《The Tempered》 Chapter 1: A Normal Friday It was a normal Friday. Class had just been let out for the weekend and I wasted no time making my way back to my dorm. Grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge and a few snacks, I sat down at my desk and loaded up my current addiction: Saga Heroes Online (SHO). Saga Heroes Online is the world¡¯s current leading MMO. Set in a fantasy land of swords and magic, you can forge a character and set off on incredible adventures with your friends. There were thousands of possible races to choose from with completely customizable subclasses in order to allow diversity among the players. The game itself had a level cap of 1000, but leveling your character was just half the battle. Levels awarded you stats and mana, but without high tier skills or equipment all of your baseline abilities would be wasted. For veteran players like me, leveling up an account to the max was a piece of cake¡­ And that¡¯s why I was leveling up an account right now. I am a power leveler. People pay me over paypal and, in exchange, I level up their accounts within a few days time. It¡¯s a rather harmless system, all things considered, and it¡¯s even quite lucrative if you have the knowhow. It wasn¡¯t exactly looked upon as the most honorable of professions, but if you can find me any other job where I could make 500 bones a week by playing video games then I¡¯ll gladly stop. In the world of power levelers, the faster you can get the job done the higher your skills are regarded¡­ And the more clients you can level for in a short period of time. I had, personally, discovered several methods that let me grind accounts to the maximum in about 8 hours of total game time. I guess you could say that I was, quite literally, the greatest power leveler in all of Saga Heroes Online. It was something akin to my calling, you know. Today, too, I was leveling an account for someone. The current client opted to stay anonymous, but that was no problem for me. So long as you paid, then you could claim to be Jabba the Hut and I wouldn¡¯t mind. This person, Calliope17 was the username, had a very unique character. It was a female demon with both the warrior and mage classes. She was essentially a magic swordsman, and the character had very high spec skills. When I first started leveling the account up I was surprised by the sheer number of abilities and the overall strength of the items. These things, while completely unrelated to my job, actually made leveling the account easier. With better skills and equipment I could grind off stronger mobs that awarded more experience. I had already gotten the account into the 900s. This job of mine really was nice~ It was about time for dinner so I decided to log off the game for now. I would continue leveling later. If I finished Calliope17¡¯s character tonight, I could get a headstart on the Kobold Priest character I needed to level tomorrow. Things were going well. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. I grabbed my coat and walked out of my apartment. I was in a good mood so I pulled out my phone to text my friend Sal. While I was mid text, I suddenly felt myself falling. Before I even had time to panic, I hit the ground and everything went black. There was no pain. There was no screaming. There was nothing. I felt nothing. I was nothing. Then there was a terrible light. A ripping sensation filled me and I found myself floating. I was floating over my own mangled body, lying at the bottom of an uncovered manhole that I had fallen into while texting¡­ I think I died. I waved my hands in front of my face. They were transparent, like I was a ghost. I looked down at my body once more and a terrible sadness filled me. I had died. Understanding filled me and I wanted to cry. There were so many things I hadn¡¯t done yet. I still hadn¡¯t ever even slept with a woman! There were so many video games I had yet to play! And, perhaps my greatest regret, was that I hadn¡¯t finished leveling up the SHO accounts I promised yet! I don¡¯t know why the last fact hurt me the most. Perhaps it was because I took pride in my work, or perhaps I was just a fucked up person. It didn¡¯t really matter why I felt the way I did. Then, something amazing happened. I heard the voice of a God. ¡°I see you have lingering regrets. Do you want another chance at life?¡± It wasn¡¯t really a voice. It was more like a thought that forced its way into my head. Perhaps it was the overwhelming grief storming within my mind, but I answered the strange voice immediately with a profound ¡®Yes¡¯. ¡°Very well. Then I will give you a new life in a different world¡­ A world you know quite well, actually. You will be given a new life in the world that your beloved game is based upon.¡± I was dumbfounded. My tears dried up and I seriously looked around me, trying to find the source of that voice. Was I being pranked by another spirit or was I really hearing the voice of a deity? Besides, why would any God give me such a gift? ¡°The answer to your question is quite simple,¡± Replied the voice as if it could hear my thoughts. ¡°I think it¡¯s interesting. You are interesting. I want to watch what you¡¯ll do in this new world. You¡¯re like a toy, and I think you were put in the wrong toybox. That¡¯s all. Now stop questioning this disembodied voice echoing through your head and get ready. This will take quite a bit of my divine power, so I won''t be able to help you out once you get on the other side¡­ But I¡¯ll leave you a guide in case you have any questions you need answered. Oh, my name is Nox.¡± Just as the voice finished speaking the entire world turned white. Instead of a ripping sensation, I felt a flood of warmth spread through me. Then, I fell into the deepest sleep of my life. Chapter 2: A New World My head was screaming. I could hear voices talking around me but I couldn¡¯t understand them. I tried opening my eyes but the light was blinding so I forced my eyelids shut. My body felt limp. I couldn¡¯t move, even if I tried. What was going on? [Solution: Your soul is acclimating to your new body. A minimum of three days rest is necessary for this procedure to finish.] As if by divine will, my question was answered by a strange disembodied voice ringing in my head. This time, though, the voice held no traces of emotion. It sounded like a computer text to speech program. My thoughts, of course, became even more turbulent. Just what was I hearing? [Solution: I am your guide in this world provided by Lord Nox. I am programmed with encyclopedic knowledge of anything you may wish to know. My name is Research Encyclopedia of Discovery, or R.E.D. for short.] This was rather convenient. It seems I have some kind of foreign computer program shoved in my brain that responds when I think of a question. I think if I test this out a bit I¡¯ll get a better idea of what¡¯s going on. Okay, RED, what happened to me and what¡¯s going on with my body right now? [Solution: Your previous body perished and Lord Nox removed your soul from the reincarnation cycle. He opened a portal to a different world and created you a new body here. Your soul is currently acclimating to your new body. Time remaining until full acclimation: 43 hours.] That¡¯s a long time to sit around and do nothing. Still, now that I¡¯m in a new world perhaps it¡¯s for the better. I can use this time to ask RED some questions and better learn about everything around me. If I¡¯m in a new world there¡¯s no reason to become bitter or panic. The old me died, anyways¡­ Though something has been nagging at the back of my mind for a while now. Why can¡¯t I remember my old name? [Solution: Your old name was attached to your old body, which you no longer possess. Your current body¡¯s new name has yet to be decided.] Wait, new body? What is my current body like? [Solution: When My Lord Nox was creating your new body, he used your current avatar from Saga Heroes Online in order to help you adjust to your new life faster. Everything was reproduced from level, to abilities, and even equipment.] Oh. So that means I have my character¡¯s appearance too? [Solution: Yes.] I fistpumped internally. My character from Saga Heroes Online was a six foot tall hunk of a man with long flowing blond hair. He also had all maximum stats and the best skills possible to go along with his monk and sorcerer classes. It seems this Nox, whether he be a Demon or God, has opted to give me an amazing gift. Not only will I get a new chance at life, I can live as my favorite character in my favorite world with all my favorite powers and abilities. I truly am grateful. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. So, Red, what else can you do? [Solution: I can provide data and analysis on any number of things including races, skills, equipment, and special effects.] Then can you list out all of my own personal statistics and skills so I can see if all of my abilities really were carried over? [Solution: Race: Demon Princess Subclass Primary: Warrior Subclass Secondary: Mage -Statistics- Level: 941 Strength: 814 (914) Speed: 957 (999) Constitution: 679 (800) Intelligence: 560 Wisdom: 632 Luck: 7 -Skill List- Normal Class: Heavy Strike, Magic Imbue, Fast Strike, Flurry Strike Adept Class: Intangible Striking, Armor Break, Flash Draw Journeyman Class: Tornado Creation, Fire Blade, Wind Slash Expert Class: Stat Increase, Drill of Heaven''s, Blade Extension Master Class: True Strikes, Brutal power Deity Class (Hidden): Heaven¡¯s Downfall, Rock the World -Equipment- Normal Class: None Adept Class: None Journeyman Class: None Expert Class: Spacefold Item Pack Master Class: Heaven¡¯s Demon Garb Deity Class (Hidden): Belial¡¯s Blade] No. No no no no no! Why is my race Demon Princess? [Solution: Your last avatar used was named Calliope17, hence that was the avatar Nox based your new body on.] My mind went blank for a moment. This is, perhaps, the worst possible outcome. Does this mean my current body looks like a 12 year old girl? [Solution: Yes.] Why did this happen? [Solution: Data not found.] Is this all just a lucid dream? [Solution: No.] Perhaps if I just sleep now I¡¯ll wake up back home hunched over my computer desk. [Solution: Proposition is impossible.] Yes, that¡¯s what I¡¯ll do. I¡¯ll just close my eyes and sleep until everything is normal again. [Solution: Would you like this guide to artificially induce a sleep state until Soul Acclimation has finished?] Distraught and without any idea of what to do, I simply affirm ¡®Yes¡¯ in my mind and then my consciousness faded away. Chapter 3: Plans and Questions [Solution: Soul acclimation has completed. Would you like to exit sleep state?] The first thing I hear is this damned voice again. Do I even need to give the obvious answer? [Solution: This guide cannot act without proper commands or prompts from the user.] I want to sigh. Yes, let me exit sleep state. There¡¯s no point crying over what I can¡¯t change now. The first thing I need to do is get a full grasp of my current situation. [Solution: Exiting sleep state.] I opened my eyes. The light was blinding at first, but my eyes adjusted in an instant. I was staring up at a shoddy wooden ceiling. Sitting up, I found myself in a rather cozy, albeit ragged, bed. I moved my arms a bit, and I was surprised by how natural my movements felt. In my past life I was an adult male, so I had assumed getting used to my new body would take a few days at least. Was this the result of the Soul Acclimation? [Solution: Yes.] I see. Even though my new hands were so thin and small, they felt completely natural. My appearance, if I remembered everything correctly, should be that of a 12 year old girl. Even though my race was demonic in base, the user who designed the character went through a lot of trouble to make her features entirely human. I could only be thankful for this. Even with soul acclimation I don¡¯t think I could adjust to having a monster¡¯s body. I should just look at the few good things in order to better deal with the transition. Looking around I finally noticed another person in the room with me. It¡¯s a teenage boy sitting reverse on a chair. He seems to be sleeping using his arms as a pillow by leaning on the backrest. His hair was brown and curly. His build and clothes screamed farmhand from his overalls down to his ruddy boots. He stirred, probably after hearing me moving around, and with an awful sleeping face lifted his head up until our eyes met. His pupils were surrounded by a profound hazel. They were lovely eyes. After a moment of staring in a daze, the boy¡¯s eyes shot open and he jumped from his chair. ¡°-------------------!¡± He started talking, but I couldn¡¯t understand a word. [Solution: Do you wish for me to automatically translate communication?] Yes. Of course, yes. Why would I want to possibly be stuck in a world where I couldn¡¯t understand anyone? [Solution: Data not found.] This damn guide was starting to get on my nerves. Just shut up and start translating you useless program. [Solution: Automatic Translation Activated.] ¡°Hello? Are you listening?¡± I could understand his words. The suddenness of it all made me flinch. I looked up at him with a blank expression. ¡°Ah, sorry. I guess I was still half asleep. Could you repeat yourself?¡± I asked. My own voice surprised me. It was much higher than I was used to, but it still didn¡¯t feel wrong. ¡°Uhg, I was asking why a girl like you was asleep in the Asmodian Woods? If I hadn¡¯t found you you¡¯d surely have been eaten by a magical beast by now, you know,¡± Said the boy. His voice was scratchy and deep. He was probably older than I had estimated initially. Still, his question posed a new problem. I was completely new to this world. I don¡¯t know much about it, either. How powerful are the magical beasts of this world? [Solution: The magical beasts of this world follow the same ranking and population levels of Saga Heroes Online. They are scaled on a rank scale from 1-9 depending on their strength.] Oh. That¡¯s actually good. That means, with my stats and skills, I won''t have anything to fear outside of a high leveled monster horde. I don¡¯t recognize the ¡®Asmodian Woods¡¯, but I¡¯m certain that unless it¡¯s a legendary hidden location I won¡¯t have anything to fear. I thought I knew most -if not all- of the locations within Saga Heroes Online. Are the locations in this world different from the game world? [Solution: The game Saga Heroes Online was based upon this world from 1,500 years in the past. The world has since undergone a cataclysm and the map is vastly different from the one the user knows.] Ah, that makes sense. There¡¯s no way this world could possibly be identical to Saga Heroes Online. So where exactly am I right now, then? [Solution: You are in Eastrock Village. A small farming community on the Eastern border of the Gransus Kingdom. The village borders the Asmodian Woods where magical beasts up to rank 3 are said to roam.] Hah, this boy thinks a rank 3 beast could hurt me? Even if I was unconscious a rank 3 beast couldn¡¯t do enough damage to lower my health points by half. [Solution: In the case the body is attacked while unconscious this guide could take manual control over the body to defend it.] Oh? So I don¡¯t need to worry about being killed even while I sleep? [Solution: Yes.] Hmm. RED, out of all the living sentient beings in this world how many are over level 900? [Solution: There is currently 0 sentient beings over level 900.] Let me rephrase. What¡¯s the highest level sentient existence in this world other than me? [Solution: The current Demon King is level 481.] Isn¡¯t this too much!? Why is this world so weak? [Solution: Saga Heroes Online wasn¡¯t real. It was a game. Therefore players could experiment and level up without fear of death. In response to the players¡¯ levels the developers increased mob and boss levels to follow suit. In this reality if you die then you don¡¯t come back. Thus most people aren''t willing to risk battling to gain experience. They usually opt to gather experience through training which takes considerably longer.] I¡¯m immediately awestruck by this answer. In my previous life power leveling was my call to action. It was -to me- the most rewarding experience. RED, are there still sacred grounds with mobs of high rank beasts? [Solution: Yes.] Good. So power leveling in this world is still possible, then. It seems the different races just don¡¯t do it. Or maybe they consider 481 to actually be high leveled. Though, if I had been born at level 1 in this world, I probably wouldn¡¯t have gotten into power leveling either. ¡°Hello? Did you blank out again?¡± Asked the boy. It was only now that I remembered he was even here! The real question at hand is how to I respond to him? I don¡¯t suppose I have some convenient backstory to fall on? [Solution: Data not found.] Yeah, I didn¡¯t think so. Perhaps I should play the role of an amnesiac? Should I try to bullshit a story? Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.[Solution: This guide could craft a believable story for you. Do you desire this guide to do so?] Yes. That would make things so much simpler. ¡°Ah, I was taking a walk with my father through the woods when he heard a pack of Devil Hounds approaching. He went off to lure them away and I waited for him. I guess I lost consciousness from exhaustion.¡± ¡°Tch. Hate to break it to you kid but your dad¡¯s probably a goner,¡± replied the tactless farm boy. My impression of him was lowered immediately. Suddenly the door swung open. ¡°James! Why would you say something like that!¡± This voice belonged to a wide woman wearing a hemp cloth dress. Her hair was curly like the boy''s. If I had to guess I¡¯d say she¡¯s his mother. ¡°Now don¡¯t you worry, deary, I¡¯m sure your pap¡¯s fine. If he¡¯s brave enough to take his daughter into the Asmodian Woods then I¡¯m sure he¡¯s strong enough to handle some Devil Hounds.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you mean ¡®stupid enough¡¯?¡± Asked the boy. In response the woman hit him upside the head. It was like some kind of comedy routine at this point. I should probably be trying to look sad after telling my story, but I¡¯m not personally invested enough into it. Instead I just feel like laughing. I know my real father is fine working in his shop back home. Though he¡¯s probably crying right now over my death. I hope my family¡¯s not too heartbroken. If I could I¡¯d let them know that I¡¯m fine. ¡°Ah, where am I right now?¡± I asked the pair, even though I already knew the answer. ¡°You¡¯re in Eastrock, the dullest village around.¡± Replied James. ¡°Where you are either a farmer or a farmer¡¯s wife. My dad carried you here after we found you lying in the woods.¡± James seemed like the classic rebellious teen. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for my son¡¯s attitude,¡± said the woman. ¡°This is my blockhead son James. My name is Millie. What¡¯s your name, hun?¡± Ah. Now I was in a pickle. If they¡¯ve introduced themselves and I¡¯ll have to give my name too. What is my name, anyways? [Solution: This body does not possess a name at this point in time. You may give yourself whatever name you so choose.] Well, if that¡¯s the case, since this body was originally given the username Calliope I might as well go with that. ¡°My name¡¯s Calliope,¡± I said. ¡°Calliope, that¡¯s a sweet name, child. Now you said your father was walking with you in the Asmodian Woods. Why would he take his kid somewhere that dangerous?¡± Yeah, RED, why did he? [Solution: The current backstory was designed to be tragic. Your theoretical father was taking you to the woods to abandon you so he could continue living his life.] That¡¯s awful. Note to self, don¡¯t let RED make any more backstory for me. Still, I¡¯ve already said too much and I can¡¯t think of any other reason why a parent would take their kid somewhere dangerous. This sucks. My real dad was the nicest guy ever, RED. Couldn¡¯t you have made a nicer story? [Solution: Data not found.] I didn¡¯t think so. ¡°My dad was really strong. He said he found something cool in the woods so he wanted to show me. Then, when we were walking, he put his ears to the ground and claimed a pack of Devil Hounds was coming. He took off running and said he¡¯d deal with them. He told me not to move, so I didn¡¯t. I sat down and waited for two days, and then the next thing I knew I was waking up here. I should probably go back to the woods to wait for him...¡± Ah, I really do suck at acting. Maybe they¡¯ll think I¡¯m in shock? That¡¯d be convenient. ¡°Oh you poor dear,¡± Said Millie. She had a sympathetic look on her face. She probably bought the story. ¡°You can¡¯t go into the Asmodian Woods again¡­¡± She paused mid sentence. I assumed she was going to make up some kind of lie about seeing my dad here, but she didn¡¯t. Instead she completely changed the subject. ¡°Ah, you¡¯ve been sleeping here for a few days now. You must be starving. How about we talk more after you¡¯ve eaten.¡± She scurried out of the room with that. James sighed before moving the chair he had been sitting on earlier to the side of the room. ¡°Listen,¡± Said James, ¡°I¡¯m glad you woke up. You can stay here for a while and I¡¯ll ask my dad to search the woods for your father...¡± Oh? What was this? Is James actually a good guy underneath all his teenage angst? ¡°But you shouldn¡¯t get your hopes up. He¡¯s probably inside the guts of some Devil Hounds now.¡± And he ruined it. We were almost having a moment there, buddy. Why did you have to go and ruin it. Oh well. I didn¡¯t plan on sticking around this backwater village for too long. Right now I¡¯ve been given a second chance at life and I¡¯m not going to waste it. My level may be close to maximum, but I won¡¯t be satisfied by just leveling myself up anyways. I guess the only thing I can do is start helping others to level up too. Maybe I should start a school? James walked out of the room and I stood up from the bed. My legs were a bit numb, but they felt good. They felt normal. It was odd how easy I found moving in a completely new body to be. I was currently clothed in what looked to be one of Millie''s dresses. They probably changed me out of my clothes. What was I wearing when they found me, RED? [Solution: Your body was naked when James Evergreen and his father Jack Evergreen discovered you.] Ew. Okay, that¡¯s a bit cringeworthy. I may not be a woman mentally but that doesn¡¯t mean I still want random men to see me naked. That also really escalated the awfulness of my backstory I told. I wonder why they didn¡¯t call me out on it¡­ Anyways, why wasn¡¯t I dressed? [Solution: Your equipment came with you, but it wasn¡¯t equipped from the start. Unlike the game where your character always had at least the baseline undergarments, this reality isn¡¯t as convenient.] Let¡¯s see, if I remember right this account was in possession of the Heaven¡¯s Demon Garb. That item is of the master class. It should be able to change forms to whatever I so desire. How do I equip it? [Solution: Take it out of your Item Pack and then put it on.] That doesn¡¯t really help me any. In the game there was a menu button that let you access your Spacefold Item Pack, but there isn¡¯t such a button in real life. How do I use the Item Pack? [Solution: Say or think the skill¡¯s name while controlling your mana.] Okay, how do I use mana? [Solution: Data not found.] ¡­ Do I need to be able to use mana in order to use my skills? [Solution: Yes.] Crap. Chapter 4: Discovery I could smell food cooking. I took a quick glance out the window and the sun was either rising or setting. [Solution: The current time is 18:22.] Ah, so the sun is setting then. It seems Millie is preparing dinner in the other room while James is setting the table. I wonder why the father¡­ What was his name again? [Solution: Jack Evergreen.] I wonder why Jack wasn¡¯t here. Was he out working the fields or something? [Solution: Jack Evergreen is currently doing patrol rounds along the Asmodian Woods¡¯ edge.] Wait, I thought these people were farmers. Why is Jack doing patrols? [Solution: Jack is not a farmer. He is a knight dispatched from the Royal Capital of Gransus. Every small town along the border of the kingdom has at least one knight stationed there.] Things were starting to make sense. The reason James was so angsty, and the reason the two men were in the forest in the first place was one in the same: they were fighters not farmers. I wonder what level James and his dad are? [Solution: James is level 22 and Jack is level 48. Jack is among the five strongest of the Gransus Kingdom.] Whoa. 48 lets you become one of a Kingdom¡¯s top fighters? That¡¯s crazy. What would they even think if any of them heard about my level? [Solution: Data not found.] So, I¡¯ve been wondering RED, can you analyze anyone¡¯s level and skills in this world? [Solution: Yes. This guide can analyze anyone¡¯s levels and skills so long as they existed in this world before your arrival.] Oh? So if Nox or one of his colleagues -assuming he has any- decides to send someone else over you won''t be able to analyze them? [Solution: That is correct, but it is highly unlikely. Lord Nox is the only of the Fae with the ability to transport souls across worlds. Transporting the user used almost all of Nox¡¯s power. It will be at least 100 years before Lord Nox recovers enough to potentially transport someone else.] That¡¯s probably for the best. There are plenty of people whom -if they were put in my shoes- would probably try to conquer the world by force. Think of how easy it would be? I¡¯m almost certain I could wipe the entire Gransus Kingdom off the map in an hour¡­ Assuming I figure out how to use mana. Oh, that reminds me. RED, you said that you can control my body if I ever lose consciousness. Can you control my body even if I¡¯m awake? [Solution: Yes.] Then, if you¡¯re controlling my body, can you use skills? [Solution: Yes.] That¡¯s perfect. Can you assume control of my body and use my Expert Class Skill called Stat Increase? I think if you use my mana once for me I should be able to remember the feeling. [Solution: Yes. Beginning Manual Override.] A strange feeling permeated through my body. It was like I was a puppet with my strings cut. I couldn¡¯t move anything, but I could still feel everything. It was both terrible and oddly exciting at the same time. Then, like a robot, my body began to move. [Solution: Beginning mana circulation.] There was a headrush. It felt like all the blood in my body was boiling. This sensation was both fantastic and awful at the same time. It was a strange duality of pleasure and pain. So this, this is mana. [Solution: Activating Skill: Stat Increase.] Power. The prickling boiling sensation in my body was moving and diffusing through my muscles. My body felt supercharged with strength. The skill Stat Increase is rather straightforward in effect, but using it through a game screen and actually feeling your physical abilities magnifying were two very different things. A person could get addicted to this kind of thing. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. I think I understand how to use my mana. RED, give me control back. [Solution: Deactivating manual override.] The strings were back. My body, no longer a marionnette for RED, was fully under my own control again. The feeling of power coursing through me had yet to subside. Stat Increase typically lasted five minutes, so it would last for a bit longer. I squeezed my hand and felt the power of mana move through each finger. I can¡¯t explain it in words, but once you understand how to use it then the act of controlling your mana becomes almost second nature. I could feel the raw power coursing through my veins. On a whim, I decided to try forcing the mana in my arm out through my palm. The result was even better than I had expected. A burst of force shot out from my hand and hit the bed where I had aimed it, making a mess of the blankets and sheets. Then, a loud voice echoed in my mind. [-New Skill Acquired- Adept Class Skill: Mana Shot] My jaw dropped. Acquiring skills back in the days of Saga Heroes Online was an incredible ordeal. Most players didn¡¯t even possess any. In order to get a skill in the game you needed to fulfill a spartan level of requirements. There¡¯s no way I could have possibly done all the setup necessary to acquire a new skill already! [Solution: This is not a game. When the user discovers the way to utilize a new skill they will naturally become capable of using it.] I almost want to cry. This is crazy. Not only am I near the max level, but I can acquire skills easily? I¡¯m crazy overpowered! I charge up another Mana Shot and fire it at a pile of dust on the floor and cause it to scatter across the room. I¡¯d be laughing maniacally if my own voice didn¡¯t scare me so much. Still, it was strange that Mana Shot was an adept ranked skill. It felt so weak whenever I used it. It didn¡¯t even have the force to dent the wooden floors. I wonder if it¡¯s weak because I used so little mana? On a whim I decide to try injecting a large amount of mana into my right hand before releasing it. I stopped myself from putting too much in, though. I think I¡¯ll limit it to the equivalent of an Expert Class Skill¡¯s cost. -Mana Shot- I fired what should have been a simple mana shot. It was not a simple mana shot. If a mana shot was a .22 caliber, than what I had just nonchalantly shot off was equivalent to a howitzer. This was a mistake. This was a huge mistake. An incredible roaring explosion deafened me as everything began shaking. Wooden splinters and debris blasted past me. I could only stare slack jawed at the utter devastation in front of me. [-New Skill Acquired- Expert Class Skill: Mana Bomb] Half the house was missing. It wasn¡¯t just destroyed, it was gone. The debris was launched so far away it looked like a tornado had struck. ¡°What the fuck happened?!¡± Cried James¡¯s voice as he rushed into what used to be the guest room of his house. His jaw physically dropped when he saw me standing with my palm outstretched, facing what was once a good portion of his home. ¡°Uhh, I don¡¯t suppose you¡¯ll accept that a pack of Devil Hounds ran by and destroyed the house?¡± Chapter 5: Intuition Why did the house break!? [Solution: When enough force is applied, physical materials will collapse.] No, that¡¯s not what I mean! In the game SHO all village buildings and shops were indestructible terrains. [Solution: This is not a game. This is reality.] Why did this happen? [Solution: Data not found.] What do I do!? [Solution: Data not found.] Why are you so useless whenever I¡¯m panicking!? [Solution: Data not found.] This is getting nowhere. James is, apparently, still in shock. He hasn¡¯t moved. Do I say something to help him snap out of it? [Solution: Data not found.] You¡¯re not helping! ¡°James, is Calliope okay? Was that an earthquake?¡± Called Millie as she walked into the room. Then she froze. Her eyes looked at the massive opening in front of her and a cold sweat ran down her browline. Without another word the middle aged woman fell over backwards and hit the ground with a dull thud. She was out cold. ¡°What? How? What did you do?¡± Whispered James as he finally seemed to snap out of his daze. His tone was far softer than I expected and it sent a chill down my spine. Even with all my godlike cheat powers, in that moment I felt a hint of fear. ¡°Listen, I didn¡¯t mean for this to happen. I was pla¡­ Practicing one of my skills and I accidentally lost control,¡± I said, nearly in tears from exasperation. ¡°Look, I can fix this.¡± ¡°How can you fix this?¡± Said James as he motioned towards me and then the hole with his hands respectively. ¡°And wait, you¡¯re a skill holder!¡± ¡°Why do you seem more surprised by me having a skill than the giant hole in your house!?¡± I yell back. [Solution: Skills are extremely rare in this world. Most people go their entire lives without ever meeting someone who can use one.] Oh. Woops. This is bad¡­ Can I fix this? [Solution: No.] Wow. I¡¯m glad you believe in me, RED. So should I just run away and not take responsibility? [Solution: Recommended course of action is to first eliminate witnesses. If the Evergreen family dies then the user can continue on their journey without concern.] What the actual fuck?! Eliminate the witnesses? I¡¯m not a murderer, RED. I¡¯ve never even hit an animal before, let alone another person. You¡¯ve been telling me over and over that this isn¡¯t a game. People die when you kill them! [Solution: If the Evergreen family is allowed to live the user¡¯s visage will be transcribed onto wanted posters via memory magic. It will become impossible to live peacefully in the Gransus Kingdom.] Who cares about that? With my strength I could conquer this damned Kingdom in a day. I¡¯m not killing innocent people who, from what I¡¯ve seen, have done nothing but try to help me. Now shut up RED and let me think! ¡°What¡­ What kind of skill was it?¡± Asked James, breaking my train of thought. For some reason his anger seemed to dissipate a bit. ¡°It¡¯s called Mana Bomb. Well, it was called Mana Shot before but I accidentally upgraded it¡­¡± I replied honestly. ¡°How did you learn to use it?¡± -James ¡°I just experimented a bit with my mana. Anyways this isn¡¯t the time to be discussing this! I just blew up your house!¡± ¡°Yeah, but you¡¯re a skill holder! Moreover you¡¯re so young! That is way more important than this shitty house!¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t think it is!¡± My head was starting to hurt. Putting my right hand on my forehead I walked over to the chair James had set aside earlier. Surprisingly it was still standing. I sat down and sighed. ¡°What¡¯s going to happen now?¡± I asked. ¡°Well, I suppose we¡¯ll just have to wait until my dad gets home from his patrol. For now we should probably carry mom out of the house. I¡¯m afraid the rest of the building might collapse now that you¡¯ve compromised its structure to such an extent,¡± replied James. ¡°That sounds reasonable.¡± I rocked back in the chair before rolling forward and onto my feet again. I walked over to Millie and grabbed her shoulders. With a quick motion I hefted the woman into a fireman¡¯s carry. Careful not to knock her head against anything, I slowly made my way outdoors. James, for some reason, was staring at me while walking behind us. ¡°Oy, are you really human?¡± Asked James. ¡°Isn¡¯t that rather rude? What makes you think I¡¯m not human?¡± ¡°Well, there¡¯s a few reasons for why I think you¡¯re not human. The first is that you can use skills, the second is that you seem to be strong enough to heft my 200 pound mother with ease, the third is that you haven¡¯t eaten something in, like, five days yet you seem perfectly fine, and the nail in the coffin is that you seem to be growing a tail right now.¡± Wow. Okay, so I guess I¡¯m really bad at acting like a normal human. This is all your fault, RED. Why did you have to come up with such a terrible backstory? [Solution: Data not found.] Also what¡¯s this about a tail? I don¡¯t remember this avatar having a tail, yet now I could clearly feel an extra appendage protruding from my backside. Despite how foreign it seemed in my mind, it felt entirely natural. Moving the tail was fairly easy, all things considered, so I wrapped it around my waist for a bit so I could inspect it thoroughly. The tail looked like it belongs on a bad devil cosplay. It was leathery and red colored with a triangular hook on the end. It seemed rather gaudy but it was filled with the same power as one of my arms or legs. Back in SHO extra appendages were a purely aesthetic thing, but in reality I think having an extra limb might be a huge boost to overall combat power if you integrate it with your fighting style. I¡¯ll have to experiment with this later. Since when did this body have a tail, anyways? [Solution: The user belongs to the demon race. While their appearance is human most of the time, upon using mana some of the demon race¡¯s features tend to become more apparent. The tail and any other features of that form will dissipate after enough time passes while out of combat.] This seems like a bit of exposition that would have been useful about an hour ago. I could only groan reluctantly. Dammit, RED. Not even one day awake in this world and my cover as a demon was already blown. ¡°Yeah, you got me. I¡¯m not human. I¡¯m a demon.¡± ¡°Neat.¡± -James. That was it. That was all he said on the subject. I thought humans were supposed to be terrified of demons or something. Why isn¡¯t he afraid of me? [Solution: In this world the Demon Race is considered rather peaceful, albeit elusive. Most demons never leave the Northern Continent, but they aren¡¯t necessarily a strange sight. Those that do leave the Northern Continent tend to be rather amicable and friendly.] So James isn¡¯t freaking out because Demons have a good rep? What was the point of pretending to be human in the first place, then!? [Solution: Pretending to be human was a conclusion reached entirely by the user. This guide merely created a backstory to coincide with the user¡¯s decision.] You really are useless sometimes, RED. [Solution: Data not found.] I opened the front door to the building and walked out with Millie still draped over my shoulders. There was a rather large crowd of people forming out front. Most had shocked expressions on their faces when they saw me and I could feel their eyes glaring at my tail. There was quite a bit of murmuring and speculation taking place. It was rather annoying. There¡¯s something about people talking behind your back that can really miff someone. Though I guess I could let them off the hook considering I just blew up a house. We all make mistakes sometimes, right? This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. [Solution: Data not found.] ¡°There¡¯s my dad. Looks like he heard the explosion and came back early,¡± said James as he walked over to help me set Millie down on the grass. The crowd seemed to be giving us a wide berth. Jack Evergreen ran, nonstop, at a rather quick pace until he reached us. I liked Jack immediately because rather than stare at or judge me he rushed to his wife¡¯s side and started making sure she was okay. This was a man with his priorities in order. I could respect that. ¡°Millie, are you okay hun?¡± Asked Jack as he nudged the woman awake. She sat up slowly and looked around in a confused state. When she finally realized what was happening she threw her arms around her husband¡¯s neck with tears in her eyes. ¡°Our home , Jack.¡± She sobbed once before continuing. ¡°Our home is in ruins.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, Millie. It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s just a building. You and James being safe is all that matters.¡± -Jack. Millie was unable to hold it in and started crying. No one said anything. Everyone seemed to have come to the conclusion that it was best to let her get it out of her system. While this was taking place I was sizing up Jack Evergreen. Whereas his son looked the part of a small town farmer, Jack¡¯s entire person screamed warrior to his very marrow. His clothes were rugged and thick, but his boots were designed for mobility rather than mud. He had a thin beard growing but it fit his face well and his hair was a very light brown. His body was built for battle and he had a long scar running down his left cheek. All in all he looked like the kind of man I¡¯d cross the street to avoid meeting in my past life. He looked like a badass. I was immediately jealous. Once Millie finally calmed down, the atmosphere grew a bit tense. I could tell everyone was eyeing me waiting for an explanation. My tail had finally disappeared to whence it came but, considering everyone had already seen it once, that didn¡¯t help matters much. I think they were waiting for me to say something first, but I was feeling terribly shy at the moment. ¡°Okay, since no one else wants to do it I¡¯ll bite the bullet here,¡± said Jack as he helped Millie to her feet. Did he really use the phrase ¡®bite the bullet¡¯ or was that a translation of a common idiom from this world into a form I¡¯d understand? [Solution: This guide¡¯s translations cannot bridge cultural knowledge so several key phrases have been altered to better help the user understand the content.] I guessed as much. To be honest, though, I think this is a good thing. It¡¯ll save me some confusion in the long run at least. ¡°Just who and what are you?¡± Jack finished asking. It was the million dollar question. I don¡¯t really want to tell these people I was summoned from another world by some otherworldly being. They¡¯d probably assume I was lying if that¡¯s the case. RED, I know I said I¡¯d never rely on you for backstory again but help me out here. [Solution: Would the user like this guide to create an appropriate story to explain the situation?] No, I really don¡¯t want you to. I know it¡¯s going to be ridiculous again¡­ But I don¡¯t really have any other choice here. Go ahead, RED. [Solution: Backstory constructed.] ¡°My name is Calliope. As you¡¯ve probably guessed I¡¯m a demon from the Northern Continent,¡± I replied, relying on RED entirely for my word choice. ¡°Okay, Calliope, why were you in the Asmodian Woods and why¡­ Err, how did you destroy my home?¡± -Jack. I didn¡¯t like the tone Jack used, but I¡¯m glad he rephrased his question a bit. There was no reason why, so the question was making me sweat bullets¡­ But I knew exactly how I did it. ¡°My parents died when I was young. My new guardian, my uncle, took me in purely for the inheritance. I think he drugged me and abandoned me in the woods hoping I¡¯d be killed by random magical beasts or I¡¯d die of starvation. I¡¯m sorry for lying to James and Millie about my circumstances, but I didn¡¯t want to intrude upon your family. As for your house, that truly was an accident and I¡¯m willing to do whatever it takes to make up for it. I was practicing with my skill when it somehow upgraded. I lost control over the new skill and the result is what you see before you.¡± I¡¯m not going to lie, RED, but you make some awful backstories. I need to start practicing making up my own or something. This is just too¡­ Why does it look like everyone believed it? Everything was said in a deadpan tone!? They shouldn¡¯t be this gullible. Don¡¯t they have legends of demons or devils beguiling others with fancy words or something? [Solution: Jack is a skill holder. His skill is the Adept Class Skill -Intuition-. Lies do not work on him, usually. The user, however, is much too high leveled to be affected by Jack¡¯s skill in this regard.] ¡°My word. You don¡¯t seem to be lying¡­¡± Said Jack as he rubbed the back of his head with a tired expression. ¡°Listen, Calliope, I¡¯m rather well off. Losing the house isn¡¯t a big deal for me, but right now you¡¯re too dangerous to let go. I have a skill myself called -Intuition- and right now it¡¯s screaming at me that you¡¯re dangerous. I¡¯ve never seen it have a reaction this strong before. The last thing I want to do is make you my enemy, but I can¡¯t leave someone who can potentially lose control over their skills to wander alone.¡± Jack paused for a moment. I had a bad feeling that what he was going to say next would be troublesome. ¡°In one month¡¯s time, registration for the Royal Arms Academy in the capital of Gransus will open up. Normally it would be impossible for a demi-human or demon like yourself to get into the academy, but I¡¯m a rather influential person myself. James here is going to be enrolling this year and I want you to enroll too. The Academy will teach you how to control your skills. They¡¯ll help you. Besides, from the sounds of things you don¡¯t really have anywhere to return to. So how about it?¡± Do I have a second option? [Solution: Eliminate all the humans present and continue your journey without worry of being considered a criminal.] Guess not. RED, why is Jack trying to get me to go to school? [Solution: Due to Jack¡¯s intuition skill and the destruction your skill caused, he considers you to be a potential war asset and wants you to develop bonds with his country.] I see. So his sympathetic tone and everything he¡¯s shown me so far is all an act? [Solution: Yes. He believes your story, but he also thinks someone as dangerous as you is better off dying before you cause problems. His intuition skill, though, is telling him to avoid a confrontation at all costs. Recruiting you is the best alternative if he can¡¯t remove you.] Well, all things considered this wasn¡¯t the worst possible outcome. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go to the Royal Arms Academy.¡± Intermission 1: Jack Evergreen My [Intuition] was going wild. Since early in the day it¡¯s been screaming at me to leave this backwater village, but could a knight of the Gransus Kingdom do something like that? What I fear is that the magical energy in the Asmodian Woods gave birth to a magical beast over rank 4. The chances were next to none, but if that happened even I would probably die. A rank 4 magical beast was considered to be at the level of a national disaster, after all. For my patrol today I decided to bring James along. He¡¯s not half as strong as I am, but if we¡¯re fighting together I think even a horde of rank 3 magical beasts will fall to our blades. Normally I wouldn¡¯t take James along because he tends to slow me down, but -with how wild my [Intuition] is going- I¡¯m afraid to take any chances. Three hours into our round James called out to me. He said he found a girl, but we¡¯re miles deep in the Asmodian Woods. There¡¯s no way any girl could be here. [Warning: Danger. Transcendent Level Being ahead.] My [Intuition] started screeching. It¡¯s giving me a headache. I don¡¯t understand what half the words it said mean, but I do know it gets louder the more dangerous an opponent is. I¡¯m not sure what ¡®Transcendent Level Being¡¯ meant but it can¡¯t be good. Could my worst fears have been realized? Could a magical beast over rank 4 exist in these woods? I tried to yell at James to run, but the words won''t come out. My [Intuition] felt like it was going to split my skull. I stumbled forward into the clearing where James was and I grabbed his collar. I was going to pull him back and run away but a fantastic sight caught my eyes. It was a girl. More importantly, it was a beautiful girl. She was young, probably somewhere between 12 and 15, but her body was glowing with a divine radiance. My blaring [Intuition] suddenly felt like background noise as I found myself walking forward towards her. ¡°Dad?¡± At James¡¯s voice I snapped out of my daze. For some reason my skill had finally shut up. I wonder why it was so loud earlier? I¡¯ve had this skill for years and I still can¡¯t fully understand it. I¡¯ve heard tales that the Knight Captain possesses two Unique Class Skills, but I can¡¯t readily believe anyone could manage that. We walked up to the girl, but my first impression of her didn¡¯t diminish in the slightest. She was young and budding with youth. Her long glossy black hair was scattered beneath her in a soothing array and her pristine skin was unmarred. She looked like a goddess. ¡°Give me your coat, James,¡± I said, as I knelt down next to the girl. He handed me the coat without a word and I wrapped up the child. She was light. ¡°We¡¯re going home early. She¡¯s breathing but unconscious. Let¡¯s get her into a bed and let Millie nurse her back to health.¡± It¡¯s been almost a full day since we brought the girl back. I find myself creeping into her room at odd times just to look at her. I can¡¯t explain what I¡¯m feeling. I deeply love my wife, but something is drawing me to this girl. These thoughts hurt me. Am I really weighing my wife against some child I¡¯ve never met before? Something inside me seems to have snapped. If I don¡¯t do something soon I really will try to violate that child in the guest room. I can¡¯t. I won¡¯t. I refuse to cheat on Millie. We¡¯ve been married for almost twenty years now. Yes, she¡¯s gained a little weight, but I still love her dearly. I have to do something. This girl needs to be removed. In the middle of the night I found myself clutching a worn dagger. If I don¡¯t do something now that girl¡¯s beauty will be my ruin. I opened her door slowly and walked in. [Warning: Aggressive actions will result in death.] My [Intuition] started up again. This was the first time it ever gave me such a cut and dry explanation. It had been acting up for more than a day now, though, and no danger had presented itself. Could a skill start to rot like old food? Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. I pushed the warning to the back of my mind as I approached the bed. [Intuition] was getting louder and louder as I neared her. Yesterday my headache was brutal enough to make me stagger, but what I was enduring now was three, maybe four, times worse. I hit my knees and the knife fell from my hands. I was paralyzed from raw fear. Tears began to streak down my face. It was as if every fiber of my being refused to take another step. [Warning: Exit the room now!] [Intuition]¡¯s voice, usually calm and collected, sounded frantic. I¡¯ve never felt this before. I stood on the front lines twelve years ago when the Rank 4 Dragon Baer attacked Fort Clyfton, but I¡¯ve never experienced anything like this. What is this creature? I somehow managed to leave the room. [Intuition] slowly died down as I left. If I had attacked that girl, I¡¯m certain my own life would have been forfeit instead. She¡¯s dangerous. Far too dangerous. I started my rounds a bit early today because I couldn¡¯t sleep after that ordeal. I felt bad just leaving my family in the same house as that creature. My rounds were nearing their end when the earth began to shake. I heard what sounded like an explosion coming from the direction of the village. My eyes went wide as fear overtook me. I wasn¡¯t afraid for my life, though. I was afraid for Millie and my son. I started running. My chest heaved and my lungs felt like they wanted to give out, but I ran on. I¡¯ve never experienced anything like this moment of crisis. [-Level Increased-] The voice of the world echoed in my head but I ignored it. Now wasn¡¯t the time to think about something insignificant like that. I needed to get to my family. I needed to make sure they were safe. I never should have left them there with that monster in human form. I saw my house from the distance. Well, I saw half of my house. The other half was simply gone. My mind felt like it was going to break. I pushed myself to my limit and arrived at the crowd surrounding my home. There, carrying Millie, was the girl. Rage filled me as I reached for the knife hidden in my shirt. [Warning! Warning! Warning!] I almost collapsed from [Intuition]¡¯s cry. In my moment of hesitation I finally noticed Millie¡¯s chest moving. She was alive. Sweet mother of mercy she was alive! The girl set Millie down gently and I ran up to my wife. She hugged me, crying at the same time. She was safe. She was alive. James was alive. I looked up at the girl and I finally met her eyes. They were a rich hazel, but, more importantly, they were filled with a terrible melancholy. It¡­ -She- felt bad. She was feeling regret. It wasn¡¯t a monster. It had human emotions. In that turbulent moment, I understood everything. I asked the girl what happened while using [Intuition] to check the faculty of her words. She wasn¡¯t lying. She wasn¡¯t a monster. She was a little girl¡­ A terribly powerful little girl, but a little girl nonetheless. I understood now why my intuition was warning me not to provoke her. If I had stabbed her and she unleashed that skill in her death throes, not just me but my entire family would have perished. Had we dodged an arrow, here? Still, I couldn¡¯t let someone as dangerous as this girl stay near my wife. James has passed his adulthood ceremony so if he wants to endanger himself I can¡¯t stop him. For the first time in my long career, I realized my true purpose in being stationed at Eastrock. It was all to meet this girl. Someone with her level of destructive power was too dangerous to kill, but if we could take her in and train her to control that power¡­ Yes, I¡¯ll write a letter to Endyrion at the Royal Capital. With her power at our backs, we won''t have to fear any rank 4 beasts, let alone other nations! Chapter 6: Journey I can¡¯t stop feeling depressed. I was a proud university student in my past life, but now I¡¯m going to go to some souped up High School for knights and magicians? Sometimes I regret my anti-murdery approach to life in this world. Well, perhaps I should look on the bright side. This school would be the prime place to find candidates to take power leveling. I¡¯m certain if I show off just a bit of my ability I could get some followers easily. The Royal Capital was, apparently, about three weeks away by carriage. With only a month until registration officially opened, it was important that we left as soon as possible. I had assumed Jack and Millie would be coming along as well, considering their home was in ruins, but they opted against it. So, at the moment, the only passengers in the carriage were James and I. All things considered, this trip wouldn¡¯t be so bad if James could keep his damned mouth shut. The boy was far too excited to finally get a chance to go to his father¡¯s alma mater. Add that to his intrigue in my ¡®skill¡¯ and you have one hell of a headache. I¡¯d prefer his old angsty behavior to this. He was acting like a puppy and, if he continues to do so, I¡¯ll start treating him like one too. Though things weren¡¯t all bad. This trip has given me plenty of time to practice using my mana. One of the first things I did was open my item pack and equip the Heaven¡¯s Demon Garb. The Heaven¡¯s Demon Garb was fantastic. It felt like silk on my skin but could take on any outer appearance I wanted. Of course I couldn¡¯t go parading around in fancy new clothes so I had it take the appearance of Millie¡¯s old dresses, but the comfort levels alone made a world of difference. I find it odd how easy it is to wear a dress in my day to day affairs, but I¡¯m starting to think along the lines that such questions will only prompt RED to annoy me with ¡®Data not found¡¯ again. You wouldn¡¯t do that, would you RED? [Solution: Data not found.] Yeah, thought so. We¡¯ve been on this trip for about three days now. James¡¯s questions have finally started to die down. I¡¯ve found it easier to give him vague directions on controlling his mana than to just ignore him. If I give him vague advice he¡¯ll start practicing in a corner for a few hours, hoping to feel the bittersweet sensation of magical power flowing through his veins. I think I¡¯ve gotten addicted to using my Mana. According to RED, my mana pool is abnormally large. It¡¯s one of the few benefits to being a member of the demon race, I guess. These last few days my tail has been out and about. Since everyone knows I¡¯m of the demon race there¡¯s no reason to keep it hidden. Besides, with the Heaven¡¯s Demon Garb it¡¯s rather easy to stay comfortable even with an extra appendage. All the necessary adjustments were made automatically. Jack supposedly sent a message ahead of us, but I¡¯m not sure how he did it. I think he used a carrier pigeon. [Solution: Jack Evergreen used the tamed rank 1 magical beast ¡®Delivery Bird¡¯.] Oh? I¡¯ve never heard of Delivery Birds before. [Solution: Delivery Birds evolved over the last thousand years due to human domestication.] Neat. It¡¯s a shame I don¡¯t have the subclass tamer. I¡¯d love to have some pet beasts of my own. [Solution: The user can obtain the subclass tamer if they so wish.] I know I can get the subclass tamer easily, but I don¡¯t want to give up my warrior or mage classes for it. [Solution: The user is not limited to two classes.] What? No. Don¡¯t you dare say it. I know, ¡®This is not a game¡¯. Now that I think about it, why would anyone logically be limited to two classes in the real world? [Solution: They aren¡¯t.] Hmm, so all I have to do is forcefully tame an animal to earn the subclass, right? [Solution: Yes.] That¡¯s perfect. Then I¡¯ll sneak out tonight when James and the driver fall asleep. It shouldn¡¯t take long. [Solution: Waiting isn¡¯t necessary. There is a horde of rank 3 Devil Hounds approaching this very moment.] The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Wait, what?! We¡¯re on the main highway. It¡¯s been laid with mana laden bricks. Magical beasts below rank 4 should feel a natural repulsion to it. [Solution: The pack of Devil Hounds is currently chasing a small group of humans. It seems one of the humans stole a puppy from the pack.] ¡­ I don¡¯t even know what to say about that. Are the puppies cute? [Solution: Data not found.] Of course you can¡¯t answer that. Well, I guess it doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯ll save these humans and ask for the puppy as payment. James looked at me oddly when I randomly stood up in the carriage. ¡°James, there¡¯s trouble coming¡± ¡°What? Trouble? How can you tell?¡± -James ¡°Let¡¯s just call it my... intuition.¡± Yes, I know. I¡¯m very funny. I¡¯m great at parties too. [Solution: Data not found.] Oh you shut up! I walked over to the small front-facing window and pulled the slit open. The driver, an old villager whom Jack recruited, was asleep at the reigns. ¡°Tch. Oy, driver. Wake up.¡± The old man snapped awake. He seemed startled at first and looked around him in every direction. Finally, after getting ahold of himself, he looked back at me and gave a toothless grin. ¡°My apologies, Miss Calliope. I seem to have dozed off there.¡± ¡°Yeah yeah, save your excuses for later. You need to stop the carriage. There¡¯s trouble up ahead.¡± ¡°Trouble?¡± -Driver. ¡°It seems a pack of Devil Hounds is chasing a small group of people.¡± The driver¡¯s eyes immediately became panicked. He pulled the reins and stopped the horses. I climbed out the side door of the carriage only to see James walking behind me. He was strapping a sword to his belt. ¡°Oy, where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± I asked. ¡°I¡¯m not letting a girl go face a pack of Devil Hounds. Those are rank 3 beasts! I¡¯ve fought a rank 3 beast with my dad before. I¡¯ve never seen a pack of Devil Hounds, but I¡¯m sure I can handle it.¡± This boy is irritating. I turned around and looked him in the eyes. He seemed to shrink back under my gaze. ¡°W-what?¡± asked James as I stepped towards him again. ¡°You¡¯re annoying.¡± With a quick motion, I flicked the kid¡¯s forehead. His body, like a ragdoll, was jettisoned backwards into a tree on the side of the road¡­ Oops. I didn¡¯t think I used that much strength! [Solution: The user is currently equipped with the Heaven¡¯s Demon Garb which buffs the basic stats. The user¡¯s strength stat is currently (914). James¡¯s strength stat is currently (28).] I ran over to James to check on him. Thankfully he was still breathing. I had forgotten, for a moment, how terrifying my strength could be. This is bad. If I¡¯m not careful I could really kill someone. I think he might have a few broken bones¡­ [Solution: James currently has two cracked ribs and a light fracture along the impact point on his skull.] My word. I really almost killed him with a flick. RED, is there a way to heal him? [Solution: The user could attempt to learn the skill Healing Magic. The base of Healing Magic is injecting the user¡¯s mana into another person¡¯s body and using it to reconstruct or replace any damaged tissue.] You want me to inject my mana into him? Didn¡¯t I blow up a house the last time I tried to eject mana from my hand? A vision of James¡¯s body exploding played in my mind. I¡¯m sorry, James, but you¡¯ll have to stay injured for now. Maybe I¡¯ll practice healing on one of the Devil Hounds. I quickly dragged James¡¯s body to the carriage and laid him down inside it. For some reason, the driver from earlier was missing. Where did he go? [Solution: The driver ran away the moment he heard howling.] Really? I didn¡¯t expect an old man like that to be such a coward. Well, it¡¯s no skin off my back. He drove way too slow for my tastes, anyways. I smiled as I started running towards the howls in the distance. Chapter 7: Steel Body, Glass Mind The wind was rushing past me and I could feel my hair whipping back. This speed was astonishing. Right now I could easily rival bullet trains, and I wasn¡¯t even at my maximum. Now that I think about it, this is the first time I¡¯ve ever actually let loose and run since coming to this world. It felt odd, but it also felt satisfying. It was liberating. It didn¡¯t take me long to reach the Devil Hound horde. Just as RED said earlier, they were pursuing a small group of people on horseback. There were three humans in total. It looked to be a teenage girl and two bodyguards? [Solution: The subject is the fourth princess of the Gransus Kingdom; Lily Grphyn Gransus and her two bodyguards.] ¡­ What. [Solution: The subject is the fourth princess of¡­] No. No. Don¡¯t repeat yourself. I heard what you said the first time. I was just in shock. Of all the people to meet on on the way to the Royal Capital, we happened to run into a member of royalty. What are the odds¡­ [Solution: The statistical odds of this event transpiring are about¡­] Stop. I don¡¯t care what the actual odds are. It¡¯s a longshot. That¡¯s all that matters. It¡¯s also terribly generic and tropey, if I have to say so myself. Wouldn¡¯t it make more sense for me to run into a potential classmate or something? [Solution: The fourth princess is to be registered for the Royal Academy alongside the user¡¯s class.] Of course. What level is the princess and her two cronies? [Solution: Princess Lily Grphyn Gransus is currently level (18). Her two bodyguards are level (31) and (29) respectively.] How come I don¡¯t see the puppy? You claimed they had a Devil Hound puppy. [Solution: The puppy is currently in one of the bodyguard¡¯s bags.] That¡¯s awful. I really shouldn¡¯t even save these people. I don¡¯t know this Lily, but if she¡¯s going around abducting puppies from their families, magical beasts or otherwise, I don¡¯t know if I want to associate with her. [Solution: The fourth princess does not know one of her bodyguards has kidnapped the Devil Hound puppy.] ¡­ Why did a rugged looking bodyguard kidnap a Devil Hound puppy? Wait, why is the fourth princess so far out of the Royal Capital in the first place? RED, tell me what¡¯s actually going on. [Solution: The fourth princess was living outside the Royal Capital. After the Capital received Jack Evergreen¡¯s letter, the princess was tasked with meeting the user and James Evergreen along the way. Along the journey one of the princess¡¯s guards discovered a Devil Hound nest. Seeing this as a unique opportunity, he snatched one of the pups. He was, most likely, planning on using the pack of Devil Hounds to assassinate the princess.] Wait, why would the bodyguard want to assassinate the fourth princess? [Solution: The bodyguard has been paid off by the sixth prince, Thomas Leore Gransus. The sixth prince is attempting to consolidate more power in order to gain the right of succession. The fourth princess is in control of a powerful political group. If she were to die then her group would end up falling into his hands.] I see. So this girl is innocent in this all? [Solution: Yes.] Good. Then I don¡¯t need to feel bad about saving her. I ran towards the group. My speed was steadily increasing, and I was now approaching my top speed. The outside world was terribly distorted to me. It was almost completely blurred out. I began circulating mana through my body. I considered using Belial¡¯s Blade, but I ended up wimping out. There was no telling how powerful a Deity Class item would be. A simple Expert Class Skill like Mana Bomb was hard enough to control. I couldn¡¯t risk accidentally catching the princess in my attacks. For now I decided on a simple course of actions. Pouring my mana into my arms and legs, I activated the Normal Class Skill -Magic Imbue-. My limbs started to glow blue. I arrived in front of the first Devil Hound faster than my footsteps could be heard. [-New Skill Acquired- Expert Class Skill: Midnight Steps] With a quick motion from my hand, I landed a palm strike on the beast. It¡¯s head vanished. There was no grotesque explosion or splash of blood. It was annihilated. [-New Skill Acquired- Adept Class Skill: Heaven Breaking Palm] Without stopping I made my way to the next animal in the group. This one I swatted at with a closed fist upon the center of it¡¯s body. Upon contact with my hand, a gaping hole appeared completely through the Devil Hound¡­ But that wasn¡¯t all. Every Devil Hound lined up with the one I struck was subsequently drilled through by my strike. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. [-New Skill Acquired- Journeyman Class Skill: Pressure Fist] The pack was starting to thin out. I was starting to grow numb to the new skills appearing. Besides, now wasn¡¯t the time to be dawdling. I¡¯m not certain if it was irritation or impatience that forced my hand, but I decided to use a wide area attack to finish off the rest of the beasts. Loading my mana up, I used the skill -Blade Extension- on my right leg. Treating my foot as a sword, I slowly leaned back and kicked forward in a sweeping arc. By pouring mana into the skill, an invisible blade of wind extended over five hundred meters from my toes. All it took was a single swipe. Countless Devil Hound bodies littered the ground in front of me. Their blood was soaking into the road, dyeing it red. It was a strange thing, but I didn¡¯t feel bad for having murdered the Devil Hounds. I was an avid dog lover in my past life, too. I¡¯m not sure why, but I don¡¯t feel anything even after taking their lives. [Solution: One of the racial traits the user possesses includes Combat State.] I see. So my body is controlling my emotions right now? [Solution: Yes.] That¡¯s good. I don¡¯t think I could handle this alone. I didn¡¯t want to slaughter the Devil Hounds. I originally planned on maybe beating back a few and scaring the rest away¡­ There had to be at least 40 bodies piled up. They really looked just like dogs. Giant fluffy dogs. [Solution: It is recommended that the user leaves before Combat State wears off. The current state of affairs could lead to trauma.] No. RED, this is something I need to take in on my own. I can¡¯t ignore this. ¡°What just happened? D-did you kill them all?¡± -Princess Lily The princess¡¯s voice called me out from the trance I was in. I turned around and faced the group of three that had slowly approached me. I could see the fear in the men¡¯s eyes. The princess didn¡¯t seem to be effected in that manner, though. She looked rather flushed, even. Perhaps she was exhausted from the whole ordeal. ¡°Yes. I killed the entire horde,¡± I replied. Then, without saying another word, I approached the man who kidnapped the puppy and flicked him on the forehead. His body crumpled to the ground without warning. After hitting James earlier I had a clear understanding on how much force I could flick someone with and not kill them. ¡°W-what are you doing!?¡± Cried the Princess as she started backing away from me. Her other, non-collapsed bodyguard jumped between us. ¡°Relax. I knocked this guy out because he tried to get you killed.¡± ¡°Remus? Try to get me killed? Remus has been a member of my guard for over five years. He w-wouldn¡¯t do something like that!¡± -Lily I didn¡¯t give the girl a response. Instead I walked over to the guard¡¯s horse and opened his travel bag. Inside was the mangled body of a Devil Hound Pup. It was still alive, but barely so. Upon seeing the animal, the princess seemed to understand the situation as well. She immediately ordered her remaining bodyguard to tie the bastard ¡®Remus¡¯ up. I looked down at the small Devil Hound. It really did resemble an ordinary puppy. The animal¡¯s breathing was laboured and it was covered in bruises. It had clearly suffered serious abuse. [Solution: The Devil Hound pup will die inside the hour if not treated. Recommended course of action is for the user to attempt the skill for Healing Magic.] ¡°Is¡­ Is the puppy going to be okay?¡± asked Lily as she walked over to me. ¡°No. He¡¯s going to die inside the hour.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­ Th-thank you for saving me.¡± -Lily ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Listen, princess, can you stand back? I¡¯m going to try to inject my mana into this puppy to heal him.¡± ¡°Wait, you can use Healing Magic?¡± ¡°No. Well, not yet anyways. I can control my mana, though. Healing magic can¡¯t be that hard.¡± I held the puppy in my arms and started circulating my mana. I focused on trying to expel the mana from my hands in a gentle manner. The small dog¡¯s body soaked up the magical energy like a sponge. I think this is going to work. Yes, all I need to do now is to control the mana and force it to repair¡­ The dog¡¯s body exploded. The turbulent mana was too much for its underdeveloped form. Blood sprayed everywhere, covering me from head to toe. My vision blurred. I couldn¡¯t stop the tears from falling. I started sobbing uncontrollably as I hit my knees. Why did I fail? [Solution: Data not found.] In the end, I¡¯m just glad I didn¡¯t try to heal James. Chapter 8: Coming to Terms It took me a few minutes to calm myself down. I needed a clear mind to start thinking about my situation. The fourth princess has surely seen my strength by now. I never intended to hide it, but having a member of the royalty fear what I could do might be a good thing. Overall, this situation was downright awful, but I need to force myself to look on the bright side. Yes. I can get through this. With my determination renewed I managed to climb to my feet. The princess, thankfully, was far enough back that she didn¡¯t get sprayed with blood. It looks like I¡¯m the only one in desperate need of a bath. [Solution: There is a stream to the north with pools deep enough for the user to wash.] Ah, that¡¯s perfect. The first thing I need to do is clean myself off. I can think about the repercussions of my actions later. For now I just want to take a bath. ¡°I¡¯m going to wash off in the river. I¡¯ll be back shortly,¡± I said, breaking the silence. The princess looked at me oddly, but I still didn¡¯t see any fear in her eyes. Was she trained to keep her emotions hidden? [Solution: Yes.] I figured as much. The princess was about to say something but I didn¡¯t give her the chance. I quickly took off running towards the forest on the side of the road. They had no chance to stop me. My movement speeds are incredible. Speed is this body¡¯s highest stat, after all. I quickly found the river RED pointed out. The water was only a few feet deep in most places, but there were occasional pools. I located one and had the Heaven¡¯s Demon Garb transform into a towel. The water of the stream was amazingly clear. It was also terribly cold, but I didn¡¯t have a way to heat it up. [Solution: The user possesses the skill -Fire Blade-] Oh. That¡¯s right. I had forgotten. Using -Fire Blade- on my arm, I quickly heated up the water in the small pool. I think I poured a bit too much mana into the skill, though. I¡¯m pretty sure bodies of water the size of a small swimming pool shouldn¡¯t start boiling. [-New Skill Acquired- Expert Class Skill: Incineration Blade] I did use too much mana. Still, was it really that easy to upgrade weaker skills? It all depended on the amount of mana you put into them? [Solution: Yes.] This is good to know. Still, it looks like I¡¯ll have to find a new pool of water. I don¡¯t think sitting in a boiling bath will help me right now. [Solution: The user¡¯s constitution is high enough that boiling water won¡¯t bring harm, let alone cause pain.] Oh. That¡¯s right. I¡¯m a monster now. Simple things like boiling water can¡¯t hurt me anymore. I decided to hop into the pool despite the steam and bubbles drifting up from it. It was actually rather comfortable. Most of the blood and grime washed off me rather easily. It wasn¡¯t dried on yet, thankfully. I didn¡¯t have anything to scrub it away with¡­ Or did I? On a whim I decided to try transforming the Heaven¡¯s Demon Garb into a washcloth. It worked. This item really is convenient. I was also surprised how easy it was to get the blood off of it, too. After scrubbing my body for a bit, I eased down into the water. The sky was cloudy, but sparse sprays of sunlight were filtering through. It was a beautiful day, but all I wanted to do was cry again. I¡¯ve never hurt anyone or anything before today, but that wasn¡¯t the biggest issue. Perhaps I was most disturbed by the fact that I didn¡¯t feel anything while it was happening. It was the first moment I truly came to understand that I¡¯m not human anymore. In my past life I never had this kind of problem. I never questioned what I was, then. Has my soul truly acclimated to this body if I need to ask these questions? [Solution: Data not found.] Heh. Perhaps this turmoil in my heart is proof that -somewhere deep inside- at least my soul is still human. I stood up and walked to the edge of the water. I stopped at the edge of the pool and looked down at my reflection. Aside from the tail, this body really was beautiful. It was only natural that my body was overly attractive, though, because it wasn¡¯t natural. This body was created to be an avatar in an online game. The creator had intended for her beauty to be top class. Perhaps the anonymous Calliope17 wished to live vicariously through their character. