《Otherworldly Trials [LITRPG Adventure]》 Ch1: First meeting He gasped. A cold sensation ran down the front side of his body. He noticed that he was laying on something. It was sturdy, almost stone like. He groaned as he stood up. Looking back down, he saw that he was resting on a marbled floor. It was clear white, tiles that seemed to spread all around him. It was definitely a floor. The thing is, why did he wake up on the floor? His head felt groggy, as expected of his usual feeling when waking from deep slumber. But his body was sore all over, as though he trained for a marathon right before going to sleep. He never did anything like that in his adult life. His mind whirled as he took a look around. He should¡¯ve been in his apartment¡¯s room, resting on his twin-sized bed. But he found himself in an entirely new place. The white tiled floor seemed to stretch on forever as he was somehow in the middle of a grand hallway fit for a castle. The walls were decorated with tapestries at separate intervals, the colors of gray, black and white being the main color scheme of the place. The lamps in between each tapestry in the hallway gave off bright light behind rectangular-shaped glass. He saw through the light, but can¡¯t make heads or tails of the source. He stood up, realizing that he still wore his suit. Looking down, it was his ordinary gray suit jacket and pants with a dress shirt underneath, tied around with a black necktie that always strangled him at all hours. His dress shoes squeaked uncomfortably in his ears, especially as that was the only sound outside of his panicked breathing. He patted his shirt, then the rest of his body to find that other than the soreness, he was completely fine. He remembered now. During the night, he swore that after working a late night shift in his company¡¯s office, he went straight to sleep without bothering to take off his clothes. He was forced to take on a senior¡¯s workload due to him getting off early with no warning, and being the next guy in charge, he had to take it on himself. He was so tired, considering that the senior didn¡¯t even do a good job, so he kept ironing out the mistakes and only got out in the early hours of the morning before heading straight to bed. And that¡¯s the thing; he was supposed to be in his bed. So again¨Cwhy is he here? He never remembered taking any medicine before going to bed. Nor was he the type to have any recreational drugs for fun. He was always so tired from work, so he ended up just napping. Even then, he certainly would¡¯ve remembered having strange dreams like this that felt so¡­ vivid. He walked towards the wall of the hallway, feeling the tile with his hand. It was cold, unlike his apartment¡¯s walls. It definitely feels real¡­ He shook his head. That didn¡¯t work. The hallway continued to exist in his head. Did it exist? He can¡¯t tell anymore. Having no other choice, he knocked on the wall. Hard. It hurt. He hissed as he held his middle finger, the one that did the most knocking, along the rest of his fingers as pain coursed through the knuckles. Looking back at his whitish skin, he saw it reddening like usual. Normally, pain would result in bringing himself back to the real world, right? But in the end, he was still there. I definitely don¡¯t want to test out by hitting my head¡­ He shivered at the thought. He knew he wasn''t the sort to hallucinate like this. He had enough problems as it is with his current lifestyle. It¡¯s not like he lived healthily, but he was certain that any problem that would come across would¡¯ve been physical, like a broken back or even carpal tunnel from constantly typing on his keyboard, but this was an entirely different thing. If anything, it felt like being in those castles in his usual video game sprees. But he never had dreams of playing those games while sleeping. If pain didn¡¯t work, and he knew himself well enough that he wasn¡¯t hallucinating¡­ then what was going on? He walked forward, his squeaking shoes annoying him greatly as it transcended beyond the hallway, reverberating throughout the silence. His footsteps soon bellowed out, beating the squeaking as he continued onward. The corridors were big, almost gigantuan, like visiting a stadium. The ceiling was high, almost three stories up without any floors in between. Almost as if giants roamed the halls instead of mere humans. He noticed there was a turn to the right in the next corner. It became L-shaped as he continued forward, but somehow he felt afraid of what he might find. Would he find himself in some horror movie cliche where he would meet a monster that would end his life? His heart beat faster, the unknown mystery of his situation along with the possible danger that would soon come for him making it worse for his anxiety. Soon, he slowly turned over, facing whatever it was that was about to appear. Something bumped into him, causing him to make a very unmanly yelp. ¡°Aah!¡± ¡°Aaah!¡± ¡°Aaaah!¡± Strangely, three voices echoed out, not just the one. Looking back, he saw two people cowering in front of him, kneeling down and hugging each other tightly. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. One was a young woman, possibly in her early twenties. Another was even younger, a literal child in her hands. She couldn¡¯t be any older than nine or ten years old. And from the looks of it, they arrived here the same as he did in the same attire that they came with. The young woman sported a T-shirt with a black tank top over it. Ripped jeans and toughened boots made it obvious she was traveling. Meanwhile, the little girl wore a simple yellow dress. Dark shorts shown underneath with crocks for footwear. The man couldn¡¯t even say anything, just stunned by what he saw. It¡¯s one thing to be trapped here in a strange dream, but it¡¯s another to meet someone else who was possibly in the same situation. But before he could say anything, the young woman quickly wrapped her arms around the child, screaming. ¡°Please, let us go!¡± She shouted at the man, her eyes beginning to tear up. ¡°Please! If not, then at least my little sister go!¡± ¡°S-Sissy¡­!¡± The little girl cried out, her eyes beginning to tear up the same way. The man panicked, his eyes widening. They thought he was responsible for taking them? Somehow that was worse than being taken away by himself. He held his hands up. ¡°W-Wait! You¡¯re making a mistake. I¡¯m not doing any of this!¡± He shouted, trying to back away at the same time. The worst he can do is appearing to be threatening. ¡°I don¡¯t even know where I am!¡± ¡°What?¡± That got the young woman¡¯s attention, squinting at the man now through her long brown hair. She had bangs covering the majority of her forehead, but her brown eyes were almost piercing him. ¡°I swear, it¡¯s true!¡± The man pleaded, placing his hands over his chest. ¡°Please believe me when I say that I literally just woke up a few minutes ago.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the same as us¡­¡± The woman said, her tone trailing off to sound dampened. The man could only let out a breath of relief. As long as the woman doesn¡¯t see him as a kidnapper of some kind, they can figure out a way out of here. Or rather, find out how on earth they managed to find themselves here. He glanced at the little girl, noticing that she was staring hard at him. It didn¡¯t seem out of fear, but he wouldn¡¯t put past a little girl being afraid of a strange man. He can understand why these two would be kidnapped. They live in a horrible world where young women can get taken away and be forced into horrible situations, including children. but he was more confused as to why he, a single man in his twenties, was also taken. He didn¡¯t even have cash to take from, much less any valuables. Other than that, only his life has any worth. Then he realized that the young woman was still clutching onto the little girl on the floor. She seemed utterly confused and lost as she thought about what to do. He held out his hand to her. ¡°A-Anyways, let me help you up. Better to think on your feet than on the floor.¡± ¡°Y-Yeah¡­¡± The young woman realized it herself, looking a bit embarrassed as she took the man¡¯s hand. She held her sister¡¯s torso, unwilling to let her go despite it all. The man nodded as he met her face to face. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what¡¯s going on here, but at least let¡¯s make a truce for now. My name¡¯s Zeke. Zeke Parlow. What¡¯s yours?¡± ¡°M-My name¡¯s Mikella Ashton,¡± The young woman replied, then glanced at the little girl she hugged in her arms. ¡°This is Clara, my little sister.¡± The young girl, Clara, only stared at him. She tried to hide herself behind her sister, trying her hardest to be unseen by him. ¡°Umm¡­¡± The woman, Mikella, uttered. ¡°Did you happen to see anybody else here? Perhaps the one in charge¡­?¡± ¡°No,¡± Zeke shook his head. The young woman instantly wilted after he answered. He would be too if he asked too. ¡°Like I said¨CI just woke up after that turn over there. On the floor even¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s the same as us,¡± Mikella¡¯s tone dampened further, somehow. ¡°All of a sudden, I found myself on the floor sleeping with Clara on my side. My body felt so sore too¡­do you remember what happened before you came here?¡± ¡°All I know is that I was sleeping on my bed after working overtime. I even slept in my suit¨Cand you?¡± ¡°We were taking a subway to another city at the time,¡± Mikella explained, putting her hand on Clara for comfort. She still refused to see him eye to eye. He didn¡¯t mind as the woman continued. ¡°We were sleeping since it was a long run¡­ but now we¡¯re here.¡± Mikella took a glance around again, noticing the great estate of the building. He remembered seeing one of those documentaries about long-lived castles from medieval times. One of the tours showed some hallways that looked exactly like this. But none of them looked this clean, almost disturbingly so. It felt off, like not of this world. ¡°So¡­ we weren¡¯t kidnapped,¡± Zeke mentioned, rubbing his chin. ¡°And so far, we only found each other.¡± ¡°W-What do we do?¡± Mikella asked. Even if she did, Zeke couldn¡¯t respond right away. ¡°Who the hell could have taken us from where we were? We were on a train for god¡¯s sake.¡± She was right on that. That didn¡¯t make sense at all. There was no way that anyone could just take a young woman and child from a running train even if she fell asleep. The only reason why she could is possibly due to other people being on the train. So unless everyone turned a blind eye to some strange kidnapper that took the two sisters away, it was impossible to suddenly be taken to some strange castle, possibly even out of the country. ¡°Sissy¡­ I¡¯m scared¡­¡± The little girl said, tears beginning to well. Mikella shushed her softly, kneeling down to her level. ¡°I know. Don¡¯t worry; we¡¯ll be home soon.¡± The young woman replied to her ear. Zeke knows that she¡¯s just trying to console the poor girl, but he had a strong doubt that was the case. Still, seeing this, how could he just leave the girls alone like this? Even if he didn¡¯t have any sort of combat experience, the least he could do is help these two find a way out of here. If he were by himself, he would probably be too scared stiff and trying to find answers to his multiple questions. But right now, what¡¯s important is to at least help the woman and child. He didn¡¯t know them at all, but he knew that he would regret it if he left them be. ¡°Umm¡­ I may not know my place around here, but I think we should stay together till we find someone that can help us. How about it?¡± He asked Mikella, the only one capable of giving consent. She turned back at him with a doubtful stare. He almost faltered at that. He hoped that she didn¡¯t think he was trying to take advantage of her in this situation. He couldn¡¯t even think of anything strange at the moment. Sure, the young woman was pretty to look at, but right now their safety wasn''t even assured. ¡°I promise to stay a few feet away if it makes you uncomfortable,¡± The man first said, raising his hands to help console her. But Mikella shook her head. ¡°No, you¡¯re right,¡± She said, looking at him now in earnest. ¡°Sorry. I know you¡¯re just trying to help. I think that¡¯s a good idea.¡± Zeke nodded in understanding. ¡°Alright. Then, for now, will you follow my lead?¡± He turned to the side, noticing another hallway that they apparently came from. In another few feet, they saw another turn way beyond. ¡°This way, whatever happens, everything will start from the front. You can take care of your little sister all the while. If something happens, you run. Is that okay with you?¡± Mikella nodded in agreement. Zeke didn¡¯t mind at all to be a target for some weirdo. After all, the first thing on anyone¡¯s mind is to bring the child away from danger. If he could use his body to protect the child, what would be a better way to go? Not that he would consider dying as a first choice. If he could, he would run too¨Conce the girls get away in time. He wasn¡¯t so brave as to die for someone he doesn¡¯t even know. With that, the impromptu group of a man, a woman, and a child headed towards the corner to explore the castle to find people¨Cor at least, a way out of here. Ch2: Strange encounter Zeke took a careful glimpse out of a corner of the hallway. He glanced left and right, noticing the new changes of the halls. This time, the color changed gradually from a bright white to a dampening gray and black. It was as though it was starting to dim, like from daytime to evening dusk. The hallways seemed to shrink as well, the ceilings and walls just a few feet high larger compared to the stories wide size. If he had to guess, they somehow ended up in the inner section of the castle. Noticing no danger in sight, he turned to his new companions that he found right after waking up in this strange place. A young woman named Mikella walked forward, grasping the ten year old named Clara by the hand as she did so. The little girl, being brave as she is, kept quiet under Mikella¡¯s order, and made sure not to make any sound. Zeke couldn¡¯t be more impressed. As far as he knew about children, they were always loud, always crying when they didn''t get their way. With Mikella like this, he expected at some point that Clara would start sobbing, if just a bit quietly. But she didn¡¯t even start crying. Her round brown eyes were still wet from earlier, but she held onto Mikella¡¯s hand without faltering. If he were to guess, she was the mature type among her kid friends, and perhaps a bit more shy and not very outgoing. That couldn¡¯t be more appreciated at this time. As they made their way through, they spent about half an hour traversing the castle halls. As he promised, Zeke would be the first to enter into a new area, which could have the people responsible for their kidnapping. People that could be dangerous and could turn a weapon at him for leaving his supposed place back there. Then again, he was starting to doubt that a normal kidnapper got them there at all. Who would just kidnap someone and then leave them there on the floor in a castle? No matter how much he tried to run the logic behind it, all he could think was that he was somehow teleported to some random place and ended up on the floor by falling onto it. That would also explain why his body was sore. Even now, there were aches traveling all across his body. It didn¡¯t make sense either, even with his earlier logic. His body hurt everywhere, including some places where it shouldn¡¯t hurt, like his fingernails and even his hair. It was a strange feeling. The more he traversed, the more he realized how his body was feeling. If he were to guess, he could possibly be drugged during his sleep. But if that was the case, would they go so far enough to drug a child? He turned his head, asking in a low voice. ¡°Mikella, do you still feel sore?¡± She nodded. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s strange. I¡¯m usually fit so this shouldn¡¯t bother me. It¡¯s like everything hurts¡­¡± ¡°Even the stuff that shouldn¡¯t? Like your hair and nails?¡± Zeke asked, hoping that it wouldn¡¯t sound strange. But that caught her attention as she widened her eyes at him. ¡°You too¡­?¡± ¡°Shit,¡± Zeke cursed. ¡°What did they do to us while we were out?¡± ¡°Oh god¡­ did they drug us?¡± Mikella¡¯s voice became tinged in panic, her eyes beginning to widen even more. ¡°That¡¯s what I was thinking,¡± Zeke said, his own worries magnifying. ¡°Clara,¡± Mikella asked the girl beside her, looking up to her big sister. ¡°How do you feel? Do you feel any pain or anything uncomfortable?¡± Despite being so little, Clara shook her head in absolution. ¡°No, Sissy¡­ It doesn¡¯t hurt.¡± ¡°Ooh, that¡¯s good¡­¡± Mikella let out a relieved breath. Zeke did the same, which meant that whoever kidnapped them didn''t go so far as to include Clara into whatever the hell they did to them. Still, it didn¡¯t help his anxiety as he crept forward with the girls, using his body as a shield for any potential threats. As he kept turning corners, entering into new hallways and locations, he found a wooden door on the other side. It was a fairly ancient door, with an old fashioned gold-tinged knob with elaborate markings on it. There was even a big keyhole meant for those classic keys rather than the small modern ones. Studying it, he turned to Mikella. ¡°I¡¯m going to open the door. I wanna see if there¡¯s anything here we can use.¡± ¡°Like, a weapon or something?¡± Mikella asked, tilting her head. ¡°I¡¯d rather have something in hand while we''re here, if you know what I mean.¡± Zeke hoped she did, because he didn¡¯t want her to think that he¡¯s a casually violent person. To his relief, she nodded in understanding. Grasping onto the golden knob and turning it, he thanked his lucky stars that it wasn¡¯t locked. The door opened the hinges wide as he pushed on through. Inside was a decorated room, furnished to fit royalty. Plenty of lavish designs and furs on every corner of the room. Strange abstract paintings hung on the walls, but none of them made sense to his rattled mind. He could tell they gave a foreboding feel, though. He held his hand up to Mikella, letting him enter first. Not that he found anybody in this strange small room, but it was better for him to go first just to be safe. He kept searching the room, finding something strange. A wooden rack at the corner of the room, filled with actual weapons. On that rack were two weapons; an axe and a sword. He widened his eyes. He knew this place looked medieval, but to actually find weapons was beyond his expectations. Looking around, he noticed that nothing of value was there outside of the weapons. He approached them, leaving the girls to follow him in since there was no trouble to be found. ¡°A-Are those weapons?¡± Mikella asked in surprise. Zeke could only affirm with a grunt as he picked up a weapon. He took the axe first and lurched downwards from the heft of it. ¡°Holy shit, this is heavy¡­!¡± He heaved, lifting the heavy axe up into the air. After making a careful adjustment to his grip, he finally managed to hold it with ease. It was definitely heavy, possibly around forty or even fifty pounds, especially at the head of the axe where most of the nearly glistening metal was. The axe seemed well-designed, the markings on the flat of the blade nearly the same as the markings of the door knob, elegant and flourishing. It felt more like a noble¡¯s weapon than for some warrior on the battlefield. After putting the center point of the axe down on the ground, he also picked up the sword. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. Thankfully, it wasn¡¯t as heavy as he hefted it up and down. He realized that this might be perfect for someone with less muscles. Though hearing what Mikella said earlier, perhaps it was better that she gets the axe? After careful consideration, it was better that he had it. After all, if this sword is easy to carry, then she can also carry Clara who seemed reluctant on leaving Mikella. Not that he¡¯d blame the poor child; who would go on their own in a place like this? ¡°Mikella, take this sword,¡± Zeke asked, holding out the sword to her. ¡°What?!¡± Mikella exclaimed. ¡°You¡¯re kidding me! I can¡¯t take that!¡± ¡°I-It would be better for you to have something,¡± Zeke stuttered. He was taken aback by her sudden refusal. ¡°I¡¯ll still be in front with the axe, but this would be just in case something happens to me.¡± ¡°I mean¡­ yeah¡­ I guess¡­¡± Mikella was reluctant, looking at the sword in trepidation, then back at him. Much like the axe, it was fairly presentable. The blade was bigger than his entire arm. It was a simple diamond-tipped blade with a cross guard sticking out of the base, though he wasn¡¯t sure whether it would actually protect the user¡¯s fingers. Not that Zeke would know how swords worked. The only reason why he would know at all is due to game knowledge alone. Conquering that fear with a resolute nod, Mikella stepped forward and grabbed the sword from Zeke. Holding it in both hands, she gripped it tight as she lifted the blade of the sword high and swung it down to check its weight. After doing some careful swings, avoiding hitting anyone around them, Mikella pressed her lips together. ¡°It feels¡­ nice, I guess,¡± She commented. ¡°Though I really hope I don¡¯t have to use it.¡± ¡°Whoa¡­¡± Clara, who had been quiet this whole time, remarked at her sister swinging the sword. Even Zeke had to agree that it was cool to look at. He smiled at the interaction before he spotted something at the door. He left the door open and the girls didn¡¯t close it, so when he saw something approaching them through the opening, his eyes widened and his mouth gaped. ¡°That¡­¡± His voice was tinged in panic as he kept staring at the thing approaching. ¡°That might happen sooner than you think.¡± Zeke immediately pulled Mikella away from where she was, surprising her along with Clara who was stuck to her like glue. When she reacted with a yelp, she glowered back at him; only to instantly screech at the sight. ¡°W-What is that?!¡± The screech didn¡¯t help, especially since now it¡¯s proof that he¡¯s not the only one seeing it. The thing that was approaching them looked like a man fully covered in heavy plated armor. It was a sort of medieval suit of armor, with an equally medieval styled helmet that covered the entire head. It even had a visor used to adjust for better sight. It was open, but there were no eyes within the helm, possibly too dark to see into. What was even more frightening was that the man in armor wasn¡¯t just approaching them. He had a sword in hand, his other hand free but seemingly hovering in front of him as though to grapple anything they¡¯d throw at him. They saw a living knight coming after them, seemingly thinking of them as invaders. The knight approached Zeke who stood at the front and swung his sword at him. He yelped, backing himself away from the sword¡¯s edge. It sliced the air, whizzing by his face and nearly cutting him in half had he just stayed there. The sword crashed against the nearby empty shelf. It crashed, the sword destroying the wood and with ease. It sounded like a gunshot throughout the silence of the room, causing the girls behind him to scream. Zeke only stared, mesmerized that he even had the ability to actually move his ass. His mind was washed in white to try and find a way out of here. Now that danger has arrived, he has to do what he promised. But after seeing this knight with an actual weapon on hand, strong enough to crush a wooden shelf in one swing, his legs were shaking. He was actually going to fight a freaking knight with an axe in his hand? But he could get stabbed with that sword. Hell, he didn¡¯t even have any armor to protect himself with. Nobody would blame me for being scared, right? His palms were sweating, and his hands were shaking. Actually, why the hell am I doing this? I could just run away, no problem! His heart was beating so loud, not even the sound of the approaching knight¡¯s clanking metal greaves reached his ears. Who cares about a bunch of people I just met today? Why do I have to be the one to do this?! His breathing was rampant. His mind was whirling. Who would care? After all, there were only just the three here. If he left them, nobody would know what happened, right? But¡­ isn¡¯t that why he has to care? Because nobody else could? Despite the core part of his survival instincts telling him to dump everything and run for the hills, he charged instead. His axe swung upwards, roaring at the knight. As he expected, the knight swung back at the supposed invader, and the two metal weapons clashed. A sharp twang of steel echoed, and Zeke¡¯s arms quivered at the weight. The knight won out, causing his horrifically aimed axe to pivot upwards, his arms up wide. The knight soon thrust his sword forward, ready to maim him. But Zeke rolled to the side, almost crashing to the ground to avoid the hit. The axe left his hand, but he soon grabbed it back, his heart soon settling its rampant beating to a steady rhythm. He found it easy to just not think for now. Just swing his axe and avoid the sword. Easy. At least, he hoped it was. He swung his axe again, this time aiming for the underside of the knight¡¯s left arm. The knight didn¡¯t react in time, still reeling from his thrust. The axe edge dug deep into the armpit, and it was just torn off with a hard clang. But there was no blood. The heavily armored limb just fell to the ground. He stepped away, amazed that no blood was found. But he soon realized why there wasn¡¯t any. Because there was no limb attached to the armored arm. It was literally hollow inside. ¡°There isn¡¯t a guy inside the armor?¡± Zeke said aloud, noticing once again the inside of the now open hole where the left arm was supposed to be. Inside was just a cavernous darkness, seemingly nothing inside but more hollow metal. The knight, however, didn¡¯t stop. Once it recovered, the knight used its remaining arm to swing the sword at him. But after losing the arm, its body jumbled as it needed the other arm for support. Zeke avoided it with ease, but was still amazed that it was able to move. Now he realized something more terrifying. The suit of armor was moving on its own. What the fuck is going on here?! Zeke prepared himself as the knight continued to bash its sword at him. Thanks to its strange lack of balance, Zeke managed to keep up with the knight¡¯s assaults. He kept defending blow after blow, making sure to keep away from the girls by his peripheral. He was actually amazed at his ability to keep up with the surroundings as he dueled the knight. This feels more and more like a damn video game! It¡¯s really not helping the idea that this might all be just a delusion in my head. He really hoped it¡¯s not. He didn¡¯t mind the idea that this nightmare scenario was just in his head, but it felt too damn realistic to be fake. That would mean that he¡¯s in need of some serious mental help. But he also wasn¡¯t keen on the idea of checking whether dying to this knight¡¯s attack would get him out of this strange delusion. And what about the girls? This all felt too real. Strangely, his mind continued this cycle of whether it was real or not, still fighting the knight by defending its strikes. Despite his hardest, Zeke was too late to do a proper counter attack. The knight recovered from its lack of balance and now was trying to murder him as before. When he got distracted by that thought, the knight jammed his fingers with the gauntlets, causing Zeke to yell out in pain. The axe dropped and clattered harshly on the ground, his fingers aching and bleeding from the cuts made by the sharp gauntlets¡¯ steel. But that alone was enough. The knight readied another thrust, too fast for Zeke to dodge away this time. Zeke readied himself for a possible headless end, but to his surprise, something else came straight for his head. A sword pierced through the base of the knight¡¯s helmet, causing the empty helmet to fall to the ground. The sword just barely pierced Zeke¡¯s head, the tip of the blade scratching the tip of his nose as sharp pain shot through it. Zeke gave a reasonably unmanly shriek at the sight of the sword. He fell over on his ass, his whole body shaking from the real close death. ¡°Aaah! S-Sorry!¡± Looking behind from the now headless knight, Mikella shouted in worry. Her hands were clutching onto the sword with her life, pulling it back to her side. Just like that, the knight just fell over to the ground now that it didn¡¯t have a head. It fell with a loud thud, leaving the now headless and armless knight completely still. Ch3: System initialized Zeke breathed heavily as he looked back at his savior, a thankful but exasperated look on his face. ¡°N-Next time, warn me before you go and attack, alright?¡± Zeke stuttered, the idea of his head almost sliced in half still rattling his mind. ¡°I-I¡¯m really sorry! I-I-I just thought that if I did, the knight would¡¯ve noticed! And I figured I could take it from behind!¡± Mikella seemed really flustered, running over to Zeke and helping him up. He felt a little guilty, making her think that she made a mistake. Now that his body relaxed from the intense adrenaline coursing through his veins, she really did make a good move. It just so happened to have a kink in there, such as his head being in the way. ¡°Right¡­ right, that makes sense,¡± Zeke said, shaking his head. His mind still saw those floaty white lights from twisting his head so much in the fight. ¡°Sorry. That was a good plan¡­ but, uhh, still, watch out for my head, alright?¡± ¡°Got it,¡± Mikella nodded quickly, agreeing more than anyone. ¡°But what was that thing? Is it alive? Or not?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Zeke turned over to the now unmoving knight. He approached it, keeping himself a foot away just in case and peered into the empty armor inside. Like he expected, it was truly empty; No human body in sight. ¡°It really is empty¡­¡± Zeke said in astonishment. ¡°How did it move on its own?¡± ¡°Ghost¡­¡± Zeke quickly turned to the other side of the room. He was wondering why Mikella was on her own, but realized that Clara was at the completely other side, hiding behind the leg of a table. She showed up, her smallish round face filled with fright as her entire body trembled. ¡°I-It¡¯s a ghost¡­¡± She said, her voice small and shaking. ¡°Clara!¡± Mikella said aloud. ¡°There¡¯s no such thing as ghosts! There isn¡¯t¡­ right?¡± She slowly receded, turning to Zeke with an expectant look as though to agree. However, no matter how much he wanted to, he couldn''t really disagree with Clara¡¯s claim. I mean, there¡¯s literally nothing inside there. If it isn¡¯t a ghost, then what the fuck was it? He can probably think up dozens of reasons why it could move on its own. Maybe it¡¯s some prank the kidnappers put on them. Maybe it was something like electronics moving it. No matter how he spun it, almost dying to this thing didn¡¯t help much with his rising panic. But just as he was trying to reason with another idea, something popped up in his vision. It just came up out of nowhere, making a trilling noise like it was a notification from his phone. He yelped, retreating back a step to see what just appeared in front. ¡°Hyaa!¡± Mikella also screamed, louder than his own and clearly more terrified. Zeke turned to see her, but she saw that she was just staring at a distance, almost as if becoming unfocused. He didn¡¯t see anything showing up in front of her, because when he tried, that strange thing in his vision followed his vision. It was a block, a rectangular blue screen, with black-lined white letters emboldened to show some sort of message.
You have defeated Arthurian Knight, Level *** You have gained experience points. For receiving experience points for the first time, the system has recognized your actions. System Initializing¡­
He creased his brows at this simple message. He turned to Mikella. ¡°Did you also have something pop up in front of you?¡± ¡°Y-Yeah!¡± Mikella stuttered, shaking her head, but it looked like it didn¡¯t work as her brows creased at that. ¡°I can¡¯t put it away. It says: ¡®System Initializing¡¯... What does that mean?¡± Zeke could only answer in silence, unable to figure it out himself. Soon, the block changed, this time showing another sentence.
System organized. Commencing Startup.
¡°What?¡± Pain wracked his entire body. It was so intense, he couldn''t even scream. His body locked up in ways that he couldn¡¯t explain, including his throat that stopped him from making noise. The only senses that worked so far were his ears and eyes as he noticed Mikella making a pained expression, unlike anything he has ever seen. His ears picked up Clara¡¯s screams of concern as everything in his vision faded to black from the corners. Soon, darkness fell onto him. The pain increased, as though hands gripped into his insides. They reached deeper and deeper, digging straight into his heart¨Cor his soul. His limbs were numb but also felt like they could explode into a bloody mess. His insides were trying to crush him from within. He felt something else. Something intangible. But that was impossible. His soul was being crushed. He never felt his soul before, but the pain helped finding out how. His instincts were telling him now that his soul was being attacked. Being overrun by¡­ something. Then, just as it came, it disappeared. The pain, the agony, the suffering. It all just¡­ disappeared. His eyes fluttered open, his vision blurring for a few seconds before it reorganized itself. He saw Clara desperately nudging Mikella who was on the ground, her eyes closed and unmoving. He tried to get up, but a loud groan escaped from his lips. It was that soreness again, only it was ten times worse than before. Still, it didn¡¯t lock up his joints, so he forced himself up even as pain riddled his body again. Clara yelped at his sudden groan, pushing herself away from him and behind Mikella. She kept nudging her, her eyes tearing up as she sobbed while calling out her name. Zeke did feel a little bad for scaring the little girl. He would be scared too in her position, so he crawled over to their side, lifting his hand. ¡°L-Let me help¡­¡± Zeke said, catching Clara¡¯s attention. She peered over at him, looking up and down. Realizing that he wasn¡¯t a threat, Clara nodded slowly and backed away. His body was slowly returning to normal. The soreness was still worse than usual, way worse than any exercise he has ever done in his lifetime. But it was clear something unnatural happened, so he needed to grit and bear it. He closed up to the downed Mikella, and a groan escaped from her side as well. He backed away, seeing that Mikella was slowly waking up, but another groan, this time louder and seemingly in deeper pain, exploded from her. ¡°I-It hurts¡­¡± Mikella said. ¡°I never felt this much pain even in training¡­¡± As he expected, Mikella seemed more fit than he did, and considering her words, she must have practiced some form of art or sport. So if she¡¯s the one in that much pain, no wonder Zeke felt like he was dying. She opened her eyes to find Zeke above her. Her eyes widened as she looked behind him. ¡°Clara¡­? Where¡¯s Clara?!¡± Zeke quickly pointed behind her back, and before Mikella couldn even turn, Clara hugged her tightly. ¡°Sissy!¡± She screamed. ¡°Sissy!¡± ¡°Clara!¡± Mikella hissed, wincing at the sudden hug. ¡°Easy now, I got you. Now let me go, you¡¯re hurting Sissy¡­¡± Clara quickly let go, her eyes still brimming as tears streamed down her face. Mikella smiled gently despite the pain, rubbing Clara¡¯s face with a gentle hand. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. ¡°I¡¯m fine now. Don¡¯t worry,¡± Mikella cooed, brushing Clara¡¯s neck-lengthed hair as she turned to Zeke. ¡°How about you?¡± ¡°Same,¡± Zeke shook his head. ¡°It hurt a whole lot. After that ¡®Startup¡¯ happened, all of a sudden¡­¡± Once again, his eyes popped wide open. Another message showed up, another trilling noise like a notification echoing in his ears. It was another message, but no pain came this time.
System fully integrated. You are now connected to the Tarial System Interface. Open your status screen for more information.
Zeke gaped at the sight, and surely Mikella did the same as she turned to Zeke ¡°Are you seeing this?¡± Mikella asked. Zeke figured that she also can¡¯t see his own screen, but can see her own just fine. He nodded his head. ¡°Status¡­?¡± He asked the screen. Then another screen showed up, this time the block was longer. It was vertical, and a stream of information showed up from top to bottom.
Name: Zeke Parlow Race: Human Novice: Level 1 STR: 5 DEX: 7 INT: 9 SPI: 10 VIT: 5 END: 6 Free Points: 2
¡°What¡­?¡± Zeke said, stupefied at the numbers before him. It quantified the entirety of his life in a single little box. Before, he was just thinking that this all reminded him of some video game. He didn¡¯t think it actually was a video game. When he spotted Mikella, her eyes showed the same gaped expression he had, staring in the distance. ¡°Are these numbers¡­ mine?¡± She muttered aloud. ¡°This feels so much like a video game¡­ Is this some program or some kind of virtual world? You think someone kidnapped us and somehow¡­ transported us into some virtual video game? Some beta or something?¡± Zeke now assumed the worst to come. What if their bodies were eradicated somehow, and their minds were the only things that existed? That would explain why everything felt so painful. ¡°No¡­ wait,¡± Mikella interrupted Zeke¡¯s dark thoughts, still staring at the window in her vision. ¡°That wouldn¡¯t make sense. They would try to pick up better players than us. Unless you¡¯re some pro gamer?¡± ¡°I barely play anymore. I just only play casual games,¡± Zeke shrugged. He was a little ashamed of it, if he was honest. He used to play so many games, it almost became an addiction. Role playing games were his favorite. But lately he found himself unable to play many games at all since he had to work so much lately. His job was always draining him of his motivation to play and even the energy to move, so he just found himself sleeping most of the time. ¡°Me too,¡± Mikella nodded. ¡°I only play simple games on my phone. I¡¯m pretty sure no company would want to go as far as kidnapping people to some virtual game unless they were experts in the field. Plus, who on earth would take a little girl like Clara seriously when making a product? They want to have as many good opinions as possible, right?¡± ¡°Yeah, but then all of this wouldn¡¯t make sense,¡± Zeke hated to say, but he had to. Mikella had no choice but to nod at that. Clara, who was clinging hard onto her sister¡¯s leg, cried out. ¡°Hey, let¡¯s leave¡­ please¡­ I don¡¯t want ghosts to find us.¡± Mikella instantly consoled her little sister, brushing her black hair. Zeke only realized now that the two had different hair colors; Clara being almost entirely black haired while Mikella had mostly brownish hair. He put that to the back burner as that was the most useless thought he had all day. Well, second after the whole ¡®abandoning the girls to save himself¡¯. That thought alone made him feel guilty just thinking about it. Even if he had a good reason due to him, well, fighting for his actual life. How could he blame himself for being afraid to die? That¡¯s why he found himself amazed that Mikella went as far as to attack the knight from behind. She had every option to leave it all to him, so he couldn¡¯t help but appreciate her support. In the end, this was all new to him¨Cthis fighting to the death. He started getting annoyed at the status screen taking up half his vision, so with a force of will, he tried to put it away, like closing the ¡®X¡¯ button on the top corner. Just like that, the stat screen went away, clearing up his vision once more. Mikella faced him, seemingly having done the same on her end. ¡°What do we do now?¡± Bringing himself back to the real world, he grimaced. ¡°We have to keep going. Find a way out of here. Clara¡¯s right¨Cwe need to get out before any of those¡­ uuh, ghosts, come after us.¡± ¡°A-Are they really ghosts?¡± Mikella¡¯s voice contained a hint of fear. ¡°I¡¯ve seen scary movies, so I know ghosts can do a little more than this¡­¡± Zeke now understood why Mikella scolded Clara for saying the word ¡®ghosts¡¯. She¡¯s not talking about the average round-shaped ghosts you find plastered all over Halloween. She¡¯s talking about the truly terrifying ones from horror movies that to this day would scare the shit out of Zeke and not let him sleep for the next few days. He shook himself off. This was no time to think about that. ¡°If the only thing they can do is take over these suits of armor, then we can handle it.¡± Zeke hefted his heavy axe up. ¡°We can use these weapons to protect ourselves. This time, I¡¯ll handle the front, and if you can, attack from the back¡­ but, uhh, make sure Clara is totally out of the way.¡± Mikella nodded. She seemed more acquitable this time. Unlike almost freezing in terror as Zeke went ahead to fight the knight, she seemed more comfortable given a job to partake in the fighting as well. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll try. I¡¯ll make sure not to hurt you this time too.¡± ¡°I appreciate it,¡± Zeke smiled. ¡°But I¡¯ll keep a look out too to make it easier for you. But we also need to make sure that you don¡¯t become a target either.¡± Mikella nodded as Zeke went ahead to take a look at the suit of armor again. Tugging it at the hem of the top of the suit, he tried to pull but to no avail. It was extremely heavy. If it was enough to hurt his toe after he kicked it, it surely would be too heavy to carry by hand. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Mikella tilted her head. Clara also did the same, looking adorable as she was copying her sister practically by instinct. ¡°I¡¯m trying¡­ to see if I can wear this!¡± Zeke panted before giving up. He let out a big breath before turning to the older sister. ¡°I figured it¡¯d be easier to fight with if I had this thing on me.¡± ¡°Y-You want to wear the thing that the ghost possessed?¡± Mikella asked incredulously. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s better than getting stabbed by a ghost.¡± Mikella had no way to counter that, so she stayed quiet as Zeke went to work. However, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn¡¯t lift the armor to save his life; literally in this case. But he then flinched when another box appeared. He was sure that the status screen went away, but this was a new one entirely as a new sentence formed.
Would you like to loot the corpse of Arthurian Knight?
This is becoming like a game more and more¡­ Shaking his head, he decided to wing it. He accepted the prompt, figuring that he can just think of clicking ¡®yes¡¯ like he did with the ¡®X¡¯ for closing the window. Then the suit of armor just disappeared into motes of lights. The entire suit of armor disappeared, leaving behind what looked like the metal gauntlets the knight wore on the ground in its place. ¡°H-How did you do that?!¡± Mikella¡¯s mouth gaped wide open after seeing the same thing herself. It looked like the obvious suit of armor disappeared in her sight too, and seeing Clara¡¯s reaction, it was obvious that it was seen by everybody. ¡°I-I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Zeke shook his head almost despondently. He picked up the gauntlet while explaining what happened in his own vision. ¡°So, we can literally just¡­ loot the bodies?¡± Mikella said in shock. ¡°It really is like a video game then¡­¡± ¡°Everything else is real though, including this,¡± Zeke said with an off-comment, lifting the gauntlet up. He was a bit upset that the only thing he received were just the gauntlets. He really wanted to wear that suit of armor, but considering how heavy it was, it didn¡¯t seem likely. So he instead decided to wear the gauntlets. As always, it was better that he stayed in the front, and he would very much love the idea of not letting his fingers hurt again. After wearing the gauntlets, he nodded in approval. They were heavy, but they helped him lift the axe better than before, somehow. He tried to see if he can check the stats like he can in video games, but it didn¡¯t work. ¡°Damn¡­ kinda hoping I can see what it can do, like raise my Strength or something¡­¡± Zeke commented, realizing that he said it aloud since Mikella answered. ¡°It doesn¡¯t show it?¡± Mikella answered. ¡°What about if you say it out loud, like saying ¡®status¡¯?¡± Zeke tilted his head in recognition and did just that. ¡°Umm¡­ Examine? Identify? Uhh¡­¡± ¡°Observe!¡± Clara shouted, surprising Zeke and Mikella. But he did just that as well. ¡°Observe!¡± Nothing. Nothing happened. He wilted as he shook his head. That got Clara to wilt as well, leaving Mikella to brush her hair to console her. ¡°...You know any other synonyms?¡± Zeke asked, hopefully, but Mikella shook her head. ¡°Well, at least you got something to wear,¡± Mikella said, then turned to the other things in the room. ¡°Should we try to take anything else from here?¡± Zeke pondered on that and took a closer look around. After seeing how everything works here, he decided to just pretend that this was a game. If he was a gamer, then he needed to find other items to help him trek through this castle. Then he spotted something nifty. Hanging on the walls near the lamps, almost near the racks where they picked up the axe and sword were tons of little packs. They looked like travel packs. Onyx-colored and square-shaped, they had two front pockets and what looked like a latch to open the large cover at the top. He went over there and picked up one of the packs, opening the cover up. Frowning, he found nothing inside. Actually, he really did find nothing¨Cjust a dark void that didn¡¯t look like it had a bottom from where he saw, even from under the lighted lamp. ¡°Nothing there, huh?¡± Mikella said, grimacing. It looked like she had the idea of looting the room too. Then, he had a thought. It was a weird thought, and as though commanded by his curiosity he picked up the axe and tried to¡­ jam the axe head into the opening of the pack. ¡°Uhh¡­ Zeke?¡± Mikella asked, raising a single brow as though questioning his sanity. ¡°What are you¨C¡± The axehead suddenly disappeared into some void that opened up right before the opening of the pack. Zeke, Mikella, and Clara were stunned by this as Zeke continued to push the axe into the pack further and further. After putting his hand through the void-like portal, it just passed through, but the shaft of the axe disappeared as well. The entire axe just disappeared into the tiny pack, which realistically shouldn¡¯t ever happen. ¡°Whoa!¡± Clara exclaimed in wonder, her eyes now glittering. Zeke just laughed maniacally. ¡°We got a storage bag!¡± Zeke said in triumph, lifting the bag up for the girls to see in awe and admiration. Ch4: Level up Mikella was having the worst day she ever had in her entire life. Not only did she have to save her little sister from potential danger in the real world, but she was also whisked away along with Clara to some strange new world with a man who was a complete stranger to her. It all felt hopeless, almost as if the world was giving up on her and her little sister. But not only was the man that she found was kind enough to put himself in front of a dangerous knight to protect them, she found out that this place was more like a video game than anything else. The pack that Zeke discovered was something like the inventory system in most role playing games. Just like an inventory system, it allowed him to take every item he could put his eyes on and just jam it into the pack. After more experimentation, it was found out that the pack can not only put in anything regardless of their weight and size, but can just be easily taken out with a thought. Thanks to the weird system thing, even Mikella can peer into the pack¡¯s contents with her mind. It was like someone was delivering information of the bag into her mind, telling her that the axe and sword they put in were there and can be taken out. With a thought, she can pull the sword out of the bag like actual magic. In this case, it might as well be. There was no other way to explain such a thing other than the system giving them magic powers. There were three extra packs along with what Zeke took in, so Mikella and Clara had their own packs and tried to put the other pack into one of their own. Apparently that won¡¯t work. It just kept slamming into something invisible despite there being enough room inside the pack. The weird portal thing won¡¯t show up, but only for the pack. Everything else is fair game. So, taken over by loot lust, the three took everything they could find in the room¨Cwhich was nothing. The only thing they did take in was a table, a random chair, some pads put on the chair and that was that. It would be better if they found more weapons, but she expected that was asking too much. Still, she smiled to see Clara having fun putting the axe into the pack with Zeke¡¯s help, the two laughing like excited children. Clara has always been a special little girl. Unlike most other brats, Clara had more of a sense to understand her situation. In return, she was always the quiet type, never trying to stand out and make friends. Her parents could no longer be relied upon, so it was up to her. She had always been there for Clara since she was born, and despite having only being a decade apart, she saw Clara like a daughter. That¡¯s why she kept Clara close. Thankfully, Zeke was okay with that. She wouldn¡¯t be surprised if he would be upset or annoyed at how clingy she was to Clara. Honestly, despite appearing closer in age to her, he seemed more understanding than she expected. After taking everything down like bandits, they left the room. Zeke took point while Mikella took a careful step behind him with Clara behind her. He kept taking glances, always taking first lead no matter how shady the room looked. As they walked across the halls, they reached more doors, and each time he was the one who opened them up first. Some of the doors were as grandiose as the ones with the weapons, but there were others that looked decrepit and old. Dust and grime was everywhere, and she swore she saw cobwebs covering parts of the knob. Zeke opened them either way, figuring that there could be something more they can use thanks to this handy pack. The more she traveled along like this with Zeke and Clara, the more she really felt like she was absorbed into a video game. Throughout the time spent walking along the large castle hallways, Zeke and Mikella talked about their experiences with video games. The two only had played video games, though he mentioned he saw streams of those tabletop games like Dungeons and Dragons a lot. She was thankful that he was the type that was more into video games than with girls. She can¡¯t imagine having to deal with some weirdo that would be attracted to her in this situation; or worse, her little sister. They were currently walking along a corridor, devoid of any doors so far. While it was uneventful, this also meant that there weren¡¯t any potential threats, so she relaxed a little since Zeke seemed to be releasing the tension of his shoulders himself. He didn¡¯t look comfortable holding that heavy looking axe. Then again, she just realized something as she looked at her status screen.
Name: Mikella Ashton Race: Human Novice: Level 1 STR: 6 DEX: 10 INT: 5 SPI: 5 VIT: 7 END: 7 Free Points: 2
Thankfully, she could do this without saying the word ¡®status¡¯ aloud. She experimented a bit and found that she can do it with a thought alone, like bringing up a tab without moving the mouse. She should feel ashamed for this, but she felt proud when she told this to Zeke, gaining the comment that she was, in fact, a damn genius. This means they can keep quiet while checking up on their information¡­ but exactly what are they looking at here? Mikella kept staring at her screen, trying to process everything here. If she knew her video games well, then it goes like this. Her name was obvious, as well as her race. The Novice part was a bit confusing, but she just put it off as it showed that she was Level 1. Then came these attributes. Strength was pretty obvious, showing how strong she was. Dexterity, she thought, meant how quick or nimble she was. Being a former gymnast, it was obvious that her Dexterity was this high. Then came Intelligence and what looked like¡­ Spirit? Finally there was Vitality and Endurance. She knew Intelligence meant how smart she was, but seeing it this low compared to Dexterity was just insulting. True, but still insulting. That left Spirit, Vitality, and Endurance. She expected Vitality to be important for Health or hit points in video games, though she can¡¯t tell since there¡¯s no indicator like it would be in other games. Endurance was probably showing how hardy and durable she is when lasting long treks. Then there was Spirit. Was that something for magic? She honestly can¡¯t tell. Now she was curious at what stats Zeke had. She turned to him who kept glancing around. He was keeping a steady pace, making her grateful that he isn¡¯t the type to just charge in and leaving them behind. ¡°Zeke,¡± Mikella whispered, making him flinch. He turned back, a widened look in his eyes. ¡°Yeah?¡± She didn¡¯t notice at first, but it was clear Zeke wasn¡¯t used to talking with other people. She figured he wasn¡¯t comfortable talking to women. She sometimes met guys that were awkward around women, often getting shy or demure. But Zeke didn¡¯t seem like that. He just seemed¡­ frightened, somehow. She wasn¡¯t the best at social cues, but she can tell if someone had a problem with her. Thankfully, Zeke wasn¡¯t the type to let that get into his head. If anything, he¡¯s trying to do everything a man would do in this type of situation. He can be manly however he wants. As long as Clara¡¯s out of danger, she¡¯ll reciprocate. Better yet that he seemed like a nice dude. ¡°Sorry,¡± She apologized. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to scare you. I just wanted to know¡­ what are your stats like?¡± If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Suddenly, his eyes seem to glow in total interest. At first she thought it was her imagination, because his face somehow seemed to glow as well as he spoke quietly but candidly. ¡°My physical stats are six and less, except Dexterity at seven. My intelligence and Spirit are nine and ten respectively, though.¡± Mikella¡¯s eyes widened at that. For a grown man, his physical stats being that low except for Dexterity seemed surprising. But after a closer look, she can imagine that Zeke is the type to be a nerd rather than a jock. If anything, Mikella has been the jock since she was training, so that explains her lack of mental stats but a nice even number between her physical stats. But what surprised her the most was that his Spirit was as high as her Dexterity. She trained as a gymnast for many years, and it could only go up that high. Perhaps ten is an incredibly high number for her level. But what does it mean to have a high Spirit stat? What did Zeke do to have that much? Is he more thoughtful or something? He certainly doesn¡¯t seem like he was all at peace like some monk at a temple, that¡¯s for sure. ¡°My mental stats are all five,¡± Mikella said, sounding a little embarrassed to admit that. ¡°My Strength is six, and both Vitality and Endurance are seven. My Dexterity is the same as your Spirit at ten.¡± Zeke gave a low whistle. ¡°That¡¯s impressive. Do you train?¡± ¡°I trained for gymnastics,¡± Mikella admitted. She, childishly, took pride in that. ¡°Even competed a little.¡± ¡°Competed?¡± Zeke asked, shocked. ¡°Whoa, that¡¯s awesome. You won, like, trophies or something?¡± ¡°I-I won third place, but it really wasn¡¯t impressive,¡± Mikella said, feeling her cheeks going on fire. She was proud, but suddenly being praised so earnestly blindsided her. ¡°But still, that¡¯s amazing. I never won any competition before, so that¡¯s pretty kickass,¡± Zeke said, but he quickly put his hand over his mouth in reaction. ¡°S-Sorry¡­¡± ¡°Mmh? What for?¡± ¡°Well, I mean¡­¡± Zeke glanced over at Clara, who was still hiding behind her leg. ¡°I-I didn¡¯t mean to curse.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Mikella nodded in understanding, then she wryly smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. She heard worse, so you can curse. Besides, it''s not like it matters since she¡¯ll probably curse later on anyways.¡± Mikella knew that cursing in front of children would be bad for child upbringing, but Clara has indeed heard a lot worse from their parents. All it matters is that Clara grows up to be a respectable young woman. That¡¯s all that matters, even if she might have a sailor¡¯s mouth someday. ¡°She heard worse?¡± Zeke asked in surprise, trepidation in his voice. Then he shrugged slightly, seemingly out of instinct. ¡°If you say so. I¡¯ll still probably try to avoid it, though.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t hold you to that,¡± Mikella shook her head. ¡°Anything you say is fine. Still, I¡¯ll appreciate it if you can still be careful.¡± Despite the situation, she needed to remember that Zeke is still a stranger. He doesn¡¯t need to hear their entire backstory, especially about Clara. That was too much drama even for her, and she usually has friends to gabble with. Thankfully, Zeke didn¡¯t probe any further as the light in his eyes returned as he asked her. ¡°So this means that you¡¯re more of a fighter type¡­ what kind of weapon do you normally use in games?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Mikella asked. She was dumbstruck at the sudden question. But now that she thought about it, a sense of giddiness entered her chest as she responded as honestly as she could. ¡°Well, it depends on the game, but I guess I¡¯m more of a hit first and ask questions later kind of gal? I don¡¯t really like putting focus into the mechanics and all that¡­ I didn¡¯t have the time to go down that far, I guess.¡± ¡°That makes sense,¡± Zeke nodded. ¡°Sometimes I just don¡¯t have the energy to do even that after work, even though it¡¯s my favorite thing to do in games.¡± Zeke wryly smiled, and Mikella could only agree with a smile in return. She heard horror stories about people so tired from work that they just slept afterwards to regain as much as they could. It was even worse for people with kids to feed. She was afraid of what to do when she took Clara in for herself and ran from her home. She knew she had to find a job at some point, but before that could even start, she was whisked away here to some far away place with knights trying to kill them. ¡°But whenever I do have the time, I always like optimizing for good builds whenever I can. As long as it¡¯s fair and doesn¡¯t use any exploitation. That just takes the fun out, I think.¡± Zeke went on, entering into his own world. The way he spoke about his favorite pastime was something she expected a guy would. But despite the situation, she found it rather endearing. ¡°Oh, right¡­¡± Zeke noticed his rambling, his cheeks blushing like mad. ¡°T-That doesn¡¯t matter. What matters is that if you have a high Dexterity, you should be using lighter weapons instead.¡± ¡°So I can move faster, right?¡± Mikella offered, getting him to nod. Still, she cocked her head. ¡°But won¡¯t it be better for me to focus on more damage than speed?¡± She wasn¡¯t quite sure how this goes. She knew the faster and stronger, the better. But the thing was, which was better? Being faster means not getting caught, but being stronger puts aside the need to dodge if all you need to do is just hit them in one go. ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­¡± Zeke grimaced, going through the same problem in his head. ¡°Unlike in video games, there¡¯s really nothing here that¡¯s holding us back. Usually, you follow certain rules in games since it limits what you can do outside of combat. But this is the real world¡­ or maybe not. Either way, I don¡¯t think we need to focus too hard on min-maxing.¡± ¡°Min-maxing¡­?¡± Mikella raised a brow. ¡°Uuh, not focusing too hard on increasing damage,¡± Zeke tried to explain. She nodded at that, understanding it. In other words, don¡¯t think too hard and just focus on what you can do. She can do that. In fact¨Cthat¡¯s her specialty. ¡°I kinda wish I knew magic, though. With my stats, it¡¯d probably be easier than using this stupid axe¡­¡± Zeke held up his axe, almost with a grunt. His face creased as he gripped the shaft tightly, almost unbearably so. ¡°Why not use another weapon?¡± Mikella asked. If she remembered right, his five Strength wouldn¡¯t really help, and as far as she knew, axes were notoriously heavy to use. ¡°I figured if you use a sword, it¡¯ll be easier for you. I can just hit it hard with the axe. And who knows if magic even exist right now?¡± Zeke shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ll keep it for now.¡± ¡°Why not switch weapons with me then?¡± She asked, but Zeke quickly shook his head. ¡°Not a good idea. I don¡¯t want you to fight with an enemy with Clara beside you. It¡¯s better if you stay far off and strike when you can. Besides that, your high Dexterity also helps with balance, so maybe that¡¯s why I didn¡¯t get my head blown off from your sword.¡± Mikella grimaced at the thought. She really felt bad for almost piercing his head. At the time, she could only see the knight trying to tackle Zeke from behind. But now that he put it like that, she did feel that the sword was easy to handle. That was probably due to her high Dexterity. It was also better that she would use the sword, a long blade capable of maneuvering everywhere. He really thought this through. ¡°There is something else. Do you see the free points under all those attributes?¡± Zeke asked, prompting her to check them out herself. ¡°Hey, yeah¡­¡± Mikella muttered. ¡°Can we actually use them?¡± This would mean she can actually increase her stats. It isn¡¯t just some upgrade in a video game; it¡¯s basically modifying her real body. If she put more points into Strength, would she get stronger? What¡¯s gonna happen if she keeps putting points into her already high Dexterity? She could already bend enough for her head to pop below her legs to make a bridge with her abdomen; would increasing it make it go even farther¡­? She shivered at the thought. She liked being bendy, but not enough to become a freak of nature. She wasn¡¯t exactly planning on joining a circus or something. But then, where did they come from? Wouldn¡¯t they normally show after leveling up? She only just got the status after defeating the knight. She didn¡¯t level up yet¨CThen again, perhaps that¡¯s what happens when the system gets them initialized? That pain alone should definitely be worthy of way more free points than this. That pain was even worse than all her training sessions combined into a single night. ¡°Looks like it,¡± Zeke remarked, bringing her attention back to him. ¡°If the worst happens, I¡¯ll put points into Strength and help out. But I¡¯m gonna keep these points for now until we know better. Or maybe it might be better to put it into Vitality or something¡­¡± Mikella¡¯s eyes widened at that. If she put points into that, would that make her healthier? If she had over a hundred points or something, would she be immortal? Now that was interesting. Then again, she shivered as a horrid thought ran through her head. ¡°That¡¯s probably not a good idea,¡± Mikella¡¯s face blanched at the idea. ¡°If we get hit, it¡¯d just mean more suffering¡­ Maybe we need to focus on just making sure not to get hit?¡± Zeke understood her immediately, his face paling slightly as he nodded. ¡°Good point. Then I¡¯m keeping the points for later. What about you?¡± ¡°Me¡­?¡± Mikella asked, now unsure. It would perhaps be better to just increase her Strength in the end. She¡¯s gonna need power if she needs to survive the incoming adventure. But all she wants is to go home, to take care of Clara and give her a place to stay. She can¡¯t stay here forever, right? If that was the case, perhaps increasing Endurance would help her stay aloft to get out as soon as possible. In the end, she decided to take Zeke¡¯s route and keep her points. After saying as such, the two went on, having a firmer grasp on their situation. For now, they need to get out of here. And more importantly¡­ ¡°Sissy¡­¡± Clara spoke up for once, a grimacing look on her roundish face. ¡°I¡¯m hungry¡­¡± The worst has come. They don''t have any food to eat. Ch5: Attribute Fruits He clamped hard on the knob, ignoring the strange rusted grime on the surface thanks to his gauntleted hand and turned it to open the door. It was a decrepit room filled only with strange furniture and dusty shelves. Otherwise, it was absolutely barren compared to the last room. It wasn¡¯t even worth looting the place to put into his pack. He opened another door, just a few feet away. This time, it was utterly empty. Just a window that showed nothing but darkness. He could only assume that the window was showing more of the interior of the place, but had no light source so it was utterly black. He refused to believe that they were in some strange void with no hope of returning. Nope, it was just an utterly dark interior of the place. He opened another door. This time, it looked like the latrine, but it was¡­ well, he decided not to comment on it. The smell alone was enough for him to push away the idea. If he was desperate, he would go immediately, but right now, his belly was aching for sustenance. Hearing Clara¡¯s claim for hunger brought the two to realize something extremely crucial¨C They didn¡¯t have any food to eat. That alone brought Zeke into hunter mode as he perused each room he found. But no matter where they go, it was the same thing. Emptiness beyond reasoning. It was a giant castle with absolutely nothing inside. Barely anything of mention other than the weapons they found and some crappy furniture. ¡°This is getting ridiculous¡­¡± Zeke muttered to himself. The more he got upset, the more hungry he felt now. It¡¯s been a few hours since they woke up from whatever they found themselves in. So far, they¡¯ve been doing nothing but search around the castle like headless chickens. He looked back to find Clara pressing her lips tight. Not out of fear from the situation, but of hunger. Her creased brows and teary eyed face made Zeke feel even more incompetent as the only man of the group. He knew that such a thing is pointless to think about in this tense atmosphere, almost ridiculous even. But he still felt that he should do something. Mikella, on the other hand, tried to put on a tough face as she smiled gently at her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll find something.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Clara spoke softly, nodding in understanding. The more Zeke watched the scene, the more surprised he got. Rather, it felt disturbing seeing how mature Clara was. Far as he knew, kids tend to act out and cause a ruckus¨Cespecially if they¡¯re hungry. Putting that thought aside, he needed to figure something out. Deciding that no plan would be made, he kept charging forward, uncaring about the situation at hand anymore. If it kept going like this, they would be too hungry to even move. ¡°Zeke, calm down,¡± Mikella spoke gently to him. ¡°There¡¯s no reason to charge ahead like that. There could be something dangerous in the corner or something!¡± Zeke grimaced. Mikella had a point. He was panicking too much. But the hungrier they get, the worse it¡¯ll be for them. Plus, he heard it¡¯s not a good idea to leave a child starving too much. Wouldn¡¯t it hamper their growth or something? He read about it in something once, so that was why he was pressuring himself to find something. If only he could find a room with some food to eat, but where¡­ ¡°Wait¡­¡± He¡¯s been going at this all wrong. He¡¯s been finding hallways filled with doors, but since when did castles ever had food stored in random rooms? There¡¯s only one place all castles share when storing food. ¡°Follow me,¡± Zeke suddenly said, shaking Mikella to respond. ¡°W-What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°I think I know where we need to look for. But it¡¯s gonna be a long walk.¡± Mikella followed him as he ordered, but she still showed a hesitant face. Zeke was only guessing at this point, but his hunger was making the decisions for him. So far, they¡¯ve been walking across large hallways and corridors, so perhaps they were in one of the towers of the castle. Then all he had to do was find some stairs. As he walked further, the hallway slowly turned to a corner, and eventually they found a spiraling staircase. The design was truly impressive as though they were in a royal castle. It was made entirely out of marble, unlike most of the strange sections of the tower where it felt like time has wrought old age. But his stomach ignored the rest of the details as he kept going down the stairs. He looked beyond the railing, seeing more of the castle¡¯s interior. For each section of the spiral staircase, there was a platform to get off from and enter into a separate floor of the tower they were in, but Zeke kept pushing all the way to the bottom with the girls. After what felt like hours, but really half an hour, they finally reached the bottom. It showed more of a homey atmosphere as the spiraling staircase led them to where everything was made of lavish wood. It was like falling into a separate dimension where time just shifts between eras at different locations. ¡°What is going on?¡± Mikella noticed as well, creasing her brows in confusion. ¡°How is this place made up of so many different things? You would think it would break apart considering how fancy it was at the top¡­¡± Zeke could only nod in silence at that, still unsure of where exactly it was at. No matter how fantastical it was, it still didn¡¯t make sense. That only made the monster that felt like a ghost all that real to him now. He kept pushing onwards, eventually reaching another hallway made up entirely of wooden walls and floor. The scent of wood, almost like pine, finally hit him as he kept walking. But then he felt something warm bathing the air. The temperature seemed to rise a little. When he turned a corner, he noticed giant double doors that seemed easy to push forward, the kind that swings back on their own using the hinges. He stepped forward and pushed them aside, causing the doors to creak loudly as he finally found what he was looking for. ¡°Jackpot¡­!¡± Zeke almost wanted to clap himself on the back as he stepped into the room known as the pantry. As he expected, the medieval looking stove was somehow on, the fire still burning the wood deep within the iron-barred cage. Around it were several long rectangular tables filled with utensils. What¨Che hoped¨Clooked like meat was hanging on metal hooks straight from the ceiling above them. That wasn¡¯t all. He found several barrels of what he expected to be fruits. A barrel filled with apples, bananas, grapes, oranges, and finally what looked like pears. The strangest part was that each one seemed to be of a different color. Apples aren¡¯t red and oranges aren¡¯t¡­ oranges, somehow. But as long as they looked like food, he couldn''t care less. ¡°Did you find it?!¡± Mikella almost shouted in glee. Zeke turned back to find her running into the pantry, her eyes almost tearing up at the sight. ¡°Finally¡­! Clara, look! We found some food!¡± ¡°Yay!¡± Clara nearly shouted, but her shout was low compared to her sister¡¯s. Zeke couldn¡¯t help but wryly smile as the kid sister had more sense to be quiet than her older sister. Not that he could blame Mikella though. He was so happy to find food that he could cry. He swore never to take for granted of running out of food compared to their easy lifestyle in their world. But more than anything, he was glad to find something to actually eat. Now¡­ exactly what can he eat here, though? He approached one of the barrels, carrying what looked like apples, but he was sure they weren¡¯t. He saw different colored apples before¡­ But he never saw blue apples before. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. Eventually, he pulled one from the barrel, gripping onto the surface and feeling the weight. It felt like an apple, weighed like an apple, and it looked as succulent as an apple. He turned it over left and right, and he even sniffed it a bit. It smelled¡­ like an apple too, he guessed. He never really paid attention to apples before, but it didn¡¯t seem like it was rotting or something. Actually, he was surprised to find even the meat hanging from the ceiling somehow edible looking. Then again, he planned on putting aside the meat. If there were knights made up of ghosts, he feared what the meat was made from. ¡°D-Do you think it¡¯s safe to eat?¡± Mikella asked. Now that she saw how hesitant Zeke was to eat it, her ecstatic look now changed to doubt. Zeke wanted to say yes, but he wasn¡¯t sure. However, after seeing Clara stare at the apple, seemingly in wonder at it, he couldn''t help but take the plunge. Reinforcing himself, he opened his mouth and took a bite out of the apple. Mikella put her hands up to her mouth in surprise as Zeke was surprised to find out how juicy the apple was, the liquid streaming down from his lips as he bit onto the contents. He kept chewing and chewing, tasting the apple for anything strange. Instead, his mind spun as a wonderful sweet taste creeped into his taste buds, and soon exploded in a wonderful fruity delight. He took another bite, and another. His belly hungered for more as the taste alone was enough for him to keep chowing down all the way to the core. Before long, the apple was left with nothing but a husk of its former self, no sign of any blue color and just a white core with a black seed at the center like any other apple would have. ¡°It¡¯s so delicious¡­!¡± Zeke turned to Mikella with widened eyes. ¡°You should try it!¡± No longer hesitating, Mikella took an apple for herself and gladly took a big chunk of the apple. Her face lit up in absolute joy, and once again took another bite before she herself finished the entire apple whole like he did. She took another one and handed it to Clara who watched with envy at the two. ¡°Here, eat this. It¡¯s so good!¡± Mikella cooed, handing the apple to Clara. Clara hesitated, looking at the strange color herself. But soon hunger took over as she took a small chunk with a hesitant bite. Juice flowed from her mouth as she tried to eat it, but soon her eyes widened like a doe in headlights. ¡°Wow¡­!¡± Clara¡¯s only word exuded before she began to devour it like it was going away forever if she didn''t. ¡°Easy, Clara. Eat it slowly or you¡¯re gonna have a tummy ache,¡± Mikella beamed as she took her hand and wiped the juice off her mouth. She didn¡¯t care what sort of mess she had in hand as she readily watched Clara eat her fill. It filled Zeke¡¯s heart with joy knowing that at least Clara was able to eat. He looked back at the barrel full of these strange apples. It wasn¡¯t like this was the first apple he ate, so he was surprised at the dense flavor hidden behind such a small blue-colored apple. Was it some sort of magical apple? He shrugged it off as he tried to take another one.
You have eaten an Attribute Fruit. The limits of all of your attributes have been increased by 50.
Zeke had to double-read what he just read. Then he looked back at the apple in his gauntleted hand. ¡°What the¡­?¡± ¡°Whoa, hey, Zeke! What does my limits being increased mean?¡± Mikella shouted, getting his attention as she clearly had the same notification as he had. Clara, on the other hand, looked puzzled as she wasn¡¯t initialized into the system for some reason. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Zeke shook his head. ¡°Honestly, I never heard of that. But apparently these aren¡¯t just normal fruits¨Cthey¡¯re¡­ Attribute Fruits?¡± ¡°Are these good?¡± Mikella asked, tilting her head. ¡°Does this mean our attributes increased?¡± He wondered at that and opened up his status screen. Unfortunately, nothing noteworthy appeared. ¡°No, nothing changed for me. You?¡± ¡°Same here,¡± Mikella shook her head. ¡°Did it even do anything?¡± Zeke got even more curious after this. Then a random thought appeared in his head. ¡°So there are limits to how many points we can spend on a single attribute?¡± Zeke wondered aloud. ¡°And without these Attribute Fruits, we can¡¯t increase those limits and get stronger?¡± ¡°A whole fifty points, though?¡± Mikella said wryly. ¡°I mean, we don¡¯t even have all of our attributes combined to have that much. Maybe it¡¯s some kind of glitch or something.¡± Zeke honestly wasn¡¯t so sure of that, but Mikella had a point. Fifty points seemed like a lot, but they can¡¯t even see their own limits. He decided to put it out of his mind. This might be a really good find or just some bug like Mikella said. Either way, food is food. He tried to take the apples and see if he could put them in his pack. As expected, it took the apple in easily. Then when he thought about pulling it out, he did so with success. Just as he was planning on jamming fruit after fruit into the pack, Mikella called out to him. ¡°Hold on, what are you doing?¡± Mikella asked just as she and Clara were sharing a banana together. ¡°I was gonna put the fruits into the pack,¡± Zeke said simply, raising a brow. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°You¡¯re gonna put each fruit in there individually?¡± Mikella asked incredulously. ¡°Why not just take the whole barrel in there?¡± Now Zeke was the one that stared at her in confusion. Looking back at the barrel, it was half his own height, and a few inches wider than him. It was also packed to the brim with all sorts of fruits. Then he thought about how the packs can just take in the axe and sword without a problem. Honestly, that sounded plausible. ¡°Huh¡­ good point.¡± He wasn¡¯t sure how to pull it off, so he just put the pack down on the ground and left the cover open. Then he bent his knees and tried to hug the barrel to pick it up. He huffed, and he groaned, and he growled¡­ but nothing of note came from that. Letting go of the heavy barrel, he breathed heavily, his eyes widened as he felt a sweat running down his back. ¡°Jesus, this is heavy¡­!¡± ¡°Hold on, let me try.¡± He winced as Mikella came over, figuring she can haul this barrel easier than he can. His pride as a man was crumbling bit by bit from this, but then he consoled himself by thinking that her Strength stat is just higher than his. When she did the same with proper form to lift the barrel, she managed to lift it up by a few inches before dropping it to the ground, leaving a heavy thud to echo across the pantry. ¡°Shit, that is heavy¡­¡± Mikella breathed. Zeke felt justified, then he chided himself for thinking like an idiot. ¡°Should we just¡­ put the pack over the barrel?¡± He wasn¡¯t quite sure how to do this, so he just placed the pack over the top of the barrel and just pushed it down. It was absorbed in an instant, bringing both Zeke and Mikella to gape at the sight. ¡°...Goddammit, Zeke,¡± Mikella cursed. ¡°Couldn¡¯t you have thought of that before? ¡°Hey, I didn¡¯t see you making any ideas.¡± He tried to defend himself, but he honestly felt that this was their smooth brain moment. Then again, with everything that happened so far, they shouldn¡¯t blame themselves. ¡°Let me try! Let me try!¡± ¡°Okay, just be careful now¡­¡± Clara, being an eager kid as she was, was led by Mikella to another barrel and then pushed her open pack forward from the side. Just like what happened to Zeke, the pack absorbed the barrel one bit at a time, swallowing straight into the tiny portal made by the pack and disappearing entirely. Clara laughed maniacally like any child would as she kept putting another barrel into her pack while Mikella just watched with a smile. But then Clara hit a snag as she tried to push the pack into another barrel, only for the pack to just stop itself the moment it hit the side of it. ¡°Hey! It¡¯s not working!¡± ¡°Huh¡­ yeah, it¡¯s not working.¡± Zeke immediately took attention as he stood over to where Clara kept pushing the open pack into the barrel. Like she said, the pack was not absorbing the final barrel. At a closer inspection, the portal that usually pops up isn¡¯t actually showing up this time. ¡°Oh¡­ how many barrels does the pack have already?¡± Zeke asked. ¡°About two barrels?¡± Mikella counted, then her eyes widened. ¡°Oh, so it¡¯s full?¡± ¡°Bingo,¡± Zeke nodded. ¡°I guess these things aren¡¯t infinite to carry more than a few barrels. Maybe it¡¯s by a weight limit, or the amount of items one put into the pack? The barrels did have a lot of fruits inside it.¡± ¡°Aww¡­¡± Clara wilted, her lips pursed into a pout. Then Mikella just chuckled. ¡°Then we¡¯ll just use another pack. Here, use mine.¡± ¡°Yay!¡± Clara¡¯s eyes beamed as she gave her full pack to Mikella, getting the now empty one in return. Then her excitement returned in full force as she swallowed up another barrel. Zeke watched with amusement at the scene. Not only did they find some food that would last them quite a while, but Clara was also having some fun for once. He breathed easier, but then realized that while the juices were delicious, they still needed actual drinking water. Thankfully, he spotted a basin filled with what looked like clear water at a distance. Examining it closer, he swished around the water with his hand. There wasn¡¯t anything mucky or grimey on it, and it didn¡¯t look polluted. After putting his pack over the basin and swallowing that one up as well, he grinned. I¡¯ll never get tired of that. When he turned back around, a silly grin on his face¨Chis stomach felt a burning sensation, followed by an incredible amount of pain. They didn¡¯t check the entire pantry well enough. While they were busy finding food and the particulars of the pack, they didn¡¯t realize that a knight was around, slowly approaching them. Their loud clamoring didn¡¯t warn them of the footsteps that approached them. And when Zeke went ahead by himself to get the basin, that¡¯s when the knight struck. The girls turned to find themselves shrieking at the sight, their eyes widening. Zeke, on the other hand, just stared blankly at the sword that was now plunged deep into his guts. Ch6: Real battle ¡°Zeke!¡± Her heart wrenched in horror after seeing a knight plunging an actual sword into Zeke. Blood. Blood was everywhere. It coated the silver blade in crimson, dripping down to a small puddle on the floor. Zeke stood aghast, but more than anything, in pain and agony. His pupils widened, darting around at the scene of carnage put onto him. The knight mercilessly pulled the blade out of his body, making a gross squelching sound that brought Clara to shriek in terror. Zeke fell to the ground, landing on the wooden floor as blood gushed out of his stomach. It dribbled from his mouth as he coughed, his own blood filling the wrong places inside of him. The scene reminded her of those gladiator movies she watched, but it wasn¡¯t fake. Everything she was seeing right now was real. Zeke kept looking around, panic in his gaze. Eventually, his distraught eyes focused to a pinpoint. Did he actually plan on¡­? Mikella couldn¡¯t believe it. Even with a gaping hole in his stomach, he still pulled out his axe from the pack in his hand. Zeke focused as the knight never planned on stopping. It sluggishly but ferociously swung its sword down at him again. Zeke tried to protect himself, but he was clearly no match for the knight as it parried the axe and threw it off to the side. It was obvious. The man was on the ground with no stance. There was no way he could defend himself. The knight may be slow and somewhat rusty, but it was strong. Zeke only had enough energy to just protect himself for just a few bare seconds. Before the knight was ready to end his life with another swing. Mikella just stood there, frozen. Her muscles tensed up and her mind blanketed. She only thought of one thing¨Cgrabbing Clara and running for their lives. Zeke did his best, but he was no match for the knight as expected. He was just an office clerk. He didn¡¯t train for this like in the military, nor was he some practitioner of any martial arts. He was just a dude in a suit for god¡¯s sake, easily stabbed with a sword to the gut. And if she wasn¡¯t careful, she could be next. Or worse, Clara could be next. The only thing in her mind was to escape. To let the knight do his dastardly thing and let Zeke get what he wanted¨Cto be a hero for the girls. Mikella will surely remember him after his sacrifice, and for a guy, who wouldn''t wanna go out in style like that? She kept thinking like that. And the more she thought, the more she remained frozen in fear. Why isn¡¯t she running? Clearly, running away was the smarter option, the better option right now. Zeke was staring at the knight, awaiting death with his widened eyes and blanking face. He looked pale, possibly from the blood loss just gushing out of his abdomen. Even if they did survive and managed to drive the knight out, Zeke will surely die from the amount of blood he was losing. So why isn¡¯t she running, taking this chance to take Clara and run? Why can¡¯t she move? She knew she was afraid, it was obvious. But she shouldn¡¯t be so afraid that she wouldn¡¯t move at all. She wasn¡¯t an idiot. Yet¡­ she couldn¡¯t do it. Eventually, she realized something about herself. Why would she run? She clearly had better physical stats than the guy. She can do something about this. But what can she do? She only trained in gymnastics. She never once fought anyone, especially in live combat before. Yet as she stared at Zeke, for just a moment, he looked straight at her. He mouthed something. She couldn¡¯t believe him as he read his lips. Run. He couldn¡¯t speak, blood filling his mouth as it trailed down the corner of his lips. But it was clear as day for Mikella on what he meant. He knew he was done for. He knew he was about to die, so rather than yelling for help, Zeke wanted her to run, take Clara, and survive. To leave him to die. That¡¯s what he wanted. So why is she grabbing her longsword out of her pack that Clara dropped, gripping the hilt hard with resolve? She roared, her mind not willing to listen to any more reason or knowledge. And yet, she finally moved. Her legs acted upon her will for one thing. To protect Clara and Zeke. To take down the knight. To survive. She didn¡¯t care much else about the points either. During her roar, she opened up her status screen and put all her free points into Strength. A spark of adrenaline unlike anything she felt ran through her body. Her veins pulsed, and her muscles grew taut like a bowstring. Her legs pushed harder, and her hands gripped the shaft tighter. She plunged her longsword right at the knight, and thanks to her increase in Strength that is now 8, it showed. It truly showed. The longsword crushed right into the knight¡¯s torso, splitting the armor in twain as it fell over from the sudden bout from behind. Mikella¡¯s arms flexed their upgraded muscle power and forced the knight away from Zeke. The knight¡¯s body was thrown away, the blade escaping the suit¡¯s grip as it fell over. Once again, there was no blood, proving that the knight was just empty inside. It made it that much easier for Mikella to strike again, her longsword at the ready. The knight seemed to barely adjust to the sudden attack, flopping around the wooden floor with many metal scratching sounds that almost grated her ears. She took the chance to stab at it again, but to her surprise, the knight dodged out of the way and swung its sword straight at her midsection. Thanks to her longsword¡¯s reach compared to his own sword, she backed away easily enough. The knight managed to get up in time while she was still analyzing it. It turned with a furious gait and swung like a madman, the blade reaching towards her face. She backed away again, realizing that her movements somehow seemed¡­ adjusted. As though she was meant to do this. Her mind was charged to the point that all adrenaline was coursing through her veins, allowing her to think a little better. She clearly wasn¡¯t supposed to move this well, but somehow she did. It was as if her body was responding easily to her thoughts. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. It was her stats that helped her. Compared to before, her stats showed up after being initialized. So now with them being active, including her increase in Strength, she never felt better before in all her life. Unfortunately, just because her body felt better doesn¡¯t mean it was proficient in combat. The longsword¡¯s weight added to the difficulty, putting her aim off as she tried to pierce the head to finish it off like before, but the knight dodged it with ease. Her hands kept clamoring, unable to keep a tight grip. Just as she was about to regrip the hilt for a better position, she made a mistake. A costly one that got her arm to get cut by the sharp swing of the knight¡¯s sword. She yelped, pushing herself away but found herself landing straight to a nearby wall. The knight pushed forward, plunging the tip of its sword straight to her head. She gasped in horror as she made a split with her legs, the sword piercing straight through the wooden wall and causing splinters to break apart above her. This was the very same one that pierced Zeke¡¯s gut straight through. She feared what might happen as she crawled out like a dirt worm between the knight¡¯s legs. At this point, she didn¡¯t care how ungraceful she was. Funny how during her training, her main focus was to be graceful and poised. Irony really hits hard as the sword went straight for her back now. Somehow the knight managed to pull the sword out, but Mikella quickly parried it with the blunt edge of her own. The blow alone nearly made her fingers numb as she was pushed hard to the back again. She managed to uncorner herself, but she was now at the open room where the knight could come in at her from anywhere. She panted hard, sweat riddling her brow and back. It almost hit her eyes, causing her to close them shut and open them wide in a heartbeat. If she looks away even for a second, she¡¯ll get stabbed. If she makes a single mistake, she¡¯ll get stabbed. The pressure was more intense than all of her training and performances she made in her entire life. But it was also thrilling. She roared again as she plunged her longsword straight at the knight. But this time, it acted first. The knight pushed straight on through, ignoring the longsword blade as it slightly scratched off the surface of the iron suit, and plunged its sword straight forward. Sharp pain shot out through her hip as the sword cut through her waist. She yelled, the pain causing her to kneel out of instinct. She held it tight, her earlier jubilation completely disappearing. Now, only pain and fear filled her as she looked up to find the knight holding the sword up to the air. With both hands gripped onto the hilt, it was ready to decapitate her, execution style. Her breath left her body. She couldn¡¯t move. Fear struck her true. It was too late to do anything else. She closed her eyes, hoping that at the very least, the knight would be kind enough to let children go free. But a ferocious roar bellowed out from somewhere else. It didn¡¯t come from her or from the knight. But from someone running beside the knight and swinging the axe down with all his might. Zeke¡¯s eyes were bloodshot as he cut the knight down by the shoulder and forced it to the ground. Its knees crushed the wooden floor from the weight, but Zeke didn¡¯t stop as he kept hammering the knight with the axeblade. He kept roaring, losing his sense of reason as he swung up and down like trying to hammer a nail down hard. ¡°Screw you!¡± Zeke cursed. ¡°Stay down and die! Go to hell!¡± He kept screaming, possibly from the mixture of near-death rage and pain as blood still flowed from his body like a gnarly red river. But even when his once-nice suit was painted crimson, he kept swinging his axe, crushing the metal and the being inside once and for all. He kept going for another few seconds, nothing but roars and screams echoing around the pantry as the knight finally became still, no longer moving. Or rather, the parts were no longer moving. Zeke made so many cuts that it created a mess of parts out of the once pristine suit of armor.
You have defeated Arthurian Knight, Level *** You have gained experience points. You have¡ª
She ignored the notifications that popped up, thankfully being put to the side by her will. It even tore itself off of her vision, now just put into a tiny corner of her vision telling her that the notifications were waiting for her like an actual video game would. She watched Zeke as he breathed, all the energy he mustered seeping out of his body. He fell to his knees, coughing loudly as blood burst out of his mouth, making more of a mess than usual. ¡°Zeke!¡± All Mikella could do is watch before realizing what just happened. The crazy bastard actually took it apart while bleeding to death. She threw her longsword aside and held onto Zeke¡¯s shoulders, blood still pouring out of him. ¡°Zeke! Oh my god, are you okay?!¡± Mikella asked, then quickly chided herself for it. Of course he wasn¡¯t okay. ¡°W-W-What do I do? Is there anything I can do?!¡± She panicked. Her earlier injury on her hip was still burning mad, like flames stuck to her waist as blood stained her clothes. Weakness was already filling her, so she can¡¯t imagine having a sword straight through her gut. Yet he still had the energy to kill the knight. That act alone might be enough to do him in. She searched the pantry, trying to figure out what to do as Zeke¡¯s panting was getting rougher. Then, it started getting slower. ¡°S-Sissy¡­!¡± Mikella¡¯s eyes shot open to find Clara hiding between the tables and the shelves of the pantry. Her eyes were tearing up, realizing the situation, wanting to help. But what can she do? She can¡¯t ask her to find some bandages or gauze to help him heal. Even then, how can she stop the bleeding? She didn¡¯t have cloth to use to hold the blood flow, and she certainly can¡¯t leave the two behind to look; there could be more knights around. She searched the pantry hard, trying to find out what to do. What is it in video games that they tried when they needed to heal? She could try and find a potion that restores health, but where the hell can she find a goddamn potion in a pantry of all places? Then her mind sparked an old memory. She would remember going online and spotting funny memes. She recalled seeing a meme of a famous game where rather than using a potion like a normal adventurer, they just eat massive amounts of random food, slowly but surely restoring health all while adding almost a hundred pounds to you. It was funny at the time, even though she never played that game herself. She always wanted to, but she didn¡¯t had the time while training. Back at the present, that might actually be the miracle she needed. ¡°Food¡­¡± Mikella muttered. ¡°Food. Zeke, you gotta eat! Clara! Come over here and give me your pack!¡± Mikella left her own pack but Clara ran over there with ease, bringing her pack with her. Taking it, Mikella instantly dropped the barrel on its proper position after angling the pack over the floor and just slithering it out of the pack with her will. She didn¡¯t think that would work, but she was thanking the system for making this easier as she pulled an apple out of the barrel. ¡°Zeke, you gotta eat. M-Maybe you can restore health like in a game or something!¡± She practically shoved the apple to his mouth as she made her . She wished she could sound like she knew what she was doing. But she wasn¡¯t. There wasn¡¯t any proof. Even so, Zeke looked up, his eyes starting to go cloudy as he watched the blue apple in front of him. His mouth opened and closed slightly, but he forced himself to take a chunk off the apple. Mikella made sure to keep it steady for him to do so. She fed the apple to him bit by bit, even helping him chew the apple as the blood certainly wasn¡¯t helping with the taste, his face contorting to disgust. She was used to feeding Clara, so this was easy for her. Even Clara, afraid of all the blood, rushed forward to help Mikella anyway she could. Mikella told Clara to hold the apple for Zeke, and as she did so, she ripped up her tank top from the bottom hem. Thanks to her increase in strength, she made a good rip to show her gray shirt from underneath and wrapped the cloth up into a bundle. She gently pushed it deep to his wound to stop the blood flow. Zeke hissed loudly at the sudden weight to his wound. Mikella grimaced but still forced the cloth into it to stop the bleeding. She didn¡¯t know what else to do. Even Clara was doing her best, helping Zeke eat using her hands to help make the apple steady in his mouth. A few minutes passed. Mikella closed her eyes to try and stop her rapid heartbeat. All the while, she kept a mantra going in her head, the same way she did when she was forcing herself to train no matter how tired her body was. He won¡¯t die. I won¡¯t let him die. He won¡¯t die. I won¡¯t let him die. It helped calm her nerves, even if the results won¡¯t work. If it doesn¡¯t, then she¡¯ll figure something out. She always does. If she can get away from her parents and take her sister far away from them, then she can help this man survive. Finally, Zeke breathed. It was a deep breath, like he could finally take in oxygen after going so long without air. She looked up to find his eyes starting to clear. Blood still poured from his mouth, now mixed with the juices of the apple and the blue bits still stuck to his lips. He looked absolutely disgusting, but she couldn¡¯t be any happier. ¡°Zeke¡­¡± Mikella¡¯s eyes were about to tear up. ¡°Holy¡­¡± Zeke breathed, his voice hoarse but cheerful somehow. ¡°It worked.¡± Ch7: Looting the knight Zeke breathed again, finally able to do so after having the sword plunged into his innards. The apple, while delicious, was ruined thanks to the blood coating his mouth and trying to drown him. Drowning in his own blood. What a cruel death that would be. But he survived. Somehow. He held his hand over his wound, a literal crevice put by that knight into his belly. The suit was ruined now, and the dress shirt underneath was stained in red crimson. But the wound was even worse. it was a gaping hole, blood flowing like a river. It burned like flames were trapped within his skin. Pain shot up through his torso, causing his joints to lock up from the sharp pain. But the moment Mikella and Clara aided and force-fed him the apple, the pain lifted from his body. Slowly, agonizingly slowly, the pain diminished. When he finished one apple, he downed a pear next, then some grapes afterwards. He kept ignoring the constant notifications of him eating the fruits and gaining some points, which doesn¡¯t even show no matter how he tried to look at his status screen. He thanked Clara who offered the pear and grape to him. She was such a sweet little girl. Most children would be frozen after seeing so much blood, but she was more scared about what was happening to him rather than at the entire scene. He smiled at her, his teeth and lips still reddish from the blood. ¡°Thank you¡­¡± He spoke harshly, blood still filling his throat slightly as he coughed. Clara made a complicated expression. She looked happy, but the blood didn¡¯t help as she paled at the sight. Zeke feared that he might have traumatized the poor girl by getting stabbed. ¡°Thanks to you too,¡± Zeke remembered and turned to Mikella, already doing her best to try and bandage the wound from her ripped shirt. She really went out of her way to defend him while he was down and out. Even though he tried to tell her to run, deep inside, he desperately wished that she¡¯d stay and help. Even if he resorted to realizing that it was smarter and better overall to just take Clara and run. He was more than glad, but he didn¡¯t know how to express it other than saying his thanks. Mikella only smiled back. ¡°You saved me, too. I would¡¯ve died if you hadn''t come in time.¡± ¡°Hah¡­ it really hurts too.¡± Zeke laughed, a sharp pain causing him to wince from using his belly to do so. When he saw her fighting, he knew he had to do something. But the pain was too much, begging him to stay still if he didn¡¯t want to die. But when he saw Mikella fight for their lives, he forced himself to move. He grabbed his axe and used whatever stamina he had left to stop the knight readying to decapitate Mikella. Even now, her hip bled, her blood mixing with his. Yet she still held onto Zeke¡¯s wound to help however he could. He checked his status with his mind. He was thankful that Mikella recognized that food can also restore health and stamina. Even he didn¡¯t think of it, mostly just focused on finding food for themselves. He did notice a lot of notifications there, but he was too bleary to really think about them for now. Then something incredible happened. The blood stopped flowing. When Mikella took a break before trying again, the two realized that the wound wasn¡¯t bleeding anymore. In fact, it was actually starting to close on its own. He gaped along with Mikella after seeing his very wound actually closing. The pain, while still very real, slowly diminishing in small waves. He slowly stood up. He kept staring at the wound that seemed to be recovering his skin as though he was seeing a fast-forwarding video of the human body part¡¯s natural recovery. It was gross to look at, but it felt so good to see his body recovering. ¡°Holy crap¡­¡± Zeke uttered, feeling his belly once again. The wound was slowly closing, still feeling the edges of the wound and wincing after touching it. But compared to before, it was ten times easier to manage. ¡°What¡¯s with those fruits? There¡¯s no way this is the actual recovery for our bodies¡­ right?¡± He looked up to see Mikella to see her reaction. She only just shrugged, seeing the wound for herself. Her hands were red his blood, and she herself held onto her hip after realizing that she was still injured. Zeke quickly looked for the barrel, but Clara already offered a pear to Mikella. She smiled back at her as she took it. ¡°Thanks, Clara,¡± Mikella said as she took a big bite. Moaning at the taste, which Zeke can completely agree was the saving grace, she turned back to him. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± ¡°I think I can walk and even swing my axe now,¡± Zeke answered. ¡°Still hurts like a bitch though.¡± Zeke immediately regretted it, clamping his mouth shut after glancing back at Clara. ¡°Zeke, it¡¯s fine. I told you she¡¯s used to it,¡± Mikella chuckled before taking another bite. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll get used to it though¡­¡± Zeke muttered. Even if she said that, he still can¡¯t help but feel like he¡¯s corrupting a little girl¡¯s mind with dirty words. ¡°How about you?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± Mikella said, though Zeke stared at her with a raised brow. ¡°Really, I am. Compared to you, I¡¯m fresh as a daisy.¡± Seeing the wound for himself, Zeke can agree. Some bits of her abdomen were exposed, revealing the toned muscle underneath. It was proof that she was an athlete which led to her fighting well against the knight. Compared to him, he looked back to see his shirt ripped and his belly shown to the world. He started to get insecure. He didn¡¯t really have a bulging gut, but it wasn¡¯t exactly slim either. He didn¡¯t do much but work, eat, then sleep. He didn¡¯t have much of a diet either, so there was a bit of a jiggle in his belly. I just got stabbed and I¡¯m still insecure about my weight in front of girls? I need to fix my priorities. Trying to ignore the stupid thoughts, he checked back at the blinking notifications at the corner of his eyes. Somehow, they were dropped down to the corner after he forced them away, like minimizing a window on a computer. So like a window, he maximized it with his mind and widened at the new notifications.
You have gained +1 STR from your actions You have gained +1 END from your actions You have gained +1 VIT from your actions ¡­.. General Skill learned: Pain Resistance. General Skill learned: Meditation. ¡­.. Level up! You are now Level 2. You gain 2 free points (4 FP total).
A strange sensation overwhelmed him. His body turned rigid while his eyes turned to saucers. His mind spun, a whirlwind of emotions crashing within him ceaselessly. Or rather, it was the rampaging energy that invaded his body. But just as it entered, it left¨Cdisappearing into nothingness. Looking back at himself, he saw that he was mostly normal now, if not still in pain. But it also felt great. Definitely a strange mix. ¡°Zeke, you okay?¡± Mikella asked, noticing his strange movements just now with concern. ¡°...Mikella?¡± Zeke slowly said, still reading the message in his mind. ¡°Do you have a blinking notification in your vision?¡± ¡°Oh, yeah I do,¡± Mikella widened her eyes as though she just remembered. ¡°I just ignored them after¡­ what happened here.¡± ¡°I just leveled up¡­¡± Zeke said, still in awe at the list of improvements. ¡°You should check them out too.¡± In a moment, she nodded as her eyes turned distant for a moment. Then, just like him, her body made strange movements. It was like someone was feeling up her back with a duster as she gritted her teeth and even let out a groan. After a few seconds, she returned back to normal. ¡°I leveled up and¡­ uggh, it¡¯s just like when I used the free points to increase in Strength¡­ is that gonna happen all the time?¡± ¡°Probably¡­,¡± Zeke figured as he nodded. ¡°I guess we shared experience points after taking down that thing¡­¡± What he found incredible and even a little exciting is that he got himself extra points in his attributes on top of leveling up and gaining free points. Seeing the attribute increases, he believes that he gained them depending on how he did in combat. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°Did you gain any points too on top of leveling up?¡± Zeke asked, getting her to nod. ¡°Yeah, I got Strength, Dexterity, and Endurance from my actions. And you?¡± ¡°I gained Strength and Endurance. I got Vitality though¨Cand you can probably guess why.¡± Mikella grimaced. He smirked after she realized how he earned that point. Then he recalled the skills he gained. It was truly like a video game as he called out. ¡°I also got these General Skills now. I got Pain resistance and Meditation. What about you?¡± ¡°Wait, really?¡± Mikella looked back in surprise. ¡°I haven¡¯t received anything like that. Wait, you got skills now?!¡± She instantly gained an interest in this, which stumped Zeke. She fought the knight more than he did, and all he did was slam his axe. However, he instead checked the skills, which he realized he realize he can open up a skill list to check just like checking his status screen. He first checked Pain Resistance, realizing that he can open up the skill and check its description.
Pain Resistance (Uncommon), Level 1 Your body adjusts itself to withstand pain beyond your recognition. Increases your tolerance for pain and your body¡¯s durability. Each of these will increase according to the level of the skill and the current Vitality stat.
That much was pretty obvious to look at. He definitely did feel pain beyond anything he felt. Now that he realized it, the phantom pain from earlier just¡­ vanished completely. Sure, it ached, but once again it felt nothing like how it was earlier. Then he checked the next skill, which he felt happened after the battle.
Meditation (Common), Level 1 You force your mind and body to stay still and recover your lost energy. During the process, your health, mana, and stamina gradually recovers. You are able to increase the recovery rate according to the level of the skill and the current Vitality, Endurance, and Spirit stat.
He then later explained to Mikella about each of these skills, and after a moment of thought, she nodded. ¡°Okay, that makes sense,¡± Mikella nodded. ¡°I got hurt too, but it was nothing compared to what you went through. Maybe I haven¡¯t reached the quota yet.¡± If that was the case, what kind of quota one needs to meet to get Pain Resistance? No matter how useful this skill was, he was hesitant on gaining it if he had to get a blade plunged deep into his guts. Putting the skills aside for now, he checked his status again. He curled his brows at the sight.
Name: Zeke Parlow Race: Human Novice: Level 2 STR: 6 DEX: 7 INT: 9 SPI: 10 VIT: 6 END: 7 Free Points: 4 General Skills: Pain Resistance (U) Level 1 Meditation (C) Level 1
¡°I got four free points¡­ So does that mean we only get 2 free points each level? That sucks so much!¡± Zeke groaned. ¡°How are we supposed to upgrade our stats then? Just keep getting nearly killed?¡± He almost regretted saying that, turning over to find Mikella frowning at the news. Zeke wasn¡¯t happy about it, but he knew it was the truth. They don¡¯t know exactly how to get back home, but it¡¯s clear now to them; they¡¯re in an entirely new world, and now they have to follow their rules. And that included only having a few points to spend for free. ¡°I¡¯m used to having 5 or maybe 4 points per level up, but two is just too little¡­¡± Zeke muttered, frowning deeper at his status screen. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s not so bad?¡± Mikella shrugged one sidedly. ¡°Plus, you have skills that can help you in a fight. Didn¡¯t we also gained some points from fighting just now too?¡± Zeke nodded slowly, understanding what she meant. She showed off even more of her logic as she grabbed her longsword off the floor. Despite fighting against the metal knight, the longsword blade still looked presentable, pristine even. ¡°Plus, I feel like this longsword is a lot easier to carry now. A lot easier. I put in two points in Strength earlier, and that¡¯s probably how I managed to take that Knight down so easily. It¡¯s super heavy, you know that?¡± Zeke couldn¡¯t help but agree. He figured she would spend the free points to fight against that thing. He sort of wished he did the same now that he thought about it. Especially putting points into Vitality after what happened. Still, he was a bit out of it after being stabbed, so it¡¯s not like anyone can blame him for his lack of foresight. Mikella also didn¡¯t seem to mind the injury as it stopped bleeding from her hip. It looked like her recovery was fast as well, showing that they can recover their health normally. If they grow stronger, would this mean they can take down the knights better now? Or perhaps even find a way out of here? With that in mind, Zeke assured himself that the best way to do that is to increase their power. But he looked at his stats again, showing a grimace at his stats. The only thing of worth he had was his high Intelligence and Spirit. But they are utterly useless. He wanted to hoard his points, but he can¡¯t keep having Mikella do all the fighting like this. He certainly can¡¯t just take a hit like that every once in a while either, even if he had his general skills to help him. He didn¡¯t want to get stabbed again. It was too painful, too agonizing to even think about. ¡°I¡¯m putting points into Strength,¡± Zeke said, willing himself to focus on his stat points, but a surprised shout stopped him. ¡°Wait!¡± Mikella called out, forcing him to stop and look at her. ¡°Don¡¯t be so rash!¡± ¡°What do you mean, rash?¡± Zeke exclaimed. ¡°I can¡¯t keep going like this. You saw what just happened. I can¡¯t let you keep fighting like this by yourself. And obviously I don¡¯t want to get stabbed again, so this is the best bet.¡± ¡°Okay, yes, you make a valid point,¡± Mikella closed up to him, her free hand open and waving up and down slowly to console him, her other hand gripping onto the longsword without thinking. She really liked that longsword, Zeke realized. ¡°I totally get why that¡¯s a good idea. But just think; You have a ton of points in Intelligence and Spirit, right? You should keep those points in case we find a spell or something.¡± ¡°And what spell is that?¡± Zeke countered. He was actually glad to find Mikella wanting to help him be better in terms of his attributes, but seeing the reality before him made him doubtful that it could ever work. ¡°I don¡¯t see a spellbook anywhere, and like I said, I can¡¯t leave all the fighting to you. It¡¯s not fair.¡± ¡°Zeke¡­¡± Mikella¡¯s eyes soften. ¡°Thank you for worrying about me. But if I have the better physical stats, you should leave the fighting to me. If anything, I prefer that you watch over Clara instead of me while I fight. That way, I can do so without any problems.¡± ¡°What?¡± Zeke looked back at Clara, who seemed to clam up when the two seemed to be fighting. If anything, she seemed fearful as she stepped away, her arms cuddling herself into a tight hug as though to defend herself. He worried what that might mean, but he put it to the back of his mind. He looked back to Mikella, showing a sincere look of worry in her eyes when she saw Clara for herself. ¡°I can handle the fighting, I even put points into Strength for that. So until we find something for you, I want you to look out for Clara for me¡­ can you do that?¡± Mikella asked, clear genuinity in her voice. If she was willing to entrust her dear little sister to a stranger she only just met today, just how desperate is she? Seeing that resolve in her eyes, how can Zeke say no? She had valid points, and if anything, the only reason he¡¯s hesitating now is whether it was a good idea to have Clara stick to him despite having no blood-relation whatsoever. But he put that aside. There really wasn¡¯t any choice he could make that was better than this. ¡°...I guess you¡¯re right,¡± Zeke gave in, shrugging. ¡°But I¡¯m not gonna sit in the sidelines if you look like you¡¯re in trouble.¡± ¡°That¡¯s all I can ask for,¡± Mikella smiled warmly at him. ¡°Thank you. Seriously, I mean it.¡± Zeke blushed, looking away. He didn¡¯t know how to handle that. Honest gratitude. He heard gratitude before, but it was just for placating him to make him feel better. Whether it was actually sincere or not, he never bothered to figure it out, or rather, he just couldn¡¯t no matter how hard he tried. But this time, for real, that was true sincerity. That made him crumble if he was honest with himself. He darted his eyes away from her, figuring that he didn¡¯t have to look out for Clara now as Mikella grabbed hold of Clara¡¯s hand and consoled her, grasping it firmly. He went over to the pile of metal bits on the ground. He frowned at the absolute mess, seeing that only the knight¡¯s sword was still kept decent. Well, decent enough if it weren¡¯t for all the blood coating it. He was sure that 90% of it was his and the remaining were Mikella¡¯s. He tried to tug onto the hilt of the sword, but a block of incandescent light stopped him in his tracks.
Would you like to loot the corpse of Arthurian Knight?
He shook his head at that. He wasn¡¯t purposely trying to loot the body. He was trying to pick up the sword that was just laying there. He ignored the box and tried to pick it up again¨Cthen the block of light showed up without warning to repeat itself.
Would you like to loot the corpse of Arthurian Knight?
It was as though his hand couldn¡¯t seize it. He tried to put his hand over the sword, but it felt like a powerful magnet was forcing his hand away. While that happened, the block became more prominent in his mind. ¡°Goddammit, just let me pick it up!¡± Zeke cried out, causing Mikella to yelp again. ¡°Can you not shout out all of a sudden, please? You¡¯re fraying my nerves!¡± Mikella cried out, frowning at the man who quickly grimaced and closed his mouth. ¡°What¡¯s going on now?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t pick up the sword. It just keeps telling me if I want to loot the body like before.¡± ¡°Okay, so just loot the body?¡± Mikella asked, raising a brow as though that was obvious. ¡°I get that. But just¡­ here, try picking up the sword without accepting the notification.¡± Mikella looked suspicious at that, but figured there wasn¡¯t really anything to doubt him for so she went ahead with it. She knelt down and tried to pick up the sword. After a few moments, he kept trying to push her hand to the sword, only for her hand to get pushed away somehow. ¡°Goddammit!¡± Her own shout was louder and sharper than his, so he naturally flinched at that. Meanwhile, Clara just stood there like a boss, obviously used to her shouting like that. ¡°It seriously won¡¯t let me pick up this single sword? What¡¯s with this weird system!?¡± ¡°Guess you can¡¯t just loot a corpse without going through the process,¡± Zeke said, now sounding concerned. ¡°So what happens if we loot it?¡± Looking back at her for permission, she nodded as he went ahead to loot the body. The last time this happened, the entire suit of armor disappeared including the sword. It only left behind the gauntlets which Zeke was wearing right now. And just like the last time, all the metal bits that belonged to the now ruined knight disappeared entirely, leaving behind only a scattering amount of items. Metal boots were left standing upright, and a weirdly marked tome was left on the ground. Everything else disappeared, including the sword. ¡°Are you kidding me?!¡± Mikella growled. ¡°It took everything away! It only left the damn boots! What kind of shit game is this?!¡± Reasonably, she was upset that after the near life and death experience, the only thing left behind were some metal boots the knight wore. However, Zeke was left paused after staring at the next item in question. What looked like an old book with strange markings on the cover that was neatly put on the floor with no hint of disturbance whatsoever. Somehow, Zeke could tell that this tome was special. Then, his mind wracked to find out its true form. ¡°Is that¡­ a spell book¡­?¡± Ch8: Learning a spell ¡°You¡¯re kidding me?¡± Mikella asked in surprise, quickly running over to where Zeke was. Her injury just seemed to not bother her anymore. ¡°Is it for real? An actual spell book?¡± Zeke couldn''t bother paying attention to the greaves as he picked up the book. It was hefty, perhaps about a dozen or so pounds. It had a brownish leather cover, like an old fashioned book made in the medieval times. It felt brand new somehow, despite its aged appearance from the look of the yellowed pages between the covers. He tried to open the book, but it felt as though it was just for appearance. He couldn''t pry open the cover, or read through the contents. It remained as it is¨Ca closed book. However, he knew this had to be a spell book. There was this¡­ film of sorts that he can¡¯t quite explain. It felt like air that was congealed into a physical form. He trailed the cover with his fingertips, noticing the feeling even more. ¡°It feels weird¡­ Check it out,¡± Zeke said, handing the book over to Mikella. Rather than holding it, however, she hesitantly rubbed the cover with a finger. She furled her brights together. ¡°I don¡¯t¡­ think I feel anything. Maybe there is? I¡¯m not sure.¡± She explained that she felt¡­ something, but not the film that he imagined. He instantly realized what this meant. It was Mana. Her Spirit was five, at the lowest between them all. However, his Spirit was the highest at ten. It would be natural for him to sense the feeling more than she could, and she nodded in approval at the realization. ¡°Go and open it up then!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t, it¡¯s literally stuck together.¡± ¡°Seriously¡­?¡± Despite her curiosity, she doesn¡¯t seem keen on touching the book. Even Clara didn¡¯t seem that curious, as though noticing the importance of the book. Then he thought about everything that happened so far. He was touching the book, but didn¡¯t quite get the notification. So he stared at the book and willed himself to let him see what it was. A notification appeared in front of him, surprising him entirely.
Skill Book: Barrier Craft (Rare) You are only able to learn this skill after meeting the following requirements: SPI: 1000¡ªERROR! Your Otherworlder state changed the requirements. Adjustments will be made. There are no requirements. You are able to learn the skill.
For a moment, Zeke was bewildered at this massive notification that dropped to his vision. Outside of his status screen, this was the first time the notification got this long. It wasn¡¯t quite a spell book, but it was definitely a Skill Book. What¡¯s more, the supposed requirement was having an unnaturally high Spirit stat, which was supposedly his best stat. However, the notification just bleeped like an alarm, telling him that his ¡®state¡¯ of sorts changed it. Now there are no requirements at all. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Is it a spell book or not?¡± Mikella asked. Her persistence was clear as her impatience was written all over her face. Even Clara looked at him with pure anticipation. Zeke didn¡¯t know how to explain it other than saying exactly what he read. After a minute, Mikella showed the same shocked expression he did. ¡°Seriously? I was joking earlier, but is this place actually glitching on us?¡± Mikella said. She shivered at the thought of being trapped in a glitched out game. Zeke felt the same, but after thinking about it further¡­ He peered into the skill book further. It was as though now he saw the notification, he had this strange feeling that he knew how this skill works¨Cat least on the imagery. It helped create a barrier, like the name suggested. There wasn¡¯t much else, except in his mind the image of a powerful wall of magic would show up and defend against any attacks made on him or his allies. It was a magical spell that was perfect for him. ¡°Do you think I should learn this?¡± Zeke said, then he paused again as he turned to Mikella. ¡°Or, what about you? Wouldn¡¯t you want to make a barrier for your sister?¡± Mikella took a moment to consider her words. Then, suddenly, she shook her head vehemently. ¡°I-I know this sounds weird, considering that it¡¯s actually magic and all¡­ but I prefer to use the sword. My stats are better suited for fighting, remember? With your stats, that skill would suit you better.¡± Considering her words, she had a valid point. If he was honest, he really did want to learn the skill for himself. He would just feel really guilty to not mention this first. After all, the entire purpose of the survival was to make sure that the only non-combatant, Clara, would be safe. But putting their attributes up for display, it was wiser for him to learn the spell-like skill. Nodding, he looked back at the book and¡­ ¡°Actually, I¡¯m going to put all my points into Spirit.¡± ¡°Umm, didn¡¯t you say that you should hoard your points?¡± Mikella mentioned after Zeke suddenly paused and considered his actions. ¡°Not to mention, what¡¯s the point? You can already learn the spell, right?¡± ¡°It first said that it required a huge amount of Spirit points. I¡¯m betting that this skill really needs that stat, like Pain Resistance relies on Vitality. Maybe it might be better to handle or something.¡± ¡°Huh¡­ yeah, I guess,¡± Mikella shrugged. ¡°Just¡­ take it easy, okay?¡± Taking her words to heart, he put his free points into his Spirit. When he did, he felt that strange energy flowing into him, his joints locking up for a moment like Mikella did. He learned to prepare for it, easing him into the strange feeling. After it passed, the film across the book suddenly became firmer, more apparent in its appearance. It even had a color showing, like a mixture of green and blue as if it was deep within the ocean. He then turned to the book, which the notification now changed to show something else.
Would you like to learn the skill Barrier Craft?
He accepted it. A second after that, he began to regret it. Pain. So much pain. It was worse than getting gouged out by the sword. It was even worse than when he got through the system initialization. His head felt like he got slammed by a warhammer over and over, trying to pierce into his skull and mind. Then it felt like a drill was trying to pierce through his head, his skull, his brain matter, all the way to the center of it all. Something assaulted him straight to his metaphysical soul, mostly where the head was. He knelt down, not even realizing that he was screaming in absolute pain. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. His eyes were clouded, the strange energy entering through his head making him blind. But he knew the girls were showing horrified expressions as blood now seeped from his eyes. At least that¡¯s how it felt as his vision turned dangerously reddish. He rolled on the ground, the palm of his hands plastered onto his eyes and forehead to counter the pain, but it was too much. He instinctively checked his status, but there was nothing showing it other than the intense pain. It was a trap again. And he felt for it hook, line, and sinker. The damn knight got him back in the worst way possible. That¡¯s what he kept thinking as he screamed in further pain and agony. And finally, it stopped. The pain gradually receded, as though the pain was never there at all. A few seconds passed as Zeke finally stopped screaming, his ears still working well as the girls were crying. He figured it was Clara crying out while Mikella kept pushing him to stay steady. However, the silence was growing stronger before finally Zeke forced his eyes open. He saw Clara crying, for him to his amazement. Mikella was screaming his name, trying to bring him back while helping him by feeding the apple¡¯s juices. She literally crushed an apple in her hand, the bits of blue chunks and juices pouring down from them and into his open mouth. He didn¡¯t even realize he was grasping for it with his tongue like a man dying of thirst in a desert. He was screaming, so she didn¡¯t have a choice but to help feed the apple by literally juicing it with her hands. Thanks to her increased Strength, it helped the process somewhat. He felt fine now, forcing himself to stand up again. He breathed raggedly, noticing that he did bleed from his eyes as he wiped them away. Mikella kept asking if he was alright, forcing him to nod to abade her worries. All the while, a notification was blinking in front of him by the corner. He opened it up to find out what happened next.
Acquired Skill learned: Barrier Craft.
Barrier Craft (Rare), Level 1 You can create a barrier at the cost of your Mana. The barrier you create can grow stronger according to the level of the skill and the current Spirit stat.
¡°Zeke!¡± Mikella shouted, beginning to pale as she screamed. ¡°Are you okay? Answer me!¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m fine¡­¡± Zeke finally muttered out. He kept checking his notification, unable to truly believe what just happened. ¡°I¡­ I learned the skill.¡± ¡°You better have, especially after making me feel like you were about to die! Again!¡± Mikella really looked upset, which surprised him first before realizing how obvious it was. That was the second time he was close to death. Not even the sword stabbing was as bad as this. Is this what happens if he tries to learn a skill from a skill book? It felt like something was intervening with his soul, forcing new information, or something like it, into his brain. Reason why he felt that way is because he could do it now with no problems. He somehow learned how to channel mana, how to form it with imagery, then how to make it a reality in the physical world. He stood, forcing himself to keep steady despite his body protesting to stop and rest. ¡°Zeke?¡± Mikella asked again. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m gonna test the skill,¡± Zeke answered. He smiled back at her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m fine now. Thanks for the apple, by the way.¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± Mikella lowered her hand, making Zeke realize that she dropped her longsword again. She picked it up again, as though an enemy could pop out anywhere. ¡°Just to make sure, I¡¯ll have the sword in hand¡­ you never know what can happen when you¡¯re trying a spell or something, right?¡± He nodded as he made sure he faced away from the girls. Lifting his hand up at the empty air in front of him, Zeke let the mana flow. Warmth left his body, as that very same feeling of a film of congealed air reappeared¨Cthis time within himself. It was the warmth that filled his body, and when he actively controlled that mana out of himself due to his skill¡¯s instruction, it slowly made him feel colder like a passing breeze went through his body. The energy was channeled out of his body. In his eyes, he saw a gaseous form of bluish-tint. It was so transparent, Zeke had a hard time seeing it for himself. It eventually formed into a true physical thing a moment after. A wide square wall appeared in front of him. It was completely transparent, allowing him to see through it to the other side of the pantry. It shimmered, thanks to the lights in the room, almost like a glass wall tinted in a turquoise color. The two girls behind him let out amazed gasps and awed at the sight. Zeke himself marveled at it. Upon closer inspection, it wasn¡¯t actually bigger than a car door. He was hoping for something as big as the walls around this place, but he supposed that was as far as his Level 1 skill can do. He checked within himself, realizing that the gentle breeze he felt before somehow lingered. However, small hints of warmth soon flowed through his body, proving that he was regenerating his mana, at least marginally. He wasn¡¯t quite sure how much Mana he spent, but he can somehow calculate that he spent over half of his mana pool. That¡¯s the feeling he got along with the still trapped breeze within his body¨Cif that even made sense. What would happen if he kept casting the spell? Would his body grow colder and colder, eventually leaving him to freeze? He shuddered at the thought, not wanting to go through another morbid near-death experience again. He approached his barrier, somehow understanding that it was a part of him. Like a part of his soul that attained physical form. He knocked on it like a door, and it made a dense but loud noise, like hitting reinforced glass. But he knew it wasn¡¯t as feeble as glass either. If anything, it felt compact and sturdy. Considering that it took more than half of his mana, it better damn well be. ¡°That¡¯s really a barrier¡­!¡± Mikella exclaimed, approaching the barrier herself. She kept spinning around it, looking at it in all directions. ¡°That¡¯s so cool¡­!¡± ¡°Try attacking it with the sword,¡± Zeke said, pointing at the barrier, then at her longsword in her hand. ¡°Let¡¯s see how well it can defend.¡± ¡°A-Alright,¡± Mikella propped her sword up, showing some more confidence now that her Strength is keeping up with its weight. ¡°You sure? It won¡¯t hurt you or anything, right?¡± ¡°It shouldn¡¯t, I think. Otherwise, this would be a pretty shitty barrier.¡± At least he guessed. He doesn¡¯t know whether he was connected to his barrier or not. He knew he had control over it, such as being able to make it disappear, or even make it bigger. However, he felt that other than canceling it, doing anything else might drain more mana out of him, so he let it be for now. So just like making it disappear, if someone broke it, he shouldn¡¯t feel any side effects¡­ at least he hoped. ¡°Go for it,¡± Zeke said, stepping as far away and staying close to Clara just in case some other invader comes close. With Mikella nodding in approval to that action, she propped her longsword up to the air and aimed the tip of the blade at the wall of light in front of her. With a roar, she pierced the barrier. Only for it to be deflected and made Mikella topple over from the sudden rebuff to her stance. ¡°Hyaa!¡± Mikella actually fell over, too surprised to stop herself from her fall. Zeke ran over to her to help, surprised himself at how sturdy the barrier was. Considering that Mikella was strong enough to manhandle that knight to the other side of the pantry, the barrier was truly keeping up its name as a Rare skill. He remembered that particular rating of that skill now, wondering why he had such a highly advanced skill already. Both his General Skills were Uncommon and Common respectively, with Pain Resistance pretty obvious for it. However, considering that the knight¡¯s body wasn¡¯t able to drop the sword that they clearly saw it had, perhaps they had a drop chance like in an actual video game. If that was the case, it wasn¡¯t that strange that something rare would drop and he got lucky enough to get it. He¡¯s not gonna look at the gift horse in the mouth; especially if said mouth took a bite out of his organs. ¡°You okay?¡± Zeke said, noticing that Mikella was shaking her head. ¡°It¡¯s like trying to take down a metal wall¡­ just how tough is that glass thing?¡± Mikella said, actually frowning at the barrier. Wasn¡¯t she supposed to be happy that the barrier was stronger than it looked? ¡°My skill did say that it gets stronger depending on my Spirit stat. And I just increased it earlier.¡± ¡°Oh, yeah,¡± Mikella slowly nodded in understanding. ¡°Also, I can even make it stronger by training it.¡± ¡°Training?¡± Mikella asked, reminding Zeke and explaining to her what he meant. After explaining about the level 1 section of the skill and the rarity, Mikella knitted her brows. ¡°It made sense why it¡¯s so powerful,¡± Mikella nodded. Zeke noticed that she was still in doubt as she continued. ¡°And didn¡¯t that skill book say that you needed something like a thousand Spirit to learn it?¡± Zeke nodded. ¡°Yeah, but it decreased because of my Otherworlder state or something. Made it totally free.¡± ¡°Then¡­ is this place special, or something? Or maybe we¡¯re special,¡± Mikella asked, moving her index fingers between the both of them. ¡°Actually, we still don¡¯t even know where we are!¡± ¡°One thing¡¯s clear,¡± Zeke said, putting aside the burning questions. ¡°I think the only way to get out of here is to get stronger. These knights are coming for blood, and there¡¯s probably more of them coming. I don¡¯t know where, or even why, but they don¡¯t care about us.¡± Mikella nodded in return. A solemn look casted over her eyes. She grasped Clara¡¯s hand tight, making sure to never let go as Zeke continued. ¡°We have food and water now. And while the fruits help with healing our injuries, I¡¯m gonna use my Meditation and see if that would work instead. With that, we can make our way out of here.¡± He hoped that Mikella could also gain the Meditation skill, if it did what it actually said it would do. That way, they can recover their bodies in case they get injured, and recover mana on his side to use his barrier. ¡°Mikella, you focus on offense. If we somehow get into a situation where your longsword won¡¯t work, you can use my axe to attack instead. I¡¯ll focus on using my barrier to defend ourselves.¡± Looking back at the barrier, he made it disappear with a thought. It was simple, like canceling it with a right click for a buff skill in a video game. He felt his Mana slowly returning, making him believe he can use it again right now. But not yet. The feeling of his body being pierced with the sword flashed in his mind again. He doesn¡¯t want to go through that again. He doesn¡¯t want anyone here to go through that. ¡°We will survive, and we will get out of here.¡± He was determined to not die, nor to let any of the girls die. He didn¡¯t know where he was, why he was there, and why everything was happening the way it is. The only thing he knows is that he doesn¡¯t plan on letting this stupid place have its way with him again. With a nod from Mikella and the quiet Clara, the three left the pantry to find a way out of this weird castle. Ch9: Discussing stats Leaving the pantry, the trio kidnapped adventurers marched forward. With Mikella¡¯s physical stats pretty high up, she was the main damage dealer and was now leading the group. Zeke felt guilty leaving her to it, but it was clear what his role was¨Che¡¯s the mage of the group. That meant his physical stats were piss poor, but he has one spell that could literally save their lives in a pinch. Throughout the time they took to leave, his mana had already been recharged. The more he focused on it, the better he could feel how much Mana he had on him. On the way to a hopeful exit of the castle, he practiced his spell multiple times. He realized that he can create the barrier however he wished, and he can even decrease the amount of mana put into the spell the more he practiced. He first experimented only using a smidge of Mana, but it was useless as the barrier could barely function for a few seconds before it cracked and disappeared. It felt like the spell he was trying to conjure with the skill was too unstable with the lack of mana. Still, it didn¡¯t feel like it would also explode on his face if he overcharged it with mana¨Cbut that¡¯d just be too stupid to try out at this point in time. He practiced pouring in as little mana as possible until he knew for sure that the barrier was stabilized. But it was so small that only a rat would get stopped by it. Mikella went as far as breaking it with a lazy finger flick. He glowered at her for doing so, but Mikella replied with a teasing grin, as though prompting him to say something about it. He didn¡¯t want to admit it in this dangerous situation, but that was a pretty cute reaction. He focused again on increasing the barrier¡¯s limits, knowing exactly how much mana he can use and then save the rest for later. He finally know how to make it stabilized enough to exist, and strong enough to withstand a single longsword attack from Mikella. But the more she attacked, the more the barrier started to crack and eventually break apart. Zeke didn¡¯t feel any pain, which he was glad for. He also experimented on how much mana he can recover after each cast. He then opted to practice only using the barest amount of mana he could spend. Throughout the time he spent experimenting with his spell, a surprising notification came onto his vision.
Barrier Craft Level Up! It is now Level 2. You have gained +1 INT from your skill. You have gained +2 SPI from your skill.
General Skill learned: Mana Perception.
First off¨CHe pumped his fist into the air for the leveling of his Barrier Craft skill. Now it felt a lot easier to conjure and pull up, and he even noticed that it decreased the amount of mana cost despite not even casting it yet. Then the second skill made him tilt his head. He looked up his skill list to see for himself.
Mana Perception (Uncommon), Level 1 You are able to perceive the mana flow from within your body and the outside. Increases your senses towards mana and the control over your own. Each of these will increase according to the level of the skill and the current Spirit stat.
Of course, he told all this to Mikella as they continued walking along. ¡°Holy crap, what are you? You just keep getting new skills left and right. Share some with me, won¡¯t you?¡± Zeke grimaced as after getting a glare from Mikella. He had four skills already while she was riding alone. He tried to placate her, but apparently she can see right through him that he was excited about it, getting her to just have a frown on her face. This kept going for the next two hours while traveling the halls. Of course, no matter how much he tried to experiment with the skill, there were no new notifications showing up compared to earlier. But soon they faced a new challenge. They spotted a knight that was walking around aimlessly. This time, it hadn¡¯t shown up in front of them all of a sudden, so they studied it closely when they found it wandering by. Just like they noticed before, they don¡¯t seem to be actually ¡®there¡¯. They just wander about like the stalking ghosts. That knight, unfortunately, was in the way of their next trip downstairs through the spiral staircase at the other side of the pantry Turns out there were more than one spiral staircase. They figured the only way to reach the exit is to get through to the bottom floor of the castle. So, they made a plan to attack it, hiding themselves behind a large indent in the walls. Zeke didn¡¯t realize but there was a statue resting at the indent. It creeped him out for a moment before realizing that these figures were just humanoid, but barely recognizable. He couldn¡¯t even tell whether they were a man or a woman, but he was sure it was made in an image of a human person. Putting that aside, Zeke and Mikella studied the knight¡¯s movements. After seeing it standing still for a minute or so, it wandered about again in another random direction. However, it still hadn¡¯t left the location they needed to pass through, so with a nod to each other, Mikella stepped forward slowly with her sword in hand. She managed to get close enough behind that she pierced the knight from the back with a powerful thrust of the blade. It pierced through the metal armor, proving once again her amazing Strength attribute. But the Arthurian Knight didn¡¯t seem to mind at all. In fact, it turned around despite getting hit in the back to deliver a strike at her. This time, it was wielding what looked like a long rapier, the speed almost flashing by as it managed to cut up her shoulder a bit. It was a small graze, but Mikella winced as she jumped away, her longsword aiming right at the knight again. This time, the Knight didn¡¯t seem slow somehow. It was as if the weapon itself changed its movements as it flashed forward with quick steps. Though clearly it still lacked precision as it swung wildly at her. The two fought on like this, dancing on the floor with their weapons aiming to take each other¡¯s life. The rapier nearly took her limbs apart, but Mikella seemed to adjust to her movements well as she dodged each one. Her body moved like water, almost impossibly so despite Zeke seeing the fight for himself. But soon, the rapier managed to hit her longsword upwards, blasting her stance away as her eyes widened to see the incoming rapier aiming straight for her throat. With all the knowledge he had, Zeke summoned the barrier right between Mikella and the Knight¡¯s weapon. After practicing a bit, he realized the distance could be as far as his vision could carry. He forced the barrier to appear using about 50% of its potency. It took a good chunk off of his mana pool, but a barrier showed precisely in front of Mikella, stopping the rapier in place. He thanked his lucky stars that he practiced with Mikella beforehand, because it would¡¯ve been a huge nightmare if the barrier broke after using half of it¡¯s potency in one shot. If it could manage to withstand a single shot from Mikella¡¯s high strength, then the Knight would never be able to break it through in the same time-span. It was such a shock to the knight¡¯s swing that it caused it to stumble backwards. Its already graceless movements showed even more as the metal made a clunk sound with each heavy footstep. That¡¯s when Mikella stepped forward and annihilated the knight with a thrust straight through its helmet. As one would expect, the moment the helmet was pierced, the knight¡¯s armor soon collapsed to the ground. Seeing that the knight was down, Zeke tried to sense whatever experience was flowing to him by now. Even though he only used one spell, it was enough as a strange energy, a warm wind, passed through his body. But it was so faint that if he hadn¡¯t focused on it just now, he would¡¯ve missed it. Unlike a complete level up or gaining an attribute point, gaining experience points that make up a level wasn¡¯t as strong of a feeling as leveling up itself. Still, knowing that he could sense the experience points rising up within him, he could feel that he¡¯s that much closer to reaching the cusp of his experience. Just as Zeke taught her, Mikella put her hand out to the suit of armor, and just as before, the metal armor disappeared entirely as new items dropped to the ground. Zeke and Clara, who hid behind him as Mikella instructed, rushed forward to find Mikella digging through the items. Only a sword dropped this time. However, it was nothing like the rapier that the Arthurian Knight used before. The sword appeared like an average sword, neither long nor short. But just like the longsword or the axe, it had exquisite flourishing marks across the blade and a stylized silver rectangular guard and hilt. He didn¡¯t sense any mana with his Mana Perception, so the markings were just for design alone. As usual, Mikella picked up the sword in hand. She swung it down once, twice, then after a careful look at it, put it into her inventory. ¡°It feels a bit lighter than what I like, but it¡¯s good when I want to strike fast,¡± Mikella said with a grin, putting the sword into her own pack which already had her longsword as well as a single fruit barrel. Zeke could only agree, her having the most experience in weapon fighting so far. She also wore the grieves that dropped alongside with the spell book. Zeke thought it was only fair, and he even gave up his gauntlets to her. So far, she was able to move rather well despite wearing such heavy-looking armor pieces. Not to mention it was becoming of her along with the longsword in hand. ¡°Oh, right!¡± Mikella said, snapping her gauntleted fingers. ¡°I just got a new skill!¡± ¡°Wait, for real?!¡± Zeke nearly shouted. He didn¡¯t even realized how excited he was as he spoke. ¡°What did you get?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a General Skill,¡± Mikella said, then she paused before furrowing her brows tight. He wondered what she was doing for a moment before all of a sudden¨C Pop. What looked like a super thin rectangular block of light appeared in front of her, widening Zeke¡¯s eyes. Seeing his reaction, she smiled as she used her hand to gesture moving left and right. The block of light followed her will, but she furrowed her brows the farther it got away from her before it disappeared again. ¡°Alright, makes sense that I can just push it farther than my field of vision,¡± Mikella nodded, then she put on a smug grin as she made the block appear again and shoved it right to Zeke¡¯s face. ¡°Catch!¡± Zeke tried to do so, but it unfortunately was a wasted effort as his hands caught nothing but air. The block of light just appeared in front of him. He glared over at Mikella who was now laughing her ass off at the sight. His cheeks burned at the display, but he read the notification in front of him to put it aside.
General Skill learned: Sword Mastery.
Sword Mastery (Common), Level 1 You become a part of your sword. When you wield any type of sword, your damage increases and your movements faster. Each of these will increase according to the level of the skill and the current Strength, Dexterity, and Endurance stat.
¡°This is¡­ incredible,¡± Zeke said in awe. ¡°It makes sense that I didn¡¯t get something like Axe Mastery. You really love that sword, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I mean, it could be better,¡± Mikella shrugged. ¡°I wish it was Uncommon or something. I feel like I got something super basic.¡± Zeke shook his head. ¡°Any skill, regardless of their rarity, can be valuable. Sure, it¡¯s better if it was a higher rarity, but I definitely don¡¯t want to get in the way of you when you hold that sword.¡± Mikella flashed a cocky grin. ¡°Guess you got a point. It¡¯s all about the player''s skill rather than how good the skill is to the game, right?¡± Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. Zeke could only nod at that as the group went down the stairs, now available for everyone to go through. But when they reached the next floor down, what they saw made them lose faith in their upcoming future. More hallways and more doors. ¡°We¡¯re gonna be stuck in here forever, aren¡¯t we?¡± Mikella said what they feared in their minds, leaving Zeke to leave a groan out for everyone to hear. ¡­.. Throughout the grind of searching every door for any available resources they can get and looking out for potential knights that would kill them, Mikella was exhausted. Her body was weary, her mind was grinding itself to dust, and her eyes were starting to get blurry. Her hands were starting to grow calluses, her fingers reaching to the point of growing numb. They fought two other knights so far during this process which felt like hours had passed. One knight carried a longsword like her, and another carried an axe like Zeke¡¯s. Their combo of interrupting their attacks with Zeke¡¯s barrier and her thrusting attack took care of them rather easily. These knights, while horrifying to face, have a shared weakness of not having any coordination with their bodies. Some apparently have experience, but just as she expected of a suit with nothing inside, the joints were locked up and the movements were slow and sluggish. Once Mikella handled that information in her head, the rest came easy for her. One thrust through the head somehow disconnected disrupted the knight entirely. And sometimes just bashing them like crazy works just as well. They can¡¯t exactly attack them if they don''t have any limbs to attack with. Still, the fighting was daunting. It wasn¡¯t just the fights, it was the constant looking out for potential enemies that could do them in. If Zeke¡¯s experiences taught her anything, this place would kill you in a heartbeat if you¡¯re not careful. During both fights, her skill Sword Mastery somewhat took over. It felt as though her body corrected her bad posture and stances. Now, it felt as though she was truly one with the sword. She definitely felt her thrusts and slashes were a lot sharper than before, fully utilizing her physical stats. She wondered if she would also get some more skills that help her fight better, or at the very least help her survive better. She looked back while trudging forward, noticing Clara hiding behind Zeke as she ordered. Her eyes were teary, yet she never cried out in frustration and fear. She always loved Clara for that. Her parents always thought it was strange for a child to not cry as much as she does, but Mikella never once found it disturbing. She never liked children that cried like mad, so it was a godsend that Clara isn¡¯t the sort to panic and scream at a moment¡¯s notice. She did realize that it did cause her to not be so friendly with the other brats in her neighborhood, but at that point, Mikella just considered Clara as ¡®above¡¯ the children. It may sound elitist, but Mikella herself always carried a hint of elitism in her mind. Being on top form of the gymnastics team and constantly training by herself was proof that others would only slow you down. That¡¯s why she believed that Clara is her little sister, no matter what her two fathers say about her. What surprised her, however, is how close Clara has gotten to Zeke. Zeke didn¡¯t seem to notice as he seemed focused on making sure his barrier magic was on point while battling the knights. She even tugged on his pant leg with fervor, keeping up with Mikella¡¯s order and hiding behind Zeke with all her might. She never once got attached to someone other than herself and their mother, particularly a grown male adult. She never really liked the men around her, including their father. Then again, Mikella was the same, though she was more annoyed than scared at them. So having Zeke around definitely eased her mind and helped her fight the upcoming battles. Another knight went down, and eventually something terrible happened. One Arthurian Knight didn¡¯t seem to carry any weapons, so Mikella figured it was one of those hand-to-hand combat fighters as she easily pierced the knight through the cuirass. But she made a mistake. The knight somehow purposely had itself stabbed as it took out a knife from somewhere hidden and stabbed Mikella right in the gut. Blood poured out like a river, and pain followed after. She screamed loudly, pain shooting through her torso and up her entire body. The dagger was nothing as huge as a sword, but that didn¡¯t matter at all to Mikella as she knelt down, unable to face the pain. She put her hands together over the large bleeding wound to try and stop the flow. But she failed to realize that the knight wasn¡¯t stopping and tried to stab her skull with a downward thrust. A barrier took place and Zeke rushed forward and struck the knight with his axe across the neck when it was stumbling backwards. The knight went down without a hitch, and Zeke immediately went to her side and pulled out a barrel of fruits to feed her. Mikella didn¡¯t hold back and ate four of the fruits. The taste was delicious, but her bleeding mouth and the pain were terrible. The two simple emotions mixed together to make an uncomfortable blend of time that seemed to flow by as her injury slowly reduced in size. The pain seemed to lessen. She finally breathed as though a chokehold that was squeezing her insides finally let go, and the shooting burning pain finally ceased. It ached, obviously, but not as bad as before. She realized that there was a notification after her healing process was done, and she figured it out what it was as she summoned the notification to the front of her vision.
You have gained +1 DEX from your actions You have gained +1 END from your actions You have gained +1 VIT from your actions
General Skill learned: Pain Resistance.
General Skill learned: Meditation.
Level up! You are now Level 3. You gain 2 free points (4 FP total).
She finally got the two General Skills Zeke learned, and she is level 3 now. Normally she would be ecstatic, but her recent experience with that knife utterly ruined it. She mentally took back her snide jealousy from earlier about Zeke having more skills than her. She would rather not learn Pain Resistance and Meditation by copying Zeke¡¯s experiences. She was lucky to gain that extra Vitality point and noticed that she had four free stats to spare. She immediately wanted to upgrade her Vitality, to see if she could recover from this wound faster. But she shook herself off. She also realized that her stamina could be better too. If she¡¯d move better, she could¡¯ve avoided it. Boosting Vitality wasn¡¯t the answer¨Cshe needed to get stronger, and she can¡¯t get that through stat points. She needed to learn how to fight better. She had the battle easily, but she failed to realize that just because the knight didn¡¯t look like it knew what it was doing, she shouldn¡¯t underestimate it. Sword Mastery only corrected her moves¨Cit didn¡¯t make her a better fighter. And if it weren¡¯t for Zeke¡¯s timely interference, she would¡¯ve died while screaming like a child after getting gutted with a knife. Then after that, the knight would go after Clara. She was supposed to be the fighter of the group, with higher stats to boot. But she ended up crumbling like tissue paper after getting stabbed in the gut once with a dinky knife. Granted, that knife was very sharp and a lot longer than it looked, but it was still a dinky knife. Shame riddled her, grimacing at the fact that despite her training, Zeke handled the pain better than she could. He even went out of his way to fight the knight while still bleeding to death. With the pain, she can¡¯t even imagine moving at all even during combat. ¡°Mikella, you okay?¡± Zeke asked, worry plastered over his face. ¡°You¡¯re looking pale.¡± Zeke asked, clearly concerned about her physical state rather than the emotional whirlwind going through her. Before long, her arm were tugged by Clara to her side, crying out her name. ¡°Sissy! Sissy!¡± Clara cried. ¡°You okay?¡± Mikella¡¯s shame and embarrassment were swept away by Clara¡¯s tears, offering her a smile as she brushed her black hair as usual. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Sorry, I just need a moment¡­¡± And she did take that moment. To let the scene sink into her mind, her thoughts and her feelings. Her emotions whirling around like a hurricane on top of the pain and exhilaration of fighting and leveling up. After calming down, the two adults discussed their level ups. She explained about the two new General Skills she learned, and Zeke could only respond with a grimacing smile. ¡°Yeah¡­ it¡¯s not fun.¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s pretty obvious,¡± Mikella snorted. Just like what happened with her, Zeke also managed to make the block of light appear and shove it to her face. However, she was an adult, so she only read on without caring too much about his childish antics. She smiled deviously when she noticed that he frowned at her non-reaction, hidden behind by the block of light.
Barrier Craft Level Up! It is now Level 3. You have gained +1 INT from your skill. You have gained +2 SPI from your skill.
Being an active spell, it made sense that Zeke¡¯s Barrier Craft leveled up again. Apparently he realized that just making the barrier appear and reappear won¡¯t count anymore. However, using it for its intended purpose did¨Cblocking an attack from the knight. He¡¯s been getting better and better at it, and she was thankful that he took her advice to not make the barrier suddenly show up right near her face. Not that she was complaining that he saved her life, but almost running into a wall whenever the knight just so happens to raise its arms every time would¡¯ve been annoying. After discussing a fair bit, they decided to use their free points whenever they could. Zeke decided to just increase his Spirit, considering that not only does it increase his Mana pool, his Barrier Craft also depended on the Spirit attribute as well. So it was a no brainer for him. Wherever for Mikella, it became the worst decision of her life. She had four very important stats to consider. She needed to fight better, but the only way to do that is by either increasing her damage or her speed. She also needs to last longer, and potentially survive fatal injuries should she make a mistake. She first thought about increasing Strength for more power, obviously. But something told her that having more Strength won¡¯t exactly help her. Sure, she could one-shot knights, but what would happen if those knights hit her like with the dagger? Her Strength won¡¯t matter at all if she died, or lost her limbs in a fight. That was also why she didn¡¯t consider increasing Vitality. That¡¯d be the same as accepting those hits, like a guardian would in the games she played. She never intended on taking any hits, so Vitality was out¨Cat least for now. So finally there was Dexterity and Endurance to consider. Endurance kept her going, but that also goes along with the concept of increasing Vitality. She would prefer to end the fight faster than making it keep going, bringing her back to the Strength attribute. Then there was Dexterity. With that attribute, she felt that she got faster, nimbler, and more in depth with her balance. It felt like an all natural super attribute compared to the others honestly. However, when she spoke about it to Zeke, he got confused. His Dexterity stat wasn¡¯t exactly low, but he never felt faster or more in control of his body, which was odd. Then Zeke made a theory that made more sense. It was possible that Mikella was faster by a large margin due to her attribute being at the higher ten, just like how Zeke can figure out this mana business with his Spirit attribute at ten. ¡°It¡¯s possible that there are certain milestones for our attributes. It¡¯ll make it stronger, helping us get better at what these attributes represent.¡± Zeke seemed more into this than she was, so put it at the back burner. She decided to put points into Dexterity as that seemed more logical. In other words, the faster she was, the better she could dodge. The faster she was, the faster she could damage and kill monsters. Simple as that. The two points goes into Dexterity, one into Strength, and finally one into Endurance. This way, she can fight better, quicker, and longer than before. She could also just put all of them into Dexterity too, but both she and Zeke can agree that being a one-stat pony is too much of a risk in this world with no knowledge at hand. Looking up at her status screen now proved just how much she increased.
Name: Mikella Ashton Race: Human Novice: Level 3 STR: 10 DEX: 14 INT: 5 SPI: 5 VIT: 8 END: 10 Free Points: 0 General Skills: Sword Mastery (C), Level 1 Pain Resistance (U), Level 1 Meditation (C), Level 1
Seeing her stats now made her feel better about the upcoming battles. She learned how not to underestimate even the slightest hint of weakness in someone, and her physical stats increased some more. What¡¯s more, since her Strength and Endurance reached 10, she felt more power than ever before. She also felt so much energy that she swore she could go for days without sleep and still be perfectly fine. She told all this to Zeke to which he nodded, believing that it was due to the stats reaching ten as she expected. He was still going to put all his points into Spirit until something else showed up, which Mikella can understand. Personally, all he needs to do is keep that barrier active to protect her sister. She can do all the dirty work of taking care of the monsters. What was that word again? ¡®Quid pro quo¡¯? Something about something for something? Putting that aside, she thought about her Vitality again. She received a point after getting stabbed in the gut like Zeke did, which was proven when he also gained a point in it as well. So she thought about during the down time, she can just nick her skin with her sword. That way, she doesn¡¯t have to be horrifically injured, and she can increase her Vitality attribute through her actions. Perhaps even increase the Pain Resistance skill she had on hand. That way, she can use her Meditation to recover her wounds, and if worse comes to worse, she can just eat the fruits for recovery. Perhaps that way she doesn¡¯t have to worry about pouring her hard-earned free points in something that¡¯s extremely vital. When she told that to Zeke, however, he offered another point of view. ¡°I¡¯m not sure that¡¯s a good idea. We probably shouldn¡¯t use up those fruits even if we have plenty. Second, you could keep cutting yourself all the time, but from what I¡¯ve seen so far, you need to go farther than what we went through to get something. I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll gain an easy Vitality point if you don¡¯t go all the way and try to, I don¡¯t know, cut a finger off?¡± Mikella shivered at that. The more she thought about it, the more sense he made. It was proven time and again that just getting hurt slightly never once raised a Vitality point, but a deeper wound or a heavy trauma would. She also recognized that the fruits were their only food source, so that was also completely out. They still don¡¯t know their way around the castle. They don¡¯t know where the exit is. While her plan was good to up her Vitality in the low levels, or as they thought might be the low levels, it won¡¯t be good in the long run. Before they knew it, Mikella would¡¯ve eaten their entire food supply while having the highest Vitality stat so far, leaving them to starve. How could she do that to Clara for her own increase in power? She immediately shelved that idea for now. She let out a heavy breath. She always liked those exploits where one can increase a stat easily in game and become like a god amongst men, but unfortunately this game-like world is too realistic for that. Ch10: Distrust After recovering from their last battle for an hour, a reasonable time to recover from their exhaustion, Mikella and the others trudged on. Compared to the constant pain, thanks to Pain Resistance, it only became a minor ache, which she was used to during her training. Zeke was off in his own world as usual when talking about the regeneration. He theorized that there could be some hidden numbers behind it all, including their overall health and mana. The knowledge was helpful to Mikella when it came to their statuses. Still, shouldn¡¯t he use that big brain of his to figure out a way out of here? She shook off those thoughts. He may not be putting a lot of effort into getting out of here, but he¡¯s doing his best to help them survive. If anything, what he¡¯s doing is just helping them out way more than just pointlessly wandering about. But to be sure, she¡¯s keeping pace with the layout of the hallway, something that they should¡¯ve done a while ago. But no matter how much she tried, the castle just seemed to go on endlessly. It¡¯s as if they need to meet some sort of requirement to pass through, like in a video game. And that fact alone is keeping her nerves frayed at the seams. Before long, she turned to find Clara clearly nodding off as they walked. It¡¯s been almost an entire day since they woke up, and they¡¯ve done nothing but walk and fight, constantly afraid. She checked back at her smartphone, the one thing she still got from their old place, only to find it completely unable to turn on. She scowled before Zeke suddenly spoke up. ¡°Should we find a place to rest?¡± Zeke offered, surprising Mikella more than it should have. Sleeping in this deathtrap of a castle wasn¡¯t ideal by any means, but what other choice is there? They clearly can¡¯t force Clara to keep going, and she needs to sleep. Otherwise, it won¡¯t be good for her. Even worse, if she does sleep, who¡¯s gonna carry her? She¡¯s doing just fine walking along, keeping pace as much as she could, but if she sleeps, someone has to carry her. She could just leave it to Zeke, if she was honest with herself¡­ But even after everything they¡¯ve been through, Zeke was still a stranger. He wasn¡¯t some predator, but her familial instincts kept begging her to be on guard. ¡°You¡¯re probably right,¡± Mikella let out a deep breath. ¡°We found an empty room a while back. Why don¡¯t we sleep over there? I¡¯ll keep watch.¡± Mikella nodded, only to realize that her own exhaustion was taking hold. Zeke seemed fine, but then again, he¡¯s been doing nothing but barriers, except for the time when she got injured. She¡¯s been constantly fighting, and now her body is reaching its apex in exhaustion. Not even the drops from the earlier monsters were worth anything. The first two they fought only dropped another pair of gauntlets and this time a helmet. However, wearing a helmet in this place felt risky, since it completely covered the head and only left a visor with holes way too small for the eyes. The last one, the one that shivved Mikella, dropped only shoulder pads. Fucking shoulder pads. She wanted to kick whoever was in charge of the drops. That was probably why on top of her exhaustion, she was getting antsy and peeved at every little thing. Mikella dragged the sleepy Clara, walking back towards the empty room they found. It was the last one they found, as most of the rooms they entered were just the same¨Cutterly empty with nothing of worth inside. Of course, that beat the idea of suddenly entering into a room full of knights. Facing just two of them at the same time was bad enough, but encountering an entire room of them? No thanks. The inside of the room was surprisingly decent. The walls weren¡¯t old and dusty, just a simple light blue color. There was no furniture for them to sit and rest, unfortunately, as mostly shelves filled with strange ornaments and wooden figurines of some woodland creatures adorned the room. Thankfully, they swiped some decent furniture just for this occasion. Pulling out her trusty pack, she put out a chair and took apart the pads from it. Then after taking out another soft velvety pad, she made a makeshift bed for Clara. Zeke watched with interest, not wanting to get in the way of making things comfortable for Clara. Mikella had Clara rest near the wall at the corner, using the pads to make her comfortable. Clara hesitated for a moment before putting her head on it and immediately went to sleep. Her eyes closed and her breathing turned slow and steady. Seeing her sleep so easily like this just proved how tired she was, how Mikella kept forcing the poor girl to keep going. She brushed her black hair with her fingers, feeling at ease knowing that Clara was doing fine as she slept. It gave her solace somehow, telling her that everything was alright. Zeke stood by as he said, showing a distant look on his face. Mikella realized that it¡¯s the look of someone looking at their status screen. She also realized that he¡¯s been doing that for a while now, more often than not. Has he really been staring at his status screen all this time, rather than paying attention to his surroundings? She shook off those thoughts again. The exhaustion was getting to her. How else can he pay attention to his mana while he uses the barrier that literally saved their lives dozens of times by now? She noticed her anxiety was turning into agitation towards the man and quickly tried to sleep to no avail. She was just too nervous. Even if Zeke said he¡¯s offering to keep watch, that basically meant giving him free reign while the girls sleep. But what else can she do? She has no choice but to try and trust him as she closes her eyes. Her exhaustion finally hitting its peak, she let herself get taken by the darkness of her mind. ¡­.. Constant screaming and fighting no matter the hour of the day. She only just returned from her practice to find her mother and father fighting again. Her father hasn¡¯t been home lately, due to his work, but her mother suggests it was something much more ridiculous, such as betting on the racetrack for some easy cash. Her father didn¡¯t take that well, suggesting that he was incompetent in taking care of his family. Mikella was tired of it by this point, no matter how many years she saw this. It was the same every time; her parents fought, showing their own incompetency, while she had to take care of most of the house duties herself. And more importantly, to take care of her little sister, Clara. She was the only one that gave her solace, her peace within the house. Unlike her parents, Clara was quiet, composed, and quite frankly too damn mature to be their parent¡¯s second child. She was special, her special little sister. She was so proud of her, always getting good grades without barely trying. The fact that the other kids around her age avoid her because of her excellence only proved how incredible she was. While Mikella would agree that having friends was better, if she was honest, she preferred her sweet little sister not get closer to those drooling morons that can¡¯t even count one to ten correctly. She wanted nothing more than to help her grow to be a fine woman, to avoid becoming like their parents. While her father shows his colors more often than not, she realized her mother wasn¡¯t all that great either. She would ignore her duties as a mother, often complaining about their father and gossiping with her friends rather than do the chores and keeping care of the house. She doesn¡¯t work either, so she was basically freeloading. Even worse, she often kept handing her jobs to Mikella who had her own crap to deal with. She just entered into her local community college¡¯s gymnastics¡¯ team, forcing her to train a lot more to keep up with their hectic scheduling. That made sense to her as the team is a candidate to enter into serious competitions. Her mother should know that, so why is she forcing Mikella to keep working her butt off to do the jobs her mother was supposed to do? In the end, both her parents were incompetent to handle anything themselves. While her mother wasn¡¯t exactly a shining beacon of motherhood, she was still a decent person. At least she stays and helps with Clara, more often than not, unlike her father. She swore that she never saw her father even hold Clara once even as a baby, because he was often working so long. But then the inevitable happened. To everyone¡¯s shock, another man came into the picture. A supposed old flame of her mother¡¯s. But that wasn¡¯t all. It was revealed that Clara wasn¡¯t her father¡¯s child, but his own instead. That brought their entire household to a standstill, then a swirl of chaos formed. Mikella didn¡¯t care at all about their drama, but it certainly showed quite a few things. For one, men really are competitive somehow. Clara¡¯s biological father wanted Clara for himself, while her own father refused. Even if the proof was there, her father wanted nothing more than to beat Clara¡¯s father for the sacrilege of getting between their marriage. Meanwhile, her mother did nothing but stare in horror, her mistake of her infidelity came to life. At that point, nobody was bothering to even care for Clara anymore, the real reason behind everything. They didn¡¯t even care about the mental trauma they¡¯re putting Clara through, who was just slowly understanding the ways of the world. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. Mikella was tired of it all. Thanks to all this, she had no choice but to quit her team. Not that they appreciated her efforts anyways despite her issues at home. What mattered more is that they were planning on doing something to Clara, and whatever that was, they planned on separating the two away. She didn¡¯t want any of it. So running out of options, she took Clara for herself and ran away. Since she always took care of the house, she had her hands on their funds as well, so it was easy to set up a separate bank account and pretty much took everything for herself. They should be fine. They¡¯re adults after all, and if the men were so competitive, they can compete on how well they can work their asses off to get back the money she stole. After all, that¡¯s what her father always does. Her mother couldn¡¯t even focus on time before Mikella dragged Clara out and never looked back. She was tired of it all. She was exhausted. She was angry. But having Clara by her side made everything better. It was night by the time they got prepared to leave the city they lived in. They went onto the subway in the middle of the night, noticing some odd people here and there. Thankfully, most were women, so there was no chance of some weirdo coming up to them. She looked up on the places they could live in for the hours they spent in the subway, and eventually Mikella became tired enough to sleep herself along with Clara. By the time she opened her eyes once again, she was in the hallway of the castle. Nothing but blood surrounded her vision. And a child-like corpse was resting just beyond her¡­ ¡­.. Mikella woke up in a frenzy, cold sweat pouring down her face and torso. She breathed raggedly, but she quickly calmed herself, realizing that it was just a nightmare. The corpse of her little sister definitely woke her up from her dream, or rather, a sequence of events that seemed so out of place in her life that it ended up sounding fantastical even in her own mind. But it actually happened. The reveal of Clara¡¯s father, their parents¡¯ utter refusal to see reality for themselves, her having to run away with Clara in tow¡­ it happened so damn quick, it didn¡¯t seem real to her yet. And now, they were whisked away in a whole new world with video game logic. She tried to brush Clara¡¯s hair, wanting her solace and peace of mind, but she didn¡¯t feel anything other than the pad she placed before. Her eyes widened, turning to find that Clara was gone. And so was Zeke. Her heart slammed against her chest. She didn¡¯t know how many hours passed, but one thing was clear. She was still exhausted, but her fury was reaching her peak. She stood up and took her sword out of her pack. She didn¡¯t even realize her fingers were gripping the hilt so tightly that blood was seeping from her nails digging to the base of her palm. She searched the room. It was empty except for her, only making her anger rise while mixed with fear and dread. What has he done to her little sister? What has that stranger with a knack for this world has done to her sweet little sister? She couldn¡¯t think straight anymore. The idea that a man of unknown origins had taken Clara forced her to act. She rushed out to the door and opened it, realizing that a lot of noise was going on outside. Her heart slammed against her chest as she heard screaming. She rushed forward, uncaring for what happened next. Blood will be spilled, no matter the cost. If anyone hurts Clara, then they won¡¯t get away alive, even if she does owe him a debt for her life many times over. She turned a corner of the hallway where most of the noise was going on, and she immediately saw the culprit. He had an axe in hand, but everything was too dark to fully see. Somehow, the lights were dimmed, as though to reflect their exhaustion. It was too dark to see, making her peer at the man she knew to be Zeke. She gripped her sword tightly, her mind only focused on one thing¨Cto kill anything that would dare hurt Clara. She rushed in, her sword blade pointing right at his back. She didn¡¯t care anymore. She¡¯ll deal with it her own way as she always had. She¡¯ll pave her path in blood if she has to. But something caught her attention. Clara wasn¡¯t anywhere in sight, and the being that was screaming wasn¡¯t her little sister, but Zeke himself. He always had a shrill to his voice, so her exhaustion made her believe that it was her little sister. But in truth, it wasn¡¯t a scream of terror, but a scream of wrath. Zeke was blindingly hitting something with a roar, but as she got closer, she realized that the one he was trying to hit was an Arthurian Knight. The knight was dodging with ease somehow, Zeke¡¯s slow axe barely making any headway. Soon, the knight reacted with a powerful thrust of its own sword, a partisan sword as she recalled. But soon a barrier seamlessly stopped the knight right before making a turn to swing, and Zeke took the chance to decapitate the knight immediately. He wasn¡¯t just swinging, she realized, he was baiting the knight to attack so that Zeke could interrupt him with the barrier while making a true swing right at its head. The knight¡¯s helmet rolled by, and soon the entire suit of armor fell right afterward. Mikella only managed to stop in time to find Zeke breathing hard, his face sweating from the available fluorescent lights around them. She also noticed that he had nicks and cuts across his body and part of his suit was ruined. Blood dripped from parts that were cut. They even started to create a small puddle on different parts of the floor. Was he fighting the knight on his own? How long was it? But something else caught her attention. She turned to the side to find that her little sister, Clara, was fine and well. Just as she learned, she was hiding within the crevices of the hallway, where those strange statues were at. She looked on at Zeke who was wiping the sweat off his brow, hissing that he mixed his sweat and wounds together as he groaned. ¡°That¡­ takes care of that,¡± Zeke said, breathing out harshly. ¡°I should¡¯ve been more careful. Damn it, that¡¯s what I get for using up my Mana¡­¡± He was muttering to himself. He didn¡¯t seem to notice the two girls watching him. Mikella quickly realized why he was so bloody despite having such convenient barrier magic. He ran out of Mana trying to practice while he was keeping watch. Then a knight rolled in and he fought it himself, his Mana too low to start with. If that was the case, then why didn¡¯t he wake her up? And why the hell is Clara with him? Before Mikella was starting to go into overdrive about this situation, Clara actually walked up to him, her feet stepping with hesitation. ¡°...Zeke?¡± She called out, immediately making the man flinch and tried to look around, only to widen his eyes to find her staring at him. ¡°Clara?!¡± Zeke nearly shouted, but he quickly put his hand over his mouth. He seemed to think that doing so might call the other knights. He looked back at her, showing her a mixed look of confusion and worry. ¡°What are you doing here? Aren¡¯t you supposed to be with Mikella in your room?¡± Mikella immediately froze. She waited for Clara to continue, looking away from Zeke¡¯s gaze. ¡°I¡­ I saw you leaving. I don¡¯t¡­want you to leave.¡± Clara spoke softly, noticing that her action caused Zeke to get angry. But instead, Zeke softened his face as he knelt down to her level, gazing at her straight in the eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not going to leave,¡± Zeke said gently. ¡°There¡¯s no way I would.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± Clara saw the knight¡¯s suit of armor still resting there. Zeke shook his head. ¡°I thought we were in danger, so I took care of it,¡± Zeke said, sounding rather proud of his accomplishments. Then, as though realizing how childish that sounded, reddened before facing Clara again. ¡°Anyways, it¡¯s dangerous for you to be here. I promise that I will never leave you two, so please promise me that you¡¯ll never leave Mikella¡¯s side no matter what happens, okay?¡± ¡°...Okay,¡± Clara nodded. Zeke looked rather guilty somehow, then responded again. ¡°If anything were to happen to you, your sister would be very sad. I¡¯ll be sad too. So please don¡¯t think I¡¯m angry at you..¡± ¡°...You''re not?¡± Clara asked, hope brimming in her eyes. ¡°Of course not. You were worried for me, and I should have told you two before I left. Now, come on, let¡¯s go to sleep. Who knows what your sister might do to me if she finds out you and I were here.¡± ¡°Why would she do anything to you?¡± Clara asked, tilting her head curiously. ¡°Uuh¡­¡± Zeke tried to explain, but all he got were ¡®uuhs¡¯ and ¡®umms¡¯. ¡°She worries about you a lot. And I¡¯m still a stranger. That¡¯s only natural.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re so nice,¡± Clara said. Zeke smiled sincerely at that. ¡°Maybe, but we still shouldn¡¯t make your sister worry. She loves you so much, Clara. It won¡¯t matter if I¡¯m a stranger or not, she¡¯ll still worry for you. So come along now.¡± Zeke tried to stand up, but realized that Clara lifted her hand to him. Zeke hesitated, pressing his lips as though thinking such a thing might be illegal. In the end, he shrugged it off and took Clara¡¯s hand to hold as he accompanied Clara back to her room. All the while, Mikella hid herself and ran back to her room, somehow thinking that she might get in trouble if she was found. All the while, all of her earlier hostile thoughts now burned at the back of her mind. Her cheeks reddened as now the anger turned into pure embarrassment. Pave her path in blood? What the hell was she thinking? Shame crept up her insides, coiling around way more than even getting gutted with a knife. Her heart raced thinking that she sounded like some vigilante, when in truth she was about to murder a nice guy through some half-exhausted misunderstanding. When she returned to their empty room, she quickly sat down and closed her eyes, doing her best to mimic what she looked like before. However, her breath was still rampant, and her heart was beating too much after everything that occured. Then she recalled one of the skills she learned by force. She completely forgot about Meditation, so she instinctively tried activating it. As though clicking on a box, she¡­ slowed. Her mind slowed, and her body immediately cooled down. Her heartbeat started pacing normally, and her breathing calmed. It was so strange, but there were still hints of her panicked run. So she focused harder than before. While her mind was slowed, her intentions were clear¨Cat least to act like she never left the room. Eventually the door opened, leaving Zeke to whisper softly to Clara to not wake her up, not even realizing that Mikella was still wide awake. Clara slowly tipped over to her side and rested her on the pad near Mikella. Mikella peeked, one eye open in the cover of the darkness thanks to the lights shifting about somehow. Zeke immediately sat in a corner farther away, his eyes turning distant once again to check his status. Shame, embarrassment, and overall ridicule swept through Mikella¡¯s mind, and it only increased twice fold when she received the following notification on top of a surge of foreign energy entering into her.
You have gained +1 DEX from your actions. You have gained +1 END from your actions.
Level up! You are now Level 4. You gain 2 free points (2 FP total).
Meditation Level Up! It is now Level 2. You have gained +1 INT from your skill.
