《Seeds of Divinity》 Chapter 1 - The Count of Eulstan Edith opened her eyes slowly. The warmth of the sun brushed her face, and she watched as a single cloud drifted lazily across the sky. She felt groggy, her mind hazy. She tried to take a deep breath when¡ªsuddenly¡ªa sharp pain tore through her chest and¡ª CLANG! The deafening noise snapped everything into focus. She was panting, her body aching and heavy. The sky above blurred as she winced, the pain in her chest flaring with every shallow breath. The thunderous clang, followed by the screams of soldiers, pulled her attention to the chaos around her. Edith turned her head toward the commotion, but what she saw were bodies strewn across the battlefield. Some still twitched faintly, while most were nothing more than bloodied masses of flesh. Those who could still move scrambled in panic, fleeing in every direction. Thump! Suddenly, everything went black. Edith blinked a couple of times. Her face stung, numb from the impact. The realization came slowly¡ªsomeone had just rushed by and stepped on her head. She winced, attempting to prop herself up, but her body gave out beneath her, slumping helplessly back onto the blood-soaked ground. Disoriented, her gaze drifted downward, and her heart sank. Most of her left arm was missing, jagged bone and torn muscle exposed to the open air. Both legs were twisted at unnatural angles, shattered. A fresh wave of pain surged through her. She tried again, this time dragging herself painfully toward a nearby dead horse. Each movement sent waves of agony through her battered body, but she pressed on. After what felt like an eternity of struggle, she finally managed to drag herself close enough to lean against the horse¡¯s lifeless body, its flesh still disturbingly warm beneath her. Her eyes drifted across the battlefield. The stench of blood and burning flesh choked the air, and the landscape before her was a twisted nightmare of mangled bodies and shattered armor. No, this wasn¡¯t a dream¡ªit was a hellscape made real. A booming sound echoed in her ears again, this time from much farther away. She strained to locate the source, but through the thick haze of smoke and ash, all she could see were bodies being flung through the air like ragdolls. Giving up on finding the Count in the chaos, she shifted her focus back to her own body, her breath ragged as she took stock of her injuries. "Thrust... he said Thrust, right?" Her voice was weak and trembling. She still couldn¡¯t believe it¡ªa simple thrust skill. That was a skill any spearman could learn at level 1. She placed her trembling right hand on her chest, wincing as she noticed that most of her fingers were broken too. Desperately, she tried to move her mana. Nothing. Not even a flicker. In fact, she couldn¡¯t feel any mana within her body at all. The cold realization hit her: she was dying. Her thoughts drifted to the cowardly ranger who had always followed her. ¡°Fuck it, Guth¡­ you could¡¯ve warned me¡ª¡± Her voice faltered as her strength ebbed. Slowly, her consciousness began to slip away, and her body slumped against the horse¡¯s lifeless form before sliding down to the blood-soaked ground. ____________________________________ 12 Hours Earlier In the kingdom of Aenduil, nestled within the Brahdeun March, lay Cortinbury, one of the largest cities in the kingdom. With a rich history as one of the kingdom''s oldest urban centers, Cortinbury had always been a bustling trade hub for neighboring realms. Merchants from near and far flocked to its markets, and countless dreamers sought to strike it rich in this lively border town. Yet, on this fateful day, a heavy veil of apprehension descended upon the city. The inhabitants of the surrounding areas had been swiftly evacuated and brought within the city''s protective walls. By noon, the imposing city gates were sealed shut, forbidding both entry and exit, while vigilant guards stationed atop the battlements kept watchful eyes on the horizon. A profound sense of unease gripped the city as the threat of an invading force loomed a league away, encamped on the vast plain. This mysterious enemy had seemingly appeared from nowhere, swiftly swallowing the border fort with their overwhelming numbers. Fear coursed through the hearts of the city''s residents as they dreaded the prospect of their home becoming the next target, subjected to the devastating horrors of pillage, sacking, violence, and enslavement if the enemy proved victorious. Only one thing stood between Cortinbury and utter destruction. ____________________________________ The sun had just set, casting a warm orange glow across the great plain where an army camp had been established. Two soldiers sat by a crackling campfire. Although they fought for the same army, they hailed from different kingdoms. The older soldier studied his new companion, whom he had just met. Despite the circumstances, the younger man appeared calm and collected. Out of nowhere, the older man spoke up. ¡°So, you¡¯re a noble, aren¡¯t you?¡± he asked the younger soldier. The young man seemed taken aback as he glanced at the seasoned veteran beside him. ¡°I... what makes you think so?¡± The older soldier chuckled. ¡°Oh, come on now. A dapper young man like you, donning such fine armor. I saw you practicing with your men. You certainly know how to handle yourself, and that expensive-looking bastard sword of yours isn¡¯t just for show.¡± He gestured toward the sheathed sword lying beside the younger soldier. With a wide smile, the older man introduced himself, extending a hand for a handshake. ¡°I¡¯m Wade, Ranger, hailing from the Ortsgard Kingdom,¡± he said. The young soldier sighed, giving in to the older man¡¯s charm, and shook his hand. ¡°My name is Olli, Knight, from the Kingdom of Crilia,¡± he replied. ¡°I¡¯m not exactly what you think. My father is a minor baron, and I¡¯m the fifth son,¡± Olli said, indicating that he was used to such misunderstandings. Wade raised an eyebrow in surprise. ¡°I see. So instead of tying your fate to your oldest brother, you¡¯ve decided to forge your own future,¡± he remarked understandingly. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m grateful for my family. After I told them about my plan, they gave me more than enough support,¡± Olli replied with a smile. ¡°The military training I received growing up is helping me climb the ranks.¡± ¡°I see. And you¡¯re also in luck, heading into this war for your first time,¡± Wade commented, poking at the fire with a stick. ¡°How do you mean?¡± Olli asked, tilting his head in curiosity. Wade glanced at Olli, satisfied to see curiosity on the young man¡¯s face. ¡°I don¡¯t know how they pulled it off, but this alliance army was mobilized practically overnight. They managed to keep it a secret until the very last moment,¡± Wade said, shaking his head in amazement. ¡°I was garrisoned in western Ortsgard when they moved us out. We were told we were going for combat drills. The next thing I knew, I found myself outside Aenduil¡¯s northern border, alongside soldiers from five kingdoms. It¡¯s the same for you, right?¡± Wade asked, turning his gaze back to Olli. ¡°Yeah, I had just been made a squad leader at that time. My first assignment was supposed to be the subjugation of a bandit group, but at the last minute, we were moved here. We were told we were going to war, and the next day was our first battle. It all happened so fast,¡± Olli recounted with a sigh. ¡°My men and the rest of the soldiers were perplexed. Fortunately, the ensuing battle wasn¡¯t too difficult,¡± Olli added, staring into the fire as if lost in thought. ¡°Exactly! That¡¯s what I meant. This blitz strategy has proven to be very efficient. The war should end soon, and we can all go home richer, with another achievement added to our military record! Isn¡¯t that nice?¡± Wade said excitedly, leaning closer to Olli. Olli instinctively kept his distance from the older soldier, his mind swirling with more questions. ¡°What do you mean? We only just won a single battle, right? We barely entered the kingdom. How can the war be close to ending?¡± Olli asked, his brows furrowing in confusion. ¡°I can see why you would think that,¡± Wade replied. ¡°But in reality, wars are often won not by killing every last soldier of the enemy, but by breaking their will to fight.¡± He paused for a moment, glancing at Olli to ensure he was following along. ¡°You see... when a kingdom is faced with a powerful enemy, they have to weigh the costs of continuing to fight against the benefits of making peace. Agreeing to a peace accord might mean losing territories, but a war that drags on for years could spell the end of the entire kingdom. If the cost of war becomes too high, they will eventually agree to peace, even if it means ceding some territory or making other concessions.¡± Wade leaned forward, his eyes sparkling with excitement. ¡°And that¡¯s why this blitz attack is so brilliant! By moving quickly and catching Aenduil off guard, we¡¯ve put them in a position where they have to make that consideration sooner rather than later. We¡¯ve already won one major battle, and if we can take out the next army, we¡¯ll reach the point where they¡¯ll have no choice but to sue for peace. ¡°Let¡¯s not forget, the Aenduil Kingdom we¡¯re invading is the largest in the west. Normally, even a coalition of five kingdoms wouldn¡¯t be able to pose a serious threat to them. It¡¯s only through this blitz strategy that we¡¯ve been able to penetrate this deep into their territory. Without it, it would have been nearly impossible¡ªor at the very least, extremely costly. ¡°The enemy we defeated two days ago was Marquess Hammond¡¯s army, which made up the majority of their defenses in this region. Although it¡¯s a shame we couldn¡¯t take them down in a single day, we still secured victory in a relatively short amount of time. Our army is now just a few kilometers away from one of their largest cities, with only the hastily mobilized forces of the neighboring county standing in our way. ¡°They won¡¯t surrender immediately, but once we defeat that army tomorrow, our troops will be able to enter and ransack the city. After that, we¡¯ll be in a position to threaten at least half a dozen of their cities. Their main army is still at least a week away from mobilizing, so they¡¯ll have no choice but to offer a peace treaty,¡± Wade said, gazing up at the night sky. ¡°Would it really be that easy?¡± Olli asked, sounding uncertain. ¡°Even though we had 50,000 soldiers and the enemy only had 2,000, it still took us two days to defeat them completely. ¡°There¡¯s a reason this kingdom is called the strongest in the West, and I don¡¯t intend to underestimate them.¡± Wade, still lying on his back, shifted his gaze from the night sky toward the enthusiastic young soldier. ¡°You¡¯re right. Despite our overwhelming numbers, last week¡¯s battle should have been easier. But it was a defensive fight for them, which gave them the advantage. They held a strategic position in a narrow field between a forest and a hill, making it hard for our army to make use of its size. ¡°But I suppose their leader is another big reason they held out so long. Marquess Hammond is one of Aenduil¡¯s greatest generals. The guy was a legend... well, I guess he is now,¡± Wade chuckled at his own joke. Olli appeared lost in thought as he added more wood to the fire. ¡°I heard Hammond is supposed to be in his 80s or something, but he¡¯s still active on the battlefield,¡± Olli remarked. ¡°Apparently, he peaked over 20 years ago, but rumor has it he¡¯s still around level 60 or so.¡± ¡°Hmm? Where did you hear that?¡± Wade asked, sitting up with apparent curiosity about the famous general. ¡°Well, I have a friend who was at the front lines when they finally managed to kill him. He said it took two squads of elite soldiers to bring him down, and even then, more than half of them died,¡± Olli said, clenching his hands. ¡°Huh, I guess he was a great general. I wish I had been there when they chopped off his head,¡± Wade said, gesturing to his own neck. ¡°See, that¡¯s what worries me. You said the enemy we¡¯re facing tomorrow is probably from the neighboring county, and the only county that borders this march is Eulstan. You know what that implies, right?¡± ¡°I certainly do. It means we¡¯ll be up against another great general of Aenduil¡ªthe Count of Eulstan himself¡ªwho is considered to be the strongest on the continent. Hahaha!¡± Wade''s sudden outburst of laughter caught the young man off guard, and Olli looked at him with confusion. However, Wade quickly regained his composure, responding with a broad smile in a relaxed manner. ¡°You don¡¯t understand; this is a golden opportunity for us. This is the achievement I was talking about earlier¡ªbeing part of the battle that takes down the greatest general. ¡°Sure, the enemy is larger now, around 12,000, according to the intel. But they still don¡¯t come close to matching our strength, and this time we¡¯ll fight on an open field. I don¡¯t give a shit how strong that guy is; I would love to see how he survives tomorrow¡¯s battle. ¡°Well, IF we battle at all, that is,¡± Wade added, lying back down. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Olli asked. ¡°We¡¯re sending an envoy¡ªa prince from my kingdom. He¡¯s going to demand complete surrender. He¡¯s probably there right now, at their camp, speaking to the man himself: the Count of Eulstan.¡± Olli murmured, ¡°Alistair Roettger...¡± as he gazed across the vast plain toward the distant lights of the enemy camp. ____________________________________ Across the plain lay another army camp, but this one was smaller. The atmosphere in this camp was calm, a stark contrast to the boisterous energy of the other. The troops here seemed more composed and focused, diligently preparing for the upcoming battle. Many were resting and tending to themselves to ensure they were in top condition for the fight ahead. Meanwhile, the squad leaders and commanders were occupied with examining various battle strategies and formations, making sure their troops were well-prepared for any plan their general might have. Despite being outnumbered four to one, the soldiers appeared unconcerned, their confidence remaining unshaken. Stolen novel; please report. In the center of the encampment stood the general''s tent, a large ash-grey structure that blended in with the surrounding tents except for its size. Inside, little distinguished it from a common soldier''s tent, lacking the lavish furnishings one might expect in the quarters of a high-ranking general. The tent was divided into two parts by a thick black curtain: one section for the general''s private living quarters and the other for work. Today, the working area was being used as a reception area for guests. A large wooden table sat at the center of the room, exuding simplicity and elegance despite its unadorned appearance. However, its apparent modesty belied the fact that it was crafted from rare and expensive Black Brum wood, known for its remarkable sturdiness and durability. Choosing such a costly material for a seemingly humble piece of furniture spoke volumes about the owner''s values and taste. At the table sat two individuals, each representing their respective armies. A young man in golden armor occupied one side of the table, his helmet resting beside his sword on the table. He was a striking figure with full blonde hair, piercing blue eyes, and a long nose that gave him an air of regality. His armor was polished to a gleaming shine, and the golden hue of the metal caught the light, reflecting it across the room with every movement. The man¡¯s smug smile only enhanced his confidence, as if he knew victory was already assured. He exuded a type of confidence that refused to yield to enemies, always moving forward to face challenges. Or the kind of confidence one would get by being escorted by five big burly men in black armor. In this case, it was the latter. Prince Henry was the youngest of the five sons of King Frederick Bellecote, the reigning monarch of the Ortsgard Kingdom. He was no older than 20. Despite his youthful exuberance, there was a sense of seriousness about the prince. He knew this was his first war, and he was determined to make his mark. This negotiation with the enemy was a golden opportunity for him to prove himself to his family and his kingdom. He had 50,000 soldiers supporting him, more than quadrupling the number of the defending army. If they decided to fight, it would not be a battle; it would be a massacre. He had enough leverage to demand anything from the enemy commander. The procession would take place at the center of the battlefield, with both armies looking on. The enemy commander would kneel and offer his sword to Prince Henry, signifying the transfer of power from the defeated army to the victorious one. Henry relished the thought of the grand procession and the formalities that would take place. Although none of it was necessary¡ª it wasn''t even a custom¡ªhe was determined to include them in the negotiations. He wanted to assert his dominance and show off the might of his army. He knew such a display would bring him great honor, especially considering who the enemy commander was. As he pictured each step of the process, a small smirk formed on his lips, relishing the inevitable glory that would come his way. Prince Henry''s personal guards stood behind him¡ªfive knights in total, all clad in black armor. Among these knights was Perry Covil, who stood out as the strongest and most senior of them. Perry Covil, one of Prince Henry''s personal guards, was a level 41 Shield Knight. He had previously served as the captain of the Royal Guards and had amassed a wealth of battle experience. After peaking at the age of 61, he was reassigned to serve as Prince Henry''s personal guard. With his strong will and unwavering loyalty, he was the perfect man to lead the prince''s security detail. At that precise moment, though, this battle-hardened soldier was soaking his back with sweat. He knew that the Prince was spoiled and inexperienced, but he didn''t realize he was this foolish. Without a doubt, Prince Henry received a royal education that included lessons on proper etiquette, especially in delicate situations such as negotiating in times of war. However, his behavior since the start of the negotiations had been disrespectful, to say the least. As the guest, it was the Prince who was supposed to initiate the greeting, yet he sat down without uttering a word. While removing his helmet and placing it on the table was appropriate, leaving his sword there was a breach of protocol. It should have been placed by his side or handed over to one of his guards. It appeared that the Prince was attempting to project an image of intimidation and indifference toward the host while also trying to show off the sword. Perry, who had been present when Prince Dorian gave the sword to Henry, could sense the Prince''s pride in possessing it. The sword was supposed to be a reward for the Prince''s achievement in the previous battle against Marquess Hammond. Not that the Prince had achieved anything from the back of the army, but that''s the perk of being a prince: you get a participation trophy. Perry recognized the sword''s exceptional quality, realizing that it was not just a decorative piece. The blacksmith who crafted it was unknown to him, but he could tell it was made from Red Kuri steel, giving it impressive heft and mana capacity. What intrigued him even more was that the sword''s magical inscription was concealed beneath its outer layer, making it all the more mysterious and powerful. The presence of a magic inscription beneath the blade''s outer layer indicated that the sword was inscribed during the forging process, a skill possessed only by rune blacksmiths. Given that it was made from Red Kuri steel, Perry estimated that no more than five people on the continent could have crafted such a weapon. In the hands of a novice swordsman, it was a powerful weapon wasted¡ªyet another perk of being a prince. Perry once again glanced across the table, his concern growing. If it were any other situation, he wouldn''t have cared about the Prince''s attitude. But this time, the circumstances were different, and the three people opposite him were not ones he wanted to mess with. If he were to meet these three people on the street, he wouldn''t spare a glance at them because he couldn''t sense any mana from them. He would think they were just some unclassed plebs. But these people were actually wearing Aenduil officers'' uniforms. They couldn''t be unclassed. The fact that he couldn''t feel anything from these three could only mean one thing: they out-leveled him... by a lot. Perry was sure that only when he was at his peak, a level 55 Shield Knight, would he have any chance against any of them. Perry was a nervous wreck. He feared these people, especially the one sitting¡ªthe Count of Eulstan. ____________________________________ Across the oblivious prince were three individuals from the Aenduil Army. One of them sat at the table while the other two flanked him. In contrast to their guest, who seemed dressed for battle, these three individuals were donning the dress uniform of the Aenduil Army. The uniform included a dark blue jacket and trousers with an orange belt and black boots. At the left waist, an orange scabbard was housing a saber. The man standing on the right had a solemn expression on his face, and he looked to be in his sixties. His full black hair and warm smile made him appear younger. Although his mouth was turned up in a smile, his eyes didn¡¯t seem to share the same sentiment. His strong square jaw and towering height of 210 cm (6''11¡±) only added to his intimidating presence. The woman standing to the left did not bother concealing her intentions. Despite being the youngest of the three at 47 years old, she had a strong, imposing presence. Her blonde curly hair was tied back behind her head, and her blue eyes were accentuated by her little snub nose. Although her short stature contrasted with the man standing to the right, her cold expression and sharp eyes were just as intimidating as his. Since the guests arrived, the woman¡¯s gaze remained fixated on the sword placed on the table. As time passed, her expression grew increasingly grim and intense. The man sitting down was different. Unlike his serious and imposing companions, he appeared relaxed, leaning back in his chair with a faint smile on his lips. He was a large man¡ªthough not as massive as the giant to his right¡ªstanding at 195 cm (6''5"), comfortably filling the chair. His uniform was the same as the others, but his featured intricate purple embroidery along the shoulders. The purple embroidery on the man''s uniform was a clear indication of his high rank and authority. It was a royal color; outside the royal family, it was reserved only for those who had earned the trust and recognition of the monarch. The embroidery indicated that this man was the head of the Roettger family. The leader of the House Roettger should be in his nineties already. But the man who sat there, even with his white hair and the wrinkles on his face, somehow looked much younger. Alistair sat, his right hand propping up his head, while his saber leaned against his chair on the left. He had been observing the people across from him. The little prick seated across from him was the enemy''s envoy. He had expected a certain level of arrogance from the envoy, but the boy''s behavior exceeded his expectations. Alistair briefly entertained the thought of killing him on the spot, but he knew that would only play into the enemy''s hands. There were six of them: Prince Scoundrel and his five guard dogs. He had been covertly probing them with his mana, but so far, none had reacted. He employed this method regularly to gauge his opponents'' strength. By probing them with his mana and slowly increasing it, he could estimate their power based on the minimum amount of mana required to catch their attention. He stopped probing when Albert, who stood to his right, finally reacted. The fact that it wasn''t the probing target who realized it first meant that these people were nobodies. He thought that maybe at least the old man behind the foolish prince would be worth something, but he, too, was a disappointment. Alistair grew bored, having expected more from the enemy''s envoy, hoping for someone from whom he could gather information. Instead, they had sent someone who seemed useless. Glancing at the sword on the table, he suspected the enemy was attempting some sort of foolish ploy. Prince Henry noticed the Count glancing at his sword, which made him smile. ¡°I see you don''t have your spear,¡± Prince Henry spoke, finally breaking the silence. ¡°I was hoping to see Aenduil''s Hero with his mighty spear, but it seems that won''t be the case. Nevertheless, I understand your decision,¡± the Prince commented, glancing at the sword next to the Count. ¡°In a cramped place like this, a long weapon like a spear doesn''t work as well as compact weapons like swords. So that''s probably why you decided to bring a sword, right?¡± The prince said smugly while leaning back in his chair. The old man standing behind the boy lowered his head in shame upon hearing the prince''s statement. He couldn''t help but wonder if the boy had ever received any proper combat training. ¡°Ah...¡± Alistair could only chuckle when he heard the boy. He knew the boy was useless, but the prince managed to keep lowering his expectations with everything he did. ¡°That''s a nice sword you have there,¡± Alistair said while gesturing to the sword on the table, ignoring the previous question. ¡°I assume it''s something you procured recently?¡± The question seemed to excite the prince. He picked up the sword from the table and began to run his fingers along the scabbard. ¡°You have nice eyes, old man. I guess that''s what experience affords you, at least,¡± the prince said, dropping the pretense altogether and speaking however he liked. ¡°This sword is a treasure that my brother bestowed upon me for my achievements in combat,¡± the prince said while proudly displaying his new weapon. ¡°Would you like to take a look at it?¡± ¡°Certainly, if I may,¡± Alistair replied, seemingly unfazed by the change in the boy''s behavior. The old man behind the Prince began to make his way to the Prince''s side to pass the sword to the count, but before he could reach him, the Prince abruptly threw the sword across the table. The sudden act caught the old man off guard, causing him to flinch and his face to pale with shock. Alistair caught the sword smoothly, but the two people beside him changed their expressions. The man lost his smile while the woman''s face flushed red with anger. Without appearing to be bothered by the Prince''s slight, Alistair unsheathed the sword and began inspecting the blade closely. After a moment, he held the sword vertically in front of him, and the blade began to emit a low, humming sound. The sight surprised both the Prince and the old guard. The Prince had attempted to activate the sword¡¯s array, to no avail, and had begun to wonder if it had one at all. Yet, the man in front of him seemed to activate it with ease. ¡°How did you do that?¡± the Prince blurted out before realizing it. Alistair observed the Prince¡¯s surprised expression for a moment before cutting off the mana flow to the sword, causing the humming to stop. He then smoothly sheathed it back into its scabbard. ¡°Judging by the size and shape of the blade, you¡¯ve probably been trying to activate Quickening, Lightening, or an elemental effect,¡± Alistair said, handing the sword to the woman on his left. The woman took the sword and stared at it briefly before walking around the table to hand it to the old man. ¡°There¡¯s only one large array in the sword, and it¡¯s Condense, designed to increase the sword¡¯s weight and strength,¡± Alistair explained further. After receiving the sword from the old man, the Prince unsheathed it. He pushed his mana into the blade, attempting to activate the Condense effect. However, despite his efforts, nothing happened. ¡°Hey, it doesn¡¯t work!¡± the Prince exclaimed, staring at Alistair. Alistair propped his head on his right hand again. ¡°I already told you¡ªit¡¯s a large array. At your current level, you don¡¯t have enough mana to activate it.¡± The Prince froze, his face reddening at the mention of his level. He quickly sheathed the sword and glared daggers at Alistair. ¡°How did you even know about the sword? Did you plant spies in my camp? I suppose I¡¯ll have to do some cleaning when I get back.¡± Alistair raised an eyebrow at the accusation. ¡°Ha ha, wow, you¡¯re even more foolish than I imagined,¡± he said with a chuckle. Before the Prince could react, he added, ¡°Even if I knew the sword existed, how would I know about the array within it?¡± The change in Alistair''s tone startled the Prince. ¡°Then how the hell did you¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s because I¡¯m the one who commissioned the sword.¡± Alistair interrupted the Prince calmly. ¡°What? The sword was yours?¡± The Prince couldn¡¯t believe what he had just heard. He tilted his head, scrutinizing Alistair, trying to discern any hidden meanings in his words. Alistair found the Prince¡¯s expression amusing as he struggled to process the information. He lifted his head off his hand and crossed his arms, leaning back in his chair. ¡°No, I ordered the sword as a gift for Marquess Hammond. It belonged to her father,¡± Alistair said, gesturing with his thumb toward the woman on his left. The revelation left the Alliance group in shock. Perry, the old guard, was the first to grasp the implications. He turned pale and looked toward the woman on Alistair¡¯s left. She met his gaze with a cold, intent stare. Unable to contain himself, Perry blurted out his realization. ¡°No way... Prince Dorian... He¡ª¡± ¡°Oh? You¡¯re quick on the uptake,¡± Alistair replied, smiling at the old man. ¡°Yes. Dorian, Frederick¡¯s second son. He¡¯s the commander of the Alliance Army, right? Not as competent or strong as the first Prince, but he likes to think of himself as smart,¡± Alistair said. ¡°The sword was taken from Marquess Hammond¡¯s body after the battle, I assume. Your brother gave it to you knowing you would show it off when we met,¡± Alistair said, looking at the foolish Prince, whose mouth was agape. ¡°The idea was that if we were to harm you or your group during a diplomatic mission, it would give the Alliance the moral high ground and rally their soldiers. Not a bad idea, really. Not that it has any chance of success, but there¡¯s nothing to lose,¡± Alistair explained calmly to the stunned Prince and his companions. The Prince¡¯s five personal guards quickly moved forward as soon as they sensed the potential danger. Perry swiftly pulled the Prince from his chair and positioned him behind the formation, shielding him from any potential attacks. Seeing the Alliance group''s aggressive response, the three members from Aenduil remained still. They didn¡¯t budge as the Count started chuckling again. ¡°You were asking about my spear, weren¡¯t you?¡± Alistair said, addressing the cowering Prince in the back. He picked up the saber leaning against his chair and waved it toward the Prince. ¡°This is not a weapon; it¡¯s just an ornament, part of the uniform. I¡¯m sure my men prepared me with a sturdy and sharp sword, but I¡¯ve never actually unsheathed this one.¡± He placed the sword back down at his side. ¡°Every member of the Roettger clan undergoes training in spear combat, regardless of their class or whether they have one at all. Before they can serve in the army, they must master the spear to use it effectively within a minimal range of one meter from their body. ¡°This tent might seem cramped to you, but any squire in my army can easily maneuver their spear in this space. What I¡¯m trying to say is that I didn¡¯t bring my spear not because I can¡¯t use it here, but because you lot are just not a threat.¡± Alistair smirked as he paused, observing the gamut of expressions on his guests'' faces. ¡°Ten seconds. That¡¯s how long it would take for my great-nephew, Albert,¡± Alistair said, gesturing to the man on his right, ¡°to kill all of you here, empty-handed.¡± He looked slowly at each of the men across from him before continuing, ¡°That includes the time he would have to spend chasing you.¡± Although the statement may have sounded ridiculous, the members of the Alliance group didn¡¯t perceive it as a bluff. They stared at the tall man standing across from them, and he smiled in return, causing their backs to grow slick with sweat. ¡°I guess this is the end of this meeting. You can leave now,¡± Alistair said as he got up from his chair, dismissing them with a wave of his hand. ¡°That¡¯s it? You¡¯re just going to let us leave? What about the sword?¡± Perry inquired, looking at the Count. ¡°The sword is yours now. It¡¯s part of the loot you obtained from the last battle. We¡¯re not robbers; you can keep the sword, at least for now,¡± Alistair replied, smiling at the group. ¡°Tomorrow, we¡¯ll claim the sword back.¡± Alistair turned to the woman on his left. She looked back at him before nodding slowly. ¡°So, just keep the sword safe until then,¡± the Count addressed the cowering group. ¡°Huh! You¡¯re the stupid one!¡± The prince''s voice trembled as he shouted from the back. ¡°I came here to offer you peace! To spare your life! And now you can forget it! Tomorrow, our army will obliterate you! We will¡ª¡± The prince stopped abruptly. His throat tightened, and his body trembled. A heavy pressure gripped the group, making them feel as though death was just a breath away. The Count stared at them with cold eyes, his aura unleashed. He wasn¡¯t smiling anymore; he looked at them like a predator eyeing its prey, contemplating whether he was hungry enough. The aura emanating from the Count suffocated the group. Perry cursed himself for being conceited. If he were at his peak, could he have stood a chance? What a joke. Even in his prime, he would have been powerless to draw a breath. He couldn¡¯t believe it. The Count was an ascended. Of course, Perry knew that Alistair was one of the strongest men in the kingdom, but that was decades ago. He should have peaked long ago. Yet he was still this strong? ¡°You¡¯ve bored me enough, boy. I advise you to leave this place promptly before I decide to humor your brother¡¯s foolish plan.¡± After a moment, the Count restricted his aura. The six people across from him dropped to their knees. With a pale face, Perry stood up, shaking, and dragged the prince out of the tent, followed by the rest of the group. As they left, one of the guards wearing a bandana made sure to grab the prince¡¯s helmet. ¡°Safe travels!¡± Alistair called after them, his voice dripping with sarcasm. Chapter 2 Staring at the tent''s flap for a few moments, Alistair finally turned his attention to his two companions. ¡°Are you two alright?¡± he asked. The two were sweating heavily, their faces pale. ¡°Jeez, you need to warn us before doing something like that, Gramps,¡± Albert replied, taking deep breaths. Alistair smiled at him before looking at the woman. ¡°How are you holding up, Brita?¡± he asked with concern, placing a hand on her shoulder. His demeanor had changed; no longer was he the domineering clan head who had just terrified the enemy envoy. ¡°I''ll be fine soon, my lord,¡± Bridget said after a moment. ¡°Your aura caught me off guard; I should have prepared myself better.¡± She lowered her head as she spoke. ¡°We were both caught by surprise. Don''t blame yourself; it''s definitely this old man''s fault,¡± Albert said, gesturing with his thumb at Alistair. Rolling his eyes, Alistair chose to ignore Albert and walked toward the back of the tent, rummaging through one of the bags. ¡°We''re all friends here, Brita. You should drop the formality when it¡¯s just us.¡± ¡°My lord, I... surely I shouldn¡¯t...¡± Taken aback by the sudden consideration, Bridget found herself at a loss for words. ¡°You can call me Al. Your father and I were close friends. Soon, you will be the new marchioness of Brahdeun. You need not hesitate.¡± After a moment, Alistair finally found what he was looking for. He stood up, holding a small crystal ball in his hand. ¡°Or were you hoping for me to address you as ''my liege''?¡± Alistair teased, a smirk on his face. ¡°No! No, of course not, my lo... Al. I wouldn''t dream of it,¡± Bridget replied, her sincerity shining through with a smile. ¡°Good! Now here.¡± Alistair presented the crystal ball to Bridget. A white glow appeared briefly on its surface before fading away. ¡°A tracking ball? What is this for?¡± Bridget asked, receiving the crystal ball with both hands and tilting her head in curiosity. ¡°This tracking ball is tuned to my mana. You can use it to track my mana within a 10-kilometer range.¡± ¡°Why would I need to...?¡± Bridget responded, confusion evident in her voice. ¡°The sword,¡± Alistair explained. ¡°When I held it earlier, I planted a wisp of my mana in it. It should last for at least a week before dissipating.¡± With her eyes wide open, Bridget finally understood the count''s intention. ¡°At tomorrow''s battle, I give you permission to lead as many of your cavalry units as necessary to reclaim the sword. Knowing that little prick, he''ll probably run away the moment the battle shifts in our favor. So you need to move quickly.¡± ¡°At your command, sir!¡± Bridget replied energetically, standing straight with her left fist over her right chest, performing a formal salute in the Aenduil Army. She had always respected the old man standing in front of her, but this meeting had revealed much more about him. First, she learned just how strong he was. The aura he released was the most potent she had ever felt, even surpassing her father''s at his peak. The way he unleashed it so effortlessly suggested that he was still holding back. Bridget knew that Alistair was likely the strongest man in the kingdom; she just never imagined the gap would be this vast. He was in his nineties already¡ªhow powerful had he been before he peaked? And that sword. Leaving mana inside an object not designed for it¡ªhow had he managed that? Any attempt at imbuing mana into a non-runic item should have been fleeting. She had never heard of anything like that being done before. But after witnessing his power firsthand, she wouldn¡¯t be surprised to discover that the man was this capable. The second, and more important, revelation was that the man held her¡ªand her family¡ªin high regard. Her father had always told her that the close relationship between the Hammonds and the Roettgers was a key reason both families could thrive. But she hadn¡¯t realized just how close that bond was. The tracking ball was typically used on criminals of the highest charges. If they managed to escape, it allowed for a swift recapture. It was also employed for nobles, ensuring rapid rescue efforts in case of abduction. She even had one attuned to her own mana. However, in the latter case, the ball was usually kept at home, guarded like treasure. If it fell into the wrong hands, it could be used against them. The fact that the Count had so easily given her the ball meant he trusted her and wanted to foster a strong relationship. While she was expected to return the tracking ball after the battle, the gesture still held weight. By entrusting her with the tracking ball and allowing her to seek vengeance for her father, the Count demonstrated his belief in her strength. For that trust, she would not let him down. ____________________________________ After dismissing Bridget, only two people remained in the tent. Albert took the scabbard from his waist and placed it down on the table. He unbuttoned his jacket, then poured drinks into two glasses. He took both glasses and handed one to Alistair while taking a sip. ¡°That was quite a consideration you showed her. Do you have something in mind?¡± ¡°It''s not that strange, is it? She''ll soon be the head of House Hammond.¡± Alistair took the glass and sipped, gently stroking his face. ¡°It looks fine,¡± Albert remarked, noticing the Count. Alistair nodded and took another sip. ¡°Hooo, but I know you. If it were just to foster a future relationship, there would be no need to act so friendly. ''Call me Al''; yeah, right.¡± Albert scrutinized his companion''s expression, squinting his eyes. ¡°Were you courting her? I know it''s been a while, but the family would be glad if you took a wife,¡± Albert teased, winking at the Count with a smirk on his face. Rolling his eyes, Alistair took another sip of his drink. ¡°You remember when I probed that little prick''s group earlier?¡± Alistair asked after a moment. ¡°Yes. You stopped probing them when I felt it.¡± Albert''s tone turned serious as he noted Alistair''s expression. ¡°Well, she reacted to it before you did.¡± Alistair took another sip and looked Albert straight in the eyes. ¡°!! She... she''s stronger than me?¡± Albert exclaimed, nearly dropping his glass in shock. ¡°No. Outside this tent, I don''t think anyone is stronger than you. You still outlevel her by at least ten levels.¡± ¡°Then what do you mean?¡± Albert inquired, frowning. ¡°She didn''t actually feel my probing, but her mana definitely reacted to it.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°If her mana is that sensitive, she likely has higher control over it. I saw her fight before; she definitely didn''t know how to utilize it. With proper training, she should be able to increase her strength and maybe even develop her own style.¡± ¡°I see. Your newfound kindness toward her makes sense; you''re considering taking her on as an apprentice.¡± Albert downed the rest of his drink, suddenly realizing something. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. ¡°Wait! Is that why you released your aura earlier? Were you trying to impress her? Jeez, I thought it was strange that you got provoked so easily.¡± ¡°Sorry about that.¡± Alistair looked away, scratching his nose. ¡°You know what, I always¡ª¡± Albert stopped mid-sentence as Alistair raised a hand to silence him. The Count stared into the dark corner of the tent. ¡°Do you have anything to report?¡± Alistair assumed his authoritative persona while addressing the empty space. The shadow in the corner began to shift, and a figure emerged from it. The person approached the Count and knelt on one knee before him. Although the figure was now fully illuminated, their entire body remained shrouded in darkness. The shadow continued to shift and flow around them like liquid, making it impossible to discern any features. ¡°My lord, we might have some clues about the target.¡± The shadowy figure spoke, their voice a strange blend of low and high tones. ¡°Oh? You''re Edward, right? Where''s your father?¡± Alistair asked after studying the figure for a moment. Surprised by the statement, the figure hesitated. Finally, the shadow peeled away from their body, splashing to the ground before dissipating. A man was revealed, kneeling before Alistair. Clad in Aenduil knight armor, he had black hair and eyes. His cheeks were sunken, and his nose was crooked. At first glance, one might assume he was ill. ¡°Yes, I''m Edward, my lord. Due to the lack of time and preparation, our intelligence-gathering capability has been significantly reduced. My father decided to infiltrate the enemy camp himself to find information about the person who killed Lord Hammond,¡± Edward explained, this time in a normal voice. ¡°Okay, give me your report.¡± The man stood up from where he was kneeling. ¡°It was a man named Olli. The army register lists his full name as Oliver Anders, son of a baron from the Crilia kingdom. However, we suspect he might actually be from the church-state of Radroveth.¡± ¡°What makes you think he came from Radroveth?¡± Albert asked from the side. ¡°He was wearing standard guardsman armor from Crilia. However, the sword he carried, more specifically the scabbard, bears the same design as those used by Radroveth''s paladins. Eyewitness accounts indicated that Lord Hammond was killed by two squads of knights in white armor carrying large shields, which we now believe were crusader units.¡± ¡°Tell me more about John''s death,¡± Alistair asked, a hint of dejection in his voice. ¡°My lord, the witnesses have discrepancies in their accounts, but most agree that the two crusader units focused on subduing the marquess rather than killing him. Even after losing half their men, they persisted.¡± ¡°Any ascended among the crusaders?¡± Albert inquired. ¡°We don''t know for sure, but probably not. All witnesses described the units as wearing the same armor, indicating they likely didn''t have an ascended commander. If they did, they shouldn''t have lost that many men to Lord Hammond.