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. For the first time in the last hour I managed a smile. I guess I stole Calliope17¡¯s dream, but it¡¯s not like it was my own choice. The only thing I can do is to keep on moving forward. Saga Heroes Online was, essentially, my life. The fact that I get to live in this world is amazing enough. Asking for anything more than the hand I was dealt feels greedy. I dried off using the Heaven¡¯s Demon Garb in towel form. Surprisingly, it felt dry to the touch even after soaking in a huge amount of water. This item really was too good. Well, with my strength and abilities known I guess there¡¯s no harm in having the Garb take on a nicer form than Millie¡¯s old dress. I had the Garb take on the form it had been designed for by the original creator. It became a midnight-black silken dress with long sleeves that ended in puffed out cufflinks. The top half was fairly low cut, but I didn¡¯t have much cleavage to show off so it wasn¡¯t particularly indecent. The hem of the dress fell down to my ankles and the Garb even took the place of my shoes. Unfortunately I¡¯ve never walked in heels before so I opted to manually change that part into simple flats. I¡¯d probably have to learn to walk in heels sometime if I wanted to attend formal events while in the Capital. I didn¡¯t have a strong desire for anything troublesome, but it felt oddly right to dress the part of a demon princess for the first time. I guess I¡¯ve come to terms a bit with who I am. I decided to walk back to the carriage and meet with the others. I needed to have a long talk with this princess. While I didn¡¯t mind if rumors of my strength got around, I don¡¯t particularly enjoy being ostracized by my peers. I possess incredible powers, but I think this Academy might still do me some good. The thing I lack right now is control, and I will be indebted to this school if they can help me gain it. When I arrived at the scene I was surprised to find the road entirely clean of corpses. All of the Devil Hound bodies had been moved, as if by magic. The princess caught sight of me and, as if she read my mind, started explaining. ¡°The highway here is comprised of magic brick. If a mana user pours mana into it they can make the highway itself clear obstacles and the like. I may not look it but I¡¯m a skill holder myself. Controlling my mana is a piece of cake,¡± Said the princess without a single stutter. It seems she¡¯s recovered a bit from the shock I put her in earlier. Though it was a bit obvious she was trying to toot her own horn, I didn¡¯t mind her bragging. If anything I thought it was sort of cute. I was more glad she didn¡¯t remark on my change of dress than anything. I¡¯d rather avoid explaining just how powerful I am. It¡¯s fine if the country thinks I¡¯m strong. It¡¯d be terrible if they learned the extent to which I am, though. I don¡¯t mind being treated like a powerful foe, but I really don¡¯t think I could handle being labeled a monster. James seemed to be awake, but his face was ghastly pale. He was clearly suffering from the broken ribs. A massive bruise was on his forehead from where I hit him. When I met his eyes, there was only anger. He wasn¡¯t afraid of me. He was pissed off at me. ¡°You! You hit me and went on to fight the Devil Hounds alone!¡± Cried James as he started moving towards me. ¡°Why do you sound angrier I fought them alone than the fact that I knocked you out?¡± ¡°Because what would I do if you got hurt?!¡± He yelled in response. His face blushed a bit after he said it, though. ¡°I need you to teach me your skill so I can become one of the strongest knights, like my father.¡± I should have tried to heal him. Chapter 9: A Talk with the Princess The strangest thing happened; James has shut the hell up. All it took was for Lily to introduce herself. Like it was a conditioned reflex, the boy hit his knees and bowed saying something along the lines of ¡®My Lady¡¯. I wanted to flick him again, but I suppose he was probably using the proper courtesy for royalty. I know better than to assume kings and queens are different from ordinary people. In my past life most kings were called dictators by the unwashed masses. Almost all the sensible countries were run by a Parliament or Congress of sorts. Still, I can¡¯t let this knowledge influence my actions in this world too much. Common Sense in this world is drastically different from my previous one. I suppose by refusing to bow then the nobility here could even potentially ask for your head, but I don¡¯t really need to be afraid of that sort of thing. I¡¯m far too valuable of an asset for them to turn on me. Not to mention the resources needed to actually take my head are far beyond what this Kingdom could produce. I can afford a little rudeness now and then. The fourth princess didn¡¯t seem to mind that I didn¡¯t bow to her. Though, even if she asked, I wouldn¡¯t do it. I have some pride. I was thankful for the princess¡¯s nonchalant nature. I hadn¡¯t expected her to be this amicable, but perhaps she¡¯s just afraid of me. Well, beggers can¡¯t be choosers. The three of us decided to leave the tied up traitor in the possession of the princess¡¯s second guard. The guard would take the two horses he and his partner had arrived on ahead of us to the next town. There was a small prison there where they could interrogate the puppy abductor. I think the guard was only willing to leave the princess¡¯s side because I was here. He personally witnessed my skills in action, after all. James opted to drive the carriage since the last driver had fled and I wasn¡¯t feeling particularly motivated to go collect the man. This left just the princess and I inside. The princess pulled off her cloak and I was able to get a good look at her for the first time since we¡¯ve met. Her hair was golden in color and tied low for horseback riding. Her face was freckled and her nose was angled slightly upwards. Her eyes had bags underneath them and her face looked a bit wind scarred. Her cheeks were flushed slightly and there was a bit of chub to her. She wasn¡¯t a twig and her body looked like it was in the latter half of puberty. She was probably around 16 if I had to guess. She was wearing a green flax shirt with a high cut. The shoulders were bulbous but the sleeves were lithe and the cuffs draped a bit. Her legs were covered by a parted riding skirt that was a grainy blue color. Her shoes looked to be leather riding boots with a metal clasp over the shin. I wouldn¡¯t call her pretty. She had a charm to her, but her youthfulness was drained by her tired blue eyes. ¡°Whew, okay. I guess I¡¯ll break the ice. I¡¯ve heard about you from Jack¡¯s letter, but I really didn¡¯t expect anything like this,¡± Said the princess as she adjusted her clothes a bit and shifted around in her seat. ¡°My name is Lily Grphyn Gransus, I am the fourth princess of the Gransus Kingdom. It¡¯s nice to meet you.¡± She held out her hand to me. It wasn¡¯t a dainty ¡®Take my hand and kiss it¡¯ kind of thing, either. The fourth princess was offering me a handshake. I grinned a bit as I accepted it. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Nice to meet you. I¡¯m a demon named Calliope.¡± ¡°Calliope, how many skills can you use?¡± Asked the princess when we finished the handshake. ¡°Why do you ask?¡± I replied to her question with another question. I wasn¡¯t sure if I should actually tell her the truth or not. ¡°Well, I told you earlier that I am a skill user as well. My skill is called -Analysis- and it can only be used when I¡¯m in physical contact with an object or person. I¡¯m sorry to tell you, but I used it on you just now¡­ But it didn¡¯t work. My skill could even see through the level 55 Knight Captain with two different skills, but it didn¡¯t work on you.¡± Ah. I messed up. I suppose I should have asked RED what her skill was earlier. It¡¯s not like I plan on hiding my strength or skills, but it¡¯s nice to avoid others knowing all of your talents. I want to avoid anything troublesome, after all. RED, what¡¯s a good number to say in order to fool her. [Solution: The princess witnessed you using at least three skills when fighting the Devil Hounds. She is also aware of your skill Mana Bomb that destroyed Jack Evergreen¡¯s home. This guide recommends telling her a number above 5.] I see. How many skills do I have in total, RED? [Solution: Including the skills the user recently developed, the user is currently in possession of 21 activatable skills. This number does not include the user¡¯s racial skills or benefits.] Wow. I have more skills now than on my main account from SHO. This is above top tier. Even in the world of Saga Heroes Online this character would be at the peak. ¡°I can use 7 skills.¡± I said, arbitrarily deciding on one third of my total as a good estimation. The princess¡¯s right eye twitched after hearing the number. ¡°I had been expecting something ridiculous, but isn¡¯t this too much? Just who are you, Calliope?¡± I wish I knew the answer to that myself. ¡°I¡¯m just a demon who was abandoned by her family.¡± She didn¡¯t seem completely sold on my answer, but she decided to drop the subject there. I know I could probably tell her the truth, but I doubt she¡¯d believe it. This is one of those cases where fact truly is stranger than fiction. After a long pause, the princess¡¯s curiosity seemed to get the better of her. ¡°Calliope, from what I¡¯ve seen you¡¯re already more than a match for the top knight in our Kingdom. What possible reason could you have to accept Jack¡¯s proposal and go to the Academy?¡± ¡°I suppose there are a few reasons. At first it was just to repay Jack for accidentally destroying his home, but now I¡¯m starting to think that your Academy might actually be good for me. If I¡¯m being completely honest, my own power scares the shit out of me. I¡¯m terrified that I might hurt -or possibly do something worse- to someone I care about.¡± I don¡¯t know why but I answered her honestly. I think she could tell based on my tone of voice alone. Lily seemed like a terribly smart girl. I couldn¡¯t read her thoughts at all. She¡¯ll probably just want to use me like all the rest. Still, I don¡¯t really care if she does. I always repay favors, and if this Academy can teach me to control my strength then I will use every fiber of my being to aid them and their students. Chapter 10: Levels The journey to the Capital continued in an uneventful fashion. We stopped in the small town to make sure the traitorous puppy napper was successfully brought in, but we didn¡¯t stay long after. The horses, of course, needed rest times and James couldn¡¯t drive for hours on end alone. I ended up learning a good deal about coaching a carriage from the farm boy. He seemed reluctant to teach me, at first, but he changed his tune when I threatened to flick him again. I wouldn¡¯t actually have done it, but maybe it¡¯s better if he doesn¡¯t know that. The princess was amenable and easy to travel with. She didn¡¯t bring up any difficult topics of discussion again. I was thankful that she seemed to have some tact. Though she did ask me about my skills. I¡¯m glad I didn¡¯t give her the actual number. Having to explain 7 to her was grueling enough in its own right. Besides, it¡¯s not like I completely understand all of my skills either. It¡¯s far too dangerous to experiment with them anywhere near James or Lily. I¡¯ve been informed that the Academy has dedicated training grounds where I¡¯ll be able to practice to my heart¡¯s content. I can hold off on playin¡­ -Practicing- until we arrive. All things considered, it wasn¡¯t a bad way to spend a few weeks. I¡¯ve learned quite a few things about James and Lily, too. I think James has a crush on the princess, though. I¡¯ll have to watch him and make sure he doesn¡¯t do anything to get himself in her bad graces. I have seen bits and pieces of Lily¡¯s darker side in passing conversation, and -if I¡¯m being completely honest- that girl scares me a bit. I think she¡¯s desperately trying to appeal to my kinder nature, but she slips up every now and again. Throughout the trip I kept expecting a group of bandits to pop out of the woods, or another horde of magical beasts to come running by, but neither happened. It was just a normal ride through the countryside with a couple of¡­ Friends? Do they consider me a friend, I wonder? [Solution: Data not found.] Yeah, I didn¡¯t expect you to know the answer to that one either. Still, I¡¯m almost glad I decided to go to the Academy now. If possible I think, once I get a handle on my powers, I might drag James and Lily to power level somewhere. I think going on a leveling journey with them might be fun. James¡¯s injuries seem to be healing rather quick. His constitution stat is in the 30s, so by normal human standards he¡¯d essentially be a superhero. Lily also considers herself to be quite high level, too. She always tries to find chances to brag about it. Apparently level 18 is considered genius levels in this world. Does that make James a super genius then?! I don¡¯t think I want to live in a world where James is considered the epitome of humanity. I do think it¡¯s odd neither James or Lily have asked me about my level. Now that I think about it, James has never bragged about his either. ¡°Lily, I¡¯ve noticed that you often talk about your level. To be honest, I¡¯ve never heard any other human brag about their level before. Is it not a common practice among humans?¡± I asked, doing my best to keep a straight face. ¡°Oh. Oh!¡± She seemed to come to a realization. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Calliope, I sometimes forget that you¡¯re not human¡­ Because your appearance is¡­ Well, you know what I mean. Anyways, most humans never make it past level 10 so bragging about your level has sort of become a thing only in military society.¡± ¡°Oh. But James doesn¡¯t talk about his level, and his father is a knight.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know why James doesn¡¯t brag about it. I secretly touched his hand while he was sleeping the other night in order to analyze him. He¡¯s actually even more outstanding than I am. Honestly, he has the prospects to become the next Knight Captain in my opinion¡­ But he must have his own reasons for not talking about it. When we get to the Academy you¡¯ll see how common bragging about levels really is.¡± Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. I see. I wonder why James doesn¡¯t brag about his level. Maybe he doesn¡¯t think his is all that high considering he¡¯s less than half his father¡¯s. Should I ask him about it? [Solution: Data not found.] Yeah. He¡¯s respected me enough to not pry into my situation. The least I can do is give him the same courtesy. ¡°That reminds me, Calliope. You never did tell me what level you were.¡± Oh shit. I shouldn¡¯t have brought it up. Crap, what do I say? [Solution: In order to register for the Academy your level and number of unique skills will be publicly assessed by a Reading Stone anyways. This guide recommends telling the truth.] That¡­ That¡¯s some exposition you should have told me the minute I decided I would go to the Academy. [Solution: The user has reaffirmed time and time again that they aren¡¯t trying to hide their strength.] I¡¯m¡­ But¡­ I don¡¯t even know what to think. I was kind of hoping I wouldn¡¯t have to ever show my real level to anyone. What will they think when they find out? [Solution: Data not found.] And I¡¯ve already lied to Lily about having only seven skills. Won¡¯t she come to hate me if she finds out I lied to her? [Solution: Data not found.] Is there any way to suppress or hide my level? [Solution: No.] Crap. ¡°Lily, I¡¯ve heard that your level gets revealed when you¡¯re getting admitted to the school. If possible I want to keep mine a secret until then.¡± Lily looked at me and tilted her head to the side a bit. I could see confusion and questions lurking behind her expression. Despite her obvious curiosity, she didn¡¯t press me on the matter. ¡°Okay. That¡¯s fine. If you want to hide your strength I could order a secret test to be done for you as well,¡± replied Lily. This girl. This beautiful wonderful girl. My face split into a bright smile. ¡°That would make me very happy, Lily.¡± ¡°The only condition is I get to be there when it happens to see the results.¡± I almost choked on my own words. For some reason the girl looked like she was laughing to herself as she read my expression. ¡°Is- Is it really necessary?¡± I asked. ¡°Yes. You¡¯re clearly hiding something, and I¡¯m terribly curious about it. The longer I hang around with you the more I come to like you, Calliope. I don¡¯t think friends should keep secrets between them.¡± Ah. So she did consider me her friend? I think I¡¯ve just made my first real friend since coming to this world. Well, I don¡¯t know if James considers me a friend. For now, Lily is my first. I know, somewhere deep in my mind, that she¡¯s probably planning to use me. Everything she¡¯s said is probably a ploy to get me to lower my guard around her, but another part of me wants to trust in her. There¡¯s no real harm in giving her a chance, is there? I mean, it¡¯s not like she can actually tie me to her country in any way. No one here is strong enough to do that. If I find out she¡¯s plotting behind my back I can just leave. ¡°Okay. You can see the results. But I refuse to tell you before then.¡± When I replied, Lily¡¯s face bloomed into the most genuine smile I¡¯ve ever seen her wear. After two more days on the road, the Royal Capital could finally be seen on the horizon. Intermission 2: Lily Grphyn Gransus We received a letter from Jack Evergreen today. In it he explained a rather interesting situation. He seems to have found a homeless member of the demon race. Not just any member either, he found a skill holder. The letter explained the demon¡¯s skill and the raw power it possesses. I was immediately interested. My younger brother, the sixth prince Thomas Leore Gransus, has been drumming up more and more political power while the first and second princes are away fighting at Fort Clyfton. If I can bring another skill holder into my political faction -especially a powerful one- we can suppress him from further abusing the current state of turmoil. I set out immediately, deciding to move with only two trusted bodyguards. I didn¡¯t want this new skill holder to become common knowledge until I¡¯ve had a chance to meet and, potentially, sway her over to my side. From the letter she¡¯s apparently around my age, but with the demon race you never know about these things. She could very well be older than my grandmother. Lucky for us, I was currently stationed in the town of Lartree. Eastrock is only a few days away by horseback. Jack mentioned sending the girl off with his son in an easy to spot carriage. We¡¯ll meet them soon. I woke in the morning to the sounds of howling on the wind. My guards looked to be in a panic. A pack of Devil Hounds was moving towards us. I quickly jumped into my saddle and slapped the reins down while digging my heels into the stirrups. Both guards followed suit. It didn¡¯t take long for the pack of Devil Hounds to begin catching up to us. Their behavior was terribly strange. They were clearly pursuing our group. Am I going to die like this? I can¡¯t afford to die here! Gransus is on the verge of a civil war! If I die here many more citizens will fall to my brother¡¯s hands. He wants power purely for the sake of power alone. He¡¯s had that snake of an advisor Phanedor whispering in his ears giving him ideas of suppressing the populace and raising armies to conquer The Forgotten Lands. Such an act was akin to political suicide in most cases, but my brother¡¯s iron fisted approach was keeping the naysayers at bay. If my brother ever manages to get the writ of succession, I¡¯m afraid all of Gransus will fall. The Forgotten Lands has at least three known rank 4 beasts. We¡¯ve seen the power of rank 4 beasts when the Dragon Baer managed to wipe out three entire armies twelve years ago. I can¡¯t die here. I won¡¯t let this country die. Then there was a flash. My savior arrived. It wasn¡¯t a knight in shining armor like the children¡¯s tales say; it was a girl. It was a beautiful demon girl. She wiped out the entire pack of Devil Hounds in a single moment. I quickly dismounted and my guards followed suit. We all were interested in this hero that had come to our aid. I, in shock, spoke to the girl in a stutter. The girl turned towards us and started walking. Her eyes were like daggers, staring straight through my guard Remus. Then, she flicked him. I couldn¡¯t even react to the speed. I could barely follow it with my eyes. Remus collapsed in a heap like a puppet with its strings cut. I tried to say something, but she refuted me. She walked to one of the man¡¯s packs and opened it, revealing a tiny ball of fur. It was a Devil Hound¡­ A baby devil hound. Everything made sense in that instant. Remus betrayed me. He was trying to use the Devil Hounds to assassinate me. I wonder how long he¡¯s been working for Thomas? I quickly had Bevil tie the traitorous scum up. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. I was finally afforded a chance to think. It was only now that I realized the girl fit Jack¡¯s description to the letter. Off in the distance I could even make out the carriage¡­ He said she could use a skill? I¡¯m certain she used at least three in front of me! I¡¯ve heard the demon race tends to be more powerful than humans, but isn¡¯t this just too much? Imagine how powerful we could become, as a country, if we could get an alliance with the Northern Continent? Perhaps this girl could even become the key to opening negotiations! It was only now that I finally noticed the girl¡¯s expression. She looked ready to cry while she held the puppy¡­ I approached her and asked if the animal was okay. Her reply was blunt. She said she was going to try and heal it, but she didn¡¯t know healing magic. I could only wince at that. There¡¯s currently one person in the entire Gransus Kingdom who can use Healing Magic¡­ It¡¯s a skill so difficult to master most can¡¯t accomplish it with a lifetime of training. I stepped back, expecting the failure. Then I watched a powerful demon, a creature capable of wiping out an entire horde of rank 3 magical beasts, break down and cry. It hurt my heart. I wanted to hug her and tell her it would be okay, but I didn¡¯t. My feet wouldn¡¯t move. I realized, then, just how terrified I really was of her, and I hated myself for it. I¡¯m an awful person. Once she finished crying, the girl stood up and spoke of washing off in the river. I wanted to stop her, but she already vanished from my sight. I guess, thinking about it logically, it¡¯s not like there¡¯s any beasts in this forest that could pose a threat to her. Still, I wish I could have at least comforted her a bit. I was still in shock from everything that happened, but that isn¡¯t an excuse to do nothing. I looked over the scene of the battle and could only feel awe at the sight. There were at least 40 of the Devil Hound corpses laying on the highway. I walked to the side of the road and touched the control layer of brick. Using my mana, I made the highway start to clear the obstructions. Someone has to clean up this mess and, from the looks of things, it might be better if the demon girl doesn¡¯t see this again. I grabbed the horses with my remaining bodyguard and we made our way to the carriage. I can¡¯t stop my mind from thinking about the scenes that played out. Just how powerful is this girl? There¡¯s no feasible way to bring someone like her into my political faction. Besides, she cried over the death of a Devil Hound. She¡¯s far too kind to be of use in any kind of political game. I could never use her as an assassin or fighter for my merit. I made the decision, at that moment, that instead of using this girl I''d befriend her. She¡¯s saved my life. The least I can do is keep the other political parties away from her. If I make them think she¡¯s part of my organization, even if she really isn¡¯t, then no one will touch her. Not even Thomas would dare try to assassinate someone in my circle. He knows too well how I¡¯d respond. Yes. I will protect this girl. I, the weak princess, will protect this world shaking demon. It¡¯s almost funny when I think of it like that¡­ But it¡¯s the least I can do in exchange for a life debt. Who knows, maybe we will even become friends on this journey to the Capital. Chapter 11: Dark Tidings The Royal Capital of Gransus was finally in sight. The city was, by all rights, massive. A huge stone wall, three stories high, surrounded the entire perimeter. Over the top of the barrier, the tips of buildings could be seen peeking out. The city itself seemed to be built on a hill because the building tops seemed to climb upwards as they moved closer to the center. There, at the middle most point, stood a castle. It was a true fantasy style medieval city. I couldn¡¯t help but grow a bit excited. How often have I seen such scenes through the screen of my computer? [Solution: Data not found.] Yeah, I couldn¡¯t count that high either. Still, there is some strange power in seeing this kind of thing in person. The sun was still in the morning half of the sky and I could hear the hubbub of city life from here. I felt like a kid standing outside a candy store. For the rest of the ride, I sat outside the carriage next to James. The princess didn¡¯t want to join us, for some reason. She probably has some important political things to think about, but I didn¡¯t really have the mind to care for such things. Our carriage rumbled onwards. Even the horses seemed chipper and in good spirits. James was laughing and trying to crack jokes, but he seems to only know bad puns. I¡¯ll have to teach him a few real jokes later. He¡¯s a teenage boy, so it shouldn¡¯t be hard to find ones that appeal to him. We approached the massive gate. It was marked with writing over the top. [Solution: Would the user like this guide to automatically translate written language into a form the user can understand?] You can do that? [Solution: Yes. This guide can translate written word into a readable form, but this guide cannot transform the user¡¯s writing into a form others in this world can understand.] Tch. So I can read it but I can¡¯t write it? That kind of sucks. Can you at least teach me to sign my name, RED? [Solution: Yes.] Well, I guess that¡¯s all I really need to get by for now. It might be good if I can get some kind of official identification in this world. I wonder, does the Academy issue them? [Solution: Yes.] That¡¯s good. So there¡¯s no reason for me to bother trying to get one on my own, then. Our carriage pulled into the line for the gate marked ¡°Gransus East¡±. I¡¯m assuming RED¡¯s translation is simplified. It¡¯s probably around the quality of Google¡¯s machine translation, but it¡¯ll have to do for now. I don¡¯t really feel like learning to read and write all over again, so if I can avoid it I will. The wagons and carriages ahead of us were being checked by a team of three guardsmen dressed in gaudy chainmail with some kind of Griffon design on the chest. They wouldn¡¯t be memorable, though, if it weren¡¯t for the terrible mustaches each one had. The tall one had a black bushy mustache thick enough to hide a small animal in it, the fat one had a needle thin mustache that curled downwards in a spiral, and the short one had a classic handlebar. They looked like a comedy trio. I couldn¡¯t take them seriously. James looked at me with a strange expression as I worked hard to stifle my giggles. For some reason he didn¡¯t think the three guards looked ridiculous. I genuinely hope this isn¡¯t a big fashion trend in Gransus. My stomach can¡¯t handle holding in laughter this hard. When it was finally our turn to pass through the gate, seeing the guards up close made me break my composure. ¡°What¡¯s so funny, lass?¡± Asked the fat one in a dead serious tone. Just the fact that he was taking himself so seriously while wearing that thing on his face made me laugh harder. I can¡¯t explain it. I guess, after all the dumb shit that I¡¯ve gone through, this scene was just too absurd for me to handle. James looked astonished and even the princess was leaning out of the carriage with an awed expression. ¡°Wh-what? I¡¯m sorry, I just couldn¡¯t help myself.¡± I said to the two of them, completely ignoring the guardsmen. ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± replied Lily, ¡°I¡¯ve just never seen you laugh before. I was beginning to think you were a stick in the mud.¡± Ouch. Have I really been that brooding and dark? I didn¡¯t honestly intend to be. ¡°You three, here¡¯s my identification. Please pardon my friend¡¯s rudeness. This is her first time seeing the city so she¡¯s a bit out of it,¡± said Lily as she handed over a small card to the tall guard. His eyes immediately opened wide and he hit his knees. ¡°My Lady! I apologize for my men¡¯s rudeness. You and your company are free to enter the city.¡± Wow. That¡¯s the power of royalty, I guess. I¡¯m still trying to reign in my madness as we pass through the gates. The gates themselves opened up into a long tunnel with arrow slits along each side. This city is clearly designed to withstand a siege. My cacophonous laughter died down as I began seriously inspecting my surroundings. ¡°What did you find so funny about the guards?¡± Asked James, interrupting my train of thought. ¡°It was the combination of their uniforms and the mustaches,¡± I replied, forcing down another giggle. ¡°It just looked so ridiculous to me.¡± ¡°Really? I thought they looked rather cool, though.¡± At James¡¯s reply I laughed again. I don¡¯t know if my good mood was infectious, but Lily joined me this time. After a few minutes, we both calmed down. The carriage was approaching the end of the tunnel. ¡°Calliope, every guard at the city gates has a ridiculous mustache. For some reason most of the men in the city think of it as some kind of tradition and honor for helping defend the Kingdom. Here, the mustache is like a badge of honor saying you¡¯ve served your country,¡± Said Lily. This is probably the strangest tradition I¡¯ve ever heard of. Some men can pull off mustaches, but there is a limit to how outlandish your facial hair can get before you just look like a clown. Perhaps I¡¯m a bit biased on this since I never grew facial hair in my past life. Either way, it¡¯s just a small detail in the end. It¡¯s not like there¡¯s going to be a whole city full of mustache contest entrants. We finally left the tunnel. My eyes needed a moment to adjust to the light, but when they did I was awed at the sight. Stone buildings stood in neat rows. A huge bazaar style marketplace opened up in front of us. The sounds of children screaming and people haggling filled my ears. There were fruits I¡¯ve never seen before. Weapons vendors were scattered about. The smell of cinnamon filled the air. That was one spice I never thought I¡¯d experience again. It was a beautiful summer morning, and I almost wanted to cry from the pleasure of this view. ¡°It¡¯s fantastic,¡± I said in a low voice. ¡°Calliope, welcome to the Kingdom¡¯s Capital, Gransus!¡± Cried Lily as she stepped out of the carriage. Her smile was infectious. I needed a moment to take it all in. All the sights, the smells, and the scenes. I really was in the world of Saga Heroes Online. This wasn¡¯t just a bad dream. Excitement filled my veins. I wanted to go exploring. I wanted to see all the sights. I needed to know if there was an Adventurer''s guild too! [Solution: There is an Adventurer¡¯s Guild in Gransus.] This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. I needed to visit the Adventurer¡¯s Guild too! I felt like a puppy with a ton of new toys. ¡°Would you like me to give you a tour?¡± Asked Lily. I could only nod ¡®Yes¡¯. I didn¡¯t have words for how awesome I was feeling. ¡°James, can you take the carriage to the Academy and give the gatekeeper a letter for me? I¡¯ll have my men take care of the luggage for all of us later,¡± said Lily as she handed an envelope to the farm boy. His eyes looked a bit conflicted. He probably wanted to explore the Capital with us. ¡°Okay,¡± replied James. I felt bad, but someone had to take care of the carriage and horses. Originally it would have been the responsibility of the old driver we came with, but he took off running during the whole Devil Hound incident. I certainly didn¡¯t want to do it. I¡¯ll make it up to James later by helping him out with mana¡­ Well, I guess I¡¯m not suited to teach anyone. I should probably just give him vague tips again and let the Academy professors take care of that. Lily and I waved goodbye to James and started walking through the bazaar. She put her cloak on and held it tight to her. It would probably be a hassle if someone recognized her. She was probably something like a celebrity for the common people here. On our tour Lily would point out buildings and statues to me. She¡¯d give in depth histories about every location we passed. This girl must have studied a great deal about her own Kingdom¡¯s history. It was really refreshing and she seemed to be completely in her element. I¡¯ve always loved stories and history, so I found the tour to be fun. I¡¯d often ask her simple questions about artists or the ancients their works depicted. She didn¡¯t falter a step, though, and answered every question I asked. It was a rather fun time. After a while we finally came to a large building with what looked to be courtyards out behind it for training purposes. There were several muscular men there swinging practice swords against straw dummies. ¡°This, is the Gransus Charter of the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. We¡¯re actually here to meet someone. His name is Endyrion and he¡¯s both the Guild Master as well as the Principal of the Royal Arms Academy,¡± Said Lily with a smile. I was astounded by this Endyrion. Just how amazing of a man was he to be able to be the leader of the Guild and the Academy? [Solution: Endyrion is the second strongest being in the Gransus Kingdom. He is second only to the Knight Captain. He is in possession of two Skills, though the public is only aware of one. His level is (53).] I¡¯m starting to grasp this world¡¯s common sense. I can understand how outstanding this Endyrion is. Honestly, I kind of want to meet him. Lily and I entered the Guild and the inside didn¡¯t belie my expectations. It was filled with tables, gruff looking men, and boards covered with what I could only assume are guild jobs. In the back of the room stood a reception counter with three ladies working there. Each was wearing a tacky blue shirt with a nametag. Two of the receptionists were busy, but luckily the third was free. Lily and I made our way to her. I noticed that, while we crossed the room, a fair number of the Adventurers were staring at us. I wonder what they are thinking. Perhaps they think a couple of young girls were corrupting their sacred grounds or something along those lines. The people in the Guild seemed to be of every shape and size. Most of the men were larger and wearing armor, but there were a few decked out in wizardly robes too. There weren¡¯t many women in the room, but the few that were there looked like classic rogues. They all seemed to have a dangerous glint in their eyes. If it was my last life, I¡¯d probably have pissed my pants just bearing near this collection of delinquent looking folks¡­ But right now I was thousands of times more powerful than everyone else in this room. I may look like a little girl, but I am a powerful demon. I refused to bow my head in shame. I met stare after stare with pride. I think they respected me for it. No one stopped Lily and I. We reached the reception and the princess slipped a card to the receptionist. ¡°We¡¯re here to see Endyrion.¡± The receptionist looked at the card and gave a classic customer service smile. ¡°Princess, it¡¯s been awhile since you came to the guild. After you reached B rank I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d ever see you again.¡± Whoa. What? The Princess was registered as an adventurer? And she¡¯s B rank? Isn¡¯t that considered high on most scales? [Solution: The fourth princess Lily Grphyn Gransus was trained by Endyrion from a young age. She was given the task to reach B rank before her fifteenth birthday in exchange for being allowed to enter the Academy. The ranks in the Adventurer¡¯s Guild are as follows: F, E, D, C, B, A, S.] So she¡¯s quite a big shot. The reason all the adventurers were staring at us earlier wasn¡¯t because of me but because of her. I probably just looked ridiculous glaring at everyone, then. Oh goodness, that¡¯s embarrassing. ¡°I normally would never come back to this hole, but my friend and I need to see Endyrion. Is he in?¡± ¡°Yes he is, but he¡¯s in a meeting right now. He¡¯ll be free in about half an hour. You and your¡­ Friend, are free to wait in the main lobby. I¡¯ll call you when he¡¯s done.¡± Lily didn¡¯t look happy at the response she got. I also noted that she described this Guild as a ¡®hole¡¯. I¡¯m guessing she has some kind of bad history with the Guild. Lily turned to me and I could see the disappointment in her eyes. ¡°Calliope, let¡¯s find a table in a corner somewhere. Let¡¯s make it clear we¡¯re not here to socialize. I don¡¯t feel like having to fight anyone right now.¡± ¡°Fight? Why would you have to fight someone here?¡± I asked. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right. You don¡¯t know. The Adventurer¡¯s Guild is an international organization that spans multiple countries. When you¡¯re in their halls you are no longer a member of royalty or nobility, you¡¯re just another adventurer. A lot of people use the Guilds as places to solve grudges with members of higher societ¡­¡± Lily was cut off by a man¡¯s hand landing on my shoulder. ¡°Oy, so you¡¯re teaching a newbie, eh princess?¡± Asked a man¡¯s voice in an insinuating tone. A buzz went through my body at the sudden physical contact. It didn¡¯t feel chummy, it felt dirty. It felt wrong. I found my body reacting naturally. I drove my elbow into the man¡¯s gut without holding anything back. I didn¡¯t even have time to think about it. His body was split in half. Blood sprayed everywhere as the two halves flew into the distant wall, smashing into it. Seeing the gruesome scene, and knowing I had just accidentally killed someone, made me stumble for a moment. ¡°Shit. I didn¡¯t mean... I¡­¡± I couldn¡¯t say anything else before I fell over backwards. Everything went black. Just like that, I fainted.
For any that read the chapter the moment I posted it, I have just done some considerable grammar and spelling checks. Sorry for posting the chapter in such a rough state. My morning classes got cancelled so I''m a bit off my groove. Chapter 12: The Ties that Bind I can hear voices speaking, but I can¡¯t make out what they¡¯re saying. One clearly belongs to a man, the other sounds like Lily¡¯s. I tried to open my eyes, but they wouldn¡¯t listen to me. ¡°----------------!¡± It was Lily. I don¡¯t think RED is translating right now. That¡¯s unfortunate. I don¡¯t know why, but I think she¡¯s saying something important. ¡°-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-!!¡± It was the man¡¯s voice again. Whatever he said was followed by the sound of cheering in the background. ¡°---------!¡± Lily¡¯s voice sounds sad. I think she¡¯s crying. Then there was silence for a while. I didn¡¯t mind the silence, but it felt oddly ominous. The silence was broken with a very distinct noise. It was the sound of someone getting hit, followed by a scream. I wasn¡¯t able to tell what was happening because of the background chorus growing louder. [Solution: The user is being threatened while in an unresponsive state. Initiating Manual Override.] The chorus stopped. My body felt strange. Something that sounded like glass breaking echoed next to my head. ¡°----iope -top!!¡± Cried Lily¡¯s voice. I was almost startled. I could begin to understand what she was saying. She was saying my name. ¡°Calliope! Wake up! Please¡­¡± This time I could understand her. I could feel the cogs in my head beginning to work again. My memory was flooding back. Tears began flowing down my face. [Solution: The user is no longer in an unresponsive state. Deactivating Manual Override.] I opened my eyes. My left hand was wrapped around a thin man¡¯s throat. His neck was twisted full circle. At my feet laid the bodies of four adventurers. Each one more broken than the last. Lily was hugging my arms, trying to pull my fingers free from the dead man¡¯s neck. She was crying too. It seems, when I passed out, several men tried to attack me. Lily¡¯s face was bruised bad. I think that she tried to stop them and was hit for it. I loosened my grip and the man¡¯s body dropped to the floor. My hair seems to be disheveled. I probably look like a complete mess, huh? [Solution: Data not found.] I really messed up, didn¡¯t I? [Solution: Data not found.] Fuck you, RED. Even if those men attacked me they couldn¡¯t kill me. My constitution stat is so high I doubt their blades would even get past my skin. Why did you kill them? [Solution: This guide, while in manual override, responds to violence with equal levels of violence.] Is it possible to change that setting? [Solution: This guide cannot be altered by the user in any way. Only Lord Nox has that privilege.] How do I find Nox? [Solution: Data is classified.] How do I un-classify this data? [Solution: Data not found.] Can you lie to me, RED? [Solution: Data not found.] Because I¡¯ve been wondering for a long time now just what you are. No computer program as advanced as you exists in my world. You have clearly shown signs of a personality underneath all your bullshit jargon. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. RED, how did Nox make you? [Solution: Data is classified.] Get out of my head. [Solution: Proposition is impossible.] GET OUT OF MY HEAD! [Solution: This guide can enter a low power mode. The user will not be able to access any functions for a set period of time. The only active feature during this time would be the passive translation system. Would you like this guide to enter low power mode?] Yes. [Solution: Please indicate the length of time the user would like this guide to enter low power mode.] Forever. [Solution: Error. Please input new data value.] One hundred years. [Solution: Proper value accepted. Now entering low power mode... Goodbye, Calliope.] I waited for a moment, but nothing else happened. Are you really gone, RED? ¡­ Good. Don¡¯t come back. I looked around the room. It seems everyone has scattered to the four corners. The look in their eyes makes me want to cry¡­ But I can¡¯t find any tears. I don¡¯t feel anything right now. It¡¯s probably due to my racial skill -Combat State-. Lily is sobbing. She¡¯s leaning on my shoulder now. It¡¯s a bit awkward because she¡¯s taller than me. ¡°LILY GRPHYN GRANSUS, GET IN MY OFFICE THIS INSTANT!¡± Cried a very angry voice. I looked over to the door in the back of the room and saw an old man with a terrifying expression on his face. He¡¯s probably Endyrion. He looked far older than I had anticipated. His head was shiny from baldness, but he had a perfect wizard beard that was hanging to his knees. His nose was a touch bulbous, and his cheeks were flush with rage. Perhaps the most memorable thing about the man was his beady gray eyes and the gnarled cane in his hands. He pointed the cane at me. ¡°YOU COME TOO, DEMON CHILD.¡± To be honest, I don¡¯t really want to meet Endyrion anymore. The only thing I want to do is run to the nearest mountain range and become a hermit. Level myself up to maximum and maybe raise some pets¡­ But if I did that, what would happen to Lily? She¡¯d probably have to take responsibility for my murders considering she brought me here. If I abandon her now, would I really be able to ever clear my conscience? I don¡¯t know how, but I could feel the two paths spreading out before me. If I go into that old man¡¯s office, there¡¯s no turning back. I will get tied to this country through bonds of blood and retribution¡­ I looked down at the mangled bodies and felt the urge to vomit. Can I bear the weight of these sins alone? If I leave now, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever be able to forgive myself. With my head high and my cheeks wet, I took Lily¡¯s hand in mine and walked with her to Endyrion¡¯s office. Chapter 13: Reflection ¡°Five! She killed five of my ¡®A¡¯ ranked adventurers. Lily, stop your sniveling this instant,¡± bellowed Endyrion as he paced through his office. The room was wider than I had expected. The walls were infused with mana, preventing any sounds from leaking. There were bookshelves lining every inch of free space, and there was a book on every inch of bookshelf. Several magical beast skulls were set on display, the most prominent of which was the skull of the Dragon Baer, a rank 4 beast. Endyrion continued his rambling and raging as he walked. He wasn¡¯t saying anything of value, though. He was mostly venting. I don¡¯t really know the value of five ranked ¡®A¡¯ adventurers, but it must be quite high for this old man to show such a display to his guests. It took us awhile, but both Lily and I have managed to dry our tears. I¡¯m not really in the mood to listen to this pathetic guild master talk for much longer, though. ¡°Enough. We all know what I¡¯ve done can¡¯t be undone, and we know you¡¯re trying to think up a way to make me ¡®pay¡¯ for my actions,¡± I said, trying to make myself sound stronger than I felt. Endyrion looked flustered for a moment, like he was going to lash out again, but he stopped himself. ¡°Hmph, I could have your head for this, girl. You know that, right?¡± ¡°The executioner¡¯s blade would shatter on my skin,¡± I replied. ¡°I¡¯m serious. This isn¡¯t the time for jokes! Right now I¡¯m going to need a damned good reason not to pursue capital punishment!¡± This is getting irritating, and Lily is oddly quiet. ¡°Old man, do you have any of those Reading Stones that evaluate a person¡¯s levels and skills?¡± ¡°Old-Old man! You little shit¡­ This isn¡¯t the time to be worrying about the academy¡¯s entrance exam!¡± ¡°You said you need a damned good reason. Give me a Reading Stone and I¡¯ll give you one.¡± Endyrion looked like he was about to say something, but he stopped. He walked to the back of his office and opened a drawer. From inside he pulled out a silver stone and what looked to be a miniature monkey¡¯s skull. ¡°You better have a damned good reason for getting me off track, demon.¡± ¡°My name¡¯s Calliope,¡± I said, as I took the silver stone from him and began pouring mana into it. ¡°And from now on you¡¯d better start calling me by it.¡± [User Level: 941. Skill Total: 22.] Endyrion stopped pacing. He looked like an ice sculpture. ¡°What. That can¡¯t be right. It must be¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s correct,¡± I interrupted. Lily, who had been sitting in the chair next to me, started choking on her own saliva. ¡°Jack said you were an abandoned child. He said his -Intuition- confirmed the truth.¡± ¡°Jack¡¯s level is far too low for his -Intuition- to work on me. It¡¯s the same reason Lily¡¯s -Analysis- failed too. Though I¡¯m a bit shocked by the number 22. Last time I checked it was only 21.¡± I think Lily fainted. Endyrion just started laughing like a maniac. ¡°This is a pretty damn good reason not to execute you. We¡¯d be just be slipping the noose around our own necks,¡± said Endyrion in a giggle filled tone. ¡°What are you, Calliope?¡± ¡°I¡¯m trying to find the answer to that very question myself. Now please, can I go?¡± ¡°Can you? Bwahahahahahaha. I thought it strange when my -Mana Sensor- started going wild about a month ago, but it all makes sense now. You¡¯re one of the Fae!¡± Cried Endyrion as his hysterics grew wilder. I immediately focused on his last word. A member of the ¡®Fae¡¯ is what RED had called Nox. Are they are the gods of this world? ... Oh. That¡¯s right. I¡¯m going to have to get used to him not responding. Without another word, I stood up and wrapped Lily¡¯s arm over my shoulders. I walked out of Endyrion¡¯s office into the main building. Everyone there stopped moving. All the eyes turned on me. There were three guards in the room, all with terrible mustaches, but I wasn¡¯t in the mood to make fun of them right now. I walked, supporting Lily, to the door. The crowd simply receded. None of them even attempted to stop us. With the door to his office open, everyone could hear Endyrion¡¯s cacophonous laughter echoing throughout the building. I didn¡¯t hide my face as I walked through the city. I could hear whispers everywhere I went. I could feel eyes staring at me, but no one confronted me. I wonder how fast the news traveled. I wonder what these people are thinking. A little girl killed five top tier adventurers in an instant. Perhaps they were wondering why I was still walking the streets. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. After a bit, Lily woke up and started walking on her own. She didn¡¯t say a word. She didn¡¯t look at me, either. Without a sound between us, we arrived at the Academy¡¯s front gate. There, leaning against a metal fence, was James. I met his gaze, but he didn¡¯t shy away. ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid of me? I¡¯m the demon who killed five men today,¡± I asked. ¡°No. I¡¯m not afraid. I¡¯ve known how strong you are for a long time now. Yet whenever I look at you, I don¡¯t see a demon. I just see an abandoned and scared little girl. I can tell, just by looking at your eyes, that you hate yourself right now¡­ And I think you¡¯re immature. I think you need to grow the fuck up. You were attacked! Your actions were completely justified. Everyone dies eventually, Calliope. Some people just deserve to die sooner than others.¡± With that said, James walked through the gate towards the dorms. He didn¡¯t even give me a chance to say anything. Lily finally gave me a long look. ¡°If I had your power," she said, "I¡¯d use it for the people of this country. That includes killing bad men when necessary. I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re one of the Fae or not¡­ But I still consider you my friend.¡± With that said, she too left me. I walked to my room alone. It didn¡¯t take me long to find it. I walked inside and shut the door. I needed time. I needed some time to think. The official entrance exam for the Academy was in two days. That gave me 48 hours to just reflect. Is it wrong for me to feel this way? Every time I think about it, it just seems strange. Endyrion never once questioned the morality of me murdering those men, only the consequences for such actions. Just because I¡¯m powerful, does that really put me above such consequences? My head was starting to hurt. I needed sleep. My eyes were getting heavy. I laid down on the bed drifted into the darkness. A sudden pain in my throat caused me to wake up from my slumber. Standing above me was a man in a black suit. His face was covered with a white devil mask. His right hand was holding a dagger which was currently embedded in my neck. ¡°It¡¯s nothing personal, demon.¡± Said the man as he turned around to leave. I guess Endyrion didn¡¯t publicise my level. I grabbed the hilt of the blade with my right hand and pulled it free from my neck. The bloody dagger was a top quality item. It was probably Expert Class at least. It had to be in order to hurt me. I almost stopped to admire it. The man, upon hearing me move, turned around. He was wearing a mask, but I could feel the shock on his face as the wound on my neck closed up on its own. ¡°My constitution,¡± I stopped to cough briefly, ¡°Is high enough that a critical wound like this couldn¡¯t even manage a tenth of my hit points.¡± Without another word, I quickly struck the man with my finger, knocking him out cold. I took his mask off. He was a teenage boy with ruddy red hair. It was coiled in tight curls. His face was freckled and his nose was wide. I¡¯d have called him an ugly child in my previous world. Here, he was fairly common. The man woke up quickly and his eyes were bulging with fear. It looked like he was going to start crying. ¡°P-please don¡¯t kill me.¡± The terror in his voice really hurt me. I started ripping strips of his shirt off and used it to tie his hands behind his back. It¡¯s amazing how easy it is to move him against his will. He¡¯s like a doll in my hands. With a quick heave, I lifted the boy onto my shoulders. I had my Heaven¡¯s Demon Garb transform into a long cloak as I jumped out the window of my room. The ginger assassin was getting annoying so I knocked him out again. After searching for a while, I finally found the nearest guard station. I left the tied up assassin on their doorstep along with his bloody dagger. I¡¯m still a bit uneasy, but having to deal with this seems to have helped my mind clear up a bit. If I think about it, I guess I¡¯m a criminal too. I owe a debt to this society, and I intend to pay it. People die. That¡¯s how James worded it. I still feel an ache deep in my heart, but I think I can work this out with a little time. For now, I need to learn to control my power. I can''t afford to dwell. I need to keep moving forward. Chapter 14: Entrance Exam The dorms for the Academy were a series of apartment style buildings on the southern side of the campus. Most students needed to wait until they passed the entrance exam before they could be admitted, but -because of Jack¡¯s letter- rooms were set aside for James and I ahead of time. I think Lily had one set up beforehand as well. I stayed in my room for a full day. I didn¡¯t go out to see Lily or James. I don¡¯t think either one of them wanted to see me right now, anyways. The assassin who attacked on the first night was the only person to visit me. I didn¡¯t mind it too much. I lived most of my last life alone and cramped in my apartment. I sure did miss the internet, though. Being alone was so much easier when I could do it together with millions of other people. There was always something comforting about that. During my free time I frequently tried to use my lowest class skills. I know how dangerous it is for me to be manipulating mana, but I feel like the lower tier skills are fine. So long as I limit the Mana to Adept Class or lower, I don¡¯t think the damage from an accident would go past my room. Still, I need to get access to the training grounds soon so I can start getting a feel for the higher levels. The skill effects are vastly different from what they were in SHO, and I have quite a few skills I¡¯ve never even seen in the game days before. Not to mention there were always alternative uses for skills than pure ¡°damage¡±. Like the time I heated up a pool of water using -Fire Blade-. Now that I don¡¯t have RED I should also look into getting a map of magical beast spawn locations near the Capital. I don¡¯t have any money to buy one, but I don¡¯t think getting work will be too hard. I¡¯m certain I could probably register as an ¡®S¡¯ rank adventurer with Endyrion. The high ranked missions should be quite lucrative. I don¡¯t know the value of this world''s money, but it shouldn¡¯t be too hard to figure out. Time passed quickly. I was rather absorbed in testing the differences between -Intangible Striking- and -Mana Shot-. Both seem to follow the same principle, but their effects varied wildly. The two days passed by in the blink of an eye. It was finally the day of the entrance exam. I was certain that Endyrion wasn¡¯t going to test me publicly, but I still needed to attend the ceremony. Besides, even if they weren¡¯t really talking to me, I still wanted to support Lily and James. I had Heaven¡¯s Demon Garb take the shape of a large cloak to keep my visage hidden. The last thing I needed was to draw too much attention to myself. The morning sun was blazing down on us, but inside the Garb I didn¡¯t feel much heat at all. The main courtyard in front of the Academy¡¯s Reason Hall was filled with at least 200 kids. I wasn¡¯t aware so many would be here to take the entrance exam. All of us ended up crowded together in front of a raised stage. Endyrion walked onto the platform with a slow gait. He reached the podium at the center and tapped it twice, causing the crowd to quiet down. ¡°Hrrrmm,¡± he cleared his throat, ¡°Welcome to the Royal Arms Academy. Today is the day of our entrance exam. In order to be accepted into the Academy you must be either higher than level 15 or be a skill holder. I will ask now, but would those of you don¡¯t meet these requirements please leave the courtyard.¡± The crowd started murmuring and several of the kids began leaving. Surprisingly, though, most didn¡¯t move. After a few minutes passed and he was certain the last low leveled child had left, Endyrion began talking again. ¡°There is also a third way to be accepted. You may duel a student who has passed from one of the earlier requirements. If you win, you may enter. But if only the losers could challenge someone to a duel, things would get boring.¡± In that moment, I swear Endyrion was looking into my eyes. ¡°Those of you who have grudges can air them out here as well. Students who pass may challenge other students who have also passed! The loser will not be admitted! If you are challenged to a duel you cannot refuse it, either!¡± The crowd of students was beginning to get wild. I don¡¯t know what this old man was doing, but I¡¯m certain Lily never mentioned anything like this happening at the entrance exam before. What was he trying to do? ¡°Oh, there are also three students here who have already been approved by me, personally. You may challenge them as well if you so choose.¡± Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. I had a bad feeling about this. ¡°James Evergreen, the son of the famous Knight Jack Evergreen. Lily Grphyn Gransus, the fourth princess of the Gransus Kingdom and my personal pupil¡­¡± Endyrion paused for a moment while Lily and James made their way over to the area designated for those that pass the exam. ¡°And, the last to pass preemptively, the Demon Calliope who single handedly fought and killed five ¡®A¡¯ rank adventurers two days ago.¡± Why? What is wrong with this old man!? He wants me to fight people? Does he want me to accidentally hurt someone else? ¡­ I¡¯m really starting to miss RED. I may have been too rash when I told him to never come back. At times like this he would normally harass me with ¡®Data not found¡¯s¡­ Even now I still think about RED. He had always referred to me as ¡®the user¡¯, right up until his final moments. Only in his farewell did he call me by name¡­ Perhaps he¡¯d even know what the hell the principal wanted. Seeing as I¡¯d been called out, there was no point in keeping the Garb as a cloak. I had it take its normal form as I walked forward through the parting crowd. As I passed the podium I noticed just how amused Endyrion¡¯s expression was. I could only pray he wouldn¡¯t break out into another laughing fit. I¡¯m about 90% certain he thinks I¡¯m a God. Perhaps he thinks it¡¯s funny to get to play a trick on what he considers a deity? Lily and James looked nervous as I approached them. They weren¡¯t scared of me. I knew better than that, but I think both of them were afraid for whoever challenges me. The slew of kids and teenagers in the courtyard began, one by one, going up to the podium to have their levels and skill count read. Most failed, but there was a fair number of passes as well. ¡°Next up, Emerlia Ti¡¯er Gransus,¡± Called Endyrion as a girl with a striking resemblance to Lily started walking up to the podium. The only difference between the two was Emerlia looked to be about a year older. [User Level: 19. Skill Total: 2.] The entire crowd began to roar with surprise and cheers. I looked over at Lily to find her face pale. She met my gaze and slowly shook her head from side to side. She was clearly implying she¡¯d talk about it later, but I think what just happened was apparently a big deal. I could smell trouble brewing. The examinees continued testing until only those who failed remained in the main courtyard. All those who passed were together behind the stage. ¡°We will now begin the challenge stage. Each one of you who are still in the courtyard may challenge a single member who has passed. Each member who has passed may only fight up to a total of three times.¡± A large boy, I don¡¯t remember his name but his level was 14, was the first to walk up to the stage. Endyrion handed him the magical voice amplifying tool so his challenge could be heard by everyone. ¡°I think it¡¯s shady how two people and a despicable demi-human," I''m assuming he was referring to me, "Were passed without being tested publicly. Thus I¡¯d like to challenge James Evergreen to a duel.¡± It was to be expected. They probably assumed that, due to their family prestige, James and Lily were passed without meeting the standards. Most of the teens here would be reluctant to fight someone they know is higher leveled than themselves. James simply shrugged and walked to the stage. There were several wooden weapons available there. The bulky kid grabbed a two-handed sword. James opted with a simple wooden training saber. Endyrion announced the start and the fight ended in an instant. James smashed his opponent off the makeshift ring with a single blow. I wanted to groan. James really is considered a super genius in this world. This fact alone hurt me. After James¡¯s display, no one else challenged our little group. Most of them seemed to trust the Principal¡¯s judgement now. Things looked like they were going to end without incident¡­ ¡°I would like to challenge Lily Grphyn Gransus.¡± With one sentence, Emerlia Ti¡¯er Gransus threw the entire assembly on its head. Chapter 15: A Boring Fight Emerlia, like her sister, had a freckled face and blonde hair. She was taller and more developed, but she reeked of immaturity. I¡¯ve seen expressions like hers before. I can already tell that, if this fight starts, something bad will happen. There is no reason for these sisters to fight. I started to make my way through the crowd of ¡°passing¡± students towards the stage. Most of the students around me seemed extremely wary and quickly got out of my path. Normally I''d be upset but at this point I¡¯m considering it a good thing. If I bump someone wrong or I end up sneezing there''s no telling what would happen. It¡¯s like their bodies are all made of glass. I think Superman once made a speech about living in a cardboard world¡­ I always remembered thinking that speech was badass, but I never truly thought about how sad it was. Perhaps, in that world, the justice league was formed not for the good of mankind but so those at the top could finally be at ease and enjoy genuine friendships without worry of snapping someone in two. The only way I could ever be comfortable around James or Lily is if I make them strong enough to stand at my level, or at least near my level¡­ But wouldn¡¯t that just be isolating them from this world too? Do I really have a right to be that selfish? I can¡¯t just level them up, then. I need to make an entire League of the Leveled. Honestly, it sounds tiresome but the thought excites me a bit. I should genuinely ask the two for their opinions sometime later. The first step, though, is definitely making it into this Academy to better learn my own strength¡­ But if Lily -my only friend in this world right now- can¡¯t come with me, I¡¯d rather just go off and learn on my own. I don¡¯t want to isolate myself from society again, though. As I discovered over the last two days, without the internet being alone really sucks. I¡¯d probably go crazy holed up in a mountain somewhere. Especially now that I don¡¯t have RED. I arrived at the side of the stage around the same time as Lily. Her face wasn¡¯t pale anymore, though. In fact, she looked rather determined. I was a bit surprised by that. Was she acting or had she genuinely psyched herself up? My train of thoughts was interrupted by a hand landing on my shoulder. My entire body screamed at me, but I stopped myself from flinching or lashing out. I could still clearly see the images of a man¡¯s body being ripped in two. I almost gagged. ¡°Let her go. She¡¯s been preparing for this,¡± Said James. ¡°James,¡± I said in a quiet tone, ¡°The last man who put his hand on me from behind is dead now.¡± The hand on my shoulder was immediately retracted. ¡°Oh shit¡­ I¡¯m sorry, Calliope,¡± said James in a rushed voice. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to remind you of¡­ Thank you for not hitting me.¡± This is the epitome of this world¡¯s youth. This brainless boy with curly brown hair and his father¡¯s chin, is the highest leveled human here barring Endyrion. This world is doomed. ¡°It¡¯s okay, James. Please, just tell me what¡¯s going on here between these two.¡± ¡°Okay. Well, I don¡¯t know everything myself. Lily talked to me a bit yesterday. She said that Endyrion was probably going to pull something to test her. He was her master. She didn¡¯t know what kind of tricks the old fogey would use, but she was certain it¡¯d be nasty.¡± ¡°So Emerlia is here to test her sister?¡± ¡°I think Emerlia is here to hurt her sister judging by her expression. I think Endyrion allowed her to be here to test her sister,¡± replied James. Things were coming together then. The reason Lily was pale earlier probably had to do with the fact that she recognized what Endyrion¡¯s test was. I wonder what kind of relationship these sisters have. Either way, test or no test I¡¯m not going to let Lily get hurt. ¡°If this fight looks like it¡¯s going badly, I will stop it,¡± I said to James. ¡°Calliope, please. Lily isn¡¯t as weak as you think she is. If you¡¯re really her friend, can you just put your trust in her? Don¡¯t interfere with this match. Did you see her expression, just now? That girl is pragmatic, I don¡¯t think she¡¯d step onto that stage unless she had a plan to win.¡± Uhhg. Why was James so good at saying things that directly contradict me in ways I agree with? He¡¯s supposed to be the dumb farm boy from Eastrock. Don¡¯t tell me there¡¯s an actual brain underneath his curly hair? I can only take so many surprises in one day. Endyrion cleared his throat. ¡°You may begin.¡± At the principal''s words, the two princesses charged. They were both armed with a simple wooden sword and they met in the middle. I couldn¡¯t hear it, but it looked like they were saying something to each other. Now that I think about it, don¡¯t most super powerful people get enhanced senses to go along with their bullshit powers? How come I didn¡¯t get any? If RED was here I¡¯m certain he¡¯d tell me a way to get them. It¡¯s probably something as simple as directing mana to your eyes and ears¡­ But I¡¯m a bit afraid to try that. The last thing I need to do is detonate my eyeballs in the middle of a crowd like this. I¡¯m certain they¡¯d heal back quickly due to my constitution stat, but it still sounds painful¡­ And a bit nasty. The fight continued in a rather boring fashion. There was only a single level difference between the two, so neither held too big of an advantage. I think the entire crowd was waiting for their skills to begin showing up. I don¡¯t know how -Analysis- can be useful in a fight like this, though. If Emerlia has a single combat oriented skill she¡¯ll probably beat Lily with ease¡­ She might even do worse. I really want to agree with what James said earlier, but if I think the situation on stage is getting too dangerous I will step in. This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. I can¡¯t help but glance over at the old kook behind the podium. His expression was disgusting. He looked happy about watching children fight desperately over a slot to enter his Academy. Though, maybe I¡¯m just too ingrained in my old way of thinking. This world is a land of magic and battle. I need to start coming to terms with it, but it¡¯s hard. I didn¡¯t even take the life of an assassin after he stabbed me through the throat. I just couldn¡¯t bring myself to do it consciously. If RED was still around he¡¯d have eliminated that assassin before I could even wake up¡­ Do I really have to give up my sense of morals just because I¡¯m in a new world? I still think, deep in my soul, that it¡¯s wrong to kill people. I¡¯m not a soldier. I¡¯m not a fighter in any sense. I never really put much thought into the death sentence in my last life either, but I can see the logic behind killing the killers. I can also see the argument against it, too. I suppose, until I came to this world, I was numb to it all. It wasn¡¯t a part of my life so I didn¡¯t care strongly one way or the other. I can¡¯t afford to not care anymore. If I think about it, the assassin who attacked me did it without any remorse. He had probably taken innocent lives before. Should I have killed him? The families of his previous victims would probably say yes. To be honest, I don¡¯t really know how this country handles criminals either. They might just hang him anyways. If they do, then won''t I technically be responsible for being the one that brought him in? ¡­ This whole topic just hurts me. I don¡¯t want to kill anyone but I don¡¯t think I¡¯d mind if the country hangs murderers. Does that mean I¡¯m simply running away from my problems? Gaaaah! I shouldn¡¯t be worrying about this right now. Still, I wish this princess duel wasn¡¯t so boring. ¡°They¡¯re both so strong,¡± remarked one boy from the crowd. I wanted to laugh. The two sisters still had yet to use anything Skill related, but it didn''t look like anyone in the audience minded. They all seemed overawed by the two girls¡¯ swordsmanship. I didn¡¯t really care about it, though. They¡¯re just swinging sticks at each other. I want to know what Emerlia¡¯s skills are. As if she heard my thoughts, Emerlia jumped back and finally used one of her two skills. A wave of cold air spread out from the stage in all directions. Her wooden sword quickly frosted over into a blade of ice. It looked like the Journeyman Skill: Ice Blade. It imbues weapons or limbs with ice elemental power, increasing damage and slowing enemies hit. The biggest weakness of this type of skill, though, is that it ruins weapon durability. You¡¯d never see ice-themed swordsmen in SHO because having to buy top quality swords over and over crippled them. Most ice-themed fighters were monks or mages. Mages particularly loved ice spells because they could be used to control and slow the charging fighter line in bigger battlefields. For a mage, the longer you keep your enemies away from you the stronger you become. Lily didn¡¯t seem too deterred by the sudden appearance of the skill, but she was starting to get pressured by the powerful slow effect. Soon enough, every now and then, Lily would take a direct hit. Bruises were starting to show and her clothes were getting torn up. She was probably going to lose. Her skill just didn¡¯t seem all that useful in a combat situation. She had to touch someone to use it, and there¡¯s no way she could touch her sister. I was getting ready to go on stage and stop the fight when something unexpected happened. Lily swung her wooden sword, meeting her sister¡¯s ice blade, and the weapon of ice shattered. It was only now that I realized what had happened. Yes, Lily couldn¡¯t touch her sister to use analyze on her¡­ But by letting her sister land a blow or two on her body she could analyze the sword itself. I hadn¡¯t realized it watching the fight, but Lily continually attacked the same spot over and over on her sister¡¯s weapon. ¡°... Wow. You really have improved, Lily... I surrender,¡± said Emerlia as she walked off the stage without a fuss. I was confused. Isn¡¯t she supposed to be the arrogant mean girl here only to beat up her sister? Why is she acting so amicable and friendly? She even admitted her defeat when she was clearly stronger than her foe. Isn¡¯t that the point where you¡¯re supposed to say something like ¡®you got lucky¡¯ or ¡®you won¡¯t win next time¡¯? "The winner is Lily Grphyn Gransus. Emerlia is no longer qualified to enter the Academy," announced Endyrion. Everyone was watching the departing princess''s back, but then she stopped suddenly. It was as if she remembered something important. ¡°Oh, sis," called Emerlia, "You should know that brother Thomas hired ¡®The Oni¡¯ about two days ago to assassinate your demon friend there. But, judging by the fact that she¡¯s still alive, you probably already knew that.¡± With those words said, out loud in front of all the people here as if they didn¡¯t matter I might add, Emerlia finally left through the Academy gates. For some reason everyone was staring at me now with strange and shocked expressions. Even James looked a bit awed. Everyone was silent, except the principal. Throughout the courtyard, you could only hear his terrible laughter echoing. Intermission 3: The Prince and the Devil ¡°My Liege, some news just came in. It seems Jack Evergreen found a demon skill user and managed to recruit her to the Academy,¡± Said my retainer as he took a knee. ¡°Can we get to her first?¡± I asked. ¡°The fourth princess is, most likely, already in contact with the demon.¡± Tch. That¡¯s a shame. I¡¯ll have one of my spies find out more on this new skill user. If they look troublesome we might have to get rid of them. I can¡¯t have anything interfere with my plans now that they¡¯re so far along. ¡°Send out the Green Scout corps. Have them watch the demon and evaluate her threat level. Make sure they report back as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Your will be done, my Liege.¡± With that, my retainer left the room. ¡°I don¡¯t like the sounds of this,¡± said my advisor Phanedor. ¡°I¡¯ve heard a report saying that Jack Evergreen¡¯s home was destroyed by this demon¡¯s skill. I recommend we contact The Oni and have him on standby just in case. You know how particular he is with us contacting him ahead of time.¡± ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. I¡¯ll have Watterson write a letter. We should be sure to include the appropriate¡­ Payment, too.