Name: Mikella Ashton Race: Human Novice: Level 4 STR: 10 DEX: 15 INT: 6 SPI: 5 VIT: 8 END: 11 Free Points: 2 General Skills: Sword Mastery (C), Level 1 Pain Resistance (U), Level 1 Meditation (C), Level 2
If it wasn¡¯t bad enough, irony kicked her in the gut and spit at her downed body. She leveled up while she did nothing but sleep and planned on backstabbing Zeke. Worse yet, her Meditation increased and gave her a single Intelligence point. Was that supposed to mean something? It wasn¡¯t surprising when Mikella found herself unable to sleep afterwards. She felt that she didn¡¯t deserve to rest peacefully after tonight. Ch11: Acrobatics Zeke was exhausted after yesterday. When he offered Mikella to rest and let him watch over, he spent half the time looking at his screen and experimenting on his Barrier Craft spell. Then he heard some rusted metal clanking on the other side. Fearing that it was an attacker, he went in to check, only to find that it indeed was another Knight. His mana pool was under half after his practice, so he had to fight the knight on his own with barely any Mana. Trying to wake up Mikella for help would only make things worse. Her deep sleep would only put her off and possibly endanger her life. He knew he wasn¡¯t a morning person, so doing anything after waking up would¡¯ve been a nightmare, and that included a battle to the death. So he did his best. His axe work was abysmal compared to what Mikella can do with her sword thanks to Sword Mastery. But despite that he still managed, however the knight fighting him was annoying. He had a partisan, which worked like a spear and an axe altogether. Even though Zeke dodged a few strikes, the knight used the partisan more deftly than he expected, giving him some deep cuts. Eventually, he managed to recover enough Mana to conjure a single barrier right before it swung. With enough force, he roared and slammed the axe down, decapitating it. Rather than try to swing haphazardly, he decided to try and move only in ways to avoid wasting energy, allowing the knight to think he had an opening. That also revealed another quirk¨C they were alive and they knew how to fight, but without actual bodies they tended to have a difficult time adjusting to sudden changes. Honestly, he could¡¯ve done better. Still, the notification that dropped on him was enough to placate him.
You have gained +1 VIT from your actions. You have gained +1 END from your actions. You have gained +1 INT from your actions.
Level up! You are now Level 4. You gain 2 free points (2 FP total).
Pain Resistance Level Up! It is now Level 2. You have gained +1 VIT from your skill. You have gained +1 END from your skill.
As usual, he put his free points into Spirit. He decided with Mikella that being a one-stat pony was bad, but considering how useful his barrier was and how expensive it is, he really didn¡¯t have another choice. Besides, without him even trying, his other essential attributes kept increasing, so he decided to keep up the pace for survival.
Name: Zeke Parlow Race: Human Novice: Level 4 STR: 6 DEX: 7 INT: 10 SPI: 16 VIT: 8 END: 9 Free Points: 2 General Skills: Pain Resistance (U) Level 2 Meditation (C) Level 1 Mana Perception (U) Level 1 Acquired Skills: Barrier Craft (R) Level 3
His Intelligence reached ten, and unlike with any physical stat, he felt¡­ nothing. Not at first. He did realize that his senses has gotten sharper. His thoughts felt clearer and slightly faster than before. He didn¡¯t grow smarter, not enough to know how to get out of here alive with the others¨Che just felt less foggy than before. But not even all the Intelligence in the world would help him when he found out that Clara was near him this whole time. He was surprised to find out that she followed him out of fear of the two sisters being abandoned. While that only made him worry about the potential danger of her going off on her own, he couldn¡¯t help but feel weak at the knees from her concern. After they got back, Zeke took the chance to rest a little this time, knowing how the knights¡¯ pathing system worked. After one finds them, it usually takes a while for another to show up. Perhaps another hour or so. What really surprised him is that the lights around them seemed to darken when they were resting, almost as if to reflect their exhaustion and made it easier to rest. Or was it trying to dissuade them into thinking it was safe to rest, then have a knight go after them? If so, it almost worked and that made Zeke even more nervous. So he tried to use his new skill he gained earlier, Meditation. When he tried, it was as though nothing could get to him anymore. But at the same time, he felt constrained¨Cbut in a good way. He wasn¡¯t sure how to explain, but his emotions were calm and his senses were even sharper than before. Even his mana that was still lagging started to recover gradually faster than normal. For about an hour or so, he continued meditating even though his mana was topped off by now, and even received a surprising notification from this.
Meditation Level Up! It is now Level 2. You have gained +1 INT from your skill.
Nice. Eventually, Mikella woke up after that and allowed him a bit more rest, this time having her watch over him. He wasn¡¯t concerned at all about what she might do to him. What else can she do? It wasn¡¯t as though he had any reason to be in danger. If anything, he was worried that they might leave him alone to fight for themselves. When he woke up, however, that proved to be wrong. They eagerly waited for him to wake up, both Mikella and Clara. Clara surprised him the most, showing her face right in front of him the moment he woke up. He nearly looked aghast at the sudden face, showing a smile at him and yelling good morning. He wasn¡¯t used to this, but he replied the same. The trio then had a hearty breakfast filled with fruits and discussed what to do next. What surprised him the most was that by the time Mikella woke up, she found that she leveled up. ¡°Seriously?¡± Zeke asked. ¡°I was just fighting the knight yesterday while you were asleep. Oh, but don¡¯t worry, I handled it well.¡± ¡°O-Oh, really?¡± Mikella asked, sounding surprised. ¡°You should¡¯ve told me!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t want to wake you up. And besides, it was just one knight anyway.¡± ¡°Zeke is strong,¡± Clara suddenly spoke up, adding to Zeke¡¯s claim. He worried whether Clara would add anything else, such as being there to watch the fight, but she just left it at that. Somehow that only bolstered his ego a bit, making him realize that he did take that knight down by himself. Though if he was honest, it was still a pittance compared to what Mikella can do now. On the other hand, Mikella didn¡¯t seem surprised to hear that somehow. Instead, she nodded as the two discussed some more. Zeke got curious about her having that reaction, but decided to let it be. Perhaps Mikella just trusted Clara that much more. ¡°But how did you level up while you were away and asleep¡­?¡± Zeke added, not realizing that Mikella flinched at that. He stared at her, noticing her looking away. ¡°Y-Yeah¡­¡± Mikella said, somehow dampened. He worried whether she thought that he was blaming her for receiving experience that didn¡¯t belong to her, considering that she didn¡¯t participate in the fight at all. He lifted his hand to her. ¡°H-Hey, I¡¯m not blaming you or anything,¡± Zeke said in consolation. ¡°Besides, this is great! This means that either of us can gain experience even without fighting.¡± That also increased his suspicion as to why he received as many experience points as Mikella despite her doing the most effort to take knights down. The only thing he provided was barriers, after all. In terms of participation, Zeke was doing the least despite how useful his spell was. So this meant that the two shared experience, somehow. Were they in a party together? If so, that would make sense as to why they share the equal amount of experience. But since when were they part of the same party? By the time they woke up? Or was it when they started fighting and working together? If that was the case, it might make sense, but he figured the system would notify him if that was the case. Either way, he tried dozens of ways to open up more menus, but somehow that didn¡¯t seem possible. He tried opening his party menu, but nothing showed up. He instead looked at his skill menu, showing his still Level 3 Barrier Craft. Even during that harsh battle, it didn¡¯t level up. He expected it was going to take more than just fighting random Knights to level it up again, making it stronger and easier to cast. This time, he made sure to keep a healthy supply of Mana and stopped training with his spell. He already has a good grasp of it, like using a tool he can conjure with his mind. He wanted to try and experiment farther, but the experience from yesterday reeled in his grinding mindset. This wasn¡¯t a video game where he can just reliably rest up and fight again¨Che could seriously die if he keeps messing around with important resources like his Mana. Worse yet, he would never forgive himself if his mistake ended up costing the girls¡¯ lives. He assured himself that no amount of skill levels is worth an innocent life. Mikella decided to focus more into her Strength and Dexterity with her free points. He asked about her Endurance or Vitality since her mental stats weren¡¯t useful for the coming fights. ¡°I¡¯d rather just hit them hard and fast and avoid wasting so much time. Besides, I got your barriers¨Cwouldn¡¯t it be better to work together to get out of here faster that way?¡± Zeke nodded to that. Normally he preferred to fight by himself, so he would always base his game characters to handle solo battles. But this was real life¨Che was more than happy to support another person. All of a sudden, he didn¡¯t care about his attribute distribution if it meant being useful to help themselves stay alive. Funny how that works. After discussing their future paths, the trio headed out to explore the rest of the castle. Eventually, a few minutes down the line, they were met with more knights to fight. Thankfully, despite having to fight all two encounters on the way, they survived just fine, working together rather well. In return, they got themselves an extra longsword and axe, making them extra spares in case theirs get broken. But this third time around, they met their match. They faced three knights this time, each carrying a different weapon; and one held a bow with dozens of arrows inside a quiver by its hip. Zeke had to pay full attention to the archer while Mikella handled the other two knights. This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. Of course, he also took a careful glance at Mikella as well, and when he saw her getting taken down a peg by the two knights carrying a warhammer and a studded club at her, Zeke put up a barrier to protect her from both attacks. And that caused an arrow to slip by and puncture his right leg. He screamed from the red-hot pain, all the while Clara was hiding behind him. He panicked, thinking that the knight was aiming for Clara instead. By the time he recovered from the shock of the pain, Mikella had already taken out the archer after taking care of the two knights. It goes to show just how reliable it is to have someone with high physical stats to take care of things while the mage was down. ¡°Zeke! Are you alright?!¡± Mikella screamed, running to Zeke after the final archer knight was down. He also noticed Clara running to him, tears in her eyes. ¡°Zeke¡­ don¡¯t die¡­!¡± Clara exclaimed, and Zeke couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. It was completely painful but despite that, he wasn¡¯t as afraid as before. Judging how his body recovered, he can tell that he¡¯ll survive even with a giant ass arrow sticking out of his knee. How¡¯d it go again? I was an adventurer like you ¡®till I got an arrow to the knee. Wasn¡¯t that some jargon about getting married? The pain was getting to him. His mind was getting delirious before a shooting pain traveled up his leg all of a sudden, causing him to yelp and grunt out in pain. He saw that Mikella, with the best of her knowledge, pulled the damn arrow out of his knee with enough force to leave a gaping hole behind. ¡°S-Sorry!¡± Mikella apologized, throwing the bloody arrow to the side and summoning the barrel full of colorful fruits, giving out a waterskin for him to drink. ¡°Here, eat and recover.¡± Zeke never once complained as he tore into the fruits, particularly the pears. While the blue apples were delicious, the strange pink pears had a succulent sweet taste with an added sourness that really delivered the punch. It helped his mind as he also activated Meditation, which thankfully can work while he wasn¡¯t entirely focusing on it. Several minutes passed as the wound finally closed up. No matter how much he often saw it, seeing a gaping wound close up like someone fast-forwarded a video was still too incredible and unbelievable. The arrow was sharp. Looking at the discarded arrow now, he couldn¡¯t believe it was inside him just now. The arrowtip alone was more than a few inches in height, and its width was just slightly below that amount. And way more than the tip got into his knee. If his body was the same as before he got kidnapped here, he would¡¯ve lost his leg by now. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± Mikella took him out of his musings, a look of shame crossing her face. ¡°I took too long and let that bastard hit you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Zeke shook his head. ¡°I should¡¯ve put up a barrier around me as soon as I put yours out.¡± ¡°But why don¡¯t you put up two barriers? One for me and for you and Clara?¡± Mikella asked, tilting her head. ¡°I was wondering about that for a while.¡± ¡°I actually can¡¯t,¡± Zeke shook his head, surprising Mikella. ¡°I tried to, but I don¡¯t think I can make several barriers¡­ at least not yet.¡± ¡°How¡¯d you know?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­¡± Zeke tilted his head in thought. ¡°It¡¯s like I can tell with the skill sometimes. Unlike the general skills, Barrier Craft just sort of¡­ tells me, I think? All I know is that it¡¯s too soon to make more barriers. It¡¯s actually taking a lot just to keep the one from not breaking after a while.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Mikella nodded. ¡°That kinda sucks, but I guess not even magic can be overpowered.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Zeke frowned. ¡°And it gives me a huge headache sometimes too.¡± Whenever Zeke goes all out with his barriers, he feels his magic draining and his head aching. Thankfully it wasn''t so bad that it distracts him in battle, but it¡¯s mostly an inconvenience.¡± ¡°Yeah, I can¡¯t handle headaches,¡± Mikella gestured while waving her hands. ¡°You handle the magic stuff. I just stab things.¡± ¡°Sissy is best when she stabs things.¡± Zeke almost flinched at Clara¡¯s response, surprised by her intervention. He¡¯s more surprised at what she said, actually. ¡°That I am,¡± Mikella said, puffing her chest out with pride. ¡°And Clara, you¡¯re doing a great job too.¡± This time, Clara wilted as she looked down. ¡°All I¡¯m doing is hiding like a bitch¡­¡± Zeke¡¯s head hung back even more this time, unable to process the words of this ten year old girl. Mikella just chuckled as she knelt down to her level and brushed her hair. ¡°You¡¯re not a bitch. You¡¯re a kid that can¡¯t even fight. You¡¯re already doing such a great job of making sure to keep yourself safe. That way, Zeke and I can focus on fighting better. Right?¡± ¡°Y-Yeah,¡± Zeke nodded along. ¡°And it doesn¡¯t matter what happens to me¨Cyou keep away from the monsters until they¡¯re all dead, okay?¡± Clara nodded slowly at that, taking the words to heart. Zeke wondered if he took things too far with lecturing her sister, but Mikella just nodded in approval. For once, he did a good thing as an adult. He mentally cheered in his head, no matter how sad that might be in others¡¯ eyes. Eventually the two went over to the suits of armor and collected the loot. After the bodies disappeared, they got their usual drops of weapons and armor pieces. This time, they even have a bow and a quiver filled with arrows. ¡°Calling it,¡± Mikella said, picking out the bow. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s all yours,¡± Zeke raised his hands. But if you find a spell book, let me¨C¡± His eyes widened, and suddenly he felt his skin crawl. ¡°Oh shit¡­¡± Zeke cursed. The trauma returned in full force. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Mikella asked. When she turned to where he spotted the thing that made him pale, her eyes widened. It was another heavy-looking tome¨Ca Skill Book. This time, he could feel the mana emanating from the book. His Mana Perception made it easier to see exactly how the book was made up. While the outside of the book remained the same as before, mana covered the book in a heavy layer of bluish tint. He felt the book¡¯s cover, noticing that the mana just got wept up along the fingers, but then trailed itself back to the book. He could tell at a glance. This book was packed with mana. More than his barrier ever could have, which was strange considering that his barrier was completely made up of mana. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ a skill book, right?¡± Mikella asked. Just like him, she looked slightly pale. Even Clara hid behind Mikella¡¯s leg at the sight of it. That made sense, considering it was the same type of book that made Zeke almost die after learning Barrier Craft. However, if it was truly a skill book, they have no other choice. It¡¯s literal power right there, and all it took was a lot of pain to use it. He picked it up, and even Mikella went forward to check. Though he did notice that she didn¡¯t try to pick it up herself. Understandable, he thought, as he checked the notification.
Skill Book: Acrobatics (Rare) You are only able to learn this skill after meeting the following requirements: DEX: 500¡ªERROR! Your Otherworlder state changed the requirements. Adjustments will be made. There are no requirements. You are able to learn the skill.
¡°Acrobatics¡­¡± Zeke said, tilting his head. It didn¡¯t sound like any skill he knew, at least as a form of attack or spell. However, he did realize that he could venture into the book like before, and his eyes widened. His body felt more lively, nimbler, and stronger than before. He swore he could move faster and react better than anything else. This wasn¡¯t an attack skill or some spell¨Cwas it a buff? Or perhaps a passive skill? Either way, it made his body more physically fit. And who better fits this skill more than his current teammate?¡± ¡°This is for you,¡± Zeke said, handing the book over to Mikella. He might as well shoved literal crap to her face as she backed up from him in shock. ¡°What? W-W-What do you mean?¡± She stuttered, clearly flustered. ¡°Oh, sorry, I¡­¡± Zeke grimaced. She probably thought he wanted her to feel the same pain as he once did. ¡°Just¡­ check the book for yourself. You can feel how it works in your head, right?¡± Mikella stared straight at him, and after a while slowly took the book for herself. After a few moments, her eyes widened in recognition. ¡°Yeah¡­ this definitely feels like it would be perfect for me,¡± Mikella said. There was actual excitement in her tone. But that excitement quickly dissipated as she continued. ¡°Ugh, but¡­ to learn it means¡­¡± ¡°Look, you don¡¯t have to learn it if you don¡¯t want to,¡± Zeke said, trying to console her. ¡°I just thought it would work out for you. But¡­ if you don¡¯t want to, you don¡¯t have to force yourself.¡± Zeke looked down at the book, and he assured himself. ¡°But I might have to myself.¡± Her eyes widened at him. In other words, he would gladly learn the skill if it would make him a better fighter¨Ceven if it meant taking on another painful skill to learn. He felt guilty, taking on another powerful sounding skill for himself. However, trying to force Mikella to undergo that terrible pain was too cruel to ask. For a moment, Mikella considered this. She stared at the book hard as her eyes suddenly turned steely. She turned to him with a resolute look. ¡°No, I¡¯ll do it. Your Barrier Craft saved my life dozens of times. There¡¯s no way that this won¡¯t help me in the future. Just¡­ umm, get that barrel ready just in case.¡± Zeke didn¡¯t even have to wait for her as he already pulled out the barrel of fruits from his pack. Mikella paled again at the sight of the giant barrel, but turned to Zeke when he gazed back at her. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure that Clara doesn¡¯t see,¡± Zeke promised, grimacing as Mikella almost scrunched her face up in terror before nodding in thanks. It took a while for Zeke to convince Clara to not see the next event that will occur. He also made sure to cover her ears to avoid terrifying the little girl as Mikella took the time to learn the skill. Soon, the book started to glow in front of her. What happened next was exactly what Zeke feared. ¡°Aaaaaagh! Aaaagh!¡± Her screams of pure pain exuded from the hallways, even making Zeke wanting to close his ears. The extreme volume of her voice was almost painful for him too, and he had to force Clara from not looking as he looked back himself to see the result. Mikella was writhing on the ground, desperately clutching onto the barrel as she tried to pick up an apple from there. But the pain was filling every part of her body as she seemed to be locked up by the joints, unable to move. Zeke panicked whether to let Clara get traumatized by seeing her sister in so much pain or to help Mikella eat her fill and recover. But thankfully, Mikella was made of sterner stuff as she eagerly ate the fruits from the barrel without hesitation. Blood poured from her eyes, ears, and even from her mouth, making a horrifying visage to Zeke. Now he was glad that he made his choice. Clara did her best to do as Zeke said, but her trembling shoulders was proof that no matter how hard he tried, he couldn''t stop Clara from hearing her sister¡¯s agony. Eventually, a few minutes passed as the screaming slowly ceased, her blood creating a puddle on the ground. But thankfully she didn¡¯t look worse for wear. Zeke immediately ran over to her, Clara following suit. ¡°Mikella!¡± Zeke shouted, noticing that Mikella was on the ground writhing and groaning. He gently picked her up by the torso, avoiding to touch anything personal as he dragged her face upwards for the two to see. ¡°Mikella! You okay?!¡± Mikella¡¯s eyes were shut tight, unable to see. Slowly, she opened them, her eyelids rising to find almost clouded brown eyes looking back at him. ¡°Sissy! Sissy!¡± Clara shouted, finally bringing Mikella back to the world of the living as she focused herself. She immediately stood up, leaving Zeke to try and get another fruit just in case she needed it. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Zeke asked, offering her the grape-like fruit. Despite eating quite a lot before, she greedily took the grapes, a strangely yellow color instead of the usual purple or green. She bit off everything, including the vines, its juicy interior sloshing over her lips and chin before answering. ¡°I¡¯m¡­¡± Her voice was hoarse and almost dry, continuing to eat without really stopping. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I had Meditation on while I was eating¡­It was just¡­ really, really, really painful¡­¡± ¡°I think yours was a lot worse than mine,¡± Zeke said, making a complicated face by the feel of it. ¡°Did¡­ Did Clara see?¡± Mikella said, pointing to Clara who kept hugging her, hoping that it would make the pain go away. Mikella took it gladly, rubbing her shoulders and nestling to her sister. ¡°Nope, thankfully,¡± Zeke snorted. ¡°Though I wish I did the same. I¡¯m gonna have nightmares now.¡± Despite it all, Mikella chuckled at that. It was nice to hear her laugh at his crude jokes, despite the situation. They needed a little relief every once in a while, especially after situations like this. ¡°So, did you learn it?¡± Zeke eventually asked, prompting Mikella to nod. She made her own screen pop like before, then swerving it to his side. He looked over at the screen and read it.
Acquired Skill learned: Acrobatics.
Acrobatics (Rare), Level 1 You can overcome your body¡¯s limits. All physical stats (Strength, Dexterity, Vitality, Endurance) receive 1% increase each level. Stamina consumption decreases and overall balance increases.
¡°T-This is incredible,¡± Zeke said, his tone in awe. ¡°A passive increase to your stats. This is considered totally broken in games!¡± ¡°Huh, really?¡± Mikella perked up at that. She still looked a bit off from learning the skill, which Zeke understood completely. This skill was absolutely perfect for Mikella, being the physical fighter of the group. She¡¯ll only get stronger and faster, even better when it also increases her Vitality and Endurance to keep her healthy and longer lasting. Now that he thought about it, his Barrier Craft seemed perfectly suited for him as well, with him having a lot of Spirit in the first place. What¡¯s more, thanks to his high Spirit, his Barrier proved to be much better suited for support rather than an attacking spell like a fireball or something. Were the drops somehow coordinated to fit their natural attributes? Although that didn¡¯t seem likely considering that if Zeke wanted to, he could¡¯ve learned the skill himself. But this felt too tailored made for them. Questions wracked his brain, none of them bringing a solution thanks to his lack of information. For now, the only thing he can do is to be thankful for this as this would help increase their survivability all the more. But once they get strong enough, he¡¯s gonna find out those answers, even if it might lead to something disastrous in the future. He can¡¯t rest easily if he doesn¡¯t. Ch12: Two days Two days have passed. Zeke kept up the time as far as he could, especially after finding out that he can recall how many hours have passed thanks to his 10 Intelligence. That didn¡¯t really help, if he was honest. It just meant that they¡¯ve been stuck here traveling the hallways of the castle for that long. Which shouldn¡¯t be possible. On top of everything else, the knights have been attacking them whenever they had a chance. Sometimes they find knights to ambush just to ensure they don¡¯t get attacked in return. He was starting to get used to it. The sounds of steel clashing steel, the scent of their blood filling the air. Two whole days of just this, with only their bodies getting stronger being the change. A blinking notification showed up, giving Zeke a much-needed reprieve after their latest knight subjugation.
Level up! You are now Level 6. You gain 2 free points (2 FP total).
The last level up was yesterday, which was proof that leveling has been slowing down for a while now. Still, that didn¡¯t mean they weren¡¯t getting stronger throughout the days. In particular, his skills leveled up quite well.
Meditation Level Up! It is now Level 3. You have gained +1 INT from your skill.
Mana Perception Level Up! It is now Level 2. You have gained +1 INT from your skill. You have gained +1 SPI from your skill.
¡°Kinda wish I can increase my physical stats sometimes,¡± Zeke complained, putting away the notifications. ¡°How¡¯d you do?¡± ¡°It could be better,¡± Mikella said, her eyes glinting as she turned to him. ¡°Like how I got my Sword Mastery to Level 2 now.¡± With a flourish, she sent the notification telling her of her success to his face.
Sword Mastery Level Up! It is now Level 2. You have gained +1 DEX from your skill.
¡°Damn, you¡¯re putting some work in there,¡± Zeke grinned. Was it so bad to enjoy their growth even during this situation? Even Clara sounded excited whenever they talked about their progress. With Mikella showing the notifications to Clara, she jumped and giggled at the news of her sister capable of unleashing devastation amongst the metal knights. He was glad for this. After what happened with the arrow to the knee, they started focusing on survival, using whatever tactics they can come up with. Thankfully, Mikella¡¯s new skill provided more than enough boon for them all. Her fighting had become better than before. Back then, she would force herself to fight in ways that would tire her out faster, trying to avoid getting stabbed and slashed. But Mikella¡¯s Acrobatics put in more work than anything she could¡¯ve done. Against one battle with a knight capable of using fancy footwork with a single sabre, Mikella fought it off with her own footwork and some clever sword play, using the longsword they got from the last knight. It was a work of art. Her movements were better defined, using deft step-ins with her feet and even using feints to trick the knights to attack¨Callowing Zeke to use his barrier to interrupt them and letting Mikella deal the finishing blow with one quick slice across their helmets. It was clear that it wasn¡¯t just a simple increase of her stats. According to her, it felt as though her body was misaligned before, and she had to work with what she got. Now, it was like her body was resetted properly and it could do so much more than she ever expected. She didn¡¯t stop there. She wanted to see if she could gain more general skills and level them up by using other weapons. Honestly, it baffled Zeke as to why he didn¡¯t think of it before, just focusing more on increasing his barrier¡¯s level. However, that proved harder than it looked. No matter how adept Mikella was at using other weapons¨Clongswords, axes, warhammers, even a bow once or twice¨Cshe didn¡¯t gain another Mastery skill. Zeke queried that it was possible there was a hard limit on Mastery skills, and only one is able to be learned. It didn¡¯t sound right, so instead he figured that after acquiring one Mastery skill, it takes even longer to acquire another. That fit better, especially as Mikella definitely agreed on that feeling. For now, they focused on experimenting with that logic by switching weapons against single knights, and only using the sword when they reached a troubling situation. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. In one such case, Zeke carried Clara over while providing barriers around Mikella far away. Reason for that is that four knights came to find them. With movements faster than meets the eye, Mikella dealt with them one by one. The barriers blocked the other knights trying to chase behind her, allowing Mikella to come right back and pierce them after dealing with her initial target. In another fight they ended up with a tricky knight. It used a chain with an iron flail at the end as it spun the chains around, handling it with disturbing ease as the heavy spiked ball tried to bash Mikella¡¯s head in. With a simple motion, Zeke conjured a barrier right where the ball was in mid-swing, landing the knight in a position where it couldn¡¯t react against Mikella¡¯s uprising sword strike through the helmet. Zeke noticed that his Mana Perception level increasing helped him be able to conjure barriers farther than usual. His senses picked up the mana flow better, allowing him to extend his mana farther than even his eyes could pick up if he wished¨Cthough that honestly got his head to ache worse the farther he tried. He knew there was more to the skill, but for now he was thankful that he can conjure barriers farther which allowed him and Clara to get away in case things get nasty. Thanks to their teamwork, they not only survived, but got stronger for it.
Name: Zeke Parlow Race: Human Novice: Level 6 STR: 6 DEX: 10 INT: 13 SPI: 17 VIT: 10 END: 10 Free Points: 0 General Skills: Pain Resistance (U) Level 2 Meditation (C) Level 2 Mana Perception (U) Level 2 Acquired Skills: Barrier Craft (R) Level 3
He decided to spend his points rationally, rather than continuing to spend it all in his Spirit attribute. This isn¡¯t a game where he needed to min/max his character, strengthening his pros and weakening his cons in exchange. Both Mikella and Zeke learned that having more damage and higher resources doesn¡¯t always help. In fact, the arrow that struck his knee two days ago still sent ghost aches throughout his whole leg, proving just how wrong that thinking was. One single mistake and he could end up losing an entire limb. Having more Strength for power, or Spirit for magic won¡¯t count for anything if you¡¯re out of limbs. So this time, he spent all his remaining free points into his physical stats¨Cat least the ones that made sense. He put points in Dexterity to move better, and to his Vitality and Endurance for obvious reasons. Strength was pointless for him. As a man, this made him slightly anxious, but he put aside his pride for survival. Thanks to that, he never felt better. His body felt nimbler, and his insides felt better and more energetic despite the horrid situation they were at. It was further proof that reaching ten in those stats made a solid difference just like his Spirit did. Mikella also made her choices, giving Zeke her status just as he gave his own to her to discuss how to best move forward.
Name: Mikella Ashton Race: Human Novice: Level 6 STR: 14 DEX: 16 INT: 6 SPI: 5 VIT: 10 END: 11 Free Points: 0 General Skills: Sword Mastery (C), Level 2 Pain Resistance (U), Level 1 Meditation (C), Level 2 Acquired Skills: Acrobatics (R) Level 1
She decided to put her points into Vitality to increase it to ten, and the rest into Strength. Since she gained Dexterity from Sword Mastery, it was possible she¡¯ll gain even more on the attribute later on, so it was better for her to gain more power to hit harder. Since their skill levels also gave them attribute improvements, it was decided to focus on other attributes where it was harder to gain. He also knew that spending points was better than trying to train his stats in this situation¨Cwhere they don¡¯t even know when and how they will get attacked. They kept walking forward through the corridors that went on without end. Mikella kept pace at the front and Clara kept herself hidden behind him as usual. They¡¯ve been going at this for too long. Mikella¡¯s hair was frazzled, and Clara looked dirty like an abandoned child. Zeke looked even worse, if he was honest. His suit was ripped and blood stained him all over. He looked like a homeless guy who fought another one to the death for his next meal. He tried to find out how this castle worked, considering that the last time worked out well after finding the pantry. But his knowledge of medieval castles was lacking as they kept going further down the stairs, hoping to find the entrance. Thankfully, they had enough fruits and drinking water to last for a while. If they weren¡¯t so dangerously sweet, he would¡¯ve gotten sick of it by now. Still, they can¡¯t go on forever unless they can miraculously find another pantry filled with regenerative fruits. The atmosphere started to warm up. He sweated profusely, the travel going longer than usual. Then his eyes narrowed. The hallways somehow gradually changed, the walls becoming dark and rocky like charcoal. His skin felt warmer than normal, and there was that scent of something that burnt continuously without end. ¡°Hey¡­ hasn¡¯t it been getting pretty hot lately?¡± She asked, wiping the sweat off her brow while Clara seemed to be fanning herself almost incessantly. ¡°Yeah,¡± Zeke nodded. ¡°I thought I was imagining it.¡± The hallways changing was a clear giveaway, but the heat made no sense. They must be somewhere in the tropicals to be in this much heat, or perhaps in the desert? He can understand that it might be possible considering everything so far. But the next few steps forward changed that. The lights that surrounded the hallways disappeared. The hallway now turned cavernous as darkness swallowed them for a mere moment. Soon, a bright red light flashed beyond the corridor from where they were at. When they approached the seemingly big room with a lot of light, their mouths gaped. ¡°Well¡­ that might explain it,¡± Mikella said, the heat sweltering now as the temperature rose up to ten times the amount. ¡°...You gotta be kidding me.¡± The trio somehow found themselves amidst a cavern, and the boiling hot lava that surrounded the entire cavern floor. Ch13: Valorie Mystio Valorie gazed upon the field in front of her with purpose. One can never know when another attack might hit their town. The forest looked as serene as usual in front of her. Before, it would¡¯ve been peaceful to watch. Now they filled her and every soldier around her with dread and concern. A swarm of monsters could come to raze their town to the ground, destroying everything they ever built over the past years. It was amazing what a horde of monsters can ruin in just a day or two compared to building a town in a decade and a half. It just wasn¡¯t fair. But her husband would always say the same thing. ¡®Everything has a purpose¨Cwe just have to make sure we survive to see through it¡¯. She often nodded to that, but she couldn¡¯t help but want to strangle his neck everytime he seemed so lackadaisical about this. Oh, what am I saying? I¡¯m just gonna give him a big ol¡¯ hug and kiss when I get home. If there was anybody working harder than her, it would be her husband. While she was out by the ramparts, taking care of the immediate threats, her husband was investigating the true reason behind the attacks. It¡¯s been about a month or so since the attacks started, and he had been trying to find out the cause of it. But the numbers were strange, even to her husbands¡¯ eyes. It was starting to overwhelm the small number of fighters they had available, and losing any one of their valuable crafters and artisans could potentially devastate their way of living. ¡°G¡¯morning, Captain! Here to report the latest survey!¡± Val turned around, taken out of her musings, to find a young man in his twenties saluting to her. He was the scout of their group, focusing on Dexterity which clearly showed with his dual sabres at his hip. She nodded to him with a smile. ¡°Paul, good to see you back. Anything noteworthy to report?¡± ¡°Yes, though I¡¯m afraid there¡¯s no good news. Just¡­ news, I suppose,¡± The young man replied hesitantly before facing her directly with a solemn professional expression. ¡°The monsters continue filling the forest day by day. We¡¯re not sure how, but I believe they are charging into the forest from somewhere. ¡°My Identify shows that they range between level 30 and 60. We believe they are also taking out the weaker monsters, increasing their levels as they go along.¡± ¡°Are any of the higher tier monsters getting killed off?¡± Val asked, her hope rising just a smidge. ¡°Unfortunately, no. It¡¯s like they¡¯re just keeping territory, slight skirmishes and stuff like that. They retreat the moment things start to look bleak.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Val shook her head dismissively. She knew it was wishful thinking, but with how things are running, they need a break. Not only are they intelligent enough that they can bother the town, but also keep up their strength and kill weaker monsters. How can the humans try and gain strength if all the weaklings get snuffed out and only have the tougher prey around? Must be nice, being able to retreat into whatever hellish depths they crawled out from. ¡°Captain, may I suggest taking some of them out with the investigation team?¡± The young man noticed her plight, and a gleam of excitement and battle lust flashed in his eyes. ¡°We can diminish their numbers for the next fight.¡± ¡°No,¡± Val shook her head, pouring water over the flames of his excitement as she explained. ¡°We cannot have the investigation team take any unnecessary losses. The more we sent out for damage control, the more the monsters become aware of our counter attacks. They will only increase their ferocity even more here.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ I see,¡± The young man didn¡¯t seem to notice that tidbit, lowering his head in shame. ¡°My apologies, I offered something foolish.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be,¡± Val grinned back at him. ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with wanting to level up. But we must consider everyone else. Trust me, I wish I could just go out and hunt them to extinction so we wouldn¡¯t have to preserve for so long here, but there¡¯s a reason why I¡¯m here and not out there.¡± If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°I see¡­ but in a sense, I¡¯m glad,¡± The young man grinned. ¡°If you go out there, there will be nothing left over for ourselves.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that why I¡¯m holding myself back?¡± The captain replied cockily. ¡°Now if I can make the great sacrifice of holding onto my boredom, surely you can focus on building the defenses to get started on any crafting skills you might have developed?¡± The young man let out a defeated breath, but not before saluting to his captain and going on his way. Val can understand the young man¡¯s desire for power¨Cit was written all over his face. Everyone in the younger generation of soldiers here joined up to increase their levels and develop their combat skills. With this situation, they don¡¯t have to travel far to tackle powerful foes, and at the end of the night they can sleep in their comfortable beds for free. But this wasn¡¯t a treasure trove of experience. One wrong mistake and that could easily destroy everything they have worked for. Their homes would be squashed, the people making their homes easier to live in killed. They¡¯d be left with a sour taste of defeat and guilt. It wasn¡¯t worth all that for just a few levels. She knew that by heart. But still, how long can they hold like this? That young boy who wanted power will surely get his desire if the hordes keep coming like this so sporadically. The drops they gain is also a considerable gain in wealth. Still, it¡¯s not always a great solution. Thanks to these hordes often coming by and wiping out the weakling monsters, merchants have a harder time coming by to sell their wares. So commercial wise, the town was in the dumps. Their morale was still high, so despite the inconveniences that could arrive, the townsfolk did whatever they could. Of course, this also included supporting the fighters by providing what little service they can give, but they also need food and supplies to live. They¡¯re barely making it by the skin of their teeth, especially if the hordes continue to become numerous. They need to do something to turn the tide. This battle of attrition, according to her estimates, will only turn in the horde¡¯s favor. She heard footsteps approaching, leading her to turn to find two young similar looking men who were twins, and a woman in charge of them. Her on-and-off student, Myra. ¡°Captain, the west gate held off against the tide. The south and east gate, however, had some damage done to the walls,¡± The young woman, tanned skin with auburn hair, reported dutifully with a solemn look. ¡°Any casualties?¡± Valorie asked. ¡°Nope! All good from here!¡± One of the men replied with a haughty smirk before his twin slapped behind his head. ¡°Ouch!¡± ¡°Speak formally when addressing the captain!¡± The other man replied harshly, leaving his twin to wince in pain. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Val dissuaded the notion, turning her attention back to Myra. ¡°Truly, there are no casualties?¡± ¡°There were some that got injured,¡± Myra admitted. ¡°But the healers managed to get them back on track. They¡¯re now resting to recover their mana.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Val nodded. ¡°That¡¯s good news. Better than I could hope for.¡± It was difficult for Val to go around the town all on her own. While her Dexterity was nothing to sneeze at, she can¡¯t exactly teleport from one place or another, especially in her weakened state. She had to direct her energies to the side where they are getting the worst heat of the bunch. Myra narrowed her eyes as she spoke to the captain. ¡°Captain, can¡¯t we do something about this?¡± Myra asked, desperation clinging to her tone. ¡°It feels like we¡¯re going nowhere. I don¡¯t mind the levels, but I don¡¯t like feeling like we¡¯re trapped here. Can¡¯t we just go out there and hunt the big boss and end all this?¡± ¡°No,¡± Val shook her head, shotting Myra down in a flash. ¡°Where would the town be if we do that? What if we can¡¯t find the boss, or perhaps there are multiple of them and it could take days. What makes you so sure that we can end this once and for all doing that?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Myra grimaced, her eyes darting away. The twins couldn¡¯t reply either, even though they clearly showed the same frustration as Myra did. Val let out a breath. ¡°Those are the question my hubby and I are currently finding the answers for. There are too many variables for what could go wrong, and not enough resources to find them out. The only thing we can do right now is to ¡®wait and see¡¯. That, and continue to strengthen ourselves. I know it¡¯s frustrating, but take this chance to shore up any weak points you may have for the upcoming battles ahead.¡± Myra and the twins nodded in unison before saluting her and returning back to their posts. Val could only grit her teeth behind closed lips as she once again had to force herself to utter those words. She hated this as well, but as the leader of the town, and the captain of their town militia, she had no other choice but to push through. Dear, I really hope you can find a way to get us out of this situation, Val thought, once again leaving the world for her thoughts. I¡¯m not sure how long I can keep everyone at bay. Everyone wants to change things for the better. I''m even inclined to do so myself. She can only hope that things will get better, but she knows well enough the only way to do so is to work hard to make sure it stays that way. She can already see herself working the next few nights keeping watch, leaving her to let out a tired breath. Ch14: Lava chasm Sweat riddled him from top to bottom, his suit that was once stained in red is now damped. But the heat was non-existent compared to the literal floor of molten rock standing in his way. Zeke peered at the lava, being the first time he has ever seen it. He only ever saw such a thing on TV, but seeing the real deal put a damper on his adventurous career, short as it was. What¡¯s worse, the entire scene in front of him was just a massive pool of lava, practically an ocean¡¯s worth that seemed to extend far beyond the horizon. How could such a thing be possible in a castle? Unless they somehow managed to traverse all the way down to the pits of hell. Mikella paced behind him being unusually silent as she stewed in her thoughts. Though perhaps ¡®stewed¡¯ might be literal if they keep being here for so long. After Zeke stared at the lava long enough, he started to look for other ways to move forward. If they go back now, they¡¯ll only take even longer to get out of the castle and out of this strange predicament. If this was the only way out, then he had to find some way other than melting right on the spot. He spotted something at the distance, realizing that there was a pathway forward. It was farther than he would¡¯ve thought, but strangely his eyes could pick up the distance. The ocean of lava seemed to continue all the way to what looked like the continuation of the path, a small cavern of pure darkness at the center of it. Every single gamer instinct was telling him that this was the right way forward. ¡°I think we gotta go across,¡± Zeke said, prompting a scoff from Mikella. ¡°And how are we gonna do that?¡± She asked sarcastically. ¡°Fly across? Last I check, we only got a little tougher. We can¡¯t exactly fly or swim through lava, Zeke!¡± She was being a lot more hostile than she probably intended, but Zeke understood her plight. Just when they thought they could finally escape, it turned out to be a worthless endeavor that could otherwise kill them if they stayed for too long. He can¡¯t even get angry at her as her frustration was thrown at the situation rather than at him. Though his idea probably got her more agitated than most. But it was the only one he had. ¡°I know that, but look over there. You see that? I think that¡¯s an exit from here,¡± Zeke pointed out at the cavern beyond, getting Mikella to notice it herself. Thankfully her eyes were just as good as his somehow, letting out a breath before turning back to him. ¡°Even if that¡¯s true, that doesn¡¯t answer my question. How are we gonna go across? We don¡¯t have anything that can go across this massive pool of freaking lava! Also, don¡¯t you remember that we have Clara?¡± She pointed at the little girl beside them, forcing Zeke to see that Clara was absolutely melting there. She kept fanning her face, unable to keep up with the heat. However, she was doing her best not to complain as the adults were arguing, just suffering on her own. Zeke¡¯s guilt wracked his insides at the sight. The more they stay here, the more the three would suffer from the heat. But he kept peering at the distance beyond him. He was sure that there was something he could do. If this was some strange dungeon like he expected, surely there should be something they can do to pass this ¡®stage¡¯, so to speak. They went through dozens of knights the past few days, and it was clear that if the scenery changed, they were passing through the stages of the dungeon. If this was another one, then that¡¯s the only way for them to move forward. Otherwise, it¡¯s just going back and forth and eventually running out of supplies. Then he finally spotted it. There was a mechanism at the side of the cave. It was small, and he wasn¡¯t sure whether that was a switch or a button, or anything of the like. He was sure of one thing¨Csomeone has to cross the lava to exit the stage, and it doesn¡¯t have to be all of them. Now, how exactly is he gonna pass through the lava? Mikella¡¯s complaints held true as they didn¡¯t have any rope or ladders to go across. Not to mention the path forward was utterly too long for anything they have to keep steady anyways. They would probably die of the heat and toxic fumes being exhausted from the lava straight below if they kept going at it. But then something clicked in his mind. He knew this was probably the stupidest idea he ever had¡­ but in games, that would normally be a genius move¨CIf he can pull it off, that is. And he knew for sure that there are no extra lives in case he failed. Still, that was the better, if not the only option he had. ¡°I¡¯ll go,¡± Zeke eventually said, pushing himself to walk forward. Mikella¡¯s eyes widened as she forcibly dragged him back by the shoulder. ¡°What are you doing?!¡± Mikella screamed. ¡°Are you actually planning on just jumping into the lava?!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not gonna do something that stupid,¡± Zeke said with an eye-roll. He knew that Mikella wasn¡¯t exactly going along with the plan, but he hoped she thought of him better than that. ¡°I¡¯m just gonna use my barriers to make steps for me to go across.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Mikella shook her head in disbelief. ¡°That¡¯s the stupidest thing I''ve ever heard!¡± Strangely, that somehow did sound dumber than jumping straight into the lava and hoped he would survive. ¡°What if you fall?!¡± Mikella screamed, but Zeke stared back at her with a shrug. ¡°It¡¯s better than jumping into the lava, right?¡± Zeke said, getting Mikella exasperated from the look of her face, lifting her hands up incredulously. ¡°Besides, what other way is there?¡± ¡°Go back and retry again?¡± Mikella said, her tone implying the obvious point. But Zeke only stared back at her. He could see the doubt in her eyes as he replied his thoughts to her. ¡°You know that won¡¯t work. We tried and tried for the past two days. I know there¡¯s something at the end there. Every bit of my gamer mind is screaming that this is the correct path forward. Any other way is just a side branch that won¡¯t help us get out of here. We can¡¯t stay here any longer than we have to.¡± ¡°I-I know, I know¡­¡± Mikella shook her head. The sweat was getting to her eyes as she tried to wipe them away. ¡°But this is dangerous, Zeke. What makes you so sure you can pull it off?¡± ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t. But there¡¯s no other choice. It¡¯s either go across by myself and see if that switch over there would make some bridge or something for the both of you to go across. Or we end up going in circles till we die of starvation. If there were any other option you can think of, lay it on me.¡± Zeke waited patiently for her to respond. He knew that this was the only choice, but he did hold some faith that Mikella might bring in an idea that would be better than his plan. But Mikella only pressed her lips in frustration. She was thinking hard, too hard by the look of the veins throbbing at her temples, but to no avail. She closed her eyes, guilt and shame written across her face. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t have anything.¡± ¡°Hey, it¡¯s okay. ¡°Zeke felt a little guilty making her feel this bad, so he tried to smile. ¡°Look, just let me handle this. If it doesn¡¯t work and the worst comes, well¡­ Do your best to get out of here with Clara, alright?¡± Zeke ended there, not able to continue anymore. She knew exactly what he meant, unable to look him in the eyes. Was he being too forceful to someone put into a corner? He did feel bad for that, but it wasn¡¯t as though his only thoughts were for the girls¡¯ safety. He wanted to get out of here too. He can believe that Mikella is thinking that he¡¯s only doing this for them, adding to her guilt. But this was something that was at the back of his mind for a while now. The barriers he made so far looked similar to a wall made from thin air, looking like glass. They were sturdy enough to defend against Mikella¡¯s powerful strikes at their full capacity, which Zeke was able to pull off a few times thanks to his increase in his Spirit. But he shouldn¡¯t weigh that much himself. Wouldn¡¯t it be possible for him to alter the barrier to face downwards, as though facing an underground attack, and just step on it if he just let it float there? For an experiment, he first looked at the ground. His feet shuffled and scratched against the gravel, nervous energy filling him. He breathed in and out before conjuring a barrier as though to defend himself against an underground attack. Surprisingly, it wasn¡¯t that complicated. All he had to do was just imagine a barrier facing down¨Cand it worked. The barrier popped up the same as always, getting Mikella and Clara to watch intently. He put one foot over the barrier, then the other. He stayed there for a solid moment, feeling the barrier underneath. It felt so much like stepping on top of a brick. It was small, not wanting to spend more mana than necessary, but he experimented on jumping on his heels. After many more tries, he kept experimenting with how much mana he can put into his barrier. Considering the long distance, he needed to make sure he had enough mana. He didn¡¯t want to use Meditation while he was over the lava to recover mana. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. After many trials and errors, actually breaking the very feeble barriers he created, he made a perfect barrier floor that could withstand his weight and extra force while conserving more of his mana. With a look of resolution at the girls, who kept watching with intensity behind their eyes, he turned to the lava lake. He faced the edge of the platform they were on, the lava becoming very close to see for himself. Clara cried out, but Mikella quickly dragged her back towards herself, making sure that Clara didn''t follow where he was going. He turned back at the girls, and gave a confident smile that was utterly fake. He had no proof that this might work, but it was better than giving them a look of fear and panic that was whirling in his chest. Suddenly, a notification dropped onto his vision. Opening it up curiously, he was surprised that he actually received what this system deems as a debuff.
You are afflicted with Intense Heat. Your stamina regeneration will decrease by 10%.
That was enough motivation to make him haul ass out of this place. Breathing in the hot air, he willed his mana to course through his hand, and brought his spell to life, conjuring his turquoise wall of light like a pseudo-floor right over the lava. Now it was the moment of truth. He lifted his dirty foot high and pressed onto the barrier¨Cnow made into a tile. His heart beating against his chest, he forced himself to step with his other foot, causing Mikella to shout without meaning to along with Clara crying out Zeke¡¯s name. For a moment, he stood absolutely still. His heart kept hammering as he looked down. The lava bubbled and boiled, and the heat coming from it was already causing him to feel a bit dizzy. But there he was¨Cstanding in the air above the lava. He was still alive and not burnt to death. He looked back, exhilaration filling his veins as a snarky grin flashed on his face. The girls saw it for themselves, and Clara was the only one gasping in shock, utterly in awe. Mikella just stood there with a blank expression. He can¡¯t blame her for that¨Ceven he can¡¯t believe what he was doing. ¡°See you on the other side!¡± Zeke said with child-like wonder and kept making barriers for him to step over to the promised land on the other side. ¡°Wow! Sissy!¡± Clara shouted. ¡°He¡¯s actually walking over the air!¡± ¡°Y-Yeah¡­¡± Mikella said, though Zeke could barely hear them at this point. Zeke kept moving forward, using his barriers to step further and further away from the platform he was at. He kept a careful eye on his mana, feeling it drop little by little after every barrier he made. He could always extend the barrier¡¯s length for easier travel, but that would also extend its potency, spending more mana. He wished he could just make the barrier move across like a moving platform in a video game, but his skill didn¡¯t allow that for some reason. He could enlarge and shrink the barrier as he wished, and he could make it stronger or weaker¨Cbut he can¡¯t move it once he put the barrier in its place. It was like hammering a piece of lumber onto a wall¨Che could add more or put extra lumber over the other one, but he can¡¯t just move the nailed lumber anywhere else. He can only take it off. Still, it was an extremely handy spell, and he made sure to keep raising the barrier floor higher and higher to avoid getting too close to the lava underneath. He was also thankful that it didn''t¡¯ cost more mana the longer it existed. However, it did have its own time limit. For example, he was sure that it can¡¯t last longer than a few hours¨Cit would soon dissipate back into mana. He knew the more levels he had on the skill, the longer he can leave it. He could also periodically keep it going by spending mana like charging a battery, even change its composition if he so wished. He thought about taking some time to recover his mana, but the heat was getting to him. He worried that thanks to the debuff, he would get too tired to even run across, then he would leave the girls behind for good. He can¡¯t have that. He kept going, his heart still pounding but it was now at a steady rhythm. He looked back, the heat making him sweat like mad but he didn¡¯t care much at all as he waved back at the girls. At the distance, he saw the adorable Clara waving her hardest to make sure that he saw it. Mikella could only wave back at him as she left everything up to him. But when he decided to do another barrier, he noticed something was off. He turned to his side, seeing that the wall of the cavern around him had small holes. He was close enough to notice that they were smaller than his fists, almost as if¡­ His eyes widened. His heart slammed against his chest as he finally saw something coming out of those holes. To his shock, however, it wasn¡¯t some trap made to shoot arrows at him. No, that would be too easy, apparently. Snakes shot out instead, aiming right at him. ¡°Are you kidding me?!¡± He shouted/shrieked, ready to haul ass despite being in mid-air. He ran over his barrier, instantly creating another one as his mind already started to pick up the pattern of putting barriers before him. However, the hissing going on behind him was starting to get to his nerves, causing him to look back to see one of the snakes crawling towards him out of the several dozen already on his barrier that he¡¯s running from. Despite his best efforts, it was literally raining snakes on him, causing him to try ducking and weaving every chance he got. It was as if the castle didn¡¯t care at all about the snakes as most of them plopped down to the lava, melting and dying on the spot the moment they landed. Whoever designed this dungeon would surely be sued for animal cruelty. Then again, those snakes can go rot in hell as one of them managed to sneak up behind him and bit him right on his ankle. ¡°Fuck! Agh!¡± He screamed aloud, the fangs piercing the skin and causing him to nearly stumble. That wasn¡¯t all. The snakes flew over head and bit him on nearly every part of his body¨Chis shoulder, his waist, his right torso. If he wasn¡¯t careful, he could easily get bitten on the face or the eyes, which was something he desperately tried not to let happen. Pain riddled his body, but his instincts were begging him to keep running. Pain Resistance helped a lot as the heat of the lava was beginning to get worse. The dozens of snake bodies that fell to the lava caused the smoke of their charred corpses to make his eyes sting with tears. Worse yet, the entire event was using up his Mana like a running faucet. He focused on the barrier harder than usual, making them more feebler but stable enough while conserving his mana. Unfortunately his panic casting is only making things worse as the barriers grew unstable. Cracks echoed in his ears as each of his steps made the barrier nearly break. The hissing, the steaming, the boiling, the cracking¨Cit all rattled his ears and messed up his senses. Pain overtook everything as he just wanted to go home and just sleep. Finally, after everything so far, he made a mistake. He ended up trampling over one of the snakes that were slithering across his barrier, causing his feet to get tangled. His sense of balance messed up as he fell over his barrier. And straight towards the lava below. ¡°Aaaaagh!¡± He screamed, and his instincts flew all over the place. He didn¡¯t even have to think about it as a barrier popped up in front of him despite his Mana slowly depleting, forcing him to land and crash right onto it. Pain shot up through his body and face. However, the sight of the blistering lava just barely a few feet in front of him took over his mind and forced himself to run back up to the air. He made barrier after barrier, thanking whatever sick and twisted god that put him there for the lack of snakes trying to rain on him. His mana was running dry, feeling the inner parts of his body growing colder by the second. Somehow, the heat of the lava and the coldness entering his body from the lack of mana conflicted with one another, forcing him to focus harder on his task. He was just there, right at the ledge at the opposite side of the entire chasm. But cracking, not from his barrier, soon echoed above him. He looked up in horror as the roof of the cavern was starting to break apart. Spiderweb-like cracks crawled all over the surface of the rocks as the roof started to shake profusely. Seriously, whoever designed this was a psychopath to the very end. Lava and raining snakes wasn¡¯t enough, so they decided to put in a damn rock avalanche right at the end. But he already went too far to stop now. His Mana was just about to run out, and doing one more barrier will force him to spend all of his mana But he didn¡¯t care. It was either reach zero mana or die. He ran, the seconds ticking slower and slower as the rocks soon fell down upon him, a disaster ready to happen as if the sky had fallen right on top of him. He lunged, just ever so slightly reaching to the ledge, the tip of his fingers just about to reach the rocky corner in front of him. A giant rock landed on his head, making his vision go dark. ¡­.. ¡°Zeke!¡± Mikella screamed, her heart slamming against her chest as anxiety reached its peak. The moment she heard Zeke screamed, she knew instantly that something went very wrong. She had a hard time believing her eyes as she saw actual snakes flung at him. That was bad enough, on top of running across an entire lake of lava. But to finally reach the end and have the entire ceiling cave in on him? Were they just meant to die in this place? She screamed, hoping that somehow, a miracle occured, but her brain forced her heart to reconsider. Zeke couldn¡¯t have survived. Tears brimmed as her only companion, someone who had been with her ever since this deathtrap of a dungeon began, fell to the lava underneath a rock avalanche. And she couldn¡¯t do a thing about it. She knelt down, her chest heaving as she tried to wrack up a solution to fix this. But no matter how hard she thought, no good answer came to her. It was over. Nothing can fix this now. They made a mistake and paid for it. Or rather, seeing the absolute clusterfuck that Zeke went through, there was no doubt that this was the only path forward. And now, that path is no longer available. But just as she was about to give in to despair, Clara prodded her shoulder, forcing her to look at the small child still looking. ¡°Zeke!¡± Rather than it being a cry of despair, Clara shouted as though she saw hope. Mikella couldn¡¯t believe her at first, but her heart got her to look up at the very end of the cavern. She couldn¡¯t believe it. Once the rocks that fell crashed to the lava and melted right there, she saw right at the bottom of the platform at the other side a shimmering bright barrier. And a man desperately clinging onto the edge with all of his might. He crawled over to it, putting himself over and then clawing his way up over the ledge on the other side. Zeke did it. This crazy son of a bitch that walked over lava, ran through a rain of snakes, and overcame a rocky avalanche made it all the way to the other side. She laughed hysterically, and grabbed Clara and gave her a big hug, getting her to do the same. She didn¡¯t care how hot it was, or how sweaty she was anymore. All of a sudden, being able to live just outweighed all of that. A few moments later, Zeke approached the strange mechanism that he saw earlier and did something to it. It was so small now, her eyes couldn¡¯t go so far, but soon something started to shake all over the chasm. Pillars of bluish black stone slowly rose over the surface of the lava, ignoring the heat and molten liquid completely as a giant bridge appeared, connecting the two stone platforms together. Mikella and Clara waited for the lava to fall and for the bridge to cool before stepping over to it and crossing the lava chasm without a hitch. Ch15: Trailblazer His head was wracked in pain as he slid down the wall that held the strange contraption that raised the stone bridge from the lava below. After that rock hit him on the head, that messed up his vision for a while. But he was able to conjure a barrier between himself and the rest of the rocks falling on top of him, able to reach the ledge in time. At the time, his mind whirled from the pain, but there was only one thought in his mind¨Csurvive. Perhaps because of that hardened will, he was able to not just make a barrier over himself, but another barrier right below him to keep him steady enough to reach the ledge. The barrier that protected him from the rocks instantly fell apart. It was too unstable to continue existing, but it did its job as the rocks avoided him entirely. Looking back at the crossing now, it was a long distance between the chasm, so he took the time to study his wounds to see just how bad he was. He was already chomping on that pink pear he liked so much from the nearby barrel beside him. The soothing juices going down his throat enabled him to keep focus on his mind rather than the sheering pain. Wounds were everywhere, especially the bites from those snakes. Thankfully, it wasn¡¯t so bad because none of those snakes were venomous. Then he realized something particularly interesting. Without even realizing, he was already using Meditation even while his eyes were open and gladly chewing on the pears. Now that he thought about it, he still had those blinking notifications blaring off for a while now. He subconsciously put them aside while he was running for his life. Honestly, he was surprised he had enough mana to conjure two barriers. He figured the worst was about to happen, but surprisingly it wasn¡¯t as bad as he expected. He just felt¡­ empty. His body was cold and shivering, on top of the blistering heat and the pain. His head was aching more than because of the rock that fell to his head. The only reason why he could keep going were because the notifications were waiting for him. Excitement slowly rolled through his body, taking over the pain and the cold as he opened them up.
Pain Resistance Level Up! It is now Level 3. You have gained +1 VIT from your skill. You have gained +1 END from your skill.
Meditation Level Up! It is now Level 3. You have gained +1 INT from your skill.
Mana Perception Level Up! It is now Level 3. You have gained +1 INT from your skill. You have gained +1 SPI from your skill.
Barrier Craft Level Up! It is now Level 4. You have gained +1 INT from your skill. You have gained +2 SPI from your skill.
New Title available: Trailblazer: Your path will never be obstructed. Your will is strong and your spirit is unmatched. You have gained +2 VIT from your title. You have gained +2 END from your title. Title Skill attained: Onwards!
Onwards! (Title), Level 1 (Maxed) Your steps will never falter as you continue on your path. Increase resistance against damage and debuff attacks by 1%.
All of a sudden the pain just went away. He could no longer function, his mind whirling at the possibilities his notifications just gave him. That was a crap ton of skill levels gained all in one go. He wouldn¡¯t complain about that, especially since his Barrier Craft got a level up again after a long time of being stuck at level 3. However, receiving a Title was never something he imagined getting. It even gave him a Title skill, almost like a General Skill and an Acquired Skill. However, he felt that compared to the rest of his skills, his Title Skill was more distant than the rest. It was a passive increase just like Mikella¡¯s Acrobatics, however, it only increased a measly one percent after everything he¡¯s been through. Maybe that one percent is actually impressive, but he¡¯ll most likely forget this skill ever existed as time went on. However, opening up his status screen to look at the results made him aware that he won¡¯t be forgetting this anytime soon. Having more points to his preferred stats was definitely a bonus. He just got a lot stronger. Or perhaps a lot tougher, considering that he gained mostly resource-based stat points and resistance type skills. He later opened up his status page, noticing the differences immediately.
Name: Zeke Parlow (Trailblazer) Race: Human Novice: Level 6 STR: 6 DEX: 10 INT: 16 SPI: 20 VIT: 13 END: 13 Free Points: 0 General Skills: Pain Resistance (U) Level 3 Meditation (C) Level 3 Mana Perception (U) Level 3 Acquired Skills: Barrier Craft (R) Level 4 Title Skill: Onwards! (T), Level 1 (Maxed)
Having an entire new section open up in his status page was surprising, but not unwelcome. But before he could delve further into his musings, he felt someone hugging him tightly, causing him to yell out in pain. ¡°Zeke!¡± A childish voice rang out. He finally noticed that Clara was hugging him tightly, her arms trying to wrap his body. ¡°Ah, Clara¡­ hold on¡­¡± Zeke groaned, the small body causing most of his wounds to act up. ¡°Clara! Stop, you¡¯re hurting him!¡± Thankfully, Mikella came in time as she pulled the surprised Clara away, leaving Zeke to lay his head against the surprisingly comfortable stone wall. Clara apologized profusely, but Zeke smiled at her sincerity. Who could get mad at her for being glad he was okay? If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°Zeke, you look like shit,¡± Mikella said, nearly hissing at every part of his body when she gave him a look over. ¡°But I¡¯m glad that¨COh my god, Zeke! There¡¯s still a snake on you!¡± Zeke¡¯s eyes popped wide open when Mikella forcefully dragged Clara away from him. He looked back down to see his body, only to see that there was a snake on him. It was actually biting him on his lower left leg, thankfully away from where Clara hugged him on his right. The resilient snake continued to bite him, the fangs still piercing right on his leg. He didn¡¯t even realize that there was still a snake on him. Now that he saw it, the pain finally registered, though it was just a slight itch that he needed to scratch. His first instinct was to grab the snake and toss it to the side¨CAnd that¡¯s what he did. He grabbed the snake¡¯s head and pulled the fangs out of his body. Then, he hurled the snake with every fiber of his Strength. The snake flew straight over the ledge, hissing all the way to the lava below. A stream of black smoke trailed upwards from the now melted corpse. ¡°Fucking snakes¡­¡± He shivered before laying his head back down on the wall. He was certain he¡¯s gonna start having a phobia of snakes from now on. ¡°Whoa¡­¡± Mikella uttered, sounding impressed somehow. ¡°That was¡­ pretty hardcore. Didn¡¯t you feel any pain?¡± Mikella finally approached him as Clara, no longer held by her, ran up to him with a worried look on her face. Zeke smiled back at the worried young girl, showing that he was fine. ¡°I¡­ I gained a new title,¡± Zeke said. No matter how hoarse his voice was, it was still tingling with excitement. ¡°I got plenty of new goodies to tell you about.¡± ¡­.. It took Zeke a while for his Meditation to recover his lost energy. Zeke was thankful of the reprieve as he still felt his body aching in several places despite his Pain Resistance leveling up. Mikella was surprised to find that Zeke gained a new title along with some decent attribute increases. ¡°So we can get titles too now?¡± Mikella said, letting out a huff. ¡°And a skill along with it. But seriously? Just one freaking percent? That doesn¡¯t sound impressive, unless I¡¯m missing something?¡± ¡°No, you¡¯re right,¡± Zeke shook his head. ¡°But I¡¯m thankful for the stat boosts. And I guess having it around is better than nothing, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Mikella shook her head. ¡°Still, you deserved more than that after the hell you¡¯ve been through.¡± She looked back at the chasm, her face riddled with unbridled frustration. She yelled. ¡°How the hell are we supposed to go through that and survive?¡± Zeke just pursed his lips. Now that he went through it, he knew it now¨Cthis castle was literally trying to kill them all. Shaking his head of the somber thoughts, he spoke aloud. ¡°Still, we gotta move forward,¡± Zeke said, angling his head over at the cavern near them. Just as he saw, it was a small cave-like entrance that was utterly dark inside. He could also feel the atmosphere inside cooling, which somehow made it clear that this place was a lot more unrealistic than they imagined, almost as though it was a very, very horrifying illusion. ¡°Zeke.¡± He turned back to Mikella, worried whether she had given up the pursuit to get out of here after seeing what happened to him. However, he almost flinched when he saw her staring at him. Her eyes were like steel, unrelenting and determined. ¡°This time, let me be in front,¡± She said, her voice resolute. ¡°I can¡¯t let you hurt yourself like that anymore. From now on, I¡¯ll do what I can to keep up with you. Okay?¡± ¡°...Y-Yeah,¡± Zeke slowly nodded, somehow unable to deny anything no matter what she said thanks to the look in her eyes. ¡°I know you got my back.¡± Those words that he spoke as though it was obvious made her smile back at him. It was a beaming smile, almost radiant even. She held out a hand to him which he took gladly. The three headed inside with Mikella in front, the cave instantly helping them cool down despite literal lava still behind them. Zeke did his best but he still limped to keep up, his legs sore from all the snake bites. Mikella slowed her pacing to keep up with him while Clara stayed and offered herself to keep him steady. He felt a little ashamed, but then gave himself a break as he tried to fill the silence with his discoveries. With his mana recovering, he tried to experiment with the newly leveled Barrier Craft. It was revealed that he can finally conjure two barriers, and even some more at the cost of some more mana. He wasn¡¯t intending on continuing to experiment as he just wanted to try out an inkling in his brain. With this, he can keep a barrier around himself and Mikella now, providing extra defense. His Mana Perception leveling also improved his casting by leaps and bounds. Slowly, he felt like he could connect with his barrier, understanding its limits more than before. ¡°With all those skills, you¡¯re really becoming like a mage,¡± Mikella said, shaking her head. ¡°I wish you can at least have one attack spell or something. That would be useful by now. ¡°Tell me about it,¡± Zeke let out a tired breath. His body was still aching, seemingly without end despite an hour passing by. ¡°But I think as long as you¡¯re here, we¡¯d make a pretty awesome duo. Not that this is gonna last long.¡± ¡°Huh, what do you mean?¡± Mikella asked, turning back to him with her head tilted. ¡°Huh?¡± Zeke tilted his head back to her. He figured that as soon as they found a way out of here, they would figure out a way back home. At that point, is there a point to him sticking with them? ¡°Zeke¡­¡± He turned his sight back to Clara putting her hand to his arm. He noticed her eyes softening as her next words hit him to his core. ¡°Are you going to leave us? Zeke, is that true?¡± Zeke felt his heart twinge in guilt, almost breaking apart. It was like before when Clara thought he was leaving them. He already promised her that he wouldn¡¯t, so if he said that they won¡¯t be around forever, would she think that he¡¯s breaking his promise? He didn¡¯t know what to say. What can you say to a child that still sees the world in black and white? He became someone important in her eyes, so if he left now¡­ ¡°He¡¯s not leaving, Clara. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Mikella smiled gently at Clara, leaving her to smile back and letting go of Zeke. She turned back to him, showing a look that was a mixture of understanding and expectancy. ¡°I¡¯m sure Zeke will stay with us. Right?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± He answered, not really thinking of the context behind it. ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll never leave you two.¡± ¡°See?¡± Mikella smiled again. Clara nodded, smiling in delight. He kept walking along with them, trying to understand what just happened. He was only saying that he wouldn¡¯t be around and pestering them for the rest of their lives. Not that he thought of himself as a pest, but what kind of family would have a strange man being near them outside of this very strange and dangerous situation? But somehow, the two girls now refused to leave him, or rather, they refused for him to leave them. He didn¡¯t have a problem with that, but¡­ I feel like I just signed a contract without reading the fine print, Zeke thought. Eventually, the three reached the end of the long and dark cavern, lit with the same light sources as before the lava chasm. However, these lights were blazing bright blue. The air here felt cool, almost freezing. He knew his mana pool reached full so it wasn¡¯t the lack of Mana that was making him feel a chill. Even worse, it¡¯s the sort of chill that made him think he entered into someplace they shouldn¡¯t be going. They kept walking through another hallway filled with dense rocky stone for walls and the torches lighting their way. Mikella had her sword in hand, but as a precaution, she also had a spear in the other. Thanks to her high Strength stat, she was able to keep up with handling both weapons at once, though it would be extremely useful had they found anything to help keep the sword holstered to her hip rather than just kept in her pack. It somehow required a lot more thought and effort to pull an item out of their packs than just pulling it out of a sheath by your hip like in the fantasy movies. Zeke made sure to keep Clara at his back at all times. His barrier was the only shield they needed, and if he could, he would help out whenever Mikella got into a tight spot. But despite another hour of walking, there were no enemies in sight. And the hallway just kept going forward, without turning to any other direction. Just moving forward with no end in sight. They eventually found the end of the long hallway, getting the three to enter through the open area without hesitation. With everything that happened, they will no longer hold back on expecting the worst. But what they saw was nothing like what they expected. ¡°Zeke¡­?¡± Mikella said, her mouth gaping wide. ¡°Are you seeing what I¡¯m seeing?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Zeke said, nodding along. ¡°I¡¯m just as confused as you are.¡± Just as they saw the lava caverns behind them, what they saw before them was massive piles of gold coins, gems and jewelry that seemed to cover the entirety of a room comparable to a giant warehouse. Crystalline stalagmites jutted out of the ceilings and walls, proving that very same light from earlier in an azure glow deep within the crystal. The room seemed to go on for miles somehow, unable to see the end. The three went forward with Clara stepping out to the front and exclaiming with a gasp. ¡°Treasure!¡± She screamed, and the two adults behind her couldn¡¯t help but agree. Ch16: Treasure trove There was a hint of panic in her chest when she saw Clara running about, running rather close to the wealth around them. If she had to compare this room to something else, it was like entering into a super secure vault of a bank in the medieval times. Other than that, the constant dazzle of the gems and jewelry that surrounded the place was utterly mind-boggling, something that she wished she had back where they came from. If she had all this, getting a scholarship would be pointless. Zeke walked, or rather limped forward, his mouth gaping at the sight. ¡°Did we hit the jackpot?¡± Zeke said, half joking and half serious in his tone. She couldn¡¯t help but agree to his sentiments. What did this mean? That entire chasm of lava and traps alike were the only thing separating them from a wealthy lifestyle? Zeke often compared this death trap of a place like a dungeon, so it really didn¡¯t surprise her that they found the treasure at the end. But something didn¡¯t sit right with her from all this. If magic and murderous knights were a thing in this world, then surely something like traps and curses can exist. Now that she had the thought, Clara was getting dangerously close with the gold coins. However, when she tried to grab the coins, her hand was pushed back. Her face scowled as she growled and kept pushing her hand, but it either was pushed back or was swerved aside like a magnet, even making her tumble over herself. ¡°Clara!¡± Mikella ran over to her, noticing that Clara only just fell over as though she was pushed aside. Clara stood up, sniffing loudly before scowling again at the coins. ¡°It doesn¡¯t let me get the treasure! Something is pushing me away!¡± She cried out, not really crying but more out of frustration. Mikella tilted her head at that and tried doing the same. Just as Clara said, it felt like some strange force was pushing her hand away from the coins. It reminded her of the corpses that refused to be touched, so she instead opted to loot the coins¨Chowever, nothing came out. It was just left there, mocking them as there was no way they could ever get their hands on them. ¡°Is it just a background for us?¡± Zeke said incredulously, his face distorting into disbelief. Mikella huffed in disbelief as well. After all that crap with the lava and the snakes, they come across this treasure room where they can¡¯t keep anything. ¡°The people that made this place are bastards!¡± Clara shouted, surprising Zeke but it made Mikella nod. ¡°I¡¯m totally going after anyone who made this place. Seriously¡­¡± She mumbled, but at the same time, she was glad. Figuring that nothing more can be done, the trio just looked at the room around them in bewilderment. ¡°Guess we just¡­ keep going forward.¡± Zeke eventually said, shrugging as the girls groaned in displeasure. They decided to do as he said and kept walking. Clara kept being by his side, helping him with his limp. Zeke smiled sweetly at her, asking her what she would do if they did get a mountain full of golden coins. She remarked about buying all sorts of food and drinks and any kind of toys. Zeke nodded approvingly, saying his own list of things he would get¨Cwhich of course involved video games and the latest tech to play them. She smiled, seeing how happy Clara was compared to the time they first met each other. Even more so when Zeke proved how kind he was, and she wasn¡¯t afraid to admit she took full advantage of that. She felt bad for coaxing the man to agree to Clara¡¯s earlier question about him not leaving them. Even if they managed to figure a way out of here and land themselves in a pretty good spot, she didn¡¯t want Zeke to leave. And it wasn¡¯t just for Clara¡¯s sake either. It was proven time and time again that Zeke is the sort to keep his resolve no matter the odds. If fighting off a knight by himself wasn¡¯t enough, what other man would dare go through an entire chasm of lava while raining snakes and rocks just to help them? There were a lot of things that forced them to take that course of action, but one thing was clear¨CZeke was valuable to them in more ways than one. She wasn¡¯t lying when she said that she had his back. It was the least she could do. But if she was honest, she was afraid. Who knows what could be out there? What else could easily kill her and her baby sister? That dream of seeing Clara¡¯s corpse, surrounded by a pool of her own blood when she woke up from the floor, still haunted her at times. No matter how independent she was, there was a clear sign that she can¡¯t do anything alone. So if she had to coax a man that was not used to women to stick with them, she would do so without hesitation. But Zeke deserved better than to just be used and thrown away. She¡¯ll support him just as he supported her. And if that means throwing hands with some strange creature from hell itself, she¡¯ll gladly do so with a sword in hand. And while everything else takes precedent, the idea of getting a title and those sweet bonuses would be a nice way to sweeten the pot. They kept walking forward, keeping an eye out for any enemies that might pop out of the mountain of fake treasure. The snakes and rock trap from earlier was proof that their weariness was warranted. The atmosphere around them shifted slightly, the gold coins and jewelry crowding the room somehow lessening. The room itself seemed to grow bigger, as if they finally reached the center of all this. Just how big was this treasure room? Was there really a need to make it so big? Mikella tried to figure out a reason behind this, but all she could think of was that the people that built this place really like to show off their size. However, Zeke paused mid-limp. Mikella turned to find him in deep thought. She knew he wasn¡¯t looking at this status. His brows were furrowed, knitted tightly which proved he was thinking hard. The past two days helped her read his expressions a lot better. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. ¡°This is too strange¡­¡± Zeke finally said, his head swiveling. ¡°This can¡¯t be just a fake treasure room.¡± ¡°What do you think it is?¡± Mikella asked. Knowing the gamer type that Zeke was, his words took precedence when it comes to how dungeons work. ¡°Think about it¡­¡± Zeke said, almost as if he was slowly realizing it himself. ¡°Big castle. Tons of knights running around the hallways. Then, it goes straight to being near a volcano with lava everywhere, and finally a big treasure room at the very end¡­¡± When Zeke put it all together like that, it really did sound like there was some theme going on in this place. The castle, the Arthurian Knights, the death trap of being near a volcano somehow¡­ even if this was a dungeon where anything could happen, it was still strange how all these things seem connected somehow. Then, the treasure filled with gold coins finally hit her. Her mind sparked when there was something that connected to the gold at the end. Who else has a giant cavern filled with gold at the end of a dangerous dungeon? Who else would be connected to knights and medieval castles and some lava trap? It was like something just copied straight from an old fashioned video game to the letter. At the end, guarding the treasure with its life¡­ The air shook with a powerful force. The gold coins surrounding them shifted and fell to the ground, causing a rattling noise of jingles that made their ears ache. But that didn¡¯t register in Mikella¡¯s mind as the adults turned to face the one causing the shake. For something to make that big of a shake, it proved to be a ridiculously large creature slowly coming into being, appearing somewhere from above where it seemed to continue on in darkness for miles. Its body was packed with dense muscle covered in tough scales, sharp talons and claws that could render a truck with ease. A giant maw that opened to reveal a sharp set of fangs bigger than any Knight they came across. ¡°You gotta be fucking kidding me,¡± Mikella cursed. Her hope of getting out of this dungeon alive dying on the spot. A big dragon came into being. The giant reptile opened its maw wide, revealing the inner workings of its mouth long enough for everyone to see the bright flash of orange and red beginning to surface to the air. Mikella couldn¡¯t even move. No matter how much she boasted about being able to take on any foe from hell, she never expected to find something like this after going through the chasm. Despair settled in as her body refused to move. Her mind began to wane. Then someone ran up from behind her and lifted his hand. It was Zeke. He roared as he conjured his barrier to existence. But surprisingly it didn¡¯t look anything like his usual barriers. It was larger, bigger than anything he made so far. She remembered that his skill leveled up recently, so the barrier also improved quite a bit. But the size and density of the barrier was just ridiculous. Compared to having a giant door like size, now his barrier covered what felt like a one-story house in front of him. She could also tell that it could¡¯ve been even bigger, but if he did, it would be too unstable. So instead, he improved its potency. The barrier seemed more dense and compact than last time. Seeing so many barriers already, she could tell how much work he put into this. But the giant creature¡¯s roar took her out of her musings as a torrent of flames flowed out of its mouth. It crashed right into the barrier, transforming the seemingly cold area that was similar, or perhaps hotter, than the lava chasm they passed. It truly wasn¡¯t an illusion. It was an actual dragon right in front of them. It was planning on destroying them by burning them alive. Her mind finally caught up with her as she dragged the stupefied Clara off her feet, her Strength stat making it a lot easier for her to carry her little sister. She looked back, horrified to find Zeke nearly blistering despite the barrier covering him from head to toe. Sweat dripped from his head as small burns began to surface from his exposed skin. It wasn¡¯t the fire hitting him¨Cit was the heat itself nearly baking him like being inside of an oven. His teeth were gritting and his face stiffened to that of pain and horror. But he still kept on. He flexed his arms outward as though trying to push back a breaking wall, shifting his feet to maintain his balance. ¡°Run!¡± Zeke yelled out, turning his head around to find Mikella. ¡°Run away!¡± He yelled, panic and horror turning his tone from his usual shrill to that of a determined soldier ready for war. Or ready to die for the cause. Mikella didn¡¯t even hesitate. She turned tail and ran away, Clara crying out for Zeke¡¯s name as the heat slowly died out from behind her. She didn¡¯t know how long she ran, but she ran far enough that she could see the entrance back to the lava chasm. Of course, she wasn¡¯t distressed enough to go all the way to that hellhole, even if there was another hellhole on the opposite side. She stopped running, putting Clara down who seemed to be fidgeting a lot more than usual. She turned to her big sister, anger actually rising from her face. ¡°Sissy!¡± Clara shouted. ¡°Zeke¡¯s in trouble! We have to help him!¡± Mikella wanted nothing more than to tell her to stop being so childish. She was only ten. She didn¡¯t understand the danger. She didn¡¯t understand that Zeke had no intention of leaving the girls to fight a freaking dragon. She didn¡¯t understand the pain of having to leave Zeke to do something incredibly dangerous again. ¡°Clara¨C¡± ¡°No!¡± Clara fought back, actually trying to push Mikella with her palms. But it was to no avail. She didn¡¯t exactly gain weight, but Mikella¡¯s stance and balance was easily powerful enough to withstand her little sister¡¯s push. But that push alone spoke boundaries of Clara¡¯s fury. ¡°We gotta save him! We gotta!¡± Clara shouted, tears beginning to form in her eyes. Mikella only stood still at her. Despite doing what she could, Clara knew that she can¡¯t do anything. That¡¯s why she was pushing her sister into doing something. That¡¯s why Mikella ran away. She knew that Clara began to like Zeke so much that she didn''t want anything bad happening to him. She knew that if left unchecked, her sister might do something that would end up getting her burned. That¡¯s why Mikella held Clara¡¯s arms with her hands, staring down at her. ¡°Clara, stay here. I¡¯ll take Zeke out of there. But you have to promise me to stay here. Understand?¡± Clara¡¯s eyes widened after hearing her proclamation. She slowly lost her will to fight against her sister, tears slowly streaming down her tiny face. She was so little. So young. Yet she cared enough to help Zeke when he was in trouble. Would any child care enough other than themselves? Perhaps she was just pushing higher expectations on Clara, because she knew even a normal adult would consider running from that situation. Then again, she always knew that both she and Clara were never normal. And neither was Zeke. And he¡¯s out there, fighting a fucking dragon. So what is she doing here? ¡°Clara, hide somewhere that the dragon won¡¯t find you. I¡¯ll help Zeke. Remember what he said? If something happens to you, we¡¯ll both be very sad. So promise me that you¡¯ll hide here until I find you again, okay?¡± She seemed surprised to find out that Mikella knew about their nightly adventure. But in the end, Clara nodded resolutely, then she ran like hell towards a giant pile of coins. While she can¡¯t take the coins, apparently she can push them around to make a little hidey-hole for herself. She looked back at her older sister once again, nodding once before doing her best to hide. She was getting extremely used to hiding, because even Mikella would have a hard time finding her after all of this. Smiling to herself, Mikella stood, her sword in her hand after taking it out of her pack. ¡°I¡¯m coming Zeke,¡± Mikella promised, turning back around to find the part of the cave wreathed in orange light. ¡°And this time, I¡¯ll protect you.¡± She dashed towards the battle, her sword ready to slash scales. Ch17: Real boss fight Burns covered his body as the barrier held up flames that felt like a river flowing straight from hell. Zeke knew that he was biting off more than he can chew. But the moment he saw a literal dragon readying for a breath attack, his mind stopped moving and his body reacted. Thanks to that, his spell also reacted with him. He poured as much of his recovered mana into his magical shield. He wasn¡¯t sure how, but now his barrier became as tall as a building and almost as wide, covering the entire room behind him. Still, that was just the base. He poured most of his mana into its potency. He knew he could make it even bigger, but that would only spread its defensive properties, and this breath attack could demolish it in an instant. That was the reason he was still alive¨Cwell, mostly alive. The feeling of being baked inside an overcharged oven wasn¡¯t the greatest feeling in the world. He gritted his teeth, feeling like he was getting burned for hours. However, only a moment passed before the flames finally conceded. His barrier still held, but he was shocked to find scorch marks on some parts. That never happened before, though he never defended against a fiery breath. He only ever defended against sharp or blunt weapons. Now the barrier barely looked presentable. There were cracks all over as though the flames themselves had a corporeal impact. It already started to dissipate. crumbling apart. Zeke immediately made it disappear, facing the dragon once again. His own body didn¡¯t come out unscathe either. Despite his barrier protecting him and lasting enough to handle a breath attack, his suit was nearly burnt to smithereens, leaving his upper right torso bare and revealing his neckline and shoulders. Burns covered every exposed part of his body, and he swore that even his insides were boiling like they were inside a pot of hot water. But he refused to run. He refused to go the other way and lead the dragon over to where the girls were. He knew that despite his weak body, he could still protect them with his barrier, even if it wasn¡¯t strong enough to defend against the dragon¡¯s breath. He pulled out the axe from his pack, having it in hand. Perhaps it won¡¯t be as useful compared to his barrier, but he felt safer. He would definitely prefer some type of magical weapon, but all the knights so far were just meatheads with only weapons to fight. For now, this was the better option. Once the dragon realized that Zeke wasn¡¯t burnt to a crisp, it actually looked offended. It opened its maw to give a mighty and aggressive roar. Zeke wasn¡¯t akin to dragon speak, but he was pretty sure if he doesn¡¯t do something, he¡¯ll get squashed. He sensed that his mana was half depleted, but it was recovering quickly. Though it only recovered a quarter of what he lost. The dragon approached Zeke, each step sounding like a tiny earthquake ensuing across. Zeke tried to keep his balance, but his body was nearly busted and burning thanks to the flames, causing him to kneel instead. He didn¡¯t even notice that a claw was coming for him, but his instinct called forth his barrier to protect him just in time. But to his shock, the barrier didn¡¯t stay in place as rather than blocking the attack or even getting destroyed¨Cit was swept up along with the claw, slamming Zeke and chucking him straight towards the piles of gold coins. When he was a kid, he remembered an old duck character swimming in gold coins, enjoying himself in his wealth. He swore that the pile of gold coins was actually pretty easy to swim through, perhaps even pleasurable. Apparently that was just fiction. Landing into a pile of coins was inexplicably painful. Something cracked, and a shooting pain traveled across his left arm from landing on it. He screamed in pain, looking back at the nearby barrier that was somehow still near him. It looked bented, twisted apart like a metal plate gutted by a tow-truck. It broke apart and disappeared through no fault of Zeke¡¯s own. It was just too weak to even exist anymore. While being able to summon a barrier by instinct was an incredible feat, he should know that it doesn¡¯t exactly make a perfect barrier. It creates a barrier suited for one single attack, a small attack based on Zeke¡¯s mental fortitude at the time. It wasn¡¯t constructed perfectly, its foundation shaky and unsuited. He was starting to get a better sense of his barrier skill, but he knew he had pressing matters to deal with. He lifted himself up, his earlier fear coming to life as he saw his left arm. It was twisted, a bone piercing through the skin. He could still move it, but just the idea of moving it more than an inch worth is enough to send pain across his upper torso, forcing him to stop. The burns, the broken bone, and other possible broken ¡®anything¡¯ that¡¯s happening in his body. The only thing he can focus on now is the approaching dragon coming towards him. He can¡¯t move, and he certainly can¡¯t attack. The only thing he can do is conjure up his barrier, but then what? It¡¯s not an attacking spell. He regretted leaving all the attacking to Mikella, despite knowing that the most important thing is to keep Clara safe. At least he could survive long enough and maybe even injure the dragon while the girls ran away. He was alone. The very idea would¡¯ve been depressing as it is back in his old world. While being alone was something he was used to, he never liked it. And now, he felt that feeling intensified tenfold after the girls ran. But despite himself, he was happy. He was finally of use to someone. He did something good. If he would die from facing a goddamn dragon, then he would die with a smile on his face. In fact, despite how bad things were getting, he grinned. If anyone can survive long enough to write on his tombstone, he would hope that it would read ¡®Tried fighting a dragon. Hey, he tried.¡¯ He chuckled at his depressing, almost morbid joke. It actually gave him the courage to keep trying. He slid down the pile of coins, readying his axe, but something surprised him after managing to land on solid ground. Someone was running towards the dragon at high speed, a sword in hand. She jumped straight upwards, almost several feet high and pierced the dragon right through the toughened muscle and scale. ¡°Mikella?!¡± Zeke shouted, unbelieving anything he just saw in those few seconds of combat. ¡­.. Still, she reveled in it. Being able to swing her sword at her opponent was liberating. She always loved being able to move her body, which is why she practiced gymnastics so fervently. But if she was honest with herself, she still felt agitated, almost constrained. There were too many rules within the gymnastics sphere, too many do¡¯s and don''ts that she hated. Still, it was the only way to express herself without feeling drained of motivation outside of training. Now, she has reached the peak of her desires. Her magnificent sword in hand, she jumped up higher than ever thought possible. Not even vault-jumping could do as much as she could just on her own two feet. It was thanks to her Acrobatics skill. It somehow extended farther than usual, using muscles she didn¡¯t even know she had to enforce her body to do impossible feats. On top of her physical stats, it only became easier. Once she reached the apex of her jump, she fell right on top of the dragon and pierced right through the scales and toughened muscle. Her arms ached, but her newly evolved body withstood it. Red ichor oozed from the wound, but she knew it was just a scratch. The dragon roared in fury, swinging its scaled arm up and down to bring her to the floor. Mikella managed to jump away in time, another great benefit of her Acrobatics skill. She spun herself right on top of the wound, using her gyration to pull herself out of the scales and land right on the floor, her sword at the ready as it dripped blood from the blade. Just that action alone took quite a bit out of her but she knew her body better than anyone else. As long as she steadies herself, she can keep dealing damage like this. ¡°Mikella?!¡± Zeke¡¯s voice echoed out, catching her attention. She turned to find him utterly twisted beyond measure. She almost gaped and almost yelped at the sorry state he¡¯s in. Zeke was burned, open sores and blisters glaring angrily around his body. His suit was torn and his upper right torso was bare, and that looked worse than his actual appearance from his wounds. His left arm was definitely broken. She swore she saw a bone sticking out of his arm. And yet he looked at her as though he was shocked to find her here at all. ¡°What are you doing here?! Where¡¯s Clara? I thought you ran away with her!¡± Zeke shouted, looking back at the dragon that seemed to be standing still at the moment. Was it recovering from its own wound or was it just that shocked that it was hurt at all? Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. ¡°I put her away in a safe place,¡± Mikella said, still sounding disbelieving that Zeke would be this upset. ¡°I¡¯m here to help.¡± ¡°You should be hauling ass out of here with your sister!¡± Zeke shouted, actual rage showing on his face. Now it was clear that he didn¡¯t want her to be here. ¡°I can¡¯t protect you! My barrier¡¯s not strong enough for this thing!¡± ¡°Then all the more reason why I¡¯m here!¡± Mikella countered, stopping Zeke¡¯s outrage. ¡°Do you plan on dying here and leaving us alone? You know well enough we can¡¯t survive without you!¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Zeke protested, but Mikella glared back at him. ¡°It¡¯s all of us or none of us,¡± Mikella said with resolution. ¡°If you¡¯re not here, none of us will be left alive. And¡­ Do you really want to leave Clara? Don¡¯t you care about her?¡± ¡°You know that¡¯s not true!¡± Zeke argued back, but he quickly realized what she meant. His face turned crestfallen as he looked back at himself, at his wretched state. After a bit of hesitation, the doubt in his eyes cleared. Letting out a defeated breath, he turned back to her. ¡°I don¡¯t want to leave her, or you. I care a lot, okay? That¡¯s why¡­¡± ¡°Then let me be here,¡± Mikella said, answering to Zeke¡¯s hesitation with a grin. ¡°There¡¯s nobody I trust more than you at my back. You and me, alright?¡± Zeke chortled at that. Mikella was a little miffed about it. She thought what she said sounded pretty confident and cool, like in the movies. But perhaps that might be the reason. Her cheeks slightly reddened now that she replayed those words in her mind. It was still true¡­ but she still found it a little embarrassing if Zeke laughed at it. Then to her surprise, his face revealed a lot more life than his wretched state showed. It was such a change that it actually surprised Mikella a little. ¡°Alright¡­ you and me.¡± Those words finally brought something out from Mikella. It was as if those words truly released her. From her worries, her anxieties, her fear of the future. As long as they are together, they can make it through anything. They don¡¯t have to know each other back in their real world to know that they got each other¡¯s back. Perhaps that might be a superficial thought, but it was enough to drive her forward even as the dragon roared, finally unable to handle the injustice of being ignored. It was enough to bring her senses back. Her earlier revelry brought her to realize that what she did still wasn¡¯t perfect. It needed to be fixed¨Cto be implemented better than before. But it quickly devolved into panic as the dragon opened its maw again, revealing the fires from within the canals of flesh and destruction within its mouth. ¡°Zeke!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t have to tell me twice!¡± Zeke shouted, ignoring his broken arm as he lifted his good one and conjured a barrier. But this time, it wasn¡¯t the extremely large barrier from before. It actually twisted itself, revealing a form that wasn¡¯t a perfect rectangle. As the flames of the dragons ensued forward, the barrier stopped it in its tracks. But rather than it being a completely flat surface like before, it was angled in a way that brought the flames upwards. The barrier was shaped into a half-cone, the tapered point facing downwards from the dragon¡¯s maw and the flames going up above the slowly expanding barrier upwards. It was there that Mikella saw the difference immediately. The barrier at the tapered point was stronger than average, noticing the increased density from that part alone. The rest of the barrier was just barely working, almost flashing as though it could disappear at any time. But the flames were quickly dragged up, the intensity focusing on the strongest part of the barrier while the rest of the flames were escaping outward, straight up as the barrier forced it so. The air cooked from the heat, forcing Mikella to think she was back at the lava chasm again, but it was bearable. She turned back to find Zeke already paling, his teeth gritting. She had to do something while Zeke had its power in check. She studied the dragon carefully this time. Unlike any dragons she saw in the movies, this one didn''t have any wings. In fact, it looked like a perfect replica of a lizard that gained the size of a damn building with legs. The scales and toughened muscles would easily put her off, but she knew that there was no such thing as a truly invincible creature. If those knights taught her anything, it¡¯s that there¡¯s a weakness for everything. But she knew that going after the truck-sized neck of the dragon was impossible, and she knew that her earlier attack was just a stab wound, not a fatal blow. She needs to go after it where it would hurt while it is distracted. Then, she spotted it. A small, almost fist-sized speck of glittering light flashed on top of the dragon¡¯s forehead, right above its yellowish eyes. She picked up that the strange light was from a gemstone, thanks to the still ensuing flames. That gemstone looked valuable, better than even the gold and jewelry around them. But rather than being taken by greed, she was taken by bloodlust. If there¡¯s anything she knew from her own experiences in video games, that gemstone is the clear weak spot for that dragon. Who else would be crazy enough to stand in front of a mouth capable of breathing fire? But with Zeke defending her¡­ She rushed forward, her body acting on her will and her Acrobatics skill in full swing. Each step she took felt calculated, from the way she breathed and the way her muscles flexed beneath. Even her bones rattled in a way that acted perfectly with her movements, causing not a drop of energy to be wasted. She jumped from one pile of gold coins after another, surprising even herself that she could use them as footholds. She felt if she wanted to, she could stand on the top edge of a coin with ease thanks to her skill and her high Dexterity attribute. She approached the breathing dragon with her sword aimed at it. But the flames were quickly doused as the dragon noticed her appearance. It roared as it lashed at her with a whip of its tail. The tail was smaller compared to the bulky size of the dragon, but it was enough to be fast and agile, ready to flick her away. If she was hit with that strike, she would die instantly. Her instincts screamed out in terror as her body was still in mid-air. But then a barrier conjured right in front of it, stopping the tail mid-swing. The force caused the barrier to break instantly, glass shattering near her ears and making them pop. But the barrier did its job as it stopped the tail from swinging completely, like hitting a steel wall and making it crumble afterward. She landed on the floor, unable to continue from the force that ensued. The dragon turned around and went after her as she instead ran to the back of the dragon. It swung its claws at her, ready to strike her in a way a simple barrier won¡¯t fix. But she didn¡¯t have to worry about that. Despite the claw being bigger than any car she saw in her life, it was in slow motion in her eyes. She jumped, missing the entire claw with ease. The dragon reacted with another swing of its second claw, but Zeke stopped it in its place with a barrier right in front of it. Without it building momentum, the dragon¡¯s claw was stopped without a hitch. The two fighters and the dragon continued on like this, constantly baiting the attacks and forcing the dragon to stumble and fall with each barrier placement. Were it not for Zeke¡¯s interference, Mikella would¡¯ve run out of stamina by now, unable to keep up with the rampant dragon¡¯s attacks. Instead, she calculated each step. Just like in gymnastics, every move counts. But rather than to impress some snide judges with some fancy jumps and twirls, she was gauging how many steps it took to deliver the final blow, or else take the blow herself and be squashed outright. For each step, there was a small chance of failure, equaling death. The chance grows with each growing step. But at the same time, it quickens the progress of her goal. So instead, she took smaller steps, only decreasing the chance of failure. But there was only so much she could do. Zeke wasn¡¯t a wellspring of Mana. Even now, she feared that his face was growing paler and paler with each barrier he conjured, slowly turning him worse for wear. She needed to act now, or else Zeke would end up dry. So she studied and observed, finally able to find the path forward with the most progress. But it still had a high failure rate. But, she wasn¡¯t alone. She just had to trust in that. She ran with her life towards the path forward. The dragon noticed her and tried everything it could to squash the annoying roach that pestered it. Despite the danger, Mikella actually found herself smiling. What else could bring her this much joy than the idea of fighting to the death? What else can bring her unlimited rewards for the difficulty she took to pull it off? Wasn¡¯t that why she liked playing video games in her off time? Because unlike in the real world, the games actually reward you for your efforts. Mikella dashed and dodged every swing of its claws, tail, and even the small streams of flames that tried to burn her alive. Some of the embers grazed by her, taking a chunk of her clothing as her entire left arm and leg was exposed, her skin burning and blistering. But the pain only reinforced the idea that if she doesn¡¯t act now, something worse will come. She noticed several notifications coming up but ignored them. She can¡¯t make any mistakes now. The dragon saw her coming and eventually did something that trumped her earlier guesses. It went after her, opening its giant maw to eat her whole. It wasn¡¯t a breath attack, nor was it a claw or tail. It was utterly different compared to before. While that would¡¯ve been easy to guess at the distance, she was close enough that such an attack would be able to take her down. But if she stopped now, she knew that she wouldn¡¯t get her chance again. But the giant mouth filled to the brim with sharp fangs capable of rendering buildings in twain brought her feet to halt. In the end, she was just too afraid to die. Her face paled as she made a horrible mistake right at the very end. But something caught her attention as another roar echoed out. It wasn¡¯t a dragon roar, nor was it the usual shrill-like screaming from a man desperate to survive. It was a roar from deep within, something deep and primal. She glanced back to find Zeke glaring hard at the dragon, his hands making a tightening gesture. Blood seeped from his palms, proof that his nails were digging deep in pure frustration. His eyes were glaring holes at the dragon, gritting his teeth as veins looked ready to pop from his forehead. ¡°You¡­ can¡­ go to hell!¡± He proclaimed. Mikella knew she was tired and exhausted at that point, but she swore she saw the man making an uppercut punch upwards. Then a barrier suddenly showed up right beneath the dragon¡¯s opening maw and crashed into it. She thought Zeke couldn¡¯t move the barrier, but it looked more like that the barrier extended itself upwards, stopping the jaw from fully opening. It really did look as though it got an uppercut from a pissed off mage. Its head stood still, leaving Mikella time to breathe. Time to act. She jumped without hesitation, flying higher and farther than before. She landed right on the snout of the dragon, unable to act thanks to the obstruction getting in its way. In just a few feet, the gemstone laid in front of her. She breathed as she angled the sword tip straight at it and rushed in. She poured every single bit of her energy into the rush, landing a powerful stab right at the center of the gem. It cracked and broke apart, but that wasn¡¯t enough. The sword blade plunged deep within the gem¡¯s socket. Blood, shards, bone and viscera flew everywhere. Some were sharp enough to land right on Mikella, pain filling her from the new wounds made by the sharp body parts. But the dragon reacted with a deep groan of pain. She ruthlessly pulled the sword out and jumped away from the writhing dragon, falling through the air. She didn¡¯t even have the energy to make a proper landing and hit the floor with a thud. Pain ensued once again, leaving her to groan from the agony. But she forced herself to look up. She watched on, pain riddling her body as she saw the dragon squirming from the fatal strike. Blood oozed from the former gem socket on its forehead. Its yellowish eyes slowly turned blank, and soon it fell to the ground, its giant building-like body causing the entirety of the treasure room to shake from the fall, the gold coins jingling everywhere. But it was done. The dragon died. And somehow, through some miracle¨CMikella and Zeke were still alive. Ch18: Opportunist The idea that they faced a dragon and killed it was still too daunting for Mikella¡¯s weary mind. Even now, as she slowly forced herself to stand, seeing the dragon¡¯s corpse lying in front of her felt too unreal to witness. But if the pain still affecting her body was anything to go by, it was definitely real. And so was the blinking notification at the corner of her vision. Lots of them, actually. She automatically opened it up, but soon a wave of incredible energy entered into her body. It was like a wave of unknown emotion flowing into her, exasperating the pain by twofold as her body began to scream out in terror. But at the same time, compared to the pain the dragon dealt to her, it also brought a sense of exhilaration and pleasure that made Mikella extremely uncomfortable. At one part, she wanted to scream and get away, and in another she wanted to bask in this feeling forever. Thankfully, it didn¡¯t last forever as the energy soon ceased, and several notifications dropped into her vision. Unlike the usual, they were extremely numerous.
Pain Resistance Level Up! It is now Level 2. You have gained +1 VIT from your skill. You have gained +1 END from your skill.
Sword Mastery Level Up! It is now Level 3. You have gained +1 DEX from your skill.
Acrobatics Level Up! It is now Level 2. You have gained +1 STR from your skill. You have gained +2 DEX from your skill.
New Title available: Opportunist: You take your chances regardless of the heavy risks. Your gut instincts will not lead you astray. You have gained +2 STR from your title. You have gained +2 DEX from your title. Title Skill attained: Not-Lucky Shot.
Not-Lucky Shot (Title), Level 1 (Maxed) You keep doing lucky shots. That¡¯s the point. Whenever you attack with either physical or magical attacks , you increase the chance to deal double the damage by 1%.
Level up! You are now Level 8. You gain 4 free points (4 FP total).
Mikella couldn¡¯t believe the amount of notices flowing by her vision. It took her almost a few seconds to grasp the amount showing up, only then to realize the implications behind them. Just like with Zeke,she also gained a Title. This one in particular felt¡­ a bit off, if she was honest, like the system itself was making a joke. But despite only being activated 1% of the time, dealing double the damage was better than any kind of resistance from Trailblazer. Plus, having all these skill ups and levels was definitely sweet. She opened up her status screen with an eager grin. It was addicting her numbers grow, actually showing her growth compared to the real world. Even now, as her body was in agony from injuries, she read slowly and with purpose.
Name: Mikella Ashton (Opportunist) Race: Human Novice: Level 8 STR: 17 DEX: 21 INT: 6 SPI: 5 VIT: 11 END: 12 Free Points: 4 General Skills: Sword Mastery (C), Level 3 Pain Resistance (U), Level 2 Meditation (C), Level 2 Acquired Skills: Acrobatics (R) Level 2 Title Skill: Not-Lucky Shot (T), Level 1 (Maxed)
With that new addition, her status looked even more incredible than it did before. She put her free points into Endurance this time, bringing it up to 16. She could always put it into Vitality, but now that her Strength and Dexterity were getting pretty high up there, she needed to have the energy to last for a bit. Perhaps later, she¡¯ll invest into Vitality when it starts to lag. She was tempted to put points into Intelligence because¨Chonestly, how can anyone stand having such a low Intelligence? But she knew better than anyone else how pointless it would be to bring that up. She closed it up, trying to find Zeke to tell him the good news. As she imagined him geeking out as usual for her new title, horror painted her face after finding him. He was on the ground, shivering like he was convulsing. ¡°Zeke!¡± Mikella ran, ignoring the screaming pain in her body as she knelt to the shivering man, realizing his state for once. He was pale¨Cblanched even. His skin was dried out, some patches of it even looked shriveled up. She tried touching him, but it was like touching a corpse when a frigid cold met her touch. Despite the burning blisters on the exposed parts of his skin, his teeth were clattering fiercely, ready to break each other apart from the force. He looked desperate to huddle himself, but his body wasn¡¯t acting to his wishes, locking up or flailing about. ¡°Zeke!¡± Mikella shouted, instantly bringing out a barrel and taking a pink pear out. She never really enjoyed the stuff herself, strangely, despite that most of the fruits were similar in taste. But she knew that the sight of these pears always cheered him up. She grabbed one and immediately crushed the pear, realizing how easy it was now compared to before. It was literally juiced up to the point that mostly liquid fell down to his clattering mouth, forced open by her hand. Thankfully, his arms flailing about didn¡¯t get in the way, but she wished it would stop soon. Just looking at him in this state agonized her. ¡°I-I-I-I g-g-g-gotta¡­¡± Zeke tried to say, his expression in pain and agony but still conscious somehow. She actually hoped that he was knocked out during all this. She can¡¯t imagine what it¡¯s like actually living through this sensation. ¡°It''s okay, it''s all over. Just focus on recovering¡­¡± Mikella softly said, trying to keep him still as the juices of the pink pear fell to his mouth. After a few seconds of it, his skin was actually starting to return to normal, so she crushed another pear without remorse. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. After a while of constant shivering, clattering, and plenty of fruits, Zeke finally returned back to his normal color and condition. He was still shivering, now closing himself up with his arms and legs in a fetal position. He closed his eyes, unable to handle the strange coldness afflicting him. Most likely he¡¯s been trying to put himself into Meditation, but his condition made it impossible to get into it. She knew she had to be in a good state of mind before trying to recover her lost energy. She didn¡¯t know what else to do. The only thing she could think of doing was offering her body for warmth as she forced Zeke to open up and accept her embrace. She brushed his hair while forcing his head to nestle against her neck, hugging him tightly. She certainly felt warm, thanks to the damn dragon¡¯s fire, so she hoped that it would be passed onto him. In the next few minutes, Zeke finally stopped shivering, now embracing her back. Eventually, Zeke finally spoke his words without the shivering causing his sentences to go awry. ¡°W-W¡­What hap-ha-happened?¡± Zeke managed to say, still struggling to keep his shivering down. ¡°We beat the dragon,¡± Mikella spoke calmly, brushing his hair. She found it odd how pleasing it felt. ¡°And you got pretty messed up. I gave you some fruits.¡± ¡°T-T-Thank y-y-you¡­¡± Zeke managed to say, somehow being the important thing to say first and foremost. She chuckled at that. He always tried to be polite whenever he could. ¡°A-A-And you¡­?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Mikella said, eventually letting him go. Facing him once again, she was relieved to find him almost back to normal. Then, when his eyes finally focused on her, he realized what happened, his eyes going wide in alarm. ¡°O-Oh god¡­ w-w-what have¡­?¡± ¡°It''s fine, don''t worry about it.¡± Mikella interrupted him. Somehow she could tell that he wanted to apologize for being so close to her. She waved it off as she asked the better questions. ¡°Anyways, what happened? Why did you feel so cold like you just sat in a freezer all your life?¡± After a few seconds of careful and controlled breathing, Zeke managed to return back to his usual self. She also saw a bit of light forming properly in his eyes, turning his direction onto her. ¡°My Mana¡­,¡± He said with clarity, but a somber tone entered his voice. ¡°I ran out of mana.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Mikella squeaked. She knew that was mostly her fault for her blatant disregard of her movements while dealing with the dragon. ¡°Right, you said you feel cold when you run out of Mana.¡± ¡°Not that¡­¡± Zeke shook his head, causing Mikella to grow concerned. ¡°I actually ran out of Mana way before you killed the dragon.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Mikella shouted. ¡°What do you mean? You shouldn¡¯t have casted any magic then!¡± It wasn¡¯t just the idea that he ran out of Mana a lot earlier than she expected that surprised her. He made that final barrier that forced the dragon upwards, giving her the leverage she needed to deal the final blow. She wasn¡¯t certain whether that actually did damage, but it definitely looked like it packed a wallop. She was certain that was the final bit that caused his body to freeze up as it finally reached zero. But if he was already at zero when he made that last barrier¡­ ¡°It didn¡¯t actually kill me or make my head explode, thankfully,¡± Zeke said, shaking his head. ¡°When I realized I ran out, I had this god-awful headache, but when I kept going, it just¡­ sapped all the warmth I had. My body just couldn¡¯t keep up. I couldn¡¯t move, I couldn''t¡¯ even think straight.¡± Zeke shivered, but more out of the fear of it happening again rather than the cold. She can¡¯t even imagine what that would feel like. Running out of stamina was one thing¨Cyour chest feels like it''s burning and you can barely breathe. But in his case, his body became so cold that he could barely move even in decently humid weather. They decided then and there that Mikella will just have to take the hits herself instead of relying on the barrier on the last vestiges of his mana. His body can recover¨Cthat much is clear. But she feared what effects that would do to him if he kept going beyond his limits. Like driving up a credit card, you¡¯re gonna have to pay for it eventually. ¡°Thanks for looking out for me, Zeke,¡± Mikella said, sincerity pouring out of her. ¡°But promise me to never do that again, okay?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Zeke nodded. ¡°Still¡­ we did it.¡± Zeke offered a weak smile. It looked exhausted and drained of energy, but there was a clear sense of pride. Mikella smiled back as she told him the good news of her recent upgrades. A few minutes of chattering went by as they went towards the dragon to loot it. Zeke also leveled up to 8 just like Mikella. Rather than explaining it all, he just sent her the notifications.
You have defeated Lesser Wyvern, Level *** You have gained experience points.
Level up! You are now Level 8. You gain 2 free points (4 FP total).
Pain Resistance Level Up! It is now Level 4. You have gained +1 VIT from your skill. You have gained +1 END from your skill.
¡°Zeke, stop getting hurt!¡± Mikella shouted while still reading the notifications. ¡°Your Pain Resistance is higher than mine! I¡¯m supposed to be the front-liner, aren¡¯t I?¡± ¡°Hey, I can¡¯t help it,¡± Zeke shrugged, and that got a winced from his still recovering arm¡­ which she realized that the bone somehow returned back to his arm. Gross. ¡°Not like I want to get hurt!¡± She had to give him that, but she still grumbled about it. Wasn¡¯t he supposed to be the mage? He was getting higher Vitality than she was. Eventually they went over to the dragon to loot it. Well, actually, it was a Wyvern according to what the system said, which she realized made sense considering that this dragon-like thing didn¡¯t have any wings. If it did, she shivered at the possible conclusion that it could fly around in this giant room. Despite him having dibs since he went all out, he let Mikella loot the wyvern. There wasn¡¯t really much of a difference since they share everything anyways¨Cbut apparently as a gamer he gives credence to those that do the most damage in the fight. She agreed to that. The entire carcass slowly dissipated, almost as though invisible flames were going up and devouring the wyvern. After witnessing it alive, almost killing them, and seeing it die¨Cit felt poetic. Beautiful to Mikella¡¯s eyes, even. But what came out was the definition of the opposite of beautiful. The two noticed that this time, there were two books on the floor. Two Skill Books. They looked back at each other, then at the books. For a solid moment, they didn¡¯t know what to do. One one hand, learning any skill from a skill book is a terrifying experience. Something literally gets rewritten deep within your mind and spirit, causing an intense reaction from your body due to the change. It doesn¡¯t take a genius to learn that learning a skill is actually as daunting as trying to learn one naturally. The only changes were that the amount of time it takes to learn one is as easy as just a few minutes. But everything from how it works to how it feels is utterly condensed to the point where you mind cannot handle anything else, trying to process all the information at once. That¡¯s what Zeke believed how it works, as it would explain the immense amount of pain that occurred. Mikella could still remember how her body felt when she learned Acrobatics. She felt all of her training in gymnastics, ranging from years of training, education, and proper diet, were all rolled into one sitting. It was not a pleasant experience, even if they can learn another potentially awesome skill that could save their lives. On the other hand, it was exactly that. An awesome skill that could save their lives. Zeke¡¯s barriers literally saved her ass from getting burnt to death and her Acrobatics easily helped her win the fight. Without those two skills, they would¡¯ve have a hard time beating the wyvern. Hell, without the barrier, they wouldn¡¯t even have gotten here at all. So with great hesitation and trepidation, the two picked up the two Skill books in hand, checking the contents out for themselves. Strangely enough, the two Skill Books they picked up for themselves were exactly the sort of skills they needed to learn for themselves. On Zeke¡¯s hand:
Skill Book: Recovery (Rare) You are only able to learn this skill after meeting the following requirements: SPI: 450¡ªERROR! Your Otherworlder state changed the requirements. Adjustments will be made. There are no requirements. You are able to learn the skill.
On Mikella¡¯s hand:
Skill Book: Hawk Eyes (Rare) You are only able to learn this skill after meeting the following requirements: DEX: 500¨CERROR! Your Otherworlder state changed the requirements. Adjustments will be made. There are no requirements. You are able to learn the skill.
The two just gawked at the skill books, and rather than excitement¨Cdread filled them. Ch19: Recovery and Hawk Eyes The two looked back at the skill books, each one in hand, and looked at each other again. They stood there, quiet for a moment while their thoughts whirled in their heads. Finally, Zeke had enough of the silence as he let out a heavy¨Cvery heavy breath. ¡°I¡¯ll learn it.¡± Zeke looked back at the book again in his hand. The name alone was interesting¨CRecovery. It sounded like a healing skill, and that was on top of him being able to make barriers. Considering how the attributes required reflected the same as Barrier Craft before the error popped up, it made sense that this skill would be for him. As for the other skill, Hawk Eyes¨Cthe Dexterity attribute was proof enough. In the end, they knew that they each had to learn the skill book in order to progress. The problem though is how they managed to survive it right after defeating the wyvern. Sure, they leveled up twice and gained some decent upgrades, particularly Mikella, but that won¡¯t help them learn the skills any easier. However, he made his thoughts open as he explained why he would be first. ¡°From the feel of the book, I think this really is a healing skill,¡± Zeke said, holding the book one-handed. ¡°And I think it¡¯s a really good one. I can only touch, but I can heal all sorts of injuries.¡± ¡°Seriously?¡± Mikella widened her eyes. ¡°So that means we don¡¯t have to rely on those fruits and our Meditation?¡± Zeke nodded, receiving a relieved look from Mikella. While the two options to heal themselves were decent, one would be a total waste of food and the other took too long. Not to mention any single thing could easily disrupt them, making the healing take even longer. If they had a healing skill on hand, they can easily recover their resources without getting distracted by the pain. That might not help raise Pain Resistance anymore, but Zeke honestly didn¡¯t want to raise that skill any longer than necessary. He wasn¡¯t even sure if it was working properly since he still feels aches all over his body. His arm was fixed now, and there was no bone popping out¡­ which honestly grossed him out a little once he imagined that sucker popping back in like nothing happened. Closing his eyes, he tried to collect his thoughts. As he did so, he mentioned his next plan. ¡°Once I learn the skill and practice with it, I can heal you when you learn your own.¡± ¡°Hey, that¡¯s a great idea!¡± Mikella beamed. ¡°But¡­ what about you? Are you going to heal yourself? Wait, can you even do that?¡± ¡°Looks like I can,¡± Zeke said, tilting his head at the good question. ¡°It¡¯s not a skill that bans me from healing myself. I sort of wish it¡¯s at a range, but I can only heal those I¡¯m touching, apparently.¡± ¡°Does it matter where you touch?¡± Mikella asked, raising a brow. Zeke furrowed his eyes in thought. ¡°yeah, I got no clue. Guess I just¡­ gotta learn it to find out.¡± He thought he spent enough time stalling to learn the skill, but when he looked back at it again, the memories of him learning Barrier Craft made him pause again. Mikella, with a book in one hand, used the other to grab Zeke¡¯s shoulders and looked him in the eye. ¡°Think about it this way¨Cif you learn the skill, you can heal Clara if she ever gets hurt. I think it¡¯s worth it.¡± That thought alone made Zeke instantly forget the inhibitions he had for the skill. Taking the skill book in hand, he accepted the prompt to learn the skill, without another second wasted. For the next few minutes, his entire world was pain. As usual, it felt like his nerves were being fried and his mind was being invaded by an unknown force. It just slid into his brain, deep within the fleshy meat of the center, and just kept stabbing at the parts that controlled the pain receptors of his body to demand more pain than necessary. His eyes bled, and he swore that this time each of of his orifices bled out. It was not a good feeling. Not at all. As always, Mikella was there to provide him the fruits. At this point, he stopped caring about the close distance and practically dragged Mikella towards him to get the fruits. She didn¡¯t even get bothered by him and readily fed him the fruits. Another few minutes of him getting himself together, he breathed while laying on the tiled floor. The worst part about all this is that he can¡¯t even use the supposed healing skill while he was in this state. His voice was hoarse as he finally spoke after all the suppressed screaming he did. ¡°I wanna die,¡± He said. ¡°I wanna die so hard right now.¡± ¡°Shh¡­ it¡¯s all over,¡± Mikella consoled him, her voice as soft as velvet. She even brushed his hair with a smile like a mother offering sweet care to her child. ¡°You did so good, Zeke. I¡¯m proud of you.¡± He hated to admit this. He hated to admit this so much, but he really enjoyed this moment. He decided to just act like a spoiled child and enjoy the moment before his senses truly returned and got him to stand himself up to his feet. He waved off Mikella¡¯s help, wanting to preserve at least a few percent of his manhood for himself. ¡°T-Thanks for that¡­ and uhh¨C¡± ¡°This stays between us,¡± Mikella said helpfully. Zeke offered her a look that spoke volumes of his gratitude. With his body and mental state returned to normal, he looked at the new skill he acquired.
Acquired Skill learned: Recovery.
Recovery (Rare), Level 1 You can pour mana into any target¡¯s inner workings, recovering them back to their original state. Your overall healing ability increases according to the level of the skill and the current Spirit stat.
He flexed his fingers as he read it, and sure enough, the skill can be used. He tried it out onto himself, despite the fact that he felt better from his skill acquisition. But now he changed his mind. At first glance, his mana got out of his hand¨Chis target for transferring mana¨Cslowly surrounding the hand with his turquoise-colored energy. Then it just seeped back into his skin, but not in the same direction as how it got out. It went through another channel, so to speak. This time, it seeped into his physical body and just sprayed itself all over his hand and arm. It spread all the way to the shoulder, leaving his entire arm in a more cooled state compared to before. He flexed his arm, realizing that the way he used his skill was inefficient. Instead of just spraying it all around, he needed to focus more mana through a more confined pathway across his body. He wasn¡¯t quite sure what that pathway looked like, or what it even is, but he knew that¡¯s how the skill was supposed to work¨Cat least in its current level. He told all this to Mikella who listened intently. Unlike before, where it seemed like the magic stuff was way out of her league, she nodded in understanding. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. As they planned, they kept experimenting with the skill. Zeke worried whether they were leaving Clara alone for too long, but Mikella assured that this was better since she would rather not show Clara her own painful state just as Zeke did. If he was honest, he was glad Clara wasn¡¯t here to see the sorry state he was just in. So he practiced with fervor, trying to use as little mana as possible. It was a bit difficult, if he was honest. He thought he needed more mana as it just kept spreading around his body rather than doing as he wanted. Then he realized something more important. Mana Perception. That skill was supposed to help him notice the mana not just around him, but within himself. So he mentally ¡®toggled¡¯ the skill on, closing his eyes. He wasn¡¯t quite sure if this skill could be activated like a spell since it felt more like a passive like Mikella¡¯s Acrobatics. However, it instantly put down his worries when he could feel the healing energy from his mana more clearly. With another few minutes of constant practice, he received a notification¨Cfrom the one he didn¡¯t expect to show up.
Mana Perception Level Up! It is now Level 4. You have gained +1 INT from your skill. You have gained +1 SPI from your skill.
He certainly felt the skill a lot more than before, though his mana outtake was increasing by the second. Shutting it off, he turned to Mikella. His look instantly made her wilt as she grimaced and furrowed her eyes. However, he didn¡¯t have to convince her at all. She closed her eyes took a big breath and talked to herself like speaking a mantra. ¡°For Clara. For Clara. You¡¯re the big sister. You gotta be strong for Clara.¡± Zeke wanted to assure her that he can heal her if worse came to worse, but he decided against it. This felt practiced, as though she did this kind of thing all the time and she would just get pissed off if somebody interrupted her self psych-up. After a few seconds of doing this, she instantly took the book up to her hand and activated the learning process. That took a lot shorter than he expected, proving that she got more than enough guts to go through the pain. The next few minutes were hard on Zeke, but he knew it was even worse for Mikella. She tried to suppress her screaming, but she failed as she shouted in short gasps. She held onto Zeke as he did the same for her like before, but she clutched her fingers to his skin so hard that they started bleeding profusely. When the blood started to pour out of her wide blood-shot eyes, he began his casting immediately. Closing his eyes, he turned the direction of his healing energy to Mikella¡¯s entire body. Thanks to his active Mana Perception, he could tell exactly where his mana was going, and while entering into Mikella¡¯s body proved more difficult than when his mana entered his own body, it eventually passed through. His healing energy became his eyes for a solid moment, and that was already helping him understand what Recovery was trying to tell him. It wasn¡¯t just the physical body that was being in pain. Everything was hurting, including Mikella¡¯s soul. Everything was too much to take in, his mind already whirling at the excess of information and receiving a migraine in return. He pushed it all to the side as he wanted to help Mikella, at the very least, heal enough to stay focused. A few agonizing moments later, Mikella¡¯s body stopped spasming, becoming more controlled. She still grunted in pain, but as he kept pouring nearly all of his mana into her body through the hug they landed themselves in, her disrupted state became more and more solid. Eventually, a lot shorter compared to his own, Mikella stood back up with her eyes widening like mad. Not in pain, but in shock and surprise. ¡°That was¡­ wow, that went a lot better than before,¡± Mikella said, her shoulders kept heaving as she breathed heavily. When she noticed Zeke¡¯s own arms and shoulders scratched heavily by her fingers, she frowned. ¡°Oh god, I¡¯m so sorry¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Zeke waved it off. He even smiled and used Recovery on himself. The simple scratches he got from her disappeared instantly, surprising even himself. He was still a bit bummed that his Recovery hasn¡¯t leveled from all that, but he was more than happy to not be bleeding anymore as he smiled at her. ¡°Works pretty well, huh?¡± ¡°You¡¯re telling me,¡± Mikella smiled warmly. That smile almost made him squirm a bit. It was unfair. ¡°Seriously, thanks.¡± ¡°I-It¡¯s alright, I told you,¡± Zeke said, honestly feeling embarrassed at the praise. ¡°Anyways, your skill?¡± ¡°Oh, right!¡± Mikella slapped her forehead in realization as she popped her skill notification to him.
Acquired Skill learned: Hawk Eyes.
Hawk Eyes (Rare), Level 1 Your target will never escape from your sight. Weak points of your targets will be shown to you, and damage will increase upon striking them. Your perception of their weakpoints and damage increases according to the level of the skill and the current Dexterity stat.
¡°Whoa¡­¡± Zeke stared at the skill hard, unable to believe the skill¡¯s potential. ¡°You¡¯re literally built to tear your enemies apart.¡± ¡°I know right?¡± Mikella said with a cheeky grin. ¡°That can work really well with Acrobatics. Plus, I think it¡¯s like a self-buff too.¡± ¡°Does it use mana?¡± Zeke asked, believing that it¡¯s more like a spell than a skill. ¡°Let me try it out.¡± Mikella said before closing her eyes. It looked almost forced, as though she coudln¡¯t help but to do so upon activating it. When she revealed her eyes, Zeke nearly flinched at the sight. Her normally (stunning) brown eyes became sharp yellow, completely ridding themselves of any whites, like a literal hawk¡¯s eyes. It was almost disturbing to see the sudden change, but when he adjusted himself to the change, it was actually¡­ charming. Like seeing an otherworldly human exhibiting powers beyond belief. ¡°Wow, Zeke, you¡¯re¡­ totally glowing right now,¡± Mikella said, her facial expression showing more shock as her new yellow eyes kept staring with such intensity at him. ¡°Wait, really?¡± Zeke said, looking at himself. ¡°Particularly, your chest, stomach, head, and¡­ well, your crotch.¡± Zeke couldn¡¯t help it. His hands went straight down to his crotch. ¡°Well, that is definitely a weak point,¡± Zeke said, his face flushed as Mikella laughed out loud. ¡°Haha, sorry, I should¡¯ve explained. It¡¯s like the skill is telling me that I can kill you instantly if I struck at any one of those weak points.¡± ¡°Huh¡­ guess I just suck that much at fighting?¡± He knew he was pretty bad, considering he left all the fighting to Mikella. However, he did felt a bit shitty hearing that. However, Mikella shook her head vehemently in opposition. ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I meant. I think every human being is like that. Obviously I¡¯d die too if you hit me in all the areas I mentioned to you.¡± ¡°Ooh, that¡¯s what you meant,¡± Zeke nodded. Humans were always weak in a lot of areas. If anything, it¡¯s incredible that they can survive as a species for so long since just every little thing can kill them. ¡°I wonder if the knights would show their necks glowing¡­¡± Mikella said, looking down. Her eyes still seemed to be focused so intently at something despite being in her own head right now. ¡°Your eyes definitely look like they¡¯re glowing,¡± He commented off-handedly, but it surprised her as her yellow eyes widened. ¡°Wait, my eyes? They¡¯re glowing?¡± ¡°More than that. They¡¯re literally hawk eyes. It¡¯s kinda¡­ really cool, actually.¡± It took a while, but he grew charmed by the eyes. Though that¡¯s because he was by her side as an ally. As an enemy? He¡¯d be scared shitless right now. ¡°Whoa, for real? Oh, I hope I don¡¯t scare Clara with these¡­¡± She looked excited, though she instantly frowned at the idea of scaring her little sister. ¡°Do they cost anything?¡± Zeke asked. ¡°Do you feel tired, cold?¡± ¡°They don¡¯t feel like it¡¯s costing me anything¡­ but I do feel a bit¡­ colder, I think? I¡¯m not sure.¡± She looked at herself, rubbing her arms as though she was too confused to even tell if she was cold. Zeke nodded. ¡°It¡¯s your mana. It¡¯s hard to tell, but you are using mana for the skill¡­ oh! If you keep practicing with them, maybe you can even get Mana Perception. It¡¯s definitely useful to tell how much you¡¯re using your mana.¡± ¡°Oh, so this is how you use your mana¡­ wow, it¡¯s weird.¡± ¡°Yep, totally,¡± Zeke smiled. ¡°But it feels super cool to use, right?¡± ¡°Fuck yeah it is!¡± Mikella grinned wildly. ¡°Magic rules!¡± She practiced with her skill, and Zeke even offered putting up a barrier to see if she could still see him glowing up like before while standing behind the barrier. To his joy, she couldn''t spot a single glowing part on his body. She did, however, spotted some spots in the barrier where she knew she can break it in one shot if she hit them. That made Zeke pause. He wanted to experiment exactly how to improve those weak points she mentioned before she stopped it all. ¡°Wait, let¡¯s go find Clara first. She¡¯s probably worried sick about us.¡± ¡°Oh, right,¡± Zeke shook his head. ¡°Where is she¨C¡± Right before he could even ask, a loud piercing cry of a girl echoed out from beyond them. His heart sank as both their eyes turned blank in horror. They looked back at the source of the cry with Mikella already running in front. ¡°Clara!¡± She shrieked as Zeke followed her dash to her sister. Ch20: Sisters wrath Zeke¡¯s body still aches despite practicing with his new Recovery skill. Worse yet, his head felt like it was splitting at the seams, ready to explode at any moment. Yet he urged himself to keep up with Mikella¡¯s frantic dash towards the screaming Clara. He can¡¯t even imagine the pain of anything happening to Clara. While only two days passed for him, he couldn¡¯t help but worry incessantly for the delightful little girl. So he clearly can¡¯t imagine what Mikella might be going through now. When they arrived, they saw Clara running within the vast treasure room, cleverly using the piles of gold coins still lying around as cover. But it was all for naught as a few¡­ scratch that, many Arthurian Knights ran after her. It was a crazy amount of knights that came out into the treasure room. What stumped him was how they seem to come out of the very same cavern they went through¨Cthe one where the lava bridge was at. But he put those thoughts aside as he saw Clara jumping across the piles of gold, only to stumble and scrape across the gold piles to the floor. His heart ached when she looked back in fear, realizing that not only did her short legs stumbled and ended up hurting herself in the process¡­ But the amount of knights wielding many, many sharp weapons aiming for her. Zeke didn¡¯t even have to think. A barrier was conjured right around Mikella. He didn¡¯t even realize that his barrier changed form once again. He knew that a simple rectangle barrier wouldn¡¯t be enough to completely protect Clara. What if those knights were crazy enough to scuttle around like roaches and go around the barrier? Once he knew the futility of making a barrier like that, his mind worked into overdrive. His only intention is to protect Clara at all costs, and the barrier responded to his intense emotions. The barrier became a perfect dome surrounding Clara, the shimmering turquoise light protecting her from any danger as the knights came in and tried to strike the child down. But it was to no avail. The barrier stood taut, not a single weapon even managing to make it crack, much less break in to reach Clara. Even more surprising, Zeke felt his barrier withstand it all. It was strange, as he didn¡¯t really have such a feeling before. But he knew that this was the first time he fully intended to drop everything else in the vicinity, focusing primarily on Clara. And somehow, that special barrier he made contained¡­ his will? He wasn¡¯t sure exactly, but it certainly contained a piece of him unlike most of the barriers he made. He wondered if his Mana Perception leveling up had its hand dipped into this phenomenon. The knights seemed confused, not realizing why they couldn¡¯t strike the child anymore despite finally reaching her. Some even looked frustrated, continuously striking the barrier with its greatsword. Despite his best efforts, as more knights followed the first¡¯s frustrating example, Zeke gritted his teeth as he felt his dome barrier slowly breaking. But thankfully Mikella rushed in like a comet to the center of the mess. And like a powerful meteor falling from the sky, the impact it left behind decimated the crowded knights apart. Them trying to huddle together like pigeons to specks of bread certainly didn¡¯t help them as multiple pieces of armor flew about everywhere. But Mikella wasn¡¯t done. Zeke studied her every movement up to this point to try and keep up with her fighting style to better ensure his barriers, but that was becoming harder to do as she kept getting stronger. She was just too fast. Her sword was a blur, and one swift movement that Zeke could pick up took down three knights at once. Another blur in the span of a single second, another set of knights were taken out. But what was truly frightening from all this was the expression on her face. She was furious. Like a mother beast protecting her young against the predators who dared to act against her kin. A storm of unbridled rage and steel demolishing every knight she came across. All the while, Zeke approached the barrier while still staring at the chaos ensuing across. Only a few knights remained trying to go after the barrier without remorse, but they were soon demolished from another swipe of Mikella¡¯s sword. That wasn¡¯t all. She was so mad, she brought her spears and axes from her pack, and just chucked them right at the knights coming to her instead. She just kept slamming against the knights with her sword and doing what she could to deliver as much damage as possible to the other knights. It was getting ridiculous to watch. But it was also mesmerizing. Her movements were sharp and agile, way more than before. He recalled her Acrobatics improving earlier, so that meant her movements were sharper and stronger than before. Then a knight from behind suddenly came at her, slicing a part of her back. Zeke yelled, not even realizing how fast it was since his focus was on her. Even then, he had to ensure that his barrier worked for Clara, so he couldn¡¯t protect her in time. But Mikella just shrugged it off as she roared and literally backhanded the knight, crushing the knight¡¯s helmet with her fist. It bled now, carmine liquid trailing down her white skin, but she didn¡¯t even get phased as she went back to the slaughter. Now that he thought about it, the knights usually took a while to get killed, but she was downing them one by one in a heartbeat. He realized already that she had perfectly mastered using Hawk Eyes already. And each strike dealt to the knights didn¡¯t just landed on the heads¨Cshe pierced the chest at a certain angle, destroying them utterly as though some underlying method to keep them alive was punctured by that very precise strike. Even some of the spears and axes she threw landed a killing blow at the knight, aiming for the center of the helmets. Before long, everything was over. Metal parts were scattered everywhere, and the only one left standing was a woman who seemed to have just done a marathon. She was riddled with sweat, her face paling as her chest heaved drastically. Blood marred every visible part and her eyes flared at the sight, but there was also a glint of something in there that made Zeke notice something. There was a hint of glee and joy in there. It was barely noticeable, perhaps even less than the nearly transparent mana. But he knew they were there, deep within Mikella¡¯s sharp yellow eyes. But the moment she turned around to find Clara, the old light of a concerned sister returned again. She dropped her sword, surprising Zeke since she usually cradled the weapon like it was her baby as she ran towards the barrier. She didn¡¯t even stop as she pushed her face to the barrier, almost like a mother trying to get at her child from behind a glass door. Being at the other side of the transparent barrier, it was a little comical to look at. Where was that warrior that nearly scared the shit out of him just seconds ago? She completely vanished when Clara came into her sight. He smiled at the image. ¡°Clara! Sweetie, are you alright? I¡¯m so, so, so sorry for leaving you like that!¡± Mikella turned to Zeke, her eyes begging. ¡°Zeke, let me in, please!¡± Zeke immediately called the barrier down. Just as well, Clara rushed to Mikella who eagerly opened her arms to embrace her fully. ¡°Sissy!¡± Clara cried out, tears and snot running down her face. ¡°Sissy! I was so scared! It was so scary! I tried to run away when they came in, but I didn¡¯t want to bother you while you were fighting, so I ran and ran and, and¡­!¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay. I¡¯m here now,¡± Mikella didn¡¯t let up on embracing her little sister, brushing her silky black hair and rubbing her back for good measure. ¡°Sissy¡¯s here now. Everything''s gonna be alright.¡± The two stayed like that for a while, Clara letting out tears and cries that could almost call the entire castle onto them. But Zeke knew better than to interrupt this as he instead called up his dome barrier to surround themselves. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. He figured the Mana spent making this perfect dome would be astronomical, but it was actually less than even a super dense barrier he could¡¯ve made. He could tell instantly that the dome barrier could shatter to a single powerful strike compared to its regular rectangular form which could take multiple. Spreading the mana all around certainly decreased its potency, but if he kept practicing at it, he could make a powerful dome that nobody can touch. Hell, he was sure he could put it up even while he slept, which would be a blessing since it doesn¡¯t continually drain mana unless he had to repair or add more layers to it. Huh¡­ now that was a thought he hadn¡¯t tried yet. For now, he could only be thankful that he had the power to protect Clara. Any other scene other than the two sisters reuniting would be unforgivable. After a few minutes of trying to calm Clara down, her cries ceased as she slowly closed her eyes. Her head rested on Mikella¡¯s comforting embrace. She didn¡¯t sleep, she just laid there. Zeke couldn¡¯t imagine what this poor child had to go through. Even if she was protected by the barrier, she could still see through the glass-like wall. He wouldn¡¯t be able to protect her mind from the trauma that might occur. Each strike on the barrier must have been powerful, because he¡¯s always been at the other side of it, feeling those strikes for himself just by the sound and vibrations alone. Even he would be scared to see that happening, to feel it happening so close. So he stayed quiet, letting the sisters recover, to heal. All the while, he wanted to let his body recover as well. The battle from before was still ailing him, causing him to get a shiver every once in a while. This entire event taking place was just too much for them. After seeing the sisters relax a bit more, he called out to the girl. ¡°Oh, Clara, I got something cool to show you.¡± The girls shifted their attention to him as he approached Clara, staring at the dirt and grime she put herself through to survive. Then he spotted the many cuts and bruises on her legs. He gritted his teeth, anger taking hold of his chest to see the little girl marred with injuries from running away. He lifted his hand, calming himself as he cast his spell. Clara¡¯s eyes widened as his hand started to glow with his turquoise color, but turned shocked to find that no barrier came up. Instead, her legs slowly recovered from their injuries, starting by making the cuts and the bruises disappear. Clara kept hollering in ¡®wows¡¯ and ¡®whoas¡¯, causing both the adults to smirk at the response before finally, her legs returned to normal. Stepping away, Zeke watched as Clara jumped up and down, twisting her ankles and knees over and over again as though she was trying to prove that all the pain she felt were still there. She smiled at him, her eyes glowing like they were bright stars in the night sky. ¡°That was so cool!¡± Clara shouted. ¡°You healed me! Like magic!¡± ¡°Because it is magic,¡± Zeke chuckled, an earnest smile on his face. He stood up, looking over Clara again as he asked. ¡°How do you feel? Do you still feel any pain?¡± ¡°Nope!¡± Clara made a little spin, her arms outstretched. ¡°I¡¯m cured, doc!¡± Zeke had to really stifle his giggle from the words. Mikella, however, took full liberty and guffawed before turning to Zeke with a genuine smile. She brushed Clara¡¯s hair as usual. ¡°Thanks for protecting her.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Zeke shrugged, trying to brush off the praise. It really was nothing. That¡¯s his job as an adult and as a grown man. ¡°Still¡­¡± Mikella¡¯s eyes grew solemn. ¡°Thanks.¡± Zeke took a moment before nodding in approval. He looked away as he felt his cheeks flushed. Even if it was obvious, being thanked for his duty felt like it was too much. Still, he understood her resolve to give proper gratitude. He didn¡¯t know how much time had passed after that. During that time, he had already received a notification regarding his healing skill.
Recovery Level Up! It is now Level 2. You have gained +1 INT from your skill. You have gained +2 SPI from your skill.
It was easier than he expected, but at the same time it made sense. It was at Level 1, and getting it to Level 2 was easy to do if he just healed a few times. It even provided the same upgrades as Barrier Craft. Being within his barrier, they were safe, especially after his attribute increase. But he knew that they can¡¯t stay here for long. The sounds from the outside were damped thanks to the dome covering them entirely. He supposed that the Mana, while completely energy based, still contained a sense of physicality as it dampened the sounds from the outside. This was also the first time he was inside of his own dome barrier, so this was new to him. But he could also hear the sounds of metal boots hitting the ground. More were coming. He wanted to stay, to relax and let the sisters heal, but he forced himself to stand. Just like him, Mikella also stood, holding Clara¡¯s hand. ¡°We gotta move,¡± Zeke said, his voice harsh. He was thankful for the brief respite, but he was still a little sore at the number of knights coming after them just after defeating the boss. ¡°Those knights from earlier felt like the trash mobs that we were supposed to handle while fighting the wyvern. Now that everything¡¯s over, this place is probably back to throwing us knights left and right again.¡± ¡°Trash mobs?¡± Mikella asked. ¡°You mean the monsters that surround the boss to distract the party?¡± ¡°Yep,¡± Zeke nodded, then turned to Clara. ¡°Thanks to Clara, we didn¡¯t have to deal with them while we fought the wyvern. I know it was scary, but you did great in keeping them away.¡± Clara¡¯s eyes widened, this time in awe. ¡°R-Really? I did good?¡± ¡°Of course you did,¡± Mikella said, instantly picking up Zeke¡¯s meaning. ¡°Thanks to you, we were able to beat the wyvern! You¡¯re the best!¡± Clara beamed at the praise, and compared to Zeke, she took it rather well as she seemed to jitter and shake from the joy she felt. Of course, he sent a look to Mikella stating that they will never leave Clara again to do that, even if it might help. As though she read his thoughts, she sent a glance his way to say the same. There was nothing wrong with keeping the morale up, but the two adults knew by heart that they were just incredibly lucky that nothing bad happened. ¡°Zeke, how¡¯s your arm?¡± Mikella asked, getting him to double check. ¡°It¡¯s a little numb, but I can still use it,¡± Zeke said honestly. Despite healing himself with Recovery, he still felt sore in some places. Goes to show that his healing skill is still too weak to truly heal everything. ¡°Then, can I ask you to carry Clara?¡± Mikella asked, prompting Clara to take notice and stare at him as well. Zeke¡¯s eyes widened at that. ¡°Is that really okay?¡± Zeke asked. While he proved that he wasn¡¯t some gross creep to little girls, he was still surprised to hear Mikella say that. ¡°Yes,¡± Mikella nodded. ¡°Even if she is healed, I¡¯d feel better knowing you have her. That¡¯s if you¡¯re okay with it.¡± ¡°Of course I am, but¡­ Clara, are you okay with that?¡± ¡°Yes! I¡¯m okay,¡± Clara said. ¡°I actually¡­ umm, I still feel really tired. So, umm¡­¡± Zeke nodded in understanding. It looked like even if he healed her injuries, that still didn¡¯t help Clara get into a running shape. More likely they¡¯ll land themselves in some trouble again, so it was better that Zeke carried her for safety. Now that he thought about it, being a mage and all helped him have lots of free room while Mikella had to carry weapons to fight back. Mikella gently carried Clara over to Zeke, and Zeke carefully picked up Clara as she handed the girl to him. He made sure to carry her weight properly, helping her up all the way to reach to his shoulders to use as a piggy back. It was an awkward process for a moment, but eventually Clara held onto his shoulders tightly with her legs, her arms latched around his neck. Mikella made sure to tell her not to strangle the poor man as Clara nodded profusely in understanding. Meanwhile, Zeke was going through a minor self-reflection. Clara felt so¡­ little. So tiny. Was she really ten years old? She felt like she was just newly born into the world. He never held a child before, and he could¡¯ve sworn that ten year olds were bigger and weightier than what he was feeling now. Then again, his Strength stat was probably making that easier for him, as little as it was. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Zeke asked. ¡°Do you feel uncomfortable? Don¡¯t be afraid to speak up if you do.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all good,¡± Clara answered from above his head. ¡°You¡¯re super tall! I can see really high from up here.¡± Mikella smiled. ¡°You look like a dad with Clara on you like that.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not surprised,¡± Zeke shrugged, getting Clara to giggle again when he did. She was on top of them, after all. ¡°I am old enough for a kid.¡± The pleasant conversation unfortunately ended as the stomping beyond grew louder. Not even his barrier could contain the noise anymore as they saw several knights coming forward, brandishing their weapons as though they were ready to lay siege on an enemy castle. Mikella picked up and brandished her sword, her face turning sharp and precise like before. It was like a fantasy to suddenly see her change like this. ¡°Guess we¡¯re not done yet,¡± Mikella said, readying her stance. ¡°Mikella¡­ you sure you¡¯re okay with this? You¡¯re going to be alone for a bit.¡± Zeke asked to be sure. It¡¯s as though after killing the boss, the knights became invigorated to fight the intruders. Now that he has Clara on his shoulders, he can¡¯t go in and help with an axe strike like before. ¡°As long as you¡¯re here, I have nothing to fear,¡± Mikella said, smiling to herself at the little rhyme. Even Zeke couldn¡¯t contain his smile. ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a few minutes.¡± ¡°Sissy!¡± Clara cried out, her voice now returning with fervor. ¡°Kick their asses!¡± Zeke flinched at the little girl cursing, but Mikella easily greeted back with a wink at her, then nodded at Zeke. Zeke opened a small hole in the dome, and in that short brief of time, Mikella flew off into the distance. He then closed the dome back up, watching the fight from beyond the dome. For the next few minutes, she made short work of the following knights. All the while, he kept Clara company. ¡°Sissy looks so cool¡­¡± Clara commented, tapping Zeke¡¯s head. ¡°Do you think she¡¯s cool?¡± ¡°She¡¯s¡­¡± Zeke considered his wording for a moment, then he just threw caution to the wind. ¡°She¡¯s a badass, for sure.¡± Clara giggled as she cheered for her big sister who just recently skewered two knights all at once with her sword like a giant metal kebab. Ch21: Boss Knight After their recent bout with the group of knights, the two left the treasure room opposite from the lava chasm¡¯s side. He carried Clara all this while, trying to talk to her to help calm her from this situation. But like Mikella said, Clara seemed a bit different compared to any other kids. She was more mature than she let on in situations like this, and she even gets excited despite the horrors she witnessed. She was certainly a special case. Though if he was honest, he was also a special case when he was a child, so Zeke felt a connection to Clara. This also made him feel closer to her despite being a complete stranger to her, at least when it came to blood relation. As they went further down the pathway, which now became a singular path ahead rather than the corridors and the hallways they were forced to go through, they kept encountering more knights by the dozens. Clara held onto him tight as the knights raged outside his barrier. For a moment, Zeke figured that she had forgotten who she was hugging, not being her big sister. Zeke calmed her by grasping her tightly, patting her legs in good faith while watching Mikella annihilate the knights. She didn¡¯t give any mercy to those going after the two within the barrier instead of her. If anything, she respected the knights she defeated that went after her, while utterly maiming the ones going after the dome instead. A fair balance, one could say. Eventually, they found the entrance to somewhere, and Zeke knew that this was special. The reason why it was special is because they landed themselves back at the hallways¨Cthe exact same one they found themselves in at the beginning when they just woke up in this hellish dungeon. But Zeke knew the difference now. He wasn¡¯t sure whether it was his updated stats and skills, but he sensed that the mana around them was¡­ different. As though this hallway didn¡¯t exist. Zeke tried to experiment, actually, by trying to kick over a stand with an expensive looking pot just resting near the wall of the hallway. Mikella watched him as though he was just messing around, but both their eyes rounded when the stand fell, but nothing broke. Instead, it just returned back to normal, as though time had rewinded. Though it appears like someone did a bad editing job in a video as it just popped into existence as it was before. Zeke looked back at Mikella, showing a frown. ¡°That didn¡¯t happen at the last place,¡± Zeke said. ¡°Those knights made a mess back then, but not a single one made this reaction like now.¡± ¡°So, what¡¯s going on?¡± Mikella asked, grasping at her sword in fright. ¡°Are we trapped in a weird dimension or something?¡± ¡°No,¡± Zeke shook his head. He swore that the treasure room was the last one, but if the knights came over even after defeating the said boss, then something else was happening. ¡°I¡¯m not really sure. But I think this is where we needed to go.¡± There was a purpose for them being there, that was certain. Otherwise, Zeke couldn''t explain why any psycho would decide to put a random group of people pushed together in this place. If there truly wasn¡¯t, then it would just make Zeke give up hope in the future. So he swore that there was a purpose. He could tell that the mana in this area felt unstable, like something could break at any moment. But he didn¡¯t know what to do, and that was frustrating him. ¡°Alright,¡± Mikella nodded. Zeke was taken aback by her agreeing so easily. ¡°Let¡¯s keep going then. I want to get out of here as fast as possible.¡± ¡°You and me both,¡± Zeke shook his head. ¡°I like adventures as much as the next guy, but there¡¯s a reason why there¡¯s always a save game option.¡± He joked, reminding himself of so many role playing games with the famous save game places, such as in golden statues or with cute furry creatures. Even Mikella pointed out that they should find a glowing green circle to help save the game. ¡°Clara knows quite a bit about games, huh?¡± Zeke asked, half enjoying himself and half in curiosity. ¡°That¡¯s a pretty old one.¡± ¡°Clara always plays games whenever I go out to my training,¡± Mikella pointed out. ¡°Actually, she helps me out sometimes whenever I¡¯m struggling.¡± ¡°Ah, so she¡¯s the brains and you¡¯re the brawn.¡± Zeke grinned, granting him a playful jab at the arm by Mikella. She didn¡¯t know however that it ended up making him wince at the powerful jab. Clara just laughed at it all as they continued on. The hallway continued as it did in the first floor they¡¯ve been in, and they found many knights just as well. But this time, the knights seem off. For instance, one didn¡¯t even care whether they appeared or not. It just kept slamming on the wall as though it was poorly programmed. It scared the little girl as Mikella took it out of its misery. Another just laid on the floor, its knees huddled to its chest, as though it had given up all hope. Mikella considered taking it out, just for good measure. But eventually, she returned back to Zeke with a deep frown. ¡°...It just felt wrong,¡± Mikella said. ¡°I don¡¯t like it.¡± Zeke decided to let it go, too. If even Mikella didn¡¯t want to kill the knight, then they were sure that the knight wasn¡¯t about to attack. They just walked past, with Clara giving it one final look as it continued to look at the ground, unable to even fathom what was going on. They found some more knights in the same state, just looking beyond where the adults¡¯ eyes can¡¯t see. It was such a bizarre sight. For the past two days, the knights have been tirelessly trying to kill them. But it¡¯s as though they reached to the part where the knights just no longer cared anymore. This made Zeke uncomfortable, a dark thought running through his head as they forced themselves to walk past these once shells of living beings. They were actual knights, from some era long ago. Their ghosts, after they died, remained in this castle, taking over their former suits of armor to defend the castle. While he was sure some of them went crazy and tried to take them out for no good reason, he truly believed others knew of their circumstances, thus leading them here where this place felt so unnatural. They feel¡­ empty, losing all drive in their after-lives. The dark thought kept rampaging in his mind, bringing his mood even lower than before. He decided not to share his thoughts with Mikella, especially with Clara right there. It was just too sad to even think about. Then, after what felt like forever, they found the true cause of this place going out of whack. Zeke felt his entire being shift strangely, as though the energy around him was forcing him to be bent out of shape. He knew that he was feeling this the strongest as he almost knelt, while Mikella had a deeper frown than usual as she looked forward. The room they found themselves in looked like the throne room of the castle. Pillars were arranged to form a pathway towards the throne, with several banners and other forms of memorabilia that a throne room would have. It was huge, however, as though the king itself had to be big enough to encompass the throne. But there wasn¡¯t a throne here. What they saw instead was something straight out of a science fiction novel rather than a fantasy one. A portal¨Cand a large one at that. It seemed to cover the entirety of the massive room they found themselves in. It was glowing bright grey and white, like seeing through the static of an old television set. It swirled with strange particles at the center, a rampaging thunderstorm with flashes of lightning within its confines. ¡°Is that¡­?¡± Mikella asked, her voice filled with a mixture of fear and hope. ¡°A portal,¡± Zeke guessed. ¡°Or it could be a dark hole that would kill us immediately if we go inside.¡± Mikella turned to glare at him, obviously not amused. Clara gave him the stink-eye, slapping his head at the top. Zeke sheepishly grinned and shrugged. ¡°That might be a way out of here. But what do you think?¡± Zeke asked, turning serious now that it finally came to this. After a bit of hesitation, Mikella let out a groan. ¡°Is there even a choice? I just want us out of this hellhole already.¡± Zeke nodded. ¡°Then let¡¯s¨C¡± A deep, ghostly groan rang out through the entire room. Zeke shook from the bass alone, the massive pressure almost crushing him. Mikella did her best to react, but the pressure was even getting to her, unable to even grasp her sword properly. Zeke reacted better and managed to grab Clara by hosting her up to his side. Clara quickly assumed her position and held onto his neckline for dear life. ¡°What the fuck was that?!¡± Mikella managed to say, finally taking hold of her sword. But Zeke knew that it might be futile. This pressure¡­ it was something else. Even compared to the dragon, this pressure is nothing compared to that. It was as though they found the true cause, the real reason why this castle turned out to be what it is now. But when the creature responsible for this showed itself, every thought about fighting it was thrown out the window. It was a giant knight, reaching a bigger height than the wyvern. It was armored in ways one can¡¯t really assume to be an ordinary knight. While the other Arthurian Knights were dressed in simple medieval iron armor, the giant knight¡¯s armor looked like it came from the deep abyss of the underworld. A horned helmet, a cuirass as wide as a barrel for its height, and spikes jutting out of every possible part. The armor was pitch dark as ebony, and it seemed to somehow rot in its appearance. It carried a long sword, spiked on the edges and a cruel hook at the end of the blade. The hole of its horned helmet showed only reddish eyes, its glare sending shivers down his spine. If it was just the size alone, the two would¡¯ve been able to handle it. But Zeke knew. He knew in a single instant that this monster wasn¡¯t an opponent they could face. Not at their level, or perhaps not at all. It was like a god appearing in front of them, marking their judgment with their presence alone. He didn¡¯t know how, but his body somehow did. The pressure never let up, no matter how many times he tried to conquer it by using his Mana Perception and Meditation. It was pointless. The knight will just destroy them before they could even muster the courage to strike. That¡¯s just how powerful that giant knight was. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. His hope would¡¯ve been crushed to smithereens if he stared back at the strange portal to somewhere, hopefully anywhere that wasn¡¯t here. It was still there, practically waving at them to come through for safety. ¡°We need to get out of here!¡± Zeke yelled, shifting the quiet and frightened Clara off his shoulders and into his arms for better carrying. ¡°Now!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me twice!¡± Mikella eagerly led the way, pulling Zeke¡¯s hand as though her speed could somehow help him out as well. Zeke feared that the pressure was something only he felt, so he would have to convince Mikella to run rather than fight. But clearly this pressure wasn¡¯t just magic based. Now he knew exactly what it was, after carefully figuring out the reasoning behind its existence. It wasn¡¯t just pressure. It was an aura. If he had to make a comparison, he would use a bucket of water as an example. The knights were just droplets entering into the bucket of water. The dragon, however, was the water in the bucket. As for the giant knight¨C It was the waterfall where the bucket managed to get the water from. The pressure alone is enough to stifle and even drown a person, killing them without even trying. How Zeke and Mikella, even Clara, managed to survive was possibly due to the special circumstances they were built in. Though he could easily guess that a true normal person would die just by being around it. They had no chance of winning. But the knight wasn¡¯t the type to hold back against weaklings in a code of honor. No, it charged after them. He could feel the hostility drowning him, his insides feeling crushed and his mind getting warped into fear and panic. When he glanced at Clara, his heart froze. Clara¡¯s eyes were bloodshot open, her body was trembling like crazy. Even if the system didn¡¯t help her initialize, it was easy to tell that the aura was getting to her too. If they don¡¯t get out of here quickly enough, it will kill Clara by the sight of it alone. For a brief moment, Zeke actually thought about throwing Clara aside and running for the portal to save himself. And this time, he didn¡¯t blame himself for thinking of something so horrible. If he was able to excuse himself for his horrific thoughts, he wouldn¡¯t even put down the idea that Mikella would do the same thing. One look at her, and it was obvious that it wasn¡¯t fury that encompassed her, but true fear and panic. But he knew that it was just a thought. A natural survival instinct compared to seeing the giant knight actually raising the hook sword to swing at them. Zeke never grasped Clara tighter than before, not wanting to let her go for a single moment. He didn¡¯t even think much as his survival instincts kicked in and used up all of his Mana, nearly draining himself to zero, to conjure a powerful barrier behind them as they charged for the portal. A second later, a nuclear bomb exploded behind them. Zeke obviously knew it wasn¡¯t a bomb. But that¡¯s what he felt when the hook sword hit the barrier. Despite draining all of his mana to near zero, it barely, barely held up. Cracks appeared all over his barrier. He was running away, but he knew from how his mana dispersed and cracked from the impossible force crashed onto it. It was impossible to think that he could actually defend himself, much less fight the damn monster behind them. But something else came up to intervene. Intense pain racked his insides as his mouth coughed up blood. His body froze and knelt down, somehow still holding onto Clara who looked up at him with fear in her eyes. ¡°Bobo!¡± Clara shouted, grasping Zeke¡¯s ruined tie as tears fell down her face. He couldn¡¯t even comprehend what he just heard as he tried to figure out what the fuck just happened to him. He didn¡¯t get hit at all, right? So why did it feel like his insides were crushed by that same crushing force? Mikella also stood beside him, thankfully not in the same situation as he was. They were so close to the portal, the strange whirring sound reaching their ears, but it was also disturbingly faint. ¡°Zeke! What¡¯s wrong? Why did you stop?!¡± Mikellas asked, but only just realized his state. ¡°Oh my god, what happened to you?!¡± Zeke was trying to figure out the same thing, but it finally hit him. The giant knight behind them was so powerful, it actually transferred that damage straight to his body. Thinking logically, one could say that the barrier severely interfered with that process, causing the damage that would have normally been dealt to him to be significantly reduced. Otherwise, there was no way he could have survived that. He knew the barrier managed to hold on, but also knew that it didn¡¯t work as it should. That was how powerful the knight was. So powerful, it was able to actually damage the spell caster who cast the barrier by some unknown ability it carried. A strength so powerful it transcended the laws of magic, one could say. Taken out of his musings, Zeke knew there were only very few choices to make in this situation. He can¡¯t move. His legs were still too shocked to stand. His body wasn''t listening to his will any longer. It was possible that the intensifying aura of the giant knight was responsible. He also couldn¡¯t ignore the damage given not just physically, but spiritually. In laymen¡¯s terms¨Che¡¯s fucked. But there was no way he was going to screw over the girls with his failure. If there was one thing he could be proud of¨Cit is to pave the way for everyone else to move forward. His Trailblazer title spoke as much. ¡°You have to run,¡± Zeke managed to say, blood still seeping from his mouth. He then grabbed Clara and promptly pushed her onto her sister. ¡°Wait, what?¡± Utterly bewildered, Mikella grabbed the shocked Clara easily enough, but turned back to Zeke with a frown. ¡°I¡¯m not gonna leave you behind!¡± Another groan escaped from the Ghost Knight. The groan somehow made the aura explode farther, catching everyone¡¯s attention. Mikella flinched as Clara cried out in what felt like actual pain. Clara got hurt from just that groan. Zeke¡¯s heart froze when he saw blood pouring out from her ears and nose. Mikella watched in horror, her mouth gaping at the impossible sight of Clara possibly getting killed by its presence alone. Any longer and Clara might truly not make it. Zeke glared at Mikella, his rising anger at the knight bearing form. ¡°Run!¡± Zeke yelled. ¡°Run from here! Now!¡± ¡°B-But¨C¡± ¡°I said now!¡± Without holding back, Zeke conjured a barrier straight in front of Mikella. Shocked at the sudden barrier, Mikella couldn''t react any faster before Zeke willed his barrier to push itself forward. It extended itself horizontally, like how he managed to push up the wyvern¡¯s maw. It pushed Mikella against her will and dragged her towards the portal. She looked back to the man in outrage, fear, and despair. ¡°Wait! Wait, Zeke! Stop¨C!¡± Mikella cried out before the barrier pushed them far enough into the portal, forcing her voice to get cut out as they disappeared from this side. Zeke sensed what he felt could be mana from the barrier. Once he could no longer sense the mana anymore, he knew that the two managed to get out of here safely. Well, ¡®safely¡¯ might be too strong of a word from the way they left. Zeke had to take accountability pushing them away so roughly like that. But he forgave himself easily enough. After all, Mikella and Clara can live. As for himself¡­ He looked back at the sight behind him, at the room that they tried to leave. It was an utter mess. The impact from earlier destroyed everything, possibly from the shockwave of both impossibly strong forces colliding one another. Even the other knights that hung around outside the throne room were destroyed, their armor pieces scattered everywhere. The pristine white walls were cracked beyond measure, and the ground littered with broken stone and marble. But the giant knight remained standing, its hook sword in hand. All the while, his barrier that he conjured with every fiber of his being was breaking, nothing but spiderwebs scarring the once clear glassy wall.. He had to give it all he got just to drag Mikella away, afraid that making a weaker one would be broken by her protest. He stared back at the knight, knowing that in a single moment, he would die. He lived a long, fruitless 21 years of life. He was born, lived incompetently and inadequately, and managed to find himself a boring desk job that barely paid him more than a regular service worker made. Yet somehow, he smiled at his fate. He managed to stand up by himself, ignoring the constant pain and anguish his body was claiming to be in. His soul couldn¡¯t feel any lighter. He felt like those heroes he would see in the movies or TV series¨Cthe true heroes who knew what was at stake and made the ultimate decision for everyone¡¯s benefit. Though, if he was honest, he preferred the ones where they get out by the skin of their teeth. His fear of death is still apparent in the back of his mind. He wondered, after all this, did he make a good impression on Clara? He was worried his antics and silliness would prove him to be unreliable to her, but now, he only wished that she would see this as a chance to be a better person, knowing that someone sacrificed himself for her well-being, thus granting her a passage to lead others to safety as well. Well, he was hoping she wouldn¡¯t end up being exactly like him. As the knight stood before him, ready for another strike with its hook sword, Zeke looked up at it. He didn¡¯t look up in fear, however. He looked up with a curious glance. Then an idea popped into his head. Wait, why don¡¯t I¨C The hook sword swung right at him, doing an underside horizontal strike right at the small man¡¯s torso. It was so precise, it was a shock to see from such a giant beast of a knight. And yet, the expected result never happened. Because Zeke somehow only just realized one crucial fact. Magic and levels might be a thing¡­ but so was physics. ¡­.. ¡°Zeke! Zeke, you son of a bitch!¡± Mikella cried out, slamming her fist against the now stone wall that had appeared before her the moment both her and Clara were rudely pushed out by none other than Zeke. It was all a blur, and she couldn¡¯t even comprehend half of what happened. All she knew was that they got truly fucked. They tried to find a way out, Zeke got injured somehow, and now Zeke did the ultimate sacrifice by pushing them out rather than working together. In other words, Zeke had done something absolutely moronic and stupid, actually believing that what he did was considered noble. But all it did was make Clara cry harder despite the pain she was just afflicted with. Mikella tried to go back where they went through the portal, but found herself stuck behind the stone wall. This stone wall in particular belonged to an extremely huge tower that seemed to be bigger than any skyscraper she ever saw, but more than that, right in the middle of a forested nowhere. Nothing but trees and shrubbery surrounded them, all while beyond a conveniently empty plain filled with nothing but grass everywhere they saw. It was as though this place existed in some otherworldly realm and ended up landing right here. But she didn¡¯t care about that. All she did was foolishly slamming the stone wall, as if that could solve all her problems. What now? Where are they? What can they do now? And more importantly, is Zeke still alive? She knew, deep in her heart, that what Zeke did was not anything noble, but logical. She knew that if Clara stayed behind any longer, the damn monster¡¯s presence alone could¡¯ve killed her. And that was nothing short of what the knight could do to them. Even with all her updated strength and power, she couldn''t do a goddamn thing, and now Zeke paid that price for her weakness. Zeke had nothing to do with her family, with her and her little sister. Yet he went out of his way to not only protect them, but even give his life to ensure doing so. She also knew that he didn¡¯t have a choice. His injury must be so severe that it stopped him from moving, and there was no way that Mikella could handle carrying Zeke and Clara in that span of time while the giant knight of death was aiming to kill them outright. Her fists ached as tears flowed from her eyes. She knew what truly happened, but she refuses to see the reality. She didn¡¯t want to. It was just too unfair. ¡°Sissy¡­!¡± Clara cried out. She didn''t even care that she was bleeding as she looked towards the stone wall. ¡°Bobo is¡­ Bobo¡¯s still in there!¡± Mikella looked over to Clara, unable to truly answer her. It was even hard to look at her, especially with her bloody face which she also failed to prevent. Everything just went so wrong in just a short amount of time. She thought she could handle everything after that wyvern, after acquiring a title and a skill on top of that, but it was nothing compared to that giant knight of pure death. But right before answering that Zeke wasn¡¯t alive anymore, that he sacrificed himself to protect them all¨Csomething groaned behind the stone wall. Well, behind wouldn¡¯t be accurate. It was beyond the stone wall, but not really. Mikella couldn¡¯t really explain, but she sensed something from beyond the stone wall. No, perhaps beyond this¡­ realm they were currently living in? It was hard to really describe. But before she could truly understand what that feeling is, a portal suddenly opened up right in front of her. It came out so suddenly, making her flinch and summon her sword from her pack. She thought perhaps the knight did away with Zeke in that matter of time, and now it was coming straight for them. It was such a horrifying thing to think. But what came out was nothing like she expected. A flying Zeke, riddled with blood, catapulted straight out of the portal. His body flew such a long distance that she almost failed to see him anymore as he went beyond the horizon, straight into the forest beyond them. Both Clara and Mikella stared back in shock, and stared right back at each other. They immediately ran after him, Mikella carrying Clara as she screamed out his name. ¡°Zeke!¡± Ch22: Newtons Third Law Zeke was either the greatest genius to ever live, or an absolute idiot that should¡¯ve died long ago. Despite the odds stacked against him, he somehow managed to get away from the final blow of the giant knight capable of breaking his best barrier he could ever make. What¡¯s more, he did so with just a speck of mana he had left within. It still left him at zero and a smidge more than that, but the coldness left behind was nothing compared to the backlash of getting ¡®yeeted¡¯ out through the portal. As he flew through the open sky, the sky he could finally see after many days spent inside the strange dungeon, he thought about what just occurred. It was something he liked to call Newton¡¯s Third Law of Motion. Well, to actually say it like that would be an insult to the man, but Zeke likes to pretend he did something as smart as that. First of all, with what little mana he could make, he decided to get creative. His Barrier Craft helps him create what he ¡®believes¡¯ to be a barrier¨Ca conjured wall of light whose¡¯ duty serves a specific purpose of the caster. That is just one aspect of his skill. The second aspect that his Barrier Craft is capable of is the supportive kind, the one that is meant to protect him from outside danger. His skill being called ¡®Barrier Craft¡¯, rather than just ¡®Protective Barrier¡¯ or ¡®Defensive Barrier¡¯, had a meaning in itself. It was meant to be crafted into anything Zeke wanted to be. It didn¡¯t just have to be completely defensive like he previously understood. So he decided to do something drastic. He created the barrier with the sole purpose of not defending, but transferring the attack. He didn¡¯t know exactly how he managed to do it. His life was on the line and he wasn¡¯t really thinking straight from the pain and anguish going through his body. But he somehow made the barrier shift and twist into something else entirely. Right when the giant knight was about to turn Zeke into a meat paste, he acted. He knew his barrier would be weak, no matter what. No amount of mana could take on that giant knight at that point. Instead, he conjured it knowing full well it won¡¯t ¡®protect¡¯. In fact, he made two barriers, each one completely different from the other. The giant knight¡¯s sword hit the first barrier. It should¡¯ve broken apart immediately, and then quickly destroyed the second barrier after, then split Zeke apart like a melon¨Cif he didn¡¯t explode from the force alone first. But that didn¡¯t happen. It was precisely because of the first barrier. It transferred all the motion out from the giant knight¡¯s blow. It took in all of the momentum of the swinging sword to itself. That would be the coolest thing Zeke had ever done, but reality was never cool. Even if he could do exactly that with his barrier, he wasn¡¯t stupid to believe the barrier could absorb all that momentum. Eventually, that momentum will go right to him, being so close at the time, and eventually make him explode like a melon¡­ at least, that¡¯s what he thought at the time. His imagination was a little messed up since he only had just a few seconds to pull a miracle out of his ass. That¡¯s where his second barrier came in. He figured that he could transfer the power, then stop the power immediately from getting over to his side with the other barrier, eventually stopping the blow at its entirety. That was how he worked Newton¡¯s Third Law into his skill. If one force tried to go after another force, that force must be able to meet it. It didn¡¯t exactly have to be equal to that force, not with magic into the mix. He decided to make the counter force into an ¡®anti-force¡¯ of sorts, just transferring into a new type of force that the second barrier could be able to absorb. He truly thought that would work. Unfortunately, not going to college made his theory lackluster. While it certainly did transfer the momentum, his second barrier just wasn¡¯t strong enough¨Cor rather, it just wasn¡¯t capable of fully stopping the entire force. It did, however, serve its purpose. While the ¡®damage¡¯ was left out as he expected, the powerful momentum was still there, and following that, the motion eventually managed to get to Zeke the moment the sword struck his barrier. In short, the backlash came about, and Zeke was dealt with that momentum in full. Thankfully, the ¡®damage¡¯ was non-existent. He just got shot off with a powerful blast strong enough to make him fly as if he was shot by a cannon. Easy as pie. Even now, he was utterly amazed at how that plan actually worked as he casually crash landed, his body breaking apart at the force of his body hitting the solid ground. Thankfully, it wasn¡¯t made of stone as the grassy ground made a very long trail of ruined dirt and grass thanks to his landing. Eventually, he slowed down, the leftover momentum finally dissipating. He just laid there, pain riddling his body in more ways than he wished to recognize. But¡­ he was alive. Zeke laughed, unable to truly process what just occurred. But he knew one thing. If he still felt pain even after going through the portal, he was still alive. He never thought he would be so thankful for the pain. If it didn¡¯t exist, he would¡¯ve thought it to be just a dream. Of course, the only reason why he wasn¡¯t bawling like a baby from this pain was entirely thanks to his Pain Resistance working overtime. Blinking notifications came up to him, putting aside his pain for the gains he made for himself.
