back.¡± ¡°Whatever lives here, it¡¯s not those gear-constructs.¡± V pointed to some tracks in the dirt. ¡°Those markings look wrong for their feet and are too far apart for creatures their size. Whatever made them is bigger than the scorpion models. I think that it might be some kind of insect, although I¡¯ve never tracked giant bugs before so I can¡¯t be sure. Should we head back and look for another way around?¡± Nick considered the question before replying. ¡°Let¡¯s keep going for now. Who knows how far we¡¯d have to backtrack to find another path leading toward the middle? With any luck we will spot whatever made those tracks before they notice us. If there¡¯s something else down here besides the swarm, we¡¯ll need to come up with new tactics to fight them, and to avoid them when it¡¯s time to rest.¡± ¡°Alright, that makes sense. I hope it¡¯s not centipedes, those things fucking creep me out.¡± Veronica shuddered. After his experience with the flesh-renders back on planet Drezen. Nick could only agree. They kept on going, moving as quietly as they could, on guard against ambush from all sides. As they progressed, the dirt covering the ground thickened, until they could no longer see the floor at all, although he could feel its firmness below his boots. The strange soil was piled high along the walls, making it feel like they were venturing underground. Although Nick suspected that had been the case the whole time, since the other part of the floor had been dug out from what appeared to be solid bedrock. Eventually, they came to another four-way intersection. Unfortunately, there wasn¡¯t a map anywhere nearby. But Nick had been adding each tunnel they took to the chart in his journal, judging their direction as best he could. ¡°I¡¯m not completely certain, but I think we need to turn right.¡± ¡°That¡¯s where the worst of the smell is coming from, so you¡¯re probably right. I have a hunch that we¡¯re going to be forced through the thick of things before we come out the other side. So whatever seems worst is likely the quickest route.¡± While V¡¯s analysis might have sounded cynical to a casual observer, Nick suspected that she was right. Neither the System nor Taltos would let them leave without a fight. A battle on a scale bigger than the constructs they¡¯d dealt with thus far. Nick drew his sword and carried it as they walked, stopping to inspect every shifting shadow and unknown echo. By this point, the dirt was piled all the way up to the ceiling along the tunnel walls, partially obstructing the light crystals embedded into the stonework. From time to time, he heard a faint clicking in the distance. He couldn¡¯t tell what it meant, but V¡¯s ears were sharper than his own, thanks to her charm of listening. Not long after they made the turn, Veronica held up one hand, flashing one of the signs they had agreed on earlier. The one that meant, ¡°We¡¯re being stalked by enemies.¡± Nick nodded and began looking for a defensive position, preferring to fight on the ground of his choosing if given the chance, rather than stumbling into an ambush. While they walked, he started reviewing tactics in his mind, deciding which spells and tools would work best in this environment against various types of opponents. Ten nervous minutes later, they came across a room whose entrance was partially blocked with debris. The inside was littered with fragments of chitin and what appeared to be some manner of excrement, but nothing seemed to be dwelling within. Since it was clear by this point that they had already been detected, he signaled to V, suggesting that they hole up here to deal with the threat. While there was a risk of getting trapped inside by a superior force, pushing ahead or turning back was even risker. Being besieged within a chamber where they didn¡¯t have to watch their backs and had a natural chokepoint was far better than being hit from two sides at once. Before they committed to a course, they needed to make sure that the room was really empty. That nothing nasty was lying in ambush or some other form of trap awaited them inside. While V went in to scout it out, Nick stood guard by the entrance. ¡°It¡¯s clear.¡± She rejoined him a few minutes later. ¡°Gross, but free of traps, enemies, or hidden tunnels. How are things on your end?¡± ¡°I can hear something coming, it won¡¯t be long now. There¡¯s no point in trying to be stealthy, they clearly already know we¡¯re here. Let¡¯s hit them from maximum range as soon as they appear, then duck inside the room so we can use the door as a bottleneck. If we wind up needing to make our escape, we can use the wand, web, napalm combo that worked before. Although its best to save our consumables if we can.¡± ¡°Sounds good.¡± Veronica reached into her pack as she started preparing for battle. The crossbows mounted to both her wrists extended, bolts knocked and at the ready. Concept Art Veronica''s concentrated stamina potion More rats Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. Storage room bonus event Maze of tunnels Chapter 26: Bug Battle Nick conjured four mana darts as the skittering grew louder, echoing down the tunnel to his right. A noise that his mind recognized as rapid footsteps¡­ just as six giant insects rounded the corner three hundred feet ahead and came charging straight for them. Since the tunnel was long and straight in this area, he already had his spyglass out, ready to inspect his opponents before they came into range. The angry bugs had glossy bodies, narrow legs, and hideous faces ending in wickedly barbed mandibles. He started calling out his observations while trying to decide which of their new tactics would work best. ¡°They look like a cross between roaches and termites, with some ant thrown in on top. It seems like they will rely on their bites rather than attacking with their limbs. Wait, there are some that look different than the rest.¡± He put away his spyglass after reporting that the two beasts in back were making size up go nuts, the ones with green protrusions on the rear of their shells. ¡°I think that pair can fire some kind of acid,¡± V said. ¡°I can sense something resonating with my acidic bolts. It¡¯s likely some manner of essence based on what you told me earlier. If you can injure those two with your darts and keep them from sniping us, I¡¯ll lay into the rest. I have a hunch that if they attack with acid, they will be resistant to my own, and we can¡¯t afford to waste our abilities.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Nick took aim, visualizing the trajectories that he wanted his darts to follow. ¡°Could you fire one regular bolt at each of them to kick things off? I could use a distraction, so they¡¯ll have a harder time dodging my spells.¡± Instead of answering, V raised her crossbows and fired, sending a bolt streaking toward each of the giant green insects charging their position. The moment that the missiles took flight, he let loose his spells. He sent three of them soaring for the closest acid-slinging bug. That left a single silvery wedge flying for the other termite-roach beast in the back, which he decided to call roaches just to keep things simple. ¡°I¡¯m going to try a hit and run. We need to do some damage before they box us in.¡± Trusting Veronica to keep the other insects off his back, Nick raised his sword and started running toward his assailants, taking aim for the acid-roach that had a single mana dart headed its way. He raced down the dirt-strewn tunnel, veins filled with adrenaline and heart pounding in his chest. By now, V¡¯s bolts had arrived at the acid-roaches¡¯ location. Instead of dodging like he¡¯d been expecting, the big bugs lowered their bodies while raising a pair of plates running along their backs. At first, Nick thought they were wings. But then he realized that they served as a dense layer of armor instead, shielding the roaches from return fire. Unfortunately, both bolts deflected off the thick sheets of chitin, ricocheting down the passage until they were lost from sight. But he hadn¡¯t been counting on them doing damage. As Nick had hoped, the attack served to distract the roaches, letting his spells land on target half a heartbeat later. They can¡¯t dodge while their armor is extended. Good to know. As he closed the last stretch of ground between them, three of his mana darts sank into one of the green bug¡¯s body. Two hit its abdomen, while the third struck it square in its hideous head. It let out a high-pitched screech, but Nick didn¡¯t have time to see how much damage he¡¯d inflicted. Every scrap of his attention was focused on the acid roach in front of him. As he raised his sword and prepared to strike, the beast took a single dart to its thorax, hissing as its limbs locked up from the pure mana discharging throughout its body. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Before he could land an attack, some of the regular roaches turned to intercept him, which Nick had been expecting. A fraction of a second later, the pair closest to his position went down in a tangle of spasming limbs, each with a glowing green bolt planted in the middle of their heads. V''s ability discharged its acid into the tissue below. Chitin hissed and bubbled before running like wax, eating away at the roach¡¯s brains and taking them out of the fight in an instant. He barely noticed. He only had eyes for acid roach in front of him, the one that had been hit by a single dart. Size up had told him that these creatures were more powerful individually than the gear-constructs. Nick hadn¡¯t expected his darts to be as effective, even in their upgraded form. While he had hopes for the one that had been hit by three spells, he didn¡¯t think a single dart would be enough to bring one of the killer bugs down. Thus, by this point, he had already begun swinging his sword down with the full power of his body behind it, aiming for the roach¡¯s head. But the big bastard recovered even faster than Nick had expected. It spun without warning, taking his sword on one of its armored plates instead. There was a screech as metal bit into chitin, carving away a long strip. But it was enough to keep his blade from penetrating deep enough to strike anything vital. Before he could follow up, the creature turned to face him. A fat glob of gelatinous goop spat out from a protrusion on its rear, heading right for Nick¡¯s face. He wasn¡¯t sure that his new shield could handle being bathed in acid, so he dove to the floor as the wad of solvent went flying over his head. It splattered against the wall behind him, hissing as it ate away at the dirt-encrusted stone. It was getting ready to fire again, taking more care with its aim this time. But Nick wasn¡¯t about to let that happen. He pulled out his wand and fired at point blank range, a rippling cone of force erupting from the end of the device. His wand had been growing more powerful as he raised his magic attribute, and it was enough to pick the acid roach up and send it flying back to land beside its twin, unable to right itself before retracting its shield. Meanwhile, another squad of bugs had appeared, all of them the basic variant. Veronica was laying down covering fire, keeping the roaches from converging on his position for a few more seconds. Fortunately, their armor wasn¡¯t nearly as thick, and her shots were dishing out considerable damage. Since she had created an opening, Nick was able to look over and see what his trio of mana darts had done to the other acid-slinging roach, which had yet to fire a shot. He was pleased when he took in the damage that his spells had caused. While it wasn¡¯t enough to kill the big bug outright, it was clearly weakened, moving around sluggishly as if in a daze. Losing a big chunk of stamina, mana, and health at once must be pretty disorienting. He realized that he had a good chance to finish off both acid-shooters before pulling back. Nick ran over and thrust his sword deep into the first acid roach, before it could flip back over. The tip of his sword pieced in deep into its soft underside in a spray of clear fluid. He must have hit something vital, because the beast screamed and then went still. Without missing a beat, he raised his blade high and then brough it down upon the dart-weakened roach. It didn¡¯t even try to move out of the way, letting him claim its head in a single slash. Maybe we won¡¯t need to play defense after all. He saw that two more of the regular roaches were dead as well, perforated with a half dozen of V¡¯s bolts apiece, leaving only a few more headed their way. He was ready to finish them off. But before he could advance, a third squad appeared from around the corner, even bigger than the last, then a fourth group from the opposite direction. Ok Nick, it¡¯s time to go. He fired a second shot from his wand to drive the roaches back, then turned and started sprinting down the tunnel. ¡°There are too many,¡± Nick yelled. ¡°We¡¯ll have to fight using the doorway as a chokepoint like we planned. We might have to burn through more consumables to get out of this one, but let¡¯s save them until we can web the whole group at once.¡± As he continued running toward Veronica, he realized that another kind of bug had joined the fight. In addition to more acid roaches and the basic variety, there was a third type leading the charge. They were twice the size and even more heavily armored than the acid-slingers. They looked incredibly durable, every inch of their bodies covered in thick plates of chitin. V was already back at the doorway, clearly agreeing with his assessment. She fired a fierce barrage to help slow the beasts¡¯ advance, while Nick beat a hasty retreat. He arrived at her side ten seconds later, covered in sweat but still in shape for a brawl. A brawl that began less than a minute later, when a score of giant roaches came knocking at their door. Chapter 27: Damage Healer Ten minutes later, the last roach fell dead in the dirt, burning as Veronica¡¯s launcher reduced it to char and oily smoke. The battle had been hard fought, requiring the use of a napalm grenade and all three charges of Nick¡¯s wand to outmaneuver their enemy. The good news was that the fight had leveled them both, taking Veronica to level fifteen. At last, she could use the ability mastery system. Better still, she could take advantage of it to power up her abilities by a fair margin here and now. ¡°Sick.¡± She let out a cry of triumph. ¡°I have enough essence and understanding to take acid bolt to rank two and bleeding slash to rank one. No luck with my bone claws just yet. I was hoping to take bleeding slash to rank two right away, but there¡¯s always the next fight.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fantastic V.¡± Nick gave her a well-deserved high five. ¡°I suggest that you take rank one for both abilities first and sit down before you do. Those visions can be pretty intense. Then you can take your time and decide which upgrade you want for your bolt. I¡¯m happy to offer my opinion if you want it, but the choice is pretty personal. Not only will it change how you fight here and now, it will influence the classes you¡¯re offered later, each option taking you down a different path of advancement.¡± ¡°Thanks Nick. I appreciate getting a heads up from someone who has already gone through the process.¡± She rubbed her hands together in anticipation. ¡°Now let¡¯s check out these visions you were talking about.¡± While Veronica was busy, Nick walked over to the doorway to stand guard, using the opportunity to look over his own gains. Congratulations. You have accumulated enough experience to reach level [17]. You have gained one point of magic and one point of dexterity from your class. You have one free attribute point awaiting allocation at your discretion. Through use, you have improved the following skills: Sword has increased from [9] to [10]. Evasion has increased from [8] to [9]. Wand has increased from [10] to [11]. Light shield has increased from [1] to [2]. He was still deciding how he wanted to spend his free point when Veronica spoke up, sounding both exhilarated and a bit spacy from the altered state that accompanied ranking up her abilities. ¡°Holy shit. You weren¡¯t kidding about those visions Nick. That was¡­ honestly pretty amazing. Now, let¡¯s take a look at my upgrade options for taking acid bolt to rank two.¡± Nick waited patiently, giving her some space while she mulled the matter over, although he was extremely curious to find out what she¡¯d been offered. A few minutes later, she looked over at him and said, ¡°Shit. This is harder than I thought. Let me know what you think. ¡°My first option would let me add a splash area of effect on impact, which would be awesome for fighting enemies like the construct swarm. The second increases the range of materials that the acid can dissolve, which might prevent me from being countered or help to deal with problematic opponents with unusual defenses. ¡°This third one is both intriguing and kind of weird. I can make a portion of the damage that my acid inflicts turn into an energy that heals me and anyone friendly in the area. Although the effect is diffused when I use it on a group.¡± ¡°Damn, those are good.¡± Nick nodded his agreement. ¡°I think you can cross the second one off the list, since you have such a wide range of damage types already. I doubt that you¡¯ll run into problems as far as defenses go often enough to make it worth the opportunity cost. ¡°But option one and three are both flat out amazing. The only possible concern is how that last one will influence the next batch of classes you are offered. I think it will take your choices in a totally new direction, although that¡¯s just a hunch based on my interactions with the System. You don¡¯t have to pick right away. It¡¯s fine to think it over for a while first.¡± Nick wasn¡¯t too surprised by V¡¯s next words, since she¡¯d been planning for this moment for days. ¡°There¡¯s no need to drag this out. I¡¯m ready now. While it¡¯s a bit creepy on the delivery, I want to be able to save lives, not just end them. Right now, your elixir is our only source of healing. As amazing as it is, it¡¯s best when you can use it on yourself in a situation where you¡¯re running low on all three vital energies, instead of as an emergency band aid. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°Plus, we wind up taking some damage almost every fight. Topping off our health as often as possible is sure to come in handy. Not to mention having a source of on-demand healing for serious wounds. Walking around with all these cuts and bruises isn¡¯t a ton of fun, even if we heal them pretty fast naturally. I do want to pick up some more area of effect attacks sooner rather than later. But for now, let¡¯s go with the wild card. Healing acid, here I come.¡± ¡°I think that¡¯s the best choice too.¡± Nick nodded his agreement. ¡°Go ahead and confirm and then sit back down. If you thought the visions were crazy before, you¡¯re in for quite a treat.¡± While Veronica had her ability expanded along with her consciousness, Nick went ahead and spent his free point on toughness. It was always a solid choice since it made him harder to hurt and helped him fight for longer at a time. But the main reason was that he was hoping to reach a place where he could freely use force acceleration in battle without tearing his body apart. Especially if he wanted to add stamina into the mix, like he had when he¡¯d thrown the rock that had helped kill the river king. He sent his intentions into his menu, then waited until the feeling of snakes slithering through his muscles subsided, enjoying the sense that his tissue was more durable than before. Not long after, Veronica finished with her own improvements. ¡°Well, that was¡­ memorable.¡± V walked over to Nick¡¯s side, giving his shoulder a playful punch. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to take these new powers out for a test drive, once we restore our mana and stamina at any rate. We should probably keep moving. The constructs are easy to avoid since they track their targets by sound and we¡¯re both good at being quiet. But I haven¡¯t figured out how the bugs hunt yet. ¡°If we wait here for long, we run the risk that more of them will show up. Besides, we just cleared the passage we were hoping to follow and¡­¡± Whatever V was about to say next was cut off, as she lowered her gaze toward his waist. ¡°Hey Nick. Maybe I¡¯m crazy, but is your belt¡­ blinking?¡± He raised one eyebrow, since that wasn¡¯t even close to what he¡¯d been expecting her to say. But when he looked down, he saw that she was right. ¡°Oh shit. It is. That¡¯s right, I forgot to tell you about the crystal recorder I found earlier.¡± He explained how he had found the alien device, and what it had revealed about the floor so far. ¡°Wait, there¡¯s something even worse lurking down here? What am I saying?¡± V let out a long sigh. ¡°Of course there is. Hopefully this will tell us more about it before we run into it ourselves. Go ahead and summon your science wizard, Nick. I¡¯m looking forward to seeing some alien magic with my own eyes.¡± He was about to object to her use of the term ¡®science wizard.¡¯ But then he decided that it fit as well as anything else that he could come up with. Instead, he shrugged, reached into his belt pouch, and removed the crystal device. As soon as he touched it, it spoke without waiting for his command. A location-based log has been detected. Would you like to play it now? ¡°Yes,¡± Nick confirmed, and an image of Kellen the researcher shimmered into existence beside him. ¡°Neat.¡± Veronica circled the hologram, poking at it with one finger while examining the projection of the alien scientist from all sides. ¡°Video log one hundred twenty-eight, Waste Disposal Division. Today, I had a long talk with Quipep, the head of waste disposal. She seemed receptive to my project and helped me to flesh out some ideas I¡¯m developing. However, she is unwilling to participate without a stamp of approval from the executive board. An unfortunate and ultimately misguided sense of loyalty in my opinion, although her hearts are in the right place. ¡°On the bright side, she was willing to divulge a few details about her work that aren¡¯t available in the data network. I will admit that her division has taken an admirable approach toward increasing their efficiency. Most notably by introducing a series of targeted mutations within the species commonly referred to as garbage-feeders. While the corpse-eaters focus on deconstructing especially resilient and problematic materials, the garbage-feeders focus on quantity, eliminating the majority of the waste produced in this section of the tower. ¡°What were once simple F-grade insects, the same as you¡¯d find on most any planet, have been selectively bred to induce complementary geneline traits. These changes have allowed the bugs to evolve into the E-grade. She has increased the range of organic materials they can consume, allowing them to survive in the presence of pollutants that would kill most other life forms without mutating in an undesired direction. ¡°Right now, there are four core variants. The base model is resilient and voracious, suitable for most needs. The recently developed solvent-spewers can break down a wide variety of harder substances, while the flamethrowers can assist with cleanup, saving valuable time and resources. Then of course, you have the queen, which is responsible for keeping the colony¡¯s population at optimal levels and adjusting the ratio of variants as needed. ¡°Quipep is in the final stages of engineering an armored frontline fighter. Perfect for those unfortunate instances when something dangerous is introduced into the tower¡¯s waste conduits and makes it down to this floor still alive and kicking. ¡°After manufacturing a little diversion, I helped myself to samples of her projects to use in developing my masterpiece, which I have assigned the codename ¡®the Janitor.¡¯ These acquisitions should speed up my timetable by several months, and I should produce my first generation of research subjects by the end of the quarter. It will go even faster if I can get my hands on¡­¡± The rest of this log is corrupted, and the data has been lost. ¡°The janitor huh?¡± V let out an appreciative whistle. ¡°If it¡¯s stronger than the gear-constructs and the big bugs, we should avoid it if we can. Now how about we get the hell out of here before we¡¯re up to our eyeballs in killer insects?¡± Nick nodded his agreement, and they made their way out of the room, continuing along their original course. Before long, their tunnel wound its way back toward specimen refinement and the dirt lining the passageway came to an end, greatly improving the smell. They continued heading toward the center of the floor, glad to leave the roaches behind them. With any luck, we¡¯ll find more of our team soon. Chapter 28: The Third Man They took a break and ate lunch a few hours later, then continued on their way. Nick was glad to be back in the part of the facility that was inhabited by the construct swarm. The dirt-packed tunnels had felt considerably more claustrophobic, were harder to navigate, and smelled absolutely fucking awful. Thank heaven for small favors. He discovered more good news not long after. When they came across the next intersection, Nick realized that the curvature of the wall was visible along the ring-shaped path they followed, indicating that they were drawing near the middle of the floor at last. Since the intersecting path was perfectly straight, it was impossible to get lost past this point, for which he was extremely grateful. He felt more optimistic than he had in days. All they needed to do now was meet up with the rest of their party and find the stairs, and Nick had a hunch that it would happen relatively soon. A premonition that was borne out less than an hour later. As they passed by a row of rooms and drew near another intersection, Veronica held up a closed fist, the signal they had agreed meant, ¡®Stop. I hear something.¡¯ Sure enough, when Nick went still and sent his awareness into his ears, he was able to hear a man¡¯s voice in the distance, although the echoes warped the words too much to make out their meaning. He broke into a broad grin and said, ¡°I think it¡¯s Kenji. We¡¯ve finally found another member of our team.¡± His optimism was tempered by V¡¯s reply. ¡°He wouldn¡¯t raise his voice like that unless he was in trouble. We should hurry.¡± Nick didn¡¯t bother to reply. He just fell in beside Veronica as they started running down the tunnel, heading toward the distant voice. It was difficult to track its origin due to the all the echoes, but they were able to figure out which branch to follow before the cries abruptly cut off. While Nick was concerned about this development, it didn¡¯t put a damper how excited he felt in that moment. He¡¯d been worried about Kenji the whole time they were down here. After all, the last time that he seen the scarred strategist, Kenji had just lost an arm to the river king and was teetering on the verge of death. Nick had been afraid that the man hadn¡¯t made it into the tower after the blackmist broke over them, since neither he nor V saw Kenji enter the tower. Having the brilliant tactician in their party would be an invaluable boon, and Nick felt his enthusiasm beginning to rise. In addition to his razor-sharp wit, Kenji was a skilled warrior and stalwart defender. He was better suited to taking hits than anyone else in team, except for maybe Devin. His aura would add some much-needed healing, complimenting V¡¯s new power. Not to mention whatever boosts he¡¯d gained from unlocking the ability mastery system. It would be a weight off Nick¡¯s shoulders to have such a brilliant person directing their battles. Kenji had the keenest strategic mind out of anyone he¡¯d ever met, on par with the top gamers from old Earth. Having him at their side would be wonderful in so many ways, and Nick couldn¡¯t wait to see him. Although they didn¡¯t hear him yell past that point, before long, the sounds of battle began reaching their ears, coaxing the duo into a burst of speed. They went streaking down the passage at an incredible rate, burning stamina to get there even faster, since V was starting to get the hang of it. The world was reduced to a blur as Nick began leaping over fallen stones, keeping an eye out for enemies enroute but spotting none. All the constructs in the area must already be engaged. Soon, the sound of the gear-rats¡¯ squeaks grew distinct, and Nick knew that they were getting close. They sprinted down another long hall, took a final turn, and then a doorway opened on his left. Veronica and Nick came to a skidding stop, peeking their heads past the doorway to survey the situation before committing to their charge. It was a better situation than he¡¯d feared. There weren¡¯t any clockwork scorpions, just a big batch of rats. Inside the chamber were at least twenty of the mechanical menaces, swarming around the base of a massive slab of stone that had fallen from the roof. Its sheer sides that were too steep for them to scale. Instead, they were trying to form a pyramid to bridge the distance, each jump from the apex closer than the last. On top of the rock stood a lone figure, who was busy firing arrows down into the swarm, swearing every time that he fumbled a shot. A few of the rats had shafts sticking out of their bodies, but it wasn¡¯t enough damage to trigger their teleportation reflex. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. The man¡¯s back was to them. But he spun around when a rat was able to scamper onto the rock, sending it flying with a hasty kick. When he noticed them standing in the doorway, he turned to look Nick straight into his eyes. By this point, Nick was reeling from shock, having received the most unpleasant surprise he could imagine. Just as Veronica pointed and said, ¡°Who the fuck is that?¡± Because the man in question wasn¡¯t Kenji after all, but someone who Nick had hoped never to see again. A young man who had tried to rob Nick and leave him for dead back on the Blackmist Bog, although he had been woefully inept at the task. ¡°Shaun,¡± Nick spoke the name and then growled in frustration. ¡°What the hell are you doing here?¡± Shaun, along with half of the gear-rats, turned to face the fury reverberating in Nick¡¯s voice. ¡°Hi guys. Fancy meeting you here. Please don¡¯t go. I know that we didn¡¯t part on the best of terms. But I could really use a hand right now, if you happen to have a few minutes to spare.¡± Despite the show of bravado, it was clear that Shaun was terrified. His eyes showed the whites all the way around and there were dark circles below, revealing that he hadn¡¯t slept a wink in days. It seemed that he¡¯d been trapped up there for some time, locked in a battle of attrition with the swarm. At least we know there aren¡¯t any other constructs nearby. If they were, the battle would have pulled them in by now. ¡°Should we leave him?¡± Veronica cocked both crossbows and took aim, driving back the first few gear-rats headed their way. ¡°Based on what you told me, he doesn¡¯t sound like the kind of person I want on our team. He might have done something to Kenji.¡± ¡°Tempting,¡± Nick raised his sword and prepared to meet the rats¡¯ charge. All of them were covered in a thin layer of silver magic, shielded against his mana darts. Rather than wasting his reserves trying to break through, he decided to take them out the old-fashioned way. ¡°I suppose that it comes down to how he answers this question.¡± Nick skewered two rats back-to-back, then looked up again. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare lie to me Shaun. I have a skill that will let me know if you do.¡± He¡¯s too exhausted to think straight. The bluff should probably work. ¡°What did you do to Kenji?¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t go!¡± Shaun cried out, voice cracking as his hysteria shone through. ¡°I don¡¯t know who that it. But I didn¡¯t do anything to anyone, I swear it. I was running from the blackmist and all the monsters when I saw people heading around the side of the tower. I followed a woman wearing blue robes when she jumped into a hole and wound up alone down here.¡± ¡°Stop yelling.¡± Nick let out a long sigh as he deepened his battle stance. ¡°You¡¯re lucky that you didn¡¯t draw any of the gear-scorpions to you, or you¡¯d be dead already. These clockwork constructs hunt by sound, so you need to learn how to fight as quietly as you can. I¡¯ll tell you what. If you can take out any of them with that bow right now, I might be inclined to treat you better after we get you down from there.¡± ¡°Ok. I¡¯ll try.¡± Shaun lowered his voice and raised his bow, raising Nick¡¯s estimation of the man by just a hair. By now, all the rats were headed Nick¡¯s way. Shaun drew back his bowstring and fired, catching a leaping rat in the stomach. It fell to the floor. But instead of vanishing, it turned and snapped the shaft between its teeth, then started limping its way toward Nick once more. Veronica began firing the moment the constructs were in range, shooting a fresh bolt every few seconds. She took out two with her initial volley, but the rest leapt out of the way. ¡°Shit. These ones are different, Nick. In addition to their specialized shields, their movements are sharper than before. I think they¡¯re adapting to our attacks in more ways than one. Let¡¯s take them out all at once.¡± By now, all of Nick¡¯s concentration was on the approaching rats. He didn¡¯t have time to answer, since a pair of brass rodents were leaping for his throat. He ducked beneath the first flying construct, took aim, and then swung as hard as he could. He caught the mechanical menace square in the middle, cutting straight through it in a spray of gears and springs that went rolling across the floor. It remains popped out of existence the moment they hit the ground. She¡¯s right, these ones have more dexterity than the others we fought. At least they¡¯re still pretty fragile. Veronica switched to her bone claws after landing a final shot with her crossbow, fighting with Nick back-to-back as they began a vicious melee. Meanwhile, he swung, ducked, and dodged for everything he was worth. He leapt over a pair of constructs that were trying to bite his ankles, then ducked below a rat that was springing for his face. He kicked one hard that was coming for his stomach, sending it skidding across the floor. He darted after it, skewering it with the tip of his blade then bringing his boot down hard, pulverizing the brass rodent with a hearty crunch. By now the rest of the rats had arrived. Veronica took out one more with her claws, although they had a hard time penetrating the constructs¡¯ plastic coating. When Nick had a moment to look over at Shaun, he saw that the man was doing his honest best to help with his bow. But most of his shots fell short or went wide, revealing that his skill with the weapon was still appealingly abysmal. ¡°They¡¯re in position,¡± V said. ¡°Let¡¯s finish them.¡± By way of reply, Nick raised his wand and fired. Concept Art This week''s art chapter is a little light, big one coming next week. A few more takes on the stamina potion Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. Shaun (Happy) Shaun (Not so happy) Chapter 29: Shaun Nick¡¯s first shot picked up a cluster of rats and shoved them against the wall. His second sent the rest of the swarm flying over to join them. He used the final charge of his wand to bunch them tighter and then Veronica took her turn. She raised her wrist and then fired her grenade, covering the squealing machines in a layer of sticky flame. They tried to run, but there was no escape. Thirty seconds later, all the gear-rats were dead, except for a single brass beast that was still trying to scale the stone and get to Shaun. When the burning rats disappeared with a chorus of pops, Nick realized that his arm was stinging. It turned out that he had taken two bites that sheared straight through his jacket, but nothing that went too deep. V had a nasty scratch on her face that could have gotten her eye if it had been two inches higher. While none of the wounds were serious enough to worry about and would heal on their own, it was a perfect situation to try out Veronica¡¯s newly upgraded ability. He was going to suggest that she give acid bolt a test run, but V already had the same idea. Responding to her thoughts, her claws retracted, and one wrist-mounted crossbow extended, the bolt glowing green as she activated her ability. She took aim and fired, catching the gear-rat square in the chest. It started melting before vanishing ten seconds later. For a moment, Nick couldn¡¯t feel anything. But then his wounds started tingling, sundered tissue drawing itself back together until only healthy pink skin remained. He wasn¡¯t sure how well it would work against something more serious, but it was a promising sign. ¡°Fucking awesome.¡± Veronica ran her fingertips across her face, wiping away the blood from a cut that no longer existed. ¡°I couldn¡¯t agree more.¡± He gave her a fist bump, then they turned their attention to the rock in the middle of the room. To where an exhausted Shaun was shaking in the aftermath of his prolonged battle. ¡°Get down from there.¡± V pointed to the young man, her smile vanishing in an instant. He flinched and then lowered himself from the stone, nearly losing his grip and falling flat on his face in the process. Then he started walking over toward Nick and Veronica, relief and trepidation both clear in his eyes. Despite his extreme dissatisfaction with the situation, Nick couldn¡¯t blame the man for his condition. He remembered his early days on the Searing Isle. The terror of narrowly surviving countless battles for his life, which he had been woefully unprepared for. It wasn¡¯t enough to make Nick forgive Shaun for trying to rob him, but he couldn¡¯t deny that he felt some sympathy for what the man had been through. ¡°Thank you so, so much for not leaving me up there. I swear that you won¡¯t regret it.¡± ¡°Not now,¡± Nick replied. ¡°We need to get out of here before more machines show up. There might not have been any close enough to hear the fight, but we just sent a bunch back to their maker. They always send reinforcements if you kill enough of them, and we aren¡¯t in shape for another battle unless we want to blow all our remaining reserves. ¡°One last thing before we go. If you see any clockwork constructs that look like scorpions, watch out. They can fire blasts of force mana from the end of their tails that are invisible to the eye. Now be quiet and follow us. We can get this all sorted out once we find shelter.¡± To his credit, Shaun merely nodded and fell in behind them, pushing past the exhaustion to get his body moving. It¡¯s not fun, but the ordeal should help him to condition his attributes. Nick broke into a light jog and started heading down the passageway, hoping that Shaun could keep up with this modest pace. At least by the standards of his new life. The man was soon sweating and drawing short of breath, but he kept on running without voicing a complaint. Fifteen minutes later, they entered one of the large factory like rooms that were scattered across the specimen-refinement division. After making sure that the coast was clear, they climbed on top of a large storage tank and sat down, trying to keep quiet while they figured out what to do. On the bright side, the tank was filled with what turned out to be pure water and had an access hatch on the top. Everyone drank their fill and refilled their canteens. When everyone had cooled down, he turned to look at Shaun. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡°Keep it to a whisper,¡± Nick warned. ¡°Now I asked you before, but this time tell me everything. What the hell are you doing here and what happened to Kenji? He wouldn¡¯t have been hard to recognize. He was missing an arm the last time I saw him.¡± Shaun looked pale, either from fear of Nick or lingering stress from being besieged on the rock. Perhaps a bit of both. But he took a deep breath and then answered in a low voice, looking Nick straight in the eyes. ¡°Like I said, I¡¯ve never met Kenji. I was stuck outside the tower when the mist started rolling in. I couldn¡¯t find a door no matter how hard I tried. One of those big dogs was chasing me when I saw your friend, the wasp lady with the blue robes, jump into a hole near the base of the tower. ¡°I figured that following her was my only chance at that point and had no idea that she was part of a full party. When I woke up, I was all alone. You don¡¯t blame me, right? It was that or get torn to pieces. I¡¯m really am sorry about before. Please let me travel with you. I¡¯ll be dead within hours if you don¡¯t.¡± ¡°He¡¯s going to slow us down and we can¡¯t trust him,¡± Veronica said. ¡°I know,¡± Nick replied. ¡°I don¡¯t like it either, but we can¡¯t just leave him. He might even become an asset if we can level him up and let him practice his skills along the way.¡± Shaun sagged in relief on hearing those words. ¡°But if you want to come with us there are rules.¡± Nick held up his fingers one at a time. ¡°You do what we say. No complaining. And if you do anything that puts my friends at risk, I¡¯ll leave you behind. No more second chances. Deal?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Shaun nodded enthusiastically. ¡°I won¡¯t let you down and will follow your lead. I know that earning your trust will take time considering what I did. But I swear I¡¯ll do my part. Now, would you mind sharing your names¡­ and maybe something to eat. My pack was empty when I entered the tower. I could use my consumable meals, but they weigh next to nothing. I think we should save them for last.¡± It¡¯s kind of annoying, but he¡¯s right. Nick sighed in frustration and then handed Shaun a loaf of travel bread. While they ate, Nick and V made their introductions, and then everyone shared their stories of exploring Darkstone Tower thus far. Shaun had run into trouble early on, escaping from one pack of constructs before being trapped by another. His class was called an Elemental Archer, and he had two abilities. One was an arrow that let out a smokescreen, and the other released an electrical discharge in a small radius. Nick nodded along with his words, adding his specs to the tactics they¡¯d concocted. Although Shaun¡¯s class had potential, especially for being common, he was still level seven, and his bow skill was barely off the floor. He wasn¡¯t going to be much help until he had more experience. ¡°That smoke power might come in handy in some situations.¡± V rubbed her chin as Shaun finished his story. Then she made some suggestions regarding what role he should play in various scenarios. When she was done, Nick chimed in. ¡°Let¡¯s get some rest and then keep on pushing for the middle of the floor. We can plan out how to level this guy up along the way. The first thing you can do is help carry some supplies.¡± Nick dug into his pack and took out about twenty pounds worth of gear. The most he thought Shaun could handle without slowing the team down. It was the least valuable stuff they had, but it would help Shaun condition his strength and toughness as they traveled. Nick put some water into his pack to extend their supply, taking it back up to its maximum capacity. With that, they made camp for the night. Since Shaun was exhausted, didn¡¯t have the enhanced Survivor trait, and Nick didn¡¯t trust him, they let the man sleep through both shifts without taking a watch. Nick took the first watch and gave Veronica the second. When he opened his menus, he found a small pile of gains waiting for him. He grinned. Improvements to my skills are always welcome. Through use, you have improved the following skills: Sword has increased from [10] to [11]. Evasion has increased from [9] to [10]. When Nick woke up after his turn to sleep, Shaun and V were speaking softly. He listened for a few minutes with his eyes closed, as Veronica explained the basics of moving silently and using a ranged weapon against a moving target. He was pleased to see that Shaun was paying close attention, occasionally asking a question in a soft voice. The man seemed to be taking this seriously, which was a good thing. While Nick didn¡¯t want to leave Shaun behind, he would if the man became a liability to the team. They couldn¡¯t afford to let one person drag the party down. Not with the fate of their planet hanging in the balance. Nick opened his eyes and stretched out, adding a few pointers of his own so that Shaun could learn the fundamentals of his short sword, then drilled him in his role during the battles to come. After a light breakfast they climbed down and continued on their way. They put more miles beneath their boots, heading for the final passageways leading to the heart of the floor and the danger that was certain to be waiting for them there. Chapter 30: View of the Center Not long after, the tunnel they were following came to an end. For once, this development was good news rather than a source of frustration. The reason why was simple. Instead of being blocked by rubble like the other obstructions they¡¯d encountered, this passage terminated in a curved sheet of what appeared to be thick glass or crystal. When Nick peered through it, he broke into a broad grin. We finally made it. At long last, after days of exploring and fighting, they¡¯d arrived at the middle of the floor. And that was only the beginning of the good news. Not only had they successfully navigated the mazelike facility, there was a staircase sitting in plain view. A crude set of wooden planks leading up the side of one wall to a hole in the ceiling high above. Nick and Veronica high fived and then hugged. They even relented enough to fist bump Shaun. Then everyone took a good look at the rest of the room. The cylindrical space on the far side of the glass was huge, far bigger than any of the enclosures they had crossed along the way. At least three football fields would have fit comfortably down there, with plenty of room for the stands. The floor of the room was hundreds of feet below Nick¡¯s boots. V was right. Although this entire facility was considered to be one level of the tower, some of the passages and rooms were stacked on top of each other, just as Veronica had suspected. Now we just need to find a way down there. The difference in elevation meant that they still had a bit of traveling to do. Nick hoped that it would be relatively easy to work their way down to the ground, compared to the warren of passageways they¡¯d had to navigate to get here. When he looked at the far wall, he could see hundreds of windows lining the chamber from floor to ceiling. Further evidence that the tunnel network was even more extensive than he¡¯d realized. It gave the inner ring the appearance of a honeycomb, each windowpane leading to a separate corridor. Many of them were covered in dirt, revealing the extent of the roaches¡¯ territory. ¡°This place is incredibly massive. Exploring the whole floor would have taken us months.¡± Veronica¡¯s words mirrored Nick¡¯s train of thought. ¡°Heading for the middle was the right choice. We would have never come across the others looking around randomly.¡± Then, for a long while, the three of them stood shoulder to shoulder, simply taking it all in. Although the room in the middle of the tower was free of creatures, living or otherwise, it was far from featureless. It was divided into two main sections with a long strip of clear ground running between them. On one side, dozens of basins were arranged in an orderly grid, which looked a bit like empty swimming pools from this elevation. On the other, rows of raised platforms emerged from the floor, each topping off around waist height. Even after taking out his spyglass and surveying the area, Nick wasn¡¯t sure what he was looking at. He was hoping to uncover some clues as to the chamber¡¯s purpose and dynamics, since he had a hunch that they wouldn¡¯t reach the staircase without a fight. This room must be important, given its central location. Something critical to the floor¡¯s role in managing the tower¡¯s waste. It all became clear five minutes later, when the scene erupted into chaos. In between the drawing of one breath and the next, clarion alarms rang out. Sharp clangs that echoed endlessly down the myriad passageways. Nick drew his sword and fell into formation beside Veronica, convinced in that moment that they¡¯d triggered a trap and were about to be swarmed by the facility¡¯s residents. But after several nervous minutes, nothing seemed to be coming for them. He returned his attention to the middle of the floor, where something strange was taking place along the ceiling. There was a sense of energy congealing. Magic on a scale that he¡¯d never experienced before. Not long after, a large portal shimmered into existence, with a metallic sheen like a pool of mercury was floating above his head. It must be a node along in the tower¡¯s portal network. But why is it so big and what purpose could it serve all the way up there? Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. The answer was revealed two minutes later. There was a bright flash. When it dimmed, shadows began marching across the floor below. Nick looked through his spyglass, jaw dropping in confusion when he realized that hundreds of corpses were emerging from the portal ten at a time. When the last body materialized, the portal flashed again and then vanished. In that moment, Nick thought that he was about to watch the bodies hit the floor like a grotesque waterfall. However, instead of plummeting to the ground, something even stranger occurred. Each corpse began floating, as if guided by fine wires, making its way from the center to the edge of the ceiling. Once they were in position, they started to slide, circling the room as they began gradually working their way down the wall. From time to time, one of the bodies came to a stop, rotated ninety degrees, and then fell into a hole that had opened in the stonework. It seemed that this bizarre procession was some manner of sorting process. The corpses were shunted off to different sections of the floor based on a criterion that Nick couldn¡¯t even begin to imagine. As they stared up at this unique and rather unsettling display, he had the impression that the bodies were sliding down a series of conveyer belts formed entirely of force magic. They were invisible to the eye, but not to his fledgling ability to sense mana. While some of the remains were removed along the way, the majority continued their descent uninterrupted, winding down and around the interior of the chamber as they were lowered to the floor. When they reached his elevation, he was able to take a closer look. Most of the corpses appeared to be animals or beasts. There were carnivores and herbivores, quadrupeds and bipedal creatures, along with a fair number that he had no idea how to categorize. Not all the cadavers belonged to animals. Some were human, along with dozens of alien species in a vast array of forms. Most were naked, and some were clothed in simple robes, but none of them had any visible gear on them. There were scars and wounds all across their bodies. Evidence of desperate battles and cruel experiments carved deep into their flesh. Clearly, this was only the final stop in the series of calamities that had befallen them. Witnessing the gruesome procession made Nick sick, and bile rose hot in his throat. It wasn¡¯t just the corpses, which were unpleasant all by themselves. But the realization that they must have endured something terrible within the tower, before being thrown out like trash. It fit with the impression of Rizzen that Nick had been granted in his vision. An incomprehensible mad scientist unbound by conventional morality. He just hoped that the members of team Earth could overcome this challenge without meeting a similar fate. Although he knew deep in his gut that not everyone would be so lucky. No one said a word, each processing what they were seeing as the corpses slid down and down and down in an orderly fashion, until they reached the bottom of the chamber. At this point, they were placed upon the rows of platforms, like some sort of bizarre funeral arrangement. While he had a general sense of what was happening, it still didn¡¯t explain the layout of the chamber. Everything became clear five minutes later. The construct swarm appeared from a lower tunnel in a river of brass, spreading out as it engulfed the rows of bodies. What had to be thousands of gear-rats surged into the room, the scraping of their claws against the stone forming an endless, clattering roar. The army of mechanical rodents was under guard by at least fifty gear-scorpions. A force far larger than he¡¯d imagined and more than they could hope to defeat. Frowning as he took in the might of his enemy, Nick noticed that there was a third type of construct with them. A variant that they hadn¡¯t seen before. The new machines looked a lot like turtles. They had four long feet, broad toes, and a heavy shell upon their backs. Their role in the construct swarm was clear at a glance. Because each of the gear-turtles was covered in a shimmering dome of magical energy that stretched out a good ten feet from their location. The barriers of translucent energy came in a range of colors. Some were the ethereal silver of pure mana, while others were the green of acid. There were several with a reddish tint that had to be some manner of fire mana, while the last set were translucent. Nick¡¯s energetic senses told him that those were made of force mana, the same energy that powered his wand and piercing ray. ¡°They are some kind of portable shield carrier.¡± Veronica verbalized what Nick was thinking. ¡°It¡¯s what Kellen mentioned in his log. They must be designed to protect the swarm from enemies that can take out a bunch of rats at once. I bet those shields are a lot stronger than the ones guarding the individual constructs. If several of those turtles stand near each other, it¡¯s going to be hard to use any of our abilities against the swarm.¡± Nick nodded his agreement, analyzing everything that he saw while the rats went to work, taking apart the corpses bite by bite. It cemented his desire to make it off the floor without being drawn into another big fight. It was now crystal clear that the construct army was far too powerful to take on this close to the center of the facility. If the clockwork creatures came at them in full force, they would be overwhelmed within a matter of seconds. As disheartening as this development was, it turned out that the show was only halfway over. Chapter 31: The Great Garbage War Only a few minutes into the rats¡¯ gory feast, a second alarm rang out. A high-pitched tone with a different pattern than the last. Nick wondered what it signified, only to have the answer revealed a heartbeat later. Over on the other side of the room, near where the empty basins sat, another cluster of portals opened near the ceiling. Through the first set of glowing apertures, nasty sludge began pouring out, rancid brown flowing beside virulent green. Tarry black running next to a sickly iridescent fluid that shimmered like an oil slick. The rivers of watery waste followed conduits of force mana too. They divided in midair as the channels of filth separated, each flowing down to fill their own pool set into the floor below. Nick was thrilled that he couldn¡¯t smell anything through the glass wall. Part of the river was clearly shit, mixed in with countless other types of refuse. The other set of portals served a similar function, ejecting trash that was relatively solid. Garbage and muck in every color of the rainbow began pouring down, filling the other half of the basins. Bits of food, scraps of wood, and countless kinds of junk that Nick couldn¡¯t even begin to identify flowed down the transparent channels until they reached the ground. A few of the gear-rats broke off from the corpses to start nibbing at the solid waste, although they showed no interest in the liquid. Weird. Maybe this was how things were supposed to work before the big disaster. I wonder if the roaches are coming to eat the rest. Nick didn¡¯t have to wait long to learn the answer. Because the entire scene erupted into chaos less than a minute later. Alerted by the alarm, or perhaps the smell, dozens and then hundreds of oversized roaches began racing out from another series of tunnels. The ones on the side where their nest was visible through the glass. Half of the big bugs began devouring the waste immediately, while the other half went charging for the constructs to drive them back toward the bodies. They took out a few scattered rats that were slow to retreat, all of which vanished after being seriously wounded. While each side began eating their respective offerings of corpses and garbage, they fought with one another. The ravenous armies skirmished back and forth, darting in to steal a portion of the resources from their enemy¡¯s half of the room. The strength of the gear-turtles became obvious over the course of the battle. Blasts of acid from the green roaches splattered against their shields rather than doing any damage. The roaches had another new type with them too. A red-shelled variant that could unleash a heavy jet of flame within a range of approximately fifteen feet. Each side scored some kills during the exchange, but the defensive specialists in both armies kept the casualties to a minimum. The roaches¡¯ ranged attacks deflected off the turtles¡¯ shields, while the tank roaches absorbed most of the pacifier scorpions¡¯ shots. The rats are happy to eat the roaches too, Nick noted. This must be a long-standing stalemate for both sides to have such a massive army. They must both be able to restore their losses relatively easily in between battles, although the corpses and garbage might not always be portaled into this room at the same time. Staring through the window high above, Nick, V, and Shaun sat down to watch the show. It was an excellent opportunity to evaluate the capabilities of both threats from a perfect position to observe the proceedings. Nick and his party had front row seats to witness the strategies and abilities on display, without having to worry about getting caught in the crossfire. He soon learned that the construct swarm was better at team tactics. It was able to execute complex maneuvers in perfect coordination, to such an extent that it reminded him of computer games from his old life. The turtle models protected the swarm from ranged fire, while the scorpions dished out damage. When fighting as a group, a handful of rats stayed inside the shield bubbles to protect the bigger constructs from charging roaches, while rest kept on feeding. But that wasn¡¯t the extent of the swarm¡¯s strategy. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. A handful of gear-rats darted out every few minutes to strike at the roaches from the sides, sacrificing themselves to damage their enemy¡¯s coordination, rather than trying to reduce their numbers. The kamikaze constructs would rush in, attracting attention while dodging fire. They disrupted the roaches¡¯ formation then fell back, time and time again. It kept the roaches from being able to mount an effective assault on the swarm, although it didn¡¯t stop the big bugs from trying. Rather than following a coordinated strategy, the beasts tended to plow right into the fray, using tactics suitable for creatures with animal intelligence. But while the big bugs were lacking in the planning department, they made up for the difference in raw power and rugged durability. Each time that the insects made a push, their armored warriors led the charge. They soaked up most of the scorpions¡¯ shots on their heavy plates of chitin, while the rest followed behind. Once they were in melee range, the nonspecialized roaches came pouring through the gaps to hit the machines from the front. The flame and acid-spewing bugs kept most of the constructs from leaving their shields and took out the ones that did. Once they were inside the gear-turtles¡¯ barriers, the roaches were able to overwhelm the constructs completely. However, only two of the forcefield generators fell during the battle, since the swarm tended to pull back or reinforce their line before things reached that point. While both armies suffered a few dozen losses, it seemed like they were mostly trying to keep the other team from stealing more resources, rather than trying to finish off the opposing side. Nick had the sense that this scene had played out many times before. That this battle was one small event in an endless cycle. The new equilibrium that had arrived in the aftermath of the calamity that had befallen this floor. Either way, it was a fantastic opportunity for team Earth, providing a wealth of data that could normally only be obtained by risking their lives. The garbage war taking place far below Nick¡¯s boots let him judge the speed, reflexes, and ranges of each type of opponent. Let him gauge how often they could use their powers, and how they dealt with surprises. What tactics they favored, and the gaps in their teamwork. It was all incredibly useful information. Intelligence that would help the party keep their blood inside their bodies the next time they found themselves ambushed on the way to the stairs. But there was still one giant piece missing from the puzzle of the floor¡¯s present state. None of these creatures can deal damage on the scale that we witnessed on the way here. Their attacks aren¡¯t even scratching the stone floor and walls. They can¡¯t be responsible for all the collapsed rooms and passageways. Something else is down here too. It must be the Janitor that Kellen mentioned in his logs. Nick would learn just how right he was only a few heartbeats later. From one of the ground level tunnels on the far side of the enclosure, he felt something stir. He had the sense that powerful mana was radiating out from the passage, flowing across the enclosure in waves. While Nick still couldn¡¯t see mana in the air, by now he was learning how to feel it. It was a dense river of energy, ponderous and powerful, on a scale greater than any he¡¯d encountered before. Since I can sense it so clearly, it must be pure or force mana. I can barely perceive the other kinds at all right now. He focused on the sensation, a vibration that evoked images of ripping and crushing. Of pushing and pulverizing. Force mana then. But Nick soon realized that it wasn¡¯t just mana he was feeling. Something else was emanating across the enclosure too. A form of energy that resonated with his wand, to the point that the device was practically vibrating within its beltloop. When he focused on the strange sensation, Nick had an impression of kinetic energy. Of power and momentum, that was somehow more complex, more refined, than the turgid flows of force mana seeping into the air. It must be essence, he decided. It feels like what was left behind in the scars along the stonework. It should be related to force too. I can feel the energetic pathways for piercing ray and force acceleration tingling in response. That was all the time for reflection that Nick was granted before the source of the potent energy was revealed in its full, fell glory. Before the construct swarm or roach horde could finish their meals, a third contender entered the fray. Something different than anything he had encountered before. The entity stormed out of the passageway in the blink of an eye. The warring forces were slow to notice the arrival of this new threat, totally consumed with their strange combination of battle and meal. The creature was enormous, at least the size of an elephant, with a shimmer of displaced air around its form that made its position hard to track. By now, the gear and insect forces realized that something was wrong. They began to pull back, skittering across the stones in a disorganized jumble. But it was already far too late. The Janitor had arrived. Concept Art More of the gear-swarm You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. Center of the basement Chapter 32: The Janitor The gigantic creature went streaking straight for the middle of the battlefield, moving too fast for either army to disengage in time. It came to a stop a heartbeat later, giving Nick a chance to get a good look at the bizarre creature. It was covered in a shifting mantle of translucent energy that made it hard to focus on, even when it wasn¡¯t moving. But he was certain that it had to be the Janitor. At last, he was gazing upon the menace that had destroyed most of the floor, slaughtering its residents and throwing the basement level into chaos and ruin. That field around it must be made of force mana. It¡¯s so thick that I¡¯m able to see it clearly for the first time since gaining my affinity. When Nick tried sizing the creature up, he received a sensation of overwhelming danger, which wasn¡¯t a surprise by this point. But that was all the information he got. The skill couldn¡¯t provide any details as to the nature of the threat. Once again, he was running into the limits of only being able to take size up to ten. While the skill was still incredibly useful, he couldn¡¯t wait until he was able to raise it further. But that was a problem for another day. Meanwhile, today¡¯s problem was making its move. When the Janitor came to a skidding stop near the heart of the battlefield, the bugs and clockwork beasts began to panic. They turned away and ran for their lives, leaving the last scraps and bodies behind. But they had noticed the giant¡¯s arrival too late to avoid catastrophe. Before either side could hope to escape, the force-shrouded creature began laying waste to roach and construct alike. One second, they were rushing toward the tunnels as fast as their feet would carry them. The next, a series of explosions ensued. Bugs and rats, ichor and gears, went flying into the air. Dozens of creatures were reduced to various-colored goo in the blink of an eye, accompanied by the pops of dozens of gear-rats disappearing back-to-back. Once again, Nick was able to see the force mana in the air, although he could sense that the attack was infused with essence too. It was blurry, but his vision grew sharper the longer he watched. A second blast followed the first, then another pair in rapid succession, laying waste to everything within a hundred feet of the lethal entity. The damage was worst near the Janitor¡¯s position. Scores of constructs and roaches were slain in the blink of an eye. Some went flying back at incredible speed, slamming into the walls hard enough to pulverize their insides. Others were driven into the floor, flattened and squished like they¡¯d been run over by a steamroller. Some simply exploded, like they¡¯d been standing at ground zero when a bomb went off. But the destruction wasn¡¯t limited to the Janitor¡¯s proximity. Even distant targets were hit hard by its powers. Nick noticed that in these cases, the path of devastation shot forth in a line before spreading out at the point of impact. He could see swirling beams screaming through the air, reminding him of his own piercing ray. He wasn¡¯t sure what any of this meant just yet. But it had to be clues to the true nature of the creature¡¯s powers. He would ponder the implications later, and devise what tactics he could. Although it was abundantly clear that if Team Earth ran into the Janitor, it was going to end their day in the worst possible way. The retreating forces spread out, mitigating the damage they took as a dozen more eruptions ensued, each landing a couple of seconds apart. Nick and his team ducked out of sight, watching the battle play out on their bellies, instinctively trying not to draw notice to themselves. It was terrifying to witness the sheer level of power on display. The Janitor carved lines of devastation into both armies, killing hundreds within a matter of minutes. Once again, Nick had the sense that in addition to mana, some form of incredibly concentrated essence was lancing forth from the Janitor. Something that resonated with his own path. But he couldn¡¯t make out the details. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°Nick, we should get out of here before it sees us.¡± Veronica pulled on his sleeve. He nodded and they stepped away from the glass. Shaun shuddered. ¡°Let¡¯s not run into whatever the fuck that was. It took out those roaches and rats like they were nothing.¡± Nick couldn¡¯t find any fault in Shaun¡¯s observation. After all, he felt exactly the same way. They headed back down the passageway, took the first turn they saw, and kept moving until the sounds of battle faded into the distance. Once they were far enough away from the site of the slaughter that nothing in the inner chamber should be able to hear them, the party came to a stop to confer with one another. They each took turns reporting everything they¡¯d witnessed, then started to brainstorm so they could start refining their various strategies and plans. They came up with a few additional tactics, in case they were forced to fight the new variants of roaches or constructs. But now that they knew what was down there, they decided to avoid conflict whenever possible until they could climb the stairs and start fresh on the next floor. Nick would have liked to start training Shaun now. But they couldn¡¯t afford to delay their escape. Not on a floor with an escalating threat. It would be a bad idea and to attract the attention of either army regardless, especially when the sound of their battle might draw that walking calamity called the Janitor. Instead, they would focus their efforts on completing the floor as quickly as possible. With that goal in mind, they returned to the problem at hand, navigating the last stretch of passageways that would take them down the lowest level. While it proved to be a complicated route, charting a course was easier now that they were only trying to progress in one direction, with a clear landmark on one side that made it impossible to get lost. Four hours later, Nick¡¯s team had made significant progress toward that goal. The next time they came across a crystal window overlooking the center of the floor, they were noticeably lower to the ground. With any luck, by the end of the day, they would make it all the way down to the bottom. Then they just needed to find the rest of their teammates and make it to the stairs without being caught between the three warring forces. Everything that they had experienced thus far made Nick nervous about what they¡¯d find when they climbed the stairs and encountered the next challenge posed by the Tower of Rizzen. After all, the next floor was supposed to be equally dangerous to this one, and the last two would be even worse. Nick shelved his worries for now. They were a distraction that he couldn¡¯t afford to indulge. He would deal with the crisis on the horizon after he found a way to survive the one right in front of him. By now, they were starting to get a clearer picture of what had happened down here. After witnessing the creature with his own eyes, it was obvious that the Janitor had inflicted all the structural damage to the floor, although the rats and bugs had helped to destroy the objects that had once filled the various chambers. They must have gone out of control when the staff was slain. They weren¡¯t designed to eat anything other than the corpses and garbage that came down the portals in the middle of the level. Late in the day, after passing by a cluster of rooms that were mostly intact while looking for a place to camp, Shaun spoke up for the first time in hours. The red-haired man gathered their attention and pointed to a door. ¡°This one seems different from the rest. Maybe we should take a closer look.¡± While he found Shaun¡¯s presence to be annoying to say the least, Nick had to admit that he was right. This door was intact and sealed as well, like the storeroom that had contained the last event he and Veronica had come across. Not to mention, it had a sign written in System runes over the top that read, ¡°Kellen, Vice Director of Research.¡± It seemed that they¡¯d found the office belonging to the researcher whose crystal device Nick had uncovered in the first chamber he¡¯d explored. When he reached out to touch the door, a message from the System appeared in front of his face, confirming that Shaun had found something special after all. You have discovered a conditional bonus event. Event: ¡®The downfall of waste disposal,¡¯ can only be accessed by those who possess the proper key. The rewards for this event are the contents of the room. ¡°Yea, this seems important alright.¡± Nick nodded as he read the message. ¡°Good job, Shaun.¡± The young man brightened visibly at the praise. They spent the next five minutes trying to find a way inside. That was when Veronica turned to him and said, ¡°That crystal you have belonged to Kellen right? Maybe the door will open if you touch it with the device.¡± It was a sensible suggestion. Nick took the crystal out of his belt pouch and held it in front of him. Sure enough, when he tapped it to the door, the portal slid open, revealing a sizable office within. It was time to find some answers at last, and with any luck, some treasure along the way. Chapter 33: Kellen’s Story Unlike most of the rooms they had come across, this one was intact and filled with a wide variety of objects. Every inch of the walls was covered with notes and diagrams, detailing hundreds of species and experimental reports. At least, that was the impression Nick got from taking in the structure and looking at the pictures. He couldn¡¯t read a word of it, since they were written in some alien language rather than System runes. Boxes full of inscrutable equipment were piled high in the corners, which he would get to in a minute. There was a display embedded into the wall that reminded him of the ones mounted to the obelisks. Although it refused to turn on, even when he touched the crystal to it. But the most distinct feature by far was the body sitting in an oversized chair. The remains were perfectly preserved, emaciated like a mummy. It seemed that there were no bacteria or other microscopic lifeforms in here to break it down, and it had simply dehydrated over time. It was a man, although clearly not human, with a pair of glasses hanging by a strap, clad in an immaculate white lab coat. Given the color of the skin and facial features, Nick strongly suspected that they had found Kellen¡¯s remains. The researcher who had precipitated the crises that had befallen the floor. Apparently, although he had perished too, he had been able to avoid the rampage of the Janitor and the out-of-control constructs and insects. If this was where it all began, perhaps we will get some answers at last. While time was of the essence, this was an important opportunity, so they decided to enter the room and find whatever they could. It also seemed like a perfect place to rest for a few hours, minus the presence of the body. By now, they had become inured enough to death that it was merely unpleasant rather than horrifying. ¡°We¡¯ve finally found a safe place to rest.¡± Veronica let out a long sigh. ¡°Maybe we¡¯ll find something valuable in here too. I say that we give the room a thorough inspection, then sleep until we¡¯re fresh again. We can face the last stretch of this floor with a full tank of gas.¡± ¡°Sounds good to me.¡± Nick began poking through the various piles. Shaun slumped down in a corner and closed his eyes, his sleep-deprivation and exhaustion catching up to him at last. They retrieved some provisions from Nick¡¯s pack and ate a full meal. Then they took a few minutes to enjoy the fact that at least for a few fleeting hours, they were safe. Once they had recovered a bit, he took the crystal out of his belt pouch. It had been blinking ever since they entered the room, but he hadn¡¯t had the energy to deal with it until after their break. As soon as it was in his hand, a message appeared in front of his face. You have discovered a location-based log. Would you like to play it now? Nick gave the order and the image of Kellen wavered into existence beside him. It was bizarre to see the man in his prime standing next to his own corpse. Shaun opened his eyes at the sound, and all three of them turned to listen as the log began to play. The first entry showed an excited Kellen staring at the monitor on the wall. ¡°Thanks to the material samples I¡¯ve retrieved from the executive offices, combined with the data I downloaded from directors¡¯ personal files, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel at last. If I can combine all seven species and retain the desired geneline traits from each, I will be able to create the perfect omnivorous lifeform. A creature that can digest nearly any form of tissue or inorganic compound, and regenerate any damage it takes from dangerous specimens during the process. ¡°They are going to give me a medal for this, and all the fools who denied me will be cast out of the tower in shame. Even Rizzen will know my name when this is over. Kellen, the man who designed the ideal creature. Now I just need to divert some power and resources from the conduits on this floor and I can proceed to experimental trials. It won¡¯t be easy fusing everything just right, then controlling the resulting amalgamation, but I know I can do it. At last, my dreams are within my grasp.¡± The man wavered out of existence, then reappeared over on the far side of the room. It was clear from the changes to his appearance that some time had passed since the last log. Kellen looked disheveled and bone-weary. But a triumphant grin lit up his face, with hints of madness around his eyes. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. ¡°I¡¯ve done it. The final series of geneline fusions was a resounding success, resulting in the birth of a novel grade-E life form boasting the exact traits I desired. I managed to procure a species experience pill on the black market and evolved the creature to grade-D. Now my research will enter an exciting new phase, and soon I will receive the praise I so richly deserve. ¡°I do have one unusual side-effect to report. While the geneline traits and abilities are perfection themselves, my creation doesn¡¯t seem to have any skills. Not that it needs them, given what it¡¯s already capable of. Better still, in spite of my fears, the tier empowerment was a resounding success. ¡°After pumping the creature full of force mana and various types of kinetic essence, a concept was formed, and the prototype has been forcibly uplifted to tier-two. At this point, it¡¯s worthy of a name, not just a designation number. From this point on, I will be referring to the entity as the Janitor, not just the project itself. "Its base form is comprised of malleable gelatinous tissue, although it should be able to assume other shapes as needed once it reaches maturity. Preliminary evaluation shows perfect compliance to all target specifications. It¡¯s eaten everything I¡¯ve fed it so far and has remained completely docile, even friendly in demeanor. I think it likes me. Thus far, it¡¯s shown no signs of aggression whatsoever, even when hungry. Early experiments in instilling full obedience protocols are promising.¡± ¡°Now comes the bad news.¡± Veronica sighed, as the image of Kellen shifted once more. This time, he was sitting in his chair. The image was superimposed over his mummified remains, terror and exhaustion clear in every crook of his features. ¡°Oh gods. Why is this happening? What went wrong? It was all going so well until the Janitor reached its mature state. Part of its geneline must be unstable after all, because the creature shows a voracious need to consume essence, especially types that it hasn¡¯t absorbed before. When it comes across a form of energy it wants, it will pursue it mindlessly, ignoring every behavioral protocol I have established. It wasn¡¯t supposed to eat people. Not ones we didn¡¯t tell it to at any rate. ¡°Did something it ate trigger a change? Or was it hiding its true nature the entire time, waiting to acquire its full strength before making its escape?¡± Kellen buried his head in his hands and began to sob. He came out of his weeping spell a few minutes later and continued to speak. ¡°I suppose in the end it doesn¡¯t matter. After tunneling through the floor to escape its cage, the Janitor broke into the security division and killed the entire unit guarding the level. Once most of the defenders were digesting in its stomach, the creature proceeded to lay waste to everything it came across, including the facility itself. By this point, I don¡¯t think that any of the executives are left. ¡°I¡¯m going to leave this log somewhere where it will be easy for the rescue team to find when they make it to this floor. I¡¯ll sound the alarm, then hide in my office till they get here. It¡¯s warded with gene-linked concealment spells that the Janitor can¡¯t detect. I have enough supplies in here to hole up for months. I should be safe enough until Rizzen becomes aware of the issue. ¡°Things are dark, yes, but there is reason for hope. Even though matters have spiraled out of control, the value of my work should mitigate any punishment. It¡¯s all their fault anyway. Narrow minded fools. If they had simply approved of my project, I wouldn¡¯t have had to cut corners on the containment wards, and none of this would have happened.¡± ¡°No dude.¡± Shaun sighed. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure that this was totally your fault. Can¡¯t blame you for retreating into delusion and denial though, since you were well and truly fucked.¡± The truth of his words became clear when the image of Kellen shifted for a fourth and final time, revealing the researcher standing in front of his monitor. He was haggard and weak, pale and emaciated, staring at the screen like a harbinger of the end of days. This time, he didn¡¯t bother with an introduction. He just whispered, ¡°They¡¯re all dead, and soon I will join them. In a matter of weeks, the entire floor has been wiped out. I¡¯m the only one left. I finally received a reply to my request for assistance, but it doesn¡¯t make any sense. How can they ignore what I¡¯ve done here? Curse them all.¡± Nick walked over to look at the screen, hoping that the recording included whatever Kellen was looking at. Sure enough, there was a message written in System runes on the display. Supplemental note from Rizzen The situation on this floor has been deemed acceptable for now. The portals still function and the facility continues to serve its primary purpose. All security forces have been rescinded and the alert has been cancelled. All research projects underway have been reassigned to floor 7719. I¡¯m ordering that the containment squad stand down too. The entity called the Janitor has caught my interest. It seems to be developing a completely novel dual-force concept that warrants further study. In its mature form, the Janitor has proven to have an unstable core. It will expire unless it integrates a new type of essence every few months, which is what drove it mad with hunger to begin with. We will feed it just enough live prey that it doesn¡¯t starve or have the strength to overcome the other two resident species on the level, so that the facility can retain its present dynamic indefinitely. Chapter 34: PDA A few seconds later, the holographic recording winked out of existence. When it did, the crystal in Nick¡¯s hand stopped flashing. ¡°Poor bastard.¡± Veronica sighed. ¡°Classic mad scientist. Killed by his own creation and blames everyone but himself. Now we know the whole story, although I¡¯m not sure how much it will help us.¡± ¡°Hey guys¡­ this might sound weird.¡± Shaun pointed to Kellen¡¯s remains. ¡°But his coat and clothes look pristine. They are probably magic. Would anyone mind if I liberated them? ¡°That¡¯s gross as fuck Shaun,¡± Nick replied. Then he took a closer look at Shaun¡¯s outfit, which had been reduced to threadbare rags by this point. ¡°But honestly, it¡¯s probably a smart move. He doesn¡¯t need them anymore, and your gear is in serious need of upgrading. I¡¯m fine with it if V is.¡± She nodded her approval. ¡°Let¡¯s take a look and see if there is anything of value on the body first.¡± Wrinkling their noses in disgust, they proceeded to examine Kellen¡¯s remains. It didn¡¯t take long, and given the state of the body, it wasn¡¯t as bad as he was expecting. Other than the researcher¡¯s clothing, the only items of interest were a belt with two small pouches and a pair of glasses hanging from his neck by a string. When Nick reached out to see if anything was inside the bags, his fingers brushed against the corpse. The moment they did, his crystal began to glow, and a message appeared in front of his eyes. All device functions have been locked behind a biometric seal. To restore them, unlock the seal. ¡°Do you think that it¡¯s like a retinal scan, or fingerprint ID or something?¡± Shaun asked. ¡°Maybe you can unlock it by touching the crystal to the body.¡± ¡°Shaun that¡¯s¡­ actually not a bad idea,¡± Nick admitted. ¡°It¡¯s worth a shot.¡± He took out the crystal device, and then touched it to the corpse¡¯s fingertips. The moment that he did, another message appeared. The biometric seal has detected the presence of the device¡¯s owner. Warning: the owner of this device has perished. Deleting all functions and data as per instructions. ¡°Shit. Abort,¡± Nick cried out. But it was already too late. The crystal started glowing brighter and began to hum. He set it down and they all ran out of the room, in case it was going to explode or something. A few minutes later, the light stopped shining and nothing dangerous seemed to be happening. Nick gave Shaun a pointed look and walked back over to pick the device up. Maybe it will still be worth something to the right buyer. He was afraid that it would be totally inert. But to his surprise, a display appeared in front of his face the moment that his flesh touched crystal. Stranger still, the font and layout were subtly different than before. All data and custom functions installed on this device have been deleted. This personal assistant construct has been reformatted and all settings have been reverted to manufactory defaults. Would you like to bind the device to a new owner at this time? This was a more promising development than Nick had been expecting. ¡°Sure.¡± He shrugged. ¡°That sounds great.¡± When he spoke the words, the crystal construct in his hand started humming again, growing warm to the touch. He had the sense that it was probing his energetic core and maybe his bloodline as well. He might have been able to block it if he wanted to, but he let it proceed instead. A few minutes later, whatever it was doing was complete. A new owner has been registered. Creating new biometric seal and activating device functions. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. Warning, this construct has been damaged. Some functions will be unavailable until it is repaired. Current functions: record audio log, clock/timers, create light. Since it seemed to be able to understand him, Nick tried asking the device a series of questions, feeling a bit foolish when the lump of crystal just sat there in his hands. He turned to the others and shrugged again. ¡°It¡¯s too bad that it¡¯s busted. Maybe we can fix it later. I might as well at least try out the parts that work.¡± When he addressed the construct using one of the three available functions, it responded to his commands. The audio log was simple enough to understand. It was a voice only version of the function they¡¯d been using to view Kellen¡¯s journal. It might be useful for making observations when my hands are full or recording sounds or music to replay later. When he tried out the timer, Nick discovered that the clock was precise down to a small fraction of a second. Not only did it show the local time, it could also be used to set an alarm or a countdown clock, which could definitely come in handy. That left just one thing to try. ¡°Light,¡± Nick said. To his surprise, a ball of soft white light appeared over his shoulder, which stayed in place even when he put the crystal back into his bag. With a bit of trial and error, he learned that he could dim or brighten the glow to some extent and change its color. He could even change the shape of the beam, from a ball that shined in every direction to a narrow ray like a flashlight. Veronica hummed appreciatively while he fiddled with the settings. ¡°Glad to see that it¡¯s not useless after all. I¡¯m curious to find out what else it can do once you patch it up.¡± With that out of the way, they turned their attention to the items they had retrieved from the corpse. While Nick would like to pick up some clothes with self-maintenance at some point, since everything that didn¡¯t have the mod got destroyed eventually, it was more important that the others improved their gear. ¡°Since Shaun gets the clothes, you can have the glasses and the belt V. This crystal is good enough for me.¡± Veronica walked over and examined Kellen¡¯s belt. She started poking around inside the pair of small bags that were attached to each side, as well as a series of tiny pouches sewn into the leather. Unfortunately, it seemed that they were all empty at present. A few minutes later, she began to laugh. ¡°Fucking awesome. I think this belt has a self-maintenance mod, and these bags are like tiny version of your magic pack. They can only hold a few pounds each as far as I can tell, but that¡¯s still super useful. I have no idea what these glasses are for. They don¡¯t seem to have a prescription or do anything else as far as I can tell. I¡¯ll leave them in the belt for now.¡± That wound up being a good split. Nothing she found would be an upgrade for me anyway, and we each got something useful. Since they were done looting the body, Shaun spoke up again, clearly steeling himself for what was coming. ¡°I¡¯m going to get changed now. Does anyone have something to cover the remains? It seems wrong to just leave him naked in that chair.¡± Nick reached into his bag. He pulled out one of the tarps they¡¯d found in the supply room, and then handed it to Shaun. He had several more in there and they had packed too many basic supplies anyway. He needed to clear some room if he wanted to pick up anything else they found along the way. After that, he followed Veronica outside. When they were out of sight, she said, ¡°Go ahead, Shaun. We¡¯ll stand guard. Let us know when you¡¯re done. I really don¡¯t want to watch this.¡± While they waited, Nick mulled over everything they¡¯d learned, trying to determine if any of the details could help them to escape the floor in one piece. Shaun opened the door a few minutes later, dressed in Kellen¡¯s clothes and lab coat. It was a major upgrade to his appearance. With any luck, the coat would offer a bit of armor or protection against dangerous substances. They walked back inside and then sat down, doing their best to ignore the tarp-draped chair in the corner. Since the room appeared to be safe, they all lay down and did their best to get some sleep, preparing themselves for one last push to make their way off the floor. When Nick woke up, V was up but Shaun was still asleep. He let him rest for a little longer, since the young man was exhausted from his ordeal and didn¡¯t have the Survivor trait to reduce his need for shuteye. While they waited for the young man to wake up, Nick and Veronica finished examining Kellen¡¯s office. When they poked around the machinery piled around the room, they discovered that the equipment was incredibly heavy and had no obvious use. So, he turned his attention to the notes instead. Although he couldn¡¯t read them, judging from the diagrams, most of the papers seemed to be observations on the various species and substances that Kellen had used in his research. None of which seemed particularly useful. Nick slipped some into his pack anyway, just to have a sample of an alien language that he could refer to later. The notes on the Janitor, however, were written in System runes. Nick gathered them up and studied them as closely as he could. He was hoping that they might reveal some clue as to its capabilities. Perhaps even a weakness they could exploit. While he didn¡¯t find anything game changing, his investigation wasn¡¯t a total waste of time. When Shaun woke up an hour later, they made breakfast from their provisions while Nick briefed them on what he¡¯d learned. ¡°It seems that the Janitor can assume two different forms, each with its own abilities. I can¡¯t make out the details from these papers, since part of them are written in some kind of shorthand. But judging by what I sensed when we were watching the battle, both use force mana and kinetic essence. I don¡¯t see any obvious weakness, but maybe I can sense it coming well enough to avoid it. I¡¯ve gotten better at perceiving force mana since we entered this floor.¡± Veronica hadn¡¯t wasted any time either. She had spent her efforts discerning the route that would lead them to the stairs. She had found a complete map of the floor posted to one wall, revealing a layout that was far more complex and extensive than they¡¯d imagined. They reviewed the path they needed to follow, then got ready to leave. Nick judged that it would take them less than a day to make their way down to the bottom level. It seemed that their long underground journey was finally coming to an end. Glad that they had each gained something from the encounter and that they had finally learned the full story of what had happened on this floor, they left Kellen¡¯s office behind them and started heading for the center. Now all they needed to do was find their friends and they could climb to the next floor of the tower, where another challenge was certain to be waiting. Concept Art "Why me?" Kellen The Janitor Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. Chapter 35: Travel They left Kellen¡¯s office in a somber mood, reflecting on everything they¡¯d learned. Thanks to the map Veronica had found, navigating the mazelike complex was no longer an issue, although they had to occasionally double back to find their way around a collapsed passageway. They continued making their way down to the lowest level, focused on getting there as quickly as possible and preparing Shaun as they went. He needed to have a firm grasp of their tactics before the next big battle, so that he could stay in formation and not get in anyone¡¯s way. While Shaun desperately needed more combat experience and practice with his abilities and weapons, it would have to wait until they made it to the next floor. Since attracting the attention of the construct swarm and roach horde seemed like a terminally bad idea at this point, they focused on improving his stealth while drilling the young man in their tactics. Going over everything until they were sure that he understood his position and role. While Shaun¡¯s bow wouldn¡¯t do much good until he improved his aim and found a better weapon, his abilities could still come in handy, adding some versatility to the team. After talking the matter through, they decided that he would save his smokescreen for running from the roaches. The rats hunted by sound wouldn¡¯t be deterred by a bit of smoke. Using it at the wrong time could blind his own team, so Shaun agreed to wait for Nick¡¯s command before firing off a smoke arrow. He would focus on protecting himself the rest of the time, while watching for opponents approaching from the rear. After Nick grouped opponents up with wand, Shaun could use his electric arrows to dish out some area of effect damage, just like Veronica and her napalm grenades. Although judging from the man¡¯s description, they would only do a modest amount of damage. With any luck, the electricity would have a stunning effect too, increasing Shaun¡¯s utility in battle by a fair margin. The biggest issue was his limited pool of mana. He could only use his abilities three or four times before running dry. Shaun¡¯s powers honestly weren¡¯t that bad considering his common class, and it was nice to have another ranged fighter in the mix. Once he has more experience in battle, he should be able to make a genuine contribution, even if his damage output is fairly low. Nick hoped that the power gap would continue to narrow once Shaun caught up in levels, especially after he gained access to the ability mastery system and ranked up his powers a time or two. As they continued making their way across the floor, Nick reflected on Shaun¡¯s presence. He could tell that the young man was trying his best. He was listening to their guidance, trying to make himself as useful as he could. Nick still hadn¡¯t forgiven Shaun for trying to rob him. But he decided that he couldn¡¯t blame the man for the situation with Kenji, even though it was frustrating not knowing what had happened to their friend. With any luck, they would run into Kenji at the top of the tower. It would be deeply reassuring have the scarred tactician at their side during the battle with the boss on the roof. The final obstacle humanity had to overcome before they won back the Earth. But there was no point in worrying about it now. Not with three more floors to climb before the roof of the Tower of Rizzen would be within their reach. Although she seemed to have some sympathy for Shaun¡¯s situation, Veronica was less patient with him. Especially when his clumsy movements revealed their location. It forced them to beat a hasty retreat on two separate occasions, when the rats had heard him and came to investigate the disturbance. Fortunately, they were able to hide before the swarm arrived on scene, preventing the party from bringing the wrath of the constructs down upon their heads. While it was a tense situation, it was better now that they knew where they were going and how to get there. Although everyone was worried that they would run into the monster known as the Janitor. That all changed a few hours later, when their day arrived at a turning point, transforming their stealthy crossing into a race against the clock. After heading down a long hallway, they came across another window overlooking the middle of the facility. This time, the floor was only about fifty feet below their boots. Just a few more hours to go. When Nick looked through the glass, he realized that the Janitor had been busy. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. The entire area was spotlessly clean, minus the shattered stones that the creature¡¯s powers had torn free from the floor. Not a speck of garbage remained, liquid or solid, and every last scrap of the roaches¡¯ bodies was gone. It made him wonder how many battles had taken place in this endless war for refuse. The construct collective and the roach colony must be able to regenerate their lost members at a rapid rate for the stalemate to drag months after the personnel maintaining the floor were slaughtered. But even with their abilities to evolve and adapt, neither army had been able to defeat the Janitor. The danger posed by the artificial life form was even greater than Nick had feared. It was the most dangerous creature they had encountered yet, except maybe the lord of the shadow hunt. Kellen¡¯s log had stated that the Janitor was both D-grade and tier-two. Although it seemed to have some limitations compared to beings who had advanced that far naturally. It made Nick wonder how powerful his enemies would become by the time he reached the top of the tower. We need to find a way to evolve our race to D-grade too. We¡¯ve been earning species experience throughout the fate of Earth quest, so hopefully we¡¯re getting close. I still have no idea how to advance our tier. Maybe we can find some clues on one of the other floors. On a brighter note, the stairwell was still intact after the battle. The exit was impervious to damage as far as Nick could tell, since it had been between the Janitor and the retreating armies while it was pummeling them with powerful magic. That¡¯s one less thing to worry about. Thank heaven for small favors. We just need to find the rest of our team, then time our entrance into the middle chamber so that we don¡¯t get caught up in the garbage war. With any luck, the refuse dumps were portaled into the chamber at regular intervals, or at least with a minimum period between each shipment. Nick¡¯s party could wait somewhere nearby until the latest drop was over and the floor¡¯s residents had finished dining, then make a break for the stairs before the next batch arrived. Now that he was able to take a good look at the enclosure without anything obstructing his view, Nick memorized the layout of the room. He updated his mental map, including all the ground level tunnels he could see. Five minutes later, he turned to the others and said, ¡°I think I¡¯ve learned everything that I can from here. We¡¯re getting close to the bottom, so let¡¯s keep on going and hope that we run into the others on the way.¡± Just when Nick was getting ready to leave, Veronica stopped him dead in his tracks with her words. ¡°Speak of the devil. Isn¡¯t that¡­? It is. Nick, look over there. I can see Sophia and Devin. They¡¯re ok!¡± Nick followed V¡¯s finger, filled with a rising tide of excitement on hearing the good news. She gestured to a bank of windows about twenty feet above their heads. A section along the opposite wall that was in the middle of the roaches¡¯ nest. Sure enough, Nick spotted two people moving along a dirt-lined passageway on the other side of the glass. When he pulled out his spyglass to take a closer look, he could see his friends clearly. Devin and Sophia looked worn out and disheveled, but they were uninjured as Nick could tell. Better still, he couldn¡¯t see any roaches nearby. Veronica took out the map so that he could track their progress. Judging by their pace and the layout of the floor, before much longer, the pair would be out of the nest and make it down to the lowest level. If Nick¡¯s party headed out now, everyone should be able to meet up only a short distance from the stairwell. They began yelling and waving their arms. But Devin and Sophia didn¡¯t notice them and were out of sight a few minutes later. No problem, we should be able to catch up with them soon. Things are finally looking up. He reported his observations with a broad grin. ¡°They are still in one piece. Let¡¯s pick out a route that intersects with the path they¡¯re following. We should be able regroup today and get the hell out of here at last. Nice going V!¡± ¡°Um guys,¡± Shaun chimed in. ¡°I hate to ruin the mood. But what the fuck is that? I think that it¡¯s following them.¡± When Nick looked through his spyglass toward where Shaun was pointing, his good cheer evaporated like water dripping onto a hot pan. In its place, a leaden dread rose to squeeze his guts, fear replacing joy in the blink of an eye. Because moving across the floor, heading straight for the path that his friends were following, was the Janitor. It was easy to track despite its translucent body. The creature was destroying the nest in its wake, devouring the dirt to leave a clear trail behind. That explains why there aren¡¯t any roaches in the area. They know the big bastard is there. The Janitor wasn¡¯t on the same level as Nick¡¯s friends yet. But it wasn¡¯t far away and was moving in their direction. It must be after their essence, and they don¡¯t know that it¡¯s on their trail. ¡°Veronica. I need you to take the lead while I study this map. We need to find a path that will let us reach them before that thing finds them first.¡± ¡°I¡¯m on it,¡± V replied, not wasting a second as she began walking toward the nearest tunnel. ¡°I¡¯ll watch the front, Shaun can watch the back. Nick, let me know when you have a route picked out, but let¡¯s keep heading the way we were planning for now. It will take us around the middle of the floor in the opposite direction. That way, we can intercept Devin and Sophia without having to chase them.¡± Now racing the creature that was stalking his friends, his team abandoned any pretense of stealth. They started sprinting down the stone halls as fast as their feet would carry them. Adrenaline poured into Nick¡¯s veins, the tension in the air ratcheting up by the heartbeat. There was a monster coming for Sophia and Devin, and his party was helpless to do anything other than run as fast as they could and pray that they made it in time. Chapter 36: Intermission: Sophia and Devin 2 Sophia crept down the passageway with Devin at her side, stalking the next group of roaches blocking their path. They got as close as they could without drawing attention to themselves, then crouched down low and started counting. With the big bugs moving in and out of the adjoining rooms, getting a good sense of their numbers took a fair amount of patience, combined with careful observation. Once they had a better idea of what they were dealing with, they would decide whether to turn back and seek an alternate route or launch a surprise attack and force their way through. After days spent battling the giant insects while making their way across the floor, the duo knew their enemy well. The first few engagements had been hard fought, and they had barely escaped from several hordes that were far too big to overcome. But it wasn¡¯t all bad news. Their situation had taken a dramatic turn for the better after they both hit level fifteen and gained access to the ability mastery system. Both Sophia and Devin had met the requirements to rank up several of their abilities, granting them additional power, efficiency, and versatility. Today, at long last, they were nearing the end of their journey through these desolate halls of stone. After making it to the glass wall overlooking the middle of the floor a few hours earlier, they had spotted the stairwell leading to the next level. Knowing that they were nearly free of this wretched place had bolstered their morale, to the point that they were practically dancing with excitement. They had endured being stuck inside of a giant maze, fighting killer bugs every step of the way. But had finally found the way out. With any luck, whatever awaited them on the next floor would be less cramped and depressing, even if the danger was comparable to the basement level. Now they just needed to hook up with the other three members of their team and navigate the final stretch of passageways leading to the stairs. Then they could leave this nightmare behind them forever. Hopefully, they would get there without running into too many roaches or the weird mechanical creatures the beasts had been fighting near the stairwell. Sophia knew Nick knew pretty well by this point. She was sure that he was already heading toward the middle of the floor¡­ unless he¡¯d run into trouble along the way. She suppressed the spike of worry that rose at the thought, but she didn¡¯t let it bring her down. Everyone on my team is capable, and Nick can handle the danger as well as anyone. If they aren¡¯t waiting for us at the stairwell, we can leave a note and start gradually widening our search. Even if they aren¡¯t here yet, they should be getting close by now. Regrouping in the center of the floor is the only sensible strategy. Having thought the matter through, Sophia let out a sigh of relief. Hopefully, Nick and the others were already down there, and they would all climb the stairs sometime in the next few hours. Devin looked over, offering an encouraging grin at the anxiety he¡¯d caught on her face, easily reading her thoughts from her expression. She smiled back, glad to have the man at her side. It was reassuring to have a powerful warrior and good friend to watch her back, even if his intuition was annoyingly sharp at times. By now, the athletic axeman felt like a member of her family. A younger brother to help get her through tough times. When she heard skittering echoes bouncing down the passage, Sophia shelved such thoughts until later, then began preparing herself for another fight. From this position, they could see the bugs clearly. They spent twenty minutes studying the roach horde, judging their strength and counting the tougher variants. They marked their opponents¡¯ position, so that they could take out the flame and acid-spewers at the start of the battle. At that point, there wasn¡¯t anything else to do. It was time to commit to the attack or turn back. They looked at each other and nodded. They both thought that fighting their way through was the best course. Devin gestured, then raised his axe and shield, signaling how he wanted to begin the engagement. They would rush in from the front, drawing the bugs¡¯ attention while three of her upgraded wasps assassinated the ranged roaches. Then Devin would take out as many as he could with flashfire pulse before they finished the rest in melee. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. It was a tactic they had used several times before. It worked well, and the roaches showed no signs of adapting to their strategy. One small blessing amidst their prolonged ordeal. She nodded her agreement and then gathered her concentration, preparing to summon a trio of frostfury wasps as planned. Just before she started casting the spell, she felt the air around her move, sending adrenaline surging into her bloodstream. Since there wasn¡¯t any wind in this underground facility, it could only mean one thing. Something massive is making its way down the passageway behind us. When she turned around to see what it was, nothing but dirt-lined stone stretching out into the distance met her gaze, although she could see the mounds of dirt moving around. That doesn¡¯t make any sense, the passage is straight and free of obstructions. Why can¡¯t I see anything coming? But then Sophia realized that the tunnel looked blurry in that direction, as if she were looking through a lens that was out of focus. For a second, she thought that there was something wrong with her eyes. But then she realized that the area behind the distortion was perfectly clean. All the stinking soil had been erased beyond that point, and more was vanishing by the heartbeat. The cleared ground was drawing closer and closer. Soon it would overtake their position. She had no idea what was going on, but she was dead certain that it wasn¡¯t anything good. When she looked over, Sophia saw that Devin had noticed the strange phenomenon too. Wearing a confused expression that mirrored her own, he shrugged and threw rock in that direction¡­ which proceeded to bounce off the warped space before clattering to the ground. ¡°There¡¯s something there all right,¡± he whispered. ¡°Something translucent and so big that it¡¯s blocking the entire passage. Shit. We¡¯re trapped. What should we do Soph? I¡¯m have a bad feeling about this.¡± She was about to answer, when some inner sense screamed danger. It was accompanied by the sensation of mana congealing, a vague impression of energy gathering in the air. Devin must have felt it too, because he was already moving away. They abandoned their hiding spot without hesitation, then threw themselves through the nearest doorway. Half a heartbeat later, powerful magic erupted down the hallway. The deadly spell tore strips of stone free from the walls and shook the ground beneath her boots, decimating the place where they had been standing a fraction of a moment ago. The roaches turned to face the noise, and Sophia prepared herself for a desperate battle, besieged on both sides by a superior force. But that was not what happened. Instead of charging to attack, the horde of killer bugs took one look in their direction, then started running the other way, fleeing with panic clear in every crook of their posture. Whatever was attacking them had to be incredibly powerful to scare the big beasts so badly. The situation must be even worse than I thought. She let Devin know what she¡¯d seen. ¡°We have to get out of here, or we¡¯ll be trapped inside.¡± Without hesitation, they darted back out the door and started sprinting as fast as they could. She followed behind the fleeing roaches, casting on the run. Before they had taken ten steps, power began gathering behind their backs once more. But by this point, Sophia had already completed her spell. A frostfury wasp grew into being in the air above her head. Its bright blue carapace appeared half a heartbeat later, accompanied by a faint green glow. The instant that it finished forming, the venomous insect flew toward the distorted space and they both threw themselves onto the ground. A long line of stone was ripped free from the wall a bare second later, sending a shower of rubble raining down onto their heads as a deep gouge was carved into the rocky surfaces. Looking up at the deep scars marring the stonework, Sophia was certain that if the attack had hit them, they would have been torn to pieces with no chance of surviving. With fighting off the table, all they could do was run. By now, her wasp had reached the distorted area. It began stinging at something that she couldn¡¯t see, disrupting the next spell that was already beginning to form. It bought them a few precious seconds to widen their lead before the summon slammed into the floor in a spray of ichor. It vanished in a flash of emerald light, crushed to paste by incredible force. They had risen to their feet and continued fleeing for their lives the instant that the last attack was over. The duo was able to use the opening she¡¯d created to put a few hundred feet between themselves and their unseen assailant. A creature who wasn¡¯t fated to remain unseen for much longer. The next time that Sophia looked over her shoulder, the translucent space shifted. It solidified a moment later, revealing the form of something monstrous. Something that looked a bit like a white shark with six legs, although the comparison didn¡¯t do the creature justice. She was hoping that her wasp had managed to deal some serious damage. But the patches of frost spawned by its stings were already disappearing, revealing undamaged tissue beneath. ¡°It can regenerate. That isn¡¯t good.¡± Devin swore as they both kept on sprinting for everything they were worth. Their assailant let out an ear-shattering roar and started coming for them at full speed, barreling down the passage like a runaway train. The sound marked the start of a desperate race for their lives. One Sophia wasn¡¯t sure she could win. Chapter 37: Running to the Rescue The slap of boot leather striking stone echoed down the passageway. Nick, Veronica, and Shaun sprinted across the facility, making their way down to the basement¡¯s lowest level as fast as their feet would carry them. Veronica watched the way ahead while Nick charted a course using the map, leaving Shaun to watch their backs. Sweat poured down their bodies and adrenaline sang in their veins. Nick wanted to run even faster, but he forced himself to play it smart so that he didn¡¯t burn himself out before he reached Sophia and Devin. Although he was filled with an electric sense of urgency, he knew that this race was a marathon, not a sprint. That giving into his fear wouldn¡¯t help his friends, only make things worse. They moved as quickly as they could without exhausting themselves, using the windows lining the central chamber as a reliable point of reference. After witnessing the war for garbage and the Janitor¡¯s ambush, they hadn¡¯t seen any constructs or roaches all day, letting them devour one mile after another as they raced to save their friends. They couldn¡¯t afford to rest for more than a few minutes at a time. Not with that monster hunting Sophia and Devin. What they needed now was speed. After the first hour, it was clear that it was going to take at least several more to intercept the rest of the party. Nick prayed that they would make it in time. He would have felt better if they had been able to warn the others. But with an invisible killer on their trail, he couldn¡¯t get the image of the Janitor falling on Devin and Sophia unaware out of his head. Tearing them to pieces before they even knew what hit them. Whenever his imagination got the best of him, Nick used arctic clarity to keep a level head. Although he was deeply worried, the situation would only get worse if they took a wrong turn or stumbled into a trap. They stopped to eat a quick dinner, double checking the map while putting their heads together regarding what they¡¯d observed. Then they kept right on going, although it was clear that Shaun was tired and sore. To his credit, the young man didn¡¯t complain. He just kept on putting one foot in front of the other while running as fast as he could. Which was good, because Nick and Veronica wouldn¡¯t have been willing to wait for him no matter what. She gave him a stamina potion when he started falling behind, doing everything she could to help reach the others faster. Nick had hoped that they would make it without running into any more enemies en route. But their good fortune ran out an hour later, when the gear swarm reappeared from wherever it had been hiding. They were forced to slow their pace to avoid attracting attention. To stop and hide on three separate occasions, losing precious minutes until the mechanical menaces passed them by. While part of Nick was tempted to force their way through, he knew that it was an impulse born of frustration rather than a viable plan. Now that they knew how powerful the roach horde and construct swarm truly were, being forced to fight either at this point would be a recipe for disaster. Even if the party was able to triumph, it would cost them far too much stamina, health, and mana. They were manageable further out from the middle of the floor, where their forces were spread thin. Their bases of operation must be relatively close to the site of the garbage dumps. Even if their victory was guaranteed instead of uncertain, they couldn¡¯t afford to draw that much attention to themselves. Not while their friends were being pursued by an immensely powerful creature. If they got trapped between the Janitor and either army, he doubted that they would survive. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. Nick had to reach them first, shake off the monster¡¯s pursuit, then get the hell off this floor while they still could. Maybe we can lure the horde or the swarm into its path, then get out while they¡¯re fighting. He didn¡¯t know what he would do if the party was forced to engage the force-flinging creature before they could climb the stairs. At this point, Nick wasn¡¯t sure that they could even hurt the Janitor, let alone kill it. Even if they could dish out some serious damage, the creature was capable of high-speed regeneration. It would erase anything they could throw at it as far as he knew. He hadn¡¯t been able to discover any weaknesses studying Kellen¡¯s notes as he ran. There was only so much that he could learn from diagrams that he couldn¡¯t read large portions of. Making a bad situation worse, the creature¡¯s magical attacks seemed too powerful to defend against using conventional means. Taking a direct hit from its spells would result in severe injuries if they survived at all. On top of everything else, Nick was the only one who could see what was happening when the Janitor unleashed its abilities. Both V and Shaun had reported that the monster¡¯s attacks were completely invisible to their eyes, although Veronica had felt a vague sense of energy building before it struck. But that wouldn¡¯t be enough to let her engage it effectively, let alone Shaun. They couldn¡¯t fight something that they couldn¡¯t see. Couldn¡¯t dodge or deflect powers that they couldn¡¯t perceive. When we get out of this, we all need to learn how to sense mana clearly. We¡¯re critically vulnerable against certain spells until we do. While he ran, Nick kept searching for a solution to that dilemma. His brain whirled like mad as he fought to come up with a plan that would let them survive if they were caught by the Janitor, or forced to hold it back long enough to help his friends break free. He ran various scenarios through his mind, trying to decide how to use their limited resources as effectively as possible. On that note, he went through their new powers and consumables one more time, making sure that he had a good grasp of what everyone could do. With her upgraded stats and taking the ability to rank two, Veronica could fire a few dozen acid bolts without running out of mana, healing the party if they landed on target. Her bleeding claws used stamina instead, so she could use them as needed without taking away from her supportive power. However, she burned stamina in battle in other ways too, so she had to be careful how she used it. Nick wasn¡¯t sure if her claws would do anything to the Janitor, so he wouldn¡¯t know how to incorporate them into his plans until she gave it a try. At least every time that she lands a hit, her damage over time will grow more effective. Maybe if she can rack up enough blows, her powers will be strong enough to counter its regeneration. Moving on, V still had two web consumables left, which she was saving in case they needed to get away from the horde or the swarm. Her concentrated potions of stamina were a silver lining in the dark storm brewing on the horizon. They would let the party to fight harder and longer than they normally could, and sprint long distances if they were forced to retreat. He doubted that there would be any left by the time they reached the rooftop, but they had already been an invaluable asset. For his part, Nick still had all three consumable barriers. His mana was topped off and his wand was sitting at full charges. He questioned whether the wand would do anything to the Janitor given its size, so he would try to find other ways to use it in a fight. He suspected that his mana darts wouldn¡¯t do much good either, given the creature¡¯s grade and tier. He would save his mana for piercing rays, or force acceleration as a last resort. Shaun¡¯s regular arrows weren¡¯t going to do much damage no matter what they were facing, but they might be able to serve as a distraction. His electric arrows would help against the roaches or constructs after Nick bunched them up using his wand, and his smoke arrows could help them get away once they were ready to make a break for the stairs. For the most part, Nick just hoped that Shaun would be able to stay out of the way and protect himself once the fighting started, since no one could afford to guard him in a battle against that monster. He wasn¡¯t sure how smart the Janitor was. But given the way that it had tricked Kellen into thinking it was harmless until it was strong enough to take over the floor, it had to be at least at the level of a smart animal. If it was closer to a human, they wouldn¡¯t have any chance at all. Nick kept on processing contingencies as they ran, praying that he could come up with something before they ran out of time, as the echoes of their footsteps echoed across the lonely halls of stone. Concept Art The Janitor: White shark form (pretend they all have 6 legs) Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. Chapter 38: Intermission: Sophia and Devin 3 Sophia ran for everything that she was worth. She was burning stamina to keep up the desperate dash, with Devin hot on her heels. She could feel the stones shaking beneath her boots. A rhythmic pounding, as the massive creature followed relentlessly in their wake. It had been chasing them for hours by this point, without showing any sign of growing tired or losing interest. It seemed that in its white form, which resembled a shark with legs from the glimpses that she¡¯d caught while looking over her shoulder, the monstrous entity was faster but couldn¡¯t launch its long-ranged attacks. It was the only reason they were still alive. It had still been able to take out her wasp. But the reach of the invisible ability it used in this form was about twenty feet. It seemed to be more accurate than its other power though. It hadn¡¯t ripped chunks of rock free from the walls like the explosive magic it had used in its clear form. One ability seems focused on raw damage, and the other is geared toward precision. Let¡¯s try not to get hit by either. Dealing with something that she could see instead of a hidden stalker was a relief. However, the creature¡¯s speed had increased considerably after transforming. Neither version seemed like an opponent that they could beat by themselves. One look at the thing¡¯s endless rows of teeth, jutting out from a head the size of a bakery oven, had convinced Sophia that standing their ground would be a recipe for disaster. Their only hope was to put more distance between them and pray that the creature lost their scent. The journey across the floor had become a terrifying race with their lives as the prize. While they were faster than their monstrous pursuer, they didn¡¯t have unlimited stores of stamina, although they each had one of V¡¯s potions to use as a last resort. Things had been barely manageable thus far, but there was no relief in sight. If they made a single wrong turn, were cut off by a collapsed passageway, the roach horde, or entered a chamber with no exit, the creature was going to catch them. Given its size and the overwhelming power of its invisible attacks, she doubted that they would live long enough to break free if matters took a turn for the worse. The stark truth staring Sophia in the face was that if the massive monster caught them, they were dead. It was as simple as that. They had to figure out some way to open enough distance to shake its pursuit before their luck ran out. She wasn¡¯t sure how the creature was tracking them yet, but it had to be using more than just its eyes. They had already tried breaking its line of sight by taking several quick turns and then sprinting as fast as they could. It hadn¡¯t helped at all. Sophia had tried sending out wasps on two separate occasions, hoping to slow their pursuer down long enough to get away. But that plan ended in failure too. Her first wasp had been able to land an attack by hiding beneath a pile of rubble until the monster ran past. The frost venom seemed to work to some extent, inhibiting the creature for a few minutes. The second summon had been crushed to paste before it could close the last few feet. In the end, her powers hadn¡¯t been good enough, and she couldn¡¯t afford to waste any more stamina or mana on another attempt. Especially since the damage the first wasp had inflicted had already disappeared. By this point, she was considering using the parasite to try to fight it. The horrible creature contained in the gem embedded between her breasts. It was a measure of last resort. She couldn¡¯t summon the demon unless she was out of mana and stamina, and it would claim half her health if she did. Plus, she wasn¡¯t sure that she could win, even with the demon¡¯s power. The creature that was chasing them was far stronger than the flesh-render matriarch she¡¯d battled back in Blackmist Bog. She had hoped to never use its power again. Regardless, she didn¡¯t have time to call upon it right now. Doing so would take five minutes of uninterrupted concentration, in addition to the other requirements. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Sophia had never told Nick about the worst part of the pact she¡¯d made. That every time she called upon the demon¡¯s powers, its influence over her mind increased. Still, if it came down to using her unwanted passenger or dying, she was willing to give it a shot. Even if that was how events were fated to play out, it made sense to meet up with their missing allies first. To bring their full power to bear before making their final stand, instead of just a fraction. Making that decision would have to wait a while anyway. Right now, she just wanted to reach the stairs. Then it would be time to commit to her next move. Sophia wasn¡¯t sure what she would do if they hadn¡¯t found Nick and the others before she made it to the stairwell. Worst case scenario, she would have to leave a hasty note then head up the stairs and hope that the others were to join them later. All she knew for certain was that stopping wasn¡¯t an option. But none of that mattered now. Right now, all that mattered was making it to the central chamber without being caught by the horror surging across the stones behind them. With that goal in mind, they ran and ran, and then ran some more. They managed to increase their lead by a good thirty seconds in that time, letting her experience the first glimmer of optimism she¡¯d felt in hours. Twenty minutes later, their luck ran out. Sophia thought that they were on the lowest level and had nearly reached the central chamber holding the stairs. By now, the stinking soil was crunching beneath her boots with every step. It seems to be growing thicker the further we head in that direction. She was worried that they had made a wrong turn. But they had no choice other than to keep on going and hope that they were able to reach their destination before they ran out of steam. They were running down a long passageway with no branching tunnels, the white creature following a few hundred feet behind, when Sophia and Devin reached the end of the line. They burst out of the tunnel and into a massive enclosure that had once been some manner of factory, or perhaps a processing plant. Not that it mattered. Sophia discovered that she had two big problems on her hands the moment that they emerged through the doorway, still running at full speed. The first was that there wasn¡¯t any way out of there except the way they¡¯d come, where the monster was blocking their escape. The second was that the room was far from empty. Hundreds of giant roaches, more than they¡¯d ever seen at once, were milling about. The beasts had been laying low, hoping that the creature would leave without attracting its attention. But in that moment, the roaches realized that wasn¡¯t going to happen. With screeches that echoed across the chamber, the insect horde sprang to life, charging straight for them in an endless tide of chitin and blades. In the depths of that black moment, Sophia realized that instead of heading toward the central chamber holding the stairwell, they¡¯d taken a wrong turn along the way. One that had led them straight into the heart of the killer bugs¡¯ territory. Which left her with one last bit of bad news to consider. In the far corner, a humongous roach at least twenty feet tall was in the middle of laying eggs, surrounded by its elite guard. It must be their queen. When the roach queen saw them, she let out a furious cry. As the duo ran into the chamber, some manner of magic began gathering in the air around the giant bug. The queen¡¯s mana sank into the warrior roaches, coating them in a shell of golden energy that enhanced their speed and strength, making the lethal beasts that much more deadly. It appeared that instead of escaping danger, Devin and Sophia had stumbled into the lion¡¯s den. They were trapped, with hundreds of killer insects in front of them, and an immensely powerful opponent behind. There wasn¡¯t a way out. The only choice remaining was to decide where they would make their stand. ¡°Fuck,¡± Devin yelled. We¡¯re stuck. What are we going to do?¡± ¡°We need to push through to the far wall, and hope they start fighting each other. We can¡¯t get hit by both sides at once or we¡¯re dead. There!¡± She pointed to where a sprawling machine took up an entire corner of the massive space. ¡°We need to head over there. We can use the machinery to guard our backs and it will offer some cover. Then we¡¯ll hole up as long as we can and pray an opportunity to escape arrives before they get us.¡± Devin nodded his agreement, and they began running along the wall. The roaches continued streaming forth, bladed limbs poised to strike. The bugs were furious that they had barged into their nest and were eager to eliminate the intruders. Just before Devin and Sophia were surrounded, the massive creature burst through the doorway, changing the dynamics of the fight in an instant. Most of the roaches broke away, moving to protect their queen. But a squad was still headed their way. Sophia drew her daggers as Devin readied his axe, racing to reach cover before they were hit from both sides. It appeared that a desperate three-way battle had begun. She wasn¡¯t sure if she would live through the next five minutes, let alone endure to the end of the fight. Where are you, Nick? I could really use your help right now. Chapter 39: Racing the Swarm Nick, Veronica, and Shaun ran for their lives, sprinting down the corridor for everything they were worth. Behind them, a ravenous horde of clockwork rats flowed down the passage like a tidal wave, followed by a squadron of gear-scorpions and turtles. The clatter of brass claws clacking against stone grew louder by the footfall as more and more rats joined the swarming mass. Nick and V were gradually drawing ahead, boot leather pounding the pavement as they burned stamina to enable a prolonged burst of speed. But Shaun was in serious danger of falling behind and being overtaken by the deadly constructs inhabiting the tower¡¯s basement. Despite his best efforts, the man was too weak to be anything other than a liability at this stage. Shaun had insufficient attributes to perform at their level and was unable to consciously use stamina until his pool was bigger. The clockwork swarm had noticed their presence a few hours back, largely thanks to Shaun not being able to move as quietly as the rest of the party. Although Nick had to admit that it would have been tricky even without him. While trying to evade the rats¡¯ patrols, Shaun had kicked a piece of loose rubble, alerting the machines to their presence and precipitating the current crisis. Once the rats knew they were in the area, they had begun hunting the party in earnest. The trio had avoided the first set of scouts that came rushing their way and the second group too. But then the mechanical menaces had spread out, sending hundreds of constructs down every passageway and through every door, until there wasn¡¯t anywhere left to hide. Eventually, the rats had drawn close enough to hear the party¡¯s breathing, all the swarm needed to home in on their position. After Nick¡¯s team had been discovered, their only option was to run for their lives. They couldn¡¯t afford to get caught with that many constructs coming for them at once. It wasn¡¯t a fight they could win, so they had decided to make a break for the stairwell instead. Over the last half hour, his party had managed to stay one step ahead of the swarm. Over time, additional machines had come pouring through the adjacent passageways, until there was only one clear path to follow. They might have been able to get away if it wasn¡¯t for Shaun. Nick didn¡¯t care for his company, but that didn¡¯t mean he was willing to leave him to be eaten alive. But if the rats caught up, they might not have a choice. Nick couldn¡¯t do more than delay the swarm for a few seconds with his wand. Even another web/napalm grenade combo wouldn¡¯t take out more than a fraction of the killer machines, since many of the constructs had red shields by this point. Just as Nick was deciding that he had no choice but to let loose a blast to drive the rats back, Veronica noticed something that changed the dynamics of their situation entirely. ¡°Something is strange,¡± she said. ¡°They aren¡¯t trying to close the last bit of distance, even though we¡¯re not moving as fast as we were at the start. Slow down a little, I want to see how they react.¡± ¡°You want me to keep running for my life.¡± Shaun spoke between gasps. ¡°But put just a little less effort into it?¡± ¡°Shut up and tap the brakes for ten seconds,¡± she replied. ¡°I don¡¯t think that they will try to get any closer.¡± Shaun gave her an incredulous look, but the three of them slowed down just a bit. When Nick looked over his shoulder, he saw that Veronica was right. The swarm had reduced its pace to match. It hadn¡¯t abandoned its pursuit, but it wasn¡¯t trying to close the distance either. Stranger still, the gear-scorpions weren¡¯t firing any shots, although the closest bunch was now within range. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. ¡°Huh,¡± Shaun said. ¡°I think you¡¯re right. What do you think it means?¡± ¡°Either they¡¯re driving us into a trap, or they are trying to control our behavior for another purpose,¡± Nick said. ¡°I don¡¯t think stopping is a good idea, but we should moderate our pace so that we can recover our stamina for a while.¡± ¡°Whatever is going on, they are leading us in the direction we want to go.¡± Veronica pointed to the wall, where an arrow was drawn in charcoal. ¡°That must be a message for us left by Sophia and Devin. We¡¯re heading in the same direction they are.¡± ¡°Does that erase my fuckup?¡± Shaun asked. ¡°Not really.¡± Nick sighed, and then relented. ¡°But just this once, we¡¯ll call it even.¡± Not long after, he could hear echoes coming from ahead. They started off faint and indistinct. But as the party progressed down the passageway, it became clear that it was the clamor of combat. ¡°Someone¡¯s fighting down there,¡± Veronica said. ¡°We should hurry, it might be the rest of our team. No matter what is going on, we¡¯ll be in better shape to deal with it once we¡¯re finally back together.¡± Not long after, the far end of the passage became visible. The clockwork swarm came to a stop, not following the trio past that point, although they were still blocking the only route leading in the other direction. The reason why became clear when they reached the end of the hall and Nick saw what was going on ahead of them. In the middle of the room, the Janitor was in the middle of fighting hundreds of roaches at once, with a massive bug looming behind them that had to be their queen. The movements of the giant insects were faster than before, and their attacks were in perfect coordination with each other. The queen must be buffing them somehow and directing their assault. This looks like something other than a simple trap or ambush. While it was a better situation than he had hoped, Nick couldn¡¯t see any sign of Sophia or Devin. He was afraid that they had already been killed by the warring forces. He scanned the room with increasing desperation. Where are they? There! He caught sight of the team¡¯s missing members at last. They were over on the far side of the room, fighting a dozen roaches in front of a gigantic machine. It gave him d¨¦j¨¤ vu of the time he and Sophia had battled the giant centipedes back on Blackmist Bog, although this melee was far more chaotic. He felt a surge of relief in seeing them alive, followed by a tsunami of adrenaline as he took in the scale of the conflict. Everywhere that Nick looked, insects were swarming for the massive creature. Most were crushed and pulverized by invisible forces before they drew near, although plenty of bugs had closed to melee range and were fighting the Janitor mandible to claw. At least the Janitor hadn¡¯t reached his friends yet. It seemed to be trying to break through and attack them, rather than pushing toward the exit or the roach queen. It must be starved for essence, just like Rizzen¡¯s log said. That explains why it chased them in the first place, and why it was willing to follow them into the roaches¡¯ den. It seemed that the arrival of Team Earth had ended the long stalemate between the Janitor and the roach horde, kicking off an all-out war. The rats drove us in here deliberately, Nick realized. They must be planning to end conflict once and for all. They¡¯re waiting in the tunnel for an ideal moment to strike, mitigating their losses in the meantime. The constructs were even more intelligent than Nick had thought, or whatever was controlling them was. Instead of trying to take out the party, the swarm had used them to make a major play. Now they were ready to take out the competition and claim the floor¡¯s resources for themselves. But he didn¡¯t have time to ponder the matter now. All that mattered now was getting the party back together, then surviving the conflict playing out before his eyes. Fortunately, the Janitor and the horde hadn¡¯t noticed their arrival yet. Nick¡¯s group started running along the wall, circling the room to stay out of the thick of it. He took in the carnage as he fought to close the distance. Jets of flame flew alongside spew of acid. Beams and bombs of force detonated with every beat of his heart, throwing corpses and debris into the air. The roaches seemed to be doing some real damage, but the Janitor was healing almost as fast. Its attacks hadn¡¯t been able to reach Team Earth or the roach queen yet, but it was still advancing, and at least a quarter of the horde had already perished. He looked over at Sophia and Devin, hoping that they could break free in the chaos. But the worst of the fighting was directly between them and the corner they were trapped in. If they tried to get away, they would be surrounded within seconds, and one stray blast from the Janitor would cripple or kill them. It seemed that the only way to survive was to join the fight. The party needed to thin the enemy¡¯s forces or somehow tip the scales in favor of the roaches, then figure out how to break past the construct swarm and make good on their escape. A four-way battle in the tower¡¯s basement had begun and Team Earth was back at full strength. Chapter 40: Intermission: Sophia and Devin 4 Sophia ducked beneath a wad of caustic green goop, ordering her summons to watch out for more before returning her attention to the battle ahead. The glob of acid went sailing over her shoulder and landed somewhere behind her back, hissing as it ate through the dirt covering the floor, all the way down to the raw stone beneath. She felt a stinging pain blossom on her cheek and realized that a few drops had hit her. She wiped them away with a rag, cast it to the ground, and got ready to attack again. Beside her, Devin was trading blows with one of the bright orange bugs, the type that could shoot fire from its mouth like a flamethrower. He pressed the button on the haft of his weapon, transforming the shape-changing tool into its hand axe and shield configuration, guarding his gear as the blazing cone washed over his head. The killer bug clearly expected the attack to be fatal, but Devin¡¯s class was specialized in the use of burning attacks. The man had a passive ability that made him highly resistant to intense heat, including the flames released by his own powers. He also had his new helmet, which became transparent whenever he wanted, making it look like his head was exposed. The roach realized that something was wrong when Devin kept right on coming, plunging straight through the jet of fire to arrive in front of its position. The beast cut its attack short and tried to scramble back toward the horde, but it was already too late. Before it could finish turning around, Devin was there. His axe was already back in its two-handed configuration, held above his head and poised to strike. He brought it down with the full power of his athletic body behind it, chopping into the chitin exoskeleton shielding the creature¡¯s head and carving deep into the brain below. By now, the roach that had fired acid at her was getting ready to take a second shot, but Sophia wasn¡¯t about to let that happen. Before the acid-spewing bug could let loose, a pink tongue tipped with a thick black spike hit it hard, causing it to abort its attack as the rubbery appendage wrapped tight around three of its legs. The crimson frog retracted its tongue, pulling the acid-roach across the battlefield and into her reach. Then the summon moved to engage a pair of the basic variants that were circling around to attack her from behind. Sophia lashed out with her arena dagger, avoiding a pair of razored mandibles to plunge the tip of her weapon into the killer insect¡¯s head, penetrating its armor and stabbing into the tissue below. She jerked her dagger free and then leapt back, narrowly avoiding the mandible of a second roach in the process, which had broken away from her frog while it was locked in melee with the first. Before she could find an opening, it charged and prepared to lunge. As it came streaking for her in a bladed blur, a massive axe came soaring down. It caught the beast in the middle of its thorax before erupting out the other side in a spray of clear ichor, nearly cutting the creature in half. ¡°Thanks Devin.¡± She reached to her belt, secured her dagger, and slid a pair of throwing knives out of their sheaths. She took aim for the nearest bug and let loose. One knife flew wide and went skittering along the floor. But the other planted itself into a compound eye, severely wounding the creature. She held out her arms while sending her intentions into the weapons, and they came flying back into her outstretched hands. ¡°Those new daggers you got are great,¡± Devin said as he moved to engage another opponent. ¡°But I think we¡¯re in trouble. If the roaches decide to send more than token forces our way, or that monster manages to break through, we¡¯re not going to last more than a few minutes past that point. We¡¯ve done a good job conserving our mana and stamina so far, but there is no end in sight.¡± ¡°I still have two of the mana potions I picked from the list of consumables,¡± Sophia replied. ¡°Plus the stamina potion I got from V. I can summon quite a few more beasts before I¡¯m down to my melee weapons. Maybe it¡¯s time to use them. We¡¯re going to have to risk it all and try to break through before long.¡± She sighed, fighting to catch her breath during a momentary lull in the battle. ¡°But I¡¯m worried that those invisible attacks will take us out the moment that we step into range. For some reason, that monster seems way more interested in us than engaging the superior force.¡± ¡°Hold off a little longer,¡± Devin suggested. ¡°We should wait for an opening first. If we get pressed hard, I¡¯ll keep them busy while you summon up some reinforcements. Then we can make a push and pray we can get around that thing without getting squished to paste in the process.¡± Since there weren¡¯t any roaches headed their way at the moment, she cast her gaze across the massive enclosure, where a brutal war raged on. In the opposite corner, the roach queen sat directing her troops, coordinating their movements while casting some manner of magic that enhanced her forces¡¯ speed, strength, and durability. Although the beasts had taken considerable losses since the battle had begun a little over ten minutes ago, they still were hundreds of members strong, including at least fifty of the elite variants guarding the queen. They occasionally sent units at the machine that Sophia and Devin were standing in front of. But most of their attention was focused on the monster in the middle of the room. The thing that had been chasing them for hours before they had run into the roaches¡¯ den and gotten themselves trapped with no easy way out. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. The giant creature seemed intent on having the two of them for lunch. Its advances in their direction had an air of desperation, which somehow gave Sophia the impression of a man dying from thirst reaching for a glass of water. While it stopped to devour an occasional beast, they didn¡¯t seem to ease the creature¡¯s hunger. She suspected that it wouldn¡¯t be willing to fight the roach army at all if it wasn¡¯t so eager to get them. She thought it was afraid that if it pulled back, the roaches would eat them instead. Which, to be fair, seemed rather likely from her perspective as well. In its white form, the monster looked like a six-legged shark the size of a school bus. Its white body was oblong, with sleek, almost stylized curves that made it seem as much of a military vehicle as it did a living creature. Its front feet ended in wicked claws the size of scimitars, and its eyeless maw contained row after row of jagged teeth. But it wasn¡¯t the creature¡¯s powerful body that made the prospect of facing it in melee seem like a recipe for disaster. It was the lethal magic it employed. While it was more than capable of rending flesh with its with its colossal claws and jaws, its true threat came from the invisible attacks it continuously launched against the roaches assailing it. Most of them died before they could reach it in melee. By this point, Sophia had watched on as dozens of the oversized bugs were crushed, smashed, and occasionally picked up and thrown across the room. Although some were able to slice the monster with their mandibles before that happened. The acid and flame-wielding variants had better luck landing hits. But even when they did, it didn¡¯t seem to do much good. While the roaches¡¯ attacks appeared to damage the creature, burning, dissolving, or carving away at its white plating, the wounds healed within minutes. Just like the damage her wasps had inflicted earlier. Sophia was sure that there had to be a limit to how much the monster could heal. But she had no idea if it would reach that threshold before it broke through came for them. She doubted they would survive five minutes past that point. They wouldn¡¯t have lived this long to begin with if the roaches weren¡¯t more concerned with taking out the monster than the pair of humans huddling in the corner. In the effort to protect their queen, the big bugs were inadvertently shielding Sophia and Devin too, even if they occasionally launched an attack their way. While they had managed to endure the assault for longer than she¡¯d dared to hope, the stalemate couldn¡¯t last. The lesser roaches were in the middle of securing the queen¡¯s eggs to their backs. They were going to make a break for it themselves when they finished. When they did, nothing would be left to hold the monster back. However, it seemed that matters were fated to take a dramatic turn for the worse even sooner than that. ¡°Shit,¡± Devin said. ¡°The big bastard took out the last squad faster than usual. I think that it¡¯s going to reach us sometime within the next two minutes. Brace yourself Soph. We need to survive its initial attack, then circle around and leave the way we came in. It¡¯s the only chance we have, miserable as it may be. Drop back and start summoning us a distraction. It¡¯s time to go all in and get out of here while we still can. If this doesn¡¯t work¡­ well, it was an honor fighting by your side.¡± No sooner had those words left his lips than their worst fears were realized. The white creature finished mowing down an entire squadron of bugs, reducing them to goo within a handful of heartbeats. The roach queen sent another set while preparing to head out. But the beasts weren¡¯t going to reach their corner of the room before the creature advanced. The white shark surged forth a deep breath later, closing the distance with disheartening speed. In another few seconds, they would be in range of its mysterious attack, and Sophia and Devin couldn¡¯t hope to dodge what they couldn¡¯t see. She ordered her frog to defend Devin, then began gathering her concentration to start summoning more frostfury wasps. Shit, maybe I should have called out the demon after all. Though it would have left me helpless and surrounded by bugs, even if I was able to win. It¡¯s too late for what if¡¯s now. We need to find a way to break free and escape. Watching the monster streak toward them, she knew that their odds of survival fell somewhere between slim and none. That she was experiencing what would likely be the last moment of her life. By now, the first pair of frostfury wasps had finished forming. She sent them ahead to distract the creature before it arrived. She ordered them to strafe their target instead of trying to land a sting, so that they didn¡¯t get taken out right away. It bought them another few seconds to prepare but didn¡¯t do much to change the dynamics of their dilemma. Sophia and Devin braced themselves to go all out, ready to blow through their consumable items and the rest of their energetic reserves. She took a deep breath and steeled her resolve, intending to fight her way free or go out in a blaze of glory trying. But just before the creature could close the last stretch of stinking soil in between its location and the corner they were in, a barrage of ranged attacks hit the monster from behind. It stopped, spinning to face its assailants, giving the next squadron of bugs time to reach its position and engage. When Sophia saw what had delayed the monster¡¯s advance, she began to laugh, relief mingling with terror in that moment. ¡°It¡¯s them. They¡¯re finally here. Nick and Veronica have arrived on scene!¡± For a second, she thought that Kenji was with them too, but then she saw that it was someone else. She didn¡¯t have time to worry about what it meant as she called her wasps back to hover above her head. The other party followed the wall and arrived at their position a few seconds later. Nick came to a skidding stop beside her, standing shoulder to shoulder, while Veronica darted over to stand with Devin. ¡°Did you miss me?¡± Nick grinned while pulling his sword out of his pack. ¡°You have no idea.¡± She laughed despite herself. While it was still a bad situation, it felt like a ray of light had penetrated the black moment, offering a tantalizing glimmer of hope. At long last, after fighting their way across the basement of the tower, the team was back together again. Now they just needed to find some way out of this mess and get the hell off this floor. That was when Sophia realized who the third fighter to join them was. A young man with a bow strapped across his back, and the last person she had expected to see. ¡°Wait. Is that fucking Shaun?¡± Concept Art The Gear-Swarm Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. Chapter 41: Battlefield Reunion Nick fell into formation by Sophia¡¯s side, sliding in between a spear-tongue frog that was guarding her flank. Crossing the room had been easier than he¡¯d expected, thanks to the war between the Janitor and the roach horde raging in the middle of the enclosure. He was glad that their diversion had worked, keeping the mutant from reaching their friends long enough for the next squadron of beasts to engage it. Nick had fired off a couple of mana darts, while Veronica and Shaun unloaded a half dozen bolts and arrows between them. All their attacks had landed on target thanks to the sheer size of the Janitor, which was far easier to track in its white shark form. Their strike hadn¡¯t done any lasting damage. But they had surprised the creature, slowing it down long enough for the next group of killer bugs to close the distance and hit it from behind. He had learned something from the attack too. Nick had noticed one of Shaun¡¯s arrows deflect away from what had appeared to be a patch of open air, just before a pair of roaches beneath it were smashed to smithereens. The magic it¡¯s using in this form is different from the long-range area of effect attacks it was launching as a translucent blob. According to Kellen¡¯s notes, it¡¯s an ability that can manipulate the environment as well as attack. I can almost make out the shape of something hovering around its head. It must be another force-based power for me to be able to see it so clearly. His party had taken advantage of the opportunity to follow the contour of the wall, until they arrived at Sophia¡¯s position. Despite the seriousness of the situation, Nick was thrilled to see Sophia and Devin on their feet and relatively uninjured. They were covered in dirt, bruised and battered, but still alive and kicking. She drew him in for a quick embrace, then said, ¡°We need to get out of here while its distracted. For some reason, it won¡¯t stop coming for us. We have to run past and escape through the hallway while we still can.¡± ¡°About that,¡± Veroncia chimed in. ¡°I have some good news and some bad news. The good news is standing in front of you.¡± She gestured to herself. ¡°The bad news is that the hallway leading out of here is barricaded by the gear-construct swarm. I¡¯m pretty sure that they led us here on purpose so we would all kill each other, and they don¡¯t seem inclined to let us leave. Right now, there isn¡¯t a way out. Our only chance it to win this battle and then deal with the swarm after.¡± Since the bugs were in the middle of changing up their formation and hadn¡¯t sent another wave their way yet, Nick let the others know everything that he had learned about the Janitor, including the reason why it was so keen on attacking them compared to the roach and construct armies. ¡°So,¡± Devin summarized. ¡°That big thing is called the Janitor. It¡¯s desperate to eat us because it¡¯s starving and needs our essence to survive. The roaches are just trying to keep it from wiping out the queen and her eggs. They have been sending forces to keep the Janitor contained long enough to make their escape.¡± Nick nodded along with Devin¡¯s analysis. The man was surprisingly quick on the uptake. ¡°The beasts know that if the mutant gets us, it will turn on their queen next. They want to keep the big baddy far enough away from the eggs that they won¡¯t get caught in the crossfire. That¡¯s why they are trying to stop the Janitor from eating us before they make their escape.¡± At that point, Sophia cut in. ¡°Those mechanical creatures are intelligent, or at least whatever is controlling them is. They orchestrated this situation to some extent. Now that their enemies are all trapped in the same room, they are planning to wipe us out. But they''re waiting for us to kill each other first.¡± Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. She let out a long sigh after taking a swig from her canteen. ¡°The Janitor can switch between two different forms. Both use powerful force magic that is invisible to the eye, although Nick can sense it because it¡¯s similar to his own powers. The white shark is specialized for close range combat, and the clear blob for long.¡± ¡°Yea.¡± Nick nodded. ¡°That¡¯s the short of it. Now, how in the hell are we going to turn this around before the Janitor reaches us? The roaches aren¡¯t going to sacrifice any more of their forces to protect us. They¡¯re almost ready to leave.¡± ¡°The last eggs are almost loaded,¡± Veronica said. "The horde is going to make a break for it any second. When they do, they are going to find out that the gear swarm is blocking their retreat, and all hell is going to break loose.¡± For his part, Shaun merely nodded, intimidated by Sophia¡¯s presence given everything that had gone down the last time they met. Now that they had all been brought up to speed, everyone shared the powers and gear they had picked up since the last time they were together. While the party used the momentary reprieve to brainstorm, switch out their equipment, and rehydrate, Nick then turned to face the middle of the room. Sixty feet in front of him, a dozen giant roaches were locked in combat with the Janitor, an even mix of the basic bugs and the specialized variants. Although they were losing, It seemed like the beasts would be able to hold the creature back for a few more seconds, giving him time to unpack the dynamics of the complex situation. He was standing in one corner of a gigantic enclosure. It was a rectangular space perhaps two hundred yards long and a hundred yards wide. The floor was covered with earth, although he could see the skeletons of machines poking out from the detritus, including a massive device filling the corner behind him. This must be their nest, lair, or whatever you call it. The only exit was the passageway they had come through, set in the center of the far wall. In the other back corner towered a massive beast. The queen was even bigger than Janitor, armed with a pair of bladed limbs that looked like scythes the size of greatswords. Given that she was in a nest and surrounded by eggs and attending insects, it made Nick wonder if the species was closer to ants than roaches, not that it mattered now. The beasts were in the final stages of preparing to move their eggs, not realizing that the construct swarm was filling the hallway. Nick finished his survey and then turned to address his team, while the Janitor dealt with the last four roaches charging for it as one. ¡°The beasts are a major threat. But unless we do something to provoke them, I don¡¯t think they will turn on us in mass while the Janitor is nearby. As soon as the queen makes her move, we need to reposition and keep the insect army between us and that monster for as long as possible. That way, we won¡¯t get hit from two sides at once and they¡¯ll keep grinding away at its massive pools of stamina and mana. ¡°Keep your eyes open and call out anything that looks suspicious. We need to learn as much as we can during the next few minutes, so that when it¡¯s time to go all out, we¡¯ll have a better idea of what we¡¯re dealing with.¡± Everyone nodded as he continued. ¡°I don¡¯t know what we can do about the rats just yet. Let¡¯s hope that they hold back from hitting us while the Janitor and the roach queen are still on the field. We¡¯re the only reason that the big bastard is willing to fight to the death. If we get eaten too soon, the Janitor might leave before it kills the queen, ruining the rat¡¯s trap. The constructs have an incentive to keep us alive at this stage. ¡°On that note, the swarm might be willing to attack the Janitor directly if a good opportunity presents itself. Let¡¯s keep that possibility in mind throughout the battle.¡± Nick wanted to ask his team if they had any other ideas, but that was all the time for planning they were given. As the last sentence passed his lips, the Janitor slaughtered the final roaches in range. It turned to face Nick¡¯s party, as they got ready to spring into motion. But before anything else happened, the roach queen and all the forces on her side of the room began running for the exit, carrying the horde¡¯s eggs with them. ¡°We need to go, now!¡± Devin yelled. With that, the party started running along the back wall, heading for the opposite corner. The began circling around, trying to keep the horde positioned between themselves and the Janitor. Nick kept one eye on the mutant creature as he moved in time with his team, heart hammering in his chest and adrenaline singing into his veins. The next few minutes would determine whether they had a chance of living through the day, and he intended to make every second count. Chapter 42: Tactical Withdrawal Nick looked over his shoulder as he ran, turning in time to watch the Janitor finish off the last beast that was attacking it. It gave him a chance to witness its other ability in action, which seemed to operate on a different principle than the explosive blasts it had unleashed in its blob form. Instead of a beam of force erupting from the mutant¡¯s position, the warrior roach was lifted into the air in front of the creature, exoskeleton cracking beneath the intense pressure. After one final squeeze, the beast was flung across the enclosure as if it weighed nothing at all. Nick could see a vague outline of two long arms made of condensed force mana hovering above the Janitor, before his attention was drawn to the chaos that ensued a few seconds later. The party was headed away from the freaky white shark, circling the room to try to get behind the roach army before the mutant could catch them. The queen and the rest of her forces were charging for the exit, carrying their eggs with them, heading straight for where the rats were waiting. Before the party could cross the last stretch of ground, the gear-swarm made their move. Thirty mechanical scorpions appeared, forming a sold wall of brass across the entrance to the passage. Behind them, a dozen gear-turtles stood in a loose formation. Their overlapping magical shields covered the entire area, each specialized to repel a different element. The beasts saw them appear and tried to turn aside, but it was already too late. The moment that the roaches were in range, the scorpions took aim and let loose, sending a barrage of magical blasts plunging into the first wave of bugs. The line of roaches leading the pack were hit hard. Most of them simply exploded after taking multiple shots at once, sending plumes of ichor and chitin-covered body parts flying out in all directions. The roach queen shrieked out in fury, as her elite guard fanned out to protect her from the scorpions¡¯ assault. The egg-carriers bunched up behind them, where they were shielded from incidental fire. By now, the Janitor had turned and was headed in Nick¡¯s direction. If it kept coming for his team, it would skirt the periphery of the insects¡¯ formation sometime within the next thirty seconds. They had managed to open some distance, but the party still had a ways to go before they would be close enough to use the horde for cover. A few bugs were standing in the mutant¡¯s path, but they were scrambling out of the way instead of closing to attack. Nick wasn¡¯t sure what was going to happen next, but he was about to find out. The roaches decided to try to break through the blockade rather than taking any more losses fighting the regenerating, force-wielding monster. They kept right on coming for the gear-swarm, their heavily shielded warrior models leading the charge. Several of them fell to the scorpions¡¯ shots, but the armored bugs were far less susceptible to the magical blasts than the other variants. The squadron of warrior roaches made it under the swarm¡¯s shields, intending to break through their ranks and take out the turtles maintaining the multilayered barrier. Before the bugs could reach the back of the constructs¡¯ formation, a massive wave of gear-rats pushed through to the front, covering the lead roaches in a living blanket of brass. This marked the beginning of a brief but intense melee. Dozens of machines were defeated within a matter of seconds, disappearing with pops of displaced air as they teleported back to the pocket dimension where the entity controlling the swarm resided. In exchange, the rats devoured the roaches, eating them down to the stumps of their legs. The bugs pulled back and began launching ranged attacks instead. Jets of flame and globs of acid slammed against the turtles¡¯ shields, but it wasn¡¯t enough to bring down the magical barriers. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. The roach queen roared out in fury. But she wasn¡¯t going to be able to break through without taking severe losses, including all the horde¡¯s eggs. She ordered a retreat, and the bugs began pulling back from the passageway, regrouping where they would be out of range of the swarm¡¯s assault. ¡°Burn stamina everyone,¡± Devin yelled. ¡°Or we¡¯re not going to make it in time.¡± As everyone else pressed their bodies into a burst of speed, Devin reached over and picked Shaun up, carrying the young man along with him. The party took advantage of the bugs¡¯ confusion to run past the edge of their formation without engaging, heading for the far corner of the room. The Janitor paused to eat the last nearby insect, then continued charging for Nick¡¯s team. But it came to a stop again when it realized that the bulk of the horde was now positioned between them. It looked like it planned to barrel straight through. Before the mutant made its next move, the constructs made theirs instead. The gear-swarm changed targets now that the bugs had fallen back, and the shark was in range. The scorpions began firing at the Janitor instead, whittling away at its health until it darted out of reach. It started trying to circle around the horde. But it was unable to get past now that they had repositioned to defend their eggs and queen. At this point, every combatant in the room came to the same conclusion. No one was leaving until every other opponent lay dead on the floor. It was going to be the final resting place for three of the four warring forces. The queen screeched out a command and the roaches fell into formation, a curved line facing the Janitor and the gear-swarm. Their forces spread out with the warriors up front, the flamethrowers in the second rank, and the acid-spewers in the third. That¡¯s a solid strategy, Nick frowned. It lets them bring their full might to bear on anything advancing from the front. The wall is guarding their back, and they can change their facing as needed. The regular roaches filled in the gaps, with half of their number serving as units of mobile skirmishers. The queen positioned herself behind the third line, just in front of the eggs, with a small group of elite warriors defending her flanks. The good news was that the bugs looked ready to go all out, intent on taking down the Janitor rather than trying to escape. Unfortunately, this also meant that the roaches no longer had a reason to keep Nick¡¯s party alive. The queen was furious that Team Earth was standing behind their formation, using the horde as a shield. That being said, she seemed to view the humans as an annoyance, while the mutant and the brass machines were a true threat. The roaches sent a squad of mixed forces skittering for Nick¡¯s team, but most of them were preparing for a showdown with the Janitor. A few final units moved to guard the egg bearers, as the rest spread out to launch an assault on the white monster standing in the middle of the room. While the party got ready to engage the beasts headed their way, the massive roach queen cast another round of magic, some manner of aura that made half the bugs glow with a soft golden light. Every affected insect began moving faster. Sophia let him know that they would be stronger and tougher too until the spell wore off. ¡°Stick to defense until we learn how this is going to play out,¡± he said. ¡°Try not to piss the queen off in the meantime.¡± He wasn¡¯t sure how he wanted to use his mana yet. He took his stance beside Devin, while the other three members of his team got ready to fire off some ranged attacks. Meanwhile, Sophia finished summoning a pair of frostfury wasps, bringing the total to four. They began circling in the air above his head, with her spear-tongue standing below. Nick judged that it would take another thirty seconds for the bugs heading his way to finish closing the distance. It gave him a chance to check out what was happening in the middle of the room. He opened his senses and watched as closely as they could, trying to learn more about the two gigantic creatures before he had to fight them himself. By now, the roaches were ready to make their move. Their melee units were poised to charge the Janitor in staggered waves, spreading out to minimize the damage they took from its force-based attacks. The ranged squadrons were set to follow behind them, preparing to bathe the mutant in a continual barrage of fire and acid. As matters stood, Nick thought that the beasts had a good chance of pulling this off. Assuming that they were able to either overwhelm the Janitor¡¯s regeneration outright or deplete the pool of mana powering its ability. Its healing is potent, but it¡¯s not invincible. Case in point, the creature still had visible damage across its white surfaces, although they were gradually fading away. However, he had underestimated the mutant¡¯s intelligence. Because at that point, the Janitor switched tactics, changing the dynamics of the battle in an instant. Chapter 43: Shapeshifter The Janitor must have decided that it wasn¡¯t going to be able to reach the humans or deal with the gear swarm until the roach horde was out of the picture. It took off in a streaking blur, pulling back to the far corner of the room. Once it was beyond the range of both armies, the mutant stopped to eat a half dozen corpses that it had picked up along the way. To Nick¡¯s dismay, all the visible damage, mostly burns from the fire and acid, began healing at a far faster rate, disappearing completely within a handful of heartbeats. ¡°Shit.¡± Devin switched his weapon into its hand axe and shield configuration. ¡°If that thing keeps turbocharging its regeneration by consuming its enemies, this is going to be even harder than I thought. We need to find some way to shut it down.¡± ¡°Worry about it later.¡± Veronica raised her crossbows. She took aim at the squad of roaches headed their way as the crossbars extended, obeying her mental command. ¡°We need to deal with these beasts first.¡± ¡°Hey look.¡± Shaun pointed to the far corner. ¡°I think something big is happening.¡± Nick had thought that the Janitor would come charging in, now that it was back in prime fighting shape. But its next action revealed that although it was starving for essence, it was far from mindless. It must have concluded that fighting a melee against so many magic-enhanced opponents at once was a bad idea. Instead, the mutant was going to use the walls to protect its flanks and hit the bugs from range, disrupting their formation and forcing the horde to come to it. The roaches must have realized that something was wrong when their most dangerous opponent drew back instead of pressing the attack. The queen let loose a furious roar, ordering her army to advance. The horde began heading toward the Janitor in a skittering rush, surging across the dirt covered floor. Well before they could reach the far wall, the mutant changed forms. The Janitor¡¯s sharklike body began to soften, legs and mouth retracting to form a gelatinous ball. An amorphous mass that faded from frosty white to nearly transparent, making it hard to track from a distance. Nick¡¯s ability to sense force mana was growing sharper as the battle progressed. He could see thick bands emerging from its core, weaving themselves into dense flows in the air above its position. Then they began to rotate, spinning faster by the heartbeat. Now that I can see them clearly, they remind me of piercing ray. Nick wanted to take a longer look, perhaps gain some insight into the nature of the ability. But before he could learn anything, the spell reached completion. The moment that the ability was fully formed, the Janitor began firing off a barrage of long-range attacks. The first shot went screaming across the enclosure, landing in the middle of the closest group of warrior roaches. The beam tore the magic-enhanced bugs to bits, like they had been dropped into an industrial strength blender. Then it kept right on going, erasing a dozen more beasts before angling down into the floor in a spray of shattered rock and dislodged earth. The churning lances of force kept on firing every few seconds, taking out several squadrons of roaches before they could finish closing the distance. But the bugs merely widened the space between them and kept right on coming. The melee units hit the Janitor in staggered waves while the ranged variants spread out in a half circle around it. Once they were in position, the specialized roaches let loose their might, acid and flame bathing the translucent creature in an unending stream of elemental wrath. Their aim is perfectly coordinated. Nick noticed. Almost none of their attacks are hitting the melee specialized units. The queen must be controlling them. The blob lacked the massive jaws of the Janitor¡¯s shark form, but it was still more than capable of defending itself. It formed pseudopods as needed, crushing and stabbing the beasts in a frenzy, taking damage in exchange. This began an all-out war between the roaches and the Janitor. The immense power of its force lances shook the enclosure. Fortunately, that part of the battle was too far away from his team to have to worry about being caught in the crossfire for now. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. Nick didn¡¯t have time to watch what happened next. Because the bugs headed his way were almost upon him. ¡°Try to conserve your abilities and limited use consumables.¡± He shifted his sword into one hand and reached into his pockets with the other as the beasts came charging for them. Now that the insects were close, it was easy to make out their individual members. It was a pair of warriors, one flamethrower, two acid-spewers, and six of the regular variants. Ten enemies in total, two with ranged attacks, versus the five members of Team Earth and five of Sophia¡¯s summons. Veronica and Shaun opened fire the moment the bugs came into range. His arrows went wide, but a pair of her bolts landed on target, taking one of the regular roaches out of the fight before it could close the distance. To Nick¡¯s surprise, Sophia contributed to the barrage. She began throwing a set of knives that were sheathed at her belt, which returned to her outstretched hands after they landed. That¡¯s new. Seems useful. He still had a few seconds before the battle would be joined and was conserving his mana for now. Instead of slinging spells, Nick began throwing rocks, trying to distract the acid-spewers so that they would have a hard time aiming at the party. Thanks to his training and the skill offering corrective feedback, several of his stones connected. They smacked the bugs¡¯ heads with a series of thunks, causing them to advance with caution but not dealing any real damage. For their part, the roaches seemed to be adopting a similar strategy to the one they were using against the Janitor. The warrior variants came rushing straight in to engage the party¡¯s frontline, while the ranged insects spread out to fire over their heads. Meanwhile, the group of regular roaches split into two packs of three, circling around to opposite sides to hit the party¡¯s lightly armored members. ¡°I¡¯ll deal with one of the warriors and try to keep the flamethrower on me,¡± Devin said, then gestured to Shaun, Sophia, and V. ¡°If the three of you could keep the acid-roaches from firing, I would really appreciate it. I don¡¯t have any resistance against that element.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take out the other warrior and as many of the little ones as I can,¡± Nick added. ¡°Sophia, if you could keep an eye on the battle as a whole and lend your assistance as needed, that would be amazing. Veronica, well, you know what you¡¯re doing. And Shaun¡­ just try not to die. I¡¯ll let you know when to use your abilities.¡± That was all the time for discussion they had. A bare heartbeat later, the bugs finished closing the last few feet and fell upon them in a tide of bladed mandibles. I need to keep the little ones from swarming us while we thin out their numbers. By now, a warrior roach was right in front of him, coming in hot. It was twice the size of the smaller models, its glossy brown body covered in dense sheets of chitin armor. Its mandibles were longer and thicker too. They looked even sharper, the ends tapering down to form wicked points. We¡¯re lucky that none of the spell-boosted ones are part of this attack. The queen must not think that we are worth wasting mana on with the Janitor still on the field. While those thoughts passed through Nick¡¯s head, the warrior roach came charging straight for him, intending to knock him over and then finish him off while he was helpless. It was a strategy that he had encountered several times before, and he had a counter ready to go. At the last possible second, he leapt out of the way, bringing his sword down in a sweeping slash when his feet hit the ground. The tip of his weapon connected with one of the warrior¡¯s leading legs. The blade bit into its chitin but didn¡¯t cut too deep. I can get through their armor, but it¡¯s going to take a direct hit. These things are tough. The roach turned and tried to bite his foot. But Nick darted to one side and brought his sword back around, launching a thrust at its face that it parried with a mandible. The attack didn¡¯t do any damage, but it forced the beast back. By this time, the regular roaches were rushing past the frontline, trying to get at the ranged fighters behind. Sophia¡¯s wasps were keeping the acid-spewers busy for now, too worried about getting stung to line up a shot. Which left the women, Shaun, and one spear-tongue frog to deal with the little roaches headed their way. They will be a lot better off if they don¡¯t have to fight all six at once. Nick executed another sweeping strike when the warrior came back, forcing it to pull away again. Then he hopped back to open some distance. It only bought him a couple of seconds, but that was all the time he needed for what he was planning to do. He shifted his sword into one hand and then reached for his belt with the other, sliding his wand free from its loop. A motion that had become as natural as breathing by this point. When Nick took aim at three of the regular roaches who had entered his range, he noticed something strange. The force-flinging device was quivering, vibrating in his hand like a living thing. He had the sense the wand was filled to bursting with power, aching to be released. It must be reacting to all that force essence the Janitor is putting off. I wonder if its essence is compatible with my abilities too. No time to worry about it now. Nick raised the wand level with his opponents and pressed the trigger. Chapter 44: Teamwork When Nick took aim and fired the wand, the intensity of the blast caught him by surprise. The cone of force picked up three of the smaller roaches and sent them flying across the battlefield. They landed in a heap of tangled limbs a good thirty feet out, removing them from the fight for another few seconds. He turned to point the device at the warrior roach headed his way. The beast must have recognized the danger, because it skittered to one side instead of charging back in, granting him a chance to see how his companions were doing. Three more of the basic roaches were heading for the fighters in the back, circling around from the other side of the formation. Additionally, one of the bugs that Nick had knocked back had recovered faster than the rest and was already rushing back in. The women turned to deal with the trio of bugs, while Shaun took on the lone insect coming the other way. Sophia started throwing her new knives, while Veronica let loose with her wrist-mounted crossbows. Thanks to the recent growth in their skills and attributes, most of their attacks landed on target, although half deflected against the beasts¡¯ natural armor instead of breaking through. The barrage was enough to take one of the roaches out of the fight and wound a second. As the bugs closed the distance, a black-barbed tongue hit one hard in the thorax, as Sophia¡¯s spear-tongue unleashed its might. Since he was sure that the women had the situation under control, Nick spared a glance at Shaun before turning to face the warrior headed his way. Shaun fired his bow as quickly as he could, shaking with fear but not completely losing his shit. Most of his shots went wide, but a couple landed on target, although they deflected off the beasts¡¯ chitin without breaking through. We need to get him a better weapon. Right now, everything but his abilities are borderline useless. It¡¯s only going to get worse the higher we climb. But then it happened. Shaun drew back his bowstring, lined up his shot just right, and let loose. His arrow flew true, soaring over the warriors to hit the last regular roach that was trying to assault the party from the flank. The arrow planted itself between two of the bug¡¯s legs, causing it to falter before reorienting on the source of its torment, the red-haired man holding a bow. The roach hissed and came charging in straight for Shaun. Nick was too far away to lend a hand, and everyone else was engaged with their own opponent. Shaun seemed to realize that this enemy was his problem to deal with. He looked pale but didn¡¯t break down. He set down his bow and drew his short sword, just as the angry bug finished closing the distance and attacked. It tried to take his leg off at the knee, but Shaun sent his blade forward in a clumsy thrust. The tip went sliding along the side of the creature¡¯s head while scraping at its exoskeleton, but it wasn¡¯t enough force to break through. He screamed, leapt back, and chopped, narrowly dodging a pair of slashing mandibles along the way. Nick didn¡¯t have time to watch the rest of Shaun¡¯s battle. His opponent had overcome its fear of the wand and charged, bladed mandibles poised to strike. For the next thirty seconds, he couldn¡¯t focus on anything other than the enemy in front of him. This marked the beginning of a vicious exchange of blows. Block and thrust. Stab and slice. Back and forth they went, neither combatant able to inflict more than scratches on the other. But then the beast overextended itself by a fraction of an inch. It tried to lunge and get inside Nick¡¯s guard but misjudged the position of his blade. He felt the feedback from his skills kick in and followed their guidance as he moved to counter. He took a quick step to one side and then leapt over the warrior¡¯s mandibles. He hopped onto its back and looked down, aiming for the narrow seam where its extendible chitin plates came together. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. The roach tried to buck him off. Before it could dislodge him, Nick reversed his grip and brought the tip of his blade down hard, sliding between the beast¡¯s armor and plunging deep into the tissue below. He pulled his sword out and leapt off, ready to continue the fight. But he must have hit something vital, because the warrior roach tried to take a step, faltered, and then came crashing to the ground. It twitched a final time and then went still. Nick took in deep, panting breaths, trying to recover some stamina while checking in on his team. Devin was still locked in battle with the other warrior, and the flamethrower had maneuvered into range, ready to use its ability. Nick had the sense that Devin¡¯s opponents were coordinating their attacks, trying to lure the athletic man into position and then turn him away from the red bug, so that he didn¡¯t see its attack coming. Sure enough, it let loose a torrent of fire a few seconds later, which bathed Devin¡¯s back like an incandescent cloak. They must have thought he was done for, because both insects turned to face Nick. A move that left them completely unprepared for when Devin kept right on coming, as if the searing jet had been no more troublesome than a light spring shower. He lashed out with his one-handed axe, scoring three hits along the warrior¡¯s flank in rapid succession. Each strike released a small explosion on contact, the force transmitting through the bug¡¯s exoskeleton and into the soft tissue inside. The series of blasts knocked it to one side, where it went skidding in the dirt. That was when Nick realized that each point of contact was glowing, like someone had poured lava into the wounds. Apparently, Devin had taken blast striking to rank two while they were apart, and this was the upgrade he had chosen. In addition to his weapon detonating with every hit, it now left behind superheated pools of mana, which continued to burn after the explosion was finished. Damn, that¡¯s one scary ability. Nick nodded in satisfaction as oily smoke rose from the afflicted patches. The stricken bug began to scream as its chitin cracked and its flesh sizzled. Before it could recover, Devin switched his axe into its two-handed form and brought the head around low in a sweeping strike, catching his opponent below its chitin plates and sinking deep into the soft tissue beneath. Blast strike erupted from inside the beast¡¯s body, leaving it spasming in the throes of death. He worked his axe free and then turned to face the flamethrower, which launched another jet of fire that was just as futile as the first. Devin roared and went charging in, eager to end the fight. The bug turned and tried to run, terrified of the enemy who was immune to its attacks. But it had begun to turn too slowly, and Devin finished it off a few seconds later. By now, Nick had recovered enough to launch another assault. He turned to deal with the pair of acid-spewers, only to discover that they were already done for. Sophia¡¯s wasps had managed to land several stings while he was busy, and the solvent-spitting bugs were already frozen solid. With everyone free to lend a hand, they surrounded a final warrior roach, which had come charging in a few seconds prior. The party made short work of the tough beast with their combined might. When the last bug lay dead in the dirt, Nick turned to face his team. They were dirty and disheveled. Scraped and bruised. But they had managed to win their fight using little mana in the exchange, saving their reserves and consumable items for the true threats in the room, the Janitor and the hulking roach queen. After noticing that people were injured, Veronica took aim and fired her crossbow, the tip glowing green as she activated acid bolt. The missile soared over the battlefield and sank into the rear of a flamethrower in the middle of the room. The magic transferred into the bug¡¯s tissue a few seconds later, eating away at its insides. As the beast began screaming and flailing, Nick felt a tinging all along his skin. The scratches he had picked up during the melee began sealing themselves shut, revealing healthy skin below. ¡°What in the world,¡± Devin asked as he watched a bloody gash regenerate within a matter of seconds. ¡°New ability,¡± V explained. ¡°My acid bolts heal me and whoever is nearby while they are dealing damage to a living opponent. It¡¯s not a huge effect, but it adds up over time.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a little darker than I expected, but no complaints here. In fact, that¡¯s fucking amazing. You rock Veronica, although you already know it.¡± ¡°I do. But it¡¯s still nice to hear. Now, what are we going to do about that?¡± She pointed to the far end of the enclosure, where a war was raging between the two massive creatures. Chapter 45: Hail to the Queen Nick looked in the direction that V was pointing, taking in the war raging in the middle of the enclosure. Although Team Earth¡¯s battle with the insect squadron had only taken a couple of minutes from start to finish, the situation had changed dramatically in that time. He wasn¡¯t surprised given the power contained in the magical attacks that had been flying out from the Janitor¡¯s position, tearing chunks of stone free from the walls as they carved bloody swaths out of the queen¡¯s forces. The roach army had begun at least two hundred members strong. They had already lost a quarter of their forces to the clear blob wreaking havoc in the far corner of the room. Every few seconds, Nick could see thick flows of force mana gathering in the air above the Janitor. Once they were fully formed, the bands of transparent energy began weaving themselves together, interlaced with another power that he couldn¡¯t sense as clearly. The spells drew tighter and tighter, packing more and more energy into a progressively smaller space until they reached critical mass. By now, he could see the mana distinctly, and was able to get a sense of how it worked on a deeper level. He still couldn¡¯t see the essence, but he could feel it. A sense of pressure hanging in the air like a rising storm. I¡¯m getting better at sensing its abilities the longer this fight goes on. They seem to be based on the same principles as my spells. As he watched, the weaves of condensed mana and essence began to rotate, spinning faster and faster until they became a unified maelstrom of whirling energy. Just before the Janitor let loose, the twisting bands compressed one final time, until they were no thicker than his wrists. A heartbeat later, the magic shot forth in a rotating beam. It wasn¡¯t quite as fast as Nick¡¯s piercing ray, but it was still a remarkably rapid attack given the power it contained. The churning cable of force went streaking for a squad of warrior roaches. It carved through anything it encountered along the way, until it landed on target and expanded, becoming a blender as it released the compressed energy. The force barrage only lasted a second past that point. But it was enough to shred everything within a ten-foot radius of the blast, sending shorn limbs and clear ichor raining to the ground. Nick thought that if he was able to watch just a few more of them in action, it would deepen his insight into piercing ray. But that was his last chance to witness the Janitor¡¯s ability for now. Because that was when the first squadron of warrior roaches, backed by a group of regulars, finished closing the last stretch of ground in between themselves and the transparent monster. All of them were glowing gold with the queen¡¯s enhancement magic. The buffed bugs spread out to surround the blob, rushing in from all sides in a frenzy of bladed mandibles. They began biting, goring, and slashing at the mutant, preventing it from casting more of its lethal spells. Although the Janitor scored several kills with its amorphous pseudopods, the insects were inflicting heavy damage, faster than the creature could regenerate. They might be able to win this after all. The flamethrowers and acid-spewers fell into formation shortly after, bathing the mutant in both elements. Their powers began eating away at its surface layer by layer. A few of the melee insects were caught in the crossfire, but their aim was remarkably precise. On top of that, the queen¡¯s magic seemed to provide resistance to both elements. Makes sense. Her aura buffs her own units and reduces their vulnerability to friendly fire at the same time. Nick had to look away for a few seconds when a squad of regular roaches rushed the party. But they were easy to deal with compared to the larger variants. When he was able to return his attention to the fight in the corner, he saw that the battle had entered a new phase while he was busy. The Janitor had changed back into its white shark form, letting it defend itself from melee attacks far more efficiently. It used all six clawed limbs to rend and smash, crushing and tearing away at the assaulting forces. Thanks to his sharpening energetic senses, Nick realized that its white surface was a thick shell of force mana. A layer of magic that provided additional resistance to attacks, including the fire and acid coming its way. At the same time, its force power wreaked devastation upon anything that came close. It was even able to take out the enhanced warriors, although it seemed that the mutant could only focus on two opponents at a time. It¡¯s using the same kinetic energy as before, but in a completely different way. I should be able to see it too. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. Nick cleared his mind and focused on the air above the Janitor¡¯s head, trying to figure out the secret of its power. When he concentrated on the heavy flows, the vision resolved itself into something shocking. The Janitor had two arms made of pure force mana extending out from the middle of its back. He had gotten a sense of them earlier, but now he could see them in crisp, clear detail. They were the source of the invisible attacks. Fists came down to crush. Open palms lashed out to slap. Hands closed around their victims to tear them apart, then flung the savaged insects back into their own forces. They seem to be able to change their length at will but have a limit of about twenty feet. Nick let everyone know what he¡¯d seen, as the party conferred to decide their next move. Approaching the warring forces was a recipe for disaster, they didn¡¯t have a reason to attack the roaches¡¯ eggs, and the gear swarm was blocking the only way out. Instead, they took advantage of the opportunity to catch their breath and get a better sense of their opponents. ¡°Who do you think is going to win?¡± Shaun asked, panting for breath as he drained the water from his canteen. ¡°It¡¯s looking good for the roaches,¡± Sophia replied. ¡°Now that they¡¯ve managed to close the distance. But there are two things that are bothering me. The first is that the bugs have limited numbers, and they¡¯ve already taken significant losses. It wouldn¡¯t be as much of a problem if it wasn¡¯t for¡­¡± Instead of finishing her sentence, she pointed. When Nick followed her finger, he saw the Janitor reach out and grab two warriors with its force arms, then threw them into its massive mouth. He realized that the interior was formed of mana teeth and swirling force essence, forming a living blender. The roaches were obliterated within a matter of seconds. Torn to shreds beneath the incredible, rending pressure. The moment they perished, the mutant began to heal, the ragged gashes in its white shell sealing shut within a matter of moments. ¡°The queen has to know it can regenerate,¡± Sophia continued. ¡°She must have a plan for dealing with the problem.¡± No sooner had those words passed her lips than the gigantic roach queen sprang into motion. Flanked by her elite guards, the enormous insect began charging across the room, heading for the Janitor in the corner. ¡°She must have been afraid of being hit by those beams,¡± Devin said. ¡°She forced the Janitor back into its melee form so she wouldn¡¯t get hit. Now that they are out of the picture, she is going to try to finish it off herself.¡± ¡°We need to position ourselves to take advantage of their fight,¡± Nick said. ¡°No matter who wins, our best chance to finish off the surviving force will be immediately after their showdown.¡± With that, the party began to advance, following the contour of the wall to stay as far away from the roach horde as possible. The insect army still had over a hundred fighters on the field, most of which were bunched up in the Janitor¡¯s corner. The party had to stop to engage an occasional beast or two. But without the queen heading into battle, most of the bugs left them alone. Not long after, they had advanced as far as they dared. They came to a stop just in time to witness the queen go streaking past their position. It was the first chance Nick had to get a good look at the powerful beast up close. He took advantage of the opportunity to evaluate this formidable foe, the only thing keeping the Janitor from attacking his team. The queen was at least thirty feet long, all sleek curves and sharp angles. Her body was a reddish orange hue that glistened beneath the crystal lights embedded into the ceiling. Like the warrior models, instead of wings, her back was coated by two thick sheets of chitin. Dense plates that would be incredibly difficult to pierce. It was thinner along her sides and belly. But unlike the regular roaches, the queen was at least lightly armored on every part of her body. Her head came up a good fifteen feet off the ground, ending in a pair of gigantic mandibles that looked strong enough to penetrate steel. One major difference between the queen and her minions was that her first pair of legs came up before tapering down to form a pair of colossal blades, kind of like a praying mantis. On top of her sheer size and impressive natural weaponry, the queen¡¯s body was glowing with a faint golden light. She must be buffing herself with the same enhancement magic she¡¯s using on her elite forces. When Nick tried sizing her up, the skill informed him that the queen was incredibly dangerous. Far too powerful for him to tackle alone at any rate. It also gave him the sense that she had several powers that had yet to be revealed. That getting hit by any of them would end his day in the worst possible way. While these thoughts passed through his mind, the roaches¡¯ leader accelerated. She closed the final stretch of ground between herself and the raging battle, raising her enormous, bladed limbs high into the air. The golden glow around her forelimbs intensified as the beast prepared to strike, boosting their power to new heights. The queen arrived before the Janitor still running at full speed. While the melee roaches kept the monster from moving out of the way, she plowed straight into the side of the mutant with the force of a battering ram, bringing her claws down in time with her wicked mandibles. All four natural weapons cut through the white shark¡¯s force armor and sank deep into the translucent tissue below, carving great rents into the quivering surfaces. It seemed that the battle had arrived at a pivotal moment. Team Earth watched the war between giants, waiting for their moment to strike. Chapter 46: It’s a Trap ¡°Damn.¡± Devin let out an appreciative whistle. ¡°That was one hell of an opening move.¡± ¡°She¡¯s going to completely overpower the Janitor if it doesn¡¯t do something,¡± Sophia said. ¡°Which would be a good thing¡­ right?¡± Shaun asked, wiping some grime from his face with a rag. ¡°I think so,¡± Veronica said. ¡°I don¡¯t want to fight either of them, but at least we can see her attacks coming.¡± Over the next thirty seconds, the queen and the Janitor exchanged a fierce barrage of blows, each scoring wounds on the other. Meanwhile, the lesser roaches continued to chip away at the mutant¡¯s vital energy, attacking it from the sides and rear while their monarch kept it from turning away. She must have been able to sense its force powers too. Because every time that one of the arms came for her, a warrior roach leapt into its path. Their magic-bolstered mandibles cut into the mysterious manifestations, destroying the ghostly hands before they could close around her body. You can disrupt the hands if you attack the arms. Good to know, although it looks like they¡¯re immune to attacks that don¡¯t use mana. Nick watched on, trying to learn everything that he could from the unexpected opportunity. The situation was a dramatic reversal of fortune for the Janitor. It wasn¡¯t taking out the roaches nearly as quickly as it had in its blob form. Enduring the bugs¡¯ offensive came at a high cost. It was receiving too much damage to heal it all, though eating an occasional corpse was keeping it from being completely overwhelmed. But the mutant¡¯s loss seemed inevitable at this point. The roaches had trapped it in the corner while pressing their relentless assault. That was the moment when Nick sensed force mana gathering in the air above the Janitor, along with a thick infusion of essence. Flows far heavier and more turbulent than any he¡¯d seen before. They didn¡¯t look like arms or beams or anything with a stable shape. Instead, band after band of furiously rotating energy were being pressed together, becoming tighter and more compact until the screaming mass was no larger than a bowling ball. It was a staggering amount of power, in a form that felt incredibly volatile. Like at any moment, the whole thing was going to¡­ explode. ¡°We need to pull back,¡± Nick yelled. ¡°Now!¡± Taking his warning to heart, the party retreated to the far corner of the enclosure, ducking behind a pile of corpses as the roaches continued tearing chunks free from the mutant creature. By now, the mana was so thick that Nick could taste it in the air. The essence made his energetic pathways tingle as they absorbed the excess. When he glanced down at his wand, the third gem was glowing bright again. Due to the abundance of compatible essence that was saturating the chamber, the device had already recharged, completing a process that normally took an entire day within a matter of minutes. That was when the full implication of what he¡¯d witnessed washed over him. I can use my wand freely in this fight, and it¡¯s even more powerful than normal. His thoughts were cut off when he felt another massive surge of power. ¡°Get down! It¡¯s going to¡­¡± Before he could finish his sentence, the Janitor completed its spell. The roach queen must have realized that something was wrong, because she tried to pull back at the last possible second. But the white shark reached out and grabbed her with its force arms, holding the massive insect in place. The lesser bugs had begun running for cover. But they were bunched too tightly for most of them to get away in time. Unable to flee, the queen sent out another round of enhancement magic, causing the horde to glow even brighter, just as the Janitor unleashed its might. There was a bright flash of light, followed by an explosion so intense that it would have knocked Nick off his feet if he wasn¡¯t already lying on his belly. The compressed ball of mana and essence expanded in the blink of an eye, becoming a bomb of staggering might. Wild flows of force went flying out in all directions, churning and spinning as they collided with the horde. Some of the bands plowed into the walls, floor, and ceiling before rebounding. They ripped massive chunks of stone free from the chamber¡¯s surfaces before diving into the army of beasts in a rotating blender of magical energy. The ability didn¡¯t displace as much air as a traditional explosion, or it would have ruptured Nick¡¯s eardrums. He still had to clasp his hands over his ears and shut his eyes tight to protect them from the blast. When he opened his eyes and peered out over the top of the corpse he was hiding behind, he beheld a scene of utter devastation. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! Most of the roaches had been slain outright. Torn to bits in an instant. Reduced to chitin-studded paste along the dirt-strewn floor. A few of the ones in the back of the bunch had made it away in time, and the squad guarding the eggs had been too far away to take any damage. ¡°Holy shit.¡± Devin rose to his feet while observing the prolific panorama of carnage. ¡°It¡¯s smarter than I thought,¡± Sophia said. ¡°It made itself seem vulnerable, luring them roaches in so that it could take them out.¡± ¡°Some of the warriors are still alive.¡± V pointed. ¡°Their heavy armor combined with the queen¡¯s magic was enough to save them.¡± Nick saw that a few dozen warrior roaches were rising back onto their feet. The surviving forces were scattered. The magic bomb had flung them back, sending them sliding along the floor before coming to a stop, dazed but still in the fight. The Janitor¡¯s body was riddled with cracks, and chunks of it were missing completely. It must have taken some damage from its own power. Using such an unstable ability came at a price. But only a slim fraction of the insect army had survived the mutant¡¯s trap. The attack had eliminated the closest melee insects, along with most of the ranged roaches, significantly reducing the horde¡¯s might in a single fell swoop. ¡°The big one is still alive,¡± Shaun said. The young man looked wild around the eyes but was still holding it together. When Nick looked at the queen, she was bleeding in a dozen places, but still fighting. The mutant must have deactivated its force-arms before setting off the bomb, because the roaches¡¯ monarch was in the middle of trading a series of heavy hits, trying to finish her nemesis off before it could use any more of its powers. Meanwhile, the surviving beasts, including most of the forces guarding the eggs, came rushing to her aid. The bugs had taken severe casualties, but they weren¡¯t finished yet. The Janitor tried to heal by eating more corpses. But every time it did, the ranged roaches bathed the body in fire or acid, reducing the remains to charged goop before the mutant could devour them. When Nick cast his energetic senses in that direction, he could tell that the creature had burned through a large portion of its reserves to enable the devastating attack. It shouldn¡¯t be able to use that bomb ability again. We need to get closer and wait for the right moment to join the fight. He shared this insight with his team, and they cautiously crossed the chamber, stopping once they were in range of their powers. On the way, he was able to get a good look at the shapeshifting monster, now that there weren¡¯t nearly as many roaches in the way. The colossal lifeform that Kellen had named the Janitor was even more intimidating up close. It didn¡¯t seem to be an animal or beast, or even a magical construct. He was still a novice in the taxonomy of the multiverse, but this thing didn¡¯t seem to be like anything else he¡¯d seen. It was still radiating some manner of force-related essence, stronger than before. I think that last attack made its body even more unstable, its core is starting to fall apart. Nick realized that while it generally maintained the figure of a sharklike beast while coated with its white shell of force, the Janitor¡¯s features were amorphous in this form too. He saw the suggestion of fur or scales texturing its exterior for a few seconds at a time, before shifting into something else entirely. The length and thickness of its body changed as the mutant traded blows with the towering roach queen. The only things that remained constant from one configuration to the next were its six thick legs and the abyss it had for a mouth. Right in the center of the creature¡¯s bulbous head was a gaping maw. A ragged gash that led all the way into the center of its body, without a gullet or throat in between. The mutant didn¡¯t have the razored jaws that Nick had seen on most of the beasts he fought. The Janitor¡¯s mouth was even worse. He could sense an endless vortex raging inside its body, formed of the same churning force mana and essence that made up its spells. While size up was screaming that the entire creature was deadly, the maelstrom inside it was even worse. He was certain that if any of them were pulled inside, they¡¯d be dead within seconds, lost beyond any hope of rescue. Its blob form is great for taking out multiple opponents, but this one is better suited to eliminating elite enemies. Especially with those force arms letting it grab hold to bite. In time with that thought, Nick sensed mana gathering in the air above the Janitor, as two armlike shapes extended from its core to rise above its back. The moment they were fully formed, the transparent limbs began grabbing the nearby bodies, shoveling them into it pit of its mouth. The horde was able to eliminate most of them, but several made it inside. The Janitor didn¡¯t bother to chew. It just tilted its head back to let the remains go sliding in before opening its mouth to shove the next dripping handful in. When it ate, it began to heal. Although thanks to the extensive injuries it had taken from the roaches¡¯ barrage, the queen¡¯s blades, and its own power, the mutant wasn¡¯t able to regenerate all the damage this time. Even still, if nothing changes, it¡¯s going to eliminate the horde and come out of the exchange fully healed. We need to do something to stop that from happening while we still have time. ¡°We need to get rid of these bodies,¡± Sophia said, mirroring his own observation. But they weren¡¯t the only ones whose thoughts had turned in that direction. The entity that had orchestrated this four-way battle to the death, the mind controlling the constructs, had come to the same conclusion. The gear-swarm was ready to join the fight. Concept Art Some different takes on the roach/ant/termite queen This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. And some of her minions Chapter 47: Checkmate Now that the Janitor was back in its melee mode and the roach horde had been crippled, the gear swarm was ready to make its move. Accompanied by the tapping of hundreds of metal claws, the rats came swarming into the chamber. They surged forth, hissing and squeaking, light glinting off their tightly packed bodies like a river of molten brass. The party fell into formation and prepared to hold them off. But they soon realized that none of the constructs were headed their way. Instead of attacking any of the combatants trapped in the enormous chamber, the mechanical beasts began consuming all the corpses on the field, gnawing away at the slain roaches in a living tide of clockwork. Their impossibly sharp teeth were able to devour the bugs, armor and all, within a handful of heartbeats. When Shaun raised his bow to take a shot, Nick stopped him with a hand on his arm. ¡°Not now. We can¡¯t afford to have them target us, and we need them to eat. If the rats clean up the bodies, the Janitor won¡¯t be able to heal anymore. At least not at the accelerated rate we¡¯ve seen during this fight. Now, even if it beats the queen, we¡¯ll at least have a chance of taking the mutant down, although the swarm is going to be trouble.¡± While the rats went to work, the queen¡¯s entourage raced to her position, desperate to assist their leader before it was too late. She had perhaps a quarter of her original forces left, all of them glowing with the magic she had cast to enhance the horde¡¯s attributes. The moment that the bugs finished crossing the room and engaged the Janitor, the gear-scorpions and turtles came pouring out of the passageway in a tight formation. The brass army fell upon the roach squad guarding the eggs, killing them all within a matter of seconds while taking few losses in exchange. They didn¡¯t just destroy the adult roaches. The swarm went on to devour every last egg. When they were done, the constructs retreated into the passage. They resumed their original formation, watching the battle with their pitiless brass eyes. The queen screamed as her spawn died, but she couldn¡¯t do anything about it. Not with the Janitor right in her face. With the next generation obliterated and only a handful of forces remaining nearby, she was in the same situation as everyone else in the room. The only way to survive was to kill everything in here and then try to recover. Meanwhile, the party repositioned. They dealt with an occasional roach along the way while trying to avoid attracting the constructs¡¯ notice. They came to a stop near the battle between giants. Where they were close enough to jump in if an opportunity presented itself, but far enough back that they wouldn¡¯t get hit by incidental fire. Team Earth had been given a few final moments to recover and learn more about their enemies. An opportunity that Nick intended to take full advantage of. The first thing he realized was that the swarm was even smarter than he thought. They constructs had waited until the queen was unable to disengage, then moved to put an end to the horde once and for all, removing the mutant¡¯s source of regeneration along the way. The good news was that they seemed uninterested in the party. Although Nick had no idea what would happen once the Janitor and the horde were out of the picture. The idea of facing an army led by what was effectively a brilliant general was a deeply frightening prospect. Since they had time to plan out their next move, his team put their heads together while inspecting their gear, certain that this momentary reprieve was only the eye of the storm. That within another party handful of heartbeats, the battle for their lives would resume. When the stalemate broke, they would only get one shot to turn the fickle tide of war in their favor, and Nick intended to be ready. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. Over the course of their frantic strategy session, Sophia and Devin shared the details of the consumables they¡¯d chosen after entering the tower. Devin had gone for a pair of freeze grenades to give him access to two opposing elements. Sophia had selected a set of mana potions that would help increase the number of summons she could create before running out of energy. While they hammered out a battle plan along with a few contingencies, Veronica pulled out the glasses she had found on Kellen¡¯s body. When she used them to watch the fight, she learned that the lenses let her perceive force mana. Nick wasn¡¯t sure how useful they would be later. But they were perfect for the situation at hand, granting the team a second member who could see the Janitor¡¯s magic. In the end, they were able to come up with a strategy that just might let them win, if everything went the way they were hoping. When he looked over at the battle raging in the corner of the room, he saw that it was time to head out, because the clash between titans was drawing near its climax. ¡°Is everyone ready to do their part?