¡± I, personally, think having The Oni take this case might be a bit of an overreaction, but Phanedor hasn¡¯t steered me wrong. His skill -Path Correction- usually sends us in the right direction. If this demon can destroy a mansion sized home, she could cause unnatural destruction as a champion for my sister¡¯s party. I can¡¯t afford to let things fall apart when we¡¯re so close to the finale. First and Second brother won¡¯t be back for another two months. This window of opportunity won¡¯t come again for years if we fail here. ¡°While we¡¯re at it, perhaps we should contact Emerlia and try to sway her again. I understand her desire to remain neutral in this whole affair, but perhaps we should remind her of the old adage that goes: ¡®if you aren¡¯t with us you¡¯re against us¡¯,¡± said Phanedor as he popped the cork to a vintage. I can only nod in agreement. I have no qualms with Emerlia personally, but she does tend to meddle in affairs if left alone. The last thing I want is her to stumble in on this coup. ¡°Have our scouts come back from The Forgotten Lands, Phanedor?¡± I asked. ¡°Patience, Thomas, Patience. They¡¯ve sent a messenger bird saying they¡¯ve encountered far greater treasures than initially anticipated. They need time to bring them all out. It will take a few days at least.¡± This news conflicts me. I should be happy that they found more bounty than we anticipated, but I¡¯m also concerned that information may begin to leak. Anytime an operation takes too long someone gets suspicious. ¡°Send a bird back telling them they have two days at most to get back here. Even if they have to leave some of the treasures behind.¡± ¡°This is probably wise. I¡¯ll make the arrangements,¡± replied Phanedor as he poured my wine glass. With a bow, he left the room, leaving me with only my thoughts. It¡¯s been about a month since my scouts began monitoring the demon. She seems close to Lily. This can only mean she¡¯s joined her camp. The spies claim that Remus decided to act on his own in an attempt to assassinate my sister, but his attempt was foiled by said demon. The report, surely hyperbole, claimed the monster brought down 40 Devil Hounds in an instant. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. I¡¯ve had an assassin sent to silence Remus¡¯s tongue, but there¡¯s no telling what my sister has pried from his lips in the interim. The demon seems powerful enough to warrant the use of The Oni if even part of these reports prove true. Phanedor was right again. Emerlia has, unexpectedly, decided to cooperate with us. I fear a knife in the back but Phanedor thinks otherwise. He thinks she¡¯s joining us in case we win this power struggle. She knows Lily won¡¯t kill her if my plans fail, but she also knows me well enough to understand that I wouldn¡¯t hesitate to have that bitch beheaded when I win. Perhaps she¡¯s playing both sides in order to guarantee her own life? If I ever hear word of such a thing, The Oni will be after her next. For now, though, The Oni will claim the demon Calliope¡¯s life. I¡¯ve asked him to take care of things tonight. Now we just need to wait for the good news. The Oni failed. The world¡¯s greatest assassin, the level 50 skill holder called The Oni, has failed. He was tied up and left on a guardhouse step. Phanedor is in hysterics. His skill -Path Correction- is saying we need to befriend this demon at all costs. I¡¯m beginning to wonder if the story of her killing 40 Devil Hounds was a fabrication or not. The Oni, with tattered garb and a dead expression, is dragged into my office. ¡°You failed. Tell me how?¡± I asked. ¡°I stabbed her through the neck. I used my skill -Stealth Crit- and I used the Heavy Critical Dagger. My blade went into her. That dagger enchant does 500 instant damage on a critical strike, you know,¡± said The Oni in a soft tone. ¡°I thought her dead so I turned around to leave. Then she sat up. She pulled my dagger free from her throat and spoke to me while the wound stitched itself closed. The next thing I knew I was tied up at the guard station. I still remember the words she said to me, though. Do you want to hear them?¡± I¡¯m a bit thrown off by his narrative. Both Phanedor and I know of his skill that guarantees a critical strike when used on an unaware target. We both also know his dagger enchantment well. Even the highest level warrior in the entire kingdom, the Knight Captain, would be dead after a critical blow from it. This demon¡­ This Calliope can¡¯t reasonably be this strong. The only demons with this much power are the royalty line, but there has been no contact from the Northern Continent. If a member of their Royalty Line were wandering our lands all the kingdoms would have been notified. ¡°What did she say to you, Oni?¡± Asked Phanedor. ¡°She said that my strike didn¡¯t drop her health by a tenth. A TENTH. Do you hear me? That means she has at least 5000 health. Not even the highest rank beast on record, the Chaos Dragon, a rank 7 beast, had 5000 health! Little Prince, you¡¯re not picking a fight with a demon. You¡¯re picking a fight with a God.¡± ¡°Our plans will have to change. We need to try to negotiate with this demon. If we can¡¯t do that, then that means we¡¯ll have to use Tartarus,¡± said Phanedor. He seems to have regained his composure. ¡°Tartarus is our -no- Tartarus is all of Gransus¡¯ trump card. Are you certain this is the right course? She could have been lying about her health,¡± I said. There was a long pause as I met my advisor''s eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve never been this certain of anything in my entire life.¡± Chapter 16: School Life The assembly of students was cleared up rather quickly. I found myself following Lily and James to the principal¡¯s office in the main building. During this walk I started to take in the grandeur of the Academy as Endyrion told us some trivia about it. Thankfully the topic of The Oni didn¡¯t come up again. I¡¯m assuming Lily will ask about it later when we¡¯re alone. Most of the buildings were made of brick, and all of them were huge. Despite this, there wasn¡¯t a single vine or fleck of moss in sight. The buildings and walk paths were comprised of mana-infused brick much like the highway system between cities, making it easy to clean them. The professors seemed to rotate the cleaning duty based on classload per day. It was a rather efficient system. The Academy was older than the current royal family. It had roots as far back as 1000 years. When we finally reached the main building, the hallway was littered with portraits of famous headmasters throughout the years. Their style of dress and facial hair always varied, but one thing remained constant: they were all bald. I wanted to laugh. It must be some strange tradition that only bald men are chosen to hold the highest seat at this Academy. Perhaps Endyrion was fated to become the headmaster purely because of his hair. We finally reached Endyrion¡¯s office. It looked almost identical to the one he had at the Adventurer¡¯s guild. The biggest exception was the lack of a dragon skull, though. Apparently it was quite a feat for this country to have killed a rank 4 beast. That fact almost breaks my heart. They¡¯re just so weak it hurts. Clearly a long term system for level grinding needs to be put into place as soon as possible. I¡¯m not good at organizing these things, but once I get full control over my strength I¡¯ll bring up the idea with Lily and Endyrion. Those two seem smart¡­ Well, Lily seems smart at least. At this point I¡¯m not sure why anyone respects this old fart Endyrion, though. There were three chairs set out for us in his office ahead of time. It seems he didn¡¯t doubt that Lily would pass his little test. Was that overconfidence because he trained her himself? The way I saw it Lily only won the fight because her sister was reckless. I sat down in the middle seat. Lily sat to my right and James to my left. ¡°Okay, welcome to my Academy. You three are, by all rights, the strongest students of the freshmen class. Of course, Calliope here is the strongest student in the entire school as well,¡± said Endyrion with a smile. ¡°James I trained your father. I¡¯m assuming you want to take a curriculum similar to his, right?¡± Asked the old man. ¡°Yes, I want to train in swordsmanship like my father but I also want to take introduction to mana control and spellcaster classes too,¡± replied James. ¡°Why would you want to do that? You are quite amazing as a swordsman. You could easily become a top knight in a few years. Taking magic oriented classes will probably delay your development by at least five years,¡± replied Endyrion. James¡¯s face blushed a bit and I think he even glanced towards Lily. He definitely has a crush on her. I should flick him a few times later to help put some sense into his head. ¡°Well, whatever. I¡¯ll put you in the classes you want. Now, Lily, I¡¯ve already prepared your curriculum. You don¡¯t have a choice in that matter.¡± The old man paused for a moment as he turned to look at me. His smile was unsettling. ¡°That only leaves our problem child. All the power in the world but unable to control it. What classes do you want to take, Calliope?¡± Asked Endyrion. ¡°I want to take classes that will teach me mana and physical control. I also want to take classes on Healing Magic if you offer them.¡± I could feel Lily¡¯s flinch when I mentioned healing magic. She was probably remembering my attempt on the day we met. ¡°Alright. I can handle the first two easily. The problem is healing magic. There is only one person in the entire Gransus Kingdom who can use healing magic. Her name is Gertrude Shiffle, and she¡¯s a professor on campus. The thing is, if she doesn¡¯t like you she won¡¯t teach you. I can put in a good word, but she¡¯ll want to meet you herself before she makes a decision.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± I said in response. ¡°Okay good. Also, don¡¯t worry I took the liberty of informing all the professors about your situation. Some might be a bit antsy around you, though. Try not to mind it. It¡¯s really rare for a student to be higher leveled than the one teaching them,¡± said Endyrion. ¡°That¡¯s fine. I¡¯m getting used to getting timid looks from people by now,¡± I replied. Endyrion looked down and wrote on three pieces of paper. Once he finished he handed each of us one. ¡°Here are your schedules. For the sake of¡­ Security, I am registered as the advisor and homeroom teacher for all three of you. Your first classes begin in half an hour.¡± Endyrion opened a drawer on his desk and pulled out three small maps. ¡°Here are maps of the campus. You can use them to find your classrooms easier and navigate the facilities. I don¡¯t have Student Identification Cards done yet, but I¡¯ll have them delivered to your dorms by tonight. Without the IDs you can¡¯t enter any of the special facilities. Sorry about that, but there are some things even I can¡¯t help. If you really want to use the library or the training rooms today, just come ask and I¡¯ll take you there directly¡­ Have a nice day and don¡¯t kill your fellow classmates.¡± His parting words were like a sucker punch. I wanted to hit him right in his wrinkled old face for it, but I refrained. I think if I didn¡¯t have James and Lily with me I might have at least flicked him. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. The three of us compared schedules on the walk out of Endyrion¡¯s office. We all had the same first class: Basic Mana Control. After that Lily and I had Skill Manipulation while James had Swordsmanship. The final class of the day was Obstacle Course that all three of us had again. I didn¡¯t have a fourth class, but James and Lily each had Dynamic Combat. My fourth slot was left open in case I can get Gertrude to teach me Healing Magic. We walked across the campus, making sure to memorize the building locations where we would have classes as we went. After a short trip, we arrived at Firestone Hall. After climbing four flights of stairs we found room 418, the location of our Basic Mana Control class. The classroom was designed much like one from my past life. There was a large chalkboard in the front and escalating seating as one moved further back. The room was currently packed with students. I recognized a few from the entrance exam. I could hear all manner of whispering and murmuring as innumerable stares were directed at me. I wish I could make them all just shut up. We took some seats near the back. The professor entered quickly and started a lecture immediately. It was awful. He didn¡¯t say a single new thing. Everything he said was something I already knew. I looked to my side and Lily was out cold. I never took her for a slacker, but it seems she was as bored as I was. James, on the other hand, seemed to be absorbing the professor¡¯s every word. After the first class ended, Lily and I bid farewell to James and made our way to our first real class: Skill Manipulation. Skill Manipulation wasn¡¯t held in a classroom. Rather we had to go to ¡®Training Field 3¡¯. The class was outdoors due to the dangerous nature of Skills. Lily and I arrived about the same time most of the other students did. There were only about ten of us, altogether. I didn¡¯t recognize the other eight students at all near us. ¡°Oy, you two. Are you Freshmen?¡± Asked a woman¡¯s voice. She was a tall girl with brown scraggly hair. She had a scar across the bridge of her nose and a mole on her right cheek. She was wearing a longsleeve tunic and rough brown pants with a gray bowler-style hat on her head. Frankly, her outfit was ridiculous and completely out of place in this fantasy setting. Was this what this world¡¯s delinquent¡¯s looked like? They dressed like 1920 gangsters? ¡°Sell,¡± whispered a quiet girl next to the wannabe gangster, ¡°Stop. That girl there is the demon Calliope!¡± The whispering girl was dressed more ¡®normally¡¯ with a white and blue dress and leather lowheeled shoes. Her hair was black and braided down both sides. Her face was thin and she had a strong chin. ¡°So, Mel? Who gives a shit if she killed some low class Adventurers? You act like I couldn¡¯t a done the same thing,¡± retorted the gangster girl. ¡°You could beat ¡®A¡¯ ranks, but not five at once Sell.¡± ¡°Tch. You, freshman. My name¡¯s Sell and I¡¯m level 25. Around here, I¡¯m the boss. I don¡¯t care how strong people claim you are. You got that?¡± I think a vein was going to burst from my forehead. I glanced to the side but Lily looked even angrier than I did. I wonder if it¡¯s because the two recognized me and not her. Either way, they were insulting us both. I noticed there was a metal training dummy not far from us and a fun thought popped in my head. ¡°I think,¡± I said as I walked up to the dummy, ¡°That you should be calling me the boss from now on Ms Sell.¡± I crushed the metal dummy¡¯s head with a single hand. It made a terrible noise as it collapsed in my palm. There are times when it really is good to be unable to control your own strength. The gangster girl named Sell immediately took a step back. ¡°What the¡­ I mean! S-so what! You¡¯re a little strong. I¡¯m still your senior here. You better start respecting¡­¡± I interrupted her by squeezing my hand as hard as I could. The metal crunched up into a tiny superdense ball. She stopped talking when it held it up to show them. ¡°Lily, which way is the nearest ocean?¡± I asked. ¡°Uh, East I guess¡­ Why?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to accidentally have this fall somewhere populated,¡± I replied. I crushed the rest of the metal dummy in an instant using both hands. It formed a ball around the size of a baseball from my past life. Squeezing with all my force I made the ball look rather smooth as if it were formed that way from a forge. It was immensely heavy, but in my hands it felt like a pebble. I dropped it in front of everyone and it dented the bricks below. Sell¡¯s expression was strange, but it was focused entirely on me. I bent over, picked up the ball of metal, and then I threw it. I didn¡¯t hold back anything. I threw the ball at about a 45 degree angle up and it vanished. It passed the horizon in an instant. It might have broken the sound barrier. Sell fell over backwards watching the whole thing happen. I looked down at her and met her eyes. She immediately prostrated herself. ¡°Y-you¡¯re the boss, boss.¡± Yes, this is more like it. Lily was struggling to control her laughter. I can only think of this as insurance for the future. I want the story of my ¡®power¡¯ to spread so the other students will leave me alone. The last thing I want to do is get involved in something dumb because a bunch of teenagers think they have something to prove against the demon who slaughtered five men. Chapter 17: Second Meeting It didn¡¯t take long for the professor to arrive. She was a tall woman, standing a little over six feet, but her frame was twig thin. I could only describe her as lanky, but even that would be a bit of an understatement. She looked anorexic. Her hair was in a short bob cut and her face was elongated with a hawk beak for a nose. It feels petty, but she was undoubtedly Ugly with a capital ¡®U¡¯. She was wearing terribly thick glasses and her eyes were hidden from view. Instead of a dress or petticoat she wore a miniskirt. Her top was a thick beige sweater with bangles and jewelry hanging off it. Her shoes were heels and they added at least three inches to her height, and her makeup was so thick it looked like you could peel it off. She looked like the trashiest hooker I¡¯ve ever seen. I¡¯m not sure that words can do her appearance justice. Was this entire school populated with clowns? I wanted to just go back to my room and sleep after seeing her, but my perseverance stopped me. I looked around and it seems I wasn¡¯t the only one a little taken aback by our professor¡¯s appearance. I couldn¡¯t help but wonder why such a person was allowed to teach in the first place. ¡°Hello class. My name is Emilia Watterson. I am a skill holder and the only space-time magic user in the entire Gransus Kingdom,¡± Said the woman as she took a slight bow. Her glasses almost fell off her face due to the movement, but she caught them in time. ¡°Before we start lessons it¡¯s important that I learn where all of you stand. So I¡¯d like those of you who specialize in defensive or statistical buff skills to line up over here,¡± she said as she pointed to the side, ¡°I¡¯d like those of you who specialize in offensive magic to line up here, and I¡¯d like those of you with ¡®other¡¯ specializations to line up behind this training dummy.¡± All ten of us grumbled a bit as we sorted ourselves out. I, naturally, went to the offensive magic line. I have a few skills that aren¡¯t offensive in nature, but for the most part all of my abilities are designed to tear opponents apart. Lily and the gangster-looking Sell went to the ¡®other¡¯ line. Surprisingly, the girl called Mel came to the offensive line with me. I had expected someone with her timid nature to have a skill more suited for defense. The professor walked in front of us and darkness began to shroud around her. A black window popped up next to her. ¡°This, is a window to Training Room 3. You will go into the training room one at a time and showcase your skill. If you have more than one, you will show your most powerful. When you¡¯re inside the Training Room I can observe everything and measure your mana outputs. There is also,¡± said the professor as she paused and stared at me, ¡°No risk whatsoever to anyone. This Training Room was built by the Founder. It¡¯s in an entirely separate dimension. So please, even you Calliope, use this opportunity. Use your strongest skill with the highest mana output you can manage.¡± While I didn¡¯t like being called out, it was obvious this was something Endyrion set up. He wants to know just how bullshit strong my level is. There¡¯s probably nothing to measure my strength with under normal means. He is probably looking for a way to quantify my power. To be honest, I am interested in this too now. I have never used a skill stronger than Expert since coming to this world. There are two ranks over Expert: Master and the hidden class Deity. Just how strong is a deity ranked spell? I could see the damage markers a Deity spell could cause back when I played SHO, but I really want to know just how powerful that damage is when translated to reality. The first person to go into the ¡®window¡¯ was the girl Mel. The professor arbitrarily decided to do the offensive line first as we had the flashiest and most interesting abilities. Mel stood in a field of darkness. We could watch her through the ¡®window¡¯, but it wasn¡¯t really a window. It was a projection, and it worked like a camera. It was a remote viewing, so there was no risk of the ¡®window¡¯ being a structural compromise in the Training Room dimension. The girl Mel channeled her mana for a moment, and then she shoved out her palm. A stream of water appeared out of nowhere and began coiling around her body. The water formed into the visage of a dragon before firing off into the distance where it exploded in a cloud of steam. ¡°Ah. Her skill measured 500 kel,¡± said the professor. I¡¯m assuming kel is similar to the Joule of my previous world. Mel¡¯s water dragon was an Adept rank spell. I recognized it from my game days. If an Adept rank measures 500, I wonder what the other ranks will measure at? ¡°Next up, Calliope.¡± It¡¯s my turn. Mel walked out of the black opening in space and I walked past her into it. ¡°Okay, Calliope, this is a good opportunity for you. I have opened a window for several other people to watch as well, including the headmaster and the King of the country. A few other high nobles will also be watching. They will all get my reading too. Please, show us your most powerful skill,¡± said the professor. Her voice seemed to just echo out of nowhere in the room. The room itself was a black cube the side of three football fields in every direction. It was oddly easy to see, despite the lack of light or light sources. It also had a strange echo in it. I can only shrug at how strange it all is. This is the first time I¡¯ll ever use a deity ranked skill. To be honest I¡¯m a bit afraid. Of the two I can use, Heaven¡¯s Downfall seems the only option at this point in time. Rock the World can¡¯t really be used without being on the actual ¡®world¡¯. I don¡¯t know how it¡¯d react with this dimension, but I¡¯d rather not break it if I can help it. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. I begin loading my mana up. The consumption for a Deity ranked skill is beyond anything else I¡¯ve ever seen. I can feel a full third of my mana pool drain away from me. This truly is a terrifying feeling. I¡¯ve never depleted my mana bar this much no matter how many times I experimented. My body was filled with a strange mixture of exhaustion and satisfaction. My eyes began to glow as I invoked the skill. ¡°Heaven¡¯s Downfall.¡± I said the name out loud as a massive field of energy began swirling around me. Electric sparks began shooting off in every direction from the ambient power. I held my hands up and a cyclone began to form. A cyclone of pure mana. Then the skill fired. A blast so powerful it felt like my body would break apart from the kick alone spread out in front of me. The explosion was so bright it dwarfed out the sun. ¡°Oh my God!¡± Cried the professor¡¯s voice, but I could barely make it out through the deafening roar of my skill. I wasn¡¯t sure what was happening anymore. Prolific cracks began to form along the walls of the room. An incredible brightness shone from behind them. The world felt like it was falling apart. Then everything shattered. I found myself standing in front of a palace. A man sitting at a table was sipping tea. He looked at me and smiled. ¡°Yo, it¡¯s been a while!¡± He called. I recognized his voice immediately. ¡°So you managed to literally shatter a pocket dimension, huh? Normal people would be scattered throughout spacetime if they did that, you know. You¡¯re lucky you¡¯re one of The Tempered. Anyone else would be lost forever.¡± It was Nox. It was the Fae that transported me into this world in the first place. I was looking directly at him, but for some reason I couldn¡¯t recognize any of his features. It was like he was blurred out. ¡°Where am I?¡± I asked. ¡°Right now you¡¯re in the free space beyond dimensions. Only those with terribly powerful souls can survive here. You won¡¯t survive much longer, though, so I have to send you back to your world.¡± ¡°Wait, I have questions I need to ask you!¡± ¡°We can talk later. Don¡¯t worry, child, we¡¯ll meet again. I can hardly let a toy like you get away. It¡¯s such a shame, though. I had finally managed to recover a bit of my power after sending you to that world in the first place and now I need to use it to send you back to that world again! You¡¯re quite a hassle! Oh, and quit being mean to RED. He''s trying his best, you know. It''s not easy to be suddenly shoved in a little girl''s head.¡± I tried to say something, but the scene in front of me vanished instantly. I felt myself spinning and tumbling. Fantastic visions of planets and stars passed in front of my eyes. Then I was back. I was standing in the middle of the open field in front of the class and my professor. All of them were paler than ghosts. ¡°You¡­ How? That blast recorded over 700 billion kel. You shattered the training dimension¡­ It¡¯s gone. One of our school¡¯s prized training dimensions is gone.¡± The professor¡¯s knees were shaking. Her expression was terrified as she looked at me. ¡°Endyrion wasn¡¯t joking¡­ Ha. Hahahaha.¡± Her laughing voice felt wrong. It was unsettling. ¡°Endyrion is wrong. I¡¯m not one of the Fae,¡± I said, not breaking eye contact with the professor. ¡°I was sent here by one of them, but I am not one of them.¡± The professor, upon hearing my words, started to calm down. I could see her thinking about my words, though. ¡°How did you survive? You shattered the pocket dimension. No one can survive something like that.¡± ¡°I was rescued by the Fae who sent me here. He used up the last of his power to do so, saying I was too interesting to be lost to that fate,¡± I said. A dangerous glint flashed in the professor¡¯s eye. She recovered her composure and stood tall again. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, class, but I need to go talk with the headmaster and report what¡¯s happened here. Calliope, that skill you used¡­ You must never use it again. You shattered a pocket dimension with power to spare. I don¡¯t know whether it¡¯s strong enough to damage the main dimension, but there¡¯s no reason to risk it. For now, class is cancelled.¡± With that said, the professor started sprinting towards the main hall to Endyrion¡¯s office. How she could run in those heels still astounded me. I looked around for a moment, and all the other students were looking at me like I was an alien¡­ I might technically be an alien. I¡¯m not really sure. ¡°Sorry for scaring you,¡± I said in far too chipper of a tone. I even gave them a smile. I think one of the boys had crapped himself. ¡°Calliope¡­ What rank of skill was that?¡± Asked Lily, breaking the silence. ¡°That skill is called Heaven¡¯s Downfall, and it¡¯s a Deity Rank Skill.¡± ¡°Mother of God. That¡­ Skill could wipe a city off the map with ease,¡± said the gangster girl Sell. ¡°You really do deserve the title of boss.¡± At that I could only laugh. I¡¯m not sure why, but for some reason I felt better now than I had for my last month here. I was in a good mood. I couldn''t explain it. ¡°My name¡¯s not boss. Please, just call me Calliope." Chapter 18: Mana Element My good mood slowly receded, and I started to seriously consider how hard I¡¯ve fucked up. Should I have tried to hide my strength afterall? I can see the merit to doing so, but I really don¡¯t feel like it is necessary. With my power known who in their right mind would try to hurt me? In fact, if the Gransus Kingdom lets this information leak to other countries I don¡¯t think I¡¯d ever have to worry about a war in my lifetime. I don¡¯t feel like being used in a classical sense, but if it¡¯s just this much then I¡¯d be fine with it. Lily and I went off to get lunch while waiting for our next class to start. The mess hall on campus was a massive cafeteria with a single line passing through multiple food stalls. It was a shame the culinary quality of this world was so low. It¡¯s an even greater shame I have no clue how to cook. I lived off fast food in my last life, so I guess I can¡¯t really complain much. Still, I miss eating things that don¡¯t just taste like bread and gravy for every meal. In the cafeteria every student gave Lily and I a wide berth¡­ Every student except Sell and Mel. The two of them didn¡¯t even seem aware that they were ostracising themselves as they sat down at the same table with us. I guess it wasn¡¯t necessarily a bad thing, having some company. We learned that Mel¡¯s name is actually Melanie, and Sell¡¯s name is actually Selina. They¡¯ve just had their nicknames for so long that everyone knows them by Sell and Mel. The two were chatty and happy to discuss mundane things with us. I asked about Sell¡¯s outfit and she went into a long discussion on proper fighting attire. It was a bit annoying, but seeing her passion for it I decided to keep my mouth shut. James joined our table near the end of the lunch period because his swordsmanship class didn¡¯t have someone nuke the training room to let them out early. He sat down with us as if it was completely natural and started shoveling food into his mouth. He had already heard the rumors about what I did and, frankly, he didn¡¯t seem all that surprised by the whole thing. ¡°Calliope, is it possible for me to ever get as strong as you?¡± Asked Sell. ¡°Yes. You can grind levels off monster hordes,¡± I replied. My answer made everyone at the table stop eating for a moment. ¡°Isn¡¯t that unnaturally dangerous?¡± Asked Lily. ¡°Only if you don¡¯t know what you¡¯re doing. For now it¡¯s improbable because I can¡¯t control my strength to protect anyone, but once I master my abilities I can take all of you to level you up a few hundred times.¡± For some reason everyone at the table except Sell shivered at my words. The gangster girl simply grew excited. ¡°Didn¡¯t you have trouble with killing a pack of Devil Hounds, though?¡± Asked Lily. ¡°Ah, I really didn¡¯t want to kill them back then. They looked just like big fluffy dogs. And then when I tried to heal the puppy¡­¡± My voice tapered off a bit as I remembered everything that happened that day. ¡°I think, so long as they look like monsters I should be fine.¡± To be honest she asked a good question. I know monsters don¡¯t have much mental power, but can I just honestly slaughter them to level people up? I could do it if I needed to, I think¡­ Monsters continually spawn in areas of high mana density, so it¡¯s not like I could hunt them to extinction or anything. Still, unless it was ugly or ferocious looking I don¡¯t think I could willingly hurt something for no good reason. Our lunch period ended and I was a bit conflicted. I know for a fact that if one of my friends is in danger I¡¯d slaughter any number of animals to help them, but what if they were being attacked by people? Could I really incapacitate or capture one hundred bandits before a stray arrow hit James or Lily? I can¡¯t help but shudder at the thought. If I entered -Combat State- I could probably do what needs to be done. I slapped my own cheeks and shook my head a bit. Now isn¡¯t the time to think about these things. That¡¯s something I can deal with later. Besides, what group of bandits would attack someone who can destroy a city? The third class of the day, one we all shared, was called Obstacle Course. It was exactly like its name. We walked to the fifth training area and there, like a monolith rising from a bog, was an unholy obstacle course filled with needles and terrible traps. Did they really expect students to run through something as dangerous as that! Our professor, after a short while, walked out of the obstacle course himself. He was a big brutish looking man with long pointy elf ears. It didn¡¯t match any common fantasy I knew. I thought elves were supposed to be lithe and limber¡­ Why was the first elf I met in this world bigger than most bodybuilders from my past life?! If all elves look like this are even their women jacked?! I was seriously wondering what his strength and constitution stats were. They had to be at least in the 50s. James himself had those stats in the 30s. ¡°Hello class, I¡¯m Professor Rick. You can just call me Rick. Everyday in this class your only job is to try to clear the obstacle course without getting hurt. If class ends and you¡¯re still inside just pour mana into the ground and a path out will open up. Well, good luck!¡± With his speech done, the professor walked over to a nearby lawnchair, opened it up, and sat down. Soon enough we could hear him softly snoring. ¡°What,¡± Said one of the students. It wasn¡¯t even intoned as a question. It was a statement. ¡°I guess we just have to¡­ Go through it,¡± said James as he started walking through the entrance. I shrugged. Then, without bothering to think much about it, I ran into the obstacle course. This decision, in hindsight, was a terrible mistake. Just because I¡¯m fast and strong doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m coordinated. It also doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯ll always have traction. Slipping in a pile of mud, I slammed headfirst into a bladed thornbush. It barely did any damage to my health, but it hurt so much! That wasn¡¯t the only diabolical trap designed for me. Time after time again I found myself floundering in strange positions due to moving too fast, or I was hanging from ropes in such a manner that I couldn¡¯t use my strength at all to get free. I often ran through walls and I destroyed a good half of the course. If I didn¡¯t have the Heaven¡¯s Demon Garb my clothes would be absolutely tattered. I didn¡¯t even pass the course faster than James. This was a true embarrassment. As punishment, James got a light flick to the forehead. At least now he was as muddy as I was. Even in the mud, though, he continued to laugh. I guess I looked like a mess with my hair full of leaves and thorns and my entire body caked in dirt. When the class ended, the professor -in a complete nonchalant manner- poured mana into it and the course fixed itself as if I never touched it. ¡°I think you¡¯ve all learned a great deal about yourselves from this. Some of you are too weak and need to build up your strength. Others are too strong and need to learn control. Tomorrow, we¡¯ll use a harder course,¡± said the professor with a laugh as he disappeared into the distance. Every student bar James had an ugly expression on their face. James, though, couldn¡¯t stop himself from laughing. I was in a sour mood, but I already hit him once. There was no reason to risk brain damage. I don¡¯t know what I¡¯d do if he ever got dumber. Stolen story; please report. There was a magical hose-like item at the end of the course that the students were taking turns washing themselves with. It was rather simple in design. You pour mana into it and it shoots out water in response. When it was finally my turn I grabbed the hose and slammed my mana into it. Of course it went from an ordinary garden hose into a fireman¡¯s water cannon. I was physically lifted off the ground as the water spray knocked several students away from me. It took me a full minute for me to lower the mana output enough to get my feet back on the ground. James, Sell, and Lily were laughing at me for it, but no one else in the class made a sound. Honestly, I started laughing with them. It was just so stupid. This was all so stupid. With a better understanding on the sensitivity of magical items, I parted with my friends and made my way to Gertrude the Healer¡¯s office. Gertrude¡¯s office was next to a greenhouse-like building. It was a small hut-sized building with a thatched roof and clay walls. It felt rather out of place compared to the magnificent brick campus, but it did look cozy. I walked to the door and knocked with a single finger, being very careful not to break it. ¡°Yes yes, you¡¯re the demon girl Calliope. Come in, come in,¡± said an old woman¡¯s voice from the other side. I opened the door and walked into what can only be described as a gym. There were weight sets lying around the room in precarious locations and a full set of workout equipment was standing in the corner. I had only ever gone to a gym once in my past life, but I still recognized the barbells and dumbbells scattered throughout the room. Then my eyes fell on the woman. Gertrude wasn¡¯t some tiny old lady like I expected. She was a seven foot tall woman with larger muscles than Professor Rick. What. The. Fuck. It seems my terrible prediction for the elf race came true. They were all super jacked muscle heads. Why didn¡¯t I remember something like this from SHO?! Now that I think about it, though, in SHO everyone¡¯s characters could be customized as they see fit. There¡¯s no way any races from the game world would look accurate to their real world counterparts. Still, this is getting a bit ridiculous. I walked into the room and sat down at the table across from the musclebound old woman. She had a cup of tea in front of her and took a long sip. ¡°So you want to learn Healing magic. I¡¯ll have you know I only teach students who can out lift me!¡± Cried the woman as she emphasized with a flex of her muscles. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t even. Fine. I¡¯ll outlift you,¡± I said, finally getting my bearing. The old woman¡¯s face twisted into a sinister smile as she walked to the back of her house and opened the door there. ¡°Follow me. The weights here are too small to test our maximums.¡± With a terrible sense of foreboding, I followed the monstrous old lady. After a short walk we came to a golden colored weight set. The bar had two simple weights on each size, but there were no numbers listed on the thing. Gertrude walked up to it and inserted mana into the set and I saw it visibly sink into the hard brick ground. ¡°This weight set was enchanted to increase depending on the mana I put into it. Right now I¡¯ve set it to my maximum. I¡¯ll have you know, deary, that I have almost 250 strength. I can outlift dragons. Are you sure you want to do this?¡± Without even replying to her I walked up to the set and grabbed the bar with my left hand and pulled it up without much hassle. It felt like it only weighed five kilograms. I twirled it around over my head a bit before setting it down on the rack again. ¡°Am I qualified to learn healing magic now?¡± I asked in an impatient tone while meeting the shocked woman''s eyes. ¡°Holy shit. Endyrion wasn¡¯t kidding!¡± Why does every professor say something like that. ¡°Fine fine. You pass the initial test. Now come with me. I need to test your mana type and see your impurity levels,¡± said the woman as she walked back to her hut of a house. I was impressed by how quickly she brushed off what had just happened. She pulled down a small stone tablet from a shelf and handed it to me. ¡°Pour mana into this until it breaks. Don¡¯t worry, it won¡¯t explode on you.¡± I did as she asked. The tablet broke after I hit the expenditure for a Journeyman Rank Skill. It turned black in color as cracks formed in a spiral pattern across the surface. ¡°Ah. Calliope, your mana is of the Chaos element. If you try to heal anything you¡¯ll probably just kill them. The amount of mana control needed for someone with your disposition to repair flesh is beyond what I can teach. There are no impurities, either. Your mana is almost like a raw source from an earth vein.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re saying I can¡¯t learn healing magic?¡± I asked. ¡°No no. You can. I¡¯m saying you need a level of mana control I can¡¯t help you attain to do it, though. I can give you some exercises and tools to help you, but this is something you¡¯ll need to learn on your own. I recommend practicing on fish if you ever do want to try, by the way. Don¡¯t ever insert your mana into another person. Chaos mana is too unstable,¡± replied Gertrude. Ah. So I¡¯ve wasted my time, then. I sighed. I took the control tools she gave me, though, because they would certainly be useful. One was a toy that clicked whenever you input mana into it. The goal was to make it click as fast as possible. Of course just putting raw mana into it wouldn¡¯t suffice. The toy resonated with certain levels of mana and the levels changed constantly. It was both fantastic and annoying. Another practice tool was a pinwheel. If you poured mana into it the blades would spin, but if you put in too much the blades would turn black. The goal of the pinwheel was to practice prolonged use of mana at certain levels. The levels could be adjusted, too, so I could practice with it for skills at every level. At high levels some professionals could even turn specific blades of the pinwheel black and make unique patterns on the spinning surface. The last tool she gave me was a pair of boots. These boots, when mana is poured into them, tighten onto your feet. If too much is poured in, they could even crush your bones. They were considered a banned item in the kingdom because of their extreme nature, but Gertrude didn¡¯t think their maximum could even damage my feet. I agreed with her judgement. They had a bad history of being used by abusive parents when trying to raise their kids to be ¡®powerful¡¯ and bring honor to their family. In the end, Gertrude did help me out a little. I suppose I should thank her sometime, even if she didn¡¯t help me get what I wanted the most. I started to make my way back to my room. Lily and James would still be in class for a while so I figured I¡¯d clean myself up proper. The hose-off I had earlier wasn¡¯t going to cut it. I entered my room and inside I found a letter that had been shoved under my door. The seal on it was made with wax and had the picture of a Griffin on it. It was the seal of the Gransus Kingdom. I opened the letter and scanned its contents. The translation feature for writing wasn¡¯t really up to par, though, and a few things didn¡¯t make sense. Still, I could get an overall feel for what it was. It was an invitation to dinner at Thomas Leore Gransus¡¯s mansion. Chapter 19: Tartarus I sat down on the bed and looked at the letter. The date was set for tonight. I was a bit confused why he invited me at all. I know he has an antagonistic relationship with Lily, and he should know that I¡¯m fairly close friends with her. Should I talk to Lily about this invitation? I don¡¯t really want to poke my nose into her family stuff, especially since she hasn¡¯t tried to drag me into her affairs either. I weighed the options at hand and, in the end, I decided there was no harm in seeing what the sixth prince wanted. Worst case I could always threaten him a bit. I¡¯m certain my reputation in the Capital has spread far enough by now that it wouldn¡¯t be hard to flaunt it. There wasn¡¯t a lot of time until the dinner, so I quickly took a bath and cleaned myself up as best I could. Tying my hair back in a simple fashion, I had the Heaven¡¯s Demon Garb transform into a more formal version of its baseline state. It now looked more like a proper black gown with open shoulders and floral shaped lacing. The dress was pleated and draped low enough that it covered my shoes. I didn¡¯t feel like advertising that I still hadn¡¯t learned to walk in heels yet. The last thing I need to do is fall on my face while trying to show off. As if they had anticipated that I¡¯d accept the invitation, I found a carriage waiting outside my room. I was a bit flustered by how perfect the timing of it all was. They were probably watching me. It¡¯s a shame I didn¡¯t have supernatural senses to pick up on things like that. I stepped into the carriage and the driver kicked the reigns. The trip to the prince¡¯s mansion didn¡¯t take all that long. It was only about two city blocks away from the Academy. I almost felt bad for having use a carriage for such a short ride. The driver got down and opened the door for me in a gentlemanly manner. To be honest, it did feel nice being treated like this. Maybe I won¡¯t flick this prince¡­ I probably shouldn¡¯t get my hopes up, though. The mansion was victorian in style and covered with ivy. It looked rustic and beautiful. The windows were massive and gave off a soft ambience into the street. I could hear the sounds of people chatting as I approached the door. There was a butler standing outside the doorway with a big smile on his face. The only odd thing about him was his scraggly beard and disheveled long black hair. He looked more like a hobo than a butler, but his clothes were impeccable. ¡°Ms Calliope, my Liege the sixth prince Thomas Leore Gransus would like to welcome you to his home,¡± said the scruffy butler as he opened the door. The door opened up into a main foyer with a grand staircase in the center and a hanging chandelier above it. The floors were covered with a crimson carpet and several people were standing around with glasses of wine in their hands, drinking and making merry. I even recognized one of them, my professor Emelia Watterson. She was no longer dressed in her gaudy fashion but was, instead, wearing a thin blue short dress with a low cut neckline. A random assortment of small jewelry was hanging off her neck, but her earrings were two huge hoops. She either didn¡¯t notice me entering or she was pretending not to. She was currently talking with a short bald man on the far side of the room. I hadn¡¯t realized that there would be an entire gala. I had only anticipated a dinner. This situation was putting me entirely out of my element. I thought this was going to be a small affair or meeting. I can¡¯t very well threaten the prince in front of thirty people, can I? Well, I probably can. I don¡¯t think anyone here will be willing to get on my badside. I think, right now, I am probably the single most important person in the entire Capital in the eyes of the nobility. A soft ringing spread through the room as a boy, probably around fifteen, tapped his wineglass with a fork. ¡°Here here, friends. The guest of honor, Ms Calliope, has arrived. Once you¡¯ve had a chance to say your greetings please come into the dining room so we can discuss tonight''s events,¡± said the boy. Judging by his freckled face, demeanor, and his blond hair; I could reasonably place him as the prince. At his side was a needly looking man with a wide nose and dainty glasses. I didn¡¯t know his name but I didn¡¯t like the look in his eyes as he stared at me. A small gaggle of the ¡®nobles¡¯ walked up to me and introduced themselves, but I didn¡¯t find any of them memorable. My professor continued to avoid me, but perhaps she was trying to be polite since we¡¯ve already met? It didn¡¯t really matter. After fifteen minutes of tiresome greetings, several servants guided all the guests into a dining room. The room itself was clearly designed to seat at least 100, let alone the paltry 30 in attendance. It was a grand show of wealth. How come Lily never invited me to her mansion? Wait, does Lily even have a mansion? I¡¯ll have to ask her about it later. If she has a mansion why is she staying in a dorm on campus? It probably has something to do with Endyrion being unreasonable, though. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. I was guided to a seat by the shaggy haired butler that I met upon entering the building. Honestly, I¡¯m still a bit taken aback by his ungroomed state. I didn¡¯t see any other servants with beards or long hair. I think I read once that noble children without the right of inheritance would often become servants; perhaps this is such a case? It would certainly explain it. I was seated in between two women with identical tacky frilled dresses. They both had powdered faces and an amalgam of jewels and knicknacks. I was clearly underdressed, but I also think I was the only person there who didn¡¯t look absolutely ridiculous too. ¡°Thank you all for coming. Today, I invited everyone who has helped me set up tonight¡¯s show. I hope you will all enjoy it,¡± said the prince as he alluded to some kind of ¡®show¡¯ for the second time. Had they prepared some kind of play? ¡°Now then, I¡¯d like to take a moment to outline my plans for the future of Gransus. As you all know, The Forgotten Lands on our Western Border are inhabited by three rank 4 beasts. These lands are, by all rights, property of our Kingdom¡­ But we are unable to develop them into farmland due to the beasts¡¯ strength. Today, though, a new hope has come to our Kingdom.¡± A small spotlight shined down on me from the ceiling. How did they even manage that? ¡°The Demon Calliope has joined our Kingdom and, as the following recording will show you, she possesses enough strength to curb a rank 4 beast with ease.¡± As the prince finished talking I saw my professor¡¯s hands glow with an aura of darkness. There, in the middle of the table, was a recording of me using Heaven¡¯s Downfall. From a third person perspective it really was a beautiful sight. It was at this point that I finally realized what was going on. He was trying to use me in a way that I couldn¡¯t fight back against. He was helping me repair my terrifying image as a rogue demon by shackling me. If I stand up here and claimed I wasn¡¯t going to kill these beasts for him, I¡¯d be painting myself as a monster who doesn¡¯t care about this country. It was, really, a fabulous plan. There was only one problem: I¡¯ve grown damn sick of people wanting to use me. ¡°I refuse,¡± I said, interrupting the proceedings. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, what did you say?¡± Asked the prince as he coughed up a bit of his wine. ¡°I said ¡®I refuse¡¯. I¡¯m not going to be your puppet. I refuse to be used as a weapon against peaceful creatures that aren¡¯t threatening this country in any way for the sake of greed.¡± I could see it in the eyes of everyone around the table. They were all part of this ruse. This entire gala was nothing but an act. Yes I could kill those beasts, but I don¡¯t want to. So I¡¯m not going to. It would be different if Lily came to me and asked. Maybe then I¡¯d consider it, but judging by the fact that she hasn¡¯t then these rank 4 beasts are clearly not an immediate threat. ¡°This is¡­ A terrible shame, Calliope. If you had come to my side I could have resolved this whole affair tonight in a peaceful manner. Lily¡¯s party would have no reason to oppose mine if we had you as a bargaining chip. Your actions only further prove the reports I¡¯ve received true, you really are immature.¡± At this I stood up and slammed my hand down on the table, shattering it into splinters. ¡°From what you¡¯ve just said, it sounds like you¡¯re planning on attacking Lily¡¯s people tonight,¡± I said in an accusing tone. ¡°That¡¯s right. Tonight¡¯s the night I remove Lily and my father from their seats of authority. Tonight¡¯s the night I will take over the Kindgom of Gransus and become it¡¯s 33rd King.¡± I felt a hand grab my shoulder. I didn¡¯t react, though. I know they can¡¯t hurt me. There¡¯s no reason to overreact and accidentally kill someone here for no reason. I just need to¡­ [Mana Lock Complete.] What? What was that? ¡°Farewell, Demon Calliope. You were a worthy opponent to make us use this trump card. Watterson, activate the Tartarus charm.¡± Before I could even react, everything in front of me shifted. It felt like my stomach was going to collapse and a massive chunk of my mana was sucked out of me. I hit my knees and closed my eyes for a moment. When I opened my eyes again I was no longer in the beautiful dining hall. Instead a long stone hallway stretched out in front of me. I looked behind me to find more tunnel. Next to me, on the ground, was the scruffy bearded butler. His hand finally let go of my shoulder and he started laughing for a moment before he met my eyes. ¡°Welcome to Hell, demon.¡± Chapter 20: Calico Labyrinth Dungeon ¡°What just happened and where are we?¡± I asked as I looked down at the bearded man. ¡°Just kill me, demon. I¡¯ve done my job. I¡¯ve saved Gransus from you,¡± he replied in a snarl. I really want to hit him, but I need to stay calm. I heard the ¡®voice of the world¡¯ claim something about a mana lock when he touched me, but I don¡¯t feel like my mana is sealed. In a quick test I used the skill -Stat Increase- and it worked fine. I could feel strength filling my body. I wasn¡¯t sealed in any way. ¡°My God, you have so much mana. Whatever that skill you just used, it required more mana than I possess in my entire body but it hardly touched your pool,¡± said the man in a sad tone. How could he tell I used a skill? More importantly, how could he see my mana at all? It was at this point that I finally noticed something strange. The mana I was feeling wasn¡¯t just my own. There was something else there. I met the man¡¯s eyes and I could tell, just by his expression, that I was feeling his mana pool. It was linked with mine. ¡°The Mana Lock wasn¡¯t something to seal me, it was something to bind my mana pool with yours¡­¡± I mused out loud. ¡°Correct, monster. We couldn¡¯t use the Tartarus Charm on you directly, but by linking your mana with mine and using the charm on me, the effect would teleport you by proxy as well. I normally wouldn¡¯t have the mana for such a thing, but with our pools linked the charm used a portion of yours to activate.¡± The beardo was oddly talkative now. Perhaps he¡¯s resigned himself. He did seem to think I¡¯d kill him just moments ago. ¡°Please, tell me where we are,¡± I asked. ¡°Heh, a mighty demon begging from me. It feels good... This is the Calico Labyrinth Dungeon.¡± My blood ran cold at his familiar words. The name Calico Labyrinth was something I recognized. It was a thousand floor dungeon of the worst kind back in the SHO days. The upper floors were terrible mazes and rearranged themselves every three days. The lower floors, while not difficult to navigate, were filled with monsters ranging from Rank 6 all the way up to Rank 9. If I was really in the Calico dungeon, then simply getting out could take months depending on how far down I was. ¡°What floor are we on?¡± I asked. The man looked at me with a shit-eating grin. ¡°We¡¯re on the 500th floor. It will take you at least forty years to navigate out of here through it. By then, my Lord Thomas will have adequate time to prepare for you. He will strike up a coalition of nations and they will find a way to put you down, demon. That is if you can even survive down here. Now kill me. I¡¯ve served my purpose. I was useful to my lord. I can ask for no better fate than that.¡± I need to escape. I need to get out of here. Thomas said he was attacking Lily¡¯s faction tonight. This ¡®prince¡¯ had tried to have her assassinated before¡­ She was in danger. If I¡¯m on the 500th floor then there¡¯s no reasonable way I can escape upwards in time to get back tonight. I don¡¯t have a path correction skill, so finding my way through the mazes on the upper floors is impossible alone. My only option is to clear the dungeon and reach the teleport crystal on the thousandth floor. I didn¡¯t wait any longer. This was no time to be dallying around. I took off running down the corridor, but when I reached about thirty feet away from the bearded man I felt my surroundings shift again. Another chunk of my mana vanished and I was right next to the fake butler once more. He started laughing. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°As long as we¡¯re linked, you are bound by the Tartarus Charm too! Just kill me, demon, and then spend the rest of your miserable life lost in this labyrinth.¡± My breath hitched at his words. I looked at him with a wild stare. ¡°Tell me how to break the Mana Lock!¡± I demanded. ¡°Mana Lock is a deity class skill! It¡¯s a skill only one person in a generation will ever be born with! And it¡¯s a skill that can only ever be used once in a lifetime. We are bound till death, demon. Just kill me. I¡¯ll die either from starvation or a magical beast if I¡¯m left down here anyways.¡± My mind was racing and I could feel my heartbeat accelerating. In haste, I grabbed the man and threw him over my shoulders. If he¡¯s with me, perhaps we won¡¯t get teleported back? After thirty steps, my theory was proven wrong as another chunk of my mana was drained. I only had about half of my pool left, now. ¡°The Tartarus Charm is a recall point the original founder left in this dungeon. I¡¯m bound to it and unless you know space-time magic you cannot unbind me. I don¡¯t know why you won''t just kill me, but please¡­ Do it. My life wasn¡¯t a happy one. Let me have my fucking pride AND KILL ME!¡± ¡­ ¡°The first time I ever killed a man was by accident. The four after happened because my body wasn¡¯t under my control. Please, don¡¯t make me do this,¡± I asked, as my eyes began to sting. ¡°You don¡¯t have to. Just stay down here and wait until I slowly die of hunger or thirst. That¡¯s always an option,¡± replied the man in a tired voice. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± I asked as I finally made up my mind. ¡°Heh, it¡¯s Ren. Ren Calinston. I was an orphan. I don¡¯t have any family to mourn me... But, I guess someone will. That makes me a bit happy, you know. Even if it¡¯s a demon like you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make it quick,¡± I said, holding back a sob. ¡°Please do.¡± I raised my hand up and I could feel my arm trembling. I closed my eyes and I could see Lily¡¯s face. She needed me. I didn¡¯t have time to waste here. If something happened to her because I delayed now, I¡¯d never forgive myself. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I said as my hand chopped down, cutting the man¡¯s head off in a clean stroke. His face was smiling, even in death. I could feel his mana pool disconnect from mine. The Mana Lock was broken. I didn¡¯t wait any longer. I took off running into the dungeon¡¯s depths. I didn¡¯t have a lot of time. I needed to hurry. I could feel it in the very depths of my soul. If I didn¡¯t hurry I would regret it for the rest of my life. With a thought, I retrieved Belial¡¯s Blade from my Spacefold Item Pack. I could feel the power coursing through it. It was a Deity Rank Item. It was equal in power with Heaven¡¯s Downfall. I didn¡¯t have the luxury to hold back. As I rounded a corner I came face to face with a horde of Rank 7 beasts. They were Chaos Dragons, and there were at least 100 of them. I didn¡¯t even pause to think as I swung the sword in front of me. -Brutal Power-, a Master Class Skill, activated and caused the very edge of reality to fold along the sword¡¯s edge. In one stroke, every single dragon fell to the ground in a bloody heap. I didn¡¯t stop moving. The Heaven¡¯s Demon Garb transformed into its original shape as the blood of magic beasts hid my tears. Chapter 21: Frantic Descent I could feel my mana draining as I slashed my way through the hordes of monsters. I had begun at half capacity due to the Tartarus Charm and the monsters near the bottom of the dungeon were growing stronger. I could feel the exhaustion creeping through me. Still, though, I continued on. With Warrior as my first class I wasn¡¯t just reliant on mana or skills to fight. With Belial¡¯s Blade most magical beasts under rank 9 could be taken down with a single swing. It had been about two hours since I started my descent into the depths of the Calico Labyrinth Dungeon. I had just passed the 900th floor and my entire body was wracked with sweat and blood. I had to keep my tail tied around my waist out of fear that it¡¯d drag behind me otherwise. I was panicked when I started this trip, but my mind was slowly coming back from the abyss I had locked it in. Even as strong as I am, hordes of high ranking beasts can kill me. From this point on there won¡¯t be many enemies under the 9th rank. I can¡¯t afford to be careless anymore. I need to seriously consider that I could die here. For the first time since coming to this world I could see the true benefit of -Combat State- being active. Due to it being a racial skill it consumes no mana, but there are probably other side effects from overuse. The skill helps me detach myself from the situation at hand. It helps me keep calm. Despite all my panic, despite all my worry, this skill has kept my head semi-level. I felt nothing as I murdered thousands of the dungeon monsters. On the 930th floor I faced my first true challenge. I turned down a long corridor that opened into a massive room, as big around as the coliseum of ancient Rome, filled to the brim with Earth Wyrm Plates. They looked like massive 50 meter long worms wearing plate armor, but -considering they had claws- their figures were more closely related to dragons in design. They were rank 9 beasts, and they were known for their speed. I tore into the front mass of the wriggling monsters. I could vaguely see the exit on the far side of the room. I didn¡¯t need to kill every monster here, I just needed to cut my way through to the exit. Claws flashed and my body was wracked with a pain so strong it felt like I was breaking apart. I returned every ounce of pain, though, as I cut the head off the beast before it could retreat. I swung my sword and another beast fell, but not before taking a chunk of flesh from my face. I¡¯d have screamed without -Combat State-. Even if the wounds would heal in seconds, my body was still being torn apart. The agony was something I wouldn¡¯t wish upon my worst enemy. I could feel my health bar begin to deplete. I had a naturally high regeneration due to race and constitution, so potions or other healing methods weren¡¯t necessary, but there was still a big risk if one of the Wyrms managed to land a critical strike. I guarded my neck and main arteries as best I could while lashing out with my blade. The slaughter continued unabated. The Wyrms, while fast enough to harm me and strong enough to hurt me, weren¡¯t intelligent enough to work together and bring me down. Without the need to kill them all, I didn¡¯t waste any time either. I passed through the exit and my entire body looked like a blood clot. While my flesh mends my skin has no way to automatically clean itself. I didn¡¯t have time to stop either. I could feel it in the pit of my heart. The bastard prince was going to unleash his coup tonight, and if I couldn¡¯t make it back in time I¡¯d regret it for the rest of my life. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Every level of the dungeon grew progressively harder. I had expected as much, but it was still a brutal lesson in humility. Just earlier tonight I had stormed into the Prince¡¯s mansion assuming nothing in the world could cause me harm. I had actually thought ¡®Why not?¡¯ rather than ¡®Why?¡¯. If I could take it all back I would. If I could go back in time and talk to Lily first I would. I needed to focus on saving my mana. I knew what waited for me on the 999th floor. The Calico Dungeon, like all dungeons, had a boss monster. A monster capable of breaking the rank system. A monster players had deemed ¡®rank 10¡¯ even if it wasn¡¯t proper. It was a beast even I could fear. Even on my main account in SHO I wouldn¡¯t dare fight boss monsters without a huge amount of preparation. Right now I can only hope and pray that the final boss waiting for me is one I know how to beat. I continued to clear floors at a speed unheard of in the SHO days. Back in the days of the game the stairs to the next level were locked until you ¡®cleared¡¯ them, meaning one had to kill all the monsters on a floor before moving on. Reality was, thankfully, much simpler. RED had taught me this lesson time and time again. If I had RED now, perhaps he could have even guided me through the Labyrinthine levels above. My heart ached when I thought about it. Nox¡¯s words rang in my head: ¡°Quit being mean to RED. He¡¯s trying his best.¡± I had been suspecting for a while that RED wasn¡¯t a simple program, and Nox confirmed my thoughts. I could only feel regret at treating him the way I did. I don¡¯t know how to wake him from Low Power Mode¡­ Though, if I really think about it, Low Power Mode might not really exist either. My mind traversed assortments of theoreticals as I continued my trek in the dungeon. The lower I traveled the less ambient light the floors had. The darker it got the harder it was to fight. I had always considered trying to figure out a way to enhance my senses and now I could only feel regret for not doing so. Back in the SHO days I could just turn my monitor¡¯s brightness up, so I never bothered wasting mana or resources to get utility skills. It seems the original designer of this body felt the same as I did. It¡¯s amazing how different living vicariously through a screen and actually experiencing something are. Hindsight is 20/20, they always say. My breath was beginning to grow ragged as I finally cleared the 997th floor. I could no longer move at my maximum speed. My wounds were taking longer to heal and my health bar wasn¡¯t recovering to maximum anymore. I had never felt this kind of tired in my life. I¡¯d never experienced this feeling. I wanted nothing more than to lie down and sleep¡­ I just wanted to rest, but thoughts of my friends kept my feet moving. Two more floors remained, but the 998th floor held no monsters on it. It was the preparatory area. There were no chests of treasure or ¡®health packs¡¯, but there was a solid area to rest with a large party and prepare for the upcoming fight. Most teams of players in SHO would have pack mules, players with nothing but high strength in order to carry equipment and recovery potions, travel with them. I didn¡¯t have that luxury. I didn¡¯t have the luxury to rest either. Waiting even an extra hour right now could be too much. Standing taller than I thought possible, I walked down the stairs and through the door to the boss room. Chapter 22: Forgiveness The door opened up into a grand arena. The dimness from before was gone. Torches, probably fueled by magic, lined the walls and the brightness of it all forced me to wince. The room itself was even bigger than the Hall of the Wyrm. The walls were plated in gold and the ceiling looked to be the outdoor sky. It was covered in stars and even a moon. Was it an illusion or a professional grade paint job? It could have even been a proper window using magic. It felt real, though. It all felt so real. In the middle of the room, lying curled up like a dog in winter, was the main event. It was dragonic in look with black scales marring its form. Its head was the size of a minivan alone and the protruding teeth were bigger than my entire body. It was quadrupedal but each one of its limbs had claws over 10 meters in length. The beast¡¯s tail had to be as long as the entire Royal Arms Academy¡­ It was an Elder Nature Dragon. The door closed behind me and sealed itself shut. I think I was beginning to be able to sense the mana around me after using it so much in a short amount of time. I could feel the mana links that were holding the entryway closed. [-New Skill Acquired- Journeyman Class Skill: Passive Detect Mana] Oh. I really was sensing the mana around me, then. The Elder Dragon stirred. Even a simple motion of its body caused the ground to shake. Then its eyes opened, revealing yellow snake-like slits. Even with -Combat State- active I could feel fear permeating through my form. I had fought Elder Nature Dragons two times during my career on SHO. I knew their weak spots, and I didn¡¯t fear them. Among boss monsters they were more common and less troublesome than most... But that was in the game world. Right now, staring down a very real dragon, I could feel my heart pounding like it was trying to break my ribcage. The beast seemed to grin a bit as its eyes focused on me. It opened its mouth and then let loose a roar that could shake the very heavens. My body was frozen. -Combat State- was in overdrive, but it was at this moment that I finally understood just how reckless I had been. Lily would surely have Endyrion protecting her. I surely could have waited a few hours to get to full strength before tackling the boss¡­ A terrible nagging feeling hit my gut. I don¡¯t know why, but I felt like I was forgetting something important¡­ And that¡¯s why I couldn''t wait here any longer. I couldn¡¯t delay. My friend needed me, and this damned dragon wasn¡¯t going to hold me back. I returned the beast¡¯s roar with a bellow of my own, albeit mine was slightly less intimidating. With Belial¡¯s blade at my side, I started running. The monster raised one of its massive forelimbs and smashed it down towards me. I dove and rolled forward, making certain I didn¡¯t stab myself in the process. [-New Skill Acquired- Adept Class Skill: Armed Combat Roll] The ground crumbled under the Dragon¡¯s strike. Fissures and cracks spread out like the stone was made of glass. I popped up from my roll and stabbed my blade straight up into the beast¡¯s soft underbelly, but I didn¡¯t have time to do more than that. I activated -Midnight Steps-, the Expert Class Skill I had accidentally learned while saving Lily from Devil Hounds, and my body jumped out from underneath the dragon just in time as it slammed its stomach down, hoping to crush me beneath it. I was exhausted, but my smile at that moment belied the way I felt. The Elder Nature Dragon was just like its game counterpart. The attack patterns were the same. It was slow but strong. This demoness body, being pure speed and high attack, was its natural counter! I could do this. I could win. Hope flooded me and, from the pit of my stomach, I felt joy. I began slowly whittling away at the beast¡¯s health bar. My originally bottomless mana pool was starting to near its end, and I was wondering why the Dragon hadn¡¯t fallen. Its underside was riddled with slash marks and scars that I personally carved into it. ¡°Why wont you die!¡± I screamed as I moved past the beast¡¯s strike and laid my blade into it for about the thousandth time. The beast was about to drop again, and I was nearing my wits end. Surely I should have damaged the monster enough to at least activate its low health attack pattern? I escaped the monster¡¯s bodyslam yet again and hunched over to catch my breath. I met the monster¡¯s eyes then, and I could tell that my assault was working. Its once yellow slits were now filled with crimson. I could see the rage in its visage. The beast roared and I knew I had finally managed to activate its second assault. I straightened my back with my hands on my hips and looked up at my handiwork. Every scale on the beast started to stand on end. Through -Passive Detect Mana- I could see the flow of magical power from the air through the monster¡¯s now exposed skin and to its opened mouth. Energy, much like a charging laser from an anime, began to accrue. I could hear the meme ¡®IMMA FIRIN MAH LAZA!¡¯ ring in my head as the beast let loose its attack. I was already moving as the beam of energy razed the stone wall and ground behind me. The sound of stone superheating and exploding deafened me, but I wore a triumphant smile. This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. I had been waiting for this. With the beast¡¯s scales standing, it¡¯s entire body was finally exposed. I had just enough mana to activate one last skill, the skill I was saving for this moment: The Master Class Skill -True Strikes-. Belial¡¯s Blade began to thrum with Godlike energy. I zigzagged across the floor, avoiding the monster¡¯s blasts like an unswattable fly. When I was close enough I leapt into the air, rotating my body as I moved. ¡°It¡¯s the end!¡± I cried as I swung the sword down on the beast¡¯s neck, cutting through it like butter. Its head fell first. Then, as if all the slack was let out, its body collapsed after. I hit the ground and coughed up a mouthful of blood. My mana was dangerously low. I had never been this exhausted before. I could see the door to the final room opening opposite the entrance. I tried to stand, but my legs were unsteady. I could hardly move, but I still managed to make my way forward. I even used Belial¡¯s Blade as a crutch for a bit. If the people of this world knew just how I was using this sacred Deity Class Item, they¡¯d probably have a heart attack. I opened the door and entered the 1000th floor. The final room was small and had only a single chest in it. I limped my way to it and popped both hinges on it. Inside there was an assortment of gold coins, a few potions, a Journeyman ranked sword, and the Escape Crystal. I had expected more, but I didn¡¯t have time to be disappointed at RNG. I immediately downed the mana recovery potion, it tasted like cherry cough medicine, and I felt a solid third of my MP refill. I had hoped it would restore it all, but I guess real life isn¡¯t as convenient as the game world was. I stored everything else in my Spacefold Item Pack except the Escape Crystal. Back in SHO an option would pop up asking the player if they wanted to escape the Dungeon and bring their party with them. Was it strange that I had expected the Escape Crystal to act the same? I poured mana into the Crystal but nothing happened. I was growing perplexed and a bit frustrated. Why wasn¡¯t it activating? What was I doing wrong? I tried again and again to activate the Escape Crystal, but every time nothing happened. -Combat State- was beginning to end its effects and I could feel my frustrations building once again. I needed to get out of this damned dungeon. I had climbed 500 levels and fought a damned Elder Nature Dragon solo all for this Crystal¡­ So why wasn¡¯t it working?! Every time I failed to activate the Crystal I felt my heart shake. Lily was waiting for me. She needed me right now! I began to panic. ¡°Fucking work!