¡± ¡°But on the other hand,¡± Albert, still unconvinced, continued, ¡°I don''t think two units of high-leveled grand masters would be enough to kill Lord Hammond, let alone subdue him.¡± ¡°Actually, that¡¯s possible,¡± Alistair said, drawing the attention of the two men. He continued, ¡°Radroveth has its own¡­ unique training for their church¡¯s awakened warriors, one aspect of which is formation skills. In this case, I assume they used some kind of sealing formation. ¡°Of course, they shouldn¡¯t be able to seal John, but if they¡¯re willing to sacrifice their lives, these Crusaders might be able to hold him down for a while at least. Although I never considered the Crusaders to be the sacrificing-their-own-lives type.¡± ¡°What happened after that?¡± Alistair asked Edward. ¡°My lord, after managing to hold the Marquess down, Olli then stabbed Lord Hammond through the heart. He was either fighting alongside the Crusaders or waiting in the back until the Marquess was subdued. We don¡¯t know, but judging by the minimal damage to Olli¡¯s armor, we assume the latter.¡± ¡°What do you have on this Olli person?¡± Alistair inquired, deep in thought. ¡°Not much, my lord. We don¡¯t even know his level. As for his class, he is either a Prime Crusader, an Altum Paladin¡­ or a Hero.¡± ¡°Wait, a Hero?!¡± Albert exclaimed. ¡°That can¡¯t be right. It¡¯s been hundreds of years since the last Hero died. Unless there is a significant threat against humanity, a Hero wouldn¡¯t be born. A Hero is a unique class, meaning that there can only be one at a time, and they are born with it. The boy is what, twenty years old? There¡¯s no way a demon incursion has been occurring for the last twenty years without us knowing.¡± ¡°It''s the sword, right?¡± Alistair inquired the man. ¡°You suspect that the boy is carrying a holy sword.¡± ¡°Yes, my lord. We were confused about why the crusaders would go to that extent to let the boy take the kill. Although Lord Hammond has a very high level, the boy won''t get much experience from the battle; he barely did anything. But still, the sword exuded some kind of light after Olli killed Lord Hammond. The only way it would make sense is if it was a holy armament.¡± ¡°How would a holy sword make sense?¡± Albert asked. ¡°A Hero receives a holy armament from the goddess. One of the weapon''s effects is that it would take full experience of any being that it kills,¡± Alistair explained, while he seemed to still be pondering something. ¡°That''s... that''s cheating,¡± Albert said, wide-eyed. ¡°Wouldn''t that mean that with proper support, a Hero can level up quickly?¡± ¡°Yes, one of the perks of being a chosen one,¡± Alistair sighed. ¡°But it doesn''t matter. Just like you said, the chance he''s a Hero is meager. But that sword might be a problem, though...¡± When the two men kept staring at him, Alistair realized they were waiting for him to continue. He took a deep breath before continuing. ¡°Holy armaments are meant for Heroes, so only a Hero can fully utilize the weapon''s effects. But that doesn''t mean a non-Hero couldn''t use it. ¡°Holy armaments are growth-type weapons. You can say they have their own level. The weapons are supposed to grow alongside their designated Heroes. You already know how they can give their Hero full experience of their kills. But what if a non-Hero handled the weapon? All those experiences would go to the weapon, thus doubling its leveling-up speed. ¡°So, even if the boy couldn''t utilize some of the sword''s effects, it doesn''t change the fact that he wields a powerful weapon.¡± ¡°Should we assassinate him?¡± Edward asked after a while. ¡°Father is still near him right now.¡± Alistair contemplated the suggestion. He stood up and began pacing around the tent. After some thought, he finally made his decision. ¡°No, let him be. There are still too many uncertainties. Unless Wade can subdue the boy secretly and bring him here... No, that''s not possible. The boy would have his own shadows. There''s no way Radroveth would leave him unguarded, especially not with that sword he''s carrying. ¡°If they''re feeding the sword high-experience targets, then tomorrow, they''ll be aiming for me. Either they want to grow the sword, or they plan to use it on me. Either way, by tomorrow, the boy won''t be a problem anymore.¡± The other two in the tent came to the same conclusion, though Albert didn¡¯t seem entirely comfortable with it. ¡°Are you sure about this?¡± he asked. ¡°? Yes, I''m sure. I¡¯m the strongest in our kingdom. If they¡¯re saving the sword for someone, that would be me. The boy will aim for me tomorrow.¡± ¡°No, I mean... are you sure about confronting him? You just said the sword is a problem. Is it wise? I think you should bring two more elite cavalry units.¡± Alistair noticed how troubled Albert seemed. He walked over and placed his right hand on Albert¡¯s shoulder. ¡°There¡¯s no need to worry. Even if, by some chance, the boy could harm me, I can always retreat. ¡°Bringing more elite men with me might actually scare him off. If we lose him now, who knows when we¡¯ll get another chance. With Radroveth backing him, he could vanish, and that¡¯s a problem I don¡¯t want to deal with later.¡± Seeing the resolve in Alistair¡¯s eyes, Albert couldn¡¯t find another argument to dissuade him. He nodded slowly, accepting the decision. Directing his attention to Edward, the Count once again addressed the young shadow. ¡°Tell me about the army. According to the intel, they should be a standard army, no?¡± ¡°Yes, my lord. The intel is correct. My father and his men have finished scouring the enemy''s camp. Most of the soldiers are unclassed. For those with class, except for some elite units here and there, most of them are below master level.¡± ¡°Details?¡± ¡°Around 60% are unclassed, 10% are initiates, 20% are adepts, and 10% are masters. Besides that, there should be no more than 70 grand masters. Father couldn''t approach some of the large tents of the army, but he was sure that there were no ascended.¡± ¡°Wait,¡± Albert seemed to realize something. ¡°That should be, what? 5,000 awakened with 70 grand masters, but not one ascended? ¡°That doesn''t make sense. John''s was an awakened army, was it not?¡± ¡°That''s correct,¡± Edward answered. ¡°Among the 2,000 in Lord Hammond''s army, there were supposed to be around 200 initiates and adepts. They were part of the hunting group active around the border. The rest were masters, with 150 grand masters and Lord Hammond himself, who was an ascended.¡± ¡°With that kind of force,¡± Alistair said, ¡°even if they were heavily outnumbered, they should be able to defend their position until reinforcements arrive. Even more so, with the enemy''s composition, they should be able to counterattack after a few days of defending.¡± After thinking for a moment, Alistair asked the young shadow again. ¡°Any information about other ascendeds? Maybe some were killed or injured and had to retreat?¡± ¡°None, my lord. My father rushed to the frontlines as soon as the first reports of the invasion came in. He managed to infiltrate the enemy by the end of the day when the battle concluded. If there were any ascended, he would¡¯ve mentioned it in his report.¡± Alistair and Albert looked at each other, both seeming to share the same thought. ¡°An elite detachment unit,¡± Albert said. ¡°They probably formed a unit consisting of all the ascendeds they had, plus some of their highest-leveled grand masters. That has to be it¡ªthere¡¯s no way they could¡¯ve killed John without an ascended.¡± ¡°That would explain things,¡± Edward interjected. ¡°Eyewitnesses said that Lord Hammond died on the field, outside his defended position. ¡°If the enemy used an elite unit comprised of ascended and high-level grand masters, they would strike at the flank or rear of Lord Hammond''s army. The plan would be to disrupt the defense''s formation and mount a pincer attack from both within and outside the formation. ¡°But it didn''t go according to their plan. Instead of staying confused, Lord Hammond decided to abandon his position and charged straight at the enemy''s commander.¡± ¡°I would have done the same,¡± Albert added. ¡°If the enemy commander has no ascended protecting them, targeting them would be a no-brainer. It was probably even more than that. John was quite mana-sensitive. I think he not only felt the absence of the ascended in the enemy camp, but he also sensed their approach from the flank or rear before they even neared his position. He likely abandoned his position before the ambush occurred.¡± ¡°So it was luck, then.¡± The count shook his head slowly, looking down. The apparent non sequitur from the count caught the two men''s attention. ¡°The detached unit was supposed to wear John down. After incurring enough damage, the two crusader units would step in and seal his movement. Finally, the holy prick would feed John to the sword. ¡°That was a terrible plan; too many things could go wrong. But although things did not go according to their plan, nothing went wrong. It was pure luck. ¡°If John had chosen to stay and fight the ascended unit, the enemy would have realized that he was much stronger than they thought. He probably wouldn''t be able to defeat them, but he was strong enough to hold on and safely retreat when things went south, long before the two crusader units could reinforce the ascended unit. ¡°On the other hand, when John confronted the crusader units, they probably thought he was running away after losing a fight against the ascended unit. That''s why they were confident enough to go against an ascended with only two crusader groups¡ªthey believed he was heavily wounded. ¡°If only they knew he was unharmed. Instead of trying to seal him, they would have tried to buy time for the ascended unit''s reinforcement. That, of course, would have led to their demise: the enemy commander died, and John retreated safely. ¡°Huh, would you look at that? Two wrongs did make a right this time.¡± Alistair looked up at the tent''s ceiling and sighed. BAM! Alistair slammed the glass onto the table. The glass, the liquid in it, and half of the table disintegrated instantly. The resulting shockwave shattered the chairs and knocked over the rest of the furniture. Albert immediately summoned a mana shield, while Edward did the same. However, Edward was pushed back three steps before collapsing to the ground. His face turned pale, but he quickly scrambled to his feet, though his legs trembled slightly. Alistair¡¯s mana had been agitating ever since they began discussing Lord Hammond, and that strike on the table unleashed an unintentional mana wave. A low, lingering hum filled the air, accompanied by a faint vibration. Taking deep breaths, Alistair closed his eyes. Slowly, his mana began to settle. Several soldiers rushed to the entrance of the tent, but Albert stopped them with a raised hand and gestured for them to leave. After a moment, Alistair turned toward the two men, his expression apologetic. That wasn''t supposed to happen. Bowing his head slightly, he acknowledged the unintended outburst. ¡°I apologize. You had to witness that unsightly side of me.¡± ¡°No, my lord!¡± Edward immediately dropped to his knees. ¡°We understand how close you were to Lord Hammond. Please, lift your head!¡± ¡°He''s right,¡± Albert added. ¡°Given your relationship with John, not showing any reaction would¡¯ve been strange. ¡°And if it still bothers you, just hold on until tomorrow. You¡¯ll get to meet that boy face-to-face.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Alistair muttered. ¡°One way or another, everything will be resolved tomorrow,¡± he said, staring toward the enemy camp. ¡°Now, let''s continue. There''s more we need to discuss.¡± Alistair clapped his hands once, looking at both men. ¡°How much information do we have about the enemy''s hidden second army and the traitors within our ranks?¡± Chapter 3 It was two hours after the sun had risen. Both armies now faced each other on the battlefield, less than a kilometer between them. On one side was the coalition army, much subdued compared to the night before, though most of them still seemed restless, adrenaline levels rising. The main infantry unit was divided into three armies, with the central army larger in size. Each infantry army consisted of three divisions: spearmen and heavy shield soldiers at the front, with the bulk of the melee warriors situated in the middle. These warriors would be the first to spring into action the moment the front line opened a path. Most of the elite units would bring up the rear, remaining flexible and adaptive on the battlefield. Their role was to assist the rest of the infantry, pushing forward wherever they could. The knights led the cavalry units, split into two main groups to secure the flanks of the formation. Behind the infantry were lines of archers and mages, and behind them stood the commander and his guards. Across the field, Alistair sat atop his horse, observing the enemy''s formation. Count Eulstan''s armor was distinct from that of the knights around him. While most of the army wore the blue armor of House Roettger, the count donned a deeper shade of blue. The most striking difference, however, was the type of armor. Unlike the other knights in heavy armor, the count had chosen to wear light armor. In contrast to the coalition army, the Aenduil defense force appeared far less... uniform. The army was divided into two groups: cavalry and infantry, both roughly equal in number. There were no designated ranged units. Instead, archers and mages were scattered throughout the ranks, with some even riding alongside the cavalry. A rogue, wielding knives, stood beside a warrior carrying a glaive, while an archer in leather armor stood in front of a heavily armored knight. There seemed to be no strict rules governing the formation; each soldier stood wherever they chose. To an average observer, this might seem like an army of mercenaries¡ªuntrained and undisciplined. But the truth was far from that. ¡°How''s the enemy?¡± Albert asked, approaching the count on his horse. The count kept his eyes on the opposing army without looking back at Albert. ¡°So far, it''s what we expected. A standard army strengthened by some classes. The classes'' composition matched the report. There is one ascended behind the main army, though.¡± ¡°Hmm? There is an ascended? Did they regroup with the detached unit?¡± ¡°Something like that, perhaps. They probably left one ascended, in case we have someone who can sense that far. ¡°If someone would sense an ascended stood just behind the main army, they probably would also assume there are more ascended. They would think at least an extra ascended would also guard the commander. ¡°Based on his position, that ascended could also easily retreat and escort the commander if things went south.¡± Alistair started to tap his thigh repeatedly with his finger. Albert saw this and took a closer look at the count. ¡°What''s the matter? You looked troubled.¡± Alistair turned his head toward Albert. He contemplated for a while before finally speaking his thought. ¡°I can''t feel the ascended group. They''re not here. And I don''t think the boy is here too.¡± Albert¡¯s eyes were wide open upon hearing the revelation. ¡°What!? What¡¯s the last situation we know? You heard anything from Wade?¡± ¡°Nothing significant. The last time he saw the boy he was entering the Radroveth part of the base. It seems they don¡¯t care about the boy¡¯s cover story anymore. He can¡¯t follow the boy without risking getting caught. And from then until this morning when they started to prepare for battle, the boy had not been seen, even after the Radoveth soldiers get into formation. And this is also when Wade noticed that single ascended entered the base.¡± ¡°Are you sure? Shit! This is one of our worst-case scenarios,¡± Albert said while muttering some extra curse words. Albert stole a glance at the count before asking the important question. ¡°What are the chances that the second army is trying to circumvent us and attack the capital directly?¡± ¡°Very slim. The kingdom issued a mobilization order days ago. No matter their route, they would inevitably encounter one of our defending armies, each of which is strong enough to restrain them while the others close in from all sides. That would be sheer suicide.¡± Alistair looked at the squirming Albert with warm eyes. ¡°We already talked about this yesterday. If they do this, their target would probably be me.¡± ¡°Alistair''s explanation did little to calm Albert. He still seemed to have more to say, but ultimately decided against it and turned his gaze toward the opposing armies.¡± ¡°So I guess they¡¯re sacrificing this army. That would explain the low number of awakened warriors. ¡°Is that why you¡¯re wearing light armor? Are we going to rush this battle?¡± ¡°Yes, there is no longer any reason to bait them. We''ll use a fast formation. I''ll pierce their rank and hold their rear while you clean up from the front. ¡°Go back to your position. We''ll begin soon.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Albert gave the salute before riding back to his position. Alistair stared at Albert''s back. He didn''t tell him the whole story. He didn''t share what he thought was the reason for the enemy to target him. If they went through all this trouble only for him, there is a big chance that they know something. House Roettger was an old clan with many secrets. But there are some secrets that not even those in the inner circle of his clan know about. This could be connected to one of those secrets. That holy sword was strong; there is no doubt about that. If Radroveth had been holding the sword all this time, he should''ve heard something about it. There should''ve been stories about a great warrior hailing from Radroveth carrying a powerful sword. But no such story nor warrior had ever come from Radroveth. Alistair tightened his grip on his spear. He''ll need to deal with what''s in front of him for now. But he still couldn''t get it out of his head. Someone gave Radroveth that sword recently. He could only mutter under his breath. ¡°That fucking goddess.¡± ____________________________________ Edith Atterberry stood at the rear of the main infantry. She was impossible to miss¡ªtaller than any man around her, with bright red hair that caught every eye. Clad in the knight''s armor of Ortsgard, a large round shield strapped to her back, she held a steel glaive firmly in her hand. As one of the few grand masters on the alliance¡¯s side, she had the freedom to move as she pleased. Becoming a grand master before the age of 40, Edith was one of the most promising talents from Ortsgard. Her talent was highly regarded, and she was expected to ascend in the future. This reputation allowed her to hold a high post in the Ortsgard army, making her one of the very few who understood the true reality of the incoming battle. ¡°Heh heh, look at all these idiots. If only they know what fate awaits them.¡± Edith turned her head to look at the man speaking. He was a ranger, squatting on top of a post. A simple bow was slung across his back, and a pair of rather intricate daggers hung at his hips. The man wore a bandana¡ªperhaps for style¡ªbut Edith believed he was just trying to hide his receding hairline. She did not think highly of him. He had a penchant for speaking his mind but lacked the wit to avoid sounding boorish. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. This was not the first battle she had fought alongside him; that¡¯s how she knew he was a coward¡ªpretty useless in open battle. Still, he was easy to control and had many uses. ¡°Keep it down, Guth. The soldiers may not be able to hear at this distance, but there¡¯s no need to risk it.¡± ¡°Yeah, I know, but don¡¯t you think¡ª¡± ¡°How¡¯s the enemy movement?¡± She cut him off mid-sentence; she had already heard enough. ¡°Ahem¡­ yes, there¡¯s still no significant movement.¡± She looked around her. The soldiers had quieted down, but she could sense the anxiety in the air. This is how it feels before any battle. However, Edith knew more than these men. Guth was right; anxiety wouldn¡¯t begin to describe how they would feel if they knew the truth. The fact that the opposing army was actually an Awakened army was known to only a select few. Not even all the grand masters present were aware. They expected to fight a standard army supported by Awakened individuals, something akin to their own forces. Most of these men would likely be dead or captured, but that was part of the plan. She might appear to be here to support the front line, but her true purpose was to ensure that all the Grand Masters could retreat before it was too late. That was why she had been given command of all the Grand Masters present. Many of the older Grand Masters were surprised they had to follow her orders, but thankfully, none voiced their concerns. It¡¯s unfortunate that they had to risk all of the Awakened below the Grand Masters, but it was necessary. They needed to stall as long as possible, and this army had to be defeated to lure the enemy. She hoped there would be many survivors¡ªnot because she cared about their well-being, but because the more survivors there were, the longer the enemy would take to manage the aftermath. What would happen next was something she did not know. All she understood was that a second force from the alliance had been moving independently. This force was much smaller but significantly stronger than this army. She suspected that all the missing ascended were there. She glanced back at the command camp far behind. The only ascended left in the army should be there¡ªGregory, who worked directly under the king. His responsibility was to ensure the commander could retreat safely. Although they were both from Ortsgard, she had never actually met him before this war. If there had been no war, he would have remained somewhere secluded, training¡ªsupposedly. He was strange, but then again, all Ascended were a bit peculiar. However, she would not be like that. As the first Ascended sponsored by the kingdom, working full-time for them was expected of her. Even if she hadn¡¯t received sponsorship, she would still have been active in the military. All these older Ascended were just odd; fighting on the battlefield offered better experiences than training on some mountain. ¡°They¡¯re moving¡ªcavalry vanguard,¡± Guth informed her, now standing at the top of the post and looking straight at the enemy. ¡°Hmm? Impatient, aren¡¯t you?¡± She turned her attention toward the enemy; the battle would start soon. It was unfortunate¡ªthey were supposed to delay the battle as long as possible. Still, it wasn¡¯t all bad; the army could now initiate the battle from a defensive formation. ¡°SHIELDS READY! SPEARS TO THE FRONT!¡± The commanders shouted their orders. ¡°Wait! What the hell!?¡± Guth¡¯s outburst caught Edith¡¯s attention. The battle was about to start¡ªthis wasn¡¯t the time for surprises. At least that¡¯s what she thought, until she heard what Guth had to say. ¡°The cavalry vanguard¡ªit¡¯s Count Roettger¡¯s personal banner. I think that¡¯s him leading the cavalry.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Yeah! I was part of the envoy contingent when Prince Henry was negotiating with the Count. That¡¯s definitely him! Is he really going to lead the vanguard?¡± ¡°He couldn¡¯t be that reckless, right?¡± Edith muttered aloud. ¡°I¡¯ve heard the stories¡ªLord Roettger, the strongest warrior in the land. Always leading his men into battle. Never retreated, never been beaten.¡± ¡°I thought that was just some story¡­¡± Guth responded, a bead of sweat rolling down his cheek. ¡°It is just a story. A stupid tale made to inflate his legend,¡± Edith sniggered. ¡°No sane commander would do something that reckless. Maybe in a small skirmish, but definitely not in a battle of this scale.¡± Edith started chewing his nails. ¡°What the hell is he thinking? There¡¯s no way he¡¯s really going to try that.¡± ¡°Wait!¡± Edith suddenly realized something. ¡°What¡¯s their composition? I mean his personal guards, not the cavalry.¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± Guth glanced back at the enemy¡¯s frontline, concentrating mana in his eyes again. ¡°A dozen shield knights. Fifteen mages¡ªthat¡¯s odd... Two, no, three spear knights, including the Count. I can¡¯t see the rest, but he¡¯s got around fifty personal guards. And about 1,000 cavalry in the vanguard.¡± ¡°I knew it!¡± Edith¡¯s eyes widened as she processed the report. ¡°He¡¯s not actually going to lead the vanguard. It¡¯s a hit-and-run unit. He¡¯ll probably be involved in the first contact, but his personal guards are there to protect him and help him retreat. That¡¯s how he¡¯s been keeping his fame intact.¡± Edith fell into deep thought. ¡°Alright, gather all the grand masters at the mage corps. There¡¯s going to be a slight change of plan.¡± She started moving toward the mages. ¡°¡­wait,¡± Guth weakly called after her. ¡°I know what you''re thinking, but maybe it¡¯s better to stick to the original plan. Let¡¯s not take unnecessary risks.¡± ¡°Are you stupid?¡± Edith snapped, incredulous. ¡°That¡¯s Count Roettger himself. Do you know how much his head is worth? Now¡¯s not the time to be a coward, Guth. Do as I say, and don¡¯t make me repeat myself.¡± Without waiting for a response, she turned and ran toward the mages. If only she had paid more attention to the ranger, she might have noticed how his face had grown paler and paler. Aenduil¡¯s cavalry vanguard began to advance, trotting steadily toward the alliance¡¯s army. ¡°ARCHERS! INTO POSITION!¡± the commanders shouted as they adjusted their formations. Edith couldn''t believe her luck. This could turn out better than she had hoped. A grin spread across her face at the thought of the fame and fortune that would come with killing the so-called ¡°strongest¡± warrior in the land. Earlier, she had been upset about not being chosen to participate in the hidden force, but now, her fortune had changed. ¡°Mages! Halt!¡± Edith shouted. The mages preparing for wide-range spells were taken by surprise. The commander of the mage unit was ready to rebuke the intruder until he realized who it was. He quickly signaled for the mages to stop their preparations. ¡°Don¡¯t use wide-range magic! Switch to single-target spells! Aim for the leader of the vanguard on my command! Keep firing until I tell you to stop or until you run out of mana! Do you understand!?¡± ¡°Yes, my lady!¡± the mage unit commander replied, saluting her before coordinating the mages. As the mages adjusted their spells, the grand masters began to arrive. ¡°What the hell, Edith! Why are you gathering us here? The battle is about to start!¡± one of the older grand masters questioned her brashly. Deciding to ignore the slight for now, Edith got straight to the point. ¡°Alistair, the Count of Eulstan. He''s the one leading the charge. We''re going to kill him here.¡± Surprised, the old grand masters exchanged glances. ¡°Are you sure¡ª¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure. We have positive confirmation already. Guth was¡ª¡± Edith paused when she noticed the ranger wasn¡¯t there. ¡°That fucking coward! Anyway, that¡¯s definitely him. I¡¯m afraid we won¡¯t have much time. Our window of opportunity will be tight, around the first engagement. What say you?¡± The grand masters stayed silent for a while before one of them addressed her. ¡°What about the battle, though? If all the grand masters are here, it might affect our formation.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that,¡± Edith replied, her voice softening to ensure that no one unimportant could hear her. ¡°Some of you already know what will happen here, right? I¡¯m sure some of you have received leaked information. Even if you haven¡¯t, just by looking at the enemy, you must have a vague understanding of the situation. So don¡¯t worry about it; whatever happens to the army is part of the plan.¡± Upon receiving confirmation from Edith, some of the grand masters scrunched their faces, while others muttered choice expletives under their breath. But none seemed surprised. It didn¡¯t take long for them all to agree with Edith¡¯s plan. ¡°Get ready; they¡¯ve picked up speed,¡± one of the grand masters, also a ranger, informed the group. ¡°Hmm.¡± Edith turned to look at the vanguard; they were already at the distance where she could make out individuals in the cavalry. ¡°Master Mage.¡± Edith gestured at the commander of the mage corps to get his attention. ¡°You see that banner in the middle of the formation? Aim everything toward that direction, specifically at the person in front.¡± ¡°Understood, my lady.¡± The mage went back to his unit and started giving directions to the others. Edith turned to the grand masters. ¡°Okay, I¡¯m a shield knight. I¡¯ll be the one on the forefront. The rest of you will support me and aim at the rest of the cavalry.¡± The grand masters scoffed under their breath. A shield knight? So what? With the spell barrage that was coming, she wouldn¡¯t have to do any tanking if the goal was the count¡¯s head. But none of the grand masters voiced their protest. She was, after all, their commander, and they all understood that she would be the one receiving the most honor. But still, they would also gain something here. Killing the count of Eulstan would make them famous. The grand masters started moving and taking their positions near where the count¡¯s first engagement would happen. ¡°ARCHERS!! FIRE!!¡± Arrows blackened the sky, but the cavalry vanguard did not alter its speed or direction. ¡°Shield!¡± ¡°Mana Barrier!¡± ¡°Force Vacuum!¡± Dozens of mages began to cast various spells to block the arrows. The cavalry again picked up speed as barrages of arrows deflected in mid-air. At the forefront, just behind the Count, a mage approached and said, ¡°My liege, their mages are preparing spells; the mana patterns do not indicate large-scale spells.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± The Count acknowledged the mage and began to increase his speed, riding ahead of the group, accompanied by only two spear knights, two shield knights, and the previous mage. They rode in a V formation, with the Count at the front, adjusting his direction slightly to aim right at the center of the grand masters'' concentration. And then the barrage of spells erupted. Layers of different colors and sounds surged toward the Count. The mage released the spell she had been preparing. ¡°Mana Transfer.¡± Her mana began to flow toward the two shield knights, who, in turn, started casting their skill. ¡°Widerzauberschilt!¡± Two massive golden shields manifested in mid-air. The shields combined to protect the group, forming a cone shape with the point directed away just in front of the Count. The spell barrage reached them at less than 100 meters from the alliance¡¯s frontline. Just before the spells struck the shield, the Count raised his left palm and cast his skill. ¡°BREAK¡± A massive explosion erupted at the point of impact, accompanied by thunderous sounds and blinding light. Edith, positioned just behind the shield wall, had to close her eyes. Instinctively, she raised her shield to protect herself. A second later, she opened her eyes¡ªand saw him. The Count was already in front of the shield wall, his spear raised and drawn back. Their eyes met, and she heard him again. ¡°THRUST¡± Chapter 4 After the battle, Alistair tended to his horse in a field. Alistair stroked the horse''s head, using his mana to check on her condition at the same time. "Good girl. You''ve grown even stronger," he whispered. The horse neighed softly, nudging the Count with her head. "Nope, I''ve run out of carrots. You just ate the last one. If you want more, you''ll have to wait." ¡°Gramps,¡± Albert called out as he approached the Count, a young man following slightly behind him. While the Count was dirty, with mud and blood splattered on his clothes, Albert¡¯s attire was far more drenched in blood. This wasn¡¯t because he fought more¡ªit was due to his fighting style. Alistair might be the strongest warrior in the world, but everyone in the land also knew the name Albert Roettger, famous for his swordsmanship, wielding a zweih?nder like a one-handed sword. The young man trailing him was as large as Albert. He also wore the blue armor of an Aenduil knight, signifying House Roettger, with the family symbol displayed on his chest, marking him as a member of the main family. His blonde, shoulder-length curly hair was tied back, and his face resembled Albert¡¯s, though it lacked the warmth, hinting at how handsome Albert must have been in his youth. He carried a shield on his back and a custom sword at his hip, slightly larger than a typical sword. Alistair gestured for the two large men to follow him. They began walking toward the center of the field, the horse trailing behind them silently. Alistair glanced at the young man. "How are you finding the battle, Fergus? This is your third, right?" His tone was the same as when he addressed Albert in private. "Yes, sir. This is my third one. I¡¯ve grown accustomed to battle and its aftermath... though I still struggle with..." Fergus hesitated, his eyes shifting to the bodies scattered across the battlefield. The process of clearing the dead had already begun, with some members of the alliance army removing the fallen. ¡°The smell? Yeah, that¡¯ll take longer to get used to.¡± Alistair glanced at the young man again, noticing the battle scar on his armor and shield. ¡°How is your progress?¡± ¡°I¡¯m still a master, sir. But if everything goes according to plan, I should be a grand master by the end of the year,¡± Fergus replied, a hint of pride evident on his face. Both Alistair and Albert smiled warmly at the boy¡¯s response. Alistair addressed Fergus once more. ¡°That¡¯s very good, Fergus. I¡¯m glad you¡¯re here; our family¡¯s future is safe with you.¡± Fergus started to scratch his head and lowered it, his face turning a bit red. Alistair chuckled at the sight. He then turned his gaze toward Albert, their eyes meeting. ¡°Situation report, right. The number of casualties is very minimal. We lost around 300 soldiers, most of them from Hammond¡¯s force. The enemy, on the other hand, suffered significant losses. ¡°Most of their unclassed routed when you obliterated their rear force. We managed to round up most of them. We estimate around 7,000 dead, with 10,000 managing to escape. We¡¯ve been using them to clean up the field; it should be done by tomorrow. After that, we¡¯ll hold them here for a while. We¡¯re planning to use their old base camp as a prison camp while our diplomat conducts the negotiations.¡± ¡°As for the classed ones, most of them survived. The moment they realized the battle was lost and how difficult it was to run past you, they simply surrendered. Except for the grand masters, most of them died; you made sure of it. We¡¯ll hold the survivors with the rest of the unclassed.¡± As they spoke, they arrived at a small tent in the middle of the field. Alistair gestured to one of the soldiers to take care of the horse. He then turned to Albert. ¡°The person inside the tent¡ªI assume he¡¯s one of the grand master survivors?¡± ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s one of the four survivors. The other two you brought back died, succumbing to their wounds before our healer could reach them. So be gentle; we only have four left.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I only need one.¡± ¡°Suuuureeee¡­¡± Albert replied half-heartedly, staring at the Count. Giving the big man an exasperated look, Alistair said again, ¡°Why don¡¯t you go deal with our prisoners?¡± He gestured for Albert to leave. ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Albert responded, saluting the Count. He winked and then turned around, dragging the young Fergus with him. Alistair could only shake his head as he watched their departing figures. His expression then turned serious as he entered the small tent. Inside the tent sat a man in a chair. It was the grand master who had raised his voice against Edith. He looked very tired; his clothes were torn, exposing half of his chest and one arm. There were no wounds, though; the healers had patched him up well. Two knights holding spears flanked the man, the same two who had accompanied Alistair during the battle. The moment Alistair entered the tent, the man looked up. When he saw the Count¡¯s face, he was startled and jumped up from his chair. However, one of the knights at his side caught his shoulder and pushed him back into the chair. Alistair looked at the man for a moment before ordering the knights, ¡°Leave us alone. Don¡¯t let anybody enter the tent.¡± The two knights saluted the Count without answering and walked out of the tent. Alistair propped his spear against the nearby table, then grabbed a chair and dragged it to the front of the man. During this, Alistair¡¯s spear remained within the man¡¯s reach, but the man himself had no intention of doing anything foolish. Alistair sat in front of the man. ¡°Do you know who I am?¡± ¡°¡­yes, sir.¡± The man answered weakly. ¡°You¡¯re the Count of Eulstan.¡± He glanced at the spear leaning against the table. ¡°You used that piece of wood to massacre us.¡± He turned his gaze back to the Count. ¡°I thought you used a spear made of some kind of special steel. That looks like a normal spear.¡± The question was asked without any hint of curiosity; the man seemed lifeless. ¡°It¡¯s the standard-issue spear for House Roettger¡¯s soldiers. Is that what you heard? The one I heard was that my spear was actually made from dark gold.¡± Alistair leaned back in his chair; he wasn¡¯t particularly in a hurry. The man in front of him had already hit rock bottom; there was no need to pressure him for now. ¡°Huh, is that so?¡± The man spoke without any energy in his voice. He remained silent for a moment, and the Count allowed him the space to gather his thoughts. ¡°The two men from before¡ªare they your personal guards?¡± he asked again. Alistair nodded in response. ¡°Ha¡­ ha¡­ ha¡­ you have ascendeds as your personal guards?¡± The man¡¯s voice remained low, but his eyes began to redden. ¡°Not everyone, but yes, some of my personal guards are ascended,¡± Alistair replied, giving a straightforward answer. Pain manifested once again on the man¡¯s face as he lowered his head, covering his eyes with his hand. There was no sound, but he was crying. After a while, he lifted his head again. ¡°That was an exercise in futility, huh? You must have been laughing at us all along¡­ Sir, what am I doing here?¡± Alistair sat up in his chair. He liked the man; he was straight to the point. ¡°I have some questions I was hoping you could help me with.¡± ¡°¡­If I answer them, are you going to let me go?¡± ¡°No, we¡¯re going to kill you after this,¡± Alistair replied with a straight face. The man¡¯s eyes widened, and he tried to say something but fell silent. After a moment, he asked again. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because you lot invaded us, we need to make an example out of you. Killing all the grand masters seems like a good start.¡± ¡°¡­I see. Thank you for being honest.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Roland Mort¡ª I¡¯m Roland, from Crilia, sir.¡± ¡°Okay, Roland. How much do you know about this operation? Do you know anything about the hidden second army?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know much. But I heard rumors about the second army. The only thing I can tell you is that none of the Crilia soldiers are in that second army. We have accounted for every Crilia soldier. As a matter of fact, I¡¯ve talked with some of my¡ªcompatriots from other kingdoms, and none of them knew about it either. They also believe that none of the soldiers from the five kingdoms are in it.¡± Considering the man¡¯s answer for a moment, Alistair asked another question. ¡°Do you know the significance of this battle?¡± ¡°No. Edith¡ªour commander¡ªdid say that we were supposed to stall for time, as much as possible.¡± Roland tried to gauge Alistair¡¯s reaction, but the Count merely had a blank stare. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir, but I really don¡¯t know much.¡± This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. ¡°That¡¯s fine; I don¡¯t really expect much. I know there¡¯s no way they¡¯re going to let someone with information participate in this battle. But you did help me, so thank you for that.¡± Alistair smiled at the man, nodded, and then stood up. He grabbed his spear. ¡°Sir, would you let me talk to¡ª¡± Crunch. Without warning, the Count¡¯s spear tore through Roland¡¯s head. The man¡¯s body went limp as Alistair pulled the spear free, and Roland fell to the ground. Alistair felt tired. The man had provided some information: the second army wasn¡¯t from any of the five kingdoms. From the Empire, maybe? No, there was no way they could move an army that far without making any noise. He began to doubt the existence of that army, but Roland had just confirmed it. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. This was going to be a long month. ____________________________________ Two weeks had passed since the battle. Nothing significant happened during that time. After the destruction of the alliance army, both sides had started peace negotiations. Being on the winning side, Aenduil was able to demand war reparations. With the number of prisoners of war they had, they could also demand ransoms. While all of this was happening, Alistair worked quietly, without drawing attention, to mobilize several of Roettger¡¯s companies around the border in search of clues about the second army. So far, nothing had been found. Alistair woke up with a slight headache. Great, he was starting the day in a bad mood. He was inside a small encampment with the 6th Company, currently camped at the foot of a mountain in northern Brahdeun. They had received information about some movement in the area, so they were checking it out. So far, nothing. When he stepped out of his tent, Fergus was there, standing and waiting. The boy gave him a wide smile upon noticing him. At least he got to spend some time with Fergus. The boy had been a source of comfort for the Count. While the scouts were scouring the area, Alistair had been spending his days with the boy, who seemed to enjoy their conversations. The Count had been training Fergus every day, and he was happy to confirm once again how talented the boy was. ¡°The men found some wild boars; today¡¯s breakfast is boar stew,¡± the young man informed the Count with a broad smile. ¡°Well then, lead the way.¡± Alistair¡¯s day had just improved. They walked together to the mess tent. Alistair usually ate in his own tent, but Fergus had been inviting him to join the rest of the men in the mess. Alistair didn¡¯t have any problem with that; it also allowed him to get to know some of the men in the Company. While eating, Fergus kept asking the Count many questions about his past, his secret to becoming the strongest, and whether he had any secret techniques or skills that could help with that. ¡°There are no secrets, no shortcuts. You just have to keep practicing,¡± Alistair said with a chuckle. Then he suddenly froze, placing his spoon down as he looked around. Noticing this, Fergus asked, ¡°Is everything all right?¡± Alistair responded with a simple nod but then paused again, this time closing his eyes. ¡°Ummm, sir?¡± After a moment, Fergus tried to speak to the Count once more. Alistair opened his eyes and looked straight at Fergus. ¡°Call the cook here,¡± he said. Seeing how serious the Count looked, Fergus didn¡¯t dare ask any further questions. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± He then called one of the men to bring the cook to the table. By this time, everyone in the tent had noticed that something was wrong, and all eyes were on the Count. The cook approached the table, removing his cooking hat and presenting himself to the Count. ¡°My lord, I¡¯m Erik. I¡¯m the cook for the 6th Company,¡± he introduced himself. Alistair looked at the cook. ¡°How long have you been a cook for the Company?¡± ¡°It should be around four years, my lord.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Is there something wrong with the food, my lord? Is there anything I can do for you?¡± ¡°Yes. Where is my personal cook?¡± ¡°Your cook, my lord?¡± ¡°Yes, Ewan. He¡¯s the one who usually prepares my food. I noticed the food tasted different this morning, so I was wondering if he changed anything.¡± ¡°I¡ªwouldn¡¯t know, my lord. I¡¯ve been cooking only with my men this morning. Perhaps he fell sick, my lord?