¡± Nick asked. Four determined nods met his gaze as everyone fell into formation. They began to advance, trying not to draw attention to themselves in the process, waiting for the right moment to spring into motion. The fight in the corner of the room came to a head less than two minutes later. The roach queen and the mutant were still locked in a brutal claw to claw melee. They were in the middle of trading a series of lightning-fast blows, powerful enough to vibrate Nick¡¯s teeth within his jaw. While each gigantic creature tried their best to land a killing blow, the rest of the roaches did what they could to support their matriarch. The handful of ranged variants that were still alive kept pouring on the acid and flame. They didn¡¯t have to worry about friendly fire, thanks to the queen¡¯s enhancement magic. From time to time, the gear-swarm advanced from the tunnel mouth. They didn¡¯t join the melee. Instead, the scorpions hit the Janitor with a barrage of ranged attacks, keeping it from regenerating too quickly or ending the fight, whittling away at its stamina and mana all the while. They also sent out more rat packs to devour a few final corpses in the far corners of room. Leaving only the pile sitting beside the main battle. Meanwhile, the melee specialized beasts surrounded the Janitor in a ring of bladed mandibles. They did their best to keep it off balance, so that it couldn¡¯t bring its full power to bear upon their monarch. The Janitor used its force hands to fend off the roaches that kept hitting it from the sides and rear, swatting, grabbing, and pummeling in a frenzy. It kept raking at the queen with its claws all the while, scraping away at her spell-reinforced chitin armor, but it couldn¡¯t land a bite. Meanwhile, her powerful blade-arms were able to penetrate the shark¡¯s white shell, although the dense layer of force mana mitigated the damage it took in the process. The queen and the Janitor seemed evenly matched, at least in defense and raw offensive output. But every time that the white shark popped a bug into its mouth, its wounds began to heal, while the damage the queen suffered was permanent. The mutant was taking progressively more damage over time, but its powers were better suited to endure a battle of attrition. On top of that, the roach horde was rapidly dwindling. When their numbers ran out, the Janitor would be able to use its force arms against the queen, tipping the scales in its favor. The war between giants had been hard fought. But it was clear that sometime over the next few seconds, the Janitor would come out ahead. Once it did, it would consume the nearby bodies and heal all the damage it had sustained, although it seemed unable to recover mana it with that method. By this point, the queen was nearly spent. She wavered from side to side, utterly exhausted. The big bug was bleeding from a hundred wounds, deep cracks marring the surface of her chitin armor. There were only a handful of melee insects alive, not enough to do more than annoy the mutant creature. Free to use the full range of its powers at last, the Janitor went in for the kill, just as the queen¡¯s enhancement magic flickered and faded out of existence. The white shark reached out with both force arms at once. It ignored the warriors¡¯ mandibles and the roaches¡¯ ranged attacks, even though they opened more wounds across its amorphous body, scarring the shell protecting its soft tissue. The Janitor grabbed the insect monarch by the claws, holding her in place while preparing to lung with its jaws. It was ready to take her head off in a single bite, heal up, then move on to the next enemy. Their battle had been hard fought, and now it was just one move short of checkmate. But Team Earth wasn¡¯t about to let that happen. It was time to flip the table and turn the fight in their favor. Chapter 48: Flipping the Board Before the Janitor could land a killing blow, an arrow came streaking across the battlefield to land inside its mouth. The instant that the missile touched down, thick smoke began billowing out from its hulking jaws as Shaun¡¯s ability activated. The smoke was harmless, but it was distracting. The dense cloud momentarily blinded the mutant, causing it to hesitate. Before the smoke cleared or the monster could recover, Nick¡¯s team unleashed their might. A piercing ray and a pair of mana darts hit the queen in the underbelly, where her armor was thin. While the force drill went to work carving into her guts, a series of acid bolts, arrows, and throwing knives planted themselves into big bug¡¯s body. All four of Sophia¡¯s wasps dove from above. They started stinging the queen¡¯s head while the mutant held her in place, the frog¡¯s black-barbed tongue tearing off a rear leg along the way. The summons disappeared in a flash of colored light, as they reached the end of their duration. Just as the smoke began to fade, a whirling length of flaming metal came flashing across the battlefield. The Janitor must have realized what was happening in that moment. It lunged with open jaws, trying to kill the queen before Nick¡¯s team could finish her off. But it was already too late. Because at that very moment, the blade of Devin¡¯s two-handed axe lodged itself in the middle of the queen¡¯s head. Since she was no longer shielded by her enhancement magic, it penetrated her carapace and cut deep into the brain below. The head of the axe released a tremendous explosion when blast striking kicked in half a heartbeat later, slaying the giant beast and sending ichor flying across the chamber to fall like rain. The mutant¡¯s jaws came down onto empty air a bare instant later. It let out a furious roar, enraged that its meal had been stolen after all the effort it had put into the fight. ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to do that.¡± Devin laughed, picking up a warrior¡¯s shorn mandible to use as a temporary weapon until he could retrieve his axe. At the same time, another of Shaun¡¯s arrows landed beside the Janitor, releasing more blinding smoke into its face. Before it could recover and start eating, a metal canister came flashing through the air. It broke over the queen¡¯s corpse, dousing it and and most of the nearby bodies with an oily substance that ignited with a whoosh, transforming the roaches¡¯ remains into a roaring pillar of flame. ¡°Nice shot Veronica.¡± Sophia clasped her on the shoulder. ¡°That got most of the bodies. We just need to drive the mutant back long enough for them to burn, and the Janitor will finally be out of options for healing.¡± ¡°Alright everyone.¡± Devin let loose a battle cry. ¡°It¡¯s time for the good part. Get ready for one hell of a fight and charge!¡± As one, the team began racing to close the distance. They were ready to move onto the next stage of their plan, since the first had succeeded in spectacular fashion. Nick pulled up his profile as he ran, grinning when he looked through his updates. Although he already knew what he would see, since he¡¯d felt the changes occurring within his body. Congratulations. You have accumulated enough experience to reach level [18]. You have gained one point of magic from your class. You have 1 free point awaiting allocation. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. ¡°Level,¡± he yelled. ¡°Level. Level. Level. Two levels.¡± The rest of the team chimed in. As they had hoped, stealing the kill on the roach queen had leveled everyone in the party. The move let Team Earth bolster their strength and absorb her essence, while depriving their enemy of the same opportunity. They had already decided how to spend their free points while planning out their next move. Nick put his into magic, preparing himself for the showdown with the Janitor as the sensation of his core expanding blossomed within his chest. As they closed the last stretch of ground, he looked over at the brave women and men who were risking their lives for the future of their people. There is a special magic when a plan comes together. An exquisite alchemy of effort and result. The euphoria of countless variables lining up in just the way you¡¯d intended. In battle, where a good plan can mean the difference between life and death, that feeling becomes magnified a dozen times over. Overwhelming satisfaction and relief mingle to become something new. A sensation beyond comparison. Working with other people when your life is on the line requires trust. Trust that they will watch your back. Trust that they can play their role. That they won¡¯t fuck up, freeze up, or freak out and get you all killed. In this case, Nick¡¯s trust was well founded, as his team came together to form a lethal machine. A synergistic dynamo of talent and the will to endure. Even Shaun had put in a flawless performance. Although beyond his opening volley, his only job was to save the rest of his mana, stay out of the way, and try not to die. Surrounded by crackling blaze, the Janitor roared out its fury. Its force hands began groping blindly, shoveling burning bugs into its mouth. It was desperate to heal before the fuel for its regeneration was consumed by the flames. Although it was able to recover a small amount of health that way, it had lost track of the queen¡¯s position in the smoke and hadn¡¯t been able to locate her remains. It was certain to find them soon. But his team was already spreading out to prevent that from happening. As they raced to cover the last stretch of scarred stonework, Nick looked around the room. He was making sure that no other threats remained to hit them from behind during this critical juncture. He nodded in satisfaction as he raised his sword before him. He had been afraid that the handful of surviving insects would try to exact their revenge. That they would rush the party or attack the Janitor, granting the mutant more fuel and mitigating the success of his plan. He let out a sigh of relief as he watched the demoralized beasts run for the room¡¯s only exit instead. With the death of their queen, the roaches had lost the will to fight. They turned away from the Janitor and made a mad dash for the exit, uncaring that their odds of surviving such a move weren¡¯t much better than pressing the attack. Not with the constructs waiting in the hall while biding their time. Nick could hear the bugs battling the gear-swarm as they entered the hallway. The shrill screams of dying beasts echoing out of the passage. He doubted that any of the roaches would survive to repopulate the horde, but that wasn¡¯t his problem. The diversion had taken the rats out of the fight for at least a few minutes. Although their route to the stairs was still jammed with warring beasts and constructs, the party wouldn¡¯t have to worry about the clever machines interfering with what came next or hitting his party from behind. Nick turned his gaze to the tier-two monster, which was still shrouded in smoke near the burning corpse of the roach queen. ¡°Killing the queen gave me enough essence to take my aura to rank one,¡± Sophia said. ¡°I¡¯m going to pull back long enough to complete the process. I¡¯ll create a fresh round of summons when I¡¯m done. Call out if you need me, but I won¡¯t be gone long.¡± With that, she fell back. Sophia looked around to make sure that nothing was nearby, then got that distant look in her eyes that Nick had come to recognize as someone who was in the middle of experiencing a vision. Good. That extra boost to our attributes couldn¡¯t come at a better time, and it will buff the rest of the summons she creates too. That was all the time he had to consider tactics. Because at that very moment, the rest of the party arrived in front of the Janitor. They spread out to engage the force-wielding mutant, just as the smoke from Shaun¡¯s arrow began to clear. Nick fell into formation beside the members of his team. He was filled with hope and pride, knowing that the decisive moment had finally arrived. The brutal four-way battle had come down to Team Earth versus the Janitor, and now it was time for their showdown to commence. Chapter 49: Burning Bright Nick conjured a pair of mana darts before coming to a stop beside the burning queen. The moment that he was in position, he started scanning the air above the party. During this phase of the operation, it was his job to deal with the force-arms extending from the creature¡¯s torso. He was the only one who could see them clearly, besides Devin, who was now wearing Kellen¡¯s glasses, and no one else had abilities that might be able to disrupt them. Let¡¯s hope this works. Nick offered a prayer to whomever might be listening, calling upon his arctic clarity to enhance his focus. He knew that he would have to react in the blink of an eye. Precision maneuvers with no room for error. Against such a powerful opponent, one small mistake could easily lead to a fatality, and he was determined to make sure that didn¡¯t happen. The Janitor came charging out from the dissipating cloud of smoke a heartbeat later, heading straight for the half-charred corpse of the queen. The body of the insect monarch was still burning bright, thanks to Veronica¡¯s napalm grenade. The instant that the mutant revealed itself, a pair of bolts and one of Shaun¡¯s arrows struck it in the face. The attacks didn¡¯t do any damage, but they caused the creature to rear back in surprise, giving Devin time to block its path. This was the closest that Nick had been to the artificial lifeform that had devastated the roach horde and laid waste to this floor of the tower. The mutant amalgamation that Kellen had named the Janitor. It was, in a word, terrifying. The tier-two creature towered over them, far more massive than the entire party combined. But its size wasn¡¯t the reason why this enemy made Nick break out into a cold sweat and sent adrenaline surge through his veins. Team Earth had faced plenty of big beasts by this point, including the fire-breathing river king. But they had never gone toe to toe against something that was so resilient or able to use such powerful magic time and time again. One direct hit from any of its forced-based powers could inflict a lethal blow, to say nothing of its wicked claws and the living blender it had for a mouth. It exuded a menacing aura of bloodthirst. Of an aching hunger it was desperate to sate. While the mutant creature was intimidating, there was still reason for hope. Its sharklike body was pitted and scarred. The damage from the fight with the roach queen was only halfway healed, leaving the shell of white force coating its exterior covered in jagged cracks. But the Janitor didn¡¯t seem to be impaired by its impressive collection of wounds. It still moved with the same shocking speed and strength that it had exhibited throughout the fight. While Nick could sense that it had consumed a significant portion of its energetic reserves while battling the horde, it still had plenty left in the tank. The mutant looked shocked when it noticed the party falling into formation in front of it. It skidded to a halt, examining the small creatures that had chosen to run toward it instead of away. It seemed torn in that moment, unsure whether it wanted to go for the corpses to fuel its healing, or for Team Earth, which offered the essence that its unstable form needed to survive. A deterioration that had accelerated after unleashing its force bomb a few minutes prior. Its confusion didn¡¯t last long. While it could heal its body faster after ingesting living matter, its unstable geneline was falling apart. It would starve to death without a fresh infusion of a novel type of essence. Not to mention, eating some of Nick¡¯s team would let it heal too, solving both problems at once. He could tell from the mutant¡¯s posture that it had decided that as much as it wanted to eat the blazing bugs, it wanted to consume the party¡¯s essence even more. It fixed its gaze upon the closest target and roared. Devin, who had begun circling around while scanning the floor by his feet. The Janitor¡¯s body was still half hidden by smoke, which made it harder to see its magical projections coming. Both force-arms came streaking down for Devin. The athletic warrior was barely able to dodge them in time, even though he had anticipated the move. He leapt over one grasping limb and then ducked beneath the second, rolling out of the way of two sets of claws as the Janitor followed up with attacks from its forelimbs. Before the mana-forged limbs could come around for a second pass, Nick let loose his spells. He sent one dart streaking toward the base of both ghostly arms. Let¡¯s hope this works, or things are about to get ugly. He was poised to rush in if needed, ready to move on to his backup plan if the spells proved ineffective. He let out a sigh of relief half a heartbeat later. As he¡¯d hoped, when the silvery missiles contacted the mutant¡¯s force-arms, they punched two big holes in them before dissipating. The pure mana comprising Nick¡¯s darts was powerful enough to disrupt the force mana holding the projections together. They lost cohesion and fell apart a few seconds later. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. The Janitor grumbled in irritation. Then it reared back and prepared to charge. Taking advantage of the opening, Devin dove and went sliding along the ground, scooping up his axe along the way. The mutant lunged for him with its jaws, but he was already back on his feet and running away to open some room. Meanwhile, a cluster of bolts and arrows peppered the monster¡¯s length. Most went sliding off its magical armor. But the barrage distracted it long enough for the party to reposition, keeping it from reaching the last corpses on the battlefield. A few of Veronica¡¯s bolts landed between the cracks in the mutant¡¯s armor. Each hit increased the damage that her other abilities would inflict, thanks to her class trait. Racking them up now would play a vital role later in the fight. For now, Team Earth focused on defense, keeping the Janitor¡¯s attention on them but staying out of melee range. It was a risky situation standing so close to the lethal lifeform, but they couldn¡¯t risk it consuming the roaches and triggering a massive heal. The bodies should finish burning to ash within a few more minutes, then we can proceed to phase two. Nick cast another pair of darts while he moved to block one side, judging that he was down to about half mana after his latest expenditure. I doubt that those arms will be gone for long, given how much mana that thing has been burning throughout the course of the fight. Sophia came running back toward the party a few seconds later, calling up a fresh round of summons as she ran. Nick felt a surge of power entering his body, as her upgraded aura boosted the team¡¯s physical attributes. A pair of Sophia¡¯s wasps landed on the mutant¡¯s body and began to sting, working their stingers in through the cracks in its armor to inject their freezing venom. Frost-spawned fog began billowing up from the afflicted tissue, causing the Janitor to roar in fury, pulling back long enough to deal with the problem. Its force limbs regenerated a few seconds later, costing the Janitor more mana in the process. They smashed one of the wasps to goo before it could get away, while the other took off to trail it from the air. The translucent arms spread out and then reached for the party, eager to grab hold and toss them into the mutant¡¯s mouth. Although his mana darts hadn¡¯t taken the force-limbs out of the picture for long, at least he knew that they would work in a pinch. Since he had already had two mana darts circling around his head, ready to fire at a moment¡¯s notice, it was time to try out the other counter he had prepared. While Devin and one of Sophia¡¯s frogs played hit and run with the Janitor¡¯s body, Nick pulled his wand out of its holster and took aim, waiting for the arms to come back around. If this works, I might be able to save the rest of my mana for now. The mutant¡¯s force-hands came streaking toward the team, dragging themselves along the ground this time instead of traveling through the air. They curved around the sides of its body and then came back together, trying to ring Devin in so that he couldn¡¯t escape. Before the magical manifestations could complete their encirclement, Nick was there. He took aim and then fired his wand twice back-to-back, sending one blast apiece at each of the ethereal limbs. Yes! As he had been hoping, since his wand and the arms used force essence, their energy could affect each other. Although the wand didn¡¯t disrupt the limbs like his mana darts, the blasts were enough to knock them back, buying Devin enough time to get out of the way. The wand¡¯s not as effective as my spell. But since it¡¯s refilling so fast, I can use it freely and don¡¯t have to worry about it running out of charges. In fact, the force-flinging device had regained one use already, thanks to the Janitor¡¯s unstable essence spilling out from it like a bucket with a hole in the bottom. It seemed to be leaking more and more essence as the fight dragged on, the repeated use of its powers hastening the instability of its manufactured geneline. As essence radiated out from the unstable creature, the wand quivered in Nick¡¯s hand like a living thing. Like a hungry beast who had just sighted its next meal. It was weird and rather unsettling, but he didn¡¯t have time to worry about it now. ¡°Now that we know we can counter the hands, we need to find a way to deal some damage before we start taking serious injuries.¡± Nick called out his observation, just as Veronica reported the news that he¡¯d been waiting to hear. ¡°The corpses are done burning. They are almost totally charred, although there¡¯s still a bit of tissue intact at the bottom.¡± ¡°It will have to be good enough,¡± he replied. ¡°Spread out and proceed to phase two!¡± Before the party could fall back and reposition, the Janitor came charging at them, moving so fast that its form became a white blur before his eyes. Shit. Who is it going for? ¡°Veronica. Watch out!¡± Sophia fell into formation in the back of the party. In response to her warning, V abruptly changed directions, leaping out of the way just in time to keep the mutant¡¯s jaws from closing around her leather-clad form. She began darting around one side, as agile as a cat. But she was still in danger, since she couldn¡¯t see the arms coming her way. Nick moved closer as the others began attacking the creature from behind, ready to use his wand and darts to keep the force-arms off Veronica. She wouldn¡¯t be out of range for another few seconds, and both ethereal limbs were already headed her way, reaching out to grab hold and bind her movement. That was when a sensation of overwhelming danger broke over Nick, which only grew more intense when he reflexively Sized Up the Janitor. Something is wrong. The mana flowing across its back is behaving differently than before. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, but I can¡¯t let the arms reach her. He visualized his trajectory, firing his Mana Darts just as the force-limbs came flashing down to claim V¡¯s life. The magical missiles landed on target without any problems, disrupting both arms like he¡¯d planned. But they didn¡¯t stop the other four that lashed out at the party a fraction of a second later. Chapter 50: Six-Armed Mutant It seemed that the Janitor was able to create more of the magical projections than it had revealed until now. It had kept this fact a secret while laying a trap¡ªhiding two more sets of force-arms behind its body while Team Earth moved to counter the first. Nick had the sense that this configuration was far less efficient, but the creature didn¡¯t care. It wanted their essence and was willing to spend what it needed to get the job done. One translucent hand was headed straight for him, and another was streaking for Devin. The final pair was closing around Veronica, who couldn¡¯t see them coming. Size Up was screaming at him, warning him that if any of the force-limbs connected, they were going to throw whoever they caught into the mutant¡¯s mouth¡ªshredding them to ragged chunks within the raging maelstrom churning behind its jaws. He took aim and fired his wand at the arm in front of him, but the others were out of range. The blast knocked it back, buying Nick a couple of heartbeats in the process. He wanted to use the opening to conjure another dart, but there simply wasn¡¯t enough time. One of the Janitor¡¯s hands had nearly reached Devin. He tried to dodge, twisting to one side in a last-ditch effort. But the appearance of the agile manifestation had caught him by surprise, and he couldn¡¯t get out of the way in time. Just before the ghostly digits tightened their grip, a pink tongue wrapped around his waist¡ªyanking Devin out of reach at the last possible moment. Relief went flooding through Nick¡¯s body when he realized that Sophia¡¯s summons were back in the fight. That still left two arms headed for V, and they would land in another three seconds at most. Not to mention the hand that had been knocked back by his wand. He couldn¡¯t afford to worry about that one now. Before the Janitor claimed Veronica¡¯s life, Nick activated Force Acceleration and sprang into motion, multiplying his speed in an instant. The shock to his body was immense. Bones creaked and muscles strained, but he pushed through the pain and kept on going. He took one step to launch himself forward with his sword raised above his head in a two-handed grip. The move cost him a fair chunk of mana, but he didn¡¯t have a choice. The wand wasn¡¯t sufficient to protect V from this angle, and he had to act now if he wanted to save his friend. In that moment, Nick decided to gamble with his life¡ªresponding to an instinct formed from using his sword over the last few months. He had the sense that the mysterious blade could sever the magical manifestations, even if the party¡¯s other weapons had simply passed through. The force-arms moved fast, but powered by his ability, his body moved faster still. As the grasping limbs closed the last few feet between themselves and V, Nick took aim for the spot where they met the Janitor¡¯s body, using Artic Clarity to enhance his focus. He brought his weapon flashing down. But to his dismay, his blade wound up passing straight through the force-spawned projections after all. Shit. That didn¡¯t work. Time seemed to slow down as the implications of his dire predicament washed over him. In that moment, he was terrified that this was the end. But then a strange thing happened. Ever since he had picked his sword up in the sewers of Kastilla, he¡¯d had the impression that the weapon was sleeping¡ªwearied by its centuries-long fight with the crimson blight. The ratman Trell had told him that the weapon was special, and he had found numerous clues that this was the case during his time on the bog. In the heart of that black instant, Nick had the sense that the sword was more than just a weapon. That it had a consciousness. A will of its own. It felt like a slumbering giant had opened one eye to regard him, mumbling something while still half-asleep. He realized that the blade wasn¡¯t just looking at him¡ªit was asking him something. I think that it wants to use some of my mana. Intrigued by the situation and desperate to save his friend, he gave the weapon his permission. When he did, mana was sucked out of his energetic core and drawn into the blade. It¡¯s only taking in pure mana, he realized as time resumed its full course. The unprecedented encounter had only taken a fraction of a second.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Half a heartbeat later, the length of the curved sword began shining with an intense silver light. Then it hit critical mass and burst into flame, glowing like the full moon at midnight. Nick didn¡¯t have time to think about what was happening¡ªnot while the party was in danger. Two of the Janitor¡¯s force-arms closed around Veronica, ready to extinguish her existence. She screamed as they began pulling her in. Struggling, but unable to break free. Horror blossomed on her face as she stared into the whirling abyss behind the mutant¡¯s sharklike teeth. The third arm would reach him any second, and V had even less time. Praying that this would work, Nick raised the glowing blade and activated Force Acceleration again. His world narrowed to the silver sword and transparent limbs. He was overcome with a sensation of exquisite urgency. If the sword didn¡¯t cut or didn¡¯t land quickly enough, both of them were going to die. Moving so fast that the air screamed from his passage, he put every scrap of his concentration into swinging his sword. He brought the blade up in a rising slash toward two of the arms, just as the mutant opened its jaws¡ªready to swallow V whole. She looked back at him with a heartrending blend of terror and hope, in what might well be the final second of her life. A bare instant before the Janitor could end her existence, Nick¡¯s sword passed through the mana-spawned projections restraining his friend¡ªlife and death balanced on the edge of the blade. The weapon made its final approach, drawing closer and closer until it connected at last. Please, let it work this time. Now that it was bathed in a coruscating aura of pure mana, when the silver sword struck the Janitor¡¯s force-arms, he felt some resistance. The blade carved through the ethereal limbs, severing them as cleanly as a surgeon¡¯s scalpel. Relief flooded through every cell of his body as the flailing arms flopped to the ground, spasming before vanishing with a pop of displaced air. Nick yelled and continued his swing, cutting the final hand off near the wrist before the silver flames flickered and faded out of existence. The Janitor screamed and pulled its body back as Veronica toppled to the floor. She was dazed and distracted, but managed to scramble out of the way thanks to the momentary reprieve. In addition to severing the mutant¡¯s arms, it seemed that the blow had hurt it. The pure mana disrupted the energy forming those projections. It just lost everything that it put into making them. They might be extensions of its core, rather than the manifestation of an ability. Right now, the details weren¡¯t important. One way or another, Nick¡¯s instincts had been right on the money. His mysterious sword was able to hurt the ghostly limbs after all. Understanding what had happened could wait. All that mattered was that he had a way to protect his friends, not to mention himself. The creature recovered a few seconds later. It let out a furious roar while turning to swipe at the party with its claw-studded forelimbs. He got ready to leap out of the way, off balance and bruised from using Force Acceleration twice back-to-back. He had a bad feeling that he wasn¡¯t going to make it in time. He couldn¡¯t afford to waste more mana using it again, but it looked like he didn¡¯t have a choice. Before Nick activated his ability, Devin¡¯s axe hit the Janitor in the side of its wedge-shaped head¡ªpowered by every scrap of strength residing in the athletic warrior¡¯s body. His flaming weapon was accompanied by a pair of Sophia¡¯s throwing daggers and one of Shaun¡¯s arrows. Each attack landed in a crack in the mutant¡¯s armor, penetrating the softer tissue below. ¡°Boom,¡± Devin said. Then he activated Blast Striking and Flashfire Pulse at the same time. As Nick scrambled out of the way, a pair of explosions rang out. A big blast erupted from the axe and a raging torrent of flame shot out from the man. It was his first time seeing rank-two Flashfire Pulse in action. The upgrade Devin had picked let him narrow the direction of the pulse. Now he could change the angle of the eruption at will¡ªkeeping it from harming his allies while concentrating the flames headed the other way, increasing the power of the ability in the process. The twin blast was so intense that it knocked the gigantic mutant back. The white shark went skidding along the dirt-covered stone, trailing flames in its wake like the tail of a kite. Now that he was able to recover from the close call, Nick took a good look at his opponent. Devin¡¯s axe had opened a ragged gash along the Janitor¡¯s neck, through which a patch of superheated mana remained¡ªglowing bright as it sizzled away at the creature¡¯s gelatinous tissue. Another big section was scorched from Flashfire Pulse, thinning the armor in that area. These rank-two abilities are worth their weight in gold. We¡¯d be dead without them. ¡°Holy shit.¡± V let out a terrified laugh as the team fell into formation. ¡°That was way too fucking close. Thanks guys, I owe you one. When we get out of here, drinks are on me.¡± ¡°Anytime,¡± Devin replied. ¡°But I¡¯m happy to drink on your dime.¡± Chapter 51: Keep Away Nick broke into a broad grin, then assumed a battle stance with his sword raised in a two-handed grip. Now that he could feel the connection, he sensed that he could feed his weapon pure mana at will. Just to make sure, he sent energy out from his core, through his arms, and into the blade. It began glowing once more¡ªwreathed in silver flames that didn¡¯t give off any heat. This weapon might be enough to win the battle, if I can manage to land a heavy hit. So far, the arms he had disrupted hadn¡¯t grown back, leaving only the one that had been coming for Devin. It was an encouraging sight. While this was still a frantic fight against his most dangerous enemy yet, now Nick had a real chance of holding his own. If he could drive the mana-infused blade deep into the mutant¡¯s body, he might be able to dish out some damage that its regeneration couldn¡¯t heal and disrupt the magic powering its abilities. The problem was, the Janitor had come to the same realization, and it wasn¡¯t about to let him try. Even with the sword¡¯s power, the mutant was bigger, faster, and stronger than he was¡ªmore than capable of killing him in a single blow. The creature turned to face him with the promise of murder clear in every crook of its features. In that moment, Nick was dead certain that it was preparing to put everything that it had into taking him down, now that he had revealed himself to be a true threat instead of a walking meal. The mutant let out a furious roar and came charging at him with blinding speed. It was ready to rend him asunder with its remaining force-arm, both bladed forelimbs, and its industrial-blender bite. He held no illusion that he could defeat the monster in a straight exchange of blows, awesome magic sword or no. He turned and started running for his life, just as three force-arms grew back and started reaching for him. I need to lead it away from the others but stay in range of their attacks. The party prepared for round two, as the showdown with the Janitor entered a deadly new phase. ¡°The force-limbs are going to be a problem if we keep fighting up close.¡± Nick yelled as he ran for his life with the furious mutant hot on his heels. Sophia nodded her agreement, ready to direct the team with her superior tactical awareness. ¡°It¡¯s time to change strategies. Nick, keep kiting that monster while we whittle down its health. Devin, give the glasses back to Veronica for now. She can get in some hit and runs with her claws to build up more power for her trait.¡± He listened with one ear as he sprinted toward the back of the room, burning stamina to pick up his pace. As he drew near the wall, he turned to follow it while waving his sword in the air¡ªkeeping the Janitor¡¯s attention on him while the others adjusted their tactics. Right now, it¡¯s laser-focused on me. We need to take advantage of that to chip away at its reserves. While it was terrifying to be chased by such a lethal lifeform, this outcome was a best-case scenario. Since the Janitor recognized the danger that his silver sword posed and wanted to take Nick out of the picture, he could use that desire to control its behavior. To keep his friends safe while setting up a clear line of fire for the rest of the team. The six-legged mutant was faster than he was, unless he burned stamina or used Force Acceleration. But he thought that he could stay ahead of his furious assailant, at least for a few more minutes. He had noticed that the white shark form was fast but not particularly agile. It was better at straight charges than rapid turns, like the Fallen rhino they had fought in the Grand Arena of Papillion.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Even still, it was a tense, touch and go situation. If Nick made a single mistake past this point or misjudged his opponent to the slightest degree, it was going to be the end of him. I can¡¯t let it get too close. There¡¯s too much about this creature that we don¡¯t understand. While he thought that he had a good sense for the reach of its projections, he wasn¡¯t taking that for granted. He was ready to get out of the way if they were able to extend further than they had up to this point. As these thoughts passed through his head, he led the white shark in a race around the room while gradually circling his team. Arrows, bolts, and throwing knives rained down upon the Janitor, along with an occasional rock from Devin. Nick kept on running for all he was worth. He was relying on his team to update him on any changes to the situation while he put everything that he had into staying out of reach. I can¡¯t pull too far ahead either, or it might change targets. While he sprinted around the massive enclosure, he realized that he could feel the improvements to Sophia¡¯s aura. His body felt Stronger and Tougher than before¡ªable to perform at a higher level compared to just a few minutes ago. It wasn¡¯t a night and day difference, but every little bit helped, especially since the passive ability would buff her summons too. Meanwhile, the party focused on dealing damage in an efficient manner. They were conserving most of their mana as they experimented, trying out various powers to see which attacks were effective. Nick sprinted and dodged, ducking and leaping and rolling like mad. He occasionally fired his wand to blast any arms that came close to grabbing him. By now, he had noticed that a fresh charge was coming back every minute or so, letting him use the force-flinging device freely for the first time. While he was busy running for his life, Veronica peppered the mutant with crossbow bolts, aiming for the cracks in its armor. Thanks to her class trait, every direct hit made her damage over time abilities more effective, increasing her offensive output as the battle dragged on. Her accuracy was higher with the glasses on, since she was able to avoid the mutant¡¯s arms. V must have launched another acid bolt at some point, because he felt his scrapes and bruises tingling¡ªcuts drawing closed before vanishing completely. When he looked over his shoulder, Nick saw that a pit had formed along the Janitor¡¯s left flank, where the acid had worked its way inside to eat away at the tissue below its shell. It was slowly healing the afflicted area, but right now, the party was doing damage faster than the mutant was regenerating. Good. If we can keep it up for just a little longer, we might actually pull this off. They lost a few minutes¡¯ worth of progress when the Janitor reached out to scoop up the charred remains of the roach queen. It shoveled the ashy bits of chitin into its abomination of a mouth, then let out a dissatisfied grunt. As they¡¯d been hoping, it was only able to heal a little from eating the charcoaled mess. That was the only corpse left on the field. One less thing to worry about. Around this time, Nick was nearing the bottom of his reserves. He reached into his belt pouch and pulled out one of Veronica¡¯s stamina potions¡ªthe only one he could use during the fight given their once-a-day limit. He popped the cap and chugged the bitter brew, groaning in relief as energy went surging throughout his body and he pulled ahead of his monstrous pursuer once more. I still have my flask of restoration, but I¡¯ll save it until I¡¯m ready to go all out. Since Devin didn¡¯t have a proper ranged attack, he kept hurling his axe whenever Nick led the Janitor into a broadside position. His aim was shit since the weapon wasn¡¯t weighted to be thrown, but his opponent was long and massive. He was able to land a direct hit every now and again¡ªeach strike resulting in an explosion and another burning wound. But most of the athletic man¡¯s attacks only did superficial damage, thanks to the armor of force mana protecting the mutant. The gear-swarm must have realized what the party was up to. During Nick¡¯s third lap around the chamber, the constructs decided to join the fray once more. Every time that he guided the creature past the entrance, the brass scorpions emerged to hit the Janitor from behind. Whenever their fire started drawing its attention, they darted back inside the tunnel before reappearing during the next pass¡ªdoing their best to whittle the big bastard down without taking any losses in exchange. It was a strange alliance, and he knew that they might have to face the machines in battle at any moment. But right now, he was glad for their assistance. If Team Earth was going to survive the climatic showdown, they needed all the help they could get. Chapter 52: Close Call Five breathless minutes later, Nick was coming to the conclusion that this strategy wasn¡¯t going to be sufficient. His party was inflicting some significant damage to the force-wielding monstrosity, but it wasn¡¯t fast enough. He was going to run out of stamina again sooner rather than later, and the mutant showed no sign of going down. Not to mention, if he fucked up even once and wound up getting caught, it was going to be game over. Sophia must have come to the same realization. ¡°This isn¡¯t working. The Janitor¡¯s shell is too tough, even if it can¡¯t regenerate quickly anymore. We¡¯ll have to go with plan B. Burn through enough vital energy to get it to change shape, then hit it with our big guns once its armor is out of the picture. Start stepping up your offense everyone. Make sure that each ability will land before you use it¡ªwe can¡¯t afford to waste any mana. Remember the plan for what comes next, and don¡¯t use anything that we will need for the finale.¡± The team ramped up their output while Nick brought the Janitor around for another close pass. Veronica tagged it with a pair of Acidic Bolts, which were starting to do some serious damage given all the incidental hits she¡¯d scored by this point. She even darted in and sliced at the creature¡¯s flanks¡ªworking her bone claws in through the gaps in its shell before sprinting back to the team. Nick wasn¡¯t sure if her bleeding poison had any effect on its alien physiology, but it was worth a try. Shaun didn¡¯t have a lot of mana to spare, but he did land a pair of Electric Arrows¡ªintense concentration scrunching his face as he lined up the shots. Each crackling missile entered the holes V had eroded, discharging a miniature bolt of lightning that conducted through the mutant¡¯s gelatinous tissue. The voltage made it freeze for a fraction of a second, giving Nick a chance to widen his lead. Devin had noticed that the Janitor wasn¡¯t good at reaching for things that it couldn¡¯t see. That the force arms couldn¡¯t grab him if he rushed in from behind its field of view. He took advantage of the fact to launch some hit and run strikes of his own¡ªable to target the cracks in the mutant¡¯s armor now that he was using the axe properly. Each blast knocked pieces of the white shell free and injected fiery mana into the wound. They didn¡¯t do as much damage as V¡¯s Acidic Bolts, but the searing energy was gradually taking its toll. Sophia must have judged that she could spare enough stamina to summon more wasps, because two more joined the battle a few seconds later. The big bugs flew in a circle, in the opposite direction that Nick was running. Every time they passed overhead, the blue-striped insects performed a streaking dive. They stung the Janitor before taking to the air once more, injecting it with their freezing venom. She eventually lost one to the mutant¡¯s force-arms, but the tactic was effective overall. Her frog¡¯s tongue couldn¡¯t penetrate the mutant¡¯s armor. Instead, the vermillion amphibian stood in reserve near the front of the party¡¯s formation, waiting to pull the team to safety at a moment¡¯s notice. ¡°I think it¡¯s working,¡± Sophia called out a few minutes later. ¡°We¡¯re draining our reserves faster than I would like, but we¡¯re eating away at its tissue. The Janitor is starting to slow down. It shouldn¡¯t be much longer until it¡¯s ready to change tactics.¡±The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. It turned out that the mutant had one last move to make before that happened. It had been gradually reducing its speed, which they had thought was a consequence of its injuries. But it was just a ruse. The Janitor waited until Nick was nearing the corner of the chamber before abruptly speeding up¡ªmoving even faster than before. He had the sense that it couldn¡¯t keep up the pace for long, but the rapid acceleration caught him by surprise. He burned some stamina and tried to move out of the way. But the mutant sprinted even faster¡ªlegs pumping in a frenzy of motion. It closed the distance in a bladed flash, almost taking him out with a swipe of its claws, followed by four of its force-arms at once. He dove to one side while firing all three blasts of his wand to keep the hands off him. It was a good move, but it wasn¡¯t good enough. One of the translucent limbs pushed through the blasts¡ªstretching for Nick¡¯s position in the blink of an eye. He rolled, dodging the translucent fingers with inches to spare. He called upon his Artic Clarity, using the frigid state of focus the help track the arms and move his body out of the way. As soon as he sprang back to his feet, the closest force-limb came around for another pass. Nick didn¡¯t have enough room to leap or roll. His wand was out of juice for a few more seconds, and he didn¡¯t have time to cast Mana Dart. He would have used Force Acceleration, but his angle of retreat was cut off by the charging creature. Oh shit. That¡¯s not good. He tried to run anyway, knowing that it wasn¡¯t going to work. Just before the force-fingers clamped onto him, he felt something wrap around his waist. In that moment, he thought that he was done for. But then he realized that it was a rubbery pink appendage instead of a magical projection. The frog must have repositioned when I wasn¡¯t looking. Half a heartbeat before the Janitor reached him, the summon¡¯s tongue retracted¡ªpulling Nick back and out of the way. The move was quick, and it saved his life, but it wasn¡¯t a clean getaway. One of the arms was already circling around from behind the mutant¡¯s back. It latched onto the tongue a heartbeat after Nick cleared the creature¡¯s body. Sophia must have seen the attack coming. The pressure around his waist loosened just before the mutant gripped tight, letting him slide out of the loop and start running back to the party. With a furious roar, the Janitor pulled hard. The frog left the ground like a rocket taking flight and went flying straight for the enraged creature. The white shark opened its mouth and caught the amphibian between its hulking jaws¡ªthe same fate that the summon had spared Nick from at the last possible moment. The Janitor ate the frog in a second flat before turning to face the party. It was planning to heal after consuming the red and black beast. But that wasn¡¯t how events played out. Instead of bursting like a meat pi?ata, the summon disappeared in a flash of ruby light when the force-maelstrom tore into it. The white shark let out a roar in frustration when its meal vanished without a trace, losing its chance to eat Nick in the process. That was the final straw. The enraged monstrosity must have decided that it couldn¡¯t catch the party in its shark form, and it was tired of taking damage from the ranged attacks that Team Earth and the gear-swarm were sending its way. It was ready to hit back and hit hard, even if it increased the damage it took in exchange. ¡°It¡¯s happening,¡± Sophia called out. ¡°Adjust our formation and get ready for the next phase of the plan. Our showdown is about to reach its climax.¡± Chapter 53: Force Ray Assault The Janitor stopped chasing Nick while he raced to rejoin his team. Instead, the wounded mutant darted over the far corner of the chamber, where it was beyond the gear-swarm¡¯s reach and safe from the party for at least a few more seconds. Nick came to a skidding stop¡ªgasping for breath as sweat poured down his body. Even with his high Toughness, pushing his body to its absolute limit while burning stamina was tiring, especially while running for his life against a terrifying monstrosity. He drained his canteen, put it into his bag to refill it with the water inside, then drained it again. While Team Earth switched up their formation and began to advance, the Janitor started to change shape¡ªemitting a dense cloud of mana-infused essence in the process. Apparently, transforming was hastening its core¡¯s rapid decomposition, but the starving creature didn¡¯t care. It was either going to eat everyone in the room and stabilize itself with their essence, or it was going to die trying. The battle between Team Earth and the tier 2 monster had arrived at a pivotal moment, and only one of them would be walking away when the dust settled. Nick recovered from his prolonged race as he watched the mutant change shape for the final time. First, the shark¡¯s limbs and mouth softened and lost cohesion, retracting into the Janitor¡¯s body until it was a quivering blob once more¡ªthe original form that the party had encountered. The mutant reabsorbed its white shell over the next few seconds, changing the force mana into a state that it could use to fuel its spells. Its body faded until it was almost transparent, making it hard to track its position with his eyes. Luckily, Nick could sense the force energy that the creature was releasing, along with Sophia, who was wearing Kellen¡¯s glasses for this stage of the operation. Its core is close to falling apart. One way or another, this fight won¡¯t last much longer. The Janitor is going to be even more aggressive than before, since it needs to eat us before that happens. The moment that the mutant was done transforming, it turned to face Team Earth¡ªmana coalescing in the air above its head. He opened his mouth to issue a warning, but Sophia was already on it. ¡°It¡¯s gathering its energy and preparing to fire,¡± she called out. ¡°Spread out and get ready to dodge! Focus on evasion until we get a better sense of the timing. You won¡¯t survive if you get caught in the blast. It¡¯s taking the Janitor a minute to change gears, but don¡¯t expect the next spell to have nearly as long of a delay.¡± ¡°Shaun,¡± Nick yelled. ¡°Hit it with a Smoke Arrow, fast! It should help everyone see the force rays coming and give us more time to get out of the way.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± the red-haired archer replied. ¡°But it won¡¯t be nearly enough smoke to fill the air in a space this big.¡± He was already nocking an arrow and taking aim, trusting Nick¡¯s judgement despite his concern. ¡°That¡¯s perfect. Too much smoke and we¡¯d wind up blinding ourselves.¡± Shaun was clearly confused, but to his credit, the young man didn¡¯t hesitate. He drew back an arrow and activated his ability¡ªpushing past his fear to focus on the task at hand. When his arrow began glowing with a pale gray light, he raised his sights and released the missile. It went soaring through the air, trailing smoke all the while, then went plunging into the Janitor. No longer shielded by its protective shell, the arrow sank into the mutant¡¯s side. ¡°Direct hit.¡± Devin called out. ¡°Nice job.¡± The moment that missile found its target, it began releasing a thick cloud into the air¡ªhissing all the while like two cats with their tails tied together. The ability ran out of juice a few seconds later, but it had done its job. The heavy smoke around the mutant began pooling across the floor, with a thinner layer riding on top. ¡°Let¡¯s see if this works.¡±Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. The team let loose a barrage of ranged attacks while the Janitor¡¯s spell finished forming¡ªtaking advantage of the moment to get in some free hits. As bolts and arrows filled the air, some shimmering with magical energy, Nick fired off a pair of Mana Darts. Sophia¡¯s summons were running low on time, so they rushed in, landing as many strikes as they could before the mutant unleashed its volley. Thick bands of force mana were gathering in the air above the Janitor¡¯s head, each containing more energy than his own Piercing Rays. Now that he could perceive them clearly, he was able to appreciate how much raw power the creature packed into each of its spells. There¡¯s no way that I would survive a direct hit from one of those, he observed as his team spread out in a staggered half-circle around their deadly opponent. As the Janitor wove the bands of mana together, they began to spin. The entire mass of force energy started to rotate, faster and then faster still. Not just the tip like Nick¡¯s Piercing Rays. He could sense essence woven into the mix as well, adding power and structure to the churning blender of force. Then the beam hit critical mass, no longer shrinking as it spun like a compressed tornado. ¡°Its spell is ready to go!¡± he yelled. "Open some distance and get out of the way.¡± The instant that he cried out his warning, the mutant unleashed its wrath. A beam of concentrated kinetic energy went streaking out from its position. While the translucent power was invisible to the naked eye, the smoke from Shaun¡¯s arrow was swept up by the powerful wind the spinning beam created¡ªmaking the path of the attack clear as day as it shot out from the corner of the room at breakneck speed. It only gave them two heartbeats to figure out where the spell was heading. Just enough time for Sophia and Veronica to jump out of the way. The beam touched down a bare second later, expanding into a hemisphere of volatile mana ten feet across before dispersing a few seconds later. The power behind the blast was incredible¡ªstrong enough to rip chunks of stone free from the floor and send them sailing across the room. ¡°That was perfect, Shaun,¡± V called out. ¡°Whenever the smoke gets too thin to see, launch another round. Be careful not to overdo it, or the plan will backfire.¡± Everyone else began to return fire while Nick came to a stop, poised on the brink of an epiphany. Watching the force beam up close had given him an insight into his own Piercing Ray. If I can get the entire ray to spin, and not just the tip, I think I can increase the efficiency of the spell. He was agonizingly close to internalizing the gain, but he was going to have to watch a few more blasts before it happened. He launched another Mana Dart¡ªnoticing that the team¡¯s barrage was inflicting some real damage this time around. Patches of the Janitor¡¯s jellylike body were bubbling and burning, eaten away by acid and flame. Devin threw his two-handed axe and activated Blast Striking, blowing a massive hole in its side that was filled with sizzling mana. After that, the warrior borrowed Sophia¡¯s daggers, launching another one each time that the magic blades returned to his outstretched hands. It seemed that the magnitude of the explosion was tied to the size of the weapon, but it let Devin deal damage while standing far enough back to dodge the monster¡¯s spells. Shaun fired off another Smoke Arrow as he retreated to the back of the room, where he would have longer to react to any beams headed his way. He couldn¡¯t get out of the way as fast as the others, and needed all the time that he could get. His smoke only offered a brief warning, but it made all the difference. It kept Team Earth from taking any direct hits as both sides continued to trade attacks from range. Well, look at that. Shaun was able to make a real contribution after all. No sooner had that thought passed through Nick¡¯s mind, than he felt mana congealing in the air above the Janitor¡ªfar more power than it had packed into its other attacks. This spell feels different from its force beams. His suspicions were confirmed when a white tube began growing out from the side of the blob that was facing the party. It seemed to be made of condensed force mana, just like the shark form¡¯s shell. Meanwhile, pseudopods extended from the base of the mutant¡ªplanting themselves into the ground to stabilize its mass in an arrangement that reminded Nick of a tripod. At first, he thought that it was shifting into a new form. But then he realized that the protrusion looked more like the barrel of a cannon. Ah hell. That can¡¯t be good. By now, the heavy flows of mana were being drawn inside the muzzle, along with wisps of other types and a fair amount of kinetic essence. ¡°Watch out,¡± Nick yelled. ¡°This ability is different from anything that we¡¯ve seen. It¡¯s going to fire something from that cannon that¡¯s a lot more powerful than its other spells. The Janitor is bringing out the big guns. Spread out and get ready to dodge!¡± Chapter 54: The Big Guns The party broke apart and started running for the far wall, spreading out to limit how many of them could be targeted by the powerful spell. As they raced to open some distance, the Janitor¡¯s turret sucked in more mana from its core, until the barrel was glowing brightly enough to see the magical energy with the naked eye. Who is it going to target? Nick followed the flows of force, trying to get a sense of their direction and angle. When he saw the mutant correct its aim, he knew. ¡°V, watch out, it¡¯s coming for you!¡± That was all the warning that Team Earth was given. Half a heartbeat later, a massive discharge of condensed mana and essence erupted out of the Janitor¡¯s cannon with a retort like a thunderpeal. Since it wasn¡¯t heading his way, Nick came to a stop and got ready to help however he could. Instead of a beam, this spell was a condensed sphere of furiously rotating magic¡ªlike a tornado had been compressed to the size of a bowling ball. Size Up was screaming that when it touched down, the blast would be far more dangerous than the mutant¡¯s other spells, and it would expand to cover a wider area. The dense vortex of kinetic energy crossed the battlefield with a sense of inevitability, crackling and buzzing as it tore through the air. It¡¯s the same ability that took out most of the roach horde, he realized. Given the raw power of the attack, his spells wouldn¡¯t stop it. In that moment, he was deeply worried for his friend, terrified that he was about to watch the force-bomb grind Veronica to paste. Sophia started summoning another frog while Nick reached for his barrier charm, but there wasn¡¯t enough time, and V was too far away regardless. There was nothing he could do but pray that his friend made it out alive. Or maybe there is. There was no way that V could escape if the attack landed anywhere near her. But in that moment, he saw something that just might give her a chance. ¡°Dodge low. There¡¯s a gap between the spell and the floor!¡± The force-artillery went streaking for Veronica like a grenade of the gods, poised to end her life like a giant stepping on an ant. She only had a split second to react and couldn¡¯t hope to run away in time. If it was anyone else in the party, it would have killed them without question. But Veronica was the most agile person Nick had ever known, and her reflexes were well into the range of the superhuman. Instead of running away from the attack, she spun on her toes and sprinted toward it instead. A heartbeat and a half after Nick called out, V judged the distance and dove onto her stomach¡ªletting the sphere pass over her head with inches to spare. The hasty maneuver kept her from taking a direct hit when the spell detonated two seconds later. The magic bomb hit the wall behind Veronica with inconceivable force, ripping a colossal chunk of raw rock free from the surface. It was clear in that moment that this was the same weapon that had destroyed most of the floor. The power that had killed every researcher living down here and collapsed half of the rooms in the process. Although she had escaped the deadly detonation, V was still caught in the periphery of the blast. Shards of rock and churning force washed over her¡ªslicing into her body and throwing her into the air. Before she hit the ground, Devin was there. He caught her in a flying tackle that absorbed the impact of her fall and shielded her from the shrapnel raining to the ground. In that moment, Nick was terrified that she had taken a critical wound despite her incredible dodge. Veronica was battered and bleeding in a half dozen places. Slivers of stone were embedded in her armor and flesh. If she were a regular person, she would have been down for the count. But Nick¡¯s team boasted some of the most powerful members of the human race, thanks to the trials they had overcome since the System arrived. He let out a sigh of relief when she flashed a thumbs up and rose to her feet. V was rattled by her close brush with death, but she wasn¡¯t about to let that stop her. She took an unsteady step, shook her head to clear her mind, then rejoined the fight without hesitation. She raised her crossbow and fired an Acid Bolt, intending to heal the damage she¡¯d taken.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°Holy shit,¡± Shaun said, mirroring Nick¡¯s train of thought. ¡°That was way too fucking close.¡± ¡°We need to hit it hard before it can squeeze off another one of those,¡± Sophia yelled while directing her freshly summoned frog to charge. The party closed the distance and fired another round of projectiles, while Nick and Devin raced to engage the mutant with their weapons. With any luck, it won¡¯t be able to cast another artillery spell right away. We need to do some damage while we have the chance. While he ran, another force beam began to coalesce in the air above the Janitor¡ªthe same spell it had been using throughout the fight. Shaun dropped a fresh Smoke Arrow, then warned the party that he could only use the ability one more time before his mana ran dry. This time, instead of relying on a risky, last-second dodge, Nick decided to try something else. Before the mutant¡¯s ability finished forming, he cast a spell of his own. Piercing Ray. He took aim and fired, just as the Janitor¡¯s power shot forth. As he¡¯d been hoping, his ray was fast enough to intersect the Janitor¡¯s beam. But the power behind the mutant¡¯s spell was greater than his own. The midair collision only deflected the shot by a few degrees before Piercing Ray was thrown to one side. It still would have taken out Sophia if her frog hadn¡¯t turned and grabbed her with its tongue¡ªpulling the summoner to safety at the last possible second. Watching the Janitor¡¯s force beam go lancing across the room, Nick paid close attention to the way that the mana was swirling, compressing the spell to increase it rotation. The entire beam is constantly turning, instead of just the end like my ray. I wonder if I can do the same thing to increase the rotational power. It turned out that although his spell had been countered, it wasn¡¯t a wasted effort. Witnessing the two powers colliding head-to-head had given him the last insight he needed to deepen his understanding of Piercing Ray. Confirming that truth, a message from the System appeared before Nick¡¯s eyes. Your understanding of [Piercing Ray] is now sufficient to advance the ability to rank 1. Would you like to advance [Piercing Ray] to rank 1 now? At that same moment, the construct swarm reappeared from the mouth of the tunnel. Under guard from the brass turtles, a line of gear-scorpions unleashed a heavy barrage¡ªeager to inflict some damage now that the mutant¡¯s force-shell was gone. The Janitor let out a furious roar as bits of its body were torn free. It turned away from the party to face the swarm, as mana began gathering above its head once more. It¡¯s going to target them for at least a few seconds. Now¡¯s my chance. Nick had been granted a window to improve his ability, and he intended to take it. ¡°I unlocked rank-one with my ray,¡± he yelled. ¡°If I upgrade it now, it might be able to counter the Janitor¡¯s beams. Can you hang on for a little while without me? The swarm should keep it busy while I¡¯m gone.¡± ¡°Fucking go,¡± Devin yelled. ¡°We need it bad. We¡¯ll manage somehow until you get back.¡± ¡°Shaun, save that last Smoke Arrow for when it turns to face us again.¡± With that, Nick started running, sprinting toward the corner of the room as the clamor of combat raged behind him. He needed to get behind cover before entering a trance. He burned some stamina to get there faster, then darted behind a giant piece of stone that had been torn free from the wall. He would still be helpless if the Janitor came for him, but he was safe from a random beam obliterating him while he was out. He came to a skidding stop, took a swig from his canteen, then sent his confirmation to the System. A few seconds later, the world faded away and the visions began¡ªreplaying every time that Nick had cast Piercing Ray. The System showcased what had worked well, and what had failed. What he¡¯d intended versus what had actually happened. Then it moved on to every insight he¡¯d gleaned regarding how the magic functioned. How the ball of kinetic mana in his hand began spinning before the ray was formed. How the drill bit was made of condensed force mana, but given shape by a bit of pure. How the power of the spell increased over time as the ball fed the ray, and the extent to which he was able to guide it after taking flight. When it was over, Nick was granted another closeup of his magical circuitry. He watched as the energetic conduits leading from his core to the pathways the System carved into his brain grew denser and more complex. The circuitry for Piercing Ray expanded and became more efficient, now able to handle a larger volume of mana. The entire process was fascinating, and he would meditate on what he¡¯d witnessed when he had a moment to spare. But not while a battle for his life was underway. He began running back toward his friends the instant the final image faded from his gaze. He¡¯d ponder his insights later. Right now, he had to get back to the fight and hope that his team hadn¡¯t taken a serious injury while he was away. Nick raced across the battlefield, taking in the changes that occurred while he was away. Now that he had upgraded his force-based spell, he hoped that it would be able to counter the Janitor¡¯s beams. There¡¯s only one way to find out. Chapter 55: Magic Bag Crafting Before Nick rejoined the epic showdown, there was one more thing that he needed to do along the way. Something that would come in handy when the conflict reached its climax over the next few minutes. While he ran, he slipped off his backpack and opened the flap, carrying the bag with his left arm as he reached inside with his right. It had been quite a while since he had taken advantage of one of his dimensional storage device¡¯s hidden properties. A quirk that he had discovered back on the Searing Isle that wasn¡¯t listed anywhere in its description. He had already gathered the ingredients he needed to build the weapons he hoped would turn the fight in his favor. Now, he just needed to assemble the pieces. In short, it was time for some crafting, magic bag style. Nick called upon Arctic Clarity to enhance his focus. He drew on every point of Mind and Creativity to split his awareness¡ªvisualizing the task while still controlling his body. Although the items he was making were simple, it took extreme concentration to manipulate objects while they were inside his backpack, especially while on the move. He already had the components ready to go, thanks to the event where he and Veronica had looted the basement storage room. First, he envisioned the supplies that he wanted to combine¡ªdrawing them into focus within his mind¡¯s eye. He had more glass vials and bandages than he needed, so that part wasn¡¯t going to be a problem. What it really came down to was how much oil they had packed inside his bag, which he hadn¡¯t thought to measure until now. When he visualized the items he was looking for, an image of them popped into his head¡ªfloating above the other objects filling his pack. The cooking oil they had found wasn¡¯t going to cut it, so he dismissed it with a thought, along with everything else that he wasn¡¯t using right now. But the smaller cask of lamp oil would do the trick. After examining its contents, Nick judged that he had enough mineral oil to fill twelve glass jars most of the way up¡ªtapered containers that were about as big as a soda bottle. With the pieces laid out, all that was left was to assemble them. He sent his intentions into his dimensional storage space, pouring the lamp oil into each glass bottle until it was two inches short of the brim. He took strips of gauze and rolled them up before inserting them into the end of each container, then finished them off by wrapping the top with more cloth. Just like before, the process drained some of his stamina and mana. But he had so much more vital energy by this point that it wasn¡¯t a major concern. As he crossed the last stretch of dirt-strewn soil, Nick ran his eyes across his new weapons. Twelve Molotov cocktails, fully loaded and ready to go. He came to a sliding stop beside Devin, set down his backpack, and then looked around to see what had taken place while he was away. The first thing he noticed was that the gear-swarm hadn¡¯t done as much damage as he¡¯d hoped. While the brass scorpions had eaten away at the Janitor¡¯s health, it had been able to keep the constructs on the defensive by firing an occasional beam in their direction. The spells hadn¡¯t broken through the gear-turtles¡¯ shields, but they hit hard enough that the constructs decided their harassment wasn¡¯t worth the risk. After one last volley, they pulled back into the tunnel and settled down to wait. The instant that the mechanical beasts withdrew, the party resumed their offensive. Bolts, arrows, and throwing knives rained down upon the mutant, whose energy felt distinctly weaker than before. However, Nick could still sense flows of force gathering above its head. While it was starting to run low on mana, it wasn¡¯t going to run out anytime soon.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. Shaun fired off his last Smoke Arrow to help everyone spot the incoming spell. It was a good thing that he did, because three seconds later, the Janitor fired off two force beams at the same time. Nick had already begun casting his newly upgraded Piercing Ray, but he hadn¡¯t anticipated the doubled spell. He only had a split second to make his decision. Which one should I target? The first beam was heading toward Veronica, who had the reflexes to get out of the way. Her injuries were no longer slowing her down, thanks to the healing provided by her Acid Bolt. But the second spell was streaking straight for Shaun. Apparently, the mutant had decided to switch tactics. It was trying to take out the party¡¯s weakest member with a surprise attack. Nick visualized his trajectory and fired, just as the churning ball of mana in his hands his critical mass. It was his first time casting a rank-one version, and he could tell right away that the spell was more potent than before. In addition to packing more raw power, Piercing Ray¡¯s rotation had increased thanks to the insight he¡¯d obtained. The Janitor¡¯s beam was thirty feet out when Nick¡¯s ray met it head on. He prayed that this was going to work, because Shaun was going to get hit if it didn¡¯t. The two force powers collided head-to-head¡ªthe drill bit shining silver from the pure mana that gave it shape. All that was left was to see what happened. To Nick¡¯s relief, the spells pushed against each other for a few seconds before they both detonated in midair. A chaotic ball of turbulent force expanded in an instant¡ªrotating bands of kinetic energy forming a maelstrom of staggering force. The shockwave was strong enough to knock the party off their feet. Even the Janitor slid back in the soil before regaining control over its momentum. ¡°It worked,¡± Nick called out. ¡°I should be able to stop some of its beams from getting through.¡± Now that they had a counter to the Janitor¡¯s ranged attacks, the party resumed the offensive. Devin went charging into melee range, landing heavy hits with his two-handed axe. Every Blast Strike created an explosion that sent gel flying, leaving behind patches of fiery mana that sizzled as they burned the mutant¡¯s body. It created pseudopods to defend itself. They weren¡¯t completely invisible like its force-limbs, and the athletic warrior was able to dodge them without Kellen¡¯s glasses. Meanwhile, Veronica sent a fresh barrage plunging into the blob, including a trio of Acidic Bolts. By this point, she had racked up quite a few hits on her target, allowing her class trait to multiply the damage they inflicted. Her magical solvent went to work, hissing and bubbling as it devoured huge pockets of the Janitor¡¯s jellylike flesh. Shaun and Sophia added some throwing knives and mundane arrows into the mix. While they didn¡¯t do much damage, they served to distract the mutant¡ªtaking pressure off the rest of the team. They were saving the last drops of their vital energy for the finale, which Nick was certain was coming soon. For his part, he stood twenty feet back, on guard against more of the force-beams. Every time that mana began gathering in the air above the Janitor, he called out a warning and everyone opened some space. He took out two more beams over the next few minutes, countering them in a direct exchange of spells. For the time being, the battle had reached a stalemate. Both sides were running low on reserves and needed to turn the tide in their favor. Whoever succeeded would win the fight, but if they wasted too much energy on an unsuccessful attempt, it would shift the odds in the favor of their enemy. They traded a series of blows, trying to use their remaining energy as efficiently as possible while waiting for an opening to appear in the fickle tide of war. The problem was, Nick hadn¡¯t seen anything of the sort. While both sides were evenly matched in this moment, the scales would inevitably tip in the Janitor¡¯s favor if the fight dragged on for much longer. Chapter 56: Frost-Rimed Climax Team Earth fell into formation in front of the Janitor with their weapons at the ready. Each member wore a look of fierce concentration, eager to play their part as the conflict with the tier 2 mutant reached its lethal climax. Only one side would be walking away from the final exchange of blows, and Nick was determined to make sure that his party emerged victorious. It was time to enact their gambit¡ªto use everything they¡¯d been saving to bring the big bad down. Now that I can counter the force beams, we should be able to get in close. I don¡¯t think it has enough left in the tank to fire off another one of those big shots. Nick¡¯s newborn optimism was fated to falter and die only a heartbeat later. Because that was when the Janitor¡¯s cannon began to glow. He could sense that it was burning essence and life to power the spell¡ªdamaging its core to get off one last attack and take the party out. Within another few seconds, it would be ready to fire again, and the blast would be even bigger than before. The mutant was taking its time lining up the shot, angling the blast to hit the floor instead of firing it in a straight line. This is bad. There¡¯s no way that I can deflect a spell that strong. Its radius will be wider too. If the bomb lands anywhere near us, it will be almost impossible to get out of the way. In short, Nick judged its odds of missing as falling somewhere between slim and none. He could try to shield its target with his instant barrier, but there was no guarantee that the consumable item would be tough enough to endure the spell. He had to do something before the force-cannon fired and claimed the life of his friends. The end of the barrel was shining like the sun, about to hit critical mass. He hadn¡¯t come up with anything, and he was almost out of time. Then, in the heart of that dark moment, inspiration struck. I don¡¯t need to shield its target to counter its attack. There¡¯s a better way. Three seconds before the turbocharged spell was complete, Nick reached into his belt pouch and withdrew a small glass sphere¡ªthe marble that contained the force barrier he¡¯d received after arriving in the tower. He flicked his wrist and let the glass orb fly, aiming for the ground in front of the Janitor¡¯s barrel-like growth. He was gambling that since the energy was so unstable, the bomb would go off when it hit something solid, instead of punching through. He thanked the gods that his class had a Throwing skill as he let loose, just as the mutant¡¯s bomb finished forming and got ready to fire. Knowing that the paths to victory and annihilation branched from this moment, Nick watched the glass bead sail through the air. It landed beside the blob and shattered, a fraction of a second before its force-artillery erupted from the end of its barrel. In the blink of an eye, a hemisphere of mana sprang to life in front of the starving creature. It realized that something was wrong and tried to adjust its aim, but it was already too late. The incredible concentration of whirling energy struck the barrier hanging in the air, just a few feet in front of the Janitor. By the narrowest of margins, Nick had pulled it off in time. Now, all that was left was to see if his last-ditch efforts had been enough to save them. He was afraid that he had misjudged the situation¡ªthat the powerful spell would punch right through. Or that a force barrier wouldn¡¯t affect a magical projectile, even if it was force-based. His fears were allayed a fragment of a second later, when the bomb hit the dome and erupted like a barrel of dynamite¡ªcatching the mutant creature with the detonation of its own power from point-blank range. An incredible eruption rang out¡ªknocking the party off their feet and dispersing the last of the smoke hanging in the air. When Nick got his legs back under him and turned his head toward his opponent, the magic barrier was gone, along with a fair chunk of the floor beneath the point of impact. When he witnessed the carnage that his hasty maneuver had wrought, he let out a long sigh of relief. Although the battle wasn¡¯t over, he had struck a critical blow and prevented his team from taking the killer attack head-on.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. The Janitor was in bad shape. It was durable enough to survive the explosion, but not enough to emerge unscathed. A fair portion of its gelatinous body was splattered against the wall, and the rest was moving slowly. It seemed that there was an inner layer of tissue that was tougher than the rest, shielding the creature¡¯s core. But the blast had removed gel on top, leaving it much closer to the surface. For the first time in the fight, the Janitor was on the defensive. Its back was to the wall, and its enemies had advanced to surround it. It held a half dozen pseudopods in front of its quivering form, trying to minimize the damage it took while it tried to pull itself back together. Its tissue was scorched and scratched. Diced, dissolved, and decimated. At this point, the outcome had yet to be determined. The scales were even, and victory and death were balanced on the blade of a knife. Team Earth had finally dished out some serious damage, but they were down to the dregs of their energetic reserves. If their next move didn¡¯t work¡ªif the mutant dodged, deflected, or dispersed their attack¡ªthen they were going to lose, despite how far they¡¯d come. When Nick looked at the faces of his friends, he saw the same realization mirrored in their eyes. The decisive moment had arrived, and it was time to go all out. To end the fight or die trying. ¡°Now,¡± he yelled. ¡°Veronica, use the stinger and follow up with the cryo grenades! Sophia, send in your wasps. Once the gel is frozen, we¡¯ll switch to heat. This is our chance. We need to make it count!¡± ¡°Let the wasps go first,¡± Sophia called out. ¡°I¡¯m not sure that their stingers will penetrate once the outer layer is frozen.¡± With that, the buzzing blue swarm dove, streaking toward the disoriented mutant like a meteor shower. The Janitor was already starting to recover¡ªdisplaced gel sliding back into place. Veronica rushed forward too, with Sophia¡¯s frost venom dagger poised to strike. She came to a skidding stop and lashed out three times in as many seconds, until the venom in the weapon ran dry. Then she darted back to open some room and got ready to throw the cryo grenades that Devin had given her. That class trait is amazing in a long fight. I don¡¯t think we could have made it this far without her. Half a heartbeat later, the swarm unleashed its might. One, two, then all thirteen wasps landed on top of the quivering mass of jelly, on the opposite side as the core. Then they began stinging the Janitor while it was helpless to resist. It tried to use its pseudopods to fight them off, but the appendages froze solid a few seconds later¡ªleaving the mutant at the mercy of the surging tide of venom coursing through its tissue. Frost began billowing up from the monster¡¯s exterior as its movements started to slow. The gel composing its blob form continued congealing¡ªlarge portions freezing completely. Not all of its body had solidified. This was a tier 2 life form after all. But it was far more than Nick had been expecting. A few seconds later, Sophia cried out, ¡°The wasps are out of juice. It¡¯s time for the freezing grenades!¡± With that, Veronica took aim and then tossed the first consumable. Nick hadn¡¯t seen the cryo grenades before. They looked like azure eggs the size of his fist, with some manner of runes engraved across the surface. The instant it landed beside the Janitor, the device detonated¡ªreleasing a dense cloud of icy mana. The next landed a heartbeat later, spreading more wintery wrath across the mutant¡¯s body. Over the next few seconds, the ice-aspected mana finished what the frost venom had begun. The Janitor was frozen solid, unable to move an inch. Nick and Devin took advantage of the opportunity to land a few hits with their weapons. But as he had feared, they were unable to penetrate its resilient inner layer. Thanks to his awakening energetic senses, Nick could tell that the mutant wasn¡¯t dead. That it was burning force essence to vibrate its tissue and would begin thawing out before much longer. They had created a narrow window to turn the battle around. One that was already closing fast. ¡°It¡¯s time for the flame!¡± Sophia ordered. ¡°Aim for the left side, where the core is close to the surface. V, use the Molotovs first, then Devin can land Blast Strike and Flashfire Pulse back-to-back. Hopefully, it will be good enough to burn away the gel and expose the core.¡± While Veronica reached into Nick¡¯s bag and got ready to throw the first Molotov, Nick sent his awareness into the Janitor. He needed to track the core with unerring precision, so that he could destroy it the instant that it was free from the protective gel. Where did it go? There! He saw the ball of condensed energy, trapped along one side of the frozen mass. It was leaking essence like a sieve after the Janitor¡¯s last attack. That core is already falling apart. One good hit should do it. He conjured three darts and got ready to fire¡ªsaving the last of his reserves to infuse his sword and land the finishing blow. He¡¯d suffer from mana sickness after, but it didn¡¯t matter. If this didn¡¯t work, they were dead. The instant the core was exposed, Nick needed to destroy it with pure mana. His instincts were telling him that it would be impervious to other forms of damage, at least at the level that the party could dish out. But first, he had to find out if he would even get the chance. It was time to switch from ice to fire. Chapter 57: Flame-Wrought Finale Everyone backed up while Veronica went to work. She was flinging Molotovs at the frozen mutant in a flurry of motion, but she hadn¡¯t ignited them yet. Instead, she was spreading the flammable fluid across the monster¡¯s body¡ªconcentrated on the spot where its core was visible. When the other oil-bombs had delivered their payload, V lit the last one with a spark from Nick¡¯s flint, took aim, and let loose. Woosh. A roaring pillar of flame sprang to life¡ªsurging twenty feet into the air in the blink of an eye. The heat was so intense that most of the party had to pull all the way back to the corner. Even then, they had to duck behind Devin¡¯s shield and Nick¡¯s pack to protect them from the roaring conflagration. This was a critical moment. They had to expose the Janitor¡¯s core before the rest of its body thawed and it regained the ability to attack. There was only one person on the team who could handle the job, and he was already on his way. Devin advanced alone, holding his axe before him like a talisman. He was relying on his class trait and new helmet to shield him from the crackling flames. He charged toward the blazing mutant as his clothes began to smoke. He was still taking considerable damage from the searing heat, but he didn¡¯t let it stop him. While the athletic warrior closed the last few feet, Nick tracked the location of the Janitor¡¯s core, which was still trapped within a patch of frozen gel. No wait¡­ it¡¯s starting to move. We misjudged the power of V¡¯s trait and used too much heat! To his abject horror, the core began diving deeper into the mutant¡¯s body as it retreated from the inferno above. He opened his mouth to issue a warning, but Devin must have noticed the same thing. With a battle cry, Devin used the last of his stamina to unleash a surge of speed. He arrived in front of the blob a handful of heartbeats later¡ªignoring the blisters forming on his skin and his body hair burning away. Then he swung as hard as he could, adding the strength of his arms, the weight of his weapon, and the momentum of his charge to the power of the blow. The head of the axe came down like a bladed avalanche, Team Earth¡¯s hope for the future riding alongside it. It hit the softened gel with an impact that Nick could feel in his bones, biting deep into mutant¡¯s body. It was an incredible attack, but it wasn¡¯t good enough. The heavy hit had carved a deep wedge into the inner layer of gel, but the core was suspended a few inches below. It would have been the end of them all, if Devin didn¡¯t have two last cards to play. An explosion rang out when Blast Striking kicked in, widening the fissure further. But it still wasn¡¯t deep enough. If Devin¡¯s final move didn¡¯t expose the core, it was going to get away. Then the Janitor would recover enough to start firing off spells, and the party would die. They had expended everything they had in reserve to create this moment¡ªtheir last and only chance of winning the fight. But Devin wasn¡¯t done yet. With a scream, he took one final swing while unleashing Flashfire Pulse. The ability bathed the mutant in a tight cone of fire, momentarily obstructing Nick¡¯s view of the action. This has to work. It has to. Nick said a prayer, then ran straight into the searing heat while using his pack as a shield. Just when he thought that their efforts had been for naught, he saw the Janitor¡¯s core fly free from its body. It went skidding along the scarred stonework before he lost it in the oily smoke. He started heading for the last place he saw it¡ªplanning to help Devin look. Along the way, he caught sight of the Janitor. By now, the mutant¡¯s body had thawed and begun to sizzle, but it was still alive. Its slimy tissue was pulling itself back together, while reaching out to recover its core. We need to get there first. It was now or never. If they couldn¡¯t end the creature while it was vulnerable, they were going to lose. ¡°Where did its core go?¡± Nick cried out. ¡°We need to break it before it¡¯s too late.¡± ¡°There. I see it.¡± Devin didn¡¯t bother to point. He just kicked the core in Nick¡¯s direction. When he saw the essence-infused sphere sailing toward him, Nick knew that his moment had arrived. Using the last of his reserves, he infused his sword with pure mana, and silver energy sprang to life along its length. He fired off his mana darts as he charged. Each of the magic missiles sank into the mutant¡¯s core¡ªtearing away at the substance forming its protective outer layer. He came to a skidding stop, raised his blade, and got ready to swing. He could sense an incredible concentration of force energy gathering around the core, as the Janitor put everything it had left into one final attempt to save itself. It was a critical moment, but Nick was faster. Before the mutant could form a spell, he used Force Acceleration for a fraction of a second and swung as hard as he could¡ªsummoning Arctic Clarity to enhance his focus and guide his aim.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. His magic blade came down like a silver meteor, cracking the core down the middle. He didn¡¯t have any mana left, but he didn¡¯t care. Acting on instinct, he fed the blade some of his essence instead. He swung again as tendrils of goo stretched out to grab it, then a third and final time. The last time his sword hit the core, the entire thing shattered. Nick collapsed like a rag doll, as a black wave of exhaustion threatened to pull him under. He was suffering from severe mana sickness after using the last drops in his reserve, and then burning some of his own essence as additional fuel. He couldn¡¯t move. Couldn¡¯t speak. Couldn¡¯t do anything but watch from where he lay. The instant that the Janitor¡¯s core was destroyed, three things happened at almost the same time. The first was that the mound of gel comprising its body lost cohesion¡ªspreading across the ground as the last of the fire flickered and died. A few big chunks were still intact, but it was clear in that moment that the tier 2 creature was dead at last. By the skin of their teeth, the party had defeated their most dangerous foe yet, without losing anyone along the way. The second event was a wall of text appeared in front of Nick¡¯s eyes. The System informed him that they had completed a hidden quest and could access their profiles without restriction for the rest of the day. Attached was a long list of gains, but he couldn¡¯t read them just yet. The reason for this was the third and most shocking occurrence of the lot. A few seconds after Janitor¡¯s core broke, all the energy that was stored inside came flooding back out. A tremendous discharge of essence and mana washed over Nick and the team. It was far too much power for him to handle. But in his present state, he was helpless to resist as it filled him to the brim and then kept right on coming. It was so intense that he couldn¡¯t think about anything else as it soaked into his being. He could sense an incredible amount of force energy flowing in the mix. There was some pure essence too, along with countless other forms that weren¡¯t compatible with his path to power. It felt like Nick was drinking from a firehose. Like his soul was splitting in half. He couldn¡¯t take any more and the agony was driving him mad. But then a strange thing happened. Instead of just filling it, the concentrated essence was absorbed by Nick¡¯s core¡ªcondensing as it merged into his being. Infusing it. Strengthening it. Changing it in ways that he couldn¡¯t even begin to understand in that moment. He gritted his teeth as he writhed on the floor¡ªriding out the electric tsunami flowing through every cell of his body and every pathway of his magical circuitry. There were other sensations too, which Nick recognized as gaining several levels at once. But they didn¡¯t hold a candle to the impact of the Janitor¡¯s essence soaking into his core like water into dry sand. He could hear his friends calling out¡ªvoices tinged with a mixture of triumph, concern, and astonishment. It seemed that the flood of essence had affected them too, but not to nearly the same extent. He was pretty sure by this point that he was going to live, but he couldn¡¯t even be grateful due to sheer sensory overload. Even though his mana sickness was gradually fading away, he couldn¡¯t so much as blink until he finished absorbing the power permeating every fiber of his being. When it was finally over, he was able to make sense of the messages floating in front of his eyes. Since the clockwork army had shown no sign of emerging from the tunnel, and he wasn¡¯t in any shape to respond even if it did, Nick went ahead and read his updates in full. You have completed a hidden quest for this floor. Quest condition: defeat one of the boss-class entities residing within the tower¡¯s basement. Your reward package for completing the floor has been enhanced. Additionally, the reward package for your species upon completing the ¡®Fate of Earth¡¯ quest chain has been enhanced. Neat. I suppose we will find out the details when we reach the stairwell. Congratulations. You have accumulated enough experience to reach level [19]. You have gained one point of magic and one point of dexterity from your class. Congratulations. You have accumulated enough experience to reach level [20]. You have gained one point of magic from your class. As a milestone reward for reaching level [20], you have been awarded a bonus free attribute point. Congratulations. You have accumulated enough experience to reach level [21]. You have gained one point of magic and one point of dexterity from your class. You have four free attribute points awaiting allocation at your discretion. Holy shit. Defeating a tier 2 enemy is worth a ton of experience. And that was only the beginning. Riding the high of surviving the battle and experiencing the most explosive growth of his life, Nick kept right on reading. Through use, you have improved the following skills: Sword has increased from [11] to [13]. Evasion has increased from [10] to [13]. Wand has increased from [11] to [14]. Throwing has increased from [7] to [8]. By pushing yourself to the limit in the midst of a deadly battle, you have conditioned your body and improved the following baseline attributes: Magic has increased from [3] to [4]. Toughness has increased from [9] to [10]. For reaching the attribute cap in Toughness, you have been awarded with an additional point of Toughness. If all that wasn¡¯t amazing enough, there was a final batch of notifications awaiting his perusal. You have obtained sufficient essence to take Mana Dart to rank 3. However, you lack the understanding required to advance the ability at this time. You have obtained sufficient essence to take Piercing Ray to rank 2. However, you lack the understanding required to advance the ability at this time. You have obtained sufficient essence to take Force Acceleration to rank 1. Chapter 58: Living Artifact After Nick let everyone know that he was going to be ok, Team Earth stood there in stunned silence¡ªtaking in the massive windfall they had received for defeating the roach queen, a few dozen of her minions, and the colossal monster known as the Janitor. He wasn¡¯t sure how long the gear-swarm would wait before making its move, but every second they had to rest and consolidate their gains was a precious resource. Nick thought that he had reached the end of his most substantial reward to date. But it turned out that the show wasn¡¯t quite over. A few seconds after he read the final word, something incredible occurred. ¡°I don¡¯t suppose there¡¯s anything valuable in that pile of goop.¡± Devin pointed to the colossal mound of gel spread across the floor. He started poking at the mess with the tip of his axe. ¡°I don¡¯t want to go rooting around in that stuff either way.¡± Nick was about to tell Devin to leave it alone, when his belt began lurching. For a moment, he thought that he was under attack, but then he realized that the motion was coming from his wand. It was moving of its own accord¡ªpulling and tugging at the loop holding it in place, like a living creature trying to break free. ¡°What the fuck?¡± Veronica mirrored his train of thought verbatim. Trying to understand what was happening amid this unprecedented situation, Nick pulled the wand free from its loop and held it in front of his face. The force-flinging device kept on strumming and pulsing, like it was trying to escape. A few seconds later, the wand calmed down, so he relaxed his grasp with a shrug. The instant he did, the device flew free from his fingers¡ªshooting across the room like an arrow taking flight. To Nick¡¯s bewilderment, the wand sailed straight into the corpse of the Janitor and disappeared into the quivering pile of goo. ¡°Ok. That was the definitely the weirdest thing that¡¯s happened all day.¡± Devin tracked the motion with a weary sigh. ¡°Do you think the Janitor is still alive?¡± Shaun asked. ¡°Maybe its eating your wand to recover.¡± The archer¡¯s words gifted Nick with a spike of adrenaline. Although they had already received confirmation of the mutant¡¯s death, maybe the tier 2 creature could resurrect itself on top of everything else. He was already staggering toward the smoking remains. His wand had become a vital part of his fighting style. By now, it felt more like an old friend than a simple tool and losing it would be an incalculable loss. He forced his body to run¡ªpreparing to dive into the Janitor¡¯s corpse to retrieve it if that¡¯s what it took. Before Nick got there, Sophia stopped him with a hand on his arm. ¡°I don¡¯t think the Janitor is eating your wand. I¡¯m pretty sure that it¡¯s the other way around. The corpse is getting smaller by the second. I have no idea what¡¯s happening, but it looks like the wand is absorbing the gel. You said that the Janitor¡¯s force essence was incredibly compatible, right? That it was the reason why the wand was recharging so fast during the battle. It must have something to do with what¡¯s happening now.¡± When he calmed down and took a closer look, Nick realized that Sophia was right. He had no idea how it was possible, but it was clear that the wand was absorbing the Janitor¡¯s tissue. It sat immersed within a shrinking pile of goop¡ªsoaking up the kinetic essence that comprised the jellylike substance. Everyone took a seat facing the constructs in the tunnel while they recovered their vital energy and waited for the strange show to play out. Fortunately, the machines were in no hurry to finish them off and he didn¡¯t see so much as a single rat. Nick took the opportunity to scan the battlefield. It seemed that some of the constructs had been destroyed so thoroughly that they hadn¡¯t been able to teleport away. He put several of the broken machines into his bag, including a pair of the gear-turtles that had generated the barriers.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. Ten minutes later, the last speck of gel disappeared into the wand¡¯s shaft and its length began to glow¡ªso intense that it was hard to look at. When it was done, he walked over and picked the magic tool up, marveling at the changes that had taken place over the last few minutes. The wand was longer and thicker than before, but that was only the beginning. There were now five gems mounted along the base instead of three. On top of everything else, there was an extra knob on one side, which turned in place like a wheel. Nick was thrilled that his wand had improved, but he had no idea what had happened or why. He found out the answer a few seconds later, when a message from the System appeared. One of your items, the Wand of Force, has revealed a hidden modifier. Modifier: Living Artifact. This item passively absorbs essence to regain charges instead of mana. In addition, once certain thresholds are reached, the device may evolve and gain additional properties. Wand of Force (uncommon) has become Wand of Force (rare). The wand has gained two maximum charges, more power, and the ability to control the spread of the blast by adjusting the knob on the side. The maximum Wand skill granted to its bearer has increased from: 25 to 50. The device may evolve again, but doing so will require a compatible concept in addition to absorbing significantly more essence than before. Nick had always suspected that there was something special about his wand. It was the only item he¡¯d ever heard of that granted a skill. It had also started off with a soulbound modifier, which only his Flask of Restoration shared. He¡¯d felt something resonate with him when he¡¯d first claimed it, back when Taltos had invaded his orientation and stolen the Earth. On several occasions, the device¡¯s behavior had revealed that it might have hidden properties. Now, the wand¡¯s secrets were coming to light. So far, it seemed like purely good news. Since the series of spectacles was finally over, everyone rose to their feet. They were ready to figure out what to do about the gear-swarm blocking the exit. To come up with a strategy for reaching the stairs without being drawn into another desperate battle. That was when Nick spotted a shard of what looked like clear crystal lying beside his boot. It¡¯s a fragment of the creature¡¯s core. The wand must have gotten full before it could finish the last bite. When he tried sizing it up, the core shard appeared inert, although he could sense residual energy emanating from it. Figuring that it might be useful later, he put the shard into his bag and returned his wand to its belt loop. Meanwhile, Sophia pulled something free from a roach warrior¡¯s corpse. He realized that she had been digging through them ever since the battle ended. He had been too distracted by everything else to wonder what she was up to. ¡°It¡¯s an intact beast core,¡± she explained. ¡°I was hoping to find at least one. My class can use a ritual that will guarantee this beast is the next summon that I¡¯m offered.¡± She bent down to retrieve its mandibles and part of the exoskeleton, and then strapped them onto her pack. ¡°Soon, I¡¯ll have a frontline fighter to add to my collection.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not making much progress on that ¡®no bug lady¡¯ thing.¡± Nick tried his best not to laugh at the glare Sophia shot him in response. ¡°Sorry. I probably should have kept that to myself.¡± They all started laughing at that point¡ªletting out some of the pent-up stress from their prolonged ordeal. A few minutes later, Shaun turned to face the team and said, ¡°I¡¯m thrilled to have won that fight. But I think we should go, before something else happens that will keep us from reaching the stairs. On that note, does anyone have any ideas on how to handle the swarm? We¡¯re down to the dregs of our reserves. I don¡¯t think we can break through in our condition, let alone destroy them all.¡± The team began to brainstorm, trying to find a solution to the problem before the opportunity was taken out of their hands by the entity controlling the clockwork army. Nick wasn¡¯t satisfied with the result. The best they could come up with was to lure the swarm into the chamber, then break free and make a dash for the stairs. But there were several problems with that plan that didn¡¯t sit well in his stomach. Even if it worked, there were bound to be even more machines blocking the path to the stairwell. The most likely outcome would be getting trapped between them, leaving Team Earth even worse off than they were right now. That was when a solitary gear-rat appeared. It began to approach the party after leaving the passageway that the swarm had blocked during the fight. Shaun raised his bow and took aim. ¡°I¡¯ll get this one. I need all the experience I can get.¡± Before he could fire, Nick stopped his shot with a hand on his shoulder. ¡°Wait. Something strange is going on. The rat is moving slowly, isn¡¯t trying to dodge, and it¡¯s alone, even though the swarm is nearby. Let¡¯s see if we can figure out what is happening before we make our move. If it tries to attack, feel free to take it down.¡± Everyone rose to their feet with weapons at the ready, waiting to see what would happen next. Chapter 59: Parley The lone construct came to a stop fifteen feet in front of the party, still displaying no signs of aggression. While Nick was deciding how to respond, a floating screen appeared above the solitary machine. It looked like the displays that the System used, but with a different layout and color scheme. He didn¡¯t move closer, since had no trouble reading the words with his attributes. What he saw on the hovering message board surprised him. I am a representative of the entity controlling the constructs on this floor. We have achieved our primary objective now that both competing forces have been eliminated. Despite our victory, our collective has taken heavy losses during the fight. We will rebuild in time, stronger than before, and the necessary resources will be provided by the tower¡¯s waste. Thus, we have no interest in consuming you. At this point, further conflict would lead to unnecessary costs for both sides. Besides, you were instrumental in furthering our long-term goals, and we would be remiss to repay your efforts with slaughter. If you are amenable, we will allow you to exit this floor if you proceed to the stairs without delay. As a gesture of good faith, you may keep the resources you have collected from the basement, including the inert members of the swarm inside your dimensional storage device. If these terms are agreeable, we will give you one hour to leave via the stairs in the waste-transmission chamber. To facilitate your departure, a map has been included at the end of this message. If you remain on this level beyond the allotted time, or if you attack our members enroute, we will eliminate you. Do you agree to our terms? Nick relayed the message to Shaun, since the rest of the team could read it from here, then they put their heads together to confer. ¡°What do you think? The offer seems legitimate, and I vote that we accept it. We don¡¯t have a way to defeat the swarm anyway, since the entity controlling them resides in a pocket dimension according to Kellen¡¯s log.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t trust them after they tried to kill us and tricked us into acting as their pawns,¡± Devin said. ¡°But we don¡¯t have the mana, stamina, or health for another big fight. I say we go for it.¡± The others were of the same mind, so Nick took a few steps forward and addressed the lone rat. ¡°We accept your terms. If you leave us be, we will be gone within the allotted hour.¡± With that, the rat turned and left the way it had come. Nick placed his attention into his ears and listened closely. Sure enough, he could hear the swarm disappearing down the tunnel¡ªthe sound of brass claws scrabbling over stone growing fainter until it faded away. ¡°Do you think that this is some kind of trap?¡± Shaun asked. ¡°I have no idea,¡± Sophia replied. ¡°But the constructs could have hit us at any time during the battle, or let the Janitor finish us off without lending their assistance.¡± ¡°Or attacked immediately after.¡± Nick nodded. ¡°When we were critically low on mana and stamina. They could also keep us pinned in here until we starve to death without too much trouble. I don¡¯t see why they would pass up such a prime opportunity just to attack us later, but we should remain on guard on our way out.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s take a few more minutes to recover,¡± Veronica added. ¡°Then head toward the stairwell. Without anything to slow us down, it should take less than half an hour to get there from here.¡± Everyone sat in a circle and broke into their provisions¡ªeating and drinking to speed up their stamina regeneration. Unfortunately, they didn¡¯t have a comparable way to recover to their mana. But by now, they should be able to squeeze off another spell or two if they were ambushed along the way. Ten minutes later, the party rose to their feet and readied their gear. They started walking out of the devastated chamber that had been the site of a battle of four armies. They were ready to leave the basement of Darkstone Tower behind them for good, collect their reward from the System, and find out what awaited them on the next floor. Side-by-side with his team, Nick left the roaches¡¯ lair and stepped into the passageway leading toward the middle of the floor. He was battered and beaten, exhausted and dazed, but none of that could bring him down. Against the odds, they had defeated not one, but two boss-class creatures. One of which was a tier higher than themselves. In addition to surviving another grueling ordeal, they had received a vast amount of experience and essence, which would dramatically increase the party¡¯s power. Not to mention the unexpected upgrade to his wand. They had won their toughest battle yet, and while it had been close, they hadn¡¯t lost anyone along the way.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. The rest of the party was in high spirits too, although they didn¡¯t lower their guard. While the offer from the entity controlling the gear-swarm was a welcome reprieve, none of them were going to take its word at face value. They advanced in formation with their weapons at the ready¡ªprepared to repel an ambush at a moment¡¯s notice. To Nick¡¯s relief, they didn¡¯t see a single rat as they made their way down the tunnel and arrived at the first intersection. ¡°I¡¯m glad we didn¡¯t have to fight the swarm.¡± Veronica sighed. ¡°They adapt so quickly, and there are so many of them. If they had focused exclusively on countering our abilities, instead of taking out the roaches and the Janitor, they would have been so much worse.¡± ¡°Besides,¡± Devin said. ¡°Only Nick¡¯s darts seemed to do any lasting damage. Even then, we have no way to get at the brains behind the operation. I doubt that we could kill it even if we wanted to.¡± They continued to talk it over, keeping one eye out for trouble along the way. By the time that they reached the halfway point, Nick was convinced that the swarm would adhere to their deal, although he was eager to get off this floor as quickly as they could. Before long, they found themselves standing in the basement¡¯s central chamber, where the stairwell leading to the next floor stretched up toward the ceiling high above. Since they had a few minutes left on the swarm¡¯s ultimatum, Nick took the opportunity to examine the stairs. They would be a critical element for the duration of the tower-climbing quest, and he wanted to learn more about them while he had the chance. When he approached the base of the staircase, he discovered a display set into a raised dais¡ªone of the screens that the System seemed to favor. On it was a simple message. This staircase leads to another floor of the tower. The rules for the adjoining floor are:
  1. Hunted.
  2. Roaming bosses.
  3. Open world.
Will you choose this staircase as your exit point to the level? Nick rubbed his chin, then turned to address his team before responding to the prompt. ¡°That isn¡¯t a lot of information to go on, but at least we won¡¯t be stuck underground anymore. Not that we have much of a choice, since we didn¡¯t find another staircase. Let¡¯s take a few minutes to get organized, and then get out of here while we still can.¡± The party put their heads together, discussing what they would do if they found themselves in a range of situations once they stepped onto the next floor. When they were as ready as they could be, he walked over to the screen and confirmed that they were taking this set of stairs. The moment he did, a message from the System appeared before his eyes. You have completed the first floor of the Tower of Rizzen. Your party¡¯s performance for this floor has been rated as: exceptional. Additional experience and essence have been awarded. The total prize pool for Team Earth has been enhanced, and species experience has been awarded. For clearing a key stage of the Fate of Earth quest chain, you will receive part of your reward now. The rest will count toward increasing the rarity of the quest reward package that your species will receive after completing the final stage. The current value of Team Earth¡¯s reward package is: Silver. The maximum value for this quest chain is: Platinum. Bonus objectives completed: Defeat a boss-class beast (late Tier 1). Defeat a boss-class artificial lifeform (early Tier 2). Because this was a bonus floor, your individual rewards have been upgraded from [silver] to [gold]. Instead of a chest, you will be granted a one-month training session in the skill of your choice. A mentor will be assigned, and your tutelage will take place on a planet with compressed time (only a day will pass on the outside). You have five minutes to select which skill you want to train, or one will be picked at random. ¡°Shit,¡± Devin muttered. ¡°Another time limit. We can worry about everything else later, but we need to decide fast. I recommend that most of us take our primary weapon skill. It will be great to finally get some training in their use.¡± They started climbing the stairs¡ªdiscussing the matter while the timer ticked down. Nick wasn¡¯t sure that physically scaling them was necessary at this point, but he wanted to be at the top before the clock hit zero, just in case. At least everything in that message was good news. The rewards for our party should make a big difference. Not to mention Team Earth as a whole. After considering each of his options, Nick voiced his decision. ¡°I would like to train my Sword skill.¡± Wand would have been an interesting choice, considering its unexpected upgrade. But it was still a tool with limited charges, and he was happy with how he had been using it so far. Having a better sense of its effective range and optimal strike points would be nice, but wasn¡¯t necessary, and its power was tied to his Magic attribute rather than his Wand skill. Evasion had been a solid contender too. It was a skill that Nick would love to receive some coaching in at some point, but it wasn¡¯t as critical as being able to wield his weapon effectively against another skilled warrior. Especially since improving his Sword skill would help shore up his defense, along with bolstering his proficiency in hand-to-hand combat. Sophia and Veronica had just voiced their decisions when the timer hit zero and a portal opened at the top of the stairs. ¡°Can you give us another minute?¡± Nick addressed the System. ¡°Just enough time to coordinate¡­¡± His request was cut off mid-sentence as the party was sucked into the glowing ring of light. The basement melted away¡ªshifting into the shimmering space between worlds. Chapter 60: A Momentary Respite Nick braced himself to experience another major teleportation sequence. Thus, he was surprised when the world reappeared only a few seconds later. When he opened his eyes, he found himself standing in what appeared to be a modest hotel room¡ªthe same kind that you would have found almost anywhere on Earth before the System arrived. There was a couch in one corner and a bed in the other, along with an adjoining bathroom. When he walked over to the window and opened the curtains, all that he could see was an infinite expanse of mist that was glowing with its own inner light. What¡¯s going on? This doesn¡¯t seem like the kind of place where I can find a trainer for my Sword skill. It all became clear a few minutes later, when a message from the System wavered into existence. Preparations are being made to transport you to a planet with compressed time. They will be complete in approximately one hour. A complimentary safe room has been provided in the meantime. Now that he knew what was going on, Nick took off his pack, removed his jacket, and plopped down on the bed. He spread his arms wide and lay back¡ªletting his head hit the pillow with a sigh of relief. After surviving the basement of Darkstone Tower, culminating in a desperate four-way battle, being safe and relatively comfortable was an indescribable luxury. He closed his eyes and let it all go. The stress of worrying about his friends. The tension that arises when any second might be your last. The fear of another disaster descending upon his head. He was too amped up to sleep, and didn¡¯t have time for a long nap regardless. Instead, he let his mind wander while replaying the battle in his head. Team Earth¡¯s close calls, eventual victory, and the massive pile of gains they had acquired at the end. On that note, he turned his thoughts to the future. He was still in the middle of a fight for the survival of his planet, and every second was an invaluable resource. One that he had no intention of squandering. Fortunately, his next objective could be completed lying down. Nick had four attribute points to spend after killing the Janitor. He already had plans for the first two¡ªplans that required a safe environment to make the most of. His mental stats were starting to fall behind his physical and magical attributes, and he wanted to boost them now. Both Mind and Creativity were incredibly useful, and each came with potent side effects when raising them with free points. He was hoping to use the period of enhanced visualization and mental acuity that came along with the ride to acquire something beyond the points¡¯ inherent value¡ªto deepen his understanding of Mana Dart enough to take the ability to rank three now, since he had just picked up enough essence to advance it. Taking an ability to rank 3 was another small step, which meant that it wasn¡¯t an upgrade that would change the properties of the spell. Instead, Mana Dart would receive a boost to its efficiency and maximum power, which was still a significant asset. It would let Nick cast the spell more often and dish out more vital energy damage in the process. He had already picked up some insights from testing the spell in various ways. Now, it was time to consolidate them into a concrete understanding. With that goal in mind, he sent his intentions into the System and said, ¡°I would like to spend one free point on Mind, and one on Creativity. At the same time please.¡± With that, Nick closed his eyes and waited for the show to start. A few seconds later, energy began building between his temples as ideas flooded his mind. A hundred different topics were zipping across his synapses, all of which were indescribably interesting. At the same time, his mind began to sharpen. Each thought possessed a clear purpose and level of focus beyond that offered by Arctic Clarity. With a surge of will, he dismissed the legion of possibilities that were marching across the theater of his mind¡¯s eye, and forced his train of thought onto the matter at hand¡ªdeepening his understanding of his first spell, Mana Dart. While he did so, he conjured one as a visual aid. He watched the spell form with his newly enhanced magical perception as pure mana flowed out of his core, through the magical circuitry that the System had carved into his brain, and outside of his body. A silver wedge winked into existence and began circling his head¡ªbigger and brighter than ever. Nick¡¯s thoughts followed his eyes, drinking in the silvery glow of pure mana. Then he looked deeper still, trying to tease apart the individual weaves that gave the spell its shape. It was his first time trying to analyze a spell on this level, but eventually he began to get a sense of how its matrix was formed. How the underlying structure enhanced and modified the pure mana, but also constrained it. Before the free points¡¯ effects could wear off, he tried something that he¡¯d been thinking about for some time but hadn¡¯t managed to pull off. He wanted to extract some pure mana from his core and shape it, without activating the ability pathway that the System had given him. To his delight, Nick was able to squeeze out a tiny flow of silvery mana, which gathered in his hand with an electric tingle. Then he tried to shape it with his will¡ªreplicating the energetic structure of the dart circling his head. It was incredibly difficult to manipulate the raw mana, but he kept at it¡ªfocusing with every scrap of his bolstered concentration. Eventually, he was able to weave the threads of mana into a dartlike shape. His creation was unstable, and only a crude approximation of Mana Dart. Like an unskilled artist had tried to copy a masterwork. It winked out of existence a heartbeat later, as the effects of his free points faded away. Even still, that attempt to understand the structure of the spell and shape it from raw mana, taught Nick things that he had never imagined. He went ahead and gave it another try. But without the free points turbocharging his powers of cognition, he couldn¡¯t get the mana to form. It was still a significant breakthrough¡ªone that he would explore at length over time. He had the sense that following this path would lead to major gains in the future. When he opened his profile, he saw that they had resulted in some gains in the present too. You have deepened your connection to the mana within your body and improved the following baseline attribute: Magic has increased from: 4 to 5. Your understanding of [Mana Dart] is now sufficient to advance the ability to rank 3. Would you like to advance [Mana Dart] to rank 3 now?Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. As it was exactly what he¡¯d been hoping would happen, Nick accepted the prompt. Then he lay back down to experience the vision that accompanied taking his ability up another minor step. First came what he had come to think of as the ¡®practical review,¡¯ which covered every time that he had used the spell, along with every insight he¡¯d made since the last time he had ranked up the ability. When it was over, he was granted a vision of his brain and energetic pathways¡ªwatching as the channels comprising Mana Dart grew denser and more complex. This time, he could almost understand why the new configuration increased the efficiency of the spell. Maybe if I combine my attempts to shape mana with the structures I see in these visions, I can learn to create my own spells or modify the ones I already have. It was a fascinating prospect. But experimenting with it was going to have to wait until Nick got better at controlling mana without relying on the powers the System had granted him. He thought about taking Force Acceleration to rank 1 too but eventually decided against it. Upgrading it up will have to wait. I can¡¯t afford to make Force Acceleration any more powerful until I gain some more Toughness or learn how to control it better, preferably both. Now that he had accomplished his main objectives, he cast another dart. Nick wanted to compare it to the one he¡¯d just conjured to measure how his new circuitry affected the output. When the wedge of pure mana wavered into existence, it wasn¡¯t any bigger or brighter than before. This time, the upgrade had altered its density and shape. It was still a stylized dart, but there was a sharpness to the edge that hadn¡¯t been there before. Even more interesting, subtle patterns now covered the surface. They reminded him of System writing, although they didn¡¯t form anything that he could recognize as words. The other change was that the dart was now so full of pure mana that he couldn¡¯t see through it at all. Instead of being translucent, the spell looked like someone had carved off a sliver of the full moon. Nick visualized a complex flight pattern, and then sent the dart whizzing around the room. It¡¯s faster and more responsive than before. Acting on instinct, he tried guiding the dart mid-flight. A feat that he had accomplished with Piercing Ray but not with Mana Dart. This time, the spell responded to his command. He couldn¡¯t control it completely, but he was able to bend its path in accordance with his will. This is great. Now I can hit moving targets, or bring the dart around for a second pass if they manage to get out of the way. When the spell ran out of juice, he moved on to his final goal¡ªtaking a close look at his mysterious wand. He had always felt that there was something special about the force-flinging device. Ever since he had claimed it during his orientation, and it had gained the modifier Soulbound. Now he knew that it was a living artifact, which would continue to grow more powerful as it consumed the essence he generated. Nick was beginning to suspect that the situation with Pax, Astra, Taltos, and the System was far more complex than he had originally thought. That there was a deeper level to everything that had happened to the Earth, which was still playing out behind the scenes. He had a hunch that the wand, the cryptic remarks Pax had made, the shard she had stuck in his finger, and the blurry spot in his inventory were all related. Maybe one day soon, he would discover more of the truth. For now, he would just have to keep his eyes open and try pick up whatever he could. Regardless of the details, the upgrade to his wand was a most welcome surprise. The device had gained more charges, more power, and the ability to adjust the spread of the blast. There wasn¡¯t a good spot to fire it in the safe room, but Nick would take it for a test drive soon¡ªonce he was standing on the next floor of the tower and had a few hours free to experiment. While he waited for the System to finish its preparations, he opened his profile, then began checking out the massive gains he¡¯d acquired from surviving the first floor of Darkstone Tower. When he did, he realized that there was one more update waiting for him to read, which he had missed in his haste to upgrade Mana Dart. The changes to your energetic core have spontaneously enhanced your Force Adept trait. Force Adept (enhanced): You receive a significant bonus to mana efficiency and scaling from energetic attributes when casting spells that use force mana, and a modest bonus those using pure mana. Force Adepts are unable to cast elemental spells and receive a substantial penalty when manipulating elemental-aspected mana in any way. Awesome. I knew I felt something shift when all that essence soaked into my core. Nick pumped his fist, then went ahead and read his profile in full. Contestant Profile: Nicholas ¡®Nick¡¯ Henry. Level: 21. Tier: 1. Species: Human of Earth (E). Class: Kineticist (uncommon). Base attribute points per level: +1 magic, +1 dexterity every other level. Free points per level: 1. You have 2 unspent free points at this time. Attributes Strength: 9 (10) Dexterity: 10 (18) Toughness: 10 (19) Mind: 9 (13) Creativity: 8 (10) Charisma: 5 Magic: 5 (18) ??? ??? Abilities Ability slots: 2 active, 1 passive, 1 free. Used: 1 active, 1 passive. Active abilities Mana dart (spell). Rank 3. Path: Vital energy damage. Creates a magical projectile formed from pure mana that damages all forms of vital energy (health, mana, and stamina). Piercing ray (spell). Rank 1. (You have enough essence to advance to rank 2 but lack the understanding required to do so). Creates a rotating drill of force mana. The spell moves fast but takes time to reach full power. Passive abilities Force acceleration. Rank 0. (You have enough essence and understanding to advance to rank 1). Drastically increases the speed of movement in exchange for draining mana at a rapid rate. (This ability may be turned on and off at will.) Class Traits None. (The trait for this class has been incorporated into your bloodline). Geneline Traits Gift of Tongues: you can understand and speak the languages of all intelligent creatures. Awakened to Magic: +1 to magic. Versatile: +1 to all attributes. +1 free ability slot. Bloodline Traits Filled bloodline slots: 2. Open bloodline slots: 1. Survivor (enhanced): You require 50% less food, water, oxygen, and sleep. Force Adept (enhanced): You receive a significant bonus to mana efficiency and scaling from energetic attributes when casting spells that use force mana, and a modest bonus those using pure mana. Force Adepts are unable to cast elemental spells and receive a substantial penalty when manipulating elemental-aspected mana in any way. Skills Active Sword: 13 Evasion: 13 Throwing: 8 Light shield: 2 Wand: 14 Inactive (inactive skills may be used but not improved.) Size up: 10 Foraging: 10 Inventory (uncommon and above) Bag of molding (rare). Elixir of restoration (rare). Modifications: Soulbound. Arena dagger (uncommon). Modifications: Eversharp. Adventurer¡¯s toolbelt (uncommon). Modifications: Self-maintenance. Pugilist¡¯s gloves (uncommon). Modifications: Durable. Adventurer¡¯s coat (uncommon). Modifications: Durable. Self-maintenance. Cloak of thermal regulation (uncommon). Modifications: Self-maintenance. Wand of force (rare). Modifications: Soulbound. Skill activation (Wand). Living artifact. Caster¡¯s buckler (uncommon). Modifications: Durable. Self-maintenance. ??? Sword (unidentified). Looking at how far he¡¯d come since entering the tower blew him away. On top of everything else, his team was about to receive a month-long training session in the skill of their choice. Nick desperately needed instruction with his sword, and he was finally going to get his chance, far sooner than he had dared to hope. Not long after, a message from the System appeared. Your time-compression has been accounted for and a suitable mentor has been located. Please enter the portal to begin your training. With a sigh, Nick stepped into the shimmering purple portal that winked into existence a few seconds later. He was weary from his ordeal, but excited to take his first true step on the path of mastering the blade. Chapter 61: Violet Sky There was an abrupt sense of motion as he took off at a staggering speed. He could feel his consciousness expanding and diffusing as it was pulled away from the tower and across an infinite horizon. A sensation that he now recognized as teleportation initiated by the System. Planets and stars went streaking past his head, as Nick sailed across the cosmos at an inconceivable rate. Although his altered state distorted his sense of time and space, he could tell that was moving faster than ever before. This portal experience felt different from the others he had undergone. The ride was quicker and smoother, with multiple branches along the way. It seemed that the conduits running between inhabited worlds were more extensive in this part of the sector than in the region around Earth. Which made sense, since Pax had mentioned that his home world was located on the periphery of integrated space. He completed one long segment of the transit, then two more that only took a pair of heartbeats to pass through. I must have been shunted through some kind of relay, Nick mused. He had a brief vision of floating above a red and green planet before sliding back into his own body, followed by a wave of disorientation that he had come to think of as teleportation sickness. Or maybe portal syndrome is a better term. He squinted as the pyrotechnics behind his eyelids faded away. Before long, his vision solidified into a cloudless violet sky, strikingly different from any he had seen before. It must have been around noon on this planet. The fat green sun was high overhead, twice as large as the one he had left behind on planet Drezen. It was hot enough that Nick started sweating, even with the help of his cloak¡¯s built in air conditioning. It must really be sweltering for me to feel it despite my toughness. He loosened his clothing and set down his pack, so that the breeze could blow across his body. He wanted to take off his leather jacket too. But there was no way that he was going to remove his primary piece of armor until he knew where he was and what he was dealing with. While he doubted that the System would drop him into a dangerous situation when this was supposed to be part of a reward, he was never taking his safety for granted again. Not after everything that he¡¯d been through. Nick walked over a few feet to stand within a patch of shade, glad to be out in the open after such a long stint of being underground. He took a deep breath in through his nose and then out over his palate, savoring the moment. Drinking in his first sensations of standing upon the surface of another world. An aspect of his new reality that was so deeply moving and profoundly beautiful, that he would have been willing to give up his old life in a heartbeat to experience it, if not the people he¡¯d lost along the way. He took in the scents of wildflowers in bloom all around him. Sweet perfumes with hints of spices that he had no words to describe. The humming of what sounded like crickets reverberated across the hot, humid air. The sound seemed to come from everywhere, although Nick couldn¡¯t spot any insects nearby. On that note, he turned in a circle while taking in his surroundings. He found himself standing upon a broad shelf of solid red rock, stone stretching out in every direction for as far as his eyes could see. The material was porous and surprisingly elastic. It put a spring in his step that was unlike any mineral he had encountered before. He soon realized that instead of being continuous, the horizon rose and fell, flowing in meandering curves instead of forming a straight line. It''s a plateau, Nick put the elements of his environment together to form a complete picture. That explains why there aren¡¯t plants growing everywhere and why there are less animals than you would see down on the ground. But he soon discovered that even up on the rocky flats, there was plenty of life to be found. Ferns and moss were sprouting up through countless holes in the stone, which must connect to an internal reservoir of rainwater below. Their foliage was bright pink and lavender, painting dazzling splashes of color all along the rock.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. He eventually spotted a variety of bugs crawling along the stone, along with a few golden-furred creatures that reminded him of mice. Instead of birds, the dominant flyer in this biome was a beast that looked like a red fox crossed with a sugar glider. The flaps of loose skin running between their limbs made them look like they were wearing miniature wing suits. The expressive creatures were ridiculously cute. He grinned at their antics as they soared above his head. They played with one another while performing complex feats of arial acrobatics, gaining elevation and changing direction so freely that Nick was certain magic must be involved in one way or another. Taken together, it was the most alien planet that he¡¯d seen yet. He took out his journal and began to sketch, waiting to finish adjusting to his new local before heading out. It was taking him a while to adapt to the radically different color palate, mostly due to the lime green sunlight. Nick supposed that there was no reason for most life-bearing planets to be so much like Earth. That they likely came in an incredible variety of terrain and inhabitants. The System probably picked out ones that would feel familiar enough that we wouldn¡¯t freak out, at least during the early stages of integration. Now the training wheels are coming off. By the time that half an hour had rolled around, he decided that he was accustomed enough that he could start exploring in earnest. Size up didn¡¯t uncover any threats within sight, even after looking through his spyglass. Ready to head out, he put on his pack and drew his wand instead of his sword, which was awkward to lug around while hiking. I should really try to pick up a sheath as soon as possible. Since he didn¡¯t see any prominent landmarks, dangers, or signs of other people living nearby, he was left with two options as far as potential destinations were concerned. He could either survey the top of the highlands, or he could try to find the edge and see what else was in the neighborhood. While he was intensely curious to learn more about this planet, Nick couldn¡¯t afford to squander the opportunity to become more proficient with his weapon of choice. He only had a month to improve, and the clock was ticking. He needed to find his trainer as soon as possible. Hopefully, they were living in a nearby town or something similar, and he would be able to spot their residence from up here. Thus, he decided to pursue option two and set off to find the edge of the elevated ground. As the entire plateau was only a few square miles, and he made it to the rim about twenty minutes later. After surveying the area as thoroughly as he could, he walked over to the border of the highlands and took a long look around. His jaw dropped in astonishment as he peered out over the horizon, then down toward the ground twenty thousand feet below his boots. He ran his gaze across what looked to be an endless prairie on a colossal scale, so big that blew his mind. Swaying in the wind were countless blades of baby blue grass, each of which would have towered over the tallest skyscrapers on Earth. Pre-apocalypse Earth at any rate. Nick didn¡¯t let that grim reminder spoil the moment, because the titanic grass was the least of the wonders that met his eyes. Because walking across the carpet of megaflora were giants. His jaw dropped in awe as he took in the sight of cattle the size of small cities, which appeared to be some manner of domesticated kaiju from his perspective. The four-legged leviathans wove their way between hundreds of tall plateaus like the one he was standing on, chowing down on the cerulean grass lining the prairie. It was a stunning, otherworldly sight. An incredible vista that shattered his prior conceptions of the possible like an egg struck with a mallet. The colossal creatures made dinosaurs look like child¡¯s toys, driving home the realization that Nick was somewhere else, somewhere other, in a way that none of his other experiences had. It was a moment that he would remember for the rest of his life, however long that happened to be. ¡°Well. I¡¯m definitely not going down there,¡± he muttered to himself after drinking his fill of the magnificent view. ¡°Those things could take me out with a single step and never even feel it. Exploring the highlands it is.¡± When Nick took one last look and turned to leave, his boot kicked a tiny pebble in his path. A stone so small that it would have been blown over the precipice by the perineal breeze if it hadn¡¯t been glued to the rock by a tiny tendril of air-aspected mana. Half a heartbeat after his boot disturbed the stone, he felt the pressure in his inner ear drop. A pocket of atmosphere condensed a few feet in front of his face, leaving a vacuum in its wake. Although he hadn¡¯t used size up, he felt a premonition of danger the moment that the changes began. A feeling of something that he couldn¡¯t quite grasp cracking in the air, surging like a miniature storm. A fragment of a moment later, the ball of condensed mana shot forward like a bullet. It released a shockwave like a thunderclap as it came streaking for Nick, screaming as it tore through the air. Chapter 62: Cliffhanger Although Nick only had a fraction of a second to process this novel experience, he knew that his life was in danger. He reacted on instinct, understanding on a base, cellular level that he was under attack. If he had taken the time to process what was happening, the blast would have splattered his brains across the plateau, but he didn¡¯t let the moment go to waste. Lacking time to leap out of the way, he sent his intentions into his buckler. The vambrace snapped into its shield configuration faster than the blink of an eye. He had just enough time to raise the shield and shift the angle of his body before the air-bullet hit him, shrieking as it streaked for his position at a lethal velocity. Even still, the impact nearly dislocated his shoulder. It took every point of toughness he had to keep his tissue intact. But his bones and tendons held together, if barely, when the spell hit his shield. It deflected the magical projectile enough that it went roaring past his shoulder instead of boring a hole through his head. Nick was still alive. He was shaken and bruised but not severely injured. This, however, was the extent of the good news. The bad news was that the force of the collision sent him staggering back toward the precipice. The much worse news was that he stepped on two more of the trap-stones while fighting to regain his footing before he was thrown over the edge. He felt the air pressure drop again as the spells contained in the pebbles finished forming. He knew in that moment, that his life was on the line. In less than a second, Nick was going to have to contend with not one, but two of the lethal manifestations. And he¡¯d run out of room to dodge. Sometimes, in the instant before someone is about to die, time comes to a standstill. It¡¯s a phenomenon that doesn¡¯t happen often, and it never endures for long. In Nick¡¯s case, the frozen moment lasted for fifteen subjective seconds, giving him one last chance to figure out what to do. His mind whirled and churned, seeking out any means that would let him duck beneath the reaper¡¯s scythe before it claimed his head. He shut out his fear and his adrenaline, anything that could distract him. He distilled his focus down to a single point, the faint sensation of motion in the air in front of him. Every scrap of his attention was riveted on that vague sense of energy, like a ripple in the fabric of reality itself. They¡¯re spells, made from something other than pure or force mana. With that realization, the image crystallized. Nick could see a pair of glowing grey orbs overlaid across his vision like an AR display. He drew upon every scrap of his concentration, every fiber of his being, trying to process what he was perceiving before it was too late. To make meaning from the representation he¡¯d crafted from raw sensation. To go beyond their presence and achieve a deeper level of understanding. At first, the depiction resisted his efforts. But then, for just a moment, the vision snapped into focus, and Nick could see the exact trajectory that the spells would follow. One of the air-bullets would come straight at his nose, and the other would hit him square in the navel. The frozen moment wavered, on the verge of collapse. Before that happened, he expanded the scope of this peculiar perception. He took in faint vibrations from all around him, which resolved themselves into hundreds of tiny points the same color as the spells forming beside him. More traps. They¡¯re everywhere. I¡¯m surrounded. Even if I manage to dodge the next two, I¡¯ll keep setting off more. In that instant, he knew what he had to do. As time resumed its full course, Nick activated force acceleration and leapt back toward the ledge, the only direction where he hadn¡¯t felt any magical resonance. He bent back, sprang off his hands, and then twisted in midair, just as the magic bullets caught up to him. One orb went screaming past his ear, biting a piece off the tip as the other clipped the steel toe of his boot. The metal plate saved Nick¡¯s bones from being pulverized, but the impact altered the trajectory of his flight. The added force transformed the most badass move of his life into a cartwheeling spin, out and over the side of the cliff.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. Thanks to his training, he¡¯d turned off his ability the moment that he sprang. But it was already too late. The ground and sky whirled across his vision like laundry in a dryer. For a brief, heart-rendingly horrific moment, he was in freefall, descending toward the world of giants below. Nick was certain that he was a dead man, but that was no reason to give up until the end. That was when he saw a long yellow root protruding from the cliffside. It was close enough that he might be able to reach out and grab it before his momentum carried him past. With the fierce concentration that comes when you know that a single mistake will be the end of you, he activated force acceleration and arctic clarity for a fraction of an instant; just long enough for his hands to reach out and wrap tight around the root. He braced himself and prayed as the shock rippled through his shoulders and the plant in his hands. Heart racing like a wild stallion, he was terrified that the fibers would snap, sealing his fate. However, the root proved to be remarkably elastic. It stretched and drew thin beneath the weight of his body¡­ and then held firm. Not letting himself think about the dire magnitude of his situation, about anything other than the precise way that he needed to move his body, Nick twisted around until his belly was touching solid rock instead of open air. Scraping the stone with his toes, he found a pair of footholds and pushed, taking some pressure off the plant. Not panicking or wasting a heartbeat, he scanned the sheer face of the plateau, looking for a better handhold before the root gave way, ignoring the feeling of fibers separating beneath his fingertips. Just before the plant snapped like a rubber band, Nick spotted a series of protrusions. He reached out with both hands at once, shutting out the adrenaline pouring into his veins as his fingers wrapped around a pair of jutting knobs. Nick wasn¡¯t much of a mountain climber, but the rock was porous and easy to scale, thanks to his upgraded attributes. Although he was terrified and aching from the impact of the spells that had precipitated his predicament, he was able to chart a course and climb. Fortunately, he had only fallen about ten feet before halting his descent with a literal cliffhanger. Fifteen nervous minutes later, he pulled himself back onto the surface of the highlands. He lay there panting, until his eyes processed what was in front of him, and he remembered what he had seen just before leaping away. Nick¡¯s jaw dropped in horror. There were thousands of pebbles lying all around him, the same color as the rocky ground and so small that they were hard to spot. Many were embedded within the porous surface, making them effectively invisible. Whatever had let him sense the magic within the stones had long since faded away. He couldn¡¯t tell which were the vehicles for lethal traps, and which were simply stones. In short, he was stranded on the perimeter of the plateau. Trapped by deadly magic upon what was effectively the edge of the world. Instead of freaking out, although the temptation was there, Nick raised his voice and said,¡± I know you¡¯re out there. Would you mind lending me a hand if you¡¯re done watching the show?¡± To his surprise, after a long, tense moment, someone answered his request. ¡°Alright. I suppose that I¡¯ve seen enough to form a preliminary evaluation. I¡¯ll admit that I¡¯m impressed. While your ability to sense mana is simply atrocious, your instincts are remarkably sharp. I¡¯ve never met someone your level who was able to sense my presence when I was concealing it. Let¡¯s get you out of this mess.¡± To be clear, Nick had not, in fact, been able to sense anyone watching him. His call for help had been twenty-five percent educated guess and seventy-five percent desperate hope. After all, this was supposed to be a reward. A valuable training opportunity provided by the System and not another ordeal. It didn¡¯t make sense for him to be plonked down in the middle of nowhere¡­ again. Thus, he¡¯d been hoping that he had already been teleported within sight of his trainer. That was they had deliberately masked their presence while watching to see what Nick would do. He followed the sound of the voice, to where a rocky red knob was protruding from the surface of the highlands, like a boulder that was attached at the bottom. From behind the stone stepped a woman, who had clearly not been born on Earth. She was barely three feet tall and was dressed in what looked like a crimson kimono, although Nick had no idea what color the fabric would be under the light of a yellow sun. But none of that was what cemented his certainty that he was talking to a bonified alien from another world. The real giveaway was the scales. Instead of hair, running along the woman¡¯s face and arms were delicate copper scales the size of his thumbnail, forming a complex, spiraling pattern. Sunlight danced across their surface, shifting into dazzling configurations every time that the woman moved. The overall effect was mesmerizingly beautiful. Nick would have stared long and hard if he wasn¡¯t coming down from another near-death experience. That, and he didn¡¯t want to be rude. Chapter 63: Rita ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± The woman reached for a slender silver sheath attached to her belt. Half a heartbeat later, she drew her sword and struck in a single motion. The blade was back at her hip before Nick even registered the meaning of her words. Before he could ask what had just happened, a rattling clack resounded from the ground around his feet. The clatter of hundreds of stones being sliced in half, destroying the matrix binding the magic they contained without triggering the spells in the process. ¡°There.¡± She nodded in satisfaction. ¡°It¡¯s safe to step away from the edge if you walk straight toward me. Hurry now, before a rax senses the gap in the barrier and snatches you up. I won¡¯t be able to save you if one of the big bastards sinks its claws into you.¡± Nick realized that he had a mountain of questions as he hurried to follow her suggestion. He decided to start with the most worrisome. ¡°What¡¯s a rax?¡± ¡°You saw those crazy big, hoofed beasts down there on the Titan¡¯s Prairie?¡± Nick nodded. ¡°Rax are what hunt them for sport. Don¡¯t worry.¡± She laughed at the look of terror on his face. ¡°A space that size is only wide enough for their paws, and our little friends here will patch the hole I carved promptly.¡± The woman gestured to the cute, flying creatures that Nick had spotted earlier. Sure enough, the foxlike beasts were gliding over to the broken stones, chirping in disapproval at what they found. ¡°Wait? I almost got killed by a bunch of chibi flying foxes?¡± He found that he was suddenly less thrilled to be standing upon a brand-new world. He glared as one swept by his head, doing a barrel roll along the way. ¡°Don¡¯t hold it against them. The little darlings are just doing their job. They¡¯re the only reason that civilization can exist out here at all. Without their air shields protecting the highlands, the megafauna would drive us off this world within a fortnight. Besides, you weren¡¯t supposed to be in any danger.¡± She looked embarrassed at that point. ¡°I was ready to step in if one of those spells was set to cripple or kill you. Those wind bullets are fast, but not nearly as fast as Reaver.¡± The woman patted the sword on her hip. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to speed up by a factor of ten and then throw yourself over the edge like that. I¡¯m sorry, it was my mistake. My name is Rita, by the way.¡± She offered Nick a low bow. ¡°I¡¯ll be in charge of your training for the duration of your stay.¡± ¡°Nick.¡± He bowed in turn, groaning at the fresh bruises coating his ribs and the throbbing pain radiating from the tip of his right ear. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.¡± By now, he was coming down from his close brush with death, although there was still plenty of adrenaline singing in his bloodstream. He wanted to start asking questions and use his flask right away. But he decided to wait until he understood exactly what was happening first. To make the best first impression possible on the person who would be overseeing his training for the next month. While his body hurt, it wasn¡¯t anything that would prevent him from walking a few miles. Rita seemed impressed that Nick didn¡¯t voice a complaint or resent her after the unfortunate event. He just followed as she turned and started walking along the rocky heights. While the crossed the plateau, he took in the presence of the woman who would be his mentor in the blade for the duration of his stay on this world. They traveled in a companionable silence for another few minutes before she looked at him and said, ¡°That was a slick move with the shield, although I can tell that you haven¡¯t been using it for long. On a less promising note, your ability to sense mana is absolutely atrocious. Why is someone your age stumbling about like they¡¯ve never used magic before?¡±Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. ¡°That¡¯s because as of a few weeks ago, I hadn¡¯t.¡± Since Rita seemed curious to learn more, Nick went on to explain that the System had altered his species¡¯ geneline during integration, granting humanity the capacity to channel magical energy. That he had obtained his first spell and awakened his core several weeks after that, during his tutorial on the Searing Isle. She nodded along with his words before chiming in. ¡°A planet with no magic was able to reach level one and attract the attention of a host of major deities. Weird, but I suppose that it explains why your energetic senses are so underdeveloped. I¡¯d like to help you out with that problem, but the System has strictly limited our interaction to basic sword training. Unfortunately, I can¡¯t coach you on any other skills, abilities, or innate powers of perception. The kind, for example, which are best trained by meditating in the presence of a variety of powerful elemental emissions.¡± For a moment, Nick was thrown by the apparent non sequitur. But then it hit him. I think Rita just offered me a roundabout hint for honing my magical perception. In that instant, he forgave her for letting him get thrown off the mesa by the magical traps. While Nick came close to dying on a disturbingly regular basis, being able to sense magic clearly would greatly increase his odds of survival over the long term. Humanity was starting from scratch while learning how to use the new natural force known as mana. Even a minor tip from someone knowledgeable represented an invaluable step forward. ¡°Besides,¡± Rita moved on like nothing significant had happened. ¡°We barely have enough time to teach you the fundamentals of the blade as it is.¡± By this time, they were approaching a ranch-style house built on the top of the mesa. A structure that had been invisible to Nick¡¯s eyes until that moment, shielded from his sight by some manner of magic beyond his comprehension. He ran his gaze across the residence and adjoining structure, taking it all in. Two large buildings stood in the middle of a fenced off area, surrounded by crops growing in long wooden boxes filled with orange soil. There were several species of domesticated animals, each residing in their own pen. Although their coloring and features were different, the woolly ones reminded him of sheep, and the ones with utters looked a bit like dairy cows. Taken together, it looked a great deal like a ranch house from old Earth, although the architecture was unlike anything he¡¯d seen before. But what he saw next was something else entirely. Rita led Nick through the front gate and toward one of the buildings. Both were decorated by a series of hand-carved statues, and the one that appeared to be her residence had a pair of rocking chairs on the front porch. However, it wasn¡¯t the house that she stopped in front of, but the sprawling structure running alongside it. It looked a bit like a barn from the outside, with a thick chimney and a series of pipes sticking through the roof. ¡°Welcome to my manufactory.¡± She offered a proud grin while gesturing toward the sprawling structure. ¡°It¡¯s a combination of a forge, workshop, and training grounds.¡± Rita went on to explain that the building was devoted to the creation, evaluation, and use of melee weapons. Over the course of her introduction, Nick learned that in addition to being a blademaster, his new instructor was a gifted blacksmith. The prospect of learning from her was growing more exciting by the word. Maybe she can teach me more about the nature of my sword, in addition to coaching me in its use. A few minutes later, she came to the end of her explanation, then turned to look at him with an appraising stare. ¡°Before we get started, show me what you¡¯ve been working with. I don¡¯t see a sword or scabbard attached to your kit. But you wouldn¡¯t have been sent here if you didn¡¯t have a blade on you somewhere.¡± Eager to learn what she would make of his sword, Nick set down his pack and opened the flap. She raised one eyebrow as he removed the weapon from his dimensional storage device. He handed it to Rita, offering her the hilt by the back of the blade. Her eyes lit up the moment that she saw it; a whistle of appreciation passing through her dusty blue lips. ¡°Well now, that¡¯s a surprise and a half. It¡¯s not every day I get handed a sword that I can¡¯t identify at a glance. And it¡¯s been decades since I met a blade with such a story to tell.¡± Chapter 64: Blade-Story Rita looked down at the weapon cradled between her hands, balancing the heavy blade on one palm with no appreciable difficulty. Her expression seemed sad as she ran her fingertips along its length. Rita began with the tip, then examined the damage to the body, muttering to herself while palpating every inch of the sword. Her hand came to a stop when she reached the spot where the pommel stone had been sheared off long before the weapon entered Nick¡¯s possession. As she examined the blight-ravaged blade, powerful emotions crossed her face. Surprise morphed into anger, before shifting back into sorrow once more. He was deeply curious as to what Rita was sensing, but he had the feeling that he would damage her good impression of him if he interrupted her now. Besides, Nick didn¡¯t want to get in the way of whatever was happening. Instead, he waited patiently to find out what she had learned. When she spoke, she was still looking at the blade. ¡°Your name is Blightbane, and your song is filled with such bravery and pain. You have suffered for so long yet endured without losing hope. Reduced to a shadow of your former glory, your soul is unbroken. Your rarity is... that can¡¯t be right¡­ it can¡¯t possibly be any rarer than epic. Let me cast a true delving and I¡¯ll listen to your story in full.¡± A look of intense concentration flashed across Rita¡¯s face, as she closed her eyes drew upon the magic within. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m a friend, even if I can¡¯t help restore you right now.¡± With that, a pulse of amber light rose from her palms and spread out over the surface of the sword. It grew brighter by the heartbeat. Nick could tell that powerful magic was at work, causing his nascent energetic senses to tingle. Just when it seemed that her spell was reaching full power, the glow vanished with a flash that left a searing bar across his vision. Rita cursed, opened her eyes, and then handed the sword back to him with an inscrutable expression. ¡°Only twice since I earned the title of blademaster have I met a sword whose history was clouded to my sight. There are forces at work here that are beyond my understanding. Whatever the secret behind this blade,¡± her tone became deadly serious. ¡°Never let this sword leave your side. You will never see her like again. But such matters are beyond the scope of your tutelage. Now that I¡¯ve measured the proportions of the weapon, we are ready to take the next step.¡± Nick was intrigued by what Rita had revealed, deepening the mystery that had begun when the ratman Trell had gifted him the sword in back the tutorial dungeon. A puzzle that had only deepened as the sword began regenerating, growing sharper and heavier over time, able to damage things that ordinary weapons could not. At least I know its name, Blightbane, and it seems to be just as rare as I had hoped. He was pulled out of his revery by her next words. ¡°Fascinating as that blade may be, I¡¯m afraid that you won¡¯t be able to use it while you train.¡± Nick was about to speak up to defend his weapon, but Rita raised a hand to cut his protest short. ¡°I get it. I¡¯m not suggesting that you abandon this blade by any means. But you can¡¯t use it while you learn the fundamentals of swordsmanship. The balance is shot. If you practice with it now, it will bottleneck your growth later on. Give me an hour to whip up something identical to how this battered beauty will feel in your hands once her restoration is complete, then we can begin.¡± Although part of him wanted to refuse, Nick let Rita take the sword from his hands once more; the last time he would ever willingly let it leave his side. While all of this was strange and new, his instincts told him that he could trust his mentor. I doubt that the System would let my instructor rob me blind, and if she wanted to take it by force, I would be helpless to resist. ¡°In the meantime, get some rest and fill your belly with your own provisions. Going forward, three meals a day are on me while you train. Consider it my apology for almost getting you killed. When I get back, be ready to drill until you drop.¡±Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. Rita turned and started walking into her forge, then stopped to look at him once more. ¡°I almost forgot. Before I get started, I need to calibrate your regimen with your mid-term growth in mind. Go ahead and read me your profile in full. You can pull it up freely while you¡¯re under my care. Divulging these details is something that you should never do outside of System sanctioned training, unless you trust someone with your life.¡± Although it had been less than a day since he had viewed it last, Nick found that his menu popped into existence at a thought; a remarkably convenient access compared to the limits that had been placed on the process thus far. He had a pile of notifications awaiting his perusal, but he would get to them in a minute. He opened his profile and read it off word for word, leaving nothing out. When he was done, Rita nodded and said, ¡°I see. Alright, that¡¯s everything I needed. Let me get to work. Go ahead and drain that healing flask you mentioned. You¡¯re going to be sliced and bruised by the end of the day anyway, but it¡¯s best to start things off with a clean slate.¡± She asked him a few questions before continuing. ¡°I¡¯m excited that you have that item. We¡¯re going to take advantage of it throughout the next month. Get a bit more oomph out of your training and maximize your gains. You say you got it in a treasure vault? I¡¯ll have to hear the whole story later, but daylight¡¯s burning. Fantastic pick by the way.¡± With that, Rita stepped into her workshop, taking Nick¡¯s blade with her. He was curious about what she was up to and walked over to take a look through the doorway. Before he had a chance to peek inside, Rita closed the door behind her. Ah well. He shrugged. Maybe I¡¯ll get a chance later. With nothing better to do, he decided to follow Rita¡¯s suggestion and prepare himself for a day of intense training when she got back. He turned in a slow circle, taking in the layout of the ranch, looking from somewhere to rest that was out of the sunlight. He eventually settled on one of wooden rocking chairs set beneath an awning that ran along one side of her house. Nick slipped off his pack and took the weight off his feet, sinking into the chair¡¯s embrace with a groan. His bruises aside, it was surprisingly comfortable, especially considering that it lacked any cushioning. The chair appeared to have been carved from a single piece of black wood, from which arose a rich, spicy odor that reminded him of cedar. He wanted nothing more than to close his eyes and fall asleep beneath the violet sky, sheltered from the merciless green sun. But he didn¡¯t have time to waste taking a nap. Rest could wait until his first day of instruction had come to an end. Instead, Nick reached into his pack and took out his flask of restoration, popping the seal and then downing the pleasantly flavored concoction, enjoying the aftertaste of mangos and basil on his tongue. The restorative brew perked him up right away. It bolstered his depleted mana and stamina, took the edge off his bruises, and reduced the pain in his ear to a dull throb. When he lifted his shirt, the black and blue blotches along his ribs had faded to yellow and green. He grinned, marveling that he had undergone at least three days¡¯ worth of natural healing within the span of a minute. Man, I really love that item. Nick sighed in contentment and melted into his chair, rocking gently as the breeze flowing over the plateau set his hair aflutter. He let himself enjoy the fact that nothing was trying to eat him, that there wasn¡¯t another threat looming over his head, for a solid ten minutes. Then he opened his backpack and went to work. Following Rita¡¯s suggestion, he drained his canteen and started snacking on his provisions, eating only those that would perish before his month of training was over. He was feeling much better by the time he was done, ready to face the rest of the day with a full belly and a body free from pain. Next on his list was to check out his notifications. It seemed that his cliffside scare had helped him to improve some of his skills. A little compensation for his near-death experience. Nick read through the list, enjoying the satisfaction that always came with watching the numbers go up. Through use, you have improved the following skills: Evasion has increased from [13] to [14]. Light shield has increased from [2] to [4]. When he was finished, Nick groaned, pulled himself free from the chair¡¯s loving embrace, and rose to his feet. He took advantage of the opportunity to perform his full exercise regimen for the first time since leaving the tutorial island. He began savoring the sensation of putting his new and improved body through its paces, while relishing how far he¡¯d come in just a few short weeks. Chapter 65: Mirror Image By now, the musical clang of hammer striking anvil had risen to fill the air, as Rita went to work at her forge. It was a heavy, invigorating rhythm. A song of fire and steel that seemed to capture the urgency of battle. That adrenaline-soaked state of being, where life and death are balanced upon the edge of a blade. It got Nick¡¯s blood pumping and filled him with energy. He threw himself into his workout with renewed vigor, moving his feet in time with the beat. By now, he was really starting to get excited. During his brief, much needed rest, it had dawned on him how thrilling it would be to be trained by someone who was skilled in the sword. An individual that the System had recognized as a master of the blade. More than merely boosting the skills on his profile, this was a chance to learn the art of battle from someone with incomprehensibly more experience than himself. His month on this strangely colored world was an opportunity to learn genuine tactics and techniques, as well as the logic behind each maneuver. An invaluable chance to deepen his fundamental understanding of what it meant to wield a blade. To take his first true steps upon the path of the swordsman. Right now, Nick¡¯s combat style, if you could even call it that, was as raw and uneven as his battered blade. A slapdash approach cobbled together from a lifetime of gaming and absorbing fantasy literature, combined with his fledgling understanding of body mechanics, and a few months of fighting against opponents who were almost exclusively beasts. He had nothing that could be called a true technique, let alone maneuvers that had been honed and refined over countless battles and long years, handed down from one generation of blademaster to the next. Fired and tempered in the great forge known as war. But at long last, all of that was about to change. By now, Nick was convinced that Rita would be an excellent instructor. The incredible slash that had severed a hundred stones at once, her obsession with swords, and the lethality contained in every subtle moment she made told him that his mentor was on a level far beyond his understanding. That his latest reward from the System might be his most valuable yet, catalyzing his transformation from a survivor into a warrior. Nick knew there was only so much that he could learn in a month, but this opportunity had the potential to be a foundational experience. A turning point in his ability to fight for his freedom and the fate of his people. By the time that he emerged onto the next floor of Darkstone Tower, he would be stronger and more lethal than ever, and his team would be too. To make the most of this experience, he intended to throw himself into Rita¡¯s training with everything that he had. Panting as he finished his workout, he looked around for somewhere that he could refill his canteen. He had started pushing himself harder as his enthusiasm soared, building up quite a sweat due to the heat. Now, where can I find something to drink? After poking through the objects stacked alongside the porch, he spotted a spigot sticking out from the side of a massive barrel. Discovering that it was filled with refreshingly cold water, he filled and drained his canteen twice, replenishing his depleted fluids. When Nick turned back around, Rita was there, watching him with an inscrutable expression. Before he could ask what was on her mind, his attention was drawn to the pair of swords his mentor held in her hands, handling the heavy blades as if they weighed nothing at all.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. His eyes widened in surprise when he realized that each weapon was a mirror image of his own. Or at least what Nick imagined the blade would look like if it were whole and unmarred, instead of deeply scared from its long imprisonment, subjected to the decay inflicted by the crimson rot. A parasite that had feasted on the sword¡¯s magic, before escaping to bring about the downfall of an entire civilization. As he ran his eyes across her handiwork, Nick was dumbstruck by the quality of Rita¡¯s craft. In less than an hour she had forged not one, but two flawless replicas. A feat so far beyond his ability to grasp that he didn¡¯t even try. Instead, he asked, ¡°That¡¯s amazing. But why are there two?¡± Rita¡¯s only reply was a cryptic grin. Without further warning, she tossed one of the blades straight at him. The motion was fluid and effortless, despite the fact that the sword was longer than she was tall. Sensing that if he let the blade hit the dirt, he would lose a piece of Rita¡¯s respect that he could never regain, his hand darted for the soaring hilt. He didn¡¯t let himself hesitate or imagine what the consequences would be if he fumbled the catch and got clipped by the edge. To Nick¡¯s immense relief and his mentor¡¯s amusement, he darted forward and snatched the blade out of the air. Deciding that he might as well try to score a few bonus points in the process, he tightened his grip and extended his arms, transferring the momentum into a broad, horizontal slash. ¡°Showoff.¡± She laughed as he fell into a fighting stance. ¡°Not bad at all. You¡¯re as green as the noonday sun, but when you¡¯re surprised, you act rather than freeze and I like that look in your eyes. It seems this assignment won¡¯t be a complete waste of my time after all. Take a few minutes to get a feel for the sword, and then I¡¯ll introduce you to Kiki.¡± Heart still hammering in his chest, Nick held the sword in front of him, letting the blade¡¯s weight, its presence, sink into him. It was significantly heavier than his own weapon, due to the presence of the pommel stone and the missing patches of metal being filled in. That aside, he could already tell that it was a flawless reproduction. However, while the blade was a twin to his own, when he took a second, slower swing, he realized that there was a world of difference in the balance. Instead of being top-heavy like an axe or mallet, the sword¡¯s weight was centered two inches above the hilt guard. Nick was certain that if he stuck out his fingers beneath that point, the blade would hold perfectly steady. Although he was still getting used to the extra mass, the weighting made every subtle motion and grip change feel effortless by comparison. When he tried out a series of basic slashes, each move flowed naturally into the next, instead of the sword¡¯s momentum fighting his hand. He let out a delighted laugh as he threw himself into the task. He could sense that his range of attacks had expanded. Horizontal slashes were so much easier without the tip of the blade pulling the body down, even from his weaker left side. ¡°This is amazing.¡± Nick stopped to thank Rita, who had been watching his movements with the intensity of a hawk stalking its prey. She was evaluating his form while muttering to herself, noting what had to be a long list of bad habits that he was blind to. She walked back into her workshop to retrieve the original and handed it to him. Nick put the weapon back into his bag, then turned to face his mentor once more. ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough for now. I think I have a solid sense of where you¡¯re at and where we need to begin. With that out of the way, it¡¯s time for you to meet your sparring partner and begin your training in earnest.¡± Sparring partner? There¡¯s another warrior here besides Rita? Nick opened his mouth to voice the question, but she cut him off with her next words. ¡°Before I teach you anything, let¡¯s see how you do in an actual battle. Kiki, get over here!¡± Rita yelled over one shoulder. He expected another person to come walking out of the ranch estate. Perhaps another newly integrated individual with circumstances similar to his own, or one of Rita¡¯s apprentices or disciples. This train of thought left Nick completely unprepared for who did show up, or more precisely, for what. Because instead of coming through the entrance to the estate, the door to Rita¡¯s workshop opened once more. ¡°Nick, meet Kiki. She¡¯s going to help show you the ropes.¡± Chapter 65: Mirror Image By now, the musical clang of hammer striking anvil had risen to fill the air, as Rita went to work at her forge. It was a heavy, invigorating rhythm. A song of fire and steel that seemed to capture the urgency of battle. That adrenaline-soaked state of being, where life and death are balanced upon the edge of a blade. It got Nick¡¯s blood pumping and filled him with energy. He threw himself into his workout with renewed vigor, moving his feet in time with the beat. By now, he was really starting to get excited. During his brief, much needed rest, it had dawned on him how thrilling it would be to be trained by someone who was skilled in the sword. An individual that the System had recognized as a master of the blade. More than merely boosting the skills on his profile, this was a chance to learn the art of battle from someone with incomprehensibly more experience than himself. His month on this strangely colored world was an opportunity to learn genuine tactics and techniques, as well as the logic behind each maneuver. An invaluable chance to deepen his fundamental understanding of what it meant to wield a blade. To take his first true steps upon the path of the swordsman. Right now, Nick¡¯s combat style, if you could even call it that, was as raw and uneven as his battered blade. A slapdash approach cobbled together from a lifetime of gaming and absorbing fantasy literature, combined with his fledgling understanding of body mechanics, and a few months of fighting against opponents who were almost exclusively beasts. He had nothing that could be called a true technique, let alone maneuvers that had been honed and refined over countless battles and long years, handed down from one generation of blademaster to the next. Fired and tempered in the great forge known as war. But at long last, all of that was about to change. By now, Nick was convinced that Rita would be an excellent instructor. The incredible slash that had severed a hundred stones at once, her obsession with swords, and the lethality contained in every subtle moment she made told him that his mentor was on a level far beyond his understanding. That his latest reward from the System might be his most valuable yet, catalyzing his transformation from a survivor into a warrior. Nick knew there was only so much that he could learn in a month, but this opportunity had the potential to be a foundational experience. A turning point in his ability to fight for his freedom and the fate of his people. By the time that he emerged onto the next floor of Darkstone Tower, he would be stronger and more lethal than ever, and his team would be too. To make the most of this experience, he intended to throw himself into Rita¡¯s training with everything that he had. Panting as he finished his workout, he looked around for somewhere that he could refill his canteen. He had started pushing himself harder as his enthusiasm soared, building up quite a sweat due to the heat. Now, where can I find something to drink? After poking through the objects stacked alongside the porch, he spotted a spigot sticking out from the side of a massive barrel. Discovering that it was filled with refreshingly cold water, he filled and drained his canteen twice, replenishing his depleted fluids. When Nick turned back around, Rita was there, watching him with an inscrutable expression. Before he could ask what was on her mind, his attention was drawn to the pair of swords his mentor held in her hands, handling the heavy blades as if they weighed nothing at all. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. His eyes widened in surprise when he realized that each weapon was a mirror image of his own. Or at least what Nick imagined the blade would look like if it were whole and unmarred, instead of deeply scarred from its long imprisonment, subjected to the decay inflicted by the crimson rot. A parasite that had feasted on the sword¡¯s magic, before escaping to bring about the downfall of an entire civilization. As he ran his eyes across her handiwork, Nick was dumbstruck by the quality of Rita¡¯s craft. In less than an hour she had forged not one, but two flawless replicas. A feat so far beyond his ability to grasp that he didn¡¯t even try. Instead, he asked, ¡°That¡¯s amazing. But why are there two?¡± Rita¡¯s only reply was a cryptic grin. Without further warning, she tossed one of the blades straight at him. The motion was fluid and effortless, despite the fact that the sword was longer than she was tall. Sensing that if he let the blade hit the dirt, he would lose a piece of Rita¡¯s respect that he could never regain, his hand darted for the soaring hilt. He didn¡¯t let himself hesitate or imagine what the consequences would be if he fumbled the catch and got clipped by the edge. To Nick¡¯s immense relief and his mentor¡¯s amusement, he darted forward and snatched the blade out of the air. Deciding that he might as well try to score a few bonus points in the process, he tightened his grip and extended his arms, transferring the momentum into a broad, horizontal slash. ¡°Showoff.¡± She laughed as he fell into a fighting stance. ¡°Not bad at all. You¡¯re as green as the noonday sun, but when you¡¯re surprised, you act rather than freeze and I like that look in your eyes. It seems this assignment won¡¯t be a complete waste of my time after all. Take a few minutes to get a feel for the sword, and then I¡¯ll introduce you to Kiki.¡± Heart still hammering in his chest, Nick held the sword in front of him, letting the blade¡¯s weight, its presence, sink into him. It was significantly heavier than his own weapon, due to the presence of the pommel stone and the missing patches of metal being filled in. That aside, he could already tell that it was a flawless reproduction. However, while the blade was a twin to his own, when he took a second, slower swing, he realized that there was a world of difference in the balance. Instead of being top-heavy like an axe or mallet, the sword¡¯s weight was centered two inches above the hilt guard. Nick was certain that if he stuck out his fingers beneath that point, the blade would hold perfectly steady. Although he was still getting used to the extra mass, the weighting made every subtle motion and grip change feel effortless by comparison. When he tried out a series of basic slashes, each move flowed naturally into the next, instead of the sword¡¯s momentum fighting his hand. He let out a delighted laugh as he threw himself into the task. He could sense that his range of attacks had expanded. Horizontal slashes were so much easier without the tip of the blade pulling the body down, even from his weaker left side. ¡°This is amazing.¡± Nick stopped to thank Rita, who had been watching his movements with the intensity of a hawk stalking its prey. She was evaluating his form while muttering to herself, noting what had to be a long list of bad habits that he was blind to. She walked back into her workshop to retrieve the original and handed it to him. Nick put the weapon back into his bag, then turned to face his mentor once more. ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough for now. I think I have a solid sense of where you¡¯re at and where we need to begin. With that out of the way, it¡¯s time for you to meet your sparring partner and begin your training in earnest.¡± Sparring partner? There¡¯s another warrior here besides Rita? Nick opened his mouth to voice the question, but she cut him off with her next words. ¡°Before I teach you anything, let¡¯s see how you do in an actual battle. Kiki, get over here!¡± Rita yelled over one shoulder. He expected another person to come walking out of the ranch estate. Perhaps another newly integrated individual with circumstances similar to his own, or one of Rita¡¯s apprentices or disciples. This train of thought left Nick completely unprepared for who did show up, or more precisely, for what. Because instead of coming through the entrance to the estate, the door to Rita¡¯s workshop opened once more. ¡°Nick, meet Kiki. She¡¯s going to help show you the ropes.¡± Chapter 66: Kiki To Nick¡¯s astonishment, what stepped past the threshold wasn¡¯t another contestant, or a person at all for that matter. It was a magical construct. A life-sized wooden doll that looked like a marionette held up by invisible strings. That was the best metaphor that Nick could come up with on the spot, but it didn¡¯t do the construct justice. Although the living machine looked completely different from the gear swarm he¡¯d faced back in the tower, she was equally complex, perhaps even more so. He ran his gaze across the wooden creation, taking in her features and form, surprise growing by the heartbeat as she came to a stop by Rita¡¯s side. Instead of being jerky and sporadic, this doll¡¯s movements were completely natural and more graceful than anything he could manage. Each joint mimicked the function of Nick¡¯s own body. They articulated so cleanly that he wouldn¡¯t have known that the construct wasn¡¯t alive if it wasn¡¯t for her appearance. Her face was round and smooth like a mask, with features painted on the surface instead of being carved. The details were remarkably lifelike beyond their lack of depth, forming the visage of a girl of perhaps eighteen years old. The rest of her body was a perfect replica of a human being, the filigree so fine that it blurred the distinction between woman and machine. Kiki wore a black robe similar to Rita¡¯s garb, with a red sash tied around her waist. She was only a foot shorter than Nick and could have easily passed for a human of Earth if not for her flat features and the spiraling grains running along her exterior. The living doll turned to face him, then put one hand on her hip, like she was impatient to get things started. Nick fought to recover from his shock, because had never seen anything like it. A product of an advanced, magic-based technology far beyond his understanding. ¡°I know she¡¯s pretty, but you don¡¯t have time to flirt.¡± Rita laughed and then poked Nick in the ribs, chuckling when he jumped and nearly dropped his blade. ¡°Daylight¡¯s burning.¡± With that, Rita tossed the doll the other sword, who caught it so naturally that it made his own efforts look like a child taking their first steps. ¡°Wait,¡± he protested, putting the pieces together slower than usual due to his astonishment. ¡°The badass training golem I get. But don¡¯t you think I¡¯m a little too green to be squaring off against an actual sword without going over the basics first?¡± ¡°Nonsense.¡± Rita snorted. ¡°The prospect of death looming right around the corner is always the best teacher. Besides, I¡¯m not a monster. I¡¯ve enchanted that blade. It won¡¯t be able to cut you¡­¡± Nick sighed in relief. ¡°Quite as deep.¡± And then tensed right back up. ¡°Trust me. Given your situation and the limited time at our disposal, this is the best way to begin. Just accept what I¡¯m about to tell you. Face the fear and then push past it.¡± Rita looked straight into his eyes, her amusement transforming into total sincerity. ¡°Nick, you are going to get cut. Not just once, but time and time again. Such is the fate of all swordsmen. While it¡¯s not what we¡¯re aiming for, being afraid to bleed is a weakness that will get you killed. Worse, you will die a coward instead of fighting for your last breath.¡± The speech wasn¡¯t nearly as reassuring as Rita seemed to think, but Nick did take her point. After all, it was something that he had already been dealing with for months. Ever since the System had arrived and thrown his life into chaos. ¡°Once you¡¯ve had all you can take, we¡¯ll spend the evening going over basic theory and then relax for two hours before bed. Trust me.¡± Rita cut off Nick¡¯s protest. He had been hoping to push himself harder and practice until he was ready to drop. ¡°With your stats, that¡¯s the absolute limit of what your body can handle. Overdoing it will take away from your progress, not add to it. One final world of advice before we begin. It¡¯s clear that you haven¡¯t fought much against another blade. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°Facing off against someone wielding the same weapon won¡¯t prepare you for a battle against beasts. You will have to adapt the training to such opponents yourself. But it¡¯s necessary for learning the ins and outs of your weapon. It will also give you a taste for what it¡¯s like to cross swords with another blade wielder at your level of proficiency. Something that will be far more common since you¡¯ve left the tutorial behind. Now, face off against Kiki and show me what you¡¯re made of.¡± ¡°Wait.¡± Nick held up one hand in protest. ¡°Everything you said makes sense, and I¡¯m willing to give it a shot. But I¡¯ll last a lot longer if we can do this out of the sun. I¡¯m not used to this heat, and I want to make the most of this opportunity.¡± ¡°Fair enough. Follow me.¡± Rita gestured and then turned away. Nick and Kiki followed the blademaster through the door and stepped into her workshop. He was thrilled that she had agreed to his request. While it was uncomfortably warm outside, it wasn¡¯t the real reason why he had voiced the complaint. What Nick truly wanted was to see what was going on inside the building. To discover what a crafting operation from an established species looked like. Both to satisfy his own curiosity and to learn anything that might be useful to the survivors of Earth. To take advantage of an opportunity that might never come his way again. What awaited him when he crossed the threshold exceeded his expectations in every way. He ran his gaze across the room, taking it all in while committing everything he saw to memory. Half of Rita¡¯s workshop was filled with crafting equipment. It ranged in complexity from a basic forge with a hammer and anvil, all the way up to intricate workstations covered in piles of tools that Nick could not even begin to guess the purpose of. Rita turned when she realized that he¡¯d stopped, grinning at the look of wonder plastered on his face. She let him stare for a few minutes without interrupting, clearly pleased by his reaction. Then she poked him in the ribs to get him moving, leading him past the workstations and further into the building. What he saw next left him even more excited, although this time, Rita didn¡¯t let him linger. Nick only had a moment to drink in the image of a vast display, which was a fantasy nerd¡¯s wet dream come true. All along one wall was an armory. Endless racks holding hundreds of masterfully crafted weapons were mounted to the wall. The product of what looked like centuries of labor. He strongly suspected that any of the blades on display would be wildly overpowered for someone at his level. It was his first time gazing upon gear that radiated mana so intensely that their auras were visible to the naked eye. They must be forged with essence too, maybe even concepts. Although he desperately wanted to get his hands on one of those magnificent weapons, he knew that the System would never let him beg, borrow, or steal one. But it could never kill the dream. Rita let out a dark chuckle at the look on Nick¡¯s face, reading his thoughts from his expression. She was having fun drawing this out, enjoying his appreciation of her workshop and wares, as well as his naked greed. All too soon, they were past the last rack, and after a final, lingering look, he returned his attention to the matter at hand. His imminent duel with Kiki the combat doll. They walked past the end of the armory and into the other half of the building. It was almost empty save for some metal plates attached to the walls and a score of dummies lined up against the far corner, crafted in a range of sizes and materials. He nodded while stretching out his shoulders. While most of the rest had gone over his head, this was something that Nick understood. Because he was clearly looking at a weapon testing facility. A space that apparently doubled as an impromptu sparring ground. The ceiling was covered in square panes of glass, letting in the light from outside. To his relief, it was much cooler inside than it had been standing beneath the strange green sun, although it was still quite warm by the standards of his former life. Fortunately, thanks to his toughness now being multiple times higher than before, he didn¡¯t mind the heat at all. He set down his pack and picked up his sword. He took a few experimental slashes at the air, savoring how easy it was to control a properly balanced blade. ¡°Less stalling, more stabbing.¡± Rita gave Nick an unsettlingly predatory look. ¡°I¡¯m ready to find out what color your blood is.¡± He walked into the middle of the open space, trying as hard as he could not to let how creeped out he was show on his face. This was in part due to the feral gleam in his teacher¡¯s eyes, but mostly because of how unnerving it was to be facing off against a wooden doll that looked like a teenaged woman. An eerily lifelike yet unnervingly expressionless doll holding a very large, very sharp sword, eagerness to cut clear in every crook of her posture. Seeming to relish his unease, Kiki stepped back about ten feet and then offered Nick a formal bow. A gesture that seemed to be universal in the multiverse as far as he could tell. Chapter 67: Outmatched Nick shrugged to himself then returned the bow, trying his best to clear his mind and concentrate. He was growing increasingly nervous about what was coming, but he decided against using arctic clarity to enhance his focus. He wanted Rita to evaluate his technique at a genuine baseline, without anything getting in the way. He did, however, try to size up his opponent. To his surprise, the skill was completely silent. One of the few times that it had failed to elicit any manner of response. ¡°You can¡¯t count on that skill providing anything useful against an experienced opponent,¡± Rita commented. ¡°There are too many ways to counter it, especially at that level, and you should be relying on your instincts more than anything else. It¡¯s kind of like having a third eye in the back of your head. Useful in a lot of situations, but it can¡¯t help you see what would normally be invisible to begin with. Now assume your stances and wait for my mark.¡± Nick and Kiki raised their blades and faced each other, ready to begin their duel. He ran his eyes across his opponent, and the big sword clasped between her hands. He realized that he was sweating, and not because of the heat. Although he had fought with his life on the line many times over the last two months, it was still incredibly intimidating to know that that length of razor-sharp steel would be coming for his body any second. That if he failed to block, parry, or get out of the way, he would feel it bite into his flesh. Don¡¯t think. Concentrate. He shut out his fear, took a deep breath, and got ready to fight. Nick had fully intended to let Rita¡¯s curiosity regarding the color of his bodily fluids remain unfulfilled. A commitment that was fated to fail less than five minutes later, despite giving the battle his best. It turned out that Nick¡¯s blood was still red, even on a planet with a green sun. He had anticipated the initial exchange of blows to go badly for him, given the silken agility of every move Kiki made. He did not, however, expect to be completely overwhelmed within a matter of seconds. To be wounded without being able to score a single hit in exchange. Everything went wrong, right from the start. Nick had just taken his stance after coming up from his bow. His plan was to keep some distance between himself and the combat doll. At least long enough to get a sense for how she would move. Then stay on the defensive long enough to form a counter strategy before bringing the fight to her. Summoning every scrap of his concentration, Nick set his eyes upon his opponent, ready to retreat the moment that he saw which way Kiki was coming. Half a heartbeat later, Rita grinned and said the word, ¡°Mark.¡± Nick blinked¡­ and when his eyes opened once more, the living doll was right in front of him. A sword that was a mirror to his own went high. Then it came streaking down for his shoulder in a cross-body slash, hard enough to remove his arm if he failed to counter the blow. He hadn¡¯t dreamed that the construct could move so fast. Caught completely flatfooted, Nick didn¡¯t have time to think. To dodge or activate force acceleration. Alarm bells screamed inside his mind. Knowing that he would get cut if he froze up or panicked, Nick only had time to turn his blade forward and whip the tip up to intercept Kiki¡¯s strike head on. He never would have tried this move with a sword of iron or steel. The blades of his forefathers had not been designed to be used in such a manner. A basic sword, or even a common weapon, would have been damaged if not destroyed by meeting another blade edge-first with that much power behind the collision. But Nick had witnessed with his own eyes just how monstrously tough the metal of his blade was, even though its resilience had been hard to square with the sword¡¯s decrepit condition. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. And while she kind of scared him, and might accidently get him killed, Nick found that he trusted Rita. Both the content of her character and her skill as a smith. If she said that this blade would perform as well as his own, then he was willing to risk some pain to put it to the test. He braced himself a bare second before the twin swords collided a foot in front of his face. To his relief and delight, neither sword chipped or shattered when their bodies collided edge-to-edge. Instead, the blades reverberated with the impact, sending red sparks sheeting into the air while releasing a haunting tone that was as clear as a bell. This moment proved to be Nick¡¯s first lesson in his combat crash course in weapon physics. It turned out that despite Kiki¡¯s diminutive frame, the doll¡¯s Strength was at least several points higher than his own. Additionally, she had been the one to initiate the attack, adding the force of her momentum and the weight of the sword to the strength of her arms. In this situation, rather than stopping the blow cold, Nick only absorbed a fraction of the force before his sword gave way. As the point of contact had been near the end of his blade but in the middle of the doll¡¯s, the tip of his sword was forced back, freeing Kiki¡¯s weapon to come sliding forward. Another bright spray of sparks flew into the air as the doll¡¯s sword followed the contour of Nick¡¯s blade. His internal danger sense wailed out a warning, since the angle of Kiki¡¯s strike would now extend straight into the side of his face. If he were fighting such a dangerous opponent in the wild, he would have dropped the sword and pulled out his wand at this point, using the device to buy him enough time to start casting spells. While both tools were valid aspects of his overall combat style, he had already resigned himself to not using them, at least not while he was under Rita¡¯s supervision. After all, she wasn¡¯t allowed to train him in anything other than the sword and more importantly, he felt that that it would violate the spirit of the duel. It turned out that the exchange had already taught Nick something vital. His weapon of choice wasn¡¯t just a means to an end, it was a core part of the warrior he wanted to become. This trial represented a key moment for a growing aspect of his new identity, his role as an aspiring swordsman. It was a path that resonated with something deep inside. One that he intended to walk until he reached the end. Win or lose, he wanted to complete this duel by that measure alone. All of that passed through his mind in the blink of an eye, as crimson sparks fell like rain. Internalizing that he was a fraction of a second away from taking a sword to his face edge first, his body reacted without waiting for his conscious command. In a single motion, Nick bent his knees and deepened his stance, lowering his profile by several critical inches in the process. At the same time, he bent his torso back, spine swaying like a willow in the wind. He pressed forward with his blade and braced his arms, so that Kiki¡¯s sword wouldn¡¯t shove him down further. The move caused her attack to cleave through the air an inch in front of his nose as the length of razored metal soared over his head. Now inside of Kiki¡¯s guard, Nick stepped forward and brought his sword down across his body in a diagonal slash, targeting the back of the doll¡¯s legs as she followed through. A bare heartbeat before his blade landed, Kiki took a short step and pivoted sharply, bringing her weapon down low with the flat set along the outside of her legs. She stopped his blade cold with an impact that numbed his bones and then stepped on it, trapping its body against the floor of the workshop. Before Nick could hope to free his weapon, or fully process what was happening, the doll hit him. Not with her sword, but with her wooden fist. He saw a bright flash of light as the ground came up to meet him, vision swimming like he was looking through a warped pane of glass. He tasted metal and salt and realized that blood was running down his face. It was hard to focus, but he tried his best to recover, afraid that the pitiless doll would keep on pummeling him until he submitted. ¡°I surrender¡­¡± His words were cut off when he felt her weapon press against his jugular, hard enough that if he sneezed, he would cut his own throat. Wondering how his day had turned out like this, Nick followed the sword with his eyes, to where Kiki was standing over him with a contemptuous cast to her posture. Not daring to speak, he held his breath and waited for the construct to back off. ¡°It¡¯s your point, Kiki.¡± Rita laughed. ¡°Now let him up. It¡¯s poor form to rub it in like that, and we don¡¯t want to teach Nick any of your bad habits.¡± With Rita¡¯s comment, the doll relented, lifting the blade away from his neck. Chapter 68: Takeaway By this point, Nick was wondering if he could give his reward back to the System. Maybe trade it in for a week at the beach. The fact that Rita was completely unrepentant and staring down as his bloody nose with rapt attention, like she was committing the moment to memory so that she could treasure it later, did nothing to assuage his doubts. Her next words did manage to make him feel a little bit better. At least enough not to start running away on the spot. ¡°That¡¯s enough for now. Thank you, Kiki. You can give yourself a mana-treat and then power down for the rest of the day. It¡¯s obvious that Nick isn¡¯t ready to fight you yet.¡± With that, the doll gave Nick a last, lingering look and then sauntered off toward the far side of the workshop, setting her sword down on a table along the way. ¡°Before we go any further.¡± Rita tossed him a towel and a flask filled with sweet juice. ¡°Why do you think that you lost?¡± He answered as he wiped the sweat off his face. ¡°I don¡¯t think that it¡¯s a matter of speed. While that doll is faster than I am, I was able to track all her movements. At least the ones that didn¡¯t catch me by surprise.¡± Rita nodded, encouraging him to dig a bit deeper. He had an answer ready, because Nick had been analyzing the issue from the second that he found himself lying on the floor. ¡°There were two primary problems that I can see. Three, if you count how little experience I have fighting other weapon wielders. The first is that Kiki is stronger than I am, and not just by a couple of points, like the difference in our dexterity. She is strong enough to overcome my attacks in a direct exchange of blows. Even more importantly, Kiki is powerful enough to wield the sword in one hand. It allows her to vary her attacks and expand her reach as needed, enabling a range of counters and combos that I¡¯m not skilled enough to imagine.¡± ¡°Very good.¡± Rita looked genuinely impressed for the first time since Nick had met her. ¡°Although she isn¡¯t faster than you, at least not by measuring your raw potential. I set her dexterity to be equal to your own, as it¡¯s in a solid range for someone with your level and build. Any difference you felt came from other factors. ¡°But you were dead on about the difference in strength. Kiki¡¯s is set to fourteen, four points higher than yours. I didn¡¯t choose that number simply to demonstrate the importance of strength to a warrior,¡± Rita continued. ¡°Although I¡¯m glad that you were able to pick up on that part. ¡°I chose fourteen because that¡¯s the minimum strength required to wield your weapon at its full potential. That mysterious sword is unusually heavy for its size. The replicas I made are lighter than it will be when it¡¯s fully restored. If you want to be able to swing your blade around with total control, you will need more power than an average swordsman.¡± Nick nodded along with her words as Rita analyzed his performance. ¡°The value of strength isn¡¯t just about using the sword one handed, although you were right about the advantages of having that option on the table. It comes into play when wielding it two-handed as well. Moving the blade through space, directing and redirecting its momentum at will. Being able to create sufficient pressure along the cutting edge and breaking through your enemy¡¯s defense. All of these feats require raw power to execute, especially if you plan to fight while wearing the weight of your gear. ¡°I highly recommend that you put your free points into strength now, and that you prioritize the attribute until you hit fourteen. You can keep it there unless you choose a heavier weapon or acquire a new class, and focus on raising your other stats instead. Now, what was the second reason that you lost?¡± ¡°Skill,¡± Nick said, then corrected himself. ¡°No. That isn¡¯t quite right. None of her attacks were overly complex, although they were much smoother than anything I can manage. It isn¡¯t that Kiki demonstrated superior technique. She picked the right attack at the right time. Performed them in the right order with no hesitation or wasted movements, if that makes sense. Which is probably why it felt like she was faster than I am, now that I think about it.¡± Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! ¡°Not bad at all.¡± Rita offered him an encouraging pat on the back. ¡°You really are an analysis specialist, although your instincts aren¡¯t terrible either. That¡¯s more or less the crux of the problem, Nick. Experience. While restricted to her lowest setting, Kiki is limited to simple blocks, slashes, parries, and thrusts. Basic movements that anyone can pull off, and nothing that simulates a trait, ability, or a sword skill higher than your own. ¡°But that isn¡¯t all there is to being a competent fighter. Kiki has decades¡¯ worth of combat experience and an excellent memory. In essence, she outranks you on a fundamental level that has nothing to do with the powers granted by the System.¡± As she spoke, Rita began to move, each motion, deliberate, controlled, and graceful. ¡°She knows how to shift her stance. When to turn her body the right way at just the right time. How to react to every move you make, from the start, all the way to end the fight. You, on the other hand, are self-taught and have extremely limited experience facing off against another weapon. Everything is still brand new, and you are constantly improvising, feeling out each situation as you go along. While it¡¯s impressive that you¡¯ve come this far in such a short span of time, you¡¯re like an amateur competing on the field against a trained athlete. ¡°If you were playing a game, I would say that Kiki has seen every move you could possibly make a hundred times before, and she knows the counter to each. Due to the gaping chasm in experience, nothing that you can do will surprise her, while you have absolutely no idea what to expect. But that¡¯s not the only problem.¡± Rita continued to shift from stance to stance, flowing from one to the next as naturally as breathing. ¡°You¡¯re a thinker, Nick. A strategist who is trying to become a swordsman. While your ability to analyze is a powerful weapon, you spend too much time thinking in the moments that you should be acting. There isn¡¯t always time for both in the middle of battle. ¡°But that¡¯s only your starting point. I can already tell that you have a warrior¡¯s mindset growing inside you. That improvised backbend during your duel was exactly the right way to respond. No hesitation. No picking the best option out of the bunch. Just spotting a solution that was good enough to survive and executing it cleanly in that instant. ¡°When you can do that reliably, you won¡¯t need to think, and you will have earned the right to call yourself a swordsman. To make that happen, you need to understand the sword on a deeper level. To live it. Breathe it. Feel it like an extension of your own body and know every move it can make. You won¡¯t get there by the end of our time together, but I promise that you will have taken your first strong step in that direction. After that, walking the road of mastery will be up to you.¡± With that, Rita came to a stop and led Nick over to a corner of the workshop he hadn¡¯t seen on the way in. A space that was filled with a several large devices that looked like exercise equipment at a steampunk convention. While they walked, he went ahead and spent his free points on strength, trusting his teacher¡¯s judgment. As the painful sensation of acid dissolving his muscles and shaping them into a more efficient configuration played out, he listened to Rita¡¯s explanation. ¡°While we¡¯re waiting for your body to recover from the beating you just took, it¡¯s time to get started on the basics. Bright and early tomorrow morning, I¡¯ll teach you your first kata, and then pummel you a bit to shore up your defense. But before you can run, you need to learn how to walk. Or in this case, before you learn how to slash, you need to learn how to stand. Your stance is too rigid and shallow, so we¡¯ll start you off with something that will correct the problem. ¡°The good news is that you will have plenty of time to reflect on everything that you¡¯ve learned today. The bad news is¡­ well, let¡¯s just say that you¡¯re going to hate it. I¡¯ll give it to you straight. This is going to be an awful experience. But it¡¯s the fastest way to learn how to take a proper stance and not to drop it when you¡¯re tired or your mind begins to wander. ¡°We don¡¯t have weeks to drill it into you the old-fashioned way, so we¡¯ll speed things up by letting pain be your teacher. I¡¯ll get you set up and then come back when it¡¯s time for dinner. Don¡¯t bother trying to escape, you¡¯ll only make it worse.¡± ¡°Ok, I think that makes sense. Wait, back up. What was that last bit again?¡± Up to this point, Nick had been trying to commit every word to memory. To get the most out of every second with his mentor. But when he processed the meaning of what he¡¯d just heard, the gears in his head stopped turning and he looked at Rita with dawning apprehension. Chapter 69: Infernal Machine Rita only laughed and refused to elaborate further. It was clear by this point that his mentor was testing his resolve, so he didn¡¯t complain or ask any questions, which earned him a nod of respect. She led Nick over to a strange machine with a screen on one side and a bunch of crystals sticking out the other. Then she had him take off his boots and strapped him into a harness hanging from the top. ¡°It¡¯s programmed to provide instruction as well as corrective feedback. Scream if you can¡¯t take it anymore.¡± She let loose a bloodthirsty chuckle at his expression and then muttered. ¡°If you¡¯re still conscious.¡± After reaching the end of that rather unsettling introduction, Rita turned to face the training machine. She fiddled with a knob mounted next to the display and adjusted a few settings. Then she flipped a switch and sauntered out of the room with a parting wave. Nick was mystified as to what was happening for the next few minutes. Everything became clear when the device came to life. He felt the straps of his harness draw tight as fans mounted to the base began blowing. A few seconds later, a voice addressed him, and his training began. ¡°Welcome, student of the blade. This machine has been designed to teach you the basics of body mechanics. By the end of the program, you will be well on your way to developing a true combat stance. It will also educate you in the fundamentals of footwork. The first stage will be conducted without a weapon. All other stages will require you to have a sword in hand.¡± This is honestly pretty cool. I wish I could use it for all my skills. At this point, an image appeared on the screen. It gave Nick a visual aid to follow, along with the verbal instructions. ¡°In a neutral sword fighting stance, your feet should be set shoulder-width apart. Place one foot in front of the other with your knees bent. If you visualize standing in a square, your front foot should be in one corner with your toes pointing forward. Place your back foot in the opposite corner with your toes pointing outward, and your heel lifted slightly. Your back should be erect, with your weight balanced between your feet, and your body lowered over your center of gravity.¡± Nick shifted his feet as he listened, trying to match the picture on the display. By now, he was growing excited, eager to take his first true steps on the path of the swordsman. ¡°When your stance is solid, a soft hum will emanate from this device. When you deviate from this stance, the humming will stop, and corrective feedback will be provided. From time to time, you will be instructed to reverse your stance by placing your feet in the opposite orientation. Once every hour, a five-minute break period will be permitted. Your feet are already in the correct position. Deepen your stance and adjust your center of gravity and we will begin our first session.¡± This doesn¡¯t sound as bad as Rita made it seem. All of that was perfectly clear and it makes intuitive sense. It¡¯s just a refined version of what I was already doing. Nick pretended that he was holding his sword and then shifted his stance, starting with his right foot in front. He had to make a few small adjustments and sink down deeper before the device began to hum. For the first ten minutes, he was able to hold perfectly still, thanks to the incredible power contained within his System-forged body. But then his center of gravity shifted forward as he leaned a little too far. The humming cut off abruptly and his training entered a new, far less relaxing phase. Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. It was at this point that Nick learned the nature of the corrective feedback that the device provided. Instead of simply explaining what he¡¯d done wrong, it began shocking the ever-living shit out of him. Providing a fresh jolt every time his concentration waned, or he made a mistake. Kind of like a demonic opposite of how his System-granted skills functioned. He managed to hold out for another hour, only getting shocked twice more in the process, before his legs began to ache and his true ordeal began. Around this point, the machine started calling out stance changes, shocking him if he moved too slowly, too quickly, or lost his balance in the process. It didn¡¯t stop until he corrected himself and it began to hum once more. He soon decided that Rita was right after all. This was an awful, agonizing endurance trial. It felt more like a torture session than a genuine form of training. By the second hour, both his concentration and his body were having trouble keeping up. Nick found himself getting shocked every few minutes. He had to grind his teeth together to keep himself from calling out for help. He was determined to get through this and come out the other side, no matter how much it hurt along the way. In addition to his sword skill, his pride was on the line. By the third hour, he had entered a trancelike state, his world reduced to the feeling of his weight settling over his legs. The straightness of his back and the balance of his hips. The texture of the floor beneath his toes. The hum and shock had become his constant companions, one transitioning into the next as he fought to maintain his stance. Although it hurt like hell, he was starting to appreciate the pain. Nick had realized that every time he got zapped, a weakness had appeared within the mechanics of his body. A chance for another blade to come sliding into his flesh the moment that a hole appeared within his guard. In a battle against a skilled opponent, each shock represented a killing blow, where a single mistake could easily be his last. Within his mind, this wasn¡¯t just training anymore. It was a true battle. While his errors wouldn¡¯t be the end of him here and now, they represented critical weaknesses that would seal his fate if he couldn¡¯t overcome them before he left this strange world behind. By the time that the fourth hour began, Nick noticed that he wasn¡¯t getting shocked nearly as often. Although his legs throbbed and his back ached, his stance was solid, and he was able to change his footwork without messing up nearly as often. While the training still demanded most of his attention, he could spare a moment now and again to imagine how it would feel to do this with his sword in hand, facing off against an enemy that was determined to claim his life. At the end of the hour, Rita came walking back through the door to the workshop, triggering a visceral wave of relief across his tortured tissue. Nick forced himself not to smile or groan, refusing to acknowledge how difficult the ordeal had been as she flipped the switch and helped him out of the harness. He almost fell over when he tried to walk, but Rita caught him by the shoulder, handing him another flask of juice as she led him out of the workshop. He was weak and shaking but filled with satisfaction that he had done it. The machine hadn¡¯t broken his spirit, and he¡¯d learned a lot during the torturous session. He was too worn out to talk, so he just listened as his mentor offered some encouragement. ¡°Easy does it. Take it slow, just one step at a time. Well done, Nick. I¡¯m impressed. Another thirty hours of this and you¡¯ll have the basics seeped into your bones. Past that point, assuming a proper stance will come as naturally as breathing, although this is just the beginning of your education. Of course, it will be a great deal harder holding the sword at the same time, much less swinging it around, but we¡¯ll save that challenge for tomorrow. Let¡¯s get you cleaned up and then it¡¯s time for dinner.¡± He was too tired to do anything but mutter in response, which earned him another chuckle as they made their way outside. He pulled up his profile along the way, thrilled to see that his training was already paying off. Through use, you have improved the following skill: Sword has increased from [14] to [16]. Nick was treated to the jaw-dropping sight of an alien sunset over the Titan¡¯s Prairie, ready to sleep like the dead and resume his training bright and early tomorrow morning. Chapter 70: Intermission: Veronica and Devin Devin raised his two-handed axe in front of his face, just in time to keep his trainer¡¯s weapon from rendering his nose concave. While the attack wouldn¡¯t have killed him with the protective magic the axemaster had cast before their session began, getting hit by Yoro¡¯s strikes really fucking hurt. A truth that had been driven into Devin¡¯s body time and time again over the last few days. The chime of metal against metal rang out across the open air, sending him scrambling to recover his footing before the next attack landed. ¡°Nice save, lad. But you need to widen your stance and put your whole body into it when you block. Otherwise, a little shift like this¡­¡± His master yanked Devin¡¯s weapon to one side, pulling on its shaft with the crescent of his axe. ¡°Will send you sprawling in the dirt.¡± That last part wasn¡¯t really necessary. By the time that Yoro finished his sentence, Devin was already sitting on the ground, landing hard enough to bruise his tailbone. ¡°Point taken.