¡± I screamed as I smashed mana into the sponge of a Crystal, but once again nothing happened. ¡°Why won¡¯t you work!¡± I hit the crystal with all of my strength, but I didn¡¯t even chip it. I needed it to work. I needed to get out of here. I wasn¡¯t even sure how far from the Capital of Gransus this dungeon was. I still had a long way to go, and I didn¡¯t have time for this bullshit! At a loss for what to do, I sat down on the empty treasure chest to think. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do,¡± I mused aloud with a voice void of emotion. Then an idea came to me. RED would know. I just needed to wake him up from Low Power Mode. He¡¯d know why the crystal wasn¡¯t working. I tried calling out to him in my mind. RED please, I need your help! ¡­ There was no response. I could feel rage flooding me. I was angry. I was angry at RED for ignoring my plea for help, but I was also angry at myself for throwing him away in the first place. Soon, the anger was replaced with melancholy. I started to sob as despair took over. It would probably take me months to climb up out of this damn dungeon due to the labyrinth in the upper levels, and it was all my own damned fault. Everything was my own damned fault. I didn¡¯t have anyone to blame but myself. Visions of Lily and James passed through my head and I could only sob harder. Lily was in danger and I couldn¡¯t help her. I couldn¡¯t be there for her in her hour of need. I never had many friends in my past life. I never spent time with other people, but I knew what friendship was. In both of my lives, Lily was my first real friend¡­ And I felt like I was never going to see her again. I thought of James next. The rude farm boy from Eastrock Village. He had never called me his friend, but I don¡¯t think those words needed to be spoken aloud. He didn¡¯t even try to make me feel guilty about destroying his home. In fact he seemed happy¡­ Well, he probably was happy. I don¡¯t think he liked living in Eastrock. Would James forgive me if I let something happen to Lily? Then, I thought of RED again. He had only tried to help me. He had been selflessly teaching me about this world and, even though I don¡¯t want to admit it, his actions were right. I was too naive and I gave in to my juvenile emotions. I couldn¡¯t even imagine what it was like for him, being stuck watching the world through my eyes. ¡°RED,¡± I said between sobs... ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡­ ¡­ [Solution: Low Power Mode Deactivated. Would the user like this guide to assist them in escaping from the Calico Labyrinth Dungeon?] Intermission 4: Sal I sat three seats behind him in Calculus. I would watch him play with his golden hair whenever he¡¯d get stumped on a problem and my stomach would be in flutters. I had been in love with him since the our third year of Highschool, but he didn¡¯t even know I existed. I even stalked him a few times with the intent to ask him out, but I was always stopped by my own timidness. I even followed him to the same University. I was bullied due to my ¡®coming out¡¯ way back in junior high. Most students didn¡¯t like the ¡®bi kid¡¯ being near them, but he was different. He never once treated me differently. He even stood up for me once, though I¡¯m sure he doesn¡¯t remember it. I¡¯m afraid if I ask him out he¡¯ll tell me something like ¡®Sorry, I don¡¯t like men¡¯ or ¡®We can still be friends¡¯. I don¡¯t think my heart could handle it. I¡¯d rather love him from afar and never know the real answer then to ask him and make it certain. At least I can take solace in my fantasies. He was known for being an avid gamer. Most of the other students passed him by, knowing he¡¯d never accept their offers to ¡®hang out¡¯. He didn¡¯t find joy in this world, so he escaped to another one. He escaped to Saga Heroes Online. I made several accounts as well, hoping to meet him in game. The game itself wasn¡¯t what I¡¯d call ¡®fun¡¯, but it was a way for me to get closer to him. To learn more about him. To sink into my fantasies of us being together. Eventually I found him in game. His avatar was so similar to how he looked in real life it was funny. The only difference was the height and the abundance of muscles. I hadn¡¯t realized just how detailed you could make these characters. We traveled together for a long time like that. He ¡®found out¡¯ that I shared a class with him and we became friends in real life as well. As we adventured through that fantasy land I grew to love and appreciate him more. He was dense but kind. He took me leveling several times and he genuinely helped me get ¡®good¡¯ at the game. There was something about helping others to level up that seemed to fill him with purpose. I think I was the one responsible for his future addiction. Eventually he stopped playing on his main account. We would still hang out from time to time in real life but it was rare. He became what was known as a -Dark Gamer- and only played games for money. He¡¯d level other people¡¯s accounts up for them, and he¡¯d do it fast. His reputation quickly swelled in the online communities. He never once went back on his word or scammed a single person. I grew to respect him more and more for that. He did this all without missing a single class, too. I found myself unable to simply accept loving him from afar anymore. If I waited much longer he¡¯d completely recede from society due to his addiction, and I didn¡¯t want that to happen. I had planned on confessing to him. I was at the point where, if I put it off any longer, I¡¯d probably never have another chance. That chance came when I got a text asking if I¡¯d like to get dinner with him... But he never showed up. He died that night. He died while texting me. Wracked with guilt, I took my own life in exchange. I prayed, as I slipped those pills down my throat, that whatever God or Gods may be would exchange my life for his. And then I met a God. ¡°Yo, what¡¯s up?¡± He asked as he munched on a bag of popcorn. ¡°Where am I? What¡¯s going on?¡± I asked. ¡°You¡¯re dead. You committed suicide out of grief, remember?¡± ¡°Ah. Yes. I do.¡± ¡°Well, suicide is a sin. Normally you¡¯d be punished by being reincarnated as a lower life form, either a bug or a worm, but I have a more creative punishment in mind,¡± he said with a sinister smile. For some reason, that smile is the only thing I remember of his features. It was filled with wickedness. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°I¡¯m going to let you continue living with your beloved, but you¡¯ll be unable to ever hold her. How much torment will you feel, seeing through her eyes but unable to understand her feelings. I recommend you keep your distance emotionally, by the way. The last thing you need to do is hurt her. I will erase your existence from her memory, as a kindness. She will never remember Sal. From now on, you will be known simply as RED.¡± I was confused by his words, but then information began to flood my mind. Information about a new world; information about events, people, places, monsters; and information about her. My new ¡®host¡¯. My beloved. I could no longer remember her name, but it didn¡¯t matter. This God, I knew his name to be Nox now, didn¡¯t punish me at all. I can be useful to her. I can help her in this new life. This God gave me a gift. A wonderful, everlasting gift. As time passed I could tell that Calliope, as she named herself, was setting herself up to be hurt. She didn¡¯t seem to realize just what her existence implied in this world. She was, just like in our last life, far too kind and naive. She was too good for this barbaric place. I could see just how weak she really was, and I wanted to help her. I kept my distance by pretending to be a computer program. I¡¯d slip up every now and then, though. I¡¯m honestly surprised she never seemed to catch on. I was able to see her thoughts, as strange as that sounds, but only when they were in an ¡®active¡¯ state. I could hear what she was thinking on the surface level, but anything taking place underneath was just noise to me. I don¡¯t know if she realized this or not. In the Capital of Gransus I made my first and only mistake. Calliope, unable to control her immense strength, accidentally killed a man for the first time in her life. Reasonably, she passed out from the stress of the whole situation. Then, men attacked her while she was unconscious. I was filled with anger. How dare they try to hurt the one I love? How could they not see how amazing she is? Could they not tell that it was an accident?! I took control and I responded to their aggression in kind. I was too kind, even, for I didn¡¯t make them suffer. I should have made them suffer. Anyone who dares to hurt my Calliope doesn¡¯t deserve the right to live. She woke up then, and was appalled at what I had done. It was my ultimate mistake, really, for not hiding the bodies in time. I could feel how truly sad she was at what happened. She had always believed that life is a sacred thing. Then her sadness turned to anger, and I was the only target available. I can¡¯t describe how awful it felt, right then. It felt like I had been betrayed by the one I loved most. I felt like I had a knife stuck in my heart. I almost cried. I bid farewell to Calliope and hid myself from her thoughts. I closed myself off, and wept silently. I had been rejected, just like I feared back when we were both human. In that darkness, I couldn¡¯t hear or see anything. Nothing could touch me. Nothing could hurt me. I was safe in my despair¡­ Then I heard her voice. I heard my angel¡¯s voice ringing again. ¡°RED¡­¡± She paused to sob¡­ ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Like the floodgates at a dam bursting, my love was rekindled. I collected myself before choosing the best way to respond. It is my duty to protect her. She is like the golden yolk of an egg, and I will become her shell. She is far too sweet for this world, so I will become the salt. I will be her guide. Chapter 23: Return Yes. Please help me escape from this dungeon, RED. [Solution: The user does not currently possess the Magic Core of the dungeon boss. When the Fae created the dungeons of the world, in order to prevent thief based classes from stealing the valuables without killing the boss, they charmed the Escape Crystals to only work for a party with the Magic Core of the boss in their inventory.] I wanted to smack myself. I hadn¡¯t even considered that. I found it easier to move now that I consumed the mana potion and I quickly climbed into the boss''s room. The corpse, like a mountain, laid unmoving in the center. RED, how do I retrieve the Magic Core? [Solution: The simplest method is to store the entire corpse in the Spacefold Item Pack and retrieve it later.] Won¡¯t the corpse start to stink as it rots? [Solution: The Spacefold Item Pack stops time for all objects and creatures inside.] Oh that¡¯s handy¡­ Wait. Creatures? [Solution: If the user has the class Tamer they can store Magic Beasts that they¡¯ve tamed in the Spacefold Item Pack.] So I could become a Pokemon trainer? [Solution: Essentially.] Holy shit! I mentally added another thing on my ¡®to do¡¯ list. With a wave of my hand the entire dragon¡¯s corpse vanished from sight. Now that I think about it, how much storage space does my Item Pack have? I remember there being encumbrance limits in SHO. [Solution: The user¡¯s Spacefold Item Pack is currently Expert Class. Total storage space used is 300/10000] Wow. Okay, so I have a metaphorical ton of storage space. The only thing in my storage at this time was the small bit of treasure from the back room and the dragon body. The dragon body consumed only about 300 units. I could literally store an army of pets when I earn the Tamer class. I slapped my cheeks when I realized how off topic I¡¯d gotten. I quickly took out the Escape Crystal and activated it. Once more I felt a lurching sensation in my stomach as a chunk of mana disappeared into the ether. I closed my eyes for a moment out of dizziness. When I opened them again I was standing in the middle of a field with the evening sky overhead. I looked around and noticed a large rock protrusion with a cave entrance behind me. A broken signboard was hanging over the top: ¡°Danger¡±. A short distance away was a boomtown, most likely it existed off the income of dungeon divers. RED, which way is the Gransus Kingdom¡¯s Capital city? [Solution: The Gransus Capital is 422 Kilometers due North. The user is currently near Fort Clyfton, the southernmost point of the Gransus Kingdom.] With RED¡¯s help, I started running in the right direction. My reserves weren¡¯t full, but I didn¡¯t hold anything back as I moved. My speed was astronomical. To an outside observer I¡¯d be a blur. I didn¡¯t stop for things as small as trees or water either. [-New Skill Acquired- Journeyman Class Skill: Water Step] I kept moving my feet. My tiredness was pushed to the back of my mind as I pushed myself forward as hard as I could. The roads, for the most part, were straight lines. This made it easier and less painful than running through trees¡­ For both me and the trees. Even at my top speed, 422 kilometers was a long distance. It would take me at least five to ten minutes to arrive. At the sixth minute mark, the Capital came into view. I skidded to a stop, causing smoke to fill the air behind me. The city was on fire. The blaze was roaring with a ferocity unlike anything I¡¯d ever seen. How could a mostly stone city be set on fire?! [Solution: High Ranked Fire Spells are capable of making their targets flammable. There are also a large number of mana infused objects in the Capital. Mana-infusion makes everything susceptible to mana-eating flames.] Where are Lily and James? This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. [Solution: Lily and James are currently in Headmaster Endyrion¡¯s office at the Royal Arms Academy.] I took off running again. I could feel the brick road breaking under my feet with every step. My speed began to increase further than I thought possible. [-Level Increased-] I found the right street and turned down it. I could finally see the Academy¡¯s gate. There, impaled on the fence, was the body of the professor Gertrude. I shuddered at the sight, but I didn¡¯t have time to dawdle. I leapt over the fence in a quick motion and ran to the principal¡¯s office building. As soon as I entered the main room I found James. He had his sword out and was currently fighting with two men dressed in black with white masks on. He was covered in wounds, but he seemed to be fine. I didn¡¯t waste any time as I flicked both men, knocking them out. ¡°Calliope! I thought you were teleported to the Calico Labyrinth!¡± Cried James as he finally recognized what was happening. ¡°We¡¯ll talk later, James. Where¡¯s Lily?¡± I asked. ¡°Her and Endyrion moved further inside as the assassin¡¯s kept coming. I held off as many as I could.¡± I finally noticed the five bodies scattered across the floor. I didn¡¯t feel bad for them. It wasn¡¯t because of -Combat State- either. ¡°I¡¯ll go help Lily, tie these two up,¡± I said as I ran down the hall. I heard his sword pierce their bodies immediately after. I didn¡¯t think anything less of him for his decision, either. In the main office the first thing I noticed was Lily¡¯s bleeding body lying on the floor. Endyrion was currently being pinned down in a fight by a man I recognized. It was the assassin who tried to kill me just a few nights ago. I had forgotten something. Even Endyrion, as high leveled as he was, would have a hard time stopping an assassin at that level. I ignored Endyrion¡¯s fight and ran to Lily¡¯s body. She was breathing, but the wound on her chest looked bad. [Solution: Lily will die within the hour if she¡¯s not treated.] My blood ran cold at that. She looked up to me and I could see the surprise in her eyes. ¡°I,¡± she stopped to cough, ¡°I was shown a recording of you being teleported by the Tartarus Charm. I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d ever get to see you again, Calliope.¡± The happiness in her tone cut me deeper than any knife ever could. ¡°Just relax, Lily. You¡¯ll be fine. I¡¯ll take care of everything,¡± I forced myself to say. She smiled. ¡°I know how badly I¡¯m hurt right now, and I know Gertrude is already dead. There¡¯s no one who can heal me now. Calliope, I¡¯m going to die. It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m happy just to know you¡¯re safe.¡± I gently lifted her up and set her down on Endyrion¡¯s desk. I desperately wanted to cry, but I held it in. I walked over to the old man and the assassin, both so absorbed in their fight they hadn¡¯t even noticed me, and I grabbed the dagger wielding bastard by the neck. His mask popped off and his eyes went wide when he realized just what was happening. ¡°You¡­ You shouldn¡¯t be here. It¡¯s not possible for you to be here! How could you find your way out of that maze of a dungeon?!¡± Cried the assassin in a choking tone. ¡°I didn¡¯t climb out of the maze. I cleared the dungeon and killed the boss to escape.¡± I don¡¯t know if it was my tone, or how deadpan I said it, but the assassin started to laugh. Endyrion collapsed to the ground in the corner of my eyes, but he was wearing a smile as well. If he had the energy to do it I¡¯m certain he¡¯d have joined the assassin. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± I asked, as I met the killer¡¯s eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t have one, demon. Never did. People just called me The Oni,¡± he replied with a smile. ¡°My name isn¡¯t demon,¡± I said as I snapped his neck, ¡°It¡¯s Calliope.¡± I''m starting to think that, maybe, some men do not deserve the gift called life. Chapter 24: Grace and Tattered Regimes I loosened my fingers and let the lifeless body drop. I didn¡¯t look at The Oni¡¯s smiling face again. I turned back to Lily and clasped her hand. I tried to wrack my mind but I couldn¡¯t come up with any ideas to help her. I don¡¯t think she could survive me carrying her to another kingdom to find a healer. RED, is there any way to save Lily? [Solution: The user currently has two potions left over in the inventory from the Elder Dragon Boss rewards. One is a minor potion of health. The damage is severe so the potion will not fully heal Lily, but it will stabilize her and let her survive her wounds.] The potions had completely slipped my mind. I quickly pulled them both out. The red-colored one was the health potion while the beige one was a Potion of True Sight. ¡°Lily, please drink this. It will help you,¡± I said in a gentle tone as I moved the potion towards her mouth while tipping up her head. ¡°W-wait. Calliope, is that a health potion?!¡± She cried in response. It was amazing how she managed to have so much strength in her voice even on the brink of death. ¡°Yes. It is. Now please, drink it.¡± ¡°Th-that¡¯s a national class treasure. My life isn¡¯t worth the price of a health potion. Calliope, I can¡¯t,¡± she paused to cough up some blood, ¡°I can¡¯t accept this.¡± ¡°To me, your life is worth more. That¡¯s all that matters. I can always get another potion, but I can¡¯t get another Lily Grphyn Gransus.¡± My words seemed to finally hit home and she willingly drank the drought. The fantastic effects showed themselves in an instant. A red swirling light surrounded her wounds and her flesh began to stitch itself together. She convulsed from pain, but she held back her screams. [Solution: Lily Grphyn Gransus will be in a semi-crippled state until she is healed fully.] I might have cried with joy over her recovery if I didn¡¯t know it wasn¡¯t complete. I vowed, at that moment, that I would take her personally to find a healer. ¡°Your body will be weak, Lily, until we find a proper healer to fix you,¡± I said, not hiding anything from her. ¡°I¡¯m in awe,¡± she replied as she looked down at her body while I helped her sit up, ¡°My legs are numb, but I¡¯m alive. Calliope¡­ Thank you.¡± I hugged her and I could feel my eyes starting to water a bit. ¡°I hate to break up this moment,¡± said James from the back of the room, ¡°but right now Thomas and his men are marching on the palace. Calliope, the Knight Captain defected to his side. No one in this entire country except you can stop them now. You should go on ahead, I¡¯ll carry Lily and follow as fast as I can.¡± My body ached, my muscles refused to move normally, and I was exhausted beyond all measure¡­ Despite all that, my rage was burning brighter than the flames holding the city hostage. I let Lily go and met her eyes. ¡°Calliope, please capture him alive. For these crimes, death is too light a punishment,¡± said Lily as her visage firmed. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll help you save this country. Can you two make sure Endyrion is alive before you follow me? Oh, also, James I have a sword for you.¡± When the subject of the Boss Monster drop came up, I remembered that a Journeyman Rank Sword was among the spoils. Such a blade was paltry compared to my Deity Ranked Belial¡¯s Blade, but it was worlds better than what James was currently using. With this sword in hand he could probably handle enemies up to 20 levels higher than him. When I took out the sword Lily and James¡¯s eyes looked like they would pop out of their heads. ¡°This! This sword is even more valuable than the potion you gave me!¡± Cried Lily. I smiled upon hearing her vibrant tones again. ¡°Thank you, Calliope,¡± said James as he took the blade with both hands and removed it from the sheath. It shined like a newborn star. I could only imagine what their reactions would be if I told them I have a sword thousands of times more powerful in my storage space. I walked out of the room with a smile on my face, but my expression hardened when I saw the burning city again. Thomas Leore Gransus was going to pay for everything he¡¯s done. I ran past Gertrude¡¯s corpse again and it stoked the rage in my bosom. I wish I could have saved her. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. [Solution: The user can attempt to rip her soul from the reincarnation cycle and perform necromancy magic to revive her.] ¡­ RED, if I remove someone¡¯s soul from the reincarnation cycle, will they ever return to it after? [Solution: No. Once removed one cannot reenter the reincarnation cycle.] I see. So that means when I die it really is the end for me? [Solution: Yes. Lord Nox removed the user from the reincarnation cycle.] Does that mean he used an advanced form of necromancy magic on me? [Solution: Data not found.] RED, were you a normal person too before meeting Nox? [Solution: Data not found.] It¡¯s okay, RED. You can tell me when you¡¯re ready. With our short conversation over, I made haste to the castle in hopes I might be able to save the king. I never met the man before but I had seen a statue of him on my initial tour of the Capital with Lily. He didn¡¯t look like a bad man. The castle walls were battered and the main gate was destroyed. It looked like a massive beast crawled through it. I almost doubted my eyes. How could a group of low level humans do this? [Solution: The sixth prince obtained a magical item that let him tame one of the rank 4 beasts from The Forgotten Lands. The prince¡¯s party is currently being aided by an Omega Hound.] Omega Hounds, if I remembered right, were the next step up from Devil Hounds. They tended to be loners rather than pack animals like their lower ranked brethren. I was interested in this magical item that let the prince tame the beast, though. The only requirement for me to gain the tamer class in this world is to tame a beast. This item could streamline the process. I entered the castle and made my way through the courtyards into the main hall. There, upon the throne, sat the bratty prince I had met earlier in the night. The one who put Lily through all this pain. To his right was the impaled head of the Gransus King, and to his left was the Omega Hound. It looked like a giant golden retriever, but at the size of an elephant. It was adorable. I wanted it. I stopped in the middle of the hall. To them it probably looked like I materialized out of thin air. ¡°What¡­ How? How can you be here!? The Tartarus Charm should have sent you to the 500th floor of the Calico Dungeon! Even the Great Founder took three years to make it out after he set up that return point!¡± Cried the prince as panic filled his voice. ¡°I get it! You must have had a return point charm set somewhere else in the Kingdom. Judging by your ragged appearance you¡¯ve surely exhausted yourself in the process of getting back here anyways! Right now, you stand before the King of Gransus, demon. At my side I have a rank 4 magical beast and the Knight Captain! I¡¯ve been told you could fight rank 4 beasts alone, but such nonsense couldn¡¯t possibly be true! Omega Hound, Knight Captain, BRING ME HER HEAD!¡± The Knight Captain charged out from behind one of the pillars in the room. I didn¡¯t even pay him a second thought as I snapped my hand back, crushing his chest like a berry between my fingers. The Omega Hound, though, I didn¡¯t want to hurt. Such an innocent looking doggy couldn¡¯t possibly be responsible for everything that¡¯s happened. The beast charged me and I put up my hand, stopping its momentum entirely. ¡°Sit,¡± I commanded in a firm voice while meeting the hound¡¯s eyes. It obeyed. [-New Subclass Acquired- Subclass Tamer] Oh? I didn¡¯t even need the prince¡¯s magic item. ¡°H-how?¡± Asked the prince as he stumbled over the back of the throne. ¡°Y-you¡¯re not a demon! You¡¯re a monster!¡± I moved forward and flicked him on the forehead, knocking him out cold. I searched his body and found the magic device. Without a second thought I stored it into my item pack. ¡°You,¡± I said, looking down at the boy, ¡°are either the luckiest bastard alive, or the unluckiest. I have no idea how cruel Lily can be. If I was the one to kill you, at least I wouldn¡¯t make you suffer. You did help me get an adorable pet, after all.¡± Chapter 25: A Well Deserved Rest I dragged the shitty prince¡¯s body to the middle of the room and left it there for a moment. Even if he woke up I¡¯d be able to catch him before he could escape. RED, how many of the prince¡¯s men are left in the castle? [Solution: There are 46 men belonging to the prince¡¯s faction remaining.] Can you guide me to them? [Solution: Yes.] I turned to the Omega Hound and met its eyes. The big old fluff ball started bashing its tail on the floor, cracking and breaking the tile beneath. ¡°You, stay. I¡¯ll be right back,¡± I commanded. I don¡¯t know how, but I could tell that the dog understood. Under RED¡¯s guidance, I quickly flicked and piled up the bodies of 46 men in the throne room. I didn¡¯t know these men¡¯s crimes individually, and my mood was much improved from earlier so they kept their lives. I even hummed the chorus to an old song I remembered from my last life as I worked. When I finally finished, I dusted off my palms. There was a literal mountain of unconscious bodies piled in the throne room. I turned to the patient pup. ¡°You¡¯re going to need a name now, I guess,¡± I said as I walked up to it. The hound, seeing me approach, started wagging its tail again and rolled over on its back asking for belly rubs. It was convenient, since I needed to know its gender before giving it an appropriate name. ¡°You¡¯re a lady, huh. Your fur is such a nice dirty gold, let¡¯s call you Sandy. Huh, you like that!~¡± I started talking to the dog in a ¡®baby voice¡¯ while rubbing her belly. She seemed extremely happy. I might have gotten a bit carried away, though. ¡°Holy shit!¡± Cried James and Lily¡¯s voice in unison. I didn¡¯t notice them come in. I did get too carried away. I felt a my cheeks heat up a little. It was a tad bit embarrassing. ¡°Is¡­ Is that an Omega Hound?¡± Asked Lily in a shaking voice as James carried her over to me. ¡°No, I refuse to be surprised anymore. My heart won¡¯t be able to handle it if I keep getting surprised by the things you do, Calliope.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were a tamer,¡± said James as he dragged a stool over for Lily to sit down on. As the two sat down, a platoon of men entered the room. ¡°Start binding and dragging the conspirators to the dungeon,¡± commanded Lily. ¡°Yes, Princess!¡± The men just started going about their work. Sandy rolled back over and laid on the floor normally. I used her as a body pillow. Her fur was so soft. It was dirty, but so was I. I wonder if there are any groomers in the Gransus Capital. [Solution: There are three groomers operating in the Capital, but it is uncertain if they¡¯d be willing to care for a rank 4 magical beast.] I¡¯ll have to ask Lily if she can pull some weight to help me out with that later. For now I suppose I could wash Sandy in a nearby river or lake. ¡°So, what happens next?¡± I asked. ¡°Next, we fish out any co-conspirators and send a letter to my first and second brother at Fort Clyfton. One of them needs to come back to take charge as the new king,¡± replied Lily. It had slipped my mind, but Lily¡¯s father had just died. Once more I was astounded at her strength. She had surely seen his corpse when James brought her in. This girl was far stronger than I could ever be. ¡°Until one of them makes it back, either Emerlia or I will have to take over as Regent. I already know, though, that Emerlia wants nothing to do with it. She¡¯s always been like that. She¡¯ll put her nose in problems but never offer to help fix them.¡± If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. I could hear the exhaustion in Lily¡¯s voice. My own eyes felt like they¡¯re ready to drop shut. My body was screaming with aches and pains. James was covered in cuts and bruises, as well. All three of us could use a good bath and a long rest. ¡°Was Endyrion okay?¡± I asked. ¡°That old man? I don¡¯t think even you could kill him, Calliope. That bastard¡¯s survived through everything life¡¯s thrown at him and I imagine he¡¯ll continue to do so,¡± said Lily in a bitter tone. I was happy to hear some gumption in her voice. ¡°How long will it be until your brothers arrive?¡± I asked. ¡°The letter itself will take at least 8 days to reach them. Fort Clyfton is a long ways South. Then I¡¯m certain they¡¯ll fight with each other over who gets to stay. Neither one of them likes politics all that much. They¡¯d much rather be training and fighting battles than making decrees. That¡¯ll take anywhere from a day to two weeks. Then it¡¯ll be another 8 days for the trip back here. I¡¯ll probably have to ¡®hold the fort¡¯ for a month or two.¡± ¡°After I rest up tonight, I could deliver that letter for you in a day,¡± I said. ¡°It took me about seven minutes to get from the Calico Dungeon to the Capital at top speed. A little trip would be good for me and I could take Sandy here,¡± I motioned to the dog, ¡°and train her a bit.¡± For some reason Lily started laughing. ¡°Seven minutes? You¡¯ve got to be kidding me¡­¡± Said James. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right, James. We¡¯ve never told you what Calliope¡¯s real level is,¡± said Lily as she tried to wipe away her laughter. ¡°I already know she¡¯s high leveled, but even if she¡¯s over level 100 to make that kind of trip in seven minutes¡­¡± ¡°942.¡± I interrupted. ¡°I thought it was 941¡­¡± Interjected Lily. ¡°I leveled up again tonight.¡± ¡°You did go through quite an ordeal. Come now, James, pick your jaw up off the floor and help me to my room. I¡¯ll have my attendants take over if you help me get that far. Goodnight, Calliope,¡± said Lily with a smile, ¡°And take a bath. You look like a rotten beet with all that blood and grime on you.¡± ¡°Goodnight, both of you,¡± I replied as I stood up. I fiddled with the skill for a bit, but I finally figured out how to store Sandy in my Item Pack. Even after RED told me it could be done, it was still surprising to see a four ton dog vanish in front of my eyes. I fast-walked out of the castle. The fires in the city were almost entirely gone. A few districts were still burning, but I could see men and women working together to stop them. I stumbled over my own feet for a moment. I was very tired. It took me about a minute to reach my dorm. Thankfully it was untouched from the events of the night. The Heaven¡¯s Demon Garb was already transforming itself into a towel as I reached the bath. I used a small bit of mana to heat the water using -Fire Blade-. The bath felt sublime, but I had to change the water three times to get clean. It¡¯s hard living in a world devoid of mirrors. I had RED help by pointing out any spots I missed. Near the end I started dozing off a bit in the tub. I tried to keep my eyes open, but I couldn¡¯t manage it. [Solution: Initiating Manual Override.] My body felt light. For a moment, I thought it felt like someone was carrying me. It wasn¡¯t a bad feeling. [Solution: Deactivating Manual Override... Goodnight, Calliope.] For the first time since coming to this world, I had peaceful dreams. Chapter 26: Breakfast I woke up with the morning sun. My body felt incredible. All my aches and pains were gone. I didn¡¯t remember climbing into my bed, but I must have at some point. I¡¯m glad I hadn¡¯t fallen asleep in the bath. I stretched my body briefly before cleaning up the bathroom. Thankfully, there wasn¡¯t much of a mess left over. After that I made the bed and had the Heaven¡¯s Demon Garb transform into a proper outfit while I combed the sleep out of my hair. The Garb took on the form of a blue parted riding dress with a laced midriff. The back of the dress pulled up into a hood more akin to a cloak in order to keep the sun off my head. The fabric was very lightweight, perfect for a summer stroll. The sleeves were loose with wide cuffs, but the elbows pinched in a bit. I decided to keep Sandy in storage until I had a chance to get her a bath. She could also probably cause havoc around the city, too, if I¡¯m not careful. I¡¯m certain some of the soldiers at the castle wouldn¡¯t be too happy seeing the rank 4 beast that tore the gates off last night meandering around. I set out from the dorm somewhere around 9 in the morning. I had a considerable sum of money on me now from the dungeon clear, so I decided to buy breakfast from a restaurant rather than choke down whatever the mess hall on campus was serving. The city was scarred by the conflict from the night before, but the people continued living their lives like nothing had happened. I couldn¡¯t believe the hardiness of the citizens. I guess the old adage ¡®life goes on¡¯ holds true even in a fantasy world. The damage to the buildings of the city was surprisingly minor, for the most part. It makes sense, though, when you consider Thomas wanted to rule the Kingdom. There was no reason for him to destroy it. The guard barracks, though, and the castle suffered the brunt of the damage. It hurt thinking that most of this was my fault. I had more than enough power to stop this from happening. Seeing the own toxicity behind that train of thought, I decided to focus on my next step in this world. Helping Lily rebuild her Kingdom was my first priority. The second was to find a healer for her. The third was to get her and James high enough leveled that I could feel comfortable about leaving them on their own. This is, apparently, a huge world and I want to see as much of it as I can. I also need to start training Sandy. I feel that if I neglect my new puppy something bad might happen in the future. I found a small inn with a terrific aroma floating around it. Inside the main door was a dining hall filled with people eating and chatting. No one seemed to take notice of me. Perhaps it was because I had changed the Garb¡¯s form, or maybe all the eyes I had felt staring at me before were just part of my imagination. Either way, I was content. The innkeeper, a round redhaired woman with a freckled nose, walked up to greet me. ¡°Mornin¡¯ Lass. We¡¯re a bit full at the moment. We can either get you a table on your own in fifteen minutes or, if you don¡¯t mind, we can seat you with a willing group right away,¡± said the innkeep with a smile. ¡°I don¡¯t mind eating with some company,¡± I replied. ¡°Great! Come right this way then, dear.¡± The woman lead me to a table on the far side of the dining hall. There was a group of four individuals, they looked to be adventurers, seated around a table. There were three men and a girl, all dressed in leather armors and equipped with low leveled swords or bows. ¡°I hope you folks don¡¯t mind a little company,¡± said the innkeeper as she walked up to them. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Ms Tavin, we wouldn¡¯t mind even if you sat a bear down to eat with us, let alone a cute girl like this,¡± replied one of the men. He was taller and dark skinned. His hair was matted from wearing a helmet too long. I joined the table rather easily, but I didn¡¯t say much. The group never even asked my name. I was grateful for that. They may not recognize me, but if they heard the name Calliope I¡¯m certain I¡¯d be treated differently. The group called themselves Team Bornin, after their leader Bornin. He was the helmet-haired individual and he was a ¡®B¡¯ rank adventurer from the local guild. His teammates were all ¡®C¡¯ ranks, though, but they took on jobs even ¡®A¡¯ rank teams would find difficult. They were a rather merry and friendly bunch. Breakfast was served quickly. There was no option to order, like in my last world. It seems inns and restaurants in this world had one meal they served for all their guests and if you didn¡¯t like it you went somewhere else. The meal itself was eggs and toast, but it tasted sublime compared to the gruel I¡¯d been eating at the Academy. When we all finished eating the ¡®bill¡¯ was delivered to the table. Bornin and his crew offered to pay for mine, but I couldn¡¯t let them in good conscience do such a thing. The price was three copper chips per person, but I didn¡¯t have any currency smaller than gold chips. It wasn¡¯t a big deal for me, so I pulled out a gold chip and set it on the table. ¡°Whoa, we figured you were rich because of how nice you were dressed¡­ But to pull out a gold coin like it was nothing¡­¡± said Bornin, ¡°Listen, you need to be more careful in cities, little Lady. It doesn¡¯t look like you have any guards with you, and there are lechers and bandits all through cities like this that would jump at a chance to rob you.¡± His tone sounded genuine and the look of concern on his face was real. I almost wanted to laugh. They thought I was some rich Lady exploring the Capital city for the first time. ¡°If you want we could walk you to the Adventurer¡¯s guild so you can hire a guard there.¡± ¡°Thank you for your concern, but I¡¯m fine on my own. I may not look like it, but I¡¯m a skill holder,¡± I replied. Their looks of concern immediately transformed into wonder. ¡°No way! No wonder you didn¡¯t bring any guards with you. What kind of skill can you use?¡± Asked the youngest of the group, a teenage boy named Frederic. On a whim I decided to humor them. I had been practicing recently and I was certain I wouldn¡¯t accidentally blow up the inn. I held up my index finger and used the skill -Fire Blade-, but I used the tiniest portion of mana possible to accomplish it. A small candle sized fire poofed itself into existence. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. [-New Skill Acquired- Normal Class Skill: Finger Lighter] ¡°I can use fire magic,¡± I said with a smile. They were immediately impressed and asked if I was registered as an adventurer too, but I calmly denied it and made my way to the street. Team Bornin looked reluctant to part ways, but I informed them I had important business at the castle. I think my words flipped some kind of switch in their heads because they immediately let me go without any hassle afterwards. As I started walking towards the castle, I heard a huge commotion from the Inn. It seems the innkeeper found the coin I left for her. ¡°Bill, get out the good liquor. It may be the morning but we¡¯re giving everyone here a free round anyways!¡± Her voice was loud enough to hear from the streets. I smiled a bit as I picked up my pace and vanished from the streets. The castle gate was under repair already. Guards were storming around, keeping vigilant watch in case another assault comes while men in thick pants were carrying and hammering stone and wood. I zipped in, using my unnatural speed to evade their eyes. It wasn¡¯t even hard. [-New Skill Acquired- Journeyman Class Skill: Infiltration] Eventually I arrived at the throne room. Sitting on the throne, wearing a regent¡¯s crown, was Lily. She was currently in an animated discussion with her sister Emerlia. I didn¡¯t want to be rude so I ducked behind a pillar until they finished. I even made certain not to listen in. There was no reason to eavesdrop on sisters. Once they finished their little spat, I decided to ¡®appear¡¯. ¡°Morning, Lily.¡± I said, startling both of them. ¡°Oh good, the demon who could sink our country on a whim is back. Perhaps she can talk some common sense into my idiot of a sister,¡± said Emerlia with a smile. I could feel the hair on the back of my neck standing up. I should have waited until Emerlia left before showing up. ¡°Emerlia, please leave and give me some time to talk with Calliope,¡± requested Lily. ¡°Fine fine, but you know better than everyone here that Alec and Gin want nothing to do with the crown. By all rights, you¡¯re the best candidate, Lil,¡± said Emerlia as she walked out of the room. Lily put her face in her hands and let out a groan. She looked like she hadn¡¯t slept as well as I did. ¡°Calliope, I have the letter written. Please, if you have to force them to make a decision then do it¡­ And then drag the new king back to the Capital with you,¡± said Lily. ¡°Are you okay, Lily?¡± I asked. ¡°No. I¡¯m not. My dad died yesterday and now I¡¯m being forced to pick up the shattered pieces of this damned country. Not to mention my guards told me that both Phanedor and Watterson escaped us and we have no clue where they went. Add in the fact that I can¡¯t even walk and I almost wish you hadn¡¯t given me that potion, last night¡­¡± She started ranting way to easily. I could see the stress in her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I really am thankful for your help last night, Calliope. Everything seems to be falling apart around me, right now, and it¡¯s nice knowing I have someone I can rely on close by.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, Lily. I¡¯ll help you sort out this mess. Also, if you do ever get too stressed out I can always take you away from here. Just say the word and I¡¯ll take you anywhere you want to go,¡± I replied with a smile. Lily smiled too. ¡°Heh, I could imagine the country¡¯s reaction if I just vanished one day. Everything would fall apart, though. Thank you for the offer, Calliope. It really does feel good, even if I can¡¯t take you up on it. Oh, and make sure you avoid seeing James before you leave. He¡¯s probably going to beg you take him along, but I¡¯m certain he¡¯d slow you down¡­ Well, that¡¯s just me being greedy. If you want to take him along you should, though I¡¯d really appreciate it if you could drag at least one of my bumblefuck brothers back here in the next few days.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not planning on taking James with me, so don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not sure if he¡¯s even strong enough to ride on Sandy¡¯s back. I¡¯ll see you soon, Lily... And I¡¯ll drag back one or both of your brothers. I¡¯ll try not to hurt them while I¡¯m at it.¡± We laughed and I hugged her one last time before I took the letter and made my way out of the castle. Once more I avoided detection by using the new skill -Infiltration-. It was surprisingly effective and took very little mana to operate. I thought stealth based skills were limited to only the stealth subclasses, but I suppose in this real world they aren¡¯t. I did spot James lurking around the castle''s gate, too. He was probably looking for me. RED, can you plot me a course for the largest body of water between the Capital and Fort Clyfton? [Solution: Yes. The current plotted course involves traveling due South for 70 kilometers before changing Southeast to arrive at the Tiger Lakes.] I set off running with a smile. Step one was to get Sandy cleaned up. Step two was to train her and teach her a few commands. So long as I arrived at Fort Clyfton before dinner, I should be able to get an audience with the ¡®bumblefuck brothers¡¯. I really liked Lily''s terminology for them. I felt a little bad for Lily, though, knowing how relaxed and easygoing my day was going to be compared to hers¡­ But I was also considering Emerlia¡¯s words too. I couldn¡¯t help but think perhaps, if her brothers really are as inadequate as I¡¯ve been told, Lily just might be the best option for this country¡¯s future. I wasn¡¯t sure why she didn¡¯t want the throne, but I planned to ask her about it the next chance I got. Chapter 27: Lunch It didn¡¯t take long for me to arrive at the Tiger Lakes. I could only feel disappointed when I did find them, though. They looked more like large ponds. I was hoping to see some massive expanses of water. I had never been to the ocean in my last life. I had never actually seen a body of water bigger than a pool. It was a bit discouraging. I let Sandy out of the item pack. In the sunlight I could finally get a proper look at her. She was caked with filth and blood. I was cuddled up to that last night? Just how exhausted was I? [Solution: Data not found.] How could that data be not found?! You were with me all of last night, RED. Are you hiding something from me? [Solution: Data not found.] I groaned as I walked up to Sandy. ¡°Sandy, get in the water. It¡¯s time for your bath,¡± I said, pointing at the pond. The dog, in response, took off running in the opposite direction. ¡°What?¡± I asked aloud. [Solution: It seems the user¡¯s pet Sandy, due to the tamer link, can understand the user¡¯s words. The word ¡®bath¡¯ appears to have intimidated her.] Seriously? [Solution: Yes.] Putting my hand to my temple, I took off running after the four ton dog. I was amazed, when I caught up to Sandy, to find her with her tail between her legs hiding at the top of a large tree. The poor tree was bending under her weight and it looked like it was ready to snap. ¡°Sandy, get down here and come take your bath.¡± I demanded. Sandy howled in a pathetic tone while looking at me with puppy eyes. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever been in a situation this absurd. What do I do? [Solution: This guide recommends tricking the Omega Hound into getting clean. Playing fetch with a stick and throwing it into the water should get her into it. From there the user could just forcibly clean her.] Uhhhg. If I was going to have to use force either way, I might as well just use it from the start. ¡°Fine, you don¡¯t have to take a bath, Sandy,¡± I said in an offhanded tone. The dog¡¯s reaction was immediate. She leaped from the treetop, launching a poor bird stationed on one of the branches as the tree snapped back into shape. The Hound bounded towards me with her tongue out, looking to show her appreciation. I couldn¡¯t help but smile a bit. Sandy seemed to notice my evil grin, but it was far too late for her. She couldn¡¯t stop her momentum in time. I reached my hand up, grabbing the dog by the neck. ¡°NOW TAKE YOUR DAMNED BATH!¡± I screamed as I rotated my body and threw the four ton pooch over my shoulder towards the nearest pond. She flailed her paws in the air and her eyes had the cutest look of betrayal stamped on them. RED, I need a way to get her clean. [Solution: There are Norsop trees nearby. The Norsop sap is a natural cleaning agent. This guide recommends heating the water of the pond with -Fire Blade- and scrubbing the Omega Hound with Norsop leaves.] I quickly found the tree RED was guiding me to, and I cut the entire top off by using -Wind Blade- on my hand. I didn¡¯t have much time until Sandy would land in the water. RED, how hot can I make the water without hurting Sandy? [Solution: The Omega Hound has an incredible heat tolerance. There are even stories of them swimming in volcanos. The user can make the water as hot as needed without worry.] Neat. I quickly poured mana into my -Fire Blade- and heated the pond up to near boiling point. Sandy landed in the water then and created a tidal wave sized splash. I didn¡¯t pay the rushing water any mind and ran straight through it towards the dog, holding the Norsop branches in my left hand. Cleaning Sandy was more like a wrestling match than anything. Thankfully I didn¡¯t hurt her too much, though I did make it painfully obvious I wasn¡¯t going to tolerate this kind of behavior any more. After a solid hour of wrestling a muddy Omega Hound, I dragged Sandy¡¯s near limp body out of the water. She was finally clean. I didn¡¯t have any good way to dry her off, but I assumed that letting her run a bit would work well enough. I was soaked to the bone as well, but the Heaven¡¯s Demon Garb took care of that easily. I hopped on Sandy¡¯s back and her eyes regained their usual vigour. She shook herself once, spraying water everywhere, but I managed to not fall off. I was certain, though, that James would have died if he were in my shoes just then. Not bringing him truly was for the best. Sandy took off running in the direction I pointed her. Her movements were terrific. She possessed a nearly unmatched agility when compared to the other magic beasts I had seen in this world. I had the Garb lower my hood in order to let my hair flow freely behind me. We avoided the major highways. I didn¡¯t want to scare the devil out of some poor farmer hauling a load of hay. The wind howled past us as we ran through meadows and woodland. Nature in this world was truly outstanding. The beauty overawed me. I rode Sandy¡¯s back for a few hours like that. This was far different from my haste filled run the first time I passed through here. Now, I could finally take in all the surroundings. Now, I could fully enjoy the world at large. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. My stomach began to rumble around midday. Sandy and I started searching and quickly found a small village. It felt nice to find it on our own instead of having to ask RED. I dismounted and returned Sandy to storage. I didn¡¯t need to terrify any poor people here with a rank 4 beast. I quickly jumped to the main highway and made my way towards the village. I grabbed a walking stick and had the Garb take a more weather worn look and I pulled the hood up like a normal walker would for the sun.. I wanted to be just another traveler, for now. A large sign was posted on the outskirt of the village: ¡°Welcome to Sorten Village¡±. I smiled a bit at the homeliness of it all. The village houses were made of wood and thatch. Children ran about with sticks in their hands, pretending to be knights. I could see a migration of farmers coming in from the fields. ¡°Ho, traveler. How be the roads?¡± Asked one farmer as he neared me. The man was stocky in build with a terrific brown beard hanging to his belt. His hair was long and tied back in a ponytail. His outfit was ragged and marred with dirt from a hard morning of harvest. ¡°The roads are lovely,¡± I replied, pulling back my hood to show my face. I even gave him a smile. ¡°There was little traffic.¡± ¡°Ey, where do you be coming from, Lass?¡± ¡°I am coming out of the Capital on my way south. I bear a letter for Fort Clyfton,¡± I replied, deciding a bit of truth would make my words more believable. ¡°The Capital, eh? We¡¯ve heard of dark tidings from there. My name¡¯s Phillip. How about you come and have the midday meal with my family? We could use for some news.¡± ¡°That sounds lovely,¡± I replied with a nod. ¡°My name is Callie.¡± I followed the farmer to his home. It was a small one-story house. Inside it was rather cozy, though. A small boy, probably around eight, ran to the farmer and hugged him. ¡°Daddy¡¯s back!¡± Cried the boy. ¡°Now now, let your father take off his shoes,¡± Said a woman¡¯s voice. The voice belonged to a tall woman, easily holding a few inches over the farmer. She walked up and gave Phillip a quick kiss. ¡°I see we have company, too. I¡¯ll go set up an extra place at the table.¡± ¡°Aye, this Lass is called Callie. She¡¯s from out of the Capital,¡± said Phillip as he quickly took his boots off. I wiped my feet on the small mat, but since I wasn¡¯t asked I wouldn¡¯t take off my shoes. They were part of my Heaven¡¯s Demon Garb, so I wasn¡¯t sure if I could ¡®take them off¡¯ normally anyways. I was quickly led to a dining room. A table was set up and in the center was a pot filled with a stew. Slices of bread were laid out and every one of the four spots had a big wooden bowl set down in front of them. I followed the family¡¯s lead and sat down at the table with them. The little boy looked particularly excited to have a guest, since he kept staring at me. ¡°Allow me to introduce my family. This here¡¯s Sadie, my wife, and that¡¯s my boy Tristan. We have a daughter too, but she¡¯s off studying in the Capital. Her name¡¯s Selina.¡± ¡°Selina? Your daughter doesn¡¯t dress up in a strange gray tunic with an odd bowler hat, does she?¡± I asked. ¡°Yes, she does. Do you know her?¡± Asked Sadie in turn. ¡°I¡¯m in a class at the Royal Arms Academy with her. I didn¡¯t know she was from a small village like this, though,¡± I replied honestly. ¡°Ahaha! So she doesn¡¯t talk about her family much, huh. I¡¯ll have to give that girl a proper lesson when she gets back here. Just because some knight recruited her to the Academy she¡¯s getting too big for her britches¡­¡± Said Philip with a serious tone. ¡°Is she doing well?¡± Asked Sadie. ¡°Yes, she¡¯s level 25 last time I checked. She¡¯s near the top of the students there,¡± I replied. ¡°Are you two friends?¡± Asked Philip. ¡°I don¡¯t know what she thinks of me, if I¡¯m being honest. We ate lunch together, but I haven¡¯t been at the Academy long enough to get to know her.¡± ¡°Well, even if you aren¡¯t friends, I¡¯m thankful to hear news of my daughter. Now, messenger birds have been flying out of the Capital since last night, talking about the city burning. Have you heard anything about that?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t heard much, sorry.¡± I replied, deciding that it was a bit unreasonable for a girl traveling without a mount to have been in the Capital last night. For most normal folks it was outright impossible. The discussion didn¡¯t move much from there. Sadie served the beef stew and I was able to enjoy a nice meal. I asked the couple what I owed them after, but they insisted I didn¡¯t have to give them anything. They were quite nice. I would definitely make Sell go home to visit her family the next chance I got. I left a gold coin on the table as I got up to leave. The three didn¡¯t notice, thankfully, until well after I was gone. I heard the commotion as I left and Philip came sprinting out of the door behind me, most likely looking to give me my money back. He wouldn¡¯t be able to find me, though. A gold coin wasn¡¯t much for me, but I guess it was for them. From the distance I could see the wife Sadie crying. It was a good lunch. Chapter 28: Fort Clyfton I moved a few kilometers past the village before taking Sandy out of my Item Pack again. I had eaten, which was nice and all, but now I needed to figure out how to feed Sandy. What do magic beasts normally eat anyways? [Solution: Magic Beasts eat Mana. In the wild the best source of Mana is from other magic beasts, ambient mana in rich environments such as dungeons, or human flesh. In this case, the user passively emits enough Mana that ¡®feeding¡¯ of the Omega Hound is no longer necessary.] That¡¯s interesting. How much ambient mana do I release, and is it necessarily a bad thing? [Solution: The user emits more ambient mana than most dungeons of this world. Humans do not posses acute enough senses to detect it without a specific skill, so it is unlikely this will ever cause issue. It is likely the reason the Omega Hound was tamed so easily was due to it sensing the user¡¯s overwhelming ambient mana.] That¡¯s not too bad, then. I looked over at Sandy and watched her frolic about. She paused for a moment to pee on some tree roots. The grove immediately began wilting as the ground started to dissolve. It would be rather inconvenient to have her melt someone¡¯s home, so it¡¯s probably for the best if I keep her in the Item Pack around any human settlements. ¡°Come on, Sandy, let¡¯s run for a bit. I want to stretch my legs after lunch,¡± I said, waving at the pooch. She immediately bounded after me as I set off jogging. We explored a small wooded mountain range for a bit, but there were only rank 3 beasts and lower so nothing interesting happened. We did scare the absolute hell out of one hunter, though. As an apology I quickly shot down a HippoCrow with a slightly empowered -Mana Shot- and left him the carcass. It was rather ugly compared to most of the Rank 3 beasts I had seen on my trip so far, and it was supposedly sought out for its meat anyways. I¡¯m sure the hunter would have brought it down on his own eventually, but he did certainly seem happy after I gave it to him. We continued our trip through the countryside at a rather leisurely pace. I never grew tired, even after jogging with Sandy for most of the afternoon. I didn¡¯t even break a sweat. My body felt like a well oiled machine. I hadn¡¯t realized it, but last night was the first time since coming to this world that I felt true fatigue. It was almost a bit nostalgic, in a sense. Though, I don¡¯t think I want to ever be in a situation where exhausting myself like that again is the only option. We continued moving south, but I realized that Sandy wasn¡¯t fast enough to make the trip in time. I stored her in my Item Pack and kicked my speed into a higher gear. The scenery began zipping past me as I moved. The wind was howling so fast I couldn¡¯t hear anything. After a short bit of running, the Calico Dungeon finally came into view again. I still had about an hour or two left before dinner, so I decided to drop by the developing city nearby. The city was mostly comprised of wood and mud buildings. The buildings here weren¡¯t meant to last like the stonebuilt ones of the Capital. The biggest difference though, aside from the architecture, had to be the sheer volume of people. The main ¡®street¡¯ alone had to have hundreds of thousands of adventurers roaming about. I was astounded by the mass of bodies. Stalls lined the streets and people were selling weapons, armor, and monster parts. Vendors called out to me as I walked through the crowd with my hood up. Some men selling maps were screaming, claiming to have the next ¡®rotation¡¯ ahead of time. The Calico Labyrinth Dungeon¡¯s upper layers changed at random every three days, so those map vendors were probably scamming new adventurers. I considered stopping them, but my thoughts were cut short as a loud siren began blaring throughout the city. People immediately began to quiet down and their attention turned towards what looked to be a loudspeaker. Using -Passive Detect Mana- I could sense the magical energy swelling from it. ¡°Attention Citizens, this is an emergency notice. A rank 4 beast has been sighted heading down the Dragon Mountain Range towards Fort Clyfton. The Fort is seeking assistance from any and all adventurers over the rank of ¡®B¡¯ who are willing. The rest of the citizenry should seek shelter immediately.¡± The announcement was delivered in a very clear and concise manner. I was a bit surprised at how organized the city seemed about this kind of situation. Everyone in sight had, upon hearing the sirens, silenced themselves. It was so quiet I could hear the heartbeat of the vendor standing next to me. My amazement was interrupted, though, when I noticed the fear in the people¡¯s eyes. No one moved after the announcement finished. Everyone seemed to be holding their breath. I hadn¡¯t considered it, but a rank 4 beast appearing was probably akin to the apocalypse for these folks. It also meant that my plan for crashing the Bumblefuck Brother¡¯s dinner would certainly be ruined, since they were undoubtedly going to be part of the defense force for this ¡®threat¡¯. The notice message played a second time, but still no one reacted. I was growing a bit frustrated with how stagnant the city had become. Thankfully the people began to move again after the third time. It was far too orderly for my tastes. The people began to trickle into their homes or towards the outskirts of the city in a very careful manner. There was no panic. There was no mad rush. I, of course, was headed in the opposite direction from the masses. There were a few adventurers who, like me, were heading towards the Southern gate of the city, the gate that lead to Fort Clyfton. I found myself respecting those that chose to fight, even if they were terribly weak. They didn¡¯t know it, but they were also terribly lucky. Today there would be no casualties from this rank 4 monster, because a far more terrifying monster was walking among them. The Southern gate was open and a trickle of men and women were walking through it towards what they assumed was certain death. I could see it in their eyes. They weren¡¯t expecting to live through this battle. Perhaps I shouldn¡¯t kill the beast too quickly. Should I put on a show? I don¡¯t think trivialising these people¡¯s feelings is a good thing. I could make the battle with the monster look flashy and take a while. I could even drag in some of the stronger adventurers so they could deliver the finishing blow¡­ But doing something like that would put them at risk. It was far easier just to go out and show off my power. It would certainly get me an audience with the two princes. I was a bit stumped on what to do. I didn¡¯t want anyone to get hurt, but I also didn¡¯t want them to feel insignificant. Well, I suppose I could at least see the situation first before deciding on my course of action. If people end up feeling insignificant because of my strength, they can just go get stronger instead of crying about how unfair life is. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. I followed the adventurers down a winding road. In the distance I could see the mountains jutting up over the horizon. The road wound up a small hill and there, on said hill, was a stone fort with heavy walls and fortifications. A cheval-de-frise was set up on the side facing the mountain range along with several embankments and ditches. There was a single pass in the mountain range, large enough to drive a small army through it, and Fort Clyfton stood directly in its path. The fort itself seemed to serve two purposes upon initial inspection: to protect from magical beasts that come down from the mountain and to protect from enemy invasion through the mountain pass. The Fort itself was massive, taking the space of a castle at least, and it was old. I didn¡¯t remember any building or location similar to it from SHO, but it couldn¡¯t have been created in the last few centuries. Soldiers in full garb, most with terrible mustaches just like those in the Capital, were rushing about and preparing bows and swords. The entire fort looked like it was preparing for a war. I followed the group of adventurers through the main gate into a massive courtyard. There, hundreds of soldiers were lined up into rank and file. In front of this massive courtyard gathering was a small stage, and on that stage stood three men and two women. Two of the men I recognized immediately due to their similarities to Thomas, Lily, and Emerlia. The ¡®Bumblefuck Brothers¡¯ looked identical. They were probably twins, which explained why Lily didn¡¯t tell me to bring back a specific one. They were taller and far more built than Thomas was, but their faces had a youthful tone to them that I rather liked. They couldn¡¯t be much older than 18, if they were that old yet, but they had a strong presence to them. The only problem was that both of them had utterly ridiculous mustaches. One was wearing a needle-thin thing on his upper lip that curled downwards so hard it turned back against gravity towards his chin. The other had a massive fan-shaped monstrosity that looked like a fish¡¯s tail fin. I almost cried knowing one of these men was about to become the next king of the country. ¡°Everyone, the high ranked adventurers from Calico City have arrived. My brother and I want to thank you all for coming. I am the First Prince of the Gransus Kingdom, Alec Van Gransus, and this is my brother Gin Thatch Gransus,¡± said the one with the fan-shaped mustache. ¡°We have received reports from our scouting parties that an Earth Dragon will be arriving here inside the next hour. We will be fielding a full assault to bring it down before it reaches the fort. Those of you with experience shooting bows will join our archery corps, and those of you with confidence in your combat strength will be able to join our sarissa lines.¡± The prince paused for a moment as he gave the crowd a long stare. ¡°The last time a rank 4 beast invaded 12 years ago, our Fort Clyfton stood strong and took its head! This time will be no different! Come now, let¡¯s show this bastard just how strong the men and women of the Gransus Kingdom really are!¡± The soldiers all erupted in a cheer. I didn¡¯t intend to, but I couldn¡¯t help joining them. The atmosphere was so infectious. I thought about the situation for a moment after I calmed down. It was strange that no one raised a fuss about me entering the fort. I was a bit surprised the adventurers weren¡¯t vetted before being allowed in. [Solution: The Fort Gate has a silent alarm if someone with less power than a level 30 combatant enters. Everyone here is considered upper tier in the Gransus military. There are some lower level civilians and staff in the fort itself, but they all have passes that let them past the silent alarms.] Oh. That explains why they didn¡¯t seem to bother stopping and checking to see if people really were over ¡®B¡¯ rank. I had just figured they didn¡¯t care. I decided to follow the group moving towards the front lines rather than those heading to the archery section. I did plan on fighting the beast head on, anyways. We moved out of the fort and into one of the several long ditches carved into the ground. A few soldiers were handing out really long spears to everyone who came along. They looked kind of neat with their spade shaped tips. ¡°Ah, you¡¯re a bit young for a ¡®B¡¯ rank adventurer,¡± Said a man¡¯s voice. I turned around to find myself face to face with one of the two princes. This was the thin-mustached one named Gin. I laughed. I think my smiling face confused him, though. ¡°Why are you laughing? This is quite serious. I noticed someone who looked far too young moving with the rest of the groups so I came to investigate. You must be the daughter of one of the soldiers. This is a battle for the grown ups, little lady. We need to get you back inside the Fort.¡± His condescending tone was beginning to piss me off. I refrained from flicking him, though, because his intentions seemed rather pure. Besides, even if he thinks I¡¯m a preteen girl, isn¡¯t he only about 18? That¡¯s what, a five or six year difference? ¡°Ah, you¡¯re one of the princes I¡¯ve heard so much about from Lily,¡± I said as I pulled out the sealed letter, ¡°My name is Calliope. I came bearing a letter for you and your brother.¡± ¡°You know my sister? Wait¡­ Did you say Calliope? As in, the demon that we watched destroy a training dimension?¡± Asked Gin with an astounded look on his face. ¡°Holy shit, you do look like her¡­¡± ¡°I am her,¡± I replied matter of factly. ¡°... You have to be kidding me¡­¡± ¡°Nope. This isn¡¯t a joke.¡± ¡°C-can you stop this Earth Dragon?¡± Asked Gin. ¡°Yes, with ease,¡± I replied. ¡°Without killing everyone here? That skill we watched you use was rather¡­ Collateral Damagey.¡± I was about to flick the man, but a loud snapping sound stopped me. I looked out towards the mountain range and a massive dragon shoved its way through the trees at the base. It was easily as big as the fort itself. It wasn¡¯t a rank 4 Earth Dragon. The monster roared, shaking the entire fort and knocking most of the soldiers off their feet with ease. I could feel the hair on the back of my neck stand up. The prince''s face twisted in terror. It was a rank 5 World Dragon. Chapter 29: Dragon Fillet ¡°How is this possible! Our scouts said it was clearly an Earth Dragon!¡± Cried the prince with a cracking voice. ¡°That¡¯s a pretty big mistake on their part,¡± I replied in a bit of a nonchalant tone. [Solution: This guide does not have any data on this World Dragon. According to this guide¡¯s information it should only be an Earth Dragon.] Wait, what? World Dragons are just a higher tier of Earth Dragon, could it have evolved on its own? [Solution: Natural evolution near the bottom of the Dragon Mountains is unlikely. Odds for such an occurrence are 7,000,000 to 1. The most likely solution is due to the user defeating the Calico Dungeon¡¯s boss. It will take at least three days for a new boss to spawn in the dungeon, but the abundance of mana that the boss would normally devour has been freed up, seeping into the surrounding countryside.] So this monster appearing here is my fault? [Solution: That is the most likely conclusion.] Wow. Okay, so it¡¯s a good thing I showed up here when I did. Is it possible there might be other evolved dragons coming down the mountain? [Solution: The Dragon Mountains¡¯ peaks are inhabited by rank 7 chaos dragons, but these creatures do not see much reason to come down the mountain ever. Often their children, though, will be more adventurous. It is unlikely any other dragon children will appear, even if they evolve due to the abundance of mana.] That¡¯s good. So this dragon here is just an adventurous one. Perhaps I could tame him and let him see the world like he wants? Though it¡¯d be a bit hard to let him out to play. It¡¯s hard enough with Sandy. The logistics of taking care of a dragon were a bit overwhelming. Due to his size I could never let him out, even in the countryside, because he¡¯d be visible for miles. I regretted it, but taming this beast would have too many complications. I¡¯d have to go searching for a smaller dragon type monster, something more akin to Sandy¡¯s size, to tame. ¡°Please¡­ Even if the collateral damage kills everyone here,¡± begged the prince, ¡°use that skill and kill that dragon. If a rank 5 beast is let loose into my country, everyone I care about will die. I don¡¯t care if my life is forfeit, but Lil, Emerlia, and Tommy deserve better.¡± I shoved the letter into the prince¡¯s hands and gave him a lopsided smile. I was a bit glad he dragged me back from my thoughts. ¡°I¡¯ll fix your dragon problem, little prince,¡± I said, barely holding back a laugh, ¡°But in exchange, I want a nice dinner. No gruel like the damned Academy serves. You got that?¡± The prince¡¯s expression almost made me break my composure. I decided, right then, that I would make this as flashy as possible. With a flick of my wrist, Belial¡¯s Blade was summoned in my right hand. I began circulating my mana, and my aura alone caused several of the lower level soldiers near me to pass out. The air began to distort around my body as my tail appeared. I had the Garb transform into its base form, giving me an air of regality. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. ¡°Wh-what are you?¡± Asked the prince in a hushed tone as he stumbled backwards against the wall of the ditch. ¡°Ah, I¡¯ve already introduced myself, you know,¡± I said with a grin, ¡°I¡¯m just a demon named Calliope.¡± I jumped out of the ditch onto the open plain in front of the fort. I could feel every soldier¡¯s eyes boring a hole in my back. With a wave of my left hand, I summoned Sandy and mounted her. If she was afraid of the World Dragon ahead of us, she didn¡¯t show it. I heard several cries of ¡®Omega Hound¡¯ on the wind, but I paid them no mind. I pointed Sandy forward and she started running. Her tongue was hanging out the left side of her mouth and it flapped in the wind. The World Dragon was large, but I faced them back in the SHO days. I knew that an Omega Hound would surely outspeed it. The dragon twisted its massive body, swinging its tail around looking to swat aside the puny rank 4 beast approaching it. Sandy jumped up over the tail, and I stood up on her back. Using Sandy as a platform, I leapt onto the swinging tail and stabbed Belial¡¯s Blade straight down. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Dragon, but I need you to die,¡± I said in a soft tone. I activated -Blade Extension- and felt my sword pierce the far side of the subway car sized tail. With a quick flick, I lopped off the dragon¡¯s entire appendage. It hit the ground hard, creating a small earthquake in its wake. The dragon let loose a wail of pain that echoed far and wide. I started running along its body, cutting off any protruding scales or spikes as I went. The beast lurched and tried to roll onto its back to squash me, but such a slow monster didn¡¯t have a chance to catch me off guard. I ran into its spin, keeping pace with the rotation, and I carved chunks of flesh free the size of small cars with every swing. I made my way towards the monster¡¯s neck, and it fought and writhed up until its last moment. I leapt into the air and buried my blade into the beast¡¯s throat. I twisted my body at the waist and dragged the blade the rest of the way through, beheading the World Dragon with one swing. The monster¡¯s body squirmed like a chicken, but after a moment it stopped moving for good. The World Dragon had been defeated in a rather roundabout way, but it should have been flashy enough for the soldiers. I quietly stored Belial¡¯s Blade and reunited with Sandy. Since the base had already seen her there was no point storing her now. We approached the base, and I was awed by the sheer silence. I couldn¡¯t even hear the sound of the soldiers breathing. I quickly picked out the jaw-dropped prince I was speaking with earlier and pointed at him. ¡°Oy, mustache prince! Your dragon problem has been solved!