¡± Alistair stood up from where he was sitting, and before anyone could react, the cook¡¯s head hit the table. Bam! Alistair¡¯s hand was on the back of the cook¡¯s neck, blood gushing from his broken nose. ¡°You see, Ewan is my personal cook. Wherever I go, he goes, and he takes over any kitchen where I¡¯m staying. He makes sure to process everything in my meals. ¡°Ewan, besides being my personal cook, is also my personal physician. He¡¯s a master healer who can detect poison and heal any ailment caused by it. That also means he doesn¡¯t get sick at all. ¡°So, I¡¯m going to ask you again. Is Ewan still alive, or is he dead?¡± ¡°My lord! I really don¡¯t know anything about¡ª ARGH!!!" The cook tried to defend himself before he suddenly screamed at the top of his lungs. His face turned dark, and the veins in his neck bulged bright red. ¡°It¡¯s only going to get more painful from this point on. Just answer the question.¡± ¡°DEAD! He¡¯s dead! His body was buried 100 meters from here! Please! STOP IT!¡± Hearing the confession, Alistair''s face turned solemn. He pressed down on the cook¡¯s neck and added more mana to his palm. ¡°Wait! PLEASE! I WAS ORDERED¡ª¡± POP. Both of the cook¡¯s eyes burst, and blood started flowing from all his orifices. The scream stopped, and the cook¡¯s body went limp. Alistair pushed the dead body off the table and returned to his seat. ¡°Damn,¡± he muttered under his breath. ¡°What did you do to him?¡± Fergus suddenly asked, taking a few steps back when the commotion happened. Without turning to Fergus, Alistair answered, ¡°I poured mana into his mana channel. It¡¯s simple, but you need to be sensitive enough to feel the target¡¯s mana channel. Once my mana is in his channel, any disturbance I cause will result in immense pain.¡± ¡°¡­What¡¯s a mana channel?¡± Fergus asked again. ¡°It¡¯s something like veins, but instead of blood, it carries mana. Everybody has a different name for it; I just call it a mana channel. Don¡¯t worry about it. It¡¯s not something you need to be concerned about until you become an ascended. ¡°Rather than that, I¡¯m curious,¡± Alistair finally turned his head toward Fergus. ¡°How did you do it?¡± ¡°How I did it? Well, which one?¡± Fergus was smiling, but this time, it was a sinister smile. ¡°Well, would you look at that.¡± Alistair said after seeing Fergus doesn¡¯t even try to hide it. ¡°Both of my personal guards. How did you get rid of them? There¡¯s no way you could do anything harmful to them; everyone here could gang up on them, and you¡¯d still lose. Not poison, either¡ªtoo much commotion to do it without attracting my attention. So what did you do to them?¡± At this point, all the soldiers inside the tent had drawn their weapons and were pointing them at the Count. More soldiers were arriving, some guarding the outside of the tent. ¡°Hahaha, of course not! There¡¯s nothing we can do against a pair of ascended like that. So I just sent them away. I sent one to my father while the other is running ¡®errands¡¯ for you in the nearby town. It¡¯s freaking easy! I¡¯ve been hanging out with you, so you¡¯ve been using me to convey messages and orders to them. I just used your stationery to write bogus orders, and off they went. ¡°What else do you want to know? The poison? How we get you to eat it without you knowing?¡± His smile widened. ¡°Nah, I think I know how you poisoned me. You gassed me. That¡¯s what I felt this morning. I recognize some poisons like this. Nothing from near here. I assume it¡¯s some kind of mana dissipation gas¡ªperfectly harmless to the unclassed but highly lethal to any awakened. And a potent one, too. It lays dormant inside my body until I use mana, and then it ignites when I use my mana. That¡¯s what the poison in the food was for. The moment I realized I was poisoned, I would try to use my mana to expel the poison from my body, but as soon as I did, I would ignite the mana dissipation gas inside me. That would¡¯ve been messy¡­¡± ¡°WOOOOW!¡± Fergus¡¯s eyes were wide open. ¡°You¡¯re really something else! You actually figure that out? I¡¯m seriously impressed. I¡¯m also impressed that you can maintain your expression like that, considering you just told us the poison inside your body is still wreaking havoc. It¡¯s poison from the Ember frog, you know. And I saw you using mana with Erik¡ªhow did you do that? Did you use mana residue inside your arm without actually pulling any mana from your mana heart? That¡¯s so fucking cool, man. ¡°So what¡¯s the summary here? You¡¯re full of poison, you can¡¯t use your mana, and your guards are nowhere near here. Wow, it¡¯s quite the predicament, isn¡¯t it?¡± Alistair could only sigh. ¡°It is quite the predicament.¡± He stared at all the soldiers wearing the emblem of House Roettger, who now had bloodlust for the lord of the house. ¡°I¡¯ve spent weeks looking for the second army, yet here they are all along, right under my nose. So what¡¯s your plan here?¡± ¡°To kill you, of course, you silly goose.¡± Fergus gestured to his men, and three of the closest soldiers charged at the Count, all wielding swords. Alistair grabbed a spoon from the table and threw it toward the farthest man. The spoon pierced through his neck and continued to travel outside the tent, embedding itself in a boulder. The closest swordsman lunged at Alistair¡¯s head. Alistair dodged the stab slightly and grabbed the blade with his right hand while his right foot kicked the swordsman in the solar plexus. The man flew back and bounced a few times on the ground before stopping, no longer breathing. The last swordsman slashed down at Alistair from above. Alistair stepped to the right to avoid the strike while spinning his body. As the swordsman¡¯s blade struck the ground, Alistair¡¯s right hand, still holding the blade, slashed open the man¡¯s neck. Silence fell over the tent. The only sounds were the blood gushing from the swordsman¡¯s neck and the gurgling of the first man with a hole in his throat. Alistair stared at the remaining soldiers, who instinctively took a step back. He flipped the sword in his hand and caught the hilt. ¡°I know you¡¯re planning to kill me. But what¡¯s your plan after you kill me?¡± Alistair asked, locking eyes with Fergus, who had stopped smiling some time ago. After a moment of silence, Fergus finally answered. ¡°Nothing fancy. I¡¯m going to report that we got ambushed by a detached unit¡ªthe one with a bunch of ascended. You fought bravely but ultimately fell in combat. And¡ª¡± ¡°And the Empire would pay you handsomely, right? Grand Master Fergus?¡± Alistair interjected. ¡°¡­How did you know that?¡± Fergus glared at the Count. ¡°Which part? The fact that you¡¯re already a grand master? Both your father and I have known you broke through to grand master months ago. We just didn¡¯t mention it because we thought you were preparing some kind of surprise announcement. Well, it turned out to be a surprise after all. ¡°The Empire? It¡¯s the poison, you dumbass. These kinds of poisons can only come from the Empire. Combine that with the fact that you¡¯ve been hiding your breakthrough, and the answer becomes clear. They¡¯ve been helping you level up and promised you even more for killing me, right?¡± ¡°You knew about that too?¡± ¡°You need to stop underestimating House Roettger, boy. Of course we know. Ugh, your father is going to be very disappointed. It turns out it wasn¡¯t talent.¡± Fergus¡¯s face turned red at the mention of his talent. ¡°Heh, so what? The only thing he gave me was this body. The rest comes from my mother¡¯s side¡ªmy wisdom and wit.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be so sure about that. You may be different from your father, but you¡¯re actually quite similar to your uncle,¡± Alistair replied. ¡°What the hell? I see the poison is already working; you¡¯ve lost your senses, old man. My father is an only child; I don¡¯t have any uncles.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Alistair suddenly shifted his body to the left. A spear stabbed through the tent wall at the spot where he had just been standing. He spun around and threw the sword out through the hole. A short scream echoed from outside the tent. Alistair then walked slowly and picked up the spear. Fergus¡¯s face changed when he saw Alistair holding the spear. ¡°Fucking idiots! I told them no spears!¡± "It doesn¡¯t matter¡ªspear, sword, even bare hands. Without using my mana, I can still kill every one of you," Alistair said, his gaze fixed on the soldiers in the tent. The confidence that had once filled them evaporated; now, they felt as though they were the ones trapped. Suddenly, a voice boomed from outside. ¡°What¡¯s stopping you, then!?¡± Following the voice, a violent wind surged and sucked up the tent, startling everyone inside. As the wind subsided, a group of twelve people appeared. Alistair stared at them: two masters, three grand masters, and seven ascended. The elite detachment unit had arrived. Chapter 5 The weather was surprisingly pleasant. The morning was warming up, and after last night''s rain, the air felt especially fresh. Alistair glanced up at the sky, completely clear and cloudless. He took a deep breath, the faint scent of boar stew still lingering in the air. Poisoned or not, he¡¯d only had two spoonfuls, and now he was hungry. "Why is he still alive?" The comment snapped Alistair back to the present. He turned his head and stared at the person who had spoken. It was an old man¡ªvery old. The top of his head was bald, with long, gray hair flowing down the sides. He held a wooden staff in his right hand that looked like it had been carved from a large branch. The man wore a red robe, embroidered with golden patterns of fire. "I thought you said you''d take care of him. So, what is this?" the old man continued, addressing Fergus. "There was... a complication. He took both poisons, but he noticed. So he hasn''t triggered the Manaburst Fog yet, but the Ember should take care of him soon enough," Fergus answered respectfully. "Pffft!" Alistair stifled a laugh, covering his mouth with his hand. "Manaburst Fog? Your sense of naming is as bad as it''s always been. You should let other people name your poisons, Veidr." Veidr stared at Alistair for a moment before turning back to Fergus. "Are you sure he took the Ember?" The question confused the young man. "Uh, yes, I was sitting beside him when he consumed it." Veidr kept his gaze on Fergus, the intensity making the young man uneasy, though he remained silent. After a moment, Veidr shifted his attention back to Alistair. "I can''t sense any Ember in his body." Fergus, wide-eyed, turned to Alistair in shock. "That''s... impossible," he stammered. "Not impossible, just highly paranoid," Veidr said with a smirk in Alistair''s direction. "You carry an antidote everywhere, don''t you? Either that, or someone cast Cure on you¡ªwhich I doubt. Is that how you''ve survived this long? By being paranoid?" "Funny, being called paranoid by someone who faked his death and changed his identity just to avoid me," Alistair replied with a smile. "So what? I don''t mind being called a coward, as long as I survive. And by the end of this day, you''ll be dead, and I''ll be alive. I''d call that a win." Veidr responded, his smile growing even wider. Alistair scoffed at the reply. The old man was harder to rattle, but then again, he had always been this shameless. Alistair shifted his gaze to Fergus. While they had been talking, the soldiers had started to move back. But suddenly, Alistair lunged at Fergus. Surprised by the sudden attack, Fergus shoved a nearby soldier into Alistair¡¯s path. Without hesitation, Alistair drove his spear through the man and into Fergus¡¯s chest. Fergus¡¯s eyes widened as he stared at the spear lodged in his chest. Alistair pulled the spear back, and both bodies collapsed to the ground. Fergus looked up weakly at Alistair. "You hated me that much?" he asked, forcing the words out. "No, I loved you. You were family. But we don¡¯t spare traitors in our house," Alistair replied, his face expressionless. Fergus glanced at him and let out a faint snigger. "Love? Now that''s a joke. You don¡¯t even look hurt by my betrayal¡ªjust annoyed," he said, smiling weakly. The comment stirred something in Alistair. "Are you sure you know what love is?" A red-haired woman asked, warmth in her eyes. The sudden flashback startled Alistair. It had come out of nowhere. He looked down at Fergus, but the young man had already stopped breathing. "That''s cold, but very effective. Are you sure you''re not an assassin?" Veidr asked with a smirk. Alistair turned toward him, adjusting his mindset. He needed to focus on the present situation if he wanted to survive. Alistair had history with the man. Veidr was one of the Empire of Blothall¡¯s hunting dogs. Blothall, the largest power on the continent, was often referred to by Alistair as the land of perpetual wars. The Empire always had a conflict to fight¡ªnever a day of peace. They would even declare war for the most petty reasons. Forty years ago, when Alistair had just solidified his status as the continent¡¯s strongest warrior, the Empire felt that Aenduil wasn¡¯t worthy of that title. So they sent three ascended to assassinate him, and Veidr was one of them. Veidr was crucial to the team because of his unique skill¡ªhe could mask mana flow, a highly dangerous ability for assassination. Yes, Veidr was an assassin, not a mage. The man loved disguising himself as a mage or healer, often just to fool his targets and gain an advantage. He would even go so far as to cross-dress if it suited his plans. In addition to his disguises, Veidr had a passion for poisons, concocting most of them himself. From what Alistair understood, he was quite good at it. But it was Veidr¡¯s mana masking skill that bothered Alistair the most. It was that ability that allowed him and his team to get dangerously close to Alistair while he was training on a mountain. He had been naked, soaking in a lake, when he finally sensed them¡ªalready at the shore. Though they failed to ambush him, he still had to fight them completely exposed. After taking down the other two ascended, the little vermin simply turned and fled. Alistair tried to chase him, but with Veidr¡¯s mana masking skill, he managed to escape. Not willing to let such a dangerous enemy roam free, Alistair mobilized every shadow under his command to track the man. He even chased him deep into Ortsgard¡¯s territory, willing to follow him into Blothall if necessary. One night, one of Alistair¡¯s shadow units found him. Alistair ran toward the sound of the fight, but when he arrived, he found the entire unit dead. Nearby was another body, charred, lying on top of a fire mage who had a knife stabbed into his heart. The body was unrecognizable, but Alistair recognized the knife¡ªit was the one Veidr used. That¡¯s how he believed he had eliminated a troublesome foe. Alistair stared at the man in the red robe. He couldn¡¯t imagine the level of preparation required to pull off such a feat. But it didn¡¯t matter anymore. Veidr was here, and he had to deal with him¡ªagain. "Were you there? At Cortinbury?" Alistair asked. "Of course I was. Ever since you arrived at Cortinbury, we were never far from you." Veidr gestured to his team. "We just had to wait for the perfect moment. Which is now. Any last words?" The six ascended began to move, encircling Alistair. The rest of the 6th Company soldiers slowly backed away from him. The three grandmasters¡ªmages, all of them¡ªmoved behind Veidr. The two masters also retreated; they didn¡¯t seem eager to join the fight. ¡°How did you do it? How did you manage to persuade those five kingdoms to work together?¡± Alistair asked the old man, his voice cold and indifferent. He didn¡¯t seem to care much about the ascended. ¡°You¡¯d love to know, wouldn¡¯t you? Do you have any idea how long we¡¯ve been preparing for this?¡± Veidr replied in a mocking tone. ¡°Five years.¡± ¡°¡­How do you know that?¡± ¡°I¡¯m actually a seer, and I¡¯ve already foreseen your death today.¡± ¡°Heh, are you sure you¡¯re not a jester?¡± Ignoring Veidr¡¯s response, Alistair continued with more questions. ¡°So, five years of preparation. Five kingdoms manipulated, tens of thousands of soldiers sacrificed¡­ all just for a chance to kill me?¡± ¡°Hahaha. You think so highly of yourself¡­ but yes, we did all of that to kill you. We¡¯ve been planning to expand our empire to the west. But Aenduil has always been a problem. Even though the other kingdoms would never pose a threat to us, you¡¯re different. Not only do you have a strong military and a high number of ascended, you also have you.¡± ¡°So the plan was to pit the kingdoms against each other and take out Aenduil¡¯s strongest warrior. Three birds with one stone. What are you going to do about it? Cry?¡± Veidr smirked. ¡°Well, where are the rest of the ascended from the five kingdoms? I don¡¯t see any of the old faces here. What¡¯s the matter? They didn¡¯t like what they saw in Cortinbury?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t need them! Bunch of cowards, the lot of them. This team is more than enough to handle one crippled ascended.¡± Veidr gestured toward the group of ascended. Young. This group of ascended is definitely one of the youngest Alistair has ever met. The Empire must have some secret method to help awakened level up quickly. Alistair glanced at the two masters briefly before turning his attention to the seven ascended. Two shield knights, one mage, a ranger with a bow, a swordsman, and a burly knight wielding a massive war hammer. Including the rat assassin in the back, it wasn¡¯t a perfectly balanced party, but it was ideal for overwhelming a single target. Alistair closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened them, his expression had hardened. His eyes were half-open, fixed on the ground. His body slouched, and he let the spear dangle from his right hand, barely gripping it, the spearhead resting against the earth. His posture was far from that of a warrior¡ªit even looked ridiculous. But the six ascended surrounding him didn¡¯t see it that way. Sweat began to bead on their foreheads. The mage even took a step back. "Don''t worry! The manaburst is still inside his body! He still can''t use his mana!" Veidr shouted from the back, snickering. "Heh, I guess that expensive antidote you carry can¡¯t remove my precious poison, huh?" he added. But Alistair didn¡¯t seem to hear him. He continued to stare at the ground, unmoving. Veidr¡¯s words made the six ascended exchange uneasy glances. Nervousness flickered in their eyes, but they couldn''t afford hesitation. The knight with the war hammer shifted his weight, sweat glistening on his brow, before stepping forward. Just as his foot hit the ground, Alistair lunged¡ªhis movements a blur. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. The melee fighters sprang into action, scrambling to intercept him. The mage¡¯s hands trembled as he began casting a spell, arcane energy swirling around his fingers. The ranger leaped into the air, bow drawn, eyes locked on Alistair¡¯s every move. In an instant, Alistair shifted his focus to the war hammer knight. The knight swung his hammer low, aiming for Alistair¡¯s thighs. Instead of dodging by jumping or sidestepping, Alistair dipped lower, continuing his charge. The hammer whooshed past, barely missing his head. The knight¡¯s eyes widened in shock, but Alistair didn¡¯t slow¡ªhe rushed right past him. Alistair darted around the knight, his gaze locking onto the ranger, who had leaped into the air with her bow drawn. She hovered for a split second, ready to release¡ªbut she had no idea what was coming. Using the knight¡¯s broad frame to mask his movement, Alistair snapped his arm forward and hurled his spear in one fluid motion. The weapon sliced through the air, too fast for anyone to react. The ranger didn¡¯t even register the attack before it struck. The spear pierced through her skull with a sickening thud, the force sending her lifeless body hurtling backward. She slammed into a nearby tree, the spear pinning her there like a gruesome trophy. For a brief moment, the battlefield froze. Before anyone could recover from the shock, Alistair shifted his focus. He spun and drove his foot into the side of the war hammer knight with brutal precision. The sheer force of the kick lifted the knight off his feet, his armor clanging as he crashed into one of the shield knights, toppling them both. The swordsman reached Alistair¡¯s side and thrust his blade toward his neck. Alistair leaped back and crouched just as a lightning spell crackled over his head and struck a nearby tent. Boom! The tent exploded in a burst of flames and debris. Alistair rose slowly, eyes still half-open, body slouched. The brief lull in the fight gave the ascended team a moment to regroup. One of the shield knights stole a glance at the ranger¡¯s body pinned to the tree. "What kind of spearman throws his weapon the first chance he gets?" he muttered under his breath. "The best spearman in the land, apparently," the war hammer knight, Angus, responded while nursing his side. "Jaden, Duncan, I need you two to restrict his movement," Angus ordered the shield knights. "Marcus and I will engage him." He dropped his large hammer to the ground and instead drew the two smaller one-handed war hammers hanging from his belt. "He''s a lot faster than I expected. You think you can handle that?" he asked Marcus, the swordsman. "Do I really have to? Fine, I¡¯ll find a way." Marcus grumbled. "The bastard''s bigger than you, yet he¡¯s faster than me. How the hell does that make sense?" He turned to the mage. "Linda, next time, use a faster spell." Linda shot him a dirty look. "Lightning travels faster than sound, you moron." She sighed. "He dodged it right before I cast it. That''s not human." "Then we¡¯ll treat him like an animal," Angus said. "He¡¯s strong and fast, but he can¡¯t use mana, and right now he doesn¡¯t even have a weapon. Let¡¯s treat it like we¡¯re hunting a beast." "Yeah, right," Marcus muttered, cautiously moving toward Alistair. "Where the hell have you ever hunted a beast with instincts like that?" "Then pretend we¡¯re hunting a dragon," Angus replied. He glanced at Linda. "Stick to Lightning." Linda nodded as both shield knights moved to encircle Alistair once more. Marcus initiated the second engagement, sticking to compact, fast, and adaptable movements. Alistair kept evading the slashes, but this time he struggled to close the distance on the swordsman. Angus maintained pressure, timing his own strikes between Marcus¡¯s attacks. As the two shield knights advanced, Alistair suddenly lunged at Jaden. Jaden raised his shield, but before he could activate a skill, Alistair delivered a powerful punch to the shield, sending Jaden stumbling back a few steps. Seizing the moment, Marcus pulled a hidden knife from his belt and hurled it at Alistair. With a swift spin, Alistair backfisted the knife, sending it flying toward Angus. Angus barely managed to deflect it with his hammer. "Shield Bash!" Duncan shouted as he charged at Alistair from behind, activating his skill without hesitation. Alistair raised his right arm, taking the brunt of the attack. The impact sent Alistair flying back several meters, but he managed to land on his feet. However, the skill had injured his right arm¡ªblood began to trickle down from the wound. The sight of Alistair bleeding reinvigorated the ascended group. Suddenly, Alistair jerked his head back, narrowly dodging a lightning spell that whizzed past him and obliterated a tree. "How the hell did you do that?!" Linda screamed in frustration, her voice tinged with exasperation. But Alistair, unfazed, smiled in response. Angus suddenly realized where they were¡ªslowly edging toward a group of spectating soldiers. "Watch out!" Angus shouted, but it was too late. Alistair had already leapt toward the soldiers. Angus now understood that Alistair had been waiting for Linda¡¯s spell. Mage spells were powerful, but they couldn¡¯t be fired rapidly. The only reason Alistair hadn¡¯t charged the soldiers earlier was because of Linda¡¯s presence. The soldiers at the edge of Alistair¡¯s jump were too slow to react. He landed right in their midst, and chaos erupted. "Argh!" The soldiers¡¯ screams filled the air, mixed with the sound of bones breaking and blood splattering. Angus and the rest of the melee ascended rushed toward the soldiers. Suddenly, Angus sensed something. "LINDA!" "Mana Barrier!" Linda cast her spell just in time to block a sword Alistair had thrown at her. The sword shattered on impact, but the barrier broke too. Linda was flung backward, slamming into a tree. She dropped to her knees, blood dripping from her mouth. She had only been able to cast a quick protection spell due to the urgency, but it was still a defensive spell¡ªbroken by a single thrown sword? What if he¡¯d thrown something heavier, like a spear? She shuddered at the thought. Alistair, meanwhile, took advantage of the chaos and dashed away from the ascended. He weaved through the soldiers, circling toward the front of the base with the ascended warriors chasing close behind. As he ran, Alistair kept grabbing objects and hurling them at his pursuers. One knife struck Duncan in the thigh, the force dragging his leg back and pulling him to the ground. Veidr, who had been watching the fight from a distance, couldn''t believe what he was witnessing. Six ascended, and they had failed to kill a single target who couldn¡¯t even use skills. One of them was already dead, and now two more had been incapacitated. Then, suddenly, he realized something: the Count was moving toward him. Alistair leaped from the crowd of soldiers toward Veidr, spear in hand. Veidr snorted and activated his skill. His body shimmered and then vanished completely. The three grandmaster mages were caught off guard, scrambling to cast their spells, but it was too late. Alistair landed where Veidr had been standing, thrusting his spear three times in rapid succession. He continued running before the three bodies even hit the ground. Angus was furious. He couldn¡¯t believe that this man¡ªwho couldn¡¯t even use skills¡ªwas toying with them like this. And now, it looked like Alistair was about to escape. If he made it out of the camp and into the forest, tracking him would be nearly impossible without a ranger or mage. But then, Angus noticed something odd. The Count wasn¡¯t running toward the forest¡ªhe was heading straight for the two masters who had accompanied him. The swordsman master noticed it too and hurriedly drew his blade. Sweat drenched his back as he watched the unnatural fight unfold, and now his stomach dropped as he saw the Count charging toward him. Alistair stopped right in front of the swordsman and said, "Olli, right? I¡¯ve been searching for you." He pulled his spear back, ready to thrust. Olli''s eyes widened in shock. How did he know who he was? His hand, gripping the holy sword, trembled. He didn¡¯t know what to do. They had told him this sword could kill the Count. But what did that matter now? The sword was powerful¡ªhe knew that¡ªbut it wasn¡¯t going to magically make him an ascended. And the man in front of him had literally dodged lightning! He regretted believing her. She had promised to turn him into a Hero. Olli screamed at the top of his lungs and thrust the sword toward Alistair with his eyes closed. Squelch. Olli slowly opened his eyes. "Huh?" He was confused. The sword had pierced the Count¡¯s chest, and Alistair¡¯s spear had fallen to the ground. It worked! He didn¡¯t know how, but the sword really was magic. "I did it! I killed Alistair Roet¡ª" Thud. Alistair¡¯s fist crashed into Olli¡¯s chin, knocking him unconscious before he could finish his sentence. ____________________________________ Alistair stared at the sword lodged in his chest. He dropped to his knees. He cough some bloods. The blade pierced through his heart had also nicked his lung. He then glanced at the body beside Olli¡ªit was a master mage. Just before Alistair could drive his spear through Olli¡¯s head, the mage had raised a hand toward him. And Alistair froze. He couldn¡¯t move a muscle, not even his eyes. He couldn¡¯t breathe. He couldn¡¯t even channel his mana. It wasn¡¯t a spell¡ªAlistair hadn¡¯t felt any mana flow before it hit him. Then Olli stabbed him in the chest, and the master mage simply dropped dead. Just like that. It wasn¡¯t a mana rebound or a side effect. Alistair hadn¡¯t sensed any mana¡ªit was as if the man just stopped living. The moment the mage died, Alistair regained control of his body. Now what? His heart had been pierced by the sword. Could he heal it? No, not with all these enemies surrounding him. "Hahaha! Look at that! It¡¯s Olli who got the job done," Marcus was the first to arrive, smirking as he walked toward Alistair. "Well, not really done. It¡¯s okay, Olli, I¡¯ll finish it for you." Killing the Count of Eulstan¡ªthat was too high an honor to pass up. Alistair saw Marcus approaching and realized, in that moment, that he was going to die. Regret bloomed in his chest like a heavy weight. Ewan¡ªthe boy who had followed him since childhood¡ªwas now dead, buried in some unmarked grave that would likely never be found. Fergus¡¯s last words echoed in his mind. Was the boy right? Had he been family, or just another tool for Alistair to strengthen the house? Maybe, if he¡¯d been more sincere, Fergus would have thought twice before betraying them. Alistair looked up again. Marcus was closing in, Angus not far behind, and the rest of the soldiers stood watching, Veidr no doubt lurking somewhere in the shadows. He had no allies here. Death was inevitable, but at least he could choose how to face it. Alistair looked at Marcus and said. "Hey, wanna see something cool?" Without giving Marcus a chance to respond, Alistair grabbed the hilt of the holy sword with his right hand. "CONFLAGRATIO SANCTA." Alistair cast his skill, pouring more than half of his mana into it. The rest of his mana ignited immediately from the manaburst, but it didn¡¯t matter. The sword flashed briefly, then pulsed as a wave of mana surged outward, sweeping across the camp and beyond. The mana wave slammed into Marcus, stopping him in his tracks. He looked around, confused, checking his body for damage. Then he turned his gaze back toward the count. Alistair was there, panting, his face growing paler by the second, but a wide grin still spread across his lips. Slowly, he raised his left hand and flipped Marcus off. And then it happened. Everything moved in slow motion for Alistair. Starting from the sword, the mana morphed into blue flames that expanded, following the path of the mana wave. Alistair watched as Marcus¡¯s expression shifted from confusion to terror as the fire engulf him. He caught sight of Veidr slipping from the shadows, already trying to flee. Angus, still standing, slowly turned his head toward the mage, still kneeling by a tree. Alistair closed his eyes. He could feel his skin boiling as the sword pulsed once more, sending a force that slowly widened the wound in his chest. His body began to lift off the ground. And then, suddenly¡ª Alistair''s eyes snapped open, his chest heaving as he gasped for breath. The cold air hit his lungs like ice, sharp and biting. He sat up abruptly, heart racing, his mind still caught between the heat of the explosion and the chill of wherever he had landed. He was inside a cave¡ªdamp, frigid, the air thick with moisture. The distant sound of dripping water echoed faintly, and the smell of wet stone and earth filled his nose. He could see everything around him as clearly as if it were daylight, but the light had no source, no flame or sun. The walls were jagged, covered in patches of slick moss that gleamed in the eerie brightness, and the floor beneath him was uneven, rough against his skin. His hands instinctively moved to his chest. He looked down, expecting to see the gaping wound, the sword buried in his flesh. But there was nothing¡ªno blood, no torn skin, no trace of the holy sword. His fingers trembled as they brushed over his chest, searching for any sign of damage. The skin was smooth, unscarred, as if the battle had never happened. Confusion flooded his mind. How was this possible? Just seconds ago, he had felt the flames burning through him, the explosion ripping his body apart. He stared down at his arms, his body, struggling to comprehend what had happened. "What did you do?" a voice suddenly echoed in his ears, low and resonant, sending a chill down his spine. Startled, Alistair spun toward the source of the voice, his heart still racing from the disorienting shock of waking in this strange place. His eyes scanned the cave until they settled on a figure seated atop a throne carved from rough stone, the edges jagged and unrefined. The figure was clad in gleaming white armor, each plate pristine and untouched by time or battle. The armor seemed to glow faintly, reflecting the strange light that filled the cave. Alistair tried to focus on the man¡¯s face, but no matter how hard he stared, it remained elusive. It wasn¡¯t hidden behind a helmet or veil¡ªhis face was simply... beyond perception, as if it existed just outside of reality, slipping away whenever Alistair tried to make sense of it. What disturbed Alistair more than the obscured face was the complete and utter absence of presence. The man, despite his armor and his throne, gave off no aura¡ªno mana, no warmth, no life. It was as though he were part of the throne he sat upon. "Who... what are you?" Alistair asked, his voice wary. "Me? I¡¯m a god. And by the way, you¡¯re dead." Chapter 6 - Red-Headed Intervention Alistair¡¯s mind went blank for a moment after hearing the man¡¯s answer. A god? He¡¯s dead? It sounded like nonsense. Yet, just a minute ago, he had been dying, and now here he was¡ªwithout a mark on his body. Could it be because he had actually died? Was this supposed to be the afterlife? Alistair stared at the man. He wasn¡¯t a religious person¡ªhe didn¡¯t participate in any religious practices. That didn¡¯t mean he didn¡¯t believe in a god. In fact, he did, or more precisely, a goddess. ¡°What did you do back then?¡± the "god" asked Alistair again. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Alistair had plenty of questions for this being, but for now, he would try to answer the man. ¡°That last skill you cast¡ªwhat was it?¡± The question startled Alistair. If he had found the "god" suspicious before, this question made him seem even more so. ¡°What kind of god are you?¡± Alistair asked. ¡°If you¡¯re really a god, you should know what skill that was.¡± No sooner had Alistair spoken than the "god" suddenly raised his right hand toward him. Alistair felt his whole body constrict. Slowly, he was lifted off the ground. As the "god" began to close his hand, the pressure on Alistair increased. He was already struggling to breathe. ¡°Let me ask you something,¡± the man said, his voice now laced with anger. ¡°What do you think will happen when my hand fully closes?¡± ¡°What would happen?¡± A new voice echoed through the cave¡ªgentle and warm, in stark contrast to the tension that filled the air moments before. The man released his grip, and Alistair collapsed to the ground, panting, while staring daggers at the man. But then, he sensed another presence. He turned his head and saw a woman standing nearby. Alistair gasped, his eyes widening. The woman was strikingly beautiful and tall¡ªonly a head shorter than him. Her long, bright red hair was tied back, a vivid contrast to her pale, almost porcelain skin. She wore simple leather light armor, though she carried no visible weapons. A plain circlet rested on her brow, adorned with a small red gem at its center. It took Alistair a moment to realize that he had mistaken the woman for someone else. He sighed, closing his eyes. ¡°So, what would¡¯ve happened?¡± the woman¡¯s melodious voice asked the man again. ¡°Ma¡¯am, we were just messing around,¡± the man replied. Alistair opened his eyes and glanced at him. The man was no longer sitting; he now stood beside the woman, his hands clasped behind his back, head slightly bowed. Alistair realized the man was subservient to her. ¡°He¡¯s my chosen champion, you know. I thought I¡¯d already told you how important he is?¡± The woman spoke to the man without looking at him, her gaze fixed on Alistair. When their eyes met, she smiled at him. Alistair pushed himself up, now observing the exchange more closely. He still couldn¡¯t see the man¡¯s face clearly, but he sensed the man was very nervous. The woman turned her gaze to the man, startling him. ¡°You know the situation, right? I would be sad if we lost a valuable fighting force,¡± she said warmly. The man glanced at Alistair. ¡°I don¡¯t know about that, ma¡¯am. Do you really think this man has the potential to be a good fighting force?¡± The woman chuckled, covering her mouth with her hand. ¡°I was talking about you, silly,¡± she said, placing her hand on the man¡¯s shoulder. Though her voice remained warm, her stare turned cold. Alistair could tell the man was even more nervous now. ¡°I... I apologize, ma¡¯am. You¡¯re right. It won¡¯t happen again.¡± The man lowered his head in submission. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s okay.¡± The woman smiled at the man and removed her hand from his shoulder. ¡°Can you make the preparations? I need to speak with him now.¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am. I¡¯ve already col¡ª¡± Before the man could finish, the woman waved her hand, and he vanished. Now, only the two of them remained in the cave. The woman looked around with mild distaste and sighed. Then, with a graceful wave of her hand, the cave changed. "Much better," she said. The cold, stale air of the cave vanished, replaced by a soft breeze carrying the scent of wildflowers. Alistair blinked, momentarily disoriented, as sunlight bathed his skin, and his feet now stood on warm, sunlit grass. They now stood on soft, green grass beneath the shade of a massive tree. In the distance, a vast, calm lake stretched out, its surface shimmering in the sunlight. A small circular table with two chairs sat beside the tree as if it had always been there, blending seamlessly with the peaceful surroundings. Alistair waved his hand through the air, feeling the warmth of the breeze on his skin, a stark contrast to the cold, damp air he had felt just moments before. It was as if the oppressive cave had never existed. The woman gestured toward one of the chairs as she gracefully seated herself. ¡°Please, would you sit with me?¡± she asked, her voice warm and inviting. Somehow, her tone now sounded far more sincere than when she had spoken to the man before. ¡°I understand that all of this must be very confusing for you,¡± the woman said, her voice soft and reassuring. ¡°But rest assured, I will explain everything in due time. Feel free to ask any questions you may have.¡± After considering it for a moment, Alistair realized he didn¡¯t really have any other options. So, he walked to the table and sat down. ¡°Am I dead? Where am I?¡± he asked. ¡°It¡¯s a bit complicated. The answer is no, you¡¯re not dead¡ªbut you will be soon. Right now, the spell you cast is in the process of disintegrating your body. The ¡®you¡¯ sitting here now isn¡¯t your physical body; this is the manifestation of your soul. The man from before removed your soul before your body died and placed it in this pocket dimension.¡± ¡°What do you mean by ¡®in the process¡¯?¡± Alistair asked. ¡°The time in this world runs at a different pace from your world. While we¡¯re talking here, time in your world is crawling by, almost as if it¡¯s stopped.¡± The explanation left Alistair more confused than ever. After a moment, he continued with more questions. ¡°Who are you?¡± The woman smiled again. ¡°Who do you think I am?¡± she asked playfully. He thought about it before answering. ¡°You¡¯re the goddess.¡± ¡°Goddess of your world? No, I¡¯m afraid not,¡± the woman replied, knocking on the table twice. Alistair found the action strange, but it wasn¡¯t the strangest thing happening right now. The woman continued, her tone patient and steady. ¡°My name is Meera, and I¡¯m not of your world.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re a goddess from another world? Like that man from before?¡± Alistair asked. ¡°No, I¡¯m not a goddess. And that man¡ªKotan¡ªhe isn¡¯t a god either,¡± she replied. ¡°He claimed he was a god. Was he lying?¡± ¡°Not exactly. He¡¯s an admin, and some admins do consider themselves gods.¡± ¡°What¡¯s an admin?¡± ¡°Short for administrator. In this context, an admin is like a ¡®god,¡¯ but only in the sense of managing the world.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re saying the goddess of my world is an admin?¡± ¡°Yes, precisely.¡± ¡°Okay, so why are you here, talking to me? What do you want from me?¡± Alistair asked. The woman¡¯s expression softened, and for a moment, she seemed to hesitate. The light breeze that had been gently swaying the grass around them stilled, as though the air itself was holding its breath. Without a word, she slowly reached across the table and took Alistair¡¯s hands in hers. She squeezed them softly; her skin was noticeably warmer than Alistair had expected. ¡°Before we talk about that, there¡¯s something I need to tell you.¡± She looked directly into Alistair¡¯s eyes; her gaze unwavering. ¡°I. Cannot. Lie,¡± she said, each word deliberate, carefully articulated. Then she gently rubbed his hand one more time before letting go and leaning back slightly. ¡°You can¡¯t lie to me?¡± Alistair asked, trying to process what she had just said. He glanced down at his own hands. ¡°I can¡¯t lie. Ever.¡± ¡°So admins can¡¯t lie?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true. You¡¯ve seen Kotan lie to me before.¡± ¡°So, it¡¯s just you who can¡¯t lie?¡± The woman nodded. ¡°Yes, and I need you to understand that so we can start off on the right foot.¡± Her voice remained soft. ¡°Well, how do I know you really can¡¯t lie?¡± Alistair asked. ¡°Because I told you, and you¡¯re listening to me. And now, in your heart, you¡¯ve already realized that I was telling the truth.¡± Alistair paused for a moment. Meera was right. When she claimed she couldn¡¯t lie, he could feel, deep down, that she had been truthful. ¡°The hand holding?¡± he asked. ¡°Yes, I simply connected our souls for that brief moment when I made the statement. Cool, right?¡± Meera smiled brightly. ¡°So, you¡¯re telling me I can trust you blindly?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m telling you that I can only speak the truth. But that doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t deceive.¡± ¡°I see. So, if I pay attention to what you say, it should be safe to trust you.¡± Meera responded with a big smile. ¡°Precisely.¡± ¡°I see. You told that¡­ Kotan guy before, that I was your champion. What does that mean?¡± Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡°It means that I want you to replace the admin of this world. And that happened by combat, hence ¡®champion¡¯. I want you to defeat the so-called ¡®goddess¡¯ of this world.¡± Alistair fell into deep thought. ¡°Do you... know much about me?¡± ¡°I have some information about you. Yes, I know you¡¯ve had a past relationship with the ¡®goddess.¡¯ I know that you are the oldest man to ever live in this world. And I know that your class isn¡¯t Spearman or any variation of it.¡± Meera paused, watching Alistair closely. ¡°I know that your class is Hero.¡± ____________________________________ Alistair stared at the woman. After dropping that revelation, she had gone silent. She simply looked at him, calm and patient, waiting for his response. Alistair turned to gaze at the distant lake, lost in thought. That was... unexpected. Many in his household knew his secret about his age, but he was certain no one alive knew about his class. It had been centuries since he¡¯d last spoken of it. He shifted his gaze back to Meera. Now, he found himself wondering if this woman was truly a goddess. ¡°I guess you know everything, then,¡± Alistair said, his tone carefully controlled. ¡°No. I only have general, surface-level information about you. I don¡¯t know the details, and there are gaps in what I do know. For instance, I don¡¯t know where you were born. I don¡¯t know what happened to you after the ¡®incident¡¯ with the goddess. And I certainly don¡¯t know how much influence you actually wield in that kingdom.¡± Alistair tilted his head, puzzled. ¡°How does that work? You know something as deep as my class and past, but not more common details?¡± "The order is reversed. I didn¡¯t seek out a hero and then find you. I found you, the strongest man in the world, and chose you as my champion. It was only after that that I saw your class and worked my way back from there." "You saw my class?" "Yes, I can peek at your status window." She can see his status window. How is that not divine? Alistair heaved a sigh. It had been a long time, actually, since he last opened his own status window.
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Name: Age: Class: Level: Bernard (Bernard) 957 years Hero ??
