ã€ŠSaint&#x27;s Supporterã€‹


 Chapter 0 - The end of one story, the start of another [Flash Forward Chapter]

    I stared at the man who lay at my feet.

    This was the person who had killed me, who had ruined my friend''s life. The fact he had died by my hand quenched my anger a little, but a flame still burned deep down in my heart.

    But he was dead, and I was alive. He had killed me once, so this was merely returning the favour.

    I glanced to my left. Most of the villagers had escaped, but the three strongest members of the group remained to watch my duel. They waited to help me escape, as would have been the normal end of such a one-sided fight.

    My former nemesis had lorded over this place like a wandering god. His level and skills were far out of the reach of those who lived here. A high-level Adventurer, with a massive wealth of resources and experience on his side, against a low-level Supporter?

    No contest.

    I glanced at the bandits who lined the edge of the forest to my right. Despite the fact that they outnumbered our party by an insane degree, they still twitched in horror as my gaze reached them.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

    They didn¡¯t DARE to make a move against me after what I had just done.

    Even the cultists, who were interspersed through the group like weeds, held back from any aggressive actions. I had defeated their leader, and they would know his skills and power more than anyone else who saw the scene.

    My thoughts flashed back to when I first arrived in this world, over a year ago. My mind had been weak, but I had a ready-made excuse for my mental state. I had lived in a world filled with conflict, but I also had never faced it directly. There had been so many buffers between civilians and the battles that took place, so I had never had to think about it.

    I had made so, so many mistakes because of that, but I was a different person now. The past was the past, and I couldn¡¯t go back and change it. I looked back at the man below me and took a deep breath. This man had ruined her life, and I had done the same to him. Once she learned about this, she''d probably cheer me on.

    ¡°That was for her. Rot in hell.¡±

    I didn¡¯t hold back, so everyone heard my cold words. The bandits shifted in worry. Whilst they weren''t directly to blame for her fate, they had helped him throw the final stone.

    My memories blurred together as I went back to that time. I couldn¡¯t help but laugh as I remembered the old me.

    How the hell did I even survive as long as I did?

    I should have died instantly, or at least that had been the plan¡­

 Chapter 1 - Pulled to one side

    I hoped that dying wouldn¡¯t be as painful as I expected, but not much had gone my way recently.

    The wind blasting against my face as I rushed to meet the pavement below. I had no idea why I was falling, and my mind was filled with panic, as if fear was a tidal wave drowning out my memories.

    The cause didn¡¯t matter much when the end result was a fall I could never live through.

    But, a moment before I reached the ground, time froze. Well, to be more accurate it slowed to a crawl. I could still tell that I was moving closer to the solid slabs beneath me, and the hope that my apparent lack of speed would save me felt like a silly dream.

    ¡°Welcome. You have been chosen to journey to a new world. Please confirm if you agree with the transfer.¡±

    Either I had gone insane, or this was divine intervention of the highest degree. To be fair, it didn¡¯t really matter much which it was, given my current circumstances. Without a moment of hesitation, I opened my mouth to answer.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. Please be aware, memory loss and disorientation are common following the initial transfer.¡±

    Time returned to normal as the voice gave me a polite warning, after which my body crashed into the ground with a sickening thump.

    At least, that is what I imagined would happen.

    Instead, I stumbled forward and fell to my knees. My fall shocked the crowd of people around me, most of which jumped out of the way in shock. I winced at the pain in my knees before realising what had just happened.

    I was alive, at least from what I could tell.

    ¡°Oh my god, you¡¯re here.¡± A woman dashed out of the crowd and pulled me to my feet. She stared into my eyes for a moment before she pulled me into a rough hug. ¡°What happened? Where are we?¡±

    Her words reminded me of our situation. I had been picked up an inch from the end of my fall, but why had the others been transferred here as well. Had something happened to them?

    Try as I might, I couldn¡¯t recall anything. I remembered the fall, but nothing before it. The fact we had all arrived together in this place didn¡¯t bode well. The walls reached into the distance above our head. After a certain point their smooth, cream-coloured surfaces were lost as they melded into the twinkling sky.

    It was as though this room had taken a cut of space, and we were staring up into its vast expanse. After a moment of distraction, I pulled my gaze away from the distant lights and looked back to my friend.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Did you agree to a transfer too?¡±

    ¡°Oh, a strong will. How interesting.¡± A woman¡¯s voice echoed out over the crowd, silencing their babble in a split second. We all looked up to the speaker hovering above us as she floated down with a faint smile.

    ¡°Who¡¯re you? Why did you bring us here?¡± A man shouted up from the crowd. Though I didn¡¯t feel much towards the others around me, this one voice set my teeth on edge. I was about to respond before my friend pulled on my sleeve.

    ¡°Not here. Please.¡±

    I pulled back the retort with great difficulty as the goddess waved the rest of the group into silence. The man¡¯s shout had been like a spark on kindling as it set off a barrage of questions and demands from the others.

    ¡°You agreed to the transfer. The other option was to end your lives on your initial world.¡± The goddess held up a hand, which cut off the questions her response had raised. ¡°To put it simply, we saved your lives. Everyone here agreed to the conditions.¡±

    Conditions? What conditions? I shook my head and tried to sort through my memories. I remembered her offering the transfer and mentioning the memory loss and disorientation, but nothing about conditions.

    ¡°Past that, I can explain further when we finish the transfer. This place is only a temporary housing for your souls before you begin your new lives.¡± She glanced away for a second before she looked back to us. ¡°We will arrive on the tenth day of the tenth month of the three thousandth year of the new world, which will leave us with a month to prepare.¡±

    The crowd was silenced by her statement. Her tone didn¡¯t brook any argument, though it still retained the same ethereal quality. It was as though we had just been lectured at by a god.

    ¡°We agreed, but can you give us some details?¡± I asked after a few awkward seconds had passed. The rest of the group spread out from me, as though they expected a harsh rebuke to my rude question and didn¡¯t want to be involved. The only person who didn¡¯t abandon me was my friend, though she did give me a glare as I finished my question.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    ¡°Your new home is a planet of many wonders. You will gain strength far faster than those native to its lands, but you can¡¯t let that go to your heads.¡± The goddess¡¯ smile didn¡¯t waver as she answered my question. ¡°You will gain levels, which you can see as a physical counter for your progression. When you reach a certain number, you will be given a test, which will enhance your skills.¡±

    ¡°Levels? Like a game?¡± I folded my arms with a frown. ¡°Are you telling me that we can all select classes, get magic and become heroes?¡±

    ¡°That is an accurate summary.¡± The goddess seemed happy at my analysis.

    ¡°Why?¡± I asked another question, which rewarded me with a swift elbow in the ribs. I ignored my friend as I continued. ¡°Is there something specific that needs our help in this new world? Why doyou need so many people for it? Can¡¯t they sort it out themselves without our help?¡±

    ¡°I cannot answer those questions, as I do not know myself as of yet. After you have selected your weapons and completed the final transfer, more details will be provided.¡± The goddess shook her head and glanced down at the floor. ¡°You are safe from injuries in this place, nothing which exists here can harm you. The next point of transfer will be within a town under our supervision, so we will keep you safe until you feel ready to venture forth.¡±

    The rest of the group was subdued, which confused me a little. Her answer didn¡¯t really explain much, but I gave up on asking any further questions. There would be time for that later, once we weren¡¯t in a ¡®temporary housing¡¯ area. Even the rude man had quietened down, though that was likely due to the few people around him who kept pulling him back as he tried to ask another question.

    ¡°You¡¯re pushing your luck.¡±

    I turned to the woman by my side. Due to the memory loss from our transfer, I couldn¡¯t recall much more than the fact that I trusted her with my life. That was ironic, given the circumstances that had led to our arrival here. There was one other detail I managed to pull out, but it didn¡¯t give me any pleasure as I recalled it.

    In essence, I had killed her.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± It felt like a dagger had stabbed into my heart. The only reason she had been there, to begin with, was down to me. I had persuaded her to join us.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± She smiled and punched my shoulder. ¡°This new world sounds fun. I bet I¡¯ll level up faster than you. Wanna take me up on it?¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡± I smiled and glanced up at the goddess. As though she had sensed my gaze, the floating woman spoke once more.

    ¡°The transfer will now take place. Please, hold still.¡±

    I gave my friend one final nod before I looked at the floor. It pulsed beneath our feet rhythmically. Each time it shone out, the light became stronger.

    ¡°Wait, what¡¯s happening!?¡± The goddess shouted and moved towards me. I glanced up at her and opened my mouth to speak, but before I could do anything a pillar of light burst out of the ground and swallowed me whole.

    I had to close my eyes to a slit, but I could still make out a long, white tunnel. Several faint streaks of light twisted and danced in front of me as they flew towards the end. Before I could collect my thoughts, several black threads burst out of the ground below me.

    The thin strings looked weak, but as I crashed into them all my momentum was cut off in a moment. I was like a fly in a spiders web as I struggled against their ever-tightening grasp.My view tilted towards the floor of the tunnel as more threads rose up from below. The white surface pulsated and twisted beneath me for a moment before it broke apart to reveal a pitch-void. I knew that something had gone wrong, but I couldn¡¯t fight the pull before it yanked me into its gaping maw.

    The light vanished, replaced by a dim glow. It was as though I had been dumped at the bottom of a well, barely lit by the sunny day far above my head. Even the floor was pitch black. It was as though I had been dropped out in space. The fact there was a solid floor beneath my feet did little to ease the tension.

    Don¡¯t tell me¡­ something went wrong?

    Before I could gather my wits an aged voice rang out across the room.

    ¡°Ah, I caught one.¡±

    My heart jumped in my chest as I span around and spotted who had spoken to me. It was an old man, his beard long and unkempt and his clothes were worn and dirty. The main thing that terrified me was how he had appeared. Until he spoke that sinister phrase, I hadn''t sensed his presence at all.

    ¡°Who the hell are you!¡± I jumped back, afraid the man might make a move towards me.

    ¡°Interesting. That¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve been shouted at in years. How exhilarating.¡± The man grinned, or at least it looked like he did. His mouth was hidden by his overgrown beard to the extent he didn¡¯t seem to have one.

    I took a deep breath as I looked at the man. This had to be a test, right? The goddess had said we were safe, so there was no need to overreact. Maybe everyone was facing a similar situation, and we would meet up once it was complete.

    ¡°Sorry, can you explain what¡¯s going on?¡± I asked. The man cocked his head to one side as he stared at me.

    ¡°Strong-willed. Usually I would appreciate that, but unfortunately, you aren¡¯t what I require right now.¡± His beard ruffled outward as the man huffed to himself. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll have to make do.¡±

    ¡°Wait, what-¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s see here.¡± The man reached out and grabbed my face. Despite the distance between us, his grubby hands easily caught me before he pulled me close. No matter how much I fought against him, the man''s fingers clung onto my head like a vice.

    ¡°Let go!¡±

    ¡°Shut up, I just need to check you over.¡± The man muttered as his fingers dug into my scalp. ¡°Weak attributes, weak skills¡­ is your only positive point your mental strength?¡±

    The man tossed me back into the wall, his face twisted in disgust. I pushed myself towards him, my heart pounded in my ears as I stepped forward.

    ¡°You can¡¯t do this. She told me we were safe. Where are they!?¡± My finger brushed the man''s nose as I closed in on him.

    ¡°I can¡¯t do this? You¡¯re safe?¡± He repeated my words back at me. ¡°You really trust her, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°I mean, I guess I do? She said that-¡± I stepped back as my flame of rage sputtered out. No matter who this was or what he did, it was prudent to be cautious.

    ¡°Safe? I guess you are. This is for your own good, so don¡¯t blame me later.¡± The old man smiled as he pulled his arm back. Before I could react his fist shot forward and slammed into my chest.

 Chapter 2 - Many questions, no answers

    The instant the old man¡¯s fist hit my chest, my vision went black. I didn¡¯t even feel any pain as I dropped to the floor. Everything that had happened crashed down into my head again as I fought to regain my strength.

    That damned goddess. She said we were safe here, and she lets this happen?

    After a few seconds, I pulled myself short. I had named her as a goddess internally, but she had never used that word to define herself. The fact she could float around without a care and oversee our transfer to a new world didn¡¯t specifically mean she was a deity.

    But she was near enough to one compared to the current me.

    After another ten minutes of irritated contemplation of my own relative strengths, a bright burst of light blasted away the cloak of darkness on my eyes. I blinked several times as I pushed myself to my feet.

    Or at least I tried to.

    All of my strength had vanished, replaced with an overriding feeling of weakness. My arms buckled beneath me as I crashed back to the floor with a thump.

    ¡°Dammit¡­¡± I muttered after my head slammed back against the hard wooden boards. After my vision cleared, the roof of my new home revealed itself. Compared to the beautiful vision of the last room, the simple wooden tiles above me seemed out of place.

    My strength was returning bit by bit, but I still couldn¡¯t do much more than push myself up a few inches before I dropped back to the ground.

    As I tried to move again, a new pain jabbed at me. It was as though something was digging into my chest, right at the point where the old man had hit me. With nothing better to do, I decided to investigate.

    After I pulled my shirt aside, I wished that I hadn¡¯t made the effort.

    My chest was marred by several ridged marks. Four in total, which made sense, seeing as it would have been created by the old man''s fist. There was even the mark of a ring on his middle finger, its peculiar design inverted and twisted in my skin.

    Obviously, the first response would be to panic. But for some reason, my mind couldn¡¯t quite catch on to that idea. It was as though some of the higher functions had been locked away, leaving me with only the most logical parts of my brain to deal with my current situation.

    Right, so I¡¯m not dead. I can deal with this later.

    The floor beneath me was smooth and cold. The wooden boards fitted together seamlessly with no hint of a gap or ridge along its surface. A large table stood at the far corner of the room, its surface hidden from view. One object lay on the floor which may have fallen off the table at some point.

    It was a large branch, or maybe a staff. Whatever it was, it matched my needs exactly. I swung my leg out and pulled it towards me. After it had moved close enough, I grabbed onto it and prepared to use it as a prop.

    **Weapon selected. You have one minute to confirm your decision.**

    I dropped the staff as the voice sounded out. A quick look confirmed no one had appeared. It didn¡¯t help much as I recalled the conversation and how that had ended up.

    At least the person who spoke to me now wasn¡¯t close enough to hit me, as far as I could tell.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± I muttered to myself as I swung the stick to my side. ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s fine.¡±

    The staff was still close enough, so I picked it back up. The voice didn¡¯t respond any further to my actions, so I ignored it as I pulled myself up. The table came into view as I rose from the floor, its surface covered in all manner of deadly looking weapons. Swords, knives, bows, spears¡­ you name it, it was there.

    I glanced around the room again. Whoever had spoken to me didn¡¯t seem ready to reveal themselves, so I decided to let it go. It took me longer than expected to make my way to the table. My pace slow was as each step sent a jab of pain through my body, which made me wince again and again.

    I reached out towards the table but as my fingers brushed against the nearest hilt, all of the weapons vanished in an instant. I blinked rapidly, sure that it was a trick of the light for several moments before it sunk in.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    **You have selected the multi-use weapon. Please wait for everyone to finish their selections before you continue.**

    The weapons had disappeared. Maybe it was because I had ¡®selected¡¯ the staff?

    Just my luck¡­ Wait, that woman said we would select our weapons. Don¡¯t tell me the others will come here as well?

    I glanced around the room, but my gaze didn¡¯t find a single entrance. The fact I had appeared here did little to help the wave of frustration in my heart. This room was far too small for such a large crowd of people.

    They might have their own rooms. There¡¯s still a chance.

    But I had already ¡®selected¡¯ my weapon, so why had I not been transferred yet? There was always a possibility that I had to wait for the others to complete their selections, but it shouldn¡¯t take that long, right?

    After ten minutes, my patience snapped. My strength had returned to normal levels, so I picked up the staff from the table beside me and moved towards the nearest wall.

    ¡°Oy!¡± I slammed my staff against the wall. ¡°Are you there? Let me out!¡±

    It was a bit childish, but I didn¡¯t have many other options. The wall wasn¡¯t damaged at all by my strike, but luckily my staff was equally sturdy. As I raised it for another blow, the automated voice rang out once more.

    **Congratulations, you have selec-**

    ¡°SHUT UP, YOU DAMNED MACHINE!¡± A man''s voice echoed out a beat later as it interrupted the message. I grit my teeth and stared at the ceiling above my head. Whilst I didn¡¯t know where the man was exactly, the idea that he was above me would have to do for now. ¡°I guess I owe you an apology¡­¡±

    ¡°Damn right you do-¡±

    ¡°But you won¡¯t be getting one from me.¡± The man cackled. ¡°You just worry about yourself, I¡¯ve already rewarded you for your help.¡±

    ¡°What help? What are you talking about?¡± I tightened my grip on my weapon. ¡°Come down here and fight me, you coward.¡±

    ¡°Ha, refreshing. I like you, boy.¡± The old man was calm and jovial despite my challenge. ¡°I guess you deserve a bit of an explanation, seeing as you helped me find my true target.¡±

    ¡°I helped you?¡± A chilly hand gripped around my heart as I realised what he meant. ¡°You¡¯re after that goddess?¡±

    ¡°Heh, goddess? I guess she is compared to you, huh.¡± The air in front of my face buzzed as the gruff man appeared before me. ¡°Before that-¡±

    His words were interrupted as my staff thrust into his face, quite literally. The tough wooden stick plunged through his head without any sense of resistance and continued onwards for a good distance past that.

    ¡°Ow?¡± The old man stepped to the side. His face remained in one piece as he moved, but my staff slid out of the side of his head like a fish leaping from a pond. Other than a few ripples across his head, he was undamaged by my attack. ¡°Now then, as I was saying-¡±

    ¡°Shut it.¡± I darted back a step and pointed my staff at his face. ¡°Stop projecting yourself, come out and fight.¡±

    ¡°No can do.¡± My opponent shook his head, though his beard did continue shaking for a few moments after he was done. ¡°I¡¯ve sacrificed too much on you already. I need to save my energy.¡±

    ¡°Save your energy? For what?¡± I was intrigued despite myself. This was the man who had pulled me out of a transfer between worlds, so he had to have some power.

    ¡°Well, I need to save a world, or as much of it as I can.¡± His beard ruffled outward as he sighed at my stupid question. ¡°You can help. If you become strong enough, we can fight then together.¡±

    ¡°Wait, fight a god? Are you insane?¡± I slammed my staff into the floor to vent my frustration. ¡°I just want to save my friend. Where is she?¡±

    ¡°Your friend? Not the others?¡± The old man tipped his head to one side. ¡°Rather focused, but that¡¯s fine. You just need to save them before they get pulled into the fight. Power is everything, right?¡±

    I nodded. My view of the world had started to shift a little after everything I had been through. These people had been pushed from pillar to post, and no one had bothered to ask me what I thought of the matter. No one cared.

    As my anger cooled a little, I looked over the old man again. After a cursory glance, one fact picked itself out which shocked me.

    The hand that had smashed into my chest had vanished, along with his arm all the way to the shoulder. A loose sleeve hung at his side as he stared across at me. His eyes narrowed slightly, though I couldn¡¯t tell if it was regret or anger.

    ¡°Keep a tight grip on that weapon. Its special, without it you won¡¯t stand a chance against him.¡±He grinned at me and clicked the fingers on his remaining hand. "You won¡¯t have long before they arrive, a few days at best, so make the most of it. Just remember, don¡¯t trust her. You might not believe me, but she lied to you all the same¡­¡±

    "What do you mean, she lied to me?" My grip on the staff tightened. The goddess had technically saved our lives, but the fact she was planning something sinister wasn''t beyond the realms of possibility. I should have guessed, really. No one would be that kind without a reason.

    "You don''t need to know yet... We''re out of time even if I wanted to explain it." My captor glanced at the floor beneath my feet and narrowed his eyes. "If your friends are still with her when I find her, they''ll get caught up in our fight. I''ll try to hold back, but the last time two of our kind fought an entire country got destroyed. That''s not the sort of thing a mortal can withstand..."

    **Transferring.**

    ¡°Good luck, I¡¯ll see you in a short while. When we next meet, we should have more than enough time to go through everything.¡± He waved his good hand at me as a great pressure pushed down on the top of my skull.

    Before I could ask any further questions, the whole room collapsed inward and crushed me into a single point. At least, that¡¯s what it felt like. The fact that my mind was left intact was a small mercy but, before I could register what had happened, a tunnel of light appeared in front of me and swallowed me whole.

 Chapter 3 - A whole new world

    The light blinded me as it pulled me along what I assumed was a tunnel. Maybe this was expected, maybe it was special treatment from my new ¡®friend¡¯. Either way, I didn¡¯t like it in the slightest.

    The scariest part was that I couldn¡¯t feel my body at all. It was as though my brain had been an orange, pressed and squeezed until my mind and soul leaked out like juice. Maybe the tunnel was like a straw that had pulled my thoughts away the moment my body had been destroyed. I tried to avoid imagining the scene I had left behind. Whilst this was a scary situation, for some reason my mind focused on the small details to avoid thinking about what had just happened to me.

    Hopefully, the others wouldn¡¯t have to deal with the aftermath of my body''s destruction.

    Think positive. This has to be what she planned, right?

    That''s when it hit me. The goddess had mentioned how difficult it was to travel to a new world, so much so it taxed even her skills. How was I meant to handle it by myself? It wasn¡¯t like I had any control anyway, so maybe it was on autopilot?

    The light vanished as though a switch had been flicked and left me in darkness for several moments. Before I could figure out what was going on a new light appeared, cooler and more gentle than the pure white glare I had been pulled through.

    Above me was a clear blue sky. Not a single cloud marred its surface from edge to edge, which allowed the bright sunlight to beam down without any obstruction. Despite that, I still felt comfortable and cool as I glanced to the side. To my right, I saw a huge forest which stretched off into the distance before it met a range of mountains, to the left I could see¡­ a town.

    My heartbeat quickened as I spotted the first signs of civilization. This would be my goal, a destination, a target. After everything that had happened up to now, this one thing gave me a focus. I smiled and twisted my head to look down. Far below me I could see a field, spotted with occasional trees and vegetation.

    Far¡­ below¡­ me¡­

    Before I could connect the dots and truly panic the threads of light, which had previously held me aloft, broke apart in the cool breeze. My body spun around as I flailed my arms. Try as I might, it was impossible for me to grab on to the tendrils of light before they faded away. The ground rushed up to meet me.

    I¡¯m going to die!

    At least I had been placed above a bush. Maybe it could break my fall. It was unlikely, but the only hope I had was that this world¡¯s physics didn¡¯t match my own. It was better to cling on to that prospect than it was to just give up. They had sent me here for a reason, so there must be some way that I could survive this fall. Maybe this was just a dream, and I would wake up moments before I hit the ground.

    As my speed increased with each second, the bush trembled below me. A large mass popped out of the vegetation, though it wasn¡¯t possible for me to make out what it was as my eyes squinted against the wind. All I could see was a blue smear.

    Oh god,is that a person?

    I tried to shout, to warn the thing below me, but not a sound came out. It was possible that they would have some insane power and be able to catch me, but if I landed squarely on their head it would be a different matter entirely. The wind rushed into my mouth and blasted the words by down my throat. The thing turned to face me as though it had heard me anyway. I held out my hands towards the figure to wave at it, but as I did so a thin, white layer of light came into view around my arms.

    I landed with a huge splat. An expected noise from someone who fell from the sky, but it wasn¡¯t accompanied by the pain I had expected. Something undulated under me as it rocked me back and forth.

    I rolled to the side and tumbled off the mass without hesitation. My instinctive response had rewarded me with a short fall to the ground. That was more painful than the initial impact, but at least the fall hadn¡¯t killed me. It took me a few seconds to collect my bearings before I turned to face my saviour.

    The bush had vanished, replaced by a heap of blue¡­ jelly? Its surface vibrated softly as I stared at it, not sure how to respond to this new creature. It had saved my life. Accidentally or not, the fact remained I would be dead if it hadn¡¯t cushioned my fall.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    The mass had a huge gouge dug out from what would be its head, if it had any features to speak of. The damage was an obvious sign of the force of my fall. Several long stretches of its body had been burned away, which had cut the monster in half almost to its base. The memory of the white light that surrounded me after the transfer sent a shot of guilt into my brain.

    Though I hadn¡¯t done it on purpose, it was clear my fall and the white energy had done immense damage to the poor creature.

    ¡°Uh, thanks.¡± I muttered. Though I wasn¡¯t sure if this thing understood my words, it was still worth a try. ¡°Sorry-¡±

    Unfortunately, my well-intentioned words were met with an unexpected response.

    The slime bubbled up like a wave and crashed towards me. Luckily, I had backed away a few steps, so a quick jump brought me away from the main impact. The floor beneath my feet became slick with goo as its form collapsed. Maybe the damage I had done was enough to break its shell, though at that point I didn¡¯t much care. I tried to take another step back.

    But I couldn¡¯t move my foot.

    The residue beneath my feet rose up and glommed on to my boots. The whole mess pulled inward with me as the centre. The thing had used its own body as a trap. It reminded me of a spider, though that comparison was a bit off as the spider didn¡¯t use its own body to absorb its prey.

    The slime crept up my leg as it locked down my movement even further. I raised the staff above my head as I searched for a way out of my predicament, though not much came into view that would help. The nearest thing I could have used was a tree around twenty feet away. As the main body of the slime rose up once more a circular object span to face me like an eye within its body.

    Would I be crushed or drowned? Either way, I didn¡¯t want to find out.

    Before it could launch the final attack its form drooped down once more. Though I couldn¡¯t escape from the bind on my legs, a new target presented itself as the blob melted before me. The large orb broke through the surface, outside of my reach as I tried to grab at it.

    But it was close enough for something else.

    I raised the staff above my head, closed my eyes and swung it down with all my might. My blow was rewarded with heavy crack as my staff crashed into the unprotected orb.

    A wave of slimy goo hit me in the face. The bind around my legs failed as I was pushed out along the field. I coughed out a mouthful of blue slime and lifted myself out of the muck. A large portion of the field had been dyed a dull blue hue as the slime lost its integrity and spread out across the area. It didn¡¯t taste of anything really, which made it worse in a weird way.

    As I looked into the puddle I saw the large orb that had acted as its core. My blow left a crack in one side, though luckily for my sanity I couldn¡¯t see anything leaking out from inside. That would have been a little too on the nose for me, especially for the first murder I had committed.

    I¡­ killed it.

    A small pang of guilt shot up within me before it was stifled by a logical conclusion. It had wanted to kill me, to absorb me¡­ or something along those lines.

    It wasn¡¯t like it left me much choice.

    That mantra bounced around my brain as I picked up its core and shook off the gooey remnants from its surface. Maybe if it was left it here, the creature would be able to reform itself? At first, I wanted to let nature take its course, but what if it ended up attacking someone else? What if it went after my friends when they arrived?

    I couldn¡¯t take the chance. They might not be as lucky as me when they met this monster.

    **Collected Slime Queen Core.**

    ¡°Wait, what-¡± I glanced at the core. It had vanished from my grasp the moment the voice echoed out. If I hadn¡¯t held it with my own hand moments ago it would have been easy to believe it had never existed at all. The blue slime had sunk into the ground as the grass revealed itself once more.

    Wait... if it was collected, I should still have it, right?

    "Inventory! Show items! Items! Gear screen!"

    My shouts echoed through the fields as I ran through every combination of words I could think of. Not a single one of them gave me a list, or the option to bring back what had been stolen. A quick glance confirmed that no one had appeared to question my odd outburst, but that only partially resolved my irritation.

    I''ll have to figure it out later. It isn''t voice activated, so maybe I need to learn something to get access to it?

    No sign remained of the battle that had just taken place.Only a faint layer of blue muck remained on the leaves of the bush nearby. It was as if the slime queen had never existed.

    Other than the fact I was covered in a thin layer of blue goo, of course.

    I glanced at myself and took in my outfit. My body seemed the same as my old one, though my clothes were much more outlandish then I remembered. My shirt and jeans had vanished, replaced by a pale blue set of armour made of tough yet pliable material. When I gripped my arm with all my strength, no sense of pain or pressure rose up.

    It did flex under my hand, however. It was like a rubber based leather jacket, soft to the touch as my fingers sunk into it. Several key areas had been layered with light grey protective plates, like the centre of my chest, my hands and my elbows. I didn¡¯t have much faith in it to stand up against a giant slime monster, but it was better than nothing.

    The odd design gave the outfit a peculiar, mix and matched look. I could only hope that other people¡¯s clothes would be more bizarre than mine.

    It wasn¡¯t what I would have chosen, but at least it was something. After a full check to make sure there weren¡¯t any more oddities, I managed to calm myself. The slime had been absorbed into the ground, which I found ironic. Other than the tattered bush in the distance, no other sign remained of the fierce battle.

    No use staying here anymore¡­

    **Congratulations. You have levelled up.**

 Chapter 4 - A slime filled journey to town

    ¡°What the hell¡­¡±

    I glanced around, though I knew deep down it wasn¡¯t someone playing a prank on me. The voice was too similar to the announcements from before my transfer to this place. What it said, however, didn¡¯t make any sense.

    I waited for the voice to speak again and was rewarded with silence. Several awkward minutes passed before I managed to convince myself that it had been a trick of my imagination.

    I levelled up already? Is it really that easy?

    I turned towards the town in the distance. From the short glimpse, I had seen some movement. Movement meant people, people meant food, shelter and information. Though I was penniless and lost, it still wasn¡¯t enough to make me give up hope.There would be some way to make money, which would solve my short term issues.

    The town lay in the distance, though I couldn¡¯t see any buildings behind the large walls that surrounded it. Walls made sense, of course. If I lived in a world where huge slimes could pop out of bushes, I would put a barrier between myself and them at all times.

    ¡°Srreee.¡±

    A weird sound came from the field to my right. I pivoted around, my staff held aloft to intercept any further attacks. After I surveyed the field beside me for several seconds, the creature that had made the noise became apparent.

    It was a slime.

    Compared to the Slime Queen it was tiny, barely bigger than two fists put together. In a way, it was cute as it bounced towards me. Still, I didn¡¯t let my guard down. It jumped through the air one more time before it landed a few feet from me. Either by chance or design, the little critter was out of reach of my staff, though I did turn my weapon towards it.

    ¡°Go on! Get!¡± I yelled as I thrust my staff towards it. It worked for normal animals, why couldn¡¯t it work for a slime?

    My exaggerated display kept it entertained. The creature waved back and forth in time with my swings, as though it were my partner in some weird, interpretive dance. It seemed relatively harmless. I pulled back my staff and relaxed my guard a little as the ball of goo wiggled before me.

    ¡°SCREE!¡±

    It shot towards my face like a cannonball the instant my staff had moved out of the way. I wasn¡¯t able to move my weapon before it slammed into my face with a peculiar plopping noise. My head snapped back as it bounced off. My vision was lost as a wave of blue goo covered my eyes. I wiped my face to remove the chunks of its body covered my eyes.

    In a panic, I stepped back and tripped over a rock. A waft of air blew past my head, a sign the horrible little monster had launched yet another attack. Its miss gave me a chance to regain my feet as I wiped the blue liquid from my eyes.

    The slime quivered at the bottom of a nearby tree. A long blue smear caked the side of the trunk as several chunks of goo clung to its rough bark. Its body had collapsed slightly to reveal yet another orb, like a smaller and duller version of the slime queen core. No further hints were required as I dashed forward and swung my staff towards it.

    My staff struck the core dead on and continued on into the floor. The slimes body melted away as its core was cleanly buried into the dirt. I took a deep breath and propped myself up against the tree. Battle, violence, potential death. Those were the only three things I had found in this new world, and I didn¡¯t like a single one of them.

    Well, that was easy. I guess these are the low-level versions of the slime queen, but it still doesn''t take much to take them out. Is it because they''re weak, or that I''m strong?

    It was two for two on creatures that tried to kill me as soon as we met.

    The slime queen core was an item, so maybe a normal Slime core was counted as well? I leant beside the tree and dug my fingers into the muddy dent left behind by my staff. After a minute or so of frantic scrabbling, I pulled out a relatively intact core from the dirt.

    **Slime Core acquired.**

    As expected the voice spoke once more. It was slightly different from the automated voice in the room, to be fair. This one had a musical lilt to it, as though it would burst into song at any moment. The announcer in the weapon room had been stark and dull in comparison. At least this one was a little nicer on the ear.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    The core had vanished, though that did not surprise me too much. The word ¡®acquired¡¯ could mean many things. Were these items being stored for later use? Was the voice merely announcing its theft of my hard earned goods? Or had I absorbed them in some way, like a literal human Slime?

    For the time being, I forced myself away from that rabbit hole. The slime had vanished into the ground without a scratch. Maybe they were part of the ecosystem. The first one had been near a huge bush after all. Maybe whatever made up their bodies served double duty as fertilizer for the vegetation around me.

    It made sense. Most things in nature worked in cycles.

    ¡°Never mind.¡± I shook my head and set off towards the town once more. It was likely that every bizarre theory would turn out to be pointless in the end. These creatures had existed here longer than I had, so someone else would have figured out their life cycles by now.

    I could stay out and grind for more levels. Logically, that would give me some benefits, or skills... but I could also go into the town and learn a bit about this world. Hmm.

    After a minute or so of deliberation, I made my decision. I put off the idea to increase my levels against the slimes in favour of going into the town. That might open up more efficient paths, and it wasn''t like I knew much about the world yet. The only bit of information I had was that my friends would appear on the tenth day of the tenth month, but the God who sent me here said I had a short while to wait.

    These things are weak, so I doubt they are a good target for me to grind. If I can squash them without an issue now, they probably won''t give me much experience...

    The issue was how vague he had been. His words could mean I had hours, days or even weeks to wait. In the first instance, grinding wouldn''t make much of a difference as I wouldn''t have enough time to raise myself sufficiently anyway. In the latter options, a short trip to town would probably prove useful in the long run. With my mind set, I moved towards the town with a purpose.

    Several more slimes attacked me as I moved closer to the town.

    After the previous attacks, I now knew to initiate combat myself with a preemptive strike. The strange dance of the first slime made sense now. When my staff swung towards them, they dodged back as though they expected my attacks to reach far further than they did.

    I used their reactions to my advantage as to force them into a rhythm of feint, dodge, strike. I missed their cores once or twice, though after a few fights I got the hang of it. It took a few strikes to beat them at best, but at least I didn¡¯t get any more blue goo smacked on my face.

    They were able to move the core around their body at will, at least until they had taken significant damage. It caught me by surprise a few times until I figured out the trick. If my first strike missed, it would still do enough damage that I could take out the weak point at my leisure with the next blow.

    The hunter became the hunted as I searched for more encounters. Though every slime had a core, it wasn¡¯t a guaranteed drop. Sometimes they were obliterated as my staff smashed down on them, though their destruction didn¡¯t seem to be related to how much power I used. Despite that, the harvest of cores reached five in total as I glanced around for my next target.

    ¡°Halt!¡±

    A man¡¯s shout jerked me to a stop. I glanced up and finally noticed how close I was to the town. Lost as in my little game of cat and mouse, I had walked up to the walls unconsciously.

    ¡°Oh, hi.¡± I turned to face the man who had shouted. The two guards by the town wall stared back, their expressions a mix of curiosity and trepidation. They both rested their hands upon the swords sheathed at their waists.

    ¡°Hello, friend.¡± One of the guards took a step towards me as she gave me a quick look over. ¡°You seem to have been through a few wars.¡±

    I glanced down at myself. Though my armour wasn¡¯t damaged it was covered in multiple smears of blue goo, though the general colour did manage to hide it slightly. I didn¡¯t even want to imagine my face at that point, though.

    ¡°I guess you¡¯re right.¡± I mumbled. The guard''s humorous looks didn¡¯t help the sense of shame that rose up within me. ¡°I was attacked by a huge slime-¡±

    ¡°Hahahaha!¡± The guard near the wall cut me off as he chuckled. ¡°A huge slime, you say? Was it a king, perhaps?¡±

    ¡°No. It was a slime queen-¡±

    ¡°HAHAHAHA!¡± The man doubled over as tears streamed down his face. I could feel a tide of anger rising up, but I held it back. These people were well-armed, and likely high level. It would be stupid to overreact before I had more of an understanding of the world. The man''s companion gavehim a sharp look before she turned to face me.

    ¡°Ignore him, he¡¯s like this with everyone.¡± She patted my shoulder. ¡°You need to get cleaned up. Here.¡±

    She passed me a small, rough piece of cloth. In a past life I wouldn¡¯t have used it to clean my house, but now wasn¡¯t the time to be picky. The tough fibres rubbed against my face without mercy. It took several minutes before I was sure the remnants of my battles had been cleared. The man had calmed down a bit, though he still gave the occasional repressed snort as he held back his laughter.

    ¡°That should do it. You need to visit the guild, you should be able to trade whatever you got for a good night''s sleep.¡±

    I nodded at the woman before I moved into the town. The man waved at me, though I didn¡¯t return the gesture. The pair started an argument the moment they thought I was out of earshot. The woman berated her colleague for his rude behaviour.

    Well¡­ She seems nice, at least.

    A street lay before me with several carts along each side. The buildings that lined it were one to two stories at the highest, but they were well designed and maintained. It wasn¡¯t like a medieval village, so that worry was proven unfounded. I took a step down the street, but then a voice rang out from behind me.

    ¡°Oy, you! Give me all you¡¯ve got!¡±

 Chapter 5 - My first visit to the guild

    ¡°What do you want?¡± My voice quivered as my body froze up. If I turned around, maybe it would spark an aggressive response from the person behind me. The person''s voice sounded high pitched and whiney, but this was a new world. I couldn''t judge anything just yet, so it was best to be cautious.

    ¡°Er¡­ everything?¡± The voice sounded confused at my response. Things weren¡¯t going as it had expected. The conversation had frozen, so it was time to take a chance. I spun on my heel and took a step away from the person who had spoken to me. What came into view confused me even more.

    A young boy stared up at me, his confused eyes narrow as watched me suspiciously. I opened my mouth to respond several times but no words came out. My gut reaction had been right.

    Am I so weak even a kid wants to rob me?

    ¡°Oy, Robbie. What¡¯re you doing!¡±

    A woman darted towards the child and grabbed him by the ear. The boy yelled in pain as the girl pulled him away. Their argument gave me a chance to escape as I backed away from the pair.

    ¡°Oh, hello!¡± The girl smiled at me as though her hand wasn¡¯t clasped around the boy''s ear like a vice. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about him. He¡¯s an annoyance, isn¡¯t he? He wants you to sell your loot to me, but he''s an idiot. Sorry.¡±

    ¡°Uh, no. It¡¯s fine.¡± It wasn¡¯t as though I would own up to how scared his little act had made me. I didn''t have time for this, and it wasn''t like I had any loot to speak of. The magical voice had made sure of that. ¡°I need to go. Have a nice day.¡±

    ¡°Wait!¡± The girl stepped towards me with the boy in tow behind her. ¡°Robbie, apologise. Now!¡±

    The boy was pushed towards me, his hand pressed against his ear. Whatever he muttered could have been an apology, or it could have just been some words he picked at random. The girl stared at me expectantly after he had finished.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, no harm done.¡± I nodded at the pair and turned to leave. The sooner I got to the guild, the better. This was just a small misunderstanding. I was on edge due to the fact that people in this world openly wore weapons, so my mind had twisted his words into an attempted robbery. Now that was cleared up, there was no need to hold a grudge against a kid.

    ¡°Are you an adventurer?¡± The girl glanced at my outfit. ¡°Never seen someone dressed like you before.¡±

    ¡°I guess so.¡± I turned back to the pair and forced a smile onto my face.

    ¡°Oh, really?¡± The boy''s eyes sparkled as he stepped towards me. ¡°Are you really strong? What''s the biggest thing you¡¯ve beat up?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not strong... I beat a slime queen, if that counts?¡± I glanced at the pair as guilt tugged at my mind. Technically it had been beaten by me, but would you count accidentally falling on top of your enemy as a valid strategy?

    ¡°A slime queen? WOW!¡± The boy grabbed my arm as his mouth opened wide. ¡°You really beat one of those? How did you do it? Did you use-¡±

    ¡°Oy, back off.¡± The girl pulled the boy back once more before she quietened him down. ¡°Sorry, you must be busy. Come by my stall if you need supplies in the future.¡±

    I glanced at the wooden stand she had waved at. If you imagined a farmers market cart that sold traditional products, you wouldn¡¯t be far off. It even had a little awning on the top to shade the products from the sun, though the cloth was drab in comparison to the usual bright colours I would have imagined. Many different things sat around the surface. Food, utensils, bags of various herbs and even a few weapons.

    ¡°Can you tell me where the guild is?¡± I glanced back at the girl. She frowned for a moment before her expression relaxed once more.

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re new here. Go to the end of the street, its the building with the big shield sign on the side. Can¡¯t miss it.¡±

    I thanked the girl and turned away. The guards had suggested for me to go to the guild, so it made sense for it to be my first goal. A street seller wouldn¡¯t be a good fit for the kind of questions I wanted to ask.

    ¡°Promise you¡¯ll show me the slime queen core later!¡± The boy shouted at my back. I didn¡¯t have a chance to reply before the girl launched into another lecture. She seemed nice, though I couldn¡¯t let that distract me too much right now.

    Several other sellers yelled out to me as I walked towards the Guild. It didn¡¯t take too long to find the building in question, marked as it was by a huge shield-shaped sign on its wall.

    All I had to do was enter. I took a deep breath, pushed the door open and walked in.

    A rowdy din greeted me. Lamps hung on the wall, their light blue flames cast a faint glow on the crowded hall. Tables dotted the room randomly, each one surrounded by far more people than their design permitted. The men and women in the hall shouted and laughed as they drank. Rather than a Guild, wasn¡¯t this just a pub?

    ¡°Hello! Welcome to the guild.¡±

    A woman waved at me from the side. Her desk was far more organised than the mess on the other tables as she motioned for me to approach. I stepped towards her, glad to meet someone who wasn¡¯t obviously drunk. Maybe she would be able to answer my questions.

    ¡°Hi, the guards told me to come here. Nice to meet you.¡± I smiled at her. Manners cost nothing, as my mother often told me.

    ¡°Oh, you must be a potential.¡± She smiled. ¡°Can I see your ID card, please.¡±This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    ¡°Uh, I don¡¯t have one.¡±

    The woman cocked her head to one side, her eyes narrow as she looked me over.

    ¡°Lost, I imagine? Not to worry, we can sort that.¡± She pulled a small orb from a drawer on her desk. ¡°Here, hold this for a minute. It won¡¯t take long.¡±

    The orb was heavier than expected, around the weight of a large rock. I glanced at the woman as she watched the sphere intently.

    ¡°Ah, I see.¡± She looked up at me, her gaze unreadable. ¡°You¡¯ve had it tough, haven¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I frowned down at her. ¡°I mean, I was attacked on the way here¡­¡±

    ¡°I meant that you''re a Supporter. Where¡¯s your party?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean, Supporter?¡± I glanced at the orb which lay in my palm. Nothing showed on its surface as I turned it back and forth. ¡°What does that mean?¡±

    ¡°Ah, maybe we can take our conversation to a private area.¡± The receptionist glanced at the crowd behind me. Their revelry had paused at some point prior as they listened in to our conversation. ¡°I apologise, we don¡¯t see many Supporters here.¡±

    I nodded to the woman, uncomfortable under the numerous avid gazes. It would be best to move from here before someone made a scene¡­

    ¡°You¡¯re a Supporter.¡± One man stared at me with a cocky grin. ¡°Bet you¡¯re pretty strong, eh.¡±

    Several members of the crowd chuckled at his words. Without any experience of these people, it wouldn¡¯t be a good idea to reveal any information about myself. The receptionist took the hint and moved towards a doorway at the side of the hall.

    ¡°Maybe not. You seem pretty weak.¡± The man took a swig of his drink. ¡°Probably useless in a fight, eh.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t find the energy to defend myself. He could be right, after all. The slimes that had attacked me on the way into town hadn¡¯t been the most difficult of foes. The slime queen had been a bigger deal, but if he forced me to explain how I beat such a monster it would more likely embarrass me than shut him up.

    ¡°Oy, shut up! He¡¯s well strong!¡±

    I turned to the doorway to face the person who had defended me. The boy from earlier had appeared once more, his face livid as he faced down the man who had insulted me.

    ¡°Oh, he¡¯s strong? How do you know, you little rat?¡± The man set down his drink and turned to face the boy.

    Oh, please no¡­

    I waved at the boy to catch his attention. Unfortunately, in his anger, the child missed my hint.

    ¡°He just beat a Slime Queen. Bet you can¡¯t do that, can you?¡± He grinned towards me. ¡°You did, didn¡¯t you. You got a core too, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Uh, yeah.¡± I muttered. The crowd turned to face me, their expressions a mix of doubt and contempt. I hadn¡¯t explicitly said I had the core, but technically I did have it¡­ somewhere. Asking this man how to bring it out would end in tears.

    The receptionist should know...

    ¡°Oh, a slime queen, eh? I misjudged you, Hero.¡± The man bowed towards me, though he didn¡¯t rise from his chair. ¡°Care to show us the core you looted. Get you a pretty penny, that would. I know some strong people, so I can help you find a buyer if you want?¡±

    "I''ll sort it myself, thanks.¡± I glanced at the receptionist, who watched on in silence. It was clear I had made a mistake when I said I had the core before I had figured out how to actually retrieve it. Even if I could have pulled it out, that would just make me into a target. The receptionist noticed my gaze and moved to intervene.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I need to speak with this man in private.¡± The boy¡¯s gaze followed me without a break as the receptionist pulled me out of the hall. Whilst I hadn¡¯t lied, it still hurt to see his confidence crumble. The crowd turned back to their conversations, though the few snippets I caught did show a general discontent.

    No one liked a liar.

    ¡°Sorry about that. Not a good first impression.¡± The woman waved me to a nearby seat. She took another chair behind the single desk in the room and rested her palms against its surface. ¡°So, what can we do for you?¡±

    ¡°Ah, I had a few questions.¡± I glanced back at the closed door, worried someone would interrupt our session at any moment. ¡°I guess I¡¯m just a bit lost, really.¡±

    ¡°Oh, right. I guess something bad happened to you, right?¡± She pulled a small leaflet from the desk and passed it to me. ¡°Well, here¡¯s the basics of the guild. If you want to know anything else, there''s a library across the street. They allow anyone to enter but you need to pay to borrow the books. Was there anything specific you wanted to ask me?¡±

    "Well... how do you access your inventory?" I asked. That seemed like the most pertinent question currently. If the voice stole every item in the world and I couldn''t bring it back, that would lead to some very awkward situations.

    "What do you mean by ''inventory'', exactly?" The receptionist tilted her head to one side. "Most people just put things in their bags..."

    "Oh, right. That makes sense.." I shook my head and pushed myself up. From her response, it was clear a system like mine didn''t exist in this world. If others caught wind of it, the possibility of them trying to take advantage of my power was high. At best, I would be turned into a bulk delivery man, and at worst...

    "Well, if you''re talking about a skill, maybe the library would be helpful. Their selection is quite varied, and you don''t have to pay to browse." The receptionist''s practised smile popped back up as she made the suggestion.

    "I''ll do just that then. Thanks." I pushed myself up and turned to the door. I had already asked a suspicious question due to my own ignorance, so it would be worth checking a few books for so I could get a basic level of knowledge before I really put my foot in it.

    "Oh... OK." The receptionist''s smile faltered for a second before she perked back up. "Was there anything else?"

    ¡°It''s fine." I shook my head. Until I had a basic understanding of what should exist in this world, further questions were off limits. I didn''t want to walk into a minefield and have to figure my way back out of it. "I''ll come back if I have any more questions."

    ¡°That¡¯s no problem, come back to me if you need assistance.¡± The woman smiled as she moved back towards the door. ¡°I¡¯m happy to help. Your guild card will be completed in the next few hours, which you can use as your identification.¡±

    I nodded towards her and stepped back into the hall. A sea of eyes turned greeted me, and most of them were unfriendly at best. The boy was still standing by the doorway, his gaze locked on me as I moved towards him. I didn¡¯t manage to reach the door before a voice stopped me in my tracks once more.

    ¡°There¡¯s your hero, kid.¡± The man who hadoffered his assistance earlier spoke up once more. ¡°Wanna show us your loot now, eh? I''m starting to think that you might be exaggerating things.¡±

    ¡°Shut up, you overgrown slime-bag.¡± A woman swatted the back of the man''s head as she stepped past him. ¡°Pick a fight with someone your own level.¡±

    ¡°I was only having a bit of fun with the rookie.¡± The man waved his mug toward me with a grin. ¡°No harm done.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what I thought.¡± The woman moved toward me. Her brown hair hung below her shoulders, its tips rested upon the think metal pauldrons of her armour. It was a surprise that she could move with that much metalwork on her, though the general design of it was dull in comparison to the guard''s uniforms. She held out a hand, a warm smile on her face as she looked at me. ¡°Nice to meet you. My name''s Claire.¡±

    ¡°Before that, I had a question.¡± The man interrupted Claire, his gaze locked on me. ¡°Fancy a duel, rookie? If you can do damage to me, it¡¯s your win.¡±

    ¡°No thanks.¡± Why would I sign up for a beating from someone like him? I saw the kid''s eyes darken as he watched me back away from the fight. "I have something I need to do, so find someone else to fight. I''m not in the mood."

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t say that. It should be easy for someone that beat a slime queen, eh.¡± The man grinned at the boy who waited by the door. ¡°I¡¯ll just want your help with one small task if I win. We¡¯ll even give you an even split on it. What do you say, eh?¡±

 Chapter 6 - New allies and an offer I cant refuse

    ¡°I¡¯ll take you up on that.¡±

    Claire stepped in front of me once more. The man twitched and twisted as he tried to avoid eye contact, all his confidence and bravado lost in an instant.

    ¡°I know how strong you are, Claire. What''s the point-¡±

    ¡°Yeah, and you¡¯re picking a fight with a rookie. Same thing, right?¡± She waved him into silence. ¡°Go back to your hole.¡±

    ¡°He beat a slime queen.¡± The man didn¡¯t back down as heglanced at me. "Come on, Claire. This is a good deal for him. He''ll meet some of the strongest people I know-"

    ¡°He¡¯s a Supporter, you moron. He would have had a party with him.¡± Claire growled as the man tried to defend himself. ¡°And if you¡¯re gonna make some smart comment about him hiding at the back, just be quiet. Supporters act as rearguards. Or are you saying a Thief like you would beat a slime queen in a fair fight?¡±

    The man gave me a glare before he turned back to his drink. He seemed the type to hold a grudge, even though I hadn¡¯t been the one to put him down. I wouldn''t have accepted his offer either way, but the way Claire had smashed him aside had been blunt. She had good intentions could tell but she had made the situation worse. At worst he would have mocked me a little more and now he would be out for my blood.

    ¡°Come on. I¡¯ve got some people who want to meet you.¡± Claire grabbed my arm and pulled me further into the room. She waved at the boy to follow before she walked us to a table at the back of the hall. No one made any motions to stop us as every single one of the patrons took an intense interest in their drinks.

    This woman¡¯s dangerous¡­

    The table she made her way towards had three people sat around it. They watched our approach without comment, though I did note they were relatively happy despite what had occurred. Their outfits were on a similar level to Claire¡¯s, a step above the crowd around me but lower in quality than the guard uniforms I had seen. The differences in their gear to mine showed just how bizarre my outfit was.

    ¡°Hey, who¡¯s our new friend?¡± The first guy wore a jacket made of chain-mail that reached to his knees. below which I could see a pair of tough leather trousers. His clothes under were padded for protection, though they favoured speed over defence.

    The second member of the group was a girl who wore a long robe. A hood lay at the back which would offer protection from the sun but not much else. Compared to her friends, the outfit she wore was more suited to a librarian than a warrior.Her cloak was clean and well kept, a stark difference to the outfit worn by the last member of the group.She looked like a scholar with her hooded cape and the staff sheathed on her back.

    The trio smiled at me as Claire directed me to a spare seat. After I had sat down I noted that Robbie had followed us, his little face locked in a grimace as he gave the group a look.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have mentioned the slime queen.¡± The last man chuckled at me and took a sip of his drink. His outfit consisted of dull brown leather, similar to mine but far less ostentatious. The dull brown material was scuffed and dented in multiple places, an obvious sign of battle wear that had yet to be repaired. As I was about to respond, the robed woman flicked his forehead. Heclutched his forehead in agony as Claire shook her head at the pair.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be rude. Names first.¡± Claire turned to me. ¡°As you know, my names Claire. My friends can introduce themselves.

    ¡°Bryan.¡± The man dressed in a set of chain-mail answered first. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we aren¡¯t as aggressive as Claire.¡±

    ¡°Susan.¡± The robed girl nodded at me before she turned back to her drink.

    ¡°John.¡± The rude man prised his fingers from his face as he answered me. A red welt marked the centre of his forehead, an obvious hint to the strength behind Susan¡¯s blow. ¡°Nice to meet you.¡±

    I nodded at the group, though I didn¡¯t answer in kind. It was awkward to admit it, but I didn¡¯t know my own name. The goddess had said it would be lost during the transfer, along with most of my memories of our old home. The party stared at me for several seconds before Claire patted my arm.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, we don¡¯t need to know your name.¡±Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

    ¡°What about Rook?¡± John offered.

    ¡°What do you mean, ¡®Rook¡¯?¡± Claire glanced at him. She seemed ready to jump to my defence before John cut her off.

    ¡°Well, he''s a rookie, right? Why not just shorten it to Rook?¡± John held up a hand as Claire got ready to attack him once more. ¡°It¡¯ll do until he tells us his name. It¡¯s only a temporary solution, right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine with me.¡± I nodded towards the man. Despite first impressions, he was a nice guy. He had saved me from a long, awkward conversation where I would¡¯ve had to come up with a fake name by myself.

    ¡°So, you didn¡¯t beat the slime queen?¡± Robbie piped up.

    I turned to face the boy. He had been silent up until that point but his patience had finally worn out. It was a surprise such a young boy would be able to hold back for so long.

    ¡°Not directly, no.¡± I struggled to describe what had happened. ¡°I did land the last hit, though.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± His eyes lit up once more as he leant on the table beside me. ¡°Did you really do that?¡±

    ¡°If he said he did, then he did.¡± Claire smiled at the boy. ¡°He looks trustworthy to me, and I¡¯m never wrong.¡±

    "Seriously, Claire. You''re like this with every new member who wanders in alone." John shook his head and chuckled. "Don''t worry about her, Rook. She just likes helping people."

    John''s words explained the outer reason for her assistance, but there had to be something more to it. As he mentioned Claire''s actions, Bryan frowned slightly and glanced at Claire. Whilst the person in question didn''t react, I could tell from how Bryan acted that this may be a touchy subject.

    Robbie stared at Claire for several seconds before he smiled again. She was good with children, another talent to add to the list. After Robbie''s mood had lightened, she grabbed a nearby chair and pushed him into it before she dropped a bowl onto the table.

    ¡°What do you want?¡± She asked. ¡°You can order anything.¡±

    ¡°Pudding, please.¡± Robbie grinned.

    ¡°Stew it is.¡± She nodded and set off towards the far end of the hall. This place served multiple duties. A reception, pub, meeting hall and a canteen for the members of the Guild. I had no understanding of this worlds currency yet, but such a set up usually led to inflated prices or poor quality. After a short sulk, Robbie perked up once more as he turned to me.

    ¡°Do you get given the slime queen core?¡± He looked me over as he searched for some sign of a bag. ¡°Can you show it to me?¡±

    ¡°I did. I can¡¯t bring it out yet, though.¡±

    Claire returned with a large pot before Robbie could ask any more questions. She placed it down and used a ladle to serve some onto the boy''s bowl before she turned to me.

    ¡°Want some?¡± She waved the ladle towards me. Her offer shocked me into stunned silence. I¡¯d just met these people and she wanted to give me a free meal? Claire took my hesitation as agreement as she poured another portion on a bowl and passed it to me.

    ¡°I¡¯d like some too.¡± John remarked. Claire raised an eyebrow at him as she pushed the pot to the centre of the table.

    ¡°Get your own, then.¡± She said as she started on her own meal. The others took turns to grab their own portions before the table went silent. I hesitated for a few moments as I looked at the meal. Instead of a stew, it was a watery broth, brown and murky. Several chunks of meat floated in its surface like tiny islands, interspersed with vegetables that looked like bright red potatoes.

    I took up a spoon and dragged it along the surface. The liquid had a weird, oily glimmer as it rocked back and forth. A small portion slipped onto the spoon which I lifted to my mouth. As unappetising as it looked, it would be rude to refuse the meal now.

    It wasn¡¯t that bad, really. It didn¡¯t exactly taste of anything, but that could be seen as a positive. Faint meaty hints tantalized my tongue as it slipped down. The meat was chewy, but at least it tasted quite nice. I had half expected the food to be horrible, so this was the first nice surprise I had been given since I arrived in my new world. As I finished my meal, a horrible thought took over.

    I didn¡¯t have any money.

    Claire smiled as she took out bowls back. She tossed the bowls inside the pot and passed it over to Bryan.

    ¡°Take them back, we can¡¯t leave a mess.¡±

    Bryan sighed as he pushed himself up before Claire turned back to me. She glanced at the door before she spoke to me once more.

    ¡°Want to tag along with us until your party comes back?¡±

    Her offer caught me by surprise. Why would she go this far to help a stranger? It wasn¡¯t as though I was a worthy addition to their little group. Her friends didn¡¯t say anything as they waited for my response.

    Why are they being so friendly? Their intentions do seem pure... but why do I have a bad feeling about this.

    Various hazy memories rose in my mind. The transfer had locked most of our past away but they still existed, deep in my mind. Using the situation as a crutch, I forced my brain to breakthrough. I wasn''t successful entirely, but I did pull out one fact.

    Wait... someone killed me? Someone I trusted stabbed me in the back, and it wasn''t the first time. I can''t remember what happened before, but everyone I''ve ever trusted... has betrayed me.

    My heart sank into my chest as the truth was revealed. People always cared about themselves first and others second, it was human nature. If you didn''t follow that creed, those that did would just take advantage of you. The only thing I had ever learned to trust was cold, hard facts.

    They might not be planning anything... or they might be. If the goddess had truly removed all of my memories, I would have agreed with their suggestion in a heartbeat...

    That made it clear why I had an instinctive mistrust towards overly friendly people, but recalling the reason didn''t remove my inclinations entirely. I could always speak to them later if I changed my mind. If they really were friendly, they wouldn''t take one refusal to heart. I looked up at the group with a slight smile as I attempted to soften the blow a little.

    ¡°I appreciate the offer, but I''ll have to decline for now. I have something I need to do first.¡±

 Chapter 7 - The book, Rose and my past

    It took ten minutes for me to escape from Claire. She didn¡¯t want to accept no for an answer, no matter how much I made my stance clear. The others ended up on my side by the end of it, which was a little awkward. After I had bid my farewells I made my way out of the Guild and crossed over to the library. If the answers to my questions existed, that would be the place to find them.

    I could feel it, deep in my bones.

    Compared to the Guild it was nondescript at best. The dull bricks were surrounded by flaky mortar which didn¡¯t look trustworthy at all. The door creaked as I pushed it open, as if it wished to announce my presence to those inside. A small desk lay before me, backed up against a large bookcase that blocked my view of the rest of the floor.

    The one issue: No one sat behind it to notice my arrival.

    I walked towards it and looked for signs of life. Books littered its surface, though they were all written in a strange, spidery language. My eyes skimmed off the page as my brain failed to register a single word. Maybe the librarian was a translator or something like that? I moved further into the library, on the lookout for anyone who could point me in the right direction.

    Several aisles greeted me, created by lines of bookcases that reached to the far end of the room. It was the same size as the guildhall in both width and length, though the roof was much higher. A major difference was the stillness that hung in the air. Like most places of knowledge, it seemed¡­ holy. I moved towards the nearest bookcase and pulled a random book from the shelf.

    The same language greeted me once again. My stomach sank as I picked up another, and another, and another¡­

    Seriously, what the hell¡­

    How could that be? If they had given me the ability to speak the language, why the hell didn¡¯t they also teach me to read it?

    I¡¯d assumed those above would have prepared us for our new home. The fact I had no communication issues with the people proved as such, but now my initial belief wasn¡¯t so concrete. I put the books back on the shelves and moved towards the rear of the library. Every title taunted me as I walked past.

    Maybe if you read us, you would understand the world? Go on, just try it, idiot.

    I fixed my eyes on an ornate shelf at the back of the room. It only held a few books, which were my last hope. An odd sensation rose in my brain that pulled me towards them. There had to be a reason these books were hidden away. It was possible no one else could read them. Maybe, just maybe, they were written in a language only I could read. The one from my world.

    Unfortunately, reality kicked me whilst I was down once more.

    Their covers were as unreadable as the rest. I picked up a random book, its dark red cover a perfect metaphor for my mood. Before it was thrown down once more, a subtle pull tugged at my palm. It was as though the pages were a magnet and my fingers were made of iron. The pull increased in strength as I tried to prise my hand away.

    My fingers dug into the pages and flipped the book open despite my own intentions. A barely legible scrawl covered the page I had turned to. even if I had been able to understand the language it wouldn¡¯t have helped as my hands continued to move without any conscious thought. I willed myself to close the book, but my body ignored my commands as it flipped from page to pageThis story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

    It was as though I wanted to search for a specific section. A quick glance back across the room destroyed my vain hope someone would appear to save me. My hands paused in their tasks, which scared me more so than anything else up to that point.

    Whatever was on the page had wanted to be found.

    I turned back to the book, ready to snap my eyes shut at a moments notice. My hands had revealed a pure white page, blank save for a small S scribbled in the bottom corner. No monsters jumped out, no horrific images lay in wait. Before I could relax too much the book grabbed at my fingers with its invisible pull once more.

    It grew stronger with each second as it evolved from a faint pull to something much more sinister. My hand, which had hovered above the page a moment ago, was stuck to its surface. My skin felt as though it was being peeled from my palm as the pressure increased. I winced and looked around once more. As much as I tried to shout for help, no words came out.

    I don¡¯t want to be eaten by a book¡­

    ¡°What¡¯re you doing?¡±

    I glanced to my side in shock. A young girl stood atop the bookcase on my right, her eyes narrow as she stared at me. Her dress reached to her heels, its dull red fabric pitted and scarred from years of use. I opened my mouth to respond but couldn¡¯t force out a single noise.

    ¡°Oh, you picked up the book. How did you do that?¡± The girl cocked her head to one side. ¡°No one should be able to touch it.¡±

    My body fought against me as I tried to shrug. Even that luxury was denied to me. How would I know something like that? And, if I had, it was certain I wouldn¡¯t have gone anywhere near this damn place. The girl watched me for a few moments as the pain increased in my hand. Any second now and my bones would be crushed into pieces.

    ¡°You¡¯re the transfer? But why are you here.¡± She muttered before she stepped off the bookshelf. Despite my wild imaginations of the girl walking on air, gravity proved me wrong once again. She shot towards the floor the instant she left her perch. Her foot caught my hand perfectly as she kicked the book away before she landed on the ground by my side.

    ¡°What the hell!¡± I jumped back and crashed into the bookcase behind me. The girl scowled at me as she picked up the book and dusted it off.

    ¡°How rude. I was only trying to help.¡±

    ¡°Wait, help? What does that even mean?¡± I rubbed my palm. Even though no damage had been done it still didn¡¯t feel quite right.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been sent here, right? I felt your arrival earlier.¡± The girl shrugged. ¡°Didn¡¯t you get told anything?¡±

    ¡°Who are you? How do you know about me?¡± I watched the book in her hand like a hawk as she waved it about. I''d rather fight another slime queen than face off against a man-eating book.

    ¡°I get trapped with an idiot for eternity? Great.¡± The girl stepped towards me, her hand outstretched. ¡°Nice to meet you. My name¡¯s Rose.¡±

    ¡°Sure. Nice to meet you¡­ Rose.¡± I nodded as I stepped back. To an outsider it would look bizarre, a man scared of a little girl. If only they knew the truth.

    ¡°Yeah. Red. Rose. It¡¯s simple, but I kind of like it.¡± She raised her hand again. ¡°Nice to meet you.¡±

    I took her hand gingerly. The expected pull didn¡¯t appear which allowed me to settle down a little. She smiled up at me, her expression calm as she watched me squirm.

    ¡°I guess you haven¡¯t been through the information transfer?¡±

    ¡°Uh, what?¡± I tried to pull back my hand but it wouldn¡¯t budge.

    ¡°Sorry about this. It won¡¯t take long, I think.¡±

    Before my sarcastic response could leave my mouth, pain assaulted my brain from all sides. Red hot knives sunk into my mind as I tried to scream. They twisted back and forth as they dug deeper and deeper into my thoughts. All I could see was the girl who stood before me. She still smiled at me, but she looked sympathetic to my plight. I opened my mouth to beg her to stop.

    I felt my memories open up without my control. I relived the transfer, I saw my friend again, I watched as the old man pulled me aside and dumped me onto this world without a thought. If I had known what was about to happen when the goddess had pulled us aside, maybe I could have warned them. But the past was the past, and there was nothing I could do to change it.

    The worst thing was the fact that I couldn''t rememberwhy I felt this way towards her. Out of everyone I had started the transfer with, she was the only one I had this sort of connection to. The others were just blank faces to me already.

    But she was different... I had to save her.

    The scenes seared themselves into my brain. Rose¡¯s eyes had closed, but I didn¡¯t have the power to pull my hand from her grip. A new wave of thoughts crashed into my brain and sent me reeling. The world in front of me went dark as I dropped to the floor¡­

 Chapter 8 - Setting goals, preparing for a hunt

    ¡°Wow, that was harsh.¡±

    I leapt up as the girl spoke to me. The first thing I noticed was my new location. The stuffy library had been left behind, replaced by a neat and orderly little room. Two lamps on either side lit the area, which allowed me to see the furniture. A covered plate and a mug had been left on the small table at the far end with a note propped up against the side. The bed I had rested on squeaked as I pushed myself up.

    ¡°What was that?¡± I whispered. Rose pouted at me as she leant against the wall. Despite how much my brain wanted to demand answers, my mouth just couldn''t form the words.

    I didn¡¯t want her to force me back into that dream again.

    ¡°Sorry about that. I didn¡¯t expect the link to be so strong.¡± She frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t have any control over that. The goddess said your mental strength was strong, so maybe it¡¯s your fault?¡±

    ¡°What the hell do you mean by ¡®your fault¡¯? Can''t you explain it in a way I¡¯d actually understand?¡± A flame of anger sprung up in my chest as I stared at her. She knew things I needed to know but she insisted on speaking in riddles.

    ¡°They must have mentioned guides, right? Well, I¡¯m one of them.¡± The girl ignored my irritation flicked some imaginary dust from her shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m here as a backup in case someone loses theirs, but that should be impossible¡­¡±

    ¡°Guide, huh. And I just so happened to stumble upon you on my first day? How convenient for you.¡± I shook my head. ¡°I don¡¯t believe you.¡±

    ¡°Well, I did call out to you, a bit. You made quite the stir when you popped up earlier.¡± She stretched her arms above her head. ¡°Normally those who move over arrive without announcing their arrival, but you were different. I didn¡¯t know this was the main transfer point for this world. Your friends should pop up here whenever they cross over.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, right. What else can you tell me?¡± I folded my arms and stared at her. If she was a guide, now would be a good time to prove it.

    ¡°Well, you probably don¡¯t know much about the world. Your class has been set, so that can¡¯t change. You can gain levels, which will allow you to travel more freely. You won¡¯t gain any direct power, but additional abilities and skills will be provided as you progress.¡± She spoke in a singsong voice, as though she had read her speech from a script. ¡°Don¡¯t assume a level doesn¡¯t mean anything, though. If someone reaches a high rank, that is proof of their skill. You can only be carried up to a certain point.¡±

    Her explanation cooled my temper a little. What she said made sense, in a weird sort of way. The guild had said I was a Supporter, a choice that I had no part of. The boost in power that would usually accompany a ''level up'' also wasn''t present. Maybe this world had other abilities at a higher level, such as passive increases to defence and the like, but that would come later. At the moment I was a weak nobody.

    "Well, I say you''re a Supporter... but you''re technically not one yet. Normally, people don''t gain skills until they pass level ten and choose their class. The fact you''ll gain yours before that... nevermind, it''ll work itself out eventually." She tossed the thought aside without a care. "You should gain some abilities at level five, that''s when those without a class gain test abilities. Theirs are mostly so they can get used to using the skills, so they don''t have much use in combat, but yours should be more useful. That would be a good aim for you."

    I guess I''ll get to access my Inventory at... wait, what did she just say?

    "Wait, can''t I change my class? I heard some bad things about being a Supporter, wouldn''t I be better suited as a Warrior or something, seeing as I am alone here?"

    "No can do, unfortunately. Once your class is decided, it can''t be changed." Rose smiled at me, as though she was trying to lighten the blow. "Don''t worry about it. Those that get transferred over usually gain some unique skills to make up for it, along with the fact they level much faster. Supporters mostly use effects that increase the statistics of others, like their strength or agility. Maybe your buffs will be powerful enough to make up for the lower base stats you have."

    I still don''t like the fact that the book made me pick it up. I can¡¯t even trust my own instincts any more¡­

    ¡°We¡¯re out of time. You slept for too long.¡± She pushed herself from the wall as she grumbled at me. ¡°I''m pretty powerful, but I''m still reliant on the level of the one I merge with. At your level... I can only give you a little nudge. Give it a day to settle in. At least get to level five, things should make more sense at that point, and I''ll be able to come out for a bit longer and answer your questions then. Maybe you can go to the forest, it has a higher density of mana, so that should speed up your levelling a bit, and it shouldn''t be too dangerous if you''re careful. I''ll see you later.¡±

    "So you''re going to leave me aloneagain?"

    "Not exactly. I saw that you met with Claire and the others." Rose glanced down, as though she was looking through the floor beneath our feet, before she glanced back at me. "I''ve heard a bit about her. If there is anyone you can trust in this town, it would be her."

    Trust someone I''ve just met for no reason?She''ll have to do more than get me out of an awkward conversation for that.

    ¡°What do you mean, ¡®a little nudge¡¯?¡± I tossed aside her suggestion, but before I could get an answer to my new question the girl¡¯s form blurred. It was as though she had been a drawn image on a screen, wiped from existence by an invisible eraser. As she vanished new information rushed into my brain to fill in the cracks. Nothing about the world, specifically, but something rushed into my mind like water for several seconds.

    My brain didn¡¯t enjoy the new experience. It wasn¡¯t as painful as my last so-called ¡®link¡¯, but it was by no means a comfortable experience. After several minutes, the hazy fog in my mind lifted, which allowed me to clearly decide what to do next.

    She had given me an understanding of the basic mechanics of the world. People gained levels, passed things called ¡®advancement tests¡¯ to gain increases in their abilities and power as their class went up by a tier. As someone who had transferred over, the increases I gained per test would be significant. I should be able to fight someone a tier above me at worst.

    So, level five to gain more details, level ten to become more powerful.

    The only issue was my class. Supporters were based around group play, at least for those who were born on this world. The other base classes were more focused on personal power. Warriors were the frontline in any battle, Practitioners could use magical attacks whilst Adventurers were flexible fighters who could focus on quick melee strikes or ranged combat. For me, it would be different. If the stories I had read or the shows I had seen were anything to go by, I would gain enough strength to stand on my own before too long. That wasn¡¯t a definite thing, but the information Rose had provided backed up the assumption.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

    The issue was

    The slimes aren''t too hard to beat, and Rose said the forest would help me level up faster. I only have a bit more than a week, I can''t be overly cautious. I guess the mana density is higher there?

    The information Rose had provided included a summary of the world. Different areas had more or less mana overall, which made it easier to level and use abilities, but also attracted dangerous monsters. The forest would be a good balance for the current me, so I set it as my goal on Rose¡¯s suggestion.

    Instinctively, I walked across the room to the table and picked up the note. As my eyes flicked across it, I remembered I couldn¡¯t read the script they used. Before it was tossed away, a peculiar detail stopped me in my tracks.

    It was written in a language I could understand.

    Had someone figured out my identity? Maybe it was a threat, or a warning of some kind. As I read the contents of the note, my paranoia settled slightly. It was from the receptionist. From what she had written, I had appeared in the Guild and collapsed, after which they had to give me treatment to make sure I wasn''t injured. The bill was noted at the bottom, though I didn¡¯t know what the number meant specifically. It could have been a pittance or a ransom and I wouldn¡¯t have known the difference.

    Rose mentioned ¡®a little nudge¡¯... Did she also give me the ability to read? Why?

    It was helpful, sure, but information on my new home was a higher priority right now. The power to read was a long term gain, but a short term increase in my understanding would be preferable. After she had given me the basic information, my next goal would be to gain enough levels to summon her again. I glanced at the table and saw another object, which made me back away several steps.

    It was the dull red book from the library.

    The book seemed docile. It didn¡¯t nag or pull at my mind to pick it up, but that didn¡¯t give me much confidence. I moved back to the bed, pulled one of the pillowcases off and went back to the table. After I had wrapped the book in the rough material, lest I accidentally touch its cover with my bare hands, I gently put it back down on the table.

    Maybe someone could inspect it and explain what was going on?

    I lifted the cover from the plate and saw what had been left for me. A set of bread and cheese awaited me, matched by a mug filled with a dull white liquid. It looked like watery milk. Pangs of hunger squeezed my stomach as I looked at the meal. I decided to ignore my imagination, as it suggested the food was yet another trap.

    The bread was tough, sturdier than a block of wood. I ground against my teeth several times before I spat it back onto the plate. The chunk of flaky cheese was easier on the tongue, if a bit stale. I guessed the meal had been left for me a decent time ago, which led me to believe I had been unconscious for several hours at least. If the girl had been more straightforward with her answers, I would¡¯ve known for sure. but it wasn¡¯t like I could ask an invisible ghost the time.

    That would be crazy.

    After the meal was finished, bread notwithstanding, I walked out into the corridor. Not a single person came into view as I crept down the staircase and out into the Guildhall, which cleared up any confusion about where Rose had taken me. The hall was mostly empty, besides a few individuals who nursed their cups in the corner. The receptionist looked up at me, her eyes bright as she waved for me to approach.

    ¡°Good to see you up and about. Are you OK now?¡± She passed me a small piece of paper, similar to a business card but much sturdier. ¡°Here¡¯s your guild card. It was finished while you slept upstairs.¡±

    ¡°Uh, yeah. I¡¯m fine.¡± I looked at the door longingly as I took the card. ¡°Thanks for the help.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen worse, so it¡¯s no problem. I¡¯m just glad the curse didn¡¯t last too long.¡± The receptionist glanced at the stairs. ¡°You¡¯re up early. Do you want to wait for Claire and the others before you head out?¡±

    ¡°No thanks. I did have a question, though.¡± I leaned close to the receptionist, my voice dropped to a whisper. ¡°Can you tell me the date, please?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the first day of the tenth month.¡± The receptionist stared at me, her eyes narrow as she responded. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re OK?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine, thanks.¡± I smiled at her and left the building. The goddess had mentioned the tenth day and I had arrived here just before the month began. That left me nine days at best to prepare.

    I didn¡¯t want to ask what she meant by ¡®the curse¡¯ as she most likely believed I had been drunk, or worse. Scattered bits of information jumped out as I walked through the city. A quick glance at my card revealed a few details, but most of the fields were blank. Maybe I would have to fill them out myself?

    Name: Rook. I guess that Claire and the others had passed it on in my absence. It would do for now.

    Class: Supporter. It didn¡¯t bode too well for my personal strength, but I would have to make the best of it. Soon, I would gain enough power that it wouldn''t matter anymore.

    Level: Two. I knew it was a low number. Rose had confirmed a higher level didn¡¯t mean you would automatically win a fight, but it did open up more options and acted as proof of someone''s experience.

    The skills section was blank. Rose had been right about that, so it wasn''t a stretch to think she had told the truth gaining skills at level five. It had taken one slime queen to level up, so I should be able to get the next three levels before the day ended.

    Level Five, then I can ask a few more questions. No time to waste.

    I saw the gate at the end of the street, manned by a pair of guards who checked those that wished to depart. Each one showed the guards a small card, likely the one provided by the guild, before they were allowed to leave. Before I could queue up, a small hand tugged on my sleeve.

    ¡°Hey, you¡¯re gonna go fight again?¡±

    It was Robbie. He grinned up at me as he pulled me towards a stall by the side of the road, behind which I saw the girl from day before. She frowned at the boy before she turned to me with an apologetic look.

    ¡°Sorry about him. Robbie, you can¡¯t force people to shop here.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s OK, he¡¯s a good guy. Claire told me so.¡± Robbie patted his chest. ¡°You worry too much, Karen.¡±

    ¡°Claire said so? I guess that¡¯s OK. She has good instincts. You still need to be more polite.¡± Karen gave the boy a quick flick to his forehead before she turned back to me. ¡°You¡¯re planning to head out, right? Need some supplies?¡±

    ¡°Uh, kinda.¡± I looked at the contents of the cart. ¡°I don¡¯t have any money right now, though. Maybe later?¡±

    ¡°Oh, right. Take this.¡± She tossed a small bag over the counter as she grinned at me. ¡°If Claire trusts you, then I guess I can help you out a bit. No refunds.¡±

    I caught the bag with the tips of my fingers. Whatever it contained had some heft to it, but I couldn¡¯t tell what it was from the shapes. Several loose objects jumbled around as I bounced it on my hand.

    ¡°Thanks.¡± I tied to my waist. At first, I had planned to carry it, but that would leave me with only one arm to defend myself. The others in the queue had similar bags tied to their waists, so I mirrored them as it was an effective method to keep my hands free. Claire''s name seemed like a key to peoples trust. I didn¡¯t know what I had done to make her believe in me, but I thanked her for it nonetheless.

    The queue had disappeared as I spoke to Karen, which let me walk to the guards without a wait. I was allowed the pass through the gate after they had scanned my card. Their gazes shook slightly as they caught sight of my class before they gave me an odd look. From their reactions, I could tell it was rare to see Supporter as solo operators. The gate slammed closed behind me as I stepped out into the fields but, before I could move on, a voice shouted out from beside me.

    ¡°Oh, hello again. You off to defeat another slime queen?¡±

 Chapter 9 - My first hunt and the mistakes therein

    I turned to face the speaker. It was the same guard from the day before, his grin wide as he waited for my response. A quick glance to the other side confirmed he was with the same colleague as last time, and her expression was grim as she glared at the man.

    ¡°Not today, no.¡± I turned to walk away. ¡°See you later.¡±

    ¡°Seriously, every single time. Can¡¯t you leave people alone for once?¡±

    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m only playing with him. Hey, ain¡¯t that right, friend?¡± The man called out for my assistance, but his colleague cut him off.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare. Let him leave in peace or I swear I¡¯ll-¡±

    The pair argued behind me like an old married couple. I walked into the fields and pulled out my staff once more. It shrunk when placed into the holder on my back, which was an unexpected but helpful feature. It sprung back to its original length as I lifted it in my hands. A few groups wandered the fields in different areas as they searched for their targets. Their paths meandered back and forth, without much direction to my untrained eyes.

    ¡°Level Five.¡± I repeated to myself. That was my aim, my goal. As friendly as Claire and the receptionist had been, if they heard my random questions that proved my lack of basic knowledge, they might turn away from me. How would you react if someone walked up to you in the street and asked you to explain the most basic principles of reality?

    I only had nine days, after all. Basic information was helpful, but a quick test by myself would probably explain it more efficiently.

    I wandered through the fields in search of a target. It was difficult to convince myself the Slimes were fair game, but it was needed for my progress. They were similar to the pests from my old world, a target for me to hone my skills on. I ignored my internal disquiet and walked further from the town. My path avoided the trails of the groups around me as I waited for a slime to attack.

    Ten minutes passed without a single find. In the same time, each of the groups around me fought against small packs of slimes, but it wasn¡¯t clear how they lured them out. The number of people in the area would scare off most predators, nevermind a tiny creature like a slime. I moved away from the groups, towards the forest in the distance.

    Rose did say it was better in the forest. I''ll go in a bit and give it a go, how bad could it be?

    The number of people in the area shrunk. As the forest drew nearer, two slimes leapt out which were easily defeated. It was nowhere near the packs of five or six the others had found, but it was something at least. The voice remained silent, so it was clear I would have to work harder for the next increase in level.

    I kept my guard up and walked into the shade of the forest. As the open fields were left behind, I glanced around at the bushes and trees. Any one of them could hide a dangerous ambush. Though my goal was to find more enemies, even slimes could be dangerous if enough of them showed up at once. Whilst I wanted to level up as fast as possible, I still had to keep in mind my level of skill. Transferred people gained an advantage, but I had no experience with weapons before today.

    A pack of slimes could appear at any moment, never mind the fact other monsters could be hidden in the shadows.

    Before my brain could force me to back away, the bush to my side rustled. I spun around, my staff raised and ready for combat. Hopefully, it would be two slimes, or maybe three at a push. Any more and it would escalate beyond what I could handle alone, at which point the only option would be to flee from the battle without any reward for my time.

    The bush parted to reveal its contents. A cold chill shot down my spine as a wolf wandered out into the open. It was a little larger than any wolf on my own planet but, for its size, it was quite scrawny. The beast turned to face me, it¡¯s eyes narrow as it stepped into the open. It was young and skinny, but it was still a deadly foe for someone like me.

    From predator to prey in a single moment.

    I readied my weapon as the wolf padded towards me. Its saliva dripped from its jaws as it stared me down. It showed no fear as it looked me over, only a sense of hunger and barely contained ferocity. My hands clenched on the weapon as the beast prepared to attack. My staff¡¯s rough wooden surface dug into my palms as sweat ran down my face. Without details of its capabilities, I dismissed the idea to launch a pre-emptive strike.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    The wolf dashed forwards and leapt towards me. Its speed shocked me as it flew through the air. I shifted my staff, braced my legs and pushed it towards the beast¡¯s open jaws. The force of the impact knocked me from my feet, despite my preparations. The wolf landed beside me, its eyes narrow as it growled and leapt towards me once more.

    I rolled away from its attack and stumbled to my feet. A deep gash marked the floor, which showed the power of its blow as the wolf pulled itself up once more. We faced off again, but this time there was a change. The wolf had lost the bravado it had earlier shown as it paced towards me. I raised the staff up and prepared for our next exchange.

    The wolf paused, its mouth wide as it glared at me. It panted heavily, its chest expanded further and further with each breath it took. As it looked ready to pop, it blew out towards me.

    A moment later, a heavy weight slammed into my chest.

    The attack was invisible, so I failed to defend in the slightest. The ball of wind lifted me from my feet and knocked me into the air before I landed with a thud on my back.

    My vision buzzed as I tried to collect my bearings. The wolf howled as it sprinted towards me to finish off the combo.

    It was too fast.

    I would never be able to get up in time to block its strike, nevermind the opportunity to launch a counter-attack.

    Damn it!

    I closed my eyes, gripped my staff as tightly as I could and sent a prayer to the gods above and swung it blindly in the wolf¡¯s direction.

    The wolf whined as my staff smacked into it. The expected pain didn¡¯t occur, which proved my defence had been successful. My eyes sprang open as I looked around for the wolf.

    It lay on its side a few feet from me, its eyes closed as it twitched on the floor. I pushed myself up and stepped towards it with my staff raised high.

    The beasts eye cracked open. It stared at me as I approached, its ferocity replaced by terror. Before my strike could land on its heard, it made a peculiar noise.

    One that reminded me of the family pets back home.

    It was the same noise our dogs made when we left them in the kennels as we moved house. The wolf whined pitiably at me. Its paws scratched on the ground as it fought to crawl away as its claws left long gashes in the dirt. My chest heaved as I took another step towards the wounded beast. My staff dropped towards the ground as guilt tugged at my heart.

    It¡¯s me or you, little guy¡­

    I berated myself for the sympathy, but my body froze above it again. This thing had attacked me, it had tried to kill me. I had to finish it off, I had to. I raised my staff once more.

    Before I could land the final strike another blow crashed into my side. Once more my body was sent through the air like a rag-doll. It was close, but I was barely able to keep my staff in hand as my back crashed into a nearby tree. The impact sent a shock through my system. My lungs were forcefully emptied as my knees buckled.

    One wolf, two wolves, five wolves. An entire pack moved into the open from all sides. The injured wolf¡¯s howls had acted as a signal to its comrades, who had come to its rescue. The largest wolf padded towards its injured ally, the dark black fur a stark contrast to the grey sported by the rest of its pack. The alpha nuzzled the wolf before it turned to face me.

    Slightly more dangerous? What a load of crap! If I get out of this, I''ll find some way to pay her back...

    If there was only two or three, I would have stood a chance. I now knew the main strengths and abilities of these creatures, so I wouldn''t get caught off guard again. My staff gave me an advantage in reach, so it wasn''t impossible for me to fight that many off... but their numbers were far too high for that. I tried to push myself up, but the pack rewarded me with a deep growl which chilled me to the bone. Their message was obvious.

    Stand, and you die.

    I searched the area for a weak point in their net, but no gaps could be seen. Their numbers had swelled to over twenty, each and every one of them ready to devour me the moment the order was given. Their leader stepped towards me, its fangs bared as it moved closer. Its hot breath huffed against my face as a low growl echoed out from its chest.

    I didn¡¯t even get to Level Five. What a waste.

    I closed my eyes and waited for the end. I should have taken Claire up on her offer. The trust issues that had plagued me for my entire life had killed me in the end. If there was a choice between a group activity or a solo struggle, I would always pick the latter. Now was no different, though the end results far exceeded my expectations.

    The most painful part was that I would never see my friend again. She was in danger because of my decisions and here I was, about to be taken down by a pack of mongrels. I couldn¡¯t even remember her name because of the damned transfer. My anger built up as my eyes snapped open once more. The alpha of the pack stood before me, it¡¯s jaws less than a foot from my face.

    There¡¯s no way I¡¯m going down like this.

    My grip tightened on the staff as a plan formed in my mind.

    Knock down the leader, take it hostage, escape. Animals respected strength, so maybe it would work. The black wolf glanced at my hand before its jaws widened into a vicious grin.