Mana Perception Level Up! It is now Level 5. You have gained +1 INT from your skill. You have gained +1 SPI from your skill.
Barrier Craft Level Up! It is now Level 5. You have gained +1 INT from your skill. You have gained +2 SPI from your skill.
New Title available: Death Swindler: The Grim Reaper applauds your cheeky cleverness. Not even when death is assured will you be stopped. You have gained +2 DEX from your title. You have gained +2 INT from your title. Title Skill attained: Not Today.
Not Today (Title), Level 1 (Maxed) Death always comes to those who underestimate. That will not be you. Increase the chance to survive a lethal blow by 1%. Once activated, it will not be used again until a month has passed.
You currently have more than 1 Title available. Your recent Title will replace the old one. You can change the Title whenever you wish. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.
Seeing that he gained another Title wasn¡¯t so surprising. In fact, it made sense that he would gain one after surviving that horrid ordeal with his life still intact. What was surprising was the second Title skill. He wondered if he can just stack Title skills like this, but unfortunately it¡¯s a give and take. After experimenting with it a little, he can actively switch his available Titles like putting on new equipment. He supposed the benefits of Title Skills is that he can switch it in and out whenever he wants. However, it looked like there¡¯s a giant pause between switching it around. So there¡¯s a cool down for switching Titles. It would be pretty incredible to keep switching Titles on the fly during battle. It was amazing how much he could think on this while his body was still in such a horrible state. He would heal himself by now if he had the mana, so Meditation was the way to go for now. It was getting a lot easier now, somehow. ¡°Zeke!¡± His name was shouted to high heaven. That caused him to¡­ well, not do much at all. His body wasn''t responding to him like before, and it was probably even worse than before. But he knew he could recover from this. He can, at least, yell to the best of his abilities. ¡°Hey¡­¡± Zeke said hoarsely, but soon coughed out a mouthful of blood which splattered over his neck and collarbone. Well, he tried. ¡°Oh my god, Zeke, you absolute moron!¡± Mikella shouted with an insult while sliding right near him and checking his condition. Meanwhile, Clara did her best to be by his side, her face still bloody but filled with worry as tears ran down her eyes. ¡°Bobo!¡± Clara shouted, tears beginning to flow again. ¡°Bobo! Don¡¯t die, please!¡± ¡­Bobo? Zeke wondered what he heard when they were running for their lives. But now that Clara repeated herself, he just had to ask himself. The fuck was a Bobo? ¡°Clara, sweetie, help this moron by crushing some fruits, okay?¡± Mikella ruthlessly insulted the bloody man underneath her as she pulled out her barrel of fruits to heal his wounds. Clara nodded as prompted, helping to the best of her abilities to pick apart an orange and using her fists to crush it. Small bits of juice escaped from her hands as they tried to enter into Zeke¡¯s mouth, all the while a small torrent of fruit juice came from Mikella¡¯s hands, crushing several of the fruits at once into his mouth. If he was honest, he was starting to feel a disturbing pleasure from this. The juice pouring into his mouth made their way into his body, and now that his magical senses have gotten sharper than before, he could actually feel the juices doing their magic. They contained a certain something¨Can energy that made Zeke¡¯s body go into overdrive. His body was being restored marginally but rapidly, and his mana kept rising further and further than normal. His mind whirled as the pain and pleasure mixed together, and several seconds passed before Zeke was able to recover. He used Recovery on himself, thankful that it was working properly as his healing magic soothed his wounds and stopped the bleeding. While his injuries were still too much for him to move properly, he was thankful to move at all. ¡°T-Thanks¡­¡± Zeke said, his voice returning back to its normal tone. ¡°Zeke, just how the fuck did you manage to get out of there?¡± Mikella finally asked after waiting for a bit. Zeke wondered whether she would apologize for calling him a moron earlier. She wasn¡¯t taking it back. He frowned as he thought about shoving his Title description to her face to prove otherwise. But he thought better since that might prove her point somehow. ¡°I, uhh¡­ I think I exploited my barriers.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± Mikella knitted her brows. However, before Zeke could explain, he noticed the strange scenery for himself. He took a glance around, seeing the trees and the shrubbery around them. And right at the very center of the clearing was a tall tower made entirely of stone just by itself at the center. It was such an ominous sight, and even more so considering that there wasn¡¯t even an entrance inside to it or anything. With his best efforts, he pulled himself upwards with Mikella and Clara¡¯s help. ¡°Is that¡­ where we came from?¡± Zeke said, mesmerized by the feeling the tower gave off. ¡°I think so,¡± Mikella said. ¡°Though, I tried to get back in to try and save your stupid ass, but there was no way.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t regret a single bit of what I did,¡± Zeke said proudly. He noticed Mikella glaring hard at him, but at this point, he gladly accepted it. ¡°You know it better than I do.¡± For a moment, Mikella wanted to say something. She wanted to slap him from the way she looked at him, but eventually she calmed down. Her shoulders released the tension as sadness took over her expression. ¡°I don¡¯t care. Don¡¯t do that ever again!¡± It was so sincere, it took Zeke out of his gloating mood. Now he felt like a jerk. Of course she would worry to the point of getting angry. It may have been just three days, but they proved time and time again that they were partners. Even if they managed to get out, how can Mikella be okay with sacrificing Zeke like that even if it was by his own decision? ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Zeke said. He was earnest in his apology. ¡°I didn¡¯t know what else to do.¡± He looked back at Clara, who kept holding onto him as though he might do the self-sacrifice all over again. He chuckled as he lowered himself to wipe away the blood covering her face. It was such an awful look to see on the young girl.. She groaned, not liking the rough way he was rubbing her face, but he needed to be a little forceful as the blood was beginning to dry up. Eventually, all traces of blood disappeared, leaving a rather miffed Clara to show up instead. ¡°There, all pretty again,¡± Zeke said with a smirk, but Clara clearly wasn¡¯t pleased as she looked away with a rather loud ¡®harrumph¡¯. He can¡¯t seem to win against these girls, apparently. One was mad at him, and another was just annoyed at him now. But then something else caught his eye as he sensed the air being distorted around them. No, it wasn¡¯t the air. He stared right back at the castle-like tower, finally realizing where that distortion was coming from. It was the mana in the air. His Mana Perception, now higher in level, could sense specks of cloud-like mana moving erratically around the tower. Particularly right at the bottom where supposedly the three came out of. Then a giant portal came into existence. It was precisely what it looked like when they got out. His heart slammed against his chest as he realized what was coming out. A giant hand made entirely out of metal was slowly coming out of the portal. Zeke¡¯s breath turned ragged, his panic returning in full force. Mikella¡¯s face blanched as she immediately grabbed Clara who instantly quieted down after seeing the knight again. Zeke didn¡¯t have any usable mana left. Even after using Recovery, he was in no fit to take another of the giant knight¡¯s hard hits even with his newly made transference barrier. So the best he could do was raise his arms towards the girls, as though his body would serve as the barrier. ¡°We gotta run!¡± Mikella said, trying to drag Zeke¡¯s shoulder and Clara¡¯s arm to get away. ¡°We gotta¨C¡± But she stopped. The trio stared as the portal was being ripped open by the giant knight, trying to force itself out into the realm they were in right now. But soon the portal started to shift, almost as if it was getting twisted. Unlike before with how the mana was acting erratically when it opened¨Cthis time, it looked unstable. And Zeke knew then that whatever was causing it to go haywire wasn¡¯t being done by some mortal figure. It was something bigger than he could ever be. The tower itself also began to twist around. The solid matter of the giant tower contorted like the portal, eventually colliding into each other. It was as though it was imploding onto itself. The portal was also causing the knight, struggling to break free and even showing its horned helmet for all to see, to get sucked into the portal. It looked like it was trying to get at them, but now it was trying to survive from getting sucked into the portal. Strangely, the portal didn¡¯t seem to be affecting the trio as only the tower itself and the knight was getting sucked back into the gravitational pull. All the while, a horrible groan of anguish, pain¡­ and fear escaped from the giant knight. The massive heap of death was afraid for its life as it struggled to break free of the portal¡¯s grip. Its gauntlets dug into the ground and created several deep trails into the earth to drag itself out, but to no avail. The pull was too strong, and the giant knight had no hope of escaping. As though doing one final act, the giant knight lifted its horned helmet, its blood-colored glowing eyes staring right at the shocked trio. It gave a roar of defiance and hatred as the portal poured more power into the suction. Another beastly groan of pain and despair escaped from the knight before it was sucked into the portal, along with the stone tower, and eventually, even the portal itself. It all disappeared in a flash of an eye, leaving nothing but pure grass. There wasn¡¯t even a small round of dirt where the tower used to be. It just¡­ disappeared into nothingness. Several seconds passed, but there was no longer any shift or distortions in the mana around them. It was just a small clearing now, just devoid of anything alive. Zeke, Mikella, and Clara just stared, the silence bearing down on them. Finally, Clara cried, and it was a true cry that a child would normally do, her bawling echoing out everywhere. Zeke and Mikella only stood there, with Mikella automatically brushing Clara¡¯s head to calm her. It wasn¡¯t much of a surprise that the adults also wanted to cry like children. They were too shell-shocked to just do anything about it. Ch23: Cloud Mystio Cloud¡¯s head was bursting at the seams right now, mostly due to the pressure along with the absolute incompetency of his colleagues. Cloud grabbed hold of the bridge of his nose, feeling a headache coming on. After pouring hours and hours worth of reading the reports and his own findings, there was not a single lick of information that could be useful to help his town. Other than the fact that the almighty system wanted them to die for no reason. It was something Cloud was working hard to avoid. I can¡¯t let this get to me. Using his techniques his master taught him, he eased his body and let his mind flow, his mana pouring throughout his body as he let them course through with ease. For some, this is actually a demanding exercise for the spirit, but for Cloud, this was soothing. It helped his mind clear up, and his headache to dampen. Though, his body was tempered to the point where common headaches were barely a thing. If anything, this was more of an emotional headache, and it was coming back again in full force after redirecting his thoughts back into the current situation again. He stared at the piles of parchment, each one filled to the brim with his notes, scribbles, and responses from the other towns and cities, and from his supposed colleagues. It was already filling up his study as the towers of documents, papers, scrolls, and other forms of information dictating how screwed his town was. Other than that, there was actual furniture to dictate that this place was indeed the study in his home. Looking over at the window, the sill being filled with piles of parchment as well, he could see that it was nearing afternoon by the daylight outside. He planned on giving a light reading of his reports, but it ended up taking the entire morning hours. His town kept getting bombarded with monster hordes, and he was charged with figuring out the reason why. Sure, he could just go out there and decimate the entire monster horde along with his wife, but then what? The same thing will happen again later on. Perhaps in just a few days if they were unlucky. What¡¯s more, they weren¡¯t alone. There were plenty of other people living in this town, each one having an increased chance of dying from each horde that comes along. No matter how powerful he and his wife were, there was only so much they could do. Some monsters can come in, and some even went as far as entering into the city during a siege. Luckily, some traps the hunters made for this very purpose activated, killing them outright. But that didn¡¯t stop the fear of it happening again from spreading. And it certainly wasn¡¯t the ultimate defense. Even the hunters believed that the traps won¡¯t be enough if stronger monsters keep appearing. They can handle Apprentice ranked monsters, but anything higher than Level 30 could prove fatal for them. They have a few combat-related fighters, but have many, many non-combat ones. This town was small, built within the forest far away from the other major cities. The reason for that is due to its affiliation with the kingdom and how it received special permission to exist. That was the reason why they couldn''t receive any help. Not that he would want them if it meant getting into trouble with their superiors. He wanted to protect this town, his place of belonging. And what¡¯s more, this is also the city where his daughter was born. For that emotional ambition alone, he would fight to the death. But he wasn¡¯t stupid. The town isn¡¯t very large, built with a circular design in mind for housing many folks. Some focused more on their craft while others were just living to get by. This town, with the taxes based on their coins rather than their precious energy, was easy for those who had a tough time keeping up with the demand for profits. While their jobs were limited, it made full use of their abilities, allowing them to focus on the skills they want to hone. While Cloud liked to believe that it was a perfect system, flaws were still there. There were some that refused to do what was needed for the town, and for that, the citizens decided to keep up with their own rules. You must pull your own weight if you want to live in this town, and if you don¡¯t¨Ceveryone¡¯s better off if you leave. So when the monster horde decided to step in, it showed a lot of people¡¯s true colors. Some abandoned ship and ran to the other major cities, and others tried to leech off the hard work of others to give themselves a luxurious life to live. That only further dampened the morale as they had no other choice but to punish or abandon those that would not help in their current crisis. Thankfully, the community leaders were merciful and had common sense, rather than just trying to show off their power by outright killing them. Though it still left Cloud with a bitter aftertaste. That was why he was trying to contact his colleagues, to see if they could help study this strange phenomenon of monsters attacking them all of a sudden. Almost a month passed and not a single one replied favorably. Some said they were too busy, and others gave an excuse to say that what they¡¯re going through is rougher than what Cloud was going through, and he called bullshit on that. They were freaking mages. They can handle anything. But they would prefer not to help his people live than to admit that they have no idea what was going on either. Cloud didn¡¯t care about his standing anymore as he tried relying on his colleagues for their thoughts. Now, he just wanted to strangle them the next time he met them. Breathe¡­ He would normally not lose his cool like this, but the current situation and the politics was starting to make his head hurt. If he hadn¡¯t had his wife constantly do the heavy lifting while helping out the people, he was sure his head was going to pop. Deciding that it would be best, he stood up from his wooden chair. His clothed tunic and slacks flowed as he stepped outside. Brushing his hair, he realized it was matted with grime and sweat. He hadn¡¯t taken a bath in a while. His daughter would be complaining again, he was sure. When he stepped outside of his home, a humble abode built for a big family rather than just his wife and kid, he saw the scene before him. It was a mess of activities. The town in his vision was filled with bustling citizens trying their best to tame the fires burning all around them. Metaphorically, of course. Some were tending to the wounded, the others trying rapidly to rebuild their battered defenses, and some trying their best to create a joyous atmosphere by bringing out the mercantile business up and about. He enjoyed the sight, though he felt guilty for not joining in the actual working. He hated not doing anything substantial other than observing and studying, but he also knew that this was his specialty. However, after his morning long report-viewing, he felt that he hadn¡¯t made much progress at all, leaving him with a shitty feeling. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Then, someone else came along to add more to that shitty feeling. ¡°Cloud, I¡¯m glad to see you¡¯re finally out of your nest.¡± The tone was stoic, yet there was a hint of aggravation to it. Cloud could only groan inwardly as he turned to face the commander of their pocket military force. General Zacharia. The man was built like a true warrior, decked in plated armor from torso to toe, leaving only his open dark-skinned face revealed to Cloud. One would think from his tone that he was a snarky bastard, but his face was stone cold, his mix of a frown and glare permanently stuck on him. A large bladed sword was holstered to his back, adding more to his already intimidating demeanor. But to Cloud, it was just an annoying musclehead who wanted answers that he still did not have. ¡°General Zacharia, it¡¯s great to see you,¡± Cloud lied as naturally as he breathed. He actually just wanted to take a walk to clear his head. This was the opposite of what he wanted. ¡°How goes the fight? I hope everything is alright?¡± ¡°It would be if it went to plan. Have you reached the decision of sending out a team yet?¡± Cloud kept a steady smile, but he inwardly groaned at the mention of his plan again. General Zacharia wanted to bring a select group of elites, including both Cloud and his wife, to take down the probable cause of the monster horde. While that may be a direct and possible plan to execute, there were many downsides. One which Cloud feared could be a detriment to their already bad circumstances. There were too many variables that could go wrong, and should they leave, it would only leave the town defenseless while, at worst, they might not find anything of value. While he was sure that General Zacharia would have a plan for that, even with their best abilities, it was too risky. Cloud was against this without a probable backup plan, but General Zacharia was persistent on this course of action. Even now, bringing up the plan whenever he gets the chance was starting to give Cloud something worse than a headache. Because he can¡¯t help but agree that such a plan might be the best course of action. ¡°We only have so much time left before something irreparable happens,¡± General Zacharia said. His voice was gruff and demanding, filled with contempt at this situation just as much as Cloud was. ¡°You and I both know this, yet you still insist on dancing around the issue, Cloud. How long will it take for you to realize that action is needed now, not more deliberation and planning?¡± ¡°While I do agree that this situation needs to be solved as soon as possible,¡± Cloud responded, his usual smile gone and replaced with a calculated glare at the general. ¡°There are far too many variables where that plan could go wrong. You have no evidence that there will be no risks to the parties involved.¡± ¡°What evidence is there to show? I do not believe any action we take will ever come without risk. I may not be a mage, but I¡¯m no fool. Those are the cards we were dealt with, Cloud, and I do not plan to fold while I yet breathe.¡± Zacharia walked over near Cloud, giving him a side glance before moving onwards. ¡°At least consider this¨CHow long will you be satisfied to keep playing this tug-of-war with no benefits? This battle of attrition already has a winner and loser at the end, and you will not like what the result will be.¡± Zacharia soon left, following along the soldiers at his beck and call. His protege, a young man with blond dreads and the same serious look, took a glance and nodded respectfully to Cloud before turning back with the other soldiers in Zacharia¡¯s command. Cloud could only let out a heavy breath. He was so agitated at the man, but he can¡¯t really say much about it. Because he knew Zacharia was right. He hated it, but he was right. At this point, if more time is wasted like this, people will die. If people are going to die either way, then it would be better to just go along with Zacharia¡¯s original plan. But Cloud didn¡¯t like it. He wasn¡¯t sure, but he felt that this entire thing was off. He was told time and time again that this area was safe to make a town in, the monsters around it easy to subjugate with enough preparations. However, this was clearly beyond what was considered livable. He just didn¡¯t want to get into a situation where his family would be involved. He knew he was just being selfish at that point, but he couldn¡¯t help but think of the worst from this. All he wants is to just make sure that the numbers were something he could deal with, including any loss of supplies or even life. If he had to, he would prefer to make it so that the town won¡¯t lose anymore than it is already losing. ¡°Daddy!¡± The playful shout of a young child let out a torrent of clean water that washed over every muck and grime of his soul. A bright smile gleamed on his face when he turned to find the light of his life running towards him Her little legs picking up the pace, she opened her arms up and shouted his name with every bit of energy a child should have. ¡°Daddy! You¡¯re alive!¡± Cloud, despite being exhausted both physically and mentally, had enough energy to pick up his daughter with a flourish and spun her around. ¡°That I am, little one. How have you fared?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, but I¡¯m bored! Mama¡¯s always out there having fun fighting monsters, but I¡¯m here doing nothing!¡± ¡°I see,¡± Cloud smiled, but it was full of melancholy. Her mother certainly was out a lot doing regular patrols around the town. While the town wasn¡¯t that big and she could get around fast, it still took a while. ¡°But I saw Mama kill the monster with one strike!¡± Ana gleamed, which Cloud mimicked with ease. ¡°Of course. She¡¯s the best fighter in the entire town, after all.¡± Ana nodded so much that she almost shook in his arms. Just the act and feeling alone brought Cloud to realize just how much right there is in the world, no matter how confusing things get. ¡°Are you gonna visit Mama?¡± Ana asked, prompting Cloud to tilt his head. The situation was already going beyond proportions, but it wasn¡¯t as though he lacked any options. If he cannot contact his colleagues, the best he could do is to support the town however he could. There was also what Zacharia said, and that brought him pause. What was more frustrating was that he cannot figure out the cause. Monster hordes were as simple as how rain is made, or how grass remains green. There is always a cause and effect to everything, even if magic was involved. But this particularly horde had no cause, and therefore, had no end of which to seek. If there was a cause, then getting rid of that cause would end the horde for good, allowing them to avoid wasting so many supplies. Zacharia¡¯s plan was foolhardy, but not without merit. He would love to divulge into details about it if it could help the town, but there was a reason why Zacharia always brings out the worst in Cloud. It wasn¡¯t as though Zacharia was some muscleheaded fool like most warriors. Cloud would even respect his intelligence if he wasn¡¯t so abhorrent to mages. While even Cloud cannot defend against the reputation the mages have in their lives, dealing with that kind of man is always a challenge in and of itself. In the end, there was no right answer. For now, the best Cloud could do is to help support the town and prepare them for another horde that may or may not come. They¡¯ve been increasing recently, causing everyone to get on edge. He knew his wife, Val, would be fine. After all, she¡¯s the most powerful fighter in town. He didn¡¯t lie to his daughter because he knew more than anyone how powerful she is. ¡°Mmh, not yet. I actually want to make my rounds in the city. Talk to the others and see how they¡¯re doing. Do you wanna join?¡± ¡°Are you gonna ¡®povide¡¯ aid?¡± Ana said to the best of her abilities. ¡°Hehe, yes, if I can,¡± Cloud chuckled. While his daughter leans heavily on acting like her mother, she is always trying to impress Cloud with the use of complicated words. That ended up with her flubbing the words every so often. But what is there to do but to try and improve? He approves of that. Cloud put his daughter down and held her hand, leading her around the town to provide aid, as his cute little girl said. But inside his mind, he can¡¯t help but consider the actions that needed to be taken. At this point, they need something to change their current situation, something that was outside of their grasp at the moment. But what exactly can they find that can help them out? He only wished his master was around to help at least. He may have been an extremely annoying individual to deal with, but he was his master, and his knowledge of anything mysterious and magical was second to none. He also wanted to know whether this horde will end up returning in the future, and whether his grown up daughter would handle such a thing. The idea alone is the reason why he wished to avoid using any tactics that would result in unnecessary losses. He didn¡¯t want his daughter and the people he loved to be part of that tactic. Not if he could help it. Ch24: In the forest After somehow making it through the death trap known as the tower in their minds, the entire thing disappeared as though it never truly existed. The fact that not even a trace of the ground was destroyed or even touched, despite a giant tower made of stone just laid there for who knows how long, was proof of that. In the end, they stopped caring about the dungeon and what they went through. Because they found another problem they had to deal with. They were hopelessly lost in this giant forest. Thankfully, all was not so bad. While it was true that they landed themselves in another place with no hint of civilization, they still had their food and weapons. They still had their skills and status, allowing them to defend themselves should the need arrive. However, that was where the good news ended. Zeke ended up taking a big look around his scenery. There was nothing but trees and grass, all kinds of nature around them. Granted, that alone was way better than being stuck inside the hallways of the castle, surrounded by deranged knights. Still, it didn¡¯t sit right with him. If he was an outdoors person, he would be ecstatic. But he¡¯s a nerd that always stays inside his home playing video games, or resting after a day¡¯s work. This was beyond his skill set, and unfortunately so was Mikella¡¯s. She only trained in hospitable areas, mostly in gyms and in her home. She often jogged through the park, but that was nowhere near as being trained to live out in the forest. All the while, they were trying to figure out what to do now. Looking up at the sky, the sun was bearing down on them. Despite the disturbing scene they saw with the giant knight just a few short minutes ago, seeing the sun again after days of being stuck inside the castle was a worthwhile sight to see. Even an indoor man like Zeke was refreshed after seeing the sun again. Though he did notice something different about the sky. For instance, there was the sun, but he could¡¯ve sworn the sun didn¡¯t look like a star. Yes, it was actually known as a star, but Zeke never considered that the sun could actually look like an actual star. It was almost star-shaped, though it had more studded protrusions. Somehow, Zeke could see right at it. Normally that should¡¯ve blinded him, but in the end, he could clearly see the crystal-like star hanging high above the sky, providing daylight for the world. This only made it clearer that this wasn¡¯t their world. An entirely new one with a different kind of sun, er, star to shine on them. Strangely, despite not getting blinded, the light was the same as though it was reaching high noon. It looks like the star above them won¡¯t move at all despite being smack dab in the center of the freaking sky. And that was another issue they could run into. If night time arrived, that meant potential threats would come at them. He turned back to his companions, a young woman and a younger girl who he only met three days ago in this new world. ¡°Should we head out and try to see if we can find civilization? Or just look for a place to rest?¡± Zeke asked, prompting Mikella to look towards Clara. Thanks to Zeke¡¯s cleaning, she looked decent at least, but she was a wretch just like the rest of them. Her dress was tattered, and she looked filthy thanks to being tossed about. Of course, that was all thanks to the adults who were even worse for wear. Zeke¡¯s clothes were barely present and most of his upper right torso was showing. He didn¡¯t even start caring anymore after what they went through, but he looked like a savage pretending to be part of society. ¡°I think we should find a way to clean ourselves,¡± Mikella said, taking a look around. ¡°We should find a water source to clean ourselves up and get a proper drink. I¡¯m so thirsty¡­¡± Now that she mentioned it, Zeke¡¯s dry throat was made apparent now. How long has it been since they actually drank an actual source of liquid? They found some water, but they ran out a while ago due to the constant traveling. So they ended up just drinking fruit juice instead, using Mikella¡¯s strength to juice them. So the trio went ahead into the forest, knowing full well that no matter what happens, Zeke would use his barrier to protect themselves. Especially after receiving the notification as soon as they brought it up.
You have cleared the dungeon: Castle of the Arthurian Knights. You have received the following rewards: 20 Gold Coins 50 Silver Coins 100 Copper Coins
If it wasn¡¯t clear then, it was obvious now¨Cthey really did go through a dungeon like in a video game, and were even awarded for it. Whether it was good for them or not, they only received what looked like the currency of this new world which he recalled was named Tarial. He opened up his pack, pulling each different coin out. Each coin is of a different size with the copper coins the same as nickels, silver coins the size of quarters, and gold coins being slightly larger than the quarters. Each coin had some sort of insignia at the front side, and what looked like a giant eye with rays shooting out on every available part at the other side. It was a little creepy to see, and the copper seemed cruder while the silver and gold above were more detailed and prominent. Unfortunately this didn¡¯t help them learn exactly how valuable these coins were. How much was a stay at a hotel in a normal city? Or was it an inn in this kind of world? A tavern? His head whirled at the different kinds of names. Either way, that didn¡¯t answer the most important question: Why did this happen? What was their fate? And what the hell was that giant knight¡¯s deal was? They had no answer. There was nobody around to bear witness to them coming out of the tower, as though they were never really meant to get out at all. Or if there was any reason why they went through such an ordeal in the first place. For now, they consolidated their gains as Zeke tried to fill the silence with what happened to him after forcing the girls out. The only thing he apologized for was hurting Mikella when he was taking her out. Despite her grimace, Zeke never took back his action of taking them out. Perhaps it would¡¯ve been better to stay and figure out a way to fight¡­ but Zeke didn¡¯t bother taking that chance. After hearing what he had done to survive, and even showing his accomplishment with his Death Swindler Title, Mikella couldn¡¯t hold back her laughter. ¡°What the hell?! That¡¯s so dumb!¡± ¡°Hey, if it worked, it worked,¡± Zeke grinned, knowing how silly it was, and the girls kept laughing at the scene. Clara even remarked that he acted like a cartoon character, getting more laughs out of her older sister. It made things easier for everyone as they traveled through the forest. With Clara being so young for this, Zeke offered his shoulders for her to ride on like before. Apparently they were now Clara¡¯s favorite place to be. At least, that¡¯s how Zeke interpreted as Clara gladly bumped her feet against his chest as she rode with glee in her eyes. ¡°Thanks for doing this,¡± Mikella whispered to him, not wanting to spoil Clara¡¯s excitement. ¡°I know you gotta be tired and all¡­¡± ¡°Hey, let her have it. She¡¯s been through a lot.¡± The two were still aghast at the possible chance of Clara dying just by the presence of the giant knight alone. Even now, the way her face was getting bloody was enough to send Zeke down a spiral of worry. Any closer and Clara would¡¯ve been killed. Following that, Mikella could no longer hold anything against Zeke for facing the thing on his own. If anything, he panicked after seeing Clara getting hurt. As they traveled along, getting over the idea that now they have to fight over long grassy stalks and big trees in their vision, they found a predator coming after them. It came slowly at first, but the bloodlust got to the two. If it were back in the real world, they would¡¯ve never seen it coming. But here, Mikella was the first to sense the danger. ¡°Something¡¯s coming.¡± Mikella instantly prepped her sword. For Zeke, it was easy. He conjured a barrier where he was, surrounding himself and Clara. Throughout the time, he managed to use Meditation even while walking, allowing him to recover his mana back. He kept an eye on the battle at hand as something appeared right in front of them. It landed on its four paws, its hulking quadruped figure roaring at its potential prey. Zeke studied it closely to find out what it was. ¡°Is that¡­ a saber-toothed tiger?¡± He couldn¡¯t believe it. A tiger with long and sharp fangs almost the size of daggers jutting out of its mouth showed up. It was clear that it was possibly one of those long extinct creatures from earth. Though there were some differences. This tiger in particular had four eyes instead of two, and it looked almost comically green and with bits of brown and black, as though it was trying to camouflage in the scenery around them. While it was true that Zeke wasn¡¯t able to find it at first from where it hid, now after seeing it¡­ it was kinda hard to miss it. Mikella, however, didn¡¯t budge an inch. Instead, she aimed the sword right at the creature, her eyes turning increasingly hostile as they turned bright yellow with Hawk Eyes. Her own bloodlust, as far as Zeke could sense, was stronger compared to before. This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. Perhaps it was because being in the dungeon was causing a sense of panic and dread throughout the time, but Zeke noticed that Mikella had become increasingly dangerous now. The tiger, however, refused to back down as it growled, slowly walking across in front of them while letting out deep snarls. Mikella did the same, slowly stepping to the opposite side. She knew that as long as Zeke was there, she had no reason to worry for Clara¡¯s safety as she gladly tackled the tiger¡¯s challenge by dashing first. But the tiger reacted quickly with a sudden turn of its neck, biting against her sword¡¯s blade. Thankfully, the sharp fangs didn¡¯t hit anywhere near Mikella, but her arms shook from the pressure. Or rather, that¡¯s how it looked to be, but Mikella knew exactly where she landed. She raised her foot and kicked the tiger in the abdomen. Her force was strong enough to push the tiger straight into a tree, then she rushed in and thrust her sword into the tiger with a decisive strike. The blade not only pierced the hulking figure of the tiger right through, but also the tree. It couldn¡¯t handle the power as the tree fell over along with the now bloodied tiger. Surprisingly enough, the tiger¡¯s body still held on. Blood poured from its open wound, showing its last legs. Before the tiger could open its mouth to roar in pain, Mikella finished it off with a quick decapitation, killing the tiger before it could even do a thing. Just like that, their first battle in this new world outside of the tower was over. It barely lasted a few seconds. The tiger¡¯s corpse laid there while Zeke canceled the barrier, letting himself and the cheering Clara out of there. They found Mikella swinging her sword, flicking the blood away from the blade with ease.
You have defeated Razer-Tooth Tiger, Level 12. You have gained experience points.
¡°Nice job,¡± Zeke congratulated, getting a smile from Mikella. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I¡¯m honestly kind of bummed how easy that was,¡± Mikella shrugged. ¡°It was a giant tiger, and it was even level 12. But it was easier than fighting the knights.¡± ¡°It had lots of weak spots,¡± Zeke mentioned, which Mikella nodded, aided by her Hawk Eyes as he continued. ¡°Unlike before where the knights can just keep going forever, this monster got weak thanks to the injuries you gave it.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ good point,¡± Mikella nodded. ¡°So, what do you think it¡¯ll drop?¡± Zeke eagerly went over to the corpse, neither of them caring who got the loot. They shared everything, anyways. If there was something that Mikella needed, Zeke would happily hand it to her. It was his code either way when playing MMO¡¯s. Even if he could keep it for himself to sell, it just felt wrong not giving it to someone who desperately needed it, especially if they were farming for that item for not just hours, but even days and weeks. He laid a hand on the corpse, getting the prompt. He only then realized that unlike the knights, blood was everywhere. It wasn¡¯t his own or Mikella¡¯s, but from something else. It was jarring at first, but after being privy to knowing what it''s like to get hurt in life or death combat, he honestly felt better that it wasn¡¯t his blood for once. Man, that is depressing if I think about it, Zeke thought as he shook it off and went ahead with the looting. As the body disappeared, he thanked the system that they didn¡¯t have to go as far as burying the body or burning it. He would feel weird about it even if it was a monster, at least according to what the system told him. He then had another morbid thought whether human beings would be the same. The corpse just disappeared in a smoky trail, disappearing into the void and leaving everything it had on it. If he died in this world by someone¡¯s hand, would he end up the same? Even worse, what if it was Mikella? Or Clara? He couldn¡¯t really enjoy the next loot drop with that horrid thought, but it wasn¡¯t really all that impressive. What dropped was what looked like furred cloth pleasantly folded. He picked it up then brought it over to Mikella, the official owner of this strange rug. ¡°I think it dropped its hide or something,¡± Zeke said, and Mikella took it for herself to observe. ¡°Oh, wow, it¡¯s warm¡­¡± Mikella said in surprise. ¡°I figured it would be filled with blood or guts or something¡­ hey, maybe we can use this to dry ourselves off!¡± Mikella seemed ecstatic at the idea of using this as a towel. While Zeke didn¡¯t really see much of an excitement from that, the way Mikella showed the hide to Clara and letting her feel it, he could see that both the girls were ecstatic to find it. ¡°It¡¯s so fluffy,¡± Clara said, feeling the hide for herself and giggling. ¡°I know, right? We can use this for a blanket!¡± ¡°A blanket!¡± Clara cried ecstatically. Zeke hummed to that. Now that there was a day and night, it¡¯s clear that they needed to rest. With the way things are now, they don¡¯t have to worry about getting attacked at night thanks to his barrier. For once, they can actually go to sleep without worry. As they went on with the day, still trying to find any path forward to any civilization, they stumbled upon what they can only describe as a lucky break. A small and clear lake, practically an oasis between the dense forest. The area was actually hidden beneath some of the larger hills, making this a good place to rest without worrying about getting spotted by monsters. Not that they have to worry about Zeke¡¯s barriers protecting them. But it was nice to not be seen while relaxing. His barriers can protect them, but they are like see- through glass. Not exactly comforting for the girls. Zeke offered the girls to go ahead and wash themselves off. Though Zeke was just as exhausted and needing a wash, he felt awkward taking the first bath so he gladly gave them first dibs. Instead, he decided to focus on his status as usual. After looking at it, he realized that he still had several free points after his level increase with the wyvern.
Name: Zeke Parlow (Death Swindler) Race: Human Novice: Level 8 STR: 6 DEX: 10 INT: 20 SPI: 26 VIT: 14 END: 14 Free Points: 4 General Skills: Mana Perception (U) Level 5 Pain Resistance (U) Level 4 Meditation (C) Level 3 Acquired Skills: Barrier Craft (R) Level 5 Recovery (R) Level 2 Title Skill: Not Today (T), Level 1 (Maxed)
He was astounded by the amount of points compared to before, and he knew they were mostly from his increases with his skill leveling on top of attaining another title. To say that he was lucky was an understatement. Though he wouldn¡¯t wish the kind of luck he had to anybody else. That would just be too cruel. The thing he needed to focus on now however is what to do with his remaining points. His Spirit stat is already pretty high, though no doubt he could always get more, but now that they were out in the wilderness, perhaps some points in any physical attribute is better? His Endurance is catching up along with Vitality, so he doesn¡¯t have to worry much about that. The only attribute that seemed ignored entirely was Strength and Dexterity. Strength was a given¨Cas a self-proclaimed mage, there was no need to put points into a physical attribute when his real power is through magic. Not to mention, he doesn¡¯t have a single offensive spell in his arsenal. It doesn¡¯t look like there¡¯s a limit to what kind of spells he can learn, so he would prefer to at least support Mikella while staying behind the barrier with Clara. There was his Intelligence, which could be pointed at the increase in his magical abilities. He didn¡¯t feel smarter, but he did feel like he could get his thoughts in order faster. Whether or not it actually increased his magical might was the real question. His skills mention that they rely not just on their own levels, but their attributes as well. Looking back at their description, he doesn¡¯t have a single one that relies on his Intelligence. So it felt kinda pointless. And finally, there was Dexterity. There was no question about it. He might need to be fast in case he needed to run away with Clara in case something could break his barrier. Without really questioning it any further, he put all his points into Dexterity, raising it to 14. He didn¡¯t feel¡­ any faster at all. He felt the rush of energy, the power, but that was about it. If he had an evasion or running skill, it could easily affect it. But for now, he shrugged it off and closed his status. Before he knew it, he felt someone hug him tightly, making him realize that it was none other than a naked Clara. ¡°Bobo!¡± Clara shouted with glee to which Zeke nearly reeled back in horror. He wasn¡¯t afraid of the naked child, but afraid someone might misunderstand the situation if anyone watched. He could only blame his deranged generation from his old world for putting this mentality onto him. ¡°Clara! Stop that, put your clothes back on!¡± Zeke immediately froze at the idea of an also naked Mikella, but he couldn¡¯t help himself and turned around to find her¡­ fully clothed. He had to admit¨Che was just a smidge disappointed. Mikella looked ready to be in full panic mode, trying to grasp the running Clara after she ran away from Zeke to get away from her big sister. ¡°No! It¡¯s too dirty!¡± Clara declared, hugging herself as though wearing the dirty yellow dress was wrought with garbage. ¡°We¡¯ll clean it up later, but right now you need to get dressed! You¡¯re bothering Zeke!¡± ¡°Bobo won¡¯t mind, right?¡± Clara turned to Zeke, hoping for some confirmation. ¡°No, I definitely mind. Please put the dress on, Clara,¡± Zeke said with absolute solemnity. He was definitely not going to leave a naked little girl around. Who knows what other strange psychopath could be watching them? Though if a human being was around, that would be great to get out of this situation, but he didn¡¯t like the idea of Clara¡¯s bare body being exposed for the world to see. ¡°See? Now put it on,¡± Mikella said with finality. Clara could only grumble as she was forced to put the dress on. Now that he thought about it, they really had no spare clothes. Not even after going through the tower for days on end did they find any decent clothes to wear. They had the armor parts from the knights, but they were extremely uncomfortable to wear on a daily basis. Their former clothes were tattered and broken, but Mikella somehow managed to make the best of it by ripping off some of the burnt parts of her clothes and adjusting the size. Now she was exposing more of her skin than usual, but mostly around her forelegs and arms. She also had her slim and fit stomach showing, revealing the toned muscle she built up. Zeke felt guilty that despite having a barrier to protect himself, Mikella had to fight on her own. He hoped that they could find something to remedy the situation soon. He won¡¯t truly relax until they find a town or some city to stay in. Then they could at least figure out a way to deal with this situation. ¡°Zeke, why don¡¯t you go ahead?¡± Mikella said right after dressing Clara up with the best of her abilities. Even the dress was changed slightly, thanks to Mikella¡¯s ingenuity, getting it to be more travel-focused with a shorter hem and a tighter grip on Clara¡¯s torso. ¡°Go for what?¡± Zeke asked, confused. Mikella only frowned at him. ¡°Go and take a bath. You¡¯re a total mess. I¡¯ll do something with your clothes so take them off. Oh, but you can clean your underwear yourself.¡± ¡°What?¡± Zeke said, but then realized what she meant after looking at himself. He was surprised he ignored his pitiful state for so long. ¡°Bobo is stinky. Go take a bath, stinky!¡± Clara declared, something that clearly the two girls realized as even Mikella grinned with affirmation. ¡°Hey, I don¡¯t stink!¡± Zeke said, half-joking and half-curious. To check, he went ahead to take a whiff at his exposed pit by raising his arm. What resulted was a smell worse than death itself. His face scrunched up in pure disgust as he couldn¡¯t believe that his human body could actually produce such a smell. Burns and sweat and blood on top of that; it really made him rank. ¡°Hahahaha!¡± Clara and Mikella laughed at his face, which was an amalgamation of disgust, horror, and ready to hurl at any moment. ¡°Okay, okay, you guys make a good point¡­¡± Zeke said, giving up as he decided to do just that. It ended with Zeke taking a longer bath than usual at the lake. While Mikella did her best to get as much water as she could, Zeke was at a life-and-death battle himself to get rid of the stink he was producing. Truly, what a battle it was. Ch25: What Bobo means After finding the lake, the three went on to explore the forest. To their surprise, they also found some fruits and nuts to eat on the way. Though it was obvious that compared to the ones they found in the pantry of the tower, these particular fruits and nuts weren¡¯t all that savory. A little dry, even. Still, it was good to know that they can find something to eat on the way. Hence they decided to drop eating the valuable Attribute fruits. It was only used as their last resort to eat anything, but now that they can scavenge for food, they can save these for any potential emergencies. Throughout the way, they found some more beasts to slay. This time, it was several boars in a pack together, all aiming to maim them with their tusks. Mikella dealt with them one by one, making the fight a lot easier to manage. Though Zeke kept up with her, conjuring a barrier right before a boar was readying to ram Mikella while she was busy stabbing its brethren. As soon as the boar was stopped, Mikella noticed the disturbance behind her and swiftly punctured the boar right after the barrier disappeared. Unless Zeke was imagining it, it was like Mikella knew exactly when the barrier was conjured, and when to strike as soon as the barrier was down. He did hear her say that she can also sense Mana, but so far the only magic she could sense was his. If that¡¯s the case, then he could conjure a barrier whenever he could and Mikella can easily tell where it was even without watching it. To him, that¡¯s an incredible ability as it made fighting together a lot easier.
You have defeated Tusk Boar (x3), Level 10. You have gained experience points
When the boars were slain, they dropped some hides like the tiger did. Even better, some even dropped meat to eat. It was strange, but the meat was just laying there, already dressed and cleaned off of blood. They¡¯re gonna have to see if it¡¯s even edible, and Mikella herself wasn¡¯t all that keen on trying the meat just yet. So for now, nuts and fruits are the way to go. As for the hides, they¡¯ll be used as replacement clothing when they find somewhere to rest and relax. Once they were done sorting the loot, Mikella had a notification which she eagerly showed off.
Sword Mastery Level Up! It is now Level 4. You have gained +1 DEX from your skill.
¡­..
Hawk Eyes Level Up! It is now Level 2. You have gained +2 STR from your skill. You have gained +1 DEX from your skill.
¡­..
Name: Mikella Ashton (Opportunist) Race: Human Novice: Level 8 STR: 19 DEX: 23 INT: 6 SPI: 5 VIT: 11 END: 16 Free Points: 0 General Skills: Sword Mastery (C), Level 4 Pain Resistance (U), Level 2 Meditation (C), Level 2 Acquired Skills: Acrobatics (R), Level 2 Hawk Eyes (R), Level 2 Title Skill: Not-Lucky Shot (T), Level 1 (Maxed)
Zeke¡¯s eyes widened at the physical increases shown before him. Mikella also knew exactly what she showed as a sly grin flashed on her face. ¡°I¡¯m just getting stronger and stronger. I might even be able to carry you like you do with Clara.¡± ¡°Hah, hah,¡± Zeke laughed bitterly, ignoring the bitter envy coiling his insides. ¡°Hey, if anything, this is a good thing.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Mikella giggled, knowing full well she touched a nerve, but she brought them back to the main topic. ¡°But I also noticed that our levels stayed the same¡­ why is that?¡± ¡°I was wondering about that too¡­¡± Despite the hours passing by and taking out as many knights and beasts as possible, they still haven¡¯t leveled up after facing the wyvern. There was also the fact that their levels remained exactly the same as each other¡¯s. He can understand their levels being the same, since they were in a sort of unofficial party and all, but they haven¡¯t leveled up once. Then he had a thought. ¡°Perhaps the tower was also giving us way more experience than it should be?¡± Zeke prompted, getting Mikella to nod in agreement. ¡°It¡¯s strange if you think about it,¡± Mikella said, using her hands to gesture. ¡°I mean, the knights weren¡¯t exactly tough opponents. Sure, they were scary to face at just level 1, but later on they became easier to manage. After beating that wyvern, the only challenge were the knights that increased in numbers.¡± ¡°Do you think it also affected how we gained the skill books?¡± Zeke asked, though he never felt any doubt that it was the tower that rewarded them the skills, not the system. But now that they got out and faced one monster after another, it started to make sense. ¡°The drops were also pretty suspicious if you think about it. A powerful barrier, a skill that makes me superhuman, a healing skill for you, and eyes that can see weaknesses¡­ I got a feeling these aren¡¯t ordinary skills. I¡¯m really starting to think that it was some sort of weird¡­ tutorial for us,¡± Mikella offered, her face blanching just by the mention. ¡°It was probably the worst tutorial I¡¯ve ever had to go through,¡± Zeke muttered, rubbing his former broken arm despite it being already healed. ¡°Even famous hardcore games had signs left by other players on how to play.¡± ¡°Oh, I remember playing them for a bit. Those were pretty fun,¡± Mikella grinned. ¡°Of course you did,¡± Zeke snorted. ¡°That doesn¡¯t surprise me at all, actually.¡± ¡°How¡¯d you figure?¡± Mikella said as she flicked her sword aside, the blood from the boar being splattering away without a second thought. All the while a curious look was plastered on her innocent face. ¡°Just a guess,¡± He smirked. He then shifted to a serious face as he continued. ¡°If all that¡¯s true, then that means someone is trying to prepare us for something. I just don¡¯t know what.¡± This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. Mikella stared at him, a set of complicated emotions wrestling control as her face remained neutral. Zeke grimaced as he continued. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t matter. It won¡¯t change the fact that we¡¯re here now, and we have a duty to do. Right now, our main goal is to survive¨Ceasy, we¡¯ve done that plenty of times before.¡± Mikella nodded, having no reason to disagree with that notion. ¡°We¡¯ll find a place, a town or something, and get some information.¡± ¡°We also need to find a safe place to put Clara in while we go out and find a way out of here,¡± Mikella suggested, prompting Zeke to nod. He honestly can¡¯t imagine anyone in this world, especially themselves, to be okay with grabbing a ten year old child around in dangerous adventures. Just being in that tower against her will was enough to possibly traumatize her for life. She seemed ecstatic now, but who knew what she could be thinking? The idea alone made Zeke guilty. If he was better at protecting her, then perhaps filling her mind with scars would have been avoided. But he put that aside for now. ¡°Sissy, Bobo, I¡¯m hungry.¡± Clara declared, whining as she tugged on Mikella¡¯s new short pants. She had to use whatever cloth was left over to ensure her shame. ¡°Oh, then let¡¯s eat something. Wait for a bit, okay?¡± Mikella asked, and being an understanding girl, Clara nodded. Taking the time to take a break, they sat down and ate some fruits that they found. They even went ahead to try to start a fire, which was easy thanks to Mikella¡¯s incredible abilities to literally make fire by rubbing the two rocks they found hard enough to start the campfire. It wasn¡¯t time to sleep yet, and there was still plenty of daylight, but a small break once or twice is the least they deserve. During that time of peace and quiet, Zeke realized something. He still had no clue what the hell was a ¡®Bobo¡¯. Ever so slowly, while Clara was distracted eating the hard meat with her teeth, Zeke whispered to Mikella who was just about to eat her own meat, a still look of a grimace marking her worry over the meal. ¡°Hey, uhh, Mikella?¡± Zeke asked, catching her attention. ¡°What does she mean when she calls me ¡®Bobo¡¯? Any idea?¡± Mikella widened her eyes at that. Zeke wondered whether it was some form of family secret or something, but Mikella only sheepishly smiled as she replied in the same volume as him. ¡°Umm¡­She always had difficulty saying the word ¡®sister¡¯ when she was little, so in the end she called me Sissy. So when she¡¯s calling you ¡®Bobo¡¯, I assume that¡¯s her trying to call you ¡®brother¡¯.¡± His mind froze. The words ¡®brother¡¯ echoed in his head more often than it should, and it brought forth a whole slew of emotions. He didn¡¯t know what it was at first. He looked down at the ground, letting the words sink into his brain, then to his being. Unlike a sibling relationship he knew since childhood, a brother is someone you trusted, someone who grew up with you, who knows you better than anyone else. And now Clara considered him as a brother. Someone who was a total stranger to her just a few days ago now trusted him enough to be considered part of her family. Someone like him. Someone who after knowing himself all his life to be inadequate is trusted enough to be called a brother. Not even with his own real siblings did he ever feel like this. This realization sinked in, not even realizing that his eyes were starting to blur. ¡°A-Are you crying?¡± Mikella asked in surprise and concern, looking over at his face with widened brows. ¡°No¡­ I¡¯m just really tired,¡± Zeke lied. He couldn¡¯t hold it back. He didn¡¯t know the reason, yet his emotions were going haywire and rebelling against his common sense. Why would a grown man cry about a child calling him a brother? It wasn¡¯t even the proper word being used. Still, his heart wrenched in emotions that were seeped in memories he wished to forget. He lowered his head, avoiding everyone¡¯s eye contact as he tried to wrestle control back into himself. He was thankful that he didn¡¯t start sobbing, because otherwise that would be extremely difficult to play off. Not that it didn¡¯t help much with his embarrassment as Mikella grabbed hold of his right shoulder, hugging him tightly to herself. ¡°Hey, everything¡¯s okay,¡± Mikella said gently, her voice the same tone she would use for Clara. ¡°Take it easy. Let it pass.¡± Easy for her to say. He was the only man of the group. While he won¡¯t put down the importance of settling his emotions, he needed to be strong for them. Yet the tears still flowed. Eventually the one person who shouldn¡¯t be seeing him like this started asking. ¡°Bobo? Are you hurt? You¡¯re crying¡­¡± Clara asked, worry in her tone of voice. Zeke couldn''t even answer before Mikella took over. ¡°It¡¯s fine, sweetie. Zeke is just very happy right now.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Clara asked, sounding more puzzled and doubtful, but Zeke didn¡¯t notice as he tried desperately to hide his face. ¡°Some people express emotions differently from others. Some can be so happy that they start crying. Now show some decency and look away.¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± Just like that, Clara did so, leaving Zeke alone. He didn¡¯t know how to take this. The fact that he started crying, about how Mikella saved his image, and how Clara just seemed so genuinely confused and worried for him. It was all too much for him. He never felt any of these emotions before. It was too much. ¡­.. Night had arrived when they found another small indent on the ground, covered around with trees and bigger hills which made it a perfect place for some rest. While it didn¡¯t have a lake like before, they currently didn¡¯t need a wash so it was fine. Mikella had already started making the camp which was proven to be very easy when you have enough physical points out the wazoo. Meanwhile, Zeke used a lot of his mana to put up a barrier around them. He assured the girls that as long as nothing super powerful comes knocking at their doorstep, this barrier won¡¯t break even while everyone¨Cincluding him¨Cslept through the night. Strangely, his mana hasn¡¯t been used up all that much after making the dome. He swore he could easily recover back the mana after getting the rest and the barrier would still be up. Eventually, the stars above showed as something surprising revealed in the night sky. Much like what they expected, that very same studded sun became a studded moon, this time giving off a gentle light that was easy to look at, and more importantly, provide some ample lighting across. It was a strange sight to behold, and Zeke would¡¯ve guessed that it might have been easier to digest if there were multiple moons or even multiple suns in this fantasy-like world. But it was like seeing an abstract-shaped lamp turning into different lights throughout the day. As the hours passed, everyone went to sleep. Clara was the first to go to sleep in Mikella¡¯s arms, the two resting underneath the tiger pelt that they took as the loot. It was expected that the hide would be an excellent use for a blanket as the night air quickly became chilly. Not even the burning flames in front of them could stave off the cold, but it was as though the hide was enchanted as being dressed up underneath was almost like having a heater within. And somehow Zeke found himself resting right near the girls underneath the same blanket. Hell, even Clara was sleeping next to him with her sister on the other side. He wanted to avoid as much physical contact as possible, being an older man and all. But it seemed impossible at this point. Eventually, he couldn¡¯t hold himself back and ended up brushing Clara¡¯s hair. When he thought Mikella might crush his fingers for it at some point, she ended up smiling as she nestled closer with Clara with a satisfied look. She ended up sleeping as well, leaving Zeke alone with his thoughts. He recalled the time he figured out what ¡®Bobo¡¯ means, and what it represented. At first, it was so daunting that he ended up crying. But now, once the whole slew of emotions rampaging inside of him dispersed, only a single emotion laid bare. Resolution. He never felt so secure in himself, and so confident before. Fear and anxiety still took priority, but now there was a strange foundation deep within everything. He realized this the moment he found the courage to face death as he let the others live. He didn¡¯t think he was big enough of a man to actually pull it off, but it just felt so natural to him. Who on earth would let a little girl and her big sister die when he could be the one to do it instead? And more importantly, figure a way out of there himself eventually? That alone brought him the realization after thinking about the word ¡®brother¡¯. He had what it takes to take care of the girls beside him. He stood still, staring at the girls who were resting beside him. Despite everything they went through, the fact that they can rest easily like this was proof that his barrier was doing the trick. Or rather, that they can trust him well enough to rest like this. I still don¡¯t think I¡¯m good enough. Despite those thoughts being at the forefront, he made his resolve. He will protect these two. He will find a way out for them to go home and help them find happiness. That¡¯s what he believed a big brother should do for his family. Ch26: Suprising visit A loud roar echoed, and soon a whole array of screams and shouts filled the turbulent air. The giant quadruped beast lashed out with heavily muscled claws, hitting some of the soldiers in an instant. Blood flowed like water, but their defensive skills helped them survive, but only barely. She knew she had to act. There will be no fatalities on her watch. Valerie rushed ahead, her high Dexterity getting the job done. The four-legged wolf noticed her coming as though by instinct and roared back, pushing itself straight into her for a head-on crash. Val twisted mid-movement, aided by years of combat. Her legs pushed her off to the sky, gravity barely an inconvenience as she landed on the beast. The monster tried to push her off, but it was as though she had her own claws digging deep into the beast as she didn¡¯t even stumble before plunging her spear straight into the back of the beast. The beast roared in pain, and something different occurred. Red aura seeped out of the creature, a wave of nasty chills ran down her skin. Being married to a mage, she knew this all too well. Magic! She didn¡¯t stop despite the potential danger. Those who have a sense for Mana knew exactly what was about to occur as they rushed the melee fighters out of there. She kept plunging the spear at the base of the neck, trying to kill it faster. As the aura continued to pour out, Mana ready for a combustion beyond anything they had witnessed, Val activated her old-time skills. Her spear glowed with a sanguine light as she made one final strike¨Cforcing the creature to stop moving for just a second. Then, several spots of the sanguine glow began to pierce through several parts of the creature¡¯s body. Eventually the light became so strong that it lit up the entire battlefield. Val kept going, pouring more energy into her strike. Then, when she figured the creature was finally done ¡®cooking¡¯, she released herself from the back and jumped off. She landed gracefully on the ground, gazing at the formerly live creature. It was now filled to the brim with smoking holes, blood pouring out of the former husk of itself. Val let out a tired and frustrated breath. That creature had some good looking hide and possibly rare materials to harvest. Perhaps even some good meat for the people of her town. But if one destroyed the body too much, the loot drop would get heavily affected. Her skill basically cooked it to smithereens, leaving nothing behind. I¡¯m pretty sure Cloud is gonna get upset, Val said, making an acute frown that doesn¡¯t seem that upset. Eh, I¡¯ll just pull out the good ole¡¯ cutesy face and he¡¯ll forgive me. She had a good laugh to herself, but it was really all she could do as another fight was over. Another two weeks have passed since then, and the horde has gotten worse. Now everytime a horde would come in, a powerful monster like she just faced would come forward and cause some trouble. And these monsters weren¡¯t just strong physically. Each one seemed as though they had a special ability, and this one that she killed recently was just one of the random magical ones that would make an explosion if left alone. The worst she got was one or two paralyzers, causing some potential harm to her soldiers and eventually making them unfit for battle. They barely got any healers, so having anyone taken down with a serious affliction would severely hamper their defensive states. Sometimes it would take weeks to recover even more than half of their original power. If this was a battle of attrition, then even losing one soldier would cause mayhem and destruction within her town, as not only they would lose potential fighters, but also morale for the entire town. It was bad enough that the hordes don''t seem to cease and instead are getting stronger, but if people were to die on top of that, not even Val and Cloud can assure their people that things will get better. The other soldiers ran in to loot the beast. Even if Val was the one that killed it, she always let the others take the loot if possible. For her level, the monster¡¯s loot were nothing for her, but it was basically treasure for the lower level soldiers. Still, she grew frustrated that even if she was in a sorry state, she should¡¯ve been able to easily take the monster down without using any skill. Unfortunately, her body hasn¡¯t recovered enough before the hordes would come in. Val squeezed the bridge of her nose tightly. She was getting tired. Not physically or mentally, as her stats just wouldn¡¯t allow that. Just tired at the idea that this will keep on without any due cause, and how apparently nobody is around to help them out. There¡¯s only so much that people in this town can do despite having powerful leaders in charge. ¡°Captain!¡± One of the soldiers, Myra, ran up and saluted. ¡°I¡¯m glad that you¡¯re alright. Do you need any assistance?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m quite alright,¡± Val smiled back. Compared to before, Myra and the other members of her squad had leveled up significantly. But more than anything, she was glad that she still got to see that young face of hers alive and well, rather than cold and pale¨Cunmoving. ¡°Is anyone else alright?¡± ¡°We had some casualties on our side. Some had their arms or legs broken, but they¡¯re getting taken care of now by the healers.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Val nodded. Compared to losing them, it was better for them to stay off the battlefield instead. That way, not only can they rest their bodies, but their minds as well, making them available to fight the moment they return. ¡°That¡¯s good news.¡± ¡°There are also some that were affected by status afflictions. Some are paralyzed and they might not fight again in a few days.¡± ¡°Ugh,¡± Val shook her head. ¡°Of course there would be problems. They¡¯re not heavily injured, are they?¡± ¡°If they are, they probably won¡¯t be feeling it.¡± ¡°Hah,¡± Val chuckled, but she quickly admonished herself. ¡°That¡¯s in bad taste.¡± ¡°You still laughed!¡± Myra chuckled. ¡°Captain! There is something going on over at the western gate!¡± Just as she was about to relax mentally for a bit despite the news, she immediately perked up. Her eyes sharpened, changing back to her Captain self. ¡°What¡¯s happening? Is there another monster attack?¡± They were currently at the north side of the town, as there are four gates that lead in and out of the city. Two of the gates were closed down and heavily modified to defend against even a boss monster, so most of their forces were at the west and north side. Those directions were the closest to any of the nearby towns and villages, allowing some traders to come in and out without much issue. Of course, none of the merchants came in at all thanks to the hordes, which was becoming a major chore to deal with the lack of the supplies. ¡°No, no monsters at all, but¡­ we believe they may be invaders!¡± Val creased her brows at that one. That was a first in a while, and even more so considering that their town was still under siege protocol, so there wouldn¡¯t be anything of worth taking from as the supplies would run out. In fact, anyone with their right minds wouldn''t bother to attack their town knowing Val, Cloud, and Zacharia being there. It would just be foolish. ¡°That¡¯s crazy,¡± Myra pretty much exclaimed what Val was thinking. ¡°How can anyone think of invading us?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t really know myself, but I do know that the soldiers over there are already trying to put them down. Thing is, it¡¯s been several minutes but they¡¯re still alive. I think they¡¯re holding up with a defensive line.¡± Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°A defensive line¡­?¡± Val asked, creasing her brows further. That would be even stranger if they were truly invaders. Then, the worst thought flashed in her mind. Myra also understood a second later, turning her panicked eyes at Val.. ¡°Captain! They could be knights!¡± ¡°Oh no¡­¡± Val muttered, slowly going pale. ¡°I¡¯ll get there right away!¡± With that, Val knelt just a foot below before suddenly jumping upwards into the open air. She blasted through the sky. She left behind a small shockwave, the other¡¯s hair and loose cloth getting blown away. Val will apologize for that later, but right now, the worst thing that could possibly happen is possibly happening right now. Cloud believed that the knights might pay attention to this ordeal, but that would be more trouble than it''s worth. The knights from the nearby provinces should know their status, but they also know that it is still part of the kingdom¡¯s borders that has potential resources to use for their soldiers and development. But it was even more valuable now that Cloud and Val were there. Their reputation alone is enough to warrant anyone to take control of this small land where their town is. It was something akin to taking something that someone else had, no matter how childish that may be. Though even the other cities under the kingdom¡¯s rule know not to mess with them if they don¡¯t intend on getting put on trial by their own laws. But if their knights came over for some reason and were bombarded by a bunch of exhausted and weary soldiers¨Cthose that have just been in a life or death horde battle¨Cit would become an entirely different matter. The knights would assume the town is waging war against their fiefdoms. If they managed to turn the situation in their favor, they could get away with making it a self-defense. Not only would their daily lives be at risk, but there¡¯s no telling what those fiefdoms might do to the citizens in their town. Houses would get burned, their belongings taken. Perhaps even their children. Val¡¯s face sharpened, her jaw locked at the potential threat this may cause. If the damage was too far gone, then she might not have a choice. She can¡¯t leave behind any witnesses that would go between hers and everyone¡¯s livelihoods. Finally, after jumping about from roof to roof of the buildings across town, she saw the commotion happening on the western side of the gate. There were soldiers with their hands raised, their spells at the ready. The melee fighters with their spears and swords ready to plunge into their guts. It was already starting to go from bad to worse at the amount of power being put behind those spells. As she landed on top of the building right near the fort, she breathed in air straight to her lungs, and activated her kinetic energy to amplify her voice twofold. ¡°Stop! Cease your fire!¡± Val shouted, her voice reaching the levels of megaphone speaking to them from above. The mages firing immediately ceased, and every soldier turned back to find Val right there. She landed onto the ground without making a single sound and walked towards the massive group before her. Each soldier, recognizing her appearance, each saluted in turn to her, but she wasn¡¯t pleased at all. ¡°What¡¯s this I hear about invaders?¡± Val shouted, her face still sharpened to the point of looking like a predator whose meal had been interrupted. ¡°Have you considered who they are? Why are they here? Why are you all suddenly attacking them!?¡± One of the soldiers ran over to her with a flustered face. ¡°Captain! We suddenly spotted very strange people coming out of the forest. They looked like mad savages, and one of the soldiers immediately hit them with a spell, thinking it was a monster.¡± That only caused Val to grimace. Thankfully it wasn¡¯t the knights, but then that would mean the soldier from earlier made an incorrect assumption, ¡°You¡¯re saying they looked like savages, but were they people?¡± Val asked, getting the soldiers to nod. She can understand if the soldiers were confused if they dressed strangely. Still, she creased her brows. ¡°But if that¡¯s the case, why the bombardment? Isn¡¯t that overkill?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the thing, Captain,¡± The soldier seemed just as perplexed, scratching his bearded face in confusion. ¡°Not only did they manage to survive, but one of them even tried going after the gate all by herself. She took down one soldier after another, and eventually it became what it is now.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Val reacted in horror. ¡°How many were killed?¡± ¡°Thankfully, all of them were just knocked out. However, at this rate we¡¯re going¡­¡± The soldier couldn¡¯t really keep going as Val lost interest in the topic and decided to go in herself. Deciding to let her take the lead, the other soldiers granted her passage. None of this made sense. If they were able to still live, then that would mean they were extremely powerful to defend themselves. Even more so if only one of them managed to take down some of the knights. Sure, some of the knights here were still below Level 30¨Csome lower than level 20¨C, but against only one person? When she passed through the crowd of soldiers with pale looks on their faces, Val instantly noticed the strangeness going on. There were three of her soldiers, two men and one woman that were tired and haggard, getting beaten by none other than a single¨Calso tired and haggard¨Cwoman wearing extremely strange furs on her person. Her weapon of choice, surprisingly, was an immaculate steel sword that seemed to have been made with the finest of materials. She didn¡¯t know how that girl got it, but it was certainly more than powerful to handle the meager weapons the soldiers were using against her. However, what surprised her the most was not her strange clothing or her weapons, but her movements. They were sharp and precise as she landed blow after blow on the knights, not using her sword blade to strike, but to guard against the soldier¡¯s bladed weapons as she instead used the long blade for support. Each time she deflected one strike, the girl landed a quick blow to their shins with a punch, causing them to kneel then beat them senseless with a roundhouse kick. Then she would twirl, using the blade distraction to ward off the other two, then continue her onslaught. As more soldiers came to try and take care of her now that the spells were gone, the more that girl shone through. ¡°What is going on?¡± Val asked. She definitely never saw this girl before, nor can she tell what her origins were. Was she even part of this kingdom? But soon one spell after another began to bombard the girl, surprising Val. She was sure she stopped them, but considering that the girl never stopped fighting, the mages had little choice. Val was just about to reach there to stop the fighting, but then mana began to churn around the air above the sword woman, causing Val to stop in her tracks. A wall of shimmering turquoise light appeared above the girl, stopping the spells immediately. Val had to take a second glance at it to see it properly for herself. It was a powerful barrier, for certain, enough to protect against the mages¡¯ spells made for attacking hordes. Val traced the mana to the one who conjured it, finally spotting the mage supporting the swordwoman. It was a young man, seemingly the same age as the girl, and he looked just as bad as her when it came to wearing furs on their person. His hand was outstretched and his forehead was riddled with sweat. Just like the girl, his face was concentrated in focus, or rather in rage, as he seemingly knelt down to¡­ take hold of someone small and short. Val¡¯s eyes widened in horror. They had an actual child in their midst. ¡°Stop! Stop!¡± Val shouted, her voice reaching everyone this time. ¡°Stop shooting! They are not our enemies! They have a child there!¡± ¡­..Mikella was not having the best of days, though it wasn¡¯t as bad as the time in the tower. Now she was getting bombarded with magic spells after finally spotting a town filled with civilization. At first, they tried to approach them calmly despite their appearance. Finally finding a town after Zeke used his barriers to make a literal staircase to check above, they decided to¡­ dress for the occasion. Which is to say they dressed themselves up in all the fur and pelts that they collected throughout their two weeks of foraging and hunting. They didn¡¯t have many tools to sew, so they went medieval and just tied them together to cover themselves. They spent two whole weeks traveling through the large forest, so their clothing were practically non-existent. Though the hides barely served anything else other than to hide their shame. It was itchy, hot to wear, and incredibly uncomfortable. Still, she would rather wear the crappily made fur suit they made instead of showing up in town bare naked. But despite trying to dress themselves and appear as less threatening as possible, which was already difficult as it is with their wretched appearance¨Cthe people at the gate suddenly attacked them with a sneak attack of a spell. A freaking fireball was slung right at them, and if Zeke didn¡¯t conjure up a barrier in time, all of them would¡¯ve been burned, including Clara with no resistances whatsoever. That alone brought Mikella over the edge as she immediately defended themselves once the soldiers realized that they still lived and attacked. Since then, they¡¯ve been fighting the knights that just seemed to spawn like monsters over and over, with Zeke working overtime to provide barriers from the spells trying to kill them all. Then, finally, a powerful voice echoed out and caught everyone¡¯s attention, including the trio. What came out was the source of that voice, and despite herself and all of her experiences, she almost dropped her sword. A woman came out of the wooden ramparts¡¯ gates. Mikella wasn¡¯t into women by any means, but even she dropped her jaw at the sight of her. A tall figure with shapely proportions matching beyond those of supermodels. Long black hair tied into a ponytail behind her with a sharp and defined regal face. There wasn¡¯t a single blemish on her person, and she walked forward with grace and beauty despite wearing what looked like hardened leather armor that moved as seamlessly as she did with a well-defined spear held near those swaying hips. But what truly made her stand out in Mikella¡¯s eyes was her eyes, or rather, what was in those dark green eyes¨CPure, unadulterated pressure seemed to come out in waves, almost pushing her to kneel. She realized that it was her aura, the same as the giant Arthurian Knight that almost killed them all. She wouldn¡¯t even be surprised if she found out this woman was the queen of this land, and Mikella dared to intrude in her territory. She looked back, noticing that Zeke himself was also feeling the effects. Though she almost chuckled after seeing the gaping mouth of a man witnessing an other-worldly beauty of a woman approaching them. He looked so taken aback that it helped Mikella calm down a little, facing the woman approaching her. She wasn¡¯t just beautiful. She was strong, Mikella could tell. She wasn¡¯t sure how, if she was honest, but she didn¡¯t want to piss her off. However, she glowered at her, her sword at the ready. While it may be possible that this warrior could annihilate her with her pinky, she can¡¯t give up her position. She had Clara at her back, and she couldn''t let anyone get to her. Even if it means fighting with someone clearly above her level, far beyond even what that wyvern and the giant knight can accomplish. ¡°May I ask who you are?¡± Val asked, tilting her head slightly as she addressed Mikella. Ch27: Welcome to Eve Glade Val wasn¡¯t surprised that they would be shell shocked to see her come out. Most citizens underleveled would feel the same way, especially those that don¡¯t realize that one¡¯s looks can be improved dramatically by simply advancing to a higher stage. However, the swordswoman hasn¡¯t lost her grip with her sword, and instead put herself into a stance in front of her. The mage behind her also sharpened, tensing his shoulders while keeping tight of the little girl behind his back. All the while, the little girl nestled closely to the man. They certainly look like adults, but Val could only see them as children with their pitifully weak auras. Yet they were able to handle a group of exhausted soldiers after a heavy fight was involved. They were surely able to keep up with them despite how horrid they looked. Val tried to approach calmly, trying to be as least threatening as she could ¡°May I ask who you are?¡± Val asked, her tone implying no hostility to the best of her abilities. The swordswoman, possibly the one in charge, hesitated slightly before responding. ¡°Just travelers,¡± The swordswoman answered, prompting a small nod from the man behind her. ¡°We were just traveling when some bandits came around and stole our stuff. We¡¯ve been lost in this forest ever since.¡± ¡°Oh my,¡± Val exclaimed. That was certainly bad luck, but it was clear she was lying through her teeth. She didn¡¯t have any skill to figure out a lie, but she could tell that the woman¡¯s heartbeat was racing from her words. After a struggle, one can¡¯t really contain their adrenaline well, so figuring out her lies was easy for Val. So either they were lying about why they were hanging around in the forest for so long, or possibly someone stronger tried to kill them and left them as they were now. But at this point, Val just knew that these folks aren¡¯t bad. After all, bad people wouldn¡¯t try and fight a group of armed fighters to protect their young. But she can¡¯t just agree so easily. The soldiers at her back were highly charged, and if she doesn¡¯t try to make amends as much as she could, they could wind up sparking another conflict again. Val kept pushing, ensuring a good path for everyone there. ¡°I see, and so you have been traveling around the forest looking for a place to stay, right?¡± Val asked, raising her hands. ¡°But why did you end up becoming targeted by the soldiers here?¡± ¡°You tell me,¡± The swordswoman confronted. ¡°We were just about to ask if we can be let inside, rest and of course pay for any fees before one of them shot a damn fireball at us!¡± Val tried her hardest not to grimace. She was definitely not going to let that particular soldier off lightly. She also made sure that those who followed right afterwards would also get punished for this. But that''s besides the point as the swordswoman continued. ¡°And even though we tried to defend ourselves, they kept coming after us!¡± ¡°I get it, I understand,¡± Val raised her hands to console, but the young girl was just too adamant on being hostile. ¡°I can see why that would set you off, but please understand. My soldiers here have just finished off a horde of monsters that have been plaguing our town for a while now. They kept fighting monsters wanting to invade our town and harm our people. ¡°Suddenly attacking you is disrespectful, but seeing your appearance made them believe that a new form of monster has come. I hope you can forgive us for our lack of awareness.¡± Val lowered her head slightly, but not before raising it back up to properly introduce herself. ¡°My name is Valorie Mystio. I am the captain of the Eve Glade military fighting force. Oh, and Eve Glade is the name of the town we¡¯re in.¡± She made sure to give the name a proper introduction as well. Back when she helped make it, she couldn''t help but be proud of the name given. It felt nice and offered solace for those downtrodden, much like the kids before her. ¡°Will you let me know your names? Of course, that includes the cute little one beside you.¡± Val offered a friendly wave and a warm smile at the little girl beside the young man, and in return, the girl offered a wave back. She reminds her so much of her sweet little Ana, she almost knelt in joy after seeing such a cute reaction. The swordswoman noticed the interaction, her eyes widening at the girl giving a wave. After turning to find the young man staring at her back, possibly sending a message only they understood with a nod, the young woman finally put her sword away. And by that, she made the entire sword disappear, surprising not just Val but also the watching soldiers as they gasped. She instantly noticed that they had extraordinarily well-fashioned packs at their hips. Storage bags? These aren¡¯t just regular people, Val assumed. ¡°...My name is Mikella. This is Zeke, and that is my little sister, Clara.¡± She spoke the last name with a sense of warmth and love that only a family member would give. However, she was surprised. The man was introduced as though he wasn¡¯t related to them. Was he her husband? But they seem so young to be married. Was he perhaps a lover then? If so, it looked like her little sister clearly trusted him as she continued to tug harder at the man¡¯s made-up fur. Now that she took a closer look at it, they don''t seem like proper clothing at all. If anything, it¡¯s like someone melted half of the fur then forced them to each other to give the impression of clothes, but failed miserably. But she put away the thoughts. Clearly they were so down in their luck they had little choice but to dress up this way. ¡°It is a pleasure to meet you three. While I would love to take you in and give you a proper introduction, I must take you in for questioning¨Cthis is something that must be done to every new citizen that enters Eve Glade. This is for the safety of the town, I assure you.¡± That put them on guard as she expected. While the young man, known as Zeke, frowned at the idea, the young woman Mikella knitted her brows. ¡°What are you gonna question us about?¡± Surprisingly, Zeke was the one that answered. Val was taken aback by his question. Or rather, his approach. She tagged him as someone who was reasonably withdrawn , but his tone carried a bit of weight, of resolve, she imagined. I figured the girl was the one in charge, Val could only shrug. ¡°Simple things, really. Where you came from, why did you come here of all places, and to ask for any records of you committing crimes in any other town, cities, or provinces.¡± Zeke nodded at that. He seemed satisfied, and if anything, curious as to what she said. Meanwhile, Mikella went over to grab Clara¡¯s hand as she stared at Val. ¡°Clara stays with me. I won¡¯t be convinced otherwise.¡± ¡°I have no reason to refuse. Don¡¯t worry¨CI won¡¯t separate either of you. And thank you for your understanding.¡± She was thankful, truly. She was glad that Eve Glade wasn¡¯t so desperate to defend themselves that they would try and kill younger folks. She turned back to the group behind her, all waiting patiently. She also noticed the bit of shame crossing their faces. ¡°Everyone! I will take these kids for myself. Do not worry. I have things handled. For now, take a rest and cool yourselves off. Today was an example that too much fighting will cloud your judgment and make mistakes. Learn this well!¡± The soldiers all responded at once, either with cheers or roars. Val still intended on finding the one that attacked to begin with. She knew he or she must have been scared beyond their wits, but if they hope to live longer in the future, she can¡¯t let them get away without punishing them in some form. Meanwhile, she brought the kids over to the gate, noticing from their steps alone that they were tired, weary, and exhausted. They were more exhausted than they let on, tugging on Val¡¯s heartstrings. She never liked the idea of anyone fighting to the death at a young age, especially if they had no choice. I wonder if it¡¯s better to bring them to my home¡­ ehh, I¡¯m sure Cloud will be fine with it. Moving on with the plan, she smiled as she led the trio through the gate and into the town proper. ¡­.. It was a nasty experience just a few minutes ago, and now they were following a captain of the military force of all things. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. And even more, that captain was a gorgeous woman that had no reason to be so damn gorgeous. Zeke still couldn¡¯t keep his head on straight after seeing Valorie for the first time. If he had to comment on her appearance with one word alone, it would definitely be ¡®crafted¡¯. No sense of blemishes or flaws in sight, and all her¡­ proportions are way beyond any Hollywood actress Zeke had ever known. But there was also something strange about her. She seemed too beautiful, too perfect. It felt unnatural. He was certainly attracted to her, but on top of that, he felt more intimidated. Intimidated and incredibly curious as to how that was possible. Considering this world had levels and stats, he wouldn¡¯t be surprised if she, out of all the soldiers they saw while passing through, was the strongest. If anything, her aura proved just how powerful she was. He couldn¡¯t say for sure, but if it was enough to stump the battle-hardened Mikella, she was definitely powerful. He turned to Mikella as they walked through the town proper, seeing her hold the frightened Clara¡¯s hand. The town itself looked simple and pleasing to the eye. Cobbled streets connected one way or another. Several buildings were made up of clay and stone that were crafted to be a workable home, at least in Zeke¡¯s mind. It reminded him of those simple cottages in forests, except instead of being made in wood, it was made in clay and stone. There was a natural feel to them, though he can also pick up traces of mana left and right with Mana Perception. Thankfully, none of them were dangerous like back in the tower. There were also street lamps that looked the same as the one in the tower, but rather than a bulb inside one of the glass panels, it was a crude looking crystal. He was sure that they would turn themselves on when night approaches. He could see farm animals up ahead on one side as they walked. Those farm animals almost looked like farm animals with some clear differences. What looked like cows had two sets of eyes and horns jutting out of their heads. What looked like chickens looked like devil incarnates as they were brown-red and spikes flowing out of their feathers. Finally they had horses that were like the cows, except they were about double the size of an ordinary horse. They looked tame enough, thankfully, as even a young looking woman was handling them with ease while staring at them. Of course, everyone in town was staring at them. Not surprising considering that they looked like hobos that just murdered the entire tiger and boar population. Worse yet, they blasphemed their furs and hides to make this travesty of so-called fashion. The further they reached into the town, the more he realized that the aura around everyone, at least compared to this woman named Valorie, was relatively weaker by a substantial amount. It would surely be useful to have one of those highly overpowered eye skills that let him see other people¡¯s statuses, but the only thing he can guess is by the aura and the mana they produce. It was extremely strange to go through. He only learned how to read auras along with Mikella during the two weeks they¡¯ve been hunting together in the forest. It got to the point where it truly tested their patience, even getting to the point where they fought over where to go, and whether one was taking it seriously or just enjoying themselves. Zeke had to admit that he was having fun figuring out how to use his magic, but he can definitely say Mikella was also having fun beating monsters to death. Eventually it got to the point that even Clara intervened, saying that they shouldn¡¯t fight. That alone was enough to bring them to work together again, not wanting to make her upset anymore. Thankfully, they learned quite a bit about combat. But despite two weeks of hunting monsters on a daily basis, they only leveled up once.
Level up! You are now Level 9. You gain 2 free points (2 FP total).
¡­..
You have gained +2 VIT from your actions. You have gained +2 END from your actions. You have gained +1 DEX from your actions.
In his experience with video games, it doesn¡¯t make sense that they couldn¡¯t level up to 10 after defeating so many monsters over level 10. It increased the likelyhood that the experience gained in the tower was higher than out here. He wanted to know the secret to gain more experience, or if there was some sort of requirement. Then he thought that maybe it was better to find a way back home¡­ But somehow he could tell that Mikella and even Clara weren''t really thinking about heading home. Neither was he, if he was honest. He had more fun here with these girls than over by his lonesome in the real world. Uncomfortable memories wormed into his mind before shaking them off after seeing where they were being taken. To his surprise, it wasn¡¯t some desolate house to question potential invaders or terrorists, but rather the opposite. A large two story house built upon strong wooden and stone foundations. The roof, tiled based and all, seemed different compared to the other houses. It was almost crafted with a noble in mind, and there was a pleasant earthy scent coming from the house that wasn¡¯t nearly anything like the luscious forest behind them. It was very serene, much to the comfort of the trio who had to make it through the forest with their lives on the line. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Mikella asked, pleasantly surprised at the beauty of this home. ¡°This is my house. I figured that we can give you three a decent wash and a change of clothes. I¡¯m sure all of you have been having it rough lately. Of course, that goes double for sweet little Clara here.¡± The woman, Valorie, smiled gently at the little girl held tight by Mikella. Seeing the beautiful woman, her eyes glittered with a gaping jaw. She nodded profusely at her words, wanting nothing more than to have a change of good clothes. Zeke let out a heavy breath after realizing that if nothing else, Valorie was kind to children. He wondered if perhaps Clara could sense auras like they could, but he put that idea aside. Valorie was just out of the ordinary, especially since nobody bothered interrupting them as they traveled from the entrance to her home. ¡°Oh, and don¡¯t worry about formalities,¡± Valorie suddenly mentioned. ¡°Just call me Val for short. everyone does.¡± ¡°Y-You sure?¡± Mikella asked, raising a brow. ¡°Of course!¡± Val gleamed. Zeke couldn¡¯t help but feel¡­ put off by this. Certainly this Val wasn¡¯t so accommodating to every stranger they meet, right? Not to mention, two strange adults and a child that¡­ Well, now that he thought about it, who wouldn¡¯t offer to help a child in need? Sure, the parents can go fuck off, but the child at least needed to be helped. If Zeke had something to say, there was also something about Clara that made people trust her. On the way to her home, he noticed that their home was the only one with a field around it. A field of natural grass and¡­ herbs? Thanks to his experiences traveling the forest, his nose managed to pick up any new smells to survive, and he was sure that he could smell the scent of herbs and natural greenery around them. Val opened up the gate around the small fence surrounding the field, shocking the trio to find a whole array of plants and herbs surrounding their home. It wasn¡¯t as though nobody else in this town had some form of greenery, but it was certain that this house alone was a whole greenhouse at this point. As they continued on further, they entered Val''s home and were amazed at the size of it. He figured, being in this almost medieval like era of a world, he would see just an old fashioned home. Instead, he was bombarded with a sense of familiarity from the walls, floors, even the cupboards and furniture from a modern home. He swore he spotted something that looked like an appliance as well, but the major difference was that he could sense a strong source of mana somewhere within, though he can¡¯t tell for the life of him. Eventually, Val led the others to get washed up in their bathroom, shocking everyone even more which led them to nearly tear up. Ever since they left the tower, the¡­ needs to produce waste finally returned. While eating, drinking, and sleeping were necessary, apparently the tower granted them the mercy of losing the need to let their bodies exude waste. Ever since coming out of there¡­ It has been rough for them. So to finally see the washroom with a working toilet and even a shower there, the two adults almost teared up at the sight. ¡°I never thought I¡¯d be so happy to find a toilet¡­¡± Zeke said, his voice almost cracking which led Mikella to nod in agreement as she patted his shoulder in consolation. ¡°What in Tarial have you been through to get so happy to find a toilet¡­?¡± Val said, almost in horror, not realizing just how bad they had it. More than an hour passed as the trio took time to bathe and get rid of every single grime and muck off their bodies. The fact that there was even soap and other types of sundries to clean their skin and hair better was nearly impossible in this brand new world. What¡¯s even more shocking was that there was a plumbing system as well. After everything was done, the clothes were given to them by Val, his own clothes owned by her husband. Somehow, he could sense many men around this era losing their will to live after hearing she was taken. The clothes were just a simple white silk shirt with similar pants of the same color, albeit a little grayer. He wore no shoes so far, but at this point, he was thankful to not having to step over sharp pebbles and murky mud, his shoes being non-existent at that point. After finding Mikella and Clara again, he noticed that they were extremely polished off, possibly with help from Val. Mikella looked quite good, wearing a simple long dress that reached her ankles. It was the sort one could sleep in a bed rather than to go out, but it still fit her well enough to travel around. Clara, on the other hand, wore a simple blouse and skirt, perfectly fitted as she used the clothes of Val¡¯s daughter. So not only a wife, but a mother too? Zeke thought in surprise. I wonder what the family looks like? The fact that she had all this on top of a family should make her older than she appears. And rather than looking like a veteran soldier or a housewife and mother, she was basically a guardian from some celestial realm, which probably would explain the immense pressure she gives off even while they were relaxing. The trio were sent to the living room, a fairly quaint and quiet room with the lights already turned on, the same kind from the street lamps outside. ¡°Now that we¡¯re all freshened up,¡± Val smiled, still wearing her armor but her weapon was put away. Possibly in her own pack that was put by her own hip, Zeke guessed. ¡°Let¡¯s get started.¡± ¡°Umm¡­¡± Mikella asked, finally showing hesitation after all this freshening up. ¡°Is it really okay to treat us like this? I mean, I deeply appreciate what you did for us¡­ but this feels like too much.¡± Zeke had to agree. Not even in their society would someone let a group of strangers into their home without any worry. Even if this woman can erase them completely from the feel of the pressure she exuded, it was still a little suspicious. ¡°You think it¡¯s too much. I think it¡¯s not enough,¡± Val explained. ¡°And how can I leave alone a child looking like some horrid monster from the wastelands? On top of that, you children had to go through so much as well.¡± ¡°What?¡± Mikella asked in surprise. Zeke caught that as well, and raised his brow as he asked. ¡°Umm¡­ we¡¯re not children,¡± Zeke explained, letting Mikella nod in agreement. ¡°I mean, maybe we look young to you, but we¡¯re around 20 years already.¡± ¡°So it¡¯s like I expected,¡± Val said, seemingly not realizing what the issue was. ¡°Children, all on your own. It¡¯s really terrible to see it, actually. Tell me, where did you come from?¡± Zeke and Mikella were taken aback by that. Apparently she refused to see them as anything else but children despite being over 20. Putting that aside, he decided to think about what to answer that second question. ¡°Umm¡­ it¡¯s a pretty far away place,¡± Zeke said, stumbling over exactly how to explain it. Unfortunately, Mikella didn¡¯t help at all as she just shrugged, pleading for him to continue. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ well, it¡¯s kinda complicated to talk about¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Val smiled genuinely. ¡°I¡¯m all ears. I want to know exactly what happened.¡± I wonder if this is the reason she gave us time to wash and clean clothes. Just as Zeke was surprised by her incredible forward thinking to get them to spill the beans¡­ ¡°Val?¡± A voice cried, out, catching everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°Do we have visitors?¡± Ch28: The Husband arrives Cloud let out a tired breath as he walked back to his home. Even if the situation was getting bad, there was no reason to be away from his home for so long. The recent horde battle brought about another issue with the fighters getting hit with paralyzers, causing Cloud to work overtime to help the healers with the potentially threatening cases. Sure enough, he could always just let them heal on their own, but with the rate of horde battles going on, he wasn¡¯t going to take a chance of losing any help they could have. But that was the thing. There were only so many fighters they could keep throwing out there. At some point, one of them will make a mistake regardless of how much time and rest they have in between fights¨Cwhich is to say barely enough. There were just too many fights, and them being at random times were getting to them. One of them even broke down, putting himself into a fetal position due to the mounting stress. All Cloud could do is let him do exactly that. After all, he wasn¡¯t that far off himself from doing the same. The entire situation was occuring in a time where they were at their lowest, where this should¡¯ve been involving any major province¡¯s army at some point from all the work. But Eve Glade¡¯s special position puts them in an awkward situation. If they do receive help from other provinces, it could lead to questioning them about their purpose and policies, which was clearly something that the kingdom that sponsored them wanted to avoid. That was another reason why Zacharia wanted Cloud and Val to hurry up and go out into the fields to search for a cause. No matter how many times Cloud tried to dissuade that, more and more often he found himself wavering. What else can he do? At this point, a blind search into the woods might be better than just waiting for a miracle. He squeezed the bridge of his nose in consternation as he headed through the door of his house, wanting nothing more than to either relax on his couch or talk to his wife¨Cboth would be extremely pleasing right about now. But he suddenly found himself hearing several voices inside the living room, as well as the scent of new people along with an unfamiliar hint of auras in his home. It was clear that Val invited folks without telling him in advance again, leaving him to grumble as he called out. ¡°Val? Do we have visitors?¡± Cloud shouted, instantly getting everyone¡¯s attention as the sounds dispersed into silence. ¡­.. ¡°Oh! That¡¯s my husband,¡± Val quickly stood up, turning back to the supposed ¡®kids¡¯ in front of her. ¡°I¡¯ll let him know that you¡¯ll be staying here.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, what?¡± Zeke asked, dumbfounded. ¡°Oh, I mean to let you stay here. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll convince my husband. He can be pretty weary, but he¡¯s a good man. I¡¯ll be back!¡± Val, like a hurricane, gave a gleaming smile and wave before rushing over to her husband who was calling for her. Meanwhile, Zeke and Mikella stared back at each other with Clara none the wiser, staring at the two. ¡°Did I miss something?¡± Zeke asked, just to make sure. Mikella, unfortunately, only shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t think she¡¯s trying anything, but no matter how you spin it, this is too much,¡± Mikella eventually answered. ¡°What do you think? Should we refuse?¡± ¡°Do we have any other choice?¡± Zeke said, slowly being drained as he delved deeper into the couch. It wasn¡¯t exactly the most comfortable thing in the world, but he did sleep on grass and sturdy ground the past two weeks. He might as well be ready to sleep on it. ¡°Can we even refuse?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ what I was afraid of,¡± Mikella dampened, lowering her face. ¡°She was so powerful¡­ Do you think she might hurt us if we refuse?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but I¡¯m talking about where to live. We don¡¯t have a home, and if you noticed, nobody else looked like they enjoyed what they saw.¡± Mikella grimaced, feeling her arms that were once so itchy, there were some red marks from all the scratching she did. Zeke had plenty of those himself. ¡°What I¡¯m worried about is what they expect us to pay back in return,¡± Zeke eventually said, his eyes turning serious. ¡°We got a lot of stuff from the tower. From those Attribute Fruits to even some of the coins we got from clearing it. If those aren¡¯t enough, we have plenty of hide and meat to give away¡­¡± Mikella asked, listing off all the things they gathered that, while at first for themselves, became great items to bargain with. ¡°Probably, but she also said that she wanted to question us¡­ it might be possible that they might ask us to give up everything we own.¡± ¡°But that¡¯s¡­¡± Mikella replied, but she couldn¡¯t find the words to continue. ¡°We don¡¯t know what laws they have, what rules they live on. Hell, they think we¡¯re kids of all things. They might even say that having weapons around is too dangerous and ask us to give it to them.¡± Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. ¡°I ain¡¯t giving up my sword,¡± Mikella said with a strong resolve. ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Trust me, I don¡¯t want to give up the stuff we literally fought to the death for too, but it¡¯s either that or live in the streets¡­ then again, that might be an option for us, but for Clara¡­¡± ¡°That lady is nice!¡± Clara¡¯s response suddenly brought the adults to a standstill. They turned to her, creasing their brows. ¡°That lady is nice,¡± Clara repeated, now that she got their attention. ¡°She isn¡¯t bad.¡± ¡°Clara,¡± Mikella spoke softly. ¡°We know she¡¯s not bad, but¨C¡± ¡°But she¡¯s not bad!¡± Clara nearly shouted, which got Mikella to shush her from being too loud. Thankfully, the two folks at the other side didn¡¯t hear, or at least Zeke hoped. ¡°Clara, what makes you so sure that Val is a good person?¡± Zeke asked, honestly wondering where this determination came from. As far as he knew Clara, she wasn¡¯t the very outspoken type unless she knew the people well enough. That was the case with Zeke, but then again, Zeke managed to get on her good side. On the other hand, she only knew Val for about an hour, but she seemed absolutely resolved that she was good. ¡°She¡¯s good,¡± Clara said with no more explanation. ¡°And I wanna stay here! It¡¯s warm and fluffy, and we can clean in hot water!¡± Both Zeke and Mikella rolled their eyes at that one. Not in annoyance, but the simple fact that Clara pretty much sealed the deal. What other places had running water and a workable pipe system like a toilet and shower? It might even be possible that only this house alone in this entire town could have such features. Then again, they can¡¯t gauge their entire livelihood on just having a working toilet. Or could we? Zeke thought. Honestly, I don¡¯t mind working for a while if it means having a working toilet. The forest was a horrid place for several reasons. They managed to live, but Zeke constantly looked back to his days where he took going to the bathroom anytime he wished for granted. He didn¡¯t realize how much he relied on such simple pleasures of taking a whizz without interrupting the walking pace as well as not having a damn snake try to bite you. Oh, and it was concluded that Zeke had a fear of snakes. The moment one actually tried to snap at his greatest weakness as a man, it was confirmed. He had nightmares that very night. Eventually, the two adults returned to the living room, meeting with the trio. Val came in grabbing the very exhausted looking man by the wrist. He didn¡¯t look pleased at meeting them. Or anyone for that matter. Zeke had the impression that he was a man that just got off work. Something that he knows very well. But damn, it turned out that it wasn¡¯t just Val. After seeing her husband come in, it was a clear fact that the husband was just as gorgeous. A tall man with blond short hair wearing what looked like exquisite robes meant for a caster. However, his features were sharp¨Ca well defined jawline, striking blue eyes, and no hint of wrinkles in sight. He looked like a young man with the feel of an older gentleman¡¯s soul. Even his frame was impressive as Zeke could tell the dense muscles packed within the robe. But what was more impressive was his aura. It wasn¡¯t as strong as Valorie¡¯s, per say, but it was dense. It was hard to describe how powerful he was, but one thing was for sure. Every bit of mana exuding off the man was enough to give Zeke a headache. He held his forehead as he tried to not give way to the man¡¯s striking blue eyes. Looking back at Mikella. He noticed that she was almost mesmerized by his appearance. Honestly, he wasn¡¯t even jealous. Zeke wasn¡¯t attracted to men, but he had to admit that the guy was good-looking. He knew for sure that every woman in their old world would cry out in anguish to see such a handsome man already taken. But he also felt that the man¡¯s appearance was¡­ crafted, in a way. As though it wasn¡¯t built naturally. He didn¡¯t know why, but he also felt the same way from Valorie as well. Was there something going on? Is that the reason why they were exuding such intense pressure by their auras? Could it have something to do with their levels? In the end, the man saw them for himself and widened his brows. Then he turned back to his wife who kept smiling giddily. ¡°You really need to let me know before you invite people to our home,¡± The man spoke with a tired, but almost deep voice that made Zeke¡¯s hair stand on end. He didn¡¯t expect him to have a richly deep voice tinged with experience like a certain voice actor. ¡°Sorry, honey,¡± Val shrugged, though she didn¡¯t seem that apologetic. ¡°But when I saw that they had a child there, I just couldn¡¯t let them be.¡± ¡°I suppose,¡± The man gave up, and soon ended up smiling at her. ¡°That¡¯s just how you work.¡± The man then turned back to the trio, giving them another closer look. Nodding, he introduced himself. ¡°My name¡¯s Cloud, I¡¯m this troublesome woman¡¯s husband,¡± He said without remorse, and he smirked when his wife gave a playful jab to his side. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re probably wondering why you¡¯re here. After hearing everything from her, I¡¯ll handle the questioning. I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be easier for all of you to stay and rest after everything you¡¯ve been through.¡± ¡°T-Thank you,¡± Zeke answered, figuring that it was time for him to speak. ¡°But, I just wanted to know¡­ are we actually going to stay here? We thought we were brought in here for questioning only?¡± ¡°Questioning, taking you in¨Cit¡¯s all the same, really. Besides, you couldn¡¯t really be dangerous by any means. You two haven¡¯t even reached level 10 yet. that¡¯s not really an issue for us.¡± Zeke and Mikella looked aghast at him now. How did he know what levels they were at? Zeke¡¯s mind whirled at the idea that they could somehow tell their levels as though they could see through them. Is that actually possible? Was it some sort of skill? Zeke wasn¡¯t able to answer in time before Cloud continued. ¡°That¡¯s why it¡¯s so interesting to find out that you two managed to stave off attacks from our higher leveled soldiers so easily,¡± Cloud answered. ¡°I heard you two have some incredible skills in your midsts, so I¡¯m very curious to find out who the two of you are¡­¡± Cloud suddenly had a gleam in his eyes, the kind that made Zeke nervous. He ended up sitting down at the nearby couch near them with Val sitting alongside him. The four adults sat down together as they stared, with Clara the only one seemingly confused as Mikella held onto her tight. ¡°So tell me¡­ where exactly did you come from?¡± Ch29: Their side of the story The mood turned tense as Zeke and Mikella stared at Cloud and Val, their new ¡®hosts¡¯ in this town. The way Cloud asked where they came from made Zeke weary, even more so considering how powerful they are. They knew their exact levels, which meant that they had some ability to see through their statuses. He wasn¡¯t sure whether they can also see their stats, skills, or any other secrets, so he can¡¯t really find any reason to lie to them. For all he knew, they might have a skill that can see through lies. Should he just tell the truth? How would they take it? Looking back at Val for a second, as long as Clara is with them, they can¡¯t be considered dangerous. Then again, relying on a child like a shield for their morality didn¡¯t sit right with him. Then again, what other choice is there? He looked back at the nervous Mikella holding the confused Clara tightly. Her muscles were tense, but not in preparation for something, but in fear. He could tell that they were in a precarious situation. He had to make a decision. He could lie and judge the situation for himself, or just flat out tell the truth. And realizing how he acted the past two weeks after entering this strange new world, one thing was clear for him. No matter how powerful he was, he just wasn¡¯t the kind of guy to easily maneuver conversations. If he was the type to easily gauge the room and read the air, he wouldn¡¯t have so many issues in his past that led him to some serious mental scarring for years to come. He knew he wasn¡¯t the social type, so there was only one choice to do. Hoping that Mikella would forgive him, Zeke finally answered. ¡°...We¡¯re not really from around here,¡± Zeke eventually said, steel in his voice. ¡°Zeke!¡± Mikella said harshly, but when she noticed the downcasted look he put on, she turned silent. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mikella. There¡¯s no way I can do this without telling the truth. I suck at keeping up an appearance. I know I said we should keep it a secret, but I don¡¯t really see a choice here.¡± ¡°...I understand,¡± Mikella nodded. Then, she turned to the two who were now fully interested in their story. ¡°But please understand¡­ We have no intentions of hurting anyone. If you think we¡¯re dangerous then¡­ at least let Clara go.¡± Mikella grasped Clara tighter, hugging her as Clara noticed her distress and hugged her right back. ¡°We would never do anything bad to you, no matter where you come from,¡± Val said, her voice tinged with heavy resolve. Her eyes turned sharp too, enough to practically cut through anything. ¡°I will assure you that you will be safe,¡± Cloud said, also showing the same resolve in his eyes. ¡°You have my word. But know this¨Cdepending on the circumstances, we may have to shift our plans of letting you stay here.¡± ¡°Cloud?¡± Val said, almost looking at him in horror. ¡°You can¡¯t seriously be considering kicking them out of the town?¡± ¡°Of course not,¡± Cloud said resolutely, but he still kept that cold look in his eyes. ¡°But I also have no intention of endangering anyone around here should the situation be that bad. I hope you two understand this.¡± ¡°We do,¡± Zeke said, figuring that the situation might get more tense if they delay their story any longer. With everyone almost getting nervous, Zeke began. ¡°Well¡­ what can I say? We just sort of¡­ woke up in a castle.¡± ¡­.. Zeke wasn¡¯t able to tell how long they told Cloud and Valorie what happened to them. It seemed like hours passed trying to explain everything. Though seeing that they have a working clock that showed the same 12 numbers around the circle, it was proof that they had the same concept of time. As for the story, it took roughly an hour or so. When he first tried to explain everything, he was stuttering about how to start, and what to keep in to avoid suspicion. Fortunately, Mikella aided in adding smidgets of information that escaped his mind at the moment. As seconds rolled by while the story unfolded, Zeke began to speak more confidently. Or rather, he explained in a way that seemed like how a professor would in a college lecture. He was clear, avoiding any type of filler to waste time, and more importantly, adding information and his own thoughts about what occurred that he was sure Val and Cloud didn¡¯t know about. He had a feeling that his Intelligence stat came into play there. He wasn¡¯t sure, but he knew that he was speaking eloquently and had better memory in a drastic leap compared to before. Before he even realized it, Cloud was intensely invigorated, possibly about how all this happened, while Val was just interested in the story itself, like how one would enjoy it in a campfire. It wasn¡¯t a story, per say, but it sure was an interesting one. Finally, after reaching where they were now, he looked over at the two. They were, expectedly, dumbfounded by all this information. Val was just too stunned to speak, her eyes brimming with surprise, confusion, and sympathy at the same time. Meanwhile, Cloud had that intensity behind his eyes that made Zeke feel like he was being stared at under a microscope. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ I don¡¯t know where to begin,¡± Val said earnestly. She frowned at the three. ¡°Though I am very sure that you three are victims in some strange, otherworldly kidnapping. But¡­ just the idea that a world can exist without the system in place is¡­ well, it¡¯s terrifying to even think about.¡± ¡°Is it really that terrible?¡± Mikella asked, curious at her response. ¡°I mean, where we came from, there weren¡¯t any dangerous knights, wyverns, and beasts trying to kill us at every turn.¡± ¡°You do have a point¡­¡± Valorie started with a nod. ¡°However, there are as many benefits to having a system than without, even with the dangers involved. How can you tell which way you specialize without the system guiding your path?¡± ¡°We just guess,¡± Zeke said flat out. That was something that he wished he could have back where he came from, but always had to wander about meaninglessly. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. ¡°Goodness! I can¡¯t imagine how that would turn out. Without ever figuring out what you¡¯re good at, what you¡¯re bad at¡­ and even through all this, you are expected to figure this all out before reaching your twenties? Is your world that cruel to your children?¡± Zeke was taken aback by that. He tried to explain how their world worked first, with their natural laws and clearly no system help involved. But Val was still sure of herself that both Zeke and Mikella were children in her eyes. ¡°Come on, Val. They live in a completely different world¨Cliterally. It¡¯s only natural that their cultures are vastly different from ours. Perhaps without any monsters around, they have more of a reason to hurry with their progress. Though, I still find this incredibly difficult to swallow. No offense.¡± Zeke let Cloud continue. According to them, there wasn¡¯t any skill and such that would help them learn whether the person was lying. Though Zeke hasn¡¯t told a lie once. However, if he were in Cloud¡¯s shoes and someone said that they came from a different world back in his own world, they would naturally be sent to the mental institution for some help. So he was earnestly surprised at how easily they agreed to their crazy story. ¡°Do you two have any questions about us?¡± Zeke asked, clenching his fingers. ¡°About a hundred or so,¡± Cloud said upfront, but he raised his hand. ¡°But I¡¯ll be kind and hold myself back. For now, just a few is fine. Particularly about why you think you were sent here, and in a dungeon, no less.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t understand that for the life of me,¡± Valorie said, shaking her head. ¡°Why on Tarial would all of you be kidnapped to a dungeon? Without initialization, that¡¯s no different than sending babies there, and you even had one there as well!¡± Val covered her chest with both hands at Clara, who in turn tilted her head back at her. She was following the conversation to the best of her abilities. ¡°Trust me, I¡¯ve been wondering about that too,¡± Mikella said, shrugging her shoulders. There was a hint of anger in there, but she hid it well. ¡°For your question, we have no clue why we were taken. We talked about ourselves, and we only knew that we¡¯re just normal folks, at least in our world.¡± ¡°And this dungeon disappeared the moment you left? And this happened two weeks ago?¡± Cloud asked, getting Zeke to nod. ¡°I suppose that answers the question that it didn¡¯t have much to do with the horde attacking us.¡± Zeke perked up at that, but Valorie only waved her hand. ¡°You know they were too far for it to affect us. Two weeks is too far to be anywhere close to us, even if they were traveling on foot.¡± ¡°True,¡± Cloud nodded. ¡°Still, that¡¯s good to know. A dungeon left alone is a disaster waiting to happen. But if it¡¯s gone, the danger is gone. Though, I never heard of any dungeon named the Castle of Arthurian Knights before when we first located our town.¡± ¡°Our town¡¯s been around for years now. Perhaps it propped up unannounced?¡± Val mentioned, getting Cloud to nod his head. Zeke had plenty of questions himself regarding that. They talked about their town, Eve Glade he supposed, like they were there since its foundation. While that may or may not be important, he was stumped to find out how easily Cloud took in that the tower just ¡®propped up¡¯ unannounced like it¡¯s natural. But right now, they were the one being questioned, so he stifled his questions for now. ¡°As for how you were sent there¡­¡± Cloud continued, rubbing his chin in deep thought. ¡°It sounds like you were teleported there, but that should¡¯ve been impossible at the moment. Not at least without some heavy materials used for the process, or even some dedicated mages around the vicinity where you appeared.¡± Zeke figured that was the case. Then again, who was he to know how this world works? All he knew is that if there was a skill for teleportation, he would take it in a heartbeat. But considering how much work there is to use the skill, perhaps it¡¯s not really worth it. ¡°I know this feels insulting, considering everything you¡¯ve been through, but I hope you can understand that this is¡­ incredibly hard to grasp.¡± ¡°Of course, we don¡¯t plan on kicking you out of here,¡± Val consoled, revealing a gentle smile. ¡°It¡¯s clear you need help. And according to what you said, you sound like you two can carry yourselves despite how young you are.¡± Zeke easily showed a grimace that Val still considered them children, but apparently, in this world, they were like children. ¡°We can let you stay, and you can help us with taking care of the town just like everyone else is. It¡¯s only natural to work if you want to eat. I don¡¯t plan on taking any leechers into my house after all.¡± Zeke couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. Considering how game-like this world was, leechers would be the same as those who join the party but don¡¯t do anything as they let the others kill the monsters to net some free XP. ¡°Of course,¡± Mikella said with absolution. ¡°We don¡¯t plan on not doing anything. We want to work. All I ask is that you give us what we need to take care of Clara, and I¡¯m satisfied.¡± ¡°But of course!¡± Val said, almost offended. ¡°What makes you assume I¡¯ll just leave Clara alone like that? Worst case, I kick you two out and Clara stays. I can¡¯t in good conscience leave a little girl to the hands of leechers. However, I can tell by the atmosphere around you. If one never asked, you would easily look like a simple family of a father, mother, and child.¡± That idea brought Zeke to feel heat in his cheeks. If one didn¡¯t know them well, they would see Zeke as the father, Mikella the mother and Clara their child. He slapped himself inwardly at the childish thoughts, taking into consideration that Val would, in her words, kidnap Clara from them for her sake. But instead of getting angered, Mikella only smiled. ¡°That¡¯s good. Thank you¡­ really, I appreciate this. I don¡¯t care what happens to me, but I want Clara to be taken care of.¡± ¡°Sissy,¡± Clara spoke up, tugging at Mikella¡¯s dress. ¡°Are you gonna leave?¡± ¡°Of course not,¡± Mikella cooed. ¡°I¡¯ll be staying with you.¡± ¡°And Bobo?¡± Clara turned back to Zeke. He immediately turned, smiled at her, then brushed her hair roughly. ¡°Obviously, I¡¯m staying¡± Clara giggled as she tried to hold Zeke¡¯s hand to stop the brushing, and Zeke gladly let her hold it as she kept smiling. For the past two weeks, Clara kept Zeke sane and composed. Knowing that Clara was in clear danger if he didn¡¯t, he kept at it, no matter how hard things got. Even sleeping on the forest floor with constant monster threats around them wasn¡¯t enough to bring him down. ¡°Well, you clearly tugged at Val¡¯s heartstrings, so it¡¯s clear none of you are getting kicked out,¡± Cloud smirked as he saw Val smiling so brightly, possibly even brighter than the star above, at the display. ¡°I¡¯ll make some requests to see if we can get you two settled. I¡¯ll also be providing some identification and supplies for you two as well, since I¡¯m guessing you have nothing that you own.¡± ¡°That¡¯d be great,¡± Zeke explained, but then tilted his head. ¡°Oh, but we do have some stuff we got from the tower. If possible, can you use it to sell and see if you can use it to purchase those supplies?¡± ¡°So you¡¯re providing rent up front?¡± Cloud joked. ¡°I¡¯m already starting to like you. Alright, let¡¯s see what you got. I¡¯m also curious about what you got too.¡± Turning over to Mikella, she nodded in understanding as the two stood to open up their packs. That alone got Cloud to widened his eyes as, unlike Val, he didn¡¯t see them put away their weapon from earlier. The living room was big enough to handle it, so Zeke and Mikella pulled out what they thought would be appropriate. That would be the barrel full of fruits they found, and an entire armory full of metal armor and some weapons they took. On top of that, Zeke and Mikella pulled out several gold and silver coins, though not enough to make a pile up to their height, but just on top of the table that was nearby. Immediately, that got Cloud and Val¡¯s attention. ¡°You think this might be enough?¡± Zeke asked, showing a bit of a smirk. Even he would be shocked if someone just brought out what looked like a pile of treasure in his living room out of nowhere. Ch30: Giving rent ¡°What is all this?¡± Cloud said as he approached the amount of gold, fruits, and an armory¡¯s worth of materials in front of him. ¡°This is what you got from the tower?¡± ¡°We collected as much as our packs could carry,¡± Zeke said, pointing over at the weapons and armor. ¡°Those are from the knights that tried to attack us. Those barrels are what we got from raiding the pantry, and the coins are from clearing the dungeon¨Cwell, from escaping the dungeon.¡± Zeke said as an afterthought but both Cloud and Val immediately went over to their spoils of war, granted permission by the two as they watched. As minutes rolled by, Cloud was studying profusely at the coins gained from the dungeon while Val nodded appreciatively at the weapons, giving them a careful eye and a studious feel with her hands. ¡°These weapons are incredibly well-crafted,¡± Val said, her voice stunned in amazement. ¡°The weight and feel of it alone is astounding, but the effects it gives even while it isn¡¯t enchanted is incredible. And there are quite a lot of these¡­¡± ¡°There are effects?¡± Mikella said, and Zeke noticed that her favored sword is not among the pile. Zeke just stayed quiet as he instead listened to the new term Val said. ¡°Effects, such as granting Strength and Dexterity¡­ oh, right, you¡¯re still level 9,¡± Val realized, her eyes fluttering as she turned to the two. ¡°You can¡¯t see the status without getting a class.¡± ¡°A class¡­?¡± Zeke immediately got interested in that, but Cloud immediately spoke up. ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like the coins are fake in any way. These are definitely granted by the system after clearing a dungeon. I believe you should keep them, and use them sparingly as anyone else would.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not gonna take them?¡± Zeke asked, relieved but puzzled at the same time. ¡°Hah, no,¡± Cloud snorted. ¡°I¡¯m not so desperate to make strangers pay me all of their worth to live in my house. No, just the hides and meat is good enough. As for the weapons, if you¡¯re planning on leaving them to us, I can definitely find some people who would be glad to purchase these off of you.¡± ¡°But don¡¯t worry, we don¡¯t plan on taking everything,¡± Val offered, noticing the worried look on Mikella¡¯s face. ¡°Just the few extras you don¡¯t mind giving away. Just breaking one of them down is enough to give our favorite blacksmith enough materials to make incredible, but not equally as good as these ones for all the other fighters.¡± Mikella returned her reply with a grateful nod. Zeke was glad that they didn¡¯t have to give up all their weapons thanks to their value, but when he saw Cloud go over to the fruits in the barrel next, his face seemed to pale. ¡°No¡­ these can¡¯t be¡­¡± Cloud said, picking up the blue-colored apple to observe. ¡°Are these¡­ Attribute Fruits?!¡± ¡°What?!¡± Val immediately shouted, shocking everyone as she ran over to the barrel to find them herself. Her hands seemed to shake as she hesitantly picked up the red-colored orange, a word Zeke never thought he would say. Her eyes seem to look upon them like treasure given to her by the gods. ¡°No way¡­ I¡¯ve been looking everywhere for these! And there¡¯s so many¡­!¡± Val turned her head to the two, immediately frightening them as a sort of manic look showed in her once gorgeous eyes. ¡°You two! Are you okay with letting me purchase these?!¡± ¡°Uhh-uuh¡­¡± Zeke mumbled as he turned to Mikella, finding that she was also looking to him for an answer. Eventually, she answered back to her. ¡°Y-Yeah, sure. Take it all if you want. We¡¯ve mostly just been eating them to survive.¡± ¡°No way,¡± Cloud shook his head in disbelief. ¡°This is what you guys have been eating all this time? So that means there were more of them?¡± If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Zeke and Mikella winced. They knew how valuable they were since it did offer them some some increase in stat limit when they ate them. But after seeing it so many times while surviving, they just put it off as a regular thing. If they were this valuable, then that means that they have been eating valuable treasures for sustenance all this time. That alone was bad enough as it is, but Zeke grew more and more curious as to what they could do. ¡°You can buy them, but what exactly are these Attribute Fruits? How are they valuable? When we ate them, all it said was that all the attributes have been increased by 50. It didn¡¯t really power us up or anything¡­¡± For a moment, Cloud looked back at Zeke as though he was crazy to consider asking such a question. Then, he made a face of realization as he closed his eyes for a moment to gather his thoughts. ¡°These fruits are incredibly rare to find, even out in the wilds. Normally found in dungeons or hidden realms¨Ceven as rewards granted by the system for clearing its quests and trials. These fruits allow anyone who eats them to break the limits of their stats as you mentioned. That way, you can increase your stat further than your natural cap.¡± ¡°Wait, there are caps to an attribute?¡± Mikella widened her eyes. ¡°You mean like¨Cfor example¨Cif you reached 100 in Strength, does that mean you can¡¯t go any further?¡± ¡°Precisely,¡± Cloud continued, shocking the two otherworlders. ¡°Normally, one¡¯s cap is increased for every level milestone, but even that might not be enough as you pile on skill levels and titles on top of that. That¡¯s why these Attribute Fruits are so valuable. They allow the people who eat them to increase their caps further. But just finding one was rare enough¡­¡± Cloud looked back at the barrels filled with fruits, which compared to before were now half-way filled. They ate quite a bit, even if they were trying to conserve food for the future. ¡°But this is just too much¡­¡± Cloud said, almost in disbelief. ¡°Do you have any idea how long it took me to find even one Attribute Fruit?¡± Val said, her voice almost cracking at the memory. ¡°It took me over a decade just to try to find as many of these as possible to avoid capping my high Strength and Dexterity. I was scared at the idea of losing those valuable points every time I level up. Now, I don¡¯t have to worry about anything!¡± Val had such a look of splendor in her eyes, almost crying at the chance of having the very same fruits that the trio have been taking just for sustenance and regenerating their pools. ¡°So¡­ does this mean that our caps are basically non-existent now?¡± Zeke said, almost in marvel now after realizing what they did. If that was the case, that would explain why they didn¡¯t even notice any stat caps so far. They just keep increasing their stats whenever they feel like it. Now that he thought about it, wasn¡¯t it a perfect chance to learn more about his status? And more importantly, why can''t they reach level 10? Turning back to Mikella, he saw that she had the same idea flashing in her eyes, getting the two to nod. Turning back to Cloud who was trying his hardest to keep the salivating Val from making a mess as she ate one fruit after another in delight, Zeke asked. ¡°Hey¡­ I don¡¯t mind giving you these fruits. But would you mind telling us more about the status? Or better yet, how the system works and how we can get stronger?¡± Cloud turned back to Zeke, not at all surprised at the question. Creasing his brows, he hesitated before answering back. ¡°I don¡¯t mind. These fruits are valuable enough as it is, so I would be glad to share my knowledge. Still¡­ it¡¯s surprising you don¡¯t know much about the system at all. But I¡¯ll try to explain as much as I can.¡± Zeke gave gratitude with a nod, understanding Cloud¡¯s point of view. It was like trying to explain how breathing air works, or how one drinks water. You just naturally know about it. Taking a seat, the three went ahead to ask their questions while Val kept eating. Apparently her attributes were very close to reaching the cap and it had been gnawing at the back of her mind for years. As Zeke and Mikella finally had the chance to ask about the mysterious system that had aided them for this long, the two decided to make a small huddle to ask the important questions first. Cloud let them be, waiting patiently as he smiled at the two¡¯s antics to ensure their priorities were straightened out. Eventually, Zeke was the first to ask. ¡°Back at the dungeon, when we gained our skill books, there were supposed to be some stat requirements, but our status ignored it and let us learn them. How is that possible?¡± Clearly, Zeke didn¡¯t expect to see Cloud look like he just hurled him a curve ball straight to his face. His eyes widened, and even the usually busy Val looked back in surprise, her ears clearly working while her mouth kept eating. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ what did you say?¡± Cloud asked, shaking his head. ¡°What do you mean you were able to ignore the stat requirements?¡± ¡°Is that not a thing?¡± Zeke asked, tilting his head. The two knew instantly that this should be the first thing to mind. Everything else made sense, and they planned on getting some small bits of information about how each system feature worked. However, they figured they needed to find out what made them able to ignore the stat requirements. And since the two hosts were clearly powerful, perhaps they might know about it. Apparently, they didn¡¯t, and that made Zeke pause. That¡¯s because he noticed Cloud¡¯s stare intensifying on them, his curiosity now becoming a demand for knowledge. ¡°Can you show me your status?¡± Cloud asked. ¡°For intellectual reasons, of course.¡± Ch31: Classes At first, they were hesitant. They didn¡¯t know how this world¡¯s culture work. Considering how Cloud worded his question, revealing one¡¯s status is considered extremely personal. But after another moment, Zeke and Mikella realized that there was no point in hiding anything anymore. They already revealed their origins¨Cwhat¡¯s learning about their levels and stats mean anything after that point? So, Zeke and Mikella offered their status windows to their gracious hosts who peered at the information displaying in front of them with great glee. Their eyes widened at the words, their faces gaunt with shock and surprise mixed together. ¡°This is¡­ not normal,¡± Valorie said, her fingers pressed to her chin in thought. She was staring at Mikella¡¯s status since she was a fighter like her. At least that¡¯s how Zeke saw it. ¡°You¡¯re level 9, yet you already got Pain Resistance and Sword Mastery, of all things.¡± ¡°Meditation is one thing,¡± Cloud said, rubbing his chin with a careful stare at Zeke¡¯s status. ¡°But to have Mana Perception before attaining a class is¡­ I can see now that your trials aren¡¯t to be underestimated.¡± ¡°Mana Perception?¡± Val looked at her husband in disbelief. ¡°So early?¡± ¡°Strangely enough, they''re both level 9. If they level up at the exact same time despite one clearly doing more battle than the other, then that means that they share experience points¡­ fascinating.¡± ¡°I-Is that not normal?¡± Zeke asked, getting Mikella to listen in intently at the answer. ¡°We figured since we¡¯re always together, our experience points are always shared.¡± ¡°Not to this extent,¡± Cloud shook his head. ¡°Most likely something is connecting between the two of you. Otherwise, it¡¯s just impossible that you two would level up at the same time every time.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Zeke frowned. Then after another thought, he added. ¡°Is that the reason why we¡¯re leveling slowly? Because we keep sharing all the experience points?¡± ¡°Most likely,¡± Val nodded, answering this time. ¡°Getting to level 10 is normally done quickly, but after two whole weeks, it made sense. Some folks take longer to level up than others, normally due to their differences between each other. It¡¯s not uncommon to take a while, but to do this much is a little strange.¡± ¡°And their titles¡­¡± Cloud¡¯s striking eyes widened, more in shock than in curiosity. ¡°Death Swindler?¡± The two hosts continued to give their detailed responses to their status, making the two otherworlders shift and fidget. It was no wonder that this was considered personal¨Cit was as though they were studying their entire life in just one simple status screen. It was weird. It was different from letting someone see his online game character¡¯s profile. This was his own private information. Eventually, the two stopped gawking and examining their status much to the otherworlder¡¯s relief. Valorie even apologized to the two as Cloud continued pondering. ¡°Your acquired skills¡­ you said you got the skill books as drops from defeating the knights in the dungeon, right?¡± Valorie asked, getting the two to nod in affirmation. She continued as Cloud continue his deep thought. ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t know much about your magic spells, Zeke,¡± Val turned to Zeke, then glanced over to Mikella with a serious stare. ¡°But your skills are considered extremely valuable. Valuable and hard to learn, according to their attribute requirements . I have both Hawk Eyes and Acrobatics, which was difficult to gain for me after reaching level 30.¡± Mikella nodded. ¡°I figured. It¡¯s the skill that helped me survive for this long. That, and the barrier Zeke put up.¡± ¡°That Barrier Craft¡­¡± Cloud suddenly spoke up. ¡°That¡¯s the one that defended you against the magic spells by our soldiers. I never heard of such a skill, much less a barrier that can be used in such a way. And you said this particular skill needed 1000 Spirit to learn?¡± ¡°Right,¡± Zeke nodded. ¡°Before our otherworldly status ignored it and let me learn it.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Cloud nodded. ¡°Then that means that you two have the capabilities to learn any Acquired Skill regardless of their requirements.¡± Even though she knew this by now, Val had that look in her eyes as if Cloud said that the world would explode tomorrow. She shook her head, bewildered and baffled at the mention of it. ¡°That is already impossible to believe, but the proof is right here. You don¡¯t even have a class, yet you already learned these precious skills. Plus, all the attribute fruits you could have, and even learning these hard to acquire general skills so early¡­ I don¡¯t want to think about it, but clearly you three have been through a lot.¡± Zeke felt justified to hear all this. He was worried, for a little while, that all of their troubles and horrible events were nothing compared to the world of Tarial. Apparently it was too much even for these veterans, at least for low level folks like the otherworlders. The fact that they survived through all that, even with a child in their midst, made Zeke stand up straighter, his chest pumped out in pride. Apparently Mikella did the same, even smiling to herself when he glanced over at her. ¡°Whatever it is that you¡¯re doing here, it¡¯s clear that the dungeon is meant to train you for whatever it was that is coming,¡± Cloud stated, standing up to his feet. ¡°Whatever it might be, it¡¯s clear that you¡¯re not our enemies. If anything, you¡¯re victims.¡± All of a sudden Zeke¡¯s pride and accomplishment felt limp after hearing the last word. The otherworlders frowned which clearly Valorie saw as she stood up and jabbed an elbow to her husband¡¯s stomach¨Cvery hard¨Cand making him wince. ¡°They¡¯re survivors, Cloud,¡± Valorie worded it better. That had a much better ring to it. ¡°And I agree. Now¡­ it¡¯s obvious that you three need a place to stay. However, it¡¯s going to be hard to give you a home in our current stage. Let¡¯s talk first about how to settle in. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. ¡°For now, you¡¯ll be staying with us. Right now my daughter is outside being taught by Vivian, so I¡¯ll be getting her and telling her of the news. Don¡¯t worry¨CI don¡¯t plan on revealing everything we learned to anyone, not even to my own little girl.¡± Hearing the news, a sense of relief washed over the two as Mikella grabbed Clara to go along with Valorie, hoping to get themselves introduced at the very least. Meanwhile, Zeke had plenty of questions for Cloud, and it looked like he had the same amount for him. For once, they can rest easy and actually enjoy being in civilization once again. ¡­.. More than half a week passed since they arrived in the town known as Eve Glade. After everything that had happened, Zeke and Mikella knew more about their society, their culture, and how the system worked within their everyday lives. Zeke took the time to learn more about the world as a whole by entering into Cloud¡¯s study, which was a giant room filled to the brim with shelves of books on every subject he could think of. At first, Zeke wondered if he could even get through even one book throughout the time they¡¯ve been living here, considering how thick these books are. Apparently the real problem was whether or not he had enough books to satiate his thirst for knowledge. It was revealed that his Intelligence stat did more work as he devoured every word, every sentence, and every page he could get his fingers on. His Dexterity did wonders to help flip through about a dozen or so pages every second, and his Intelligence actually remembered every page that flipped by. It was jarring, even more so than learning about the system as a whole, so he learned just a bit more than he thought he could. Such as learning the entire history of the system and everything that had occured throughout it all. It was a heavy subject to get into in Tarial¡¯s history, but he managed to get a better grasp of it all by then. In the meanwhile, Cloud asked many questions whenever Zeke took a break about his own world. He worried whether he would lose interest in such a boring world without magic, but according to Cloud, it was an interesting subject scholars like him wanted to learn for a long time now¨Csuch as what a world was like without the system¡¯s guidance. It was enough to make him pale at the thought, as the more Zeke explained what they had to do to survive in their world, the more Cloud was resolute that the people in Tarial would never survive. One such famous examples is that making contracts is defined not by the parties involved, but by the system itself. If you were to break the contract, you would be punished by either death, or in other cases, losing levels and skills. Even for contracts such as cheating on your spouse is considered going against the system¡¯s rules, which surprised Zeke. There were also issues that without the system, anyone would have no clue on what they specialize in by how their stats worked, so one could train as an athlete all their life, only to realize that their physical attributes were crap compared to their mental attributes. It was a horrid realization for Zeke, especially since some people can¡¯t even decide for themselves on what to do without a class to guide them. ¡°Don¡¯t mention this to Val. She¡¯ll just cry if she hears this.¡± Cloud chuckled as he said this, but Zeke could tell that even he felt a bit off after hearing about how his world works. Still, it was interesting to hear about all this. He even mentioned in his world, they had computers that did exactly as the system said, which gave Cloud pause. ¡°So you can actually make the system by hand, which is why you were able to understand how this works so easily,¡± Cloud nodded, his eyes glittering at the new information. ¡°Fascinating.¡± ¡°Do you know exactly how this worked?¡± Zeke eventually asked. It was one of the days they were resting when the two got together in the study, talking about their own findings. ¡°How we managed to get here in this world?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t say for sure,¡± Cloud shook his head. He looked disappointed as well for not knowing. ¡°One thing is that there is now way anyone in this world can pull off something like that. So it¡¯s either the system that did this, or perhaps the gods themselves¡­¡± ¡°Gods?¡± Zeke asked incredulously. ¡°The twelve gods that govern the world. Unlike apparently how your god works, the twelve gods govern the world, it¡¯s laws and nature, including the system itself..¡± ¡°Great, so we got gods now,¡± Zeke muttered. He had to agree that it wouldn¡¯t make sense otherwise that the system can understand their beings in such precise information. Cloud just chuckled along with his sentiment. Eventually they got to the point where Zeke desperately wanted to know¨Chow to attain their class. ¡°Reach level 10.¡± ¡°...That¡¯s it?¡± Zeke asked incredulously. ¡°Pretty much,¡± Cloud just shrugged. ¡°Okay¡­¡± Zeke let out a heavy breath, and then frowned at Cloud when he noticed he was trying to stifle a chortle. Snorting, he asked again. ¡°In my world, when we play games¨C¡± ¡°The ones where you play a simulation that¡¯s similar to this world, right?¡± Cloud asked, his interest peaked after recalling. Zeke nodded. ¡°Right. In our games, we normally have a choice between whatever class we want. But how does it work here?¡± Cloud nodded, lifting a leg over the other on his chair as he lifted his chin in thought. ¡°Classes are something everyone who reach level 10 should get. They define us, and more importantly, give us something like blue prints on how to proceed with the system¡¯s blessing. Once we attain our class, we gain skills based on that class and, like you said, alter our stat growth from here on out. We also get the ability to Identify, allowing us to see a very basic info on any target we choose. We can even see the effects, which Val mentioned the last time, on different types of equipment and items.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s where the real game starts¡­¡± Zeke muttered, but Cloud nodded in agreement. ¡°So, what kind of classes would I get?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s a good question. Normally after reaching level 10, you get a system notice that you have several classes available to choose from.¡± So exactly like a video game, except in real life, Zeke mentioned in his head. ¡°Depending on how many achievements you made through your life and before reaching level 10, you can get a variety of classes to choose. But I suggest picking a class that fits your current build. In your case, any class that relates to magic.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Zeke nodded. ¡°So, what kind of class you think I should take?¡± That made Cloud pause for a moment, getting Zeke to tilt his head. For a while now, he had this blank look on his face. That made Zeke feel like wanting to take a step back for some reason as Cloud looked at him with a somewhat manic look in his eyes. ¡°Zeke¡­ what sort of mage do you want to be?¡± ¡°Uhh¡­¡± Zeke paused for a moment. Considering his situation, he decided to just be truthful. ¡°I want to help support everyone as much as I can, especially Mikella and Clara. Since I got a barrier spell for defense and a healing skill, I figure I should get a mage class that helps with that¡­?¡± He trailed at the end there, not really knowing what to say. However, Cloud crossed his arms, his stare becoming intense as he looked at the ground. Then, he looked up at him, his striking eyes becoming more prominent. ¡°I have a suggestion then¡­ but it¡¯ll require a lot of effort on your part. But if it works¡­ then you might just be what this town desperately needs. And more importantly¨Cit¡¯ll give you a future where you can definitely support your family.¡± Hearing those words, it was decided¨CZeke would follow his suggestion to the letter to get him the desired class he needed. CH32: Life in Eve Glade While Zeke was getting ahead and reading how the world works, Mikella decided to do the one thing she knew best¨Ctraining. And what better way than to train with someone that could easily command an army by herself? A loud thump of wood echoed in her eyes as Mikella¡¯s vision tilted backwards, crashing to the ground. Pain rattled her backside, but her Pain Resistance made it easy to handle it. Though the experience is not all that different, at least in her eyes. ¡°Impressive movements, Mikky,¡± Val gleamed, shortening her name as though she was a long-time friend. Mikella raised herself to find Val twirling her wooden training spear with a smirk. Despite facing a wyvern nearly a month ago, that blow she just took from Val was worse. In a real fight, she would¡¯ve died on the spot the very second the match started. They were sparring with each other out in Val¡¯s backyard, which also doubled as her personal training field. There were racks filled with training weapons much like their own, an array of hay targets and wooden dummies. All of which were on top of the well-cared barren ground, perfect for remaining stable to focus on one¡¯s fighting stance. Mikella forced herself back up, her chest burning with furious exhaustion. It all turned to moot when she tried to face even a few seconds against Val¡¯s fighting. Even when Val promised that she would hold back without using any skills, including passive ones like Acrobatics, Mikella felt like each strike could end her life even with assurance. Yet, she couldn''t help but feel ecstatic, reminding herself of the time she actually enjoyed training to further her gymnastics career. She loved improving herself, to be better than before. That was also why she enjoyed playing role playing games, at least the non-time consuming ones. The idea of slowly but assuringly gaining more power the more effort you put into it. Especially now that this is another world where everything she gains is literally translated to her in the form of notifications. It was ecstatic, euphoric even. Mikella picked up her wooden sword with glee and faced Val as she put herself into a stance. ¡°Good, just the way I like my trainees,¡± Val smirked, and this time it was one filled with vicious excitement. ¡°You are impressive, but you still lack a solid foundation. I¡¯ll be sure to beat it into you to get things started.¡± ¡°Go ahead,¡± Mikella said, her own feral grin showing. ¡°Show me!¡± ¡­.. Needless to say, Mikella ended up on the ground half the time they fought. Even when Mikella used her skills¨CHawk Eyes and Acrobatics¨Cshe couldn¡¯t even stand up to Val¡¯s simple might. The sore loser in her is saying that Val clearly used some skill or something to get the upper hand. Even if she was a higher level, Mikella wouldn¡¯t want to put down her maddening experiences before arriving in Eve Glade¨Cyet, she felt that she was horribly wrong in that judgment. Val clearly went through so much more than she ever could. What she went through in her lifetime put a mark on her stance, her movements, even to her very breathing throughout the fight. Even if Val used some skills¨Cthey were clearly not meant to do a lot of damage, like Mikella¡¯s Hawk Eyes. They felt powerful, but that was that. Simple, yet effective. Even if Mikella secretly tried to gain the upper hand using Hawk Eyes¨Cjust to do some bit of damage for her pride¨Cit fell short to Val¡¯s incredible reaction time. The two women, finally finished with their spar, sat on the nearby wooden bench, used for resting and particularly for using Meditation. Gaining her energy slowly with deep breaths, Mikella couldn¡¯t help but ask as many questions as Zeke did. ¡°Do you have a Mastery skill too?¡± Mikella asked. ¡°Like a Spear Mastery skill?¡± ¡°Of course, on top of everything else,¡± Val said with glee in her tone, surprising Mikella. ¡°Seriously? I tried to learn other Mastery skills using different weapons, but only the Sword showed up for me. Am I doing anything wrong?¡± ¡°It¡¯s natural that you wouldn¡¯t get it, especially since one doesn¡¯t naturally gain a Mastery skill before attaining a class.¡± ¡°Wait, really?¡± Mikella asked, but then recalled what they talked about about a week ago. ¡°Oh, right, you said that my Mastery skill and Zeke¡¯s Mana Perception were skills that we weren¡¯t supposed to learn?¡± ¡°Not that you¡¯re not supposed to, just that it¡¯s incredibly difficult to pull off,¡± Val assured, standing upright with her hands pressed together on her lap. Mikella noticed that this beautiful woman didn¡¯t even seem to sweat while she was nearly gasping for air and was damped with sweat. ¡°You normally need a lot of resources to learn those valuable General Skills. Specialized training since you were young, or you just have a better understanding than others do in your situation. There were some cases like that, particularly with me and Cloud when we were young.¡± ¡°Huh,¡± Mikella said with a surprised huff. ¡°So, me and Zeke are geniuses or something?¡± ¡°Probably,¡± Val giggled. ¡°Then again, you have to be if you survived a dungeon at level 1.¡± Mikella chuckled bitterly, agreeing to the point where it felt like it hurt her. After spending a week or so here, she learned just how incredibly lucky they were to actually survive such an ordeal. Shaking off the depressing thoughts, she continued. ¡°So, how do I gain more Mastery skills? Or any other skills that might be useful?¡± ¡°Get a class,¡± Val said, showing a snarky grin. ¡°Okay¡­ how?¡± ¡°Reach level 10.¡± ¡°Okay, fucking how then?!¡± She nearly shouted, not really in the mood to get teased by this woman. It was bad enough that she got her ass handed to her ten times over, but this was getting ridiculous. After Val had her little fun, she waved her hand in a peaceful gesture. ¡°Okay, okay, so normally, you get a class at level 10. Once you get the class, for every level, you gain stat points depending on what kind of class it is. There are some rare classes too, with unique skills and decent stat increases. You still get the same amount of free points, if you¡¯re curious about that.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Mikella grumbled as she was just about to ask that. ¡°So, do they have the same rarity thing like the skills do?¡± Val shook her head. ¡°Skills are the only ones that have a rarity tag to them. It shows just how difficult it is to learn and to use. Classes, on the other hand, can be rare because nobody else has it. They require some serious requirements to be met, such as overcoming a physical hurdle, or defeating a monster that you normally couldn¡¯t defeat before.¡± ¡°Oh, do titles help with that?¡± Mikella noticed, realizing her title Opportunist was there next to her name. ¡°Definitely. The more titles you earn, the more chances you get for a better class. Though that¡¯s not to say that there are useless classes. You can make even a simple Warrior Class be as powerful as a unique class that nobody has ever heard before if you work with your foundations and polish your skills. Having some decent equipment and good luck never hurts either.¡± Mikella nodded, the conversation sounding more and more like a game. ¡°And you can get skills too?¡± ¡°Right. By leveling up, you get a choice depending on what you did on the class¡¯ design and the actions you did beforehand. At this point, every choice you make belongs to you. So even two Warriors can be entirely different from one another.¡± ¡°Alright¡­ so I guess I should get out there and kill some monsters to level up one more time.¡± ¡°Not yet,¡± Val said, stopping her with a raised hand. Mikella tilted her head at her as she responded. ¡°Right now we¡¯re trying to get everyone to believe that you two are so distraught that you need more time. We wanna teach you everything there is to know before we let you out.¡± ¡°But then how can I reach level 10?¡± ¡°Simple. Experience isn¡¯t earned just by defeating monsters. Any task, no matter how simple, can help you earn a level or two if you work hard enough. That¡¯s what we¡¯re doing now. Besides, I want to teach you something that can help you get a better Class. Since you¡¯re a fighter like me, it¡¯s important for you to learn the General Skill Kinetic Perception.¡± ¡°Kinetic Perception?¡± Mikella repeated, sounding in awe. ¡°So it¡¯s just like the Mana one, like Zeke has.¡± ¡°Precisely. Just watch closely.¡± The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. Taking her words to heart, Mikella did just that as Val walked over to the center of the field they just sparred on. Kneeling with one leg, she put her hand on top of the ground, closing her eyes. For a moment, nothing occurred which got Mikella more impatient. Then, she felt something shift. The air quaked as though something landed hard in front of her, her hair blowing away as she felt¡­ something surging from where she was staring at. Right then and there, the ground underneath Val shook and blasted apart, revealing a small indent of a crater made as though something crushed it underfoot. Her eyes widened, noticing that even the surrounding area of the crater looked like spiderwebs crossing for several feet wide. ¡°This is a pretty inefficient way to use kinetic energy, but it¡¯s just a small example of what you can do,¡± Val said, grinning when she spotted Mikella gaping wide. ¡°Unlike mana, controlling kinetic energy is harder. Mana is made by the energy created by the planet itself¨Cfrom the air, the water, the earth, and any natural sources for magical energy. Unlike mana, kinetic energy comes from the motion of our bodies, the constant rhythm of our movements and spirit intertwining with one another. ¡°In other words,¡± Val finished. ¡°If mana is like water, then stamina is like blood. Water can be easily drawn, and can easily be tampered with. Blood, however, requires a more delicate touch¡­ though sometimes it might be better to brute force it. If you know what I mean.¡± Val winked, and Mikella was sure she understood exactly what she meant. Possibilities of increased power flowed into her mind, getting her absolutely giddy at the future prospects. ¡­.. Of course, Mikella and Zeke didn¡¯t just up and leave Clara when they started their training. When it was decided that the three will stay in the Mystio house for now, they did quite a bit of information gathering and speaking with the other residents. Cloud and Val were the lords of the town, along with some other well respected citizens who knew their way around managing a town. While the others were left with the minor affairs including taking care of the people¡¯s grievances and inconveniences, Cloud and Val do their best to be up front with everything and keep it in line, whether it¡¯d be complaints from within or outside the town. Thankfully, they weren¡¯t the greedy sorts that would make the people suffer while they enjoy the benefits. Each luxury they have is equivalent to their own hard work and determination. Instead, they are the ones giving back to the people by providing them security and supplies with their wealth, such as how a noble takes care of their land. Due to this, it was clear that Cloud and Val were respected among their citizens and peers, including their own daughter. Ana, being about 11 years old, was too young to be accepted to the system. However, that didn¡¯t exclude her being taught on the ways of the world and the system through the use of lectures made for younger folks. The large lot near the lord¡¯s house was used to teach the young, and all of them can attend regardless of their social standing. Due to this, Ana is occasionally meeting the other children of the town, socializing and showing everyone that even with the most powerful parents in the town, Ana is still approachable and lovable as a girl could be. And now, Clara would be joining that said class along with Ana. The first time they heard of this, Mikella was mixed between ecstatic relief and horrifying anxiety. She wanted Clara to be left with actual children and actually live like one rather than how they were living in the forests for the past two weeks like savages. On the other hand¨Cby her estimation¨CClara is a special little flower that would wilt and die if anything untowards happened to her. Even if she knew that it wasn¡¯t the case, there was a reason why Clara was so close to her sister than to any friends she made back in her school in their old world. Zeke managed to convince her that they can¡¯t exactly get stronger to protect her while taking care of her at the same time. Especially if they might have to fight monsters again to gain levels. If there was one thing they learned, they have to get stronger to get the answers they need to find out why they were there to begin with. And so far, there is no hint of finding any answers regarding that for the past month. In the end, Mikella let Clara go to the class on her own, taken by none other than a nice older woman who acted as the children¡¯s teacher. Though ¡®older¡¯ might be wrong, as she was just a smidge younger than Cloud and Val. On a side note, Cloud and Val were actually older than they appear¨Cnearly fifty years old. That certainly shocked the young adults. It was no wonder why they kept seeing them as children. Apparently the higher one¡¯s level, the longer they stay in their prime. Apparently upon reaching the Journeyman stage, you can be as old as a hundred years old and still look like a prime adult in their early thirties. And just like Cloud and Val, their teacher¡¯s level was high, so her appearance was that of a fresh mid-twenty year old woman with quite a lot of vigor, something that is apparently important when handling rowdy children. Begrudgingly, Mikella let Clara stay with the nice female teacher and Ana, Val¡¯s daughter, to learn peacefully as though she was back in school. That still didn¡¯t stop her from thinking how she was doing whenever she was in the midst of heavy training with Val. And during the time when Clara was there, Ana made it her mission to become her friend¨Cwhether Clara wanted to or not. ¡­.. Vivian had always been the one teaching the children of Eve Glade. She would always wake up every morning and gleefully head to her workplace to take care of molding young minds to be of proper use to society. It was proven by her being accepted as an official caretaker of their country, granted a class that allowed her to gain skills that helped her take care of children easier. The reason why the caretaker class is necessary to have a license is that a teacher¡¯s mindset could easily influence the younger minds to accept radical ideologies. If one isn¡¯t careful with their proceedings, they could have a dangerous individual with a radical mindset to easily influence the children with the class. And since the children cannot have any resistances without the system¡¯s aid, it was basically leaving them like sitting ducks to a hunter. As such, teachers swore into the system¡¯s contract depending on their country¡¯s laws before accepting the caretaker class by their country¡¯s factions. Vivian is one such proud teacher granted by both Cloud and Val to let her be a teacher and caretaker. Her skills aren¡¯t necessarily manipulating the children¡¯s minds, far from it. They allow her to ease her way into the children¡¯s guard, helping them trust her more easily as many children can be closely guarded even without realizing. That way, the caretaker can listen to their inner woes and struggles, including anything that could involve potential troubles within their own homes, an area which the teacher can never enter so easily. Of course, there are limits. Not in the way that the teacher is too underleveled, but that some children just aren¡¯t that affected by the skills. She likes to call those children special in a way that even the system couldn¡¯t comprehend. She believes that is a good thing. It meant that they are on their way to become more than what was initially shown. While she hadn¡¯t had a chance to handle such a child yet, it would be an honor for her to help shape them into proper adults. But for once, she was finding herself in a bit of a snag. ¡°Be my friend!¡± ¡°No!¡± Ana, the lords¡¯ child, was currently chasing the new visitors¡¯ child around as though she was an animal that she wanted to pet. Her name was Clara, and she is the special child that her skill couldn¡¯t help ease into her guard. She was extremely guarded, often trying to hide behind her older sister who was also worried for her. The man in the family, apparently not related to the two at all, was the one that suggested that Clara should be with her so that the two can focus on gaining their ground. A respectable decision to which the older sister begrudgingly accepted. Despite them being young in their early twenties, Vivian was reminded of two worried parents having to let go of their child for the first time. It was strange, especially since the man has supposedly only been with them for a short time. As Val explained to her, they were stuck in a perilous situation involving some bandit raid, and the three were the ones remaining alive. As such, the man took heed of their situation and aided them to this day. So it wasn¡¯t much of a surprise that despite them having no relations, Clara was currently calling out to ¡®Bobo¡¯ for help, which Vivian supposed was the man¡¯s name. Thankfully, Val helped ease her in by saying that Sissy means sister and Bobo means brother. Clara was constantly screaming for both Sissy and Bobo¡¯s names while running away from the smiling, almost hysterical Ana demanding that she¡¯d be her friend. ¡°Ana! Come here!¡± Vivian called out, hoping that it would be enough before Ana goes ahead and actually tackles Clara to the ground. Being the good girl that she is, Ana immediately went over to the teacher much to Clara¡¯s relief. ¡°Yeah, teach?¡± Ana asked, tilting her head confusedly. ¡°Ana, maybe you should give Clara some room for herself, yeah?¡± Vivian said sweetly, facing her directly as though she was a grown adult. She wanted to show Ana is her own person, and doing this will help Ana be more at ease and respected. Another helpful lesson learned by the many years of handling children. ¡°But she¡¯s not talking to anyone,¡± Ana declared, clear concern rising in her face. ¡°She¡¯s living in my house too, so I want her to be my friend!¡± ¡°I know that, Ana,¡± Vivian replied with a frown. The worst part about this situation is that Ana had a point. As far as they know, Clara refuses to be with the other children, often hanging by herself by drawing on the ground and looking over to the house where her Sissy and Bobo were at. In fact, she was doing that for the better part of the hour, which apparently Ana decided that enough was enough. Ana¡¯s heart was at a right place, but she was going at it the wrong way. ¡°Ana, Clara has been through some tough times,¡± Vivian explained as easily as she could. ¡°Do you remember the stories I told you? About the wars and the victims it causes?¡± ¡°Yes¡¯m,¡± Ana nodded. ¡°War only kills people, and the people left behind alive are only hurt, so war is never good.¡± ¡°Precisely,¡± Vivian nodded. ¡°While Clara hasn¡¯t been in any war that we know of, she¡¯s the same as the victims. She was hurt, she¡¯s scared, and she can¡¯t trust others so easily. That¡¯s why, Ana, you need to let her be comfortable around here first.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Ana¡¯s eyes fell to the floor. ¡°I wanna be her friend.¡± ¡°I know, Ana,¡± Vivian smiled sweetly, brushing Ana¡¯s short blond hair slightly. ¡°But don¡¯t worry. That doesn¡¯t mean you shouldn¡¯t try to be her friend. I only mean that if Clara doesn¡¯t want to talk to you, just let her be. Give her time, and eventually you two will be fast friends.¡± ¡°...How long will that take?¡± Ana said, clear impatience taking over. ¡°I can¡¯t tell you. Every person is different, so you need to be strong and wait for Clara to be your friend. Otherwise, she¡¯ll end up hating you. You don¡¯t want that, right?¡± Ana quickly shook her head. The notion alone of being hated by Clara was too horrible to even think for her. Vivian beamed as she looked over to Clara. She already knew that wouldn''t be the case at all. After all, if Clara truly didn¡¯t like Ana, then she wouldn¡¯t be staring at her nervously, almost as if she felt guilty for refusing her. She¡¯s seen this before in other children. The ones who became victims of abusement and troubled times. She wasn¡¯t sure what happened to her, but it was clear that the experience left behind by the bandits had left her scarred. The only people she trusted would be her siblings, the only two people she knew so far. Val was an obvious one, considering that she was so likable it¡¯s hard to hate her. If she had to make a list, her Sissy is first at the very top, and Bobo is a close second. Val is easily third, and so far, both the teacher and Cloud were next after her. Cloud knows of her circumstances, but his striking eyes can be a little daunting for children to get used to. Ana was certainly the last on that list, but judging from how Clara was looking at her, it didn¡¯t mean that she was bumped off. Just a little bit of time, and the children would be the best of friends. This was what Vivian¡¯s instincts, years of experience from teaching children, was telling her. She also knew, from the years of being a teacher, that the concept of ¡®time¡¯ was utterly pointless to teach to children. What could be just waiting for tomorrow would be a lifetime for them. So she eagerly waited for the two to be friends while Ana was visibly struggling while holding herself back to be Clara¡¯s friend. Ch33: Their Class choice Two more weeks passed, making this the first month they spent in Eve Glade, and around two months after arriving in Tarial through the tower. Throughout this time, the town had a good time not being assailed by another monster horde, which usually came around at around a weekly basis. Also, the weeks were the same in the old world, with seven days and having the same amount of hours in a day. But to the otherworlders, this felt like spending months or even years as they hurled themselves into their personal training. After learning about the possibility of classes, the two focused all of their hours into training. For Mikella, it was to learn using Kinetic Perception. For Zeke, it was to gain the requirement for a specific class that could be beneficial for all of them. It was early afternoon where the sun, or rather, the Studded Star, slowly dimmed down from its highest peak of light. Mikella was breathing heavily as she nestled into her damp cold towel courtesy of Val¡¯s thoughtfulness. It took her a long, long time¨Cbut she finally managed to earn her General Skil¨Con top of everything else.
You have gained +1 STR from your actions. You have gained +2 DEX from your actions. You have gained +2 SPI from your actions. You have gained +1 VIT from your actions. You have gained +2 END from your actions.
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General Skill learned: Kinetic Perception.
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Kinetic Perception (Uncommon), Level 1 You are able to perceive the kinetic power from the very core of your body. Increases your senses towards your body¡¯s structure and control over your physical skills. Each of these will increase according to the level of the skill and the current Endurance stat.
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Meditation Level Up! It is now Level 3. You have gained +1 INT from your skill.
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Pain Resistance Level Up! It is now Level 3. You have gained +1 VIT from your skill. You have gained +1 END from your skill.
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Acrobatics Level Up! It is now Level 3. You have gained +1 STR from your skill. You have gained +2 DEX from your skill.