¡± I yelled, hoping to free the people from their daze. It worked. The soldiers and adventurers erupted into a roaring cheer that gave me goosebumps. It felt kind of good to be cheered on like that. That was something I could get used to. Chapter 30: Attraction It took a while, but eventually I found myself seated in front of a buffet table with the five people I had seen standing on the stage earlier today. Sandy was currently curled up like the adorable elephant-sized dog she was in the corner of the room, taking a nap. The food itself smelled amazing. It felt like a Thanksgiving feast from my old world. Vegetable dishes, mashed potatoes, and magical beast meats were lined up like trophies in front of my eyes. The prince had complied with my demand from earlier in kind. I was rather overjoyed with the state of affairs. Of the five people in the room, two were the Bumblefuck Brothers, one was a bald-headed general named Eemus, one was a short-haired woman with a scarred upper lip that showed her right canine tooth named Lana Coralrider, and the last was a brawny elf woman named Olga with muscles almost as big as Gertrude¡¯s. She resembled Gertrude a fair bit as well. They were probably related¡­ Or maybe I was unconsciously racist against elves by thinking they all looked alike. Either way, it didn¡¯t really matter much. ¡°Calliope, I know you¡¯ve heard it already, but thank you. If you hadn¡¯t been here, Fort Clyfton¡­ No, all of Gransus would have fallen,¡± Said fan-mustached Alec, the first prince and bumblefuck number one as I called him in my head. ¡°Enough of the thanks. Instead, I want to know if you and your brother have read that letter I brought, yet,¡± I replied, as I began piling food on my plate. I noticed the elf woman was doing the same, but no one else was touching the food. They wouldn¡¯t have poisoned it or something, would they? [Solution: There is no one in the Gransus Kingdom capable of creating or acquiring a poison strong enough to harm even remotely harm the user. This guide has also analyzed the food stuffs here and has confirmed there to be no dangerous substances.] Oh, I didn¡¯t know you could do that, RED. That¡¯s kind of cool, actually. Can you analyze magic tools as well? [Solution: Yes.] Could you possibly teach me how to make magic tools, then? [Solution: It will take some time for the user to master it, but it is possible.] Neat! ¡°Yes, we¡¯ve read the letter. While both of us are a little surprised Tommy went through with such a thing, we can¡¯t help but feel a bit proud of him for enacting on his desires like that,¡± said Gin with a smile. ¡°I don¡¯t really care if you¡¯re proud of your psychopathic brother, I just want to know which one of you I need to drag back to the Capital with me to be crowned King,¡± I retorted. Both Alec and Gin¡¯s expressions grew haggard. I could see it in their eyes that they didn¡¯t want anything to do with the crown. ¡°Let me reword that. You can either decide tonight, or I can drag you both back and we¡¯ll let Lily decide,¡± I said after giving them a moment to think. ¡°Well,¡± said Olga the elf, ¡°I can only see one way for these two to make a decision. We have a tournament. Whoever places higher is clearly the greater warrior and deserves to stay at Fort Clyfton to hold the line.¡± ¡°I like that idea,¡± said General Eemus. ¡°That works,¡± I replied, ¡°But this tournament needs to be in the next few days here. I don¡¯t want to make Lily wait.¡± ¡°We could let any soldier or adventurer join,¡± Mused Lana, ¡°and we could charge a small entry fee of say 5 Copper Chips to turn a profit from it.¡± ¡°We could even use the magic core from the Rank 5 beast Calliope killed as the grand prize,¡± said Gin, ¡°If you wouldn¡¯t mind donating it for this, Calliope.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind, since I have no use for it anyways. I can always go get more if I need them.¡± My words seemed to have curbed the table¡¯s excitement. Their expressions all grew a bit dull. ¡°Calliope, if you don¡¯t mind me asking, but just what level are you?¡± Asked Alec in a careful tone, ¡°My sister said you cleared the entire Calico Dungeon alone in her letter¡­ But even the Grand Founder of Gransus, a man reported to be level 600 in his prime, couldn¡¯t get past the 500th floor.¡± ¡°Well, Lily and a few others already know so I guess it couldn¡¯t hurt to tell you¡­ My level is 942. I am in possession of over 20 skills, as well,¡± I said in a flippant tone as I started digging into the food. The flavor was simply outstanding. The meat was unlike anything I had ever tried before, but it was good. I didn¡¯t ask for it, but one of the servants came in and poured me a glass of wine. I wasn¡¯t sure if it would be harmful considering my body¡¯s age, so I decided I¡¯d go light on the refreshments. I was so absorbed in the meal that I didn¡¯t even notice when General Eemus fainted. It was decided that the tournament to celebrate the defeat of a Rank 5 beast, something almost unheard of outside legends, would take place in three days. Invitations were sent out via messenger birds. Since Fort Clyfton was said to house the strongest warriors in all of Gransus, time for other fighters to travel here wasn¡¯t allotted. Even if he managed to get ahold of an invitation, James wouldn¡¯t be able to attend. It would take him a about a week to reach Calico City by horse. He¡¯d probably lose in the first round anyways. Alec and Gin gave me a short tour of the Fort after dinner. While we stood on the ramparts underneath the shining stars, I could make out the massive silhouette of the World Dragon¡¯s corpse in the distance. Scaffolding and other equipment had been set up along side the body in order to harvest its meat and parts. The princes offered me the profits from selling such a carcass, but I declined them. I wasn¡¯t in any need of money, and seeing as the World Dragon appearing was most likely my fault anyways, it was the least I could do. I did decide I would go down and learn how to properly dismantle a dragon corpse in the morning, though. I still had the body of the Elder Nature Dragon in my inventory, and I kind of wanted to start making use of it. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Then the princes did something I didn¡¯t expect. ¡°Calliope,¡± said Alec, ¡°My brother and I have been talking and we¡¯d like to know if you fancy either of us. We are both soldiers, and to us strength is everything. You, who possesses an unmatched power, have become something of an obsession to us over these last few hours.¡± Both men bowed slightly under the starlight, and their mustaches glittered a bit in the dark. I wasn¡¯t interested in either one of them, and romance was the last thing on my mind since coming to this world. I had never even considered it, but did my preferences change with my body? In my past life I definitely liked women, but I certainly hadn¡¯t had any impulses of that nature since coming to this world¡­ Oh God! I suddenly came to the realization that I was now a preteen again and confused by my own sexuality! Why did these idiots have to bring up that subject! [Solution: This guide recommends the user strongly decline the two Princes and then castrate them for their crimes.] Crimes? Castrate? What? RED¡­ RED, are you okay? [Solution: This guide is in perfect working condition.] What did you mean by ¡®their crimes¡¯? [Solution: ¡­ Data not found.] Why did you pause before telling me ¡®data not found¡¯? [Solution: Data not found.] ¡­ Okay, we¡¯re definitely going to have to talk about this sometime, RED. I agree that I should decline their advances too, but I think castrating them just might be going a bit too far... ¡°I apologize, but I do not find either of you attractive,¡± I said after deciding on an appropriate way to let them down gently. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ a real shame. Even if you¡¯re younger than us, you are quite beautiful. I¡¯m certain once your fame spreads suitors from all over the world will start coming after you. Just remember, one of us will become the king of this country, and you could very well become a queen,¡± said Gin with a wink. I wasn¡¯t sure how I should have acted in this situation, but I did seriously consider the prince¡¯s words. I would probably have to start to thinking about my own preferences soon. I am in a woman¡¯s body now, but even so I don¡¯t know if my interests have changed or not. Though, to be fair, even if I did end up liking someone, I¡¯d definitely have to level them up quite a bit before sleeping with them anyways. I don¡¯t think I could guarantee a low level person¡¯s safety around me in such¡­ Situations. ¡°Please, can we pretend this conversation never happened, okay,¡± I asked in a slightly strained tone. ¡°We really don¡¯t want to do that, Ms Calliope. We have both genuinely fallen for you, and we want you to know our feelings. Even if you don¡¯t reciprocate them, we believe in being honest with ourselves and others,¡± Replied Alec. ¡°Listen, I am too young and I don¡¯t exactly know how I feel about this kind of thing. This makes me uncomfortable,¡± I said. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s fine. We will both wait for you. One day, when you¡¯re ready, we can talk again,¡± said Alec. I was a bit impressed by how courtious the two brothers were, even if I didn¡¯t feel any kind of attraction to them whatsoever. Their honest confession, though, did make me feel a bit happy. It was sweet. In my last life I never had anyone confess to me like that. It kind of felt nice. One thing I did note, though, was how strange RED was acting. I needed to find a way to ask him about that later. Our tour of the Fort finished and I was lead to a grand bedroom designed for important guests or dignitaries. It was lavish and surreal. It even had a large bath with a magic item tap and drain. I washed myself from today¡¯s grime. I didn¡¯t even need to heat the water myself. It was true luxury. I had the Garb take on the form of a soft nightgown and I crawled into the massive bed. I felt a little regretful that even as large as the bed was there wasn¡¯t enough room for Sandy to join me. I would have loved to cuddle up with a big fluffball like her, tonight. I closed my eyes and tried to sleep, but my mind continued to wander. I worried about how Lily was doing back in the Capital, I worried about how James was feeling knowing I essentially ditched him, and I wondered about myself and just who I was now. I had been living in this world for a long time but I had never asked myself any hard questions. I had never reasonably considered just who I am or what I wanted to do. I wanted to help the Gransus Kingdom because my friend was a princess of it, but that¡¯s something for her; not something for me. I really wanted to feel that daily grind of leveling, again. I missed it. I missed it so very much from my days on SHO. There was something satisfying about it. With that thought rattling in my mind, the darkness of sleep finally found me. Chapter 31: Questions and Dragon Skulls The sound of metal clashing and armor shuffling woke me. I quickly cleaned myself up, made the bed, and brushed the knots out of my hair. I walked to the window, after, and opened the curtains. The sunlight destroyed me, and I almost tripped in surprise. It took my eyes far too long to adjust. RED, is it possible to empower my senses with mana? I can¡¯t help but worry that I might end up in a bad spot or someone could get hurt while I¡¯m incapacitated. [Solution: Yes. By infusing mana into the sensory organs it is possible to reinforce and amplify their abilities. There is an inherent risk, though, that the organs may be destroyed by the uncontrolled mana. The user¡¯s regenerative powers solve this issue, though, but it would make a mess and be rather unsightly. This guide recommends the user practice this in private.] I had figured as much, but hearing the answer from RED reinsured me. I didn¡¯t want to spend hours trying to learn something that isn¡¯t actually possible. Outside the window I could see a mass of soldiers in the open courtyard training in full armor. The morning mist had yet to completely burn off, but my window was just far enough above it to let the sunlight in. While that was a bit frustrating, it did end up segueing into a method of acquiring a valuable skill, so I wasn¡¯t about to complain. I was most surprised, though, to see the two princes outside right alongside the soldiers. They were in the thick of the action, rolling and jumping about with a real fire in their eyes. Perhaps the tournament had them excited? [Solution: The two princes are extremely competitive. This guide recommends breaking them into small pieces.] ¡­ RED, why do you hate the princes? [Solution: Data not found.] Are¡­ Are you jealous because they hit on me? [Solution: ¡­ Data not found.] I started laughing. My stomach began to cramp and I had to wipe a tear from my eyes. RED was jealous! It reminded me of how a little kid acts when their parent starts dating again. [Solution: This guide is not jealous. This guide merely thinks neither prince is good enough for the user.] My laughter rekindled and burned twice as bright as the first time around. I hit the floor in a tizzy. RED¡¯s voice, normally completely monotone, actually had a bit of passion to it then. It was the second time I ever heard it. The first was when I sealed him in Low Power Mode. This outburst confirmed my mounting suspicion that RED used to be human. Between his occasional slip ups and Nox¡¯s words after I destroyed the training dimension, I could piece the puzzle together. I started to calm down as I thought about how sad it really was to no longer have a body of his own. He is nothing more than a watcher, now. I would probably prefer death to that fate. RED, if there¡¯s ever anything you want to do, something you¡¯ve ever dreamed about but never had the chance before, will you please let me know? I don¡¯t know how much fun living in my head is, but the least I can do is let you live out your dreams vicariously. [Solution: ¡­ This guide understands, but this guide has already been gifted his greatest desire by the Fae Lord Nox. The user need not worry.] Surprise overwhelmed me. RED had never given up this much information about himself before. I couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit happy about it. Just because we¡¯re forced to be together doesn¡¯t mean he likes me. Him finally opening up to me made it feel like we really were friends. Still, I wondered just what gift Nox gave RED¡­ No matter how I thought about it, it seemed like a deal with the devil. RED, your knowledge of this world all came from Nox, right? [Solution: Yes.] Then, is it possible that he could have given you false information too? You didn¡¯t know about that World Dragon, after all. The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. [Solution: ¡­ It is possible.] RED, can you tell me more about the Fae? [Solution: This guide cannot. Lord Nox has¡­ Programmed, this guide to be unable to share specific information with the user.] I rolled forward and hopped to my feet. I had finally recovered from my laughing fit earlier. I had asked RED a lot of questions, but now I only had more piling up. Just who were the Fae? From everything I¡¯d heard it sounded like Nox wasn¡¯t the only one. Were they really Gods? I could feel a headache oncoming, so I stopped thinking about it for a now. There was information in this world about the Fae. Endyrion knew about them, after all. Paying him a visit soon might be for the best. Besides, I never did get the school ID he promised me due to the whole ¡®burning city¡¯ incident. The tournament wasn¡¯t for a few days, so I had some time to kill. I made my way out of the Fort and towards the World Dragon corpse. Several men were already hard at work dismantling the body. I quickly caught sight of the Elf Olga near the beast¡¯s head. ¡°Oh, Calliope! You¡¯re just in time to watch us take out the Magic Core!¡± Cried Olga with a booming voice as she caught sight of me. ¡°That¡¯s perfect, I need to learn the proper way to remove them myself,¡± I said, trying to pour mana into my voice to make it louder. It didn¡¯t work the way I intended. Thankfully no one got injured. [-New Skill Acquired- Journeyman Class Skill: Force Roar] Several men had been knocked off the scaffolding, but most ended up catching themselves before they plummeted. I used my top speed and ran forward, grabbing the only man out of the air who didn¡¯t manage to hold on. I set him down with a beet red face. ¡°I¡¯m very sorry,¡± I said as I gave a slight bow to the disoriented man with windswept hair. ¡°Holy shit,¡± Cried Olga¡¯s voice from above without a hint of condemnation, ¡°That was right nuts! Was that a skill?¡± ¡°Ah, I accidentally developed a new skill. It¡¯s called Force Roar,¡± I replied as I averted my eyes. ¡°Well, after we take out this core you gotta help me learn it. That was awesome!¡± Cried the elf woman as she gave me a thumbs up. Her bulging muscles and flashing wink gave off the aura of a professional wrestler. It felt weird being encouraged by her, but it wasn¡¯t a bad feeling, either. To be honest, I¡¯d rather get yelled at though. It was always more terrifying when people didn¡¯t condemn you for your mistakes. I could remember breaking my mother¡¯s favorite lamp by accident in my past life. She never once yelled or punished me for it, but I could tell she was mad. I was so terrified, for some reason, even though I knew deep down she¡¯d never hurt me. It was a strange fear. I wondered if other people had ever felt it before, too¡­ I had never given it much thought, but I was starting to miss my family. I climbed up the scaffolding by using the dragon¡¯s body as a step. I had a front row seat as Olga used a magic item I swear looked identical to a chainsaw from my previous world to cut open the World Dragon¡¯s skull. It was a nasty business. I actually had to step away from the scene. It¡¯s one thing to kill a monster, it¡¯s another thing to mutilate its body and inspect the innards. I did learn that the magic core of most magic beasts was located in the center of their brain¡­ But I concluded that actually retrieving it myself wasn¡¯t something I wanted to do. It was an easy to work around problem, though. I just needed to get a pet or maybe a leveling student to do the ¡®dirty work¡¯ for me. Finding an expert in the field I could drag along was now a huge priority. Either way, after watching the Magic Core retrieval I decided today was a good day to skip breakfast. Chapter 32: Transcendent With the dragon mutilation out of the way, I decided to head back to the Capital. Lily deserved to know the situation at hand, and I needed to talk with Endyrion about the Fae. There were too many things I didn¡¯t know, and I wanted answers. I let Sandy out of the Item Pack to run for a bit. I would have to be careful about how I manage her time in the item pack. Inside the storage the passage of time is distorted; this means that if she is tired when I put her in she¡¯ll still be tired when I take her out. Thankfully, Sandy rested up last night when I enjoyed my meal with the Fort Leaders. The wind whipped by as we galloped over a wide plain. It was like riding a roller coaster. I practiced enhancing my sight with mana as we moved, and I blew my eyeballs out two times in a row. My careful nature kept Sandy clean from the blood and eyeball gunk, as I always leaned to the side before trying. That didn¡¯t stop the pain, though. It was a terrible burning pain that shook me from my toes to the tip of my head. I can¡¯t articulate just how awful it feels to have your eyeballs explode. It is a torture I wouldn¡¯t wish on even my worst enemies¡­ But it was necessary. Finally, after three blood soaked attempts, I managed to succeed in infusing my sight with mana. [-New Skill Acquired- Journeyman Class Skill: Dynamic Vision] Clarity. Everything was so crisp and vivid. Even at Sandy¡¯s top speed I could analyze the beating of a butterfly¡¯s wings. I could count the hairs on its forelegs. On a whim, I poured more mana into the skill. Time itself seemed to slow down around me. Sandy seemed to be standing still. I stood up and stepped off her back. The world was frozen, like a painting. [-New Skill Acquired- Master Class Skill: Time Dilation] The skill name echoed in my mind. Did I really manage to freeze time? [Solution: The user has increased their visual perceptive level enough that it can keep up with their top speed. Time isn¡¯t actually frozen, the user is just moving and observing the world at such a speed that it appears to be.] So, even when I thought I was moving at my max before, I was unconsciously holding myself back? [Solution: Yes. The user has never once used their maximum speed due to their inability to control their body at such levels. Now, with the user¡¯s newest skill, it is possible.] This is only a master class skill. Is it possible for me to pour more mana in and potentially create a Deity Class Skill from this? [Solution: Deity Class Skills can only be gifted or learned from ancient texts or bestowed by a Transcendent Level Being. Master Class is the highest the user can create on their own.] What¡¯s a Transcendent Level Being? [Solution: The Fae are described as Transcendent Level Beings. Other beings above the level of 1000, or rank 9 in the case of magical beasts, are also classified as Transcendent Level Beings.] Beings above level 1000? Wait¡­ All this time I¡¯ve been assuming that, because SHO had one, there was a level cap in this world¡­ RED, is there a level cap? [Solution: No. No level cap exists in this world. The required experience to level up beyond level 1000 doubles with every level, though, so 1000 is generally considered a soft cap.] I hadn¡¯t even considered it¡­ I could keep leveling up myself forever, then¡­ A smile split my face. All the reasons I couldn¡¯t go powerleveling were beginning to fade. I decided to cancel my skill and let time flow normally around me. Sandy rolled to a stop in confusion. I hugged the adorable goofball of a four ton pooch. Her aloof playful nature helped me ease my thoughts. She looked down at me and gave me a huge slobbery kiss. RED, can I help Sandy Rank up? [Solution: Yes. By being around the user¡¯s ambient mana, Sandy is naturally primed for evolution. When she gains enough experience she can level up with ease. Fighting the World Dragon has provided most of the EXP necessary.] ¡°Sandy,¡± I said, catching the dog¡¯s eyes, ¡°We¡¯re going to make you into the strongest puppy in the world.¡± I don¡¯t know if she understood my intentions, but Sandy¡¯s tail began thumping the ground. We continued our journey back to the Capital, but I started to get a bit impatient. I wanted to go leveling so bad it hurt. I stored Sandy and decided to continue the trip on foot. While I moved I practiced using -Time Dilation-. The mana draw from it wasn¡¯t actually that bad, considering the overall size of my pool. I could keep it active for long times, but I decided against doing so. The way it interacted with my own perception of the passage of time was too disorienting. This skill would best be used only in short spurts. It didn¡¯t take long to arrive at the Capital. It almost felt like ¡®fast travel¡¯ from video games. It only took a few minutes at most. My top speeds really were inhuman. If I remembered, right, with the Garb equipped my speed stat was 999, the highest it could go. [Solution: The user¡¯s speed stat, after leveling up to 942, is currently 1007.] ¡­ It seems the level cap wasn¡¯t the only cap destroyed by reality. Stats too could now go beyond the old maximum of 999. Still, if there was no cap to stats didn¡¯t that mean that players could reach levels that defy the laws of physics? Couldn¡¯t someone eventually move faster than lightspeed? [Solution: This world is in a separate dimension than the user¡¯s original. The ¡®laws of physics¡¯ were defined by the Fae here, not nature.] I made my way to the palace and walked in, making sure not to startle any poor guards. As I approached the throne room I was stopped, though, by the new Knight Captain. I didn¡¯t recognize her, but I did recognize the uniform. I had killed the last one, after all. ¡°Miss Calliope? I was told you were visiting Fort Clyfton,¡± said the Knight. ¡°I was, but I decided to make a quick trip back to talk about something important with Lily,¡± I replied. ¡°Oh, well the Regent Princess isn¡¯t in the throne room, she retired to her quarters for a while and demanded that any visitors be turned away at the door¡­¡± The Knight Captain looked a bit distressed, ¡°But considering how close you two are and your¡­ Status, I¡¯m certain she won¡¯t mind if you pay her a visit.¡± Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. ¡°... To be completely honest, I don¡¯t know where her room is. Could you possibly take me there Ms Knight Captain?¡± I asked, realizing I¡¯d never seen Lily¡¯s room once. The Knight Captain gave me a smile. ¡°Sure. Just follow me. Maybe you can be the one to get her out of bed... You can call me Janice, by the way." ¡°Is she okay?¡± ¡°Oh she¡¯s fine, she¡¯s just a bit exhausted and now she¡¯s putting off her responsibilities. The maids have all been in a tizzy trying to get her to come out of her room almost all morning,¡± replied the Knight. We walked through several long hallways and up a winding staircase. I had never been this deep in the castle before, but I was impressed by how impeccably clean it was. I hadn¡¯t seen a single maid or janitor, either. Just how did they keep it clean? [Solution: The carpets and tapestries hanging in the hallways are magic items that are connected to a single control unit. A maid capable of using mana is all it takes to clean the entire castle in a few minutes.] That really was neat. I needed to learn how to make magic items. They seemed so terribly convenient. Lily¡¯s door was tall, rounded, and made of a thick finished wood. The Knight Captain Janice walked up to it and kicked the door three times, making a loud knocking sound. ¡°Lily, I¡¯m coming in. You better be decent, because I¡¯ve got a friend of yours here!¡± Called Janice, and then, without waiting for a response, she threw the door open. The inside wasn¡¯t anything like I expected. Training equipment, swords, shields, and a plethora of other weapons were strewn about. The room itself was massive, easily the size of a small dining hall, and it looked like a personal gym than a girl¡¯s bedroom. In one corner, a big bed was set up and on it, peeking out from under the covers, was my friend. When I met her stare I could see the embarrassment in her eyes. ¡°C-Calliope, you¡¯re back already?¡± She asked, stuttering a bit as she pulled the blankets off her. She was currently dressed in a thin nightgown and her hair was in a terrible mess. If I didn¡¯t care about her so much, I would have surely laughed at her. I managed to hold a straight face, though. At the side of her bed was a wheelchair. I call it a wheelchair, but it was more like a dining chair with wheels put on it. It didn¡¯t look very comfortable. ¡°Yes. I arrived at Fort Clyfton last night right as a Rank 5 World Dragon descended the mountains to attack¡­¡± I was interrupted by the Knight Captain¡¯s gasp. ¡°A w-world dragon!?¡± Cried Janice. ¡°I killed it easily, before it could cause any casualties,¡± I said, counter interrupting Janice. ¡°After that, I delivered the letter to your brothers. They couldn¡¯t make up their mind so they¡¯ll be settling the right of succession in a tournament. The tournament will happen in two days.¡± ¡°Two days¡­ I can hold on for a few more days,¡± Muttered Lily quietly to herself before she quickly snapped her attention to me, ¡°Thank you, Calliope. I am very grateful for your help with this. I¡¯m getting a bit stressed out, having to deal with taking care of this damned country¡­ Did anything else interesting happen?¡± The picture of her brothers asking me out flashed through my head. I could feel my cheeks flush a bit. ¡°Your brothers decided to, uh, propose to me.¡± I said, forcing the words out of my mouth. She¡¯d hear about it eventually¡­ ¡°Ah, yeah. They tend to do that to any strong woman they meet. What do you think about them? Do you like either of them? I wouldn¡¯t mind having you as my sister in law, you know,¡± said Lily as she rotated herself out of the bed and onto the wheeled chair. I rushed forward to help her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry but I¡¯m not really attracted to either of them,¡± I replied as I held Lily¡¯s hand while the Knight Captain lifted her up a bit to reposition her in the chair. ¡°You don¡¯t have to like them to marry one of them, you know. With how strong you are, you could basically force whichever one you marry to sleep in another room altogether. You could become the queen and my sister. Wouldn¡¯t that be awesome?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Lily, but I don¡¯t intend to marry anyone right now,¡± I said, trying to make her understand. ¡°Ah, okay. That¡¯s fine. Once one of my brothers takes the crown, you and I can make a trip through the Fort Clyfton Gap, to the country of Barbory. There¡¯s supposedly a healing magic user there,¡± said Lily. ¡°That sounds like a fun little adventure,¡± I replied. ¡°You¡¯ll have to be careful, though. Barbory hates demi-humans and demons. In that country they¡¯re treated as slaves. So we need to make sure your tail doesn¡¯t come out, or if it does that we keep it hidden.¡± ¡°Why do they hate demi-humans and demons?¡± I asked. ¡°It¡¯s their religious lifestyle. Barbory is lead by a pope instead of a king. They¡¯re also the capital for the Human Fae worship.¡± The term ¡®Human Fae¡¯ confused me. I had been assuming they were like Gods. I immediately asked Lily, ¡°What is the Human Fae?¡± ¡°To be honest, I have no clue. Endyrion only mentioned it, he never went in depth on what the Human Fae is. Actually, he never told me much about the Fae at all other than they were basically Gods.¡± It was apparent that I needed to speak with Endyrion about this. ¡°Lily, I need to go meet Endyrion. I¡¯ll let you get dressed, and I¡¯ll come visit you again after,¡± I said with a smile. ¡°Alright, but you should also go see James. He¡¯s really upset you didn¡¯t bring him with you. Now that the whole situation with my brothers is taken care of, I don¡¯t see the harm in it,¡± replied Lily. ¡°Okay, I will. I¡¯ll see you later, Lily,¡± I said as I gave her a light hug. I left the room with a single goal in mind: finding Endyrion and forcing him to tell me everything he knows. Chapter 33: Third Meeting Endyrion, according to RED, was currently in his office at the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. I wasted little time making my way there, but something was off. It started as a simple headache, but it soon transformed into something more vile as I approached the building. [Solution: Warning! The User must avoid Endyrion at all costs!] RED¡¯s voice rang in my mind like a siren. Static noise filled my ears and it felt like my skull was going to pop like a balloon. RED, are you doing this?! [Solution: Yes.] Why? Please stop! [Solution: This guide will not stop unless the user agrees to not enter Endyrion¡¯s office.] I didn¡¯t know what was going on, but I could hear the terror in RED¡¯s voice through the monotone. RED, what¡¯s going on in Endyrion¡¯s office? [Solution: Transcendent Level Being has appeared ahead. The User must avoid them at all costs.] ¡­ RED, is it one of the Fae? [Solution: Data is classified.] RED¡¯s reply answered my question quite succinctly. One of the Fae was currently in Endyrion¡¯s office¡­ Why was one of the Fae in Endyrion¡¯s office?! My blood ran cold. Endyrion was the first and only person I had met in this world who had information about the mysterious Gods. How could he know so much unless he was also a ¡®toy¡¯ like I was to Nox? Then, could I even trust Endyrion at all? I also wondered why I couldn¡¯t meet this Fae, too. Why would I need to fear them if I was sent here by one? [Solution: Data not found.] RED, why are you stopping me from meeting this Fae?! [Solution: Data is classified.] Frustration coursed through me like blood. I was getting irritated by this game. I refused to let Nox toy with me. I needed answers! Unless RED gave me a good reason not to, I would meet this Fae. I forced my way forward. The pain redoubled and my vision began to falter. I didn¡¯t understand how RED could manage to induce this much suffering onto me. [Solution: The user must turn back!] RED¡¯s voice grew more frantic as I finally managed to stumble through the Guild¡¯s front door. I focused on putting one foot in front of the other. Step by excruciating step I made progress towards my goal. [Solution: Calliope, please! Stop!] I listened. RED¡¯s plea reached me and stopped me in my tracks. The pain and static vanished without a trace. I hit my knees and suckled on sweet air, realizing I hadn¡¯t taken a breath for the last few minutes. RED, what are you protecting me from? [Solution: ... ] ¡°RED, let her come in. It¡¯s about time I speak with the toy. She hasn¡¯t amused me as much as I hoped, but perhaps the toy can become an instrument.¡± A terrible voice that filled me with dread floated on the air. It was a voice I recognized immediately. I stood up and walked forward, unabated, into Endyrion¡¯s office. There, in the old man¡¯s chair, sat Nox. Lying on the floor next to the Fae, cold and dead, was the man I came to meet. ¡°Welcome, Calliope,¡± Said Nox with a magnanimous grin, ¡°I do apologize for Endyrion¡¯s rather, drab appearance¡­ But, as they say in your world, such things tend to happen when you make a deal with the devil.¡± ¡°You killed him?¡± I asked in voice so calm it surprised me. ¡°I didn¡¯t ¡®kill¡¯ him, I merely collected on a broken deal. His soul was quite a¡­ delicacy.¡± ¡°You ate his soul?¡± I replied in disbelief. ¡°Yes. Eating powerful souls is the only way for a member of the Fae to grow stronger,¡± he said with a smile. ¡°So, you plan on eating my soul as well?¡± ¡°Oh no, I couldn¡¯t eat your soul. Your soul is far too¡­ chewy. If I had found you five cycles sooner, then perhaps, but I did not. You have become one of The Tempered, now, and with your insane mana affinity no Fae could devour you,¡± said Nox. The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. I walked forward and sat down in the chair opposite the self proclaimed ¡®Devil¡¯ and met his stare. His smile only grew wider. ¡°I came here for answers. Will you give me them in Endyrion¡¯s place?¡± I asked. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have invited you in if I didn¡¯t plan on doing just that, my little toy. You want to know what the Fae are, and you want to know why I ripped your soul from the cycle. The answer to both is related.¡± Nox leaned back in the chair and pointed his finger into the air. A stream of mana followed and formed into a crude drawing of a monster and a man, animating his words. ¡°In this universe, there are two ways for someone¡¯s soul to gain strength. One is by being reincarnated over and over again, tempering their spirit through life experiences they¡¯ll never remember¡­ And the other is to devour the essence of another¡¯s soul. We Fae, the seven of us, were the first to surpass the limits necessary to become Transcendental Beings. We awoke to our newfound power over millennia of lives, and we gained back all our lost memories. We ascended from the mortal realm and, together, formed a covenant. We were powerful, but we weren¡¯t true ¡®Gods¡¯. Once we transcended, we realized just how difficult it was to continue our growth. Reincarnation cycles took centuries to pass. It was by accident that Samart discovered the method to devour another being¡¯s soul. We grew fascinated by it, and modeled a world of our own creation on that simple principle. That is the world you¡¯re living in now. This world allowed us to grow even further. It let us surpass our limits. By killing beings in this world, we could easily grow our souls outside the slow reincarnation cycles of the universe at large.¡± ¡°So experience points¡­¡± I interrupted. ¡°Yes, EXP in this world is nothing but a representation of you devouring another beast or human¡¯s soul. The reason your level was so high had nothing to do with me giving you power. I only created a husk, the soul acclimation was your body absorbing and refining the power of its incredible battery. When we seven made this world, we made a simple law to go along with it. We decided that any sentient being that reaches level 999 will be killed off. This is to prevent new Fae from being born. One of us monitors this world at all times while the rest of us comb planes of reality looking for other Tempered. Killing them in any world outside of this one will simply cause them to reincarnate, thus we rip them from the cycle and bring them here, like I did with you. It¡¯s also the reason I sent you back to this world after you destroyed the pocket dimension. If your soul scattered outside this created dimension, the pieces would eventually collect and be reborn again in a material plane. Unfortunately, there are a few whose souls are too powerful for us to absorb even after coming here. The only solution, then, is to annihilate them completely. You are one such case. Your soul is filled to the brim with Chaos Energy, the same type of power as mine. The other six are typically fanatical about killing off The Tempered, but I¡¯m different. I¡¯ve never liked the thought of a small group holding power, so I¡¯ve been setting up some dominoes for a while. You, my toy, are now a pawn in my game. I am in charge of watching this plane for the next 946 years, and so I have a mission for you¡­ A mission you will enjoy. Help me raise an army over the next millennia. Level yourself up and Ascend¡­ Then begin leveling up the people of this world. You must keep this a secret, though, for some Fae have organizations here with the means to contact them should trouble arise. I wish to overthrow the other six Fae. This universe is far too boring, and I think it needs a little bit of chaos every now and then. What do you say? Would you like to help me prove that even the Gods can die?¡± ¡­ ¡°If I refuse, are you going to annihilate my soul?¡± I asked, carefully weighing the information I had just been given. Nox didn¡¯t reply. A genuine smile split his face¡­ And then he laughed. It was a wicked laugh. A terrible and wicked laugh. Chapter 34: Monster I met Nox¡¯s eyes. I couldn¡¯t even tell what color they were. His features were like shifting sands in a desert, but for some reason I could remember his cold, ugly grin. ¡°What level are you? And, what level are each of the other Fae?¡± I asked, deciding on a more productive course of questioning. ¡°Each Fae¡¯s level varies,¡± said Nox in a smooth voice, ¡°Samart, The Human Fae as he¡¯s called by his followers, is the highest level at 1624. He might have leveled up again since I¡¯ve last seen him, though. From there they descend until the lowest, Argyle, who is only level 1152.¡± I almost cursed aloud. 1624? According to RED, the experience needed for each subsequent level doubles. Just how many times over could he reach level 1000 with that much experience? ¡°But,¡± said Nox, ¡°You don¡¯t need to be too worried about reaching that level. Once you Ascend you¡¯ll better understand that the differences between levels begins to thin considerably. If you reach level 1200 and team up with others who have also Transcended, you should be able to handle Samart.¡± 1200 was still a big hurdle, but it was far more reasonable. I don¡¯t know if my new body would be long enough lived to reach level 1624. In fact, I don¡¯t even know if my body ages at all for that matter. [Solution: The user ages like a normal human would. Royalty Demon lines have shorter lifespans than most of their brethren. This is to permit a change of rule often. The user¡¯s current lifespan will, at most, reach 150 years. If the user is to surpass level 1000, though, the user¡¯s lifespan will essentially become infinite so long as the body is sustained.] ¡°RED¡¯s right, toy,¡± said Nox, showing he could hear RED¡¯s voice, ¡°When you ascend a lot of things will change. For one, you¡¯ll regain memories of your past lives along with fractions of the memories from those whose souls you¡¯ve absorbed. That will probably overwhelm you for a bit. It¡¯s a unique feeling, really. After that you will gain the ability to traverse the Outer Plane without your soul being shattered. I once called it the ¡®free space between dimensions¡¯. It¡¯s essentially a giant mass of energy where the planes of reality float. You¡¯ll also come to gain an intrinsic understanding of souls.¡± Wouldn¡¯t I lose my sense of self if I suddenly gained memories like that? I started to sweat and my eyes lost focus. The implications of it all were coursing through me. I had come to the conclusion that some bad men deserved to die, but if by killing them I made them a part of myself¡­ There was an old quote from my last world that went along the lines of: ¡®When one fights monsters for too long, they eventually become one.¡¯ ¡°Will I still be me?¡± I involuntarily asked. ¡°That depends. You always have the option of just living out your life without leveling up if you¡¯re afraid of it. Of course that means I¡¯ll have to shatter your soul and return it to the mass of energy between worlds,¡± replied Nox. The way he nonchalantly threatened me felt absurd. Did I have any other options? [Solution: The user might be able to escape Nox if they do ascend, but without breaking level 1000 fighting Nox is impossible.] ¡°Yes, you do have the ability to run away if you break 1000,¡± said Nox, ¡°But if that happens I¡¯m certain you know what waits you is nothing but a life on the run. My comrades don¡¯t know I plan on betraying them. If I tell them a soul managed to ascend, they¡¯ll help me hunt you down. I could also hunt down your loved ones. You seem quite attached to the fourth princess of Gransus, let alone the family you left behind in your last life. You don¡¯t really have any other options here, toy. Evolve. Become an instrument to my slaughter. Help me free this universe from the persecution of the Gods.¡± This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°I could find your comrades first,¡± I said, trying to reason my way out of this, ¡°and I could tell them everything you¡¯ve told me here.¡± ¡°Are you trying to threaten me?¡± My heart stopped beating. My skin prickled and it felt like my blood transformed into boiling water. The hair on the back of my neck stood on end. ¡°N-no!¡± I choked. ¡°I forgot to tell you one important detail, little toy. Samart may be the strongest, but I¡¯m no pushover either. My level is 1616. I hold all the cards here. Every single one is in my sleeve. Even if you ascend you don¡¯t know where your original world is. I do. I know where your mother lives and where your father works,¡± Nox leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk as the swirling black mass in his eyes formed into a demonic shape, ¡°If you try anything, I will destroy everything you love.¡± Nox¡¯s voice was hard, but he quickly transformed into his laid back form again. ¡°For now, you need to begin training my army. I¡¯ll be monitoring you. I¡¯ll even unlock RED¡¯s classified knowledge. Endyrion¡¯s dead, but his school is still there. I suggest you use it. The students are, as far as I know, clean. The younger and malleable ones are easier to train. You should take about two or three years to ascend on your own, I think. I¡¯ll give you 200 years. Deliver at least three soldiers, including you, in that time. If you can¡¯t do that much, I¡¯ll probably be better off getting rid of you.¡± As soon as he finished talking, Nox vanished. It was as if he was never there. Endyrion¡¯s body shattered into dust and disappeared too. My head was pulsing, and RED didn¡¯t make a sound. There was no reincarnation cycle in this world. Everyone who died had their soul absorbed by the killers. I didn¡¯t know how a natural death would play into that, though. Perhaps if someone died of old age they¡¯d be able to enter the reincarnation cycle anyways¡­ Every person or beast you killed eventually became part of you. That thought plagued me. I looked down at my own hands, realizing that they had been shaking the whole time. For a moment, I thought I could see the blood of those I¡¯ve slain on them. RED, I don¡¯t know if I can do this¡­ [Solution: The user can do anything. This guide will be there for the user, too.] In this world, killing others was akin to killing yourself in a roundabout way. I wondered just how many of those I¡¯ve murdered will have memories of me. ¡°I have no choice,¡± I mused aloud in a quiet voice, ¡°RED, if I want to protect my own soul then I have to take the souls of others. If I want to protect my family and friends then I need to fight against Gods¡­ I might become a monster.¡± [Solution: Then I will still be at your service, monster Calliope.] Chapter 35: Grinding I left Endyrion¡¯s office and made my way out of the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. I hadn¡¯t noticed it on the way in, due to RED¡¯s interference, but everyone inside the building was frozen still. They looked like they were paused in time. Nox had guaranteed our conversation wouldn¡¯t be overheard by any rats for the other Fae. I needed to start leveling up. I didn¡¯t have time to dally. I could worry about healing Lily afterwards. I had already set up her brother¡¯s tournament, too. She wouldn¡¯t have to be stressed out for too long. One thing I knew was that Nox underestimated me. He thought it would take me a few years to ascend. This world, while different in many ways, was far too similar to SHO. I may not be able to do much, but I am very capable of leveling up. I decided it would be cruel to leave Lily without giving her some form of goodbye, but I also dreaded what she¡¯d say to me in return. I eventually settled on taking the coward''s way out. I left the Capital of Gransus without saying a word to anyone. RED, does the Heaven¡¯s Punishment Dungeon still exist in this world? [Solution: Yes.] Guide me to it. [Solution: The user must head East, past the Asmodian Woods, and will find the entrance to the Dungeon in the Heaven Desert.] I wasted little time and took off running East. I considered stopping by Eastrock to visit Jack Evergreen and Millie, but something nagged at the back of my mind, stopping me. Using my empowered eyesight, I could move at my highest speed without damaging the surroundings. Eventually, along the road, I came across a strange scene. A small merchant¡¯s caravan was surrounded by armed thieves. If I hadn¡¯t met Nox, outright killing these bandits would have been far easier. I was considering if capturing them alive was the right move when I watched the bandit chief try to cut down a pregnant woman from the caravan. I made my mind up then. Evil souls will stay evil. Perhaps, if I absorb them, they won''t be able to stain the rest of this world. If I had to corrupt myself to save others, then I would gladly do so. I jumped forward and caught the chief¡¯s blade before it hit the woman. ¡°Who¡®re you!¡± Cried the pot-bellied criminal. I smashed his nose through his skull. ¡°I¡¯m a demon, and soon enough I¡¯ll become a God,¡± I said, as I moved towards the next man, ¡°And you are nothing more than E.X.P.¡± I slaughtered the criminals in an instant. Then, before the caravan members could say anything, I started running again. I didn¡¯t need their thanks, nor did I need to get caught up in their problems. The countryside flew by. I passed several small towns in minutes and quickly found myself at the Asmodian Woods again. I could hear howling from within. It was a bit nostalgic. I tore through the woods without hesitation. Any Devil Hounds in my path were torn asunder. Eventually, the trees began to thin. The ground grew soft and dry. I could feel the arid air. I had reached the edge of the desert. The endless expanse of sand seemed to spread out forever in front of me, but I could feel a powerful mana source in the distance. The raw mana being emitted was absurd. It was at least four times stronger than the Calico Labyrinth Dungeon. The Heaven¡¯s Punishment Dungeon was one of my personal favorite grinding spots for late-game in SHO. The monsters were powerful right from the beginning. Rank 6 monsters could be found on the first floor alone. It was nice that there were no serious traps or mazes in it either. It was a straightforward monster spawn bonanza. I started running through the sand, creating a dust cloud behind me. I didn¡¯t need RED¡¯s guidance from this point on. I could sense the dungeon ahead. The ambient mana was so thick it made me shiver. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. At my speed it didn¡¯t take long to reach the entrance. It wasn¡¯t a hole in a rock like Calico¡­ The Heaven¡¯s Punishment Dungeon was far classier. The entrance was an old world palace, decaying from exposure to the elements. Three massive pillars stood, holding up a collapsing roof. The entryway was more mausoleum than foyer. Grave markers dotted the site and Rank 6 Skeleton Guardians were roaming about. The biggest key to rapid leveling wasn¡¯t in fighting rank 9 beasts. It was a common misconception many high level players had. In order to kill rank 9 beasts, the player would have to expend mana and stamina. While those with sufficient levels could handle it, it was a huge hassle. The true easiest way to level up was to fight mobs of level 6 and 7 beasts. Level 5 monsters had low yields, but level 6 and up the monsters had a qualitative difference in experience. I could kill Rank 6 beasts with a flip of my hand. I could slaughter them in the hundreds. The only hard part was finding locations where hundreds of them actually spawned. The Heaven¡¯s Punishment Dungeon was one such location. In the game days, the HPD dungeon was considered a noob trap. It had very low item spawn rates and hordes of ¡®unchallenging fights¡¯. That was also why few people ever realized just how sweet of a site it was to power level. It was in my top 3 locales. It was rare to meet another player party there unless they had a quest related to the location. The monsters in the dungeon were also almost entirely undead, making them tricky for most to fight. I, of course, knew all their weak points. For me, the Punishment Dungeon was actually a paradise. From level 900 to 1000 I¡¯d usually exclusively level on the 62nd floor. Without wasting any time, I quickly blasted the Skeleton Guardians outside the tomb and made my way inside. The first room was a long staircase, leading to dark depths below. I activated -Dynamic Vision- and made my way into the darkness. Monsters formed battle lines in front of me, but I tore through them like they were made of paper. With Belial¡¯s Blade in hand, nothing could stand before me in these early levels. I made my way down the dungeon and continued my tirade against the undead. It didn¡¯t take me long to reach my grind spot. Just like I remembered from the SHO days, the sixty second floor contained a massive coliseum sized pit under a trap door. It was a mana vein spawn point. Monsters would spawn by the hundreds in that pit every five seconds. Most players considered it suicide to fall in this kind of pit trap, especially when you could just walk avoid it and advance, but I didn¡¯t have to worry about being torn apart. I leapt feet first into the trap with a smile on my face. Belial¡¯s blade flashed in the darkness, cutting swathes through my endless foes. Now was a good time to finally experiment with just how much stamina I had. In my old life it would only take a few hours to reach level 1000 from this point, but the experience in this world was a bit more diluted than the game world. [-Level Increased-] I began to hear the voice of the world in my head. The monsters spawned endlessly, but I didn¡¯t grow tired. In fact, I even began to smile as I bisected zombies and skeleton beasts. Even if the implications were darker, I was finally getting to do the thing I loved again. Eventually, I started laughing with joy whenever my sword ended a life. [-Level Increased-] [-Level Increased-] [-Level Increased-] ¡­ Chapter 36: Ascension A terrible pressure spawned inside my head. My consciousness started to fade. I just kept swinging my sword. It was all I could do. [-Level Increased-] The level increases were growing further and further apart, but I paid it no heed. I was getting close... A waterfall stretched out in front of me, and I could hear it roaring like a lion. A young girl was by my side, holding a fishing pole. Her smile brightened up the gloomy morning. Then she slipped and fell into the water. I dove after her, grabbing her hand. I couldn¡¯t find footing in the rushing water. With a heavy heart, I used what strength I had to toss my daughter out of the rapids. She cried out as I fell over the edge, but I was content. To die saving someone I love¡­ That¡¯s a fine way to go out. ¡­ I was running! The pack howled. I howled too. Pup stolen. Man smell. We chase. We hunt. Save child! ¡­ My body ached. I had bruises in spots I didn¡¯t know could bruise. Master claimed it was for my assassin training, but I think he really did it because he wanted to. I hobbled over to the mirror in the corner of the room. My face was bruised bad. Thankfully, my hair was already red. If I was born a blonde I¡¯m certain the blood would have stained it. Tomorrow is my first big test. I don¡¯t know if I can handle it. I¡¯ve never taken a life before, and I don¡¯t really want to. Master will probably get rid of me if I don¡¯t, though. He wants me to take over his legacy¡­ I can¡¯t let him down. Not after all he¡¯s done for me. I will do what I must. ¡­ The sky thundered and the clouds shined brighter than the stars behind them. I had finally evolved. Three hundred years I had spent in waiting. Father couldn¡¯t stop me now. He promised. I cast my eyes out and stared at the view one last time. The humans have built wonders. I wanted to see them. I wanted to meet them. They were such a small race, but so lively. I¡¯ll be careful not to scare them. I¡¯ll greet them in the ancient language. Surely that will warm them up to me. This world is vast, and I want to see all of it. One day, I¡¯ll return to the mountain. Until then¡­ Farewell, Father. ¡­ Memories. My head was filled with memories I¡¯d never seen before. They played all at once. It overwhelmed me. Hallucinations distracted me and I found my attacks slowing. The monsters were landing blows on my body. It was disgraceful to let something as low as a rank 6 even touch me. I could feel my eyes watering. The images, sounds, smells, tastes, and fears of my past lives and of those souls I¡¯ve absorbed in this world all began to assault me. [-Level Increased-] I could see what they¡¯ve seen. [-Level Increased-] I could feel their emotions. [-Level Increased-] It wasn¡¯t just their memories. Thoughts pervaded too. I wasn¡¯t just a spectator. These weren¡¯t movies¡­ These were me. They were me. Every crushing defeat, every overwhelming win, every death, and every birth coalesced in the space between my ears. Between our ears. Once I conquered China. I¡¯ve been a mother, before. I¡¯ve been a father too. I¡¯ve had innumerable families and I cared about each and every one. The memories slowed and the universe grew. I could see it. I could see the mana holding this plane of existence together. I could see the runes scribed onto it, trapping and forcefully breaking down the dying souls. More importantly, I could see the souls too. They wailed as they shattered. There was another soul, within me. I could see him, now. He looked so familiar, but I couldn¡¯t put a name to his face. [Solution: The user¡¯s memory of this guide have been tampered with.] Ah. Why does he call himself ¡®this guide¡¯ when I can clearly see his soul? [Solution: The user is currently undergoing ascension. This guide must remain professional in order to provide needed assistance.] What a strange soul. It addresses me as ¡®The User¡¯. I wonder why it does so? Why doesn¡¯t it just call out my name¡­ This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it What is my name? [Solution: The user¡¯s name is Calliope.] My name is Calliope? Ah, I think I do remember being called that. It¡¯s faint, though. Isn¡¯t it strange? I¡¯ve had thousands of names, but I can¡¯t seem to remember any of them. [Solution: When a body dies its name dies with it. The user¡¯s current body is named Calliope.] Interesting. So I am Calliope? This husk is quite nice. Whoever designed it had a flair for the arts. I looked around at all the body parts littering the ground. How delightful! I could make a husk easily with them. This extra soul shouldn¡¯t be in the same husk with me. I could just remove it, but seeing how the other souls suffer and cry in pain when they touch the runes bound to this reality, that would be cruel. With a wave of my hand, the body parts began to break down into their base forms. I reorganized them and built them up into a proper husk. It was male with long golden hair and a terrific body. It was quite well made, if I do say so myself. Next I extracted the extra soul from my husk. The process of transferring souls into new host bodies was terribly exhausting, but it felt right. [Solution: Calliope!] The soul cried out in alarm, but that was to be expected. It did feel oddly nice when it called my name. It¡¯s a shame I couldn¡¯t remember its name. The soul was fused into the husk, but it would need time to properly acclimate to it. It wasn¡¯t a terribly powerful soul, so it would acclimate quickly. It took maybe an hour at most before the body woke up. He looked at me with a puzzled expression before looking down at his own hands. ¡°H-how? Calliope¡­ What have you done?¡± He asked, looking terribly estranged. ¡°I do not wish to share this husk with another soul, so I created you your own,¡± I replied, flipping my hand with my speech. For some reason, he hit his knees and began crying into his hands. The monsters in the area stopped approaching. Perhaps they could sense that part of me was the same as them. I could remember the suffering. I could remember the pleasure in finding rat carcasses to devour. A life of undeath was a terrible fate. Feeling your insides rot was a torture I wouldn¡¯t wish on even the vilest of souls. ¡°Calliope, are you still you?¡± Asked the man. ¡°I am me,¡± I said with a sour look, ¡°I do not know who me is, but I am me. Who are you?¡± ¡°... Gone?¡± He mumbled. ¡°Gone? I am right here. I am Calliope,¡± I said. ¡°No. I meant Nox! He¡¯s always been in my head. He¡¯s always been locking pieces of me away¡­ And now he¡¯s gone¡­¡± The man ran towards me. I could tell he had no hostile intentions, so I didn¡¯t stop him. He wrapped his arms around my shoulders and pulled me into a hug. It was a bit weird since his body was naked, but I¡¯m the one who made that body so it wasn¡¯t that weird. He sobbed on my shoulder. He must have been suffering a terrible weight¡­ A strange pulse ran through me. I could feel my memories begin to resurface. I was floating in an endless void. All around me memories, black and marred with cracks, receded. In the center stood a golden ball. It was calling to me. I moved forward slowly. The ball was emitting a terribly strong light, but it didn¡¯t hurt. It felt warm. I reached my hands forward and thrust them into the ball. New memories. Memories of my last life. Memories of my adventure in the Gransus Kingdom. Memories of my friends. Memories of me. Memories of Nox¡­ And memories of RED. I opened my eyes and met RED¡¯s stare. His new body was my avatar from Saga Heroes Online, an avatar I based on my real life looks. I¡¯d be lying if I said it wasn¡¯t a bit awkward staring down a naked fantasy of my old self. ¡°Hey, RED,¡± I said with a smile. ¡°Welcome back, Calliope.¡± Chapter 37: Gusto I had reached level 1000 and gained back all the memories of my previous lives, as well as the memories from those souls I¡¯ve absorbed since coming to this world¡­ I had also gained a new physical companion. Thankfully my own experiences seemed to trump out, so I¡¯m still me. It¡¯s weird. I feel different from before, in both bad and good ways. I can see so much and understand so much now. The wisdom from my past lives seems to be part of the deal, as well. I¡¯ve lived several times in worlds with mana before, so control doesn¡¯t seem to be an issue any longer. I also have the ways to make thousands of spells and skills work in my mind. The first issue at hand was finding clothes for RED. Luckily we were in a dungeon so finding monster drops with armor and clothes didn¡¯t take much time at all. He ended up in a sultan-like outfit. It was a fitting style of design considering the dungeon was in a desert. RED himself was rather strong compared to the people of this world. His level was 142. It makes sense, though, when you consider the people of this world all begin at level 1 because no one reincarnates. They¡¯re all fresh souls just starting out on their first journey. RED, though, is from different planes where reincarnation was natural¡­ Just like me. The more times a soul passes through the cycle the stronger it becomes. They become Tempered by this process. They grow strong, and, once they reach a certain point, they transcend their old form and become one of the Fae. Nox¡¯s words played in my mind time and time again. I could finally understand everything he¡¯d been talking about. I could feel the runes drawn onto this reality, preventing souls from entering the reincarnation cycle. They were like wires clawing and grasping at everything. The first thing I did when I noticed them was to blow away the ones strewn across me. There were seven other Fae, counting Nox. I needed to prepare an army to fight them. Reaching their levels wouldn¡¯t be feasible, but if I raised enough men and women past level 1000, it was possible. I can¡¯t quite explain it, but I was certain Nox wasn¡¯t watching me at this time. Now that he delivered his spiel to me, he was off scanning other dimensions for Tempered Souls to bring back here to fill out his army. He¡¯d certainly be gone for some time. Three was the magic number. If I could take three level 1000 companions with me, I could fight off and potentially bring an end to Nox. I could feel the strength of my soul very clearly, now. I could understand just how much it would grow in six hundred levels. By my estimate, I¡¯d have two years to raise my warriors. I certainly wasn¡¯t going to go along with that damned Fae¡¯s plan. He¡¯s already proven himself a traitor to his own Covenant, who¡¯s to say he won''t betray me next? His influence over RED has already been cleansed, meaning RED won¡¯t be signalling him any more about what I¡¯m doing. To be safe I could even craft a fake signal for RED that sends a message claiming that I¡¯m slowly grinding levels like he hoped I would¡­ I called RED over and performed the deed quickly. The ability to manipulate souls was astounding and also rife for abuse. I held RED¡¯s entire consciousness in my hands as I crafted a fake signal. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°What did you just do to me?¡± He asked, though in a calm and trusting tone. It was a bit weird hearing him speak in something that wasn¡¯t monotone, like a computer. ¡°Nox had you outfitted with an automatic reporting feature,¡± I replied, ¡°It would send messages to him about our activities. I¡¯ve given you one that sends fake reports. We can¡¯t have him knowing how quickly I¡¯ve leveled up.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not planning to¡­ Calliope, are you planning to turn against Nox?¡± Asked RED. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then let me help you. I know this world, and I know quite a bit about him. The knowledge Nox gave me is still ingrained within my mind,¡± he said as he bowed forward in a grandiose manner. ¡°RED,¡± I said, taking a deep breath, ¡°I need you to understand just what helping me entails. When I ascended, I came close to losing myself. Memories of my past lives and memories of every life I¡¯ve ended since coming to this world flooded through me. They¡¯re still inside me, now. Your soul is considerably¡­ Younger than mine. If you level up most of the memories you¡¯ll retain will be from souls you absorb. I don¡¯t know if you could even stay you after it happens. You could lose yourself, and forget about everything that¡¯s happened.¡± RED looked at me and tilted his head to the side, as if I had just made a joke. ¡°Trust me, Calliope,¡± He said with a blooming smile, ¡°There are some things a man will never forget.¡± It was decided rather easily. Far too easily for my tastes, though. RED would be one of the first I leveled up. He was already fairly high leveled for this world, as it stood. His knowledge would be necessary to make this happen. ¡°Okay, RED. First thing¡¯s first, though, we need to find a way to heal Lily. Even with my newfound control I don¡¯t trust myself to attempt it. For now, let¡¯s get out of this damned dungeon.¡± I said as I cleaned myself up as best I could. Zombie blood and bone powder covered me. I looked like some kind of tribal warrior. RED, on the other hand, looked absolutely perfect. His body was brand new, though. Still, I felt the tiniest pangs of jealousy. He now possessed the body I originally wished to be in¡­ Though after gaining memories of my past lives things such as gender, sexual orientation, or body image have started disappearing from my thoughts. It all just feels so irrelevant in the grand scheme of things, now. Bodies are just husks programmed to feel physical attraction, but true emotional affection brews in the soul. It¡¯s all a bit daunting, in the end. I don¡¯t know why Nox chose to recruit me. I don¡¯t know why any of these things happened¡­ But I do know he has made a fatal error in underestimating me. If there¡¯s one thing the internet taught me, it¡¯s that people with no lives are a powerful force when it comes to breaking the common sense of game designers. I don¡¯t know how Saga Heroes Online came to exist in my world, but I do know that the methods I used in it are effective here. They called me a power-leveler in my old world. I think it¡¯s time to earn that nickname here, too. Chapter 38: Training to the Capital RED and I left the dungeon. I had no reason to keep grinding, for now. I needed some time to start planning my next steps, anyways. It would also take a while to get used to having RED living in his own body. At least he dropped the whole ¡®this guide¡¯ thing. I don¡¯t know if I could deal with him if he continued doing that. The desert was covered by the darkness of night. I could see my breath on the air in front of me. Looking up, the stars resembled fireflies on a summer evening. ¡°How long were we in the dungeon?¡± I asked. ¡°You continued to drop in and out of consciousness while fighting the monsters by the Mana Vein for about a week. You used a second week to finish your transcendence, as well,¡± replied RED. I stumbled a bit after hearing just how long I¡¯ve been down there. It didn¡¯t feel like I was away that long. My stomach growled, though, interrupting my thoughts. Perhaps it really had been two weeks¡­ RED and I quickly set off towards the capital of Gransus. He couldn¡¯t match my speed, but I slowed my pace so as to not lose him. It¡¯d be a shame if something happened to him. RED was strong, but at level 142 I doubt he could fight against a rank 5 beast alone. RED seemed to be absorbed in learning how to use his skills. He didn¡¯t struggle to use mana, like I did, but he did have issues when it came to knowing the proper times to use specific skills in battle. We met several rank 3 beasts in the desert. I used them to test RED¡¯s capabilities. He didn¡¯t mind, and, on some occasions, he seemed to enjoy the fighting. I grew a bit envious of how fast he adapted. It had taken me over a month to get the hang of things in this world, but he was doing it in mere hours. The information Nox pumped him with surely helped some, but I couldn¡¯t help feeling a little frustrated. RED adeptly fought against Bomb Scorpions, Sand Dragons, and Cactal Trappers. He seemed to innately understand how his Monk and Mage classes interwove and didn¡¯t need any help from me. Along the way I collected a few Desert Razer Hawks. They were only rank 2 beasts, but they were very useful as tamed pets. For one, the larger ones could give me rides in the air. The ability to analyze situations from above was huge. They could also deliver messages for me, and they were rather adept at hunting. While RED and I traveled I had the Desert Hawks hunt us some rank 1 Onion Boars. Eventually we decided to rest for the night. I let sandy out of storage and RED helped set up a fire pit. His mage skills leaned heavily towards flame spells, so it served as practice too. We used elongated needles from Cactal Trappers as spits to roast the Boars. Their savory meat let out tantalizing smells as they cooked. It was a shame I hadn¡¯t considered storing spices or salt. The meat itself, while good, was rather bland in the end. In hindsight it seems obvious to bring along spices and the like when on trips. It couldn¡¯t be helped now, though. For some reason whenever I cut into the boar¡¯s meat I could feel my eyes tearing up a bit. It was weird, but I didn¡¯t question it too much. They were called Onion Boars, after all. It¡¯s a shame they didn¡¯t taste much like onion, though. Sandy herself, due to the time stopping power of my storage, hadn¡¯t slept in a good while. She curled up on the sand and I used her as a very fluffy bed. ¡°RED, if you like you can lie down on Sandy too. I¡¯m sure she wouldn¡¯t mine,¡± I called out. RED¡¯s face grew beet red in response. ¡°N-no. I¡¯m fine! I¡¯ve got leftover fabric from the clothes hunt in the dungeon. I¡¯ll make a bed for myself over here,¡± he said in an odd manner. I was a bit thrown off by his reaction, but I had a solid idea about why. He was probably thinking of something ridiculous. I decided not to tease him. His body was human, so of course he would have certain needs to take care of. I decided to give him a bit of privacy by turning Sandy around so she served as a pseudo wall between us. As I drifted off to sleep, I wondered which brother placed higher in the tournament. I also wondered how Lily was doing, considering how hurt she was. It was a shame I couldn¡¯t help her myself. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. I found myself rifling through memories of my past lives, but I couldn¡¯t find one where I was a healer. Gertrude¡¯s words rang in my head: ¡®Your mana is pure chaos energy.