¡± He let out a groan, which earned him a chuckle from the mustached man. He was going to be sore in the morning, but it wasn¡¯t the worst injury that Yoro had dealt him, not by a longshot. Devin raised his gaze to inspect his mentor before rising back onto his feet. Yoro was eight feet tall and covered in dense crimson fur, with a pair of white horns curling up from the top of his head. The man was burly and battle-scarred, every inch of his body covered in dense, bulging muscle. Devin couldn¡¯t even begin to guess how powerful Yoro was when he wasn¡¯t holding back, but he was certain that the man could end his life in a single blow if he were so inclined. ¡°Take five minutes to catch your breath, then get off your ass and come at me again. We¡¯re doing another hour of two-handed drills, then switching back to the one-handed version. That¡¯s one nifty weapon by the way. I wish that I¡¯d had something like it back when I was still green. If you can find someone to train you in the shield and the path of flame, you¡¯ll wind up with one of the most versatile combat styles I¡¯ve ever seen, at least for a tier-one warrior.¡± Devin let out a long sigh, then lay back in the dirt, looking up at the water swirling high above his head. To his perennial surprise and wonder, the training ground he¡¯d been sent to was deep below the surface of the ocean, along with the entire town that held it. In the distance, he could see squids the size of oil tankers, glowing with their own inner light as they darted among beds of kelp bigger than sequoia redwoods, hunting for fish hiding between the fronds. There must be some manner of magic regulating the pressure down here. Otherwise, it would be crushing at this depth, even at my level. He got back onto his feet before the allotted time, having learned from experience that Yoro would chew him out for being lazy if he took the full break that was offered. Devin walked over to a bucket of water to take a long drink. Then he picked up his weapon and took his stance, ready to continue his training. Despite his unusual appearance and gruff demeanor, the giant was a surprisingly good teacher. Yoro was patient, thorough, and had a way of explaining things that let Devin grasp the concept right away. He¡¯d already taught Devin more about the axe than he had learned on his own over the last two months, and their training session had only just begun. He was confident that by the end of their time together, he¡¯d be fighting on a whole new level compared to where he was right now. He raised his axe in a neutral posture and assumed the open stance he had been taught, where he could shift from offense to defense at a moment¡¯s notice. The instant that his weapon was up, Yoro came for him, whipping his axe around in a powerful sweeping blow at the level of Devin¡¯s knees. It would have knocked him down again if he hadn¡¯t been ready. But he knew by now that Yoro didn¡¯t believe in issuing a warning before launching an attack. It was a philosophy that Devin agreed with. If it wasn¡¯t going to happen on the battlefield, it shouldn¡¯t happen in practice either. Instead of blocking the strike, he leapt high, intending to jump over the low blow and counter with a chop. The moment his feet left the ground, Yoro let go with one hand, reached back, and then punched Devin square in the nose, hard enough to crack the bone behind. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. He went flying back to go sprawling in the dirt once more, staring up at stars dancing around his head. ¡°That was a good counter. But you shouldn¡¯t assume that my axe is all you need to worry about,¡± Yoro chided before helping Devin back onto his feet. ¡°My entire body is the weapon. If you only track my axe, you¡¯ll leave yourself wide open, especially since many opponents will be able to attack from range to at least some extent. Follow the blade, get lost in the blade. Follow my hands, get lost in my hands. Follow my eyes¡­ you get the idea. Only by taking in the totality of your opponent and the surrounding battlefield will you truly be ready to fight for your life.¡± Devin¡¯s face really fucking hurt, be he found himself grinning anyway. He knew that Yoro was correct. That making a mistake like that in a real fight would be the death of him. Thus, despite the brutal method of instruction, he was grateful for the lesson. Even if his mentor wouldn¡¯t heal him until after their sparring was over. Yoro was right, pain really was the best teacher. Now, how can I do better next time? ¡°Enough thinking lad. You won¡¯t have time to think when someone is coming to claim your head. Use what you¡¯ve learned and come at me with everything you have. It¡¯s time to show you a few tricks you can use to take down a stronger opponent.¡± The clang of steel against steel rang out as Devin rose to the challenge, eager to give it his all and return to his team a better warrior than when he¡¯d left. *** Veronica raised her wrist-mounted crossbows and scanned the ground in front of her. She ran her eyes over each patch of woodlands before moving onto the next. Never stopping for more than a second, and changing up her blind spot by turning her head. She knew that the next attack would come at any moment from a random direction, and she needed to be ready. If she hesitated for even an instant, the heatseeking orbs would hit her hard, adding another set of painful bruises to her already impressive collection. A bare heartbeat later, motion from the branches drew her attention, as two white spheres emerged from the canopy, soaring toward her position at incredible speed. Veronica had been hit by enough of them by now to know that they were like water ballons filled with jelly, tough enough that they would only burst if she struck them dead center with her bolts. With no time to hesitate, much less to think, she aimed each crossbow independently and fired them back-to-back. Thunk. Thunk. Both bolts streaked through the air to land on target, the magic orbs bursting in a great spray of droplets. It was one of her best shots yet, but she didn¡¯t stop to savor her accomplishment. Acting on instinct, she spun on her heels, just in time to see a third orb coming at her from behind. Veronica dove to the ground and tucked into a roll, spinning around the instant that she sprang back onto her feet. The orbs wouldn¡¯t stop chasing her just because they missed on the first pass. A lesson she¡¯d internalized after a few painful mistakes. She fired both crossbows at once this time, waiting until the orb slowed as it came back around. One shot went wide but the other flew true, hitting the magical projectile dead center. She let out a cry of triumph and then turned to her mentor, a winged woman with frosty white skin. ¡°Did you see that Pellia? I finally got them all¡­¡± Veronica¡¯s words were cut short as the fourth orb hit her hard, sending her rolling in the dirt. It must have been coming straight down the whole time, arriving from above her field of view. She was dazed from the strike but didn¡¯t stop moving. The orb wouldn¡¯t stop attacking just because she was down either. She concentrated and then activated an ability, bone claws pushing through the back of her hands. Ignoring the pain that she¡¯d grown used to by now, she swiped at the orb before it could hit her again, gutting it on the ends of her claws. ¡°What the hell was that?¡± Her mentor smacked Veronica on the back of the head, right where her newest bruise was starting to form. ¡°Did I tell you that you could use your claws? This is supposed to be crossbow practice.¡± ¡°Sorry Pellia, I reacted on instinct. I¡¯ll try not to do it again.¡± The expression on her mentor¡¯s face softened when she saw that Veronica was telling the truth. The woman was a merciless teacher, but she wasn¡¯t unforgiving or cruel. ¡°It¡¯s not a bad reaction and it would have saved you in a real fight. But the purpose of this training is to teach you control, not just to learn how to hit a moving target. That same reflex could have killed you if your opponent was immune to your slash. On that note, I¡¯m adjusting the orbs. They won¡¯t burst anymore unless you hit them with a bolt. ¡°Oh, and if you see a green one, you¡¯ll have to use your acid shot to take it down. You need to get faster at deciding when to use the ability, but also not to waste it. Mess up too many times and you¡¯ll run out of mana before you burst them all, and I promise that it¡¯s going to hurt if you do. Now, get back on your feet and do it again. Faster and more accurately this time. The next round will begin in five seconds.¡± With a growl of frustration, Veronica rose to her feet and started scanning the canopy, ready to give it her all. While she waited for the next attack to come her way, she couldn¡¯t help but wonder how the rest of her team was doing. I wonder what Nick is up to right now. Chapter 71: Dinner Surprise By the time that his stance training session with the demonic machine was over, Nick was drenched in sweat. So weary and sore that he could barely walk. Rita slipped one arm around his waist and led him out of the workshop, over to a pipe running along the outside of the building. She had him lean against the wall, then pulled a handle as soon as he was standing beneath the spout. To his surprise and her amusement, a stream of icy water came rushing out, drenching him in a matter of seconds and washing the grime away. Once Nick got used to the chill, the impromptu shower was remarkably refreshing. A prefect way to end a grueling day of training. He took a few minutes to enjoy the cleansing flow, then she shut off the tap and poked him in the ribs to get him moving. ¡°Now that you¡¯re clean, let¡¯s get some food in you and then call it a day.¡± Nick¡¯s stomach growled at the thought, and he realized that he hadn¡¯t eaten anything since early in the afternoon. He didn¡¯t want to drip water inside Rita¡¯s house and started looking for a towel. But it turned out that he didn¡¯t need one. His mentor gestured and cast a spell, then pointed straight at him. Over the next minute, the water came streaming off his body, droplets running along his limbs and then falling to the ground like rats leaping off a sinking ship. She laughed at the look of astonishment on his face. ¡°I forgot that you¡¯re so new to magic. Your species hasn¡¯t had a chance to integrate small, household applications into your everyday life. Magic isn¡¯t just about big flashy attacks, Nick. Mana has myriad other uses beyond those provided by your abilities. Give it a few years. By then, minor shapings like this will seem totally natural, and you¡¯ll wonder how you were able to get by without them.¡± Nick found her revelation to be utterly fascinating. It implied that there were other ways to use mana besides powering the spells granted by the System. It was a possibility that he had considered but hadn¡¯t known was feasible until that moment. If there was a way to control mana directly, it might explain why conditioning his magic attribute had been so difficult up to this point. I¡¯ll have to start experimenting when I have time. See if I can guide the mana out of my core without casting a spell. Now that he was dry, Nick followed his teacher through the front door of her house, curious to see the interior of his very first alien dwelling. Most of the furniture was scaled to someone of Rita¡¯s size, which he had been expecting, but there were a few chairs that were built for guests of his stature. He ran his eyes across the walls, taking in the decorations lining the woodwork. There were a few paintings of the prairie and its colossal residents. But most of the adornments were wooden carvings, like the ones arranged along the exterior of the ranch. ¡°Making swords and killing things with them is my passion,¡± Rita explained after following his gaze. ¡°But carving wood is my hobby. It¡¯s how I unwind at the end of the day. Maybe I¡¯ll make one of you while you¡¯re here. A little memento of the time we spent together.¡± She led him across the sitting room and toward the back of the building. ¡°But enough about me. You look ready to pass out standing up. Go ahead and take a seat at the table. I already have dinner set out and there¡¯s more than enough for both of us. Eat your fill and I¡¯ll show you to your room. We¡¯ll leap right back into the thick of it bright and early tomorrow morning.¡± With a sleepy yawn, Nick nodded and walked into the kitchen, where the scent of something delicious rode the air. He was excited to sample whatever smelled so good, then slip into bed and sleep like a rock. He sat down in a chair that was just his size, then looked down to see what they were having for dinner. ¡°Hold up. What the fuck is that?¡± The words escaped his lips unnoticed as he stared down into a large bowl sitting in the middle of the table. Because what he saw when he looked inside was the most disgusting thing that he¡¯d ever laid eyes on. Whatever it was, it was still alive. Squirming and squishing, pulsating and gyrating. Once glance killed Nick¡¯s appetite, bile rising hot in his throat at the mere prospect of putting that thing in his mouth. It looked like a slug crossbred with a blobfish. It was a putrid green hue and covered in slime, skin glistening with an oily fluid that was seeping out of its rear. It that thing sitting in a bowl of its own excrement? How can I tell Rita that I¡¯m not hungry, without being perforated for my trouble? I¡¯ll snack on my own provisions once I¡¯m back in my room. He looked up at his mentor, still reeling from the shock, who gave him a wink and then nodded encouragingly. ¡°Eat up, while its still fresh. This dish always tastes best while the jil is still alive. Hurry now, before the juices congeal. After such a hard day, you deserve a homecooked meal. This was my mother¡¯s favorite recipe.¡± He felt torn in that moment. Caught between his hunger, his revulsion, and his desire to please his mentor. Maybe it won¡¯t be so bad. After all, it smells great. Nick reached out hesitantly; disgust carved into every crook of his features. No. No fucking way. I won¡¯t do it. I don¡¯t care how hungry I am or how badly she beats me. Even the thought of taking a bite made him want to retch. Nick opened his mouth, and then closed it again, unsure how he should proceed. There was no way in hell that he was going to eat the nasty thing, but he didn¡¯t want to offend his host. Not if he wanted to keep at least some of his blood inside his body when their training resumed. Rita offered him a beaming grin, seemingly oblivious to his dilemma. He looked for the politest possible way to decline before his brain shut down completely, words failing him in that moment. Just when he was about to mutter some excuse and start limping away as fast as he could, Rita burst into explosive laughter. She was giggling so hard that she began to cry, supporting her weight against the table to remain upright. This went on for a good five minutes before she calmed down enough to regain the ability to speak. ¡°Your face. The look on¡­¡± she broke into helpless titters again, then visibly took control of herself. ¡°That one never gets old. You can relax, Nick. That isn¡¯t dinner, that¡¯s Gred. He keeps the garden free of pests. I wouldn¡¯t let you eat him even if you wanted to, but no one has tried it yet. Let me put him back in his home before he gets mad, and then I¡¯ll serve you what we¡¯re really eating.¡± She picked up the bowl and walked outside, chucking the entire way.This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. He offered a weak smile and then held his head between his hands, utterly defeated by their exchange. It appeared that Nick¡¯s teacher was a bit of a prankster, in addition to being far too interested in the color of his blood. When she got back, she washed up, then reached into an oven standing in the corner. After opening the door, Rita produced something that looked like actual food. The savory smell intensified as she brough it over to the table. It was some kind of flakey pastry with meat and vegetables inside. Rita cut him off a big piece, then handed Nick a plate before serving herself. ¡°Wait a few minutes or you¡¯ll burn your mouth. This little dish is one of my specialties. My way of celebrating the start of our brief time together.¡± While he waited for his pie to cool, she produced a pair of little bottles and placed two small cups onto the table, which reminded him of a sake set from back on Earth. She poured Nick his first shot and raised her own glass. ¡°We won¡¯t be able to drink most nights, but just one at the start won¡¯t hurt.¡± She moved her cup toward him. ¡°To swords and skill and the dance of the blade.¡± ¡°To surviving long enough to save my world and see my family again.¡± They brought the cups together with a clink. Their toast complete, they threw them back and drank. The warmth of the alcohol caressed his tongue before sliding down his throat and into his stomach. The liquor tasted great, like berries and honey, with just a hint of spice. By now, his dinner was ready to eat, so Nick broke off a piece and took his first bite. The pie was every bit as delicious as the smell had promised, and he began digging into the rest with enthusiasm. This was his first full experience with food from another world. He¡¯d done some hunting and forging on the Searing Isle and Blackmist Bog, but that had just been scarfing down raw ingredients prepared over an open flame. What Rita had whipped up was something else entirely. The flavor of the vegetables complimented one another, enhancing the savory notes provided by the meat. There was cheese and cream in the sauce, mixed in just the right proportion to balance out the texture of the crust. And the spices, oh the spices. They enhanced what was already sumptuous and took it to the next level, playing across Nick¡¯s palate like a symphony. In short, it was the best meal of his life. He enjoyed every bite, washing it down with an occasional shot of the liquor that his host had generously provided. It was Nick¡¯s first time eating at a table with another person since his new life began, and it warmed his heart alongside his belly. With any luck, when this quest was over, he would find himself sitting around the dinner table with his friends and family. Both those from his old life and everyone he¡¯d met since the System had arrived. He knew that some of them were probably already dead, but he didn¡¯t let it spoil the mood. Over dinner, Rita began asking questions, trying to get a better sense of where Nick was coming from. What he¡¯d experienced thus far, and how he felt about it. How his ordeal had shaped his understanding of tactics and tempered his resolve. He knew that she wasn¡¯t allowed to tell him much about the System or provide advice that went beyond the scope of their training. Instead, he tried to learn everything that he could from the nature of her questions and the intensity of her reactions. Nick soon discovered that what Rita didn¡¯t say revealed just as much as what she did. He began with his origin story. The System rebuilding his body and creating his energetic pathways, followed by his encounter with Pax, the momentary mentor. Then he moved on to his early days on the Searing Isle, when he¡¯d started out with holes in his memory and a body that had grown soft from decades of gaming. She seemed surprised that he had begun his adventures far below the average for his species in most respects. From her commentary, Rita had expected Nick to have been some manner of professional athlete, based on the time that had lapsed and his current attributes. ¡°You raised your baseline toughness to seven during the tutorial? That¡¯s crazy. Starting from what, four?¡± ¡°Two,¡± Nick mumbled in between bites. ¡°Bullshit.¡± She finished another shot. ¡°No need to elaborate. I believe you, but that¡¯s extreme. Most people eventually raise their baselines to nine, but not until they reach the end of tier one. What did you do? Train while standing in the jaws of a rax?¡± ¡°That¡¯s closer to the truth than I care to admit.¡± Nick sighed. He explained that he had been the only human taking part in a survival tutorial inhabited by beasts, then moved on to his experiences in the dungeon. His battle with the ratmen in the sewers of Kastilla and nearly becoming a zombie after being infected with the crimson blight. Her eyes were wide with surprise by the time that he reached the conclusion of his battle with Trell the ratman foreman. He was relieved to see how shocked Rita was after learning the details. Nick had been hoping that his trial had been harder than most, since it would mean that more of humanity had survived than he had feared. ¡°Blood of my grandfather,¡± she swore. ¡°That¡¯s way more dangerous than the average tutorial, even for the Labyrinth. Though not completely unheard of. No wonder you¡¯re so well-geared for your level. Well, don¡¯t stop there.¡± Rita handed Nick a second plate and poured them both another drink. ¡°Go back to the very start. Tell me everything that happened. I want to hear it all.¡± Until that moment, Nick wasn¡¯t sure if he would agree to tell his tale in full. After all, it contained some incredibly painful memories that he didn¡¯t care to dwell on. But when he searched his feelings, he found that he had nothing to hide. That he wanted to get it all off his chest and have someone else understand what he¡¯d been through. So, he went ahead and told Rita his story of his adventures. The first time that he had recounted it all from beginning to end. From the moment that the System arrived to wipe out most of humanity, until he found himself walking through her door. Although she was a bit scary at the best of times, Rita was a surprisingly sympathetic listener. Nick got the sense that his instructor was no stranger to suffering herself. That her path to power had been paved with longing and loss. As he spun out his tale, he continued to drink, until his bottle was empty. When he reached for Rita¡¯s to top off his cup, she stopped him with a hand on his arm. ¡°Don¡¯t drink this one, Nick. It¡¯s brewed for someone whose species grade and tier are higher than your own. If you take even one sip, you¡¯ll be blackout drunk for most of tomorrow, if it doesn¡¯t eat a hole right through you first.¡± The sun had long since set before Nick was done. But Rita didn¡¯t say another word until he was finished, concluding with how much he missed his family and friends. At that point, she took him by the hand and looked into his eyes, her expression one of total sincerity. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Nick. You¡¯re not in this alone. If they¡¯re out there, I¡¯ll make sure that you live long enough to see them again. Even if I have to beat you half to death in order to whip you into shape. ¡°On that note, it¡¯s time for bed. We can talk more tomorrow. Get some rest and recover your strength, and we¡¯ll start again bright and early. Or dark and early as the case may be. Since you only need four hours of sleep, I¡¯ll let you have six since I pushed you so hard. Then it¡¯s time for some predawn training. We can take a break to watch the sunrise over the Titans¡¯ Prairie. It¡¯s something that you should see at least once while you¡¯re here.¡± With that, Rita showed Nick to his room. He was relieved to see that the bed was just right for someone his size. When she closed the door, he stripped off his clothes and then slipped between the covers. He was out like a light less than a minute later, a black wave of exhaustion drawing him into a deep and dreamless sleep. Chapter 71: Dinner Surprise By the time that his stance training session with the demonic machine was over, Nick was drenched in sweat. So weary and sore that he could barely walk. Rita slipped one arm around his waist and led him out of the workshop, over to a pipe running along the outside of the building. She had him lean against the wall, then pulled a handle as soon as he was standing beneath the spout. To his surprise and her amusement, a stream of icy water came rushing out, drenching him in a matter of seconds and washing the grime away. Once Nick got used to the chill, the impromptu shower was remarkably refreshing. A perfect way to end a grueling day of training. He took a few minutes to enjoy the cleansing flow, then she shut off the tap and poked him in the ribs to get him moving. ¡°Now that you¡¯re clean, let¡¯s get some food in you and then call it a day.¡± Nick¡¯s stomach growled at the thought, and he realized that he hadn¡¯t eaten anything since early in the afternoon. He didn¡¯t want to drip water inside Rita¡¯s house and started looking for a towel. But it turned out that he didn¡¯t need one. His mentor gestured and cast a spell, then pointed straight at him. Over the next minute, the water came streaming off his body, droplets running along his limbs and then falling to the ground like rats leaping off a sinking ship. She laughed at the look of astonishment on his face. ¡°I forgot that you¡¯re so new to magic. Your species hasn¡¯t had a chance to integrate small, household applications into your everyday life. Magic isn¡¯t just about big flashy attacks, Nick. Mana has myriad other uses beyond those provided by your abilities. Give it a few years. By then, minor shapings like this will seem totally natural, and you¡¯ll wonder how you were able to get by without them.¡± Nick found her revelation to be utterly fascinating. It implied that there were other ways to use mana besides powering the spells granted by the System. It was a possibility that he had considered but hadn¡¯t known was feasible until that moment. If there was a way to control mana directly, it might explain why conditioning his magic attribute had been so difficult up to this point. I¡¯ll have to start experimenting when I have time. See if I can guide the mana out of my core without casting a spell. Now that he was dry, Nick followed his teacher through the front door of her house, curious to see the interior of his very first alien dwelling. Most of the furniture was scaled to someone of Rita¡¯s size, which he had been expecting, but there were a few chairs that were built for guests of his stature. He ran his eyes across the walls, taking in the decorations lining the woodwork. There were a few paintings of the prairie and its colossal residents. But most of the adornments were wooden carvings, like the ones arranged along the exterior of the ranch. ¡°Making swords and killing things with them is my passion,¡± Rita explained after following his gaze. ¡°But carving wood is my hobby. It¡¯s how I unwind at the end of the day. Maybe I¡¯ll make one of you while you¡¯re here. A little memento of the time we spent together.¡± She led him across the sitting room and toward the back of the building. ¡°But enough about me. You look ready to pass out standing up. Go ahead and take a seat at the table. I already have dinner set out and there¡¯s more than enough for both of us. Eat your fill and I¡¯ll show you to your room. We¡¯ll leap right back into the thick of it bright and early tomorrow morning.¡± With a sleepy yawn, Nick nodded and walked into the kitchen, where the scent of something delicious rode the air. He was excited to sample whatever smelled so good, then slip into bed and sleep like a rock. He sat down in a chair that was just his size, then looked down to see what they were having for dinner. ¡°Hold up. What the fuck is that?¡± The words escaped his lips unnoticed as he stared down into a large bowl sitting in the middle of the table. Because what he saw when he looked inside was the most disgusting thing that he¡¯d ever laid eyes on. Whatever it was, it was still alive. Squirming and squishing, pulsating and gyrating. One glance killed Nick¡¯s appetite, bile rising hot in his throat at the mere prospect of putting that thing in his mouth. It looked like a slug crossbred with a blobfish. It was a putrid green hue and covered in slime, skin glistening with an oily fluid that was seeping out of its rear. Is that thing sitting in a bowl of its own excrement? How can I tell Rita that I¡¯m not hungry, without being perforated for my trouble? I¡¯ll snack on my own provisions once I¡¯m back in my room. He looked up at his mentor, still reeling from the shock, who gave him a wink and then nodded encouragingly. ¡°Eat up, while its still fresh. This dish always tastes best while the jil is still alive. Hurry now, before the juices congeal. After such a hard day, you deserve a homecooked meal. This was my mother¡¯s favorite recipe.¡± He felt torn in that moment. Caught between his hunger, his revulsion, and his desire to please his mentor. Maybe it won¡¯t be so bad. After all, it smells great. Nick reached out hesitantly; disgust carved into every crook of his features. No. No fucking way. I won¡¯t do it. I don¡¯t care how hungry I am or how badly she beats me. Even the thought of taking a bite made him want to retch. Nick opened his mouth, and then closed it again, unsure how he should proceed. There was no way in hell that he was going to eat the nasty thing, but he didn¡¯t want to offend his host. Not if he wanted to keep at least some of his blood inside his body when their training resumed. Rita offered him a beaming grin, seemingly oblivious to his dilemma. He looked for the politest possible way to decline before his brain shut down completely, words failing him in that moment. Just when he was about to mutter some excuse and start limping away as fast as he could, Rita burst into explosive laughter. She was giggling so hard that she began to cry, supporting her weight against the table to remain upright. This went on for a good five minutes before she calmed down enough to regain the ability to speak. ¡°Your face. The look on¡­¡± she broke into helpless titters again, then visibly took control of herself. ¡°That one never gets old. You can relax, Nick. That isn¡¯t dinner, that¡¯s Gred. He keeps the garden free of pests. I wouldn¡¯t let you eat him even if you wanted to, but no one has tried it yet. Let me put him back in his home before he gets mad, and then I¡¯ll serve you what we¡¯re really eating.¡± She picked up the bowl and walked outside, chucking the entire way. If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. He offered a weak smile and then held his head between his hands, utterly defeated by their exchange. It appeared that Nick¡¯s teacher was a bit of a prankster, in addition to being far too interested in the color of his blood. When she got back, she washed up, then reached into an oven standing in the corner. After opening the door, Rita produced something that looked like actual food. The savory smell intensified as she brough it over to the table. It was some kind of flakey pastry with meat and vegetables inside. Rita cut him off a big piece, then handed Nick a plate before serving herself. ¡°Wait a few minutes or you¡¯ll burn your mouth. This little dish is one of my specialties. My way of celebrating the start of our brief time together.¡± While he waited for his pie to cool, she produced a pair of little bottles and placed two small cups onto the table, which reminded him of a sake set from back on Earth. She poured Nick his first shot and raised her own glass. ¡°We won¡¯t be able to drink most nights, but just one at the start won¡¯t hurt.¡± She moved her cup toward him. ¡°To swords and skill and the dance of the blade.¡± ¡°To surviving long enough to save my world and see my family again.¡± They brought the cups together with a clink. Their toast complete, they threw them back and drank. The warmth of the alcohol caressed his tongue before sliding down his throat and into his stomach. The liquor tasted great, like berries and honey, with just a hint of spice. By now, his dinner was ready to eat, so Nick broke off a piece and took his first bite. The pie was every bit as delicious as the smell had promised, and he began digging into the rest with enthusiasm. This was his first full experience with food from another world. He¡¯d done some hunting and forging on the Searing Isle and Blackmist Bog, but that had just been scarfing down raw ingredients prepared over an open flame. What Rita had whipped up was something else entirely. The flavor of the vegetables complimented one another, enhancing the savory notes provided by the meat. There was cheese and cream in the sauce, mixed in just the right proportion to balance out the texture of the crust. And the spices, oh the spices. They enhanced what was already sumptuous and took it to the next level, playing across Nick¡¯s palate like a symphony. In short, it was the best meal of his life. He enjoyed every bite, washing it down with an occasional shot of the liquor that his host had generously provided. It was Nick¡¯s first time eating at a table with another person since his new life began, and it warmed his heart alongside his belly. With any luck, when this quest was over, he would find himself sitting around the dinner table with his friends and family. Both those from his old life and everyone he¡¯d met since the System had arrived. He knew that some of them were probably already dead, but he didn¡¯t let it spoil the mood. Over dinner, Rita began asking questions, trying to get a better sense of where Nick was coming from. What he¡¯d experienced thus far, and how he felt about it. How his ordeal had shaped his understanding of tactics and tempered his resolve. He knew that she wasn¡¯t allowed to tell him much about the System or provide advice that went beyond the scope of their training. Instead, he tried to learn everything that he could from the nature of her questions and the intensity of her reactions. Nick soon discovered that what Rita didn¡¯t say revealed just as much as what she did. He began with his origin story. The System rebuilding his body and creating his energetic pathways, followed by his encounter with Pax, the momentary mentor. Then he moved on to his early days on the Searing Isle, when he¡¯d started out with holes in his memory and a body that had grown soft from decades of gaming. She seemed surprised that he had begun his adventures far below the average for his species in most respects. From her commentary, Rita had expected Nick to have been some manner of professional athlete, based on the time that had lapsed and his current attributes. ¡°You raised your baseline toughness to seven during the tutorial? That¡¯s crazy. Starting from what, four?¡± ¡°Two,¡± Nick mumbled in between bites. ¡°Bullshit.¡± She finished another shot. ¡°No need to elaborate. I believe you, but that¡¯s extreme. Most people eventually raise their baselines to nine, but not until they reach the end of tier one. What did you do? Train while standing in the jaws of a rax?¡± ¡°That¡¯s closer to the truth than I care to admit.¡± Nick sighed. He explained that he had been the only human taking part in a survival tutorial inhabited by beasts, then moved on to his experiences in the dungeon. His battle with the ratmen in the sewers of Kastilla and nearly becoming a zombie after being infected with the crimson blight. Her eyes were wide with surprise by the time that he reached the conclusion of his battle with Trell the ratman foreman. He was relieved to see how shocked Rita was after learning the details. Nick had been hoping that his trial had been harder than most, since it would mean that more of humanity had survived than he had feared. ¡°Blood of my grandfather,¡± she swore. ¡°That¡¯s way more dangerous than the average tutorial, even for the Labyrinth. Though not completely unheard of. No wonder you¡¯re so well-geared for your level. Well, don¡¯t stop there.¡± Rita handed Nick a second plate and poured them both another drink. ¡°Go back to the very start. Tell me everything that happened. I want to hear it all.¡± Until that moment, Nick wasn¡¯t sure if he would agree to tell his tale in full. After all, it contained some incredibly painful memories that he didn¡¯t care to dwell on. But when he searched his feelings, he found that he had nothing to hide. That he wanted to get it all off his chest and have someone else understand what he¡¯d been through. So, he went ahead and told Rita his story of his adventures. The first time that he had recounted it all from beginning to end. From the moment that the System arrived to wipe out most of humanity, until he found himself walking through her door. Although she was a bit scary at the best of times, Rita was a surprisingly sympathetic listener. Nick got the sense that his instructor was no stranger to suffering herself. That her path to power had been paved with longing and loss. As he spun out his tale, he continued to drink, until his bottle was empty. When he reached for Rita¡¯s to top off his cup, she stopped him with a hand on his arm. ¡°Don¡¯t drink this one, Nick. It¡¯s brewed for someone whose species grade and tier are higher than your own. If you take even one sip, you¡¯ll be blackout drunk for most of tomorrow, if it doesn¡¯t eat a hole right through you first.¡± The sun had long since set before Nick was done. But Rita didn¡¯t say another word until he was finished, concluding with how much he missed his family and friends. At that point, she took him by the hand and looked into his eyes, her expression one of total sincerity. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Nick. You¡¯re not in this alone. If they¡¯re out there, I¡¯ll make sure that you live long enough to see them again. Even if I have to beat you half to death in order to whip you into shape. ¡°On that note, it¡¯s time for bed. We can talk more tomorrow. Get some rest and recover your strength, and we¡¯ll start again bright and early. Or dark and early as the case may be. Since you only need four hours of sleep, I¡¯ll let you have six since I pushed you so hard. Then it¡¯s time for some predawn training. We can take a break to watch the sunrise over the Titans¡¯ Prairie. It¡¯s something that you should see at least once while you¡¯re here.¡± With that, Rita showed Nick to his room. He was relieved to see that the bed was just right for someone his size. When she closed the door, he stripped off his clothes and then slipped between the covers. He was out like a light less than a minute later, a black wave of exhaustion drawing him into a deep and dreamless sleep. Chapter 72: Kata When Nick awoke early the next morning, he found Rita¡¯s eyes staring into his own. His mentor was standing at the foot of his bed with an inscrutable expression on her face. What the fuck? The sight shocked him back to full alertness within a handful of heartbeats. Was she watching me sleep? That is creepy as hell. She must have read his thoughts from his expression, because she let out a wry chuckle and then stepped back to give him some space. ¡°Don¡¯t flatter yourself. You aren¡¯t that pretty. I was studying the way that your Survivor trait regulates the energy of your body, creating that reduced need for sleep and other forms of sustenance. It¡¯s an enhanced variant that I haven¡¯t seen before and it¡¯s remarkably complex, even for something generated by the System.¡± Nick¡¯s ears perked up at her words. Any chance to learn more about the System¡¯s powers was invaluable. ¡°It¡¯s a tricky business to rewire biological drives on that level and not cause catastrophic consequences or unwanted mutations. You must have really impressed it to have received a reward like that at your tier. Although, if you were among the first of your people to defeat a fallen beast, I can see why. You¡¯ll have to tell me the story of that fight in greater detail, but not just yet. ¡°Right now, it¡¯s time to eat a quick breakfast and then teach you some stretches designed for novice swordsmen. Then we can watch the sunrise and we¡¯ll move on to your first kata. One of the forms that will drive the proper way of wielding your weapon into your body, until it becomes natural to the point of instinct. Go ahead and get cleaned up, then meet me in the kitchen. We have a full day ahead of us and not a moment to spare.¡± With that, Rita left, and Nick sat up. He nearly fell over when he took his first step. His legs were incredibly sore from spending hours in a deep stance last night. Even with his high toughness and increased rate of healing, he couldn¡¯t build muscle like that without paying for it the next day. Fortunately, it wasn¡¯t quite as bad as he thought. The pain became less intense when he started moving around. Nick thought about using his elixir to take the edge off, but eventually decided against it. Rita would let him know when the optimal time to use the restorative concoction was, and a little pain was a small price to pay for the gains he acquired during his training. He washed his face and then walked into the kitchen, where Rita handed him a warm plate topped with what appeared to be a bright blue omelet. It smelled great, and when he tried his first bite, he discovered that it was fluffy and delicious. Nick didn¡¯t ruin the moment by asking where the egg had come from. There must be a big blue chicken around here somewhere, and that¡¯s the end of the matter. He washed the meal down with a glass of juice and then followed his instructor outside. She began their day by teaching him a series of stretches, her profile outlined against the murky predawn sky. As Rita had told him, these were more than just exercises for limbering up his body. This sequence of stretches was specifically designed for warriors wielding large weapons, targeting the muscles used in taking his stance and swinging a blade. Nick¡¯s legs were still a bit tender, but it wasn¡¯t too bad after he got used to the ache. These stretches are helping me to recover faster than normal. By the time they were done, his body felt better. Some of the tension from standing in a deep stance for hours on end had melted away. They came to a stop twenty minutes later, as the sky brightened from charcoal grey to royal purple. As she had promised, Rita led him over to the eastern edge of the plateau, where the horizon was growing light with the coming of dawn. As color bled back into the world, the flying foxes came out in full force. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. There were hundreds of the little buggers zooming across the plateau, playing tag with one another as they soared through the sky. Occasionally, one of them stopped to lay down a spell-infused stone, reinforcing the barrier they had created to guard the highlands from the colossal predators ranging below. The sunrise on this world was completely different than on Earth, or any of the planets Nick had visited thus far. With the green sun and purple sky, the radiant bands of color came in electric shades of emerald, violet, and lemon. It was surreal and deeply moving to watch the gorgeous natural display. Below his boots, a herd of creatures the size of warehouses made their way across the grasslands, munching down on colossal blades of baby-blue grass along the way. Not long after, the sun crested the horizon, throwing long fingers of radiance and shadow across the Titans¡¯ Prairie. The temperature began to rise, and Nick was sweating by the time they made it back to Rita¡¯s house. She led him into the workshop and over to the open space in the back, where he could move his body without the sunlight baking his skin. He was growing more excited by the footfall, eager to learn his first sword form, which his mentor had called a kata. Before launching into an explanation, Rita took out a piece of chalk and drew a circle on the floor with a smaller ring in the middle. She pointed to the central area. ¡°You are to remain inside this space the entire time. The outer ring represents the effective range of your sword. The distance at which you can strike in a single move. I can tell that you already have a sense of it, but you need to drill until you can discern the reach of your weapon as naturally as the tips of your fingers. ¡°I¡¯m going to teach you the first kata of my school of the sword, the ever-surging blade. You¡¯ll need to master the first three before we move on to the next set. These sequences are the foundation upon which all advanced techniques are built. ¡°I¡¯ll show it to you first, then explain each motion while I walk you through it. Then it¡¯s up to you to repeat the kata until you drop. After a few hours, I¡¯ll have you drain that flask, eat lunch, and then start the whole thing over again. A few days into it, we will add the second form, and you can start sparring with Kiki again in the evenings. ¡°There are ten katas in this school. If you can master the third and start on the fourth by the end of the month, I¡¯ll consider our time to be well spent. Save your questions for now and watch closely. See how much you can take in.¡± With that, Rita drew the slender sword she wore at her waist. It was Nick¡¯s first time seeing the weapon out of its scabbard. The only other time that his mentor had drawn it, she had struck so fast that he hadn¡¯t even realized she¡¯d moved. The weapon¡¯s body was only the width of his thumb, gently curved with the blade on the outer edge. It barely looked heavy enough to chop vegetables, let along flesh and armor, but somehow Nick could tell that it was a masterwork. That if Rita were so inclined, she could carve him to bits in the blink of an eye, then slice those bits to shreds before the first chunk hit the ground. It was a shimmering silver blade, bathed in a powerful aura that must have contained elements of pure mana or essence, considering the way that its magic resonated with Nick¡¯s core. He had the impression that the weapon was sleeping. That if its true power were unleashed, it could crush him with its presence alone. It rested between Rita¡¯s palms so naturally that it looked like she¡¯d been born with the blade in her hands. Nick suspected that she had forged the sword herself and carried it into battle for decades or more. That countless lives had met their end at its edge. It was a chilling reminder that his instructor was a warrior. A trained killer who had survived countless challenges, slaughtering her enemies along the way. While she was friendly enough, he sensed that there was a darkness inside her. Something that Nick had felt growing within his own heart too. The legacy of walking a path lined with corpses and drenched in blood. And yet, she had managed to hold onto her humanity. Lived a life filled with compassion and humor to balance out her ruthlessness. A boundless love of life to temper staring death in the eyes time and time again. While these thoughts passed through his mind, Rita stepped into the inner circle, then took a stance with her sword held in front of her. Chapter 73: The Ever-Surging Blade Before Rita began the sequence, she demonstrated a few basic stance changes, switching up which foot was in front and what direction she was facing. Nick realized that it was the same stance he¡¯d been practicing last night. When performed by a master, it became something else entirely. Compared to her, his attempts looked like a drunken ogre stumbling in the dark, while Rita¡¯s gait was smooth as silk. Each step as graceful as oil flowing over water. With no further introduction, she launched herself into the kata, displaying an agility that took his breath away. Every movement was perfectly controlled and totally balanced. Every turn and bend radiated lethal intent. As she flowed from one position to the next, the space within the circle became a killing field. A domain as unassailable as a fortress. Like she was the absolute ruler of everywhere that her sword could reach. In between one beat of his heart and the next, Rita raised the blade and then brought it back down. Not overly forceful, but with an incredible sense of finality. Nick had the sense that anything standing before her would be cut down, an outcome as inevitable as the passage of time. She took a few circling steps and then struck again, drawing a horizontal slash in time with her turn. Rita leaned back as if letting an enemy¡¯s sword pass in front of her face, then thrust and returned to her original pose. As Nick tried to absorb every move that she made, his mentor went through the whole series again. After completing the third set, she came to a stop, held her sword before her as if thanking it for its service, and then slid it back into its sheath as naturally as breathing. Rita turned to face him and said, ¡°That was the first kata. Its name in my language means endless advance. It is the heart of the ever-surging blade. Always moving forward, never giving way, cutting down all who stand before you. Now step into the circle and give it a try.¡± Nick slipped his pack off his shoulders, which he was in the habit of carrying everywhere he went. Then he set the bag against the wall, since he needed to learn without its weight modifying his center of gravity. After a moment of reflection, he decided to leave his toolbelt on, since it was basically a part of his clothing at this point, and he needed to integrate its bulk into his stance. Now it was his turn to try out the kata. He walked into the circle and raised his sword in front of him, trying to mimic the position and angle that Rita had shown him. She let him attempt the full series on his own for a few minutes. Then his mentor began adding gentle corrections, pointing out errors in his stance and swing. Her style of instruction was more subtle than Nick had been expecting. She let him try to find and fix his own mistakes before offering guidance with a soft word or demonstration. At first, he felt clumsy, his mechanics rigid and forced. But as the hours ticked past, his movements began to change. He felt something inside him click into place, his proprioception shifting in response. He wasn¡¯t just holding the weapon as he walked back and forth. He was the sword. Or the sword was him. The blade wasn¡¯t just a length of metal extending from his body, but an integral part of it, no less important than his legs and arms. It was a state that Nick had reached a few times when practicing on his own and in the heat of battle. Situations when he sent his perceptions into his weapon and the world around him fell away. When he came back to himself, he realized that he had completely lost track of the passage of time. That he had gone through the entire kata dozens of times without being remotely aware that he was moving his body. His mentor was seated nearby, meditating with her eyes closed. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Nick came to a stop in the stance she had taught him, sweat dripping down to the mat below. His heart was beating slow and steady, and his body felt strangely light. ¡°Yes.¡± Rita opened her eyes and smiled. ¡°That¡¯s the way. Good job, Nick. I¡¯m proud of you. You are taking this seriously and giving it your all. Our month together will not be a mere formality for you or a waste of my time after all. Keep pouring yourself into the work and you will take something from this training far more important than gaining a few points in your sword skill.¡± Rita rose to her feet and crossed the circle, coming to a stop a few feet in front of him. She seemed to be considering something, then came to a decision while nodding to herself. ¡°Now, I have a question for you. It¡¯s important, and I want you to think about it before you give me your answer. The next words you speak will open some doors and close others, and you need to make sure that you walk the path of power that suits you best.¡± His instructor wore a somber expression that matched the gravity of her tone. Nick gave her his undivided attention, trying to demonstrate the respect and gratitude he felt for everything that she had given him so far. He was intensely curious to find out what was going on, but he waited patiently until Rita was ready to speak. When she did, she asked him a question that would change his life forever. ¡°Would you like to join the School of the Ever-Surging Blade? I¡¯m willing to take you on as my apprentice if you are committed to the way of the sword. It isn¡¯t something that I propose lightly¡ªa pact that I only offer to students with both talent and an affinity for this approach. I¡¯m not asking you to join my faction, and you can change your mind in the future, at least at this stage. But having a master will influence the next set of classes you are offered, and I will leave my mark on your combat style for quite some time to come.¡± With that, Rita returned to her meditation to give him time to think. As her words had revealed, Nick was certain that this was no mere formality. That there would be consequences to his decision that he couldn¡¯t even begin to imagine at this juncture. While he was eager to receive instruction from someone so gifted, he wasn¡¯t willing to make a commitment like that unless he was certain that it was the right move to make. He sat down beside her, with his sword balanced across his knees, pondering the offer on the table. Seeing how it sat deep in his gut, his bones and blood, in addition to his brain. The longer Nick considered the proposal, the more that it appealed to him. He genuinely liked Rita, even though she frightened him a little. More than that, something in the way she moved, in the kata she had taught him, felt right on a deep, fundamental level. Was in tune with the way that he wished to wield his weapon, now and in the future. He had a sense that joining her school would guide him down the path of power he wished to walk, instead of drawing him away. In that moment, he made his decision and opened his eyes. Turning to face his instructor, no, his master in the blade, Nick nodded solemnly and said, ¡°Yes. I would like to accept your offer and learn the ever-surging blade. If you are willing to have me, then I am honored to call you master.¡± He rose to his feet and offered Rita a low bow, which she returned with a nod of her head. ¡°Then our pact is made. You have taken your first step on the path of the blade, and I accept you as my apprentice, at least for the duration of your stay. If you find your way back to me, I will initiate you formally, and train you in the depths of the sword. ¡°What you will learn over the next four weeks is only the beginning. One small glimpse of the long road ahead. But the essence of the sword resonates within you. If you seek to master the blade and work hard along the way, I am certain that your concept will one day include it. Now, let¡¯s get you cleaned up and then we will break for lunch. After that, we¡¯ll strap you back into the stance-teaching machine and dial it up to the next stage.¡± He was so pumped up by her offer that he didn¡¯t even groan at the thought of another torturous shock session. Wearing a beaming grin, Nick followed his teacher to the waterspout outside. He was looking forward to rinsing off his sweat, filling his belly, and everything that would follow. Chapter 74: Instruction When Nick was clean and dry, Rita led him back into her house and served him lunch. Today¡¯s alien culinary encounter turned out to be some kind of meat sandwich with sliced cheese and a tangy sauce. It was tasty, filling, and thoroughly satisfying. He ate every bite and then sucked the crumbs off his plate. ¡°That meat has nutrients in it that are good for building muscle and restoring stamina,¡± she explained. ¡°It will let you train longer and harder, and help your body solidify the gains that you made along the way. It¡¯s one way to get a little more out of our time together, just like using your flask.¡± Nick thanked Rita for the meal and helped her wash the dishes. Then it was time to get strapped back into the stance machine for another arduous session. On the bright side, he was already making progress. Agreeing with his master¡¯s assessment, after evaluating his stance, the device judged that he was ready for the next stage. For stage two, instead of just two stances, right and left foot forward, the machine created a light at any point around the circle. He had to shift his feet and turn to face it in less than a second, or the humming would stop, and the shocking would start. In addition to the rotational element, he had to hold his sword at the ready the whole time. Even with his powerful body, it was an endurance trial different from any he¡¯d undergone before. The replica of his mysterious blade had been heavy to start with, but Nick felt like Atlas holding up the world by the time he was done. It was a grueling task. More exhausting, both physically and mentally, than the day before. He endured countless shocks before Rita appeared and set him free. By that point, his arms were rubber, and his entire body shook with strain. But as he lowered his sword for the final time, he realized that he was starting to get the hang of it. A few more days and Nick would be ready for the final stage, where in addition to shifting his facing on the fly and maintaining his stance for hours on end, he would start adding basic attacks into the mix. He wasn¡¯t looking forward to his sessions by any means, but by now he could see the value in the process. After helping him get clean, Rita led him back into the house for another delicious dinner. While they ate, he tried probing her, seeing if she could teach him anything about the other tools that he used to fight. He asked for advice on a range of topics including the best use of his spells and wand, and how to train his evasion and shield skills. But his master was adamant in her refusal. To the point that Nick had the sense that she wasn¡¯t simply unwilling to tell him, she actually couldn¡¯t. It was disappointing, as he¡¯d been hoping to use the month to advance some of his other goals too. Such as learning more about his abilities, working on his other skills, leaning to sensing mana, and using stamina more efficiently. Just when he was about to give up, Rita said something that changed everything. ¡°I¡¯m only allowed to train you with the sword. Not your shield, spells, or any other abilities. But if someone were to activate Kiki while I was asleep, then convince her to help, absolutely without my knowledge or permission you understand, then that person might be able to slip in some other forms of training before I woke up¡­¡± Nick took the hint and didn¡¯t press the matter further, grateful that Rita was willing to help him as much as she could without breaking the rules that the System put in place. She let him test the limits of what she could say while they ate. But he was only able to squeeze a bit more knowledge out of her, no matter what he asked. The first tidbit provided a little more context about where he was and the nature of his surroundings. ¡°You¡¯re still in the Labyrinth. This planet runs on compressed time and your stay has been paid for by the System, not that anyone else could afford it. The reason that this world was colonized to begin with was because time runs at a different speed here, thanks to the presence of massive magical anomaly. Staying for too long can have disastrous consequences for your potential, but a month or two every few years is safe enough. I don¡¯t normally live here either. My workshop was transported for the duration of your training. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! ¡°You never would have been sent here to begin with if you didn¡¯t have Gift of Tongues, or if there was somewhere with comparable time dilation closer to your point of origin. The System is shockingly stingy with cosmic energy, considering that it owns everything in this corner of the multiverse.¡± The only other details that Nick was able to learn were related to his sword skill, but they wouldn¡¯t come into play until later. The first was that the System imposed some manner of test before any skill could be taken higher than twenty-five, although that required a rare class to begin with. The second was a bit more on concepts. ¡°Right now, you¡¯re just learning the basics. The mechanics of moving your weapon around your body. Later, you will need to decide what role you want the sword to play in battle. If you want to use it as your primary attack, or as a supplement to your spells, and a hundred other details besides. Same with all the other elements that form your personal combat style. The more concrete that your chosen path to power becomes, the more essence you can generate and absorb. ¡°Over time, these pieces will merge into a single vision, known as a concept, and you will begin to generate essence at an increased rate. I can¡¯t teach you any of the details. But eventually, this concept will form the foundation for tier-two and beyond, enabling you to develop you own unique path to power. Unless of course, you discover a compatible build that you choose to follow instead.¡± Nick was grateful for the insights and sensed that he had exhausted the limits of what she was able to tell him. He resolved to spend the rest of their time together at the dinner table asking about the sword and getting to know his master better as a person instead. When he checked his updates, he saw something that he hadn¡¯t been expecting. Apparently, joining Rita¡¯s school came with more benefits than she had let on. She must have wanted me to make the right decision without being swayed by the bonus. You have joined the faction: School of the Ever-Surging Blade. While you are part of this faction, you will receive the following bonus: Your sword skill is uncapped. Warning: Once a faction is left, it can never be joined again. That¡¯s incredible. Nick broke into a beaming grin. Not only could he raise his sword skill past 25 now, he could pick a new class that didn¡¯t have the weapon skill included without interfering with his growth as a swordsman. That night, after Rita went to bed, he slipped outside and entered the workshop. It was a gesture of trust that she had given him tacit permission to enter the sacred space while she was away. Nick resisted the urge to explore all the crafting stations or take one of the weapons from the wall and give it an experimental swing. He made his way over to where he had watched Kiki walk after their last training session. He realized that he was curious to discover what the combat doll did while no one was around. If she would be deactivated and waiting for Rita to call upon her once more, or if she had a life of her own. One way or the other, Nick was certain by now that the doll was more than a mindless construct. That Kiki had a personality and will of her own. That she was Rita¡¯s senior student and not just a sophisticated tool. He walked over to what appeared to be some manner of holographic display, like a television that played images that completely engulfed the viewer. Or maybe a VR rig that didn¡¯t require a headset was a better comparison. There was a program running, some pleasantly wooded area with snow piled high. He took a few minutes to marvel at the sophisticated magic on display, then stepped closer to see where Kiki was, since she was obviously active and had been using the device recently. The next time that his foot came down, Nick felt the now familiar sensation of a blade pressed against his throat. Kiki had approached him from behind without him ever realizing she was there. Having expected this exact outcome, he froze in place and said, ¡°Hi. Rita mentioned that you might be willing to spar with me from time to time, using my other skills and equipment instead of just the blade. If you would be willing to teach me, I would deeply appreciate getting a chance to learn from such a gifted individual as yourself.¡± Since the doll was prideful, he figured that a bit of flattery couldn¡¯t hurt his chances. Besides, he meant every word he said. Kiki must have found his proposal worth considering. Perhaps she was curious to see how Nick fought when using his full range of powers and gear, because she took the blade away from his throat and shrugged. When he began heading toward the ring, the combat doll stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. She pointed to his pack and then gestured to herself. It took Nick a moment to realize what she wanted, but then it hit him. Oh. She is willing to help but expects to get paid for her service. Fair enough I suppose. I¡¯m the one asking for a favor after all. Chapter 75: Bared Blades by Midnight Nick was happy to compensate Kiki for her time. He just hoped that she would be willing to help him in exchange for something that he already had in his pack. ¡°Ok. I get it. Let me show you what I have to offer and then you can tell me what you want.¡± They walked over to a nearby table, then Nick opened the flap of his magic backpack and started pulling out objects from inside. Over his time living on the Searing Isle, crossing Blackmist Bog, and exploring the basement of the Tower of Rizzen, he had picked up a wide variety of items. From natural resources that might be valuable, to bits of busted magical equipment and pieces he had torn free from especially powerful opponents. He left a few items out, those he suspected might be best for crafting, but there was still a considerable pile spilling out over the tabletop by the time that he was done. It was the first time in quite a while that Nick had viewed his entire stash outside of his pack. It filled him with pride to see the tangible results of his efforts, many of which had come at considerable risk to his life. Kiki seemed impressed too. At least in the sense that she took her time, considering and evaluating a half dozen offerings before deciding what she wanted. In the end, she picked up a blue gem the length of Nick¡¯s thumb, which he had found on one of the ratmen in the Sewers of Kastilla. He already knew that it wasn¡¯t an ability stone or anything of that nature, since it didn¡¯t have any System writing on the exterior, and it wasn¡¯t something that he had any plans or use for right now. The doll held up the gem and then gestured to Nick, asking if it would be alright. ¡°I¡¯m willing to let you have it,¡± he answered. ¡°But that¡¯s for training with me for the duration of my stay, not just tonight. Deal?¡± Kiki hesitated, then added one small fragment of the stones he¡¯d picked up inside the mine below the bog. The teal mineral that had contained the glowing metal ore he had found in the mining machine. Since he still had several larger pieces, he decided that he could let that one go, and accepted her counteroffer. ¡°Alright, It¡¯s a deal. You can have the stone and the gem if you help me out for an hour or two each night. Just try not to kill me in the process.¡± He had the impression that Kiki was laughing as she walked into her private area to put away her acquisitions. Then she led him over to the open part of the enclosure, picked up her sword, and waited for him to get ready. ¡°Thank you.¡± Nick strapped his shield onto his arm, slid his wand into its belt loop, and then stepped into the ring. Thus began his nightly training sessions. In addition to refining his bladework and integrating the lessons Rita had taught him, Nick had several goals that he wanted to accomplish before his month on this world came to an end. He hoped to improve his evasion, wand, and light shield skills, in addition to pushing his sword skill as high as he possibly could. Nick also wanted to learn how to use stamina at the right time to add versatility and power to his style. He needed to improve his ability to sense external mana and killing intent, which had happened a few times before, but wasn¡¯t anywhere close to reliable yet. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. Additionally, he wanted to obtain a better grasp of the strengths and weaknesses of his self-taught combat style. To uncover holes in his defense that a skilled weapon wielder could exploit. He also planned to experiment, trying out new combos and fighting styles while sparring with Kiki. A situation where his mistakes would be painfully obvious, and he could learn at a rapid rate. By the end of their first session, Nick was covered in sweat and bleeding in a half dozen places. But he had managed to score a few points as well, largely thanks to his wand. The doll had a hard time countering the force-flinging device early on, although she adapted quickly to his technique. The first few shots sent her flying, but then she started ducking down low, riding out the blast like she was diving beneath a wave on the ocean or bracing herself against a hurricane gale. When it was over, he opened his menus to check out his gains. Through use, you have improved the following skills: Sword has increased from [16] to [18]. Evasion has increased from [14] to [15]. Unlike training with Rita, the sapient construct was under no restrictions from the System regarding how they could interact. While Nick was unwilling to use mana dart or piercing ray during their duels, lest he inflict lasting damage, he was able to use his shield, wand, and force acceleration to their fullest during their matches, even if his control with the last still left a lot to be desired. Sometimes he dueled with his pack on, to simulate how he tended to fight naturally. Other times he took it off, so that he could see what his body was capable of under ideal conditions. He soon learned that Kiki was an excellent sparring partner. She was always willing to give it her all, and happy to mercilessly exploit any weakness he presented, just like an enemy who was trying to kill him. While the doll had far more combat experience and her attributes were superior by several points, Nick was a quick learner and his performance improved by the day. The morning after his first nighttime training session with Kiki, Rita pretended that nothing had happened, although it was obvious that she knew exactly what was going on. Now that she had accepted him as her apprentice, their days fell into a regular routine. Nick pushed himself as hard as he could, eager to make the most out of every second they had together. His master continued to instruct him in his katas in the morning, adding the second and third forms to the first as the days rolled by. The second form was designed for fighting multiple opponents. It focused on breaking apart their teamwork before he was overwhelmed, then launching an attack once an opening had been created. It involved a great deal of circling and feinting to prevent his enemies from surrounding him, and it was excellent training for improving the speed and precision of his footwork. The third kata in the School of the Ever-Surging Blade was built for facing beasts that were quite a bit bigger than himself. It came more naturally to Nick than the other forms, since most of the enemies he had fought with his sword up to this point had been beasts. It was centered around dodging blows that were too forceful to block or parry, then targeting a beast¡¯s vital points as its momentum carried the creature past his position. In the afternoons, Rita strapped Nick into the infernal machine, back to an endless cycle of hum and shock. He soon progressed to the third and final stage, where the machine would place a glowing target in the air somewhere along the circle. Maintaining his stance the entire time, he would have to turn and strike in a single motion. If he was too slow, or off target by more than an inch, he would get zapped again. He had learned to think of the shocks as an enemy¡¯s blade slicing into his flesh. Every zap represented a killing blow that would end his life in a real battle. He eventually realized that was exactly what the machine was designed to do. Since the device was teaching him how not to die, Nick began to welcome the shocks. Better that he received a bit of momentary pain now, than wind up with a weapon buried in his guts. While he wasn¡¯t a fan of the agonizing sensation, he found that he agreed with Rita¡¯s sentiment. Pain really is the best teacher. Chapter 76: Rapid Progress Not long after, Rita judged that Nick was ready to face Kiki in the ring again, in another pure contest of blade against blade. His heart began to race when the combat doll picked up a sword that was a mirror to his own and took her stance in front of him. Although Nick had been sparring with her for days by this point, it was different when he didn¡¯t have his wand to open some space, or force acceleration to get out of the way. He was intimately aware that Kiki was stronger than he was and had superior control over her weapon. In short, Nick knew that he was about to get cut, though he was determined to do everything he could not to let that happen. Thanks to the rigorous training he had undergone, he now recognized the doll¡¯s footwork and form, and had developed a better sense of her reflexes and reach. His arms were a few inches longer, one small advantage that he intended to make the most of. Kiki bowed to him with a flourish of her blade, and Nick returned the gesture before sinking into his stance. When Rita said, ¡°Mark,¡± the doll launched herself at him in a streaking blur, the same move that had overwhelmed him during their last official session. But this time, Nick was ready. As Kiki¡¯s sword came flashing down, he adjusted his facing and brought his weapon to bear. He took a step that was part of the first kata he¡¯d learned and deepened his stance, catching the doll¡¯s blade and forcing it down the length of his weapon. Properly braced by his legs and spine, Nick¡¯s body didn¡¯t give way this time, even though her blow was powerful enough to make his arms shake. As crimson sparks rained to the ground, Kiki¡¯s sword followed his own until it struck the guard, setting the metal ringing as her momentum was brought to a screeching halt. After taking more than his fair share of hits to the face, Nick knew that she would try to use her superior strength to tip the scales in her favor. That Kiki would punch or kick if he left himself open. Sure enough, one wooden hand came off the hilt in a lightning-fast jab. Instead of bloodying his nose this time around, her fist failed to connect. Nick had leapt back the moment that he felt the pressure lighten and pulled his head out of reach with millimeters to spare. Before Kiki could resume a two-handed grip, he took a step and sent his blade whipping around in a tight arc, performing the kata¡¯s second position. She barely brought her sword up in time, blocking his swing with the flat of her blade. Nick moved on to the third position, a rising strike flowing from the first. But his blade sliced nothing but open air, because the doll had already moved out of the way. Before he could recover from his swing, she wheeled around beside him, raised her weapon, and then struck him with the pommel, knocking him to the floor with a ringing in his ears. Once again, Nick found himself lying on the mat with a blade pressed against his throat. At least this time Kiki didn¡¯t lord the win over him. She just stepped back and resumed her stance, offering him a nod that almost felt respectful. ¡°Good. Much better than before,¡± Rita chimed in. ¡°But you can¡¯t just follow the katas in a real fight. They¡¯re designed to ingrain the forms into your body, not to overcome a thinking opponent. The movements are far too predictable, especially to someone who has seen them before. ¡°You should use them as blueprints for developing your own moves, but you need to be able to improvise in a real fight. Adjust each attack to the features of any given moment. Take advantage of narrow gaps in an opponent¡¯s guard that might only exist for the blink of an eye. A battle is a living thing. To thrive in the midst of combat, your sword must come to life too. But you¡¯ve made real progress in a short span of time, Nick. Now do it again, and don¡¯t let her guess what you¡¯re up to.¡± This began an intense hour of dueling. Nick only scored two points, but it took Kiki much longer than before to disarm him, or land what would have been a killing blow if it wasn¡¯t for the enchantment on the blade. When it was over, he was covered in cuts, and his blood dripped to the ground, but he found himself smiling anyway. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. He was making solid progress. By the time that he returned to his party, Nick would be able to perform on a whole new level. Protect his friends and fight for the future of his planet and his people. Before he got to that, he still had a lot of work to do, and he intended to give it his all. Rita judged that he¡¯d had enough for the day. She had him use his flask to heal the worst of his wounds, then moved on to the next stage of his training. Over the next three weeks, Rita drilled Nick from dawn to dusk, giving him half of each night to work on whatever he wanted. Thanks to his nocturnal sparring sessions with Kiki, by the end of the second week, he was scoring points regularly during their matches. By the end of the third, he was almost able to hold his own, landing one good hit for every two that he took. He knew that the doll was restricted by her settings and could hand him his ass if she was able to go all out. But it was still immensely satisfying to watch himself improve in such a tangible manner. While the construct was bloodthirsty and prideful to a fault, she was an excellent sparring partner. Kiki genuinely loved the thrill of combat, willing to face Nick as many times as he wanted under almost any conditions. He wound up bleeding a fair amount during the process, but he figured that it was an even exchange for the experience he¡¯d gained. As the days ticked past, they began developing some manner of camaraderie, although he would call it more of a rivalry than a friendship. Being able to use the full range of his powers and gear, minus his offensive spells, offered him many valuable insights for wielding them against a trained opponent. While his light shield performed poorly against such a big blade, Nick learned that the vambrace form could be used to block a heavy hit, and he made some progress in his other goals along the way. He had a obtained a better sense of when to use his wand to create an opening and land a killing blow. When to evade an attack, rather than trying to parry or block. He was even starting to get the hang of using force acceleration in battle. He was learning how to use the ability to speed up an attack. When to use it to get out of the way of a blow that he wouldn¡¯t have been able to avoid otherwise. He still tended to overcorrect, wasting too much mana or creating too much distance in the process. But his movements were far more precise than they¡¯d been at the start. Nick was also getting better at controlling how much force he put into each move, preventing himself from damaging his body to nearly the same extent. He still couldn¡¯t go anywhere close to all out with force acceleration, especially when combined with stamina like his battle with the river king, or he¡¯d wind up breaking his own bones. Turning it on and off in battle was distracting, but manageable when he combined it with arctic clarity. Nick wouldn¡¯t be able to use the ability in every fight, but in the right time and place, he was certain that it would save his life. He was also working on learning how to consciously increase or reduce the amount of mana that he put into his powers, trying to regulate how much force acceleration drew and reduce its output to a manageable level. While he was making progress, he was still a long way away from having the level of control that he¡¯d obtained while casting mana dart. Although Nick hadn¡¯t practiced much with his darts or piercing ray, he had spent some time pondering their properties every night. He was trying to understand his spells on a deeper level, so that he could use them more effectively and rank them up as soon as possible. As the days on the strangely colored planet passed by in a blur, Nick watched his skills grow. Through use, you have improved the following skills: Sword has increased from [18] to [23]. Evasion has increased from [15] to [18]. Wand has increased from [14] to [15]. Light Shield has increased from [4] to [6]. Near the end of his final week, Nick received a notice that he¡¯d been hoping to see for a long time. He¡¯d had the sense that the fight with the Janitor had taken him close to solidifying the gain, and his month of intense exercise was enough to put it over the top. By pushing yourself to the limit in the midst of a deadly battle, followed by rigorous daily exercise, you have conditioned your body and improved the following baseline attribute: Strength has increased from [9] to [10]. For reaching the attribute cap in strength, you have been awarded with an additional point of strength. When he let Rita know what had happened, she was thrilled to hear the news. ¡°Those two points will make a world of difference.¡± She called Kiki over for an impromptu sparring session. For the first time, Nick didn¡¯t find himself drastically overpowered during the match. The doll was still a bit stronger, but it wasn¡¯t enough to knock him around, or force his sword out of the way during an even exchange of blows. Now that his arms could handle the weight, Nick could control the heavy blade with greater precision, moving it into position considerably faster than before. If I get another few points of strength, I should be able to start using some one-handed moves, increasing my versatility and letting me use my wand and other tools easier mid-battle. Since the present was going well, Nick turned his thoughts to the future. I hope that everyone else is making progress too. Our time for training is almost up. Chapter 77: Intermission: Sophia and Shaun Sophia looked up toward the ceiling of the immense cavern, where a fierce battle was taking place high above her head. Darting between enormous clusters of glowing crystals protruding from the roof of an enclosure big enough to hold a thriving metropolis were four of her frostfury wasps. The quartet of venomous insects was engaged in a dogfight with a trio of giant birds with shimmering silver wings. They reminded her of oversized eagles, although the burning claws were a dead giveaway that these were no creatures of Earth. The wasps wove their way between the crystals, dodging arcs of flame all the while. The birds darted and dove to avoid being stung, and neither side was able to land a killing blow. Since the stalemate seemed likely to continue for at least a few more minutes, Sophia lowered her gaze to the water by her feet, where a pair of her spear-tongue frogs was dueling against a giant reptile that looked like an azure crocodile with flippers and fins instead of feet. While the fight raged on both above and below, she tried to take in the battle as a whole. She was still learning to sense when taking command could turn the tide of a conflict. When it was better to let her summons act according to their instincts without direct intervention. From time to time, she received an impression from battlefield awareness, the skill that she had journeyed to this world to train. She had come a long way over the last four weeks, due to the instruction she had been offered by her mentor. Thanks to her intensive lessons, Sophia could direct more of her summons at once, control them with greater precision, and command separate units, each with their own orders and objectives. Dira couldn¡¯t offer Sophia advice on how to use her abilities, as it went beyond the scope of their training, but she had been able to figure out quite a bit on her own during their weeks of dueling with their respective summons. As if responding to that thought, the woman began to speak, using some manner of magic that let her words reach Sophia¡¯s ears from a hundred feet away. ¡°Keep an eye on each skirmish taking place, but don¡¯t let any of them draw you in for more than a second or two at a time. Take in the entirety of the battlefield instead. Feel how the pieces fit together to form a unified whole. You must always be seeking the moment where one small change can claim victory if the odds are in your favor and throw the entire board into chaos if they¡¯re not. ¡°It will become even more complex when fighting with allies at your side, in conflicts involving greater numbers than we¡¯ve practiced with up to this point. Especially if you¡¯re attacking and defending with your own body at the same time. You can¡¯t divide your attention that many ways at your level, so don¡¯t even try. Instead, seek to perceive the fight as a seamless tapestry of violence. Put your finger on its pulse, hear the music it makes, whatever image lets you wrap your head around it¡¯s unique, shape, sound, color, or taste. ¡°The more summons you control, the harder maintaining this perspective becomes. Although it will become easier to switch your focus around as needed, the higher that you raise your battlefield awareness skill. Each summoner has their own unique style. Over time, you will have to decide what the optimal number of summons is for you, along with which to direct and which to leave standing orders. As you gain new abilities, your range of options will grow. But no matter what path you follow or what is going on at any given moment¡­¡± Dira¡¯s words abruptly cut off, then resumed from behind Sophia¡¯s back. ¡°Never forget that you are the linchpin of it all. More important than commanding your forces or anything else, you always need to protect yourself.¡± Sophia turned around and tried to leap out of the way, but it was already too late. Before the last word reached her ears, a fist slammed into her stomach, knocking the wind out of her. She went sprawling in the dirt, her control over her beasts broken, leaving them to fight on their own, limited initiative. She let out a groan and climbed onto her feet, trying to reestablish her awareness of the field before the fight was lost. She looked around, anticipating another strike, but her mentor was already darting back and out of reach, continuing to offer advice without any perceptible pauses. ¡°You¡¯re getting better at this, but six is still too many to use in a real fight. Against another summoner, they would have just killed all your units, then converged to finish you off. Until you can raise your creativity and mind, you should consider upgrading their individual power rather than fielding more forces. ¡°The other option is to specialize exclusively in your summons and stop trying to develop your personal combat ability, beyond a bit of defense. As with every choice you make on your path to power, you will close as many doors as you open if that¡¯s the direction that you decide go in. I can¡¯t give you advice as to which path to walk. You will have to develop your own concept during the trials ahead.¡± Sophia noticed that the silver birds had changed formation. That if she didn¡¯t order her wasps to regroup and pull back, she was going to lose half of them over the next few seconds. Dira smiled when she saw that Sophia had noticed what she was up to, then finished the point she was making. ¡°Since you¡¯re still a hybrid of summoner and warrior right now, you must learn to direct yourself as well as coordinate your horde. Bear in mind that you are a part of the battle too, an integral player around which the other pieces revolve. It will become even more complex if you try to take the lead and direct your team at the same time, although it will get easier to keep it all in your head the further you train your attributes and skills. Although nothing is more valuable than hands on experience.¡± ¡°Yes sensei, thank you for your guidance.¡± Sophia winced at her fresh bruises without trying to show it. Then she bowed to her instructor, who was standing a bit to one side, waiting for Sophia to recover before launching another attack. The martial arts she¡¯d learned from her mother led her to use the word without thinking about it. Dira seemed to like the honorific, so Sophia had kept on using it. This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. The woman in question was a four-foot-tall humanoid rabbit covered in feathers. At least, that was the closest thing that Sophia could think of. But over the last four weeks, she had come to see Dira as a mentor and a friend, despite her unusual appearance. Sophia appreciated the guidance that she¡¯d been offered. She sensed that Dira was pushing the limits of what the System would allow her to reveal during exchanges like this one. ¡°I¡¯m not authorized to train you with your dagger, but you¡¯re going to have to make a choice during your next class selection. Whether you want to specialize purely in controlling your summons, or whether you want to fight alongside them. Each path will lead you down a different series of classes over time. Either way, if you want to be able to fight alongside your friends without becoming a liability, you will have to train your body as diligently as you¡¯ve been developing your tactical mind. ¡°Not everyone has the potential for both roles, but you do. You¡¯ll also have to think about whether you want to specialize in large-scale conflicts or small-group engagements, at least to some extent. But we can talk about that later. For now, let¡¯s bring all our forces onto the ground and work on fighting alongside them in a coordinated manner. It¡¯s a stronger tactic until you pick up some perceptual abilities that will let you view the field through the eyes of your summons.¡± Sophia sent out a mental command, recalling her summons to her position while focusing on Dira¡¯s words. ¡°This kind of fight is what you will experience most of the time once you leave here tomorrow. Although there will always be exceptions, so it¡¯s good that we got in some practice in coordinating multiple distant units too. I¡¯ve heard more than enough of the sound of my own voice for one day. Enough talking, it¡¯s time for round two.¡± Sophia raised both daggers and assumed a defensive stance, as her frostfury wasps arrived and then spread out above her head. The spear-tongue frogs leapt out of the water to guard her flanks, completing the six-unit formation. Her mentor¡¯s forces took on a different strategy. Instead of staying in one place, Dira drew her bow and leapt on top of the big blue crocodile, riding it as a mount while her eagles flew low to the ground on either side. Without further warning, they charged Sophia as one. Her sensei began firing arrows from atop the beast, aimed at where Sophia was standing. She leapt out of the way at the last possible moment, then broke into a charge with her summons at her side, ready to engage the enemy. She was eager to give the battle her all and make the most out of her final hours on this world. As she sprinted to close the distance, Sophia wondered how her friends were doing. She hoped that they were getting this much out of their skills training reward. *** Shaun drew back the string of his bow, shutting out the world around him to concentrate on the row of targets lined up across the open space ahead. Some of them were relatively close, while others were further back, near the limit of his range. A few of the painted circles were the size of a person, while others were smaller than an apple. Half of the targets were stationary, while the rest followed different patterns of movement, simulating the natural motion of a living opponent. His mentor Finren, a dark-skinned man without a hair on his body, watched him with a perennial frown. Shaun tried to ignore his presence. To focus on nothing other than the feeling of the weapon in his hands and the target he was trying to hit. After weeks of grueling struggle, he¡¯d finally graduated from the basics to situations that came closer to simulating a true battlefield. Although Finren said that Shaun wasn¡¯t ready to try firing against an enemy who was shooting back at him yet. Shaun desperately wanted to grow stronger, but he¡¯d learned not to let it distract him, accepting that he had a long road to walk before he would be able to fight on par with the rest of his team. He let go of his future to focus on the now, letting everything else fade away, except for a target the size of his fist that was flitting through the air like a bird in flight. He nocked his arrow and drew back the string, aiming not for where the target was, but where it would be when his missile arrived. There was an abrupt sense of rightness, the guidance from his bow skill kicking in. Shaun leaned into the feeling and released the arrow in a single, smooth motion. The arrow shot forth, arrowhead flashing in the green light of an alien sun, before plunging straight into the center of his target with an oh so satisfying thud. He let out a whoop of victory, and turned to face Finren, enjoying the rare look of approval on his mentor¡¯s face. ¡°Better. You¡¯re improving by the day. But you¡¯re still treating this like a shooting gallery instead of a battlefield. You can¡¯t shut out your surroundings for longer than the instant it takes you to line up the shot, or something is going to claim your head before you even know it¡¯s there.¡± Finren took pity after seeing the disappointment on Shaun¡¯s face. He walked over and clasped the young man on the back. ¡°Don¡¯t worry lad, you¡¯re getting there. You¡¯ve made remarkable progress since we began, considering that you were a total beginner at the start. We¡¯ll get you in shape during the little time we have left. At least enough that you can contribute something in a real fight. ¡°Since your damage output will be low until you can get your hands on a modified bow, you should focus on distracting your enemy or landing a shot in a vital point. Right now, your job is to disrupt and distract. To interrupt their casting and foul your enemy¡¯s formation. To capture their attention and lower their guard, so the rest of your team can get in close take them down. With your abilities, you can function as a decent support fighter, until you level up and get a better class at twenty-five. ¡°Cool off for a few minutes, then I¡¯ll tweak the settings and we¡¯ll try it again. While you rest, here¡¯s a final bit of advice. I can¡¯t train you in your abilities given the constraints of my contract, but you should learn everything that you can about them on your own. It will give you a massive head start when you hit level fifteen, helping you to rank up your powers several times right away.¡± Shaun nodded as he drank from the bucket beside him, pouring the rest over his head to help combat the pervasive heat. His mentor¡¯s words had softened during the last exchange, trying to be encouraging, although pep talks weren¡¯t Finren¡¯s strong suit. ¡°If you really want to catch up to your team, this is one way that you can begin to bridge the gap.¡± Shaun sighed, then nodded, intending to give these final hours his all. ¡°Thank you. Really, I can¡¯t tell you how much your guidance means to me. I know that I still have a long way to go, but I really do want to contribute and help the others climb the tower. I¡¯ve been useless for my entire life, and I haven¡¯t always been a good person, but I¡¯m trying to change. Now, while there¡¯s still time.¡± ¡°I respect that, lad. But if you mean what you say, then get back up and get ready to go again. It¡¯s time to get back to work. Less talking, more training, as my master always says.¡± With that, Shaun picked up his bow and began choosing his target, ready to give it his best effort. He was determined to make something of his new life, to become a better person than he had been before, even if he wound up dying in the process. Chapter 78: One Last Farewell As with all things, the good and bad alike, Nick¡¯s training was not fated to continue forever. He kept on pushing himself as hard as he could, until at last, his final day with Rita arrived. He had worked harder over the last four weeks than at any other point in his life. Now it was time to take what he had learned and continue fighting for the future of his people. Of every creature that called the Earth home. He awoke before dawn and stepped out of his bedroom, only to find Rita waiting for him in the kitchen. This was their last morning together, and he wanted to make sure that she knew how grateful he was. Not only for taking him as her apprentice and teaching him the art of the blade, which he deeply appreciated, but for her kindness and support over the last month. His master had gone above and beyond what the System¡¯s reward had required. She had helped Nick to recover from his prolonged ordeal. To process everything that had happened since the System had obliterated his old way of life, and to prepare him for the ordeal to come. Though their time together was coming to an end, he hoped to see Rita again. To complete his initiation into the School of the Ever-Surging Blade. But that was a matter for another day. In just a few hours, a portal would open, taking him back to the Tower of Rizzen. Where after climbing a few more floors, the decisive battle for the fate of the Earth would ensue. Nick realized that he would miss his master. That this month had been more than just training. That he had made his first friend from an alien race. As these thoughts passed through his head, they ate breakfast in a companiable silence, enjoying their last moments together. He thought that she would offer him a few final pointers before seeing him off. But instead of more drills, Rita had a surprise in store. ¡°Unfortunately, I can¡¯t give you anything to take with you besides the knowledge that you¡¯ve gained and a small memento that has no value beyond the sentimental.¡± With that, she handed Nick a small carving of himself wielding a sword. The detail was exquisite, down to every last crook of his features. His face was scrunched in concentration, and a bead of sweat was running down his neck. ¡°Thank you,¡± he rose to his feet and offered his master a bow. ¡°For the gift, and for everything.¡± ¡°Think nothing of it. I had fun too. Before we part ways, I have one last memorable experience in store. We¡¯ve sighted a rax crossing the Titans¡¯ Prairie, and I thought that you should see it in action before you go.¡± It wasn¡¯t what he was expecting, but Nick had to admit that he was curious. He had been wondering about the massive carnivores that only allowed civilization to flourish on this planet up on the plateaus, thanks to the wind bullet barriers created by the flying foxes. His heart began racing in anticipation. He wasn¡¯t sure what to expect, but he knew that it was going to be big. She led him out of the house, through the gate, and across the rocky flats, over to the highland¡¯s southern edge. Rita came to a stop on an elevated knob of stone, and then pointed into the distance. At first, Nick didn¡¯t see anything out of the ordinary, if you could call a group of cattle the size of oil tankers ordinary. But when he pulled out his spyglass to take a closer look, his eyes went wide, and his jaw dropped in astonishment. Because that was when what he had thought was a spire of stone a thousand feet high, woke up, uncurled its tail, and opened its eyes. It was a predatory beast of staggering proportion. A kaiju that would make the biggest dinosaurs from Earth¡¯s past look like a child¡¯s toy. Every inch of its body, every move that it made, radiated raw power on a scale that boggled his brain. Rita had referred to it as a rax, but to Nick¡¯s game-trained brain, it could only be called one thing. Dragon. I¡¯m looking at a dragon with my own eyes. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. The rax was a wingless lizard with a long, sinuous body. It had four powerful legs ending in claws capable of demolishing buildings in a single swipe. Its head was angular, with spiraling black horns cresting a mouth filled with jagged teeth the size of shipping containers. More than its staggering physical prowess, the creature radiated a palpable aura of might. Every energetic sense that Nick had told him that the rax possessed an incredible amount of mana, essence, and what he strongly suspected was some manner of concept. He couldn¡¯t even begin to sort it all out with his developing powers, but he was certain that the beast could take on every member of Team Earth at once without breaking a sweat. ¡°I thought that you might enjoy seeing a tier-three, grade-C creature. Think of it as a sneak peak of what you might find yourself up against one day. Not everything that powerful will be nearly that large, but it¡¯s a rare opportunity to see something halfway between where you are and the weakest of the gods.¡± In that moment, Nick found that he didn¡¯t have anything to say. Words failed him as he watched the dragon stretch out beneath the light of an alien sun. Then it let out a sleepy yawn and turned to face the mega-sized cattle. It must have been using some manner of ability to conceal its presence from its prey. While Nick could see its movements as plain as day, the four-legged herbivores showed no sign that they saw the immense beast coming. The rax began stalking the fattest of the lot, drawing closer and closer, keeping its colossal body low to the ground to reduce its profile on its approach. His adrenaline began to flow, heart pounding in anticipation of the imminent attack. And then it happened. Once it drew near, it struck in a flash. The rax¡¯s attack was so fast that it crossed what must have been miles in the span of heartbeats. It was terrifying to watch something so big move so fast. A predator that could wipe out everyone Nick had ever met without batting an eye. It pounced, tearing into the oversized herbivore with blows so powerful that he could feel the ground rumble from miles away. The cattle struggled and screamed, but it was already too late. A few minutes later, the rax released its prey to expire from its grievous wounds. Nick thought that the rest of the herd was going to get away. But then he felt an incredible concentration of mana begin to build, so strong he could sense it despite the vast distance between them. ¡°Watch closely,¡± Rita said. ¡°You don¡¯t want to miss this.¡± No sooner had those words left her lips, than energy began coalescing in front of the rax¡¯s jaws. For a moment, Nick thought that it was about to breathe fire, but then he realized that it was light-aspected mana instead of flame. The ability continued to build for another few seconds, as the bison-like beasts desperately tried to escape, but their doom was already sealed. A beam like a laser shot forth from the rax¡¯s position, reducing countless stalks of grass to dust as it crossed the distance in the blink of an eye. It caught two of the creatures in the flank and then kept right on going, obliterating a small mountain before it vanished from view. Both bison had a gaping hole bored straight through them. They took one final step and then fell to the ground, dead before their heads hit the soil. Nick wasn¡¯t sure how long he stared, committing the moment to memory. Eventually, Rita tugged on his sleeve to get him moving. ¡°We¡¯re almost out of time, and Kiki wants to say goodbye before you go.¡± He followed her back to the ranch and started collecting his gear, taking one last look at the place where he had undergone such an incredible amount of growth in such a short span of time. On the way, he tried to thank Rita for everything that she¡¯d done. She stopped him after a few words, embarrassed by the praise. ¡°It was a good time for us too, Nick. If you want to pay me back, live long enough to find me again. Far too many promising students die young, and I¡¯ll pray to any gods who are listening that you are not one of them.¡± She drew him in for a hug and then let him loose. Nick pretended not to notice her wipe away a tear, touched that she would miss him too. As they crossed the last stretch of red stone, Nick opened the skills section of his profile, taking in the gains he had made since arriving on this world. Skills (active) Evasion: 18. Light shield: 6. Sword: 23. Throwing: 8. Wand: 15. As the timer dwindled down to zero, he walked over to where the portal would appear, only to find Kiki waiting for him. Although she couldn¡¯t talk, by now, Nick could get a sense for what the doll was thinking by watching her gestures. As a glowing blue circle winked into existence, Kiki drew her blade and bowed deep, ending with a swordsman¡¯s salute. Nick returned the gesture, waved goodbye to Kiki and Rita, then stepped into the portal, his consciousness drawn into the space between the stars. Chapter 79: Joyous Reunion When the world finished putting itself back together, Nick found himself standing in a concrete room that was about thirty feet on all sides, forming a perfect cube. After spotting nothing hostile within, or anything living for that matter, he let out a sigh of long relief. Good. The System took me to a saferoom instead of teleporting me directly to the next floor. Hopefully, it will give us some time to catch up and plan out our next move before sending us out again. No sooner had that thought crossed his mind than a message from the System appeared. Your team will be granted a 24-hour rest period before progressing to the next floor of the tower. A countdown clock has been mounted to the wall for your convenience. You may use the obelisk to access your profile during this time without restriction. Nick set down his pack and took a long look around, glad to be out of the intense green sunlight. Along one wall ran a row of cots. A shower, sink, and a toilet with a privacy screen were arranged in one corner, and a round table with five chairs took up another. As promised, there was a mini-obelisk set in a recess along one wall, with a screen mounted beside it. Nothing to write home about, but it looks safe and relatively comfortable. The rest of the space was open. Half of the floor was bare concrete, and half was covered in the kinds of mats you would find in a martial arts studio. There was a clock on the wall displaying the minutes he had left until it was time to move on to the second floor of Darkstone Tower. The entire place was immaculately clean¡ªnot a speck of dust or grain of dirt to be found. At that point, he heard footsteps. Something hard hit him in the chest half a heartbeat later. For a second, he thought that he was under attack. When Nick looked down, he saw the top of Sophia¡¯s head and realized that her arms were wrapped around him. He laughed as he returned her embrace, sharing a long, lingering look when she glanced up. ¡°Sophia, it¡¯s great to see you.¡± ¡°You too, Nick.¡± After a final squeeze, she let him go and took a step back. ¡°I knew that you were alright. But after everything that happened, it¡¯s good to see you in one piece.¡± ¡°Right back at you.¡± He broke into a beaming grin. ¡°Hey, save some of that for the rest of us.