    Then, it jumped back.

    It was out of range¡­ but how had it figured out my plan? As I stared on in confusion, a strange noise rose up around me. It was as though a set of bellows were being pumped on all sides.

    The wolves had started to pant, their movements a carbon copy of the first wolf before it had launched its sneak attack. They wouldn¡¯t even give me the honour of a real fight. I laughed aloud as I realised the parallels to the children''s story about three pigs and a wolf.

    They wanted to blow me apart with their wind attacks alone. I lifted my staff and prepared for the storm.

    I would go down fighting, at the very least.

 Chapter 10 - The difference in our skills and levels

    As I waited for their blows to strike me down, a shout rang out from the forest behind me. Several shadows darted out of the trees and smashed their way into the formation. The wolves who tried to stop them were knocked aside like leaves in the wind, their attempted resistance proved futile before the newcomers. I saw four people land around me, each one on guard against a specific direction of attack.

    ¡°Hey, Rook. You seem to be doing well for yourself.¡± Bryan grinned at me. His ringed armour jingled as he faced down several wolves to my left. I heard similar phrases from behind and to my right as John and Susan spoke up. The only one that treated the situation seriously was the heavily armoured woman who had appeared in front of me.

    Claire glanced back at me, her eyes aflame as she met my gaze. For a split second, I believed she would strike me down then and there before I tossed the thought aside. Why would she jump into the centre of a pack of wolves to attack me when she could just watch from the side with the same effect?

    ¡°I knew you¡¯d do something like this.¡± She looked back at the lead wolf as she drew her sword. ¡°Stay there, I¡¯ll speak to you later. If we hadn''t heard their attacks, you''d be dead right now."

    All thoughts of defence vanished like smoke in the wind. It was obvious I couldn¡¯t beat her in a fight, but that wasn¡¯t what scared me the most. The way she spoke was reminiscent of my childhood when my mother found out about the time I got into a fight at school. It didn¡¯t matter if it was my fault or not, I could sense what would happen if we got out of this situation alive.

    I was about to get a thrashing, only a verbal one if I was lucky.

    The wolves had recovered their posture, but several of them remained out for the count. The one I had damaged had regained its feet before it moved back into the crowd. The arrival of this party caused more damage than my frantic fight, which hurt my confidence even further.

    ¡°Taunt!¡±

    Claire lifted her shield and slammed her sword against the edge three times. A sharp clang echoed across the field which made me wince. As badly as is affected me, the wolves were worse off. Their eyes turned red as they collectively shifted focus to the warrior woman who challenged them. Even the leader forgot my existence as he swung to face Claire.

    ¡°Taunted, ten seconds. Go!¡±

    On Claire''s order, her three groupmates dashed into the crowd. Their assault was like a trigger as the wolves ran forward like a wave. I pushed myself up and raised my staff. It didn¡¯t matter how many people had arrived to save me now, I would get swallowed by the tsunami of fangs and claws before they could react.

    The wolves split around me like a tide around an island. Claire stood at the centre of the storm, her sword darted from wolf to wolf as she deflected blow after blow. No matter how many attacked, no matter the direction of their ambushes, she stayed strong under the intense onslaught. Her armour protected her from most of the damage but, eventually, the wolves would find their way past its sturdy exterior.

    Whilst she fought on her friends weren¡¯t idle. Bryan had equipped a pair of short swords, which made quick work of the distracted pack. John fired arrow after arrow from the vantage point he had taken in a nearby tree, whilst Susan held a staff above her head. For the first five seconds, I believed she was merely an observer for the battle, before an orb of electricity crackled into life above her head.

    ¡°Thunder Orb!¡± She yelled as she pointed her staff towards the central point in the sea of wolves. Bryan dashed to the side, his body twisted at a right angle as he dodged the magical projectile. It skimmed past him and landed in the middle of a group of wolves.

    What happened next could best be described as a ¡®fountain of wolves¡¯. The explosion cleared at least a third of the group whilst the combined efforts of her party members had cleared at least as many on top of that. The wolves that remained gathered their senses a moment later as they noticed the severe losses they had taken.

    ¡°Taunt down. Defend.¡± Claire kicked the nearest wolf to the side as she rushed to my side. Her distraction had led every single wolf to a spot in front of me, which made it easier for her to block their advance. Susan moved behind me whilst Bryan dashed to flank his leader. John remained in his tree, though he now had an arrow nocked and ready to fire at a moment¡¯s notice.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    The group stared at the pack in silence. Most of their number had been cut down whilst the remainder were in various states of injury. The leader limped to the front of the group before it¡¯s gaze met Claire¡¯s, like a warrior who had met a worthy rival. After a minute or so, it turned away and walked into the forest, followed a moment later by the survivors of its pack. Claire waited for several seconds before she sheathed her sword and turned back to me.

    ¡°What¡¯re you doing here alone?¡± She stepped towards me, her face set as she closed in. ¡°You almost died, you know?¡±

    ¡°I know¡­¡± My legs trembled beneath me as I struggled to remain upright. My body provided the bill for the various shots of adrenaline it had fed me throughout the fight. Claire noted my response as she moved towards me and grabbed me into a hug. Her hands tightened around me to the point where it made me wince. No matter how dangerous the situation had been, this reaction was far too exagerated.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You¡¯re safe now.¡±

    I didn¡¯t know how to react. Her consolation had technically worked as my mind shifted gears from confusion to shock. A woman who I barely knew had just grabbed me, and I didn''t know how to respond. Shaking her off would be rude, but the length of her embrace wore through my patience. The other party members staunchly avoided my gaze as I glanced around. Claire moved back after a few moments, her expression gentle once more as she patted my shoulder.

    Finally...

    "Claire, he''s fine." Bryan stepped forward and patted her on the shoulder. "Calm down, you saved him."

    Why would she care so much about saving me?

    ¡°I was told this place wasn''t too dangerous.¡± I muttered as I glanced at the devastation.¡°I didn¡¯t know this would happen. I just came here to grind some levels.¡±

    ¡°Well, obviously.¡± John jumped off his perch and landed beside us. ¡°If you did know, I¡¯d be a bit worried.¡±

    ¡°Says the guy who went to hide in a tree.¡± Bryan chuckled at his friend. The pair bickered back and forth before Susan pointed her staff in their direction.

    ¡°You two never quit, do you. Maybe you need to have another duel with Claire, that might cool you off.¡± Susan raised an eyebrow at the pair.

    The duo went silent immediately. I wasn¡¯t sure if Susan¡¯s threat was real or not, but those two treated it as such. Claire ignored their banter as she looked me deep in the eyes one last time.

    ¡°I guess your friend would be right, usually. Something big must have happened to push this pack so close to the edge." Claire frowned as she looked around. "We''re here to check out some rumours, but it shouldn''t be this bad. Can you tell me what¡¯s wrong? There has to be a reason you came this far into the forest.¡±

    Well, that explains things. I guess I can forgive Rose, a bit. She was stuck in the library, there was no chance she would have known about this.

    ¡°Uh, I can¡¯t tell you.¡± I grimaced as I spoke. I had basically thrown her care and attention back in her face with my refusal, but it wasn''t like I could reveal the fact I had been transferred to this world. Maybe people who moved over here were treated with suspicion or even hatred. I know I''d be pretty annoyed if someone else got an easy ride when I had to work for every advancement with sweat and tears.

    My excuses didn''t matter, though. It would have been fair for her to just walk off and leave me to my own devices, but instead, she smiled at me.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, everyone has secrets. I trust you.¡±

    ¡°Why do you trust me?¡± I could help but ask the question. I hadn¡¯t told her a single thing about myself and yet she defended me again and again.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it too much. She¡¯s just like a mother hen and you''re a chick that fell out of the nest.¡± Susan waved Claire into silence. ¡°Don¡¯t try to argue, you know it''s true.¡±

    I watched as the group launched into a heated discussion. Claire defended herself, her face red as a tomato as she did so. The other three ganged up on Claire mercilessly, their grins wide as they bullied her. As flustered as she got, I knew they didn¡¯t really mean anything harsh in what they said.

    **Congratulations. You have levelled up.**

    The voice echoed in my head. The group spun to face me, their smiles genuine as they rushed over to congratulate me.

    ¡°Well done, Rook.¡± Bryan nodded at me. ¡°You¡¯ll catch up to us in no time.¡±

    ¡°If he sticks with us, he¡¯ll pass you, but not me.¡± Susan glared at the pair as she stood beside Claire.

    ¡°Yeah, just teach him how to steal kills and he¡¯ll shoot up in no time.¡± John tutted at Susan before he turned to face me. ¡°Seriously though, well done. Been a while since we had any level ups in our party.¡±

    What did that mean? These people were active members of the Guild, as far as I could tell. How was it possible for them to battle consistently and yet fail to progress? Claire saw my confusion and stepped in to explain.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, Rook. We¡¯ll pass our advancement tests soon.¡± She waved the others into silence. ¡°You just need to catch up before that happens, right?¡±

    Advancement tests? I know what they are, but maybe these people can give me some tips about how to pass through them.I clenched my teeth before I finally voiced my query.

    ¡°You guys have passed your advancement tests? Is there anything I should watch out for?"

    The party stared at me in silence. Claire opened her mouth to respond, but even she failed to answer my query. After several awkward seconds, she pulled a book from her satchel and passed it to me.

    ¡°This should help. We¡¯ll gather up the loot while you read.¡±

    I glanced down at the book. It was wrapped in a neat ribbon, but that only took a moment to pull aside. My insides churned as I read the title, but I couldn¡¯t bring myself to refuse the offer.

    ¡®Classes and Advancement: A Child¡¯s Guide to Life¡¯

 Chapter 11 - You learn something new every day

    The book would have been useful if Rose hadn''t already forced most of the information it contained directly into my brain. It did confirm one of my worst fears, however.

    As I read further details on the class I had been forced into, Supporter, my heart sunk deeper and deeper. All my wild imaginations of heroism and valorous deeds werediminished by the harsh reality written before me. Supporters, as the name would suggest, supported the group, mostly through indirect means.

    They could increase their party members statistics, such as their strength or agility. Supporters could also enhance or add new effects to their abilities or provide assistance with various utilities, which they could choose from at certain levels. The major downside was that their combat power was the lowest of any class and only the practitioner role had them beat in regards to their pitiful defences.

    It¡¯s as though the class has been chosen specifically to mess with me.

    Dump a person in a world by himself and force him into a role which requires him to work with others to be effective. The utility effects might be useful, but the word ¡®utility¡¯ didn¡¯t give me much hope for their applications in combat. The book had given me one titbit that was helpful, though.

    The first advancement test at level ten was a threshold. Some people never passed it and remained commoners for the rest of their lives. Those that did pass went on to choose their class and gain the basic abilities.

    But I would have those abilities before the test.

    If I failed the test with that advantage in hand, I should just crawl in a hole and die. I should be able to reach level ten before the gods turned up at the very least. It wasn''t clear if the power spike would be enough to make a difference, but it was better than wallowing in self-pity and dread.

    ¡°So, how¡¯d the study session go?¡± John wandered over to me and glanced at the book.

    ¡°It was helpful, I guess. What about you guys, did you get any good loot?¡±

    ¡°Not many drops, wind wolves aren¡¯t great for loot. We got a few weapons and a piece of armour, but its low class.¡± John stuttered to a stop as he glanced at me. ¡°I mean, low class is a good place to start. It''s not that bad¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, I¡¯m fine.¡± I glanced at his friends, who carried a sack in each hand which clinked and rattled as they walked towards us.

    ¡°Thanks.¡± I held the book towards Claire but she waved it away.

    ¡°Keep it, it should help you more than me.¡±

    ¡°Oh, right. Thanks.¡± I shoved the book into my satchel, which was stuffed to the brim. I didn¡¯t mention the loot the others had gathered from the wolves. Though I had started the fight, they had finished it.

    It¡¯s not like I earned a share.

    "Why did you even have this thing?" I patted the book, which took up a fair bit of my bag space. As much as I appreciated the gesture, a trained adventurer wouldn''t need such an item, right?

    "I train people, sometimes. Those who are trying to pass their first advancements." Claire smiled and patted her bag. "I have a few spare copies, just in case someone needs some homework."

    "Oh." I shook my head with a smile. Technically, I was in the level group for her classes, though telling her that would only rekindle her fury at me.

    ¡°So, want to join us now?¡± Bryan waved at the area around us. I didn¡¯t know what they had done, but all of the wolf bodies had vanished, though the marks of the short battle remained etched into the ground.

    ¡°If you¡¯ll have me.¡± My delusions of grandeur had vanished. Even if the forest was dangerous, it would still be the fastest way to level up. If I carried on by myself, it would turn out to be the fastest way to die.

    ¡°Of course we will.¡± Claire dumped one of her bags and held a hand towards me. ¡°Here, join us.¡±

    Well, they have proven themselves. They saved my life, even though there was no real reason for them to do so. I''m not special, and I''m not strong. Not yet at least. Rose did say to trust them, and I do need to go further into the forest.

    After all, Rose''s information had been correct. Higher level monsters existed in the forest, which meant I could level up at a faster rate if I joined up with them. I might be a leech, but they didn''t seem to mind it. I reached out and held her hand. At first, I didn¡¯t quite understand what was happening before the voice turned up once more.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    **Party Invite received. Layout: Standard. Do you wish to join?**

    How do I even answer that? Is it voice-activated like abilities?

    I tried to accept it forcefully within my mind, but that didn¡¯t make any difference. Claire¡¯s smile twitched slightly as she watched me struggle.

    ¡°I accept.¡± I answered out loud despite the awkwardness of it. I had finally acknowledged the voice in my mind. Now, more than any other time, I had stepped past the point of no return.

    **Party Invite accepted. ¡®Defenders¡¯ joined.**

    ¡°Welcome to the club.¡± John patted my shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t say anything about the name, we flipped a coin and Susan won the rights to name our little party.¡±

    ¡°Be nice, John. It¡¯s better than anything you could have come up with.¡± Susan shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t see what''s wrong with it.¡±

    ¡°I think it¡¯s fine.¡± I interjected before they could burst into another argument. John gave me a scathing look before he turned away, disgusted that I would stand against him.

    ¡°John¡¯s just annoyed that when we appear on the rankings you don¡¯t see ¡®The Awesome Squad¡¯ or something equally stupid. Ignore him.¡± Bryan needled at his friend one final time before his face turned serious. ¡°Are you OK to carry on? We¡¯re diving deeper into the forest today if you¡¯re up for that?¡±

    ¡°He needs to rest.¡± Claire interrupted. Her face had cooled off after her friends had ceased their bullying as she once more took on the calm and composed look of a leader. ¡°We should take him back-¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m fine.¡± I smiled at Claire to soften the blow. ¡°Let¡¯s carry on. I¡¯ll follow you guys.¡±

    Claire¡¯s mouth clamped shut. She frowned at me before she turned away. As much as my decision annoyed her, she at least yielded to my request. The others motioned for me to follow as they moved in their leader''s footsteps. We left the open area and stepped once more into the thick forest.

    After the ambush, my nerves were stretched taut. Any noise could be another hidden enemy, any movement another potential threat. Only after we had walked for ten minutes without any interruptions did I manage to calm down. I wasn¡¯t alone anymore.

    I appreciated the boost from the slime queen. How strong had that monster been to give me an entire level when I had to be involved in fights against thirty lower level monsters to go up one more step? Maybe my fall had done more damage than I had thought at the time.

    If I had landed next to it, it would have killed me¡­

    No, I couldn¡¯t think like that. The past was the past, and what had happened couldn¡¯t be changed. All I could do was silently thank the slime queen for its sacrifice and move on. We walked for several more minutes before Claire called a halt and drew her sword.

    ¡°How many?¡± Susan asked as she glanced at the bushes around us.

    ¡°At least ten. Get ready.¡± Claire stepped forward and settled into a guard stance. John moved to the rear of the group and Bryan once again moved to flank Claire. Susan gave me an encouraging smile before she turned to face the front again.

    I¡­ didn¡¯t move. What could I do, exactly? I didn¡¯t have any abilities to help out and if I got involved it was possible I would cause more problems than I would solve.

    I¡¯ll never get strong if I act like a coward!

    I shook my head viciously and stepped beside Claire, staff in hand as I prepared for the assault.

    ¡°You sure?¡± She glanced at me, her face set. ¡°This could be dangerous.¡±

    ¡°You helped me, I need to return the favour.¡± I tapped my staff against my hand. ¡°The sooner I get used to this, the better.¡±

    Claire nodded before she turned away. My confidence wasn¡¯t as grand as I made out, but at least I had convinced her. As our conversation ended, the bushes in front of us parted to reveal a motley collection of monsters. Claire frowned as she saw the identities of the newcomers.

    ¡°A goblin? What¡¯s the hell is that doing here?¡± Bryan shifted from foot to foot as he stared at the pack of monsters.

    Several wind wolves, a few slimes and a large creature similar to a child¡¯s drawing of a stunted man on steroids, if the only crayons they had were moss green and grey. They stood stock-still as they noticed us. As the goblin stepped forward the other monsters followed it with their eyes, which proved it was the de facto leader of their odd tribe.

    ¡°RRRUUUGGGHHH!¡± The goblin bashed its mace on the ground. I glanced at Claire, not sure if it was an attempt at communication or an open threat. Her tight expression proved it was the latter. She moved forwards and stood in front of the leader.

    The goblin was a bizarre creature. At a glance, it looked like a stumpy human, around four feet tall with pale green skin. Its lack of height was more than made up for in bulk. If it were taller I would call it an orc, but Claire¡¯s words proved otherwise.

    The club it held was barely more than a thick branch, dented and scratched from its usage as a weapon. The creature¡¯s clothes hid most of its body, though rips and cuts showed its veiny skin in multiple areas.

    ¡°Taunt?¡± Bryan muttered.

    ¡°Cooldown.¡± Claire said.

    ¡°How long?¡± Bryan asked, his voice urgent as he stared at the pack.

    Claire shook her head. I knew what cooldown meant, and it wasn¡¯t anything good. It seemed as though some abilities, once used, couldn¡¯t be used again within a set amount of time. The book had mentioned as such but, now that I saw the results myself, I understood the danger of the system.

    Her taunt had attracted the entire pack of wolves to her, which had given her companions free rein to attack without fear of repercussions. Now that safety net had vanished, the tide of battle would be much more frantic. I wanted to ask what the plan was but, before I could speak, Claire dashed towards the goblin. Her shield was held out as she sprinted towards it like a battering ram.

    Bryan dashed by her. He seized the goblins'' attention before he easily dodged its wild swing. That left the goblin open as Claire slammed into it, which knocked the monster into its allies. Bryan leapt into the crowd without hesitation as his swords fell onto the pile of monsters.

    Claire dodged to the side and caught the left flank¡¯s attention whilst Bryan held the middle. They had chosen their targets with care as the right-hand flank held two wolves and five slimes. That number was only around ten percent of the total forces against them, and it was up to me to hold them off for Susan and John.

    Susan chanted behind me, her staff raised as she collected the energies for her attack. John show arrows at the stragglers, his attacks aimed to force them back into the crowd, or at least to hinder their movements. I ran to the right and cut off the slimes and wolves who eyed Susan greedily.

    From a close fight against one wolf, I had moved on to a one versus seven duel.

 Chapter 12 - First battle, first betrayal

    The slimes, as expected, launched the first assault. I managed to block two and dodge one but the last two bashed into my chest. I grunted in pain and fought to keep upright as the slimes bounced off. The slime I had dodged leapt at Susan, but John''s arrow cut it off mid-flight.

    All I had to do was hold my ground. The slimes had to collect themselves before they launched another attack which left the two wolves for me to deal with. I turned back to them, but what I saw left me terrified. They were about to launch a pair of Wind Balls in my direction.

    I have to stop them. Now!

    I sprinted at them. My feet aimed to stomp on two of the slimes as I passed by. One of the wolves released its posture and darted forwards to intercept while its ally continued to build pressure.

    Now I had to deal with one.

    It wasn¡¯t much of an upgrade, but it helped. I thrust my staff at it like a spear, but the wolf darted to the side and leapt towards me in one smooth motion.

    Luckily, I had expected that after my first battle. I ducked to one side and swung my staff through the air. It caught the wolf on its side, but the blow lacked the power to stop its advance. Its bulky form crashed into my chest, though I had at least avoided my head being chewed off. The other wolf took one last deep breath and fired all the energy it had collected.

    I dropped my staff, grabbed the wolf that had attacked with all my strength and lifted it in front of me. The other wolf watched in horror as its attack crashed into its ally. The Wind Ball didn¡¯t hit me directly, but the force was transmitted through the wolf-shaped shield between us.

    The impact knocked me back though, due to my wolfy barricade, I didn¡¯t leave the ground. Two large gouges were cut out of the soil beneath me before I tumbled to the floor. A dull splat hinted that one of the slimes had cushioned me against the impact, which was a plus.

    The wolf, which had just saved my life, crushed down on my chest. Its sweaty stench assaulted my nose as I strained to push it off, but I couldn''t move it quick enough.A surge of adrenaline blasted through my body, which gave me the strength to push my burden aside. I picked up my staff and thrust it wildly at the approaching wolf.

    It dodged the blow and leapt at me... right into my kick.

    My strike knocked it back a step, which gave me time to flip to my feet. The wolf leapt at me again, but I managed to move my staff to block its strike. Its teeth closed around my weapon as it pushed me back. My feet left grooves in the floor as I tried to hold my ground. The difference in our levels started to show as I lost ground.

    Don''t you dare!

    I twisted my staff to the side and pushed it to the floor. The wolf hadn''t expected the move, so it wasn''t able to release its bite before I slammed my foot down on the staff. It''s face now buried in the dirt, the wolf lost its ability to push against me.

    I rained punches down on the creature. It wiggled back and forth under the rain of blows, but eventually fell still. Before I could rejoice, I heard a deep, rythmic panting from my right.

    One of the wolves that had been fighting Bryan had broken off, and was aiming its ranged attack at my side. My staff was still trapped in the wolfs mouth, so it wasn''t possible to attempt a block. I rose like a sprinter and prepared to dash aside.

    Its attack is quick, but I should be able to dodge it. I need to move at the last second, or it''ll just correct its aim...

    Before the wolf could complete its attack, a sword flashed through the air and slammed into its side. The creature whined pitiably before it sunk to the floor.

    ¡°Stay back, Rook!¡± Bryan yelled at me. He fought off a crowd of wolves and slimes with a single sword as his other weapon was impaled in the wolf that had moved to attack me. As it was a part of the group he had pulled, he had probably felt like it was his problem to deal with. Even if I would have managed the situation, he had still moved to help me.

    So I wanted to return the favour.

    I wrenched my staff out of the defeated wolf''s jaws and ran towards the distant fight. As I passed, I pulled the sword out of the wolf who had tried to sneak attack me.

    ¡°Here!¡± I tossed the sword underarm. Bryan spun around, caught the blade and used it to parry a slime that had tried to sneak attack him. I cracked my staff down on the back of a distracted wolf, which allowed Bryan a moment to gather his wits before the assault started again.

    ¡°Dodge!¡± He ran towards me. I stared at him in confusion before he rammed me to the side. A ball of pure energy shot past us and slammed into the crowd.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    It was different from the last time. Before I had watched from afar whilst this time I was next to the action. My skin tingled as a wave of lightning blasted through the crowd. Bryan took the brunt of it as we rolled to the side, our injuries light compared to the pack who had taken the impact head on.

    Bryan coughed and pulled himself to his feet. He checked the pack with a glance before he dashed to Claire¡¯s side. I saw a few cuts and gashes on his arms and legs as he ran forwards, but the warrior ignored them. Claire held her own against the monsters on the left, but she hadn¡¯t done so without loss. Despite her heavy armour, she sported as many injuries as Bryan did.

    I shook my head and ran to help. now wasn¡¯t the time to appreciate anything, I had a job to do.

    ¡°Stop!¡± Bryan yelled as he spun towards me. I pulled up short, unsure as to what had aggravated him. Before I could yell my question, an arrow shot out from the forest and landed in front of me. If I had carried on running, it would have hit me square in the chest, which sent a cold chill throughout my body.

    Claire and Bryan jumped back from the crowd, which gave the monsters time to recuperate. The goblin had raised itself once more, its gaze locked on to Claire as it grunted and stomped its feet. The monster was uninjured, but it was obviously infuriated. Claire ignored its provocations as she stared into the forest.

    ¡°Who¡¯s there!?¡± She bellowed. Several figures walked out from behind the trees, their grins wide as they looked across at us. The pack of monsters, unsure if these newcomers were friends or foes, gathered ranks and prepared to defend. The goblin marshalled his troops, which consisted of twelve slimes and ten wind wolves. A considerable force, but nowhere near as big a threat as they had been minutes ago.

    ¡°You¡¯ve done quite well, eh.¡±

    A man stepped out of the crowd. The others gasped as they saw his appearance, but even I could tell who it was. He was the man who had insulted me in the Guild, a colleague of Claire and her friends. Why his allies had attacked us remained to be seen.

    ¡°What¡¯re you doing. It¡¯s against the law to attack-¡± Claire glared at the group, but her harsh criticisms were cut short as the man laughed at her. A crash echoed out of the forest behind the group, but none of them reacted to it with any fear. The man ignored it as he spoke once more.

    ¡°Law, law, law. that¡¯s all you rant on about, Claire.¡± The man tutted. ¡°You can¡¯t see the wood for the trees. You¡¯re too focused on what¡¯s right in front of you.¡±

    Claire opened her mouth to speak, but the man grinned viciously as he stared past her. Claire and I spun around and finally noticed what the man hinted at.

    Susan had sunk to one knee as she gripped the arrow deep in her chest. John had swung his bow to face the new group, his eyes wide as his arms trembled on the string. A single movement and an arrow would flash between the man''s eyebrows, but he didn¡¯t seem to care as he giggled at us.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know about you, but a potion ain¡¯t gonna cut it here, eh?¡± He looked up at John. ¡°Try it. You attack, we attack, you lose the one you love as well as your friends. Fair trade, eh?¡°

    ¡°What do you want?¡± Claire held a palm towards John, an obvious signal to hold fire. Another thud rang out from the forest, louder and closer. ¡°There must be a reason. We can talk this out.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s simple, really. Leave your loot behind and go back to the town.¡± The man turned to me. ¡°I gave you a chance to join before, Rook. I have a friend who needs Supporters like you for a little experiment. Come quietly, and I¡¯ll let your friends live.¡±

    ¡°Boss, the vice-leader said we should take them all in. We can use them to train the troll.¡± One of the masked warriors stepped forwards. The man spun to him and slapped him across the face.

    ¡°We don¡¯t have time for that. Just take their loot and let them go.¡± Another crash interrupted his speech. Whatever made those noises was big, and angry. ¡°It has enough prey. Can¡¯t you hear it having fun? They must be run ragged keeping it under control as it is.¡±

    My hands tightened around my staff. The results of this standoff were clear. Claire would have to make a choice between a long-term ally and a new addition to her group. I believed she wouldn¡¯t enjoy the choice, but the decision made logical sense. She was a trained warrior, such a person wouldn¡¯t let her emotions drive her decisions, right?

    It''s happening again. I need to get stronger, I can''t rely on other people to back me up when I need them to...

    But then I saw Claire''s face. I had expected her to be thoughtful, or at the very least remorseful as she made her choice. Instead, her eyes had turned cold as she stared at the former guild member. The man hadn''t noticed her reaction as he turned to smile at me. If you considered the options he had given Claire, the choice should have been clear, which had given him to confidence to think I was already his prisoner.

    ¡°A troll? How are you controlling something like that?¡± Bryan¡¯s hands whitened as he gripped his swords. ¡°What¡¯re you planning?¡±

    ¡°Nothing you need to know. Friendly warning, you might want to go on a trip in a few weeks.¡± The man said before he turned back to me. ¡°So, what¡¯s your choice?¡±

    ¡°Bryan, cooldown.¡± Claire said. Bryan gave her a worried glance before he nodded. She lifted her sword and slammed it against her shield before any of the warriors could react.

    ¡°Taunt!¡±

    Once again the monster pack turned to face Claire, attracted by her ability. Before they could run towards us, a loud crash echoed through the area, but the enemy group ignored it as they lifted their weapons in preparation for a fight. The leaderturned to look at Claire, his eyes wide as he took a step back.

    ¡°Why?¡± The man gritted his teeth. ¡°I would have let you go.¡±

    ¡°But I won¡¯t let you go!¡± Claire pointed her sword at him with a grin. ¡°Thanks for the backup.¡±

    ¡°What-¡± The man started to speak, but before he could finish a huge form burst out from the forest. Over ten feet tall, covered in riveted plates interspersed with patches of thick leather. Its head sat atop its body, like an egg balanced on a sack of grain. A pair of heavy-set eyes burned with fury beneath its one bushy eyebrow.

    The monster charged towards Claire. Unfortunately for those who had attacked us, it¡¯s path led it through their group. It ignored the screams and whimpers and it lumbered towards us and lifted the hefty branch in its hand. Like its smaller goblin cousin, the makeshift weapon was as deadly as it was comical. Claire¡¯s taunt was effective as ever as it lifted its club into the sky.

    A huge troll versus a tiny human. Despite how much I trusted her, I still didn¡¯t know what her plan was. How would you beat something that monstrous?

 Chapter 13 - Tactical retreat

    Claire lifted her shield and shouted two words.

    ¡°Holy Shield!¡±

    Her shield glimmered as a pale white light drifted out of it. but the troll ignored her preparations as it swung its club at her head. Claire lifted her shield and blocked the blow.

    The envisioned scene of her being slammed to the ground didn¡¯t happen, but she didn¡¯t escape unscathed. The shield of light only lasted a moment before it cracked into pieces under the pressure, but it managed to slow the strike by a significant amount. Despite that, Claire was knocked from her feet. Her body skidded along the floor and rolled to my feet. I turned to run towards her, but Bryan was faster by a significant margin.

    Bryan pulled out a small bag and tossed it at the bandit group. He didn¡¯t watch the results as he turned to Claire and pulled her to her feet with my assistance. As we stumbled out of the clearing, I saw John quickly pour a vial of liquid into Susan¡¯s mouth, before he lifted her up with extreme care.

    A muted thump rang out from behind us, so I glanced back to check what had happened. The object Bryan threw towards the group had broken apart the instant it hit the floor. It hadn¡¯t done any visible damage, but a murky cloud of gas had covered the bandits. Those who still stood had clasped their hands over their mouths and noses as they sprinted off into the distance.

    Claire¡¯s taunt had faded the moment she had been knocked out, so the troll no longer had a reason to treat us as a threat. It gave us a confused glare for a few moments before its flaring nostrils caught onto a new scent and it turned away. The troll roared as it smashed past trees and crushed any bushes that got in its way.

    It¡¯ll follow them forever, hopefully. I should make sure I don¡¯t annoy Bryan¡­

    ¡°Rook, help me with her. John, get Susan!¡± Bryan pulled Claire¡¯s arm over his shoulder and walked her out of the clearing. I took her other arm, but I almost collapsed under the weight of her armour.

    ¡°Is she going to be OK?¡± I asked after we had moved out of view. Bryan shook his head as he pulled a small glass vial from his pouch. He held it to Claire¡¯s lips and tipped the contents down her throat. Claire was conscious, but her eyes were unfocused as she drank the mixture in several gulps. After a few moments, her eyes cleared up, though her face remained the same shade of white as before.

    ¡°We need to report¡­¡± She spoke in a whisper as she tried to take a step. She was about to tumble to the floor, but we managed to grab her before she hit the ground. Bryan pushed me away and lifted her into a princess carry.

    What the hell¡­ how strong is he?

    ¡°I¡¯ll take her. Carry this.¡± He shifted his shoulder and dropped the bag of loot to the floor at my feet. I pulled it up with all my strength. After how much loot we had gathered, it would obviously be too heavy for me to lift without at least that much effort. Despite my expectations, I managed to lift the bag with only a moderate amount of effort, which shocked me until Bryan answered my unspoken question.

    ¡°It''s enchanted. Keep up.¡± He ran off into the distance as I slung the bag over my shoulders. The straps dug into my skin, but my armour absorbed the pressure a little. I sprinted to catch up, barely able to keep track of him despite the difference in our burdens.

    We ran on, not a single complaint to be heard from any member. The sounds of the troll and its prey faded into the distance as we moved closer to the edge of the forest. I glanced over at Susan, my eyes focused on the arrow in her chest. John hadn¡¯t taken it out, obviously worried about the damage such an extraction could cause.

    ¡°Can¡¯t Susan heal herself?¡± I blurted out. She could use magic, surely she could do something about her wound. Now that we had lost our pursuers, it would be the perfect time to do something about our injured members.

    ¡°Don¡¯t say something so stupid. She has an Elemental Attribute. Did you see her using any Holy abilities?¡± John snapped. ¡°The potion will keep her alive, but she needs proper treatment.¡±

    ¡°John, calm down.¡± Bryan said. John grit his teeth and turned away from us. Despite the speed we ran at, he didn''t seem out of breath as he responded.¡°Rook, keep an eye out.¡±This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    I remained quiet from then on.Though I had done nothing wrong, the timing of my question was still not great. I had glanced at the list of attributes in the book, but my brain hadn¡¯t fully absorbed the information yet. Classes and attributes were like two halves of the equation, combined to make something more valuable than its parts.

    It was something I would need to learn sooner rather than later. I didn¡¯t even know what my own attribute was, never mind other people¡¯s. I promised myself I would figure it all out before I went on another trip outside the town walls. My guild card hadn''t shown my attribute, but that could just be because it was designed for those above level ten. The only other way to find out was an official test, and my age would raise many questions if I tried that.

    The bushes in front of us shook as three wind wolves stepped out. The number would have been less than a distraction not too long ago. But with our injured members, they would be enough to slow us down.

    And that was something we desperately needed to avoid.

    ¡°AAAHHH!¡±

    I sprinted at the wolves and smacked the leader on its head. The rest of the wolves dodged back and ran off into the forest. The noises from the forest probably had them on edge, but that worked for me. They were spooked by my attack, plus the others who stood not far behind me. If our battle had attracted any more wolves, that would have lead to a delay in our escape.

    ¡°Good job, Rook.¡± John gave me a small smile. Bryan nodded at me as he shifted his grip on Claire. His face was strained as we ran through the forest. It was obvious that her armour weighed down on him, but we didn¡¯t have time to discard it. After several long minutes, we left the forest and moved out into the open fields.

    ¡°Rook, see that group over there? Go ask them to help, one of them is a Holy Practitioner.¡± John nodded at a group in the distance. ¡°Quick, Susan won¡¯t last much longer!¡±

    I caught sight of the people John had pointed out. The bag dropped to the floor as I sprinted towards the group. They had defeated a pack of slimes and were on their way to the next spawn location before they spotted my approach. Their leader, a man in a thick leather breastplate, moved forward to greet me.

    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s the rookie. How-¡±

    ¡°We need your help. Claire and Susan have been injured.¡± I grimaced as I interrupted the leader. Now wasn¡¯t the time for pleasantries. ¡°It¡¯s urgent. Please, follow me.¡±

    ¡°Wait, Claire and Susan are hurt? What happened?¡± A robed man moved to the front of the group. I guessed his class from the reaction and pulled him towards my group.

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you later. Come on!¡±

    The man turned to his leader who nodded in approval. I pulled the man away from his group, towards the others in the distance. John had settled Susan on a patch of grass whilst Bryan had leaned Claire against a nearby boulder. Susan was awake, but her pale face and dull eyes hinted at her pain.

    ¡°Hi, Ronnie. Good to see you.¡± Claire muttered, a crooked smile on her face as she rolled to one side. Bryan held her upright and waved at Ronnie to come closer.

    ¡°Hi¡­¡± The man named Ronnie interrupted his greeting when he noticed the two injured group members. His smile vanished as he moved towards Susan. Of the two injured members, he moved to the more serious of the pair after a quick glance.

    ¡°Good work, Rook.¡± John smiled at me, his earlier irritation nowhere to be seen. ¡°Sorry about before, I forgot how new you are. You did well when you scared off the wolves, perfect timing there.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, I shouldn¡¯t have said anything.¡± I stared at the practitioner as he worked. His abilities worked in a similar way to Susan¡¯s, though the effects were much less destructive. He chanted for several seconds before he muttered an odd phrase.

    ¡°Light¡¯s Blessing.¡±

    A pale light seeped into Susan¡¯s wound. John pulled out the arrow, his face taut as the shaft slowly left her body. The white light of the spell wavered around the wound and pulled it closed a little. Ronnie placed his hands over the wound and closed his eyes.

    ¡°Holy seal.¡±

    A white seal settled on Susan¡¯s chest. I couldn¡¯t make out the design due to its faint nature, but it looked like a shiny bandage more than anything. Susan was still unconscious, so it was clear the heals didn¡¯t cure all her injuries.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡± Claire tried to push herself up before she clanged back onto the rock. Ronnie turned to her and cast Light¡¯s Blessing once more as he ignored her protests.

    ¡°That¡¯s all I can do. It should last until you get to town, but they need proper treatment.¡± Ronnie glanced at me. ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened, but you need to thank-¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t his fault.¡± John spoke in my defence. ¡°Get the word out, the bandits have a troll in the forest. If it wasn¡¯t for Rook, we wouldn¡¯t have made it out alive.¡±

    I appreciated his compliment, but it felt a bit disingenuous. They had helped me more than I had helped them. They had saved my life when the wolf pack surrounded me. I had helped in the fight

    It was awkward to say it, but at the moment I felt like a burden. The fights we had been involved in were too difficult for my current skill and level.

    I need to unlock my abilities as soon as possible.They saved me, but I helped them in return. We should be even now, but I don''t want anyone to have to save me ever again.

 Chapter 14 - An unexpected windfall, new skills

    We made our way back across the fields towards the town. Bryan and John tried to warn each group we passed about the bandit threat, but most of them ignored the warnings. We didn¡¯t have time to argue with every one of them, so they just did the best they could as we ran past.

    ¡°Oh, rookie. Good to-¡± The male guard grinned before he noticed the rest of the group. His smile was wiped away as he turned to speak to Bryan. ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°Bandit attack. They broke the treaty and ambushed us.¡± Bryan nodded to the gate behind the guards. ¡°We need to go in. Now!¡±

    The guards shared a look before they opened the gate. John darted through with Susan, followed a moment later by Bryan and Claire. Bryan paused on the threshold and turned to me.

    ¡°Rook, tell them what happened. They can call back the stragglers.¡± He instructed before he walked into town. I faced the guards and recounted what had happened in the forest. Their expressions changed multiple times throughout my story, from confusion to doubt before they both settled on grim determination.

    ¡°It¡¯s an odd story but, after what happened to Claire and Susan, I believe you. We¡¯ll signal for the others to come back to town, just in case.¡± The woman patted me on the shoulder. ¡°You did good, Rook.¡±

    The other guard nodded in agreement before he moved into town. He strode into a building to the right of the gate. A heated conversation burst out from inside to identify the building as the barracks before the dull clang of a bell echoed out of town and across the fields.

    Those who still wandered the grassy pastures turned back to the town as they dropped whatever they were doing. Those that were in battle escaped as best they could, assisted by anyone close enough to lend a hand. A wave of people approached the gate, not one of them happy about the abrupt end to their expeditions.

    ¡°What¡¯s this? It should take more than a rookie to spook you.¡± A man shouted out of the crowd. I didn¡¯t know him, but he had been present on my first visit to the guild. He was one of those that had laughed at me, which I couldn¡¯t really blame him for at the time.

    Maybe Rose can tell me about the Inventory¡­ I¡¯ll ask her when she pops up again.

    ¡°Get inside. We¡¯ll pass the info on to the guild.¡± The guard waved at the crowd, her face stern as she pushed me through the gate. ¡°You go first, go check on your friends.¡±

    I thanked her and darted through the entrance. If I got caught in the crowd, it was possible I wouldn¡¯t make it to the treatment centre for an hour or more. Karen wasn¡¯t present, but a random trader gave me directions. He seemed to want money for his services, but I ran off before he could finish his request.

    It didn¡¯t take too long to get to the treatment centre. It was close enough to the gate to be within an easy travel distance, but far enough that a defence could be formed if the walls were breached. I walked into the building and moved over to the receptionist.

    ¡°Ah, you¡¯re Rook, right?¡± She waved at the left-hand corridor. ¡°Third room on the right, they¡¯re waiting for you.¡±

    I nodded and moved down the corridor. The receptionist¡¯s eyes were fixed on the entrance, as though she expected a wave of patients any second. Perhaps the bell had been a multi-use system to alert all manner of people, both those inside the town as well as those outside its walls. I wandered down the hall, my mind distracted as I moved towards the third room.

    ¡°Hey, Rook. How did it go?¡±

    Bryan stepped out of the room, a faint smile on his face. I guessed the doctors had given him some good news, but I didn¡¯t want to ask in case he had put on a brave face. He noticed my awkward pause as he laughed out loud.

    ¡°They¡¯re fine, Rook.¡± Bryan punched my shoulder. ¡°They¡¯ll need to stay for a few days, but there¡¯s no danger.¡±

    "Why did the bandits attack us... and what did you mean by ''treaty''? Bandits aren''t usually the type to make any deals without force being involved somewhere."

    "Oh, that. You''re right, technically." Bryan chuckled and folded his arms. "The basic gist is that they hold back the majority of the monster incursions and send sporadic reports to the town of other movements. In return, the town leaders turn a blind eye to some of their other less savoury actions."

    "So they help a bit, and that means they''re allowed to kill and steal whatever they want?" I grit my teeth, barely able to hold my anger in.

    "Not exactly. They don''t go that far." Bryan dropped his smirk as he gave a serious answer. "The commander is quite strict, so they are close to mercenaries these days. It was different in the past before he took over, but now they don''t bother us much."

    I nodded and glanced past Bryan. The door behind him was ajar, but the fact Claire and Susan had to stay in this place didn''t bode well.

    "Don¡¯t worry about them, both of them are as tough as trolls." Bryan smiled once more and turned to open the door.

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell them you said that.¡± John¡¯s voice drifted out of the room, followed a moment later by the man himself. He looked tired, as though the short run through the forest had taken more of a toll than all our battles combined.

    ¡°Are you OK?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Ah, don¡¯t ask me that. I¡¯m fine as long as they¡¯re fine.¡± John turned back into the room. ¡°Bryan, you deal with the loot. I¡¯ll stay with them for now.¡±If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    He walked back into the room and closed the door behind him. I passed Bryan the bag and turned to leave before he pulled me close.

    ¡°Where are you going? Do you want me to get killed or something?¡± He smirked at me and shook the bag in my face. I glanced along the corridor. No threats jumped out from either side, so I looked back at Bryan with a frown.

    ¡°What¡¯re you talking about?¡±

    ¡°If you leave without your share, Claire will kill me.¡± Bryan pulled out a sack and dumped some items into it. Most of them were furs and various other materials, though I did spot a few odds and ends like a scroll and a few glass vials filled with a dark red substance. They seemed similar to the potions used on Susan and Claire, though the containers were smaller and a bit rougher in design. He tied the sack closed once it was filled to the brim and held it out towards me.

    ¡°Come on, I don¡¯t have all day.¡± Bryan pushed the sack into my hand. Despite the fact that it held less than the other bag, the weight of it still pulled my hand towards the floor. ¡°We split everything. You¡¯re in the party, you get a share. Go sell it to a trader or something.¡±

    This windfall could be a big deal for me. Bryan shook his head went back into the room as he chuckled to himself.

    It¡¯s probably scraps to them, but it¡¯s important to me. This will help me get stronger before my friends turn up. I can always repay them later¡­ if we survive.

    I left the treatment centre and went back to the town exit. It wasn¡¯t like I planned to cut and run. Karen would be my first choice, so I hoped she was back at her cart. I walked along the street, wary for any passersby who might eye my possessions. No one made any moves, but that didn¡¯t lower my tension too much. Luckily, she had set up her shop, likely drawn in by the influx of potential customers.

    ¡°Oh, hi Rook.¡± Karen waved at me. ¡°What do you need?

    ¡°Hi, Karen.¡± I dropped the sack onto her cart. Half of it was covered with items whilst the other half was set up for her to purchase goods from travellers. ¡°Can you tell me what this is worth?¡±

    Karen scrabbled through the sack and pulled out the furs. Her hands danced back and forth as she rubbed against the fur and felt the skin underneath it.

    ¡°Processed already, that¡¯s a plus. Highly skilled.¡± She inspected the furs. ¡°No tears or marks. Extra marks.¡±

    ¡°Oh. That¡¯s great.¡± I gripped the edge of the cart. Whilst they were collecting the loot, John had busied himself around each wolf, but at that point, my attention had mostly been focused on the book. Not only had they given me a share, but they had also prepared the goods for me as well.

    ¡°You can learn Processing yourself if you want. Guild teaches it for cheap.¡± Karen laid down the furs and went through the rest of the items. Most she passed by quickly, though she left the vials and the scroll to one side. ¡°You should keep those.¡±

    ¡°These are potions, right?¡± I picked up the glass vials and shook them. I was about to ask for them back, but her suggestion let me skip the question. The murky liquid sloshed from side to side before it settled back to the bottom. ¡°What are they, exactly?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re rare drops, or a skilled alchemist can craft them. Expensive, even for low tier versions. Those ones will heal minor injuries, or give you time to get proper treatment for severe damage.¡± She held the roll of parchment up to me. ¡°The scroll is a one-use item. It says what the effect is on the binding, all you have to do is open it. Just remember to point it away from you.¡±

    If Rose hadn¡¯t taught me the language, Karen¡¯s explanation would have been pointless. The scroll was bound by a strip of what looked like leather. After a quick inspection, I noticed that the clasp had two small words scratched into its surface.

    ¡®Air Ball¡¯

    Ranged attack, probably single target. It had likely been dropped by the wolves, so it would potentially be a copy of their iconic ability. I plucked the scroll out of her hand and put it into my pocket. The fact she had mentioned the scroll¡¯s usage, along with the potions, increased my respect to new heights. She could have easily taken advantage of me, but she hadn¡¯t. The potions joined the scroll in my pocket before I carefully sealed it shut.

    ¡°Good haul. I guess that¡¯s a fifth of it exactly, knowing Bryan.¡± She totalled up the results and passed me a small coin bag. ¡°Three silver, seventy-five copper. Sound good?¡±

    I shrugged and took the purse. It could have been an amazing deal or a terrible one and I wouldn¡¯t have known. Soon I would find out, but now wasn¡¯t the time to doubt her. She had proven herself trustworthy already, and I could just check the amount with the others later once the true value of this world¡¯s money was cleared up.

    Now I have at least one contact I can trust, business-wise at least.

    I waved at Karen and moved on to the guild. A steady number of people continued to walk into the town as I had made my transaction, though some of them gave me irritable looks as they did so.

    Their reactions made it clear they knew I had caused the recall.

    I ignored their glares and stepped into the guild. The same receptionist was on duty once more, which made it easier. When she heard me mention skills, her eyes lit up as she pulled me back into the side room.

    ¡°So you want Processing. Do you want the full package?¡± She opened a large book flipped to a page mid way through. ¡°It will save you time and hassle, but it¡¯s up to you.¡±

    I looked at the entry she had pointed out. I could purchase a single processing skill, such as leatherworking or smithing, for what looked like a small amount. A full package had a discount, which was bizarre when I was buying things that would take years of practice to learn in my own world. The full package was one silver, which I still didn¡¯t know the value of. It was unlikely the guild would gouge me too badly.

    It was within my current price range. As long as the money I had on hand could pay for my requirements in the short term, it shouldn¡¯t be too much of a problem.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take the full package¡± I laid a silver coin on the desk. It was larger and more ornate than its copper cousin. From that difference, I imagined a gold coin would be as big as a fist and carved with beautiful patterns, but it wasn¡¯t like I would see one any time soon. ¡°Are there any other skills? Are their any limits?¡±

    ¡°We have a small selection of other skills. Processing books are pretty easy to find, but combat skills are rarer. Supporter skills doubly so.¡± She picked up the book and thumbed through the list. ¡°As long as you¡¯ve passed level ten, I have one or two you can pick from. They¡¯re more expensive than the processing package, though. Most people use skill books rather than selling them, so our stock is limited.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± I waved for her to close the book. If she tested me and found out I wasn¡¯t even level ten, questions would be asked. New skills would have to wait until that threshold was out of the way. ¡°I¡¯ll stick with the Processing for now. I don¡¯t have much to spare for other skills. How much are they, by the way?¡±

    ¡°One is two silver, the other is five.¡± The receptionist closed the book with a frown. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to buy one? We don¡¯t have many Supporters.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, I¡¯ll take a look later.¡±

    My current aim was level ten, and the first thing I would do at that point would be to learn as many skills as I could. Every single increase would give me a slightly higher chance of winning a battle. At least I knew a bit more about the value of money now. But, sooner rather than later, this money would be useless to me.

    It wasn¡¯t like I would be here for long. In less than two weeks, I would meet my friends, fight a god and go home.

    Fight a god¡­ I can barely fight a wolf. I need to get to level five, get some skills and figure out the system. There has to be some way for me to win¡­ there has to be.

 Chapter 15 - An idiots guide to crafting, the hidden enemy strikes

    The receptionist jotted a note and passed me a small book. The three symbols scratched into its leathery surface hinted at the usage, but any more definite details would have to wait as the receptionist showed me out of the room. She passed me a small parcel as she waved me away. Another person waited outside for her assistance, so I took the book and the wrapped package back to my room and locked the door behind me.

    The room was¡­ empty. After the time spent with other people, this place seemed barren. Despite myself, I even missed the ghost girl. Rose had only spent a short amount of time with me, and she had been abrasive throughout it, but she had helped me immensely. It wasn¡¯t like I had enough time to learn to read before my friends came back with their evil god in tow.

    The book flapped open in my hands. The words on the page were visible for mere moments before it turned into smoke. The idea that this was a prank of some kind passed through my mind, but that was easily dismissed.

    The receptionist didn¡¯t seem the kind for practical jokes.

    The smoke curled around my wrist and settled on my skin. No pain or irritation hit me, though an odd tingly sensation ran along my arm and into my brain. It passed a few moments later, but nothing else changed. No new knowledge, no epiphanies. Nothing.

    That doesn¡¯t make sense. Was the book a dud?

    I shook my head and pulled out my guild card. A scan confirmed most of the fields were blank, but three new entries had popped up under the ¡®Crafting¡¯ section.

    Leatherworking (basic) - Talent unlocked for basic leather processing and item creation. Skill increases with usage, additional techniques can be acquired through rank increases or external recipes.

    Smithing (basic) - Talent unlocked for basic metallic processing and item creation. Skill increases with usage, additional techniques can be acquired through rank increases or external recipes.

    Clothier (basic) - Talent unlocked for basic cloth processing and item creation. Skill increases with usage, additional techniques can be acquired through rank increases or external recipes.

    I didn¡¯t know how they worked, but at least the descriptions of their use were clear. The identifier of ¡®basic¡¯ didn¡¯t fill me with joy, but everyone had to start somewhere. As I unrolled the package, several items fell on the bed. In the past, they would have been discarded like trash, but now they were treasures to me.

    Ten small squares of scrappy leather, ten randomly sized pieces of rough cloth and ten chunks of dull metal ore. The package also had three tools in the pack as well. An oddly shaped comb with a hollow handle, a small sponge and a miniature chisel. The items were likely part of the ¡®full package¡¯, but they were a nice surprise nonetheless. A small note peaked out of the discarded wrapper.

    ¡®Set of ten practice materials for each process skill. Careful usage will allow you to gain at least one level of crafting skill. Good luck!¡¯

    It wasn¡¯t clear if the words of encouragement were genuine or not. Vague memories poked out of my brain about the process needed to preserve leather, but the techniques used here would probably differ from my rough ideas. The comb was light, but the substance in its handle weighed it down on one side. The powder shifted and danced as I moved it back and forth.

    Salt, I guess?

    I put the other materials back in the package and moved over to the desk. After the first square of leather had been laid fur side down on the table, my work began. The elegance of its design became clear as it ran across the surface of the leather. A layer of salt was spread across the top layer of skin, distributed evenly as the comb worked out excess moisture. Two jobs for the price of one.

    **Leatherworking (basic) has increased in level.**

    As the note had suggested, I levelled up the leatherworking skill on the fifth piece. The task, whilst a bit tedious, was easy enough to accomplish. It allowed my thoughts to calm and my mind to wander. My confidence brimmed as I pressed the comb against the next leather piece.

    Before I could finish the job, the sixth piece of leather crumbled before my eyes. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    **Processing failed.**

    The urge to slap myself rose up. Overconfidence was a vicious poison, and I had tasted its effects. The scraps of wasted leather were evidence of my failure, so they were tossed into the bin beside the desk. I took my time with the last four pieces and managed to finish them without any further losses, though no more levels were gained. It could have been due to increased requirements for each level, but the lost piece stung me all the same.

    Next, the cloth. At least that would be simple. I pulled out the sponge and dabbed at the first piece of cloth. The sponge dripped continuously as it squidged in my hand, which helped me clear off the worst of the stains. After it was cleaned, I leaned back to appreciate my work.

    It didn¡¯t seem finished, but what else is left?

    Before I could wonder too much, the sponge heated up. My hand spasmed as the searing pain bit into my palm. The sponge landed atop the cloth square, which sizzled under the heat. The cloth crunched aside as I picked up the sponge. One side let out water whilst the other acted as an iron. The red mark on my hand would be a nice reminder, though it was unlikely I would forget its use any time soon.

    Clean, dry, iron. Easy.

    **Clothier (basic) has increased in level.**

    The metal chunks were more obvious. I used the chisel to knock away impurities. Chips of stone first, followed by small seams of metal that didn¡¯t match the main body. I worried that the lump would turn molten in my hand, but the magic of this world wasn¡¯t that powerful. The trash metals dropped into the bin and left a smaller, but more refined, chunk of ore. After my previous failures, I took great care with the ore and managed a full ten without a failure.

    **Smithing (basic) has increased in level.**

    I placed the chunks of metal alongside the other items and stared at the results of my labour. It didn¡¯t seem real. I had worked for an hour in total for these small scraps, though that rate could be improved with a little more practice.

    Who would have thought working with cloth would be more dangerous than working with metal or leather¡­

    **Congratulations. You have levelled up.**

    I almost fell off my chair as the melodious voice spoke to me. I had accidentally taken a step towards my goal, but the reason for the advancement wasn¡¯t clear. I pulled out the Guild card and stared at the contents.

    Level: Four. Clear as anything. Only one level to go before I unlocked my new abilities.

    The craft skills showed in their category, each one with a numerical mark for the level. All of them were set at two, though I knew some of them were closer to the next boundary than the others. Before I could store my products, several loud thuds echoed across my room as something slammed into my door.

    My leg caught on the table as I tried to spin around. The pain made me wince as I pulled myself to my feet. It was lucky that the door was locked. If it wasn¡¯t the force of those blows would have easily blown it open. No further sounds came from the corridor, but the idea that whoever had smashed my door would have left was optimistic at best.

    Unless it was just a joke? Knock a door run, maybe?

    I grabbed my staff and moved towards the door. My room was barely large enough for me to swing the weapon, never mind an extended fight, but it was better than nothing. If I didn¡¯t at least investigate the noise, there was no chance of sleep for the rest of the night.

    If someone is playing a prank on me, there¡¯ll be hell to pay.

    The door creaked open to reveal an empty corridor. I poked my head out and glanced from side to side, but no one appeared to take credit for the interruption. Even after I had walked to the end of the corridor and checked the stairs, not a single clue showed up.

    Someone¡¯s messing with me¡­ but why?

    I shook my head and walked back to my room. The angrier they made me, the happier that person would be. It was a childish prank, that¡¯s all.

    As I reached my door once more, my footsteps paused. The lamps inside my room had gone out. They had been lit when I had left it moments ago, so how was it possible they had both gone out in such a short time? If I went down to ask for help to light the lamps in my room the best result would be me being ridiculed, so I pushed that idea aside and stepped towards the door. Before I could step over the threshold, a voice echoed out of the room.

    ¡°Focused Blow.¡±

    A figure dashed out, its palm outstretched as it sprinted towards me. I barely managed to block his advance with my staff as I tried and failed to dodge out of the way. The man¡¯s hand slammed into the middle of my staff before the force of the impact blew me into the far wall. My vision blurred for a moment before I pushed myself up.

    The person stared at me. A featureless mask poked out of the shadows under his hooded cloak. Whatever this man was here for, he didn¡¯t want anyone to know his identity. That meant he was a thief¡­ or a murderer.

    ¡°You pass, Marked One. We will test you further.¡±

    A man¡¯s voice, but the dull tone didn¡¯t remind me of anyone I had met. He turned and dashed along the corridor before I could speak a single word. His speed was at the level of Claire and her friends, if not a little faster than even them. If he had continued his assault, the fight would have been extremely one-sided. It took me several attempts to pull myself up against the wall, but it was at least clear he wasn¡¯t going to come back just yet.

    What the hell does marked one mean? These people are insane¡­ I should ask Claire and the others.

 Chapter 16 - Strength is everything

    At first, I wanted to find Claire and ask for their help straight away, but my door couldn¡¯t stay open for the entire time. The room wasn¡¯t much, but it was mine. I dashed in and lit the nearest lamp with all the speed I could muster. The room was illuminated once more, and no hidden assassins jumped out to take my life.

    On the plus side, my experiments had made it clear that craft skills gave experience. That nugget of wisdom would help whenever there were no monsters to fight, but it didn¡¯t help me gain any skill in combat.

    On the other hand, someone had just tried to kill me. Well, he might not have tried to kill me, per se, but his intentions obviously weren¡¯t pure. He could come back at any time, and my door wouldn¡¯t act as much of a barrier.

    I couldn¡¯t stay here, not now. I picked up the processed materials and dumped them in the bag, locked my door behind me and rushed down into the guildhall. No one reacted to my appearance as they continued their usual activities. No one in the crowd wore an outfit even close to my attacker, so the next best person to go to would be the receptionist.

    If anyone saw him run past, it should be here.

    ¡°Hey, did someone come through here not long ago? Dark cloak, weird white mask, creepy voice?¡±

    ¡°Uh, no. We don¡¯t allow masks or helmets of any kind to be worn within the guild.¡± The receptionist frowned. ¡°Did something happen?¡±

    ¡°Well, yeah.¡± I leaned in close to the receptionist. It wasn¡¯t clear who had attacked me, they could even be in the room as we spoke. ¡°Someone attacked me. The person I mentioned, I mean.¡±

    ¡°Oh, are you injured?¡± The receptionist pulled a vial from beneath her desk. ¡°You can use this potion if you need to.¡±

    ¡°No, no¡­ I¡¯m fine.¡± I waved away the offered drink. Though my back did ache a bit, my staff had absorbed most of the impact for his attack. If I took the potion, she would expect me to drink it right now. That would just be a waste. ¡°Can you keep a lookout for him, I have something I need to do.¡±

    The receptionist nodded and turned back to her paperwork. She worked with purpose as she sifted through the piles of paper. Maybe she searched for a match to my attacker, or she could just be behind on her work. Either way, I left her to it and stepped out into the street.

    There wasn¡¯t much time left in the day, but my next target was clear. I ran over to the treatment centre at full speed. My hurried pace gathered a bit of attention, but that didn¡¯t phase me. It didn¡¯t take too long to reach the treatment centre, but what I saw felt like a punch to the gut.

    It was closed for the day.

    ¡°Please, I need to speak to Claire. It''s urgent.¡± I rested my hands on the receptionist''s desk. He glared at my hands for several moments before I pulled them back.

    ¡°Rules are rules. We allow no late visits to patients.¡± He waved at his colleague, who lumbered out of the shadows at his call. The man was a head taller than me and almost twice as wide, though most of his bulk seemed to be made up of muscle. ¡°It''s for their protection¡­ and yours. There have been incidents in the past. You can leave a message if you want.¡±

    ¡°Fine.¡± I spoke the word through gritted teeth. The large man frowned, as though he had been looking forward to my continued disobedience. ¡°Tell Claire I have to urgently speak to her.¡±

    ¡°That patient is asleep. Do you have any other patients you wish to leave a message for?¡±

    ¡°Susan¡­¡±

    ¡°She is also asleep. Is there anything else I can do to help-¡±

    ¡°Damn it!¡± My balled fists whitened as I stormed out of the centre. This man and his hired goon wouldn¡¯t let me see Susan and Claire, so that left John and Bryan. The only issue there was that I had no idea where they spent their time. The only places I had met them were the guild and the forest, and the latter was easily ruled out as a possibility at this time of day.

    Before I made my way back to the guild, there was one final thing I had to do. It didn¡¯t take too long to reach the town exit. My eyes fixed on the stall on the right-hand side of the gate before a slight smile peaked out. Karen had started to pack her wares away, but she would hopefully be pleased to deal with one more customer before the day ended.

    ¡°Hey, can I buy some things?¡± I asked in between deep breaths. The short run had winded me, though not as much as I had expected.

    ¡°Sure, what do you need?¡± Karen smiled at me as she unrolled the cloth on top of her cart. I pulled the processed materials out of my bag and laid them on the top of the cart. After a quick inspection Karen looked up at me, her eyebrows raised to the sky.

    ¡°Good work for a basic crafter. You want to sell these?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, and I want to buy other materials for processing. Do you have any?¡±

    ¡°I have loads of scrap materials, but you won¡¯t make too much compared to the time it needs.¡± She pulled out a sack which clinked as she set it on the cart. ¡°Are you sure-¡±

    ¡°Yes, I am. How much?¡± I eyed the sack. The meagre currency in my possession wouldn¡¯t be able to buy all of it, which would lead to several wasted trips. It was a shame, but there were no alternatives right now.

    ¡°Well, I can pay a processing fee if you bring them back to me in the next few days. You¡¯d make more than if you buy them and sell them back-¡±If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    ¡°That¡¯s perfect, thanks. Here.¡± I passed her the remainder of my money. She wanted to refuse but I closed her fist around it. ¡°Insurance. I¡¯ll get these back to you as soon as I¡¯m done and you can give it back. Save any other materials you get for me. Use my money to pay for them, if you need it.¡±

    I ran back to the guild with the sack slung over my shoulder. A quick scan confirmed that neither John nor Bryan had turned up so, after a hurried message had been left with the receptionist, I darted across the hall and up the stairs. Several people glanced at me, but I didn¡¯t pay any mind to them. My goal was set.

    If I didn¡¯t reach level five, my combat ability would remain weak. Rose had it as a target, which gave me some hope it would increase my power significantly. The attack had left me driven and focused.

    If a near-death experience wasn¡¯t enough, nothing would be.

    The door slammed behind me as I dumped the sack¡¯s contents onto the bed. After the lock had clicked shut, I turned to view the materials Karen had provided. A motley collection of fur, fabric and chunks of metal covered the sheets of my bed. After a few minutes, they were sorted into three even piles of leather, cloth and ore.

    Then it was time for the real work to begin.

    At least I understood the basics of the procedure. The occasional failures didn¡¯t leave me disheartened, but rather spurred me on to do better on the next attempt. My mind wandered as the materials were processed one after the other. The various situations I had been through rushed through my mind as my hands were kept busy.

    The battle in the forest, my near-death experience against the wolf, the last second save by the party, the betrayal and ambush by the bandits. And, to top it all off, the masked man and his ambush.

    Sleep would be a good way to recuperate, but how could I do something so wasteful.

    I shook my head to dispel the tiredness and continued my work. My eyelids drooped as if a huge weight pulled them down towards the floor. The lethargy became harder to bear with each passing minute.

    I rotated between the leather, metal and cloth to keep myself fresh. If my mind became too accustomed to a set task, it would be easy to nod off. The finished piles grew larger and larger, but the bin beside me was also filled with discarded scraps of my failures.

    I worked on. Harder, faster. Each successful product was a victory, each completed item another step towards my goal. The voice echoed out repeatedly to congratulate me for the increase in the craft skill level, but it remained silent in regards to my own progression. It was like I was running a race, and the end was always just around the next corner.

    I have to make it. The next one will be the last. I can feel it-

    My head dropped to the table with a thunk as the chunk of metal in my hands shattered. I had failed, but my brain failed to recognize that fact as I sunk into the depths of sleep.

    ¡°God damn it, Rook. What the hell did you do?¡±

    I jerked awake as someone shook my shoulder. In a panic, I rolled off my chair onto the floor. Unfortunately, the bed stopped me in my tracks as I slammed into it. After my head had cleared up, my visitor''s laughter echoed through the room at my exaggerated response.

    ¡°What¡¯re you doing here?¡± I pulled myself onto the bed. Bryan smiled down at me as he stifled his laughter.

    ¡°I came to check up on you. Karen said you had taken all of the materials she had, so I knew you would do something stupid.¡± Bryan stared at the finished piles on my desk. ¡°You must have been working for most of the night, I see.¡±

    ¡°I need to get to level five.¡± I glanced at the bin which held the results of my failed attempts. ¡°I don¡¯t know how close I am, but it can¡¯t be far off-¡±

    ¡°Wait, level five?¡± Bryan kicked my door closed before he turned to face me. ¡°What do you mean, ¡®level five¡¯?¡±

    ¡°Uh, that¡¯s the next level I need.¡± I sat up straight as I answered. It felt like he was a teacher who had demanded I turn in my homework. ¡°Ro- I mean, I want to get there to unlock some skills.¡±

    ¡°Can I look at your guild card, please?¡± Bryan held out his hand. I struggled for a moment before I passed the card over to him. If I didn¡¯t trust someone who had saved my life multiple times, then who could I trust?

    Bryan picked up the card and smiled at me before he read its contents. His frown deepened as he read through the statistics written on its surface. It wasn¡¯t sure what had worried him so much, they must have known I was low levelled, right?

    ¡°Thanks.¡± Bryan passed the slip back to me. ¡°When did you get to level four, if you¡¯re OK to tell me that?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ just before I started this.¡± I waved at the piles on the desk. I had already revealed the truth about my level, so there was no real reason to hide the exact details. ¡°I hoped I would level up, but it seems like I overestimated myself.¡±

    ¡°Why did you do that.¡± Bryan picked up a square of processed leather and rubbed it. ¡°You could have just asked us.¡±

    ¡°Well, the treatment centre wouldn¡¯t let me in and you two had vanished off the face of the planet.¡± My hands gripped into the mattress as I tried to contain my irritation. ¡°After that man attacked me, I didn¡¯t know what to do.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± Bryan nodded, though he didn¡¯t seem surprised at the fact someone had attacked me. ¡°We need to speak to the others. Get your things, we¡¯ll go together.¡±

    I nodded and collected the processed materials. Whilst the guild had good security, as far as I was aware, someone had invaded my room once before. It was possible they could make a return visit, and this place didn¡¯t look like it would have something as advanced as insurance. It would be awkward to explain the lost materials to Karen.

    I had promised to return them, after all.

    But, after they had saved my life in the forest, I had promised myself to trust these people. We left the guild, walked down the street and into the treatment centre without any conversation. It was clear Bryan had information to share, but that discussion would need privacy above all else. We walked past the receptionist, who gave me a friendly nod, and entered Claire and Susan¡¯s room.

    ¡°Hey, Rook. How are you holding up?¡± Claire waved at me from her bed. She had regained her liveliness but, from the fact she was still laid in her cot, it was clear wasn¡¯t fully healed. Susan nodded at me from the far side of the room. Oddly enough she was sat in a chair and looked less injured than her colleague, despite the fact an arrow had been embedded in her chest the day before. John opened his mouth to comment before Bryan cut him short.

    ¡°He¡¯s fine. Wait a sec, will you?¡± Bryan pulled out a set of peculiar objects from his bag. The others watched on as he laid one in each corner of the room. After they had been placed, a thin sheen shimmered into view across each wall.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± John moved beside Susan and laid a hand on her shoulder. ¡°Is someone tracking you?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, John, we just needed some privacy.¡± Bryan glanced at me. ¡°Rook, are you OK for me to tell them the truth about you, or do you want to say it yourself?¡±

    I stared at Bryan in confusion. He waited for my response, but his question didn¡¯t have an obvious answer.

    What the hell is he talking about? This can¡¯t just be about the man who attacked me, right?

    ¡°Wait, you probably don¡¯t know yourself.¡± Bryan chuckled as he dropped into a chair. ¡°You got transferred to this world, right? I guess you got split off from your party somehow. Am I missing anything?¡±

 Chapter 17 - Level up, revelations

    ¡°Wait, how did you know that-¡±

    ¡°Calm down, Rook.¡± Bryan waved me into silence. ¡°There is a title section on the guild card, you need to hold your name to see it. Sorry about that.¡±

    ¡°Wait¡­ why didn¡¯t you just ask me? Did you really have to read the card yourself?¡±

    ¡°I had to be sure it wasn¡¯t faulty. We know you¡¯re new, but we never imagined you¡¯d be that new. I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    His explanation made some sense. My level, along with several other things, were beyond the scope of normality for this world. It wasn¡¯t nice, but I had given him permission. There would be time to hold a grudge later if I wanted to. For now, there was something more important to get out of the way.

    I told them my story. I omitted a few details, but at least I filled in some of the blanks about my defeat of the slime queen and the date my friends should appear.

    The first thing I mentioned was the most urgent, of course. If you were told that your world was about to face the brunt of two gods fighting to the death, and that it would happen not too far from the place you called home, how would you feel?

    Well, they didn¡¯t react as strongly as I had expected.

    ¡°So, we have a bit more than a week?¡± Claire shook her head. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Rook. We¡¯ll send out requests for help.¡±

    ¡°Who could help with this? You heard me when I said that two gods would fight right next to the town?¡±

    ¡°Calm down, Rook.¡± Bryan laid his hand on my shoulder. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have been put here for no reason. If we bring everyone here, there is no way this so-called god would be able to win. That¡¯s the point, right?¡±

    ¡°I¡­ guess so.¡± He was optimistic, but how else could I treat it. If their idea didn¡¯t work, nothing would. At that point, what would be the point of me even being here at all? ¡°Right. If I get to level ten, maybe that will be enough. It has to be, why else would he have given me this much time?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯ll be close.¡± John glanced at Susan before he pushed himself up. ¡°We¡¯ll need to work you hard, or you won¡¯t get to ten before the end of next week. Was there anything else?¡±

    ¡°I guess so¡­¡±

    ¡°I had wondered how you beat a slime queen, to be fair.¡± Claire smiled at me. ¡°We were confused about how you managed that. I guess another one of your strong points is ¡®luck¡¯, right?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t blame you too much for not telling us outright.¡± John nudged Susan who was still silent beside him. ¡°Go on, I know you want to ask him about the transfer-¡±

    ¡°Now isn¡¯t the time for that.¡± Susan pushed John away and turned to me. ¡°Thank you for sharing this with us. I know it was hard. You can tell me more about being a Marked One later.¡±

    ¡°Wait, Marked One?¡± I pushed myself up from the chair. ¡°What do you mean by Marked One?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what those who are transferred over get called. Marked by the gods, kind of thing?¡± John tilted his head to one side. ¡°Is something up?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, someone attacked me in the guild. It seemed like he was testing me, and he called me ¡®Marked One¡¯ before he left¡­¡± I shivered as I remembered the close call. ¡°Creepy guy... Had a mask, so I couldn¡¯t see his face.¡±

    The group turned to each other, their expressions tight as they whispered between themselves. Before my patience wore out, they turned back to me.

    ¡°Right, I¡¯ll take you back to the guild.¡± Bryan grabbed my shoulder and pushed me towards the door. ¡°You¡¯re almost at level five, so the bits you have left should be enough.¡±

    It was impossible for me to fight as Bryan piloted me out of the door. The others had continued their conversation unabated as we left. It looked like plans were in motion for my protection, though I wasn¡¯t allowed to be involved at this stage.

    ¡°How do you know that?¡± I asked as I forced my thoughts back on track.

    ¡°It¡¯s mostly a guess. I saw how much you processed, and I know you just got to level four. Before you get to five, the experience you get from crafting is increased.¡± Bryan chuckled as we walked along the street. No one made any moves to waylay us as we moved towards the guild, which helped ease the tension slightly. ¡°You won¡¯t have it so easy past that, but we can help you out there. We have a good plan for tomorrow, but you need to be at least level five for it to work..¡±

    "You have a plan to fight a god?"

    "Claire knows some strong people, and I have a few contacts of my own. We just need to focus on getting you past your first advancement before then."

    I couldn''t argue with his words. The number of people I knew in this world could be counted on one hand, so the only thing I could focus on was my own growth. We walked through the hall, up the stairs and into my room before Bryan released my shoulder. He nodded at the sack on my desk before he turned to leave the room once more.

    If they can find someone to help, good. If not, I''ll just have to do it by myself.

    ¡°Oh, and get a good night¡¯s sleep. I¡¯ll take a look around for the one who attacked you. He probably won¡¯t pop up again today but, if he does, we¡¯ll beat him into the dirt.¡± Bryan punched my shoulder. ¡°Focus on getting to level five, we can hit up the dungeon tomorrow.¡±The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    ¡°Oh, thanks.¡± I didn¡¯t ask what he meant by dungeon, and he didn¡¯t seem inclined to explain much further. After a quick nod, he closed the door behind him. Now that I was ready for the attacker, I should be able to put up a decent fight. Even more so if I broke through to level five before that point.

    Thanks to Bryan¡¯s hint that I was close to level five, my motivation had been renewed. It didn¡¯t take long for me to hear the magical words once more.

    **Congratulations. You have levelled up.**

    The guild card confirmed it. Level five.

    I¡¯ve made it!

    I pushed the euphoria down. My aim wasn¡¯t five, it was ten. This was the halfway mark to my goal, and I had to treat it as such.

    I scanned the guild card and read through the abilities section. Rose hadn¡¯t lied when she said ¡®a few¡¯. Four new abilities shone under the ¡®Active¡¯ section, but I wasn¡¯t put off by the small number of gained skills. Any number was better than zero, after all.

    I had gained two buffs, one attack and one¡­ utility? The buffs were easy to understand.

    Strengthen (basic) - Increases Strength for user or target. Lasts five minutes, cannot be copied or duplicated. Can be combined.

    Accelerate (basic) - Increases Speed for user or target. Lasts five minutes, cannot be copied or duplicated. Can be combined.

    So I can make myself stronger, or faster. I can also target other people, which is helpful. The specific effects were hidden, so I couldn¡¯t tell how much the stats would be increased by or what it would cost to use. Maybe the information would show once it had been used? I threw that aside and looked at the other two abilities.

    Buffed Strike (basic) - Increases damage of next strike, additional damage added per buff on user.

    So it does more damage based on buffs. It wouldn¡¯t be a huge increase,but every little bit helps.The utility section held a menu with a few choices, which seemed to wait for my selection. My finger hovered over the options-

    ¡°Wait, let me see that. I can help you get a better option.¡±

    My chair cracked as I leapt to my feet. Rose grinned at me from the bed as she leant back against the wall. After I had calmed myself, I gave her a stern glare.

    ¡°You took your time. What do you mean, ¡®a better option¡¯?¡± I threw the decision to her. I had my own thoughts, but at least now I would have a second opinion. Whether or not I could trust her was another matter, but at least she hadn¡¯t tried to kill me.

    ¡°Seriously, I¡¯m here to help you and that¡¯s the thanks I get. Typical.¡± Rose swung her feet off the bed and jumped over to me. ¡°Well done getting to level five. I don¡¯t have long, so give it here.¡±

    She pulled the card from my hand. Despite what Bryan had said, she had no issues as she read my private information. It could have been his mistake, but I was inclined to think Rose was above the rules somehow. It did back up her suggestion that she was one of the guides we were meant to meet.

    ¡°Huh, weird. You got some peculiar options here, Rook.¡± She passed the card back to me and threw herself back on the bed. ¡°Choose what you want, you¡¯ll get them all eventually. Maybe we can talk about it when you get to level ten.¡±

    ¡°Thanks.¡± I put on my most sarcastic tone before a thought flashed through my mind. ¡°What about my inventory? Can¡¯t you just help me access that?¡±

    ¡°No can do. I don¡¯t have the power to unlock that just yet.¡± She shook her head. ¡°Maybe when you get to level ten? Be happy with what you¡¯ve got for now.¡±

    ¡°Thanks for the support.¡± I grunted before I turned back to the selections. There were three in total. Unfortunately, all I had to go on was their names, which didn¡¯t confirm the exact use of each ability. A quick look through the book Claire had given me gave no clues, but that could have been because it was the basic edition. Whilst Rose didn¡¯t seem to care, it could be the difference between life and death for me. Maybe I should ask Claire before I made my choice-

    **Are you sure you wish to decline a Utility skill? If unselected, this option will be deleted.**

    ¡°Wait, stop!¡± I put the card on the table and pressed on the utility section again. The options popped up once more, which stopped my panic attack in its tracks. It would be just my luck to accidentally refuse a free gift. Rose chuckled behind me, so I guessed she knew what had just happened. I didn¡¯t argue with her in case it would trigger the voice to remove my options. Instead, I looked them over one last time.

    Transmutation, Infusion, Perception.

    I had some ideas on what they might be, but nothing concrete enough to make a decision easily. Perception might increase my reactions, or it could just as easily let me see further. Infusion was even wilder in what it could mean. The only one I had some ideas on was Transmutation. Either it was a craft skill, a combat skill or a combination of the two. Either way, it would be helpful to me.

    "Rose, what is the Perception skill for?"

    "Something to do with scouting. It''s rare, but a lot of archers see it a holy grail. It doesn''t do much at close range, but you can pick out targets easier if they are far away."

    "Right." I nodded and turned back to the skill selection. "What about Infusion or Transmutation."

    "No idea, sorry. They should be powerful, but I have never heard of someone having those as an option."

    Her words set my mind. Perception might be useful in the future, but right now I didn''t have any ranged attacks. It was a risk, but I would hedge my bets on the safer of the two available options.

    **You have selected Transmutation. Infusion and Perception will be unavailable until this skill is mastered.**

    At least they aren¡¯t gone for good.

    I thumbed the section for my new skill and read through its description. A wide smile formed on my face as the uses of the skill became clearer.

    Transmutation (basic) - User is able to change the state of non-organic material. Results vary depending on level of ability rank and mana usage.

    It seemed simple, but the rank and mana usage would have to be tested. It could be a total cheat, or it could suck me dry in a heartbeat. There was no use worrying about that without at least trying it out so I picked up a nearby chunk of processed metal and focused on its shiny surface. The whole thing bubbled in my hand as its surface vibrated under my gaze. I held a clear image in my mind of what I wanted.

    After around five minutes of intense concentration, I let myself relax. The misshapen lump had transformed into a sphere. It wasn¡¯t perfect, but it would have to do for now. It rolled around on my hand as I turned to face Rose, a grin on my face as though I expected a reward for my intelligent decision. My face froze as I spotted the empty bed.

    I sat back on the chair and picked up the sphere once more. It wasn¡¯t clear what the first option had been, but I had to believe Rose had improved it. There was a chance I could ask her when I got to level ten, but for now, I would have to work with what I had been given.

    Before I could call out my first buff skill, a surge of information slammed against the sides of my skull. It smashed through the blocks that had been built up and washed through my mind. New memories or, to be more precise, old memories worked their way down into my thoughts. One of them, in particular, pushed its way through the mire.

    A memory of the man who had caused the accident on my world, the man who was one to blame for this entire situation.

    The man who had killed me.

    ¡°God damn it!¡± I ground my teeth together. ¡°People always betray you. I should have guessed, really. But why couldn¡¯t he have been the one dumped here?! He¡¯s the one that caused all of this!¡±

 Chapter 18 - New abilities, a trip to the dungeon

    It took me several minutes to calm myself enough for rational thought. That man, the same one who was now with my friend and the goddess, had been the one to cause our accident. He had betrayed me, betrayed everyone.

    This always happens. People always watch out for themselves. When he comes here, I¡¯m going to rip him apart!

    Again, I calmed myself. There was no need to get myself so worked up. That man would train himself, the same as the rest of my friends. He had killed me and forced the rest of my friends into a dead end, and none of them remembered at all. Maybe they would be able to pull out the memories like I had, but there was a possibility they would never know.

    The most annoying thing of all was that I didn¡¯t remember why he had done it. All I could recall was his hand as he pushed me off the roof. As I fell towards the floor, the world blurred and we all appeared in front of the goddess with the memory of agreeing to her little deal. It was impossible he had planned for that, so there was no reason to overthink it.

    All I could do was match them, step for step. For now, I couldn¡¯t remember why he had done it, but that would come with time. Either way, there were more pressing matters.

    And the first would be to understand the use of my abilities.

    ¡°Strengthen!¡±

    The word came out louder than I had expected. Despite the fact I was alone, it still embarrassed me to shout out the name of my ability. Maybe there would be a way to silently use it in the future, but for now I would have to follow the rules of the world before I could break past them.

    My muscles clenched up a little, but not much else happened. I tested my grip on the metal sphere. Unfortunately, the scene of it being crushed in my enhanced grip didn¡¯t appear. The chunk of metal thunked onto my desk as my thoughts turned to the next ability.

    ¡°Accelerate.¡±

    The second time was easier than the first as the word echoed out. A slight vibration passed through my legs, as though an engine had turned on beneath my feet. A few quick side-steps confirmed there was a noticeable increase in speed, but not so much that it would make me accidentally face-plant a wall or something.

    After I had tested both of the buffs, it was as though a black hole had appeared and absorbed all the energy in my body. My guild card confirmed my mana, which had a maximum amount of one hundred points, sat close to zero. The two buffs each cost a large amount for their duration, but the rest had been dried out by my little experiment with Transmutation.

    I flicked through the tabs on the guild card. Most of them were empty, but there were several categories that caught my eye. Passive effects would be permanently active, toggle effects would give me the choice of when to turn them on and off. There was an entire section for debuffs, but it was unlikely I would want to check the card if one of those effects did land on me.

    Now the buffs at least showed their total costs and durations, and what I saw did not impress me.

    The main issue I had was a limited mana pool along with its pitiful recovery speed. My recovery was set at 1% of my total pool per minute. To regain it to full would take one hundred minutes. Compared to the cost of fifteen mana per buff for a duration of five minutes, it was an absurdly low rate of regeneration. I would have to predict the best times to use my buffs, or their effects would be wasted.

    I need more buffs, I need them to last longer and they need to cost less. If I can¡¯t get all three, I need at least two of those at once... But how?

    I laid down on the bed. The best option would be to speak to my new friends when we met up again. that would help me avoid any obvious pitfalls if they gave me a few hints. Now that I had hit level five, my options had opened up. I dropped down into my bed and closed my eyes.

    I¡¯ll check out these dungeons tomorrow. If they aren¡¯t fast enough, I can always look for another option after.

    <hr>

    Bryan woke me again in the morning, though at least this time I was asleep on the bed rather than the floor. I had decided to go along with their dungeon plan as I had a good idea of what it would entail.

    ¡°Can we see Karen first?¡± I asked as we left the guild. All of the materials she had given me had been processed, minus around ten percent that had failed. Bryan had assured me failures were expected and accounted for, so I shouldn¡¯t worry too much.

    ¡°Sure, John will be getting us signed up anyway.¡± Bryan lead the way towards the town exit. ¡°You picked a good trader to link with, Rook. Karen¡¯s as true as they come.¡±

    We arrived at the exit in good time. A small queue had formed around Karen¡¯s wagon, so we joined in at the end and waited for her to be free. Bryan explained the process she would follow to assess the processed goods. Most traders had acquired a specific skill to scan materials and confirm their exact rank and quality, so it wouldn¡¯t take too long to go through the haul. Even the lowest rank would be high for my goods.

    Karen worked through her customers in a speedy manner. Most of them bought similar goods to the ones she had provided me when we had first met. At the most basic level, they wanted rations, emergency first aid treatments. They rarely wanted single-use items, such as potions or scrolls. Only the better-dressed adventurers bought the latter, and their prices varied wildly based on the effects.

    ¡°Hey, Rook. How¡¯s the processing?¡± Karen turned to us after she had waved away her last customer. I smiled and hefted the sack onto the cart. It was lighter now than when she had first given it to me, but it was still tricky to lift up to the cart.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    ¡°It¡¯s done, sorry if I didn¡¯t get the quality you needed.¡± I picked out an example of each material. I had packed them at the top of the sack and had picked out samples that were about average from those I had created. Karen picked up the finished products and gave me a stern look.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t spend all your time working on these, did you?¡± She turned to Bryan and fixed him with a stare. ¡°I thought you lot were watching out for him?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, he had some spare time.¡± Bryan tapped the sack. ¡°So, want to tell us how he did? I¡¯m very interested in the results.¡±

    Karen raised her eyebrows at Bryan and turned back to the products. She held each one in her hand for a second or so before she placed them into several piles on her worktop. As she went through each pile increased in size, though I noticed the lower quality products were larger in scale than the perfect results.

    ¡°I guess you bet on him doing well, and John bet on the opposite?¡± Karen grinned across at me. ¡°Ignore them, they always make stupid bets. You did good, Rook.¡±

    They bet on how well I did, and John bet on me failing... I''ll remember that.

    When she had sorted the piles, it had seemed obvious my workmanship was poor, but her smile proved otherwise. It wasn¡¯t like she would lie to boost my confidence, she was a trader after all.

    She passed me a purse and told me how much I had made. It was lower than the batch I had sold her previously, but this money had been earned by my own hard graft. She even gave me a bonus for the speedy delivery and tried to give me another haul to process.

    ¡°You can have him later, we¡¯re going to the dungeon.¡± Bryan shouted back at Karen as helead me down the street. The book had said dungeons were areas that actively created monsters. They were either naturally formed, or man-made. The manually created versions had a smaller scope but could be adjusted to match the requirements of those who entered.

    We moved to the centre of the town and met up with John. He waited outside of a peculiarly shaped building. It was quite short, but the roof sloped down rapidly to the ground behind it. A set of stairs peaked out through the open doorway, which hinted that the name ¡®dungeon¡¯ wasn¡¯t just for show.

    ¡°You took your time. How did you do?¡± John patted my shoulder. His smile faded as he noticed the grin on Bryans'' face.

    ¡°Oh, he did great.¡± Bryan patted my other shoulder. ¡°Our Rook is a processing prodigy, apparently.¡±

    John sighed as he passed a small pouch to Bryan. He turned back to me with a wan smile.