With this in her disposal, her movements turned sharper, and her body felt lighter. She could even sense how someone else was using kinetic energy, but her level was vastly too low to tell how Val could use hers in such a way. And when she tried to do the same trick that Val did, it barely kicked up a dust instead of making a giant crater. It was proof that her Endurance stat was too low to even consider doing any damage, and worse yet, doing that stunt nearly got her to be as sweaty and tired as she was now. It utterly drained her of all her stamina, the energy used for Kinetic Perception and even just to move around. This was one of the flaws of overzealously using stamina in such a way. You could easily faint from exhaustion if you use too much of your stamina, which would be fatal during live combat. Still, she was surprised that throughout that training, she also managed to get some points into Spirit, but she imagined it had something to do with the will of a person rather than just the mana itself¡­ or at least that¡¯s what Val told her. She didn¡¯t get it that much. Entering into their new home, which is really just the place their hosts graciously let them live in, she breathed slowly as she took in the controlled cold air. Which was odd when she first found out that this fantasy-like world has literal air-conditioning. She didn¡¯t know how it worked, but considering it¡¯s magic, anything¡¯s possible, she guessed. When she got in, realizing that Clara is still out with Vivian and Ana, she can at least bother her cohort and partner Zeke. He should still be at the study, somehow capable of reading so many books at once. She can understand that he¡¯s the bookish type, but even with all that Intelligence, how could he read more than dozens of books a day? She tried reading one single book and it was enough to drain all her motivation and put her right to sleep. But even now, as she stepped through the study, Zeke was once again at his personal desk, flipping through page after page of another dense book that could be pretty useful for some weight training. Then she realized he was also penning pretty hard at another paper while still reading the book, furiously scribbling letters on a parchment. His eyes flicked from left to right, only just glancing at his writings while still reading the book as meticulously as possible. It was odd to see, though she can¡¯t really say for herself that she hasn¡¯t done anything odd these past two weeks. She did try to break the ground with her mind¨Cin someway or another. ¡°Zeke,¡± Mikella called out, getting his attention. He stopped his mad scribing and looked over at her while she walked over to his side. ¡°What¡¯chu doing? Writing a book yourself?¡± ¡°Oh, no, I was just practicing my runes,¡± Zeke said nonchalantly, getting back to his scribbles and brushing the letters with his fingertips. Now that she saw it, her eyes furrowed tightly. The letters made no sense whatsoever. At first, she thought it belonged to an asian language from their old world, but then there were swirls that clearly looked like hieroglyphics from an ancient past, and perhaps even some mythological letters were added in. All of them combined together to make some sort of cursed image of all the languages of the world come to life. It nearly gave her a headache as she winced. ¡°God, what are you writing? Alien language?¡± ¡°Technically, yes,¡± Zeke said, shrugging. She wanted to scowl at him for the bad pun. ¡°But in a way, it really is out of this world. These are runes¨Cat least my own interpretation of them.¡± ¡°The hell are runes?¡± Mikella asked, now puzzled. ¡°An ancient magical language that has more meanings than literally any language out there in the world¨Cin this one and in our old world,¡± Zeke said, wonder in his voice as he looked back at the book¨Crather, at the dozens of books regarding the subject. ¡°Cloud suggested I study them up to get a good skill out of these since I¡¯m a mage specializing in Spirit.¡± ¡°Okay¡­ so what¡¯s the point?¡± Mikella scratched the back of her head. ¡°I mean, cool¨Cmagic and shit, but can it do anything useful?¡± She wasn¡¯t trying to put Zeke¡¯s efforts down. If anything, he sounded like he was having his own fun, just like how she liked to do her own training. But at least her training gave her power to use for their future. Meanwhile, Zeke was here studying what looked like an ancient language nobody else uses. ¡°By useful, do you mean enchanting items with magic and even creating my own magic spells? Yes, very useful.¡± Her eyes popped out of her head as she turned to him. ¡°You¡¯re kidding me.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not,¡± Zeke shook his head. A rising grin flashed on his face. ¡°When I heard about this, I thought it was just some old language too. Then Cloud taught me about runecrafting. By using runes, I can pour my mana into anything I want, and then use the runes to make anything I desire¨Cat least on the surface. It¡¯s actually a lot more complicated than I expected. It¡¯s like trying to understand coding except nothing¡¯s in black and white¨Ceverything, and I mean every letter you see here, can be different in meaning and understanding.¡± ¡°Wait, wait, so you¡¯re saying that this weird ass circle with a bird thing here,¡± Mikella pointed at the letter, which looked exactly as she described. ¡°Can it mean anything else other than¨Csay¨Ca weird ass circle with a bird thing?¡± ¡°Uuh¡­ yes,¡± Zeke nodded. ¡°I guess so.¡± ¡°You guess?¡± Mikella asked incredulously. ¡°You¡¯ve been studying this crap for a month and that¡¯s all you got?¡± ¡°Hey, I never said I was a master at it,¡± Zeke said, raising his hands in defense. ¡°If anything, I¡¯m barely scratching the surface. But at least I got rewarded for it.¡± As if to show it off, he showed his notifications to her.
General Skill learned: Runecraft.
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Runecraft (Uncommon), Level 1 You study the art of drawing runes, an ancient language that lived as long as the system. Your understanding of runes and their capabilities increase according to the level of the skill and the current Spirit stat.
Mikella pursed her lips at the sight. It certainly looked good, but she still doubted its uses. ¡°I learned it just now,¡± Zeke said, grinning softly. ¡°Right before you saw me, actually. I didn¡¯t even notice.¡± Just as he said that, a notification dropped onto her vision. Seeing his dumbfounded reaction, she knew he had the same notice as hers.
Level up! You are now Level 10. You gain 2 free points (4 FP total).
¡°Finally!¡± Mikella shouted aloud. ¡°Jesus, that took way too¨C¡± Just when Mikella was about to sing praises, a loud trilling noise echoed in her ears. It was the same for Zeke as he winced and closed his eyes, holding his head as she did the same. She tried to hold her head, as though it could stop the trilling noise which is sounding more and more like a fanfare of some old video game. Finally, it ceased as another notification dropped onto her vision. Unlike the usual bluish white coloring with simple borders, it was gold with elaborate detail on the borders, as though it was made with sleek plating for armor. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. The words were vibrant, and it carried a hymn of importance that could not be ignored.
You are able to advance. You are now an Apprentice. As for your reward for advancing to Apprentice, you are eligible to pick a Class of your choosing. Choose a class on the list and mark your path forward.
There were a lot of questions she had for what just happened. The noise, the golden coloring, and now this notification. But all of that were swept to the back of her mind as she was filled with excitement, finally reaching the next stage. Being able to finally identify the people around her, including items and equipment with some effects, was definitely a good bonus. There was a prompt that asked her if she liked to see the list, and without hesitation, she pressed yes. Another rectangular light showed in front of her, and this time she saw a large list of all the classes she could pick. They went from up to down, and she can scroll through the list with her mind. To her surprise, though not really, all of the classes relied heavily on the physical aspect of combat.
-Warrior -Fighter -Knight -Barbarian -Archer -Rogue -Thief -Brawler
She expected it, but she was kinda bummed that not a single one showed something like mage. She was hoping for something like a spellblade or even battlemage, something that uses magic for combat. Then again, her poor Intelligence and Spirit attributes said otherwise. However, she did read up on the classes¨Cor at least had Zeke tell her in a way she can understand¨Cand she learned a few things. For instance, there are four major archetypes: Warrior, Archer, Mage, and Rogue. Outside of that, there are archetypes based on artisan type classes, like blacksmiths, leatherworkers, alchemists, and the like. This isn¡¯t an absolute, as classes have the option to evolve into a better version of themselves when one advances, like how Mikella and Zeke just did. The archetypes are meant when one is able to identify someone, and their Class archetypes comes up along with their levels. This way, one can see what kind of class one has and their current power when facing someone. However, even if one spots you to be a Warrior through identify, you can easily be something like a Fighter or a Knight, a class that means you do physical combat. In other words, they can see what you specialize, but never on what you can actually do. So according to the list here, she has three major archetypes she can choose from, and one of them is a one-off Archer class that focuses on ranged fighting. While she did practice with a bow thanks to Val, and she did enjoy shooting arrows which forced her to use her entire body as a brace¨Cshe decided not to go down that path. Being a ranged fighter means being safe while attacking from a distance, but if she was honest with herself, she couldn''t handle something like that as her path. The same goes with the Rogue archetypes, which focuses on agility and sneak attacks. She can easily make herself focus on evasion and dealing critical hits¨Cbut once again, she wasn¡¯t the type to fiddle around the battlefield. She wanted to fight. To use her strength against her opponents and come out the victor. She will, of course, do whatever she can to survive, even if it means attacking with ranged combat or sneaking up on enemies. But Val always said that when choosing a class, one has to be completely honest with themselves. Because the class would respond in kind, and you can grow faster and better than you otherwise would. There was enough evidence that dictated otherwise, so she won¡¯t disagree with her teacher¡¯s lessons. However, there was one another class that caught her interest. Bringing it up, she was astounded as to what she found.
-Dragon Warrior
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Dragon Warrior Warriors that followed a dragon¡¯s path to power. Fighters that focuses on gaining power beyond their means. They specialize in sword fighting, and are known to be quick and agile. The sky''s the limit for them. Attribute Growth Per Level: +1 STR +1 DEX +1 END 2 Skill Choices at Level 10, Level 20, and at Level 25.
Seeing the class for herself, she automatically knew this one to be it. Not only does it specialize in the sword, her favorite weapon of choice, she knew that this class was earned thanks to defeating the wyvern back at the tower. Otherwise, it was possible she never would¡¯ve gotten it. Considering that she did get her title from that wyvern as well, all the more reason that this class is special. Without hesitation, she chose the class. She thought that perhaps there would be some kind of fanfare, some crazy pain that would enter her mind and force her on her knees. But instead she just felt¡­ complete. The notifications were gone, and her body felt as though the puzzle pieces were finally put in place. It was hard to describe, but the next notification proved that it worked.
You have chosen Dragon Warrior. For each level, you gain: +1 STR +1 DEX +1 END For choosing Dragon Warrior, your Sword Mastery has advanced. It is now Uncommon. You gain points based on the advanced rarity: +3 STR
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Due to achieving level 10 and choosing a class, you are now able to Identify any target you choose.
It was more of a letdown than she imagined, but she also was thankful that it didn¡¯t made her ears and nose bleed like learning a skill¨Cwhich apparently was the norm when learning an Acquired Skill Book. Some would even gladly never pick up an Acquired Skill due to the fact that it could easily kill the non-prepared. There was another notification blinking at her interface, causing her to bring it up. She recalled that there was a skill choice at level 10, and since she just chose the class at level 10, it meant that it was time for her to learn one now. Two skill choices popped up, as per the notifications dictated. They spoke out to her as though calling for her attention as she read the first one.
Class Skill: Armored Skin A Dragon Warrior knows when to avoid an attack, but also knows when to take a hit. Transform your skin into scales like a dragon, improving your durability. The durability increases according to the level of the skill and the current Endurance stat.
That was one pretty handy, if she says so herself. However, she felt a bit uncomfortable having her skin turn into scales. Maybe it was just a flavor text where it was just for the lore of the skill, but considering how real everything is, she wondered how weird it would be to fight with scales she never had before. She read the other skill, and it already trounced her opinion of the first.
Class Skill: Heavenly Strike A Dragon¡¯s sword can pierce the sky and foes alike in one fell swoop. Charge your sword with light and air mana, allowing you to pierce through any defense. The damage increases and the stamina and mana consumption decreases according to the level of the skill and the current Strength and Dexterity stat.
An attack skill. Something that she wished she had while fighting off so many monsters before. The fact that it uses Mana as well put her down a little, but she could finally have a skill that can actually deliver a devastating blow to finish the fight¨Cand according to this skill, it can pierce through any defense as well. Was it one of those rare Defence piercing skills in those games that were so valuable? Or did it depend entirely on what kind of defense an enemy has? Either way, it follows her code of hit a lot and dodge a lot, so without any further hesitation she chose the Heavenly Strike skill.
Class Skill learned: Heavenly Strike.
Finally putting everything together, she opened up her status screen again, this time seeing the changes immediately.
Name: Mikella Ashton (Opportunist) Race: Human Dragon Warrior: Level 10 STR: 26 DEX: 29 INT: 7 SPI: 7 VIT: 15 END: 22 Free Points: 4 General Skills: Kinetic Perception (U) Level 1 Sword Mastery (U) Level 4 Pain Resistance (U) Level 3 Meditation (C) Level 3 Acquired Skills: Acrobatics (R) Level 3 Hawk Eyes (R) Level 2 Class Skills: Heavenly Strike Level 1 Title Skill: Not-Lucky Shot (T), Level 1 (Maxed)
Her Novice name changed into Dragon Warrior, and it felt like her status grew even longer. She only just reached level 10, yet she felt that there was a world of difference between the state she was in yesterday and today. Letting out a big breath, she realized a few minutes passed with nothing happening. Turning to Zeke, she saw that he was still in the process of reading his status. However at that moment, his eyes flickered before turning to Mikella with rounded eyes. ¡°Whoa¡­ uhh, sorry, did you say something?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything,¡± Mikella shook her head, snorting. ¡°I just finished up choosing a class.¡± ¡°Oh!¡± Zeke, like the nerd he was, brightened up at that. ¡°What did you choose?¡± ¡°I got something rare. It¡¯s called Dragon Warrior,¡± She explained, telling him all the details she learned including the skill choice. He listened intently, nodding along to her skill choice as well. ¡°That¡¯s a good one. But wow¡­ a Dragon Warrior? That¡¯s so badass!¡± Mikella beamed at that. ¡°So what¡¯d you choose? Something that has to do with those runes?¡± ¡°Oh, yeah!¡± Zeke said, showing a big goofy grin as he explained. Or rather, he just showed her his notifications¨Cnearly the same as how she chose her class.
Runist Scholars who studied upon the ancient magical language, learning their depth and potential. They are capable of inscribing runes and instilling their mana to create miracles. Attribute Growth Per Level: +1 DEX +1 INT +1 SPI 2 Skill Choices at Level 10, Level 20, and at Level 25.
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You have chosen Runist. For each level, you gain: +1 DEX +1 INT +1 SPI For choosing Runist, you gain a new General skill. General Skill learned: Internal Senses
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Internal Senses (Uncommon), Level 1 You are able to perceive the inner workings of any being or item you desire. Increases your senses towards the pathways of the energies. Your senses increase according to the level of the skill and the current Spirit stat.
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Class Skill learned: Runic Library
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Class Skill: Runic Library A runist is capable of recalling and drawing any rune from memory, no matter how complex or long ago it was. Attain a mental library where you can store and draw upon with ease all the runes you have learned. The capacity and recalling increases according to the level of the skill and the current Dexterity.
Astounded by the information, she went ahead to use Identify on the man in front of her. It wasn¡¯t anything special, just that a notification showing his Class and Level popping up in front of her. But she paused when she realized what she read.
Runist, Level 10
It showed his direct Class. Unlike fighter types, which falls under the archetypes of Warriors, Mages, and the like¨CZeke¡¯s Class showed its original name. Which means one thing: ¡°Runist is a¡­ crafter class?¡± ¡°Yep,¡± Zeke nodded in agreement. ¡°Pretty handy too, according to Cloud at least.¡± ¡°And you just¡­ chose it?¡± She always knew Zeke was smart, but if she was honest, she doubted his mental state after finding this out. What they needed are classes that can survive against anything that might kill them. Taking on a crafting job is just¡­¡± ¡°Zeke, you do know we need to get stronger, right?¡± Mikella asked, honestly feeling a bit miffed that he just chose a class without really thinking about it just because Cloud suggested it. ¡°Why pick a crafter class?¡± ¡°Well because¨C¡± Just when Zeke was about to explain, the door opened up, revealing Val as she smiled at the two¨Cespecially after seeing them as they were now. ¡°Oh! Congratulations! You reached level 10 and got a class, right?¡± Val stated, getting the two to nod. Nodding back, she replied with a grin. ¡°Perfect, then it¡¯s time for you two to be introduced to everyone else at the ramparts. It¡¯s time for you to earn your keep¨Cas it were.¡± The two looked back at each other, then back at their host. They supposed it was about time to start working for real in this town. Ch34: Seeing the town The next day, the three set out from the Mystio household to meet with the rest of the townsfolk. That was the intention behind walking the long way around the town, meeting with the folks who were actually looking forward to seeing the new visitors. Mikella held onto Clara¡¯s hand as Val led the two along with Zeke towards the gate where they will start their first day working as the soldiers for the town military. While that wasn¡¯t exactly what Mikella thought of doing the first time in this new world, fate tends to screw her around for a while just for shits and giggles. She was still a bit off considering she learned of Zeke having a crafter class, but took a moment to look at it from far away as she was introduced. It¡¯s not as though Zeke needed to be in a combat class. His acquired skills, according to Val, were more valuable than they led on. Having spells for healing and making barriers would obviously land him as a support mage. In fact, those alone would be enough to be an asset. So why exactly did he need a job for combat? Sure, in her mind, him being able to cast fireballs or something while she fought would have been more useful, but then she recognized why a crafter job was needed. On top of fighting monsters, they also needed to live. As far as she knew, this world required skills outside of combat to survive. You have to live in a town to be in the safety of numbers, so you need to provide some other skill besides monster killing. Sure, be good enough and nobody would complain, but is that all you can do? Mikella at least didn¡¯t think so. Not to mention she still has no clue what Runists can do, but she knew better than anyone that Zeke is the reliable sort. She just has to trust his instinct on this one. The three members of the Ashton family, which was decided by everyone including Zeke, followed Val as she made her rounds across the town. The townsfolk, rather than getting pressured by the lord coming with them, was actually smiling and greeting her like she was a regular housewife greeting her neighbors. The clearly popular, super great housewife and mother that everyone loved to talk to. She was so damn popular, and not just for her looks. Everyone had eyes on her as though they were looking at someone that saved their lives time and time again. The amount of gratitude in their voice when they spoke to her, the pure reverence almost to the point of gladly worshiping her, astonished Mikella to a great degree. She knew that it wasn¡¯t just her bubbly personality and great looks. The way they looked at her was clear. It was her raw power and the way she handles herself. With grace in each step, but filled with power far beyond Mikella¡¯s understanding, Valorie Mystio talked to them one by one, or at least to a certain group that she knew personally herself, trying to explain the situation with the new visitors, AKA the Ashton family. On the off side, Mikella asked why Zeke was okay with using her last name and not his, but he made a complex look and said: ¡°It¡¯s okay. I just don¡¯t like my last name.¡± Clearly, it was something personal that Mikella had no reason to pry in. Hell, she didn¡¯t even bother to tell him the reason behind her being with Clara at the time. She always felt a little bad for not letting him in on that, considering the lengths he went to protect them, but she also figured that it was something that was clearly not needed. After all, what¡¯s the point? That problem was nothing compared to what they were doing now. So it was decided in her head that anything that pops up from the past means nothing, and that who they are now is what matters¡­ that¡¯s what she wants to think, at least. If they ever happened to talk about themselves, though, she¡¯ll gladly take up on it. Mikella took the time to look at the town. Truly seeing it, as compared to the first day, it looked way better than before. So she examined the clearly bustling town filled with excitement at every corner. Though it wasn¡¯t the happy kind like preparing for a town event. They were rushing, many folks carrying heavy boxes over to the ramparts, and some leaving from the ramparts sweating and heaving. The boxes that were open showed plenty of steel weapons and bundles of arrows, and some workers even carried a large number of logs to the ramparts. To fix the incoming damage later on, Mikella expected. While the town looked better than she expected out of a seemingly medieval world, she still couldn¡¯t deny that monster hordes were still a threat. The town buildings still looked like modern housing to a degree, with what they learned that everyone had proper plumbing and even lighting in all their houses. Unlike most major cities, Zeke explained to her¨Csince she couldn¡¯t really pay attention enough on her own¨Cthat Eve Glade¡¯s great strength is that they can provide better housing and living conditions. The problem was their size and lack of support. They can¡¯t expect any major reliefs if something like, say, a monster attack would come for them. And since they¡¯re a pretty small and exclusive town, they can¡¯t really defend themselves against large threats. But that was the risk of living in Eve Glade. With no heavy taxes or any mandatory curfews and such, the people can live freely to do whatever they want. They just had to work for themselves if they plan on living here. Apparently they had a lot of issues with folks not pulling their share, and hence had to kick them out. Mikella had no love lost for those types of leeches¨Cshe already imagined her mother being one of them if she lived here. As they made their rounds, they met quite a lot of people, a lot who apparently had the image in their minds that the Ashton family was exactly as they looked: A pair with a child in tow who clearly went through a lot, and the lords were kind enough to invite them into their homes for rest and consolidation. There wasn¡¯t any other house available, and all the supplies needed to make one were used to make the ramparts like those logs Mikella saw before to protect them from the monster hordes. So the townsfolk pitched in to offer what little they have to the surviving visitors. That was the reason why they had a bit more food to eat. Hearing that, Mikella went ahead and thanked them deeply, ensuring that their help was not in vain. Following along, Zeke did the same, and the two made a good impression on the folks. However, each time they spoke, for some reason, the older folks just looked at them with that damn pity in their eyes. It wasn¡¯t anything out of offense. It¡¯s just that in their heads, they see two young teens who had a child together forced into a bad situation. Now they needed to work their ass off to pay for the supplies the townsfolk were forced to give for the sake of helping these kids out. It was bad enough that they kept thinking of them as kids despite the two already in their twenties, but it was somehow worse that they think the little girl besides them is their child. Of course, they haven¡¯t really seen Clara, so when they saw that she was older, it was easily believed she was Mikella¡¯s sister. Though Zeke couldn¡¯t help but get flustered whenever the idea of him being a father was mentioned, and how he was lucky to have Mikella as a young wife to go home to. Honestly, that part alone was easily Mikella¡¯s highlight of the day. She can¡¯t help but rejoice at him getting nervous about such topics. But just when Mikella was ready to step in to clear the misunderstanding, that¡¯s when Val stepped in with a low voice. ¡°Listen¡­ maybe let them think that Zeke is your husband. That way, none of the younger guys around here will start targeting you. Trust me, it¡¯ll be worth it rather than getting invited and having to reject them.¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Mikella widened her eyes at the idea. Well, she first blushed slightly that Val thought of her pretty enough to warrant getting the men¡¯s attention, but then clearly understood her meaning. If a bunch of guys were to try and get her attention, who knows what they¡¯ll do? Not that she actually believed herself to be the next madonna in town or anything, but it¡¯s definitely better than getting asked out at strange times and end up losing out on possible training to deal with it. It was a very small chance, but a chance that she will gladly snuff out ahead of time. So when the two were asked about how they met to make casual conversation and Zeke tried to rectify that fact, Mikella stepped in, fully ready with a story in mind. ¡°Oh, he and I knew each other for a long time now. Our families were friends for many years. We first started off as childhood friends, then things went this way and that, and we ended up getting married. Ain¡¯t that right, honey?¡± Zeke didn¡¯t just get flustered. He practically stiffened at her made up story and remark. He looked so frozen and deeply reddish that he actually looked like he was about to faint. Was it really that bad? Mikella knew that he wasn¡¯t used to women, but this was on a whole other level than being bad. ¡°Y-Yeah,¡± Zeke said, apparently understanding something was going on, or that he caught Val staring at him expectantly, and nodded. ¡°S-She was a tough cookie to get! All the guys kept asking for her hand in marriage. But I somehow pulled through.¡± The folks who heard their intimate, totally made up story laughed and even praised him for getting the girl in the end, something that surprised Mikella to find that he made that up on the spot as well. When they got away and got to be by themselves, Zeke turned to her with a face that was nearly as red. ¡°What¡¯s up with that?¡± Zeke asked. ¡°Why are we suddenly married?¡± ¡°It¡¯s something Val said will help me on not getting hounded by guys,¡± Mikella shrugged. ¡°It may not actually happen, but I don¡¯t want that to happen in the first place. So I guess you¡¯re stuck as my husband now.¡± Zeke grumbled, muttering to himself. ¡°Somehow, I don¡¯t know whether I should take that as an issue or not¡­¡± He brushed his hair in awkwardness as he tried to look away. Did he actually say that he didn¡¯t mind the idea? Great, now she was feeling awkward. The idea of being in an actual relationship with Zeke didn¡¯t cross her mind at all, what¡¯s with the whole ¡®trying to survive¡¯ still a thing. Thankfully before her mind gets around that spicy subject, they arrived at the gate where the large ramparts they saw nearly a month ago still held true. Seeing it now was proof just how daunting the horde attacks have been, why they needed so much wood to transport here. The ramparts that looked strong and sturdy looked like they''d been weighed down by vicious attacks by the hour. There were some obvious scratch marks and holes that even now, the citizens were helping build back up for further protection. The sounds of hammering echoed in their ears, causing Clara to hold her ears tight from the noise. But somehow, despite all the noise, one particular screeching voice echoed out the loudest. ¡°Mama! Clara!¡± ¡°Ah, Ana!¡± Val instantly melted as she knelt and was embraced full on by a tackling child the same size as Clara. Val hoisted her up and gave her a big hug, giving her tiny pecks all over while nustling at her. To see her instantly be a mother at just a switch was impressive to Mikella. Though Zeke told her that she changed dramatically when she was with Clara. Isn¡¯t that obvious? Who wouldn¡¯t want to nustle and spoil Clara? Perhaps asking her about that would be pointless, she realized. ¡°Mama!¡± Ana shouted with glee. ¡°Mama, I¡¯ve waited for you to see you off! Go kick butt!¡± ¡°Oh, is that so?¡± Val chimed in return. ¡°Then I¡¯m certain I¡¯ll beat the horde by myself thanks to you. Thank you so much for visiting! Are you here to see Clara too?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Like so, Ana was put down to the ground to then run towards Clara, who instantly went around and ran towards Zeke to hide behind. Eventually the two girls ran around Zeke¡¯s legs, causing the poor man to nearly fumble to try and not hurt them by accident. ¡°Clara! Play with me!¡± ¡°No!¡± ¡°Why?!¡± ¡°Because no!¡± The two girls kept shouting and screaming, all the while ignoring everyone in the vicinity. But not a single person around would complain, and instead they smiled at the children¡¯s antics. Despite the serious situation, Ana still kept glowing with absolute positivity, even while Clara wasn¡¯t so. Seeing her like that, Mikella felt a twinge of anxiety. Ana may be a little too forceful, but Clara also needed to step outside her shell if she wants to properly grow up. She was conflicted, figuring that it was better to leave it to Val, who also left it at that. ¡°Sorry for the mess,¡± Val said, smiling sheepishly. ¡°I swear, Ana is gentler than she looks.¡± ¡°No worries,¡± Mikella smiled sincerely. ¡°I want Clara to have as many friends as possible. Or at least one good friend, and Ana is such a sweetie.¡± Mikella and Zeke have met Ana many times, especially since they all live in the same house. Ana was, in other words, what every child should be at her age; energetic, positive, and perhaps a little rambunctious. But somehow, unlike the children back on earth, Ana just seems so adorable that Mikella can¡¯t help but like her. She has that same energy as Val, someone who¡¯s so positive and kind that no matter the person, you can¡¯t really dislike her. Perhaps the only exception is Clara, and she was worried whether that might be an issue in the future. ¡°Alright, you two,¡± Val clapped her hands, instantly getting the girls¡¯ attention. Zeke could only marvel in shock at how easy the girls listened to her all the while ignoring Zeke¡¯s plight to calm them down. ¡°It¡¯s time for us to head to work. It¡¯s going to be very dangerous here, so I want you to go back to Vivian. Understand?¡± ¡°Alright~¡± Ana complained with a groan but she easily complied, and soon grasped Clara¡¯s hand without her realizing. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°W-Wait!¡± Clara instantly let go of her hands and ran over to Mikella, hugging her tightly. Despite how she looked, Clara looked up, a worried expression on her face. ¡°Sissy¡­ be safe,¡± Clara said, her voice meek but sure. Mikella just wanted to hug her and go home right along with her at that moment, but she had work to do. She knelt down, and lightly kissed Clara on the forehead. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be fine,¡± Mikella said, her smile soft like velvet. ¡°And remember, Bobo¡¯s here with me. He¡¯ll protect me, won¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Zeke followed along easily, something that the two have perfected during their time together. After a whole month, people can easily adjust to these subtle changes. He knelt down to Clara¡¯s level, offering an assured smile. ¡°I¡¯ll protect Sissy with my life, so don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Okay, if you say so, Bobo¡­¡± Clara nodded, and Zeke looked apprehensive for a moment before adding in something. ¡°And¡­ let me just say¨CI was a lot like you when I was little. I was scared of other people. That only made me feel alone for a long time. So even if Ana can be a little scary¡­ I promise you that she¡¯ll be an incredible friend to have for life. You don¡¯t have to be scared of her.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Clara wanted to protest, but she quieted when she noticed Zeke¡¯s stare. ¡°Trust me, it¡¯s worth it,¡± Zeke only said, his words assuring that his word would never break. After another bit of hesitation, Clara nodded before running back towards Ana. Ana watched, almost patiently as Clara ever so slowly lifted her hand, a frightened look on her face. Ana just beamed at her, then lightly grabbed her hand as the two walked together out from the ramparts. Seeing the two children like that, both Val and Mikella looked back at Zeke, wonder and surprise apparent on their faces. ¡°What?¡± Zeke said, hunching his head like a turtle hiding from view. ¡°I can relate to her, and that¡¯s why I want her to try and be friends early. The sooner she does it, the easier it¡¯ll be. At least, that''s what I thought¡­¡± Zeke turned to Mikella, showing a look that seemed like he was ready to get scolded by her. However, she was feeling the opposite. She smiled back at him. ¡°I¡¯m glad you gave your two cents. I think Clara really took it to heart.¡± ¡°You think so?¡± Zeke said, relieved that she wasn¡¯t mad at him. ¡°I know she¡¯s a smart girl, but I wonder if she understood what I meant.¡± ¡°I think Clara did,¡± Mikella said, utterly resolute. ¡°She¡¯s special. I know she is. And besides, she really looks up to you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s no wonder why people kept assuming you¡¯re the father,¡± Val said, showing a cheery grin at him. ¡°With the way Clara kept clinging to you and you always looking out for her like a newly made daddy. You gave off such strong Cloud vibes when Ana was first born.¡± Zeke instantly tried to hide himself, obviously realizing that his cheeks were burning so red they looked like they were boiling tea. Mikella could only laugh at the sight, leaving Zeke that much worse off unfortunately. ¡°Now then, let¡¯s introduce you two to the soldiers. I¡¯m sure they¡¯re dying to meet you by now.¡± Ch35: Myra Val went ahead with the two following along. They saw that the damage done to the gates was more intense than expected. The inside of the ramparts was a mess. As the town is made with the ramparts having a nearby living quarters for those keeping guard duty, it was re-made to include as many soldiers as possible, along with some supplies and extra weaponry. Due to the recent attacks, however, the supplies were running out along with the weapons as they constantly broke from overuse. However, Mikella noticed at the side that one of the shelves was filled with very familiar weapons. It was one of the weapons they took from the knight tower. Compared to the others, their tower-based weapons gleaned from the natural sunlight giving off from the open air. Rather than marvel at her weapon, the sorry sight of the town¡¯s armory was filling her with pity. But what looked more tiresome and worn out were the soldiers. Upon entering into the large living quarters of the ramparts, the soldiers who wore some worn down leather armor and almost ripped clothing glared at them with intense heat. They looked at the two outsiders with contempt, greed, and perhaps envy by the looks of it. While they were guarding the town from the entrance, the outsiders that gave them some trouble at the beginning were just relaxing at the lord¡¯s house for an entire month. That didn¡¯t give Mikella any love lost for these soldiers, They did sign up for this after all. What¡¯s more, now that they¡¯re here, they have no reason to stare at them. They particularly gave nasty looks at Zeke, who didn¡¯t even look like a fighter at all. When they entered, Mikella already had her sword held in place with Zeke just stayed by her side, his hands fidgeting as though trying to find out what to do. Of course, they didn¡¯t come with messed up drag like when they first got into the town. They wore official armor and robes signifying the town¡¯s defense. Zeke wore a simplistic brown robe that covered his torso and limbs, but parts of the cloth were tied with tight bands around his forearms and forelegs, allowing him easier movement. Something that Cloud offered as he too hated the idea of having such loose cloth all the time. However, the reasoning behind the cloth instead of armor was simple. Wearing any type of armory, whether leather or iron, added interference to the mana casted by the mage. Like an unnecessary filter, it bottles up the mana exuded by the mage, making it harder to pass through. There were skills for crafters that allowed mana to pass through with ease, allowing even mages to be decked with heavy plated armor while casting fireballs like a literal tank. But unfortunately, their crafters weren¡¯t high level enough, or specialized, to do that for their mages. Right now, dealing magic properly was more important than some added protection. On top of that, armor specialized for magecraft was expensive as hell. So the mage types are often at the back, having no defense whatsoever, while the fighters are at the frontlines. As for Mikella, she wore the same leather armor as the rest of the soldiers, regardless of gender. Her leather armor was simple, adorning across her torso and upper arms, keeping her forearms light with some bracers. She also had tightly woven leather boots with pants that felt similar to cargo, the material rough and padded to the touch, but not as hard as the leather which makes it easier to move around in. She could honestly go with less simplistic brown in her opinion, but who has time for fashion when she¡¯s most likely to be dressed in red soon? Hopefully only from monsters, Mikella thought. But despite looking way better than they were at first, the soldiers kept looking at them as though they were barely worth their time. When Val approached the group up front, she called them out. Her usually cheerful self vanished and only the solemn captain of the military force of Eve Glade showed. ¡°Listen up!¡± Her voice echoed, getting the soldiers to stiffen up. ¡°We got new fighters joining the fray. These folks were caught unawares and were forced to travel all the way here to our town. In return for our kindness, they offered their services to the defense of the city. I personally saw to it that they are capable of fighting in their own right. But that can only go so far. ¡°The rest of us will continue to holster our defenses and look out for any potential threats. And this time, do not let your exhaustion get the best of you! I know it¡¯s been a rough time for all of us, but that is why we need to stand firm, now more than ever. Earn those levels and titles, and come back to a much safer town after.¡± The soldiers all responded at once, saluting and shouting ¡®Yes ma¡¯am!¡¯ at their captain. It was so unified, it was a wonder to see despite the strange atmosphere that was occurring just moments ago. But soon after Val left to get started on her rounds across the rampart, the two were left with the soldiers standing behind for their own work, now returning back to staring at them. In the end, nothing much changed. Though it was clear that they needed to follow what Val said earlier that day. The soldiers were, in the end, fighters who have fought for years now. Fighters tend to rely on those who have earned that trust, and the only way to earn that themselves is through combat. While that won¡¯t be an issue for both Mikella and Zeke, she still didn¡¯t like how they stared at her as though she was useless. And she didn¡¯t like how most of the melee fighters just stared begrudgingly at Zeke, one of the rare mages that were there. Hell, not even the other mages, all dressed the same way as Zeke, would give him any amicable stares. It was rather insulting, and something Mikella knew that she can easily fix by showing them her power. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. But there¡¯s no point in causing a fight. In the end, the two stayed restlessly as they followed one of the top soldier¡¯s orders to keep working. ¡­.. Throughout the time there, hours have passed from early morning to afternoon with nothing much of worth. The hordes come at random times, but when they come¨Cthey come in droves. Sometimes stragglers come along, forcing one of the guards to take it out. Sometimes they even fight each other to take the kill, as having to wait for monsters to come while they are close to a level up can be frustrating for them. Because there weren''t any monsters to fight at the moment, some of the soldiers decided to do some light sparring to keep up with their fitness, often going into brawls if weapons weren¡¯t allowed. The only reason why it wasn¡¯t such a waste of time doing that was because they could increase their stats and skill levels. So if they can somehow manage to increase the skill level before the horde comes, that would only be purely beneficial for the group. Due to that, Mikella suddenly found herself facing a tall girl with a mean look on her face. Zeke was off with the mages, practically forced to go into planning a decent way of attack, so he wasn¡¯t there to find herself getting confronted with this tall girl the moment she was alone. The girl looked mean, but it was clear in Mikella¡¯s eyes that she was just as beautiful, if not pretty enough to almost stand equal to a model in their own world. She had auburn colored hair, her skin lightly tanned, constantly under the sun. She wore similar leather armor to herself and carried a spear. She was crossing her arms, standing nearly a head above Mikella as she faced down at her. ¡°Umm¡­ hello?¡± Mikella asked, considering what to do the moment the girl appeared like that, and the best she could do was offer greetings. ¡°So, you¡¯re the one she took under her wing?¡± The girl suddenly said, her tone not implying any friendly attitude. ¡°I gotta say, I¡¯m a little disappointed at what I¡¯m seeing.¡± Mikella could only grimace at that as she frowned at her. ¡°Oh? What makes you say that?¡± She knew the instant she answered with that tone of hers. It was a callout, something that she was actually used to back during her gymnast days back in high school. Some of the members would call her out, say that she isn¡¯t that impressive, and try to one up her to get onto the main team. Of course, she responded with a simple straight up match that ended up with them running with their tail between their legs. If there¡¯s one thing she can call herself, she¡¯s competitive. ¡°Do I need to say it?¡± The girl said, nearly scoffing. ¡°You¡¯re only just level 10, and you think you can keep up with the adults?¡± ¡°Adults,¡± Mikella scoffed. ¡°You don¡¯t look any older than I do. What makes you say that?¡± The girl was starting to get on her nerves, but she kept calm while challenging her. Losing her cool now would only make her look bad¨Ca byproduct of being a high school girl from America. ¡°Levels mean more than power,¡± She responded casually. ¡°That¡¯s why we get ¡®experience¡¯. Just because the Captain actually gave you her valuable time training you doesn¡¯t make you any better than anyone else here.¡± She was starting to understand why she looked so pissy. So she was a fan of Val, then Mikella and Zeke took most of her time and even got trained under her. Well, mostly Mikella did. Zeke just read books. Still, it sounded incredibly petty to start a fight over that, but apparently the girl had more to say. ¡°Even worse, you brought a damn crafter to the ramparts,¡± The girl frowned deeper, her eyes looking away as though she could see the target of her contempt. ¡°I don¡¯t care how favored he is, that little shrimp can barely¨C¡± The tall girl immediately clammed up when she found herself at the end of Mikella¡¯s sword, right in front of her nose. She didn¡¯t flinch, but she certainly shut up. Mikella had it with her attitude already, but the moment she decided to not only call her out, but even get Zeke involved¨Cthat got her to move without really thinking. And honestly, she was glad for it. Because even the possibly higher leveled girl couldn¡¯t respond as quickly, only just barely getting her hand to her spear behind her back. ¡°How about you put your money where your mouth is?¡± Mikella said. ¡°If you want a fight, just ask for it already. I¡¯m tired of beating around the bush.¡± Just like that, Mikella swung her sword aside, facing the now furious girl ready to explode from the insult. Just like that, the two went out of the rampart¡¯s section, finding themselves in the open area where they usually fight the monster hordes. There was no sign of any danger, and right now, this was a good way to do some decent training. Even better for Mikella who wanted to get better used to her Kinetic Perception skill. With it, she could feel her handling of her weapon getting better along with Sword Mastery. Added with the Dragon Warrior Class on top of that, she felt like a master. So even when she identified the girl in front of her and it showed her level, she didn¡¯t get scared in the slightest.
Warrior, Level 23.
She was a little surprised that the girl in front of her was that high, nearly reaching the end of Apprentice at level 30. Back then, with the help of Identify, she tried searching Val¡¯s level, but it ended up with just unknown question marks. It was revealed that if someone tried to Identify a person or monster two stages higher, it wouldn¡¯t work. Too high up the system ladder to gain information. The other soldiers spotted what they were doing, even making some comments here and there which, despite trying to focus, Mikella couldn¡¯t help but listen. ¡°Ah, crap. There she goes. Looks like Myra did it as we expected.¡± ¡°What can you do? Myra looked up to the Captain for years. Now this chick shows up and takes her attention. Myra¡¯s super pissed about it.¡± Mikella could only roll her eyes at the absurdity. She already guessed it, but to hear about it only ticked her off further. Myra was the competitive, jealous type of girl. And she decided to show her worth to Val by proving that she was better than Mikella, a young woman that was more than 10 levels below her. Totally fair and balanced. She also noticed that Zeke came out to watch, his eyes solely on her. There was a clear look of worry in his eyes, wondering if he needed to step in, she¡¯d thought. She turned to him, getting him to notice her, and she made sure to shake her head where he could see it. Just by that alone, Zeke could tell that she can handle this. Though he did show a bit of hesitation, almost frustration at the idea of this happening, he just shrugged and forced himself to just watch. That¡¯s what she liked about him¨Che just ¡®gets¡¯ her sometimes. Which only made her more pissed off at this Myra chick for insulting him without even meeting the guy. She deserves a bit of an ass whooping if she says so herself. So she propped her sword up and brandished it about, getting a good feel. Then she pointed the blade right at the girl. Myra, turning back to her opponent after giving herself a fair distance, unsheathed her spear and just pointed it right back at her. The two faced each other, a fair bit of distance between each other as seconds passed. But Mikella knew that even with this amount of room between them, it could get covered in seconds. Myra changed her stance when she realized that Mikella wasn''t playing around. So without wasting any more time, the two dashed at each other, their weapons at the ready. Ch36: First spar Blades clashed as Mikella¡¯s sword was tossed aside by Myra¡¯s swing of her spear. Now that she had a closer look, the spear was shorter than she expected. Due to that, she was able to pick up the length, and how Myra might attack, but even then, impressions were nothing when facing the real thing. Myra didn¡¯t let up. She swung her spear and tried to stab at Mikella through her mid-section. She was clearly experienced, as she wasn¡¯t trying to decapitate her or heavily injure her, but just so that she won¡¯t be put down¨Cat least not without a healer on hand. The reason the spars can go on with live weapons is because they have healers ready to go. Plus, with Zeke¡¯s Recovery, she didn¡¯t have to worry about getting horrifically wounded before any real battle. Still, pain was pain. After the strike, it was difficult for Mikella to pull off as she immediately thought about pelting it aside with her blade, then stabbing her head with her sword. Instead, she jumped back. With her Acrobatics, her body became lighter than air itself, stepping away from Myra¡¯s spear. She stopped just a few feet away, surprising Myra from her incredible speed. She also had a feeling that even without mentioning any skill, her Dragon Warrior Class was making it easy for her. Unfortunately that didn¡¯t stop her fervor as Myra charged in. Mikella fought off Myra¡¯s strikes with every parry, using the blade of her sword to block or interrupt her attacks. Myra¡¯s strikes were cordial, flowing ever so seamlessly between each swing. Mikella¡¯s eyes could tell that her body was moving well, her spear increasing in velocity and power, causing her arms to grow numb. She even used her mastery of the long shaft and the butt end of it to disrupt Mikella¡¯s rhythm, disrupting her personal pacing. Her Sword Mastery was the reason why she managed to hold off against a seasoned fighter for so long. But she also realized that while she was able to keep up with Myra, she wasn¡¯t able to deal a stable attack in return. She noticed that Myra¡¯s powerful strikes kept slamming against the guard of her sword. Her hands were starting to sting as she didn¡¯t manage to get away entirely from having the skin off her hands getting sliced every so often from a rampant swing. It was such a small detail that Mikella noticed as the two went on, the powerful metal shrilling and echoing across the ramparts. The others watched with great intent, unable to keep their eyes off the fight. Myra seemed to be pretty agitated by the look of her gritted teeth, her brows knitted. Then she kicked her right on the stomach. Her entire body almost flew off, but she managed to dig her heels down and stop herself from flying off entirely. She looked up, only to see Myra coming at her in full force, her eyes full of finality. Her spear actually seemed to glow with a feint whitish glow, and Mikella knew instantly that trying to block that would be dangerous. It was kinetic energy, or Stamina, charging her strike. With her own perception skill working, she could tell that taking the blow would end the fight. Without really thinking, Mikella fell down. Way down. Her legs split in perfect halves as the spear missed her entirely, shocking both Myra and the rest of the soldiers. After the miss, Mikella used her sword to bring herself back up. Her eyes sharpened as Hawk Eyes took over, noticing that parts of her body were glowing bright yellow. Then, she used her new skill: Heavenly Strike. The blade of her sword glowed a bright white and green. It was feint, but the hue was there, doubly proven by how her body suddenly felt chillier than before. It was the cost of mana along with stamina, causing her to feel just that tired. Air and light mana gathered around the blade as she struck Myra. Myra knew the danger as she half-hazardly lunged herself away from the sword blade, but not before a small wound showed up around her left abdomen as blood trickled down. The two quickly separated themselves, with Myra holding onto her left with her hand. Mikella returned to her stance, expecting an insult or a scream of hatred or something. But instead, Myra answered as though she was curious. ¡°That¡¯s an interesting skill,¡± Myra said, not really sounding angry. Instead, she sounded almost excited. ¡°You mind telling me what class you got?¡± The earlier hostility was gone now, something that surprised Mikella. Most of the girls that often challenged her would often not take the loss well, and end up just speaking badly behind her back as though for revenge. In the end, that didn¡¯t matter to her as she only cared about her gymnastics training. But she didn¡¯t feel anything nasty from Myra at all. It was as though that small instance of life or death battle changed her mind. Yet, despite Myra trying to make conversation purely for curiosity¡¯s sake, Mikella couldn¡¯t help but be a cheeky brat and smirked. ¡°I could, but that would ruin the surprise at the end, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± Myra was taken aback by her words, then she made a snort as she angled her spear straight back at her. ¡°Damn brat,¡± Myra said, her own smirk apparent. ¡°Fine! It doesn¡¯t matter if you have rare class or not! I¡¯ll still kick your ass!¡± Without hesitation, she charged after her, her blade once again shimmering in that greenish glow. She also noticed, thanks to her Hawk Eyes that also doubled as enhanced sight, that her feet were also covered in that super feint green glow. She was using kinetic energy to run faster, nearly reaching Mikella in a heartbeat. She returned to her stance, Sword Mastery taking over. Her blade moved as she dodged the glowing strike, then as a normal one came in, she deflected it back. She regained control as she tried Heavenly Strike again, but her body refused to listen. It cried out in aches, as though her body was begging her not to use the skill so soon. What the hell? Mikella thought in alarm. Wait, is this one of those cooldowns? Shit, it never mentioned anything like that! She growled before noticing Myra lifting her spear. In pure instinct, Mikella shifted her head slightly to avoid the strike, Since her body was crying out, she had no other choice but to just shift her head to avoid using more of her stamina. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Still, the strike was trying to decapitate her, she realized. It made a good cut across her shoulder, blood pouring down from the small wound. If she had not moved at all, it would¡¯ve made a serious injury that would¡¯ve stopped the fight. Not enough to kill her, but it would definitely make her the loser. She banned herself from using Heavenly Strike for now. Even if she had the energy or the timing right, Myra won¡¯t be fooled into taking such an obvious hit. It would only waste her resources and finish the fight faster. So instead, she channeled kinetic energy from within her body, through her arms, around her wrists, and enforcing her hands. She could feel each part of her hands strengthening, down to the smallest joint as she spun her sword incredibly fast. Myra noticed immediately and tried to strike back, but the kinetic energy from her sword pushed her spear with a screeching twang. For a few seconds, Myra was baffled as Mikella dealt another swift strike down her forearm. Myra didn¡¯t relent, using this chance while Mikella was focusing on her own attack to deal another one right back, dealing a small cut down her thigh. Sharp pain hissed from the cut, but Mikella could only feel herself more alarmed than in pain, forcing her back a few feet as Myra did the same. The two continued on with these bouts, trying to catch each other off guard while avoiding getting hit. To them, and to Mikella most of all, it was a learning experience. Enough to ensure that Sword Mastery gets a good workout. Perhaps Acrobatics can increase as well. She knew her skill was working overtime already, as by now she would¡¯ve lost a lot more Stamina by now, slowing her performance. But the level disparity between the two showed immensely as while Mikella was keeping up with all she had, Myra wasn¡¯t the least bit tired. The two kept fighting, not realizing that the crowd was watching them with great interest. To the crowd themselves, it was a fight worthy to learn from, to feel invigorated to keep up with. Another moment passed as the two fighters finally ran out of steam, letting themselves slow on purpose, nearly at the same time as they backed off from each other. Mikella¡¯s beginning stride was decent, catching Myra off guard the first two times, but afterwards, her body slowed as it was the first time she had fought for so long. While it was good to keep the momentum going, it was harder to keep up with it as her resources slowly diminished. The moment she felt her stamina hit the quarter mark, her body slowed dramatically, taking more and more hits. She ended up with more scratches on her limbs and outer edges of her torso than Myra did, with Myra¡¯s own body only having three, just one more extra during the last bout. In the end, it wasn¡¯t just the level disparity, but the experience in their fighting style. Mikella had a starting advantage, but Myra had the foundation laid out for her. Something that Mikella had no problem admitting, but knew that she can reach that as well with enough time. The two breathed heavily, but each carried a smile on their faces as they spoke. ¡°Impressive,¡± Myra said. There wasn¡¯t a hint of mockery in her tone, and her eyes still seem vigorous enough for another fight. ¡°I guess I can see why the Captain took you in.¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡± Mikella let out heavy breaths, still trying to keep up with her stamina dropping so low. ¡°It¡¯s nothing that serious. Hah¡­ it¡¯s really a mercy.¡± ¡°She¡¯s right, you know.¡± The two instantly noticed Val¡¯s voice, with Myra stiffening up quickly and saluting the Captain approaching them. Mikella tried to stand and salute like a proper worker, but her body was screaming at her to just shut up and listen instead of doing anymore moving. Val turned her attention to Myra, who nearly froze from her steady gaze. ¡°Myra, I realized that I may have made a misunderstanding. So I want to correct that. I saw your fight earlier, but I also saw what started it. I decided to let it be as it¡¯s my code to let fighters handle it themselves rather than me intervening. But I want to make something clear¨CThis has nothing to do with me favoring one person over another.¡± Myra stayed quiet, fully intent on listening to the captain. Mikella kept watching, realizing a few things as Myra stared at Val. At first, she figured she just had a crush on Val. Despite her being married, who wouldn¡¯t? As she said before, after finding someone so attractive, gender didn¡¯t really matter. So it wasn¡¯t much of a surprise to find Myra pining for her. Why else would Myra make such a fuss about Mikella taking so much of Val¡¯s time? But then, Myra¡¯s eyes showed nothing about such things. It was filled with adoration and respect, much like looking up towards a parental figure or a role model. ¡°Myra, I want you to know¨Cnot, I want everyone to know¨Cthat there is no soldier here better than the other. Some just require more time and effort to teach. Not everyone is the same, especially when you consider how they spent the majority of their lives.¡± ¡°I¡­I understand,¡± Myra nodded. She clearly looked deflated, but despite her earlier complaints, she had no reason to deny the captain. ¡°I apologize for my childish tantrum.¡± ¡°It¡¯s only fair,¡± Val shrugged, giving a grin. ¡°I certainly spent a bit too much time with Mikella lately. That was my fault for not managing my time better. Once all this horde mess is settled, I hope you can give me a second chance if you let me help you out on what you¡¯re stuck on.¡± Myra¡¯s eyes widened, something that was clearly apparent in Mikella¡¯s eyes more than anything else. Determination. It wasn¡¯t the pining that caught Myra upset, it was the lack of being able to advance. It was that she might lose out the chance of growth by none other than the clearly advanced and powerful captain in front of her. If that was the case, then all of it made sense. Unlike Mikella¡¯s old world, in this one, everyone here has the chance to grow in levels and strength. But only a few are lucky enough to advance more than once. She was still new to the whole system thing, and perhaps still confused about a few things, but she knew well enough that people are always trying to advance to a higher stage, whether by leveling or skill mastering. ¡°T-That would be great! I would love to take that chance!¡± Myra answered, but then quickly gathered herself as she saluted. ¡°T-Thank you for another chance, ma¡¯am!¡± ¡°No problem,¡± Val then turned to Mikella. ¡°But don¡¯t be afraid to keep wanting to improve by yourself. As I said before¡­ I saw your fight. You¡¯ve done well to handle a fighter ten levels above you. I would like to see more of it soon.¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am!¡± The crowd watching the fight all cheered and shouted, showing their praises at the fighters. Mikella even noticed Zeke shouting and clapping along with the others, all the while noticing that the other guys were practically whistling and jabbing at him with their elbows with snide grins. She can probably guess what they¡¯re teasing him with, and quite frankly, she enjoyed the sheepish look on his face. ¡°Hey.¡± She turned back to Myra who walked towards her. Her tall stature clearly showed how bigger she was than Mikella, but her demeanor lessened. Before, she was a rampaging forest fire, but now she was a campfire, tame but still bright. ¡°I kept up my promise. Now tell me your class,¡± Myra smirked at her. ¡°You owe me.¡± Mikella could only snort at that. Apparently, Myra was the type to be serious when it comes to promises. Something that she didn¡¯t dislike. ¡°You¡¯d probably won¡¯t believe me, so if you want confirmation, we better talk to the captain for that.¡± ¡°Hey, any chance talking to the captain is worth it. Come on then.¡± Myra, without really letting Mikella react fast enough, grabbed her as she led her back to where Val went, figuring that she was done giving the fighters their well-deserved praise. ¡­.. Thankfully, Val had a good lie to tell to Myra, as apparently admitting that she had a Dragon Warrior class would start getting Myra to ask questions. Something that would involve divulging her secret special status. It was something neither of the two wanted to share at the moment. Val did promise Mikella that as soon as she gets stronger, she can willingly tell others the truth. Mikella was glad for that, as the more she knew about Myra, the less she wanted to keep secrets from her. They decided to tell her that she had the Light Lancer class, a class that relied on the sunlight to increase damage and can move easily compared to other warrior types. Myra instantly became fascinated that such a low level person would be able to acquire a class like that, and she regarded Mikella with more respect compared to before. She felt a little guilty now, keeping her special status a secret, but for her family¡¯s safety, she had no choice but to do so. In return, the two talked for a while, and somehow Mikella could tell they would be fast friends. After all, what¡¯s better than having a rival for a friend? CH37: Eye before the storm To say Zeke wasn¡¯t worried would be a lie. When he saw Mikella fighting for a while, a lot longer than both she and he could handle against a beast or a ghost knight, he started to sweat a little. These fighters don¡¯t hold back even when sparring, as while using wooden weapons would help them warm up, using real weapons would help increase their skills further. Something that Zeke can understand, but didn¡¯t like. After all, this time he can¡¯t even use his barriers to protect her, so he was forced to watch as each strike he could¡¯ve blocked was taken, allowing her to get cut up in the process. But as the fight went on, he honestly didn¡¯t think about the danger. It was clear from the get-go that Myra had no intention of seriously harming Mikella, and Mikella the same. Even when the two looked ready to kill each other, it was clear that it was more of a competitive sense than actual hostility. And before he realized it, he was cheering when the fighting was reaching the climax, and though Mikella lost, he didn¡¯t feel bitter about it, and thankfully neither did Mikella. It was obvious. Myra being level 23 wouldn¡¯t lose so easily, at least when it comes to a war of attrition. Zeke wasn¡¯t sure how strong Myra was, but in the end, the long fight took a toll on Mikella¡¯s body. So not only was he glad that the fight ended as soon as the two ran out of energy, proving Myra the victor, he was also surprised to find the two already talking to each other. Myra was giving some advice despite her using mainly spears instead of swords. Mikella listened intently, nodding with a gleam in her eyes that Zeke often found her showing when she was fighting. She truly looked like she was in her element, way more than getting constantly worried about living or dying without even knowing why. This time, she knew, and she had a weapon in hand to prove it twice over. After the fight ended, he and Mikella talked to each other about what occurred¨Cright after he healed her injuries. They weren¡¯t severe, but he grew too nervous whenever he saw a cut he could heal. Of course, he offered to heal Myra as well, which apparently surprised her to find out that he had a healing skill. Everyone was. They all thought that he was just a crafter, a Runist. While he was glad for the chance to learn runes thanks to Cloud, he still wasn¡¯t sure how it worked, exactly. He knew he needed materials, like an expensive pen and parchment or some type of metal to inscribe runes. Unfortunately, they were too poor to acquire such materials that can handle delicate mana within them. The only reason why he chose the class was because Mikella can help them gain experience, thus allowing him to level up without the need for expensive materials to level. He felt a bit guilty, but he planned on being a good support anyways, and if the crafting class can help him make money later on, all the better. As the day went on, the two found themselves just chilling on the top of the ramparts, their legs hanging over the edge of the top arch of the gates while gazing at the sunset¨Cwhen the studded star started to dim and turned the sky from bright blue to a calming orange. It was a beautiful sight. They¡¯ve been living in the forest for a while now, so Zeke figured they would be sick of seeing it by now¡­ but the way the sky shifted colors with the star still hanging right at the center was mesmerizing. The horde didn¡¯t come today either, but he was thankful since Mikella¡¯s pools weren¡¯t restored yet. Her use of the Heavenly Strike skill she gained from her class not only proved that they have cooldowns¨Cat least the Class centered ones¨Cbut they also spend a lot of stamina and a bit of mana. It was a surreal experience for Mikella, and she still felt that chill Zeke talked about when he had it. Since her Spirit was low, her mana pool was dangerously low compared to his own, so it was obvious that Heavenly Strike is a powerful, but expensive skill to use. He could also understand that if Mikella kept using the skill without the cooldown, she would¡¯ve been vaporized of energy before she could even land a second strike. Even with Meditation working overtime for her, her pools were still only halfway there. Regeneration, while amazing on its own, can¡¯t really be relied on when a fight is occuring. If one had a high enough Meditation skill, it was possible to regain energy while in combat, but it was drastically slower than recovering naturally while sitting down. That¡¯s why there were often potions to recover along the way, but there was a problem with that. Eve Glade had no alchemists to speak of, so the only times they can get a potion is through a merchant passing through. If they had an alchemist, this wouldn¡¯t be such a major issue, especially with barely any healers around. They only had four healers on hand before Zeke came in, and Cloud was one of them. Considering he was extremely powerful, they put him up as a ¡®last resort¡¯ in case the hordes get pretty bad. Understandable, considering their lack of potions. ¡°Kinda boring, huh?¡± Zeke said, filling the amicable silence between the two. ¡°Ugh, totally. I knew it¡¯s a job, but I was kinda hoping for some stragglers or something,¡± Mikella muttered, twirling the strands of her brown hair with her fingertips. It was obvious, but the two got closer as time passed, ever since the tower. Not only can they rely on each other when things get rough, they can talk to each other. Zeke did feel guilty that the only reason why they were this close was due to the circumstances, otherwise, he can¡¯t imagine having a cute girl like Mikella talk to a guy like him. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. But he put those negative thoughts to the side. They were here now, so he needed to get over it. ¡°So you two are friends now?¡± Zeke asked, half joking and half curious. ¡°I thought you were going to kill each other.¡± ¡°Surprised me too, actually,¡± Mikella agreed. ¡°What about you? Made any mage friends?¡± ¡°Hah,¡± Zeke exhaled. ¡°Not really. I mean, they got curious about my barrier and healing skills, but I¡¯m not sure if they¡¯re really ¡®friends¡¯.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯d like to think that once the battle starts, we¡¯ll see who are our real friends or not.¡± ¡°Wait, so we¡¯re deciding who¡¯s our friends on the battlefield?¡± Zeke asked incredulously. ¡°Why not? Better than in the real world, right? What better way to trust someone than to see how they react in a life or death situation?¡± That made Zeke pause, thinking back on their time together. Considering everything that happened, if Zeke found that Mikella was utterly incompetent and still acted this haughty¨Che wasn¡¯t sure if he wanted to spend more time with her unless it was absolutely necessary. That also helped explain why she would want to hang out with him. All of a sudden, those negative thoughts just felt so silly now. That cheered him up a bit. ¡°Hey, what¡¯s that smile?¡± Mikella noticed, her eyes squinting at him. ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Zeke chuckled. ¡°Maybe you¡¯re right.¡± The two kept talking like this, enjoying the scenery and the peace as their shift finally ended, allowing them to return home to the Mystio house. When they returned along with Val, Cloud greeted them along with the two little girls who were impatiently waiting for them to arrive, running towards them with fervor. ¡°Mama!¡± ¡°Sissy! Bobo!¡± It was such a sight to see. Clara ran up to the smiling Mikella while the same was occuring for Val with Ana. All the while, he stood to the side, smiling. Cloud and Val eagerly hugged and kissed, showing how even a day away proved too much for them. Ana wanted to play with the two of them as soon as possible. While his thoughts were away, thinking about how to progress his rune studies, he felt a little girl nearly tossling him as he looked down at her. ¡°Bobo! Let¡¯s play!¡± Clara proclaimed, a silly smile plastered on her face. Zeke, or rather Bobo, smiled widely as he followed Clara along. Apparently, Clara took his words to heart. He didn¡¯t even think it possible since he didn¡¯t really expect her to understand, but little by little, Clara did as Ana said and played with her. Though, it was kinda clear what he expected as Cloud had to ultimately scold Ana for treating Clara roughly, such as throwing pillows at her and forcing her to race around the house. Apparently Mikella was okay with that as Ana still apologized after realizing what she did. While Clara didn''t like it, the fact that she still tried after hearing Zeke¡¯s words was proof of just how mature Clara was for her age. He didn¡¯t know how to feel about that. He was happy Clara was taking him seriously, but also worried that what he said might be causing her to suffer. But after learning from both Val and even Mikella that this couldn¡¯t be any better for the two, he decided to leave it be. After all, if Mikella, Clara¡¯s only family, said it was okay, who was he to deny how good it was? The night passed peacefully as Zeke played with Clara, telling her about the stuff he learned about magic in the most exciting way possible, even playing around with his Barrier skill in front of Clara to see if she could break it herself. It was somehow becoming a therapeutic case as not only Clara, but pretty much everyone in the household joined in. Not only did Zeke have some practice figuring out how strong or weak he should make the barrier, but apparently everyone loved the sweet sound of the tiny weak barrier breaking, like the sound of breaking a glass without worrying how much it would cost or the mess it would create. Apparently everyone loved to break his barriers apart. As the one making the barrier, however, he had mixed feelings. ¡­ Two weeks passed, and there was no sign of any monster horde. Summer was still heavy in the air, the heat clinging to them like cowls that refused to leave their side. The Studded Star continued to shine down upon them, and at some point became an interesting subject to learn about during the times they were at peace. Clara, who listened in to Zeke¡¯s studies on the subject, was excited to hear about it as she could stare up at it all day without her eyes getting hurt, but Zeke still said that she should be careful. Even if it was safe, he didn¡¯t want Clara to have some side effect from staring at the star during the day time all the time. It was still a strange phenomenon, but at the moment, the greatest phenomenon right now was more concerning. They kept hearing that constant monster hordes came after them, but after nearly a month and a half went by, no hordes came at all. It was strange for everyone involved, especially to the soldiers who were used to such rampages by now. Val and Cloud carefully let their scouts study what was happening beyond the town. Apparently, the monsters around them just¡­ disappeared. They haven¡¯t been checking up on the situation as they needed to keep their manpower up and running the defenses, which was pretty much the only reason why they haven¡¯t had a single casualty so far. But one thing was clear¨Cthey may have disappeared, but they weren¡¯t gone forever. According to the scouts, they went somewhere far enough that it would be dangerous to keep going, so they returned to relay the news. Afterwards, the lords in conjunction with the council, members that both Val and Cloud trusted well along with the general of the military force named Zacharia, decided it was best to hole up and prepare for the worst. While Zeke hasn¡¯t actually met the general yet, according to Val, he was uptight, strict, and borderline frightening to talk to. So obviously, he didn¡¯t dare to meet up with the general. Fortunately, the general will be placed at the opposite side of town, ensuring that they wouldn¡¯t be attacked by the side. Val will stay along the western side with Zeke and Mikella, the general at the east. Cloud will remain at the center to make sure he could be at both sides depending on the circumstances. It was too strange. Val kept saying she had a feeling that something was wrong, and Cloud was apparently fighting with the general to try and keep their manpower close together rather than making an elite force to investigate the scene. Zeke wasn¡¯t against going for the investigation, but he also recognized that it was extremely dangerous. No, he decided to keep training himself all the while, trying to find out just how much he could stretch his Barrier Craft after all this time. Even now, he still can¡¯t tell just how much it has grown. Through the two weeks, surprisingly, there was no progress. After spending so long away from combat, it felt like his own body refuses to grow without some form of conflict. But soon, just as he feared, the day has come for his barriers to prove their worth. On a simple morning after getting into the rampart watch, one of the scouts shouted with clear panic in his voice. ¡°Incoming! Monster horde!¡± Ch38: Against the horde The desperate cry of the scout caught everyone¡¯s attention. However, his expectations of a rowdy and panicked get-together were dashed when every soldier immediately went on autopilot in his eyes. They rushed toward their destinations and planned formations. The two newbies looked at this and actually panicked themselves. Mikella ran over to Myra, giving one last look at Zeke before he himself went over to the mages¡¯ side. He figured that out of everyone, the least he could do is be with the mages, especially since he was to be a support mage. This was the first time he was facing a horde with so many soldiers at once. His stomach churned as he ran up the stairs with dozens of other mages to get to the top of the structured ramparts, often bumping and apologizing to the few mages on the way. His heart was beating fast as instead of shouts and screams, he heard the captain, Val, shout each order with clarity, forcing him to work overtime. ¡°Get to your positions! Archers, get your arrows prepped and backup quivers in hand! Mages, prepare your spells in advance. Do not shoot unless ordered!¡± Zeke had a feeling that the last sentence was when the mages shot at them when they first arrived, considering her persistence in only shooting on demand. Otherwise, her orders made it so that if anybody doesn¡¯t follow them, they might as well be considered traitors. Because going against her orders would only result in meaningless deaths. That¡¯s why Zeke rushed over to the top, finally stopping the rush as the mages prepared as per Val¡¯s orders. He did his best to not get in anyone¡¯s way. As a low-level mage, his first rule given to him by the other mages is to just let them do the heavy work. This was discussed over the weeks he spent with them in the ramparts. They consider his skills useful despite being a Runist, but considering his level and age, it was possible he could disrupt their casting at a bad time. Zeke didn¡¯t feel bitter about it as he knew that he could only help when he had a good grasp of the scene in front of him. His eyes were spinning at the constant movement. He could just barely notice Mikella standing near Myra as having different weapon-holders in melee squads was beneficial. The scene was filled with soldiers far and wide, way more than his peripherals can even achieve. However, the formerly peaceful looking clearing in front of him was now covered with soldiers ready for combat. Then their enemy slowly appeared beyond the dense forest. He figured it would be the same as just a normal horde, such as when he and Mikella were surrounded by a number of beasts when he put up his barrier after nightfall. Mikella had to take them one by one before running back into the barrier before a number of them could maul her to death. He figured that was the case. But he was proven very wrong. Now he understood the meaning of a true monster horde. Hundreds, perhaps thousands of monsters were running towards them. Even with his low visibility, the sheer tremors caused by the massive horde was enough to cause some of the loose buildings in the town itself to crumble. They were already doing damage before even arriving. Looking over to the otherside, he saw all of the non-combatants already forming a rushed evacuation towards the center of the town. It was most likely that the opposite side was facing their fair share of monsters. Looking back, groups of beasts ran towards the town with fervent speed. He could see one of them looking ferocious, almost as though anger and pure bloodlust was driving the creature mad, its mouth foaming and its eyes blank with rage. ¡°Keep steady! It¡¯s the same as usual! Remember your training! Check your pools, and retreat after relaying your status before you recover your resources!¡± Val¡¯s orders were precise and clear. Their only option is to survive and protect the town. Soon, the horde encroached into their territory, ready to annihilate the town. That¡¯s when Val shouted her first order. ¡°Archers! Launch!¡± Sharp twangs sound out, a whole array of arrows shadowing the clearing. Each arrow pelted everything underneath them. It was a true terror of the skies as each arrow painted the surroundings red with the beasts¡¯ blood. Some of them missed, but that was expected as the attack was supposed to reach an entire plain to scare off the creatures, and it worked as each one stopped in their tracks, which proved to be their next mistake. ¡°Mages! Fire!¡± Val¡¯s next order brought the mages around Zeke to stir, casting their quick spells and triggering their delayed ones to create magic from thin air. A slew of fireballs, ice and earth spikes, blades made entirely of air, and cones of lightning blasts flashed the scenery, almost blinding Zeke as this was the first time he saw many colorful magic being used. Mana was just¡­ devouring his senses at this point, his Mana Perception forced to work overdrive as he tried to focus. This was just how mages worked. It was obvious that bits of mana are released after a spell is cast, so it made sense that a ton of left-over Mana would be left in the atmosphere after so many spells were launched. They burned, crashed, and ripped the monsters apart that stopped after the archers¡¯ launch. By his estimate, Zeke could see that more than a hundred or so monsters died from that alone. He could even tell that small bits of energy were entering through his body, surprising him further. Apparently, just being a part of the battle was earning him experience points. Then again, he was the lowest level along with Mikella compared to the rest of them, so it was possible he was gaining experience points solely because he was too weak not to absorb anything. He didn''t care about that. He already agreed that while the free XP was nice, he¡¯d prefer to actually earn it, so when the archers and mages were done attacking and ran out of juice, it was time for the melee to join in. He checked his status, making sure that no free point was left over and checking his available pools.
Name: Zeke Parlow (Death Swindler) Race: Human Runist: Level 10 STR: 6 DEX: 16 INT: 23 SPI: 32 VIT: 16 END: 17 Free Points: 0 General Skills: Mana Perception (U) Level 5 Runecraft (U) Level 1 Internal Senses (U) Level 1 Pain Resistance (U) Level 4 Meditation (C) Level 3 Acquired Skills: Barrier Craft (R) Level 5 Recovery (R) Level 2 Class Skills: Runic Library Level 1 Title Skill: Not Today (T), Level 1 (Maxed)
He put all the remaining four free points into Spirit for obvious reasons. As a supporter, he¡¯s gonna need lots of mana for this coming fight. He nodded to himself, feeling that his mana was topped off. He watched the war in front of him, knowing that he would make his own contribution soon. ¡­.. Her throat ran dry as Mikella watched the monsters get killed one after another. She didn¡¯t care she was receiving XP from the deaths as she focused on the true task at hand. Myra only looked on with resolution in her eyes, grasping her unsheathed sword, veins stretching across in her hands. Mikella already had her sword in hand, but she felt that was not enough. Even after checking her status over and over again, she didn''t feel that sense of being ready.
Name: Mikella Ashton (Opportunist) Race: Human Dragon Warrior: Level 10 STR: 25 DEX: 29 INT: 7 SPI: 7 VIT: 15 END: 26 Free Points: 0 General Skills: Kinetic Perception (U) Level 1 Sword Mastery (U) Level 4 Pain Resistance (U) Level 3 Meditation (C) Level 3 Acquired Skills: Acrobatics (R) Level 3 If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.Hawk Eyes (R) Level 2 Class Skills: Heavenly Strike Level 1 Title Skill: Not-Lucky Shot (T), Level 1 (Maxed)
Even spending most of her days sparring with different soldiers, she still didn¡¯t feel that ready. She decided to put points into Endurance instead, as she was sure the others could pile up on the damage compared to her. She just needs to make sure not to get hurt in the process while fighting, and running out of stamina could be a death sentence. Eventually, monsters finally approached, beginning the melee fighters¡¯ attack. Noise clouded her hearing as weapons clashed and monsters roared, blood flowing freely like rain across her vision. Rather than taking in everything, she decided to do one thing at a time. She rushed ahead, making sure to not get in the way of the other soldiers. She didn¡¯t care how well they did or not, she knew that they could take care of themselves, as she had her own target in mind. A large bear was standing on its bipedal legs as it roared, getting Mikella to Identify the creature.
Dire Bear, Level 19
A large bear with steel-colored fur that could probably take a few hits. Its claws were sharp and its fangs could probably tear steel. A high level creature, for sure, but she remembered facing one such beast during her forest survival. Sure, Zeke was there to provide defense, but she can¡¯t tell whether Zeke would be able to help out this time as he was clearly busy with literally everyone else fighting other monsters. She didn¡¯t mind, though. Her training was built to withstand fighting without extra protection. Not willing to hold back, she let her stamina energy flow to her arms, thrusting her sword forward. The bear was busy trying to swipe at whichever soldier was closest to it, so it didn¡¯t realize that a sword managed to plunge straight into its gut, blood pouring out as a response. The bear roared, but it didn¡¯t just take the hit as it swiped at Mikella next with its large claws. Mikella¡¯s Acrobatics flared as she got away, ensuring not to get hit at all. She had more control than before now thanks to training with Val and Myra, so she thankfully didn¡¯t end up nearly crashing into another soldier as she prepared another assault. Despite her heavy attack to the gut, it didn¡¯t seem fazed. But she knew it did some serious damage as the bear seemed affected and slowed by the large wound. As it fumbled and roared, she rushed in and sliced across its limb with an upper diagonal swipe. The bear tried to use its maw to bite at her, but she sidestepped and stabbed straight at its hindleg. She kept dealing strikes one after another, trying to kill the creature quickly, but also conserving her Stamina for the next fight. The first heavy strike was to ensure the monster is weakened, so she can take her time to fight it at an advantage. She learned her lesson well after her battle of attrition from the earlier days. So far, she had no clue on how long the horde would last. The bear finally slowed to a crawl as Mikella dealt a final strike across, beheading it entirely. She would¡¯ve been winded by now if it weren¡¯t for her constant focus on conserving her energy, feeling as though she could fight another battle straight after. But when she turned around, she saw a vicious saber-toothed tiger aiming right at her, and her only reaction was to freaking Identify it.
Iron Fanged Tiger, Level 24
Oh, so it was an Iron-fanged Tiger, not a saber toothed tiger. What a large difference. She closed her eyes as she could feel her mistake ready to take out a limb or two, but found that the tiger was stopped instead. Not by a soldier, but by the very familiar turquoise magic wall that appeared straight out of nowhere, stopping the tiger right at the apex of its jump. The wall disappeared after, and before Mikella could recover her senses, the tiger was stabbed right through the head by a spear, belonging to none other than Myra who looked back at Mikella with a scowl. ¡°Focus, Mikky!¡± Myra shouted. ¡°Remember, you got an army of monsters to fight!¡± Despite Myra knowing that Mikella¡¯s level was low, she already expected that she could take down a creature 9 levels above her. It was obvious in fact, and that was why Myra wanted her to keep fighting onwards. Mikella nodded, thanking both her and to Zeke in her head as she followed Myra, deciding that two against one was way better than one against one in this scenario. ¡­.. Zeke let out a breath of relief after managing to spot Mikella in this mess, and was even able to defend against a surprise attack of the tiger after taking down the Dire Bear. For now, he only focused on keeping up with Mikella as her level was lower. Plus, this was the first time she participated in this horde battle as much as it was his, so he knew at some point this would all be beyond her and end up getting targeted. Not to say that Zeke wasn¡¯t also trying to take a further grasp of the situation. He made a barrier here and there, stopping the creature from moving rather than defending an attack from them. He still hadn¡¯t had a full grasp of the monsters¡¯ movesets unlike with the knights, so he figured that if he shouldn¡¯t get in the way of the other soldiers, then he should just get in the way of the monsters. And apparently, it was working out better than expected. One time, he put up a barrier around a rampaging gorilla-like monster¨CSmash Gorilla, Level 23¨C when it was trying to raise its arms up to deliver a conjoined punch, stopping it right where it would¡¯ve swung its arms. Thanks to that, the soldier fighting it managed to stab it right at its armpits and torso when it got distracted, followed by a merciless slew of other attacks at the same time by the other soldiers in range. He felt a little guilty, but at the same time, he reveled at how he managed to fuck up that monster¡¯s momentum. And just as he expected in this war-like scenario, one single mistake could prove fatal. So while keeping an eye on Mikella, which at this point became a single dot in the blob of movement in his vision, he tried his best to put up a barrier to a creature most of the time, and provide defense to a soldier who got himself hurt. He was certain his high Intelligence was helping him in droves, keeping up with his rampant thoughts while sighting down on the battlefield, helping him sort out the mess faster than his ordinary self would do. He also did his best to provide protection for those who, after several minutes of the horde beginning, had to retreat due to sneak attacks by the smaller creatures Zeke had little chance of spotting. Apparently there were killer squirrels running around the legs of the soldiers, often biting them without them noticing and then running away like the tiny bastards they are. He hated it, but there¡¯s no way he can defend against those creatures. Even if he could see them, he wasn¡¯t able to cast his spell fast enough to stop them. Still, Zeke managed to spot the soldiers after a bigger creature tried to ambush them while they retreated with an injured soldier in their arms. A barrier stopped the creature in time, protecting them while they made their getaway. The soldiers even went ahead and thanked Zeke with a thumbs up. That¡¯s when Val shouted to him, catching his attention. ¡°Zeke! Can you make a barrier shelter at my south-east!?¡± Zeke immediately caught wind of her surroundings, her aura alone making it easy to spot her. She was at the very forefront of the battle, but it was clear that no creature was approaching her. However, she remained rooted, making sure that while the fight was getting rough, she was helping those get the XP they needed to advance. It might sound like she just wasn¡¯t helping her fellow man. But after learning about the system, Val was doing her best to provide everyone with the means to improve themselves, a true act of generosity in this world where XP could come with potential death. Spotting the area she wanted him to make, Zeke created a rectangular-shaped barrier around it¨Cabout the size of a trailer van¨Cgetting Val to shout at the nearby soldiers. ¡°To the injured soldiers, head straight towards the barrier! A healer will be here to fix you right up and get back in there!¡± As though she just released a well-hyped product to the world, every soldier with visible wounds ran, or limped, towards the newly created barrier shelter. Zeke also made sure to make a door-like opening on his barrier when a healer is prompted to run there. Obviously, he can¡¯t go in there himself as he needed to scope out the battlefield even if he had a healing skill on hand. He was also certain everyone else would stop him if he tried, needing his barriers way more than his healing skill at the moment. As the healer showed up, a young man in his twenties, Zeke closed the magic door behind him as each soldier ran inside. Then, as soon as he saw no available soldiers trying to go in, he closed it immediately, just when a giant wolf creature tried to enter, only to have its face smashed in by the barrier and promptly stabbed to death by the healthy soldiers around it. Zeke could feel his Mana almost drained out of him like an open faucet. His head was wrought with migraines from the information overload. While his Intelligence was helpful, he still wasn¡¯t used to the massive information flow, and the constant Mana drain was making things worse. But he forced himself to keep going after seeing each soldier getting rapidly healed by the mage within his barrier. When the healer was done, they were practically brand new. As soon as more than enough soldiers were healed, Val ordered Zeke open the barrier at the front for them to get out, another slew of injured soldiers getting back in like clockwork. He literally made an emergency defense shelter/hospital in the middle of the battlefield, and as soon as the soldiers were ready, they immediately ran back out into the fray. It was almost like respawning¨Ceven if you take them out, they¡¯ll charge back in. The healer looked back at Zeke, giving him a major thumbs up with a goofy grin. Apparently this was such a time saver for everyone that they decided to keep it going like this for a while. He was also certain the healer was enjoying a slew of XP for his healing skill level. Lucky bastard. Zeke was prepared for a long haul. He knew it was going to happen. However, he was still stunned as three hours passed during the fight. It was clear to him that he wasn¡¯t built for this long of a battle. His brain was bursting, his body approaching the level of exhaustion he never thought possible. Despite just standing still and doing nothing but watch and cast spells, it was bearing a heavy weight on his shoulders. It wasn¡¯t just the constant fighting and noises that he wasn¡¯t used to. It was the stress of keeping people alive. His stress levels rose instead of his actual levels as his mana kept getting depleted. His stress went even further beyond when he realized something horrific had occurred. While he was focusing on keeping the majority of the monsters away by annoying them to death¨Csuddenly putting magic walls in front of them, he saw Mikella heading into the emergency hospital he made. She was heavily injured. Her right hip had a gaping wound, her face marred with cuts and blood. He thought his heart stopped beating at the sight of it. What happened? Did something occur while he was out of it, worried about his stupid mana consumption when he should¡¯ve been looking out for Mikella¡¯s life? Guilt and shame crept up through his chest as he saw Mikella being safely guided into the emergency barrier by Myra. Val watched with an affirming nod, as though she was impressed by Mikella¡¯s progress. But Zeke was feeling the opposite. He felt ashamed that he didn¡¯t do as well as he did, even if three hours passed. What if she was getting hurt throughout the three hours whenever he wasn¡¯t looking at her? That only made the stress ready to overtake him. It got to the point where he barely noticed one of the mages calling out to him. ¡°Incoming! Zeke, it¡¯s coming for you!¡± Zeke could barely focus as he noticed a giant log shaped like a spear flying towards the top of the ramparts. Towards him, specifically. Ch39: Surprise attack ¡°Fuck, this hurts¡­¡± Mikella cursed as she was forcibly dragged by Myra after sustaining a heavy injury at her hip. It came out of nowhere. She was fighting alongside three other soldiers, ones who she knew to be Myra and her friends who were actually twins. They faced an inpossibly large duck monster that looked like it could eat the bear. Yes. It was a giant duck monster. Standing on two of its flippers, its bulky feathery body looked like a cartoon bodybuilder chicken that could take any hit. Its face was exactly like a duck, a large flat beak with beady eyes, but it roared (or quacked?) at them with fury. It fully spread its muscled wings for arms wide as the feathers were sharp enough to clash with swords. While she was trying to deal some attacks with her Heavenly Strike to deal a good blow, it suddenly turned around and slashed at her with a swipe. It wasn¡¯t all that fast, but it was quick on the uptake. She yelled out in pain, the winged swipe managing to slice deep into the muscle. Not even Zeke could¡¯ve protected her from that sudden reaction time, something that she herself should¡¯ve realized. When the crazy duck was ready to end her, one of the male soldiers came up behind it and swung his sword down the monster¡¯s head, splitting its skull and killing it instantly. As the duck monster lay still, blood pouring where its birdbrain should be, Myra took up Mikella while the other two helped guard them. They quickly headed over to the emergency shelter Zeke created. ¡°That¡¯s what you get for being greedy,¡± Myra chastised, but Mikella could tell she wasn¡¯t upset about it. She was right that Mikella was too greedy to retreat, but the duck was a lot faster than they realized¨Cdespite it being a damn duck. They entered inside the shelter and Mikella had this sense of security return once again. She knew instantly by the mana surrounding the air. She didn¡¯t have Mana Perception, but she can at least feel the magic according to Val¡¯s training. It was important for her to sense magic in case she needed to dodge a magical spell. While it was safe inside here, It wasn¡¯t exactly peaceful as the magic wall was transparent, allowing them to see the fight going outside. Of course, it was the same for the monsters outside, so when they saw a group of heavily injured soldiers, they tried to go after it. But the barrier withheld all their attacks as the soldiers outside took the chance for some easy kills. It was basically baiting the monsters to attack them while the soldiers rested inside, enjoying a literal bloody show. The healer was working overtime, having another healer, a woman this time, come in for aid. Realizing that Mikella came in, the female healer grabbed an actual chair from the ramparts for her to sit on. Once they got into position, the healer did her magic. Mikella felt energy enter her body from the female healer¡¯s hand on her hip. It was painful at first¨Cnot the hand on her wound, but the foreign energy entering inside of her. It was practically burning her for a sharp instant, like getting cauterized without the wound getting fixed. Soon, her body recognized that it wasn¡¯t dangerous as she could feel the foreign mana clawing towards her body, her health¨Cor life energy¨Ceating it up like mad. ¡°Ow!¡± Mikella winced and hissed, surprising the healer. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry,¡± The healer apologized. ¡°I¡¯m still not used to healing. You might feel some pinches and such.¡± ¡°I-It¡¯s okay,¡± Mikella shook her head. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m more used to Zeke¡¯s healing.¡± ¡°Ah, yes. He told me he has a Rare rarity healing skill. I¡¯m so envious of that. It looks like it makes healing others a lot easier.¡± Mikella could tell that she earnestly longs for Zeke¡¯s skill. Having a Rare healing skill basically jumpstarts the healing process faster, and makes it easier for the patient. Considering the slight pain, it was clear that the female healer has an Uncommon healing spell, but Mikella wouldn¡¯t begrudge the woman for that. She was just thankful to be healed at all, her wounds slowly closing from being a fatal threat. ¡°Man, this barrier is convenient,¡± Myra whistled, looking over at the giant barrier surrounding them. Mikella couldn¡¯t help but flash a toothy grin at her. ¡°Right? That¡¯s how we managed to survive in the forest,¡± Mikella said, though she frowned when she saw one of the monsters aiming for the wall next to her, slamming against it and making a loud thunking noise. ¡°I just wished we could get rid of the noise, though.¡± ¡°Hey, take what you can get,¡± Myra said, shaking her head in bewilderment. ¡°Your husband, Zeke, right? He¡¯s a real game-changer. Even having a healing skill on top of that.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Mikella answered. Though she wished she had enough maturity to stop herself from blushing from hearing Zeke being called her husband. They were still feeding everyone that the two were married to avoid getting hounded about their relationship. ¡°Ugh, I fucking hate you,¡± Myra said, groaning with faux despair. ¡°Do you have any idea how much time and healing potions you¡¯ll save as you level? Lucky¡­¡± For some fighters, the worst part of training is the lack of training. One gets hurt occasionally, and if they aren¡¯t stupid, they¡¯ll stop training and return to recover. Just like stamina and mana, health takes a while to recover, even if you have a high Meditation skill. And for some fighters, being in top shape is essential, so if one can instead have a healer by their side as they fight, they can continuously fight and level, immediately gaining more XP in the long run. Oh, and save a shit ton of money to spend on better quality weapons than on a massive amount of potions. That¡¯s also a pretty good deal. Now that I think about it, I¡¯m actually pretty lucky, aren¡¯t I? With all these advantages from having Zeke by her side, she can easily get stronger as time progresses. As the idea of gaining so many levels that her head was spinning, Myra took her out of her musings with some important advice. ¡°Hey, you got some notifications, right?¡± She mentioned. ¡°Open them and level up. You¡¯re gonna need some power ups.¡± Mikella nodded and did so instantly, realizing that in the corner of her vision, a constantly blinking icon full of notifications was there. She opened it, seeing several notifications dropping one at a time.
You have gained +2 STR from your actions. You have gained +1 DEX from your actions. You have gained +1 VIT from your actions. You have gained +1 END from your actions.
¡­..
Level up! You are now Level 13. You gain 6 free points (6 FP total). You have gained +3 STR from your class. You have gained +3 DEX from your class. You have gained +3 END from your class.
¡­..
Kinetic Perception Level Up! It is now Level 2. You have gained +1 DEX from your skill. You have gained +1 END from your skill.
¡­..
Pain Resistance Level Up! It is now Level 4. You have gained +1 VIT from your skill. You have gained +1 END from your skill.
¡­..
Sword Mastery Level Up! It is now Level 5. You have gained +1 STR from your skill. You have gained +1 DEX from your skill.
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Heavenly Strike Level Up! It is now Level 2. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. Decreased stamina and mana consumption. Increased damage.
Mikella gaped at the sight. she was just thinking about the idea of gaining so many levels when it already happened right in front of her. She gained not only three levels, making her level 13, she gained a plethora of skill levels, including her Heavenly Strike. It was surprising to see that it didn¡¯t give her attribute increases but instead told her of its improvement. It was a blessing considering just how costly the skill was. Though she did feel a bit ashamed that she never actually landed a proper hit onto anyone yet. But she quickly changed her mind as all those improvements rushed to her body, the adrenaline filling her like no other. Power was literally flowing all over. ¡°Whoa, you okay?¡± Myra asked, putting a comforting hand on Mikella¡¯s shoulder. ¡°How many levels did you get?¡± ¡°T-Three, with a lot of skill levels¡± Mikella managed to say, shaking her head slightly as she felt a headache coming on. ¡°That figures,¡± Myra nodded understandingly. ¡°You¡¯re low level, so this much killing should net you a lot of XP!¡± Mikella smiled. ¡°Looks like I¡¯m getting that much closer to kicking your ass once and for all.¡± Myra scoffed at the idea, but Mikella could tell that she was actually happy with her success. She smiled, comforting Myra that she did a good job looking out for her as she checked her status again. She decided to use her free points to up her Endurance and Vitality, just to be safe since she didn¡¯t want to get sucker punched like before by some stupid duck.
Name: Mikella Ashton (Opportunist) Race: Human Dragon Warrior: Level 13 STR: 31 DEX: 35 INT: 7 SPI: 7 VIT: 20 END: 32 Free Points: 0 General Skills: Kinetic Perception (U) Level 2 Sword Mastery (U) Level 5 Pain Resistance (U) Level 4 Meditation (C) Level 3 Acquired Skills: Acrobatics (R) Level 3 Hawk Eyes (R) Level 2 Class Skills: Heavenly Strike Level 2 Title Skill: Not-Lucky Shot (T), Level 1 (Maxed)
Her Hawk Eyes definitely saved her a few times, often finishing a fight early by attacking the weak point for increased damage, and continuing to do so for each weak monster she encountered. The less time she can deal with the small fry, the more she can help the other soldiers taking down the bigger foes. She did notice the barriers obviously helping her around her vicinity. Instead of trying to protect someone, they instead get in the way of the monsters, actually helping the soldiers by taking them down by distracting them. That also included protecting them from attacks that would¡¯ve been troublesome to deal with, such as the giant gorilla planning on destroying the earth with its fists. Everything seemed to be according to plan, but then she noticed something in the distance. She saw a monster she hadn''t seen before, a large furry thing. Compared to the ape, it was wiry in form and taller than wider, but it had compact muscles that could wrench steel on their own. That brought some shivers down her spine, the kind that made her nervous. That isn¡¯t an ordinary creature, she was sure. And her Identify made it all the more clearer.
Big Boss Monkey, Level ??
Oh fuck. ¡°Myra, look over there!¡± Mikella called out, but it looked like it was futile as pretty much everyone saw the creature coming in, their faces turning pale. ¡°What is that thing?¡± Myra said. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen that come around before. Why is it here?¡± Before they could tell what exactly it was doing here, the giant monkey, the Big Boss, picked up something that looked like one of the trees that fell over during the assault. They created some mayhem not just for the monsters, but for the surrounding areas as well. Then the monkey looked as though it was shaving the top end of the broken tree log, actually¡­ sharpening it with its claws. It was a huge monkey, so it looked like it was trying to sharpen a stick with its bare hands. The monkey hoisted it up over its shoulder, not being seen by anyone else other than Val who ordered them loudly, using her very lungs to call them out. ¡°Watch out! It¡¯s¨C!¡± Then the monkey threw the log turned into a spear, with a force that was equal to a tank shooting out a missile. The monkey¡¯s surroundings were blasted apart from the shockwaves it produced, pushing away both the soldiers and even the monsters surrounding it. Mikella felt something was wrong. The log spear was nowhere near where the soldiers were, nor even to the special barrier surrounding them. Instead, the log spear flew high into the air, aiming somewhere behind them. Her heart froze as she turned, finding the target herself. ¡°Zeke!¡± ¡­.. It was just for an instant. Zeke, with his understanding of his Barrier Craft skill to the point of becoming instinctual, conjured his barrier in front of him with as much mana as he could produce. But it wasn¡¯t enough. The log spear crashed into the barrier, exploding right in his face. His vision flashed in white hot pain as the area around him broke and shattered apart. Broken wood and stone, splinters raining like snow as dust and debris filled the air. It took him a moment to reconfigure his senses, finding himself bleeding from his cheek and forehead, his robe shredded with bits of blood staining them. The other mages at his side were downed, some even bleeding around their limbs and torsos. He looked back at the log, half of it looked as though it was squashed, broken in smithereens. Then he realized it did break in smithereens, his barrier managing to stop the impact. However, it didn¡¯t stop the resulting force that charged along with it. His barrier broke, leaving the rest of the force to blow everyone away. The log, however, fell to the still-stable rampart flooring. If he hadn¡¯t put up his barrier at the time, he would¡¯ve been skewered along with the rest of the mages around him. That thought alone got him to breath heavily, his heart pumping overtime, trying to calm his rising panic. It wasn¡¯t over yet. There were a plethora of noises coming from the clearing. Zeke forced himself to peek over the ramparts¡¯ half-broken walls, noticing the monsters becoming roused. Each one was channeling all their efforts to throw large rocks and broken wood that they could find. While their aim was terrible, it was clear¨Cthey were aiming for the mages. Or¡­ was it to him? ¡°Shit!¡± Zeke flinched when he noticed one of the mages coming up near him, the other mages trying to help the injured from the ground. ¡°They picked up where you were!¡± The male mage turned to Zeke, not angry but concern shown in his eyes. ¡°They found out you¡¯re the main target!¡± Zeke wanted to do what everyone would obviously do¨Chaul ass and run away. But his mind brought him back to reality as he faced the mage, making sure to keep hiding from the monster¡¯s vision. ¡°What do I do?¡± Zeke asked. ¡°Should I put up a barrier?¡± ¡°You think you can make a stronger barrier?¡± The mage asked, ready to cast a spell as he summoned a fireball in his hands. ¡°Enough to last us a few strikes?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do.¡± Nodding, the mage threw his fireball spell with a roar, causing the ball of flames to land and explode. It burned a circle of monsters that were conveniently huddled together for him as a target. As the sweet sound of explosions echoed in his ears, Zeke gathered up the remaining mana but grimaced. His earlier barrier sapped him of his remaining mana, barely leaving a trickle to make a proper one. Thanks to his practice, he could tell that making anything stronger that could handle another attack like the log spear would put him at zero, something that he wanted to avoid. But in the corner of his eyes, he saw another mage, a female one, handing something over to him. It was a bottle, colored blue from the liquid inside. He took it without really thinking, and his confused eyes Identified the flask in his hand.
Mana Potion Restorative liquid distilled from magically charged herbs. Restores mana at a significant rate.
¡°A Mana potion,¡± She answered his query. ¡°Drink up, it¡¯ll restore your mana.¡± The female mage left it at that, turning to the crowd of monsters before her and summoning her own spell. She created a blade of wind that circled around her and cloned itself three times. Then, each of the blades made entirely of air swooped in and began slicing the monsters apart. It was of a lower potency compared to before, but it allowed her full control as each blade avoided the soldiers fighting off the other creatures, reaping their lives like a flying god of death. Zeke turned back to the potion in hand. He didn¡¯t even know what it would taste like, but he uncorked the top of the flask and drank it whole. He didn¡¯t care what it tasted like, or what kind of side effects it would bring. If he doesn¡¯t do anything, people will die. That was the only reason he drank it full heartedly. For a moment, the liquid was intensifying his taste buds, but he didn¡¯t really pick up any flavor as a microsecond later, the taste was just gone. Now it was just bland, like drinking water that was colored. But he also sensed something else. A warm feeling spread throughout his body. Compared to eating the attribute fruits, this rush of warmth burned him from the inside. But in a good way. It sizzled his insides, burning his stomach that made him wince. As soon as the liquid was consumed, the burning feeling in his chest vanishing, he checked himself to find that his mana recovered to at least half of the entire whole. Deciding to do what¡¯s best, he poured as much Mana into his next barrier, draining all of the recovered mana he just received back to its original state¨Cbut it was enough. Zeke turned up in front of the monsters behind the roof¡¯s walls, somehow rousing them to try attacking again. He balled his hand into a fist before spreading his fingers wide, conjuring a powerful barrier right in front of the mages. It spread all around the ramparts, making sure that if he wasn¡¯t the target, then the other mages would be covered. This got the mages to stop attacking, and instead focus on the spells with better control now that a barrier was right in front of them. Thankfully, none complained about having a barrier shoved into their faces¨Cprobably because they didn¡¯t want another log spear flown right at them. The monsters continuously tried to throw projectiles at them, but the barrier kept pace. Soon the projectiles grew larger, such as flying boulders and heavy logs that weren¡¯t sharpened. But none broke through so far, his strong barrier keeping pace. The other mages couldn¡¯t seem any gladder as they happily used more controlled spells to go around the barrier, attacking the monsters as best as they could. Meanwhile, Zeke focused his mind on the battle. Despite surviving that horrid surprise attack, he had a feeling that this wasn¡¯t over yet. Ch40: Time for Plan B The war between Eve Glade and the horde of monsters continued on much to Zeke¡¯s dismay. As the hours passed, he could feel his entire being leaving him, his body yearning for that warmth again as each trickle of mana left his body. What he learned throughout the next two hours of fighting is that the barrier, while strong and capable to last long, required heavy mana allocation each time it weakened. And each attack severely weakened it as the monsters continued their fervent attacks. They switched from all out melee to focusing primarily on range attacks. The bulkier of the creatures, looking more like armored crocodiles thanks to their hard scales, were keeping the fighters at bay while the rest of the creatures continued to sling all sorts of projectiles, using what they have on hand to kill the mages, or in this case, him. He did have a bit of a laugh when that same Big Boss Monkey threw a wolf at him, causing the wolf to land straight on the wall like a bird hitting the window. It slid down to the ground, only to get skewered by the surrounding soldiers. It was a dry chuckle, though, as the situation seemed hopeless as the horde just kept coming. ¡°How long does this last?¡± Zeke eventually asked, his voice hoarse and his face turning pale at the times his mana pool kept decreasing and increasing. The mages around him gladly kept giving him their Mana potions, considering he had the most priority. He liked the potions at least, but this was becoming hard on his mental state. ¡°This is the first time the horde kept going for so long,¡± The mage that talked to him, named Phil, spoke. ¡°I think the past weeks were just them preparing for this.¡± ¡°Can you keep up?¡± The female mage, Lisa, spoke to Zeke. ¡°If you can¡¯t, let us know. We can escape from here.¡± ¡°If we do that, won¡¯t the monsters follow us?¡± Zeke said, already figuring out what would happen if they did that. ¡°And won¡¯t they go even crazier if the barrier is put down?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Lisa¡¯s eyes darted away, looking over at the situation herself. She didn¡¯t look all that convinced of the plan now. ¡°Don¡¯t worry!¡± Phil shouted, gripping his fist to show confidence, then pointed downwards. ¡°We got the captain with us! Look, she¡¯s already doing massive damage control!¡± Zeke looked down his direction, only to find that not only was Val going in to reduce the numbers with her sword, but the other soldiers were following along. And none other than Mikella was right in there, somehow even more active than ever before. She really wants to fight, huh? Zeke thought, shaking his head. He should consider this as a way to get stronger like she is, rather than getting worried at his body decreasing mana consistently. Swallowing some air and letting a big breath out, he kept his barrier up, making sure that at least the mages get properly protected, but in the back of his mind, he didn¡¯t know just how long this was going to last. ¡­.. Mikella roared as she cut apart every monster around the bulky crocodiles. While Val was trying to keep the bigger monsters off, Mikella could at least take out the smaller creatures that were just an annoyance to Val at this rate. Myra and the other soldiers followed along, taking out the other monsters that just seem to be increasing in numbers. This was by far the largest number of monsters she faced, and apparently everyone else figured that as well. But what made Mikella riddled with anger were these damn monsters trying to kill Zeke. Who the hell do they think they are, actually capable of thought and trying to take down their support mage as their number one priority? She didn¡¯t care that Myra told her that even monsters could tell which is the real threat, often aiming for healers and buffers alike in a battlefield. She only cared to take down that bastard monkey that threw the first punch, or first log so to speak, which ended up making the horde focus entirely on the mages at the back. Their entire formation changed as well now that the emergency shelter Zeke made disappeared the moment he was attacked. It made sense, as not only Zeke was distracted to try and save himself and the other mages, it was also a chance for the monsters to go after the injured soldiers. Some of the monsters figured out that doing so would give them some sweet kills, but that¡¯s when Val exploded into anger and ripped them apart. She held back, wanting to try and let the soldiers gain XP, but this time she had no other choice but to intervene. However, Mikella noticed that Val wasn¡¯t fighting at her best, despite her being at Journeyman stage. She didn¡¯t know why, but she figured that Val would have an easy time taking out the crocodile monsters that, despite trying to identify them, turned up with question marks like that stupid monkey. But her strikes, while powerful, could only kill one crocodile at a time. Then another would come in seemingly out of nowhere, causing more distress for the soldiers. These crocodile monsters weren¡¯t focused on offense. Much like the beefed up monkey, these quadrupedal crocodiles were large like buses, and their scales were hard as steel. They didn''t even bother attacking as they instead just chomped at everything that came close to them and stayed put. It pissed Mikella off to no end, knowing full well that if this kept up, Zeke would run out of mana. Val already ordered ahead to go all out to protect the mages, but there was only so much mana Zeke could use. She kept killing one monster after another, not even caring just how many resources she was spending to do so.
Hawk Eyes Level Up! It is now Level 3. You have gained +2 STR from your skill. You have gained +1 DEX from your skill.
Her Hawk Eyes were on full display, even giving her eyes an aching feeling, a headache nearly killing her each hour. The information overload along with the resources spent was causing her eyes to dry up considerably. But she didn¡¯t care. There were only two things that were on her mind right now. Zeke, who was trying his hardest to keep up with the protection, only having a limited amount of mana to keep himself alive. Then there was Clara. If Zeke fails, the monsters will come into town. The mages were still the ones doing population control, but if they died due to him losing his barriers, then the monsters would overwhelm the soldiers on the ground and head straight into the town. If Zeke is down, then the townspeople are next. Then who will protect Clara? With those two thoughts in mind, Mikella rushed ahead, more than ever before. She didn¡¯t care if pain riddled her right leg as something sliced her thigh, blood smearing all over her left arm as something gored her arm. She didn¡¯t care at all.
You have gained +1 DEX from your actions. You have gained +2 VIT from your actions. You have gained +1 END from your actions.
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Pain Resistance Level Up! It is now Level 5. You have gained +1 VIT from your skill. You have gained +1 END from your skill.
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Kinetic Perception Level Up! It is now Level 3 You have gained +1 DEX from your skill. You have gained +1 END from your skill.
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Acrobatics Level Up! It is now Level 4. You have gained +1 STR from your skill. You have gained +2 DEX from your skill.
She only cared about one thing¨Cshe wanted to kill every monster around her. Her sword practically roared in in response to her will. ¡­.. Zeke¡¯s mental energy focused as his headache only increased. He gritted his teeth when he saw another boulder coming after him, landing straight onto his enforced barrier. The shock was enough to cause it to crack in places, but Zeke repaired the damage instantly with his casting, causing the cracks on the wall to disappear instantly. Another bountiful amount of mana wasted, and the closer his Mana pool reached to zero. At this point, he didn¡¯t bother asking as he just took a potion near his side and drank the contents. The sudden rush of Mana entering his system was a bygone feeling now, and all he wished was to just end the fighting. The mages were constantly under bombardment, and even their mana ran out at some point during the fight, with Zeke hogging all the Mana potions to himself. He felt guilty, but none of the mages complained as they instead picked up a bow to shoot arrows at the creatures outside of his barrier¡¯s range. It was proven already that he was the only target as the mages turned archers weren¡¯t even targeted anymore. He also spared a bit of Mana to ensure that none of the monsters had the gall to enter through the entrance of the ramparts, with the wood barricading already destroyed some time ago. But Zeke knew he was running out of time. That was the last mana potion he drank, and his mana pool was already reaching halfway. He knew he had to do something, but he had no idea what to do. Mikella and the other soldiers were still fighting the droves of monsters that were going after them. There was a small number left, but the ones left over were the huge monsters that seemed enhanced somehow, at least to Phil¡¯s eyes after making a comment about it. There were occasions where a powerful monster would come in, and those monsters would reach around level 40 and above. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Zeke¡¯s mind whirled at the idea that level 40 creatures came in, and more than a few at a time came by now. The only reason why they were alive is because Val was fighting them off while the rest were fighting the smallfries. He thought harder on what to do, first relaying the facts. He was the target, and if he was the target, it made sense that they would attack him, causing untold damage to the ramparts in the meanwhile. He should move away then. But where? That question only brought him to imagine running everywhere around the ramparts, causing all other sorts of damage to everything around him. Even worse, if he loses his focus even once, his barriers would break. His own death wouldn¡¯t be the end¨Ceveryone would die thanks to his failure. There was nowhere to run, but if he kept this up, the projectiles would just keep hammering away at the ramparts, causing more deaths. These two were his only options. Then¡­ an idea struck him. There were only two ways to go about this, but whoever said he only needed to be at the ramparts? Or on the ground for that matter? He knew it was stupid, to say the least. However, the only possible outcome was that only he gets to be targeted, and if it worked¨Cnobody else would get hurt. If he got lucky, perhaps he might take out a monster or two. There was only one place he could go to do so¡­ but does he have the guts to do it? Looking down at Mikella, her body smeared in blood as she furiously sliced apart every monster in her wake. She wasn¡¯t doing it for the fun and the levels¨Cshe was fighting to survive. Not just for her sake, but for Zeke, and especially for Clara He made his decision then. Besides, doesn¡¯t he have the Trailblazer title for this exact reason? So, he stepped over the rampart¡¯s walls, causing Phil and Lisa to look at him in shock. ¡°Hey, Zeke! What do you think you¡¯re doing?!¡± Phil shouted, ready to grab him by the arm to pull him back in. ¡°What I should¡¯ve done a while ago!¡± Zeke said these last words before conjuring several small barriers forming like panels up above the bigger barrier protecting them. He stepped over them like stairs, just like how he did it to see the town from far away. It was a definitely scary experience, but it brought so much fortune to them that Zeke knew this was his best bet. Once he got over his barrier, the monsters took notice, as well as every single person who saw a man actually walking up towards the air. Zeke kept going up. He conjured barrier panel after barrier panel into the sky, not caring at all about the height. After each foot higher, he could feel all the eyes burning through him, making some of the soldiers below gasp in horror. But that also meant that the monsters stopped launching attacks at the ramparts. Just as he predicted, the monsters changed direction to the sky to find him walking up into the air. He soon stopped right at the very center of the clearing, or rather, right above the enemy lines. The monsters roared in defiance, trying to bring up more projectiles from around them. That¡¯s when Zeke opened up his Status page. Throughout the times he leveled up thanks to Mikella¡¯s constant killing, he put all of his points into Spirit.
You have gained +1 DEX from your actions. You have gained +2 INT from your actions. You have gained +2 SPI from your actions.
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Mana Perception Level Up! It is now Level 6. You have gained +1 INT from your skill. You have gained +1 SPI from your skill.
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Barrier Craft Level Up! It is now Level 6. You have gained +1 INT from your skill. You have gained +2 SPI from your skill.
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Level up! You are now Level 13. You gain 6 free points (6 FP total). You have gained +3 DEX from your class. You have gained+3 INT from your class. You have gained +3 SPI from your class.
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Name: Zeke Parlow (Death Swindler) Race: Human Runist: Level 13 STR: 6 DEX: 20 INT: 30 SPI: 46 VIT: 16 END: 17 Free Points: 0 General Skills: Mana Perception (U) Level 6 Runecraft (U) Level 1 Internal Senses (U) Level 1 Pain Resistance (U) Level 4 Meditation (C) Level 3 Acquired Skills: Barrier Craft (R) Level 6 Recovery (R) Level 2 Class Skills: Runic Library Level 1 Title Skill: Not Today (T), Level 1 (Maxed)
He wasn¡¯t at all surprised at these skill notifications. Considering he spent nearly all his mana time and again using Barrier Craft, he would feel cheated if it hasn¡¯t even leveled. Still, he thanked Mikella¡¯s hard work as it helped alleviate his mana expenditure not just with his Spirit attribute, but also with the barrier skill itself and Mana Perception. Which was a good thing because now the projectiles came right for him. Some were launched too low, and some were too far away to even hit him. And those that did hit him were stopped by his barrier the moment they came too close, breaking them and losing their momentum doing so. With this, he didn¡¯t have to spend so much Mana reinforcing his barrier, while at the same time, allowing his mana to tick slowly upwards thanks to his recent gains. His barrier protecting the town was also still there, but now they weren¡¯t using a crazy amount of Mana like before. But that wasn¡¯t the only thing he had in mind. No, this is where his crazy plan of nearly making himself the bait comes into fruition. Those rocks, logs, and all kinds of forest debris thrown at him didn¡¯t just miss their target¨Ceach projectile lost to the might of gravity, causing them to fall down straight at the monsters below him. The big monsters that helped throw the debris didn¡¯t give a shit about the smaller monsters getting bombarded with their own fallen projectiles, even outright killing an unlucky few. Zeke could only laugh in victory after seeing his crazy plan work¨Cespecially thanks to the notifications telling him of his own kills despite doing nothing but protecting against attacks. He laughed maniacally at the poor monsters. But then he stopped when he finally noticed Mikella staring daggers at him. Now he wished he thought of a better plan. ¡­.. ¡°What is that idiot doing?!¡± That was the first question Mikella shouted when she saw Zeke, of all people, running towards the sky using his barriers as a staircase. At first, she feared that Zeke was actually crazy enough to join the fight. Then, he kept going up, and up, and further up into the sky. She was totally confused as to the reasoning, and even feared that the constant mana usage was messing with his head, which was a very possible thing. But then he stopped just above the enemy line, beyond the soldier¡¯s fighting at the front. Each soldier looked up at him as though he lost his mind, and rightfully so as all the projectiles were now aiming for him. But some of the projectiles missed entirely, and some that did hit were stopped by a sudden barrier that broke upon impact, but didn¡¯t reach Zeke at all. Instead, those very same projectiles were now making the fights easy as each one landed right around the monsters, often landing and crushing the monsters underneath. Soon everything started to click in her mind. While his plan was the very definition of reckless, she had to agree that this was probably the best course of action. It was possible that even doing so would help his mana consumption. She remembered Zeke telling her that creating a powerful barrier to withstand a strong attack, then restoring it, takes more mana than simply making a barrier to stop an attack and breaking entirely. That normally doesn¡¯t stop the attack entirely, just lessens the impact. But gravity was playing its role well as once the projectiles were stopped by the barrier once, physics forced them to drop to the ground instead of continuing the force. It was a crazy, but incredibly effective plan. Even so, she wants to throttle his neck the moment he comes down. That is a promise she made to herself as she glared at Zeke. She could tell that Zeke noticed it and quickly looked away like a little bitch. ¡°Your hubby¡¯s crazy!¡± Myra shouted to her side, unable to keep her eyes off the air-borne mage despite stabbing her sword straight into a distracted monster. ¡°But it looks like his plan is working!¡± ¡°I know!¡± Mikella groaned in either pride or reluctance. Even she couldn''t tell. ¡°If he doesn¡¯t die up there, I¡¯ll kill him when he gets down!¡± Myra only laughed maniacally as now the soldiers were invigorated by Zeke¡¯s plan. They kept going after the distracted monsters, finally turning the tide against the horde. ¡­.. This is what I get for underestimating the enemy forces. Now, Zeke has to take the lead¡­ Val chided herself for her lack of awareness of the battlefield as she dealt another deathblow to the Dire Crocobeast in front of her. The beast¡¯s corpse fell, the captain following up with another strike to the next Crocobeast coming after her. If she had to say something about this situation, it¡¯s that the monsters sure know how to get under her skin. After two whole weeks of non-fighting, it brought their soldiers to an exhaustive state, not knowing when they would fight. Once they did, they went all out, even bringing intelligence Expert monsters into the mix. She hated the fact even more after reducing her power to create the Sphere of Inheritance along with her husband. Thanks to that, her level and stats were reduced to the point where she can¡¯t even beat these Crocobeasts in one hit whose only power is their tough scales and Endurance. It wasn¡¯t like she could read the future. She wasn¡¯t a mage specializing in divining fate and neither was Cloud. How the hell she would¡¯ve known a crazy amount of monsters would come to their town ready for slaughter? That certainly wasn¡¯t what she signed up for nearly two decades ago. She knew she should¡¯ve done it earlier, halving her power for Ana¨Cbut she was nervous about losing her power all of a sudden. And now it finally happened¨Cat the worst time in her life. She gritted her teeth as she felt her pools decreasing faster than normal. Her body was acting slower than she wished, and her skills were lacking their usual depth. During training, this sort of thing was ignored, but in an intense battle, that¡¯s where her lack of power truly showed. She hated to admit it, but Zeke¡¯s plan to become bait up in the air was a good one. Not only are the Expert-ranked monsters slaughtering their own comrades, it made defending the ramparts easier, even letting some of the injured soldiers who were caught unaware to return inside. The healers were also taken in, now that the emergency barrier was down. But that was enough. As she killed another Dire Crocobeast, she turned her sight to the one in charge, the Big Boss Monkey. She also noticed that her protege, both Myra and even Mikella, were doing well in taking down the low rank monsters around her. She did notice that Mikella was doing rather well, but also feared that she was taking on a lot of things at once. She shook her head¨Cshe can blame herself all she wants later. Right now, she aimed towards the monkey leader, hoping that would end the horde sooner. But then something caught her eye, making her pale. Another array of monsters were coming out, and this time there were more Expert monsters in the distance. She wasn¡¯t sure whether the other provinces were instigating all this or it was just all bad luck on their part. But it wasn¡¯t so shocking that in these wild areas not governed by the higher powers, monsters are a lot more rampant and can easily overpopulate if left alone for too long. However, the numbers were just too much. And what¡¯s worse¨Cthey spotted the barrier mage up top, as though they were told beforehand. She also noticed that some of the monsters were not the bulky types, but magical ones, capable of shooting powerful spells at them. She cursed herself. She cursed her foolish mindset. She cursed this bad foresight of hers. But no matter how much she cursed, it won¡¯t change the present. She wasn¡¯t sure whether the other side was in as bad of a shape as they were, but Val couldn¡¯t care anymore. She opened up the tiny pack¨Cnot the storage bag that the two otherworlders had, but a normal one¨Cand took out a small circular coin. It shimmered under the Studded Star¡¯s dimming light, riddled with ingrained runes meant to call someone¨Csomeone who made it in the first place and was given to her. It was a coin melted with a type of metal that made inscribing runes easier, but it¡¯ll wither away once used. ¡°Cloud, I need your help,¡± Val said to the coin, infusing her will into the mana within. With that, the tiny lines that made up the coin evaporated, using up the magic within. Now it was just a useless coin whose only purpose is to look pretty. She looked back at the horde, her frown deepening. Now she only had to wait. Wait and hope that the soldiers would survive before then. Ch41: Trump card Zeke had to admit that his plan was a stroke of genius. Though only at the time. Now that he was up in the air, with only his barrier as the platform and dozens upon dozens of projectiles coming to end his life, he was starting to see some holes in his planning. It sounded so good in his head, but in reality, there were a lot of flaws. First, while he did lower the mana consumption greatly, the added stress of a projectile being strong enough to break his barrier and end up crushing him only made it more tense. That would make his casting flimsy, and would just as much break apart if he doesn¡¯t focus enough. Second, he had forgotten one major fact¨Che was abysmal in anything physical. His stats proved precisely just how bad he was. An example of this was when a projectile came after him, a giant boulder he swore he never saw coming, As usual, he conjured a weak barrier to stop the impact, hoping for gravity to stop it afterwards. But the boulder easily broke through his weak barrier, still having momentum to crush his remaining barrier platform. Thankfully, Zeke had the foresight to actually move out of the way, but his steps fumbled about from the sudden movement, and he only just managed to summon another working barrier platform before falling on his face like a duckling that recently hatched. But it didn''t stop there. It kept going over and over again. In the end, not only was his Mana draining, but his Stamina dropped too while trying to avoid being bombarded with debris. Fortunately, the second effect of his crazy plan was working perfectly for everyone else. The weakened and injured soldiers were evacuating, the ramparts were now safe from any unnecessary attacks, and the soldiers below were taking advantage of the sudden projectiles falling over the enemy lines. But then he caught something in the distance, and he grimaced. Another horde was coming, and this time, there were more powerful enemies coming. His Identify figured out that some of the enemies were in fact higher level than him, showing nothing but question marks every time he used it. There¡¯s no way this is natural, right? So¡­ is it because of us? He truly wondered whether the three visitors from another world might have affected this outcome, but he put that idea aside. There were too many variables to instantly assume that them showing up is the reason why everything was going to shit. They said that the hordes were coming even before they arrived. And it was even stranger that it took this long into them arriving that they would all come out of the woodworks. But he stopped thinking as he realized something bright and hot was coming his way from his peripherals. His eyes turned as wide as saucers before finding a flaming ball of death coming towards him. Needless to say, he fell on his ass once or twice before jumping out of the barrier platform and landing on another conjured platform a few feet below him, dodging a giant fireball that headed straight for him. ¡°Shit!¡± He looked over, realizing that some of those higher leveled monsters were in fact mage variants usually found in video games. He even noticed something that looked like a goblin, a tall one who had a gnawed looking wooden staff. Then he spotted another monster, this time what looked like a dog person wearing a brown, almost stained and frayed robe with a similar looking staff. Zeke figured it was an actual kobold before realizing that the same kobold was shooting what looked like a giant spear of ice heading straight for him. Worse yet, those spells had a long distance and were coming at him from his side, rather than from below. He had little choice but to keep dodging each one, his Stamina only getting worse and worse by the second. ¡°Shit. I think I just made it worse!¡± He said, though he knew deep in his mind that this would be dangerous. He knew, yet the plan helped the others survive better. He looked down to find Val fighting the monkey. She soon finished it off with a well-practiced slice across its neck and beheading it. He just had to keep it going, just like the soldiers below. If what he¡¯s doing is helping them just a tiny bit, then he¡¯ll be the bait. Though he did consider spending points into Dexterity the next time. If there is a next time. After a few minutes of dodging for his life, the horde came in. The other soldiers were faring well up to this point, but when a new horde came in, despair settled in their eyes. Zeke can¡¯t blame them. He also hoped that it would be over soon, only to be met with a front row seat for the upcoming fights. Val didn¡¯t seem all that disturbed, though she grimaced when she kept fighting. While he was distracted with all this new information, he failed to see something hurling towards him. It wasn¡¯t all that bad, just another boulder coming his way. Normally, he could see those things from a mile away. But this boulder came up faster than before. He didn¡¯t even see what threw it, but he sure as hell knew that it wasn¡¯t an ordinary beast. It was ramping up speed, way faster than he could even have the time to muster up a response. His instincts came in and he summoned several weaker barriers to disrupt the flow of momentum. As each one was summoned, the last one he could cast right in front of the incoming attack, the boulder crushed through them all. Glass shattered in his ears as the boulder eventually crushed through his platform. Thankful that it slowed down for even a second, Zeke managed to step away in time. But not entirely. His right leg was caught in between, the rocky surface grazing by. It was enough to shatter the bone and twist his leg in an odd angle. Zeke roared in pain, but realized that he was caught in the air falling to the ground. Without hesitation, he conjured another barrier, but that didn¡¯t bode well for his hurt leg as it ached from him landing on it. He knew this by experience, just like when his arm landed on that pile of gold coins. His leg was broken, though the pain didn¡¯t seem as intense as before. Realizing that it was his Pain Resistance at work, he forced himself to stay focused as he saw another boulder coming his way. Figuring the obvious, he opted for a stronger barrier in exchange for higher Mana consumption. He couldn''t move anymore anyways. The boulder was instantly stopped, falling straight to the ground. It fell and landed on one of those giant creatures, actually killing it. Zeke might say that he had angled the barrier slightly to get at least one of those bastards. He had enough of just being bait. But he put those petty thoughts aside as he looked at the damage. His right leg was aching badly, and without any armor protecting him from the impact, the defenseless robe couldn¡¯t help him avoid having it in an odd angle. Thankfully there was no bone, though he wasn¡¯t entirely sure whether that was a good thing or not. A broken leg is a broken leg, and he sure as hell can¡¯t move it. Worse yet, he can¡¯t even heal it with Recovery. He needed to use all of his mana to make barriers, and he wasn¡¯t sure just how much mana he needed to fix this leg. He could also hear someone yelling out his name. It was Mikella. He looked back through his transparent barrier to find her nearly gawking at him in the distance, her mouth gaped and her face paling. That¡¯s when he saw the reason why she was blanching. Another attack was coming. And it wasn¡¯t some giant boulder this time. He wasn¡¯t sure how, but he could see one of the giant creatures doing something with the mana around them. Zeke could sense the mana forming around the top of the giant creature that looked like a minotaur. After a closer look, it wasn¡¯t so much of a cow, and more like a yak¨Cmore fat than muscle. But he knew that yak monster was different. It was actually controlling mana, particularly something that Zeke knew was of the earth affinity. It formed around the top of its sharpened horns, creating a look alike of a boulder¡­ but he knew that this boulder was condensed. Mana seemed to flow out of it as though it was ready to burst from that boulder, and it kept getting larger and larger, eventually shortening it to a smaller size at the same time. Zeke didn¡¯t have to guess that the damn monster was compressing the boulder-like attack, and its demonic looking black eyes were staring right at him. Before the soldiers realized what was going on and were ordered to attack the yak, it was too late. It launched the boulder magic right at Zeke. It was faster, stronger, and if Zeke could make a guess, way more threatening than a simple giant rock. He didn¡¯t even see that the yak monster die straight afterwards thanks to Val going in, but she was too late as the attack was heading straight for Zeke. He knew then and there that with his lacking Mana, pitiful Stamina, and low Health, he wasn¡¯t going to survive taking this blow of an attack. He didn¡¯t even have to guess that it would easily break his barrier down and kill him outright if it hit him. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. He closed his eyes. He didn''t give up, not yet. He remembered this feeling before, right around at the end of the tower. Didn¡¯t he go through the same thing as before? When facing an incredibly powerful attack which he knew he can¡¯t defend against, what did he do? It was simple. He redirected the attack. His fingers tightened into fists as the boulder came right at him. He didn¡¯t even think, he just copied his plan from earlier, but with a little bit of a workaround. If he learned anything about stamina and mana, it is that the two could work together. By using his Mana Perception, he could infuse the front layer of his barrier with the ¡®intent¡¯ of absorbing the flow, and the back layer filled with nothing but the ¡®intent¡¯ of transferring kinetic energy. Intent. That was the word that Cloud said which is the hallmark of spell casting. It isn¡¯t just allowing the spell to work as the system dictated, but helping the mage learn how to use it at first. Then, with their intent and willpower, shape its very foundations to the core. That was how it was possible for mages to help evolve or advance their magic spells, or any skill one has if they put in enough effort. Usually, the lower the level, the more difficult it is to put in your intent. The first time he did it, he barely thought of it, figuring that his death would be interesting if he did something cool. But now he realized that with his last breath, he forced his intent into his spell, allowing him to shift its properties to fit his needs. And now, he willed his intent again to create a barrier solely for transferring kinetic power. He also felt that by messing with the barrier using kinetic energy, it actually drained him of his stamina and made him feel exhausted. Sweat poured down his brow and his breath turned harsh. It was just as he expected. He unexpectedly used kinetic energy, just as Mikella did for her own attacks. Though it wasn¡¯t quite exactly using direct stamina like how Mikella would use it. He instead fused the energies together to create a magic base with a kinetic film over it, transforming it into something else. Not to protect something from behind, but to transfer the power. He placed another barrier behind the first modified barrier, intending that one to protect him from any damage caused by the sudden force. The two barriers fused like pasting two pads together. It wasn¡¯t perfect. It wasn¡¯t supposed to be perfect anyways. It was just a workaround, based on his desperate need to survive with such middling resources. As the boulder reached towards the newly formed twin barriers, Zeke could only hope that his intent was made clear. Soon, the boulder struck. It didn¡¯t break the barrier. But Zeke certainly felt it. It wasn¡¯t just the impact he felt, but the very momentum that he tried to stop. It was coming at him in droves from his kinetic-charged barrier, like a waterfall forcing through his very being, his own soul. It all occurred in a microsecond as the second barrier activated. The transference of kinetic energy succeeded and made it to the support barrier. Once that hit, all of that energy blasted through to the other side, but it transformed into nothing but a surging force of air. That force sent Zeke flying straight to the stratosphere. ¡°Whoaaaaaah~!¡± Zeke didn¡¯t know how to react other than whooping like a psychopath after becoming like a rocket flying into the sky. He was flying several miles, perhaps farther than that, high into the sky. Wind crashed onto his face and body. He wondered when he¡¯ll ever stop. Until he eventually did. He reached the apex of his high flight, forcing his body to eventually slow enough to find himself floating just a smidge. In that single moment, peace swallowed him. Well, as peaceful as flying through the air can get. But, much like with everything else he saw before¨C What goes up must come down. In the end, nobody can control gravity. Not even him. His body fell, his gut flying right up his chest and into his throat as he looked below. Everything below him looked like ants skittering across a greenish floor. He knew that everyone would be too busy to save him during his freefall, even if the first instinct they got is to catch the suddenly falling barrier mage. Despite literally falling to his death, he still had the presence of mind to figure out what to do. He was falling fast¨Clike really fast. If he doesn¡¯t stop soon, he will die, even if he was caught by somebody thanks to his piled up injuries. So, without really thinking about it, he created another barrier, using up the last bits of his mana from the twin barriers he created before. Here is a lesson for those that were paying attention so far¨CWhat is going to happen if someone suddenly created an indestructible wall against something that was moving at an incredible speed? That ¡®something¡¯ would collide in a powerful clash against that indestructible wall. So one would think that Zeke knew this by heart. Of course, he didn¡¯t. He just summoned a powerful barrier to stop him from falling, and at the rate he was falling, he didn¡¯t ¡®land¡¯ on his barrier. He crashed into his barrier. His own barrier meant to protect him became a floor that nearly crushed his entire body. Ironically enough, it caused his arm to make a cracking sound from his crash landing on his left. For a short moment, despite his ears aching and stinging from the long flight, he swore he heard a lot of wincing hisses below him when he crashed. Pain became his existence a short while later as Zeke groaned out in pure agony. Only one thought ran through his mind as he felt pain ready to overtake him to its sweet embrace. I¡¯m such an idiot¡­ He wondered just how on earth he managed to stay alive so far. That has to earn him a title, right? Oh wait, he already got that title. ¡­.. When Mikella saw a giant powerful rock spell going straight at Zeke, her heart stopped. That was it. Zeke was going to die, and there was nothing she could do. Even as her body was bleeding all over, her limbs aching at the very thought of moving again, she stood there helplessly as her only trusted friend in this strange world was about to die right in front of her eyes. Then he flew up into the sky the moment the rock crashed into his barrier, whooping like a psychopath. For another few seconds, it was as if the battlefield stood stock still to find the result. And the result was spectacular. Zeke made up another barrier after falling from the sky and literally crashed onto it, prompting instinctive ¡®ooh¡¯s from everyone who saw the fall. Mikella just stared, hoping against hope that Zeke somehow survived. After another painstakingly slow second, Zeke moved like he was groaning across his platform. He was so far up that it took all Mikella had to see him. She breathed in relief to find that he was still alive. Barely. I swear that guy is going to kill me from stress¡­ She had plenty, perhaps dozens, of things to say to him if they managed to survive. As soon as Zeke¡¯s fate was revealed, the battlefield restarted with the monsters roaring in displeasure at his survival. Mikella wanted nothing more than to take down another monster, hopelessly trying to grasp her axe. She ended up using her axe when her sword blade got coated in monster blood, blunting the edge too much to keep using. Her fingers ached from overuse, and her calluses on her palms were making it difficult to use the axe. Myra stopped her, a hand on her shoulder, catching her attention. ¡°Mikella, let¡¯s retreat,¡± Myra said, pointing her chin over to where the captain was. Mikella was fighting intently along with Myra, Val, and the rest of the soldiers. The distraction caused by Zeke was good enough to take some of them down, including the higher tiered monsters. But looking back now, she noticed Val turning her attention to the ramparts behind them, causing her to do the same. At the top of the rampart¡¯s walls where the mages once stood, a single man stood there. His blond hair swayed as he glared at the scene with striking blue eyes. She noticed immediately that it was Cloud who stood atop of the ramparts. It was then that she felt it. Mana. Even for someone like her who was inept at sensing magical energy could feel mana bursting from the air itself around Cloud. Every fiber of her being was now yelling at her to get the hell out, even if she didn¡¯t know at all what was about to happen. But seeing Myra¡¯s panicked look made it easy to tell. She forced her aching legs to keep moving, along with every other soldier who noticed it as well. The battlefield was filled with blood, limbs, and corpses all about. It was a damn miracle that not a single fatality occurred on their side. Mikella was certain that it was thanks to Zeke¡¯s barriers protecting everyone, including making himself out as bait. But everyone was a mess. If they didn¡¯t die, they certainly wished for death to come. Some looked so bad that bone was piercing through their broken limbs, their faces messed up and blue all over. Some even looked as though they¡¯re just one hit away from death. But even then, the soldiers ran like the sky was about to fall down. Mikella yelled for Zeke to come, but at this point she might as well just shout to empty air. She could only hope that the massive distance between them was enough. Then she heard something crack in the air. A powerful scent of sulfur filtered through her nostrils as she saw a pillar of golden flames bursting from Cloud¡¯s position. She could barely see what happened next as she ran into the ramparts, Myra forcibly dragging her and her crew as they went inside. Then, all hell broke loose. ¡­.. Zeke was exhausted, hurting, and he just wanted to sleep from the massive headache he was getting. But he couldn¡¯t peel his eyes away from the transparent wall still plastered against his face. From the safety behind his barrier, as the cold forced his body to shiver and shake from the lack of mana, he could feel heat around him, rousing him to stare down. But he knew that it wasn¡¯t just the crazy amount of power coming out of Cloud who came in just a minute ago. Mana was gathering all around Cloud, reaching high to the sky as the pillar of golden flames flew up. Even at Zeke¡¯s height, the pillar seemed to keep going and going. It was so much mana that it condensed and made a vision for the eyes. The magical energy was already filling his body, taking in the all that was being dispersed everywhere. Thankfully, he knew deep within that he was safe, so the only thing he could do was watch the flames summoned by Cloud envelope the entire battlefield, burning and flaying every monster that was left behind. It was hell. What he saw just had to be a small snippet of Hell itself. The magical spell had so much power, he couldn¡¯t believe that Cloud hadn¡¯t done that sooner. But the more he saw the spell take effect, the more he realized why they left it as the last resort. It burned everything. Not just the monsters, but the trees, the grass, the wood¨Ceverything that could be burned was burned. Even the air itself was being consumed by the flames. Soon the flames dispersed, revealing the charred battlefield. There was not a single hint of blood or corpses in sight. Whatever was left was just the burnt remains of what once existed. The heat died down, and the battle against the horde did as well. There was not a single living being underneath Zeke as far as he could tell, and he had a pretty large vantage point. The battle was over, and Zeke could finally close his eyes. He was just too tired and too much in pain to think of anything else. Ch42: Horde aftermath ¡°Zeke! Can you hear me?! Come down!¡± His ears picked up Mikella¡¯s faint voice yelling out to him. Opening his eyes, he remembered that the pain was there to greet him first. What a good friend. He remembered that he was still on his barrier, and more importantly, still in the middle of the air. The chill from being up so high didn¡¯t help his still shivering body. He felt like he was knocking at door¡¯s death, the grim reaper that applauded his survival from earlier eagerly waiting for him on the other side. He peered down, noticing a group on the ground that might as well be ants to his eyes. But once he focused, he spotted a familiar girl with long brown hair, tied to a ponytail to avoid getting in the way of combat. It was Mikella, and she looked like she was waving at him. But despite wanting nothing more than to get down there and get help, how exactly? Even if he did drop, he¡¯d probably die on impact even if someone caught him. But it¡¯s either get down and get fixed up or stay up here, and he was shivering way too much to stay there for long. Without really thinking about it, he dispersed the barrier now that the battle was over. His body soon fell through the air again, causing everyone to screech and shout in a panic. But before his body could once again make a crash, he sensed magical energy forming beneath him, easily transforming into a gust of wind that was so powerful, yet so controlled, hitting him. It was powerful because it helped carry his entire body with no issue. It was also controlled because he didn¡¯t even feel all that ruffled like how he was flying through the air. It was a gentle wind, caressing him as he slowly fell down. His eyes were closed, but he could tell that Mikella was the one that caught him. Slowly, ever so carefully, they put his body down to the ground, noticing his broken arm and leg as a crowd began forming around him. He opened his eyes to find Mikella¡¯s face right in front of his, her dark brown eyes studying every part of him for any potential injuries she might have missed. God, she¡¯s beautiful¡­ He couldn¡¯t keep that thought out of his mind. She truly did look gorgeous at the moment. Even when her face was riddled with blood and cuts, those eyes and her brown hair framing her roundish face made his brain stop thinking. Then his brain immediately jump-started as pain once again settled in, causing him to realize what he just thought about as the healers came by to aid him. It felt crude to him somehow, only realizing that compared to his Rare healing spell, theirs were just uncommon. The foreign magical energy revitalizing his vital energy was already causing him to groan and wince in pain. But soon it evolved into a soothing emotion as relief spread all across his body, his injuries diminishing in a blink of an eye. ¡°Zeke, are you okay?¡± Mikella said, grasping his face with her hands to keep him steady. Thanks to his brain starting up again, he felt guilty as his cheeks blushed from her hands touching his face. She was rather close too, and it was even worse as the rest of the soldiers were peering down on him, noticing his little plight. ¡°U-Uhh, I¡¯m okay¡­¡± Zeke eventually said to the waiting Mikella who kept staring at him intensely. She was starting to make him nervous for some reason. ¡°Good,¡± Mikella said, looking relieved. Her face now serene, she smiled at him. ¡°Because I¡¯m going to be the one to kill you for making me worry so much!¡± That brought the other soldiers to laugh and cheer at him, or rather jeer for making the ¡®wifey¡¯ angry. Zeke was still out of it for a moment, but realizing that the mood was a lot more jovial than he expected, he turned to Mikella with a nervous smirk. ¡°I guess I deserve that,¡± Zeke said. ¡°So the horde¡­ are they gone?¡± ¡°They¡¯re gone,¡± Mikella said, shaking her head. ¡°Cloud pretty much burned them to smithereens.¡± ¡°Damn¡­¡± Zeke said, still unable to believe what he heard despite seeing the result for himself. Then again, he was in so much pain that he might as well be hallucinating. No, it was way too damn hot and scorching to not be real. In some ways, it felt hotter than when he traversed along the lava caverns back in the tower. That was the power of a Journeyman Mage, someone who had taken his magical abilities way beyond his meager abilities could hold. Though, if he truly knew what was going on, he could believe that it wasn¡¯t even Cloud¡¯s true power. He knew that both Val and Cloud were somehow weaker than what they represented. The proof was when Val had difficulty facing monsters supposedly below her level. He couldn¡¯t tell for sure since his Identify didn¡¯t help him as much, showing nothing but question marks for levels. Then, he turned to find none other than Val and Cloud approaching them. The other soldiers made way for the lords to come over, looking exhausted themselves. Val especially, her face and armor covered in blood from all the creatures she killed. And Cloud looked¡­ almost withered. He should¡¯ve known that the spell he casted would take a toll on him, but to see his still perfect face almost shrivel as though life was sucked out of him was something he didn¡¯t expect to find. ¡°Zeke, how are you faring?¡± Cloud asked, approaching him. His withered face looked slightly better now, as though he was marked with concern earlier. ¡°When I saw you up there, I was worried my spell could hit you, but thankfully that wasn¡¯t the case.¡± ¡°Y-Yeah¡­¡± Zeke said. His voice was still hoarse from the experience he felt, but he tried to answer regardless. ¡°I was fine. That, uhh¡­ that wind spell that caught me. That was yours, right?¡± Zeke could take a guess thanks to the mass amount of magical energy coming off of Cloud just seconds earlier. Cloud nodded in return. ¡°Thanks,¡± Zeke said, but Cloud only shook his head with a chuckle. ¡°More like I should be thanking you. You went way above and beyond for our town.¡± ¡°Same here,¡± Val said, offering a tired smile. Even while covered in blood and who knows what else, her radiant smile somehow brightened the area around them. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s, uuh¡­¡± Zeke tried to say, but his embarrassment was already taking hold. It didn¡¯t help at all when the other soldiers decided to pile on the praise. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect a low-level mage to go out like that. Way to go, man.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what making an impression should be!¡± The other soldiers, both men and women alike, were cheering at Zeke as Mikella managed to pull him up. He was feeling a lot better, but pain still wracked his body, especially from his broken arm and leg in unison. But despite the pain, he was still embarrassed as he tried to hunch his head down like a turtle. Mikella, however, decided to make it worse. ¡°You really did do good here, Zeke,¡± Mikella smiled, adding on the praise. ¡°In fact, I think you deserve a special carry for your efforts.¡± ¡°A what?¡± Zeke asked, but found out too late that Mikella forced his body to go sideways, and before he could fall over, Mikella caught him with both her arms. She carried Zeke in a damn princess-carry. His legs dangling over her arm while his torso on the other, Zeke looked on in horror as he spotted Mikella¡¯s sadistic smile on her face. ¡°There we go,¡± Mikella chimed with glee. ¡°Doesn¡¯t that feel better, Zeke?¡± ¡°Please, oh god no, let me down¡­¡± Zeke muttered, begged even, but Mikella refused to even listen. And yet despite the soldiers watching this with a smirk on their faces, none of them commented on the situation. They knew as well as the two that this was something that they can¡¯t get in between, so instead they followed Mikella celebrating their success with the horde battle. All the while, Zeke truly wished for death as his shame was overcoming his pain and agony by a mile. ¡­.. After the whole punishment given by Mikella in public, the true punishment came after returning home. The others around the town began to help restore the ramparts to its former glory, the bombardment from earlier leaving it in shambles. Most of the carpenters and smiths worked overtime to recover the lost lumber and material, seeing as the soldiers did most of the heavy lifting throughout the horde battle. Meanwhile, at the Mystio household, Mikella was giving Zeke the rundown of his life. She screamed, chided, and admonished him for his actions. Zeke couldn''t even defend himself by saying that he didn¡¯t have a choice. He knew that the idea he made was just made up on the spot and there were probably better ways to handle it. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. But in the end, after almost an hour of getting chided, Mikella shot him with something that he didn¡¯t expect. ¡°What¡¯s gonna happen if you die? Have you ever considered how Clara would feel?¡± He didn¡¯t think about that at all. Sure, he thought that he could¡¯ve died, and instead all he thought about was that as long as Clara was safe, his own life was forfeit. But now that he thought about it further, who else will take care of Clara other than Mikella if he died? Rather, what will Clara feel? Even if his mind still believed Clara cared more for Mikella than she ever would for Zeke¨Ccould he truly think that? As if Mikella read his mind like an open book, she answered his question. ¡°You might think that you¡¯re still a stranger, but that¡¯s not the case with us. Clara sees you as her family. You¡¯re her older brother now. You don¡¯t have to be related to know that she cares for you.¡± This time, guilt wracked his mind and heart. How could he be so foolish? Sure, the plan worked, but looking at himself now, it didn¡¯t seem to work as intended. And to make matters worse, he heard a small pitter patter of feet as he suddenly got embraced by the little girl who they were just talking about. ¡°Bobo!¡± Clara shouted to his ear, but she quickly realized his state as she let go of him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ are you okay?¡± Zeke didn¡¯t really look as good as he felt. His arm and leg were still broken despite receiving healing, and was told that unlike ordinary cuts or wounds, a broken bone requires more time to heal. Last time, they ate attribute fruits that increased the healing regeneration, but he¡¯d rather heal naturally than to use up such obvious precious treasures. That, and he was worried Val would lose her head if he ate another fruit so willy-nilly like that. There were specific healing spells that could aid him, but at the time they needed to focus on recovering as much Mana as they could, so Zeke had to recover naturally for a while. He was constantly using Meditation, but that was like trying to turn on a faucet from a crappy sink to put out the fire of a burning house. Zeke had a sling over his broken arm, and his leg was heavily bandaged to the point of feeling like a cast, unable to move with wooden sticks keeping his leg steady. All in all, he looked like he just survived a tumble down a mountain. ¡°I¡¯ll live,¡± Zeke answered honestly. He felt that saying that it didn¡¯t hurt at all would be too obvious of a lie, and he prefers to not lie to Clara if he could. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Bobo¡­¡± Clara looked ready to cry, looking at him all over with tears in her eyes. If guilt hasn¡¯t already made him feel shittier as it is, now he truly felt like a jackass. ¡°See, Zeke? Look at how Clara is crying right now! You dingus!¡± ¡°Dingus! Dingus Bobo!¡± The two girls kept going at him, only making him feel worse. Yet, somehow, he didn''t feel as bad as he should. He definitely felt guilty for making Clara and Mikella worry so much. But feeling this sincerity and their honest insults made him feel¡­ Like I¡¯m actually part of the family. He could only smile as he profusely apologized to the girls, doing his best to make sure it doesn¡¯t happen again and promising to do his best next time. That¡¯s the only thing he could do at the moment, so he accepted the barrage of ¡®dingus¡¯ calling for the next few minutes. This was going to be a thing with the girls, Zeke somehow could tell. ¡­.. After the chiding was over and everyone reconvened at the living room, they told about their experiences within the battlefield. As Val explained the situation to Cloud, Cloud explained how he felt the mana stir within his necklace, something that can transfer a short message from Val which helped the fight at the end. Zeke found out that it was one of the things a Runist can do, or someone with a decent enough Runecraft skill. They can inscribe runes onto an item, pouring mana to do whatever the task the inscribed rune gave it. However, to use it like that, one has to use precious metals to withstand the delicacy of magic. So when Val used up the coin to contact Cloud, the coin can no longer be infused with magic. It was practically sapped of all mana, unable to be used anymore. It was an expensive thing to use, trying to send a message, but something that was utterly worth it for all the spoils they got from the horde. Thanks to that, they were able to get plenty of drops to survive for the upcoming weeks, perhaps months, if the damage done to the corpses by Cloud¡¯s powerful spell wasn¡¯t all that much. Still, the spell itself took a toll on Cloud¡¯s body, as he was also in a weakened state along with Val. As for why the lords were suddenly too weak to handle their power, one answer came to the surprise of the two. They gave half their power to the Orb of Inheritance, something that should¡¯ve taken a while so that Ana will be able to inherit their power by the time she becomes fifteen¨Cthe official age where one receives the system initialization. By giving up half their attributes, not permanently but temporarily, they can marginally raise the power within the orb. Once Ana becomes of age, they¡¯ll give the orb to her. She can accept the power, which was already bound to her by right, letting her have an improved chance of raising skill levels and stat growth. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean that she would instantly become as strong as the lords. But the more power the two gave, the bigger the bonus. At the end, it might be enough to give Ana the power of a high Apprentice fighter right at Level 1. It wasn¡¯t easy on the parents during the process. They have to have their stats halved, something that was difficult for anyone, especially those of higher stages. The higher the stages, the more power they have to give up. Due to that, the lords¡¯ stats were currently around Expert stage, somewhere between level 40 to 50. Val grumbled like mad when she put off pouring power into the orb until she and Cloud finally had the courage to do so. Only to be met with dozens of monsters forming hordes at them. Even worse, they couldn¡¯t stop the process. They have to give it a few more months before the orb is completed. If they stop now, the orb would break and it was extremely expensive to get another one. It wasn¡¯t even that easy to get it in the first place for them, considering their circumstances. Zeke and Mikella couldn¡¯t blame them for that. That was also the reason that Cloud had to stall the general as to why they couldn''t go out and find the source sooner than usual. With their current power, they can¡¯t guarantee anyone¡¯s safety, and it was difficult to explain that they had to give up half their power in this time of crisis without making the general believe they were half-assing at their jobs. Not that they could be blamed for having the worst timing possible. ¡°We have no intention to shift blame,¡± Cloud explained, shaking his head. His face returned back to the normal handsome visage, the withered look vanishing as he recovered. ¡°I can understand if you two are angry about it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t blame you at all,¡± Zeke said again, knowing that Mikella fully agreed. ¡°You were just doing what you thought was best for your kid. And besides, it¡¯s not like you can see the future, right? You even went all out in the horde battles. Even if you told everyone what you did, I doubt anyone would blame you, even if they complain.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to see a parent or two say that to your faces,¡± Mikella crossed her arms. ¡°Who wouldn¡¯t want what¡¯s best for their kid?¡± The lords still looked rather upset, as though a skeleton was found in their closet. It made sense that people would want to blame them, but it was clear that even if they were in full power, it wasn¡¯t as though it would stop the hordes from attacking them. So, they put aside their strange weakness, a disadvantage the lords would handle on their own. For now, they talked about their gains. Val wanted nothing more than to let the soldiers gain XP as she wasn¡¯t going to gain much in levels despite her lack of stats. However, things changed when the Expert rank monsters came around, forcing her hand. She praised Mikella for her work, able to take down so many monsters along with Myra. That¡¯s when Mikella recalled the notifications that was blinking by her side, prompting Zeke to do the same. They both checked, Zeke studying his gains as a slew of notifications dropped onto his vision.
You have gained +1 DEX from your actions. You have gained +2 VIT from your actions. You have gained +2 END from your actions.
¡­..
Level up! You are now Level 17. You gain 8 free points (8 FP total). You have gained +4 DEX from your class. You have gained+4 INT from your class. You have gained +4 SPI from your class.
Four levels weren¡¯t all that surprising to Zeke, but none of them made him feel as good. He knew that these level ups were gained by none other than Mikella, who had fought to the last monster standing, blood becoming a second layer to her skin. All the while, he was resting comfortably on top of his barrier at the sky, not a single width of monster blood on him. He quickly stopped hammering his self-worth when he considered that he was in just as much danger, perhaps even more so, while giving everyone else a chance to survive. In the end, he shifted his perspective to try to be more realistic, rather than giving himself some image of a coward hiding behind a barrier. Especially when he saw the next notification that proved his actions truly made a difference in the fight.
New Title available: Savior: Despite the odds, you stood against opposition not for yourself, but for those around you. You are a savior, one who helps others survive. You have gained +2 STR from your title. You have gained +2 VIT from your title. Title Skill attained: We Stand.
¡­..
We Stand (Title), Level 1 (Maxed) Your body is broken, your mind is bent, but your soul remains stalwart for the sake of others. Increases the potency of skills that revolves around supporting allies by 1%.
¡°Well that¡¯s a bit¡­ corny,¡± Zeke said, though his flushing face betrayed his supposedly calm tone. ¡°What¡¯d you got?¡± Mikella asked, shifting herself closer to Zeke¡¯s face. That only got him to burn hotter, even worse when the lords were watching with glee in their eyes. ¡°Whoa! Savior, huh? But I think ¡®Dingus¡¯ is a better title for you.¡± ¡°Ha-ha,¡± Zeke quickly took the chance to turn the tide, giving a dry chuckle as he stepped away. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m a dingus. You made that perfectly clear. What did you get?¡± ¡°Same levels, I¡¯m level 17 too,¡± Mikella said, though Zeke could tell that there was a bit of disappointment in her eyes. ¡°Kinda hoping I would level up some more, but I guess them¡¯s the brakes. No title either, if you were wondering.¡± Zeke was taken aback. ¡°What? But why?¡± As far as he knew, Mikella was the real winner in the battle, taking on so many high level opponents even with a party behind her. Was the system ignoring her or something? ¡°It¡¯s not surprising,¡± Val shook her head. ¡°The system recognizes those who take action regardless of their circumstances. Seeing how Zeke went up there without my orders, it¡¯s no wonder he stacked up quite a list of titles¡­¡± He could sense Val giving him a side-eye without even looking, and so he quickly looked away. ¡°But I remember you also having a title as well, right?¡± Val asked, swiftly taking off the heat on Zeke towards Mikella. ¡°Remember the feeling before you attained that title. That¡¯s mostly how one would earn it.¡± ¡°I almost died doing that,¡± Mikella said, then it was like the light flashed in her eyes as she grimaced. ¡°Okay¡­ Yeah, I see your point.¡± ¡°Precisely,¡± Val smiled knowingly. Ch43: Boundaries to cross The horde battle had cost the town quite a bit of resources. As hours were spent during the battle, plenty of wood and debris were collected everywhere, making quite a mess for the soldiers to focus on. While the non-combatants helped quite a bit, there was only so much even they could do, so those who were able helped with the recovery of the ramparts along with the nearby buildings that were unfortunately included in the destruction. It was reported that on the other side, they also had their fair share of monsters, but nothing quite so drastic as the one they were on. In fact, Cloud was ready to bring Zeke over to the other side if it had gotten as bad as the north side, which was proof of how bad they really had it. Mikella helped with the recovery process, despite Val telling her that she did more than enough to warrant a rest. She just didn¡¯t feel good about staying at home doing nothing. According to the scouts, after the intense battle, the monsters surrounding the forest beyond them dwindled by a significant amount, becoming almost barren. Cloud had some theories about this, but decided to talk it over with the general, the one who commanded the forces at the southern side. During all this, Mikella focused on her status screen while she helped with collecting wood and debris with the other soldiers. Last night, She and Zeke talked about what to do afterwards on how to improve starting from here. Looking back at her notifications from back then, she made a lot of improvements all around.
Level up! You are now Level 17. You gain 8 free points (8 FP total). You have gained +4 STR from your class. You have gained +4 DEX from your class. You have gained +4 END from your class.
¡­..
Sword Mastery Level Up! It is now Level 6. You have gained +1 STR from your skill. You have gained +1 DEX from your skill.
¡­..
Hawk Eyes Level Up! It is now Level 4. You have gained +2 STR from your skill. You have gained +1 DEX from your skill.
¡­..
Acrobatics Level Up! It is now Level 5. You have gained +1 STR from your skill. You have gained +2 DEX from your skill.
More importantly, she even received a new title¨Csomething that she recognized was full of irony after the conversation from last night with Val.
New Title available: One against Many: Whether you face one or one million, you stand resolute in the face of it all. You have gained +2 STR from your title. You have gained +2 DEX from your title. Title Skill attained: Bring It On.
¡­..
Bring It On (Title), Level 1 (Maxed) Rather than cower, you shiver with joy. More enemies means more fun. Increases your overall stat boost by 0.1% per every enemy you face by yourself.
She actually talked about this sort of title with Val, right after getting a side-eye from her about how she didn¡¯t have a title before which only made her flush. But putting aside the jokes, Val was impressed since this sort of title can only be earned if one was truly fighting a crowd of enemies by herself. Considering her crazed fighting when she spotted Zeke up above acting as bait, it was only natural that she took on more monsters, and then had all eyes on her which made earning the title possible. It was a good title, especially when they found out that having more titles on hand actually increases the potency of the current title skill. She decided to keep the Bring It On title skill since it felt more worth it than increasing the chance for double damage. She was also certain that Zeke was able to survive thanks to his own title skill¨CNot Today. It allowed him to survive a fatal injury by a small percentage, though the idea that he could¡¯ve died was too dark to think further on. After that, the otherworlders discussed how to use their free points. It was clear that after receiving a class, Mikella had gained a plethora of Strength, Dexterity, and Endurance, improving her fighting capabilities to a whole new level. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. So the two decided that the next important attribute to increase would be Vitality, as that can help her survive and regenerate from deep wounds faster, at least according to the Meditation skill. However, when they asked for advice, strangely, the lords told her to focus her free points into raising both her mental attributes to ten at least. She honestly figured that having a low Intelligence would make her too dumb, but apparently it was important if she ever plans on reaching the Expert stage, at level 30. So considering her future development, she put her free points into her two mental attributes, with Spirit being the leading one.
Name: Mikella Ashton (One against Many) Race: Human Dragon Warrior: Level 17 STR: 45 DEX: 50 INT: 10 SPI: 12 VIT: 23 END: 39 Free Points: 0 General Skills: Kinetic Perception (U) Level 3 Sword Mastery (U) Level 6 Pain Resistance (U) Level 5 Meditation (C) Level 3 Acquired Skills: Acrobatics (R) Level 5 Hawk Eyes (R) Level 4 Class Skills: Heavenly Strike Level 2 Title Skill: Bring It On (Title), Level 1 (Maxed)
She was starting to grow a decent list on her status menu, and the attributes were just too gorgeous to look at. Even Zeke turned slack jawed when he saw her status, something that she was incredibly proud of. It was something she was staring at now, even after she finished helping the buildings with repairing the ramparts. It wasn¡¯t all perfect¨Cthe lumber wasn''t up to par and the tools were getting too well-used to help build the ramparts thanks to the lack of traveling merchants, but it was something. After returning home, her body ached in all the ways she didn¡¯t think was possible. The fighting with the horde was just yesterday, so she still felt some pain here and there even after Zeke healed her personally. She decided it was worth it to just take a rest day, one of the times when as an athlete, it was important to let your body recover. Even if it was a fantasy world, there was nothing wrong with taking a break¨Ceveryone else was doing it, after all. After getting home, she found that Zeke was also helping the others with his Recovery skill, which got him a worthwhile level in it.
Recovery Level Up! It is now Level 3. You have gained +1 INT from your skill. You have gained +2 SPI from your skill.