¡± Devin¡¯s booming laugh reverberated off the walls. Before Nick had time to turn around, he was hit for a second time, Devin¡¯s powerful arms squeezing him hard enough to make his ribs creak. ¡°Group hug! Now that just leaves¡­¡± With a flash of orange light, Veronica stepped out of a portal and entered the room. When she saw what the others were up to, she let out an uncharacteristic giggle and ran over to join them, throwing her arms around their backs. The team stayed like that for a long moment, enjoying each other¡¯s company and the knowledge that everyone was still alive. Then they sat down at the table and started to talk. Nick realized that Shaun was here too, sitting on a cot while waiting for someone to notice him. The red-haired man wasn¡¯t Nick¡¯s favorite person, but his presence no longer felt like such a burden after their journey across the basement, culminating in their climatic fight with the Janitor and roach queen. ¡°Come on, Shaun.¡± Devin waved him over. ¡°You¡¯re a part of the team too. No need to be a satellite.¡± While no one was thrilled to be working with Shaun instead of Kenji, there was less hostility and more acceptance in the looks the others sent in his direction. It seemed that having a month to think things over was long enough to wrap their heads around his unexpected arrival. We have to work with him until the quest is over, and he really gave that last fight his all. Nick decided that he would do his best to make Shaun feel included from now on. They needed to work together if they wanted to survive, and the man really did seem to be trying to change. When Shaun took a seat, Devin threw an arm around his shoulder and said, ¡°It¡¯s weird to have everything back to its normal color again. It¡¯s taking my brain some time to adjust. Did we all get sent to the same planet to train? The one with the green sun.¡± After confirming that everyone had gone to the same world, they went around the table. Each member of the team shared their experiences, letting the others know what their training was like and reporting the progress they¡¯d made along the way. Everyone did their best to include Shaun in the conversation, although Sophia was still a bit cold to him, given how they¡¯d met. But at least the young man no longer seemed like an intruder or outsider. It was a good thing, since they had to rely on one another if they wanted to reach the top of the tower. Nick still hadn¡¯t forgiven him either, but he honestly couldn¡¯t blame Shaun for what had happened. If he had been separated from his team, he would probably have jumped in the first door he saw too. Hopefully, now that he had been trained with his bow, Shaun could contribute during their battles, especially when he hit level fifteen and activated the ability mastery system. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. Nick listened intently, asking an occasional question. It was fascinating to hear the descriptions of other alien species, and he hoped to meet some of the races that his friends described one day. While everyone was busy sharing their various ordeals, he took a good look at each of them, trying to get a sense of how much they had grown. Everyone seemed more imposing than before, even Shaun. When he sized them up, Nick was thrilled to learn that everyone was significantly more dangerous than when he¡¯d last laid eyes upon them. When Team Earth stepped onto the next floor of the Tower of Rizzen, they would be far more effective in battle, especially when fighting against other weapon-wielders. When the last person was done sharing their story, everyone reached into their packs and brought out some provisions for an impromptu potluck lunch¡ªsitting around the table while enjoying each other¡¯s company. It seemed that their stay in the training grounds had included free food, so their stores were about as full as they had been a month ago, minus a few perishable items. While they ate, they started refining their strategies and tactics, incorporating everything that they¡¯d learned into their formations and contingencies. They only had a day in the safe room, and they needed to make it count. While they talked, Nick began memorizing their new proficiencies, along with gains they had made after the last battle in the basement. It turned out that everyone had chosen to train with their weapon skill except for Sophia. She had opted to improve her battlefield awareness skill instead, so that she could direct her summons more effectively, and fight alongside them with improved coordination. She would be able to help guide the rest of the team too, pointing out openings and vulnerabilities exposed by the shifting tide of battle. Taken together, the team had undergone remarkable growth over the last month, or day, depending on how you counted the compressed time. Better still, everyone except for Shaun now had experience fighting against other people who were wielding weapons. Something that they had all been short on until now, since most of their battles had been against beasts or magical constructs. When they were done recounting their training experiences, they began discussing their new abilities. Everyone but Shaun had hit level fifteen while clearing the first floor of the tower, gaining access to the ability mastery system. They had ranked up some abilities before the big fight, and even more of them after. It turned out that defeating the Janitor had boosted Nick the most, due to the mutant¡¯s force-based energy, but the others had gotten more out of stealing the kill on the roach queen. Devin had taken flashfire pulse to rank two. Like most abilities, it had gained some power and efficiency from rank one, letting the warrior dish out more damage more often. For his rank two upgrade, he had chosen to be able to direct the blast. He could still create a full hemisphere if he wanted, but now he could narrow it down and select the angle. The axe-wielding warrior no longer had to hold back when fighting alongside his allies and could use the ability freely in battle. Additionally, since the directed flames were more concentrated, it was an indirect upgrade to flashfire pulse¡¯s damage. The new rank also let him hold a charge for longer, so he didn¡¯t have to worry about it dissipating before he found a good chance to unleash it upon his foes. Blast-striking had advanced to rank two early on in their exploration of the basement, thanks to the prevalence of the fire breathing roaches. As Nick had already observed, the ability had gained the power to leave behind patches of searing mana after Devin¡¯s weapon struck, adding extra damage to every swing on top of the carnage wrought by the initial explosion. Finally, he had been able to take flame resistance to rank one, making the passive ability more effective with a reduced drain on his mana regeneration. When the warrior was done sharing his gains, Sophia took her turn. She had taken her frostfury wasps to rank two and her spear-tongue frogs to rank one. Both varieties of summed beasts had gained some dexterity and toughness as a result. After advancing the wasps to rank two, she had chosen to increase the potency of their venom. Going forward, the agile insects would be even more deadly in combat and more effective against large targets, which they had demonstrated during their fight with the Janitor. Sophia¡¯s aura had gone up to rank one during the battle, and she thought that it was close to reaching rank two. Nick was curious how the passive ability would change when she acquired the next upgrade, but the boost to everyone¡¯s attributes was already incredibly useful. Veronica went next. First, she shared the details of her rank two acidic bolt, letting the others know about its healing properties. The roach queen and her entourage had released a fair amount of acid essence, and V thought that the ability was already getting close to rank three. She had less luck with her other powers. She was still at rank one with her bleeding slash and bone claws, and hoped to find some compatible essence while crossing the next floor. Shaun shared the details of his abilities with Devin and Sophia, since they hadn¡¯t heard the full description yet. His smoke and electric arrows were generally useful and would become even more so once he was able to upgrade them at level fifteen. He planned to gain access to the ability mastery system while they were crossing the next floor, since his level had shot up after their battle with the Janitor. He thought he would be able to get several upgrades right away at that point. Shaun had absorbed a fair amount of essence after the last fight, and he had spent considerable time familiarizing himself with both powers in between training sessions. Nick took the last turn. He let everyone know that he had absorbed an incredible amount of essence from the Janitor and had taken mana dart to rank three, the first member of his team to reach that milestone. He also explained the changes to his wand¡ªthe mysterious and most welcome upgrade to the force-flinging tool that had become a core part of his fighting style. When he finished, he saw that everyone was smiling, savoring their shared progress and boosted lethality. All in all, the team had undergone incredible growth from surviving the garbage war on the tower¡¯s basement, boosting their odds of conquering the next floor. Chapter 80: Ready to Roll Now that they were done going over their abilities, the team discussed the state of their consumable items. Nick still had one physical barrier and one energetic barrier, which he was saving for a pinch. Veronica had one web bomb left, and enough of her concentrated stamina potion to make four more doses before she ran out. On top of that, everyone still had one potion on them, bringing the team¡¯s total to nine. Shaun wound up taking ten instant meals, since he hadn¡¯t had any food when he entered the tower. He still had eight in his pack. They weighed almost nothing and would last for years. While they didn¡¯t offer a tactical advantage like the rest of the party¡¯s selections, they would come in handy if food was hard to come by on any of the remaining floors. Especially since the rest of the team had an enhanced Survivor trait, and only needed to eat half as much as a normal person. Sophia and Devin were out of consumables, although they had been crucial to winning the last fight. Sophia had used all her mana potions and Devin had blown through both cryo grenades while setting up the kill on the Janitor. Since the team wouldn¡¯t be standing here if they hadn¡¯t used the items to counter the monster¡¯s rapid regeneration, Nick considered them to be well-spent. If I find some more oil, I can make some Molotovs and hand them out to supplement V¡¯s napalm grenades. Shaun spoke up when the conversation wound down, looking Nick and Sophia in the eyes. ¡°I just wanted to tell you how sorry I am for trying to rob you. We were stupid and wrong, and we paid a heavy price for it. Aya and Greg¡­ well, they didn¡¯t make it to the tower. The bow I¡¯m using was hers. If we had been willing to work together with you instead of trying to take advantage, they would probably still be alive.¡± ¡°We all make mistakes,¡± Sophia said after a long moment of silence. ¡°Yours was a bad one, but it seems that you¡¯ve learned the error of your ways and grown from the experience. Try not to make any more. With our planet on the Mad God¡¯s chopping block, the consequences could be disastrous for us all.¡± Nick nodded his agreement, and then let the matter drop. He would keep a watchful eye on Shaun going forward, but he was willing to give the red-haired man a second chance. To treat him as a member of the team, at least on a provisional basis. As nice as it was to enjoy each other¡¯s company in a place where nothing was trying to eat or otherwise annihilate them, the party couldn¡¯t afford to squander this opportunity to train and improve their teamwork. Now armed with a solid understanding of what each member could do, they set up a rotation. Each person took turns sparring with one another, alone and in pairs. Whoever wasn¡¯t participating in a given round took the opportunity to shower, meditate, or nap, preparing their bodies and minds for the ordeal to come. Although it wasn¡¯t safe to use their abilities against one another, especially within the narrow confines of the saferoom, the improvements to the party¡¯s skills were obvious the moment that they started sparring. Nick couldn¡¯t watch every matchup, since he had to keep his attention on his opponent, but it was enough to get a solid grasp of where everyone was at. Nick and Devin fought on an even footing, exchanging a fierce barrage of blows without either fighter scoring many points on the other. He had a slight advantage versus Devin¡¯s two-handed axe, due to his sword¡¯s longer reach, while the athletic warrior had the edge while using his shield and hand axe combo. Nick had trouble breaking through Devin¡¯s guard without his wand and spells, and he couldn¡¯t use his caster¡¯s buckler while fighting with his sword two-handed. He tried out some one-handed maneuvers that were possible due to the recent gains to his strength, but they were still clumsy and unrefined since he hadn¡¯t had the opportunity to practice them to the same extent. Veronica and Shaun hadn¡¯t improved nearly as much in melee combat, as it hadn¡¯t been the focus of their training. Even still, they were both noticeably better at reacting to various strikes headed their way. These gains were likely due to some practice they had gotten in on the side, like Nick had done when he was sparring with Kiki while Rita was asleep. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. When using their ranged weapons, however, both warriors demonstrated a remarkable improvement since the battle with the Janitor. While V was still the better shot by far, even when firing both crossbows at once, Shaun had advanced past the point of basic competency and was well on the way to becoming a decent archer. He was still their weakest member, especially until he had more combat experience and levels under his belt, but Shaun no longer felt like the chronic liability that he¡¯d been before. Nick only wished that the man¡¯s attributes had undergone a similar growth spurt, although he did seem more mature and focused than before. Nick and Sophia had been relatively evenly matched before entering the tower, but now he could score points on her while sparring nine times out of ten. She was still faster and stronger than he was, but the difference wasn¡¯t nearly as big as it had been while crossing the bog. His advantage was mostly due to his massive improvement in his understanding of the blade. That all changed when she added a single wasp to the mix. She could only spare enough stamina and mana to use a summon during a few fights, since she needed to regenerate her vital energy before the clock hit zero and they entered the next floor. But it was enough to get a taste for what she could do. He noticed that she still called the blue-striped beast Buzz when there was only one of the bugs manifested. Nick had no idea if there was a reason for it. If it was just her sense of whimsy, or if the creature had something that remained consistent between summonings that warranted giving it a name. When Sophia fought beside her wasp, her power increased threefold. Every time that one of them attacked from the front, the other came for Nick¡¯s blindside. Each time that he went in for the kill, his other opponent was nipping at his heels, foiling his advance before he could land a critical blow. He found Buzz¡¯s stinger at his throat more times than he could count as they began pushing themselves harder, and Sophia¡¯s dagger almost as often. When the woman was fighting beside her summon, Nick was lucky to win one round out of three. He knew that she would be even deadlier with more beasts in the mix, although he would be using his wand and spells if they were battling for real. Regardless, the results were impressive. Their teamwork is impeccable. She would be a nightmare to face with a full contingent at her side. When everyone was done sparring, they spent the last few hours relaxing, enjoying each other¡¯s company while recovering from the vigorous exercise. Team Earth passed the time napping, taking a second shower if they wanted, and getting their heads in the game for whatever they found on the next level. All they knew from the floor¡¯s rule was that it would be big, relatively open, and filled with several roaming bosses. Hopefully we can suss out more details after stepping through the portal. Nick decided to take a quick nap too. When he woke up, it was almost time to go. The party made a final inspection of their equipment, strapping on their gear while waiting for the clock to hit zero. During this process, Sophia turned to Veronica and said, ¡°Would you like to trade your arena dagger for my frost venom stinger? I have more than enough cold from my wasps, and your class trait should make the venom stronger.¡± V thought about it for a moment, then nodded. ¡°Sure, that makes sense. It will give me another type of damage over time that I don¡¯t have access to right now, which is certain to come in handy sooner or later.¡± The women swapped weapons, then Sophia walked over to where Nick and Devin were sitting. ¡°The two of you should take some of my self-returning throwing knives. One is all I really need. Devin can use them with blast striking, giving him a way to use the ability at range, and Nick has a throwing skill but no ranged weapons.¡± With that, she handed Devin two of the blades and Nick one, leaving the final knife in the set for herself. Both men thanked Sophia for the upgrade to their gear and promised to find a way to repay her. Then everyone gathered around the table while waiting for the portal to appear. Nick ran his gaze across the faces of his companions. The determination and resolve clear in their expressions. He was filled with pride to be counted amongst such brave defenders of the human race. ¡°I just want everyone to know how proud I am to be fighting alongside you. You represent the best that humanity has to offer. We¡¯ll win back our world, then carve out a place for our people within the Labyrinth, Taltos and the System be dammed.¡± ¡°Fuck yes.¡± Devin let out a booming laugh. ¡°I feel the same way. Now let¡¯s climb this bastard and show the guardian on the roof what happens when you mess with Team Earth!¡± Everyone let out a cheer, each member of the party adding words of encouragement. Strengthening their bonds as they got ready to tackle the next ordeal. Not long after, a pool of silver light appeared along one wall. Nick drew his sword and prepared himself for the trial to come. He was ready to fight for his future and pry his planet free from the Mad God¡¯s grasp. As one, the party stepped through the glowing ring, whisked away to another part of the tower in the blink of an eye. Chapter 81: The Second Floor When his senses unscrambled, Nick found himself standing in warm sunlight. He took a moment just to savor its proper yellow hue after his long stint underground, followed by a month of training on a planet with a lime green sun. He stood there while his brain adjusted to the radically different color scheme, then turned his thoughts to the ordeal to come. He was ready to find out what challenge the Tower of Rizzen would throw at him next. To deal with enemies that were far more human than anything he¡¯d faced before. Before he got to any of that, there was something that he needed to do first. Make sure that he wasn¡¯t alone. Nick didn¡¯t see anyone in front of him, but when he turned around, he let out a long sigh of relief. Unlike his arrival on planet Drezen and the basement of Darkstone Tower, he found himself standing beside all four of his companions. He broke into a broad grin at the sight of his friends dealing with a bout of portal sickness, giving them time to get their bearings before they began planning out their next move. He knew that danger lurked just around the corner, but it couldn¡¯t dampen his excitement that this time, they would be able to tackle the floor as a team from the get-go. Better still, they weren¡¯t the same people who had climbed the stairs leading out of the tower¡¯s basement. Individuals who had no formal training in the use of weapons, and no experience in wielding them against other people. So much had changed in just one short month. A month that was only a day for everyone else in the tower. Although Nick had gotten a taste of what his party could do while sparring in the safe room, the changes were far more apparent in this environment¡ªwhere danger could arrive at any moment and from any direction. He could tell that they had experienced explosive growth in both skill and mindset, cementing their transition from civilians to warriors. He was about to say something to that effect when Sophia pointed at something behind him, her jaw dropping in astonishment at whatever it was she saw. When Nick followed her finger to take in his surroundings, all thoughts were driven from his head for long minutes. Because where he was standing blew his expectations out of the water. His eyes widened in surprise as he took in landscape rich in alien splendor and overwhelming beauty. A scene far removed from anything he could have experienced on the planet of his birth. It seemed that this entire portion of the tower was hollowed out, forming an open space stretching on and up for what looked like miles and miles. Instead of a wall, roughly one quarter of the level¡¯s exterior was open to the outside world, which explained how the sunlight was getting in. The closest slice of the precipice was only a few dozen feet away, bordered by a tall handrail to keep people from falling over the edge. Side-by-side with his team, he walked over to the boundary of the floor and looked down. Nick found himself gazing upon a planet¡¯s surface far below, so high that his view was obstructed by several strata of clouds. It reminded him of his stay in the luxury saferoom, and he wasn¡¯t sure if Drezen was beneath him, or one of the other worlds that the tower was connected to. The sun was shining bright in the azure sky, and the wind blowing in was cold enough to make him shiver. The breathtaking view was one of the most spectacular things that he had ever seen. A sight that would stay with him forever. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. As impressive as it was, that wasn¡¯t the most amazing part. What really blew Nick away was what he saw when he turned around to inspect the tower¡¯s interior. The black walls were thick and sheer, but every few hundred feet they held troughs containing massive rings of earth, creating a vertical garden of mind-boggling proportion. Trees and ferns were abundant, reaching out from the walls to catch as much of the sunlight as they could. Some portions were covered in mirrors instead, spreading the light evenly across the floor. They created dazzling patches of radiance, like the facets of immense jewels. Bugs and birds abounded, filling the air with color and song. Nick could smell the scents of countless flowers and herbs, forming a sweet medley that was both exotic and refreshing. While all of this was strange and gorgeous, the most shocking sight of all was flying high above his head. Following that train of thought, Nick raised his gaze to examine something that could never have existed on Earth. Something that made him wonder if he had fallen asleep and was merely dreaming. Because floating throughout the open space comprising this level of Darkstone Tower were islands. Vast swaths of land were meandering their way across the interior of the tower like something out of a fairy tale. Floating tracts covered in a remarkable range of terrain. He was able to get a glimpse of their surfaces by gazing into the mirrors ringing the walls above. Some of them were coated in emerald foliage, like tropical rain forests, while others were dominated by giant crystals in a thousand different shades. They sparkled when the sunlight hit them, casting rainbows across the floor. Some islands were filled with sand, some with pools of water, and a few were formed of terrain that he couldn¡¯t even begin to identify. Nick had the sense that they represented hundreds of different biomes, each with their own ecosystems and microclimates. While the smaller isles were undeniably fascinating, what really captured his attention were the giants. He could see three massive islands from this vantage, which had to be dozens of miles across. They flowed alongside hundreds of lesser masses that flew faster than their colossal companions. Like schools of fish swimming beside three great whales. There seemed to be some more major landmasses further up. They were far enough away that Nick couldn¡¯t make out any details, even after pulling out his spyglass to take a closer look. He only had a vague sense of what lay on the big islands, since they were too high to see much of their surface from this angle, just the plants bordering their perimeters. While the flying isles were an awe-inspiring sight, they weren¡¯t the only thing that demanded his attention. It wasn¡¯t just the islands moving through the air above his head, but countless smaller objects, including a variety of beasts and other fantastic creatures. Nick took in the spectacle of giant birds making their way across the sky, gliding alongside winged lizards and countless species of insects. Both colossal specimens and bugs the size that he was used to from Earth. It appeared that many of the creatures who called this place home were able to take to the air, which wasn¡¯t too surprising. It made sense that in a landscape filled with floating expanses of soil, the residents would be able to travel between them. But that wasn¡¯t the end of the wonders that this floor had in store. Not by a longshot. The most remarkable sight of all, the one that really captured his imagination, was the airships. Nick could see dozens of airborne vehicles from where he stood. From tiny two-man craft barely bigger than a canoe, to what looked like galleons given wings. They rode the breeze on colorful sails, darting between the islands with ease. The airships were too far away to make out the details until he looked through his spyglass. When he did, he could see some of the passengers of the closer vessels, the ones who were standing near the rails. They seemed to be human, or at least humanoid, although he couldn¡¯t make out the details while peering up from the ground. ¡°It¡¯s other people,¡± he said. ¡°This floor is home to a true alien civilization. With any luck, they can help us find the way out. Maybe even provide us with provisions or knowledge about the connecting levels.¡± That was when an update from the System popped into existence in front of his eyes. Before Nick had time to read it, Veronica said, ¡°Fuck. They¡¯re not friendly. They¡¯re pirates and they¡¯re hunting us already. We must get out of the open. Get moving people, we need to hide before it¡¯s too late.¡± Chapter 82: Danger Above Before the final word left V¡¯s lips, everyone began racing for cover, looking for anything that they could put between themselves and the airships prowling above. Everything changed in that moment. The colorful vessels that had seemed so wonderfully magical only seconds ago now exuded an air of menace. Their progress across the sky felt like the jaws of a trap closing around his neck. Fortunately, the floor of the level was covered in dirt, and lush trees and tall ferns were prolific. On a less promising note, the closest grove was at least half a mile away. Some of the ships were already headed in their direction, although he couldn¡¯t spot any signs that they had noticed the party¡­ yet. But that was the extent of the good news. If Nick¡¯s team didn¡¯t get beneath the canopy before the airships drew near, their crews would spot them and raise the alarm. He turned toward the closest trees as the party raced across the grass, praying that they would make it in time. His heart began to race as his adrenaline started to flow. They had to duck beneath the branches before they were discovered. They were sitting ducks if the pirates found them down here. Team Earth had no way to reach the high-flying vessels except for Sophia¡¯s wasps. He was certain that the airships would have no such trouble attacking from that range. They pushed their bodies into a greater burst of speed, sprinting toward the tree line for everything they were worth. ¡°Over there,¡± Devin pointed to a thick grove of short trees with emerald canopies, just a few hundred feet ahead. ¡°Those branches are denser than the rest.¡± Praying that it wasn¡¯t already too late, Nick adjusted his course, running alongside his friends as sweat poured down his body. ¡°A ship is heading our way.¡± Sophia looked up with fear in her eyes. ¡°We need to get out of the open!¡± Burning stamina, the party raced along the verdant groundcover, heading for tree line ahead. Seventy feet to go. Twenty. He entered the grove and plunged into the shadows, desperate to conceal his presence in time. As soon as he made it, Nick darted below a trunk and looked back the way he had come, only to realize that Shaun was lagging behind the rest of the team. The red-haired archer still had another fifty feet to go, and the airship, one of the small two-man versions, would be on top of them within a matter of seconds. Nick pulled out his spyglass to see if the crew had spotted his team, relieved to discover the men didn¡¯t seem to be looking their way¡­ yet. Still, it was going to be a photo finish. The pirates would be on top of them within a handful of heartbeats, and Shaun still had to cross the final stretch of open ground. He sprinted as fast as he could, the difference in their levels really showing itself in that moment, leaping below the canopy just as the ship rounded a floating island and flew over their heads. Everyone went still and remained as quiet as they could. For a few nervous seconds, Nick thought it was too late. That they¡¯d been spotted by hostile forces mere minutes after arriving on the floor. But then the ship kept on going, sweeping back and forth across the region like they were still on the hunt. ¡°They haven¡¯t found us yet.¡± He let out a long sigh of relief. ¡°I think that one was scouting the islands instead of surveying the ground. That was way too fucking close. Let¡¯s read our updates, so that we know what we¡¯re dealing with.¡± When he pulled up his menus and checked out the message from the System, Nick understood what had clued Veronica in. The notice contained details that hadn¡¯t been available from the display mounted to the last staircase. Welcome to the second floor of your climb. The name of this floor is: Sky-Pirates¡¯ Lair. Floor rules: Warning: Leaving the floor through the side entrance will result in failing the quest. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. ¡°Shit,¡± Devin said after reading the last word. ¡°At least the System didn¡¯t separate us this time. How much do you want to bet that the stairs are going to be somewhere waaaay up there, and not anywhere down here.¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± V let loose a throaty chuckle. ¡°I¡¯m sure that they¡¯re either all the way at the top or in some equally inconvenient place. Remember, there should be more than one set of stairs, and some of the details of the connecting floor are posted on them. I expect that one will be significantly more visible than the others, given the game-like setup for this quest. If the first exit we find seems like a bad match, we might be able to discover another option.¡± ¡°I wonder if we will be able to steal a ship,¡± Sophia mused. ¡°It seems like our only choice if we want to reach the flying islands. Let¡¯s hope that one is docked somewhere on the ground. Otherwise, we¡¯re going to have to lure some pirates into landing, and that will be difficult without revealing our presence in the process.¡± It was at this point that Shaun asked the question that must have been on everyone¡¯s mind. ¡°Does that mean we¡¯re going to have to kill other people? I¡¯ve never killed anyone before, or even gotten into a fight. I¡¯m honestly not sure that I have it in me.¡± Veronica sighed and then answered. ¡°Let¡¯s hope that it doesn¡¯t come to that. But it seems more likely than not at this point. Start steeling your resolve now, so you¡¯re ready when the time comes. If the pirates are willing to kill us, we must be prepared to do the same. Hesitation is death in a serious fight. If it comes down to us or them, then I¡¯ll choose us and have no regrets.¡± Nick had known that this day would come, although he¡¯d been hoping that it was still far off. He had learned from his earlier adventures that many of the inhabitants of the Labyrinth were humanoid and hostile. Ruthless and more than happy to slaughter for profit or pleasure. Some part of him had always understood that he needed to be willing to kill more than mutants and beasts if he wanted to protect the people he loved. Perhaps one day even other humans from Earth. He wasn¡¯t looking forward to what was coming, but he found that he was ready. He just hoped that his team was ready too. Of more immediate concern, dealing with other people meant that he would have to adjust his strategies and tactics. Take into account an enemy that could reason, deceive, and anticipate his next move. Given all that, it was critical that his team remained hidden until they were able to gather more information. Learn more about the nature of their opponents before revealing their presence, especially while they were trapped on the ground. If the pirates discovered them now, they would hunt the party relentlessly from the sky. Swarm Team Earth and surround them, offering no hope of escape and no means of retaliation. Until Nick¡¯s party could steal a ship, they had to remain hidden and leave no clues as to their whereabouts. Even after they took to the sky, their odds of survival would be poor if the floor¡¯s residents became aware of their location. Especially the roaming bosses, who were certain to be significantly more dangerous than anything else on the level. The roach queen and the Janitor had been bad enough¡ªhe had no desire to fight something of comparable strength with human intelligence. We need to find somewhere to hole up before scouting out our options. It means that the first phase of completing this floor will be stealth exploration rather than open warfare. We can¡¯t do anything that will draw attention to ourselves in the meantime, especially during the day. Keeping one eye on the sky, the team put their heads together to confer. Nick shared what he¡¯d been thinking and listened to what everyone else had to say. But they didn¡¯t have time for a lengthy strategy session, a truth that Sophia summed up with her next words. ¡°We can¡¯t stay here for long. The cover isn¡¯t thick enough. If one of those ships flies down to take a closer pass, they are probably going to spot us, especially if they have any powers that boost their perception. The longer that the hunt goes on, the more they will narrow down our probable location unless we keep moving. The pirates aren¡¯t our only enemy, time is our opponent too.¡± ¡°And that¡¯s assuming they don¡¯t have any skills or spells that can detect our presence from a distance.¡± Nick sighed. ¡°You¡¯re right. We need to find somewhere to lay low until we can obtain our bearings and plan out our next move. If we stay down here longer than the next day or two, this is going to end badly for us. We need to find a ship as soon as possible, so that we¡¯re not stuck on the ground and can find a better place to hide¡­¡± Nick was cut off mid-sentence as three shadowy figures came streaking out of the nearby brush, surging for him, Devin, and Veronica in a flash of green scales. He looked up in time to spot two sets of razored claws darting straight for his throat, a heartbeat away from landing a killing blow. He threw himself into motion, relying on his reflexes to save his life. As bad as things already were, it seemed that their situation had just become a whole lot more complicated. Chapter 83: Raptor The beasts¡¯ ambush took place in the blink of an eye, offering no warning of their presence until the moment their attack began. A pair of tooth-lined jaws were poised to close around Devin¡¯s head. Another set of claws was lashing out, ready to gut Veronica from navel to sternum. Not to mention the set that were inches away from tearing out Nick¡¯s throat. If this attack had occurred before their lengthy training session, the party would have taken serious injuries in that moment, or even lost their lives. But thanks to their newfound proficiency with their weapons, they were able to survive those first few seconds. The bad news was that they were surrounded by a pack of bipedal lizards the size of donkeys. They came surging straight for Nick¡¯s team before he could get a better look, although he caught a flash of scales and angular faces. He threw himself out of the way at the last possible moment. The beast¡¯s claws sliced strips free from the leather of his coat instead of ripping out his jugular. Meanwhile, Veronica leapt back to open some distance. Her wrist-mounted crossbows unfolded with her mental command, and she took aim before her feet hit the ground. She fired both shots at her assailant, one of the missiles glowing green as she activated acid bolt. Both missiles plunged into the creature¡¯s scaly torso. It hissed and reared back in pain, creating an opening while V darted back in. She lashed out with a set of bone claws, magic weapons tearing into flesh with ease. They carved a series of gouges that started spraying out blood as she injected her anticoagulant poison. For his part, Devin reached for his weapon but made no move to get out of the way. The beast¡¯s jaws closed around his face¡­ teeth shattering as they encountered his transparent helmet. The creature pulled away in confusion while screaming in pain as the man¡¯s axe came up, taking his opponent¡¯s head clean off. The beast in front of Nick circled round and darted in low, ready to press the attack. But he had already unholstered his wand and taken aim, using the new setting to narrow the cone of force into the tightest spread he could make. Despite the seriousness of the situation, he was curious to see what was about to happen. He pressed the trigger, and a wave of force erupted out the other end, so intense that it distorted the air in passing. On top of the wand¡¯s upgraded power, the effect was stronger since it was concentrated in a smaller area. The magic caught the creature in the chest and sent it flying, slamming into the trunk of a tree with the crackle of shattered bone. Nick was about to cry out an alarm, but he saw that it wasn¡¯t needed. The rest of his party was already falling into formation with weapons at the ready, dodging several more attacks along the way. No one had been wounded by the beasts¡¯ ambush, but that was the extent of the good news. ¡°I think they¡¯re dinosaurs.¡± Devin raised his shield to block another blow. ¡°They kind of look like velociraptors.¡± When Nick caught a break long enough to take a closer look, he decided that Devin was right. The beasts in question did look a lot like raptors. They were lean for their size and powerfully built, running on two legs that were designed for long leaps and short sprints. Each of their hands ended in razored claws. The reptiles had amber, split-pupil eyes, and wedge-shaped skulls. Hulking jaws filled with wicked teeth. There was an alertness to their gaze that gave him the impression that the dinos were significantly more intelligent than the average beast. When he tried sizing them up, he learned that while each creature was a powerful combatant, the raptors¡¯ true strength came from hunting as a pack. It seemed that they were in for a team versus team battle, and a hard one at that. Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°No fire, explosions, or smoke.¡± Nick issued orders while driving a beast back with the tip of his blade, using a move from one of Rita¡¯s katas. ¡°Nothing that will make a loud noise or can be seen from the air.¡± There was a fierce exchange of blows as both groups began feeling each other out, probing the other for weakness while trying to catch them off guard. The party wouldn¡¯t have been able to hold their own if it wasn¡¯t for the intensive training they¡¯d undergone before setting foot onto the floor. But with their radically improved weapon skills, they were able to meet the beasts blade to claw and come out on top. The dinos were agile, perceptive, and worked well as a team, but his party had better reach, stronger abilities, and superior defense. On the other side of the scales, the creatures had them outnumbered, had superior physical attributes, and were fighting on terrain they knew well. Even still, Nick thought that his party could win if they were able to go all out. They were able to kill four of the raptors in a matter of minutes. The problem was that the pirates were prowling the skies above. Team Earth couldn¡¯t take the time they needed to fight the dinos at their best, relying on their strategies and strengths. They couldn¡¯t afford to blow through their mana or stamina either. They needed to find a way to end this fast, then get to better cover before the airships spotted them and converged on their position. An occurrence that became likelier every second they spent battling below the treetops instead of lying low. Half their abilities were out of the running, since they would alert the pirates to their presence. Even still, they were making far too much noise, and the motion of the battle would be visible if any ships came sailing overhead. We need to disengage and get out of here while we still can. They caught a break when one of the dinos overextended itself after trying to push its way past Devin¡¯s shield to rake his throat with its claws. When it tried, Sophia hit it with throwing knives, sinking the blades into its chest before they returned to her outstretched hands. While the beast was distracted from the painful wounds, Devin leaned in and chopped out its throat with his axe, dropping the dino as blood began pumping out of its ruined neck. Shaun drove another back with a pair of arrows, although the simple weapons couldn¡¯t do more than scratch the beast¡¯s thick hide. For his part, Nick landed a mana dart on the closest creature, stunning it long enough to lash out with his sword. The dazed dino tried to dodge, but it couldn¡¯t get away in its condition. His blade caught its arm, severing it at the shoulder. The other raptors stopped attacking long enough to tear their wounded members to shreds, gnawing them down to the bone within a handful of heartbeats. It gave his team enough time to reposition, moving the fight to an area where the cover was thicker. Even still, they couldn¡¯t afford to stop and kill them all. There were far too many raptors, and every second they battled increased the odds of the pirates realizing that something was going down. Sophia took advantage of the opportunity to summon four of her frost venom wasps, sending them flying just below the canopy. Able to track the pack from the air, the blue bugs revealed the location of the dinos ahead, making it easier to avoid them. When the beasts tried to charge, the wasps drove them back with dive-bomb ambushes, taking pressure off the party as they fought to open some distance. This marked the start of a running battle. Nick and his team pressed deeper into the forest covering this corner of the ground level, under constant threat from the ships patrolling above. On three separate occasions, they were attacked by a fresh pack of dinosaur-like beasts¡ªtwo more groups of raptors and a swarm of little carnivores about a third their size. The creatures were tough, but the party was holding their own for now. The problem was, they couldn¡¯t just stop and fight whenever they were attacked. Most places lacked adequate cover to conceal their presence, and the sound and motion of combat would draw eyes from above if it continued for long. Instead, they battled just long enough to break away, conserving as much energy as possible. Nick¡¯s team took some injuries in return, but Veronica was able to heal them with her upgraded acid bolt, which Devin had started calling vampiric bolt. She only had a few doses of her stamina potion left, which they were saving for an emergency. On top of everything else, they had to be careful not to destroy the trees, start any fires, or mark up the ground, which would allow the pirates to home in on their location. The corpses of the beasts were a problem too. At least the bodies wouldn¡¯t last long¡ªthe rest of the dinos would see to that. The need for stealth made an already stressful situation that much more frantic, ratcheting up the tension until they were jumping at every shifting shadow and creaking branch. ¡°We need to find somewhere to lay low,¡± Veronica said after eviscerating a raptor that was leaping down from the branches. ¡°This is going to end in disaster if we stay out in the open much longer.¡± Chapter 84: Hard Day, Long Night When the dino died, the rest of its pack pulled back to feast on its remains. This time, they didn¡¯t come charging back right away, although Nick knew that it was only a matter of time before they returned. The good news was that the sun was going down outside the tower. Unless the pirates could see in the dark, the party would be safe from overhead observation until morning, or at least safer than they were right now. The bad news was that while everyone¡¯s night vision was better than it had been back in their old lives, they couldn¡¯t make their way through the trees once they lost the last of the light. Team Earth needed to find somewhere to hide, and they needed to do it now. Hopefully, the raptors will sleep through the night before resuming their hunt in the morning. We need to be on a ship and off the ground before that happens. We can¡¯t afford to waste time and energy facing beasts with our true enemy prowling the skies above. That was when Sophia pointed to a recess about thirty feet up on the growth-covered wall. ¡°I think that¡¯s a cave or something similar. If we can make our way inside, we should be safe from the beasts roaming the forest floor.¡± Veronica nodded her agreement, and then offered to scout it out. She started scaling vines and ferns while the rest of the party watched her back, ready to offer support if needed. Fortunately, nothing hostile appeared, and after completing the climb, V leapt into the opening. She popped her head out five minutes later. To Nick¡¯s relief, she flashed the hand sign for ¡®all clear,¡¯ and everyone started climbing up to join her. Not long after, they stepped inside the enclosure, which revealed itself to be a modest cave that stretched about twenty feet back before ending in a metal wall. Or maybe cave isn¡¯t the right word, since most the surfaces are made of tightly woven plants. Apparently, the overgrowth lining this side of this tower was even thicker than he¡¯d realized. It was damp, dank, and covered in the droppings of something that had been living here not long ago, but at least it shielded their flanks and covered their heads. After making sure that nothing unfriendly had observed their ascent, everyone took off their packs and sat down in a circle, recovering from the grueling ordeal before planning out their next move. Since starting a fire was out of the question, Nick used the device he¡¯d found on Kellen¡¯s body to illuminate their surroundings. After fiddling with the settings, he discovered that the light had a range of options. It could be set to float over his shoulder, or hover in place if he remained within fifteen feet. The beam could be focused like a flashlight or set as a sphere that shone in every direction. He anchored the light near the top of the cave, then adjusted the output so that it didn¡¯t shine toward the entrance. This thing is already coming in handy. I can¡¯t wait to see what else it can do once it begins repairing itself. While the party recovered their stamina, Nick began handing out some of the supplies that he¡¯d found in the storeroom on the last floor. When Devin, Sophia, and Shaun saw what he had to share, they began to get excited. Helping to dispel the lingering tension, if only by a hair. Even Nick was surprised when he realized just how much he and Veronica had managed to shove in there during the bonus event. Feeling a bit like Santa Claus, he handed out coats and cloaks, shirts and pants. Tarps, blankets, and¡­ ¡°Is that a pillow?¡± Sophia asked in delight as Nick handed her something soft to put below her head. ¡°Nick, I¡¯m not sure how to tell you this. But I¡¯m pretty sure that I¡¯m in love¡­ with your bag.¡± This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Everyone got a good laugh out of that as they stretched out, far more comfortable than before. Now in a considerably better mood, the team moved on to unpacking the dynamics of their situation. After making a meal from cold travel rations, they spent the next half hour getting organized and talking out their options. It was clear by now that the raptors wouldn¡¯t return until morning. His team had until sunrise to find a ship. Or at least a more secure shelter to keep the beasts off their back and shield them from the pirates¡¯ eyes. Regardless of the rest, they had to find a way to start climbing the floor sooner rather than later, and needed to take to the skies today if they could. On that note, Veronica was getting ready to embark on a scouting run, having insisted that she go alone. ¡°No one else is nearly as quiet as I am, Nick included. If I want to cover sufficient ground and get close to our enemies without being spotted, a solo mission is the only thing that makes sense.¡± Nick agreed with her assessment, although he was worried about V going alone. He took off his charm of muffling and handed it to her, so that its magic could help her remain undetected. She looked surprised at the offering. A person¡¯s gear was their lifeline, and giving an item to someone else for any reason was clearly a big deal to her. She thanked him, drew him in for a hug, and promised to return the charm before disappearing into the night. Although everyone was worried about her, they knew that Veronica was right. She was the only member of the team that was suited to the task. When she was down on the ground out of sight, they went back to recovering from their ordeal as best they could. Devin and Sophia took the first watch, while Nick and Shaun caught some shuteye. I should pick up a tent when I get the chance. I¡¯m sick of sleeping on the ground. But this pillow and sleeping bag are a lot better than nothing¡­ That was the last thought to pass through his head before he fell into a deep and dreamless sleep. Nick woke up a few hours later. He let Shaun rest, since he didn¡¯t have the Survivor trait and needed a full eight hours. Sophia moved into the sleeping bag Nick had been using, murmuring, ¡°It¡¯s still nice and warm,¡± before closing her eyes and passing out on the spot. While everyone else got some much-needed rest, he walked over to the cavern¡¯s entrance and looked out over the floor, still blown away that such a massive space was just one small part of the Tower of Rizzen. What he saw when he cast his gaze into the distance made all such thoughts vanish from his mind. His jaw dropped in wonder at the otherworldly sight, because countless points of light shone back at him from every direction. Through the open side of the tower, Nick could see an endless expanse of stars. They were incredibly bright and clear since there wasn¡¯t much atmosphere at this altitude, at least outside the tower. It made him realize that there had to be some manner of magic at work, regulating the oxygen content and air pressure inside. His eyes traced the contours of foreign constellations, realizing that he might be the first person in the history of his species to bask in their celestial majesty. Then he turned his head to take in the rest, because the limitless heavens were only half the show. The inside of the tower was lit up like a Christmas tree. Most of the islands had crystals sticking out from the bottom and some were covered completely in gemstones. They glowed with their own inner light, in a vast array of colors and shapes. Combined with the motion of the flying isles, they created intricate, dazzling patterns in ever-shifting arrangements. Like a drone firework display on a continental scale. The crystals weren¡¯t bright enough to illuminate the ground, which was a good thing under the circumstances, or to reveal the creatures soaring through the air. But it was plenty of light to track the position and heading of the islands. Nick was relieved when he realized what it meant. If the party got their hands on an airship, they could fly at night without being spotted or crashing into the floating landmasses. It offered them a way to ascend to the upper levels without drawing their enemies¡¯ attention. Or at least it should improve our odds On that note, he could see a giant ship crossing the space far above his head, of a different make than the one they¡¯d spotted earlier in the day. It was shining a vast beam of light, panning it back and forth across the ground. It looks like the pirates are patrolling the ground level, along with the big islands. That ship must belong to one of the roaming bosses. The pirates¡¯ leader or one of the subcommanders. Let¡¯s hope that we don¡¯t have to worry about them for a while longer. Nick made himself comfortable and then settled down to wait. One way or another, it was going to be a long night. Chapter 85: Grim Findings Everyone woke up a few hours later, but Veronica still hadn¡¯t returned. They sat in front of the entrance of the cave, wrapping blankets around themselves for warmth, snacking on cold rations while discussing their situation. Although Nick¡¯s device offered enough light to see, they couldn¡¯t risk building a cookfire to eat a hot meal. The flickering flame and rising smoke would reveal their presence to the beasts outside, not to mention the pirates prowling the skies. While Sophia and Nick maintained their gear, Devin and Shaun moved to stand guard. No one trusted the red-haired man to do the job alone, given his level and past performance. That being said, Nick had to admit that the young archer had undergone some remarkable growth since entering the tower, especially after his month of training. He still hadn¡¯t forgiven Shaun for trying to rob him back on the bog, but Nick was starting to warm up to the man, at least by a few degrees. This is an insane situation. One we didn¡¯t ask for or deserve. There are some things that can never be forgiven, but what Shaun did doesn¡¯t rise to that level, and two of his friends died due to their poor judgement. Luckily, I was the first person he ambushed, and it didn¡¯t go the way that he planned. As long as he keeps trying to change, I¡¯m willing to give him a second chance. But I¡¯m keeping a close eye on him until he finishes earning our trust. Nick was worried about V, more with every minute that passed. But he couldn¡¯t do anything other than trust her judgment, believe in her skill, and hope for the best. If she wasn¡¯t back by morning, they would start looking for her the moment that it was light enough to see. While Team Earth waited for the sun to rise, they passed the time by discussing recent events. Everyone spoke in low voices, sharing the full story of what had happened while they were apart, including everything they had experienced over their month of compressed time. Nick had gotten the gist back in the saferoom, but not all the details. It turned out that Sophia had been on her own for most of the first day before running into Devin. They were attacked by roaches only minutes after finding each other, and several times thereafter, driving them deeper into the nest until they realized that the beasts were tracking them by scent. Taking a page from Nick¡¯s book, Sophia had burned some timber and then rubbed the ashes into their skin, hair, and gear, confusing the roaches¡¯ senses enough that they hadn¡¯t been able to locate the duo so easily. Shaun had woken up alone, with no idea who else was on his team except for Sophia. He had spent the first day exploring the basement until he ran into the construct swarm. After spotting the young man, the gear-rats had chased him for miles, until he realized that they couldn¡¯t climb well and had found a massive slab of stone. He scrambled up there and was promptly surrounded, beginning a long, sleepless ordeal until Nick and Veronica arrived to save him. He was lucky none of the scorpions found him first, or he would have been a sitting duck. When Nick was done sharing his own story, he took another turn standing guard while the others stretched out and got ready for a second day of fighting on the run. About an hour into his watch, a shadow detached from the closest trees and started gliding his way. He was about to cry out an alarm before he realized that it was Veronica, returning from wherever she¡¯d been scouting. She scrambled up the vine-covered wall, handed him his charm of muffling, and then stepped inside the cave. Stolen story; please report. ¡°I found something interesting, but there¡¯s just as much bad news as good.¡± She let out a weary sigh, then began helping herself to some of the provisions that he¡¯d set out for her. Everyone gathered round and V reported on what she¡¯d seen, speaking in between bites. ¡°There is some manner of walled base about two miles from here. It¡¯s fortified to keep out the local beasts, but the defenses weren¡¯t designed with people in mind. The pirates have a pair of guards posted, but it was easy to climb the wall and get inside. The perimeter doesn¡¯t seem to be trapped or warded, or they would have found me already. ¡°As far as I could tell, it¡¯s some manner of hunting lodge. A place where they cook up the various critters that live on the ground and then send the meat up to the islands above. There were six buildings that I could see. A kitchen, a storeroom, three small barracks, and what appeared to be some manner of stable.¡± She drained her canteen and then handed it to Nick. He put it in his pack, filled it with the water he was carrying inside, and then gave it back. ¡°There was a pair of airships docked inside the walls. One of them is big enough to hold our entire team. On a less promising note, the next shipment is being loaded in the morning, and it¡¯s leaving as soon as its secure. We need to hit them now, hit them hard, and make sure that none of the pirates makes it aboard either vessel. If they take off after spotting us, we¡¯re going to be stuck down here and they¡¯ll catch us for sure. ¡°We need to break in, steal that big ship, and disable the little one. Before sunrise, while most of the pirates are fast asleep and we still have a chance of surprising them. And one other thing.¡± Veronica¡¯s posture drew tight with tension, and there was a hard look in her eyes that Nick had never seen before. ¡°I heard their sentries talking. They aren¡¯t just planning to kill us. The pirates intend to torture us for sport first. They were laughing while they bragged about what they were going to do to us. Some of their suggestions were so vile that I¡¯d rather not repeat them. Given the details, I¡¯m sure that they were things they¡¯ve done many times before.¡± At that point, V¡¯s tone turned cold as ice. ¡°These aren¡¯t good people. They are followers of the Mad God. Outlaws who prey upon the people living outside. Ruthless killers who were banished from planets connected to the tower. ¡°They aren¡¯t like us, victims of circumstance who are just trying to survive. They have been twisted by Taltos and the Labyrinth, or maybe they were just born bad. Either way, we won¡¯t be able to talk our way out of a fight, and if they catch us, we will wish they¡¯d killed us instead.¡± While V answered questions from the team, she began drawing a diagram in Nick¡¯s journal, outlining the layout of the base, the surrounding terrain, and where she¡¯d seen the sentries posted. ¡°Veronica is right,¡± Devin said. ¡°It has to be tonight.¡± He let out a long sigh before continuing. ¡°Before we head out, there¡¯s something else that we need to discuss. Something that I hoped would never happen, but we all knew was coming sooner or later.¡± ¡°We¡¯re going to have to fight the pirates.¡± Nick nodded his agreement. ¡°Maybe even kill them.¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Devin frowned, the unhappy expression rare on his face. ¡°Although I¡¯d replace maybe with almost certainly. I don¡¯t want to hurt other people, but we¡¯ve all known for some time now that sooner or later, it was going to come down to us or them.¡± Sophia sighed and then added her thoughts. ¡°On top of being vicious killers, the pirates have a quest to take us out, which makes them our enemies in more ways than one. If we aren¡¯t willing to fight back with everything we have, we¡¯re all going to die.¡± She looked each member of the team in the eyes before continuing. ¡°If you can¡¯t take a life tonight, you¡¯re going to lose your own, and risk our entire planet in the bargain. It¡¯s probably the true challenge of this floor. The System is forcing us to accept this ugly part of our new reality. And while I fucking hate it for doing it, it¡¯s going to happen again and again. If we can¡¯t adapt now, here in this moment, we¡¯re going to be reduced to a footnote in history.¡± They took turns voicing their feelings, each member of the party speaking their mind. While no one was looking forward to what lay ahead, in the end, everyone agreed with Devin and Sophia. It was time for the team to engage in their first fight against other people, and they had to be willing to put the pirates down for good. Hesitation was only going to get them all killed. Chapter 86: Stealthy Approach When they were ready, they packed up their gear, climbed down from the cave, and walked out into the night. The party followed Veronica as quietly as they could, hoping to avoid any beasts on their way to the pirates¡¯ base. That two-mile hike must have taken less than an hour, but it felt like it went on forever. Each member of the team was lost in contemplation, facing the grim reality of what they were about to do. Preparing themselves to become killers and leave their old selves behind. It seemed that the nights here were just as long as the days, at least twelve hours by Nick¡¯s reckoning. It was a good thing. It gave them more time to plan out their assault, and more time to make their escape once they managed to steal an airship. At last, V held up her hand. The party came to a stop beneath a cluster of trees, looking out over a wide clearing a thousand feet ahead. There, revealed in the moonlight shining through the side of the tower, was the pirates¡¯ fortification. Over the top of the low wall ringing the encampment, Nick could make out the profile of a pair of watchtowers and a cluster of buildings, several smaller structures set beside a big one in the middle. ¡°The large one is the storeroom,¡± Veronica whispered. ¡°The airships are on the other side, tied to some manner of dock. There are two sentries in those towers along the wall, and at least nine other people sleeping in the barracks. I couldn¡¯t get close enough to look inside and count. Getting in and out without being spotted took everything that I have.¡± Now that they had seen the layout of the pirates¡¯ base with their own eyes, Team Earth drew back far enough that they could confer without the sound giving them away. Although they needed to move fast, before the sun rose or they were attacked by another group of beasts that called this floor home, going in without a plan was a recipe for disaster. ¡°Fighting outside the walls is out of the question,¡± Sophia said. "We need to scale them or knock down the gate before they sound the alarm. If we let any of the pirates get away on those ships, we¡¯re done for. This is our one and only chance to take to the sky before they know where we are, and we can¡¯t afford to fuck it up.¡± ¡°I agree,¡± Nick added. ¡°Climbing the walls and silencing the sentries is our best move. We might be able to open the gate, but we will lose the element of surprise. We need to sneak in and hit them hard, then press the advantage before they can equip their gear and fall into formation. If we don¡¯t take some of them out right from the start, they will overwhelm us with superior numbers.¡± ¡°This battle will be unlike anything we¡¯ve faced before.¡± Devin fingered the hilt of his axe. ¡°These are people with unknown classes and abilities. They will have spells, gear, and traits that we¡¯ve never seen before. On top of that, they will be used to fighting as a team, while we¡¯re still learning to do the same. If we can¡¯t take control of the melee before it begins, we don¡¯t stand a chance.¡± ¡°You¡¯re both right,¡± V said. ¡°We¡¯re dead if we don¡¯t take most of them out with our opening move, starting with the lookouts in the towers. Nick and I need to scale the wall and eliminate the sentries without being spotted. Then everyone else can climb up and we¡¯ll head into the compound. It¡¯s safer than opening the gate, which might have some manner of trap or alarm.¡± At this point, Shaun chimed in. He was shaking and wide-eyed, like he couldn¡¯t believe what he was saying. But he swallowed hard and then spit it out. ¡°Once we silence the sentries, we need to kill the ones inside the buildings while they¡¯re fast asleep. We can¡¯t let them attack from a position of strength. I never thought I would say this, but we need to assassinate them while they¡¯re in bed and out of their armor, and try not to fight them at all. We don¡¯t have the skills or firepower to overcome an experienced party battling in formation. If we let them get organized, we¡¯re all going to die. ¡°I¡¯ve never killed another person before, and I wish to god that I didn¡¯t have to, but we already know that they¡¯re willing to kill us. Besides, they are torturers and murderers. If we hold back past this point, someone is going to wind up making a fatal mistake.¡± He looked each of them in the eye in turn, voice steadying as he faced the future head on. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. ¡°This is the truth of our new reality. If we want to survive, to save the Earth and protect the people we love, we¡¯re going to have to learn how to kill and fight as dirty as we can. Honor and mercy, compassion and restraint, will be the end of us all. Now, here¡¯s what we need to do. ¡°After we¡¯re over the wall, Devin will open the doors to their barracks. I¡¯ll fire a smoke arrow into all three rooms to blind the pirates and add to the confusion. Veronica can use her last web bomb to immobilize one group, and her napalm grenade to kill the next. That will leave one set of three or four opponents. We can kill them one by one as they come running out of the smoke. With any luck, they¡¯ll all be dead before they even know what hit them.¡± Nick was shocked to hear such a ruthless plan leave Shaun¡¯s lips, but he knew that the archer was right. The goal isn¡¯t to fight our enemies, it¡¯s to kill them. It¡¯s finally time to take that step, and we can¡¯t afford to hesitate. It was something that had been weighing on his mind ever since he had slain the ratmen in the sewers of Kastilla. Although they had been reduced to mindless zombies, controlled by the crimson blight, traces of their humanity remained. He had known that it was only a taste of what lay ahead. A wake-up call to his new existence as part of the System. A truth that had been driven home when Shaun¡¯s group had ambushed him on the bog, and Ken tried to assassinate him a few days later. Nick already knew that he would have to kill other people at some point, even other humans from Earth. Through luck and circumstance, he hadn¡¯t been forced to until now. But today, here in this moment, the time had arrived. Sophia was clearly disturbed by the prospect, although she didn¡¯t voice a disagreement. She just sighed and nodded with the saddest expression on her face that he had ever seen. After speaking his piece, Shaun had accepted the truth of the situation as well, wearing a hard look that made him seem ten years older in an instant. They discussed the matter for a few more minutes, until it was clear that they were all in agreement. Then the party moved onto hammering out their strategy. Nick and Veronica would climb the wall first, since they were the stealthiest members of the team, supported by a pair of Sophia¡¯s wasps. They would try to take out both sentries at once, then the others would join them, before they climbed down to fight the pirates sleeping in the barracks below. The only embellishments to Shaun¡¯s plan were that Nick would conjure four mana darts before they opened the doors, and Sophia would summon a full contingent of beasts. With any luck, it would all be over before their enemies knew they were there. By now, the stars were fading with the coming of dawn and they knew it was time to act. Nick handed Sophia his spyglass, so that she could coordinate the movements of her wasps from a distance. Then he took off his pack and handed it to Devin. Nick felt naked without it, but he needed to move as quietly as he could. Side by side with Veronica, he crept up to the wall of the fortification, using trees and boulders as cover to stay out of sight of the sentries. It was clear that this base was intended to protect the pirates from beasts, not other people, or they would never have left so many obstructions so close to the wall. Electric adrenaline filled his veins, setting his heart pounding in his chest. In part due to the fear of being caught, but mostly in anticipation of what he was about to do. With every step he took, Nick expected an alarm to ring out. For arrows and spells to rain down upon his head. But the cries he was anticipating never came. They reached the wall five tension-saturated minutes later, having chosen a side where the view from the towers was partially obstructed. They stopped and looked up, until they caught sight of the guards. One man was asleep at his post, sitting in a chair with his head braced against the railing. The other was on his feet, muttering to himself as he took long drags from some manner of pipe. ¡°You get the sleeping one,¡± he whispered into Veronica¡¯s ear. ¡°I¡¯ll deal with the smoker.¡± She nodded, reached into her pack, then carefully removed a grappling hook attached to a silk rope, which they¡¯d found in the storeroom event. Although she had comparable dexterity, Nick had his throwing skill, so she handed him the grapple. Rather than trying to swing it around before letting loose, which he wasn¡¯t sure would count as a throw, he cocked the hook over one shoulder, took aim, and threw. He watched as the grapple went sailing up and over the wall, coming back down with a faint tap. It set his heart racing even faster, but the sentries showed no sign that they had heard. Nick pulled on the rope as gently as he could, until he felt the hook catch the woodwork and the line went taut. Since V was nimbler and stealthier than he was, she went up first, pulling her lithe body up the rope without making a sound. A dozen heartbeats later, she was on top of the wall, where she ducked behind a barrel until he arrived. Then it was Nick¡¯s turn to climb. Chapter 87: Preliminary Assassination Nick braced his weight against the line, slowly, so that he wouldn¡¯t dislodge the grapple. When the rope was taut, he placed his feet against the wall and started to climb, pulling himself up one hand at a time. Without his pack, his body felt so light that it was effortless to make the ascent, and soon he was crouching next to V. They hand-signaled to the people waiting below, letting the team know that they were about to make their move. Then the duo split up, heading for opposite towers with lethal intent. Nick began crawling along a narrow walkway that skirted the perimeter of the wall, heading for a simple wooden watchtower fifty feet ahead. He kept his eyes on his target the entire time, ready to rush the man if he noticed Nick¡¯s approach. So far, so good. Keep moving. It won¡¯t be long now. The pirate Nick was planning to kill was still smoking his pipe. At the moment, the man was looking in the opposite direction¡ªgaze fixed on the horizon that was visible through the open side of the tower. I need to get there while he¡¯s distracted. If he spots me and sounds the alarm, this is going to get ugly. Nick continued creeping forward, using barrels and boxes to break up his profile. He timed his advances with the man¡¯s exhalations and smoke was filling the air between them. Although his heart was racing like a wild stallion, he forced himself to move slowly and deliberately. He used every trick he¡¯d come up with since the System had arrived, every last point of Dexterity, to keep himself from giving his position away. He called upon his Arctic Clarity, crystalizing his focus and freezing his fear, drawing closer and closer, until there were only ten feet left to go. He hadn¡¯t been able to bring his sword, not without a sheath or his pack. He drew his arena dagger instead, steeling his soul toward what he was about to do. It¡¯s him or us. Don¡¯t you dare fucking hesitate. From here, he could hear the pirate muttering to himself, complaining about his shift and his station in general. Apparently, being down on the ground in this outpost was the least desirable position on the floor. The man had been sent here as punishment for one infraction or another. Despite his intentions, Nick found himself grappling with the fact that he was about to kill another person. Not in self-defense, but a straight up assassination. Although he supposed that the attack was a form of preemptive self-defense, since the pirates were planning to kill him. Every drop of his doubt evaporated like water falling into a hot pan when he heard what the man said next. ¡°We just need to find the intruders and secure the reward from the System. Then the boss will let us take to the skies and put us back on the raiding squad. Maybe they¡¯ll give me one to play with¡ªa woman would help to pass the time. Once I tire of her, I¡¯ll skin her and throw the remains to the beasts to fight over. That should help to liven things up around here.¡± Ok, that settles it. You¡¯re all fucking dead. Nick just needed to cross one last stretch of walkway before he could make good on that promise. The problem was that it was completely open. He wasn¡¯t sure how he could close the distance without attracting the man¡¯s notice, even if he wasn¡¯t facing Nick¡¯s way. Every second that he delayed, the chances of his team being spotted grew. But if he rushed in there, the pirate was sure to sound the alarm before Nick could bring him down. He would have conjured a Mana Dart, then used it to paralyze the sentry long enough to land a killing blow. But at night, there was a good chance that the light would give away his position. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. Keep focused. Don¡¯t blow it. His pipe is nearly empty. Let¡¯s hope that he decides to refill it once it¡¯s out. When Nick glanced over his shoulder, he could see the other sentry sitting in his chair. V was nowhere in sight. But then she emerged from the shadows behind the man¡¯s back, her expression harder than granite. She put a dagger up to his throat and slit it in a single motion. Veronica stopped the man from falling, propped him against the railing, and then vanished once more. When he looked back, Nick¡¯s target was in the middle of reaching into his pouch to refill his pipe, staring down at his hands instead of out into the distance. He won¡¯t see you coming now, not even in his peripheral vision. Nick knew that his moment had arrived. Using Arctic Clarity to suppress his emotions, he began to advance¡ªnot allowing himself to hesitate or think about what he was doing. He closed the last few feet and raised his dagger, copying the same move V had made. He slipped behind the pirate, just as the man finished loading his bowl and took a long drag. Then Nick rose to his feet and drew the blade across the pirate¡¯s throat. For a second, he thought that he had scored a clean kill. But matters were not fated to be resolved so simply. Instead of the sensation of steel slicing into flesh, there was a bright blue spark at the point of contact, and a ring on the man¡¯s finger crumbed to dust. It had to be some manner of defensive consumable that Nick hadn¡¯t seen before. The sentry tried to cry out. But his lungs were filled with smoke, and he wound up coughing instead. He drove an elbow into Nick¡¯s stomach and pushed him back, reaching for the sword on his belt. Nick grabbed his arm, fighting to keep him from drawing the weapon, as the pirate opened his mouth to sound the alarm. A bare second before he could call for help, a frostfury wasp landed on each of his shoulders. The cerulean insects stung the man¡¯s neck from both sides at once, freezing the words in his throat before he could get them past his lips. Horror was clear in the pirate¡¯s eyes as the spreading ice encased his neck before engulfing his head. He toppled to the ground as the blood in his veins turned to slush and then froze, heartbeats before his brain followed suit. Nick let out a long, shuddering sigh. He signaled ¡°all clear¡± and Veronica appeared at his side. While they watched the buildings to make sure that no one had noticed the scuffle, the rest of the team crept over to the grappling hook and started to climb. Meanwhile, he removed the dead man¡¯s sword and cut the pouch free from his belt. Once Sophia, Devin, and Shaun were on top of the wall, the party made their way down a staircase set along the interior. Phase one complete. We made it inside without raising the alarm. Now for the hard part. Nick retrieved his pack and drew his sword, comforted by its weight in his hand. Then he tossed in what he¡¯d looted and added a bundle that V had taken from the other man. As they had planned, they stopped at the base of the wall long enough to make their final preparations. Nick conjured four Mana Darts. They began orbiting his head, lighting up the interior of the base. Fortunately, there weren¡¯t any windows in the crude barracks, so the light wasn¡¯t a problem as far as their ambush was concerned. Sophia summoned three more wasps and two spear-tongue frogs, which spread out to guard the party¡¯s flanks. Then she took up a position behind the front line, ready to direct the team and offer support with her throwing knives. Meanwhile, Devin turned his axe into the shield and hand axe version and took front row center, with Nick on one side and a frog on the other. Veronica raised both arms¡ªher wrist-mounted crossbows extending in response to her mental command. Shaun took his stance beside Sophia, nocked an arrow, and nodded that he was ready. His face was pale but there was no hesitation in the archer¡¯s movements. Nick shifted his sword to one hand and clasped his wand in the other. With that, they were as ready as they were going to be. Any further delay would only increase their odds of failure. At last, the moment had arrived. It was time for Team Earth to eliminate the sleeping pirates, then take to the skies before they were discovered. After signaling which person would cover which door, the team sprang into action. Chapter 88: No Mercy The party assumed a combat formation facing the three buildings where the pirates were sleeping inside. Sophia crept forward and cracked open the first door, while Veronica took care of the second. The instant that V flashed the hand signal for ¡°attack,¡± Shaun fired a pair of smoke arrows through the gaps, just like they had planned. He barely drew the string back¡ªjust enough power to send the missiles sliding along the stone floor with the faintest scrape of wood against stone. They hit the far walls with a gentle tap, before releasing thick billows of smoke into the air. Sophia opened the final door with her wasps hovering nearby, ready to proceed with the next stage of their plan. So far, Nick hadn¡¯t heard any response to their intrusion, although it was hard to be certain with his heart hammering in his chest. Although the tension was so thick that he could taste it on his lips, everyone did their best to move slowly, so they didn¡¯t wake the pirates inside. Every second that passed before their enemy knew Team Earth was there would increase their odds of living through the encounter. By this point, they were fully committed to the ambush. There wasn¡¯t time to hesitate, so the party sprang into motion. Veronica raised the device strapped to her right wrist and pressed the button on the side. A silver canister went flashing out from the grenade launcher, sailing into the first room with a whump of displaced air. Meanwhile, Devin took the web consumable that V had handed him and threw it into the third chamber, the one that didn¡¯t have any smoke, while Nick turned to face the second. In the single heartbeat it took for both devices to detonate, time seemed to slow down. Nick gripped his wand in one hand and his sword in the other, with a quartet of Mana Darts circling his head. He trusted the others to play their parts and focused on his own, devoting every scrap of his attention to the door in front of him, poised to strike the instant that the first pirate emerged. Then time sped back up and the chaos of combat ensued. The napalm grenade erupted in the first room¡ªfire and smoke billowing out from the open doorway. Veronica reached inside, closed the door, and shoved a barrel under the handle. Even if the pirates were able to find the exit while blinded by smoke, they would have to break down the door to escape the burning building. The instant that the web-bomb went off in the third room, filling the interior with sticky strands, Sophia sent in her wasps. Veronica followed a heartbeat behind with her dual daggers poised to strike. With any luck, they would be able kill everyone inside without getting caught in the webbing themselves. The pirates in the flame-filled barracks began to scream, followed by the people in the silk-strewn chamber. Nick resisted the urge to look away, as he deepened his stance and got ready to make his move. His heart was lurching in his chest like a caged animal trying to break free, and adrenaline electrified his veins. By now, Arctic Clarity had run out of juice, and he would have to finish the fight without it. At that point, the door to the burning room shattered after it was struck with incredible force. A man came running out of the smoke-shrouded blaze with his clothes and hair aflame. The instant that he appeared, a pair of black barbed tongues hit him in the stomach like twin battering rams, dropping him to his knees and knocking the wind out of him. He tried to scramble out of the way, but it was already too late. Devins axe was descending like an executioner¡¯s blade, removing the pirate¡¯s head from his shoulders before he had time to scream. The scene played out in a distant part of Nick¡¯s awareness. All his concentration was riveted on the door in front of him, tracking the voices calling out from within the smoke. Get ready, any second¡­ now! A pirate came running out a bare second, her eyes wide with panic. Not letting himself think about what he was doing, Nick raised his sword and stabbed her in the stomach. He pulled his weapon out in a bright spray of blood, then kicked her back inside and got ready to face his next opponent. By this point, all three barracks were filled with screaming pirates, although the cries were louder in the rooms filled with fire and webbing. When the next buccaneer came running through the burning doorway, Devin and the frogs hit him as one, shoving the man back inside and knocking down the people behind him. The walls had caught, and the fire was spreading, causing the temperature inside to soar. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. Nick could hear the clamor of combat coming from the webbed room. Some of the pirates must have escaped and are fighting back. He wanted to assist Veronica, but he forcefully suppressed the instinct. He had his own job to do and trusted V to handle her own. If she needed help, she would have asked for it. Another pirate came running out of the room in front of Nick. A heavyset man with blue skin and sharp features. Nick hit him with a pair of Mana Darts, causing his body to go rigid from the pain, then raised the wand and pulled the trigger. Blam. The intense shockwave picked the pirate up and sent him flying into the barracks¡ªbody hitting the wall with a heavy thud and the crackle of shattered bone. By now, the burning room was consumed by flames. It didn¡¯t seem like anyone else had survived, so Devin fell into formation beside Nick, leaving one frog to guard the door just in case. The momentary break in the action gave him a second to assess the situation. The first part of the fight had gone according to plan. He didn¡¯t know how many pirates were still alive, but he prayed that the ambush had whittled their enemy¡¯s numbers down enough for what was coming. Veronica came darting out of the web-filled room, bleeding from a cut to one arm. She was followed by two of the wasps and a furious pirate¡ªthe only survivor of the intense battle inside. Sophia moved to back her up, along with her surviving summons. Nick didn¡¯t get a chance to watch their fight play out, because at that point, all the brigands in the second room came charging out at once. They were led by an enormous man covered in golden fur, who must have been six feet tall at the shoulder. He had some manner of glowing barrier in front of him, which absorbed both of Nick¡¯s darts and a blast from his wand before winking out of existence. Shaun fired an Electric Arrow, catching the warrior in the meat of his shoulder. Although the electricity discharged throughout his tissue, the man kept moving, pushing his way into the open with four more pirates behind him. They were only half-awake and missing most of their gear, but it was clear from their expressions that they were veterans. They were afraid but organized. Ready to bring the fight to Team Earth and pay them back for their fallen comrades. Nick and Devin stood shoulder to shoulder, ready to engage, while Shaun moved behind them to provide covering fire. Nick felt a surge of sensation, which he knew by now came from leveling. The ones in the other rooms must have finished dying. But he didn¡¯t let it distract him. He ran his eyes across the five pirates in front of him, looking for an opening to launch his next attack. Thanks to his month of training, he could tell from the way they took their stances that these opponents were experienced in fighting with their weapons and working as a team. If he charged in without a plan, they would take him down in a flash. ¡®¡¯Well now, what do we have here?¡± The furred pirate spoke¡ªthe promise of murder gleaming in his jet-black eyes. ¡°It appears that our quarry has come to us. What a pleasant reversal of roles. What are those idiots on the walls doing? If they¡¯re not dead, I¡¯ll kill them myself.¡± The other pirates looked human for the most part. They had yellow skin and pale eyes, except for the final man, who looked exactly like someone from Earth. The furry warrior wielded a massive two-handed sword made of black metal. It was even bigger and thicker than Nick¡¯s blade. He had the sense that it was incredibly heavy. That blocking or parrying the colossal weapon would be next to impossible. The man wore a chain mail skirt, with a leather cap protecting his head. A skinny man dressed in dark green robes was wielding what appeared to be some manner of wand¡ªthe first such device Nick had seen other than his own. He stood behind the other fighters and was clearly some manner of ranged specialist. One of the women wielded a long bow made of a dark red wood. She wore light leather armor and had a pair of daggers sheathed at her hips. A second woman held a short sword in one hand and a dagger in the other¡ªthe first dual wielding opponent Nick had ever faced. Her grey leather armor was thicker than his jacket and had rings of metal sewn into the front. The final pirate was a beefy fellow wearing a chain shirt and leather pants. He stood beside the bowwoman with a coiled whip in his hand. His weapon seemed like it could reach from the back row, which effectively made him a ranged fighter as well. Nick instinctively sized them up, cataloging their capabilities while he got ready to make his move. Two melees. One strength based, one dexterity. Three ranged. One mage, one archer, and one whip with unknown properties. Nick didn¡¯t much like his odds at three versus five. But Sophia and Veronica must have finished off their opponent sometime over the last few seconds. Because at that point, both women fell into formation behind him. Sophia¡¯s summons weren¡¯t with her. They must have reached the limit of their duration. Everyone raised their weapons and got ready for a brawl. It seemed that in addition to killing other people for the first time, Team Earth was about to get their first taste of squad versus squad action. Both parties glared at each other for a few more seconds, then the furry warrior barked out an order. The pirates sprang into motion as Nick¡¯s team braced themselves for a brutal battle. Chapter 89: Squad versus Squad Nick¡¯s party would have died within the first minute of combat if it wasn¡¯t for the month of intensive training they had just undergone. Their opponents were skilled, used to fighting as a team, and had plenty of experience facing other weapon-wielders. On the other side of the scales, Team Earth had come armed with a plan. They had caught the buccaneers with their pants down and had killed the rest of the pirates within a matter of minutes. Despite the golden-furred warrior¡¯s bravado, it was clear that the ambush had sapped their morale, and they were hesitant to engage Nick¡¯s party in a battle to the death. Both sides unleashed a hail of ranged attacks as their frontline fighters met in a fierce exchange of blows. The clang of steel against steel reverberated across the outpost as the fire continued to consume the barracks. Smoke filled the air, and the flickering flames threw ever-shifting patches of light and shadow across the fierce melee. During a momentary lull in the flow of battle, Devin turned to Nick and said, ¡°Leave the furry bastard to me.¡± He raised his axe with a hard look in his eyes. ¡°You take the dual wielder.¡± Nick nodded, dodging an arrow from the pirate¡¯s archer along the way. With that, both parties came together once more. His world narrowed to the woman in front of him, trusting the rest of the team to handle the other pirates. She was fast and furious¡ªso agile that he had a hard time tracking her movements. After his training with Rita, Nick was able to get a sense for her swordplay as their weapons met time and time again. The woman¡¯s style was far removed from the ever-surging blade. Instead of a relentless assault, she darted in and out. Feinting and circling. Appearing to attack from one direction before falling back and stabbing from another. Her rapid strikes reminded Nick of a serpent. The woman¡¯s lighter weapons weren¡¯t well-suited to blocking his heavy blade, so she relied on dodges that were supplemented with an occasional parry. Every time that she got inside his guard, he was forced to leap back before her blade slit his throat or punctured his vitals. She didn¡¯t give him time to cast a spell, and he hadn¡¯t found an opening to fire his wand. But as close as she came, the pirate couldn¡¯t quite land a killing blow. By now, he thought that his attributes were superior, but she was better with her weapons, leaving them evenly matched. After catching her blade with his sword and blocking her dagger with his vambrace, Nick landed a solid kick to her chest, forcing the pirate back long enough to see how the rest of his team was doing. Devin and the golden-furred fighter were engaged in a different deadly dynamic¡ªa contest of pure Strength. His two-handed axe and the pirate¡¯s longsword slammed into each other in a frenzy of blows, Blast Striking releasing explosions that Nick could feel in his bones. Incredibly, the pirate was able to block the blasts head-on. Neither warrior was able to land a direct hit, but Nick was certain that Devin had a plan. Sure enough, after blocking one final blow, a wave of crackling flame erupted from his position. Flashfire Pulse washed over the pirates¡¯ party in a searing surge. For a second, Nick thought that the ability had done some serious damage. But when the flames faded away, a dome of energy hung in the air for a fraction of a second before winking out of existence. That mage must be some manner defensive specialist. I haven¡¯t seen any offensive spells yet. Sophia was trying to summon more forces. But every time that she stopped to gather her concentration, the archer fired a shot, forcing her to leap out of the way. ¡°Duck behind a building. I¡¯ll keep her busy,¡± Shaun said. He sent a Smoke Arrow flying at the other archer, followed by an Electric Arrow when she came darting out of the haze. Veronica had engaged the whip-wielder, who was remarkably skilled with his weapon. The whip lashed out fast as thought, keeping her from closing the distance and attacking with her claws. But V was far from helpless at that range. Every time she leapt out of the way, she sent a crossbow bolt streaking in the other direction, forcing the man to enact a hasty dodge of his own. Both of our ranged specialists are engaged with theirs. Same thing with the melee fighters. That leaves the defense mage and Sophia as wildcards. Nick evaluated the battlefield within a handful of heartbeats, eyes never leaving his opponent for more than a fraction of a second. Which was a good thing, because the nimble pirate came charging back in, requiring all his concentration to avoid taking a thrust to his vitals. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. He lost himself in the dance of blades, calling on every trick Rita and Kiki had taught him to keep his blood inside his body. By now, the fire had spread, and all three barracks were burning. It felt like they had been battling for hours, but it must have been only a minute or two-. We can¡¯t afford to stay here much longer. The fire is bright enough that it can be seen from the air. That was when Nick spotted an opening in his opponent¡¯s guard. He lunged, committing to a killing strike with the full power of his body behind it. Just before his blade struck true, a magic shield sprang into existence, as the mage used his wand to block Nick¡¯s swing cold. He realized in that moment that he had fallen for a trap. That the pirates had lured him into making the move. He got ready to use Force Acceleration to jump back, even though his control was shit. But it was already too late. A killing strike was headed his way and would land half a heartbeat later. Just before the pirate¡¯s dagger plunged into his throat, a black barbed tongue wrapped around the blade, pulling it free from her hands as Sophia rejoined the battle with a fresh unit of spear-tongues at her side. Their arrival was a tipping point. The extra units made all the difference, forcing the pirates to deal with the deadly beasts and dividing their attention from Team Earth¡¯s attacks. Sophia directed the frogs while calling out to the team, serving as their general while everyone else was absorbed in their fights. From time to time, she tossed the throwing knife she had kept, proving a distraction at critical moments to keep the pirates off-balance. The buccaneers knew they were in trouble. They started burning through their reserves of vital energy and unleashing their heaviest hits. It was only a matter of time before their allies arrived after spotting the flames. They only had to hold their own long enough for reinforcements to arrive. It tipped the scales back in their favor as Team Earth was forced on the defensive. The shield mage kept them from landing any critical blows, and Nick knew that if he wanted to win, the man had to die. He had come up with a plan to take the mage out, but he had to endure long enough to find an opening. That was when his instincts cried out a warning. He used Force Acceleration to leap to one side, avoiding taking an arrow to his face with inches to spare. It seemed that the pirate¡¯s archer had found a chance to retrieve a piece of gear from the barracks¡ªa bow that was covered in intricate runes. Each time that the archer nocked an arrow, energy congealed along its length¡ªa swirling, surging flow that Nick recognized as wind mana after triggering the air-bullet traps on Rita¡¯s world. When the pirate released the string, the missile shot forth with incredible force. They were almost impossible to dodge from this range, especially while engaging another enemy. Before she could fire again, Sophia¡¯s wasps came to the rescue, divebombing the archer every time that she lined up a shot. Nick¡¯s opponent was momentarily engaged with a spear-tongue frog. He began casting Piercing Ray¡­ only to abort the spell when a whip came streaking for his face. He ducked beneath a second strike and blocked a third with his shield, forcing him on the defensive. The pirate¡¯s whip was incredibly elastic, letting it bend, hang, and lash out in ways that leather could never hope to replicate. It couldn¡¯t do much damage through armor, but it would strip the flesh from Nick¡¯s bones if it hit an unprotected area. Before the man could attack again, Shaun¡¯s arrow grazed his shoulder, forcing him back with a curse. That was the moment when the opportunity that Nick had been waiting for presented itself at last. The dual-wielding pirate had killed Sophia¡¯s frog and darted in to engage him. Their blades clashed. Once, twice, then a third and final time. At that point, he spotted a hole in her defense. It wasn¡¯t the same opening as last time, but when he saw the mage looking their way, he was certain that it was a variation on the trick that had nearly cost him his life. Instead of pulling back, Nick committed to the attack, swinging his sword with everything that he had. The woman smiled¡ªfearless in the face of his descending blade. The instant that the shield mage repelled his attack, she would step inside his guard and end his life. But Nick wasn¡¯t about to let them have their way. The pirates weren¡¯t the only ones who could use trickery and misdirection, and they were unaware of one critical fact. This situation was exactly what Nick had been counting on. As his sword flashed down, a shield sprang into existence in front of the dual-wielder''s face¡ªthe same magic that had blocked his last swing cold. Which is why he had already begun channeling pure mana from his core and feeding it to his sword. Silver flames sprang to life along the length of the blade as the edge closed the final foot of open air. She knew in that instant that something was wrong. The pirate aborted her attack and threw her body out of the way. But it wasn¡¯t fast enough. Nick¡¯s silver-wreathed sword hit the magic barrier¡­ and kept right on going¡ªpure mana parting the shimmering shield like a hot knife through whipped cream. The woman began to cry out. But before the words parted her lips, Nick¡¯s sword parted her flesh, carving a diagonal slash across her body that cut all the way down to the bone, killing her instantly. Chapter 90: Crystal and Flame The dual-wielder¡¯s body toppled onto the archer, momentarily taking her out of the fight. The woman swore and pushed the corpse to one side. The instant that it was out of his line of fire, Shaun¡¯s arrow plunged into the hollow of her throat, adding a second body to lie beside the first. The mage and the whip-wielder turned and ran when they realized they were losing the fight, sprinting through the entrance of the warehouse. The golden-furred pirate cursed and tried to follow them, but Devin wouldn¡¯t let him disengage. ¡°You fucking cowards,¡± the buccaneer screamed. ¡°Alma will slaughter you when she finds out what you¡¯ve done!¡± At that point, the warrior went berserk, putting everything he had into one final flurry of blows. But with all five members of Nick¡¯s team on the attack, not to mention Sophia¡¯s summons, he was overwhelmed and unable to bring his fury to fruition. After blocking one last strike, Devin¡¯s axe removed his head from his shoulders. Nick was about to go after the pirates who had escaped, but he stopped when Shaun let out a tortured groan. He thought that the man had taken a critical wound, but fortunately that wasn¡¯t the case. ¡°I just leveled twice¡­ and there¡¯s another one. Getting all those points at once is too much.¡± He groaned. ¡°I think I¡¯m going to be¡­¡± That was as far as Shaun got before he was spectacularly sick, retching from the sheer sensory overload of gaining so many attributes at the same time. Devin moved to stand in front of him, guarding the young man with his shield. ¡°Hang in there, dude. Just get it all out. It will all be over soon, and you can get back on your feet. Until then, I¡¯ve got your back.¡± Just when it seemed that the battle was over, the shield mage and the whip-wielding pirate came running back out of the warehouse. The leather-clad man reached inside a bag that he had retrieved from within and removed a small whistle made of bone. Before anyone had time to react to their reappearance, he brought it to his lips and blew. Veronica¡¯s Acid Bolt caught him in the stomach a heartbeat later. The man dropped his whip and screamed, running back inside the storeroom in a panic. Nick knew the pirate was still alive, because his wounds were starting to heal, but he doubted that the man would last long under the circumstances. At that point, the shield mage raised his hands and said, ¡°I surrender. Please don¡¯t kill me.¡± Nick had been about to run him through but hesitated after hearing those words. He had just killed another person for the first time, and was willing to do so again, but cutting down an opponent who wasn¡¯t fighting back was something that he''d been prepared for. A mistake that became clear to him three seconds later. Because that when the side of the warehouse exploded, as a pair of massive creatures came rushing straight for the party. The mage let loose a bloodthirsty cackle. ¡°If it were up to me, I¡¯d call it a draw and let you slip away. But Baro was right. If Alma learns that we let you escape, she¡¯ll mete out a fate far worse than a clean death in battle. She¡¯s going to be pissed that we put the glass-deaths at risk and used the mind-control consumable, but it¡¯s better than the alternative.¡± Shaun fired an arrow and V let loose a pair of bolts, but they bounced off a shield the mage had conjured. A pair of wasps came at him from behind, but his barrier was a complete hemisphere. Nick didn¡¯t have time to worry about him now, because the beasts that the pirate called glass-deaths were almost upon him. He used the final seconds before they arrived to see what he was dealing with. The charging creatures were giant scorpions with blue gemstone exoskeletons. They reflected the rising flames that were rapidly consuming the base. When Nick sized them up, he learned that they were agile and heavily armored. Although the beasts¡¯ claws were small for their size, their stingers were a lethal threat. His skill conveyed the impression that the beasts possessed a potent venom¡ªone that couldn¡¯t be countered with healing items. He relayed the information to his team, letting them know that they couldn¡¯t afford to take even a single sting, or they would wind up suffering casualties here and now. Sure enough, when one of the scorpions plunged its barbed tail into a spear-tongue that had moved to engage it, the afflicted tissue began to change. Not turning to stone, but into something that did indeed look like glass. Nick realized that he could see inside the frog¡¯s body as the venom spread. The summon convulsed until the toxin reached the organs below, causing them to solidify and slaying the amphibian within a matter of seconds. ¡°Keep your distance and don¡¯t let those beasts engage you,¡± Sophia called out as her frog vanished in a flash of ruby light. ¡°Their venom is even worse than my wasps.¡± Her remaining summons attacked the glass-deaths before they reached the party, buying time since they couldn¡¯t penetrate the scorpions¡¯ gemstone armor. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. Nick had begun casting Piercing Ray the moment that he understood what was happening, pouring all the power into the spell that he could. By now, force mana was congealing between his hands, rotating faster than ever thanks to the upgrade he¡¯d earned during the fight with the Janitor. The sphere component was bigger too. In addition to being more powerful, the spell would operate for longer before it ran out of juice. He ran his gaze across the battlefield, picking out his target before the ray hit critical mass. He waited until Shaun fired another arrow, which glanced off the creature¡¯s crystal carapace. The beast opened its mouth and hissed in irritation¡­ which provided Nick with the opening he¡¯d been waiting for. Before the scorpion could close its jaws, he visualized his trajectory and fired. Fast as thought, the head of the ray went streaking across the open air. The white drill bit at the end was bigger and sharper than ever, already rotating before the ray touched down. Just as Nick had been hoping, the spell landed inside the glass-death¡¯s mouth instead of hitting its carapace. Now that the connection was anchored, his ray picked up speed, spinning faster and then faster still. The crystal beast screamed as his spell bored into its flesh. It tried to break away, stinging and clawing at the magic stuck to its face. But it was already too late. The ray was inside its body, and the drill carved through its guts within a matter of seconds, bursting out the other side in a great spray of ichor. Since the spell still had some energy, Nick visualized a new trajectory, bending the beam around to catch the mage in his ankle. It broke through his outer shield, but the man must have activated his wand at the last possible moment. Because instead of drilling through his leg, the ray met a second layer of mana¡ªa type that Nick didn¡¯t recognize. As the ball in his hand shrank from the size of a cantaloupe to that of an orange, the opposing magics went to war. Their battle sent sparks cascading into the air, accompanied by an incredible screech like a hundred claws dragging across a dozen chalkboards. A heartbeat before his spell ran out of mana, Piercing Ray won the fight, shearing off the pirate¡¯s foot before dissipating. His wand shattered as the device was stressed beyond its limits. The pirate fell to the ground, grasping at his bloody limb; consumed by pain and the shock of the injury. Before the man could recover, he was swarmed by Sophia¡¯s wasps and met a frozen death a few seconds later. Nick turned his attention to the other crystal scorpion, only to witness the final moments of the fight. By this point, the beast had a black-barbed tongue wrapped around its tail, preventing it from landing another sting. As frog and scorpion engaged in a contest of raw strength, Sophia¡¯s wasps flew in front of its face. The azure bugs couldn¡¯t penetrate the glass-death¡¯s shell, but they served to block its view, letting Devin close the distance without being spotted. He came charging in with his great axe raised above his head. The blond warrior brought his weapon down hard, aiming for the base of the beast¡¯s tail. Nick was afraid for his friend, considering the potency of the scorpion¡¯s venom, and went running to back him up. However, Devin didn¡¯t need his assistance. The axe¡¯s blade bit into the crystal armor with an incredible crack, but it couldn¡¯t sink deep. Then the point of contact exploded as Blast Striking kicked in, severing the beast¡¯s tail and coating the wound with burning mana. Veronica darted in and stabbed it through the eye, perforating its brain and killing it instantly. All the pirates were down, but Team Earth was still in danger. The buildings had been burning for several minutes now, forming a blazing beacon that was sure to draw every ship in the area. Nick was certain that reinforcements were already on their way. If the party didn¡¯t steal an airship and take to the sky, they were all going to die. He called out to the others to get them organized. ¡°Veronica and Sophia, get the big ship ready to sail. Even if you can¡¯t figure out how to steer it right away, we need to start climbing as fast as we can. Shaun, grab anything you see that looks valuable, but don¡¯t get distracted. We¡¯re leaving the instant that the girls make sense of the controls. ¡°Devin, set the other ship ablaze. We can¡¯t afford to let anyone follow us if any of the pirates in the buildings are still alive.