    ¡°I¡¯m happy for you, Rook. Next time, I¡¯ll bet on you.¡±

    "You''d better. I want to be in on the pool next time. Easy money." I grinned at his reaction as a small portion of my anger faded away.It was difficult to take offence after I saw his dejected look. Karma had already smacked him in the face, so there was no need to add insult to injury. John turned back to the stone-fronted structure and walked in through the doorway. A small corridor greeted us, flanked on one side by a desk manned by an armoured guard. He wasn¡¯t one of the pair I had met at the entrance, though a slight glimmer of recognition shone in his eyes as he glanced at my face.

    ¡°Three man, basic.¡± John placed three silver coins down on the desk. My share of the forest haul had sold for less than John had just thrown out. Even if I used all of the money I had just earned, it would be difficult to raise the required number for just this one jaunt into the dungeon.

    The guard gathered the coins and passed us three carved slips. Each piece of wood had a small number one etched on its surface and all three of them had a slight blue hue along the edges. Another group passed by and gave their markers back to the guard.

    ¡°Enough sightseeing, let''s go.¡± Bryan pushed me along the corridor. The whole thing was bizarre, as though we had walked into a theme park and had bought tickets for the haunted house ride. The thick-slabbed walls stretched up to meet the ceiling high above, which was partially hidden past the reach of the flickering torches.

    I clasped my wooden slip as Bryan pointed out a raised podium before he and John took the others beside it. I stepped up onto the platform and glanced at the others.

    ¡°See you on the other side.¡± John waved at me before a flash of light blinked him from existence. Before I could say anything, a flash of white blinded me momentarily. I blinked several times to clear my eyes before I finally saw where I had arrived.

    It was a sealed room, not unlike the one I had just left The walls dripped with water and the floor was moist underfoot. I looked around for the others, but they were nowhere to be found-

    ¡°Focused Blow.¡±

    I heard the voice an instant before a huge force crashed into my back. My body rolled along the mucky floor and crashed into the wall at the far side of the room. I spat out the horrible water and pushed myself up against the wall. Despite my armoured outfit, the damage I had taken was difficult to ignore.

    My breath came in short spurts as I searched for my attacker. It didn¡¯t take long to spot the only other person, who had appeared beside the platform in the centre of the room.

    It was the masked man. Again.

    ¡°You failed the test, marked one.¡± The man shook his head. ¡°You have one more chance.¡±

    ¡°Why are you doing this!?¡± I yelled, though an intense pain racked my chest a moment later. Nothing felt broken, but my muscles still burned from impact against the wall.

    ¡°This is a test for you, and you alone. If you speak to the others, we will take them down before you can leave this place.¡± The masked man turned on his heel and walked towards the far wall. ¡°We know their skills. Even if they were uninjured, it would be easy to take them down. Think about your next move carefully, marked one...¡±

    He walked up to the wall and pushed against a random brick. A section of brickwork shuddered aside, which let him stomp out of the room without another word. For a few moments, I remained stock still before the pain overwhelmed me once more. My hand shook as I opened my bag and scrabbled around inside. After a minute or so, I pulled out one of the vials that had dropped to the bottom.

    From what I could tell, the red liquid was a health potion. There was no time to worry about that as it burned its way down my throat. A second later my pain subsided slightly, though it was still difficult to hold myself off the floor. It took around a minute for the potion to take full effect, after which I could once again stand upright.

    It was still painful, but at least I could move.

    ¡°Hey, Rook! Where are you?¡± A shout echoed out from the exit. John and Bryan walked in through the same doorway my attacker had used. My hands clenched tight as various ideas formed in my mind.

    ¡°Where were you guys, I couldn''t find you.¡± I spoke finally with an awkward, forced smile. ¡°Come on, let''s get going.¡±

    I can''t fight that guy alone. If I say something and get the others killed, then I''ll have no chance of reaching level ten. At least when we''re together, Bryan and John will be able to protect the others.

    I grit my teeth as I joined the others. I hated liars most of all, and now this masked attacked had forced the role upon me. Though that was a small crime compared to his ambush, it just added to the fury rising in my chest.

    When the dungeon was completed, I''d find out who he was. And after that...

 Chapter 19 - The first battle, a difficult fight

    We left the side room and moved back into the main entrance hall for the dungeon. I didn¡¯t mention what had just happened. The man who attacked me had managed to slip past two seasoned adventurers and neither of them had noticed any sign of his presence, or at least they didn¡¯t mention it if they did.

    Three separate passages led off from the hall, each with a large image carved above which hinted at what they contained. John and Bryan ignored the doorways under the slime and wolf images and pulled me towards the one that had a picture of an armed warrior above it.

    ¡°Created dungeons are intelligent, each wing has a set enemy type.¡± John said as he pushed open the heavy wooden door. ¡°You haven¡¯t fought any people, so we decided it would be a good experience for you.¡±

    Bryan nodded as he followed John into the passage. My stomach clenched as I stepped into the tunnel. The man''s threat rang out in my brain once more as the door closed behind me. John and Bryan had given up their time to help me and in return, I had to lie to their faces, but it wasn¡¯t like I had any other choice. Even if I told them the truth right then and there, we would have to finish the dungeon first.

    And that would give the masked man time to launch his revenge attack against the weakened members of the group. I knew it wasn''t Bryan or John, as the man was taller than both of them. The chances of it being Susan or Claire were slim to none. I knew both of their attributes and classes, and neither matchedthe attackers.

    This is only temporary. I just need to get strong enough to defend myself, and then I can hunt him like the dog he is... and save the others in the process.

    It didn¡¯t take long to get to the first room. John explained the usage of dungeons for the entire trip but it didn¡¯t sink in at all. Luckily, they didn¡¯t seem to notice any issues with my behaviour, or they put my stilted responses down to nerves. Either way, we walked into the first room and closed the door behind us.

    ¡°Ten seconds. Balanced group, you take on their Supporter and we¡¯ll hold off the others.¡± Bryan drew his swords and smiled at me. ¡°Keep calm, we¡¯ve got your back.¡±

    I nodded at him and pulled out my staff. We had to get through the dungeon. From what I understood, the basic dungeon consisted of three rooms, one of which was a boss room. If we quit early we would have to wait a certain time before we could leave, which also might be a sign to the hidden forces that I hadn¡¯t held up my end of the bargain.

    "Don''t use your skills too much, Rook. From your level, you''ll need most of it for the last fight." John spoke out of the blue as I was about to use my abilities. I gave him a confused look, but he ignored my unspoken question as he pointed at the far side of the room.

    Before my thoughts spiralled out of control once more, a flash of light lit up the room. Three people stepped out into the open and drew their weapons. Their equipment mirrored our own, one armed with a bow, the other with dual swords and the last with a long staff. Their faces were blurred, as though a heat haze had formed an inch from their skin. John pulled out his bow and aimed at the distant archer before he glanced at me.

    "These things are basically summoned creatures, so don''t hold back-"

    I didn¡¯t wait for the others as I dashed forward and swung my staff towards the Supporter. A quick attack would end the fight before it had even begun.

    At least, that was the plan.

    The staff user blocked my strike and countered with his own. I barely managed to deflect the blow before a kick sent me back several feet. As I regained my footing the ranged opponent fired his first shot of the battle.

    Directly at my face.

    Before it could hit, Bryan leapt past me and knocked it aside with a casual swipe. He gave me a grimace before he turned and ran towards the group. His form dodged past the Supporter and knocked the melee fighter back in one smooth motion whilst John traded blows with the bow user, which left me to fight the Supporter uninterrupted.

    The rough wood of my staff dug into my hands. My first attack had failed,but now I had a chance to regain some ground. The summoned opponents were skilled, but not so much it was an impossible challenge for me. I ignored the other members of the group and focused on my own target.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    Simple, direct blows. Fancy moves were off the table until I could use my weapon without a thought. If I rushed and lost, John and Bryan might call an early end to our little trip. I lifted my staff and waited in a defensive stance with both my hands palm down on top of the staff. The idea to try a reverse grip did peek its head, but that was quickly dismissed.

    Keep it simple, stupid¡­

    It was difficult to tell what my opponent planned to do. His face was hidden, so the only clues were how he moved his body. The only knowledge I had of staff combat was the occasional glimpses from the many movies my friends had pulled me to in the past. The basics were obvious, but the challenge to put it into practice was on a different level.

    But still, I wanted to practice with the weapon as much as I could. Though I didn''t fully trust the old man who had sent me to this world, for obvious reasons, he had said it would be the main player in my upcoming fight. Though there were downsides to the staff, they were far outweighed by the possible benefits in the future.

    The man darted forwards and swung his staff down towards my head. I lifted my staff and blocked the blow, but the impact still ran through my arms as the weapons connected. Before he could retreat, I tilted my staff to the side and deflected his weapon before I shoved him back a step with a shoulder-charge.

    Now his staff was out of the way, it was time for my counter-attack.

    My staff swished through the air and caught him on the side of the head. I¡¯d swung it backhanded, which left my grip a little awkward at best. It didn¡¯t matter too much as I didn¡¯t plan to give him time to recover.

    He had dropped to one knee, though he still tried to push himself to his feet. Whilst he reeled in pain I shifted my grip. My staff was under my arm at that point, which left me ready for the final blow.

    It only took a second for me to close the gap. My opponent swung his staff wildly, which reminded me of myself when I fought the wolf in the forest. I had been prepared for the blow and kicked his staff away at the midpoint. Pain shot up my foot, but at least my ribs weren¡¯t broken. My defensive strike ended his attack before it had even begun.

    I gathered up all the power in my hand and thrust my staff towards his head once more. It wasn¡¯t a nice move, or a fair one, but it would end the fight.

    His head was blasted back as my staff slammed into it. A sharp crack echoed out as he crashed into the floor. His staff clattered to the floor as his body went limp, which proved he was either unconscious or worse. After a few seconds, his body blurred and turned to smoke before my eyes. Whilst I had defeated my opponent, I didn¡¯t feel any happiness.

    I felt sick.

    ¡°Good job, Rook. You can take this one.¡± Bryan dodged away from his opponent. I didn¡¯t see any strain on his face, which showed how easy my companions found these fights. The blurry faced swordsman swung in search of a new target and locked onto me a moment later.

    A chill ran through my spine. A staff was one thing, but swords were a completely different ballgame. One wrong move and I could lose an arm, and no amount of potions would fix that. At least Bryan had removed part of the threat. The swordsman now only held one blade, which lowered the danger a little.

    Not enough to comfort me, though.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Rook.¡± John waved to me from the side. He had taken out the ranged member and had swung his bow to face my new opponent. ¡°I¡¯ll keep you safe if you mess up. Do your best.¡±

    His reassurance didn¡¯t do much for my confidence.

    The swordsman ran towards me with his sword held high. It was easy to tell what his plan was, but their simple nature could have been due to the difficulty we selected for the dungeon. His sword slammed into the centre of my staff as I blocked the strike. Now all I had to do was copy my first battle blow for blow.

    My opponent didn¡¯t give me the chance.

    He turned his sword to the side and scraped it along the length of my staff. I managed to pull my hand away in time to avoid the loss of my fingers, but the loss of support let him push my staff into the floor on one side.

    This was karma for what I had done to his group member before.

    He grabbed his sword hilt with both hands and prepared to push against my staff. At most I would be able to stop his assault temporarily before got past my defences. There was only one option.

    I had to attack.

    My foot snapped out and landed on his leg. A sharp crack rang out as he sunk to one knee. He barely managed to look up before Ishoved the staff down onto his head with my entire weight. The blow sent him across the floor as his sword skittered off to the side.

    My heart raced as I lifted my staff up once more. The end that had been pushed into the floor was now free, so I lifted it into the air and swung it with all my might. The two-handed blow caught my opponent on the side of his head, which again rewarded me with a sickening crack.

    I¡¯d won, again.

    ¡°Bit wild, but you won.¡± Bryan walked over to me and patted my shoulder. ¡°We¡¯ll move on in a bit, so take a rest-¡±

    ¡°No!¡± I shook my head and moved towards the door at the far side of the room. ¡°Let¡¯s go, we can¡¯t wait around all day.¡±

    John opened his mouth to ask what was wrong before he closed it once more. The pair followed me into the next room in silence as all of the joy of victory left the air. I couldn¡¯t explain why we needed to rush, not without risking the other''s lives.

    For now, they would just have to swallow their irritation. In the end, it was for their own good.

 Chapter 20 - Escalating battles, a test of skill

    We walked into the next room in silence. John closed the door behind us once more and took position behind me. Another flash of light signalled the start of the second battle as a large group appeared before us.

    This time there were six in total. Two swordsmen, two archers and two staff users. It wasn¡¯t like the difficulty had merely doubled with the increased numbers, though. Each pair moved in unison as they approached.

    Bryan dashed forwards and took the attention of the sword users. Before the archers could fire a shot, an arrow appeared in the centre of their foreheads before they turned to smoke. John had obliterated his targets in a single strike, which left the two Supporters for me to deal with.

    Two versus one. Not fair, but John and Bryan didn¡¯t intervene to balance out the numbers. The pair ran towards me in unison. As they approached they both shouted out a single word each.

    ¡°Strengthen!¡±

    ¡°Accelerate!¡±

    The increased speed was noticeable, to say the least. The weird thing was that the one who didn¡¯t use the speed increase actually reached me first, as though he had more effect than his partner. The slight difference in speed caught me off guard.

    I blocked the first strike, but the second grazed my leg. It was lucky the blow had missed. If it had hit me directly, a broken leg would be the least of my concerns.

    The one who had struck first pushed down on his staff in an attempt to limit my movement whilst the other moved to my other side. I dodged back and pulled my staff along behind me as the second man¡¯s staff smashed into the ground where I had just stood. The second blow skimmed my nose as I stumbled away from the pair.

    I was on the back foot, and they knew it.

    They closed in for the kill. Their blows weren¡¯t too accurate or too strong, but they were persistent. If they closed in again my fate would be sealed. There wasn¡¯t any time to make space between us.

    Luckily, I still had a plan.

    My hands tightened on my staff before I swept it across the floor. It kicked up dust as it scraped towards their legs. My opponents saw the blow, but they didn¡¯t retreat. Instead, they both leapt over the strike and continued their charge towards me.

    Exactly as I had expected.

    I planted my feet and pushed myself at the nearest Supporter with all my strength. My shoulder charge connected with a solid hit. As my strike had caught him whilst he was still in the air, the blow sent him cartwheeling into the distance.

    Unfortunately, his companion didn¡¯t let the opening go to waste.

    His staff swung towards my open side and left no time for me to block or dodge effectively. It whistled through the air as time slowed to a crawl.

    He had caught me at the perfect time. I managed to move my head aside, but the staff still crashed into my shoulder with a sharp crack. My armour flexed under the blow, but a sharp pain still shot through my arm as it dropped to my side powerlessly.

    I could worry about my damaged shoulder later.

    I used the momentum of his strike to dodge to the side whilst I thrust my staff at his legs. The blow missed perfectly as it threaded between his thighs, which would have been funny if the situation hadn¡¯t been so dire. A moment of panic hit me before I tightened my grip on the staff and sprinted past him.

    He tumbled to the floor and almost took me with him. It took several attempts to drag my staff from between his legs, but once it was free I raised it above my head and thrust it at the fallen man with my uninjured arm.

    One hit, two hits, three hits. I worked into a rhythm as he tried and failed to defend. After the sixth hit, he dropped his staff and collapsed to the floor. Before it was possible for me to rejoice at the victory, his companion returned with a vengeance.

    His staff caught me on the back of my legs, as though he had copied the move that had tricked him not so long ago. I tumbled to the floor and landed on my injured shoulder. Pain blanked my vision for a moment, but when it returned what I saw terrified me.

    The other man had copied my earlier actions and was about to thrust his staff down at my head.

    It was close, but I managed to deflect his first strike with an inch to spare. As he raised his staff to follow up, I rolled to the side and dodged his second blow. He didn¡¯t let up in the slightest as he followed me across the floor.

    I blocked the first hit and rolled out of the way of the second. My opponent didn¡¯t let up as he followed a step behind. After two rolls I swung my staff out towards his leg.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    If he could trip me, I could do the same to him.

    Unfortunately, he saw through my plan. He caught my staff with one foot before I could build up any speed and swung his staff towards my face.

    ¡°Buffed strike!¡±

    I pulled my staff with all my strength, amplified by my ability. The man lost his footing as my staff was dragged from under him, which sent him to the ground beside me. That gave me the chance to flip to my feet, like a martial artist in a movie. My muscles burned as they were stretched taut, but it was worth it.

    Our positions had reversed once more.

    Whilst he tried to regain his bearings I lifted my staff and swung it at his head. The blow knocked his skull into the floor and dazed him for several seconds. that gave me time to lift my weapon once more and send another blow.

    And another.

    And another.

    The hits weren¡¯t strong, but they were consistent. After he had been battered several times, the summoned enemy finally dropped to the ground and turned to smoke. Adrenaline coursed through my veins as my breath caught in my throat.

    ¡°Good job, Rook. You ready for the next one?¡±

    A surge of vertigo slammed into my brain as I span around to glare at Bryan. He grinned across at me, but no more enemies could be seen. Two clouds of steam dissipated into the air behind him, which proved he had taken out his opponents.

    ¡°Not funny.¡± I said through clenched teeth. The pain in my shoulder assaulted me anew now the battle was over. Before I could pull out my last potion, a pale white light covered me.

    A few seconds later and the pain had vanished.

    ¡°Ignore him, Rook.¡± John patted my injured shoulder. I winced instinctively, but no pain came from the heavy slap. ¡°Any injuries are healed after the battle ends, as long as they were caused during the dungeon battle. Unless a serious accident happens, no one ever leaves injured from a created dungeon.¡±

    I didn¡¯t ask what he meant by ¡®serious accident¡¯. It felt as though my battle had been close to that level. At least now I knew what it felt like to be hit by a staff. My mind had been less wary of my chosen weapon than the bladed variety, but it was clear I had underestimated the danger massively.

    A single blow had taken an entire side of my body out of commission. If my opponents had been a little more skilled, the end result of our little skirmish would have been completely different.

    ¡°Are we moving on?¡± I asked after I had regained my breath. There was one final room left, after which we would be able to return to the treatment centre. We had waited for five minutes, which was enough time for my mana to regenerate to full. Any further time spent in this place was another second that Claire and Susan were vulnerable to attack.

    When we were together once more, I could safely tell my friends about the man and his threats. They would have a good counter to him, of that I was sure.

    ¡°Why are you in a rush?¡± John cocked his head to one side. ¡°Do you hate spending time with us that much?¡±

    ¡°No! No.¡± I shook my head. ¡°I¡¯m enjoying this, but I have to get back to the guild today. I promised Karen I¡¯d do some more processing.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± John nodded at me, but Bryan¡¯s eyes narrowed for a moment before he turned away. We walked into the last room and shut the door behind us. Bryan looked me in the eye before he spoke in a serious tone.

    ¡°OK, this one has a time limit. We have fifteen minutes to beat it. Seeing as we are above the maximum level of twenty-five, we can¡¯t receive any rewards for our completion speed.¡± Bryan patted my shoulder. ¡°You can always try it again later, so don¡¯t worry about it and just use it for practice.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡± The rewards for a time didn¡¯t matter much to me. If this enemy could serve as a grindstone for my skills in the future, that was enough.

    ¡°It will be tricky, though, so stay back and stay safe. You have Strengthen and Accelerate, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Do you want both?¡±

    ¡°Use the group augment.¡± Bryan raised an eyebrow. ¡°You have enough mana for that, right?¡±

    ¡°Group augment?¡±

    Byran saw the obvious confusion on my face. He ignored John, who chuckled at me from behind as he explained his comment.

    ¡°Most abilities can be altered in a few ways. For example, buffs can be used on the user, or a specific target or on a group.¡± He smiled and shook his head. ¡°Sorry, it feels odd to explain this. All you need to do is imagine the augment you want when you use the ability.¡±

    ¡°Strengthen.¡± I muttered the word self consciously. I saw the pair flex slightly as the buff came into effect.

    It had worked, though I didn¡¯t know how much of a boost it would be for them. The buff also affected me, but that was secondary right now.

    ¡°Accelerate.¡± I intoned the second buff and felt the increase. A moment later a sharp chill hit my brain like I had eaten ten icecreams in an instant.

    ¡°Low mana, be careful not to run out. You get a warning when you drop below fifty percent and another under twenty percent.¡± John said as he noticed my strained expression. I nodded in response as a flash of light lit up the room.

    A single figure wandered out. Compared to the previous enemies, this one was far more intimidating. Its entire body was covered in a thick layer of armour and it held a huge, two-handed sword in its grip. One blow from that would cut me in two.

    Maybe that''s what he meant by ¡®serious accident¡¯?

    Bryan drew his blades and moved forwards as I checked my mana. I saw the two buff icons for the increase in strength and speed under the remaining amount I had.

    Forty mana.

    The Buffed Strike ability cost five mana per usage, but the effectiveness of the ability was hidden. The book had hinted additional information would have to be understood by the user as abilities were used in combat, so now would be the perfect time to test it.

    Sevenuses would leave me with five mana, after which I would have to rely on my standard strikes until I recovered enough for another safe usage. Instinctively, I knew that reaching zero mana or lower would have a disastrous effect.

    There was a fine line between going all out and overusing my power. I¡¯d have to keep track of my mana at all times, and this fight would be a perfect test of my skill.

 Chapter 21 - Boss fight, the true enemy reveals himself

    ¡°Come on, Rook. You were rushing us before and now you''re dawdling.¡± John pushed me from behind. ¡°Go on, stick with Bryan. He¡¯ll keep an eye on you.¡±

    Bryan gave me an encouraging nod before he ran towards the knight. Compared to the last fight, his speed had increased considerably, which let him reach the knight before I had taken a single step.

    I guess my buffs are useful. Maybe they work better if they¡¯re used on someone who¡¯s already strong, or it could just be that he was holding back before...

    The knight focused all of his attention on Bryan, which allowed me to slip behind it. No weak spots showed on its armour at first glance. The knight danced back and forth as Bryan launched a barrage of attacks, which increased the difficulty of launching my strikes. After a few seconds of searching, I noticed that the joints were less protected than the other regions.

    ¡°Buffed Strike!¡± I yelled as I thrust my staff at the back of the knight¡¯s knee. Even if it wasn¡¯t up against a foe like Bryan, it wasn¡¯t clear if my opponent could have done anything to stop my blow. The bulky armour sported a high defence, but it affected the knight¡¯s speed to a similar level.

    As my staff struck the back of his knee, it almost jarred from my hand. It was as though an extra hand had pushed along with my blow and added to its total strength. Despite that, the knight¡¯s leg only trembled for a second as my staff crashed into it. The small distraction gave Bryan a chance to launch a quick combo before the knight regained its footing.

    But not enough to let him finish the fight.

    They¡¯re at a higher level, but that¡¯s just ridiculous. I have to be missing something!

    ¡°Keep it up!¡± Bryan shouted as he launched another blow at the heavy knight.

    The knight¡¯s dodged and blocked frantically as Bryan tried to find a weak point on its armour and John rained arrows on its head. In comparison, it seemed happy to ignore my strikes. That gave me multiple chances to strike at will, but the issue was how to deal enough damage to make a difference.

    ¡°Buffed Strike!¡± I yelled as I swung my staff down on the back of the knight''s helmet. The sudden blow to the back of the simulations head knocked it off balance, which allowed Bryan free reign to land a full combo on his chest. I took the advantage as Ithrust my staff into the back of its helmet in quick succession. "Buffed Strike. Buffed Strike. Buffed Strike. Buffed Strike!"

    The knight shifted to a defensive stance as it staggered to the side. Bryan launched another series of blows, but the knight managed to avoid major damage as it backed away. Whilst it was once again distracted, I sneaked around behind it and prepared for my final strike.

    ¡°Keep going!¡± John yelled from the back of the room. ¡°Hit it again!¡±

    ¡°Buffed Strike!¡±

    It was the last time I could use the ability safely, so I swung my staff with all my strength. It clanged off the back of the knight''s helmet once more. The effectiveness of the ability matched the skill of the strike it was used with. Skill and power were equally important, but it wasn¡¯t like I could practice the ability any further.

    I lifted my staff and bashed the knight on the back of its head. Without the ability, my blows didn¡¯t do much damage. My low level finally showed its drawbacks as the fight progressed.

    What the hell¡­

    Sure, it was heavily armoured, but how could it shrug off such a heavy blow? Even Bryan and John were barely able to scratch it. This summoned creature was the boss of a basic dungeon and my attacks didn¡¯t phase it in the slightest. My fists clenched around my staff as I gritted my teeth.

    I know I¡¯m a Supporter, but this is ridiculous. I need to be stronger than this. Stronger!

    Even though my strikes used all my strength, the enemy weathered the storm as it focused on Bryan and John¡¯s frontal assault. I raised my weapon and smashed it again.

    And again.

    And again.

    Quantity over quality. Soon, I would be able to launch another Buffed Strike. Time ticked by as my mana pool slowly regenerated. After it had ticked up to seven, I released all my pent up frustration as I yelled out the ability one last time.

    ¡°BUFFED STRIKE!¡±

    Instead of its head, my blow was aimed at its legs. My staff smacked into the side of its knee with a heavy crack. The enraged blow, with the added effectiveness of the ability on top, finally caused a major reaction. It hadn¡¯t expected the sudden change of target, so its legs slid to the side as my staff smashed into them. Bryan took advantage of its weakened stance to land a solid kick to its leg.

    The knight sank to one knee as its legs failed it. Its defences waned as it tried to push itself up.

    But Bryan wasn¡¯t ready to let it off so easily.

    His swords thrust out and pierced into the knight''s helmet. A horrendous scream echoed out from the armour before it juddered to a halt and tipped to the floor. John placed his bow back on his back and wandered over before he gave the suit a kick. He winced and growled angrily at the suit.

    ¡°Useless junk.¡± He muttered as he hopped away. Bryan ignored John as he walked over to me.

    **Congratulations. You have levelled up.**

    ¡°Well done on the level up, you earned it.¡± He waved at the suit of armour, which had blurred into steam after John kicked it. They obviously noted the surge of mana when my level increased. ¡°Those things can be tricky, you gave us the opening to finish it quickly. It¡¯s basically a level 25 heavy knight, so it¡¯s not surprising it could take your hits so much. Don¡¯t worry about it, when you pass your advancement tests you¡¯ll get better skills and an increase to your strength.¡±Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°Oh. OK.¡± I turned away. It was awkward to accept a compliment. Whilst my attacks had helped, they had dealt most of the damage.

    I guess my buffs also helped. I need to learn more as soon as I get to ten. Quantity first, then I can worry about quality.

    ¡°Don¡¯t mope, Rook.¡± John had sat down to rub his foot. ¡°He¡¯s right, those things are slow, but their defences are insane. It would have taken us a good ten minutes to poke a hole through it if you weren¡¯t here.¡±

    I nodded, though his assertions didn¡¯t fill me with much confidence. No matter where I looked, I couldn¡¯t see any exit from the room beside the one we had come in through.

    ¡°How do we get out?¡±

    ¡°Just wait, we¡¯ll get pulled out shortly.¡± Bryan grinned at John. ¡°That idiot hurt himself after the fight was over, so he¡¯s gonna have to deal with the consequences.¡±

    Before John could response a bright light blocked my vision. A moment later and we were back in the entrance hall of the dungeon, near the guard who had given us the wooden slips. Bryan tossed his slip back to the guard and wandered out of the hall, so I copied him and stepped into the brightly lit day outside.

    The pair led me back to the treatment centre. Bryan gave John several cheery looks as the archer limped along beside him. Bryan wanted me to join in, but my mind was elsewhere.

    Bryan can put down those rocks again so we can speak privately¡­ that should work. I can ask him when we get to the centre.

    It didn¡¯t matter. If they didn¡¯t believe me at first, they would eventually. My heart was set as we walked into the treatment centre. Before we reached the room, a loud laugh echoed out across the corridor.

    ¡°Oh, he¡¯s here.¡± Bryan frowned and turned away. ¡°I¡¯ll see you later.¡±

    John waved his friend off before he pulled me close. I didn¡¯t have a chance to call him back before John pulled me towards the room.

    ¡°Ignore him, he doesn¡¯t get on with our visitor. Don¡¯t let that put you off.¡± He whispered into my ear before he opened the door.

    ¡°This must be Rook. Pleased to meet you!¡±

    A tall man stepped up to greet me the moment we entered. His bright blue eyes were wide and friendly as he grabbed my hand. Despite his happy tone, a sense of disquiet crept up my spine.

    ¡°Rook, this is the captain of the town guards.¡± Susan waved at us from her chair. Her complexion had improved from when we last met, but she still remained seated as she waved at the newcomer. ¡°Don¡¯t scare him, Ray. He¡¯s new to this.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s always wonderful to meet a new guild member.¡± Ray shook my hand repeatedly. ¡°I¡¯m expecting great things from you, Rook.¡±

    ¡°Uh, thanks.¡± It was difficult, but I managed to pull my hand free after several attempts. Ray smiled at me again, before he stepped towards the door.

    ¡°I won¡¯t intrude any further.¡± He waved back at the group who seemed ready to call him back. ¡°Stick with them, Rook. You¡¯ve made a good group of friends.¡±

    ¡°Actually, I do have something I need to say.¡± I blurted out. The others trusted Ray, and he was the guard captain. Maybe this was fate, maybe it was just a coincidence¡­ but it was worth asking if he could help, at least.

    John glanced at me before he kicked the door closed behind us. Ray raised an eyebrow as he turned to face me.

    ¡°What''s the problem? Is there something I can do to assist?¡±

    It was difficult to speak about the fact I was being targeted, but it wasn¡¯t news to the rest of the group. They would back me up in that.

    ¡°Yeah, someone attacked me¡­¡±

    ¡°You mean at the guild?¡± Claire interrupted as she tried to push herself up from the bed. ¡°I¡¯ll come with you to check it out. We can¡¯t let them get away with that.¡±

    John pushed her back into the bed before he moved to stand beside Susan once more.

    ¡°Go on, Rook. What¡¯s the problem?¡± He asked after he had silenced Claire.

    ¡°Well, it happened again-¡± I started to speak, but before I could finish Ray laughed loudly from behind me.

    ¡°Oh, that!¡± Ray chuckled as he punched me back heartily. ¡°You already told me about that. I¡¯ll have someone looking into it.¡±

    ¡°What do you-¡± I turned to face the man. It was then that I noticed the chill in his eyes as he stared at me.

    ¡°You need to remain focused on your growth, Rook.¡± Ray punched my shoulder again as he grinned at me. As my mouth opened to question what he meant, the guard captain clapped me on the shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll find the one who attacked you. Nevermind the guild, the fact he managed to get into the dungeon is concerning. Leave it to us.¡±

    Wait, how does he know¡­ oh crap.

    "Come with me, Rook. I had a few questions for you." Ray laid his hand on my shoulder and guided me out of the room. I wanted to fight against him, but his light grip was still strong enough to make my shoulder crunch and creak. As we reached the door, he turned back to the others. "I won''t keep him long, just sit tight."

    We stepped out into the corridor and Ray closed the door behind us with a cheery grin. As he turned to me, his friendly expression dropped completely.

    "This situation is far beyond your understanding, marked one. I don''t want to involve your new friends, but the others aren''t so kind." He stepped towards me, but I moved back instinctively as my fists clenched. "Aha, brave. I like it. The others have left a little... present with Susan. If you say anything to her, or the others act suspicious, they will know."

    "What did you do?" I spoke through gritted teeth.

    "Nothing to be concerned about. If you pass the tests we lay out for you, your gains will far outweigh any issues. As long as you don''t try to alert them, she''ll recover before the finale." Ray patted my shoulder, his friendly smile flashing back into view. "Don''t worry, I''ll make sure you aren''t faced with anything past your abilities. I''m here to help you, Rook."

    My heart froze over as he stepped back and smiled at me. My arms trembled with barely contained rage as Ray turned and strode off down the corridor.The man who had attacked me had turned out to be someone everyone trusted with their lives¡­

    "Oh, and be careful who you speak to. Every action has a consequence."

    Why would the guard captain ambush a rookie in the guild? The others respect him too much to listen to my version of events. I should ask Bryan first, he obviously doesn¡¯t like the man...

    Lost in my thoughts, I walked back into the room. I had been lost in my thoughts, but what I saw left he shocked. Claire was still at her bed, but John and Bryan had gathered near Susan, who was barely holding herself upright.

    "What happened?" I moved towards the group, but Bryan waved me off.

    "Don''t worry, her injury is just playing up. The medics warned us this might happen." Bryan glanced back at John, who was so focused on Susan that he hadn''t even noticed my return. "John will keep an eye on her, so don''t get too worried."

    This was Ray... how did he do it? He almost killed her just as a warning. What would he do if I actually try to tell them anything?

    Whilst I hadn''t known these people long, they had still gone out of their way to save my life. They might be able to help me against Ray, but if Susan lost her life due to my carelessness...

    I sunk back into my own thoughts. It wasn''t like I could just ignore the threat, but I also didn''t want to risk Susan''s life on a hunch. I glanced at the room around me as though it would reveal some kind of listening device. There had to be some way for him to overhear our conversations, otherwise, he wouldn''t have looked so confident as he left.

    ¡°Rook! Are you ok?¡± Claire yelled from the bed. I turned to face her, my gaze unfocused as my mind reeled from the new revelations.

    ¡°How strong is he?¡± I waved at the doorway. If he wasn¡¯t overly powerful, maybe we stood a chance. There was a chance we could win once Claire and Susan had recovered if I could persuade them to fight him.

    ¡°Ray? He¡¯s the strongest warrior in the town.¡± Claire smiled at me, though she did glance at Susan before she continued. ¡°Even if we all fought him together, he¡¯d wipe the floor with us. We¡¯re lucky he¡¯s on our side. He¡¯s saved my life more than once.¡±

    My heart sank deeper into my chest as she complimented him. How difficult would it be to convince her that the man who had saved her life was the same one that had attacked me without any reason?

    I need to speak to Bryan, maybe he would believe me. There''s a chance that the others might just think I imagined it and mention what I said to Ray. If he shows any hints that he would believe what I want to tell him, then I should be able to persuade him to keep it from the others. At least that will give me one person on my side.

 Chapter 22 - An unexpected issue, a new plan emerges

    It took me several minutes to worm my way out of the room. None of them believed me when they heard me say I was OK, but they respected my privacy enough to not ask too many questions. The fact they let me walk back to the guild alone gave me a boost in confidence, but that was quickly shattered by Claire¡¯s happy statement.

    ¡°Ray will keep an eye out for you, you can trust him.¡±

    Her cheery words bounced around in my head as my feet carried me towards the guild. How could someone¡¯s view of a person differ so greatly from the truth? Claire was one of the most intelligent and worldly people I had met, and even she had been pulled in by Ray¡¯s little play.

    But who would believe me over him?

    I was a new guy in town. Other than Claire, who trusted me based on instinct, no one else even knew my name. The most exposure I had ever gotten was when the boy named Robbie had announced my victory over the slime queen to the entire guild.

    However I tried to play it, my accusations would be met with ridicule and doubt. People in this world respected those at a higher level than themselves. Whilst numbers didn¡¯t mean everything, it did give a certain weight to your words. The person I wanted to take down had a much higher status than my friends and, from what I could tell, they were already far above most of the guild members.

    And I was a level six nobody. If the guild members found out my actual level, it would lead to widespread confusion and mistrust. People selected their classes at level ten, how had I managed to choose mine before that point? Also, how was it possible I hadn¡¯t reached at least that level at my age? My body turned and walked towards the outer gate. It wasn¡¯t like I had a plan, but at worst I could live in the forest and hide away from everyone, until the day my friends arrived.

    It''s only a few days off. Screw this testing rubbish, and screw this town. I''m done.

    From Rose''s information, I knew which areas to avoid. The mana density increased further into the forest, but if I skirted around the edge there was another village I could go to. Ray had warned me against telling them about his tests, but he didn''t mention anything about leaving. I did feel a weird connection to Claire and her friends, but that was secondary to the threats on my life.

    ¡°Hey, Rook!¡±

    Karen yelled at me from her cart. There was a small crowd by the gate, so it wasn¡¯t like I could leave on a whim. A conversation with her one last time might be just what I needed, and a tiny diversion would be very welcome.

    ¡°Hey, Karen.¡± I forced a smile as she waved at me. ¡°Nice to see you again.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡± Karen pulled out a sack from beneath her cart. ¡°Do you want to do some processing again, I have a nice haul that needs-¡±

    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m a bit busy. Maybe later?¡±

    Karen sighed and dumped the sack on her cart. She seemed genuinely disheartened by my refusal, but she wasn¡¯t ready to quit just yet as she glanced at the crowd by the gate.

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you haven¡¯t heard the news?¡±

    ¡°News, what news?¡± I gave her my undivided attention. It couldn¡¯t be possible that Ray had made his move already, I hadn¡¯t done anything yet.

    ¡°The guards released a statement, apparently the bandits are making a mess outside.¡± She frowned at the crowd by the gate. ¡°No one is allowed to leave the town until further notice, but those idiots are intent on arguing their way past the guards. Like that¡¯ll work.¡±

    This can¡¯t be aimed at me. He¡¯s disrupting the entire town just to teach me a lesson¡­

    ¡°Are you OK?¡± Karen asked as she rested her hand on mine. ¡°You look a bit pale.¡±

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing.¡± I pushed myself up. ¡°I¡¯ll take the processing job. It looks like I have the time to do it for you now.¡±

    Karen passed me the sack and instructed me to not go over the top again. After I agreed to her terms, I set off towards the guild with the sack in tow. The streets were packed with various traders and guild members. One side seemed happy about the increase in business whilst the others were infuriated at the disruption of their plans.

    ¡°I only came in to pick up a package and they won¡¯t let me back out. If they¡¯d told me about this earlier-¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s ridiculous. Who¡¯s scared of a few bandits?¡±

    ¡°If I find out who¡¯s behind this whole thing, I¡¯ll beat the crap out of them!¡±

    ¡°Yeah, and if it¡¯s the guard captain that made the decision, what then? You and whose army, huh?¡±

    My ears caught various conversations as I walked into the guild. If these people knew the cause of the travel blockage was me, there would be hell to pay. Maybe that was Ray¡¯s eventual plan if I made any more overt moves to escape¡­

    For the time being, it would be a good idea to lay low.

    ¡°Hey, Rook!¡±

    I turned to face the man who had shouted at me. Fortunately, it was a friendly face. Bryan waved at me from a side table and patted the seat beside him. I picked my way across to him and sat on the chair as he waved at the waitress for attention.

    ¡°Two drinks. I¡¯ll have my usual and Rook can have whatever he wants.¡±

    ¡°Water.¡± I said in a dull tone. Bryan raised an eyebrow at me before he shrugged at the waitress. She gave us a practised smile before she walked off towards the kitchen.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    ¡°You¡¯re out to paint the town beige, it seems. Guessing you heard about the curfew, right?¡±

    The waitress returned with our drinks, which gave me the chance to avoid his question. Bryan was happy to drink in silence, and I was all too pleased to go along with his decision. The water was slightly tangy, but it didn¡¯t taste off at least. It could have just been my emotions messing with my sense of taste.

    ¡°Bryan, why don¡¯t you like Ray?¡± I asked after I had finished half my drink. Bryan took another sip of his beer before he turned to me.

    ¡°It¡¯s old news, but we got into a few fights in the past. He kept progressing and I stayed with my team.¡± He sighed as he stared into his cup. ¡°I don¡¯t regret my choice, but neither does he.¡±

    ¡°Did he betray you?¡± I asked. It wasn¡¯t polite, but if Bryan was on the same level as me he would understand.

    ¡°What? No.¡± Bryan laughed at my bizarre question. ¡°He just cares more about himself than anyone else. The others can¡¯t see it, but I can.¡±

    ¡°Why is he so much stronger than you guys? Is there something I¡¯m missing?¡±

    ¡°Oh, right¡­ I keep forgetting how new you are¡­¡± Bryan placed his cup onto the table and scooched his chair next to me. ¡°Areas in the world are affected by the density of mana within them. Some places have a massive amount, some have a tiny bit. Monsters are attracted to places with a density matching their needs, but it also affects the people who live there. The lower the density, the harder it is to advance.¡±

    ¡°Oh, so this town has a lower density of mana? Why don¡¯t people just move somewhere with more mana?¡± It seemed like an obvious choice to me, but the suggestion made Bryan chuckle.

    ¡°Remember that monsters are attracted to mana? More mana, stronger monsters. If you don¡¯t have the talent, you¡¯ll get eaten alive before you grow.¡± Bryan poked my shoulder in a joking manner. ¡°That¡¯s where you¡¯re lucky. Marked ones always grow easily, so you should be able to move around the world safely before too long.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± I took a sip of my drink as I contemplated his words. ¡°What about you? Your group seems pretty strong, can¡¯t you-¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Bryan shook his head as he cut me off. ¡°We have a reason for staying as we are. Don¡¯t mention it in front of Claire, she¡¯ll just feel guilty again... Don¡¯t worry about us.¡±

    Bryan''s usually cheery expression had vanished when I asked the question, so I dropped the subject and moved on.

    ¡°What about Ray? I guess he came from a higher zone, so why is he here? Why aren¡¯t there any other high levels in town?¡±

    ¡°I should have guessed you¡¯d ask about that. Once you advance past a certain point, you need the world to support you. If you move back into a low-density zone, it affects you. Your senses are dulled, your strength lowered. Basically, it¡¯s not a good idea.¡±

    ¡°And Ray did it anyway?¡± I leant back in my chair. ¡°Why? He doesn¡¯t seem like the type to sacrifice himself.¡±

    ¡°No, he isn¡¯t. Odd how you spotted that already.¡± Bryan raised an eyebrow at me but didn¡¯t prod any further. ¡°I don¡¯t know why he did it, but it turned him into a saint to everyone else in town. The great guard captain, sacrificing himself for our protection.¡±

    "But maybe he had another goal, something more... sinister?" I whispered. Now was the time to test the waters. Bryan didn''t like Ray, but his current words didn''t prove that his feelings had devolved into hatred.

    "No, I don''t think so." Bryan gave me a small grin. "I know him well enough for that. He might have some scheme, but he wouldn''t do something to hurt others for his gain. I might not like him, but I know him well enough to say at least that. Don''t worry about that, Rook, just focus on yourself."

    Damn it. If I try to persuade him, that would just make me seem suspicious. There would be no way he would believe me without proof, and if he tells the others...

    "Fair enough. I guess I''ll think of him as a saint then like everyone else." I joked before I drained the rest of my drink.

    "I wouldn''t go that far, but sure, if that''s how you feel." Bryan grunted and waved at the waiter to bring over more drinks. The others reaction to Ray made a little more sense now, but it still didn¡¯t help me out of my predicament. After my escape route had been cut off, the only option was to work myself to the bone. After this processing was done, I would ask for another load of materials, then another and another and another. It might not be as efficient, but at least it would push me in the right direction.

    At least until the lockdown cleared.

    ¡°See you later.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t fair to pull him into my mess. As much as he disliked Ray, it was clear Bryan didn¡¯t know the truth. Who would believe that a high-level guard captain had stalked and attacked a new guild member, or that I had survived such an ambush? And that was if I could ignore the fact that Bryan would tell the others of my revelations, which would push Ray into another assault on Susan''s life...

    How would he react if his friend had died due to him? I knew how I''d act in that situation.

    I''d have two people trying to kill me instead of one...

    After I had dumped the sack on my bed and closed the door, the full weight of my situation crashed down on my head. The strongest warrior in town wanted to fight me, my friends thought he was out to protect me and only a few days remained until those from my world arrived with an angry god in tow.

    And all I could do was process some rocks and leather and hope it helped me level up. The only other option was to sneak out of town, but all routes had been locked down by the guards under the pretence of security.

    I''d say ''god damn it'', but that would be a bit too on the nose. Why is his timing so perfect?

    I ripped open the sack, pulled out a chunk of ore and got to work. Rage had set my heart ablaze, but that did little to push me towards my goal.At least when I worked, it would let me focus on another task. The first processing attempt failed, but that didn¡¯t get me down as I moved on to the next.

    More failed than succeeded for a while before the rhythm kicked in. I practised my Transmutation as I worked. I didn¡¯t utilise it to the same extent as my first attempt, but I at least used it to shave off any excess chips of stone. The ability improved the results a step further, which should make Karen happy.

    And it moved my Transmutation closer to the next level.

    The book stated you could only process a material once. After that, any further attempts would fail and the material would be lost. Transmutation seemed separate from this rule, but my mana usage kept it from being overly powerful. If these materials weren¡¯t low rank, the losses would have been too much to handle for me, but Karen had been happy with the results of my last batch.

    And when I managed to get to level ten, Rose would appear again. If she didn''t have any advice for the situation, I could rely on the boost I would get from my advancement. The increases I would gain per test were massively increased due to my status as a ''transferred'' person, so there was always a chance it would give me enough power to at least put up a fight against Ray.

    Processing the materials left my mind detached from the anger and worry. I worked on in silence for several hours before the last piece fell to the desk. After it was packed away, I blew out the candles and settled down to rest. A single thought echoed through my skull as I dropped off to sleep. Not a nice image, but it would have to do for now.

    He can¡¯t keep the town locked down forever. He¡¯ll let up after a few days, and then I can get out to the forest. I only need to last a few more days after that,and I should reach level ten. Then I can put up a fight, and I can ask Rose how to clear the tracker he put on Susan.

    I smiled at the thought of Ray facing off against the god who would appear not too long from now. Maybe he would even help me accidentally if I played my cards right. There wasn¡¯t much I could do against him directly, but maybe the timing of this was actually perfect for me after all.

    You have your plans, and I have mine. Let¡¯s see who wins this little game, Ray.

 Chapter 23 - Duelling, an increase in skill

    When I woke the next day, my worst fears were confirmed. The town was still locked down despite the many complaints from guild members and other travellers.

    Public perception of the guards was in the dirt, but they didn¡¯t seem to care. It couldn¡¯t be possible this was all aimed at me, right? How could Ray have authorised a move this big without actual evidence to back up his claims?

    Maybe the bandits really were on the move.

    Either way, the reasons didn¡¯t matter. I had to make the most of my time. Luckily for me, Bryan was in the guildhall when I went down in the morning.

    ¡°Hey, Rook. You¡¯ve been keeping busy.¡± He waved at me to sit beside him. ¡°Come on, have a drink with me.¡±

    Bryan was happy despite the lockdown. The lack of work didn¡¯t affect him in the slightest, which proved he at least had enough funds to last through this time.

    And that meant he had time to spare¡­

    Bryan shared many traits with Ray. Both of them were adventurers who focused on swordplay, and both used the Focus attribute, though Bryan was obviously weaker than the guard captain from his own words. Even so, he would be a better training partner than the summon enemies in the dungeon.

    ¡°Bryan, let¡¯s have a duel.¡±

    <hr>

    Bryan led me to a large, square establishment not too far from the guild. If he hadn¡¯t pointed out the shoddy brick building as we moved closer, it would have been unnoticeable. Its design was dull, but that was by choice rather than necessity.

    This was the place people went to settle their business through battle.

    Bryan rented a private room for our duel. He explained that you could allow an audience for the fight, set a price for others to watch or even allow others to participate. The town leaders allowed it, but some didn¡¯t agree with its existence.

    ¡°So, you want to work out the kinks?¡± Bryan drew one of his swords after the door had locked behind us. ¡°Anything specific you want to practice?¡±

    ¡°What kind of fighting style does Ray use?¡± I asked. It would be as good a place to start any, especially as the guard captain was my current goal.

    ¡°Well, he uses a single sword. He is of the focus attribute, like me.¡± Bryan scratched his chin. ¡°Why do you ask? Is something wrong?¡±

    ¡°Focus? I guess I should know about this eventually. There are seven attributes in total, right?¡± I rubbed my chin thoughtfully. The book had a basic explanation, but I hadn¡¯t put much thought into it. My attribute would be revealed at level ten, but before that point, I was stuck with the basic mana. ¡°So, what¡¯s the fighting style of someone who uses Focus?¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not that simple. Focus users normally settle into a precise style. They favour speed over strength, and their abilities are mostly used to bypass defences.¡± Bryan drew one of his swords and settled into a loose stance. ¡°It¡¯s probably better for you to see it. Want me to show you a few moves?¡±

    ¡°No, no.¡± I pulled out my staff and settled into a defensive position. ¡°Let''s have a duel, don¡¯t hold back. I can figure it out as we go.¡±

    Bryan raised his eyebrows at my request, but he didn¡¯t ask any further questions. On his third step, he leapt towards me. A moment later and he was less than a foot from my face.

    His first strike was direct and to the point. He swung his sword directly at my head, and it was clear it would slice through my body if it wasn¡¯t blocked. It was close, but my staff caught it mid-flow.

    Unfortunately, the power of the blow was far past my expectations.

    The razor-sharp blade had been deflected, but in return, my body was sent back into the far wall with a thud. Pain shot down my back but, before I could recover, Bryan ran at me once more.

    This time, he would squash me against the wall like a bug.

    I had expected a difference in skill, but his speed was far too fast. I didn¡¯t have time to use my buffs as he closed in.

    His sword pierced into the wall as I rolled to the side. The thin blade had cut through the tough bricks like butter.

    He pulled it out with a gentle tug and turned to face me again. A surge of adrenaline shot through my system, which forced my body to react. I leapt to my feet and swung my staff across to catch his sword.

    And failed to block his strike.

    His sword had frozen mid-thrust, less than an inch from my face. If he had followed through¡­

    Damn it!

    I was too slow. It had only taken him three attacks to take me down.

    ¡°You did well, Rook.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡± I turned away jabbed my staff into the floor. ¡°Thanks.¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Bryan¡¯s tone turned serious as he grabbed my shoulder. He pulled me around and stared into my eyes as he continued. ¡°You''re level six and you just stood up to someone at level fifty. Levels don¡¯t mean everything, but they are a good idea of someone''s experience and power. You gain an increase statistically with every level, and even more on an advancement. Be happy with what you have.¡±If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°Are you telling me you didn¡¯t hold back?¡±

    ¡°You asked me not to, so I didn¡¯t¡± Bryan pushed me away with a grin. ¡°So, want to go again?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡± I nodded and lifted my staff once more. Bryan chuckled as he raised his sword.

    ¡°It¡¯s not often someone asks for me to beat them up. Try your best to not get knocked out, Rook.¡±

    His warning was accurate. Over the next few hours, my feeble attempts at defence were rewarded with many cuts and bruises. Whilst Bryan always pulled his blows short, it didn¡¯t stop the injuries from piling up. My combat skill did improve, but I paid for any advancements with blood and tears.

    Unlike the created dungeon, there was no automatic healing after our bouts. Any injuries would have to be left to heal, or you could pay a small fee for a standby Holy Practitioner to heal you. This was my first time under the effects of a genuine heal, and it was a bizarre feeling.

    It was as though a thousand tiny ants worked their way through my skin. Bruises heated up for a few seconds before they faded away, cuts were pulled together under my gaze. The speed of the heal was linked to the skill of the caster, and the person employed by the duel centre had many patients to practice on each day.

    Any serious injuries would still need rest, such as those taken by Susan and Claire. Potions could heal broken bones, but they didn¡¯t work anywhere near as well on internal injuries. At least the damage Bryan did to me was surface level at worst, so a quick heal and we could get back to the one-sided beat down.

    It took many fights for me to feel the difference. Over time, I lasted longer, and Bryan had to put more effort in to defeat me. The lengthened duels also increased the injuries per fight as I took more hits, but I still couldn¡¯t keep the smile from my face after each round ended.

    ¡°You have a knack for this.¡± Bryan said after what felt like our fiftieth duel. At that point, I was on the floor, barely able to move. His last blow had been a vicious kick to my chest which had left me breathless.

    ¡°¡­thanks.¡± I forced out a single word and pushed myself up. After I gathered my wits, we set off into one final fight.

    Bryan had said he needed to visit Claire and Susan and wanted me to tag along. This would have to be our last fight, and I was determined to make it a good one. Throughout all our fights, not a single one of my blows had connected. Bryan had easily dodged or deflected every single attack I had made, and usually followed up with a counter that left me unable to react.

    He could hold back a bit¡­

    Instead of letting Bryan launch the first attack, I jumped back and yelled a single word.

    ¡°Accelerate!¡±

    I held the image of myself in my mind. It would be embarrassing if I accidentally buffed Bryan at the same time as myself. This wasn¡¯t the first time I had used the buffs during out battles, but he normally didn¡¯t let me get the time to feel the effects of it. Bryan ran to catch up to me and reached me as I landed on the floor.

    Too quick!

    My staff was lifted into the sky during my leap, so I used that momentum and swung it down towards his head. Bryan dodged back, as he had done many times before, but I was ready for that.

    As soon as my feet touched the floor, my hands clenched around my staff and I pushed myself towards him. My staff grated on the floor as it approached his feet. Bryan dodged to the side and thrust his sword at my face.

    It would end the same as our first duel if I didn¡¯t manage to dodge it.

    I leant my body to the side and swept my staff along the floor. He could either correct his thrust or he could avoid my strike. Through our battles, it had become clear that Bryan focused on evasion over offense. If he decided to trade hits, that would be like a loss to him.

    And that fact would be my advantage. As he dodged, I yelled out my next buff.

    ¡°Strengthen!¡±

    He pulled his sword back and hopped over my strike. My staff swung below his toes as he jumped to the side. It wouldn¡¯t be possible for me to pull the stop my swing, so I followed with the momentum and swung around a full one eighty degrees.

    Whilst Bryan was hidden from view, I knew what he would do next.

    Without a wasted second, I thrust my staff behind me with all my strength.

    ¡°Buffed Strike!¡±

    The several failed attempts at ability usage had taught me a harsh lesson. If it was too clear when you were about to use one, your enemy would either dodge or counter it with ease. This time it had been worked into the middle of a combo, which didn¡¯t give him time to react.

    My head had barely twisted enough to catch a glimpse of him as my staff crashed into his chest.

    Or at least, it should have.

    He had drawn his second sword and blocked the strike. Despite his speedy reaction, my blow still launched him back several feet and left him to skid along the floor. As he regained his footing, I spun around, corrected my grip on the staff and dashed towards him. It was like a spear charge, behind which I had placed all my power.

    This is it!

    Bryan was about to catch his footing, but I had one final trick. I focused my power and used my Transmutation on the ground by his feet. The floor was covered in a thick layer of sand, both to dampen impacts and to absorb any blood left behind by the battles that took place. Its fine texture let my powers work to their full advantage as it formed a small hole beneath his feet and caught on to the side of his shoes.

    It wasn¡¯t a tight grip, but it was a distraction he hadn¡¯t expected. The split second of confusion gave me the time to approach and thrust my staff towards his chest.

    He blocked it, but that was expected. If my little trick had been enough to take him down, then all of his experience would be for nought. I stepped forward and put all my strength into my legs as I yelled out the ability one last time.

    ¡°Buffed Strike!¡±

    My strength, augmented by the ability plus his lack of solid footing added together as he tipped back. I continued my push into his chest as he fought for balance.

    Go down!

    But he had one last trick of his own. He pulled one foot free and kicked my staff up into the air. As it rocketed up, he deflected it off to the side with one sword. My staff swept past his head as I lost my balance. It was as if I had taken a step off an unseen ledge at full speed..

    My body fell towards him, which gave him the chance to regain his balance and land a solid punch in the centre of my chest. My body fell back to the floor as my strength failed me.

    He had won, again.

    ¡°Bloody hell, Rook. that was scary.¡± Bryan took several deep breaths as he looked at me. ¡°You sure you haven¡¯t done this before?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve watched a few videos.¡± I shook my head from the floor. Despite all my efforts, it was currently impossible for me to push myself up.

    ¡°Videos, huh?¡±

    Bryan spun around as a new voice echoed out across the arena. I couldn¡¯t see his face, but from his tense stance, it was clear he didn¡¯t like who he saw. Unfortunately, I knew the voice too well to be ignorant of our visitor.

    ¡°Hello, Ray.¡± Bryan spoke through gritted teeth. ¡°What¡¯re you doing here?¡±

 Chapter 24 - End of the lockdown, back to the grindstone

    ¡°I won¡¯t be here long. I just wanted to check up on Rook.¡± Ray wandered past Bryan and smiled down at me. ¡°You¡¯re doing well. When we last met, I had a feeling you wanted to run away or something.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean, Ray?¡± Bryan asked before I could speak. He moved in front of the large man and stood between us. ¡°If you¡¯re planning on using him for some little scheme, you¡¯d better think again.¡±

    ¡°Haha! You really do have a lot of mother hens, Rook.¡± Ray shook his head and took several steps back. ¡°Calm down, Bryan, I won¡¯t do anything to him as long as he follows the rules.¡±

    ¡°Good.¡± Bryan sheathed his swords and turned to help me up. My eyes didn¡¯t leave Ray¡¯s face as I was pulled to my feet. While Bryan¡¯s back was turned, the guard captain gave me a wink before he walked out of the arena.

    ¡°You better visit Claire and Susan. If you left without seeing them, they¡¯d be devastated.¡±

    Bryan ignored Ray¡¯s suggestion as he helped me up. Only after the unwelcome visitor had left did he calm down and call for the healer. After he paid for my final session, we left the duel centre and walked towards the hospital. I had tried to pay for the healing myself, but Bryan had refused. Since Bryan was the one to injure me, he insisted that he would be the one to pay for it to be fixed.

    I didn¡¯t get the chance to return that favour, unfortunately. Maybe next time.

    ¡°Are they both still recovering?¡± I asked as we walked towards the treatment centre. Bryan frowned and shook his head.

    ¡°Claire is still injured, but Susan should have recovered by now. John left a message which the practitioner back there passed on. Her injuries were lighter, but something seems to be holding her back.¡±

    ¡°Wait, is it possible the arrow was poisoned?¡± The thought struck out of the blue, but Bryan didn¡¯t seem surprised. He had obviously considered such an option already.

    ¡°Not with anything the medics can test for. She¡¯s recovering, but it''s slow. John is going insane. Susan persuaded him to not go out to find the bandits himself.¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s good she¡¯s getting better. John wouldn¡¯t do something that stupid, right?¡±

    ¡°How little you know him, Rook. If it concerns Susan, don¡¯t ever underestimate how far he¡¯d go.¡±

    We walked into the treatment centre and passed by the front desk without a word. The receptionist nodded to us before he turned back to his papers.

    ¡°Hey! Good to see you, Rook.¡±

    Claire waved at me as we walked into their room. She had moved from her bed to a chair by the table, though she did wince as she pushed herself up to greet me. She grabbed my hand and pushed me into a chair beside her before she dropped back down.

    ¡°How¡¯re you doing? Bryan sent a message that you were duelling him?¡± Claire gave Bryan a vicious glare. ¡°You haven¡¯t been bullying him, have you?¡±

    ¡°He asked for my help. Ease off, Claire.¡± Bryan threw himself into the bed. ¡°I¡¯m tired. You two have fun.¡±

    Claire shook her head and chuckled and turned back to me. It was clear she didn¡¯t actually hold Bryan accountable for any pain he had caused me. She poured a drink from the water jug on her table and passed it over to me.

    ¡°Don¡¯t push yourself too much. We¡¯ll provide help, if you need us to.¡± She patted my hand, which was clenched on the arm of my chair. ¡°Ray told us he would lift the travel ban tomorrow. He gave me a message for you. He¡¯s worried you¡¯ll go too far from town and run into the bandits, so he wants you to hang back.¡±

    "Is that all he said?" I glanced up. It was possible he had guessed my plan, but this felt too coincidental to be true.

    "Oh, he gave Susan something for her injury. He heard that she might have been poisoned, and he said that it would hold back the effects." Claire smiled, but my heart froze over. "He said you reminded him about it, so he wanted to thank you."

    The water tasted bad in my mouth as I forced myself to drink it. Ray had told me he would hurt her, and I hadn¡¯t told her yet. Despite the fact my intentions were pure, it still hurt to listen to her offer of assistance. I placed the cup on the bedside table and stood up.

    ¡°I have something I need to do, sorry.¡± Bryan rose out of the bed and opened his mouth to speak, but I waved him into silence. ¡°I promised Karen I would get the processing done soon. I¡¯ll come see you tomorrow, yeah?¡±

    I left the room before either of them could stop me. Claire¡¯s voice echoed out as she questioned Bryan as to what he had done. Guilt wrapped around my brain as I made my way back to the Guild, but it wasn¡¯t like I could tell them the truth. The secrecy was for their own good.

    I knew it... he''s poisoned her. If I leave, she dies. If I tell her anything, she dies. I''m stuck... unless I get to level ten. I should be able to stand up to Ray, according to what the goddess said. And if not, at least we can fight him together. Rose might know something, but I can''t rely on her. She''s been wrong before, and I can''t risk Susan''s life on a guess.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    I had several options, but all of them relied on me reaching level ten. As the town was still locked down, there was only one option open to me for the time being. The materials Karen had given me waited in my room. After the door had closed behind me, I set to work. My success rate was average at best and, after a few hours of non-stop focus, I finally let myself slide into bed. After the intense day, my consciousness blurred before my head hit the pillow.

    <hr>

    The next day started without any fanfare. No one came to wake me up, no shadowy assassins waited to ambush me outside my room. After the processing was finished, I packed it in the sack and set off to see Karen. Now that the lockdown had been lifted, it was high time to get out of town. There were other places I could stay in, and it wasn''t like I had long to wait before the others arrived. The processed goods had given me a nice amount of money to play with, so finding food and accommodation shouldn''t be too hard.

    That should be the best way to practice. Ican''t sacrifice someone else for my own gains. That would make me worse than the guy who killed me.

    ¡°Hey, Rook. You¡¯ve finished again, right?¡± Karen raised an eyebrow at me as I dumped the sack on her cart. ¡°You really don¡¯t hold back, do you? Never seen someone work so fast.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I did my best.¡± I glanced at the gate. The queue had formed once again and the Guards allowed people to exit once they had been checked. ¡°You can pay me later, I have something I need to do.¡±

    I walked off and left Karen with the processed goods. She could go over them and give me a price later. The level gain was the most important thing for me right now. In a few days, the money I gained would be lost anyway. I had more than enough to last a few weeks, never mind a few days. After that, none of it would matter.

    That is, if I lived to go back home.

    After the guards had checked my identification, they let me through the gate. Again I was thankful they didn¡¯t check for the levels of those who left. If they noticed my level was lower than ten, they would certainly have many questions. At that point, Ray would be alerted and my little journey would be cut short.

    The fields greeted me after I exited the town. They were full of people in all directions, probably because they wanted to make up for the days of lost revenue. These people worked to keep the fields and the edges of the forest clear, which allowed those who hadn¡¯t advanced to a combat class a chance to leave the town for other business.

    It was a constant battle against an ever-increasing population of slimes and wolves. If they left them for too long, it was possible they would move towards the town in search of prey. Whilst it wasn¡¯t clear to me what their main food was, the image of the slime queen as it tried to absorb me shot through my mind.

    I ignored the others and moved to a relatively quiet area of the fields. It was far to the side, moderately close to the forest. Most of the workers stayed nearer to the town where the larger numbers of slimes congregated. It didn¡¯t seem to matter how many they struck down, more popped out from bushes or through little tunnels in the dirt to take their place.

    But for me it was different. After I had cleared a small area, no more monsters appeared for a long time. It was difficult to find enough prey to keep busy, but at least those that did appear brought me a step closer to my goal. Each time I cleared out a section, I moved on. My advance was slow and steady as I moved further from the town. To an outsider, it would just look like I was hunting for more enemies to kill.

    Which is exactly how I wanted it to look

    Also, it helped me work towards my main goal: Level Ten.

    It wasn¡¯t clear what an Advancement Test would entail for me. Normally it was the moment someone chose their class and passed a trial that allowed them to lock in the decision. For me, that was unneeded. My class had been preselected without my knowledge or agreement.

    Either way, the test should give me some kind of gain.

    More abilities, more power. Something, anything to give me the edge I needed. Once I had passed the threshold, it would be safer to let the others know about Ray. If it gave me enough of a power gain then maybe, just maybe, we could stand up to Ray together.

    And if I didn¡¯t I could always deal with him after my primary concern was out of the way.

    Whilst I worked my way through the fields, a small group approached me from the far edge. I didn¡¯t notice them until they had walked close, at which point I stopped my hunt and turned to greet them. It was bad manners to interrupt someone when they were hunting, so they should have a good reason to speak to me.

    ¡°Hey. Your name is Rook, right?¡± The leader asked as he walked up next to me. The others in his group eyed me from behind, but I pretended to ignore that as I nodded to the man who had questioned me.

    ¡°That¡¯s me. What''s the problem?¡± I glanced around at the area. There were a few groups near enough to see us, so it wasn¡¯t like these people would try to force me away from this patch.

    ¡°We were looking to head into the caves nearby. We need to do some mining and need another person for the guardian team. Want to tag along? We¡¯ll split the loot with you.¡±

    His offer appealed to me, but a surge of doubt clenched around my stomach. Why did he take the time to ask me, a weak Supporter, for help?

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry about it. We just need someone to keep watch.¡± One of the people at the back of the party spoke up as she noticed my hesitation. ¡°It¡¯s easy, and there will be more spawns in the caves than out here. It should help you level up quite well.¡±

    If they wanted a watchman, then it didn¡¯t matter how strong that person was. At first, I wanted to disagree, but a weird force held me back. Something about her voice made me trust her. I couldn¡¯t quite put my finger on it, but it was like I had known her my entire life...

    ¡°Sure.¡± I nodded in response. The leader invited me to a temporary party after assurances it wouldn¡¯t interfere with my current party. I knew about parties to the extent that I could join a temporary one without it affecting the others, so that wasn¡¯t a concern.

    The woman who had persuaded me walked beside me and explained the plan. We left the field and walked towards a rocky area in the distance. I glanced back at the fields, but the woman tapped my shoulder and distracted my attention again.

    ¡°Don¡¯t get distracted, Rook. That¡¯s an easy way to fail, you know?¡±

    I nodded distractedly as she spoke. Something felt wrong about the situation, but I couldn¡¯t pull my brain together enough to fathom it. At least now the loot wouldn¡¯t be picked up by myself, so the voice wouldn¡¯t get the chance to absorb the rewards of my kills.

 Chapter 25 - A wasted trip, an impossible fight

    The cave was well hidden, but it still seemed like a lot of people knew where it was. Another group exited the entrance and passed us by without a glance. The fact someone else had arrived first didn¡¯t phase the rest of the party, so we walked in and set off down a side tunnel as soon as we had left the light of day behind.

    Several members of the party pulled out lanterns from their packs which they tied to their waists. The woman who walked beside me pulled out a spare and tied it to my waist when she noticed I didn¡¯t have one. Why would I have been prepared for a trip into the caves if it hadn¡¯t been in my plans at all?

    The haze on my brain pushed down my thoughts, but I still retained a weak link to my consciousness. After a minute of walking, I managed to force away enough of the fog from my mind.

    "Wait, I think I''ll back out." I stopped in my tracks with a grimace. Though this was the obvious reaction for me, it hurt me to say it at a base level.

    "Wait, I thought you said-" The leader turned to the woman who had persuaded me to join, but she waved him into silence and turned back to me.

    "You should come along, we''re almost there." She smiled as a purple tint covered her eyes. A new wave covered my thoughts once more, but this time I was ready for it. I held my own, like a rock pushing back against the sea. The woman frowned and pulled out a small object from under her jacket.

    "No." I muttered as I forced myself to take a step back.

    "Damn, he said you were strong. If I''d known you would fight it this much, I would''ve just used this in the first place." She shook her head and crushed the metal case in her hand. A wave of darkness washed over my vision as I lost all control of my body. My flagging resistance was smashed aside as the force blasted me from my feet. As I struggled against the new pressure for several seconds before it crushed me to the floor. As my consciousness waned, I heard theleader speak again.

    "He brought you here because of your level, and you can''t even take out a rookie? What''s the point of your skills."

    "Be quiet, or you''ll face the same fate as this one.He told me the marked one was under level ten, but I had to use the item I received from the Master to trap him... At least he''ll die peacefully now."

    **Party disbanded.**

    A moment later and the darkness covered me. It didn''t knock me out, but I had been paralysed. My body wouldn''t listen to my commands in the slightest, which meant I was a sitting duck should any monster wander past and find my unmoving body. With that thought in mind, I redoubled my efforts.

    I''m not going to die here!

    The darkness wavered and shook, but it didn''t break. A minute passed, then five, then ten. Time ticked by slowly as I wore down on the cocoon around myself. After my arms were freed, that increased the speed at which I could beat it back. The woman had said I would die peacefully, so she obviously hadn''t expected me to break out.

    But, after a quarter of an hour, I did just that.

    ¡°Bastards!¡± I shouted at the top of my voice. It was obvious what had happened, though the fact I had walked right into it infuriated me. That woman had used some sort of ability to do something to my mind.I had fought it off, but this ''Master'' of hers and prepared her well. For a moment I had a wild thought that it was Ray, but that didn''t feel right. As strong as he was, he still felt like a pawn in a bigger game to me.

    It doesn''t matter anyway. In the end, this is all down to him. I''m going to...

    It didn¡¯t matter if it was just the woman and the leader, or the entire group. I¡¯d find a way to pay them back for this.

    But first, I had to get out of here.

    They¡¯re probably all in league with Ray¡­ but why did he make them dump me in these caves? How is this a test?

    That was when an edge of panic set in. It wasn¡¯t like I was claustrophobic, but the walls suddenly seemed like they had closed in around me.A small lantern had been set beside me, but the blue light that shone out from within was faint and wavery.

    How long will this light last?

    That thought helped me make the decision. There was a chance I could make my own way out, but if the lamp was extinguished, my options would be limited.

    At that point, my stomach couldn¡¯t have sunk any lower. Not only had this been a waste of time, but my instincts had also been wrong once again. I remembered the slight smile the woman had shown when she spoke to me. At the time it had seemed like a friendly expression, but it had twisted in my memories to a warped smirk.

    I turned to move in the direction of the exit, but a noise from behind stopped me in my tracks. It sounded like a voice mixed with muffled footsteps. A pair were conversing as they moved towards my location.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    It had been awkward enough to make my way back to this point, the journey back out of the caves would be just as bad if no one remained to help. I turned to face the direction of the voices and narrowed my eyes. After the two speakers stepped round the corner, all my hopes vanished in a heartbeat. The distorted speech made a lot more sense when I saw their identities.

    It was a pair of goblins, similar to the one Claire had fought in the forest.

    They turned to face me as thick rivers of saliva dripped from their open mouths. It took them a moment to register that the intruder wasn¡¯t another goblin, after which they picked up their clubs and ran towards me. My brain froze for a split second before I pulled myself together.

    ¡°Strengthen! Accelerate!¡±

    I used the time to buff myself. The speed increase wasn¡¯t much, but it helped. Technically, the strength increase would also increase my speed a little. Claire had treated the goblin in the forest with care even with a full party behind her. Running was a last resort, but my chances of victory were slim if I didn¡¯t play this perfectly.

    This is going to be tricky.

    My hand scrabbled at the ties on my bag for a second before it opened up. It took me a moment to find the item that could potentially save me before. The goblins¡¯ charge didn¡¯t slow as I lifted up the single-use scroll and broke its seal.

    The parchment burst open and a deadly spiral of air shot towards the goblins. They noticed that I had fired something, but they couldn¡¯t react before it slammed into the lead goblin. The wind ball blasted it from its feet, but the other goblin was unaffected. It gave its colleague a glance before it turned back to me.

    My surprise attack had given it reason to treat me seriously.

    It sped up slightly and reached me a moment later. The highest priority for any melee fighter when they were up against a ranged enemy would be to close the distance.

    It raised its club and smashed it down on me. The blow was quick, but it wasn¡¯t so fast as to be unbearable. I dodged it with an inch to spare and thrust my staff into the goblin¡¯s stomach.

    ¡°Buffed strike!¡±

    It took a step back¡­ and grinned at me.

    ¡°Rugh.¡±

    I jumped back, but it was quicker. It knocked my staff aside, jumped forward, and slammed its fist into my chest. The strength of its blow was far stronger than I had anticipated, all the air had been blown out of my lungs. The goblin moved in for the kill as I took a deep, painful breath.

    But I wasn¡¯t done just yet.

    ¡°Buffed strike!¡±

    I swung my staff against its knee. Its foot still hadn¡¯t touched the floor as my blow smashed into its leg. The goblin teetered for a moment before it crashed to the floor, which gave me time to push myself to my feet.

    Before I could move in to take advantage of the situation, I spotted the other goblin as it ran towards us. It had recovered from the wind ball, but the sneak attack had infuriated it. Its eyes were wide as a low roar escaped its throat.

    These creatures were dumb, but my chances against two were close to zero. Any tactics I came up with would be beaten into the dirt by their overwhelming strength. The only chance I had would be to either escape or find some way to fight them one on one. But if the tunnel narrowed to the point where only one could approach at a time, my staff would be next to useless¡­

    I have to escape. These things must be close to Claire¡¯s level, I don¡¯t stand a chance as I am now.

    The speed from my dual buffs would have to be used to flee as fast as I could. I lifted my scroll and held it out towards the goblin that approached me. Its eyes flared as it dodged to the side, which slowed its advance.

    And I turned and ran.

    The scroll was technically useless, but it scared the idiotic goblin nonetheless. It was clear they wouldn¡¯t let me loose without a fight as a pair of furious bellows rang out from behind. Their strides were more like long hops as they bounded behind me, as if they were out for a romp in a field of flowers. If it wasn¡¯t for the fact they wanted to kill me, their gait would have been comedic. Unfortunately, there was no time to appreciate it as I ran down tunnel after tunnel.

    I tried to follow the path the leader had taken on the way in, but that would have been close to impossible even in the best of situations. With two monstrous beasts on my tail, I barely had time to think at each fork. There was one thing that I knew quite clearly.

    Without the buffs, they would catch up. And those buffs would only last a few more minutes. Each recast cost a chunk of my mana, and I had to make a decision on short term gains over long term benefits.

    I could try to outrun them with both, or I could keep just ahead with one. After a moment of deliberation, I decided on the latter course.

    At least then I can fight back if I don¡¯t manage to escape. If I burn through my mana, I¡¯ll have no chance at all.

    My shouts echoed through the tunnels, but no one responded. After a short time, the buffs fell off, and my speed dropped noticeably. The difference in speed between myself and my pursuers became more apparent as they rapidly approached from behind. They were still hot on my heels, so I had no choice but to recast at least one buff.

    ¡°Accelerate!¡± I yelled as I continued my frantic run. If I used both buffs, that would leave me with one more use before my pool ran dry. It was scary, but efficiency was required over pure effect right now. A quick check proved that my pool had increased to one hundred and ten, which confirmed that each level added an additional ten mana to my total.

    The higher capacity also increased my regeneration, but not enough to matter at this point. It was still basically at one point per minute, which meant I only got back a third of the cost of each buff in the time they lasted if no other abilities were used at the same time.

    The longer I ran, the more chance I had to find someone else or to escape. The Strengthen buff had helped a bit, but the main boost in speed came from Accelerate. Maybe it lowered air resistance, or perhaps it just made your steps more efficient. Either way, it didn¡¯t matter much to me. The speed was enough for me to keep ahead of the goblins, but only barely.

    I¡¯ve got twenty minutes to get out of here¡­ but my stamina will run out before then.

    Before I could make up my mind on the best course of action, I turned a corner at full speed and came face to face with a dead end not too far in the distance. There weren¡¯t any other paths to take as the goblins approached from behind.

    ¡°Strengthen.¡± I murmured as I raised my staff. Whatever happened next, I wouldn¡¯t go down without a fight.

 Chapter 26 - The will to fight, a close call

    ¡°Ruuuggghhhhnnn.¡±

    One of the goblins turned to the other and pushed it away. At first, it looked like it was going to let me go, but after it turned back to me, the vicious grin on its face proved otherwise. It didn¡¯t want to make the fight fair¡­ it wanted to make it interesting.

    Intelligence is relative, but at the very least this monster enjoyed the situation.

    It raised its club as it strode towards me. The other goblin stood behind it to block off my escape. Even if I managed to dodge the first blow, the second goblin would catch me easily. Whilst my eyes roved around in search of a way out, the first goblin¡¯s patience wore thin. Its eyes were narrow as it glared angrily at my lantern.

    ¡°RRAAAUUUGGH!¡±

    Its footsteps thundered along the tunnel as it rushed towards me. It had lifted its club above its head with both hands in preparation to smash it down on the weak little human in front of it.

    As I tried to raise my staff to block the blow, one side caught against a ridge of the wall. I managed to raise the opposite tip towards the goblin, though it didn¡¯t give me time to correct my stance. It grinned at my plight as its club dropped towards my head.

    I managed to move the raised tip of my staff to greet its strike. The club smacked into the end of my staff and almost jarred it from my hands. The other end of my staff was pummeled several inches into the wall before it jammed in place.

    The goblin grinned at me as it took a step back. I knew that my normal strength wouldn¡¯t be enough to free the staff, and it seemed like he had guessed that too.

    But I had a card up my sleeve.

    ¡°Buffed Strike!¡±

    I used the increase in power to pull the staff out of the wall. In the same motion, I thrust it towards the goblin, but the monster managed to block the blow with its club. My strike was weak compared to its own blow, but it still managed to force the goblin back a step.

    ¡°Ruh.¡± The goblin let out a short snort as I pushed against its club. After a second of confusion, I realised what it had done.

    It had laughed at me.

    Before I could react, it grabbed my staff and pulled me down to greet it. Its forehead smashed into my head and knocked me back into the far wall. I could feel my blood trickle down my face as my back scraped against the wall. It was a close call, but after a few seconds, I managed to pull myself upright.

    The goblin¡¯s eyes narrowed as it stared at me. It was surprised I had lasted through its blow as its happy grin was replaced with an angry snarl. As I raised my staff up, it thrust its club towards me.

    ¡°Buffed strike!¡±

    I blocked its attack with a thrust of my own. The instance our weapons met, my staff rocketed back and slammed into my shoulder. His strike had pinned me to the wall like a bug.

    The pain was so great I almost blacked out, but a surge of adrenaline pulled me back from the brink. I grabbed my staff with both hands and tried to force it away. No matter how hard it was pushed, the goblin''s club didn¡¯t move an inch. His grin was wide as the pressure increased on my shoulder.

    ¡°Buffe-¡± I started to speak, but the goblin cut me off as it pushed out with its club. The armour on my shoulder creaked beneath my staff as the pain in my shoulder increased. A moment later and I heard a heavy crack.

    He had broken my shoulder.

    My arm dropped uselessly to my side. I still had my other arm, but that didn¡¯t matter much. If my counter had failed when I had the use of both arms, what could I do with the just one? My brain had detached from the situation, but as I came back to, I heard an angry scream.

    It was my voice.

    That did make sense. The pain was so intense that I should have been unconscious. The goblin grabbed my staff and chucked it to the side like a piece of rubbish as it moved closer. Its hot breath huffed out against my face as my eyelids drooped down.

    ¡°-stop.¡±

    I heard a voice from the far end of the corridor, but it didn¡¯t matter. Whoever had come was too late. But then the goblin made its first mistake.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

    It twisted its head around to stare at the newcomer.

    My vision cleared as the monster cast around. The voices came closer, but it was clear they wouldn¡¯t hold its attention for long. I only have one chance to escape, and if it didn¡¯t work¡­

    Screw this!

    I used my uninjured arm to reach down to my waist. The goblin sensed my movement as it swung its head back to face me. Its gaze didn¡¯t show any concern as it looked down.

    But that was before I smashed my lantern into its face.

    The light surged as the fragile case broke apart. The tunnel was filled with a blinding blue light for several seconds before it faded back to darkness. As the tunnel went pitch black, I threw myself to the side and crashed into the wall. My dodge came not a moment too soon as the blinded goblin smashed its club into the space I had just occupied.

    Too close.

    I crawled on the floor, past the enraged monsters. It was difficult to move with my injuries, but it was better than the alternative. Once the goblins were able to see again, what would follow was easy to imagine. They would take out their anger on the one who had unleashed the blinding light on their weak eyes.

    I managed to snag my staff as I crawled down the tunnel, though I did take a wild kick from one of the goblins as they stumbled around. Luckily, it didn¡¯t notice my presence. I grit my teeth against the pain. It was difficult to hold back a reaction as it landed a kick squarely on my injured arm, but I managed it.

    After I had cleared the second goblin, I pulled myself up and stumbled through the caves. The wails faded into the distance as I trudged through the caves. My night-vision started to kick in as vague shapes broke and danced in front of me. I had escaped from the goblins, but leaving the caverns would be¡­

    And then I saw it. A dull light at the end of the tunnel.

    Seriously, I can¡¯t believe this¡­

    I sped up and moved towards the light. After a few more turns, I broke out into the light of day once more. I had escaped from certain death by the skin of my teeth, and those tiny-eyed goblins wouldn¡¯t be able to follow me. As I turned back to the town, a voice echoed out from behind.

    ¡°You passed. Good job, Rook. Focused strike.¡±

    ¡°Ray, you-¡± I tried to turn around, but a heavy force slammed into the back of my head. I tumbled to the floor, my consciousness fading as the one person I hated the most in this world stepped over me.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯re friends are on their way to pick you up. I can¡¯t let you miss all the fun, right?¡±I tried to answer, but my strength failed me. Ray chuckled from above as I struggled. "Don''t worry, we only have one more test for you. My ability is very accurate, so you should wake up just in time to see the finale. If you pass your advancement test before that, we might not even stand a chance."

    Coward! I swear I''ll kill him!

    Whatever ability he used pushed me into a deep sleep before I could manage a retort.

    <hr>

    Nightmares are weird things. Sometimes you have no power over them and other times you have just enough to not make a difference.

    This was one of the latter ones.

    I raced through the caves with a horde of goblins on my tail. Each time I found a light at the end of the tunnel, it turned out to be another group who joined in on the hunt. The pack increased minute by minute as my stamina waned. I knew I couldn¡¯t keep up the speed any longer.

    With one final breath, I tumbled to the floor. The pack reached me a moment later before their clubs fell towards me in unison.

    And then I woke up with a jolt.

    My vision was blurry as I cast about. The room was bright, too bright. I couldn¡¯t see anything at all, though at least that made it clear I was no longer in the tunnels. A few seconds later a door thumped open as a friendly voice shouted at me from across the room.

    ¡°What were you thinking?!¡±

    It was Claire. I could tell from her voice, though my vision still hadn¡¯t cleared enough to see her. The pain in my shoulder had faded, but it still felt stiff as I tried to push myself out of the bed. They had taken me into the treatment centre, though that was just a guess from the pale white walls and simple furniture spread around the room.

    How did they know?

    ¡°Calm down, Claire.¡± John waved from the side of my bed. He pushed the infuriated woman back before he turned to face me. ¡°Seriously though, you¡¯d better tell her before she beats it out of you.¡±

    "Never mind that, is everyone OK?" I asked as I swung my feet from the side of the bed. The pair shared a glance before Bryan responded.

    "We''re fine, Rook. We were more worried about you." He tipped his head to one side as he stared at me. "Are you OK? You took a big blow to the head, we thought you wouldn''t wake up for a long time."

    "Right." My heart, which had tried to break through my ribcage, calmed down. This ''finale'' that Ray talked about hadn''t started yet, or Bryan''s response wouldn''t have been so calm. "Where are-"

    ¡°Why did you run off? They told you to guard the entrance.¡± Claire cut me off as she pulled a chair across the room and flopped down in front of me. ¡°You¡¯re smart, Rook. Why would you do something like that?¡±

    ¡°They left me in there alone. Is there some sort of skill that lets someone control your mind?¡± I recalled the woman who had tricked me into joining them. She was on Ray''s side, but as long as I didn''t directly mention that it should be safe to ask the question.

    ¡°That sounds like a Spirit ability to me, and a pretty high level one at that.¡± John said with a frown. Before he could continue, Claire shot an abrupt question.

    ¡°Rook, did they do something to you?¡±

    ¡°Yes. They left me in the caves, from what I can tell¡± I answered clearly. I didn¡¯t mention Ray¡¯s involvement, but I should be able to explain the rest without raising his suspicions. ¡°I''m not sure why, but they backed out without me-¡±

    Claire pushed herself off the chair so fast it smashed against the floor. John tried to hold her back, but she ignored him as she stormed out of the room. He shook his head and turned back to me with a small smile.

    ¡°Well, you¡¯ve just lit the fuse. Want to see the bomb go off, Rook?¡±

 Chapter 27 - A rude awakening, a firm will

    It took me a few minutes to hurriedly dress in my armour. After that, John pulled me out of the room and we set off in pursuit of Claire. She had long since vanished, but we had a good idea where she would have gone.

    The guildhall.

    "That spirit ability they used on you worries me. That person would have to be above even Ray''s level to pull something like that off." John glanced around as we strode down the street. "It probably only worked so well because of your level, but we still need to tell him about this. He might know someone that can-"

    "No!" I pulled him short with a jerk. "Let''s talk about this first, then we can decide what to do. No need to involve Ray just yet."

    John looked at me for several seconds before he shrugged and carried on down towards the guild. My heart hammered in my chest as I followed him.

    That was too close...

    As we neared the guildhall, a loud shout rang out. John grabbed my arm and dashed into the room as the cheery smile faded from his face. What we saw when we entered was a scene of devastation. Claire had lifted the leader of the miner party by his loose overcoat and had him pushed against the wall.

    ¡°Claire, calm down!¡± John ran to her side and tried to pull her back. Claire ignored him as she glared at the leader furiously.

    ¡°Why did you do it?¡± She spoke through gritted teeth. I had never seen her so angry before, and the difference between her usual appearance and the wild scene before me was massive.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you''re talking about. He ran off by himself-¡±

    Claire slammed him into the wall once more. The man winced as his head knocked into the bricks behind him, but he didn¡¯t say anything more. It was clear Claire was incensed, so any more words would more than likely give him more pain as a reward.

    ¡°What''s going on here?¡±

    The receptionist stepped out of the side room. Another person darted out of the room from behind her, but the woman ignored that as she moved to the centre of the hall.