HP: MP: 001 / 100 008 / 100
Status: Poisoned Wounded (dying) Mana exhaustion Movement restriction (area) Fire vulnerability (area)
"Hmm? Are you opening your status window right now? Mind if I take a look?¡± Meera asked, standing and leaning toward him, her eyes bright with curiosity. "I thought you could see my status window." "I can peek at some of it. I can see things like your class and level, but that¡¯s it." Alistair considered this for a moment. "Alright, how do I show you my status window?" Meera extended her right hand toward him. Alistair looked at it for a few seconds, hesitant. She opened and closed her hand a few times, smiling. "No need to be shy." He finally took her hand. "Oh? Now that''s interesting. Mmhmm..." She began muttering to herself. Alistair glanced at their hands, now intertwined. "So, you can see my status window when our souls are connected like this?" "Hmm? Oh, no. I just need to connect to your soul while you open your status window to give myself access. After that, we don¡¯t need to stay connected." Alistair furrowed his brows, releasing her hand and pulling his own back. Meera smiled at him playfully. "How exactly did you find out anything about me?" Alistair asked, attempting to change the subject. "Conventional investigations," Meera replied. "Kotan isn¡¯t the only admin of ours in this world right now. After I discovered your class, I asked a few of them¡ªthe ones I trust¡ªto look into things." "That¡¯s... surprisingly normal. I thought you''d use some kind of divine technique." "I told you, we¡¯re not gods. Admins are just very strong individuals." "I see. Do you know why my level shows up like that?" Alistair asked. "I think I do. Did your level go from 99 to... that?" Meera replied. "Yes." "Then it¡¯s simple. The system used in this world is pretty basic. I''d say it¡¯s around lower-mid quality¡ªthe minimum required for a world of this size." "System?" "It¡¯s a set of tools that admins use to manage their worlds. One part of it is the status window. Anyway, this particular system only allows for two digits in the level display, meaning it can only show up to 99. When you leveled up past that, the status window just couldn¡¯t handle displaying the new number." "Was that an oversight?" "No, they simply didn¡¯t expect anyone to reach that level. "By the way, I love your real name. You don¡¯t have a family name?" "...No, I was born a commoner. I was given a family name after I awakened." "I see. I bet you hear this a lot, but you''re quite the handsome man," Meera said suddenly, winking. Alistair blinked, startled by the compliment. Then he realized something and raised a hand to his face. It wasn¡¯t wrinkled anymore. The face he touched now was that of a man in his prime, slightly younger than Albert. He even looked a lot like Albert. His hair, now all black, fell into place. He stared at Meera, confused. "This isn¡¯t your real body, remember? When you manifest your soul here, it takes the form of your last state. After some time, it will revert to your actual body¡ªor at least what your soul considers your true form. That¡¯s one of the reasons I sent Kotan away. I didn¡¯t want him to realize who you are." Meera smiled. "I see you dyed your hair white. What about the wrinkles? Some kind of magic?" "No, it¡¯s a concoction one of my men came up with. It dries the skin and ages it significantly." "That sounds permanent. How do you remove it or reverse it?" "A mid-level healing spell is enough to undo it." "I see," Meera said, leaning slightly toward him. "I think it¡¯s a crime to hide that handsome face." "Why don¡¯t you want Kotan to know?" Alistair asked, determined to change the subject. "Because he has his own champion. Naturally, he wants his champion to become the next admin of this world." Hearing this, Alistair fell into deep thought again. Suddenly, his eyes widened, and he stood abruptly from his chair, staring at Meera. "How did I die? I mean, the circumstances that led to my death. Do you know anything about it?" Alistair''s voice turned cold. For the first time, Meera¡¯s face lost its brightness. She slowly looked away, sheepish. "We¡¯ve come to this, finally. It was Kotan... he was the one who orchestrated your demise." ____________________________________ Alistair could feel his rage bubbling up. He tried his best to control it, but it still seeped into his voice. "Did you... order it?" "Absolutely not," Meera answered immediately, her voice firm. "Let me explain, but please calm down." She pleaded gently. After a moment, Alistair sat down again, and Meera exhaled in relief. "I told you before that Kotan would want his own champion to become the next admin of this world. Now, let me explain why that matters. "A group of admins, or gods, is called a pantheon. A pantheon¡¯s strength is usually determined by the number of worlds under its control. When someone first becomes an admin and joins a pantheon, they start as a level 1 admin. At that level, they¡¯re barely any stronger than an independent admin¡ªperhaps even weaker. "But if an admin can bring another world into the pantheon through a representative or champion, they earn points. The points depend on the size of the world. Gather enough points, and they level up¡ªsimilar to your leveling system. And just like your system, a higher level means more strength. In this case, though, a higher level grants access to more mana, which makes it easier to grow stronger." "Mana? So everything is about mana? Are you talking about the mana of this world?" Alistair asked. "Yes, everything revolves around mana. And yes, we''re talking about the mana of a world," Meera responded. "Even in your system, when you level up, the system is essentially pumping mana into your mana heart to make you stronger. "The mana comes from the world itself. That¡¯s the role of admins. An admin is an entity that the world has acknowledged. They have limited control over the world¡¯s mana¡ªhow much is released, how much you gain from killing beasts, how much from killing other mana users, or whether you get mana from killing other mana users at all." "Mana users?" Alistair asked. "I believe you call them ''awakened'' here." Alistair thought for a moment. "You said admins control the world¡¯s mana distribution. Is that why a level 1 admin is weaker than an independent admin?" "Precisely. Have I told you how much I love smart men?" Meera winked at Alistair before continuing. "When an admin joins a pantheon, they give the pantheon access to their world¡¯s mana distribution. The pantheon then redirects some of the mana produced¡ªlike a tax¡ªinto its mana reserve. The pantheon also typically redistributes the world¡¯s mana to nurture and strengthen the world, helping to increase its mana production over time. "The original admin still receives some of their world¡¯s mana, though usually in smaller amounts. But in return, they have the chance to grow even stronger by leveling up their admin rank. Starting at level 2, they also gain access to the pantheon¡¯s mana reserves. The higher the level, the more mana they can draw from. "Not only that, but by joining a pantheon, they gain protection. Replacing an admin from another pantheon is nearly impossible." "I see. I think I have a rough understanding of how it works. Now, tell me about Kotan. How did he orchestrate my demise? If I¡¯m supposed to be your champion, wasn¡¯t he afraid of the consequences of going against you, presumably his superior?" Heaving a sigh, Meera began speaking again. "We don¡¯t have a rule that allows an admin to claim a world by sending their champion uncontested. Most pantheons let their admins compete against each other for a world, as this increases the chances that the pantheon will ultimately claim it. "Until I arrived, Kotan was the highest-level admin in this world. That meant his champion had the best chance of claiming it. From what I¡¯ve gathered, he had invested a lot of effort into his champion this time. So, my arrival was a major setback for him. "Our pantheon allows competition, but not blatant sabotage. He couldn¡¯t kill you outright, even if he wanted to. So, he did the next best thing¡ªhe killed your body but saved your soul. "If he had killed you completely, I would¡¯ve had grounds to investigate the death of my champion. ''Investigation'' would¡¯ve only been in name¡ªI would have likely just snatched his soul and read his memories." "I think I get it now. I understand that by saving my soul, it looks like he did you a favor. But why would killing my body hamper you in any¡ªwait." Alistair suddenly realized something. "Do you not have a way to bring me back to life? My soul is still intact, right?" "You noticed that. Unfortunately, there is no way to bring you back to life as you were. The moment your body dies, your soul will be preserved in this pocket dimension. However, your connection to the system would be severed, and you''d be considered dead by the system. "If we were to remake your body and put your soul back in, you¡¯d still be disconnected from the system. And only those who are connected to the system are allowed to challenge the ruling admin." "Fuck. Why didn¡¯t you stop him?" "Because I wasn¡¯t here. The moment you saw me in the cave was the moment I arrived in this world. I¡¯m sorry. Even though he avoided killing you outright, if I can prove he directly intervened in trying to kill your body, I can still punish him. But he planned it meticulously. "I claimed you as my champion about a year ago. I believe that¡¯s when he began his plan. He likely took advantage of the five kingdoms¡¯ invasion to create an opportunity to target you. I assume he started placing his men in strategic positions, ensuring they¡¯d have access to you when it mattered." "The Master Mage, the one who was with Olli. That was him?" Alistair asked. "Probably one of the awakened under his command. But yes, when the mage stopped you in your tracks, it was likely him, possessing the mage." "How did he stop me like that? What kind of skill was that? I didn¡¯t sense any mana." "It wasn¡¯t a skill that used mana. It was a powerful soul magic. And, as the name suggests, it costs the soul of the caster¡ªin this case, that mage." "He can use other people¡¯s souls as fuel for magic?" "If they¡¯ve made a contract, yes. He probably promised that mage the world to get him to sign a contract." Alistair leaned back in his chair, staring up at the blue sky. Without moving his gaze, he asked, "Can I kill him?" "Absolutely, yes." The straight answer startled Alistair. He looked back at Meera, not expecting such a response. "Why not? You think I wouldn¡¯t be upset? I¡¯m VERY upset. He dared to touch my champion?!" For an instant, the warmth and brightness in Meera¡¯s demeanor vanished. She cleared her throat and continued. "Do you know how long it would take me to claim this world with your help? No time at all. You¡¯re already strong enough to fight for control of this world¡ªno preparation needed. And that little prick thinks he can just get away with this? Oh yes, please, kill him." She pouted at the end of her sentence. Alistair stared at the woman for a while. "So, because of the rules, you can¡¯t touch him?" "Yes. Unless I know for sure, I can¡¯t just kill him like that." "But he seemed scared of you back then." "Because he¡¯s a coward, and because he didn¡¯t know that I can¡¯t actually do anything to him." "He didn¡¯t know you can¡¯t hurt him?" "It¡¯s a long story. I¡¯ll tell you another time." "Does it have to do with how you can¡¯t lie?" "Yes, and stop asking about it." "Okay. So you¡¯re saying it¡¯s fine for me to kill him?" "Yes, as long as you kill him before you join my pantheon, it should be fine." "Am I strong enough to kill him?" "Absolutely. You don¡¯t know this, but you¡¯re a freak¡ªin a good way. It shouldn¡¯t normally be possible for someone to become as strong as you without actually becoming an admin. You were already strong enough to kill Kotan." "I understand." Alistair smiled, satisfied by the confirmation that he could exact revenge. "Now what?" Meera smiled at his response, then slowly rose from her chair. She locked eyes with Alistair and asked him, her voice soft but firm. "Bernard, will you be my sword, cutting down all who stand against me? ¡°Will you be my voice, conveying my will to the world? "And will you be my champion, conquering this world in my name?" She extended her hand toward Alistair once more. Alistair stood and clasped her hand in a firm handshake. "I¡¯m willing." Meera¡¯s face lit up, her smile wide and full of excitement. "Great! Now, let¡¯s rebirth you into the world." "Wait, what?" Chapter 7 The sun dipped low, casting a warm glow over the lake''s still surface. Alistair and Meera walked side by side along the shore, their footsteps quiet against the soft, damp earth. A gentle breeze stirred the water, carrying the faint scent of wildflowers. ¡°What do you mean by ¡®rebirth¡¯?¡± Alistair asked, a bit more at ease around her now. Meera glanced at him with a soft smile. ¡°Remember what I said about the system? Only someone connected to it can challenge the ruling admin. That¡¯s why we need to rebirth you¡ªto reconnect you to the system.¡± Alistair looked away, contemplating. ¡°Because my body¡¯s dying¡­ but I¡¯m technically still alive, right? Can¡¯t you just save me now?¡± Meera stopped, turning fully to face him. ¡°It¡¯s complicated. With my power, I could save your body. But it would mean being here physically.¡± Seeing the confusion in Alistair¡¯s eyes, Meera offered a gentle smile and continued. ¡°This is a puppet,¡± she said, gesturing to her body. ¡°It¡¯s connected to my true body, which is¡­ far from here. Through this puppet, I can use some of my power, but not enough to save you. That kind of interference¡ªthe backlash alone would destroy this puppet.¡± ¡°Interference?¡± Alistair echoed, his brow furrowing. Meera nodded patiently. ¡°Yes. Outside interference is¡­ frowned upon. When someone from outside a world enters it, they must tread carefully. The moment they try to use this world¡¯s mana, the world itself resists.¡± ¡°The world can tell if someone comes from outside?¡± Alistair asked, eyebrows raised. Meera nodded. ¡°Yes. The world recognizes every soul that was born from it. Souls from outside can¡¯t tap into the world¡¯s mana. For admins, this isn¡¯t an issue, because they¡¯re always connected to their own world¡¯s mana.¡± She glanced out over the lake, thoughtful. ¡°Using my own mana isn¡¯t a problem¡ªI could teleport anywhere in this world without any backlash. However, the issue arises when I try to interact with a soul native to this world. Whether I¡¯m helping or harming, the world resists. The intensity depends on how significant the interaction is. ¡°And the backlash comes first.¡± Meera¡¯s gaze softened, as though explaining to a curious child. ¡°Say I tried to heal a small scratch on a local child. The moment I cast the spell, this body would bear the backlash. If it can withstand it, then the spell will work. ¡°There are ways to circumvent the backlash,¡± she continued after a pause. ¡°Kotan used one of them. By possessing a local awakened, an admin can bypass the resistance and do whatever they want, limited only by the body¡¯s mana capacity.¡± Alistair was about to respond when Meera gently interrupted him. ¡°No. To save you, I¡¯d need to teleport you out of harm¡¯s way. That kind of displacement magic requires the caster to be at least as strong in mana as the target. No one in this world meets that threshold. And even if there were, the moment I leave this pocket dimension, time resumes for me. You¡¯d be dead before I could act.¡± Alistair nodded, absorbing her explanation. ¡°Alright, I get it. So, I¡¯d be reborn as a baby, then?¡± Meera shook her head, a faint smile touching her lips. ¡°No, we don¡¯t have to go that far. What¡¯s the age limit for awakening in this world?¡± ¡°A person can start the awakening process at fourteen,¡± Alistair replied, thinking. ¡°I¡¯m not sure about the upper limit, but I know the church won¡¯t conduct an awakening for anyone over twenty.¡± ¡°So only church officials can trigger an awakening?¡± Meera asked, glancing at Alistair with interest. He nodded. ¡°Can a church official perform the process anywhere, or does it have to be somewhere specific?¡± ¡°They only do awakenings in churches. Something about needing to be witnessed by the goddess,¡± Alistair replied, sounding unconvinced. Meera shook her head. ¡°That¡¯s nonsense. It sounds like an item-bound or location-bound awakening process. This is good.¡± ¡°Why is that good?¡± Alistair asked, eyebrow raised. ¡°If the awakening process is class-bound¡ªmeaning only a specific class can perform it¡ªthen we¡¯d have to find ourselves a church official,¡± she explained. ¡°But if it¡¯s item-bound or location-bound, we can just¡­ hack it.¡± ¡°With a sword?¡± Meera laughed, covering her mouth. ¡°No, silly. I meant we could trick the system and hold our own private awakening ceremony.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re planning to make me a fourteen-year-old body, then?¡± Alistair asked, raising an eyebrow. ¡°No,¡± Meera replied, shaking her head. ¡°If there¡¯s an age requirement, we have to follow it precisely. We could create a body that looks fourteen, but the system would still recognize its actual age as zero.¡± ¡°So, we¡¯re back to rebirthing me as a baby?¡± ¡°Not quite. Here¡¯s the plan: we¡¯ll create a baby¡¯s body for you, then accelerate its aging until it reaches fourteen.¡± Alistair frowned. ¡°Wait¡ªif you speed up the aging with magic, wouldn¡¯t the body¡¯s actual age still be zero?¡± Meera¡¯s eyes brightened. ¡°Exactly. We¡¯ll need to age the body naturally, at the same pace as the world¡¯s time. That¡¯s why we¡¯re going to use a pocket dimension.¡± ¡°Like this place?¡± ¡°Precisely. This pocket dimension is a private one, but we¡¯ll be using a local pocket dimension within this world¡ªa place where time flows much faster.¡± ¡°Something like that exists?¡± Alistair asked, eyebrows raised. ¡°Pocket dimensions exist in most worlds,¡± Meera replied with a calm smile. ¡°If you¡¯re wondering why you haven¡¯t encountered one, it¡¯s because you¡¯re not an admin. Either you control the system to locate one, or you know how to ¡®peek¡¯ into it. ¡°We¡¯ve already found a suitable one. Kotan will prepare it for you.¡± ¡°What?! Kotan? Are you serious?¡± ¡°Yes, don¡¯t worry. He wouldn¡¯t dare try anything else. I¡¯ve also asked him to prepare your new body.¡± Meera stole a glance at Alistair, who was staring at her coldly. ¡°Don¡¯t sulk like that. This is necessary.¡± ¡°¡­Explain.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be the one transferring your soul to the body. But since I asked him to prepare it, he¡¯ll be present when I put your soul in.¡± ¡°¡­And?¡± ¡°He¡¯ll be there, in the real world¡ªnot in this pocket dimension. You¡¯ll get to see his true form. And as I understand it, your mana sensitivity is off the charts. You can recognize someone by their mana signature, right?¡± ¡°I see. I¡¯m not familiar with ¡®mana signature,¡¯ but yes, I can recognize people by their mana. Thanks, and¡­ sorry for overreacting.¡± ¡°Oh, no need to apologize, sweetie.¡± Meera¡¯s voice softened as she placed a gentle hand on his cheek. ¡°Actually, you¡¯re remarkably calm about all of this. Most people would need at least a few days to accept what¡¯s happening. You¡¯re handling it well.¡± ¡°Now, it¡¯s time to move on. Are you ready to die?¡± Meera waved her hand, and the environment shifted around them. This time, they were floating high in the sky. Alistair looked around and then spotted a massive dome of blue fire below. ¡°Are we back in the real world?¡± he asked. ¡°No, we¡¯re still in the pocket dimension. I¡¯m just showing you what¡¯s happening out there.¡± Meera pointed toward the vast dome of blue fire. ¡°You¡¯re in the middle of that right now.¡± ¡°That skill covers a huge area,¡± Meera remarked. ¡°Did the ¡®goddess¡¯ give you that skill?¡± Alistair nodded. ¡°Yes. It¡¯s the last skill she granted me. She said it was my final resort¡ªto be used if I was ever about to fail my mission.¡± ¡°I see. That skill looks intense. I assume it¡¯s a high-level fire spell¡ªprobably meant to incinerate everything in its radius,¡± Meera remarked. ¡°She never told me exactly what kind of spell it is,¡± Alistair replied. ¡°All she said was that it would take care of everyone nearby, and that I could only use it with the holy sword as a medium.¡± ¡°Let me guess: when you returned without using the skill, she stopped speaking to you.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°And that¡¯s when the ¡®incident¡¯ happened?¡± Alistair paused before giving a slow nod. ¡°Yes.¡± Meera glanced at him, as if she wanted to say something more, but after a moment, she let it go. ¡°I¡¯m going to let time resume now. You should be dead the instant it does.¡± She met his gaze, and, seeing Alistair¡¯s calm expression, she waved her hand. Stolen novel; please report. The dome of blue flames below suddenly came alive. Alistair could hear the fire roaring beneath him, mingled with the distant screams of those trapped inside. Meera watched the blaze closely. ¡°Some of them managed to raise barriers, but they¡¯re only delaying the inevitable. Maybe if they could move fast enough to¡ª" The world shuddered abruptly. Even high above, they both can almost felt the tremor ripple through the air. BOOM! The blue dome detonated, its vibrant hue disappearing in an instant as it burst into a massive, fiery explosion. The blast shifted to searing shades of red, orange, and yellow, engulfing everything. Alistair instinctively shielded himself, though the explosion passed through him harmlessly. When he looked around, he saw a vast, roiling sea of flames stretching as far as he could see. In a blink, they shifted positions, now several kilometers from the blast. Meera¡¯s hand was still raised from her recent wave. Alistair turned back to the sight, his eyes widening. Even from this distance, the explosion loomed over the landscape, towering above the clouds. At its peak, a massive mushroom cloud was forming, churning upward and casting a dark shadow over the earth below. ¡°Yeah. No one¡¯s surviving that,¡± Meera remarked, then turned to Alistair. ¡°That ¡®goddess¡¯ really didn¡¯t want you to make it out of that skill alive.¡± ¡°It appears so,¡± Alistair replied, a cold edge to his voice. ¡°I can¡¯t wait for the day I get to kill her.¡± ¡°Him.¡± ¡°What?¡± Alistair looked at her, momentarily stunned. Meera laughed at his expression, clearly amused. ¡°Why does that surprise you more than finding out you¡¯re dead? Silly boy.¡± She smiled, her eyes sparkling with mischief. Alistair shook his head, a brief flicker of confusion and frustration in his gaze. ¡°In general,¡± Meera continued, ¡°male gods are more commanding in times of war, and female goddesses are more influential in peacetime. Many admins model their divine personas around this.¡± Her smile faded as a sudden thought struck her. ¡°Wait¡­ were you¡­ involved with her?¡± ¡°No!¡± His response was immediate, almost defensive. ¡°Nothing like that. Our interactions were strictly through church messengers, or she¡¯d¡­¡± He paused. ¡°Or he¡¯d speak directly into my head.¡± Alistair stared at the distant explosion. ¡°Why does the skill make the cloud look like that? What¡¯s the point?¡± he asked, attempting to change the subject. Meera gave him a gentle look before answering. ¡°It¡¯s not the skill itself. The mushroom cloud forms because of the explosion¡¯s intensity. The extreme heat creates a fireball that rises rapidly, pulling in cooler air and debris around it. When it reaches the top, it cools and spreads outward.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Alistair replied, half-heartedly. They stood there in silence for a while, watching the aftermath unfold. After less than ten minutes, the effects became clear: a massive crater had formed at the explosion¡¯s center, the ground blackened and charred. Nothing but ash remained within the blast radius, and beyond that, trees lay flattened, all pointing away from the explosion. Meera turned toward Alistair, her voice soft. ¡°We should go now. Kotan is ready with your new body.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not staying, are you?¡± Alistair asked, his gaze still fixed on the crater. ¡°From what you¡¯ve told me, it seems these admins usually stay close to their champions¡ªacting as mentors or guides, helping them grow stronger, maybe even protecting them.¡± Alistair finally turned to look at her. ¡°But not you. You¡¯re leaving, right?¡± Meera held his gaze, pausing for a moment before responding. ¡°Yes, and no. As you might have guessed, I¡¯m in a much higher position than these admins. I have greater responsibilities, obligations to the pantheon¡­ and to my father.¡± She reached out slowly, gently taking Alistair¡¯s hand in hers. ¡°I won¡¯t be here, but I¡¯m also won¡¯t just leave you, either. You may be the strongest, not needing much help to grow stronger, but there are still things I need to teach you. You need to understand more about the admins, the system, and the pantheon.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll leave but still stay with me? How does that work?¡± Alistair asked, eyebrow raised. Meera smiled and slowly released his hand. ¡°You¡¯ll see soon. It¡¯ll be a nice surprise.¡± She placed both hands gently on his cheeks. ¡°Here goes.¡± Her hands began to glow, and light enveloped Alistair¡¯s body. When the light faded, his body was gone, replaced by a small sphere of light. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but you¡¯ll have to stay in this form until I place your soul in the new body,¡± Meera explained. ¡°Kotan?¡± Alistair¡¯s voice sounded, even in this form. ¡°You mentioned this before¡ªyou don¡¯t want him to see my real self. Why?¡± ¡°I did say he wouldn¡¯t try anything drastic again,¡± Meera replied. ¡°At least, nothing as severe as before. But I¡¯m still concerned he might try to sabotage you. And if he ever figures out who you truly are¡­ I can¡¯t predict what he¡¯d do.¡± She glanced around. ¡°We¡¯re moving out now. Once we leave this pocket dimension, you won¡¯t be able to speak. The only reason your soul can communicate is because of this place. You won¡¯t be able to sense anything, except mana. But don¡¯t worry¡ªI¡¯ll share my vision and hearing with you. You¡¯ll be able to see and hear through my perspective.¡± ¡°Even then, we still can¡¯t communicate. Telepathy is possible, but I¡¯d advise against it. Kotan wouldn¡¯t be able to hear us, but he¡¯d sense it if we communicated that way, and I¡¯d rather not give him any more reasons to focus on you.¡± ¡°I understand. So, when do we leave?¡± ¡°Now.¡± Meera waved her hand one last time, and they both vanished from the pocket dimension. ____________________________________ Somewhere in the middle of a forest, a man was standing. In the dim light filtering through the canopy, he stood, an elegant figure that seemed almost out of place in the wild. His doublet of deep midnight blue fit with the precision of a second skin, the rich velvet fabric catching stray beams of sunlight with a muted sheen. A simple white shirt peeked from beneath, its high collar framed with a delicate lace trim, subtle and refined. Over his shoulders draped a dark cloak, fastened with a silver brooch bearing a family¡¯s crest: a hawk mid-flight, wings spread wide. His blonde hair fell in well-kept waves, catching light like gold, framing a face both striking and composed. Piercing blue eyes scanned the trees with an intense, calculating gaze, sharp as a blade yet as cold as a winter morning. His jaw was strong, he looked like what a painter would paint of an ideal nobleman. A dagger rested at his side, its hilt just visible beneath his cloak¡ªa rare hint of practicality in his otherwise pristine attire. Immaculate and unyielding, he commanded his surroundings with a silent, unwavering authority. His presence felt like something out of a fairy tale¡ªif not for the dark, scornful expression he wore. He looked down at the figure lying on the ground: a boy he had just finished dressing. The boy lay sprawled on the forest floor, his slight frame almost swallowed by the shadows beneath the trees. Black hair, long and unkempt, splayed around his head like ink spilled across the earth, half-concealing a face marked by youth and rough edges. His features were unremarkable¡ªneither striking nor unattractive¡ªwith a faint sharpness to his jawline hinting at the adulthood he hadn¡¯t yet grown into. The simple leather armor he wore was brand new, its dark, polished surface untouched by battle or wear, yet it hung slightly loose on his skinny frame, as though made for someone older and broader. The fresh leather shone faintly in the dappled light, every strap and buckle pristine, betraying a hint of awkwardness against his slight, underdeveloped build. Despite its quality, the armor did little to conceal his youth or vulnerability, making him look more like a child dressed for war than a warrior himself. The longer the nobleman looked at the boy, the angrier he became. In that moment, he wanted nothing more than to stomp the boy¡¯s face flat and be done with it. But he couldn¡¯t¡ªunless he wished to invoke her wrath. He glared at the boy¡¯s face, a few stray locks obscuring his view. With a swift movement, he nudged the hair aside with his boot, then shifted the boy¡¯s head from side to side, inspecting him. The boy looked weak; there was no doubt about it. The nobleman wondered how this scrawny child could ever grow into the monster he had witnessed. The thought reassured him. Perhaps the woman had chosen the wrong champion. A smirk crept onto his face at the idea. ¡°Kotan.¡± A melodious voice sounded from behind him. He turned abruptly, and there she was, standing just five meters away. How had she managed to sneak up on him like that? He noticed she was holding a sphere of light¡ªprobably the soul of that cursed spearman. ¡°Ma¡¯am,¡± Kotan responded, bowing his head slightly. The woman¡¯s gaze traveled slowly from his head to his feet. After a moment, she sighed and moved toward the boy lying on the ground. She stopped just above him, looking down intently. ¡°A bit skinny, isn¡¯t he? How old is the boy¡ªfifteen?¡± she asked, her eyes still fixed on the boy¡¯s face. ¡°Seventeen, ma¡¯am,¡± Kotan answered promptly. She finally looked up at him, raising an eyebrow. ¡°Seventeen?¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am. From what I understand, that¡¯s the minimum age to become a player in this world.¡± Kotan glanced down at the boy again. ¡°He is small, ma¡¯am. I can¡¯t imagine how he became that strong. Maybe he used some kind of forbidden ritual. I¡¯ve heard that, in the past, people here used elf blood to gain more mana.¡± Kotan suddenly realized that the woman had been staring at him for some time, her eyes cold and unreadable. Despite her composed expression, he felt an unsettling presence. She radiated so little mana that she could have passed for an ordinary human¡ªan uninitialized one, even. But even so, deep down, Kotan knew this woman could end his life in the blink of an eye. He was terrified of her, despite barely knowing anything about her. One day, he had received a message in his pantheon system from this woman, declaring that she had chosen a champion from this world and demanding his assistance. He wasn¡¯t the kind of man who could be pushed around easily, but the message included her sender ID, and the system identified her as a higher-level user¡ªso far above him that he couldn¡¯t even tell her rank. He had no choice but to comply. Luckily, he¡¯d been smart enough to sabotage her efforts. There was no way he¡¯d allow this woman to claim one of the strongest warriors in the world as her champion, not after all the time and energy he¡¯d invested in his own. He¡¯d barely managed it, ensuring the man¡¯s body was destroyed and leaving no trace of his involvement. He¡¯d even collected the man¡¯s soul. But instead of gratitude, the woman showed him only disdain. The seed of anger that had begun to grow within him instantly vanished as he met her gaze. He lowered his head once more, suppressing any thoughts of defiance. The woman pointed to the bag behind him. ¡°Is that everything I asked you to prepare?¡± Kotan quickly grabbed the leather sack and handed it to her. She began inspecting the contents, but her gaze shifted to a black spear resting against a tree behind him. ¡°And what¡¯s that?¡± she asked, her voice perfectly neutral. ¡°Ah, yes, ma¡¯am. That¡¯s something extra I chose for the boy,¡± Kotan replied, forcing a smile. ¡°It¡¯s a high-quality spear¡ªquite expensive. I thought he¡¯d appreciate it.¡± The woman¡¯s eyes lingered on the spear for a moment before she glanced at the sphere of light in her left hand. ¡°I see. How¡­ considerate of you,¡± she said slowly. Her right hand moved in a barely perceptible motion, and she put the black spear lying beside the bag. Kotan¡¯s eyes widened. He turned to glance back at where the spear had been, but it was gone. He hadn¡¯t seen her take it or even sensed any movement. A bead of sweat rolled down his cheek. ¡°Of course, ma¡¯am. Happy to help,¡± he managed to say, forcing the words out. ¡°Do you have an open node for me?¡± the woman asked. ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am,¡± Kotan replied, pointing to a nearby flat tree stump. ¡°It¡¯s a level 6 system, with no encryption above level 4 cipher.¡± The woman raised her right hand and brought it down toward the stump. Crack. A black iron rod suddenly impaled the stump, crackling with electricity for a few moments. She stared at the rod, watching as faint pulses ran along its length. After several seconds, she finally spoke. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m in. I¡¯ll start embedding the soul now.¡± The woman knelt beside the boy, placing the sphere of light gently on his chest. The light began to sink slowly into him, disappearing beneath his skin. She then laid one hand on his chest and the other on his forehead. Under her touch, the boy¡¯s entire body began to glow. ¡°I¡¯ll stand guard, then, ma¡¯am,¡± Kotan offered. ¡°No need. You can leave,¡± she replied, her voice cold. Kotan hesitated, silenced by her tone. After a moment, he bowed his head. ¡°Understood. If you need anything further, just contact me, ma¡¯am.¡± She didn¡¯t respond. After a pause, Kotan glanced up awkwardly, then placed his hands together. Just before the skill activated, he threw a scornful expression at the back of the woman''s head, a silent promise of his own. In an instant, he vanished. After a while, the woman heaved a heavy sigh. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sweetie. I didn¡¯t expect him to be this brazen. I knew he was a coward, but I didn¡¯t think he was this foolish.¡± Meera sighed again, then turned her focus back to embedding the soul. She reassured herself that it would likely be no more than a minor inconvenience for Alistair. Hopefully. Chapter 8 - A New Beginning The rustle of leaves was the first thing he noticed, a soft whisper that drifted through the stillness. Next came the earthy scent of moss and damp foliage, grounding him in this unfamiliar place. He took a deep breath, concentrating on the silence around him. No birds, no animals¡ªodd, considering he was deep within a forest. Perhaps a spell? Maybe one designed to ward off intrusions¡ªor to make sure Kotan didn¡¯t come back. Slowly, Alistair opened his eyes, catching sight of the dappled light filtering through the dense canopy above. He estimated the time¡ªthree hours before noon, at most. It had been well past noon when he¡¯d last been with Meera, so the process had taken longer than he¡¯d expected. Attempting to sit up, he felt an unexpected weakness, almost a sense of lethargy. He paused, then gathered his resolve and pushed himself upright. Stripping off his gloves and bracers, he examined his arms¡ªslender, with barely any fat. His skin was strikingly fair, almost untouched by the elements. He reached up, fingers tracing his face and running through his hair. No wrinkles, a hint of baby fat, and his hair felt thick and full¡ªmore than he¡¯d grown used to. A small sense of vanity crept in, bringing a smirk to his face¡ªuntil the memory of what he¡¯d lost pulled him back to reality. He stood up and inspected his body. The leather armor was oversized. With a sigh, he began to strip it off. Once he was done, he noticed the gambeson was oversized too, and suspected the tunic and trousers would be as well. Without a second thought, he removed everything, leaving himself bare. Examining his body again, he realized that even calling himself ¡°lean¡± would be generous. He wasn¡¯t exactly skinny, but the lack of muscle definition made him look like someone who¡¯d never worked a day in his life. He turned his attention to the two bags placed near where he¡¯d woken up: one, a simple leather satchel¡ªKotan had prepared it under Meera¡¯s direction; the other, a dark brown leather bag. The dark brown bag had arrived after Kotan left. A woman dressed as a ranger had brought it. She must be one of Meera¡¯s trusted administrators, he guessed. She hadn¡¯t said anything, only placed the bag down, bowed to Meera, and departed. He¡¯d been conscious back then¡ªaware for at least an hour after the process began. He opened the bag and inspected its contents. Finding what he was looking for, he took out a set of undergarments, a tunic, trousers, and a pair of leather boots. He tried them on and found they fit him perfectly. For a moment, he paused, wondering how Meera had communicated his exact size to the ranger. But he dismissed the thought quickly, turning his attention to a nearby tree stump. In the center of the tree stump, an iron rod was impaled. But what caught his attention was the wooden doll leaning against it, dressed identically to Meera, right down to the simple circlet with its small red gem. He approached the doll and stopped beside it. Kneeling, he carefully removed the circlet. As he examined it in his hand, the circlet seemed even simpler up close. Glancing around to ensure he was alone, he brought the circlet close to his mouth and whispered, ¡°Meera is the best.¡± Pushing past the faint embarrassment, he focused on the circlet. Slowly, it began to glow with a soft red light. The metal melted, shifting to encase the small red gem fully. When the glow faded, he was left holding a perfectly rounded, slightly larger red gem. Alistair stared at the gem briefly, then moved away from the doll to sit on the ground nearby. After making sure he had ample space around him, he looked at the gem once more, brought it to his mouth, and swallowed it. Thankfully, it was small enough to go down comfortably. Now, he waited. All of this was part of what Meera had instructed him to do during the embedding of his soul. She¡¯d mentioned that this would give him the "nice little surprise" she¡¯d promised. Suddenly, he felt a warmth in his stomach. The sensation spread, radiating through his body. When it reached his head, the warmth abruptly rushed and pooled there, and that¡¯s when the pain began. Alistair clutched his head with both hands. It felt as though thousands of needles were piercing his skull¡ªpain unlike anything he¡¯d experienced before. Gritting his teeth, he fought to control the agony. It¡¯s not real, he reminded himself. This pain is only in my mind. Slowly, he managed to steady his breathing. But just as he began to release his grip, the pain intensified. His eyes widened, and he fell backward, still clutching his head. The sensation of thousands of needles merged into a single massive stake, churning the inside of his skull. Just when he thought he couldn¡¯t bear it any longer, the pain vanished. Realizing he¡¯d been holding his breath, Alistair took a series of deep breaths, wiping away the tears that had slipped down his face. -You¡­ you actually got through that without screaming.- A voice suddenly echoed in his mind. Alistair sat up abruptly, instinctively looking around before realizing the voice was coming from inside his head. He¡¯d experienced this before, long ago, when the "goddess" had communicated with him directly. ¡°¡­Meera, is that you?¡± -?! How did you figure that out?!- ¡°I just made a connection. You told me you¡¯d leave but also stay with me, so I assumed this was what you meant. And, you know, your voice is still the same.¡± Alistair noticed something immediately: though the voice was identical, the tone was definitely different. -Well¡­ you¡¯re right, kind of. I¡¯m not the same Meera who was with you before.- ¡°Okay¡­¡± -That¡¯s it? You¡¯re way too calm about this. Anyway, I was made from a small part of her soul. So, you could say I¡¯m her, but not really her. I don¡¯t have her memories.- ¡°A part of her soul? I took you from that doll¡ªwere you the one inside it?¡± -Sort of. The main body was controlling the doll, but she put a part of her soul inside it so she could control it perfectly, just like her own body. She also planned to give you this part to help you.- ¡°Help me¡­ how?¡± -I¡­ I don¡¯t have the main body¡¯s memory, but I do have all of the doll¡¯s memories¡­ all one day¡¯s worth. I was also given a database with a lot of information that could help you. I can answer questions if you want to know more about the admins, the pantheon, or how to challenge the admin of this world. -Oh! I was supposed to tell you something about the main body.- ¡°Tell me what?¡± -Um¡­ for the record, I don¡¯t know why she did this. She wanted to remind you that even though she can¡¯t lie, she can still deceive.- ¡°Yes, she told me this before.¡± -Did you know that she¡¯s not an admin?- ¡°What?!¡± -She said that, during all the conversations you two had, she never once claimed to be an admin. If you came to that conclusion, it¡¯s because she chose not to tell you otherwise¡ªnot because she lied.- ¡°¡­ I see.¡± -I¡¯m sorry.- ¡°Why? You¡¯re not the one who deceived me.¡± -I¡¯m part of her, so it does feel like I¡¯m partly responsible. I really don¡¯t know why she did that. I remember your conversations; it looked like you two were getting along. I don¡¯t know why she¡¯d want to deceive you.- ¡°Are you the same as her in that regard?¡± -Pardon?- ¡°The ¡®cannot lie¡¯ thing.¡± -Oh¡­ yes, I also can¡¯t lie, and yes, I can also deceive without technically lying. Not that I¡¯m planning to!- Alistair just smiled without responding. He realized why Meera had done this. This new Meera¡ªthe way she talked and reacted¡ªshe was just a kid, technically a newborn with a wealth of information. The real Meera was telling him, in her own way, that unlike her, he could trust this new Meera completely. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. Because there was no way this ¡°baby¡± could deceive him. ____________________________________ ¡°What should I call you?¡± -Um¡­ you can name me.- ¡°You don¡¯t have a name? Why don¡¯t you choose your own?¡± -I don¡¯t think¡­ I could come up with a good one.- Alistair thought for a moment. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll call you Ameera.¡± -That¡¯s¡­ pretty simple. You just added an extra letter¡­- ¡°What? You don¡¯t like it?¡± -Actually¡­ I do like it. Yeah, Ameera¡ªit has a nice ring to it. Thank you.- ¡°Hmmm. So what¡¯s next?¡± Alistair asked, turning to the black rod. ¡°I¡¯m guessing that.¡± -Yes. The black rod is a medium that acts as a conduit to connect to the system. We¡¯ll use it to initialize you¡ªto awaken.- ¡°Okay, what should I do?¡± -Just grab the black rod. I¡¯ll handle the rest of the initialization.- Alistair stood and approached the stump, grabbing the black rod without a second thought. Nothing happened, but he wasn¡¯t in a hurry, so he waited, assuming Ameera would let him know if anything went wrong. -Aaaand¡­ it¡¯s done! You should be able to open your status window now. Some sections might be blank, but you can fill in the personal information.- With a thought, Alistair opened his new status window.