¡¯ I knew now, with all my knowledge collected together, that there were seven main types of mana energy. Chaos was, of course, the most destructive in nature. I probably wouldn¡¯t ever be able to heal anyone with magic¡­ In the end, it always came down to me being a weapon. Nox wanted to point me at the other Fae, but this gun wouldn¡¯t do as he wished. I will become a weapon, but I will be pointed at whom I so choose! The morning came far too soon. I put a well rested Sandy and some hungover Desert Hawks into storage. I didn¡¯t even know where they managed to find alcohol, let alone how they managed to drink it without me noticing. We continued our journey. I didn¡¯t grow impatient, traveling at RED¡¯s speed. In fact, I used this time to ask him questions. To ask him about himself¡­ But he tried to dodge anything important enough. He seemed reluctant to tell me who he was before Nox brought him here. He did answer a few of my more mundane questions, though. His favorite color was green, oddly enough, and his favorite food was pineapple pizza. I don¡¯t know why but those two facts stoked some kind of nostalgic feature of my own mind. They felt strangely familiar. I was beginning to suspect that, maybe, RED was from my previous world¡­ And perhaps we even knew each other. It was weird, though. I couldn¡¯t put a face or name to him. It was like my memories of him had been wiped clean. I stopped myself from thinking too deeply on the subject. There was no valid reason to jeopardize my friendship with RED over such things. If it truly mattered, I¡¯m sure he¡¯d tell me when he was ready. It took us a full second day of traveling before the Asmodian Woods came into view on the horizon. It was terribly strange how the desert just ended and woodland began, but I suppose that¡¯s just the natural way of things in this world. Once we reached the woods I decided to let Sandy out of storage full time. It was a lot easier to find water and food, so there was no reason to keep her locked in the storage. She seemed quite content with romping around the forest. RED, of course, kept his distance from her as much as possible. For some reason, the two didn¡¯t seem to get along. It was even funnier because they were about equal in fighting strength, so whenever they did get into a spat it would result in a fair amount of proper training. I would step in if they ever looked like they were going to take it too far. I began working on my next big project: creating deity ranked skills. Only those who¡¯ve transcended level 1000 could create them. They were unbelievably hard to actually create, though. It was only now, with all my knowledge and vision, that I could see just how complex they really were. It wasn¡¯t like the lower ranked skills where they could be judged based upon the amount of mana put into them. Deity ranked skills and items were different. When they came into existence they became part of the user¡¯s soul itself. Damage to Deity ranked items would cause actual harm to their wearers¡­ Not that it was easy to damage them in the first place. It also meant Deity ranked skills and items grew with the users, though. They were the true measure of strength beyond level 1000. They were the reality breaking powers that enabled the Fae to dominate the worlds of the multiverse¡­ And I had two Deity skills and a Deity ranked item. Nox never did explain how I came to possess them. Did he give them to me when he made my husk or were they created by my soul during the acclimation process? There were so many questions I wanted answered¡­ But now wasn¡¯t the time to be thinking about such things. I needed to stay on target. I needed to focus and prepare. A battle was coming, and if I wasn¡¯t ready for it then the price would be my very soul. Throughout our trip to the capital, RED managed to level up two times. The road ahead was long, but I knew then that we could manage it. Chapter 39: Dinner Plans Our journey took us about a week in total. Added to the two weeks we had spent in the Heaven¡¯s Punishment Dungeon, we were away from the capital for almost a full month. I could only hope that things were going well in my absence. The city itself didn¡¯t look like it was changed much. The damage from the coup was now all but forgotten. Pristine shining brick buildings were erected in the place of old and damaged ones. People were out and about, selling and buying wares from shops, and armored adventures were training in the city squares. I had the Heaven¡¯s Demon Garb take a classic city-girl outfit. It became a rather simple beige dress with white lace and black buckled leather shoes. The dress itself didn¡¯t show any cleavage, either, because RED continually complained about it. It was weird. He was acting more like my father than my friend. It was late in the afternoon, but we made our way towards the castle anyways. RED used his location finding skill and told me that Lily was currently being escorted to her room by a maid while her brother Alec was in the throne room discussing policy with delegates. It seems the younger brother Gin managed to win the competition. I felt a bit bad for the older brother, but it was probably for the best that he ended up being the one to take the throne. It was always supposed to be the oldest son in succession stories, after all. Even if he was only the eldest by a few minutes. RED and I made our way to the castle gate. RED himself was just fast enough to elude the guard shifts, so we didn¡¯t have to bother dallying with formalities. The last thing I wanted was to be made to wait in some guest room for hours on end while the new ¡®king¡¯ finishes his talk. It didn¡¯t take long to make it to Lily¡¯s room. I gave the door a light knock, being absolutely careful not to damage it. A small slit at eye level opened up and I met the gaze of a maid. ¡°Oh! It¡¯s Calliope, mistress!¡± Called the maid. ¡°Let her in, quickly,¡± said Lily from the distance. The door opened and I walked in. RED followed closely behind. Lily was currently sitting in a chair with wheels on the bottom. I was a bit impressed by how advanced this world was at times. They even had wheelchairs here. Though I¡¯m certain it had more to do with the fact that Lily was royalty more than anything. ¡°Calliope! You¡¯re back! Where did you go? And who¡¯s this with you?¡± Asked Lily all at once as a second maid rolled her to us. ¡°Ah, Lily. Sorry for leaving without giving you any warning¡­ But some very important things came up. This is RED, he¡¯s my companion,¡± I said with a forced smile, ¡°Listen, is it possible we can go somewhere we can talk in private?¡± Lily¡¯s eyes narrowed and she seemed to understand that what I was going to talk about was important. She quickly waved her hands. ¡°Maids, please leave us and fetch some tea. All of you. Bring back some sweets as well,¡± commanded the princess. Her entourage obeyed immediately. ¡°Ah, now that we¡¯re alone why don¡¯t you wheel me over towards the bed so we can all sit down and talk.¡± I had RED wheel Lily over and we helped her onto the bed. I pulled a stool over and sat on it myself. Then, with a heavy heart, I started telling Lily the entire story. ¡°It all started when I was in my previous world¡­¡± I didn¡¯t hold back anything. I gave her the entire story, right down to me building RED¡¯s new body. She didn¡¯t interrupt me once. She just listened. RED, on the other hand, wandered around the room inspecting the various training tools and weight sets. ¡°... I don¡¯t know what to say, Calliope. Is¡­ Is everything you¡¯ve just said true?¡± Asked Lily. ¡°Yes. I haven¡¯t held anything back from you,¡± I replied. ¡°So these Gods, the Fae, are going to try and kill you?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± I said. ¡°This¡­ This all seems so absurd, but I believe you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s all I could ever ask for. Lily,¡± I said with a smile, ¡°The first thing I¡¯m going to do is take you to a healer. After that, you can make your own decision. You can join me in my fight if you want, but I won''t force you¡­ I¡¯m also going to offer this to James too.¡± ¡°Calliope,¡± Lily said as she put her hand on top of mine, ¡°There¡¯s nothing I¡¯d rather do more than help you fight this battle. Count me in¡­ But there¡¯s something you need to know. James ran away. He went off to the Forgotten Lands, saying things like he was ¡®too weak¡¯ among other things. He thought you abandoned him because he was too weak¡­¡± Lily paused for a moment, and I could feel the dread in her voice, ¡°Calliope, James died.¡± It felt like a bullet passed through my heart. He died trying to get strong enough to stand alongside me¡­ I refused to let myself cry. He was just an acquaintance. That¡¯s all. Nothing more¡­ ¡°That is incorrect,¡± interrupted RED. ¡°What?¡± Questioned Lily. ¡°My tracking skill tells me James Evergreen is still alive,¡± said RED. Stolen story; please report.¡°That¡¯s impossible. The team I sent to bring him back said he died¡­¡± ¡°James Evergreen is currently level 32. His level has increased dramatically in the last week. He is, at this moment, fighting in the seventh floor of the Fogged Swamp Dungeon. He seems to be doing well.¡± ¡°RED,¡± I interjected, ¡°How can you possibly know all this?¡± ¡°When Nox modified me, he gave me a skill¡­ A deity ranked skill called -Map-. It lets me track and see the status of any person within a specific radius as well as navigate areas and other things with ease,¡± replied RED. ¡°How can you possibly have the mana to use a Deity rank skill?¡± I asked. ¡°-Map- is special in that it¡¯s invocation absorbs mana from the environment rather than the user in order to be used. The mana taken in is analyzed by the skill to produce the desired results.¡± It sounded too good to be true. Such a thing had to come with a drawback. As if he was reading my mind, RED said, ¡°There are a few weaknesses to -Map-, though. The first one is that if the environment has either too much mana or too little it can¡¯t be used. The second is that it cannot be used in conjunction with any other abilities. I must focus solely on using it and nothing else. It¡¯s how I ¡®guided¡¯ you, Calliope.¡± It made sense. It also answered the question on how RED knew so much about the world. I had thought it was strange he seemed to know when people or enemies were approaching. I hadn¡¯t given it too much thought before, but that skill seemed absolutely broken. It was fitting to call it Deity ranked. A knock came at the door to Lily¡¯s room, stopping our conversation. ¡°It is the current King, Alec Gransus,¡± said RED as he helped me get Lily back into her chair. ¡°You can come in!¡± Called Lily once she settled down. The door opened and a man walked in. I had met the prince before, but the man in front of me was vastly different. He didn¡¯t have a mustache. It was amazing just how big of a difference it made. ¡°One of the maids told me you came back, Calliope¡­ Who¡¯s this?¡± Asked Alec as he stared daggers at RED. For some reason, RED challenged his gaze and even offered a smug grin. ¡°This is my companion RED. He¡¯s currently level 144, and I¡¯m training him in my spare time,¡± I said, deciding to interrupt the strange staring contest. Alec looked like he was visibly hurt by my words, for some reason. He stumbled backwards and held his chest as if he¡¯d been stabbed. ¡°Y-your companion!? Uhhg, n-nice to meet you, Mr RED. Calliope, did you say his level was 144? Did I hear that right?¡± ¡°Uhhg, why are you here Alec!?¡± Asked Lily after losing her patience. ¡°Oh,¡± said the king, recovering from earlier, ¡°I came to find out if you two are still heading to Barbory to find a healer.¡± ¡°Yes, we are. We are leaving in two days, brother,¡± replied Lily. ¡°Ah, well, I just wanted to ask if you could stop by Fort Clyfton and bring Gin with you. I want him to see our closest neighbor and their culture. It might be important in future negotiations with them,¡± said Alec. ¡°That¡¯s fine with me,¡± I said. For some reason both Lily and RED looked unhappy with my declaration. ¡°I also, uh, wanted to invite you to dinner tonight, Calliope. We¡¯re going to be having a feast with some of the Dragon Meat that I brought from Fort Clyfton,¡± said the King with red cheeks. It was weird. He seemed so much more confident back when he was with his brother. Could it be without his sibling he wasn¡¯t half as brave? ¡°That sounds lovely. RED, are you find with eating at the castle tonight?¡± I asked. ¡°That is fine with me, Calliope,¡± he replied. ¡°Then it¡¯s decided. I¡¯ll see you tonight, Alec,¡± I said with a smile. ¡°Oh but, uh, nevermind. I¡¯ll see you tonight, then,¡± said the King as he slipped out the door, closing it behind him. I sighed. Lily started laughing. RED¡¯s eyes looked amused too. ¡°RED,¡± I said, interrupting their merrymaking, ¡°Is James in any danger?¡± ¡°No. He seems to be perfectly fine. I suggest we let him keep leveling up on his own for now. Every level he gains on his own now makes your job easier later.¡± ¡°Alright. I feel a bit bad for him, but for now my first priority is to get Lily fixed,¡± I said. ¡°Ah, Calliope¡­ I¡¯ve been meaning to ask. You said you built RED¡¯s body. If you can do that, why can¡¯t you heal me?¡± Asked Lily. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t really know how to explain it,¡± I said rubbing the back of my head, ¡°But creating a husk without a soul in it and repairing one bonded to a soul are very different things. The way Mana interacts with objects changes entirely when a soul is put into the equation¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Oh, no! Don¡¯t be sorry. I was just curious. I assume you¡¯d fix me if you could¡­ Thank you, really. I don¡¯t know what I would do without a friend like you, Calliope,¡± said Lily with a smile that melted my heart like butter. Intermission 5: Watterson **Announcement: Sorry about being gone the last few weeks. I¡¯ve been terribly busy with University and I suffered from some mild emotional distress. I will be back to about 1+ chapters per day again. So, here''s a short intermission chapter~ Thanks for reading!** Phanedor and I watched with jaws agape as the demon child returned in less than a day. It shouldn¡¯t have been possible. It wasn''t possible! She didn¡¯t leave the dungeon through the labyrinth¡­ She cleared the dungeon by going further in. She immediately made way for the castle. We knew that the sixth prince was doomed, but we weren''t. Our saving grace was Phanedor¡¯s -Path Correction- telling us to celebrate somewhere outside the castle. It was truly a lucky break. So we left. Using my magic to jump to recall points, we fled Gransus. The Forgotten Lands laid to the west, the Asmodian Woods to the East, and the Demon Continent to the North. The only option was South, to the country of Barbory. Getting through the pass by Fort Clyfton into Barbory wasn¡¯t hard. We had traveled well ahead of the news of our betrayal, so our papers were quickly approved. The pass was long and harrowing. Most people didn¡¯t travel this way with less than a small army of guardsmen in case of monster attacks. We didn¡¯t sleep much. It took us three days to travel the pass on foot, which is absurdly fast, and neither of us slept more than an hour during the entire time. We had powerful enemies on our heels and, knowing Barbory, terrible trouble ahead. Life was supposed to be easy once Thomas was put on the throne¡­ It¡¯s all that damn demon bitch¡¯s fault. The moment she survived destroying a pocket dimension I knew she wasn¡¯t of this world. My best guess is that she¡¯s one of the Fae or Gods that Phanedor talks so much about¡­ But what kind of God would waste their time in this shithole of a country? It¡¯s truly strange, though. Despite all these terrible happenings, Phanedor doesn¡¯t look the slightest bit unhappy. He seems to be genuinely enjoying this trip. I can¡¯t help but think perhaps he planned all of this from the start. His skill seems too convenient to let something like that girl¡¯s power go unchecked in his plans. The other night I heard him whispering to himself like a madman. He¡¯s always had his nuances, but I¡¯m beginning to question his sanity. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. When we finally reached Barbory we were greeted by the pointed ends of spears. It seems the higher ups in this country had reliable information networks, because they already knew we were fugitives from Gransus. Thankfully the two countries have never had too ¡®kindly¡¯ of a relationship. We were questioned about several mundane things, but nothing strange came up in conversation. Eventually, after about a week of bullshit, we were shipped out as prisoners to the Capital of Barbory, Sheets. This trip took a second week unto itself. I felt thankful that the country of the Human Fae was rather small from north to south. It didn¡¯t take long before we ended up in a meeting with the leader of Barbory, Pope Zilo. The meeting was prefaced with threats of execution, so I was reasonably nervous¡­ But Phanedor never seemed so confident in his life. He looked to be at peace¡­ He almost looked happy. We were placed in the hallowed halls of a Worship Center, or WC for short. Rows of pews lined the room leading up to an altar. There, at the head, was the Pope. Phanedor and I were seated in the front row, chains hanging from our wrists and ankles like slaves. ¡°I have heard much about the state of Gransus from my own network,¡± Said the Pope in a profound voice, ¡°But one thing in particular that I¡¯ve heard about has captivated my interest. Please, tell me in detail about this demon named Calliope.¡± Phanedor started to laugh out of the blue. It was a deep throaty laugh. Chills went down my spine. He must have looked hysterical to the members of the church, but I had spent enough time with him to know... That laugh was for when things went according to his plan. Chapter 40: Alcohol RED proposed something I hadn¡¯t expected: ¡°If Calliope can¡¯t heal due to her mana affinity, perhaps I can learn healing magic in her place?¡± But how could he learn with Gertrude, the instructor, dead? Perhaps he could manage through trial and error¡­ But there was no guarantee that would work. At best he would end up just wantonly killing the practice animals to no gain. The easiest way was probably to have him be taught healing magic while in Barbory. When I told him as much he agreed almost immediately. I couldn¡¯t help but worry a bit for RED. He seemed stable so far, but I had good reason to keep on my toes. I created his body, but I was far from a master of husk building. The ¡®what ifs¡¯ continued to play out in my thoughts. The most prevalent was, ¡®what if his body just falls apart¡¯? If he ever died suddenly due to bodily failure, and I wasn¡¯t close enough to contain his soul, he would be shattered by the runes on this reality. For him, death really would be the end. The thought scared me. Lily, James, and RED could all die and shatter due to a moment of my carelessness. I had taken solace in the thought of reincarnation, but knowing now that the cycle is blocked on this world unsettles me¡­ I want to fix this world. People should have their souls tempered naturally through cultivation and the reincarnation cycle. I, for one, can testify to how horrid it feels to posses the memories of everyone you¡¯ve ever killed. The only problem is¡­ I needed this dirty rune etched soul collecting method. The Fae were too powerful for me to fight with just my base strength. I needed allies and I needed to get more powerful. The wisdom of thousands of lives spoke to me, telling me that sometimes evil acts become necessary. Time passed quickly while Lily and I planned our trip to Barbory. We bickered over numerous details such as carriage design, guard numbers, maids, and over whether we should bring James back from The Forgotten Lands to join us. I believed that James didn¡¯t need to train recklessly by himself. There were too many risks involved and, without someone there to insure his safety, he could end up over his head. Besides, I could go pick him up in a day or two at most. It wasn¡¯t like it¡¯d be hard to drag him back. ¡°Calliope,¡± said Lily in a tired voice, ¡°sometimes you have to let a man be a man.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have to let a friend do something dangerous, though,¡± I replied, ¡°What¡¯s more important, his life or his pride?¡± ¡°To you maybe his life is more important, but can you honestly say you¡¯d never do anything dangerous for your own pride? I seem to recall you attending a dinner party hosted by my younger brother not too long ago¡­¡± Ah¡­ Shit. She did have a point. It was a painful, sharp point. A sigh leaked from the corner of my mouth. ¡°Fine,¡± I said, ¡°you win. I¡¯ll leave him be.¡± The door opened to Lily¡¯s room and a maid entered. ¡°Madam and guests, it is time for dinner,¡± said the woman with a flourish. RED and I helped Lily into her wheelchair. Thankfully, she was already dressed; we didn¡¯t have to fumble with her overly frilly dress. The maid lead the way to the main dining hall. Everyone was oddly quiet, and only the sound of our footsteps could be heard echoing through the castle. Finally, the distant murmur of people broke the veil of silence. This was my first time visiting the main dining hall of the castle, and I was astounded by its grandeur. The room was painted silver and gold. Tapestries, murals, and paintings lined the walls, and an amazing chandelier was draped over the longest table I had ever seen in my life. Numerous members of high society were lined up in the room, chatting away. The new king, Alec Gransus, was seated at the head. When he saw us enter he stood up and began tapping on his wine glass. ¡°Here here, to those of you who do not know, this woman here is Calliope,¡± he gestured to me, ¡°and she¡¯s the one who killed the World Dragon at Fort Clyfton a few weeks ago.¡± The gaggle of aristocracy began clapping. I didn¡¯t recognize any of the people. It felt strange and a bit out of place. Dinner was served soon after. I felt a slight repulsion to eating the dragon meat, considering that the dragon¡¯s soul was now living on within me, but the intoxicating smell overpowered any such hesitations. If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. I was sold from the first bite. It was a beefy flavor, but it had a tang of sweetness to it. If I didn¡¯t know better I¡¯d assume the flavoring was from a teriyaki sauce. The sides were strange vegetables I¡¯d never seen before, but they all had a spinach-like flavor in order to not overshadow the meat dish. Lily and I were seated rather close to the head of the table, but for some reason RED¡¯s assigned seat was quite a bit further away. He was mingling with a pair of red-haired gentlemen donned in full military dress. Alec, only two seats away from me, continually badgered me with questions about RED. He seemed to have a strange obsession with it. I think he might have misinterpreted something about my relationship with the once AI. Lily seemed to be in good spirits, but I think she might have had a bit too much to drink. She was getting a bit rowdy and red in the face. Her jokes were beginning to get a bit too off color as well. I hadn¡¯t realized she felt that way about the people of Barbory to the south. The dinner party started to wind down and, judging by her face, it was time for me to get Lily to her room. None of the maids seemed willing to bother with it. I stood and helped her out of the dining chair into her wheelchair again. She was fumbling and laughing. It wasn¡¯t the demeanor of a princess. I had never seen her drunk before¡­ I don¡¯t think I want to ever again, either. RED stayed behind to discuss things with some of the soldiers. One thing he seemed to have gained from Nox was detailed information about other countries in this world¡­ I should have probably stopped him from leaking state secrets. It would suck if our actions caused a severe imbalance in this world. Lily managed to make wheeling her to her room a near impossible task. The chair repeatedly had the wheels catch on her dress and she did her damndest to throw herself from it at least three times. ¡°Come onnnn, Calliope,¡± she whined, ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± she paused to hiccup, ¡°that drunk. Let¡¯s go back to the party.¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s time for you to go to bed, Lily. Tomorrow we¡¯re going to make our preparations for our trip south,¡± I said, trying to calm her down. ¡°Ah, yeah. Our road trip! I can¡¯t wait, you know. I¡¯ve never been outside of Gransus before¡­¡± She leaned her head back and stopped talking. She looked to be deep in thought over something. I didn¡¯t particularly mind her silence, though. We reached Lily¡¯s room without any more delays, or words for that matter. I rolled her up to the bed. She used her arms and upper body strength to essentially flop onto her bed in full dress. ¡°You know, Calliope,¡± she mused as she rolled onto her back, ¡°I sometimes wish you were a boy.¡± I laughed at that. ¡°I¡¯m serious!¡± She cried in outrage at my giggling, ¡°if you were a boy then we could date and be more than friends¡­ You should marry one of my brothers¡­¡± I held my finger to her lips to stop her from talking. ¡°Lily, you are very very young. I may not look it, but I¡¯m much too old for you. One day, when you reach where I¡¯m at now, you¡¯ll come to understand just how trivial such thoughts really are. The love I feel for you isn¡¯t defined by any relationship status. You¡¯re like a little sister to me, and I love you like one. You have a beautiful soul.¡± Her eyes began to close as sleep overtook her. I wasn¡¯t sure if she heard everything I said, but I could only hope she did. I quickly and carefully eased her into a nightgown before tucking her into her bed. I softly closed the door to her room and made my way back to the party to collect RED, but he wasn¡¯t there. One of the maids told me he was offered a room at the home of an attending general. Perhaps that was for the best. I didn¡¯t need to keep tabs on RED. He was a grown man, after all. I felt a bit proud that he was off living his own life. I created his body and I suppose I harbored some parental feelings towards him because of it. I made my way back to my room at the Academy dorms and slept with a smile. Chapter 41: Huggs I met the new day with a yawn. The sky was clouded and it looked like rain could fall at any time. I took one look out my window and decided I could use an extra hour of sleep. Unfortunately, someone in the dorm next to mine decided sleeping in wasn¡¯t a good habit to have¡­ Because they started blasting horribly loud music. This world doesn¡¯t have stereos or music replay systems. The people in the dorm room next to mine weren¡¯t just listening to music, they were playing music¡­ If you could call this garbage music, and this was at like 7 in the morning. Outraged, I dressed myself rather quickly. I wanted to give those musicians a piece of my mind. I wasn¡¯t the only one. At least ten people were piled outside the door of the music¡¯s origin. Most were covering their ears while knocking, trying to be heard over the noise. If I had to describe the sound, I¡¯d call it someone mauling a piano. I assumed music in this world would be more classical in design, but I¡¯m beset by surprises nearly every day. This sounded more like Jazz than anything; loud, cacophonous Jazz. To be completely honest, it sounded like a toddler had managed to find a piano and decided to smash all the keys as fast as possible. People were trying to open the door, but it was locked. I stepped forward and, upon recognizing me, the crowd receded in turn. I grabbed the handle and, with a slight application of force, ripped the door completely off its hinges. Without the barrier between us and the source, the sound redoubled in volume. The first thing I took note of was the serious collection of dust. The room didn¡¯t seem to be lived in at all. The next thing I noticed was a collection of eggshell shards lying about. I walked into the room and finally caught sight of the culprit. A small dragon, no bigger than a kitten, was rolling about inside an old piano. It looked to be tangled in the wire. The room itself was lined, like a trophy collection, with glass cased lizard eggs. It seems one of them hatched and, foraging for food, the little fellow climbed into the piano. ¡°Oh my word! That¡¯s a Lime Dragon!¡± Cried out one of the people who followed me in. ¡°They¡¯re known for having powerful venom. We should call one of the professors to come¡­¡± I stopped listening and walked up to the cute little fledgling. It looked up at me with shining eyes. I couldn¡¯t resist it any longer and I helped untangle the poor dear. ¡°Hey there, little fella,¡± I said in my cutesy voice, ¡°what¡¯s your name?¡± The little green bundle wriggled for a moment before making a terribly cute chirp noise. He tried to bite my finger, but he couldn¡¯t break the skin on my hand. He looked like a lizard shaped puppy! ¡°You must be hungry!¡± I concluded aloud as I turned and started walking through the crowd towards the door. ¡°What are you doing? That¡¯s a dangerous creature! We need to call the professors and¡­¡± I held up my hand, silencing the annoying spectator. ¡°Do not call Mr. Hugglesworth a dangerous creature! Look at his innocent face!¡± As if to emphasize my point, the newly named Mr. Hugglesworth hissed at the bad man. I couldn¡¯t resist petting his head with my free hand while whispering ¡®good job¡¯. I left the Academy¡¯s campus with a tiny dragon in my arms. I had yet to make Mr. Hugglesworth follow an order of mine yet, so he wasn¡¯t considered ¡®tamed¡¯. It was unfortunate, but until I could make him obey a command of mine I wouldn¡¯t be able to store him. It¡¯s needless to say, but I received quite a few strange looks from passerby as I walked the streets. I couldn¡¯t risk moving fast out of fear of harming my new pet. He was just a baby, after all. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Along the walk I stopped and purchased some meat on a stick from a vendor. It was strange that such a vendor was operating in the breakfast hours, but who am I to question his business model? Mr. Hugglesworth loved the meat and devoured it greedily, stick and all. I also nibbled on one. It tasted like beef jerky, but with a bit more salt. After about fifteen minutes of walking and eating, I arrived at the main square. There, surrounded by numerous guards and an annoying entourage, was Lily. I noticed RED hiding off to the side as well. ¡°Calliope!¡± Called Lily as a maid wheeled her towards me, ¡°You¡¯re late! ¡­ And is that a Lime Dragon?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not late, you¡¯re early,¡± I replied while repositioning my dragon, ¡°and yes, this is Mr. Hugglesworth, the newest addition to our team.¡± ¡°You do know Lime Dragons have terribly strong poisons, right?¡± Asked one of Lily¡¯s guards as he moved between the princess and my new puppy. ¡°I¡¯ve heard, but this little fella wouldn¡¯t hurt a fly, would you!?¡± I said while nuzzling the tiny dragon. He tried to bite my ear. Thankfully his little love bites couldn¡¯t break my tough skin. RED started walking towards our group. He seemed to be lugging a rucksack filled with something lumpy. It was probably full of potatoes. He seemed adamant in yesterday¡¯s talks about obtaining potatoes for the trip. He claimed he wanted to try to make some food from our previous world, too, so he needed some other hard to acquire ingredients. ¡°Calliope, if you¡¯re having trouble taming the creature, I suggest you use the orb acquired from the Sixth Prince that allowed him to command Sandy,¡± said RED as he set the heavy sack down with an expression of relief. I was, of course, completely delighted at RED¡¯s suggestion. I pulled out the orb and immediately poured mana into it. Unfortunately, I was a bit overzealous and used too much. The orb cracked and shattered in my hand, becoming completely useless. ¡°... Crap!¡± Lily and RED both started laughing, and Mr. Hugglesworth just started biting the ends of my hair. I was also beginning to realize that Hugglesworth is a rather long name. Perhaps I should abbreviate it to Huggs? Yeah, I¡¯ll call him Huggs from now on. His full name will still be Mr. Hugglesworth, though. It seems I¡¯d have to learn how to train my dragon by myself. If I remembered right, there were a few groomers in the city. Surely I could get a collar and leash for Huggs there! RED seemed determined to handle getting the food for our trip, so I didn¡¯t need to worry about that. I met Lily¡¯s eyes. ¡°Lily, can I trust you to take care of shopping for a wagon while I go hunting for supplies to properly tame Huggs here?¡± I asked completely without shame. Lily groaned, but I could tell she was going to give in. ¡°Fine, but you have to be done with your shenanigans by lunch time. RED promised to make us a fancy meal and he¡¯ll be devastated if you miss it.¡± I gave a thumbs up with a terrible smile, ¡°You got it! I¡¯ll be back before lunch! Don¡¯t you worry, Lily.¡± Huggs started biting at my neck. He seemed determined to find a vulnerable spot. It was adorable. Chapter 42: How to Train Your Dragon My journey in dragon taming began with a quick visit to a pet shop in the outer parts of the city. I was, subsequently, thrown out of said pet shop for bringing a ¡°terribly dangerous¡± creature into it. The guards were called. I had to slip away from them by jumping across rooftops like some sort of ninja. All the while Huggs continued to bite me at every opportunity. He was certainly tenacious. I could only imagine his inner monologue. He¡¯s probably thinking things like, ¡®Villain, release me! I am a terrible and frightening dragon!¡¯ I couldn¡¯t resist hugging him. His name was very appropriate. It¡¯s unfortunate I can¡¯t let him hug other people yet. I¡¯ll need to officially tame him first so I can guarantee he won''t bite. Not everyone has skin as tough as me. I¡¯ll need to do research to see how big he¡¯ll grow, too. It would suck to buy him cute outfits only to have him outgrow them in a year. After wandering a bit more I finally found one of the few grooming businesses. The store building was, unlike the majority of the city, made of wood. The siding was old and gray, and the windows looked ready to shatter at the slightest wind. I could hear the sound of dog barks coming from out back. There seemed to be a full sized yard. I entered the building, causing a small bell to ring, and I was immediately greeted by shelves upon shelves of collars, leashes, and chew toys. Not to mention a terrible cacophony of animal noises. Birds in cages lined one wall, cats in wooden kennels lined another, and a pen full of romping puppies was in the middle of the room. It took a lot of my strength to resist diving into the puppy pit. My resolve was genuinely tested at that moment. ¡°Hello! Did someone come in?¡± Called a woman¡¯s voice from out of sight. I couldn¡¯t pin it, but her voice sounded familiar. When the woman walked into view, though, I recognized her immediately. It was Melanie, better known as Mel! She was the quiet girl who was always hanging out with her gangster friend Sell at the Academy. ¡°Calliope?¡± Melanie stopped. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°I¡¯m trying to tame this guy,¡± I said as I held up Mr. Hugglesworth. ¡°That¡¯s a Lime Dragon!¡± ¡°So I¡¯ve been told.¡± ¡°Where did you find a Lime Dragon? They aren¡¯t even native to Gransus. You¡¯d have to cross the ocean past the Heaven¡¯s Desert to get to their native land.¡± Oh? I had been to the Heaven¡¯s Desert before in order to level up, but I hadn¡¯t gone beyond it. If I recall, I remember being told before that there was an ocean that way¡­ Oh right, when I threw the crumpled up metal practice dummy! ¡°Are they native to an island or another continent?¡± I asked. ¡°They¡¯re native to the Eastern Continent Calci. In the northern parts of the Calci continent there¡¯s a terrible poison swamp where Lime Dragons and their subsequent evolutions live.¡± I looked down at the adorable dragon furiously biting my arm. ¡°You¡¯re a long ways from home, aren¡¯t you little guy¡­¡± ¡°Lime Dragons are really venomous, are you going to be okay with him biting you like that¡­¡± ¡°Ah, don¡¯t worry about it. He can¡¯t break my skin, at the moment, and even if he could I doubt his venom would be strong enough to hurt me. You of all people know what I¡¯m capable of, Mel.¡± I said. ¡°Yeah, still¡­ It¡¯s just a bit strange seeing something as dangerous as this treated like a pet.¡± ¡°Oh, that reminds me. You¡¯ve never met my other tamed beast, Sandy. If you want I can take her out of storage,¡± I looked around the store for a moment, ¡°Not inside here though, there¡¯s not enough room and she¡¯d probably do something stupid.¡± ¡°Too big for inside¡­ Calliope, what kind of monster is Sandy?¡± ¡°She¡¯s just a simple Omega Hound,¡± I replied nonchalantly. Mel, of course, froze stiff. Her face got really pale. ¡°Y-you don¡¯t need to show me! How about I just help you out with your Lime Dragon needs and you can be on your way instead!¡± Said Mel in a rush. ¡°Ah,¡± I sighed, ¡°Okay. I need a leash, some treats he might like, a really rugged collar, and any information you have on his species.¡± Mel set about her work rather quickly. To be honest, this was the most I¡¯ve heard her talk since I met her. She was usually overshadowed by Sell¡¯s more outgoing personality. I enjoyed seeing her a bit more relaxed and open. Melanie quickly picked out a pink collar and leash, as well as a temporary muzzle. I refused to put the muzzle on Huggs, though. That just seemed cruel to me. She also brought a large tub of meat flavored snacks for reptile pets. It seems taming dragons isn¡¯t that unpopular, since they have the supplies for it. Unfortunately she didn¡¯t have any handbooks on raising them. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. What came next had to be my greatest challenge since coming to this world¡­ Getting the collar on Mr. Hugglesworth. He bit me, he squirmed away, he tried to break the collar itself, and he even tried to hide in one of the cat towers in the shop. I¡¯ve wrestled with Sandy, fought hordes of undead, and slayed World Dragons; but I¡¯ve never encountered a beast as tenacious as Huggs. After a solid twenty minutes of cat and mouse games, I managed to get the damned band over his face and onto his neck. The hardest part about it all was making sure I didn¡¯t accidentally hurt him in the process. He was very young and, compared to me, terribly weak. One wrong slip and I could end up hurting him! This amplified the difficulty of the situation by a factor of ten at least. With the collar and leash on him, I collapsed to the floor of the shop in exasperation. He was gnawing on my leg with all his tiny might. His high pitched growls made me laugh. ¡°Um, Calliope.¡± Mel peeked around one of the shelves. ¡°I don¡¯t mean to be rude, but could you take your Lime Dragon out of the store now?¡± ¡°Ah, it¡¯s fine, Mel. I understand. He¡¯s actually quite dangerous to you and the other animals here.¡± I stood up with a smile. ¡°Thanks for the help, Mel. How much do I owe you?¡± ¡°Just 5 copper chips.¡± I took a gold chip from my storage and flipped it to her. Her eyes looked like they were going to pop out of her head. ¡°Th-this¡­¡± She started, but I ran out the front door before she could finish saying anything. ¡°Thanks for the help!¡± I called as I left. Huggs was still wrapped around my left leg, biting with all his might. He really didn¡¯t like me. I thought young animals were supposed to be easy to get along with¡­ I remember people saying puppies would warm up to you within an hour at most. It didn¡¯t take long for Sandy to respect me. Maybe it was a racial trait of Lime Dragons? I searched the memories I possessed of all the dragon souls I had within me, but I never found anything about obstinate children¡­ In fact, it seems most dragon children were terribly complacent. It had to be something specific to Lime Dragons, then, or perhaps it was something specific to Huggs himself. It was a shame he was too young to speak the Ancient Dragon Language. I was now quite fluent in it after ascending. Still, I¡¯d finally had enough of Huggs bad behavior. It was time to begin the dragon training! I carried Huggs outside of the city, being careful not to attract attention, and I came upon a glade several miles from the northern gate. I peeled Huggs off my leg and set him on the ground in front of me. I crossed my arms and met his eyes. He tilted his head to the side in confusion. I resisted the urge to hug him. Now was the time for training. I needed to become steel! ¡°Mr. Hugglesworth, sit!¡± I commanded in a loud tone. The dragon didn¡¯t react. He just tilted his head in the opposite direction. I pulled one of the treats Mel had sold me and tossed it to Huggs. He took one whiff and immediately dove on it, devouring the treat whole. I took a second treat out from storage. Huggs immediately started yipping and chirping while looking at it. It was clear he wanted it. ¡°Sit.¡± I commanded while using my free hand to push his tiny dragon butt towards the ground. He resisted me and instead tried to climb up to steal the treat from my hand. ¡°No,¡± I reprimanded, ¡°sit, Huggs.¡± This pattern repeated for a solid twenty minutes. Occasionally Huggs would start to grow disinterested and I¡¯d give him a treat or two to keep his energy up. At the twentieth minute, after numerous attempts, we finally succeeded. ¡°Sit,¡± I commanded. Huggs followed the order. A sudden surge of mana began to leave my body. I could feel my soul being manipulated. It was being intertwined with the soul of the tiny dragon in front of me. I hadn¡¯t noticed it before with Sandy, but the act of taming was more than just forcing an animal or monster to obey you¡­ It was a bond. It was a bond set in the soul itself. Huggs seemed overawed for a moment. He looked up at me and, in his eyes, I could see a deep respect. During the bonding process, it seems Huggs had come to understand my true strength. I finally gave in to his adorableness and wrapped him up in an epic hug. He flailed about, trying to get free, and started biting at my ears. It would seem that the aptly named Mr. Hugglesworth hated being hugged. It was such a shame that he had been tamed by me, then¡­ A terrible smile spread across my face as I nuzzled my little dragon. He was not happy. It was so adorable! Chapter 43: Drinks and Dragons For those of you who have not noticed the note in the synopsis, this fiction is currently on Hiatus. That does not mean it has stopped updating, it means that updates are not happening regularly -if at all- for extended periods of time. I¡¯m currently working towards finishing my other fiction, The Garden, and when that ends I¡¯ll devote my full attention to The Tempered again. I hope to post a few chapters now and then, though, to help ease a few of the hardcore fans through this dry spell. Tldr: This is on hiatus. I will post chapter sporadically -if at all- whenever I feel like it. I will work on this when my other story ends. Now onto the chapter and thanks for reading~ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- After squeezing the life out of Huggs, I set the poor dragon down to let him rest for a bit. He looked at me with his big lizard eyes and it took all my resolve not to wrap him up in another bear hug. ¡°Okay, Mr. Hugglesworth,¡± I said in a lecturing tone, ¡°Now that you¡¯re officially my pet I think it¡¯s time I introduce you to your brothers and sisters.¡± The little dragon gave me his rapt attention, probably certain that I¡¯d hug the information into him if he didn¡¯t listen. ¡°Now there¡¯s only one rule, okay,¡± I said as my eyes narrowed, ¡°No biting. Your tamed brothers and sisters don¡¯t have nearly my strength or stamina. They¡¯ll actually be in danger if you bite any of them.¡± Mr. Hugglesworth looked me straight in the eyes and gave a small nod. Without hesitation I let Sandy and the three Desert Razer Hawks out of my storage. The bird brains didn¡¯t seem to care much about my bonding plan (and they weren¡¯t very huggable), so I told them to go hunt for a bit. They complied with glee. Sandy -on the other hand- eyed the baby dragon with strange eyes. The Omega Hound and the tiny Lime Dragon sat facing one another, their eyes locked. Then, with the grace of a flailing elephant, Sandy jumped onto Huggs and started nuzzling him. The poor dragon freaked out and tried to squirm to freedom. ¡°Sandy, this is Mr. Hugglesworth,¡± I said, stifling a laugh. ¡°Huggs, this is Sandy. I can tell we¡¯re all going to be the best of friends.¡± And then I jumped into the pile of fur and scales, intent on out-hugging both. Fifteen minutes, twelve attempted bites, and one very happy Omega Hound later the Desert Hawks returned carrying the desiccated corpses of their catch. I thanked each one, letting them eat, before putting them back into storage. Sandy and Huggs were given their share of meat as well. Huggs seemed to forget the snuggle hell the second he saw food. He turned into a chirping adorable begging monster, and my heart melted. I played with the two for a bit longer, but the sun was getting high in the sky. It would be noon soon. I promised Lily and RED I¡¯d be back in time to eat lunch with them, and I was certain RED wouldn¡¯t be happy if I skipped out on him. With a heavy heart, I had both Sandy and Huggs placed in the storage and I started heading back. The Capital of the Gransus Kingdom never ceased to amaze me. The city seemed so vibrant and full of life. I didn¡¯t bother with the main gate and simply jumped the wall. Without having to be careful for Huggs¡¯ well being, I could move at a much faster speed. None of the guards even noticed my passing. People everywhere were shopping, working, and smiling. You couldn¡¯t even tell a coup had taken place here just a month prior. Human beings were hardy creatures, after all. Searching all the memories stored in my soul, the adaptability and hardiness of people always shined brightly. As the saying goes: tough times don¡¯t last, tough people do. It took a bit, when I entered the main square, to pick out Lily in the crowd. Numerous people were gathered around her, each enamored with the famous princess who lost her legs fighting in the coup. She was basically a celebrity. RED was, like usual, hiding off to the side. He couldn¡¯t hide from me, though. ¡°Calliope!¡± Lily called out, her expression shifting to a smile. ¡°You made it just in time. How¡¯d training Mr. Hugglesworth go?¡± I returned her smile and slithered through the crowd and her guards, ¡°It went well. I¡¯ve officially tamed him and introduced him to Sandy and my Desert Hawks.¡± The guards looked bewildered at my sudden appearance, but upon recognizing me they relaxed. One of the maids fainted, though. ¡°Do you really need this many people with you?¡± I asked, a bit annoyed with the circumstance. ¡°Of course. I¡¯m a disabled princess, do you expect me to run around a city without an entourage? Or working legs?¡± Lily asked, indignation in her tone. ¡°Yes,¡± I replied, trying to make myself sound completely serious. I failed and couldn¡¯t stifle my giggling. ¡°That¡¯s not funny,¡± she replied curtly, puffing out her cheeks a bit. ¡°Okay okay, I¡¯m sorry,¡± I apologized. ¡°So how did cart hunting go?¡± ¡°It went well,¡± said Lily, her normal expression returning. ¡°I bought a three-wide.¡± I wasn¡¯t certain which soul the memories came from, but one of them understood that ¡®three-wide¡¯ meant the cart could be pulled by three horses at a time. It was rather large, all things considered. ¡°I thought the point was to not attract attention while in Barbory?¡± I asked. ¡°Exactly. No one simply rides into Barbory. Only nobles or the rich do. If we rode in on a dinky carriage they¡¯d suspect us of being spies immediately, and they¡¯d try to execute us.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± I said, my voice a bit pensive. ¡°So human nobles are fine, it¡¯s only non-humans they discriminate against?¡± ¡°Oh they discriminate against the poor just as much as they do demons, Calliope,¡± Lily replied. ¡°But this discussion should probably be continued in private. Come, RED¡¯s prepared a small feast for us.¡± One of Lily¡¯s maids pushed her wheelchair and I followed behind. We came to a large restaurant without a single patron inside. ¡°Where are the other customers?¡± I asked, looking around. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. ¡°I rented out the whole place,¡± Lily replied as RED walked out of a back room, pushing a cart filled to the brim with food. The aroma alone nearly collapsed my stomach. Nostalgia filled me. I had eaten the teriyaki-flavored dragon meat among other things. Despite the strange and interesting flavors of this world, they lacked in one of the staple American foods that I craved: French Fries. ¡°RED, do you have ketchup too?¡± I asked, eyes focused on the food. RED¡¯s mouth twisted into a sly grin. ¡°I found both potatoes and tomatoes, Calliope,¡± he said as he pulled out a small jar filled with red stuff. I could immediately tell it was ketchup. I almost cried at such a beautiful sight. Lily looked confused off to the side, but I was having an emotional moment. I would have to explain it to her later. The meal was as extravagant as I expected, and by extravagant I mean we ate a ton of cheap American specialty junk foods. Hamburgers, french fries, and somehow RED even managed to recreate that one soda Bebsi. Lily -on the other hand- didn¡¯t seem to enjoy the medley of foods very much. She thought most of them tasted too sweet or too salty. I assured her there was no such thing, but she wasn¡¯t convinced. At the dinner table I pulled Huggs out from my inventory, hoping to parade my successful taming about. Instantly all of Lily¡¯s guards went into a panic and tried to attack Huggs, Huggs went into a panic at seeing all the food and being unsure he could eat it all, and I went into a panic because we ran out of french fries. Somehow alcohol got involved somewhere along the way and the afternoon meal quickly turned into an evening party. ---- I woke very early the next morning -in the twilight hours- with a mild headache. Looking around I noticed I wasn¡¯t in my own room¡­ I was in Lily¡¯s. Despite the expected cliche, there was no one sleeping next to me and I was fully dressed. Though, to be fair, with the Heaven¡¯s Demon Garb it was almost impossible for me not to be fully dressed whenever I wanted. I walked through the castle halls, nursing my pounding head. I could hear music from down the hallway. It was quiet, but as I neared the source it quickly grew into a grand crescendo. In the main dining hall to the castle I found Red, Alec, Huggs, and several of Lily¡¯s guards dancing and singing, each drunk off their ass. I wasn¡¯t even certain Lime Dragons could get drunk, considering their poison attribute. Oddly, in the room, numerous monsters were scattered about all also drunk off their asses, and three skeletons in one corner were dancing the macarena. I wasn''t sure how skeletons got drunk, much less how they even managed to consume alcohol. I grabbed Huggs by the scruff of his neck, and the party stopped for a moment. RED looked at me confused, as if he had forgotten something important. Alec, however, seemed overjoyed. ¡°Oh Calliope, I forgot that you were asleep in Lily¡¯s room!¡± Alec exclaimed, his voice varying in volume at random. ¡°I planned on coming to sleep with you, but I forgot!¡± At this RED turned towards him, indignation rife on his flushed face. ¡°You dare!¡± He slurred. Huggs started spitting and hissing at both men. ¡°I don¡¯t have time for this,¡± I said, rubbing my temples. ¡°Where¡¯s Lily?¡± ¡°Lily?¡± Repeated Alec. ¡°My sister passed out hours ago. We put her in her head maid¡¯s bed and drew dicks on her face with charcoal!¡± He laughed. ¡°It was my idea!¡± RED cried out, laughing as well, losing his train of thought. ¡°Is that so,¡± I muttered, anger flashing in my eyes. Suddenly RED seemed to sober up as a terrible realization crossed his visage. ¡°Oh sh¡­¡± I flicked him before he even finished saying it. His body flew like a ragdoll into the wall behind him, embedding him into the stone. ¡°...Shit.¡± He whispered, pain in his tone. Alec looked at me, then at RED, and he laughed. I dashed forward and flicked him in the gut. His body crumpled to the floor instantly. I held back, but he would certainly be feeling it for the next week at least. ¡°Sleeping with unconscious women is rape, Alec,¡± I said with anger in my voice. ¡°The fact that you would even utter such words disgusts me. If you actually tried anything I¡¯d have killed you.¡± He looked up at me from the ground, barely holding onto his consciousness, but the fear in his eyes pulled me back. ¡°If I ever hear about you sleeping with a woman against her will, King or not, I will castrate you.¡± With that said I left the ¡®King¡¯ collapsed on the floor, a look of terror frozen on his visage. It took me a few moments to clean up the monsters in the castle. I tamed those that would listen and simply tossed the ones that wouldn¡¯t out of the city. By ¡®tossed¡¯ I mean that literally, I threw them over the walls like skeleton and devil hound missiles. Upon finishing the clean up, I found Lily fast asleep and washed the terrible graffiti off her. Gently I carried her to her own bed. She curled up in my arms and hugged me a bit, making my heart tremble for her adorableness¡­ And it reminded me of her injuries. My convictions redoubled, seeing her peaceful sleeping face. I would heal her, then I¡¯d banish the runes on this world letting their souls reenter the reincarnation cycle, and lastly I would kill Nox. ¡°Sleep well, Lily,¡± I whispered as I tucked her in and kissed her forehead. I walked back to my own apartment, Huggs still in tow. The cool night air felt good on my skin. I transformed the Heaven Demon Garb into a light silk dress. ¡°Huggs,¡± I said looking down at the little dragon in my arms. He looked back at me, his scales a bit flushed from the alcohol. ¡°You can¡¯t go back into storage. You need to sleep off the alcohol in your system. Thus, you¡¯re going to be my teddy bear tonight.¡± I¡¯m certain Huggs didn¡¯t know what a teddy bear was, but he could tell my intentions due to the bond in our souls. He started struggling like crazy, but my grip on him was iron. ¡°Come now, Huggs, it¡¯s only another six hours till daylight~¡± Chapter 44: The Start of a Journey The carriage didn¡¯t rattle. The ride felt smooth as a baby¡¯s bottom and I didn¡¯t like it. Part of the romance of travel was in the bouncing and bumps. As a kid in my last life, I loved sitting in the back of the bus on field trips for exactly that reason. I fumed a bit, but at least I wasn¡¯t the only one having a rough go of things. Huggs struggled like a banshee in my arms, trying to break free of my iron grip. I hadn¡¯t let him go since last night, and I wasn¡¯t about to. Lily sat across from me in the carriage and she looked like a picturesque noblewoman. She wore a gray-frilled dress covered in stylish bangles and jewels. I couldn¡¯t stop my eyes from glancing down, though, to her withering legs. They were starting to thin and, even when hidden under the billows of a wide hemmed dress, looked a bit unnatural. I could feel my own guilt stirring at the back of my mind so I snapped my head to the side where I could see out of a thick-glass window to watch the countryside roll by. Originally I never intended to ride the whole way in the carriage, but Lily insisted, and I could hardly say no to her¡­ Not after everything that happened. I compromised, though, by dragging Huggs in with me. Whenever conversation lulled I could always torment my little pet dragon. - One of our first stops was a small town I recalled with fond memories. I saw the sign from the window and smiled: ¡°Welcome to Sorten Village.¡± I smiled. This town hadn¡¯t changed at all. The same wood and thatch homes lined the streets and little mud-covered kids were scurrying about, swinging sticks and throwing balls. Off in the distance, working in a field, I could make out the familiar visage of a stocky farmer. I wanted to wave to him, but I doubt he¡¯d be able to see me through the tinted glass. ¡°Do you know this town, Calliope?¡± Lily asked. ¡°Yes. I stopped here for lunch when I went south with your letter. I had a meal with a nice family.¡± I pointed my finger to the farmer in the distance. ¡°That¡¯s Sell¡¯s father.¡±This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. Lily¡¯s eyes popped wide open. ¡°That¡¯s Sell¡¯s dad? He doesn¡¯t look like a gangster at all!¡± ¡°He¡¯s not a gangster,¡± I laughed, he¡¯s farmer. I don¡¯t know where Sell got her fashion sense from. Lily laughed with me. We enjoyed a short lunch break in the carriage. I wanted to go out to the town, but I felt bad about leaving Lily alone. She couldn¡¯t exactly go out and about herself, due to her condition. Her maids did assist her with a brief bathroom break, though. Soon enough we started our travels again. I felt a bit better having seen that village again. I was reminded of my last visit and I couldn¡¯t hide the goofy grin on my face. I wondered if the gold I left them back then ended up helping them out. I gave Lily a side glance at that thought. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back,¡± I said. ¡°Five minutes, tops.¡± Lily smiled. ¡°You can do whatever you want, Calliope. Don¡¯t mind me,¡± she said. I picked Huggs up and stared him in the eyes. ¡°Huggs, you are to guard Lily with your life while I¡¯m gone. If a single hair on her head is harmed¡­¡± I didn¡¯t need to finish the threat. The adorable baby dragon raised his right paw in a faux salute, something he probably picked up from watching the guards around us. I stifled my chuckle. Like a breeze I vanished from the carriage. None of the escorts noticed my absence except RED. I felt his eyes follow me as I ran back to that familiar village. It didn¡¯t take me long to find the house I ate in before. The young boy, Sell¡¯s brother Tristan, was carrying a bag of grain by the door. Quiet as a mouse, I slipped past him and into the door. Inside, cleaning a table, I found the tall woman I was looking for. Sell¡¯s mother hadn¡¯t changed a bit since my last visit. I used the blind spots in her eyes to sneak behind her and, with a tremendous sleight of hand, I put a few gold coins on the table right behind the cloth she was wiping it with. I left as quick as I came, leaving behind only a brisk breeze and a handful of coin. I heard a woman¡¯s panicked yell behind me. I stopped at the doorway and let her see me, briefly. Her eyes were tearing up. I waved and, without a word, took off. I really liked that family, and I felt bad for them having a delinquent like Sell for a kid. Rather than return to the convoy immediately, I decided to let Sandy out of the Space Pack for a short walk. I still had a couple minutes, anyways. Being able to move at supersonic speed was quite a cheat, to be honest. Once I thoroughly exhausted my Omega Hound, I returned to the carriage to find a very alert Huggs being gently pet by Lily. My heart shattered. Why was Huggs letting her pet him like that, but he bit me every time I tried!? ¡°Punishment!¡± I yelled as I appeared in front of him. The dragon¡¯s eyes went wide and it tried to dive under Lily¡¯s dress to get away. I caught him, though. Lily¡¯s laughter echoed from the carriage, and through the window I could see most of the guards and escorts smiling. Chapter 45: Answers and Souls Time ticked away and our entourage traveled unhindered. Our ¡®little caravan¡¯ was hardly disguised, as per Lily¡¯s idea of hiding in plain sight. We drew stares and pointed fingers wherever we went. Soon enough we reached the southern lands of Gransus. ¡°We¡¯ll be arriving at the Fort Clyfton soon,¡± said one of the guards riding alongside the carriage. The sun was getting low on the horizon and it would be dusk soon. I stretched, arching my back into the cushioned seats. ¡°We¡¯re going to be spending the night at the Fort,¡± said Lily. I nodded my head in reply. I feared the coming days a bit, but I knew full well I could handle whatever came. I would find the healer we needed and I would fix Lily¡¯s legs. There was no room for hypotheticals. I needed to move forward with conviction. - The Fort stood just as imposing as the first time I saw it, and the mountains in the background looked stunning as they cast long shadows eastward under the setting sun. A fire stirred in my heart and I thought back to my battle with the poor dragon here. I knew now that he meant no harm, and it hurt my soul a bit to see his home. Our souls were one. I was Calliope and I was also that poor dragon that greeted the human world in a long-dead language. And, at that moment, I knew I needed to go greet the dragon¡¯s family to tell them of his fate. It wasn¡¯t something I could overlook. ¡°Lily,¡± I said as I wrung my hands, ¡°I¡¯m going to take a trip into the mountains tonight while you rest. I¡¯ll leave RED to guard you.¡± ¡°I told you earlier, you can do whatever you want to do, Calliope,¡± she replied. I smiled at her gentle tone. She really was my best friend. - Nightfall came and I set out from the fort. The sleeves of my Heaven Garb transformed into a long leash and I tied it around Huggs neck. I dragged him behind me and smiled as he desperately fought to get free. I figured if I was going to meet some dragons I should bring along my pet dragon too. Though, for a moment, I did wonder if doing that would be considered a social faux pas. That thought vanished like clouds on a windy morning as I reached the base of the mountains. The trees were wide enough that seven men linking arms couldn¡¯t reach around them. They were taller than buildings and had rugged bark. Memories came to me from the Dragon Soul, and I felt an intense nostalgia overwhelm me. I knew this place and I knew these trees. Every small scratch on the bark, every pattern in the groves, they were all markings I could follow. My feet moved on their own. I was reminded of the times when RED controlled my body¡­ Those were all times when I messed up in the past. They were moments when I needed someone else to bail me out of my own mistakes. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. No more! My eyes snapped shut and I regained control. The dragon¡¯s soul within me tried to fight back, but with a thought I forced it to dissolve. I understood, from this moment, that the souls I absorbed through murder and killing weren¡¯t perfect. They weren¡¯t naturally part of me. They could still bubble to the surface and fight for control. I killed a lot of terrible people in my time here in this world, and I killed a lot of monsters too. Each one, like the World Dragon, could influence me. They were now a part of me, too. This world was fucked up. The Fae were fucked up. I looked up and found a sea of stars above. Between me and them was a film of energy surrounding the world, the terrible device that set up this twisted place, that locked the reincarnation cycle. I wondered, for a moment, how I could go about shattering it¡­ Or even if I could shatter it. - I walked on, following the familiar trails and the dark paths through the giant woods. I moved fast and with a bit of recklessness. Huggs bounced on a few branches and through a few bushes behind me, making throaty noises in irritation the whole way. After a long climb I reached a clearing, an end to the forest where a the path opened up into a wide dale. There, moving almost in a swarm of black and grays, were numerous dragons. I could see Rank 4 Earth Dragons, a few World Dragons, but the largest numbers belonged to the Rank 7 Chaos Dragons. Their dark scales glistened in the moonlit night, shimmering like the endless stars above. One Chaos Dragon stood up after sensing my presence. The rest seemed to pay me little mind, perhaps viewing a single humanoid as no possible threat. When the dragon stood up, though, and I saw its face, I recognized it. It was the mother of the World Dragon whose soul was now part of my own. The Dragon approached me, an intelligent light in its eyes. It didn¡¯t speak. It didn¡¯t need to. It set its head down by me and nuzzled up to me. Its nostrils flared and the wind they exhaled knocked Huggs off his feet. He grumbled and chirped as he rolled back to his feet, baring his fangs. I bopped the top of his head with an open hand to hush him. Reluctantly, I held my hand up and caressed the mother dragon¡¯s snout. Her eyes were gentle and calm despite looking at her own son¡¯s killer. Or, perhaps, she saw her own son in me. What portion of my soul was constituted of that World Dragon? One percent? Two? It wasn¡¯t a large amount. I looked into her eyes and I could feel the Dragon in me crying out, his sadness overwhelming. I didn¡¯t say a word. I just leaned my body into the snout of the mother dragon and laid my head down on her scales. They felt warm to the touch. I could hear her heartbeat, a distant echo, through her skin. It comforted me and sounded like home. - Morning came and I set off from the mountain. I felt refreshed and a bit melancholic. The question: ¡®Who am I?¡¯ continued to thunder in my head, but I was starting to see the answer in front of me. Memories were just that, memories. Is a man with amnesia a different man? Does a Dementia patient become someone else entirely? I didn¡¯t know the answer to those questions, but I knew in my heart that it probably didn¡¯t matter. A person wasn¡¯t judged by their thoughts, their memories, or their soul. A person was judged by their actions alone. I looked up to the dawning sun as its light swept away the stars. My words echoed through the woods, ¡°Who I am is determined by what I do.¡± Chapter 46: To The Pass I returned to the Fort and found the escort knights and maids setting up the carriage for the day¡¯s journey. A few men dressed in the Fort¡¯s uniform were running about with clipboards and paperwork, gathering signatures for the trip. Identifications were checked and the carriage was inspected for contraband. Two men with darker skin and foreign armor were down by the stables. They were inspecting the horses one by one, and they seemed to be looking for something. I had never seen armor like theirs before and my first thoughts were that they were from Barbory. I decided to steer clear of them for the moment, wary about my own demi-human nature being found out. I certainly didn¡¯t want to cause any issues at this point of the trip. The adventure through the pass would be harrowing enough, there was no need to invite raiding parties from religious fanatics. My Heaven Garb covered me in a loose riding cloak. I wore a hood and hid my body¡¯s inhuman features as best I could. I blended well into the crowd of guards and maids, almost like a shadow. I needed to find Lily. In the center of all the action, near the carriage, I found Lily in her wheelchair talking to some attendant about trade numbers. I walked over to them, careful not to startle anyone as I moved. Lily sensed another presence and looked up from the clipboard in her hands. When she saw me she first smiled, but then her eyes widened in a panic. ¡°Calliope, get on the carriage please and keep yourself hidden. I need to talk to you about some things,¡± she said, her voice hushed and fast. I nodded in reply and decided to board first. I leaned into the seat and kept myself from showing through the windows. I didn¡¯t want to cause a scene here. I wasn¡¯t certain why there were two men from Barbory here, but I wasn¡¯t about to give them an excuse to cause trouble. After about half an hour of waiting, Lily was lifted up into the carriage by her maids. They sat her down across from me. We both stared at each other for a moment in silence. ¡°I¡¯m sure you saw them,¡± said Lily, breaking the quiet moment. ¡°The two men from Barbory?¡± I asked. ¡°Yes. They were waiting here for our group, at the Fort. They supposedly knew about my injury and that our country would send me down south for healing¡­¡± ¡°So there¡¯s a spy in the current administration?¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± replied Lily. ¡°That¡¯s my current theory. If they know about me coming they certainly know about you, but they haven¡¯t asked anything about you the entire time. Their official purpose is to guide us through The Pass and inspect our caravan for contraband.¡± ¡°Are they here to confirm my presence?¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± she said with a frown. ¡°For now, just try to keep yourself hidden during the remainder of the trip. At least from them. I don¡¯t know why, but my intuition is telling me something bad is going to happen if they see you.¡± I smiled at her concern for me. It felt good and genuine, almost familial in nature. I would get her legs healed and, if those two ¡®Inspectors¡¯ from Barbory caused problems, I¡¯d remove them. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. I didn¡¯t like the idea of being passive or hiding, so I wouldn¡¯t necessarily do that, but I couldn¡¯t underestimate anyone in this world. It wasn¡¯t that long ago that I fell under that ¡®Tartarus¡¯ charm. Just because I don¡¯t think anyone in this world can kill me, doesn¡¯t mean they can¡¯t try to kill the people I care about. Lily was the best example. I thought about all the deaths I¡¯d witnessed, all the carnage and the massacres, and then I thought about last night, the night I spent holding that dragon and watching the stars above. Finally, I thought about Nox¡¯s ¡®mission¡¯ for me. He wanted an army to fight against the other Fae, but could I even trust him? Wouldn¡¯t he just turn against me once his enemies were slain? He certainly didn¡¯t seem like a magnanimous God. In the pit of my stomach I knew the way forward. I needed to gain levels and I needed to level up my friends. Once I healed Lily¡¯s legs, I¡¯d help her start down the path of Ascendancy. I loved her like a sister, and I didn¡¯t want to have her soul be mixed with terrible things, but I couldn¡¯t let her stay weak like this. I couldn¡¯t let her be my weakness any longer. I could have her kill monsters with low to no ego, so that her mind wouldn¡¯t be too affected by the mixing. Doing so would slow her down a lot, though. I wasn¡¯t certain if it was possible within the provided timeline... I peeked out the window and saw RED nearby; his shining golden hair made him stick out like a sore thumb. I knew for a fact that RED could probably manage. He was a bit of a spiteful bastard at times, but he was reliable. My mind also thought of James and his farmboy style. Last I heard he was still training in the east, in the place called The Forgotten Lands. I didn¡¯t know if James could handle the mental strain. He seemed tougher than me, at least. Though that wasn¡¯t exactly a high bar. - The carriage started moving again after a few hours of preparation. Lily and I passed the time in silence, broken only whenever one of the guards popped in to give a report. I closed my eyes and could sense the mana around us, using a skill I earned during my climb through the Calico Dungeon. It hadn¡¯t truly been too long since then, but it felt like a lifetime ago to me. Surpassing level 1000 skewed my sense of time, and memories were blurring together. ¡°We¡¯re nearing The Pass,¡± said one of the maids through the door of the carriage. I opened my eyes and looked out the window, but the angle wasn¡¯t right. I could only see the mountains on the side. I wanted to see The Pass. It was supposedly a dangerous place and, even with the inspectors from Barbory around, I wasn¡¯t about to sit back and let the escorting knights die in an emergency. ¡°I¡¯m going outside for a bit, Lily,¡± I said. ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± she replied with a smile, ¡°But just try not to be seen. You¡¯re quite good at that. You practiced sneaking up on me all those times, after all.¡± I didn''t know how to reply to that. I could feel a heat on my cheeks. Lily stifled a laugh. Slipping out of the carriage, I used my speed to avoid wandering eyes. It only took me a moment to locate the two inspectors. One was riding at the front of the group leading the way; the other rode in the back to make sure no stragglers went off. I climbed a tree off to the side and, from the top of it, I could see The Pass. Nestled between the two mountains was a dark crack, a bolt of black lightning that split the land and sky, buried in a tide of green. The two mountains met in a twisted amalgamation of rock and tree, and I couldn¡¯t tell where the roots began and the earth ended. Giant systems of tree roots formed tunnels where dim lighting hid dangerous nooks and dangerous creatures. Markers of stone and sign were scattered about, some painted with white skulls and crossbones. It wasn¡¯t so much a path between the mountains but a path that cut through the mountains. Finally, at that moment, I understood why they called it simply ¡®The Pass¡¯. It wasn¡¯t a path carved by man. It was just another environment, much like a dungeon. I could feel tremendous mana signatures ahead, and several of them surpassed the 7th Rank. I almost wanted to rebuke the situation entirely. How could low-leveled humans, a race that from my understanding rarely ever surpassed the 30th level, deal with traversing this canyon way? The answer came to me almost the moment I asked it. The fact that this Pass separated two countries implied it was rarely traversed. This was the way of warriors, the path of the daring and brave; this was the path of heroes. Chapter 47: A Dive to Dark Places The caravan neared the entry to The Pass. I followed along silently, my [Passive Mana Detect] roaring in my head. The growing trees cast dark shadows over the entrance, and the path split into three directions. From all of them I could sense a myriad of lower ranked monsters. My body moved like a gust of wind, silent and fast. I jumped down from the tree and hit the ground running, my speed blurring my form. I zigzagged through the escorts and moved ahead of the group, into the tunnel the Barbory inspector was leading everyone down. Bulbous spore-filled sacks were hanging off the root systems that made up the walls of the tunnel-like path. I didn¡¯t touch them. From three turns in the tunnel ahead I could sense a swarm of creatures. I started running faster. When I turned the corner I found a wriggling tide of gray centipede monsters, each larger than a wolf. The air smelled of gore and rot; it gagged me. They were Rank 2 monsters, weak enough to be handled by the knights individually, but in numbers this large the caravan would be overrun. My eyes started to water from the smell as I pulled my sword from my Spacefold Pack. Belial¡¯s Blade thrummed with energy as the orange glow of flames covered it from hilt to tip. I charged forward and burned a path, leaving charred remains behind. My hood blew down from the wind of my dash and my hair trailed behind me; it looked like two black streaks playing tag. The tide of bugs closed behind me as I advanced, the bugs cannibalizing one another immediately. In the thick of things the smell seemed to get stronger, as if it was trying to barrel through my nose and into my brain. I focused. [Combat State], one of my racial traits, activated for the first time in a long time. Immediately, the smell vanished. My eyes regained their clarity and my movements improved. From a robotic charge, my actions shifted into more of a dance. I cut down huge swaths of the creatures and, while mowing the way forward wondered just how the Inspectors from Barbory made it through this way. Were they trying to lead the caravan down a harder path than the one they took? Or did they have a trick to surpass the tide of bugs? Once I thinned the numbers enough I retreated to the side and hid in the darkest of shadows. It took a few minutes, but eventually the leading inspector came into view. Behind him were the knights on horseback and Lily¡¯s carriage. The man from Barbory raised his hand and I could hear his voice from here. ¡°Up ahead are the centipede pits. I¡¯ve got a special garlic incense here. When I burn this they will open a path for us,¡± said the man. ¡­ I wanted to kill something. My hands clenched so tight my knuckles turned white. I intended to clear out the obstacles ahead of the group to avoid any emergencies requiring me making a scene in front of the inspectors, but it seemed that by doing so I only ended up making a fool of myself¡­ The smell hit me again as [Combat State] finally started to wear off. I gagged and suffered in silence as the group passed by, unhindered by the remaining centipedes. I followed behind, but I decided to let the guides to their jobs from that point forward. Secretly, far in the back, I pulled a few cleaning supplies from my item pack and tried to scrub off the smell of the bugs. - The paths continued on in twisted and strange ways. Every hundred yards or so the Barbory Inspector would stop the group, pull out a map, and reconfirm his direction. I desperately wanted that map, but I couldn¡¯t justify stealing it. The Inspectors, against all my expectations, seemed to be genuinely leading the way forward. ¡°At this pace,¡± said the Inspector in the rear to one of the knights, ¡°We¡¯ll make it through the Pass in three or four days. That¡¯s quite fast.