¡± Since there wasn¡¯t a moment to spare, everyone did as Nick suggested. Devin ran over to break the smaller ship, using Blast Striking while chopping at the wings until they were wrecked and the sail was ablaze. By now, all three barracks were burning bright, and the fire had spread to the other buildings. ¡°Hurry, those flames will be visible for miles. Every pirate in the area will be headed our way soon. We need to get out of here before they learn that we¡¯ve stolen a ship.¡± While he was talking, Nick knelt beside the fallen pirates. He started throwing random pieces of gear into his pack, keeping one eye on the sky all the while. Nick and Shaun didn¡¯t have time to sort through the items or pillage the base at their leisure. Instead, they stripped everything that might be valuable from the bodies and tossed it into Nick¡¯s pack. He retrieved all the weapons except for the big sword. The weapon was incredibly heavy, and no one needed it. Two minutes later, V called out. ¡°I think we have the controls figured out, or at least how to climb.¡± Nick stopped looting and yelled. ¡°Climb aboard now. We don¡¯t have a second to spare.¡± With that, the men raced to board the vessel. Devin untied the moorings from the dock, then helped Nick raise the anchor. Instead of floating straight up like a ballon, the ship hovered in place, rocking gently back and forth. Sophia was muttering to herself while poking at the machinery. ¡°This wheel acts like a rudder, and this lever must control the yaw. Now, where is the throttle and the pitch? Maybe if I press this switch, then push the wheel forward¡­¡± With that, the whole ship lurched, nearly knocking Nick over the side before he fell into Veronica¡¯s lap. She looked down and then gently pushed him off, chuckling all the while. Sophia turned the wheel, smacked the ship into the dock, then turned it the other way until they were clear on all sides. She nodded to herself and pulled the wheel back, and suddenly, they were rising fast, sailing up toward the islands above. Chapter 91: Vertical Escape Everyone grabbed onto the frame of the vessel as the airship continued to climb. Within a matter of minutes, the pirates¡¯ outpost was reduced to the size of a child¡¯s toy. Nick drank in the exhilarating sensation of soaring through the air, which melded with his relief from winning the fight to leave a fierce grin plastered on his face. But he couldn¡¯t afford to just sit back and enjoy the ride. Although Team Earth had survived their first battle against other people and escaped on the airship as planned, they were still in grave danger. The burning base below was a blazing beacon, letting the pirates know that their prey had arrived on this floor. Worse, they knew exactly where Nick¡¯s party had been only a few short minutes ago. The buccaneers were bound to converge on this side of the level, and he was certain that within a matter of hours, the air would be thick with ships hunting for the stolen vessel. In short, their escape had only just begun, and they were already running out of time. By now, the horizon had begun to lighten¡ªthe world beyond the tower shifting from black to a flawless navy blue. ¡°We don¡¯t have much longer until dawn,¡± Sophia echoed his train of thought. ¡°Even if word of our theft hasn¡¯t had time to spread, if anyone sees how bad I am at steering this thing, they¡¯ll know something isn¡¯t right. We need to climb to the first big island, find a place to hide, then learn more about this floor before we commit to a longer flight.¡± While Sophia and Veronica worked on learning the controls, the men watched for approaching ships and beasts, along with any smaller islands that were headed their way. It was hard to see the distant vessels in the dark, which was a good thing under the circumstances. They fled as fast as the airship could ascend, racing the rising sun. The beauty of their surroundings clashed with the danger engulfing them on all sides. The thrill of surviving a dangerous fight contrasted with the knowledge that if they stayed out in the open for long, it would be the end of them all. Just before they crested the rim of the closest floating island, Shaun pointed to a cluster of giant crystals jutting from the bottom. ¡°Steer us that way. I think there is some manner of cavern hidden between those gems.¡± They didn¡¯t have time to survey the surface, so the party followed Shaun¡¯s suggestion. They stopped climbing and traveled along the bottom of the isle. Sure enough, when they drew near the spot in question, Nick could see a recess formed from the place where two big crystals came together. It wasn¡¯t a proper cave, but it looked deep enough to land the ship. Better still, the opening was angled so that it would be hard to see without taking a close pass at just the right elevation. It wouldn¡¯t offer perfect concealment, but it was the best they were going to find before the sun rose. ¡°Given the prevalence of the crystals, there are probably places like this all along the islands,¡± Devin said. ¡°I doubt they will look for us here until they finish sweeping the surface of the nearby isles. It will still be a risk, but we¡¯re out of time.¡± The women steered the ship toward the enclosure, slowing down as they maneuvered it through the gap between the minerals. There was a groan as the gemstones scraped the sides of the vessel, but they managed to land it without causing any serious damage. Devin lodged the anchor between a series of protrusions, keeping the floating vessel from drifting off. Then everyone ducked down to reduce their profiles as much as possible. Since they didn¡¯t need to sleep and were too saturated with adrenaline to rest even if they did, everyone sat in a circle. They spoke in low voices as Nick reached into his pack and retrieved what they had taken from the pirates below. While Team Earth began sorting through the plunder and inspecting the ship for anything useful that might be stowed aboard, they pulled up their profiles to check out their gains from the battle. ¡°Holy shit,¡± Shaun said. ¡°I finally did it. That fight shot me all the way up to level fifteen, and I can access the ability mastery system. I only have two abilities, but I can take them both to rank two right now. Before I do, I was hoping that you would help me think over my options, along with how I should spend my free points. I want to focus on contributing to a team rather than working solo going forward, and I want to direct my growth with that goal in mind.¡± Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. After talking the matter through and experiencing the visions that came from taking his abilities to rank one, Shaun decided to advance Smoke Arrow to rank two first. All three options were solid, but after listening to everyone¡¯s opinion, he decided to go with the one that was best suited to fighting alongside a small party. The upgrade he chose was incredibly useful. It didn¡¯t make the smoke thicker or grant it offensive capabilities like the other picks. In fact, it didn¡¯t change the properties of the smoke to outside observers at all. However, its effects would be radically different to the members of his team. Going forward, the smoke from his arrows would appear translucent to Shaun and his party. He could lay down a smokescreen that wouldn¡¯t obstruct his allies¡¯ view but would still blind his opponents. It was an amazing support ability, and Nick was thrilled to add it to the team¡¯s toolkit. All three options for Electric Arrow were offensive in nature. Since added utility was off the table, he decided to shore up one of the party¡¯s weaknesses and gave the arrows a chaining property. The electricity released by the original discharge would leap to all targets within ten feet, then again a second time, losing strength in proportion to the number of splits. Shaun would have to be careful not to hit his own team, but his upgraded ability would dramatically increase the area of effect of the attack. It would be fantastic when fighting swarms of small opponents, especially when he had some more raw power behind it. Nick had ranked up his abilities after the fight with the Janitor, but everyone else had gained some valuable new powers from winning their latest battle. After talking the matter over with the team, they made their decisions. They laid down to experience the visions, then shared the details of their gains. Slaying the roach queen, who had wielded powerful enhancement magic, had granted Sophia almost enough essence to take her aura to rank two, and killing the pirates had given her the rest. The upgrade she chose was simple enough. Before, her aura had boosted the Toughness and Dexterity of anything friendly within its range. Now, the passive ability would increase their Strength too, letting the team and her summons hit harder with every blow. The effect was noticeable right away. The instant that her vision was complete, Nick sensed power flowing into his body, making his limbs feel lighter. When he drove one fist into his open palm, he could feel the extra Strength. ¡°This is amazing.¡± He grinned. ¡°Your powers are awesome, Sophia.¡± For his part, Devin had taken Flame Resistance to rank two. In addition to protecting his body from burning attacks, the passive ability would help him to regulate his body temperature, which would let him endure extreme heat and cold for prolonged periods of time. Veronica had ranked up all three of her abilities, one of which would enhance the effectiveness of the entire party. After some consideration, she had gone with an upgrade to Bleeding Poison that was similar to her improved Acid Bolt. Only instead of restoring the team¡¯s health, the party would regenerate stamina while her opponent was afflicted by her anticoagulant. ¡°I love it,¡± Devin said. ¡°We¡¯ll have to think of a cool name for the new version, like Vampiric Bolt or something, but you¡¯re turning into one hell of an offensive healer. Most parties would kill to have someone like you.¡± V had also taken Bone Claws to rank two. After some consideration, she had gone with an upgrade that would increase their penetrative power and make them harder to break. When she tried it out, her claws were covered in what appeared to be a thin layer of diamond. When she ran them across a banister, the cutting edge sliced into the hard wooden railing with no appreciable resistance, carving thick curls of wood as she drew them along the surface. Finally, Sophia had leveled and gained a new ability. Since she had performed a ritual using a beast core from a warrior roach, that was the new creature she could summon. She had also received enough essence from the fight to take her spear-tongue frogs to rank two. She had just gained a new frontline fighter, so she decided to take her frogs in a different direction. Instead of focusing on their melee ability, she granted them an unusual specialization that the System called ¡°mage hunters.¡± It increased the size of the black plates that banded the vermillion frogs¡¯ bodies, while enhancing their antimagic property. The upgrade improved the summons¡¯ resistance to a wide range of spells, granting the team a new way to counter a dangerous type of opponent. They couldn¡¯t afford to waste the vital energy to summon some now, but Nick couldn¡¯t wait to see what her warrior roaches and upgraded frogs could do. Everyone spent a few minutes complimenting each other, enjoying a moment of shared satisfaction at their new powers before moving on to their material gains. Chapter 92: Material Gains With their new and improved abilities out of the way, the party moved on to dividing the loot they had taken from the pirates¡¯ bodies. Nick had already opened his bag and spread the gear across the deck so that everyone could decide what they wanted. While they hadn¡¯t been able to strip the pirates of their armor, they had done well on the weapons front and had claimed a selection of other items along the way. They had the sword from the first pirate Nick had ambushed in the watchtower, along with the dagger and pack from the man Veronica had killed. They had recovered the sword and dagger from the dual wielder, the whip from the backline warrior, the bow and quiver from the archer, and the broken wand from the mage. On top of the weapons, they had come out with a pile of gems and golden coins¡ªthe first hard currency that Nick had seen since the System arrived. They decided on an even split for the valuables, then everyone turned to the weapons to see if anything caught their eye. Nick was mostly interested in the wand. Even though it was broken, he might be able to repair it. Even if he couldn¡¯t, it should prove useful in learning more about the nature of defensive magic once he had some time to study it at his leisure. The device looked rather different from his Wand of Force, to the extent that he wouldn¡¯t have known it was a wand at all if he hadn¡¯t seen the mage using it in battle. It was five inches long and made from a coppery metal about as thick as his thumb. Bands of a silver were embedded along its length, in a pattern that vaguely reminded Nick of System runes. Devin didn¡¯t want any of the weapons. Instead, he chose the belt that the furred swordsman had been wearing¡ªthe only accessory that had been easy to remove. It was made of a deep red leather, with a pattern suggesting an ocean of flames. He strapped it around his waist, then shrugged. ¡°It doesn¡¯t do anything obvious, but it looks badass and probably has a useful modification. I¡¯m sure that I¡¯ll figure it out before long.¡± Sophia decided to try out the whip. ¡°I¡¯m not doing as much infighting now that I¡¯m directing multiple summons. Once I learn how to use it, this weapon will let me attack from behind the front line.¡± The whip¡¯s handle was formed from black wood, with leather wrapped around it to improve the grip. The body was a greenish cord about fifteen feet long. There wasn¡¯t room on the deck to test it out, since she wasn¡¯t going to swing a weapon with unknown properties so close to the rest of the team. It had come with a case that fastened to her belt. Sophia also took an extra dagger and the bone whistle consumable that the man had used to control the scorpions. Its magic had already been expended, but like the broken wand, she figured that it might prove useful to study later on. Veronica came away with a new dagger, the backpack from the first pirate she had killed, and a new pair of gloves. There were a few other odds and ends in the pirate¡¯s pack, which might be valuable when she made it back to civilization. That left two swords, a bow, and a quiver for Shaun to choose from. All of them appeared to be self-maintenance modified, given how clean they were in the aftermath of the battle. Those will be decent upgrades for him. With any luck, they will let him hit hard enough to contribute beyond his using his abilities. When Shaun picked up the bow to take a closer look, Nick learned that it was even better than he¡¯d hoped. It was a compound bow made of golden wood, with etchings along the exterior. When the red-haired man nocked an arrow and drew, mana coalesced along the length. When Shaun loosed the arrow, it shot forth at a tremendous velocity. ¡°Holy shit,¡± he said. ¡°That added a ton of power to my shot. My arrows will fly farther and penetrate deeper using this beauty. I should be able to dish out some real damage now.¡± Nick put the old bow into his pack, figuring that it might come in handy at some point. If nothing else, he could use it for practice. He needed to expand his options for non-magical ranged attacks sooner or later, and a bow was a good place to start. Shaun¡¯s new quiver only held three arrows, although he was hoping that it had the same self-refilling modification. He wasn¡¯t sure what firing them would do, and couldn¡¯t afford to risk making too much noise, so he took one out to inspect rather than shooting it right now. The arrow was jet black with red fletching. Instead of an arrowhead, the end was tipped with a round sack, which was certain to produce some manner of effect once it landed on target. This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. That left two swords for Shaun to choose from. One was a slender blade forged from a metal that had a reddish tint when the light struck it. The other was a foot longer, and the metal was pure white. After testing them both out, Shaun decided to keep the longer blade, leaving Nick with the shorter weapon. After some consideration, he decided to strap its sheath to his waist. A short sword would prove useful in close quarters where there wasn¡¯t enough room to swing his longer weapon, and it would be faster on the draw than reaching into his bag. Shaun slid his new sword and scabbard onto his belt. After a moment¡¯s reflection, Nick decided to leave the man¡¯s old sword behind. No one needed a basic, non-magic blade at this point, and he doubted that it would sell for much. His bag was almost full, and he needed to save room for more valuable items. Now that the sun had risen, there was nothing to do other than settle down and wait until nightfall to resume their journey. Before they decided how to pass the time, everyone listened as the women explained what they had learned about the vessel¡¯s controls. Every member of the party needed to be able to fly it, so that they could take to the air at a moment¡¯s notice no matter who was standing watch. Since the pirates would be hunting them in earnest from this point on, Nick prayed that no one had seen their ship approach the island or had a magical means of locating the vessel. The downside of this hiding spot was that Team Earth had a limited angle to view the outside world. If their enemies found them here, the party was only going to have a brief warning before they arrived. Now that the team had discussed their new powers and upgraded their gear, the only thing left was to spend the free points they had gained from their levels, although not every class offered them regularly like Nick¡¯s. He went ahead and pulled up his menu, reviewing his gains from the battle in full. Congratulations. You have accumulated enough experience to reach level [22]. You have gained one point of Magic from your class. Congratulations. You have accumulated enough experience to reach level [23]. You have gained one point of Magic and one point of Dexterity from your class. You have two free attribute points awaiting allocation at your discretion. Through use, you have improved the following skills: Evasion has increased from [15] to [16]. Light Shield has increased from [6] to [8]. Sword has increased from [23] to [24]. Throwing has increased from [8] to [9]. Wand has increased from [15] to [16]. Since he had some time on his hands, Nick pondered how to spend his free points long and hard before arriving at a decision. His Magic was rising like a rocket, thanks to the point he gained every time that he leveled, and his Dexterity was almost as high. His body felt fast and agile, and he had reached a level of control where he could pull off most combat maneuvers reliably. He was powerful enough to wield his sword in one hand and could carry his heavy pack without slowing him down, so he crossed Strength off the list too. He was durable enough to shrug off blows that would have killed him in his old life and could run and fight for long periods without growing tired. While he still didn¡¯t have enough Toughness to use Force Acceleration at full power without damaging his body, he thought he could go all out without tearing his muscles or breaking his bones. On the other hand, his mental stats were starting to fall behind, since they were harder to condition and didn¡¯t come packaged with his class. So, Nick decided to put both free points into Mind this time around. Extra focus and processing power was always useful, and he was hoping that the boost to his senses would help him spot the stairwells from further out. As the enhanced clarity that came with spending points on Mind came over him, he opened his journal and started to write, recording everything he had learned since entering the tower. The swordplay he¡¯d learned from Rita, and everything the fight with the Janitor had revealed about mana and essence. When the effects wore off, he kept right on going, entering the full story of his recent adventures, and everything he thought might help others who hadn¡¯t gone through something similar. Ever since Kerry had copied his journal to distribute to other members of Team Earth, Nick had expanded his plans. He hoped to write a guide that would help others walk the myriad paths to power, which could be expanded and revised once other people got their hands on it. While it¡¯s nice to think about the future, we must finish climbing the tower and win back the Earth before we worry about what comes next. Starting with escaping from the sky pirates that call this level home. Chapter 93: Roaming Boss By the time that Nick was done writing, it was an hour or so before noon. He took his turn standing watch, letting Sophia get some well-deserved sleep. Since there wasn¡¯t much to look at beside the ground directly below the island, he took the opportunity to peruse his profile, considering the gains he had made since starting his month of training. Contestant Profile: Nicholas ¡®Nick¡¯ Henry. Level: 23. Tier: 1. Species: Human of Earth (E). Class: Kineticist (uncommon). Base attribute points per level: +1 magic, +1 dexterity every other level. Free points per level: 1. You have 0 unspent free points at this time. Attributes Strength: 10 (14) Dexterity: 10 (19) Toughness: 10 (19) Mind: 9 (15) Creativity: 8 (10) Charisma: 5 Magic: 5 (20) ??? ??? Abilities Ability slots: 2 active, 1 passive, 1 free. Used: 1 active, 1 passive. Active abilities Mana dart (spell). Rank 3. Path: Vital energy damage. Creates a magical projectile formed from pure mana that damages all forms of vital energy (health, mana, and stamina). Piercing ray (spell). Rank 1. (You have enough essence to advance to rank 2 but lack the understanding required to do so). Creates a rotating drill of force mana. The spell moves fast but takes time to reach full power. Passive abilities Force Acceleration. Rank 0. (You have enough essence and understanding to advance to rank 1). Drastically increases the speed of movement in exchange for draining mana at a rapid rate. (This ability may be turned on and off at will.) Class Traits None. (The trait for this class has been incorporated into your bloodline). Geneline Traits Gift of Tongues: you can understand and speak the languages of all intelligent creatures. Awakened to Magic: +1 to magic. Versatile: +1 to all attributes. +1 free ability slot. Bloodline Traits Filled bloodline slots: 2. Open bloodline slots: 1. Survivor (enhanced): you require 50% less food, water, oxygen, and sleep. Force Adept (enhanced): You receive a significant bonus to mana efficiency and scaling from energetic attributes when casting spells that use force mana, and a modest bonus to those using pure mana. Force Adepts are unable to cast elemental spells and receive a substantial penalty when manipulating elemental-aspected mana in any way. Faction School of the Ever-Surging Blade (initiate) Faction Bonus: Sword skill is unlocked with no cap, regardless of class. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Skills Active Evasion: 19 Light shield: 9 Sword: 24 Throwing: 9 Wand: 16 Inactive (inactive skills may be used but not improved.) Size up: 10 Foraging: 10 Inventory (uncommon and above) Bag of molding (rare). Elixir of restoration (rare). Modifications: Soulbound. Arena dagger (uncommon). Modifications: Eversharp. Adventurer¡¯s toolbelt (uncommon). Modifications: Self-maintenance. Pugilist¡¯s gloves (uncommon). Modifications: Durable. Adventurer¡¯s coat (uncommon). Modifications: Durable. Self-maintenance. Cloak of thermal regulation (uncommon). Modifications: Self-maintenance. Wand of force (rare). Modifications: Soulbound. Skill activation (Wand). Living artifact. Caster¡¯s buckler (uncommon). Modifications: Durable. Self-maintenance. Blightbane (unidentified). ??? Short sword (unidentified). ??? Wand (broke, unidentified). By the time he reached the end, a fierce smile was plastered on his face. Nick was blown away by just how much he had grown since entering the Tower of Rizzen, along with the rest of his team. Only two more levels until I can pick a new class, and I¡¯ll gain a new skill at 24, since that will make a full 15 levels since I chose the Kineticist. He sat there for a long while, savoring the joy of watching the numbers go up while scanning the patch of sky between their hiding spot and the floor far below. But his satisfaction was bittersweet. Lurking behind his delight was an ocean of worry. While his progress was encouraging, he knew that it wasn¡¯t enough. If he wanted to defeat the guardian on the roof and save his planet, he needed to obtain more power, let alone help the survivors of Earth navigate whatever awaited them as part of the Labyrinth of the Mad God. Nick had to grow stronger, and he was running out of time. While that¡¯s true. There¡¯s no point in worrying about it now. Just focus on the next step, then deal with the one after that. He took a deep breath and let his mind wander, doing his best to recover from the stressful ordeal while letting the others rest. Several ships passed below over the next few hours. Each sighting sent a fresh wave of adrenaline surging through Nick¡¯s veins before they sailed on by. But those moments were nothing compared to the scare he received when the boss¡¯s ship came into view, crossing the sky in a glacial procession as it circled the base that his party had burned to the ground. He woke everyone with a finger on their lips to make sure they didn¡¯t talk, then remained as quiet as he could as the colossal warship flew past. The airship was a massive vessel¡ªat least two hundred feet from bow to stern. Its exterior was painted sky blue, so it was harder to spot from a distance. It had three broad sails and a pair of long wings that granted it the profile of a great, flying beast. Nick couldn¡¯t see the crew from his position, but what he could see were guns. Sticking out from holes in the sides of the warship were a variety of devices. Some looked like classic cannons, and likely fired projectiles even if their delivery mechanisms were magical in nature. Others were lengths of glowing crystal that were conduits for elemental energy. Six of the biggest weapons were radiating force mana, and a pair of little ones near the front were conducting pure. By now, he had enough experience in perceiving magic to have a sense of their purpose. Those armaments are designed to punch through a wide variety of shields. Since the vessel flew through the air instead of floating on the water, many of the guns were lower on the side than they would be on a naval vessel¡ªangled to enable a ground barrage. The top row could be pointed up to deal with other ships, supplementing the spells cast by the crew. All in all, the flying warship was incredibly imposing. Nick was certain that it could obliterate the cavern where he was hiding if it decided to go all out. And if the vessel itself was that powerful, the pirate boss who commanded it was certain to be just as deadly, confirming what the floor¡¯s rules had implied. In that moment, any inclination to try to kill the pirates¡¯ leaders vanished like smoke on the breeze. Even if they somehow managed to take one of the elite warriors down, the rest of crew would overwhelm Nick¡¯s party with numbers greater than they had faced during the last fight. He would love to knock them out of the sky and let gravity handle the rest, but the airship was out of scale for any of their powers to destroy, and it was certain to feature magical protections along with its impressive array of weapons. We need to stay as far away from the warships as possible and avoid drawing attention to ourselves. The only good news was that the mammoth vessel was slow compared to the other airships Nick had observed. It would be devastating to face from the ground, but they could probably outpace it now, although there was a pair of small ships attached to the sides that were clearly designed to pursue flying targets. Everyone let out a sigh of relief when the warship sailed out of view. They stayed quiet for another twenty minutes just to be safe, then sat in a circle to discuss what they¡¯d seen. ¡°We should do our best to avoid fighting for the rest of this floor,¡± Sophia said. ¡°There must be hundreds of pirates up here, flying dozens of ships or more. We don¡¯t have the firepower or resources to engage in a conflict of that scale. Even if we win a battle or two, we will be swarmed by superior numbers. And if those bosses are as powerful as I expect, they might be able to take us out all by themselves.¡± ¡°We might not have a choice, since I doubt that they will leave the floor¡¯s exits unguarded.¡± Devin rubbed his chin. ¡°We need to locate a stairwell before they find us. Hopefully, we can defeat the guards and climb to the next floor before reinforcements have time to show up.¡± ¡°There might be a hidden staircase in addition to the obvious one,¡± Veronica added. ¡°We can¡¯t count on finding it, but we should keep our eyes open while we cross from island to island.¡± Nick nodded along with their words, and then added his own analysis. ¡°It seems likely that one exit will be somewhere near the top of the floor, based on the game-like rules of this quest. Our best bet is to climb as high as we can during the night and hide during the day. If we can make it up there without being spotted, we can start scouting for the stairs.¡± ¡°What do we do if they do spot us?¡± Shaun asked. ¡°Race for the top and hope that we find the stairs before they catch us,¡± Sophia replied. ¡°If they surround us, we won¡¯t stand a chance. Let¡¯s pool our observations regarding the islands thus far. Their positions will keep changing, but they seem to maintain the same altitude. Before we set sail, we should come up with a tentative plan for which isles to cross to in which order, and where to hide during the day. This might be our last chance to consider our options at length, and we need to make it count.¡± Chapter 94: Killing Time After the party finished updating their map, everyone settled down to wait until night fell. Team Earth passed the time in various ways: training, talking, and napping on and off. It was strange to have so much downtime after their experiences crossing Blackmist Bog and the basement of Darkstone Tower, where the clock was an enemy and they had to keep moving to stay ahead of a series of escalating threats. Eventually, the light began to dim, and the shadows grew long with the end of day. The party got ready to take to the air once more, but there was one last thing they needed to do first. Make sure that no other ships were in the area who would notice them leave their crystal refuge. Since she had the best eyesight, Veronica volunteered for the most unusual scouting job that Nick had seen yet. They took a coil of rope out of his pack, tied one end to the mast, then lowered her over the side. Veronica signaled every few feet to give her more rope, until she was dangling thirty feet below the bottom of their ship. She took a long look around, flashed a thumbs up, then they pulled her back aboard. ¡°I didn¡¯t see anything nearby,¡± V reported. ¡°Although we¡¯ll have to be careful when we head topside, in case there are ships flying above the island.¡± By now, early dusk had transitioned to deep twilight. It was still light enough to make Nick nervous, but they had to leave now, since navigating the crystal-studded region in the dark was a recipe for disaster. Everyone stowed their gear and grabbed hold of the railing while the women manned the controls. With a lurch, their airship rose a few feet, cleared the gemstones on both sides, and then slipped free from their hiding spot. They maneuvered around some protruding minerals and a few seconds later they were sailing through open air, following the contour of the island above to shield them from prying eyes. By the time that they reached the rim of the landmass, night had fallen on the world outside the tower. Even still, they proceeded with caution. Veronica poked the prow beyond the periphery and then stopped, waiting to survey the area before revealing the rest of the ship. Although there were lights in the distance, evidence that the pirates were still sweeping the region, there weren¡¯t any airships near their location. V nudged the ship forward, pulled back on the wheel, and the vessel began to rise, heading toward the next big island several miles above. When they crested the rim of the one they had hidden beneath, Nick saw that it was covered in tall grass and verdant brush. That biome looks like a prairie. I wonder what the others will be like. Everyone looked in a different direction as they began climbing toward the roof of the level. The airship was slow compared to modern Earth vehicles, and it couldn¡¯t ascend nearly as fast as it could fly in a straight line. Even still, they covered a considerable distance over the next few hours, sailing past the second giant island while heading for the third¡ªwhere they planned to hide during the next daylight cycle. With any luck, they would reach it with at least an hour to spare, then use the predawn lighting to find a suitable refuge. Flying between the glowing crystal islands was a beautiful, thrilling experience. A voyage that would have been far more pleasant if they hadn¡¯t been fleeing from a swarm of pirates who intended to slaughter them all. Even still, Nick found himself enjoying the trip¡ªmoved by the beauty and otherness of his environment. While they were surrounded by terrible danger, sailing into the unknown gave their journey the ambiance of a true adventure, instead of a desperate race to survive one cataclysmic disaster after the next. He was glad that they hadn¡¯t been split up this time, and was ready for whatever trial the Tower of Rizzen threw at him next. He sat beside Sophia while Veronica took another turn at the wheel, watching the luminescent gemstones soaring across the sky like a miniature galaxy. Their fingertips were touching, but they didn¡¯t pull away. It was nice to have some human contact, and who knew if any of them would live to see tomorrow? Sophia put her head on Nick¡¯s shoulder, he draped his arm around her back, and they stayed like that until the sky began to lighten. Twenty minutes later, they were drawing near the next big sky island¡ªa massive landmass that stretched on for miles. Unfortunately, there weren¡¯t nearly as many crystals sticking out from the bottom, which meant the party was going to have to hide somewhere on top this time. They had to move fast, using the narrow window where they could see the surface, but it was still hard to spot them from the air. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. After scanning for pirates, they crested the rim of the isle, staying near the surface to reduce their profile. Like the floor of this level, the island was covered in trees and dense vegetation. Hopefully, it isn¡¯t inhabited by sky pirates, although there are likely more beasts to contend with. ¡°Over there,¡± Devin said a few minutes later. ¡°There is a break in the trees that looks wide enough to steer the ship below the canopy, which is thick enough that we should be able to hide if we throw some plants on top to serve as camouflage.¡± Since there wasn¡¯t time to look for other options, V steered the ship where Devin had pointed, then sailed between the trunks until they couldn¡¯t see the sky. Nick jumped out and helped Shaun tie some ropes to the trees, while Devin lodged the anchor between a pile of rocks. Then everyone began gathering loose branches and vines to cover the airship. He decided that this biome resembled a tropical rainforest, even if most of the vegetation was purple and blue instead of green. He soon learned that there were tiny dinosaurs roaming all over the place. Little ones that were barely bigger than Earth rats, along with reptilian flyers the size of crows. Size Up told him they weren¡¯t aggressive, so he took his time to enjoy an alien landscape that was so different from the world of his birth. Ten minutes later, their impromptu camouflage was as good as it was going to get. It wouldn¡¯t fool anyone walking along the ground, but the ship should be hard to spot from the air with the branches blocking the view from above. The party reconvened once they moved below deck, deciding how best to use the daylight hours. Shaun was still short on sleep, so he moved into the adjacent room to rest. But everyone else had the enhanced Survivor trait and had gotten plenty of shuteye back in the cave and during their nocturnal voyage. Since Devin and Sophia weren¡¯t as stealthy as the others, they volunteered to stand guard while Nick and V scouted the area. They wanted to know if there were any aggressive beasts nearby, along with any pirates stationed on the island. They also planned to use the opportunity to chart out their course, see if they could deduce anything useful from the pirates¡¯ behavior, and keep an eye out for any valuable resources or a chance to top off their supplies. Veronica decided to survey the island, which left Nick to handle the rest. He started off by walking over to the edge, careful to remain within the cover of the canopy. When he got there, he made his way over to the rim of the precipice, took out his spyglass, and looked down. He saw dozens of airships riding the breeze, more of them than he¡¯d been expecting. He also spotted a small base on the next island down. There were several ships on the ground, including a large vessel that Nick assumed was captained by one of the floor¡¯s bosses, although it wasn¡¯t nearly as big as the warship he had seen the day before. It probably belongs to one of the pirates¡¯ tier-one elites. Over the next few hours, the sky grew thick with ships, as the pirates began searching the nearby isles. So far, none of them had landed to scout from the ground, but it was only a matter of time. The party needed to move on as soon as the sun set, or they would likely be discovered. They were still too close to the destroyed base to remain hidden for long. Nick spent the rest of the day observing the pirates, trying to get a sense for the pattern of their search and their ships¡¯ capabilities. He thought that there were perhaps thirty of the two-man vessels, a dozen or so the same size as the ship they¡¯d stolen, and three large warships belonging to the pirates¡¯ bosses. Only the warships were armed with cannons, which meant that the smaller ones couldn¡¯t attack them directly, although the buccaneers on board likely had some manner of ranged attacks or spells that were well-suited to an aerial assault. The two-man models were faster than the party¡¯s ship. If their crews spotted Nick¡¯s team, escaping would be difficult if not impossible. It reinforced his belief that stealth was their only viable option, since the pirates outnumbered Team Earth at least a hundred to one. Based on their flight paths, he thought that most of the pirates were stationed on the upper islands. There were likely to be more bases the higher the party climbed, making it progressively harder to remain hidden. Nick hoped that they would find a staircase before reaching the top of the level, but it seemed likely that they wouldn¡¯t. When they got to the top, they would probably have to fight their way through the buccaneers that were guarding the main stairwell. But that was a worry for another day. When Veronica returned, she reported that while there was a dock, this island didn¡¯t have a base, or any dinos bigger than the ones they had seen. There was, however, a small spring and a variety of plants she thought might be edible, which Nick confirmed with his Foraging skill before picking a selection of them. Now that they had restocked their provisions and gathered intel, the duo returned to the ship to confer with the rest of the team¡ªready to move to another big island as soon as the sun set. Nick took the opportunity to get some sleep, and Devin woke him up a few hours later. Chapter 95: Cat and Mouse The rest of the day proved uneventful despite a few close calls. Several airships made low passes overhead, but none of them had spotted Team Earth or landed to survey the island on foot. Nick wasn¡¯t sure if the pirates lacked the manpower to search each isle individually or if the party had just been lucky, but he was grateful either way. When night fell, they began the next segment of their journey. They climbed for hours, passing by three massive flying islands before landing on the fourth, just as the horizon began to glow with the arrival of dawn. This isle was covered in rocky soil with big boulders scattered across the surface. It seemed to be some manner of badlands, judging by the low humidity and high heat. They decided to hide the ship in what appeared to be an abandoned mining facility, since there was a warehouse big enough to fit the vessel through the door. After breaking the lock, the party maneuvered the airship inside and then closed it up again. Then everyone moved into an adjoining barracks where they could watch from the windows and settled down to wait. Over on the far side of the island, they could see the profile of another base. Like the buildings they were hiding in, this outpost was a mining operation¡ªone that was still in use. There was a cluster of structures beside a big pit surrounded by excavation machinery and magelights that let the miners keep working throughout the night. Devin rubbed his chin as he looked through Nick¡¯s spyglass. ¡°I wonder what they are digging out of the ground. It must be valuable for them to go through the trouble mining it themselves.¡± Everyone else was curious too, and this might be their only chance to learn more about the sky pirates¡¯ operation, which might help them find the stairs. Since they still had plenty of time before sunrise, the party decided to scout it out. Hopefully, they could pick up some useful information by eavesdropping on the miners. Team Earth left the barracks and walked toward the distant lights. About a quarter of a mile out, Nick and Veronica continued ahead, while everyone else waited behind a cluster of boulders. Now that he was closer, he could make out additional details. He noticed right away that the workers didn¡¯t look like warriors. From the way that the guards kept a watchful eye over everything, he suspected that they were some manner of prisoners who had been forced into hard labor. The duo crept closer to the perimeter of the dig site, listening to the guards¡¯ conversation from behind a big rock. ¡°We¡¯re almost done excavating the floatstone that is keeping this island aloft. Soon, it will grow heavy enough to come crashing to the ground. Once the isle splits open, we can dig out the last big piece and finally get some rest.¡± ¡°I know that the boss is hot to get her hands on as much of this stone as possible. What do we use it for anyway?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? What else to you see floating around you besides these big chucks of rocks and dirt?¡± ¡°Uhh¡­ skywhales?¡± ¡°No, you idiot, our airships. Floatstone is what counteracts the pull of gravity and makes them light enough to fly. A thick strip is built into the keel of each vessel, and another lump forms the core of the ship. Our mining operation is the only reason why Alma agreed to work for Rizzen to begin with. We only had a fraction of the fleet we do now when we arrived. By the time we¡¯re ready to leave, we¡¯ll have enough floatstone to build a true armada. When it¡¯s ready, we can relocate to anywhere on the planet we choose, our contract with Rizzen be damned.¡± Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. After listening for a few more minutes, Veronica and Nick decided that they weren¡¯t going to learn anything else. Besides, it was starting to grow light, and they needed to head inside before they were spotted by the ships prowling above. Along the way, he pondered what he had learned. Floatstone. A magic mineral with an antigravity effect. I wonder what would happen if I put some in my pack. Maybe I can use it to increase its capacity, since the limit is based on weight rather than size. I should try to get my hands on some while we¡¯re here. That being said, attacking a defended base while they were being hunted by a hostile faction that was hundreds of members strong didn¡¯t seem like the best idea. Nick decided to keep an eye out for a better opportunity to steal some floatstone as he crossed the level. *** Over the next two days, Team Earth and the sky pirates continued their game of cat and mouse. The voyage left Nick in awe of the sheer scale of this floor, which wound up being far more extensive than he¡¯d originally thought. He wasn¡¯t sure why an open space the size of a small country was inside Darkstone Tower, but it was just one mystery among many that he had no means of unraveling. Their trip gave him plenty of time to get to know their ride, which turned out to be a multipurpose vehicle rather one specialized for hauling or battle like most of the ships he¡¯d observed. The airship was twenty feet long and ten feet wide in the middle, with plenty of room on the deck for all five members of the party. The wings and sails provided propulsion, although the ship could make minor maneuvers without needing the extra push. The space below was divided into three areas. There was a cargo hold in the middle and a barracks in the front. It had enough room for three people to sleep and featured a small chamber with a toilet and sink. The final space was the most interesting. It was some matter of engine room, or the magical equivalent in this case. There was a series of crystals and pipes connected to a pedestal in the middle, which held a fist-sized lump of stone covered in intricate runes. Nick decided that it had to be a piece of the floatstone that the pirates were mining, since there was more embedded throughout the keel. He eventually determined that the machine was there to regulate the power of the floatstone¡ªable to increase or decrease the amount of lift it provided by some mechanism beyond his understanding. The apparatus allowed the ship to ascend or dive, serving as a form of ballast that didn¡¯t need to be jettisoned to function. He wondered how much lighter than air the mineral was in its natural state. Nick assumed that it was significant, since floatstone was what allowed the massive islands to hover. He wasn¡¯t sure how to remove it and wasn¡¯t willing to tinker with it while they needed it to fly the ship, but he was going to try to take it the core with him whenever they were done with this stage of their journey. On the third day of their voyage, Team Earth¡¯s luck finally ran out. The pirates had adjusted their tactics without the party realizing it. Instead of just prowling the skies, they had begun landing two-man craft on all the major landmasses, trying to catch Nick¡¯s ship when it landed in the morning. They didn¡¯t spot the little airship until it was too late. Before they knew what was happening, the vessel took to the sky, then released a series of flares¡ªbright green balls that could be seen for miles. ¡°Oh shit,¡± Devin said, in what would prove to be a monumental understatement. ¡°That¡¯s not good.¡± Everyone sprang into action as a tsunami of adrenaline flowed into Nick¡¯s veins. Their aerial cruise had just become a death race and there wasn¡¯t a second to spare. Chapter 96: Living on Borrowed Time The instant that Nick saw the flares, he knew that the party was living on borrowed time. They had a few minutes at most before airships began converging on Team Earth¡¯s position like a swarm of hornets descending upon a chunk of bloody meat. ¡°Shit.¡± Shaun said what everyone was thinking. ¡°This is bad. What are we going to do?¡± ¡°Start climbing as fast as you can,¡± Sophia told Veronica, who was manning the controls. ¡°We need to get as close to the roof as possible while we still have room to maneuver. Nick and Shaun, keep an eye on the ship that¡¯s following us while we try to come up with a plan before it¡¯s too late.¡± Nick nodded at the sensible suggestion as adrenaline flooded his veins. He handed his spyglass to Devin so that he could look for warships approaching from the other direction. Then Nick stood beside Shaun in the rear of the airship, watching the two-man vessel approach. The smaller craft was faster than their ride, but not by much. It would be several minutes before it overtook them. Devin hadn¡¯t sighted any other vessels yet, but it was only a matter of time before the pirates¡¯ fleet appeared and their chase entered a deadly new phase. He considered their options while V charted a course, heading for the next big island as everyone raced to figure out their next move. Ten minutes later, they crested the rim of the isle, granting Team Earth a view of the surface. This island was a vast desert¡ªthe largest floating landmass they had encountered yet. Nick ran his gaze across dunes of creamy yellow sand, clusters of cacti and tumbleweeds, and a variety of beasts that were adapted to the arid climate. There was an oasis only a few hundred yards from the island¡¯s edge¡ªa sapphire lake that was ringed by a dense grove of palms. It was a breathtaking sight, but Nick didn¡¯t have time to appreciate the view. Half a heartbeat later, Devin reported that he could see more ships in the distance. A flock of smaller vessels was closing fast, along with a squadron of transports and warships further out. It was a deeply worrying development. The only silver lining was that he hadn¡¯t spotted any of the bosses¡¯ vessels yet. Of more immediate concern, the scout ship that had sounded the alarm had finished closing the distance. By now, Nick could see the crew clearly, even without his spyglass. One of the pirates was busy steering the vessel. But the other one, a woman dressed in red leather armor, was up to something. After firing another flare to mark their heading, she set her gaze upon Team Earth, wearing a look of concentration that Nick had come to associate with casting a spell. Confirming his suspicions, he could sense mana gathering along her fingertips. Fire, if his fledgling ability to sense elemental energy was correct. Sure enough, over the next ten seconds, the searing mana congealed into a roaring sphere of flame. With a flick of her wrist, she sent a fireball sailing toward Nick¡¯s ship, angling it high so that it would catch the sail. Shit. There¡¯s no way that we can evade it. The women were still novices at steering the airship. They needed to put everything they had into charting a course and maximizing their speed. They couldn¡¯t afford to try anything fancy like engaging in evasive maneuvers. Fortunately, Nick had begun casting a spell of his own the second he realized what was happening, hastily conjuring a trio of Mana Darts and setting them circling around his head. The rank-three spells were bright enough to leave silver trails in their wake, even in the full light of day. He visualized his trajectory and sent the first dart on an intercept course, catching the fireball about twenty feet out from their ship. He let out a shuddering sigh of relief when the pure mana comprising his dart disrupted the elemental magic, causing the fierce flames to flicker and die. He gave his other darts their marching orders and watched as the silver wedges shot forth, streaking for the two-man vessel. One of them countered the woman¡¯s second fireball, which was already on the way, and the third caught her square in the chest. The pirate screamed as the painful magic ripped away a chunk of her vital essence, convulsing as the pure mana ran rampant throughout her energetic network. She would have fallen over the side if she hadn¡¯t been strapped in. Nick was about to cast another dart to target the pilot, but the man had recognized the threat and pulled back on the throttle until he dropped out of range. Good. I can¡¯t afford to waste more mana anyway. Having them back there isn¡¯t a problem if they can¡¯t get close enough to attack. Not with so many other vessels closing in. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! By this point, the desert island was a thousand feet below them. Their ship was flying beside a series of small isles that were shrouded in a dense bank of mist. Team Earth couldn¡¯t stop and hide since the pirates already knew where they were, so they passed them by and kept on climbing. When he looked up, Nick realized that the sky above had begun to change. Off in the distance, he could see something long, flat, and featureless. It¡¯s the ceiling of the level. It was still several miles away. But at least he knew that this floor didn¡¯t go on forever. Everyone began throwing objects off the side of the ship, doing whatever they could to lighten the load. Anything that could give them just a bit more speed. Devin ducked below deck and returned with the sink. He tossed over the rail, then went back for the toilet. Nick and Shaun did what they could to help, breaking off pieces of the deck and jettisoning miscellaneous items stored in the hold. Despite Team¡¯s Earth¡¯s best efforts, he doubted that they could reach the next island in time, although he prayed that they would. Sure enough, fifteen minutes later, the party¡¯s fortune took a dramatic turn for the worse. As their ship continued to climb, ringed by a score of ships closing in from three sides, he saw another group lying in wait dead ahead, including a warship that had to belong to one of the buccaneers¡¯ sub-bosses. It wasn¡¯t as heavily armed as the mammoth vessel commanded by the sky pirate¡¯s leader, but there were still a dozen magitech cannons pointed his way. The last big island was only a couple of miles above them. He thought they might be able to reach it in time, but it was going to be close. However, his newborn optimism died just a few seconds later. As it happened, this warship was even faster than he had feared. Before they could crest the next island, it closed the distance and pulled up beside them. Nick frowned at the weapons poking through the side of the ship that was waiting to get just a little closer before unleashing a barrage. ¡°We¡¯re not going to make it,¡± he cried out. ¡°We need to dive and find somewhere to hide.¡± That was when the pirate ship fired its first volley. It turned out that most of the crystal devices launched fireballs, but there was a glob of acid and a couple of old-fashioned cannonballs thrown into the mix. Nick conjured more darts while Sophia summoned her wasps, leaving V to steer the ship on her own. Thanks to a few well-positioned darts, they were able to withstand the pirate¡¯s opening barrage, picking up speed as Veronica began a steep dive that left him gripping the railing for dear life. The next wave of attacks erupted over their heads, having failed to account for their rapid descent. The warship had to turn to follow them, leaving it unable to press the assault for a few precious seconds. Sophia sent out her wasps to harass the nearby airships, targeting their pilots to keep them distracted. Their efforts bought the party a few more minutes, but it was clear by now that nothing they could do would hold back the armada for long. The pirates were faster and far too numerous to defeat, especially since their own vessel was unarmed. They were running out of options and out of time. But we¡¯re not quite finished yet. When the next fusillade erupted from the side of the warship, Nick reached into his belt pouch and withdrew a small glass orb¡ªone of the consumables he had received after entering the tower. Praying that it would function the way that he hoped, he dashed the device to the deck. When the lump of glass shattered, a dome of blue energy sprang to life. It wasn¡¯t big enough to protect the entire ship, but it was sufficient to shield a significant portion. More importantly, it stayed centered on the vessel instead of remaining stationary after activation. The defensive dome absorbed three more volleys before shattering into fading fragments that vanished a few seconds later. The well-timed consumable had saved their lives, but the prow and one wing were on fire, and the flames were spreading fast. The next time that warship comes back around, they¡¯re going to knock us out of the sky. The desert island was growing large once more by the time that the ship finished turning about. With a series of bright flashes, it adjusted its angle and fired, unleashing another round of projectiles. Nick blocked three fireballs with his Mana Darts and Devin caught a fourth on his shield, but they still took a blast to the sail and another to each wing. A cannonball punched a hole in the side of the ship a heartbeat later. An acid glob landed beside it, widening the breech. Nick knew that if they took another hit, Team Earth was finished. If he wanted to live to see the sunset, he couldn¡¯t afford to waste a second. When he ducked below deck to inspect the damage, he realized that the situation was even worse than he¡¯d thought. The acid is destroying the apparatus holding the floatstone core. Within another minute at most, the sticky solvent was going to eat through the pipes, disabling the device that was augmenting the floatstone¡¯s natural properties. In short, even if they didn¡¯t take another volley, their airship was about to crash. The party had a fleeting handful of heartbeats to come up with a plan, or they were all going to die. Chapter 97: Crash Course Nick called upon his Arctic Clarity, burying the urge to panic beneath a wave of frozen focus. He shut out his awareness that the ship was going to crash. That it was going to be completely ablaze well before that happened. That if he didn¡¯t come up with a solution to this desperate dilemma sometime within the next thirty seconds, they were all going to die. Instead, he reviewed the situation at maximum speed, drawing on every point of Mind and Creativity to formulate a plan. He considered the party¡¯s capabilities¡ªevery item and ability at their disposal, then moved on to everything he¡¯d observed regarding the surrounding terrain. Nick created a 3-D model in his head, rendering the big island below, the one above, and all the little isles in between. Finally, he added the pirate swarm. The location and heading of each ship, as well as what their pilots could see from that position. As the burning ship continued to lose altitude, he pondered his options for everything that he was worth. When his mind¡¯s eye landed upon the cluster of small islands covered in mist, the pieces of a plan snapped into place. An all or nothing gamble that just might save their lives, if everything worked out the way that he hoped. He had no idea if it was going to work, but he was certain that Team Earth was dead if it didn¡¯t. He ran over to where the women were operating the controls. ¡°Head for the patch of mist surrounding the small islands. I have a plan, but it won¡¯t succeed if the pirates can see us when we pull the trigger.¡± ¡°Incoming!¡± Devin cried over the roaring flames. Another volley from the warship erupted against the deck, shredding one of the sails. Cannonballs tore chunks out of the woodwork, sending splinters flying. Nick cast a round of Mana Darts to block some of the fireballs, although at this point, he wanted the ship to crash. Just not quite yet. He visualized their trajectory and sent the silvery missiles sailing out to intercept the next barrage. They blocked four of the incoming spells, preventing the magical attacks from hitting his friends as their airship changed course and began a steep descent. ¡°We can¡¯t take much more of this,¡± V yelled. ¡°Any more damage and the ship is going to break apart.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the only problem,¡± Shaun reported after ducking below deck. ¡°The stone that is keeping this vessel aloft is losing power. Another few seconds and it¡¯s going to¡­¡± His words were cut off as the ship lurched. It plunged a hundred feet before pulling out of the dive, almost knocking Nick off the side in the process. While the party was still in mortal peril, their efforts had bought them a precious handful of heartbeats¡ªenough time to position one of the smaller islands between themselves and the pursuing vessels, preventing them from shooting for another few seconds. ¡°I managed to adjust our course how you wanted,¡± Sophia said. ¡°But the rudder just snapped off, and we can¡¯t control it anymore.¡± ¡°We have maybe a minute before they round that island and blast us to pieces.¡± Devin pointed. ¡°It¡¯s time for that plan of yours, Nick. What are we going to do?¡± Nick looked down to where the vast island of sand and oases was growing larger at an alarming rate. The edge was coming up fast, past which miles of open air separated them from the next major landmass. The burning ship would pass through the mist-shrouded islets, then either crash into the sand, or continue past and fall to the level below. He prayed for the second outcome, or his plan wasn¡¯t going to work. But that wasn¡¯t something that he could control. Right now, he had no choice other than to proceed with his gambit and hope that luck was on their side. ¡°We have to time this just right. Head into the engine room, fast.¡± The party followed Nick below deck, over to the massive hole that had been torn into the side of the ship. The floatstone core was humming and shaking. The apparatus controlling it was disintegrating before his eyes, thanks to the pirates¡¯ acid attack. We¡¯re lucky that it didn¡¯t hit the core, or we¡¯d be dead already. Everyone looked to Nick for guidance as he reached into his pack and pulled out a pair of long ropes. Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°Everyone, tie yourselves together, then go stand by the hole. When I give the signal, jump. We need to time this so that we¡¯re obscured by mist when we make our move. It¡¯s the only way to evade pursuit.¡± Everyone had a question on their face, wondering how they could survive this dire predicament. But the party didn¡¯t hesitate. By now, they trusted one another with their lives. They were already tying themselves together while Nick got ready to roll the dice. ¡°As soon as we enter the mist, I¡¯m going to pull the stone out of its moorings and put it in my bag. Hopefully, it will reduce our weight enough to survive the landing, even in an unpowered state. The instant that I do, the ship is going to start falling even faster.¡± There wasn¡¯t time to answer questions or go into detail. By now, Team Earth had finished binding themselves together with a pair of thick ropes. Nick secured the ends to the straps of his pack, which had proven to be more or less indestructible, as the party lined up in front of the hole. He opened the flap and moved beside the machine¡ªready to shove the floatstone inside his dimension storage the second that they entered the mist. My now, the air was thick with roiling black smoke, and the groan of the ship tearing itself apart filled his ears. He watched a fireball streak past the side and felt the impact when a cannonball slammed into the mast, shearing it off with a clatter. Get ready,¡± Sophia yelled. ¡°We¡¯ll be inside the mist in five seconds. Four. Three. Two. Jump!¡± As everyone leapt through the opening, Nick reached out and shoved the lump of floatstone into his bag, praying that this was going to work. The ship began to plummet¡ªonly a bit of glide from its damaged wings kept it from dropping like a stone. He activated Force Acceleration the instant that the core was inside his bag, diving through the hole with enough force to clear the vessel. He rose for a fraction of a second, as the stone in his backpack made him lighter than air. A sensation like he was being pulled up by a hot air ballon. Then the ropes went taut. The weight of everyone tied to the other ends hit him and he began to fall. Fortunately, the straps of his bag held firm. He passed the falling ship, avoiding being taken out by the shorn mast poking out from the side with inches to spare. Then the burning vessel flew past this position, heading for the edge of the desert island while trailing a thick collum of smoke. Nick prayed to any gods that were listening that the airship would keep gliding long enough to miss the big island below. With the mist surrounding him, he could only see about twenty feet in any direction. He was being dragged down, but with the floatstone-lightened bag pulling them in the opposite direction, the party was descending at only a fraction of terminal velocity. He hoped that they would stay in the mist for a while longer¡ªenough time for the armada to sail past while pursuing the damaged airship. If the party emerged too early, they were going to be sitting ducks, completely vulnerable to attack from the air. He looked down at the terrified faces below him, but there wasn¡¯t anything that Nick could do at this point besides wait and see how the next few minutes played out. We need to land on the big island, and the ship needs to go over the side. Then hope that the pirates don¡¯t circle back before we find somewhere to hide. Five minutes later, the light of the world returned, as Team Earth descended through the bank of mist. He looked around, desperately seeking out any sign that their enemy had caught on to his ruse. He could still see the pirates chasing the burning ship, which had almost reached the end of the isle. There was still a chance that they would spot the party, but their bodies were much smaller than an airship and the action was taking place in the other direction. Another few minutes should see us to the ground. Team Earth continued their descent, secured by the pair of ropes tied to Nick¡¯s pack. They were falling far faster than he was comfortable with, but he was fairly sure that they would survive the landing. That was when his gaze locked onto the oasis below, specifically the lagoon in the middle. This will go a lot better if we can touch down in the water instead of the sand. ¡°Sophia,¡± he yelled. ¡°Can you summon some wasps and have them tow us to that oasis? I want to land in the water, and the trees will provide cover.¡± She couldn¡¯t hear him over the wind, but Devin did and relayed the message. A few seconds later, a trio of frostfury wasps formed beside her with a flash of emerald light. They came flying over to Nick, clamped their legs onto his pack, and then began pulling the party toward the water. He wasn¡¯t sure if they were going to make it, but Sophia was already low on vital energy from her earlier effort and couldn¡¯t summon any more. The ground was rushing up like a titan¡¯s fist¡ªfar too fast for comfort. He had just enough time to watch the airship go screaming past the rim of the island before someone yelled, ¡°Brace for impact. Hold your breath!¡± Then the party hit the water, and Nick went plunging below the surface. Chapter 98: Hidden Upgrade Unlocked For the next five seconds, Nick continued to sink. At that point, someone must have cut through the ropes, because he began rocketing back up toward the surface. He realized that he had been so focused on surviving the crash that he hadn¡¯t considered the full implications of making his pack lighter than air. If he didn¡¯t do something fast, he was about to go flying into the sky. He could pull the quick-release straps and slide his arms free from his pack. But if he did, he would never see the magic bag or the items it contained again¡ªan incalculable loss of everything he had earned from his adventures to date. There was no way that Nick was giving up his magic bag. However, he was almost as reluctant to abandon the floatstone core. It was a fantastic find that was certain to be helpful during the days ahead. It¡¯s better than dying. Just let it go, and hopefully you can find another one soon. He reached for the flap of his bag, ready to jettison the floatstone, when inspiration struck. A solution to his dilemma was already at hand, or more accurately, surrounding him on all sides. Instead of taking the stone out of the bag, Nick started pulling water in, adding more liquid to his dimensional storage until his ascent began to slow. He came to a stop as the weight of the water inside his backpack canceled out the buoyancy of the stone. Then he added just a bit more, so that his pack wouldn¡¯t float away whenever he took it off. He swam the last few feet and broke the surface a few seconds later. He dove right back under when he saw a pirate ship passing overhead¡ªthe colossal warship that belonged to the level¡¯s boss. He prayed that the crew hadn¡¯t seen his party. If they had, the pirates were about to open fire and blow Team Earth to hell from the air. He hadn¡¯t spotted the others in the murky water, but he could only trust that they had noticed the ship too and were laying low until it passed. He stayed below the surface until his lungs burned, watching as the massive vessel drew near the oasis. He couldn¡¯t hold his breath any longer, even with his enhanced Survivor trait. Nick came up for air, heart pounding and adrenaline coursing through his veins. He watched as the warship passed directly overhead¡­ and then kept right on going, following the burning airship that was plummeting through the sky beyond the periphery of the isle. Relief coursed through every cell of his body, but his ordeal wasn¡¯t over yet. He needed to know that his friends were safe before he could truly relax. He looked around until the rest of his team emerged from the lagoon and stepped onto dry land. Nick was afraid that someone had been injured during their landing, but it seemed that everyone was alright. After the party finished cutting themselves free from the ropes, they began looking for cover in case any of the pirates circled back around. Team Earth ducked beneath the canopy of the biggest tree they could find. Then they put their heads together, talking a long look around while considering their options. They had lost their airship but had shaken their pursuit and climbed a considerable portion of the level in exchange. However, that was the extent of the good news. They hadn¡¯t found a stairwell and were still being hunted by the pirates, who were certain to start searching the nearby islands once they realized that the party was still alive. Nick hoped that it would take at least a few hours for the buccaneers to reach the crash site, comb through the wreckage, then communicate their findings with the rest of the fleet. Before that happened, the party needed to be long gone¡ªfar away from the flight path their ship had taken and somewhere with more substantial cover. Once they were safe from aerial observation, the team could start looking for a staircase or another way to ascend the last few islands and reach the top of the floor. First things first. We need to get out of here and find a better hiding spot. ¡°Holy shit,¡± Devin said as the party huddled beneath the shade of a palm. ¡°That was fucking intense.¡± ¡°We¡¯re lucky that the ship¡¯s floatstone core was light enough to carry us down,¡± Sophia added as her wasps winked out of existence. ¡°And that our ship didn¡¯t crash on this isle, leaving the air thick with pirates.¡± Veronica wiped the sweat from her brow. Shaun was silent. The young man was visibly shaken but was trying to put on a brave face. I need to remember that he hasn¡¯t dealt with nearly as many life and death situations as the rest of the team. He¡¯s trying his best, but he¡¯s been through a lot of scary shit in a short amount of time and still needs to process everything that happened. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°So.¡± Devin gestured toward the surrounding sand. ¡°Which way should we go?¡± Before they charted their course, Nick took out his spyglass to survey their surroundings. The desert island was covered in dark yellow sand, striped here and there with bands of orange and red. The dunes were relatively low, and the grains were densely packed. It took more effort to cross than walking on dirt, but it wasn¡¯t too bad, all things considered. Other than the oasis, the only green he could see came from clusters of cacti dotting the dunescape. He was sure that there were beasts living out here, but they were either skilled at stealth or were hiding in their lairs to escape the heat. On that note, the air was sweltering. Even with his high Toughness and Cloak of Thermal Regulation, Nick was sweating. It reminded him of his early days on the Searing Isle, back when he was still coming to grips with the reality of the Earth being integrated into the System. Everyone else was even worse off, except for Devin, who was doing just fine thanks to his Heat Resistance ability. It was good that he had something to help keep him cool, since the man would have baked inside his heavy armor without it. Shaun was completely miserable, even after soaking his clothes in water, so Nick lent the man his cloak. It only made a small difference to him by this point, but the redheaded archer shuddered in relief when the temperature-regulating garment settled around his shoulders. The fact that it was so much hotter on the ground than it had been in the air revealed that each island biome was magically sealed. He wasn¡¯t sure if they were like gardens, petri dishes, or terrariums to Rizzen. Regardless of the details, it was clear that keeping so many different terrain types in such close proximity served some greater purpose beyond Nick¡¯s understanding. At this point, the team had a decision to make¡ªstart walking now or wait until night. The heat was oppressive, but with vast store of water Nick was carrying in his pack, they didn¡¯t have to worry about dehydration, although heatstroke was a real danger. That was when Sophia came up with an idea that helped them reach a decision. ¡°Nick, do you have a bucket-sized container somewhere in your bag?¡± He nodded and pulled one out, then filled it with water from the lagoon. A look of concentration crossed Sophia¡¯s face, then a frostfury wasp grew into existence beside her. She had the insect hang its stinger over the bucket, and then gently squeezed near the base, causing a few drops of venom to fall into the water. When it did, the surface started to freeze, and soon the whole bucket was frozen solid. She repeated the process several more times, giving the team chunks of ice to tuck into their clothing. They wouldn¡¯t last long, but now that they had a way to cool off if anyone began to overheat, there wasn¡¯t a reason to linger in the oasis any longer. Since he hadn¡¯t spotted any nearby landmarks, Nick decided that one direction was as good as another. ¡°Let¡¯s start walking and hope that there is another base somewhere on the island. If we can¡¯t steal a ship, we¡¯ll have to either find a hidden staircase or try something else. Maybe we can hitch a ride on a flying beast as a last resort.¡± With that, the party began crossing the desert. Veronica scouted the sands ahead for hostile beasts while everyone else kept their eyes on the sky in case more pirates arrived. Fortunately, they didn¡¯t run into threats of either sort during the first leg of their journey. Although the heat wasn¡¯t fun to deal with, the trek was easier than Nick had been expecting. Not because of any particular feature of the terrain, but because he now weighed over a hundred and thirty pounds less than before. An unintended consequence of stowing the floatstone core in his backpack was that in addition to increasing the maximum capacity of his dimensional storage space, it dramatically lightened the load at its current capacity. He estimated that the chunk of floatstone could support nearly five hundred pounds, given its performance after they had jumped out of the airship. As a result, his body felt light as a feather¡ªalmost as free as when he wasn¡¯t wearing his bag at all. Since he had already maxed out his baseline Strength, the change was pure upside, gaining an incredible increase to his storage capacity without changing the magic bag itself. It felt like a loophole, but it was one that he was happy to exploit. Hidden upgrade unlocked. He cracked a grin at his own whimsy, then returned his attention to the sky above. It turned out that the floating isle was even bigger than Nick had realized. It made him wonder if the tower¡¯s walls widened as they stretched toward the ceiling, forming a shape more like a cone than a perfect cylinder. He wasn¡¯t sure why anyone would build it that way, but then again, understanding most aspects of the Tower of Rizzen was way above his paygrade. His mind continued to wander as the miles passed beneath his boots, wondering what would happen when their journey across the level reached its climax. One way or another, he was certain that they wouldn¡¯t climb the stairs without a fight. The final showdown between Team Earth and the sky pirate armada was fast approaching, and Nick intended to win, no matter the odds. Chapter 99: Good News and Bad News Regardless of the details, this island was big. By the time that midday rolled around, the oasis was nothing but a distant memory. They wouldn¡¯t have made it without the water in Nick¡¯s bag and Sophia¡¯s venom to freeze it, and even then, they had to stop every few hours to recover from the grueling ordeal. Fortunately, some of the cacti were huge¡ªlarge enough to let the entire party rest within their shadows. Team Earth crossed the dunes in line formation. Whoever was last at any given moment used a palm frond to sweep away their tracks, reducing their presence as much as possible. The pirates flew overhead several times throughout the second half of the day. On each occasion, the team dove into the sand and covered themselves as best they could, freezing in place until the airship passed by. It was clear from the frequency and flight paths of these passes that the sky pirates didn¡¯t know which island Nick¡¯s team was on. Otherwise, there would have been a lot more of them and they would have spotted the party sooner or later. When the sun began to set, Team Earth kept right on going, making better time now that they were free from the oppressive heat. The temperature plummeted at night, but thanks to the heat trapped in the sand, it wasn¡¯t nearly as bad as crossing the island during the day. Despite their best efforts, they eventually ran into some aggressive beasts¡ªyellow lizards the size of ponies. The team couldn¡¯t afford to get into a fight right now. They needed to conserve their vital energy to make good on their escape. Nick used his Mana Darts to give the lizards a painful shock, and Sophia sent out a wasp to harry them until they gave up and retreated into the distance. The next day passed much the same as the first, although there were more pirates to contend with this time around. By now, Nick was certain that the buccaneers knew the party had survived the crash, and they were gradually narrowing down their location. Even though they were far from their landing point, it was growing more dangerous by the hour. Not that they had any choice other than to press on and hope that an opportunity to take to the sky presented itself. They made camp when they came across a cluster of red stone boulders that were tall enough to conceal their presence, then everyone slept during the hottest part of the day. They couldn¡¯t afford to stop for the full eight hours that Shaun needed, although everyone else was refreshed, since they only needed half as much. To his credit, the man didn¡¯t voice a complaint. He just kept on marching with black circles under his eyes, following the person in front of him and trusting the others to watch for enemies. Near the end of their second full day on the desert island, Team Earth finally spotted something besides sand, lizards, and rocks. A cluster of palm trees was jutting up against the horizon, revealing that they were approaching another sizable source of water. When Nick looked through his spyglass, he broke into a relived grin. ¡°There¡¯s a base up ahead,¡± he told the others. ¡°I can see ships coming and going. We might have a fight on our hands when we try to steal one, but we¡¯ve finally found a way off this isle.¡± While everyone else took refuge behind a giant cactus, Veronica borrowed Nick¡¯s Charm of Muffling and spyglass, then went to take a closer look. She returned an hour later wearing a scowl. ¡°I have good news and bad news. The good news is that the base is a massive supply depot. Security is lax, likely because there aren¡¯t many beasts on this island, so it looks relatively easy to sneak into. The bad news is that the only vessels docked right now are some two-person vehicles and that giant ship we saw earlier. I overheard some of the pirates talking and was able to pick up some intel. It¡¯s called the Bloody Surprise. Since it¡¯s so big, it occasionally doubles as a transport as well as a warship. They are in the middle of loading and unloading various supplies and plan on leaving first thing in the morning. Best of all, they¡¯re heading for the staircase at the top of the floor. ¡°Their boss Alma is inside, which means that we¡¯ll be risking a fight with the strongest pirate on the island backed by a full crew, including her elite forces. But we might be able to sneak aboard inside one of the big crates and reach the exit to the level by a means that no one will suspect. It¡¯s going to be dangerous as hell. I don¡¯t think we have a choice, unless you want to wait and hope that another ship arrives or start searching for a hidden staircase. But we didn¡¯t see anything on this island that looked promising and we¡¯re running out of time.¡± Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. This marked the beginning of an animated discussion. No one wanted to fight a veteran, tier-two warrior, let alone one with scores of allies nearby. On the other hand, they needed to get off this island and leave the level before they were spotted and every ship in the area came swarming for their position. Since there wasn¡¯t another guaranteed way off the island, Team Earth eventually decided that stowing away was their best bet, despite the danger of being so close to such a powerful adversary. Veronica drew a map of the base in Nick¡¯s journal, then the party sat in a circle around it while hammering out their plan. V pointed out a loading area, where various resources that the pirates had collected were awaiting transport to the processing plant on the top island, which was some manner of prairie based on what she¡¯d overheard. The crates were heavy and big enough to fit several people each. If the party was able to sneak inside, the extra weight wouldn¡¯t arouse too much suspicion. The tricky part would be getting to the loading dock without being spotted, prying open the top of a crate, and then sealing it shut behind them. Fortunately, the crew was planning to take the night off. Apparently, a storm was coming. Nick hadn¡¯t realized that the inside of the tower had its own weather, although it made sense when you considered the scale and the fact that one side was open to the outside air. On that note, he could see dark clouds brooding along the horizon through the gap in the wall. He distributed some tools from his pack, so that everyone could help open the crates when the time came, then the team ducked behind some boulders and settled down to wait. Hopefully, the storm won¡¯t be too bad, but either way, we don¡¯t have a choice other than to endure it until the sun goes down. With any luck, it won¡¯t start raining until we¡¯re ready to make our move. Unfortunately, Team Earth had used up all their luck making it this far without being spotted. An hour before sunset, clouds began wafting through the side of the tower. Their bellies were dark and swollen with the promise of rain. The wind began to pick up¡ªa moist gale riding the approaching stormfront. Nick passed out some of the jackets and ponchos he had taken from the storage room, just as the skies opened and the rain began to fall. It began as a gentle patter¡ªlight enough that the rain soaked into the thirsty sands without pooling, creating clouds of steam along the yellow dunescape. Over the next half hour, that patter transitioned into a downfall, which had become a full-on deluge by the time the sun began to set. It was miserable being out in the rain and wind. Even with his waterproof gear, Nick was soaked to his skin and chilled to the bone. On the other hand, the heavy rain, cloud cover, and steam-spawned mist severely limited their visibility. Nick could only see about ten feet in front of him. It would have made it difficult to reach the pirates¡¯ base if they hadn¡¯t already scouted the area, but as it was, it was a perfect opportunity to sneak inside and board the airship. The party began walking single file. Veronica took the lead, and Devin brought up the rear. They advanced with their weapons at the ready, just in case a hungry beast decided to take advantage of the murk to launch a surprise attack. Something big did take a low pass at them on the way, sending the team scrambling to defend themselves. But the beast must have decided that there were too many of them to fight, because after issuing a piercing cry, they didn¡¯t see it again. Half an hour later, V held up a fist and the party came to a stop. She pointed, and when he followed her finger, Nick could see lights in the distance. They were bright enough to make out from a ways out, despite the gloom and rain. Several of them looked like spotlights that were shining over a wide area. A few were torched-size and belonged to the sentries manning the walls. The arrangement made it easy to track their positions. Like Veronica had reported, there weren¡¯t many guards for a base of that size. There was one pirate posted at each corner and a pair that walked the perimeter of the wall in a slow circle. After watching them take a few laps, he judged that there was a ten-minute gap between their circuits, which would give the party enough time to climb the barrier and get inside. Given the thickness of the fog, he was hoping that the sentries in the corners couldn¡¯t see the middle of the wall, which is where the team decided to make their entry. After Veronica pointed out the side where the loading dock was, Team Earth circled the base, bracing their bodies against the howling wind as the rain pelted them in a relentless barrage. They waited until the patrolling pirate walked past their position, then V used a grappling hook to scale the wall, which was about fifteen feet high and made of white stone. Nick¡¯s heart began to pound, accompanied by peals of thunder resounding in the distance. It was time for Team Earth to place their bets, then see how the cards came up. Chapter 100: Breaking and Entry After Veronica signaled that the coast was clear, everyone scrambled up to join her on top of the wall. They only had five minutes until the next guard passed through, so they had to move fast. Even with the spotlight-style magelights positioned along the interior, it was hard to see inside the base with all the fog and rain. Nick hoped that there weren¡¯t any pirates in the open area below, since they probably wouldn¡¯t be carrying torches and would be hard to spot in these conditions. Not that Team Earth had much choice other than to follow through with their plan and hope for the best. They repositioned the grapple, then rappelled down the inner wall. Nick went first this time, ready to climb back up if there was anyone else down there. Fortunately, the coast was clear. While the others slid down the rope, he examined his surroundings¡ªwhat little he could see of them under the circumstances. From V¡¯s scouting run, he knew that the base was divided into three main areas. One of them was full of stone buildings. A barracks, kitchen, and common area, judging by the light shining through the windows and the smoke rising from the chimneys. Beside the buildings sat the airship dock. Nick could see the profile of a massive warship looming against the mist, blocking his view of the magelights mounted to the wall behind it. The Bloody Surprise was incredibly intimidating up close, both the destructive capabilities of its weaponry and the size of its crew. The final area consisted of a pair of warehouses and a loading dock covered with big crates. The windows of the storerooms were dark, which hopefully meant that everyone had already moved inside the other buildings to wait for the storm to pass. After V unhooked the grapple and put it in her pack, she motioned, and the rest of the team began following her over toward the rows of crates. That was when Nick heard a cough. Everyone ducked behind a box, just in time to avoid a pirate who was walking through the area. He didn¡¯t seem to be a guard, and Nick wasn¡¯t sure what he was up to until the man pulled out a crowbar, levered the top off a wooden barrel, and then removed a bundle from inside. He put the object into a bag, sealed the lid, and then ambled back the way he had come. Some of the pirates must be skimming off the top. I suppose there¡¯s no honor among thieves. As soon as he was gone, the team continued, heading past containers of various sizes until they made it to a row of wooden crates that topped off above Nick¡¯s head. While V watched for approaching pirates, the others used their tools to pry open the tops. It took them the better part of ten minutes to find a pair of crates that were big enough to hold several people¡ªfilled with some manner of dark ore about halfway to the top. They looked around for a while longer, but there simply weren''t any crates large enough to hold them all. The best they could do was two. Before Team Earth split up and climbed inside, Sophia pulled Nick over to one side. She looked unusually bashful as she looked him in the eyes and said, ¡°Nick. We haven¡¯t had much time to talk since we entered the tower. I¡¯ve been waiting for the right moment, but who knows if any of us will live to see the sunrise? If this doesn¡¯t work out, I just want you to know how much our time together has meant to me. How much you mean to me. I¡¯ve wanted to tell you for a while now, but never found a chance.¡± By this point, his heart had begun to race. Nick had some feelings that he wanted to share too, and it seemed that the time had finally arrived. He was about to tell her that he felt the same way. But before he found the words, Sophia stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him, drawing him in for a tender kiss that electrified every inch of his body. They stayed that way for another few minutes, until the sound of voices in the distance forced them to scramble for cover. When they broke apart, Devin flashed him a grin and a surreptitious thumbs up. Then, so low that he could barely hear it, Nick heard Veronica mutter, ¡°Fucking finally.¡± After sealing up the boxes they had opened, the party split up. Nick and Devin took one crate since they had the bulkiest gear, while Veronica, Shaun, and Sophia moved into the other. It was tricky sealing the final crate from the inside, but with some clever use of tools and their powerful bodies, they managed to get the job done. It was pitch black once they shut the lid, and freezing cold to boot, but at least they had some shelter from the rain. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. Now that Team Earth had successfully infiltrated the pirates¡¯ base, all that was left was to settle down and wait until morning, then pray that they remained hidden until they arrived at the highest island. Nick made himself as comfortable as he could, which wasn¡¯t too comfortable considering that he was hiding inside a box full of rocks. He let his mind wander while listening to the storm beating a rhythm on the wood above his head. He realized that despite it all, he was smiling. That he could still feel Sophia¡¯s lips pressing against his own. He wasn¡¯t sure what the future held for them, but after they pried the Earth free from the clutches of the Mad God, he was going to find out. Nick hadn¡¯t expected to fall asleep under the circumstances. But he had underestimated the extent to which he had grown accustomed to life and death situations and sleeping in uncomfortable fucking places. Because less than an hour later, he drifted off into the land of dreams. He was awoken sometime later by the sound of voices. For a second, he couldn¡¯t remember where he was and almost spoke before Devin placed a hand over his mouth. With that, Nick returned to full alertness. He nodded to Devin, then placed his attention into his ears. It seemed that the storm had passed sometime during the night. He could hear the scraping of crates dragging against the stone floor and footsteps coming from all sides. It was light enough to see, thanks to some narrow gaps in the woodwork, but they weren¡¯t wide enough to peer through and observe his surroundings. Being trapped in an enclosed space while surrounded by enemies was incredibly nerve-wracking, and the tension grew thicker by the heartbeat. Every minute he sat there without being moved made him more and more certain that there was a problem. That the pirates had noticed Team Earth and were surrounding them in a ring of steel. Nick knew that it was just his imagination playing tricks on him. He called upon Arctic Clarity to calm his nerves, ready to spring into action at a moment¡¯s notice. But the next hour proved blessedly uneventful, as well as the one after that. It made him realize that they might have a different sort of problem on their hands. Hopefully, these crates are slated to be loaded abord the Bloody Suprise on this flight. Just when he was convinced that it wasn¡¯t going to happen, he heard footsteps approaching. At least two pirates were standing on both sides of the crate. It seemed that instead of using some manner of magic to move them, the pirates were strong enough to lift the heavy boxes with their raw attributes. ¡°Alright, lads, let¡¯s get this over with. Everyone, grab one side and get ready to lift on my command. And I mean wait for it. We don¡¯t want a repeat of what happened last time, Zer. They are still docking my pay from the mess you made.¡± The buccaneers laughed as they moved into position. Without further warning, the crate shook and then rose from the ground. ¡°Fuck. This thing is even heavier than I remembered,¡± one of them said. ¡°Less bitching, more loading. The sooner we get out of here, the sooner we can get back to hunting for the intruders and secure a portion of that juicy reward.¡± I still can¡¯t believe that the fucking System put a hit on us. Nick grumbled to himself. Now I know what it feels like to be on the receiving end of a kill quest. The crew carried the crate for what must have been several hundred feet, until the slap of boots striking stone transitioned into the tap of leather against wood. They kept on going for a few more seconds, then set the box down with a series of groans. Not long after, the voices receded into the distance, leaving Devin and Nick alone once more. With that bit of excitement out of the way, there wasn¡¯t anything to do other than wait and see what happened next. Since Nick had already taken a nap, he told Devin to rest while he stood watch. Maybe ¡®stood watch¡¯ isn¡¯t the right phrase, considering that I¡¯m sitting down and can¡¯t see anything. He cracked a grin at his own whimsy, then returned his attention to his ears¡ªthe only sensory organs that he could rely on under the circumstances. By the end of the next tension-charged hour, nothing had happened. From time to time, the pirate workers returned, moving more crates from the loading area into the airship¡¯s cargo hold. He occasionally caught snippets of their conversations. Nick didn¡¯t learn anything important, but they seemed to be in the middle of a routine job, which meant that they hadn¡¯t found the rest of his team hiding in the other crate. Nick hoped that Sophia and the others were nearby, but there was no guarantee that their boxes had been placed anywhere near each other. Their plan was to wait for the airship to take off, then land again before sneaking out of the hold. They had agreed to meet back up at the most substantial cover they could spot from the dock, which, with any luck, would be within walking distance of the stairs leading to the next level of the Tower of Rizzen. Sometime later, he heard gears turning, accompanied by the creak of rope and the thump of heavy wooden panels falling into place. The ship must be loaded and ready to leave. Sure enough, he got that feeling in his stomach that comes with an abrupt ascent as the warship took to the skies. There¡¯s no turning back now. All we can do is keep quiet and hope that our luck holds long enough to reach the next island. Chapter 101: Stowaways While Nick was eavesdropping on the crew, he learned that this voyage would take a little over a day. With any luck, their trip would prove to be just as uneventful as it was uncomfortable, since the pirates had no reason to disturb the crates while the warship was in the air. Although the party was divided and surrounded by enemies, he felt relatively safe. At least compared to the danger they would face while trying to escape the ship without being noticed. However, in this instance, Nick could not have been more wrong. Roughly twelve hours of sitting in the dark on a jagged pile of rocks later, he heard voices once more, growing louder as they passed through the hold. When he caught the next snippet of their conversation, his blood ran cold. Instead of an uneventful voyage through the sky, a fresh disaster had descended upon their heads¡ªthe very event that Team Earth had been desperately trying to avoid. Nick elbowed Devin to make sure the man was awake as he put his ear up to a crack in the woodwork, hoping to learn more before springing into action. ¡°I can¡¯t believe that our prey wound up capturing themselves,¡± one pirate said. ¡°I was worried they had made it to the stairs when our quest didn¡¯t end after their ship crashed,¡± another replied. ¡°But it looks like we will receive our reward after all. I¡¯ve never seen Alma in such a good mood. I haven¡¯t heard her threaten anyone all day.¡± ¡°It was a lucky break. If we hadn¡¯t opened that crate while searching for contraband, we would never have noticed the three of them inside. Pity the boss won¡¯t let us play with the women, but Alma wants to finish her interrogation first. We can¡¯t complete the quest until we catch the other two, so she¡¯s going to persuade them to reveal the location of their allies before she puts them down.¡± ¡°Persuade? I thought that she was planning to torture them until they broke?¡± ¡°She is. That¡¯s just what she calls it. Although I must admit, her torture is pretty damn persuasive.¡± The pirates got a good laugh out of that as their footsteps retreated into the distance. As soon as they were gone, Devin leaned in and whispered into Nick¡¯s ear. ¡°Fuck. This is bad. The others got caught by the pirates¡¯ boss, and we¡¯re trapped on board until it lands. Every instinct I have says to rush in there and start chopping, but I know it¡¯s not the right move. What are we going to do, Nick? We have to help them.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. But there¡¯s no way that I¡¯m letting my friends get hurt, even if we have to slaughter every person on this ship in order to save them. We need to get out of here, then determine where the others are being held without letting the pirates know we¡¯re coming. Hopefully, we can figure out a way to escape the warship on the way. There are two small ships attached to the sides. Maybe we can free the others, steal one, and take to the sky before the bastards know what hit them.¡± Nick was outwardly calm, but inside, his emotions were running wild. He was terrified for Sophia, Veronica, and Shaun. Furious that the pirates intended to torture his friends before doing something even worse. Anxious that he would have to overcome an immensely powerful enemy in a worst-case scenario, where half the party was disabled, and their opponents knew they were coming. He called upon Arctic Clarity to still his racing thoughts. To ice over the adrenaline surging in his veins and return his disordered mind into at state of frigid focus. It helped him calm down, letting him kick his tactical brain into high gear. The buccaneers must have confined the others somewhere below deck. They¡¯re likely locked in a cell or something equivalent. The pirates know that there are more of us, but not where we are. They don¡¯t even know that we¡¯re on the ship as far as I can tell. We need to rescue the others as quickly as possible, but if we fuck up and reveal our presence, all we¡¯ll wind up doing is get caught ourselves. If that happens, we¡¯re all going to die. ¡°We should find somewhere else to hide. Somewhere closer to the crew, so we can observe their behavior and listen in on their conversations. Once we figure out where the others are being held, we can come up with a plan to free them. Exploring the ship room by room is a last resort, but we¡¯ll do it if we run out of time or other options.¡± Devin nodded along with Nick¡¯s words, then offered a suggestion of his own. ¡°Once we¡¯re ready to make our move, we should create a distraction. Catch the ship on fire, or maybe fuck with the controls. Something that will keep the pirates busy while we free our friends and make our escape.¡± ¡°That sounds good. Let¡¯s get out of this box, find a place where we can watch the entrance to the cargo hold, and then go from there.¡± Armed with a plan, the men took out their tools and loosened the lid of the crate. They poked their heads outside, and after making sure that the coast was clear, ducked behind a row of barrels where they could see the stairs. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. The hold was huge¡ªfilled with hundreds of crates, barrels, and wrapped bundles arranged in orderly rows. It was a bad sign. Whatever else the sky pirates were, they were well-organized, which would make the duo¡¯s rescue attempt even more difficult. Nick doubted that they would be able to find their friends without bumping into some enemies along the way. The men needed to take the buccaneers out quick and quiet, then hide the bodies where no one would find them for a few hours. Once they eliminated their first opponent, they would have to move fast. The clock was already ticking, but each attack would increase the odds of the buccaneers noticing that something was wrong. The more crew members who went missing, the more likely it would be that someone wondered where they were. Under the circumstances, the sky pirates were certain to realize that intruders were responsible, then organize a search to hunt the duo down. We¡¯re lucky that they didn¡¯t do a full sweep of the cargo hold already. They must have reason to believe that we¡¯re not on board. Likely some clever deception from Sophia or V. When Nick looked at Devin, he realized that the man was furious. Angrier than he had ever seen Devin before. ¡°I know how you feel,¡± he whispered. ¡°But if we mess this up, we will blow our only chance to save them.¡± Devin took a deep breath, then stopped shaking and regained control of his emotions. ¡°You¡¯re right. But once they¡¯re safe, I¡¯m going to tear these pirate bastards apart. Even if I have to burn the ship to cinders in order to do it.