    ¡°I want to make an official complaint. This man tried to kill one of my friends.¡± Claire spoke in a clear tone, but she didn¡¯t drop the leader or turn to face the guild worker. The receptionist raised an eyebrow at the scene as she crossed her arms.

    ¡°That''s a big claim. Do you have any evidence to back it up?¡±

    ¡°You know my skill. Rook told me the true story. This man left him alone and unprepared in the middle of goblin territory.¡± Claire finally turned to face the woman. ¡°He tried to kill-¡±

    ¡°Wait.¡± The receptionist held up a hand. ¡°I know your skill, but that isn¡¯t proof. All that man has to say is that you''re lying and you¡¯re back to where we started.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s lying-¡± The man blurted out. Claire strengthened her grip on his throat, which cut him off from further speech. Before the scene could escalate further, an unwelcome addition wandered in through the door.

    ¡°Put him down, Claire.¡± Ray walked up beside the furious woman. ¡°I believe you, but you aren¡¯t putting on a good show for others to do the same.¡±

    Claire grit her teeth and let go of the leader. He dropped to the floor and coughed roughly as he tried to crawl away, obviously terrified she might continue her assault on him. Claire gave him one final glare before she stormed out of the inn.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take him in for questioning.¡± Ray lifted the man to his feet and brushed off his shoulders. ¡°Come on, we have a few things to talk about.¡±

    Despite the fact Ray was about to take him into custody, the leader looked happy. If someone saw this scene without context it would be easy to assume the pair were best friends. Ray gave me a wink as he pulled the man away, but John missed it as he had already turned back to me.

    He''s obviously going to just let him go. If I see him again, he won''t be so lucky.

    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go see Claire.¡± John muttered as he walked out of the guild. The rest of the crowd eyed me as I followed him out, though it wasn¡¯t clear what their reactions were to the revelations they had just seen. Some might believe Claire, some might think she had overreacted. Either way, I wanted to get out of there.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!

    John lead me towards the exit from the town. He gave Karen a quick nod as he passed by, but we didn¡¯t turn into the gate to leave. Instead, he walked into an opening on the wall and moved up a staircase hidden in its depths. The steps were tall and uneven, so it was tricky to walk up without in my distracted state.

    After we reached the top, it became clear why he had come this way. Claire leaned against the parapet on the side of the wall as she stared out across the fields. The sun was low in the sky, which showed the day was close to ending. Either I had slept for a short time since the fight in the tunnels, or I had been out for more than a day.

    Important information, but not a question that would be good to ask right now.

    ¡°Don¡¯t start, John.¡± Claire said before either of us could say a word. John held a finger to his lips and moved in close to my ear.

    ¡°Go find Bryan, he¡¯s good at calming her down.¡± He whispered to me. "I think Bryan mentioned he was going to speak to a friend of his. Susan has been cured, but she asked me to come to check on you. I left a message for her, so she should be joining us soon." before he wandered up beside his leader.

    Wait, Susan''s been cured? That means they won''t know if I tell the others about Ray!

    The pair stood in silence, obviously happy to watch the world go by without a word. After a few awkward seconds, I walked back down the stairs and set off in search of Bryan. As there were no clues to his whereabouts, the best place to start would be to ask someone who might have seen him.

    ¡°Karen, have you seen Bryan?¡± I asked after I reached the street once more. Karen frowned for a moment before she pointed back into the town.

    ¡°I think he went to the guard barracks. He mentioned he wanted to ask some questions.¡±

    A chill ravaged my heart. Why would he decide to make a scene now? It was clear to me that Ray was in cahoots with the leader of that party and Claire had already rattled his cage. Now was the worst time for Bryan to raise an issue with the man.

    Please, don¡¯t do anything stupid.

    It took five minutes for me to reach the barracks. It was near to the centre of town, right next to the council chambers. Whilst there were satellite garrisons near the main exit points from the town, this was the main place where the decisions were made. A few people made their way in and out of the beautifully carved place, but they were easily ignored as I barged my way in.

    There was no sign of Bryan in the entrance hall, so I ran to speak to a receptionist. Luckily one was free to answer my questions, though he didn¡¯t seem too thrilled once he noticed my attire.

    ¡°If you have issues with the guild, please raise them with the receptionist there. We can¡¯t-¡± He started to speak a standard phrase in a dull tone, as though this was a scene that had played out too many times for him already.

    ¡°I¡¯m looking for a friend, I was told he came here. Name is Bryan, uses two swords, ringmail armour.¡± A quick glance down the corridor behind the receptionist proved he wasn¡¯t there. ¡°Have you seen him?¡±

    The receptionist raised an eyebrow as he shuffled several notes around his desk. After a few seconds, he glanced up at me once more.

    ¡°Indeed, a man named Bryan lodged a complaint. He¡¯s currently meeting with the guard captain in his office-¡±

    I didn¡¯t wait for the receptionist to finish. There was no time to follow the correct channels. After I leapt over his desk, it didn¡¯t take long to run up the stairs. Each doorway had a little plaque with a name and a title engraved on it, so all I had to do was look for the largest one and that would likely be my target.

    Shouts came from the ground floor as the receptionist called for help. My time was limited, so I darted down the corridor at full speed. After a quick glance at each doorway, I moved on. The clamour from downstairs increased by the second as several thunderous footsteps made their way up the stairs.

    As they reached the corridor and yelled at me to stop, I found my target. Without a pause, I dashed into the door and barged into the room. Ray was behind a large desk and Bryan was sat in front of him. The pair looked at me in confusion for several seconds before a squad of guards burst into the office.

    Two of them grabbed my arms and prepared to pull me from the room, but before they could drag me off to the cells Ray spoke up.

    ¡°That¡¯s enough, you may leave.¡± He waved at the guards. They glanced back and forth between me and their captain several times before they released my shoulders and saluted to Ray. My mind still hadn¡¯t caught up as the squad left the office and closed the door behind them.

    ¡°What the hell are you doing, Rook?¡± Bryan stood up and moved over to me. Ray watched the scene with a smile as he settled back into his chair.

    ¡°I came to find you. John asked me to get you. Claire-¡±

    ¡°Calm down. Bryan, I understand what has happened. No charges will be held against your friend, but please keep a tight hold on him for the rest of the day.¡± Ray knocked his fist on the table twice. ¡°If I didn¡¯t know better, I would think you wanted to fail, Rook.¡±

    I didn¡¯t respond to Ray''s subtle jab. Bryan didn¡¯t say a word as he pushed his way out of the room, but before I could follow Ray spoke to me once more.

    ¡°I heard your friends will be coming to meet you today, but we have seen no sign of them.¡± He shook his head sadly. ¡°Its a shame, they might not get here in time for the fireworks.¡±

    I turned to ask what he meant, but he had already left the room via a doorway at the back. The lock clicked behind him, which was a hint he wouldn¡¯t speak to me any further. His plan was in motion, and there wasn''t much time left for me to counter it. I dashed out of the room and joined up with Bryan.

    ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡± He asked.

    ¡°We need to get back to Claire. Come on, we don¡¯t have much time.¡±

    What the hell is he planning? I need to tell the others the truth, right now. We''ll have to stand against him with what we have... there''s no time to wait for Susan to recover.

 Chapter 28 - The truth revealed, in more ways than one

    We left the offices without any issues. It was obvious the receptionist hated my guts, but he had been ordered to let us go without any charges. The fact someone had walked into his place, ignored him and walked brazenly into his boss''s office¡­

    ¡°What¡¯s Claire¡¯s skill? She mentioned it to the receptionist at the guild.¡± I asked as we walked through the town. Bryan gave me an odd look before he responded.

    ¡°She gained it where she used to live. She worked with a¡­ secretive bunch.¡± Bryan eyed me up for a moment before he finished the explanation, as though he was debating if he should reveal it at all. ¡°To put it bluntly, she can tell when someone lies or tells the truth.¡±

    ¡°Wait, she can read minds?¡± I blurted out before a wave of embarrassment hit me. If that was true, why would she ever need to ask questions at all?

    ¡°Not exactly. She can¡¯t tell what the truth is, but she knows when you try to hide it.¡± Bryan gave me a quick grin. ¡°That¡¯s part of the reason she trusted you so much. She could tell you held back some details, but you never lied to us.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    That explains why she stood on my side so much, I guess¡­

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s part of the reason. You remind her of an old friend. If I told you the rest, she¡¯d probably kill me. I don¡¯t fancy that, so I¡¯ll leave it for you to figure out.¡± Bryan chuckled and turned back to the front. ¡°She¡¯s not as mature as you think she is. Everyone has a wild side, and hers is a bit more¡­ unique than you¡¯d expect.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡± Bryan¡¯s words left me confused, but it felt like that was his intention. I could figure that out later, but one question burnt my mind more than any other. ¡°I¡¯m guessing its a rare skill. Do you know anyone else that has it?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s the only one with the skill. The description says so, and they never lie.¡± Bryan¡¯s smile disappeared. ¡°Ray always wanted her to come back to the guards because of it, but there¡¯s bad blood between them. She trusts him, but the others are corrupt and untrustworthy in her eyes. One good apple doesn¡¯t make a basket.¡±

    ¡°Wait, she never thought Ray lied to her?¡±

    ¡°Well, she said he always held back some information. That¡¯s just how he is.¡± Bryan stopped in his tracks and turned to face me. ¡°Why do you ask? Is something wrong?¡±

    ¡°He held back some information, but what he said was always the truth¡­¡±

    Bryan watched as I spoke to myself. The loopholes in Claire¡¯s ability were obvious to me, but maybe others had missed them. If Ray never mentioned his other plans, she would never know if he told the truth or lied about them. As long as he was careful with what he said, she would believe he was the only guard she could trust.

    ¡°Let''s go, Claire is pretty mad.¡±

    Bryan didn¡¯t ask any further questions as he followed me to the wall. We walked past Karen, who had taken down most of her wares, and strode up the stairs two at a time. Claire and John were still in the same spot as when I had left, as though no time had passed. John gave Bryan a grateful look as he moved beside Claire.

    ¡°Go check on Susan. You promised to keep her safe, right?¡± Bryan pushed John back towards the stairs. ¡°She¡¯s probably annoyed you¡¯ve put it off again. Don¡¯t give her more reasons to beat you up.¡±

    ¡°Shut up, Bryan.¡± John tried to dodge past me, but I grabbed his arm and whispered a quick request into his ear before he could reach the stairs.

    ¡°Bring Susan here. I have something to tell everyone.¡±

    He frowned for a moment before he nodded in agreement and ran off down the stairs. Bryan gave Claire a glance before he settled down beside her. There was no difference in his treatment compared to John''s, and it was possible they would continue to stare in silence for several hours.

    We don¡¯t have time for this.

    ¡°What did you meet Ray for?¡± I asked. Bryan frowned at me irritably, but Claire woke up for her stupor as she looked at him.

    ¡°What are you planning, Bryan. Why are you speaking to Ray again?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not what you think.¡± Bryan gave me a glare. ¡°He turned up during our duel, so I wanted to know what his scheme was and what he wanted with Rook. He said he was just looking out for him.¡±

    ¡°Is that true, Rook?¡± Claire looked at me. Now that I knew about her ability, it was awkward to answer the question with honesty. She would know if it was a lie, but if I told the truth she would think it was a misunderstanding.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

    ¡°We need to wait for John and Susan. They¡¯re coming up to meet us.¡± I dodged the question as best I could. Claire didn¡¯t look happy, but there wasn¡¯t much choice. It was clear that if she went on the warpath, the rest of the group would be needed to hold her back.

    ¡°They were meant to get hitched today. I guess they¡¯ll put it off for another year, right?¡± Bryan asked from the wall. ¡°Susan is adamant it needs to be this day specifically. Did she ever explain why?¡±

    ¡°No, but she¡¯ll be fine. I¡¯m more worried about John. After the mess last year, I think he wanted to prove himself this time.¡± Claire answered his question, but what she said confused me even more. Despite myself, I felt the need to clarify what I had just heard.

    ¡°Wait, what¡¯re you talking about?¡±

    ¡°Oh, you probably didn¡¯t know. Susan and John are getting married.¡± Bryan smirked at me. ¡°They already argue like a married couple, so they decided to make it official, I guess.¡±

    ¡°Be nice, Bryan.¡± Claire lightly smacked him on the head before she turned to me. ¡°It was meant to be today, but after everything that happened they will probably put it off. Susan has said it needs to be on the tenth day of the tenth month, it¡¯s a tradition from her village or something like that.¡±

    The revelation had knocked me speechless. John and Susan¡¯s relationship had looked strong, but to think they were that close and I hadn¡¯t noticed¡­ As my mind reeled from the new information, another part of Claire¡¯s sentence popped out in my brain.

    Tenth day of the tenth month?

    ¡°Wait, what day is it today?¡± I asked hurriedly. Claire cocked her head to one side before she answered my question.

    ¡°I told you already, it¡¯s the tenth day of the tenth month.¡± Claire glanced back out across the fields. ¡°You slept for a while, but you woke up just in time. Your friends will be arriving soon, right?¡±

    I rushed over to the wall and squinted my eyes. Rose had said the others would arrive in the same place as I had, at the same time. Ray had said no one had arrived at all, but it was possible he had missed them.

    "Don''t worry, Rook. I have a few friends in high places. I got a message through a few days ago, and they promised to send all the backup they could." Claire gave me a smile as she spoke. "We''ll be ready for when this god of yours shows up. Calm down."

    "So no one has appeared up to now?" I turned back to the group, my heart hammering against my ribcage. "Neither your backup or my old friends have popped up. Really?"

    ¡°Well, you''re half right. We got a message that Claire''s friends arrived last night, but they are meeting with the town council at the moment. They''ll come over when they''re done..." Bryan laid a hand on my shoulder and stared into my eyes. "Are you OK, Rook? You''ve been out for a few days."

    "I''m... fine." I shook him off and looked back out across the fields. I had avoided thinking about it before, but now that the time was upon me it was impossible to ignore. We were about to fight a literal god, and I hadn''t even passed my first advancement test as planned. Ray had made sure of that. As I stared towards the distant forest, a weird thought assailed me.

    Wait, Rose said they would appear at the same time of day as I did. It''s too late, they should be here by now... unless...

    ¡°What year is it?¡± My throat tightened as I asked the question. From everything I had been told, I had assumed one detail, an important fact that I should have checked. The one who sent me here had said I didn''t have much time, and Rose hadn''t mentioned anything about it, but still...

    Claire pushed herself away from the edge of the wall and moved towards me as she answered.

    ¡°It¡¯s the two-thousandth year on the calendar¡­ are you alright?¡±

    The truth was so heavy that it forced me to my knees. Maybe it was an unconscious terror at the potential truth that made me ignore the possibility. It was easy to assume they had sent me here a mere ten days too early, but now it was obvious that was incorrect.

    He said I could save them before he got here. He made it seem like I didn¡¯t have much time¡­ he played me for a fool!

    It was impossible to contemplate such an immense stretch of time. My brain had shut down in the face of it. Every single goal I had set myself was proved useless in the face of such an obstacle. Never mind the strength to fight a god, it was impossible for a mortal to live for so long without divine intervention.

    ¡°Rook, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Claire pulled at my shoulders, but my head could barely lift high enough to see her. ¡°Are you OK?¡±

    Susan and John had come up onto the wall, but they watched the scene in confusion. Bryan talked to them, likely in an effort to explain what had just happened. Now that I knew John and Susan were engaged, the signs were obvious. The pair stood close together as they listened to Bryan¡¯s explanation, and each of them had a matching ring on their left hands.

    My mind had found a new thought to latch onto, which helped pull me out of the mire. Claire pulled me to my feet and stared into my eyes as she spoke to Bryan.

    ¡°Bryan, he might need to go back to the treatment centre. His injuries might be playing up.¡±

    ¡°That could be true. Come on, Rook, let¡¯s get you back to bed.¡±

    ¡°No.¡± I shook my head and pulled out of Claire¡¯s grasp. ¡°I¡¯m fine, I just realised something important, that¡¯s all. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Claire moved towards me again, but I dodged her hand.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, I have something important to tell you.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, John didn¡¯t say much when he brought me here.¡± Susan rapped John on the shoulder as she spoke. John ignored her assault as he waited for my answer. I took a deep breath before I revealed the truth. It would be best to do it quickly, as if it was a bandage that needed to be ripped off my arm.

    ¡°The person who attacked me in the guild was Ray.¡±

    The group went silent as they heard my statement. Claire stared into my eyes, as though she had searched my soul to find any hint of a lie. Bryan glanced sideways at her, but after he spotted that she looked as shocked as him he turned back to me.

    ¡°That¡¯s a big claim, Rook. Why would he do-¡±

    Before Bryan could finish his question, a loud crash echoed out across the fields. A ball of flame arced out from the forest before it fell down towards the wall.

    Directly at the placewhere we stood.

 Chapter 29 - By the skin of our teeth, or so we thought

    There wasn''t time to dodge, but I wouldn''t just stand there and let it hit me. As I jumped to the side,Claire grabbed me and rushed along the wall with an insane burst of speed. The others moved beside us as we cleared the area not a moment too soon.

    The ball erupted as it crashed into the battlements. The heat was intense even from where we now stood as a wave of force blasted past us. If we hadn¡¯t noticed its approach, not a single one of us would have survived the impact. Claire dropped me to the wall and turned to face the devastation. I could see her wince in pain, but she quickly covered it up and gave me a smile.

    She took the hit to save me...

    ¡°What the hell was that. How did they get a practitioner with the skill to launch that?¡± John muttered from behind. Susan took a deep breath as she leaned against the wall, which caught his attention instantly. It was obvious she hadn¡¯t yet healed fully, a fact that could be easily blamed on Ray''s machinations.

    ¡°It¡¯s not possible, not with the mana density of this zone.¡± Susan spoke between deep breaths as she leant on the wall. ¡°If I had to guess, they burnt a rare artefact¡¯s power up and lobbed it at us. Who would waste something so valuable for such a weak effect?¡±

    Claire had been healed, so why is Susan still injured? Is it the poison that Bryan mentioned?

    ¡°How did they know we were there?¡± Bryan turned to the group. He kept an eye on the forest as though he expected another attack at any moment. Susan took another breath before she forced herself up.

    ¡°We only told one person where we would be meeting you. There¡¯s no chance anyone could have seen us from the forest without prior warning.¡± Susan glanced at John, who had his fist clenched on the wall so hard it had turned white.

    ¡°It was Ray.¡± He said through gritted teeth. ¡°He met us when we were on our way up here. He asked what the problem was, so I told him Rook wanted to speak to us.¡±

    The rest of the group turned to me. They didn¡¯t show any blame, but their faces were also stretched tight. It was clear they didn¡¯t know how to react to the betrayal as each person fought their way through the dilemma.

    ¡°We should challenge him.¡± John said decisively as he turned towards the nearest stairway. The one we had used was now a pile of slag, so the only other choice was the one at the next entrance along. It was either that, or we could try to leap onto the roof nearby and from there onto the street.

    Sounds of panic came from the street below. The impact had been deafening, which drew the attention of everyone in town. If they couldn¡¯t tell the town was under attack, they were stupid. As John was moved to walk off along the wall, Bryan caught him and pulled him back.

    ¡°Challenge with what, exactly? Who would believe us with such flimsy evidence?¡±

    ¡°What else do you want us to do? Should we pretend he didn¡¯t just try to kill us, Bryan?¡± John shot back as he tried to pull out of Bryan¡¯s grasp. The group fell into a heated argument as I glanced over the battlements. A wave of people had fled the fields and had crowded around the gateway below. The guards let them through without a pause, but a large number still remained outside.

    Why are they running into a town that¡¯s under attack?

    My question was answered a moment later as a wave of people walked out of the forest. Their numbers swelled by the second as more figures moved out of the shadows and lined up on the edge of the fields. Their formation wasn¡¯t neat, but the number of troops was nothing to sniff at.

    ¡°Guys, we have a problem.¡± I pulled the others out of their discussion and pointed to the massed forces. ¡°Those would be the bandits, right?¡±

    ¡°They are. How did they get so many recruits.¡± Claire stared down at the army which had started its approach. The tide of people entering the town increased its urgency as they fought to get into the relative safety of the walls. No more barrages were launched, which proved that Susan¡¯s guess was correct. Whatever they had used to launch the first attack was had been used up to fire the warning shot.

    Warning shots usually weren¡¯t aimed to kill, however.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    Lines of guards ran up each of the stairways onto the wall. Several used ladders to make their way up due to the loss of one staircase, but we didn¡¯t seize the chance to leave just yet. For now, we would have to stay put and see how things played out.

    ¡°Claire, good to see you.¡±

    A guard stepped out of the crowd to meet us. Her armour had been designed with a little more care than her comrades, which hinted that she might be of significant rank. The fact she greeted Claire with such a friendly tone proved two things.

    One: She trusted Claire and was happy she was there to help.

    Two: She didn¡¯t know about the attempted assassination that had just occurred.

    ¡°Hello, Lieutenant.¡± Claire nodded to the woman before she turned back to the troops in the distance. ¡°Were the guards aware of this beforehand?¡±

    ¡°If we were, do you think it would have happened at all?¡± The woman shook her head and turned to her troops. ¡°Keep your spacing wide, watch for further ranged attacks! Archers, ready your bows! Do not fire until I give the order!¡±

    We watched as the lieutenant gave her troops various orders. Once the guards had been positioned to her liking she turned back to us.

    ¡°Have you seen the captain. He really should be the one leading us. If he doesn¡¯t turn it up, it will really hurt our morale.¡±

    Our group shared a look before Bryan turned to answer her.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen him since we met in his office.¡± He said curtly. His response was true, which helped cover the fact that her superior had tried to have us killed. If he didn¡¯t show his face it might hurt their morale a little, but the fact their captain was a traitor would destroy every shred they had left.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll turn up soon. He¡¯s probably bringing reinforcements from the guild.¡± The lieutenant turned to face the bandit army. Three people had walked out of the mass and had approached the wall. They moved into range of the bows, but no one fired on them just yet. All three of them wore nondescript clothes and a featureless mask.

    just like Ray¡¯s mask¡­ oh no.

    ¡°Claire, are you still alive?¡±

    Claire poked her head over the battlements as the voice echoed up. The guards shifted from foot to foot as they heard the voice. All of them had an idea of who had spoken to them, but the truth was too hard to bear, so they ignored it. Claire wasn¡¯t as happy to go along with the charade, however.

    ¡°Why did you do this, Ray. We were friends. I trusted you.¡±

    The guards murmured to each other as they heard their captain''s name. The man shook his head and pulled off his mask, once and for all revealing the true face of the army''s leader. Ray stared up at us, his face expressionless as he walked closer to the wall.

    ¡°It¡¯s a shame, you should have run the other way.¡± Ray shook his head and pulled out a torch from his belt. He flicked the tip, which sparked a small flame, and raised it above his head.

    ¡°Get off the wall!¡± The lieutenant yelled out. The guards turned to face her in confusion before they spread away from us. Claire grabbed me and leapt back into the town without hesitation. The last thing I saw was Bryan, John and Susan as they leapt off behind us.

    The wall disappeared as a pillar of fire rose into the sky. I barely had time to register what had just happened before we crashed into the roof of a house below the wall and I blacked out from the impact.

    <hr>

    Sounds of battle woke me from my slumber. It took me several seconds to pull myself out of the rubble, but as my thoughts pushed themselves back on track I remembered what had happened.

    Ray lit the torch, we jumped off the wall, it exploded. He had planned this in advance and we were unlucky enough to be at the place he had prepared. Claire had saved my life once again¡­

    Wait, where is she?

    I remembered the jump from the wall, but after we hit the roof I had lost consciousness. All I could see were piles of rubble. It looked like we had crashed through several floors before we landed on the ground. Luckily, the house we landed on had been relatively fragile, so the roof had broken under our weight. That had cushioned the impact a little, but the fact I was mostly unharmed was a concern.

    I pulled at the nearby piles of rubble frantically. Claire had saved me, but she had also put herself in danger. I remembered the spin she had done in mid-air, which had positioned her under me before we crashed into the house. Even though she was heavily armoured, it wouldn¡¯t help much against such a fall.

    ¡°¡­Rook.¡±

    A weak moan came from under a collapsed table. After the rocks had been cleared I pulled it aside the find the dust-covered woman. She smiled up at me, but a thin trail of blood leaked down her side.

    ¡°Quick, drink this.¡± I pulled out my last potion and tipped it down her lips. She tried to fight against it, but in her weakened state, I managed to overpower her. After she had drunk the entire bottle I tossed it away and pulled a few more pieces of rubble from her chest.

    Her armour was dented, but still usable. The potion would be enough to bring her back from the brink, but I knew she would need to go back to the treatment centre. If she stayed out here any weak bandit would be enough to put her out of commission.

    ¡°Come on, we need to leave.¡± I said as I pulled her upright. She grit her teeth against the pain and leant her weight on my shoulder. As we walked out towards the exit, the door opened before we could reach it.

    ¡°Hello, Claire. I see you¡¯re with our guest.¡± Ray smiled at us as he drew his sword. ¡°I¡¯m going to have to ask you to stand aside.¡±

 Chapter 30 - Counter attack, devastation

    Claire tried to draw her sword, but I managed to grab her arm before she pulled it out. Ray stepped into the house and kicked the door closed behind him. Fortunately, this place had been evacuated, so no innocent civilians would be involved in our little showdown.

    That also meant no one would know what was about to happen.

    ¡°Just tell me why.¡± Claire spit out the words as though they were missiles. Ray tapped a finger to his chin before he responded in a matter of fact tone.

    ¡°My God gave me a prophecy to follow. This man fits it perfectly, so my hand has been forced.¡± He gave me an odd look as he continued. ¡°You probably know less than she does, but believe me when I say this is for your own good.¡±

    ¡°You want to kill me for my own good?¡± I pulled Claire away from the captain. There was another doorway at the back of the room, but it was obvious we wouldn¡¯t make it out through that. The real reason I moved was to tempt Ray forward by a few steps.

    ¡°I know it sounds insane, but it''s true. You are going against god¡¯s plan for this world.¡± He took a step forward and raised his sword. ¡°If you come quietly, I can let her go. It¡¯s up to you.¡±

    ¡°Shut your mouth. I¡¯ll never let you take him!¡± Claire struggled in my grasp. Ray glanced at her as she tried to block his path. Despite the situation, he looked genuinely depressed as he took another step towards us.

    ¡°If that is how you want it, so be it. I guess your feelings are more sincere than I first thought.¡± His sword shone brightly as a spiral of blue energy span around its length. ¡°Rook, you have one more chance. Step forward and let me finish this quickly.¡±

    ¡°What the hell is that?¡± Claire stared at his sword. ¡°Ray, what have you done-¡±

    ¡°OK.¡± I nodded and pushed Claire to the side before she could finish her question. Her legs failed her as she dropped on top of a pile of rocks, but I caught her and made sure she didn¡¯t hit them too hard. She tried to grab my hand but I had already dodged away. Her frustration was evident as she tried to force herself up. Unfortunately her heavy armour, which had previously protected her, now acted as her cage.

    ¡°Good choice. No need to involve the others.¡± Ray nodded as I moved towards him. ¡°I promise you that they won¡¯t be hurt. You have my word.¡±

    ¡°How can I trust you?¡± I asked, my eyes narrow. The former captain shrugged in response.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have a choice.¡± He took another step towards me. ¡°Wait right there-¡±

    ¡°Thunder Orb!¡±

    Susan¡¯s voice echoed down from the roof. Ray tried to stab out with his sword, but a bright shield burst into view to block the blow. Susan¡¯s attack smashed down on top of his head. The thunder orb erupted out the instant it hit him before it sent out a wave of force. The shield that hovered before my eyes cracked and broke apart under the force before I was swept from my feet.

    It had blocked some of the damage, but not all of it.

    Claire rolled off the pile of rubble. She hadn¡¯t been aware of the plan, and it wasn¡¯t like I had time to explain or give her a hint. She rolled into the far wall with a thud. My fate wasn¡¯t much better than hers as my body crashed into the wall beside her.

    The only hope was that Ray¡¯s injuries would be worse than ours.

    He was still alive, that much was clear. His body had crashed into the wall beside the door so heavily that cracks spread along its surface. Whilst his head was hidden from view, it was clear that the magical attack would have done him serious damage.

    Either way, it wasn¡¯t a good idea for us to wait to find out.

    It was difficult to lift Claire, but after I used my Strengthen buff it was barely manageable. I used it on the entire group just in case as it wasn¡¯t as though I was low on mana at that point. I did hold back on using it on Claire by removing her from my mental targets, just in case she tried something stupid with the newfound strength.

    A quick kick destroyed the doorway and let us out onto the street. John waited outside to take Claire from my grasp whilst Susan stayed on the rooftop to cover our escape.

    Ray¡¯s target was me, and she was injured. It was a good plan, but it wasn¡¯t one I was happy with.

    ¡°Go get the guards, I¡¯ll hold him off.¡± I turned back to the open doorway and raised my staff. Ray¡¯s figure was visible at the far end of the room as he pulled himself to his feet. John wanted to argue with me, but Claire¡¯s condition gave him pause for thought.

    Unfortunately, his hesitation was our downfall.

    Ray chuckled from the room before he tossed a small object to our feet. It looked like a round stone, carved with various odd runes. John kicked it back into the house and jumped to the side, but his reaction wasn¡¯t quick enough. I didn¡¯t have time to dodgebefore it exploded.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

    A wave of blue light erupted from the orb and swept over the alley. As it hit, my body went limp. All my strength faded as we dropped to the floor. I could see Susan far above and confirmed she had been affected as well. The object had been some sort of magical grenade, but what was peculiar was the fact the book hadn¡¯t mentioned such a thing at all.

    I had looked for this sort of thing specifically, and the closest thing was the siege equipment that could launch an enhanced magical projectile. I had seen the effects of such a device not too long ago, but that needed the combined efforts of many practitioners and the sacrifice of an artefact of significant power.

    ¡°I got the idea from a friend in another country.¡± Ray giggled as he walked out of the door. He had put his mask on once more to cover his injured face. ¡°It was lucky the bandits listened to me. If they hadn¡¯t used the weakening poison on your little practitioner, that would have been the end for me.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the one who poisoned her!¡± John tried to get up, but his struggles were for nought. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you! Fight me, you coward!¡±

    Ray looked back at John. We had fallen in opposite directions and John was partially blocked by the unconscious Claire. I couldn¡¯t feel any flow of mana at all. The orb had weakened us and blocked our abilities, so how badly must it have affected her?

    ¡°I promised you I would leave them alone, and I¡¯ll stick by it. You betrayed my trust, Rook, but I have my limits.¡± Ray moved to stand above me. ¡°It''s funny. That little stone wouldn¡¯t have affected them if you hadn¡¯t used your abilities to help. You should appreciate it, that rock was one of a kind.¡±

    Why did he have something to counter a Supporter? I¡¯m no danger to him¡­

    ¡°You seem confused. Don¡¯t worry though, it wasn¡¯t specifically for you.¡± Ray placed his sword against my chest. ¡°I have friends in high places, and they are planning a change that will help this country to be great once more. Unfortunately, you won¡¯t live to see that.¡±

    He pressed his sword down. My armour held out for a few seconds before the blade pierced through and reached my chest. He paused for a moment as he stared down at me. His sword had stabbed directly into the area marred by the gods fist. It wasn¡¯t clear if that was a purposeful choice, but he didn¡¯t give me time to question it.

    ¡°I want to say I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m really not. Goodbye.¡±

    His arm tensed up as he gathered his strength to strike. Before he could make the move, a figure leapt through a window beside us and kicked him aside. Ray tried to force his sword down, but it only cut my chest a little before he was knocked into the wall.

    ¡°Ray! I knew you were a self-serving prick. Thanks for proving it.¡± Bryan blocked the man¡¯s path to me. ¡°How long is left on the debuff?¡±

    ¡°Three minutes.¡± John answered. Bryan nodded and moved into a defensive stance.

    ¡°I¡¯ll hold him off then. Once it fades, we can beat him together.¡±

    ¡°Clever.¡± Ray nodded as he pushed himself off the wall. Despite the various hits he had taken, the man was as lively as ever. ¡°You think you can fight me by yourself? Maybe you would have been right before, but with the new power my god gave me, you have no chance at all!¡±

    ¡°He isn¡¯t by himself.¡±

    Claire had pushed herself up and made her way to stand beside Bryan. She was unsteady, but a pale light twined its way around her limbs which held her upright. Bryan opened his mouth to speak, but she cut him off.

    ¡°Save it, Bryan. Focus on the enemy.¡±

    ¡°I wish we could reminisce, but time is limited.¡± Ray¡¯s sword was surrounded once more by the spiral of blue light. ¡°This is your choice.¡±

    Claire drew her weapons and moved to block Ray. The captain turned traitor, true to his word, didn¡¯t give her more than a moment before he launched his assault.

    His blade stabbed at her chest. Claire managed to block the blow, but the force sent her back by several steps. Ray was ready to follow up, but Bryan launched a vicious assault from the side.

    Two swords versus one. It was a close match up despite the numerical advantage as Ray dodged and weaved between Bryan¡¯s flurry of blows. After a few seconds of heated combat, Ray seized on an opening and kicked Bryan away.

    As he did so, Claire rushed to meet him. Her shield smashed into his side and swept him from his feet. It looked like she was about to crush him against the wall, but he kicked out against it before he reached it and pushed her back. Claire tipped back, but managed to hold her ground.

    Unfortunately, Ray wasn¡¯t ready to let that slide.

    He dropped to the floor and swept her legs aside with a kick. As she tumbled through the air, he followed up with a brutal punch which sent her through the air. She crashed down beside me as though that had been his goal all along.

    Bryan blocked his advance once more but, after their last exchange, it was obvious how this would end up. Claire turned to face me with a smile. The buffs on the rest of the group had less than two minutes to go, but Bryan wouldn¡¯t be able to last more than one. After he went down, Ray would have more than enough time to finish us off and escape.

    ¡°Sorry about this, Rook. I tried my best.¡± She mumbled. For a few seconds, it was unclear what she meant, but then she spoke a single word.

    ¡°Intervention.¡±

    My body, which had felt as though it was pressed down beneath several tonnes of sand, lightened at her word. John leapt to his feet at the same point and joined Bryan in his assault. Ray, now under the combined assault of an archer and a swordsman, was forced to back away slowly.

    ¡°Thunder orb!¡±

    Susan had been freed from the curse as well. Ray tried to dodge the attack, but Bryan kicked him back into it. The orb didn¡¯t explode this time, but it still made him crash face first into the floor. Bryan and John rained blows down on him as I turned back to Claire.

    She smiled at me, but the light didn¡¯t reach her eyes. She stared straight forward as I pushed myself up. As I stared at her, a voice echoed in my mind.

    It was Claire.

    ''What are you, Rook? How did you do this? What are you¡­''

    And then she was gone. A new weight settled on my mind, as though my brain had increased by three sizes. Claire had dropped to the floor in front of me, so how the hell did she just speak to me?

    ¡°Damn it, Claire.¡± Bryan rushed over to her side and lifted her head. ¡°Come on, you can¡¯t do this.¡±

    ¡°Bryan, that¡¯s enough.¡± John dropped to the floor beside the pair. ¡°She did what she thought was right.¡±

    ¡°We need to take her for treatment.¡± I pushed myself up and tried to pull Bryan to his feet. ¡°Come on, we need to go-¡±

    ¡°Rook, stop¡­.¡± John looked up at me. Tears streamed from his eyes as he spoke. ¡°She took all of the effects from us and it was too much for her. Shes¡­ gone.¡±

 Chapter 31 - Vicious counter, an explanation

    It couldn¡¯t be true. It just couldn¡¯t.

    Claire was the strongest person I had ever met. She was kind, she looked out for others, she helped me with no thought to her own gains.

    How could she be gone?

    No¡­ I heard her voice. There must be something we can do!

    Before I could mention it to the others, a low sigh came from the far end of the alley. Ray looked up at us through his damaged mask. He grinned at me, insanely happy despite the loss he had just taken.

    ¡°How unfortunate. I may have lost¡­ but so did you.¡±

    ¡°What do you-¡± My yell was interrupted as blue light shot out from my chest. The damaged area of my armour leaked blue steam as I dropped to the floor. Ray laughed once more as his head dropped down.

    "Screw that!"

    I picked up my staff and sprinted towards the fallen man. The others watched in shock as I smashed my staff down on his head again and again. He tried to move on the first hit, but the next robbed him of the last dregs of life. I didn''t want to stop there, but the fire in my chest burst out as I raised my staff for yet another strike.

    ¡°What did he do?¡± John pulled me back and pushed his hands against the injured area. The blue light singed his hands, so he pulled them back a moment later. It was as though a fire had been lit against my chest, but there was nothing I could do about it. My staff tumbled from my grip as the final ebbs of strength faded away.

    Unfortunately, there wasn¡¯t a single thing they could do. Ray had planted this final gift before Bryan had knocked him back. Even though my blows had ended him, his attack followed through regardless. I tried to cast my abilities, but even that small mercy was declined. My vision faded as the pain overtook me.

    Damn it¡­ I can¡¯t end like this¡­ Not now!

    <hr>

    All sense of self faded away. My mind and soul floated above the scene, which had frozen below me. Susan had dropped to the alley to join the others as they struggled to hold back the blue energy. From my new position, I could see the overall flow of battle. The cult and bandit forces had been pushed back by the collective efforts of the guards and the guild members.

    At least some of them are safe.

    **Error: You have died. Error: Storage path blocked. New route chosen.**

    The scene before me wavered back and forth. The whole town, and those within it, were rapidly distorted and blurred together. A moment later, the whole thing flickered off as though someone had just pressed the off switch. A pale blue light filled my view, which remained no matter how many times I blinked.

    What the hell is going on? Is this the afterlife or something?

    **Load failed. External interference registered. Error-**

    The words were interrupted as a heavy force smashed into my mind. My vision blanked out for several seconds. As it slowly returned, the place I had been transferred to came into view.

    I had been sent back to the selection room again.

    ¡°Well, that was slower than expected.¡±

    ¡°Why did you bring me back here?¡± I turned around to face the person. It was the man who had pulled me away from my friends.

    The one who I now knew was a god.

    ¡°Seriously, you talk like that to the person who saved your life-¡±

    ¡°Shut up.¡± I muttered under my breath. The ragged man paused mid-sentence as his nostrils flared.

    ¡°What did you say?¡± His tone was still calm, but now there was a slight edge to it.

    ¡°Shut up! Because of you, she died. If you hadn¡¯t sent me there, she¡¯d be fine.¡±

    ¡°Wait, who died? What happened?¡± The man caught my wrist. Before I could pull away, he grabbed my head in his hand. This time was gentler than the first, but my anger was more intense than it had been before if anything.

    ¡°Get off!¡± I yelled as I pushed him away. He didn¡¯t fight as he released me and took a few steps back. While his mouth was hidden, his eyes clearly showed regret as he stared at me.

    ¡°I never thought they would make a move against you so openly. It seems like my gamble failed. I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°You think you can just say ¡®sorry¡¯ and it¡¯ll all be OK.¡± I walked up and poked at his chest. It didn¡¯t matter who or what he was to me anymore. ¡°You did this! Tell me why. Now!¡±

    ¡°There are more players in this game that you could fathom. You¡¯re but a discarded piece that I placed back on the board.¡± The old man combed his hand through his beard. ¡°I did my best to give you the drive and the goal. The fact he made a move against you-¡±Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    ¡°Who made a move against me?¡± I interrupted him once more. The reason for the situation wasn¡¯t important, all that I cared about was the perpetrator.

    That person would be my new target.

    ¡°The true God, Bael. He was sealed away in the past, but his fingers reach out from beyond the grave.¡± The old man pulled a chair out from under the table and passed it to me. I ignored his offer, so he shrugged and took a seat in front of me. ¡°He¡¯s the one behind the little ¡®training camp¡¯ you were destined for. Your friends are pieces for him to use and dispose of as he sees fit.¡±

    ¡°What does he want with them?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s easier if I show you.¡± The old man sighed and reach out. After a moment of hesitation. I grabbed his wrist. Even though my hand clenched with all my strength, he ignored it as the air blurred around us.

    A new scene came into view over time. We floated far above the ground, or what should have been the ground. The entire area was charred to a crisp. A mountain range in the distance had been decimated, as though they had been melted by a cosmic blowtorch. Several chasms dotted the land beneath us which would have been classified as canyons should anyone exist to name them as such.

    ¡°What happened?¡± I asked as I looked out across the devastation. The old man turned to me, his eyes cold as he responded.

    ¡°This is the same world you left. In fact, it¡¯s the same country.¡± He waved his free arm to encompass the area we could see. ¡°This is the result of Bael¡¯s resurrection. This is what the world will look like if we fail to stop him. What I just showed you¡­ is the best case scenario should he rise again.¡±

    Before I could ask any further questions, the land disappeared and was replaced once more by the dull room. The old man released my hand and plopped down in the chair before he stared up at me. It was clear he had no intention to speak further until I said something more.

    ¡°What is that world? How did you even send me there?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ difficult to explain.¡± The god rubbed his forehead as he contemplated his next words. ¡°There are many worlds like that one. They don¡¯t exist, not in the way you would imagine. Thousands of years ago, they were created to save the remnants of a dying species.¡±

    ¡°Created? You''re saying someone made entire worlds?¡± I leant against the wall and folded my arms. ¡°If they could do that, why not just fix the worlds that existed already?¡±

    ¡°They aren¡¯t physical worlds as you would imagine. People were transformed into constructs of themselves and sent to a virtual version of their world. They live, they love, they have children¡­ and they perish.¡± He combed his fingers through his beard. ¡°When the day comes the danger has passed, those on the repository worlds will be moved back into reality. Until that time, they will remain where they are.¡±

    So¡­ they don¡¯t really exist? What the hell¡­

    It was difficult to grasp the full extent of his words. Entire worlds had been pulled out of reality, virtualised and stuffed into storage to escape obliteration. How had my world escaped from such a wide-scale disaster?

    ¡°Wait, if the world is destroyed¡­ haven¡¯t we already lost?¡±

    ¡°Technically, yes. But also, no.¡± The god tutted as he stared at me. ¡°You¡¯re my last gambit, so I gave up a lot. I barely managed to rebuild my arm, you know.¡±

    He held up his arm to show me. The one he had lost when he punched me had returned, though when he moved it around it blurred slightly in the air. His loss didn¡¯t matter to me as I walked back and forth across the room.

    ¡°Are you saying that¡¯s why you sent me back a thousand years? What was the point of that?¡±

    ¡°It was my hope that you could help the saints. They joined with us in the fight but, due to their lack of coordination and trust, they didn¡¯t help much.¡±

    ¡°So you wanted me to help these people, who I¡¯ve never met, to trust one another?¡± It was difficult to not sneer at his suggestion. ¡°That seems a bit too optimistic for you.¡±

    ¡°True, but I didn¡¯t have any other choice. I could only save one person, and that turned out to be you.¡± He shrugged his shoulders once more. ¡°Well, think yourself lucky. You¡¯ll get one more shot at it soon.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean, ¡®one more shot¡¯? Are you sending me back again?¡± I grabbed his shoulders and pulled him to face me. ¡°Will I be able to save them this time?¡±

    My elation was destroyed as he shook his head. He reached out and patted my shoulder gently.

    ¡°You will go back, but it will take about a year for your body to reform. It is quite taxing on your soul to do this, so if we try it again you will probably collapse.¡± He stared into my eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Rook. You¡¯ll be sent back to a year after your first visit. The past can only be changed once.¡±

    His words confirmed my worst fears. Claire had sacrificed herself to save me, but it didn¡¯t matter. If she had let me go, she would have lived. If Ray had taken me out earlier, she would have lived. even if the slime queen had devoured me, she would have lived.

    If he saved me, why not her.

    I slapped myself in the face and pulled myself together. The old god looked down at me, his eyes narrow as he watched the odd play. Now wasn¡¯t the time to mope.

    ¡°If you saved me, could you save her?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± The old man shook his head as he stood up and laid his hand on my shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s not possible to bring back someone who-¡±

    ¡°What do you mean, ¡®not possible¡¯!?¡± I knocked his hand aside. ¡°You helped me, why not her?¡±

    ¡°There are reasons I could pull a trick with you. Your friend is missing all of the required parameters for it to work.¡± He dropped back into his chair. ¡°I imprinted you before your first death, your body had only recently been created, you had been through the transfer procedure within the last month. And that¡¯s if you ignore the fact I used a thousand years of my energy to pull your soul back together.¡±

    ¡°My soul?¡±

    ¡°Yes, though there is something peculiar to you.¡± The god stared at my face, as though he could see through my skull and into my brain. ¡°You¡¯ve got some other fragments mixed up in your soul. I didn¡¯t touch them because they seemed harmless, but I¡¯ll have someone keep an eye on it.¡±

    ¡°Why did you save me if it took so much effort? Was it because you knew Ray would come after me before long?¡± His lack of care in my situation did annoy me, but it wasn¡¯t anything new.

    At least that¡¯s likely the worst of it, right?

    The man turned away from me. If I didn¡¯t know better, it would have been easy to think he looked¡­ awkward.

    ¡°Not exactly, no.¡± He turned back to me as a red tinge rose up on his cheeks. ¡°I aimed your transfer quite well. How was I to know you would be lucky enough to survive such a fall, nevermind defeat a slime queen?¡±

    It was impossible to find an accurate response to his revelation. This old man had not only pulled me out of the group, he had dumped me high into the sky above a horrendous monster¡­ in the hope I would come back to him in a speedy fashion?

    ¡°You.. You..¡± My hands clenched repeatedly as my brain rolled over. How would you have responded if someone plainly said they had tried to kill you?

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but we didn¡¯t have time before.¡± He seemed to have recovered for his embarrassment as he glanced up at me. ¡°It was for the best-¡±

    He stopped mid-sentence as my fist slammed into his face.

 Chapter 32 - The true nature of the world, practice makes perfect

    It was peculiar. Despite the fact he had been punched in the face, the old man didn¡¯t react at all.

    ¡°I guess I could say ¡®ow¡¯ if that would make you feel better?¡± The old man pushed my hand away as he stood up. ¡°If you want to punish someone, why not go after the one who caused this whole situation?¡±

    ¡°And who¡¯s that?¡± It was difficult, but I held back my anger as he walked away. It wasn¡¯t like my attack had any effect at all, so a follow up was useless.

    ¡°Bael. He¡¯s the one who sneaked into the world, the one the cult follow as their god.¡± The old man sighed and turned to face me. ¡°He has called your friends over to coincide with his awakening, so all you need to do is speed it up a little. If you break him out early, it won¡¯t be long before you see your friends again.¡±

    ¡°Wait, so I don¡¯t have to wait for a thousand years? Why even mention it then.¡± I spoke through gritted teeth as I glared at the old man. ¡°Are you just trying to get me angry or something?¡±

    ¡°Well, not really. It will be extremely difficult to speed up his awakening by any significant margin. A thousand years is the baseline.¡± The old man turned and walked towards the wall. ¡°The prediction is based on the best possible case scenario, but worse could happen. The ripples might even reach your original world. Bring all the saints together, gain strength, then think about fighting a god.¡±

    ¡°Fine.¡± His suggestion was a good one. If this ¡®Bael¡¯ character was behind everything, he had to pay for it, no matter how long it took me. ¡°Are you going to send me back?¡±

    ¡°Not for a while, no. It will take at least a year for your soul to reform.¡±

    ¡°A year? What if they do something while-¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, that¡¯s how long it will take.¡± The old man lost his temper and turned back to me. ¡°It should be impossible for you to go back at all. The stars aligned to give you this chance, so don¡¯t mess it up by rushing to your death.¡±

    A year was a long time to wait, but he was right. If I tried to force my way back it would cause more issues than it solved. If he had given me a year, so I had to use it wisely.

    ¡°Well, what do you plan for me to do for a year? You aren¡¯t going to leave me in this room, are you?¡± I stared around at the four walls. Whilst the room was large enough for general use if I had to stay confined in it for a year it would drive me crazy.

    ¡°You¡¯ll have to stay here. If you leave, your soul will fade. It¡¯s barely holding together as it is.¡± The old man walked to one of the walls and tapped it with his finger. A section slid to the side, which revealed a long, dark corridor that stretched off into the distance.

    ¡°Seriously?¡± I tried to run behind him, but he pushed me back without a glance. As I stumbled across the floor, the door closed behind him.

    ¡°I¡¯ll send you some books. Practice your skills. A year will fly by, trust me on that.¡±

    ¡°Wait, can you get a message to my friends?¡± I called out the door creaked shut. ¡°Tell them to watch out for the guy who shouted at the goddess. He¡¯s the one who killed me!¡±

    The door, which had been an inch from closing, opened slightly as the old man peaked back into the room.

    ¡°Wait, he killed you? Are you sure?¡±

    ¡°Well, he pushed me off a building. I don¡¯t remember hitting the ground, so maybe your little spell pulled us away before that happened.¡± It wasn¡¯t nice to imagine my death, but even if he hadn¡¯t directly killed me, he had still attempted it. ¡°Just tell them, please.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll try to pass on the message.¡± He frowned as he stared at me for several seconds. ¡°You stay here for a bit, I have something I need to check.¡±

    ¡°Wait! What does that even mean!?¡±

    As much as I shouted for him, the old god didn¡¯t respond in the slightest. He had abandoned me once again, but at least this time he hadn¡¯t tried to murder me.

    Or maybe he had¡­

    There was no food or water. I had the same outfit, but all of my gear other than the staff had been left behind when he pulled me to this place. A quick calculation indicated dehydration would get me long before the year ended. Maybe the old man didn¡¯t notice this fact due to him being an immortal?

    ¡°He¡¯ll send some food and drinks later. He has to.¡± I repeated to myself as my eyes roved around my new home. The walls were bland and uninteresting and the furniture was similar. There were two chairs and a single table, which had held a full assortment of weapons on my last visit.

    This time, its top was bare. The only other issue was the lack of bathroom facilities, but the old man must have planned for that. Even he would need to use the toilet occasionally, right?

    ¡­ Right?

    To pull myself away from my spiral of worry, I set myself a challenge. My staff had followed me, so at least that gave me the chance to run through a set of exercises. After the short lesson from Bryan had been combined with the fragmented memories of the videos I had seen in the past, a short course was created.

    Pre-stretches. Important to make sure the exercises didn¡¯t injure me.

    Pushups, situps, crunches, weights. For the last one of that selection, I had to thread my staff through the chair legs to create a makeshift set of weights, but it was better than nothing.

    I followed that with a series of offensive and defensive staff combinations. The varied fights I had been in had given me a window into the world of combat. Thrusts, swings, parries, counters, dodges. My staff gave me a long reach, but my main advantage could be a downside if my enemy moved into close range.

    So, it would be best to work on my ability to keep them away.

    Speed and skill came before power.

    ¡°Accelerate!¡±

    The slight increase in speed from the buff would be good to keep up as much as possible. If my body moved faster, that would help my mind and reactions improve in response. The only peculiarity was my mana pool, which was stills immobile at one hundred and ten¡­

    It hasn¡¯t gone down?

    The pool was still at the maximum amount. A quick check confirmed the buff had came into effect and that its timer was in place.

    ¡°Strengthen.¡± If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    The amount didn¡¯t drop, but my muscles clenched as the buff gave me a boost in power.

    ¡°Buffed strike. Buffed strike. Buffed strike!¡±

    It still didn¡¯t go down. My heart simmered with excitement for a few seconds before it cooled off. It wasn¡¯t possible this effect would last once my body was returned to that world. If this gift from above wasn¡¯t made use of now, it would be a shame I would live with until my dying day.

    First things first, I had to use the abilities enough to understand their effects. That was based upon total number of uses and the perception of the user. Whilst I didn¡¯t have much faith in the second part of the equation, the first section could more than make up for it.

    ¡°Accelerate! Accelerate! Accelerate!¡±

    The buff effect didn¡¯t increase, but the time was reset with each use. As my shouts echoed out across the room again and again, I dashed back and forth like a madman. Maybe if my body got used to the effects of the buff, that might speed up my comprehension of the ability.

    Time passed, though my perception of it dulled after the first few hours. Despite the constant movement and the shouts that rang out from my mouth, my body felt as lively as ever. No fatigue, no tiredness. My throat didn¡¯t ache at all from the constant yelling.

    A perfect place to practice.

    After what felt like ten thousand shouts, the voice rewarded me with the phrase I had waited for.

    **Congratulations, Accelerate has reached (beginner) proficiency. Additional details and effects will be listed in the ability window.**

    My steps paused as a wide grin cracked open on my face. Before I could pull out the guild card to read my abilities, the truth of my situation dawned on me.

    It had burned to ashes, along with the rest of my equipment.

    ¡°Damn it!¡± I smashed my staff into the floor. It didn¡¯t leave a dent, but at least my frustration had been vented a little. If it wasn¡¯t possible for me to see the effects directly, all I had to do was look forward to the rewards of my labors in a year.

    How far will my abilities grow in that time? I can¡¯t wait!

    Once Accelerate had been increased, it was Strengthens chance to shine. After the same process had been repeated, this time with staff thrusts and strikes instead of the mad dashes from before, the voice reported my victory once more.

    **Congratulations, Strengthen has reached (beginner) proficiency. Additional details and effects will be listed in the ability window.**

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    No one saw my victory celebrations, but I did it anyway. This voice was the one thing I could rely on. It didn¡¯t lie, or try to trick me. It hadn¡¯t tried to murder me. Though it was just an automated announcer, it felt like a friend.

    And right now, that¡¯s all I needed.

    As I continued to work on my abilities, the announcements helped me focus. From Basic to beginner, to intermediate. After that, it slowed down. Hours, days or maybe weeks passed without a word.

    But it didn¡¯t matter.

    With each strike, my compatibility with the staff grew stronger. At first, it had been difficult to swing it without stumbling or catching myself accidentally, but after a short time, I could spin it around my head like an action hero. Whilst the actual gains in battle weren¡¯t confirmed, it should give me a good base to move on from.

    Transmutation was harder to increase. One of the chairs was sacrificed as a test dummy, which gave me enough material to grow it to beginner. Over time, the wasted pieces increased until the chair vanished into dust. I had tested the crafting skill, but it ignored that entirely. Those skills were locked in this area for some reason.

    So I used the other chair for Transmutation practice.

    I don¡¯t need a chair... It¡¯s not like I can get tired anyway.

    After the second seat had gone, it was the table''s turn. It was a difficult choice, as it would leave the room entirely barren, but it had to be done. The floor and walls were unresponsive to my efforts, and the air itself rejected my powers entirely. The table was coaxed through many tests and practice runs before it too had disintegrated into nothing.

    Not long after my experiments ended, the old man returned once more.

    ¡°What the hell have you done?¡± He stared around at the empty room. I had been mid-way through a session of staff practice, and his arrival annoyed me more than it helped.

    ¡°I¡¯m busy. What do you want?¡±

    ¡°Oh, really?¡± The old man shook his head and tossed a pile of books at my feet. He had brought ten in total, and their titles ranged from ¡®Supporters: An advanced guide¡¯ up to ¡¯Monsters and you: An in-depth look¡¯. It was difficult to hold back the mad desire to Transmute them, but I managed it.

    ¡°Thanks.¡± I glanced up at the man who had visited me. ¡°Can you bring some things for me to practice on. I ran out.¡±

    ¡°One thing, Rook. Your body will be slightly different when you return. You won¡¯t see it normally, but whenever you pass an advancement test you will also go through what we call a ¡®reconstruction.¡±

    ¡°Wait, what did you do to me?¡± I lowered the book and glared at the man. After my extended period of incarceration, I had dropped any level of fear towards the person who could be a god. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you''re messing with me again?¡±

    ¡°Of course not, I don¡¯t have the time for that. This is a good thing for you.¡± He ignored my rudeness as he stared down at me. ¡°Whenever you go through the reconstruction, all of your injuries will heal. Your mana and stamina will also be returned to their maximum. It would be a cheat if you didn¡¯t have to be out of combat for it to work.¡±

    ¡°Oh, right. I guessed there would be a catch. You can¡¯t make things easy, can you?¡±

    ¡°Just be happy. This is needed for your soul to recover, otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have wasted my energy.¡± The old man huffed irritably. ¡°I don¡¯t know why I bother. Oh, be careful in dungeons. If you pass your advancement in one of those, you¡¯ll still pass through a reconstruction, but you won¡¯t gain your new skills until you leave. that¡¯s the same for everyone, but it''s worth keeping it in mind.¡±

    ¡°Oh, so you can¡¯t get new skills in the dungeon from your advancement? Got it.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not that simple, but it doesn¡¯t matter. Technically you can, but it takes a massive surge of power to break through. You¡¯ll never go through something like that.¡±

    ¡°Why even mention it then?¡±

    The old man glanced at the empty room and shook his head. I ignored him and settled down to read the books he had provided. Now would be a perfect time for a table and chair, but that was in the past. The floor was comfortable enough as I lay down and devoured the books with my eyes.

    Time passed once more. The old man returned with bags full of rocks, ores, leather and wood. We spoke rarely, but with each visit, he seemed happy with my progress. He didn¡¯t mention the time, but it felt as though it was a few days or so between each visit. It helped me keep track of the time as I worked my way towards the final rank for each ability.

    **Congratulations! Strengthen has reached (master) proficiency. This ability has now been mastered. Additional details and effects will be listed in the ability window.**

    **Congratulations! Accelerate has reached (master) proficiency. This ability has now been mastered. Additional details and effects will be listed in the ability window.**

    **Congratulations! Buffed Strike has reached (master) proficiency. This ability has now been mastered. Additional details and effects will be listed in the ability window.**

    Unfortunately, my Transmutation had paused at intermediate. It wasn¡¯t as easy to grind as the other abilities, but I felt as though it was only a short distance from reaching advanced¡­

    ¡°Oh, good timing.¡±

    The voice made me spin around in a moment of panic. It was rare that someone would come to speak to me, and the old man always announced his visits long before he arrived when the wall opened to admit him into the room. This new voice was different, but it was someone I knew.

    ¡°Rose! Good to see you.¡± I smiled and lowered my staff. She had helped me in the past, if you could ignore the time she almost killed me. Either way, a friendly face was always welcome. The old man was always grumpy on his visits and barely spoke more than a few words before he stormed off.

    ¡°You reached the master rank in three abilities, but you''re still not level ten. Your quite the oddity, aren¡¯t you.¡±

    ¡°Is master such a good thing? It didn¡¯t take too long, did it?¡±

    ¡°Seriously, you must be as dumb as a bag of rocks.¡± Rose shook her head as she giggled at me. ¡°Well, I guess your passenger might have affected your sense of time-¡±

    ¡°Wait, ¡®passenger¡¯? What do you mean?¡± I tried to grab her shoulder, but my hand went straight through. Rose backed away a step and gave me a weird look.

    ¡°The woman, not sure of her name. Apparently, she¡¯s impressed with how well you¡¯ve done. She told me that she likes to see you-¡± Rose tilted her head to one side. ¡°She didn¡¯t want me to say that. Ignore me, I¡¯m going crazy.¡±

    ¡°¡­Is her name¡­ Claire?¡±

    ¡°Oh, look at the time. We really need to head off.¡± Rose glanced at an imaginary watch on her wrist. How she knew such a reference was beyond me. ¡°The old man gave me his spare power, so I¡¯m good to go. Your year is up, so he¡¯s sending us back together. that¡¯s nice, right?¡±

    ¡°¡­what do you mean by ¡®year¡¯?¡±

 Chapter 33 - Old world, new me

    A moment after Rose had revealed the truth, the air split apart. My soul was once again pulled through a white abyss for several minutes before it was dumped into a clump of soggy grass. Raindrops smacked on my face from the heavens as I struggled to my feet.

    Not the best entrance, but it was better than my last attempt.

    A quick glance confirmed no slime queens waited to greet me this time. The white light was also absent, so hopefully, my appearance wouldn¡¯t be noticed by anyone. He had dropped me in the same spot as last time, as far as I could tell.

    After a short time to re-orientate myself, I set off towards the town. Several slimes attacked me on the way across the fields, but a quick strike burst them with ease. The voice rang out each time when it ¡®collected¡¯ the drops. If I was close enough, it grabbed them like the thief it was.

    It was a slight concern. If I joined any parties, they would not believe me if I explained an invisible helper had picked up the drops and hid them away. They would be more likely to believe a thief had stolen their hard-earned goods, at which point the blame would fall directly on my head.

    ¡°You know you can just call them back, right? I¡¯ve unlocked your inventory for you now as I promised.¡±

    Rose had spoken to me, but she was nowhere to be seen. As she watched me search the area, her hearty laughter rang out in my ears.

    ¡°I¡¯m not really here, silly. Drake did mention that your soul is damaged, right? I¡¯m keeping you in one piece until you heal up a bit more.¡± Rose giggled at my worried look. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I know what I¡¯m doing. I¡¯ll have to spend most of my time focusing on your injuries, so don¡¯t expect too much. It¡¯s still on you to not die like an idiot.¡±

    ¡°Can you speak to Claire for me?¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately not, no. Her soul is more injured than yours, which is saying something¡­ I¡¯ll keep an eye on her for you.¡± I could feel Rose as she rolled her eyes at me. ¡°Focus on the here and now. Open your inventory before I get bored of waiting.¡±

    ¡°Inventory.¡±

    It was easier to ignore her sarcasm and follow the suggestion. Rather than all of the items appearing in a pile before me, a list ran through my mind which contained all of the loot stolen by my invisible helper. With a thought, I could divide it into categories, or sort them by quality or quantity. The first item I summoned out should have been obvious.

    I held the image in my mind of the thing I wanted to pull out, and focused on it.

    ¡°Come out.¡± I muttered and held out my hand. The slime queen core dropped into my palm. The experiment proved the voice didn¡¯t need me to physically say the items name, which would save on some embarrassment. If it did, it would look like a weak sleight of hand trick to someone who could use real magic.

    ¡°Sreee.¡±

    Three slimes popped out from a bush in front of me. Before they would have posed a major threat, but now they were just a target. They would be the perfect opponents for me to practice on. I returned the slime queen core to my inventory and turned to the slimes.

    ¡°Accelerate.¡±

    I launched the first strike as my staff thrust out at the central slime. A perfect hit on its core caused the little creature to pop like a balloon. Its comrades didn¡¯t take the loss lying down as they launched an attack at me from both sides.

    A quick sidestep avoided one whilst my foot caught the other mid-leap. Its body crashed into the floor as the core at its centre rolled across the grass. The slime would take a significant amount of time to collect itself after such heavy damage. The last slime had barely gathered itself before my staff smashed into its dome and pummeled it into the ground.

    After that, it was a simple task to tap the last slime core lightly with my staff, which was enough damage to destroy the mass which had congealed around it. Three slimes down in a few seconds, and it hadn¡¯t been a difficult fight. Slimes were easy opponents, sure, but the speed at which I took them outmatched to some of the groups I had seen previously.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!

    Claire was faster, though¡­

    It was hard to force away such thoughts. No matter what, this place would remind me of her. The only option I had was to punish the person responsible for the attack. There were multiple options on that front, the first and foremost being the god named Bael.

    He was put to the side for the moment. If you jumped right to the end boss, it was obvious what the result would be. With the main target dismissed, for the time being, I was left with the cult and the bandits, who had joined together to attack the town. In the distance, I could see a pair of guards by the gate, which proved they had managed to wither the assault as expected.

    There was one other goal I had. The old god had given me another book but had said it shouldn¡¯t be read until I returned to this world. It was thin, only around twenty pages long, so it shouldn¡¯t take too long to go through. His face had been stern when he gave that order, so I had followed his command.

    I wonder what it¡¯s about¡­

    I glanced at my mana, but what it showed made me do a double-take. The maximum was still one hundred and ten, but the one use of Accelerate had dropped it by thirty. that meant the cost had doubled when it was increased from Basic to Master. While the effect was noticeably improved, and the buff now lasted fifteen minutes instead of five, the increased mana would need to be taken into account in future.

    I wouldn¡¯t want to run out of mana accidentally mid-fight.

    Either way, it would have to wait. The guards grabbed the hilts of their blades as I approached. They wore the same armour as before, but now they also sported a full-faced helm to complete the outfit. Compared to the relatively friendly welcome from my last visit, their responses were closer to outright suspicion.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± One of them shouted. Her voice echoed a little through the chunky helmet as she stepped towards me. ¡°Name yourself.¡±

    ¡°My name is Rook, and I came here before-¡±

    ¡°Rook?¡± The guard pulled up her helmet and stared at me with widened eyes. ¡°How are¡­ what..¡±

    ¡°Hello. It¡¯s good to see you again.¡± I smiled at the guard. It was the same lady who had greeted me the last time. Maybe after the last attack, the rules had changed for the guards. Their leader had been the one to launch the attack, after all.

    ¡°This a friend of yours?¡± The other guard stared at me as he spoke. ¡°He can go in if you vouch for him.¡±

    ¡°I¡­ yes, he is.¡± The female guard shook her head and waved me through the gate. ¡°Go on through, Rook. Bryan will be happy to see you again.¡±

    Her tone was a bit odd, but now wasn¡¯t the time to argue. The other guard watched me suspiciously as I walked into the town. The street was the same as last time, but one change hit me as soon as I entered.

    Karen¡¯s cart wasn¡¯t there.

    Even when she hadn¡¯t been actively manning her station, the cart had remained in place. Each day she had loaded it with her goods to hawk to the adventurers and traders who moved past this exit. The fact it was gone cause my stomach to twist in knots.

    Don¡¯t tell me she¡­ no, she wasn¡¯t a fighter. She would have evacuated before the battle started.

    There was only one way to know for sure. The guild should have a list of those lost in battle. If they didn¡¯t, it would be possible to request it from the guards. If that failed, my old friends would know. They knew Karen better than I did. If anyone would be aware of her fate, it would be them.

    The guild was in the same place as before. The large shield-shaped sign was battered on the front of the building, but I ignored that and moved inside. Compared to my first visit, those inside were somber and quiet. The crowd turned and eyed me suspiciously as I walked in, which changed the atmosphere entirely compared to my last visit.

    ¡°Hello, welcome to the-¡± The receptionist started her speech as she looked across at me. She froze mid way through as she stared at my face.

    ¡°Rook? How is that possible?¡± She blinked several times and glanced at a plaque on the wall behind her desk. She glanced back at me several times as she read through the words carved on its surface.

    ¡°What¡¯re you sayin¡¯? Rook?¡± A slurred voice echoed out from the far side of the room. ¡°No¡¯ heard tha name in ages.¡±

    ¡°Bryan?¡± I turned to face the speaker. A man was slumped across a table against the far wall. He looked up at me blearily for several seconds before his eyes cleared up a little.

    ¡°No, not possible.¡± Bryan muttered as he waved at me angrily. ¡°Rook died. I saw it. Who¡¯re you!¡±

    The rest of the room watched us in awkward silence. The atmosphere was tense as I lowered myself into the seat opposite my old friend. Bryan watched me suspiciously as I raised my hand and placed it on the table before him. It was only after an item appeared in my grasp that his expression softened

    I had summoned the slime queen core.

    ¡°Rook, it¡¯s really you.¡± He sobbed as he grabbed my arm. ¡°How are you still alive?¡±

 Chapter 34 - Old friends reunited, the Saints cheat sheet

    It took me half an hour to go through what had happened to me. We had moved to my old room, which Bryan had kept booked since the battle. He remained silent as I spilled all of my secrets. The only thing I held back on was the involvement of the god Bael.

    It would be easier to set the cult and the bandits as a target rather than an actual god.

    ¡°So, you did die, but you got sent back.¡± Bryan took a long drink of his water. The receptionist had given us two big jugs when she saw me help Bryan to the stairs, and he had finished a full one by himself.

    ¡°Yeah.¡± I nodded, though the fact he had sent me back didn¡¯t make me too happy. He had said it was impossible to bring Claire back, but it was unlikely he knew her soul was my passenger. Even so, I didn¡¯t want to get Bryan¡¯s hopes up. ¡°Listen, about Claire¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, Rook. We have stories of gods who tried to revive people in the past, it never went well.¡± Bryan waved me into silence. ¡°The main issue you have is the groups you''re up against. Your still level six, right? They¡¯ll rip you apart.¡±

    ¡°What do you recommend?¡± It would be best to follow Bryan¡¯s advice. This wasn¡¯t my world, he would know much more about these people than I did.

    ¡°Well, the cult hides in the shadows. Ray is a good example of that.¡± Bryan stared into his mug hatefully. ¡°The bandits are the opposite, but they¡¯re like mayflies. Every one you take out is replaced by three more.¡±

    ¡°Well, an obvious target is better than a hidden one. Bandits first, then.¡±

    ¡°I like your confidence.¡± Bryan smiled at me as he pushed himself up from the desk. ¡°I need to get some rest, let¡¯s talk more tomorrow?¡±

    ¡°Before you go¡­ what happened to Karen?¡±

    Bryan paused at the door for several seconds before he turned back to me. His smile had wilted a little as he sighed.

    ¡°She moved to the Holy Kingdom capital with her little brother. The bandit attacks got her worried, and you know how Robbie is. She was scared he would do something stupid.¡±

    ¡°Ah, I guess that makes sense. It¡¯s good that she¡¯s OK, though.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. She did say she¡¯d move back if the bandit¡¯s made another treaty with the town.¡± Bryan shook his head. ¡°Optimistic, but it could happen.¡±

    ¡°Maybe.¡± I didn¡¯t share the full extent of my plan. It was possible my actions would put a wrench in their hopes, but it needed to be done either way. Bryan waved at me and walked out of the room. As he pushed the door open, he turned and tossed a small object to me.

    It was a key.

    ¡°I bought this room from the guild before. It was our present to you for joining the group.¡± A faint smile tugged at his lips as he gave me one last look. ¡°Keep it, it should come in handy.¡±

    Before I could respond, Bryan left the room and closed the door behind him. As the lock clicked shut, I bounced the key on my palm. Claire, Susan, John and Bryan. These four people had taken me in as one of their own. Claire had known I was truthful with them, but that alone wouldn¡¯t have made them act in such a way.

    They truly did enjoy my company and wanted to help me succeed.

    It was a heavy burden. This key was like the last gift from Claire, a keepsake of our time together. Bryan had most likely kept it in her memory, as he would have never imagined I would return. After he had passed the key to me, the loop was closed.

    Before the depressive atmosphere could set in, I put the key away and pulled out the book. The old god had given it to me on his last visit before Rose had appeared. If he had told methen it was the last time we would meet before he sent me back,I wouldn''t have left without asking a few choice questions.

    No matter what else he had done, the end results was that he saved my life. It was for his own end goals, but he still helped me every step of the way. My enhanced abilities were in large part due to his assistance. This book should be important, but why did he wait so long to give it to me?This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    ¡®A history from the end of the world: The Saints and how they failed¡¯

    What the hell.

    My curiosity was at its max as I peeled open the first page. A small note dropped out onto the bed. After a quick check, it was clear who had written it.

    ¡®Hello Rook,

    You did well to distract yourself for a year. Most humans would have gone insane. Maybe you already were a bit mad?

    Either way, you did your best. I exhausted my energy to bring you back, so now it''s up to you. The next time we meet, you¡¯ll be able to return the favour when we take Bael down and bring my sister back to her senses-¡¯

    ¡°Wait, the goddess is his sister.¡± I shook my head. ¡°No resemblance at all.¡±

    ¡®I know you probably just said something rude, so I¡¯ll give you a slap for it later. Look forward to that.¡¯

    A slap from a god¡­ I guess I¡¯m planning to fight one anyway, so why not.

    ¡®Either way, this book is the collected knowledge. You won¡¯t be able to read past the current events for each saint.

    Everything you do will change the events of the future, so the book will be a bit less accurate as you go.

    It¡¯s better than nothing though, so do your best. Don¡¯t die again, or I really will kill you next time we meet.

    Good luck,

    Drake¡¯

    ¡°He was called Drake? I guess it makes sense why he didn¡¯t mention it before.¡± I folded the note and placed it inside my pocket. A quick test confirmed the book''s pages were glued together with some magical force, save for the first two. After the blank entry page, the next two were filled with a dense script from end to end.

    It described the saints, who they were and their known locations. Whoever had written it was obviously not omniscient, so it was couched in terms of guesswork and rumours. Several of the saint''s movements were well known, but the others were well hidden. One name jumped out at me as I read through the vague descriptions.

    ¡®The Bandit King¡¯

    ¡®known Location: Main bandit camp in the central lands. Leads bandits after failed coup, wife lost during battle.

    Class: Warrior

    Attribute: Rage

    Weapon: Two-handed Axe¡¯

    It had various other bits of information, but most of them were fluff at best. The old man¡­ Drake had given me several books to explain the common concepts of the world. They had taught me about the seven attributes, eight if you included Novice, which made up the population. When people reached level ten, their basic Novice attribute would mutate into one of the seven major attributes.

    I guess that makes sense.

    I still used plain mana. The bar was light blue and my guild card, which had been replaced by the receptionist, showed a blank space under attribute. The colour and title would change when you reached level ten, which shouldn¡¯t be too far off. After I tapped against my chin, a small drop-down menu appeared which stunned me into silence.

    All seven attributes appeared in a line. Six were split into groups of two. Holy, Dark. Focus, Rage. Elemental, Spirit. The last was by itself with no corresponding attribute. Power sat all alone, with nothing to oppose it. All of the options were greyed out, but when I tapped on one at random, the voice spoke in my ear.

    **You cannot use the Holy attribute. This will be unlocked once you have experienced the source of Holy energy.**

    ¡°Oh, thanks. That clears it up.¡± I grumbled at the voice, it couldn¡¯t be blamed when it told me the truth. After I had stored the guild card again, my next goal was obvious.

    I couldn¡¯t waste the rest of my day.

    I left my room and locked the door behind me. Bryan would need the rest of the day to recover, so this was the perfect time to test myself. The receptionist gave me a small bag when she saw the book, which was tied once again to my waist. After so long without it, the subtle weight of the bag was quite nostalgic.

    ¡°Inventory.¡± I muttered softly. A quick test confirmed the book, and even the bag itself could be stored in my invisible space. There might be a capacity limit, so it would be best to hold off. When I tried to put myself in as a test, the voice spoke to me with a stern tone.

    **Sentient beings cannot be placed into the inventory.**

    ¡°Alright snappy.¡± I shook my head and moved towards the centre of the town. John and Susan had not been at the guild, but Bryan would inform them of my arrival when he had recovered sooner rather than later. We could catch up once everyone was together.

    Bryan would pass on what had happened to me, so that would save another awkward conversation. They would have questions, sure, but if I could answer that was another matter entirely. For now, my goal was a little more selfish. My combat ability had risen, but by how much was uncertain without trying it out.

    Luckily, there was one place in the town where I could test myself.

    I wandered into the stone-fronted building and waved at the guard by the desk. He watched me without interest as I walked to his desk and glanced along the corridor.

    ¡°Is the dungeon free?¡± I smile at him. ¡°Single, basic, please.¡±

 Chapter 35 - Speedrunning the dungeon, brain over brawn

    The guard passed me a dull token and waved me down the hall after he took my silver coin. The hallway was the same as my last visit, which heightened my sense of nostalgia. The transport podiums were in the same place, so I stood on the central one and waited for a few seconds. Before the wait could become awkward, white light appeared and whisked me into the dungeon.

    Whilst it might be a nice opportunity to vent my frustration on the wolves, their number and the difficulty of that path was unknown. After a moment of hesitation, I set off down the path under the human sign. At least I had an idea how the difficult my opponents would be.

    My mana had recovered to full, so there was no reason to dawdle. The first room opened to me, and before too long a pillar of light appeared at the far side. A single man walked out and lifted his staff towards me. Supporter versus Supporter, one against one.

    ¡°Accelerate.¡±

    The speed buff allowed me to close the gap before my enemy could react. I raised my staff above my head and smashed it on him with both hands. He managed to block the hit at the last second before he tumbled to the floor. He looked pitiful, but I wasn¡¯t feeling merciful.

    A quick thrust to the head took care of the summoned enemy. His staff dropped to the floor before both it and he turned to smoke. Whilst it had been a quick and easy victory, I didn¡¯t let it go to my head. The patterns and weaknesses of these opponents were well known to me after my last trip here.

    The true test would start from the next encounter.

    After I had walked into the next room, the door slammed shut behind me. Two pillars of light shone as a pair of staff users stepped out. Before I could make a move, they charged towards me.

    ¡°Strengthen.¡±

    ¡°Accelerate.¡±

    I didn¡¯t respond in kind. My Accelerate buff was still active and should last until the end of the boss if it didn¡¯t take too long. My Strengthen buff would help me defeat them for certain. I didn¡¯t want an easy fight, though. This run was to test my ability and skill.

    One of them reached me a step before the other. He thrust his staff at my chest like a spear as he sprinted towards me.

    A quick tap knocked his weapon to the side before my counter came in to play. My staff paused in mid-strike and swept back to catch him on the side of the head. The leader toppled to the floor, but the slower Supporter dodged to the side to avoid his colleague.

    Good try, but still too slow.

    I kicked the injured man towards his fellow Supporter. The second enemy wasn¡¯t ready for such a move, so he tripped over him and landed face first before me. Two quick downward thrusts to the back of their heads ended the fight, which left me two of two on flawless victories.

    My streak might be ended by the next opponent.

    The armoured knight walked out a few seconds after I crossed into the last room. Its feet clunked on the floor as it stepped towards me. The large broadsword in its hand glinted in the light, a subtle hint to the highly sharp edges it held.

    ¡°Strengthen.¡±

    Now wasn¡¯t the time to hold back. I walked towards it with careful strides and dragged my staff along the floor. The tip bumped and skittered along the dusty boards until I lifted it into the air once more. I pointed it at the knight¡¯s face as it raised its sword towards me.

    I hope it¡¯s as stupid as it seems. I guess this plan will still have some effect even if it works it out.

    The ground beneath my feet creaked as I dashed towards the knight. As expected, it swung its sword diagonally across my chest. If the blow hit, it was obvious I would be cut into two perfect pieces.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

    ¡°Buffed strike!¡±

    My wild blow knocked its sword into the floor at my feet. The blade buried itself to a third of its length in the wooden boards, which gave me the chance to lift my staff and thrust it directly into its face. The knight flinched as my staff connected solidly with its helmet.

    But direct damage wasn¡¯t my aim.

    My fingers scrambled at the knight''s chin as it fought to pull its sword from the ground. The buckle came undone with relative ease, but when I tried to pull the helmet up it barely budged. After a few tries, it became clear my strength was still too weak.

    I jumped back to avoid the knight''s counter as it pulled its sword into the air. The knight cast about for several seconds in complete confusion. This had been my backup plan in the case where my first attempt failed.

    Its visor had been covered in a thin layer of dust, which had stuck to its surface like concrete. I had collected the dirt prior to the fight on the tip of my staff and launched in onto the knight¡¯s face during the first exchange. My Transmutation skill helped me pick it up, then I softened it once more before it hardened again when it came into contact with knight''s faceplate.

    The cover was thick enough to block its vision, which was a massive advantage. The problem was that it would be quite fragile. A single hit would break it like a piece of pottery, after which my gains would be nullified. If I wanted to take advantage of its blindness, it had to be done quickly.

    I dodged past the opposite side from its sword and moved to its back. The knight swung its weapon through the air before it again and again as it shook its head. An intelligent enemy would try to claw the block away, but he wasn¡¯t smart enough for that.

    But it would notice if someone tried to pull its helmet off from behind.

    That didn¡¯t leave me many targets. The only way to get its helmet off before the timer ran out would be to immobilise the knight. Luckily, I had a plan for that.

    I raised my staff and slammed it down on the back of its knee. It wasn¡¯t a blow aimed to damage him but to force my weapon into the joint and down the back of its leg. The knight tried to turn, but it spun me around with it. After my legs reached the floor once again, I braced myself against the knight''s back, placed both my hands on my staff, and pushed with all my strength.

    ¡°Buffed strike!¡±

    My staff acted as a lever which, with the assistance of my strength, body weight and the abilities power, slowly peeled the metalwork from the back of the knight''s leg. It howled in frustration as its armour dropped away to reveal a vulnerable leg from the knee down.

    Before I could take advantage of the weak spot I had created, it thrust its elbow back into my chest and knocked me away.

    The surprise attack knocked me breathless for several seconds. After I managed to push myself to my feet, the knight had once again turned to face me. The thin cover on its helmet had failed, so it could see me without an issue as it raised its sword defensively.

    It was as though it knew about the timer, and it wanted to win the fight by outlasting me.

    But my trick had already played its role. I didn¡¯t need to block its vision after I had created an open target. I raised my staff and pointed it towards the knight''s head.

    The knight, obviously fearful of a second blinding assault, raised its sword in front of its face. To heighten its fears, my staff remained fixed on its face as I charged towards it. The knight raised its sword and swung it down at my head.

    I leant to the side and dropped towards the floor. The odd move allowed me to avoid the knight¡¯s vicious strike as my staff moved towards its real target.

    The knight''s leg snapped back as my staff hit it squarely in the centre. After it lost its balance, the knight dropped to one knee with a thud. It was still alive and angry, but now it was like a beetle that had been turned on its back.

    I pulled myself short and used my staff as a break to stop my slide past the knight. It would regain its feet soon, and after that, my chances of victory would drop significantly. Before it could make a move, I leapt behind it and stamped on its unprotected leg. Both my feet slammed into its calf, which knocked it to the floor again.

    That worked, but it¡¯s not enough to take it out. Time to test out my knowledge of physics.

    I carefully inserted my staff in the ridge between the knight''s helmet and its chest plate. It tried to clamp down as it raised its head, but it was too slow. The lower my time was in this dungeon, the better the rewards. I could pound on its helmet for an eternity and maybe fail, or I could remove the obstruction and end the fight with a single blow.

    I placed both hands on the staff, closed my eyes and jumped into the air. As my full weight came down on the end of my weapon, I yelled out my ability.

    ¡°Buffed strike!¡±

    The knight''s helmet flew into the air with a crack. Its face was hidden from view by a hazy blur, but that did little to mask the fury it radiated out it tried to reach back and grab me. I used the knight''s back as a prop to pull myself to my feet before I lifted my staff again.

    ¡°I win.¡± I smirked and smacked my staff into the back of its skull with all my strength.

 Chapter 36 - The group together once again, a new record is set

    The knight collapsed to the floor and turned to smoke. Even the piece of armour I had been ripped from its leg disappeared along with its body. Despite the fact my ¡®cool¡¯ pose had only been seen by a summoned knight, it was still left me a bit embarrassed.

    I tested my inventory skill, but the voice warned me yet another limitation.

    **You can only store items owned by yourself or unowned items in your inventory. All other items require express permission from the owner to be stored.**

    I guess it makes sense, otherwise, I would be able to just steal anything with a thought. I wonder what ¡®express permission¡¯ means?

    My disappointment didn¡¯t change the fact I had defeated the knight in a handy time. It had been slower and weaker than when we fought it as a group, but it was still a formidable foe. Silence reigned in the arena as I waited for the pillar of light to pull me back to the guard''s desk.

    Maybe he¡¯ll be surprised to see me back so soon?

    As that thought crossed my brain, the dungeon teleported me back to the entrance. I walked to the guard and dropped my token on the desk. He barely gave me a glance before he waved me away. The lack of reaction hurt a little, but maybe it was to be expected.

    It was possible that people beat the dungeon this fast on a regular basis, after all.

    The sun was low in the sky, so I made my way back to the guild. There wasn¡¯t much else I could get done with the time left in the day, so it was high time to get to bed. Several vendors tried to call me aside as I walked through the streets, but their wares looked tacky compared to those Karen had stocked. Maybe it was rose-tinted glasses, but they just seemed desperate.

    The receptionist greeted me as I walked in. There were a few people in the guild, but its lively atmosphere still hadn¡¯t returned. I picked up a meal from the counter and went to my room. It was only a messy sandwich, but it filled a hole at least. After I had finished the chewy disaster, I jumped into bed and drifted off.

    I woke in a gentle manner the next day. This was my second ¡®first¡¯ night on this world and, compared to the previous one, this sleep had been of my own accord. Rose hadn¡¯t knocked me out with a book, and she wasn¡¯t present to snark at me for doing something stupid.

    The door opened and revealed Bryan, who grinned across at me. Before I could greet him, he strode into the room followed by two people I knew just as well. Susan and John gave me a wave and moved to sit at the desk. John hovered beside Susan, but she gave him a glare which made him back off. Bryan leant against the wall beside the door and grinned at the pair.

    ¡°Hey, Rook. Long time, no see.¡± Susan smiled at me from the desk. Her dull grey robe had been replaced for a deep red outfit with the same exact design. Compared to her, John wore the exact same outfit as when we had last met. If anything, his leather armour was more ragged than it had been before.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t believe Bryan when he said you were back. How did you pull that one off?¡± John raised an eyebrow at me. ¡°You¡¯ve really got to teach me that trick.¡±

    ¡°Calm down, John. It¡¯s impossible, remember?¡± Bryan tapped his foot against the wall. ¡°We spoke about this already.¡±

    I swung my legs off the bed and faced my friends. It was nice to see them again, but there seemed to be someone missing. The others noticed my downcast look, so they quickly moved to cheer me up.

    ¡°Come on, Rook. This is a happy time.¡± John jumped over to me and pulled me to my feet. Before I could react, he had pulled me into a bear hug. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you again.¡±

    ¡°It is.¡± Susan watched with a faint smile from the side. ¡°We thought we¡¯d lost you. Bryan blamed himself ever since.¡±

    I turned to face Bryan, who twisted awkwardly under my gaze.

    ¡°And me, you idiot.¡± Rose piped up. The others didn¡¯t react, which proved they couldn¡¯t hear the disembodied voice in my head. That was a positive for the current me. They¡¯d think I was possessed otherwise.

    I technically am, I guess. Maybe I should get an exorcism?

    ¡°Oh, nice. Kick a girl while she¡¯s down.¡± Rose tutted at me. ¡°Remember who¡¯s holding you together, boyo. Don¡¯t want me to slip, do you?¡±

    ¡°Of course not.¡± I muttered quickly. John pulled back and gave me an odd look.

    ¡°Your as strange as ever, Rook.¡± He patted my shoulders and stepped back. ¡°So, Bryan says you have a plan and you might need our help?¡±Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

    I gave Bryan another look, though this one was a bit more intense. I hadn¡¯t mentioned any such thing to him, and he had spread the rumour around already. Bryan opened his mouth to speak, but I interrupted him before he could start.