Page 1/1
Name: Age: Class: Level: Alistair 17 -- 1
Statistics
STR AGI DEX 10 10 10 MAG SEN ATT 10 10 10
-First things first, we need to pick a new name for you. We can¡¯t use Alistair¡ªor your original name, Bernard. Not that it really matters, but just as a precaution. When you start getting famous, you¡ª- ¡°The name part is already filled in.¡± -...What?- ¡°I think the only blank field is ¡®class.¡¯¡± -Wait, no, the name should be blank too. Let me see... huh... maybe it can be edited... no, it¡¯s already fixed. -Wait, let me check the medium... no¡­ no¡­ nooooooooo. That¡­ that¡­ bastard!- ¡°What happened?¡± -It¡¯s Kotan! He provided the medium for Meera¡ªthe black rod. He added a script! A script that ran as soon as you were initialized!- ¡°I don¡¯t understand anything you just said.¡± -Argh! Okay, listen! ¡®Initialized¡¯ means ¡®awakened.¡¯ The black rod is what we used to connect your body to the system, and Kotan tampered with it. He pre-filled all your personal information. Luckily, we¡¯re using a different system than the one champions usually get.- ¡°I see. So, he filled in my info to cause trouble for me. I noticed he put my name, but without my last name, and left the alias blank.¡± -Yeah. I found the script he used. He actually filled out all your personal info¡ªyour full name, an alias, your class as ¡®spearman,¡¯ and even your age as 94, which I guess is what he thought it was. But like I said, we¡¯re on a different system, so only your full name went through, and even that got swapped with your alias. None of the other details got through.- ¡°Oh, okay then.¡± -¡­Why are you so calm? Aren¡¯t you mad?!- ¡°I¡¯m already planning to kill the guy, so there¡¯s that. And this isn¡¯t a big deal. Without the last name, Alistair isn¡¯t that uncommon. I¡¯ve been using it for a while, so that¡¯s fine. Do I still need to hold this thing?¡± -Ah, no, you¡¯re already connected to the system. Alistair is a common name?- Alistair released the rod and dusted off his hands. ¡°Yes, it is. I became known as the strongest decades ago. It¡¯s not surprising that people would start naming their kids after me. It was the same with each of my previous personas¡ªevery name I used would, for a while, become pretty popular.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s been more than 30 years, so the name isn¡¯t as common now, but it¡¯s still not unusual.¡± -That¡­ sounds kind of arrogant, or is it just confidence?- ¡°It¡¯s both. I projected confidence, but most people saw it as arrogance.¡± -And you¡¯re okay with that?- ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I be? I¡¯d rather be known as an arrogant leader than as a virtuous one.¡± -Why?- Alistair sighed, already growing tired of the turn in conversation. ¡°Because people don¡¯t mess with arrogant leaders, and virtuous leaders are just asking to be taken advantage of.¡± -But wouldn¡¯t the prosperity of the¡ª- ¡°Let¡¯s save the philosophy talk for another day. Why don¡¯t you explain why my system is different from other champions¡¯?¡± There was a pause before Ameera spoke. -¡­Okay. So, how do awakened people usually get stronger?- ¡°By defeating beasts and other people. When you kill a beast, you gain experience¡ªwell, mana from them. Once you collect enough, you level up and get stronger. But you only get mana from beasts that are close to your strength level. If you kill something too weak, you won¡¯t receive any mana. The stronger you are, the higher that threshold becomes. ¡°You also get experience from killing other awakened, but it¡¯s usually at a much lower rate.¡± -Right. So that¡¯s one of the basic systems. The system basically controls the flow of mana in the world. Without it, when any being dies, their mana would return directly to the world. The system doesn¡¯t change that; you¡¯re not absorbing mana from defeated beasts because you can¡¯t use their mana¡ªonly pure mana. All the mana from living beings still goes back into the world. -What the system can do, however, is distribute all the mana generated by the world, which exists as pure mana. -So, the system keeps track of how much mana you¡¯ve sent back into the world. When a certain amount accumulates, it rewards you with pure mana¡ªthat¡¯s what leveling up actually is. The fact that you don¡¯t get mana from weaker beasts, or receive less from other awakened, are just parameters set by the admin. -The admin controls how much pure mana is distributed for level-ups. The less they allocate to you, the more they keep for themselves¡ªafter the system takes its cut.- ¡°The system takes a cut? So it¡¯s like the pantheon¡¯s system?¡± -Yes. It¡¯s not just similar to the pantheon¡¯s system¡ªit¡¯s basically the same thing, just deployed in different places. Systems in outer worlds aren¡¯t divine; they¡¯re created and maintained by pantheons. The admin runs the system, and the pantheon that maintains it takes a cut.- ¡°Okay. So if the admin controls the mana distribution, why wouldn¡¯t he just monopolize it all?¡± -If an admin took too much mana, it would harm them in the long run. If they tried to monopolize all the mana, it would have immediate negative effects. -The amount of mana a world produces isn¡¯t fixed. The more prosperous a world is, the more mana it generates. One major factor in a world¡¯s prosperity is the amount of mana returned to it. This is important¡ªmana from stronger beings is not only greater in quantity but also higher in quality. So, a world with more powerful beings will generally produce more mana overall.- ¡°I see. So if an admin tried to monopolize all the mana, it would reduce the number and quality of the awakened, which would then lower future mana production. That makes sense.¡± They¡¯d been ¡°talking¡± for a while now, and Alistair was starting to feel hungry. He glanced at the pair of bags nearby and began walking toward them. -Now, about the champion¡¯s system¡ª- ¡°Wait, let¡¯s continue later,¡± Alistair interrupted. He rummaged through one of the bags, eventually pulling out some jerky and a waterskin. Sitting down, he started to eat, his eyes drifting over the two large bags, the leather armor scattered around, and the spear. Between bites, he asked, ¡°Hey, this is too much to carry. Even if I¡¯m strong enough to lift it all, it¡¯d be too cumbersome.¡± -That shouldn¡¯t be a problem. Meera also gave you an inventory system. It lets you carry things by storing them in something like a private pocket dimension.- ¡°Really? Now that sounds useful. So, how do I use this inventory?¡± -It¡¯s the same as opening your status window. You just¡­ know how to do it.- ¡°Well, yeah, but when we first awaken, a priest opens our status window for us the first time. That¡¯s how we get the feeling of opening it. Are you going to do that for me too?¡± -No. Just like your status window, I can look into your inventory but not use it. Don¡¯t worry¡ªI can send the information on how to use it straight to your brain.- ¡°Send the information? How would that¡ª¡± Alistair suddenly paused mid-bite, his eyes widening. After a moment, he resumed eating. ¡°Now that¡¯s really interesting. How did you do that? I felt a small rush in my head, and suddenly I just¡­ know how to use it. That¡¯s not information; that¡¯s like transferring knowledge, right?¡± -Nothing that fancy. It¡¯s basically a memory of someone using their inventory, but we stripped it down so all that¡¯s left is the sense of how it feels to use it.- ¡°I see, that¡¯s clever.¡± Alistair concentrated, and in an instant, a vast presence seemed to materialize. He couldn¡¯t see it, couldn¡¯t touch it, and didn¡¯t know exactly where it was¡ªhe just knew it existed, like a deep, boundless void somehow connected to his mind. It felt less like a physical space and more like an extension of his consciousness, a part of himself that he could reach into with a mere thought. ¡°Wow¡­¡± He reached out and touched the brown leather bag. With a thought, the bag disappeared, and at the same time, he could sense it in his ¡°inventory.¡± Not just the bag itself, but every item inside it. Alistair¡¯s face broke into a wide grin. ¡°This is¡­ this changes everything.¡± He could feel the bag and its contents filling a portion of the inventory. Although he couldn¡¯t gauge its full capacity, it felt like about a third of it was now occupied. It should be enough to hold all his items. ¡°This is incredibly convenient. Is this the maximum size? Can I expand it?¡± -It¡¯s linked to your strength, or more specifically, your mana. So as you level up, it¡¯ll keep growing.- ¡°Now that¡¯s what I¡¯m talking about.¡± Alistair wiped his mouth after taking a large gulp of water. Then he looked at the waterskin, put it into his inventory, took it back out, and finally put it away again, grinning all the while. He turned toward the leather satchel and reached for it, but stopped his hand just before touching it. The satchel vanished, entering his inventory. He looked at his hand for a moment, then reached toward the scattered leather armor set¡ªbut this time, nothing happened. ¡°I see, so I can only take something into my inventory if it¡¯s within my mana range, right?¡± -Yes. But there can¡¯t be any interference¡ªyour mana must be the only one touching the object. Also, no living beings can be taken into the inventory.- ¡°Got it.¡± Alistair stood up and walked over to the armor set, placing it into his inventory piece by piece. He sensed each piece inside the inventory, then an idea struck him. ¡°When I take an item out of my inventory, I don¡¯t have to summon it into my hand, right? I should be able to bring it out within my mana range.¡± -Yes, that¡¯s possible. I know what you¡¯re thinking, and yes, you can summon and equip the armor directly¡ªwith enough practice, of course.- ¡°Oh, this is cheating. The possibilities¡­ I¡¯m going to have so much fun with this. YEAH!¡± Alistair shouted at the top of his lungs, then took a few deep breaths to steady himself. Once he¡¯d regained his composure, he asked Ameera, ¡°Now what?¡± -Hehe, now you get to choose your class.- Chapter 9 Two men rested on a patch of grass just a few meters from a dirt path. A line of trees stood between them and the path, providing enough cover to keep them hidden while still giving them a clear view of anyone passing by. ¡°How long are we supposed to stay here?¡± one of the men asked, his voice carrying a hint of impatience. He wore crude leather armor, incomplete and haphazardly strapped together, and gnawed on a strip of jerky as he spoke. ¡°Until the boy passes, or until we¡¯re relieved,¡± the other replied, reclining lazily on the grass. His hat was tipped over his face, shielding him from the midday sun. Unlike his companion, his leather armor was complete, though it showed its age, riddled with patches and hastily sewn repairs. ¡°Keep your eyes on the road, Tom.¡± ¡°Aw, c¡¯mon! This is boring,¡± Tom grumbled. He shifted on the grass, waving the half-eaten jerky in frustration. ¡°Why are we even doing this? I¡¯ve counted more than a dozen people passing by already. Why can¡¯t we rob them?¡± ¡°Because the boss said we¡¯re here for the boy. No one else,¡± the man answered firmly, his tone unmoved. ¡°Don¡¯t cause unnecessary trouble.¡± ¡°What kind of job is this, Jack? Why do we have to wait for the boy here? Can¡¯t we just wait in town?¡± Tom asked, his frustration bubbling to the surface. ¡°Because the boy might not go to the town,¡± Jack replied, his voice steady. ¡°He could head to another village, or skip the town altogether. The only thing we know for sure is that he¡¯ll pass this path.¡± ¡°Aw, that¡¯s bullshit!¡± Tom snapped, his voice louder this time. Jack removed the hat from his face and sat up, glaring at Tom. Unlike Tom¡¯s slight build, Jack had a frame packed with muscle, and the scars on his face only added to his menacing appearance. ¡°I understand, Tom,¡± Jack said, his voice cold. ¡°You should tell the boss that next time you see him. Or would you like me to deliver your message for you?¡± A shiver ran down Tom¡¯s spine. ¡°No¡­ no, sir. That won¡¯t be necessary.¡± He quickly turned his face away, focusing back on the path, his earlier bravado vanishing in an instant. Watching the man shrink under his glare brought a smirk to Jack¡¯s face. He patted Tom on the shoulder. ¡°That¡¯s more like it.¡± Leaning back, he returned to lying on the grass and pulled his hat down over his face. ¡°Anyway, this is a nice gig, you know. We don¡¯t have to do anything risky, and the pay¡¯s good.¡± ¡°Who even commissioned this job?¡± Tom asked after a moment. ¡°What kind of person would go to all this trouble just to kill a boy?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know,¡± Jack replied lazily. ¡°Missy said it was some nobleman. I didn¡¯t ask for details, and you shouldn¡¯t either.¡± ¡°¡­ Yes, sir,¡± Tom mumbled in a defeated tone. Jack peeked out from under his hat, noticing how crestfallen the man looked. ¡°Ahhh, alright then,¡± Jack said, relenting. ¡°I suppose it won¡¯t hurt if we rob someone, just once.¡± Tom¡¯s face lit up at those words. ¡°Really? Great! Look, there are a couple of men coming this way. Should we do them?¡± ¡°Nah, let¡¯s wait for a woman,¡± Jack replied nonchalantly. A grin spread across Tom¡¯s face. ¡°Alright, then.¡± ____________________________________ Meanwhile, back in the forest, Alistair stood near the black spear lying on the ground, his gaze fixed on it as if deep in thought. -So. Which class do you want on your status screen?- ¡°So I can pick any class I want? A healer might be nice. The healing spell the Hero class had really helped me in the past. Knowing higher-level healing and other curative spells would definitely come in handy.¡± -No. It doesn¡¯t work like that. Unless you already know how to perform a healing skill without the system¡¯s help, you won¡¯t get any healing skills.- ¡°What? Why? What¡¯s the point of the class then?¡± -Well, most of the personal information on your status screen is just that¡ªinformation. Except for your age, which always reflects the actual age of your body, the other details are only for the system¡¯s record. They don¡¯t affect you in any way, including the class you choose.- ¡°Is that so? Then what about stat increases when I level up? Which of my stats will increase?¡± -None of your stats will increase on level up. Like I said before, your system is different.- ¡°I see¡­ Alright then, how is my system different from the normal system, or from the system other champions use?¡± -For champions, it¡¯s quite simple. We just remove the admin¡¯s mana tax. Basically, the champion receives the same amount of mana that they return to the world, with no limit on beasts¡¯ strength¡ªor from killing other awakened.- ¡°Hooo, that¡¯s very nice. Similar to how the Hero leveled up. Why wasn¡¯t I given this system?¡± -Because Meera thought that this other system would be better for you. Let me ask you something. Do you know that killing other beings isn¡¯t the only way to level up? There are other methods. One of them is the method you actually used to keep leveling up, even when you couldn¡¯t get any more mana from the beasts in the world. Do you know what that method is?- ¡°¡­Is it training?¡± -Exactly! Training also helps you level up. I¡¯ll give you an example: how many stats did you have in your old system?- ¡°Two¡ªPhysical (PHY) and Magic (MAG).¡± -¡­Wow, that¡¯s really basic. Anyway, let¡¯s take the PHY stat as an example. Let¡¯s say that at level 1 your PHY is 10, and at level 2, it increases to 11. Now, if your actual physical strength without the system¡ªyour real strength¡ªis only 8, how do you think the system makes it 10? Or 11 at level 2?- ¡°The system compensates?¡± -Exactly. The system makes up the difference using mana from the world. So at level 1, the system compensates for 2 PHY.- ¡°Wait. So it wasn¡¯t the person¡¯s strength? It was from the system? How does that work?¡± -You have buffing skills in this world, no? Skills that temporarily make you stronger. It¡¯s like that¡ªbut permanent.- ¡°I see, so most of the awakened aren¡¯t actually strong. The system is what makes them strong. Except for people like me, right?¡± -Exactly! So, if we return to the example: at level 1, the person with 8 PHY is granted 2 additional PHY from the system. What would happen if he trained himself and managed to increase his basic PHY to 9? Would that mean his PHY is now 11? No, it¡¯s still 10. The system would simply rebalance his stats and decrease the additional boost to only 1 PHY.-Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. -And what if he kept training until his basic PHY reached 11? Well, the system would rebalance his stats again by increasing his level to level 2, because 11 PHY corresponds to level 2. That¡¯s how you kept leveling up even without hunting. And yes, your strength is entirely your own¡ªnone of it comes from the system.- ¡°I see. Is that also the explanation for my¡­ longevity?¡± -Most probably, yes. Mana strengthens your body in every possible way, including making it last longer. Most people in this world don¡¯t live longer than a normal human lifespan because they¡¯re not actually strengthened by mana.- ¡°But you said before that stronger awakened have more and better mana. That¡¯s why stronger awakened are preferable for growing the world.¡± -You remember. Good! And yes, even though the person themselves isn¡¯t strong, the mana accumulates in their system, which resides in their body. So, by growing in level, the system itself grows stronger. In the end, this still means that higher-level awakened contribute more and better mana to the world.- ¡°Hmm. Something is still bothering me.¡± -Hm? Yeah? What is it?- ¡°Training makes you stronger isn¡¯t new information. Actually, most children from warrior families in this world train extensively before their awakening. The belief is that the stronger they are before awakening, the better their chances of getting a higher-tier class. It¡¯s not uncommon for newly awakened children to start at higher levels. I myself started at level 12 after my awakening. ¡°It¡¯s just that most people don¡¯t get stronger through training after awakening. But I did, so in the past, I tried to get my children to keep training, to make them stronger¡ªlike me. But it failed. Some of them did manage to gain levels through training, but that usually happened only at lower levels. And although all my children lived much longer than normal awakened, none of them lived as long as I have.¡± Alistair¡¯s face twitched slightly at his own words. He took a deep breath. -¡­I¡¯m sorry about your children. I think it¡¯s different for you because of your mana attunement. Someone with higher mana attunement can not only handle mana better but can also absorb it more easily.- -For normal human beings, training grows their muscles through repeated exercise. For awakened, training is a bit different. It¡¯s usually done to help their bodies absorb mana¡ªthe mana of the world, not the system¡¯s mana.- ¡°So I have a high mana attunement?¡± -Freakishly high, I¡¯d say. You¡¯re almost 1,000 years old. I¡¯d estimate your mana attunement is at the level of an elder elf. Do they have elves in this world?- ¡°They used to. I don¡¯t know now.¡± -Hmm? What happe-- ¡°So, about my system?¡± Alistair interrupted her mid-sentence. -Oh, right¡­ So, your system is basically a training system. It doesn¡¯t give you additional stats, it doesn¡¯t grant you skills, and it doesn¡¯t even guarantee level-ups. But it does help you with training.- Ameera paused for a moment, and when she didn¡¯t continue, Alistair asked, ¡°What do you me¡ª" -What does it mean? I¡¯ll explain now.- Although Alistair couldn¡¯t see her face, he had the distinct impression she was smirking. -Your system helps you absorb the world¡¯s mana and level up without limits. Remember your old system? You had two stats, right? Let¡¯s say that leveling up through training required you to increase 3 PHY and 3 MAG. What would happen if you increased your PHY by 4 before working on MAG? Nothing would happen. You wouldn¡¯t be able to increase your PHY beyond 3 until you raised your MAG by 3 to level up. Only then could you start increasing PHY again.- -That¡¯s because training under your old system was heavily tied to your class. But this new system isn¡¯t tied to any class or level. It only reflects your maximum potential. For example, if in your old system you had 10 PHY and MAG at level 1, and level 2 required both to increase to 11, what would happen if you trained your PHY to 15 before touching MAG? You would still be able to increase your PHY indefinitely, but your level would still be displayed as 1.- -And there¡¯s more. As I said before, your training strengthens you by absorbing the world¡¯s mana into your body. The world¡¯s mana is everywhere, but there¡¯s only a limited amount available in any given area at a time. Your system helps by concentrating the world¡¯s mana near you. The higher your level, the more mana will accumulate around you, making it easier and faster for you to grow stronger.- ¡°Oh wow, that¡¯s actually better,¡± Alistair said, a smile starting to bloom on his face. ¡°Hey, I noticed that my alias field is empty on my status screen. Does that mean I won¡¯t have an alias because of Kotan?¡± -Nah, not really. Although the information he entered is permanent and can¡¯t be changed, your alias is empty because he failed to fill it. You can add your alias now, along with your class, if you want. Should I enter ¡®Alistair¡¯ as your alias?- ¡°¡­Wait a minute. What do you mean? Are you saying I can just enter anything as my alias?¡± -Yes, you can. What¡¯s wrong?- ¡°Well, you see, in my old system, a priest handled the awakening. They never asked for a full name, but they always asked for an alias. The catch was, they usually limited what kind of alias we could use¡ªit had to be something derived from our full name.¡± -Huh. Probably for safety reasons, I suppose. But no, there¡¯s no limit for your alias here. Do you want to use a different name?- ¡°Ho ho ho ho, definitely. This is great. This opens up some interesting possibilities for the future,¡± Alistair said, covering his smiling mouth with his hand. -Really? What kind of possibilities?- ¡°You¡¯ll see eventually¡ªit¡¯s going to be a nice surprise,¡± Alistair said with a smirk. Somehow, he could tell Ameera was pouting at his response. -Don¡¯t tell me, then. See if I care. So, what do you want for your class and alias?- ¡°Hmm¡­ Enter ¡®Monk¡¯ as my class and ¡®Ronan¡¯ as my alias.¡± ____________________________________ ¡°This spear,¡± Alistair said, pointing at the black spear on the ground, ¡°is it dangerous?¡± -Only if you stab yourself with it.- Alistair blinked, taken aback by her curt response. He could tell she was still annoyed, but he decided to ignore it for now. ¡°This spear was left by Kotan, remember? We all believed he wouldn¡¯t do anything stupid anymore, but then he messed with my status screen. So I¡¯m just wondering if he did something to this spear.¡± -Oh, I see. Hmm¡­ I don¡¯t know. I can¡¯t detect anything from this distance. I could take a closer look, but you¡¯d have to touch it.- Now, Alistair could feel her embarrassment. It wasn¡¯t the first time he¡¯d sensed her emotions like this. ¡°Hey. Why can I feel your emotions?¡± Alistair finally decided to ask. -¡­That¡¯s probably because our souls are connected. So yeah, I guess you can sense changes in my emotions.- ¡°¡­Can you feel my emotions?¡± -Definitely, yes. Earlier, I could sense your joy and excitement when you discovered the inventory system.- ¡°¡­That¡¯s not good. Is there any way to stop that?¡± -No. Our souls are connected. You could isolate the connection for a period of time, but that would also disconnect everything else. Not only would I be unable to feel your emotions, but I also wouldn¡¯t be able to see, hear, or sense anything in the world.- ¡°And I assume that¡¯s not a good thing for you?¡± -Of course not! Why don¡¯t you try digging a hole and burying yourself? See how long you can stand without any of your senses!- For the first time, Alistair felt fear from Ameera, though she tried to mask it with anger. ¡°I see. I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m not going to do that.¡± -Yeah, sure.- This time, he felt her relief. These interactions gave Alistair pause. He really needed to be careful with her. It was easy to forget that she was, essentially, just a child. ¡°So, what¡¯s the point of giving me the ability to isolate the connection, then?¡± -Oh, that¡¯s for your privacy¡ªin case you need to use the restroom or¡­ you know, relieve yourself in other ways¡­- ¡°Oh yeah, I hadn¡¯t thought of that. So how do I¡ªah, got it.¡± Alistair stopped mid-sentence as he felt Ameera sending the information directly to him. ¡°So, I thought you wouldn¡¯t like it if I isolated the connection?¡± -If it¡¯s only for a short time, it¡¯s fine. It¡¯ll just feel like taking a nap for me.- ¡°Alright, I understand.¡± Alistair glanced back at the black spear. After a moment of consideration, he turned away and walked a few steps before sitting on the ground. He pulled an apple from his inventory and began eating it. -You¡¯re not going to have me check the spear?- ¡°Nope, not worth it. Kotan might have put some kind of curse on it. Besides, the other admin left a spear in the bag for me.¡± -Hmm? It¡¯s kind of a small bag, though. I didn¡¯t see a spear.- ¡°Heh, we might not have the concept of inventories or pocket dimensions in this world, but we do have space magic, you know? Enchanting a bag with space magic to increase its capacity is doable. It might not reduce the weight, and it¡¯s definitely not cheap or easy, but it can be done.¡± -I see. So what¡¯s the plan now? Are we going to the nearest town?- ¡°Nope. There¡¯s enough food in the inventory, so I¡¯ll just stay here for a while and train. My body is too weak right now.¡± -Oh, we¡¯re staying here?- ¡°Yup. Training to get stronger is the plan, right? Like I said, we have enough food¡ªactually, we have too much food. The jerky¡¯s fine, but most of it will go bad before I can finish it¡­¡± -It should be fine. Time doesn¡¯t move in your inventory, so food won¡¯t go bad.- ¡°Really? Oh, we¡¯re definitely staying then,¡± Alistair said, taking another bite of the apple as a smile bloomed on his face. Chapter 10 In the heart of the forest, a young man darted between the trees, his movements swift and unrestrained. He wore nothing but a pair of shorts, his feet bare against the forest floor. Occasionally, he would climb a tree and leap down, landing effortlessly before resuming his run. When the path ahead was clear, he somersaulted through the air, sometimes jumping for no apparent reason. After a while, he stopped and sat on the ground, his body still as he stared at the dirt beneath him. If he was hungry, he would eat whatever food he had on hand; if not, he simply remained there, unmoving, doing nothing but gazing at the earth. Half an hour would pass in this strange stillness before he rose again, resuming his relentless run through the trees. -What are you actually doing?- After observing Alistair for a couple of hours, Ameera finally broke the silence as he rested on the ground. "I''m training," Alistair replied, taking a bite of bread between his words. -You''re training your... athleticism?- "Is that how it looks to you?" he asked, a faint smile curling his lips. -Yeah. It looks like you''re trying your best to tire yourself out, then rest, and repeat the whole thing all over again.- "I''m not tired, though." -You''re not? Then why do you stop? What''s the point of this training?- "I run out of mana," he explained, finishing the last bite of the bread before standing up. "That''s why I stop each time. I wait until I recover enough mana, then I continue. I''m not training my body, if that''s what you think." After brushing crumbs from his hands, he stretched slightly. "How much do you know about how an awakened¡ªa mana user¡ªfights with their mana?" -Hmm? Oh, well, if they''re the magician type, they''d use their mana to cast spells. And if they''re the warrior type, they''d use their mana to cast skills.- "Yeah, that¡¯s how initiates usually fight. After becoming an adept, a mana user typically starts learning how to infuse mana into all of their activities, not just magic or skills. This is especially true for the ¡®warrior type,¡¯ as you put it. "As for this training, I push my body with heavy physical activity, but I use mana, so it doesn¡¯t actually tire me¡ªit just drains my mana." -What¡¯s an initiate? And what¡¯s the other thing? Adept?- "It¡¯s an arbitrary categorization people in this world use to classify mana users. Someone who has just awakened is called an initiate for their first 10 levels. At level 11, they become an adept, a title they keep until level 40. At level 41, they¡¯re considered a master, and at level 60, a grand master. If they manage to reach level 71, they¡¯re called an ascended." He paused briefly before adding, "Again, it¡¯s arbitrary, but in general, it works. It gives a rough idea of how strong a person might be." ¡°Anyway, this is how I used to train.¡± Alistair continued running, his voice steady despite the exertion. ¡°Well, not exactly like this. I usually trained combat skills without relying on the system. But this body is far too weak¡ªI can¡¯t use any of my combat skills yet. So, I just run. It should work fine. This is how I used to train my children¡ªby having them keep moving without stopping.¡± The memory brought a faint smile to Alistair¡¯s face. He leaped toward the nearest tree and began climbing it with practiced ease. -And why do you stare at the ground like that when you¡¯re resting?- Ameera¡¯s voice echoed in his mind, curious as ever. ¡°I find I recover mana faster when I do that¡ªsitting still, not doing or thinking about anything. Back when I was a hero, I had a skill called Meditation. It helped me recover mana much faster, but it could only be used like that: staying still, relaxing, and emptying my mind.¡± Alistair reached the highest branch of the tree. Instead of continuing his movement, he sat down on the branch, pulled a waterskin from his inventory, and took a slow sip. ¡°Unfortunately, it¡¯s one of those skills I¡¯ve never been able to learn properly. I can¡¯t trigger the skill without the system¡¯s help. But I did figure out that my mana recovers faster when I¡¯m relaxed, even without the skill.¡± -Okay¡­ and the clothes? Or lack of...- ¡°Hmm? Oh, I¡¯ll be training here for a while. I¡¯d rather avoid doing too much cleaning, and luckily it¡¯s warm enough right now. Besides, training tends to wear down clothes, and I¡¯m not sure when I¡¯ll be able to get new ones.¡± He paused briefly, glancing at his attire. ¡°I¡¯m only wearing these shorts because of you. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have bothered wearing anything at all. Say¡­ I haven¡¯t actually asked¡ªdo you mind if I¡ª¡± -YES! I do mind! Keep the shorts on!- ¡°Heh, that¡¯s what I thought.¡± Alistair stored the waterskin and began jumping down from branch to branch. At the last branch, he leaped forward, intending to start running as soon as he landed. Unfortunately, his foot came down on a jagged stone hidden by the grass. ¡°Ah!¡± He tumbled to the ground with a grunt. Sitting up, he examined his left foot and found a fairly large wound bleeding heavily. -Ouch¡­ that looks painful. I told you, remember? You should¡¯ve worn the boots.- ¡°Nah, footwear is the first thing to wear down with this kind of training, especially boots.¡± -Now what? I think there are some bandages in the bag.- ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary,¡± Alistair replied, placing his right hand over the wound. ¡°Fortunately, I still have enough mana.¡± A faint glow began emanating from his hand. After a few moments, the light faded, and he lifted his hand. The bleeding had stopped, and the wound was closed, though the skin remained red and swollen. TING! -What did you do?- ¡°I used a healing skill. What was that sound?¡± -The ¡®ting¡¯ sound? That¡¯s your system notification. It probably registered your healing skill.- Curious, Alistair opened his status window. To his surprise, he noticed a new page had been added. Intrigued, he selected it and began to read.
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SKILLS
Heal (basic) Lv. 3
¡°Huh? I thought you said this system wouldn¡¯t give me any skills?¡± -It doesn¡¯t. But it can register any skills that you use.- ¡°Register? So I can use skills with my system? Like in the old system?¡± -Yeah. Even though it¡¯s a training system, it¡¯s still a working system. It does have the skill assist function. So yes, you can cast any of the skills it registers.- ¡°Ohhh, that¡¯s cool. I don¡¯t see any skill XP, though. How do I level up the skill? And why does it start at level 3?¡± -You can¡¯t level up skills. Remember, you¡¯re the one performing the skills in the first place. The system just registers them as they are. It started at level 3 because that¡¯s the proficiency level you demonstrated when you used the skill. If, in the future, you can manually cast it at a higher level, the system will re-register it. The system always records your skill at the highest proficiency level you¡¯ve ever achieved.- ¡°Is that so? That¡¯s still really cool.¡± Alistair placed his right hand on his left foot again. ¡°Heal,¡± he said, and light once more emitted from his hand. When he removed it, the wound had fully healed. ¡°Nice. I might not use it often, but it could come in handy in the future.¡± Alistair stood up, testing his left foot by stepping on it a few times. Satisfied with how it felt, he resumed running. -You¡¯re not going to use it often? What do you mean? Are you planning to stick to manually casting skills and magic?-Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s how I trained in the past. Using system-assisted skills during training wouldn¡¯t do anything for me. If I train by manually using combat skills, my PHY increases. And if I use magic manually, my MAG increases.¡± -I see. Wait¡­ is that why you don¡¯t wear any shoes? You want to get hurt so you can train your magic?- ¡°Of course not, that¡¯s stupid. It¡¯s the other way around¡ªI can train without shoes because I know I can always heal any wounds. To increase my magic, I can use other magic skills.¡± -¡­- Alistair stopped running, lowering his head with a sigh. He could feel she was upset. ¡°I¡¯m not calling you stupid. What I meant was that anyone who trains their magic by deliberately inflicting wounds on themselves is stupid. I¡¯m sorry if it sounded like I was calling you stupid.¡± -¡­That¡¯s okay. Why exactly is that stupid, anyway?- ¡°There were some cases back in the kingdom during the early years. Some groups would kidnap villagers, inflict wounds on them, and have their healers heal them repeatedly. The idea was to improve their healing skills as efficiently as possible. ¡°It worked¡ªat first. But people die if you keep hurting and healing them. Innocent lives were lost for the sake of skill training. Eventually, the kingdom declared the practice illegal. Most other countries followed suit, and the church even declared it heresy.¡± -But what if they don¡¯t hurt other people? What if they just hurt themselves?- ¡°It doesn¡¯t work like that. The problem is the mindset. The moment someone accepts that hurting themselves and then healing it can help level their skill, they¡¯re already on the wrong path. It won¡¯t take long before they realize it¡¯s easier to hurt other people instead. ¡°And it¡¯s also very detrimental for healers. Casting magic relies on imagination and purpose. A healer who gets into the habit of hurting people might find their healing spells losing proficiency.¡± -I see. Then make sure you leave some mana and don¡¯t spend it all before you rest. You never know when you¡¯ll need to heal yourself.- ¡°Of course I leave some mana, you¡ª I also don¡¯t stay resting until my mana is full, because the more mana you have, the slower it recovers.¡± -You almost called me stupid there, didn¡¯t you¡­- ¡°Absolutely not. I abhor the accusation,¡± Alistair replied with a smirk. ____________________________________ The sun had set, casting a dim orange glow over the forest. Alistair was arranging some wood to start a campfire. Once the wood was set, he hovered his hands above it, and the pile suddenly ignited. TING! -What¡¯s that?- ¡°That would be¡­ Fire, Basic, Level 2. Nice,¡± Alistair said, checking his skill page. -You know elemental magic? Is this from the Hero skill?- ¡°No, the Hero class didn¡¯t have any combat magic skills. I learned this the hard way.¡± Alistair pulled a bedroll and blanket out of his inventory and set them up before sitting down. -What¡¯s the hard way?- ¡°Well, the hard way is finding a mage to teach you how to cast the spell. Preferably someone who can do it manually.¡± -There are other people in this world who can cast skills manually?- ¡°There are quite a few, actually. It¡¯s not that rare. Most of them are mages, and they call it chantless casting. That¡¯s because, in this world, you normally have to say the skill name to activate it. A mage who can cast spells without chanting is incredibly dangerous.¡± -So you also learned how to cast skills manually, even for ones outside your class? I¡¯m assuming for versatility?- ¡°I guess that¡¯s part of it. But there were other reasons. I was about 50% sure that my stats increased faster when I mastered new skills.¡± -¡­ 50%?- ¡°Alright, maybe 30% sure.¡± He smirked. ¡°The main reason, though, was boredom. Training with the same skills for centuries gets tedious.¡± -I see.- Alistair held both of his hands up at chest height. He concentrated, and a flame flickered to life, hovering just above his palms. As he poured more mana into it, the ball of fire grew, expanding to the size of a fist. -You¡¯re not resting yet?- ¡°Not yet. I¡¯ll go through three cycles of my mana reserve before I sleep. What about you? Will you stand guard while I¡¯m sleeping?¡± -No. Even though our souls are connected, they¡¯re still separate. But my soul is tied to your body, so when you sleep, I sleep too.- ¡°Is that so?¡± A flicker of disappointment crossed Alistair¡¯s face. A few intriguing possibilities had just gone out the window. -Can I ask you something?- ¡°Sure.¡± -How is your body this small? Was it Kotan? Did he do something to your body?- ¡°Nah. I was small back then. Even among the kids my age, I was really small.¡± -Really? How big¡ªno, how small are you now?- ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± -How can you not know? This is your body, isn¡¯t it?- ¡°It is my body, but I wasn¡¯t small by the time I reached seventeen. By then, I was already the largest among my peers.¡± -You¡¯re being confusing. You said you were small, and now you¡¯re saying you were large. Are you sure Kotan didn¡¯t do anything?- ¡°Back then, I awakened at fourteen. The church started training me, and with my father¡¯s training regimen, I grew bigger fast. Without that training, I wouldn¡¯t know how much I would¡¯ve grown¡ªor if I would¡¯ve grown at all.¡± -But it is small, though, right? Can¡¯t you feel it or something?- ¡°What do you mean, feel it? Argh¡­¡± Alistair stopped conjuring the fire and heaved a sigh. He took a deep breath and stood up, retrieving a spear from his inventory. He inspected it for a moment before holding it upright with the butt resting on the ground. The spear was taller than him. After a brief pause, he muttered thoughtfully: ¡°I¡¯d say around 167 cm (5¡¯6¡±). Satisfied?¡± Without waiting for a response, Alistair stored the spear and sat back down. This time, he extended his hands outward, and the fireball was conjured a bit further away from his body. -That¡¯s¡­ pretty short for a man in this world, no? Were you sick? Or did you have some kind of condition?- ¡°Nope, my father was short too. He was just a bit taller than I am now.¡± -I see¡­ Hey¡­ Alistair?- Alistair didn¡¯t respond this time, keeping his concentration on the fireball. -Hey.- ¡°What?! Are you bored or something?¡± -Of course I¡¯m bored. There¡¯s nothing for me to do that isn¡¯t about you. So, talk to me. It¡¯s not like you can¡¯t speak while casting skills, right?- ¡°Huh, sure, why not,¡± Alistair replied with a sigh of defeat. ¡°So tell me about this spell Meera cast.¡± -Which spell?- ¡°This place. I haven¡¯t heard anything¡ªno animals, no bugs, nothing. I assume it¡¯s a spell?¡± -Yes, it¡¯s a spell. It¡¯s a static formation that keeps animals out. Humans too.- ¡°I didn¡¯t sense any mana, though.¡± -It uses a different kind of mana. Not the type you can sense. Not yet, at least.- ¡°I see. How long will the formation hold?¡± -The formation will hold until you leave it. Once you exit, it will destroy itself. If you stay indefinitely, it could last for around¡­ 100 years.- ¡°Oh, okay then. That¡¯s good.¡± Alistair¡¯s mana was nearly depleted when he dismissed the fireball once again. TING! Another notification sounded, but no new skill had been registered this time. He took a deep breath, exhaling slowly, before opening his status window.