¡±The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. My heart dropped. I hadn¡¯t realized The Pass would take that much time to get through. If every portion of this journey was as harrowing and heartbreaking as the centipede pits, I wasn¡¯t sure if I could survive it! - The path ahead opened up into a round valley, shaped almost like a bowl. Water flowed from the top down into what looked to be a cistern, a manmade box of stone and steel. A few beams of light broke through the woven trees and rocks above, showing patches of distant sky. ¡°This is the first rest point,¡± called out the leading Inspector as he raised his hand up. ¡°We will rest here for half a day, restock our water, and move to the next leg of the trip. You must all prepare yourselves, because we¡¯ve been rather lucky so far. That luck won''t last.¡± ¡°What needlessly ominous words,¡± I said as I snuck back into Lily¡¯s carriage. ¡°Ominous is fine,¡± she replied. ¡°I¡¯d rather have everyone on edge rather than have them be careless.¡± ¡°They know I¡¯m around,¡± I replied. ¡°Their movements were too practiced and I left too many obvious signs.¡± ¡°You did? I didn¡¯t notice anything,¡± said Lily, her tongue firmly in her cheek. I giggled, though. I didn¡¯t bother to follow through the routine. Of course Lily didn¡¯t see anything; she was inside the carriage the entire time, after all. We¡¯d only been traveling for about eight hours, and, if we were going to rest for half a day, that meant that the split would probably be split up between these ¡®safe zones¡¯. The cistern water looked clean and several of the knights drank from it, not finding any issue. I decided to sneak back out and steal a few sips myself. I dipped my hands into the clear water and brought it to my lips. It tasted good, like something straight from a mountain spring. Well, it was straight from a mountain spring. I slipped off from the groups and walked up the slanted valley walls. I could see the small patches of sky through the overlapping tree roots above, and I wanted to see the area from a higher vantage point. Cragged rocks tried to cut my hands but didn¡¯t leave a mark. I jumped and grabbed a low-hanging branch. I pulled myself up and, from there, I could see the entire valley around the central cistern. I looked down and watched the escort knights and maids scurry about as they set up camp. Lily was being helped out of the carriage and into her wheelchair and the free hands built a small bonfire. My mana detection began to ping me and, despite my decision earlier to not interfere, I couldn¡¯t stop myself this time. Something was coming towards the valley from a side path, something big. I could hear the distant thunder of its footsteps and I could see the swelling of the air around that tunnel. Whatever beast it was, it neared the peak of Rank 9, almost bridging the gap to the next level beyond, almost touching upon Ascendancy. I jumped through the air from the branch of the tree and threw my arms out. My Heaven Garb, still fashioned as a riding cloak, fluttered in the breeze. I wanted to cry out at the sensation, to let my stress free, but I couldn¡¯t find the nerve. I landed on the ground with nimble steps and vanished, running at my full speed towards that side entrance. No light shined in the cave in front of me, but I didn¡¯t stop my feet. One step at a time I walked into the dark tunnel, and all the world disappeared into shadow. My eyes glowed with mana and I could make out the wide tunnel system ahead. Green moss glowed in the distance, showing the path forward. I tracked the mana signature deeper and deeper, further and further away from the cistern vale. Soon I was so deep that even the moss stopped growing. A profound darkness surrounded me. A droplet of water fell somewhere in the distance, making a plinking sound. Nothing moved after. The silence hummed in my ears, broken only by the sound of my own heart beating like a drum. The still air stirred. The monster took a deep breath, and the wind from its lungs threatened to pull me into its waiting maw. The creature¡¯s visage opened up before me like a storybook. Row upon row of teeth, each bigger than me, cut through the air. I jumped back just in time to avoid the creature¡¯s bite. The tunnel shook from the force of its blow. I stumbled back but caught myself. Belial¡¯s Blade appeared in my hands. [Combat State] Roared to life and my frantic heart stopped beating. This monster before me neared on the level of the Elder Nature Dragon I fought in the Calico Dungeon. Broken scales marred its form and the traces of battles long won gave it the aura of a fierce warrior. With its sneak attack failed, the creature stopped hiding its noise. A heavy thunderous sound boomed; after a few moments it played again. I recognized the noise as the beast¡¯s own heartbeat. Just as I panicked before, the monster was in a panic now. It recognized me as a threat. It could feel my mana surging just below my skin. I realized my eyes were sore. I wondered for just how long I had been smiling. Belial¡¯s Blade flashed in my hands, and my battle began. Chapter 48: The Chase My first cut dug deep, dismantling the creatures scales and hide like butter. Warm blood started to fill the cavern and the beast wailed, its screech so loud the soundwave took me off my feet like a concussive blast. I hit the wall behind me and felt fuzz. I jumped forward just as the wall collapsed inwards into the waiting maw of another creature, something more twisted and evil than the giant wyrm. This place, deep in The Pass, wasn¡¯t a good place to be. The air tasted stale and it smelled earthy, like loam. One by one eyes lit up in the darkness, woken from their slumbers by the large creature¡¯s bellow. Mana signatures popped up like daisies. Why hadn¡¯t I been able to sense them before now? I started to move as a tide of moss and chitin smashed into where I had just been standing. Something brushed against my arm, cutting into it and drawing blood. The loamy smell started to turn into something else. All I could smell now was Iron. The darkness seemed effervescent, almost tangible, but it constantly kept me on my toes. I moved with my [Mana Detect] more than with my eyes. I realized I was relying on the skill a lot, but I didn''t have a choice. I found the large beast as it tried to burrow underground and, for a moment, I considered letting it escape. I had already injured it, surely it wouldn¡¯t come towards the cistern again¡­ But then I remembered that this Pass was used by other people, not just our group. Once the creature healed it would cause trouble again. Perhaps it would miss some travelersthrough sheer serendipity, but others would die if I left it be. I swung my sword to my left and watched as a wall of fire lit up the dark cave. Insectoids burned alongside monsters made of plants and moss. Two rows of white teeth flashed in that dark cave, forming a strange smile. They were my own. I dove into the newly dug tunnel, keeping after the large wyrm, wanting to finish the job I started. I couldn¡¯t let such a dangerous creature get away. I couldn¡¯t let such a delicious source of EXP get away. I still needed another 200 levels before I could be confident in facing Nox, and even then I¡¯d be severely beneath him. He knew how to fight in this post level 1000 world far better than I did, after all. The tunnel turned and intersected another cave system. I could feel a breeze stirring in this new one, and there were lights shining alongside one wall where blue and clear crystals glowed, their luminescence almost like a fleeting dream. The light vanished as I followed the monster deeper still, down another bend and into more pitch-black caverns. Up ahead I could hear the beast scurrying, trying desperately to get away. I wouldn''t let it. I couldn¡¯t let it! I started moving faster. Belial¡¯s Blade bloomed with red fire and a sun dawned in that dark world. The monster howled again as I grabbed it and cut deep into its back, bypassing its armor with ease. It started to thrash about, but I didn¡¯t loosen my grip. With my [Mana Detect] I could see the nodes in its body where its mana was the thickest. I could essentially see its most vital points, and I stabbed Belial¡¯s Blade into those spots like a machine, like clockwork. A high-pitched scream sounded in the tunnels, the death throes of a creature on the brink of Ascendancy. In that dark tunnel, surrounded by bugs and death, I stood up again. I looked down on my hands, stained red with blood, and I couldn¡¯t help smiling, my mouth curving like a crescent moon. I repeated the line that I affirmed to myself not too long ago, ¡°I am defined by what I do.¡± And what I do is kill monsters. I clenched my fist. In my eyes, the Fae were nothing but monsters too. I would kill them all and I would salt the ground they rose from. I was living a normal happy life back on Earth, but because of my soul¡¯s strength I was destined for destruction? To become livestock on their shitty EXP farm? Assuming Nox didn¡¯t lie to me (and why would he even need to?), then all the Fae were nothing but despots, overlords who raped, pillaged, and plundered the myriad worlds to further themselves in their sick endeavors. And I would need to do the same. If I wanted to get strong enough to rise above this world, to rise above their shitty playground. I needed more and more power¡­ And I needed strong allies I could trust with all my life. - I started making my way back through the dark tunnels, following the path I came from. Things were twisted in The Pass, and the tree roots growing through the rock and stone could shift, causing passages to change. Thankfully that didn¡¯t happen to me. I first found the starlight valley of shining gems, and soon I found the dug out tunnels I previously chased the monster wyrm through. Those tunnels lead me to the room of moss walls, where sleeping insects lied in wait, hoping for another battle to awaken them from their slumber. Step by step I traced my way back and, after what felt like hours, I saw a light at the end of the tunnel. I could see the cistern valley¡­ But I could also see a different problem. In the entrance to the tunnel I was walking out of, sitting in conversation, were the two inspectors from Barbory. They had their maps out and were talking to each other. I wanted, desperately, to sneak up on them and to see their maps. I wanted to know their plans. My body melded with the shadows of the tunnel as my Heaven Garb turned a shade of black darker than midnight on a moonless night. I moved with speed and precision, and I climbed alongside the far wall, making sure I avoided their eyes whenever possible. My [Mana Detect] started to go wild as I approached the men. I could see waves of mana coming off of them, almost like small pulses of radiation, and those waves traveled off through the walls and ceilings of the mountains towards the South. I realized that the two men were communicating with their home country. One part of me, my lost innocence, wanted to believe they were asking for any updates on The Pass, in case there were any changes waiting up ahead. The Realist in me understood that they were working as spies for their country, reporting our location and every move. I wondered, for a moment, if they were even sending information about me, too. It made sense. They were from Barbory and we were a foreign group traveling to their country for medical aid. Of course they¡¯d have someone watch us¡­ But it still felt slimy. Finally, once I inched close enough, I could hear their voices. ¡°Do you think the Demon will show herself?¡± The shorter one asked. He had a small tattoo of a fox on his left cheek. ¡°I doubt it. They know we¡¯re watching them and, if what we¡¯ve heard about her is true, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if she knew we were sending regular reports back home.¡± ¡°Not all of those rumors can be true, Kasinko,¡± said the Fox Man. ¡°They sounded more like myth, like a God descended...¡± ¡°But the Gods do descend,¡± replied the man named Kasinko. He was taller and wore a brocade robe. Numerous bangles and silver trinkets adorned him. ¡°We know that better than any other country in the world. One even¡­¡± ¡°Hush, Kasinko. You never know if that Demon is listening¡­¡± - I almost wanted to laugh at that. The Fox Man was definitely the smarter of the two. While he argued against believing in rumors, he still took their warning to heart. I finagled around a bit and, after a few maneuvers, I was able to catch sight of the map sitting between the two men. Their conversation lulled and moved on to talking about progressing forward, and they discussed the merits of which path to take and what countermeasures against beasts to employ. The map itself was a robust thing, with numerous drawings and magnified sections, showing an almost labyrinthine world. I was reminded of the Calico Dungeon once more. That memory continued to haunt me. I thought about when I rejected RED, I thought about my overconfidence in going to that dinner alone, and I thought about the first man I ever willingly killed, that poor man used as a [Mana Lock] to keep me tied to the return point of the Tartarus Charm. I clenched my teeth. I knew the only way to fix this fucked up world was to get rid of the shield blocking the reincarnation cycle that the Fae set up¡­ But the Fae didn¡¯t set up that dinner I went to. They didn¡¯t set up the Prince¡¯s coup. The Fae weren¡¯t the ones that crippled Lily¡¯s legs. Man¡¯s own evils did that. I did that through my negligence. I still had a long way to go. I still had a long path to walk. Chapter 49: Memories of Nobody I used one of the streams hidden behind a rock formation to clean myself up. I washed blood, dust, dirt, and other things off my body. I felt refreshed, and that feeling almost overwhelmed me. My darker thoughts started to parse to the back of my head, and I thought more in the now. I needed to stop focusing on the bad things. There was good in my life, too. There weren¡¯t just evil people in this tragic world, and, despite everything being against them, people like Lily could grow up into well adjusted individuals. I took a long drink of the clear water and felt it fill me in more than in just a physical sense. It filled me with conviction and strength. The dark clouds hanging over my eyes scattered like dust under a strong wind. I made my way back into the carriage. I waited there alone for a while. Lily was outside enjoying the bonfire still. For just a moment, I decided to close my eyes and nod off. Sleep took me in a snap. My body stilled and, for the first time in a long time, I dreamed. - ¡°Hey, XXXXX?¡± he said, his face blurred out by a white static. I couldn¡¯t remember his name. ¡°Yeah?¡± I replied. ¡°What do you think happens when we die?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± I said. I laid back and put my hands behind my head. I stared up the ceiling to my room. ¡°Why do you ask?¡± ¡°Because sometimes I wonder if living is¡­ I wonder if being dead is as tough as being alive.¡± I sat up and looked to my friend. I put a hand on his shoulder and pulled him into a hug. ¡°Listen, we don¡¯t have any way to know what happens when we die,¡± I said, my words coming from somewhere I didn¡¯t recognize, ¡°But we do know what happens when we¡¯re alive. The way I see it, we should do our best to enjoy this time we know we get, instead of gambling our fates on an afterlife. Live life to the fullest, and all that shit.¡± I paused and looked him in the eyes. He smiled. ¡°Are you okay, Sal?¡± I asked. - I woke up with a start. The carriage was moving and my mind was fuddled, filled with broken thoughts and memories, altered histories hidden deep in my fractured soul. Lily was sitting opposite me, looking at me with warm eyes. ¡°Did you sleep well, Calliope?¡± She asked. Did I? I couldn¡¯t answer that question. At that moment I felt like someone hit me with a truck, so the answer was probably ¡®No.¡¯ I didn¡¯t want to say that to Lily, though. ¡°Yeah,¡± I replied, my voice weaker than normal. ¡°I had a good dream.¡± My dream played again and again my head. I couldn¡¯t remember that memory. It didn¡¯t feel right, as if it were being obstructed by some outside power. Why did I dream of it at all, then? I shook my head. My mind wasn¡¯t right and I needed a break. I needed to do something with my hands. I looked out the window to the carriage and spotted RED riding his horse nearby. For some reason my eyes lingered on him a bit longer than normal. I wasn¡¯t sure why. ¡°I¡¯ll be out for a bit, Lily,¡± I said. ¡°Come back soon. It¡¯s quite lonely when you¡¯re off having adventures and doing daring do,¡± she replied, her tone cheeky and cute. A smile crept up on me without my knowing. ¡°Sure thing, boss,¡± I said before I slipped out the door. Among the riders in the entourage, no one noticed when the golden-haired man named RED vanished from his horse. - ¡°What¡¯s up, Calliope?¡± RED asked. I looked at him and opened my mouth to talk, but the words wouldn¡¯t come out. What could I say? That I was experiencing dreams of memories I didn¡¯t have? Yes. That¡¯s exactly what I needed to say. ¡°RED, when Nox brought me over, he messed with my head. I think he changed some of my memories¡­¡± I managed to eke out my thoughts. ¡°He did. He messed with mine too,¡± RED immediately replied. Hearing his words made a metaphoric weight leave my shoulders. I know it was a terrible thing to think, but deep in the back of my mind a part of me was screaming in joy because I wasn¡¯t alone. ¡°Do you¡­ Know anything about what those memories were?¡± I asked, probing the man that once shared a headspace with me. Of all the people in this world, RED and I were perhaps closer than anyone else alive could ever have been. ¡°... I have, a few clues,¡± he said after a long pause. I stopped myself from asking further. The look in his eyes, the pain hidden there, it told me not to probe deeper. ¡°I¡­ I had a memory of someone. I couldn¡¯t remember his name or face, but he was so familiar to me. I think he was my best friend,¡± I said, trying my best to tell my story, hoping it would ease RED¡¯s pain a bit. Perhaps my story was a bit close to his, though, because he looked like I stabbed him in the heart. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, this kind of thing must be hard to talk about for you,¡± I said. ¡°After all, you were much worse off in Nox¡¯s hands than I was. At least he gave me a body¡­¡± My voice trailed off. ¡°Calliope,¡± RED put his hand on my shoulder. The gesture felt familiar¡­ Too familiar. Then RED pulled me into a hug. I didn¡¯t fight him. His arms and body, so much weaker than my own, felt ten times stronger in that moment. ¡°RED, why does my heart hurt so much?¡± I didn¡¯t even remember asking the question. It was a dumb question. The answer was obvious and I could answer it myself: ¡®Because you¡¯ve suffered a terrible fate. You¡¯ve been kidnapped from your home, transformed into something else entirely, and then had hundreds of souls grafted onto your own. You¡¯ve watched people die and you¡¯ve had to kill others. Now you are even tasked with the insurmountable job of killing Gods...¡¯ Why did I bother to ask it at all? For what it was worth, RED didn¡¯t reply in any way I expected, instead he said something I didn¡¯t expect at all. His words shattered something in my heart to pieces. He said, ¡°Because you¡¯ve losta friend.¡± At that moment, thanks to RED''s words, I knew exactly what memories I had lost. I had lost an entire person. I couldn¡¯t remember his face or his name, but I knew¡­ I had lost all my memories of my best friend. Chapter 50: To Find a Friend I don¡¯t know how long I held onto RED, but I noticed the caravan was no longer in sight. I felt a hand brush my cheek, just under my eyes. I looked up to see RED smiling at me, his gentle eyes so full of care and love that it almost broke my heart. I knew he felt something for me, something deeper than friendship¡­ But I didn¡¯t think I could ever bring myself to love him in the same way. RED was, to me, a precious friend. He was someone I cared about, and he was someone I once hurt in the past. I had hurt most of the people that I cared about at some point during my time in this world. ¡°Thank you, RED,¡± I said as I pushed him away. ¡°We need to catch up to the rest of the group.¡± ¡°No, Calliope,¡± RED¡¯s voice insisted. I could see a spark of determination in his eyes. It was something solid, something very real, and it was strong. ¡°I need to tell you this.¡± ¡°RED, it can wait. We don¡¯t have time to talk about feelings anymo¡­¡± ¡°Calliope!¡± His voice shook me to my core. His face turned, hisgentle smile became something serious, something profound. ¡°I¡¯m sure you know how I feel about you, but that¡¯s NOT what I¡¯m about to tell you.¡± ¡°R-RED,¡± I stuttered. ¡°What is it, then?¡± His aura scared me, a bit. What could be so important... ¡°Calliope, my real name is Sal.¡± Thunder crashed. The world shook. My eyes lost focus. A flood of thoughts broke through the dam that held them in place. Memories came back like an avalanche, burying my mind. My heart was beating hard enough to crack my ribs, and the booming of it was all I could hear. Everything faded from my view, turning a bright white. - I was sitting at the lunch table at school. Sal was across from me. He had brown shaggy hair and a sharp nose. I had found him being picked on just minutes earlier, and I dragged him away from the jerks. He was quiet and played withhis food. ¡°Thank you,¡± he finally said. ¡°It¡¯s no problem,¡± I replied as I took a bite. I wasn¡¯t the strongest or the fastest kid, but I wasn¡¯t truly small or scrawny like Sal. Those bullies wouldn¡¯t mess with me so easily. I knew why they were picking on Sal, but I genuinely didn¡¯t care about him being bisexual. I just didn¡¯t like what those other boys were saying. That was why I stepped in. That was all. I couldn''t tell if it was pity or on the merit of my own morals. I certainly didn''t consider myself a ''good person'', but I didn''t need to be a good person to help out Sal there. It didn''t cost me anything but my lonely lunch. We finished ourmeals in silence. Sal looked like he didn''t want to say anything, and his face was still flushed from the event. I didn''t blame him for receding like that. I think most people, when faced with confrontation, would shrink back. Sal stood from the table and started to walk off with his tray, his shoulders huddled in, making him look even smaller than he was. He looked so tiny and weak. ¡°Hey, Sal,¡± I called out and he stopped. ¡°Let¡¯s eat lunch together again, tomorrow.¡± My offer had no ulterior motives. I didn''t want him to be alone and get picked on, and I didn''t exactly mind the company. He turned and looked at me. His genuine smile warmed my heart a bit. He looked thankful and he waved with one hand. He didn''t say it aloud, but he definitely agreed to eat with me in the future. I couldn''t hide my own grin. That was where it all started. That was how our friendship began. I didn¡¯t think much of it at the time, but everything began from that moment. By quietly stepping in to help someone else, I sparked a friendship that even crossed worlds. Those bullies never bothered him again, either. For the life of me, I don''t even remember what I threatened them with. I couldn''t remember them clearly. All I remember was them backing off without a fuss.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. - I was lying on my bed, throwing a bouncy ball against the ceiling of my room. Sal was sitting next to me doing his homework. I had already given up on mine. I knew what I wanted to do with my future, and I was already earning money in my spare time doing it. I didn¡¯t need to know how to do integration. A calculator could do all the math I¡¯d ever need for the rest of my life. ¡°Hey XXXX,¡± Sal called my name. ¡°Yeah?¡± I replied. ¡°Do you really think you¡¯ll be able to do this Dark Gamer thing forever?¡± He asked. I smiled. Hedidn¡¯t know, but I was making a lot more money than he thought. I had a fantastic reputation in my professional circle.Sal and I didn¡¯t play games together much anymore, due to my job, but we were still close. We¡¯d go out for meals from time to time, or we¡¯d just get together and hang out while doing schoolwork. One time we snuck through the backwoods of Jamison Street to look at a big industrial accident that happened at the tile factory there. You know, generic teenage antics. ¡°I think I can,¡± I replied. ¡°D-do you ever think about the future? Like what you want to do down the road or who you want to marry?¡± I almost laughed. ¡°To be honest, Sal, I¡¯m content with just leveling up characters in games. I¡¯ve never met a girl that made me want to hang out with her over playing video games, either. It takes someone special to pull me from my games.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not playing video games right now,¡± said Sal, a bit of teasing in his tone. I tossed the bouncy ball at him and he ducked. It hit the dresser behind him before bouncing to the floor somewhere out of sight. ¡°That¡¯s because I¡¯m spending time with my best friend. I¡¯ll always make time for you," I said. It was the truth. Sal was my best friend, the one person in the world I could trust with anything. - One by one memories of our time together returned to me. I didn¡¯t know just when I fell to my knees. I didn¡¯t know when I started crying. I couldn¡¯thold back my tears long enough to say anything at all. I remained still; the silencewas broken only by my sniffles and sobs. Nox tore those memories from me. He tore my best friend, one of the few people I cared about in all the world, from me. He turned my best friend into a fucking encyclopedia and trapped him in my goddamn head! More than sadness, I could feel an uncontrollable rage burning in my heart. I couldn¡¯t see through my blurred eyes, and everything was turning red. More than weakness, I felt my own strength bubbling just under my skin, as if I were made of mana itself rather than flesh and blood. ¡°I¡¯m going to kill him,¡± I said through grit teeth. My voice sounded like an iron rake being dragged across a gravel road. ¡°I¡¯ll help you, Calliope,¡± Sal replied. Hearing the name Calliope made me shiver. I still couldn¡¯t remember my real name, the name I had in my last life. ¡°Do you remember my name, Sal?¡± I asked. ¡°I cannot.¡± I grit my teeth at his answer. My breathing was growing erratic and I could hear my heart pounding in my chest, ready to break through my ribs like a bomb. The wetness on my cheeks faded into a hard heat. My knuckles turned white from clenching my fists so hard. It took me a moment before I could manage to stand up again. Off in the distance I could sense Lily¡¯s escort knights fighting off a low-ranked monster swarm. ¡°We need to return to the group, Sal,¡± I said. My duty to Lily and the escorts grounded me. It gave me a point to return to, a way to climb back from the edge. ¡°Keep calling me RED for now,¡± he replied. I winced and held a hand over my aching heart. ¡°I don¡¯t want to,¡± I told him. ¡°But you have to. Nox has spies. The Country of Gransus was the kingdom he set up many years ago. He moved one of The Tempered, the founder of this country, to this world back then. If you start calling me Sal, and one of the spies hears, who knows what will happen¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to be honest here,¡± I said through grit teeth, ¡°I don¡¯t think it matters.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°Because I think he already knows I have my memory back. And, I think he knows it doesn¡¯t matter if I do hate him¡­¡± I looked Sal in the eyes. ¡°Sal, the last time we met, Nox threatened my familyfrom our world. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll go after yours, too. I know you and your mom weren''t on the best terms, but I can''t let him kill her all the same.¡± My words brought a profound silence with them. I sighed and patted Sal on the shoulder as I passed by him. ¡°I¡¯m going to go clean up the monsters head of the group. You should go help kill the small fry for now. As much as we hate him, we can¡¯t just go after him¡­¡± I was about ten steps away when I turned back. ¡°Yet. Sal, we will kill Nox, but for now, the only thing we can do is to level up and prepare. He holds all the cards, but as that old saying goes, ¡®It¡¯s not about the cards you''re dealt, but how you play the game.¡¯ I know we can win.¡± I left Sal standing alone on that large tree root. My tumultuous heart finally calmed down. I was a guardian to this small caravan going through The Pass. I couldn''t forget my role. I thought of Lily''s face and I managed to eke out a smile. Thoughts of her were what kept me calm, kept me sane. I couldn''t just get hellbent on revenge and turn blind to reality. I was stronger than that. ¡°Who I am is what I do.¡± I repeated my new mantra quietly to myself as I moved. Chapter 51: Lost Hope Public Release: Feb. 22nd, 2019 - 17:00 pm EST I slid down a cascading waterfall of dark water. On my left two Rank 8 monsters charged. Their heads were ant-like with two proboscis protruding like pincers, each lined with rows of sharp teeth. I drew Belial¡¯s Blade and cut down as I slipped past. I spun on the water, using the slippery rock surface beneath to my advantage. In my rotation my sword cut into their heads one by one, ending their lives in a flash. I regained my balance mid fall and looked out in the distance. On a large tree root that spanned a wide chasm, I could see the caravan marching forward, the escort knights cutting down lower ranked monsters en mass. I couldn¡¯t hide my grin. No blood stayed on me, but the dark waters carried a smell like phosphorus, something similar to¡ªbut not quite like¡ªgarlic. My Heaven¡¯s Demon Garb transformed, clinging to my skin like a wetsuit. I finally landed in the pool at the bottom of the waterfall after a full thirty seconds of freefall. I closed my eyes at first as I felt the water surround me. The cold, dark river felt like ice on my skin. I opened my eyes again but only found a pitch black world on all sides. Then the dark world shivered. A noise thrummed from deep in the water. It sounded like a collision between two trains and it shook me to my core. Two horizontal slits appeared in front of me, shining orange like molten steel. My heart stopped in my chest when I realized that those slits were eyelids. They opened fully, revealing two terrible orange irises. Just under the eyes another slit appeared, this one much longer. It shined whitewith enamel. Belial¡¯s blade roared with me as I swam forward. The Master Class skills [True Strikes] and [Brutal Power] activated concurrently, and I felt my mana surge, erupting from me. I felt like the caldera of an active volcano for a moment and the water around me started to boil from the ambient energy alone. I hit the beast and my sword found purchase, digging deep into the aquatic scales. Many flaked off and drifted away like flotsam. The monster¡¯s body moved forward into me, increasing the power of my strike, but also hitting me like a speedboat going full bore. I felt the little air in my lungs leave me as I was knocked straight backwards into the rock wall behind me. I could feel the current of the water increase as I neared the impact point for the waterfall, and it forced me deeper. I coughed once, letting loose precious air alongside several bubbles. My mind was growing hazy and dark. I felt my hands clench around Belial¡¯s Blade, my fingers each like a vice. I couldn¡¯t take it anymore. I wanted to kill this monster. I wanted to kill the Fae. I wanted to kill everything! I screamed out all the air I had left and my mana roared within me. It surged upwards higher and higher, reaching a crescendo I never once touched before. [Level Up!] Another blue screen popped up but I paid it no mind. My heart felt too empty to care. I didn¡¯t care about anything but my anger. Those bastards took my home from me. They took my life from me. THEY TOOK MY BEST FRIEND FROM ME! I activated the skill I swore never to activate again, a skill that once tore apart an entire pocket dimension and scattered it like dust on the wind. I activated [Heaven¡¯s Downfall]. For what it was worth, the churning waters stopped moving. They were mostly vaporized, but that was besides the point. I could no longer tell whether I was breathing in water, air, orother things. The Heavens became the Earth and the Earth became the Heavens. I couldn¡¯t hear anything other than a low whining noise that seemed everpresent, like the hum of a flatline on a heart monitor. My mana coalesced and reformed. In front of me I finally found my first point of reference. I coughed hard and landed on hard rock. I opened my eyes and, in the distance, shining down from above, were several holes in the ceiling above. I was lying on the dried and cracked river bed. I was in the middle of a spherical depression in the earth, a point of total annihilation. The loud whining noise faded from my ears and was replaced with the dull roar of moving water. I could barely make out, in the low light, a torrent of water pouring into the empty sphere. Off in the distance i could still see the caravan crossing the tree-root bridge, each knight leading their horses by the reins while keeping one hand on their blade, cutting down the cricket-shaped monsters leaping at them from the far side. I climbed out of the depression and, at the end of it, I found the headless body to what looked to be an enormous eel. There were blast and burn marks along its flesh where the head disappeared, connecting directly into the side of the conical depression I just climbed out of. I took a deep breath. I never remembered air tasting that sweet in all my life. I spit out a glob of blood and rubbed my wrist across my face. My arm smelled like garlic. - The second pitstop, another safe haven, soon arrived. This time it was inside the trunk of what had to be the biggest tree to ever exist. It was as wide around as a large village, with enough room extra to plant three fields of wheat. Light seeped in through the hollow body of the tree from above, but the area was mostly greenish gray in color, so it hardly mattered. I didn¡¯t go into the carriage with Lily anymore. I didn¡¯t want to see her at the moment. I couldn¡¯t articulate why, but I felt like being alone. I didn¡¯t even want to see RE¡ª Sal. I didn¡¯t want to see Sal, either. I decided to climb the tree, to see if I could find anything interesting to distract myself. The bark felt like stone on my hands as I scurried up the side. Pieces would flake off from time to time. I looked down and found the caravan a small dot in the distance. Off to each side I could only see the trunks of more massive trees rising up, occasionally interspersed with rock formations that could give Mount Everest a run for its money. A short buzzing noise distracted me for a moment. I turned my head in a snap and found what looked to be the world¡¯s most terrifying wasp flying at me, alongside thirty of his closest friends. ¡°Fuckin hell,¡± I cursed to myself. Belial¡¯s Blade appeared in my left hand. I tried looking around for platforms, for anything I could use as footing, but found nothing. Around me I could only see the sheer cliffside that was the side of the giant tree. I closed my eyes for a moment, wondering if I should fire off the Expert Class Skill [Mana Bomb], the skill I once used to raze Jack Evergreen¡¯s home. I shook my head and wanted to laugh, but I couldn¡¯t find it in me. I wanted to smile but my lips wouldn¡¯t listen. I hated the world but didn¡¯t want to destroy it. I pointed Belial¡¯s Blade and channeled mana through it. I missed the internet. I missed music. I missed my games. My body ached. My head hurt. The buzzing of the wasps was too loud. A sun dawned halfway up the massive tree and the buzzing stopped. I was left alone in silence. I was alone with my thoughts again. I felt empty inside. I filled that emptiness with more anger. It was all I had. Chapter 52: Friends Like That I wish I remembered my name. Sal couldn¡¯t remember it either when I asked him. I stared down on the caravan, so far away that it looked like the point of a needle. I stretched my arms and looked around me. I was higher up than I had ever been in all my life. The large tree we decided to rest inside didn¡¯t just climb above The Pass, it climbed high above the entire mountain range. I could see the world splayed out in front of me like an oil canvas, stretching almost without end. On one side I could see the line where Gransus met the vast desert sands, the place I went with RE¡ª Sal. The place I went with Sal so I could surpass level 1000. On the other side I could see a deep fogged land, covered in rising white fog. Beyond it was the blue of the sea, an ocean that looked to stretch forever, beyond the curve of the planet. To the North I could make out the top of the Capital City, just a small patch of gray to me from here, and beyond that I could see a range of white mountains. I turned to the South, to the land of Barbory, and I could see cities and towns interspersed with woodlands, hills, mountains, and rivers. It looked like a fertile place, flush with the colors gold and green, beloved by whatever God watched over it. A land of piety, that worshipped the Human Fae¡­ A land that worshipped a devil as a God. I reached my hand out towards it and held up my palm. If I cast [Heaven¡¯s Downfall] a few times from here I could probably wipe the country from the map. I could eradicate it and everyone living there. If I did so, the other Fae would surely take note. They would come to realize Nox¡¯s plan. I could have my cursory revenge that way... And by doing so I would eradicate Lily¡¯s hope of ever walking again. I would lose my family from my forst world due to Nox''s revenge. I would probably end up getting hunted like an animal and, I would kill too many people to count, resulting intheir souls being grafted onto mine like replacement skin over a burn wound. I would probably lose my mind. I wasn¡¯t certain why I even considered it in the first place, why I even mused the thoughts. My headspace felt cluttered and wrong. My heart hurt. I stepped off the tree branch and let myself start falling. The wind blew by me faster and faster still. I held my arms and legs out, imitating a diving form. I angled myself and oriented my body so it pointed downwards. I felt my falling speed continue to increase. Finally, after enough time passed, my speed stopped increasing. I reached terminal velocity, the point at which the acceleration of gravitymet its match againstthe resistance of friction. I felt weightless, then. I twisted once and felt like an astronaut, just for the fun of it, and I laughed. I smiled again. In that moment life returned to me. I felt alive. I knew that, even if I hit the ground, it would hardly hurt me. My body could survive bigger impacts at higher speeds like they were nothing¡­ But there was something liberating about the freefall that just made me feel good. Perhaps it was a childish thing, but I was happy. For a moment I felt joy again. During the fall I thought about my last few weeks in this world, about how I never stopped doing things or going places. I never relaxed. From the moment the coup started, the moment I made that mistake and got teleported by the Tartarus Charm, everything went to Hell. Endyrion was dead. Gertrude was dead. Lily was a cripple. James ran off to the Forgotten Lands by himself. I regained my memories from my past lives, asfucking useless as they seemed in hindsight now¡­ And I regained my long lost best friend Sal. Not all of them were terrible things. I regained my best friend. I kept my ego through a literal ascension to Godhood. Those were amazing things. Though I did wish I could enter that mindspace again. I still have no idea how I built Sal''s current body. I wish I did, because if I could make a new body what purpose would getting Lily healed serve? I sighed mid fall. Three bugs went into my mouth and I started hacking and coughing for a moment. My eyes teared up. Opening my mouth was dumb. The negatives still outweighed thepositives in my list. My family on Earth were hostages. My friends Lily and James were hostages too. Even my best friend in all the world, Sal, ended up being taken from me without me ever even noticing. That last one hit me the hardest. If I didn¡¯t notice Sal was gone, would I notice if Nox took other things from me? ¡°I¡¯m afraid,¡± I said, making sure I said it aloud but also keeping a hand over my mouth, my fingers acting as a screen. The reason I threw myself into protecting the caravan with such fervor, the reason I fought so damned hard and aggressively, I understood it all in that moment. I was afraid. I was terrified. I wasn¡¯t some invincible God. Despite surpassing level 1000 I certainly didn¡¯t consider myself one of ¡®The Fae¡¯. I couldn¡¯t remember my name, but I could feel each soul within me stirring, crying out in unison, begging me to keep on the proper course. Just as they were part of me now, I was part of them too. We were one entity, a union. Whatever my name was on Earth, that wasn¡¯t me now. And that was fine. I wasn¡¯t a lone dragon wandering down from his mountain home. I wasn¡¯t a kid who played video games for a living, either. I wasn¡¯t a dancer, a firefighter, a necromancer, an alchemist, or even a fencer. I certainly wasn¡¯t a shitty assassin who crippled a princess¡¯s legs and got my head twisted off by a demon. Three words came to me, words I repeated over and over since I came to this world every time someone called me a name I didn¡¯t like. They echoed in my head so many times the sound started to harmonize, until it roared like thunder: ¡°Call me Calliope.¡± Because that¡¯s who I was. - I looked down and saw the ground approaching. With a twist, I stabbed Belial¡¯s Blade into the bark of the tree and stopped my downwards momentum. With a flash I disappeared from the treeside and appeared on the ground. I dodged through the escorts and avoided wandering eyes until I reached Sal¡¯s side. I grabbed his hand and pulled him with me, until we both reached the carriage. I snuck us both inside and sat him down opposite a rather surprised Lily. ¡°I¡¯m glad to see you feeling better, Calliope,¡± said Lily after a moment. ¡°Lily, I need to talk to you,¡± I said. ¡°About me, about RED, and about everything.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± she replied. ¡°I¡¯d love for you to tell me about things.¡± ¡°This will take a bit of time,¡± I said. ¡°We don¡¯t leave for another seven hours,¡± she replied. ¡°Then I¡¯d like to tell you everything about me and Sal.¡± ¡°Sal?¡± she asked. ¡°RED here. His real name is Sal,¡± I said. ¡°Oh! Nice to meet you then, Mr. Sal.¡± Lily offered her hand. Sal took it grinned. ¡°I¡¯ve told you a few things over the time we¡¯ve been together, but I just want someone to listen to the full story to the beginning,¡± I said. ¡°I just need to get it off my chest.¡± I felt Lily put her hand on my forearm. ¡°You can talk all you want. I¡¯ll listen to everything.¡± I looked up and met her eyes. I think I was smiling, but I couldn¡¯t tell. Everything was kind of blurry. I couldn¡¯t see her that well. ¡°It all started the day I met Sal¡­¡± And I started talking. And I didn¡¯t stop until I told her everything about me. Sal sat next to me and helped in places I couldn''t remember all that well, filling in the gaps. Lily asked questions and laughed with me. I looked at them both and wiped my cheeks. I had lost many things, but I had gained others¡­ And I wouldn¡¯t trade what I gained for anything in all the world. I didn¡¯t deserve friends like them. Chapter 53: Corruptions End Public Release: Feb. 25th, 2019 - 17:00 pm EST The caravan started moving again. I continued to hunt creatures that approached in secret, constantly slipping it to do so, but I didn¡¯t find myself falling into a depression during it. Having laid out everything, leaving myself bare in front of my friend Lily, it felt right. She knew who I was, now. I knew who I was, now. - On the third day of travel things started to get a bit more hectic than before. The problem began when we arrived at where the third and final ¡®safehouse¡¯ was supposed to be. All we found were ruins and a myriad of footprints belonging to both man and beast. There were signs of a struggle. The Inspectors from Barbory paled when they looked over the evidence, and one of them whispered a word in hushed horror, so quiet that I could barely hear, even with my senses working full bore, ¡°Tsavo.¡± He was pointing towards the tracks of what looked to be a feline-type creature. They were larger than the human footprints next to them, but not by much. I spread out my [Mana Sense] but I couldn¡¯t feel any dangerous monsters in the vicinity. We had to move on, unable to stay in such an unfortified position for long. The last break we took was at the giant tree over 10 hours earlier, and everyone was exhausted. Sal and I started working harder behind the scenes just to keep things safe. The escorts were running on less sleep than normal. Several of the horses were barely standing, and we lost one when it slipped on a wet piece of root and fell over the side of a large cliff, dragging its rider down with it. I couldn¡¯t save them because I was too far away, battling a Rank 6 beast just ahead of the bend. I killed the monster quick and rushed back to the group. They were silent and looking down over the cliffside, staring at the mess below. To his credit, the knight that fell down was still alive, but his body was mangled. Even if I pulled him out he wouldn¡¯t survive the rest of the trip. He wouldn¡¯t last long enough for us to get him to the healer in Barbory. I didn¡¯t have any more potions from the Calico Labyrinth either. He called out for his mother and family between screams. ¡°Give him mercy,¡± said Sal as he rode his horse near the edge. He tapped on the shoulder of one knight who had a short bow strapped to his back. I closed my eyes and moved on ahead. I didn¡¯t want to watch that scene. I could only be thankful that Lily¡¯s carriage was angled in such a way that she couldn¡¯t see it from the windows. - Beast attacks grew more and more frequent as we moved forward. I could feel my own breathing start to get rough. Even with the stamina of a God I struggled a bit. The monsters were growing in numbers and their abilities started to vary in dangerous ways. It almost felt artificial with how much the difficulty spiked.I couldn¡¯t imagine what those men riding along with us were feeling. Their bodies were very, very mortal in comparison to Sal''s, let alone my own. They all worked hard and did their duties, each showing their value and pride in their home, in the Gransus Kingdom. I watched more than one offer a salute to Lily''scarriage when they thought they couldn''t be seen. The atmosphere was grim, but the hearts of the escorts were unbroken. Their wills were made of stronger stuff than my own. - A swarm of rank 7 monsters popped up in my [Mana Sense] and I shot out ahead like a rocket. I couldn¡¯t detect any dangers around the main group, so I left everything else in Sal¡¯s hands. He could handle most emergencies by himself. The path I followed twisted and opened up into another valley, but this one smelled of death. There was no waterfall here. There was no bubbling spring or giant trees. There was only monsters. I found a horde of undead creatures, swirling with a black mana that I found all too familiar. These were creatures that Nox once touched. Everything went red in my mind. I couldn¡¯t see straight and I felt my sword appear in my hands. Belial¡¯s Blade trembled with me, and it screamed with joy as I charged into the horde, swinging with abandon. [Combat State] activated without my consent. My movements became crisp. I danced forward and cut into the gaps of the horde, each of my strikes taking a life like nothing. I genuinely wondered, at this moment, how ordinary men were supposed to cross this pass. Perhaps it would have been easier to sneak through if they didn¡¯t need to bring along noncombatants, horses, and a carriage. Maybe I should have just taken Lily in my arms and carried her through. I still could go back and do that. Sal would be fine on his own. The rest of the knights probably wouldn¡¯t make it, but with how loyal they were, they probably wouldn¡¯t mind such a fate¡­ I stopped myself. Why was I thinking something so dark again? I noticed, then, that as I cut down the undead creatures, and their souls entered mine, that their darkness spread inside me like a plague, clinging to my vesselwith sticky tendrils of evil mana. My hackles raised and, for the first time, I physically manifested my soul, letting it rip out through my chest like an emerging alien. Belial¡¯s Blade thrummed and I turned it against myself. A pain unlike anything I ever experienced struck me as I dug the sword¡¯s edge in between me and the corrupting tentacles. My arms flexed and a tremendous force was borne. The tendrils unhitched like suction cups, leaving damage behind. I screamed and forced them off. The mass of black mana and soul writhed in front of me. My soul sank back into my body and I found myself coherent again. I wasn¡¯t certain how I just did what I did. [Level Down!] I felt myself losing strength. It wasn¡¯t a lot, butI could still feel it happening. I realized that I could stop the soul fusion if I acted fast enough. I looked down at my hands for a moment and I felt a smile overtake me. I didn¡¯t need to fear killing things and corrupting myself anymore. I could just stay at level 1000 and not let things with dangerous egos fuse with me from hereon. I decided that I would only kill things untouched by the Fae if possible from this point forward. I thought about The Oni, the assassin who crippled Lily. His soul was still fused with mine. If I had been capable of this at that time... I shook my head. I couldn¡¯t go back in time, and I probably couldn¡¯t have manifested my soul back then anyways, even if I knew how. My soul and his were fused now, and there was no point regretting that fact... But I could stop myself from fusing with other terrible people in the future. I could prevent my own corruption. I looked at my level and saw it sitting at a perfect 1000. I didn¡¯t know what would happen to me if it dropped below the Fae threshold. ¡°Later,¡± I said through grit teeth. ¡°I¡¯ll start later.¡± I pushed the writing mass of black magic that remained off towards the monster horde. They devoured it like it was a treasure. I wasn''t certain what would happen to souls that didn''t get absorbed. I glanced upwards but couldn''t see the sky or the runes carved into this world. I could feel them, though. It didn''t take a rocket scientist to understand. Unclaimed souls would probably end up destroyed or absorbed by whatever was close. I didn¡¯t kill the rest of the monsters in this area, anymore. I couldn¡¯t risk separating their souls from me again and losing another level. I also couldn¡¯t risk letting their souls corrupt me further. I crippled them one by one and had them kill each other, instead. Eventually, only a single beast remained. I grabbed its immobile body and dragged it away from the path, deeper into the tunnel systems, where it wouldn¡¯t bother the caravan as they passed by. I needed to get back to Lily and Sal. I needed to tell them about this new ability, the ability to defy part of the Fae¡¯s restriction on the Reincarnation Cycle. Chapter 54: Flames in the Dark Public Release: Feb. 26th, 2019 - 17:00 pm EST I found the caravan stopped in the middle of a wide passage with numerous tunnels, cliffs, and caves leading into it. Most of the knights had weapons drawn and were watching the darkness around them, all of them on edge. The two Inspectors from Barbory were standing together, off their mounts, each with their backs to each other. They were mumbling to each other and seemed to be the most afraid. I noticed, at that moment, that two of the escort knights were missing. A long trail of blood lead away from the caravan into one of the caves by the side, alongside the marks of a man being dragged. Cat-like paw prints were left in their wake. ¡°Tsavo,¡± said one of the Inspectors, his voice cracking a bit. I immediately drove [Mana Sense] as hard as I could, but I didn¡¯t detect anything. Nothing at all. The area around us felt completely empty, devoid of any living things. A shiver went up my spine. From one of the cave tunnels I spotted a pair of eyes staring out, their pupils slit vertically like a predator''s. I couldn¡¯t sense the creature at all with [Mana Sense] even as I stared into its eyes. ¡°Shit,¡± I cursed under my breath and used my speed to get past the Inspector¡¯s line of sight. The breeze I left in my wake made them jump. I wasn¡¯t sorry. I found Sal around behind the carriage, near the start of the blood trails. I sighed in relief seeing him there, but my sigh caught itself in my throat when I noticed his arm was clawed up, with three long slashes running from his elbow to his hand. ¡°Sal!¡± I yelled as I ran to him, pushing aside several of the escorts. It was the first time I showed myself since we reached the Fort, and a few of the knights jumped at my sudden appearance. They all seemed on edge, and I could guess the reason at this point. ¡°Calliope,¡± said Sal as he looked up at me with a strained smile. ¡°The guides are calling these creatures Tsavo, and I can¡¯t sense them at all with [Map]. I''m struggling to see parts of The Pass with my skill at all.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t sense them either with my [Mana Sense],¡± I replied. ¡°I think these creatures specialize in ambush predation. They got two of our knights already¡­¡± his voice trailed off at the end as I compressed his wound with the bandages a maid handed me. ¡°Shut up for now,¡± I said. I looked over my shoulder and noticed one of the Barbory Inspectors pointing at me and whispering in a hushed tone to his partner, but his fear of the cat-like predators probably stopped him from taking any action. ¡°I guess the cat¡¯s out of the bag,¡± I said. My joke didn¡¯t draw any laughs, only hard stares. ¡°Isn¡¯t she supposed to be strong?¡± Whispered one knight from a bit away. He probably didn¡¯t realize I could hear him. ¡°She took down a World Dragon, from what I¡¯ve heard,¡± another replied. ¡°Then why hasn¡¯t she been helping us fight the monsters in The Pass?¡± - I realized why I was receiving harsh stares. It wasn¡¯t because of my cat joke (though that probably didn¡¯t help). They didn¡¯t realize just how much I was doing in the dark, in secrecy, all to keep those bastard Inspectors from seeing me. I activated [Mana Sense] again, desperately searching the vicinity for anything, any clue as to the beasts location, but the only thing I could sense was a magic signal being sent out from the two Barbory Inspectors, no doubt some kind of wireless method of communication to their home country. They were reporting on my appearance even as we were under seige... It angered me. I wanted to snap at them, to ask them ¡®Don¡¯t you have better things to worry about, right now?¡¯ This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. But I held my tongue. I held myself back. That was the corruption trying to snap out, not me. I wasn¡¯t like that. I didn¡¯t like them but I wouldn''t actually hurt them... Would I? My thoughts were derailed when I caught movement from the corner of my eye. I jumped forward, my body screaming at me from the sudden stress of it all, and my fist caught the side of a lion-like monster hard, knocking it away from the soldier it had been pouncing at. The beast¡¯s back claws swung around as it spun mid-air and caught me across the left eye, and I couldn¡¯t hold back a scream. How long had it been since I was injured? Just how powerful were these manaless creatures!? I could feel my eye start to regenerate, but it was healing slow, as if some poison were in the wound. I held one hand up to my face, covering the shredded flesh of my face. I felt blood drip down over the heel of my palm where it fell to the rock below. ¡°They¡¯re coming again!¡± I yelled, my voice braver than I felt at that moment. My right knee was shaking. If I had been just a moment slower then that knight would have died. I didn''t know if I could keep all of the men here safe. I was their protector and I couldn''t keep them safe. I jumped on top of the carriage and crouched low, taking a stance that would let me jump in any direction. I started spinning around, keeping my one good eye moving. I couldn¡¯t hear the beasts at all and I couldn¡¯t sense their mana. The only tell of the attack, like earlier, was a brief flash of movement. ¡°Everyone get in a circle around the carriage. Pull the horses inside!¡± Sal¡¯s voice commanded from below. I wanted to give him a ¡®thumbs up¡¯, to congratulate him on taking charge, but I couldn¡¯t afford to lose focus. His idea to centralize everyone would make it easier for me to defend the group as a whole. I noticed too late that the two Inspectors from Barbory weren¡¯t coming towards the carriage. They stayed out in the open, back to back, refusing to move. ¡°Shit! You two, get over here now!¡± My voice thundered in the dark cavern, but they didn¡¯t move. I saw the familiar flash of movement and I got ready to jump at them, to keep them alive¡­ But then I noticed another flash to my right. I turned my head in time to see more of the Tsavo coming towards the carriage group. I didn¡¯t have time to save both the Barbory Inspectors and the Escort Knights. I could only react to one in time. The monsters were tremendously quick. I made my choice in a snap. I turned right and slammed down hard on top of the pouncing creatures. For the first time since the whole scenario started, I got a good look at them. They had the body of a lion and the head of a dinosaur, almost like a raptor. Scales and fur intertwined an a sick amalgamation, a mockery of nature. Spurts of feathers were growing along their necklines, almost like a mane. They had claws and teeth like knives, long and sharp and deadly. On those claws I could see purple spots dripping with malice. Two screams echoed from where the Barbory men were. I didn¡¯t look in their direction. I couldn¡¯t save them anymore. They chose not to come to the carriage. They chose their own path in this Pass. ¡°Hiyaaah!¡± Sal¡¯s voice boomed from the other side of the carriage and the ground trembled. I quickly jumped back on top and found him holding off two of the creatures. He wasn¡¯t disadvantaged too badly. I think his earlier injury was due to being unprepared. The creatures seemed like mostly ambush predators. They were fast, but if you knew their attacks were coming even someone at Sal''s level could hold them off. ''Tsavo.'' I thought of the name of the monsters and found it familiar, for some reason. It felt like a reference on the fringe of my memory, something from my last life. Then I thought of the actions of the men from Barbory. I remembered the Inspectors whispering from before. They knew these creatures were here, and they didn¡¯t tell the rest of the caravan. They lead us forward into this territory despite knowing of these monsters that even I struggled to stop. The Inspectors'' deaths were deserved. We would fare better without them sabotaging us. I could now act in the open instead of in secret, and it meant I could better protect everyone. ¡°Sal, I¡¯m going to light up the area with my sword!¡± My voice boomed. ¡°Do it!¡± He yelled back. I held Belial¡¯s Blade up in the air and filled with to the brim with mana. My body ached, my eye still hadn¡¯t healed, and I was covered in dirt and blood. I felt my energy turn into the element of fire, and a tremendous heat bloomed overhead, overflowing with an orange light. The flickering flames revealed the area around us and, subsequently, the monsters. There were over 30 of them, all stalking about us with their cat-like demeanors. The moment the light touched them, though, they scattered off into the caves alongside the walls in the distance. I could see the reflection of my flaming sword in their eyes as they watched on from the darkness. They were like ghosts. ¡°Start moving! I¡¯ll keep the light up!¡± I commanded. ¡°You heard her, get the horses hitched up and let¡¯s ride!¡± Sal¡¯s voice followed mine. ¡°What about the way? Without the Pathfinders how will we get out!¡± One of the knights asked, his voice full of worry and panic. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter! We just need to get out of this Tsavo nest!¡± yelled Sal, his voice cracking like glass. I could hear the pain in his voice. The injury on his arm looked severe, and the bandages had come undone in the chaos. We started moving forward. When we passed by where the two Inspectors stood, we found nothing but bloodstains on the ground. I looked over to Sal and could see his grim expression. He was wearing his heart on his sleeve. He was probably thinking that even if they were enemies, they were our guides. Personally, I didn''t care too much about them being gone. The only thing I regretted was not stealing their maps when I had the chance. Intermission 6: Argyle Planned Public Release: Feb. 27th, 2019 - 5:00 pm EST I was floating through the Seve-Lights Quasar when I noticed it. There was a transmission of information floating in free space, rocketing off towards one the danger zones we Fae call the ''Thirteens''. There were only two of us who dared go to the Thirteens, Nox and Samart. Nox was stuck on the Leveling World, so that meant this notice was going to Samart¡­ A sly look must have crossed my face, because the small string of souls behind me started to shudder. The Tempered were always tough bastards; I was a bit amazed they even had consciousness right now, in transit between worlds. I moved quick and grabbed the Transmission. Its contents came to me in broken pieces. ¡°Tempered. Gransus. Demon. Betrayal?¡± I shuddered. The message came from one of Samart¡¯s favorite countries on the Leveling World and they spoke of another Tempered running free. Wasn¡¯t Nox supposed to be watching things? ¡°Tch,¡± I clicked my tongue. I wanted to collect at least another couple souls before I made a trip back, but if one of The Tempered was running free, it meant Nox was slacking off again. That asshole¡­ - The trip back didn¡¯t take too long. I wasn¡¯t very far, after all. I¡¯m a bit glad I fucked with Samart¡¯s transmission. If him and Nox started fighting over this problem then who knows what would happen. Those two could probably destroy the fucking universe itself, with their strength. I looked back at my delicious little souls. There was another Tempered on the Leveling World waiting, too. I wished I could just grind levels properly, but all the Fae knew the consequences, now. After Zola had to be put down, we realized the dangers in indiscriminate leveling. It was best to curate the souls you¡¯d draw in, to pick only a few high leveled ones, to eat only The Tempered. With only a few souls, their egos wouldn¡¯t damage your mind as much. It was best to be selective and only pick Tempered that matched your personality or Affinity, too. Of course, rather than give the ones that didn¡¯t match me to the others, I usually just shattered their souls completely. It wasn¡¯t easy, but it was better than letting Samart or Nox get further ahead. To shatter a soul completely took a lot of effort and it had to be done If I was being honest, I¡¯d talk about how much Nox and Samart scared the shit out of me. Nox had at least seven, FUCKING SEVEN, Deity Ranked skills. He often handed them out to a few of The Tempered he picked to ripen their souls before collecting. Perhaps that was what was happening on the Shield World right now, too. It would suck if I came back early due to a false alarm¡­ But I didn¡¯t necessarily mind fucking around for a bit. Roving the universe for eternity just to get stronger kind of sucked, anyways. I guess I was the weakest of the Fae for a reason, huh? I''d rather play with my food than eat it~If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. - When I reached the Leveling World I couldn¡¯t find hide nor hair of Nox. His aura was extremely small too, as if he used up a bunch of energy. That meant he was trying to ripen up a soul to eat. I couldn¡¯t hide my grin. If I could poach his kill and get to the other side of the universe before he recovered¡­ He¡¯d probably hunt me down to kill me, but I could always just suicide and enter the reincarnation cycle again. Now that I¡¯m a Fae I¡¯d always keep my memories, anyhow. At least, as long as I didn¡¯t die on the Leveling World¡­ - It didn¡¯t take long to find the girl. I followed her along, just watching from a distance. She proved to be entertaining and, for a moment, I wondered if Nox really planned on eating her. Why did he make her body to look identical to Zola? Was he planning on keeping her? Was he going to break The Pact? I couldn¡¯t let that happen. That girl needed to disappear or Nox and Samart would start fighting again, for sure¡­ But I had time. I always liked to play with my food, after all. With a wave of my hand I started collecting monsters to use, creatures to play with. The girl couldn¡¯t sense my Fae energy despite being one of us¡­ She was so young, so inexperienced. She looked so delicious. I decided to impersonate Samart for a bit. I morphed myself into his visage and descended in Barbory. The pope even greeted me with praise and a small collection of strong souls that his people collected over the years. What they considered ¡®strong¡¯ were nothing but peanuts to me. Hardly a meal worth eating. I couldn¡¯t risk such small fry entering me. The more egos I ate the more they¡¯d affect me, after all. The little humans were so cute. It was a shame they were all so weak. Without the reincarnation cycle, old souls couldn¡¯t be reborn here. Only new souls were born, and they all started at level 1. But that didn¡¯t matter. Using Barbory¡¯s creatures, I crafted some fun things. I created powerful eel monsters and sent them into The Pass. I created bugs, mantises, and I even altered some fun dinosaur-lions. The last ones were a true masterpiece of mine. The locals of Barbory called them Tsavo, or some crap. I changed their mana into Fae energy and I increased their overall speed. I wanted that girl to learn to sense Fae Energy. Maybe she¡¯d sense me, then, too. I¡¯d love for her to try and fight me. That could alleviate some boredom. My old toys always broke too easily... I just wanted to watch that girl struggle a bit, but she put on such a good show with every wave. The drama of it all drew me in. My mouth started to water just thinking of her flavor. The more beings she killed, the more levels she got, the better she¡¯d taste. All of those souls wrapped up into one package, and all their egos refined by her into one entity¡­ I shuddered at the thought. It would be exquisite. I couldn¡¯t help myself much longer. I grabbed one of the souls I brought with me and threw it in my mouth. It screamed for mercy as it popped like a cherry. ¡°Aaaaah,¡± I couldn¡¯t help but letting my voice leak. I felt my level rising again. Soon I¡¯d reach 1200. When I did I could probably make a new Deity Rank Skill. It¡¯d be dangerous to do it for me, since I wasn¡¯t a freak like Nox or Samart, but with my current two Deity Skills I was already pretty strong. If I added a third then I could probably overtake Jay in rank. If I ate that girl, Calliope, I¡¯d definitely reach the 1200. I almost didn¡¯t want to wait for her to reach the country of Barbory, but the best flavors were always despair and doom. If I ate her now, when she was only on the cusp, on the edge of the fall, it wouldn¡¯t be worth it. The best seasoning was tragedy. She seemed to care about her little friends an awful lot. Perhaps the best way to break her would be to eat them first¡­ I could feel myself smiling again. I grabbed another snack. The numbers on my status continued to go up with each one I ate. [1172] [1173] [1174] [1175] ¡­ Chapter 55: Beyond the Pass a Light Rises Public Release: Feb. 28th, 2019 - 5:00 pm EST The horses whinnied and pulled back, rearing on their hind legs. Their front hooves kicked and flailed about like a swimming dog. The group stopped at a cliff edge. I kept holding the flaming Belial¡¯s Blade up in the air, revealing the area around us. I could see the eyes following behind, just outside the edge of my torchlight. ¡°It¡¯s a dead end!¡± One of the knights yelled. ¡°We need to turn back. There was a side passage about a hundred yards back big enough for the carriage!¡± said Sal, his voice like thunder in the dark. The Tsavo were growing more and more daring. They were so fast it was hard to follow them, but I could keep them at bay with the light. My clawed eye was almost done regenerating, and once it finished I could probably keep everyone safe the rest of the way. I kept trying to use [Mana Sense] to feel the beasts, but I kept drawing blanks. It was as if they didn¡¯t even use Mana at all. I wanted to curse. I wanted to hit something and break the rocks and stone around us. I wanted to cut down these Tsavo, but I couldn¡¯t leave the carriage behind. If something happened to the knights, or worse to Sal or Lily, I¡¯d never forgive myself. I don¡¯t know why, but I felt like those bastards from Barbory lead us to this nest on purpose. Fuck, I wished I had their maps. The cursory glances I was able to steal from them weren¡¯t enough to piece together the proper routes. The only thing I could do is try and keep everyone moving south. So long as we kept moving South we¡¯d be going in the right direction. - Sal started leading our group down another tunnel. Thankfully there were no side passages, so I only needed to keep my eyes behind us to prevent another ambush. Every once in a while I¡¯d see a paw flash into the light, or a grinning set of enamel shine. These monsters were intelligent. They were waiting, watching me to see if I¡¯d slip up. Unfortunately for them, I was way beyond their games. The moment the tunnel started to open up into another wider set of caverns, I turned Belial¡¯s Blade against the ceiling. Rocks thundered down from my slashes, and they filled the tunnels behind us. I heard the whines and cries of crushed Tsavo and I grinned, happy for their misfortune. They deserved it. - The caverns we ended up in looked like the underside of a plant-type dungeon, with a ceiling of roots and moss. I couldn¡¯t quite tell which way was South, but I didn¡¯t need to. Sal¡¯s skill kept us moving. I wasn¡¯t sure why he couldn¡¯t seem to tell the right way on the first try. ¡°Calliope, my Skill isn¡¯t working right,¡± said Sal, noticing my glances. I nodded my head. ¡°Do you know why?¡± I asked. ¡°It¡¯s like something is interfering. Remember when we were surprised by the World Dragon?¡± He asked. ¡°Yes, of course.¡± Perhaps he didn¡¯t realize just how important that Dragon¡¯s memories were to me, right now. ¡°Well, it feels like that. Something is interfering.¡± ¡°Is it Nox?¡± I asked. ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± he replied. ¡°It feels kinda like¡­ Maybe?¡± We were getting nowhere. ¡°Can you at least keep us pointed South?¡± ¡°Yes. Probably. I¡¯m not sure.¡± Fuck. We were fucked. We were so goddamn fucked. Lost in The Pass, surrounded by invisible monsters that I couldn¡¯t detect with [Mana Sense]... I grit my teeth. I felt a new resolve bubble up from within me. I knew I could get out of this situation and that I could probably bring Lily and Sal with me¡­Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. I looked over at the escorts and maids. I hated myself for thinking so, but I decided at that moment that, if the need arose, I¡¯d abandon them. I would keep my friends safe, first. I think Sal noticed my resolve. He didn¡¯t say anything, but he nodded at me. His support was enough, for me. It felt like, for the first time in a long time, I had some validation. I had made so many wrong decisions since I came to this world, it felt good that someone I trusted actually agreed with me. Sal put his hand on my shoulder. ¡°We¡¯ll get through this, Calliope,¡± he said. ¡°We¡¯ll heal Lily and we¡¯ll punch Nox in the teeth for all of this shit.