    ¡°I have a plan, but I need to move alone for now.¡± I waved the trio into silence as they looked ready to speak up. ¡°I need to find the bandit king. You three are well known to them, right?¡±

    ¡°And so are you, remember?¡± Bryan growled. ¡°That was a big problem for you before-¡±

    ¡°Before I died, you mean?¡± I grinned at Bryan as his mouth hung open. ¡°I doubt they are hunting for a dead man, right?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s still risky.¡± Susan folded her arms. ¡°What if they see through it? I don¡¯t like this.¡±

    ¡°If you three come along, what''re the chances of it working? Do you really think you can hide from them?¡±

    It was clear that was impossible. These three were the most prominent members of the guild who had fought for the town on multiple occasions. They were the literal idols of many low-level guild members, and would likely be high on the target list for the bandits and cult alike.

    But they weren¡¯t ready to let me go. Bryan glanced at the pair but remained silent as John and Susan had a hurried discussion. The fact they weren¡¯t ready to back down proved their determination, so all I had to do was prove that mine was stronger.

    ¡°What Susan means is you shouldn¡¯t go alone.¡± John moved beside Susan and stared at me. The pair of them matched one another blow for blow as they waited for my next move.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you trust me?¡± I appealed to their consciences. It was a dirty move, but it just might work.

    ¡°Tell you what, prove you¡¯re skilled enough.¡± Bryan grinned as though he had come up with the smartest idea ever. ¡°It¡¯s pretty simple. You do one thing we ask, and we¡¯ll trust you.¡±

    Susan and John shared a glance and nodded in unison. It was clear this was something they had planned beforehand in preparation for a situation such as this. there was no option other than to go along with it, otherwise, they would just follow me like bloodhounds and ruin my plan as they tried to help me.

    ¡°Go on, tell me your idea.¡±

    ¡°Oh, it should be easy. You just need to beat the basic dungeon. By yourself.¡± Bryan raised a hand to stop my response. ¡°Do that, and we¡¯ll trust you to go into the forest alone.¡±

    Before I could say anything, a knock echoed from the door. Bryan shushed us before he pulled it open carefully and peaked out. After he had confirmed the visitor, he pulled the door open.

    ¡°Oh¡­ Hello, Bryan.¡± The receptionist nodded to him. ¡°I need to see Rook, is he here?¡±

    Bryan waved her into the room. The receptionist gave the other two a glance before she turned back to me with a practised smile. It worried me that she had come here so quickly. Was it possible she had spread the knowledge I had returned around already, and I had been summoned to explain what had happened?

    ¡°Well done, Rook. You set a new record.¡± She pulled out a small, round medal and passed it to me. ¡°I wanted to check what reward you wanted. There are a few choices, so it''s up to you.¡±

    ¡°Wait, what?¡± I stared at the medal she had passed to me. It was engraved with a large S, which had a time scratched into the surface below it. I smiled as it became clear what this was about. ¡°Oh. Perfect timing.¡±

    ¡°For anyone who sets a new dungeon record, they get a reward based on the time under the par-¡±

    ¡°Wait, he set a new dungeon record?¡± Bryan interrupted the receptionist. She gave him a glare before she turned back to me.

    ¡°-which is up to your discretion. It can be items, money or favours. Once you select your desired reward, we will officially announce the achievement to the town.¡±

    ¡°Can I skip that part?¡± I shout out the question like a bullet. She gave me an odd look, as though I had just asked her to tap-dance out of the room.

    ¡°No. Why would you want to?¡±

    ¡°If I can¡¯t, then can you ignore my time for now?¡±

    ¡°¡­ I guess so. We can always reward you later, as long as no one else beats your time.¡± The receptionist frowned at me. ¡°Is there a problem with the rewards?¡±

    ¡°Can I get some skill books?¡± I asked after the thought had The receptionist glanced at the others before she nodded softly.

    ¡°If you have the coin, you can buy the ones we have. We only have a few, so they aren¡¯t worth as much as the reward.¡± She glanced awkwardly at the group. ¡°We normally wouldn¡¯t offer this to a low-rank member of the guild, but because Claire trusted you¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Claire was his friend too, she¡¯d be happy you¡¯re helping him.¡± Bryan smiled as he waved off the receptionist. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, just do what you can to help him.¡±

    ¡°Then that¡¯s fine. Do you want to select them now?¡± The receptionist turned back to me with a smile.

    ¡°No, I¡¯ll pick it up later.¡± I answered as I pushed her gently out of the room. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I have something urgent to speak to my friends about. Please, keep this to yourself for now. Thanks.¡±

    The receptionist shook her head and walked off down the corridor. This was possibly the first time someone had refused such an honor, but the side effects of such a reward were past what I could handle. Her interruption had solved my other problem, however.

    John, Susan and Bryan stared at me as though they had seen a ghost. They knew I was still level six, and the basic dungeon allowed people up to level twenty-five to attempt to beat its record. It was possible the Supporter record had been a slow time, but the chances of not one successful attempt in the town''s history were low.

    ¡°So, you guys happy now?¡± I waved my medal in their faces. ¡°I did what you asked, right?¡±

    ¡°I guess so.¡± Susan grimaced and pushed herself to her feet. John held her arm, but she brushed him off irritably. ¡°We¡¯ll be here if you need us.¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡± John nodded in agreement, though he didn¡¯t look pleased with the outcome. ¡°Just call and I¡¯ll come running.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll all come running.¡± Bryan flicked my shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t think you can chuck us aside. Claire would come back and beat us to a pulp if we let you get into trouble by yourself.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± I slammed my chest with my fist. ¡°I set a new record, right? I¡¯m the strongest Supporter in town. Who could hurt me?¡±

 Chapter 37 - The quest begins, my second trip to the forest

    My friends left a few minutes after the receptionist. They didn¡¯t agree with my confidence, but after my show of power they were more inclined to believe in my skills. My year of training had proved useful. Whilst my strength hadn¡¯t increased, my abilities had improved and my skill made up for the gap.

    I didn¡¯t explain how the knight was defeated. The tactic would only work on the dumbest of opponents, so there was no false hope in my mind it would be a valid strategy against a human opponent. At best, it would be a temporary distraction. I had used my ability to catch Bryan off guard previously, but that had only worked in conjunction with several other lucky blows to make up the combo.

    Before they left, Bryan passed me a small bag. It was slightly charred, but when I checked the contents it almost made me collapse in shock. It was the same one Karen had given me over a year ago, and all of the items inside were intact. The small money pouch, the processing tools, a few odds and ends which might come in handy along with a hand-drawn map of the area and a small number of provisions.

    Before I left the guild, I paid the receptionist a visit. She gave me two skill books for level ten and one for level twenty-five. There was only so many because people didn¡¯t care as much about Supporter skills, which hinted the books were rarer than I had imagined. Their rarity, added to the fact that they were out of reach to a normal guild member, showed that my luck was finally turning around.

    I only left after she promised once more to keep my record private unless I asked for it to be revealed later.

    At first, she wanted me to use the books then and there, as that was the rule for any skill books purchased from the guild, but she let me off after I promised to keep them to myself. She warned me that if it was discovered I had resold them, I would face a punishment worse than death from her personally.

    Her eyes turned cold as she threatened me. Her tone indicated that she wasn¡¯t lying in the slightest.

    I packed the books away and moved towards the town exit. A quick trip to a random vendor allowed me to stock up on several weeks of food. After my inventory was packed with bread, meat and vegetables, my journey could begin in earnest. The map showed the general location of the bandit camp, though it mostly hinted at it in a ¡®here be dragons¡¯ sort of way.

    Either way, it showed the main ways one could reach it. The camp was on the other side of the forest, so you could either use the cave system, skirt around the huge forest for weeks at a time or travel directly through the centre of the woods. From past experiences, the creatures who inhabited the forest were well known to me, as were those in the caves.

    The forest would be safer, and faster. I should be able to deal with a Goblin now, but two would still be tricky.

    Goblins, wolves, slimes and bandits. Hopefully, the troll was a one-off. John had joked it had likely eaten a few bandits before it ran off back to its homeland on the far side of the country. Most of the monsters in this area were on the weaker side due to the lower density of mana, so there wasn¡¯t a reason for such a horrendous beast to stay here for long.

    The guards let me through the gate without an issue. The same woman stood on guard once more, but this time she merely nodded at me as I passed by. Bryan had warned the receptionist and the guard, who I now knew was named Susie, to stay quiet about my resurrection. The fact my name had been shouted in the guildhall was a concern, but most of the people who had heard it hadn¡¯t been present during my brief stay in the world a year earlier.

    After I had left the town behind, the contents of my bag were shifted into my inventory. It was convenient, but a few items would have to remain on my person to keep up the illusion. If people saw me wander around the wilderness with no possessions, it would raise questions and suspicion on all sides.

    My goal was clear. The so-called ¡®Bandit King¡¯ was my target. He was the first Saint I would aim for in this world, but the end result of our meeting was unknown. If he had been behind the attack on the city, he would have to pay for his crimes, even if it negatively affected our fight with Bael in the future.

    The fields didn¡¯t pose any issues as I strode towards the forest. Several slimes tried to ambush me, but their attacks were swept away with a single strike. Their movements were dull and slow, even without the Accelerate buff present. It would take a large pack to phase me, so I didn¡¯t have any worries they would overwhelm me with their current numbers. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    The automated voice collected their drops, which included a few low-rank weapons and armour. I didn¡¯t need them yet, and no accessories dropped, so they were easily ignored.

    The forest was a different matter entirely.

    A wolf or two would be tricky, but manageable. A large pack would spell trouble for me. Even the experienced party had struggled with those enemies, so by myself it would be difficult, or even impossible, to win against such a huge disadvantage.

    Wolves were also faster than goblins. My Accelerate buff would give me an edge over the usual fare, but those beasts were built to chase their prey. The saint book had given me a general area which the Bandit King would be in, and a time frame before his movements became unknown. It didn¡¯t say much else, but by the end of the year he would vanish into obscurity for a long time.

    And that wasn¡¯t too far off.

    I had under two months to find the camp, meet the leader and persuade him to join me. This goal wasn¡¯t helped by the fact the bandits were currently at war with the main leaders of the country. The high council had decreed all bandits to be enemies of the land who should be purged wherever possible.

    And that was if you ignored the fact they had wanted to kill me specifically in the past.

    As my brain jumped from thought to thought, I wandered my way further into the forest. A bush rustled to my side as three wolves stepped out. We all stood stock still for a second before the group let out a low growl. They had just finished a hunt and were prepared to take their rewards back to the rest of their pack when they spotted me.

    My staff leapt into my hand as the wolves spread out. The three beasts were confused by my sudden appearance, but their hesitation wouldn¡¯t last much longer.

    So I decided to move first.

    ¡°Accelerate. Strengthen.¡±

    I dashed towards the trio. One was closer than the others, so I set it as my first target. All three charged to meet me as I sprinted towards them, but their speed meant that the leader stayed ahead of the others. They had the advantage numerically.

    But my advantage was one that all humans had. I was cunning.

    I focused on the ground at their feet as we closed in on each other. My Transmutation softened the dirt a step ahead of the pair at the back. As their paws touched down and sunk into the dirt, it hardened instantly and caught at their legs. It only lasted a split second before the weak trap failed, but it was enough to slow their charge.

    The distraction gave me time to deal with the leader.

    It didn¡¯t notice the issues its pack mates faced as it closed in. The wolf''s jaw opened wide as it leapt directly at my face, which was exactly the move I had expected. Even if it failed, it would knock me back and open me up to its comrades follow up attacks.

    ¡°Buffed strike.¡±

    I answered in kind with a thrust to the face. My staff caught it in the centre of its forehead, which stopped its leap. The force was transmitted through my staff and across my body, which sent me several feet across the forest floor. The slippery leaves and mushy dirt didn¡¯t help, so I hardened it a little to slow myself down.

    The wolf dropped at my feet. It was still alive as it struggled to get up, so I dashed forward and struck it again. It whined as I did so, which rewarded it with another hit. Only after the final strike did it go still.

    But now its comrades ran towards me again, and they were furious.

    My staff was pressed down on the wolf I had just defeated, so my instinctive response was to flick it up at the first wolf. It caught it under the jaw and snapped its head back. The other wolf didn¡¯t wait for me to regain my footing before it pounced.

    I managed to move my staff in the way to awkwardly block its strike. The wolfs jaws closed around the wooden shaft as it tried to gnaw its way through. Only after a few bites did the beast notice its mistake, but that was enough time for me to respond.

    Whilst its comrade was dazed on the floor, I lifted my foot and stamped down on my staff. The wolf was now trapped on the floor beneath my weapon, which gave me the time to pummel it from above until it collapsed under my blows.

    That left the final wolf. It pushed itself up as its comrade fell to my blows. It gave me one last vicious look before it turned tail and ran off into the forest.

    I had won.

    Though I breathed a sigh of relief, the fact the last wolf had fled off left a sickly taste in my throat. These things were pack animals and, from past experience, I knew they held grudges and defended their own to the end. If it had run off, it was sure to return soon with reinforcements. It was still faster than me, so it would be suicidal to chase it through the forest.

    **Collected Wolf fur x2, Wolf meat x2, Wolf fangs x2, Wolf bones x2.**

    **Collected leather chestplate, mail gauntlets, worn dagger.**

    **Congratulations. You have levelled up.**

    Well, at least I gained something.

    I shook my head and ran off into the forest. The two wolves had disappeared entirely as the voice looted their remains. Only the messy groves and dents in the ground proved that a battle had ever occurred. The area would be dyed red if I didn¡¯t move on quickly.

    The wolves wouldn¡¯t be so clean when they picked me to pieces, after all.

 Chapter 38 - Back and forth, changing the plan

    My main aim, to sneak into the bandit camp, had been pushed aside by a more urgent issue.

    The wolves had caught my scent. Howls came from behind and from both sides, which left me with one option. They hadn¡¯t figured out my exact location, but wolves were some of the best trackers in the wild. From my extended study session when I had been locked in the room, I recalled a few tips.

    Hide your scent, double back, use rivers, climb a tree. Fire and companions were impossible to locate in the middle of a dangerous forest, so my only chance was to escape. If I climbed a tree and tried to wait them out, they would use the time to fully surround me.

    If I tried to double back to confuse the scent trail, it would give the pack time to get ahead of me. The map of the area jumped into my mind once more as a last resort. In the distance, around twenty minutes away at my current pace, was a river. It wouldn¡¯t stop a wolf for long, but it would be enough for my current needs.

    All I had to do was reach it before they found me. Wolves were faster than humans, especially in forests, so there was only one option.

    ¡°Accelerate. Strengthen.¡±

    I had to run faster than a standard human. The buffs had fallen off since my fight against the wolves, so they had to be reapplied to make sure my escape was successful. Every howl was closer than the last, which proved they were closing in at an alarming rate. At this rate, I would barely make it.

    And then the bush in front of me shook as a wolf wandered out.

    It wasn¡¯t clear if this wolf was part of the pack who hunted me, but that didn¡¯t matter. It growled at me and raised its hackles as my feet skidded in the undergrowth. I didn¡¯t have time to bypass this wolf''s territory, so it would have to be removed forcefully.

    I drew my staff and sprinted at the wolf. It hadn¡¯t expected my insane attack, but it still managed to form a defence as I charged towards it as it tried to dodge past my thrust.

    But it was too slow.

    My staff caught it on the side of its head and knocked it to the floor. It struggled to its feet, but a swift kick knocked it back down. As much as I wanted to leave it behind, my mercy would add another enemy to the list, and give my pursuers a good idea of my route. Two downward stabs with my staff finished the wolf before the voice did its automatic collection of the wolf parts.

    With my crime hidden, I set off once more. The wolves had closed in, but they still weren¡¯t in view. My quick response to the interruption made sure I reached the river in time, but the howls were right on my tail as I jumped into the turbid waters.

    It took me around fifteen seconds to swim across, which meant my speed with the buffs in effect was considerable. This wasn¡¯t a calm pool either, so my speed could be seen as close to Olympic level. Unfortunately, there wasn¡¯t time to congratulate myself.

    I continued with my escape plan. My brain wanted me to flee in the opposite direction of my trackers, but that would only delay the inevitable. Instead, I moved into the forest and climbed a tree. The coverage was quite thick on this side of the river, so I managed to cross twenty trees before I was forced back to the ground.

    That should confuse them.

    The first wolf might have made its way across by now. I ran down the river for a few more minutes before I dived back in and swam to the far side. The howls and yips in the distance proved the wolves had gathered to cross over the river. Some had taken the plunge and crossed the river whilst the rest waited on the far bank.

    Enough had crossed over to make sure they would still take me down easily if they caught me. The flow of the river was moderately fast, which added to my speed as I swam downstream. The howls faded into the distance as I bobbed my way deeper into the forest.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    Only after the sounds had faded entirely did I pull myself up onto the bank. I had crossed back to my original side to confuse the wolves, but also due to the fact that the bandit camp was on this side of the river. My chest heaved as I pulled myself out of the river and on to the bank.

    Next time, I¡¯ll let the others tag along.

    It was a nice thought, but it didn¡¯t help my predicament. Even if they had been present it was still uncertain if they would have made much difference. The sheer number of wolves would have posed a threat to the group of the past, never mind the fact they had lost their main defensive member.

    At least for now.

    The god had said it was impossible to bring Claire back, but I refused to believe his harsh statement. Rose had said her soul was linked to mine in some weird way. Maybe once my soul healed a bit more, Rose could spend a bit of her energy to form a link to her¡­ maybe.

    ¡°Grrrr.¡±

    Two wolves walked into view. A surge of panic slammed into my brain, which forced my legs into action. I flipped to my feet and pulled out my staff as they stared at me. This pair obviously hadn¡¯t hunted for me specifically, but my appearance gave them a perfect target.

    They howled and charge towards me. One ducked low to the ground whilst the other leapt at my face. It was a perfect combination attack.

    But I was faster by a hair.

    I dropped to one knee and pushed my staff towards them. The wolf that had leapt at my face sailed over my head and rolled into the water behind me as my staff slammed horizontally into its comrade''s jaws. Before the wolf could react to the new object in its mouth, I grabbed it by the throat and tossed it into the river with all my strength.

    In the distance, I once again heard the wolf pack¡¯s howls. They had heard the commotion made by my attackers and were on my trail once more. The distance I had created vanished in an instant, and now the river was no longer an option. If I swam downstream, they would just follow until I left. If I crossed over to confuse them, the wolves on the far side would catch me without much difficulty.

    ¡°Damn it!¡± I slammed my staff against a nearby tree. It didn¡¯t help much, but at least my frustration was vented a little before I set off alongside the river. The two wolves pulled themselves out of the river and fled into the forest. Their yips and whines were lost in the cacophony raised by the main pack who closed in behind me.

    Then another set of howls rose up in front of me.

    Great, now I have a choice of which wolves will rip me to shreds.

    I cast about wildly as though my saviour would appear at the last second if I believed in it enough. No one appeared, so the only path left to me was to stall for time. After a quick calculation, I chose the tallest tree ran towards it. It was a difficult climb, but I managed to reach the top as the first wolf dashed up to its base.

    More joined it with each second. The tree was close enough to the river that I could dive in if needed, but they would most likely either follow at the side of the river or jump in to take me down. If I had to fight a few wolves in the middle of a river, I wasn¡¯t sure how much of a defense I could put up.

    More wolves ran into the area from the other side. The two factions lined up across from each other. One side hunted me in revenge for their lost members whilst the other side had been joined by the two sopping wet wolves who had crawled out of the river.

    Both sides wanted my skin, but they had to work out how to share it first.

    The alpha wolves of both packs approached each other. At first, I hoped they would turn against each other but, after a few minutes, they seemed to come to an agreement. The pack which had chased me through the forest moved in around the tree and scratched at its trunk.

    ¡°Now!¡±

    A yell came from the forest. Before the wolves could react, a large team of people rushed into the area. The wolves outnumbered them, but the leaders of the group were heavily armed and armoured. They took the initial hit whilst their allies cut into the pack from behind.

    Wolves fell like wheat as the men and women reaped their way up to my tree. At first, I had a wild hope they had come to rescue me, but not a single one of them glanced in my direction. The two packs made a feeble attempt at a counter-attack but they failed to make any headway.

    So the survivors fled off into the forest.

    ¡°Anyone injured?¡± A large man shouted at the group. A few people had minor cuts and bruises, but the short scuffle had been a massive victory for them. The man nodded happily before he turned and looked up into my tree. ¡°Oh, I wondered what had the wolves so mad. What did you do, friend?¡±

    The man grinned up at me. Compared to the wolves, who had only wanted to eat me, his smile was more concerning¡­

    These people are bandits. I guess this works.

    ¡°I killed a few of them, but more kept appearing. Eventually, I had to run.¡± I jumped out of the tree and landed in front of the man. The impact hurt my legs, but I did my best to act like it hadn¡¯t affected me at all. ¡°Damn wolves, don¡¯t know their place. We should just wipe them out.¡±

    ¡°We?¡± The large man raised an eyebrow at my suggestion. ¡°And why would ¡®we¡¯ do such a thing, friend?¡±

    ¡°Well, I came to join up with the bandits.¡± I gave the man a wide smile. ¡°Maybe I can tag along with you, I¡¯m getting a bit bored anyway. Sounds good, yeah?¡±

 Chapter 39 - Intense battles, proving my skills

    ¡°Oh, really.¡± The man moved in close. He was a tad taller than me, but much bulkier. ¡°And why would we let you do that?¡±

    ¡°Because a friend in need is a friend indeed.¡± I patted the mans shoulder and stepped past him. ¡°No point fighting here. The wolves might come back with reinforcements, yeah?¡±

    The mans gaze followed me. He was silent for a few moments before a wide smile broke out on his face.

    ¡°That makes sense. You can come with us, but its up to the vice-commander if you get to join.¡± He chuckled. ¡°I hope for your life he¡¯s feeling generous.¡±

    My expression didn¡¯t change at his threat. Internally, my mind rolled back and forth like a boat in the middle of a stormy sea. This hadn¡¯t been my plan, but there wasn¡¯t any other option. My chances of escaping from this group was lower than the wolves. They had a good number of archers and practitioners, more than enough to melt me before I left the area.

    This might actually work out.

    The group gathered up the loot. Though the wolves had chased me first, the voice didn¡¯t appear to collect any items from them. Maybe I had to land the last hit for that to happen or something? That was a positive effect for me, though. If the wolves randomly disappeared in front of the bandits eyes, the first person to face the blame would be me.

    After they had gathered the materials we set off. They had done it in a rough and ready fashion. None of them were close to the skill John had shown in the past. Maybe it was because they didn¡¯t care, but their lack of attention annoyed me a little. The loot would be damaged by their carelessness.

    Not my problem.

    We walked through the forest at a rapid pace. It became clear this group had took a detour when the opportunity presented itself. Two separate packs of wolves wouldn¡¯t work together efficiently, plus the fact they had been distracted already. It was a perfect time to strike for maximum effect.

    The group consisted of around twenty people. Five were heavily armoured in plate-mail with various large weapons. Another seven were lightly armoured, whilst the remainder were split equally between those who used ranged weapons and those who wielded magic.

    The group also had one holy practitioner. The troop didn¡¯t stop, so the treatment had to be given on the move. That was one upside of magic, it worked well in various situations where standard practices would be useless.

    The wolves didn¡¯t return, but the journey wasn¡¯t without incident. The group was large, which scared off all by the most idiotic of enemies. The beasts of this world had an innate intelligence, but there was one group who didn¡¯t care too much about the number they faced.

    Goblins.

    At first, it was one by itself. It leapt out of a tree and smashed down on one of the archers. The man tried to dodge, but he failed to move in time as the goblin landed on his chest and raised its club to strike. Before the man could be crushed into a pulp, his colleagues rained attacks on the creature which blew it off into the forest.

    It¡¯s skin was much darker than the cave goblins, likely due to exposure to the sun. The fact it could see whilst outside proved its eyes weren¡¯t weak to light like its cousins. If you dropped it in the caves, it was clear which of the two would win. Out in the open, the cave goblins would be as good as dead.

    I wonder how many generations it took for them to change so much.

    ¡°Heal him, quickly.¡± The leader growled at the holy practitioner. The healer flinched and ran over to the injured man. The damage from the sneak attack was considerable, but he was stabilized after a few minutes. One of the warriors lifted the archer and slung him over his shoulder.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    No potions, or they don¡¯t want to waste them. Good to know.

    If they relied on a limited number of healers, any damage their forces took would stick like glue. Warfare by attrition would work on this group more than the well prepared town guards. Maybe thats why they relied on numerical advantage more than military skill or strategy.

    The next attack was by three goblins at once. The party was ready this time, so the attack was knocked away without any injuries. The leader watched me suspiciously as the fight came to a close, as though he expected me to run forward and steal the drops.

    ¡°Your squad is pretty good.¡± I nodded at the group. ¡°I made the right decision when I joined up with you, yeah.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re good people.¡± The leader answered noncommittally before he turned back to his troops. ¡°Alright! Let¡¯s get back to base before you lot trip over a rock and die or something.¡±

    The group picked up the loot from the goblins. Luckily for my sanity they didn¡¯t skin them, but they did take every scrap the creatures possessed. Our journey continued for another quater hour before the first major assault happened.

    Ten goblins burst out from the undergrowth and charged towards us. The archers launched their first barrage, but only one goblin fell under their fire. The remainder crashed into the warriors, who barely held against their assault. It was five against nine, so the goblins held the edge in both strength and numbers.

    But humans were adaptable.

    The archers moved to the sides and continued their assault. The lighter armoured melee fighters moved to flank the goblins. A few split off into two verses one duels, but the goblins tough skin made it difficult for the nimble fighters to get a good hit in.

    ¡°Are you just going to watch?¡± The leader barked at me. He stood at the back of the group as he watched the fight progress. His hypocrisy annoyed me, but I ignored the irritation as I stepped up to the fight.

    ¡°Strengthen. Accelerate.¡± I whispered to myself after I was out of earshot of the leader. No one else noticed my words as they bellowed out their own abilities constantly. I obviously excluded the others from my abilities. If they suddenly got buffed by a Supporter, my true class would be revealed.

    The warriors traded blow for blow whilst their lighter armoured colleagues did their best to avoid the hits. The goblins had started to fall, but there were still six left. Two of the warriors had collapsed and several of the fighters were out for the count. The goblins were used to the archers attacks, and used their opponents and their own weapons to block many of the attacks.

    You¡¯ll do.

    I picked one of the goblins who was distracted with a warrior. The man¡¯s armour was dented in many places by the goblins heavy club. It was easy to sneak around the back of the goblin, at which point many new options became available. I couldn¡¯t use my Buffed strike, but a sneak attack should do some damage.

    My first target was the back of its knee. A sharp thrust knocked the goblin off balance, which allowed the warrior it fought to get a strike into the its chest. Their skin was resistant to blades and arrows, but a heavy strike from a bludgeon type weapon did more damage than expected. It was time to follow up.

    My attacks continued on the same knee. Thrust, swing, thrust, thrust, sweep. After the tenth blow, the goblin collapsed to one knee. The warrior took the opportunity to finish it off before he gave me a quick nod. We then turned to the other goblins.

    The warrior took my lead. I moved behind a goblin which was up against a pair of light armoured fighters. The same scene played out, but this time the warrior took the goblins other leg at the same time. The fighters sunk their blades into it after a vicious brawl, after which my forces increased to three.

    We collapsed on the few goblins which remained upright. Not a single one tried to escape from battle even as the last of them fell to the ground. We had lost a few people, but the leader didn¡¯t seem to mind as he strode up next to me and laid his hand on my shoulder.

    ¡°Good work, you¡¯ll be a good follower in the future.¡± His teeth gleamed in the sun as the pressure on my shoulder strengthened. He leaned in close and whispered into my ear. ¡°Don¡¯t think about taking my place, though. You¡¯ll find that quite¡­ difficult.¡±

    ¡°Of course not.¡± I brushed his palm from my shoulder and moved to one of the goblins we had defeated. ¡°You¡¯re the boss, I owe you for saving my life.¡±

    The rest of the group watched our little play. Though the leader hadn¡¯t announced his intentions, the rest of them clearly knew what had gone down. They glanced between the two of us, though I did see a few irritable looks as their gazes turned to their current leader.

    These people respect strength and courage. All I have to do is show I¡¯m a battle crazed madman, and they¡¯ll follow me. This might actually be fun.

    I forced down my grin and picked up the goblins loot. The only thing I didn¡¯t touch was the loincloth around its waist. That would take it a little too far for me to consider. As I stood, the voice spoke to me again.

    **Congratulations. You have levelled up.**

 Chapter 40 - Infiltration completed, becoming a bandit

    Several bandits came over to congratulate me. Their happiness was genuine as they patted my shoulder and showered me with words of encouragement. It looked like my actions had been well noted. It helped my case that I had thrown myself forward to save many of those who still stood.

    They didn¡¯t know I had only reached level eight, but it didn¡¯t matter. This was as good a reason to gain their trust as any other.

    ¡°OK, that¡¯s enough. Gather the loot, pick up the wounded and get moving. We need to get out of here before more of them turn up!¡± The bandit leader thundered at his followers. Several of them grimaced as they turned back to their tasks, but none raised a complaint to the huge man.

    Rule with an iron fist, indeed. I guess that works too¡­

    It would never be my plan to control others through fear. That was usually a short term solution, and normally ended with a gruesome punishment for said leader. I¡¯d seen it myself in the past. It would be better to get others to follow you because they wanted to, but that would take far more effort than wielding a big weapon and yelling.

    ¡°How far are we to the base? Another battle like that and we might not make it.¡± I placed my staff on my back and moved next to the leader. ¡°Do you have any potions for the injured, if we can get some of them back on their feet, it might help us-¡±

    ¡°No, we¡¯re close enough. No reason to waste resources.¡± The bandit leader growled at me. ¡°I don¡¯t know what it¡¯s like where you came from, but out here we need to save those things for emergencies.¡±

    I nodded in response to his refusal. It made sense, though this situation did seem like an emergency to me¡­ but I had fully expected him to refuse either way. My request had been spoken loudly enough for the others to hear, so my main aim was well underway.

    After they had finished looting the goblins, each member lifted one of their injured colleagues before we set off into the forest. Our speed was slower, but the bandit leader wasn¡¯t stupid enough to order the others to leave their comrades behind. We were only as fast as the slowest person, which for once wasn¡¯t me. An archer had to carry one of the practitioners who had taken a goblin kick to the chest, and he could barely stumble along under his burden.

    For my part, I helped one of the warriors carry a heavily armoured man. We each hooked an arm over our shoulders as we stomped along the thickly covered path. At first, it wasn¡¯t too bad, but then my Strengthen buff fell off. After a few minutes of struggle, I whispered the ability to reactivate it.

    And the injured man heard me.

    He glanced at me, his eyebrows raised to the sky as my muscles clenched. The man didn¡¯t make any move to reveal my true class as he gave me a small smile. At worst, he would tell the others when they got back to the camp. Hopefully, they wouldn¡¯t care too much about the class of the person who had saved their lives.

    The same couldn¡¯t be said for the bandit leader, who kept throwing irritable looks in my direction for the entire journey.

    In a short time, my stock with this little group had exceeded his own, which he did not appreciate. I hadn¡¯t made any direct moves against him, but if he figured out my class it wouldn¡¯t take much for him to toss me aside. The others might try to argue on my behalf, but they were too scared of the leader and his punishments to make any real attempts to protect me.

    I reactivated the Strengthen buff once more before we reached the outskirts of the bandit camp. A rough wall surrounded a huge area, and the forest had been cleared away up to twenty metres on all sides of the encampment to provide lines of sight on any incoming enemies. The leader strode ahead of the group and waved up at a bandit atop the wall.

    ¡°We¡¯re back, open the gate!¡± He yelled up. The man atop the wall turned to shout into the camp, after which the large doors beneath him creaked open. The bandit leader didn¡¯t spare a glance for his squad as he squeezed in through the narrow gap, but the rest of the group didn¡¯t seem to care. After the gates had opened fully, we made our way into the interior.

    It was exactly as I had expected.

    The buildings were rough and ready, mostly made of wood and thatch. In the centre of the encampment lay a three-story high dwelling made of stone, but even that was crude in design compared to the most basic buildings in the town.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!

    ¡°The leader should mention you to the commander. Stick with us, we¡¯ll keep an eye out for you.¡± The bandit beside me grinned as we walked towards a long, wooden hut in the distance. Several men and women dashed out and loaded the injured people onto several beds before they began treatment. Most of them were holy attributed practitioners, though some used more standard means of medication.

    After the injured man I had carried was loaded onto his own bed, I stepped aside and rested against the wall. Those who had escaped major injuries moved to a large warehouse beside the treatment hut and dumped their loot into a pile outside the door, so I copied them and dropped my share into the same heap.

    ¡°They¡¯ll sort it out and share the rewards equally between the squad. The leader will take a big cut, but you should get a good amount of commendations for this haul.¡± One of the bandits smiled at me. Her eyes were cheery as she looked over the jumble of odds and ends we had collected. ¡°This should keep us going for a while, and we didn¡¯t lose anyone, thanks to you. Good job, cub.¡±

    ¡°Thanks.¡± I picked up a dagger that had rolled off the pile and tossed it back on. ¡°Who do I need to speak to if I want to join up officially?¡±

    Several bandits chuckled at my question. The woman who had explained the loot split shook her head before she spoke again.

    ¡°Your over-thinking it, cub. All you need to do is prove yourself a bit, and you''re in. You¡¯ve done that, so there¡¯s no need to go any further.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± I glanced at the bandits who were moving around the area. This encampment was rough and ready, but it was still their home. It had all of the amenities you would expect of a town, such as food, water, places to sleep and entertainment. A few pubs lay not too far from the main road in the distance, and a loud storm of music was being raised in the distance.

    ¡°Come on, cub. We have a spare bed in our barracks.¡± The woman pushed herself up and moved into the distance. Before I could follow her, a heavy hand slammed down on my shoulder.

    ¡°Hey, cub. Where are you going?¡±

    I pulled myself out of his grasp and turned around slowly. It was the bandit leader again, but this time he had four people behind him. All of them glared at me angrily, though I had never met any of them in my life.

    ¡°I was going to go for a rest, apparently there¡¯s a spare bed.¡± I smiled at the leader and ignored those behind him. ¡°I¡¯m told you¡¯ll sort out the loot, so I can just leave that to you, yeah?¡±

    ¡°Oh, will he?¡± One of the men behind the leader grunted. ¡°You want to push off anything difficult, do you?¡±

    ¡°Calm down, Bobby. He¡¯s new here, so he probably doesn¡¯t know.¡± The leader waved his friend into silence and turned back to me. ¡°New members have to prove themselves. You can go help sort the loot, it shouldn¡¯t take more than a few hours.¡±

    ¡°He was in the fight with us, he needs to rest.¡± The female bandit stepped up behind me. Her patience snapped in the face of the leader''s overwhelming rudeness. ¡°I¡¯m not in your squad anymore, so I won¡¯t take your bullcrap. Your pissed off because you failed your level twenty-five advancement, don¡¯t take it out on the newbie.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you have a defender. Interesting.¡± The leader grinned at me as he ignored her statement. ¡°Can¡¯t speak up for yourself, Cub?¡±

    ¡°Probably too weak. We should just chuck him out, Ron.¡± Bobby suggested.

    ¡°No, no. We can¡¯t do that, not without giving him a chance to prove himself.¡± The leader waved Bobby into silence again. I watched their little play as they mechanically spoke their lines. It was clear what this was leading up to, just as much as it was obvious this had been the leaders plan all along.

    ¡°Do you want to fight?¡± I sighed and pulled out my staff. ¡°If that¡¯s what you want, just say it.¡±

    I was a Supporter, but there was no way I could take this lying down. This man wasn¡¯t as strong as Bryan and the others. Bandits respected strength and courage, so if I ran from this fight it would destroy all the ground I had gained up to this point. I still had a few minutes remaining on my Strengthen buff, so that would have to do.

    ¡°Oh, you want to fight me? I guess I can agree to that.¡± The leader, who I now knew was named Ron, grinned and pulled out his weapon. It was a heavy, two-handed axe. The shaft was rough and dirty, but that did little to lower the danger from the huge hunk of sharpened metal at its tip. ¡°No abilities, first to quit, sound fair?¡±

    ¡°Oy, that¡¯s not fair.¡± The man I had carried shouted out from the side. He glanced at me before he turned back to the leader. ¡°He¡¯s a-¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± I waved the man into silence. The longer my class could remain a secret, the less chance my cover would be blown. If these people learned I was a Supporter, there was a slim possibility they would link me to the person who had interfered with their plans a year ago. Until the point I had no other choice, I would have to rely on my basic level of skill to pull me through.

    ¡°Cub, wait a minute. Don¡¯t fall for it, this guy has a passive ability. He¡¯s trying to trick-¡±

    ¡°Shut up!¡± Bobby pulled out a wicked knife from his belt and pointed it at the female bandit. ¡°He agreed to it, so that¡¯s that. Back off!¡±

    The woman gritted her teeth and threw me one more look. It was clear she wanted me to back out, but that would go against my plan. I had built up an innate level of skill during my year of constant practice, and now would be the perfect time to utilise it.

    ¡°Great. Let¡¯s get started.¡± Ron lifted his axe into the sky and stepped towards me. ¡°Don¡¯t die too easy, Cub. This is gonna be fun.¡±

 Chapter 41 - Duelling bandits, a test of strength

    I swept my staff out and pointed it at Roy¡¯s face. One hand at the back, the other half way up the shaft. My usual advantage of range had been rendered moot by the length of his weapon, which left speed and maneuverability. His axe was deadly, but the huge hunk of metal would slow his blows considerably.

    Added to that, the level difference wasn¡¯t too huge. He was level twenty-five, so he had only gained the major boost from the first advancement. That meant it was still possible for me to put up a fight. As long as he didn¡¯t cut me in half, I would have time to counter his blows¡­ at least that¡¯s what I hoped.

    ¡°AAAHHHHHHHHHH!¡± Ron yelled as he dashed towards me. His speed was faster than I had expected, but not so to the degree I couldn¡¯t have outrun him. His axe flashed through the air as he swung it directly on top of my head. He wasn¡¯t playing around in the slightest as he moved in for the kill in the first exchange.

    Blocking would be a fools errand. My staff was strong, but I didn¡¯t trust my strength to stop a full powered blow from above. His strength, plus the weight of his weapon, made such an option risky.

    Instead, I dodged and flicked my staff into the side of his weapon. The blow wasn¡¯t enough to stop his strike, but it did deflect the axe enough to save my arm from being cut off.

    His axe sunk into the ground with ease. As he tried to pull it out, I darted forwards and thrust my staff at his head. One of the downsides of the staff was the difficulty in landing fatal blows, but a heavy strike to the head would knock even the hardiest of warriors to the floor.

    Ron knew this, so he jumped back and dragged his axe through the ground behind him. My staff missed his nose by an inch as the axe leapt into the air once more. I dodged back and prepared myself for our next exchange.

    ¡°Good moves, Cub.¡± Ron grinned as he bounced the axe on his palm. ¡°The next won¡¯t be so easy to dodge, so do your best.¡±

    The crowd had swelled as our battle took place. Several members were betting on the results, and the odds were heavily stacked against me. This ¡®passive¡¯ ability my new friend mentioned had yet to come into effect, but I was still on the lookout for it as Ron stepped towards me again.

    This time, he didn¡¯t shout or yell. His grip shifted as he held his weapon horizontally. He had learnt my strength was enough to deflect his attack, but it was clear it lacked the power to block an all out strike. It would be impossible for me to stop a blow from the side if I tried to dodge or deflect it.

    Before he reached me, his arm bulged out as he swung his axe. The strike sped up noticeably as it swept toward my legs.

    So I jumped over the blow.

    He had obviously expected that, so he countered with a shoulder charge. Unfortunately, I had expected his counter, so I thrust my staff at his chest. At best, it would knock him to the floor. At worst, it would help create some distance between us.

    But then my Strengthen buff ran out.

    Why now of all times!?

    Ron took a deep breath and clenched his chest as my staff flashed towards him. As my weapon crashed into his chest, it juddered as though I had attacked a brick wall. Pain flared in my arm as my body dropped back to the floor. Ron took advantage of my situation to lift his axe one more for another downward strike.

    Damn it!

    That must have been what she had meant by ¡®passive¡¯ ability. His body had hardened as my blow was about to land, which had nullified most of the damage. I could tell that Ron¡¯s breathing was rough, so it was unlikely he could repeat such a move too often, but once had been enough.

    ¡°Stop!¡± A voice yelled out from the side. Ron¡¯s axe juddered to a halt in mid-air before he swung around to face the newcomer. A man stepped out from the crowd, his eyes narrow as he stared at the us. I had collapsed to one knee and had my staff raised ready to attempt a block whilst Ron had frozen mid-way through his final chop.

    ¡°Sir, he agreed to a duel. Why did you stop-¡±

    ¡°Shut it, Ron. I already know everything.¡± The man glared at the bandit leader angrily. ¡°Do you really think you can throw your weight around like this and I wouldn¡¯t find out? Who do you think is in charge here?¡±

    ¡°You are, sir.¡± Ron lowered his axe and stepped back. ¡°I never said-¡±Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

    ¡°I told you to shut it.¡± The man glared at Ron before he turned back to me. ¡°So, you¡¯re the new cub. Leah told me about you, apparently a few of her friends owe you their lives.¡±

    ¡°I guess so.¡± I took a deep breath and pushed myself up. ¡°Ron wanted to duel me, but I didn¡¯t expect someone like you to be interested in that.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m interested in everything, I just don¡¯t have time to stop idiots from being idiots.¡± The man reached out towards me. ¡°The name¡¯s Clive, I¡¯m the vice-commander. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you¡­?¡±

    ¡°I guess you can call me Cub.¡± I gripped the man¡¯s hand in my own. ¡°Nice to meet you, too.¡±

    ¡°So, Ron is level twenty-five and he¡¯s a warrior. He¡¯s planning to upgrade to an axe-based class, obviously.¡± Clive smiled and tightened his grip. ¡°What about you, feel like sharing?¡±

    My mind froze over at his question. This man was cunning. He had seen through my plan to keep my class private, and he had openly asked in front of this audience. If I refused his request, it would throw his face into the dirt. If I lied, it would be proven false in short order.

    ¡°Supporter, level twenty-three.¡± I smiled at him as I announced my class. I had two more levels to go before I got to ten, so it matched the increase to twenty-five. Clive nodded as he released my hand before he turned back to Ray.

    ¡°So, you challenged a Supporter to a one on one duel and wouldn¡¯t allow him to use abilities? How brave of you.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know he was a Supporter.¡± Ron mumbled as he stared at the ground. The four people who had followed him, including Bobby, had slunk back into the crowd long ago. ¡°If he¡¯d told me, I wouldn¡¯t-¡±

    ¡°So, a new duel. Abilities allowed, that seems fair.¡± Clive patted my shoulder and pushed me towards Ron. ¡°Go on, show us what you¡¯re made of.¡±

    ¡°Sir, can I use my abilities too?¡± Ron glanced up. He seemed like a schoolchild who had been caught smoking behind the sheds by his headmaster.

    ¡°Of course.¡± I nodded before Clive could speak. Whilst my abilities were the initial ones provided to a Supporter, my year of practice had lead to their mastery. Their rank should make up for the difference in our skills, especially for a bandit such as him. ¡°It¡¯s only fair, right? Can¡¯t have you complaining when you lose.¡±

    Clive glanced at me before he shrugged and moved back to the edge of the arena. Ron stared at me open mouthed for several seconds before he pulled himself together. He raised his axe up once more, though this time his expression was far more serious than it had been previously.

    ¡°Strengthen. Accelerate.¡± I spoke the buffs clearly, which raised a ripple of murmurs from the crowd. Ron tilted his head to one side as he watched me prepare for our battle.

    ¡°Those are the basic Supporter buffs, don¡¯t you have anything more useful?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s all I¡¯ll need to deal with you.¡± I grinned and settled into a defensive stance. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s get this over with.¡±

    Ron clamped his mouth shut as he stepped forwards. He dropped his axe down as he charged at me, as though his plan was to run right over me through sheer will. The huge axe-head was aimed directly at the centre of my chest as he built up speed.

    ¡°Enrage!¡±

    As he got closer, he yelled out his first ability. His muscles bulged as he thrust his axe at my chest.

    Blocking would still be stupid, but that¡¯s not my only trick. This guy tried to use me, so he deserves everything he has coming to him.

    As his axe closed in, I launched my plan into action. My staff lanced out and slammed into the end of his axe. I had slowed his charge a little, but his momentum was too much for me to stop entirely. Fortunately, that wasn¡¯t the end result I had hoped for anyway.

    His axe head curved outwards at the top, which gave me the perfect spot to jam my staff into. As my feet were about to leave the floor, I punched down on my staff.

    ¡°Buffed strike!¡±

    My blow slammed into the side of my staff. The force of the strike was transmitted into his axe, which caused his weapon to slam into the floor. He had not expected such a risky move, so he didn¡¯t react in time before my foot landed on the back of his axe.

    ¡°Buffed strike!¡± I yelled once more. This time the ability was used to increase the power of my kick as I buried his axe in the ground. Ron stared at his weapon stupidly as I readied my staff for phase two of the plan.

    I thrust it out again, though the target wasn¡¯t Ron directly. My staff skittered along the length of his axe as it approached his unprotected hand. Ron barely pulled his hand away before my staff carved a gouge through the place he had just been holding.

    Let¡¯s see how strong you are now.

    His ability was a basic increase in strength, though there could be secondary effects I hadn¡¯t noticed. If he had used an active ability to enhance his blow, it was possible he would have overpowered me. At that point I still would have had a few moves in reserve, like my Transmutation, but the fight would have been much more difficult.

    I need to keep that hidden as long as I can, it will lose its effect if everyone knows about it beforehand.

    Ron ran towards me with his arms held wide. If I had a weapon like an axe, he might have given up straight away, but it was possible his passive defenses would be able to nullify my blow again.

    I wouldn¡¯t give him the chance.

    ¡°Buffed strike.¡± I spoke calmly as my staff lunged towards his leg. He tried to dodge, but the speed of my blow was far too fast. He tumbled to the floor the instant my staff struck his knee, though he did try to roll towards his axe at the same time.

    So I kicked it away.

    Ron rolled past me and scrabbled at the area where his weapon had laid moments ago. I flipped him over with a casual kick and raised my staff above his head.

    ¡°So, do you want to quit?¡± I quipped as Ron stared up at me. The bandit leader clenched his fists, but it was clear he wouldn¡¯t be able to block should I carry out my next attack.

    ¡°I give up. You win, Cub.¡±

 Chapter 42 - Protection money, a deal is struck

    I moved back from Ron. It would be stupid to help him to his feet, especially after he had tried to kill me not so long ago. At best, he wouldn¡¯t appreciate my friendly offer, and at worst he would take the chance to take me down once and for all.

    ¡°Well, that was unexpected. You¡¯re full of surprises, Cub.¡± Clive ignored Ron as he moved over to me. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a Supporter with your strength and skill, maybe you can train some of ours up a bit.¡±

    ¡°Maybe.¡± I shrugged dismissively. ¡°It¡¯s mostly just basic training, I doubt I could add much.¡±

    ¡°Humble, though maybe not honest. I won¡¯t press you, Cub.¡± Clive took a step back and turned to the crowd. ¡°Right, shows over! Get back to work, you slackers!¡±

    Ron walked into the distance as the crowd dissipated. He would be a danger going forward, but at least it wasn¡¯t hidden. As long as I could avoid another situation like I had with Ray, I was happy.

    ¡°So, you wanted to join us. I guess I can¡¯t say no now, can I?¡± Clive pulled out a chair from a nearby building and tossed it to me. ¡°Here, let¡¯s chat. I have a few questions for you.¡±

    I grabbed the chair and set it down as Clive pulled another out. We sat next to each other as the surrounding bandits made a gap between themselves and us.

    ¡°So, what¡¯s a Supporter doing out in the forest alone? I know you¡¯re pretty strong, but that¡¯s still dangerous.¡± Clive folded his arms as he stared at me. ¡°I don¡¯t get it.¡±

    ¡°Well, I had a few¡­ issues in town.¡± I tutted and glanced towards the exit of the encampment. ¡°It was awkward to stay there after what happened, so I decided to head off on my own. It was then that I came up with the idea to join up with you.¡±

    ¡°Hmm.¡± Clive tilted his head to one side. ¡°I guess that plays out. What did you do, if I may ask?¡±

    ¡°Well, I got into a fight with a guard. He was basically a criminal, but the others didn¡¯t see it that way.¡± I spoke calmly, as though every word was the truth. Little did he know every word was true, though not in the way he would have imagined. ¡°After we had our little fight, I had to leave. Simple as that, really.¡±

    ¡°Really. Maybe we¡¯re alike after all, Cub.¡± Clive rubbed his chin and pushed himself up. ¡°You¡¯re in, I¡¯ll give you Ron¡¯s old rank. He can work his way up again, or he can scram off.¡±

    ¡°Thanks.¡± I pushed myself up and grinned at Clive. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best-¡±

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t thank me too much. It¡¯ll be hard work, and some won¡¯t be too happy about you taking his spot.¡± Clive kicked the chair back into the house. ¡°He¡¯s a rude idiot, but he knows how to keep the right people happy. You¡¯ll have to prove yourself before they let it go.¡±

    ¡°How?¡± After my little fight with Ron, what else was there to do. I had beaten him into the dirt, and they would still try to make trouble for me?

    Are these people insane? How many of them do I need to beat up before they leave me alone?

    ¡°I¡¯ll give you a mission, one which Ron failed on before. Do that, and you¡¯ll win most of them over.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that sounds fair. What is it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s pretty simple, Cub.¡± Clive patted my shoulder with a smile. ¡°You just need to pick up the protection money the nearby village owes us. Easy, right?¡±

    It didn¡¯t take long for me to leave the encampment again. This time I was followed by my own squad, though their numbers were far lower than Ron¡¯s had been. Our mission was less dangerous, apparently, which explained the difference.

    ¡°So, captain. What¡¯s the plan?¡± One of the bandits spoke up. It was Leah, the woman who had spoken out in my defence back at the encampment. I had asked for her to be assigned to my squad, along with several of Ron¡¯s old followers. She had frowned when she heard our mission but had not voiced any complaints at the new assignment.

    Specifically, I had chosen those who had shown skill in combat along with a hatred of their old commander.

    If they hated him, it was obvious they wouldn¡¯t turn out to be his spies. The enemy of my enemy is my friend. We numbered ten in total, but those who followed me seemed happy to go with whatever plan I had in mind.

    ¡°Leave it to me, I¡¯ll sort it out when we get there. You take the lead, Leah. I don¡¯t know this place as well as you yet.¡±

    Leah nodded and moved to the front of the group. The rest of us moved behind her as we walked through the forest. At first we were bunched up, but I ordered my troops to spread out a little. There was no need to give an easy target to any ranged opponents who might ambush us on the way.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    My followers were confused at the order, but once I explained the reasons they were happy to obey. Such things were standard tactics, but most bandit leaders took charge through strength rather than intelligence.

    I¡¯m glad I read up on some of this stuff in the past. I can¡¯t remember doing so exactly, but this information must have come from somewhere.

    We moved in three sections. The first had three warriors, including Leah. After them came the two lightly armoured practitioners and myself, with three archers at the rear. One lightly armoured adventurer also acted as a forward scout at the edges of the group.

    There were problems with the formation, but our numbers limited the available options. If we were attacked from the rear, I would be able to back them up for long enough so that our warriors could reinforce the line.

    Maybe I was overthinking it. Clive had said the village wouldn¡¯t do something so stupid as attacking us openly. They refused to pay the protection money on the grounds that they didn¡¯t have any to spare. Clive didn¡¯t believe that, so he had set me the goal of getting the full amount.

    On the one hand, he had given me the chance to prove myself. On the other hand, he was testing me yet again. This was a task the brutish Ron had failed to complete, so someone like me had even less of a chance.

    At least I would if I played by their rules.

    Unfortunately for them, I had a few skills up my sleeves which they couldn¡¯t plan for. None of that would matter if I couldn¡¯t persuade the village leader to play along, and that was reliant on my skills of persuasion.

    The village appeared in the distance not long after. It was on the eastern edge of the forest, flanked on the north by the mountains. The town I had landed near was far to the south, which gave the whole place a sense of scale.

    I¡¯ve come so far, and I have even further to go. I should start as I mean to go on. These people have done nothing wrong, so I need to help them if it doesn¡¯t leave me open.

    ¡°Hello!¡± A man walked out from one of the buildings and waved at us. His smile was a little too wide to be natural as he moved to greet us. ¡°I imagine you''re here about the protection money? I¡¯m sorry, but we don¡¯t have-¡±

    ¡°Be quiet.¡± I waved the man into silence and turned to my squad. ¡°Surround the village, make sure no one sneaks out. I need to speak to this man, privately.¡±

    My nine followers nodded and obeyed my order. The small collection of huts was barely enough to be counted as a village, but even then they struggled to surround it completely. After they had moved out of earshot, I stepped close to the villager who had greeted us.

    ¡°Are you the village leader?¡± I asked with a small smile. The man glanced at my followers before he nodded in response. ¡°Good, let¡¯s go into your house. I have an offer for you.¡±

    The man turned and lead me into the central building. Several faces poked out of the windows on either side of the single road as we walked into the village leaders home. They watched suspiciously as the leader waved me into his house and closed the door behind us.

    ¡°You have an offer¡­ for me?¡± The man asked after the door had closed. ¡°Please excuse me if I don¡¯t get too excited.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s understandable. I do have a few questions for you.¡± I dropped into one of the seats beside his table and waved at the man to take the chair across from me. ¡°Why don¡¯t you leave this place?¡±

    ¡°Are you threatening-¡± The man¡¯s fists whitened as he stepped towards me.

    ¡°No, of course not. It¡¯s merely a question.¡± I raised a hand to calm the leader. ¡°You have to pay an extortionate protection fee, the grounds aren¡¯t fertile enough for farming, and monsters are bound to attack your village at regular intervals. What¡¯s keeping you here?¡±

    ¡°This is our home.¡± The man lowered himself into the other chair as he sighed. ¡°Enough of us don¡¯t want to leave that the rest have no choice. The vice-commander of the bandits knows this, and he has taken several of our members into his fold. We leave, they face the punishment... Not that they know that, of course.¡±

    ¡°Hmm.¡± I rested my hands on his table as I catalogued the new information. My plan would still work, but the added variables would make it extremely difficult. The only issue was that it was difficult to fully trust him. If he passed on the details of my plan to the bandits¡­

    ¡°He¡¯s telling the truth.¡± Rose spoke softly from within my brain. Her comment stunned me for a moment, but before I could ask what she meant, she continued. ¡°Your friend told me. Apparently, she has some way to know these things¡±

    ¡°¡­ Claire.¡± I muttered to myself. The leader frowned as he stared at me, but I ignored him as my mind reeled.

    She did have the ability to know if people were lying. But how did she use it as a soul?

    ¡°I still have an offer for you, but it¡¯s up to you if you take it.¡± I said after I had calmed myself. Now that I had Claire¡¯s backing, the next step was relatively safe.

    ¡°There¡¯s no cost on listening. Go on, speak your piece.¡±

    ¡°Pay me the money you owe, in full.¡± I raised my hand to cut off his objection. ¡°Hear me out. If you keep refusing, the bandits won¡¯t let you live in peace. If you give me the money, I¡¯ll give it to them. Then, I¡¯ll give it back to you.¡±

    ¡°¡­what?¡± The man stared at me for several seconds. ¡°How will you managed that trick, friend?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that, I have a foolproof plan.¡± I waved off his questions as though they were unimportant. ¡°You wouldn''t believe me if I told you. All you have to do is promise me you won¡¯t tell anyone I helped you. Do we have a deal?¡±

    The leader tapped on the table as he stared at me. After several minutes of silence, he opened his mouth to respond.

    ¡°My father told me to never trust a bandit, but¡­ you don¡¯t have the look of a bandit. I guess that means I can trust you.¡± The leader laughed, but the expression didn¡¯t reach his eyes. ¡°I guess if Leah decided to follow you here, you must be worthy of some level of trust¡­ It¡¯s not like I have a choice, right?¡±

    ¡°You won¡¯t regret this.¡± I stood up and reached out towards him. ¡°Pleasure doing business with you.¡±

    ¡°And you.¡± The leader gripped my hand and shook it firmly. ¡°I¡¯ll see you again soon, I hope.¡±

 Chapter 43 - Mission cleared, a daring heist

    The leader was true to his word.

    He delivered the payment in full, though it was clear they didn¡¯t have much left once it had been paid. The amount fitted into one chest, which we placed in a wheelbarrow for easy transport. It would have been easier to place it into my inventory, but such a move would raise many questions from my followers.

    They didn¡¯t trust me to that extent, at least not yet.

    Most of the group were ecstatic at my success, but Leah glared at me as the chest was carried over to us. She stepped next to me and leaned in close.

    ¡°How did you do that?¡± She whispered in my ear. Her hand clamped on my arm as she stared at me. ¡°Tell me¡­ Did you threaten him?¡±

    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t. We made a deal, one which will help him more in the future than he loses now. I can¡¯t say any more than that.¡±

    Leah narrowed her eyes for a moment before she released me. She didn¡¯t seem to believe my words entirely, but she trusted me enough to let things run their course. Either way, it wasn¡¯t like she could return the money after the other bandits had seen it.

    Why does she care this much? It doesn¡¯t make much sense¡­ unless¡­

    That revelation had to wait as we moved back to the bandit camp. Each member was intensely aware of the goods we carried. The total far exceeded the gains from the goblin and wolf fights that Ron had taken credit for.

    Ten people suddenly seemed far too low a number.

    ¡°Grrrrr!¡±

    Two wolves appeared out of the bushes to our right. It was unlikely they wanted to steal our loot, but it was possible. This world worked in weird ways, and they had appeared at the worst time.

    ¡°Accelerate!¡± I yelled as I dashed towards them. Our archers fired a volley, which slammed into the nearest wolf. The other, upon seeing it¡¯s friends demise, turned to flee into the forest.

    ¡°Buffed strike!¡±

    My staff crashed into its back and buried it in the dirt. It wiggled for a second before it dropped down. I stopped the voice as it tried to collect the loot from the bodies, and moved back to the group.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, we don¡¯t have time to loot trash mobs.¡±

    The group nodded and set off down the path again. As we moved on, I tested my inventory collection. Once I had moved more than five feet from the bodies, it stopped working. Maybe it could be upgraded at a later time, but for now I would keep the distance in mind.

    Transmutation and inventory. The only limitations are my imagination.

    We got back to the bandit camp without any further distractions. Clive came to meet us again once he heard of our success. The chest was packed with coins, which ran through his fingers as he dug into the contents.

    ¡°Well then¡­ that was unexpected.¡± Clive glanced up at me with a wide grin. ¡°They paid in full? How the hell did you manage that, Cub?¡±

    ¡°I just asked nicely.¡± I kicked the chest nonchalantly. ¡°Can I take this into the storage, I kind of want to put it there myself.¡±

    ¡°Sure. Come on, I¡¯ll go in with you.¡± Clive closed the lid with a thud. The crowd glanced at the chest before they moved off into the distance. Bandits wouldn¡¯t be called bandits if they weren¡¯t easily attracted by money.

    Clive lead me to the centre of the camp. We walked into the stone building and down into the basement. The entrance was flanked by a pair of guards who watched me suspiciously until they noticed the identity of my guide.

    ¡°Welcome, Vice-commander.¡± The guards nodded and opened the door in unison. Clive ignored them as he lead me deeper into the building. We walked for several minutes before we reached the end of the corridor, which was blocked off by a huge, ornate door.

    ¡°Here we are.¡± He pulled out a key and placed into the lock. ¡°I have one key, and the commander has the other. No one can get into this room without our permission.¡±

    ¡°So I¡¯m allowed in? Will you let me take some of the stuff out?¡± I grinned at Clive. ¡°Obviously, I need your permission to try, right?¡±

    ¡°If you can reach through a solid chest and steal them without me knowing, then you have my permission to keep them.¡± The vice-commander chuckled as he turned the key in the lock. ¡°If you can manage that, then I¡¯d personally give you the key. What¡¯s the point in keeping out a godlike thief like you, right?¡±

    He pushed open the doorway and lead me into the room. It was basically a continuation of the corridor, but slightly wider with heavily fortified walls. Anyone who tried to dig their way in would be met with an impassable wall of stone.

    Each side was lined with several rows of chests, and the central aisle held ornately designed cabinets. Some of them were fronted by glass, especially those near to the doorway. Those cases showed off various items such as weapons, pieces of armour or other trinkets of equal value.

    ¡°Your seeing the full collection of my wealth.¡± Clive waved at the chests around us. ¡°This is the total amount we have collected over the many years. It would be enough to fund many wars, and is one of the reasons the continents leaders are so scared of us.¡±

    ¡°Wow.¡± I looked over the many containers. ¡°This is amazing. How long did this take to gather?¡±This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    ¡°Many, many years.¡± Clive rested his hand on one of the glass fronted cabinets. ¡°One day, this will have a use. We have some funds in circulation still, but this room is our backup.¡±

    I placed the chest on a nearby shelf and pulled it open again. I pulled out a single copper coin, winked at Clive and placed it into my pocket before I closed the chest once more. Clive laughed as he watched me pilfer from his treasury before he moved further in.

    ¡°I have a few things to show you. Come here.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡± I nodded, but my hand was still placed on the top of the chest. This was the main point at which my plan could go south. I focused my mind on the contents, closed my eyes and thought a single word.

    Gather!

    **Collected ten gold coins, twenty three silver coins, seventy two copper coins.**

    My heart hammered against my ribcage as I lifted my hand from the chest. Outwardly, it appeared as normal, but I knew it was barren of all goods. With a thought, I fused its lock with transmutation. It wouldn¡¯t last against any sustained assault, but it would cause a delay at least.

    ¡°So, what do you want to show me?¡± I asked as I followed Clive further in. My voice wavered a little, but the vice-commander didn¡¯t notice as he opened a cabinet at the rear.

    ¡°This is my pride and joy. A full set of high rank armour.¡± He rested his hand on the chestplate. ¡°High defense, three utility skills, and you don¡¯t lose any mobility. I can¡¯t bring myself to bind it because it would sell for so much.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± I looked over the armour. It was a fully matched set made of plated silver and burnished bronze. The material was metalic, but it still flexed under Clive¡¯s hand as he pressed against it. It even had a hood made of the same dull silver material, rimmed with bronze.

    ¡°What do you think?¡± Clive turned to me with a grin. ¡°Amazing, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Very spikey.¡± I glanced at the shoulder plates. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t want to get hit by someone wearing that, never mind whatever weapon they have.¡±

    ¡°Ha!¡± Clive shook his head as he closed the cabinet once more. ¡°Save up enough money, and you might be able to buy it¡­ if I ever sell it.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡± I stared at the cabinet as I contemplated the idea that bobbed up and down for my attention.

    It can¡¯t work, right? Technically the last chest was mine, but these things are clearly owned by him. He was only joking¡­ but I wonder if he was specific enough for this to work.

    ¡°There are a few other things, but they aren¡¯t as impressive as the set. Do you want to see them?¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡± I nodded, though my gaze was still fixed on the cabinet. Clive glanced back at it before he moved past me.

    Gather!

    **Collected Drakelord¡¯s Finest Overarmour set (advanced).**

    ¡°No way.¡± I muttered. Clive turned to face me, so I shook my head and moved beside him. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever save enough for that. Shame, I loved the look of it.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s another thing we can agree on. I have a few other items which might be in your price range, one day.¡± Clive pulled me towards the centre of the room. ¡°Here, look at this.¡±

    Clive showed me item after item. My attention was only partially focused on his egostistical bragging. One word echoed back and forth across my brain as my eyes flitted from chest to chest along the walls. He ignored them as he opened the cabinets along the interior of the room, which gave me free reign on the rest of the treasury.

    Gather! Gather! Gather!

    **Collected twenty gold coins, sixty four silver coins, tweleve copper coins.**

    **Collected three scrolls of fireball (intermediate).**

    **Collected thirteen gold coins, twenty two silver coins, forty one copper coins.**

    **Collected five silver daggers (intermediate), three silver rapiers(intermediate), four silver axes (intermediate)**

    **Collected-**

    The voice overlapped due to the speed of my collections. At first I tried to fuse the locks with my Transmutation, but that quickly fell by the wayside as I worked my way along the room.

    Clive continued his show and tell as we moved back towards the door. I nodded animatedly and smiled along with his bragging, feigning my full attention as he moved around like an excited schoolchild. After he placed each item back into its case, I spared it a glance to gather the item before I turned back to the containers at the side of the room.

    It was true the items in the chest chests at the side of the room were less impressive than those in central aisle, their sheer quantity more than made up for it. As we reached the entrance once more, Clive turned back to me with a slight smile.

    ¡°You know what, I think I owe you something.¡± He moved back to a chest around half way down the row. My heart froze as he reached towards the lock. It was one of those I hadn¡¯t jammed, but its contents were currently in my ethereal inventory.

    What the hell was in that box¡­

    My lack of attention came back to bite me as time slowed to a crawl. Clive flicked through the keys on his chain as he searched for the one which would open that specific chest. My brain rolled over as I wound my memory back forcibly.

    That was the dagger chest. Was it three, or four? Damn it, I¡¯ll go with four.

    ¡°Tell you what, I¡¯ll give you¡­¡± Clive opened the chest with a grin. His expression froze over as he stared at the contents of the chest. ¡°What the hell¡­¡±

    ¡°Whats wrong?¡± I moved up beside him and glanced into the chest. ¡°Is there a problem?¡±

    ¡°There should be three daggers in here, but there¡¯s four.¡± Clive pulled out the offending items and stared at them. My hands clenched as I moved closer to the daggers.

    ¡°I remember you showing me these, I saw another at the back. Are you sure there was only three?¡±

    Clive glanced at me before he turned back to the daggers. He placed three of them back into the chest carefully before he locked the lid and turned to me.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡± He said as he looked at the dagger in his hand. ¡°I¡¯ll ask the guards, maybe the commander came in earlier. He has no sense of order at all.¡±

    ¡°I guess that makes sense.¡± I smiled and turned my back on him. ¡°You said he has the other key, maybe he needed to pick something up?¡±

    ¡°Mhmm.¡± Clive moved behind me. I tried to ignore the fact a man armed with a dagger was walking right behind me. I knocked on the door and waited for the guards to open it again, which lead to the longest five seconds of my life. After we had left, they closed the door behind us and watched as we walked back along the corridor side by side.

    ¡°Thanks for showing me all of that. It was inspiring.¡± I smiled at Clive, who ignored my words. ¡°So, do you need me for anything else?¡±

    ¡°What? No.¡± Clive woke from his stupor. ¡°You can stay here for tonight, I¡¯ll get you a captains dwelling tomorrow. We can¡¯t have you sleeping with the rank and file, right?¡±

    ¡°Thanks.¡± I nodded, though a cold sweat formed on my forehead. All hell was about to break loose, and he wanted me to sleep right above the bomb I had just planted?

    ¡°Here, you can sleep in this room.¡± He waved at a nearby doorway. A guard stood ready on the other side of the corridor, though I wasn¡¯t sure if he was there to keep an eye on my or keep me safe.

    Clive walked away without another word. The guard grunted at me when I glanced at him, so I entered the room and latched it closed behind me.

    That was too close. I need to get out of here as soon as I can.

 Chapter 44 - Twists and turns, raiding the dungeon

    Unfortunately, I wasn¡¯t left with enough time to form an escape plan.

    Less than five minutes after he had left me in the room, Clive barged in through the door. He looked around frantically before he ran over to me without a word.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I pushed myself off the chair and moved to meet him. I knew what the problem was, but there was no way I would admit it.

    ¡°Come on, Cub. Something urgent has come up.¡± He grabbed my arm and pulled me from the room. The guard had disappeared from the corridor, but it wasn¡¯t clear if that was a good sign or a bad one. Clive pulled me back through the mansion and out into the camp without any explanation.

    A large crowd had formed outside of the mansion doors. Clive pushed me to the side as he stepped forward to greet them.

    ¡°So, you¡¯ve heard about it too. Don¡¯t worry, we planned for such a situation!¡± He yelled. The audience, which had been talking amongst themselves, quietened down the instant he spoke.

    Don¡¯t tell me this is a lynch mob? No¡­ that doesn¡¯t seem right.

    ¡°I will decide the primary team members. They will go and take the first clear.¡± Clive continued his speech, though I was more confused with each word he said. ¡°I already have the layout in mind, so don¡¯t bother begging to join.¡±

    ¡°Vice-commander, will you announce those you¡¯ve chosen now?¡± One man stepped out of the crowd. He was one of those who had followed behind Ron when he first attempted to bully me, but he didn¡¯t even glance in my direction as he waited for Clive¡¯s answer.

    ¡°I will, but listen close. Anyone who enters without permission had better stay in there forever.¡± Clive glared at the crowd before a thin smile formed on his face once more. ¡°So, the team leader will be our newest member. Cub, step forward.¡±

    It took me several seconds to figure out he was talking about me. I stepped next to Clive, which was greeted with an irritable murmur from the crowd.

    ¡°Sir, do you want to risk this? If we fail the first clear, it might close off forever-¡± The man who had stepped out gave me a suspicious look, but he was cut off before he could finish his suggestion.

    ¡°Shut up. I make the decisions, not you.¡± Clive waved the man away. ¡°You aren¡¯t in the team, so scram off.¡±

    The man bowed slightly and moved back into the crowd without a word. Clive ignored him as he shouted out a list of names. In total, twenty-four men and women stepped forward when he called them out. An odd detail was that nine of them were members of the team I had chosen previously.

    Wait, did he do that on purpose? What¡¯s his plan?

    ¡°These will be the first raid team. Cub, you have command.¡± Clive slammed his hand on my shoulder with a hearty laugh. ¡°Clear the dungeon, whatever it takes. When you beat the boss, I¡¯ll send down a team to extract you. We¡¯ll have free reign at that point.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡± I nodded confidently, as though this had been my plan all along. Clive pushed me towards the team he had chosen as he dismissed the rest of the onlookers with an irritable glare.

    ¡°Get to work. You¡¯ll get your chance soon enough if I decide you¡¯ve earned it!¡±

    ¡°Hey, Cub. I guess we¡¯ll be working together again.¡± Leah stepped forward and shook my hand. ¡°Let¡¯s get through the dungeon quickly, yeah?¡±

    ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll be counting on you to back me up.¡± I moved closer to her so the others couldn¡¯t hear what I was about to say. ¡°This is the first I¡¯ve heard about this. Can you lead me to the entrance? Oh, and we need to visit the village later. I have something for the leader.¡±

    Leah¡¯s eyes flared open before she calmed herself and moved towards the entrance of the camp. I stayed beside her, matching pace as though neither one of us was leading the other. The rest of our group followed in a messy formation, but there would be time to fix that later.

    If I pass this, the dungeon will become a big help to the bandits¡­ but if we fail, Clive will skin me alive. How do I play this¡­

    I had ten minutes to consider the best course of action as we moved to the spawn point for the dungeon, but no path jumped out as the best option. Either way, I would create problems for myself. One would be long term, the other would be short term, but both would be equally problematic for me. As I was about to give up, Rose perked up from the recesses of my brain.

    ¡°I have another option for you, but I¡¯ll need to see the dungeon core before I can say for sure.¡± Her voice wavered as she offered her assistance. It was unlike her to lack confidence, and that fact worried me more than anything else. Before I could ask her what she meant, I was distracted by a tug on my sleeve.

    ¡°Here it is.¡± Leah whispered to me as she nodded at a large black rock in the distance. It was so dark it absorbed the sunlight which poured on its smooth surface. It was as though the monolith had forced itself out of the ground, the power of its rise shown clearly by the trees it had obliterated when it formed.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

    ¡°OK, do we have any details?¡± I turned to the team. None of them spoke up, so I turned back to the entrance with a grimace. ¡°I guess we¡¯ll have to play it by ear. Come on, let¡¯s get this over with.¡±

    I stepped up to the rock and pressed my palm against its surface. It juddered at my touch as the surface split apart before me. A narrow entrance opened up, barely wide enough for one person, never mind a team.

    ¡°Lead on, captain, We¡¯ll be right behind you.¡± Leah spoke confidently from behind me. I nodded back at her before I squeezed through the narrow crack. After I had pushed myself into the rock for several awkward seconds, the ground in front of me took a sudden dive into the depths.

    This is it.

    I took a deep breath and stepped forward. The tunnel fell vertically for almost a minute, though its surface was smooth enough to form a relatively comfortable slide. I skidded off the end and rolled awkwardly, but I was able to pick myself up before Leah landed beside me with far more grace than I had managed.

    The cave had opened up, though describing it as a cave felt a little off. The walls were smooth, devoid of any naturally formed features as they arced up to the ceiling far above. The entrance hall was large enough for our group and more, but there had to be a reason our numbers had been limited.

    ¡°Natural dungeons only allow a specific number of participants in at any one time. Clive probably has some way of figuring out the capacity, so he sent exactly that many for the first clear. It makes sense.¡± Rose¡¯s voice echoed in my brain as the last members landed behind us.

    ¡°Right, let¡¯s plan this.¡± I turned to face my comrades as they dusted themselves off. ¡°Sound off, class and level.¡±

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we just get it done.¡± One man frowned as he stared off into the tunnel. ¡°This is a waste of time, we can just work it out later-¡±

    ¡°Shut it! The captain asked a question, and you need to answer it.¡± Leah admonished the man and rested a hand on her sword. The outspoken man clamped his mouth shut at her open threat before he muttered his class and level.

    The rest of the group followed suit. I gave Leah a quick smile as I listened to the layout of my team. Clive had selected the classes carefully, or he had just been lucky that the layout was balanced. Either way, it didn¡¯t matter much to me.

    Ten melee warriors, seven ranged adventurers, seven practitioners. Two of them are Holy attributed. I guess Clive decided one Supporter was enough¡­

    A line of beefy tanks ranged assassins for single target and a number of glass cannons in case the enemies threatened to overwhelm us with numbers. This would give us the best chance of winning, but natural dungeons were unpredictable. At worst, this could turn into a war of attrition, especially if our holy practitioners burned through their mana.

    ¡°OK, Warriors form two teams of five. Team one takes the lead, team two follows two steps behind. Any members of team one who take any injuries, swap with your buddy in team two. Keep spacing in your ranks so your allies can step forward to back you up if needed.¡±

    The Warriors moved in accordance with my words. I turned to the ranged contingent with a thoughtful look before I made a decision on their placement.

    ¡°Practitioners, find an Adventurer and pair up. You need to work together, Adventurers spot targets, Practitioners watch for ambushes from the side. Those who are Holy attributed, stay at the centre. I¡¯ll call for support when it¡¯s needed, keep your mana above fifty percent at all costs.¡±

    The group formed on my orders. It was rough, but there would be time to practice as we progressed. The first fight should be the easiest, but there was always a chance we would lose despite all my grand schemes.

    I wish Bryan had never told me the chances of passing these things¡­ If I get out of this, he¡¯s getting a smack to the face.

    After all of the Practitioners had been paired up with an adventurer, there were still three archers who didn¡¯t have a partner. They turned to look at me expectantly, so I waved for them to gather up.

    ¡°Stick with me, you¡¯re the main strike squad. We¡¯ll focus the most dangerous targets, so support me on any moves I make. If you mess up and I die, Leah will personally make sure you get stripped and thrown out into the forest when this is over.¡±

    ¡°You got it, boss.¡± Leah nodded back at the group. The three archers took the threat seriously as their hands tightened on their bows.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± I pointed forward. Our squad moved in unison through the tunnel and out into the first room. After the last person had crossed the threshold, a huge wall slammed down behind us and cut off our escape.

    A flash of light appeared to announce our opponents as a high-pitched chittering echoed from the far side of the cavern. The shadows flitted back and forth as a large monster walked into view. It looked like an ant, though it stood at three feet high and its entire form was covered in a tough exoskeleton.

    ¡°Ants, soldier level. High defences, weak stomachs, joints and eyes. Sharp claws, poisonous bites.¡± Rose spoke quickly after she spotted our enemies.

    ¡°Warriors, full defence. Only launch attacks when it''s safe. Archers, aim for their eyes. Practitioners, wait for my call! Strengthen! Accelerate!¡±

    My yell broke the subtle spell. A wave of ants surged towards us across the cavern. It wasn¡¯t wide enough for them to surround us, but the five warriors at the forefront of our group still seemed like a pitiful number to face against such a horde. Even with my enhanced buffs, it would be difficult to take the first charge if they were hit full on.

    ¡°Archers, fire!¡±

    A volley of arrows sped towards the lead ants. Most of them bounced off the tough armour with little effect, but two shots pierced into their intended targets. The injured ants shrieked for a moment before they collapsed, which caused a slight delay in those in the rear.

    ¡°Continue, focus on the flanks! Practitioners, hold!¡±

    A constant barrage of arrows fell onto the ants as they scuttled towards us. At least one or two fell with each burst, but more appeared from behind to fill in the gaps. A moment later, and the first ant slammed into the wall of warriors.

    ¡°Practitioners, ready!¡± I pointed towards the leading line of ants. The Practitioners lifted their weapons and started their chants. From their levels, it was clear they would need at least ten seconds before their deadly payloads could be launched.

    As they prepared, an odd buzzing echoed out across the cavern. As I watched in shock, another wave of ants appeared from the darkness.

    ¡°Flying ants!¡± One of the warriors yelled in a high pitched voice. ¡°There¡¯s no way we can beat them! This is impossible!¡±

 Chapter 45 - First battle completed, a surge of loot

    ¡°Practitioners, keep channelling. Archers, focus on the fliers. Target their wings!¡± I dashed forwards and pushed the wavering warrior back into the fray. ¡°You run, you die. Where are you going to escape to, huh?¡±

    The man blinked several times before he nodded and turned back to the battle. The lines, which had been on the verge of breaking, formed up again at my words. The Holy Practitioners had focused their healing on the Warriors affected by the poisonous bites, but it was clear their mana wasn¡¯t going to last much longer.

    ¡°Practitioners, arc your shots. Aim in front of the warriors, ten feet! Warriors, defend!¡±

    The Practitioners followed my orders. Their attacks were varied, but the effect of each blow was similar. Arcs of plasma, balls of fire and even a ghostly skull flew through the air and slammed into the ground behind the ant¡¯s front line.

    The warriors had pre-emptively defended against the backblast, but the same couldn¡¯t be said for the ants who had piled up in front of them. The damage blew a massive swathe of them to pieces as the various effects combined to form a larger explosion. One warrior was launched off her feet as a wall of ants slammed into them, but her comrade caught her as another member moved to take her place.

    The ants who had been blasted forward were stunned by the assault, which gave the warriors a chance to lay into them without any danger of counterattacks. After they had finished them off, a wall of ants towered around four feet high in front of our group. The ants had protected us from the blast, though that had clearly not been their intent.

    ¡°Practitioners, single target. Focus the fliers!¡±

    The Practitioners grit their teeth as they forced more mana to form between their hands. The attacks had lost some of their brilliance, but the damage was still noticeable as various rays and spikes of light slammed into the swarm of flying ants.

    The ground forces wouldn¡¯t be held back for too long, especially after the archers had switched their targets. If they overran the warriors, our fight would end in short order. The pile of defeated ants still sat before us as they slowly cooled.

    ¡°Warriors, move forwards.¡± I yelled as I dashed to the top of the pile. ¡°We hold here!¡±

    The warriors roared as they ran up to join me. The ants had formed an impromptu barricade, which had been reinforced when their bodies twisted together during the insane barrage of magic. From my new height, the full extent of the damage was made clear.

    Only a third of the land-based ants remained, but they were less than a second from reaching us. Arrows and flares of light flashed by our heads as the ranged members bombarded the ants above. Most of them had been knocked out of the sky, but the rest were held back by the constant stream of attacks.

    ¡°HOLD!¡± I yelled as I planted my feet on the ant below me. The soldier ants clawed their way up the wall formed by their companions without any mercy. My staff, along with the weapons wielded by the warriors beside me, fell down on them in unison.

    ¡°We¡¯re out, captain!¡± One of the Holy Practitioners yelled out. I hadn¡¯t felt the touch of their heals in the slightest, but there was no time to complain. The warriors beside me shifted nervously as they heard the warning from behind.

    ¡°Focus their legs, knock them down!¡± I smashed my staff on an ant which had made its way to the top of the pile. The blow dislodged it and knocked it back to the ground. ¡°Defense, then offence. We¡¯re almost through this!¡±

    The warrior''s confidence was boosted once more as they laid into the ants. Most of the ground-based creatures were in various states of injury, which made it easier to keep them at bay. After several minutes, the last flying ant dropped to the ground as a perfectly aimed arrow blasted both its wing to pieces.

    ¡°Warriors, charge! Everyone else, move up and cover us!¡± I leapt off the wall and slammed my staff onto the back of a weakened ant. ¡°Buffed strike!¡±

    My blow caved its back in as it collapsed to the ground. The ants around me turned to face their new target, but they didn¡¯t get a chance to move in before a line of Warriors slammed into them from the side. The archers and Practitioners moved onto the barricade and launched their final shots on the stragglers below.

    And, just like that, it was over. I half expected a large, boss-type ant to appear at the last second, but even this dungeon wasn¡¯t that cruel.

    ¡°Yeah! We won!¡± One of the warriors yelled out as the last ant collapsed into the dirt. The rest of the team cheered in victory as they patted each other on the back.

    ¡°That was amazing, captain.¡± Leah moved forwards and hugged me tightly. ¡°We would have never made it through without you.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s right. The captains amazing.¡± One of the Holy Practitioners spoke up from the back of the group. As the rest of the team started to bombard me with compliments, a nostalgic voice spoke out in my mind.

    **Congratulations, you have levelled up.**

    ¡°Woah, congrats, captain.¡± Leah stepped back and gave me an weird grin. ¡°You really need to share your levelling secret with me...¡±If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    Her compliment was one of the hardest to take. She was level twenty-one, and I had only just reached level nine. If she knew the truth, how would she react? Several other members had levelled up at the same time, but they ignored their growth as they congratulated me.

    ¡°OK, that¡¯s enough.¡± I stepped back and folded my arms. The team quietened down as they formed ranks in front of me. ¡°First, we deal with the injured. Anyone who hides any injuries from me will get no loot.¡±

    The squad glanced at each other in confusion before several people stepped out. Most of the serious injuries had been patched in mid-battle, but two people still sported large bite marks on their legs. With the fact that the Holy Practitioners would take several minutes before they could use a basic heal, it was possible these minor wounds could prove fatal.

    The worst thing was, one of those who had been injured was my second-in-command, Leah.

    ¡°Here.¡± I reached into my bag and pulled out two vials. I had summoned them from my actual inventory, but there was no need to reveal that fact. ¡°Drink this, it should keep you alive until you can be healed up.¡±

    ¡°Wait¡­ are those potions?¡± Leah glanced at the two glass bottles. ¡°How did you get those? Are you sure you want to use them on-¡±

    ¡°Leah, be quiet. You said when I gave an order, it needs to be followed.¡± I shoved the bottle into her hand and tossed one to the other injured warrior. ¡°Drink it, or I¡¯ll chuck you out of the squad.¡±

    The two injured Warriors gave me thankful looks as they chugged down the vials. Technically, they weren¡¯t actually mine. I had looted a nice amount of potions from the bandit treasury, but I would have to hold back from showing my hand too much. Two potions could be explained, but if I threw them out like candy questions would be asked.

    ¡°These ants must have been around level twenty-five at the highest.¡± Leah leant down to peer at one of the flying ants. ¡°This is insane, how could this be what it throws at us in the first battle?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, we aren¡¯t anywhere near the major regions. This sort of thing should be impossible.¡± One of the Practitioners prodded an ant with his foot. ¡°If this is the first room, what will the next one be like?¡±

    ¡°Calm down. We beat this, so we can do the same with whatever else it throws at us.¡± I grabbed one of the ants and flipped it over. ¡°Come on, if you can talk, you can loot. Get everything you can while your mana recovers.¡±

    The rest of the group nodded and split up. Even with all of us working together, it would still take us hours to clear-

    Gather!

    I focused my mind on the nearest ant. As it had been defeated in my battle, the was technically owned by me. My skill absorbed all of the useful pieces of loot from the corpse, which disappeared a moment later. Several members of my group spotted the oddity, so I moved on as quickly as I could.

    Gather! Gather! Gather!

    Ant after ant disappeared. Everyone had stopped in their tracks as they watched our hard-earned loot disappear before their eyes. Before their anger could explode, I spoke out loud as though I had realised what was going on.

    ¡°Oh, I heard about this. The dungeon will store our loot for us, we should get it back when we leave.¡± I continued to absorb the ants as I gave an explanation for their disappearance. ¡°Let¡¯s wait until it finishes, just in case.¡±

    The group didn¡¯t seem too convinced by my words, but they didn¡¯t have much of a choice. Whenever someone moved towards an ant corpse, I focused my attention on their target and robbed it from under their grasp. After a few failed attempts, the group got the point and gave up on the loot.

    ¡°Are you sure about this?¡± Leah moved next to me as she spoke in a quiet tone. ¡°One of the main benefits of a natural dungeon is the loot from the first run. If we don¡¯t get anything, people will be angry after we leave.¡±

    ¡°What other choice do we have? We might as well think optimistically, right?¡± I gave her a sunny smile as I continued my pilfering uninterrupted. It took me around five minutes to clear the battlefield of ant corpses. Luckily, I had the foresight to store the materials in a separate area of my inventory, so it wouldn¡¯t be too hard to drop it when we left.

    Well, most of it. I guess I can take a slice off the top. My skill is more efficient anyway.

    It wasn¡¯t a nice thought, but my stay with the bandits was bound to end sooner or later. The more I gained, the easier my path would be in the future. It was unlikely I would get a chance like this again.