Apparently the soldiers from the other side had a rougher time without a barrier on hand, so Zeke offered to help them out. He became rather popular as his healing skill was top-notch despite only just reaching level 3. The difference between the skill rarities was quite something. However, he looked gaunt and pale after seeing the horrendous injuries they sported. It would¡¯ve been enough to cripple a body in their old world, or outright die¨Cbut they kept going despite it all and continued on. It was one thing to receive injuries. It was another to see someone else receive injuries. Something that surprised Zeke. Seeing this, the two talked about it during the downtime. Clara was out playing with Ana, something that Mikella gladly let her do. She was hiding within the house from the horde attack scared out of her wits, so she was glad for the change of pace. The two talked for a while, and it ended up just taking the time away. It was¡­ nice, to just talk about everything you think and feel to someone you trusted. One could mistake this for flirting in a relationship, but Mikella would disagree. While she is interested in men, she can¡¯t even imagine being in a relationship¨Cespecially in this world in the current state they''re in. Not to mention, she would hear horror stories from her gymnast friends, about how a single day could either make you ecstatic or borderline depressed. So she would always feel at odds about a romantic relationship. Plus, Clara is her number one priority. But talking with Zeke made her feel at ease. Sure, he would stumble with his words, and she found it aggravating that he wouldn¡¯t look her in the eyes sometimes. She found it aggravating. She didn¡¯t know why as she never really cared about anyone else doing the same. But Zeke was¡­ she can¡¯t really explain it. She wanted him to face her longer, even if there wasn¡¯t a point to it. But whenever he faces away, it felt like he was hiding behind a wall from her. It made her feel that he still doesn¡¯t trust her. Even when she explained about her family¡¯s complications, Zeke didn¡¯t say anything about himself at all. However, there was that one moment during the two weeks she spent together with him and Clara. It was at night, and he was fast asleep while Mikella wasn¡¯t able to sleep as much. Her Endurance was making that difficult, though she was thankful she wasn¡¯t as tired as usual. There, she heard him grumbling. He was dreaming of something from his past. He shuddered, and he kept shaking his head. His eyes were closed, but there was a hint of fear in that expression. He grumbled louder, and eventually said something that stuck with her. ¡°Mother, please¡­! I¡¯m sorry. Please, don¡¯t hurt me¡­!¡± After that, he woke up. Cold sweat and a panicked look in his eyes, he surveyed his surroundings. Mikella quickly pretended to be asleep, ensuring that nobody watched him or heard him say anything. He slowed his erratic breathing, then let out a heavy breath. She never mentioned it at all since then. She felt that it was too personal to bring up. So whenever Zeke does look apprehensive, Mikella would get aggravated¨Cbut she waited. She waited for Zeke to reveal a small sliver of his past to her. Whenever he does, even when it¡¯s something as small as his hobbies, she feels giddy, almost like trying to unlock a door she¡¯s been fiddling with for ages. It was a strange goal to pursue, but since the two are stuck together for Clara¡¯s sake, she might as well go all the way. She¡¯s nothing if not driven to reach her goals, no matter how stupid they might seem to others. It was then that she recalled something fundamental, getting her to sharply inhale and letting out a tired breath. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Zeke asked, noticing her distress. She looked back at him with a grimace. ¡°I forgot that I need to fix up my sword,¡± She said, recalling the blood that completely dulled her once immaculate blade. ¡°Mind coming with me tomorrow to fix it?¡± Ch44: Getting new gear ¡°Fix this? This?! I¡¯m a smith, not a damn miracle worker!¡± A day passed after the horde battle. The entire town was wrought with activity as usual. Since the horde battle was so intense yesterday, they poured in all their efforts to ensure the next battle will be easier, and making it better for the soldiers fighting. The ones who didn¡¯t had much focus in combat instead worked on the day to day matters, making sure that the town was working as it should and keeping it alive. The otherworlders greeted the lords and decided to head out to get Mikella¡¯s weapons fixed. They left Clara and Ana with Vivian to take care of them, but made Zeke promise that since Mikella will be heading out that he will play with her. Zeke did so immediately, still under ¡®heavy supervision¡¯ by her to make sure he doesn¡¯t commit anymore dingus activities. The town was small, but it was wide enough to take a while to get from place to place. While the roads were cobblestone, there were hints of grass and dirt, mostly around the residential areas. The town was separated into different districts¨Cone for the residents, the other for the mercantile businesses, and even a smaller one for the necessities. That¡¯s where the two were heading. Mikella and Zeke headed out for the only blacksmith in the city. Adam, the blacksmith, was a trusted friend of the lords, and Val¡¯s personal caretaker for her weapons. While Adam may be scroungy, he will give a discount for the two as not only they were referred by the lords, but also as the ones who took charge in the horde battle and helped the town survive. When they finally got to the blacksmith, Mikella gave her sword to him to inspect the damage. He took one look at it and turned borderline astonished. Even Zeke recoiled in shock to find the sword utterly broken beyond measure. The form was still there, but blood practically replaced the initial color. Crimson was botched and splattered everywhere and the blade was nicked in all sorts of places. The fact that she could kill anything at all no matter how good of a weapon it was proved just how durable it was and how strong Mikella is. But in the end, having a working tool at full capacity was better than a rusty stick. And apparently, that¡¯s what the sword is; a rusty, blunted, and dirty stick. Mikella grimaced, finally seeing the sword¡¯s state close up for the first time. Even after using it this whole time, she was so busy trying to survive that she didn¡¯t pay attention. Or rather, she didn¡¯t want to pay attention to how bad the sword was turning out to be. ¡°Damn, woman! I can see the dents your fingers made on the hilt!¡± Adam said, looking almost horrified. He was a larger than life man with dark brown skin, dark hair flowing from his nose and chin. He was a dwarf¨Cor at least that¡¯s what the lords said, but Mikella can¡¯t tell. The dude wasn¡¯t just wide¨Che was huge. It was clear that he was at least shorter than Zeke, who stood at around 6 feet high, but compared to him, he looks like a stick while he looks like a fully grown tree. She knew in this fantasy type world with magic and monsters, there would also be different races. After all, that¡¯s why she had the Human race on her status screen. Apparently there were differences between the races when it came to stats, but it didn¡¯t really matter to her. But to see a true-blooded dwarf really put into her mind that she was truly in another world. And that same dwarf is outright pissed at her. He stared at the sword, checking it over and over, making sure to check every nook and cranny of it. He kept spouting out words that made Mikella more embarrassed and ashamed. ¡°Hey, come on, I tried my hardest¡­¡± Mikella said, but even she knew how futile it was as she tried to hunch her head between her shoulders like a turtle. ¡°We¡¯ve been through a lot,¡± Zeke said, trying his hardest to defend her. ¡°Do you think you can fix it?¡± ¡°Mmh¡­¡± The smith hadn¡¯t responded to Zeke¡¯s question. He was still staring at the sword as if it held the secrets of the universe deep within the blade. ¡°This was a good sword, no doubt. I don¡¯t think I will be able to repair it with the tools I have. This also doesn¡¯t have any decent enchantments or arrays. If someone were to actually power this thing up, this can deal some serious damage.¡± Adam turned to Mikella, noticing her not as a young woman, but a warrior who have felled monsters with no issues. ¡°I have an Enchanter friend that can do some improvements. It¡¯s a little pricey, but knowing how you just love this weapon to bits, I think having the guy put in the enchantment for some extra durability might be good for you. In exchange, you can have one of my swords that I¡¯ve been holding up for a while. It should keep you at bay before the sword is fixed and returned. What do you say?¡± Mikella¡¯s eyes glistened. Now that sounded like a good deal, but the extra cost made her pause. ¡°How much would it be?¡± ¡°Hol¡¯ up, let me explain a bit,¡± Adam said, instantly catching their attention as he explained. ¡°First off, normal repairs are usually dependent on the quality of the weapon. As a Blacksmith, I got a skill that helps me figure out the quality easier. So I can say that this is some good stuff right here¡­¡± The smith stared at the poor sword, then at the one responsible. Mikella instantly grimaced as she knew exactly what the smith was thinking. Why is it that she felt so embarrassed despite having a very good reason for overusing it? ¡°So, from lowest to highest, it would cost around 5 silvers to one gold,¡± The smith continued. ¡°You can get that much by hunting the monsters and looting them. You guys got your reward from the horde, right?¡± The two nodded, recalling how they received their rewards the day after the horde. It was a feature placed by Cloud and Val using a special artifact that was given to them as lords to the town. With that artifact, he could implement an interface that rewards others for their contributions to the town. It was fair, and while it doesn¡¯t completely mess with the System, it would help everyone gets a fair share according to what the system deemed. Much like how one gained experience to level up and empower their skills, the system would point out their contributions in the battle that affected the town. Mikella silently opened up a notification regarding that reward, still stunned at the amount.
You have aided in Eve Glade¡¯s defense from the horde. For your contributions, you have received the following: 3 Gold 5 Silver
It took a moment, but it was apparent that the coins were separated as so; Copper coins were valued as one American dollar, with Silver coins being 10 dollars worth. Gold, the most valuable one of the coins, was worth 100 dollars. This meant that, according to Zeke¡¯s old world job salary, his yearly income would be around 384 gold. That¡¯s basically 2 silver per hour. So, according to Mikella¡¯s reward, for defending the town for about half a day, she gained a total of 350 US dollars. Quite a gain. As for Zeke¡­ well, it was natural that his contribution was higher, giving him a whopping 5 gold and 10 silver, or 6 gold in total. She wasn¡¯t even bitter about that. The man did break an arm and a leg defending the town with his barriers. As for the coins, they just suddenly appeared into their storage bags. For folks without the storage bags, they just appear right in front of them. She wondered whether the system itself is the one that brings the coins to life, but apparently the lords explained that the system just takes the coins from the lords¡¯ cache for the town. This way, there would be no sudden new coins that would just drop into the economy, disturbing the natural money flow of the world. She didn''t¡¯ really much care about that, but she was at least glad that she would be compensated fairly. Who else would be more fair and just than the system that governs the entire world? Including their reward, they already have a good amount of coins from their tower survival. Though naturally some compensation would be given to the lords for staying at their home, so the otherworlders naturally donated the remainder of the Attribute Fruits to them. They knew how valuable they were, but it was clear that everyone would need Attribute Fruits to get stronger, and Mikella didn¡¯t really mind that much. As long as Clara has a safe home, it was enough for her. ¡°Now,¡± Adam continued, taking Mikella off her thoughts. ¡°I would put this weapon up for 8 silver, but I¡¯ll make it 7 for your service to the town,¡± The smith said. Instantly, both Zeke and Mikella narrowed their eyes at him, getting him to notice. ¡°Hey, I gotta make money too. Take it or leave it.¡± A measly silver wasn¡¯t nearly enough of a discount, but they gave in and let the smith keep talking. ¡°Now for the enchantments¡­¡± Adam scratched his full beared as he thought deeply. ¡°For the durability increase, that¡¯s around 5 silver. But if you want to add in some more, like a sharpness increase to deal overall damage, or a magical enchantment to get those annoying spirit type monsters, that¡¯s a gold coin on top of that.¡± Mikella almost winced at that. The durability increase alone along with the repair would take a good chunk of her own rewards. But another enchantment would double that amount. The twenty gold and fifty silvers they got from the tower would be put into their ¡®savings¡¯, or at least that¡¯s how they would refer it. Even Cloud and Val agreed that keeping a hefty amount of gold is important, as no matter how strong someone is in levels and skills, money still talks in this world. That¡¯s why she was hoping to use the reward from the horde battle to pay for the equipment, but it was too much. No matter how much she wants a good weapon, she can¡¯t stake all her money on that one. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. But Zeke surprised her as he suddenly spoke up. ¡°Is it okay if I pay for her?¡± Zeke added. ¡°Sure, as long as you pay up,¡± The smith nodded, clearly not going to turn down cash. ¡°Zeke, hold up.¡± Mikella pulled Zeke aside, giving the Smith an apologetic nod. The smith didn¡¯t answer, but instead waved them off. He knew that sometimes these sorts of things needed to be conversed first. She was thankful that the smith wasn¡¯t the sort to be annoying for money. She turned back to Zeke, who in turn actually looked like he was upset. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± He asked. ¡°It¡¯s better for you to get a good sword.¡± ¡°Well, yeah, but I don¡¯t wanna use up all of our cash,¡± Mikella said. ¡°And also, I don¡¯t want you to spend so much on me!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t want me to?¡± Zeke asked, this time a worried look showed up. She got irked seeing that face. He assumed that despite spending every day together in this new world, he wasn¡¯t close enough to spend money on her. She could tell thanks to hanging around with this guy for so long whose body language speaks for itself. ¡°Ugh, not like that,¡± She scoffed. ¡°Of course I wouldn¡¯t mind if you pay for me. That¡¯s not what I meant. I just don¡¯t want you to spend it all on me. If it¡¯s for Clara, that¡¯s fine, but this is something¡­ more of a vanity, I guess. I can earn my own weapon just fine. It¡¯s unfair to ask you to pay for it when it¡¯s only going to me.¡± ¡°But isn¡¯t that the point?¡± Zeke asked, stumping Mikella. ¡°If you get a better sword, you get stronger, right?¡± ¡°Well¡­ yeah?¡± Mikella asked instead of actually answering. ¡°Then obviously if you get stronger, we both benefit,¡± Zeke said, slowing his words on purpose while using his fingers to motion between the two of them. ¡°You get stronger, you get more levels, then I get more levels. You get what I¡¯m throwing at you?¡± ¡°Okay, I get it, but you don¡¯t have to act like a smartass,¡± Mikella replied sharply, crossing her arms. ¡°Then don¡¯t act like a dumbass!¡± That really surprised Mikella, leaving her wide-eyed. That was the first time Zeke yelled back like that. Not that she was offended¨Cshe was just shocked he had the guts to do that. Zeke noticed it and cleared his throat, his cheeks burning from the shout. ¡°Mikella, we both know how dangerous the world is. Having a good weapon is essential. I¡¯m not planning on starving myself, but with the two of us together, we got over forty gold to spend. Paying off a weapon and maybe some armor wouldn¡¯t be so bad for you. I can¡¯t go with you for your training, so I¡¯ll feel better knowing that I can contribute in a way to help you get stronger.¡± ¡°Zeke¡­¡± Mikella softened her stare. ¡°Look, I know that I might be overexaggerating the danger,¡± Zeke noticed her stare, darting his eyes away again. ¡°But¡­ we only got one life to live. It¡¯s still the real world, so there¡¯s no extra lives or a respawn for us. One death and we¡¯re gone. So¡­ I¡¯d just feel better if I can just help with this stuff.¡± Once again, Mikella had no words to say. Everything he said was true, but she still felt that he was doing too much. She can¡¯t help but think that he values her life way more than his own. She can¡¯t understand why he put her on such a high pedestal. It¡¯s one thing for Clara, but not for her. There was nothing she did that seemed so impressive otherwise. But then, how can she say no? ¡°Hah¡­ alright,¡± Mikella relented. ¡°But can you at least buy something for yourself? I feel weird if you only spend it on me¡­¡± She would always feel weird if someone paid for her, whether it¡¯d be a meal at a restaurant or even buying a weapon in a medieval blacksmith store. It just felt like she was being a leech. Zeke actually snorted. ¡°What, you think I¡¯m gonna miss a chance to find something for myself? Girl, please¡­¡± Zeke joked, waving off the last comment. But he noticed Mikella just frowned at him. ¡°Please¡­ don¡¯t ever say it like that again.¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am,¡± Zeke said, stiff as a board. After the two finished speaking, they returned to the patient blacksmith, showing off a smile at the two. ¡°You two lovebirds done? Did the wifey punished the hubby enough?¡± The smith joked, easily knowing about the two¡¯s marital status. It didn¡¯t take a genius to think of them as such anyways. ¡°Oh, yes,¡± Mikella joked along, though her tone was less then enthused. ¡°I had to convince my husband not to spend like a dingus. But yes, I¡¯ll accept it. For the repair, the durability increase, and¡­ is it possible to make the weapon lighter than sharper?¡± She asked, figuring that if Zeke was going to pay for it, then she might as well go for some more. ¡°Sure, but the cost will increase to another 5 silver. It¡¯s a damn hard trick to pull off,¡± Adam explained, giving off a smirk at her. Mikella nodded as she responded. ¡°Deal.¡± With that, the two paid the smith the money for an improved weapon. Then, as he returned to the back of the store with Mikella¡¯s broken up sword in tow, he returned back a few minutes later with another sword. Unlike her last one, this sword was slightly smaller, almost suited to one hand rather than the longsword she was using. However, Mikella could tell in an instant that this sword isn¡¯t so lackluster. The blade was thinner but it had a yellow coloring to it, bright like a lemon. The sword was simple, a diamond-shaped blade on the top with small spikes peeking out from the base at its sides. It was simple at a glance, but there was a feeling Mikella couldn¡¯t quite catch. If she could just use one word, it would be ¡®impressive¡¯. Sword of Lightning (Uncommon) A sword crafted with the mote of lightning essence as its center. Some say it was created by mages to replicate the storm that would come for their enemies. Enchantments: Lesser Lightning Lesser Sharpness ¡°Ooh,¡± Mikella cooed at the sword. This was the first time she has ever been so enthralled by a weapon. ¡°This looks impressive,¡± Zeke uttered, turning to the smith. ¡°You¡¯re just gonna let her borrow that? Is that really okay?¡± Mikella was stunned to forget about that. Of course this looked valuable, at least to their eyes, but the smith shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t worry your pretty little heads over it,¡± The smith shrugged. ¡°The rarity tells it all. Sure, it¡¯s impressive, but it¡¯s just one of the many things equipment like this can give you. Honestly, it wouldn¡¯t be good even if it had Greater Lightning and Greater Sharpness. Uncommon equipment are a dime a dozen, and sometimes having it enchanted with a certain aspect can reduce its cost to all kinds of adventurers. Some might not take kindly to sudden lightning up their asses when dealing with magic that might, uhh¡­ interfere with that.¡± The two nodded in understanding. Considering what Zeke told her about magic¨Cit¡¯s a fickle bitch that can blow up in your face if you¡¯re not careful. Still¡­ ¡°So, this Lesser Lightning stuff¨CDoes that mean I can cast lightning magic?¡± She asked, hope in her eyes. ¡°No,¡± Adam crushed her hope completely. ¡°It just means when you stab shit with it, it blasts lightning up their asses.¡± ¡°...Oh, okay.¡± She can totally work with that, she thought with a vicious smile on her face as she gladly took the sword. ¡°Thank you,¡± Mikella smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to take care of it.¡± ¡°I doubt that,¡± The smith coldly said, dampening Mikella¡¯s good vibe. ¡°Instead, I want you to bring it back every few days for fixing. It looked like your sword hadn¡¯t been fixed up in years, even if you say you only got it recently. It¡¯s annoying, but the more damage done to the sword, the more costly the repairs will be. Or rather, I¡¯ll make it costly, cuz¡¯ I sure as hell don¡¯t wanna deal with this sorry mess again.¡± The smith was utterly relentless in bringing down Mikella¡¯s mood, but she can¡¯t help but agree. In the end, he¡¯s the one who has to deal with it. ¡°By the way boy,¡± The smith turned to Zeke now, surprising him. ¡°I noticed you ain¡¯t got any tools to cast your magic.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Zeke tilted his head. ¡°Do I¡­ need them?¡± ¡°As much as any warrior needs something sharp to kill things, yeah!¡± Adam threw his hands up into the air in disbelief. ¡°A tool, a focus, whatever the fuck it is, you need it! I¡¯m actually pretty damn shocked that you managed to defend the town without anything on hand. But I bet it was a real pain in the ass, huh?¡± Zeke tilted his head, his lips pursed into a grimace. He told her about the constant headaches and migranes he suffered while casting his barrier and refilling his mana with potions. It sounded like hellish torture and if he tried to take a break once, people would¡¯ve died. ¡°But aren¡¯t staves and stuff expensive?¡± Mikella asked. ¡°Like, more than weapons?¡± ¡°You¡¯re precisely right,¡± Adam nodded. ¡°Magic tools like staves and such are pretty expensive to make and difficult to use. Mana ain¡¯t something to fiddle with unless you know what you¡¯re doing, after all. But they¡¯re still pretty important to have around, so every store that calls itself a store worth selling battle gear should have staves on hand.¡± ¡°Oh, so you got one?¡± She asked. ¡°Hell no, I¡¯m broke,¡± Adam said simply. ¡°Then why the fuck did you say anything about it!?¡± Mikella practically screamed at the man, causing Zeke to panic and try to calm her down while Adam just guffawed like mad. ¡°Haha, just cuz¡¯ I don¡¯t got any staves don¡¯t mean I can¡¯t get them. I know a friend of mine, and he¡¯s about to send me some shipments with the gear we¡¯ll need. I can get him to add something else into the mix that might work well for you. So wha¡¯d you say? You want in on it?¡± After calming down, Mikella realized the idea. Turning to Zeke, she nodded. ¡°I think it¡¯s a good plan. Get a staff that helps with the mana cost for the barrier.¡± That, and whatever else Zeke needed for his magic. However, she noticed Zeke pursing his lips in deep thought again. After another moment, he answered with a bit of hesitation. ¡°You said there¡¯s all kinds of tools, not just staves¡­ is it okay if I can just get something I can wear?¡± Zeke gestured with his hands, flexing his fingers. ¡°I just don¡¯t want to hold something like a staff all the time. It¡¯d just feel cumbersome. That and any spellbook or something else. I want my hands to be free in case I need to do something.¡± Hearing that, Mikella realized that it was possible he needed to have his hands free in case he needed to help Clara out. That was how they did things back in the tower, and it looked like the feeling stuck with him since then. The smith nodded, understanding his plight. ¡°No worries. Though that depends on what my friend got. He ain¡¯t exactly swimming with magical gear, y¡¯know. What sort of effects you¡¯re looking for? I¡¯m betting something to do with mana conservation, but I also mean what kind of improvements you¡¯re looking for.¡± ¡°Improvements¡­¡± Zeke took a moment. Then he nodded to himself. ¡°Something that helps my barrier get stronger, or my healing skill to be better. Anything to help with those skills.¡± ¡°So support related enhancements, huh?¡± Adam nodded again. ¡°Good plan. Though I gotta warn you¨Ccompared to any other improvements, those specific ones might be hard to find. I hate to say it, but not everyone has a mind to do support when they can just improve their own damage as a mage.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Zeke agreed. ¡°So if those aren¡¯t available, then just anything that helps with restoring or conserving my mana is fine.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Adam said, picking out an actual pen from his beard of all places and writing down on a piece of paper he pulled from under his counter. ¡°So any wearable gear that gives support improvements and mana conservation. I¡¯ll be adding that in to the order that¡¯s coming. But I¡¯m gonna have to ask for payment. About a gold coin would do for this one. Zeke winced, but understood as he agreed. ¡°Mikella, is it okay? I¡¯ll be using my own money for this.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Mikella waved it off. ¡°Oh, but I¡¯ll pay half. It¡¯s only fair after all.¡± Mikella smiled deviously, to which Zeke could only grimace and nod in understanding. She just can¡¯t help but want to mess with him at times like this. She knew she shouldn¡¯t, but she just does. ¡°Alright, alright, just leave me out of this and get a room,¡± The smith said, waving at the two. I¡¯ll send you a message when I¡¯m done with everything.¡± The two agreed as they exchanged a total of 2 gold and 4 silver, one for repairing and enhancing durability for her original sword, and for the possible gear Zeke would be able to get. After all of this, she was¡­ happy. She didn¡¯t think she would feel good to get something so useful no matter how far she was from her element in the store. The smith wasn¡¯t bad to talk to either, so the two silently agreed to visit the store often, as discovering more about equipment was about to become a hobby for them. Ch45: Expedition The moment they left and got themselves some gear, the two returned to the Mystio household. Once they got everything well underway, the women left the house after saying their goodbyes to the children, facing the men who will be staying behind. ¡°Alright, here we go, winning the bread as usual,¡± Val joked, smiling while waving at the two men. Both Zeke and Cloud couldn¡¯t help but smirk at the thought, knowing that they can¡¯t say anything about it. It was decided earlier that Zeke would remain back at the household while Mikella would head out to hunt with the other soldiers. While being able to provide support would be beneficial, Zeke¡¯s true purpose is to raise his Runist class in the proper way¨Cby actually learning how to make runes. They didn¡¯t have much of a chance to learn it before starting the horde battle, as Zeke had only just received the Runecraft skill and the class. But now with several levels under his belt, the learning would be a lot quicker. ¡°Make sure to take care of them, Val,¡± Cloud said, waving back. ¡°And of course make sure to come back yourself.¡± ¡°Obviously,¡± Val said without hesitation. ¡°Zeke, Cloud can be a little bit much, but I hope you can bear with it. Hopefully you¡¯ll recover quickly too.¡± ¡°Here¡¯s to hoping,¡± Zeke said. ¡°And I¡¯m actually looking forward to learning from Cloud. Mikella, be careful out there, alright?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Zeke,¡± Mikella said. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. Just focus on recovering and learning as much as you can. I¡¯ll be coming back in a few hours anyways.¡± Mikella waved back at him, but she could see that Zeke didn¡¯t look as confident as Cloud did with Val. It wasn¡¯t all that surprising, considering that they¡¯ve always been together while hunting monsters as Zeke always provided his barriers. She didn¡¯t want to say it in front of him, but she wanted to find out how well she can fight without his help. She knew that it was possible her skills could slack in the future if she kept relying on a barrier to cover up her mistakes. While having it around is essential for a tough fight, if she ever planned on improving herself, she needed to fight by herself. After they said their goodbyes, Val led Mikella over to the entrance of the town. They planned on scouring the forest beyond and taking out some of the remnants of the horde. After the horde, the scouts reported that the number of monsters that have been gathering had greatly decreased. Thus, it would be better for the town as a whole that the soldiers would head out there to not only train themselves but to also minimize the monsters that could be drafted into another horde. Val also suggested trying to find something like intelligence between them. The idea of monsters going all in for an attack that would¡¯ve killed them all isn¡¯t some bad coincidence. Mikella couldn¡¯t really believe a monster smart enough to lead other monsters. But then again, all she faced were the knights with no will of their own, a wyvern that just wanted to kill them, and a bunch of beasts. That giant knight however made it clear in her mind, reminding her of the words that still shook her insides to this day. She¡¯ll probably never forget that day, nor the words. It has become another reason to focus on becoming stronger. Her attributes were impressive, but that was about it. She wasn¡¯t quite sure how good or bad they were, and the only thing she had that really proved anything were her skills. She knew that in the next three levels she would receive another skill choice for her class, and she wanted something that could help Heavenly Strike do even better than before. While it was a powerful skill, it was pretty difficult to use, its usage demanding and hard to accurately attack with it. ¡°Are you nervous?¡± Val said, turning to her and bringing Mikella out of her thoughts. ¡°Oh, a little¡­¡± Mikella agreed. She was mostly nervous about being away from Zeke, but also excited to find out just how far she can reach. ¡°It¡¯ll be okay. Zeke might not be around to give us his barriers, but the rest of the soldiers are very capable on their own. We¡¯ll look out for you.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ really?¡± Mikella asked in surprise. ¡°I figured we would be hunting by ourselves. Won¡¯t we have a penalty on XP for bringing so many people around?¡± ¡°True, but we¡¯ll mostly separate into big groups. For now, I want everyone to stay together with a maximum of ten people. The XP would still be diluted like you said, but this is more about finding balance in their skills rather than getting stronger. It¡¯s always more important to keep your basics solid than to keep getting stronger without having a handle on it.¡± Mikella nodded in agreement. She just recalled that not just her, but everyone leveled up quite a bit during the last horde attack. That meant that not only did they gain some attribute points, but learned new skills from their classes. Once Val explained that part, Mikella understood immediately what she meant. Though she still wished to level up some more, for now, practicing her skills would be enough. ¡°By the way, how has your class been faring for you?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Mikella tilted her head. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just curious, that¡¯s all,¡± Val shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ve been around loads of people where they have some difficulty adjusting to a class they chose, especially if it¡¯s a class that they never trained or learned from before. Dragon Warriors, as far as I know, haven¡¯t been around for many years. That¡¯s why I¡¯m curious to see how you¡¯re faring.¡± ¡°Huh¡­¡± Mikella huffed. ¡°That can happen? I mean, I don¡¯t feel any different than usual.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Val nodded. ¡°But just to be sure, make sure to tell me anything if you ever feel strange. I don¡¯t have to worry about Zeke since while Runists are rare, they¡¯re well known across the mage community. Cloud can help him just fine to adjust to his class.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s good,¡± Mikella nodded. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll let you know if I feel anything.¡± Though if she was honest, she still didn¡¯t know what¡¯s the big deal about being a Runist. She hadn¡¯t seen anything that constitutes runes, at least. Once the two finished that conversation regarding classes, they reached the entrance, finding the other soldiers waiting for her. Some looked eager to move, while others were discussing animatedly about the fights to come. But when Captain Valorie came into the scene, every single one of them straightened themselves and saluted her. ¡°Captain!¡± One of the soldiers, possibly the veteran soldier leading a squad, answered. ¡°We¡¯re ready and able to move along.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Valorie nodded, turning to the rest. ¡°See here, everyone! Today, we¡¯ll be focusing on two things! First is to ensure that the monsters around the vicinity are eradicated to protect the town. Another is to find any evidence of what resulted in these recent battles. I refuse to believe that it was just a coincidence. Anyone who has any details or theories regarding this, come up to me at once as soon as you find solid clues.¡± Everyone saluted, shouting ¡®Yes ma¡¯am!¡¯ in unison. As she walked forward, she kept speaking. ¡°But do not get lax! This isn¡¯t just an expedition to discover new things. This is also for your training! I expected some of you to have learned new abilities after the last fight, so I want you to first communicate with each other, then act accordingly. Anyone who dares to strike without thinking of their fellow soldier and end up injuring them will face me instead of any monster. Are we clear?!¡± ¡°Crystal, ma¡¯am!¡± The soldiers replied faster and more uniformly than before. There was a hint of fear in their eyes, figuring that a mistake could end up hurting each other would make them wind up as Val¡¯s target practice. Something that Mikella knew quite well that none of them wanted. Stolen novel; please report. It made sense why Valorie didn¡¯t want anyone to get hurt before any major battle. If anyone else were to get hurt and it was only due to someone¡¯s eager excitement to pull out a new skill, it would only make things bad for everyone else, even if the new skill was useful to have. But she knew that it wouldn''t happen so easily. So with that, the soldiers went off in different groups, and thankfully for Mikella and Myra in the same group, Captain Valorie was coming with them. Not for their own safety, of course. It was to ensure that each group is led well, and offer any advice if any soldiers had questions about their abilities. Being the first was great for Mikella as she wasn¡¯t used to these ventures, but perhaps that¡¯s why Mikella joined her group in the first place. ¡­.. A few minutes of walking passed without anyone finding a monster. Mikella knew that it wasn¡¯t going to turn into an instant action scene the moment she left the town, but she figured it would be at a resounding start than this. Still, it allowed her to take a better look at her group. Obviously the captain was staying behind, as she had no purpose in attacking and only planned on leading. She also planned on visiting the other groups to see how they¡¯re doing, but basically she¡¯s here as a deterrent if shit hits the fan. Meanwhile, six other soldiers were with her, which included her first friend of the soldiers Myra along with her own pals, two male twins. They apparently grew up together, so they were long time childhood friends. The other three were some of the random soldiers that joined up, so Myra didn¡¯t know them as much outside of combat. They are, however, considered friendly and capable of handling themselves. Normally in the first day, Mikella would have trouble figuring out which is which, but in this world, differentiating them couldn¡¯t be any easier. Myra, obviously, was a spear user wearing the lighter version of a leather armor, just like Mikella. The twins shared the same armor type of leather with metal plating over their chests, shoulders, and forearms. Both each wore a longsword and shield. They acted as tanks together, using their shields to defend against the monsters. She remembered them going all out with their longswords however whenever Zeke used his barrier with them, something that the two clearly appreciated as they didn¡¯t have to get bashed all the time with their shields. The other three had different weapons. One of them carried a bow, and was the first one leading the group acting as a scout. He was farther away than usual, wearing some padded clothes with some leather on his bracers and boots. He also had them colored almost green to match the forest, making it easier to blend into his surroundings. She was a bit worried that she easily lost the scout, but found out that it was a skill of his to hide himself in the darkness of the forest. A reasonable skill to have for someone who has a class specializing in surveillance. Another was a hardcore axe user. His bulging muscles made it clear through his leather armor along with some metal plating only around his hands and forearms. Finally, the last one wielded a short sword and a dagger, with either having one out or two at a time whenever the situation demanded it. What surprised her was that there were no mages involved, and clearly no healer. It made sense, the more she thought about it. She hadn¡¯t seen any mages coming by, and when she asked Myra, she said that the magic spells could make it difficult to fight in, and even worse if the forest caught fire or was damaged by the elements during this. They still need this forest to make some money for the future, after all. It wouldn¡¯t be good to ruin the land where they could find potentially good herbs to use, or beasts to skin their hides for the winter and for sale. ¡°I see movement. Over there near the north-west side.¡± Mikella instantly focused, grasping her sword fight. It was such a culture shock for her, not having to worry about the heavy weight. But it also played her mind, thinking that it was such a weaker sword because of it. But she forced herself to reconsider. It¡¯s a new sword, and that was why she was here; to get further training. Obviously, Val stood this one out as she let Myra lead the group instead. Myra spoke out in a hush voice. ¡°Alright, who¡¯s got this?¡± Myra asked, getting one of the brothers to speak up. ¡°I do! I got a new skill I wanna try!¡± ¡°Go for it.¡± Just as it was decided that one of the brothers would be fighting, the monster that the scout spotted appeared. It was actually a pack of monsters instead of just one, and there were quite a number of them. She Identified to find that it was a pack of Dire Wolves, each one nearing level 25. She was surprised by the high levels, but then again, most of the monsters she faced in the horde were higher level than that. And that made her pause. Even if she didn¡¯t have the Identify back then, the beast she fought when they were stuck in the forest for two weeks was clearly weaker. If she had to guess, it should¡¯ve been around her level or just a few digits more. But now, they were nearing level 30, almost at the milestone for them. Are they getting stronger? Is it because of the horde? It only made more sense why this expedition to train and fight monsters is also a good reason to cull the monsters. If they were getting stronger somehow, raising their levels, the monsters would only become so strong that they can overtake the town easily. She finally understood why the soldiers of the town are always so active. It¡¯s an ongoing duty to take down the monsters around their town, using the chance to level up and get stronger while making sure the town is safe for those who can¡¯t fight. But something clicked in her head. Clearly, there weren¡¯t many soldiers as there were townspeople who didn¡¯t fight. Why don¡¯t they try and level up themselves? If everyone else leveled up like the soldiers did, then they won¡¯t have any issues with fighting monsters. The crafters she can understand staying behind. Who wouldn¡¯t want to have support by repairing their equipment and making food to eat? But then what about the people just living their lives? Some were just playing around and some others were just hanging out. She didn¡¯t know exactly what class they had, but if it doesn¡¯t have anything to do with fighting monsters, then what was the point? She knew Zeke was doing his best to learn more about the world, but the way it is now, it seemed like they were just leaving the fighting to those that wanted to, not realizing the importance behind it. All the while, she watched the man with the sword and shield fight the pack by himself. His new skill made it easy to pick out a weak spot and take out a wolf¡¯s limb and cause it to fumble about. But the other wolves clearly outnumber him, forcing the man to use his shield to defend himself. ¡°You need any help?¡± Myra asked, already having a sword in hand. ¡°Y-Yeah! Sorry, this is a little too much for me!¡± The man didn¡¯t even bother to showcase how strong he was, clearly knowing that he was in a rough spot. Myra and the other twin proceeded forward, with the other three staying back. They were looking out for any other monsters that might come around. Mikella figured that she should go in as well, but Val stopped her when she put a hand on her shoulder. She nearly flinched at that. Val can be so fast without her even knowing she was coming by. ¡°Only three or so should fight a small pack like that. Anymore and it¡¯ll get confusing.¡± Mikella nodded. she figured the other three were standing guard, but it was possible that they were also adhering to the rule. The moment Mikella eased up, the other three somehow shifted weight. She realized that they were staring at her, figuring that she was going to join. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Val said, only speaking to her. ¡°Everyone here is trying to help each other advance and level. Trying to get in the way of one¡¯s progress is looked down upon. They probably would¡¯ve chided you if you kept going after my advice.¡± ¡°Oh, so is this about the XP sharing?¡± Mikella asked, getting Val to nod. ¡°Having this many around would dilute the XP if everyone attacks at once. It wouldn¡¯t even be worth it. That¡¯s why for expeditions, everyone goes in three at a time. But I won¡¯t let any soldiers die out there. That¡¯s why I made these groupings. It still affects the amount of XP you get by having so many around you, but it¡¯s better than suffering a lethal injury.¡± Mikella could only agree. She understood well enough how they work. Experience points are such a valuable thing, but not so valuable that they would give up their life in the process. At least, that was Val¡¯s point of view. Soon, the pack was put down easily enough. It was only around five or so, not much of an issue after the horde yesterday. Myra clearly carried the group while the brothers were more focused on defense. In exchange for that, Myra didn¡¯t have to worry about a single wolf attacking her side, so she can focus more on dealing with one wolf at a time. It was a good dynamic when magic isn¡¯t included in it. Then again, it would probably be better if they had the archer scout score some hits, but then that would be breaking the three-only rule. So it was suggested that those who knew each other for long and fought along with each other would be better suited. She was starting to understand further and further how the soldiers work, their methods and patterns easily coming to light. Suddenly she felt antsy. It was a good fight shown by Myra. Mikella wanted to do her part as well, so when Myra came over, as though it was easily written on her face, Myra smirked. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll get in the next time we group. For now, let those guys handle the next one. You think you can handle it by then?¡± Mikella¡¯s cheeks grew red after getting figured out so easily by Myra. She laughed out loud at her, slapping her shoulder with a goofy grin. She never felt so new before, mostly having little choice but to fight to survive with a barrier mage and her ten year old sister. But she also felt too anxious. She wanted to fight, to really give it her all. She understood the controlled fighting, but she also wanted to let loose. She actually wished that another mini-horde or something would come by so she could kill some more. But she held it in. She was sure that everyone else was giddy to kill some more, and that was why this system was made. If everyone were to go in, someone was going to get hurt, regardless of how much they tried to get stronger. And Val won¡¯t allow that. With her as the captain, nobody would bother going against her. So with that, Mikella followed the group out further into the expedition, grasping onto her sword tighter as she learned more about her group¡¯s fighting style. Ch46: Secrets are secrets for a reason Hours passed as Mikella and the other group members traveled across the forest to find the horde remnants. Throughout the time, everyone pretty much had a clear picture of what they can do now. Mikella also learned quite a lot of things about her time hunting with them, particularly at what sort of skills they used. There were some skills that allowed them to attack faster, stronger, or just borderline weird. She swore that the dual-bladed guy actually managed to extend the blades of the dagger to give a surprise blow. Rather than the skills given to them by their class, it was actually an extended power increase by their Mastery skills. Hearing that, she was surprised, but not as much as it required not only a high level Mastery Skill, but an equally high level Kinetic Perception. One needs to be deeply aware of their kinetic energy when handling a weapon, and once that process is done, you can extend your weapon¡¯s range, increase its sharpness, or even alter the weapon itself to better fit the opponent they¡¯re facing. Of course, recklessly using kinetic energy at the low levels was paramount to suicide as one can easily misjudge their stamina output, leaving themselves exhausted. But with further practice, one can easily overwhelm even a higher level opponent with higher stats. At least that¡¯s what Val proclaimed. It was something that every soldier here was taught to do, something that Val herself learned during her years as a fighter in this world. Excitement drilled into her being. When her turn came in, Mikella let out her overwhelming excitement by taking down a giant wolf down, which was something of a solo wolf by then. Before anyone else can join in, she already killed it. It happened so fast that it actually stumped the three other soldiers, while Myra and her friends cheered. Mikella used Hawk Eyes to deal damage straight at the monster¡¯s neck without wasting any time, with Acrobatics supporting in the background. She also made full use of Heavenly Strike, an attack that¡¯s difficult to hit with, but she managed to figure out a trick using the very same kinetic energy she was just taught. If she could just lessen the skill¡¯s heavy weight, it would be easier to land a hit. Though she knew that not only did it increase the stamina consumption, it also decreased the overall power of the skill. But she was stomped by how easy it was. Normally, the monster would have survived a bit more as the hide was tougher than most. However, she recalled a hint of electricity flowing through the hide, then realized the yellow sword she had on hand. It was part of the enchantment done by the Sword of Lightning, increasing the damage further. The time kept moving forward, with everyone doing their best to train themselves while taking out the monsters. Mikella, however, was just one-shotting them. It was a sight to see, something that the three outside of Myra¡¯s group kept getting baffled from. They even whispered about her prowess, but she didn''t really care about that as she felt¡­ disappointed. It was too easy. At this point, she was just farming XP, not actually fighting. Then again, she could always just fight for longer, so she did exactly that. The next time she fought, it was against none other than the duck monster that was clearly roided up by the system. It was resting near the river, eating a giant fish that it must have fished out. Once Mikella approached it, the duck monster roared, or¡­ quacked, to be perfectly accurate, and ran after her. For a roided duck, it was actually fast, and its wings were sharp enough to be treated as blades. Mikella fought then, using her sword¡¯s light weight to dodge the attacks. During that time, she felt Acrobatics working overdrive to help her move. It was strange. Despite the skill supposedly being passive, the more Mikella fought, the more she could feel Acrobatics burning within her, revving like an engine in a sports car. Identifying the duck showed that it was above level 25, something that was clearly above her level, but Mikella wasn¡¯t put down. Her earlier idea of slowing things down was perfect as she kept fighting, avoiding the strikes while dealing peck attacks with her light sword. Lightning coursed through from each of those tiny hits, causing the duck monster to flinch slightly every time. It was perfect for her, allowing her to conserve her stamina from trying to dodge its strikes. It struck at her neck, but she blocked it with the blade. A headbutt to the front, so she backed off with a graceful hop. A charge attack with both wings extended forward, and so she sidestepped and nicked the creature before it jumped off. The fight went on for a few more seconds, but now she got worried about the stares she was receiving rather than the fight itself. What¡¯s more, the duck was proving to be annoying to fight against. Even though lightning kept stunning the creature, it still moved rampantly, proving her low level not doing much. She wanted to fight some more, but she worried that she might be pissing off her comrades for how long it was taking, so she decided to end it by doing a burst of kinetic energy. She poured her energy into her sword and, with Hawk Eyes and Heavenly Strike active, rushed for the final blow. The duck monster charged at her, so she made a feint by trying to thrust forward. As she expected, the duck moved aside to steer clear of the fake thrust attack. Knowing exactly where it landed, she pivoted, shifting her weight and¡­ She felt the lightning from the sword travel throughout her body. Rather than shocking it, it actually instilled more power, forcing her muscles to contract and aiding her movements better. She poured all her energy into the final strike, hurling a horizontal swipe at the duck¡¯s head and slicing it off entirely. Lightning flashed as blood showered everywhere, leaving the top of the headless corpse to become singed and burnt. She breathed rampantly, the energy swirling within her thanks to the lightning causing her body to get more agitated. After calming down a bit more, she turned around, expecting to find them relieved that she was finally done. Instead, she saw them staring at her blankly, almost unnervingly. She faltered as she stared at them. ¡°Uhh¡­ did I do something wrong?¡± She asked. ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I took a while to kill it.¡± ¡°Hey, nobody is blaming you for taking your time,¡± Myra said, looking happy. But even she was left in awe. ¡°You were able to handle that monster pretty easily¡­ how¡¯d you pull that off?¡± Mikella stared at her blankly. ¡°I just¡­ fought it? Truthfully, I wanted to fight a little longer to get my Sword Mastery increased, but the damn thing was too fast to get a good hit in. So I just ended it there.¡± ¡°You just¡­¡± Myra shook her head. ¡°Damn, Mikky. You¡¯re probably the only one who can handle facing the Dire Swan by yourself and think like that.¡± ¡°That duck was a swan!?¡± Out of everything she heard, that was the most ridiculous thing she heard in her life. All the while, the notifications dropped in like a balm to her rising agitation.
You have defeated Dire Swan, Level 25. You have gained experience points.
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Kinetic Perception Level Up! It is now Level 4. You have gained +1 DEX from your skill. You have gained +1 END from your skill.
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Hawk Eyes Level Up! It is now Level 5. You have gained +2 STR from your skill. You have gained +1 DEX from your skill.
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Heavenly Strike Level Up! It is now Level 3. Decreased stamina and mana consumption. Increased damage.
¡­.. It was closer to the end of the day, the strange studded star above slowly shifting color towards the orange lighting. The expedition was¡­ well, disappointing. She wasn¡¯t challenged, not like when she was handling so many horde monsters at once. She can¡¯t blame Val for looking out for them, that was her job. However, the fights felt too controlled, too lax in her mind. Everyone else seemed to be ecstatic for the experience however, able to try out new skills and their powered up stats from leveling. She did get some gains, however, pulling down her notifications list.
Level up! You are now Level 20. You gain 6 free points (6 FP total). You have gained +3 STR from your class. You have gained +3 DEX from your class. You have gained +3 END from your class.
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You have reached level 20. You are now able to choose a new skill to add to your Class Skill list. Choose from one of the two new skills available to you.
Mikella took a moment to read the notifications, finally cheering herself up a bit after the disappointing expedition. Heavenly Strike was one of the clear winners she chose, but she also hoped that the last skill choice option, from what she recalled was named Armored Skin, was also available. She found herself pleasantly surprised to find that she could not only choose from the new skills in front of her, but also take in the old skill she put aside last time. The very same Armored Skin. She was just thinking about taking that skill, figuring that if she can increase her durability, she can spend the rest of her stamina on actually fighting down the monsters to death. But she restrained herself as she stared at the new skills first. The first of which was, by all accounts, definitely worth reading.
Class Skill: Aerial Advantage Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.When a Dragon Warrior goes to the air, they have no equal. When you are in any kind of environment where your feet don''t touch the ground, your Dexterity and Strength increases approximately. Increases stat bonuses according to the level of the skill.
She knew even from her old world that these types of classes specialized in aerial combat. She wasn¡¯t quite sure how, but this was clearly one of those things. She felt light on her feet, and she could easily jump into the air to make herself strong. But at the same time, this skill felt a bit incomplete. If she were to take it, does she have to be in the air all the time to take advantage of it? What happens if she was in the air, but the skill still wouldn¡¯t work? There were too many variables, none of which Mikella felt comfortable about the longer she spent on it. She felt something was missing from this skill to make it better than it actually is. When she left this skill behind to read the next one, she found out immediately.
Class Skill: Dragon Descent Not even dragons are a threat if a Dragon Warrior is too fast for them to catch. Increase movement speed drastically for a short period of time in exchange for mana and stamina. Increases speed and maneuverability according to the level of the skill and the current Dexterity stat.
It was as if everything in her mind halted when she read this skill. She didn¡¯t even think about the other two skills as she just chose this one without a second thought.
Class Skill learned: Dragon Descent
As for why she chose this skill without much thought¨Cit was simple. Armored Skin is a good skill to have to avoid getting hurt badly enough to waste stamina. Aerial Advantage is one of the skills that normally is preserved right after learning Dragon Descent. But this skill in general is the better of the two. With this, she can alter her strategy when fighting monsters, take advantage of Hawk Eyes and Acrobatics, and deliver a final blow with Heavenly Strike. She can just as easily move out of attacks and hit her enemies¡¯ weak spot in a single move, not only finishing the fight quicker but conserving more stamina over all. This is one of those times where her gamer mindset truly shone. She wasn¡¯t as well equipped with knowledge as Zeke, but even she knew the value of all these skills comboing together to make a deadly force that was a force to be reckoned with. As for her free points, she put them all into Dexterity. Thanks to this new skill, having more speed would only be beneficial. Pulling up her new stats now, she smiled to herself.
Name: Mikella Ashton (One against Many) Race: Human Dragon Warrior: Level 20 STR: 50 DEX: 61 INT: 10 SPI: 12 VIT: 23 END: 43 Free Points: 0 General Skills: Kinetic Perception (U) Level 4 Sword Mastery (U) Level 6 Pain Resistance (U) Level 5 Meditation (C) Level 3 Acquired Skills: Acrobatics (R) Level 5 Hawk Eyes (R) Level 5 Class Skills: Heavenly Strike Level 3 Dragon Descent Level 1 Title Skill: Bring It On (Title), Level 1 (Maxed)
They were returning back to the town, using the long way back to take out any monsters that might come into the scene. However, from her experience, it was just a walk back as she couldn¡¯t really sense any bloodlust around her, something that she slowly developed after her survival spree with Zeke and Clara. Myra closed up to her side, a smile apparent on her face. ¡°You did pretty good today. There¡¯s no way anyone can complain with you on our side.¡± ¡°Someone was complaining about me?¡± Mikella asked, though she sort of knew she would push some buttons. She wasn¡¯t exactly modest when it came to attacking the monsters. ¡°Anyone here in the group? Not a soul. My guys actually wanted to ask if you could spar with them¨Cboth at the same time, I mean. They know they can¡¯t take you on one at a time.¡± Myra chuckled, leaving Mikella to mimic her. It would seem unfair to fight them both at once, but perhaps that might actually prove to be a challenge to Mikella as she only had to fight monsters one on one. Anytime she fought a pack with the others, she ended up killing them too fast, leaving the others out of the fighting. Not that they were complaining, but it left Mikella with a bad taste, so Val opted for her to fight solo monsters on her own for a while under supervision. ¡°As for the other three,¡± Myra subvertly glanced at the three men beside her, still in the midst of their conversation. ¡°I remember them talking about bringing a little girl along would only mess them up, but I haven¡¯t heard them talking about that after seeing how you work.¡± ¡°So¡­ people really think I¡¯m some little girl?¡± Mikella was still a little miffed hearing that. Both Zeke and Mikella weren¡¯t really fond of being treated like children, especially for her since Zeke was 3 years older. She felt like a baby compared to him. She drank alcohol, for crying out loud¨Cthough it tasted like crap and never drank again after that one drink at a college party her club mates forced her to go. ¡°Little, yes, but you¡¯re definitely not to be messed with,¡± Myra said. ¡°Though I still gotta ask; Just how are you so strong? I know you got special training with Val, but even that¡¯s not enough after seeing what you can do.¡± Myra looked as though she was checking out the surroundings, her eyes darting around. Then, she lowered her head towards Mikella and whispered. ¡°What¡¯s your attribute range like?¡± She asked, making sure nobody picked up her voice. Since she kept leveling, her hearing got a lot better, so she heard her just fine. ¡°Is¡­ is that supposed to be personal?¡± Mikella asked, not able to hold back her curiosity. ¡°Well¡­ yeah?¡± Myra answered with a question, almost dumbfounded by her own question. ¡°I mean if you don¡¯t wanna tell me anything, that¡¯s fine. I¡¯m just curious.¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t mind,¡± Mikella shook her head. ¡°I was just wondering about that. Does anyone feel uncomfortable talking about their attributes?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Myra muttered, almost baffled. She seemed a little perturbed on how to answer that. ¡°Man, you really are out of the loop from wherever you came from, huh?¡± ¡°Pretend I¡¯m a country bumpkin or something and I have no clue what¡¯s normal socially,¡± Mikella said without hesitation. She didn¡¯t want to dance around the subject with her circumstances. ¡°Well¡­ alright,¡± Myra nodded. ¡°Though I can already see that you had a pretty strict upbringing. People don¡¯t like revealing their stats. You know how some skills require a stat requirement, right?¡± Mikella nodded, prompting Myra to continue. ¡°Well, when you¡¯re in the real world, especially in a business, people expect you to learn some pretty expensive acquired skills, and those require certain stats. Where I came from, my dad knew this Carpenter who was revealed to have less Dexterity than your average carpenter, so it was impossible for him to learn this skill called ¡®Sculpting¡¯. He wasn¡¯t a bad Carpenter, mind you, and this skill is really just for fancy decorations. That still didn¡¯t stop rumors spreading from the other competitors, so he ended up not getting any customers and ruining his business.¡± ¡°Wow¡­¡± Mikella shook her head in bewilderment. ¡°So there¡¯s some sort of discrimination for those without stats?¡± ¡°Nothing as serious as that,¡± Myra waved it off. ¡°I don¡¯t know how the other places live, but it¡¯s a sensitive topic. So like I said, you don¡¯t have to tell me if you don¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, I told you,¡± Mikella shook her head. ¡°But, umm¡­ I don¡¯t wanna be cheesy about it or anything, but can you show your stats first? At least the ones you use the most?¡± Myra looked confused at first. Mikella chose to do this because she knew that Val ordered her not to reveal her secrets, as that could bring some complications. However, she can¡¯t just reveal a single stat without realizing the implications behind that. She could have it higher than average, forcing her to reveal other secrets to make any lick of sense. So, instead, she wanted to know what Myra¡¯s own stat range is like first. ¡°Yeah, sure,¡± Myra only shrugged. ¡°That¡¯s fair, considering I¡¯m asking for yours. You don¡¯t mind me just telling you my Strength and Dexterity?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Mikella nodded. She wanted to at least respect Myra¡¯s decision to keep her own secrets. It¡¯s only fair. ¡°Mine¡¯s around fifties for Strength, and 40 for Dexterity. I¡¯m focusing more on brute strength than on speed.¡± Mikella nodded. It sounded reasonable, especially after watching how Myra fought one on one against the beasts. ¡°I¡¯m the opposite,¡± Mikella said. ¡°My Strength is at 50 actually, but my Dexterity¡¯s over 60.¡± Myra whistled. ¡°Damn, that¡¯s high. But if your stats are around the same as mine then¡­ figures. You got some pretty handy acquired skills, huh?¡± Mikella nodded. She figured that was the case. Even putting off the attributes, what truly made her fighting shine was her acquired skills. Hawk Eyes and Acrobatics were truly above and beyond when it came to damage and speed. Her class and general skills were also responsible, but the added edge were thanks to the skills she got from the damn tower. So if anything, she deserved that kind of power after going through that hellhole. The same reason for Zeke as well, his barrier literally responsible for saving so many lives and his Recovery keeping those lives stable. ¡°Damn, the place you were at sounds incredible to give you those skills,¡± Myra said wistfully. There was a clear hint of envy in her tone. ¡°My place was total shit in comparison. I¡¯m lucky I came out with my dignity intact.¡± ¡°You said you lived somewhere before this town, right?¡± Mikella asked. ¡°Where did you come from?¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Myra slowly scratched her cheek awkwardly. ¡°Right, you don¡¯t know. I come from the northern province a little far from this town. It¡¯s the Aetheric Federation. You know about it?¡± Mikella shook her head, getting Myra to look more awkward, if that was possible. ¡°It¡¯s a pretty strict place, not gonna lie,¡± Myra explained, getting Mikella to realize she may have stepped on a landmine. ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me if you don¡¯t want to,¡± Mikella tried to repair the mood, but Myra shook her head. Her smile was still there, if a little faded in Mikella¡¯s eyes. ¡°It¡¯s where me and the twin dummies were born. I¡¯m not gonna sugarcoat it. It has some good parts, but¡­ well, it can get pretty stifling. Anyone who doesn¡¯t belong with the nobles or even under their influence is treated like cattle.¡± Mikella winced. Back in the old world, her family was something along the lines of poor. They were able to keep themselves up, but there was a reason why her father had to work so much. ¡°So it¡¯s a pretty discriminatory place then?¡± Mikella asked. ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t know the half of it,¡± Myra shook her head incredulously. ¡°Only the top main families get to have decent skill books and attribute fruits, receiving the best elixirs and concoctions to get good gains while the rest of us had to fight for the scraps. Thing is, it offers protection to those who can¡¯t hack it while fighting. But the difference between this town and that place is that they require some heavy taxes.¡± ¡°Taxes?¡± Mikella asked curiously. ¡°Yeah, and I don¡¯t mean with just money. I¡¯m talking about our resource pools.¡± ¡°What?! Is that actually possible?¡± Mikella said, dumbfounded. ¡°It is. It¡¯s not as gruesome as you might think,¡± Myra explained, though she still had a bitter look on her face as she recalled. ¡°Pretty much everyone, including the top families, had to pay like that. The more resources you put in, the better your treatment. So for those with lower resources, they don¡¯t get as much.¡± ¡°What do they do with that?¡± Mikella asked. She couldn''t help but get curious as to what they can do with all that Mana and Stamina, something that she still can¡¯t wrap her head around. ¡°The protections for the entirety of the Federation require lots of Mana to put up. The other energies are mostly used for creating certain potions that require that. I¡¯m not very sure what it is, but if you want some good living and you have the resources to pull it off, it¡¯s a pretty good place to live in. As you can guess, I come from a poor family, so taxes can be a bitch to deal with.¡± ¡°My goodness¡­¡± Mikella said. ¡°Things were getting pretty heated back there, so me and the boys bounced and headed straight here. It was a gamble, but we found this place and Captain Val took us in. That happened around a few years ago, so I owe her a lot. I wanted to follow in her footsteps. And that¡¯s where the legend of Myra comes into play.¡± Myra said ecstatically, showing a grin while puffing her chest out. Mikella chuckled, but soon realized something important. Everyone here probably had a similar past to Myra. Mikella couldn''t help but be thankful that they found this town instead of the other provinces. Who knew what sort of rules they had that could heavily impact their lives? And more importantly, what do they plan to do to Clara as a child who can¡¯t activate the system? She knew it might not be as bad, but still¡­ ¡°Sorry that I made you recall something bad,¡± Mikella apologized, showing a sheepish expression. ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Myra waved it off. ¡°From what the captain told me, you were raised pretty strictly by your parents, right? Along with your hubby Zeke?¡± ¡°Y-Yeah,¡± Mikella nodded. She remembered making up a story about how Zeke and her grew up together in the same town, taught by their parents who were strict with their homeschooling, hence the powerful skills and classes they have. ¡°Honestly, I think you went through shit far worse than me. I can¡¯t handle staying inside the house all day, just learning. It just itches the wrong way¡­¡± Mikella chuckled. If only she knew exactly what she went through¡­ Ch47: Being a Runist Zeke felt useless throughout the entire day, not really realizing what it is he was supposed to do. He kept studying rune after rune, trying to make sense of them despite that he was already a Runist. But it was like trying to understand hieroglyphics with nothing but hopes and dreams as his source. While Mikella was fighting for their livelihood, potentially risking herself, he was here sitting on his ass. He grimaced that he leveled up while he was considering standing up to get a drink.
Level up! You are now Level 20. You gain 6 free points (6 FP total). You have gained +3 DEX from your class. You have gained +3 INT from your class. You have gained +3 SPI from your class.
¡­..
You have reached level 20. You are now able to choose a new skill to add to your Class Skill list. Choose from one of the two new skills available to you.
He knew it was possible for him to level up alongside with Mikella, but to see himself level up while doing nothing but reading and studying felt off. Not just that. It felt scummy. He felt like a leech, and for someone who wanted nothing more than to help support his partner, this was an affront to everything he was working towards. Still, he knew why it was done this way. Mikella specialized in attacking and defeating threats. Meanwhile, Zeke was specialized in one area that Cloud promised would be beneficial to everyone. Runes. Runecrafting. Mikella didn¡¯t quite understand what it does, and neither did he, if he was honest. All he knew was what Cloud told him what Runists can do. Runists are, in a weird sense, programmers and engineers of the magical side. They¡¯re basically mages that use the written magical language to inscribe on items or materials, pouring mana into them to activate their magical properties. In some cases, Runists can even cast spells that normally one can learn from a skill in exchange for more mana and time spent writing the runes. So not only can they cast spells, but they can alter items to work in ways one can only do with mana, such as the working stove and fridge this house has in a fantasy world where electricity shouldn¡¯t exist. At least not magically. It was a shock to them at first, figuring that it was something the lords have full use of. When they heard it was made with magic, it was made with exactly that¨Cwith runes inscribed onto the appliances to give their effects. For the stove, one inscribed runes of fire, heat, conservation, and retension for anything put inside. With some added knobs for specific control over the runic structure, one can easily cook any form of meal they can ask for. The same goes for the bath and the fridge, each one consisting of complicated runes that Cloud made himself. While he wasn¡¯t a Runist, he had a high level Runecraft skill that helped him out. But as a Runist, he could do so much more. All the benefits from earlier, a Runist can do tenfold. Compared to someone who has a General Skill, a Runist with a plethora of Class Skills can easily outdo a simple Runecraft skill-made structure. But the thing was, Zeke was having a hard time learning them all. Even with the handy Runic Library skill he chose from earlier, a skill that allowed him to retain all the knowledge of previous runes he studied, he was still having difficulty as there were not just several dozen¨Cbut a million different form of runes to learn. By his estimation, it would take him decades to learn every single one by heart and adding them to his Runic Library. Much less the ones that seemed useful. There were so many, and new ones could be made and added in later by other Runists or by his own making, something he clearly doubted he could actually do. He laid back on the wooden chair, hearing his weight making the wood creak under the sudden stress. He rubbed his eyelids, trying to make sense of it all, but in truth he was just exasperated, letting out a big huff of air. That¡¯s when a knock on the wall got him to see Cloud with his fist raised and an understanding smile on his striking face and eyes. ¡°Having trouble?¡± He asked, still grinning as though he could read his mind like an open book. ¡°I feel like even college students would find this impossible... and I never even been to college.¡± It was one of those things he really didn¡¯t want to touch upon, considering his¡­ troubling history. However, even he could tell that those students would balk at this and just quit the class entirely. Cloud went over, puzzling over what he was saying before noticing the book in front of Zeke. ¡°You can always ask for my help,¡± Cloud said, repeating it several times by now. ¡°But I noticed you tend to keep to yourself.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t want to bother you,¡± Zeke said regretfully. ¡°You¡¯re already doing so much for us. And I have¡­ so many questions.¡± He exaggerated, but his mind felt like it could burst at any moment. Cloud nodded, crossing his arms. He was wearing his usual robes, much more elegant and styled than his simple brown one. If he could, Zeke would Identify to see what sort of effects it would give to Cloud, but apparently if a person¡¯s wearing it, it won¡¯t work¨Cit would just Identify Cloud, and it only showed his Class archetype and his question marks for a level.
Mage, Level ???
¡°It¡¯s easy to understand why you¡¯re having trouble,¡± Cloud said. ¡°I only just told you to pick the class rather than trying to explain it fully. I know it wasn¡¯t fair, but I¡¯m thankful you took my advice.¡± ¡°You said it was a good choice,¡± Zeke shrugged. ¡°I trust you, all things considered.¡± It might sound foolish, but considering everything Cloud and Val did for the three this past month or so, he had no reason to deny that Cloud only had good intentions for him. Even if it was something he would be stuck with for the rest of his life, Zeke knew the Runist Class is something he wanted, even if he doesn¡¯t fully understand how to use it. The following only cemented his resolve for choosing the class. ¡°I appreciate that. If I had a chance, I would¡¯ve chosen Runist rather than Shaman, the Class I chose. But back then, I was filled with arrogance and pride. None of it helped me through all those years. I¡¯m just glad I was able to snag a young one to follow my path instead.¡± Zeke chuckled. ¡°You make it sound so ominous.¡± Zeke honestly saw Cloud as an older brother of sort, or an uncle if he was honest. He helped him out in a lot of ways, such as learning the common sense of the world, including how the system works and its history. The two shared a bond of scholars, of sorts. Zeke liked to learn a lot of new things, and Cloud was the same. He was always curious even back in the old world, but it was always filled with nonsense that didn¡¯t affect him. But now? He has to learn everything if he wants to keep his family safe. ¡°But I gotta be honest,¡± Zeke said, looking back at the book that stayed open¨Cmocking him for not being able to learn it. ¡°This is tough. There¡¯s this gap that I can¡¯t seem to cross no matter how many books I read. I feel like I¡¯m missing something.¡± ¡°Well, sure,¡± Cloud pointed at him with a finger. ¡°You don¡¯t have an inscription tool.¡± ¡°Well, yeah,¡± Zeke turned to him with a frown. ¡°I know that. But it says here that I have to use some special material to draw on. And I don¡¯t have anything. I don¡¯t want to keep asking for more things from you, especially after you told me about that communication coin you used before.¡± If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. The coin in general was exactly one of the Runist things he wanted to try. If he could, he could contact Mikella no matter how far away he was. However, he had nothing on hand that could help. Cloud only pursed his lips. ¡°So you¡¯re saying that if you have an inscription tool and a material, you¡¯d start to learn runes?¡± ¡°Well¡­ I mean¡­¡± Zeke looked at him, his brow raised. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Alright¡­ then for a material, how about your barrier?¡± ¡°....what?¡± Zeke looked at him, baffled this time. ¡°What about my barrier?¡± ¡°Use your barrier,¡± Cloud said, slowing his words with a rising grin. ¡°To draw runes on.¡± ¡°But that won¡¯t¡­¡± Then he paused. The books, all the books he read about runes from, never actually mentioned anything on what kind of material it had to be. It had to be something that can channel mana into. It has to be acceptable with magic. In other words¨Can item that is completely magic based. So what¡¯s more magical than his barrier made entirely out of mana? ¡°Wait, would that even work?¡± Zeke asked incredulously. ¡°I mean, it¡¯s my own skill and¡­ I mean, would it work?¡± He asked again dumbfoundedly. Now that he had the option for it, it kept churning in the back of his mind, whirring like an engine that won¡¯t ceased. Cloud nodded, as though he could see his head burning aflame. He turned around, digging into one of the desk drawers and pulling out what looked like a pen. It wasn¡¯t an ordinary pen obviously, but an old fashioned ballpoint pen with a sharp diagonal tip. On that tip was a clearly crystalline surface, transparent as though it was a bulb that could light up. It was extremely thin though, enough to shatter into super tiny pieces. He handed it over to Zeke, to which he took it graciously. ¡°Now try it,¡± Cloud said, smiling once more. ¡°Wait, for real?¡± Zeke asked, looking at the inscription tool, then back at Cloud. ¡°Right now?¡± ¡°Right now.¡± ¡°B-But what kind of rune should I draw?¡± Zeke stammered, his mind grinding to a halt. There were so many runes that he could draw on, but nothing came to mind. ¡°Something safe,¡± Cloud answered. ¡°How about a rune for light?¡± ¡°Right¡­ right, light.¡± Zeke nodded like an excited child, the swirling excitement in his chest rampaging. Standing up (he felt better standing), he took in a big breath before conjuring his barrier in front of him. It was a small, head sized square shaped barrier, like a tablet screen. With the pen handed to him by Cloud, he placed the crystalline tip onto the surface of his barrier. He closed his eyes, and recalled everything he learned about runecrafting. The skill itself activated in the back of his mind, and he let the mana from within swirl straight through his arm, then to his hand and fingers holding the pen. The pen actually took in the mana without question, and he could feel the magical energy driving towards the tip of the crystalline pen, making it glow with a turquoise color, much like his barrier. With a grunt of effort, he drew the rune for light. There were many kinds of runes that could mean light, from one syllable to a whole ass sentence. That¡¯s because each letter of the ancient runes doesn¡¯t mean just one thing, like how the letter A in the alphabet means only A. It could mean a plethora of things due to the everchanging nature of mana. As a runist, it was his job to use the proper meaning and context behind each letter, using them to his needs much like weaving mana together to make a skill. The skill itself for runecrafting made it easy, but it still took effort for him to draw even just one letter for light. If he wanted to make it easier, he could draw more to solidify his meaning, but that would also spend a lot of mana and time. If this was a battle, he would already lost his head for taking too long. But at the same time, it would also decrease the amount of potency behind the activation of runes, all of its energy spent running through more letters to activate the sequence, so to speak. So to summarize, he only drew one letter with the intent to make it work. It was a simple letter¨Cit looked like a round circle with a zig-zag figure at the center, then the same on both sides of the circle turned sideways. With his letter finished, he looked back at the rune drawn on the barrier. Just that alone was enough to surprise him. He looked back to Cloud who kept watching intently, smiling as he nodded to him. It was a good drawing. If he was honest, he could do it a bit better, but it was still decent. Now he could activate it. He placed his other hand to the top of the rune, not directly touching it. He could feel the warmth of the mana from within the rune, begging to be used. His Mana Perception could tell him all of that, and the Internal Senses general skill gave him a good grasp of how much power it had. Once, it was just full of magical energy consisting of a barrier¨Cnow it had another swirl of mana within the confines of another¨Cmagic water in a magic box, if he just simplified it hard enough. He then activated the mana within the rune, intending it to activate much like conjuring his barrier or Recovery skill. His eyes lit up as the same happened for the square barrier in front of it. It lit up the entirety of the study, completely enlightening the darkened shadows caused by the dim lights above and burning bright all around. It was intense, enough for Zeke to close his eyes and curse to himself. It was imperfect. He meant to make it as dim as the light around him, but he poured in too much mana while he was drawing. It was so sensitive to deal with. Yet, he can¡¯t help but grin wildly at the machinations in front of him. ¡°Holy shit¡­ it worked,¡± Zeke whispered as the light faded. It only had enough power to light up for a short while. Soon, the rune¨Calong with the barrier¨Cdissipated into nothing. ¡°Congratulations,¡± Cloud said, a smug smile and a proud tone entering his voice. ¡°You just created your first working rune. How it¡¯d feel?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Before he could say anything else, a notification popped up in front of him.
Runecraft Level Up! It is now Level 2. You have gained +1 INT from your skill. You have gained +1SPI from your skill.
¡­..
Internal Senses Level Up! It is now Level 2. You have gained+1 INT from your skill. You have gained +1 SPI from your skill.
Zeke smiled. ¡°I think I finally took a step forward.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Cloud smiled. ¡°Now, let¡¯s get into more fun runes to try out with. How about¡­¡± Cloud went ahead and listed off some of the runes that, at first, baffled Zeke. But the more he explained, the more Zeke learned, excitement drew him back into its clutches. Needless to say, he found a good hobby to sink his fangs into. Not to mention¡­ He opened up his skill choice screen. Cloud had stated that while Runic Library was essential to which Zeke was glad for, he should choose his own skills however he wished. A runist would only be mediocre if he didn¡¯t follow his own heart. So when Zeke looked up the choices, he was confronted with a serious case of choice paralysis.
Class Skill: Inscription Proficiency A runist¡¯s goal is to create magic from the letters. Hence, the letters should make sense. Allows the Runist to accurately draw out the runes with perfect clarity. Decreases the amount of time spent drawing runes infused with mana according to the level of the skill and the current Dexterity stat.
¡­..
Class Skill: Runic Spell A runist can conjure a spell just as any mage can, for what is a Runist if not a mage? Allows the Runist to conjure any type of spell as long as the runes allow. Increases the potency of runic spells and decreases the mana cost according to the level of the skill and the current Dexterity stat.
¡­..
Class Skill: Runic Ward A runist is capable of conjuring wards and barriers just as well as any mage can. As long as they put in the effort. Allows the Runist to conjure defensive wards or barriers, depending on the type used to defend against. Increases the potency of the runic wards and decreases the mana cost according to the level of the skill and the current Spirit stat.
The last skill, if he was honest, was easy to decide¨Cwhy bother with this kind of Class skill when he has an actual Acquired Skill that can do that and more? It was from first Class Skill choice aside from Runic Library, which even if Cloud didn¡¯t offer to take the skill, he would¡¯ve chosen Runic Library regardless. No, the real choice were the first two choices made after reaching level 20, thanks to Mikella¡¯s fighting. These two choices were incredibly useful, one helping him draw runes faster and easier while the other helps him make spells. If what this skill said is true, then according to Cloud, with this he could make a fireball spell to launch at enemies, or use any other types of spells. His mind churned at the choices, now that it was possible for him to draw runes on his barrier. With this, he could be a powerful combatant even with supportive skills to help him fight. This time, he really felt like wanting to consult to Cloud, but he believed he would just answer that he should choose however he wished. This definitely felt like one of those moments, so Zeke took a bit of time before eventually relying on a single thing. Which one he needs the most right now? On the one hand¨Ca skill to cast fireball and any other powerful spells. On the other hand¨Callowing him to draw runes faster, thus preventing the earlier thought of getting his head chopped off for taking too long. ¡­ Zeke let out a heavy breath. He chose the skill.
Class Skill learned: Inscription Proficiency.
There was no need to think on it further. Now that he thought about it, he could always just go back to the skill once he gained another five levels. It could take a while, but at least with this, he could probably help with leveling the Class himself, and potentially help Mikella raise her own class by way of their connection. So just when Zeke was ready to draw up a storm with his newly acquired Class Skill, he heard a powerful shout calling their names. ¡°Daddy! Bobo! We¡¯re here!¡± Ana¡¯s voice rang out loud and clear, enough to alarm the entire city if possible. His ears winced, but he and Cloud chuckled as he walked over to the door out of the study. ¡°Ready to head out?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Zeke nodded, following Cloud out. He made a promise. If Clara came back from studying with Vivian, he would play with her. That was his job as her Bobo, after all. Ch48: Butterbird ¡°Bobo! Come play!¡± Ana¡¯s voice echoed out to the entire household, once again calling the Bobo of the house. When he came around, he spotted the two little girls that brightened up the house with their very presence. Ana and Clara, the two girls from completely different worlds, held hands with each other and waving at Bobo with the other. Even Clara, the once quiet child, smiled with glee at his beckoning. ¡°Are you done studying?¡± Clara asked running towards Zeke with a gleaming smile. ¡°Yep, for now at least,¡± Zeke said, smiling back. After the whole ordeal with the horde, as well as with everything else, these moments with Clara became more precious to him. He started to see her as his actual sister now, regardless of blood relation. Thankfully, Clara was the same as she held onto Zeke¡¯s open hand and forcefully dragged him towards the two. ¡°Come on! I want to tell you so many things I learned today from Vivian!¡± Zeke, the Bobo, dutifully listened to Clara¡¯s story of the day, mostly filled with learning about how the system worked. While they weren¡¯t old enough to acquire initialization yet, they could still learn and plan for their future. Apparently, Clara had already made her decision. ¡°I wanna fight and cast magic like you!¡± Clara proclaimed. ¡°I just wanna kick butt!¡± Ana proclaimed. He swore he could hear Cloud¡¯s disappointed breath from the kitchen where he was cooking for their evening meal. He was, of course, helping out as well while listening to the girls. Once everything was settled into place, he started playing with the girls. One of them was a fun game that Zeke made up with his barrier. He realized that he doesn¡¯t just make flat, square shaped barriers¨Che could make anything. The ¡®Craft¡¯ in Barrier Craft was important, as it wasn¡¯t just a fully defensive spell. While it certainly packed a hard defense, what truly made it outstanding was its freedom. Though he did had to alter it a bit. For instance, he couldn¡¯t force the barrier to move after it was created. It was affixed in place at the time, never changing. He tried to see if he could, for example, put the barrier inside the monster to stop its heart or something, but apparently it either had to be somewhere he could see and he had to make sure nothing else was in place. He might be able to do the latter, but that was more difficult than he expected. However, what he could do is change its affixation. In other words, he created a round barrier, a sphere, which completely nullified its structure. Now, rather than a barrier, it was a construct made of mana. By removing its defensive properties, he could make it more flexible to his liking. Of course that completely gets rid of the barrier aspect, but playing a makeshift bowling game made up of mana constructs with the girls was totally worth it. Even Cloud was interested in the game, often helping Ana who was getting frustrated from not getting even one construct pin out. Zeke also did this back when he made his first rune, which was apparently something that can happen once a spell or skill reaches level 5. Since it was level 6, Barrier Craft was capable of being adjusted to his liking. Though he still couldn¡¯t move it around to defend himself better, but it was getting there. As time passed, while the meal was getting ready soon, Zeke started to show the girls what he learned. He showed the rune that he made for the first time and caused it to glow, this time adjusting the potency to make it shine a bit less bright than before. ¡°Whoa!¡± Clara exclaimed in awe. ¡°Ooh¡­¡± Ana cooed, touching the barrier where the rune was at. ¡°It doesn''t feel warm.¡± ¡°Bobo! Can you do something else?¡± Clara asked, getting Zeke to pause. He wondered. Can he do anything else? Now that it was possible for him to draw runes, what¡¯s stopping him from trying to experiment? But it wasn¡¯t as though he wanted to make something dangerous, which was what he intended in case he got himself into combat. No, it needed to be something safe for the kids. However, he thought hard on what to think about. But instead, he asked for ideas. ¡°Fireball!¡± Ana shouted. It honestly stabbed at him that he couldn¡¯t do that yet, grimacing at the sudden mention. ¡°No dangerous spells in the house,¡± Cloud exclaimed, getting Ana to immediately deflate. ¡°Mmh¡­¡± Clara thought hard, crossing her arms in a thinking gesture. ¡°Umm¡­ something that can fly? Like a bird?¡± Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Zeke took a moment to take that in. That shouldn¡¯t be too hard to make, right? ¡°Alright¡­ I¡¯ll see what I can do.¡± Zeke took a moment, gathering his inscription pen that Cloud gifted him. It was apparently an old pen he used a long time ago, but was no longer in use. In return, it wasn¡¯t exactly up to date, but Zeke didn¡¯t mind at all since it was for free. Normally these pens would cost a crap ton of gold. He looked into his Runic Library, which felt like delving into his mind into his own personal library where he could summon a terminal to instantly search up the rune he wanted to look for. It was incredibly useful, and definitely worth the first skill choice he made. After making a decision, he nodded to himself. However, this would be the first time he would make several runes¨Cin other words, an array for himself. An array is a combination of runes working in tandem, rather than the single rune letter he used to make the light. It was more complex, adding in more rune letters that not only should mesh well with each other, but also contain several more meanings than the single-meaning rune he used before¨Cand of course the meanings all have to mesh together just as well. But before thinking on it further, he started the process. According to his studies, he first has to make a connecting rune¨Csomething that combines runes well together. It was something called a synergy rune, which was essential for making arrays. Then came the only single-meaning rune: light. Afterwards were two mixed-meaning runes: illusion and transparent. Normally that would be enough¡­ but he decided to make it more pretty. He added in another rune¨Ca mixed meaning rune that was a bit more complex to put in. A rune meaning ¡®beautiful¡¯ and ¡®phantasmal¡¯. Normally these meanings doesn¡¯t mesh well¨Cbut in the end, that was all within the intent of the Runist in questoin. Phantasmal wouldn¡¯t normally mean beautiful, but ¡®beautiful¡¯ was a word that contained many sorts of emotions behind it. So with these in place, with another synergy rune on top of it, he made his first array. It was¡­ a bit of a mess, if he was honest. The letters were scratched up, and the appearance looked like a soggy mess of wet noodles rather than a beautiful array of ancient magical letters. Still, it was his first array. Throughout the time, he spent more than half of his mana into the array, which would mean quite a bit of power into it thanks to his high Spirit. However, he was amazed that the girls were still looking intently at the barrier he drew on, amazed and perplexed. He noticed Cloud watching with interest as well and asked. ¡°How long was I doing this?¡± ¡°Oh, for¡­ about a minute, I suppose,¡± Cloud answered honestly. Zeke whistled. Normally this sort of thing would¡¯ve taken half an hour or so, each rune needing to be infused with a careful amount of mana or else it would fizzle out. But his Inscription Proficiency from his latest skill choice once proved to be the correct choice. ¡°Alright,¡± Zeke said, lifting the barrier up as he stood. It was the sort of barrier that can move with no defensive properties¨Cwhich was perfect for his runecrafting. ¡°Who¡¯s ready for a show?¡± ¡°Me!¡± The girls shouted in unison, raising their hands up in the air as though answering a teacher¡¯s call. He smiled, then he willed the rune on his hand to activate. His mana flared, and the rune soon glowed. The array of runes activated, and the mana swirled within the barrier. It was a powerful current, something worth of half his entire mana pool. As it swirled, he felt each rune activated, with the synergy runes becoming the main point of conflict between the magical energy. As it glowed brighter, something which made Zeke fear that it could explode and harm the girls, something soon came out of the barrier. A lone being of crystalline turquoise light emerged from the flat surface of the barrier. It was small, the size of his palm, as it slowly came out of the rune array and flapped its wings that was larger than its entire body. It flew up into the air, flapping its large wings and carrying itself up towards the ceiling with a light flap. Despite its body seemingly made of crystal, it flew up without a problem, becoming aloft with magic rather than the force of its wings. Zeke watched the little bird like creature with¡­ disappointment. It looked nothing like how he imagined it. He forgot to add the specific detail which was important for his runecrafting: Imagery. He only focused on the process of the runecrafting, rather than the intent of the final result. While it worked which he was thankful for, the bird that came out looked nothing like a bird. It was rather a butterfly, but bigger than it should. It was a bird, but smaller than it should. It looked a little disturbing, if he was honest. He looked towards the girls who were watching the bird¡­ butterfly¡­ thing with widened eyes. He hoped it didn¡¯t scare them. ¡°Bird!¡± ¡°Butterfly!¡± The two girls shouted in unison, happy smiles on their faces as they immediately charged after the flying bird butterfly thing. However, it had no will of its own so it just kept flying about randomly. It went so high that it left the children in the dust on the floor, but that didn¡¯t stop them from trying to catch it with their hands. Pitter patter of feet and giggling ensued across the household as they ran over to each side, trying to catch the elusive creature. The two men in the house smiled at the antics, right before Ana bumped into a nearby coffee table and made it tumble over. Clara then started jumping from chair to chair, giving Zeke no less of a heart attack as he went after the girls. What was once playtime with the girls now turned into chaos as the bird made a mayhem in the house. ¡°Catch it! Catch the butterbird!¡± ¡°I¡¯m trying! It keeps flying away!¡± ¡°No, stop, Clara! Stop jumping on the couch!¡± ¡°Ana, stop! You¡¯re breaking everything!¡± The two men found themselves trying to haul their little girls in but to no avail. Zeke tried to stop the bird from flying, but his lack of control made it clear that it won¡¯t stop anytime soon. This went on for several minutes more before the door to the house opened up. When the door opened, both Mikella and Val appeared looking rather exhausted, looking over to the living room. Only to find it being an absolute mess with the two men hauling the girls in, with Zeke holding onto Clara¡¯s torso with her hands fully clutching onto a glowing butterbird. Then the butterbird withered away into particles, leaving Clara to groan in displeasure after seeing her empty hands. Zeke, however, just stared at the women who came in. ¡°Uhh¡­ hey,¡± Zeke said, grinning awkwardly. ¡°Welcome back. How was your day?¡± Ch49: Plans changed When Mikella and Val returned home together, she never expected to find the entire house nearly filled with broken wood and messy clutter. She especially didn¡¯t expect to find not only Zeke doing his best to reign in the children, but that they were distracted by a magic bird that went flying around the house for no reason. It was quite the sight to see. So after a lot of scolding from the true leader of the house, Valorie, the children were properly chided for their actions. Ana just seemed used to it by this point, but Mikella felt her heart ache seeing Clara ready to cry from her first time getting told off by someone else other than Mikella. But in order for her to grow up into a proper adult, she needed to learn that making a mess was a big. no-no, especially in someone¡¯s house that they don¡¯t own. Mikella put herself aside and let Val handle it, as it was proper. At least she also did some scolding to the one who made everything begin in the first place. Zeke lowered his head in shame as Mikella put out all her frustrations on him, which just so happened to be what she needed. Of course, she knew that Zeke was doing his best to learn something new in order to enhance their survivability. Learning about runes and arrays were really interesting¡­ but she still didn¡¯t like how he put Clara into that situation in the first place. After the scolding was done, the men of the household were forced to clean up and the children were punished by sleeping early in their room. It later became only for the adults to stay. They talked about their progress, how they managed to find some remnants around the town before deciding to go deeper into the forest to hunt for more prey. They also gathered up some loot from the monsters, though in Mikella¡¯s experience, having nothing but hide and fur felt lackadaisical compared to coins, armor and weapons dropped by the knights Then again, the tower was a truly special place. They put aside the hides and furs to sell for later, letting their merchants buy them and then sell them abroad the next time that they can leave the town. That way, their economy can skyrocket while ensuring a proper living done in the city with the excess materials. As it is right now, the town is going to be in some desperate need to get their economy back in order once the horde is finally fixed up. They also learned that Cloud was considering talks with the General regarding the state of the horde. Cloud couldn¡¯t accept waiting any longer thanks to the last horde, and decided to make a plan of action for what to do. Val at first was worried whether Cloud was okay with it, but Mikella could tell that Val knew that the plan was gonna happen regardless. After all, that was the reason why she insisted on the soldiers training to further enhance their basics along with their new powered states. Cloud accepted that he couldn¡¯t let this go by any longer, and the two adults began talking in earnest. Meanwhile, Mikella learned from Zeke that he also leveled up the same number of times as she did. No matter how much Mikella thought how unfair it was that he gets half her experience, it was the same on his end. Though she knew he also gained some experience after making a proper rune and rune away, it felt so little compared to killing monsters. They were close¨Cclose to level 30, she could feel it. Right now Zeke was only focusing on the runes, so it was up to her to gain some actual experience points. Today¡¯s expedition felt so slow, and she was getting stronger and stronger. Personally, she wanted to make up for the lack of level ups by going out at night by herself. Unfortunately, it was advised with good reason to avoid going out at night. That¡¯s when the monsters have a special advantage, the nocturnal ones at least. Without something to use as a light source, human beings just aren¡¯t equipped to fight well at night. She could just also focus on a skill, perhaps on runecrafting like Zeke did. That way, she can learn how to use Mana Perception, a skill that apparently Val mentioned was important for her to get despite her class based as a warrior. But for her, runes just seemed so¡­ out there for Mikella. She knew deep inside from how Zeke explained the process of how to make one that she would never be able to replicate even the simplest things like he did. It was beyond her, and she was fine with that. But the fact remained that Zeke had improved his runecrafting to the point of making arrays, which according to him would¡¯ve required months to pull off¨Cat least without exploding right in their faces. While he was getting better with his craft, what can she do? She can stab people with a pointy stick. Yay. She leveled up, gained stat points, and raised her skill levels. That was all. If she had to put things into perspective on building a strong foundation, she kept putting small bricks to get started while Zeke hired a damn construction company to make a base bigger than hers tenfold. She knew it was unfair to judge Zeke like that. But she can¡¯t hide her disappointment. She needed to get stronger. And she can¡¯t do that doing the things she¡¯s doing now. So, after saying good night to Zeke as he got tuckered out from tonight¡¯s spectacle¨Chis Endurance not as high as hers to stay up longer¨CMikella went over to the hosts¡¯ room and asked for Val¡¯s time. She needed to get things sorted out, or else her body would wreck her mind apart. ¡­.. ¡°You want to hunt by yourself?¡± Val asked, crossing her arms together as she and Mikky stood at the kitchen together in the middle of the night. It was the only place where the two could talk without bothering anyone else. Sure, they could¡¯ve just talked anywhere else, but Mikella just seemed so adamant to talk to Val alone. She wanted to talk to the captain of the soldiers, not the wife and mother of the Mystio household. Val expected as much. She knew the look in Mikella¡¯s eyes back at the expedition. She just seemed out of it, disappointed. She could understand immediately. Val went through the same process herself years ago when she first started. ¡°Yes,¡± Mikella answered, her tone low but solemn. Despite her demure behavior just now, she stared at Val expecting a good answer. As if knowing that she will have her way, one way or another. ¡°Mikky, I understand you want to get stronger, but you do realize how dangerous that is, right?¡± Val asked. She was wearing her nightgown, a long dress that covered her torso to her ankle. So she felt a little off trying to act like a captain wearing this. Though she knew that worrying about this was ridiculous. Even Mikella wore a simple one-piece dress, planning to go to bed. Still, she wanted to talk to Val before that, as if she doesn¡¯t, she won''t be able to sleep at all. ¡°Yes,¡± Mikella answered. ¡°Then you should know why it¡¯s hard for me to grant you that,¡± Val answered. She stared down at Mikella hard. She wanted to confirm just how much she wanted this. ¡°If something happened to you, how can I forgive myself for that? How can I face Zeke and Clara? Have you thought about them when you made this decision?¡± Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Yes,¡± Mikky answered immediately. ¡°That¡¯s precisely why I want to do this.¡± Mikella lowered her eyes, her mind deep in thought. Val made sure to listen instead of interrupting her, leaving her to form her words. ¡°I want to get stronger¡­¡± Mikella said, her voice low at first, but soon it rose in an octave. ¡°I can¡¯t stay put for so long. I have the stats to fight longer. But I know I can¡¯t grow stronger just fighting safely like today. I need to push myself, Captain.¡± She spoke Val¡¯s title, fully knowing that she needed to convince her. She wanted to show her what she truly wanted, even if it meant going into danger. ¡°I want to challenge myself. I can¡¯t do that while fighting with everyone else. Please, Captain, let me have this. I beg you¡­¡± To Val¡¯s surprise, Mikella went full on and bowed her head to her. They have a custom of nodding and bowing their heads to their superiors, but Val never liked that as it felt too demeaning to the soldiers putting their lives on the line. But Mikella was proving how much she wanted this, and Val grimaced. As a captain, she can¡¯t let such a worthy soldier go off on her own even if it was to help her get stronger. There was too much danger involved, and Val knew that powerful monsters waited beyond the forests, monsters that had perhaps reached Journeyman rank at level 60. But then again, she had the same driven look in her brown eyes, the same as Val had. She held that drive that pushed her well beyond the others, reaching the stage nobody thought she could ever reach. She couldn¡¯t have been in that position were it not for the help of others. She cannot say for herself that she reached Journeyman all on her own. That would be a lie to herself, to her pride as a warrior. So, with great apprehension, Val let out a heavy breath. ¡°Alright¡­ but you have to follow my conditions. If you don¡¯t, this is off the table.¡± Mikella raised her head, showing a pure look of excitement and joy. Val never thought she would ever see another woman showing such excitement for something so dangerous. Even Myra would be apprehensive about doing something so dangerous, and she always wanted to improve herself. ¡°What are the conditions?¡± Mikella asked. ¡°Obviously, I can¡¯t let you go alone,¡± Val stated, leaving Mikella to deflate. ¡°But¨C¡± ¡°I told you, didn¡¯t I? I can¡¯t let you go on your own,¡± Val interrupted. She will hear no objection to this. She had seen many soldiers go off on their own and die because of a surprise attack. That was too many to go through and she will not let this child go through the same. ¡°You will bring a small group with you, that¡¯s it. And of course, you will be the leader. I will make sure to speak to the others about it. I¡¯m certain they will agree to your demands of wanting to get stronger.¡± ¡°But¡­ the experience¨C¡± ¡°Will be shared,¡± Val answered, once again interrupting her. She would¡¯ve felt bad for Mikella, but she couldn''t care less about the XP loss if it meant losing her in the process. ¡°That will surely not be an issue with you, right?¡± Mikella looked away, ashamed. She figured that on top of the skill improvement, she can gain a few levels. Realizing that her experience was shared with Zeke, it would make sense to assume that Mikella will take longer to level up. That is fine in their eyes as it means that Zeke, a support mage, will grow as strong as Mikella, a warrior in training. Even more so when Zeke was a Runist, and Val knew just how valuable runists can be, especially at high levels. It is such a good deal to have, yet Val can understand Mikella¡¯s apprehension towards it. Any warrior would be remiss to share XP to someone else after fighting the monster by yourself, no matter how small the XP was. But Zeke was a good boy in Val¡¯s eyes. According to Cloud, he¡¯s studious, takes his duties seriously, and only aims to help and support others. In other words, he wanted to help Mikella in whatever way he could. She may start off at a slow pace compared to the others in terms of leveling, but she will receive so much support that her being slightly weaker will be offset with the amount of help she will receive. Lord knows Val wanted the same in the past, only to be met with incompetent or arrogant mages in her life. She swore if she hadn¡¯t met Cloud before then, she would¡¯ve¡­ She shook her head. She was still talking to Mikella, or rather forcing her to take her deal. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I assure you that you will get what you¡¯re asking for. Though that¡¯s all I¡¯ll ask of you, you should tell this to Zeke as well, just to be sure.¡± Mikella tilted her head. ¡°Why? He doesn¡¯t have to know. Rather, I don¡¯t want him to.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Val tilted her own head at that. ¡°W-Well¡­¡± Mikella darted her eyes away. ¡°It¡¯ll only make him nervous. If he realizes I¡¯m out there fighting strong monsters without him, he¡¯s going to get anxious and would want to join in. I can¡¯t let him do that.¡± Val grimaced at that. Mikella had a point on that matter. Letting out another breath, Val relented. ¡°Alright. I suppose we can avoid telling him for now¡­ but I am serious about being truthful. Having a healthy communication with Zeke will only be a benefit to you.¡± Mikella nodded in return. Val copied the notion as she continued. With that, the two went off to sleep, their minds heavy from the talk. When Val returned to their room, Cloud noticed her coming. He was sitting upright on their bed, holding a book while reading near the dim lamp from his side. They never cared much for luxuries, having such lavish walls and bedding. They cared for the simple things, such as wooden walls and flooring with a plush rug underneath. The air was at least slightly chill thanks to the arrays put into the room, making it a perfect place to sleep every night no matter the season. That was one particular luxury she didn¡¯t mind as she put herself into the bed along with Cloud, nestling herself into the furs and blankets from the slight chill in the air. She let out a soft breath, glad to return to bed. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you gave permission to let her go.¡± Cloud suddenly asked, and now the comfortable feeling she just had was lost. She glared back at him. ¡°You know I don¡¯t like it when you eavesdrop like that,¡± Val stated, but Cloud only looked over to her with a grin. Cloud had many arrays done in the home, mostly for protection. But sometimes Cloud takes that too far with his spying, even if it was meant for protecting them. Val didn¡¯t mind it, honestly. That¡¯s just how Cloud is, and quite frankly with how crazy this world gets, it was a good way to have a good surrounding of yourself. Still, it was rude to listen in on a girls¡¯ conversation, even if it was her husband. ¡°Sorry, but you usually don¡¯t get involved so much like this. I just had to peek,¡± Cloud smirked, but Val only glared back. After a while, she just groaned as she sat up straight to talk. ¡°Mikky wanted to fight by herself. I couldn¡¯t really pretend not to know her struggle.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Cloud nodded. ¡°I can guess that she wanted to keep up with Zeke. He¡¯s doing a fantastic job despite only being in this place in such a short time.¡± ¡°True, but comparing the two of them together is impossible,¡± Val stated. ¡°Compared to the other soldiers, she¡¯s already doing far better than others.¡± ¡°I agree,¡± Cloud nodded. ¡°But I also think it¡¯s a good idea to force her to go in a team.¡± ¡°Yeah, but even then, it worries me,¡± Val said, letting out her thoughts. ¡°It worries me when I think about how young she is, yet she wants to keep getting stronger faster.¡± ¡°We were pretty much the same,¡± Cloud said, though his tone implied that he understood what Val was talking about. ¡°But we had plenty of resources, plenty of people. They barely knew anyone other than us. It''s just¡­ I wonder why they need to push themselves so hard.¡± Val could understand Mikella¡¯s decision to get stronger. There were plenty of reasons why a woman needed to get ahead in life to try and not be taken advantage of. Yet her decision to get stronger relied solely on taking care of Clara. On the other hand, Zeke was intent on getting stronger as well. Compared to other folks in her life, they were just satisfied being strong enough to live comfortably. In their stage, they normally would enjoy being as strong as they were now for a while longer. Not Mikella and Zeke. They keep wanting to push themselves, wanting to get stronger under the system¡¯s guidance. Cloud stayed quiet, letting the silence hang in the air. After a moment longer, Cloud closed his book and held Val¡¯s hand tight. She grasped it, looking over at him. ¡°The only thing we can do is to guide them to a better path,¡± Cloud said, his voice soft and gentle, just like he always does when Val gets stressed out. ¡°Unlike us, they were forced on this path. They were forced to fight to survive while carrying a child with them. And even now, they have no idea why they¡¯re here. We have no idea why they¡¯re here. That alone is frightening to think about.¡± Val nodded, her mouth stayed shut. She couldn''t even think about being in their position, only just started in the system at level 1, with a child, while surrounded by enemies in a strange place. What sort of god would push them into that sort of scenario, with no explanation whatsoever? And more importantly, why bring a child along with them? ¡°For now, let¡¯s help them the best way we can,¡± Cloud said, prompting a smile from Val. The two shared a small kiss with each other, their words impacting their decisions for the future. They will help the children get stronger, in the path that they have gone through themselves. But only at the start. Afterwards, those two have to go off on their own. After all, they have their lives to live, their duties to fulfill. Ch50: Progress The next day, Val and Mikella gathered up the team that will follow Mikella down a path deeper into the forest away from everyone else. Mikella expected a lot of backlash and a lot of complaints coming her way and to Val proving her favoritism. Instead, what she got was a lot of agreement. The soldiers who were told about Mikella¡¯s solo group expedition agreed that this was a better choice, not really giving much of an issue. Of course, some complained, but it leaned more on grumbling and half-joking, already accepting the separation. Her own group, which unsurprisingly were Myra and the two brothers, agreed wholeheartedly to travel with her, agreeing that she was too strong for their expeditions. Of course, they also joined to have as many experience points as possible, and with someone like Mikella on their side, they won¡¯t run into any issues. Though the brothers were ecstatic, Myra however, seemed apprehensive as she approached Mikella. ¡°Hey, Mikky,¡± Myra said, showing a deep look in her eyes at her own. ¡°Any reason why you want to get stronger quickly?¡± That took Mikella by surprise. She figured it was expected to want to get stronger, but apparently even her own drive to get stronger was surprising to Myra. ¡°Not really for any reason,¡± Mikella said, a half truth and a half-lie. She knew exactly why, though she realized it¡¯s not such a high priority. ¡°I just felt like I was too slow yesterday, and it aggravated me. I don¡¯t blame anyone here, though, if that¡¯s what you¡¯re wondering.¡± Myra nodded. ¡°I get that feeling. Just¡­ if there¡¯s something on your mind, you can talk to me, y¡¯know? I know with Zeke not being here, it would be hard to talk to anyone else and all¡­¡± Mikella grimaced. It was so hard to explain that the two weren¡¯t like that when they showed that they were married, and that most of the issues that would come to her aren¡¯t really because Zeke isn¡¯t here¡­ Or was it? It¡¯s been a while since they last hung out, and she honestly did feel a little uneasy without having his barriers around for a while. She shook her head. That was precisely one of the reasons why she wanted to get stronger. She didn¡¯t want to heavily rely on Zeke¡¯s magic. It would only hamper her own progress if she always had a safety net underneath. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Mikella answered. ¡°If anything, not having Zeke around can only help me get stronger. You know how powerful his barrier is.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Myra looked like she considered exactly what Mikella was implying. ¡°I get that. Having him around would just make things too easy. Though, if we¡¯re talking about some easy XP, that¡¯s something.¡± ¡°Once I get better, I¡¯ll consider it,¡± Mikella nodded, then showed a solemn look. ¡°But for now, I want to get stronger.¡± Myra nodded, showing the same look as Mikella in her eyes. Val called her special team over to talk about the conditions to train in, and even put up a time limit to meet up with the rest of the expedition later on. Val explained that Mikella¡¯s team will head over to the northwestern side of the forest, where it was reported that several tougher monsters traveling alone were around. It would be easier to face as Mikella specializes in attacking solo opponents. She didn¡¯t have any skills that focus on a wider range, so while she can take out each enemy at once, going against a group would still be an issue. But that was also a reason why Val put them with a time limit, each time as the few hours passed in the day, they would return to the center of the forest where they usually rest up, once the monsters were cleared. After that, Val would take a look and say whether they can continue or not. Then the schedule will proceed as it was yesterday should Val find the team lacking. Mikella will make it so that she will be fine when approaching Val. Then, as soon as the soldiers were ready, Mikella set off with her team towards the northwestern side. ¡­.. About an hour passed since they separated from the group after leaving the town. The silence sometimes filled the air as there wasn¡¯t a big group as before. Though Myra and the brothers, being close as they are, talked easily as Mikella listened. She never really was the sort of person to enjoy in small talk, though circumstances in the real world helped her learn how to navigate it. ¡°So Zeke¡¯s learning more runes now, huh?¡± Myra said, sounding impressed as she nodded. ¡°That¡¯s double useful.¡± ¡°So a guy who can make barriers, can heal now, and now he plans on making some arrays? What is he trying to be, the ultimate support?¡± One of the brothers, Jacky, said. ¡°Doesn¡¯t he plan on learning any attack spells?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Mikella shook her head. She didn¡¯t know why it resulted in talking about Zeke¡¯s progress, but apparently they were interested in why Zeke wasn¡¯t coming with them. She already explained, well Val did most of it, that Zeke began training his runecrafting in earnest. But still, the fact that Zeke was still trying to learn more useful magic didn¡¯t escape their fancy. ¡°Apparently,¡± Mikella said, continuing since she did have some interest in this sort of talk. ¡°His barrier is useful to use with runes.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± The other brother, Maximillian, or Maxie for short, responded with a nod. ¡°That¡¯s true. That barrier was pretty strong. Everyone still loved that shelter he made for us.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Myra nodded. ¡°Can you imagine the shit we can pull off with that sort of tactic? Wait for the monsters to come, trap them in a barrier, then kill them all? I can smell the XP coming for us!¡± The brothers nodded in return, easily eager for when Zeke returned. Mikella couldn''t help but smile. Despite Zeke¡¯s assurance that he wouldn¡¯t be useful if he kept staying at home, his barrier magic alone is already being loved severely by the other soldiers. Then when healing would come and soon magic arrays, Zeke is the emergency aid kit that everyone needs to bring along. That¡¯s why Mikella wanted to keep getting stronger. But now that Zeke¡¯s magic came to mind, she turned to the others with a question. ¡°So I get why Val needs to stay behind and let everyone else fight, but how come Cloud doesn¡¯t come by to help? With his magic, wouldn''t it make fighting hordes easier?¡± ¡°Oh that¡¯s obvious,¡± Myra waved. ¡°He can use healing magic too, and it¡¯s decided amongst the military force to leave Cloud as a last resort. There were times when the soldiers got hurt so badly that our usual healers can¡¯t keep up, so that¡¯s when Cloud comes in with the muscle¨Chis huge ass Mana pool and control. Thing is, depending on the injury, the mana can get costly, and who knows what might happen in a battlefield?¡± The more Myra explained, the more Mikella understood. There was also that issue with the Orb of Inheritance, something that they started for their daughter and happened to get caught in a bad time. With their stats and power almost cut in half, they had some issues keeping up with the horde that they normally would have settled by now if they were in full force. If Cloud used his magic all the time, it would come to the point where he would run out of Mana and end up with casualties on their side. So like this, not only can the soldiers gain more power and experience points, they can also save for when Cloud comes in to pull their asses out of the fire¨CAKA when the monster horde got too strong and he had to come in so he could finish them off. ¡°Guess it¡¯s pretty serious,¡± Mikella said dumbly. Myra only nodded. ¡°It¡¯s a rough place out here in the sticks,¡± Myra said, smirking. ¡°Still, I love this town. I can¡¯t wait for it to become a metropolis someday with the Captain and Cloud at our side.¡± ¡°If only the other provinces can just get off our asses,¡± Maxie added, getting Jacky to agree with a nod. ¡°The other provinces?¡± Mikella asked. Suddenly she was somehow embroiled in the small talk, not letting it go as more new information came in. ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± Jackie added with a question and a tilt of his head. ¡°Everyone wants this town for themselves. It¡¯s settled in a large land filled with resources. The other powers are basically drooling to get their hands on Eve Glade.¡± ¡°Sometimes one of the knights from another territory comes in just to harass us,¡± Myra said, a clear irked look showing on her face. ¡°They like to make a mess of things with us and then try to pull a fast one so they have a clear reason to occupy. Though no matter how hard they try, the Captain and Cloud never lets them have their way.¡± ¡°Wow¡­¡± Mikella said, lowering her head. ¡°They¡¯re really working hard for Eve Glade, huh?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the only place where nobody has to bother with taxes, or any of those stupid mandatory policies each citizen has to do,¡± Myra said. ¡°You¡¯re talking about that Aetheric Federation with their resource tax?¡± Mikella asked to be sure, getting Myra to nod. ¡°Everyone in the town are basically refugees from the other territories,¡± Jackie said. ¡°They couldn''t handle living in those places, and they come here to take a break from it all. They don¡¯t get as much coin, but nobody¡¯s complaining as far as I know.¡± ¡°Why should they?¡± Maxie asked. He seemed pretty invigorated from his tone of voice. ¡°Even with the hordes attacking us daily, it¡¯s mostly peaceful, and for us soldiers, we can get as much XP as possible. Do you think the other provinces¡¯ military forces would even let us have a scrap of XP for all the work we do?¡± ¡°Wait,¡± Mikella asked. ¡°How does that work? Can¡¯t anyone just go out of the city and hunt monsters?¡± ¡°Man, you really did live under a rock all your life, huh?¡± Jackie asked, sounding almost impressed. ¡°Your parents must have really sheltered you if you don¡¯t know that much.¡± ¡°Quiet, Jackoff,¡± Myra interrupted, showing a glare at Jack who received what appeared to be a regular insult to him as he grimaced. ¡°So what if she¡¯s home-schooled? She¡¯s better than some damn scion of a major family. Cut her some slack.¡± ¡°Whoa, whoa, I meant no offense at all,¡± Jackie quickly waved his hands and even apologized properly to Mikella in assurance. Mikella just waved it off as she egged him on to explain. ¡°It¡¯s obvious that XP is the most sought after commodity. Not to mention killing monsters gives you loot to take, so anyone who plans on hunting monsters and gaining XP in any of their territory needs to get a license. Even if you join the military or the knighthood of the province, you still need to get permission from the territory arbiters who decide the best spot for leveling.¡± Mikella widened her eyes at that. This talk truly felt like one of those communities in MMO¡¯s where they take advantage of a place to level their beginners, keeping out the other players that aren¡¯t part of the guild. She remembered Zeke talking about that possibility becoming an actual thing in this world, what¡¯s with the levels and the monster zones. She didn¡¯t think Zeke hit it right on the mark. ¡°That sounds like a major pain,¡± Mikella grimaced. The three were truly lucky to land in a town where they didn¡¯t care much for that. The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°You gotta remember that if it weren¡¯t for the horde attacking, we¡¯d still have to ask the Captain for permission,¡± Myra explained, getting the brothers to nod. ¡°But it is true that it¡¯s more lenient. Otherwise, we¡¯d be fighting with the other folks who planned on doing the same, and that often end up with actual fights to the death.¡± ¡°People are willing to fight to the death for some experience points?¡± Mikella asked in horror. ¡°It¡¯s how anyone gets stronger,¡± Jackie shrugged. ¡°But it depends on the province¡¯s laws based on their territory. Still, it¡¯s better to avoid all that. There¡¯s even bandits out here trying to raid on a party or another for some easy XP too.¡± ¡°Tch, don¡¯t remind me of those guys,¡± Myra clicked her tongue. ¡°Damn bastards still left a bad taste in my mouth.¡± ¡°That was half a year ago, let it go already,¡± Maxie added with a bit of annoyance. ¡°They thought they could try and do whatever they wanted to me just ¡®cause I¡¯m a woman. I can¡¯t exactly ¡®let that go¡¯ so damn easily.¡± ¡°You certainly didn¡¯t let go of that guy¡¯s head even after you beheaded him,¡± Jackie chuckled darkly, a brazen smile on his lips. ¡°It¡¯s to send a message,¡± Myra smirked with ease. The talk eventually got too gruesome for Mikella to even continue listening. She knew there are bad people, even in this world just like in her old world, but to think that killing is accepted so easily in this place. She knew this, but whenever she thought about facing one of those bandits, she just froze. She was prepared to kill ever since the time she thought Zeke would kidnap Clara for his own devious ends. In the end, he was just a sweetheart who loved Clara like a brother she never had, but that thought still got stuck inside her head. Not out of guilt, but out of necessity. She knew that as long as Clara is involved, she would do anything to protect her, even if it truly meant that she would have to kill a human being. But with it actually happening at some point, would she be able to aim her sword at them? To end their lives knowing that she took a living and intelligent person¡¯s life away from them? Then, some shaking occurred around the shrubbery surrounding them. Mikella instantly stopped and pointed her weapon at the source of the noise, followed along with the others who unsheathed their weapons. A small quadraped animal appeared out of the bushes, snarling at them. It looked more like a panther if anything. The dark fur and yellowish slit eyes were clear enough indicators that it was more felyne than canine. She Identified the creature, showing it was a Dark Panther as she expected, being at level 32. ¡°So these are the strays left behind?¡± Maxie spoke, keeping up his longsword and shield. ¡°Captain was right, it¡¯s at a pretty high level.¡± ¡°It¡¯s easy,¡± Myra said, pointing her sword down. She turned to Mikella. ¡°So, this is all for you anyways. You think you can keep up with it?¡± Mikella nodded, and then she pointed her Sword of Lightning at the creature who snarled back and pounced at her. Of course I will, who do you think I am? The thought passed through her mind like wildfire. A twinge of pride, annoyance, and drive whisked her by. She filled herself with the drive to get stronger, and as the monster approached her, she steadied herself with a solid brea¨C No weakling will get in my way. I¡¯ll take care of this myself. Something passed through her mind again. Her eyes narrowed as they glowed with Hawk Eyes, turning bright yellow before lunging herself at the beast. ¡­.. Another month passed after the horde battle, causing everyone to work overtime as they never know when the next horde will attack. Still, everyone went on with their days, knowing that they can¡¯t do much other than their best to help the soldiers with their training. Zeke was well and truly going down the path of a Runist. He started to learn with visual runes, something to distract Clara and Ana. Of course, he made sure to only do so outside the house. He didn¡¯t want to get yelled at again. With Cloud¡¯s input on the intricacies of rune-crafting, he learned quite a bit. He learned that while runes are normally archaic, one can actually shift their design just slightly. Even one stroke out of the original rune letter could turn it into an entirely different meaning. He learned there were a variety of ways to use runes effectively and, more importantly, efficiently. Even with Inscription Proficiency making things easier for him, he found runes that worked like synergy runes used to enhance the magical effect, such as adjacent runes to divert the power properly and giving the intended result more form, such as making the image better unlike how he summoned the butterbirds. The entire process of drawing runes is basically bringing thoughts into reality, or at least a certain part of them. Though the created magic still has to be confined within the laws of the system, and the system empowers everything. So one can¡¯t just simply draw runes to transform a simple rock into a gold coin for instance. While that was possible, in a way, anyone who has ever dealt with coins can easily tell when something has been tampered with, and could even be judged by the law and hence, by the system. On that note, even if one can replicate spells with runecrafting, they can never truly replace the spell itself, as it would always be more efficient and potent under the system¡¯s guidance. Another clear hurdle for runecrafting is that compared to doing the skill¡¯s version of a spell, runecrafting a spell is incredibly mana hungry, causing any mage with more of a focus on Intelligence than Spirit to get drained immediately after just a few rune drawings. Still, that didn¡¯t mean Zeke was shit out of luck in creating custom made magic for his own purposes, something that he learned can be done by studying rune-crafting further. True runists could even make their own runes, something that can work just for them. But that alone is practically at Master stage, at level 100. One has to truly understand the runes to the point where they can find meaning in magic itself, not just from the ancient letters. It was too high of a concept for Zeke who could only read a fraction of the amount of runes there were right now. It took up nearly all his time just studying the runes¡¯ meaning alone, much less how to incorporate it into his own design and create reasonable magic with it. Still, it filled him with determination knowing that each time he learned something new, he could increase his own capabilities as well as his level. He even gained some skill levels for not just from his General skills, including Meditation which he needed to recover his spent Mana, but also for his Class skills as well, proved from his notifications.
Internal Senses Level Up! It is now Level 5. You have gained+1 INT x3 from your skill. You have gained +1 SPI x3 from your skill.
¡­..
Runecraft Level Up! It is now Level 5. You have gained +1 INT x3 from your skill. You have gained +1 SPI x3 from your skill.
¡­..
Meditation Level Up! It is now Level 5. You have gained +1 INT x2 from your skill.
¡­..
Runic Library Level up! It is now Level 2. Increased capacity to learn runes. Increased recall speed to draw upon runes.
¡­..
Inscription Proficiency Level up! It is now Level 2. Increased accuracy with drawing runes. Decrease mana consumption when drawing runes.
¡­..
Level up! You are now Level 27. You gain 14 free points (14 FP total). You have gained +7 DEX from your class. You have gained +7 INT from your class. You have gained +7 SPI from your class.
Needless to say, he improved a lot¡­ and he felt shitty about it. He hasn¡¯t earned these levels, at least not some of them. He perhaps may have gained a level or two with his rampant studying, but he knew that the rest were from Mikella¡¯s hunting. Over the past month, he heard that Mikella have been going rampant on the horde¡¯s remnants, and the rumors were spreading like wildfire around the soldiers. They say that she had been possessed by a rampaging berseker, killing every monster she came across. Some would say that even a person wouldn¡¯t be safe in her path, but Zeke refused to believe that. After all, she still treated Clara as lovingly as any sister would¡­ though he wasn¡¯t sure how she saw him now. Lately, the two have been a little distant. He may have gotten a bit too into his studying runes, but whenever he tried to open up a conversation with her, she always seemed rather cold, often either answering in short sentences or just denying to talk outright, saying that she needed to rest from her hunt. Sometimes, he felt that she was judging him, which only increased the tension between the two. He knew the reason why though. It was because he wasn¡¯t hunting outside at all. He always spent his entire time studying runes. Even if there was a good reason, the fact that she¡¯s out there gaining experience ripping monsters apart while he was studying ancient letters felt extremely unfair to him. So who knew how she felt? Clara even started to notice the difference, asking whether Mikella was mad at him for something. He would be honest with her, saying that he was being lazy while she was doing the work, and his heart warmed when she would reply that he has been studying lots, which is something her sister has never done even in the old world. Still, he desperately tried to raise his own levels whenever he could, but it just wasn¡¯t as fast as killing monsters. Not to mention being a Runist is actually taking more experience to level up than average, at least to Cloud¡¯s knowledge, so that was even worse. So even with all these notifications, he only saw it as a reason to get better. He didn¡¯t just study runes either¨Che also helped with the town with his Recovery skill, as well as helping with his Barrier Craft. It wasn¡¯t much, but helping someone lift heavy stuff after a cart broke down did make him feel a bit better¨Cmore useful. Putting all that aside, he wondered what he could do to make it up to Mikella. It¡¯s been a month now, and considering that most skills at level 5 are considered decent enough, he decided it was better to actually start hunting monsters. That, and he swore he had taken up all the knowledge of runes out of Cloud¡¯s study, squeezing them out until there was no more of it. He looked at this status screen, and saw his stat spread. His Spirit was incredibly high, according to Cloud when it came to average mages. At this level, his Intelligence and Spirit are pretty much the opposite of an average mage, and he had plenty more points on his other attributes despite that. Probably thanks to the horde experience as well as his experience in the tower. His Strength attribute was still piss poor, and even Cloud suggested to bump it up to at least 10 just to make it average, so he did just that. He didn¡¯t need to be a perfect mage, and quite frankly, Zeke felt a bit ashamed as a man for having such low Strength. He would be embarrassed if Ana or Clara can lift heavier things than him in the future. Taking into account his Class level ups, He was certain his Dexterity, Intelligence, and Spirit had quite a bump. So he spent the rest of his points on the fundamentals¨CDexterity, Vitality and Endurance. Vitality was important for several reasons, most of them due to him having some seriously bad luck. He had a feeling that falling on his barrier and breaking his leg wouldn¡¯t be the last dumbass thing he would do in his life. Endurance was actually a rather useful attribute than he expected. Not only does it increase his stamina, allowing him for longer traveling and the like, but it also increased his body¡¯s physical defense. His skin would be more durable, and he can take a better hit. Dexterity was, by all accounts, useful for more than just a speed increase. Not only did it increase his casting speed, it also increased his movements, made him more balanced. It was something he talked with Mikella as a joke from the horde battle, but he did actually took the advice and poured some points in Dexterity as well. It certainly helped her out, and he didn¡¯t see any downside to being faster and nimbler. As a support mage, none of this should matter, especially with his barrier¨Cbut he and everyone else know that specializing completely in one attribute is suicidal. Zeke knew it by heart thanks to his experiences, and everyone including the lords believed that having a decent general spread across all stats was more important than min-maxing. Though he was tempted to try and see if he could put his Spirit over a hundred¨Che planned on living long enough to reach it slowly than end it all from being too tired and sickly to dodge a blow to the head. So with all his free points poured in, he looked at his stats once again.
Name: Zeke Parlow (Savior) Race: Human Runist: Level 27 STR: 10 DEX: 50 INT: 55 SPI: 70 VIT: 25 END: 25 Free Points: 0 General Skills: Mana Perception (U) Level 6 Runecraft (U) Level 5 Internal Senses (U) Level 5 Pain Resistance (U) Level 4 Meditation (C) Level 5 Acquired Skills: Barrier Craft (R) Level 6 Recovery (R) Level 3 Class Skills: Runic Library Level 2 Inscription Proficiency Level 2 Title Skill: We Stand (T), Level 1 (Maxed)
He hoped that Mikella would be impressed with this. In one way or another, he wanted to prove that he can pull his own weight. Ch51: Trouble brewing Today was just another day for the general of the Eve Glade Military force. Despite his grievances, he couldn¡¯t help but feel the peace of the town seeping into his old bones. It always made him agitated somehow. There was no reason to put aside peace. It was what soldiers fight and die for no matter the age. But this particular peace felt fake, as though it was the eye of the storm. At his desk, Zacharia grappled with parchments more often than with his weapon, adding to that agitation. The parchments were detailed reports from his soldiers of his own grouping from their side of town¨Cthe other side having Captain Valorie in charge. The town has two military forces, working in tandem to defend the large town. It would¡¯ve been easier to defend the town if only one side was attacked, but unfortunately it wasn¡¯t so. Due to this, the general had to spread his soldiers across the town¡¯s base to ensure a lookout from any potential threats. All the while, the captain takes the lower-staged users to her side, where most of the fighting would be. For the general¡¯s soldiers, it wasn¡¯t worth it. The average level for the monsters there was low, but big in numbers. It was a perfect scenario for the lower-staged fighters, who had barely reached the Expert stage yet. However, the recent report of a horde rising in numbers to the point where the lord mage had to get involved was something outside of his expectations. He was having his own horde to contend, but it wasn¡¯t nearly as bad as the other side. Throughout the month since then, Zacharia had hammered Cloud for details, information that would otherwise explain the anomaly going on. It wasn¡¯t natural for the hordes to appear so suddenly all the time, especially increasing in numbers to such a staggering amount. That¡¯s when he realized the lords added two new soldiers without his knowledge. Even worse, they were extremely low level, barely reaching their twenties, and only just entered into the city a few days prior to that event. So obviously, Zacharia ensured he wouldn¡¯t ever miss such information again by learning more about them. However, it was no more apparent than what the mage had told him. Three visitors; a man, woman, and child were forced to live like beggars after their carriage was ransacked by bandits. Since then, the lords took pity on them and took them to their homes. Having their own child being the same age as the visitors, it was obvious. Even more so when the Captain refused to let them go otherwise. Even Zacharia couldn¡¯t blame the mage for that. When Captain Valorie decides on something so fervently, she remains adamant come hell or high water. What caught Zacharia¡¯s interest however is that the man had the ability to conjure barriers, and not just elemental based ones¨Cbut a true born barrier capable of being formed in any which way he chose. When he heard about the emergency shelter he created, that brought up some ideas for Zacharia to use. But eventually, Zacharia put that to the side. Apparently the woman visitor is quite the fighter, but if the Captain is ensuring her training, it¡¯s only to be expected. What truly made him agitated is why the mage refuses to send troops to figure this anomaly out. There was just no way to find it. Zacharia refused to believe that Cloud would be so wishy-washy about such things. Aren¡¯t mages supposed to be knowledgeable about such things? When he finished grilling Cloud for any useful answers, much to Cloud¡¯s relief as Zacharia could clearly tell his own agitation, he poured over his documents himself. If he can¡¯t trust the mage to figure this out, then it¡¯s left to his own. Normally the captain would be involved, but she had her own hands filled. She had most of the soldiers at her side, ensuring their training. Finding the source of all these strange going-ons would only stress her out further, and Zacharia doesn¡¯t want that to affect their family household. A knock on the door to his office echoed out. Zacharia was taken out of his studies, finding himself at his own office in his home. It was barren, much to his liking, only filled with the essential furniture and tapestry of his home and kingdom. The door opened once Zacharia gave permission, revealing none other than his top subordinate. A young man built to stand on the battlefield for days on end. His blond dreadlocks tightly woven for combat as he faced Zacharia with a solid stance. A straight but firm back, the young man raised his hand to a salute, holding his hand over his heart as per the kingdom¡¯s way of saluting their superiors. ¡°General, I¡¯ve come to report for the day,¡± The subordinate, Piker, spoke up with solemnity in his tone. ¡°Speak,¡± Zacharia said simply. ¡°Sir,¡± Piker nodded. ¡°I received notice of the captain¡¯s soldiers heading out for surveillance to find the cause for the hordes. As far as we know, there is no cause to find¨Cthey have, however, found remnants of the horde and are taking them down as we speak.¡± ¡°I suppose that is good for something,¡± Zacharia grumbled. He closed his eyes, trying to control his temper and poise. The best he could do is to at least look like he knew what he was doing. ¡°And the new visitors? What of them?¡± ¡°I believe the warrior woman is out with a team of her own,¡± Piker said, his eyes drifting to the side to recall. ¡°It was decided that her strength was high enough to encounter solo monsters on her own.¡± ¡°Truly?¡± Zacharia spoke with interest. He knew the girl would be strong under the captain¡¯s tutelage, but last he checked, wasn¡¯t the girl less than level 20? ¡°What is her level now?¡± ¡°She is closing towards the next milestone, sir,¡± Piker said. Though his own tone showed that even he couldn''t believe it. ¡°Mmh,¡± Zacharia grunted. Whether it¡¯d be surprising or expected, he wasn¡¯t sure. He did hear that the visitors were students of some kind, homeschooled perhaps. At first, he didn¡¯t believe in such nonsense. But now he couldn¡¯t help but be interested in where they learned such powers. ¡°And the boy? The one with the barrier?¡± ¡°Still at the lord¡¯s household,¡± Piker mentioned. ¡°He had gotten injured during the horde, and decided to stay to focus more on his magecraft..¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t he supposed to be a Support mage? How did he get injured?¡± ¡°He¡­¡± Piker slowed. This was a first for Zacharia as Piker usually answers with confidence. ¡°They say he¡­ walked towards the sky to be bait for the monsters¡­ sir.¡± ¡°Bait¡­?¡± Zachaira raised an eyebrow. ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Piker said. Now he looked like he spoke something silly and nonsensical. ¡°I kept trying to find whether such a thing was just ramblings of a tired soldier, but even my own men believed in it.¡± Zacharia shook his head. How bad was the horde that the damn support mage had to go out and handle things himself? And now he got injured? What sort of town is this to let such a thing happen? He rubbed at his temple. His heavy fingers rubbing his almost leathery skin soothed his headache a little. ¡°I see¡­ is that all you have?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Piker nodded. ¡°Is there anything else you require?¡± ¡°No, that is all. You may leave. But keep a lookout for the mage.¡± ¡°For the lord, sir?¡± Piker asked. ¡°I do not trust their sudden interest in these visitors. Something tells me they kept more than they let on about their history. Keep it as a low priority, but keep your eyes and ears open.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Piker saluted once more to the general, then turned and closed the door behind him. The general could only close his eyes again, and let out a deep breath. He truly hated how mages work. They¡¯re always unexpected and annoyingly unpredictable. ¡­.. At first, Myra was excited to be part of a solo team with the boys and the newbie that joined their military force. Mikky, shortened for Mikella, was a powerful force added due to a misunderstanding on their part. She was strong and determined, something that she wished half of the military force would have despite the age difference. At best, she was the youngest but most driven soldier of Eve Glade. Now, however, she was starting to see the cracks behind that strength of hers. On the first day, Mikky truly proved her worth, often soloing tougher monsters raising in levels the further they go in. Of course, Myra kept a tight leash on ensuring to find any sources to find the reason for the horde¡¯s existence, but there was nothing of note. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Then again, Myra wasn¡¯t really magic-focused, so she can¡¯t tell how the mana was in the world around her. On the other hand, Mikky proved to be a disaster waiting to happen. She knew her Class is the cause for this level of power, but even then, it was like she was also using magic to finish off the monsters. It got to the point where she actively let the lightning course through her sword and finished off the monsters easily. It was astounding, especially since she was still based entirely on fighting in close-combat. Normally, any soldier at her power would be considered top-tier. Myra hated to admit it, being a competitive woman herself, but she knew her own limits better than anyone. Meanwhile, Mikky kept improving further and further, squeezing out all the potential she had within her. But she also found something off during that day. As though Mikky wasn¡¯t satisfied. The next two weeks, that increased tenfold. During the fight when it was time for Myra and the twins to finally step in, they faced a large bear. According to her Identify, it was a pretty hefty son of a bitch. Forest Bear, Level 32 A monster whose level would normally dictate an Expert staged user, but normally isn¡¯t so strong. This is considered an Expert Rank monster, it usually needs a team of competent Apprentices to kill it. A very good Apprentice can defeat it with ease, and with her and the twins closing in at Expert nearing Level 30, it was a done deal. But it still took them a fair amount of time to take it down. Jackie and Maxie took on defensive roles, each dealing damage when one was busy tanking the bear¡¯s slashes. Meanwhile, Myra diverted to the side, swinging her spear horizontally at the limbs and tendons. This sort of monster had tougher hide than most, so attacking it by the limbs was a sure-fire way of weakening it before dealing the final strike. And soon they did. Myra slashed the neck when the bear finally knelt from the slashes done to its body, taking almost a half-hour to take it down. As its head rolled by Mikky¡¯s face, Myra expected her to be impressed, or at least jittery to take on some action herself. Instead, she found¡­ boredom. Mikky looked like she was actually disappointed at the fight. She looked like she was looking at a child who couldn¡¯t pass a trial despite it being made specifically for them. ¡°Hey, Mikky, you alright?¡± Myra asked, leaving the two twins to rest from the fight. The two had the most draining parts of the fight, so Myra left them alone to recover. ¡°You don¡¯t look good.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Mikky answered. Myra was hoping that she was actually not fine. Instead, her tone implied that she didn¡¯t want to be talked to. Her eyes darted away, her shoulders shifting. ¡°You sure took a while, huh?¡± A twinge of genuine anger took over her. The comment came so brazenly it almost stumped Myra to silence. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Myra asked. ¡°I mean, shouldn¡¯t you be able to kill the monster quickly by cutting its head off?¡± Mikky asked, pointing at the now corpse of the bear at the ground. ¡°You kept slashing at the limbs even though it was so slow.¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s safer that way,¡± Myra answered, and she did so with pride as it was Val who taught her that. ¡°Plus, the twins needed some experience handling attacks. If I don¡¯t, it¡¯ll only get worse for them.¡± ¡°Then all of you should¡¯ve just attacked instead of defending,¡± Mikky answered instead. Rather, she shook her head as though it was pointless. ¡°Nevermind, let¡¯s keep going.¡± Before Myra could even respond to that comment, Mikky already walked off, not even leaving the twins time to relax as they quickly adjusted themselves to follow the powerhouse. Meanwhile, Myra was just about ready to throttle her. She, instead, followed Val¡¯s advice and calmed herself down. She activated Meditation to not regain her energy, but to soothe her mind. She¡¯s the type to usually get agitated, and while the captain won¡¯t regard it as a weakness, it would be distracting if left unchecked. So she taught Myra how to control her emotions, to an extent, with a diverted use of Meditation. It was also perfect to recover some waning resources on the side, but most of it was poured into controlling her mental state. That was the point of Meditation, and in some cases, it can evolve into a skill that deals directly with one¡¯s emotions. Myra didn¡¯t have any plans on that as she didn¡¯t find it that necessary. The days passed, with Myra noticing Mikky¡¯s attitude worsening. She found herself using her Meditation more often than she should. She didn¡¯t know why, but it was as though Mikky was getting under her skin. She knew she wasn¡¯t a bad person, or at least someone so bratty to act like that, but there was something off about her. Just yelling at her to stop acting like some fool on a high-rise wouldn¡¯t help at all, at least that¡¯s what her instincts are telling her. By the end of the many days they spent, Mikky didn¡¯t even offer a goodbye before heading home. That¡¯s when the boys finally spoke up. ¡°Did anyone else pick up how bitchy Mikella¡¯s been?¡± Jackie asked quietly, hoping that Mikky wouldn¡¯t pick up. Thankfully, only Maxie and Myra heard him. ¡°Maybe the training¡¯s just getting to her,¡± Maxie said, trying to diffuse the clear tense in the atmosphere, but it was clear to Jackie how unsure he was. ¡°Myra, is everything alright with her?¡± Jackie asked her. It wasn¡¯t that she was a girl that she could immediately understand Mikky¡¯s deal. She just had better senses when it came to other people¡¯s feelings. In that case, Jackie learned to wise up over the years. Myra stayed quiet, however. At first, Mikky seemed confused, lost, but she was sure of herself. Even after that, she seemed even more sure of herself, especially after the horde battle. But now it felt as though she was deteriorating, but definitely not in strength. If anything, she was getting stronger. ¡°Let¡¯s just leave her be,¡± Myra finally answered. ¡°Maybe she¡¯s just dealing with some crap.¡± ¡°You think maybe it¡¯s because Zeke¡¯s not here? She¡¯s just anxious or something?¡± Maxie asked, a reasonable question that any normal person would agree to. However, Myra shook her head. ¡°Not sure. If anything¡­ She seemed glad he¡¯s not here.¡± That put the twins to silence. Myra didn¡¯t like it either, but decided to leave it at that as they separated to get some rest. At the end of the month-long training, however, all hell broke loose. At least to Myra¡¯s patience. So far, Mikky has been the one fighting the monsters on her own. When Myra decided to fight one alone, however, Mikky paused. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Mikky asked, as though she was actually pondering about it. ¡°You sure you can keep up?¡± Myra didn¡¯t even bother answering that. She just scoffed as she went ahead to fight on her own. At least in that sense, Mikky decided to let her be. Myra was even more pissed off than before thanks to that comment. Even though she was facing another Dire Wolf, a loner this time but at a high level of 27. It wasn¡¯t a hard fight at all, at least it wasn¡¯t supposed to be. But her anger and mental state caused her distress in her forms, causing the wolf to get the upper hand at times. But just when Myra was getting into the swing of things to finish off the now weakened wolf in her grasp¡­ A sword was thrusted into the wolf, gouging out its neck and leaving it to bleed on the ground. Now laying limp and still, Myra stood over the wolf¡¯s body, a new emotion bubbling from her chest to the surface. Rage. ¡°Mikky!¡± Myra shouted, and that alone caused the leaves of the trees to shake from the force. Even the twins backed away, the years of being her childhood friends teaching them not to be around her. Myra stepped over to Mikky with a raging gait, facing up close and personal. While Myra was practically glaring daggers at her, Mikky only looked¡­ content. As though the fight was finally over and she can move on. ¡°The fuck was that?!¡± Myra shouted, her anger seeping into her tone of voice. ¡°I had it!¡± ¡°Clearly, you didn¡¯t,¡± Mikky answered dryly, her eyes showing nothing of guilt or even hesitation. ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s up with you, but even for you, that was sad to watch.¡± ¡°And you think you can come in and steal my kill?¡± Myra asked, trying her damn hardest not to throttle the girl¡¯s throat in front of her. ¡°I don¡¯t know how things work on your end, but here, we have a saying¨Cwe don¡¯t take others¡¯ kill!¡± She spoke the last words slowly, almost growling at the end. It wasn¡¯t such a horrid thing that it would be a crime, but there were plenty of issues with what she just did. First, the amount of experience points granted at the monster¡¯s death can easily deter. While in some cases it won¡¯t really matter as much, even just taking the final kill could bump someone up a level. If someone else took the kill, however, that could easily be taken away. And what kind of degenerate would do such a thing willingly? So anyone who often steals a person¡¯s kill is looked down on by the warriors who took the time and effort to take it down themselves. Like one said, it didn¡¯t really matter¨Cit was just the common thing to do to help others power up. ¡°But you could¡¯ve died. I can¡¯t let that happen.¡± Despite all this, Mikky answered so blatantly flat-toned that it sounded¡­ like mockery. Just like that, Mikky had the audacity to let out a breath of annoyance and walked away. Myra, already on the cusp of her patience running out, shouted out. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?!¡± ¡°Hah¡­¡± Another breath escaped her lips as she turned around. ¡°I can¡¯t handle this. You guys are just getting in the way. It¡¯s already bad enough that my XP is being shared before this, and now¡­ it¡¯s just not worth it. Just go back and let me handle this.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± Myra couldn¡¯t even find the words before Mikky suddenly dashed off to the distance. She ran fast enough that it boggled Myra when it was just recently that her level matched hers. Just like that, Mikky was gone. She just dashed off after saying her piece, as though it was rightfully deserved. Gripping her fists so tight she could draw blood, Myra gritted her teeth. That¡­ that wasn¡¯t Mikky. She wasn¡¯t sure, since anger was pretty much telling her to go right after her and kill her just for those words alone. It¡¯s one thing to insult herself and the twins, and it¡¯s another to do something as despicable as taking someone¡¯s kill. But to blatantly ignore the captain¡¯s orders and go off on her own? Clearly, something was wrong. No matter how bratty one is, Mikky should know that going against a Journeyman¡¯s orders is paramount to insulting someone who can kill you with a finger. It should be felt straight to the soul, as someone on a lower stage than the captain. There were some clear exceptions, and every soldier was lucky enough to get a captain as kind as Valorie leading them, someone who doesn¡¯t use her stage¡¯s power but instead her good will and kindness to lead everyone along. So unless Mikky was actually a fool on top of being so bitchy, Myra could understand. But she knew Mikky before this. She didn¡¯t lean that way, at least not to Myra, and she had good senses like Jackie would suspect. So something was up. And then there was something else¡­ her eyes. Instead of being the usual brown like normal, they were sharper, almost angular in her vision. And even then, they were still yellow, a sign of her skill active at all times now. Normally, that¡¯s not something one could easily do, not unless they don¡¯t even realize it themselves. So along with anger, there was also hesitation. It seemed like Mikky was transforming into something else. And there were only a few ways one can actually do that. ¡°Myra¡­¡± Maxie spoke slowly, walking up to the nearly shaking Myra. ¡°W-What do we do? Should we just follow after her?¡± ¡°No, don¡¯t bother,¡± Myra shook her head. She made her choice. ¡°This is beyond us¡­ we need to contact the captain.¡± ¡°I-Isn¡¯t that a little, you know, too much?¡± Jackie asked. He sounded hesitant, fully knowing what might happen if they do contact Valorie. ¡°I mean yeah, she was pretty annoying, but isn¡¯t that¨C¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s worse than ya think, Jackie,¡± Myra said solemnly. She looked up to the boys, her anger slowly dissipating. The more she thought about it, the more it made sense. And the worse she felt as she talked. ¡°Let¡¯s just get the captain. She¡¯ll sort this mess out.¡± Ch52: On a high horse Her sword sang through the air, and with it, death followed. Her first encounter with the beast of the forest, a Dark Panther, was of no threat. Even when the level was over level 30, it was clear that its resistances and defenses were nothing compared to the overwhelming power of a Dragon Warrior. Barely wasting any resources, Mikella continued onwards. Meanwhile, her power grew, her levels substantially rising little by little. And as her level grew, her confidence soared. Her view of herself rising further than ever before. She fought against several creatures of differing sizes and even species, figuring out her own fighting style on top of fighting against the numerous creatures with special abilities. For instance, she fought against a bear-like creature that could burrow into the ground, surprising her with ambushes from beneath. Thankfully, her Dragon Descent was perfect to avoid those attacks. Another time she fought against what looked like a lizard man near the river. It fought with magic, shooting torrents of water that could cut through the bulky trees with ease. That was a difficult fight for some defensive fighters, but thankfully the torrent could be casted every five seconds, allowing Mikella to charge and wreck the monster. That didn¡¯t stop the creature from causing severe damage to her right thigh when it tried to stop her rampage. It left with her thigh barely called a thigh, blood seeping through to the point where her muscle could be showing without the skin. Luckily, that was the only rare instance where she managed to drink a Health potion, allowing her to recover her injuries faster and keep going. Her Meditation also helped plenty, restoring her leg up to its former marvelous state. Lately, however, she¡¯s been feeling pretty agitated. It was not missed by her party, which only made her worse in comparison. She knew something was off, but she wasn¡¯t sure what it was. First, she was upset at her own weakness. She was upset that she didn¡¯t think she could cut those opponents down in a single blow despite the clear skill and superiority in combat. Then as she realized the issue was with the difference in levels, she was upset at her partner. She was upset at Zeke. She hated the fact that he was partaking in her experience points while having the time of his life learning useless runes and playing with Clara. He should be out here fighting to earn the XP, not comfortably reading books and slacking off. The next thing on her list to be upset at was none other than the soldiers. Myra and the others were just tag-alongs. They all knew it, yet they won¡¯t admit it. Mikella wasn¡¯t the sort to confront such things, but the way they also leveled up despite Mikella dealing the last blow and practically carrying the fight all by herself didn¡¯t feel satisfying in the least. Even Myra was becoming a disappointment. She kept attacking foes that should¡¯ve been easy to deal with, yet she struggled to fight against a single solo creature despite calling to fight it themselves. It got to the point where she was damaging herself pointlessly, causing Mikella to end the fight then and there with a quick strike. Myra didn¡¯t seem okay with that, but Mikella didn¡¯t care. If she was upset, then she should¡¯ve fought better. But at least Myra was trying. The brothers for instance were only useful as meatshields, and they weren¡¯t even that good. Even Mikella could take a hit that would destroy these tools and their worthless shields without batting an eye. Then, finally, she was upset at the townsfolk, the people that are, by far, the worthless bunch she had ever seen. The crafters were okay, she can deal with them since they provide an actual service, but there were actual places of entertainment like bars, restaurants, and other mundane entertainment businesses. They were all fine with just sitting around doing nothing while the real warriors fought with their lives on the line. Now she understood why the people in the old world never appreciated the soldiers in the military. They¡¯d rather let them die than to fight themselves. It aggravated her. It made her nauseated. She didn¡¯t even want to go back into town as time passed. She just wanted to keep going out there and fight monsters, gain levels and the true experience of fighting. Instead, she had to return back to the town that by all rights, the monsters should¡¯ve taken over it by now. Finally, she had enough. Mikella dumped her teammates and left on her own. She had enough of them. They were just leeches anyways. Mikella could always investigate the cause of the horde anyways, and so far they haven¡¯t found zilch of the cause. But as the days passed, she knew one thing. There won¡¯t be much of a horde if she just killed all the monsters that could make up one. And now, she faced one of the creatures of that very horde, the very one that almost killed Zeke by throwing the boulder at him. The Big Boss Monkey, famously being around late Expert Rank¨Cwhich at the time was impossible for Mikella to face. But now, her levels high and her attributes higher, she knew she could face it. Looking back at the past notifications, she saw the list of all the levels she gained and the boosts she got, all put together into this status page that has been steadily growing this entire time. This was the very thing that helped her stay sane this whole time. Her steady progress, her power growing. Her will manifested into the world through her fighting style.
Level Up! You are now Level 27. You gain 14 free points (14 FP total). You have gained +7 STR from your class. You have gained +7 DEX from your class. You have gained +7 END from your class.
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Kinetic Perception Level Up! It is now Level 5. You have gained +1 DEX from your skill. You have gained +1 END from your skill.
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Sword Mastery Level Up! It is now Level 7. You have gained +1 STR from your skill. You have gained +1 DEX from your skill.
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Pain Resistance Level Up! It is now Level 6. You have gained +1 VIT from your skill. You have gained +1 END from your skill.
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Meditation Level Up! It is now Level 5. You have gained +1 INT (x2) from your skill.
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Acrobatics Level Up! It is now Level 6. You have gained +1 STR from your skill. You have gained +2 DEX from your skill.
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Hawk Eyes Level Up! It is now Level 6. You have gained +2 STR from your skill. You have gained +1 DEX from your skill.
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Heavenly Strike Level Up! It is now Level 4. Decreased stamina and mana consumption. Increased damage.
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Dragon Descent Level Up! It is now Level 3. Increased speed and maneuverability (x2) Decreased stamina and mana consumption. (x2)
She had improved immensely over the past month. She was well above herself back during the horde battle, and she could get even stronger with her free points. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! She started to consider putting points into Spirit. She often found herself running out of Mana after using Heavenly Strike so many times, but opted out of it as she was doing just fine with her Dragon Descent and a good handle of her sword, which also improved impeccably. Dragon Descent became such a focal point of her fighting style. She was worried at first that she was relying on it too heavily, but realized soon after that she may need it more considering her opponents. The Big Boss Monkey dashed towards her, bringing in a punch from the air. She dashed away, her Dragon Descent activating and distancing herself several dozen feet without breaking a sweat. It was also augmented by her Acrobatics which only strengthened her movements further. She backhopped away, her body so light like a feather that she ended up spinning herself over. She wasn¡¯t trying to make a show or anything, especially not alone. Her body was lighter than she was used to, but she managed to fix her sudden jolts of speed and lightness by twirling her body around when she could. She often found that doing so also helped her avoid any potential attacks coming at her from the side rather than just hanging in the air limply. It was the work of her tremendous Dexterity. Without it, even with just a few points with Vitality and Endurance, who knew how many torn muscles she would¡¯ve had by now? She fell to the ground, barely touching it with the tip of her foot before she rushed ahead, her sword at the ready. The monkey managed to jump back, and once again tried to get into melee combat with the Dragon Warrior. The boss monkey was strong, its muscles rippling through its furred arms as it tried to strike at her with punch after punch. What she guessed from this monkey boss is that it relies mainly on its Strength. While that wasn¡¯t such a big issue, the real problem came that the monkey actually knows how to use that strength. The monkey didn¡¯t just swing randomly to try and hit her like most low-leveled monsters. It tried to catch her off guard, even throwing feints by striking her side weakly, and in return using a heavier fist to deal with her after she dodged. But each time, she managed to slink away with grace. Her Hawk Eyes were fully active, helping her to find the weak spots in between the strikes. As she struck back, she managed to evade its attacks. It often ended up just grazing her lightly, shaving off her skin with bits of blood trailing behind. But that didn¡¯t make her nervous. It made her driven. As long as she keeps this up, she¡¯ll have enough energy to outlast this creature. This was a tougher fight by far. Most other monsters would¡¯ve changed tactics by now, giving up on trying to catch her off guard, and instead either attack in range or just run away. Thanks to her Meditation leveling up throughout the month, she could keep the skill active even while in combat. It was slowly regenerating her resources, keeping her in the fight for longer. But this monkey kept going. It knew that she had a limit, and it tried to find it. But Mikella kept dodging all the while trying to stab with her sword. Each strike was laced with the power of Heavenly Strike, using what little Mana she could to end the fight quickly. And each time she nicked the monkey, sparks traced along the edge, giving that little snippet of pain and stunning it momentarily for her to keep up with its fast speed. But before she could finally pierce its abdomen after launching a wide strike, the monkey swept its feet across, blowing a cloud of dust at her eyes. She closed them by instinct, and quickly jumped away using her combination of skills. She just barely missed having a powerful swipe coming across her head as a powerful airquake blew against her, blowing the entire cloud of dust away in the process. She landed backwards, noticing that the monster was letting out heavy breaths. Meanwhile, Mikella still had more than half of her stamina remaining. She grinned. The look of her yellowish eyes glowed faintly as she saw her chance. This beast can¡¯t even keep up! For something so high in levels, strong, it''s pathetic! The voice in the back of her mind roared in fervor, the Sword of Lightning acting along as electricity coiled around her blade. She dashed forward, all of her skills working in tandem as she stabbed at the monkey to finish it off. The boss monkey tried to back away, its muscled legs pushing off against the ground, but that only pushed her harder. She picked up her sword and charged her forearm with about a quarter of her Stamina. Kinetic energy swirled and condensed within her muscles, causing it to nearly bulk up from the excess energy. It was a side effect of pouring so much Stamina without having the proper stats to actually contain it within her body or even the level for it, but she did so regardless. It was painful, just as one would expect from their arms suddenly increasing in size, but the kinetic energy then swiftly traveled through her sword by the hilt, appeasing the flow of kinetic energy as well as the pain. Lightning coiled around her arms, bursting her veins and riddling her with her own blood, but the pain was nothing as she roared and stabbed with her sword, piercing the monkey. The force of the blade made the air explode, splitting the sky with an intense roar as it aimed straight at the monkey¡¯s chest and slammed right through it. The blade of lightnin not only pierced it,, but also flung it forward with tremendous force, landing itself straight to a tree. It created a crater in it, making a large network of cracks through the wood that should¡¯ve broken it. The monkey was left dangling there, hanging on the crater with its downed body. But Mikella didn¡¯t stop there. She ran forward, pushing off a dust cloud with her feet as she jumped high into the air, and extended her leg. She kicked the torso, forcing more power into her leg with her kinetic energy which then smoothly traveled along to the monkey. With one definitive strike to it, the tree broke in half along with the monkey that shared its fate. The tree fell, and the Big Boss Monkey fell over as well. Mikella let out a winded breath, gripping her sword tightly as she swung her blade to get rid of the excess blood. There wasn¡¯t even blood left on the tree. While blood pooled under the corpse now, the blow was concise enough to not leave behind a splattering of blood all over it. She¡¯d like to say that she made the blood evaporate from the sheer force, but that wasn¡¯t the case¡­ at least not yet. Still, it would¡¯ve been difficult for her to pull that off had she not accepted the new class skill when she reached level 25. She looked up at the skill, smiling as she patted herself for her foresight.
Class Skill learned: Aerial Advantage
¡­..
Class Skill: Aerial Advantage When a Dragon Warrior goes to the air, they have no equal. When you are in any kind of environment where your feet doesn¡¯t touch the ground, your Dexterity and Strength increases appropriately. Increases stat bonuses according to the level of the skill.
She was always glad that she chose Dragon Descent instead of Aerial Advantage back then, but considering her last options, Aerial Advantage clearly became the top favorite. The first Class skill after reaching Level 25 was a skill called Dragon Strike. It was a fairly simple skill, similar to Heavenly Strike, but mostly effective against dragon-based monsters. If this was when she faced the wyvern, she¡¯d probably finished it instantly. But right now, with so many beasts that were not even dragon-based, not even those lizardmen she faced earlier, it wasn¡¯t worth it. The second one was decent, but not enough. It was called Roar of Might, an intimidation type of skill that would scare off monsters of lesser levels or willpower than her own. Honestly, she wanted to kill the monsters to gain levels, not scare them away. What would be the point? So she went back with Aerial Advantage, figuring that her being off the ground would happen more times than her facing dragon based monsters. And apparently, even the kick to the monkey was enough to activate the skill. The skill increases damage based on how far up she was in the air. She didn¡¯t believe that there was no limit, considering that she could have chosen this skill at level 20 of all things. And she had no way to fly in the air, but she certainly had no reason to put down the chance of getting more power in a certain moment in combat. She looked back at the corner of her vision, expecting a blinking icon. It showed as she expected, and pulled it up expecting a level up. It wasn¡¯t a level up.
New Title available: Overachiever: You are not satisfied doing the bare minimum. Even defeating foes stronger than you is not enough to sate your greed for more. You have gained +2 STR from your title. You have gained +2 DEX from your title. Title Skill attained: Give me more.
¡­..
Give me more (Title), Level 1 (Maxed) It¡¯s not enough. It¡¯s never enough. That¡¯s why you want more. Increases experience gain by 1% per Title Skills you own.
Her eyes widened. She didn¡¯t realize there was such a useful Title Skill. She knew her earlier title skills were useful, and were even responsible for most of her winnings, but she quickly changed her current Title to this one for that sweet XP gain. She looked up her status screen, mesmerized by her own power.
Name: Mikella Ashton (Overachiever) Race: Human Dragon Warrior: Level 27 STR: 62 DEX: 75 INT: 12 SPI: 20 VIT: 30 END: 52 Free Points: 0 General Skills: Kinetic Perception (U) Level 5 Sword Mastery (U) Level 7 Pain Resistance (U) Level 6 Meditation (C) Level 5 Acquired Skills: Acrobatics (R) Level 6 Hawk Eyes (R) Level 6 Class Skills: Heavenly Strike Level 4 Dragon Descent Level 3 Aerial Advantage Level 1 Title Skill: Give me more (Title), Level 1 (Maxed)
Despite the massive gains she made for herself these past few days, the idea that beating a powerful boss didn''t even grant her another level made her seethe in rage. Useless mage. Mikella cursed at Zeke. She knew that half of her experience points went to Zeke, and now she can¡¯t even forgive that useless mage for taking that XP away. She was satisfied that she managed to beat a monster double her level, even if she finished it in a heartbeat. If she had made a single mistake, sure enough, a body part or two would¡¯ve been lost. It was a worthy fight, and the rewards were just¡­ split across, just like that. Not even receiving a title appeased her. It aggravated her. If she could, she would just march right back into town and shove her sword down his gullet¨C ¡°Mikella.¡± Mikella¡¯s shoulders jumped before spinning around to find none other than the Captain of the military force walking towards her. Her voice was¡­ oddly sharp, almost like a dagger straight into her heart. Was she mad? Ch53: Mikella vs. Valorie ¡°Captain,¡± Mikella nodded to her captain, but somehow Val wasn¡¯t happy at all. In fact, she was glaring hard at her. She wondered why that is. It wasn¡¯t as though she was slacking off or anything. ¡°Mikella. What in the world are you doing?¡± Val asked, or rather demanded. Mikella tilted her head in confusion. ¡°What were you thinking? Separating from your team? I gave you specific instructions not to do that. You went against the captain¡¯s order.¡± Mikella scrunched her face. She was mad about that? I didn¡¯t take her for an idiot, The voice in her mind commented, more surprised than shocked. ¡°My team was useless. They couldn''t fight for shit, so I left them. Besides, it¡¯s not like they could¡¯ve done anything to this thing I just killed.¡± Mikella pointed at the corpse beneath her. It was a good fight, but in the end, it was just a monster. She would loot its corpse and get her rewards for that good fight. Val, however, looked at her as though in disgust. In the back of her mind, she seethed at the sight before Val continued. ¡°Mikella¡­ what happened to you?¡± Val asked, surprising Mikella. ¡°I heard from Myra and the others how you¡¯re¡­ changing these past few weeks. And now I see what they mean. This is a lot different than how you were before.¡± ¡°What are you talking about Captain?¡± Mikella asked. She was starting to feel that perhaps calling her ¡®Captain¡¯ was now unwarranted. ¡°I¡¯m the same as always. I want to get stronger, so I¡¯m putting in the work. It definitely doesn¡¯t help that that mage is taking away my XP, so now I have to work even more for it.¡± She shook her head. The thought of Zeke laughing it up like it was nothing made her cringe. How did she ever find anything noteworthy of the guy, she¡¯ll never know. ¡°What¡­? Are you talking about Zeke?¡± Now Val looked extremely furious. That actually surprised her. In the back of her mind, she was more confused than her face let on. ¡°How can you say that? Don¡¯t you realize how much Zeke and the others are trying to get stronger? And¨C¡± ¡°Captain,¡± Mikella interrupted her. She had enough of this. ¡°Can you just leave me be? I¡¯m trying to do what we are supposed to do¨Chunting monsters and trying to stop the next horde.¡± ¡°And by that,¡± Val spoke again quickly. ¡°Are you talking about killing the monsters to stop the next horde? I never said to do anything like that. I said to find the cause, not to try and make the monsters extinct.¡± ¡°It¡¯s either that or let the horde happen again,¡± Mikella answered simply. ¡°Since you and pretty much everyone else are out of commision, I have to do something.¡± Finally, as though the line had been snapped, Val eased the expression on her face. Mikella figured that she was finally getting through to her. But instead, she felt something come at her. A wave of bloodlust rushed straight at her. She caught herself in the raging river blasting from the waterfall. It kept trying to drown her, to destroy her very being. She turned pale. But then she shook it off, realizing that it was all just in her head. Her body was fine, but she was starting to get a cold sweat. Even her fingers started trembling. She looked back at the Captain, and it was as though she was finally seeing her for the first time. Her eyes were furious. Her usually bubbly green eyes now turned sharp as blades. Even her irises turned sharp and slitted, forming a vertical line from up to down. It was such a change that perhaps not even her own child would recognize her anymore. Mikella was having a hard time as it was. And there was something else to her too. Her skin looked¡­ rigid, as though scales began to form across her cheeks and down her arms and hands, where the exposed skin was. ¡°...You dare to speak like that to me?¡± Val¡¯s voice changed slightly. It didn¡¯t turn deeper or lighter, it just¡­ grew denser. Like there was weight behind the sound of her voice. ¡°Who are you, a lowly Apprentice, to talk to me like that?¡± Now that set off Mikella. It wasn¡¯t her fault that she was still an Apprentice. She would¡¯ve passed her milestone long ago if it weren¡¯t for Zeke. ¡°You know why¨C¡± ¡°Because of Zeke?¡± Val interrupted her, tilting her head. That got Mikella to clam up. ¡°Is that your excuse? Do you truly think that levels will change anything? You can keep leveling yourself and your skills all your life. If you don¡¯t try and control yourself, you¡¯re no different than a beast yourself.¡± Val stepped forward, and just like a frightened animal, Mikella stepped back by instinct. And after realizing that, her brows creased in contempt. ¡°Don¡¯t bother. I know you¡¯re just using some skill to scare me!¡± She called out to the captain. The captain only responded with a chuckle. Mikella¡¯s cold sweat ran down her forehead. ¡°Oh, little girl. You think I need skills to scare you?¡± Val said almost sweetly, but her tone was anything but. ¡°Skills are nothing but tools. Levels are nothing but power. True strength comes from experience¨Cfrom living life. I lived long, so I gained true power. But you? All you did was kill monsters. You¡¯re more useless than anyone else I¡¯ve seen.¡± ¡°What the fuck?!¡± Mikella shouted back. Her anger finally beat her rising fear as she snapped back. ¡°I¡¯m the one actually doing any work around here. I¡¯m the one that killed that stupid monkey, not Myra or her losers, or even the rest of the town! You think they¡¯re better than me?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Val answered simply. ¡°They¡¯re better than you because they follow my orders. Because they work towards a common goal, even if their skills differ. Just one single person working isn¡¯t enough. And I don¡¯t need that one person if it means that she would ignore my orders. It¡¯s about working together to ensure a bright future for Eve Glade.¡± ¡°There won¡¯t be much of a future if they¡¯re left like that!¡± Mikella pointed an accusatory finger at the direction of the town. Surely, Val should know the state it was left in. The fact that the wall was still in disrepair despite over a month has passed. ¡°Oh, there will be a future,¡± Val said, ignoring her implications. Mikella was left baffled by her sincere reaction. ¡°Because I will make sure of it. I will not, however, let an arrogant brat like you make a mess of things. If you don¡¯t follow my orders¡­ then you are simply a leech.¡± That finally stopped her brain from functioning properly. The idea of her being the useless one here¡­ was just¡­ ¡°You¡­ You massive bitch!¡± Mikella growled, her eyes turning bright yellow as her face was marred with fury. An intense roar filled her mind as her skills took over. Despite Val¡¯s insistence of being stronger, she already faced an Expert rank boss monster with ease. If what she calculated to be true, then Val should be above, or even around that level thanks to her wasting her resources on some stupid inheritance. It won¡¯t be much of a future for her daughter if they end up dying because of her lack of stats. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. And besides, she was getting tired of Val looming over her, acting as though she was better than her just because she was two stages higher than her. She was stronger than her. She was mightier than her. She won¡¯t allow some old hag to boss her around. Activating her Dragon Descent, she increased her speed and got close enough for her sword to land a hit. Her Sword of Lightning crackled with electricity, and kinetic energy poured from her arms as she let loose her Heavenly Strike. Her increased stats and skill levels proved just how far she had come as she reached faster than ever before, even using the skill Aerial Advantage to improve her might by flying across the ground towards Val. Yet, Val only sidestepped with ease. The sword covered in lightning, augmented by her kinetic force, missed her by a hair¡¯s length. A powerful wave of air blew out from her strike, blasting away the crowns of the trees above. A shimmer of sunlight blared as the lightning from her sword dissipated into disappointing sparks. Her eyes bugged when Val just as easily swung her fist. Well, she tried. She could only guess it was a fist as it slammed down the right side of her face. Pain bombarded her as she was launched across the grassy field, crushing any nearby obstacles such as trees, rocks, and a rocky cliff face nearby. She flew for miles before landing on the ground with the force of a ragdoll. Her breath was caught, pain racing down everywhere, but mostly along her back and base of her head. It was nothing like the hits she took these past few days. She suddenly realized through the cacophony of pain and agony that the fist Val threw at her wasn¡¯t even a fist. It was a¡­ slap. A bitch slap in Mikella¡¯s eyes, and she just flung her away like she was a fly. ¡°W-What¡¯s going on?¡± Mikella muttered, her mind starting to go on a fritz. When the pain came in, it somehow made her sharper, clearer. She found out something was terribly wrong. Not this situation, but with herself. She didn¡¯t know why. She only knew that something was making her be in a way that she wasn¡¯t supposed to be. No! This isn¡¯t how it is supposed to be! I am stronger! I am a dragon! I am the mightier one here! Her mind roared, her rampaging emotions returning in full force. To be slapped like that so easily was a sin. She growled as she forced herself to stand up, realizing that only a few seconds had passed after the hit. So how the hell did Val suddenly show up right in front of her? She could barely pick out her presence, and suddenly Val¡¯s sharp, monstrous eyes bore deep into her. Her body froze, actually holding her joints in place and not letting her move away. She noticed a new type of icon blinking at the bottom of the corner. She figured it was some level or something, but it suddenly propped itself up in front of her eyes without her order. She gasped internally at the message.
You are afflicted with a Mild Concussion. Your mental stats are reduced by 2%.
.....
You are afflicted with Fear. Your Stamina and Mana regeneration was reduced by 5%. You have a chance of getting stunned when using any sort of action.