Page 1/1
Name: Age: Class: Level: Alistair (Ronan) 17 Monk 1
Stats: STR AGI DEX 11 11 10 MAG SEN ATT 11 11 --
-So you leveled up.- ¡°Yeah, apparently so. My ATT stat, whatever that is, is missing. What happened there?¡± -We kind of expected this. Your ATT is off the chart.- ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean? I thought Meera said my mana sensitivity was the one that¡¯s off the chart. I¡¯m assuming that¡¯s SEN?¡± -Yes, SEN is your mana sensitivity, and it was off the chart. But to be fair, all your stats were off the chart. When you died and were reborn, all your stats were reset¡ªexcept for your ATT.- -ATT is your mana attunement. It¡¯s basically your talent¡ªit¡¯s fixed from the day you were born. It governs everything: how easily your body absorbs mana, how easily you can control it, how your mana reacts to you, and more.- ¡°I see. How about the other stats?¡± -Okay. So, STR stands for strength. This is your body¡¯s raw power. The higher this stat, the stronger and denser your body becomes. It increases the momentum of your attacks, the amount you can lift, and how much damage you can endure. -AGI stands for agility. This governs your body¡¯s flexibility and speed. Greater flexibility means quicker muscle twitches and faster overall movement. It also applies to your bones and other parts of your body. The higher this stat, the faster you are. AGI also has a minor effect on defense¡ªthe more you have, the better your body absorbs damage. -DEX stands for dexterity. This affects the fine movements of your body. The stat governs how precise and controlled you are, even in the smallest motions. It also impacts striking power, as better precision means more effective attacks. -MAG stands for magic, just like in your previous system. This one is pretty straightforward¡ªit determines how much mana your body can hold, or your ¡®mana heart,¡¯ as you call it. It also affects how quickly you recover mana. -SEN stands for mana sensitivity. As the name suggests, this governs how sensitive you are to mana. Outside your body, it determines your mana perception and the range of your mana. Inside your body, it affects how fast you can move your mana and how well you can control it. The higher this stat, the more potent your skills become, even at the same level. -And finally, ATT¡ªlast but definitely not least. Like I said before, it stands for mana attunement. It¡¯s fixed from birth and can¡¯t be changed. ATT affects your growth, dictating how easily your body absorbs and controls mana, as well as how mana reacts to you.- ¡°Hooo, that¡¯s simpler than I thought. So how many stats do I need to increase per level?¡± -It¡¯s basically the same as the original system¡ªyour stats double every 10 levels. The difference here is that with more stats, there¡¯s added complexity. Each stat isn¡¯t weighted equally; some are considered more important and will contribute more during level-ups. Can you guess which stat is the most important?- Alistair fell silent. He noticed this wasn¡¯t the first time she¡¯d done this¡ªshe liked to play games like this. After a moment of thought, he answered. ¡°Either DEX or SEN. You said ATT is very important, but since it¡¯s fixed, we¡¯re not counting it for now.¡± -Right. What made you choose those stats? I¡¯d assume a warrior like you would pick STR, or maybe both STR and AGI.- ¡°If the stats work as you described, DEX is definitely the most important physical stat. Do you know why warriors and martial artists practice repetitive drills? Doing the same technique over and over again?¡± -Um, no, why?- ¡°Because to execute a battle technique accurately, you need to understand and control every aspect of your body¡¯s movement¡ªwhen to move a muscle, how much strength to use, the angle of the attack, when to step, when to breathe, and so on. My father called this sharpness. ¡°You can train your body to move faster and stronger, but that will only get you to 99% of a technique¡¯s accuracy. The last 1% requires sharpness. It¡¯s the journey toward perfection.¡± -So you¡¯ve mastered most of your techniques to 100%, I assume.- ¡°Nope. There¡¯s no such thing as 100%. It¡¯s a never-ending journey.¡± -Your father said all of this? Was he some kind of philosopher?- The comparison drew a small laugh from Alistair. ¡°Ha ha, no. He was just a spear instructor in a backwater village. But, in a way, he was kind of a philosopher.¡± -Is that so? So why did you also pick SEN?- ¡°Because the way you described it, it sounds like DEX, but for mana.¡± -Precisely. But it doesn¡¯t just affect mana¡ªit also impacts your body, especially your combat skills. -So, if basic stats like STR, AGI, and MAG are weighted at 1, DEX would be weighted at 1.5, and SEN would be weighted at 2.- ¡°That makes sense. If DEX is sharpness and SEN is similar to it, increasing those stats wouldn¡¯t be as easy as increasing the others. But the payoff would probably be greater than the effort.¡± -Precisely. Now, did you know that if¡ª- ¡°That¡¯s enough for now. I¡¯m trying to meditate here,¡± Alistair cut her off mid-sentence, turning his attention to the campfire. -¡­- A small smile crept across Alistair¡¯s face. He could feel her pouting. In his previous life, he always trained alone¡ªin the middle of a forest, on top of a mountain, or deep inside a cave. Solitary, always, because he didn¡¯t want anyone to know the magnitude of his true strength. Now, though, it might actually be nice having her around. Chapter 11 A month had passed since Alistair began his training. Now, the day had come for him to leave the forest behind. He wished he could stay longer, but his food supplies were running low. With Meera¡¯s formation keeping animals away, it would be difficult to sustain himself here indefinitely. As Alistair fastened his gambeson, Ameera¡¯s voice interrupted him. -Why are we leaving now? I thought you still had some food left.- ¡°Barely any,¡± he replied. ¡°It¡¯s not wise to wait until you¡¯ve run out completely before replenishing your supply. Always keep some set aside for emergencies.¡± -Like mana?- Ameera asked. ¡°Like mana,¡± Alistair agreed. He finished securing the gambeson and took a moment to observe how well it fit him now. With a satisfied nod, he retrieved his black leather armor from his inventory. -I still can¡¯t believe you managed to grow this much in just a month.- ¡°Yeah, it surprised me too. I expected to grow fast, but not this fast. I have to thank the system for that.¡± -How tall are you right now?- Alistair began putting on the leather armor set. ¡°Should be around 180 cm (5¡¯11¡±). Quite tall for a normal adult male, but still small for awakened warriors. At least compared to the Roettger warriors.¡± When he finished donning the leather armor, it no longer looked awkward on him as it had before; now, it fit him perfectly, as if it had been made for him. With his noticeably developed muscles and increased height, he now looked like a proper warrior. -You Roettger boys are all big, huh?- ¡°Yup. Hey, why was I only that big?¡± -Hmm? What do you mean?- ¡°I always knew that with training, not only do you get stronger, but you also get bigger. I was big before, but I wasn¡¯t that big. Albert was much bigger than me, and even he wasn¡¯t the largest in the Roettger house. That¡¯s always bothered me.¡± -Oh, that. Hmm, so you weren¡¯t the largest one. I bet you were the heaviest, though. Right?- ¡°Yeah, I was really heavy, even for my size. How do you know that?¡± -The size difference comes down to variations in vessels. Training lets you absorb mana into your body, which makes it stronger. But different bodies react differently to mana. You probably have a very receptive body. -For someone with a less receptive body, the mana they absorb still makes them stronger, but not as much as it does for you. Once their body has grown as strong as it can with the mana provided, it starts to grow bigger instead, until it¡¯s capable of absorbing more mana to grow stronger again. -Because your body is highly receptive to mana, combined with your crazy mana attunement, I¡¯m honestly surprised you managed to grow to that size at all.- ¡°Hmmm. If that¡¯s the case, then why was I already bigger than normal as a teenager?¡± -Probably because your body wasn¡¯t used to mana back then. It takes around five years for a body to fully adapt to mana. For most people, that wouldn¡¯t cause much change, but since your body absorbs mana faster than normal¡ªand I¡¯m guessing you kept up a training regimen¡ªit probably caused you to grow bigger early on. Let me guess¡ªyou stopped growing around 19, didn¡¯t you? Then you stayed that way until you started growing again much later.- ¡°Huh, yeah, that¡¯s exactly what happened. I started growing again years after I stopped being a hero.¡± Alistair finished his preparations and took one last look around the area. -What is it? Are you feeling sad because we¡¯re leaving this place?- ¡°Nope, I¡¯m actually quite glad. The whole no-animals thing was nice for a few days, but after that, it just got really creepy. At least I¡¯m stronger now.¡± -Yeah, you¡¯re not an initiate anymore, right? How does it feel? Graduating from initiate to adept. Does it feel like the first time? When you went from initiate to adept?- ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know,¡± Alistair said, starting to walk east. ¡°The first time, I awakened to level 12, I was never an initiate.¡± -¡­Show off. I wouldn¡¯t do that often if I were you¡ªgirls don¡¯t like show-offs.- Her response elicited a hearty laugh from Alistair. ¡°Ha ha ha ha. Actually, girls love boys who know how to show off,¡± he said, still walking. -What?! No way!- ¡°Yes way. I¡¯ve never been humble a day in my life, and girls always flocked to me.¡± A wide grin spread across his face. -Ugh, whatever. Just keep walking, would you?- ____________________________________ After walking for a while, Alistair suddenly stopped and glanced back. ¡°Was that it? I felt something just now.¡± He placed a hand over his chest. ¡°It was like crossing a barrier¡ªalmost like stepping out of water, but much subtler.¡± -Yes. I think we just crossed the formation boundary.- Alistair scanned his surroundings. The sound of birds and other animals reached his ears now, a stark contrast to the silence from before. He turned again toward the path he had come from, marveling at the formation¡¯s capabilities. But the thought didn¡¯t linger long; he brushed it aside and continued walking. -So, where are we going again?- ¡°Well, according to the map left by the other admin, there are some smaller villages and a small town nearby, all about the same distance from here. But on the map Kotan left, there¡¯s only the town marked, along with instructions on how to reach the capital city.¡± -Capital city of what?- ¡°We¡¯re supposed to be in the kingdom of Crilia.¡± -Is it one of the kingdoms that attacked you?- ¡°Yep. And I¡¯m guessing it¡¯s also the kingdom Kotan used as his base of operations.¡± -So, I assume we¡¯re not going there, then.- ¡°Nope. We¡¯re not going to the capital, but we will head to that small town.¡± -Wait, why? Don¡¯t you think he might have set a trap there?- ¡°There¡¯s a risk of that, yes. But it doesn¡¯t change the fact that we need to resupply. And wherever we decide to go eventually, we¡¯ll still need some form of transportation.¡±This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. Alistair suddenly stopped in his tracks. His gaze fixed ahead on a line of trees at the roadside. Slowly, he began scanning his surroundings. -Well, it still doesn¡¯t change the fact that it might be dangerous.- ¡°I have a plan for that. Ameera, I need you to be quiet now,¡± Alistair said, lowering his voice. He continued walking along the road. -What? What¡¯s happening?- ¡°We¡¯re not alone. Now, silence,¡± Alistair whispered. He kept moving, his steps steady. After about 20 meters, two figures emerged from the trees, blocking his path. Alistair stopped and studied them carefully. One of the men was lean, wearing an incomplete set of leather armor¡ªmissing a chest piece and a left bracer. Alistair dismissed him almost immediately. The other, however, was different. He was an awakened, taller, and more heavily armored, with a seasoned appearance marked by scars across his body. Alistair could feel his strength, sensing that this man was at least a level or two above him. Both men had swords drawn, their stances tense and hostile. Their gazes locked onto Alistair, sharp and calculating, like predators sizing up their prey. ¡°What do you think, Jack? Is that him?¡± the smaller man asked, glancing at his companion. ¡°Hmm. Right age, and the armor matches,¡± Jack replied, his tone gruff. ¡°But no spear, no weapon at all. And he¡¯s too tall.¡± -Alistair! This is a trap. Run!- Ameera¡¯s rising anxiety pressed against Alistair¡¯s thoughts, but he didn¡¯t respond. He showed no outward reaction, his face calm as he focused on steadying his breathing. ¡°Oh, come on! I know that, but look at the armor. How many people do you think can afford to walk around in top-of-the-line Bourdon armor?¡± the smaller man shot back, his voice growing louder. Alistair glanced down at his armor briefly. ¡°A flashy, branded set, huh?¡± he murmured to himself. ¡°Thanks, Kotan.¡± His lips twitched into a faint smirk. He made a mental note to repay Kotan for the ''generous gift.'' Alistair lifted his head and addressed the two men. ¡°Good day, gentlemen. Might I inquire as to the nature of your business with me?¡± he asked, his tone calm and polite as he walked slowly toward them. ¡°Umm, Jack?¡± The smaller man, Tom, blinked in surprise, clearly unsettled by Alistair¡¯s formal manner of speaking. ¡°Shut up, Tom,¡± Jack snapped, narrowing his eyes at Alistair. He studied him for a moment before sneering. ¡°Hmph. What kind of noble travels alone, without an escort or even a horse? Tom, grab him. Judging by that armor, he might know something about the boy.¡± Tom¡¯s face lit up at Jack¡¯s command. He turned toward Alistair, who was still approaching, his smirk widening as he raised his sword. ¡°Oi! You! Stop right there!¡± Tom shouted, his voice laced with arrogance. ¡°If you want to live, get your hands up!¡± Alistair stopped in his tracks and slowly raised both hands. The gesture seemed to invigorate Tom, whose smirk widened as he closed the distance, sword still pointing at Alistair. Just as Tom¡¯s blade neared Alistair¡¯s chestplate, Alistair made his move. He stepped forward sharply, slipping to the right of the blade while seizing it with his left hand. With a firm pull, he disrupted Tom¡¯s balance, sending him stumbling forward. Without hesitation, Alistair drove a powerful punch into Tom¡¯s throat with his right hand. The impact landed with a sickening crunch, leaving Tom choking as he crumpled to the ground. Alistair didn¡¯t pause. He yanked the sword from Tom¡¯s grip, transferring it to his right hand as he sprinted toward Jack. ¡°Bastard! What the fuck do you think you¡¯re doing?!¡± Jack roared, his face flushing red with fury. He charged at Alistair, his movements aggressive and unrestrained. As Alistair closed the gap, Jack raised his blade, gripping it with both hands in preparation for a heavy, crushing strike. Alistair adjusted his stance, holding his newly acquired sword horizontally above his head in a defensive posture. Jack sneered, interpreting the move as a futile defense, and brought his weapon down in a vicious arc, aiming to shatter both Alistair¡¯s blade and his skull. The moment Jack¡¯s sword descended, Alistair released his grip on his blade entirely, sidestepping and twisting his body into a spin. Jack¡¯s strike met nothing but air as Alistair¡¯s rotation brought his right foot around, connecting with Jack¡¯s temple in a decisive, bone-rattling kick. Jack staggered, his momentum faltering as the force of the strike sent him reeling. Jack didn¡¯t know what hit him. By the time the sword struck the ground, he had already blacked out for a moment. When he started to regain consciousness, he found himself on his back, Alistair straddling him and slowly pressing the blade through a gap in his armor toward his heart. ¡°Wa¡­ wait,¡± Jack pleaded weakly, his voice trembling. He tried to push Alistair off, but his strength hadn¡¯t returned. Schlurk. The blade slid in without resistance. Jack¡¯s eyes widened in shock, his mouth hanging open as his pupils rolled back. His body shuddered once before going limp. Alistair rose, pulling the sword free, and retrieved Jack¡¯s weapon as well. Without a glance back, he began walking toward Tom, who lay sprawled on the ground, clutching his throat. Tom¡¯s breaths were shallow and ragged, each one accompanied by a wet, choking rasp. Blood bubbled at his lips as his wide, panic-filled eyes darted around. He noticed Alistair approaching only for a brief second before Alistair swung one of the swords, the sharp edge slicing cleanly through his neck. Tom¡¯s suffering ended instantly as his head fell to the ground. Alistair exhaled deeply, closing his eyes as he tilted his head toward the sky. His grip on the swords loosened slightly as he stood in silence for a moment, the battlefield quiet once more. -Alistair¡­- Ameera¡¯s voice trembled, full of distress. If she had a body, she would likely be sobbing. ¡°Not yet, honey,¡± Alistair muttered under his breath. He opened his eyes and turned to look back the way he had come. ¡°Oh, I dropped something,¡± he said aloud, starting to walk back. After only a few steps, Alistair suddenly hurled the sword in his right hand toward the top of a nearby tree. Shunk! The blade struck something hidden among the branches, and a figure tumbled to the ground below. Without hesitation, Alistair sprinted toward it. It was a person¡ªanother awakened, Alistair noted. The man wore leather armor, and a bow lay discarded beside him. A ranger, Alistair deduced. His sword had pierced the man¡¯s right leg. Alistair scanned the fallen ranger, noting the pair of knives secured to the man¡¯s belt. With precise movements, he used his sword to sever the belt, retrieved it with both knives still sheathed, and then flung it away from the ranger. The man was pale. Beyond the gushing wound on his leg, the sheer presence of the figure looming over him left him visibly shaken. ¡°Wait, wait, wait! Please, wait! The battle is over¡ªI¡¯m not a threat. Please spare me! You can take all my coins,¡± he stammered, desperation clear in his voice. Alistair stared at the man in silence for a moment before speaking. ¡°What were you three doing here? You were waiting for me, weren¡¯t you? I want to know more about that.¡± The question seemed to jolt the man. He hesitated, gulping hard before continuing. ¡°Look, kiddo, I¡¯d love to answer any questions you¡¯ve got, but¡­ we¡¯re just a bunch of robbers. The plan was¡­ was to take everything you had and let you go on your way,¡± he explained, his eyes pleading. Alistair studied him for a while, his expression unreadable, before he spoke again. ¡°Ameera, I¡¯m going to cut off the connection for a while, okay?¡± -...Okay.- Alistair severed his connection to Ameera. The man on the ground blinked in confusion, glancing around. ¡°Hey, kiddo. Who are you talking to?¡± he asked, his voice tinged with unease. Alistair crouched down beside him, moving slowly, deliberately. His voice dropped to a near-whisper, chilling in its calmness. ¡°I¡¯m going to ask you again. If you don¡¯t answer me, I will hurt you. Why were you men waiting for me?¡± The man was drenched in sweat now, trembling as he realized Alistair wasn¡¯t bluffing. Yet fear of his boss loomed large in his mind. He had seen it before¡ªhow the boss dealt with failure, or worse, perceived betrayal. The punishments were gruesome and unforgettable. Gritting his teeth, he repeated his answer. ¡°I told you already! We were just robbing you!¡± Alistair exhaled heavily, shaking his head in disappointment. Without warning, he drove the sword into the man¡¯s left shoulder, the blade piercing clean through and pinning him to the ground. ¡°Argh!¡± the man cried out, his voice cracking. Before he could fully process the searing pain, Alistair grabbed the handle of the sword lodged in his leg. With a firm pull, he dragged the blade to the side, slicing through flesh and bone in one sickening motion. ¡°Hmmph!¡± The man¡¯s scream caught in his throat, his wide, terrified eyes fixed on Alistair. To him, Alistair looked as calm as if he were butchering livestock. ¡°AAARGH!¡± The delayed agony finally hit, and the man¡¯s voice erupted into a tortured scream, echoing in the air. The screams lasted for several moments before fading into pitiful sobs. Alistair crouched down, observing the man with cold detachment. When he finally spoke, his voice was low and measured. ¡°Let¡¯s make one thing clear. I have the rest of the day, and you¡¯ve got plenty of body parts for me to work with. What happens next is entirely up to you.¡± Fortunately, no one else passed through that road that day. If they had, they would have heard the intermittent screams echoing from the woods. After half an hour, Alistair emerged from between the trees. He carried a waterskin, using it to clean the blood from his hands and armor. When he was satisfied he couldn¡¯t clean it further, he restored his connection to Ameera. ¡°Hey. Are you alright?¡± -¡­Yes, I¡¯m fine. I apologize for acting like that before.- ¡°Nah, it¡¯s fine. It¡¯s your first time experiencing something like that in person. Honestly, you handled it pretty well,¡± Alistair replied, his voice as gentle as he could manage. -¡­Really? Thanks. That last guy, is he¡­- ¡°He¡¯s dead. Don¡¯t ask me how.¡± -I wasn¡¯t going to. Did he tell you anything?- ¡°Yes. He was part of a group based in Lordton¡ªthe small town. They got a commission about a month ago from a noble to intercept and kill a boy traveling this road. They were told he¡¯d be short, wearing branded black leather armor, and carrying a black spear. And also answered to Alistair." -Kotan.- ¡°Kotan,¡± Alistair echoed. -So, now what? We can¡¯t go to the town where there¡¯s a group of people looking for you, right?- ¡°Actually, that¡¯s exactly what we¡¯re going to do,¡± Alistair replied confidently. -Wait, what? They¡¯ll be looking for you!- ¡°Technically, they¡¯ll be looking for Alistair,¡± he said, a sly smile spreading across his face. ¡°But not Ronan.¡± Chapter 12 Alistair moved away from the battlefield with quick, purposeful strides. He kept his pace brisk, the tension from the fight still fresh in his muscles. After some time, he veered off the main path and disappeared into the woods. He continued walking until the path was no longer visible, then stopped to survey his surroundings. Once he was satisfied that he was alone, he began removing the black leather armor piece by piece. ¡°Ameera, can you check if Kotan put... something strange on this armor?¡± he asked, holding it up for inspection. -No, there¡¯s nothing like that. I checked the first time you wore it.- came Ameera¡¯s voice, soft and certain. ¡°Hm. What a waste,¡± Alistair muttered, running his fingers over the leather. ¡°I suppose I could sell it. Should fetch a decent price.¡± -You¡¯re going to sell it? Isn¡¯t that risky? There are people searching for whoever¡¯s wearing this armor,- Ameera pointed out. ¡°I don¡¯t have to sell it here. I can sell it in another town¡ªor a city.¡± -Meera left you with coins, no? It¡¯s not like you¡¯re lacking.- ¡°Ho ho ho, my dear child. Let me tell you something: there¡¯s no such thing as too much money.¡± -¡­ You¡¯d make a good merchant.- ¡°I was a merchant, you know.¡± Alistair carefully folded his gambeson and placed it aside before rummaging through his inventory. He pulled out an old leather armor, probably something one of the other admins had thrown into the magic bag in a hurry. The sight of it made him scowl. After a long sigh, he began putting it on. -You were a merchant? I don¡¯t have any information about that. When was this?- ¡°A long time ago. Before Aenduil.¡± -Before you came to Aenduil?- ¡°Before the kingdom was founded.¡± -¡­ I sometimes forget how old you are.- ¡°I am ancient. But let¡¯s agree that between the two of us, I have a better grasp on matters of coin and stewardship.¡± He took out a black cloak with a hood and a piece of black cloth from the bag. ¡°Lucky everything¡¯s black.¡± -You know what? I¡¯ll let you handle our fiscal responsibility.- ¡°The what now?¡± Ameera didn¡¯t answer, but he could feel her smirk. Alistair draped the cloak over his armor, fastening it securely, and wrapped the black cloth around his lower face. He then pulled the hood low to obscure most of his features. From his inventory, he retrieved a knife and placed it at his hip. The cloak concealed the weapon, but it would be easy to notice when he moved. ¡°Hm. Close enough. Too bad there isn¡¯t a bow in the bag¡ªI could be more convincing with that.¡± -You could¡¯ve taken the guy¡¯s bow,- Ameera remarked. ¡°No. I can¡¯t risk carrying something his friends might recognize. This will do.¡± -But you had no problem taking their coins,- Ameera reminded him, her tone wry. ¡°I consider it the spoils of war. Besides, there¡¯s no such thing as too¡ª¡± -¡ªMuch money. Yes, you¡¯ve said that already.- ¡°And I¡¯ll say it again and again. Because it¡¯s true.¡± -Fine. Now, would you please tell me what the plan is?- ¡°Oh, and we need to come up with secret signals,¡± Alistair said suddenly. -What?- ¡°Well, when we¡¯re in town or around people, it¡¯s not like I can talk to you freely. We need to agree on some hand gestures you can sense. For example, if I want you to check certain items for... anything strange, I don¡¯t have to speak out loud.¡± -There¡¯s no need for that.- ¡°Of course there is. And it¡¯s not just¡ª¡± Alistair¡¯s words trailed off as a wave of information suddenly surged through his mind. After a moment, he cocked his head to the side. +I can actually talk to you without speaking?+ -Of course. Our souls are connected; it doesn¡¯t take much effort to interact like this.- +This is so much better. Why didn¡¯t you tell me about this before?+ -¡­- +Ameera?+ -I prefer hearing your voice out loud.- +¡­+ -It feels like having a real conversation when you talk out loud.- Alistair could sense a faint hint of sadness and frustration in her response. ¡°Alright then,¡± he said after a pause. ¡°I guess we¡¯ll use this when there¡¯s no one else around.¡± As Alistair reached the road again, he turned and began walking along it. The afternoon light stretched shadows across the path, and after a while, Ameera spoke again. -Thanks.- ¡°It¡¯s fine. Look, we can already see the town,¡± Alistair said, pointing toward a bustling little settlement in the distance. ¡°We should reach it before nightfall.¡± ____________________________________ Lordton was a small town near the border between Crilia and Aenduil. Although the latest war had officially ended, the tension among its people lingered. Many of the town¡¯s young men had joined the war, unknowingly, but not all of them returned. Those who did brought back only memories of trauma. The town was protected by a 6-meter-tall wooden wall, with just two entry points. Each gate was guarded by town soldiers. At the northern gate, two soldiers were on duty¡ªor more accurately, lounging. They had dragged out a table and a pair of chairs to sit on. Resting on the table was a greenish crystal ball mounted on a pedestal. The soldiers leaned back in their chairs, looking bored. Traffic through the gate had been slow ever since the war ended in defeat. Few people ventured out, and even the usual merchants avoided the border town. One of the soldiers sat up and narrowed his eyes, straining to see something in the distance. ¡°Someone¡¯s coming,¡± he said to his companion. ¡°Hmm?¡± The other guard, who had been on the verge of falling asleep, raised his head and squinted ahead. A lone figure was approaching the town. Though still far off, it was clear the person was traveling alone.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°What do you think? A merchant?¡± the first soldier asked. ¡°I don¡¯t see any horse or bag. Maybe a hunter?¡± the second replied. ¡°Nah, there¡¯s nothing to hunt up there. Can¡¯t be a gatherer either¡ªno bag.¡± They fell silent after that, deciding to wait for the visitor rather than make further guesses. When the visitor came close enough, the soldiers finally got a clear look at his attire. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s no villager or merchant,¡± one of the soldiers said, noticing the visitor wore leather armor beneath his cloak. ¡°Yup. Play this right, we might get something out of this,¡± the other soldier replied. They both stood up from their chairs and grabbed their spears, positioning themselves in front of the open gate. As the visitor approached, the crystal ball on the table began to glow. A faint green smoke started to rise from the visitor¡¯s body, drifting toward and into the crystal ball. Noticing this, one of the soldiers raised his hand and yelled, ¡°Halt!¡± The visitor stopped in front of them, his eyes scanning the two soldiers before flicking to the glowing crystal ball on the table. ¡°Welcome to Lordton, traveler. This is just a simple gate check. We need to verify you before¡ª¡± Before the soldier could finish, the visitor removed his right glove and placed his hand on the crystal ball. A moment later, a green window floated above it.
Name: Ronan
That was the only thing written on the green window. Unlike the blue windows, which could only be seen by the awakened they corresponded to, the green window was visible to everyone. One of the soldiers pulled a folded piece of paper from his pocket. It contained a list of names, and he began comparing the name displayed on the green window with the names on the list. After confirming it wasn¡¯t a match, he jotted the name down on the back of the paper. After a moment, he nodded to the other soldier, who turned to address the visitor. ¡°Excuse me, sir. We need you to remove your hood and mask,¡± the guard said. ¡°Why?¡± The visitor¡¯s voice was low and calm, his first words of the encounter. ¡°We need to make sure you¡¯re not here to cause trouble in town,¡± the soldier replied. ¡°And? Is my name on that list?¡± the visitor asked, gesturing toward the paper in the other soldier¡¯s hand. ¡°Well, no, sir. But we can¡¯t just let any awakened walk into the town unchecked.¡± ¡°Oi. What. Do. You. Think. This. Is. For.¡± The visitor¡¯s tone sharpened as he enunciated each word, tapping the crystal ball with a drawn knife. Both soldiers flinched in surprise. The visitor was now holding the knife in the same hand he¡¯d used to gesture at the paper. Neither of them had seen him draw it. ¡°Tell me something, boy.¡± The visitor stepped closer to the guard he was speaking to, his voice dropping into a dangerous register. ¡°Is it worth it? Do I need to make you the reason my name ends up on that list?¡± The guard was now sweating. The only part of the visitor¡¯s face he could see were the eyes, and those eyes told him everything he needed to know¡ªthey were deadly serious. He was seconds away from having his throat slit. Sure, he and his partner had emergency whistles to summon reinforcements, but what good would that do him if he were already dead? The visitor was right¡ªit wasn¡¯t worth it. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m sorry, sir. I¡­ I don¡¯t know what came over me. Yes, of course, you can enter,¡± the guard stammered, lowering his head. ¡°Good,¡± the visitor replied smoothly. ¡°I knew you didn¡¯t mean it that way.¡± He patted the man¡¯s shoulder with his right hand¡ªthe same hand that had held a knife moments ago. The gesture only made the guards even more uneasy. ¡°Any fee to enter the town?¡± the visitor asked, his tone now casual. ¡°Fi¡ªno, three coppers, sir,¡± the guard with the paper blurted. ¡°Hmm.¡± The visitor stepped past the guard in front of him, pushing him lightly to the side as he headed toward the gate. On his way, he placed three copper coins on the table with the same hand, as if he¡¯d been palming them the entire time. Without another word, the visitor walked through the gate and into the town. A moment later, the lead guard collapsed onto his rear, his face pale and drained of color. ¡°Did¡­ did you get the name?¡± he asked his partner weakly. ¡°Yeah, I wrote it down,¡± the other guard replied, a note of pity in his voice as he looked at his shaken comrade. ¡°Yeah¡­ good. Go check it. I¡¯ll¡­ I¡¯ll stay here,¡± the lead guard muttered, making no attempt to get back on his feet. The other guard hesitated for a moment before turning and walking into the town. ____________________________________ -What was that?¨C Ameera finally asked after Alistair was far enough from the guards. ¡°Which part?¡± Alistair replied, his voice low, almost a whisper. -Everything. What was the deal with the green crystal ball? The moment you stepped into its range, it started siphoning a minuscule amount of mana.- ¡°It¡¯s an identification ball. Like you mentioned, it reacts to the mana of awakened¡ªinitialized¡ªones.¡± -Players. We usually called them players. Initialization is the process of awakening.- ¡°Right. The ball is used to identify players. Any town with a gate check like that would have one.¡± -Yeah, I figured that much from the name. But I was wondering how the hell it works¡ªit generated a system window.- ¡°The identification ball is one of the specialized items the church sells. I don¡¯t know how it works; nobody does. And I¡¯m pretty sure most of the people in the church don¡¯t know either.¡± -Okay, that makes more sense. If it¡¯s the church, it¡¯s probably connected to the ruling admin. I noticed it displayed your alias.- ¡°Exactly. The ball is used to extract information, but the user has limited control over what gets displayed. They can reveal everything, or, as most people do, they can give the bare minimum¡ªjust a name.¡± -Is that why you were so pleased when you figured out you could put any name as your alias?- ¡°Precisely. Aliases aren¡¯t supposed to differ much from your full name, or at least they¡¯re supposed to be some derivation. Being able to use completely different names gives me an extra identity.¡± -He checked your name against a list?- ¡°That would be the list of criminal players in the area. If necessary, they usually have a longer list with names of criminals from across the kingdom. They keep that at their base, and I assume that¡¯s where the other guard is going now. He¡¯s probably already comparing my name.¡± -Why did you act so hostile back there?- ¡°I had to. I know those types. If I let them, they would¡¯ve tried to squeeze more coins out of us. You noticed how he dropped from five coppers to three? He probably planned to charge ten originally.¡± -Wait¡­ what?- ¡°Yup, useless bums. They¡¯re probably also a menace to the local populace.¡± -That was¡­ to save between two and seven copper coins? I thought we had enough coins?- ¡°Hmm? Oh, we do. We have more than enough to cover their extra charge. But I¡¯m not about to give those parasites even a single extra coin.¡± -How¡­ how much is seven copper coins worth? I mean, what could you get with that amount?- ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ you could probably get a decent meal for around five coppers.¡± -Okay. Let me get this straight.- Alistair stopped in his tracks. Ameera¡¯s last sentence was tight, restrained. He could feel her frustration mounting, her tone edged with upset. -You deliberately antagonized¡ªwhat I can only assume is¡ªa representative of the authoritative entity in this place, all to save an amount of money that couldn¡¯t even buy a decent meal for both of them.- ¡°Well, if you put it¡ª¡± -AND!¨C Ameera cut him off sharply. -We actually have more than enough money to cover that extra cost. But because your cheap ass is so obsessed with our fiscal independence, you¡¯re perfectly fine with inviting more problems, RIGHT?!- ¡°¡­You¡¯ve used that word twice now. Fiscal means money or wealth, right?¡± -ARE YOU STUPID?!- ¡°Oi, that¡¯s a bit much, don¡¯t you think? You¡¯re overreacting. Those two guards won¡¯t cause any problems.¡± -God damn it, Alistair! Do you even realize what you are now? You were the strongest man alive in this world. You were the head of, probably, the strongest and most influential family in existence. And I¡¯m pretty sure you had the backing of an entire kingdom.- She didn¡¯t let up, her words coming faster now, heated and raw. -But guess what? You¡¯re not any of that anymore! Sure, you¡¯re strong¡ªfor your level¡ªbut if that guard had called for backup and they had a master with them, what would¡¯ve happened? We¡¯d be dead! You need to stop relying on your instinct to face problems head-on, forcefully.- She paused, her anger cresting before her next words hit with bitter finality. -There¡¯s no one who can help us. It¡¯s just the two of us. That goddamned Meera left you! The other champions have admins ready to assist them, but we don¡¯t even have that!- While Ameera poured her heart into her rant, Alistair had already moved into a nearby alleyway. Leaning against the wall, he listened in silence. -Am I wrong?! Do you actually have a more profound reasoning for acting like this?- ¡°No¡­ you¡¯re right,¡± Alistair said after a pause. -I¡­ wait, what?- ¡°You¡¯re right. It was stupid. I shouldn¡¯t have done that.¡± Alistair slowly slumped to the ground, his voice quieter now. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ve always been like this. I try to think things through, sometimes even overthink. But when I¡¯m in the field, I act impulsively. If I see something I don¡¯t like, I confront it head-on. ¡°This has caused me problems more times than I can count. Luckily, I usually had someone with me¡ªsomeone to remind me, hold me back, act as my scabbard. The last person to do that for me was Albert.¡± -Your grandnephew?- ¡°My son.¡± -Oh.- ¡°Yeah¡­ the kid always knew what to say and when to say it. But now, I have you, and honestly, I¡¯m glad it¡¯s you. I hope you¡¯ll remind me if I¡¯m about to do something stupid again.¡± -¡­Of course.- Alistair stood up, taking a few deep breaths before glancing back toward the main street. ¡°It¡¯s getting late. We should probably find an inn. We can look for transportation tomorrow.¡± -Yeah¡­- Alistair started walking along the main road. The fading light bathed the street in soft hues, and shadows stretched across the path. After a while, Ameera spoke again. -Hey, do you remember those guards¡¯ faces when you pulled that knife in and out of your inventory?- A grin spread across Alistair¡¯s face. ¡°Ha ha ha, yeah. Oh, I¡¯ve still got a few tricks I haven¡¯t tried yet.¡± -Tricks? Like what?- Ameera asked, her curiosity piqued. ¡°You¡¯ll see,¡± Alistair replied with a chuckle, his tone playful. The two continued their banter, their voices growing softer as they walked into the dimming horizon. Alistair¡¯s mood lightened, and so did Ameera¡¯s. The night fell, wrapping them in its quiet embrace. That day, the two of them had learned how to truly speak to one another. Chapter 13 Early in the morning, a middle-aged woman stood in front of the butcher¡¯s stall. She had just placed her order, and the butcher was preparing the cut of meat she wanted. ¡°So, I hear you¡¯ve got another strange one staying at your inn,¡± the butcher said, his tone even as he worked the blade through the meat. ¡°Hmm? Oh, that. Yeah, and this one takes the cake. Been there almost two weeks now, and I still haven¡¯t seen his face. Always wears that hooded cloak and cloth mask, no matter where he goes. I don¡¯t think anyone¡¯s ever gotten a proper look at him.¡± The innkeeper leaned in slightly, her voice full of exasperated curiosity. ¡°He doesn¡¯t eat in your dining hall?¡± the butcher asked, keeping his focus on the meat. ¡°Oh, he eats my food, all right, but only ever in his room. I figure that¡¯s the only place he takes off that mask of his.¡± ¡°Well, sounds like he just values his privacy. That¡¯s not too odd,¡± the butcher replied. ¡°That¡¯s not what makes him weird.¡± She glanced around and stepped closer, lowering her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. ¡°He talks to himself.¡± The butcher stopped cutting for a moment and looked up. ¡°Wait. What?¡± ¡°Yup. And it¡¯s not like he¡¯s praying or chanting a spell or something. No, it¡¯s... different. Quiet whispers, like he¡¯s having a private conversation. Yesterday, I even caught him giggling to himself while he was coming down the stairs.¡± ¡°If it bothers you that much, you could just ask him to leave,¡± the butcher said, moving on to the next cut of meat. ¡°What? No way. He paid upfront for a whole month¡ªand extra for room service.¡± She made a coin gesture with her hand, grinning. The butcher gave her a flat look and rolled his eyes. ¡°He¡¯s an awakened, right? Has he caused any trouble?¡± ¡°Not really. He mostly keeps to himself when he¡¯s around. I checked with the city guards¡ªthey said he¡¯s not on any list. He did have some kind of spat with the gatekeepers when he arrived, but since then, nothing. The guards are keeping an eye on him, but for now, they¡¯re letting him be.¡± ¡°Hmm. Well, that¡¯s good enough, I suppose. He¡¯s been coming here every day, selling his hunts,¡± the butcher replied as he began wrapping the meat. ¡°Oh, so it¡¯s true he¡¯s been hunting daily?¡± ¡°Yeah. He sells the animals to me, and Matt takes care of the magic beasts.¡± ¡°He hunts magic beasts?¡± Her voice rose slightly in surprise. ¡°Yup. He¡¯s been going deep into the west forest. None of our hunters dare to go near that area. Yesterday, he hauled in a dire wolf, just slung it over his shoulders like it was nothing, then walked straight to Matt¡¯s shop. Arrow, dead center between the eyes.¡± ¡°Hooo. My pops used to hunt. He always said wolves are some of the hardest to hit because of how nimble they are. Is a dire wolf slower?¡± ¡°Much faster, actually. Bigger, too. And smarter. I¡¯ve even heard they can climb trees,¡± the butcher replied. ¡°Ugh, that sounds terrifying. Arrow between the eyes, you said? So, he¡¯s some kind of archer, then?¡± ¡°Seems like it. Probably one of those advanced archer classes.¡± The butcher handed the wrapped meat to the innkeeper. ¡°Whatever he is, he¡¯s definitely a master bowman,¡± he added, casting a glance toward the west. ____________________________________ ¨CYou really have no idea how to use a bow, huh?¨C Alistair stared at the arrow wobbling midair before it fell unceremoniously to the ground. He had just pulled the bowstring when the arrow started shifting away from the arrow rest, slipping to the side. Confused, he loosened his grip on the string by accident, sending the arrow flying awkwardly into the air. Alistair stood beside the unconscious dire boar, his bare torso slick with sweat, wearing only trousers and no shoes. The dense forest around him was quiet except for the occasional rustle of leaves. He had been using hunting as an excuse to train daily in this remote part of the forest. With the presence of magic beasts, townsfolk rarely ventured this far, leaving him undisturbed. ¡°Nope, never bothered to learn how,¡± Alistair said, shifting his attention to the bow in his left hand. He frowned at it. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t they etch the bow or something? How do they keep the arrow in place?¡± ¨CThis is a simple, cheap bow. They don¡¯t usually etch or notch the body for an arrow rest¡ªthat would compromise the bow¡¯s integrity. You should¡¯ve bought the other one in the town¡¯s weapon shop. It had a natural arrow shelf.¨C ¡°With that pricing? No way. It¡¯s probably made for nobles who don¡¯t even know how to use a bow.¡± ¨CYou are a noble who doesn¡¯t know how to use a bow.¨C ¡°¡­¡± Ameera¡¯s remark silenced him. After a moment, he sighed and decided to let it slide. Turning away, he walked over to the fallen arrow, sliding the bow into his inventory as he went. Retrieving the arrow from the dirt, he returned to the unconscious dire boar. Crouching beside the massive beast, he pointed the arrow at its side. Concentrating, he infused mana into the arrowhead, watching as it glowed faintly. With a single, decisive motion, he drove the arrow into the boar. It sliced through the thick hide effortlessly and pierced the heart. ¨CThat¡¯s cheating. On so many levels.¨C Ameera quipped. Ignoring her, Alistair watched as the boar bled out, dying silently. ¨CI still can¡¯t believe you managed to put a boar in a chokehold. Couldn¡¯t you just hit it? Or kick it? You¡¯ve been training martial arts for a while now.¨C ¡°Nope. I¡¯m a ranger now, remember? Can¡¯t leave any marks on the hunts¡ªonly arrows.¡± ¨CCan you remind me why we¡¯re doing this again?¨C ¡°Besides giving me a reason to train out here every day? I also need to contribute to the town¡¯s economy to keep my name on the registry. If we¡¯re staying for at least a month, we need to stay registered.¡± ¨CWe already pay that nosy innkeeper a small fortune, though.¨C ¡°It helps, sure. But we still need to contribute to the town as a whole, not just pad one innkeeper¡¯s pockets. Hunting is the easiest way.¡± ¨CI see. So, if we don¡¯t contribute, they¡¯ll kick us out?¨C ¡°No. If we¡¯re not registered, we can¡¯t move in and out of the town freely. We¡¯d have to pay the entrance fee every time.¡± ¨C¡­So this is all about avoiding a few copper coins a day?¨C ¡°¡­No, it¡¯s not just that. This way is better. We¡¯re staying here for a month¡ªit¡¯s better to integrate ourselves.¡± ¨CSure, if you say so¡­ ¨CDo we really have to stay in this place for a whole month?¨C ¡°Nothing we can do about it. We can¡¯t buy a horse¡ªmost were taken for the war, and the few that remain definitely aren¡¯t for sale. Our only option is to hitch a ride with a merchant caravan, and the earliest one leaves in a month.¡± ¨CCan¡¯t we just walk?¨CThis text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. ¡°I¡¯d rather not spend too much time on the road. Any place we can reach on foot in a reasonable time is still within this kingdom. And the plan is to get out of Kotan¡¯s reach.¡± -And how do we get the merchants to take us?- ¡°We¡¯ll apply as an escort guard. Traveling merchants like these usually hire local help to escort them to their next destination.¡± -How does that work? Don¡¯t they already have guards? And wouldn¡¯t they need escorts on the way here? Why would they hire more?- ¡°Private guards are expensive. They¡¯re paid regularly, whether they¡¯re working or not. So for most sizeable merchant caravans, they hire local adventurers who are already heading in the same direction. It¡¯s cheaper for the merchants since they only pay for the duration of the trip, and the adventurers benefit by earning a little extra for a journey they were already planning to make.¡± He paused for a moment, giving Ameera a chance to process before continuing. ¡°And that¡¯s why merchants need new escort guards at each stop. Some¡ªif not all¡ªof the previous guards would¡¯ve reached their destination and stopped working for them.¡± -What if they somehow can¡¯t find enough people to escort them?- ¡°They always find someone. If the numbers are short, they just increase the compensation until people take the job.¡± -But what if, like, nobody wants to do it?- Alistair heaved a sigh. ¡°Then they just don¡¯t go there. Maybe they¡¯ll choose a different destination that¡¯s more popular, or they¡¯ll just go home. Either way, no sizeable merchant caravan would travel without sufficient protection.¡± -You haven¡¯t registered at the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, though?- ¡°No, I haven¡¯t. The adventurer registry requirements are much stricter than entering a town. I¡¯d have to at least provide my name, class, and level. So, the plan has always been to register as Alistair the Monk.¡± -Yeah, but you just said merchants usually hire adventurers. So, if enough adventurers apply for the escort job, they wouldn¡¯t pick us, would they?- ¡°Nah, that¡¯s fine. They also consider strength. My level¡¯s still pretty low, but for a small border town, it should be more than enough. As long as they see I¡¯m not a troublemaker, they should pick me...¡± Alistair paused for a moment before continuing. ¡°And that¡¯s why we¡¯re hunting like this too. If we can build enough of a reputation, the merchants will factor that in as well.¡± -¡­You literally just came up with that, didn¡¯t you?- ¡°¡­No... And either way, it¡¯s true.¡± Alistair placed a hand on the dire boar and stored it in his inventory. He had spotted the beast in the middle of his training, and now that the hunt was dealt with, he could resume. -You¡¯re still going to train martial arts?- ¡°Martial arts¡­ you mean unarmed combat? Yes. Monks do use weapons, but most of the time, they fight barehanded. I¡¯m just familiarizing myself with it¡ªit¡¯s been way too long since I last practiced.¡± He settled into his stance, feet shoulder-width apart, his back straight and steady. For a moment, he was motionless, his breathing calm and deliberate. Then, without warning, his muscles came alive. His left foot shot forward as his right arm delivered a straight punch, the movement precise and forceful. -Did your father teach you this?- ¡°No, my father only taught me the spear. After my awakening, the church handled my training. The place they sent me to was near a monastery, so I ended up making friends with some of the monks there.