    ¡°Right, is everyone recovered?¡± I looked over the members of the group. The Practitioners had higher mana regeneration than I did, and the others had used their skills sparingly. After another ten minutes, everyone was back on full mana and ready for the next battle.

    Other than me, that is.

    It was awkward, but my regeneration was still limited. I now have one hundred and forty mana, but that had only increased the amount gained per minute to one point four. Each buff, along with the group augment, had used up sixty mana. Plus the use of my buffed strike, it had eaten up one hundred and thirty mana in total.

    That would take more than an hour and a half to go back to full. There was no way we could wait for that long without questions being asked. I had to come up with an excuse, some reason that we needed to take a break.

    ¡°OK, before we move into the next room¡­ we need to practice.¡± I moved to the wall and rested against it. ¡°Pick a sparring partner. One defends, one attacks. Two minute duel, attacker wins on the third touch. When you''re done, swap partners.¡±

    The group grumbled, but they followed my instructions. Warriors went against Warriors, ranger against ranger. even the Practitioners squared off, though their battles would be far less interesting without the use of skills.

    ¡°Anyone who wins both an attack and a defence duel, you¡¯ll get a prize. After that, you can take turns to challenge me. You win, you get the jackpot.¡±

    ¡°What''s the reward?¡± Leah grinned as she faced her opponent. It was clear she wanted whatever she could get, but I didn¡¯t feel any greed in her expression.

    ¡°Two silver for those who win both duels. If you lose more than once, you''re out. You beat me, you get twenty shiny silver coins, all to yourself. That enough for you lot?¡± Before the crowd could react, I held up my hand and spoke one final caution. ¡°Oh, if you injure your opponent, you forfeit your reward and have to pay for their treatment. I have one more potion, which you¡¯ll pay double the cost for if I have to use it.¡±

    ¡°Sounds fair.¡± Leah nodded. The crowd was amped up as they faced their opponents. This would keep them happy for a while, and the lack of skill usage should keep them safe.

    I guess this is what it feels like to be a teacher with some rowdy students. Hopefully, this will keep them entertained for long enough.

 Chapter 46 - Copy-cat mirror, a dangerous plan

    My plan worked like a charm.

    In the end, only Leah managed to win both her duels without also losing just as many. That wasn¡¯t too surprising, but what shocked me was that she gave up on my challenge, at least temporarily.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, boss. I want to duel you at full power. A Supporter without his buffs is like an unarmed Warrior. It would be pointless, even if I did win.¡±

    She had helped me save face, but she would obviously hold me to the offer at a later date. Her skill in combat far exceeded the other members of the group, but it wasn¡¯t to the level where she would be able to take me down without a fight.

    ¡°Sure, we can duel when we get out of here.¡± I pushed myself up and stepped towards the far tunnel. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go.¡±

    My mana had recovered to full as their round-robin battles finished. Those who had been defeated raised a betting pool for who the final victor would be for each class. They were unhappy at Leah¡¯s decision, but when I promised to let them know when our duel would take place later, they dropped the subject.

    Maybe I can bet on myself¡­ that might be a bit too egotistic, though.

    We walked into the next room, but what I saw knocked me speechless for several moments. Instead of a large cavern, we had entered a relatively small room. It was as wider than the last one, but was barely a tenth of the length. The main reason was the object which blocked off our path.

    It was a huge mirror.

    ¡°Oh, this is dangerous.¡± Rose cautioned. ¡°Its a copy-cat mirror. You show yourselves, it raises enemies to match your parties layout. This dungeon is nasty¡­¡±

    ¡°Right, I¡¯ll go first.¡± I moved to the mirror and stared at its surface. A wavery copy formed in front of me, but as its form settled it grew in size and stature. After several seconds, a goblin wielding a huge staff appeared in the mirror and stepped back from its surface.

    ¡°Hah, I guess it shows what¡¯s really inside?¡± Leah tapped my shoulder as she stepped close to the mirror. ¡°Go on, move back, Mr. Goblin.¡±

    I shrugged and moved back into the crowd. Leah watched as her copy formed, but as it was about to coalesce it similarly altered its shape into a large goblin. The creature wore heavy armour and wielded a large sword and shield, like its irritated counterpart.

    ¡°I guess you¡¯re right.¡± I chuckled as the rest of the group jeered. ¡°Good call, Mrs. Goblin.¡±

    Leah didn¡¯t respond as she stepped back from the mirror. The rest of our group moved forward one by one. Every single one created a goblin which wielded the same weapons and wore a similar set of armour. The only difference was the size, and inherent strength, of our opponents.

    How do we start the fight?

    ¡°Smash the mirror. If someone hadn¡¯t created a copy before you did that, they would be banished from the dungeon.¡± Rose had reverted to her teacher mode once more. ¡°Be careful, they will be at the same level as you. They¡¯re dumb, but their skills will be around the intermediate level. They also know your levels, so they will plan around that. This will be a difficult fight.¡±

    Wait¡­ intermediate? Maybe I could¡­ but that would be risky. I don¡¯t see any other way to win this without losses, though. The casters should be weak enough as the Practitioners he gave me are low level, but I¡¯d have no chance against the Warriors¡­

    ¡°OK, this should be simple. Warriors to the front, archers and Practitioners to the rear. Launch everything you have as soon as the fight starts. Practitioners, start channelling.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you have any tactics?¡± Leah glanced back at me as the Warriors lined up beside her. ¡°This is the second fight, so it will be harder than the first.¡±

    ¡°I have a plan, but you have to trust me. Archers, support me when I make a move.¡± I raised my staff as the Practitioners had finished collecting their mana. ¡°Right, let¡¯s go.¡±

    The mirror cracked into a million pieces as soon as my weapon connected with it. The Warrior goblins charged towards our line instantly, but their Practitioners were a step behind ours. A full barrage of magical attacks slammed into the goblin Warriors, which obliterated three of them and knocked another two from their feet. The remainder continued their charge without a moment''s hesitation.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    Even with their losses, they still held the advantage.

    They matched our levels, but goblins held an inherent advantage in strength and toughness. Our Warriors barely held the first charge. Fortunately, that was all I had expected from them.

    ¡°Strengthen! Accelerate!¡± I buffed the group with my first ability but focused the second on only myself as I sprinted past the Warriors. As I passed one of those stunned by the first barrage, I clipped its head with my staff. The goblin fell to the ground again, which would give our warriors a momentary respite before it joined the fray.

    Our archers noticed my suicidal charge, so they sent a rain of arrows at the group of Practitioners in the distance. The goblins had been preparing to launch their own set of attacks, but the volley interrupted them as they dodged to the side. The goblin archers continued to focus on our warriors, sure as they were that I would be dealt with without the need for their involvement.

    Their lack of attention gave me time to approach my target. They paid the price for underestimating a level nine Supporter.

    The staff-wielding goblin stepped forward to greet me. It was the only other melee fighter in the group, so it was clear why it had decided to meet me head-on. If it stopped me for a few seconds, that would be long enough for its comrades to rain destruction on my head.

    Unfortunately, it was far too weak to stop me.

    This goblin wasn¡¯t only a Supporter, it was also level nine. Such a combination should be impossible, but my unique situation had forced it into being. The mirror hadn¡¯t accounted for the overpowered strength of my basic buffs compared to my level, which gave me a massive advantage in both strength and speed.

    My staff bashed its weapon aside and cracked into the goblins head without a break. The goblin collapsed to the ground instantly as I sprinted past it towards the shocked Practitioners.

    They didn¡¯t have time to react as I dashed into their midst. If they launched their attacks, their comrades would be caught up in the area of effect. The archers dodged back and forth under the constant rain of arrows and magical missiles, which gave me free rein on the fragile casters.

    One fell instantly as my staff caught it under the chin. The blow lifted it from its feet, but I didn¡¯t pay attention to its fate as the other Practitioners closed in. Though they were casters, their race still gave them a scary level of strength relative to their class. That increase would be dangerous to the average Supporter.

    But I wasn¡¯t a normal Supporter.

    ¡°Buffed Strike!¡± I yelled as I swung my staff in a wide arc. It clipped three goblins in the head before the forth managed to barely block the blow with its wand. I rewarded its skill with a swift kick to the knee, which opened it up to a follow up from my archers. They didn¡¯t miss the chance as several arrows plunged into the dazed caster.

    Five down, and two of them had been the holy practitioners. The goblin archers had backed out of range of my archers and were preparing to launch their first true volley on my head.

    No matter how powerful I was for my level, it would be impossible to dodge such an assault at this range.

    But my plan wasn¡¯t over just yet. I grabbed the nearest caster and landed a punch squarely on its face. As its eyes rolled back into its skull, I lifted it bodily and spun to face the archers.

    Their arrows slammed into the goblin with a series of sickening thuds. They didn¡¯t stop firing as I backed away slowly. My goblin-shield shuddered slightly with each impact, but it held strong against the barrage. Before I could escape fully, a loud grunt in the distance caught my attention.

    The last Practitioner had fired its first attack, and it had aimed it directly at me.

    I threw the goblin into the path of the attack, gripped my staff and leapt back. As I jumped, I focused my attention on my feet and yelled out two words.

    ¡°Buffed Strike.¡±

    My feet burned in protest, but the additional power sent me rocketing back. The goblins fireball connected with its defeated comrade and enveloped it instantly. Though I had leapt out of range, the force of the blast caught me mid-air and lifted me further from the ground. I grit my teeth against the pain as I tumbled to the floor.

    ¡°Captain!¡± Leah yelled as she ran towards me. She caught me before I hit the floor, though my bones still creaked in protest. I hadn¡¯t expected the sheer power of the blow. It seemed like the last goblin Practitioner had copied one of our skilled casters, which had lead to an exponential increase in its power.

    We need to end this before¡­

    I pulled out another potion and tipped it into my mouth. It countered the pain a little, but I knew it wouldn¡¯t be a cure-all. Both of the Holy Practitioners on my side focused their attentions on me, which further nullified the pain.

    ¡°Why did you do something like that?¡± Leah growled at me as she pulled me back to the group. The archers had switched their targets back to our Warriors. As I had disrupted the goblins ranged line, our group had time to finish off the majority of the goblin Warriors and had not taken any losses in doing so.

    One fully balanced group, versus a single Practitioner and seven archers. The fight was over, but my team still took the battle seriously. One slip up could lead to a fatal blow, so they closed in carefully on the remaining goblins.

    ¡°I have a plan, Leah.¡± I coughed as I tried to push myself into a seated position. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not going to die just yet.¡±

    The last goblin fell to a combined assault from all sides. My team rushed back to my side, but there wasn¡¯t anything they could do. Several painful seconds passed by as I waited for the one thing that could save me.

    **Congratulations, you have leveled up.**

    Perfect. As long as Drake didn¡¯t lie to me, this should work.

 Chapter 47 - Boss fight, brain over brawn

    **You have chosen the Supporter Class, your advancement test will begin-**

    **Congratulations, you have passed your advancement test. Support increase (basic) applied.**

    **Advancement halted, please wait. Bodily reconstruction will begin shortly.**

    All the pain which had raked through my body vanished in an instant. Newfound energy rushed through my bones, which creaked happily in response. My arm, which had hung uselessly by my side, repaired itself in moments.

    Wow, he was right. I guess this makes up for him punching me when we first met, but I won¡¯t tell him that.

    My body didn¡¯t feel any different, but that would come later. Maybe the first upgrade had been unnoticeable, but each one would be stronger than the last. Though I had only hit level ten, I was confident I could put up a fight against Bryan, who was still capped at level fifty.

    At least, if he didn¡¯t have any skills tucked away that he hadn¡¯t shown in front of me yet.

    ¡°Good.¡± I pushed Leah¡¯s hand aside and pulled myself to my feet. The group stared at me in shock as I stepped past them and picked up one of the goblin warrior¡¯s swords. ¡°You lot did great. Well done.¡±

    Due to the short nature of the battle, no one had been seriously injured. Even the Practitioners still had the majority of their mana. I flipped open my guild card as I kneeled beside the goblins. My mana had increased to one hundred and fifty, which was nice, but that wasn¡¯t the important thing I should have gained. After I took a quick look at my skills column, my heart sunk.

    Strengthen, Accelerate, Buffed strike¡­ and Transmutation.

    What the hell¡­ where are my new skills?

    ¡°Calm down, you¡¯ll receive them when the reconstruction is finished.¡± Rose giggled at my frustration from within my mind. ¡°Remember what Drake said? You can¡¯t finish your advancement in a dungeon or any other place on an alternate plane. You don¡¯t have the power to force it, at least not yet, so don¡¯t do anything stupid.¡±

    If I slap myself, will it hurt you?

    Rose ignored my irritable thought as she sunk back into the depths of my consciousness. She had answered my question, so I guess that was a point in her favour. The next room would be the boss, after which we would be able to leave. Maybe it was better to get it over and done with. We had passed the first two battles without any losses. After a short break, I made up my mind.

    ¡°Alright, is everyone ready?¡± I turned to the group. As my followers confirmed they were prepared for the next fight, I quickly collected the loot from the goblins. They didn¡¯t bat an eye as the piles of expensive weapons and armour vanished into thin air.

    ¡°We¡¯ll follow you, captain.¡± Leah saluted me. Her action was mirrored by the rest of the squad as they lined up in an orderly fashion. From a mix and matched bunch of bandits, they had been transformed into a disciplined force after only two battles.

    ¡°Right, let¡¯s go.¡± I moved towards the entrance at the far side of the cavern. The rest of the group followed me into the last room in silence, each person lost in their own thoughts as we approached the final battle.

    The room we had walked into was far larger than any of those previously seen. The ceiling was so high it was barely visible in the murky darkness. If we lined side by side, it would be impossible to block the full extent of the cavern.

    But, after we saw the identity of the final boss, such thoughts were proven irrelevant.

    It was a troll. A huge beast which towered far above any one of us. It was clothed in a dirty shirt that reached to its knees and not much else. The club in its hand was rotted and misshapen, but it was still large enough to pose a threat to even the sturdiest of warriors.

    Any ideas?

    ¡°Well, it''s dumb. Maybe you could use that to your advantage¡­¡±

    Rose¡¯s suggestion wasn¡¯t too helpful. The troll stared at us as the few brain cells it had rubbed against each other. The rest of my team watched in horror as the behemoth pushed itself up and raised its club into the air.

    ¡°Everyone, stay back. Ranged section, wait for my call!¡± I yelled as I sprinted off to the side. The Warriors looked like they wanted to follow me, but I waved them back. ¡°Stay there, I¡¯ll call you if I need you.¡±This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    The troll noticed the tiny human who ran in its direction. My path would take me past the creature towards the rear wall, but that was a dead-end until this boss was defeated. Its eyes narrowed as it turned to face the easy target before it.

    ¡°Channel your spells, single target!¡± My voice echoed through the area. It acted as an order to those in the distance, but also attracted the trolls attention that bit more. It built up speed as it approached me, rapidly closing the distance between us. As I watched it approach, I quickly activated my buff abilities on myself alone. ¡°Strengthen, Accelerate!¡±

    It was so close I could feel its footsteps as it thudded towards me. Its club rose slightly before it dropped towards my head. Blocking was obviously out of the question, so that left me with only one option.

    ¡°Buffed strike!¡± I yelled as I leapt towards the troll. The increased burst of speed from my buffs, plus the attack skill that I had focused on my feet, rocketed me past its blow as I dashed between the beasts legs. The trolls club smashed into the floor and dug out a huge gouge where I had been stood moments ago.

    I smashed my staff into the back of its knee with all my strength. The troll winced at the blow, but the only other reaction was an angry grunt as it tried to turn to face me. It managed half a spin before I ran between its legs once more.

    ¡°Fire!¡±

    The archers launched a volley of arrows as the Practitioners let loose the mana they had been collecting. The troll turned to face me but was met with a blinding barrage of magic and steel. The majority of the shots were aimed at the creatures head, which temporarily blinded it from the light-show they created.

    That gave me the chance to carry out my idiotic plan. The trolls club had dipped towards the floor as it pawed at its face, which gave me a handy ramp.

    Arrows and magical projectiles continued to rain on the troll as I ran up the huge trunk it used as a weapon. I stopped as I reached the top and took a leap of faith.

    Right onto the troll''s shoulder.

    ¡°Buffed strike!¡±

    My staff crashed into the side of its skull. Even though there was a massive difference in size and strength, such a blow still affected the troll. It shook its head and raised its hand to knock aside the irritating insect who had snuck onto its shoulder.

    ¡°Buffed strike!¡± I smacked my staff into the side of its head again before I jumped across to its other shoulder. ¡°Buffed strike! Buffed strike!¡±

    Both sides of its head took a pounding as it rocked from side to side. Its sweaty hand swept towards me in a desperate attempt to blow me away.

    If I stayed on my perch, the blow would easily smash me aside. Its fist wafted past my head as I stepped back and dropped towards the floor. Before I could plummet back to the ground, I caught onto the trolls messy shirt and stopped my fall.

    There was no room to swing the staff, so I would have to use the weapon so kindly provided to me by Clive. I summoned it from my inventory and caught it as it dropped from the air beside me.

    My dagger sunk into the trolls back. It was nowhere near a fatal wound, but the damage would build up over time.

    The troll span around wildly. As it moved, the force of its turn made me feel like I was on a rollercoaster. The shirt in my hand was stretched and ripped, but it held together enough on the first spin for me to sink another hit. Now my mana had dropped from one hundred and fifty to fifteen, if my maths was right. I could use my strike once more, and then I would be dry for close to ten minutes.

    The troll stumbled under the constant barrage of spells and arrows. Each hit didn¡¯t do much, but their combined weight had started to push the troll back. If it had charged straight at our group, we wouldn¡¯t have gotten the chance to get to this point.

    My work was done, but now I had to get out of here before the final move.

    ¡°Practitioners, channel yourstrongest spells. Archers, focus its head.¡± I lifted my feet and planted them on the trolls back. I was literally riding the tiger right now, and I had to get off before a bomb landed on my head. I hung on for ten seconds and drove my dagger in a few more times to keep the monster distracted. ¡°Fire!¡±

    My group followed my order instantly. Either they trusted me to that extent, or they just didn¡¯t care if I got away. Their reasoning didn''t matter, butI had to be thankful for their speedy responses. The troll spun around once more and, as it settled down, I released my grip and pushed off from its back.

    ¡°Buffed strike!¡±

    I was launched from its back like a rocket. I tucked my head into my arms and braced for the impact. Even though I had planned it, this part was the bit I had worried over the most. Time seemed to pause for a moment before I slammed into the ground and tumbled towards the far wall.

    At the same instant I crashed into the floor, the combined spells from the Practitioners struck the troll square in its chest. A huge explosion lifted the beast from its feet and sent it through the air in a majestic arc. If it hadn¡¯t been distracted, maybe it could have defended or dodged the strike, but I didn¡¯t have time to think about that.

    Because its path ended at the same point mine had.

    I had crashed into the far wall, but the troll was on a collision path with my weakened body. It would crush me like a bug the instant it made contact. As it flew through the air, I scrabbled at the wall in a vain attempt to pull myself up. As my hand scratched against its smooth surface, it blurred before my eyes and revealed a pitch-black hole.

    Before I could understand what had happened, a strange force grabbed my body and pulled me into the darkness.

    I heard the troll as it slammed into the wall behind me, followed a short while later by the screams of my group which disappeared into the distance as I fell into the dark. I reached out to grab at the walls which sped past me, but my feeble attempts were met with skinned knuckles, bruised arms and not much else.

    ¡°Calm down, you¡¯ll be fine.¡± Rose stopped me from any further attempts to slow my descent. ¡°This is the final room of the dungeon, which can only be entered by one person. I persuaded the dungeon heart to let you in. He has a sense of dramatic timing, apparently.¡±

    ¡°¡­What the hell does that even mean!?¡±

 Chapter 48 - The dungeon heart, a new set of armour

    Roses words turned out to be true. Before my body could become a smear at the end of this vertical tunnel, a strange force slowed my fall significantly. It was as though gravity had been reversed for several seconds, though my collision with the ground was still a little too speedy for my liking.

    ¡°Nothing broken, as promised¡± A low pitched voice echoed out of the darkness. ¡°So, care to tell me why a guide like yourself felt the need to invade my dungeon?¡±

    Before I could answer, Rose appeared beside me. Her ghostly form hovered several inches from the floor, but such a sight wasn¡¯t new to me. She folded her arms in a huff as she glared out into the dark.

    ¡°Your dungeon? You¡¯ve been set as the caretaker of this place, nothing more.¡± She smiled wickedly. ¡°You have no more power here than I do.¡±

    ¡°Wa-wait! That¡¯s not fair!¡± The dungeon cores menacing voice raised in pitch as it spoke. ¡°You promised you¡¯d help me. If you can¡¯t, I¡¯ll just send you out. See how you like that!¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t. I locked this place down already when you pulled us over. You messed up.¡± Rose giggled heartily. ¡°Did you really think you could outsmart me? Don¡¯t you know who I am?¡±

    ¡°Wait¡­ you¡¯re Rose? The alpha-guide!?¡± The cores voice wavered. ¡°You lied to me! I sealed the dungeon, I kept my promise! You said-¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t lie. You helped us, so I¡¯ll help you.¡± Rose ignored the core as it muttered to itself as she turned to face me. ¡°You didn¡¯t have time to go through the stuff you stole from the bandits yet, right? Why don¡¯t you take the time to bind some of the useful things to yourself? Might as well make use of the safety of this place.¡±

    ¡°Oh. Right.¡± I pushed myself up and stared into the darkness. ¡°Where is this ¡®core¡¯ you¡¯re talking to?¡±

    ¡°Mr. Core, can you turn the lights up. You missed your chance to be mysterious already.¡±

    The core grumbled to itself as the area around us was illuminated. The light didn¡¯t emanate from any specific point. It was as though he had turned up the brightness levels of the whole room rather than turning on a specific light. In the distance, a small crystal showed up as the darkness retreated. It shined a dull red in the light as it hovered towards us.

    I guess that makes sense. This is technically a virtual world¡­ ish.

    I ignored the thought as I riffled through my inventory. If I died here again, it really would be the end of me. The same could be said for any of the people who lived here. For us, this was as real as any other place.

    The first thing I pulled out was obvious. The Drakelords Finest Overarmour set dropped onto the floor in front of me. I had tried to equip it directly, but the inventory had ignored the request and dumped it on the ground instead. Maybe if I gained some more skill, I could hot-swap weapons and armour.

    Oh god, if I tried that with a sword, it might have dropped it on my head. I should be careful going forward.

    ¡°Wait, how did you get that?¡± The dungeon core spoke as the armour appeared, each word causing the entire thing to pulse gently. ¡°You¡¯re only level twenty-five, how did you get an advanced rank set?¡±

    ¡°Jealous, are you?¡± Rose piped up from beside me. The dungeon core ignored her as it continued to speak to me directly.

    ¡°You should be careful. If you show that to anyone else, it will bring down a disaster on your head. High-level users would happily travel half a continent to steal it from you.¡±

    ¡°Not if he binds it to himself, right?¡± Rose answered in my stead. I ignored their conversation as I picked up the chestpiece and scanned it. As my eyes roved over its surface, the voice spoke in my mind.

    **Analyse (basic) skill unlocked.**

    A quick scan of my guild card revealed the details of the skill. It would be supremely helpful to me going forward. This was a skill that people gained when they investigated a large number of items. The only logical reason it had been gifted to me now was due to the rank of the item I had found.

    Analyse (basic) - Allows user to investigate base statistics of items. As rank increases show more details. Additional details are shown for any items bound to user. Items are bound permanently and cannot be equipped by other users.

    After the skill confirmed that binding items was permanent, it only took a moment of thought to decide on my next path. I lifted the chestpiece above my head and dropped it down. It slid over the top of my armour and settled on my shoulders. The armour seemed to reform itself to match the contours of my body.

    **Do you wish to bind Drakelords Finest Chestpiece? This will be permanent and cannot be undone in any way.**

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    The armour glowed for a moment before it settled down. No new power rushed into me, but the chestpiece seemed to grip onto my body. It was as though it had become a second skin as its weight vanished.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

    ¡°Oh my, you actually did it. You two are insane¡­¡±

    I repeated the process with the rest of the set as the core became more and more irate. Rose enjoyed herself as she poked and prodded at the unseen caretaker of the dungeon. It only quietened down after the last piece of the set had been bound to me.

    ¡°Well, that was a waste. You¡¯re level twenty-five, it won¡¯t give you much benefit yet.¡± The core¡¯s voice hovered on the edge of heartbreak as it spoke to me. ¡°You could have sold it and lived like a king¡­ What a waste.¡±

    ¡°If I tried to sell it, those ¡®high-level users¡¯ you mentioned would have stolen it before I saw a single copper coin.¡± I looked myself over with a smile. ¡°If I need a higher level to gain the full benefit, that just means I have another reason to push myself. That¡¯s a positive thing, so chill out.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Rose stepped beside me and stared at the armour. ¡°Go on, tell me what effects it has. Only the user it¡¯s bound to can see them.¡±

    ¡°OK.¡± I used the Analyse skill on the armour. What I saw shocked me, but it also proved that what the core had said was true.

    Overall, the benefits of the armour were large. The main increase was in my defence, but the offensive gains and the utility skills were the main draws for me.

    Strengthens all buff effects on user by 15%. Increases duration of all buffs by 33%.

    Increased force of all attacks by 15%. Increases effect of strike abilities by 15%.

    The overall increase was insane. Each increase wasn¡¯t huge, but overall my Buffed Strike, under the effects of my current buffs, would hit over 50% harder. I had gained the power at level 10 to fight against a moderately strong level 50 user.

    I should duel Bryan again. As long as he doesn¡¯t use any abilities, I should be able to fight him without being on the back foot. If he uses his skills, though¡­

    The last time we had fought, I had used my abilities and had still only managed to get him on the back foot once. This time, he would have to use his full suite of abilities to keep up. But that was only if I ignored the utility skills. The first was active, but the next two were greyed out. They would unlock at a later level, but Analyse didn¡¯t reveal how long I would have to wait.

    Drakentounge - Allows user to converse with any species of drake or dragon.

    Dragon¡¯s Luck - User gains increased luck due to affinity with dragons. Luck affects every action taken. Chance of effect activating increases with skill level. - LOCKED

    King of Dragons - User abilities have increased effectiveness if used on drakes or dragons. Abilities used by allied drakes or dragons have increased effectiveness. - LOCKED

    Well, I guess it could be helpful. Kind of hoped for something like summoning a dragon to fight for me. I guess that was a bit too optimistic.

    ¡°Wait¡­ Do you want to tell him my level, or can I?¡± I turned to Rose with a grin. Needling this crystal would help me push away the disappointment at the armour skills. Rose held a finger to her lips as she turned to the core.

    ¡°You keep parroting that he¡¯s only level twenty-five. What makes you say that, core?¡±

    ¡°Well, the skills he used are those a Supporter gains between level ten and twenty-five, though they did seem like they were high-rank versions. If he was higher than that, he would have used the next tier of skills.¡± The dungeon core spoke in a dull sing-song voice. ¡°Also, he passed his advancement. I¡¯ll ignore the logic of how he managed it, but that means he should be at level twenty-five.¡±

    ¡°Good reasoning, but you¡¯re wrong. Guess again.¡±

    ¡°Wait, he¡¯s not level fifty is he?¡± The core tilted to one side quizzically. ¡°That would explain how he defeated the monsters in my dungeon so easily. They¡¯re only twenty-five at max, so he had a massive advantage-¡±

    ¡°Wrong.¡± Rose shook her head softly. The core blinked several times before it spoke again.

    ¡°He¡¯s¡­ at level one-hundred? How is that possible? He should be weakened massively in this area¡­ Why-¡±

    ¡°Wrong again.¡± Rose patted my shoulder gently. ¡°Go on, put him out of his misery.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m level ten.¡± I smiled as the core froze in place. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m not as strong as you guessed. I hope you can forgive me.¡±

    The core remained silent. It¡¯s glow faded to a dim spark of light as it floated to the floor. The revelation of my level had hit it so hard it had shut down. Rose sighed as she moved beside it. At first, I thought she was going to help it up, but that was before she kicked it.

    ¡°Oy, wake up. You can¡¯t just sulk, we need your help too.¡±

    ¡°¡­ He¡¯s really is a marked one, isn¡¯t he?¡± The core scraped on the floor as he turned to face me. It was odd to think of a crystal as male, but he had not argued in the slightest when Rose called it ¡®him¡¯.

    ¡°Yes, I am. Is that a problem?¡±

    ¡°Not really, no. I just don¡¯t trust you.¡± The core picked himself up and moved towards the far wall. ¡°You marked ones are all the same. You don¡¯t care about this world or the people in it. You just take, take, take.¡±

    ¡°Wait, you¡¯ve seen other marked ones?¡± I stepped towards the core, but it slid along the wall to avoid me. ¡°Please, when did you see them? Can you tell me where they went?¡±

    ¡°Heh, no way.¡± The core glimmered slightly as it spoke. ¡°The last one I saw was over two hundred years ago. If he¡¯s still alive now, then you wouldn¡¯t want to see him.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± My short burst of excitement settled down. The idea I could speak to another person in a situation similar to my own was attractive, but this avenue had been cut short. Maybe I could run into someone later if I was lucky. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m not like that. I¡¯m actually here to save your world.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± The core turned to Rose. ¡°Is he telling the truth?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡± Rose nodded softly, though a small frown did show up as she continued. ¡°Technically, the world will end if he doesn¡¯t do well. Does that help you make up your mind?¡±

    The core pulled itself of the wall and shot in front of me. I didn¡¯t have time to move back as its light shone into my eyes at close range. As I blinked furiously, the core pushed itself against my chest.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you warn me about this, Rose? How did you let a tracker get in here?¡± The core moved back. As it hovered away, a thin line of light was pulled out of my armour. At the end sat a small, carved disc, which was on the verge of breaking apart.

    ¡°Oh no.¡± Rose ran towards the disk, but before she could get to it, the whole thing broke apart and turned to dust. ¡°Damn it!¡±

    ¡°Wait, what was that?¡± I took a step back from the pair. ¡°What do you mean, tracker?¡±

    ¡°It was probably Clive. He paid someone to put a tracker on the armour. If someone stole it, he would be able to trace it to a certain extent. The distance would be limited, and the duration would only last a day or so¡­ but if they bound the armour¡­¡±

    ¡°Like I did, you mean?¡± I glanced at the small pile of dust on the floor. ¡°Tell me, how bad is it.¡±

    ¡°This Clive person knows his armour was taken, and he knows someone has bound it.¡± The dungeon core shook slightly. ¡°I blocked the directional signal, but he¡¯ll be pretty mad right now.¡±

    ¡°Oh, perfect.¡± Despite the situation, a small grin showed on my face. ¡°I needed a reason to pull out the Bandit King, so this should work.¡±

    ¡°If he doesn¡¯t find out and kill you, you mean?¡± Rose closed her eyes and shifted back inside my mind. ¡°I need to sleep this off. Try not to annoy another person in charge of an army while I''m gone, please.¡±

 Chapter 49 - Rage unlocked, crisis averted

    Clive knew his armour had been stolen and forever locked from his use, but he didn¡¯t know where it had gone or who had taken it. If I stored it in my inventory, he would be none the wiser. That would mean I didn¡¯t get to use its effects for the time being, but it was a small price for not being skinned alive.

    ¡°So, you passed your advancement? I wonder what skills you¡¯ll get.¡± The core was happier once Rose had vanished. It bounced up and down in front of me as it spoke, which gave it a cheery look. ¡°You might get nothing, or you might get something far above your level. I really want to see it.¡±

    ¡°Well, you can¡¯t. I¡¯ll only get it after I leave this place, and I probably won¡¯t have much chance to come back.¡±

    The core dipped towards the floor as I shot down his wish as fast as it had spawned. It regained its colour slightly as it moved towards me.

    ¡°Well, maybe we can do something about that. You know, there is an option we could-¡±

    Before he could finish his suggestion, a wave of invisible energy washed over the room. The core vibrated as though it was about to break apart, which matched how my brain felt at that point. It disappeared as quickly as it had come, but the effects of its passing were difficult to ignore.

    **You have experienced the source of rage. Rage attribute unlocked.**

    **You have passed your advancement test. Due to forced nature, you will be affected by overflow in fifteen seconds.**

    ¡°Wait, what¡¯s an overflow?¡± I shook my head as the timer ticked down. ¡°Rose, wake up! What¡¯s going on!¡±

    ¡°Wait, overflow?¡± The core darted away as it spoke. ¡°This shouldn¡¯t be possible¡­ I don¡¯t have the energy left to-.¡±

    ¡°What did I tell you, Rook! I leave for two seconds¡­ Core, I¡¯ll feed you some mana. Summon something to keep him in check, now!¡±

    ¡°What do you-¡±

    Before I could finish my question, a dull thump echoed from deep within my brain. It grew in strength as it washed away all other thought. I tried to fight against it, but it was as though I was trying to hold back an ocean as it washed over me.

    **Overflow active, all skills unlocked and set at maximum effect. State will deactivate once time has passed.**

    I couldn¡¯t comprehend what the voice had just said. A red mist had overtaken my vision as I moved towards the core. He was no longer a companion or someone to talk to¡­ he was a target. I pulled out my staff, raised it above my head, and charged towards the floating crystal.

    ¡°AAAARRRGHHH!¡±

    Before I reached it, all my thoughts ceased. I could no longer control my body or mind in the slightest.

    Kill! Kill! KILL!

    My mind returned to normal with a snap. The first thing I noticed was the weakness which ran through my entire body. My arms felt like wet noodles, and my legs were barely able to keep me upright. I still held my staff, but it dropped towards the ground as I failed to keep it in the air.

    ¡°Rook! Are you OK?¡± Rose appeared in front of me and stared into my eyes. ¡°You''re ridiculous. I guessed you would be slightly more powerful, but this is just too much.¡±

    ¡°¡­ what?¡± I forced the word out through my tired lips. My throat burned as though I had been yelling at full volume for several hours. It was entirely possible I had done just that, but I ignored the thought as I looked around.

    The whole area was covered in bodies. It was mostly goblins and ants, though at some points it was difficult to judge what the monsters had even been. At least there weren¡¯t any trolls. If one of them had been defeated without the help of a group, my mind would have collapsed. There were less than me and my group had fought previously, but their number was still left me speechless for several seconds.

    ¡°What the hell happened?¡± I used my staff as a crutch as I turned back to Rose. ¡°Wait¡­ did I do this?¡±

    ¡°Yes, you did.¡± The core¡¯s tone was sullen as it floated down from the ceiling. ¡°I barely managed to avoid you crushing me to dust. What the hell is wrong with you?¡±If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°Ignore him, Rook.¡± Rose pushed the core away and rested a palm on my shoulder. To be more accurate, her hand floated just above me. When I raised my shoulder up, she phased through me as though I didn¡¯t exist. ¡°You¡¯re special. From what I can tell, you just gained all of the skills for a level twenty-five Rage supporter, along with a few I¡¯ve never seen. The overflow pushed them to their maximum in both effect and duration.¡±

    ¡°Wait, are you saying my skills are so strong that I did all of this?¡±

    ¡°Not exactly. They have the potential to be this strong, but it would be impossible for the current you. You wouldn¡¯t have the mana to activate them all, nevermind the fact they would have all dropped back to the basic level. Oh, and it also temporarily gave you ALL of the skills, even those from skill tomes. I doubt you have all of those, right?¡±

    ¡°Of course I don¡¯t. Be quiet.¡± My heart dropped as she revealed the truth. My hopes for a massive increase in power were smashed to the side. I had gained some strength, but there was still a fair distance to travel.

    These things were only level twenty-five anyway. Compared to a high-level user, I might still be weak. I need to test this.

    I pulled out the guildcard and ran over the details. Under the attributes section, I spotted a second option which had been highlighted. My mana had turned from bright blue to a dull red hue. The word ¡®Rage¡¯ was lit up beside it. I still had another option, though what it was called did put me off a little.

    ¡®Novice¡¯

    Without thinking too much, I pressed the option. My mana bar blurred for a second before it changed back to its original blue colour. A wave of dread hit me, but a quick check confirmed I could switch between the two attributes at will.

    Both of them sat at two hundred in total, which was probably their values for a level ten Supporter. After I had confirmed that detail, I moved onto the skills columns.

    Half of the skills were greyed out, which likely meant they were linked to the other attribute. I tested it and confirmed I couldn¡¯t cast the skills for my newly acquired Rage attribute whilst I was set as Novice, and vice versa. The Novice abilities seemed to be mostly general use buffs, but the Rage set were focused on offence.

    I guess my armour can make up for it, but I really need to learn something to keep myself safe. Wait¡­ maybe that would do!

    I opened my inventory and pulled out three books. These were the skill tomes I had purchased from the guild. I tested and confirmed I still couldn¡¯t use the one for level twenty-five. My natural skills were at a cheat level, but it seemed like I still had to play by the rules in some ways.

    The other two books were still useful. One was a passive decrease in mana cost for buffs if they were cast in sequence, but the last was also important.

    Mana Shield (basic) - Sacrifice mana to defend against attacks. Mitigation based on mana used and rank of skill. Skill usable by Practitioners or Supporters.

    I used both of the books and their skills popped up in the lists. The Mana Shield skill was usable in either pool as a general use ability, and the mana cost skill dropped into the passive column to join my Drakentounge ability. Passive skills didn¡¯t seem to care which pool I was in, which increased their appeal massively.

    Technically, I had already tested all of these abilities, but I couldn¡¯t remember that. Memory loss seemed like a common thing for me. I swapped to the Rage pool and used the three new buffs in sequence.

    ¡°Final Stand. Bolster. Carve.¡±

    The mana cost passive made a slight difference, but the three buffs still ate up most of the Rage pool. I was left with sixty mana after all three had been cast, which surprised me. Even my master level Novice buffs didn¡¯t cost this much¡­

    ¡°Rage skills used more mana, but had a stronger upfront power. They normally drop in effectiveness over time, so they need skillful use to get the maximum effect.¡± Rose answered my unasked question before she floated towards me again. ¡°Now, I really need to get some rest. I¡¯ll speak to you later.¡±

    Rose vanished again, which left me alone with the core. It was still cautious around me, which proved that whatever I tried to do had left it terrified.

    ¡°Those last two skills you used as the ones from level ten. They won¡¯t do much at a basic level. Low tier skills need to be at least advanced to have much of an effect on people above twenty-five¡­¡± The core tailed off as it spoke. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re only level ten. I guess they will give you some benefit then. You¡¯ll still struggle against people who have passed their level twenty-five advancements if they take you seriously.¡±

    ¡°I guess.¡± I glanced over the effects of my buffs. Overall, they gave me increased damage as my mana dropped, an increase in striking power and an increased chance to critically strike based on the power of the strike. The last two effects would be lowered due to their tier, but it would still be worth having them up.

    And that was due to my Buffed Strike.

    Each buff I had on me increased its effectiveness. Now that I had six in total, the bonus had tripled. It would be difficult to keep them up permanently, especially with the lower duration on the Rage skills, but a short fight shouldn¡¯t be a problem.

    I swapped to me Novice attribute and read through the abilities. On top of the Strengthen and Accelerate, I had gained one new buff. It complemented my low-rank buffs quite well as it was an increase in my agility. Accelerate was focused on movement, whilst the new buff increased my attack speed noticeably.

    That idiot bandit wouldn¡¯t stand a chance now. I hope Ron tries something when I go back, I¡¯ll beat him to a pulp.

    Before I could cast the abilities as a test, Rose blurred into view once more. I was about to throw out a snarky quip before her expression stopped me in my tracks.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I asked quickly. Rose tightened her lips for a moment before she answered, as though the words were being forcefully pulled from between her teeth.

    ¡°It¡¯s your friend, Claire. That surge of energy was the final straw.¡± Rose closed her eyes for a moment before she returned my gaze. ¡°She¡¯s about to break apart. there¡¯s nothing I can do.¡±

 Chapter 50 - Saving a friend, a shocking revelation

    ¡°What?¡± I couldn¡¯t think of a response to her words. It couldn¡¯t be true, right? After everything that had happened, how could this be true?

    I promised myself I would save her. It can¡¯t end like this, not again!

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Rook. There¡¯s nothing I can do.¡± Rose clenched her fists. She had been the one to talk to Claire, and the connection had obviously let her grow attached to the spirit of my friend. ¡°This is far outside of the realm of normality. It should be impossible for her to exist at all¡­¡±

    ¡°No, there has to be something! What about you, Core? Do you have any ideas?¡±

    ¡°Wait, you have a friend who¡¯s a ghost? I didn¡¯t believe that was even a possibility. I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t have any ideas.¡± The core shook from side to side as it dimmed down. ¡°I was created in the past, but this is my true form. If you lose your body, it''s impossible to create a new one. The world won¡¯t allow it.¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t create a new body¡­ but can we use an old one?¡± I spoke quietly, afraid that they would shoot down my suggestion instantly. Rose shared a glance with the Core before she answered my question cautiously.

    ¡°I guess so, but we don¡¯t have anything like that. Every monster in here is just a copy, so we can¡¯t use them.¡±

    ¡°What about this!?¡± I pulled an item out of my inventory and thrust it at the pair. Rose and the Core leant in close before they figured out what I held.

    ¡°A slime queen core? How the hell did you get that?¡± The core asked before it pulled itself together. ¡°It¡¯s possible, but we need some way to transfer her across. She isn¡¯t alive, technically, so we can¡¯t use mana on her directly.¡±

    ¡°What about my Transmutation?¡± I read over the skill again. ¡®Inanimate objects¡¯ it said¡­ wasn¡¯t that a perfect way to describe Claire right now? She wasn¡¯t alive, and she wasn¡¯t organic. In fact, she was the opposite of both of those states.

    ¡°You can try, but please don¡¯t get your hopes too high.¡± Rose threw a bucket of water on the raging fire in my chest. ¡°This is all guesswork right now. If it doesn¡¯t work, then we need to accept reality.¡±

    ¡°What does Claire think, can you ask her?¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡± Rose nodded as she faded into my mind. The several seconds before she returned felt like a century, but her smile as she appeared before me gave me hope. ¡°She agreed, but she wanted to make it clear this is her choice. If it doesn¡¯t work, she wants you to promise to not blame yourself.¡±

    ¡°Agreed.¡± I nodded, though it would be difficult to keep such a promise. I rested the slime queen core on the ground and focused my energy into my mind. Rose held a palm towards my head and closed her eyes. A faint wisp of energy broke into my brain and tugged at something deep inside.

    Claire¡¯s soul, or what was left of it.

    A faint cloud of energy pulled itself out of my forehead as Rose clenched her teeth. Before it could dissipate, I focused my thoughts on it and muttered a single word.

    ¡°Transmutation.¡±

    I didn¡¯t need to speak the name, but I did it anyway. My newly increased mana pool would allow me to use it for a longer period, but there was still a limit. My mind floated around the cloud and pulled all of the thin strands together until it settled into a rough sphere.

    Then I pushed it towards its new home.

    The slime queen core shivered slightly as the pale cloud seeped through the crack on its surface. After it had been fully swallowed, I used Transmutation on the surface of the core to seal the breach.

    ¡°Don¡¯t stop, you need to help her integrate!¡± Rose shouted as I was about to release my control. I quickly pulled my thoughts together and focused on my target. The core shook as though it was fighting against the invader. I could sense that Claire¡¯s soul was about to fall apart, so I caught onto the core and held it still.

    Just sit still! If you mess this up, I¡¯ll hunt your kind for the rest of my life!

    The core settled down as though it had heard my threat. Despite that, the process was still extremely slow. Seconds turned to minutes, which turned to hours. As time passed, my mana drained away slowly. The increased regeneration wasn¡¯t enough to keep up with the level of mana usage. After three hours, the process still hadn¡¯t finished.

    At most, I could last another hour. The Transmutation used just under three mana a minute, but that was still too high for the regeneration to counter. I could swap to the Rage pool, which had recovered to full, but that might interrupt the Transmutation.

    And that would be a disaster.

    Either way, it would be my only option if Claire didn¡¯t win out over the slime queen core in the next hour. If my mana dipped down to one, I would move over to the Rage pool and reactivate Transmutation as fast as possible.

    Fifty mana. Forty mana. Thirty¡­ twenty¡­ ten.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

    I had less than five minutes to go. As my mana dipped closer to the minimum amount, I prepared myself for the transfer I would be forced to do. As it dropped before five, a voice rang out and almost shocked me out of the concentrated state I had sunk into.

    **Congratulations! Transmutation has reached (advanced) proficiency. Additional details and effects will be listed in the ability window.**

    I watched my mana pool like a hawk. It remained at five for several minutes. The increase in proficiency would lower the cost of Transmutation, but if it had made enough difference remained to be seen. After a short wait, my hopes were proven true.

    My mana had moved up to six, then seven, then eight. Over time, it increased rather than decreasing. It was slow, to the point where it barely moved, but it was still going in the right direction.

    Now I could keep up the process as long as was needed, unless I died from thirst or fell asleep, of course.

    ¡°Rook, how¡¯s it going?¡± Rose leant close to the core and stared at its dull surface. After Claire¡¯s soul cloud had vanished from view, she had remained silent. She spoke up after seeing my smile, obviously hopeful for good results.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, sorry. My Transmutation just went up a rank, so the cost has been balanced out. I can keep this up forever now.¡± I didn¡¯t look up from the core as I answered her. I saw Rose¡¯s tense shoulders settled down slightly out of the corner of my eye as she dropped to the ground beside me. The core, which had shut off as I began the process, perked up at my comment.

    ¡°Wait, your Transmutation ranked up? Is it intermediate?¡±

    ¡°Advanced.¡± My answer was short and to the point. The majority of my attention was still focused on Claire, so I ignored all further questions as I concentrated on the invisible battle going on below me. The Core and Rose moved off into the distance to converse, obviously worried they might cause issues with the process if they stayed close.

    I paid them no mind as I continued my work. The battle settled down after another few hours, but it still didn¡¯t feel finished. Just as all movement had ceased, a new wave of power surged from within the core. This felt like its final stand, one last push as it tried to force Claire back out.

    I rested my hand on its surface and pushed my skill to its limit. My mana started to drop again, but it was within acceptable limits. Even with the increased usage, I could last for half an hour before I ran dry.

    After ten minutes, the core stopped moving. I lost my connection to Claire¡¯s soul at the same instant, which sent a wave of apprehension through my body. Rose and the Core noted my frown, so they moved over to flank me.

    ¡°What happened?¡± Rose stared at the core as though she expected it to explain the situation. ¡°Did she win? Did we save her?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± I picked up the core and turned it back and forth carefully. ¡°She¡¯s still in there, but I can¡¯t do anything with my Transmutation. It¡¯s been cut off for some reason-¡±

    A surge of blue slime burst out of the core and covered my hand. I almost dropped it in shock, but I barely managed to hold back on the urge to let it go. I lowered it gently to the ground and pulled my hand out of the sticky torrent.

    ¡°What is this? Did the slime queen wake up?¡± The dungeon core floated up towards the ceiling again. ¡°There¡¯s no way we can beat that thing. Even the lowest would be level one hundred at minimum, and most are past that point.¡±

    ¡°¡­.ssrreee¡­¡±

    The slime collected into a pillar below the core and pushed it into the air. It rocked back and forth as the blue liquid lifted it to our line of sight. As it reached that point, the pillar tipped towards me as though it was about to fall over. Before it could, the base moved to match the top as it slid close to me.

    ¡°¡­.Sssssrrreeeee!¡±

    ¡°Uh, Claire?¡± I tilted my head to one side. The slime pillar copied my movement, though it almost fell to one side as it did so. Rose closed her eyes and held a hand out towards the slime queen core.

    ¡°I think¡­ she won.¡± Rose smiled slightly, but her expression darkened as she turned to me. ¡°Quick, form a pact with her. This is only temporary, she needs you to boost her defences.¡±

    ¡°A pact? What do you-¡±

    **Do you wish to form a pact with the slime queen? This is permanent and cannot be reversed. Number of entities you can form a pact with is limited by multiple factors. Current limit: Two.**

    ¡°Yes!¡± I held my hand out towards the slime pillar. It tilted towards me until the core rested on my hand. A wave of energy passed along my arm and into my brain, which passed away after a few moments.

    **Pact formed. Slime queen set as follower. Level lowered due to master''s level, skills locked due to master''s level, statistics lowered due to master''s level.**

    So many penalties. Does the world really think I¡¯m that weak?

    Despite all of the disadvantages listed by the voice, the slime queen was still ecstatic. It rocked towards me and slapped against my chest. If this had been a person, they would have just run towards me for a hug.

    But this wasn¡¯t a person, it was a fragile pillar of slime.

    The core fell from its perch and rolled to the floor. The slime, which had lost its controller, collapsed onto me in a wave. My entire body was washed with a thick layer of blue muck as the slime rocked back and forth at my feet. As I rubbed myself down, a voice I recognised echoed in my mind.

    Sorry, I still can¡¯t control it too well.

    ¡°Wait, is that you Claire?¡± I leant down and picked up the slime queen core or, to be more precise, I picked up Claire¡¯s core. ¡°Are you OK? Is there anything I can do to help.¡±

    Oh my, that¡¯s why I like you so much, Rook. A thin layer of slime-covered the core, but it didn¡¯t leave any residue on my hand as it raised itself up. You saved my life. I¡¯m falling in love with you all over again.

    ¡°Wait¡­ what?¡± I stared at the orb on top of my hand. I had to have misheard that, right? Maybe Claire had been driven mad by the transfer process? Maybe she would get better over time?

    Oh, how embarrassing. The core dipped onto my hand and shivered. I didn¡¯t mean to say that out loud. I need to get used to this. I¡¯ve never talked to someone telepathically before. Sorry.

    ¡°You don¡¯t actually mean that, do you?¡± I asked. Rose and the dungeon core watched our conversation without a word. They could only hear my side, which would have made the entire scene very odd. ¡°I mean, we only knew each other for a short time. How is that possible?¡±

    I¡¯ve always been impulsive. I tried to hide it, but the others knew about my past. Claire collected herself again as she answered, quite literally. I used to live in the Holy Kingdom. I left after I had a fight with my friend. They already had their chosen one, so I wasn¡¯t needed. They didn¡¯t even try to stop me.

    ¡°Wait, chosen one? What are you talking about?¡±

    Oh, sorry. I forgot that I never told you. Claire bounced happily as she spoke, as though she wasn¡¯t talking about her unfortunate history. I was born with the Holy attribute. They thought I could become a great leader, but my friend was always a step ahead. They chose her, so I left¡­ are you ok, Rook?

    My mouth dropped open as she revealed her past. Claire¡­ had been one of the possible Saint¡¯s?

    That¡¯s impossible, right? Drake said there would be one Saint for each attribute¡­ how could there be two?

 Chapter 51 - Haste makes waste, time to reflect

    ¡°No, I¡¯m fine.¡± I pulled my mouth closed with pure force of will and put Claire back on the ground. ¡°I think you were affected by the transfer. Try to pull yourself together.¡±

    I moved away from her and moved towards the closest monster corpse. My staff showed no damage, but the thing''s armour had been ripped apart. The brutality scared me a little.

    ¡°Rook, are you OK?¡± Rose hovered next to me, a faint smile on her face that didn¡¯t reach her eyes. ¡°You need to take a break. You¡¯ve been pushing yourself since we came back-¡±

    ¡°No!¡± My refusal came out louder than I had expected, so I took a moment to calm myself. ¡°I know I have a thousand years, but do you think I can just mess around? I took my time, tried to be cautious, and you see what happened? Claire died. I died.¡±

    ¡°I know that, but you can¡¯t keep this up.¡± Rose waved at the corpses around us. ¡°The overflow pulls out your deepest emotions. I know you¡¯re angry, I know things haven¡¯t gone well, but you have another chance.¡±

    ¡°So, what do you want me to do?¡± I turned to her, my arms trembling with suppressed rage. ¡°Do you want me to slow down? Who will pay for that then? I don¡¯t care about many people, and most of those I do want to protect are in this room. If I die, you die.¡±

    ¡°I know.¡± Rose closed her eyes for several seconds before she looked back up at me. ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to stop, but this isn¡¯t healthy. Please, just take a break.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll think about it.¡± I turned back to the creatures who had been demolished during my overflow. I could feel Rose¡¯s gaze on the back of my neck, but I ignored her as I leaned over the nearest ant.

    I tried to ignore it, but I guess she¡¯s right. I¡¯m just running away from my problems. Pushing things too fast is worse than being overly cautious¡­

    But there weren¡¯t any other options. I had to at least meet up with the bandit king in the next two months. If he left before I managed to find him, it would be years before I got another chance. I glanced over at the results of my short period of full power.

    Maybe it¡¯s because it was an overflow when I unlocked the Rage skill? But how did that happen¡­ Never mind, I¡¯ll figure it out later. Gather!

    The ant vanished as I collected the loot from its corpse. After I had collected around half of the room¡¯s loot, the voice in my head admonished me out of the blue.

    **Inventory full. Please discard unneeded items. Capacity will be increased as skill rises in rank.**

    ¡°Well, damn.¡± I sat down on an ant and opened my inventory. It was packed to the brim with all sorts of trash. From how little restraint I had shown up to this point, it was surprising it had lasted so long.

    I guess that makes my decision easier. Rose did want me to take a break, but she didn¡¯t say WHAT she wanted me to do instead. I can spare a few days at least, especially as this will help me in the long term.

    At least my skill automatically sorted the loot into different sections. I could create new groups at will for easier filtering, but that didn¡¯t add anything to the total capacity. My first move was to pull out all of the lower level materials.

    A pile of slime cores and wolf materials dropped in front of me. Those alone cleared a chunk of space, but it wasn¡¯t enough to collect everything in this room. I ignored the rest of the loot and focused on the low-level materials which littered the ground.

    If I process these, it should lower the amount a bit, right? It will also let my skill grow significantly. Bryan said the gains from crafting are lowered after level five, but it should still help a bit.

    I started on the hides. It took a lot longer for each one than my previous processing, which made sense as those had been tiny squares in comparison. They would barely patch up a tear on someone''s clothes, whilst the skins in front of me could be used to craft at least one piece of armour each.

    The first one passed without a hitch, so I moved onto the next one. The success rate was OK, but the quality varied wildly. I had to keep my attention focused throughout the full process, or defects would scar the final product.

    It took me several hours to finish the hides, by which point I was a bit peckish. I scanned through the inventory and pulled out some dried meat. It was tough but tasty enough that I could stand it. After several seconds of chewing, it fell apart into several strands.

    As the meat lost its consistency, a wave of taste washed through my mouth. The outer skin had looked like toughened leather, but inside it was soft and pure. As I had began to appreciate the sensation, it vanished. There was only half a stick left, so I stuffed it into my mouth and set back to work.

    I have enough of these to last for a week or so, but I can¡¯t get too greedy. Sorting this stuff out is bound to take a few days at least.

    With my will in place, I continued with the processing. The hides were finished after a few hours, after which I moved onto the bones. At first, I was confused as to how to treat them, but my smithing skill working quite well. I could always reshape them later with transmutation, so I just worked on them without worrying about it.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    After half a day had passed, most of the low-level scraps had been processed. I stored the wolf materials back in my inventory, which left a good chunk free, and turned to the slime cores. At first, I thought to use my smithing skill on them, but Claire moved beside me before I could begin.

    ¡®Could I take some of those?¡¯ She wobbled back and forth on her pillar next to me as she spoke. It was odd to have an orb speak directly into my brain, but it wasn¡¯t the strangest thing I had seen up to now.

    ¡°Sure. What do you need them for?¡±

    ¡®Slime queens can absorb other cores to level up. If I take all of those, it might help me gain a bit more control.¡¯

    ¡°Oh, right. Go for it.¡± I stepped past the cores and moved to another free area. The other loot would have to wait, I had to make more space in my inventory first. My kleptomaniac nature had come back to bite me, but a hard day''s work was well rewarded. My inventory would soon be stuffed to the brim with processed materials.

    If I show these to Karen, she¡¯ll have a fit. I need to go to the Holy Kingdom eventually, maybe I¡¯ll see her again. I glanced at Claire, who had settled on top of the slime cores like a mother hen¡­ or more precisely a mother slime. I hope she doesn¡¯t mind. I need to persuade her old comrade to help me¡­ and it sounds like they weren¡¯t close.

    Claire noticed my gaze, so she gave me a friendly little wiggle. Now that I knew the truth about her feelings, I felt awkward around her. The fact her protective feelings had evolved so drastically over a few days confused me. She had seemed so mature, so in control¡­ how was it possible that she had fallen in love with me?

    I turned back and set to work. The ants provided tough armour plates, acid pouches and¡­ legs. The legs were classed as a consumable item, but I didn¡¯t personally agree. For the acid pouches, I had no idea how to process them.

    The others did mention alchemists, maybe I can get that skill when I go back into town.

    That left the armour.

    Leatherworking didn¡¯t have any effect, but smithing did. The uneven and lumpy plates were melted into a rough sphere. After I had knocked away the impurities, their total size had shrunk massively. What was left was a dull brown orb which pricked at my hand as I rolled it around.

    ¡°Oh well, it¡¯ll do.¡± I tossed it into my inventory and moved onto the next armour plate. My mana was close to zero, but I now had a perfect way to fix that. I switched over to the Rage pool and continued my work. At first, there seemed to be no difference, but then I analysed one of my processed materials on a whim.

    Ant Armour Ore - Processed by a beginner crafted with the Rage attribute. Low chance to grant relevant increases to items crafted with this material.

    A quick check on one of the previous items proved that it had the same message, but with ¡®Novice¡¯ instead. That worried me a little, but after I asked Rose she calmed me down.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, no one else can see what attribute crafted it. People don¡¯t expect any increases from any crafter under advanced as the chance is so tiny, so they don¡¯t pay too much attention.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡± I nodded as I turned back to my work. For now, it didn¡¯t matter, but once my crafting went past intermediate I would have to be careful. If any of my materials gave a ¡®Novice¡¯ attributed increase, questions might be asked.

    Until that point, I could just ignore it.

    The rest of the ants took close to four days to complete. That included all of those I had looted in the previous fights, plus the ones I had killed during the overflow. At worst, I could give the group a share of the processed materials. They should be happy with that, at least. There had been one other benefit of my work on the third day.

    My Smithing had increased to advanced.

    Unfortunately, the rest of the ant materials would have to stay as they were. I also had the materials gained from the goblins, but those would take a bit more finesse.

    It was mostly armour, weapons and trinkets. They were sorted into types, ranks and rarities. I pulled out the lowest of the weapons, which were at the basic rank, and analysed a few of them.

    Their descriptions didn¡¯t give me much hope. Whilst this world didn¡¯t have anything as immersion-breaking as damage numbers, even the information on the weapon warned of their fragility. If a low-rank weapon was used to hit a high rank of the same type, the result were easy to guess.

    The low-rank weapon would shatter like a piece of glass.

    My staff was of an unknown rank. My analyse skill didn¡¯t bring anything up when I checked it, but the fact it showed no damage after my rough treatment proved it wasn¡¯t too low.

    After I had sorted out all of the basic rank items, I started my smithing once more. Leatherworking and Clothier would have to wait their turn. I melted the weapons down into rough lumps, bashed off the impurities, and stored them in my inventory. They were mostly lower rank ores, but they were easier to store and would fetch more when sold than the base weapons, at least if I could believe what Rose said.

    I would have to be careful who I gave them to. As long as it was anonymous, the low chance of a Novice attributed effect shouldn¡¯t come back to bite me.

    After six days passed since I had arrived in the heart of the dungeon, the last basic weapon had been destroyed. My inventory was much cleaner, and I had more than enough space to store the remaining loot. I collected the last few scraps, melted down the few basic weapons I got, and moved over to the dungeon core.

    Rose spent most of her time resting. She had used up her power to help Claire and still had to focus on my well being. My body had been through one reconstruction, but that wasn¡¯t enough to heal the injuries yet. Rose had guessed I would need at least another two or three to get back to normal.

    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m done.¡± I flicked the crystal, which had settled down against the wall. ¡°Oy, wake up.¡±

    The core flickered like an old monitor as it scraped up against the wall. It rose to head height before it lit up fully.

    ¡°Oh, that took less time than I expected. Are you sure you¡¯re human?¡± The core shook as I glared at it. ¡°Just a joke. Are you going to leave now?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t stay here forever, I have something important to get done.¡± I looked up into the darkness above us. It seemed bizarre to think I had dropped down from that height a week ago. ¡°Can you send us out, please?¡±

    ¡°I can, but I have a proposition for you.¡± The core jiggled worriedly, as though it was worried I would dismiss it offhand. ¡°Do you want to become the owner of this dungeon? I can¡¯t stand living here anymore, it¡¯s so dull.¡±

    ¡°Wait, do you want me to be stuck here forever?¡± I shook my head adamantly and folded my arms. ¡°No way. Send me out, now.¡±

    ¡°Please, give me a chance to explain. What if I said you could leave whenever you wanted? You wouldn¡¯t be stuck here, and neither would I. Win-win, right?¡± The core shifted towards me and rested against my chest. ¡°Please, help me out. I¡¯m begging you. I¡¯ll go insane if I¡¯m stuck down here for another hundred years.¡±

 Chapter 52 - A new ally, planning for the future

    ¡°Just say yes. He¡¯s telling the truth.¡± Rose perked up from within my brain as the core ground against my armour. ¡°This will only be a benefit for you. You won¡¯t be able to move the dungeon, but you won¡¯t be forced to stay here.¡±

    ¡°OK.¡± I nodded and pushed him away gently. ¡°I agree. I¡¯ll take over¡­ on one condition.¡±

    ¡°Yes! Anything you say!¡± He bounced up and down happily. ¡°Please, tell me what you need. I¡¯ll do anything.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re coming with me. I might have a use for you in the future.¡±

    The core froze in mid-air before its light dimmed. It seemed like a puppy which had been yelled at for peeing on the rug.

    ¡°You¡­ want me to be a dungeon core for another dungeon?¡± Its voice was quiet as it spoke. ¡°I guess that¡¯s better than nothing¡­¡±

    ¡°No, I want you to help me.¡± I rested my hand on the crystal with a smile. ¡°I don¡¯t have many friends I can trust, so a new one is welcome. I promise I won¡¯t make you into the core for another dungeon unless you agree to it.¡±

    ¡°Thank you!¡± The core rubbed against me again, but I brushed it off. Even with my advanced rank armour, it wasn¡¯t comfortable to have a crystal grind itself against your chest.

    ¡°Calm down, let me try something. Before anything else, what¡¯s your name? I can¡¯t keep thinking of you as ¡®core¡¯.¡±

    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t have one?¡± The crystal titled to one side as it answered my question.

    ¡°Well, we¡¯ll go with¡­ Cory.¡± I threw out the name without much thought. At least it would be easy to remember, and Rose¡¯s name wasn¡¯t much better from what she said.

    ¡°That seems fine.¡± Cory bounced up and down, which was the closest thing to a nod he could do.

    ¡°Ok, then. Cory it is.¡± I smiled as I pulled my thoughts back on track. ¡°Can you give me permission to put you in my inventory?¡±

    ¡°Uh, I guess so?¡±

    Collect!

    The crystal vanished the instant I activated my skill. A quick check proved it had appeared in my inventory. It had taken the master slot at the top and wasn¡¯t sorted into any of the groups below. The collect skill picked up items directly, whilst the gather skill would split them into their component parts. Gather would only have such an effect on things like monster corpses, but it was still risky.

    If I hadn¡¯t been warned previously by Rose, I would never have tried this.

    If I¡¯d turned him into crystal bits, I doubt I could have lived with myself.

    ¡°Wait, what¡¯s this? What did you do?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, this is my inventory. Where I go, you go.¡± I glanced around at the hall which had been my home for the last few days. ¡°I can let you out later, but for now you attract a bit too much attention. Do you have any combat skills?¡±

    ¡°No¡­¡± Cory wasn¡¯t impressed as it answered my question. Rose giggled at it, but I ignored her as I spoke to him in a calm tone.

    ¡°Right, so this will keep you safe. You can see everything I can, right? We can explore where you want, and no one will try to take you.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine. This is an improvement¡­ Actually, it¡¯s perfect!¡±

    ¡°Wait, perfect? What do you mean?¡± I frowned as Cory¡¯s excitement peaked. How would being trapped in someone''s mind with no control be ¡®perfect¡¯?

    ¡°I can help you keep track of your inventory, or give you advice if you need it. I¡¯ll be your helper in the wings, ready to jump out when you need me!¡±

    ¡°He already has a helper.¡± Rose snapped. I ignored the pair as they broke into an argument and moved to the wall where I had entered.

    ¡°How do we get out?¡± I pressed my hand against the wall. It was smooth and unbroken all the way up, which meant there would be no grips for me to use if I wanted to climb out.

    ¡°Happy to help!¡± Cory broke off from Rose in an instant. ¡°Wait right there, I¡¯ll show you how to open the shortcut.¡±

    A wave of information entered my mind. Cory had pushed all of the instructions for how to run the dungeon into my brain in an instant. It wasn¡¯t too difficult, but most of the complicated functions required a core to complete. I could try to act as one, but that might end up in me being fried alive by the stream of mana.

    Opening a door wasn¡¯t that tricky, though.

    The wall in front of us broke apart to reveal a tunnel which rose up into the distance. A set of stairs lined its floor, which made the journey easier. As we left the hall, the wall sealed itself behind us and left us in the dark.

    Claire propelled herself into the air and landed on my shoulder. At first, I thought she would roll off instantly, but she clung onto my with a thin layer of light blue slime. Her core had changed after she had absorbed the slime cores I had collected. It had transformed from a dull, cracked sphere into a smooth grey orb. The colour matched my armour perfectly¡­If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    That reminds me¡­

    I picked Claire up and set her against the wall. She clung to it as I sent my armour into the inventory. It wasn¡¯t possible to equip it directly yet, but dropping it straight in wasn¡¯t an issue. After that had been completed, I lifted Claire back onto my shoulder and turned to stare up into the darkness again.

    ¡°Cory, can you come out for a second?¡±

    ¡°Of course! How can I¡­ oh¡­¡±

    I pushed him above my head as I continued up the tunnel. His dim light illuminated the path enough so I didn¡¯t stub my toes on the steps repeatedly. After five minutes of constant climbing, we reached the top, though Cory didn¡¯t speak to me during the entire trip.

    ¡°Thanks, Cory. that was really helpful.¡± I patted the crystal and sent it back to my inventory. In its sulk, it didn¡¯t respond to my compliment as it vanished from view. ¡°Can you seal up the dungeon, I don¡¯t want anyone else getting for now.

    ¡°Sure.¡± Cory answered in a dull tone as the pathway sealed itself. I had to trust the other entrance would have closed in a similar manner.

    The tunnel took us out of the dungeon, but we had not arrived near the exit. We were stood atop a small rise, but the trees around us still blocked most things from view. A quick glance around showed no recognisable landmarks. We were still in the forest, but finding the way back to the bandit camp would be tricky.

    ¡°Rose, any hints?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not a GPS. You¡¯re on your own.¡±

    ¡°Wait, how do you know about that?¡± She had been created in this world, it shouldn¡¯t have been possible for her to know of such a specific item from my world¡­ unless she had lied.

    ¡°I learnt a lot about your world when I helped pull your soul together. It¡¯s interesting, but I only picked up a few scraps.¡± Rose grumbled under her breath, as though I had done such a thing on purpose. ¡°I can¡¯t even ask you, you don¡¯t remember much yourself. Whatever I picked up, you already know. Whatever I didn¡¯t see, you don¡¯t know. It¡¯s so irritating.¡±

    ¡°So, you can¡¯t help me? I should have guessed.¡± I stepped down from the rise and moved in a random direction.

    ¡°Wait, go that way.¡± I felt a tug on my shoulder as Claire pulled me to the right.

    ¡°Why?¡± I glanced in the direction she had chosen. It seemed the same as any other, so the reasons for taking it didn¡¯t seem clear to me.

    ¡°I remember that tree. We¡¯re near the village from before. From there, we can figure our way back, right?¡± The orb swivelled around as though she had turned to face me. ¡°You promised you would go back and help. No time like the present, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡± I smiled and patted the sphere. I heard a little giggle, so I pulled my hand back as though she had burned me. It was difficult to keep it in mind, but this little creature had once been a grown woman.

    One that had loved me, apparently¡­

    We walked through the forest as Claire threw out the occasional order. It didn¡¯t take too long to find the village we had visited previously. At first, everyone treated me with suspicion, but then the village leader appeared. He looked ready to send me off without a thought before he noticed who I was.

    ¡°Well, if it isn¡¯t the friendly bandit. Here to keep up your end of the bargain, eh?¡± He spoke with a sardonic grin as he leant on his staff. It was clear he still didn¡¯t fully believe I would stick to my promise, and he wasn¡¯t afraid to show it.

    ¡°Of course I am. Come on, let¡¯s go to your house. I have a surprise for you.¡±

    The leader raised an eyebrow before he turned and lead me to his home. The other villagers watched with narrowed eyes as we walked past them. They remembered the last time I had visited, and the people who had been my companions at the time. After the leader had kicked his door closed behind him, he turned to face me with a frown.

    ¡°So, you really mean to say that you¡¯ve-¡±

    He fell silent as he saw the pile of coins on his table. I had returned double the amount he had given me a week ago. His eyes widened as he reached out and picked up a gold coin from atop the heap.

    ¡°Wait¡­ how?¡± He put the coin back carefully and stared at me. ¡°Is this some sort of trick?¡±

    ¡°Of course it is, the best kind.¡± I ran my hand across the small mountain of money with a chuckle. ¡°A friend told me to trust you, and I believe in her instincts.¡±

    Claire rocked back and forth happily on my shoulder, but the leader didn¡¯t notice it as he turned back to the table.

    ¡°This money will help us more than you realise. How can we ever repay you?¡± He spoke solemnly as he held a hand in front of his chest. ¡°If you need me to help you, all you need to do is-¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, I have plenty more.¡± I waved off his vow speedily. Whilst I was helping him, this would also set a seed for my escape plan should it be needed. ¡°I promised you I would help, so I did. Next, we have to figure out how to get your people home safely. They joined the bandits, but they don¡¯t know the full truth¡­ right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± The leader frowned as his hand dropped back to his side. ¡°Well, you¡¯ve met some of them, so that¡¯s not an issue at least.¡±

    ¡°Wait, what?¡±

    When did I meet them? What the hell is he talking about?

    ¡°Oh, you didn¡¯t know? A few of those you brought to the village were those who joined the bandits. There are a fair few more of course, but Leah can point them out.¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡± I nodded in response. I had guessed Leah had some link to the village, and this situation had been one of the most obvious. The other members of my group also being villagers of old came as a surprise, but it made sense. Leah had worked well with them, so the fact they had an old bond checked out.

    ¡°Well, things were better under the old commander.¡± The leader glanced at the pile of money. ¡°He would have never asked for this much. He wanted a lot, but he left enough for us to get by.¡±

    ¡°But he still took it from you, right?¡± I shook my head irritably. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if he¡¯s better, he¡¯s just another leech¡±

    ¡°I guess so.¡± He turned away and pulled a chest out from under his bed. ¡°The world is dangerous, so having a few strong fighters on your side is worth a sacrifice.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡± I didn¡¯t try to argue any further. My logic would never align with his, which was due to the difference in our lives. I had lived on a peaceful world, so this sort of thing was blackmail at best to me. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll get Leah and the rest and come back to meet you. We can figure it out after that.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m surprised Leah didn¡¯t beat you up. She was the only one who doesn¡¯t believe in the bandits lies. She always sneaked her earnings out to us, which is why we had enough to give you in the first place.¡± The leader glanced at the pile of coins guiltily. ¡°A portion of this is hers more than ours, but she¡¯d never accept it¡­¡±

    ¡°Right.¡± I nodded and pushed myself up from the table. ¡°I have the perfect plan. You said some people in the village don¡¯t want to leave the forest, right? Would they be happy to move slightly, do you think?¡±

    ¡°Maybe, if it wasn¡¯t too far. They feel a link to the forest, not to these buildings specifically.¡± The leader cocked his head to one side as he stared at me. ¡°But it doesn¡¯t matter, they¡¯d never move far enough to escape the bandits, and the others won¡¯t abandon them. Whatever plan you have, it¡¯ll never work.¡±

    ¡°Trust me, it will.¡± I walked over to the door and turned to face him with a grin. ¡°All you have to do is trust me. Do we have a deal?¡±

 Chapter 53 - Returning to the camp, forced advancement

    I left the village and set off towards the bandit camp. The leader hadn¡¯t said anything else as I left his house, but I took his silence as agreement. He had trusted me before, so he would have to trust me again. There was no logical reason for me to give him the money. If the bandits had wanted to find a reason to take over the village, they could have done it in a multitude of easier ways at any point.

    My confidence had increased after all of the gains in the dungeon. I had passed level ten, gained the boost in stats from the advancement along with the skills it had provided. Whilst I was still a Supporter, my level and my power no longer matched. I could fight against someone who had passed their level twenty-five advancement test, and that should cover most of the people in this area.

    This area has a lower density of mana. Most people won¡¯t be able to pass their second advancement here, so I should be safer now.

    ¡°Not really. Don¡¯t get overconfident, Rook.¡± Rose spoke up as I tried to hype myself up. ¡°You can beat the people around here because most of them can¡¯t move to anywhere with more mana. The people in those areas are stronger, more skilled and more dangerous. If one of them came back here, even if they were at a similar level to you, it would be difficult to see who would win.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡± My shoulders dropped. What she said was true, but she didn¡¯t specifically need to say it right now. I hadn¡¯t been getting overconfident, per se¡­

    ¡°Good. I¡¯ve seen a lot of marked ones get egotistical too early. You grow faster, but that¡¯s only in certain areas. Talent and practice make up the majority of someone''s skill, especially as you go further along the path you¡¯ve set for yourself.¡± Rose seemed happy with herself as she watched my dreams crumble.

    ¡°He¡¯s pretty strong still, though. For a Supporter, I haven¡¯t seen many with more power at his level.¡± Cory chirped up in my defence. Before I could thank him, he continued. ¡°Well, he¡¯s still a Supporter though. By the time he buffs himself up to matching another class, they¡¯ll blast him to pieces.¡±

    ¡°Thanks.¡± I muttered through gritted teeth. Cory, who had gotten his own back for my use of him as a torch in the tunnel, settled back into my inventory with a snigger. Rose didn¡¯t say anything further, which left me alone with Claire.

    ¡°It¡¯s OK, Rook. You¡¯ll grow plenty strong soon enough.¡± She tapped me on the side of the head consolingly. ¡°Supporters are weak, but you can use that as an advantage. The easiest fight to win is against an opponent who underestimates you.¡±

    It didn¡¯t take too long to move through the forest. A few wolves popped out at one point, but they sprinted off in terror as they saw me approach. At first, I thought it was due to an increase in my presence from the advancement, but then I realised the truth.

    I had a slime queen riding my shoulder. What wolf would stay around if such a monster wanted to eat them up?

    But I couldn¡¯t put her back in my inventory. After she had melded into the core, she had officially returned to the land of the living. Unlike Rose and Cory, who could hide at will, she would remain an open companion throughout my journey.

    ¡°Could you beat those wolves?¡± I glanced at the orb who bounced happily on my shoulder.

    ¡°I doubt it. I could barely beat a normal slime right now.¡± Claire spoke happily, as though her weakness was unimportant. ¡°I can control myself enough to get away, though, and the less intelligent creatures should run away if they spot me.¡±

    With that confirmed, we finally arrived at the bandit camp. Claire clamped onto my shoulder and went still. It wasn¡¯t common, but some people had odd ornaments on their armour or weapons. A grey orb on a shoulder would be peculiar, but not enough to draw attention.

    ¡°Cub!¡±

    A person dashed out of a nearby tent and grabbed my arm. It took me a moment to notice who it was but, when I did, I couldn¡¯t help but smile.

    ¡°Hey, Leah. How''s things?¡±

    ¡°Never mind me, what about you? We thought you¡¯d died, but we couldn¡¯t find any sign of you when we moved the troll.¡± Leah looked me over for several seconds before she took a step back. ¡°We passed the dungeon, but then it threw us out. It¡¯s been sealed since then, but it didn¡¯t disappear. Clive¡¯s been going insane.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± I held back a grin as I glanced up at the central building. ¡°I guess he would be mad. Maybe I should avoid him for now.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea. He knows we passed the dungeon, but he was infuriated when he found out you hadn¡¯t got out. He wanted us to all go back in, but that was impossible. We¡¯ve been ordered to not leave the base until he says otherwise.¡±

    ¡°Did he say anything else?¡±

    ¡°Well, everyone heard the argument. He got into a fight with the commander before we got back. Apparently, someone took something important to Clive, and the commander wouldn¡¯t help him find it.¡± Leah frowned as she stared at Clive¡¯s main base. ¡°Clive shouted something about a woman in the cells, and the commander got really¡­ mad. Even we felt it, and we weren¡¯t even in the camp yet.¡±If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

    ¡°Oh, right.¡± I patted her on the shoulder and leant down beside her to whisper in her ear. ¡°Can you gather up the others from your village, I have a message from the leader.¡±

    Leah stared at me for several seconds before she nodded and moved back into the tent. It shouldn¡¯t take her too long to bring them together, but it would give me the time to move on the plan I had just thought up.

    If this prisoner is important to the bandit king¡­ maybe I can use that. I want him to answer some questions, so I need to lay out some bait.

    Unfortunately, my plans were thwarted instantly. The guards around the mansion had increased drastically in number. Before, there had been one or two people posted at the main entrances, but now each one had four at least. They glared at anyone who approached, which created a large no-mans land around the building.

    Damn it. Maybe I really do need to see Clive? That should get me inside, but how do I lose him then?

    ¡°Oh, if it isn¡¯t Cub. What¡¯re you doing skulking around here!?¡±

    The loud voice made me jump out of my skin. I spun around to face the newcomer, though I had already guessed his identity before I saw his grinning face.

    ¡°Hi, Ron. Long time, no see.¡±

    ¡°Sure, sure. Wanna answer my question, Cub?¡± Ron didn¡¯t return my greeting as he stepped towards me. Five people spread out behind him and blocked off the escape routes. The only way I could go would be towards the mansion. Maybe that was his plan, though I couldn¡¯t see why he would want to force such a thing.

    ¡°I just got back, so I was going to see Clive. Why do you ask?¡±

    ¡°Really? Someone stole something, you leave. The commanders beef up security, you try to sneak back in.¡± Ron folded his arms as he rocked back and forth on the balls of his feet. ¡°Fishy. Too fishy.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d hardly call walking out in the open sneaking, Ron.¡± My patience had worn thin. ¡°Only an idiot would think that. Are you an idiot, Ron?¡±

    The lumbering man froze for a moment before a wicked smile broke out. He waved to the people behind him and pulled out his axe.

    ¡°You''re threatening someone who was ordered to keep people away from the commander¡¯s home.¡± Ron twirled his axe and stepped towards me. ¡°Take him!¡±

    The five people dashed forwards at Ron¡¯s call. I pulled out my staff and buffed myself with my three Novice abilities. I would keep the Rage abilities to myself for now. A trump card lost its value the more people who knew about it.

    ¡°Strengthen. Accelerate. Dexterity.¡±

    The first two were easier to use, but the last took a second of focus to activate. That was likely due to its low rank combined with the higher tier of the ability. Technically, I shouldn¡¯t have access to it until at least level twenty-five.

    Two of the people slowed down as they heard the last buff, but the rest arrived before me in at the same time.

    Too slow.

    I didn¡¯t even bother with my strike ability. A quick sweep of my staff knocked all three from their feet. They didn¡¯t have time to react before I stepped past them and landed a solid hit to each of their foreheads.

    They weren¡¯t dead, merely unconscious, but the speed of their defeat terrified the others. The last two members of the group shared a look before they turned and sprinted off into the camp.

    And that left Ron.

    ¡°Well, that was a surprise.¡± Ron raised an eyebrow as I stepped towards him. ¡°I guess you forced your way through, too? Do you really think that makes you strong, Supporter?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean, forced?¡± I cocked my head to one side. Either Ron was trying to bluff, or he was seriously stupid.

    ¡°Never mind, I doubt you¡¯d admit to it. You''re a coward, unlike me.¡± Ron grit his teeth and pointed his axe at my face. ¡°I¡¯ll show you the difference in our skill. You won¡¯t get lucky this time!¡±

    A crowd had gathered, attracted by the sounds of battle. The guards at the mansion had stepped towards us, but they remained close enough to their posts that no one would be able to sneak past. No one made a move to interrupt our duel as they watched Ron work himself up. Several murmuring conversations broke out around us, one of which was loud enough for my ears to catch it.

    ¡°That guy, he really gave up on progressing? Who would want to force their advancement? He gained a boost now, but he¡¯ll never go any further.¡±

    ¡°I think he took the loss before to heart. He¡¯s a Warrior, and he lost to a Supporter. Never mind forcing an advancement, I¡¯m surprised he didn¡¯t jump off a cliff.¡±

    ¡°I guess you¡¯re right, but it¡¯s such a waste. He wasn¡¯t too bad, he just made a mistake¡­¡±

    Ron ignored the crowd as he glared at me. Everything that had happened to him was my fault, as far as I could make out.

    ¡°Enrage! Furious blows!¡±

    His muscles bulged as a red tint overtook his eyes. A sense of pressure burst out from him as he strode towards me like a demon. Even with all of my advances, I still felt a foreboding sense from the man in front of me.

    I need to be careful. If this goes wrong, I¡¯ll use my Rage abilities. I should be defensive to start-

    Ron blurred slightly as he bounded towards me. His axe, which had been a slow weapon previously, buried itself into the ground where I had stood a moment ago. My increased speed had barely countered his blow, but his attack wasn¡¯t finished yet.

    A wave of air caught me before I hit the ground. My armour absorbed some of the impact, but it still blasted me several metres away. Ron grunted and pulled his axe out before he sprinted at me again.

    Damn it, no time to buff now. What the hell happened to this freak?

    As Ron launched another attack, I dodged again. This time, rather than moving away, I jumped to the side. Each of Ron¡¯s attacks were followed up by a vicious blade of air. His second ability, which would be the one he gained from his advancement, was the scariest of the pair.

    He had turned from a pure melee fighter, into a ranged hybrid.

    I thrust my staff towards his chest. If my blow hit, that would force him back and create some space¡­

    ¡°Buffed strike!¡±

    ¡°RRRAAAGGHH!¡±

    My strike landed squarely in the centre of his chest, but it didn¡¯t seem to affect him. Ron¡¯s muscles bunched up to retrieve the blow as he swung his axe towards my side.

    Before he could cut me in half, I twisted my staff and caught his axe shaft. I couldn¡¯t stop the blow entirely, but I could use it as a prop to launch myself away. As I landed on the ground, I ducked down.

    Not a moment too soon.

    The air blade from Ron¡¯s blow swept past me and into the crowd behind me. A serious of screams rose up as they realised what was about to happen, but they were cut short as a heavy crunch rang out across the area.

    Oh god, what the hell did he do?

    I turned to face the crowd, fully expecting a scene of devastation.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got your back, Cub. Take him down!¡± Leah grinned at me from behind her shield. Ron¡¯s blow had carved a chunk from it, but she had managed to block the majority of his blow. I gave her a nod and turned back to Ron, who stared at me unblinkingly.

    Maybe the fact he almost killed some of the crowd stopped him, but I doubt that will last too long.

    ¡°You¡¯ve gone too far.¡± I pushed myself up and pointed my staff at him. ¡°This ends, now.¡±

 Chapter 54 - Punishment for failure, schemes and counters

    Whilst I didn¡¯t have any major attachment to the bandits, most of them weren¡¯t particularly bad people. Bryan and the others had explained how they used to have an agreement with the town where they hunted the more dangerous packs and acted as a barrier for the stronger monsters. The town had provided them resources and ignored their minor transgressions in return for the assistance.

    But that was before the bandits had moved against the town.

    No one knew why they worked with the cult. In my short time with them, I had heard a lot of discontent towards the decision. These people couldn¡¯t return to their old lives, and the choices of their commanders had cut off the stream of outside assistance.

    Food had become scarce overnight. If it wasn¡¯t for the hunting parties, many of them would have starved. The issue was the camp''s location. As it was far into the forest, most of the beasts were above level ten and travelled in packs. It was a dangerous area for a large group, never mind a small squad of hunters.

    But none of that mattered right now. Ron had been driven insane by the skills he had forcefully gained. If this was the usual effect, or some unknown side effect wasn¡¯t clear. His eyes were unfocused as he stared at me. He had yet to make another move, but that wouldn¡¯t last too long.

    There was one upside to his state, however.

    He had yet to use a strike ability during the fight. Last time, he had underestimated me and held back. This time, he had lost the capacity to even think to use such a skill.

    I swapped to my Rage attribute and buffed myself as Ron lumbered towards me.

    ¡°Final Stand. Bolster. Carve.¡±

    The crowd went silent as they heard my abilities. I had used six buff abilities in a short space of time, which left them shocked. I swapped back to my Novice attribute, which had more mana remaining, and prepared for the final exchange.

    I can¡¯t use my Buffed Strike too much, or they¡¯ll catch on to how much mana I have left. This should be a good chance to test my new strength, though.

    ¡°RRRRRRRAAAAGGGHHH!¡±

    Ron charged towards me with a scream. His axe swung towards my head from the heavens. If his strike hit, not much would be left of me. I dodged to the side and slammed my staff down on his axe as it swept past my head.

    ¡°Buffed strike!¡±

    My blow, added to his full strength attack, lodged the axe deep into the ground. As he tried to pull it out, I scraped my staff along the shaft towards his hand.

    Before my staff could push his grip off the axe, he let go and reached out towards it. His hand clamped on my weapon and stopped my blow in its tracks. As I tried to rip my staff from his grasp, he abandoned his axe and swung a meaty fist at my face.

    I managed to twist my staff enough to block his blow, but the strength behind it knocked me into the air. That helped me rip the staff from his grip, but he didn¡¯t seem to care.

    Ron sprinted at me with his arms held wide. With his speed, he would catch me well before I hit the ground.

    So I countered with a thrust.

    My staff connected solidly with his forehead. I used the blow to push myself towards the ground as Ron recoiled back by several steps. I knew he wouldn¡¯t die from the hit due to his defence, but it should slow him down at least¡­

    But then he shook his head¡­ and ran at me again.