I definitely feel that concussion. Mikella shook her head in bewilderment, pain wracking it a second later. But fear? I¡¯m not scared! Yet her body refused to follow her commands. The more Val¡¯s eyes kept staring down at her, the more she could feel her fear baring its fangs. She growled like a cornered beast facing the apex hunter of the forest as she screamed. ¡°G-Get away from me! Stop looking at me like that!¡± ¡°I thought you were going to stop me,¡± Val said, her voice devoid of any mirth or satisfaction. She actually sounded¡­ disappointed. ¡°Despite all the things you said. I don¡¯t even have a skill that induces Fear, yet you look like you¡¯re scared. Did you perhaps get a Fear debuff? Normally, that only happens when your weak body recognizes the bloodlust of the one fighting you. It¡¯s the system¡¯s merciful way of saying¡­ that you should run.¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± She ignored her demeaning words, the sharp pain in her chest of being called weak again. She lashed out, slashing her sword across Val, and this time, she caught her. Or rather, Val just let it hit her. The blade actually made contact with her face. She sliced her face across the nose, feeling the blade hitting the skin, the bridge of her nose. Normally, at this distance, with that power, she can easily cut apart a monster¡¯s head with ease. She should¡¯ve killed Val. Yet, no blood poured out. Her head was still attached to her body. She just had a glaring pink mark on the bridge of her, like someone stamped a metal plate on her for too long and left a mark. That was the amount of damage she gave to Val. Was it even treated as damage? Her eyes opened wide, realizing that she hadn¡¯t activated her Heavenly Strike. She tried again, redirecting her sword. As though she knew that was going to happen, Val slapped the hand that carried her sword and then closed her hand into a fist before hackhanding Mikella''s face once again. Before she could even recognize the pain, Val continued her onslaught. A punch, a kick, several jabs to her torso, kicks to the stomach and face. She was just beating her up. The fact that her stats have been decreased didn''t matter at all. In fact, Val was practically using her current state to her advantage. To utterly beat Mikella without worry of overdoing it. Mikella''s mind whirled as pain overcame her senses, bruises showing more than her skin now. But despite that, she still held onto her sword, somehow. She tried to activate Heavenly Strike, a move she knew that could actually affect Val. But just when she was churning her stamina to use the skill, Val kicked her down. Hard. ¡°Gah!¡± Mikella cried out, but Val¡¯s foot stomped further down, causing her gut to squeeze and her voice to stifle. She stared upwards, at the menacing look on Val¡¯s face. She looked so scary, so frightening, Mikella wanted to run away. But that went against her logic. Her mind refused to give way, to give in to someone¡¯s command. She tried to push off the foot, but it only dug deeper. ¡°Gaaaah!¡± Mikella screeched. Her voice was reaching a higher length than usual. ¡°Give up,¡± Val decreed. ¡°You have no chance against me.¡± Those words, those two stupid words, wrung in her mind. She wanted to. She wanted to stop fighting, to beg for forgiveness, to survive. If she doesn¡¯t, she will die. But the strange voice, which she was starting to realize wasn¡¯t her own, insisted on fighting back. She was stronger. She was better. She can¡¯t give up. She can¡¯t let that happen. But then, if she did die¡­ what then? Something, some will of its own, was trying to wrest control from her¨Cbut her instincts, the will that she imprinted deep within her core, blazed through. She finally realized it. If she died, then Clara will be left alone. Nobody can understand Clara like she can. If Mikella dies, then she won¡¯t be able to protect Clara. There was no point in having pride if nobody could take care of her after she died. Hell, what¡¯s the point of pride? In the end, what mattered to her the most in the world was Clara. Her eyes brimmed with tears, the realization hitting her like a bag of bricks, or rather, it hit her harder than Val¡¯s foot ready to stomp her life. She cried out. ¡°P-Please¡­ let me go,¡± Mikella cried out. Her shame and embarrassment was nothing compared to her survival, to be with Clara. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ Please, forgive me¡­¡± Tears fell down her cheeks as her fear, her own survival, took over completely. She let go of her pride, the nasty voice in her head, and let it all bare. Val kept glaring at her, staring down hard at her, but finally she released her foot. ¡°Captain!¡± Voices were heard from beyond the forest, making Val turn around to find Mikella¡¯s team running up. Their eyes widened at the scene, and even worse at the bloody, almost mangled body of Mikella crying on the ground. ¡°Captain¡­ w-was this really necessary?¡± Myra said, though Mikella¡¯s eyes were too blurry to see her expression. ¡°Yes,¡± Val said. Her voice returned to the usual Captain demeanor as she explained. ¡°It¡¯s the only way to shock her back to her true self. It¡¯s clear now that her class has taken over her.¡± ¡°Her class?¡± Myra asked inquisitively. ¡°She has a rare class, a class that nobody else had in a long time. I didn¡¯t realize it, but I should¡¯ve seen the signs forming. I was too late to correct her before this came up.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Myra stood quietly, but Mikella could hear whispers going on as Myra seemed to step closer. ¡°Don¡¯t waste a Health Potion on her,¡± Val ordered, stopping Myra¡¯s steps. ¡°I know it looks bad, but she¡¯ll make it through. Besides, she¡¯ll have plenty of time to recover when we get back home.¡± Myra stood quiet for a moment. Somehow, Mikella could tell that something wasn¡¯t right, as though the atmosphere turned tense. Then, Myra let out a breath as she stepped away, her members walking back with her. Then, without Mikella realizing it as her eyes were closed from the pain, someone picked her up. Strangely enough, she thought she was going to be treated roughly. But it was pleasant, gentle, like being picked up by a worried, exaggerated mother. As her consciousness faded, she recalled Val looking down at her from up close, her face now twisted with pain and guilt. ¡°You stupid girl¡­ you took on too much on yourself.¡± Her mind faded into darkness. cH54: Down and out It had been a pretty good day for Zeke. Instead of holing up in his room all day studying runes, he instead went out to help Cloud on his lord duties. This was one of the reasons why Cloud insisted on Zeke becoming a Runist. He fully planned on using his abilities for his town¡¯s needs. Personally Zeke didn¡¯t mind at all. Not only did Cloud accept him and his family (he still had a hard time thinking about that word) into his home with his own family, he taught Zeke so much about magic and especially on the great parts of being a Runist. So when he heard he could use Runecrafting to help the citizens of the town, he was fully glad to do so. One of the first things he did was inscribing a set of runes onto the town¡¯s water supply. Normally, Cloud¡¯s home can instantly create water from the mana, but as a mage with Runecrafting, such a thing was possible for his own home. However, it was different for the townsfolk. So Zeke went ahead and inscribed runes on the whole of the town at the town¡¯s main source of water¨Ca reservoir hidden deep within the underground. With his runes, he was able to help clean the water and help the water move long distances to everyone¡¯s homes, which is all connected via a single powerful rune inscription not made by Cloud, but by the kingdom¡¯s helpers when they settled in so many years ago. Cloud would¡¯ve done it himself, but not only did it require intense inscribing which could take hours, if not days, but instill so much Mana that throughout all this time, Cloud was never able to do. The people have been living solely by working together to keep the water fresh. With Zeke, that was no longer an issue. Now they can focus on more important things, such as keeping a decent food supply and other necessary components. Cloud also mentioned that it was better not to go too hard on fixing the town¡¯s issues. After all, what would the people living here do if the lords handled everything? That¡¯s why Zeke¡¯s insistence of helping with the food supply and waste management with his runes were shot down. He understood it, especially since the people are paid for their work. It was just that the water supply took so much priority that it was taken care of first and foremost. He didn¡¯t realize it at the time, but he was glad that Cloud pushed him towards the Runist class. It was an incredible class with plenty of benefits, especially for himself as the main caster. Thanks to Inscription Proficiency and Runic Library, what would¡¯ve taken Cloud ages to complete only took Zeke about an hour or so. Though he felt disappointed that he wasn¡¯t able to use his new Class skill: Runic Spell, for any of this. Then again, what would he need a fireball to help the town¡¯s water supply? Since reaching level 25, he gained two new skill choices for his Runist Class. Though compared to before, these skills weren¡¯t really all that interesting¡­ or good, for that matter. One of them is a skill that helped understand the history behind a rune. That would¡¯ve been useful if it helped him understand the rune better, but it does only that¨Ctell him the history of how it was born. It didn¡¯t help him draw any better. Apparently it¡¯s one of those ¡®learning¡¯ skills for a Runist to help teach the young ones its history. In other words¨Cit was useless. He didn¡¯t want to believe it, but Cloud convinced him that there were so many different types of skills that one or the other had to be so niche that it was borderline useless. The other one wasn¡¯t anything better either, just slightly better than the history one. It allowed him to draw runes differently than how they were physically represented. For example, he could make a rune that looks like the letter ¡®M¡¯ mixed with a plus sign at the very bottom of the letter into a letter ¡®Z¡¯ with a sideways tiny letter ¡®N¡¯ at the center. In the end, nothing changed. Apparently it¡¯s one of those cosmetic types of skills that made the rune inscription more prettier. Zeke didn¡¯t care about being pretty¨Che cared about efficiency. Hence he gladly returned to the skill he wanted before attaining Inscription Proficiency¨CThe Class Skill: Runic Spell. With that, he could make his favorite fireball spell¨Cor any spell he could put his mind into. He felt giddy, and wanted to return home to work on it. He even planned on using some spells to play with Clara and Ana, which was becoming a hobby for him to figure out what to do with the excited girls. Though this entire time, he wondered what he could do to help Mikella with her mood. He didn¡¯t like that she had been slowly being disappointed by his lack of action this month. He can¡¯t blame her¨Cshe had been fighting for the sake of the town and leveling herself up. Hell, it was thanks to her constant leveling that he even managed to help the town throughout the month with his rising power. He had been doing what he could to pay back for everything she¡¯s done for him, but as more time passed, the more Mikella seemed frustrated. Agitated, even. So he decided to help with the household doing some cooking. Despite Cloud¡¯s resistance, he eventually caved in when Zeke offered to help with the workload. He didn¡¯t even need to be convinced either as Cloud had his hands full with his lordly duties and Val¡¯s own duties as a captain. It was a rough job, something that Zeke was glad to help ease the burden however he could. What else could he do other than study runes again? Though he did keep that part to himself to get excited over when he was done with the chores. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. By the time evening came, everything was ready and for once, the men would greet the women. He left the house, with Cloud following along as both Clara and Ana were still with Vivian, taking the time to learn more about the world, or at least hang out with their friends since they''re still so young. Zeke wanted to at least give some news about his work as a Runist today. Perhaps that might impress her. It got so tense that Clara got worried over it, asking Bobo whether Sissy was mad at her or something. Her, not him. He tried to console her, telling her that Mikella was just having a stressful time getting adjusted to her job. He felt guilty for lying to her, especially since he knew that it might be his own undoing for causing Mikella such stress. But in the end, he didn¡¯t know what was going on. Perhaps the horde battle was affecting her harder than usual, and all Zeke did was hole up in the house learning magic letters. Not that there wasn¡¯t much he could do¨CThat was his training routine as a Runist. He even gained XP by doing exactly as he did today, though compared to hunting monsters, it was a trickle rather than a waterfall¡¯s worth. He was also worried that perhaps Mikella lost faith in him when it came to trust. While Mikella shared her past to him at some point, Zeke barely spoke at all. Strangely enough, Mikella never bothered to ask him about it during the two weeks they spent surviving the forest. He wondered whether he had done something to warrant mistrust between them¡­ As the dimming studded star above slowly changed to an orange hue, Zeke waited patiently along with Cloud near the entrance. This was usually the time when they returned from their hunt. Zeke was waiting for the perfect chance to surprise Mikella, maybe even thinking about making a joke about earning his levels while sitting on his ass. Well, technically, that was true¨Cbut he wanted to make it funny either way. All of that was blown away when he saw the soldiers coming in. His face turned pale to find a battered and unconscious Mikella held within Val¡¯s arms. His heart sank, and his eyes turned wide. Without really thinking, he ran towards them, leaving the also surprised Cloud in his wake. He screamed: ¡°Mikella!¡± He ran up to Val, who thankfully stopped walking the moment Zeke came rushing towards. She still carried Mikella with a princess-carry, her battered form being more apparent with every step he took. After Zeke went up close, he saw how she turned out to be. She looked as though she had wrestled with an ape bare-handed and lost as expected. There were bruises and purplish blue marks all over, her armor cut in several places to reveal her battered skin. Her lip was cut and busted, her face was nearly swollen, and blood marred her once pretty face. It was a nightmare to see her like this compared to how she left this morning. What made him wince was the strange foot mark on her abdomen, not like a dirt-covered one, but an actual indent of someone¡¯s foot. The cheap leather armor couldn¡¯t take it as it hadn¡¯t recovered the normal appearance back. He squinted at the point of impact on her abdomen. There was no way that a monster could do that¡­ could it? As far as he knew, that boss monkey monster didn¡¯t have such a perfectly replicated foot design, or did it? ¡°What happened to her?¡± Zeke asked, turning his attention to Val. He didn¡¯t care that the other soldiers were looking at the two, giving him the most attention. All he cared is how the fuck did Mikella ended up getting hurt in a group of soldiers? They all seem perfectly fine compared to her. When he turned to Myra, Mikella¡¯s friend within the group, she looked away. She didn¡¯t even dare to look him in the eyes. That only ticked him off more. ¡°Zeke, calm down and listen to me,¡± Val said, finally catching Zeke and forcing him to do exactly as she said. ¡°Mikella had¡­ Well, she went against my orders.¡± ¡°What?¡± Zeke asked in shock. How could someone like Mikella actually go against her orders? Mikella always referred to Val like a role-model in her life. ¡°What the hell happened? Why would she do that?¡± He knew that Mikella was acting strange these past few days. Sure enough, she¡¯s been distant, almost aggravated to the point that Clara noticed it. But he could understand that Zeke might be responsible for that. Ignoring her captain¡¯s orders was another thing. ¡°Mikella went off on her own, abandoning her team, and went to face monsters on her own. She went against my orders and broke the condition I made her take. So I took action.¡± ¡°So you decided to just beat her up?!¡± Zeke yelled. He couldn¡¯t hold back his emotions any longer. Rage swelled in his chest as it took hold of his calm and crushed it. ¡°What kind of captain does that to someone just for ignoring orders?!¡± ¡°Zeke, easy¡­¡± Myra finally stepped up. She held her hand up, this time finally looking at Zeke in the eyes. When he glared back at her, she didn¡¯t falter. Instead, she showed guilt, but there was conviction in her eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t know if you noticed, but Mikky has been acting strange for a while. I don¡¯t know what finally made her snap, but she just jumped and ran from us. We tried to stop her, but she just kept going. Any soldier going off on their own is a definite death sentence in this town. You never know when something is going to happen.¡± Zeke tried to find a retort, but her words sparked the very reasoning why Zeke figured Mikella was feeling off these past few days. They make it seem like there was actually something wrong with her, like something just possessed her. The idea that the arthurian knight from the tower possessing her took his mind, finding himself widening and showing a look of horror. He shook it off¨Cif that was the case, then why now? Why after almost three months has it decided to take over now? It just didn¡¯t seem right, and Zeke read a lot of books regarding the subject of apparitions. They can only possess objects like weapons and armor, but no actual human beings¨Cunless some sort of spiritual medium user was involved, but there was no hint of anyone like that anywhere around them. ¡°I will explain what exactly happened later. For now, let¡¯s get into the house. She needs to rest up. Don¡¯t worry¨CI made sure to go easy on her.¡± That didn¡¯t help calm Zeke at all as Val went ahead with Mikella in tow, her legs just flopping about as she remained unconscious this whole time. All the while, the other soldiers went past Zeke, still in his thoughts. One of the soldiers, Jackie, as Zeke recalled from Mikella¡¯s team, patted him on the shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s gonna be fine man. Don¡¯t worry. Captain¡¯s the best even when she¡¯s dealing out punishments.¡± He looked back at the man, not knowing whether to thank him or scream at him. The other team member and Jackie¡¯s twin brother, Maxie, pushed him along as Cloud closed up to the still Zeke. ¡°I think I can guess what happened, and something tells me you¡¯re going to need to sit down for this. Come on.¡± Cloud patted Zeke¡¯s shoulder again, this time grasping it so that Zeke would look back at him. Noticing his saddened but solemn stare, Zeke grimaced as he did as Cloud said and returned back to the Mystio household. Ch55: Taking accountability Today was probably the worst day of Mikella¡¯s life. When she came to, it felt like she just got off of a massive drunken spree, suffering the worst hangover in existence. Just like a hangover, she remembered her actions, the way she just abandoned her team to search for stronger prey, saying not so team-friendly words to them. Then, she acted like a total brat on a high horse towards her own host and captain of the military force and got promptly stomped on her ass for it. And just like a hangover, the moment she woke up, her head was aching just as much as the rest of her body. Her midsection came off the worst, however. Despite her mind fluctuating from the headache, her body still remembered how her guts were almost squeezed out of her stomach from a very pissed off Val. And now, she found herself sitting on the couch in front of the two hosts, Val and Cloud sitting across from her. All the while, Zeke sat beside her, showing a very concerned look on his face. This was just like a parent visiting her teacher to have a meeting regarding her recent behavior. Somehow, after everything, this was probably the worst. No, this is definitely the worst, by far. Mikella remembered waking up to find Zeke and Val looking over at her, each looking concerned. Pain was still rattling at her insides, but the moment Mikella was fine enough to walk, they were taken to the living room to speak at length about what happened. They stood still for a few minutes while the hosts were speaking to each other before returning back to them. That¡¯s when Zeke began with a hard look at Val. Mikella turned to Zeke, showing an expression that was hard to pin down. He was either mad, worried, anxious, afraid, or just focused on what was going on. Cloud on the other hand showed a reluctant face as though he didn¡¯t know why he was even here. Val, on the other hand, was the hardest to pin down. Her face was cool and neutral. There was no sign of that dangerous glare that sent shivers down her spine even as a memory. She was still, like a calm lake right after a raging storm. The mood was tense, and thankfully the kids were still outside, not bearing witness to what was probably the most tense moment in this house by far. ¡°So¡­ what happened?¡± Zeke started after the silence took over for way longer than it should. ¡°Zeke, I¡¯m going to give it to you straight. Mikella went against my order and abandoned her team to find stronger monsters to face,¡± Val answered, her face still neutral despite the severity of her words. Zeke turned to Mikella, and just like a parent hearing bad news from her teacher, he showed concern but also tinged with anger and disappointment. Despite wanting to argue that Zeke was nowhere her parental figure, or even her husband for that matter, Zeke is¨Cby all accounts¨Cher partner. So of course, finding out that his partner was acting like a major bitch didn¡¯t sit well with him. ¡°I just¡­ I just don¡¯t understand why she would do that,¡± Zeke asked, shaking his head. Mikella could¡¯ve answered, but something about this was making her shut up and not bother answering. If anything, she wanted to leave and just hide underneath her covers and pretend this day never existed. ¡°It doesn¡¯t sound like her at all. Mikella, why did you do that?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Mikella grimaced. It was becoming harder and harder to look at Zeke¡¯s face. That look of his¡­ she could feel the disappointment pouring from his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not really sure what happened. I was just so angry at my own progress, how long it was taking for me to level up and¡­¡± ¡°Is it because of me?¡± Zeke asked, finally causing Mikella to turn to him. It wasn¡¯t a look of disappointment. It was a fearful look, as though he just found out the realization of his actions. ¡°Because I keep taking your XP away?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Mikella couldn¡¯t answer in full. At the end, she ended up blaming Zeke for not letting her level up even after beating the Big Boss Monkey. To say that wasn¡¯t true would be lying, and right now, she just couldn''t lie to Zeke. ¡°So, it¡¯s because of me that you¡¯re acting like this,¡± Zeke said, which prompted everyone to look at him. ¡°I didn¡¯t talk to you about it, and I was just so focused on learning runes. I¡­ I should¡¯ve talked with you more.¡± ¡°Zeke¡­¡± Was Zeke actually blaming himself for her own behavior? Even if one of the problems was their shared experience, not only was that out of his control, it was clear that everything else was her fault. Her actions, her insults, everything lead to her getting to this situation. And yet Zeke figured it was all because he wasn¡¯t there when she was¡­ hurting? In pain? She didn¡¯t feel like it. She certainly felt something was off, but if she didn¡¯t even know herself, how can she properly explain it to Zeke? Rather, she kept pushing it off, not wanting to bother explaining the issue as she already knew the answer; just more fighting. But clearly that was a wrong thing to do. ¡°Val, I¨C¡± ¡°Zeke, before you continue,¡± Val interrupted him with a raised hand. ¡°While I do suggest you two should communicate your feelings more, this is not the case for that. This is a bigger issue than the lack of communication.¡± ¡°What do you mean then?¡± Zeke raised his brows. ¡°Mikella,¡± Val turned to her, her glare returning. Mikella¡¯s flinched, an act that everyone caught and got her to lower her head in embarrassment. ¡°What level are you right now?¡± ¡°Uhh¡­ Level 27,¡± Mikella answered hesitantly. ¡°And your skills?¡± Val continued. ¡°Umm¡­¡± Mikella took a moment to summon her status to check. ¡°Other than my Class skills, everything is above 5. Sword Mastery is at 7, and my acquired skills are at 6.¡± Despite her getting the worst breakdown in her life, she was proud of her accomplishments of raising her skill levels. But when she turned to look at Val, she had a difficult look on her face that Mikella could barely describe. Cloud himself looked rather uncomfortable, and Zeke was the only one who shared her confusion. ¡°Is there something wrong?¡± Zeke asked. ¡°Normally,¡± Cloud was the one to answer. ¡°A new person joining the system would take their time to raise their level. Of course, that¡¯s only if the situation was normal. It¡¯s clear that your situation is not. So it¡¯s understandable that she raised her level and skills that much higher.¡± Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. ¡°But to do that in only two months is too fast,¡± Val continued. ¡°Too fast, and too reckless. It¡¯s one thing to go after one powerful monster after another, and another to get titles based on your achievements. However, what me and Cloud failed to recognize is that your class is not something we¡¯re used to seeing.¡± ¡°What?¡± Mikella asked, now curious instead of ashamed. ¡°Mikella, you have chosen a Dragon Warrior class,¡± Val said, prompting Mikella to nod. ¡°That¡¯s not a normal class that anyone can choose by any means. We were serious when we said it was rare for a reason.¡± Val stood up from the sofa, going behind and pacing while Cloud continued to sit and having a pensive look. ¡°Dragons are notoriously proud monsters, known for their intelligence and arrogance beyond normal understanding. So it made sense how you acted in such a way. For example, a normal warrior is more interested in combat, sometimes relying on brute force than just thinking logically. On the other hand, a mage can get extremely curious for their own good. Those are traits that we grew up looking out for, to ensure that no matter how one acted, when one levels, those particularly troublesome traits are nurtured into something better.¡± ¡°But like we said,¡± Cloud answered as soon as Val finished. ¡°We never saw a Dragon Warrior before.¡± ¡°So¡­¡± Val closed her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s possible that there were traits that we never saw before that you exhibited, and that made your personality worse in return. Especially after your rapid growth, your class is¡­ well, it¡¯s taking over you.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Mikella and Zeke answered in unison, standing up from their seats and staring at them in disbelief. For Mikella¡¯s part, fear gripped her insides. Because everything started to make sense for her now. The thoughts in her head, the strange way she acted, the way she looked at herself¡­ she had always been a confident person, but lately that confidence became assurance, and then turned into an absolute truth in her head. The fact that she missed all that, thinking that it was all her, made her shiver. ¡°Then what do we do?¡± Zeke asked. He turned from angry and concerned to borderline panicking now. ¡°Is it going to take over her completely? Will she¡­ will she lose herself?¡± ¡°Now hold on,¡± Val raised her hand. She grimaced, as though she didn¡¯t intend to make it like this. ¡°It¡¯s not as serious as that. Like I said, it¡¯s a trait¨Csometimes when people level up faster than normal, those traits start to show up as part of their classes. It¡¯s just a mood change¨Cnothing more.¡± ¡°Still, it can get rather dangerous,¡± Cloud answered, raising both hands to gesture calm to the two. The otherworlders sat back down to face Cloud while Val continued to pace behind him. ¡°If the traits revolve around putting oneself in danger, or worse, putting others in danger¨Cthat¡¯s where we step in.¡± ¡°And Mikella was clearly heading down a bad path. Not just in ignoring my orders, but continuing to get farther into the forest and beating stronger monsters. And all by herself as that. That¡¯s just asking to die a lonely death.¡± Mikella winced at that. As far as she knew, she was planning on doing exactly that. She didn¡¯t even think that was a bad thing, even now. But after glancing over at Zeke who had an angry and concerned look on his face proved how wrong she was. ¡°So¡­ which is it? Which one is the class and which one is Mikella?¡± Zeke asked, actually starting an interesting question for her. ¡°It¡¯s both,¡± Val answered simply, shooting Mikella down completely. ¡°The only way to ease the traits of your class is by leveling up slowly over time. Perhaps after half a year, that would be natural. If one trained hard enough and focused on themselves and their mental state, those traits can easily be controlled. It might change someone, sure, but that¡¯s no different than life¨Cespecially after gaining the system initialization.¡± ¡°You just quickened the process way too much,¡± Cloud said with an easy smile, but Mikella didn¡¯t feel good at all. ¡°Precisely,¡± Val walked over to the front, facing Mikella down with her arms crossed. ¡°And while I do take responsibility for not noticing it sooner, and if I¡¯m being honest, I shouldn¡¯t have done what I did to you¡­¡± Val leaned in, her eyes turning sharp like they did before. Fear gripped her heart as Mikella shivered, her eyes widening and a cold sweat running down her head. ¡°I won¡¯t forgive any disrespect towards me. Especially towards your fellow team members and, worst of all, to your partner.¡± Her heart ceased. She remembered the awful things she thought when she was thinking about Zeke. That unfortunately got Zeke¡¯s attention as he tilted his head. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Uhh, that¡¯s¨C¡± Mikella tried to answer, her face flushed as her heart sank at this realization. Unfortunately, Val beat her to it. ¡°She thought you were useless and what you¡¯re doing here is no different than playing and slacking off. She also thought that Myra and the twins were too weak and useless in combat. Oh, and that¡¯s not to say how she thought about the town as a whole as well.¡± Mikella could feel every bit of herself breaking apart by Val¡¯s words. She wasn¡¯t intending to mock her¨Cit was all because of her fault that she felt like this. Deep within her, she knew that everything she thought back then was wrong. That no matter how one spends their time, it is spent however they want. That was the point of living. Yet she ridiculed it, calling it useless in her head. She turned to Zeke, only to feel her heart breaking after seeing Zeke look back in shock and horror. His face¡­ it was like his own heart was breaking. She wanted to say immediately that it wasn¡¯t true. But it was. She herself said so herself to Val. Val only just looked at this scene and pursed her lips. ¡°I don¡¯t know whether that was your personal feelings, or your traits coming alive and biting your ass, but either way¨Cyou will be punished for this.¡± ¡°W-Wait, wait,¡± Zeke shook his head, tearing his focus away from Mikella. ¡°Hadn¡¯t she been punished enough?¡± ¡°Physically? Yes,¡± Val nodded promptly. ¡°But that was¡­ well, mostly for me. Cloud already chewed me out on that, so we¡¯re good on that.¡± Mikella¡¯s brows rose. So that was why the two felt like they were having a mini-argument before facing the otherworlders. ¡°But that was expected. However, directly ignoring a captain¡¯s orders is a serious offense. This would normally mean being kicked out of the force and disallowing you to hunt the monsters outside the forest. Guards would be put around you at all times until further notice, making sure that you don¡¯t sneak out of town and face monsters to level up again.¡± Mikella¡¯s face turned stiffed in horror. Not only would that be so embarrassing to go through, the idea of not being able to fight again to level was horrifying by itself. She had already leveled up a lot at this point, but to be barred from fighting was too much. ¡°D-Does it have to be that serious?¡± Zeke asked, equally horrified by the result. ¡°I mean, I understand that she went too far, but¡­¡± ¡°But since we¡¯re in a pretty bad situation right now, I won¡¯t go that far. However, she will have to be under house arrest for this. This isn¡¯t because of the disrespect¨Canymore leveling and fighting would only worsen the traits of the class further. I don¡¯t want that, and I¡¯m sure neither do the two of you.¡± The two gave a heavy nod, Mikella most of all. She was just glad she won¡¯t have some babysitter making sure she¡¯s behaving in town. That, and she honestly wanted to stop. She loved to train, even back in her old world, but she always had a tendency to go too far. This was one of those cases, and even more so when she went as far as being so disrespectful. ¡°On top of that,¡± Val continued. ¡°When she returns, she must, no matter what, follow my orders. Cloud and Zacharia, the general of the military, are included. You may not like it, but this is for the sanctity of the town. Anyone caught not following orders, chaos will erupt. I¡¯ll make sure it will never come to that.¡± The last sentence hinged deep with a tone of absolute. Even if she had to kill Mikella, she would do so if it meant the safety of the town. At that moment, her fear turned into something else¨Cresoluteness and gratitude. She would do the same if she was in Val¡¯s position. The fact that she felt so only made her more guilty for her actions. ¡°So¡­ house arrest and following orders,¡± Zeke followed up, nodding to himself. ¡°Umm, for how long?¡± Val just shrugged. ¡°Honestly? If the situation ever turns from bad to worse, I¡¯ll forget the whole house arrest. But for now, maybe three months. Less with good behavior.¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± Zeke let out a relieved breath. The look on his face eased up and a lot of tension was gone. However, he turned back to Val. ¡°So, what now? How can we level?¡± That was a good question. She may have taken it too far, but that didn¡¯t mean she didn¡¯t want to stop leveling. All she had to do is to just not fight so much. Which begged the question as to how they can level now. ¡°Well that¡¯s easy,¡± Val smiled, getting Cloud to mimic her as she turned to Zeke. ¡°Since you share a link and can gain the same amount of XP¨Cyou¡¯ll take her place.¡± Ch56: Drama first, work later ¡°Wait, are you serious?¡± Zeke asked, surprised to hear that now he¡¯s going to be the one to hunt monsters, and Mikella staying behind. Val only smiled. Mikella, however, was left blank. The look on her face showed that a lot of thoughts were running in her mind, none of them expecting this scenario. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Val answered. She finally showed a graceful smile from this conversation as she answered. ¡°Mikella going out of commision would be a big issue, but thankfully, Zeke can gain levels for her. That way, she can steer clear of fighting, allowing her to focus more on herself and slowly return back to normal.¡± ¡°It¡¯s also a good way for you to get some exercise,¡± Cloud said, smiling at the result. ¡°It¡¯s good for a mage to study, but you really need to stretch your legs and be on the frontlines.¡± Zeke never felt more like a petulant child that refused to go out, instead deciding to read books all day. Not that he was ashamed of what he did, since he kept studying all day to learn his class. Still, Cloud made some good points. ¡°Of course, that¡¯s if you want to. Once again, I don¡¯t want to force you to do anything like fighting unless you consent to it,¡± Val said, but Zeke quickly shook his head. ¡°No, please, let me. I want to help the town with the horde remnants too.¡± That, and figure out a few other things while he was out there. He wanted to know whether their involvement was somehow linked to all this. After reading so many books, he had a very hard time believing it, but¡­ well, entering into another world via a strange tower nobody knew about would raise some questions. ¡°Good,¡± Val nodded, expecting his answer already. Then she turned and showed a solemn stare to Mikella. ¡°I believe that should be alright with you?¡± That wasn¡¯t a question, Zeke was sure. That was a demand. He worried for a second that it would spark conflict again, causing another big issue. But Mikella nodded her head. Not downcast, but assured and understanding. ¡°Yes. I know I can¡¯t say much myself, but please take care of Zeke. He tends to be¡­ problematic.¡± Zeke hung his head back in surprise. Just as he was about to retort¨C ¡°Oh believe me, I will,¡± Val answered reassuringly, agreeing full heartedly. Zeke turned back to Val in complete shock. ¡°What?¡± Mikella asked, turning to him incredulously. ¡°You literally flew through the air twice every time you¡¯re left alone. I think we have more than enough reasons to get worried.¡± ¡°...Ah.¡± Zeke hunched his head towards himself like a turtle. He did certainly fly more often than he normally should have, being a support mage and all. ¡°Oh, you have got to tell me that,¡± Cloud said with a hearty chuckle. The mood turned a lot better now, especially after Mikella took everything well despite being punished for her behavior. But even when the group dispersed to do their own thing, Zeke was left sitting on the couch, thinking. He wasn''t nervous about the expedition. If it was anything like the horde battle, it should be a lot easier. Then again, he still felt his insides quiver of being out in combat again after a whole month. But that wasn¡¯t all. He also noticed Mikella staying at the couch too, right beside him. She twirled her brown hair, a rare gesture of nervousness after the time spent with her. She usually doesn¡¯t get nervous¨Cshe was always confident and assured of herself, unlike him. Suddenly, she spoke up. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Mikella said. It felt quick, but it also felt to him that she poured all of her willpower into saying those simple words. ¡°For what?¡± Zeke asked. Though he felt rather pitiful. He knew what she was sorry for. He just didn¡¯t know which one. ¡°About everything,¡± Mikella let out a heavy breath, her fingers intertwined with each other. ¡°About acting the way I did, getting into trouble and¡­ saying all those things about you and the others.¡± That one was the one that Zeke wanted to know about. She called him useless, and all the things he did were pointless. It was one thing to expect her to think of him like that. To actually be right about it was¡­ painful. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Zeke said, though his heart wasn¡¯t in it. ¡°You weren¡¯t in the best state of mind.¡± ¡°No,¡± Mikella shook her head, turning to him. ¡°It didn¡¯t matter. I was wrong and said something awful about you. I didn¡¯t¡­ I didn¡¯t want Val to say it out loud, mostly because back then I wasn¡¯t even thinking about it. Just¡­ blabbering it out loud like an idiot.¡± Mikella brushed her hair to the side, filled with frustration. The way Val just spoke out loud like that would certainly make anyone nervous. ¡°You didn¡¯t deserve that. Not to mention, you even tried to talk with me about it. I kept refusing, and just kept burrowing myself into my own ego. I just wanted you to know that I was wrong. I shouldn¡¯t have said any of that.¡± She looked back at him, her eyes filled with sincerity. If there was one thing Zeke knew about her, it was her honesty. She would say things out loud, and never lie unless it was necessary. So, he should also be honest as well. ¡°...What you said about me doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Zeke said. Mikella flinched at that, as if she never expected him to speak with such a serious tone. Still, she kept listening. ¡°I¡¯m frustrated that you kept brushing us off like that. It¡¯s one thing for me. I expected that you had a problem with how I was doing. But¡­¡± True anger filled him as he spoke his next words. ¡°But you made Clara feel as though it was her own fault you were acting like that.¡± Her eyes widened, a sound of glass breaking in his head as he saw her expression falter. It looked like she didn¡¯t know about that at all. ¡°Clara noticed how you were acting strange, and thought that you were angry at her for not doing anything. I tried to tell her that it was my fault¨Cthat I pissed you off somehow. But if everything Val said is true, then that means you messed up big time.¡± Zeke closed his eyes. He felt guilty, pulling this sort of thing out to Mikella. What right did he have as someone who wasn¡¯t related to the two sisters at all? But he put that aside. He had every right. They were a family¨Ca family of circumstances to be sure¨Cbut still a family. What¡¯s more, they were adults. Their job was simple. They were supposed to take care of Clara until they figure out what the hell they are supposed to do in this world. ¡°If you really want to apologize, then apologize to Clara, not me,¡± Zeke said, finality in his tone. Mikella kept listening to it all, her eyes widened with each word. Then, she nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± And that was that. Zeke felt like the heavy weight that was suddenly thrown onto his shoulders was lifted. He did the adult thing and he supposed he did it well. Mikella looked upset, but at least for the right reasons. He would know. If he ever did anything like she did, he would feel so guilty that he would want to hide under the floorboards and never return due to shame. If she felt anything like that, the only best thing to do now is to let her stew in her own thoughts while they waited for the kids to return. ¡­.. A few hours passed, and Zeke noticed both Mikella and Clara laughing comfortably with each other in the living room. He was at the study getting ready for the expedition when the kids returned. He let Mikella be with Clara for a while, hoping that everything was going well. He smiled, glad that the heavy mood was over and Clara¡¯s bright smile returned. She began talking to Mikella about a lot of things, particularly about Ana¡¯s antics and getting some new friends along the way. Mikella looked like she was ready to cry, which surprised Zeke. Then again, after Clara showed to be more introverted than Zeke expected, hearing that Clara made friends and had fun with Ana was enough for her to well up in tears. They hugged, Clara trying to comfort her while Mikella was just being glad that Clara was having fun in this world. The night passed as this time Zeke included himself into the fun, getting everyone into the study to show Mikella what he had been up to. He almost chortled when Mikella tried to understand what the runes are by looking through the books, but then nodded off to sleep after half an hour passed. She was still on the first page of the book. What was more interesting is that Clara herself took a keen interest in the runes, even understanding the few basic concepts that took Zeke a while to get on his own. He added some input obviously, but it was proof that Clara was indeed smarter than your average kid. It was a good night. He felt better knowing that the tenseness between them was gone. But then he was met with a rather¡­ uncomfortable position. Not too uncomfortable, if he was honest, but Clara wanted both Sissy and Bobo to come to sleep with her in her bed. While Mikella was off duty during her intense training, she slept in the same room as Ana, deepening her friendship with her. So when Mikella finally returned to her senses, Clara decided to take the chance to ask. So, without really figuring out how he ended up in that situation, Zeke was in the room with Clara by his side and the already exhausted Mikella resting beside her. Looking at the two of them in the middle of the night, he found Clara snugly asleep within the tired Mikella¡¯s arms. She nestled on top of her chest, snoring away with perfect ease. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. As for the adults, it was a little awkward at first. But surprisingly Mikella was fine with it, so Zeke obliged. There was no way in hell he could actually feel anything with Clara in the middle anyways, but the idea of sleeping in the same bed was¡­ well, too personal to really think about. He shrugged it off as he forced himself to sleep. He was going to have a busy day tomorrow morning, so he needed some shut-eye. ¡­.. The studded star shimmering bright, Zeke gathered up his things and filled his storage bag with any necessary weapons. Then he and Mikella went over to the blacksmith. It was time to pick up their gear. Just because MIkella was out of commision didn¡¯t mean that she didn¡¯t want her original sword back. She also needed to return the Sword of Lightning, as it was borrowed and not officially bought. Of course, word spread around the town about Mikella¡¯s dismissal from the military. At first, Zeke worried whether she would face some sort of harassment for that. He was pleasantly surprised that they all asked how she was, and if she was in dire stress. They all knew throughout the month the number of monsters she had killed, and how she grew so strong so fast. She basically became a legend, something that Zeke noticed, but put in the back of his mind as he focused on his studies. Once they parted, Mikella waved at them, a distant look in her eyes. After the night passed and the intense emotions dissipated, he wondered if she was taking everything well. ¡°Everything okay?¡± Zeke asked. ¡°Yeah, I just¡­¡± Mikella answered, her voice trailing off before getting back on it. ¡°I just realized that I get tunnel vision way too easily¨Cthat¡¯s how it was back in our world. I just shut everything off, just doing what I need to do. I really need to fix that.¡± Zeke smiled. He offered a pat on her shoulder, getting her to look back at him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry¨CI¡¯ll be here, and this time, I¡¯ll look out for you if it ever comes to that.¡± This time, Mikella beamed. ¡°Thanks. That¡¯s sweet of you.¡± ¡°I mean, I kinda have to. You¡¯re the breadwinner of the family, remember?¡± That earned Zeke a slap to the shoulder¨Cwhich made him wince hard and almost fell over. For a short moment, he panicked, but after Mikella apologized to him profusely for not adjusting to her high Strength, he realized she was just slapping him for his stupidity¨Cjust with horrid consequences. They still needed to get to the blacksmith. Returning back to the heavy business of the blacksmith¡¯s store, the smith in question noticed them coming and shouted. ¡°Heya! You returned!¡± The smith shouted with glee, waving at the couple coming in with expectant eyes. ¡°I got you your weapon. Glad to see Cloud got you here in time. ¡°I hope you treated my sword with care while you were out there,¡± The smith shook his head. ¡°Still, gotta say. It dampened my spirit to find out you got bit hard with Class Madness. I hope your recovery goes fast, lassy.¡± Mikella tilted her head, surprised at the term. Zeke also got confused and asked what he meant by that as Val probably said it too, but didn''t say much else. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s what we call people who lose their shit when leveling. It happens more often than you think. Just be glad you only got a wallop than, say, burning a godsdamned building down, right?¡± Adam guffawed at the scenario, surprising the two entirely that there were cases like that. Zeke supposed that if a mage got a bit too into starting fires, then that might make a lot of sense. Mikella smiled. ¡°Thanks for that. If anything, I know now how stupid I was being. I¡¯ll make sure to do exactly that and better myself.¡± As she talked, Mikella handed the Sword of Lightning to the smith. She had a smidgen of disappointment in her eyes when she did so, but she wasn¡¯t so prude to convince the smith to let her keep it, not without paying for it at least. Right now, they don''t have the money to think about making an extra weapon purchase. Adam looked at the sword and, pursing his lips through the bushy beard, replied: ¡°Never mind. You keep it.¡± ¡°Huh? Really?¡± Mikella asked, the otherworlders shocked in his reply. ¡°Honestly, it ain¡¯t that good of a weapon. You know about that whole discussion with people¡¯s preferences? There¡¯s barely any lightning users around here and you¡¯re the only one that I¡¯ve seen use it to such an extent. I could tell¨Cthis time you really used it properly. I think it¡¯s fair for the weapon to be kept with a good owner rather than just living it up in the storage upstairs.¡± ¡°A-Are you sure?¡± Mikella asked, looking at the sword, then looking back at Adam. ¡°Isn¡¯t this still expensive?¡± ¡°It is, but¡­ I heard you¡¯ve done a lot of work. Word spread about how you just kept raising levels like mad. I feel kinda proud that my sword did that for you. So seriously¨Cjust keep it.¡± Mikella¡¯s eyes beamed, her smile widening. ¡°Thank you so much! I¡¯ll treasure it!¡± ¡°I know you will.¡± Adam grinned. Then he pulled out the same sword that Mikella gave in the first place. It was the same impressive looking longsword that she used all the time before returning to the town, but now it has returned with its full glory. The blade was sharpened to the point where Zeke thought just looking at it would cut his eyes, and the metal working across the blade looked refined, almost prestigious. But then his eyes noticed the change in it immediately. Without really thinking, he flared Internal Senses, allowing him to look deep within anything that had channels to travel energy to and from. That got him to widen his eyes. The inner workings of the weapon proved that it had mana filled to the brim, practically overflowing from the edges. A strange mixture of purple, red, blue, and orange mana seem to coalesce together in a myriad of colors across the base of the sword all the way to the tip. It was mesmerizing. At the same time, mana congealed all around the weapon, a different sort than the swirl of different colored mana lying within. If he had to make a comparison, it was like seeing an ice cream sandwich with the center filled with a big wallop of vanilla, but the sweet bread was made with a small amount of chocolate filling. Man, he really missed eating sweets in the old world¡­ ¡°So that¡¯s enchantment¡­¡± Zeke muttered, which inadvertently caught the two¡¯s attention. The smith widened his eyes at his remark. ¡°That it is, lad. I keep forgetting you''re a Runist,¡± The smith brushed the long wild black hair behind his head. ¡°Honestly, this enchantment thing is beyond me. I just prefer knocking iron into its place.¡± ¡°Hey, no judgment there,¡± Mikella smirked, getting the smith to joyfully chortle at that. ¡°Zeke, what do you mean?¡± ¡°You asked for the sword to be lighter, but also durable, right?¡± Zeke asked, getting Mikella to nod. ¡°Well, I think that¡¯s what I¡¯m seeing with my Internal Senses.¡± ¡°Oh damn, for real?¡± Mikella asked, her eyes widening. ¡°It definitely does feel lighter when I carry it.¡± As an example, Mikella gave herself some distance from the men as she swung her sword in the empty area. Each swing was precise and steady, nothing like how she was when she first got the weapon. Her stats might have made it easier, but each swing she made caused the blade to practically slice the air apart from its heaviness, nearly making Zeke¡¯s skin vibrate. ¡°Holy shit¡­¡± Zeke said, getting the smith to laugh again. ¡°Now that¡¯s what I¡¯m talking about!¡± The smith clapped his meaty hands together once, and it was way louder than Zeke could handle. ¡°Wow, it¡¯s so light, but it still feels powerful¡­¡± Mikella commented. ¡°Isn¡¯t it because of your stats too?¡± Zeke said, also adding in an apologetic look to the smith. The smith didn¡¯t even flinch and just waved it off as Zeke continued. ¡°It¡¯s still enchanted, but you got like sixty Strength now, right?¡± ¡°Sixty-three, thank you very much,¡± Mikella replied, causing the smith to whistle in response. ¡°Oh, excuse me, sixty-three,¡± Zeke repeated with an almost mock tone, but he quickly returned with a smirk. ¡°I¡¯m guessing it¡¯s different then?¡± ¡°Yeah. If it was just my stats, I could just feel it in my hands. But there¡¯s something about the weapon that made it lighter compared to me putting some more effort into my muscles. Hell, if I added in my Strength stat, I could probably do some crazy damage!¡± Mikella did exactly that and swung harder, causing the vibrations from every swing to practically distort the pressure around them. Zeke swore that he thought the shelves could get destroyed if she kept swinging at empty air at that. ¡°That enchantment is no joke¡­¡± Zeke said, shaking his head. ¡°And don¡¯t forget, lad!¡± Adam called out, catching his attention while Mikella was distracted with her new toy. ¡°I got you your specific weapon too!¡± He turned to the smith who seemed to have disappeared underneath the wooden counter. How the hell can a big man like that just disappear like that beneath a dinky desk? His question put aside, Adam returned in full force, carrying two seemingly normal gloves and putting them onto the counter. Zeke walked over to it, inspecting them. They looked like fingerless gloves, the cloth only reaching the midsection of the finger rather than covering them entirely. The cloth was black in general, but there were some small light blue colors sewn in the base of the entire glove. Rather than activating Internal Senses, he decided to just Identify the item. It was cheap, and easily capable of doing the same, at least to scrape the general idea of what it was. The information astounded him when he read the notification.
Gloves of Sanctuary (Uncommon): Gloves created with the sense of safety behind them. Pushes the ideal that protection comes first before anything. Enchantments: Lesser Support Aid Lesser Support Proficiency
¡°Whoa,¡± Zeke said, lifting the gloves up and finally inspecting them fully with Internal Senses. His skill washed over the layout of the gloves, the inner workings, and found that there was a strange sense of energy. It was hard to describe. There weren¡¯t even colors to describe the mana, almost as though there was nothing there. However, he did feel a strange sense of calmness despite having no color to speak of, the entire glove filled to the brim to provide exactly what it described. ¡°Gotta hand it to ya,¡± The smith spoke, clearly seeing the amazed look in Zeke¡¯s eyes. ¡°You got the luck of the devil to get something exactly what you need. Turns out my friend tried to get rid of this thing for years. When I asked him for it, he practically begged me to take it away.¡± ¡°Whoa,¡± Mikella looked over to the gloves, probably using Identify herself. ¡°They¡¯re perfect for you! Go ahead, try them on.¡± After Zeke turned to the smith, getting a nod in return (he did pay for them after all), Zeke put the gloves on. He could feel that same colorless Mana rushing to his channels, entering into his body seamlessly. He didn¡¯t feel anything though, but he did feel that his skills were¡­ touched? He wasn¡¯t quite sure. The colorless mana didn¡¯t enter into him and burn him up, but just cascaded into his body. Is that how wearing magical equipment worked? He still had a tough time trying to figure that out, but thanks to his Internal Senses, he had a good feeling on how to actually use it normally. He turned to the side, using the same empty area Mikella used to test her sword. With a gesture, he conjured a barrier in front of him. It didn¡¯t look different. It still had that same turquoise color and the usual transparent wall made of magic. But this time, he felt that same colorless mana traveling through the barrier, though only to his senses. When Zeke stepped to the side, he merely gestured to it. And Mikella rushed in with a powerful swing of her new sword. It made a heavy impact, normally capable of breaking his wall thanks to her high strength and the newly improved sword. But this time, the barrier held, and Zeke barely felt the need to replenish it. His barrier improved by miles. ¡°Holy shit! I almost got hurt doing that!¡± Mikella winced, flinging her hands with the sword put to the other hand, then repeating the process with the other. Adam, on the other hand, just gawked at the scene with widened eyes. ¡°Sweet gods, that was powerful. No, your barrier is powerful. Certain now that the horde won¡¯t ever invade this town ever again with that.¡± ¡°And it barely cost any mana for me,¡± Zeke said, impressed with the potency himself as he looked back at the gloves, then he turned to Adam. ¡°Thanks for everything. These are incredible.¡± ¡°Make sure you come in every often for me to repair. I don''t¡¯ wanna deal with that sorry mess of a sword from back then, you hear me, lass?¡± ¡°Yes sir,¡± Mikella nodded profusely. ¡°I¡¯ll probably won¡¯t be using the sword as much the next few days¡­ hopefully.¡± Mikella still seemed down about getting taken out of the action. She understood the consequences of her actions, but there¡¯s only so much she can do while staying inside the house. Turning to Zeke, she smiled. ¡°I hope you have some fun out there. Make sure you work hard and gain some XP for both of us.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do what I can,¡± Zeke nodded, hoping himself that he can be of use. It¡¯s been a while since he¡¯s done anything physical after all. Ch57: Dire Hummingbirds After Zeke and Mikella picked up their gear, they returned home so that Zeke could say goodbye to Clara, leaving her with Mikella as he went out to work. He honestly felt like leaving his wife and child to go and make a living for themselves, and the way they waved back at him when he left made a funny feeling in his chest he wasn¡¯t quite sure how to deal with. The only thing he can think of to compensate for that feeling is to come back safe and sound¨Conly after getting his bread. He went along with Val who left with him to the entrance. All the while, Val informs Zeke on what they plan to do, and even discusses her worries about the incoming horde. It was strange how the horde wasn¡¯t coming back like usual, and even stranger that despite going out and training for a whole month hunting the remnants, they still haven¡¯t found a direct cause. Cloud was still speaking at length with the General about the plan, something that was made clear how Cloud often comes back with a grumpy look on his face. The general, known as Zacharia, is also going through some things. It wasn¡¯t like he was a bad person, according to Val, just that he is adamant in his duties. While Zeke wanted to agree with her, the idea of meeting the man still frightened him. Apparently he wanted to meet the new visitors, and something told him that he might be persistent on figuring out where they truly came from. Putting that horrific thought aside, they reached the entrance of the town. The studded star in the sky was bright with clear blue sky behind it, making it another good day to traverse the forest. There were a few times where rhe clouds overhead would gather and make things difficult for the group. And when it rains, it would be one of the days where they have a day off. It was one of those days where Zeke realized just how antsy Mikella was, and only realized now that her agitation was due to her not getting her fix of fighting for the day. The other soldiers paid attention and straightened themselves to a salute to the captain who arrived with the mage in tow. ¡°Everyone!¡± Captain Val spoke up, her voice loud and clear. ¡°I have an announcement!¡± Everyone gathered up around the captain immediately, knowing full well not to ignore her orders. Once they did, a large number of the soldiers paid attention to Zeke on his side, making him feel their stares drilling straight into him. Did Mikella go through this too? ¡°As you know, I was forced to suspend Mikella off the expedition,¡± Val said, her tone implying a tough but fair decree. ¡°Due to several circumstances, it was revealed that she was suffering a case of Class Madness. Something that occurs when a warrior delves too deep into leveling. That¡¯s not to say it made her incapable of fighting, but it should be noted that taking care of your mental state is just as important as taking care of your physical state. But for now, I have some good news.¡± Val turned to Zeke, getting him to pay attention. ¡°Today, we¡¯ll have Zeke in our expedition, and I¡¯ll have him come and switch groups every so often to help support the team with his skills. As you know by now, his barrier magic is top notch, his healing skill is extraordinary, and better yet¨Che had been improving his runecrafting. I¡¯m certain he will be a great benefit for all of us.¡± The other soldiers exclaimed in delight, turning to each other in shock and surprise to find that they¡¯ll have the barrier mage on their side. Even more so now that he can heal and do runes. This clearly made Zeke more nervous than he should be, despite doing his best for the past month to increase his usefulness in combat. Still, if being a support mage made him regarded this much, he worried just how much expectations were being placed on him. However, Val¡¯s reassuring pat on his back made him look back to see her smiling gently at him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. All you need to do is do your best and your abilities will come through.¡± Despite Zeke trying his hardest not to show so much nervous energy, it was clear that Val could read him like a book. Still, her words echoed in his head as he nodded in agreement. The only thing he can do is to try his best, and nothing else. And so, the expedition started in earnest, with Zeke being put in a rotating schedule every few hours while being put in different groups across the forest. ¡­.. The expedition was as Mikella said it would be. It was, to put it mildly, pretty boring. But truthfully, that¡¯s just how most expeditions into the forest go. Sometimes they wander around, discovering little snippets of information that could have told them why the hordes gathered up as they did. On the other hand, they also do their best to gather as much wood and herbs as possible to make resources for fuel and salves for the smaller injuries. Healers need to save as much mana as they could for future dangers, so making salves and medicine for nearly free was a priority. All the while, Zeke continued with a clear focus in mind. His barrier is always there, that much he knew, but he also needs to recognize that sometimes fights can turn dangerous once his barriers don''t work anymore. That¡¯s when his runes come in. Well, almost. He had some ideas during the past month, possible arrays that he saved into his Runic Library. Though he worried whether he would end up focusing so much into trying to make runic spells that he forgot to do his job as a supporter. He feared of losing someone because of his carelessness, so he opted to just do exactly that¨Csupporting others. Before he realized it, Myra came up to talk to him. He was in her group first, with her being the lead for now. She did her best to keep up with Mikella during her solo hunting, so she ended up promoted into a lead soldier for the group to follow. ¡°Hey Zeke,¡± Myra spoke up. ¡°How¡¯s Mikky doing? Is she doing alright?¡± ¡°Oh, yeah,¡± Zeke nodded. ¡°She¡¯s doing fine. Better, actually. She gets to play with Clara which was a long time coming,¡± He smiled, remembering how happy Clara was to have Mikella back to stay for a while. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s great,¡± Myra said, her exclamation the same as letting out a breath of relief. ¡°Still, I gotta apologize¡­ I¡¯m not sure what happened, but I should¡¯ve been more aware of how Mikky¡¯s been doing.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Zeke shook his head. He still felt uncomfortable recalling how upset he was when he first found the knocked out Mikella. ¡°Things got pretty intense, but in the end, nobody got really hurt. Well, Mikella did, but she¡¯s a tough girl so she¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°Ain¡¯t that right,¡± Myra cackled, but she quickly doused her excitement as she cleared her throat. ¡°W-Well, just make sure to tell her that we¡¯ll be happy to have her back.¡± ¡°Thank you¡± Zeke nodded, recalling something. He grimaced as he spoke. ¡°About Mikella¡¯s behavior¡­ I hope nobody thinks of her badly. She¡¯s just¡­ well¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Myra waved it off with a small smile. ¡°Class Madness happens sometimes, even worse if she had a rare class too. Considering how you guys were like, I¡¯m not all that surprised she didn¡¯t know about it.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Zeke looked forward. Putting his thoughts into words. ¡°I¡¯m sure Mikella would be happy to hear you say that. She said that she feels really shitty for how she acted, and especially over what she said. She told me that she never meant a single word, but still deserved to be punished for them.¡± Especially the words turned to Val, but that much was to be expected after getting her ass handed to her. ¡°Thanks,¡± Myra grinned. ¡°But make sure to tell her that if she takes my kill again, she won¡¯t have to worry about Val punishing her¨C I¡¯ll be the one teaching her a lesson.¡± Myra spat out a loogie to the side, her face distorting slightly into annoyance. Zeke flinched at that. He heard about that one and as a gamer, that much was to be expected. He would be pissed off too if someone came along and killed his prey. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry about that,¡± Zeke apologized, for some reason. ¡°She¡¯s not¡­ uhh¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong, I like that girl,¡± Myra explained, lifting her hand. ¡°I knew she was a little loopy, but still, manners are manners.¡± A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to tell her that. I actually agree to having good manners when slaughtering monsters just chilling in the forest.¡± Myra laughed it off as well as her two buddies, the twin brothers, who heard him. Zeke grinned, glad that his shitty joke did wonders. It was a strange experience. It was sort of like having a studious classmate hanging out with a bunch of sport jocks from school. Still, despite their way of progress, the soldiers treated Zeke well¡­ but he also couldn¡¯t help but think they¡¯re only doing that because he¡¯s a support mage. I remember some parties favoring their healer all the time so they won¡¯t leave the group. Nobody wants to play a healer as often so they¡¯re pretty rare. He heard there were classes for healing, but they were either Clerics, Priests, or Paladins belonging to the church. The church doesn¡¯t have their influence in Eve Glade, so the healers here only got the common Heal skill¨Ca rather difficult skill to learn that takes time to learn after a long time working in clinics and medical institutions. He wondered whether he should learn that himself, considering his Recovery skill, but Cloud assured him that having the skill already was good enough. As for the religious classes, they have Class Skills that makes healing easier and more effective, even having barriers like he did. In a way, Zeke was already like a Priest or Cleric, except his main focus is runes. All in all, he thought he got ahead when it came to having a good kit. That did make him worried whether his only purpose is to be a healing bot, though. But soon his worries were put to the side once their group met a group of monsters. A big number according to their estimates. The shrubbery shifted about as a bunch of bird-like creatures flew out from the confines of the crowns on the trees, constantly moving about in the air. They were huge birds, their wings flapping and shifting the air around them like vibrations. His Identify caught that they were Dire Hummingbirds, and that already made it strange just how many dire type beasts are out there. Hummingbirds, though, was a new thing for him. Then again, Mikella did mention that she fought a swan instead of a duck, so that was something. ¡°Alright boys, get ready!¡± Myra shouted, getting everyone to unsheath their weapons. ¡°We got some flyers!¡± ¡°Goddamit, I hate these things,¡± Jackie, the twin brother to the left, shouted. ¡°My shield can¡¯t do jack shit to these things!¡± ¡°Watch out for your eyes, they like to peck ¡®em!¡± Maxie, the twin brother to the right, shouted to the other soldiers. The other three soldiers beside the main three Zeke knew also stood guard. There were three men, each one carrying a bladed weapon of a spear, a dagger and short sword combo, and a large axe. One of the flyers, the Dire Hummingbird, somehow picked out its opponent as it headed straight for the axe-wielder. The man grimaced as he tried to swing at it, but the bird was just too fast to catch. ¡°Goddamit!¡± The axeman growled. ¡°Stay still!¡± The bird, however, refused to do so as it used its large beak to jab at its hands, causing the axeman¡¯s skin to get cut apart while blood flowed. ¡°Fuck!¡± ¡°Get them! Don¡¯t let them flank the heavy-attackers!¡± Myra shouted. ¡°And for gods¡¯ sake, don''t let them attack the mage!¡± Zeke was left flabbergasted at it all. The other soldiers moved around him, forming a somewhat guard around him, protecting him from the birds around him. His mind was still catching up since there was so many soldiers around and so many monsters to face. But once his mind cleared of the initial attack, which he was embarrassed to say that it made him flinch after being out of battle for so long, he focused on his surroundings He saw one of the flyers heading straight towards the axeman who gathered up in front of Zeke for protection. Figuring that he can¡¯t hit for shit, he¡¯ll at least use his body to guard the mage. Zeke can¡¯t let that happen to him. He raised his hand and casted his spell. A wall of turquoise energy was conjured right in front of the charging bird, stopping it in its flight. It came up so suddenly that the bird slammed into the wall of light, surprising the other soldiers as the bird fell to the ground. It got so stumped by the wall that it flitted about on the ground. Zeke just stood there waiting for the soldiers to react, but instead they just looked at it as though they didn¡¯t know what to do. ¡°What are you guys doing?¡± Zeke ended up shouting. ¡°Kill the thing!¡± Zeke wondered whether he took it too far by demanding them to kill the monster like some sort of pompous son of a noble leader, but that proved to be wrong. The soldiers immediately jumped on the chance, using their bladed weapons to slash and stab the poor bird on the ground, probably still dizzy from the hit. Now Zeke felt a little bad for it. Then again, it did peck the axeman¡¯s fingers to be a riddling mess of wounds, so it deserved to die a cruel death. The other birds realized that one of their own was down, so they started ramping up the attacks by attacking the spear-wielder, Myra. She was doing well, but she specialized more in her power than speed, so she often missed her attacks. Being the first battle of the expedition, she wanted to conserve her energy, but at this point, she¡¯s going to get her eyes pecked out. So Zeke did his thing and put up walls around the birds, stopping their flights as best he could. Each wall was short and sudden, coming into existence at the first second then disappearing the next. He felt the barrier to be more precise and easier to conjure, and the heavy thuds the birds made after hitting them proved how damn tough they were despite the extremely small amount of mana he used to create them. The gloves were making this way easier than the time he was at the horde battle. He wondered seriously just how the hell he managed to survive. Once the birds were distracted by the walls that kept getting in their way of their flight paths, they often ended up getting stabbed and pierced by the soldier¡¯s weapons. Some even had the bad luck of slamming into the wall after being cut so many times by the other soldiers that it actually died right there, falling to the ground and turning limp. Zeke felt the system¡¯s energy passing through him, meaning that somehow that kill was his own, so he gained experience points from it. Oooh, free kill, Zeke giggled maniacally to himself, rubbing the palms of his hands together like a psychopath. Eventually, the dire hummingbirds all died out, their corpses on the ground with the soldiers panting and sweating from a job well done. Once the situation was sorted out, each of the soldiers cheered from utter delight at their first fight with the flying type monsters, something that surprised Zeke for a bit. ¡°Yes! Thank the gods that¡¯s over with!¡± Maxie shouted with sheer delight, slapping his brother¡¯s hand in a high five. ¡°To think we got the shitty luck of facing fucking birds today¡­¡± One soldier, the spear-wielding one, complained as he let out a breath. ¡°Shit, that barrier is so damn good to have!¡± Another soldier, the dual-wielding soldier, cheered. Zeke didn¡¯t know what else to say except turning to the leader of the group, Myra, walking towards him. ¡°Glad that everyone made it out okay.¡± ¡°Yeah, all thanks to you,¡± Myra said with a gleeful grin. ¡°Here I thought the barrier was only good to protect us. I didn¡¯t think you could use it to send these little fuckers to hell.¡± For good measure, Myra kicked the giant bird¡¯s corpse, the size being close to a dog if anything. Zeke figured that it was a melee fighter sort of thing to hate flying type monsters. God knows he hated dealing with them with a sword and shield in one of his video games. ¡°Godsdammit,¡± The axewielder, a big man whose axe was already sheathed to his back, grimaced while looking at his hands. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can carry my weapon at this rate. Damn birds got me good.¡± ¡°Shit¡­ that looks bad,¡± One of the brothers, Jackie, went up and winced at the state of the axeman¡¯s hands. Zeke went up towards it, nearly grimacing at the sight. The man¡¯s hands were pecked all over, open cuts and blood pouring out. He could actually see some muscle tissue in there, something that looked like a total nightmare to deal with. ¡°Shit¡­¡± Myra hissed at the sight. ¡°And we don¡¯t got a potion either. What about Meditation?¡± ¡°It¡¯ll heal, but not by a lot. Even if the wounds are gone, they¡¯ll still gonna ache¡­¡± ¡°Hey, remember guys,¡± Zeke said, smiling. ¡°I got a healing skill. I can at least¡­ well, maybe I can make it better.¡± ¡°You think so?¡± The axeman asked, hope in his voice. ¡°I¡¯ll take anything. I just wanna make it hurt less¡­¡± Zeke could tell that the axeman wasn¡¯t some wimp that can¡¯t handle pain like this. That would be pointless for a soldier. Still, if his hands were left in this state, it would make wielding his weapon, his lifeline, nearly impossible from the pain. If he gets distracted, it¡¯ll only end up with his death. So Zeke stared at the hands and put his own hands over them. Recovery. Mana particles left his hands and entered into the axeman¡¯s own. They disappeared into the skin, and at the same time, the cuts and bruises slowly recovered, as though time was rapidly increasing for the healing. In just a few seconds, the hands were restored back to their normal self. Zeke wondered whether the pain was still there, but the man nearly screamed in his ears. ¡°My hands¡­ they¡¯re perfectly fine,¡± The axeman¡¯s voice was practically tinged with joy, almost tearing up even. ¡°Thanks man!¡± ¡°Y-Yeah, no problem,¡± Zeke shook his head, feeling more embarrassed from the praise. ¡°You good?¡± Myra asked him, her eyes turning serious as the leader of the group. ¡°You have enough mana to continue?¡± ¡°Yeah, no problems. Actually, it¡¯s still pretty much topped off.¡± When he said that, the other soldiers gaped in surprise. Apparently they thought he was running dry after all the barriers and healing he did. Myra nodded in satisfaction. ¡°That¡¯s good. We¡¯ll probably going to be relying on you a lot at this rate,¡± Myra grinned, turning to the soldiers. ¡°But if you don¡¯t wanna cause Zeke trouble, try not to get hit, guys!¡± The other soldiers laughed aloud, cheering as they agreed wholeheartedly. The axeman patted Zeke on the back hard, showing a wide grin after thanking him again. As Zeke watched the other soldiers preparing to move again, he felt satisfaction for himself. Being able to help them overcome an annoying enemy that would¡¯ve been way too difficult to fight back with no worthy results, and even being able to heal an injury that would¡¯ve left someone unable to fight properly¡­ It helped reinforce the fact that he could be useful for everyone. With a skip to his step, Zeke followed the soldiers to continue on with the expedition. Ch58: Attunements Mikella sat cross-legged on the ground, her eyes closed as the fresh breeze of the outside hit her skin. The training yard was where she felt more at home than even being inside of a home. Thanks to her suspension, she took the time to fully interact with her inner workings. It was something she ignored while trying to raise her levels like mad, only to end up faltering and falling over herself in the process. Now, she took her time to truly look at herself. Mikella was never the type to really do this type of meditation. She¡¯s the type to move around, let her brain think better while moving. At least, that¡¯s what she always considered herself to be. Boy, was she wrong. Meditation proved itself by dividends to help gather her thoughts. Not just the skill, but the act itself is helping her handle things better. After talking with Cloud dealing with the unnecessary traits of her Dragon Warrior class, this became her answer. What is better to look within yourself than with Meditation? She wondered whether the traits were just a mental thing or just her imagination. She turned stunned when she realized it was an actual thing¨Ca physical manifestation within herself. She didn¡¯t have Internal Senses like Zeke did, but one could get a feel of their body as though they had the skill, but with no sight. Val and Cloud taught her this, so she was shocked and appalled that such a thing was inside of her. It nestled deep within her, something that connected itself to her Class Skills. On the other hand, her General and Acquired skills were far away from this strange manifestation. However, despite her first impression of it, she didn¡¯t fear it. In the end, Cloud said that her traits were a part of her¨Ca part of her class. So she accepted them. The traits weren¡¯t bad, not entirely, just too self-serving. It did help her raise her levels far faster than she normally could have, and along with her own drive, it took her to places. But she has to make sure to keep a vice grip on this thing. She didn¡¯t have a good mental image of it yet, but she knew it was a slippery bastard. One slip-up, and she could end up going crazy again. While she did this, she kept thinking about the stories Cloud told her of Zeke¡¯s time in the town. Apparently he didn¡¯t just study runes inside the house. He went outside and actually inscribed runes wherever his abilities were needed. Thanks to that, plenty of people were living a lot better now, ranging from cleaner water to easier storing of their food. They were all such minor things for a town in her mind, but in truth it was life and death for the common people. Considering how often she thought of him just studying for pleasure¨Ceven going so far as calling him useless¨Cshe felt ashamed. Yes, that same old friend wrenched around her gut like a vice, showing her the error of her ways. Zeke didn¡¯t mind it anymore, but she could tell that it hit him hard. It was worse when she realized that he had a bad past with his mother, and she went ahead and insulted him behind his back. She shook her head. She can feel ashamed all she wants, but it won¡¯t solve her current issues. If Zeke can be mature and put aside his own worries for their sake, then she can too. And that means dealing with her own training after this session. She planned on training with other weapons other than the sword. While raising Sword Mastery was a given, Val taught her that it wasn¡¯t impossible for her to learn other weapon mastery skills. Just a lot harder now that she had a class that uses the sword. But it didn¡¯t forbid her from learning other skills. Rather than getting upset that she can¡¯t earn XP anymore¨Cshe got excited from learning new ways to do combat. But before she thought about standing up and doing exactly that, her anxious energy rising up from her core, Clara spoke. ¡°Sissy! Let¡¯s play!¡± Sissy opened her eyes to find Clara so close to her face. Since she was sitting down on the ground, her sister was towering over her a little. Her face was so ecstatically joyful to find her sister on the yard, as if waiting to play with her. Mikella let out a breath. She smiled, knowing that this was also just as important for her recovery. She already felt as though her soul was recovering, being away from combat after all this time. To know that Zeke was taking over caring for Clara while Mikella was out of bounds filled her with a sense of joy she hadn¡¯t felt before. That, and a smidge of jealousy and envy for getting so close with one another so soon. Still, she took Clara¡¯s hand and spoke with mirth. ¡°Sure, what do you wanna play?¡± ¡°Tag!¡± Clara shouted. ¡°I¡¯m the best! I always beat Bobo!¡± ¡°Pssh,¡± Mikella scoffed. ¡°Bobo¡¯s so slow, anyone can catch him. Now, as for me¡­ do you think you can keep up?¡± ¡°Yeah, I can!¡± Clara barked back with a challenge in her tone. Mikella knew that Zeke wasn¡¯t that slow for her to catch¨Cfor instance, his legs were longer than her own. Still, he slowed just enough for Clara to catch him, but she wasn''t going to give up that easily. Zeke is the sort to be gentle, always letting Clara win at the end. Mikella, however, wanted to instill competition into her. There¡¯s no better way to grow than to have a need to get better at things, no matter how minor. ¡­.. A week passed since the change up from Mikella to Zeke came about. Since then, the group has been progressing smoothly. Not that they found the source yet, which had been the bane in Val¡¯s side ever since the expeditions started. But the entire military group as a whole had improved thanks to Zeke¡¯s barriers and healing. When Zeke returned with everyone else after a few hours of switching between groups for his support one day, Val had an idea and spoke to Zeke at length. At first, he was worried. Then, he got curious. Finally, he accepted it. And so now, the very same Bobo was at the center of the field with the captain by his side, surrounded by dozens of monsters. They were at a large clearing, something that the expedition already explained that doing so would be dangerous, as this was where an unusually large group of monsters gathered according to their scouts. The grassy ground was marred with cuts and scrapes, the trees decimated from the claw marks and teeth possibly involved. But more than anything, the surroundings were filled to the brim with all manner of beasts. Ranging from wolves to bears, to even avian-like creatures and lizards of all ilk. They surrounded them like crazy, their roaring and mewling scraping against their ear drums. The other soldiers were all gathered around the captain and the mage in a large circle, their weapons up and their faces twitching with nervous excitement. Mostly nervous than excited, Zeke realized, as the monsters were getting to be extremely close to their liking. The excitement, however, was stemming from the fact that they were all inside Zeke¡¯s extremely large dome-barrier. The monsters were trying¨Cand failing¨Cto reach inside the barrier, often hitting against the wall of light with barely any progress. The same could be said for the soldiers who couldn¡¯t really attack from behind the barrier, and instead could only watch as the monsters seemed to just gather around the barrier by the dozens. Zeke was honestly starting to regret making this decision. Just one wrong move and they would be surrounded by a horde of monsters and ripped to pieces. Thankfully, his gloves made even creating this large dome extremely potent. The walls were thin and tougher than steel at this point, the large ferocious monsters doing nothing but scratching against the walls with no sign of wearing down. ¡°Zeke, do you have a handle on this?¡± Val asked, turning to him with a casual smirk. Zeke wondered if this was just normal for her because she wasn¡¯t fazed at all by the rising number of monsters. ¡°Y-Yeah,¡± Zeke nodded. He made sure that he could keep this barrier up while surviving the forest, after all. ¡°I can leave this even in my sleep.¡± ¡°That¡¯s perfect,¡± Val nodded with obvious glee, then she turned to the rest and showed a solemn captain¡¯s face. ¡°Alright, everyone, form up!¡± As per her orders, Zeke was still amazed how fast these soldiers reacted so quickly to her. They all lined up in a circular pattern across the barrier. They were like that before but now they were unified, their weapons at the ready in a defensive stance. He saw enough that they weren¡¯t ready to actually strike at a moment¡¯s notice, but to defend themselves from any surprise attacks. ¡°Zeke,¡± Val turned to him, her stare becoming heavier by the second. ¡°Do you think you can open up small holes within your barrier? Making some small¡­¡± Val squinted her eyes, her mind calculating the distance. ¡°two-feet wide embrasures?¡± Zeke first had to figure out what the hell the word ¡®embrasure¡¯ meant, then his memory caught up as he did so. He didn¡¯t really need to focus all that much effort into it as he did it with just a thought. Across the surface of the dome near the bottom, small holes began to appear in long rectangular intervals, making them two feet according to Val¡¯s estimates. The moment the holes appeared, the monsters around them immediately jumped at them, trying to get in. The beasts, however, weren¡¯t particularly smart about it. They tried to force themselves into the small hole, but each one kept crowding around it, becoming more of a nuisance. It wasn''t even that big for even one to enter with ease, the smallest of them bigger than several feet wide, much less the dozens trying to cram themselves in. However, the embrasures were definitely wide enough for the soldier¡¯s weapons to shine. Val shouted to the rest of them. ¡°Open fire¡±! Each soldier, using a long bladed weapon instead of using short daggers and axeblades, began to pierce straight through the embrasures. Each strike forced a blade through their bodies, causing the monsters to start whining in pain as the weapons kept slashing and cutting them. Some died, but others quickly knew what was happening and tried to run off. However, the holes were small enough that the other monsters who weren¡¯t attacked yet didn¡¯t seem to find out why they were whining, basically forcing them to get back into the killing zone. That misunderstanding, in Zeke¡¯s eyes, became their huge mistake as more bodies began to pile up. All the while, he felt a twinge of energy practically pouring straight into him. A notification popped up in front of his eyes, surprising him.
Level up! You are now Level 28. You gain 2 free points (2 FP total). You have gained +1 DEX from your class. You have gained +1 INT from your class. You have gained +1 SPI from your class.
¡°I didn¡¯t think I leveled up like this,¡± Zeke said to Val, who the two were still at the center watching the violence and the erasure of the dumb animals that refused to move. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Even supporters and healers get XP by helping out the others. As long as the system recognizes it, of course. All this easy XP is due to your efforts, so it¡¯s not surprising.¡± Val smiled as the soldiers seemed gleeful to kill the monsters, gaining that sweet XP and leveling up. Some even shouted with glee as they raised their arms up in delight. Before long, the monsters clearly knew what was going on and left. Unfortunately it took over half of their attackers dying on the spot before they realized that they can¡¯t get in, and it wasn¡¯t worth killing themselves even if they did. They ran, figuring that it was as if fighting against a battlement that was made right in the center of their gathering. And just like that, the clearing was theirs to take. It didn¡¯t even take that long¨Cabout two hours at best according to Zeke¡¯s estimation by his mana dropping. Still, all he did was modify his barriers a little, so he didn¡¯t really spend that much mana. He decided to put his points straight into Spirit. He didn¡¯t find a need to increase anything else, and there was nothing wrong with having more mana for a support mage. ¡°Whoo!¡± Myra shouted out loud, raising her hands up. Her spear, a partisan this time for this tactic, rose in the air. ¡°Captain! I got to level 30 thanks to that!¡± Zeke widened his eyes at that. He knew Myra was close thanks to the month spent hunting with Mikella, but he realized now that level 30 is an important step. That¡¯s when she¡¯ll break into her next level milestone. ¡°Congratulations, Myra!¡± Val applauded with glee. She returned back to her usual housewife/mother demeanor for a short moment before returning back to her captain¡¯s state. ¡°Here, this is for you.¡± Val said, pulling something from the pack she owned. It was her own pack, the design different from Zeke¡¯s own. It was extremely expensive, but as a warrior of renown, she had one for herself. She showed what looked like a small bottle with red-tinged liquid swirling within the glass. She then gently placed the bottle to Myra¡¯s cupped hands, making her coddle it as though it was a priceless artifact. ¡°Yes!¡± Myra squealed, a surprising feminine voice coming from this ferocious warrior. ¡°Finally! I¡¯ve been looking forward to this for years!¡± Val and everyone else smiled at the scene, and Zeke just smiled for Myra¡¯s own joy. ¡°Everyone, let¡¯s take a short rest,¡± Val shouted, turning to the excited girl. ¡°Myra, I¡¯ll come with you for your process.¡± ¡°Thank you, captain.¡± Myra nodded before returning back to her pals, the twins who were excited for her as they cheered and patted her on the shoulder, looking ecstatic for this process of hers. Meanwhile, Zeke wondered exactly what was about to happen. He knew there would be something different for the level 30 milestone compared to the level 10 one, but it looked like it was a lot different than just picking a class. ¡°Zeke, may I ask a favor of you?¡± Val asked, turning to Zeke with a small smile. ¡°Do you have some spare mana to spend?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Zeke answered without hesitating. There was no reason to deny the captain. ¡°What can I do?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to help with Myra¡¯s milestone breaking, and I¡¯d like for you to be my assistant for that.¡± Zeke widened his eyes. ¡°Are you sure? I mean, I don¡¯t mind, but do I really need to be there?¡± ¡°Normally the process isn¡¯t so excruciating, but it would really help if you can add in your healing. Even if it¡¯s to advance to the Expert stage, it can still be pretty dangerous for some. Having a healer around would help Myra feel at ease.¡± Zeke wasn¡¯t all that surprised. From what he knew about reaching level 30 in one¡¯s class, not only would it advance and give you options to how to evolve your class into something greater, but it also granted you something else¨Ca feature of sorts. Something called an attunement. If gaining an attunement is something that a healer needs to be around, then he shouldn¡¯t be all that surprised. Still, he was glad to find out he could be of use to a friend of Mikella¡¯s. Zeke nodded, getting Val to lead him to where Myra would be. For some reason, the two decided to step far away from the others, the soldiers taking the time to rest as they all understood that taking the time to break a milestone is a monumental moment for Myra. Zeke could tell there¡¯s a lot of love and care between the soldiers, the comrades who would fight and die by each other¡¯s side to defend their homes. There was a lot of passion in there that Zeke could understand and was glad to be a part of, if only for a short moment as a mage. The three were now surrounded by heavily thick trees and shrubs, practically non-visible to the soldiers near to their side. Right when Zeke was about to ask why the sudden privacy, his eyes almost exploded out of his head after seeing Myra taking off her armor, and then her clothes from the mid-waist up. ¡°Whoa!¡± Zeke immediately closed his eyes, turning around as how a gentleman should. Myra let out a deep laugh while Val let out an exasperated breath. ¡°Couldn¡¯t you wait before I warn Zeke about it?¡± Val said, though she sounded mildly amused rather than annoyed at Myra. ¡°I couldn¡¯t! I don¡¯t mind if Zeke looked at my goodies. I gotta break my milestone, right now!¡± ¡°Alright, alright, remember¨Cyou still got a few hours to break it before the attunement phase worsens. Zeke needs to know what he¡¯s dealing with if you¡¯re gonna have a good time, alright?¡± ¡°Alright, just hurry up already, please!¡± Myra added in last, her voice tinged with a whine. Val turned around and got Zeke to a corner where he wouldn''t get distracted by a very attractive and half-naked woman by the side. She explained how the process of the level 30 milestone went, including the attunement he was curious about. In a way, an attunement is a person taking on an aspect into their mana, turning it into energy of that same aspect. The aspect can either be the basic four elements, or something specific like wood, metal, ice and lightning. Some could even be something intangible, like the nature aspect or even the shadow aspect. When the core has taken in an aspect, their magical energy¨Cor mana¨Cchanged appropriately to their favored attunement. This way, even a warrior can fight using magic without an enchanted magical weapon or armor involved. They just charge their attacks with their newly attuned aspected Mana to increase the damage, or add special effects depending on the attunement. For mages, they can also flavor their spells with the attunement they have acquired. Though it is suggested for them to have an attunement their spell favors. For example, if someone prefers using earth magic as a Mage, then taking on an earth attunement for their level 30 milestone can increase their power dramatically. They can even shorten the mana consumption as the earth spell uses the same aspected energy as earth mana. Attunements can be an incredible tool for mages. However, not everyone can easily take an attunement. Historically, a person breaking through their level 30 milestone must be near a strong source of their respected elemental mana. An example of this is being near scorching hot lava, an excellent source to take in fire mana. Another example is being surrounded in a dark cavern deep underground, helping you gain the earth attunement. But clearly, not everyone is capable of going to such places for their level 30 milestones in time. That¡¯s when bringing a specific potion or concoction is necessary. What Myra carried in her hands, nearly clutching it like an heirloom, was a potion meant to help her attunement. That liquid contains a strong source of Fire Mana, at least according to Zeke¡¯s own eyes. He had a hard time trying to decipher any elements from nearby Mana for a while, but finally seeing that liquid with his Internal Senses helped him understand. Inside there was a strong burst of Mana heavily condensed into a liquid form, the colors reminding him of a blazing hot fire. ¡°So Myra, you¡¯re planning on taking in a Fire Attunement?¡± Zeke asked. Of course, he made sure to look away while Myra was mentally preparing her body and mind, something that was required to do before breaking a milestone. ¡°Yeah,¡± Myra answered. She didn¡¯t seem to mind being naked around Zeke at all, which only made Zeke more awkward. ¡°I always planned on taking Fire mana since I was young. I like to hit hard and fast, but I¡¯m too dumb to really focus on speed, and I don¡¯t wanna stick around and take hits like tweedle dee and tweedle dumb over there.¡± Zeke recalled that the mentioned names must be the twins. He nodded before asking. ¡°Why is it bad to take in speed?¡± ¡°You saw me fighting those birds,¡± Myra answered. ¡°I don¡¯t have good hand-eye coordination, even if I increase my Dexterity. I don¡¯t wanna cripple myself with an attunement that doesn¡¯t fit my style. No, Fire Mana is the way to go! It helps boost my attacks, and can even linger and deal extra damage while fighting.¡± ¡°So damage over time¡­¡± Zeke muttered, realizing what she was saying. ¡°That¡¯s a pretty good plan.¡± ¡°Captain was the one that suggested it,¡± Myra said, offering a nod to the smiling Val. ¡°But I really took it in. I actually wanted to specialize in the same attunement as Captain, but after thinking about it, it¡¯ll just make me worse in fighting than actually getting better.¡± Zeke was surprised by how much thought she put into this, but disregarded it as pretty obvious. They lived in this world their whole lives, so it¡¯s natural to have dreams of what to be when they grow up. She clearly wanted to fight just like the captain, so she focused in her own best way to improve. Hearing all this, Zeke wanted nothing more than to help, but he wasn¡¯t really sure exactly what he could do for her. Stepping aside, still making sure not to take a glimpse at her, he turned to Val. ¡°Just let her go through with it,¡± Val smiled at him. ¡°She might get some wounds here and there, but nothing a little healing can¡¯t fix.¡± Zeke nodded, turning back once Val told Myra to turn around so that her back faced against them. Val said that it was often better to take off the upper portion of your clothes as sweat could riddle her entirely and make her armor uncomfortable during milestone breaking, but that didn¡¯t mean Val was okay showing Myra¡¯s ¡®goodies¡¯ to Zeke as he could use this to learn for his own milestone breaking. In the meanwhile, Zeke got curious and asked. ¡°If it¡¯s okay with you, what¡¯s your attunement, Val?¡± He wondered if he should¡¯ve called her Captain like everyone else, but Val answered just the same as always. ¡°It¡¯s a bit special,¡± Val said with a smile. That smile though felt¡­ awkward. ¡°That¡¯s why I''m glad that Myra went with her own path. It¡¯s not something a normal person should get.¡± Zeke decided to read the mood and not bring up the subject again. He owes Val a lot, so he won¡¯t pry into her own private business if she doesn¡¯t want to. ¡°Captain, I¡¯m ready!¡± Once Val gave her the go-ahead, Myra downed the contents with a single gulp. Zeke couldn¡¯t imagine the amount of pressure that gave her as she easily winced from the way her back flinched. Then she lowered her head and presumably closed her eyes. Her hands were in front of her as Zeke studied her entirely using Internal Senses. Normally the skill would be useful to study the runes in arrays and formations, but he found that using the skill like this helped a lot in figuring out how the world worked with Mana. He even gained a skill up after using Internal Senses so many times after a month of learning runes.
Internal Senses Level Up! It is now Level 6. You have gained+1 INT from your skill. You have gained +1 SPI from your skill.
¡°What do you see?¡± Val asked, figuring already that he could see the inner workings as a Runist. Zeke was glad to fill the silence as it seemed like it was going to take a while. Zeke told her what he saw, but it wasn¡¯t really all that impressive at first. Her channels filled her entire body, lining up in ways much like the veins connecting to her heart. Her three energies were swirling around and passing through them as usual, the energies consisting of her life energy, her ¡®Health¡¯, her kinetic energy, her ¡®Stamina¡¯, and her own magical energy. But soon enough the flaming red hot foreign mana coursed through her body via her channels like her energies. Soon, Fire mana rode over all her mana channels, taking over them and even connecting to her health and stamina channels. ¡°That must be her accepting the notification for a breakthrough,¡± Val said. ¡°One normally has a notification before breaking through level 30. Ooh, this is so exciting! You have no idea how long Myra waited for this day~¡± Zeke smiled at Val¡¯s excitement, seeing the change happening outside. Myra¡¯s body shivered as sweat truly started covering her entire body. Steam even rose from her brown skin, something that usually occurs when taking in Fire Mana. He also noticed a few blotches opening up around her body, blood trailing from them. Zeke became worried before realizing from Val that this was a natural process for level breaking. The body is basically being tempered from all the experience points gained by the system, along with all the skills they have acquired and raised through their lifetime as an Apprentice. Once the process was over, her body would tier up, in a sense, becoming stronger. She would gain a new evolution for her class, becoming stronger as a whole. But then he noticed something odd. The process was going longer than usual, and even Val frowned in worry. ¡°Strange, she should¡¯ve been done by now,¡± Val said, turning to Zeke. ¡°She can¡¯t speak at the moment. Zeke, can you check what¡¯s going on in her body? Zeke nodded as he also wanted to check what was happening. If Val herself was worried, there was clearly something going on. He opened his Internal Senses, seeing her inner workings again. The Fire Mana coursing through her wasn¡¯t just spreading throughout her channels now. They were invading her entire body. He squinted, not really realizing why that was the case. As far as he knew, mana doesn¡¯t necessarily get out of the channels unless it was intended by the user. Yet Fire Mana continuously remained in her body, trying to cover all of it from within. His heart raced when he realized that not only her own natural mana was getting devoured, but even her stamina and health was getting absorbed. ¡°Val, the Fire mana is eating her alive!¡± Zeke shouted, causing Val to widen her eyes. ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s that supposed to happen? Is the Fire Mana supposed to just go all over your body?¡± ¡°No! It¡¯s not!¡± Val shouted back, not realizing that she was starting to panic. She ran towards Myra, who was now shivering so much that she started groaning in pain. Val tried to touch her shoulder, but recoiled after an intense steam trailed from her body. ¡°She¡¯s overheating like mad¡­¡± Val looked over at her carefully, not even minding the burn she just had. ¡°If this keeps up, she¡¯ll get burned up.¡± Val turned to Zeke, but he already knew what she was going to ask. If he was honest, this might be beyond his usual skill. But Myra was in trouble. He put aside his doubts and worries as he ran forward. ¡°Leave her to me!¡± Ch59: Unexpected challenges ¡°Whoa!¡± She rose from her slumber, shaking her head as she recognized her surroundings. Mikella found herself in the Mystio study filled with dusty looking tomes and furnishing draped with soft covers for comfy sitting. Heat flared in her cheeks when she found out that she ended up sleeping on the table, a book page now slightly crumpled thanks to her head resting on it. She grimaced, trying to flatten the paper as much as she could. ¡°I can see why Val likes you so much. You remind me so much of her, it feels like she never left.¡± Mikella flinched when she noticed Cloud coming over to her, showing a rather tired expression on his face. Though a small smile, as though reminiscing his memories, surfaced on it. ¡°She¡¯s not much for reading books either,¡± Cloud said, showing a rising smirk on his lips that made Mikella blush harder. It was worse since Cloud was so damn handsome, it made her more conscious than she would¡¯ve liked. ¡°Why the sudden interest in literature?¡± ¡°Uhh, well¡­¡± Mikella tried to prop up her book, trying to stay her embarrassment from her cheeks as she looked back at him. ¡°I was just trying to read up on the next level milestone. I just got a notification from leveling, so I¡¯m level 28 now. I¡¯m getting pretty close, so I wanted to know what to expect.¡± As an example, she showed her notification to him.
Level up! You are now Level 28. You gain 2 free points (2 FP total). You have gained +1 STR from your class. You have gained +1 DEX from your class. You have gained +1 END from your class.
¡°Ah, I see Zeke¡¯s working his due,¡± Cloud nodded in approval. If Mikella remembered from earlier, then the reason why Cloud is interested in Zeke is due to how similar the two were as well. She wondered at the coincidence. ¡°Is there anything I need to look out for?¡± She asked, figuring that it was easier to ask a Journeyman user about it than some dusty tome. ¡°It says here that at level 30, I gotta look out for something called an Attunement¡­ what is that?¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m surprised Val hasn¡¯t told you that,¡± Cloud said with a mild look of surprise. He then went over to her, sitting down at a nearby chair to shift towards her table to answer. ¡°Then again, we got a little busy with what¡¯s going on. I haven¡¯t even told Zeke about it yet, though I¡¯m not surprised if he already knew about it. Well, let¡¯s see¡­¡± Cloud closed his eyes, the mood shifting to silence as he slowly explained. ¡°An attunement is an important part of the person under the guidance of the system. it defines not only their mana, but their way of being and even affects their way of life.¡± Cloud went on to explain the process, something that clearly caught her interest as it mentioned being able to improve her power by taking in an aspect, using her specialized Mana from the attunement to change the way one fights. It can shift dramatically from powering up your attacks or even leaving lingering damage, perhaps even changing one¡¯s attacks into something else entirely. She really did wonder why Val hadn''t told her something so useful, considering how close she was. But then Cloud explained that. ¡°It¡¯s not often that one has the ability to take an attunement of their choosing,¡± Cloud said, showing an uneasy smile. ¡°For one thing, even we¡¯re hard pressed to find anything to help others gain their preferred attunement. The basic four elements alone, despite being so common, is pretty expensive to purchase. Otherwise, one has to go across the land to find a worthy source of that elemental mana, which can be a real drain in resources. Not to mention if you reach level 30 by that point, you have a limited time window before your body refuses to take in anything any longer, making it difficult to take in any aspect without using some expensive specialized concoctions to relive that phase.¡± ¡°Oh, damn¡­¡± Mikella nodded in understanding. In other words, it¡¯s expensive to keep up. ¡°So, what happens if you end up not taking in an aspect?¡± ¡°The body would, naturally, take in anything around you as your body breaks through the milestone. Oftentimes one can just take in the pure mana around them, giving them a simple boost with no added effect. Other times, one can actually take in an aspect that might not have been originally planned, but that¡¯s rare enough as it is, and sometimes it¡¯s better to just get it directly from a source for a stronger attunement. ¡°For example, if you decide to break through in a natural environment, you might end up with a Nature attunement based on your location, but compared to being in an undulated amount of nature mana around you, it would be at a weaker tier from just breaking the milestone in a natural forest. On the other hand, if you drink a potion made entirely out of an aspect made by a talented alchemist, you can take an attunement that is completely different from what your surroundings may give.¡± ¡°I see, and that¡¯s the expensive part, right?¡± Mikella asked. Cloud nodded in understanding. ¡°So, did you two want us to see what sort of aspect we would get? Or just get pure mana?¡± ¡°Frankly, we didn¡¯t think you would level up so quickly,¡± Cloud shrugged his shoulders. ¡°We planned on telling you about it once you were reaching level 30, but you shot up a little too quickly for us to handle.¡± Mikella looked away in embarrassment. Something told her that she was the reason for the vast improvement. Cloud chuckled, easily noticing her inner strife. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t worry about it. The fact that you two have shot up so dramatically made it worth taking care of you. As long as your intentions are good, and you have no reason to go against this town, we¡¯ll do what we can.¡± Cloud¡¯s atmosphere suddenly shifted. Mikella¡¯s body instinctively shivered as Cloud turned to her, his eyes turning solemn. ¡°But if you two intend to do harm to my town, and worse, to my family¡­ well, you¡¯ll have to take it up with me.¡± Mikella stayed silent, unable to even speak from his gaze. This stare was just like when Val glared at her after insulting her, the way she handled things. It was the glare of a Journeyman. Then his mood eased up, showing a small smile. ¡°Guess Val really put a number on you, huh? That¡¯s good. That fear will help you grow stronger.¡± Mikella was taken aback by that, but a little bit of frustration rose to her voice. ¡°What do you mean? I¡¯m lucky that I didn¡¯t get traumatized!¡± ¡°True, some would get traumatized by the aura alone¡­¡± Cloud¡¯s lips curled into a devilish smile. ¡°But true warriors use that as a stepping stone to further improve themselves. It¡¯s up to you on how to channel that fear.¡± Cloud finished before turning around and leaving the study, leaving Mikella alone. She got exasperated and let out a big breath. ¡°That¡¯s easier said than done,¡± Mikella shook her head. ¡°These lords are crazy¡­¡± However, a small hint of excitement nestled in her heart. That fear, that tiny sense of panic and despair. If she was able to conquer that fear, then¡­ Wouldn¡¯t it be possible for her to face even stronger foes than her, but weaker than the Journeyman users? Finally realizing what Cloud meant, she stood up from her table and went outside to the training yard. All the while, she never realized that a fearless smirk was plastered on her lips. ¡­.. ¡°Gaaaaaah!¡± Zeke gritted his teeth, the screams of the clearly hurting Myra breaking his eardrums. It was clear already that her physical body has already improved well enough that her shouts are becoming stronger. But her channels were burning from the excess fire mana coursing through her veins. At the moment, his hand was on her naked back, enforcing his Recovery skill to the maximum. Val stood by the side, using whatever she could to ease Myra¡¯s pain. She wasn¡¯t a healer, and they didn¡¯t have that many Health Potions to spare. The rest were back at the team, and right now Myra couldn¡¯t be alone with just Zeke. So Valorie stared deep into Myra¡¯s eyes, making sure that Myra could be at ease. ¡°Myra,¡± Val said, her tone calm and clear, not a single speck of panic in her eyes. ¡°Listen to me. I¡¯m not sure what is happening, but this is another trial at hand. Warriors go through this all the time¨Csudden trials that demand our full attention even at the worst of times.¡± Val¡¯s words cut deep, but there was a sense of calm and precise experience within them. She was speaking through the years of fighting and trials she herself had to the non-experienced Myra. ¡°No matter what, you cannot give up. Zeke is doing his best, but it won¡¯t amount to anything if you give up. Search within yourself, enforce your will through your channels. Can you do that for me, Myra?¡± Myra kept screaming, but once Val gave her a good staredown, she ceased screaming and only nodded once, something that she can only do at the moment. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Meanwhile, Zeke stayed absolutely silent as his eyes did the work of searching through the channels with Internal Senses. From the inside, her channels were burning up, almos turning to cinders from the powerful fire mana trying to eat her alive. The same fire mana was nearly melting the channels away and entering straight into her body, eating her up. Through his Recovery, Zeke did the first thing he could do¨Cfix the channels. It was like a pipeline bursting. You can¡¯t just get rid of the excess water without fixing the hole the water was coming from. In that sense, Zeke tried to repair the channels as best he could. But that proved to be difficult. If it were outside the channels, he could do it no problem. But this was the first time he ever tried to fix someone¡¯s own channels. Even worse, the channels being damaged were her own mana channels, something that his skill had difficulty even touching without breaking apart. Mixing foreign mana with each other from different people would disrupt the flow of the skill, causing it to go unbalanced and burst apart. However, Zeke didn¡¯t give up. If he doesn''t know, he¡¯s gonna learn. He instilled his mana through her body to connect with her mana channels, the ones being devoured by the clearly hostile fire mana swirling within. His Mana Perception skill flared wildly, trying to overcome the heavy burden Zeke was placing on it. But his casting broke apart immediately. A sharp pain flashed behind Zeke¡¯s eyes as he yelped. He cursed, and he swore something hot and wet were pouring from his eyes, but he went back in. He didn¡¯t even care how much mana he was spending. His Internal Senses could see her body burning, and he can only imagine the pain as it tried to devour her from the inside. He kept focusing, connecting his mana to her channels, failing, and retrying over and over. He cursed multiple times on not thinking ahead and drawing runes to encircle Myra, helping the process of healing if this ever came to pass. Not that he knew how to exactly do that, nor would he know exactly how that would work out in the first place. Experience was always necessary, but he really wished it wouldn¡¯t have come to this. As his mana dwindled, his mind went into overdrive. There was something he was missing, he knew. He just didn¡¯t know what. For his usual wound healing, he would connect his mana to connect with her life energy, or health, to fix the wounds. Then, for added insurance, he would rouse the kinetic energy of the target to keep the life energy in line, further healing the wounds. He experimented a lot during his rune studies, his Internal Senses making it ten times easier to use Recovery in this case. Then, he had an idea. If he can connect both life and kinetic energy to fix the wound, but he can¡¯t touch the magical energy, then¡­ wouldn¡¯t it be possible to use both of her energies to force his way into her magical channels? His Recovery skill was incredible in this case. It didn¡¯t only just force Zeke¡¯s mana into a person or object¡¯s inner workings, but also used it to control from within to repair. He didn¡¯t have any ability to actually harm the being, since the skill would never allow it¨Cit was only based to repair the inner workings. He was thankful for the skill, because if it weren¡¯t for its complex and high-tier ability, any ordinary healing skill would never be able to repair her body in this state. The fire mana was slowly corroding her body, and through his real eyes which he somehow managed to see through at the same time, the fire mana was actively trying to break through her tanned skin, the scent of burning flesh and cinder filling his nose. He had to give props to Myra who remained just groaning rather than outright screaming in pain. He would be crying like a little bitch right about now if he were in her shoes. Val was doing her best, but it was clear that her facade of a calm master was breaking after the wounds began to appear burning and tearing through Myra¡¯s flesh. He didn¡¯t have any time to hesitate. He willed Myra¡¯s life and kinetic energy, the latter being the strongest energy source she had to force her mana channels to obey. He knew the risk of using her own health which was currently being used to keep her alive. But thanks to Val¡¯s prompting, Myra¡¯s Stamina was working overtime to drive the foreign mana out, or at least to make it stop hurting her. So he only used a bit of her health along with her rampaging stamina to blast into the fire mana. At first, it didn¡¯t break entirely like before. He could feel his own mana rapidly decreasing, but he ignored the sudden chill down his spine as he realized that the channels were heavily resisting his access. But he willed the energies to go deeper in. He infused Myra¡¯s twin energies into his own mana, like a buffer to break through her channels. His mana was the drill, her energies the outer shell protecting it. With that image fully planted in his mind, he forged right on through. He succeeded. It was not a pleasant experience for both of them. His body entered into that same cold-like state from breaking through, and Myra¡¯s screams got louder, more frantic. But he couldn¡¯t stop now. He willed his mana to travel across her channels. He forced all of her energies and his own mana to repair the channels. Slowly, little by little, the energies were fixing up the tiny abrasions caused by the rampant fire mana. Once he finally healed the damage, he focused on the rampant fire mana itself. The damn energy was still coursing through her body, trying to eat her. But as though entering into her mana channels granted him further control, he was able to control the fire mana. It¡¯s gonna be a major drain on his mental power, but he didn¡¯t care. Someone¡¯s life was on the line. He forced his will on the fire mana, making it yield to his demands. The fire mana finally ceased rampaging around her body. It was like controlling the seas with his mind, the mana swirling and churning in her body just stopped as though he pressed the keyboard to pause a video. But the problem remained that the fire mana was still there. It was too much for her body to take, but he didn¡¯t know what else to do with it. He could expel it, but then wouldn¡¯t that make Myra¡¯s attunement worse? He knew that such a thing wouldn¡¯t really matter when it came to her life, but there was such a thing as ruining her life even by helping her survive this. When he imagined her excitement earlier about receiving a powerful attunement, using the fire aspect to further improve her damage to become stronger, he couldn¡¯t help but think of her just like Mikella, her own excitement nearly the same. So, he thought of a plan. He drained more of his mana, purely for his own selfishness. Somehow, the idea he had in his mind totally put aside the fact that his body was entering into a state of cold that could endanger his life. He forced the fire mana to slowly return back to the channels, still in the progress of fixing itself up. Normally, that would be a bad idea, but Zeke trusted his foolhardiness. If there¡¯s anything he can trust at this time, it¡¯s his own crazy ideas. So he decided that, rather than using his own unattributed Mana, he would use the new fire mana to reconstruct her mana channels. The fire mana seeped straight into the channel walls, the burning flames from the mana cauterizing them to a certain extent. Mixing his own mana to restore it with Recovery, he used the fire mana to ¡®enforce¡¯ the channels, improving them¨Cmaking them stronger. He honestly was reminded of his Barrier Craft, using the fire mana to encase the channels like he would with his barriers. He kept going, realizing that Myra¡¯s screams finally ceased, but she was clearly in pain. He knew it was due to his melding, using fire mana on her own channels. He had this stray thought of what would be worse, magma coursing through your body, or your channels so deeply ingrained to your core being melded like a smith hammering on a hot piece of metal? Somehow, the latter sounded far worse. It was like specific pain rather than overall pain. As he delved further into his stray thoughts, his work was progressing slowly. Then, he realized something else. Myra¡¯s energies were doing the work themselves. As he slowly put his mind out of her body, dispersing his mana control, he saw her body working as it intended. Her attunement is now reaffirming itself into her. The milestone breaking is properly working now. He could somehow feel Val¡¯s relief exploding out of her as Myra finally relaxed, her own energies working in concert with the now malleable fire mana thanks to his control. It was a beautiful sight. Internal Senses was still active, so he picked up how her channels were working overtime with the fire mana. It traveled all around her, enforcing not just her channels, but her muscle, skin tissue, organs, her very bones. They were all being improved dramatically. As the fire mana finally replaced her overall blue mana throughout her channels, Zeke¡¯s skill gave out. Soon his consciousness returned to the pitch black darkness. ¡­.. ¡°Zeke!¡± Val shouted as she caught the knocked out Zeke before falling. She may have her stats halved, but catching an unconscious boy from falling to the ground was easy for her. She looked back at the boy, no, at the man that had saved Myra¡¯s life, with shock. His face was pale, almost deathly white, as the heat from his body was practically dispersing from him. Blood seeped from his eyes, nose, and ears. It was a devastating sight. He was entering into a state of Mana Deprivation. Val cursed herself. How could she have let this happen? It was supposed to be a simple Level 30 milestone breaking, something that she¡¯s seen many others do and helped before. Yet, somehow, the fire mana went apeshit in Myra¡¯s body, almost killing her. If it weren¡¯t for Zeke¡¯s persistence, the fire mana would¡¯ve burned Myra alive, a death worse than anything else. She looked back at Myra now, her eyes picking up on her physical features. She was sweating, exhausted by the look of the bags underneath her eyes. Her hair was caked to her tanned skin as steam seemed to bellow out of it. She was burning, but she wasn¡¯t suffering. No, it was the very heat that became her new source of power. Somehow, Val could tell from her sharpened senses that her power was¡­ stronger than usual. It was a lot stronger compared to a normal Level 30 breakthrough. Something had changed. Whether it was the fire mana that went rampant, or Zeke¡¯s skill at work, she didn¡¯t know. Perhaps both, but she didn¡¯t care. Both were injured, and one was on the cusp of dying from Mana Deprivation. ¡°Myra, can you stand?¡± Val said, her voice calm and composed despite the urgency. ¡°Y-Yeah¡­¡± Myra hoarsely said, her voice rough like there were embers staining her vocal chords. ¡°Just¡­ Just hurts like a bitch, that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°Good, then we need to move. Zeke is in trouble.¡± The moment those words escaped, Myra¡¯s eyes popped wide open. She turned her neck, only to nearly flinch from the pain. Looking back at Zeke now, her eyes widened further, almost bugging out. ¡°Holy¡­ Zeke, Zeke! Hey! Are you okay?!¡± ¡°He entered into Mana Deprivation,¡± Val said, picking up Myra¡¯s armor and shoving them to her arms. ¡°Get dressed, and let¡¯s move.¡± ¡°Got it!¡± That¡¯s what Val always liked about Myra. Someone who was willing to follow her footsteps and go all out for others¡¯ sake, not just her own. A girl after her own heart. If she could, she would gather up an army of these types of girls, Mikella included, to take over the world. But alas, there were only so many. The two ushered forward, Myra taking the brunt of carrying the downed Zeke as Val rushed ahead to meet with the rest of the soldiers. The moment they came into view, the soldiers started wracking up noise at their coming, all of them each congratulating the now newly formed Myra. But they quickly noticed something was off. Their eyes turned to the pale Zeke in Myra¡¯s arms, looking ready to face death itself. ¡°Sorry to cut this short, but Zeke¡¯s down. We need to get back into the town,¡± Val ordered, looking at the other soldiers who looked at Zeke with concern. ¡°Something happened, and I¡¯m not planning on moving forward till¡¯ I know what the fuck is going on.¡± ¡°Captain, what happened?¡± Jacky, one of the twins, answered her call. ¡°Did something happen to Zeke? Why does he look ready to puke?¡± ¡°Did something happen to Myra that made Zeke work?¡± Maxie realized the connection, worry claiming his face. ¡°I¡¯m not certain, to be honest, but one thing¡¯s for sure¡­¡± Val¡¯s face twisted into a glare, getting the rest of the soldiers to feel the twinge of panic and fear coursing through them after noticing it. ¡°Something fucked up Myra¡¯s breakthrough, and I¡¯m not stopping until I find out what¡¯s responsible for it.¡± No soldier dared to complain and followed her orders to return home. It was also obvious that without the barrier mage making it easier for them, it wouldn¡¯t really be essential. They all stormed off to the town, preparing to save their mage. Ch60: Bad news ¡°Hah! Hrruaa! Hyaa!¡± Sounds of air slicing from her training spear echoed out in the yard. Mikella dashed forward and pierced the invisible enemy in front of her, her spear¡¯s tip slashing through the chest. But another one came, and Mikella forced herself to twist. Her legs nearly buckled, but she forced through as she turned to dodge an imaginary stab to her head, then made a horizontal spin to slice at the opponent¡¯s torso. She backed away, her Acrobatics flaring. Kinetic Perception took over, moving her body according to her wishes rather than trying to empower her strikes. She imagined the wound covering her leg. For every time she made a mistake she believed a spear-user shouldn¡¯t make, she ended up taking a blow, forcing her to work overtime to correct herself. She knew that this type of training was rather¡­ strange, at least to others. But to her, it¡¯s to help garner a clear difference between her Sword Mastery and any other weapon. With this, she¡¯ll open a new avenue for training her body, forcing her to explore a new part of training that would get her away from trying to level. Normally one would raise their own General Skill levels rather than trying to gain a new one, but Val had taught her that it isn¡¯t always a good idea to focus on just one single weapon in combat. Just like in life, sometimes change is necessary to move forward. That also included adding another weapon to keep your foes off your tracks, taking advantage of the pacing of the battle. While she may not have said to try and gain another General Skill, Mikella took it as a chance to improve her combat further. That and she didn¡¯t want to devolve back into her crazy Dragon Warrior self. It was a bit ridiculous, but she felt that she was approaching it in a more healthy manner than before. Still, despite a week passing by since Zeke became the breadwinner of the family, she hadn¡¯t gained a single notification regarding new skills. Turns out gaining a new General Skill normally outside the Class¡¯ purview was a lot more difficult than she expected. Cloud mentioned that while it was difficult, everyone would benefit from gaining a new General Skill to upgrade their kit. Outside of stat increases every level, gaining a new tool for fighting was never a bad idea. All it took was a lot of time and effort to accomplish that feat¨Csomething that Mikella fully planned on doing throughout her recovery. Once she was finished with the spear, she moved on to the axe. She knew she might have earned a Spear Mastery if she kept going, but she didn¡¯t want that. It would be too draining, and honestly, a little boring if she kept focusing on one single weapon after her sword. As she swung her training axe, this time focusing more on her Strength stat than her Dexterity, her body ached and strained from the usage of new muscles she hadn¡¯t gotten used to. Her Acrobatics, she realized, was more intent on speed than power. Still, the kind of burning and aching of her body reminded her of her athlete days in the old world. In the end, reading books was never her thing. This was what she needed¨Ca good sweat in a workout. She let her mind flow, her body correlating with her thoughts. With each swing, she felt her mind clear as all the frustration, shame, and regret over the past week were swept away. As long as she keeps working hard, she will succeed no matter what the world throws at her. And the notification being brought up to her proved that notion.
General Skill learned: Axe Mastery. ¡­.. Axe Mastery (Common), Level 1 You become a part of the axe. When wielding any type of axe, your damage increases and your movements faster. Each of these will increase according to the level of the skill and the current Strength, Dexterity, and Endurance stat.
Mikella shouted with glee, the system once again rewarding her in ways that the old world never had. With a feral grin, she swung her axe, fully powered by her new skill. It was like witnessing a new world once again. Her body sang with glee as all the muscles that strained from earlier usage now flowed with greater fluidity than before. Her axe felt a part of her now, just like her sword had. It was obviously riddled with errors, of course¨Cit was still low level. But contrary to before, new knowledge pierced into her mind as she thought of new ways to use this mental state even during her sword practice. She had a feeling that it might open up some new horizons in how to accurately improve her swordsmanship further. When she finished her bout with her imaginary foe, her body riddled with sweat and a calm breath exiting her mouth, she grinned as she noticed Clara clapping her hands to the side. ¡°Sissy!¡± Clara shouted. ¡°That was so cool!¡± Clara was staring at Mikella this whole time, surprisingly never getting bored despite Mikella doing nothing but swinging her weapons. It was embarrassing at first, but when she got into the swing of things, her watching only got her to work harder. After all, all of this was for her sake, for her protection. Zeke is doing what he can to do that as well, so it felt like the two were working in unison, even from far apart. She wondered what Zeke was doing at the moment as she walked over to Clara. She wouldn¡¯t dare touch her, being so sweaty as she was. ¡°I¡¯m going to go take a bath,¡± Mikella said, looking over at Clara. ¡°Wanna come?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Clara shouted with glee and Mikella smiled. She knew that someday, they wouldn''t be bathing together when she gets older, so she wanted to enjoy these precious moments while they lasted. Perhaps in a year or two, she would want to bathe in private. That would be when she would enter middle school in their old world. Three months passed since they got to this new world. She was getting older and older now. Her thoughts whirled on the idea that Clara won¡¯t be going back to any normal childhood anymore while they bathe. After a half hour passed, the two came back out freshly bathed clothed, noticing Cloud walking over to them. ¡°Hey,¡± Cloud said, noticing the two. ¡°Val¡¯s coming over. The army is coming back.¡± ¡°What? Really?¡± Mikella tilted her head. ¡°It¡¯s super early, isn¡¯t it?¡± Mikella tilted her head as she noticed the window showing the day nearing sunset. She got so used to coming back at night that she can practically sense the timing of the day thanks to her newly improved senses. ¡°Val sent a message through the rune coin,¡± Cloud said, a frown showing up. Despite how expensive those coins were for runecraft, the Lords always have an emergency pile for moments like these. ¡°Something happened. That¡¯s why they¡¯re coming back.¡± Mikella¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°What happened? Did someone get hurt?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Cloud said. ¡°And it doesn¡¯t look good.¡± Somehow, regretfully, Mikella could tell who got hurt. Clara clutched her hand tighter, realizing what was going on. ¡°Sissy, is Bobo¡­?¡± Clara asked, her voice worried. Mikella couldn¡¯t answer, following Cloud out the house with Clara in tow. ¡­.. She couldn¡¯t believe what she saw. Her eyes were practically glued to Zeke¡¯s unconscious form the moment the army stepped through the entrance. Val had a hard look on her face along with Myra carrying Zeke¡¯s prone body. He looked pale, riddled with blood. Looking back, she saw Cloud with the same hard expression, possibly understanding what was happening. Mikella, however, wasn¡¯t having it. But she remained silent. Right now, nothing was better than to take Zeke home and to give him what he needed. Apparently the other soldiers agreed, as they returned home after wishing Zeke a good recovery. He did a good job as a mage at the expedition, but despite all these praises from the soldiers, Mikella just wasn¡¯t happy. How could she when at the end of the day, Zeke looked like he was ready to die? When they returned home, Zeke was placed down on his bed in his room up in the small attic of the household, the entire place crowded by the others visiting him. Not just Mikella and the two girls Clara and Ana, but also Val, Cloud, and Myra, the only one visiting their home. Apparently, the story was that Zeke helped Myra out of her troublesome milestone breaking. What happened however stumped even Cloud, unable to perceive what happened. ¡°The Fire Mana went¡­ out of control?¡± Cloud asked, furrowing his brows at his wife. ¡°That¡¯s impossible. That potion¨C¡± ¡°--is a goddamn fluke,¡± Val said, heat in her voice. ¡°I¡¯m gonna find whoever made that junk and make that bastard pay. He almost cost us two young lives.¡± Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. Her fingers balled tightly, her expression turning furious. Cloud had creased his brows before turning to Myra. In Mikella¡¯s eyes, she flinched under his striking gaze. ¡°Myra¡­¡± Cloud asked. ¡°Do you mind if I examine your channels? I need to see how Zeke handled the procedure.¡± ¡°O-Of course,¡± Myra immediately said before she almost got ready to take off her armor. But she quickly stopped herself, noticing the situation and the kids near her. ¡°Umm¡­ i-is there a place I can¨C?¡± ¡°Come,¡± Val understood immediately as she led her away from the room. ¡°Mikella, can you watch Zeke? Make sure to keep him warm and keep drinking the potion beside him.¡± Mikella nodded, still silent. The girls were also oddly silent, staring at the still sleeping Zeke on his bed. The way he looked like a corpse that had died resting peacefully was just too nauseating to see. ¡°Mikella¡­¡± Before leaving, Myra turned to her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry this happened¡­ but I just want you to know that I owe Zeke my life. I¡¯ll carry this debt to my grave.¡± ¡°...Zeke would probably forget about the debt anyways,¡± Mikella said, her spirit not really in her words. ¡°He¡¯s always the sort to just do what he can. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Myra looked like she had more to say, but seeing Mikella like this, she nodded in understanding and left the room. Now, it was just the three girls and Zeke on the bed. Mikella felt guilty about a lot of things. About how she is handling the situation right now, how she responded to Myra, but more importantly, about her own weakness. She felt shame for not helping Zeke and doing nothing more than being his caretaker. Even now, she was automatically helping him drink by pouring the Mana potion on his side desk, opening his mouth ajar and pouring droplets every now and then. He couldn¡¯t drink it entirely, but this amount is perfect to let his body recover his mana. Mana Deprivation. That¡¯s what Val and Cloud said that was making Zeke suffer like this. The truth was, she saw the same thing happen after the dragon attack, but she didn¡¯t say anything about it. It occurs when someone uses up all of their available mana, yet continues to pry further into their already empty resource. In the end, they end up spending most of their stamina and health along the way. In return, the body exhibits the level of cold never felt before. Mana carries their own significant heat in the body, not just the natural body heat. If the mana dwindles drastically, it causes the body to almost freeze up, just like when Zeke nearly shivered to death on the ground. ¡°Sissy¡­¡± Clara said, looking over to her with her eyes tearing up. ¡°Is Bobo going to be okay?¡± Ana, being the sweetheart that she was, stayed silent after seeing Zeke on the bed. Even though she loved to make trouble every so often, the moment someone gets hurt, Ana changes. She becomes sympathetic, and often helps out when she can. So when she turned to Mikella, her face was the same, if not more in pain, than Clara¡¯s. ¡°Is he?¡± Ana asked. ¡°Is Bobo gonna be okay?¡± ¡°Of course he will be,¡± Mikella spoke gently to both girls. She played with them half the time, sometimes Ana spending time with Cloud and Mikella playing with Clara, but sometimes she played with both. It was as though the two became true sisters, and that couldn¡¯t make Mikella happier. If Zeke was awake to see this, he¡¯d be proud that Clara followed his words to heart. It made her own heart melt in gratitude. So she didn¡¯t really hesitate when she came over near the bedside, and propped Zeke up. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s give him lots of hugs,¡± Mikella said, getting Zeke comfortable enough to embrace him. ¡°He¡¯s really cold, so let¡¯s give him all the warmth he needs.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ okay!¡± Ana immediately went for it, chugging along on top of the bed to embrace Zeke with all her might. Clara did the same, getting up with Ana¡¯s help to hug Zeke. The way the two hugged him like their lives depended on it made Mikella smile. She was certain that Zeke would have a big surprise waiting for him when he woke up. ¡­.. Myra has never in her life felt so much gratitude to someone. She regarded Captain Valorie as not just a Captain worthy of her respect, but also as a mentor and as a role model. She also regarded Lord Cloud as a truly wise, if a little devilish, man who carries his word on his sleeve. If not for the two of them, she would¡¯ve kept being in that damn city, unable to make a living for herself other than marrying some man she barely knew about and living a life of a housewife. That wasn¡¯t her. She will never be like that, even if her family wanted her to do that regardless of her feelings. So it was a shocker to find someone who was willing to go into Mana Deprivation for her, even if she was friends with his wife. She didn¡¯t have that much of a good impression on her at first. She honestly thought the two were just brats that were homeschooled, and somehow they got the captain and the lord to take care of them personally. She would admit that she got a little bitter about it. What got her was that they were taught such amazing skills to ensure their safety. It wouldn¡¯t be strange to say that anyone would be green with envy. What¡¯s with Zeke having such powerful support skills and Mikella having the powerhouse kit to truly deal some devastating damage. But she saw in Mikella¡¯s eyes that she didn¡¯t have an easy time doing so. The way she looked at Clara, her cute little sister, also made her feel like Mikella was a natural mother bear looking out for her cub. And she¡¯ll easily rip someone¡¯s throat if something happened to her. She can respect that. As more time passed, the more she knew just how hardworking Mikella was. Sure, crap hit the fan when Mikella got taken by Class Madness, but once she realized that, Myra couldn¡¯t really hold a grudge against her. It just felt petty. And now, Zeke became another person that she can¡¯t help but respect. It took him all he had to save her from something that she didn¡¯t think would be so¡­ painful. She shivered at the idea of what would happen if Zeke wasn¡¯t there. It was supposed to be a simple breakthrough, at least that¡¯s what Val said. Normally, breaking into Expert is tamer compared to reaching level 60 and breaking into Journeyman, even if it was a bit painful. But that breakthrough¡­ Her body was on fire, all the pores emanating enough heat to melt iron. And as soon as she felt Zeke¡¯s magic pierce her, it was worse. But now, it felt like it was all just her imagination. She never felt better in all her life the moment the pain ceased. She still felt sore in some places, but that was negligible compared to the overall power she wielded now. She couldn''t really explain it, so once she took her armor off again for the second time, she let Cloud study her channels. Cloud stared intently, and she couldn¡¯t help but feel uncomfortable. She was truly okay being naked in front of others. She had no shame and had nothing to hide. But he was peering deeper into her more than anybody else. Sure, Zeke did the same, but Myra couldn¡¯t really pay attention due to all the pain going on. But the way Cloud¡¯s striking blue eyes kept staring at her¡­she felt more naked than she ever had. Even with all the armor in the world, she felt like she was bearing all she had and probably more to those eyes. She could tell that those eyes were inherent since he was born, not due to just reaching Journeyman. Cloud stepped away, his eyes returning back to their natural dim hue. He smiled, nodding to Myra before turning his head. ¡°I¡¯m done. Sorry to make you go through that.¡± ¡°I-It¡¯s fine,¡± Myra blushed. She wasn¡¯t embarrassed about being naked, but more about how a Journeyman mage is being so polite to her. Normally, those in higher stages acted more arrogant and dominant. ¡°Am¡­ Am I going to be fine?¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re more than fine,¡± Cloud smiled. ¡°Your channels were boosted by your attunement. It¡¯s a lot more advanced than the usual Expert breakthrough.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Myra asked, excitement stemming from her voice. She did feel a little bad, but she couldn¡¯t help herself. ¡°I figured from how I feel, but how did that work?¡± ¡°Honestly, even I¡¯m surprised, but Zeke managed to use your fire mana to bolster your channels. Normally, one needed to have more experience in dealing with their attunement, letting their mana get used to its sudden change. But Zeke managed to do that for you in one shot. I wouldn¡¯t even be surprised if that ended up breaking your stat blockages either. That¡¯s also another way to break through your stat blocks without attribute fruits¨Cthough it is considerably more painful and risky than just eating tasty fruits.¡± ¡°No way¡­¡± Myra looked back at herself. She received a notification the moment her breakthrough was done. It was a rarer form of Fire attunement called Vengeful Fire, rather than just the normal fire. It gave her more stats than she ever expected, at least from what she studied about attunements. What Zeke did gave her a more powerful fire attunement. Not only that, but it also broke her stat blocks, allowing her to have further power. It was painful as all hell, but now she can¡¯t help but feel like she owes a bigger debt to Zeke. She didn¡¯t care whether Mikella was right about him forgetting such a thing¨CMyra certainly wouldn¡¯t. ¡°But that should be impossible, right?¡± Val asked, turning to her husband. ¡°Even if Zeke managed to temper her channels in a way, the fire mana shouldn¡¯t be strong enough to do so. And I¡¯m certain Zeke wasn¡¯t strong enough mana-wise to improve them himself. The alchemist that we bought the potion from said it should¡¯ve been a normal quality Fire Essence potion.¡± Cloud shook his head, surprising the two women. ¡°The fire mana in her channels made it clear that it isn¡¯t normal quality. It was stronger, way stronger than it should¡¯ve been. I checked too¨Cthe potion was exactly what was promised, but somehow it was boosted when Myra used it.¡± ¡°What? But¡­ how?¡± Val shook her head in disbelief. ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything to it. I had it in my pack this whole time. I would¡¯ve known if something happened to it. Myra agreed, as she made sure that the potion was also fine¨Cafter all, she earned it after her constant work and progress as a soldier under Val¡¯s tutelage. It was an extremely valuable potion for attunements. The Captain recognizes the soldier¡¯s efforts, giving them the attunement potions when she felt that they were close to reaching level 30. It motivated the soldiers to work harder, not just to improve themselves, but to show gratitude to the captain for giving them such great opportunities. ¡°Yes, but out there, when you made your breakthrough, something outside caused it to grow stronger. A mana spike unlike anything I¡¯ve seen before. It¡¯s from a source that I, unfortunately, have started to realize in the past week.¡± ¡°Cloud¡­?¡± Val asked, her tone turning serious. Myra could tell the atmosphere was turning tense as Cloud paused for a short moment. ¡°Studying your mana now, it¡¯s clear something from the outside affected it during your attunement. That outside source is probably the reason why the horde turned crazy as well.¡± The two women stayed silent. The captain was, as usual, calm about the situation. But Myra didn¡¯t have that calmness. ¡°You¡¯re kidding me?¡± Myra said, her tone almost shaking. ¡°What¡¯s the cause? Is something happening in the forest?¡± ¡°I think so,¡± Cloud finished, crossing his arms. ¡°And I think it might be due to a dungeon nearby.¡± ¡°A dungeon?¡± Val exclaimed. Her calm attitude almost broke. ¡°But how? It wouldn¡¯t be possible for one to be here. We made sure to give a wide scope around Eve Glade before settling it into a town. There was no such dungeon around for miles!¡± ¡°Then it must have propped up recently,¡± Cloud stared intensely at the ground, deep in thought. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to admit it, but it has to be true. I will report this to the general to figure something out.¡± Myra couldn¡¯t help but stay quiet as the lords talked. She didn¡¯t know why they were okay with talking about such important matters around her, but then again, this affected everyone in the town as a whole. A dungeon. She heard stories about such places, but she never expected one could be so close, especially a recent one. A dungeon is a place in between dimensions, an unnatural crevice between the real and the ethereal. While they hold incredible dangers, creatures that shouldn¡¯t exist due to the misplaced energies within the realms, there also exist great treasures¨Csome of which included attribute fruits and rare acquired skill books. Myra gulped. She knew that there was a tough battle ahead. More than likely she¡¯ll have to join in the group to take down the dungeon, no matter how difficult it must be. And she couldn¡¯t help but relish in the anticipation of it all. Ch61: The Truth When Zeke came to, he was suddenly surrounded by several girls. Then he woke up for real to realize that those girls are just Clara and Ana hugging him tightly. He wasn¡¯t even disappointed¨Che was filled with so much warmth from their affection. He tried to move his head, but it was wracked and shackled with migraines beyond anything he could ever feel. His insides were a frozen tundra, and his blood nitrogen. He relished the warmth. He never felt so cold in his life, so despite his awkwardness of being hugged from all over, he took advantage of the warmth. He also noticed Mikella just napping on the chair beside him, impressively keeping herself up despite her eyes being closed and breathing as though she was in a deep sleep. He tried to recall what happened before he got knocked out. He was starting to dislike how often it was happening. He recalled at least one word from his messed up memory. ¡°Mana Deprivation¡­¡± He muttered, remembering that horrible feeling of spending all of his mana and beyond. This happened during the wyvern fight. He was sure that his high Spirit was enough to never go through that again. Apparently it wasn¡¯t enough. He then noticed the corner of his eye blinking rapidly. It was his notifications, waiting for him. He grimaced, thinking of nothing but bad news as he pulled up the prompts. The first one was just as he was expecting.
You are afflicted with Intense Mana Deprivation. Your Mana regeneration is reduced by 50%. For every mana you generate naturally, you will receive damage based on how much you receive. Restoring mana artificially will not damage you.
He couldn¡¯t have found a worse debuff even if he tried. Not only is his mana regeneration shot, he even gets damaged depending on how much he regenerates. For someone with a high Spirit like him, this was practically a death sentence. Though he felt his body filled with mana, just not his own. It was somehow acting as a filler for his affliction to hit instead of him, allowing him to recover. Unfortunately it didn¡¯t say how long he would be suffering this debuff like in the games in his old world, so he won¡¯t be casting any magic anytime soon. On the other hand, the next notifications brought up some good news¡­
Skill incorporation has commenced. Your skill Internal Senses has integrated with Recovery due to your mastery of intertwining the skills during a life-altering trial. Internal Senses (Uncommon) has been integrated into Recovery (Rare). Internal Senses have been lost. Recovery (Rare) has advanced into Recovery (Epic). You gain points based on the advanced rarity: +2 INT
¡­..
Recovery (Epic), Level 3 You can pour mana into any target¡¯s inner workings, recovering them back to their original state. Due to your influence, you are able to view deep within the inner workings of any target, material or organic, and sense the pathways that make up the target. Your healing and perception increases according to the level of the skill and the current Spirit stat.
¡­..
General Skill learned: Steadfast Mind
¡­..
Steadfast Mind (Uncommon), Level 1 Your mind has adapted to the harsh mental struggle, increasing your resilience. Increases your mental defenses to any and all pain and damage to a degree. This will increase according to the level of the skill and the current Spirit stat.
¡­..
Mana Perception Level Up! It is now Level 8. You have gained +1 INT (x2) from your skill. You have gained +1 SPI (x2) from your skill.
¡­..
Pain Resistance Level Up! It is now level 5. You have gained +1 VIT from your skill. You have gained +1 END from your skill.
¡­..
Recovery Level Up! It is now level 5. You have gained +2 INT (x2) from your skill. You have gained +2 SPI (x2) from your skill.
He stopped reading when he heard Mikella groaning, rising from her slumber. She looked at the awakened Zeke, her eyes bugging out. ¡°Zeke¡­!¡± She noticed her surroundings, noticing the kids sleeping on his bed. She put herself in a comfortable position, looking at him straight in the eyes. ¡°I¡¯m glad that you woke up.¡± ¡°Hey,¡± Zeke wanted to say a lot of things, but seeing her look so worried for him, he almost lost his wording. Near the small lighting of the room, she looked subtle, a warm radiance coming off in waves. He shook himself out from that as they barraged themselves with questions of what happened. As he expected, he was carried back by his team after losing consciousness. After explaining everything, she went to ask the important questions. ¡°How do you feel?¡± ¡°Like I¡¯m about to die internally,¡± Zeke said honestly. He shrugged, wincing as the quick flash of pain entered. It was like nerve damage, tracing from his head to any part of his body that sent the signal. ¡°This is the worst case of Mana Deprivation I ever went through. Still, not like I had a choice¡­¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Mikella nodded. ¡°I heard. Myra says she owes you a debt she can never repay.¡± ¡°Eh, it¡¯s nothing,¡± Zeke waved it off. ¡°Anyone would¡¯ve done the same if they had my abilities.¡± And he was right. If he hadn¡¯t, he wouldn¡¯t try doing anything. That was the reason why he wanted to learn how to support others. It¡¯s exactly stuff like this that makes having a healer around essential. ¡°But you got hurt.¡± For a moment, Zeke looked at her. She stared at him intently, and after listening, he realized there was heat in her tone. ¡°What¡¯s the point of being a supporter if you only hurt yourself?¡± Mikella asked. Zeke grimaced. It was obvious she would be angry after what happened. It feels like no matter what happens, he¡¯ll end up knocked out in one way or another. It was starting to get a bit embarrassing. Still, he turned to her, showing a guilty look. ¡°Hurting myself is better than letting someone die.¡± The words traveled around the room for a while, making an awkward silence. He didn¡¯t mean to make it sound so dramatic. But it was the truth. Thankfully, or maybe not, Mikella let out a heavy breath. ¡°I kinda figured you¡¯d say that. Still, you gotta promise me¨Cno matter what happens, keep yourself alive and return to us. Got it?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Zeke answered immediately. ¡°That¡¯s my intention.¡± She smiled, warming his heart. She turned to Clara who slept peacefully. Brushing against her hair, and for good measure, doing the same for Ana, she spoke again. ¡°I¡¯m glad you returned to Clara¡¯s side too. She was worried, you know?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Zeke smiled. When he saw Clara¡¯s sleeping face, he felt an emotion that was complex. Hard to describe. Whether it was familial love, an aching of a child whose life weighs heavily on him, or something else entirely, he wasn¡¯t really sure. All he knows is that Clara is important to him. So hearing her worry for him was like a stake driving through his heart. The two kept talking after that, but they made sure to keep quiet while the kids were asleep. The others were still talking so they ended up just¡­ chatting their day. Throughout the week, apparently Mikella was green with envy, especially after hearing how everyone leveled up easily thanks to his help. Even if she shared in the experience, her help would have gained a lot more XP for everyone involved, even if she didn¡¯t get any training in. There was nothing wrong with adding extra force as long as it would help. But Zeke was surprised to find that she managed to gain an Axe Mastery skill, proving that she wasn¡¯t being idle. That¡¯s when he showed her his own improvements. That almost made her shriek, her face distorted to shock and disbelief. ¡°Are you serious? A new skill, and an Epic skill too?¡± Mikella shook her head. ¡°Then again, maybe that¡¯s what you deserve after all that crap.¡± ¡°Honestly, I think I gained more from this experience,¡± Zeke shrugged, once again wincing. ¡°Ugh, maybe not. My head¡¯s splitting apart¡­¡± ¡°Here.¡± Before he could do anything about it, Mikella stood up and held his head with her hands. For a moment, he panicked, thinking she was gonna try to do some weird massage involving twisting his neck or something. He was surprised at how¡­ soft her hands were. They moved delicately, her supple fingers trailing along the sides of his head, appeasing his pain in ways he can¡¯t imagine doing for himself. ¡°I do this a lot for Clara, whenever she gets a headache from having colds,¡± Mikella smiled. The warmth from her words and finger movements made his cheeks flare up. ¡°I never tried it on a guy, though. Am I being rough?¡± ¡°N-No, it¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s wonderful.¡± Zeke wanted to close his eyes, to enjoy the moment. But deep within himself, he cried out to not get used to this. Otherwise, he might end up falling for¨C The door opened, surprising Zeke as Cloud, Val, and Myra stepped in, noticing him awake. ¡°Hey, Zeke!¡± Myra waved, smiling. ¡°You¡¯re awake!¡± ¡°Myra,¡± Zeke widened his eyes as Mikella stood aside. He figured Myra would end up haggard looking, but she didn¡¯t just look vibrant¨Cshe was practically radiant with life. ¡°You¡¯re okay.¡± The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°Do you have any idea what you did for me? I can¡¯t thank you enough,¡± Myra said, but Zeke knew it was coming. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Zeke said, interrupting what he figured was more thanks. ¡°I¡¯m just glad to be able to do it.¡± Myra was taken aback, turning over to Mikella for a second. Zeke noticed that Mikella shrugged, as though it was obvious. He tilted his head at that but Myra continued. ¡°No, you don¡¯t understand,¡± Myra said. ¡°You did way more for me than you think.¡± That got the two¡¯s attention as they talked for a bit, the hosts picking up their sleeping child and bringing her to her room. They left Clara there with Zeke for obvious reasons. When the hosts returned, Zeke was practically brimming with shock. ¡°Damn¡­ I didn¡¯t even think about how that really helped you,¡± Zeke said, amazed to hear that not only did the attunement work, it practically powered her up even more than normal. ¡°That sounds so cool!¡± Mikella said, practically looking at Myra with envy in her eyes. ¡°Zeke, do you think you can do the same for me when we reach level 30?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure if that¡¯s a good idea¡­¡± Zeke said, referencing Myra with his eyes. ¡°Who knows, we might level up at the same time¡­¡± For a moment, Mikella furrowed her brows, but then realized what he meant as she suddenly clammed up. Myra looked confused as well, but it was obvious. After all, she didn¡¯t know that the two were linked together in terms of XP share. ¡°Oh, right¡­¡± Mikella brushed her hair. ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± ¡°Zeke,¡± Cloud stepped forward, thankfully stepping in before things got weirder for the confused Myra. ¡°How do you feel? Do you have any lingering effects?¡± Figuring it was time to repeat what happened, Zeke first offered the notifications to the three in front of him, then explained how he felt at the moment¨Cin summary, pretty shitty. Still, they were more surprised at the skill notifications. ¡°A skill incorporation,¡± Cloud said, rubbing his chin in deep interest. ¡°At such a young age, too. Not to mention that they weren¡¯t even maxed level yet.¡± ¡°I knew you were talented, but I didn¡¯t think you could intergrate skills already,¡± Val said, a rising smile on her face. ¡°That goes to show that adversity can sharpen you if you know what you¡¯re doing.¡± ¡°So, basically,¡± Zeke said, turning to Myra with a smile. ¡°I kinda got a lot more than I bargained for.¡± ¡°That still doesn''t matter,¡± Myra said with a grin. ¡°You still saved my life. You could jump all the way to Journeymen for all I care¨CI still owe you.¡± Zeke only rolled his eyes, which only earned him another migraine as he held his head. Myra just chuckled at that with Mikella along with her. ¡°Steadfast Mind will certainly help you a lot, especially since you just gained a new slot in your General section,¡± Cloud continued, reminding Zeke of that point. Normally people only have a limited amount of General Skills. At best, ten is the maximum, though there can be some circumstances that explain otherwise. Having a General Skill removed and added into an Acquired Skill improved his Recovery to Epic rarity, which is more advanced and potent than a simple Rare rarity. At the same time, it granted him a new slot which was immediately taken in by a useful mental defense skill. He gained more at the cost of nothing. Well, at the cost of a terrible headache, but Zeke was used to that. ¡°Right! The Fire Mana,¡± Zeke turned to Cloud, reminding him of the issue that caused this in the first place. ¡°Do you know what happened? Why did the Fire Mana try to kill Myra?¡± ¡°It got spiked,¡± Myra answered. Her face looked just as animated along with Val¡¯s, but with a touch of bitterness. ¡°While we were there, my potion got jacked up with a lot more Mana than usual. That¡¯s why my attunement almost messed me up. I mean, I got stronger, sure, but¡­¡± ¡°In other words, that¡¯s why we came in to tell you two,¡± Cloud said, getting both Val and Myra to nod at him, letting him continue. ¡°I found out the source of the Mana spike, and the reason for why the horde continued attacking us.¡± ¡­.. ¡°A dungeon?¡± Zeke asked in surprise. They were already out of his room to let Clara sleep, leaving only the adults awake in the living room. Zeke, Mikella, and Myra sat on one sofa with the hosts on the other side as usual. To them, that¡¯s their couch where they always sat, something that the younger adults know inherently that it¡¯s their special spot. ¡°So a dungeon is around here,¡± Mikella asked. ¡°And it¡¯s causing the monsters to go crazy... Are we going to go and conquer the dungeon then?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the plan,¡± Cloud said, conjoining his fingers together as he talked. ¡°It¡¯s probably going to be dangerous, but there¡¯s no other choice. So¡­ I hate to say this, especially after what happened, but we¡¯re gonna need some serious support.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Zeke nodded. ¡°Now that my Recovery got stronger, it¡¯ll be better for all of us.¡± Cloud turned to Mikella, his eyes expecting. ¡°You¡¯ll join him, right?¡± ¡°Obviously,¡± Mikella answered without hesitation. She didn¡¯t mean any disrespect, but it was par for the course. ¡°Besides, I want to go either way. Though, I know I¡¯m going through punishment. Would it be okay for me to join?¡± ¡°We¡¯re also planning on inviting a small group of high level soldiers. But yes, Mikky¨CI can waive off your punishment due to special circumstances. Your power is far higher than the others thanks to your abilities, but you have to remember¡­¡± ¡°I know,¡± Mikella nodded. ¡°That¡¯s why I want to join. What better way than to prove myself than to fight in a dungeon with a handicap?¡± Zeke furrowed his brows and turned to Mikella, noticing his stare at her. ¡°I¡¯m seriously starting to worry about how you¡¯re handling your¡­ ¡®tendencies¡¯,¡± Zeke said slowly, getting Mikella to smile awkwardly. ¡°Hey, I know now not to mess around. I¡¯ll have Val and Myra to watch me over.¡± ¡°As long as you don¡¯t steal my kill again, I¡¯m good,¡± Myra said, showing a smirk to the shame-faced Mikella. ¡°I promise never to do that again,¡± Mikella said seriously. ¡°Honestly, I still feel guilty about it even now. I¡¯ve been meaning to apologize to you for a while¡­¡± ¡°Heh, it¡¯s fine,¡± Myra snickered. ¡°I can see that you feel really bad about it. All water under the bridge.¡± Mikella smiled sincerely at that. Zeke couldn''t help but feel relieved to see them going back into good graces again. ¡°With that settled,¡± Cloud said, getting their attention. ¡°I¡¯ll talk with the General tomorrow. Most likely we¡¯ll set off in a few days to prepare. Though I¡¯m not looking forward to it¡­¡± ¡°He had been pretty forceful about setting off in the first place,¡± Val shrugged. ¡°No other choice, Cloud.¡± ¡°I know¡­¡± Cloud let out a tired breath, way more exhausting than before. Zeke knew about the strenuous relationship between the general and Cloud, but that¡¯s how it is. Though a certain place in his heart worried whether the general might ask too many questions during the raid. ¡°How long do you think we¡¯ll take before we tackle the dungeon?¡± Zeke asked, putting the question everyone must have thought of to the front. ¡°We can¡¯t go immediately tomorrow, if that¡¯s what you''re worried about,¡± Cloud said, smiling. ¡°We¡¯ll need you at your best. Mana Deprivation may seem harmless from status alone, but if you keep pushing yourself, you¡¯ll damage yourself permanently. Chronic headaches would be the least of your worries.¡± Zeke shivered, nodding to it immediately. His body still feels the shivers every now and then, something that he knew the others picked up on. That was why he figured Mikella was closing up to him to give him warmth. ¡°We also need to gather up the soldiers and prepare them,¡± Val continued. ¡°That alone should take us a few days at best. I don''t want to get everyone rushing toward a dungeon unprepared.¡± ¡°How many we¡¯ll bring, Captain?¡± Myra asked, a glint in her eyes showing that she doesn¡¯t plan on staying behind. Val nodded in return. ¡°A small group, preferably level 30,¡± Val smiled at Zeke. ¡°Thanks to Zeke, most of them are rather close to it, but there¡¯s only so many monsters we can face. After the preparations are ready, we can have Zeke and Mikella up with us. Their combined power should make farming XP that much easier for the rest of us.¡± Zeke smiled. ¡°We can finally hunt together, Mikella.¡± Mikella smiled brightly at that. That almost dealt a nuclear strike on his heart. He was half-joking, half-serious on that proclamation, but the way Mikella just beamed after hearing it sounded like she was glad for that. ¡°It was long overdue, for certain,¡± Cloud smiled. Zeke had to look away as he noticed Cloud¡¯s teasing look at him. ¡°But there is another thing¡­¡± He looked at both Zeke and Mikella, then referenced to Myra at the side. ¡°I believe that¡­ we should involve more people into our little secret.¡± Zeke widened his eyes at that, but he noticed quickly that both Mikella and Val nodded. ¡°I think that is for the best,¡± Val said, turning to the two. ¡°What about it? Are you two okay with it?¡± ¡°Zeke?¡± He turned to Mikella. ¡°I honestly don¡¯t mind¡­ I think Myra deserves it.¡± ¡°Huh? Wha¡­?¡± Myra looked dumbfounded. She was following along right before her name was mentioned, if a little bit confused by it. ¡°What¡¯s this about?¡± Zeke took a moment, realizing the implication. It¡¯s only natural that people will start asking some awkward questions regarding both their link and their circumstances. Especially with magic involved, particularly the Identify ability, they can tell that Zeke is leveling up at the same rate as Mikella who fought more monsters than him. Myra must have not really thought about it or figured Zeke had his own ways, but there was only so much they could hide. But more than anything, if it¡¯s Myra, he has no reason to hide. After all, it¡¯s not like Myra¡¯s the type to be a traitor, or anything of the sort. She¡¯s as straightforward as they come. ¡°I agree,¡± Zeke nodded, and then all of them turned to Myra, quickly noticing their stares. ¡°W-What¡¯s going on?¡± Myra asked, realizing the situation at hand. ¡°I¡¯m not gonna die all of a sudden, right?¡± ¡°No,¡± Mikella chuckled, shaking her head. ¡°Just¡­ umm, get ready for what you¡¯re about to learn. Both Zeke, me, and Clara aren¡¯t really¡­ normal.¡± ¡­.. Myra paced around the living room, her hands at the sides of her head. Zeke felt a little guilty, noticing how this type of information is making her brain fume. And it wasn¡¯t because she was too simple to get it. If anything, Myra was smarter than she seemed. She just couldn¡¯t handle the fact that the new visitors were basically aliens from another world. Would anyone else from his world accept it so easily? Then again, they¡¯re always ready to deny reality to the point where they can convince people that the earth was flat. ¡°Okay. Wow. That¡¯s a lot of shit to take in,¡± Myra finally said. The two travelers finished explaining everything which took about an hour or so to explain. Throughout it all, Myra was extremely silent. ¡°And¡­ and it also answers a lot of questions? Gods, this feels so unreal¡­¡± ¡°Tell me about it,¡± Cloud said, crossing his arms. ¡°Despite everything I¡¯ve seen, this is the first time I ever saw this happen.¡± ¡°Even you too, Lord Cloud?¡± Myra seemed even more perplexed now. ¡°I knew that Mikella wasn¡¯t your average soldier, and Zeke not an average mage, but¡­ I mean. Wow¡­¡± Myra finally sat down on the chair, her eyes still looking distant with her hand on her head, the other resting on the armrest. ¡°Okay, so¡­¡± Myra let out a deep breath. ¡°You two came from a world with no levels and no monsters. Nothing, right? Not even magic?¡± The two nodded silently. ¡°Then you were taken away against your will to some dungeon that just appeared out of nowhere? Even with Clara?¡± The two nodded again. ¡°And you¡¯re even linked together somehow, so you always share XP? Is that why Zeke is so high in level despite being at home this whole time?¡± The two nodded one final time. ¡°That explains so much, yet my brain can¡¯t handle it all,¡± Myra said, resting her head on the top side of the chair. ¡°Maybe I shouldn¡¯t have learned of this. I feel like I might mess up.¡± ¡°Myra, you¡¯re a smart girl,¡± Val cooed. ¡°I know you can handle it. Just make sure not to tell Maxie and Jackie, though. I know they¡¯re your friends, but you know how much they gabble.¡± ¡°Trust me, I¡¯m keeping this to my grave,¡± Myra said, shifting her weight and straightening herself. She stared at the two, her eyes fixed them. ¡°I swear, upon my name and my status, I will keep this close to my heart. No matter the cost, I stand by my promise.¡± Zeke was taken aback by that. Myra always seemed so flippant and playful, but the way she swore felt like it was deeper than the words. Not just their formality, but¡­ their weight, if Zeke could say. For a moment, he thought he was about to receive a notification from that, but nothing showed up. ¡°Do you want me to swear a System contract?¡± Myra asked, turning to the rest of them. He heard about them, but Mikella turned to Zeke for answers. ¡°You can swear a contract by the System¡¯s power. It¡¯s like an actual contract, but the System makes sure to keep it. If you go against it, the System will punish you by taking your levels away, your skills, maybe even your life.¡± ¡°Whoa¡­¡± Mikella shook her head. ¡°Myra, you don¡¯t have to take that far. I trust you¨Cwe both do, so don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Still, aren¡¯t you afraid of this?¡± Myra asked. ¡°If what you said is true, then a lot of people, and I mean a lot of people would want your special status. Hell, the Aetheric Federation bastards would pay out of their ass to have you in their service. Learn a couple of skills to increase your resources and you¡¯re basically charging the city by yourselves.¡± ¡°And we trust that you won¡¯t snitch on us,¡± Mikella said slowly, affirming her decision. ¡°Hell no!¡± Myra blurted out. ¡°I¡¯m just worried that those folks might¡­ I don¡¯t know, do something nasty! And Clara! Oh god¡­ what are they gonna do to Clara if they find this out¡­¡± Myra brushed her hair up and down to the point where it looked like she was about to pull it apart. Zeke didn¡¯t even think about what others might do to Clara. Naturally, coming from the same place, Clara would be linked along with Zeke and Mikella. Only reason why she doesn¡¯t now is because she was too young to be initialized by the system. But if the country that¡¯s heavy on taxes found out about her, and they take her in and groom her to do their bidding¡­ ¡°Zeke, relax. I¡¯ll never let that happen, and neither would you, right?¡± Zeke was taken aback by Mikella¡¯s insistence, even putting her hand on top of his. He didn¡¯t even realize that he was gripping his hand into a fist so hard it almost teared into his skin. ¡°Of course,¡± Zeke said without even thinking. He didn¡¯t realize how his voice turned low, almost murderous. Mikella, however, wasn¡¯t phased at all. If anything, she shared his murderous intent, a strong glint in her eyes. ¡°Myra, I trust that you¡¯ll keep your word,¡± Val said, finally getting Myra¡¯s attention. ¡°No need for a contract. I know you¡¯ll keep it. But we hope that you¡¯ll help these two out in case something does happen. We would also do our best, but it would certainly help to have people around their age by their side.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Myra stood up. Despite all her worries and doubts, Myra straightened herself to the captain. ¡°I swear that I¡¯ll look out for them. I owe them that much. Zeke is my savior, and Mikella is my friend; On my life, I¡¯ll support them no matter the cost.¡± ¡°Good¡­¡± Cloud nodded. When he turned to Zeke and Mikella, each showed no complaints. Then, he turned to the rest of them with a serious look. ¡°Then we prepare for the battles ahead. Get some rest for tonight¨Cwe¡¯ll need to work ourselves to the bone for a while.¡± Ch62: Their future path The next few days went and passed in a blink. Zeke took the time to rest from the expedition, but as usual he didn¡¯t stay put. Neither did Mikella as she went out to train and spar against those that were available. She trained throughout all the morning hours, using the chance for herself while Clara and Ana were away. According to Clara, she was learning quite a bit under Vivian¡¯s tutelage, and just a smidge of runecrafting from Zeke and Cloud whenever he got a chance to be around. All the while, Zeke was stuck in Cloud¡¯s study, practicing his runes. He thought about training his Barrier Craft or Recovery, bringing those skill levels up to improve themselves for the future raid. But he knew his runes would be the key for his versatility. Besides, this way he can also gain XP to level up without really being in combat. But it truly was a slow and arduous leveling experience for the poor Runist. Throughout it all, it was a productive, but boring few days. The soldiers were out by themselves, ensuring the safety of the town, but they returned early as they needed to be prepared for the potential dungeon run. Myra returned back home to spar with Mikella, using the chance to train themselves with their skills. Since finding out about the two¡¯s origins, she had been adamant in getting stronger, practicing and experimenting with her newfound improved attunement. On the other hand, Zeke figured it was time for a true practice session. Four girls watched him as he went out to the training yard after taking out a single wooden log for target practice. Those being Mikella, Myra, and the girls Ana and Clara who just got out of their lessons. Somehow, having a crowd to watch him made his insides gurgle. ¡°Do you have to make an audience?¡± Zeke said, tugging on his Gloves of Sanctuary. They weren¡¯t needed for his runes, but he made a habit of playing with them whenever he got nervous. ¡°We wanna see you using magic!¡± Mikella exclaimed, Clara jumping beside her. ¡°Magic!¡± Clara excitedly shouted. ¡°I was invited,¡± Myra simply said, with Ana by her side. ¡°Magic!¡± Ana simply said. Zeke can¡¯t quite blame them for the excitement. He was also pretty excited, considering this was the first time he advanced well enough to use his runes. And this time, he was going to use his new Class Skill, Runic Spell. hence the target practice. Clearing his mind with that, he created a palm-sized square-shaped barrier in front of himself. Its turquoise light was pretty to look at, and despite the day creeping towards nighttime, it didn¡¯t give off any light at all around him. He pulled out a pen, his fingers itching to inscribe his first runes for battle. He checked his notifications over the past few days, using whatever willpower he had to push through the pain from the leftover Mana Deprivation to at least practice his drawing speed. Inscription Proficiency Level up! It is now Level 3. Increased accuracy with drawing runes. Decrease mana consumption when drawing runes. Thanks to the level up, it didn¡¯t just help accurately draw out the complicated rune patterns and the necessary lines, intersections, and circles necessary to create an array¨Che drew so fast that it looked like a speed printer scanning and then forming the characters at high speed. It was surreal, and certainly made the other girls gawk in awe. The array in question was made up of several runes having several meanings. Honestly, just having a skill for a magic spell is way easier than trying to draw up everything from scratch. He had to use runes that meant an element of the one he wanted, the connections of that element to everything else, the layers differentiating the element from reality, the border that defines the layer to pass through, the synergy between the spell and reality, the nature which he has to connect to the spell¨Cetcera, etcera, just to make a working spell. Still, it was done in less than a few seconds, so perhaps it wasn¡¯t all that bad. He had his Runic Library to thank for that. When the rune was finished, It looked like one of the magic circles he often saw on television, a large circle on the barrier and within it were several smaller circles in order with large and small lines drawn like a maze. The runes were tiny letterings that made up the entirety of the insides of the circle. He winced at the creation, however. Contrary to what he wanted, he took a lot more thought process and effort on the inscription than he wanted. He also spent more mana than he wanted. In his mind, he quantified the amount by around 20 to 30 points of mana when he really wanted to spend less than 10 points. That proved that it was inefficient. But compared to when he first tried it, it was way cheaper. He couldn''t even make a proper spell without it costing over 50 mana points by his estimation, and that was the type that only spurted out small puffs of Mana vapor. But after spending days on end, he was finally able to produce a working spell. He faced the target with his newly drawn spell and willed the magic within the array to activate. The array glowed, the markings on the barrier shimmering slightly and getting the girls¡¯ attention. A small burst of air launched forward, forming it into a small spike with the same color as his turquoise barrier. The air spike struck the target, a sharp sound echoing across the training yard. The wooden log was launched across the field, falling onto the barren dirt. There was a small hole across the broken bark, almost like a small blade that pierced right into it rather than through it Zeke breathed, joy filling his chest and lungs. After so many days experimenting and configuring his runes, he finally managed to make a working attack spell. He even got a notification from it.
Runic Spell Level Up! It is now Level 2. Increased accuracy and potency of runic spells. Decreased mana consumption.
And clearly, the others got excited for it. ¡°You did it, Zeke!¡± Mikella practically jumped along with the already excited Clara, the two sisters shouting in unison. ¡°You did it!¡± ¡°Wow,¡± Myra said, smiling but also staring intently at the wooden log. ¡°So Runists can also attack like that? I didn¡¯t know that they could be so damn resourceful.¡± ¡°Oooh¡­!¡± Ana said, her eyes glittering. ¡°It¡¯s way smaller than Daddy¡¯s, but it¡¯s still so cool!¡± Zeke will politely ignore Ana¡¯s comment. But before he could turn back with a smile, he already found himself getting embraced by both Mikella and Clara. His family in this new world. ¡°Nice job, Zeke!¡± ¡°Bobo! That was so cool!¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­ it still needs a lot more improvement,¡± Zeke said, his cheeks flushing from the affection. ¡°But hopefully this will help me provide some assistance during combat.¡± Mikella nodded, fully on board with that. He was also thinking about training with a weapon, but with the dungeon raid being so close, he wanted to fine tune his specialty rather than divulging himself into something entirely new. ¡°How¡¯s your body doing?¡± Myra stepped over next, giving the family some room as she asked. ¡°Is it okay for you to be spending Mana so much after your Deprivation?¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s fine,¡± Zeke said, feeling his body again. He still felt the shivers, but he shook them off. ¡°It was painful at first, but it died down after the last few days. As long as I don¡¯t end up overusing my magic again like last time, I should be fine to practice.¡± ¡°Right¡­¡± Myra nodded, and Zeke figured she still felt guilty for what happened. However, her face sharpened. ¡°And you said this happened the last time?¡± ¡°Oh, yeah,,¡± Zeke said, reminding himself of the tower. ¡°We faced a wyvern or¡­ some weaker version of that and I ended up using not just all my mana, but my health and stamina too. That was a lot more painful, but that was before I got a class and all.¡± Myra shook her head. ¡°I still can¡¯t believe that, even if I¡¯m seeing the truth right in front of me. The fact that you were from another world is¡­ well, it doesn¡¯t matter. You¡¯re here now, and you¡¯re helping us. That¡¯s okay in my book.¡± If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°Thanks,¡± Mikella smiled. ¡°Oh, and thanks for the spar. I think I have a good grasp on how to get Spear Mastery now.¡± ¡°The fact that you can say stuff like that is so unfair,¡± Myra bemused, but a smirk was left on her face. ¡°You better be able to kick ass fast from all that or I¡¯ll do it myself!¡± ¡°You¡¯re on,¡± Mikella chuckled. The three enjoyed speaking at length about the things they could do on a battlefield. Though he put his effort into learning how to fight with his runes, he was still expected to provide support. Zeke knew that to be the case as his arrays were more of a ¡®Plan B¡¯ situation in case shit hits the fan. And so far, he has no reason to not worry about incoming problems ahead. The next day, Zeke was well enough to join the expedition again, and this time Mikella returned along with Zeke to the team. Nobody had an issue with her returning as long as Val, their Captain, suggested it. Not to mention the situation about having to raid a dungeon was more important than the sudden suspension relief for her. Though the soldiers still murmured about how Mikella was being favored. But soon they ceased judging her as Mikella did her best to play a supportive role. She only provided a little help and left most of the fighting to the others. That quickly got on their good side as they worried whether Mikella would try and steal their kills like what happened to Myra. Zeke still felt that they were being harsh on her, but Mikella didn''t seem to mind at all. Instead, she only focused on fighting one monster at a time. Rather than using Hawk Eyes or even her Class skills, she focused intently on her axe and spear, which she gained a new skill after practicing for so long.
General Skill learned: Spear Mastery.
¡­..
Spear Mastery (Common), Level 1 You become a part of the spear. When wielding any type of spear, your damage increases and your movements faster. Each of these will increase according to the level of the skill and the current Strength, Dexterity, and Endurance stat.