¡± Alistair returned to his initial stance, repeating the movement with alternating punches, left and right, each as measured as the last. ¡°Monks aren¡¯t officially part of the church, but they still worship the goddess. Because of that, they considered me, a Hero, very highly. Those monks were the ones who taught me unarmed combat.¡± -Why Monk, though? Wouldn¡¯t it be easier to pick a class that uses weapons?- ¡°Easier at the beginning, sure. But at the top level, it doesn¡¯t matter much whether you use a weapon or what kind of weapon it is. Besides, I also want to be able to use Heal spells in front of people. So, it was either this or one of the dedicated healer classes, like Priest.¡± -And you¡¯d rather use a fighting class. Got it. Was that what you used against that bandit? The kick to the head?- ¡°Yup. Unarmed combat is one of the best ways to fight in close quarters like that.¡± -How did you pull that off, though? I remember you said the bandit was stronger.- ¡°Stronger and faster. Pulled what off? The kick?¡± -Yeah. If he was stronger and faster, how did he miss while you connected your attacks? You haven¡¯t really grown your DEX stat much.- ¡°It¡¯s the difference in knowledge and experience. Fighting is about more than just strength and speed. At his level, that guy had to think before every action. That hesitation, combined with the fact that I knew exactly when he¡¯d bring his sword down, made beating him easier than it looked.¡± -You can tell when he¡¯s going to attack?- ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s easy to notice those kinds of things if you¡¯ve had a lot of experience in battle. A certain muscle twitch, the way someone shifts their weight, their eye movements¡ªlittle details like that. And beyond that, I can also sense how he moves his mana. My mana sense isn¡¯t as sensitive as it used to be, but it¡¯s more than enough to notice shifts in mana movement.¡± -What did you mean when you said the guy had to think before attacking? You don¡¯t think while fighting?- Alistair paused his punching exercise, standing still for a moment. He pulled out a waterskin, took a long sip, and wiped his mouth before continuing. ¡°At the most basic level, we can separate how people fight into three levels: react, plan, and adapt. ¡°That guy was definitely at the ¡®react¡¯ level. He relied on his favorite moves. He¡¯d pick one, attack, then observe the result¡ªwhether he landed the hit or his opponent countered. Afterward, he¡¯d have to think about what to do next and react to the situation. ¡°The next level is ¡®plan.¡¯ Fighters at this level plan their attack sequences before the battle even begins. They have different scenarios in mind depending on their opponent, their condition, and the environment. They also plan their responses in advance¡ªwhat to do if an attack fails or succeeds. Because of this, they spend less time thinking during the fight. ¡°And then there¡¯s the last level: ¡®adapt.¡¯ This is what top fighters do. They don¡¯t plan their attacks or think about their next move. They just act, using the most efficient method at every moment. It doesn¡¯t matter what their opponent does¡ªthey¡¯ll always respond with the best move for the situation.¡± -So you¡¯re at level three, adapt?- ¡°Nope, I¡¯m at level 100¡ªa level of my own.¡± -Oi! You said there are only three levels!- ¡°Hahaha!¡± Alistair laughed, resuming his training without answering. ____________________________________ The sun hovered low in the sky, an hour away from setting, when Alistair wrapped up his training for the day. He had already donned his full ranger gear by the time he retrieved the dire boar from his inventory. Alistair stood over the dire boar¡¯s carcass; its massive form sprawled on the ground. It was far too large to simply hoist onto his shoulder or back¡ªnot that he couldn¡¯t manage it, but for now, he was a ranger, not a warrior with high strength. After a moment of consideration, he retrieved a large tarp from his inventory, one big enough to cover the boar¡¯s bulk. Spreading it on the ground, he rolled the carcass onto it. Next, he searched the surrounding area until he found a sturdy, short branch. Once he had it, he tied each of the boar¡¯s back legs to opposite corners of the tarp, using the branch as a connecting brace to maintain the form. Finally, he tied the tarp''s corners together with a single rope, creating a loop he could pull over his shoulder. With the makeshift sled ready, Alistair adjusted the rope across his body and began the trek back to town. When he reached the town gate, one of the guards, Oswin, noticed him and waved. ¡°Hey, Ronan, back from the hunt? What¡¯d you¡ªHOLY SHIT!¡± Oswin¡¯s jaw dropped as his eyes locked onto the massive boar Alistair was dragging behind him. ¡°That¡¯s a big boar!¡± The guard took a step back, wide-eyed. ¡°Is that¡­ is that a magic beast?¡± he asked, pointing at the carcass. ¡°Hi, Oswin. Yup, it¡¯s a dire boar. The blasted thing almost skewered me back there. If you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯m heading straight to Matt.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah, of course,¡± Oswin stammered, still staring at the beast as Alistair dragged it into town. As Alistair passed, another guard approached Oswin, a curious look on his face. ¡°What level do you think Ronan is?¡± the second guard asked. ¡°Higher than any awakened I¡¯ve ever met! Did you see the size of that thing?¡± Oswin exclaimed. The other guard chuckled. ¡°Yes, Oswin. I was standing right here.¡± The two guards continued talking excitedly about the dire boar. Even as Alistair walked far enough away, he could still hear their voices, thanks to his heightened stats. He smirked at their enthusiasm. Oswin had been the lead guard at the gate when Alistair first arrived in town. The next morning, Alistair sought him out and offered a bottle of ale as an apology, blaming his abrasive attitude on the stress of travel. That suggestion had come from Ameera¡ªand she had been quite insistent about it. At the time, Alistair didn¡¯t see the point, but now he was glad he¡¯d listened. He had expected to be followed and observed for days because of the incident at the gate, but no such thing happened. Instead, Oswin had been friendly ever since. One less thing to worry about. As Alistair made his way through the town, every person he passed reacted the same way when they saw the dire boar: wide eyes and shocked expressions. When he finally reached Matt, the specialized butcher who worked for the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, the man was initially at a loss for words. But his stunned silence quickly turned into a broad smile. Matt offered Alistair a good price for the entire dire boar, including the mana stone. The extra coins were a welcome reward and put Alistair in a good mood as he made his way back to the inn. At the inn, just as Alistair was about to climb the stairs, the innkeeper called out to him. ¡°Ronan. You have a guest waiting for you.¡± Alistair paused, turning back to look at her. She gestured toward a girl sitting in the corner of the dining hall. ¡°She¡¯s been waiting there since noon,¡± the innkeeper added. ¡°Who is she, and what does she want with me?¡± Alistair asked, his tone wary. The innkeeper shrugged. ¡°No idea.¡± He sighed, glancing toward the girl. She looked young¡ªnot older than fourteen. Her appearance was rough; her skin was tanned from long hours outdoors, and dirt smudged her clothes and face. She sat stiffly at the corner table, her hands resting awkwardly on her knees as though she were afraid to touch the furniture. Her eyes never left the floor. ¡°Are you sure she¡¯s looking for me?¡± Alistair asked. ¡°Of course I¡¯m sure. She asked for you by name.¡± Another sigh escaped him. ¡°You said she¡¯s been here since noon. Did she eat anything?¡± The innkeeper shook her head. Alistair stared at the girl, considering his options. -What do you think this is about?- +No idea.+ -Are you going to ignore her?- +I really want to, but I can¡¯t. We¡¯re trying to build a reputation here.+ -I guess that settles it, then.- Alistair placed a few copper coins on the counter. ¡°Get the girl something to eat.¡± The innkeeper took the coins with a smile and disappeared into the kitchen. Alistair took a deep breath before heading toward the girl. If only he had known what kind of trouble she was about to bring. His mood was about to take a sharp turn for the worse. Chapter 14 Alistair sat at a corner table in the dining hall, his chair tilted back slightly as he leaned against it with his arms crossed. Across from him, the girl tore into the meal he had bought for her, eating like she hadn¡¯t seen food in days. Alistair had been observing her the entire time. Her skin was slightly tanned, and both her clothes and face were smeared with dirt. But as he looked closer, he noticed that the fabric of her outfit was unusually fine¡ªmuch nicer than what most girls in this area wore. Though dirty and torn in places, it didn¡¯t look like old or worn-out clothing. She finished the meal quickly, downing the glass of water in one go. With her hunger satisfied, she looked noticeably more content and relaxed. ¡°So, you¡¯ve been waiting for me,¡± Alistair said after giving her a moment to settle. ¡°Um¡­ are you the archer? The advanced-class one?¡± the girl asked hesitantly, her voice quiet as she collected her thoughts. ¡°Didn¡¯t your parents teach you anything? You should never ask an awakened about their class,¡± Alistair said, his tone sharp. ¡°Ask the wrong one, and you might not live long enough to make that mistake again.¡± ¡°I¡­ I¡­ I¡¯m sorry, sir!¡± the girl stammered, lowering her head. Her small frame trembled visibly. -Alistair! Stop! You¡¯re scaring her!- Ameera¡¯s voice suddenly echoed in his mind. Alistair furrowed his brows but didn¡¯t respond to her. After a moment of silence, he let out a sigh and continued. ¡°I¡¯m a ranger. That¡¯s all you need to know,¡± he said flatly. ¡°And yes, I would be the one people here call the advanced-class archer.¡± His gaze bore into her. ¡°So, what business do you have with me?¡± The girl lifted her head and looked straight at Alistair, biting her lip. She opened her mouth as if to speak but suddenly lowered her gaze, tears streaming down her face. She sobbed quietly, doing her best to stay silent. For a few moments, she remained like that, while Alistair waited patiently without saying a word. Eventually, she began wiping her eyes and nose. She lifted her head again, this time with determination gleaming in her tear-streaked eyes. Drawing a deep breath, she finally spoke. ¡°I¡¯d like to commission you for a job, sir,¡± she said. ¡°What kind of job?¡± Alistair asked, his tone even. ¡°I¡­ I need you¡­ I want you to kill the bandits that murdered my¡­ family,¡± the girl replied, her voice trembling despite her effort to sound stoic. The words broke slightly at the end. The dining hall fell silent. The few patrons scattered across the room, who had been discreetly eavesdropping while pretending to mind their own business, now stopped all pretense. Only the girl¡¯s and Alistair¡¯s voices filled the space. The innkeeper, standing behind the counter, picked up a cleaning cloth and walked into the dining area. She headed to a table a few spots behind Alistair¡ªa table that was already spotless¡ªand began wiping it down. Alistair didn¡¯t particularly care about this. He remained silent for a moment, staring at the girl with an unreadable expression. ¡°Can you afford me?¡± Alistair finally asked. Before she could respond, his hand reached toward the plate in front of her, flicking it lightly. The plate jerked and spun, wobbling on its edge before teetering back and forth. ¡°You can¡¯t even afford a meal.¡± The girl fell silent, her brow furrowing as she stared at him intently. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that,¡± she said, her voice steady now. ¡°I don¡¯t have any coins right now, but it shouldn¡¯t be a problem. After you deal with¡ª¡± ¡°Enough,¡± Alistair interrupted, holding up a hand. ¡°Let¡¯s continue this conversation in my room.¡± Alistair said while standing up from his chair. A series of soft murmurs rippled through the dining hall, expressions of mild discontent from the patrons. But Alistair paid them no mind. He motioned for the girl to stand, and she rose hesitantly. As she followed him, he gently placed a guiding hand on her back and led her toward the stairs. +Ameera¡­+ -She¡¯s clean. I don¡¯t sense anything abnormal about her.- +Hmm, good job.+ -He he he.- They climbed the stairs and entered Alistair¡¯s room. He gestured for her to sit on the bed while he took the single chair by the wall. Once she sat on the edge of the bed, Alistair gave a small nod, signaling her to continue. ¡°Let¡¯s start from the beginning. Who are you, and what happened?¡± Alistair asked, restarting the conversation. ¡°Yes, sir. My name is Emma, and three days ago, my village was raided by a group of bandits. They¡­ killed everyone.¡± Her voice trembled, but she pressed on. ¡°I was foraging for berries in the nearby forest when I heard the¡­ commotion. I saw everything from a hilltop.¡± She took a shaky breath, her eyes brimming with tears. ¡°Most of the adults died fighting, while the rest¡­ they gathered them, tied them up. Then they took the girls and women and dragged them into the houses.¡± Her voice cracked, and she began shaking. ¡°No¡­ Alva, my little sister¡ªshe just turned twelve last month¡ªthey¡­ they¡­¡± Her words dissolved into anguished sobs. ¡°Noooo! Please, Goddess, no¡­¡± Her composure shattered. She slid from the bed onto the floor, her tears flowing freely as she mumbled incoherently. Then came the wails¡ªraw and uncontrollable. Her body trembled violently between sobs, her cries echoing off the walls of the small room. -Alistair¡­- A deep wave of sadness resonated from Ameera. +Yes, little one,+ Alistair responded, infusing as much compassion as he could into their ethereal communication. He stood up from the chair and knelt beside the weeping child, gently placing a hand on her shoulder. The girl immediately clung to his hand with both of hers, holding it close as she continued to sob. -We¡¯re helping her, right?- +I haven¡¯t decided yet. Do you want to help her?+ -I want to help her.- +Then we will help her.+ Alistair felt a flicker of warmth and hope rise from Ameera, faint but unmistakable. -And, Alistair?- +Yes?+ -Those monsters. We¡¯re going to kill them all.- +Absolutely.+ This time, a surge of rage bubbled up between them, shared and unrelenting. ____________________________________ After a while, Emma finally calmed down and returned to sitting on the edge of the bed. Her eyes were puffy, and her face showed signs of swelling, but she had managed to steady her breathing. ¡°After that¡­ they killed them¡­ Why would they do that? Wouldn¡¯t they want to¡­ keep them for later?¡± she asked, her voice still tinged with disbelief. ¡°They probably didn¡¯t plan to stay long and decided they didn¡¯t want to deal with prisoners,¡± Alistair offered. Emma lifted her head and stared at him. ¡°Is that so?¡± This time, her tone was stoic. ¡°Yes. How big is your village? What kind of crops did you grow?¡± ¡°Small village, no more than forty people. The bandits weren¡¯t there for crops¡ªwe don¡¯t even have any. We usually get our food from the merchant who comes from this town. They came for the silver.¡± ¡°Silver? It¡¯s a mining village?¡± ¡°Yes. A fairly new one. Silver deposits were discovered around three years ago, so the kingdom decided to establish a village there. My father, the head miner, was also the provisional village leader.¡± ¡°They usually station guards at something as valuable as a mining village. What happened to them? Redirected for the war effort?¡± Alistair asked. ¡°Yes, exactly that. When the war broke out, most of the soldiers were called back to Lordton before being shipped off to who-knows-where.¡± She clicked her tongue in frustration. Alistair could understand her dejection. The war had ended almost as quickly as it had started. The soldiers pulled from the village likely never had a chance to be deployed. ¡°And the soldiers that remained were¡­ ineffective against the bandits.¡± ¡°How many?¡± Alistair pressed. ¡°There were only ten soldiers left in the village. The bandit group had around thirty people.¡± ¡°Any awakened among the bandits?¡± ¡°¡­ Probably no more than five. Two of them were much stronger than the rest¡ªthey took out most of the soldiers. The bandit leader stayed at the back, but he and the two besides with him were¡­ different.¡± ¡°Different how?¡± Alistair inquired. ¡°They just felt different. Dangerous. And all five of them wore the same kind of armor.¡± ¡°Now that¡¯s interesting,¡± Alistair said. Emma stared at Alistair for a long moment after hearing his response. ¡°Can you do it?¡± she finally asked. ¡°A head-on fight would be risky. But, like I said, I¡¯m a ranger¡ªI can manage it. Now, about that compensation you mentioned earlier.¡± Emma remained silent, her eyes fixed on Alistair. She was sizing him up, trying to decide if he was capable of handling the task. ¡°My father kept some stamped silver ingots hidden under our house. Three of those will be yours after you kill all of them.¡± ¡°That will do. How far is your village?¡± ¡°A day¡¯s walk from here.¡± ¡°I see. And what did the mayor say when you reported this to the city guards?¡± ¡°¡­ Excuse me?¡± ¡°You said the attack happened three days ago, so you must have arrived here two days ago. You didn¡¯t find me until today, so I assume you went to the town center first.¡±Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. ¡°¡­ Yes. I went there. I didn¡¯t meet the mayor, but the guard captain said something about forming a punitive force.¡± ¡°¡­ But?¡± ¡°¡­ He said it would take at least a week.¡± ¡°The bandits will be long gone by then.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°And the Adventurers¡¯ Guild? What did they say?¡± ¡°¡­ They don¡¯t accept any kind of commission without upfront payment.¡± ¡°I see. So that¡¯s why you came to me. You¡¯re desperate enough to bet it all on a single awakened like me.¡± ¡°Pretty much, yes,¡± Emma replied candidly. ¡°One of the city guards, Oswin, recommended you. He said you¡¯re probably the strongest person in town. I thought he was exaggerating, but then I heard about you from others too. They all seemed to share the same opinion of you¡­ Were they wrong?¡± Alistair only shrugged at the question. A flicker of exasperation crossed the girl¡¯s face, but she quickly returned to her stoic demeanor. ¡°So? Will you take the commission?¡± the girl finally asked. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll take it.¡± ¡°Good. How many people are you going to bring?¡± ¡°Just me.¡± ¡°Wait, what?!¡± ¡°If I wanted to launch a head-on attack, the number of people I¡¯d have to bring would just slow me down. Three days is already cutting it close. It shouldn¡¯t take more than four days for them to finish organizing the loot¡ªthe silver. So we need to move fast.¡± ¡°My village is pretty isolated. The only road leading there is winding, so it might take longer with horses than just walking straight through the forest.¡± ¡°Good thing we don¡¯t have any horses then,¡± Alistair said. ¡°You¡¯re going first thing in the morning?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m going now.¡± ¡°What? Why? Wouldn¡¯t you want to be in perfect condition?¡± ¡°Of course I would prefer that, but like I said, the timeframe is too narrow. I can¡¯t afford to waste more time. If I leave now, I should arrive just before dawn¡ªa perfect time for an ambush.¡± ¡°¡­ I understand.¡± ¡°Hmmm. The room is already paid for the month. You¡¯ll be staying here tonight. Ask the innkeeper for breakfast in the morning,¡± Alistair said as he stood up and walked to the trunk in his room. He pretended to search for something inside while discreetly retrieving a map parchment from his inventory. Unfolding the map in front of the girl, he spread it out on the table. ¡°Alright, point out where your village is, and I¡¯ll be on my way.¡± ____________________________________ It had been two hours since Alistair left Lordton. He had been running nonstop at a steady pace. Running through a forest in the dead of night, especially without any light source, was typically very dangerous. Yet, Alistair moved effortlessly, navigating the dense woods as if it were broad daylight. -You could run slower, you know. The village isn¡¯t that far¡ªwe could reach it before dawn at a slower pace.- ¡°Yeah, we could. But this pace is manageable for me, and if we arrive early, I can rest then. It¡¯s better than slowing down and risking arriving late.¡± -I see. You¡¯ll need time to set up an ambush, I guess. Are you really sure they¡¯re still there?- ¡°Why? Do you doubt they¡¯re still there?¡± -I mean, you said it would take them around four days to sort things out. So I assumed that meant one day to rest and the other three to collect the silver. But I don¡¯t think it would take that long. The way I figure it, it shouldn¡¯t take more than a day to gather the loot¡ªa total of two days. Am I missing something? Why four days?- ¡°Nice, you¡¯re starting to think on your own. And you¡¯re right¡ªit shouldn¡¯t take four days. They don¡¯t even have to rest, so it shouldn¡¯t take more than a day to organize all the loot.¡± -Wait, what?! You lied? Why did you do that?- ¡°Two main reasons. First, I needed an excuse to leave town as soon as possible. Second, I wanted to see her reaction. The girl¡¯s sharp¡ªshe should¡¯ve realized the same thing you just did. But in the end, she didn¡¯t mention anything.¡± -She¡­ lied?- ¡°I don¡¯t know about that. I¡¯m not very social¡ªI can¡¯t read people¡¯s expressions, and I can¡¯t even tell if someone actually enjoys my company or is just being polite. ¡°But that girl? She¡¯s been trying to manipulate me from the start.¡± -Manipulate how?- ¡°Well, the first thing I noticed was that she wasn¡¯t as hungry as she claimed. Remember how she said the village was attacked three days ago? She was implying that she hadn¡¯t eaten for three days.¡± -But she did look very hungry, though. The way she ate that meal so fast¡­- ¡°Common misconception. People who haven¡¯t eaten for that long wouldn¡¯t be able to eat that fast. By then, their stomach would¡¯ve weakened. If they tried to eat too quickly or too much, it would actually hurt them. ¡°But that girl? She ate quickly and without any discomfort. Then there were other signs, too¡ªlike her skin and lips. They should¡¯ve been much drier. Her eyes should¡¯ve been sunken, among other things.¡± -Why would she do that?- ¡°To elicit sympathy, perhaps. To make me more willing to help her.¡± -So she faked that¡­ cry?- ¡°No. The crying was real.¡± -I thought you couldn¡¯t read people?- ¡°I can¡¯t read people when they lie in normal situations. But most people don¡¯t have much experience with extreme emotions like rage or anguish. I can tell if someone¡¯s faking it. She wasn¡¯t. But she did force herself into it.¡± -Force it how?- ¡°She deliberately led herself into that emotion. She wanted to show me her anguish. Very manipulative.¡± -So why are we here again? Running through the forest in the middle of the night to an empty, ruined village? Are you¡­ are you just going to take the silver?- ¡°That would be the best-case scenario.¡± -So we¡¯re thieves now?- ¡°Of course not. If it comes to that, I¡¯ll bring back her share of the silver.¡± -Okay, but that still doesn¡¯t explain why we can¡¯t rest for the night and just go in the morning. You said you wanted to leave as soon as possible¡ªwhy?- ¡°Because the girl is actually in deep anguish, very angry, and, most problematically, smart. That¡¯s not a good combination. She might choose to do something reckless.¡± -Something reckless, like what?- ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s just a precaution on my part. The other reason we need to move quickly is there¡¯s a good chance the bandits are still there.¡± -What?! Why would they stay?- ¡°You remember the village location she pointed to on the map?¡± -Yes? It¡¯s a spot by a river near some hills or something. What¡¯s wrong with it?- ¡°That¡¯s exactly what¡¯s wrong. The village wasn¡¯t on the map. She said the village was established three years ago. The map was new¡ªwe just got it from a general store in town. There¡¯s no way it wouldn¡¯t show the village if it were real.¡± -What does that mean?- ¡°It probably means it wasn¡¯t a proper village. It¡¯s likely a mining operation site, a temporary setup. That¡¯s pretty common if the mine¡¯s yield isn¡¯t significant¡ªthere¡¯s no need to build a permanent settlement. A temporary site can last for as long as five years.¡± -Okay¡­ so she lied about it being a village?- ¡°No, I don¡¯t think she lied. To her and her sister, the place is home¡ªit¡¯s their village.¡± -Wait, if it¡¯s a temporary site, they shouldn¡¯t be there, right? Wouldn¡¯t it be better to leave the workers¡¯ families in a proper settlement?- ¡°Not always, but some would. The ones that do probably settled in Lordton.¡± -But not Emma?- ¡°No mother.¡± -Excuse me?- ¡°She mentioned her father and her sister, but she didn¡¯t say anything about her mother. If the mother¡¯s out of the picture, it¡¯s not that strange for the father to want to keep his teenage daughters close. And considering he¡¯s the operation leader, it wouldn¡¯t be hard for him to arrange.¡± -Wait¡­ if some of the workers¡¯ families are in Lordton, then when she arrived two days ago¡­- ¡°Yup. She should know some people in town. But she still acted like she was all alone and hungry. Smart and manipulative, that girl.¡± -I can see the manipulative side, but smart? How?- ¡°First, she can easily hold a conversation with adults¡ªor at least, she thought I was an adult. The way she speaks shows she¡¯s definitely educated and very social. And here¡¯s the clever part: she probably didn¡¯t tell a single lie. Everything she said was implied. She didn¡¯t know how much I knew about the attack. If I had already heard about it before she approached me, I couldn¡¯t accuse her of lying outright.¡± -Okay, so it¡¯s not a village. How does that change anything?- ¡°You remember the numbers?¡± -Ten soldiers and forty villagers, against thirty bandits, with five awakened.- ¡°Exactly. Now think about it¡ªtwenty-five soldiers, including five awakened, is a reasonable force to raid ten soldiers and forty workers.¡± -Wait, what? Soldiers? Not bandits?- ¡°There isn¡¯t any known bandit activity or hideouts around here. That was one of the first things we learned when we arrived in town. So if they were bandits from another region, they¡¯d have to be pretty lucky to stumble upon a silver mining operation that isn¡¯t on any maps and isn¡¯t near a main road.¡± -Wait¡­ you¡¯re saying¡­ locals?- ¡°Exactly. Not necessarily all of them locals, but someone in their group knows this area well.¡± -¡­You¡¯re saying soldiers because the five awakened were wearing similar armor, right? I can see those five being soldiers, but what about the rest?- ¡°Very good. Yes, it¡¯s because of the five awakened wearing similar armor. The rest are likely regular foot soldiers. It¡¯s pretty common for foot soldiers not to have uniformed armor. The five awakened are definitely commanders¡ªadepts.¡± -Not masters? Or maybe even grandmasters?- ¡°No. Masters don¡¯t go around raiding after losing wars. They have far better opportunities waiting for them back home.¡± -So you¡¯re assuming these are remnants of the lost alliance army?- ¡°Yes. It¡¯s not uncommon for retreating soldiers to band together with like-minded individuals and turn to banditry.¡± -¡­- Alistair could feel her confusion. He stayed quiet, letting her process the information. -This is¡­ I think this is too much.- ¡°What do you mean?¡± -All of this is just¡­ assumptions, right? I mean, you assume she¡¯s manipulative because she didn¡¯t eat right. You assume it¡¯s not a village because it didn¡¯t show on the map. You assume it¡¯s local soldiers because some are wearing similar armor¡­ -It¡¯s pretty far-fetched, don¡¯t you think? She might¡¯ve had some coins or something she could¡¯ve sold to buy food. The map might be new, but it could still be based on outdated cartography. The awakened with similar armor? They could just be a close-knit group of bandits who bought their armor from the same place¡ªor maybe they stole it from soldiers. And just because there¡¯s no report of bandit activity doesn¡¯t mean there isn¡¯t a hideout around here, right? It could¡¯ve been a very organized bandit group. -There are plenty of possibilities to explain all this, but you¡¯re assuming the worst case for everything.- After her long rant, Ameera fell silent, nervously waiting for Alistair¡¯s angry rebuttal. But surprisingly, he stayed quiet. The silence stretched on, heavy and unbroken, until Alistair finally spoke. ¡°You¡¯re right. I did assume the worst-case scenario,¡± Alistair said calmly. ¡°Can I ask you something? Do you think I¡¯m smart?¡± The question came out of nowhere. Confused, Ameera could only respond candidly. -I¡­ yeah, I think you¡¯re smart. Outside of the¡­ rare emotional outbursts, you always seem to have everything planned. Your every action seems calculated, every decision pragmatic¡­ So yes, you are smart.- ¡°Thank you. Can I tell you a secret? I¡¯m not smart.¡± -¡­- ¡°If I were smart, I wouldn¡¯t have fallen for the sweet promises that blasted goddess made. If I were smart, I would¡¯ve seen my Hero party¡¯s betrayal coming. If I were smart, I wouldn¡¯t have spent decades running away¡ªliving as a vagabond, as a beggar¡ªafraid of being found by that fucking goddess.¡± -!!!- Ameera could feel Alistair¡¯s anger rising. ¡°If I were smart¡­ Elise wouldn¡¯t have had to die to let me escape. If I were smart¡­ I would¡¯ve devised a plan to exact revenge on everyone who betrayed me, on the people who killed my father, on the ones who tore my family apart. ¡°But nope. I¡¯m so stupid that by the time I finally had the strength and the power to exact revenge, all of those people were already long gone. Except for the goddess, I guess.¡± Without realizing it, Alistair had increased his pace. Where before he ran with measured calculation, now he was simply running. His right shoulder slammed into a low-hanging branch, causing him to stagger and nearly fall. Regaining his balance, he came to a stop and looked up at the night sky, closing his eyes. He took a deep breath, feeling the cold air fill his lungs and then escape. He focused on the sounds around him¡ªthe rustling leaves, the faint chirping of nocturnal insects. He became aware of the fabric of his clothes brushing against his skin and the gentle breeze caressing his cheek. He drew another deep breath, slower this time. Ameera noticed his anger had subsided. She also realized this exercise was something Alistair did often, a ritual to regain control over his emotions. She waited silently, giving him space. Finally, Alistair opened his eyes and resumed running, his steps steady once more. ¡°So, yes,¡± he said, breaking the silence. ¡°I¡¯ve always assumed the worst. That way, I can prepare for the worst. No¡­ that¡¯s not right. There have been times when I didn¡¯t¡ªwhen I slipped, let myself fall into the trap of an easy, peaceful life. You know what happened then? When I stopped assuming the worst?¡± He hesitated briefly, his voice darkening. ¡°One whole company defected right under my nose. And I ended up having to kill my own grandson.¡± They both stayed quiet after that, the weight of his words lingering between them. After a while, Ameera finally broke the silence, her voice soft and hesitant. -I¡¯m sorry all of that happened to you.- ¡°¡­Thank you,¡± Alistair replied, his tone subdued. Ameera hesitated again before speaking. -Sometime, if you¡¯re willing, I¡¯d love to hear more about your past. About Elise, about your family.- ¡°There¡¯s nothing interesting about my past.¡± He sighed but added after a pause, ¡°But sure, sometime.¡± -¡­- ¡°¡­¡± Ameera¡¯s tone shifted, a spark of mischief creeping in. -Particularly about your life as a beggar. I¡¯d love to hear about that. Did you learn a trick or two? Maybe learn to sing? You were big¡ªI can¡¯t imagine you sobbing and asking for coins.- Alistair¡¯s brows twitched. ¡°I knew it! I knew you were going to hone in on that!¡± -Is that when you started developing your obsession with money?- She teased, her laughter bubbling in his mind. ¡°¡­¡± He shook his head, a faint smirk playing at his lips despite himself. -What is it? Too soon? It¡¯s not like it happened almost a thousand years ago¡­ oh wait, it did.- ¡°Hohoho, you¡¯re a funny one, huh?¡± -Hohoho, I learned from the best.- Alistair chuckled under his breath, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly. ¡°So you know, I have a very beautiful singing voice.¡± -What?! Bullshit! I¡¯ve never heard you sing.- ¡°Just because I don¡¯t like to sing doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t sing. And I only sing for my wives.¡± He added, his tone deliberately smug. -!!!- Ameera gasped dramatically. They kept bantering, Ameera¡¯s laughter echoing in Alistair¡¯s mind as he raced through the forest. Their destination was close now, but for the moment, it was just the two of them again. Chapter 15 Alistair crouched at the top of the hill, hidden behind a bush, his eyes fixed on the mining site below. The sky was still dark, with about two hours remaining until dawn. Beside him lay a corpse, a single stab wound marking its neck. A few meters away, near a crackling campfire, another body rested on a bedroll¡ªthis one dead from a stab wound to the chest that pierced clean through the heart. -Okay, you were right. They¡¯re still here,- Ameera¡¯s voice whispered into Alistair¡¯s mind. +Yup, and it¡¯s the worst kind of worst-case scenario.+ -How so?- Alistair scanned the area. The mining site lay nestled in a natural basin, surrounded on most sides by steep, uneven hills. A shallow but wide river bordered one side of the site, with a dense forest stretching between the river and a hill. The only convenient access was a narrow path between two hills. Alistair was currently perched on top of one of them. He glanced at the campfire near him, then turned his attention back to the site and its surroundings. Three more campfires stood out in the distance: one on the hill opposite his position, another at the edge of the forest, and the last across the river. +It¡¯s the worst because it¡¯s doable. I can attack this site,+ Alistair replied. -How¡¯s that the worst? Wouldn¡¯t the worst be impossible to attack?- +Depends on your objective. My objective is surviving. If it¡¯s impossible to attack, I¡¯ll just head back to town. But because it¡¯s doable, now I have to attack it.+ -Oh, I see. But how is this possible to attack? Ameera¡¯s tone carried doubt. -I see three more guard camps. Assuming they have two guards per camp, that¡¯s still only eight people you can ambush. There are still around twenty-two enemies, five of which are awakened. And look at that building over there¡ªthere¡¯s lamplight and the sound of people. I don¡¯t think you can sneak inside the site and start killing without alerting the others. What are they doing in that building anyway? There¡¯s a big hole in the roof.- +It¡¯s probably the smelting building. They¡¯re smelting the rest of the ore into ingots,+ Alistair said. -They kept the smelters alive?- +Nah. Emma said they killed the survivors. I doubt the smelters would want to work for them after witnessing that. Smelters are tough people¡ªprobably some of the first to die fighting.+ Alistair shifted his gaze back to the site and continued, +As for the plan, you¡¯ve already covered the first part. Good. Yes, I¡¯m planning to kill the guards first. The rest? We¡¯ll use that.+ He pointed toward the forest at the edge of the site. -The trees?- Ameera asked. +Pine trees, easy to burn,+ Alistair replied. -...We¡¯re going to set the site on fire?- +Something like that.+ Alistair began to move, heading down the hill away from the mining site toward the narrow path leading in. He scanned the area, selected a tree, and pulled an axe from his inventory. Without wasting time, he began chopping. It took only ten minutes before the tree fell. Alistair glanced back toward the path leading to the site. He was far enough that the sound of the falling tree shouldn¡¯t have reached the bandits. After ensuring no one was coming, Alistair began dragging the tree along the path toward the mining site. About halfway there, he stopped at a spot where hills rose on both sides of the path. He looked up. The lowest point of the hill was about six meters above the ground. Nodding to himself, he started gathering dry branches and brush. -What are you doing?- Ameera asked. +I¡¯m burning the tree to block this path.+ After gathering enough material, Alistair stacked the branches and brush on top of the fallen tree. He then raised both palms, aiming them toward the tree. -What are you doing now?- +Freshly cut trees are still wet, especially at night. The dry branches and brush will keep the fire going. Right now, I¡¯m using fire magic to heat the inside of the tree. This should be enough to make it burn.+ -Can¡¯t you just¡ª- +Shh! Let me concentrate.+ Ameera fell silent. After a while, Alistair touched the bark of the tree. Feeling it warm to the touch, he nodded. He pointed one palm toward the stack of branches and brush, and it suddenly ignited. Alistair stepped back, watching as the wood beneath the pile began to burn. The warmth from earlier helped the fire catch quickly. Satisfied, he turned and ran back up the path, climbing the hill on the other side. Without hesitation, he headed toward the lone campfire atop it. -You do know you have some lamp oil in your inventory, right?- Ameera remarked. Alistair stopped running. He looked up at the sky and sighed, pressing a hand to his face. ¡°I forgot about that¡­¡± he muttered under his breath. After a moment, he resumed running. The inventory was a great boon, allowing him to carry items he normally wouldn¡¯t bring during travel. At least, that¡¯s what he told himself was the reason he forgot about the oil. -Yeah, maybe next time you can let me finish my sentence.- Alistair could feel her smugness, along with a tinge of satisfaction and happiness. He just shook his head and kept running. As he neared the campfire, he noticed the two guards were asleep. That made things simple. Alistair dispatched them quickly and continued toward the forest. -Alistair¡­- Ameera¡¯s voice echoed in his head. Alistair waited for a moment before finally responding. +Yes?+ -Oh, you waited for me to finish. Good.- Alistair rolled his eyes, pausing briefly for her to continue. -Some of the buildings are right below us. Should we throw some oil now?- +No, there¡¯s no need for that. We¡¯re not touching the buildings. We¡¯re only going to burn the forest next,+ Alistair replied, glancing back toward the burning tree. From his vantage point, he could already spot smoke and light rising from the area. He resumed running. -Wait, I thought you said a fire attack. How is it a fire attack if we don¡¯t burn the buildings?- +Oh, it¡¯ll work. I¡¯ll show you when we reach the forest.+ ____________________________________ The two guards near the forest were also asleep. Alistair dispatched them silently, without a sound. -Why are they all sleeping? What¡¯s the point of posting guards?- Ameera asked. +This is likely their fourth night on watch. That¡¯s enough for discipline to slip,+ Alistair explained. +Especially with these foot soldiers. They¡¯re not much better than common bandits.+ -Okay. So what¡¯s the plan now?- Alistair pointed toward the mining site. +This mining site is in a natural basin. Look, the site is even lower than the river.+ -We¡¯re going to drown them?- Ameera¡¯s tone carried a mix of confusion and intrigue. +No. It¡¯s still a fire attack.+ Alistair poured oil at the base of the trees and onto the underbrush nearby. He lit the fire from the far side, away from the mining site, ensuring he gave himself enough time to move into position before anyone noticed the flames. Once satisfied, he ran silently toward the river. Without hesitation, he began crossing it, heading for the last campfire. The men at this campfire were both awake. They stood with torches in hand, turning toward the river when they heard the sound of splashing water. ¡°Hey! It¡¯s me!¡± Alistair shouted, waving both hands in the air. The torchlight didn¡¯t reach the river, so the men could only see a shadow moving through the water. ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± one of them called out. ¡°It¡¯s me, huff¡± Alistair replied, adding a fake pant for effect. ¡°The boss is calling everybody back.¡± As he reached the shore, Alistair walked calmly and slowly toward the men. One of them, curious, stepped forward, holding his torch out to get a better look. When the torchlight finally illuminated Alistair¡¯s black cloak, the man gasped. But before he could react, Alistair¡¯s sword had already slashed through his neck. The man collapsed, clutching at his throat. Without hesitation, Alistair charged the other man. ¡°Hey! What the fuck!¡± the second man shouted, dropping his torch and drawing his sword. He raised his weapon, preparing to strike, but Alistair moved faster. Before the man could bring his sword down, Alistair¡¯s blade had already cut through his stomach.Stolen novel; please report. The man dropped his sword, clutching his bleeding wound. A moment later, Alistair thrust his sword into the man¡¯s heart from behind. The man slumped to the ground, motionless. After ensuring both men were dead, Alistair positioned himself just before the shore. -They probably heard that last one,- Ameera remarked. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. The fire has already spread,¡± Alistair replied aloud, pointing at the growing forest fire with his sword. -I still can¡¯t see how the fire will reach the buildings. They¡¯re not that close.- ¡°Not the fire. The smoke,¡± Alistair explained. ¡°Especially with pine trees¡ªthey produce a lot of smoke when burned like this. With the mining site nestled in a basin, all that smoke will sink and stay trapped.¡± -I thought smoke¡­ goes up?- ¡°Only the smoke near the fire. The smoke farther away cools and settles on the ground.¡± -Oh¡­ yeah, it rises because of the hot air. So we¡¯re¡­ suffocating them?- ¡°Yes. It¡¯s a pretty horrible way to die. Are you going to feel sorry for them?¡± -¡­No.- ¡°Good.¡± -Not all of them will die from the smoke, though. Most will probably try to run toward the path, which is probably burning now. The rest¡ªthe lucky ones¡ªwill cross this river.- ¡°Nah, I wouldn¡¯t call them lucky,¡± Alistair said, inspecting his sword. -No quick deaths?- ¡°No. I killed the guards quickly to maintain stealth. From this point on, nobody dies easily.¡± Alistair¡¯s voice dropped as he stared at the mining site, his gaze cold. ____________________________________ It didn¡¯t take long before smoke began billowing toward the mining site. The horses were the first to react. Their whinnies turned shrill and frantic, echoing through the camp. Eyes wide with terror, they strained against their tethers, muscles taut as if sensing the fire creeping closer. With a desperate scream, one horse reared up, yanking at the rope tied to its post. The wood creaked, splintered, and finally snapped under the animal''s raw strength. The others followed, bucking and jerking free of their restraints, their hooves churning the ground as they bolted in all directions. Before long, most of the horses had turned toward the river. They crossed the water, passing Alistair without so much as a glance. Next came the shouts¡ªsharp, confused cries piercing the predawn sky. Voices overlapped, rising in panic as the smoke slithered deeper into the camp, stinging eyes and choking throats. Confusion turned to chaos. Someone screamed for water, their voice cracking with desperation, but no one listened. A single scream cut through the night¡ªhigh, shrill, and unmistakably terrified. Then another. More people stumbled out of the buildings, freshly awakened from sleep, coughing and clawing for breath. Their silhouettes flailed in the thickening haze, frantic and directionless. Alistair stood motionless in the shadows, unshaken. His cold gaze swept across the river, detached and calculating, as the camp dissolved into a writhing sea of smoke and chaos. The first splash of water caught Alistair¡¯s attention. He turned toward it and walked slowly to the nearest shore. A man emerged from the river, shirtless, wearing only pants. Black soot clung to his skin, and his chest heaved as he struggled for breath. Spotting Alistair, the man raised his arm toward him. Swish. With a single slash, the man¡¯s arm fell to the ground. He stared at the gushing stump in confusion. Before he could react further, Alistair¡¯s sword pierced his stomach. With a sharp jerk, Alistair pulled the blade free, and the man collapsed to the ground, clutching his bleeding stomach. His eyes locked on Alistair with a mix of confusion, fear, and anger. Alistair lingered for a moment, coldly watching the man writhe, before turning back toward the shore. The sound of splashing water reached him again. It didn¡¯t take long before a dozen men lay writhing on the riverbank. Some had already bled to death; others were caught in their final thrashes. That was when four men emerged from the river, their movements purposeful. They wore uniformed armor and wet cloths covering their lower faces. Alistair took a few steps back from the shore as the four men finally reached land. They glanced around at the bodies strewn along the riverbank. One of them, seemingly the leader, turned to Alistair. He removed the cloth covering his lower face, using it to wipe soot off his skin while keeping his gaze fixed on Alistair. The others followed suit. ¡°You¡¯re the one who did this?¡± the man asked, gesturing toward the bodies. ¡°And that?¡± He jerked his thumb over his shoulder, pointing toward the mining site behind him, now fully engulfed in smoke and eerily silent. The man appeared to be the oldest of the group. Unlike the other three, who looked enraged and ready to pounce, he was much calmer¡ªsubdued, even. A veteran, Alistair surmised. Likely a career soldier. Judging by how the four moved as a unit, they¡¯d probably served together for years. ¡°You deaf?¡± the man asked again, his voice steady but tinged with irritation. This time, Alistair caught a flicker of anger in his eyes, though his calm demeanor remained firmly in place. With his torso and arms hidden beneath his cloak, Alistair discreetly stored the longsword he¡¯d been using into his inventory. He then drew a shortsword with his right hand and a different weapon in his off-hand. -That¡¯s a unique pairing. Why not a shield?- Ameera asked. +Because there are four of them, and they¡¯re all slightly stronger than me. I¡¯d rather have more attack options than limit myself with a shield. It also restricts my vision.+ -They¡¯re all stronger? Should we run?- +Nah, this is still manageable. Now silence, I need to concentrate.+ -Good luck.- Alistair began observing his opponents closely. There were four of them. The one nearest to him held a kite shield and sword. To that man¡¯s right stood another wielding a spear. The man farthest to the left wore a cloak, with no visible weapon¡ªlikely a ranger or assassin type. No bow, so probably an assassin. Lastly, the leader in the middle gripped a bastard sword. ¡°The silent type, huh,¡± the leader remarked, turning his head toward the cloaked man. ¡°I don¡¯t sense anyone else,¡± the ranger said. ¡°He¡¯s alone.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± the leader replied, shifting his focus back to Alistair. ¡°I want him alive.¡± He rubbed his stubbled chin thoughtfully. ¡°I don¡¯t mind a missing limb or two, though.¡± The soldiers grinned at their leader¡¯s remark. With a signal, the four began to close in on Alistair, the shield warrior and the spearman taking the lead. ¡°Where¡¯s the fifth one?¡± Alistair suddenly asked, his voice cutting through the tense air. ¡°There were five of you, right? Did he die in the shitter or something?¡± The callous remark caught the soldiers off guard. The shield warrior, in particular, scowled, his face twisting into an ugly expression. ¡°Bastard! I¡¯m going to make this hurt!¡± he bellowed, charging at Alistair. Alistair immediately sprinted toward him as well. Just before Alistair entered his range, the shield warrior lifted his shield, lowered his stance, and increased his speed. ¡°Shield Bash!¡± he roared, activating his skill. A moment later, confusion flashed across the soldier¡¯s face. There was no impact. Before he could lower his shield, his balance gave out, and he crashed to the ground. The remaining three soldiers froze in surprise. From their perspective, they¡¯d seen Alistair subtly shift his body to the right just as the skill was cast. For a brief moment, they thought he¡¯d fallen¡ªonly to realize it was their comrade who was sprawled on the ground instead. ¡°Argh!¡± the shield warrior screamed, clutching his left leg. His foot had been severed cleanly at the ankle, and blood poured from the stump. ¡°Watch out!¡± the leader barked, his voice sharp. ¡°He¡¯s holding something in his left hand!