¡± Nick didn¡¯t argue. Not when he felt exactly the same way. His own molten rage was flowing just beyond the bubble of chilly calm that was letting the planning part of his brain function. He had no desire to kill other people, but in this case, he was willing to make an exception. He knew that life in the Labyrinth twisted many of its inhabitants. That some of the people from Earth were undergoing a similar change. But the casual cruelty and utter disregard for the lives of others that the pirates displayed made his blood boil. The fact that they intended to torture his friends and might have already begun, made him want to lash out, leaving only devastation and ruin in his wake. While the men grappled with their fury, they surveyed the cargo hold, trying to get a better sense of the layout of the ship before moving to the next area. Nick had known that the airship was big, but standing in the bowels of the vessel drove home the sheer scale of it. There must be hundreds of pirates on board. Sneaking past them is going to be tricky. There were two exits to the hold, not counting the loading dock that was sealed during flight. One of them was a broad staircase that granted access to the middeck, and the other was a narrow stairway that led to the bilge. Or whatever the equivalent is on a flying vessel. Since down seemed like an unlikely place to hold prisoners, the men would have to go up. No sooner had that thought crossed his mind than the sound of footsteps reverberated down the main stairwell. Nick and Devin crouched behind some barrels, ducking out of sight just as a pair of pirates set foot into the hold. One of them was short and fat, with reddish skin and bright green eyes. The other was another member of the golden-furred species they had fought in the burning base. Nick hoped that whatever they were doing, they would go away soon. But he soon realized that the pirates were hiding down here to avoid their duties and would likely linger for quite some time. It meant that if the men wanted to search the rest of the airship, they needed to take the buccaneers out. Nick looked at Devin, only to see the same insight mirrored in the blond man¡¯s eyes. He flashed a hand signal, asking the warrior which enemy he wanted to take. Devin pointed at the red pirate and Nick nodded in reply. By now, the buccaneers were sitting at a small table that was out of sight of the stairwell, playing a card game that involved betting on the other person¡¯s hand. They spoke softly, occasionally swearing as piles of coins slid across the tabletop. The duo began their approach, moving from crate to crate as they closed the distance to their targets. A few minutes later, they were as close as they could get without giving their position away. They looked at each other and Devin raised a fist, telling Nick to wait for his signal. Nick nodded, observing his enemy while waiting for the moment to strike. They watched until the pirates were engrossed in a particularly tense round of betting, completely focused on the cards in their hands. Then the duo made their move. The red pirate had just laid down his hand, scooping up the coins to the golden pirate¡¯s dismay. The next time they looked up, Team Earth was standing beside them. Nick grabbed the furred-warrior¡¯s mane in one hand and drew a dagger across his throat with the other, prepared to follow up if the man was equipped with a defensive consumable. But his steel met no resistance as it parted the pirate¡¯s throat, leaving him unable to scream as his blood pumped onto the floorboards below. Devin took a different approach. He swung his two-handed axe as hard as he could, smashing the flat of the blade against the pirate¡¯s head hard enough to crack his skull. Then Devin raised the shaft of his weapon and thrust the butt into the man¡¯s temple. While the pirate was stunned, Devin set down his axe, grabbed him by the head, and then twisted as hard as he could, snapping the man¡¯s neck with a crack that reverberated across the hold. Shit. That was a better way to kill him. There isn¡¯t nearly as much blood. Without a word, the men shoved the pirates¡¯ bodies into a large crate. Then they moved the table and dragged a barrel over the bloodstains to hide the evidence. ¡°Hopefully, no one will notice right away,¡± Nick whispered. ¡°But either way, we need to move fast.¡± With that, the men crept up the stairs. They were determined to save their friends, no matter how many pirates they had to slaughter along the way. Chapter 102: Bloody Surprise At the top of the stairs was an expansive middle deck. Judging by the voices in the distance, one corridor led to the barracks and galley. The other featured rows of individual chambers. Since they didn¡¯t know which way to go and this part of the ship was filled with enemies, the duo ducked into an empty room and closed the door behind them, listening for clues while determining their next move. Although it was hard to stay still under the circumstances, eventually, their patience was rewarded. Nick overheard a group of buccaneers talking to each other as they walked past the door. ¡°Now that the wasps are dead, the boss is going to start torturing the prisoners soon. I was hoping to watch the show, but they¡¯re not letting anyone into the brig. Alma nearly flogged Nel to death for trying to sneak down the stairs near the mast to have a bit of unsanctioned sport.¡± ¡°That was a lucky break,¡± Devin whispered once the sound of footsteps had retreated into the distance. ¡°We won¡¯t have to search the whole fucking ship.¡± Nick nodded as the men started planning out their next move. Now that they knew where their friends were being held, the duo needed to reach them without alerting the crew. The good news was that magic was everywhere. Pirates were casting spells all throughout the ship, assisting them with one task or another. If Devin and Nick were forced to use some of their abilities, there was a good chance that no one would notice anything out of the ordinary. Better still, the Bloody Surprise was a loud, bustling vessel, which would make it easier to sneak around without getting caught¡­ if no one spotted them on the move. Their primary concern was running into members of the crew while crossing the decks. Their rescue attempt was doomed the moment that a pirate saw them and went running to spread the news. The next twenty minutes were incredibly tense. The men moved from room to room, observing the crew and sneaking between the gaps in their lines of sight. They were forced to kill another pair of pirates in the process, who were working inside one of the chambers they entered. Nick and Devin cut them down without hesitation and shoved the remains into a storage closet. Then they kept on going, praying all the while that the bodies wouldn¡¯t be discovered and blow their cover. Through trial and error, the men gradually made their way through the middle of the vessel and found a set of stairs leading to the main deck. Now they just needed to head up there, locate the brig, and rescue their friends. The problem was that the deck was crawling with pirates. When Nick peeked one eye past the threshold, he spotted dozens of buccaneers surrounding him on all sides. They were going about a range of tasks that kept the airship flying, and if even one of them noticed the members of Team Earth, all their efforts would be in vain. There was no way that the men could take on over a hundred pirates, let alone Alma, their tier-2 boss. They crept back down the stairs and ducked inside a closet to consider their options. In the end, they didn¡¯t have a choice. It would have been ideal to wait until dark, but even if their friends weren¡¯t being tortured, there was no guarantee that this voyage would last that long. Once the ship landed, the party¡¯s last chance to escape would slip through their fingers. They decided to disguise themselves, keep a low profile, and hope for the best. Nick had spotted a pile of crates lashed to a section of the deck that had some space between them. It was the only thing remotely resembling cover he had seen, so they planned to head there first, survey their surroundings, then figure out their next move. Before they were ready to risk it all, they went back and stripped the clothing from the pirates they had killed. It wouldn¡¯t hold up against a close inspection, but it might keep the crew from catching on right away. Once their disguises were ready, the men waited until a group of pirates started climbing the stairs, then followed right behind them, gambling that they wouldn¡¯t turn around. The duo stepped onto the main deck, ignoring the sunlight shining in their eyes and the brisk wind flowing across their skin. They walked with purpose, like they were in the middle of a task, wagering their lives that the pirates wouldn¡¯t notice anything out of the ordinary. Heart hammering in his chest, Nick crossed the deck and waited until no one was looking their way. Then the duo ducked between the crates and took a long look around. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. There was a vertical band of blue sky to the north, where the outside world was visible through the gap in the tower. Lush gardens climbed the walls to the east and west¡ªemerald framing azure like the border of a painting. In the distance, he could barely make out the far wall. It must have been at least fifty miles away, reminding him just how immense this floor was, let alone the rest of Darkstone Tower. Nick couldn¡¯t see the ground from here, but there was another big island in the distance and the ceiling ran just a few hundred feet above it. At long last, Team Earth had reached the top of the level, albeit by a means that none of them had imagined, and in a situation that was several steps short of ideal. Everything else aside, it was good news. If there aren¡¯t any other isles around, the stairs must be on the island above our heads. If the party could make good on their escape, they should be able to exit the level without having to conduct a prolonged search. They needed to break the others out of the brig, steal one of the little ships mounted to the Bloody Suprise, reach the next island, and run like hell. Eventually, he spotted the stairwell that the pirates had mentioned¡ªthe set near the main mast that led to the brig. It was separated from the rest of the ship, likely to make escape more difficult if prisoners managed to break out of their cells. There were three pirates guarding the entrance. Nick had watched them change shifts, and the men were complaining about being stuck on a cramped landing below, unable to watch what was happening in the brig. Due to some delay that he hadn¡¯t caught the details of, Alma hadn¡¯t arrived yet, so Nick didn¡¯t have to worry about his friends being tortured while he waited to make his move. ¡°We need to sneak down to the landing, take out the guards, then free the others before anyone realizes something is wrong,¡± Devin whispered into Nick¡¯s ear. ¡°When I give the signal, distract them. I¡¯ll handle the rest this time.¡± The warrior nodded, trusting Nick¡¯s judgement implicitly. All that was left was to wait until no one was looking and then make their move. Adrenaline surged into their bloodstreams as the duo watched in opposite directions. When both men reported that the coast was clear, they darted toward the stairs with Devin leading the way. Nick gathered his concentration and cast Piercing Ray¡ªglad that he had learned to form the spell while moving. A churning ball of force mana congealed in his hands, turning faster and faster as more magic was added to the mass. A few more seconds, and it would be ready to fire. They started heading down the stairs, just as a nub of pure mana emerged to form the drill bit that would cap the end of the ray. Three pirates were standing in front of a reinforced door, chatting with each other instead of watching the only entrance to the landing area. They must have heard the duo coming down the stairs, but thought they were members of the crew. By the time they realized their mistake, it was already too late. By this point, Devin had flung one of the knives that Sophia had given him. His throw missed, since he was still learning to use the weapon, sticking into the wood beside one of the pirates¡¯ heads. ¡°What the hell?¡± They all turned to look just as Devin activated Blast Striking, producing a miniature explosion that seared their skin. Before they had time to react, Nick¡¯s Piercing Ray came streaking in from the other side. The rotating band of kinetic energy struck the first pirate in the temple, drilling into his skull and pureeing his brain. The spell still had plenty of energy and kept right on going. Nick directed it toward the next buccaneer, boring a hole through her heart. He tried to kill the third pirate too, but the man had already leapt out of the way. He was about to cry out an alarm, but Devin had already thrown his other knife. This time, it landed on target and stuck into the pirate¡¯s neck. The man had just enough time to wrap his fingers around the hilt before Blast Striking kicked in, decapitating him in a bright spray of blood. Devin held out his hands and both magic knives flew into them, rearming him in an instant. It was a solid start. The first part of their plan had gone off without a hitch. All that was left was to break their friends out of the brig and get the hell off the ship. They stepped onto the landing and got ready to force their way inside. That was when matters took a decisive turn for the worse. Before the duo could break down the door, it opened on its own, and a woman stepped through. Nick ran his gaze across his opponent as he prepared to make his move. The pirate had flowing red hair, light green eyes, and a predatory grin. She was wearing light leather armor and stood a full head and shoulders taller than Devin. Other than that, she looked completely human. I wonder if she is from the same planet that Pax is from. The stray thought flitted across his mind. The woman broke into a broad grin at the sight of them. ¡°It always feels good when a plan comes together. Despite their denials, I had a sneaking suspicion that there were more rats scurrying down here somewhere. Like I always say, it¡¯s easy to catch vermin if you simply lay out some bait. I knew that threatening your friends to draw you out would be easier than opening every crate in the hold and searching the entire ship.¡± She looked down at the dead pirates piled beside her boots. ¡°Idiots. I told them to be ready for anything. That¡¯s what happens when you¡¯re overconfident just because you¡¯re riding a warship.¡± Then she turned her gaze to the men standing in front of her and cracked her knuckles¡ªself-satisfaction clear in her voice. ¡°The wait is finally over. Now it¡¯s time to have a little fun.¡± Chapter 103: A Little Fun The pirate¡¯s demeanor was chillingly casual. Although she radiated a palpable air of menace, she showed no sign that she was preparing to attack as she pointed over her shoulder. ¡°There¡¯s no point trying to get past me. This stairwell doesn¡¯t lead to the brig¡ªit leads to the treasury. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, little mice, but you¡¯re not going to rescue your friends. You¡¯re going to join them in the great beyond. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, they¡¯re still alive¡­ for now. I didn¡¯t want to take the wind out of your sails before we had a chance to dance. Who knows? If you manage to defeat me, you just might be able to save them. They are a little worse for wear though, especially that summoner girl who exhausted herself by overusing her powers. We all had a good laugh chasing her wasps around the deck while waiting for you to show up.¡± By this point, a cold sweat had broken out across Nick¡¯s body. Size Up was going absolutely nuts, informing him that he was facing an enemy on par with the Janitor. An opponent with a stable core and a clear mind¡ªa warrior with more combat experience than the members of Team Earth combined. But Nick didn¡¯t need his skill to know that he was in trouble. He had put the pieces together the moment that he¡¯d laid eyes on the woman, and already knew that he was standing in front of Alma, the leader of the sky pirates and the captain of the Bloody Surprise. There were two reasons why he had arrived at this conclusion. The first was the incredible volume of mana contained within her energetic core. It was so dense that it formed a field around her body, outlining her profile in a coruscating aura of power. He could sense two types of mana flowing through the weave¡ªvolcanic red and glacial blue. The second reason why Nick knew he was outmatched was the way that the pirate moved. After his training with Rita, he could tell that the woman was a blademaster, even without a sword in her hand. ¡°I think we¡¯re in trouble, Devin. She¡¯s packing enough fire mana to burn the whole ship down, and enough ice to freeze us solid.¡± ¡°Quite right.¡± The woman grinned. ¡°Before we get to the fun part, allow me to introduce myself. You stand before Alma of the Frozen Flame, commander of the Skyswarm Pirates. Since we still have a few hours before we arrive at our destination, and there isn¡¯t anywhere for you to run even if you tried, why don¡¯t we have some fun and get to know one another¡­ more intimately?¡± By this point, both men had realized that their plan had failed. But they didn¡¯t have time to worry about it now. No matter what happened next, they had to get away from Alma before she grew bored with bantering and attacked. They turned as one and raced up the stairs¡­ only to discover that their situation was even worse than he¡¯d thought. The moment that Devin and Nick reached the top deck, they learned that all avenues of escape had already been cut off. What had to be a sizable fraction of the crew was waiting for them with an air of anticipation, laughing and taunting the beleaguered members of Team Earth. They had spread out to form a ring around the stairwell, creating an open space perhaps forty feet across. Left with no other option, Nick and Devin drew their weapons and fell into combat stances, standing back-to-back in the middle of a sea of jeering faces. It was a desperate, borderline hopeless situation, and the battle hadn¡¯t even started. But there was one small detail that offered Nick a glimmer of hope in the middle of this crisis. The fact that Sophia had blown through her vital energy summoning wasps, even when it wouldn¡¯t help her escape. She must have been clearing the conditions to call upon the demon living inside her. She¡¯s planning to summon the bonefiend and break out of the brig. Sophia must be waiting for the right moment. We need to put on a show and keep the pirates distracted until she makes her move. This is bad, but we still might have a chance after all. While Nick was processing the dynamics of his dilemma, Alma sauntered up the stairs and came to a stop in front of him, strolling across the deck like she was in complete control and had all the time in the world. Which, to be fair, was an accurate read of the situation from his perspective too. He whispered what he was planning into Devin¡¯s ear, relieved that the pirates hadn¡¯t attacked them yet. This must be a prime source of entertainment for them. We can use that to draw this out. ¡°By all means, confer.¡± The pirate boss grinned. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to see what you come up with, and the look on your face when your plans fall from the sky like a ship with no core. This is a perfect way to kill time while we travel, and I want to enjoy our dance to the fullest.¡± If they want a show, I¡¯ll give them one. He stepped forward, flourished his blade, and bowed. ¡°Nicholous Henry, champion of Earth. Slayer of Fallen, and student of the ever-surging blade.¡± While Devin made his introduction, Nick took advantage of the opportunity to adjust his tactics and get a better sense of the battlefield. He was dead certain that once the fight began, he wouldn¡¯t have a chance to think. He was standing on the deck on an airship, soaring through the sky as the wind whipped his hair and set his cloak rippling. He was surrounded by a ring of jeering pirates¡ªweapons drawn and voices filled with derision. The toughest opponent he¡¯d ever faced was looming before him, mere heartbeats away from making her move. While this situation was several light years short of ideal, Nick had to admit, this moment was epic as fuck. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. The more fun this is for her, the longer she will be willing to play. If she grows bored, she¡¯ll cut us down in a heartbeat, then finish off Shaun and the girls. When Sophia makes her move, we can try to escape and find a way off the ship. By now, Devin had offered his name, and it was time to start the show. Alma was still unarmed. It seemed that she intended to begin the fight barehanded, although Nick was certain that she had a weapon somewhere nearby. She gestured to the pirates, then turned to face the duo. The crew began stomping their feet while smacking their weapons against their armor, creating a thrumming beat that set his blood pumping and adrenaline surging into his veins. Then she raised one hand and motioned for the men to come at her, and the most difficult battle of Nick¡¯s life began. They looked at each other, bumped fists, and charged. As they made their approach, the men split apart, coming at Alma from opposite sides as they unleashed their first attacks. Devin shifted his axe into its two-handed form as he ran, putting the full strength of his body into the swing. Nick was about to let loose with a heavy hit of his own, when his instincts screamed danger. He threw his body to one side¡ªjust in time to avoid a lightning-fast kick that would have snapped his neck like a twig. The pirate¡¯s boot sailed past his nose with millimeters to spare, as Devin¡¯s axe came down like a bladed avalanche. For a second, it looked like the blond warrior might manage to take Alma down, or at least score a serious wound. But she reached out without even looking his way, catching the blade of his axe with her bare hand like the weapon was paper mach¨¦. Even when Blast Striking kicked in half heartbeat later, all it did was force her to take a step back. She looked down at the layer of fire mana sizzling on her hand, then licked it and smacked her lips. ¡°Spicy, with a generous portion of essence mixed in. You¡¯ve already started to form a concept at tier 1. I¡¯m impressed.¡± Nick was shocked that Devin¡¯s attack had been completely ineffective, even given the difference in their levels. She must have an ability that protects her from heat, along with some crazy high Toughness. They repositioned and got ready to try again. But before the duo had a chance to attack, Alma made her move. Without further warning, she came at them, moving even faster than Nick could manage with Force Acceleration. He was ready to put everything he had into another desperate dodge, but she changed directions at the last possible moment, swerving to appear in front of Devin instead. He had just enough time to pull his weapon in front of his body before Alma¡¯s fist struck him with the force of the battering ram. He would have suffered some broken ribs or worse if she had hit his chest instead of the flat of his axe. With a clang that reverberated across the deck, Devin flew back, slamming into the ring of pirates. They threw him back into the cleared area while roaring their approval. Nick was worried about his friends, but he couldn¡¯t afford to look away. Instead, he took advantage of the opening to lash out with his blade. He burned some stamina along the way, multiplying the force of the attack and increasing its speed. She must have recognized that his sword was special, because instead of blocking it with her body, she swerved out of the way, displaying a grace that was both deeply impressive and terrifying to behold. Then Alma turned to face him and began a rapid barrage of blows, weaving punches and kicks into a seamless combination. It took everything that Rita had taught him, every attribute point and skill that he had, to survive the brutal assault. But he couldn¡¯t avoid them all. Even when he blocked, the force of her strikes battered his body and cracked his bones. And the worst party was, Nick knew that she was toying with them. Holding back to entertain her crew and prolong her enjoyment of the melee. As Nick endured blow after blow, Devin came running back, switching his weapon to its hand axe and shield configuration along the way. Good. We can¡¯t beat her, so focusing on defense is the right move. The duo attacked in unison, their days of fighting by each other¡¯s side coming together in that moment to form a balanced blend of offense and defense. While one man dodged her attacks, the other circled around to hit Alma from behind. When she broke through one man¡¯s guard, the other leapt in to block the blow. They endured a punishing pummeling, scoring a few strikes in return. But even their most poweful abilites couldn¡¯t do more than scratch her durable body. When Nick saw the look of disappointment in her eyes, he knew that he had to change things up before she lost interest. He flashed a hand sign to Devin, letting the man know that he needed a few seconds to prepare. Devin nodded and rushed in, unleashing a flurry of strikes that were so fast his weapon seemed to blur. Each impact released a detonation that drove the pirate captain back, streaking her skin with bands of burning mana. The instant that Devin created an opening, Nick started casting. He drew deep upon the magic within, conjuring a Piercing Ray and two Mana Darts at the same time¡ªthe most complex feat of spellcraft that he had managed thus far. The darts finished forming first. The silvery missiles winked into existence and began orbiting his head as a ball of whirling force congealed between his hands. Everything was ready to go five seconds later. He visulaized his trajectory and let loose with all three spells at the same time. He sent the darts curving around to approach from opposite sides, while his ray came straight up the middle. Piercing Ray was a fast spell. Once the churning sphere of kinetic energy reached critical mass, the force-drill flew forth in a streaking blur, crossing the distance between them in the blink of an eye. But the pirate¡¯s leader was faster still. She reached back to block Devin¡¯s axe with an open palm, then lashed out with her other arm. To Nick¡¯s utter astonishment, Alma backhanded the incoming ray. Her fist diverted the beam to one side. It drilled straight through a pair of pirates before disappearing into the distance, killing one and grievously wounding the other. The loss of her crew didn¡¯t bother the woman at all. She looked down at the scrape that touching the drill had left on her knuckles, as if surprised to see her own blood, then grinned. Meanwhile, both Mana Darts streaked for their target. She tracked their approach with contempt, then did something that Nick hadn¡¯t been expecting. Alma stepped into the path of the spells, letting the wedges of chrome-colored mana sink into her skin. There was no appreciable effect other than a soft grunt of pain. She has too much vital energy for the dart¡¯s drain to disorient her. Shit. She¡¯s even tougher than I thought. ¡°That¡¯s the spirit. I can¡¯t remember the last time that I took a wound from something that was still tier 1. I must admit that I¡¯m pleasantly surprised. Perhaps I¡¯ll be able to enjoy our dance after all. I think this will serve as a warm-up. It¡¯s time to have a little fun.¡± Chapter 104: Frozen Flame ¡°Before we start, why don¡¯t I sweeten the pot? If you can last three minutes, I won¡¯t torture your friends before I finish them off.¡± Nick and Devin had been circling around to launch another attack. They came to a skidding stop when Alma reached out with both hands, accompanied by a surge of bloodlust that made him break out in a cold sweat. As the other pirates scrambled back to open more space, mana came streaming out of her core. Flows of incandescent red wound their way around her left arm, while bands of wintry blue coalesced along her right. He wasn¡¯t sure what was happening, but given the overwhelming intensity of the woman¡¯s magic, Nick was certain that taking more than a glancing blow would be fatal. He had been entertaining the possibility of killing her, but it was clear in that moment that the duo had no hope of defeating the tier-2 warrior. That their only chance of survival was to hold on until Sophia made her move. While the men got ready to defend themselves, the pirate captain¡¯s magic assumed physical form, extending into a pair of swords that were two and a half feet long. Each elemental blade had more mana packed into it than Nick held in his core¡ªdense enough that he doubted pure mana could disrupt it, at least at the level he could put out. If there was even a chance, it would be through channeling it into his sword. There was no way that Mana Dart was going to cut it. He used the final seconds at his disposal to whisper into Devin¡¯s ear. ¡°Do everything you can to avoid taking a direct hit. While we fight, make as much noise as possible. We need the others to hear us, so they know the crew is distracted.¡± Devin nodded¡ªeyes never leaving Alma as her blades finished forming a bare second later. Before the last word left Nick¡¯s lips, the leader of the Skyswarm Pirates made her move. She been standing twenty feet back, grinning like a maniac as she drank in the sight of her prey. Half a heartbeat later, she was standing right in front of him¡ªso quick that her profile was reduced to a liquid blur. If Nick hadn¡¯t undergone a month of intensive training with Rita, along with all his extra sessions with Kiki, he would have been dead before he even knew what hit him. But thanks to the instincts his mentor had beaten into him, his body had begun to move without waiting for a conscious command. He ducked beneath a swipe of the glacial blue blade, letting it pass above his head with a fraction of an inch to spare. Although the dodge saved his life, being that close to the subzero sword froze the skin on his nose, leaving him shivering as he darted back to open more room. Devin hit her from behind the moment she stopped moving. Alma didn¡¯t even look as she lashed out with her flameblade. He blocked the weapon with his shield, trusting his Heat Resistance passive to protect him from the searing sword. The ability saved his life, but it wasn¡¯t strong enough to negate her power. He went flying back, blisters forming on his scorched skin from the molten touch of Alma¡¯s blade. The blond warrior came to a skidding stop, struggling to regain his balance while grimacing from the pain. The pirate turned to face him with a predatory smirk. She¡¯s going to take advantage of the opening to finish Devin off. Before she made her move, Nick activated Force Acceleration and charged her from her blind side. For a second, it looked like his attack would connect. But even by his new standards, Alma¡¯s reflexes were superhuman. One second, the woman was facing Devin. The next, the pirate had turned to face Nick with her twinblades poised to strike. She nodded in approval as she began her assault. He was still learning to control the power of Force Acceleration. If he overcorrected or made the slightest mistake, there was a significant chance that he would throw himself over the side of the airship. But in that moment, he didn¡¯t have a choice. He had to leave the power on and hope for the best or Alma was going to cut him down like wheat before the scythe. He called upon Arctic Clarity to enhance his focus, leaping and ducking like mad as he dodged a series of lightning-fast strikes. Pain engulfed his body from the rapid change of temperature, as blades of electric sapphire and liquid ruby came at him in an unending barrage. Despite his best efforts, he could only evade the first dozen swings. After he ducked below a vicious swipe with a fraction of a second to spare, Alma feinted with her flaming sword before thrusting with her iceblade. Nick didn¡¯t have time to get out of the way. Even with Force Acceleration going full blast, her attack was going to connect. Acting on instinct, he drew pure mana from his core and infused it into his weapon. He brought the silver-wreathed sword up in a streaking flash, just in time to meet the blue blade head-on. Alma¡¯s magic was vastly superior to his own. He was gambling that the unique properties of his sword could make up the difference. Time slowed to a crawl as their weapons collided. If this didn¡¯t work, Nick was going to die¡ªan outcome as certain as dusk following dawn. To his immense relief, the silver sword met the blue blade and cut straight through, shearing it in half. The silver flames flickered and died half a heartbeat later¡ªtheir power consumed to make that single attack. For the first time in the fight, Alma looked surprised. In fact, the woman looked downright astonished. She came to a stop while staring at her broken blade. ¡°That¡¯s impossible. You don¡¯t have enough power to counter my elemental magic with pure. Not even if you burned through all your reserves at once. There must be something special about that sword. I must add it to my collection.¡± Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. The shocking event broke her concentration for a crucial second, creating an opening that Devin wasn¡¯t about to squander. The instant that she glanced down at her shorn blade, he hit her from behind. A crackling cone of fire erupted from his position as he unleashed Flashfire Pulse from point-blank range, bathing the woman in a searing blanket of flame. The men scrambled back to make more room, and when the fire died down a few seconds later, Alma was wearing a fierce grin. As a look of concentration crossed her face, her broken blade reformed. Shit, my attack cost her some mana, but she isn¡¯t injured at all. This is bad. We can¡¯t hold on for much longer. Confirming the truth of those words, the tier-2 warrior chose that moment to reveal her true strength. For the second time of the fight, mana came surging out of her core¡ªfar more than had been contained in her initial release. Her elemental swords extended, as the wind born from the contrasting temperatures whipped across the deck. ¡°Get ready,¡± Devin said. ¡°Here it comes.¡± It was at this point that Nick learned there were some major differences between physical swords and ones made of congealed mana. Most notably, the mana-blades weren¡¯t locked into a single shape¡ªAlma could extend or shrink them at will. As wintery wrath and volcanic fury shrouded the pirate in a scintillating mantle of might, her spell-blades extended to over ten feet in length. Before Nick knew what was happening, she started spinning like a top, sending her twin swords lashing for their position in a red-and-blue flash. The men were caught off-guard by the surprise attack. The flameblade hit Devin hard, lashing across his shield and helmet, but catching some skin too. Even with his innate resistance, it must have really fucking hurt, because the athletic warrior screamed, although he didn¡¯t fall down. Nick was worried, but he didn¡¯t have time to help his friend. He had his own problem to deal with. A fraction of a second later, the bladed band of icy mana collided into his body. He caught it with his Caster¡¯s Buckler, nearly freezing the blood in his arm even though the shield deflected the strike. The duo retreated to the edge of the ring as pirates scrambled out of the way to avoid being caught in Alma¡¯s wrath. By this point, she had stopped spinning and raised her swords above her head. Nick could tell that she was planning to end the fight with her next attack. Both swords lengthened to over twenty feet. Then they met and began to merge, forming a resplendent purple blade that was somehow both fire and ice at the same time. ¡°Ah, hell.¡± Devin sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t think we will be walking away from this one. There¡¯s no point in both of us dying. I¡¯ll charge her while you get away. It was nice knowing you, Nick. Get out of here while you can and save the others.¡± The gesture was deeply touching, but Nick wasn¡¯t about to let Devin sacrifice himself. He desperately sought out any means of living through the next few seconds, as Alma¡¯s magic reached a crescendo and her sword began to fall. Variables whirled madly through his mind, but there simply wasn¡¯t enough time. A heartbeat and a half before her magic erased the duo from this world, the warship lurched. It dropped fifty feet in the blink of an eye, throwing a dozen pirates over the side before it evened out once more. The purple blade carved a smoking, steaming canyon into the deck before Alma dispelled her magic and yelled. ¡°What the fuck is happening?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a monster on board the ship!¡± One of the pirates answered.¡± It broke into the engine room and is wreaking havoc upon the machinery. We¡¯re fighting back but we can¡¯t stop it for long. If it damages the floatstone core¡­¡± The pirate¡¯s words were cut off as the Bloody Surprise shuddered, freefalling for a few seconds before stabilizing once more. Nick hit the deck hard enough to bounce, although thanks to his high Toughness, the impact didn¡¯t do any damage. For the first time, Alma of the Frozen Flame, captain of the Bloody Surprise and leader of the Skyswarm Pirates, looked worried. She¡¯s afraid. Apparently, destroying the warship¡¯s core would be just as cataclysmic as Nick had imagined. She abandoned their fight without a second thought, racing for the stairs in a flash. ¡°That must be Sophia,¡± he yelled. ¡°We have to help her.¡± Before he could take two steps, the airship began to plummet, and this time, it didn¡¯t pull up. Its nose was angled down, and it was falling faster by the second. ¡°No time.¡± Devin grabbed Nick¡¯s arm to stop him from heading down the stairs. He tried to break free, but his friend held him in an iron grip, then shook him hard. ¡°The airship is going to crash. There isn¡¯t time to head back inside. Our only chance is to board one of the smaller vessels and let the others come to us. We need to believe in our friends and focus on what we can do. Trust them, I¡¯m sure they have a plan.¡± Nick wanted to race to Sophia¡¯s side, but he knew that Devin was right. If the duo didn¡¯t find a way off the Bloody Surprise before the core failed completely, they were all going to die. The instant Nick nodded, Devin let go and the men began racing toward the side of the ship, passing scores of screaming pirates along the way. They were too panicked to fight, so everyone ran past each other as the warship tumbled from the sky. Fifteen frantic seconds later, the men found what they were looking for. They were approaching one of the little ships mounted to the sides of the vessel. It was where most of the crew was swarming, even though only a fraction of them would fit. The duo fell upon the buccaneers from behind, cutting down ten pirates before they knew what hit them. This marked the beginning of a brief but desperate battle, which was interrupted every time the deck lurched under their feet. The bucking threw as many pirates overboard as the men killed, nearly falling off themselves several times during the melee. When the last pirate lay dead by their feet, Devin and Nick leapt aboard the smaller ship, getting ready to take off while waiting for their friends to appear. More pirates tried to board. Nick blew through his mana holding them back, then kept on chopping with his sword. Meanwhile, Devin had figured out the controls and was ready to take off, but the rest of the party was nowhere in sight. Please hurry. We¡¯re out of time. It was a grim situation¡ªone that was growing more hopeless by the second. Just when Nick was about to jump off and search for his friends no matter the risk, he saw the bonefiend emerge onto the deck, with Shaun and Veronica following a few steps behind. Nick didn¡¯t see Sophia, but he had always suspected that the bonefiend was a transformation rather than a summon. He hadn¡¯t pressed the issue, trusting Sophia to tell him when the time was right. ¡°This way. Hurry!¡± He jumped up and waved. The others saw him and darted across the deck, closing the distance as the warship fell from the sky. One hundred feet. Fifty. Thirty. Just when it seemed that they would make it, a great crack rang out, as the airship was stressed beyond its limits by the forces pulling it apart. The deck split down the middle as the Bloody Surprise broke in two. The last thing Nick saw was his friends sliding down the shorn deck, rapidly approaching the precipice. Because that was when a beam swung around hard and smacked him in the head, and oblivion rose to embrace him. Chapter 105: Visions from the Void I When he regained consciousness, Nick found himself floating in the space between worlds. An infinite starscape stretched out before his gaze, engulfing him in the celestial splendor that he had experienced several times before. He tried to remember how he had gotten here, but his memory was muddled. He knew that he had suffered a traumatic injury to his brain, but the details were fuzzy. He felt a strange sense of detachment when he focused on his body¡ªlike he was only halfway connected to his flesh and blood. I¡¯m on the verge of death, he realized. For some reason, I¡¯m having a vision while I¡¯m unconscious. After talking with other people about his experiences, Nick had realized that the visions he¡¯d begun having the day the System arrived were unusual. While some people reported flashes of images and sensations during their interstellar journeys, his were far longer and more detailed. It was strange and mysterious, but he intended to take advantage of this unique ability, since he was certain that there was a deeper meaning behind it. He sensed that his mind would return to his body on its own when his brain finished healing. Until it did, his consciousness was untethered by the normal constraints of time and space. He took a long moment just to bask in the staggering beauty and awe-inspiring majesty of this place, then got down to work. He intended to use this altered state of being to learn whatever he could, which meant that his first goal was figuring out how to navigate this disembodied state. Trying to move by conventional means was futile considering his surroundings and the vast distances involved in reaching even the closest star. But if his mind had made it out here, he should be able to journey to other places too. He tried willing himself back into the Tower of Rizzen, visualizing the last thing he¡¯d seen before the world went dark, but nothing happened. With no other leads to follow, he closed his eyes and concentrated, casting his senses into the void. At first, he couldn¡¯t feel anything. But eventually, Nick realized that there were tiny points out in the distance. Motes of vital energy that felt achingly familiar. They aren¡¯t places. They¡¯re people. Somehow, he was certain that he was sensing important individuals in his life¡ªpeople with whom he shared a connection. He thought that if he tried, he might be able to move toward them and see what they were up to. He tried looking for his parents, his brother, and his friends from Earth, but he couldn¡¯t find them. At first, he was worried that it meant they were dead. But then he realized that he could only perceive people who he had interacted with since humanity had been awakened to magic by the System. Instead, he reached toward the minds he could sense clearly. Five were still climbing Darkstone Tower, but one was much further away. When he focused on that distant point, he realized that it was coming from Earth. That it belonged to a friend he hadn¡¯t seen in far too long. Nick smiled and willed his consciousness to head toward it. It was time to find out what Bandit was up to and learn what had happened to his home while he was away. *** Bandit awoke with a start, leaping out of bed and reaching for the blade resting in the corner of the room. He scanned the shadows with his fang raised before him, searching for enemies but finding none. It was pitch black inside the windowless hut, but darkness was no longer a barrier to his sight. He let out a sigh when he realized that it was just a dream. That he was standing in his own bedroom¡ªsafe in the middle of the tribe¡¯s village. In his dream, he¡¯d been back in that moment, as he had so many nights before. Talking to the tiger king before battling the dreadbeast monarch to the death, absorbing a portion of his power in the process. Reliving the fateful moment that had catalyzed Bandit¡¯s evolution into something new. A creature of shadow and flame. It was only the first change among many. A milestone in the rapid evolution that his tribe had undergone, along with the other denizens of the jungle. Life had been so much simpler before the Voice had arrived and thrown the world into chaos, unraveling the old order in the blink of an eye. While he felt a twinge of nostalgia for those bygone days, he wouldn¡¯t return to them if given the chance. Not when everything was so interesting and new¡ªevery day burgeoning with possibility. Bandit shook his head to clear his mind. He didn¡¯t have time to get lost in contemplation now. Not when there was still so much that needed to be done. He opened the door to his home and stepped outside, casting his gaze over the jungle and toward the horizon. The sky was cobalt with the coming of dawn and only the brightest stars were visible. Whisps of mist were rising from the canopy like ethereal serpents as the air began to warm, carrying the scent of blossom and leaf. The cries of birds and beasts resounded across the jungle, heralding the start of a new day. While Bandit would love to go back to sleep, he couldn¡¯t afford to indulge in such luxuries. It was time to be up and about. His friends were already walking over to the communal kitchen to grab a bowl of something warm before getting started with one task or another. His stomach growled at the thought, reminding him that he could use something to eat too. Before he gave into his belly¡¯s reasonable request, he examined his village from above, marveling at how much his life had changed in such a short span of time. How much everything had changed. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. The concept of founding a settlement would have been foreign to his existence just a few short months ago. Already, a way of life that had lasted for millennia was no more. A new age was dawning alongside the rising sun, and his efforts would help determine whether the lemur tribe thrived or perished. Bandit¡¯s generation held a special place in the story of his people. After all, they had been born twice. First into the old world, then again in the new. A world where magic was an everyday part of life¡ªa tool more powerful than anything they could have imagined. Magic had enabled them to build a home for themselves instead of spending their days roaming the jungle, foraging for food while contending with predators. After ascending to beasts, most of the lemurs could use magic to some extent, and the group who had devoted themselves to mastering it was growing by the day. There were earth-casters and flame-wielders. Life-coaxers and wind-callers. And, most recently, a cadre of shadow-masters had arisen amongst their ranks. Several promising young lemurs had chosen to follow Bandit¡¯s path, absorbing the darkness mana and shadow essence that was released when the dreadbeast tigers were slain. Now that the last corrupted tiger had been driven from the jungle, the tribe would have to seek out new means of nurturing its shadow-masters, but that was a problem for another day. He was doing his best to oversee their training, as well as mentoring the flame-wielders, but these powers were new to him too. Over time, they would expand the tribe¡¯s options for defending themselves and eliminating their enemies¡ªthe only good thing to come from the shadow tigers¡¯ existence. While the tribe was gifted with a cadre of promising young mages, the most prevalent elements among them were earth and stone. As a result, unlike the metal weapons the Voice had given them, the tribe¡¯s self-made tools were fashioned from stone¡ªshaped by the versatile magic of the earth-casters. Thanks to the powers they had been granted after surviving their trial on the Island of Burning Rain, along with the knowledge imparted by Neek and others of his kind, the tribe now cooked their meals over firepits topped with great stone spits, which were perfect for grilling meat to perfection. They had raised various defenses to guard the village and created stone structures to live in. Houses with strong walls and sealed entrances that keep out predators and vermin alike. For the first time in the history of their species, the lemurs had created a village and were sleeping in the same place every night. Over time, the earth-casters had enclosed the town in a ring of rock, while the other magic-wielders fashioned various safeguards within the canopy. Sentries and wards prevented their enemies from slipping in and attacking the tribe in their sleep, dramatically increasing the life-expectancy of the new generation. As they continued to develop and change, the lemurs had grown more adept at understanding complex concepts, sparking a hunger for knowledge within them. When they sent scouts beyond the boundary of the jungle, they had discovered a perennial source of new ideas and insights by studying the hairless tribe. After Bandit¡¯s adventures with Neek, he¡¯d begun watching the others of Neek¡¯s kind who were living near the jungle, learning their language while listening from the branches. The tribe had gained much from observing the hairless tribe, as the inventive creatures figured out how to survive on this ever-changing planet. How to build houses and high walls. How to use fire to cook and craft. How to plant seeds and tend to the soil, reducing their reliance on foraging. The last wouldn¡¯t have been possible without the life-coaxers¡¯ magic encouraging the plants to grow and the earth-casters¡¯ spells improving the quality of the soil. The lemurs still had a lot to learn about tending crops, although Bandit was optimistic that they would master the art in time. Perhaps they could negotiate and convince some of the hairless tribe to instruct them, although they would have to develop a relationship built on mutual trust and understanding first. It was only the first wave of changes, and he could sense that more were coming in the days ahead. Some lemurs were learning how to make their own weapons and armor and instruments that produced a variety of pleasing sounds. Music, the hairless tribe called it. With his thoughts on the future, Bandit made his way over to the kitchen, where he observed another change that his people had adopted, specialized labor. As he drew near, a delectable odor crossed his palate. He hastened his pace, eager to discover what new wonder the cooks had dreamt up today. He broke into a grin as he stepped inside, where a dozen hungry lemurs were already waiting in line. Over the firepit, the cooks had set flat pieces of metal, upon which thinly-sliced portions of meat were sizzling, frying alongside eggs flavored with a medley of herbs. When it was his turn, Bandit held up his plate to receive his share of the feast. The eggs were fluffy, and the meat was perfectly browned, but still rich with juice. The spices the cooks were learning to use made everything smell even better. When he popped the first bite into his mouth, Bandit let out a grunt of approval. This food was amazing. He hoped that there would be more of it later tonight, when their festival began. When the sun set, the entire tribe would gather, beginning a day-long party. There was ample reason for celebration. After weeks of war, dark days filled with bloodshed and loss, the tribe had had defeated the last of the tiger king¡¯s minions. Ending the threat the dreadbeasts posed¡­ at least for now. Bandit doubted that he had seen the last of the dreadbeasts. The words the dying king had spoken, ¡°they promised,¡± had him deeply worried. It led him to believe that the tigers hadn¡¯t been tainted by accident or by their natural inclinations alone, but by design. He had a hunch the lemurs would be facing other corrupted beasts in the days ahead. But this time, the tribe would be ready. He decided to confer with the Elder before joining in the day¡¯s labors, learning what he could from the tribe¡¯s matriarch while she was still around to dispense her wisdom. He topped off a fresh plate so she wouldn¡¯t have to get it herself, then began walking toward her home. Bandit spent a lot of time with the Elder these days since she was grooming him to be the tribe¡¯s next leader. It wasn¡¯t something that he was looking forward to, although he had long-since resigned himself to that fate. At least for now, it was natural that the strongest among them took charge. Bandit knew that his presence would soothe fears and stifle countless disputes before they even began. He had no desire to assume the mantle of leadership. He knew the price it demanded after surviving the Island of Burning Rain. But for the sake of his family and his friends, Bandit would do what he must to ensure that lemurs flourished in this strange new world. A world ruled by beasts living alongside men. Perhaps, if they worked together, they could find a way to thrive. For the sake of that dream, he would fight until his dying breath. Chapter 106: Visions from the Void II Nick¡¯s vision of Earth faded away, and he himself floating in the void once more. This time, he wore a smile on his face. He was glad to know that the lemurs were safe. That his planet was adapting to life in the multiverse, although it had changed greatly during his absence. And that wasn¡¯t the only good news. His connection to his body was stronger than before, and the haze enshrouding his mind was gradually lifting. He had no idea how much time had passed since he¡¯d awoken in this strange celestial space. It could have been hours, weeks, or even months for all he knew. But he was still alive, and his home had yet to be ravaged by the whims of the Mad God. Since there wasn¡¯t anything else to do, Nick reached out toward those distant points of energy, searching for more of his friends. Some of them were shielded¡ªin places that weren¡¯t accessible to him right now, but there was one he could touch. With a grin, he sent his awareness toward it. It was time to check in on Kenji. The man Nick had been worried about ever since entering the tower. *** Kenji raised his shield and braced for impact, absorbing a hit from the bipedal jackal¡¯s sword before shoving the creature to one side. His allies rushed forward to engage the beastman, hoping to finish the fight while it was off-balance. Mirium¡¯s water elemental changed into a swarm of piranha¡ªeach toothy fish formed from fluid that could move through the air. The elemental tore chunks out of the jackal¡¯s flesh as the fiend lashed out with its weapon to defend itself. Every attack that connected disrupted the essence animating the elemental, drenching the beastman as it battled the swarm of flying fish. ¡°Laura,¡± he yelled. ¡°It¡¯s ready. Hit it with your lightning!¡± The blond mage raised her arms and called upon the magic within. Mirium¡¯s elemental pulled back, just a bolt of electricity as thick as Kenji¡¯s wrists surged forth from Laura¡¯s fingertips. It crossed the open air fast as thought before discharging into the jackal¡¯s body. The beastman smoked and spasmed as the high-voltage spell caused it to lose control of its muscles, leaving it vulnerable for the next few seconds. Kenji wasn¡¯t about to let the opening go to waste. He raised his spear and charged with the team¡¯s warriors at his side, ready to end the fight before anyone was seriously injured. On this floor, all their enemies had powers of stealth in one flavor or another, and he was eager to find the stairs before they ran into something even more powerful than the beastmen¡ªthe insanely aggressive legacy of one failed experiment or another. The jackal had already risen to its knees by this point. In another few seconds, it would shrug off the effects of Laura¡¯s spell and resume the fight. He raced to close the last stretch of open ground, took aim, and lunged with the full power of his body behind it. The spear he had crafted from the fallen rhino¡¯s horn pierced the beastman¡¯s chest, sliding between its ribs and puncturing its heart. The creature toppled to the ground as the life faded from its eyes. ¡°Good job, everyone.¡± Kenji smiled as his five-member team fell into formation. They took a few minutes to catch their breath before approaching the chamber that held the boss of this level. While they recovered, he considered what they had accomplished since entering Darkstone Tower. By now, his party had grown accustomed to working with one another, merging their unique powers and fighting styles into a unified whole that seamlessly combined offense and defense. He was fond of them and was glad to know that Team Earth had other talented members. But he couldn¡¯t help but wonder what had happened to Nick and the rest of the team he had fought beside in the Grand Arena of Papillion. He had been following them after taking down the river king, as the blackmist and the shadow hunt engulfed the tower¡¯s base. He had almost caught up to everyone despite the shock of losing his arm, when a young man appeared out of nowhere and jumped into the hole that Sophia had pointed out. By the time that Kenji got down there, the door was gone, and only solid stone awaited his gaze. Half-conscious and weak from blood loss, he had dragged himself back out and run for his life, taking shots from the redfangs¡¯ feathers while one of the fell hounds followed hot on his heels. Just when he was certain that the immense beast would catch him, someone had yelled to get his attention. It was a woman standing on a ledge ten feet up, which led to one of the hidden doorways Sophia had discovered. With no time to question what was happening, he leapt for all he was worth while reaching out with his remaining arm. She caught it and pulled him up, and they flung themselves through the doorway just as a fang-filled face came streaking out of the blackmist. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. It turned out that Laura was looking for a fifth party member before entering the tower. She had saved Kenji¡¯s life with only a fraction of a second to spare, which was how he found himself climbing the tower side-by-side with a new team. They only had one more floor to complete before Team Earth faced the tower¡¯s guardian on the roof¡ªthe decisive battle that would determine the fate of their homeworld. Kenji hoped that they would have a chance to meet as a group and plan out their strategy before the climatic fight began. With any luck, he would run into Nick and the others and he could combine the strength of both parties, each of which featured some truly exceptional individuals. But that was a worry for another day. With a groan, Kenji rose to his feet and resumed his journey toward the massive golden gate, ready to resume his fight for the future of his people. *** When Nick found himself drifting through outer space once more, he felt much stronger than before. By now, he was certain that his body was healing. Just one more vision and it would be time to return to the world of the living. He had several minds to choose from, but only one belonged to someone who he¡¯d been afraid had died. A woman who meant more to him than he had realized until fate drove them apart. *** Sophia swam for the network of caves in the distance¡ªdesperate to stay ahead of the pack of killer whales that was closing in from behind. In front of her, one of her frogs was swimming far faster than she could manage unassisted. Its long tongue was wrapped around her waist and pulling her along, enhancing her mobility in this underwater level of the Tower of Rizzen. On either side swam Shaun and Veronica¡ªeach towed by their own spear-tongue frog. Two more of the crimson amphibians were in the process of falling back to delay the whales¡¯ pursuit. They didn¡¯t have a chance of beating the immense beasts that had been hunting the party for days, but they didn¡¯t need to. Her frogs only had to buy enough time for them to head inside the network of caverns ahead. The whales wouldn¡¯t pursue them past that point. Not because they couldn¡¯t, but because the blood-sucking eels that lived within the caves would attack the instant they tried, ignoring all other prey until the killer whales were eliminated or fled their domain. The beasts in question shared few similarities to the creatures from Earth she¡¯d named them after. But the aggressive predators were whale-shaped and happy to kill, so the name seemed fitting enough. It had been two weeks since the members of Sophia¡¯s party had gone their separate ways. It was all her fault, but she hadn¡¯t had a choice. The only way to escape from the Skyswarm Pirates and their tier-2 leader was to damage the airship and get away in the confusion. She had been dead certain that transforming into the bonefiend wasn¡¯t good enough. That she had to destroy the warship¡¯s floatstone core and send the vessel plummeting from the air. She had downed her last stamina potion after changing back, giving her enough energy to summon one last batch of wasps after reaching the main deck. She saw Nick and Devin waiting for her in one of the smaller ships. But before her group could reach them, the ship had lurched and flung them over the side. The wasps weren¡¯t strong enough to carry them for long, but they had maneuvered the three of them onto another floating isle. This island was only a quarter mile across, but it held something interesting¡ªa cluster of ancient structures that predated the pirates¡¯ arrival. After exploring it and defeating a serpent guardian, they eventually found another staircase. They waited in the ruins for as long as they could. But after a few days it was clear that Nick and Devin weren¡¯t coming. Not that Sophia blamed them. The men had no idea where she was and were being chased by a swarm of angry pirates the last time she saw them. The trio had been crossing this aquatic level for over a week now, making it the longest that they had stayed on any floor of the tower. As the quest¡¯s description had promised, this one was the most dangerous yet. They were lucky that the water they were swimming in could be breathed like air, or they would have died within minutes. The strange substance had resulted in a terrifying moment after their arrival. Everyone thought they were drowning until they were forced to take that first breath and realized that they were going to be ok, at least in the short term. It was hard to maneuver in the undersea environment, but her frogs let the party progress at a reasonable rate. They had faced whales, sharks, barracudas, and some giant pistol shrimp that had a devastating ranged attack. But by the skin of their teeth, Sophia, Shaun, and Veronica had managed to outfight, outrun, or outwit each predator in turn, always heading toward the ocean¡¯s floor far below, where the System promised that a set of stairs was waiting. At least it had provided a map this time around, which meant there was never any question as to which way to go. It would have been wonderous to explore an alien sea under other circumstances, but as it was, Sophia was ready to leave this nightmare behind her for good. If she never set foot into a body of water deeper than a bathtub again, it would be fine with her. Her team entered the caves moments before the whales reached them, shrieking in fury as their prey passed beyond the boundary of their domain. She hadn¡¯t seen any of the eels yet, but it was only a matter of time. For now, her team took advantage of the opportunity to rest and plan out their next move. Thanks to the bioluminescent plants that grew at this depth, Sophia could see that they were finally reaching the bottom. Another few days and they should reach the crevice holding the stairs. She was about to tell her friends that it was time to get moving, when she was overcome with the sensation that someone else was there. A feeling like someone was reading a book from over her shoulder. A presence that she had been longing for ever since they were separated. ¡°Nick,¡± Sophia whispered into the darkness. ¡°Is that you?¡± Chapter 107: The Third Floor When Nick opened his eyes, he was floating. Not drifting across the vastness of space but bobbing in the air. He knew that he was back in his body because his body hurt¡ªhis limbs so stiff and sore that he could barely move them. All of which left him wondering how he was resisting gravity¡¯s embrace. While his head and shoulders were supported by something bulky and firm, his arms and legs were dangling down toward the ground. He groaned, thoughts slowly sharpening as he came to grips with this dramatic change in scenery. His head was pounding, and he felt weaker than he could remember being since his new life began. What the fuck happened to me? Nick realized that he was peering up at an emerald sky. Although, when he took a closer look, he couldn¡¯t see any birds or clouds, just thick packs of insects darting through the air. When he shifted his body to survey his surroundings, he wound up spinning in circles, which helped him grasp that he was being held aloft by the straps of his bag, staring down at the muddy earth below. Why is the ground wet, and why is it so humid? Where in the world am I? This isn¡¯t a sky island, so we must have made it to the third floor¡­ Wait. What happened to the others? With that thought, the memory of what had happened came flooding back to him. Desperately searching for his missing friends before being lured into a trap by Alma, the pirates¡¯ boss. The bonefiend causing the warship to fall, then something slamming into the back of his head, followed by darkness and dreams. When Nick tried to get his legs under him, he felt a hand reach around his shoulder to offer support. ¡°Hey there, sleepyhead.¡± Devin¡¯s smiling face entered his view. ¡°I¡¯m glad to see that you¡¯ve finally decided to wake up. Next time, it¡¯s my turn to get some beauty sleep.¡± Nick could tell from Devin¡¯s tone that his friend was deeply relieved, but he was downplaying his emotions while he made sure that Nick was alright. ¡°It wasn¡¯t a lot of fun dragging you around for the last two weeks, but your bag was a big help. Stay still while I add a few rocks, so that it isn¡¯t lighter than air anymore.¡± He heard Devin open the flap, then grunt as he lifted something heavy. A few seconds later, the force holding Nick aloft vanished, and his feet hit the soft earth. He wasn¡¯t strong enough to support his own weight, but Devin caught him and helped him sit down on a tarp that was spread across the ground. ¡°Water¡­¡± Nick croaked through dry lips, as the meaning of Devin¡¯s words sank in. I¡¯ve been unconscious for two weeks! No wonder I had so many crazy dreams. Devin put a canteen up to his lips and Nick drank deeply, sighing as the fluid began rehydrating his tissue. ¡°There you go, champ. That¡¯s the way. I was able to get a little water into you along with that elixir of restoration once a day, but food was a no go. Why don¡¯t you eat this, and I¡¯ll fill you in on everything that happened while you were out?¡± He took a piece of travel bread that Devin had soaked in water and began to chew, realizing that moment that he was ravenous. While Nick ate, his friend began recounting his adventures on the third floor. After being separated from Veronica, Shaun, and Sophia, Devin had managed to fly the two-man airship to the highest island, crash-landing it beside the staircase with a swarm of furious pirates in pursuit. With dozens of ships converging on their location and Nick out of action, Devin had been left with no choice other than to exit the floor and carry him up the stairs. Devin didn¡¯t know what had happened to the other members of their party, but he had seen a group of ships break off and head in another direction. He hoped that it meant the rest of the team had survived the warship¡¯s destruction and were making good on their own escape. When they passed through the portal, Devin learned that the entirety of the third floor was one big swamp. Rather than containing a true ecosystem like the sky islands, this level was more like a gigantic terrarium. It was also the breeding grounds for a particularly nasty type of beast called a mud wraith. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. ¡°The wraiths are kind of like a cross between the Predator and Swamp Thing. They¡¯re hard as hell to spot and will ambush you from behind when you least expect it. They don¡¯t like fire, although there¡¯s plenty of water around to put it out, so it¡¯s kind of a draw as far as my powers go. The smaller ones are vicious but manageable, but the patriarch is fucking huge and twice as deadly as it is ugly. Fortunately, both times I ran into it, I was able to get away, since it¡¯s stealthy and strong but not that fast. I¡¯m not sure that our whole team could handle it at our best, unless maybe we had Kenji instead of Shaun, so trying to solo it didn¡¯t seem like the best idea. ¡°Anyway, the rule for this floor is called ¡®partition.¡¯ It turns out that a bunch of groups from Team Earth are crossing this level at the same time, but each party is locked into their own region and separated by force fields that function like glass walls. I was able to talk to some of them and swap info, but there¡¯s no way to assist each other directly as far as I can tell. Each partition leads to its own stairwell, which is guarded by a pack of mud wraiths. ¡°The wrinkle is that the patriarch can move between the partitions, and it always shows up when you engage that final group. I watched several parties get wiped out when it arrived, poor bastards. The good news is that the rest made it through, since they all went in at the same time to divide the big bad¡¯s attention. ¡°Circling back to the present, we¡¯re not far from the stairs and I¡¯ve been sitting here all day, trying to figure out how I could carry you past the wraiths without getting taken out. Even with you back in action, I don¡¯t think we can win. Maybe against the little ones, but we don¡¯t have a chance in hell of two-manning the patriarch on top of battling the smaller wraiths. I was getting ready to make a run for when the final wave of teams assaults the stairs and hope for the best, but it would be great if you could come up with a better plan.¡± It was a lot of information to take in at once. Nick tried to jumpstart the tactical part of his brain while he put the pieces of the situation together from Devin¡¯s account. That was when it hit him. ¡°Wait. You¡¯ve been carrying me for weeks across terrain swarming with swamp assassins, without anyone to watch your back? That¡¯s incredible. Thanks, Devin. I owe you my life.¡± ¡°Aww, Nick. You¡¯re making me blush. We¡¯re a team, and I know you¡¯d do the same for me. We are lucky that you shoved that floatstone core into your pack. It let me drag you behind me like a hot air balloon. I fed you the elixir every day, hoping that it would heal the damage to your noggin. But if I¡¯m being honest, I was terrified that you wouldn¡¯t wake up. Let¡¯s save the warm fuzzies till we¡¯re out of here though. I¡¯m worried that the roaming wraiths will find us soon, and I have grave reservations about trying to clear a path to the stairwell under these conditions. I was hoping that big brain of yours might notice something that I missed.¡± By now, the wheels in Nick¡¯s mind were turning once more and he was starting to feel better. He was still weak and a bit groggy, but the food in his belly was helping to clear his mind. While he chewed, he had Devin describe the wraiths¡¯ abilities in detail. In addition to a powerful camouflage ability, they could send out vinelike tendrils through the mud, which would try to bind your limbs or wrap around your throat. Devin drew a map of the level in the dirt, then relayed everything he knew about the group of beasts guarding the stairwell and the big one he called the patriarch. When he was finished, Nick took out his spyglass and surveyed the surrounding terrain. There wasn¡¯t much to see other than swampy soil interspersed with scattered patches of elevated ground, along with a few gnarly trees. He couldn¡¯t see any mud wraiths, just lots and lots of bugs. They were annoying, but fortunately they didn¡¯t seem to be bestial or overly aggressive. With that out of the way, he set his gaze upon the stairwell in the distance. This set was a great marble banister that belonged in a mansion. It was pristine and unmarred, and looked comically out of place rising up from the middle of a swamp. He couldn¡¯t see any beasts near the stairs. But based on what Devin had told him, there were at least a dozen of them hiding in the muck. More were prowling throughout the area, including the patriarch. Devin is right. We can¡¯t afford to fight them. Given the design of the tower, I doubt that simply running past will work either. We don¡¯t have the manpower or resources to create a distraction. It seemed that their best option was to time their advance with the remaining teams after all. To carve a path through the wraiths and hope for the best. Nick could see why Devin didn¡¯t like their odds, since he felt exactly the same way. But given their situation, there simply wasn¡¯t a better alternative. Once the other members of Team Earth left the floor, the men wouldn¡¯t have any chance of avoiding the patriarch, and their chance of breaking through would dwindle from slim to none. It was a bad situation, but he got ready to face it head on. No matter what happened past this point, the duo wasn¡¯t going down without a fight. Chapter 108: A Familiar Voice Left with no other option, the men discussed tactics while inspecting their gear. They needed to be ready to go when the other parties made their move, which would happen sometime within the next fifteen minutes by the look of things. Nick was planning to blow through his mana to create an opening, then use Force Acceleration to reach the stairs while Devin unleashed his flames to drive the wraiths back. They began to advance, getting as close as they could to the swamp surrounding the stairwell without stepping into the marsh. As they walked, Nick took a closer look at his environment, seeking out any details that might help tip the scales in their favor. He couldn¡¯t see the partitions at all. The magic barriers were completely transparent from this distance, although Devin was able to give him a rough idea of their location. The men came to a stop where the dirt ended and the water began, preparing themselves for the fight ahead. But just before they left the elevated ground and entered the muck, something strange occurred. A woman¡¯s voice spoke, coming from right beside Nick¡¯s ear. He looked over his shoulder, but there wasn¡¯t anyone there. Her words were faint and garbled, like a radio broadcast with heavy static, but he was able to make out a few fragmented sentences. ¡°Thank the gods¡­ he¡¯s awake! Nick. Can¡­ hear¡­? Shit, the interference is¡­ in here. Boost the signal¡¯s power¡­ cost be damned.¡± A few seconds later, the woman¡¯s words became clear. ¡°Nick, are you there? Say something that so I know you¡¯re listening.¡± He realized that the voice sounded familiar, but he was having a hard time placing it. ¡°Hello?¡± He was worried that this was some kind of lingering aftereffect from the trauma to his brain, but the urgency in her voice demanded his attention. ¡°Praise Astra, we¡¯ve got him on the line. Listen carefully, Nick. I can¡¯t keep this channel open for long. It takes a crazy amount of cosmic energy to break through the Labyrinth¡¯s barrier. Whatever you do, don¡¯t take the staircase ahead. The floor it connects to is a veritable deathtrap.¡± The mention of the goddess Astra let him place the voice. ¡°Pax, is that you?¡± Pax had been Nick¡¯s momentary mentor. The blond warrior he had met during his orientation, right before the Mad God hacked the System and stole the Earth from Astra. ¡°How are you speaking with me?¡± ¡°You remember me, I¡¯m touched. I planted a transmitter inside your thumb that lets us track your progress via a loophole in the inventory system. I don¡¯t have time to explain why. A hundred feet from your position, on your right if you¡¯re facing the marble stairs, there¡¯s a hole in the shield wall. It¡¯s hidden behind a pair of big red boulders. ¡°You need to roll them back and squeeze your way inside. Then follow the lane running between the partitions and look for a rope ladder. It will lead to you a floor where I can get a better signal. It will still be insanely dangerous, but I promise the reward will be worth it. I¡¯m sorry that I couldn¡¯t help you more until now. But please, trust me. It''s vital not only to your own survival, but for your entire planet¡­ Shit¡­ were losing the¡­¡± Pax¡¯s voice disappeared in a burst of static that soon faded out of existence. ¡°Nick, are you ok?¡± Devin asked. You were talking to yourself, and we really need to keep our heads in the game right now.¡± ¡°Something unexpected just happened.¡± Nick provided a rapid rundown of what had occurred during his orientation, then relayed what Pax had told him. Devin nodded along with his words. ¡°What is your read on Pax? Do you think that we can trust her? I honestly like her plan a lot better than ours. If we can avoid fighting the big stealthy bastard and its minions, I say that we go for it.¡± Nick considered the question for a long moment before replying. ¡°I think that we can trust her. Everything she did helped me out and she risked her life in the process. I¡¯ve always suspected that she was hiding something, based on how my orientation went down. Maybe now I can finally learn the whole story. Let¡¯s follow her advice and see what happens.¡± Devin grunted his agreement, and they began walking, heading away from the stairs and toward the boulders in the distance. It took them several minutes to find the place Pax had mentioned¡ªa spot where two rust red rocks were nestled against the partition. Standing this close, Nick could make out the barrier with his eyes. It was completely transparent but had just a hint of a reflection, like high-quality museum glass. It was invisible to his energetic senses too until he reached out and touched it. When he did, he could sense that the partition was made of force mana and some type of essence he hadn¡¯t encountered before. The magic was woven together so tightly that it didn¡¯t release any energy into the environment. It was interesting, and he wondered if he might one day learn to create something similar, so he memorized everything he was sensing and then filed it away for later. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. The duo started looking for the secret passage Pax had described. It took both of them working together to roll the boulders back a few feet, then they ran their fingertips over the barrier behind the heavy stones until they encountered empty air. Sure enough, there was a small space where the force field wasn¡¯t complete. After a bit of shimmying, both men were able to slide through, entering into a narrow lane running between their section of swamp and the next one over. Devin and Nick followed it, heading down a path that led past the stairs Pax had warned them not to climb. They would have let the other teams know what they had found, but they didn¡¯t see anyone nearby or spot any more entrances opening into the passage. Eventually, they found the rope ladder that Pax had mentioned. It looked threadbare and sketchy as hell, especially compared to the marble banister on the other side of the wall. But Nick had long-since learned that appearances could be deceptive, especially within the Labyrinth. The other staircases were indestructible, so this one probably is too. Although the word stairs is a bit of a stretch in this case. Since there weren¡¯t any beasts living within the secret passage, Nick stopped to read the display mounted beside the bottom of the rope before climbing to the next floor. This staircase leads to another floor of the tower. The rules for the adjoining floor are:
  1. Species-Evaluation Challenge Course.
  2. Escalating Rewards.
Will you choose this staircase as your exit point to the level? The men were about to confirm the prompt when the last two parties began their assault on the stairs, timing their advance to arrive in unison. Since Nick and Devin weren¡¯t in any danger, they turned to watch the fight, cheering the other members of Team Earth on as they fought to complete this level of Darkstone Tower. The moment that they left the last stretch of solid ground, dozens of mud-coated creatures emerged from the swamp, sending hundreds of grasping tendrils reaching for their positions like an army of angry serpents. They brave women and men knew the attack was coming and were able to hold their own. But they were hard-pressed, and Nick was worried that they wouldn¡¯t reach the stairs without suffering casualties. The situation took a dramatic turn for the worse when the boss of the floor made its appearance. Before the party on his left could finish off the lesser wraiths, the patriarch arrived, rising from the muck behind the unlucky team like a grime-coated titan. It attacked in a flash. This time, there weren¡¯t hundreds of vines stretching toward the party, there were thousands. The team turned to run, but the smaller beasts had converged in front of the staircase, blocking their escape. Nick knew deep in his gut that he was about to watch the team get obliterated, as the other party finished their fight and started racing up the stairs. ¡°We have to help them!¡± Nick wracked his brain, pushing past his rising horror to kick his strategic mind into overdrive. ¡°I¡¯m down, but how? We can¡¯t get through the barrier. I wailed on it as hard as I could while you were out. It¡¯s too tough for me to penetrate.¡± As the wraith patriarch caught the terrified party within its net of vines and began gliding toward them, Nick conjured a trio of mana darts and fired them at the partition, centering them on the exact same spot. For just a second, he could sense the weave of force mana weakening, as the pure mana of his darts disrupted the matrix granting the magic a stable form. But then whatever was generating the partitions put out more power, erasing the damage he¡¯d done. By now, the swamp giant had almost arrived before the bound party. A few more seconds and the patriarch was going to kill them all. Acting on instinct, Nick drew his sword and infused it with pure mana from his core, wreathing the blade in silvery flames. He thrust as hard as he could, putting everything that he had into the attack. To his relief, the sword was able to cut through the force field, although it was only a gap the width of his blade. He knew that he would never be able to make a hole big enough to pass through, so he repeated the process two more times, creating a triangular hole the size of his fist. Then he cast Piercing Ray, racing to complete the spell before the barrier restored itself. He had just enough time to cast the spell twice, sending both force drills streaking for the oversized wraith a couple of seconds apart. The first ray caught the towering beast in the back of the head and began drilling into its flesh. Nick guided the second ray toward the vine-like growths, targeting the ones holding the team¡¯s frontline fighters in place. The rapidly-rotating spell began parting the dense tendrils, while the first assailed the patriarch¡¯s skull. Unfortunately, the boss was too tough to kill with a single spell, but Piercing Ray provided one hell of a distraction. The warriors freed themselves from the vines and started cutting the rest of their team loose. The party let out a cheer and charged the patriarch, pouring everything they had into the killing the beast before it recovered from Nick¡¯s attack. His Piercing Rays ran out of juice just as the forcefield resolidified. At which point, the men learned they weren¡¯t safe after all. Because that was when Devin cried out. ¡°Nick, the wraiths followed us through the secret entrance. There are dozens of them headed our way. We need to go, now!¡± They didn¡¯t get to see how the battle with the patriarch ended. All Nick could do was run and hope that his efforts had been enough to turn the tide. They reached the rope ladder and began to climb, bodies dissolving into light just as the wraiths reached their position. Accompanied by a chorus of frustrated wails, Devin and Nick left the third floor of Darkstone Tower behind them, ready to tackle their final challenge before facing the guardian on the roof. Chapter 109: Powering Up When he emerged from the portal, Nick found himself standing in a small stone room with Devin at his side. There were a couple of beds in one corner, along with a table, two chairs, and a watercooler. ¡°Thank god, it¡¯s a safe room.¡± Devin sighed, pulled up a chair, and began wiping the muck off his boots. Nick sat down beside him, then opened his menu to see how long they had until the next ordeal began. After learning that this was just a one-hour rest stop, he moved on to reading the big batch of notifications that was awaiting his perusal. He hadn¡¯t thought to check his updates after waking up on the last floor, since everything had happened so quickly. It meant that he had two floor-completion notices to read, along with some other gains. You have completed the second floor of the Tower of Rizzen. Your party¡¯s performance for this floor has been rated as: strong. Additional experience and essence have been awarded. The total prize pool for Team Earth has increased, and species experience has been awarded. For completing a key stage of the Fate of Earth quest chain, you will receive part of your reward now. The rest will count toward increasing the rarity of the quest reward package that all participants will receive after completing the final stage. The current value of Team Earth¡¯s reward package is: Silver. The maximum value for this quest chain is: Platinum. Bonus objectives completed: Destroy a kraken-class warship. Injure the floor¡¯s boss (Tier 2). A (Gold) chest has been awarded. Nick felt a visceral surge of satisfaction when he learned that the pirates¡¯ warship had been destroyed after all, although it seemed that their leader Alma had survived the fall. He¡¯d been hoping for some word about the rest of his party, but since there wasn¡¯t anything of the sort, he kept on reading. You have completed the third floor of the Tower of Rizzen. Your party¡¯s performance for this floor has been rated as: fair. Additional experience and essence have been awarded. The total prize pool for Team Earth has increased, and species experience has been awarded. For completing a key stage of the Fate of Earth quest chain, you will receive part of your reward now. The rest will count toward increasing the rarity of the quest reward package that all participants will receive after completing the final stage. The current value of Team Earth¡¯s reward package is: Gold. The maximum value for this quest chain is: Platinum. Bonus objectives completed: Left the level through a secret staircase. Injure the floor¡¯s boss (Tier 2). Assist an allied party. A (Silver) chest has been awarded. ¡°Fucking awesome,¡± Devin said, who was in the middle of reading his own updates. ¡°Team Earth managed to take our reward package to gold. Hopefully, we can boost it to platinum on this floor and max out our gains.¡± Nick nodded. ¡°Whatever we get for completing the full Fate of Earth quest chain, it¡¯s certain to be invaluable for our species going forward.¡± His words were accompanied by a rising tide of excitement. There was a silver chest sitting by his left foot and a golden box resting by his right. Before he moved on to opening them, he finished reading the rest of his updates. Congratulations. You have accumulated enough experience to reach level [24]. You have gained one point of Magic from your class. You have one free attribute point awaiting allocation at your discretion. For gaining your 15th level in the class [Kineticist] you have been awarded an additional class ability. On this occasion, the ability will be chosen for you, based on your current build and needs. The ability you have been granted is: Heavy Blow. The reason why it was chosen is: You do not have an ability that uses stamina at this time. Note: Heavy Blow is compatible with a forced-based concept even though it does not use force mana. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. Heavy Blow Type: Combat Art Activation speed: Instant Range: Weapon Heavy blow consumes stamina to imbue a weapon strike with extra inertia, increasing its destructive potential. Maximum uses are determined by the user¡¯s stamina pool and the ability¡¯s parameters scale with the user¡¯s physical attributes. Well look at that. I was able to pick up Heavy Blow after all. Nick had originally been presented with the option to acquire the ability when he¡¯d used his first ability stone back on the Searing Isle, although he had chosen Mana Dart instead. It had been a close decision, and gaining Heavy Blow was perfect for him now. It would let him hit harder and faster with his magical blade, which could cut things that normal weapons couldn¡¯t. Heavy Blow would let him use stamina to fuel his offense, through a mechanism far more efficient than the crude bursts of power he could obtain from burning stamina manually. I don¡¯t seem to be able to use it yet though. No sooner had that thought crossed his mind than he felt the System reach inside him. Whenever Nick had learned a new spell, the System had carved its pathway into his brain¡ªimmensely complex constructions that channeled mana into a specific form. Then it had connected those pathways to the energetic core resting two inches below his heart. Apparently, combat arts worked a bit differently. Since they were powered by stamina instead of mana, they didn¡¯t connect to his energetic core. He had been able to sense his stamina pool for some time now but couldn¡¯t locate the place where it resided. But now that the System was interfacing with his stamina directly, he could tell that it was concentrated in the middle of his abdomen, right alongside his spine. This time around, when the System began carving the channels for the ability, it set them into his muscles and nerves instead of his brain, mostly in his shoulders and arms. When it was done, it connected the newly-forged conduits to the pool stamina residing in his gut. The strange sensations came to a stop several minutes later, and when Nick opened his profile, he saw the combat art listed alongside the rest of his abilities. At that point, he realized that he might have a problem. I¡¯m going to get a new class next level, but I can¡¯t keep class abilities unless they have reached rank 2. But then he remembered something that he¡¯d read a while back. Wait. I can use my free slot to hold onto Heavy Blow until it advances enough that it doesn¡¯t need to be slotted anymore. Glad that his free slot had finally come in handy, although his friends had been using them in various ways for some time now, Nick turned his attention to the pair of chests gleaming by his feet. He started with the golden box that he¡¯d earned from completing the second floor, flipping open the ornate lid as his heart began to race. There was only a scrap of paper inside, but Nick had learned from his training with Rita that it just meant the prize wasn¡¯t a physical object. Congratulations. You have earned a (Gold) quest reward chest. Contents: Item-Crafting Voucher This voucher may be redeemed for a visit to a System-authorized craft world. There, you may sell various resources and items in exchange for custom-crafting jobs (the price of which will be greatly reduced if you provide your own materials). Additionally, the cost for the most expensive item you commission will be covered by this voucher. Note: Since most crafting jobs take several days to complete, your first chance to use this voucher will come after completing the fourth floor of the tower, in lieu of the standard three-day rest period. You may also wait to use the voucher until after your quest is complete. Fantastic. I can finally get the pommel of my sword repaired. And, if I understand this properly, I can exchange some of the objects I¡¯ve found during my adventures to commission new gear or upgrade what I already have. Nick let out an appreciative whistle. This was a fantastic opportunity, especially considering how many potentially valuable items he¡¯d collected by this point but hadn¡¯t found a way to use until now. He was going to redeem the voucher as soon as he completed the next floor. Upgrading his gear was certain to give him an edge during the fight with the tower¡¯s guardian on the roof. With that out of the way, it was time to check out his second chest, which was big enough that he was sure it held a physical object this time. Sure enough, when he cracked open the gleaming silver container, there was something inside with another scrap of paper resting on top What he realized what he was looking at, it dialed up his enthusiasm another notch. The chest contained an item that he¡¯d been wanting for some time, even if it looked a little strange. Before he took it out, Nick picked up the scrap of paper and began to read. Congratulations. You have earned a (Silver) quest reward chest. Contents: Half-length Scabbard (Uncommon) This scabbard is a minor dimensional storage device. It will reduce the length of the sword inside, effectively halving the span of the weapon until it is drawn. Additionally, the force of the draw will be enhanced if the user desires it. Modifications: Durable, Self-Maintenance ¡°Fucking awesome.¡± Nick pulled his sword out of his bag and slid it inside the scabbard with a flourish. Like all System-granted items, it was a perfect fit. To his delight, the curved sword disappeared into the two-foot scabbard, leaving only the hilt sticking out from the top. Nick had never been able to carry his blade on his person, since it was too long to wear on his belt. He had settled for transporting it in his backpack, but the motion to draw it had always been a bit awkward and took a critical second during an ambush. Now, he could keep the blade at his hip and draw it in the blink of an eye. He attached the scabbard to his toolbelt, opposite his new short sword, then gave the enhanced draw a try. To his immense satisfaction, the weapon came out smooth as silk and lightning fast. It took some maneuvering to sheathe it again, but all things considered, the Half-length Scabbard was a fantastic addition to his toolkit that would serve him well in the days ahead. Having his primary weapon so close at hand was a weight off his mind. When he thought to wonder what Devin had been awarded, Nick saw the man open a chest and remove a suit of armor. It was a beautiful piece of work, fashioned from overlapping black scales. When the blond warrior tried it on, he reported that it only weighed a few pounds but was incredibly durable. Additionally, the armor offered substantial protection against several elements, including heat, cold, electricity, and acid. It had a self-maintenance modification, which would keep it clean and repair any damage it received over time. When he finished tightening the straps, Devin struck a dramatic pose. ¡°Ok, I have to admit that you look like a total badass.¡± Since Nick could fit so much into his bag now, he swapped out Devin¡¯s old suit of chain and leather for a couple of big rocks. He didn¡¯t have a use for it now, but someone might want the armor later. When Nick thought to ask Devin what he had earned for completing the second floor, he learned that the man had been given a different type of voucher. Instead of a visit to a craft world, it let him pick out a new piece of gear from a list. He had chosen a pair of vambraces that could boost his Strength for ten minutes once a day, which had come in handy while fighting the wraiths on the last floor. Devin had also figured out what the belt he¡¯d taken from the pirate did, which made his fire-based abilities burn a little hotter. With the rewards out of the way, it was time to try out his brand-new ability. Devin stepped back to give Nick some room. Then Nick unsheathed his sword, gave it a swing, and willed Heavy Blow to activate. He felt stamina surging out from that spot behind his stomach, which he decided to call his stamina-well for reference. Energy went flowing into his arms, along with the other muscles involved in the motion of his attack. The flow of stamina added power to his swing, multiplying the force of the strike in the blink of an eye. In addition to making him hit harder, he realized that the abrupt acceleration could come in handy in other ways, interfering with his opponents¡¯ timing and keeping them off balance. After a few more tries, he could sense that the combat art used stamina far more efficiently than his own crude efforts. With his current stats, Nick could use Heavy Blow quite a few times without significantly impacting his reserves. The ability was already great, and it would only become more useful when he managed to rank it up. By the time that the men were done admiring their gear, discussing Nick¡¯s new ability, and getting caught up on what had happened while he was unconscious, the countdown clock had almost hit zero. They had just enough time to go over a few contingencies before a purple portal appeared on the wall and they stepped through the glowing ring. Chapter 110: Floor Number Four There was a bright flash of light and an abrupt sense of motion, like he was sliding along a vast sheet of ice. When the world congealed and his vision stopped swimming, Nick found himself standing inside a gigantic white room¡ªthe largest enclosure he had ever seen, not counting the second floor of the tower. He was relieved to discover that Devin was standing at his side, and disappointed to learn that Veronica, Shuan, and Sophia were nowhere to be found. He just hoped that everyone was alright, and that the party would be reunited before reaching the roof. Knowing that every second was precious, Nick took out his spyglass and started scanning his surroundings. He wanted to prepare for the challenge ahead, while he had a few minutes to collect his thoughts and confer with his companion. He ran his gaze across the cavernous space, frowning as he turned in a circle and then came to a stop. Unlike every floor they¡¯d explored thus far, there wasn¡¯t anything to process. No terrain to consider or hazards to contemplate. Given the floor¡¯s rule of ¡°evaluation,¡± he had expected to find some manner of obstacle course or arena, or at least the person who would be administering the exam. Instead, it felt like he was touring a gigantic blank canvas, waiting for the artist to start filling in the details. The mile-wide dome had a flat, featureless floor and hexagonal panels lining the walls, all of which were pure white. When he bent down to examine the surface, he decided that it looked kind of like plastic. The material was firm, smooth without being slippery, and had just a hint of give when he placed his weight upon it. It proved impervious to damage, even when he hit it with his sword. The overall effect reminded Nick of a planetarium¡ªlike the one in the museum he used to love when he was a kid. Although somehow, I doubt that we¡¯re here for a show. The description of the floor had mentioned some manner of challenge course, but there was no sign of anything of the sort. There wasn¡¯t any hazardous terrain in sight, or any terrain at all for that matter. No enemies, puzzles, or other lethal threats. The only object of note was the device high above his head. Hanging from the center of the ceiling was a complex bank of machinery the size of a house. It wasn¡¯t moving or emanating magical energy, and it didn¡¯t appear to be threatening when he tried using Size Up. ¡°This whole fucking floor is one big, empty room.¡± Devin turned to look at Nick. ¡°What happened to the evaluation that we¡¯re supposed to undergo? You think we lucked out and this level is broken?¡± He could tell from Devin¡¯s tone that the question was rhetorical. Nick shrugged and sat down to rest. He was certain that whatever was going on, their next ordeal would begin soon. He reached into his bag and pulled out some provisions, then handed Devin his share. They started to eat while they waited to find out what would happen next¡ªglad for another moment of respite, no matter how brief. ¡°Your guess is as good as mine, although something tells me that it won¡¯t be empty for long.¡± Sure enough, five minutes later, a low hum rose to fill the air, emanating from the bank of machinery above his head. Nick got back on his feet and drew his sword, but nothing dangerous appeared just yet. Instead, a display flickered into exitance in front of his face. It featured runes in System writing, although he could tell from the color and formatting that the message wasn¡¯t coming from the System this time. New challenge-course participants have entered the floor. Performing perfunctory scan to identify participant species. ¡°Looks like the show is about to start.¡± Devin sighed, cracked his neck, and then rose to his feet. He decided to leave his weapon in its axe and shield configuration until they knew what they were dealing with. As the last word left his lips, a beam shot out from the machine and swept over them both. It made the men jump but didn¡¯t seem to be any manner of attack. While the device conducted its scan, the humming intensified, accompanied by a whir like a thousand industrial-grade fans going full blast. A few seconds later, everything was over. The beam cut off and the noise diminished to a dull roar. Devin was about to ask Nick a question, but his words were cut off when the message on the display shifted. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Rerouting power from the auxiliary battery and activating evaluation protocols. Time until full activation: 7 minutes. Since the Gift of Tongues trait has been detected, learning the participants¡¯ language has been deemed unnecessary. Skipping steps 13-17 and proceeding with the course introduction. At this point, the magical equivalent of a high-tech hologram wavered into existence a few feet in front of Devin and Nick. The image was a species that he didn¡¯t recognize¡ªbigger than any humanoid life he¡¯d seen yet. Although the term humanoid felt like a stretch on this occasion. The creature in question was kind of like a centaur version of an alpaca, with a muscular torso protruding from the front end and thick fur covering the rest. The human portion looked like a broad-chested man with bright orange eyes and split pupils. Unlike the liaison Nick had spoken to in the Grand Arena of Papilion, when this hologram finished forming, it appeared completely solid. To the extent that it felt like the man was standing beside them. A few seconds later, the alpacataur turned to examine the duo from Earth. Then he nodded and began to speak. ¡°Welcome, esteemed guests, to floor seventeen. Home of the sector-famous species-evaluation challenge course. You are here today because a senior officer in the Tower of Rizzen has awarded a commendation for your exemplary performance. Standing on this double-digit floor is both an acknowledgement of your strength and an opportunity to grow stronger still. ¡°We are here today to find out what you¡¯re truly capable of and have some fun along the way. You will receive a prize in accordance with your ability, including species-experience pills for the top performers. Although they are only given out an average of once per decade, there is always a chance that you will claim them for yourselves, and I can¡¯t think of a better reason to give trial this your all.¡± Nick and Devin shared a look. This was the first time they had heard that species experience could be obtained by any means other than completing species-wide System quests, like the Fate of Earth quest chain. While he didn¡¯t understand the full details of species evolution just yet, it appeared that this floor really was an incredible opportunity. But something didn¡¯t sit right with him. Everything felt far too friendly and cordial, considering the potential reward. The System always paired the best prizes with incredible danger, and Taltos wasn¡¯t the type to do them any favors either. The welcome didn¡¯t square with the specifics of their situation. Still, Nick couldn¡¯t deny that he was growing more excited by the word as he listened to the alien¡¯s explanation. ¡°Once we have completed your orientation, you will participate in a series of challenges. Each will measure a different aspect of your individual ability and the potential of your species as a whole. Each challenge in the same series will be harder than the last, and each completion will increase the prize pool you will receive at the end of your stay. ¡°A failure will end your participation in the associated category, and the trial will conclude when both categories are complete. You will be assigned a ranking at the end of this process¡ªa badge of honor that will open numerous employment opportunities within the tower of Rizzen.¡± At this point, the alpacataur let out a booming laugh that made Nick take a reflexive step back before he realized that he wasn¡¯t under attack. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯re not here to kill you. While it is true that these challenges have a modest fatality rate, the program will terminate if it detects your vitals fading. But don¡¯t let that safeguard make you complacent. It¡¯s still dangerous, and as everyone living in the tower knows, there are many fates far worse than death, most of which begin with failure.¡± At this point, the man turned and gestured toward the enclosure, which had begun to shine as mana congealed along its interior. ¡°The first challenge will begin in just a few moments. Each trial will be broken down into twenty stages belonging to one of two categories, environmental or combat. At the end of each stage, a rest period will be provided. You may decide if you want to continue in the same category or switch to the other at that point. Good luck. May your species prosper and serve the glory of Rizzen.¡± With that, the alpacataur wavered out of existence, leaving the men alone in the spacious enclosure once more. ¡°That was a solid setup this time.¡± Devin took a warmup swing with his axe. ¡°But wait for it.¡± ¡°Wait for what?¡± Nick sighed. ¡°The twist.¡± Devin raised his shield and assumed a combat stance. Nick wished that Devin had kept his mouth shut, although he honestly felt the exact same way. One thing that he had learned by now was that if something was part of a System¡¯s quest, it wasn¡¯t going to be easy. Sure enough, a few seconds later, an alarm sounded from the machine overhead and another message materialized in front of their eyes. Warning: After querying the database, it has been determined that the trial participants are not registered employees of the Tower of Rizzen. As such, their participation in the species¡¯ challenge course does not constitute an authorized attempt. Their status has been adjusted from [Esteemed Guest] to [Intruder]. In accordance with my prime directive, the trial will proceed despite this unexpected occurrence. Trial parameters have been changed from [Measured Evaluation] to [Survival Challenge]. Terminating cordial greeting program and deactivating standard programming. I am assuming personal control over this test.