When she proved once and for all that she was a damn good fighter even without her class skills, nobody complained about her joining the future dungeon raid. They were even ecstatic about it as Zeke¡¯s barrier tactic was still popular. Using his barrier to keep the monsters out and killing them when they try to enter proved too good to be ignored. It slowly became a farming activity for XP, and this time Mikella had to be kept out. Though, since the two were linked, and so far all the kills were done with his assist, they each still gained a good amount of XP, though no levels were gained. During this time, Zeke and Mikella took the time to discuss things. First, he asked about her interest in learning different weapon skills. She admitted that learning how to use different weapons was important, but not so far as to gain a General Skill. However, Mikella grew interested, thinking that she can further enhance her fighting prowess if she can also use many different weapons at once thanks to the skills. Perhaps even make something out of all of them, like how Zeke consolidated with his Recovery skill. Plus, the stat increases were a nice bonus to work towards, which Zeke agreed. Then they talked about their future attunements for level 30. With only two levels ahead and no time to really buy any potions for any specific attunements they wanted, they had no other choice but to take the simple boost. Zeke wondered whether they should each have the Nature aspected one, considering they were close to the forests and all, but Mikella decided against it. She heard that aspects play a heavy role in their development as users, and she worried that taking on a Nature-aspect would ruin her fighting style. Nature mana focused more on bearing life and restoring balance according to the texts, and that would affect heavily into her battle-driven fighting and especially her Class. Zeke nodded in agreement. He forgot that just because aspects can empower people, it doesn¡¯t mean it can enhance them in the way they wanted. And not to mention, Zeke felt that while Nature Mana is peaceful on paper, it doesn¡¯t reflect what he wanted out of his own style. He didn¡¯t know exactly what he wanted, but he knew the Nature aspect wasn¡¯t it. He had enough forests for a lifetime, even if they lived close to one. Which brought the question up. Zeke turned to Mikella, surrounded by the other soldiers still railing on the poor monsters trying to come in through the openings of his barrier. ¡°Hey, Mikella¡­ what are we gonna do for the future?¡± It was the sort of question that the two knew intimately over the past quarter year. It regarded everything; from how to live, and how they plan on doing so. Only the two here knew exactly what he meant. ¡°Mmh¡­¡± Mikella hummed, taking in the question while looking at the ground. It was as though the sounds of combat were getting muted the further they stepped into her thought process. Finally, she spoke. ¡°I¡­ I like the town,¡± Mikella added slowly. ¡°Clara likes this place a lot, so I like it too. The people are nice, and once the dungeon is cleared, we can rest in it for a while.¡± She turned back to Zeke. ¡°You said that this town is the only place where people like us can live freely, without any taxes or major roles to play. The other places have a lot of rules that are¡­ well, they might be troublesome for the three of us.¡± Zeke nodded. That wasn¡¯t even considering the fact that once their secret of having special status gets out, not a single person of high authority would leave them alone. The only people that were taking advantage of them in a way they can accept were Cloud and Val, who had every right to use their abilities to help the town and their citizens after taking them in. ¡°I figured. In the end, I think this town is safe for us to stay in. But¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re talking about how long, right?¡± Mikella asked. She instantly knew what was on his mind, meaning she had that same question. ¡°I don¡¯t mind the town. I like staying there, but I also don¡¯t want to burden Cloud and Val any longer. That¡¯s why I was considering¡­ umm, buying a home for us to live in. Or maybe rent out a place we can stay for ourselves.¡± ¡°I agree,¡± Mikella nodded. ¡°We don¡¯t have a lot of money, but we can always work off any debts with our abilities. We can probably make a small home. Not anything fancy, like Val and Cloud¡¯s, but¡­ comfortable.¡± ¡°We can always renovate it the more we work. I can use runes to make it more comfortable for us without any extra costs¡± Zeke added with a grin, getting Mikella bobbing her head excitedly. ¡°Right? We can even build something for Clara too! Like her own room with a guest bed for Ana when she comes in, and when she grows up, we can add in a training room or a study for her to use and¡­¡± It was as though Mikella got more animated the longer she talked, and that soon petered out as her shoulders slumped. Zeke, without really thinking, already knew what was on her mind. So he asked another question. Something that was bothering at the back of his mind. ¡°Are we planning on going back home to our world?¡± At this point, it was impossible to even think about how to return home, much less actually going back home. It was clear that this was an entirely new world for them, but even more than that, stuff like spatial teleportation or crossing dimensions didn¡¯t seem like possible ways to learn at their current level. Even Cloud, a Journeyman, figured it was impossible, as traveling long distances in a moment was already draining on resources. Traveling to different worlds? It was very unlikely. So what choice do they have? Even if they wanted to return home as soon as possible, they had no way of figuring out how. To try and worry about returning home after all this time was pointless. But he didn¡¯t want to say that to Mikella. To Zeke, he didn¡¯t mind staying here. He likes this place. He loves being useful for everyone, helping them out just like this. If he was able to stop people from getting hurt with his barriers, and even heal them, that¡¯s all he could ask for. And that¡¯s without mentioning his useful runes that could benefit anyone, combat-wise or not. God knows how useless he was in his life before coming to this world. All he ever did was figuring out small loans payments for a company that didn¡¯t care whether he lives or dies. Staying at his desk all day slamming on his keyboard. That was the only job he could do confidently, and it wasn¡¯t even that well-paid. Not once did he think about how much money he was making in this new world, even though he was already starting to talk about building a home, something that should¡¯ve been absolutely impossible to do in their world. But he can¡¯t say that to Mikella, no matter how hard he thought about revealing that. He wouldn¡¯t mind helping the sisters out to return back home, but whether he wanted to return along with them, he couldn''t say. So when she answered his question, he was dumbstruck. ¡°No,¡± Mikella shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m planning on staying here with Clara.¡± ¡°Y-You sure?¡± Zeke asked. ¡°This world can still be dangerous, especially for Clara. No matter how strong we get, there¡¯s always a risk¡­¡± Zeke tried to, for the most part, convince her otherwise. Though he felt ashamed that he wasn¡¯t truly into it. He was actually happy about her and Clara staying, but what did that mean for the girls? Mikella made a solemn expression, a bitter smile on her lips. ¡°Zeke, I told you, right? I ran from home. I was planning on making a living with my ten year old sister. No support, no friends to take care of me. I was going to do everything by myself. Thinking back on it now, that was impossible to even consider, let alone try.¡± Mikella turned wistful, looking toward the distance as dozens of monsters died around them. Zeke paid close attention, ignoring everything else. ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to make it. Sooner or later my mother would find me and take Clara back by force, probably even call the police on me. Even if she didn¡¯t care, there was no way for me to get a decent job without leaving Clara behind to some stranger. For all I know, I would¡¯ve done sketchy favors in exchange for money. I didn¡¯t want to admit it¡­ but me and Clara being kidnapped against our will was probably the best thing that could¡¯ve happened to us.¡± Mikella turned back to Zeke. Her smile transformed into something else. More radiant and full of life. ¡°You were also responsible for that. If it weren¡¯t for you, I honestly didn¡¯t know what to do. I was blessed, and I didn¡¯t even realize it before now.¡± She shook her head. ¡°No, I did know. I knew for a while, but¡­ it was hard to accept at first for obvious reasons. So¡­ I guess I kinda wanted to ask you instead, Zeke.¡± She turned back to him again. ¡°Are you okay with staying with us?¡± Zeke never hesitated. ¡°Of course,¡± Zeke smiled. ¡°You have no idea how relieved I am to hear that you wanted to stay. I know things are rough and all but¡­ I¡¯m glad you¡¯re okay with this.¡± Mikella chuckled. ¡°I should be saying the same to you. You¡¯re always looking out for us, and more than anything, you love Clara as much as I do. That¡¯s¡­ I couldn¡¯t ask for a better older brother for her.¡± He smiled at her. ¡°It¡¯s hard not to love her. She¡¯s got that¡­ uhh, vibe, I guess. Everyone who¡¯s decent loves her, and anyone who doesn¡¯t deserves to die.¡± He was afraid that last statement might have been a bit too much, but he forgot exactly who he was talking to. ¡°I know, right?! Seriously, that just makes thinking a lot easier.¡± Mikella nodded in understanding, fully agreeing to his statement. Zeke just shook his head, amused and chuckling to himself. The day went on with Zeke and Mikella standing side by side, the other soldiers making quite a lot of XP for themselves to reach their breakthroughs at level 30. Ch63: Meeting new co-workers It took everyone all they had to prepare themselves to raise their levels and get their gear up to date for the road ahead. And now was the day to leave for the dungeon raid. Zeke and Mikella said their goodbyes to Clara, promising that they will come back. Mikella hugged Clara tight and she mimicked the gesture. Once Mikella was done, Clara ran to Zeke and hugged him as well ¡°Come back safe, Bobo,¡± Clara said, then her next words pierced his heart. ¡°I love you.¡± Zeke almost wanted to stay rather than go somewhere so dangerous all of a sudden. How could he leave such a small innocent girl behind? He stilled his thoughts, and with his best effort, he answered her. ¡°I love you too, Clara. Now take care of yourself, and follow Vivian¡¯s words to the letter.¡± Clara nodded. Then Zeke added in something else. ¡°But, uhh¡­ don¡¯t always be a stickler to the rules, okay? There¡¯s only so much time you have as a kid. Play with Ana and the others, and you won¡¯t regret it.¡± Zeke let go of the hug, noticing her confused look. She looked almost nervous at the idea, but then she smiled. ¡°Thank you for listening to me,¡± Zeke said. ¡°It makes me happy that you and Ana are such good friends.¡± ¡°She is¡­¡± Clara said slowly. ¡°...Fun. She¡¯s very fun.¡± Zeke chuckled. ¡°I bet. She¡¯s a good girl too. But make sure to look out for her. She has a habit of getting into trouble.¡± Clara nodded profusely. The past few months proved to him that while the lords were calm and collected, their daughter was¡­ not. Still, nobody bothered lecturing the child, or even chided her. She was acting her age¨Cand in this world, being able to act like a child is considered a blessing. Not many children can have the opportunity to act in such a way in this world. That¡¯s why he wanted Clara to do the same, even if she was mostly shy. Small baby steps, that was his main motivation. Once Clara agreed, the two said their goodbyes one final time before leaving with the rest of the soldiers who were also saying their goodbye to their families and loved ones. There weren¡¯t that many to begin with. The expedition to the dungeon only allowed the few who broke through their level 30 milestones. Unlike with Myra, who had a rather explosive transition, the rest had simpler ones. The lords weren¡¯t able to provide every one of them their potions, but none of them really expected it. Only Myra, the normally talented fighter, got to have it, and they were glad to have a powerful soldier around. They all had simple boosted attunements, but later on, they can acquire a potion to take it in. Compared to their breakthrough, it would take some time, dedicated training and meditation to create an attunement outside of the breakthrough. It was just a hassle, but also something that was the norm for the people of this world. Only Zeke and Mikella, the only two who hadn¡¯t broken through level 30 yet, could join in, and for obvious reasons. Mikella had proven time and time again that her prowess as a fighter was unmatched, and the army would definitely not forget to bring a support mage to a dungeon run. ¡°You¡¯re getting pretty good at taking care of Clara,¡± Mikella nodded in approval. ¡°Though you could get over that awkwardness. You can say ¡®I love you¡¯ to her as many times as you want.¡± ¡°I-I rather¡­ well, not that I wouldn¡¯t, but¡­¡± Zeke shook his head sheepishly. ¡°I¡¯m just¡­ not really the kind of guy to say that so easily.¡± ¡°Still¡­¡± Mikella pleaded, but Zeke had nothing more to say. In the end, Zeke still feels like an outsider in the family, no matter how much time passes. Sure, on the surface it was fine, but the little details, the¡­ ¡®I love yous¡¯ that very close family members say to each other were too much for him. He never even said those words to his family in his old life. Not once. ¡°Is this a man thing?¡± Mikella lowered her right brow at him. ¡°Are you saying you¡¯re too cool for emotions?¡± ¡°Trust me, nobody is too cool for emotions,¡± Zeke rolled his eyes. ¡°Stop acting cute and let¡¯s focus on the task at hand.¡± She teased with a smirk. ¡°Aw, you think I¡¯m cute?¡± More than you know, Zeke thought before answering. ¡°Keep acting like that and I might reconsider.¡± Mikella scoffed at that as the two followed the rest of the soldiers out of the entrance. While the two were casually talking, in truth, they were hiding their anxiety well. The last time they went to a dungeon, they almost died multiple times. So another dungeon wasn¡¯t exactly great to go through. Even if the promise of great wealth and power was there, the two didn¡¯t even know if they wanted it. However, they had a duty to protect the town after they took care of them and Clara all this time, and if left unchecked, it would only make things worse for them. The massive horde that almost killed everyone in town is proof of that. ¡°Everyone, line up!¡± The captain Valorie shouted to the crew, getting each one to round themselves up. Sounds of constant clattering and armor shuffling filling their hearing as each one settled automatically to their captain¡¯s call. Nothing changed for their appearances except having some minor changes to some parts of their armor, adding metal plating over their wrists and upper chest for one thing. Some did improve their weapons as Zeke could tell the amount of Mana being enchanted to them thanks to his newly revamped Recovery skill with the former Internal Senses effect installed in. So far, outside of Cloud, Val, Mikella, and himself, there were nine others he recognized. Myra, obviously, along with her twin friends Jackie and Maxie. Then there were the three warriors Mikella would call decent¨Cthe axeman Zeke helped heal, the spear user and the dual blader. There was also the scout, the one that acted as a ranged-fighter and information-gatherer. Finally there were two mages, one Zeke remembered being Philip and Lisa. It surprised him that they were here since as far as he knew, they haven¡¯t reached level 30 yet. He¡¯d been talking with them throughout the expeditions, using the chance to learn from other mages besides Cloud. But then he realized that while the soldiers were physical fighters, the mages have an advantage of attacking from a distance, using elemental magic to their advantage. Archers are one thing, but having elemental affinity would benefit them depending on the circumstances. Besides, who doesn¡¯t want mages to make a literal firestorm to take out a whole group of monsters at once? Now that he thought about it, the mana cost for that alone would be substantial, almost making him wince. Funny how after being a mage, doing such a cool looking spell would be more tiring than awesome. He was getting used to it, unfortunately. As for the archers, the scout, the spear user, and the dual blader both have bows they can use to launch arrows from, acting as both. Interestingly, each of them were Dexterity-based, just like Mikella. Due to that, Mikella also had a bow¨Cbut she never once used it since she can easily keep up with the melee fighters. Zeke actually asked her about that, and surprisingly Mikella wanted to use the bow. However, she would always complain that having to buy arrows would make her too conscious of wasting any, causing her to not really do any bow training. Man, I¡¯m really nervous right now, Zeke thought. Even now, he could feel his heart beating in trepidation. ¡°Everyone here knows our goal for this raid,¡± Val spoke, getting their attention. As she spoke, Zeke also noticed two more people he hadn''t seen yet. He could tell immediately that one of them was the general. An older man with a large frame, tanned skin with a well-trimmed black beard and mustache. He wore a heavy set of steel armor with leather in-between the joints. The steel armor was bulky, but even that seemed small compared to his size. He was big, and his stone-cold expression only made him more intimidating. The other was another man, clearly around the same age as the soldiers, but his facial structure seemed hardened and sharp like a veteran. He wore the same leather armor as the soldiers, but had plates around his shoulders and chest, equal to the general. He had dreadlocks, nearly bright gold and a serious stare that could pierce a monster to death. The lords themselves were just as ready. Cloud was even dressed for combat, wearing a robe that was less clothed and more leather, making it more for moving around a battlefield. It was purple and red in color, but there was no apparent attachment to any theme. He did carry quite a lot of baubles on his multiple belts slung around his waist, over his chest, and even around each of his limbs. A true mage prepared to use anything in his vicinity. Sure, he had his own storage pack like Zeke and Mikella, but apparently it was also stocked full since he still had a pack around his waist for potion usage. ¡°We have found evidence that there is a dungeon near the town, responsible for the recent activity of the monster hordes. After some careful scouting, we found out its general whereabouts, where the monsters are more rampant. This is why we opted to bring only the select few of you to join us through the raid. As far as we know, our scouts relayed to us that the general level of the dungeon is level 50 and above. While that may be a daunting number for you, only reaching level 30, that does not mean that we are at a disadvantage. With careful positioning and following our orders to the letter, we will succeed!¡± The soldiers clamored in agreement, raising their fists high into the air. While it did sound dangerous to Zeke¡¯s ears, what other choice did they have? Zeke wondered whether they could leave the dungeon alone and take advantage of the horde to increase experience, but he feared that it would only make things worse for everyone. Not only would this increase the monster population somewhat and make them hostile, it also messed up everything that had a mana-make up of sorts. Myra¡¯s botched attunement is proof of that, and any future magic power could be botched the same way, costing lives. This cannot go on forever. Yet still, the soldiers believed that they would succeed no matter the odds. Zeke only had to believe in that. That¡¯s when the general stepped forward. Zeke remembered hearing his name¨CZacharia, a well-established military man charged by the main force of the kingdom who granted the lords their town in this region. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. The Kingdom of Sham-la, the land that they were currently living in. Zacharia was sent here to be part of the military force of Eve Glade per the kingdom¡¯s request, if he remembered correctly. Just like Valorie, Zacharia also had his own military force, commanding his own retinue. The soldier with the golden dreadlocks was also part of that, obviously, seeing him standing by his side with his arms rigidly behind his back. So far, Zeke learned that two types of military forces reside in Eve Glade, the one sent by the kingdom led by Zacharia, and the one led locally by Valorie. The axeman, the duelist, and the scout are actually from Zacharia¡¯s grouping, usually joining the local military force for their expeditions as there wasn¡¯t much else to do. So the two leaders work together, but Valorie is beneath Zacharia in rank when it comes to the kingdom¡¯s military structure. However, Valorie was above him in level, with her reaching the upper tiers of Journeyman and Zacharia being just slightly below her and Cloud. So they work in unison, making sure not to get in the way of the other. ¡°I am sure that you are all ready for the raid at hand,¡± Zacharia spoke with a gruff voice, almost like two stones scraping against each other. He stood stoically to the crowd, his back straightened and rigid. ¡°But let me be clear¨Cthis is not your usual expedition. A dungeon is made solely to test those who enter it, as it is a way to strengthen oneself with the treasures within. But know this; We are only intending to clear the dungeon to repair the instability it caused to the surrounding areas. I suggest that you do not forget this for the following future.¡± His glare managed to send some shivers down the soldier¡¯s spines by the look of their blanched faces, and Zeke can¡¯t help but join them. Meanwhile, Mikella only looked ticked off at the stare, even responding back with her own. ¡°That is all,¡± The general responded. ¡°I will also join in this expedition, but most of the orders will be given by Captain Valorie. Cloud is also here, making him Valorie¡¯s assistant. Do not fret¨Cyou are in capable hands.¡± The general, surprisingly, left it as is, returning back to his place from earlier. He left it all for Valorie to continue speaking for the leaders. Zeke figured that the general was the sort to be¡­ well, meaner. He just seems serious. He didn¡¯t even speak about his own abilities, but his large two-handed sword holstered to his back proved that it alone should suffice. ¡°I seriously don¡¯t like that guy,¡± Mikella whispered to him. ¡°He just looks so damn arrogant.¡± ¡°Yeah, his look just screams ¡®party pooper¡¯,¡± Zeke agreed. ¡°But¡­ I don¡¯t think he¡¯s bad to have around. He looks capable, at least.¡± ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll give you that¡­¡± Mikella gruffed out. ¡°But I still don¡¯t like him.¡± Zeke decided to leave it at that. ¡­.. Eventually they got to where they crowded around several horses, meant for the long travel ahead. Though they aren¡¯t actual horses, from the shape alone, they don¡¯t look any different from any normal horse back in their world. But Zeke could tell that these are just as magical as the monsters. After all, they¡¯re freaking red. The tufts and hair on their skin was bright red, almost crimson, with some of the sensitive areas like their bellies lighter in color, and their snouts slightly darker. They had small horns the size of pinkies on the top of their heads with two eyes on each side, giving them four eyes in total. Even the way they neigh were ridiculously monstrous, but it wasn¡¯t enough to, say, scare off the monsters around them. Apparently, these are called Carmine Riders, and their levels were approaching 40. These are the only monsters Zeke saw so far that could be tamed by the populace, proving to be a popular way of transportation. Still, he¡¯ll still call them horses in his mind. ¡°The color scheme is ridiculous,¡± Zeke muttered, knowing that Mikella could hear him. ¡°First the fruits, now the animals?¡± ¡°It¡¯s better than that swan,¡± Mikella commented. Zeke still couldn¡¯t believe that there was a Dire Swan of all things, but then again, a red horse isn¡¯t so bad. Every pair of soldiers had a horse, so with the fifteen they have, eight of these horses were there. The one who got to ride a horse on his own was general Zacharia, and it was expected as just one of him is enough for two people thanks to the heavy bulk of his armor. As such, Zeke and Mikella had one horse for them. When Zeke thought he could ride at the front, however, he was proven wrong. When he tried to ride on top of the horse, the bulky size of it threw him off balance, and he instantly fell over to the other side. Hard. ¡°Agh!¡± Zeke groaned, but he didn¡¯t plan on quitting, so he tried again. And again. And again¡­ And again. ¡°Uhh, Zeke?¡± Mikella figured she would stop the humiliation as she knelt down to Zeke still on the ground, groaning. ¡°You wanna, uhh¡­ let me go on first?¡± ¡°...Yes, please.¡± A few moments later, Mikella gracefully landed on top of the horse without ever falling off. Then with her added help, Zeke managed to ride behind her, not falling off at all. All he had to do was give up his manhood for the sake of the mission. Who cares whether Mikella is the driver and I¡¯m at her backside? I¡¯m not that petty¡­ He thought to himself as he tried to bury his embarrassment from being looked at by the other soldiers from his field of vision. Mikella, however, chuckled at the whole thing as she shamelessly enjoyed the spectacle. They headed off on the road where they suspected the dungeon to be. While the scouts weren¡¯t able to actually go too far, they were able to dictate the general location. It was due to the surrounding monsters that they had to fall back. So they trodded across the beaten path, making sure to go over some of the routes they traveled for months now to ensure the quickest path to the dungeon. The quicker they get there, the better the chances of them keeping their supplies. They had plenty of them for the next few weeks, from rations to potions including different variants including salves and tocis. Tonics, in this case, were the lesser variant of potions¨Creduced potency for healing their injuries but easier to make than regular potions. He even helped make some of the salves and tonics using his runes throughout the preparation phase. They needed to ensure to use each ingredient sparingly to survive the long haul, but he was able to speed up the process with a well-added aging array, making them age like fine wine and increasing their potency somewhat. He put that aside for now, noticing the other soldiers by his side instead. They have a large array of expressions on their faces. Most of them seem eager, ready to fight. The others looked daunted, nervous at the incoming danger. Zeke had to say he was part of the latter, despite how prepared he was for going into the dungeon. He can¡¯t help but shake the feeling off of the tower they entered before. If what they learned is true, the tower was a definite dungeon, and they almost died before they could escape. Sure, they got away with some extremely valuable items, but without the knowledge of what was going on, it was a definite death trap. He could still recall the heavy injuries they suffered inside, especially before getting the Recovery skill and having to rely on Meditation and the attribute fruits. ¡°Zeke?¡± Mikella¡¯s voice caught his ears. ¡°You okay?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Zeke nodded. He had to answer rather than just nod since Mikella was facing forward while he was behind her. He almost forgot how embarrassing it looked for a man to sit behind her. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°You sure?¡± She asked again. ¡°You were shivering.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Zeke grumbled, turning red-faced. He forgot how close he was to her. He had to make sure not to¡­ ¡®touch¡¯ anything inappropriate behind her, so he tried his hardest to only hold Mikella¡¯s waist. She said she didn¡¯t mind him holding tighter, worried that he might fall off again. For Zeke¡¯s own mental sake, however, he left it off like that. He was still rather close enough that his upper body and arms hugged her. ¡°Sorry, I was just remembering the tower,¡± Zeke answered honestly. If he could be honest with anyone, why not with the one who also experienced the same thing as him? ¡°Yeah,¡± Mikella answered. ¡°I get what you mean. But we¡¯re not alone. We got so many capable fighters with us. And we know a lot more than before too, so I have some good hopes for this.¡± Her voice was soft, yet she spoke with such energy and conviction that Zeke couldn¡¯t help but get energized. She wasn¡¯t just trying to cheer him up¨Ceach one she made was a good point. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Zeke said. ¡°If this is what it takes to frighten you, then I¡¯m a bit cautious about what¡¯s ahead with you as our support mage.¡± Zeke turned to the new voice, realizing that it was the same soldier that stood beside Zacharia before. A tall man with golden dreadlocks tied behind his head as he looked down upon Zeke. Not only was he taller than he was, but he was even riding at the front with the scout sitting behind him. In some way, that hurt his male pride a bit. ¡°What?¡± Zeke asked, though deep inside he knew. He tried not to show the turmoil inside. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°A support mage has the duty to look over the entire party without a single bit of hesitation. We haven¡¯t even reached the dungeon yet and here you are, quivering in your boots,¡± The man¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°How this town managed to survive thanks to you is just too strange for me to imagine.¡± ¡°Hey, buddy?¡± Mikella answered, her soft voice turned into one of a hardened veteran. ¡°How about you back off? You don¡¯t know us, so keep your mouth shut.¡± Zeke looked back at Mikella with shock in his eyes. He knew that she was tough as nails, but that was a lot rougher than usual. She was even looking at him as though she was ready to kill, her sharp eyes showing up like how she fought against monsters. ¡°As a soldier, and as a fighter for Eve Glade, I have every reason to speak, every right to be cautious,¡± The man answered back. ¡°Why shouldn¡¯t I make sure that our support mage here doesn¡¯t try to run when things turn bleak? Do you have any insurance that won¡¯t happen, Miss¡­?¡± ¡°You weren¡¯t there when we had that monster horde,¡± Mikella answered promptly. ¡°I don¡¯t remember you joining. So if anything, I wanna know if you got the guts to fight?¡± ¡°If I were there,¡±The man answered kindly, not even turning annoyed at her answer. ¡°The horde wouldn¡¯t have gotten to the point of disturbing the gates. Then again, I¡¯m not surprised that the fighters weren¡¯t all that great either, with you in there¡­¡± ¡°Hey!¡± Zeke shouted. It was one thing if he was calling him out for being afraid, but it was an entirely different thing to go after Mikella¡¯s own skill. But before things could explode any further, Myra trodden over with her horse, with Maxie behind her. She ran across to the middle between Mikella and the soldier, facing the man with a glare. ¡°Hey, Piker, how about you shut up, yeah?¡± Myra said. Her tone sounded furious, but her facial expression was stoic. ¡°I have with good authority that these two can do just fine. So how about you stop bullying the new soldiers? That¡¯s just beneath you.¡± ¡°You think this is bullying?¡± The man known as Piker answered with a raised brow. ¡°I was just trying to see if they were capable of fighting for the sake of the town. There would be no point otherwise.¡± Piker instantly maximized his glare at Myra, and then in extension to both Mikella and Zeke. ¡°We¡¯re just a little town in a world where everything could stomp us underfoot. So excuse me for being¡­ on edge.¡± With that, Piker left to trod ahead, the scout behind him looking almost guilty as he stayed silent. When their horse left, Myra turned to the two with Maxie in tow. ¡°Sorry about that,¡± Myra said, her glare disappearing. ¡°You guys good?¡± ¡°We¡¯re fine,¡± Mikella answered. ¡°Just pissed off. What right does he have to talk to us like that?¡± ¡°He does that to everybody, so it¡¯s not targeted,¡± Maxie answered with a shrug. ¡°We just call him Pike because we think a pike is stuck up his ass the whole time.¡± Zeke let out a scoff that almost burned his throat. That was too much of a coincidence for him to shrug it off, something that Maxie noticed and smiled devilishly. ¡°Either way,¡± Myra said with a smirk. Apparently it got to her too. ¡°Don¡¯t let him get to you. Just do what you guys do best, and that¡¯s good enough.¡± ¡°Pssh,¡± Mikella scoffed. ¡°I don¡¯t plan on impressing anybody. If he gets any complaints, he can take it up to the same pike in his ass.¡± Why are we talking like this? Zeke thought, trying his hardest not to get weirded out by this topic. ¡°That¡¯s how you should roll!¡± Myra exploded with excitement. ¡°Still, we got a few hours away before we have to rest. Daylight¡¯s still burning, so get ready for any fights that could come our way. Zeke, you good?¡± ¡°I¡¯m good,¡± Zeke nodded. ¡°Anything happens, I¡¯ll put up a barrier. But just to be safe, it won¡¯t be as strong. I need to conserve a lot of mana.¡± ¡°That means we¡¯re gonna be fighting a lot more,¡± Myra nodded. ¡°Good to know. I¡¯ll report it back to Val. You wanna come to see what plans she wants to make?¡± ¡°I¡¯m alright with that,¡± Zeke answered. ¡°Mikella, you good?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Mikella nodded. ¡°I¡¯d rather not meet up with the douchebag any sooner, so let¡¯s head to Val and Cloud. I¡¯m sure they want to get away from that general guy too.¡± ¡°...Douchebag?¡± Maxie finally asked. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Uuh¡­¡± Zeke answered dumbly. ¡°A famous insult where we came from.¡± ¡°It just means ¡®Pike in the ass¡¯,¡± Myra answered, getting Maxie to laugh out loud at that. Zeke was astounded that Myra followed up on that. Maybe she was trying to put aside the language Zeke and Mikella used from their old world to make it so that even she knew about it, even if it was wrong. Either way, the four decided to head back to the lords, Mikella apologizing on the way for using a word not meant for this world. ¡°Well, we found a new meaning for it now,¡± Zeke answered. Mikella just laughed as they went. Ch64: Confrontation The rest of the day went as quickly as there wasn¡¯t anything eventful other than a few choice words at each other for some minor inconvenience or another. Mikella was lucky to have Zeke with her during the ride. It was an utterly boring horse ride, even if it was the first time she rode one. Even now she was astounded how easy it was despite having no experience. Sure, she had some tips from Val and Myra on how to handle the horse, but other than that, riding it was rather easy. Zeke was another thing though, and even now Mikella still chuckled at his half-ass try from earlier. She can¡¯t blame him though, he just wasn¡¯t used to this and his Dexterity wasn¡¯t as high as hers. They talked about what to do before, during, and even after the dungeon. She was glad that despite so much time passed together, they could still talk with each other even with the most mundane topics. Of course, talking about Piker, the douchebag they had the misfortune to meet every now and then, was included. The general must be a real prick since all the while, Piker wouldn¡¯t shut up about how Zacharia would be a great leader, and should be, instead of the lords currently residing. Mikella just scoffed. She learned (heard from Zeke, not studied) that the town was built on the principle of taking care of the people without relying on the bigger powers around them. If Zacharia was in charge as Piker wished, it would just destroy the principle as Zacharia was part of the main military command all the way from the kingdom. So no matter how much Zeke tried to calm her down, she just gets agitated at their disrespect to anyone not part of their retinue. Half the fights occuring is basically from the different retinues butting heads. Even though she was willing to come in every once in a while to bust heads, she restrained herself. In the generals¡¯ case¡­ she didn¡¯t like him, but it wasn¡¯t because he was annoying like Piker. She just felt like he¡¯s one of those men who focuses on nothing but their own ambition and goals, relying on nothing but themselves instead of doing it for the town as they were instructed. Even if Val respected him as a warrior and a soldier, she still didn¡¯t like him. Even Zeke agreed due to him just being unable to handle the intensity he was putting off, which was another thing Mikella disliked about the man. Still, there was nothing to do but to work together. In the end, all of them had the same goal¨Cto protect the town from the incoming dungeon problem. But despite the urgency, once the Studden Star dimmed, they had to settle in for the night. A quick search, with the help of the scout ahead, found them a large clearing where everyone can settle and relax for the night. The soldiers worked their hardest to make the tents and the fires while looking for any nearby resources to make something to eat. Meanwhile, the leaders went ahead to settle on their plans for later, something that would be a good idea in case something happened. After all, having no fights for today was a little bit too stress-inducing, which could mean some more trouble would come at them later on. But for now, Mikella helped the soldiers put up the tents. At first, it was incredibly frustrating to deal with. Some didn¡¯t have much experience putting up tents, which unfortunately included Mikella as well. However, that¡¯s when Zeke added in his aid. He put up his barrier precisely where the tents would be, using them as a staple to help everyone put up the tarp overhead and slam the stakes down. With some little fiddling with the inner poles to keep the tents¡¯ form up, the barrier disappeared and the tent was easily made. After Zeke graciously offered his aid to make up the tents for everyone else, the crew had the rest of the time to rest and relax thanks to him. Though Mikella didn¡¯t know why, Zeke went ahead and helped with Piker¡¯s tent. Which proved once again how much of a dick Piker was as he promptly refused his aid. Saying stuff like how a mage shouldn¡¯t waste his mana on stupid activities and treating Zeke like a fool. Myra had to step in front of Mikella when she ¡®accidently¡¯ pulled out a sword from her pack when she was supposed to bring out her own ration to eat. ¡°It¡¯s not worth it,¡± Myra shook her head. ¡°It will be once his head is on the sword,¡± Mikella rebutted, but this time Zeke added himself in and managed to stop her bloodlust in time. The soldiers grew tense since then. Once Piker refused Zeke¡¯s aid, the rest of his retinue did the same, so it created something like a divide between the two different retinues. Mikella was more than happy to do so, but she knew that wasn¡¯t the case. The other soldiers in Zacharia¡¯s group were not so bad, and some even looked guilty for letting it be this way. It¡¯s not their fault that the main leader of their group is so insistent on keeping things separate. Still, she wanted to vent her anger. Soon the soldiers gathered up to talk about making the rounds for night-watch as it was natural to do so. So Mikella was ready to throw hands when Zeke offered up his suggestion. ¡°I can put up a barrier around the campsite,¡± Zeke said, raising his hand. ¡°It¡¯s not much of a mana cost while I¡¯m sleeping, and it¡¯ll keep us protected during the night.¡± ¡°If that is the case,¡± Piker added in, his eyes scowling at Zeke. ¡°Then the barrier would be broken by the time the monsters do come in. Then they¡¯ll start rampaging throughout the campsite and ruining the raid. No, we will keep a night-watch as intended.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not saying we should do away with the night watch,¡± Zeke suggested, raising his hands in a gesture of peace. ¡°But I just figured that¨C¡± ¡°Then you figured wrong, mage,¡± Piker practically spat the last word. ¡°Keep your mana reserves in check, and let the real soldiers handle this. You just rest in your tent for the night. Is that understood?¡± Even Zeke, being as non-confrontational as he was, scowled at the man. He was actually trying to keep his own anger in. Unfortunately for him, Mikella didn¡¯t have that much self-control. She walked forward, ready to settle things once and for all before Myra stepped over. ¡°Listen, Pike,¡± Myra spoke before Mikella could get a word in. ¡°I don¡¯t know what your deal is with Zeke, but he¡¯s just trying to help.¡± ¡°Then he should be keeping his mana in reserve as I said,¡± Piker said, twisting his lips into a frown. ¡°Tell me, is it so wrong to try to keep a support mage from wasting his mana throughout the night when a simple night watch is needed? All I see is a child trying to prove himself useful before the fight even comes in. That goes to show that he has no real ability to handle himself in combat.¡± Even Myra looked ticked off at him, and she was about to say something else while Mikella was ready to just put aside the argument and enter into a fight with her fists. That all stopped once something changed in the air. The sense of security filled her mind, and when she looked around, she noticed that the entire area surrounding them was encapsulated within a barrier. The turquoise color surrounding them was faint, but it was there. She could never forget that comforting color. She looked back to find Zeke with his hand stretched upwards, a cold expression on his face. The other soldiers turned silent at the response. It was such a simple gesture, yet it made the entire campsite without a sound except for the crackling of the campfire at the center. Even Myra looked shocked at Zeke¡¯s silent proclamation. Piker certainly did, his eyes widening, then they hardened. He walked, the metal greaves crushing the ground with each step. He loomed over Zeke, a good half-feet above him. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± Piker asked. A seemingly simple question with a lot of heavy undertone. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡°Putting up a barrier,¡± Zeke answered simply. He looked confident, but it didn¡¯t take long for Mikella to recognize the trembling in his voice. Though she was sure she was the only one who knew about it. ¡°Take down this barrier now,¡± Piker growled. ¡°That¡¯s an order. I will not have anyone go again¨C¡± ¡°Against what?¡± Zeke interrupted. Despite the fear Mikella could see in his eyes, he didn¡¯t give up. ¡°You have no authority over me. How I spend my mana is up to me. Besides¨Cyou said I can¡¯t keep up with a fight. So what¡¯s the problem if I use up my mana now? That won¡¯t change at all, will it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the point,¡± Piker snapped. ¡°Don¡¯t try to act snobbish just because you were taught by some experienced mage. In my eyes, you¡¯re just a whelp in way over his head. A newb in a battlefield with nothing to add. So I¡¯ll make this clear. Take. Down. The. Barrier. Now.¡± Piker¡¯s fists clenched tightly, glaring down on Zeke. His leather gloves sounded like they were ready to get crushed. The mood around the campsite became more intense due to his proclamation, getting the soldiers from each grouping to look nervous. They weren¡¯t ready to go dogpile on Zeke nor on Piker¨Cthat would be foolish. But if there was a fight between the supposed right-hand man of Zacharia and their support mage, what can they do? For once, Mikella didn¡¯t step in. She was ready to go hands down and fight Piker even with her fists alone. But something told her that Zeke got a handle on this. Even if Myra kept glancing back at her, expecting her to stop Zeke from provoking the easily agitated Piker. But instead, Zeke crossed his arms. ¡°Or what?¡± Zeke managed. His own glare pierced right at him. And for a short moment, within the orange glow of the campfire, his usually brown eyes shifted and glowed. They turned into the same turquoise color as his barriers, yet they felt clearer¨Calmost crystalline. His mana was being charged from his emotions rising, Mikella guessed.. ¡°Are you going to fight me?¡± Zeke probed, still resolute. ¡°Are you gonna stab me? Beat me down? Go ahead and try. You¡¯ll just be wasting all of our time. I won¡¯t fight back. I don¡¯t have to. So go ahead.¡± Zeke¡¯s eyes turned brighter. Not with a glow, but with intensity. ¡°Make me drop my barrier.¡± This is where every one of the soldiers who were there at the horde battle recognized who Zeke was. This was the man who defended against a myriad of attacks on them when they first came to the city. This is the man who got hit with a powerful strike from a boss monkey during the horde battle, managing to survive. And this is the same man that offered to use himself as bait, turning the battle on its head, and survived despite breaking his limbs in the process. Those glaringly bright eyes of his are proof of his feats. And Piker saw those eyes for himself. He stood stock still, still glaring at the slightly shorter man in front of him. Yet, there wasn¡¯t any hint of fire in his eyes. They looked confused for a moment, then they grew curious. She wasn¡¯t sure how, but the mood turned relaxed as Piker¡¯s eyes lessened their intensity. The veins on his head were reduced and soon he responded. ¡°Fine,¡± Piker finally said, relieving everyone around them of the intense atmosphere he was creating. ¡°But know this¨Cif a life is lost due to your decision to go against my order, your life will be next.¡± His voice turned dark at the end, and before he could say anything else, Piker turned around and walked away from Zeke. Every one of the soldiers instantly returned back to what they were doing before, unsure whether to speak about what just happened without Piker hearing them. As everyone returned back, Mikella went over to Zeke along with Myra. ¡°Zeke¡­¡± Mikella said. ¡°That was¡­ well, impressive.¡± It was more than impressive, Mikella knew. If anything, she could feel his intensity even now, but she was more filled with concern over what could¡¯ve happened. Zeke doesn¡¯t usually respond like that, even if it was justified. Then again, they never met anyone who was so hostile towards him before, so this was rather new from him. ¡°Are you okay, though?¡± Mikella asked as she kept staring at his face. He kept glaring at the man who walked away, as though ready for another fight. But slowly, his face turned pale and his eyes returned back to their normal brownish color. Then, he bent his waist, his face going ghostly white. ¡°I think I¡¯m going to be sick¡­¡± Zeke groaned, getting the girls to roll their eyes as they helped his unsettling stomach by rubbing his back. ¡°Heh, even this won¡¯t deny that you got some iron balls, Zeke,¡± Myra commented, helping Mikella rub the upper part of his back. ¡°That¡¯ll teach him not to mess with you.¡± ¡°Why do that at all, though?¡± Mikella asked. It wasn¡¯t that she was complaining. If anything, Zeke should act like that some more. But that was precisely why she was asking. ¡°Why put yourself through this at all? You could¡¯ve just let him do that stupid night watch of his.¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­ not really about the night-watch for me,¡± Zeke eventually said, turning himself back over by straightening his back. ¡°If it kept going like this, that guy would just look down on me no matter what I do. It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s the principle. If it keeps up like this, it¡¯ll only go down from here. I knew this from experience, so I spoke up. Though I really was ready for him to fight me. I didn¡¯t expect him to just agree with it so easily.¡± ¡°The principle¡­¡± Mikella muttered. ¡°Good words,¡± Myra slapped Zeke¡¯s back hard with a grin, causing him to widen his eyes in pain. He knew it was a friendly gesture, even if his face winced at it. Although Mikella couldn¡¯t help but think back on when she had Class Madness take over her. She was overconfident and arrogant about everything. If Val hadn¡¯t stepped up and proved to her that she was weaker than her, she would even assume she could beat Val. She could also tell that the leaders were watching over them from a distance, for some reason, and were actually ready to step in. When she turned to find Zeke talking with Myra, he looked surprised at her somehow. ¡°Oh, so the captain would¡¯ve stepped in then? Zeke said, sounding actually surprised. ¡°Man, I looked like an idiot then.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like they were ignoring all this,¡± Myra shrugged. ¡°They just had better things to do. Still, even Piker knows not to mess with you now. Just make sure the barrier is up for the night like you promised, alright?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I got a handle on it,¡± Zeke nodded. At least in that, Zeke was confident in droves. ¡­.. Val let out a relieved breath after seeing the crowd surrounding Piker and Zeke step away, the hostile atmosphere lessening as a result. Turning back to the other two leaders, she faced both her husband and the general who also watched at the scene. Both showed complicated expressions, though Zacharia always made it difficult for her to discern what he was feeling. Not that she needed to know. She had enough military business in her life as it is. ¡°General, don¡¯t you think you should advise Piker to get along with the two new volunteers?¡± Val asked, knowing full well what the answer was despite her question. ¡°There is no denying that while Piker means well, the way he handled things could be better,¡± Zacharia answered simply. ¡°However, the two of you agreed that some competition is always good for them. If they happened to fight in the campsite, who are we to get in the way as though they were children? They are soldiers, ready for war at any moment.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a war, general. It¡¯s a raid,¡± Cloud interrupted, though he didn¡¯t appear to want to argue on the matter anymore than Val did. ¡°It¡¯d be bad if one of them were injured before the raid would come in.¡± ¡°Hearing his exploits back at the horde, is that support mage so weak that he can¡¯t handle a punch?¡± Zacharia asked. He had no expression, yet the tone implied a sense of eagerness that Val knew all too well. Cloud remained silent. Letting out a disgruntled breath, he faced towards the flap out of the large-sized tent they were all using. ¡°Now that the plans are set, we should leave. Val?¡± ¡°I¡¯m with you,¡± Val said, before turning to the general to give a respectful nod. ¡°Good night, general. We will inform the others of the order of the night watch.¡± The general gave a silent nod before the two left his tent, being the one where they held a meeting. When Val walked up near Cloud, she noticed his expression still hardened. ¡°The bastard could at least reign in his dogs,¡± Cloud said, his voice barely a whisper, yet Val could hear it from miles away with her hearing. It was intended for her ears alone. ¡°You know how he is, Cloud,¡± Val whispered back. With the way the two spoke, they could be speaking to each other right in the middle of an attentive crowd and not a single one could hear them. ¡°Zacharia has always been a competitive sort.¡± ¡°Still¡­¡± Cloud let out a tired breath. ¡°What¡¯s the point of making these children fight like this?¡± ¡°I admit, I do see the point of it. It¡¯s clear that Zeke won¡¯t be put down no matter what, and now Piker saw that for himself. He won¡¯t be giving him any trouble anytime soon. You should be proud of that.¡± ¡°I am, I am, it¡¯s just¡­¡± Cloud shook his head, turning back to her. ¡°I don¡¯t like this. None of this is making sense. Monsters appearing out of nowhere, and now a dungeon of all things. None of my contacts are even remotely interested¡­ it feels like everything is going against us.¡± Val stayed quiet, peering at Cloud with a careful look. She can¡¯t deny that at this rate, things seem to be going against them. After a while, he turned to her with a weak smile. ¡°Still¡­ as long as we¡¯re together, we¡¯ll make things work. We always do.¡± Val smiled at that. ¡°Of course. And now we got some new blood joining in the fun.¡± ¡°I¡¯m probably going to start to worry whether they¡¯ll have enough blood for the coming fights¡­¡± Val decided to leave it at that, and that made her husband look queasy. She relished at the sight as she can¡¯t think of anything else more enjoyable than seeing her husband squirm. Ch65: Trust Issues ¡°Come on, Mikky, you can tell me. That got your lady bits all riled up, didn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°...You are so weird, Myra.¡± Mikella said, turning away from Myra¡¯s lecherous gaze as she tried to eat the rations from her pack. The two were sitting together on a large log that they cut apart to make seats for them to rest and relax. All the while, on their laps were preserved bread and jerky cooked by the cooks at the town to be eaten along with some water. It was a simple meal, but Mikella was more than okay with it than eating fruits all the time like in the forest. Zeke and the other men went off to relieve themselves, as this was the only chance to do so before moving onwards. The great part about not having as many women around is that it doesn¡¯t cause trouble when relieving themselves, so they were already freshened up as they say. Hence Mikella assumed that¡¯s why Myra was doing some gossip as she figured it would be fine with neither Zeke or the twins around to hear. ¡°Oh come on, you can¡¯t tell me that Zeke didn¡¯t look impressive facing off against a man bigger than him,¡± Myra said, showing a smirk while taking a bite off of her jerky. She was more attentive to the conversation than eating, though. ¡°Sure, in a fight, he would¡¯ve gotten his ass royally kicked. But the way he tried despite that was pretty something, ain¡¯t it?¡± ¡°I was more worried about the result than the action,¡± Mikella finally said. She¡¯s been trying to avoid giving off any hint of romance towards Zeke at the insistent Myra, but she couldn''t help but continue the topic to let it flow and hopefully die out soon. ¡°Would you rather Piker keep giving him shit all the time?¡± Myra asked. ¡°Well¡­ no,¡± Mikella shook her head. ¡°But¡­ it¡¯s not like that, okay?¡± She was honest about that, yet the reason why she didn¡¯t want to continue the conversation no matter how playful it was due to it being exactly the case. The way Zeke faced Piker despite having nothing to stand on, even going as far as to go against his orders and practically humiliating the veteran soldier in front of his peers, Mikella couldn¡¯t help it. He was pretty damn badass, and the sight of his determined glowing eyes still burned in her mind. But she wanted to leave it at that. It wasn¡¯t as though she didn¡¯t consider him romantically before. It was just that it would be too complicated to delve further than that. Now that Myra knew that the two weren¡¯t married like in their made up story, Myra seemed to want Mikella to admit she had feelings for him. She also found it strange that despite Myra saying that having a support mage for a partner would be a good deal, she wanted Mikella to take him in despite his availability. Though she would feel a bit hesitant to let Myra have Zeke for herself. After all, Clara liked him quite a bit. It wouldn¡¯t do if Zeke went off on dates with other women and gave Clara a bad impression. Now that she thought of it in that way, she really did feel like she was clamping hard on Zeke¡¯s love life. Which is only making this conversation even worse to bear as Myra continued despite noticing her awkwardness. ¡°You know, I still think it¡¯s weird how the two of you are so close, yet you don¡¯t do anything with each other,¡± Myra said, adjusting her sitting to make herself comfortable. ¡°If I were you, I¡¯d be enjoying myself all the time.¡± ¡°Well, we got a lot of things to go through,¡± Mikella said, unable to keep her voice from sounding strained. ¡°Like dealing with the horde attacks, and the dungeon we¡¯re about to face.¡± ¡°I¡¯m beginning to think you¡¯re not a big fan of this topic,¡± Myra said, and Mikella really wasn¡¯t sure whether Myra was fucking with her, or she was downright serious. Just when Mikella was ready to deliver a slap to knock some sense, the other men came back with them laughing and cheering at the clearly awkward Zeke. It looked like he went through quite a bit of chatting with the guys about his demeanor from earlier. That was good. Outside of making Zeke the awkward one instead of her, she was also happy to see Zeke given a good light. Of course, the night watch will still persist, but with the barrier in place, there was only a need for a few volunteers, with Zeke occasionally making sure the barrier was up to par. Before long, everyone rested for the night. The tents were made up so that most of the men were grouped up together with Zeke sleeping with the twins while Mikella slept in the same tent with Myra and Lisa, the other girl in the group. While Mikella hasn¡¯t talked to Lisa all that much, she seems like a good girl who prefers to stay quiet¨Csomething she can relate to since the other two girls were just meatheads with weapons while she was a mage. As for the gender separation, even in this fantasy world, it¡¯s only natural to separate the genders to not get distracted during this tough time. Not that Mikella can imagine anyone getting frisky during camping before a raid¡­ then again, Cloud and Val still rested together in their own tent, so she can¡¯t help but think the two are having some sort of fun. If Zeke and I were to rest at the same tent, would we¡­? Mikella shook her head. Fucking Myra getting into my head. Why does she have to make it so weird? She closed her eyes as sleep finally took hold of her. ¡­.. Rampant sounds kept gnawing at her, almost as if dozens upon dozens of noises were clattering against each other for dominance. No matter how hard she tried, the sounds just kept getting louder and louder. Finally, she opened her eyes. She instantly knew that it was approaching daylight as the studded star was giving off some measure of light. She slowly got up from her bedsack, rubbing at her eyes as she could hear Myra groaning loudly beside her. ¡°What¡¯s making all this fucking noise¡­!?¡± Myra nearly shouted, getting up herself in a heartbeat with a nasty scowl. ¡°I couldn¡¯t sleep!¡± ¡°You too, huh?¡± Mikella asked in surprise. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°I think something¡¯s happening¡­¡± Lisa spoke up, also having a hardened look in her eyes from being awakened like this. The girls got themselves dressed as they each got out of the tent, realizing that some of the other soldiers were also awake, including the three leaders. Zeke was also up, looking incredibly concerned. ¡°Zeke, what¡¯s going on?¡± Mikella walked up to him, realizing that something was clearly amiss as everyone seemed ready for¡­ something. ¡°Are we getting attacked?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Zeke slowly turned to her, his face twisting into a scared frown. ¡°You could say that.¡± Zeke then pointed at the opposite side of them, getting the girls to look back. Each of their mouths gaped at the sight. A rising number of creatures were heading their way, the light of the studded star making it clear. A whole crowd, practically a horde by itself, were approaching the campsight, and some even managed to get right up to them. Up to the barrier at least. Thanks to the giant dome of light in place, the creatures that ran up to try to attack the camp were stopped in their tracks. However, the ones that did approach faster than the others were furiously clawing and biting at the dome, trying to get in to feast on the prey that was just beyond their reach. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. It was quite a sight to see, and they were sure that there were more incoming. Without really thinking, Myra already pulled up her spear, but then she lost whatever drove her to take action. There wasn¡¯t much she could do. ¡°What is¡­?¡± Mikella asked, but then someone approached them with rapid steps. ¡°Mage!¡± The three flinched as they turned around to find the clearly upset Piker marching over to them, to Zeke in particular. Without even responding, Piker grabbed Zeke by the collar, pulling him up close to his face. ¡°What have you done?¡± Piker shouted, his face the image of rage incarnate. ¡°Did your barrier cause all this? Explain yourself!¡± ¡°It didn¡¯t!¡± Zeke shouted, trying his hardest to get Piker¡¯s hand off to no avail. Realizing the difference in their Strength stat, he kept talking through his throat getting throttled. ¡°My barrier doesn¡¯t have anything like calling monsters over.¡± ¡°Lies!¡± Piker shouted before raising a fist aiming for Zeke¡¯s face. At this point, Mikella had enough of his shit as she summoned her enchanted sword from her inventory. It felt right in her hands as she was ready to pounce. But just as quickly as Piker raised his fist and she summoned her sword, a hand grasped Piker¡¯s raised wrist. The two boys looked back to see none other than the giant figure Zacharia holding Piker¡¯s fist in place. ¡°Hold, Piker,¡± Zacharia¡¯s deep voice somehow beat out the rampant sounds outside. ¡°Steady your hand. You don¡¯t want to mess up the mage and cause the barrier to fall, do you?¡± Piker¡¯s eyes grew wide in realization, and just as easily, he lessened the grip on his fist. While the general let go of his wrist, Piker shoved Zeke with the other hand, nearly toppling over as he held his throat while coughing a few times. ¡°Yes, general,¡± Piker said, nodding his head to his superior. ¡°Ass¡­!¡± Mikella hissed as she went over to Zeke, rubbing his back as he tried to recover his air. Myra stepped over in front of Zeke, between Piker in case he tried something else. However, despite starting the fight, Piker still glared at Zeke. ¡°But General, his barrier has clearly caused the monsters to go insane. He might have done this on purpose for all we know!¡± ¡°What kind of idiot does that?!¡± Zeke shouted. Rather than being demure as usual, he had enough of Piker as he shouted back. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m actually gonna try and kill all of you, including people that¡¯s way stronger than me? Think for just a damn second, man!¡± ¡°What¡¯d you say?!¡± Piker raged, his teeth bare. ¡°You got a lot of balls for a mage within sword distance!¡± Mikella wasn¡¯t sure whether Piker realized he just used a rather famous line from their old world, but he proved his words as he unsheathed his sword by his hip. Unlike a regular longsword, it was longer and wider, almost reaching a two-handed status. A bastard sword, Mikella assumed. Heavier to hit with, but also lighter to handle. Zeke prepared himself with a growl. He raised his hands in preparation for a barrier. Myra easily took over, pointing her spear now at Piker entering into a fighting stance. ¡°Enough!¡± The captain shouted to everyone around, getting all of them to look back at her. Val stepped over, clearly not amused this early in the morning as she walked over to the scene where a fight is about to take place. She looked over at Piker, who immediately stiffened from her gaze before doing the same to Myra, mimicking Piker. ¡°Before we start blaming each other for the situation, how about we handle the problem first?¡± Val said, not as a question, but as a demand. The two fighters quickly sheathed their weapons at her words. Val then turned her gaze at Zeke, who immediately stiffened up at her. Despite not being responsible for what¡¯s happening, there was a guilty look on his face as though he might have caused this. ¡°I¡­¡± Zeke tried to say, but Val raised her hand. ¡°Zeke, I know you¡¯re not responsible for this,¡± Val said, getting everyone to relax. Apparently, while they didn¡¯t show it, they all thought they had a traitor on their hands, something that Mikella disliked. ¡°We¡¯ve seen your skill many times to not notice any effect to call attention. Piker, before you start hurling accusations, it¡¯s always best to study the situation first before making any assumptions. Asking others who have seen the skill first is always the better solution.¡± ¡°Y-Yes, Captain¡­¡± Piker said almost as demure as Zeke would be. It looked like despite being part of different retinues, Piker knew not to mess with the captain. ¡°Still, I won¡¯t blame you for worrying,¡± Val continued, turning to Cloud who walked over next. ¡°Cloud, any ideas as to what¡¯s happening?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a surprise if one did try to call them over,¡± Zacharia added in, crossing his bulky forearms together. ¡°There hasn¡¯t been a sign of a horde incoming from the night watch. I spoke with some of them, and they all said that some monsters came in to try and attack the barrier, but the shield held true. Rather than alerting anyone, they instead continued to watch to see how long the barrier would last.¡± Everyone turned to Zeke at Zacharia¡¯s reveal. Apparently they all thought that the dome might not persist throughout the night. Clearly, they were wrong. ¡°And that¡¯s when they noticed the horde coming in, right?¡± Cloud questioned what was next, getting Zacharia to give a solitary nod. ¡°It might be possible that the monsters noticed the dome and called them out through some means. Or¡­¡± ¡°Or?¡± Val questioned. ¡°Or perhaps the ones making this whole mess realized our threat, and tried to call in as much of their numbers as possible.¡± The other soldiers gasped quietly at the reveal. No matter how much Mikella wanted to believe that these monsters are just stupid, she can¡¯t help but worry when she remembered the monsters aiming directly at Zeke at the past horde battle. ¡°The only way that these monsters would follow any type of command would mean that there is something stronger giving it. Am I right?¡± Zacharia asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Cloud nodded. ¡°It¡¯s possible that due to the dungeon, the entire monster ecology here has changed. Perhaps an evolution has occurred that caused the change in behavior.¡± ¡°Could it be a monster that¡¯s higher than Expert Rank?¡± Val asked, her eyes turning sharp. ¡°A leadership type monster?¡± Mikella shivered at that. So far, even in Expert ranks, they were easy to deal with. However, it jumps up in difficulty if the monster was in Journeyman, right after Expert. And if what Val said is true, then facing an army of monsters while being commanded by a powerful monster wasn¡¯t something she could handle, at least by herself. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then it wouldn¡¯t matter if the night watch was up or not. We¡¯d be swarming with monsters by the time anyone woke up. We¡¯d have lost too many of our supplies in the defense, and in the worst case we would¡¯ve suffered casualties by now.¡± ¡°Yes, after seeing this¨Cit¡¯s clear that I underestimated the power of this barrier,¡± Zacharia actually agreed, brushing against his black beard with a serious look on his face. The others, once again, looked over at Zeke. Despite knowing now that the reason why they managed to survive was because of him, Zeke actually tried to step back from all the attention, lowering his head. He probably figured that while he didn¡¯t like to be blamed for something he didn¡¯t do, he didn¡¯t like the praise for what was supposed to be natural. Even Piker, the one who tried to assault him with false accusations, looked over at him with surprise in his eyes. ¡°General, that¡¯s¡­¡± Piker turned back to Zacharia. ¡°That couldn¡¯t be it. Surely we would be fine even without the barrier in place. We have the three of you standing guard.¡± ¡°We may be able to protect ourselves,¡± Zacharia spoke simply. ¡°But even we are limited to try and save everyone else should true danger come¡­ and surely enough, it has.¡± Zacharia stared at the distance, getting the other soldiers including Piker to turn to that direction. They were all left dumbstruck as the dozens turned into hundreds. The time they were taking to talk while in the safety of the barrier helped the monsters surround them faster and rise in numbers. Even worse yet, they saw some of the monsters approaching reaching around 6 feet in height, reminding Mikella of the Dire variants that were in the upper tiers of Expert rank. Now as the numbers were increasing, the damage done to the barrier was increasing as well. There were even small cracks showing up across the base of the barrier, to which Zeke undoubtedly raised his hand and cast his mana to repair the cracks immediately. And for good measure, he added in another layer to the barrier from the inside, assuring more protection. ¡°Zeke, how is your mana holding up?¡± Cloud walked over to the young mage, his face turning serious. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine for another few hours,¡± Zeke turned back, speaking truthfully. ¡°I had a lot of rest, so my Mana is up to full. But after this one, I spent around 10% of it to enforce it. If this keeps up, I might have to spend Mana gradually to keep up the barrier. I, uhh¡­ I suggest decreasing the numbers as soon as we can.¡± Zeke didn¡¯t look like he wanted to give an order, but the others quickly realized the danger of it. Each and every one of the soldiers raised their weapons, the mages raising their hands to cast a spell. Mikella already had her sword up, ready to fight along with Myra by her side. The twins held up their sword and shield, ready to fight. She even noticed Piker doing the same, this time not aiming his glare at Zeke, but at the monsters approaching them. ¡°A few hours, you say?¡± Cloud asked. He rubbed his chin, as though he was thinking deeply. Then, his eyes widened as an idea popped into his head. ¡°Zeke, come here for a second. Val, Zacharia, gather up.¡± Zeke looked back in surprise, but figured he had no other choice as he followed Cloud over to the other leaders. Then, they began speaking at length while the soldiers, unable to really get out thanks to the dome in place, stood still as the monsters kept increasing in numbers. Mikella kept looking back at the leaders, keeping the barrier mage in place for some reason. Her hands were getting twitchy as the numbers just kept growing. ¡°Umm, what¡¯s going on?¡± Myra asked her, figuring that she at least knew what was up. But Mikella only shook her head. ¡°Hell if I know,¡± Mikella finally said. ¡°Hopefully they finish this as soon as possible.¡± Ch66: Funnel Barrier He worked tirelessly to readjust his barrier to the makings of the leader¡¯s plans. Zeke waved his hands, channeling the mana throughout his barrier and ensuring that none of it breaks apart during his creation. Then again, the constant roaring and battering at his barrier from the now hundreds of monsters surrounding the tiny human army was a bit stress-inducing. Despite trying to ignore them, the constant fangs and claws kept appearing in his peripheral vision. Their disgusting faces slobbering and growling at the nearby mage trying to create more barriers within his dome. His creation was simple. First, he created two walls from his northern side of the barrier, where most of the monster horde was residing, towards the center of the clearing where the army was at. It created a pathway of sorts for the monsters to go through, and to make sure no surprises were made, he created a ceiling across the two walls, creating a square-shaped tunnel with the ground serving as the floor. In other words, a funnel for the monsters to go through. The leaders discussed with him on how to best handle the monsters using the safest method they could think of. It was a good way to farm more XP for the other soldiers. All the while, in case something happened, the leaders can jump in to exterminate the rest of the monsters easily enough. But with this, not only can they ensure the monsters don''t make any casualties, they can gain more power in the process. Of course, while Zeke was working on the funnel, the other soldiers were reasonably anxious at the rising number. Even the usually hard-ass Piker standing by the side looked nervous. Despite their past interactions and how often he pissed Zeke off with his accusations, Zeke did feel some pity after being forced to stand still while the monsters surrounding them only grew. The way his face paled at the sight of the monsters despite his supposedly high standing when in combat was sympathetic at least. The worst part of this all was watching his partner Mikella appearing ready to explode out of panic, fear, anxiety, or anticipation. It might even be all of them as she glared at the monsters with her sword in hand. He tried his hardest to work faster, but he didn¡¯t want to mess up and cause the funnel to break halfway by trying to rush things.. He considered using runes to make the process easier, or to make the funnel idea even better, but he put that aside. It was just an experiment with too much mana consumption. It wouldn¡¯t do in case things go awry and causes the entire dome to fall apart. He shivered at the idea of the dome breaking apart. He knew the leaders would work to help them, but Zacharia¡¯s words about not saving all of them stuck to his mind. He didn¡¯t want to be responsible for the deaths in his squad as much as anyone else. Finally, the funnel was completed. Zeke ensured that the barrier would stay whole, layering more walls of mana around the dome and the funnel itself. He returned to the leaders, his mana at half and caked in sweat from the effort and stress. ¡°It¡¯s done,¡± Zeke said, his voice a little hoarse. It wasn¡¯t that the barrier took that much effort, but the stress dried his throat and mouth, hence why he hasn¡¯t received any notification regarding his barrier skill leveling up. Something else did increase, however.
Steadfast Mind Level Up! It is now Level 2. You have gained +1 SPI from your skill. You have gained +1 END from your skill.
He wasn¡¯t quite sure how to feel about that. ¡°It should be good now. All I need to do to make it happen is to open the dome where the monsters can get in.¡± ¡°Good work, Zeke,¡± Val smiled gratefully. ¡°Go ahead and rest. We¡¯ll handle things from here.¡± Zeke nodded, and for a moment he was starting to feel a little dizzy. Now he realized why Cloud kept saying that a mage should be calm and collected while casting magic. Any stress involved would tax the mind of the mage too much, and using magic despite doing it many times before would be more tiring than usual. The leaders must have expected that, hence why Val excused him to walk away back to the campsite and sit down on the log. Though the stress did burn him a bit, his increase in Steadfast Mind made it easier to deal with it. Eventually both Mikella and Myra approached him. ¡°Are you sure this is gonna work?¡± Myra, the usually competent soldier, actually shivered as she kept glancing at the multiple monsters surrounding them. ¡°I mean, I trust you, but¡­¡± ¡°At this point, I don¡¯t even know,¡± Zeke shook his head. He couldn¡¯t really answer her worries. ¡°Any questions you have, leave it to them,¡± Zeke pointed at the leaders, unable to even raise his head. ¡°Ahh, I figured¡­¡± Myra groaned. ¡°Zeke, how are you feeling?¡± Mikella asked, growing concerned at his state. Zeke tried to smile, even as his body felt like it was breaking down. ¡°I¡¯m fine. If anything, you guys need to look out for yourselves. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s gonna happen.¡± The two soldier girls nodded in unison at that. With Myra going over to her buddies to prepare for a plan, Mikella placed a hand on his shoulder. ¡°Just rest, okay?¡± Mikella smiled. ¡°We¡¯ll handle things from here.¡± But before Mikella could let go, Zeke unconsciously grabbed her hand, still on his shoulder. He looked up to her in surprise, trying to form the words. In the end, he could only say what¡¯s on his mind. ¡°Be careful,¡± Zeke added, looking straight into her eyes. ¡°I will,¡± Mikella nodded, adding another hand to his own and grasping it. ¡°If anything, I still got you. I¡¯ll be fine.¡± Zeke couldn¡¯t really argue with that, but Mikella continued to hold his hand as though to ensure him. She kept staring at his eyes, and before Zeke would look away from the intensity of her caring stare, she let go while still smiling. She swiftly returned to where Myra and the twins were, leaving Zeke nearly befuddled at her. He looked back at his hand. It was a strange feeling, her warmth still on it. He realized then that he had a habit of over worrying a lot, and Mikella was making sure that there was no need. He looked back at the scene, which was starting to look frighteningly similar to when the horde attacked the town as more monsters seemed to grow in number, and somehow in height. ¡°Alright everyone, get ready!¡± Val shouted to the rest of the soldiers. She pointed at the funnel that was open on their side, but the dome wall was still closed at the other. ¡°Every monster that enters the funnel will die by the time they come in. For the soldiers who aren¡¯t Dexterity-based, come towards the entrance!¡± Just as she ordered, the soldiers who specialized in heavy weaponry, the two twins Jackie and Maxie, the axeman, and even the two mages Philip and Lisa stood aside one another, preparing themselves with a heavy look in their eyes. ¡°For those capable of jumping out of the dome, get ready!¡± Val turned to the others, the clearly more mobile of the bunch. That would be Mikella, Myra, the scout, the dual blader, the spearman, and finally Piker. Zeke thought that Myra wasn¡¯t the dexterous type, but then she didn¡¯t use any weapons other than a spear, and with her new Expert body, she can easily jump out of the dome. What he did find surprising was that Piker was added in. But after an Identify on him, it made total sense.
Warrior, Level 42.
Freaking level 42. Zeke thought in amazement. Clearly, Piker is a hard worker in his own right. He also noticed that some of the heavier soldiers were just around Level 30, or Level 31. They were experts, but compared to Piker and Myra, they felt slightly weaker¨Cat least when it came to their presence or auras. It was another reason why the funnel idea was made. ¡°As planned, the main goal is to protect yourselves while reducing the numbers. We aren¡¯t sure on the details, but one thing is clear¨Csomething here wants us killed. We won¡¯t let that happen¨CAre we clear?!¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am!¡± Each of the soldiers shouted in unison, each anxious but ready to fight. ¡°Good!¡± Val turned to the dome outside, the monsters ramping up in ferocity. Then, she turned back to Zeke. ¡°Zeke, open up the dome! From up and below!¡± Zeke took a large breath, then exhaled as he willed his dome to respond. The dome wall that was covered within the funnel opened and a circular opening appeared above the dome. Then, all hell broke loose. ¡­.. Monsters of every range¨Cstemming from levels, height, weight, and even ferocity, all charged into the funnel with crazed abandon. Once the monsters from the outside noticed some of their numbers getting in, they immediately followed. The sounds increased in fervor as the monsters charged through the funnel, not even realizing the trap they set themselves in. The moment they entered the other side of the dome, they were met with a barrage of slashes and spells. Blood flowed, flesh flew and meat scattered everywhere. Bones were dislocated and organs were splattered. It was rough to watch for an onlooker who wasn¡¯t used to fighting, so instead Zeke paid attention to the area outside the dome. The mobile fighters all jumped out of the dome, causing Zeke to close it up immediately. Even now, there were some flying creatures that tried to get in, but were immediately taken down by none other than Cloud who shot a quick spell or two at them. It was the sort of spell that looked like golden bands like rings flying out and slicing them apart. But that didn¡¯t take his attention. Mikella, Myra, and even Piker took most of it as they all jumped out of the dome, landing on top of it. The scout, spearman, and duelist also flowed out with ease, though not as well as the first three. As the mess followed through from within the dome, the outside was just as maddening. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. Myra was the first to go, jumping straight down to the ground and landing on top of a creature that got in her way. A giant squirrel-like monster (Least Zeke thought it was) ran at her before eventually getting crushed underfoot by some other giant monster, a¡­ prairie dog-like creature? Man, these monsters are just made up of every animal out there¡­ There were so many creatures surrounding them, it was hard to discern what creature they were. But to Myra, they were nothing but charred remains after she sliced them with her flaming spear. The metal blade was coaxed in fire, a very familiar fire that once overtook her channels. That was the one thing Zeke noticed out of her. She was making use of her attunement already, and it proved to be powerful. He remembered watching her fight. She was a Strength-based spearman using the agility of her spear to attack from a distance, and attacking hard. She was accustomed to taking her time downing a powerful opponent rather than taking out multiple monsters at once. But one swing from her spear across a field of monsters proved otherwise. A cascade of flames flowed from her slice, burning every monster in an arc formation across several feet. Embers followed as their corpses turned to ashes. But on the other side, Piker was doing the opposite to the monsters. To Zeke¡¯s non-surprise, Piker also had an attunement. Frozen spikes jutted out of the ground for every step he made while swinging his bastard sword. The blade was coated with frost as each slice he made to every monster that approached him froze in place. Then, he used his heavily gauntleted fist to break them into pieces right after. The pieces scattered about, distracting the other monsters as the shards hit their faces. Piker took this chance to deliver more powerful strikes, each one either freezing them in place or killing them outright. One slice here and there decapitated some of the monsters approaching them, turning him into a frost knight of nightmares. But while Myra looked like she was having a blast, a fierce smile with cold sweat running down her tanned skin, Piker was precisely like his attunement¨Ccold, calculating, and deadly. But out of the two of them, Mikella approached them all with a calm-like state. Her sword was fast and precise. She didn¡¯t go after every monster at once¨Cshe faced each one down in single combat. She faced a seven foot tall bear ready to strike her down with its claws, but she sidestepped with ease and gouged out her enemy¡¯s thigh with not her enchanted sword, but her Sword of Lightning¨Ca gift given by Adam the smith. Rather than taking it down, she used the lightning enchantment to stun the creature, sparks riddling its fur and body, before pulling her original enchanted metal sword and stabbing each part that her active Hawk Eyes considered weaknesses. Rather than overwhelming the monsters around her, she focused on conserving her energy while using all of her tools to quickly and efficiently take down a powerful monster. The scout, duelist, and spearman also took out as many as they could on their own side, but not compared to both Myra and Piker. But despite all that, Mikella was keeping up. Her breathing was controlled, relaxed, her face a perfect picture of calm¨Cslow and steady. She kept facing one after another, each in single combat while the others focused on decreasing the numbers. Zeke knew that Mikella was making waves when it came to controlling herself, but also worried that she was still fearing of losing her control over her class. However, upon closer inspection, while everyone else was an Expert, she was still an Apprentice, like Zeke. Her power just isn¡¯t quite enough to handle a long bout with several monsters, forcing herself to keep pace with her resources and retreat when the others were close by to finish the monsters off. To her, XP was the last thing she needed right now. The fights happening inside the dome also went by with ease. The monsters didn¡¯t relent in trying to surge through despite each one not even coming out through the dome. Then again, it was hard to see what was happening in front of the monsters while the others waiting outside were getting slaughtered outright. Zeke watched with awe as the carnage only grew. All the while, he could feel bits of energy surging through him, small sparks traveling through his body every which way. He was barely keeping up with all this, but the leaders sure enjoyed watching this. ¡°This is amazing, Zeke,¡± Val commented, making him notice that the leaders were surrounding him. He was sure that they weren¡¯t there to protect him, but because it was a better vantage point. He had a hard time believing that things would go awry like this. ¡°Your barriers are so useful.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Zeke said, a blush apparent on his cheeks. He still wasn¡¯t used to getting praised like this, especially since it was just his barrier made by his skill. He looked over at the carnage in front of him. ¡°How long do you think this is gonna last?¡± ¡°I think there¡¯s going to be a boss monster nearby,¡± Cloud answered, his eyes scouring every nook and cranny. ¡°Once it appears and we take it out, the other monsters will surely run away.¡± ¡°And if they don¡¯t?¡± Zacharia asked, turning to Cloud. ¡°What if they stay and we start running out of supplies?¡± Cloud frowned. ¡°Then we have no choice but to flee. However, I find it hard to believe that each one is willing to die just to get us. Even monsters want to live.¡± ¡°You¡¯d be surprised,¡± Zacharia answered, crossing his bulky arms. ¡°You haven¡¯t been going out as often like your wife has. These monsters may have a survival instinct, but they¡¯ll keep going to their last breath before giving up.¡± ¡°Then we¡¯ll come up and show them how futile it was,¡± Cloud said, a bit of heat in his voice. ¡°Now, now, boys. Play nice¨Cchildren are around.¡± Val said, and somehow that got the two to quiet down, though they still looked like they wanted to grumble some more. Zeke watched it all with a bit of tension. Cloud really didn¡¯t like Zacharia, and Zacharia always seemed to get under his skin. It sounded like Zacharia was always commenting on Cloud¡¯s leadership, even though he was a military commander from the kingdom far away from here. So either Zacharia has an issue with how leading should be done, or a problem against Cloud personally. Whatever the case, Zacharia didn¡¯t hide his criticism at all to the two. Val didn''t seem to take it personally, but Cloud certainly did. He wondered what sort of history they had together that made it out like this? Zeke shook his head and kept paying attention to the fight. While the leaders were there, that didn¡¯t mean he shouldn¡¯t learn from this. As he watched, the carnage only growing and the atmosphere turning red from the blood smears, he also sensed something. He wasn¡¯t sure what it was. While Zeke knew that it was due to the constant death of the monsters around him, he felt that there was a sense of¡­ rot. Not smell, but the ¡®feel¡¯. It was strange. He knew what a rotting corpse smelled like¨Che had smelled it plenty of times while surviving throughout the forest with Mikella and Clara. Yet, there was this strange sense of rot in the air that didn¡¯t seem natural. Almost magical, in a way. Zeke unhesitatingly tugged on Cloud¡¯s robe, getting him to pay attention. ¡°Cloud, do you sense that?¡± Cloud tilted his head. Then with his eyes widened, he responded. ¡°Can you?¡± Zeke wondered whether Cloud was screwing with him like usual, or he was sincerely asking that. Figuring that this situation wasn¡¯t a joking manner, he responded honestly. ¡°I sense¡­ something. I¡¯m not sure what. I could be crazy, but I swear that I can feel some rot coming from somewhere. I feel like it¡¯s from the mana itself.¡± Zeke wasn¡¯t really sure what he was saying now, and after seeing Zacharia¡¯s studious gaze on him, he felt even smaller. However, Cloud¡¯s stare intensified. ¡°I see¡­ so I wasn¡¯t the only one then. I should¡¯ve figured you had the ability to sense it with your high Mana Perception.¡± ¡°What is he talking about?¡± Zacharia asked. ¡°Mind explaining for the rest of us non-mages?¡± While Zacharia didn¡¯t look pleased, even Val seemed hesitant, her face scrunching up in confusion at the two. Hearing that tone, Zeke realized that perhaps he had something against mages. Was there some sort of divide between warriors and mages? Piker¡¯s attitude towards Zeke made total sense now. ¡°He¡¯s not talking about the actual rotting corpses, clearly,¡± Cloud answered as though Zacharia was missing a few brain cells. Something that Val didn¡¯t appreciate as she threw a frown at him. ¡°There''s something in the Mana, almost akin to what made Myra¡¯s potion turn awry. Now that we got closer, it made even more sense.¡± ¡°Okay¡­ but rot?¡± Val asked. ¡°That seems rather strange, isn¡¯t it? These monsters aren¡¯t undead, so if there is rot in the mana, wouldn¡¯t that kill them?¡± Zeke considered the wording, and he paled. Of course in a fantasy world, there would also be undead creatures, which meant that zombies are a thing¡­ he wasn¡¯t looking forward to that. ¡°There¡¯s not enough of it to truly kill anyone,¡± Cloud explained, this time being more gentle with Val than he ever had with Zacharia. ¡°But there¡¯s enough to be noticed, and that¡¯s troubling. That meant someone¡¯s mana is changing the atmosphere, but as for why it¡¯s rot¨C¡± ¡°Hey, you idiot! Don¡¯t go too close!¡± Zeke and the leaders heard Philip, one of the mages, shout at the soldier near him. It was the axeman, looking rather ecstatic at the amount of monsters he was killing. His heavy axe either chopped a monster¡¯s head off or crushed their skulls, depending on where he swung his blade. ¡°Shut up, this is great!¡± The axeman yelled out. ¡°I¡¯m getting so much XP from this!¡± The axeman shouted with glee as he stepped closer, stepping away from the formation they made. Val noticed this instantly and shouted. ¡°Stop! Get back into formation!¡± But before the axeman could turn and follow that order, or even turn at all, something came out from the crowd of monsters charging at him. Something long and stretchy reached out and pierced the axeman¡¯s torso right at the center. It wasn¡¯t a powerful strike, not enough to truly make a deep wound, but the axeman¡¯s eyes widened as his body froze up. Just like how Zeke¡¯s body froze up when the system initialized, the joints seem to have locked up for the axeman as he fell to his knees, his eyes widened. And soon, standing right in the middle by himself near the crowd of monsters, they jumped at the chance. ¡°Damn it!¡± Zeke saw this coming and tried to summon a barrier to protect him, but there were too many¨Ctoo damn many. They were too close, and from where Zeke was, it was hard to make a decent wall. Despite making as many as he could, the monsters were too strong and broke them apart easily. The axeman¡¯s body remained still, as though it was paralyzed from the attack. His eyes were wide as the monsters all charged at him. And ripped him to shreds. Zeke¡¯s eyes widened as the axeman¡¯s screams echoed out, getting the other soldiers to come right at the monsters to save him. Zeke tried to get his barriers up, but there was such a mess¨Che couldn¡¯t summon his barriers without trying to block the other soldiers from helping him. The axeman¡¯s body was nowhere to be found from within the crowd of monsters. Zeke didn¡¯t know whether he would defend the axeman or accidently keep the monster within his barrier. If the axeman hadn¡¯t left the formation, it would¡¯ve been a lot easier. But that didn¡¯t stop Zeke¡¯s chest tightening as the screams became wilder, almost disturbed. He could hear the flesh being torn, something gurgling despite the noise outside. It was¡­ it was too much. Then something red crowded the ground beneath. It was far away from the usual carnage and death near the entrance of the funnel. ¡°Zeke, close the funnel!¡± Cloud shouted, aiding in the effort to take down the monsters along with Val and Zacharia. Realizing way too late, Zeke closed the funnel¡¯s entrance, trapping the monsters charging at them from getting out. Finally, the monsters receded as each soldier managed to kill every last one, their corpses laying everywhere. The leaders also helped immensely, but the numbers were too many. As the monsters inside the dome slowly died out, every soldier breathed rampantly while Zeke got up. He approached the scene where the axeman once was, and it showed exactly what his fate revealed. The axeman was nothing but a pile of meat and bones. The axe was left to the side the moment he was frozen, and while paralyzed, he was ripped to literal shreds. Zeke¡¯s mouth dried up after seeing the multiple organs and limbs that should¡¯ve been at their proper places, and the eyeballs that seem to stare directly at him. Zeke paled, stepping back, breathing heavily. He raised his hand, activating his Recovery skill, but he had no clue on what the fuck he could do to heal. Cloud pressed his hand on top of his shoulder, looking straight at him. His blue eyes met Zeke¡¯s own, and shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s over,¡± Cloud said coldly. ¡°He¡¯s gone. There¡¯s no point.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Zeke slowly said, turning over to the remains that were once the axeman. ¡°Even if you do heal him, the moment he¡¯s dead, his soul is gone. The body will be recovered, but his life is gone. Zeke, he¡¯s gone.¡± Cloud reassured him, grasping hard on his shoulder. Zeke couldn¡¯t really think. That was the first time he saw someone, anyone, die in this world. And it happened so quickly. Just like that, a man he knew and even spoke to died. Just like that. Ch67: Turning the tide Sweat profusely trailed down her skin as Mikella stood and fought against the giant werewolf. It wasn''t¡¯ even a Dire Wolf, but a bigger version of that¨CDire Beaswolf. The difference was that while it looked humanoid as it stood on two legs, it was all beast and no sentient thought. It was easier to think that way as she dodged a clawed strike from the beast, aiming to bisect her entirely. Her body strained from the effort. She¡¯s been fighting for over thirty minutes, and this was the first time she faced one of the upper tiers of Expert rank. Still, she kept fighting, relying heavily on her Sword Mastery. While this creature was similar in level with the Boss Monkey, it was anything but. The Boss monkey relied on Strength and Dexterity, but this one was relying on Strength and Endurance, or perhaps Vitality. It was crazy tough, and no matter how often she struck it, it still stood firm¨Cits muscles bulging and acting like furred padded armor. Not even her Sword of Lightning did anything of worth, the muscles acting like conductors to absorb the electricity somehow. Her Dragon Descent certainly helped with surviving, but she had to avoid using Heavenly Strike to avoid draining her resources too much. The beast relied mostly on its claws, and somehow that was becoming an issue. They were fast, sharp, and strong¨Cshe knew that because a single mistake caused it to slice off a good chunk of her left forearm. It bled profusely, and it stung like a bitch. She swore a warm breeze was tickling her exposed bones. Meditation was working like mad, but it wasn¡¯t enough to keep her arm in top shape. She was at least thankful that she had a decent amount of Endurance and Vitality, otherwise she would¡¯ve lost her entire arm rather than a bit of it. She had to keep herself steady. It¡¯s been a while since she felt the ¡®madness¡¯, but she felt that if she kept forcing herself to survive, the faster she''d descend back into it. She stepped forward, using her body¡¯s momentum to step right in. When the wolf went with a fast downward claw, she stepped right out. Taking the chance, she stabbed the wolf with her sword. The wolf was too busy recovering to avoid it, getting stabbed right at its abdomen, but refused to budge as it charged forward with the blade still impaled within its packed muscles. But Mikella smirked at that. She pulled. She dragged the giant wolf around, using her blade to spin the giant creature around and around. Despite its size and hefty weight, it was nothing towards Mikella¡¯s high Strength stat. She made perfect use of it as she spun the thing around, then finally slammed the creature down. The ground beneath shattered and cracks spread all over, but the beast wasn¡¯t killed yet. Distracted, the wolf tried to recover, but Mikella hefted her blade out with quite an effort, causing the wolf to cry out in pain before finally finishing it off with a swift stab between its eyes. No matter how tough or how healthy a creature can be¨Cnothing can survive a true stab into the brain. Well, some probably could in this fantasy world, but this damn wolf sure can¡¯t as it died immediately. Its limbs fumbled before the body turned limp underneath her. Mikella let out a breath before pulling the sword out, blood showering the ground. She spun it to get rid of the blood from the blade to stave off rust. The enchanted sword was incredible. It would have taken her longer to kill the wolf even with the skills if she didn¡¯t have this sword. The light weight and increased durability made it easy to maneuver, and more importantly, deliver a heavy momentum at a critical moment. While the Sword of Lightning didn¡¯t do much, the electricity certainly distracted it long enough for her to consider just having it out along with her enchanted sword¨Cbut somehow, duel wielding those swords felt a bit off. She wasn¡¯t against the idea if she was honest (it would be cool as fuck), but her Sword Mastery didn¡¯t seem to allow her to do that as well as it would with a singular sword. She had a feeling that she could force it into accepting her dual swords, and most likely she could evolve her skill to accept dual-wielding. But she didn¡¯t want that¨Cnot now, at least. Before she could turn around and do some more killing, she heard a shout and felt something push her with all their might. ¡°Watch out!¡± The push caused her to stumble and fall down, getting her scraped. She looked back, ready to kill Piker who turned out to be responsible for pushing her. But her anger quickly abated when his armored arm was stabbed with what looked like a stretchy tongue. The tongue receded, and Piker¡¯s arm suddenly lost all energy as it slumped against his torso, losing any will to do anything. ¡°Piker!¡± Myra came over, getting Mikella up from the ground while showing a concerned look. ¡°Shit, your arm!¡± ¡°There¡¯s a Paralyzer here!¡± Pyker managed, still able to hold onto his bastard sword with a single hand. ¡°Retreat and pull back! I¡¯ll take care of this.¡± ¡°A Paralyzer?¡± Mikella asked as Myra did as Piker said, grabbing her away. ¡°We got no resistance against that,¡± Myra explained. ¡°It attacks you with a sneak attack, paralyzing your body with a status ailment. If you get it in the middle of all this, you¡¯re screwed!¡± Myra shouted at the other soldiers who could listen, getting everyone the message. Then, they scattered about, ignoring the bigger creatures and instead using them as cover to apparently find this Paralyzer. Myra then told Mikella to do the same, looking for any small creatures that use their size to their advantage as they¡¯re likely the targets. Mikella turned over to Pyker as despite losing an arm, he still fought savagely against the horde of monsters, using the powers of frost to freeze them all and destroy them outright. Figuring there was no choice, she scoured the scene. It was a mess of monsters, but their fighting managed to tear down the numbers a bit, fortunately. That¡¯s where she spotted a small creature she knew would be a Paralyzer. ¡°There!¡± Mikella shouted, getting Myra to notice her finger pointing. ¡°It¡¯s a Bug-Eater! It has some¡­ weird tongue thing sticking out of its mouth!¡± Just like the name, Mikella couldn''t help but realize it was similar to an Ant-eater, though it was black in fur with faint yellow spots covering it. Its tongue, small and slithering like a worm, lashed furiously around it, looking for its next victim. She shivered at the sight, and despite how Piker was treating them, he ended up pushing her aside to take the blow himself. She hated to admit it, but she had to thank him. If that were to take her body instead of an arm, or worse, her head¡­ she couldn¡¯t imagine the horror that would come after. And just as quickly she pointed it out, the creature was lashing its tongue out, not even caring about hitting some of its comrades. Some wolf and some bear were hit with the tongue, causing themselves to get frozen up like the others said. They were quickly frozen and fell to the ground, only to get nearly obliterated by the other creatures stomping about and crushing them underfoot. Then that same tongue that indiscriminately killed its own comrades was now aiming for Myra by her side. Her eyes widened as the tongue was heading straight to her. Mikella didn¡¯t even think about it. She pulled a spear out of her pack and hefted it like an olympic thrower, pouring her kinetic energy to it. Her Spear Mastery skill made it easier to pour in kinetic energy into the weapon as she threw it with no mercy in her eyes. The spear was thrown with such ferocity that the air itself split apart from its way. The flight path destroyed at least a whole array of weaker monsters, their bodies splitting just by being near the attack. The spear closed in towards the little creature, just barely noticing before it was decimated and taken to the ground. Its tongue was just frozen right in midair before it eventually fell to the ground limply like its owner. A notification came by to tell her what a good job she did as she grinned.
Spear Mastery Level Up! It is now Level 2. You have gained +1 DEX from your skill.
The other monsters, however, decided to gather around the creature, as if realizing they lost their advantage. Mikella let out a breath as she noticed that not only Myra came over, but Piker as well. His limp arm was finally returning to normal as he tried to grip it every once in a while during this lull. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡°Nice shot,¡± Piker commented, surprising Mikella. ¡°Umm, thanks,¡± Mikella said. She was just too baffled by the sudden praise that she didn¡¯t know what else to say. ¡°Hey, look at that, you can act like a decent human being after all,¡± Myra smirked, then turned to Mikella after witnessing Piker scoff at her. ¡°That really was a good shot. Had you been practicing?¡± ¡°A bit,¡± Mikella agreed as she got her sword back out. ¡°I had to do something while I was suspended. Picking up Spear Mastery was definitely worth it.¡± ¡°You got a Spear Mastery skill?¡± Piker said in surprise. Now that she realized it, Piker figured her to only be a sword user like one of their men. ¡°Why pick up another mastery skill?¡± ¡°I was bored,¡± Mikella answered honestly. ¡°Plus, I got a lot of weapons from, uhh¡­ ¡± Mikella tried to answer, figuring that mentioning the tower might be complicated, but Myra stepped in time. ¡°Her parents were strict, but they were loaded before she left,¡± Myra pointed at her with a thumb. ¡°That¡¯s how she got some pretty decent Acquired skills.¡± Piker stared at the women for a moment before turning to Mikella. ¡°Keep doing that to those Paralyzers and you won¡¯t hear another complaint from me.¡± Piker then hefted his bastard sword over, gripping its handle with both hands while aiming at the dozens of monsters heading their way. ¡°There could be more on the way. Keep a lookout!¡± ¡°Got it!¡± The two women responded in unison as Myra, Piker, and finally Mikella prepped their weapons at the enemy and lunged at them. They still got quite a few more enemies to kill. ¡­.. Zeke¡¯s throat tightened, his breath was haggard. The first time he saw someone die, and he couldn''t even do anything, let alone make the suffering go away. He suffered while being eaten alive by the monsters surrounding him. The axeman didn¡¯t stand a chance. But despite his death, the other soldiers kept going. Because they kept going, ignoring the fleshy remains of their former comrade, Zeke knew what he had to do. This was a battle to the death. It¡¯s obvious that this would happen. Even if his mind was rattled from such a gruesome death, it shouldn¡¯t stop him from helping others still alive. I need to focus. Zeke muttered, forcing himself to look up at the scene surrounding him. He channeled his focus, using Mana Perception to feel his barrier out. With the dome surrounding him, he managed to get a ¡®feel¡¯ of sorts around him. His Barrier Craft Skill was still holding up strong, and he could somehow tell that his Steadfast Mind was also working as it should to keep him mentally steady. He breathed, using the chance to enter into Meditation to recover his mana. He lost a lot of mana from his failed protections, but that didn¡¯t mean the battle was over. But just as he was about to get himself out there¨C A red-colored light covered the area. He could feel it¨Ca powerful sense of mana surging from some source beyond the horizon. It made his very being want to curl up to hide from it. It was attacking his Mana Perception in ways he couldn''t comprehend, and his barrier seemed to scream at him that danger was approaching. Before he could turn to Cloud, mostly out of survival instinct than by actual thought, Cloud responded first. ¡°Everyone! Get inside!¡± He shouted, turning to Zeke. ¡°Open the dome from above, now!¡± Zeke did just that. By opening the way out from above like before, Cloud lifted his hand and casted a ball of bright starlight right out of it. It wasn¡¯t meant to attack, and it was barely any cost for Cloud. It was meant to be nothing more than a flare for the others outside the dome. ¡­.. She didn¡¯t know why, but Mikella could feel that something was wrong. Her body was tingling in ways she can¡¯t really describe. She felt that something was about to happen, like the air was turning¡­ hot, rather than coppery from all the blood she was forced to get used to. She shivered as she shook her head, trying to push off the weird feelings. However, Myra and Piker responded better. ¡°Is this¡­ mana?¡± Myra asked, swiveling her head around. ¡°Something powerful is coming¡­ I just¨C¡± Piker muttered, turning around himself before widening his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s Lord Cloud¡¯s spell! We need to hurry inside!¡± Mikella turned around to find exactly what Piker said. She just saw the ball of bright light launching out of the dome, the opening fully open. Despite the flying creatures somewhat killed thanks to the nearby soldier¡¯s help, that would still be dangerous to do for the people inside. Unless somehow the outside is about to be even more dangerous. Thinking that, Mikella followed Piker and Myra¡¯s hurried footsteps to the dome, jumping straight to the top of the dome to head inside. Mikella did the same, finding the feat that normal humans on earth could barely do even with years of combat experience. She hurled herself into the dome, realizing the air around her was becoming blisteringly hot after each second. As soon as she entered the cooler yet still humid dome, the sensation of security and protection overwhelming her again, the dome closed up behind her. And a sea of torrential fire flowed into view. Everything around them was doused in flames. Not a single creature survived the wave, their bodies burning up and reduced to ash. Even inside the barrier, the air felt similar to a stove on full heat. Her eyes were nearly blinded, but she managed to find the only person she thought of when entering inside. And he sank to his knees, his hands stretched with his face paling. ¡°Zeke!¡± ¡­.. Zeke could barely withstand the blast. He knew something was amiss, and that something was a spell taking hold. And that spell was enough to break the entire dome apart if he hadn¡¯t focused on it. He only just reinforced the dome as soon as the last soldier came in. The last one being Mikella of all people, he closed the dome and poured half of his entire Mana pool, but even that didn¡¯t feel like it was enough. The blast hitting his barrier was powerful. It felt like it was attacking his soul. The magic spell that was turning the entire field into a hellscape was attacking his dome in a way he never felt before. He defended against magical attacks before, but this spell was too strong to be considered normal. It was an attack meant to decimate an army, not a group of ragtag soldiers. But he held, gritting his teeth. He extended his arms up, using his body as a sort of projection for the barrier to hold. He didn¡¯t know why, but it worked splendidly. He moved his body to help his mana churn through his channels, helping his mind focus on defending against the blast. Getting out of this hot hell alive with his comrades. That was his goal as the flames finally ceased to be. As he slowly rose to his feet, his face pale, he breathed heavily. He sweated profusely, not just from the intense heat, but the difficult effort to not break apart. The barrier held true. To his shock and awe, it fucking held. The barrier was like broken glass, the cracks spider webbing across the surface of the turquoise shell with some bits and pieces falling off like scattered roof tiles¨Cbut it held. He checked his body, wincing as his mana reserves were left almost drained. He also felt a bit drained physically, realizing that he also spent kinetic energy, stamina, to defend themselves. Without really thinking, he must have enforced his barrier with stamina to stave off the powerful force. Or was it his Gloves of Sanctuary that did that? He figured that the gloves aided in supporting the barrier, but realized that his mana wasn¡¯t enough for this type of attack. The fact that he had to use his stamina to defend against that attack was shocking, but he turned his attention to his comrades. ¡°Is everyone alright?!¡± Zeke shouted, his eyes still blurry from the light that''s blinding them all. Everyone around him shouted in response, as though his word carried law somehow. More than anything, Mikella ran over, her face the only thing he could see clearly. ¡°What about you?¡± Mikella asked. ¡°You¡¯re the one that looked the worst!¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Zeke consoled. ¡°I¡¯m still breathing, and I think my gloves took most of the heavy lifting.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good¡­¡± Mikella let out a breath before looking over the scene. ¡°What was all that about?¡± ¡°Over there!¡± One of the soldiers shouted, the duelist, as he pointed at something from within the dome. The two stared, the light around them finally dissipating. The scene was terrifying to watch. The trees surrounding them turned to smoking charred stacks, and the ground was blackened by the flames, turning into soot. The air that unfortunately passed through the barrier¨Cwhich was needed to breathe¨Ctasted smoky with a hint of ember nearly burning their throats. Zeke coughed as his breathing wasn¡¯t stable, but when he noticed the creature responsible, he coughed some more from the shock. The thing was huge. Over seven feet tall and over half of that wide, covered in bulging red-skinned muscle. Covered with several hides to cover up its decency, the creature stood on powerful columns for legs, a humanoid creature carrying what looked like a tree trunk for a staff. When Zeke Identified it, he couldn''t believe it.
Red-maned Giant, Level ??
With his stage, he could view information at any being at Apprentice or above, which would be Expert. If he can¡¯t read the level at his current stage¨Cit would mean only one thing. ¡°Journeyman Rank¡­?¡± Zeke muttered, unable to comprehend what that meant. ¡°What the hell¡­?¡± Jackie muttered, his voice trembling. ¡°Why the hell is there a damn Journeyman monster in the forest?!¡± The other soldiers didn¡¯t look like they had the will to fight anymore. Anyone other than Myra, Piker, Mikella, and the leaders looked ready to call it quits right then and there. Looking back at the giant creature, he saw that it was in fact a lot more powerful than its level suggested. The monsters they mostly faced varied between level 20 to 40, in between Apprentice and Expert rank. Then there were the stronger types, somewhere between level 50 and 60, the late stage Expert ranks. That¡¯s equal to the big boss monkey and the werewolf Mikella fought earlier. Difficult to fight, as their stats were higher than the average human, needing a party to take it down comfortably. But a Journeyman rank monster was something else. According to the books, monsters that have surpassed Journeyman are the ones where even veteran parties around their level had to be cautious of. They have acquired abilities that could prove dangerous if one doesn¡¯t have their foundations set up properly. It¡¯s no surprise that a Journeyman rank monster could easily destroy a settlement or two in a matter of a week. Then the general said something that wasn¡¯t quite what anyone wanted to hear. ¡°Looks like we found the boss responsible for the numbers. Alright, let¡¯s have at it. We don¡¯t intend to get in the way, so all of you should take it down.¡± Ch68: Desperate plan Every soldier looked back at the general, looking as though they were witnessing a psychopath speaking out loud. The only ones not looking were Myra and Piker, who instead were looking at the monster in front of them. Zeke and Mikella looked over at the lords, who both shared a look of concern. They didn¡¯t speak up at all despite the danger in front of them. ¡°What?!¡± Maxie shouted back. ¡°T-There¡¯s no way we can take that down! It¡¯s Journeyman Rank!¡± ¡°And is that not why you took up the blade?¡± The general spoke, looking directly at Maxie. He wilted at his hardened glare as he continued. ¡°We are all willing to raid a dungeon, which could prove to be just as, if not, more dangerous than this monster in front of us. If none of you are ready to face this one, how can any of you expect to be of use in the dungeon?¡± The words rang like a bell to everyone, but for some it was hollow. Their faces paled and their eyes looked at the distance. Clearly, they were considering how to handle this. Without the powerful Journeymen joining in, their death was practically assured, at least in their minds. However, Zeke thought differently. What if something happens and we need them for the dungeon? Zeke imagined a couple of reasons why they couldn¡¯t join in. True enough, their intention was so that not only would they back off and let the others gain XP to get stronger, it is also to bolster them to keep training and improving themselves to the point of harsh discipline. On the other hand, the dungeon could be an unknown territory. If they spent all their hard-earned resources on a creature like this, not only would the soldiers around them will remain weak, but they could end up in a situation where they could die if they hadn¡¯t spent their energies uselessly. Perhaps there was more to this than just simply preserving energies, and the sense of rot still hung in the air, almost cradling the creature entirely now that he saw it. While he can understand their reasoning, one look at the side reminded them of something very important. The messy remains of the former axeman. It reminded them that death still stood by the side, waiting to reap. Like it or not, it was their duty to ensure that everyone else gets stronger, and only get in when the situation is tougher than normal. If they think that the rest of the soldiers could take out a Journeyman rank, then that means the dungeon is far more dangerous than it would normally be. He was certain that was what the soldiers were being taught. He looked back at Mikella. ¡°Zeke?¡± Mikella tilted her head. ¡°You okay?¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah¡­¡± Zeke nodded, making sure not to let it get to him. He should be glad that she was okay, even if he felt responsible for not saving the axeman¡¯s life. And besides that, there was still that giant in front of them. It seemed to stand still for some reason. From the looks of it, it was just staring at them, glaring hard. Its red eyes with no pupils whatsoever was disturbing to look at, but Zeke could tell that it was waiting for something. Then, he realized it. The creature was waiting for its Mana to recover. It somehow knew that they would be preoccupied with their recovery, taking the chance to rest and regain its resources. ¡°We gotta take care of that thing first,¡± Zeke said, pointing at the creature. Mikella nodded in agreement, but she frowned. ¡°But how?¡± Mikella asked. ¡°If it could launch a spell, wouldn¡¯t that make it a magical monster?¡± ¡°A magic monster with muscles for days. That¡¯s just not fair,¡± Zeke agreed, even shaking his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know whether it specializes in Intelligence or Strength. Considering that¡­ power it showed, I¡¯m leaning more into mage.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s strong looking too,¡± Mikella narrowed her eyes. ¡°And it¡¯s definitely well-built. I could just see by the stance it shows. It¡¯s not a mage¨Cor rather, it¡¯s not a total mage. It has range and physical power to match. It¡¯ll be difficult to fight it in melee.¡± He nodded as he looked back at her. She looked nervous. Her eyes were glowing yellow, showing that she was already activating her Hawk Eyes. She frowned at the creature, meaning that its weaknesses weren¡¯t so easily visible. The other soldiers quickly caught on, either fumbling with their weapons or their legs shaking. As the seconds passed, nobody bothered to even make up a plan. That¡¯s when Piker and Myra walked over to them. Zeke turned to find Piker staring daggers at him, getting him to inwardly groan thinking it was some complaint. ¡°How long can your barrier last against that creature, Zeke?¡± Zeke hung his head back in shock. Not only did Piker manage to make a formal question, at the end, he actually said his name. His actual name. That honestly surprised him as he thought he didn¡¯t bother using names and instead would just call him ¡®mage¡¯ or even ¡®whelp¡¯ for good measure, being a military guy and all. ¡°Hah! Look at him, he¡¯s so shocked,¡± Myra guffawed, taking the time to enjoy the scene which only made Piker glare back at her. ¡°Answer the question already,¡± Piker snapped back at Zeke, surprising him again. ¡°I¡­¡± Zeke grimaced, feeling his resources in his mind. He had to recover the barrier¡¯s integrity after the spell hit, fixing the cracks and remaking it back to its smooth surface. ¡°I¡¯m running low, but the barrier can still hold. I don¡¯t know if I can take another major spell like that without running out entirely and it breaking halfway through.¡± The other three, despite Myra¡¯s cheery mood, dampened at the news. The leaders were keeping out of this, knowing full well that adding their input is likely another way to help them, which won¡¯t do at all. The fact that the other soldiers weren¡¯t really helping didn¡¯t really improve the situation. However, Maxie and Jackie got out of their funk and ran over to them. Jackie shouted at Zeke. ¡°The giant¡¯s doing something!¡± Zeke looked over at the giant, finally moving again. Upon closer inspection, the giant¡¯s weapon of choice really did look like a tree trunk, but fashioned to handle more like a staff with its jaded edges and even a black stone affixed to the top of it. That very same black stone is glowing hot red, almost as if readying the same spell again. But as another second passed, several orbs of burning fire were summoned instead. They felt powerful, more powerful than a standard Fireball, but they weren¡¯t as intense as the last wave attack. The giant launched the fireballs straight at his dome, hitting them and making them explode upon impact. The dome shook from the blast, causing the soldiers to run back towards the center of the dome and far away from the edges. Thankfully, the barrier held true. Zeke looked back at his mana, reinforcing the barrier again and taking another chunk of his already depleted pool. He figured now was the time as he dug around in his storage pack, pulling out his Mana potion. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. He had four, given to them by all the mages before leaving. It was expensive, but everyone knew that the guy making the barriers would have the most priority. He did feel bad about it and he hoped that he could pay them back after this. But for now, he chugged one with ease, the taste easily digestible after drinking so many of these before. As the liquid burned through his throat and landed in his stomach, a surge of energy passed through his channels, letting him breathe deep as his Mana refilled. It wasn¡¯t a lot¨Cit only reached above half of the total amount. But it was doable as he turned to the others. ¡°It¡¯s definitely not a good idea to get out there,¡± Zeke said, seeing the giant once again summoning his balls of flames and throwing them at the dome, causing several explosions to ring out again. He closed one eye out of reflex, but then turned back to his comrades. ¡°You guys got any ranged attacks?¡± ¡°I got my mana, but¡­¡± Myra brushed her long hair awkwardly. ¡°It¡¯s mostly for close combat. And I don¡¯t think I¡¯m able to actually do anything at this range.¡± ¡°My attunement has a disadvantage against that monster¡¯s flames. They will melt instantly,¡± Piker added, causing Zeke to grimace. Piker was the strongest of the lot of them, but seeing that he specialized in Ice magic didn¡¯t help much right now. ¡°I can probably get a big hit in, but I¡¯m not sure how tough it is. One good hit and I would already be running out of resources.¡± The other three turned silent. Looking at the scene now, he considered what to do. Mikella could do that, but at this rate, she might end up getting hit by those flames, or worse, get hit with the wave again. None of those options were good, so that meant the only safe place for now would be inside of his dome, but they can¡¯t attack from their dome since it would get in the way¡­ Unless¡­ ¡°I¡­I have an idea,¡± Zeke muttered, but that clearly got their attention. ¡°What is it?¡± Mikella asked. Her eyes were staring deep into his own. ¡°You got a plan to kill it?¡± ¡°Kill might be too strong a word¡­¡± Zeke uttered out, but Piker let out a grunt. ¡°Just hurry up and answer already! We don¡¯t have much time.¡± Mikella gave Piker a glare, but he was right in Zeke¡¯s mind. The three listened as he flexed his hands to make his point. ¡°I can make a rune array that can help us out. But I haven¡¯t been testing it out for situations like this. But if it works, we might be able to attack even from inside my barrier.¡± ¡°How so?¡± Mikella asked, getting closer. She was clearly interested in this endeavor. ¡°I¡¯ll make the runes here,¡± Zeke said, pointing at the direction where the fireballs were currently trying to break in. ¡°Do you remember what I told you about? The part where I can transfer kinetic force only and not the damage as a whole?¡± ¡°Yeah, but¡­¡± Mikella frowned. ¡°That got you to get blown away¨Ctwice even!¡± She pulled up two fingers, getting the other two to stare at her. ¡°Blown away?¡± Piker asked. ¡°Twice?!¡± Myra finished, being only present for the last one. Zeke rolled his eyes. ¡°Yes, I know that, but what I¡¯m trying to do is trying it the other way around.¡± ¡°The other way around¡­¡± Mikella¡¯s frown deepened, but then her eyes widened. ¡°Holy shit, you can do that?!¡± ¡°That¡¯s a definite ¡®maybe¡¯,¡± Zeke said, pointing at her with confirmation. ¡°But that might also get the dome destroyed if I get it wrong. That¡¯s kinda why I want everyone here to warn the others about that as I draw the runes¡­Can you guys do the heavy work while I make it? It takes a while to draw since the runes take a long time even with my skills.¡± Zeke definitely had a hard time trying to convey his intent to the runes, finding out that he needed to have several mediums to work. And a shit ton of Mana to boot. With his amount now, he could pull it off, but that will still take a while. The others clearly didn¡¯t like that the dome could get destroyed, but Mikella and Myra went ahead to do just that, even telling the leaders what they plan on doing. Piker, however, stared at Zeke with an intense glare. Zeke looked back at him. ¡°I¡¯m gonna work on it. Do you have any questions?¡± ¡°Are you sure this is going to work?¡± Piker asked, his voice sounding as though he was trying to interrogate him. ¡°How can you be so certain?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± Zeke answered, shrugging. Piker definitely looked surprised at that. ¡°But what else is there? Do you have a better plan? If so, lay it on me. I¡¯m about to risk all of our safety to take that bastard out. If you got something to kill it without getting out of the barrier and risking everyone here, some of us still in Apprentice, I¡¯m all ears.¡± Piker stayed silent at that as Zeke went ahead to the edge of the dome, closing up on the giant red-skinned creature. Throughout all that, Piker followed him for some reason. ¡°If you¡¯re focused on drawing runes, then it would be better for someone to look out for you so you won¡¯t get distracted.¡± Zeke pressed his lips tightly at that. He nodded, leaving it be as he closed up and summoned a hand-sized square barrier. He placed the barrier right in front of him, making it stick right to the dome perfectly. Then, he closed his eyes, ignoring the explosions happening around him. The fireballs weren¡¯t being directed at him, but just around the barrier where most of the masses were. It was still distracting, but better than being aimed at himself. The other soldiers got quiet as he started working on drawing up his Mana. It sounds like the girls warned everyone, their panic slowly ceasing. The leaders stayed at the back, the lords looking directly at Zeke and Piker while the general stared intensely at the creature, his arms crossed. All the while, Zeke focused. He first drew the runes on the small barrier acting as the first medium. Then, he summoned another barrier, this time making it solely kinetic focused, able to transfer physical force. His Gloves of Sancutary flared, somehow remaking the entire rune array and making it¡­ smoother, more stable. That surprised him before realizing that the Support Aid and Support Proficiency was helping. The Support Aid enchantment was helping him create anything that would result in helping things easier. That apparently included in creating runes for himself. Support Proficiency just makes the Aid part better. With his Inscription Proficiency working in tandem, he was drawing the more complex runework faster than easier than before. The kinetic barrier, as it¡¯s called, also had its own medium barrier, the second medium, as he drew runes on it. The runes then connected to the first medium, the one he poured the intent of connecting the dome to the medium to help it relay the energy to the second medium. He had to create two different mediums, as an array needed several to make itself work. Now he needed to make another medium, the third, to draw the runes needed to reverse the effects. The runes needed for this were complicated even with his Class Skills and Gloves working in unison. The third medium he¡¯s trying to create was draining on his mental focus, even as his pen was drawing it out as fast as he could. As he worked on the design, the magic circles glowing with a crystalline turquoise energy, the girls returned, watching the entire thing at work. Piker was even watching intently, his eyes glued at the fast process. All the while, the damn creature finally noticed him and began to shoot the fireballs right at him. Zeke grimaced as he felt his mana drain from the impact. The fireballs were concentrated to where he was, causing him to try and reinforce the dome over and over and spending more mana. ¡°Damn it, it¡¯s hitting too hard¡­!¡± Zeke grimaced, his fingers flexing over and over with the pen as he tried to re-focus on the design. ¡°Then we¡¯ll go out and distract it!¡± Myra shouted, pulling up her sword. Zeke couldn¡¯t even pay attention to respond, so Mikella did it instead. It wasn¡¯t what he wanted her to say, though. ¡°I¡¯ll go with you,¡± Mikella answered. ¡°No!¡± Zeke finally responded, his face already sweating profusely from the effort. ¡°It¡¯s too dangerous!¡± ¡°It¡¯s either that or get screwed over anyways,¡± Myra answered instead, but Piker spoke up. ¡°Then one of us will stay here with Zeke. Myra, you and I will go out,¡± Piker added. ¡°Uhh, no?¡± Myra replied. ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say your Ice magic doesn¡¯t work?¡± ¡°It won¡¯t work on it,¡± Piker mentioned, his glare intensifying. ¡°But we can work around it. Just come with me, it¡¯ll be better to show you.¡± Piker grabbed Myra by the shoulder, but only for a moment as Myra got the picture and followed him. Zeke wanted to say something, but something about Piker told him that it was better off for him to go off. Mikella looked like she wanted to go, but she refrained as she turned to Zeke, waiting for him to open the barrier. Thankfully, it wasn¡¯t such a drain on his Mana or mental capability to open and close barriers, even while his pen were working overtime to draw the design. He opened a small opening near them as Piker and Myra went out. Then he quickly closed it before another fireball came and blasted on it. ¡°What do you think he¡¯s gonna do?¡± Zeke asked, figuring that she knew how he fights better than he does. ¡°He sounded like he had a plan, but¡­¡± Mikella shrugged after. ¡°I just hope that Myra doesn¡¯t get hurt.¡± ¡°What about Piker?¡± Zeke asked. ¡°What about Piker?¡± Mikella asked. Zeke left it at that. Last night¡¯s debacle was still hanging in their heads. Ch69: Last bout Myra followed Piker as the two faced against the Red-Maned giant. Even now, she didn¡¯t think there would come a time where she would actually get face-to-face with a Journeyman rank monster just after breaking into Expert. Even now, her body shivered at the sight of it. Getting closer to it only imprinted harder on her mind the severity of their gap. Unlike with Captain Val, who was a conscious human being capable of speech, this monster was not. It was a monster in every way. This monster will do whatever it can to survive, without mercy. So when Piker, being on equal stage but higher level than her, said he had something, she hoped it wasn¡¯t an all out battle. Then Piker raised his sword. Icy tendrils covered the blade, his ice-attuned mana entering into it. His glare could pierce the monster as it finally noticed them. Then it changed its attack patterns. It started to summon a giant Fireball, the same size as itself right on top of its head. The heat was staggering, but Myra¡¯s attunement helped her resist the flame. But what about Piker? She saw him sweating already despite only being out for a few seconds. While the fireball wasn¡¯t as grand as the giant wave, this time they weren¡¯t in Zeke¡¯s barrier. It was taking its time, so Myra could just go in and attack. But where? The stance alone was enough to prove that it would be a capable fighter, and if nothing else, she was trembling hard. She shook herself off, then she pointed her spear and channeled her mana. Power gushed from her core, her channels burning up as flames covered her spear. It was hot, but barely warm compared to the blazing fireball in front of her. ¡°Myra, don¡¯t attack the creature,¡± Piker said, still covering his sword in frost. Myra frowned at him. ¡°But I thought you were going to¨C¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m just charging up my attack, and you should too,¡± Piker said, then he flashed a fierce smile. ¡°We¡¯re gonna blind it.¡± ¡­.. In a few seconds, the monster looked ready to strike, swinging its hulking arm towards the two humans. The giant fireball was just about to turn them to ashes, but then gray smoke covered its senses. But the heat and the wetness of the air proved it wasn¡¯t smoke¨Cit was steam. It coalesced and covered the entire scene, drenching the entire clearing with its wet canvas. Despite the heat, the steam being produced beat out everything else, causing the monster to lose its balance with the spell. The fireball winked out of existence as easily as that, causing the monster to lower its arm and glare at particularly nothing. It swiveled its head, the hazy steam blanketing everything. Myra couldn¡¯t believe what happened. The mixture of both their weapons covered in their opposing elements caused vapor to come to life. When Piker had Myra join their weapons together to do this, she understood immediately. She focused her entire power on not producing fire to attack, but to fuse together with the ice Mana from Piker¡¯s side. Though her Mana was piss-poor thanks to her low Spirit, channeling fire mana to increase the density of the steam was easy to manage, and way better than dealing with the giant. As for Piker, he tried to make the ice less dense, easy enough for Myra to burn it to a boiling point rather than just trying to create water. As the two joined together, it created a sizzling that blanketed their senses. It blinded them too, but they were easily able to see the Fireball getting winked out. They had to produce so much of it to the point of reducing their Mana pool, but that¡¯s the only way to distract the creature without fighting it. ¡°Looks like my hunch was right,¡± Piker said. ¡°It relied heavily on its Intelligence and Strength, so it didn¡¯t focus at all in broadening its senses. That¡¯s why it decided to use powerful fire magic on everything including the monsters.¡± Myra nodded in approval. It was natural to assume that these powerful creatures seem to have everything handed down, but that wasn¡¯t quite right. Creatures such as these were born to survive, finding ways to gain more power. That included killing anything in its path. Whether they can access the system and use a status, none can truly say. However, if they can get stronger if left alone, it is assumed they also have stats to gain and skills to use. So to Piker¡¯s hunch, it should¡¯ve been natural that the giant opted more for power than precision. ¡°We should leave,¡± Myra said. She normally isn¡¯t the type to run away from a fight with an advantage, but she wasn¡¯t stupid enough to actually believe it would work. It was just a simple measure to distract the enemy, and with no problems whatsoever. They couldn¡¯t ask for a better plan. Piker didn¡¯t answer, but grunted in affirmation. The two hauled ass faster than anything else, knowing the exact way to the giant dome. Myra chuckled softly. She was worried about how often she would rely on this barrier from now on. Without one, she feared she would always be filled with anxiety. Is this what Mikella was worried about? Myra thought. Guess I can¡¯t blame her now. It¡¯s pretty addicting. The two knocked on the dome, and without hesitation, the opening showed up. They were able to see slightly now, the steam not considered just air and keeping the dome entirely clear. In the span of a minute, they were able to get out, distract the creature, and run back into the dome as it opened. Once the two got in, the dome was immediately sealed in place. With some mild hot steam entering in from the inconvenience. ¡­.. ¡°That was an awesome plan!¡± Mikella said as she high-fived Myra on the way in. She was breathing heavily, but a smile rose on her face while Piker looked like he just ran a marathon from how much sweat he was producing. ¡°Looks like Piker has a good brain after all,¡± Myra joked, but this time Piker didn¡¯t respond. Or rather, he just didn¡¯t bother as he turned to Zeke. ¡°How is it?¡± Piker asked, getting Zeke to turn back to him. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s done,¡± Zeke said, letting out heavy breaths. It took a lot more concentration than usual. The situation, the intensity of the rune-making, the Mana cost, everything was weighing on him hard. He knew doing this while in combat would be more difficult, but the severity was higher than he expected. Looking back at his newly created rune array, he stared at it in marvel, despite it being his own making. Even if nobody around him understood the specifics behind this, everyone looked at it with awe as well. Three magic circles, each having complex scripts from within, glowed in turquoise light that seemed to radiate with power. The mediums held true against the dome, and due to that, it seemed to pulse with energy. Once he created a bigger barrier medium to encase all three mediums at once, it truly transformed the dome into something else. It kept pulsing outward, almost resembling his heartbeat. ¡°With this, we can actually do something from within the barrier,¡± Zeke breathed, still trying to keep himself stable. He looked over to Mikella, nodding. ¡°Mikella, you want a first try?¡± ¡°Me?¡± Mikella pointed at herself. ¡°What do you want me to do?¡± ¡°Hit the dome with all your might,¡± Zeke said, pointing over at the creature being revealed as the steam was losing its potency. ¡°And pour your intent into the strike to hit that thing. Make sure to keep your image vivid in your mind as you do. It¡¯ll help a lot.¡± ¡°O-Okay,¡± Mikella nodded. She stepped over to the dome in midst of the heavy silence from everyone else. Zeke took a glance at the leaders, to which Cloud was now severely staring at them. Or rather at the array he created. He figured Cloud would be interested, but due to the nature of the situation, he forced himself from getting close. I sort of get it, but I still think it¡¯s a little ridiculous. ¡°So¡­ d-do I just hit it?¡± Mikella asked again. ¡°Do I use my skill or¡­?¡± ¡°Actually, only use stamina,¡± Zeke said. ¡°I¡¯m still a little shaky if anyone uses skills or magic spells, but just stamina is perfect. That¡¯s exactly what the array is built for.¡± ¡°Got it¡­¡± Mikella breathed slowly, then let out a harsh one. ¡°Ready!¡± She lifted her sword up high, pointing the tip at the barrier. She stared only at the creature which was now starting to ramp up its ferocity once the steam finally cleared. It was only meant to be a distraction, which has now been dissolved as the Red Maned Giant lifted its tree trunk of a staff and casted its giant fireball spell. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. She breathed heavily as she flexed her muscles within her armor. Kinetic energy poured right into her sword. Then, with a single strike, she pierced the barrier. For a moment, nothing happened. For just a single moment, the tip of the blade hit the dome with a single ¡®thunk¡¯, as though she didn¡¯t do a thing. Considering the amount of power poured into it, everyone expected it to create a bigger clash than some metal clinking. Then the air exploded. A wave of force passed through Zeke¡¯s channels as he actually felt the energy flow through his barrier, from the use of his rune array. In that span of a second, Zeke felt his insides swirl with a flurry. His mind whirled. Everything he ate from last night to last week was ready to churn and tumble out of his mouth. There was an intensity behind his eyes and ears, from deep within his core that could never be stopped. A powerful force emanated from the barrier, a second after Mikella struck it. It traveled across the ash-layered field and straight towards the giant creature, creating a sort of air vacuum. The force landed on the giant and made it topple, taking a step back from the force. A sharp wound appeared straight across its abdomen. Black blood oozed from its open wound, large enough as though a¡­ Well, a giant pierced it with its own blade. More blood was thrown up from the red maned giant¡¯s mouth. Its eyes widened, almost confused, as though something went wrong. Everyone inside the dome froze at the sight. The soldiers gaped with shock, and even the leaders looked surprised. Piker and Myra¡¯s jaws hung, and even Mikella, responsible for the hit, looked aghast. Only Zeke did anything different as he knelt to the ground, heaving as he felt like his bile was rising from his core. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Zeke groaned. ¡°M-Maybe don¡¯t use stamina. That was¡­ intense.¡± ¡°Holy shit!¡± Everyone inside the dome hollered and cheered as they went over to the front of the dome, their fear utterly debated. Finally, as though not able to hold themselves back, the leaders also stepped up, looking at the array more closely. ¡°Zeke!¡± Mikella knelt down to Zeke, rubbing his back as per the course. He didn¡¯t know why, but just feeling her touch caused his insides to not feel like a washer on heavy duty mode. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Zeke groaned again, his stomach still churning but finally calming down. ¡°Thanks¡­¡± ¡°Was that because of me?¡± Mikella said, her tone filled with guilt. ¡°Did it hurt you more?¡± ¡°Not worse than what you did to the monster,¡± Zeke chuckled darkly. ¡°Damn, that was epic¡­¡± ¡°Zeke, you think we can do that again?¡± Myra said as she knelt down with him. She even added on rubbing his back along with Mikella, the two together causing a calming sensation down. Zeke nodded, but then hesitated before answering. ¡°Just, uhh¡­ don¡¯t use any stamina for now. See if you can attack again normally.¡± ¡°Just a normal swing then?¡± Piker said, stepping up to the barrier dome. He stood in front of the large array, angling his bastard sword. The array was built to receive attacks, so it won¡¯t suddenly lose its power if anyone nicked it. That¡¯s the specialty of his special barrier mediums¨Cthey won¡¯t be cut so easily. ¡°I¡¯m going to try. It looks like it picked up the danger.¡± Zeke looked ahead, finally noticing that red maned giant looking distastefully at the dome. It gave a powerful bellow of a roar as it finally charged in. It swung its staff like a mace and tried to attack the dome directly. Realizing that its magic wasn¡¯t strong enough to break it, it tried to strike at it in an angle. It struck hard, causing the dome to shake along with everything else within it. Zeke groaned again, but he held on. It was easier compared to before, but his current state wasn¡¯t taking it lightly. Still, he ushered himself to stand, using Mikella¡¯s weight to help as she dragged him along. Myra instead let Mikella handle him as she unsheathed her spear again. ¡°Mana¡¯s not okay, right?¡± Myra asked, getting Zeke to nod. ¡°Just¡­ just normal attacks for now,¡± Zeke said, shaking himself. ¡°I need a bit of time before I can take another blow like Mikella¡¯s again. I don¡¯t want it to get so bad that the dome breaks apart.¡± ¡°Understood!¡± Piker shouted gladly as he swung his sword at the dome again. His bastard sword struck true at the design, causing it to send another wave of force throughout it. Zeke this time didn''t¡¯ feel anything, but it was clear it worked as the force from Piker¡¯s blow managed to pass through the barrier and hit the closed up Giant. It groaned loudly as it was pushed back, a single slice appeared across the giant broad chest again. While the power wasn¡¯t as strong as Mikella¡¯s, proven by the difference in size of the two wounds, the giant certainly didn¡¯t like it. Especially since it was close enough that the wound hit harder than normal. The travel distance was still a thing, even if it was filtered with an array. ¡°My gods¡­ it truly works,¡± Piker said, awe in his voice. Zeke still couldn¡¯t believe how Piker seemed so into it. ¡°Bash its head in!¡± Myra shouted as she was the next to hit the barrier with all her might. It caused the wall of anxiety to finally break, and through the dome, a wave of unrelenting rage exploded forth. The other soldiers finally gathered up the courage to help. Now that they didn¡¯t need to get out of the barrier, each one ran towards the dome and attacked with all their might. But the sudden barrage of attacks, strikes, and slices at the barrier was now overbearing his mind. Zeke closed his eyes as he channeled the strange forces traveling through his spirit. He knew it wasn¡¯t the actual attacks, but the residual effects of each strike hitting his dome, hence his connection to it. It wasn¡¯t hurting him, but more like giving him the shakes. He was starting to understand a little about his magic, or magic in general. When magic is made, with enough intent, more power can be added. But there was also a drawback of putting too much of yourself into the intent. It would make the magic itself act like a connected part of you¨Cof your spirit. So when Zeke made his barrier and his rune arrays with his full intent, that also went with his connection to his spirit. He stood firm as each strike that landed on the barrier made its way to the giant. It roared as it tried to combat the pain by slamming the barrier over and over, but to no avail. Despite its strength and physique, it didn¡¯t provide much of an ¡®oomph¡¯ like its spells. Still, it packed a wallop as each strike sent more shivers down his body and soul. The strikes from his team, and the strikes from the giant. They were all messing with his head and soul. But he only focused on one thing¨Csurvival. He gritted his teeth, forcing himself to stare at the giant, glaring it to death from his barrier. Perhaps it was just a natural monster who wanted to survive. Perhaps it saw the team as intruders to its home, but Zeke couldn''t care less. Zeke never intended to leave any of the monsters alive. To survive, and to gain more power, Zeke¨Cno, everyone here, will fight to thrive. ¡°Take it down!¡± Zeke shouted, and as though his words carried law, the others followed with a roar of affirmation. Mikella added in her strikes as well, even changing her sword to her axe as she hammered in as much power into her strikes as possible. When Zeke eventually gave order to only one of them to use stamina, Piker, with his high Endurance stat, added in his powerful strikes. And they were brutal. His bastard sword struck with such fatality beneath the steel blade that Zeke actually felt his bloodlust for the giant through him. His spirit quivered at his intensity, his desire for the blood and death of the giant washing over him. But Zeke refused to bulge as the force of energy waved through him and passed over to the monster. With each strike, the monster looked more and more riddled with cuts and bruises. But despite its injuries, not a single soldier within the dome was harmed, somehow getting the giant to roar in a rage, or perhaps panic. Then, with all its might, the giant raised its staff like weapon, the black rock affixed on it from the top aiming straight for the dome. At the same time, the other soldiers came in to strike as well, and the two finally collided in unison. Something that Zeke didn¡¯t expect happened in a flash. The forces between each strike was too much for his mind, his mana finally petering out. The dome that protected them all this time fizzled and cracked. Then, it shattered, disappearing out of existence and causing the soldiers to scream out in terror. ¡°Shit! The barrier!¡± ¡°What happened to it?!¡± ¡°Zeke!¡± Mikella shouted as she ran towards the now falling Zeke, hitting the ground with his knees, then his torso followed. His head hit the ground which was a lot softer than he expected it to be. But his eyes still worked, and he could see the giant actually roaring in defiance and pride. Despite its wounds reaching to the point of causing it to nearly stumble, it actually grinned. Its tusks peeked out from its mouth as it opened in gratification. It swung its staff again, ready to strike them all down. Zeke couldn''t even muster up the energy to stand, let alone reactivate his barrier. He didn''t even realize that with each blow, a bit of his own stamina was getting reduced, and looking back within himself, his mana and stamina were drained dry. ¡°Goddamit¡­¡± Zeke grumbled, expecting the hit to happen and a lot of pain to ensue as he looked up. But that didn¡¯t happen. With multiple roars, the soldiers struck back. Despite the barrier disappearing and their protection gone, it wasn¡¯t as though they suddenly started fearing it again. After all, it was on its last legs. The soldiers struck with every skill and spell they could manage, striking the creature down and causing it to lose its grip on its staff, causing it to fall and leaving it to make a huge thump noise as it landed. The major ones¨CMyra, Piker, and Mikella¨Ccharged in with abandon. Each one used their abilities to the max. Piker struck its leg with a powerful kinetically charged chop, causing it to roar in pain and stumble to its broken knee. Despite it being a sharp blade, the toughened skin of the giant was too strong, but it certainly packed a wallop like a mallet pounding meat. Myra leapt forward with a blazing spear straight at its shoulder, causing it to get punctured and cauterized at the same time. The giant tried to move, but it couldn¡¯t take its legs off the ground as it was frozen over by Piker¡¯s ice magic. As it was clear, it would work on its body, just not against the giant¡¯s spells as it couldn¡¯t cast any magic. Then Mikella charged forward, her axe ready in her hand. She ran with abandon, her eyes glowing bright hot and yellow as her energy charged her axe with dense potency. She jumped, her Class Skills working together into a harmonious symphony of death. She roared and slammed her axeblade straight above the giant¡¯s head, now knelt and easier to hit from above. Her blade, shimmering with its greenish and white glow of Heavenly Strike, managed to gut the top of its skull and drove it deep into its innards, splitting brain matter and everything else alike. Black blood oozed out like a waterfall from the venture as the giant could no longer react anymore after that final blow. Everyone distanced themselves away as the creature, no longer capable of even making a dying roar, fell to the ground lifelessly. And soon, a wave of energy flowed through everyone, Zeke included. He breathed slowly as the energy filled his channels to the brim, nearly exploding as a notification finally popped up.
Level up! You are now Level 29. You gain 2 free points (2 FP total). You have gained +1 DEX from your class. You have gained +1 INT from your class. You have gained +1 SPI from your class.
A slew of other notifications came in before that, but his body was too tired to comprehend them. The last notification that came up proved that the giant truly died. He breathed one more time before closing his eyes, letting sleep finally take hold of him. He was too damn tired to celebrate. Ch70: Incendiary Grasp
Level up! You are now Level 29. You gain 2 free points (2 FP total). You have gained +1 STR from your class. You have gained +1 DEX from your class. You have gained +1 END from your class.
Mikella put away her notification quickly, not caring the least about her measly gains. Sure, she was just one level away from reaching the Expert stage, but she honestly couldn¡¯t think of that at the moment. Putting away her axe, she ran towards Zeke who had effectively zonked out of consciousness. She dragged his body over to her lap, holding up his sweat-riddled face. It was ghastly pale, but she felt that his heat was still there. His nose was bleeding, a small droplet pouring down to his upper lip. His eyes were closed, but they were scrunched up as if in internal pain. She first checked his heart by closing up her ear to his chest, hearing the very faint but still beating chest. She finally released her tension as she figured that it was just exhaustion, his breath being dry and haggard. She was starting to form a habit to check his state whenever he goes too far with his magic. I have every fucking reason to be worried, Mikella thought defiantly. She exhaled through her nose derisively as she glared at Zeke. Then, she softened her glare at him. ¡°Is he okay?¡± Myra spoke up, stepping over to Mikella¡¯s side to see if she could offer aid. Mikella nodded as she also noticed the tired Piker coming over, looking over at the downed Zeke. ¡°He¡¯ll be fine. He¡¯s just unconscious,¡± Mikella said. ¡°Though I¡¯m not a doctor.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll carry him,¡± Piker said, surprising Mikella once again. She turned to him with a squint in her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s only natural to carry the overworked if one has the energy. I won¡¯t deny that he put in more effort than he should.¡± Without really waiting for Mikella¡¯s words, he swooped in and picked up Zeke without batting an eye. He carried him over fireman-style, carrying him with ease. Mikella wanted to stop him for a moment, but stopped after seeing that despite his roughness, he was actually handling Zeke quite well. ¡°Let him have Zeke,¡± Myra patted Mikella¡¯s upper back. ¡°We¡¯re gonna need some serious rest¡­¡± Mikella breathed, hearing the word as though it hit her reset button. She was exhausted, and she just woke up from her nightly rest. Almost two hours passed since this entire thing occurred, but she felt like it was a lifetime of agony and panic. Then, of course, she remembered one soldier who did die during all this. She stared over at the side, noticing that the other soldiers saw the corpse of the once powerful axeman in the group. At first, she couldn¡¯t believe it, but someone really did die. Did Zeke think it was his fault? It might make sense since he looked rather out of it when she returned. Still, he ended up doing good. ¡°No way¡­ Mikael is dead?¡± One soldier, the scout said with a trembling voice. ¡°What the fuck happened?¡± The duelist shouted. ¡°Wasn¡¯t the barrier mage protecting them? How the hell did this happen?!¡± ¡°Hey, easy, you weren¡¯t there!¡± The mage, Philip, shouted back at the duelist. ¡°Mikael went ahead out of the formation and got hit by a paralyzer!¡± ¡°If it weren¡¯t for Zeke, we all would¡¯ve been dead like Mikael!¡± Lisa commented, pointing her finger at the duelist. ¡°What the fuck you on about!? Mikael was my friend!¡± The duelist shouted, grabbing Lisa¡¯s robed collar and grabbing her up to his face. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare talk like¨C¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± The captain finally spoke up, immediately getting everyone¡¯s attention. Each of them stood resolute, including Myra and Mikella who were ready to jump in to intervene. If anything, Mikella was ready to jump and beat the duelist down and teach him a lesson, but she quickly put away that idea. Val looked over at Mikael¡¯s corpse, grimacing at the sight. Mikella couldn¡¯t imagine the pain she¡¯s going through. Even if the axeman was part of the general¡¯s retinue, he was still there during the expeditions, helping the city and training with the other soldiers. Still, she looked back at the living soldiers, her face returning back to her calm composure once again. ¡°We have lost a soldier today, but there is no denying that the responsibility lies only on him. He went out of formation, ignoring orders, and let himself get struck with a powerful attack. While there was no sign of a paralyzer during their numbers, that didn¡¯t mean that one shouldn¡¯t expect such things to occur. The fact that he died meant that he wasn¡¯t able to focus during the time one should focus.¡± Her words were scathing, leaning on insulting the man for his actions that led to his death, but there was no sign of mockery. If anything, the captain was using his death as a lesson for those still living. ¡°It is a heavy loss for all of us, and especially for those who have lost a friend and loved one. But remember this¨Cwe are soldiers, fighters who defend our town and its people. Death is a constant companion that will never go away, no matter how much you want it to. It will always be behind you, watching you, hoping you slip up and reap you for all you¡¯re worth. That¡¯s why you train, study, learn, and grow. Do not let his death get to you. Use it as motivation to remind yourselves why we grow stronger every day, why we work to the bone every hour for our growth. Do not forget what you saw here today.¡± The soldiers became silent, lowering their heads in shame. Even the mages couldn¡¯t help but feel guilty despite not doing anything. After all, they were there when he died. It wasn¡¯t just Zeke¡¯s responsibility¨Ceveryone could''ve been able to help him, but couldn¡¯t. It was too much. Mikella wasn¡¯t there, but even she didn¡¯t know what to do against a horde of monsters if she was paralyzed. Her body shivered just at the sight of that damn Bug-Eater doing the same to her, and seeing her possible future right on the ground there. But the captain wasn¡¯t just being strict. She offered her prayers along with everyone else who was around, and swore upon Mikael¡¯s corpse that he will not be forgotten. Taking his belongings, Philip and Lisa prepared a proper cremation, as it was a better way to do away with the dead without spending too much time and effort to bury it. As the flames flickered, the heat making it to Mikella¡¯s eyes as she closed them. She felt the weight of a life passing by, realizing that she would have easily been the same had she not been training and keeping watch of herself. She also thanked Piker in her mind for helping her out that time, even if she was a little bitter about it. Accepting their losses, the soldiers went over to the campsite where the others were, including the leaders who waited for them. Then she saw Zeke awake and sitting, Piker standing by as they noticed them coming. Zeke watched the whole thing, probably even heard it as well. His head was lowered as though in prayer. It was like she thought¨Che felt guilty for what happened. But she would never blame him. Hell, nobody could after the captain said her piece. She went over to him, flashing a smile to try and dissuade the loss. He noticed it and despite everything, his exhausted and tired face managed to smile back. ¡­.. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Mikella asked, sitting right near him on the same log. He smiled back, though his exhaustion was making even that action hard. ¡°I¡¯m tired mentally, physically, and emotionally. I did not want to go through this first thing in the morning.¡± Zeke was never really a morning person, so having to go through so much pain, anguish, and emotional stress was not usually his take-away for the morning. It¡¯s like going on a marathon straight after waking up with no preparation whatsoever. His body was sore in ways he didn¡¯t think was possible. He felt strained, almost stretched beyond measure. ¡°You really did good, though,¡± Mikella smiled warmly. ¡°We all would¡¯ve been screwed without you.¡± Zeke shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m just glad things didn¡¯t get worse after¡­ after Mikael died.¡± Zeke tried to not think too hard about that, but after learning his name, now he felt worse than before. He couldn¡¯t think about how to share the bad news to the folks that knew Mikael from when he was born. Mikella frowned, rubbing him on his shoulder. ¡°Nobody blames you, Zeke. The captain pretty much said that.¡± ¡°I know, I know, it¡¯s¡­ I just can¡¯t stop thinking about how I could do better.¡± ¡°You did what you were told to do,¡± Piker spoke up, getting their attention. ¡°And that¡¯s all you should be worried about.¡± Zeke looked up to him, his forearms crossed with a glare as usual. His body was cut up in some places, blood pouring from the small wounds littered on his exposed skin. Yet he still carried a stoic look that could beat rocks in any contest of stubbornness. ¡°You did good, Zeke,¡± Piker said, uncrossing his arms. ¡°The rest of the soldiers failed to keep up. All you had to do was ensure our safety, and you did. Nothing else could be done.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Zeke said without really thinking. Then he assured himself and continued. ¡°But I could still do better.¡± Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. ¡°Then do that,¡± Piker ultimately said. ¡°I am not telling you to stay the same. All you need to do is follow your role as planned. I¡¯ll give you credit for putting up the barrier yesterday, as that was a good call. But remember to follow as ordered. It would not do us good for you to waste yourself now that we saw your capabilities.¡± He turned and walked away before saying: ¡°You better remember this well.¡± Zeke stared blankly at the soldier man as Mikella looked ready to exhale a mighty grunt. She groaned. ¡°Just when he was starting to be likable, he goes and acts like a total douche¡­¡± Mikella shook her head. ¡°But I hate to say it¨Che got a point.¡± Zeke let out a deep breath. In the end, both were right. There wasn¡¯t much he could do. Not even in a fantasy world can you go back in time to fix mistakes. No, he knew that this was the best result, and if he wanted better, he needed to do better. And the first thing he did was open up his status, mentioning to Mikella about his progress.
Runecraft Level Up! It is now Level 7. You have gained +1 INT (x2) from your skill. You have gained +1 SPI (x2) from your skill.
¡­..
Steadfast Mind Level Up! It is now Level 4. You have gained +1 SPI (x2) from your skill. You have gained +1 END (x2) from your skill.
¡­..
Barrier Craft Level Up! It is now Level 8. You have gained +1 INT (x2) from your skill. You have gained +2 SPI (x2) from your skill.
¡­..
Inscription Proficiency Level up! It is now Level 4. Increased accuracy with drawing runes. Decrease mana consumption when drawing runes.
After compiling them together, it was a lot easier. Throughout his panicked runecrafting, it looked like adding extra stress while ensuring his barrier kept working helped his skills improve quite a bit. His barrier increase was a surprise, but a welcome one. After getting battered through and through and still holding, including his array along with the soldiers¡¯ attacks, it should be getting beefed up a bit. He was also close to what he supposed would be the maximum skill level, which was nifty for his gamer self. ¡°Wow, that¡¯s a lot of upgrades,¡± Mikella nodded in approval. ¡°Nice job.¡± ¡°Thanks. But what about you? Anything new?¡± Mikella just rolled her eyes, then showed her own notifications list.
Axe Mastery Level Up! It is now Level 2. You have gained +1 STR from your skill.
¡°...That¡¯s it?!¡± Zeke asked, befuddled. ¡°Yeah,¡± Mikella nodded in response to his confusion. ¡°That and a single Spear Mastery level. Can you believe that? Then again, it¡¯s not like I was going all out, but still!¡± Mikella crossed her legs and arms in a huff, her lips pursed slightly. Zeke just chuckled, understanding her plight since they did face a Journeyman rank monster. ¡°Don¡¯t be too upset,¡± Cloud spoke up, getting their attention. ¡°There¡¯s still plenty more after this.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Zeke and Mikella nodded. ¡°So¡­ what now?¡± ¡°We keep going,¡± Cloud said with a wry smile, pointing ahead. ¡°We still have a dungeon to raid, remember?¡± The two groaned, letting themselves fall on top of each other as their exhaustion took on a much grander scale. ¡­.. The group eventually, with no energy to spare, gathered up their belongings and did cleanup for the monster corpses. Unfortunately, thanks to the wave attack from the giant, most if not all the corpses were left charred and burnt. That made it impossible for the others to use the loot function of the system to pick up anything. They¡¯ve been using the loot system for as much as they could the past month, but unlike in the tower, most of the monsters around here dropped only hide and edible meat to a certain degree. Sometimes they drop fangs and ore that could fetch a nice price in the market in a larger city. The bigger bosses like the high level Expert Ranks have a regular occurence of dropping the valuable items, but half the time they¡¯re not really worth it as they¡¯re still just Expert. That did bring some good news for Mikella. Thanks to the fact that her spear was crowded by the monsters, their burnt corpses provided a much needed defense for her spear. She was able to pick it up with glee, its color darkened thanks to the ashes but otherwise still in near perfect condition. Then they came across the red maned giant themselves. The leaders decided to let the soldiers handle the drop, and the other soldiers decided who among them should loot the body. It was decided unanimously that Zeke would take it. At first, Zeke denied it, but unlike anyone else who practically stayed behind and the only four who managed to do anything about it, Zeke put in the most effort to not only protect them, but to provide a way of attack for everyone else at the cost of his resources. In the end, Zeke had no right to refuse so he instead just swallowed his humbleness and took the loot. He couldn¡¯t help but get excited to find what sort of drop a Journeyman Rank monster would give.
Would you like to loot the corpse of Red-Maned Giant?
He picked Yes, and soon the giant¡¯s mangled body disappeared in a hazy smoke, dissipating into nothing as the contents fell into the storage bag. It was a nifty trick Cloud taught him by focusing his intent with the system. This way, no little twerp would swoop in and take what belonged to him. Not that he would believe the soldiers here would do anything like that, but it¡¯s better to make this a habit. The other soldiers understood easily as they waited eagerly for him to take them. Checking it thoroughly, his eyes widened.
Staff of Undying Flames (Rare): A staff made by a rampaging arsonist. Through the fire and flames, this staff carries on. Enchantments: Great Fire Great Heat Resistance
That was the one out of the two items he picked up. He wasn¡¯t really all that interested, considering it specializes heavily in Fire Magic. He realized it was the same crude staff the giant was using, and hoped that it wasn¡¯t the same size. Still, it was a fairly good drop, all things considered. It was the other item in his storage bag that nearly made him choke in surprise. It was a book, a dusty looking tome from the look of the icon. A very familiar looking book that brought back the emotions surging from his tower days.
Skill Book: Incendiary Grasp (Rare) You are only able to learn this skill after meeting the following requirements: INT: 100¨CERROR! Your Otherworlder state changed the requirements. Adjustments will be made. There are no requirements. You are able to learn the skill.
¡°Huh¡­ I got a Skill Book,¡± Zeke said, dumbfounded. That caught everyone¡¯s attention as he summoned the book out of his inventory. It was a brown leather book as the last skill books he and Mikella found. It did, however, contain some potent Mana within the item, and that Mana felt hot to Zeke¡¯s senses. It was Fire Mana, for sure, but that was that. The other soldiers quickly ramped up in excitement. Though clearly the ones who didn¡¯t have the affinity for magic, such as the warrior types, weren¡¯t all that keen. But they still looked at the book with excitement, wondering who would take it. Now that was a good question; Who would learn the skill? If Zeke was honest, he¡¯d really like to have the skill. However, he built himself up to be a supporter. Most likely, even with his Intelligence being high, he wouldn¡¯t be able to fully use this skill to its fullest. After showing it to Mikella, whom nobody really called out on since she was his wife in their made up story, he whispered to her about what to do. ¡°I don¡¯t think I should take this skill,¡± Zeke said. ¡°It¡¯s good, but I think it¡¯s better if someone else takes it. I got my runes and everything.¡± That was also something else he considered. With his runes, with enough of a legwork, he could make as many spells as he wanted. To take a powerful Acquired Skill for himself when someone else who could use it more effectively just seemed shitty in his opinion. Mikella nodded, understanding what he meant completely. ¡°Good point.¡± ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°Nah,¡± Mikella shook her head, surprising Zeke. ¡°Everyone knows I¡¯m more of a fighter. If they find out that I can learn this skill that¡¯s clearly a spell, they¡¯re gonna ask a lot of questions. Plus, fire isn¡¯t my thing. I¡¯m more of a¡­ lightning kind of gal.¡± Zeke nodded to her words. Especially that last part as she really liked the Sword of Lightning she had on hand. So with that, Zeke faced the group with his book hanging in the air. ¡°It¡¯s a Skill Book to learn Incendiary Grasp, which is a fire spell¡­ anyone know if someone needs it?¡± That got everyone to quickly divulge into a serious discussion amongst themselves. Though despite the rare and potentially powerful skill, not many seemed to want it. For instance, while Zeke wasn¡¯t able to see it, the stat requirements were quite high. One needed more than 100 Intelligence points and 50 Spirit and, for some reason, Strength. Considering the skill¡¯s former owner, that might make a bit of sense. Eventually it came down to only two soldiers available; Myra and Philip, the fire mage. By all accounts, Philip should have the skill for himself. It seemed like a spell, even with the strange Strength requirement, but to everyone¡¯s surprise, Philip handed the skill to Myra. ¡°Wait, why?¡± Myra asked the mage, her head hung back. ¡°I mean, I have a fire attunement, but don¡¯t you want to get better at fire magic?¡± ¡°I can, and I will,¡± Philip nodded. ¡°My Fire Mastery skill is pretty high, and I¡¯ll probably get a spell like that later when I get stronger. It just didn¡¯t seem all that worth it for me to get it. Since the skill also has that Strength requirement, who else is a better fit than you?¡± That surprised Zeke, but honestly he shouldn¡¯t be so surprised. It would make sense that for certain skills, having the proper attunement would make learning the skill easier. Even if Myra¡¯s Intelligence stat is poor, if she was lucky, she could learn the clearly fire-based skill thanks to her attunement¨Cespecially if her attunement is improved thanks to Zeke¡¯s efforts. ¡°But¡­ are you sure?¡± Myra asked, this time acting more demure than he expected. ¡°Of course. Out of everyone, you worked the hardest. I wasn¡¯t even upset that you got a fire attunement, remember? Honestly, I could be a fire mage all I want, but nobody else here can beat you when it comes to being the most fiery one here.¡± All the soldiers that heard him chuckled and agreed wholeheartedly, getting Myra to show a rare occurrence of embarrassment. She smiled at Philip, a sweet one filled with appreciation. ¡°Thanks, Philip. I¡¯m glad you¡¯re okay with this. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Philip shrugged. ¡°Learn it!¡± Jackie shouted, getting Maxie to clap along with him. ¡°Show us your power!¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± ¡°Go for it!¡± Despite losing their chances to get a skill, none of them truly felt that it was a loss as they cheered for Myra. Being the one they knew the longest, they were nothing but happy for her. Seeing all this, Myra shook her head ruthfully and took Zeke¡¯s book for herself. She accepted the prompt and the book disappeared, proving that she did meet the stat requirements. While they may have lost someone, they have gained a lot of power in return. If Zeke could see it like that, that would be great. But he knew that wasn¡¯t perfect. He still needed to be better, to be more than he is now. Taking out the staff from his inventory, he turned to the others. ¡°Alright!¡± Zeke held the staff up high for everyone to see. ¡°Now who wants the Staff of Undying Flame?¡± That immediately got everyone to scream and shout, making Zeke remember that he hadn¡¯t revealed that he got two items. Whoops. Ch71: Bridge and Alex In the end, Philip had won the Staff of Undying Flames. After the whole ordeal, and since Myra was definitely not a staff-wielder, everyone with half a brain believed that Philip earned it. As they finally began their trek towards the dungen, he was practically snuggling it like a cherished child as the staff was basically made for him, specializing in Fire magic. Myra kept ribbing him at it, but Philip only just smiled and clutched onto his staff harder, as though daring Myra to take it for herself. Myra just shook her head, smiling and laughing along with the twins. For a moment, Myra practiced with the skill. There wasn¡¯t a target to use it on, so she just mainly threw it in the air. When it activated, her hand glowed with a fiery glow which promptly left her hand into the air. The moment it reached its zenith at about 10 feet away, it blew into a tiny explosion, embers flying all over and burning the grass underneath. It wasn¡¯t super powerful, but it was as expected when one would launch a skill at a low-burn. Looking back at her now singed hand, she frowned. ¡°Damn, it really drains the mana,¡± Myra muttered, flexing her fingers. They weren¡¯t burnt¨Cjust singed like soot covering her skin. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for my attunement, I¡¯d be running dry by now.¡± ¡°How many can you throw?¡± Mikella asked. ¡°Maybe¡­ three or four times? Though I can probably control it to a degree. I can probably use it on my spear blade and just make the monsters blow up.¡± ¡°Ooh, nice!¡± Mikella cooed in excitement, getting the girls to talk animatedly about blowing up their enemy¡¯s insides, which was a first for Zeke. ¡­.. Thankfully the horses weren¡¯t killed during the monster horde as they knew precisely what to do in a battle after being trained by the tamer from Eve Glade. What was more impressive is that they didn¡¯t run away either as a simple whistle call made them run back towards the group, ready to help them travel once again. About an hour or so after trotting, just as they expected, there were no ambushes in sight, or any monsters they could spot via scouting. In the end, it was a simple gaunt towards their destination. They passed through several clearings, eventually reaching the areas where the trees were less dense, and more rocks and boulders covered the scene. The grass surrounding them was starting to diminish as well. The once green forests were now becoming somewhat desolate, and the air itself was getting¡­ dry. It was almost as though the mana containing any essense of nature was dying out, and something else was replacing it. That feeling of rot returned again, after so many hours not sensing it after the horde battle. It made him shiver. Somehow, he felt that they were approaching the target of their venture. But before he could consider using his Recovery skill to focus on the mana, he noticed someone approaching him. It was none other than the general Zacharia, his stoic expression beating Piker¡¯s by a mile. ¡°Zeke,¡± His gravelly voice echoed out. ¡°I wish to speak with you.¡± His horse, being thicker than most horses, approached right up near Mikella and Zeke¡¯s horse. Clearly, it was meant to be private, and Zeke had no other option than to agree. ¡°O-Of course,¡± Zeke nodded. He could tell Mikella¡¯s nervousness from the way her body stiffened up a bit. He could only tell that since he was the closest to her by now. ¡°Is there anything I can do?¡± ¡°Just an opinion,¡± Zacharia replied briefly. He kept looking forward, but his attention was clearly to Zeke despite his eyes looking away. ¡°I take it that your barriers and arrays take quite a bit out of you. Mana-wise, correct?¡± ¡°Y-Yes,¡± Zeke answered. ¡°Do you also lose Stamina?¡± He continued. ¡°Y¡­¡± Zeke hesitated, but then he continued. ¡°Yes, mostly Stamina. If the situation gets any worse, then life energy is involved too.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Zacharia answered simply. For a moment, he turned silent, letting the air become heavy. Then he spoke again. ¡°I understand your need to do your job. I cannot ask for better. But you must take conserving your resources into account. There are many like you who think their spells can turn the tide, only to be left dry and cut apart.¡± Zeke shivered at the idea. The image of his dome shattering right before the Red-maned giant died flashing in front of his eyes. ¡°Heed my words,¡± Zacharia answered. ¡°Let your soldiers fight for you. You focus on what is needed. That is all.¡± Zacharia then turned his attention to Mikella, who easily flinched, but it wasn¡¯t visible to the general, but clearly felt by Zeke. ¡°I ask you this as well, Mikella,¡± He spoke calmly, but there was depth in his voice. ¡°If you notice his exertion, take action.¡± ¡°Y-Yes sir,¡± Mikella nodded. ¡°I will.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Like that, Zacharia trotted away on his horse, returning to his own retinue. The two were left flabbergasted, their faces still. ¡°That guy really scares me sometimes,¡± Mikella added. ¡°Yeah, he got that¡­ presence,¡± Zeke shook his head. ¡°You think he was worried about what I was doing?¡± ¡°Anyone with common sense would feel like that,¡± Mikella answered. Zeke frowned at her, but he could tell that Mikella would gladly frown back at him if she could since he was at her back. ¡°And honestly, I agree. But¡­ I also get that sometimes you don¡¯t have much of a choice. But we should pay attention to what he said, at least.¡± ¡°I guess¡­¡± Zeke said, but after a while, he turned to Mikella with squinting brows. ¡°Mikella, I think you¡¯re getting pretty cheeky to me lately.¡± ¡°You think so?¡± Mikella looked back, puckering her lips up with a mock pout. ¡°I¡¯m just being honest¡­¡± ¡°Right, and ribbing at me is you being honest.¡± Her chuckle only made Zeke frown harder, but there was no substance. In the end, he was glad that they could talk like this. But as soon as the jovial mood started, the entire group stopped when they were met with a serious situation. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Across the way, they were met with a wide river despite already leaving the forested area. However, the river was not only as wide as several feet¨Cit was deep, the torrent of water rushing down the river was deafening to the ears. However, there was also something¡­ strange about the river. As the land around them felt dryer by the second, there shouldn¡¯t be any river, as far as Zeke could tell. Even if there was a waterfall near them, it shouldn¡¯t be this strong. What¡¯s more, the water was blackened, almost dirty. There were hints of mud and gunk in there that made everyone, not just Zeke, grimace at the sight. ¡°Sir,¡± The scout approached Zacharia, his face not even sweating despite running all over the place. ¡°The river extends far beyond several miles on each side. It might take us around a day¡¯s worth to get around it.¡± ¡°Mmh, unfortunate,¡± Zacharia grumbled. Though his face was still, disappointment hung heavy in his voice. ¡°Why don¡¯t we just trudge on through,¡± The duelist asked, pointing at the river. ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem that deep.¡± ¡°You really want to step into that gross gunk you call a river?¡± Philip asked, pointing at it with disgust. ¡°No way!¡± ¡°And who knows what sort of diseases that river has by now,¡± Cloud added, studying the river closely. ¡°There might also be creatures there that could persist in the dirty water, and be very dangerous to us,¡± Val included, squinting at the sight. ¡°So the other choice is to travel around the river,¡± The scout mentioned again, even though he didn¡¯t like the idea as much as anybody else. All the while, Zeke studied the river closely, with Mikella staying quiet. After another moment, Zeke asked. ¡°Why don¡¯t I just make a barrier for us to travel on?¡± Everyone immediately turned to him. The constant stares really didn¡¯t help much for his anxiety, but he continued regardless. ¡°It¡¯s not heavy for me Mana-wise. And my barrier should be strong enough for all of us to walk right on it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± The scout widened his eyes. ¡°That might actually work. It would save us so much time.¡± ¡°General, what do you think?¡± Zeke asked Zacharia, which even surprised Mikella. His nerves felt like they were strained by talking to him, but he knew that Cloud and Val would be up for it. He just needs every leader to get in on it, including the general. He closed his eyes, then looked back at Zeke. ¡°This would be good for saving time on travel and supplies. Go ahead. And make sure it is stable enough.¡± ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Zeke nodded, then turned to Mikella who didn¡¯t even have to ask. She made her horse trot over, with Zeke right behind as her ride-along, close to the river. Once they approached, Zeke lifted his hand and cast his barrier, making it face flat down on top of the river. The wall of turquoise light was created into being, laying flatly on top of the river. One could see droplets of water hitting the barrier, making it look like seeing through a window while a storm was brewing. He also made doubly sure to spend some more mana to reinforce it, as it was filled up quite a bit during the walk. The wall of light became thicker, almost several inches thick. That didn¡¯t seem to take up much mana, so he prodded Mikella to go forward. Mikella didn¡¯t even hesitate. Zeke was actually expecting her to ask whether it was alright to pass on, but apparently she trusted him enough that the barrier would work just fine, so she forced the horse to trot across the barrier. That, however, did take some convincing. The horse didn''t want to approach the river any further, but Mikella whispered softly to it, scratching at its neck and under the head for assurance. The horse, becoming much more confident from her consolation, moved forward. Zeke couldn¡¯t help but admire that side of hers. Her motherly tendencies from taking care of Clara also included animals. As the horse walked over the barrier, he could hear everyone gasp softly behind him. He wondered whether they had to go through this multiple times in their ventures, and only now realized just how useful the barrier is outside of combat. The barrier bridge was stable to the point where the horse didn¡¯t even faze anymore as it just walked over with ease. The clomping of its hooves hit the barrier with a tinging noise, but otherwise it held without issue. Eventually, minutes passed before the horse finally managed to cross to the other side, which surprised Zeke as to how long the river was. It truly would¡¯ve taken hours just to get around it. ¡°All good!¡± Mikella shouted at the others, waving her hand. ¡°It¡¯s safe!¡± Clearly, the leaders went in next. Both Cloud and Val walked over with their horse along with Myra, Jackie, Maxie, and the mages. Then Piker and the general walked next, bringing along the rest of the armed forces. For a moment, Zeke panicked whether the general might be the only one who would have an issue, but it proved fruitless as he crossed over with ease. If anything, the giant horse looked bored throughout the way, stoic just like its rider. Zeke quickly put away the barrier, making sure that nothing else uses it to follow them or something. They may have taken out several hundred monsters, but he didn¡¯t want any nasty surprises following them. ¡°Good work, Zeke,¡± Cloud said. ¡°You just saved us a lot of time.¡± Zeke tried to shrug it off, but he honestly couldn¡¯t help himself with the praises. He just felt like it was a better use of his powers. He would definitely prefer this kind of aid instead of just constantly defending others or else they would die. Less stressful that way. But he knew that wouldn¡¯t be the case. They moseyed on, following the trail that led towards the dungeon. ¡­.. Alex knew he was meant for great things. He just didn¡¯t know what that was. Much like anyone else throughout their lives, he was lost, not knowing what he could do or how. But this¡­ this was clearly meant for him and him alone. The stench of his successful experiment filled his nose, a riveting scent if not a little rotten. He was within a stone-walled room with a dim light from the several candles surrounding him. It wasn¡¯t great lighting, but his experiments were very sensitive towards fire, so he had little choice but to get used to it. Eventually, his eyesight managed to get accustomed to it. He alone stood in the center of the room, filled wall to wall with shelves and tables, each one filled with all the parts he needed to make his experiments a success. Looking down at the table, he had created another painstakingly difficult minion¨Ca humanoid zombie. Ever since he found himself in this place, he has survived with a bit of ingenuity and a lot of genius. Not anyone around him could be able to handle such a situation without wetting their pants or shitting themselves from the struggle. But Alex came through. He was a genius after all. Sure, at first, it was a struggle. But eventually he loathed to even leave the place, much less bother with others. The others in particular were very annoying, and constantly grated against his patience. But thanks to stalwart performance, the system itself granted him access to the place he was at now. So he decided to use his newly granted power to get what he wanted. After getting used to everything, he now started to enjoy these little experiments, researching the great ways he could improve his new minions. Hence why there were so many animal limbs and body parts within his room. The rotten stench was obvious, as was the blood covering every bit. He got used to it, even if it took him a while to get over it. The strange compartment this place had were filled with various creatures that seemed like they belonged in some experimental facility. He could easily kill the beasts with his power, allowing him to create his minions to do more work for him, but in the end, he never really liked blood. Would be great if they come in with no blood at all, Alex groaned. He sighed, knowing full well that nothing can ever come for free. He clapped his hands, wiping off the grime and blood from his palms. It took a while, but it netted him some decent levels, boosting his stats even higher than before. For once, he felt that everything was going great. Everything was finally moving his way¨Cnot unlike that ¡®place¡¯. Alex shook himself. The grimey smell of corpses was way better than the acrid stench of medicine and latex gloves. He was no longer at that horrid place, where nobody understood him. In here, nobody has to. Not anymore. Now, he could just replace everyone around him with his minions, and he can do whatever he wants to them. He rubbed his chin, thinking about what to do next after finishing this one, only just realizing that the blood marred it and now he grimaced. He didn¡¯t mind the blood as much, but he hated looking like a psychopath. ¡°Huh¡­ now what do I do?¡± Alex muttered, not even caring about the fact that the minion was nowhere near close to be finished. Ch72: Suspicion at its finest Thanks to the lifehack of making barriers for safe passage, Zeke was constantly using his skill to provide a quicker way to get around. He was especially thankful for the increase in skill levels earlier as he barely spent any mana in doing so. He kept around more than 80% of his total mana, which was perfect when night arrived and he could go to sleep to restore it fully. Of course, this time, nobody complained about him putting up a dome during the night. They even went as far as having everyone rest up and relax, knowing that the dome won¡¯t break as long as Zeke was here. Thanks to that, the tension wasn¡¯t as bad despite getting ready to raid a dungeon. However, the following day after, monsters finally decided to appear. Zeke was wondering whether they finally exterminated the last of the monsters, but apparently that wasn¡¯t the case. He talked to Cloud about it, and monsters showing up often happen in two different ways. First is the natural sort, breeding between monsters in the wild. Sometimes new variants show up, and if they live long enough, they could be as strong as the Journeyman Rank they faced before in an observed low level area. Though the chance of that happening is extremely slim since many younger folks often exterminate any monsters with the potential to become strong. The other, which concerned him a little, was the mana distortions in the air. There is natural mana all over, including in the atmosphere. And in some cases, some of that mana could get distorted by some phenomenon or another, causing monsters to be born straight from it. It could range from plants beginning to gain sentience, animals being stronger when they should be born normally, and other strange occurrences. Hell, some even popped straight into existence, adding the possibility that there is some other dimension where these monsters could come in. As for how many that could occur¨Cit was too many to count. So despite killing so many before, it was proven that it wasn¡¯t enough. It was never enough to kill them all, even after hundreds of years, or even thousands of years passed. Zeke now truly considered whether staying in this world was actually safe. But then after thinking that this won¡¯t affect their leveling speed, he only took it as a sign of good fortune¡­ Maybe. That was why there are always soldiers in need to kill monsters to defend the town, or monster hunters trying to make a living taking out the particularly dangerous ones, like the Journeyman monster. There is always a market for monster parts as well, and even more importantly, sometimes they drop skill books, the very one that Myra received. So in the end, the world relies on the monsters just as the monsters rely on killing people to gain their own power. A constant strife that aided each other. A strange way to look at this deranged circle of life. He only managed to think this far since Zeke was practically doing nothing while the other soldiers took out the other monsters. Sure, he could do the same strategy as before, using the barrier to attack the creatures, but the leaders made it clear that he wasn¡¯t allowed to do that unless something dangerous happens. He didn¡¯t want to do it so easily either. It costs too many resources, and he¡¯d prefer to get used to it first. That¡¯s why he focused on just raising his Runecraft level little by little by creating new ways to make rune arrays. Unfortunately after his counter-barrier array, which he believed was a nice name to call it, his skill levels hasn¡¯t risen at all. That made sense, considering that all he¡¯s doing is re-making the array in a similar but easier way, not truly creating a new one. He also needed to be inspired to make a new one, and those don¡¯t often show up as much as he liked. It was sort of like writer¡¯s block for an author, or in Zeke¡¯s case, a Runist¡¯s block. He could try remaking a spell like with his Air Blade spell, but even after making several for other elements, it didn¡¯t increase his skill at all. Perhaps gained some experience, but barely. It looked like he needed to use his runes for something other than their intended purpose. Thankfully, it wasn¡¯t the type that forced him to create a new rune array every single time he needed to level. It¡¯s about the scale of the rune array and formation, not its originality. The big counter-barrier array he created before was something that constituted a great experience, as it was not just a newly made one, it was way bigger than he had done before. There was a chance to throw complexity into the array making, making it do the same effect, but just efficiently better¨Cor at least that¡¯s what Cloud taught him. Right before he could even use any rune arrays for damage, the monsters were already taken care of. Mikella really cleaned them up with ease. Strangely, she became more deadly as her other weapon masteries rose, her own swordplay becoming deadlier. Despite her doing her best to avoid getting damage, she still gets hit sometimes by some random stray attack or a well-hidden blow, getting Zeke to heal her. It got to the point where Zeke personally knew how her channels moved now. And he even started to figure out a way to heal her faster, using as little mana as possible. He found out that by studying her channels with his skill ahead of time, he could actually heal her wounds more efficiently. Not to the point where he could use her energies to help him, but at least help him conserve as much Mana as he could. That eventually got him his next skill level for Recovery.