    Goddammit, how can he ignore that? He¡¯s insane!

    A deep cut had formed on his head as blood ran into his eyes. It turned his face into a demonic mask, which matched the expression he currently held. Ron was intent on grabbing me in a bear hug, and I didn¡¯t have much confidence I could escape his grasp if he succeeded in doing so.

    I had range, but he had an insane level of defence and strength. I could outrun him, but that would only prolong the inevitable. My next move was clear, but it was still difficult for me to contemplate.

    As he neared me, I lifted my staff and pointed it directly at his face. He ignored the threat as he sprinted towards me.

    ¡°¡­ Buffed strike.¡±

    I thrust towards his head with unerring accuracy. My staff slammed into the same point once more with a heavy crunch. Ron was flipped through the air by the power of the blow and landed in a heap more than five metres from me.

    The crowd was silent as I walked closer to the man who had tried to kill me. He was still and unmoving as I leant down to check on him. I was careful to not approach too closely, in case he woke up and went for me again, but such caution was proven unnecessary.

    ¡°Well done, Cub.¡±

    I turned to face the speaker. Clive strode out from the crowd and moved next to me with a smile. He ignored the man by his feet as he clapped a hand on my shoulder.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t want¡­¡± I started to speak, but Clive shook his head and glanced at Ron.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, he¡¯s not dead yet. He forced his way through the advancement test, and he gained a stupid level of toughness from that. As long as he¡¯s cared for over a week or so, he¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    ¡°Oh, right. that¡¯s good.¡± I let out a breath I hadn¡¯t known I was holding. Whilst I held no love from the idiot, killing a real person was still a large step to take. I had ended Ray¡¯s life, but my memory of that time was hazy. I had moved on instinct back then.

    This time, my thoughts had been crystal clear. I had launched my last attack with the intent to cause fatal damage.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    It¡¯ll happen eventually. Someday, someone will force my hand. I can¡¯t hold back¡­ this isn¡¯t my old world.

    I glanced over to Leah, who had lowered her shield with a grin. She stepped towards me, but her expression changed drastically as she stared in horror at something behind me.

    ¡°What¡­¡±

    A sickening crunch rang out across the area. I turned around slowly, and what I saw left me speechless.

    Clive had drawn his sword and stabbed it down at the unconscious man. His fate, which had been uncertain previously, was sealed by the vicious blow.

    He was dead.

    ¡°I told him to not cause any trouble. I even gave him the chance to prove himself after he forced his advancement as I asked.¡± Clive shook his head as he wiped the blood from his sword.

    ¡°Why did you do that?¡± I asked quietly. The crowd watched silently as Clive sheathed his sword and turned to me.

    ¡°He failed.¡± The vice-commander answered simply, as though those two words fully explained why he had just killed one of his followers. ¡°That¡¯s unimportant. Tell me, what happened in the dungeon.¡±

    His sword was in its sheath, but it wouldn¡¯t be too hard for him to draw it once more. Ron had lost his life due to his ¡®failure¡¯¡­ what would be my reward if I said we had failed in the dungeon.

    ¡°We passed the dungeon, but it threw us out at the end. I landed in a cave with the loot, which hid away before I came back here.¡±

    ¡°Hmm.¡± Clive glanced at Leah, who stood stock-still at the side. ¡°That doesn¡¯t match what you said, Leah. You told me the dungeon took all the loot and tossed you out randomly. Why is that?¡±

    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because I was the leader.¡± I answered before Leah could respond. I had been in charge of the raid party, so it was up to me to explain what had happened. If I let her speak, she might ruin the plan I had just formed. ¡°I can take them out and bring back the loot. The dungeon will open eventually, we did pass it after all.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡± Clive pulled his gaze from Leah and turned back to me. ¡°You said the loot is hidden? Is there a chance someone will find it?¡±

    ¡°The cave it dumped me in was filled with wolves. I managed to sneak out, but it would be impossible to get in without a fight.¡± I made up the story on the spot, but my voice didn¡¯t waver in the slightest. ¡°That¡¯s why I need the rest of the group to go get it, we need at least that many people to make it through. No one else would do such a thing purposefully.¡±

    ¡°OK.¡± Clive turned and walked back towards his mansion. ¡°Come with me, I need to tell you something. Leah, get the rest of the team together and wait by the southern entrance, you¡¯ll set off within the hour.¡±

    I followed Clive into the building without a word. The crowd watched silently as we walked off, though I did spot several people who stepped out and moved towards the fallen bandit. They picked him up and carried their fallen comrade away.

    I still have a few ways to get out, even if he makes a move against me. Let''s see what his plan is¡­

    After we had let the bright, sunny day behind, Clive pulled me down a side corridor and lead me into a room at the end. Two guards stood outside, but their gazes didn¡¯t move as Clive walked me past them.

    ¡°So, you were telling me about the loot from the dungeon.¡± Clive smiled and waved me into a chair in front of a desk. After I had seated myself, he dropped down into the large chair opposite me.

    ¡°Yeah, it dropped me into the cave, like I said. I managed to hide what we got before-¡±

    ¡°Right, that¡¯s fine.¡± Clive silenced me with a wave. ¡°I do have a question, though. With how many enemies your team defeated, there must have been a lot of drops. How did you manage to hide all of them in a cave?¡±

    ¡°Well, most of them were in a side passage, so I just blocked it off before I left.¡±

    ¡°OK. Can you give me the full details of each battle inside of the dungeon? Leah gave her report, but you lead the party. I need to see if you spotted anything she missed.¡±

    I gave him as many details as I could, whilst still holding back on the most important facts. As I had taken over the dungeon, I could alter the rooms in the future. My connection was still too weak, but eventually all of this information would be outdated.

    Clive kept asking question after question. The whole discussion took over ten minutes, but there was no way I could excuse myself. Never mind the fact that Clive was far stronger than anyone I had seen, other than Ray, even his two guards would be enough to hold me back for a significant time.

    Whilst we spoke, Claire made her own moves. I winced as the cold slime dripped down under my clothes towards the floor. She had cancelled the acidic nature, but it would be reactivated the instant she gave the command. It took quite a long while to lay the trap, but luckily Clive¡¯s scheme gave her more than enough time to finish the task.

    That¡¯s one way out, but I¡¯d rather not take it just in case¡­

    He seemed engaged and happy throughout the conversation, unaware of the trap that now lay beneath our feet. Whilst the slime pit wouldn¡¯t hold him for long, it would last more than enough time for me to escape. Even so, I didn¡¯t let my guard down. Several minutes after my last buff fell off, he picked up the completed manuscript and tossed it aside.

    ¡°Well, that might be helpful in the future. I¡¯ll compare it to the other reports.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± I narrowed my eyes and glanced at the papers which littered the floor.

    ¡°So, this cave¡­ do you want to give me the directions?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s hard to describe. It took me so long to make my way out that I would need to be there to lead you.¡± I smiled as I ran through my options. Even with the disparity in numbers and level, I still had confidence in my ability to lose these three.

    ¡°Hmm.¡± Clive tapped his fingers on the desk rhythmically. ¡°How lucky for you. I guess that¡¯s why it took you so long to come back, right?¡±

    ¡°Uh, I didn¡¯t know where I was. It took me a long time to find my way back, seeing as I didn¡¯t-¡±

    ¡°Shut up.¡± Clive¡¯s friendly expression vanished as he leant towards me. ¡°Do you really think I¡¯m stupid, Cub? Things just seem to disappear around you. Care you explain why that happens?¡±

    His sudden shift didn¡¯t surprise me. It made some sense why he had made the connection, and the fact he had kept me talking was an obvious ploy to waste the duration on my buffs. Even without them, I still had two trump cards to escape with, so I decided to go along with his little game.

    This should be the endgame for him. If I guessed right, this will work out perfectly. If not, then I just need to escape.

    ¡°Never mind, we¡¯ll find out eventually. Guards, dump him in the special cells!¡±

    The door burst open as the two burly guards stepped in. They rushed beside my chair and grabbed my arms as I tried to leap up. A small smile flicked up onto my face before I called out my first buff.

    ¡°Acceler-¡±

    A fist slammed into the side of my head before I could cast my buff. The strength of the blow surprised me, but I had expected it. I could have cast at least one of my buffs before the strike landed, but that would reveal the full extent of my strength.

    I shook my head in an exaggerated manner as he clamped a pair of heavy manacles across my wrists. As soon as they closed around my arms, the flow of mana through my body turned sluggish.

    Damn, there goes my buffs. I can still use Transmutation, and I have Claire in reserve¡­ but why stop him when he¡¯s helping me?

    ¡°You really are stupid, Cub. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve never heard of mana-cancelling items?¡± Clive stared at me with a grin. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter anyway. I know someone who¡¯d pay a fortune for a Supporter of your skill. The only problem is that you¡¯ll probably not live through their experiments. What a shame.¡±

    The guards pulled me to my feet and moved towards the door. As they dragged me away, I gave Clive one last glare. Before I could speak, Claire shivered slightly on my shoulder as though she wanted to make a move.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. Calm down.¡± I muttered. Clive raised an eyebrow at my random response.

    ¡°It won¡¯t be fine. I¡¯ll keep you here until you tell me what you did with my armour. Enjoy your last hour of pain-free life. When I¡¯m done gathering up the rest of your team, they¡¯ll get to watch me pull you apart. I hope you look forward to that, Rook.¡±

    So, he knows my real name. That explains why he doesn¡¯t trust me. I don''t really care how he found out, but that cuts off any chance to talk him out of this. Not that I wanted to anyway.

    I allowed myself a small grin as the guards pulled me out of the room. If Clive had known the full extent of my plan, he would have cut me down then and there. Luckily for me, he didn¡¯t have a clue.

    Then again, even if I had decided to reveal the details, he would have never believed it.

 Chapter 55 - Jail time, the chance to save a life

    Clive¡¯s guards pulled me down a set of stairs without a word. Their hands were clamped on my shoulders like iron vices, not moving an inch as they marched me into the darkness. I could tell that their base strength was far higher than mine, so it was clear they had at least passed the second advancement.

    If it was forced or not didn¡¯t matter, it would still be a tricky matter for me to escape.

    All natural light faded away as they pulled me into a dark corridor. Blue torches lit the way, though they still left deep patches of shadow at periodic intervals. My captors pulled me down another set of stairs past a squad of bandit guards. A large doorway lay ajar behind the group, which proved they had been forewarned of my arrival.

    Well, that complicates things a bit¡­

    The guards pulled open the doorway for the second cell along and tossed me inside before they slammed it closed again. A heavy clunk echoed through the chamber as they locked the door without a word. I had seen the lock at a glance as I passed, and knew it was too strong for me to break through even at full strength.

    ¡°These guys are seriously stupid. They didn¡¯t even take my staff¡­¡±

    As much as I complained about it, that was one thing I had worried about. It would be tricky to get the weapon back as we fled, and I still felt an innate link to it. After a year of constant practice, my body had grown used to its heft and feel.

    Added to that was the fact I still couldn¡¯t see through its effects. That alone piqued my curiosity. How strong would it be once I managed to pull out its true power? I tossed my musings aside and rattled the lump of metal on my wrists.

    ¡°These manacles have locked away your ability usage. They would have a limited effect if you had passed the level fifty advancement, but that is still in the distant future for you.¡± Rose tutted from inside my mind. ¡°What are you going to do now, Rook?¡±

    ¡°You have a plan, right?¡± Cory muttered at me. He had stayed hidden in my inventory, as I had ordered long ago. A shiny crystal like him would attract the bandits like a flock of magpies.

    ¡°Claire, help me out of these.¡±

    After a slight delay, Claire followed my request without a word as a wave of blue slime poured from her core. It wrapped around my hands like a thick pair of gooey gloves. The instant they were enveloped, my fists were assaulted by a pain far beyond any I had felt before.

    The time my shoulder had been broken, when Ray had sneak attacked me back in town, even the time my chest had been burned by a magical fire. All of those paled in comparison with what I felt as the slime covered my arms. It was as though I had dipped my hands in a pool of acid which was also on fire.

    I was about to scream out, but I managed to hold back with an inch to spare. If they heard such a noise, it was clear they would come to investigate. It would be impossible to explain how I had sneaked a slime into the cell with me, and they wouldn¡¯t listen even if I tried.

    The pain didn¡¯t worsen, but it also didn¡¯t improve. It remained steady for over a minute. The manacles on my wrist twitched and shook as the slime invaded their inner workings.

    Goddammit, how long is this going to last¡­

    As though she had listened to my request, Claire pulled herself away and dropped to the floor beside me. I could see her rock from side to side as she bombarded me with worried noises through our telepathic link. I avoided looking at my hands for a few seconds before I pulled my will together enough to take a glance.

    I had fully expected to see a pair of charred stumps, but what I saw left me relieved. My skin had reddened as though I had burnt myself on a burst of steam, but other than that my hands were uninjured. One thing had changed, however.

    The manacles had cracked apart and fell to the floor.

    ¡°Nice job, Claire. Thanks.¡± I smiled and lifted my hand to pat her, but I pulled myself short. The memory of the pain I had felt was still too strong for me to casually touch her.

    ¡®It¡¯s OK. I¡¯m sorry, If I could control it more¡­¡¯ Claire drooped down as she spoke. It was clear she blamed herself for the pain she had put me through, but I couldn¡¯t let that slide.

    ¡°I asked for your help, so don¡¯t worry about it.¡± I reached down and patted her. After a moment, she jumped back onto my shoulder before I pushed myself to my feet. Now that the manacles had been removed, I could once again feel the flow of my mana.

    ¡°Right, we need to get out of here. Now we just need to find her.¡± I moved towards the doorway, but Rose interrupted me before I reached it.

    ¡°Wait, Rook. Before you do that, let¡¯s check the cell next to us. I can feel someone in there. They¡¯re pretty strong, so they might be able to help us get out.¡±

    Wait, that can¡¯t be her? Did those idiots really put me in the cell next to hers?

    This was the person I had wanted to meet, the one who would help me reach my ultimate goal. As fun as it had been to steal Clive¡¯s treasure from under his nose, my main aim had always been the one above him.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

    The bandit king.

    It took a full five minutes for my transmutation to break down the bolt enough to make my way through. Claire had used up most of her gathered strength to when she created the slime pit under Clive¡¯s office, and now she had used the last bits to melt through the manacles, so the idea to use her to break through the door was tossed aside instantly.

    After the bolt snapped, I pushed the cell door open gently. No one shouted out, which confirmed the guards were either asleep or weren¡¯t watching this corridor. Though Rose could push her hand through me, it still wasn¡¯t possible for her to phase through solid objects, so I had to rely on my own instincts.

    I had heard the guards leave the area after they had tossed me into the cell, so I had been sure the corridor would be clear. It was a guess, but it had turned out to be accurate.

    I pushed the door closed and reformed the bolt. It wasn¡¯t as strong as it had once been, but it should stand up to a cursory examination. With my tracks hidden, I repeated the process on the cell next to me and opened the door carefully.

    No one responded to the sudden entry, so I pulled it open fully and stepped inside. The cell matched the one I had been dumped into apart from one vital detail.

    The woman who lay on the bed at the far side.

    I pulled the cell door closed behind me. Whilst the bolt was pulled back, I hoped that no one would come to this room for the time being. The corridor was dark enough that they should miss it, at least until they moved closer to the door.

    The woman didn¡¯t react as I stepped next to her. I reached down to shake her awake, but a hiss from Rose pulled me short.

    ¡°Stop! If you touch her, it¡¯ll get you too!¡±

    ¡°What will get me?¡± I asked as I took a step back. The woman¡¯s face was pale, but there wasn¡¯t any obvious danger no matter how hard I looked. ¡°Is there a trap or something? What am I missing?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s been poisoned. It¡¯s a bad one, far too dangerous for a place like this.¡± Rose spoke slowly, as though she found the existence of such a thing difficult to comprehend. ¡°Clive must know some high-level people. That¡¯s probably how he got his hands on the mana-canceling manacles as well. He¡¯s got more reach than we gave him credit for.¡±

    ¡°What do we do? We need her help, can¡¯t you tell me how to save her?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Rose answered with an assured tone. ¡°It¡¯s impressive Clive had access to something like this, but the cure is much rarer. Even a king would struggle to get his hands on it, never mind the leader some bandits in a low density zone.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard of this before.¡± Cory spoke up. ¡°One of the marked ones mentioned that her friend had been hit by the same thing. It¡¯s like a crystal which wraps itself around the heart, right?¡±

    ¡°A crystal?¡± I moved closer to the woman and stared at her face. ¡°Is there no cure for it?¡±

    ¡°You need to find something to counter the crystal¡¯s growth. If you can¡¯t damage it consistently for a long time, it just grows back stronger.¡± Rose answered with a solemn voice. ¡°She¡¯s probably being fed the counter agent on a daily basis, or she wouldn¡¯t have lasted this long.¡±

    ¡®Please, save her. I know her, she¡¯s a good person. She doesn¡¯t deserve to die like this.¡¯

    I frowned as Claire shot a strange request into my brain. Rose and Cory didn¡¯t react, so they obviously hadn¡¯t heard it. I glanced at the orb on my shoulder for a moment before I looked back at the woman. I wanted to save her for my own ends, but the fact that Claire had moved to persuade me just added fuel to the fire.

    I owed Claire a lot. She was one of the only people I trusted in this world. If she asked me for help, there had to be a good reason for it.

    ¡°She must be here as a bargaining chip, but why go this far?¡± The woman¡¯s clothing didn¡¯t seem to be special in any way. If I had seen her out in the camp, she wouldn¡¯t have caught my attention at all. ¡°All you said was that we need to counter the crystal constantly until its gone, right?¡±

    ¡°Wait, are you thinking of using¡­¡± Rose appeared in front of me. She glared at me as she folded her arms and blocked my path to the woman. ¡°Do you realise how dangerous that is? You¡¯d need to be in contact with her to have the necessary control. The infection dies instantly if it leaves the host body, but it can pass through skin contact in less than a second.¡±

    ¡°Is that all? I already have a plan, so don¡¯t worry.¡± I copied Rose and folded my arms. ¡°It would be far more dangerous to leave her here, right? She¡¯s powerful enough to help us get out, and I don¡¯t see anyone else we can go to.¡±

    ¡°Hold on, are you thinking of using your Transmutation to break down the crystal?¡± Cory popped out and hovered beside Rose. ¡°That might work, but it¡¯s dangerous. If you rush, she dies. If you stop mid-way through, she dies.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s dead either way, so it has to be worth a try. Do you want to help me or not?¡± I glanced past the pair at the unconscious woman. She was an inch from death, and there was no plausible way to pull her back without my help. ¡°Clive has several people at or above Ron¡¯s level of strength, and I doubt I can fight my way past all of them alone. If we get caught, I¡¯ll have no chance of finding the bandit king.¡±

    Rose was silent for a full minute before she floated aside. Cory hovered above me as I knelt beside the woman¡¯s bed. My plan was off the cuff, but it should keep me safe from infection¡­ probably. Either way, I should be able to fight it off with my Transmutation if worst came to worst.

    ¡°Claire, can you cover my hands again? Please make the layer thin.¡±

    Claire didn¡¯t hesitate as she coated my hands in blue slime. I winced as it prickled at my skin, but I had to bear with it. After my fists were covered, I focused my attention on the liquid which had started to drop to the floor and used my Transmutation.

    ¡®Thank you. She helped me get out of the Holy Kingdom, so I have to do what I can to pay her back. I want you to promise me that you pull back if it gets too dangerous. She wouldn¡¯t want you to hurt yourself to save her¡­ and neither do I.¡¯

    I nodded in response to Claire¡¯s request. Whilst I wanted to pay her back, losing my life would be a bad end for all of us.

    Transmutation didn¡¯t require voice activation like my combat abilities as it was classed under the utility section. Before it could drip to the floor, I used my skill to harden the slime around my hands.

    I had turned the acidic material into a pair of tough, yet pliable gloves.

    ¡°Strengthen.¡±

    My tactic worked. The gloves flexed as the buff came into effect. The slime was still counted as part of Claire¡¯s body, so the increased strength gave them a new level of toughness.

    As long as I can feel a connection through them, this should work. The infection dies instantly when it hits the air, I wonder how fast it would melt in acidic slime.

    ¡°That should slow it down, but be careful. If it goes for you at all, I want you to pull back and save yourself. Don¡¯t be a martyr, Rook.¡± Rose gave me one final warning before she vanished from view. Cory didn¡¯t say anything, but he hovered above the womans body nervously.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, I have a plan.¡± I slowly lowered my hands onto the woman''s arm. I had confidence in my preparations, but there was still a chance of failure.

    But Claire had asked for my help, so I had to at least try to save this woman.

 Chapter 56 - Old friends, new allies

    I focused my Transmutation into the woman''s body. The skill worked through the medium of my newly created gloves, so I let myself have a quick grin before I turned my attention back to the task at hand. As the skill had no effect on organic matter, it was a simple task to isolate the crystal. It waved and squirmed around her heart like a tumour. Several tendrils had spread out across her chest like a net, which clearly showed how severe the infection was.

    Even with something to counter its power, it was a surprise she could live with such a thing inside her. The fact she was unconscious was likely a blessing at this point.

    I felt the closest tendril to me vibrate slightly. The end twisted around and pointed towards me, like the head of a cobra moments before it was about to strike.

    It was now or never.

    I focused my ability more than I had ever done before. Instead of a specific area, I targeted every single point of material within her body. Compared to my usual pin-point usage, this was much cruder, but it would do the trick.

    The issue was my mana, and how much I had to use up with each passing second.

    Even with my high rank of Transmutation, it wasn¡¯t enough to counter the usage. My mana bar dropped constantly as the crystal monster writhed within her. I kept it from attacking any of her organs, but it was difficult to keep it from affecting the bits it had already wrapped around.

    When I had cleared it down by around a third, a thin strand broke free and shot towards my palms. It pierced through her skin and stabbed towards my skin like a greedy worm.

    But my protective gloves cut it off.

    It had the power to break through skin, but my gloves were made of stronger stuff. I had strengthened them with both my Transmutation and my buff, which just enhanced the slimes natural properties. Each time it broke through was just another advantage as I broke off and disintegrated a significant portion of its body.

    Come on!

    Minutes passed by as the crystal shrunk bit by bit. My assault was consistent across every point of its body, which didn¡¯t leave it any room to fight back. It held on as long as it could but, after fifteen minutes of constant grinding, the final strand broke away.

    I kept up the pressure for another minute as I searched for anything within her. Only after I was certain that my Transmutation wasn¡¯t picking up any more targets did I lift my hands and peel of the slimey gloves.

    The skin on the woman''s arm had reddened from the long exposure to the slime. My hand¡¯s weren¡¯t much better off, but they were only surface level injuries at worst. My main concern was that she hadn¡¯t responded at all.

    ¡°She should have woken up. Maybe the crystal did more damage than we thought.¡± Cory bounced above her head. Her pale skin took on a slightly more healthy look under his pale, red glow. ¡°You could try waking her up, she¡¯s basically in a deep sleep at the moment.¡±

    I gave my helpful little friend a glare before I turned my attention back to the woman. I leaned closer and lifted my hand to her shoulder. If she was merely asleep, a light shake would be the best place to start.

    Before my hand could reach her, the woman''s fist shot out and caught me square in the face. I tumbled back and slammed into the cell door with a clang as she rolled from the bed and launched herself to her feet.

    ¡°What¡¯re you doing?¡± Her hand dropped to her side and clenched around as she searched for something. She glanced down momentarily before returning her gaze to me. ¡°Where¡¯s my sword? Who are you?¡±

    ¡°Ow.¡± I muttered as I pushed myself up. ¡°You really have a weird way of thanking the person who just saved your life.¡±

    Claire had said she was a good person, and that she knew her. Whilst Claire had made a mistake with Ray, it wouldn¡¯t be like her to ask me to risk myself for someone if she wasn¡¯t sure of their nature.

    ¡°What do you¡­ oh.¡± Her expression loosened slightly as she glanced around at the room. ¡°Care you explain how you ¡®saved my life¡¯? I remember what Clive used on me, and you don¡¯t look like you came from a high density zone.¡±

    ¡°Charming.¡± I rose to my feet and dusted myself off. ¡°I broke down the crystal using my ability. And no, I won¡¯t tell you how I did it.¡±

    ¡°Hmm.¡± The woman tilted her head to one side. ¡°You do seem to be telling the truth, but why should I trust you? This could be just another one of Clive¡¯s schemes.¡±

    ¡°I helped you because a mutual friend asked me to. She said that she owed you for helping her out of the Holy Kingdom.¡±

    ¡°Wait¡­ are you talking about Claire?¡± The woman smiled softly. ¡°How is she. I¡¯ve been asleep for too long, so I don¡¯t know how she¡¯s been doing. Did she help you sneak in?¡±

    ¡°She did.¡± My answer was completely truthful. Claire had helped me, though not in the way her friend expected. ¡°I have something to tell you, but you have to promise me that you¡¯ll stay calm.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± The woman glanced back at Cory, who floated in the corner. ¡°You seem to be a man of many secrets, are you sure you want to share one of them with me?¡±

    ¡°Take a seat, this might be difficult to believe¡­¡±

    <hr>

    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    The woman made me explain the story several times over. When she first heard what had happened to Claire, it was obvious she was on the verge of an outburst. She swore at Ray under her breath with increasing intensity before we pulled her back from the brink.

    But that was only due to the fact that Claire helped me along the way.

    She couldn¡¯t speak to the woman directly, but she could use me as a translator. It was a difficult story for anyone to believe. If you had been told your friend had died, had her soul saved and melded into a slime queen, would you believe it?

    ¡°She says you can ask her any questions you want.¡± I raised both hands to calm the woman as she fixed her gaze at the orb on my shoulder. ¡°Ask her something only she would know.¡±

    ¡°Why did she leave the Holy Kingdom?¡± The woman turned her gaze to me. Claire whispered the answer in my ear, though her words did leave me shocked.

    ¡°She left because a close friend died. She didn¡¯t feel like she belonged anymore.¡± I winced as I repeated Claire¡¯s answer. I knew she had a history, but hearing the truth from her, then having to speak it, hit me harder than I had expected.

    I guess I should thank her friend. He''s indirectly saved my life a few times at least.

    ¡°¡­OK. How did she manage to persuade the others to let her leave?¡±

    ¡°She didn¡¯t. She sneaked out with your help.¡± I parroted Claire¡¯s response verbatim. ¡°She left the persuasion to you, because you¡¯d always been better at that.¡±

    ¡°True.¡± The woman¡¯s gaze softened slightly as she turned to the orb on my shoulder. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you come back. What made you stay in such a weak corner of the country. You gave up on your chances to progress¡­ why?¡±

    This question was asked with a slight edge. The woman also spoke directly to Claire, rather than through me as an intermediary. Claire paused for several moments before she gave me the answer.

    ¡°She heard that the one you call the ¡®Holy Knight¡¯ grew in power after she left. They¡¯d always been tied together, but she had broken the link.¡± I frowned and glanced at Claire before I finished the answer. ¡°She was worried that if she came back, it would pull the Holy Knight back. She didn¡¯t want to make any more problems for you than she dumped on you already.¡±

    ¡°Claire, you stupid girl.¡± The woman closed her eyes and shook her head. ¡°Do you think we would have cared about that? That¡¯s why I came over here to keep an eye on you, we wanted you to make the decision to come back on your own.¡±

    ¡°She knows, but those higher up wouldn¡¯t have agreed. The Holy Knight is your new candidate, so she would just be a block for their plans.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not¡­ she¡¯s¡­¡± The woman''s words drifted off as she stared at Claire. ¡°We were always together, right from the start. You two were the special ones, but you never looked down on me. I was older, weaker, unimportant¡­ but you didn¡¯t care.¡±

    Claire remained silent as the woman slammed her fist into the bed again and again. I watched on as she vented her frustration. She had travelled a massive distance to keep an eye on her friend, and her reward was the loss of over a year of her life and the death of the one she cared about.

    ¡°I hate to interrupt, but we really need to get out of here.¡± Cory flashed in the corner and moved over to me. ¡°Clive will come down soon to- We need to go before he gets here.¡±

    ¡°Clive¡­ I¡¯ll kill him.¡± The woman pushed herself up from the bed. ¡°He made the deal with the cult, he¡¯s the one who helped Ray make his move.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s too many of them for a direct fight.¡± I stepped in her way as she moved towards the cell door. ¡°Clive said someone down here knows the bandit king, is that you?¡±

    The woman froze in her tracks before a nervous grin broke out on her face. She glanced at Claire for a moment before she looked away.

    Wait¡­ why is she being awkward about this?

    ¡°What?¡± I turned to Claire for clarification, but she was lost in her musings. The woman collected herself and turned back to me.

    ¡°It¡¯s me. I know him.¡± She grabbed my hand in hers.¡°Let¡¯s make a temporary party for now. He¡¯ll help us get out of here, we just need to make it to him in one piece.¡±

    I accepted the invite and followed her out into the corridor. Claire didn¡¯t share the revelation she had been hit with, so I was left in the dark as we moved towards the exit. Cory leapt back into my inventory as we left the room, which left me alone with the woman.

    ¡°Sorry, what was your name?¡± I whispered. During our entire conversation, we had more important things to discuss than introductions.

    ¡°Anne.¡± She glanced back. ¡°And you?¡±

    ¡°Rook.¡±

    ¡°Interesting name.¡± She held a finger to her lips as we reached the foot of the stairs. ¡°How many guards were outside?¡±

    ¡°Four, but there could be more now.¡± I whispered back.

    ¡°That¡¯s possible. Clive¡¯s probably made a few of them to force their advancements, so they¡¯ll be at level twenty-five. What about you, can you take one of them on for a bit?¡±

    ¡°I should be OK with one.¡± I nodded in response. I had done well enough against Ron, but what would we do with the other three? ¡°Wait, I¡¯ll buff us. Strengthen, Accelerate¡­¡±

    Anne raised her eyebrow as I used my Supporter skills. She didn¡¯t comment any further as she moved up the stairs. When we reached the top, she pressed her ear against the door for a moment before she held up four fingers.

    Four of them, I guess. I need to ask how she did that.

    She continued her gestures. She pointed at me and flicked a thumb to the left before she repeated it with herself on the right. I nodded and pulled the staff off my back. Clive¡¯s guards had left me with the weapon, almost as a joke due to the heavy manacles they had clamped over my hands.

    Anne didn¡¯t waste any time. She broke through the door with a kick and dashed out into the corridor. I followed a beat later and swung to the left.

    And saw a single bandit.

    He glared at me and pulled his sword from the sheath by his side. I didn¡¯t give him the chance as I thrust my staff towards his chest. The bandit dodged to the side, but I corrected the blow and caught him mind jump.

    ¡°Buffed strike!¡±

    My blow slammed him into the wall, but he still wasn¡¯t done. He pulled his sword out and stabbed it towards me.

    My staff had him pinned to the wall, but his counter was still deadly and precise. The man¡¯s level and skill was a match for my own, despite the fact I had the time to fully buff myself and the advantage our ambush had provided.

    I stepped to the side and dodge his strike with an inch to spare. Before he could respond, I twisted my staff and caught his wrist with a sharp crack. The sword dropped from his grip, which left him open.

    My fist crashed into his face and knocked his head back into the sturdy bricks of the wall behind him. His eyes rolled up into his skull as he dropped to the floor.

    Rose was right, I can¡¯t underestimate these people. Bryan must have lied about not going easy on me when we duelled before¡­

    I turned to help Anne, but my assistance wasn¡¯t required. Anne landed a solid kick on the chest of the last bandit, which made her crumple to the ground. Anne had taken down three bandits in the time I had beaten one.

    ¡®Don¡¯t worry about it, Anne was our guardian back in the Holy Kindgom. Even Clive would need backup to take her on.¡¯

    Claire¡¯s words explained the situation, but they didn¡¯t help my confidence. It was getting clearer just how weak the people around here were compared to those in higher density zones. Anne had been in a coma for over a year, and she still had the strength to take down three of them by herself.

    ¡°Good job.¡± Anne raised an eyebrow as she looked me over. ¡°Claire chose a good one. Supporters aren¡¯t generally good at these sorts of fights, but you handle yourself well. Don¡¯t get cocky though, this is just the beginning.¡±

    The wide grin on Anne¡¯s face as she moved along the corridor filled me with dread.

    You never told me she was a battle-crazed maniac!

    Claire ignored my complaints as we followed Anne towards the main part of the mansion. Karma would strike soon, and Clive was about to feel the full weight of its wrath.

 Chapter 57 - Stealthy escape, enemies alerted

    Luckily, Anne gave me time to equip my Drakelord¡¯s armour set before we left the prison. She treated my request as unimportant when I asked it, but her jaw dropped as she saw the armour¡¯s quality. Her shock was also enhanced by the fact I pulled it out of thin air, but she cared less about that than the armour itself.

    ¡°Where the hell did you get that from?¡± She picked up one of the gauntlets and stared at it. ¡°Even in the Holy Kingdom, this sort of thing was rare. There¡¯s no way a low level like you could have something like this, never mind the fact you¡¯re a Supp-¡±

    ¡°I borrowed it from Clive, but he doesn¡¯t know that yet.¡± I pulled the glove from her grasp and pushed my hand into it. ¡°Come on, we don¡¯t have long.¡±

    ¡°Ha! Good man. You¡¯ll have to tell me how you managed that when we get out of here.¡± She clapped my shoulder and turned away. Equipping the armour would ensure Clive¡¯s wrath, but he had already planned to torture me before I was sold like a piece of meat for some experiment.

    If this annoys him that bit more, I¡¯ll just count it as a bonus.

    Anne wasn¡¯t as gung-ho as I had thought. Before we stepped out of the prison, she lead me down a side path into a less populated area of the building. We found the occasional patrolling bandit, but they were easily dealt with before they could raise the alarm.

    ¡°Where is the bandit king?¡± I asked as I dragged a bandit into a side room. It felt like we were playing a stealth-action game, and that I was doing a particularly difficult escort mission. Until I made the point several times, Anne didn¡¯t even make an effort to hide the evidence of our battles.

    ¡°Not too far, I think. It¡¯s been a while, but his old office is just around the next corner.¡± Anne watched me with a raised eyebrow as I pulled the last bandit out of sight. ¡°We won¡¯t be in here too long, do you really want to mess about with this?¡±

    ¡°We might be in here longer than you think if we don¡¯t clean up after ourselves.¡± I pulled the door closed and sealed its lock with Transmutation. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s get this done¡­¡±

    Anne hadn¡¯t exaggerated. It only took a minute to reach a large corridor with an ostentatious door at the far end. No guards stood along its length, which left me confused. If this really was the main home of the bandit commander, it should surely have some security posted nearby.

    ¡°OK, wait here.¡± Anne muttered as she moved into the corridor.

    ¡°No.¡± I shook my head and followed her. ¡°We go in together, or not at all.¡±

    She turned and glared at me for a moment before her expression visibly collapsed. Her stern glare vanished, replaced by what seemed to be¡­ embarrassment.

    ¡®Come on, Rook. She¡¯s never acted like this before.¡¯ Claire spoke out in my mind, though she did sound like she was holding back from laughing. ¡®She won¡¯t take too long. If she does, you have my permission to bust in on them.¡¯

    ¡°Fine.¡± I waved Anne off down the corridor. ¡°But be quick, I won¡¯t be able to hold off more than a few of them if they find us.¡±

    ¡°¡­ thanks.¡± She nodded and sprinted down the corridor. The floor under her feet clunked oddly as she dashed forwards. Up to this point, the wooden boards had been solid and well-built, so why would they fail just before the commander''s room-

    ¡°Accelerate! Strengthen!¡± I yelled and dashed forward. The tile beneath her foot broke apart and rose up around her leg, transformed in an instant into a makeshift trap. Anne paused and turned to face me, her expression grim as she drew her sword. I tried to focus on the plate beneath her feet in an attempt to break it apart with my Transmutation as I ran.

    But we were too slow.

    Several slots opened on the walls as various spears and arrows rained into the corridor. They weren¡¯t just focused on Anne¡¯s position but covered the whole length up to the door. My reactions had been improved, but I still didn¡¯t have the skill to evade everything. I trusted in my armour as I dashed towards her.

    These spears and arrows were mechanical devices, and thus wouldn¡¯t be affected by stats or abilities. they were still deadly, but I couldn¡¯t let Anne die like this. The first shots came from the start of the corridor and cascaded towards the commander''s office.

    I spun my staff by my side as a makeshift shield. Arrows and spears dinged off as I sprinted towards her. A faceplate swept up automatically, which covered the one weak spot left in the armour. It was weird, but the material seemed like a fine cloth. It didn¡¯t block my vision at all.

    But, as an arrow was deflected an inch from my face, I couldn¡¯t help but thank it.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    I kept pace with the trap, but only just. Anne attacked the bind on her leg, but she still hadn¡¯t broken free from it. This trap would likely cause little damage to a high level with good equipment, but Anne only had a sword and a thin set of common clothing to protect her.

    At the last stretch, I leapt towards her and slammed my staff into the ground at her feet.

    ¡°Buffed Strike!¡±

    My hit was enough to break the rocks apart. Before Anne could react, I grabbed her in a bear hug and sprinted down the corridor.

    ¡°Put me down!¡± She yelled at me. Her angry face was pressed up against my makeshift visor, so I could clearly see the fury in her eyes.

    But I ignored her.

    Even with the added burden, I kept ahead of the traps by a step. Their blows rattled from my back and side as I approached the door to the commander''s office. Now that we were closer, I could see that it was slightly ajar.

    Perfect. If it was locked, I might crush Anne if we ran into it at full speed.

    Before we reached it, a set of spears shot out and formed a grid an inch before it. The corridor was a perfectly designed deathtrap for low-level adventurers, and it would be a huge distraction to anyone below a certain level. This final trick was enough to leave me speechless.

    Why the hell did I even think something that optimistic¡­

    But our run continued. The only other option would be to stop and let the traps overtake us, at which point Anne would take the full brunt of their attacks. After all the effort I had put into saving her, and her link with Claire, I couldn¡¯t let that happen.

    I grunted and stamped my feet into the ground. There was one more thing I could try, but it was risky.

    ¡°Buffed Strike!¡±

    I focused the power of my ability into my legs¡­ and leapt at the spear wall.

    They weren¡¯t pointed at me directly, so it wasn¡¯t as though I wanted to impale myself. I swung around in mid air as we flew towards them until the point I was between Anne and the metal rods. If she took the brunt of this impact, it might be as bad as leaving her in this deathtrap of a corridor.

    ¡°Sto-¡± She tried to speak, but my back slammed into the metal grid. After a moment of resistance, they snapped lie dry weeds as we tumbled into the office.

    ¡°Rook!¡± Anne pushed herself up and stared at me. I winced and tried to answer, but all that came out of my mouth was a low groan.

    ¡°¡­ Anne?¡±

    A deep voice echoed out across the room. I couldn¡¯t turn my head to see, but Anne¡¯s reaction was enough.

    She was furious.

    ¡°You! What the hell are you doing standing there, help me with him!¡±

    She pushed herself up and grabbed my shoulder. The unknown man paused for a moment before he moved to my other side.

    ¡°Who¡¯s this, then?¡± His voice grumbled as they lifted me onto the desk. ¡°Friend of yours?¡±

    ¡°He saved my life, which is more than you can say, you big lump.¡± Anne reached out and pushed the man away before she looked down at me with a smile. ¡°Just wait, we¡¯ll sort you out.¡±

    She started chanting and a pale, white light covered her palms. She casted multiple spells over me in rapid succession. Compared to the other holy users I had seen, her skills were unmatched. The pain receded instantly, but a deep ache still hung around my back.

    I turned and swung my feet off the desk as I faced the other man in the room. Without even being told, I knew who this was.

    It was the bandit king, the one who was behind the attack on the town.

    This meeting hadn¡¯t started how I imagined it. The hulking bear of a man stared at me with narrowed eyes as I tried to pull my thoughts together. All of my efforts to make a stealthy approach had been wasted due to the trapped corridor. If anyone in the mansion didn¡¯t hear that, then they were deaf.

    ¡°We need to get out of here.¡± I pushed myself off the desk and stretched my neck. ¡°Anne, where is the best way-¡±

    ¡°Wait, why do we need to leave?¡± The man frowned and turned to Anne. ¡°Who is this guy? Why does he want to run away?¡±

    ¡°Be quiet, he¡¯s right.¡± Anne crossed past me and thrust a finger into his face. ¡°Tell me, can you fight against a squad who have all forced their way past the second advancement test? We got here past a few stragglers, but Clive has been planning a takeover for a long time.¡±

    ¡°I know he has. The only thing that stopped me from ripping his head off was you.¡± The man turned and walked towards the door. ¡°And I think I¡¯ll go do that right now.¡±

    ¡°Stop!¡± Anne jumped in front of him again and folded her arms. ¡°We are leaving before you can make any more of a mess. That¡¯s exactly what they want.¡±

    I watched them argue back and forth. It was difficult to hold my temper in check, but Anne had the best chance to persuade this madman. Her battle crazy style matched him, and my attempts at persuasion would just be met with a stark refusal.

    ¡°What do you mean, that¡¯s ¡®what they want¡¯?¡± The bandit king paused at the door and turned around. ¡°I just need to tell everyone else what he did-¡±

    ¡°You never think more than a step ahead.¡± Anne moved to the opposite end of the office and rested her hand on a candlestick holder. ¡°He¡¯s made a deal with the cult, and the only thing they want is anarchy. Do you think your little bandit project could survive a civil war with them sniffing around?¡±

    ¡°It might.¡±

    ¡°It won¡¯t. They¡¯ve already worked together to attack the town, so you have the rest of the country after you already.¡± I interrupted their conversation as my patience wore thin. ¡°Maybe if you hadn¡¯t moved against a bunch of innocent people, you wouldn¡¯t be in this mess.¡±

    ¡°Wait, attacked the town? What rubbish are you talking about?¡± The huge man turned to face me, his eyes cold and deadly. ¡°We might be bandits, but there are rules. They wouldn¡¯t do that.¡±

    ¡°They did.¡± Anne pressed the holder as she spoke, which caused a small section of the wall to creak aside. ¡°I trust him, so should you. Come on, or we¡¯ll leave you behind.¡±

    Anne walked off down the corridor without a second look. The bandit king stood motionless for a moment before he followed her, but only after he gave me one last chilly look.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t over. You¡¯ll explain what you meant when she¡¯s safe, kid.¡±

    Yeah, I will explain it. And if you don¡¯t have a good excuse¡­

    I held that thought in by the skin of my teeth. We could have our showdown once we weren¡¯t being hunted. I pushed the office door closed and sealed its lock before I followed the pair down the secret corridor.

    There were still several barriers between us and our escape, and this pair wouldn¡¯t help with any of them.

 Chapter 58 - Diversion tactics, one last goodbye

    We moved down the tunnel in silence. It was so narrow that my shoulder plates scraped along the walls on either side, which forced me into an odd, diagonal walk as we moved further from the main building.

    After a few minutes, we reached another door. Anne opened this in a similar manner to the first and revealed a set of stairs. After she had moved up and opened the hatch, we stepped out into a small hut.

    ¡°So, what now?¡± The bandit king turned to Anne after he looked around the room. ¡°I¡¯m not used to running away, maybe your friend could-¡±

    ¡°Be quiet.¡± Anne stamped on his foot before she turned to me. ¡°Rook, you know the area better than I do. We¡¯re near the eastern exit, any suggestions?¡±

    ¡°Uh, I haven¡¯t been in the camp too long. I came in from the south, so I only know that area.¡± The bandit king opened his mouth to speak, but Anne shut him up with another glare before I continued. ¡°We do have one thing we need to do first, though.¡±

    ¡°What''s that?¡± Anne peered out of a narrow window, as though she expected someone to walk in on our meeting at any second. ¡°You wanted us to be stealthy before, don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve changed your mind now.¡±

    ¡°No, but Clive has tricked some villagers into joining the bandits. They¡¯re together at the southern barracks from what he said, but he¡¯ll take his anger out on them if we leave them behind.¡± I rubbed my forehead as I contemplated the few options we had. ¡°Clive will be hunting for all of us soon, but he might not have got the call out yet.¡±

    ¡°So, what¡¯s the plan?¡± The bandit king reached behind his head and stroked the huge battle-axe tied to his back. ¡°Do you want me to distract him for you, kid?¡±

    ¡°No, I want the opposite.¡± I pulled the map out of my inventory and placed it on a nearby table. ¡°Anne, where is the village on this? Please be exact.¡±

    ¡°Here.¡± She pointed at the area to the southeast. ¡°But we wouldn¡¯t be able to hold there for long if that¡¯s the plan.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± I waved her off and placed my finger on a point not too far to the right of the village. ¡°You just need to get the prisoners out of the barracks and get them to here. Pass by the village and tell the leader I sent you. It¡¯s up to you how you persuade them to leave.¡±

    ¡°What about you?¡± The bandit king frowned as he stared at the map. His face had scrunched up as he listened to our conversation, as though the fact we hadn¡¯t openly attacked Clive yet was painful to him.

    ¡°I¡¯ll join you later.¡± I smiled and opened a nearby door. ¡°You two set off in five minutes, there shouldn¡¯t be too much of an issue for you to get them out after that.¡±

    I jumped out of the door before they could question me any further. Anne trusted me due to my link with Claire, so she should follow through on the plan. Her friend was more of a concern, but it was her problem to keep him in line now.

    Several people noticed me as I swaggered onto the main street. They stopped and stared as they saw my armour. Compared to the rough and ready leather and mail the bandits wore, my set was at a legendary level.

    I focused on the lock that held the gate closed. It was bulky, huge enough to hold up against a battering ram. If something went wrong with it, most of the bandits would have to move through the side exits.

    So I locked up the mechanism with Transmutation.

    It was relatively easy. Only a few bolts had to be worn down before the whole thing collapsed into a hunk of useless metal. Externally it didn¡¯t change, but when they tried to unlock it¡­

    That should do it. Now for the difficult part.

    I moved closer to the exit, which wasn¡¯t too far as Anne had suggested. As the crowd gathered behind me, I focused my energy and jumped up onto a cart by the gate. As they watched me in confusion, I took a deep breath.

    ¡°CLIVE! I have something you want!¡±

    My yell echoed over the crowd. I didn¡¯t have to wait too long before I got the response.

    ¡°You! You stole my armour?!¡± Clive bellowed as appeared at the far end of the street. ¡°I was going to leave you alive, but I¡¯ve changed my mind. Take him down!¡±

    The bandits stared at me in confusion before they reached for their weapons. It would only take a second before the cart under me was demolished by their attacks, so I had to move quick.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so, Clive. Your friend has something he wants to say to you.¡± I grinned and clicked my fingers. Claire¡¯s trap, which had taken a quarter of an hour to set, sprung into action. A dull thump rang out across the camp as Clive¡¯s office collapsed, along with several nearby rooms.

    ¡°What?!¡± Clive span around to face the central compound. He knew that the Bandit King was in there, so the chances of him making use of my escape as a distraction were high.

    ¡°Buffed Strike!¡±If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    My ability empowered me and launched me to the top of the gate. Two bandits tried to stop me, but I tripped the pair and chucked them down from the wall. They landed on a nearby roof, but they wouldn¡¯t be able to follow in time.

    ¡°See ya, Clive!¡±

    I left one final taunt as I jumped down from the wall. It was a large distance, but I rolled to absorb most of the impact. My escape from the camp itself was completed, but several arrows zipped by my head as I dashed into the forest.

    The gate behind me rocked as the horde inside pushed against it. The lock failed to open due to my tinkering, which would give me a significant lead on most of the bandits, but some weren¡¯t constrained by that.

    Several adventurers copied me as they leapt over the wall. I had expected more to do so, but the actual number of followers was lower than expected.

    ¡°Well, not many people can use their abilities as easily as you.¡± Rose spoke up to ease my confusion ¡°Even at master level, such control would be impossible for most people. Abilities level up faster in combat, but that also means people can¡¯t experiment with them as much as you did.¡±

    Why the hell did you wait till now to tell me that? I shot back at her internally, as I had no energy to waste on speaking.

    ¡°It didn¡¯t seem important, and it would have distracted you from mastering the ability. You damaged your legs the first time you used it, so I was going to warn you, but you¡¯ve got the hang of it after your year of training.¡±

    Next time, just tell me about this stuff.

    I ran through the forest at full speed. My buffs kept me ahead of the adventurers, even though their class¡¯s major advantage was speed. My pursuers had not passed their second advancement, so they had little chance to catch me while my buffs lasted.

    I ran for two more minutes before the duration ran out, so I applied them once more. the Rage buffs didn¡¯t have any application outside of combat, so I held back on those for the time being. As they were all at the basic level, it didn¡¯t make sense to apply them. I did consider the dexterity buff, but it had a similar issue. Low duration, high cost. As I ran over the various issues in my mind, Clair spoke in an attempt to cheer me on.

    ¡®You¡¯re doing well, for a Supporter. Most of them would be next to useless at your level, which makes it hard for them to get into groups. Once they¡¯ve ranked up their abilities, they become a big advantage... It¡¯s just that most of them don¡¯t get there.¡¯

    I nodded in response to her encouragement. The master rank of my abilities was stronger than I had expected. Even with the lower base stats of a Supporter, I could put up a fight against a direct combat class. The issue lay in the amount of mana each buff took to cast.

    By the time I had enough mana to cast them efficiently, their use would be limited. They increased their specific stats by a set amount, and the overall percentage increase would lower as my base strength and speed increased. That explained why most Supporters didn¡¯t bother with their basic abilities past a certain point, but it didn¡¯t help my situation.

    The adventurers behind me occasionally paused as they threw various ranged weapons at me. These attacks were on a different level compared to the traps in the corridor. If I trusted my armour to stop them, I would end up with a dagger in my back.

    Dodging the attacks slowed me a little, but not enough for them to catch up. They kept pace with me, but the main issue was where I wanted to go.

    The village lay to my left, which meant I was taking a long loop to reach it. I tried to keep it from being too obvious, but it wouldn¡¯t be too long before they figured it out. At that point, they would send someone to cut me off.

    Claire, how many of them are following me?

    ¡®Three close, five far.¡¯ Claire¡¯s response was quick and to the point. Their numbers were just above what I could deal with. My first plan, which was to turn back and take them down, was dismissed instantly. The only other options would be to keep up with my current escape route, or find some way to lose them.

    Claire¡­ how quickly can you grow yourself to around two metres?

    ¡®It would take about a minute. What¡¯s your plan?¡¯

    I didn¡¯t answer straight away as I searched the area in front of me. My plan would only work as a temporary measure, but it would be enough to create some space. If those following were higher level, I wouldn¡¯t have even tried it¡­ but it was worth a short.

    I¡¯ll throw you as far as I can. When you land, make yourself as large as possible and wait for me. When I get close¡­ jump on me.

    ¡®Wait, wha-¡¯

    I plucked Claire from my shoulder and tossed her with all my strength. I even added my Buffed Strike to the throw, though I spoke the words as quietly as possible. After she landed, I dropped a small piece of ore from my inventory and grabbed it from the air.

    ¡°Get back!¡± I yelled as I tossed it at one of my pursuers. He hadn¡¯t expected the shift, so the rock caught him in the centre of his chest. He was knocked from his feet by the blow as his two comrades paused for a moment as they stared at me in shock.

    I turned back and ran towards Claire¡¯s landing spot. The move had taken out one the adventurers, but it wouldn¡¯t work again. I had a large amount of ore to spare, but it still hurt to toss them out. Each one was a collection of the time and effort I had spent to process the materials back in the dungeon.

    But the time I gained should help Claire. She could create a large form, but it was still impossible for her to control it past a certain point. We reached the spot a minute later as the pursuers paused once more to attack me from range.

    Now!

    They watched in horror as a slime queen appeared from the undergrowth. I turned to face them to add to the illusion as I crashed into Claire. The slime seeped through my armour and burned my skin as I sunk into it, but I ignored that as I grabbed Claire¡¯s core and jumped out of the far side.

    The slime collapsed as I removed its controller. Using a thick covering of trees, I dashed into some undergrowth and ducked down. My speed was lower, but they would easily spot me if I continued my mad dash.

    The adventurers were terrified by the appearance of what would be a boss monster to them. They turned and sprinted away as soon as Claire had appeared, but I still didn¡¯t trust they had gone forever. All it would take was for one of them to glance back and notice that the slime was collapsing, and they would pick up on my little trick.

    But the distraction gave me time to make enough space before I set off at full speed once more. I looped to the left towards the village with a grin on my face. Claire controlled the few bits of slime in my armour to slip out of the cracks, after which she moved back to my shoulder.

    ¡®I need to rest. Give me a shout if you need me~¡¯

    Her voice trailed off in my mind as the core on my shoulder dimmed. For a second I thought she might have faded away, but I could still feel the faint glimmer of her soul through our link. She wasn¡¯t dead, she had just gone into a deep sleep.

    We had escaped, but she had sacrificed a lot of her energy.

    It didn¡¯t take me too long to spot the village in the distance, but what I saw left me shocked. It was under attack by a large group of cloaked fighters, backed up by a tall man in a burnt and scarred mask.

    Is that¡­ Ray?

 Chapter 59 - Three sided battle, challenging my nemesis

    The fact that a man who I had killed was alive and well before my eyes left me speechless for a moment. It might have lasted longer if a grim sense of irony didn¡¯t hit me shortly after. Here I was, asking myself why someone who had died could live again.

    Drake told me it was impossible. When I see him, I¡¯m going to punch him in the face¡­ again.

    The battle was in a stalemate, but I could see causalities on both sides. At the current rate, Ray would take over the village before he lost more than a fifth of his forces, and that was if he didn¡¯t step in himself.

    I could see the bandit king as he waded in, but even his strength wasn¡¯t enough. He could take on several of Ray¡¯s troop, but the villagers were still outmatched and outnumbered. Most of those by the bandit king¡¯s side had been members of the dungeon raid group, so I knew their levels and skill.

    Damn it, why is he here? His timing is bloody perfect as always.

    I had lost my pursuers, but the path to the village was blocked off. Even if I wanted to help them, the chances of me getting through were slim to none. I would need some sort of distraction if I wanted to slip past¡­

    I don¡¯t have time to go around, so I need to go through them. Clive, I hope you¡¯re ready for this.

    I turned and ran back into the forest. I moved back towards the bandit camp with one goal in mind. As I closed in, I heard the distant footsteps of a large group. Clive would have moved out to scour the area for me, but that worked out perfectly.

    I ran out from behind a tree and launched a chunk of ore into the centre of the group. Clive wasn¡¯t there, but the group was still large enough for my needs. As the ore slammed into the warrior I had aimed for, his comrades span around to face me.

    ¡°He¡¯s here, pass the message back! We¡¯ve got him!¡±

    I shook my head, turned tail and ran. The group set off in pursuit as one, their formation destroyed as they dodged trees and broke through any bushes that got in their way. I slowed myself enough to keep in their sights, but not to the extent that they could catch up.

    We cleared the trees after two minutes. The clearing around the village wasn¡¯t too wide, which complimented my plan. I paused for a moment before I ran towards the cult forces in the distance. The bandits cleared the trees behind me and ran out into the clearing before they spotted the unknown forces in front of them.

    ¡°Attack!¡± I yelled in a deep voice. Ray turned to face me as his piercing blue eyes shone out from under the mask. He drew his sword and stepped forwards, joined by around half of his followers.

    The bandits didn¡¯t know what had happened, but their confusion ended as the first barrage of attacks hit them. The cultist¡¯s held a division of archers and practitioners, who had turned their attacks against the new ¡®enemy¡¯.

    They were called bandits for a reason. After the first wave of arrows struck down, any thought of backing off vanished. My new forces charged forward to greet the cultists in a pitched battle.

    I reached their lines first, but my aim wasn¡¯t to take them down. Ray moved to intercept, but I had already planned for him. I knew he was too powerful for me to face directly, but that didn¡¯t mean he would be able to stop me.

    ¡°Buffed strike.¡±

    I powered through and leapt into the air. Ray¡¯s sword glanced off my armour and cut into my leg as I rocketed over his head, but he didn¡¯t stop my advance as I cleared the first line and dropped towards the archers.

    I shifted in mid-air and landed my uninjured foot into an archer¡¯s face. He collapsed, but not before I used his body as a springboard to continue my leapfrog manoeuvre.

    My next target was the line of cultists who battled the bandit villagers. They didn¡¯t turn to face me, obviously blind to any threat from behind after their glorious leader had turned to face it. My second leap was far less graceful than the first, so I crashed into the back of two warriors like a huge, metal brick.

    My armour didn¡¯t add much to my weight, but it was enough. The force of the blow knocked the pair from their feet as I rolled towards the line of villagers. They turned their weapons to me, but Anne jumped out and pulled me to my feet.

    ¡°Stop, he¡¯s one of us.¡± She glanced at my injured leg as she moved me back. Before she could say anything, the bandits who had chased me crashed into the cultists from behind. Ray¡¯s forces were distracted by my arrival, not to mention the increase in enemies they now faced.

    ¡°Rolling retreat.¡± I muttered. I pulled out a potion and chugged it down as Anne worked her magic on my leg. More bandits poured out of the trees to join their comrades, which forced Ray to shift his priorities. More of the cultists pulled away, but I knew this was only a temporary reprieve.

    Once Clive arrived, he would put a stop to this. To him, this battle was close to infighting. We had to escape, and we had to do it now.

    ¡°Practitioners, ready!¡±

    ¡°Wait, Cub!¡± Leah appeared from behind the group. Half of her face was covered in blood, but she didn¡¯t seem to care as she leant close to me. She stared at me face for a second before she turned back to the troops. ¡°Guys, the captains back! Follow his order!¡±

    The practitioners started channelling their largest abilities. The cultists were distracted, but not enough to miss such a move. Their practitioners moved to counter the incoming blows, but they had to dodge our counter fire. Most of the archers were still focusing on the bandits, but a few turned back to interrupt our practitioners.

    But not enough.

    ¡°Like the ants! Fire!¡±

    My command was followed, but it didn¡¯t give the cultists any warning. The projectiles landed just behind the main line, which gave close to the same results as my last time with the tactic. The cultists reacted with more intelligence as some of the warriors turned to block the blow, but they were still left shell-shocked by the combined blasts.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

    ¡°Retreat!¡± I yelled. The former bandits turned and ran, though the bandit king did pause for a moment before he followed suit. We ran back through the village as the cultists gathered themselves. The bandits, who were surprised by the sudden barrage of magic, launched a wave of attacks towards the rear line of cultists.

    ¡°Leah, has everyone evacuated already?¡±

    ¡°Yes, we moved most of them to the dungeon, but we had to come back for the stragglers. They wouldn¡¯t go with the others, so we had to¡­ force them.¡±

    Leah looked guilty as she admitted her plan, but I nodded in response. It made logical sense. If they left these stubborn villagers to die, it would affect the others more than if they were brought along against their will.

    ¡°You did the right thing, girl.¡± The bandit king shouted from beside us. ¡°If they stayed behind, they¡¯d be dead. No use in a dead person.¡±

    I frowned and turned away. Though he had tried to cheer her up, his reasoning was off as usual. My leg twinged with each step as we ran towards our goal, but I ignored it. There would be time for proper treatment when we were safe.

    Unfortunately, reality popped up to give me another kick.

    The cultists had caught up, and they were backed up by the bandits. Clive moved beside Ray as they closed in from behind. We reached the dungeon entrance, but that gave us another issue.

    How to get all of these people inside.

    As soon as I was within the sphere of influence, I forced the entrance to open. The common villagers, faced with a possible path to safety, funnelled through it in droves. They could only enter one at a time, which meant the escape would take at least five minutes to complete.

    That didn¡¯t seem like a long time, but it was more than enough for us to lose a significant portion of our people.

    ¡°Clive!¡± I yelled and stepped forward. ¡°Why don¡¯t we fight, one on one?¡±

    ¡°You little rat! I¡¯ll peel your skin off with a-¡± Clive stepped forward, but he was stopped as Ray placed a hand on his chest.

    ¡°Calm yourself, bandit. He is trying to distract you.¡±

    Clive pulled himself back, though he glared daggers at me the entire time. With my primary target gone, I shifted to the other option.

    ¡°Clever as always, Ray. Long time, no see.¡±

    I pulled my hood back with a grin. Even through his mask, I could feel the burning hatred of Ray¡¯s glare. He drew his sword and stepped towards me as his forces moved aside in haste.

    ¡°Calm down, he¡¯s trying to-¡± Clive started to speak, but Ray slapped him away like a fly.

    ¡°Shut up, bandit!¡± He spat before he turned back to me. ¡°Rook¡­ what a pleasant surprise. I enjoyed killing you once, I¡¯m sure the second time will double my pleasure. Even if our plan fails, watching you die by my hands again is worth the cost of my return.¡±

    Ray walked into the no man¡¯s land between our forces. The bandit king tried to step out, but Anne forcefully held him back as she gave me a worried glance.

    ¡°Rook, do you want me to step in?¡± The bandit king glared at Ray, his eyes spitting fire. ¡°I hate people who go back on their word, and that¡¯s the cult through and through. Just ask, and I¡¯ll rip him apart for you.¡±

    ¡°Not for now. This is between me and him, so just keep everyone else safe.¡± His offer caught me off guard, but I declined it all the same. If the bandit king stepped forward in my place, Ray would just order his forces to take us down. Leah frowned as she watched me move past, but she didn¡¯t try to stop me.

    ¡°I know you¡¯re distracting me, but I don¡¯t care. You have some way to open the dungeon, and I¡¯ll take it from your corpse.¡± Ray grinned as he pointed his sword at my face. ¡°Oh, and don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll treat your little friends with care, just like Claire.¡±

    The bandits shifted uncomfortably. While the cult members were more powerful, they outnumbered them massively. That, added to the fact their former leader was on the opposite side, left them confused as to what was going on.

    If Clive ordered them to attack, a large portion might go against his order.

    But I couldn¡¯t trust that assumption. If even ten percent of them moved on Clive¡¯s order, they would overwhelm us in less than a minute, and that was if I could ignore the cult forces. I circled around to the point where we were horizontal to the forces on both sides.

    ¡°In an odd way, I guess I should thank you.¡± Ray tapped a finger against his scarred mask. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for your disappearance, they would have never brought me back. You were always their first choice.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± I glanced at the villagers, who were still streaming into the tunnel, then back at Ray. ¡°What do you mean, ¡®first choice¡¯?¡±

    ¡°Well, you¡¯re a marked one. They asked for me to test you, to see how suited you were for the procedure.¡± Ray¡¯s voice grated to a halt. When he spoke again, his tone had lost all of its previous fake joviality. ¡°Now you¡¯re back, I get to kill you again. They might end me for it, but I¡¯m not going to last much longer anyway.¡±

    So those damn tests were to see how suitable I would be as a puppet? This cult needs to be destroyed before they kill me again¡­

    I raised my staff and took up a defensive stance. I knew that if I tried to use an ability, he would take that as the trigger to start our fight. The longer I delayed him, the more time there was for the villagers to escape.

    And the higher chance I could make a clean getaway myself.

    ¡°Won¡¯t your little friends be unhappy with you if their ¡®first choice¡¯ is gone?¡± I grinned at my enemy. I saw his arms twitch for a moment before the tension dropped from him again. I wanted to keep him on the edge of anger, but it was a precarious situation. One step off either side would be deadly for me.

    ¡°You passed the tests, but only barely. The only point you had in your favour is your status as a marked one.¡± Ray took a step toward me. ¡°Even at the end, they asked for me to keep you alive. That fire was meant to seep into your heart and make you want to give anything to escape it.¡±

    ¡°So you failed. One job, Ray, and you blew it.¡±

    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t.¡± Ray chuckled as he sword dipped to the ground a little. ¡°How did it feel to be eaten alive by the flames? I bet you can remember it even now.¡±

    I had known the truth from when he first mentioned the tests. If a magical spell that had been meant to restrain its victim killed it instead, someone would be to blame. The fact Ray had moved against me at that point had been simple.

    Jealousy and greed.

    ¡°So you were mad because your masters liked me more than you?¡± I let out a loud laugh and shook my head. ¡°And look at you now, a shell of yourself living on borrowed time. Good job, you really outdid yourself.¡±

    ¡°Enough talking. Time to die again, Rook.¡± Ray¡¯s sword was covered once more in a blue spiral of energy. It looked weaker than when I last saw it, but it would still be more than powerful enough to go through my body, armour and all. ¡°Let¡¯s get this over with.¡±

    His sword blurred as he dashed towards me. This was my first time going against someone above level twenty-five who wasn¡¯t also holding back. Compared to Bryan, his assault was so fast that I could barely keep track of it.

    Fast!

    But I managed to block it.

    His sword slammed into my staff, but the force of his strike sent me through the air. I skidded on the ground as I landed, but he caught up before I could correct my footing.

    ¡°Buffed Strike!¡±

    I didn¡¯t use the ability to attack, but to retreat. The ground under my feet burst as I leapt out of range of his attack. Ray didn¡¯t stop his advance so that only gave me another few seconds.

    ¡°Keep dodging, you¡¯ll get tired before I do!¡±

    ¡°Enhance Dexterity!¡± I yelled out my last ability before I switched to the Rage pool. Ray ignored that as he closed in again. The buff, which I had just used for the first time, had an unexpected effect.

    Ray¡¯s attacks, which had been a blur to my eyes, had cleared up significantly. They were still difficult to track, but the buff made it smoother for me to dodge and block his strikes by a noticeable margin.

    Attacking was still impossible.

    If only I were a Warrior...

    In that case, I wouldn¡¯t have the buffs in the first place. I could pull a Supporter with me everywhere I went, but that would just be another person to watch out for.

    ¡°Focused strike.¡±

    Ray used the skill that had caused me so many issues in the past without a warning. His sword thrust towards my chest with unerring precision. I countered with a thrust and used the Rage strike for the first time.

    ¡°Buffed Fury!¡±

 Chapter 60 - Dragons Luck, narrow escape

    Our weapons met with a crack. I lasted for a moment before Ray¡¯s sword pushed me back. The ground beneath my feet burst as I slid away, but there was nothing I could do.

    Damn it¡­

    Ray paused for a moment as he stared at me. Even though it was hidden from view, I could still feel the cocky grin he threw my way. As I opened my mouth to respond or make another move, my hidden helper interrupted me.

    **Conditions passed, Dragon''s Luck unlocked. Effect of the next critical strike will be enhanced according to skill level.**

    A quick glance at my armour with my analyse skill proved that the voice wasn''t lying. The skill no longer had the locked symbol next to it, though there was no specific reasoning given as to why it had chosen this exact moment to unlock. Either way, it gave me a new edge to the plan I had been making.

    Ray''s patience fell short once more as hepointed his sword at my chest. The blue spiral around his blade flared up again as he funnelled more of his power into the skill. Though there had been a short break, he had gathered his strength enough to continue the fight in the time I was distracted.

    In response, I switched back to my Novice pool and focused my energy on my feet. I had enough left for two uses of the Buffed strike, after which the pool would be spent. The Rage ability had the bonus of additional power as my mana dropped, but that only counted the Rage pool itself.

    Which was still close to full.

    ¡°Buffed Strike.¡±

    My first use of the ability was focused downwards. I blasted myself to the side and switched to the Rage pool.

    ¡°Bolster. Carve.¡± I spat out the two quickest buffs before I landed. I barely had time to swap back to the Novice pool before Ray closed in again.

    I dodged his blow to the left, but his sword still caught my arm. It wasn¡¯t a serious hit, but the damage was starting to mount up. I corrected the grip on my staff and thrust it towards his chest.

    ¡°Buffed Strike!¡±

    Ray dodged my strike, obviously worried about the damage it would cause. As he moved back, the ground up my feet cracked once more as I dodged away from him. The strike had been a feint, and it had worked like a charm.

    I swapped to the Rage pool as Ray stamped his foot and swept towards me. The distance was slightly larger, but it was only barely large enough for me to cast the final buff.

    ¡°Final stand!¡±

    This time, I used the group augment. The cost reduction affected it, but it still dropped my Rage pool by an insane degree. The common folk from the village had escaped, as had most of the bandits. Leah, the bandit king and Anne remained behind as they watched my duel with Ray. I swapped back to Novice as he closed in. I would have to bet my all on this last strike.

    His sword had lost most of the blue energy that had circled it, but it was still a deadly weapon. He thrust at my chest once more as I gathered my strength. I placed tightened the grip on my staff, set my feet, and thrust at him. This would require perfect timing. If I missed the swap to my Rage pool, my blow would lose a large portion of its power.

    ¡°Buffed Strike Buffed Fury!¡±

    I managed the swap at the perfect moment. My first ability came into play as I thrust towards Ray, and the second was used as my blow landed on his sword.

    *Dragon¡¯s luck activated. Perfect point attack. Critical Strike. Critical Strike. Critical Strike.*

    A burst of power, far surpassing the one from my last use of the ability, surged through my limbs. My staff shot forward and slammed into Ray¡¯s sword¡­ and carried on without a moment of pause.

    His sword was knocked aside before my staff crashed into his chest. A sharp crunch echoed out as Ray was blasted back. His sword, which had been on course to pierce through my body, spun through the air and landed in the bushes far behind me. I had thought to use Mana Shield to counter his attack at the end, but that was proven unnecessary.

    ¡°No¡­.¡± Ray¡¯s fingers scratched the dirt beside him as he struggled to push himself up. The mighty swordsman had vanished, replaced by a weak and feeble little man. ¡°Its too soon. Why!?¡±

    ¡°You were always a pawn, Ray.¡±

    A large cult member stepped out of the crowd. The rest of her followers watched the scene without a word, as though they had expected it to play out in this way from the start.

    ¡°No, they promised-¡±

    ¡°And you promised to bring us the marked one, and then you made your own moves counter to our master¡¯s wishes.¡± The cultist rested her sword against her shoulder as she stared down at Ray. ¡°The extension on your life was given so you could make up for your failure. You succeeded in that, at least. Now you can die in peace.¡±

    Ray dropped back to the floor as his strength failed him. I had still not collected my thoughts after the battle¡¯s abrupt end. The cultist member watched me silently as I turned back to my nemesis.

    I stared at the man who lay at my feet. I had given up my defence in return for a burst of power, and had held a small hope it would be enough to damage Ray¡­ never mind killing him.I had planned to lower my mana enough for the strike to be a critical hit, but the effectiveness of the blow took even me by surprise.

    This was the person who had killed me, who had killed my friend in front of me. The fact he had died by my hand quenched my anger a little, but a flame still burned deep down inside.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

    But he was dead, and I was alive. He had killed me once, so this was merely returning the favour.

    I glanced to my left. Most of the villagers had escaped, but the three strongest members of the group remained to watch my duel. They waited to help me escape, as would have been the normal end of such a fight.

    My former nemesis had moved to this place like a wandering god. His level and skills were far out of the reach of those that lived here. A high-level fighter, with a massive wealth of resources and experience on his side, against a low-level Supporter?

    No contest.

    Their shock was only matched by the horde of bandits who waited on my right. they twitched in horror as my gaze reached them. they weren¡¯t scared by what I had done, more than who I had done it to. As our fight progressed, their numbers had grown to an extraordinary degree as reinforcements piled in.

    But they didn¡¯t make a move against me.

    Even the cultists, who were interspersed through the group like weeds, didn¡¯t make a move against me. I had just defeated their leader, and they would know his skills and power more than anyone else who saw the scene.

    I looked back at the man below me and took a deep breath.

    ¡°That was for Claire. Rot in hell.¡±

    I didn¡¯t hold back, so everyone heard my cold words. The bandits shifted in worry. they knew about Claire, and how she had died. Whilst they hadn¡¯t ended her life, they had helped him throw the final stone.

    My mind blurred as I dropped into my memories once more, but I pulled myself together. It was far from the perfect time to reminisce over the past.

    Before I could move, a wavering voice yelled out from the crowd.

    ¡°S-stop right there!¡±

    The crowd opened up to reveal Clive. The vice-commander stared, his mouth opening and closing again and again. He seemed surprised by the words he had spoken as he cast glanced at his followers.

    ¡°What, do you still want to fight?¡± I pointed my staff at the bandit leader.

    ¡°Rook, we need to retreat. Your mana will be low after that, Clive will rip you apart without your skills.¡± Rose spoke from my brain. I knew she was right, though I didn¡¯t need the reminder. I was aware of my own situation more than anyone else.

    But if my challenge scared Clive off, the rest of his troops would follow.

    ¡°Take him down! He¡¯s one man, he can¡¯t fight us all!¡± Clive bellowed at the crowd of bandits. They turned to look at him as one, but his next words stopped their refusal. ¡°He¡¯s weakened. If we leave him, he¡¯ll just come back stronger. Kill him, now!¡±

    The bandits turned to me. Whilst I held them no particular ill-will as a group, it remained a fact they had hunted me down. Clive had ordered it, and I had made use of it as a part of my plan, but it didn¡¯t change what they had done. If the bandit king took over again, that would resolve our conflicts¡­ mostly.

    ¡°Help us!¡± Clive turned to the cultists who had moved away from his group. ¡°He¡¯ll target you as well, you know.¡±

    ¡°He might, but we have what we wanted. We will no longer interfere with his path.¡± The large cult member sheathed her sword as she led the cultists away. She paused a moment later and glanced back at me. ¡°We will see you again soon. You will see that our aim and yours align. We might even be friends in the future.¡±

    I glared at the cultist before she shrugged and turned away. Her tone had remained steady throughout the conversation. No matter if she was battering Ray with the truth of his existence, or offering me a hand of peace, her speech patterns hadn¡¯t changed in the slightest.

    Cold, dead and mechanical, from start to finish.

    I don¡¯t care what they say, any cultist I see is my enemy from now. No way I''ll let them turn me into a zombie puppet.

    Clive didn¡¯t try to stop the cultists. If his followers moved against them, their numbers would destroy any advantage of skill held by the masked men and women. the fact he held back didn¡¯t show his fear of this group in particular, but it did hint at the power of the cult itself.

    Clive turned back to me with a grim frown. The bandits had stopped as he called on the cultists, but they now turned their attention back to me.

    ¡°He¡¯s alone. Take him!¡±

    ¡°He isn¡¯t alone.¡± A meaty palm landed on my shoulder. I glanced to the side and was rewarded with a scary grin as the bandit king stared down at me. He turned back to Clive. ¡°Go on, give it a go!¡±

    ¡°Men, the time has come. Take down the bandit king!¡±

    Most of the bandits stopped in their tracks as the bandit king stepped out. As Clive shouted out the command, a dangerous shift hit the field. A flurry of arrows arced out of the forest and fell towards us like rain.

    The bandit king grabbed my arm and tossed me through the air. For a moment, I believed he had disposed of me to protect himself, but that thought was dismissed as I landed beside Anne. My wounded arm and shoulder bore the brunt of my fall, but I had avoided the dangerous ambush.

    The same couldn¡¯t be said for the bandit king.

    But he had his own plan. As the rain of arrows flew towards him, his axe leaped into his hand. He spun it above his head and roared out two words.

    ¡°Hurricane blow!¡±

    His axe glowed a deep red as its rotation sped up dramatically. The huge weapon had turned into a makeshift umbrella as the bandit king jumped back towards us. The attacks duration was limited, but it lasted long enough for him to escape the first assault.

    ¡°Stop!¡± The bandit king roared at the army. I glanced back and saw that the majority did pull up short. Another rain of arrows didn¡¯t appear, which proved that Clive hadn¡¯t planned that far ahead.

    Who would expect such a tactic to fail?

    ¡°Take him, he has been tricked. That man has stolen the contents of our treasury and wants to sell us out to the countries leaders.¡± Clive pointed at me with his sword. ¡°This man is working with them. Take him down!¡±

    Clive¡¯s words were obvious lies to me, but at least a third of the bandits moved at his call. The others glanced between their two leaders in shock, unsure of how to process this sudden shift. I noticed that those who moved in for the kill were part of the group which arrived late to the battle.

    These must be his personal troops¡­ but why did they take so long to get here?

    Anne forced me into the tunnel behind Leah before she turned back to the bear of a man in the distance. Her face was tight as she drew her sword and pointed into the sky.

    ¡°Heaven¡¯s fury.¡±

    A ray of light, far brighter than even the sun, blasted down not too far in front of the bandit king. He turned and ran towards the dungeon entrance the instant it touched down. Anne pushed her way in behind me, and we reached the far end of the tunnel not too long after. The slide moved further in, replaced by the small ante-chamber which greeted us.

    ¡°I managed to change this room a bit as it can¡¯t spawn monsters. It should help if we need to bring more people in.¡±

    I nodded in response to Cory¡¯s explanation. His quick thinking had saved us some potential issues. The others had already left the room, but there was a more pressing concern right now.

    The bandit king barely fit into the entrance. He squeezed in and pulled himself along the corridor, but it was slow going. Before he had reached the halfway point, the first rain of attacks bounced in.

    ¡°Cloak of fury!¡± the bandit king yelled out his ability as he struggled in. He was covered in a thin layer of red light, but it did little to assist his plight.

    Two arrows bounced through the narrow slot. Once shot past and bounced into the room, but the other landed squarely in his shoulder.

    ¡°Dammit, can¡¯t we close the entrance yet?¡± I yelled. Cory appeared from my inventory and hovered above us before he answered my question.

    ¡°Not before he¡¯s passed through it, unless you want to squash him like a bug. I can¡¯t change that, I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Another wave of attacks rushed in, with another two direct hits. Anne had run forwards to drag him out of the crack along with Leah. He cleared it a second later, after which I slammed it closed behind him.

    We were safe. My distraction had worked perfectly, but there was an urgent issue we had to deal with right now.

    The bandit king turned to me with a grin. Blood ran down his arm as he raised a fist towards me. At first, I was unsure of what he wanted, but then I saw him pull his fingers into an awkward thumbs-up.

    ¡°We did it, kid.¡±

 Chapter 61 - A different view, the price of power

    Anne removed the arrows from the bandit king¡¯s arm, but the first hit to his shoulder was the worst of the bunch. Despite his enhanced defence, it had sunk in deep. The arrow had deflected from a wall before it hit, which had caused it to change trajectory mid-flight.

    ¡°We can¡¯t take it out, it¡¯s barbed.¡± Anne stared at the shaft hatefully. ¡°This was Clive¡¯s doing, we never allowed the bandits to use these things in the past.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ fine.¡± The bandit kings voice slurred as he grinned at us. ¡°I¡¯m tough, just pull it out. A bit of pain is no problem.¡±

    ¡°Wait, turn him around!¡±

    The three of them stared at me after my weird suggestion. Anne opened her mouth to question me, but I waved her into silence.

    ¡°Do it, now! I have an idea, but we need to be quick!¡±

    Leah and Anne shared a glance before they turned him over. He had lost consciousness, which helped avoid any further pain my plan would cause. Anne watched as I pulled a dagger out of thin air and stepped towards the injured man.

    ¡°Wait, what¡¯re you doing?¡± She stared at the dagger I held as her hand drifted down to her sword.

    ¡°Trust me, hold him still.¡± I leaned down beside the large man and looked over his wound. There was a slight ridge on his back, which helped pinpoint my target. ¡°If we pull out the arrow, he might lose his ability in that arm. We need to push it through first. Use any regeneration spells you have, this is going to hurt.¡±

    Anne gritted her teeth before she cast two spells in quick succession. Both of them worked in unison to cover the bandit king in a wave of pale light, but it faded quickly. Before it could vanish, I leaned forward and cut his back.

    Push through, cut the tip off¡­ pull back out¡­

    I didn¡¯t think too much about what I was doing. After I had cleared the tip, Leah pulled the shaft from his arm. I pulled out a potion and passed it to her so she could force-feed it to the bandit king as Anne chanted another spell, which worked to seal up the wound at both ends.

    ¡°Turn him, gently.¡± I whispered after the spells had treated his injury for at least a minute. We worked together to tip him over, but a trip down the tunnel was far beyond him for now.

    ¡°Leah, go down and keep the others calm.¡± I patted her shoulder as she tried to disagree. ¡°We¡¯ll be fine up here, I need you to keep them under control.¡±

    She nodded and walked over to the hole. After a quick glance back, she jumped into the darkness and left me alone with Anne and the bandit king.

    ¡°That was clever, were you a medic in the past?¡± Anne glanced at me. It was awkward to admit I had just tried it out from a vague memory. It wasn¡¯t like I would have had the chance to do such a dangerous operation in my past life.

    ¡°I¡¯ve watched a few of them work, and I knew the steps.¡± I looked down at the bandit king. Even whilst asleep, he still had the look of a hungry shark.

    ¡°You still don¡¯t trust him, do you?¡± Anne looked at me serenely. She wasn¡¯t blaming so much as asking a question.

    ¡°What made you trust him?¡± I returned her question back to her. If I said I had come to the bandit camp with the intention to punish him, she wouldn''t take it well. ¡°He doesn¡¯t seem like the type of man who could make someone give up their life for him. You had a high rank in the Holy Kingdom, why throw that away?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right, he isn¡¯t that type at all.¡± Anne shook her head sadly. ¡°His thoughts and goals are so straightforward. He¡¯s a bandit by blood and rite, but he isn¡¯t a bad man underneath that.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t get it. He leads a bunch of thieves and murderers.¡± I knew it was a bad time to ask, but I couldn¡¯t hold back my curiosity. ¡°I just want to understand what makes him special.¡±

    ¡°His ideals. If he promises something, you can believe it.¡± Anne turned to me with a smile. ¡°People are more complicated than you could ever believe, but sometimes we need a little simple in our lives. He isn¡¯t a good man, but he is a great one.¡±

    "But what about the villagers? I know that Clive took advantage of them, but how was it any different before he took over?"

    "What about you? You saved the villagers, but you haven''t thought past that point. What is your grand scheme now that they have lost their home?" Anne shot back a question that caught me off guard. After a moment I collected myself for a response.

    "If I didn''t save them, Clive would have used the entire population as a hostage for Leah and the rest. On top of that, the leader helped me a lot when he trusted me, so I repaid that trust when I saved his people."

    "And would you have saved them if he hadn''t helped you?"

    Again, her question left me stunned for a moment. This one was harder to answer. She watched me unblinkingly as she waited for my response, but I took my time before I responded.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    "Probably. Even if he had decided against trusting me, that wouldn''t mean he was my enemy. It would have made sense if anything." I smiled as a weight lifted from my shoulders. "If we left them behind, their lives in the forest would be over either way. They had some use to the bandit camp as a source of income and troops, but that would have never outweighed his anger when Leah and the others betrayed him."

    "Then you aren''t much different from him." Anne waved at the slumbering man by her side. "His logic and yours would be the same, though his reasons are a little less complex. You''re both good people at heart."

    ¡°Right.¡± I turned away. It was difficult to hold her gaze as she spoke about the man she loved. I still didn¡¯t get it, but there had to be some reason. I didn''t like him, but he had risked his life to save me.

    He seemed angry when I mentioned the attack on the town¡­ which means he likely didn¡¯t know. This guy doesn¡¯t look like a good liar. Either way, I need to find out. If he had anything to do with it, I doubt Anne would let him off, never mind me.

    After I heard her explanation, it was difficult to ask any more questions. Instead of that, I focused on myself.I had managed to activate ¡®Dragon¡¯s Luck¡¯, which was one of the skills on my armour. After my analyse skill came into effect, the full details popped up into view again.

    Dragon¡¯s Luck - User gains increased luck due to affinity with dragons. Luck affects every action taken. Chance of effect activating increases with skill level. Enhances critical strike chance and effect. Duration increased due to mana requirements of user, additional effects possible. Current effect - Holdfast.

    Well, that explains how my blow did so much damage. I wonder what ''Holdfast'' means though...

    I had expected my strike to knock Ray back, but the fact he had died to it had shocked even me. The three critical strike announcements likely had something to do with that, added on to his identity as a zombie puppet. Rose might be able to explain it, but that could wait.

    The word that confused me was the first under the current effects, ¡®Holdfast¡¯. What it meant was a mystery. I tried to ask Anne, but she shrugged and said she had never heard of it before she turned back to the injured man by her side.

    Whatever it was, the duration was about to end. It looked like my low level had made it last longer, but it only had three minutes on the clock. I tried to call out to Rose, but she didn¡¯t respond. I could feel her, but something was keeping her distracted.

    Cory hovered above us and acted like a makeshift torch, which at least meant we weren¡¯t left in darkness.

    I need to pick up some torches or a lantern when I go into town again.

    I mentally created a shopping list. There were a few things I had missed off previously. I had a large storage capacity, so taking a few utility items wouldn¡¯t break the bank.

    "What was your link to the village?" Anne looked up from the injured man as she interrupted my planning session. "You planned our route carefully, but it would have been easier to escape without them. There was no way you''d know that the cult would attack the village, right?"

    "No, I didn''t." I shook my head and leaned back against the wall. "Clive made me collect some money from them. The leader trusted me with it, even though he had no reason to. I just wanted to repay that trust."

    "Trust, eh?" A raspy voice echoed out. Distracted from our conversation,Anne glanced down at the bandit king. His recovery was faster than I had expected, but Anne didn¡¯t seem surprised as she grinned at him.

    ¡°Come on, no time to pretend you¡¯re asleep.¡± She rapped him gently on the forehead. ¡°We need to go down to meet the others.¡±

    ¡°Right, how¡¯s the kid?¡± He mumbled. Anne smiled and pointed at me, after which the bandit king nodded happily. ¡°Oh, right. Good.¡±

    I watched as Anne helped him to his feet. I only saw him wince a little because I was watching for it, otherwise, I would have missed that example of a human reaction.

    ¡°You go first, we¡¯ll follow after.¡± Anne flicked me away. I didn¡¯t try to argue as I jumped into the hole and slid down to the first floor of the dungeon. The fall was longer than I remembered, but it didn''t take too long before I slid to into the first room of the dungeon.

    ¡®Rook.¡¯

    As my feet touched the floor, Claire¡¯s voice echoed into my mind. She sounded weak, but that was better than nothing. She had been one of the first people I met when I arrived on this planet, and she was one of the few I trusted. I stepped out of range of the entrance slide and smiled at the orb on my shoulder. I could see the villagers in the distance as they crowded around Leah, so I moved toward them as I responded to Claire.