¡± Without hesitation, Alistair sprinted toward the spearman next. The spearman quickly regained his composure, lowering his stance as he prepared to strike. He waited patiently for Alistair to enter his range. The moment Alistair stepped in, the spearman thrust his weapon forward. Alistair sidestepped to the left, deflecting the spear with his shortsword. The impact sent the spear off course, but the force staggered Alistair, leaving his hand momentarily numb. The spearman recovered with ease, retracting his weapon for another thrust. This time, Alistair barely avoided the attack; the spear tore through his cloak as he fell to the right. The spearman smirked, retracting his weapon once more. This time, he will aim for Alistair¡¯s head. But just as he prepared to strike, his spear stopped short. He glanced and saw the bearded axe in Alistair¡¯s left hand. The hook, still slick with blood, had locked onto the spearhead. Before the spearman could fully comprehend what had happened, Alistair threw his weight backward, yanking the spear toward him. The sudden pull forced the spearman off balance, staggering forward. As he struggled to stabilize himself, Alistair closed the gap, his axe raised high, ready to crush the spearman¡¯s skull. But Alistair abruptly leapt to his right. Three throwing daggers sliced through the air where he had just stood, embedding themselves into the ground. The assassin emerged from the shadows beside the spearman, dual knives gleaming in his hands. Alistair landed and immediately rolled backward, narrowly evading a horizontal slash from the swordsman who had joined the fray. The leader watched Alistair with a cold stare, his brow slightly lowered. He realized he had underestimated the enemy. Glancing briefly at his two remaining men, he then refocused on Alistair. ¡°You alright back there?¡± he called to the spearman without breaking eye contact with Alistair. ¡°Yes, sir. I¡¯m just¡­ I¡¯m fine,¡± the spearman replied, though his face was still pale from his near-death experience. The assassin stepped closer, positioning himself just behind the leader. ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯s a ranger,¡± the assassin said to the group. ¡°He¡¯s too strong.¡± ¡°Yeah. He managed to sever a foot through a thick greave with that little axe,¡± the leader noted. ¡°He¡¯s definitely using mana infusion. Don¡¯t try to clash weapons with him¡ªjust support me.¡± His voice remained steady as he began advancing slowly toward Alistair. Alistair noticed the spearman was still shaken, lagging slightly as he moved to get into formation. Not wanting to give the enemy time to regroup, Alistair charged straight at the swordsman. The swordsman met his rush, and the two began exchanging blows. Alistair quickly realized his opponent was also skilled in mana infusion. The longer reach and heavier momentum of the bastard sword neutralized the advantage of Alistair¡¯s dual weapons. Despite his best efforts, he couldn¡¯t push the swordsman back. Alistair sensed the assassin stealthily moving behind the swordsman to his right. To improve his position, he shifted left. At the same time, the spearman approached from his left, and Alistair deduced that the assassin was waiting for the perfect moment to strike in tandem with the spearman. Pressuring his weapons with more mana, Alistair executed a powerful diagonal slash with his axe, forcing the swordsman to step back. His focus remained on tracking the assassin¡¯s movements. When the spearman entered his range and the assassin began emerging from behind the swordsman, Alistair acted decisively. Reinforcing his arm with mana, Alistair brought his sword up and hurled it toward the empty space just left of the swordsman. Borrowing the momentum of his throw, he spun his body left and flung his axe backward toward the spearman. The movements were partially concealed by Alistair¡¯s cloak, and the spearman realized the danger too late. The axe struck him squarely in the head, killing him instantly. Clang! Alistair turned toward the sound and saw the swordsman leap into the air, deflecting the thrown sword with his own. Behind him, the assassin emerged, using the swordsman¡¯s back as a springboard to propel himself toward Alistair. ¡°Bastard! Die!¡± the assassin shouted, both knives in a reverse grip, raised high above his head, ready to strike. Seeing no way to evade, Alistair instinctively grabbed a knife from his inventory and hurled it at the airborne assassin. Expecting the assassin to deflect the knife and create an opening, Alistair was caught off guard when the assassin didn¡¯t even attempt to dodge. The knife struck squarely in the assassin¡¯s chest, piercing deep. But momentum carried the assassin forward. One knife sank into Alistair¡¯s left arm, while the other plunged into his right shoulder. The force of the impact brought them both crashing to the ground. The assassin, now on top of him, gasped his last breaths. Blood oozed from the knife embedded in his chest, piercing his heart, yet he smiled through bulging, bloodshot eyes. ¡°Fucking knave,¡± he rasped, glancing toward the fallen spearman. ¡°That was my brother.¡± His pale face twisted into a grim smile as he stared back at Alistair. ¡°And now¡­ you¡¯re coming with me to greet him in hell, heh.¡± His head slumped forward, his body going limp atop Alistair. Before Alistair could free himself, the swordsman stood over him, sword drawn back, ready to thrust. His face was red with rage, his previously calm demeanor shattered. ¡°Move a fucking muscle, and I¡¯ll kill you,¡± the swordsman growled, his voice barely controlled. ¡°We¡¯re going to stay like this for a while. Those knives are laced with paralyzing poison¡ªit won¡¯t take long to kick in.¡± A smirk spread across his face. ¡°I¡¯ll take my time,¡± he continued, his tone dark. ¡°Don¡¯t you worry. I¡¯ll keep you alive as long as I can. You¡¯ll tell me everything¡ªwho sent you, why you¡¯re here. We¡¯re going to have so much fun.¡± ¡°Oh, that?¡± Alistair said suddenly, his voice calm. ¡°Emma sent me.¡± The swordsman hesitated, surprised by the response. ¡°What?¡± Alistair raised his hand toward the swordsman, pointing with his index and middle fingers. ¡°Who the fuck is Emma?¡± the swordsman demanded, confusion overtaking his rage. Alistair didn¡¯t answer. His voice remained steady as he said, ¡°Ice Shard.¡± Chapter 16 "Cure" Alistair sat on the ground, leaning against a tree. His right hand rested on his chest, glowing with a faint blue light that gradually spread through his body. Blood still seeped from the wounds on his left arm and right shoulder, but he chose to prioritize the paralyzing poison coursing through his veins. He could already feel a tingling numbness in his fingers. -Is Cure enough to remove the poison?¨C Ameera¡¯s voice echoed in his mind, laced with concern. "Depends on the level of the spell," Alistair replied, exhaling a relieved sigh as the numbness began to fade. "My Cure is level four for now¡ªit¡¯s more than enough for a paralyzing poison." His gaze shifted to the swordsman lying motionless on the ground a few meters away. More than a dozen jagged shards of ice pierced the man''s body. Three shards embedded in his face were likely what killed him. -Was he strong?- Ameera asked. "For his level? Yes, quite," Alistair replied, his tone matter-of-fact. "He knew how to handle his weapon, and his mana infusion was decent for his level. I didn¡¯t give him many chances, but he was solid at leading his group." -He looks pretty old, like in his 40s. What level was he?- "I¡¯d say early 30s." -Is that high?- "For his age? Not really. Any decent adventurer could reach that level by their mid-30s." -I thought you said he was decent?- "I also said he¡¯s probably a veteran. As you know, in this world, you can¡¯t level up by fighting other humans. If he¡¯s a career soldier, he¡¯d be bound by contract and wouldn¡¯t have the freedom to hunt and level up. Especially in this kingdom¡ªCrilia¡ªthey see a lot of battles." -Human contract? Or do you have the system¡¯s contract here?- Ameera asked curiously. "System¡¯s contract," Alistair explained. "It requires a priest as an intermediary, but it¡¯s fairly straightforward otherwise." -That sounds very binding. Why would anyone want to be contracted to the military? Wouldn¡¯t being an adventurer be better?- "If your goal is just to get stronger, then yes," Alistair replied. "But most people aren¡¯t looking for power¡ªthey just want a stable living. Contracted awakened usually earn more money than the average adventurer. And, ironically, being a contracted soldier is actually safer than being an adventurer, even if you¡¯re sent to battle often." "Heal" After waiting for his mana to recover, Alistair finally had enough for a couple of heals. He focused on the wounds on his arm and shoulder first. Once they were dealt with, he got up and walked toward the first shield warrior he had taken down. The shield warrior was dead. Blood was splattered across the ground, and his left greave had been removed. A piece of cloth was tied around the wound on his leg. -What happened here?- Ameera asked. "He tried first aid on himself," Alistair explained. "Took off his greave and tied a tourniquet." -He failed?- "Yeah. The tourniquet¡¯s too close to the wound¡ªit should¡¯ve been higher. Probably panicked. Or maybe he¡¯d never done this before." -Probably both.- "Could be both." Alistair turned toward the mining site. The fire had died down, but thick smoke still lingered in the air. -What are we doing next?- Ameera asked. "What do you think?" Alistair replied. -Hmm, how long until the smoke subsides?- "The fire didn¡¯t burn for long. It should clear out within an hour or two." -Your mana is spent, right? So maybe meditate to restore some mana?- "Yeah, Ice Shard drained a lot of mana. I like your thinking, but no. I¡¯ll take a short nap instead. I haven¡¯t rested in over a day, and after tense combat like this, I need it. Ninety minutes should be enough¡ªthe smoke should be gone by then." -You haven¡¯t slept in more than a day, just like you said. How do you control your sleep time? Wouldn¡¯t you just oversleep?- "Don¡¯t worry. I have my trick." As Alistair walked toward the nearest tree, he pulled out a full waterskin and drained it in a few long gulps. Reaching the tree, he sat down, leaning his back against the rough bark. Closing his eyes, he began to relax. -Filling your bladder? That¡¯s the trick?- "That¡¯s one of my tricks," Alistair murmured. "Now, keep it down¡ªI¡¯m trying to sleep." -¡­But wouldn¡¯t lying down be¡­- Before Ameera could finish, her voice faded into silence as Alistair slipped into sleep almost instantly. ____________________________________ After a while, Alistair slowly opened his eyes. Dawn had broken, and the faint light of morning began to brighten the surroundings. He stood up and stretched before turning toward the mining site. -How¡­ how long was that?- Ameera¡¯s voice was groggy. "Around 90 minutes," Alistair replied. -How can you tell?- Alistair pointed toward the mining site. "The smoke has cleared out, and my mana is almost full. So, about 90 minutes." -Oh.- Alistair made his way to the river and knelt at the edge. The water was clear, and he removed the cloth covering his lower face. Using both hands, he scooped some water to his nose and took a sniff. Satisfied, he drank a handful and tested the taste. When nothing seemed off, he splashed water on his face, refreshing himself, then retrieved a few empty waterskins from his inventory and began filling them. -What were you smelling for?- Ameera asked. "This is a mining site," Alistair explained. "I was checking for any metallic or tangy smell, in case they were careless enough to wash ore in the river or dump tailings. I also checked for anything foul." -¡­You think they dumped bodies in the river.- "That¡¯s one possibility." -But you didn¡¯t smell anything foul, so they dumped the bodies downstream?- "Probably not. This river flows near the town. Floating corpses would attract too much attention." -You don¡¯t think they buried the bodies?- "Too much work. It¡¯s easier to dump them in the forest and let animals or beasts take care of it." Finishing with the last waterskin, Alistair stored everything back in his inventory. He stood up, resecured the cloth over his lower face, and started to cross the river toward the mining site. -Why did you say that back then? That Emma sent you?- Ameera asked. "Hmm? Oh, I needed to distract him while I prepared my spell."A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. -Yeah, but why that? Couldn¡¯t you have said something else?- "Well, that¡¯s because... I. Can¡¯t. Lie." -¡­- "Heh. Nah, it was just the first thing that crossed my mind. Besides, it¡¯s better to say something truthful than to throw out a half-baked lie like, ¡®Look behind you!¡¯ I¡¯m not very good at lying anyway." -Really? Huh, I actually thought you¡¯d make a good liar.- Alistair tilted his head slightly as he waded through the river. "Huh? You think so? Funny, one of my sons used to say that. Why do you think I¡¯d be good at lying?" -I¡­ don¡¯t know, just a feeling¡­?- "Hmmm." Finally, Alistair crossed the river and arrived at the mining site. The smoke had cleared, but the air was still heavy and hazy. A thin layer of ash and soot coated the ground and the buildings. Scanning the site, Alistair spotted several dead bodies scattered across the area. Something caught his attention near the entrance, and he walked toward it. Lying on the ground near the entrance was a dead body clad in the same armor as the four soldiers Alistair had fought earlier. The man¡¯s clothes were burned, and his armor was singed. -He was burned?- Ameera asked. "Yes," Alistair replied. "He probably came this way to escape the smoke, but when he encountered the burning tree blocking the path, he tried to cross instead of turning back. He failed and got burned. I¡¯d guess he used too much energy trying to force his way through, and when he turned back toward the river, it was too late. He choked here." Alistair continued along the path until the remains of the burned tree came into view. A couple of charred bodies lay on and near the trunk.. -¡­- Alistair felt a tinge of sadness from Ameera. "Do you feel sorry for them?" he asked, his tone gentle. -I don¡¯t¡­ I don¡¯t know. A bit, I guess.- "Feeling sorry for the people you kill is normal, even if they deserve it. The feeling you have now is perfectly normal." -I don¡¯t like this feeling. It¡¯s like¡­ regret?- "I understand. Let me show you something." Alistair turned and began walking toward the mining site. At the site, he approached a hill where he¡¯d noticed a cave earlier. The entrance had been sealed off by a collapse of rocks. He had first spotted it when he arrived, just before encountering the last soldier. Now, he stood before it. -What is this?- "This is the mine shaft, where they used to extract ore." -It¡¯s¡­ blocked. A cave-in?- "No, the bandits probably collapsed it." -Why?- "So the smell wouldn¡¯t come out." -¡­They dumped the bodies here?- "Yes." -¡­How can you be so sure?- Alistair placed a hand on one of the rocks blocking the entrance. "They¡¯d have no other reason to collapse it. And it¡¯s faint, but I can smell it." -¡­- "How do you feel now?" -Better.- "Good." -No, it¡¯s not good. Do I have to find a reason every time so I don¡¯t feel bad when you kill someone?- "Of course not. Like I said, feeling bad for hurting someone¡ªeven a bad person¡ªis normal. In fact, it¡¯s healthy. Being able to hurt someone without feeling anything? That¡¯s dangerous." -What about you, then? Do you feel bad for these guys?- "No. I¡¯ve been doing this for hundreds of years. I have my own system. First, I don¡¯t hurt people without a strong reason. Second, when I do, I focus on the reason for doing it," Alistair said, tapping the rock. "As long as I have justification, I don¡¯t feel bad." -I see¡­- Alistair stood still, silent. Ameera said nothing either. Both were lost in their own thoughts, deep in contemplation. Suddenly, Alistair turned his gaze toward the hill near the entrance. -What¡¯s wrong?- ¡°Someone¡¯s coming. Three, no¡­ four people.¡± Without hesitation, Alistair moved swiftly to the nearest corpse. He retrieved a sword and plunged it into the body¡¯s chest. Pulling it free, he smeared the blood onto the wound on his shoulder and dabbed more onto the left side of his neck. -We¡¯re not going to hide?- ¡°No. These people aren¡¯t that strong.¡± -So, what¡¯s the plan?- ¡°I¡¯m going to greet them.¡± -While pretending to be hurt?- ¡°Yes,¡± Alistair replied as he sprinted toward the river. -Why go to all that trouble?- ¡°They might not approach me if I look unharmed. This gives me an advantage¡­ and it¡¯s fun,¡± Alistair added, smirking. -That¡¯s one.- ¡°One what?¡± -The first reason I¡¯ve noticed that makes you a great liar: you enjoy acting like this.- Alistair crossed the river with a faint smile, saying nothing. ____________________________________ Alistair sat on the ground near the spot where the fight had taken place, his sword lying beside him. His left hand pressed against his neck, where blood smeared his skin and dripped onto his armor. His head hung low, and his breathing was heavy. Suddenly, he grabbed his sword and stood, turning sharply toward the river. A young man stood there, watching him. The man was a swordsman, carrying a round shield strapped to his back and wearing light armor. A sword hung sheathed at his hip as he approached Alistair. "Are you with them?" Alistair asked, his voice weak. He pointed his sword at the scattered dead bodies, then shifted its tip toward the man. The man slowed his steps, raising both hands in a placating gesture. "Easy there, Ronan. I¡¯m an adventurer from Lordton. You may not know me, but I know you. Well, everybody in town knows you. I¡¯m Jimmy," the man said with an easy smile. "Hello there, Jimmy. What the fuck are you doing here?" Alistair growled, glaring at him, his sword still aimed at the man. "I¡¯m actually here to help you, bud," Jimmy replied, his grin unwavering. "Help me? You and your friends?" Alistair asked in an accusatory tone, his sword still in hand. "Haha, you noticed them, huh?" Jimmy laughed, making a casual gesture with his hand. "We¡¯re just being cautious. We didn¡¯t know what kind of situation we¡¯d find here." Two more figures emerged from behind the trees¡ªa female ranger with a bow and a second swordsman wielding a longsword. "We¡¯re really here to help you," Jimmy said, continuing his approach. "We¡¯re the reinforcements Emma sent." "Emma?" Alistair asked, lowering his sword slightly. "Emma sent you? I thought the adventurers'' guild refused her commission." Jimmy let out a relieved sigh, seeing Alistair relax. "No, we weren¡¯t sent by the guild. After you took off last night, Emma ran all over town, trying to find adventurers willing to take on a private commission." "So, you took the commission the guild turned down?" Alistair tilted his head. Jimmy barked out a laugh. "No, of course not. There¡¯s no way we¡¯d take on something that dangerous. We¡¯re not that strong." He gestured at the scattered dead bodies. "But apparently, you are." "Then what¡¯s your role here?" Alistair asked, narrowing his eyes. "Emma hired us to act as reinforcements," Jimmy explained. "Our job was to check on you, make sure you were okay, and help if things went south." ¡°You¡¯re hurt,¡± the female ranger spoke for the first time. ¡°How bad is it?¡± The three adventurers shifted their focus to the wound on Alistair¡¯s neck, which he had been pressing with his left hand the entire time. ¡°Huh, it¡¯s quite bad,¡± Alistair admitted, his voice faltering slightly at the end. ¡°Do you have any health potions?¡± ¡°Well¡­ I do have one,¡± Jimmy replied, wearing a sorry expression. ¡°But that¡¯s a pretty expensive expenditure you¡¯re asking for. Emma¡¯s commission barely covers our costs.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Alistair said as he sheathed his sword at his hip. ¡°I¡¯ll pay you double for the potion.¡± ¡°Oh, well, in that case¡­¡± Jimmy said, pulling out a clear vial filled with red liquid. He walked toward Alistair, stopping just in front of him and holding the potion out. His two companions followed closely behind. ¡°Thank you,¡± Alistair said weakly, reaching out for the potion. But just as his fingers were about to touch it, Jimmy pulled his hand back. Alistair¡¯s face shifted into a confused expression. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Haha, sorry about that,¡± Jimmy said with a grin. ¡°But before I hand this over, I have a few questions for you. If that¡¯s okay?¡± Alistair¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°What do you want to know?¡± Jimmy smiled and casually slipped the potion back into his bag. ¡°So, you arrived in town about two weeks ago, right? Well, around that time, some dead bandits were found on the path you supposedly came from. Do you know anything about that?¡± Jimmy asked casually. ¡°Dead bandits? This is about dead bandits? Why do you care about that?¡± Alistair asked, his confusion evident. ¡°Well, they were part of the Snake Gang,¡± Jimmy replied, his tone sharpening slightly. ¡°It¡¯s the local criminal group active in this area. We¡¯re just wondering if you saw anything. Maybe it was a fight between rival gangs. Or¡­¡± Jimmy trailed off as the two adventurers subtly began to move, positioning themselves to surround Alistair. ¡°¡­Or maybe you¡¯re the one who killed them,¡± Jimmy said in a low, serious voice. His earlier smile had vanished. Alistair¡¯s gaze flicked between Jimmy and his companions as they took their positions. He let out a small chuckle, shaking his head slightly. ¡°I see,¡± Alistair said calmly. ¡°The truth is¡­¡± He removed his left hand from his neck, letting the blood smear visible, and straightened his posture. His voice shifted, growing clear and powerful as he smirked. ¡°Of course, I killed them.¡± The sudden change startled the three adventurers. Before they could react, Alistair moved with lethal precision. In a single swift motion, he drew his sword and struck at all three. The female ranger to his left had her stomach slashed open. Jimmy, standing in the middle, took a deep cut across his chest. The swordsman on the right had his neck severed cleanly. Alistair let his sword fall to the ground and reached for Jimmy¡¯s shortsword, still sheathed at his hip. Drawing it quickly, he flipped the sword to grip it by the blade¡¯s base, then hurled it toward a nearby bush with reinforced strength. ¡°Argh!¡± A scream erupted from behind the bush. Alistair walked over and pushed aside the foliage, revealing an assassin clutching the sword lodged in his stomach. The man looked up at Alistair, his face twisted in pain, but before he could utter a word, Alistair stomped on his head with his reinforced leg. Crunch. The assassin went still. Alistair turned back toward the adventurers. Jimmy was already dead¡ªthe slash had gone deep enough to cut through his heart. The only one still alive was the female ranger. She knelt on the ground, her pale face streaked with sweat, while the contents of her stomach spilled onto the dirt. Her trembling lips moved as if to speak, but no sound came out. Alistair crouched down and delivered a quick punch to her chin, knocking her unconscious. She would bleed out within minutes, but at least she would die in her sleep. Alistair began rummaging through the belongings of the fallen adventurers, taking anything useful. In Jimmy¡¯s bag, he found four health potions. A faint smile crossed his face at the discovery. While he could cast Heal, having a way to recover without using mana was always a welcome option. -Alistair¡­ These people are with the Snake Gang, right?- Ameera''s voice suddenly echoed in his mind. ¡°Yes, I would assume so,¡± Alistair replied. -Then¡­ they¡¯re not from the adventurers¡¯ guild?- ¡°They probably are. Just because they¡¯re part of a criminal group doesn¡¯t mean they can¡¯t also be adventurers.¡± -I¡­ I see. But, Alistair, I¡¯m concerned about Emma. The fact that these people could use her name like that¡­ Tell me it¡¯s fine. Tell me they probably just saw her at the guild. Tell me the gang has someone monitoring the gate and saw you leave for this place. Tell me it¡¯s nothing¡­ Alistair?- Hearing the concern in Ameera¡¯s voice, Alistair stopped what he was doing and turned toward the direction of Lordton. ¡°To tell you the truth,¡± he said after a pause, ¡°I¡¯m also concerned about Emma.¡± Chapter 17 After searching for a while, Alistair finally found one of the runaway horses. It stood tall under a tree, its powerful frame gleaming like freshly fallen snow. A bold streak of black ran down its neck, striking against the pristine white coat. Muscles rippled beneath its skin with each movement, and its nostrils flared as it snorted sharply. Dark eyes locked onto Alistair¡ªsharp and aggressive¡ªdaring him to come closer. The horse wore only a halter, the snapped lead rope dangling just above its knees. Alistair lowered his posture, holding both hands out in front of him. He approached the horse slowly, his movements deliberate. ¡°Shhhh, easy, boy,¡± he murmured, his voice as soft as he could manage. The horse suddenly snorted loudly and stomped the ground. It clearly didn¡¯t like Alistair getting closer, but it didn¡¯t bolt either. Instead, it squared up, looking ready to charge. Recognizing the warning, Alistair froze. Reaching into his inventory, he retrieved an apple and waved it gently in front of him. The horse¡¯s ears flicked toward the apple, and its stomping ceased as its attention locked onto the fruit. Relieved by the change in its demeanor, Alistair crouched and rolled the apple across the ground toward the horse. The animal dipped its head, snatching the apple in a single quick bite. It didn¡¯t take long for the horse to devour it entirely. Alistair waited patiently as the horse finished the apple. Once it was done, he retrieved another from his inventory and held it out, waving it gently. The horse noticed the fruit but didn¡¯t move this time, simply standing still and watching him. Taking that as a good sign, Alistair resumed his slow approach, holding the apple out in front of him. When he was close enough, the horse leaned forward and gently took the apple from his hand before eating it. Alistair stayed in place, holding another apple in his hand as he waited for her to finish. When the horse finished the second apple, Alistair reached out with the third, this time bringing it directly to its mouth while softly stroking its neck. ¡°Good boy,¡± he murmured, his hand running soothingly over the horse¡¯s smooth coat. Then, noticing something, he glanced between her back legs and paused. ¡°Sorry¡ªgood girl. Wow, you¡¯re feisty for a mare.¡± A chuckle escaped him. The mare finished the apple and lowered her head, gently nudging Alistair with her nose. A smile spread across his face as he stroked her neck in long, calming motions. -What are we doing here? Why are we wasting time?- Ameera¡¯s sharp voice pierced Alistair¡¯s mind. ¡°Patience. We need a horse,¡± he replied, keeping his tone steady. -No, we don¡¯t. Remember Emma said the main road winds toward the town, so it¡¯s faster to go on foot. Or are you going to claim now that she lied about that too?- Alistair noticed the snarky tone but chose to ignore it. ¡°We don¡¯t need the horse to move fast; we need it to carry the silver ingots. And, in case you forgot, we were looking for a horse from the start.¡± -Why would we need a horse to carry the ingots? You have an inventory... Oh, you mean for appearances?- ¡°Exactly. Not just for this trip with the ingots, but for the future too. I¡¯d rather not pretend to lug around a giant bag everywhere.¡± -I see your point, but we still need to move fast. I¡¯m worried about Emma.- ¡°I think she¡¯s fine. And even if she¡¯s not, like you¡¯re worried about, it doesn¡¯t change anything.¡± -What do you mean?- Ameera¡¯s tone shifted, more cautious now. ¡°You¡¯re thinking worst-case scenario, right? That while she was out recruiting adventurers, someone from the Snake Gang got to her, used her for information, and is now planning to ambush me?¡± -Yes, something like that. You don¡¯t think it¡¯s possible?- ¡°Oh, it¡¯s very possible.¡± Alistair grabbed the lead rope and gave it a gentle tug, testing whether the horse would follow. He let out a small sigh of relief as the mare obediently stepped forward, trailing behind him. ¡°We¡¯ve been in that town for about two weeks. I don¡¯t think the gang just now connected us to the dead bandits. They¡¯ve likely known for a while, but they haven¡¯t made a move. That tells me they probably don¡¯t have the manpower¡ªeither in quality or quantity¡ªto take me on. If they did, they would¡¯ve set up an ambush outside the western forest, waiting for me to return from a hunt.¡± Reaching the river, Alistair began crossing it slowly, leading the horse toward the mining site. ¡°With that said, they¡¯re probably keeping an eye on my activity. So yeah, your scenario could happen.¡± -Then what are we doing taking our time like this? Shouldn¡¯t we hurry?- ¡°Because, if your scenario happened, she¡¯s already dead.¡± -!!!- He felt her shock radiate through their connection, followed by an overwhelming mix of anguish and anger. -¡­Why¡­ would you think that?- Her voice came slowly, trembling with emotion. ¡°Because there¡¯s no reason to keep her alive. They couldn¡¯t sell her¡ªnot in that town. They also couldn¡¯t transport her somewhere with a slave market. And as for using her as a hostage? Pointless. We were barely acquaintances.¡± After reaching the mining site, Alistair let the horse be, tossing a few apples onto the ground. The mare was tame and trained enough to stay put¡ªat least as long as there was something to eat. He walked toward the broken post where they used to tie horses. -Do you think they¡­ did ¡®that¡¯¡­ to her?- ¡°Stop. Don¡¯t go down that rabbit hole¡ªit¡¯s not healthy. And let me say it again: I believe she¡¯s probably fine.¡± -¡­Why do you think that?- ¡°Like I said before, they probably have someone keeping an eye on me, so they should know my movements. And as for where I¡¯m going? If they got that information from Emma, I doubt they hurt her much, if at all. They could¡¯ve just intimidated her for it. There¡¯s no need to resort to something as extreme as kidnapping.¡± Alistair stepped into the storage building next to the broken post. Inside, he quickly found what he was looking for: horse equipment. He deposited all of it into his inventory. Once he was finished, he headed back out and walked toward the horse. -That¡¯s it? What about the fact that we¡¯re dealing with a gang of criminals? I don¡¯t think we¡¯re talking about smart people here.- ¡°Then we¡¯re back to ¡®it¡¯s too late.¡¯¡± -¡­- Alistair could feel her frustration radiating through their connection. He heaved a sigh. ¡°You know we¡¯ve been in that town for two weeks, right? And we¡¯ve been to just about every corner of it.¡± -Okay?- ¡°What do you think a criminal gang does?¡± -Umm... stealing, robbing, kidnapping... gang wars? Fighting against guards?- ¡°Close. But here¡¯s the full list of what criminal gangs typically engage in: theft and housebreaking; contraband and illicit trades; forced tribute and extortion; deceit and forgery; banditry; running brothels; operating gaming houses; spying and informing; slave trading; and, last but not least, taking commissions.¡± -That¡¯s... more than I thought.- Alistair worked on the horse, removing the halter and replacing it with a snugly secured bridle. He then positioned the saddle on her back with deliberate care. Once satisfied, he placed one hand on the pommel and his foot in the stirrup. With a practiced motion, he swung his other leg over and settled into the saddle. The mare showed no resistance, only snorting softly as he mounted. Alistair paused briefly, giving her a moment to adjust to his weight, before gently nudging her sides with his heels. She responded, stepping forward in a slow, steady gait as they began to move toward the river. -So, these criminal gangs are pretty entrepreneurial. And?- Alistair noticed the strange word she used. Usually, she would explain when throwing out terms like that, but he could feel her agitation and decided to let it slide. ¡°For the two weeks we¡¯ve been in that town, how many of these activities did you notice?¡± The horse began wading through the river while Ameera fell into deep thought. -The ones searching for you when you wore that black armor¡ªthat was a commission. We saw some pickpockets in town. And there was that gambling house, right beside the brothel. So, I guess we saw about four.- ¡°Actually, only one¡ªthe commission. The pickpockets weren¡¯t part of a criminal gang; they¡¯re just desperate people trying to get by. As for the gambling house and brothel, since they were right next to each other, they¡¯re probably under the same management, meaning one owner. But those establishments were too open to be run by a gang. Most likely, they¡¯re owned by a rich merchant or even the mayor.¡± -How do you know it¡¯s the mayor or a rich merchant?- ¡°When we were there, I didn¡¯t see any visible security. There¡¯s no way places like that can operate without protection. The fact that we didn¡¯t see any means the security is likely the town guards. You¡¯d only be able to use town guards as your muscle if you¡¯re the big boss or if you¡¯ve paid off the big boss.¡± -I see. So you¡¯re saying the Snake gang has no discernible activities in the town. That means it¡¯s their hidden activities that interest you now.- ¡°Exactly. There are two profitable ventures they could be running that would justify their presence here without needing other illegal operations. First, information: it¡¯s a border town, so they¡¯re likely gathering intelligence about the war. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if they¡¯re using this place as a hub for spies crossing the border. Can you guess the second activity?¡±The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Alistair arrived at the spot where he had first encountered the horse. He looked around and found a glade nearby. Leading the horse there, he let her graze freely. He sliced some apples and scattered the pieces around the glade, then pulled out a bag of oats and spread them as well. Once finished, Alistair sat down against a tree, facing the glade. -You¡¯re... fishing for horses?- ¡°Yes. So, do you have any guesses about the second activity?¡± -Yeah, I gave it some thought. You¡¯re thinking about smuggling, right? Contraband¡ªthey¡¯re moving contraband.- ¡°Nice. Yeah, I believe they¡¯re running a smuggling operation here. Do you know what they¡¯re smuggling?¡± -¡­Silver. There¡¯s nothing valuable around here but silver.- ¡°Good. Now where¡ª¡± -Enough with the lesson! Just tell me why we¡¯re wasting time here instead of hurrying back?!- The sudden outburst caught Alistair off guard. He didn¡¯t respond immediately, letting the silence stretch as he gave Ameera time to calm down. -I¡­ I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t know where that came from. I shouldn¡¯t have lashed out like that.- Alistair smiled faintly and tilted his head back, gazing up at the sky. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ve noticed you¡¯ve been on edge for a while. I think yesterday¡¯s experience was too much for you. I should¡¯ve disconnected you before starting it.¡± -No¡­ It was¡­ overwhelming, sure. But I¡¯m glad you let me go through it. I¡¯d rather get used to it sooner than later.- Alistair¡¯s attention shifted as a brown horse entered the glade, its head low as it began to graze. He stood up slowly and started toward the animal. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll get straight to the point. I don¡¯t think the Snake gang got my information by questioning Emma.¡± He stopped a few meters from the horse, careful not to spook it. He remained still, allowing the animal to notice him and grow accustomed to his presence. ¡°I think Emma commissioned those people from the Snake gang.¡± ____________________________________ Alistair rode the white horse, the saddle tied to a lead rope that connected to the brown horse trailing behind them. Just as they had been informed, the main road to the town was indeed winding. It was late afternoon by the time they approached the outskirts of the town. -What are you going to do¡­ about Emma?- ¡°I don¡¯t know yet. I need to talk to her first.¡± -Are you going to¡­ you know.- ¡°No, of course not. She was just desperate. She¡¯s a smart girl, but she wasn¡¯t thinking straight.¡± -So that¡¯s what you meant when you said precaution¡ªleaving as soon as possible.- ¡°Yeah. I was afraid she might do something like this. I¡¯d hoped she¡¯d just go to sleep, but instead, she went straight to the Snake gang as soon as we left.¡± As they neared the town¡¯s gate, Alistair noticed Emma standing there. -Speak of the devil.- Alistair didn¡¯t respond. He kept moving toward the gate. When Emma finally noticed him, her face lit up with a wide smile, and she ran toward him. Alistair stopped the horse and dismounted, waiting as Emma approached. ¡°You¡­ you made it. Huff Huff.¡± Emma was out of breath by the time she reached Alistair. ¡°Yes, I made it back,¡± Alistair replied in a neutral tone. ¡°Did¡­ did you finish the job?¡± ¡°The job is done. The bandits are no more.¡± Emma¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Really? How many did you kill?¡± ¡°I killed them all¡ªunless some left the village before I arrived. But the numbers matched your story.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad, but¡­ did you really kill all those bandits on your own?¡± A slight accusatory tone laced her question. Alistair heaved a sigh and gestured with his thumb toward the brown horse. ¡°I brought the silver with me. Yours is on that horse.¡± Emma stared at him for a long moment. ¡°I see. So it¡¯s true, then.¡± She suddenly fell to her knees. ¡°Thank you, goddess. Please accept my family into your temple,¡± she whispered, her voice trembling as tears streamed down her face. After a while, she stood up, wiping her eyes. ¡°Thank you, Ronan. I¡¯m glad I got to meet you. Otherwise¡­¡± She trailed off, shaking her head a couple of times as if to banish the thought. Emma walked toward the brown horse and began inspecting her share of the silver ingots. Her brow furrowed in confusion, and she turned toward Alistair, who stood still, watching her silently. ¡°Umm, Ronan¡­ there are only three silver ingots here,¡± she said, her tone hesitant. ¡°That should be right, yes. That¡¯s your share of the silver ingots,¡± Alistair replied evenly. ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m certain there were more than just five ingots. I was there when my father last added to the storage.¡± ¡°You¡¯re correct. There were far more than five ingots¡ªmore than I expected, in fact.¡± ¡°Then where¡¯s the rest? Are you¡­ changing the terms of our contract, sir?¡± Emma¡¯s voice wavered, and she glanced nervously toward the distant town guards. ¡°You¡¯re the one who changed the terms first, Emma. When I realized that the Snake gang assassins were acting on your orders, I adjusted my terms accordingly.¡± Sweat beaded on Emma¡¯s forehead, and her hands began to tremble. ¡°Sir, I don¡¯t know what those people told you, but I have nothing to do with them.¡± ¡°Ah, that was the wrong response.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± Emma¡¯s voice rose slightly in confusion. ¡°You just admitted there were assassins sent after me. The correct response would¡¯ve been, ¡®What assassins, sir?¡¯ And for the record, no¡ªthey didn¡¯t tell me anything.¡± Emma¡¯s lips clamped shut as her gaze dropped to the ground. She pressed them tightly together, avoiding Alistair¡¯s stare. ¡°Now, I¡¯m only giving you one chance to tell the truth. What was the content of the commission you gave to the Snake gang?¡± Emma remained silent, her hands clutching the fabric of her skirt. After a long pause, she finally spoke in a low voice. ¡°I asked them¡­ basically the same thing. But I told them you were already going, so maybe they could finish the job if you failed.¡± ¡°I see. So, what do you think would¡¯ve happened if they arrived and, instead of finding me dead or failing the job, they found me alive¡ªwounded, but alive?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Answer me.¡± Emma hesitated, then finally muttered, ¡°I think, if they thought they could, they would¡¯ve killed you.¡± ¡°So you knew the likelihood, but you still commissioned them. You didn¡¯t care about my wellbeing. Why would you do that?¡± Emma¡¯s head snapped up, her eyes blazing as she stared directly at Alistair. Her face flushed crimson, twisted with anger. Her brows knitted into a fierce scowl, her nostrils flaring with each ragged breath. ¡°Yes, I didn¡¯t care about your wellbeing! I didn¡¯t even care about my wellbeing! Those fucking snakes asked for all the silver, and I still said yes. They could¡¯ve demanded to enslave me, and I would¡¯ve said yes. ¡°Anything... I¡¯d give anything to make sure those damned monsters got the punishment they deserved! So, yeah, I backstabbed you. I admit it. So what now? Should we walk slowly into the forest so you can dispose of my body? Huh?!¡± She stood tall, her back straight and her hands clenched into fists. Her voice was defiant, but Alistair¡¯s sharp eyes didn¡¯t miss the trembling in her legs. Seeing Alistair remain silent, Emma pressed on. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Never killed a¡ª¡± Smack. She didn¡¯t realize what had happened. One moment she was speaking, and the next she was lying on her side on the ground. Sitting up, she felt a burning heat on her left cheek. Her hand brushed against it, and a sharp sting made her wince. A trickle of blood peeked from the corner of her lips. Looking up, she saw Alistair¡¯s right hand still raised. He had slapped her. Before she could process anything else, a sudden wave of terror overtook her. A chill ran down her spine, her heart pounded in her chest, and sweat poured from her like a waterfall. Her eyes met Alistair¡¯s, and what she saw froze her in place: death. His gaze held nothing but cold, unrelenting finality. Her instincts screamed at her to run, but her body refused to move. Alistair squatted in front of her, their faces now close. Her trembling intensified. ¡°Still want me to kill you?¡± Alistair asked, his voice ice-cold. Unable to speak, Emma could only shake her head vigorously. Seeing her response, Alistair slowly placed his hand on top of her head. ¡°Good,¡± he said softly, his tone suddenly warm. In that instant, the suffocating pressure vanished. ¡°You should live for your family instead.¡± He stood up, his imposing figure towering over her. ¡°And no, I¡¯m not going to do anything to you. Like I said, I¡¯ve already taken most of the silver as penalty.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Emma blinked, startled by his words. She stared at him, searching for any hint of deception. When she realized he was serious, her body gave out, and she collapsed back to the ground. Her breathing was ragged, and a different kind of tears streamed down her cheeks. Alistair stared at her as she lay on the ground before continuing. ¡°But I do suggest you leave this place as soon as possible.¡± Emma raised her head, confusion clouding her eyes. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think the Snake gang will do anything to you¡ªnot while I¡¯m around, at least. But I¡¯m only staying in this town for another two weeks. After that? Who knows what they¡¯ll do to you. They¡¯ll probably hold you responsible for their losses, and, honestly, they¡¯d be right.¡± Emma gazed at Alistair, weighing his words. After a moment, she pushed herself to her feet. ¡°You¡¯re right. But I don¡¯t have anywhere to go. I¡¯m an orphan. So were my parents. The last of my family died in that village.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s the nearest temple?¡± Alistair asked suddenly. ¡°What? Um¡­ that would be in the capital.¡± ¡°I see. You should go there. Sell the silver as soon as possible and use the money to pay for an awakening ritual.¡± ¡°Wait, what? You think I can awaken?¡± ¡°I know you can. Do you remember your story? When you said you noticed some of the bandits were different? Was that true?¡± ¡°Yes, I was telling the truth.¡± ¡°Do you know why you could tell they were different?¡± ¡°¡­No.¡± ¡°It¡¯s mana. You can sense their mana. If you were able to sense it from the hill, at that distance, I¡¯d say you have strong mana sensitivity. You will awaken¡ªlikely to a magic class.¡± The revelation stunned her. She tilted her head toward the sky, her thoughts racing. After a long moment, she looked back at Alistair, her expression lighter. A spark of hope had returned to her eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll do just that, then,¡± she said, her voice steady with newfound conviction. ¡°Hmm,¡± Alistair muttered as he turned toward his saddle and untied the lead rope. He handed it to Emma without a word. ¡°How did you know?¡± Emma asked as she took the rope. Her tone was hesitant. ¡°How did you know that I sent the Snake gang... assassins?¡± ¡°I made the connection as soon as I realized they were from the Snake gang,¡± Alistair replied, his gaze shifting to the bag on the brown horse. ¡°I suspected your connection to them from the beginning.¡± ¡°¡­The silver ingots?¡± Emma ventured. ¡°Yup, the silver ingots. Why would your father have silver ingots hidden under his house? For savings? Coins would¡¯ve been far more practical. That¡¯s when I knew¡ªyour father was skimming from the mining operation. And if he was skimming, he¡¯d need someone to buy the ingots. Enter the Snake gang.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Emma murmured, her gaze dropping to the ground. ¡°Hmmm.¡± Alistair gave a noncommittal response and turned to walk toward the gate, offering no parting words. ¡°I¡¯m sorry... no... I apologize,¡± Emma called out suddenly, her voice strained. Alistair stopped and turned back toward her. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have done that. But I was desperate,¡± she admitted. ¡°I was relying on the town¡¯s soldiers, but waiting a week was too long. I couldn¡¯t risk it. And when the adventurer¡¯s guild refused my commission, I didn¡¯t have many options left.¡± ¡°I see. You didn¡¯t realize it,¡± Alistair said, his voice weary. ¡°Hmm? Realize what?¡± ¡°It shouldn¡¯t take a week to prepare a punitive force.¡± ¡°What?¡± Emma frowned, confused. ¡°Just like your father needed a place to sell the silver ingots, the bandits also needed a place to sell theirs.¡± Emma froze, her mind racing. Then, it clicked. ¡°The town¡­ made a deal?¡± ¡°Yes. That week of delay was probably for the bandits to smelt the rest of the ore.¡± Emma¡¯s face twisted in anger as she turned toward the town, her fists clenched. ¡°Stop.¡± Alistair¡¯s voice cut through her fury. ¡°They had nothing to do with your family¡¯s death. It was a callous decision, but they were likely just trying to make the best of a bad situation. They could¡¯ve fought the bandits, sure, but not without compromising the safety of the entire town.¡± Emma turned back to Alistair, her rage giving way to a deep, bitter disappointment. ¡°A pragmatic choice, huh. Tell me, if it were you, would you have made the same decision?¡± Alistair answered without hesitation. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter¡ªit wasn¡¯t me. Just drop it. Your family was murdered, and all the murderers have been dealt justice. Focus on that. You still have a future ahead of you. Remember, you¡¯re the last of your bloodline. You have a responsibility to make something of your life.¡± Her expression soured at the reminder. She turned her face away, wiping at her eyes. ¡°¡­Why? Why did you help me?¡± she asked, her voice soft. ¡°You seem to know a lot, and I can¡¯t see any benefit for you¡ªat least nothing worth the trouble. So why did you decide to help me?¡± Alistair stared at her for a moment, his expression unreadable. Then, without answering, he turned and began walking toward the gate. Over his shoulder, he said, ¡°A friend asked me to help you.¡± Emma watched his retreating back, confusion flickering across her face. Slowly, gratitude took its place, and a small smile crept onto her lips¡ªuntil she felt a sting on her cheek. ¡°Ah, shit. You didn¡¯t have to hit me that hard,¡± she muttered under her breath, her smile lingering as she nursed her bruised cheek, watching Alistair walked toward the gate. ____________________________________ Alistair finally reached the gate, where he was met by Oswin and another guard. ¡°What the hell was that all about?¡± Oswin asked, concern evident in his eyes as he glanced toward Emma in the distance. ¡°Something private. Not your concern,¡± Alistair replied curtly. ¡°Do you know who she is?¡± ¡°Yes. That¡¯s Emma, the survivor of the bandit attack.¡± ¡°Good. She commissioned me to take care of the bandits. I¡¯ve just returned from doing that.¡± ¡°Excuse me, what?¡± Oswin asked, disbelief etched across his face. ¡°You.¡± Alistair pointed at the other guard. ¡°Inform your captain that the bandit problem has been resolved and he needs to send a team to the village.¡± ¡°Uh, yes, sir!¡± The guard stammered before turning and bolting toward the town. ¡°I¡­ but there were tens of bandits,¡± Oswin said, still struggling to process what he¡¯d just heard. ¡°Oswin.¡± Alistair¡¯s voice dropped to a low, serious tone as he stepped closer, placing a firm hand on Oswin¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I need you to tell me where the Snake gang¡¯s base in the town is.¡±