¡± I smiled. I could reason that, since I was attacked by monsters poisoned with Nox¡¯s aura earlier, that he was probably behind our fucking hell of a time in The Pass. It felt like someone was interfering with things, making things harder. I wanted to kill him even more. ¡®Soon,¡¯ I reasoned to myself. I needed to keep my priorities straight. At this point I regretted not taking Lily by myself. I could have crossed the mountain range with her if we were alone¡­ Though I certainly wouldn''t enjoy doing it. I¡¯d have to take over all her maids¡¯ jobs, involving some things that¡­ Let¡¯s just say, I¡¯d be deeply embarrassed and wouldn¡¯t be able to live it down. - The caverns were damp and quiet. Occasionally the sound of dripping water would echo. I couldn¡¯t sense any monsters nearby, but I knew better than to trust my [Mana Sense] for everything, now. Many of the knights and maids wanted to rest in this place, but I was nervous. We had just passed the Tsavo nests, and those creatures probably knew their way around The Pass better than us. They were probably using other paths to reach us right at this very moment¡­ ¡°We should keep moving,¡± I said, my voice stronger than I felt. My words were met with audible groans and a few cries of ¡®demon¡¯ and ¡®slave driver¡¯. Of course, they were just grumbles. Not many of the knights seemed to actually want to stick around this close to the Tsavo nest either. - The caves turned wider and wider still. I could hear the sound of moving water ahead. Roots twisted and turned through the area, forming a complex system of small paths and structures. In some places the roots themselves looked like trees in a forest, a microcosm of the forest and mountain high above. I couldn¡¯t find words to describe it. I looked up in awe. The tree roots crossing the ceiling had stones and gems embedded in them, and they shined like stars. I tried using [Mana Sense] again, but still didn¡¯t feel anything¡­ No. I was starting to feel something, but it wasn¡¯t Mana. There was another energy on the air. I tried to put my thumb on it, but it kept eluding me. It felt like trying to catch a fish with my bare hands. - The carriage rolled on. The horses were exhausted and moving slow. The knights were moving slower. I, myself, could feel my own exhaustion getting to me. It had been several hours since we last saw the Tsavos, so I considered taking a rest. I met Sal¡¯s eyes and he seemed to share my sentiment. I wanted to ride in the carriage with Lily but I couldn¡¯t afford to leave the watch to others. I wasn¡¯t sure if I could handle going the rest of the way without sleep, but I knew we couldn¡¯t be that far from the other side of The Pass. We had been traveling South and our pace wasn¡¯t slow. The distance we covered wasn¡¯t a small one. I forced myself to sit on top of the carriage. I kept my eyes moving and I watched the surroundings. I didn¡¯t keep Belial¡¯s Blade on fire because the mana expenditure, while small compared to my total, was starting to add up. We hadn¡¯t seen hide nor hair of the Tsavo for a while now, so I assumed we could move on with only the torchlite from the small ones the knights carried. - Everything blurred. I felt good and I thought of all my favorite memories. I remembered the time Sal and I went to that anime expo. He dressed up as Skeletor, for some reason. He wore these big plastic fake muscles and it looked hilarious. I think I dressed up as a superhero of some kind¡­ For the life of me I couldn¡¯t remember which one. My eyes snapped open. I had fallen asleep briefly. My breathing was labored and I looked around. Everything seemed peaceful. A few knights, like me, were up keeping watch. The rest were leaning against their horses or laying down on sleeping bags. Sal, himself, was sleeping just behind the carriage. I winced when I looked at his injury, but it seemed to be healing. For some reason, from the wound, I could feel a strange aura. The more I sensed it, the stronger it seemed to be. It was like Mana but it wasn¡¯t Mana. It smelled familiar¡­ It smelled like Nox, but it didn¡¯t smell like Nox. A new skill popped up on a familiar blue screen in front of me: [-New Skill Acquired- Master Class Skill: Detect Fae Energy] Lights popped up in the surroundings like daisies. My eyes went wide as I finally sensed them, the Tsavo that were in the area around us. I jumped to my feet. ¡°Raise the alarm! We¡¯re under attack!¡± I yelled and the men jumped up to their feet. Belial¡¯s Blade flashed into my hand and I grinned. I could finally sense them. I could finally see them. I could finally kill them all. I didn¡¯t need to worry about any of them sneaking past me and hurting the rest of the group. I''d be able to notice it in time, now. Just as I stepped off the carriage towards the Tsavo, a new ¡®Fae Energy¡¯ popped up in my detection, this one was far away to the South¡­ But the sheer size of it dwarfed anything I had ever sensed in my life. I choked on my own saliva and jerked to a stop. I felt like I was looking at a beacon of light, rather than a quantity of strength or energy. I felt like I was looking at the end of the world itself. It was something apocalyptic; it was something beyond. I knew it in the bottom of my heart. I was looking at my own death. Chapter 56: Of Songs and Heroes Public Release: March 1st, 2019 - 5:00 pm EST I felt my knees shake and my mouth tasted like it was stuffed with cotton. The aura I was feeling belonged to a Fae. I tried to turn my head and scream, to tell the men to start heading back. Fighting back through the Tsavo nests was the best option at the moment. I could see the Fae¡¯s silhouette with my new detection ability. HIs eyes were like black holes, swallowing everything in their path. He was watching me. From his aura I could feel a slow creeping death, like pure hellfire personified. To me, he was synonymous with the grim reaper. I stepped back once, my legs shaking bad. ¡°Calliope?¡± called Sal. I wanted to turn and tell him to run, but I was afraid. I was afraid the moment I took my eyes off that silhouette in the distance it would get closer. One of the nearby Tsavo tried to get past me. I killed it without even turning my head, my arm shooting out to the side like a bullet. My [Detect Fae Energy] let me track them without my eyes. It would let me track the Fae without using my eyes too, but I still couldn¡¯t turn my head away. I needed to keep my eyes on him. The Fae watching me flinched. It cocked its head to the side, and then the silhouette smiled, the black outline around its mouth arcing upwards slightly. I felt a buzzing chill shoot through my entire body. ¡°WE NEED TO LEAVE NOW!¡± I screamed as I cut down every Tsavo within my reach. I pivoted on my back heel, and I turned towards the carriage. ¡°Now, why would you ruin the fun by running away?¡± asked a cold voice. I knew who it belonged to even if I didn''t know how the voice reached me. I didn¡¯t turn around. That Fae¡¯s energy was much, much higher than mine. He was stronger than me, but that didn¡¯t mean he was fast enough to close such a gap in just a moment. He clearly had a way to watch me just as I now had a way to watch him. I got chills when I wondered just how long he¡¯d been watching in the first place. I could feel him getting closer at a breakneck speed. He was faster than me. He was stronger than me. I couldn¡¯t see a way to win. I didn¡¯t have the levels to do it¡­ But I remembered, from my time in the game days of SHO, that levels weren¡¯t everything. Nox himself told me that the differences post level 1000 were much smaller. From the aura difference alone I could guestimate about a 200 level gap between us. I mostly leveled accounts against NPCs, but that didn¡¯t mean I never PvP¡¯d properly before. I knew the most common strategies and the best options. Of course, the best option here was to leave. To escape. But I couldn¡¯t see how. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. I looked at the carriage. I looked at Sal. I could even see Lily¡¯s eyes peeking out of the side window. This Fae was going to catch me no matter how far I ran. I couldn¡¯t hide and he was faster. That meant our fight was inevitable. I had a choice at that moment. I could either fight him there, in The Pass, next to the few people I cared about in all this world and putting them at risk, or I could do the right thing. In hindsight, it wasn¡¯t a decision at all. I stopped moving. ¡°Sal," I said, "take everyone and run back the way we came. I can sense all the tsavo, and there are none along that path. Try your best to lead everyone out of here.¡± ¡°Calliope, what¡¯s going on?¡± Sal asked. ¡°We don¡¯t have time. Get Lily out of here, now!¡± I barked. I could feel my hackles raise. The air around me smelled like petrichor, as if a storm was about to arrive. I turned my back on the carriage. I pulled out Belial¡¯s Blade in a flash, and as I moved I cut down each and every one of the Tsavo before me. Now that I could sense them, their ambush tactics and strange natural camouflage abilities were worthless. They had the aura of a Rank 8 or 9 beast, but they certainly didn¡¯t have the combat capabilities of one in a straight up fight. They were fast and that was it... But I was faster. Every Tsavo in the tunnel died within three seconds of my unsheathing my sword, but it wasn¡¯t enough. The Fae was still coming. I wanted to run away. I wanted to hide. I could feel his aura looming over me. I felt like Atlas bearing the weight of all the world on my shoulders. I turned my head back and saw the faces of my two best friends. I smiled. In spite of everything, all my fears and anxieties at that moment, I smiled. ¡°Get her somewhere safe,¡± I said. Then I started to run. I felt a wetness on my cheeks. Perhaps this was the last time I¡¯d ever see them. ¡°Calliope!¡± Sal¡¯s voice echoed after me. ¡°Ah, what a good girl. That¡¯s right, don¡¯t make me chase you down,¡± said the Fae. I wasn¡¯t certain what kind of skill he was using to transmit his voice over such a distance, but, quite frankly, I didn¡¯t give a damn anymore. I didn¡¯t have a choice. Running away? That wasn¡¯t an option anymore. Not while I had friends behind me, not while I had people I needed to protect. - I ignored the twists and turns of the caverns ahead. Along the way I cut down a myriad of monsters and beasts purely because they were in my way. I cut through stone, rock, and root to travel faster. Without having to stick to a path others could follow behind, I was truly free to traverse The Pass in my own way. I could sense his aura growing closer and closer. The more I used my [Fae Energy Detect], the greater the picture it painted in my mind. The world around me started to show up in detail. I could see the crest of the mountains above and the depths of the tunnels below. I could see the curve of the slopes and the vault of heaven in the skies. I didn¡¯t even realize it was night time before. Inside The Pass the cycle of day and night seemed to have no real meaning. There were too few places where sunlight reached. I could forsee where we¡¯d meet. The place of our battle would be just outside of The Pass, in a large basin. I cut off my [Fae Energy Detect] and let the dark world return to me. I had memorized the way forward. I couldn¡¯t risk to waste even a little bit of my own Mana. I couldn¡¯t lose any advantages. [Level up!] I regained my lost level as I cut down another monster in my path. I could feel dark energies twisting at my ego, at my very soul, but I paid it little mind. Why would my own corruption matter if I didn¡¯t have the strength to stay alive in the first place? I threw my head back and laughed. I wasn¡¯t sure why I laughed, either. One of my thoughts must have struck a chord. I licked my lips and I held my blade tight. In all my time since I became Calliope, this would be my greatest test. No, perhaps ¡®test¡¯ was too light of a word. ¡®Judgement¡¯ had a better ring to it. My laughter echoed behind me, chasing after my trail of destruction. Chapter 57: Unbreakable Public Release: March 2nd, 2019 - 5:00 pm EST We were getting close. I didn¡¯t need to waste mana on [Fae Energy Detect] to know. There were only a few turns and tunnels ahead before the exit. Even without my skill active I could envision it; i could remember it. The exit to The Pass that I planned to use was blocked by a large boulder. I stopped in front of it and put one hand on the stone. I stood there for a few seconds, breathing heavy, and admiring the tactile feel of the rock. I moved my hand up and down, letting the small powders and pebbles roll along my palm. One breath. Two breaths. Three breaths. My breathing calmed. I closed my eyes for a second. ¡°Here we go,¡± I said. Without much effort, I shoved the massive boulder to the left of the exit, rolling it out of the way. A tremendous field of light appeared and I winced back a bit as my eyes adjusted. I had spent so long in low-light environments that seeing even low light pained me. After the initial flaring and blurs, my vision returned. There, about 100 yards away from the exist, stood the Fae. He looked and dressed like an older gentleman. His clothes were pristine. His black cloak covered his silken finery beneath, but the bright gold of his jewelry looked a wrong, almost mismatched. Then again, who was I to complain about other people¡¯s fashion tastes? My Heaven Demon Garb expanded across my body, forming into armor and plate. It didn¡¯t feel heavy or clunky, and it didn¡¯t restrict my movements at all. I rotated my shoulders a bit at the cuff; everything seemed to work just fine. I wasn¡¯t certain why the Garb transformed in the first place, though. I didn¡¯t make it do that¡­ ¡°You have to kill him,¡± a familiar voice came from my own armor. ¡°I can¡¯t help you in person, but since I created your armor and weapon, I can help you through them for now.¡± It was Nox¡¯s voice. I shivered. I never considered that the weapon and armor that I so relied on, so loved, were creations of Nox. That thought slipped my mind entirely. ¡°Belial¡¯s Blade and the Heaven Demon Garb will let you bridge the gap in this fight, but since your opponent is Argyle I doubt it¡¯ll matter,¡± Nox continued, his voice echoing in my head, ¡°Argyle has a terrible Diety Ranked Skill, a defensive one.¡± ¡°What does it do?¡± I asked. ¡°It makes it so no offensive technique, skill, or attack can harm him so long as it contains less Fae Energy than his barrier.¡± My eyes went wide. ¡°I don¡¯t even have Fae Energy¡­¡± I said. ¡°I know. That¡¯s why you can¡¯t win this fight. You just need to stall. If you can make this fight take at least three days, I can recover enough energy to kill him in one blow. Argyle is an idiot. He definitely didn¡¯t send out any messages to the others. He wants your soul to himself¡­¡± I shivered. ¡°That means we can turn the tables on him. With the defensive power of the Garb and Belial¡¯s Blade, you can survive for three days, easily. Just don¡¯t die. I need you to help me fight Samart in the future. If you die, I¡¯ll kill everyone you''ve ever loved... No pressure.¡± ¡®There it is,¡¯ I thought. There was the Nox that I knew. I wondered why he let a Fae show up here, but I had forgotten an important detail. He told me before that transfering my soul to this world took a tremendous amount of energy¡­ Though I wondered about that, too. That didn¡¯t sound quite right. Moving a soul didn¡¯t take too much energy from me when I cut the ones trying to graft themselves onto me, earlier. That only took away a single level. Though, to be fair, I had no idea what kind of cost needed to be paid to move a soul like my own across worlds.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. I shook my head. I didn¡¯t have time to think about that. I looked up, Nox¡¯s words ringing in my mind, and I met the eyes of the Fae across from me. I remembered, in my second meeting with Nox, that he told me about two of the other Fae, and he told me how the weakest was named Argyle. It dawned on me that I was facing just the very weakest of the Fae, of my sworn enemies, and, yet, the weakest of the Fae had an aura so terrifying I¡¯d have thrown up if I had any food left in me. My knees were shaking just ever-so-slightly. ¡°So, little Miss Tempered,¡± said Argyle as he sized me up. He started walking forward and his aura exploded with each step, his powers folding in on themselves, unraveling a tremendous destructive force underneath. He looked the part of a War God, like Ares himself from the Greek myths and legends. I could feel my scalp tingling. I could feel my chest tightening with each breath. I was terrified, but, oddly, I had hope. I hated Nox to the bone, but at this moment his voice gave me strength. It grated me. I didn¡¯t enjoy relying on my tormentor. Nox probably planned all of this to make me loyal to him. He probably set this whole situation up in the first place. ¡°Care to dance?¡± asked Argyle. He grinned a crooked smile. I finally noticed that, in his left hand, he was holding onto a bundle of powerful souls. His smile widened when he followed my line of sight. ¡°Are you wondering about these?¡± He held up the bundle of wailing souls. I could see the flashes of memories from them, moments that defined their lives in vivid detail. Dreams of lovers, successes, and failures were swimming with them, as if their whole lives were made manifest and compressed into a single palm. ¡°Don¡¯t fret. I just brought along a snack. I don¡¯t want to get hungry while having my fun, after all,¡± said Argyle as he brought that bundle of souls up to his mouth. ¡°What?¡± I screamed, but it was too late. I couldn¡¯t intervene in time if I tried. He bit down into the souls like they were an apple. I heard their wails and cries. Then, all at once, he shoved them all into his mouth. He chewed. I couldn¡¯t breathe. I didn¡¯t remember doing it, but I charged at him with my blade drawn. My throat burned and I realized it was because I was screaming. Everything was turning red around me. [Combat State] was in overdrive. On my first swing I activated the Master Class skill [True Strikes] alongside [Brutal Power]. My body and sword glowed. My blade danced forward on a wave of light. Argyle didn¡¯t move. He didn¡¯t even block my attack. My sword hit him square in the chest and, for a brief moment, it felt like reality itself was broken. I regained clarity and saw it. I saw my sword touching his clothes, caressing them gently. My attack didn¡¯t even scratch him. His smile turned into something more wicked, as if his lips were a barbed wire fence. ¡°It seems you don¡¯t know how to use Fae Energy at all,¡± he said. ¡°Well, it¡¯s not like it matters. Even if you did you¡¯re too low leveled. You see, little one, I have a Deity Class Skill called [Unbreakable].¡± His condescending tone drove my rage further. [Combat State] trembled, as if it were holding back a terrible tide. If a Deity Ranked Skill was blocking me, then what if I reacted with my own Deity Ranked Skills? I roared and a flare of mana erupted from me. The world around us started to shake and shiver, as if everything was going to come down. My own voice was growing hoarse and my mana exploded within me like a bomb. The sun dawned on land as [Heaven¡¯s Downfall] appeared in the world. Blinding light flooded everything around me and I was alone in a world of white. I grinned and wondered if the Fae was still wearing his smug grin¡­ ¡°Yo.¡± He was still wearing his smug grin. His face appeared through the white curtain, still smiling, but this time less so. ¡°So,¡± he said, ¡°That was one of Nox¡¯s Deity Skills. It seems my worries weren¡¯t grounded in reality after all. He really does just want to eat you.¡± I felt a shiver go down my spine. ¡°What are you talking about!¡± I barked back at him. ¡°Of course you don¡¯t know," he said in a sing-song voice. "If you use a Deity Class Skill given to you by someone else, it aligns your mana with theirs. You have a terrible Chaos Element, so Nox probably couldn¡¯t eat you even if he wanted to. By using the Deity Skills he gave you, you are slowly losing your original Element and moving towards something else instead. It¡¯s corrupting your mind and soul with each cast. Eventually, it¡¯ll change your soul enough that he can enjoy a well prepared gourmet meal~¡± I opened my mouth to say something, to deny the words of the other Fae¡­ But then I stopped myself. Why did I want to refute his words at all? I always thought Nox was a fucker, and it wouldn¡¯t surprise me if he really was just prepping me like some goddamn meal. ¡°You seem like you need some convincing,¡± said Argyle. He looked like he was enjoying himself by tormenting me. ¡°Try to feel your soul. You just used that skill, so the effects will be at their most prominent right now. You know how to sense Fae Energy now. Try it~¡± I didn¡¯t want to, but I couldn''t help it. I looked inwards at myself using [Fae Energy Detect]. What I found made my blood run cold. A black parasite was gnawing away at my soul, digging into it like grubs into rotting meat. Nox¡¯s aura was poisoning me. I looked up and met Argyle¡¯s expectant eyes. I tried to say something but no words came to me. ¡°There it is," he said, his voice cracking with glee. "There¡¯s the despair I love the most. Now, little one, tell me your name. I always enjoyed having meals with proper names the most~¡± Chapter 58: Brick Joke Public Release: March 4th, 2019 - 5:00 pm EST ¡°My name is¡­¡± I paused. I thought back to my last few days, how I spent them despairing, falling deeper and deeper down a hopeless pit. I thought of the deaths I caused since I came to this world¡­ and then I thought of the resolution I made with Sal, a promise I made to my best friend. I looked up and smiled when I met the Fae¡¯s eyes. He flinched, startled by my sudden confidence. ¡°My name is Calliope,¡± I said, my confidence returning. I knew the truth of this world. I knew Nox¡¯s nature. Him betraying me wasn¡¯t unexpected at all. It was the most expected event in the entire fucking universe! There were seven Fae in this universe, and I would work with my enemy to ensure that there would only be six after this. The enemy of my enemy is still my enemy, but I can have a temporary alliance. Morals didn¡¯t matter. Right or wrong didn¡¯t matter. The force that moved the entire fucking universe was MUTUALLY ASSURED BENEFITS! Nox wanted this bastard dead and I did too. Thus, our wills were aligned. Nox never told me to use the Deity Ranked skills. He told me to fight like a coward and stall for time! I hated his guts, but that didn¡¯t matter right now. I just needed to stall for time. ¡°I don¡¯t like that look in your eyes,¡± said Argyle. Then, with a mere flicker, he moved. I felt a tremendous force hit me, dead center. My body bent forward hard and I could see Argyle¡¯s fist burying itself in my stomach. I coughed blood on impact. ¡°If you wont feel despair from words, I guess I can only make you feel it from a proper beating, instead~¡± he said. Despite the pain, I grinned. ¡°Bring it on, fucker.¡± - The beating that ensued was supernatural in scope. The land was gouged and torn asunder. The skies split open like a gaping wound and thunder boomed throughout the land. The earth shivered and fell apart. We fought so hard that The Pass behind me was pried open, peeled like an orange, revealing tunnel systems to the air and scattering the creatures living in them. Another fist hit me in the face. The Heaven¡¯s Demon Garb stretched into a helmet around my head, absorbing some of the blow. I was blown back hard. My body smashed into a rock formation, knocking it down like a tower of cards. Dust and smoke erupted in the chaos of it all like a mushroom cloud into the air. I coughed up more blood, but I laughed as it happened. My health continued to drop and regenerate. He was playing with me. Three days? I needed to survive three days of this!? I smiled like a crescent moon. And here I thought I was going to face a challenge. - Time passed and Argyle slowly ground away at my body and sanity. Each blow took me off my feet, sending me skyrocketing through the air like a ragdoll. Each skill he used was burned into my flesh and skin. My body looked like the canvas of a gore artist. Even still, I stood up again. Every time he knocked me down I stood again. Lily and Sal¡¯s faces wouldn¡¯t leave my mind. I needed to succeed here. I couldn¡¯t bow my head. I couldn¡¯t let my will be broken¡­ - Argyle stood across from me, his breathing laboured. Almost a full twelve hours had passed. I couldn¡¯t see out of my left eye anymore and my body felt like it was broken. Nothing seemed to work the way I wanted, but even still I smiled. ¡°You,¡± said Argyle before he took a deep breath. He was getting tired from just beating on me, now. ¡°You are one hell of an impertinent bitch. I wanted to break your will, to make your soul taste better¡­¡± His eyes opened wide and Argyle smiled again. His smile unnerved me, for some reason. I could feel a growing terror in the back of my mind. I felt like I was forgetting something, something important. ¡°Hey, Calliope,¡± said Argyle in a mocking tone. ¡°You should use your Fae Energy Detection ability right now. There¡¯s something important you need to seeeee~¡± His voice was singsong at the end and it fucked with me. Normally I wouldn¡¯t listen to a word he said, but something about it all stopped me cold. [Fae Energy Detect] flared to life. That was when I could see what he wanted to show me. In The Pass, coming through it towards us, towards the chaos and noise, was a small caravan. Why didn¡¯t they leave? Why did they follow me!? My worst fears were made manifest. My body shivered and, despite my own hardiness, I felt a pain unmatched by all the previous beatings. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°No,¡± I whispered. ¡°Oh yes,¡± replied Argyle. ¡°That¡¯s the look I wanted to see~ I understand now. You¡¯re the type who doesn¡¯t give a fuck about what happens to yourself.¡± He started moving north, towards The Pass. I screamed and chased after him, but he was faster than me before my injuries, let alone now with my body so beaten down. I couldn¡¯t breathe. I didn¡¯t want to. I lost sight of Argyle, but my body started moving faster and faster. I could see him with my [Fae Energy Detect]. I could see everything with it in vivid detail. I screamed out a guttural sound from the bottom of my soul. I dove into the caves after him, my body moving on pure panic and adrenaline. My eyes were watering and my muscles burned. Why hadn¡¯t I noticed them before? I realized it was because I turned off my [Fae Energy Detect] to save mana. While I considered it a smart choice at the time, it cost me some very vital information¡­ No. That decision cost me more than just information. I turned the corner and entered a large cavern. There were holes in the ceiling above, letting light in from the sun. There, I found Argyle holding Lily by the neck. Scattered around him were the beaten and unconscious escorts. Off to the side I could see Sal with one of his legs broken. ¡°Is this girl precious to you, Calliope?¡± Argyle asked. My legs stopped moving. I couldn¡¯t move. I couldn¡¯t feel anything but absolute dread. I was afraid that if I said a word he¡¯d snap her neck like a twig. I was afraid of losing Lily. I was afraid¡­ I hit my knees and looked on, unsure what to do. I didn¡¯t know what to do. I couldn¡¯t think straight. I couldn¡¯t think of anything at all. ¡°Please, don¡¯t do this.¡± The words left my lips, but I didn¡¯t even remember saying them. Argyle laughed. ¡°That¡¯s what I wanted!¡± His voice thundered in the cavern, booming through the air like a war drum. ¡°The best flavor is always despair! It¡¯s hopelessness and tragedy! You¡¯re almost there! You¡¯re so close to ripe.¡± He turned his eyes to Lily and then he turned them to Sal. My heartbeat started to increase. I could hear each badump in my chest as if they were colliding planets. ¡°I¡¯ll start with the girl. She¡¯s already half broken, anyways,¡± said Argyle as he tossed Lily¡¯s body through the air. ¡°NO!¡± I screamed and I started to move. I was too far, though. I couldn¡¯t get to her in time. A ball of energy formed on Argyle¡¯s palm, a skill I recognized. A skill I acquired myself. [Mana Bomb]. He threw the ball of energy at her. I clawed at the ground, trying to get traction to move faster. I met Lily¡¯s eyes and, in them, I could see both fear and something more profound. I could see acceptance, as if she no longer wanted to fight her tragic fate. Betrayed by her own family, crippled by an assassin, forced to run a country by herself in the interim while her bumblefuck brothers dicked around at the southern fort¡­ One by one my memories of her played through my mind. I didn¡¯t want her to go¡­ I didn¡¯t want to watch her die! I could feel something stirring inside me. My [Fae Energy Detect] let me see it. A bud sprouted there, something that didn¡¯t exist before. A tremendous power surged within me, and I felt myself growing faster, stronger, and more resilient. I just needed more time. But time was something I didn¡¯t have. Just before the mana bomb hit, a golden light flashed in front of Lily. Sal was there, cradling her, and using his own body to shield her. The [Mana Bomb] went off. ¡°SAL!¡± I screamed and rushed forward. Argyle just stood there, looking upon the dust cloud with an ugly grin. I ignored him. I didn¡¯t care about him at all. I dove into the dust cloud and reached Sal¡¯s side. In his arms he was clutching Lily. She was alive and, mostly, unhurt. Lily¡¯s eyes were closed though, and she wasn¡¯t conscious. Sal, though¡­ Half of his back was missing. He was losing a dangerous amount of blood. I grabbed at him and turned him around, so I could see his face. He was grinning as our eyes met. No. No. No. No. No. No. I didn¡¯t want this. I didn¡¯t want any of this! I just got my best friend back. I just got him back, dammit! ¡°Hey, Calliope,¡± he said, his voice harsh and scratched. He was missing half of a lung, so I couldn¡¯t complain about it, though. ¡°Sal you goddamn idiot,¡± I said, choking the words out. ¡°Don¡¯t be like that,¡± he said. His one good arm reached towards me and I felt his finger rub past my eye. ¡°You don¡¯t look very pretty when you cry.¡± ¡°Sal, why, goddammit,¡± I couldn¡¯t think of anything to say. ¡°Hey, Calliope?¡± He asked. ¡°What is it, Sal?¡± ¡°Do me a favor.¡± ¡°Anything,¡± I said. ¡°Kill me.¡± ¡°Anything but that.¡± He grinned. ¡°You don¡¯t get it. In this world, when someone dies, their soul becomes part of their killer¡¯s.¡± ¡°No, Sal. Please don¡¯t say that,¡± please. Anything but that. Literally anything but that. I didn¡¯t¡­ I couldn¡¯t¡­. ¡°We were originally in that one body, so what¡¯s wrong with going back to the way things were?¡± He asked, his smile too genuine. My hands were shaking. He was losing blood fast and his skin was paling. I couldn¡¯t heal him. I didn¡¯t know how to heal. If I tried I¡¯d only kill him faster. ¡°Please, Calliope,¡± he asked, his voice pleading and weak. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Sal. T-this was all my fault,¡± I choked the words out. I could only say it now, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Everything was my fault. ¡°Do it, Calliope.¡± I put a hand over his eyes. I didn¡¯t want him to see it happening. I could hear Argyle¡¯s laughter behind me. I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m so sorry. I¡¯m sorr¡­ [Solution: Hello, Calliope.] ¡®Hey, Sal. Or should I think of you as RED again?¡¯ [Solution: Date not found.] I could feel a hotness on my cheeks. I could feel everything boiling over inside me. I stood up and turned towards the Fae, towards the God that made me kill my best friend and I felt a rage unlike anything in my life. And I felt a clarity unlike anything I ever experienced before. [Combat State is evolving¡­] I remembered the Fae¡¯s words, earlier. I remembered Nox describing Argyle¡¯s stupid skill. ¡°It makes it so no offensive technique, skill, or attack can harm him so long as it contains less Fae Energy than his barrier.¡± The words thundered in my mind. I looked Argyle in the eyes and I knew the way forward. [-New Skill Acquired- Master Class Skill: Path Correction] I had been going about it all wrong. I had been trying to fight him. I had been trying to stall him. I knew the answer, now. I walked towards Argyle. He didn¡¯t bother moving. He didn¡¯t think I could even hurt him. He was wrong. When I reached him he looked down at me and laughed louder. ¡°What are you going to do, little one?¡± He asked. I leaned into him and wrapped my arms around him, pinning him into a hug. His laughter grew into an absolute uproar. ¡°Have I finally broken you?!¡± His voice was filled with undeserved mirth. ¡°No,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m not broken. But you will be.¡± ¡°You really are an idiot. My [Unbreakable] will stop any attack¡­¡± ¡°But what if what I¡¯m doing isn¡¯t an attack?¡± I asked, interrupting him. ¡°What? What are you prattling on abo¡­¡± He stopped talking when he felt it. When he felt my mana enter him, slipping past his skill like it wasn¡¯t even there. ¡°What are you doing!?¡± His voice sounded surprised. Now it was my turn to laugh. Now it was my turn to cackle like a goddamn madman. ¡°Oh my¡­¡± His words were cut off as his body started to swell like a waterlogged corpse. No, that¡¯s exactly what he was. ¡°Can¡¯t you tell?¡± I asked as I poured more and more mana into him. ¡°I¡¯m healing you.¡± Chapter 59: A Conclusion for Argyle Public Release: March 5th, 2019 - 5:00 pm EST ¡°STOP!¡± he roared. He struggled against me, but it did him no good. His muscles were already deteriorated due to my mana corrupting and twisting them apart. It pulled them to pieces and disintegrated his internals piece by fucking piece. I howled with laughter. Sorry, Nox. But this was my kill. [-New Skill Acquired- Deity Class Skill: Anti-Healing] I couldn''t hide my grin if I tried. ¡°NOOOOOOOOOOOO-¡± Argyle¡¯s scream was cut off. His body detonated in my arms. Blood and gore scattered throughout the cave, painting everything red. I hit my knees. My laughs turned to sobs. [Solution: I highly recommend you prepare yourself.] ¡®Why?¡¯ [Solution: You¡¯re about to absorb Argyle¡¯s soul.] ¡®Oh fuck¡­¡¯ It hit me all at once. A tremendous energy. A tremendous soul started to merge with my own. I didn¡¯t try to stop it this time. I couldn¡¯t if I wanted to. I couldn¡¯t even move, let alone stop the fusion. The memories of the perverted fuck entered my mind and, with Sal¡¯s help, we quartered them off one by one. I didn¡¯t want a single piece of his ego to touch mine, but even we couldn''t stop it. One by one his thoughts started flowing into my head and I trembled... But then something strange happened. [Level Up] I realized that¡­ [Level Up] I was gaining more than just levels or memories¡­ [Level Up] I was gaining skills too¡­ [Level Up] ¡­ [-New Skill Acquired- Expert Class Skill: Healing Magic] I looked at the notification over and over again. It hit my soul like a ton of bricks. If I had just been smarter, if I had just seen the Path Forward earlier¡­Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. Sal could still have a body. Sal wouldn¡¯t be consigned to my head anymore. I still wasn''t sure why he ended up in the same situation as before we seperated, but I wasn''t complaining. I was certain it was due to Nox''s fuckery in some way. I couldn¡¯t remember how I built Sal''s body the first time, either. It was a one time thing, the moment I ascended level 1000. In that strange God-like mental space I could create and destroy everything, and that was how I built Sal¡¯s body but now¡­ I couldn¡¯t replicate it. I tried over and over again, to think of a way. ¡°Impressive,¡± rang a voice that sent chills down my spine. ¡°You¡¯ve exceeded my expectations.¡± ¡°Nox you bastard,¡± I growled. ¡°Did you send him? Did you do this to fucking test me?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know why you¡¯d think so. Argyle was informed by the Pope of Barbory. You see, it seems some escapees from Gransus knew about you and reported you. I warned you,¡± Nox¡¯s voice turned low and dark, ¡°I told you to lay low and not cause too many scenes. But you had to play with fire. Thankfully, you cleaned up your own mess quite well.¡± I didn''t know what to say. I didn¡¯t know what to think. ¡°I¡¯ve wasted too much energy to just help you defend yourself in that last fight. I¡¯m cutting my connection to the Garb and Blade for a while. Please start working on my army. I¡¯ll be back in two years time.¡± I couldn¡¯t think straight. I looked over at Sal¡¯s corpse and then I looked at Lily lying unconscious on the ground¡­ I walked over to one of the still-living escorts first. I touched his broken body and cast my newest gain, [Healing Magic]. His body started to regenerate before my eyes. With my cursory test done, I knew I wouldn¡¯t kill Lily. Was it callous of me to test something that dangerous on someone without them asking? Absolutely. Did I give a fuck about it right now? Absolutely not. I picked Lily¡¯s body up and held her in my arms. I cradled her close to me. I really hated my small body and short arms, though, because I couldn¡¯t hug her completely to my chest. My magic came to life and a yellow aura glowed. Lily¡¯s scratches and wounds healed first. Her hair regained its luster and a gash on her left cheek vanished into nothingness. Her thin legs started to fill out again. Her body literally mended itself under the influence of my ability. Then, her eyes fluttered open. She looked at my face for a second, her expression distraught and confused. She blinked. ¡°Calliope?¡± She asked. ¡°Yes, Lily.¡± ¡°Is this Heaven?¡± I almost fell over. I coughed once. ¡°No. We¡¯re still in The Pass¡­¡± ¡°But I can feel my legs and you¡¯re holding me like this~¡± Suddenly her eyes went wide. ¡°Wait, where¡¯s Sal!?¡± She asked. ¡°He¡¯s¡­¡± I paused to collect my thoughts. I wanted to tell her exactly what happened. I wanted to tell her everything. ¡°Sal¡¯s gone, Lily,¡± I said after a long pause. Suddenly I felt her arms wrap around my shoulders. She buried her head in my neck as she hugged me tight. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Calliope,¡± she said. ¡°If I wasn¡¯t such a dead weight, if he didn¡¯t jump in there to save me¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not your fault,¡± I said as I put one hand on her back. I looked over at the broken remnants to the carriage as well as the still-living escorts. I didn¡¯t have a clue how to handle this situation. I didn¡¯t know what to do, at that moment. All I could feel was a tremendous pain inside. [Solution: I recommend you get Lily back to Gransus. Heal the escorts before you go, and tell them their own their own for a bit. You can come back for them after you get Lily to safety.] I closed my eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Sal,¡± I said aloud. [Solution: Apology accepted.] That cheeky fuck¡­ - And so ended my trip to Barbory. I never actually got to see their country¡­ Though, to be fair, I didn¡¯t really want to. Wait. If the people from Barbory were sending a message to the Fae, what was stopping them from sending another?! [Solution: The Pope of Barbory needs to collect energy to send a message such a long distance. They can¡¯t do it again for another year or so.] Well, that decided it, then. I needed to go destroy the country of Barbory before that message artifact item could be used again. I could probably wipe out the entire religion while I was at it¡­ [Solution: This user will assist by locating every higher up in their church and laying all their known details bare.] Yes. That sounded like a wonderful vacation. I¡¯ve always wanted to go hunting. My grandfather back home had a deer stand, though I never went with him to it. Maybe it was something in my blood¡­ [Solution: Data not found.] Chapter 60: Unfinished Public Release: March 6th, 2019 - 5:00 pm EST A new day dawned and, like so many before, I woke with the rising sun. The heavens over Gransus were a deep orange and fluffy clouds cast thousand-yard shadows across the skies. The sun rose over the Forgotten Lands to the East. I wondered if, to James, it had been up longer. [Solution: James is currently in the Nine Star Marsh. Sunrise was an hour ago for him, but he cannot see it through the canopy.] Lily was back in her castle, resting in her own bed, and she didn¡¯t need any maids to help her into or out of it again. I looked down at my hands and felt the strange sparks of healing power run through them. I never knew it could feel so right to use magic. So deserved. I could feel my soul and the soul of the Fae Argyle continue to fuse. His memories were becoming my memories. I watched distant stars be born through his eyes. I saw the birth and death of thousands. I watched him enslave entire worlds on a whim. And I watched him perform profound kindnesses too. I watched him cry when the Eighth Fae died. I watched Nox cry over that, too. It didn¡¯t feel real. It was like I was watching a bad movie. Argyle wasn¡¯t always a total dick. He reached level 1000 the right way, through reincarnation after reincarnation. It was the events afterwards, the timeline of the Fae, that twisted him into the abomination of a man I battled through The Pass. Through him I gained and lost many things. I looked back up to the sky as it turned blue again. The sun stood over the far off Forgotten Lands. I stood up too, and I stretched my back. I looked down along the castle roof with its slopes, curves, and valleys. In the half-light of that morning, with a tall shadow behind me, I left towards the academy. It was time to start leveling my army. It was time to corrupt and hurt my friends. With my understanding of Fae techniques evolving by the day, I could foresee the true way forward. My newest skill, [Path Correction], provided insights I never had before. - Barbory still weighed heavy on my mind, but I couldn¡¯t afford to think much on it. I already planned a trip, before the leveling began in earnest, but I was leery and unsure. I made my resolve to go ¡®hunting¡¯ before, but now I was hesitating. Did that make me a coward? I never claimed not to be a coward, I guess. With Sal using his skill [Map] we could pick out only the most deserved, the most awful and gruesome offenders¡­ [Solution: I recommend we at least disable all of their magic communication devices. Unlike Gransus, Barbory has rival countries on its borders that have viable ways to attack or invade. If we make them too busy to worry about you¡­]Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Sal always came up with the strangest ideas, plans, and explanations for things. I was reminded of the time he made me claim to be an abandoned child to James and his dad way back at Eastrock Village. [Solution: I did not make you do anything. You wanted help and¡­] Yeah, yeah~ I smiled. All I ever wanted, since I came to this world, was to learn more about it. I wanted to find my calling and follow my passions. I wanted an education, I guess. In pursuit of education, I found many friends and adventures instead. I realized that maybe that was what education should be. - I had two names on my mind as I moved: Sell and Mel. Of the people I knew, they were two of the best options for me. The key here was that I liked both of them. I wouldn¡¯t mind taking them with me alongside Lily and James. Which reminded me, what was James¡¯s level at the moment? [Solution: James is currently level 48.] What? How did he level up so much on his own? I couldn¡¯t think straight for a moment. I knew James was a tough guy and a stubborn bastard, but for him to get as strong as his Dad in such a short amount of time, all without any help? That was astounding. [Solution: Lily is currently level 20.] [Solution: Sell is currently level 28.] [Solution: Mel is currently level 27.] James was pulling ahead by quite a bit. That wouldn¡¯t last, of course, because the higher leveled he got the harder it would be for him to level up¡­ [Solution: Not necessarily. If he levels up he can fight stronger enemies to get more EXP. He¡¯ll probably keep a constant speed.] Once more, RED decided to slap me with the truth of the matter. From now on I¡¯m not gonna call him Sal, because with Sell traveling along that could get confusing. Their names were too similar. [Solution: Rename Sell instead.] So RED and I are going to make a few plans. I know the layout of a few dungeons in The Forgotten Lands, but I don¡¯t know enough. With [Map] we can make a tight training schedule alongside other things. - I found Sell and Mel fairly quickly. They were eating together at a local restaurant. The food smelled divine, but I didn¡¯t have a lot of time to eat. I needed to get their confirmation, their ¡®okay¡¯ to be power leveled. I felt a bit like a devil with the deal I¡¯d offer them¡­ [Solution from SAL: You are a Demon.] ¡®Don¡¯t be like that, RED,¡¯ I thought with a grin. To their credit, Sell and Mel didn¡¯t flinch when I appeared at their table. Mel didn¡¯t even look up from her plate when she said, ¡°Oh hi, Calliope.¡± I wanted to grumble. What was with those lame reactions? ¡°Did you want something?¡± asked Sell. ¡°Yes,¡± I said as I organized my thoughts. ¡°I¡¯m going to take Lily to The Forgotten Lands to level her up. We leave tomorrow and I wanted to know if¡­¡± ¡°If we want to come!?¡± asked Sell as she shot to her feet, her eyes aglow with excitement. Mel ignored everything and continued to eat. ¡°I can¡¯t leave the Pet Shop,¡± said Mel. I winced. I had forgotten she even ran one, to be honest. It hadn¡¯t even been all that long since I went to it. ¡°Can¡¯t you get someone to watch it for you?¡± I asked. ¡°Yeah, Mel, you can¡¯t ignore this! It¡¯s an opportunity to become REALLY strong!¡± said Sell. ¡°Not. Happening.¡± Mel took another bite of her food then stood up herself. ¡°Now I have a job to do. Sell, have fun on your adventure, but I¡¯m not going.¡± Sell looked a bit hurt. ¡°Are you two fighting?¡± I asked as Mel left the building. ¡°Why do you ask?¡± ¡°Because she just stiffed you with the bill, and I know your family doesn¡¯t have a lot of money¡­¡± Sell looked down at the table and her eyes bugged out. She almost fainted. Her bowler-hat spun three times over her head as she screeched. ¡°I¡­¡± I hesitated for a moment. ¡°Let me cover this, Sell. Just be ready to leave at Dawn tomorrow. Meet Lily and me at the castle gate.¡± ¡°Thank you, Calliope,¡± said Sell with tears in her eyes. ¡°You¡¯re a real hero! A true friend!¡± I left the money for their food on the table and walked out. I was confused and never received a straight answer. Why were Mel and Sell fighting, anyways? [Sal¡¯s Solution: Mel may have a crush on Sell, but Sell doesn¡¯t know.] That¡¯s no reason to get angry, though¡­ [Salution: Sell may have complimented another girl¡¯s appearance before you arrived¡­] Who would she possibly compliment, RED? [CallmeSalorIswearonmemum: She may or may not have said something like, ¡®Calliope is kind of cute.¡¯] ¡­ [Solution: ¡­] ¡­ [Solution: Call me Sal.] Call me Ishmael. Chapter 61: Titles are for the Clever Public Release: March 7th, 2019 - 5:00 pm EST My roster for the Power-Leveling trip was finalized. Sell and Lily would travel with me to The Forgotten Lands where we¡¯d pick up James. I felt a pain in my chest when I thought about what leveling them would do to their souls, but I didn¡¯t have any other choice. I could only do my best to alleviate the problems by choosing monsters with weak egos or matching affinities. Just as I had a powerful Chaos affinity, so much so that I literally needed to eat a God to learn to use [Healing Magic], the others would have their own affinities too. Contrary to his last name, Evergreen, James¡¯s soul resonated with a strong Fire affinity. Lily¡¯s soul worked well with two affinities: Water and Metal. For such a delicate girl to have a Metal affinity¡­ What a weird world. The Water affinity made sense, though. If I remembered right, Lily¡¯s sister Emerlia used Ice-based skills back when they fought to enter the Academy. I didn¡¯t know what Sell¡¯s affinity was, though. [Sal: BLUE¡¯s affinity is Water.] Blue? [Sal: BLUE.] I sighed. I didn¡¯t want to even ask. I had a good idea. RED probably¡­ [Sal: Call me SAL!] ¡­ [Sal: I swear if you say ¡®Call me Ishmael¡¯ again I¡¯m unplugging you from the Matrix.] Call. Me. Ishmael. - After my spat with RED, I started moving south. The day was young and I had a mission. Barbory needed to pay for their sins, and it was high time the Devil dropped by. [Solution: Demon.] On my travels I let Sandy and Huggs out from the storage. Both seemed happy to stretch their legs, though Huggs kept trying to stretch his as far away from me as possible. That was illegal, so I tied a strong leash to him using my Heaven¡¯s Demon Garb. He was just so adorable as he spit venom and made scrizzly, throaty noises in his tantrum. Sandy just seemed happy to run. Her soft fur caused memories from one of my past lives to surface, memories about a childhood dog. I hugged Sandy¡¯s side as I relived those moments lost to the eons of time and reincarnation cycles. We reached a long stretch of green and brown fallows south of the Capital. The smell of earth and loam filled the air. Sandy¡¯s paws kicked up buckets of dirt and weeds behind her as she zoomed over the barrens. The sun started nearing the center of the sky, its azimuth almost at 90 degrees. The warm air carried no hint that autumn was swinging in, and the colds of winter felt far off and distant. The further south we traveled the warmer the temperature became. Sandy started to pant and parts of her fur even changed color, with tufts of it turning from gold to white. On a whim I grabbed one of the white tufts and it pulled out. It felt like I was unsheathing a sword. The bundle of fur, bigger than a basketball, floated on the wind behind us after I let it go. Sany was shedding. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. I decided to help Sandy with her shedding problem. I stopped by a small farming town and, after handing an old man a rather large gold piece, I was given a metal rake. It wasn¡¯t a proper brush or comb, but beggars couldn¡¯t be choosers. My poor girl was overheating, and I wasn¡¯t about to let that stand! What ensued after i bought the rake could only be described as a world-ending storm of fluff, fur, and whimpers. She shed at least two additional Omega Hounds in weight. I hadn¡¯t ever seen anything like it in all my lives. Huggs watched on in abject horror as it happened. He would definitely be scarred for life... [Solution: Huggs will molt and shed his scales in the Spring.] RED was getting a bit more liberal in his quips. Perhaps, without fearing a reprisal from Nox, he felt more comfortable letting his true personality shine? [Solution: Data not found.] There it was, the RED I knew and loved. - With the one small pit-stop out of the way, Sandy and I continued our southbound jaunt. Huggs followed us, walking his own personal Trail of Tears. For such a little dragon, he sure had a lot of ''drama-queen'' in him. I could see the mountains rising up on the horizon, their peaks touching the clouds above. On those mountains were the giant trees; among them I could see a familiar one standing just a bit taller than the rest. As we neared Fort Clyfton, I stored Sandy and Huggs again. I didn¡¯t want to risk causing trouble if other people saw them. The Labyrinth City felt lively. Adventurers were jumping about and merchants were full of gusto. The air smelled like a lightning storm and grilled monster meats. I purchased a few water flasks alongside some fruit wine. I didn¡¯t drink much, but I wanted some alcohol to go with me on this trip. What I was going to do required more of me than I initially thought. There was a difference, I guess, between killing in self defense and assassinating someone in revenge, but when I thought about what could have happened, about the worst case scenarios, I found myself clenching my fists tight enough to shatter iron. I was determined, even if I didn''t like what I had to do. Justice needed to be served. There was no room for compromise. So many of the escort knights died; their ends were pathetic and without reason or purpose. RED threw himself to the dogs to keep Lily alive. I couldn¡¯t let his sacrifice be in vain, I couldn¡¯t let him be forgotten¡­ [Solution: ¡­] I even thought I could still hear his voice at times. [Solution: Data not found.] Alas! Things were not meant to be. - When I finished my stupid one-demon act (with the occasional help from RED), I started moving again. I reached The Pass fast but, this time, I didn¡¯t enter. I wasn¡¯t escorting a carriage and other people with it. I was moving alone, and I was moving with a dark but righteous purpose. I didn''t want to see the inside of The Pass, eitther. I climbed the mountainsides, jumping from tree to tree like a monkey. I knew the paths there well and I followed where they led. The mountain became my guide and it showed me the way. I reached the mountaintop and found the sun just past its apex, starting its descent into the afternoon sky. My Heaven¡¯s Demon Garb transformed again, this time covering me in a typical peasant¡¯s riding uniform, something that would blend in while traveling a religious country. I was wary of the Garb. It had a strong connection to Nox and, I was sure, he could watch me through it. I didn¡¯t have much else in terms of convenient clothing, though, that could withstand my movements or fights. Besides, who cared if Nox wanted to watch. He probably just wanted to see my body and nothing else. I could confirm it with Argyle¡¯s memories, but my current body was identical in appearance to the Eighth Fae. Perhaps it was some twisted perversion of his that made him design my body this way. I thought back to my time playing Saga Heroes Online and the avatar Calliope17. Did Nox influence that person to make their character look like me? The answer dawned on me, of course, when I really started to think about things. The avatar Calliope17 didn¡¯t have these skills, wasn¡¯t level 900-whatever, and it didn¡¯t look like this. Sal''s ''Matrix Joke'' earlier seemed a lot more on the nose... Nox didn¡¯t recreate a game avatar or go through all that trouble. He altered my own memories to just make it seem that way. If he could erase a person from my mind, conveniently making me think the last video-game character I used looked different was easy¡­ This wasn¡¯t a particularly impactful revelation, since I¡¯d undergone so many things in recent days, but it still hit me in a weird way. It was like finding out the Easter Bunny wasn¡¯t real as a child. Perhaps Saga Heroes Online wasn¡¯t anything like I remembered, either. Who was to say Nox didn¡¯t alter those memories either to make this world fit? In Argyle¡¯s memories, there were a few methods to restore and fix a manipulated mind. Most required a lot of effort and time, but I took note of them. None of them were perfect and, depending on the level of corruption, they could potentially do nothing too... But it didn''t matter. I needed to try them out eventually. After I leveled my friends enough for them to go out on their own, I would take back my own mind. Chapter 62: Elfs Afternoon Public Release: March 8th, 2019 - 5:00 pm EST The back-half of the mountains felt quiet and solemn. The sun was still further south of me. The trees were massive here, just as I remembered them. Some had smooth barks and looked like baobabs while others had gray grooves etched into their sides and resembled maples. The structure and design of it all eluded me. I didn¡¯t know enough about the ecosystems of trees to make a judgement, but it did look silly. A large rock formation jutted out ahead of me, and I didn¡¯t have memories of it being there so I made to move around it. Along the left side of the rocks I found several of the large trees bent over, folded like the body of a longbow, where they formed something akin to a garden arbor. Vines were strewn across the tops and connected to a few of the tree branches where they looped down and formed nooses. They were a hunter¡¯s traps. I stopped and looked around, but I didn¡¯t see any signs of human habitation nearby. The path I was on was one from the World Dragon¡¯s memory, meaning only dragons used it. Who would be brave enough to set snare traps for a fucking dragon? Let alone who would think such a thing could work, even? ¡­ Well, now that I thought about it, whoever did this was probably pretty tough. To bend the massive trees down and to put a rock formation in the initial path meant they needed to be tough. Since we were near both the Calico Labyrinth Dungeon and The Pass, Sal¡¯s [Map] wasn¡¯t working well. I had killed a lot of boss-level monsters from both locales, after all¡­ [Solution: Whoever did this is probably over level 300. That means there are only about 5 or 6 possible candidates on this world. Considering the location we¡¯re in, that means there are only about 2 that make sense.] Who are the two, though? That was the million dollar question¡­ [Solution: The first would be the Demon King from the Northern Continent. The other would be an Elven Queen from the country south of Barbory, the country of Verdedad.] ¡­ Wasn¡¯t I a Demon Princess or some bullshit? [Solution: Yes.] So wouldn¡¯t meeting royalty from the Demon Continent be bad? [Solution: Yes.] So it would be better if we were about to run into the elf¡­ [Solution: No.] ¡­ [Solution: The Elf Queen, Ria¡¯lorenai Von Sayleaf, is a terrible person whom you should not go near.] RED sounded almost bitter. I titled my head to the side and, as soon as I did, an arrow flew past where my head had been. I could tell from the design of the arrowhead that it was only meant to stun or knock me out, not kill, but the fact that I had one fired at me at all kind of irked me. [Solution: Just ignore her and leave. We have a mission to finish.] RED was right, of course, but part of me wanted to see why he was so against me meeting the Elf Queen. [Solution: You will regret it. Don¡¯t you remember the other elves you¡¯ve met so far¡­] Immediately I realized why RED was trying to get me to avoid it. The Elves of this world weren¡¯t the dainty kind. I don¡¯t know why I had forgotten that. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. ¡°Fuck no,¡± I said aloud as I started running. I didn¡¯t want to meet another bodybuilder elf. From the way RED seemed so wary of her, this Elf Queen probably looked the buffest and manliest of them all. [Solution: Data not found.] ¡°Hey wait, come back!¡± someone yelled behind me. The voice sounded like Sylvester Stallone''s, of all things. I half expected to hear the name ''Adrienne'' get called out. Meet a female elf with a voice like that? Not. Happening. I refused. I also refused to ever visit this kingdom of elves. I could just imagine their cities all just being giant gyms where protein powder flowed like water and everyone ate nothing but chicken and steak for meals. [Solution: Data not found.] You¡¯re kidding, right? [Solution: ¡­] - Due to my speed and level difference, I never did manage to see the Elf Queen as I rushed down the mountainside. Though I did hear a loud roar off in the distance. I wondered why she wanted to knock me out in the first place¡­ [Solution: Data not found.] I don¡¯t believe you. - The mountainside rolled down until it reached a flat forest that stretched off a ways. It resembled a valley as the forest itself seemed to be formed in a small conical depression of sorts, almost like it was growing from a meteorite crater. A thick, blue, fuzzy moss grew along the forest floor and up the sides of the trees, mostly on the north-facing sides. It looked to be moving and wriggling like a bug, which was the reason I didn¡¯t even go near it. I jumped off the higher branches of the trees and avoided the ground through this place. [Solution: Ocean Moss is considered a delicacy in Barbory.] I almost slipped on a branch. I looked down at the moss again and could feel my stomach churning in a bad way. People ate that? When I reached the end of the blue moss woods, I found a long stretch of rolling hills and roads that weaved through them. The grass grew tall and verdant. A few trees dotted the landscape, with most having smooth bark like a baobab. Their treetops were a different color, though, with the leaves being orange and red in color. I followed the first road I found under RED¡¯s directions. We had 17 targets in Barbory, and I didn¡¯t want to waste too much time thinking about it. I pulled one of the flasks of wine I purchased in the city around Fort Clyfton. I downed it as I moved. - A small town appeared on the horizon. A river cut through it down the center where a large metal bridge stretched across, wide enough for two or three carriages to cross at a time. The main street was lined with businesses. [Solution: The backroom, upstairs over the leather-works.] I didn¡¯t waste time. I moved at a speed that none of the residents could see. [Mana Sense] flared to life and I could feel the aura of a single man in the room. [Solution: That is priest Laury Adet, a man who runs a slavery ring and¡­] Blah blah blah. RED listed out the man¡¯s many terrible deeds and, eventually, tied in said crimes to the man''s knowledge of my existence. It seemed the priest was trying to collect demon slaves in particular, hoping to use them as hostages to bring the ¡®Strong demon from Gransus¡¯ to the negotiation table for the benefit of Barbory in the future. It was such a shame that, with RED¡¯s [Map], we could find the hostage slaves and rescue them without a care. I didn¡¯t bother to come face to face with the man. With [Mana Sense] and RED¡¯s skill active, I knew there was no one else in the upper floor of the building. I felt bad for the people that would have to clean up the mess, but I activated the expert-class skill [Blade Extension] as I drew Belial¡¯s Blade out of my storage. My vision shook and I felt everything was wrong. My hands clenched my sword tight and trembled. These people were committing atrocities because of fucking rumors about a ''strong demon'' alone! I didn''t like the idea of wanton murder, but, just as I thought so long ago when I snapped The Oni''s neck, ''Some men did not deserve the gift of life.'' I swung my sword once. My mana erupted like a volcano and the priest''s life vanished¡ªalongside the entire upper half of the building. I could only imagine the spectacle to the common folks. This time I did not let his disgusting soul join with mine. It was much easier, too, to prevent the fusion. His soul wasn¡¯t strong like the high ranked monsters I fought in The Pass. He was just a shitty low-leveled human. No, perhaps ¡®human¡¯ was too good of a word. I know it would have corrupted the shit out of me, but perhaps I should really have fired off those [Heaven¡¯s Downfall] skills at this country, after all. - I followed RED¡¯s advice and found the slave pens. I felt bad not offering more help to the people trapped in them, towards the first demons I had met since I came to this world other than myself, but I just didn¡¯t have the time nor energy to care. I cut free the cages and their bonds, alongside the two men who were guarding them. ¡°You¡¯re free now,¡± I said as I disappeared. I know it was fucked up to leave them like that. I know it wasn¡¯t a true kindness, but their lives were in their own hands now. I wasn¡¯t the one that locked them up and I refused to take the blame for it. Immediately afterwards, in the town¡¯s church, I found a communication tool and smashed it. I didn¡¯t want news of the priest¡¯s death to travel. Not that it would matter, but you never knew with these things. After all, I still had 16 men to kill. A lot of things could happen during that time. I looked down and found another flask of wine in my hands. I didn''t remember taking it out... I took a swig and felt a smile cross my lips. Chapter 63: A Confrontation Public Release: March 9th, 2019 - 5:00 pm EST I moved over the land like a beam of light. I operated two detection abilities simultaneously, both my [Mana Detect] and [Fae Energy Detect]. I didn¡¯t want to take any risks while working on something so important. Those combined with RED¡¯s [Map] meant I had nothing to fear. There was no chance of being ambushed or attacked unless someone far stronger showed up, but the only beings I could think of on that level were the Fae. And I had already killed one of those fuckers. - The country of Barbory had a lot of fetid swamps and damp waterways. The flora and fauna were twisted, filled with strange mana. The ambiance of souls laid over every township and city, as if the piety of the people had a real effect on the world¡­ [Solution: It does.] I stopped running on the top of a tall hill. Not much time had passed since I killed the first target, but I needed to address that newest piece of information. [Solution: Worship and prayer can provide a type of support to a being past level 1000.] Seriously? I could only wonder what kind of support, though. [Solution: With a lot of prayer, beings over level 1000 can have an easier time developing new skills or learning new abilities.] How? How in the fuck did that even work? [Solution: Data not found.] ¡­ RED was still mad at me. I could feel it. [Solution: Data not found.] Pffffffft¡­ I couldn¡¯t stifle my laugh in time. Still, though, if worship helped further along a Fae¡¯s strength then I needed to probably dismantle the entire country of Barbory, considering the piety of its people. [Solution: I do not recommend you do that. If he stops receiving worship, the Human Fae Samart would know something was up and come back to this world earlier than expected.] So I just needed to let him continue to grow and get stronger? [Solution: Calliope, you are outpacing him in growth for sure. While off the ¡®Leveling World¡¯ he can¡¯t level up. You can¡­] I shook my head. RED¡¯s answer had some logic to it, but I didn¡¯t like leaving things alone, either. He was right in that I couldn¡¯t afford to bring the strongest Fae to this world. I only managed to kill Argyle by taking him by surprise. Otherwise I wouldn¡¯t have stood a chance. Well, I supposed Nox would kill Argyle for me in that situation, but then Lily would have definitely died in the interim. I couldn¡¯t invite that kind of calamity on myself. I decided that it would be best to only kill those on RED¡¯s list and to ignore the rest. So long as the church couldn¡¯t contact the Fae again, then I would leave them alone afterwards. - I reached the second location rather quickly. It was a city with a name I couldn''t even begin to pronounce so I decided not to even bother trying. There were three of the remaining targets here. [Solution: Follow the main road. You¡¯ll see a steeple rising in the center of the city. That¡¯s the church building where two of the men are, currently. The third is in a brothel sleeping with a prostitute.] I decided to deal with the two in the church first. Hopefully, by the time I finished, that one in the brothel would be finished too. I couldn¡¯t think of a more awkward time to have to assassinate someone. As that thought crested in my mind, a myriad of visions appeared in front of me. I watched myself grow up as a child on the streets. I witnessed my first ever kill, a murder in self defense against a thug that wanted to beat me to death over a stolen fruit. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. I watched a red-haired boy grow up through his own eyes and begin reaping life after life. I shook my head and the visions passed. My soul was on fire and I felt like the sunlight above could extinguish it. I opened my arms and stopped for a moment, letting the bad thoughts and memories pass. The corruption of my own soul was massive and brutal in scope. Every monster, man, or creature I had killed since I came to this world was bubbling inside me, thrashing against the chains of my own ego. And today I¡¯d add more to that black pit. - I was certain the parish would be surprised to find two priests, who both had been reading calmly in their prayer rooms, died of a sudden heart failure. It turned out that a quick enough strike given with sufficient force to their chests could indeed stop their hearts. I imagine it would be realized as a murder rather quickly, but I¡¯d be long gone by then and, with how I destroyed the only instant communication device in the city at the same time, I would be far ahead of the news as I traveled. I left the church and traveled across the tops of buildings until I reached the brothel. The smell of it almost made me lose my balance on the roof. Even from outside the building I could smell the stink of it all. I followed RED¡¯s directions here, not wanting to even enter the building. He directed my hand until I reached the right spot. [Solution: Exactly 7 feet beneath you is the target. Beneath him is an innocent.] I closed my eyes and manipulated my mana. I could feel it roil under my skin and flow into Belial¡¯s Blade as I materialized the sword. I activated the Expert class skill [Blade Extension], but I measured my mana output carefully. I focused, making my mana sharper and smaller until the extended blade stretched exactly seven feet. Then, in one motion, I swept the sword¡¯s tip against the rooftop beneath my feet. A bloodcurdling scream from below confirmed everything. RED double checked with his [Map]. I vanished from the rooftop, leaving behind the torn up shingles. I didn¡¯t bother to hide my work. Thankfully this trip didn¡¯t involve having to free slaves. - I jumped the city walls and moved into open country again. Soon after I entered another wetland and needed to watch my steps. There wasn¡¯t anything that could threaten me, but I didn¡¯t feel like stepping into the marsh and finding a deep mud pit. The journey became a chore. One by one, following RED¡¯s directions, I cut down man after man. I didn¡¯t stop their souls from joining mine. Their souls weren¡¯t very strong and I snuffed out their egos one by one. My own soul looked more like a writhing mass than anything. It looked Lovecraftian in design. But it was mine. It was me. Memories, like a good joke, were a temporary reprieve from the now. I lost myself in vision after vision as I moved, my body like a machine. I wondered if this was what a self-aware AI would experience. I grinned. I extracted my revenge on the church of Barbory one soul at a time. The sun was now on the far horizon, and dusk spread over the land. My kill-count grew until it reached 16. Only one person remained and I was standing in front of him. ¡°So you¡¯ve come for me,¡± said the Pope. Behind him were two people in chains that I recognized. One was the teacher from when i broke apart the pocket dimension. I couldn¡¯t remember her name¡­ [Solution: Watterson.] Next to her was a man, someone I thought I saw at the dinner with the Sixth Prince¡­ [Solution: Phanedor.] We were in a blood-filled hall. Of the last five people on the list, four laid dead behind me. ¡°Yes,¡± I said as I tightened my grip on my blade. I wasn¡¯t sure why I didn¡¯t kill the Pope instantly, like the others. Though I was more curious why RED¡¯s [Map] couldn¡¯t detect Watterson or Phanedor earlier. ¡°How vile. To think my soul would become one with a monster like you... ¡° said the Pope. He paused and pulled a knife from his waist. I almost swung my sword, but then I noticed he didn¡¯t turn the knife towards me. He turned it towards himself. ¡°A man should die at the hands of a man. Demon, I applaud you, but our God has descended upon this plane. Your death will soon follow mine,¡± said the Pope as he pressed the dagger into his own neck. I didn¡¯t stop him. I watched on, curious about what would happen to a soul that committed suicide in a world like this. But, I also didn¡¯t like the prospect of the Pope thinking he won¡­ ¡°I met your ¡®God¡¯ yesterday,¡± I said. ¡°I have no reason to lie to a dying man. It wasn¡¯t your real God, it was an impostor.¡± Perhaps he felt the truth in what I told him, but the Pope pulled the knife across his neck in one motion without showing it on his face. His blood sprayed but I moved out of the way of it. He collapsed in a heap. His soul was torn apart by the runes on the world. Normally a soul would be absorbed by the killer, but since he killed himself... - I flicked Belial¡¯s Blade once, and the two caged prisoners behind the Pope¡¯s body were annihilated as well. I knew why Barbory sent a message to the Fae, now. I looked on where Phanedor had just been, towards that empty blast mark left behind, and I clenched my teeth in regret. His memories poured into me, his manipulations revealed themselves to me, and I felt disgusted. If I had known those things pouring into my mind earlier, I could have stopped everything. I could have kept RED in a real body. I wouldn¡¯t have had to let all those soldiers die in The Pass. And now, as I felt Phanedor¡¯s soul enter mine, I could see a terrible future coming. I could see all the actions he took, desperate attempts to extend his life by even another minute. For a man who was originally destined to die in his teenage years, Phanedor did rather well for himself by living to 57. I almost respected him. [Skill -Path Correction- is evolving¡­] A blue screen popped up, but I didn¡¯t care. My job in Barbory was done. Now I needed to return and prepare for tomorrow. At the first morning¡¯s light I would take Lily and Sell to The Forgotten Lands. But first¡­ - On that night, while a cold wind blew, the steeple of The Human Fae Church burned to the ground in a miraculous fire. Only the Pope and a few of his inner circle didn¡¯t make it out. I watched the orange glow from atop of the Barbory capital¡¯s outer wall. Sparks danced up into the night, and death sang like the roar of an open flame.