    ¡°Hey, took you long enough-¡±

    A wave of pain cut through my chest without warning. It was as though a beast was trying to claw its way out of my heart. The others, who had been on their way to greet me, watched in shock as I fell to my knees. I grit my teeth against the overwhelming agony and forced out a single word.

    ¡°¡­rose¡­¡±

    ¡°Damn it, I knew I wouldn¡¯t be able to pull you together in time.¡± Rose appeared, her expression grim as she knelt by my side. ¡°Hold it in, Rook. This is going to hurt.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t throw out the sarcastic quip that boiled in my brain. I heard Anne and the bandit king as they slid down into the tunnel, followed a moment later by Cory as he floated above me.

    ¡°What happened?¡± the red crystal bobbed beside me worriedly. The pain wasn¡¯t receding at all. If anything, it had increased compared to the first impact.

    ¡°He¡¯s overused his Novice pool and his Rage pool.¡± Rose lifted her hand and placed it against Cory¡¯s surface. ¡°He had the holdfast effect, but it just ran out. I had to pull his soul together, or the burst would have blasted it apart.¡±

    ¡°I can reverse the flow in the dungeon, but there''s no way he can take that much. What''s your plan?¡± Cory asked as Rose moved her other hand in front of my face. I could infer what Cory had meant, but where would the mana come from?

    "Just do it. Send it through me, I''ll hold him together. We just need to dilute it a bit."

    Everyone in the room dropped to the floor a moment later. The only ones who remained standing were Anne and the bandit king, but it wasn¡¯t like they were unaffected. Their gazes turned to the glowing crystal who hovered above them. Without context, it was clear what they would think.

    This glowing red crystal had tricked them.

    ¡°Stop!¡± Cory yelled as they took one faltering step after another towards him. Due to the transfer, Cory was fixed in place, which made him an easy target. I looked at the pair who approached and tried to send my thoughts to them telepathically.

    Obviously, that didn¡¯t work.

    The bandit king drew his axe and Anne pulled out her sword as they walked towards us. Cory had no combat skills, and Rose couldn¡¯t interact with the world directly. With those two out of the way, only one person remained who could save me.

    Claire rolled off my shoulder to the floor. She rose up as a pillar of slime formed under her, which twisted and shifted into¡­ a wall. Claire¡¯s core turned to me, and I could feel the reassuring smile she would have thrown my way in the past.

    ¡®Don¡¯t worry, Rook. I¡¯ll hold him back.¡¯

 Chapter 62 - Borrowing power, let our fists do the talking

    Claire had only just awakened, so the amount of strength she had would be limited. Rose focused on my condition as a faint spiral of light formed around her.

    Anne¡¯s mouth twisted as she tried to say something, but no words came out. That gave us a moment of reprieve, but it wasn¡¯t enough. She tried to pull the bandit king back, but he had already stepped towards Claire with a vicious glint in his eye.

    He stamped towards us and swept his axe down on the blockade Claire had formed. The wall lasted for a moment before it collapsed under his blow, but she managed to reform it a second time. The bandit king stumbled after his attack, but he ignored that as he moved for another strike.

    Before he could launch his attack, a wave of mana slammed into my heart. I had felt the flow previously, but this was far beyond anything I had ever experienced. My body trembled as more and more power funnelled in through Rose¡¯s hand. The wave knocked the bandit king back a step and gave Claire the time to reinforce her barrier.

    Rose pulled back after a second of transfer. My pain had vanished, so I turned to thank her, but my words were pulled short by her horrified expression.

    ¡°Cory, send more. Now!¡±

    She reached out and held her palm to my face. I wanted to ask what she meant, but it was too late. The flow of mana, which had been bursting through my viens, reversed in a moment.

    And, with nowhere else to go, it blasted out.

    Cory held his spot, but Claire and the others were blown away. Anne and the bandit king tumbled to the far wall whilst Claire was blown clear of the slimey barricade she had created. The pale orb bounced into the distance and was lost to sight.

    And then the burst of power passed, as though it had never been.

    ¡°What the hell did you do that for?¡± I pushed myself up and moved towards the pair in the distance. Before I could step towards them, Rose appeared in front of me. She mimicked my movements as I dashed towards Claire.

    ¡°We planned to transfer some of the mana from these people to you, on top of using the dungeon''s reserves a little. It¡¯s not efficient, but they had enough left to pull you back into positive values.¡± She glanced at those around the area, who had awakened once the transfer ceased. ¡°Clive must have started an assault on the dungeon entrance. The surge was passed through to you.¡±

    ¡°Your innate talent for mana must be quite high. Most people would have been fried by that much.¡± Cory moved beside me, his surface aglow as he tapped me on the head. ¡°If this dungeon wasn¡¯t so special, the flow would have burned you alive. Even so, it shocked me that you didn¡¯t explode. Are you sure you aren¡¯t part core yourself?¡±

    ¡°Wait, so the holdfast effect stops you being affected by overusing mana?¡± I recalled the effect that Dragon¡¯s Luck had provided me. Whilst such a buff was helpful, it would give someone a false sense of security. I had none of the usual warnings of low mana whilst it was active, so there was every chance I could have used more skills and made my situation worse.

    ¡°Temporarily, yes, but you overused your mana to the point where it would be impossible to get it back in time. I had to fight to keep your soul from melting under the pressure.¡± Rose stopped her lecture as we reached the area Claire had been thrown to.

    These critical strikes are a double-edged sword, and I almost just cut my head off with it¡­

    I found Claire after a few seconds of searching. She had landed next to the wall, but she didn¡¯t move as I stepped closer. After I had picked her up, a faint thought transmitted into my brain.

    ¡®Oh, that hurt... I need to rest again already.¡¯

    ¡°She¡¯s fine.¡± I turned to Anne, who¡¯s face had been clenched up as she stared at the orb in my hand. ¡°She just needs to recover, don¡¯t worry.¡±

    ¡°Good.¡± Anne let out a breath before she looked back at me. ¡°What about you, didn¡¯t you get hit first?¡±

    ¡°I guess so.¡± I turned back to Rose, who now hovered behind me. ¡°What happened, exactly?¡±

    ¡°Well, you managed to land a critical strike. Multiple, I would imagine.¡± Rose turned to the bandit king, who watching my one-sided conversation with narrowed eyes. ¡°Those increase your skills effects, but they also burn more mana in return. That¡¯s why some think it as a dangerous effect and try to avoid any skills with the tag.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡± I nodded and turned back to the others. If I had overused my mana to such a degree without people around to act as batteries¡­ I would have died. ¡°Sorry about that, Anne. It was¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Anne laid a hand on the shoulder of the man beside her. She took the fact I had just spoken to myself in front of her in her stride.¡°I imagine that you overused your mana, and this dungeon heart helped you with a mana transfer?¡±

    ¡°I hated it.¡± the bandit king growled as he glared at Cory. ¡°Do that again without asking and I¡¯ll turn you to powder.¡±

    ¡°I promise!¡± Cory shot out his answer before he vanished back into my inventory. He was obviously terrified by the threat, but it''s not like I could blame the bandit king. If I had my mana ripped out of me without consent, I¡¯d be annoyed too.

    ¡°Anyway, don¡¯t do that again.¡± Rose leaned in close and blocked off my view of the others. Her face was less than an inch from mine as she stared into my eyes. ¡°Your soul is still healing, but even if it wasn¡¯t, you should have died. Next time, you won¡¯t be so lucky.¡±

    ¡°Got it.¡± I nodded several times. Rose frowned and shook her head before she vanished into me again.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t I trust you?¡± She muttered before she went silent. I smiled and turned to face Anne, who had moved next to me with a curious expression.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

    ¡°So, we¡¯re safe for now.¡± I looked around at the others, who had once again collected themselves. They had overheard the conversation, though some looked angrier than the others. ¡°Sorry about that, I promise it won¡¯t happen again.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Leah answered before the others could speak. ¡°You managed to kill the cultists'' leader, so this was a small price to pay.¡±

    ¡°Wait, he did what?¡± The village leader stepped out of the crowd. His arm was injured, but he ignored that as he stared at me with his mouth agape.

    ¡°He won the duel. That man was strong, but our Rook was stronger.¡± The bandit king slapped a meaty palm on my shoulder. The fact arrows had recently been pulled out of his body didn¡¯t seem to leave any ill effects. ¡°I like you, Rook. Good job.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡± I moved from under his hand and turned to the others. Those who had worked for the bandits numbered close to fifty, whilst the villagers had over one hundred members in their ranks. I moved over to Leah and leaned in to whisper to her ¡°Did we lose anyone?¡±

    Her face dropped slightly as she glanced at the others. I had seen people fall in the first battle, but I didn¡¯t have much time to see what had happened past that point.

    ¡°We lost twelve fighters, but the villagers managed to get out unscathed thanks to you.¡± She grimaced as she spoke revealed our losses. ¡°We didn¡¯t expect the cult to ambush us, so most of the losses where at that point. We managed to avoid major damage, but a lot of us are injured.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡± I reached into my inventory and dropped a pile of glass bottles on the floor. ¡°Try to keep some spare, I don''t have a huge amount left.¡±

    ¡°Wait, what?¡± Leah picked up one of the bottles and stared at its contents. ¡°Are these¡­ potions? How did you get this many?¡±

    ¡°Clive helped out there. I borrowed them from him.¡± I patted her shoulder with a smile, though this pile was large, I still had more than enough for my own emergencies. ¡°Think of it as back payment for all your hard work. I held a few back for myself, so don¡¯t worry about using these up if you need to.¡±

    Leah nodded and called out to two of the former bandits to help her sort the pile. I left them to their work and moved over to Anne and the bandit king.

    ¡°So, what¡¯re the chances that Clive will back off?¡± I glanced at the pair, my expression tight. We had two exits from this place, but the secret path came out not too far from the main exit. If they wanted to surround us, his forces would be more than enough. A single person spotted at the other exit would jeopardise everyone''s escape.

    ¡°Basically non-existent.¡± Anne answered and shattered my hopes. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen him so angry. I know he¡¯s been working against us for a long time, but a portion of the bandits have been pulled over to his side.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I need to pay them back for that.¡± The bandit king rubbed his shoulder and winced. ¡°I¡¯m the leader, and they betrayed me just because that rat told them too. Money¡¯s one thing, but respect is another.¡±

    ¡°I guess that¡¯s true. Didn¡¯t think you¡¯d see it that way.¡±

    ¡°Wait, why not?¡± the huge man turned to me with a frown. ¡°I like money, but no amount is worth the respect of those under you. If people don¡¯t do what they¡¯re told, they don¡¯t respect you.¡±

    ¡°Or maybe they just don¡¯t agree with your choices.¡± I folded my arms and stared at the bandit king. ¡°Respect is earned, not given. Just because you''re a big, strong guy doesn¡¯t mean you deserve it.¡±

    ¡°And what makes you think I haven¡¯t earned it?¡± My words had hit him harder than I had expected. ¡°You don¡¯t know anything about me.¡±

    ¡°I know enough. Clive is just a worse version of you.¡± My patience broke under his weak excuses. ¡°This little group you created attacked an innocent town. You betrayed their trust. Do you not feel guilty at all?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± the bandit king shook his head. ¡°I didn¡¯t order that, and I never would have. What¡¯s the point in killing people?¡±

    ¡°Good.¡± I nodded and turned away. that would be the closest I would get to an apology, so there was no need to extend the discussion.

    ¡°We worked hard to earn the respect of the town leaders. Clive¡¯s plan ruined any long-term gains.¡± The bandit king continued to speak. ¡°He was so focused on what he could get right now that he threw away the agreement. What a waste-¡±

    ¡°Strengthen. Accelerate. Enhanced Dexterity.¡±

    ¡°Wait, Rook. What¡¯re you doing?¡± Anne stepped forward with a worried expression as I activated each of my buffs. ¡°We can talk about-¡±

    My kick landed squarely on the bandit kings chest. There was no critical strike, but the force was still high enough to bowl him over. He coughed a few times as he pushed himself up.

    ¡°What the hell! What¡¯s wrong with you?!¡± He growled, his eyes aflame as he stared at me. I ignored his question as I stalked towards him.

    ¡°Buffed Strike.¡±

    I propelled myself towards him and aimed a punch at his face. The bandit king reacted well as he rolled to the side and avoided my blow. As I skidded along the floor, I noticed that everyone else had turned to watch out fight with a mix of surprise and fear.

    ¡°Rook, calm down!¡± Anne shouted from behind. White light drifted from her fingers as she pointed at us. ¡°He didn¡¯t mean it like that!¡±

    ¡°Anne, don¡¯t defend him.¡± My voice was chilly as I glared at my opponent. ¡°You know as well as I do what happened, and he doesn¡¯t care. All he cares about is his money, his respect, his pride. He betrayed them as much as Clive did.¡±

    ¡°Calm down!¡± Anne sprinted over and grabbed my arm. ¡°Clive is the enemy here, not him. His logic is a bit warped, but he¡¯s a good person underneath. Just give him a chance.¡±

    ¡°Anne, step back.¡± The bandit king rose to his feet and stepped towards me. ¡°This boy doesn¡¯t understand. He¡¯s like me. We figure out things with our fists-¡±

    ¡°Chains of light.¡±

    Anne pointed at the bandit king. A glowing rope appeared at his feet and twined around his legs. Before he could move another step, his entire body had been wrapped up in a core of glittering light.

    ¡°Why!¡± He yelled as he fell to the floor with a thump. ¡°We just need to fight it out. Can¡¯t you just-¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Anne grimaced as she stepped in front of me. the fact she had moved against her husband on my behalf, especially after I had just attacked him, left me speechless. the flame of anger died down a little as I watched her walk over to him.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± the bandit king looked up at her, his expression softened slightly. ¡°Tell me what happened.¡±

    ¡°Claire¡­ died.¡± Anne sat beside him and rested a palm on his shoulder. ¡°She died when Clive attacked the town, along with a number of the guards. Rook was her friend. Do you understand now?¡±

    His face went through a streak of emotions before it settled down into a grimace. Anne removed the bond she had placed on him, which allowed him to sit up. He didn¡¯t make any moves towards me, however.

    ¡°Rook¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡± He muttered. ¡°I didn¡¯t know it had gone that far. I thought he just threatened-¡±

    I grit my teeth as I stared at the pair. His apology annoyed me more than anything else he had done. He was only saying it after he had heard about Claire, which proved he didn¡¯t care about the others. I didn¡¯t know how many of the guards had lost their lives, but after the first attack on the wall, the number of casualties would be significant.

    I guess I''m the same. I never thought about them until now¡­

    ¡°Save it.¡± I turned and walked towards the far wall as I forced down my own nasty thoughts. ¡°Actions are louder than words. If you want to prove how ¡®sorry¡¯ you are, then help me take Clive down. After that, we can talk again.¡±

    Anne tried to call me back, but I ignored her as I stepped into the next room. The door closed behind me as I clenched my fists. That man¡¯s logic infuriated me at a base level. Whilst Drake had said he was one of the people who worked to defeat the evil god, I had a wild thought he would sell us out for the right price given the chance.

    I¡¯ll figure it out later. For now, I need strength.

    ¡°Cory, activate this one.¡± I stared at the far wall. ¡°We have mana to spare, right? Summon a few monsters, I want something to beat up.¡±

    ¡°...sure.¡± Cory agreed as the far wall lit up. ¡°I¡¯ve shifted the first spawn room to here, so it will be a wave of ants. Is that OK?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡± I pulled out my staff and moved towards the creatures who had appeared in front of me. ¡°Just keep them coming, I have work to do.¡±

 Chapter 63 - Clearing my head, everyone has an opinion

    I shook my head in an attempt to get rid of the angry haze which had settled on my brain. From the bandit king¡¯s words, it seemed like he had underestimated how far Clive had gone, but he had still not cared when I mentioned the town being attacked at first.

    I¡¯ll speak to Anne about it. She¡¯s on his side, but she was also Claire¡¯s friend in the past. That¡¯s as neutral as I could get at this point.

    A wave of ants ran towards me, which helped me to push my thoughts away. Their numbers were significantly lower than the last battle, but that made some sense. Cory had explained that natural dungeons spawned creatures based on both the level and the number of people who invaded them.

    And I was a single level ten Supporter.

    But this dungeon could spawn creatures up to level twenty-five, and would reward experience to that level. After we have cleared the first run, the monsters would no longer drop loot, but there would be set rewards based on the speed and efficiency of the party. Mostly they gave experience, but there were other things that could pop up on rare occasions.

    ¡°If there were no rewards, fewer people would enter. If fewer people come to the dungeons, the overall level of skill will drop.¡± Cory had explained the logic. I didn¡¯t know who had made these decisions, but I did agree with their line of thought. ¡°Normally the spawns are limited, but if we get an outside source of mana¡­¡±

    His words had predicted this situation. Clive had his forces launch constant attacks on the dungeon entrance. Cory had assured me they wouldn¡¯t be able to break through, but their assault provided a constant stream of mana. We even moved the door around a little and had it respond to their attacks to goad them further.

    And I had the perfect plan for the fruits of their labours.

    I lifted my staff and ran towards the group of ants. Any tactics I had used previously were rendered moot. I had two choices, which were running away or jumping into the battle, so I chose the latter.

    My first strike was simple and to the point. I smacked my staff down on the back of the leading ant''s head. Even without the additional power of my abilities, the strike left the ant twitching on the floor. A quick follow-up thrust finished it off, but that gave the others time to catch up.

    Two hits without an ability, but it would be difficult to land those if they surround me.

    ¡°Buffed strike.¡± I jumped forward and landed on the back of an ant. My staff acted as a vaulting pole as I launched myself over the group.

    Those at the back were smaller than the leaders. In a fight against a group, there were two tactics I could use.

    The first would be to find the leader, take him out, scare the others off.

    The other option would be to knock down as many of them as possible before they overwhelmed me.

    In this case, I chose to do both. My first hits had taken out the ant at the forefront before I moved to attack those at the rear. The group scuttled around to face me, but not before I had wiped out three smaller ants at the back.

    Five down out of the fifteen summoned by the dungeon.

    The remaining ten were infuriated. Their jaws clicked as they sprinted towards me again. After my last fight with these creatures, I was well aware of their main weaknesses. Thanks to my angry duel against the bandit king, I had every buff up and ready.

    The remaining ants were on the higher end of the level spectrum, so I couldn¡¯t use any tricks to clear them out. My mana would last if I used abilities to take the rest down, but that wasn¡¯t my aim.

    As they approached, I dashed forward and swept my staff along the ground. The strike smacked into the legs of one of the leaders and knocked it to the ground, along with its buddy beside it.

    With a makeshift barrier created, I moved on to the next stage. Another strike locked the pair in place as their comrades tried to clamber over and around their bodies. the obstruction split up their group as each of them chose a different route around it.

    So I dashed to the left.

    Two ants saw me and chittered as they sprinted towards me. If I tried the same trick again, they wouldn¡¯t fall for it, so now was the time for brute strength. I landed a full-powered thrust into the jaws of one of the pair and twisted my staff. It screeched as it dropped to the floor, but its comrade used the time to close in.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    I countered with a kick. It wasn¡¯t powerful enough to defeat the ant in one strike, but it left it dazed. The three who had chosen to climb over their brethren rose up behind me, which didn¡¯t give me long.

    I ripped my staff out of the ant''s mouth and swung it at the one I had just kicked. the hardened shaft slammed into the side of its head and knocked it to the floor. These ants were weak, which proved that the dungeon had underestimated my power to a massive degree.

    Five left¡­

    The last five were dealt with in a similar way. They ignored anything and everything in their desire to eat me. I used the defeated ants to break the group apart and take them down one by one. The whole fight only lasted a few minutes, but the amount of mana I had used far exceeded that.

    Each strike is fifteen, the buffs vary from fifteen to thirty. Each minute I get two mana back¡­

    **Congratulations. You have levelled up.**

    A quick glance at my guild card showed that my mana hadn¡¯t increased. I still had a maximum of two hundred in each pool.

    I contemplated the problem. It would only get more difficult as the level of my opponents climbed. these ants were still armoured, but the plates on their heads broke apart with a single swing. Compared to the last battle where the ants had been closer to level twenty-five, the difference was significant.

    But the problem gave me a much needed distraction. Claire sat on my shoulder, but she had yet to speak after she had protected me from the bandit king. As I watched the ants turn into smoke, she broke her silence.

    ¡®I get what he meant.¡¯

    ¡°What who meant?¡± I glanced at Claire. ¡°You¡¯re not talking about him, are you?¡±

    ¡®Yeah. Anne told me a bit about him in the past. He¡¯s had a hard life, but he still helps people where he can.¡¯ I was about to interrupt, but Claire continued on. ¡®You might not believe it, but a lot of people respect him. If you make a deal with him, he¡¯ll never break it.¡¯

    ¡°But his ¡®deals¡¯ are extortion, Claire.¡± I shook my head and dismissed her excuses.

    ¡®Some of them could be seen that way, but not all of them. From what I remember, most of those who came to attack us are the same ones who backed Clive up against the bandit king. The others wouldn¡¯t move against him without an overwhelming push. And that''s because they believe in his word.¡¯

    No matter how I considered it, her words sounded weak. The bandit king¡¯s thought process was alien to me. I just couldn¡¯t understand why Claire and Anne would try to defend him when it seemed so clear to me.

    ¡®Why don¡¯t you speak to the village leader. He dealt with him directly, maybe that will help you understand.¡¯

    ¡°Sure.¡± I nodded and turned back to the door. After the monsters had been defeated, I could move back into the previous room. Cory had deactivated the monster spawning in there before the villages entered, so it had turned into a free space.

    ¡°Rook.¡± Anne walked over to me with a worried smile. ¡°Are you OK?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I am.¡± I glanced at the bandit king, who was sat against the wall at the far side. ¡°Sorry, I need to sort something out. I¡¯ll see you later.¡±

    Anne nodded before I walked over to the villagers. The leader was talking to one of them, but he agreed to my request to speak privately without hesitation.

    ¡°You want to know what I think of the bandit king?¡± The leader frowned as he glanced over at the slumbering man. ¡°That¡¯s a complicated question, and I think you already have your own opinions.¡±

    ¡°I do, but I want to hear what you believe.¡±

    ¡°Well, I respect him.¡± The leader smiled and held up a hand to stop my interruption. ¡°I understand your opinion of him, I really do, but it''s different for us. The world is dangerous, and some people don¡¯t have the best of paths through it.¡±

    I clamped my mouth shut as the leader spoke. It was difficult to not ask questions, but those could wait until he had finished his explanation.

    ¡°He¡¯s a product of his world. His life has taught him that power is everything. He sees the world in black and white. You¡¯re on his side, or you¡¯re an enemy.¡± The leader grinned. ¡°I don¡¯t really disagree with his logic. When he led the bandits, our village was safe. The protection fees actually went to protecting us.¡±

    ¡°Because he wanted more money out of you.¡±

    ¡°That is true, he does value money, but he values respect more.¡± The leader shook his head as he leaned against the wall. ¡°Don¡¯t the town leaders expect a tax from those below them? Any missions that are completed have a portion pulled away before they are even awarded. How is he any different?¡±

    I wanted to argue, but it was easy to see his point of view. The logic was based on a world unlike my own, and I could easily see myself agreeing if I had been born in this place.

    ¡°Anne told us about what happened after we escaped. You fought that man, but you didn¡¯t have any energy left. Wasn¡¯t it the bandit king who saved you?¡± the leader raised an eyebrow as he stared at me. ¡°He risked his life to save you, with no thought to money or gains. That¡¯s because he respects you, see?¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± I couldn¡¯t quite believe his words. Why would a brute of a man shift his opinions of me so quickly?

    ¡°I can tell he does, because you¡¯re still alive.¡± the leader chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m not dismissing your skills, but he¡¯s on a different level. If you two truly fought, I doubt you¡¯d survive.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡± I turned away and walked off. ¡°Thanks for that. I¡¯ll talk to you again.¡±

    The leader laughed again as he moved back to his fellow villagers. I knew that the bandit king was strong, but I had yet to see him in combat. During the previous battles I had been too distracted, and the exchange outside of the dungeon wasn¡¯t long enough to see the breadth of his skills.

    Anny walked over and patted my shoulder. She glanced over at the village leader before she gave me a small smile.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t have time to say this before, but thank you. You saved these people, and you deserve an explanation.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Come with me, and I¡¯ll explain everything. Claire, the holy kingdom, why he acts like this.¡± She pointed back at the sleeping bandit king. ¡°I think we¡¯ll be here for awhile, so we need to start on the right foot. Let¡¯s go.¡±

 Chapter 64 - Naive belief, building an army

    Before I started the conversation with Anne, I called Leah over. Cory had said there was enough mana running through the dungeon for another wave of ants. I had planned to level myself up, but any further attacks from outside would be wasted at this rate.

    ¡°Leah, gather up some of the fighters. You¡¯ll be up against a wave of ants, but there won¡¯t be as many this time.¡±

    ¡°How are you managing this?¡± She looked up at the red crystal, who floated around near the ceiling. ¡°You¡¯ve persuaded a dungeon heart to help you¡­ that should be impossible. Who are you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m here to help you. I have a feeling that we¡¯ll need as much strength as we can muster if we want to break out of here. Got fight the first wave, and be careful. We¡¯ll be going through again together later, and the difficulty will scale up a fair bit, so do your best.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡± Leah shook her head and turned back to the other former bandits. She was a good second-in-command. She knew the right time to question, and when it was best to back off. I followed Anne into a distant corner and settled down beside her.

    ¡°Is Claire awake?¡± She glanced at the orb on my shoulder.

    ¡°Yeah, she is.¡±

    ¡°Good, that makes this easier.¡± Anne let out a breath before she stared at me. ¡°I don¡¯t know who you are, but if Claire trusts you, I¡¯ll just have to follow along.¡±

    ¡°Thanks.¡±

    ¡°You know we came from the Holy Kingdom, right? Claire was one of the two candidates for the next head of the church. When she decided to leave, I helped her and followed along to keep her safe.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, she told me that, but she didn¡¯t mention about being a candidate.¡±

    ¡®It¡¯s not important. I gave up that up when I left.¡¯ Claire spoke up. Anne couldn¡¯t hear her, so she carried on regardless.

    ¡°I was their guardian, or one of them at least. The church wasn¡¯t ready to give up on Claire entirely, so I persuaded them to let me keep an eye on her.¡± Anne glanced at the orb on my shoulder. ¡°If you wanted a brief explanation of what happened after that, I¡¯d have to say that I saved her from herself.¡±

    ¡®I don¡¯t¡­¡¯

    ¡°She¡¯s probably trying to disagree, but it is true. She throws herself forward to help others, and usually gets into sticky situations that would be impossible to escape. I usually managed to get her out of them without directly interfering, but then Clive hit me with that cursed crystal.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± I wanted to say more, but I couldn¡¯t find the words. After so long looking after her ward, she had failed to protect her. It wasn¡¯t like it was her fault, but I knew myself how difficult her situation would be to handle.

    I felt the same, especially after Claire had sacrificed herself for me.

    ¡°But that¡¯s where the bandit king comes in. At first, I had an agreement with him. He had people watch over Claire when I wasn¡¯t available, and in return, I helped him with a few missions.¡± Anne grimaced as she looked over to the man in question. ¡°Back then, I had a similar opinion of him to the one you hold now, so I can understand your thoughts.¡±

    The bandit king mumbled in his sleep before he turned over, as though he could feel the fact we were talking about him. Anne ignored that as she continued.

    ¡°But after I dealt with him, I saw his other side. Any deals he makes, he keeps. He was taught throughout his life that those with power were to be respected. He believes that, but he also believes they have a responsibility to those below them.¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡± I nodded. that explained why he had saved me. At that point, he probably saw me as one of his followers. That fact irritated me a little, but I couldn¡¯t hold it against him. ¡°The village leader said something similar, but that doesn¡¯t explain why he didn¡¯t care about the attack on the town.¡±

    ¡°Well, he can be an idiot. Clive has threatened the town in the past, but he never moved against them. He assumed that this was similar and that he would never attack them directly.¡± Anne took a deep breath. ¡°He wouldn¡¯t do that, so he can¡¯t see why Clive would. What would be the point, as he said.¡±

    ¡°So he thought when we said they had attacked the town, he thought it wasn¡¯t a full-on battle? How can the leader of a bunch of bandits be so naive?¡±

    ¡°Its just how he is. I didn¡¯t tell him before, or we would have never got him to leave before taught Clive a lesson. Clive has more followers than I had imagined behind him, never mind the cult.¡±

    ¡°For an entire year? How could he go so long without finding out?¡±

    ¡°Because of me.¡± Anne let out a deep breath before she continued. ¡°Before I fell into a coma, I asked him to stay quiet. I thought I would be able to fight off the crystal if I was given enough time¡­¡±

    ¡°So he stayed in his room¡­ because you asked him to?¡± Instead of anger, all I could feel was a rising doubt as I stared at Anne. ¡°Really? He stayed silent because you asked him to?¡±

    ¡°Yes. He trusted me when I said I had a plan.¡± She nodded with a sigh before she glanced at the slumbering man. ¡°I had asked for the Holy Kingdom to send some help, so even if I failed they should have saved me before anything could happen. He thought they were keeping an eye on Clive for me.¡±

    ¡®She asked them for help¡­ and they didn¡¯t come¡­¡¯

    ¡°My message must have been waylaid on the way, but I need to find out the how and the why of it.¡± Her eyes burned as she looked back at me. ¡°He trusted me, and I trusted them. Someone failed us... someone failed Claire.¡±

    ¡°OK. I get it.¡± I pushed myself up and turned to look at the bandit king. He wasn¡¯t a nice man, or an intelligent one, but he was fair. I remembered the look of shock on his face when he heard that the attack had lead to casualties for the town.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

    Claire had remained silent after Anne¡¯s revelation, so I didn¡¯t try to interrupt her thoughts. As I stood up, Leah returned with the others. Several of them were battered and bruised, but they hadn¡¯t lost a single member. She walked over to me with a grin.

    ¡°I levelled up thanks to that.¡± She held a fist out towards me. ¡°I¡¯ll catch up to you soon, Captain.¡±

    ¡°I doubt it.¡± I shook my head and bumped my fist against hers. ¡°Get those who have passed their first advancement and bring them to me. I have a present for you.¡±

    Leah turned and shouted at those who had followed her into the dungeon spawn room. Many villagers even stepped forward when she added the advancement test as a stipulation. Whilst these people hadn¡¯t joined the bandits, that didn¡¯t mean they had no combat skills of their own.

    In total, they numbered seventy-four.

    Forty former bandits, thirty-three villagers, and the villager leader himself. they lined up in front of me in a ragged formation, muttering amongst themselves as they waited for whatever my plan was.

    ¡°Break yourselves up into groups. First, split yourselves by your classes; Warriors, Adventurers, Practitioners and Supporters.¡±

    A higher percentage of the villagers were Adventurers, which did make sense. Most people chose that class for its adaptability, along with the lower requirements on equipment. After that came Warriors, then Practitioners. There weren¡¯t any Supporters at all, a fact which I tried to ignore.

    Their attributes were split between the first six, though the number of Holy attributed people was on the low side. Most of those with Holy or the Elemental attribute had chosen practitioner, whilst the rest were equally split between the rest of the classes, with only a few using the rarer attributes. Their levels were between ten and twenty-five, with Leah being the highest and the village leader being the lowest.

    Strength isn¡¯t the main factor when deciding a leader.

    ¡°Right¡­ these numbers are actually perfect.¡± I grinned to myself as I checked through my inventory. ¡°Here, pick what you need. You¡¯ll have to give them back after we¡¯ve left.¡±

    Before they could ask what I meant, I summoned out the first group of weapons. I grouped them by type as I dropped them in front of the shocked crowd. Most of the weapons were at the beginner rank, whilst a good number sat at intermediate. None of them were advanced, but even I didn¡¯t have a weapon of that rank yet.

    ¡°Where¡­ how¡­¡± Leah stepped forward an pulled a sword from the pile. Her eyes, as usually, were sharp. She had chosen one of the four intermediate swords I had in my possession. The others were rapiers, and wouldn¡¯t match her style of fighting, but this was a standard short-sword. ¡°Rook, are you sure we can take these?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± I waved off her shock. ¡°If we don¡¯t gain strength, we¡¯ll have no chances to escape. These are just a temporary measure to make up for your lacking equipment.¡±

    ¡°If he says we can take them, then it would be rude to refuse. Leah, you take that one.¡± The village leader stepped past her and picked up a staff. He was one of Holy attribute practitioners. Even though his level was only at twelve, his class and attribute combination made him vital to my plans.

    Leah frowned for a moment before she waved the others forward. the bandits took their share first, followed by the villagers. the intermediate weapons were shared between the more skilled members, whilst the rest were armed with beginner weaponry.

    Despite the disappointing name, the rank was actually not too bad. Most used basic weapons, and most of those weapons were on the low end of even that spectrum. After the group had armed themselves, I moved onto the armour.

    Luckily, I still hadn¡¯t broken down the basic armour. Most of them had to use a collection of mostly basic pieces with the occasional basic rank to make up the set. I only had one intermediate piece, which was a plate mail chestplate which I gave to Leah directly. She tried to refuse, but the others forced her into accepting it.

    ¡°Does anyone have the taunt ability?¡± I glanced over my troops, but my query was met with stony silence. Leah broke it after several seconds with an awkward cough.

    ¡°Captain, taunt is an extremely rare ability. Only the most skilled Warriors can control their mana enough to attract monsters to them.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± I gave Claire a glance. She had lost her Warrior skills at the moment of her death, but hearing about how difficult it was to use the Taunt ability left me speechless. She must have worked herself to the bone to acquire and master it.

    And I bet she did it because she wanted to ¡®protect¡¯ people. She really does go too far sometimes¡­

    Now that my ragtag force had been armed and armoured, the next step of my plan could take place. Cory confirmed that the barrage on the entrance had continued, so there was enough for another spawn wave. The dungeon used to have a capacity of twenty-five, but it would be able to manage a group of seventy-five at a push.

    Basically, the capacity was enough for the three fights, with a pool on the side for emergencies. If we utilised it correctly, we could have one spawn room fight with seventy-five of us.

    The only issue was that the number of spawned enemies would escalate to an insane degree, but that was fine. We had a good number of Practitioners, and I still had a few tricks in reserve.

    Before we moved through into the spawn room, I confirmed a few things with Cory. The spawn rooms would reset after each fight, so making a trap-room to farm experience wasn¡¯t possible. The enemies would always spawn at the far side of the room, and it was impossible to pass by the half-way point or launch any ranged attacks until at least the first wave had spawned.

    This wasn¡¯t a rule for my dungeon, but a rule for all dungeons. I knew that this world was virtual, but such attention to detail annoyed me. If those above really wanted the people here to grow strong, why did they cut off easy routes?

    But I had a plan. My multiple battles with the ants had prepared me for this fight, more so than any other enemy. After explaining my plan to the collected people, we practised a few formations before we moved into the spawn room.

    After the last person had entered, the door closed behind us. My mana had recovered to full, and I had planned out my ability usage in advance. I could use my buffs for double their cost on a group, but the upper limit for that was well defined. Every additional person it affected over the cap of twenty would rob me of another few points of mana.

    So I split the groups up in my mind like a proper raid leader. Warriors, twenty-nine. Adventurers, twenty-seven. Practitioners, eighteen. Supporters¡­ One.

    If I didn¡¯t use the buffs on myself, that would lower the cost significantly. the only issue was that their collective critical chance would be so low that any increases I gave to it wouldn¡¯t make much difference. Strengthen wouldn¡¯t do much to help the Practitioners¡­ The benefits would never meet up to the cost.

    ¡®Most Supporters don¡¯t have this many buffs.¡¯ Claire spoke as I considered my options, as though she wanted to distract herself from what she had just heard. ¡®Just focus on yourself, and you¡¯ll do fine.¡¯

    Cory had said she would be allowed in as long as she didn¡¯t help in the fight. Anne had stayed behind with the others, along with the bandit king. They had both passed level twenty-five, so they wouldn¡¯t gain anything from this fight even if they could join.

    A huge curtain of light covered the far end of the room. The forces under my command shifted uncomfortably, but they stopped as I stepped out in front of the group.

    ¡°This is a battle to prove ourselves! If we can¡¯t fight a bunch of ants, how can we even think about fighting our way out of here!¡± I drew my staff and pointed at the summoned creatures who were still appearing. ¡°Warriors, front and centre. Adventurers, by their sides. Practitioners, ready!¡±

    My plan is pretty good, but it all depends on Leah. If she doesn¡¯t keep them under control whilst I do my part, this will all fall apart. I glanced at my second-in-command, who gave me a grim smile. She knew the weakness of the plan as well as I did.

    But if we didn¡¯t do this, we¡¯d never leave. This setup would never happen again, so we couldn¡¯t throw away such a perfect time to gain experience.

    ¡°Hold!¡± I yelled out my command¡­ and ran towards the ants.

 Chapter 65 - Like a headless chicken, just when we thought it was over

    As I ran towards the ants, I cast my buffs in quick succession. At first, I had planned to use them before the fight began, but that just wasn¡¯t efficient. Each minute of their durations would cost me more than I gained back, never mind the sheer number I was about to use.

    The order was important, so I took care to follow through on the mental list I had created step by step. The distance between me and the ants shrunk second by second as I went through my buffs. Every additional cast cost less mana, but that benefit was capped at lowering it by twenty mana.

    I started with the Rage buffs, as otherwise, I would run out of mana. Bolster landed on the entire team, but I focused Final Stand on myself and the Practitioners and the ranged Adventurers. That gave everyone an increase in damage, and the casters and archers would deal more damage as their mana dropped. After that, the Rage pool had dropped from two hundred to exactly zero.

    Perfect.

    I grinned as I swapped to my Novice pool. Each additional Warrior over the cap of twenty-five had added two to the mana cost when I included myself, but the passive from my armour had countered the increase perfectly. The cost of the buffs had increased from fifty to a hundred each, so it was impossible for me to increase my critical chance, never mind the rest of the team''s.

    I switched over to my Novice pool and shifted the direction of my run to be parallel to the front line of the ants. Strength and Enhanced Dexterity went to the Warriors and the Adventurers respectively. That left me with just under ninety mana, so I cast Accelerate on myself to finish.

    Now I can use buffed strike five times, and another time in a few minutes¡­ that should be enough.

    My plan would be classed as suicidal if it wasn¡¯t for the insane level of control I had gained over this specific ability. A year of constant training showed its effects in weird ways, but this one was actually useful to me.

    ¡°Fire everything you have!¡± I yelled as I sprinted towards the ants. After a short break, arrows flew over my head and magical projectiles slammed into the wave of summoned creatures, but they were mostly aimed at the side opposite to me.

    That annoyed them, so a portion split off towards my group. The remainder set their sights on the easy target in front of them. Whilst a majority of the ants were on the lower end of the level spectrum, thanks to our group layout, their numbers more than made up for it.

    But I had split their forces in half, or as close to it as I could tell.

    As they closed in around me, I raised my staff and charged towards them. Whilst I could take one or two in a fair fight, their numbers were far too large for me to even contemplate it. As I neared the horde, I grinned as I focused my power.

    ¡°Buffed Strike.¡±

    The ability launched me away from the ants. I span around in mid-air as I flew towards the wall on the far side of the room. The sounds of battle rang out from behind as the other half of the ants crashed into the rest of my team, but I had to let Leah deal with that.

    I ran towards the wall, but slowed my pace enough for the ants to keep up. A few stragglers broke off to join the main force, but enough kept on my tail as I neared my target.

    This is going to be dangerous¡­

    ¡°Buffed Strike.¡±

    I sped up as the smooth wall loomed in front of me. A quick jump, along with another use of my ability combined with a vault from my staff, catapulted me into the air

    I landed against the wall with a thud. I had twisted around so that I hit it feet first, but the impact still sent a wave of shock along my legs. Before I could lose my balance or bounce off, I focused my power once more.

    ¡°Buffed Strike¡±

    I shot off the wall like a missile. My path sent me towards the far side of the section I had distracted. I cleared the rearmost ant with an inch to spare as I rolled onto the floor.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    The battle was going well on the team''s side. Due to the limited number of ants they faced, the team racked up the kills quickly with little damage. Compared to my first battle against these creatures, this one was easier.

    I didn¡¯t have time to overthink it as the crowd of ants behind me spun around. I jumped up like a sprinter from the blocks and ran towards the opposite side of the room.

    Most of that side was clear of ants, save for the bodies of those who had been defeated before they even reached our front lines. More of the group behind me split off, but I lead the remainder towards the corner at the back of the room.

    The stupidity of these summoned creatures made my plan possible. I had observed it in our first battle. If they had worked together at that point, there was a chance we would have suffered major casualties, potentially up to the point of being wiped out.

    As I neared the far wall, I prepared for the same manoeuvre as before, but an issue popped up. The ants had spread out as they chased me, which left no chance I could clear them in one leap.

    If I brought these back to the main forces, their combined numbers might be enough to overwhelm them. If I tried to fight my way out, they would drag me down in seconds.

    ¡°Practitioners, fire!¡±

    Leah¡¯s yell rang out through the sounds of battle. At her order, a wave of magical orbs smashed into the group behind me. their ranks fell into disorder as those hit turned to face their attackers. As I neared the corner, I saw several open patches in the middle of the ants who followed me.

    I jumped up the wall and used the corner to gain some extra height. A quick glance confirmed that my target area was still clear, so I grit my teeth and launched myself towards it.

    ¡°Buffed Strike!¡±

    I arced through the air as the ants below me tried to catch me. It occurred to me just how stupid my plan was, but I didn¡¯t have time to run through the exact reasons before I crashed into the floor.

    As I corrected myself with a roll and jumped to my feet, the ants turned to face me, their eyes spitting fire as they closed in. Before they could catch me, I sprinted towards the most distant creature.

    Its armour looked tough and sturdy. Under normal circumstances, it would take me several blows to break through, but this issue was to my advantage currently.

    I raced towards it and pointed my staff at its head. Its jaws clicked as it closed in, ready to snap shut around me the moment it got the chance. As we neared each other, I jumped towards it.

    And thrust my staff towards its back.

    My leap cleared the ant, but it wouldn¡¯t clear those behind it. That¡¯s where my staff came in. I slammed it down onto the back of the ant and yelled my ability one last time.

    ¡°Buffed Strike.¡±

    The ant juddered as my attack hit, but it didn¡¯t collapse. Its toughness helped me as more of the impact slammed back up through my arm.

    I was sent through the air, spinning and tumbling as I flew past the rest of the group. I landed with far less grace, but I ignored the pain in my ribs as I jumped to my feet and sprinted towards the group in the distance.

    They had cleared most of the first wave, so the time was ripe to bring in reinforcements. The ants who charged to them first were spread out along the whole line, so there wasn¡¯t a gap for me to get by.

    But I had planned for that.

    ¡°Open the breach!¡±

    A wave of arrows and magical bolts rained onto the ants in front of me. Whilst the assault didn¡¯t take down all of the ants, it cleared enough room for me to squeeze my way in before they closed ranks again.

    ¡°Seriously, I thought your plan was stupid. Now I just know it was insane instead.¡± Leah grinned at me before she turned back to the wall of monsters. The warriors held up well against the assault. I had ordered the villagers to intersperse themselves along the line, so their trained comrades could help if they faltered.

    That, plus the skilled heals that came from our Holy Practitioners, kept the minor injuries at bay. The second wave of ants joined onto the first, which increased the pressure.

    But it wasn¡¯t enough.

    After I had run half of them around the room for several minutes, most of their brethren had been cut down. Whilst the forces under my command hadn¡¯t escaped unscathed, the increased level of skill forced into them through the battle helped to counter that a little.

    I added my help where it was needed. My staff had the advantage of range, so I could thrust past the front line and land blows on their unsuspecting enemies. I aimed at the legs mostly, which left an easy target for the Warriors to clean up.

    If my Transmutation was stronger, I could make a raised platform for the ranged section¡­ or a ditch in front of the Warriors¡­

    As I contemplated the possible future strategies I might one day obtain, the last ant fell to the floor. I waited with bated breath, expecting them to turn to smoke like the first pack we had defeated.

    But they didn¡¯t.

    ¡°What the hell.¡± I stepped out of the group and prodded one of the ants. When I tried to gather their parts into my Inventory, the voice reprimanded me about how it was impossible to find anything.

    Is one of them still alive under a heap somewhere?

    Before I could order a search, the far end of the cavern was lit up once more by a bright light. This time it was more focused than the last, but I didn¡¯t let my guard down. My buffs still had several minutes of duration, but some of the shorter ones were about to run out.

    A huge creature stomped out of the light, at least fifteen feet tall at its highest point. Its head twisted around to face us as the huge pincers around its mouth clicked back and forth. As it glanced around at its defeated companions, a low screech rang out from its throat.

    It was an ant, and it was pissed off.

 Chapter 66 - Confirming the facts, a plan so insane it might just work

    ¡°Cory, what the hell!¡± I muttered. The crystal, who had promised me this room was relatively safe, shimmered into existence above my head.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry! This shouldn¡¯t be possible. A huge surge of mana swept in as the room was about to close!¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you stop it?¡±

    ¡°I tried to, but it was too powerful. I¡¯m sorry!¡±

    I shook my head and turned back to the huge ant in front of me. There was no way we would hold up against that thing if it charged at us¡­.

    But it didn¡¯t move.

    ¡°Captain, what the hell is that thing?¡± Leah moved next to me and spoke in a whisper. ¡°Your friend said we would be up against normal soldier ants, but that thing is an ant queen¡­ and it''s the biggest one I¡¯ve ever seen.¡±

    Before I could answer, not that I had any information which would be helpful, Rose appeared in front of me. She floated out to around halfway along the room and waved her hand through the air before she returned to me.

    ¡°What the hell did you do that for?¡±

    ¡°I think this is a combination of the first two rooms." She spoke quietly, her face scrunched up as she ignored my glare. "We moved the swarm room back, so it seems to have merged with the copy-cat room... I think.¡±

    ¡°That thing is NOT a copy.¡± I shook my head as Leah stared at me in confusion. I didn''t try to explain my one-sided conversation, that could wait for a later date.

    ¡°Not exactly, but it might work like them. It won¡¯t change its size, but you can think of it in a similar way to how we used the mirror.¡±

    ¡°So¡­ we can limit how many people need to fight it?¡± I frowned as I stared at the ant queen in the distance.

    ¡°I think so, yes. This isn¡¯t an exact art, but I¡¯ve heard of similar things in the past.¡± Rose didn¡¯t give me a concrete answer, but there wasn¡¯t much I could do about that. ¡°Some people tried to force mana into a dungeon to spawn more creatures, but the team inside got wiped out. This only works on lower level dungeons, as the mana needed to spawn higher level creatures scales exponentially. Anything past level twenty-five is close to impossible.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡± I turned to Leah with a smile. ¡°We don¡¯t have to fight it yet, get everyone to relax. We¡¯ll rest up before we go against it.¡±

    The tension drained out of her as she turned and ordered the troops to break off. After the boss monster in the distance hadn¡¯t made any movement to us for several minutes, it was clear that the battle wouldn¡¯t have to start straight away, so the rest of the group calmed enough to take stock of the situation.

    The rest of my buffs fell off over the next five minutes. The longest duration was fifteen minutes, whilst the lowest was ten. Rage buffs cost less as they ranked up, whilst my Novice buffs cost more but gained increased duration. Even if they had ranked up, it would still be massively inefficient to keep them all running.

    I need to figure out a way around the upfront costs...

    None of them had gone up a rank from the previous battle, but then again I had only used them once. Using the buffs on a group sped up their progression, but if it was so easy to increase them then everyone would have mastered their skills long ago. That, added to the fact skills gained close to no experience outside of combat, made it hard to efficiently rank up Supporter buff skills. The cost to benefit of any experience gains was insanely low.

    My mana regeneration was still capped at one percent of my total, which gave us under an hour and a half to wait. When I advised Leah of the time-frame, and she tried to argue. It wouldn¡¯t take that long for everyone else¡¯s mana to recover, and a long time in the face of the boss monster would eat at their courage.

    But I disagreed. If I told her what my actual plan was, she would immediately refuse to go along with it, so I gave her an excuse that was also the truth. After she heard my mana would take that long to recover, she was speechless for several seconds before she passed down the command to take a long rest.

    I was still level eleven after my last battle. The sheer number of ants we defeated should have been enough to push me past the next boundary, but the appearance of the ant queen had technically locked us in combat.

    The villagers and former bandits had merged together. During the battle, I had seen several people show their talent for combat, whilst others had held back. That could have been because they were scared, or they might have had another reason for it.Stolen novel; please report.

    ¡°So, what happened between you and Ray?¡± Leah asked me after several minutes had passed. The rest of the raid had gathered into several groups, which left me alone with my second-in-command.

    ¡°He hurt a friend of mine, and I managed to¡­ I thought he¡¯d died.¡± I shook my head. ¡°I guess that was a bit optimistic."

    ¡°Not really.¡± Leah bit her lip for a moment before she continued. ¡°I have heard of this resurrection method the cult has. It''s mostly rumours, but the main thing that we hear about are the disadvantages."

    "Oh, like what?" It was a surprise that Leah knew about it, but maybe she had heard the details during her stay at the bandit camp. Though Clive didn''t trust the villagers that much, Leah seemed the type to keep her ear to the ground in any situation.

    "Their power is lower, they lose it over time, and they will die again after a set time. Normally a year or so at best." Leah shuddered. "And when they die again, they''re REALLY dead."

    ¡°I guess Ray did.¡± My fists whitened as I gripped my staff. ¡°I guess he didn¡¯t care about the side effects, whatever they are.¡±

    ¡°The ones I heard of were bad enough, so what else could be worse? Being deleted from the world is the worst thing I can imagine..."

    ¡°Deleted?¡± I tilted my head to one side. The word made sense to me, but how would someone who lived in this place understand how that worked?

    ¡°Never to be reborn, never to ascend.¡± Leah frowned and stared at the floor. ¡°It would be their final end. No way to come back from that.¡±

    ¡°So he¡¯s dead for real this time? That¡¯s some good news at least.¡± I grinned and stood up. The word she used did spark some curiosity, but asking any further questions right now would be a waste of time. I could always try Rose or Cory first. As we had been talking, my mana had returned to full, so now was the perfect time to move on with my plan. ¡°Stay back, don¡¯t attack, wait for my signal.¡±

    She nodded and passed the order along. The Warriors lined up in front of the fragile casters and the rangers, whilst the melee Adventurers took up positions just behind the front line. They could dive in and out of cover as needed, and this formation meant they wouldn¡¯t be open to direct attacks for extended periods.

    That was how they had held out against the ant swarm. The effectiveness of the tactic when it was put up against a monster that loomed in front of me was far less certain, however. But I knew one thing that they didn¡¯t. This ant queen would scale based on the number of opponents, along with their collective levels.

    What would happen if you lowered the strength of a beast like that? I guess I''m about to find out.

    ¡°Wait, are you really thinking about fighting that thing alone?¡± Rose appeared by my side, her eyes wide as she tried to push against me with no effect. ¡°Ant queens constantly call on their followers to do their dirty work, they¡¯ll overwhelm you before you can do enough damage. She has a maximum number she can control, but every one you defeat will just be replaced in seconds.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡± I waved her warning away as I glanced into my inventory. I kept my words quiet to avoid spooking the rest of the group. ¡°I heard the voice mention perfect point when I hit Ray. Is that something like an exact area you can hit to increase your chance to crit?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it is.¡± Rose gave up her futile attempts with a sigh. ¡°But even for a beast that large, your aim would have to be perfect. The point moves around constantly, so it''s not possible¡­¡±

    ¡°Cory, this is a beast in your dungeon, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Cory answered after a short pause, as though the words were being dragged from him. ¡°Are you telling me you want to¡­ cheat?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s my dungeon, right? How can this be counted as cheating.¡± I chuckled to myself at the trepidation in his voice. ¡°Can you highlight it for me?¡±

    ¡°I think so. There''s some leftover mana from the surge, so I can give it a shot." Cory focused for a moment before he turned to me again. "This is a one time deal. Without these perfect conditions..."

    "I get it, just do your best." I nodded and turned back to the ant queen. A small orb of light shone on top of its head, though it did move back and forth as the beast followed me with its gaze. It didn¡¯t stray too much, but it was clear that a random strike would have little chance of hitting it.

    It shouldn¡¯t be too hard for me to hit it, but even that won¡¯t be enough.

    The abilities and stats of the enemy would be lowered, but it was still a behemoth which could squash me like a bug. Ironic, but it was the truth. The armour on its skull was thick and heavy, but I had a plan for that.

    I strode towards the mirror. After my plan had been formed, there was no reason to hold back. Leah and the others would be thrown out as the fight started, but that increased my confidence.

    Despite the fact they were part of Leah¡¯s village, I still didn¡¯t trust them.

    All it takes is for one person to be under Clive¡¯s thumb, and I¡¯ll get a dagger in the back. The quicker we get out of this, the better.

    My paranoia might be a bit overblown, but it had kept me alive up to now. As I reached the mirror, I pulled out my staff and raised it above my head. The ant queen shook slightly as it registered my level and class. The only noticeable difference was that the armour plates had shrunk significantly, but the rest would have to be discovered when I fought it.

    ¡°Rook, stop!¡±

    Leah¡¯s shout didn¡¯t stop me as my weapon crashed into the mirror. A flash of light blasted through the room and blinded me for a moment, after which I checked and confirmed that the rest of my allies had vanished.

    Alone at last.

    The ant queen shook and took a step towards me, or at least it tried to. As soon as it lifted its leg, its entire form shook as though it was about to collapse. The beasts size now worked against it due to the massively lowered stats I had forced upon it.

    But I didn¡¯t have time to congratulate myself before a wave of ants spawned from the ground by its feet.

    ¡°Let''s see how this goes.¡± I grinned to myself and stared at the ant queen in the distance. Whilst others would see this monster as a terrifying opponent, I had a different view. I saw it as the perfect grindstone for my skills. At worst, Cory could just pull me out if anything terrible happened.

    He had cheated once, why not twice?

 Chapter 67 - Fighting the ant queen, a new ally?

    Before I dealt with the ant queen, I would have to deal with her minions. I buffed myself with Accelerate, but ignored the rest of my abilities as I moved towards them.

    My level had nuked the ant queen¡¯s stats, so she wasn¡¯t a direct threat unless she accidentally fell on top of me. Her movement speed was far slower than mine, so it would be easy to beat her down in a war of attrition. At least, it would be if you didn¡¯t count the ant soldiers she had summoned.

    Whilst individually they weren¡¯t a threat to me, they would still be able to overwhelm me with sheer numbers if I tried to fight them directly. Even though they were individually weak, it would only be a short while before I was defeated in a group battle.

    So I ran towards the far wall again.

    The ants surged at me. As I was the only target, they had to barge each other aside as they formed into a wave of chittering horrors. The higher level monsters pushed to the front of the pack and created a significant distance from their weaker cousins. Their long feelers snipped furiously as they dashed towards me.

    If I hold back on my buffs, I can use my strikes more¡­ but they lose a lot of their power. I need to find a way to lower the cost before I get any more buffs.

    ¡°They¡¯re mandibles, by the way.¡± Rose spoke calmly despite my situation. ¡°You keep calling them weird things, so I thought I¡¯d let you know.¡±

    I shook my head and dismissed my mana issues, along with Rose¡¯s ¡®helpful¡¯ advice. Whilst it was interesting, it wouldn''t help me survive right now. Maybe if I got some pet ants in the future I could learn a bit more about them. The main issue for me was that the cost to benefit ratio would only worsen as I gained more buffs at higher ranks, but for now, I had enough to play with. As the ants closed in, I turned and sprinted towards them.

    I wouldn¡¯t be using my abilities on the minions. Whilst that may get me a small amount of experience if I won, it would be a waste of mana given the fact they were an unlimited distraction. The ant queen had summoned twenty ants in total, but the majority of them were low-level and thus would be easy to defeat.

    So I aimed for the strongest member of the group.

    A quick thrust knocked it back into the pile, after which I dodged back again. I had managed to crack open the armour on its head, but a follow-up strike was made impossible as its allies clawed their way towards me.

    The ant queen screeched in the distance as I continued my game of tag. I moved back and forth across the area for several minutes before the first high-level ant fell to my hit and run tactics.

    In its place, another ant spawned in the distance.

    Perfect.

    I grinned to myself as I watched the new ant join its brethren in their futile chase. The one I had defeated had been high level, with heavy plates lining its body. Its replacement was far weaker, and moved noticeably slower.

    I repeated the tactic on the last two higher levelled ants. One spawned another high level, but as it was split off from the group it was an easy task to take it down, after which the group was made up of twenty low-level minions.

    My Accelerate buff had fallen off, and I was slightly out of breath, but the main threat had been managed. The ant queen could only take a shaky step every few seconds due to its low strength value compare to the scale of the beast.

    Now was the time to make my move.

    I had time to fully activate my buffs before we met, so that at least gave me an edge before the fight truly started.

    The downside was that it ate up a large amount of my mana. My rage pool had dropped to sixty-five from the three abilities. The Novice buffs, which would have taken almost half of my mana previously, now only dropped it by forty-five.

    My passive lowered the cost of each buff per buff I cast, but it couldn¡¯t lower their costs to less than half the original value. Whilst it was extremely nice, the cost of the buffs themselves would soon far outweigh it.

    There was one major issue I had tried to ignore, and that was the fact the passive effect had a level limit. Once I passed level twenty-five, its effects would become unnoticeable. I had to think of some way around it before I rose to that point.

    All of that added together meant that I could only use my strikes a limited number of times. There were skills to increase mana regeneration, but most of those were either rare or locked to those who chose the Practitioner class.

    If I could turn them into passive buffs that took mana over time, it would be perfect¡­

    I ignored the thoughts and charged towards my enemy. The ant queen loomed above me as I closed in, but I knew that it wasn¡¯t as dangerous as it seemed. The issue would be taking it down before its minions managed to wear through my stamina.

    Instead of attacking the thing''s legs directly, I ran past it. When it had been balanced to match my level, its armour had been decreased in size and toughness, but it would still take too long for me to wear through it.

    Before I could move too far, the ant queen¡¯s jaws opened and a rain of green goo fell towards my head. Rose tried to shout out to warn me, but I had already made my own move by the time I heard her first word ring out.

    ¡°Buffed strike.¡±

    The ability leaped me past the main flow, but the ant queen¡¯s attack had too wide a range. The only option I had would be to ride it out as best I could. I activated my Mana Shield, gritted my teeth, and ran.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    My mana dropped noticeably as a few globs sizzled on the shield, but I made it out of the attack radius without significant injury. I disabled the shield and took a deep breath. The smell of the green goo hung in the air and burned my nose, as though it wanted to take any small victory it could against me.

    The ant queen hadn¡¯t moved too far from the wall, which worked out perfectly for me. I had controlled its movements as I ran its minions back and forth for that very reason. The ant swarm in the distance was closing in, so I continued on my mad dash.

    The ant queen, furious that I had managed to dodge its sneak attack, tried to turn to face me. In its haste, one of its quivering legs slipped, which caused its body to crash to the ground.

    My heart hammered in my chest as it slammed down behind me. If I had been a second slower, the behemoth would have accidentally crushed me to death.

    Damn, that would have been a way to go¡­

    But now that it was lower down, it made my plan easier. I ran to the wall and jumped at it in the same manner as I used in the last fight. As my feet landed against it, I spun around and launched myself up onto the ant queens back.

    A moment after I landed, it managed to push itself upright. The weight I added wasn¡¯t enough to keep it down, but soon it would be.

    The ant queen¡¯s joints had far less protection than the rest of it. I ran up to the closest leg, which shivered and twitched as it pushed the behemoth back up. It hadn¡¯t noticed the new rider on its back, but I would change that soon enough.

    ¡°Buffed strike.¡±

    The hit wasn¡¯t enough to destroy the limb, but the next few strikes took it out. I only have to use my ability on the first attack to break through the thin layer of armour, and the rest managed the job unassisted.

    One down, five to go.

    ¡°Rook, watch out!¡± Rose shouted from within my brain, which alerted me to the scuttling sound by my side. An ant had made the arduous climb up the side of its mother, and it was getting ready to leap at me whilst I was distracted.

    A quick staff thrust knocked it back and sent it rolling off the side. I heard it crash to the floor, but a quick glance confirmed that the fall had only injured it as the monster tried to push itself up. There had been a risk it would die from the impact, and that it would be replaced by a higher level ant.

    Those things wouldn¡¯t struggle to climb up the ant queen¡¯s back. Other ants were making the climb, which meant I didn¡¯t have much time. I could knock them down one by one, but if they started to die it would be difficult to fend their replacements off.

    I repeated the process on another two legs, though I didn¡¯t use my strike skill. After the first one had been knocked out, the ant queen could no longer keep itself upright, so I had more time to work on each joint. Despite that its whines, I didn¡¯t show any mercy as I destroyed every single one of its legs.

    As it dropped to the floor once more, the ant soldiers crawled up the queen¡¯s body to attack me. It didn¡¯t take much effort to knock one of them down, but their sheer numbers would overwhelm me before too long.

    So I didn¡¯t fight all of them.

    I knocked the ones who climbed up onto the ant queen''s head to the floor, but let the others build up on its abdomen. After a minute or so, a large pile of ants were trying to make their way towards me from the far end of the ant queen.

    This is the most insane thing I''ve done yet, but it should work. Thankfully, these things are bloody stupid.

    After they had built up to a good level, I ran towards the pile of ants. They rolled towards me, but the heap fell apart as they tried to get past the thin section of the ant queen¡¯s back. As they collapsed, I jumped toward them and used their bodies as a ramp.

    Their mandibles snipped at my legs, but I managed to avoid getting snagged as I hopped to the top of the writhing mass. Before it could collapse further, I turned and jumped back towards the ant queens head.

    The marker for the perfect point hovered in the centre of the ant queens skull.

    ¡°Buffed Fury! Buffed strike!¡±

    My staff crashed down on the marked point. The armour, which had previously held up against any attack I had made against it, was crushed aside as my weapon cracked through it.

    **Perfect Point struck. Critical Strike.**

    I only managed one critical strike, but that was enough. The ant''s head had caved in, but it survived the damage as it screeched below me. Now that I had broken through its tough outer layer, I no longer needed any fancy tactics.

    As I rained strikes down on it, the creature''s struggles weakened until it collapsed to the floor. A moment after it had died, the rest of its summoned minions followed suit as they crashed to the floor around me.

    ¡°Well, that wasn¡¯t too bad.¡± Cory hovered above me as he spoke in a smug tone.

    ¡°Did you have to say-¡± My angry rebuttal was interrupted as the ant queen exploded.

    The outer layer erupted outwards, carrying me with it. As I had been on the edge, my trajectory was mostly horizontal, but that didn¡¯t help matters as I dropped towards the floor at an alarming rate.

    I saw Cory flash in front of me for a second before I crashed into him. He had matched my velocity to some extent, but it still blew the air from my lungs as he caught me.

    After we slowed down enough, he dropped me to the floor. My legs had taken most of the impact, but I was still winded for several seconds before I finally pushed myself upright.

    ¡°Rook, are you OK?¡± Rose appeared next to me and looked me over before she turned back to Cory. ¡°What the hell was that? You used to be the dungeon heart for this place, care to tell us why that thing just tried to take us out with it?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Cory hovered beside me, his light dim as it flickered deep within. ¡°There must have been a new surge of mana, and it was a big one. I¡¯ll keep a closer eye on it in the future.¡±

    **Congratulations. You have levelled up.**

    After the voice rang out, I let the tension drop out of my body. It would only announce a level up after combat had ended, so the fact it had spoken now confirmed that the battle had finished.

    ¡°Might be worth a look.¡± I nodded as I brushed myself off. After so many near death and actual death experiences, my mind had adapted. At least, that¡¯s what I liked to tell myself. ¡°Well, at least it''s over now.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t stop myself from saying those words. As I tried to pull them back, the smoke behind us cleared and revealed yet another figure.

    It was another ant, though this one only at the size of the ¡®usual¡¯ large ants.

    The creature was around two feet tall, though its antennae reached a fair bit higher as it stared in our direction. Though my body ached after the long battle, I didn¡¯t show myself any mercy as I raised my staff in its direction.

    But it didn¡¯t attack.

    Instead, it tilted its head from side to side as it looked between each of us. Despite the fact that Rose should be invisible to everyone other than me, it still gave her several glances before it turned back to me.

    I didn¡¯t know much about ants, but the fact it had yet to attack left me puzzled. My guard remained up as it took step after cautious step towards me. If this was some sort of trick so that it could strike at close range, then it wouldn¡¯t work.

    ¡°Rook, wait.¡± Rose called out from the side, her eyes fixed on the creature as it approached. ¡°I don¡¯t think it''s aggressive.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I glanced at Rose out of the corner of my eye. ¡°This thing is a summoned creature in a dungeon, how can it not be aggressive?¡±

    ¡°I agree with her.¡± Cory spoke quietly at first, but his words gained confidence as he continued. ¡°I don¡¯t feel any link to it. This isn¡¯t a creature of the dungeon.¡±

    After the pair had agreed, I slowly lowered my staff. The ant watched me, entranced by my movements, before it took another step towards me. As it neared, a faint fragrance hit my nose.

    Flowers in the rain, as far as I could describe it.

    The ant let out a low pitched rasp as it nuzzled against my leg. Its mandibles, which were easily large enough to cut my skin from bone, rubbed against my thigh as I watched the ant in shock.

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­ it thinks I¡¯m its mother?¡±

 Chapter 68 - Something out of nothing, the dungeon hearts past

    Rose cleared up my misconception about our new companion. It wasn¡¯t that it thought I was its parent. Instead, it had assumed I was its queen. The newly born ant hadn¡¯t known anything else, but its race had been hardcoded to follow a strict hierarchy.

    My new pet was a worker ant, the lowest of the bunch. Though I couldn¡¯t see through its combat abilities, it was clear they would be lower than the other ant minions summoned by the queen, at least until its level rose high enough to unlock more skills.

    But that didn¡¯t matter. The rest of the summoned creatures had turned to smoke after the queen had been defeated, but this little one had stayed alive despite that. Speaking of her defeat, I checked my guild card and confirmed my level had risen from eleven to thirteen. I felt like complaining for a moment before I realised that most people might not even level up once from these battles.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, Rook. You¡¯ve gained a lot from these battles.¡± Rose spoke out as she noticed the reaction to my new level. ¡°The world only allows you to gain a maximum of one level per enemy defeated, and that¡¯s only if you completed the battle without assistance.¡±

    ¡°Wait, really?¡± I looked up from the card. That would explain how I had only levelled up twice despite my involvement in the large scale battle and my solo takedown of a dungeon boss.

    ¡°Yeah, remember the slime queen? Even though that was likely over level one-hundred, your level still only rose by one.¡±

    ¡°Oh, Right.¡± That did explain it. Whilst I hadn¡¯t thought about it too much, it had been an irritation at the back of my brain since Claire first mentioned the Slime Queen¡¯s level.

    ¡°Well, ignoring that, we need to decide how to deal with our new friend here.¡± Rose turned from me to the creature who watched our back and forth with interest.

    ¡°Do I need to¡­¡± I looked down at the ant. It was peculiar, but I didn¡¯t feel an ounce of hostility from the creature. Even so, this was a summoned enemy in a dungeon, and I knew well enough what they were created for.

    ¡°No.¡± Cory hovered above the ant. Its head twitched back and forth as it followed the glowing crystal with its gaze. ¡°This is strange. Everything is strange around you.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I folded my arms and stared at the former dungeon heart. ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything. How are you going to blame this one on me?¡±

    ¡°Overflow.¡± Rose floated to the ground and held her hand out towards the ant. It moved forward to rub its head against her hand, but jumped back in surprise as Rose¡¯s hand passed through its outer armour. ¡°The ant queen must have been created at that time and stored. There¡¯s no other explanation for this.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s right.¡± Cory piped up again before I could respond. ¡°Dungeons don¡¯t change without a reason. This one hasn¡¯t upgraded, so the only cause could be what happened during your last stay.¡±

    ¡°Wait, wait¡­ you¡¯re saying I created the ant queen? That I created this thing?¡± I waved at the ant. ¡°That seems like a bit of stretch¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh, really?¡± Cory floated next to one of the ant queen armour pieces that had dropped nearby. ¡°Check this and tell me what you think then.¡±

    After I analysed the piece, my mouth opened in shock for a moment. It was classed as a material and could be processed as such, but an additional line was tagged on the end that left me speechless.

    Ant queen Armour Piece - External armour plate from ant queen. Can be processed and reformed by a skilled crafter. Due to the process of creation, provides large bonus to Transmutation experience gain.

    After I read the description for the third time, a small grin formed on my face. This was perfect. My Transmutation had reached the advanced rank, but my main aim had always been to master it. Once it passed that point, I would have another choice of utility skills.

    ¡°But what about her?¡± Rose waved at the ant, who had crept up behind me as I inspected the ant queen drops. I jumped in shock at its stealthy approach, but it merely stared at me with its huge, clear eyes.

    ¡°She isn¡¯t a part of the dungeon.¡± Cory tapped on the back of the ants head, which caused her to snip at him as he darted back up. ¡°I can¡¯t feel any link to her, and she didn¡¯t disappear when the ant queen was defeated.¡±

    ¡°We can think about her later.¡± I shook my head and turned back to the ant queen armour pieces. ¡°I won¡¯t ask how you know her gender all of a sudden. I guess it doesn¡¯t really matter.¡±

    ¡°Well, she is technically an ant queen.¡± Rose moved to ghost-pat the ant, but it scurried around until I was between her and the floating menace. ¡°She¡¯s just classed as a worker for now. When she passes her advancement tests, she¡¯ll rank up.¡±

    ¡°Wait, monsters can have tests?¡± I looked up from the armour plates and gave Rose a side-ways glance. ¡°You didn¡¯t mention that before.¡±

    ¡°I thought it was obvious. How else do you think this world works.¡± Rose grinned at me. ¡°Creatures are born into their roles on your world, but here they earn it.¡±

    I ignored the subtle jab as I glanced at the scattered pieces of ant queen armour. Some were small enough for me to pick them up, but several of the larger chunks would crush me if I tried to lift them.

    This should be enough to reach the master rank, I hope. I wonder what Infusion is like.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    I had already decided on the next utility skill I would select. Perception would be useful if I had any ranged attacks, but the current me had nothing of the sort. I had heard something about an advanced skill that gave Supporters a long-range attack, but those were mostly of a supportive nature, which did make sense given the class.

    So I set to work. My inventory was still relatively clear, so I managed to pick up half of the ant queen pieces before the voice warned me of the capacity issues again. I dropped them into a corner and collected the rest, after which I had one neat pile.

    Well, neat compared to what it had looked like not too long ago.

    ¡°This inventory of yours is amazing.¡± Cory had hopped back into my internal space as I collected the loot. ¡°Seriously, you should become a trader. It would be an easy life for both of us.¡±

    ¡°Until an evil god wakes up and destroys the world, yeah.¡± I shook my head and picked up a small armour plate chunk. ¡°I did have a question about that, though. Are you sentient?¡±

    ¡°I feel like I should be insulted, but I can¡¯t tell¡­¡±

    ¡°Well, the Inventory skill doesn¡¯t let me pick up sentient creatures, but you can jump in and out at will. Bit odd.¡± Cory popped into existence in front of my eyes. ¡°See? Weird, right?¡±

    ¡°Well, technically I¡¯m not going into your skill, I¡¯m joining it.¡± Cory tilted back and jabbed at my face with one of his points. ¡°I can¡¯t control it unless you let me, but there do seem to be a few interesting options.¡±

    ¡°Oh, right.¡± My gaze dropped to the armour plate in my hand again. ¡°We can talk about it later. First, I have a small task for you.¡±

    ¡°Your wish is my command, ¡®master¡¯.¡±

    ¡°I want you to pass on a message for me.¡± I continued on unabated as I ignored his snippy comment. ¡°I want you to speak to Anne. Ask her to work with the village leader to pick out anyone they feel might be an issue.¡±

    ¡°Wait, Rook.¡± Rose span around to face me, her face taut as she moved close. I ignored her as I finished my order to Cory.

    ¡°Just mark them out. Oh, and move the entrance about when it''s attacked. Clive will get bored otherwise, right?¡±

    Cory spun slightly to look at Rose before he hovered towards the distant wall. With that issue solved, I turned back to my work.

    ¡°Rook, can you not trust them?¡±

    ¡°Not without proof, no.¡± I glanced up at her and forced a smile. ¡°I saved them to pay back the leader¡¯s trust. Believing that they will pay back my deed with their actions is asking for a knife in my back.¡±

    Rose clamped her mouth closed before she vanished back into my mind. She could sulk for all I cared, but it wouldn¡¯t change my mind. Being optimistic was a nice idea, but I would rather plan for the worst and be happy with it didn¡¯t happen.

    With my silent companion in tow, I started my work on the armour plates. Though I couldn¡¯t actively see the experience gains for my transmutation, I knew that it would be high. That would have to be enough to sustain me for the time being.

    And it would give those idiots outside enough time to refresh my dungeon''s energy reserves. I grinned to myself as the first chunk of ant queen armour melted and twisted in my hands. Each pass of the skill shrunk it slightly, but it took many more uses to fully destroy even a smaller piece.

    I wonder how Clive will react when he finds out. I really want to see his face, before I punch his lights out of course.

    After an hour of constant grinding, Cory returned. His light was dim as he floated back through the wall and landed next to me.

    ¡°I told them. She wasn¡¯t happy at first, but the bandit king agreed with your thought process.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± The fact that the bandit king had backed up my idea didn¡¯t please me, but at least it had stopped Anne¡¯s refusal in its tracks. ¡°So they¡¯re looking into the villagers and the bandits?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡± Cory¡¯s voice was muted as he answered. I looked up from the armour plate I was in the process of using up. Each one lasted through a good number of transmutation uses before they crumbled to dust, but the voice had yet to reward me with the rank up I desired for my hard labor.

    ¡°Is there a problem?¡± I patted the crystal, who shook under my touch before he floated up in front of my face.

    ¡°You¡¯re different, yet you¡¯re also the same.¡± I opened my mouth to ask him what he meant, but he continued before I could get a word out. ¡°I¡¯ve seen three marked ones before you. None of them cared about this world or the people in it. All they wanted to do was go home. But you do care¡­ and you don¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± The piece in my hand crumbled as my attention was pulled aside. I shook my head and reached for another armour plate.

    ¡°You saved the villagers, but now you don¡¯t trust them. You went into the bandit camp to find the king, then you attacked him.¡± Cory''s movements became more erratic with every word he spoke. ¡°I trusted you, I still do, but my friend died the last time I trusted a marked one. This time, I don¡¯t have anything to lose.¡±

    ¡°Your friend?¡± I dropped the ant queen plate to the floor and gave Cory my undivided attention. Losing friends due to trusting people was something I was well acquainted with. ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°Nothing much. A marked one came in with her party. She wanted to level up, said she would save the world. Like you.¡± Cory vibrated softly for a moment before he continued. ¡°They had a great plan. Force a large quantity of mana into the dungeon and increase the spawn rate. They would get what they wanted, and our dungeon would upgrade faster. Win-win, they said.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± I frowned and glanced away guiltily. His story sounded eerily similar to my current plans. ¡°I¡¯m guessing something went wrong?¡±

    ¡°They forced too much mana into the dungeon. We told them to stop, but they just kept going. When I broke off the link¡­ they killed her.¡± Cory dipped to the ground again. Before I could try to comfort him, Rose appeared beside me and waved me into silence.

    ¡°You were a twinned core.¡± Her words were soft as she floated down next to the distraught core. ¡°She took the surge for you, and that broke the link, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Cory floated up from the ground again as his voice regained its lost composure. ¡°After that, I locked them out. The dungeon failed not long after, and I woke up here. I wanted to prove to myself that I could make the greatest dungeon ever, so I focused on increasing the amount of mana it could take and sustain. Though we can¡¯t reuse mana in any battle rooms, any other sources can be picked up with enough practice.¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡± I glanced at the area where I had fought the ant queen. The overflow had been the spark, but Cory had laid the kindling with his previous works. Since it had happened whilst I was in the dungeon heart, and not a specific battle room, the mana had invaded the dungeon system. Without the two sides combined, it was likely the mana I had produced at the time would have killed me. ¡°Thanks.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Cory brightened slightly as I thanked him. ¡°Like you, I don¡¯t trust people easily. The fact that you have Rose by your side helped, of course.¡±

    ¡°Right, the alpha-guide.¡± I glanced at Rose, who avoided my gaze. ¡°You¡¯ll have to explain that to me eventually, you know?¡±

    ¡°I will. Get past your second advancement first.¡± Rose shook her head before she looked back at me. ¡°I promise you, when you¡¯ve got past that point, I¡¯ll tell you everything I know.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll hold you to that.¡± I turned back to my work with a smile. It felt as though a great weight had been lifted from my shoulders. Though there weren¡¯t many people I trusted in this world, I had at least managed to gather a few comrades I could rely on.

    I¡¯m changing, bit by bit. They¡¯re changing me.

 Chapter 69 - Ranking up my skills, an experiment succeeds

    After Cory had passed on my message, I decided to give Anne the time to sort through the villagers I had taken in. It wasn¡¯t like I would just toss them out if they were pointed out as a potential threat, but I wouldn¡¯t allow them into any further runs of the dungeon room.

    I had brought everyone through for the first run to use up the overflow of mana. In addition to the fact that their lower levels helped us control the enemies we faced, it was too perfect a situations to skip out on. There shouldn¡¯t be too many problematic people, so one or two of them gaining a level wouldn¡¯t hurt me in the long run.

    So I continued with my work. The ant queen had dropped a lot of materials which were tagged with the Transmutation bonus, so it would take me at least a day to get through them. The mana being thrown at the dungeon entrance had slowed, but after we made the entry react and move in relation to the attacks, it sped up once more.

    Whilst Clive was a moron, he was still useful in some regards.

    But the overall amount of mana had yet to reach the level required for another large spawn wave. At the current rate it would take at least a few hours to build up enough, and after that, the dungeon could store at least three times as much on top before it was filled to the brim.

    Normal dungeons didn¡¯t even accept external mana sources, but thanks to Cory¡¯s prior works this one was different. I admired his dedication in spite of what he had gone through, which helped spur me on in my own work. If he could change himself this much, then how could I complain about having to focus on a piece of ant armour for a few minutes.

    After I had finished off the smaller pieces that were scattered at my feet, Rose appeared again beside me with a slight smile. I half expected her to throw out a sarcastic quip, but what she said was quite the opposite.

    ¡°Cory¡¯s right, you are different. The other marked ones I helped in the past could never focus this much.¡±

    ¡°Well, I do have a good reason to focus.¡± I grinned as I laid my hands on one of the larger chunks. This piece was too big for me to pick up, so I had been forced into an awkward crouch beside it complete the process.

    ¡°So did the others, but they were easily distracted. Pretty girls or guys, the promise of treasure, a princess to rescue from a dragon.¡± Rose¡¯s tone was especially cold for the last of her list before she sighed as she settled down on a chunk of armour and stared at me. ¡°I guess that¡¯s part of the reason I never bonded with them.¡±

    ¡°Wait, I¡¯m the first person you linked to?¡± I stopped my Transmutation and glanced up at the ghost girl perched beside me. ¡°How did you help them, then?¡±

    ¡°I stayed with the book. They carried me around and called out if they needed help.¡± Rose shrugged a single shoulder before she continued. ¡°The book never reacted to them, and neither did I.¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡± I glanced down for a moment in guilt. The book in question had been one of the things I lost during Ray¡¯s attempt to turn me into a human torch. Whilst most of the items in my bag survived, the book had burned to a crisp.

    ¡°Whilst I do admire your focus, I think you need to let yourself relax.¡± Rose spoke again before I could apologise for the loss of her precious item. ¡°I know you have a heavy weight on your shoulders, but you need some human contact. You can¡¯t keep thinking of other people like they are unrelated to you.¡±

    ¡°I get your point.¡± I took a deep breath and looked back up at her. ¡°I can promise that I¡¯ll try, but every time I trust someone they end up¡­¡±

    ¡°Claire didn¡¯t. I didn¡¯t.¡± Rose waved off my pessimism with a smile.

    ¡°Neither did I.¡± Cory piped up from behind, as though he was afraid that he was missing out on the conversation.

    ¡°I know, and I appreciate it, but you aren¡¯t human. Claire is¡­ was¡­ I don¡¯t know.¡± I rubbed my eyes and settled onto the ground. ¡°I¡¯ll give it a go, that¡¯s all I can say.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Rose pushed herself up and stepped next to me. ¡°First on the agenda, food. I don¡¯t know how long you¡¯re planning to keep these people in the dungeon, but it''s not like we can just summon up a feast for them.¡±

    ¡°Well, we can¡¯t now.¡± I grinned at her as I pushed myself to my feet.

    ¡°Wait, you really planned that far ahead?¡± Cory darted in front of me. ¡°I always thought you¡¯d¡­ uh¡­¡±

    ¡°What, keep them for myself?¡± I raised an eyebrow at the crystal, who hovered in awkward silence. ¡°Even if I don¡¯t trust them, it''s not like I¡¯d let them starve.¡±If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    ¡°You¡¯re going to feed them the ant legs from your first battle in the dungeon?¡± Rose titled her head to one side. ¡°Well, I guess they can¡¯t complain. Food is food. What about you?¡±

    ¡°Well, I still have enough rations to last a few days. After that, I am hoping to be out of this place.¡± I moved back to my self-appointed task with a sigh. ¡°They won¡¯t starve before I¡¯m done with this. If they do have issues, Cory can tell me and I¡¯ll send some stuff out. Right?¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Cory mumbled before he hovered back over to the wall instead. Though he was acting like a puppy who had just been shouted at for no reason, I ignored his antics and set back to work.

    Rose watched over me throughout the process. Each of the larger chunks took over half an hour each before they showed noticeable wear. The Transmutation process was efficient, but a certain amount of the material would be lost with each use. It seemed like the laws of physics I had learned in the past were in effect here, magic or not.

    I only had one large piece left by the time the voice rang out. Overall the process had taken six hours. Whilst that was a long time, it was an insignificant price to pay for the gains I had received.

    **Congratulations! Transmutation has reached (master) proficiency. Additional details and effects will be listed in the ability window.**

    **Conditions passed, please select a new utility skill.**

    I glanced at my guild card with a grin as I sat on the last piece of ant queen armour. The utility section once again had a drop-down menu with several options. I saw Infusion and Perception, but another skill had been listed that caught my eye.

    Full Support.

    Maybe it was due to the fact I had pushed my Transmutation skill to the master rank, but I now had a full description of the effects for each skill. My assumptions about Infusion had been correct, but the usage of Perception and Full Support gave me pause for thought.

    Infusion (basic) - User can merge and meld items to create higher rank creations. Effects limited by skill rank. Skill can also affect other skills, limited by the mastery level of Infusion and the targeted skills.

    Perception (basic) - User gains enhanced vision and tracking for ranged targets. Can be manually activated for assisted aiming. Higher ranks lower the minimum range for the skill to be activated.

    Full Support (basic) - User can activate to become the epitome of a Supporter. All buffs no longer affect user, but are increased when used on allies. Buffs still require casting on user for this effect to be used.

    I dismissed the last option after less than a second. Whilst it did seem powerful, leaving myself vulnerable at this point was an idiotic move. Maybe in the future if I had a team I could rely on it would be worthwhile, but for the time being it would be a wasted skill.

    Perception was similar. There were some ranged attacks for Supporters, but their effects were limited and at a minimum I would have to pass my another advancement test to receive one, so it would be a long-term investment without a confirmed payout at the end.

    That left Infusion. Now that the full skill details had been listed, its effects looked more cheat-like that I had imagined. A few situations popped into my mind as I looked it over. Though the other two options had some combat uses, Infusion would help me in a multitude of ways.

    The Infusion skill popped up under the utility section as soon as I selected it. The other two greyed out again, but I knew I would be able to receive them at a later point. I would just have to push my Transmutation or Infusion to a high enough rank to receive them.

    But that was if my next plan didn¡¯t work out.

    It was risky, but the benefits would be worth it if the skill worked as I expected. I focused my mind inward as I activated the new skill I had been provided with. My external senses shut down as I dug deeper into my brain for the target of my Infusion experiment.

    **Do you wish to merge Infusion and Transmutation. Skill rank will be lowered to match the difference between the skills. Effects of each skill will remain unchanged.**

    The voice confirmed exactly what I wanted to hear. If the merge would have lowered them both to the basic level, there would have been no point in trying it at all.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    **Infusion activating on Infusion and Transmutation¡­ Completed. Do you wish to name the new skill?**

    ¡°Uh¡­¡± I paused for a moment. It wanted me to name the newly created skill? It hadn¡¯t mentioned that before¡­

    **Do you wish to name the new skill ¡°Uh¡±?**

    Though the voice never changed its tone, I still felt an undercurrent of sarcasm as it asked for my confirmation. After a moment of thought, I decided to go with my gut feeling.

    ¡°Please name the new skill to Transmutation.¡±

    The voice accepted my command and the skills in my utility section shrunk down to one yet again. Though this skill was still named the same, the effects it listed far outmatched the old variant.

    Transmutation (advanced) - User is able to change the state of non-sentient material. Results vary depending on level of ability rank and mana usage. User can merge and meld items to create higher rank creations. Effects limited by skill rank. Skill can also affect other skills, limited by the mastery level of Infusion and the targeted skills.

    The organic tag had been replaced with sentient. Though I had been able to use the skill on monster drops, this change now increased the options for its usage. If the tag had been removed entirely I would have been able to just reach inside a person''s brain and give it a sharp pinch.

    Obviously those who watched over the world wouldn¡¯t give me such a cheat, but the combined usage of the skill was close to that level even with the specification. It had changed when Transmutation had ranked up to master, but the fact it had remained when the skill was pulled down to advanced was a shock.

    There would be time to test it later. After spending so long crouched down beside pieces of dull, prickly monster drops, I needed something else to do for a while. I was about to call out for another spawn of monsters before a specific line of the skill description pulled at my brain.

    ¡°A skill that can affect other skills? Wait¡­ don¡¯t tell me¡­¡± A shiver ran through my soul as I realised the power of my new skill. ¡°This is perfect!¡±