Recovery Level Up! It is now Level 4. You have gained +1 INT from your skill. You have gained +2 SPI from your skill.
Another day passed, another day in the dome, and another day traveling and killing monsters on the way. Some have leveled up a bit, but not that often since reaching the milestone increased the amount of XP they needed to advance. They¡¯re going to need to kill a lot more monsters to reach the next stage. And even after killing quite a few, the two didn¡¯t reach level 30 yet. Zeke knew and already discussed it with her, but he really did feel bitter about having to share all sorts of experience points with Mikella. It didn¡¯t feel fair for her, and in some way, for him as well. He took gaining XP as something he earned himself, proven by his own level. Having that taken away from him was a little sour, but he knew that was just being childish. In fact, that¡¯s why he relied on his own skills and studies, much as Mikella had. It¡¯s the only way to feel as though he earned something himself rather than have a physical fighter do it for him while he sits on his ass. Finally, after days of traveling and killing monsters, they managed to reach the dungeon. The scenario surrounding them was¡­ strange. It was as if life kept getting sucked out for every mile they crossed, and eventually the surrounding area became almost lifeless. Like visiting a graveyard. And what they saw only proved that more. They ran across several deposits of land that seemed to have been desolated, a rotten scent permeating the air. There were also instances of noticing several¡­ parts that came from animals and beasts alike. Body parts that seemed to have been so rotten that it practically slid off the body, if possible. Zeke hated the idea of where this was going, and he was proven right. The sense and now smell of rot, and the area surrounding them¡­ it could only be one thing. But more than that, when they reached the entirely clear area and saw a singular building right at the center of it, he stood frozen. He couldn¡¯t believe his eyes. And he didn¡¯t even want to think about what it could be until Mikella spoke up. ¡°Zeke, don¡¯t tell me that this¡­ this is the same place as before?¡± She asked. Her voice was trembling, and her hand gripped on her sword by her side despite no enemies in sight. Zeke swallowed through his dry throat. ¡°I think it is¡­ it¡¯s the same tower as the one we got out of.¡± They had arrived at their location, so everyone was out of their horses and staring at the one place that could only be considered a dungeon. Standing in front of him with all of its stony glory was a similar tower that reached up to the sky, piercing right through. The cobblestone appearance looked natural, but the sheer height of the tower was immense, almost as if someone decided to continue building on top of it for a millennia. But that was where the similarities ended. Some parts of the tower seemed grayed out, hints of old age covering it. There was that rotten stench again in small amounts, but it was enough to make some of the soldiers gag. There were even old blood stains across the base of it, as if someone had been crushed underneath the moment that tower came to be, and Zeke wouldn¡¯t be surprised if that was the real case. His body trembled without him realizing it. His hands shook when he looked down. The memories of almost dying there three months ago fresh in his mind. He looked over to see Mikella in the same predicament. Her face was blanched and her eyes kept peering at it. Her hands kept gripping her sword ready to crush the hilt. Without really thinking, Zeke grabbed Mikella¡¯s hand holding the sword. She turned to him. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. He didn¡¯t say a word. He frowned, his own fear showing. Yet his hand persisted in holding it. He didn¡¯t know whether it was helping her, but it was helping himself stay steady. Mikella followed. Her hands stopped gripping the hilt tightly, and Zeke noticed that blood was actually trickling down from where her nails dug too deep into her skin. He looked back at her, to which she also noticed the blood, her eyes widening at the sight. ¡°Sorry,¡± Mikella finally said, shaking her head. ¡°I¡¯m such a mess.¡± ¡°So am I,¡± Zeke said, shrugging. ¡°But we¡¯re not alone. Not anymore. And Clara¡¯s safe. She¡¯s not here with us. She¡¯s with Vivian and Ana, in a town where everyone is nice to her.¡± It¡¯s what made Zeke feel glad about, and he wasn¡¯t surprised that Mikella felt the same. Her smile slowly rose, and her hand grasped Zeke¡¯s own. For a short moment, the two stared at each other. Wanting to do something about her hand, Zeke used Recovery to heal her. Mikella thanked him and let go, slowly inhaling and exhaling her breath. Zeke did the same as well to try and calm his nerves, still frayed as they were. ¡°You two alright?¡± They found that it was Val who walked over, a frown on her face as she stared at both Zeke and Mikella. ¡°Yeah, we¡¯re good,¡± Mikella answered. ¡°Just¡­ some bad memories.¡± ¡°You mean¡­¡± Val turned to stare at the tower herself, then back to them. ¡°Is this the same tower as the one you came out of?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t think so,¡± Zeke shook his head. ¡°Ours disappeared, and it was at a different location from here, far, far away.¡± Zeke turned to Mikella who nodded in agreement. It¡¯s always good to have a second opinion on things. ¡°This tower is exactly what we came out of, except¡­ it stinks here.¡± ¡°It smells like a corpse that¡¯s been left out in the sun for too long,¡± Mikella grumbled, waving the air in front of her nose. ¡°That is rather interesting.¡± Cloud came over, his arms crossed as he stared at the tower before facing the two. Val turned to him with a frown, but Cloud only shook his head, as though he needed to know. ¡°The dungeons that we know of,¡± Cloud explained. ¡°they¡¯re nothing like this. We figured the tower belonged to a castle, or some ramparts of an old fortress¡­ but this¡­¡± Cloud looked over at the tower again, and Zeke realized why he looked almost confused. The other soldiers also looked agape at the sight, trying to tilt their heads up to see how long it extended upwards. ¡°This is nothing like any dungeon we heard of before,¡± Cloud turned back to the two travelers from another world. ¡°And there is no entrance either. Our scout explained that there was no way inside. How is it possible that you got out?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Zeke tried to explain, but somehow he could tell just how to get in. He just wasn¡¯t sure exactly how to open it. ¡°Should we head down?¡± Mikella asked. ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like it¡¯s unsafe. And if we leave it there, it¡¯ll keep messing up with the monsters¡¯ population, right?¡± ¡°It would,¡± Cloud nodded in agreement. ¡°That earlier horde is a good example of that happening. It will happen again, and if this tower continues to exist, then it would only make things worse. By clearing it, we should take control of how much Mana it is inputting out into the world, allowing us to take control of the monster¡¯s population.¡± ¡°It¡¯s also another reason why dungeons like these are so valuable to other factions,¡± Val explained, but then she frowned again. ¡°Still, I don¡¯t think I¡¯d like our town to take control of this disgusting dungeon if possible¡­¡± Zeke and Mikella could only agree to that. They weren¡¯t even sure if they wanted anything from inside. However, it was clear that their goal now is to get inside, and clearly Zacharia couldn''t wait any longer as he ordered the army to head towards the dungeon. With no other option, the group followed the soldiers down to the dungeon, approaching the empty clearing just beyond the tower. As they approached, Cloud went ahead to find a way through. It was already clear that there was no entrance to get inside. But after several minutes went by, Cloud returned with a complicated frown. ¡°This is very strange. I can¡¯t find a way in,¡± Cloud commented. ¡°Not even the Journeyman mage can get in?¡± Zacharia said, raising his brow. ¡°Then how are we expected to raid a dungeon?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Cloud stared at Zacharia. ¡°I¡¯m not exactly made up of answers here.¡± ¡°Then what was the point of you studying all this time while this mess continues to spread?¡± Zacharia accused, and before the two could get into anything, Val stepped in. ¡°Enough. Let¡¯s just figure out what to do to get in.¡± Val wasn¡¯t going to have the leaders fight it out like that and instead went over to the soldiers. Looking over at them, Zeke could tell that she was mostly staring at him and Mikella. He turned back to her, noticing that she looked just as confused as he was. It wasn¡¯t as though they knew how to get in. They were kidnapped into it. But still, figuring there was no other choice, he stepped forward to the tower. Memories of the giant knight getting pulverized by the portal and disappearing into the void wracked his mind as he stepped closer, Mikella following suit. She didn¡¯t have to, but he was thankful for the company. That¡¯s when the tower finally shifted. A small rumble echoed, causing the soldiers to react quickly. Even the leaders did as well. Val summoned her sword, Cloud his staff, and Zacharia unsheathed his massive two-handed sword. The rumbling got louder, more intense, so Zeke went ahead to summon a dome around his party, Mikella staying directly by his side to protect him should anything happen. Then, against all odds, the mana surrounding them shifted and swirled. It created a pool right in front of the tower¡¯s base, and a small circle of dark light was created. It quickly expanded, a grand force exuded from the action as the soldiers prepared themselves. But once they managed to get a closer look at it, it wasn¡¯t just a dark light anymore. It was a giant circle of darkness, a gateway, straight into the dungeon. ¡°...What the actual fuck?¡± Mikella muttered, gripping her sword tighter. Then she whispered to Zeke. ¡°You don¡¯t think that¡¯s because of us, right?¡± ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t it be?¡± Zeke answered, not even bothering to dress it up better for his own sake. ¡°Not even Cloud was able to open it up, and he¡¯s stronger than both of us combined.¡± ¡°Then¡­ is it because of our status?¡± ¡°Maybe. I don¡¯t know,¡± Zeke shook his head. ¡°But¡­ what other choice is there but to get inside?¡± Mikella frowned, lowering her head. It was only made worse when Zeke heard heavy footsteps approaching them. They saw it was Zacharia, and this time he was glaring hard at the two. ¡°The tower didn¡¯t react to anything, but now it just opened up a gateway seemingly to hell the moment you two got closer¡­ Now why is that?¡± The other soldiers, particularly in his retinue, all stared at the two. Zeke and Mikella subconsciously stood together, standing side by side against the stares. But Zeke wouldn¡¯t dare to make a barrier specifically for the two. Mikella also didn¡¯t unsheath her sword. If they did, it would only make the tense situation worse and give credit to Zacharia¡¯s accusations. Not that Zeke could blame the man for pointing two and two together. But if it kept going like this, then¡­ ¡°It¡¯s no surprise that the two have a connection to the tower.¡± Cloud stepped up towards the group, stamping his staff down to the desolate ground. Zeke stared at Cloud¡¯s back as he faced Zacharia, his heart beating rapidly. ¡°Oh?¡± Zacharia tilted his head. ¡°Explain then, Mage.¡± ¡°Why do you think they were home-schooled?¡± Cloud asked, tilting his own head. ¡°After speaking with them, their parents are well known adventurers, and they found some secrets about mythical dungeons. It was due to that that these two were trying to find and search for. Apparently, they have found a way to get in the dungeon due to a special treasure these two were forced to take into their bodies. A treasure unlike anything I have seen for dungeons like these. Of course, it wasn¡¯t supposed to be revealed, but I gave them little choice.¡± Zeke realized instantly it was another fabricated story, and something that connected well to their strange past. However, he wondered just how much Zacharia would buy it. ¡°It¡¯s another reason why Zeke and Mikella have such powerful skills and classes. They gained one by attending a tower before, but failed miserably and had to recuperate. That was why they were wandering around with their little sister. They had a group of mercenaries supporting them, but unfortunately, they all perished by the time these kids escaped.¡± ¡°You¡¯re saying there was another tower?¡± Zacharia asked. This time, he couldn¡¯t keep his anger out, heat in his voice. ¡°Why wasn¡¯t I told of this? If there was another tower, that would explain why there would be so many monsters.¡± ¡°According to them, the tower was several miles away from here. Quite far, if you consider how long they had to walk through the forest before coming to our town. And do you know how there are special dungeons, right? The ones that seemingly appear and disappear at a whim?¡± ¡°...You¡¯re saying that they encountered a spatial dungeon before?¡± Zacharia asked. ¡°The very same one as this one?¡± ¡°There are many different dungeons, general,¡± Cloud stated. ¡°Ones from caves, others from natural groves, even underwater. That was precisely why I kept them in after finding this out. I wanted to learn more.¡± Zeke coudln¡¯t help but let his throat run dry from the tension. The more Zacharia asked, the more it felt like their story would fall apart, but Cloud was keeping up with everything. He kept staring Zacharia down, as though everything he spoke about was the truth. Val stayed silent, but she was by their side, as though wanting to defend them. She didn¡¯t, however, carry her sword for protection. There was no need to. ¡°I know that this is strange,¡± Cloud continued after a moment of silence. ¡°But I trust these kids. I wouldn¡¯t let them in my home with my wife and child if they were dangerous. And besides, their little sister is in our town. Would they really sacrifice everything to get to us, knowing that she is still there?¡± ¡°...I do find it strange why they brought a child to a dungeon,¡± Zacharia said, crossing his bulky arms. ¡°But I suppose some families are strange.¡± He stared at the two, his dark eyes nearly piercing them through. ¡°But know this¨Cshould I know that you two have any intentions of harming our citizens, I will personally take you two out myself.¡± As though in response, the other soldiers in his retinue straightned themselves up. Piker himself also followed along, his hand on the hilt of his bastard sword. Zeke closed his eyes for a moment, then glanced at Mikella. Now she was at her own fight or flight mode, her fingers twitching as though she was ready to fight. He turned back to Zacharia, who in turn kept staring at him, as though he was the one in charge. ¡°Eve Glade¡­is our home,¡± Zeke eventually said. ¡°The people there are kind. They took us in when we had nothing, know nothing about the outside world. I¡­ we want to return back home after this.¡± His words were strange to him, but he was genuine throughout it all. He can¡¯t help but think of Eve Glade as his home, after everything that happened. Mikella relaxed slightly, staring back at Zacharia. ¡°We owe Val and Cloud for everything we learned. We also have friends in the town, people we know. I don¡¯t want any of them to be hurt.¡± Zeke nodded, and the moment the two finished speaking, the tension finally dropped. The soldiers finally relaxed, and Piker lowered his hand. His stoic face even looked relieved, but his glare was ever there, watching them. ¡°If that¡¯s enough, then I suggest we head in,¡± Cloud said, pointing at the massive swirl of dark energy acting as a portal. ¡°Who knows what might come out if we keep lagging around?¡± Ch73: Zombies They passed through the massive portal, the swirling dark energy corroding their senses whole for a brief second. Zeke thought he couldn¡¯t breathe, his body phasing through something he didn¡¯t know what it was made of. He thought he knew mana, he studied it all this time to get better at what he does. However, this stumped him. This mana was something else. Something blank and lifeless. After that brief second of his entire world shifting to a different place, a powerful stench of rot hit his nose. His eyes nearly teared when he opened his eyes again, revealing the truth behind the extreme sense overload to his brain. The inside was the definition of horror. Chains hung from the ceiling all over, the rattling sounds echoing all over like a cacophony of roosters in the morning. They stood on a massive pillar, capable of carrying a small army¡¯s worth at once. And there were dozens and dozens more like it from across, below, above, diagonally and vertically at every which way. In the distance, he could see doors on the other side of this whole mess, the pillars acting like walkways from one side to the other. Zeke couldn¡¯t help but approach the edge of said walkway he was standing on, made entirely out of granite stone. He saw a massive expanse that reached all the way down, more walkways and the like stretching across the inner darkness that seemed to go on and on towards the dark abyss. He quickly regained his footing and stepped back. His heart beat against his chest like a drumroll, the putrid stench of rotten air and blood reaching him. ¡°What the hell is this place?¡± Philip the mage said, cupping his nose with a hand. ¡°It stinks¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s a dungeon,¡± Val said, instantly getting her soldiers to react accordingly as she unsheathed her sword. ¡°Do not drop your guard. This time, we shall aid you whenever we can. This is nothing like the encounters we have had before.¡± Cloud walked over to the edge as well, clearly confident in not losing his step. He studied the tower, tilting and swiveling his head as he did so. Zeke figured this would be a good time, so he stepped forward and cleared his throat. ¡°Umm, mmh¡­ thanks for the save,¡± Zeke said, trying to be discreetly quiet to not let the general hear. Even if he was also commanding his retinue to be on guard, you never know. ¡°We don¡¯t want general jarhead over there making a scene,¡± Cloud said, offering a small smile to him before returning to his face of consternation. ¡°But I can¡¯t blame him for getting nervous. Have you¡­ been able to do that? Opening a dungeon like that?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t even know that was possible,¡± Zeke admitted. He shook his head as he recalled. ¡°I haven¡¯t even activated any magic. Mikella didn¡¯t do anything either.¡± ¡°That makes sense. I would¡¯ve sensed magic coming from you if you did so. That means that it¡¯s due in part to your special status?¡± Zeke nodded. ¡°We think so. As for what¡¯s in here¡­ we have no clue. Just¡­ uhh, look out for metal knights that might be ghosts.¡± ¡°Noted,¡± Cloud nodded with a smirk, then returned back to studying the location. ¡°Where do you think we can find the boss?¡± Zeke asked. ¡°At the last tower, we arrived at the top part. We kept going down till eventually we found a portal like the one we went through.¡± ¡°And it looks like we¡¯re quite high up,¡± Cloud added, getting Zeke to grimace. ¡°Looks like the formula is the same here.¡± ¡°Thing is¡­¡± Zeke looked around the pillars, the doors surrounding them, and the chains continuously rattling in his ears. ¡°I have no clue where to go from here.¡± ¡°Then we move ahead.¡± Zacharia said, approaching the two mages. The two looked back at him, noticing that Zacharia was also studying the location profusely with his glare. ¡°In dungeons, there is only one way forward, and that is by following this path ahead. I suggest keeping your wits about you and focus on the task at hand.¡± Cloud looked like he was ready to groan out loud, but managed to keep it to himself as he smiled at the general. ¡°Understood. Zeke, let¡¯s head out.¡± Zeke nodded, and he noticed the other soldiers making a sort of formation check with Val. While she may be ready to help this time, it wasn¡¯t as though she would give the chance to level up her soldiers away. Mikella quickly reunited with him, sharing his thoughts to her from Cloud. Mikella nodded, gripping her weapon tightly. It was becoming therapeutic for her at this point. ¡°Let¡¯s keep things focused,¡± Zeke said, getting her to nod. ¡°Just don¡¯t go too far, okay?¡± Mikella asked. ¡°I know that¡¯s what the general said, but¡­ I¡¯m serious, Zeke.¡± Zeke wanted to say no. He can¡¯t exactly hold back when lives are on the line. But that¡¯s not up to him, nor is it up to her. In the end, it was better to hope that it won¡¯t happen that way, and he believed this saying did better justice. ¡®Better to apologize than to regret¡¯. ¡°Alright,¡± Zeke nodded, and he could tell that Mikella wasn¡¯t quite convinced with that. Zeke left it at that. The group continued onwards, following the pathway down towards the end of the giant pillar. The chains rattling and the constant stench was already making the experience sour just after a few minutes of walking across. But soon they reached the giant double doors that could easily encompass an entire group of people. Though the size was staggering, it didn¡¯t take long for Val and Zacharia to open them up with ease thanks to their ridiculously high Strength. As for what¡¯s on the other side, it only made the experience worse for everyone. Zeke immediately wanted to drop everything and run the moment he saw them. What approached them almost casual like in their gait were none other than zombies. People that should be corpses, parts of their bodies gone and missing when it should¡¯ve been there. Blood trails all across their bodies, particularly from their orifices on their face. They trudged along, groaning as though trying to complain about something. And there weren''t just a few around¨Cthere were perhaps dozens just from the distance alone. They were all over the next room, which was so close to appearing like the one they just stepped through. Now, it was utterly full with various deformed human bodies capable of movement. Their mouths open and groaning, saliva, blood, and other gunk from the human body seem to flow out of their mouths. They noticed the group that appeared. Then they ran towards them. ¡°Oh hell no!¡± Zeke shouted from the bottom of his heart and immediately conjured a barrier in front of them. The zombies could actually fucking run. The moment they did, they slammed against the barrier, obviously a few feet away from Zeke, yet even from this distance their visage was so horrid to look at, it made Zeke back up even more. But that wasn¡¯t all, the other zombies from the other platforms and pillars were also coming straight at them. Apparently, none of them were as weak as they looked as they managed to actually jump from such high places, then land with ease on the same long platform as they were. Some of them did look like they broke their legs, but just like the disgusting zombies that they were, they cared little about the disfigurement, pain being a foreign concept to them. They began trudging towards them, dragging their legless corpses with their arm strength alone. The numbers were approaching horde-like levels, and this was the first room they entered. When Zeke surveyed his surroundings, wondering whether he should use an array to attack, he realized he wasn¡¯t alone. ¡°Everyone, gather up around the barrier! Zeke, don¡¯t cast anything else until we say otherwise!¡± Zeke looked back to find Cloud giving orders, his staff slamming on the platform to get everyone in line. That¡¯s where he also realized that his staff was a particular make. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. It felt more like one of those exorcists from the eastern lands, a staff with a cross like sign at the top with several bands of gold cluttering along each other on the horizontal parts of the sign. A shakujo, if his memory was correct. The other soldiers followed suit, prepping their weapons against the barrier. The shape this time was a singular large rectangle barrier in front of them, but Zeke noticed that there were some zombies approaching from the side. ¡°Zeke, can you make separate barriers from here to here?¡± Cloud approached Zeke as he pointed with his finger to his left and right side. Zeke nodded and did as he asked. He created both barriers, the edges not touching the main barrier at the front. Upon further instruction, Zeke made them to be big enough so that the gaps between the shields were more than a foot across. They were currently near the door, so they were only surrounded by the barriers in three ways. In other words, they were pinned on one side as a whole group of zombies came after them. ¡°Perfect,¡± Cloud nodded. Then he turned to the others. ¡°Everyone, follow my lead. Mages, cast your magic across the gaps. Those with high Dexterity, go through the gaps and take out some of the weaker creatures. If you can see, there are high ranking zombies and low ranking ones. Go after the weaker ones and retreat as soon as things get too crowded.¡± Upon his orders, the Dexterity based users, Mikella included, footed across the gaps and straight into the battleground. They immediately spotted the weaker zombies just by their appearance alone, their bodies shriveled and lanky compared to the more muscle bound zombies around them. It was the same tactic as before, except this time they weren¡¯t stuck in a dome with a funnel. Instead, they had little choice with this environment to try and reduce Zeke¡¯s mana as much as they can, avoiding overuse. Honestly, it was something Zeke hadn¡¯t thought about, but it was perfectly done. In short, they made an easy fortress with less Mana consumption, all the while still able to be as proficient in taking out the monsters. However, he noticed that the top of them were still open, and some zombies were about to jump towards them from the platforms above. That¡¯s when the captain stepped in. She unsheathed her sword, a more immaculate one that looked just as deadly and fierce as Mikella¡¯s enchanted one, but this one had several miles worth in depth from the feel of it alone. She angled her sword and pierced upwards just once. A blast of powerful kinetic energy blast forth and a whole sea of zombies were immediately desecrated to just single motes of blood that flew across the air. Zeke gaped at the sight. Then he shook his head. He had work to do. Already, some of the dexterity fighters were coming back, their wounds showing up everywhere. Mikella was included, though the only worst thing she got were cuts from the zombies who had weapons on hand. Zombies with weapons. If things weren¡¯t bad enough, of course they had to have weapon mastery on top of that. Zeke was just about to lift his hand to heal her, but Zacharia¡¯s meaty hand landed on top of his shoulder. ¡°Save your mana,¡± He ordered. ¡°We¡¯ll need it to reinforce the barrier, and the arrays that we might need.¡± Zeke wanted to complain, but rather than seeing the ever authoritative Zacharia, he saw a soldier who only wanted to use his abilities for their benefit. Seeing his stoicism, and somehow seeing through it, Zeke nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Zeke,¡± Mikella assured him, smiling. ¡°This is nothing. Besides, I still got Meditation. I can easily heal this up.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Zacharia said, a rare praise from him to the two. ¡°The more you use it, the more you can increase it. It will only be a benefit for you in the long run.¡± Hearing that, Mikella¡¯s brows rose in realization. She nodded quickly, and then spotted Zeke with a smirk. He could already tell that he didn¡¯t like this idea. Now Mikella would ask him not to heal her even at her worst to get her skill trained. After all, he would do the same in her shoes. The battle continued on, with the mobile Dexterity users fighting on the front lines giving quick kills while the slower Strength-based users attacked from near the barrier, battling the clearly stronger zombies from approaching the barriers. At this shape, Zeke¡¯s barriers could easily withstand even the strongest zombie¡¯s blows as it is not a dome. Most of his mana were condensed into these simple rectangle-shaped barriers rather than trying to spread it all across a dome like before. But they were trying to ease his mana expenditure. This was only the first room, and trying to overdo it with his mana would only be bad should the worst come. And Zeke knew there would always be something wrong. But to his surprise, nothing of note came out to try and kill them. Unlike with the horde, the number of zombies only gradually reduced in numbers, allowing the strength users to come out and play by smashing their heads in. Despite using less skills than the others, Mikella was able to weave and cut through every zombie she came across with her sword. She even summoned her axe to deal with a troublesome muscle-bound zombie with the other hand, using both weapons at once. They might look unwieldy, especially to a girl with a thin frame like Mikella, but she was able to handle it with ease. Better even, but she was clearly more efficient with just her sword as she quickly put her axe back to her storage pack to start fighting again. She even put away the sword to use her spear, as though realizing that fighting from the distance was better than fighting up close to smell their horrid stench. All the while, Zeke felt anxious. He knew his barriers were doing a lot of heavy lifting by just giving the soldiers some room to breathe. It allowed them to rest and restore their stamina, and gave their minds some peace from the violence. That alone was enough to bring a soldier into fighting shape. Always constantly fighting while in the middle of a battleground can easily wind a person¡¯s nerves to stretch beyond their limits. Still, he hated literally standing around and doing nothing. If he could just make some simple runes, he would feel better, but his skill with runes was still not good enough to justify the mana expenditure. There was Cloud as well, but his Runecraft skill was nowhere near suited like Zeke¡¯s, with no Class and all. He was instead focused on burning down the numbers with his spells, clearly at an upper level higher than those of the mages. But he was making sure to leave some easy kills to the younglings beside him. In the end, the zombies were finally killed, the ones they could get to. The other zombies were either crushed in the mad dash between bodies or died trying to get to them. Some actually landed poorly and ended up killing themselves on the spot, which would be a little hilarious if they weren¡¯t in a life-or-death situation. The other soldiers returned back as the barriers disappeared. He didn''t actually need to as his barrier doesn''t consume mana, only when they were damaged and needed to be reinforced. Still, having to go around the barriers all the time would¡¯ve been a little annoying. ¡°Good work, guys,¡± Zeke said, nodding to everyone. They really did work well, so Zeke found nothing wrong in praising them. The other soldiers nodded back to him, thankful, and soon Mikella showed up. ¡°How are you, you alright?¡± Zeke asked, a little quieter since he didn¡¯t want to show too much favoritism. Not that anyone would care and bother with it. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Mikella answered with a smirk. ¡°Thanks for the save with the barrier though. That would¡¯ve been a little dicey.¡± Zeke recalled when he casted a barrier near Mikella, her focus on one nasty high-ranking zombie. A weaker zombie was about to bite her, so Zeke pushed it off with a barrier, allowing Mikella to fight back and kill it. ¡°I know you don¡¯t like it when I ¡®baby-sit¡¯ you, but I try my best,¡± Zeke said, remembering when Mikella would tell him not to worry too much every time they went out hunting. ¡°I know I complain a bit¡­¡± Mikella shrugged. ¡°But I am really grateful. I just don¡¯t like to rely on it so much. It feels like I¡¯m cheating.¡± ¡°And I don¡¯t care,¡± Zeke promptly said. ¡°You can cheat all you want. It¡¯s not a game, it¡¯s real life. Cheating is perfectly valid if it helps you survive.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ well, that¡¯s a good point,¡± Mikella gave in. ¡°I get what you mean, Mikky,¡± Myra stepped up, landing on her spear and laying on it. ¡°But Zeke¡¯s right. In raids like this, we should take all the advantage we can get. Oh! Thanks for the save too! I didn¡¯t know there was one just crawling around my feet! Nasty¡­¡± ¡°From where I was, I could see a lot more compared to you guys,¡± Zeke admitted. ¡°And seriously, don¡¯t mention it. It¡¯s the least I can do. Not like I can do much else while stuck inside the barrier.¡± ¡°You all are taking this too easily¡­¡± Piker mentioned, getting their attention. As usual, he was glaring at them. ¡°We¡¯re in a dungeon. We need to stay vigilant.¡± ¡°Then you can go and stay vigilant,¡± Myra pointed at him. ¡°We got plenty of people here with eyes, you know.¡± Though Piker only glared back at her, it was obvious that Myra was joking and was just snapping back at him in annoyance. Even now, Zeke could tell she was on guard, her muscles tensed. Thanks to his taking care of her, he could now tell when Myra was overdoing it or not. It was a strange feeling, as he could also do the same with Mikella, but no one else. If he was honest, he felt like some peeping tom, capable of noticing the girls¡¯ movements with ease thanks to his Recovery skill. ¡°Ugh¡­ I don¡¯t feel so good.¡± Zeke turned to find none other than the duelist, the one with the twin short swords, holding a wound up on his right arm. It seemed like the armor was torn off as a huge bite mark showed there, where a zombie¡¯s teeth could be seen from the bitemarks resembling a jagged jawline. ¡°Damn, you don¡¯t look so good,¡± Jackie mentioned, staring at the wound. ¡°It looks like it¡¯s festering too¡­¡± Zeke frowned, noticing something strange from that wording. His heart clenched as he could notice the pattern coming here. And just as he expected, Cloud quickly came over and motioned his hands for everyone to step away. His face crinkled in a frown as he studied the wound, the duelist becoming paler by the second. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t feel good, I can¡¯t see¡­¡± The duelist said, his voice becoming strained with each syllable. Cloud had his hands up all the while, trying to pour his Mana onto the soldier, but there was no change. The longer it persisted, the more Cloud frowned. ¡°This can¡¯t be¡­ Undeath?¡± Cloud uttered, stepping away. ¡°I can¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°What?!¡± Val shouted, then turned to the duelist. ¡°Bryann, w¨C¡± Before Val could speak further, the man named Bryann groaned louder. Every soldier stepped away, prepping their swords. That groan wasn¡¯t human. Bryann was no longer human anymore. Wounds began to fester all across his skin, the pale coloring becoming darker in a matter of seconds. Zeke shook his head, unable to comprehend what was happening. It was just like a zombie movie. The one where a bite will turn you into the undead. As Bryann opened his mouth again, this time, no words or groans escaped. Blood, saliva, and gunk slithered down his chin, and his eyes turned deathly pale. The man formerly known as Bryann roared, lifting his arms and tried to attack the closest one of them by charging in. He was aiming for Zeke. But before his hands could reach Zeke¡¯s collar, a giant sword swooped in like a butterknife, easily bisecting the head off the torso and causing it to tumble and fall to the ground. Bryann¡¯s head rolled by, its mouth hanging open as blood and other muck rummaged and made a trail on the platform. Everyone turned silent as Zacharia collected his sword, flicked the blood off with a mighty swing then sheathed it to his back. ¡°It looks like we¡¯re dealing with an unfortunate dungeon theme,¡± Zacharia said, piercing the silence with a cold tone. ¡°The monsters can infect and turn us to their side. To undeath.¡± Ch74: Undeath Mikella rubbed her temples, trying to ease the tension and nerves that were trying to devour her whole and make her useless. Unfortunately, no amount of rubbing would help her. The constant idea that a simple zombie could infect her and turn her like in those horror movies wasn¡¯t exactly great for comfort. She kept recalling that simple zombie that was about to bite her right before Zeke picked up the pace and blocked it. If he hadn¡¯t done that, if he hadn¡¯t followed her stupid complaint of over-relying on his barriers, she would¡¯ve fallen the same way. No amount of stats could¡¯ve helped her either. Not even Cloud, the almighty Journeyman mage himself could fix the duelist that had his head lopped off unceremoniously by the bastard Zacharia. Then again, who could¡¯ve done that? Even when Zeke was the target, her legs stood frozen in fear. She didn¡¯t even think about approaching the thing, let alone saving Zeke from being a zombie himself. She felt regret, anguish, guilt, and shame all over her soul. Regret for not trying harder, anguish for Bryann who died, guilt for complaining to Zeke, and shame for actually thinking she could survive the way she was. ¡°Hey, you okay?¡± Zeke¡¯s voice entered her ears as she looked back at him. While she was having a mini-panic attack, Zeke didn¡¯t look any better. The fact that he asked her, even with his face looking pale from the fear and panic, cold sweat pouring from his temple¨Cit was obvious that the question should be for himself rather than her. So why is she being consoled? She hated the fact alone that Zeke was more worried about her than himself right now. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± She snapped back, her tone clipped. She immediately regretted it, her face softening. ¡°Sorry¡­ I¡¯m really fine. Just¡­¡± She couldn¡¯t really do much about it. In the end, everyone was on guard. They were currently walking through the platform, reaching room to room and trying to find the center of the tower, or at least trying to go down according to their experiences. Unfortunately the tower likes to fuck with them in more ways than one. Each time they enter a doorway that seems to be going down, they find a platform going up instead. Everytime they make a change, they seem to be turned around. It was a maze that seemed to go on and on, and unlike in a tower, it was really difficult to tell where one goes. The platforms were similar, the chains were rattling constantly so it messed with their senses, and the fact that they could spot a zombie or two here and there made them react and kill it instantly. One simple surprise attack and they could be turned instantly. It was proven that Undeath, a particularly nasty aspect of Mana, was different from the usual death-aspect, another aspect similar to that. While the death aspect is considered the natural Mana, opposite to the life aspect Mana¨CUndeath Mana was worse. It contains a malicious type of mana, and like a disease, it spreads. It works like poison, and can easily corrode someone instantly. While death aspected Mana can turn one into a zombie, usually they have to be dead first in order to turn. That was also another reason why cremation is a popular way of giving folks their final rites. Undeath, however, can infect anyone, alive or dead, and turn them into a zombie. While there were ways to circumvent it, the way Cloud looked on in horror meant that this undeath Mana was stronger than most. If anyone under Journeyman caught this, it wouldn¡¯t be surprising to instantly turn into an undead. Those with higher stats have a better chance of staving off the effects, and Cloud did have the necessary components to help clear it by using one of his rarer magic skills. But Bryann, the first to turn, had lower stats compared to a normal Expert staged user. And the process to clear the undeath was longer than it took for Bryann to turn into a zombie. The undeath was too strong, and the reason why Zacharia ended his life before anymore could turn. ¡°I know,¡± Zeke said, finishing her leftover words. ¡°Trust me, I know. Did I ever tell you that horror movies make me queasy?¡± ¡°I think you mentioned it once or twice,¡± Mikella put on a strained smile. She was forcing herself to be jovial, and it was obvious. Zeke smiled back, just as bit as strained as hers was, but then released it into a thin line. ¡°It¡¯s scary, but¡­ I swear I¡¯ll look out for you. You don¡¯t have to go out there if you don¡¯t want to. We can figure something out.¡± For a moment, she thought that Zeke was undermining her confidence, putting her down. As a man, it¡¯s obvious to look out for a woman, as she can¡¯t handle herself. She thought foolishly like that for a moment. It was obvious. She was at the front line, forced to fight. She doesn¡¯t have any ranged attacks to use. So fighting while inside his barrier is a better choice. It was all to avoid getting bitten by the zombies and getting turned. When she realized that, she also realized something worse. Her class. It was affecting her despite not using any skills. She knew she was lucky enough not to lose herself through battle, but now that her senses were put on edge, her nerves frayed like crazy, her inner competitive nature was showing. She shook her head. ¡°Yeah¡­ yeah. Thanks. I¡¯ll¡­ I¡¯ll figure something out.¡± Zeke nodded once, then looked forward. He kept staring all over the place, making sure to pick out whatever way to ensure safety for the others. That¡¯s what he was doing, nothing else. Damn it, I can¡¯t lose myself in a place like this¡­ Mikella chided herself. Who cares about independence if I get turned into a bloody mess? Zacharia¡¯s cold eyes aiming at her deceased form with his giant sword was somehow worse than turning itself. To be treated like that after spending so much time training herself was¡­ deplorable and depressing. Eventually, the situation took a turn for the worse. They arrived in another room, and this time the scenery changed to that of a wide circular room, surrounded by nothing but black stone walls and some reddish hue showing faint traces of blood all over. Of course there were platforms, but rather than chains, there were something else. Something that flitted in the distance. The chains were gone, but Mikella¡¯s eyes could tell something was flapping. Creatures that seemingly flew straight out of hell, giant creatures made up of wings and a small torso were flying and flapping all over the place, acting like birds stuck within a warehouse. They were horrid to look at. Thankfully they didn¡¯t show any human like appearances, but their skin was fleshy, almost normal skinned but their forms were that of what she believed to be imps. Undead Imp, Level 43 Of course they had to be undead, and of course they were high level. ¡°Zeke, dome, now!¡± Val shouted, getting Zeke to surround themselves into a dome. Despite the feeling of security returning back, her nerves were fried as she picked up her sword. She really should¡¯ve picked up a ranged weapon or something. Maybe even a magic spell or something. In the end, she prepared herself as the giant imps straight from the underworld fell in. They arced around the ceiling of the room, and gave glancing blows on the dome using some ranged magic attack that looked similar to the Air Blade spell Zeke used before. The other soldiers followed suit, using the small opening Zeke made to strike back. With one soldier down, they were more than nervous, but they kept fighting precisely to the letter of the leaders. They weren¡¯t holding back on leading them around, since they already lost two soldiers on the way. In the end, she charged through the opening, counter to Zeke¡¯s wishes. She just didn¡¯t want to stay around and let fear control her. Taking aim at one of the flying creatures, she activated Heavenly Strike. Fear was still there, gnawing at her. But she wanted to survive. And to do that, she had to fight. Once the imp flowed just beyond her reach, she activated Dragon Descent and jumped up high, slamming her sword straight into the imp¡¯s torso. It tore through and blood flowed from it. She then used the momentum to kick the imp back mid-flight and landed straight down on the platform, returning to the safety of the dome before two other imps went after her, only to get stuck outside the dome and hit with magic spells by the casters. ¡°Mikella, that was dangerous!¡± Zeke complained, almost growling at her. ¡°I had no choice!¡± She shouted, gripping her sword. ¡°Either that or I¡¯m useless!¡± Thankfully, Zeke knew the purpose, but he certainly didn¡¯t like it. He instead just growled again, summoning another barrier to protect Myra from getting attacked from the back while outside, then swiftly returning back to the dome. ¡°This is getting nowhere,¡± Cloud said, his hands carrying the staff with the strange bands cluttering and also casting a spell. He was casting a small ball of burning light that separated into small orbs which then flew out from the protection of the barrier. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. The orbs managed to hit each imp with ease, taking them out one by one. ¡°We need to escape, find a route away from them,¡± He shouted. ¡°No! The undead would catch up to us by the back. We need to take them one by one!¡± Zacharia shouted as he roared and swung his giant sword across. A powerful burst of air flew through and struck various imps at once. She didn¡¯t know what skill he used, but she wouldn¡¯t be surprised if that wasn¡¯t skill but just a massive amount of stats that could pull it off. ¡°There¡¯s too many!¡± Cloud shouted back, once again using his very controlled fire orb spell that showered across the air around them. Small explosions made the dome around them seem to flash with a yellowish white hue. ¡°We¡¯ll run out of steam by then!¡± ¡°Then fight harder!¡± Zacharia said, getting Cloud himself to growl. Apparently the mages were getting a lot of stress as Mikella noticed Philip not showing much oomph for his work even with his new staff. Basically, Cloud, Philip, Lisa, and even Zeke were doing their best to attack and defend the physical combatants as much as they could. Still, it didn¡¯t help as the numbers seem to increase, and they have no clue on whether the imps could turn them or not. It was becoming a shit show of nerves and panic each time a zombie showed up near them. At least there was some good fortune to be had as these imps aren¡¯t so dangerous to the point of being none other than being flying nuisances. They don''t do anything other than slicing everyone with air magic, and so far none of them exhibited the fearsome undeath fog that Cloud told them beforehand. Apparently, anyone caught in the fog would instantly turn. Her head snapped backward after almost getting her neck sliced by a random Air Blade. Upon closer inspection, the imp that shot the spell had such soulless white eyes that even without irises, they looked as though they were staring at her in contempt. ¡°Get back in!¡± Zeke shouted, getting her to realize that she¡¯s been outside for longer than normal. Having no issue with trying to survive, she did so, running back towards the open side of the dome. That¡¯s when she noticed it. One of the imps that was flying by suddenly cut into a u-turn mid flight, then headed straight into the dome. ¡°Damn it!¡± Zeke shouted, his eyes growing wide. ¡°One of them got in!¡± ¡°Let me handle that!¡± Piker shouted, immediately summoning an ice spike from thin air in his hand and launched it at the imp. But despite his precision, something strange was wrong with it. It flew erattically, almost as if it was suffering a seizure. The ice spike clearly missed, but the imp kept batting against the dome as it flew around. It proved disturbing as it flew left and right, actually missing some of the attacks done by the residents within the dome. Then that very same imp glowed bright, its entire body being engulfed in a show of orange tinge. ¡°W-What the¡­?¡± Maxie shouted, gaping at the sight. ¡°Damn it, it¡¯s gonna explode!¡± Mikella couldn¡¯t understand what was happening. It was going so fast that she didn¡¯t realize what someone said before it happened. The damn crazy zombie imp that was flying like a lunatic exploded right within the dome. The force of it nearly covered the entire dome, catching everyone within it. The dome couldn¡¯t handle the blast from the inside as it shattered into pieces. The shards of the magic wall, along with their security, dissipated into nothing. The shards of the broken barrier just flew, as though time itself slowed in her mind. The only thing she could think of was one thing¨CZeke was inside. He was directly inside with no barriers. She could only hope that he was so focused on his own survival that he broke the dome apart himself to do so. But she ran towards him, unable to relent. Even as the imps suddenly became invigorated at the chance of going after the soldiers, all she cared about is bringing Zeke out of there. Her survival mode kept her mind working despite the stress and destruction she saw. Her heart slammed against her chest as she rushed in and swung her sword horizontally, taking out every imp that got in her way. She didn¡¯t care about her form or precision, just slamming the blade against the imps just to keep them out of the way. Within the wreckage, clearly, the imp that exploded was nowhere to be seen. Its rotting corpse just laying there, staying as a corpse. But she put that thought to the side as she searched for everyone inside. The soldiers looked like they were just smacked real hard against their heads, their eyes looking blurry and dizzy as wounds from the explosion were apparent. It looked like an explosion of force, nothing fire related. Almost like a sonic bomb if anything. There was definite grime from the parts of the body that exploded, splattering them all over. Some looked like they had just been blown outwards, probably right towards the dome. The only thing they got from it is possible concussion and are in need of a serious bath. Is that the reason why? It wasn¡¯t the explosion or even Zeke losing his focus, it was the sheer force of everyone inside the dome being launched outward, causing the destruction of the dome itself. Thankfully, it wasn¡¯t as though everyone was out for the count. The leaders for instance were hard at work, taking out the numerous imps that were trying to go after the already downed soldiers. Down, but thankfully not killed. She put those aside and searched for Zeke, which quite frankly was only making her worry more as for some reason, she couldn¡¯t find him. Her mind wirled as no sign of Zeke was seen. Just as she looked ready to nearly explode in anger, a hand pulled her shoulder aside and noticed that Myra was pulling her to a certain direction. ¡°Mikky!¡± She shouted. ¡°They¡¯re taking Zeke!¡± Her mind broke down at those words. She focused her sight on Myra, as if she just said something unbelievable. ¡°What?¡± ¡°They¡¯re. Taking. Zeke!¡± Myra explained fully while Mikella¡¯s mind was just slowly working. ¡°Look!¡± She looked over to where Myra was pointing at, and she couldn''t believe it despite her words bearing true. A couple of imps were actually carrying Zeke off into the air, the downed Zeke that had his eyes closed. He wasn¡¯t able to focus as the explosion took him out. They were taking Zeke away. They were actually taking him away like some damsel in distress. ¡°Zeke!¡± Her screech echoed out as all the soldiers realized what was happening. The leaders looked in shock as Zeke was literally getting carried off into the air. The soldiers with magical attacks immediately went after the imp, but hesitated. If they hit the imps, won¡¯t Zeke fall and die from the height alone? Having no other choice, Mikella used all of her physical stats and kinetic energy to jump straight upwards. ¡°Mikky! Stop! You¡¯re going to kill yourself!¡± Myra¡¯s shout echoed, but Mikella couldn''t listen. She wouldn¡¯t. Not when Zeke was literally getting kidnapped right in front of her eyes. ¡°Zeke!¡± She used Dragon Descent to the maximum capacity. She pushed herself far enough to nearly reach Zeke and the two damn imps that would soon decorate her blade with their blood. But she was suddenly pushed back¨Chard. Another, stronger imp of clearly high level landed and kicked her straight back towards the platform they were at. She landed on the ground, crashing into it and creating a small hole within the platform. Her breath was expelled as blood left her mouth. She realized it by then. The imps. They knew Zeke¡¯s value and instead of just outright killing him, they just took him away. And left the others behind to die. She forced herself up again, losing a chunk of her stamina from the effort, but was suddenly surrounded by dozens of Imps. She growled, her eyes turning sharper as she launched Heavenly Strike after Heavenly Strike to take them out. One imp down, then another, then another. She kept taking out each Imp as her madness grew within her. She could tell¨Cit was growing stronger. It wanted to overpower the dungeon, reap the lives of all those who oppose her. It should¡¯ve been hard for her, being so low level. As she kept attacking the imps that were surrounding them, she received a notification that may, or may not, be good for her.
Heavenly Strike Level Up! It is now Level 5. Decreased stamina and mana consumption. Increased damage.
¡°Fuck! Fuck, fuck, fuck!¡± She screeched as she killed one imp after another. She kept killing, feeling that Zeke was going farther and farther away. As the number of imps finally slowed down, Mikella kept looking for more imps to kill to try to reach Zeke, but her body relaxed as she breathed heavily. She breathed as Myra placed a hand on her back. ¡°Mikky,¡± Myra spoke softly. ¡°It¡¯s done. But¡­ Zeke is¡­¡± She didn¡¯t want to admit it. She won¡¯t. She doesn¡¯t plan on doing it. But Myra was right. Zeke was taken, and whether he lived or died¡­ she didn¡¯t know. ¡°Everyone, gather your wits!¡± Val shouted. ¡°One of our own is taken! We need to find him, quick!¡± ¡°Is there any point?¡± The spearman said, turning to where Zeke went off. ¡°At this point, there¡¯s no way he¡¯d¨C¡± ¡°Don¡¯t fucking say it.¡± Mikella glared back at the man, causing him to flinch. She didn¡¯t realize, but her eyes were glowing a sharp yellow, like a beast whose prey had escaped from her grasp. Or her kin taken away. ¡°We¡¯re finding Zeke,¡± Mikella ordered. ¡°Even if I¡¯ll do it myself.¡± ¡­.. ¡°Damn these intruders are annoying.¡± Alex grumbled as he paced across his lab, the shelves of bodies and parts making a stench more severe than every other place. He was glaring at the special zombie he had created specifically for spying. By connecting their mana together and sending its twin over to the other side, Alex could peer through the zombie¡¯s eyes via its twin, allowing him to see access to the other parts of the dungeon. When he saw the intruders for the first time, he couldn¡¯t believe the disparity between them. He has a vague sense of their strength, and only three of them were strong enough to be an issue. The rest, though, was just trash on two legs. Though, he could tell that at least two of them were muted somehow, though he didn¡¯t know why. The giant black guy with the two-handed sword was definitely scary to fight against. But as long as he took care of the peons then headed straight towards the big bosses, everything should be fine, right? Wrong. And that¡¯s what got him in such a tizzy. There was one particularly annoying mage that made taking them out in a single go impossible. A damn mage that¡¯s capable of erecting barriers left and right. He knew he had to take care of him, and especially with his level being low, it was easy to take out, but he was always being surrounded by the peons and the leaders, protected. ¡°Nothing more annoying than stalling,¡± Alex groaned. That¡¯s why he went with something desperate. It expended a lot more mana than he expected, but he was able to take control of one of the imps that were surrounding him. Through his expertise, he was able to overcharge it with so much mana that it exploded right inside the dome. And the rest, as they say, was history. Though the explosion did made it difficult for Alex to control the imps, and instead of outright killing him, they just took the barrier mage far away from the others. Well, whether they kill him or take him away, it didn¡¯t matter. As long as the annoying shield is gone, the rest would be easy pickings. Yes¡­ very easy pickings. ¡°Oh well¡­¡± Alex smirked. ¡°Guess it¡¯s time for a real show to start.¡± Ch75: All alone His mind was in a whirl after that explosion took place. His body just kept being weightless all the while. As his eyes slowly focused, he realized the reason why. He wasn¡¯t even standing on the platform anymore. His legs dangled across the air, the feeling of wind hitting his back most of the time. His arms were slung to some rather icky substances, so when he turned to find them, it turned out to be the same imps that were attacking them just now. His mind instantly recognized the situation. He was actually being grabbed and taken away? By who? And why? ¡°Shit, shit, shit, shit!¡± Zeke cursed loudly as he tried to swing his legs and yank his arms away. Whatever was going to happen, he definitely wasn¡¯t going to like it. The imps just shrieked when he tried to yank his arms out, but no dice. He groaned and swung, but no change happened. He knew that his Strength stat was low, but he didn¡¯t think it would end up failing him at this level. All the while, he kept getting higher and higher, his stomach lurching from the height as he somehow went through room after room, getting out through the openings between them. Just as Zeke was starting to make a plan and wondering just how long this will persist, he suddenly felt his stomach drop on him. They let go of his arms and dropped him right then and there. They flew away as he fell through the air, about to land straight to the pure darkness at the very bottom of the entire tower. Zeke screamed as he swung his limbs trying to catch himself, but there was nothing but air surrounding him. If he didn¡¯t do something, he was going to go splat in the worst way imaginable. But the imps didn¡¯t realize that by this point, going airborne is Zeke¡¯s specialty. And this time, he learned his lesson. He furrowed his brows as his instincts kicked in, and rather than trying to summon a barrier right below him, he formed his rectangular barrier, the top and bottom edges facing him and below. It was just slanted very slightly, enough to just barely graze it. Of course, with nothing to hold on, Zeke just slid on it and still fell off, but he didn¡¯t give up. He kept summoning barrier after barrier, forcing himself to work overtime to try and cast as many barriers as possible before his body could catch up. And after each cast, he kept angling the barrier over and over to one side, forcing his body to shift to one side and steering away from the bottomless abyss below. In other words, he made a literal mid-air slide and got himself to land right on the platform he saw on the way as he fell. Thankfully, gravity¡¯s pull on him lessened when he kept sliding across the barriers, but he still landed pretty hard on the platform. His skin was cut all over, but when he finally landed and stood still, he took that pain with pure joy. At least it wasn¡¯t a broken arm and leg this time. As he picked himself up, he used his own Recovery to heal his wounds. It was a lot easier to heal himself than others, as he knows how his own channels work the best. With a little bit of mana, he managed to heal the cuts across his skin with ease, almost as if they were never there in the first place. He straightened himself up, giving himself a breath of fresh air¡­ or tried to if the stench still hadn¡¯t hit his nose and caused him to cough loudly. His heart still beat loudly from the massive free fall, and the straight exhilaration of surviving that fall. ¡°Hah¡­ Now¡­ Now what?¡± Zeke muttered to himself, noticing that he was all alone now. ¡°I¡­I need to go back.¡± He glanced at his surroundings, still unsure which room it was. For all he knew, he could¡¯ve been several rooms ahead of his party. That¡¯s taking out the fact that he had no way of getting back there through normal means. The platform he was on didn¡¯t connect to any doorway, and the one he could see was literally a few meters below him, on another platform, far away from where he was. Sure, he could just create barriers and just walked there making his own bridge, but that would take a lot of mana. Even now through his desperate gambit to survive, he spent a lot of mana to ensure his survival. If he wasn¡¯t careful, he could end up without any mana, and if he gets attacked¡­ Putting aside the gruesome death of getting bitten and turned while suffering the worst case of chills imaginable, he thought deeper. He was a runist¨Che has the capabilities to make any spell he wanted. Before they left, he wanted to make a communication crystal like the one he made and gave to Cloud before. However, doing that was just too damn complicated, so he had little choice but to drop the idea. If he knew this was gonna happen, he would¡¯ve made one regardless. But right now, there were too many things he could consider, and some of them could even risk his life. If he wasn¡¯t careful, he could die. But if he doesn¡¯t hurry, then his comrades would surely die. Even if they were strong, with the leaders being a higher stage than them, they already lost two people on the way here. It wasn¡¯t about the competence of the leaders. It was just that dangerous. Anyone around the Expert stage would be at risk no matter how much protection they get from the leaders just a tier above them. The only way they could survive this is through his barriers. So he needed to get back in there. But just how¡­? I could just¡­ No, that¡¯s stupid. And dangerous and really costy¡­ damn it, I suck at this! He grabbed his hair and pulled in frustration. His choice paralysis is gonna cost him lives and he¡¯s still worrying about his mana consumption. His ears picked up feet patting the stone floor. The rattling chains were gone, so the pitter-patter of feet clamoring caught his attention. Slowly, he turned around to find multiple zombies trudging forward to him. Their arms raised and their mouths gaping open, they rushed at him with no hesitation. Zeke immediately casted his barrier, a small dome surrounding him as he didn¡¯t have enough awareness to only cover one part. The zombies hit the barrier, their disgusting rotting faces smushed up against his magic wall and tried to bite it. Even at this point, Zeke didn¡¯t care about how they looked. Not only was he on his own, he¡¯s stuck in his own barrier. At this rate, the barrier will come down and they¡¯ll try to eat him alive. Damn it, what can I do with this stupid thing!? Can¡¯t I just use it to hit them? ¡­Wait, can I? Zeke thought deeper for a second. His Barrier Craft skill is capable of creating any form of barrier, crafting it in many shapes as he wanted. He could even create shapes that barriers don¡¯t normally make, like a staircase and an impromptu holding wall for making tents. So can¡¯t he make something that could help him out of this situation? He knew deep inside that his skill wasn¡¯t meant for offense. No matter how hard he tried, he can¡¯t summon a barrier and hit a zombie with it. However, that didn¡¯t mean that the monsters couldn¡¯t hurt themselves while crashing into the barrier, like that Dire bird that hit the wall and fell to the ground in a daze. That meant that while the barrier wasn¡¯t capable of inflicting damage, it would still hurt hitting it. He just had to be¡­ creative with how he crafted his barrier. It might use up a bit of Mana, but if he played his mana just right, it could actually be efficient. Nodding to himself, he closed his eyes and entered his Meditation, despite the zombies trying to get at him from both sides now as the others appeared behind him during his deep thinking. He sensed his own mana swirling around the dome, affixed to the ground in a half-circle facing downwards. So instead, he re-created the barrier. Using the extra room inside, Zeke lifted himself as he formed another half-circle below him, forming the sphere around him. Then, he condensed the barrier tightly. Laying one mana layer after another, he tightly wove his mana around his barrier, stopping the zombies from creating any noise from outside from the density of his magic wall. There, he finished it. His craft completed, he opened his eyes to find dozens more zombies going after him. However, not a single one could get at him. He was surrounded by a perfect sphere of turquoise light, and as soon as Zeke took his first step, the sphere rolled. Right on top of the zombies in front of him. It wasn¡¯t technically an attack. It just happens to be dense enough to crush a zombie underneath from just rolling. But the only way he could actually do anything with a barrier is by making it perfectly still, rather than moving it wherever he wishes. Perhaps he could someday, but for now this was better. And he couldn¡¯t help but chuckle as he saw the zombies getting squashed underneath his barrier, actually getting killed. He then felt a sense of energy from their deaths. He was actually killing the zombies as he moved around. He turned, facing the zombies on the other side and doing the same to them. They couldn''t do anything, being nothing but melee attackers and not able to break through his barrier. And with them being so close, it was only natural to get crushed underneath the heavily dense barrier. Some zombies even fell off the platform, landing hard and dying immediately. Zeke had no mercy as he went around killing every zombies with his roll. But then something occurred that Zeke should¡¯ve thought of earlier. Momentum is a bitch as his barrier seemed to roll faster and faster, fast enough to even stump Zeke as he kept running without thinking. No matter how he tried to go back and control the sphere, the barrier was too heavy to be used appropriately with his meager Strength stat. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. And so, he couldn¡¯t stop himself from rolling right off the edge of the platform. ¡°Aaah¡­ shiiiiiiii-!¡± He cursed as he fell through the bottomless abyss, his sphere of light being the only light around the vast darkness around him. ¡­.. He didn¡¯t know whether it was due to sheer luck, instinct, or maybe even stupidity, but Zeke did something in his panic when the encroaching darkness became too much. His heart wrenching from pure fear of dying, he remade his barrier from the ground up. He didn¡¯t care how much mana he poured into it, but he made it so that the inside of his barrier will not get affected by the outside forces. So in other words, he won¡¯t suddenly slam into his own barrier and turn into human paste. He made it so that his center of gravity is affixed at the center, so as the ball rolled, he remained stationed, so to speak. He can still adjust himself, but just barely. Another thing he did was reinforce the outside barrier with the help of his Gloves. Doing so, he made it so that rather than being hard as a wall, he changed the substance of it. Now instead of being hard, it was elastic. He managed to change the substance due to the fact that while being a hard wall is certainly difficult to break through, some attacks could easily break it. Now if it was elastic, almost rubbery, some attacks are basically pointless. Though he knew if bladed attacks were to hit him, the barrier would ¡®pop¡¯ rather than ¡®break¡¯. Still, he had enough confidence to believe his elastic barrier could withstand some sharp objects. He had this idea in the split second he thought he was going to fall to his death, and since flying wasn¡¯t a thing, he did the next best thing¨Cjumping And boy, did he jump. His barrier hit solid ground, whatever it was, and bounced back up with such force that it would put a rocket launch to shame. Despite his body being affixed into the center of the barrier, that didn¡¯t stop the feeling of motion from forcing his mind to whirl. His stomach poured out of his mouth, and his brain went into his lower torso as he felt gravity push down and pull up all at the same time. His barrier flew straight up, returning himself straight above the platforms and actually over several rooms. His barrier being small enough, he jumped in a slow arc that made him go outside the room and into the next. And that continued to do so for a long while. His mind turned blank, his migraine returning in waves as images spun through his vision from jumping and rolling. He probably killed many monsters on the way there, but he hadn¡¯t seen them as far as he knew. He heard them, their groans and screams suddenly disappearing as he jumped from one place to another. Like a super ball, Zeke bounced around the tower, not knowing where he was going. Eventually, the power of motion stopped as his barrier slowed until it eventually stopped into a roll. Zeke held himself steady all this time, but in the end he threw up his bile all over his barrier. He couldn¡¯t care less about the mess he made in his own barrier as he immediately cast it aside. He had to get out. The inside of the barrier was sealed tight thanks to the elasticity surrounding it. That made oxygen difficult to acquire. He could still breathe, but barely. He didn¡¯t care as much since, after all, he managed to survive the onslaught and even end up in a new location. To which he had no clue whether he was closer to his comrades or not. Fuck me, Zeke complained. He rubbed his aching head from the migraine of being a super ball all across the damn tower, and not once has he come back to find his comrades. He did, however, gained some new skill notifications.
Mana Perception Level Up! It is now Level 9. You have gained +1 INT from your skill. You have gained +1 SPI from your skill.
¡­..
Barrier Craft Level Up! It is now Level 9. You have gained +1 INT from your skill. You have gained +2 SPI from your skill.
He also found himself in an entirely new location, however. Instead of the platforms he and his party found himself in, he was in a stone-like hallway, the walls being strangely clean except for the obvious red tinge covering certain parts. At this point, he didn¡¯t care whether that was blood or some strange wall color. All he cared about was finding his comrades. But he couldn¡¯t help but get curious about this hallway that seemed normal compared to the rest of the tower. He walked forward, his hand lifted to cast a barrier if a monster were to approach. The feeling of walking through the hallway felt¡­ odd. It didn¡¯t feel like it was designed by the tower at all. Rather, it felt like someone actually built the hallway to fit their needs. There were doorways across the hallway and as he walked through, he figured he didn¡¯t want to see any zombies that could be in there, so he ignored them. He was trying to keep his footsteps from being heard, but the silence was deafening. His chest tightened as he felt like he was about to get found out at some point. Then he heard it. Something that was nowhere near the monsters that he found so far. He heard¡­ laughter. A maniacal laughter, seemingly so human it was hard to discern at first. Rather than frightened or disturbed, he was curious. At this point, to hear human laughter in this tower felt¡­ really off. He followed the sound, now hearing a voice. It was hard to discern, and the voice kept talking in a strange tone. As he turned a corner around the hallway, he spotted a large open doorway that had a strong light within. It was perfect as Zeke could see some nice hiding spots while peering inside. Sure, there could be some danger of being spotted, but with his extreme way of running away, turning into a bouncy ball of all things, he might have a shot. And he couldn¡¯t help it. If there were people here, then they could be responsible for what¡¯s going on. For all he knew, this could be the very same being that was causing the ruckus outside, the zombies going crazy, and the deaths that kept occurring. He moved towards the open doorway, using the shadowed spot to get a clear view in. He couldn¡¯t believe his eyes. Now he wished he didn¡¯t see it. There were nothing but shelves filled with body parts. Some that looked like they were fresh, and others clearly rotting from no use at all. Blood trickled everywhere, as though it was just the natural way for it to occur in that ghastly room, and there were also lots of candles burning within. The candles, however, were of a fluorescent blue light, almost like a ghost¡¯s flames. Then he finally spotted the owner of the voice. It was an actual human being, but that wasn¡¯t all. It was a human being wearing modern clothing. He had a jersey from the looks of it, and some cargo pants with some sneakers. A clear sign of someone from his own old world. But what truly stood out was what it had written on the jersey itself. A red-colored jersey with a big red 10 on it, with the marking of one of the famous baseball teams. From his old world. This guy¡­ is he actually from our world? Zeke thought, though the idea alone was crazy already. He should¡¯ve figured that he, Mikella, and Clara weren¡¯t the only people from the old world to get kidnapped. But what he couldn''t believe is that just like them, this guy happened to come from a similar tower as them. Does that mean that everyone from his old world that gets kidnapped would suddenly find themselves in a tower acting like a dungeon? More than that, why isn¡¯t this guy trying to get out? Why is he just talking to himself, the zombies not trying to kill him like those arthurian knights from their tower? If what he theorized is true that this strange guy was from his old world, he should¡¯ve been at the same time as they were. By that time, he should¡¯ve gotten out rather than staying inside. Then again, he seemed alone. It was possible that perhaps he wasn¡¯t able to get out. Does that mean that during this time, this guy lost himself from the loneliness, unable to get out? If so, then Zeke had the duty to help him. Maybe he found a place where he could secure himself. But he definitely put a hold on that. After all, who, from his old world, would be okay being surrounded by zombies and body parts still oozing blood? The man¡¯s next words caught him to re-think it entirely. ¡°Damn, those fuckers are tough. Who¡¯d thought people in this world would be so gung-ho about living? They should just die and be part of my army. Better for them and better for me, wouldn¡¯t you say?¡± ¡°Ye-s, Mas-te-r,¡± A zombie man with the gruff voice echoed out. Zeke practically flinched at the noise. He thought he heard another voice, but he didn¡¯t think it was from another zombie. ¡°Of course I¡¯m right! I fucking made you!¡± The man¨Cno, the young man, almost like a child, responded with a chuckle. ¡°But where the hell is that barrier mage? Can¡¯t believe I lost him. Where do you think he is?¡± ¡°I d-on¡¯t kn-ow, Mas-ter,¡± The zombie answered. ¡°Damn it. I want to use his corpse. Who knows what awesome barriers my zombie would make if I use his brain for the source? Or maybe his heart? Would that work? Wait, does Mana come from the heart or brain?¡± ¡°I¡¯m do-n¡¯t kn-ow, Mas-ter,¡± The zombie responded dully. ¡°Of course you don¡¯t! Goddamnit, maybe I should¡¯ve put a brain in you instead. It gets tiring hearing the same damn thing over and over again¡­¡± Zeke couldn¡¯t help but breathe erratically, forcing himself to try and control it. This guy¡­ he couldn''t be any older than 18 years old, yet he was talking as if killing and using others¡¯ body parts was natural. Was that his skill? Capable of making zombies? If what he said is true, then does that mean he¡¯s responsible for the zombies that were currently trying to kill them all? The one that actually forced Zeke away from his party? Hearing himself getting used for his brain and heart for some zombie, he shivered. This kid wasn¡¯t normal. Whoever he was, whether he was from his old world or not, there was something wrong with his brain. Who on earth would be okay to do all this and just casually act like it¡¯s not a big deal? He needs to go back. He needs to tell the party about this. If his theory is true, then this kid would be as strong, or even stronger, than both him and Mikella. He wasn¡¯t sure exactly how strong, but if he¡¯s capable of summoning so many zombies and taking them under his control, there¡¯s no doubt that Zeke would be at a disadvantage. But just when he was about to turn around and walk away, he noticed something flapping at the distance. It was a bird, and it was clear it was just as undead as the one he saw before. And it spotted him. ¡°INTRUDER! INTRUDER!¡± The bird zombie squawked what sounded like an alarm, causing Zeke to go pale as he saw the people from the room head outside, noticing him for the first time. ¡°What the¨CYou?!¡± The kid shouted, pointing at Zeke. ¡°You were here the whole time?! Fuck! What, you got like a super Stealth skill or something? Doesn¡¯t matter! Take him!¡± ¡°Fuck that!¡± Zeke immediately summoned his specialized bouncy-ball barrier as soon as he saw a number of zombies just rise up from the ground. Like an old fashioned zombie movie, hands crept out of the flooring and zombies were suddenly born underneath to try and catch him. They were the strong ones too, his Identify picking up that they were around top-tier Expert rank. There was no way in hell he could actually take them down. So he ran, and with his bouncy ball shield, he rolled across and crushed a few zombies in his wake. Though it didn¡¯t crush them, more like squashed them down for a while as he managed to get away. ¡°What the¡­? Holy shit, that¡¯s pretty cool,¡± The kid commented, before snapping his fingers. ¡°Get him! No way in hell I¡¯m missing out on a cool power like that!¡± The more the kid spoke, the more Zeke couldn¡¯t help but be afraid. He was actually someone from his old world, and he honestly didn¡¯t care whether he or his friends lived or died. He ran¨Cwell, to be accurate, he rolled away from the crazy necromancer all while being chased by the zombies. He turned from one hallway to another, trying to recall exactly how to get out. All the while, as he expected, the doors that were across the hallway opened up to reveal more zombies going after him. Eventually he passed through another doorway, and the same large emptiness filled with elongated platforms returned to his vision once more. But there was no way for him to get to another platform without jumping off. The more he rolled, the more he realized that there was no way out as the path he was on only had a wall and nothing else. He had no choice. He hated it, he hated it so damn much, but he cared more about his life and the life of his comrades to care about his preferences at the moment. So he rolled to the side and fell off the edge of the path he was on, falling right into the darkness below. He prepared himself mentally. This was gonna be another wild ride he won¡¯t soon forget. Ch76: From bad to worse Today, once again, Sissy and Bobo weren¡¯t here to play with her. Clara looked out the window of the wooden room she found herself being in a lot more than she realized. Sitting on the ground with a plushy pillow for her bottom, she watched out the window out to the town where she had been staying for a long time now. Everything felt so crazy just recently, and now things were calm, but completely different than her usual life. However, all she could do was sit around all day while Sissy and Bobo were out, probably having lots of fun without her. But no, she shouldn¡¯t think like that. She knew why Sissy and Bobo were out there, and it wasn¡¯t anything fun. She still remembered the horrible place they were sent to. The hallways and the knights, and the pain that came after that was still fresh on her mind. Some nights, she would cry out to either Sissy or Bobo, depending on who was closest, to make sure that she wasn¡¯t there. Where everything tried to hurt them, to hurt Sissy or Bobo. Every time, Sissy and Bobo together would come and tell her that it was alright, and she believed them. As long as they were there, she would be safe. And more importantly, they were safe as well. But now they weren¡¯t here. More than being afraid of returning back herself, she was afraid that those two would be back there, in pain again. The screams still echoed in her mind when she remembered Bobo getting hurt with that giant sharp sword. How Sissy would cry out when she got cut up multiple times. She doesn¡¯t understand why everything wants to hurt them, but she knew not to question Sissy and Bobo. They were the smartest people around, especially Bobo. He was a lot smarter than Sissy. He read so many books. A lot of books! But if there were trouble, Sissy would always be there to protect them, being a lot stronger and faster than Bobo. Despite doing so much fighting, Sissy seemed a lot more excited and happy compared to their past life. When she remembered how life was like before all of this, she recalled her family, her Mama in particular. Her Mama was¡­ strange. She knew she was her Mama, but she wasn¡¯t as close with her like Sissy. Even Sissy didn¡¯t like her, even though she was her Mama too. But she can¡¯t remember her Papa for some reason. Ana would ask who her parents were, and all Clara would answer is that she had a Mama, but no Papa. She swore she had a Papa too, but then there were two, and somehow Ana gets confused and then said to forget about it. When she first met Ana, she seemed scary at first. She was loud, obnoxious, and overall really annoying, like all the other kids in her class before she was taken to this place. But after hearing Bobo¡¯s words, she realized that Ana wasn¡¯t bad. Instead, she was nice, and really fun to hang out with. If she hadn¡¯t listened to Bobo, she would have not realized it. Every chance they get, they would play a game or hang out with Sissy and Bobo, because her parents are always so busy. But they were important people in this entire place. They were in charge, so Clara understood immediately why they would be busy, as Sissy and Bobo would be busy despite not being in charge. Ana, however, didn¡¯t care about it as she just wanted to play. ¡°Clara, pay attention now,¡± The teacher said, her voice calm and cool which got her attention. Clara felt red-faced as she tried to pay attention. They were currently in school, just like how she was in the old place they were at. However, this was a much more fun class than listening to her teacher talk about a lot of things she didn¡¯t really care about. After all, they were talking about magic. Bobo can use magic, so if Clara can learn magic, she could use the same magic Bobo used when he summoned those pretty birds. Those butterbirds were so pretty and beautiful, it made Clara want to see them again. She would always ask Bobo to make them appear again, but Bobo refused. She tried asking Sissy, but she also refused. For some reason, they feared Clara would run around again, but why wouldn¡¯t she? They were so pretty, she had to catch them. So she will focus and learn how to do magic so she can summon them and play with them whenever she wants. She focused intently, noticing the teacher, who is named Vivian, smile at her. ¡°Good girl,¡± The nice lady said, smiling at her. ¡°Perhaps you¡¯re worried about your sister and brother, but I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll be fine. After all, the lords are with them.¡± Clara nodded. She was worried, because they could be in pain like before. But she remembered that the nice man and woman who they were living with, Ana¡¯s Mama and Papa, were with them. Ana¡¯s Papa taught Bobo a lot of things, including how to make the butterbirds, and Ana¡¯s Mama helped Sissy by fighting with her and learning how to use those sharp weapons.. She didn¡¯t like her Sissy using such dangerous things, but she always seemed to be enjoying herself unlike before, so she didn¡¯t say anything. As long as Sissy was happy, then Clara was happy too. ¡°Vivian!¡± Ana raised her hand, catching her attention. ¡°Why are they taking so long?! They should be back by now!¡± ¡°Now now, Ana,¡± Vivian looked like she was exhausted already, but that is how Ana is. It took a while for Clara to get used to it as well. ¡°You should know by now that your father and mother are very busy people. They are doing something very important to protect our town and our people. If they come back too early, our people will get hurt.¡± ¡°But¡­ won¡¯t they get hurt too?¡± Ana asked, now looking worried. This was the first time Clara saw Ana like this. ¡°They said they were going to a ¡®dungon¡¯. I heard that is dangerous.¡± ¡°Hah, you mean ¡®dungeon¡¯,¡± Vivian smiled sweetly at her. ¡°And yes, those are very dangerous. Which is why your mother and father had to go, along with your sister and brother, Clara. They are all needed to protect us from the danger of the dungeon. That¡¯s why you must be good little girls and wait for them. For now, pay attention. That is the best of what we can do to make sure they don¡¯t worry about us.¡± Clara looked over at Ana, noticing her grumbling and frowning. She knew what to do, so she placed a hand on her own hand, catching her attention. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Clara said with a smile. ¡°Bobo and Sissy are there. They¡¯ll protect them.¡± ¡°Hey!¡± Ana shouted back. ¡°Mommy and Daddy are way stronger than your Bobo and Sissy! Their levels show it!¡± ¡°Nuh-uh!¡± Clara shouted back. She hated when Ana kept mentioning how strong they were. She saw Sissy and Bobo fighting herself, there was no way they were weak. ¡°Bobo and Sissy are stronger!¡± ¡°Mommy and Daddy taught them how to fight!¡± Ana said with a devilish grin. Clara only grumbled as she tried to fight back. ¡°Now, now, that¡¯s enough. No fighting,¡± Vivian tried to calm them down, ready to step in if anything happened, but Clara refused to back down. Then, a very loud bell rang out in the distance. Both she and Ana flinched at the sound, being so loud that everyone in the town would hear it. ¡°What?¡± Vivian suddenly shifted, her eyes turning very scared. ¡°That can¡¯t be¡­ an attack? By who?¡± ¡°M-Monsters are coming!¡± Ana shouted. ¡°And Mommy and Daddy aren¡¯t here!¡± ¡°Neither is Sissy and Bobo¡­¡± Clara said, her voice trembling at the idea of those horrid monsters coming in again. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Vivian turned from being scared to being serious, looking at the two of them. ¡°We have powerful people on our side, protecting us. We will be fine. However, let¡¯s get ready to leave just in case¡­¡± Then a powerful blast occurred right outside the building where they were, causing the windows to crack from the force outside. The girls screamed, and Vivian quickly jumped down and covered the two with her body. Shards of glass fell over in a torrent, their small ears ringing. ¡°Vivian!¡± Ana¡¯s voice cried out, tears already brimming her eyes. Clara watched in horror as the nice lady Vivian looked hurt, red liquid pouring from the top of her head, and worst of all from where her back was facing the window. Just like when Sissy and Bobo got hurt for her. Just like when she was when they were leaving. She was hurt, and in pain. ¡°Vivian!¡± Clara cried, tears already falling down her face. ¡°Don¡¯t worry¡­¡± Vivian breathed, her voice pained but kept smiling all the same. ¡°This is nothing. Now come on, let¡¯s go!¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Without hesitation, Vivian picked up the girls and ran out of the room. It was Vivian¡¯s house and they were at a large room where most of the kids would be in. Though for now it was just the two of them, so Vivian didn¡¯t had much trouble picking them up. Clara watched as they reached the outside, as clearly where they were now was too dangerous. What she saw made her face fall. A lot of people running, scared looks in their eyes and screaming. Some of the children were crying for their parents, while the soldiers were running towards what felt like the cause of all this. There was a large burnt crater right in front of the building. It looked like something landed there, causing the explosion to occur. ¡°Vivian!¡± One of the soldiers shouted, a young man Clara remembered sparring with Sissy at one point. Despite getting hurt multiple times, he thanked her for the training. He now ran at her, his sword and shield at the ready. ¡°Oh gods, you¡¯re hurt!¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Don¡¯t worry about it. Pele, what¡¯s going on?¡± Vivian asked, trying to wipe off the red liquid covering her face. ¡°Are we under attack by monsters again?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s worse,¡± Pele shook his head, causing Vivian¡¯s face to frown. ¡°It¡¯s other soldiers. They¡¯re¡­ they¡¯re attacking us!¡± ¡°What?!¡± Vivian shouted so loudly it got the girls to flinch. She apologized afterwards, but she quickly glared back at Pele. ¡°Why?!¡± Vivian shouted, anger clear in her voice. Clara knew it wasn¡¯t aimed at her, but she still felt frightened just the same. ¡°How could they do this? When our lords are out with most of our elite soldiers at this time¡­!¡± ¡°We don¡¯t know, but they launched an assault without any warning. All of our soldiers are responding as we speak. Right now, I need you all to follow me. We¡¯re evacuating the non-fighters to the shelter.¡± Pele looked back at the girls. Despite the obvious fear in his face and tone, he still tried to smile, showing a trustworthy face. ¡°Come with us. You¡¯ll be safe. We¡¯ll hold them off and defeat them all!¡± Ana nodded, though she still looked worried as she tugged on Vivian for support. Or rather, to support her as she looked like she was swaying about. Pele noticed it quickly and grabbed onto her, helping her over to the shelter with the girls in tow. Clara, however, didn¡¯t believe it. This place was supposed to be safe, but now other people are attacking them. Is nowhere safe now? Sissy, Bobo¡­ please, help us. She prayed for her siblings to come back, because she didn¡¯t want anyone else to be in pain like she was. Like Vivian was now. ¡­.. She roared as she plunged her sword straight into a giant zombie¡¯s chest. With her Heavenly Strike, she killed it with ease. Despite how tough the higher level zombies were, Heavenly Strike killed them easily. Without a barrier to hide in, the zombies were becoming more and more dangerous to handle. Now that Zeke was gone¨Cher nerves were frayed beyond belief. Her teeth were grinding on edge and her mind was pulled taut to find any zombie that could go after her without warning. She tried to scope out as many enemies as possible as she returned back to her comrades to support them. Right now, the leaders were doing their hardest to push back the rising number of zombies going after them, pulling out more and more power to counter the lack of defenses brought with them. She once thought that relying on Zeke¡¯s barrier was a crutch. How if one kept relying on a barrier made by another person, it signified their weakness to keep moving forward. Not that she believed it was wrong¨Cit was still suggested to not rely too heavily on his barriers all the time. But now she knew that Zeke was truly essential to the group. His barriers alone would bring out the best in a dungeon raid, and along with his own healing and runes to use, he was invaluable. She never once thought that without him, going through a dungeon is equivalent to going on a trek with a small chance of escaping unscathe. In a dungeon filled with the rare and dangerous Undeath aspect, there was a smaller chance of escaping alive. Due to that, they had already lost two soldiers. The spearman from earlier, and the mage Lisa who Zeke knew. The spearman was bitten multiple times by surrounding zombies when he was pulled away by force from the opposition. They clearly separated him from the group, and eventually turned him into a zombie. It only took a swipe from Myra¡¯s burning spear to take him out. Lisa, whether fortunate or unfortunate, died of natural causes. Without a barrier to hide in, she was struck on the back by a zombie archer, then once more straight to the back of the head. Philip screamed in rage and killed the archers instantly, but the deed was already done. She died before Cloud could heal her back up. Philip went on a rampage after that, burning everything around him. Only Myra could provide backup as her Fire attunement and Incendiary Grasp somehow gave her resistance against his powerful flames. They were currently in another room, where rather than being surrounded by long platforms at random places, they were now in a large convoluted hall where one can easily go over the walls to the top. Chains hung restlessly as they rattled, only now realizing that the chains were actually being used by the zombies to create a spell called Noise-Funnel. It was an incredibly noisy spell made by a zombie mage, which once again made Mikella truly hate the zombies for being so diverse. Cloud did surmise that for their special abilities, they shouldn¡¯t have anything to resort to turning them into the undead, so Mikella went after the ones that were the most troublesome. Val followed suit, taking out the stronger ones that she couldn¡¯t handle by one-shotting them. Zacharia became the tank, as it were, taking the most hits out of everyone. His armor was strong enough to handle the bites of the zombies, but even if that failed, his high Endurance and Vitality is enough to counter the powerful undeath that could turn him. Mikella couldn¡¯t imagine the horror of facing a turned Zacharia if otherwise. That beast can just go straight to hell. Of course, all the while, she fought the urge to run and find Zeke. She knew he was still alive somewhere, she just had no evidence of that. All she had was her special status that was linked to his. As long as it remained the same, that meant that Zeke was still alive. It was her own small hope that she kept in her chest as she lunged after another zombie who was ready to strike her with a spell. It was a zombie mage, and it was different from the others as it wore a robe and a staff like a common mage. There was a ball of burning ember floating in front of it, ready to strike, but Mikella flew in with Dragon Descent, powered by Aerial Advantage and struck it down with an easy pierce through the chest. It could barely do a thing before it fell to the ground. At the same time, the madness, something that she was picking up recently, was broiling inside of her. She worried whether the class would take over her once again. Yet, it was as though her class and herself were one. If there was one thing they shared¨Cit was the tenacity to live through this struggle with might. As though her mind broadened, she was able to find more zombies encroaching her surroundings, trying to go after her comrades and take them away. She turned and dashed towards the next zombie who was approaching Piker. He alone was facing more than four zombies at once, using his bastard sword to keep them at bay. He was heavily injured, having to take a brunt of the attacks along with Zacharia. No matter how strong he was, there was no way that a single person could take on so many monsters at once. She really started to wonder just how there could be so many zombies in this damn dungeon. There should be a limit, right? They must have faced hundreds at this point, though they were the annoying types that ran rather than keep going like the beasts from the outside. The only ones that seem to have a death wish are the ones that bite the others and turn them. She stood by Piker¡¯s side and took out the zombies that were trying to go at his back. Piker used his Ice magic to pierce the zombies ahead, taking them out with a piece of ice stuck in their heads as they fell. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± Piker shouted to Mikella. At this point, he referred to her as a fellow comrade as he pointed his bloody chin at another side. ¡°Go help them while I retreat. Can you handle that?¡± ¡°Got it!¡± Mikella did as he said, no longer having issues with him. At this point, who cares about their earlier hostility? It felt so petty to think about when people were dying. And that was true even as she saw ahead of them. The twin brothers, Maxie and Jackie, were forced against the wall by the zombies that seemed to be increasing in droves. Not only that, they were the undeath zombies, the ones that Mikella easily recognized by now as the ones capable of turning people. She ran faster and faster, noticing the large distance ahead. As the twins fought bravely, using their shields to defend themselves as part of their training, Jackie ran out to stab a zombie that was coming after them. Then another, and another, and another again. He kept stabbing them, but it wasn¡¯t strong enough. The zombie that didn¡¯t get stabbed through the head, but the chest instead, rose behind him. Jackie didn¡¯t realize as he was caught in his bloodlust, trying to take out as many zombies as possible. His attunement was just basic, so he only had a stat increase rather than magic. Mikella screamed as she noticed the zombie coming straight at Jackie with an open jaw. Jackie only managed to turn around in time from Mikella¡¯s scream to find it too close to do anything. Then, someone else got in between them. Maxie stabbed the approaching zombie, but the jaw has already latched onto Maxie¡¯s open neck, biting it straight through the skin as blood pooled out. ¡°Maxie!¡± The zombie died, but soon Maxie followed as he fell to his knees. Jackie ran after him, holding him up by the shoulders as he tried to dress the wound. But just as quickly, Maxie turned around and grabbed Jackie¡¯s wrist. Jackie watched in horror as his twin brother looked back at him, dark veins covering his head and the rest of his body while blood and gunk dribbled down his mouth. His eyes turned white as death itself. Maxie turned. ¡°Maxie¡­¡± Jackie shook his head slowly. He wasn¡¯t able to comprehend what was going on. He just kept standing there as Maxie opened his mouth, ready to bite his own brother without realizing it. But there was no point. Maxie was gone. Only a zombie remained. Mikella didn¡¯t want to lose anyone else at this point. She jumped, pulled out her spear from her bag, and threw it right at Maxie. Her heart grew heavy as the spear pierced Maxie¡¯s head, then dragged it straight to the ground with a heavy thump. Just like that, Maxie died. Blood and gunk covering his mouth, his eyes looking to the side. Jackie knelt, his breathing turning ragged and hard. Only then Myra ran over, her face covered in sweat, blood, and panic as she saw the scene. ¡°Jackie!¡± Myra shouted as she knelt near Jackie, grabbing his shoulders and looking at his twin¡¯s now corpse. She closed her eyes for a brief moment, then opened them. There was a lot of pain in that short moment, but she turned back to him. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s retreat. He¡¯s gone now. But you¡¯re still here.¡± Those words, however short and decisive it was, brought Jackie back as he nodded. Mikella finally reached them, looking over at both Jackie, and the now deceased Maxie. She pulled out her sword, but then Myra got over to Maxie¡¯s corpse, then pulled her spear out of him. She pushed it towards Mikella, a determined look on her face. ¡°We gotta keep going,¡± Myra said, heat in her voice for her enemies. ¡°Keep going and never look back.¡± Looking at that determination in her face, Mikella nodded as she took her spear back, her sword in her other hand. Mikella took a friend¡¯s life away. Myra¡¯s best friend from her childhood and Jackie¡¯s twin brother from birth. Yet, she accepted the weapon that killed him with no hesitation. Perhaps it would be painful, but for now, Mikella took it on with confidence. There were still plenty of zombies to kill, and Zeke to find. Ch77: Strong belief The mood turned tense as they finally managed to find a place to hide themselves. Whether by luck, by design, or by sheer force of system fuckery, Zacharia found a small cave they can use as a respite. The cave seemed natural as it wasn¡¯t broken in. It was as though the rest of the tower was fabricated, and this cave is the only natural place the tower had. It was dark, damp, and incredibly claustrophobic as the cave only leads to a dead end with a giant stone wall. But it was good enough. For the time being, they made a fire with Philip¡¯s magic and decided to rest. They had Piker on watch, being the only one with a decently high Endurance stat to keep up. More importantly, he offered himself up. He clearly knew everyone else was just too tired, too exhausted both physically and mentally. Myra was the one who worked the hardest out of the soldiers they brought in. While Piker was keeping the other zombies away and Mikella going off ahead to face the troublesome ones to make it easier, she stood at the frontlines with her flames going bare against the tower. Her Incendiary Grasp became her focal point of power, eventually reaching level 5 in the skill as she managed to use its incredible power in short bursts to really put a wedge through the zombie forces. But at this point, it was like looking at a melted candle, her small ember ready to flicker out. Mikella couldn¡¯t stand watching Myra like this, especially after just seeing her childhood friend die in front of her. Jackie was the worst off. He was huddling to himself, hugging his knees as his eyes turned distant. Mikella couldn¡¯t bear to watch, as she could easily imagine the pain if she ever lost her sister like that. The only other soldier she wasn¡¯t that close to was the scout, to which she learned it was Paul. Often called Paulie by his friends, and now most of them have died. Yet, he still looked determined, only resting his eyes to recover his lost resources. As of right now, he¡¯s the only one that kept the team together by keeping a lookout despite the danger. Second to Zeke, he was useful in making sure not to get everyone killed, which Mikella was damn grateful for. As for the leaders¡­ they¡¯re the reason why the mood was getting worse. Val, of course, felt most of the loss, having to lose several of her soldiers she trained personally. While she wasn¡¯t as invested in them as she was with Myra and Mikella, it was clear she cared a lot for them. Seeing so many die under her watch finally brought her positivity down to a neutral. She didn¡¯t lose her energy, but she certainly wasn¡¯t lively anymore. Mikella couldn¡¯t blame her. Zacharia was being a dick as usual, referring to clearing the dungeon rather than trying to find Zeke. He must have figured that Zeke had died long ago the moment he got separated, and that didn¡¯t help Mikella at all. Not to mention he kept getting into arguments with Cloud who was ultimately getting stressed out. They kept bickering back and forth, trying to find the best way to get to the tower with the minimum amount of deaths possible, but even then, they were at a loss. Even now, they were bickering. ¡°We need to get to the bottom of the tower as soon as possible,¡± Zacharia declared, looking over at the entrance where Piker was at. ¡°The more time we spend here, the more those zombies will gather up and take us out.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t expect anyone to easily recover like that, right?¡± Cloud said, almost scoffing at him. ¡°We already lost enough people as it is.¡± ¡°And who do you think is responsible for all of this happening in the first place?¡± Zacharia turned to the mage, a raised brow on his face. ¡°If we hadn¡¯t taken our sweet time trying to ¡®figure this out¡¯ and instead did as I said, we wouldn¡¯t be in this mess.¡± ¡°We would have lost a lot more than we already had,¡± Cloud snarled. ¡°Of course, I don¡¯t expect you to care about that, but at least consider the costs after looking at all this.¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Val¡¯s voice was subdued, but her tone made the two men silent. Val looked over at them. Her face was the definition of a mother who has lost so many of the people she lost, who might as well be her children. She glared at the two. ¡°That¡¯s enough. I don¡¯t want to hear anymore from you two. We rest, then we continue. We can¡¯t rest if you two keep bickering like children.¡± That got them to bristle, but after a while, the two turned away from her. She wasn¡¯t being unreasonable, or even argumentative. It was a fact that they can¡¯t argue against. That was why Mikella couldn¡¯t help but admire this woman. Despite all she had lost, she is still the captain of the unit. She still wanted everyone to survive while keeping the morale going. Mikella herself was doing fine, at least. Her words brought some sense as she looked within herself. The madness of her class was kept at bay, but it was still boiling with the idea of finding Zeke. She knew Zeke was still alive somewhere. She didn¡¯t have evidence, and she certainly can¡¯t prove it to the others. But no matter how much she tried, her body was trembling. Her foot kept silently tapping the ground, her anxiety reaching its peak. Then, finally, she stood up, catching the attention of everyone around them. ¡°I¡¯m going to look for Zeke,¡± Mikella said, and before anyone else can say anything, she continued. ¡°I think it¡¯s better if I go by myself.¡± ¡°Mikella, that¡¯s foolish and you know it,¡± Val was the first to answer, obviously. ¡°I know you¡¯re worried about Zeke, but you can¡¯t just go out by yourself.¡± ¡°If I find Zeke, we can have a better chance of survival,¡± Mikella answered. She tried to copy Val, but she couldn¡¯t put the hope of finding Zeke for herself away from her voice. ¡°What makes you so sure he¡¯s still alive?¡± The scout, Paul, asked. ¡°Paul,¡± Myra hissed. ¡°Shut up before I make you shut up.¡± ¡°Come on, Myra, even you gotta agree with me on this one,¡± Paul answered. Apparently he didn¡¯t care one bit whether Myra could easily kick his ass. He looked defiant, if anything. ¡°I get it, you¡¯re worried. But if neither of us had a chance to survive, what makes you think he has?¡± ¡°Because he does,¡± Mikella answered, finishing his argument right there. ¡°You don¡¯t believe me, and I don¡¯t expect you to, but he¡¯s still alive. That¡¯s why I¡¯m going.¡± ¡°Hold on, Mikky,¡± Myra stood up to her, lifting her hand. ¡°I believe Zeke is alive too, but everyone¡¯s right. It¡¯s too dangerous out there.¡± ¡°Then what do you expect me to do?¡± Mikella snapped back. ¡°Leave him to die? For real? I can¡¯t let that happen!¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± Myra hesitated for a moment, looking over at Val. Then, she looked resolved. ¡°I¡¯m coming with you. It¡¯s better to have someone looking out for you, right?¡± ¡°Myra!¡± Val snapped. ¡°Are you serious? You should know better than anyone that going off alone is dangerous!¡± ¡°But with Mikella¡¯s skills, we can handle it,¡± Myra argued back. Mikella was taken back by this, but she had a point. With Myra taking the vanguard and Mikella taking the ambusher¡¯s side, they can easily take out any zombies while making sure they can run away if things get dicey. Though the chances are still slim for survival, it was way better than being on her own. At least, that¡¯s what she thought when she realized how good Myra¡¯s proposition is. ¡°I can¡¯t just let¨C¡± ¡°Val, let them go.¡± Val turned, looking almost furious, at Cloud who answered her. He looked exhausted, but he still had a clear look to his eyes as he turned to the captain. ¡°Mikella is right. We¡¯ll have a better chance of everyone surviving if they can manage to find Zeke. If he¡¯s still alive, we can find the end of the dungeon quicker and end this all easily.¡± ¡°And what makes you so sure he still is?¡± Zacharia finally asked, turning to Cloud for a fight. ¡°You sure seem confident of a mage that¡¯s not even Expert yet to survive all this.¡± ¡°Because I am,¡± Cloud answered, leaving it at that. ¡°But Val¡¯s right, Mikella. It¡¯s too dangerous. You should at least bring one more with you¡­¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll go.¡± Mikella flinched when she turned to find Piker walking up behind her. Figuring that someone was going to leave, Piker ended up going back to give his piece. He first turned to the general, lowering his head. ¡°General, I believe that this is a good course to go with. Zeke¡¯s abilities might be just what we need to ensure our survival. And¡­ there¡¯s only so much our resistances can handle against undeath. Even now, I can feel its sickness coursing through me, trying to turn me. I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m afraid I do not have much left in me to fight back if things keep going like this.¡± Mikella frowned at him, her chest tightening at the idea. She didn¡¯t think one could actually ¡®feel¡¯ the undeath, the rotting energy that could turn someone into a zombie. But if Piker said it, then who knows how painful the experience was. So even then, there¡¯s only so much high Endurance and Vitality can do. It was the same reason why the leaders, despite how strong they were, couldn''t easily clear the dungeon. It was too much for them. Zacharia looked displeased after hearing that, but he turned silent as he considered his words. He gripped his hand on his forearm, something that he quickly put away, but Mikella noticed it with ease. He closed his eyes, then glared at Piker. ¡°Fine. But you only have a day to find him. If you cannot, assume he¡¯s dead and return back here. Do not think for a second we can¡¯t keep up with time while you¡¯re away. Return immediately once time expires¨Cthat is an order.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Piker saluted the general, turning to the women in front of him. ¡°We do not have much time. If you want to find Zeke, then make these hours count.¡± Mikella didn¡¯t even have to respond. She nodded furiously as she picked up her sword she put to the side, then moved forward. She turned to find Val silent. She was clearly against this, but after hearing Piker speak, even she couldn¡¯t say much about the danger. ¡°I swear, we¡¯ll find him,¡± Mikella promised her. ¡°We¡¯ll find him, and then get out of this hellhole.¡± She had enough dungeons for one lifetime. At the least, dungeons without Zeke. ¡­.. About a few hours passed since the trio left the cave. All the while they¡¯ve been out, they were ambushed several times by a group of zombies that spotted them or waited for them to arrive. Thankfully, they haven¡¯t reached the number of hundreds like before, to which the group surmised the reason for that is due to the decrease in their personnel. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. That still didn¡¯t decrease the danger, however. Each of these zombies were strong, and sometimes stronger than the usual muscle-bound monsters. Some were fast, extremely fast and nimble, that it took all three of them to attack and kill. Some others were heavily focused on trying to defend their attacks, and the worst was the one that dealt specific undeath-attuned magical attacks at them. The moment a fog appeared as part of a spell, they ran away with their tails between their legs. The trip was exhausting, and all the while they kept peering at their surroundings to find any evidence of Zeke. They kept their eyes peeled, their senses stretched beyond healthy levels, just to get out of this nightmare. At least, that¡¯s what Mikella wanted. In the end, the world decided to be a dick to her by trying to make each moment of her life hell. ¡°Mikella.¡± Piker suddenly spoke up, catching her attention. The trio were currently at a large platform, different from the others that were connected in diverse parts around the tower. It was large and flat, with several cases and barrels surrounding the edge. It looked more like someone got lazy and decided to dump their trash all over this platform because it was the closest there. Obviously they checked inside, and obviously they regretted it. Inside was nothing more than rubbish and rotten produce, and some odd body parts here and there for good measure, because why not? ¡°What is it?¡± Mikella answered harshly. She wasn¡¯t really in a mood to talk, much less with Piker. Not that she disliked him anymore, but rather that Piker never seemed to pick the right words to say at any time. ¡°You say you have evidence that Zeke is alive. But so far, we have found no such thing. I want to know why you are so adamant about this. What proof do you have that he is still alive?¡± Mikella knew it the moment he stared at her. Those were definitely not the right words for this situation. Right now, all she wanted was to bash his head in for mentioning that Zeke hadn¡¯t survived. He wasn¡¯t dead, she knew it. Also, why did he bother going with her if he never believed in her anyways? She was tempted to just leave him there and ignore him entirely, but she hesitated, then she stopped herself. In the end, Piker was someone who went with her to save Zeke. He even mentioned so. But Piker was still a person¨Che has the right to doubt her for the sake of his own safety and security. If she was in his shoes, she would be more than happy to doubt anyone and ask many questions to sate her doubts. To pretend otherwise would just be a bitch move on her part. ¡°Listen, Piker, it¡¯s a little more complicated than that,¡± Myra spoke up when Mikella didn¡¯t answer for a while. ¡°Even if you know about it, I don¡¯t care how complicated it is. Lives are on the line here. So unless you¡¯re willing to answer to those who lost their loved ones today by doing this stunt, the least you can do is inform me of why we¡¯re doing this. And another thing¡­¡± Piker turned back to Mikella, this time a hardened glare that seemed to see right through her. ¡°The two of you somehow knew this dungeon. Does this have something to do with how you are so sure of Zeke¡¯s survival? What exactly do you know of this dungeon?¡± Mikella closed her eyes, taking in his words. Everything he spoke of was true. Myra couldn¡¯t even respond, being the only one of the two who knows who both she and Zeke were. She felt like she was betraying Zeke for doing this, but if he was here, he would most likely agree to it as well. She faced Piker head on, and spoke. ¡°...It¡¯s a crazy story,¡± Mikella admitted. Myra was just about to open her mouth before she lifted her hand at her. She shook her head. ¡°And you¡¯ll probably won¡¯t believe me. But everything I say is the truth. It¡¯s gonna take a while, so will you please help me try to find Zeke with me while I explain? I beg you¡­¡± Piker stood silent, noticing that despite Mikella talking about it, Myra looked like she was ready to stop her in her tracks. After another second of an awkward silence, Piker responded. ¡°Fine. Let¡¯s keep going then.¡± So then Mikella went off to explain about her and Zeke¡¯s origin to Piker. All the while trying to fight off any intervening zombies on the way. Mikella explained the best she could to him with some added inputs by Myra. Later on, it was clear Piker wasn¡¯t very amused. If anything, his glare only intensified, yet he didn¡¯t say anything. Mikella was certain that while Piker had a very, very hard time believing where she truly came from, she could tell that he knew she wasn¡¯t lying. The fact that she wasn¡¯t lying is probably the reason why he looks so angry, almost¡­ conflicted. Then, after finding themselves on another platform in another room, ensuring that no zombies were around them to interrupt their heavy mood, Piker spoke up for the first time after about an hour of explaining her origin. ¡°So you two are aliens, then?¡± Okay, wow. Does Piker have some sort of knowledge of our old world without knowing about it? Mikella was honestly surprised to hear Piker of all people use such a modern word. There was also that ¡®within sword distance¡¯ threat he did before with Zeke, which reminded her of some meme she found on the internet, except it was for some spell attack than an actual sword. ¡°I¡­ guess?¡± Mikella raised her brow at him. ¡°Though not exactly? I¡¯d like to believe we¡¯re still humans and all¡­¡± ¡°Right, right, of course you are,¡± Piker nodded rapidly as he dragged his palm across his face. He looked exhausted, disheveled even. Is he going through a meltdown? Mikella was finding a lot of surprises from Piker so far, but it wasn¡¯t exactly unexpected for him to go through a certain panic like Myra did. Even Myra looked at him with a sympathetic look. She didn¡¯t offer any words, but she had that look in her eyes that she knew exactly what Piker was going through. ¡°Okay¡­¡± Piker breathed evenly, then exhaled as he lifted his hands. ¡°So¡­ you two are from another world. You are linked, which explains why your levels are always the same no matter how far apart you are. And that¡¯s exactly how you know that Zeke is alive?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Mikella nodded. ¡°Though even if I don¡¯t know, I¡¯d still try to search for Zeke. That¡¯s only natural, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°It is, but¡­¡± Piker tried to agree, but he shook his head. ¡°You can¡¯t believe that I can just easily accept all this nonsense. I mean, the fact that you two were just initialized inside of a dungeon of all places¡­¡± ¡°Look,¡± Mikella said, motioning her hands to stop whatever panic Piker was going through. ¡°I¡¯m not exactly keen on being in a dungeon myself. Why do you think I wanted to stay away from this godforsaken hellhole of a dungeon? But I had no other choice. I have nowhere to go, and my sister is still back at Eve Glade! All I want is to be done with this whole mess and go home to be with her. That¡¯s all.¡± There were a few things that Mikella wanted, and that was just trying to get stronger like the rest of them, but the two already knew that much, so she didn''t bother explaining herself any further. ¡°And the lords know about this?¡± Piker added, finally looking composed enough to ask further questions, as she expected. ¡°About you being in another world?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s why they were taking care of us,¡± Mikella explained. ¡°I know there was a lot of favoritism involved, but we did give them a lot in return. The attribute fruits that we found for example.¡± ¡°Oh yeah, they brought barrels full of the stuff,¡± Myra smirked. ¡°The captain even gave me and my crew some and¡­ well¡­¡± Myra instantly frowned, realizing that her crew involved the now deceased Maxie. Mikella offered a hand to her shoulder, consoling her. Myra smiled in return, appreciating the gesture. ¡°I¡­ see¡­¡± Piker now looked comprehensive. ¡°That¡­ that does explain a lot more now. A lot more¡­¡± ¡°Now do you understand?¡± Mikella explained. ¡°Why I need to find him? Why am I so sure that he is still alive?¡± Piker took a moment. Then, he answered. ¡°...Yes. I know now. Thank you for telling me all this. This was¡­ a lot more than I bargained for, admittedly. But this was something that I asked for.¡± ¡°And now that you know¡­¡± Myra stepped up towards Piker, looking a lot more dangerous than before. ¡°We expect you to keep it quiet, especially to the general. What do you think will happen if he knows about them?¡± ¡°Piker¡­¡± Mikella asked. Her voice was low and pleading. ¡°Please¡­ don¡¯t say anything about this to anyone else. If not for me or for Zeke, then for my baby sister. All I want is to keep her safe. So¡­ please.¡± ¡°...You have my word.¡± In a show of a salute, Piker raised his fist to his chest, staring directly at Mikella in the eyes. ¡°I swear never to reveal this to anyone. Not even to the general, my father. I swear upon my soul, my core, my very being.¡± The words he spoke seemed simple, yet there was depth to it. A heaviness that Mikella couldn¡¯t comprehend. Did he swear something to the air? To the atmosphere? To¡­ the system itself? ¡°Wait, the general is your father?!¡± Myra, however, completely ignored his solemn vow to ask something that apparently took her by surprise. Admittedly, even Mikella was surprised to hear about this. ¡°Foster father, but yes,¡± Piker nodded. ¡°This is also supposed to be a secret. But I believe that this should be a small gift to you for telling me a secret of your own.¡± The generosity alone in his tone of voice made her stagger. But she knew well enough that Piker meant well. She supposed she had to take back all the nasty things she said to him behind his back. ¡°Now then, let¡¯s keep moving,¡± Piker rolled his shoulders. ¡°Even if we stuck around, it¡¯s not likely Zeke will survive for long if we dawdle.¡± Now she decided to take back only most of them. He was still a dick in the end. ¡°Man, you are just so unlikeable,¡± Myra commented, following Mikella¡¯s displeasure as Piker only sneered at her. ¡°If you want to stand around while the person we¡¯re looking for could be dying as we speak, go ahead. I¡¯ll just do what was asked of me.¡± ¡°Ugh, honestly, can¡¯t you at least be more sensitive to Mikky during this¨C¡± The three immediately flinched, the air around them shifting slightly. Each of them heard something, and no matter how low on guard they were, there was no way anyone could miss this. A deep rumble that echoed all across the entire room. There was no way this place that was so huge would be so easily rattled, yet this rumble continued all the same. They each brought out their weapons, and readied themselves. Soon, something came out from beneath their platform. A large being slithered out from beneath. It was serpentine like, but the parts that made up the being were fused with multiple body parts at once. Thankfully, they weren¡¯t human, but it wasn¡¯t pleasant looking either. As though each muscle and limb were fused together, bone also showed from the rotted corpses as it slithered all the way up, ignoring physics as it stuck to the wall like some tentacle. Is that what this was? A snake-like being that¡¯s capable of climbing on walls? Mikella couldn¡¯t really make much sense as she Identified.
Rotting Corpse Cobra, Level 58.
She gritted her teeth. Her lip quivered. This wasn¡¯t a monster they can face as easily as the zombies. It was so close to Journeyman rank. What¡¯s worse, as it opened its maw, it revealed what looked like blades that replaced the fangs, then it immediately slammed down onto the group. Each of them escaped in time. They managed to dodge the initial assault, the platform shaking slightly from the impact, and they countered. Piker and Myra each summoned their respective elements of Ice and Fire to coat their blades, and each sliced across the corpse-like slytherin body. Meanwhile, Mikella flared Heavenly Strike with her Sword of Lightning and tried to pierce the head. But before she could actually hit it, more limbs appeared out of the head, catching her unannounced. She shrieked after seeing what looked like the limbs of beasts trying to strangle her. They took her legs and one arm, the other holding the sword left alone. Myra came to the rescue, slicing off the limbs and letting Mikella free, but they had to escape before anymore popped up and tried to catch the two. Piker kept the monster busy as it opened its maw again and more limbs slithered out of the body. They weren¡¯t long enough to catch Piker, so he opted to shoot ice spikes at each one. However, everytime he took out one limb after another, more grew out of seemingly nowhere. The disgusting corpse snake hissed, a gurgling noise that would be nightmare fuel for anyone with sensitive ears. ¡°Myra, go take the front. I¡¯ll attack from the rear!¡± Mikella shouted. ¡°Got it!¡± As she ordered, Myra rushed ahead to the front, becoming engulfed in her own flames as she jumped high and slammed against the corpse monster. The monster hissed in pain, but it retaliated by trying to catch the burning Myra with the limbs despite them burning up flake by flake. Mikella ran around to the side and struck once, twice, three times with her Sword of Lightning, the electric sparks riding around the surface of each of the limbs, but they didn¡¯t seem to do anything noteworthy. She gritted her teeth. This was not the time to be facing a damn monster, a powerful monster equal to a boss. Like Piker said, Zeke could be hurting, or dying, or worse, turning into an undead creature. As her mind went into dark thoughts about such things, more rumbling was echoing that was outside the giant snake¡¯s control. ¡°Great, now what?!¡± Myra complained, and Mikella was ready to curse at whoever that put her through the situation in the first place. She noticed something strange and looked up. She saw¡­ something coming in. The rumble was caused by the very ¡®thing¡¯ that was hitting the walls multiple times over. If she would guess, it looked like a¡­ ball of light? it kept bouncing up and around like a superball. As she feared that it was some incredibly annoying zombie with some special magic, she sensed the hint of security from it. Her eyes widened as she gaped at the sight. That wasn¡¯t a zombie. What was falling at nearly max speed towards the ground was none other than some ball version of¡­ a barrier. The very same barrier, with the very same familiar shrill of a scream that fell at super high speed and slammed right on top of the rotting corpse snake. The impact was strong, strong enough to cause the air to quiver and shake. The already nearly-broken platforms from the fight broke immediately from said impact, falling all over the tower. The snake had its mouth open, but there was no more gurgling sound. The long slithering body soon fell limp, and with no more control over its stickiness, fell over the platform and fell right into the abyss. She received the energy of a kill through her body, feeling the intense energy of the system giving her power. The barrier literally killed the creature as it landed. Then again, the impact was so strong it might as well be considered a ton of bricks falling right on top of your head, which was exactly what happened to the snake. All the while, Mikella and the others watched with awe, with Mikella muttering a single word. ¡°...Zeke?¡± Ch78: Surprise reunion Zeke didn¡¯t know how long he was going around the tower, escaping from the zombies that were hot on his heels, or barrier, he should say. He was still encased in his special barrier, which he now called ¡®Superball Barrier¡¯. He figured that if he was going to create a specialized barrier for escape, then it should get a name. Though it¡¯s in need of some serious improvements. There were some¡­ kinks to iron out. Such as the fact that he had no control on where he landed, or how to even move about. The only thing he could do is surround himself in a super dense elastic barrier while making sure he himself survived from the impacts it made on the inside. He knew it was a genius move to somehow affix himself at the center of his barrier, but he thanked himself multiple times for the idea as he should¡¯ve been killed from the impacts alone. Still, it wasn¡¯t great for his stomach, and he did vomit a few times which only made things worse for him. Throughout the hours, he kept jumping from one place or another. He used everything in his arsenal including Mana Perception, Recovery¡¯s senses, Barrier Craft, and whatever brain cells were left behind after each impact. Needless to say, it was not going swimmingly. But he kept going, not willing to give up¨Cnot until he found the group again, even if he had to do it all day. Though the constant jumping was seriously messing up his directions, and he feared he was going farther and farther from where he was and where the crazy kid who controlled the zombies were. He ended up falling into another layer of the abyss, which he realized was just a visual trick. The truth was that the abyss just actually connected to another room, just in a different layer than before. Then he would jump back to another layer if he hit something, which quite frankly was too much for his senses to bear. Once again, he fell over into another abyss, entering into another layer. This time, it was longer and darker than ever before. He didn¡¯t know whether it was a special case or perhaps he finally found a way out of here. He truly wished it was the former as he couldn¡¯t leave just yet, even if he wanted to. At the least, he needed to bring Mikella back. If possible, the lords and Myra too. As he entered into dangerous thoughts through the fall, he found himself in another layer as expected, but a surprise found him on the other side. A giant snake, and of course it was made entirely out of body parts and limbs. Even if he was used to jumping for miles and smashing straight into zombies before, he screamed like a little boy when he found two of the worst things he could possibly fear; zombies, and the new additions of snakes. Zombie snake. Fuck that. Once again, he had no control over his barrier except when he actually landed and managed to roll, so he ended up smashing straight onto the rotting snake, and actually managed to kill it. Of course, he ignored the energy surging from the system as he witnessed the gross snake head being plastered across his barrier, blood and guts and other unmentionables smearing across his barrier. Thankfully, that actually stopped the motion of the falling barrier, and in return for that the snake couldn¡¯t hold purchase any longer and fell straight down into the abyss beside him, never to be seen again. He would make sure of that. It was unfortunate that all the while, he wasn''t able to loot the monsters he killed, especially that giant snake, but¡­ if he was honest, he preferred not to get any closer than he was now. He rolled pleasantly on the platform, finally giving him room to breathe. He decided to take a small break for once, figuring that taking out a giant snake was good enough to warrant him that. But then a shout got him to flinch as he heard someone speaking his name. ¡°Zeke!¡± He turned¨Cwell, tried to, before letting go of his fixture in the barrier. Apparently even turning his neck was hard to do. He turned to find none other than the very people he was trying to find. More than anyone, he found her. ¡°Mikella!¡± Zeke immediately put away his barrier, landing on the platform. He wobbled, having no sense of balance after being stuck in his barrier for so long. Before adjusting himself, he was later embraced full body contact by Mikella, practically glued to his front as she held onto him tightly. ¡°Whoa, I¡­¡± Zeke tried to say, but just when he was about to let her go, he felt her body trembling. Small sobs could be heard from her beside his head, and he noticed how she held him in tighter. ¡°It¡¯s you¡­¡± She whispered. ¡°It¡¯s really you. Thank god. Thank god¡­¡± Zeke couldn''t hold back his own emotions from spilling over. He didn¡¯t had time to think about it, not really. All he ever cared about was trying to get back to his group, back to Mikella. He found himself almost tearing up from how worried she must have been, realizing that while she was with the party, he was all alone. Figuring all that out, realizing just how lucky he was, he hugged her back tightly, uncaring about whatever distance they had between themselves. Right now, none of that matters. What mattered is that the two were still alive and with each other. ¡°Sorry about this,¡± Zeke whispered, not really knowing what else to say. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to leave you behind.¡± ¡°You were kidnapped, I can¡¯t blame you¡­¡± Mikella said almost exasperated, but she held Zeke up with her arms and smiled. ¡°But I¡¯m glad you¡¯re here now. Just how the hell did you survive all this?¡± ¡°Oh, boy,¡± Zeke shook his head. ¡°Do I have some shit to tell you! First off, I just made a superball barrier, if you uhh¡­ hadn¡¯t noticed that.¡± ¡°I did,¡± Mikella nodded, wiping away the tears coming up in her eyes. Zeke decided to ignore that. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t explain just how you actually beat that boss.¡± ¡°I was literally falling all over the place,¡± Zeke said, pointing up. ¡°Did you know that the dark abyss at the bottom actually changes layers, and not some deathtrap?¡± ¡°You fell into the abyss?!¡± Mikella practically screamed, to which Zeke should¡¯ve expected that. ¡°By accident! ¡­At first,¡± Zeke tilted his head. ¡°Then when I found out that I didn¡¯t die, it was a great way to get away.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Mikella shook her head, exhausted. ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t know why I even bother worrying about you. You always make up something crazy to survive.¡± ¡°Yeah, but I definitely don¡¯t wanna go through that again if possible¡­ hey, Myra!¡± ¡°Zeke!¡± Zeke suddenly noticed that Myra was coming up behind Mikella. She charged in without a care and gave a bear hug to Zeke, which again caused him to exclaim in surprise, before realizing that she was hugging him rather tightly. Before Zeke could say anything, Myra let him go and gave him one of the biggest grins he ever saw on her. ¡°I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re okay! You have no idea how worried sick Mikella was! I thought for sure she was gonna tear this whole tower down before we found you.¡± ¡°H-Hey, come on, I wasn¡¯t that bad¡­¡± Mikella tried to defend herself, a slight blush on her cheeks. But somehow, Zeke knew about that. ¡°I would do the same if it happened to her,¡± Zeke nodded in agreement. Then, his eyes widened when he saw they have another guest with them. Someone very surprising. ¡°Piker?¡± ¡°Good to see you alive and well, Zeke.¡± Piker stepped up, sheathing his weapon after checking that there were no other zombies around. He glared at Zeke up and down, scanning his body for anything. ¡°It looks like you truly did survive. You continue to surprise me for a support mage,¡± Piker said coolly, something that Zeke wasn¡¯t sure whether that was a compliment or an insult. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you¡¯re even here,¡± Zeke said, not even trying to be hostile. It really was surprising to see Piker of all things here, along with Mikella and Myra. ¡°He decided to come along with us,¡± Myra said, pointing her thumb at him. ¡°Honestly, it would¡¯ve been hard to get away if it weren¡¯t for his intervention.¡± ¡°She¡¯s right,¡± Realizing the lead, Mikella stepped forward to explain. ¡°Zeke, Piker really did offer to help us.¡± ¡°Wow, that¡¯s¡­¡± Zeke turned to Piker. He noticed that Piker hasn¡¯t really made any face, but it was easy to tell he was getting awkward. ¡°Thanks, Piker. Seriously¡­¡± ¡°It is only my duty to make sure that the party survives, and the best way to do that is to ensure the safety of the mage capable of creating barriers,¡± Piker said, crossing his arms. The girls, however, didn¡¯t look very pleased as they just glared back at him. ¡°You know, just once, you can try and not be a total douche,¡± Myra commented sourly. ¡°It¡¯s not gonna kill you, you know, ¡°...What¡¯s a douche?¡± Piker tilted his head at the new insult. ¡°T-That¡¯s besides the point,¡± Zeke intervened before they get into a weirdly unsuitable topic. ¡°Where¡¯s everyone else? Is anyone else okay?¡± Immediately, the joyful mood turned solemn as Zeke noticed the instant change in everyone¡¯s faces. Mikella was downcasted, Myra absolutely wilted, and even Piker pressed his lips in silence. Zeke¡¯s heart slammed against his chest. ¡°Hey, what happened? What happened to everyone else? Why are you the only ones here?¡± ¡°W-We separated from the group to try and look for you,¡± Mikella explained. ¡°I wanted to find you, so we took the time of the day to try and do so. The rest of the party are at a cave we found a little far away from here.¡± Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! ¡°We took some heavy losses,¡± Piker continued, causing Zeke¡¯s eyes to widen. ¡°And our morale is despeartely low. I hate to say it, but this is becoming one of the most difficult raids I¡¯ve seen so far.¡± ¡°Difficult? More like we utterly failed,¡± Myra said bitterly. ¡°We lost three of our people. The spear user Joshua, the mage Lisa¡­ and Maxie.¡± Zeke took a step back, breathing heavily. His face turned pale at the mentions of the three names. The spearman he barely knew. Even if he acted like a dick sometimes, he was a decent guy. Lisa was Philip¡¯s friend and a fellow mage like him. That was hard enough to swallow, especially after figuring that Philip had a thing for Lisa. And now, even Maxie¨CJackie¡¯s twin brother and Myra¡¯s childhood friend. His heart raced, the name dropping becoming a catalyst of everything he feared happening. Just for a short time he¡¯s been away, or perhaps nearly a day considering the time spent, they already lost three people without his barriers. Three people, three who had lives, families, and history back at Eve Glade. He almost wavered, shaking his head. The others quickly noticed it. ¡°Three of them¡­ they died?¡± Zeke muttered. ¡°They all¡­ I can¡¯t believe¡­¡± ¡°Zeke.¡± He felt a hand keeping him steady, noticing that it was Mikella holding him, arms outstretched. She looked at him straight in the eyes, steady and focused. ¡°Focus. We have you now. Now we just need to go back to them. We need to clear the dungeon!¡± ¡°But¡­ but if I hadn¡¯t been¡­ I could¡¯ve¡­¡± Zeke tried to say, but his mind wasn¡¯t keeping up with the swirl of emotions trying to swallow him whole. That¡¯s when another hand held his left shoulder, a hand that wasn¡¯t Mikella¡¯s. He looked up to see the tall Piker looking down on him. Mikella let go, surprised at his intervention. The look of his face was solemn, but his eyes told a different story. ¡°You are here now,¡± Piker repeated Mikella¡¯s words. ¡°Your duty is to ensure the safety of our group. We failed to keep you with us. That is our own mistake, not yours. The fact that you survived this whole time on your own is proof of your capabilities. So don¡¯t lose focus. You still have a job to do, soldier.¡± Zeke was taken aback by his sympathy. His tone of voice was sincere, and when he let go, he felt the weight of those lives ease up just a smidge. They were there, but it was bearable. Zeke nodded back to him, then to Mikella. ¡°Right¡­ right¡­¡± Then, he turned to Myra. She noticed him looking at her, and tried to smile. Emphasis on the word ¡®tried¡¯. ¡°I don¡¯t blame you for what happened,¡± Myra said, doing her best to keep up with the energy. ¡°Piker¡¯s right. That was our own mistake, as well as the leaders. Everyone can agree that this raid was a total failure. We just didn¡¯t plan hard enough for the difficulty of the dungeon.¡± ¡°No¡­ no!¡± Zeke realized what was happening, speaking out. That caught their attention as Zeke continued. ¡°There¡¯s someone in charge here. I saw him!¡± ¡°You saw¡­ him?¡± Mikella asked. ¡°Saw who?¡± ¡°A kid!¡± Zeke said, then he fumbled. ¡°Well, not a kid, more like a teen¡­ anyways, he¡¯s the one who¡¯s controlling the zombies!¡± ¡°What?¡± Piker asked. ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? Have you hit your head when you were fooling around in your barrier?¡± ¡°Hey, I only hit my head a few times and I was fine, thank you very much!¡± Zeke said, pointing at Piker. Then realized how stupid that sounded and shook himself. ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I mean! I mean, Mikella, it¡¯s that¡­ you know¡­ that¡­¡± Zeke tried to motion about their special circumstances to Mikella, noticing that Piker was still there. Mikella furrowed her brow, then she noticed what was going on as she responded. ¡°Are you talking about our special status?¡± Mikella asked, only making Zeke widen his eyes like saucers. ¡°Mikella! Shh!¡± Zeke shushed her, exasperatingly holding a finger up to his lips. ¡°We can¡¯t talk about that in front of¡­ you know!¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Mikella looked as though she realized something, putting on an awkward face as she peered at Piker who was just watching the scene with a raised brow. ¡°Umm¡­ if you¡¯re talking about Piker, I, uhh, kinda already told him about us.¡± ¡°...About what now?¡± Zeke took a moment before answering with a blank look. Then they explained that she, in fact, did told Piker about everything. Everything. Including the part where they came from a different world. Needless to say, Zeke was flabbergasted. ¡°You told him?!¡± Zeke shouted, getting Mikella to wince as he did. ¡°I didn¡¯t have a choice!¡± Mikella pleaded. ¡°It was either that or Piker not trusting me enough to continue! Besides, he was cool with it.¡± ¡°How can anyone be cool with the shit we¡¯ve been through?!¡± Zeke said before he ended up slapping his face with a palm, then dragged it down. ¡°Geez¡­ you seriously went ahead with that?¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry, Zeke,¡± Mikella pleaded. She sounded so guilty, her face almost twisting in pain. ¡°I just¡­ I just didn¡¯t want to lose any chance of finding you. So I¡­¡± Zeke took a closer look at Mikella. Being in her shoes, she must have been trying to convince everyone to try and find him, despite the low chance of him surviving on his own. She could also perhaps realized that he was still alive as long as they were connected, somehow. He wasn¡¯t sure either, but that was a reason why she didn¡¯t automatically assume he died. If that was the case, it was only natural to explain what was going on to someone, especially to Piker, to get the message across and try to reunite together. Zeke looked down for a second before responding. ¡°You¡¯re right¡­ you¡¯re right. I¡¯m sorry. I guess I just blew my top off for no reason. Sorry for putting you through so much crap.¡± ¡°If it helps,¡± Myra stepped in, as she already knew about it beforehand. ¡°Piker was pretty cool about keeping it a secret.¡± ¡°As I swore to do to Mikella,¡± Piker said, raising his head up proudly. ¡°I swear to keep this a secret to you as well.¡± Zeke looked up to him now, this time with a hint of skepticism. ¡°You say that, but won¡¯t you say this to your general? As far as I know, considering what she told you, you don¡¯t think this is good news to say to him?¡± Zeke can only expect what Zacharia would do to the two if he found out about their special status. However, Piker seemed almost offended, furrowing his brows. ¡°I shall always be loyal to the general, but I swore my honor to my promise. Regardless of the circumstances, I am bound to my word, even if I must keep this a secret to my father.¡± ¡°Huh¡­¡± Zeke was taken aback by this, only taking a few seconds before his face contorted into shock. ¡°Wait, the general is your dad!?¡± ¡°Foster dad, but yes,¡± Piker answered simply. ¡°Okay, now we know that Piker is with us,¡± Mikella answered, motioning her hands to continue. ¡°Zeke, what did you saw? You said you saw a teen?¡± ¡°Oh, right,¡± Zeke cleared his throat to continue. ¡°Alright, so you know how we basically came out of the same dungeon, right? Same as this tower?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­?¡± Mikella answered slowly, then her eyes widened. ¡°Wait, you¡¯re not saying that¡­ this teen is the same as us?¡± The other two listening stood silent, nearly frozen at the reveal. Zeke nodded in agreement. He explained about how he looked, particularly about his baseball jacket he had on which was proof of his affiliation with their own country no less. ¡°But that still doesn¡¯t explain how he can control all these zombies!¡± Piker added. ¡°Even if he has some special power, that doesn¡¯t¨C¡± ¡°Piker,¡± Zeke intervened, realizing that it was going to take a fair bit to convince him. ¡°Did Mikella tell you about our special status?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Piker slowed his interjection, his face turning pensive. ¡°She did. That would explain how you two managed to get incredible skills at low levels.¡± ¡°Pretty unfair, by the way,¡± Myra commented, not being hostile but still envious. ¡°Bite me,¡± Mikella grinned back at her, getting the two girls to share a ferocious smile. Zeke only rolled his eyes at the battle fanatics before turning back to Piker. ¡°Here¡¯s my guess,¡± Zeke continued. ¡°I think that kid had some skill similar to necromancy. Then hr defeated a boss here with that skill. When he advanced to Apprentice, he probably got a Necromancer class or something along those lines. That would explain everything.¡± ¡°That is¡­ that is too much to handle,¡± Piker shook his head. ¡°But if you think about it, Mikky got her Dragon Warrior Class after beating that, uhh, wyvern thing, right?¡± Myra mentioned, getting the two to nod. ¡°But for him to have this much control over the zombies, then that would mean his class is severely high level,¡± Piker mentioned, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. ¡°Surely the class madness would¡¯ve gotten to him.¡± ¡°Sounds to me like this kid already lost it,¡± Mikella mentioned. ¡°If you saw what you said you saw, it¡¯s pretty clear he¡¯s not thinking the same way anymore. I mean, who on earth gets excited to try and get our powers by turning us into zombies?¡± Zeke frowned as he turned to everyone. ¡°We could guess all day, but that won¡¯t do anything. For now, we need to head back to everyone as soon as possible. I¡¯m worried that without my barriers, there would be more losses. We can¡¯t handle any more than that.¡± ¡°Do you know the way to where this kid is?¡± Piker asked. ¡°If it¡¯s close by, then we can just take him out.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ hard to remember,¡± Zeke grimaced. His Intelligence helped a little, but half the time, everything was a blur that made his stomach turn just by thinking on it. ¡°I jumped a lot throughout the way. But even so, it could be dangerous. The kid could be pretty strong with all those zombies he controls. And he practically painted a target on me¡­¡± ¡°Then that means we need more bodies to protect Zeke,¡± Myra mentioned. ¡°Then as long as he¡¯s protected, the leaders can just take him out.¡± ¡°But it¡¯ll take us a while to walk back to the cave where everyone else is,¡± Piker said, grimacing at the time wasted. ¡°If we pick up the pace now¡­¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have to,¡± Zeke said, pointing at himself with a thumb. ¡°We can just roll with my barrier.¡± ¡°...I¡¯m sorry, what?¡± Mikella asked, now showing her own blank look on her face. ¡­.. ¡°I really don¡¯t like this idea, Zeke!¡± Mikella commented, her voice tinging in fear and panic already. ¡°It¡¯s fine! I already tried this out multiple times!¡± Zeke shouted, currently enforcing his barrier with the three other riders beside him. They were already inside of his barrier which he was now trying to transform the layer to become elastic, turning it into his new form Superball Barrier. This time, he made sure to fix the spatial movements inside his barrier with the runes, which even now surprised the others when he managed to do so. The other three beside him were now affixed along with him at the center, ensuring that they don¡¯t get tossed around and turned into paste. That still didn¡¯t make them feel better as even Piker looked rather uncomfortable. ¡°Are you truly sure about this?¡± Piker asked, Zeke picking up actual fear in his tone of voice. ¡°You wanna get over there as quick as possible? This is the best way. If we all work together, we can roll faster while protecting ourselves against the zombies. We can even ignore the nasty ones that shoot out that smokey undeath at us. I landed right next to one and I was completely fine.¡± ¡°Look, I trust you, Zeke, but this is¡­¡± Myra said, her voice trembling like a little girl. ¡°You guys are warriors, right?¡± Zeke said, finally unable to keep up with their worries. ¡°Then stop your whining and get rolling! It¡¯s done!¡± Just like that, Zeke finished his construction, and as soon as the barrier was made, the sphere started rolling forward. Zeke ordered them to move according to his movements, and when they did so, much to Zeke¡¯s exact plan, they started to roll better with more precision. With each turn, the barrier moved about according to Zeke¡¯s wishes, as long as the others were moving their feet and even using their kinetic energy a bit, as they had plenty of those while Zeke was trying to maintain the Mana around the barrier. It certainly helped that the extra runes he made to keep the connection between their energies and his own made it stable enough to make this work. He even got a level in Runecraft as he did so.
Runecraft Level Up! It is now Level 8. You have gained +1 INT from your skill. You have gained +1 SPI from your skill.
¡°Alright! It worked! Now¡­ let¡¯s just go over the edge and¨C¡± ¡°Umm, no?¡± Mikella promptly ordered. ¡°Let¡¯s just go the normal way!¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m with Mikky on this one,¡± Myra said, trying to do the opposite of Zeke and rolling away. However, the barrier refused to move. The other three, Piker included, all stared at Zeke as he looked back at them. This time, he made sure not to totally fix his body in place for easier turning. ¡°We¡¯re. Going. To. The. Abyss. And that¡¯s final!¡± Zeke said slowly as he forced the barrier along towards the edge. Hearing the screams of the others, including Piker somehow, the barrier was approaching closer and closer to the edge of the platform. ¡°Zeke!¡± Mikella screeched. ¡°How do you even know if it¡¯s going to work!?¡± ¡°Because I literally went through this! We¡¯ll pass through another layer, and end up getting back faster than ever!¡± Zeke said as the momentum carried the sphere straight over the edge. For just a brief moment, everything lurched as Mikella screamed one final time. ¡°Zeke, I swear to god, if I die, I¡¯m going to kill youuuuuuu!¡± That was the last thing Mikella said before her voice elongated as the others followed, falling straight into the abyss below. Ch79: Coming Through! He was infuriated that he was spied on just now, and even now his fury was reaching its maximum peak. Who would¡¯ve thought that the barrier mage, the weakest looking mage in the group, who he thought was already dead by that point, was still alive and somehow managed to spot him? Alex grumbled, thinking that he was using some sort of hacking tool, but then realized that it¡¯s not possible. He¡¯s used to implementing hacking tools, so the only thing he can think of when looking back at that annoying mage was that he was just incredibly lucky. Still, luck doesn¡¯t amount to skill. What does amount is planning ahead. So now that the barrier mage saw him, it was only natural to move ahead with the plan. And what better way to move than towards the group that was close to dying? Using his own way of transportation, he used a boat he made specifically for traveling between the tower¡¯s levels. The boat was made up of the same stone material, using his own zombies to power the mechanical stuff that Alex just didn¡¯t care to study on. All he knew is that when he got that skill book, Mind Over Matter, he took control of the bodies that were around this tower. The ship is the only way to traverse through the layers of the tower. The other zombies were working overtime on the ship to ensure their master doesn¡¯t have to inconvenience himself to move. It was a great way to get around the annoying tower. He wasn¡¯t sure about it, but he knew that the people that once used this ship used it for this very purpose, but then again, Alex was never the type to care much about lore in video games. All he cares about is having fun and beating other people. That¡¯s the point of video games¨Cto kill and have fun. And right now, he was gonna do a lot of that. He looked down at the scene, watching the fight occurring at the very cave that the group was using to give themselves a rest. It was laughable to think that they could actually hide away in a cave in the tower he controlled. It was so hilarious, almost like finding an annoying camper in a shooting game and driving the gun so close to their heads and waiting a little before finishing him off. It would be such a humiliating insult to the guy who never bothered to check his back. He loved those moments. Though he did have to use a tool to finally spot the guy camping. It was only fair, since the game was so bad that it actually had spots that were impossible to find unless someone finds some glitch in there to get in. It was the developer¡¯s fault for making such a thing possible, and Alex only wanted to make it fair by making sure he can do the same, without relying on the developer¡¯s own game mechanics. Normally, he wouldn¡¯t like hacking, but then, wouldn¡¯t it be great if one can just make his own hacking tools? That way, whether breaking the rules or not, he was still doing it with his own skill, not using his parents¡¯ credit card or anything to do the work for him. Still, the group was rather annoying to deal with. The low level noobs should¡¯ve died right about now, but the big guns finally unleashed their power. Alex could¡¯ve sworn he saw more that were missing, figuring that they¡¯ve died or something. But right now, these people are beginning to get annoying. The big black guy was the most infuriating, using his body to practically take on as many large zombies Alex threw at him. He knew he was built like a tank, but the undeath should¡¯ve turned him by now. It looked like he was getting there, but the damn bastard was a tough nut to crack. The other two were just as annoying. The supermodel of a warrior was dancing about, just cutting all of his precious zombies to pieces. Normally dumbass men his age would salivate over her, wondering if they could preserve her shapely body with his kind of skills, but Alex isn¡¯t like that. He was all for equal rights, and that means treating women like the men¨Cas useful body parts to make his zombies better. Then there was that mage. Another mage, but this guy was a clear threat. He was using some type of fireball that wasn¡¯t made of fire to accurately take down many of his special zombies that had the ability to turn someone almost instantly, where even levels wouldn¡¯t matter. The damn mage shouldn¡¯t be able to know about it, but somehow he did. At this point, all of his hard work was about to get evaporated by these three. But he could see it¨Cthe exhaustion on their faces, and their energy was lacking compared to before. Alex smiled. He loved this tactic, walling them into a corner and wearing them down little by little. No matter how strong they were, they won¡¯t be able to handle the exhaustion. This isn¡¯t a game anymore, and now Alex was using everything in his power to ensure his victory. He closed his eyes and called up his good backup for this. A large rumbling ensued, causing the other soldiers to look down. Alex¡¯s smile turned feral when he spotted his greatest creation, something that his high level Necromancer class created from all the creatures he killed throughout this time. It was a lot of work, but seeing it rise up and roaring with as much fervor as possible got Alex giddy. This was what hard work looked like, and he was ready to reap all the benefits. ¡­.. Zeke was very sure they were making good ground on getting to their destination. Although the constant screaming and supposed death throes of his comrades beside him were jabbing at his confidence. They fell through the abyss, something that he was used to after hours of jumping around. Even after ensuring their safety, he couldn¡¯t defend anyone from the emotional stress this was causing them. Eventually, the darkness receded as everyone could plainly see that entering through the abyss was actually entering into another layer. A layer where it still didn¡¯t make sense to Zeke until now. He wasn¡¯t sure, but the last tower they were at didn¡¯t have this, despite the similarities. And he now realized that each tower has their own way of traveling through them. One in particular he noticed was an actual ship, but it didn¡¯t look like one at first glance. The vehicle had a flat surface, with what looked like a pole with strangely glowing patterns on top of another surface wedged onto the pole, acting as the sails. Underneath the flat surface has layers upon layers of condensed stone and glowing patterns much like the sails, making it look like a very plain interstellar ship if he thought about it. It wasn¡¯t active, or at least that¡¯s what his senses picked up after scanning it with his Recovery. He knew that Mana could actually charge it, but by that point his barrier had already missed it by a few hundred feet. Still, it was an interesting discovery. It was too bad he couldn''t really relay his findings to the others who were still screaming their heads off. Mikella was, of course, tugging onto Zeke like her life depended on it despite his skin nearly getting torn off by her fingers. Myra was holding onto Piker of all people, and Piker himself didn''t scream, though the blank look on his face as he stared wide-eyed at the fall didn¡¯t really help his cool facade any further. As they were currently indisposed, Zeke took it upon himself to act as the eyes of the ship, so to speak. He kept peering through the barrier as they jumped from layer to layer of the tower, ignoring every enemy they came across. That also included the zombie that looked like a wraith. An undead creature with cloth that seemed to come alive with no actual body underneath, just the hem fluttering about as it tried to approach the barrier. It flexed its skeletal-like hands up towards them and immediately tried to swallow them all with a dark putrid plume of smoke towards them. Zeke didn¡¯t even have to tell how dangerous that was. Even a warrior who relies on instinct than Mana could tell that breathing that in would kill you in an instant. It was a plume made entirely of Undeath, the very corruption that could turn people into zombies. Of course, that didn¡¯t amount to anything as his barrier not only swiftly flew through the plumes, it also found the poor wraith underneath and squashed it from the powerful force of his superball barrier. Being at the front, Zeke could see the entire process of the wraith getting squashed and turned into paste under the force, seeing that the barrier was clear enough to watch everything. That made his future traumas of zombies and wraiths haunt his mind for weeks to come, something that Zeke couldn¡¯t fix and would receive nightmares for who knows how long. But not now, at least. Several minutes passed as Zeke tried to control the direction of the barrier, something that the others finally picked up by using their kinetic energy to force the barrier to move as they wished. It was actually difficult to control such a thing despite being so close to it, even when Zeke was giving them all the authority for it. It was simply because the momentum was too strong, even if the action to actually control the barrier was possible. Even the warriors were stunned by how much power the barrier could have once it acted like a projectile, something that Zeke was starting to realize that it could turn into a volatile weapon if need be. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Then again, he wished he didn¡¯t have to be inside the damn thing for it to count. Unfortunately, his Barrier Craft skill told him that he can¡¯t actually launch a super condensed barrier from his hand to act as an attack, like a certain projectile attack made by a fighter from the streets. That would be considered using the action for offense, which his skill didn¡¯t allow. Yet for some reason, it does allow Zeke to use it to ram into enemies as long as he was inside. Skills were weird, but then he figured it was impossible to do if it was below a certain skill level. Since his skill was level 9, perhaps nearing its max, it made sense that he can control the skill in any way he chose to now¨Cto an extent, of course. Eventually the entire ride was over, reaching over to the room where it was extremely familiar to the three, but not to Zeke, being as he was kidnapped at the time. It was the same room as always, surrounded by platforms and chains rattling in the ceiling. But there were a lot of new things in place when the three left before. They managed to land in a small crevice at a corner of the wall into the next room, not only giving them a good hiding spot from what was going on outside, but giving them vantage points to see below. Everything was a mess. Zeke noticed through the others that the cave was down there, where everyone was. However, at the front of the cave were the leaders fighting a whole horde of zombies, some reaching as high as giants and others as small, but just as deadly as the giants. And finally, at the distance beyond, Zeke saw the perpetrator of them all. ¡°There he is,¡± Zeke said, pointing at the side for the others to follow. That¡¯s where they saw the one in charge of everything. He stood there at the top side of the room, looking down on everyone like the old classic boss in a video game. He had two severely strong looking zombies decked in heavy armor by his side, all the while peering down with crossed arms and a sneer at them. Just like he saw earlier, the kid looked no younger than 18, with blond locks that were so oily that it looked like he hadn''t showered for weeks on end. His clothes were tattered, but it was clear that they were made from his own country, with the very familiar red jacket of the baseball team from his state. Taking the chance, he Identified the kid.
Necromancer, Level 52
Fuck¡­Zeke shook his head. Not only was this kid high level, he was even reaching towards the Journeyman stage. His class had to be some type of Necromancer class, considering all those zombies around him and the group below were following his commands. ¡°H-He really is from our world¡­¡± Mikella said, almost awed and in shock. ¡°I can¡¯t believe there was someone else other than us.¡± ¡°Yeah, tell me about it,¡± Zeke said. He wished it wasn¡¯t so, especially if he came from their own world. ¡°But it¡¯s the truth. And that guy could not give a flying rat¡¯s ass whether the people down there died or not.¡± Zeke couldn¡¯t help but feel his chest tightening in rage. Down below, he could see the soldiers hiding in the cave. They were tired, exhausted, and they looked afraid. He did see some were missing, the ones that the three told that died while he was away. Kidnapped against his will, and that caused their deaths. If he wasn¡¯t taken away, if Alex hadn¡¯t taken him away from them, they could¡¯ve been alive. That made Alex his enemy, regardless of his age or where he came from. Still, Zeke wanted to at least settle this personally, considering that they came from the same world. Not to mention¡­ ¡°Is he alone?¡± Zeke asked his partner, getting Mikella¡¯s attention. ¡°Or is there someone else with him?¡± ¡°Oh, shit¡­¡± Mikella gasped. ¡°That¡¯s right. But there¡¯s nothing but zombies¡­ unless¨C¡± ¡°We need to get down there!¡± Myra interrupted their thoughts, ready to unsheath her weapon but held it back since they were still in his barrier. ¡°They need our help!¡± ¡°The leaders looked exhausted,¡± Piker relayed, a look of consternation on his face. ¡°I have never seen the general look so pale before. The undeath must be taking its toll.¡± ¡°Wait,¡± Mikella called out, getting their attention. ¡°I think something¡¯s¨C¡± A rumble occurred, getting everyone to instantly prepare themselves. Or rather, to make sure to stay still in Zeke¡¯s barrier as the rocks around them started to shake and fall into the abyss. From the abyss itself came a large creature climbing up along the platform. What appeared was a colossal titan of a zombie. Ranging higher than a five story building, it climbed up the platform with its hulking fingers pressing onto the stone. It nearly broke, but it was sturdy enough to hold as it held itself up. It was so huge, it used the tower itself as footing, the walls caught beneath its giant feet. It was formed out of every single zombie imaginable, as if used together seamlessly over and over like finely woven thread. There wasn¡¯t even blood adorning the body, yet it was gruesome to look at, what looked like skin and muscle made entirely out of rotting parts. Zeke couldn¡¯t help but use Identify, and was staggered as a result.
Colossal Zombieman, Level ??
He knew that having question marks at his stage meant that it was Journeyman rank, but it felt different from the Red-maned giant. Compared to the giant who specialized in combat and magic, this thing specialized in being a huge-ass zombie. The leaders looked ready to fight it, but their eyes clearly showed hesitance, and Val looked back at the others in worry. The others in the barrier stood silent, unable to figure out what else to do. It was then that Mikella prodded his shoulder, getting him to turn. ¡°Zeke, do you think we can use this barrier to make a surprise attack?¡± His eyes widened. He didn¡¯t think about using it as an ambush, but further thought made him consider it. ¡°That¡¯s probably a good idea, but we¡¯ll need to have a lot of momentum, won''t we?¡± Piker added, pointing backwards from their ¡®travel¡¯ to here. ¡°Like we did with those other monsters?¡± ¡°I think I might be able to recreate that momentum with my runes,¡± Zeke said, catching their attention. ¡°But we¡¯re gonna need to power it up with a lot of energy¡­ what do you guys think?¡± ¡°I think you¡¯re offending us if you think we can¡¯t handle providing you the energy,¡± Myra said, her fierce smile returning. ¡°Go for it. We¡¯ll get ready!¡± ¡°Zeke,¡± Mikella asked. ¡°How¡¯s your Mana?¡± ¡°Around half, but I think I can manage it,¡± Zeke grimaced. ¡°But I¡¯m not really certain if the barrier can withstand the impact if we¡¯re doing what I think we¡¯re doing¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s good enough,¡± Piker added. ¡°Zeke, focus on reinforcing the barrier and making the rune. We¡¯ll provide the power.¡± Hearing all of them in accordance, Zeke nodded to himself. The battle seem to have started with both Zacharia and Cloud attacking the monster while Val continued to take on the smaller monsters, now all by herself. Zeke immediately went to work, not willing to lose anybody else. He created several barrier mediums and plastered them straight onto the superball barrier. There, he drew the connecting runes to create the rune array they planned on. Just like before, he used the mediums to use the power of kinetic energy, but instead of forcing it through the barrier like they did with the red-maned giant, it was created to direct the flow of energy around the barrier. For that, he had everyone put their hand on his shoulders and back to transfer the energy. It was a weird experience. It was a trick Cloud taught him along with Val. One can actually give their own resources to another to help fill them up again. However, the transfer rate was extremely poor, transferring only around 60 to 80%, depending on how high their resource stats are. But for the three behind him, their Endurance was high on the marks, so he received a lot of power. He still wasn¡¯t good with detecting kinetic energy. He didn¡¯t had Kinetic Perception after all¨Cbut fortunately he didn¡¯t had to. His Gloves of Sanctuary was carrying everything on its back as the gear helped the energy flow through his body, through the gloves, and straight into the array on the superball barrier. Thanks to that, all the energy flowed through easily without any lost resources. Then, he created an opening below the barrier, putting another medium on the ground right below the superball. He drew another rune array to help ¡®push¡¯ the barrier forward, also powering that with the help of his comrades. Still, even with the added kinetic energy, he had to focus on transferring them properly, and that wasn¡¯t just draining his Mana¨Cit was draining his mental focus. But despite it all, he was actually¡­ sharper. He didn¡¯t know why, despite feeling like a dullard his whole life before coming to this world. He never felt more focused, so in-tune with the work he¡¯s doing. That reminded him of what Cloud mentioned before. About how he had a special knack for this kind of stuff that nobody else could even replicate. He wasn¡¯t sure about that, even now. But in this moment, where everything was on the line to help others, he couldn¡¯t help but lean on that idea, to use his own special talent to help. And soon his creation was done. With one array on his barrier and another underneath, he was prepared. He looked back to find the other three nearly sweating and exhausted, almost looking ready to faint. Their Stamina was low now, but the barrier was charged with kinetic energy thanks to his Recovery skill¡¯s senses. ¡°You guys might wanna get ready for this,¡± Zeke smiled, a hint of madness in his eyes. ¡°We¡¯re going to have a bumpy ride.¡± The others couldn¡¯t help but agree, showing the same fierce look in their eyes. Zeke turned around, then willed his Mana to activate the two rune arrays. In that single, short moment, the chaos outside reaching the apex as the Colossal Zombieman continued to make an onslaught to his group, Zeke wished with all his heart that this would work. The runes activated, and the unmoving barrier that was stuck in place for a while suddenly charged forward with the impact of a cannon firing. Zeke had already reinforced the barrier, but in this mad rush ahead, he noticed the barrier¡¯s density flashing. The force was so strong that it was actually causing the barrier to nearly break from it. He didn¡¯t take into account just how much power each of his comrades¡¯ kinetic energy would be. But that was barely a problem. No, the real problem was that he didn¡¯t think he would go this fast, so now the barrier was rushing straight into the torso of the giant zombieman. In another single instant, the barrier made contact, a powerful force of air exploded from the crash between the two opposing forces, with the one pushing forward winning. The zombieman¡¯s entire body nearly collapsed upon itself as the barrier dragged the giant body forward, straight into the tower¡¯s walls. Then they broke through it in a hailstorm of rock and debris, entering into another room. Then another, and another¡­. And another. Ch80: Not on the same team Val was exhausted beyond reasoning. She felt as though everything was trying to ruin her life as well as her comrades. Worse yet, the deaths of her soldiers weigh heavy on her mind, and even now, her two proteges and Piker were still out there, trying to find Zeke, which she hated to admit might have been too late. They were just waiting in the cave when suddenly a horde of zombies came and found them. They only just found out that there was someone in charge of the tower, a necromancer by the looks of it, and it looked to be nothing more than a child playing god. The worst of it all was that the child was strong enough to make an army of zombies ready to take them out. It would¡¯ve been easy to strike him out, but not only were they exhausted, the other soldiers were still recovering, so the leaders had no other choice but to hold out. And when the giant zombie came around, Val was afraid that they might have to make sacrifices. She wanted to at least let the soldiers go as the other two took care of the giant boss, but she found out that she had to take out the smaller monsters before they could kill what in her eyes were children. The other soldiers tried to help, but it was clear that things didn¡¯t look good. Val hated that a small quarter in her heart wished that she and her husband could survive to get back to her daughter. She felt ashamed, but she would gladly give up her role as captain if it meant returning to her daughter. She clearly had no right to be in charge of a platoon if she let her own soldiers die like this. But just as things took a turn for the worse, the giant zombieman was ambushed by a glowing ball of light. It was large enough to take on the torso, and powerful enough to actually manhandle the boss straight into the walls. What she couldn¡¯t believe was that there were people in the ball of light. That ball was a barrier, and it was none other than Zeke, Mikella, Myra, and Piker¨Cthe four that went off on their own have somehow come back to strike. The zombieman was then taken straight towards the wall, and even went through it as it caved the tower in by destroying more walls beyond that. The mess that was created left the leaders in shock at the sight. ¡°That was¡­¡± Zacharia said, still holding onto his giant sword with a sweaty pale face. ¡°The barrier mage, Zeke, and the others?¡± ¡°They found him!¡± Val exclaimed with unhidden joy. ¡°And they came back!¡± ¡°And it looks like they seriously pissed off the kid.¡± As though on cue, Val looked up to see the kid watching them from above with a sneer twisted into a look of rage. He looked baffled of course, just like the rest of them, but he quickly showed a look of absolute fury as he barked orders at his undead lackeys, and the two hulking zombies picked him up like he was a child and jumped straight down. As they were zombies, they had no problems landing with ease on the platform, which they then hightailed straight after the hole that the zombieman created from the impact. ¡°We¡¯ll need to back them up,¡± Cloud said. ¡°But once we clear out the stragglers.¡± ¡°Couldn¡¯t agree with you more,¡± Zacharia said, finally showing the brief of teamwork towards Cloud. Val could only thank the gods for the chance. Her own fear was clutching at her, but seeing this now only concluded that they were still in the running. Gripping her sword like her life depended on it, she charged first into battle against the horde that wished to take more of these children¡¯s lives. ¡­.. A cacophony of groans exuded from everywhere as Zeke tried to make sense of what just happened. His eyes were closed and his body felt numb and bruised. A strangely normal happening for him in this world. Then he remembered what he just did, and looked up. The barrier was gone, as expected. He shouldn¡¯t have gotten hurt throughout the process if that was the case. He remembered the shattering that occurred the moment they hit the zombieman. He failed to take into account the strength of his comrades¡¯ kinetic energy, and this was the result. He quickly looked around, surveying the area to find that he was truly far away from the others back at the cave. This time, the room was different from the rest. It was a large hall, almost as though entering the final room of a ziggurat, arrayed with large pillars that seem to go forever upwards. Unlike the rest of the decrepit tower, this felt clean, almost untouched by the undeath. He looked back to find what should¡¯ve been the main center point. Not exactly a treasure trove or a throne, but at the least some important marking or figure. Whatever it was, it was absolutely destroyed thanks to the giant zombieman that was adorning itself in its place. And from the looks of it, it was unmoving. Its eyes, or least he thought they were eyes, were glassy and distant looking, almost as if¡­ That was then he spotted the notification, and he pulled it up. It was as he expected, and he still couldn¡¯t believe it.
Level up! You are now Level 30. You gain 2 free points (2 FP total). You have gained +1 DEX from your class. You have gained +1 INT from your class. You have gained +1 SPI from your class.
¡­..
Due to achieving level 30, you are now able to take in an attunement of your choice. Upon doing so will allow you to advance to Expert. Attunement available: N/A
Strangely enough, the last level up he remembered was against facing the red maned giant. Surely after that, he must have killed, or at least helped kill, more than thousands of zombies and other sorts of creatures. Yet he only just now got a level after facing and killing what looked like the worst boss of the bunch. The experience ratio in this place was either incredibly crazy, or perhaps reaching level 30 was supposed to be harder than one would expect. If it¡¯s the latter, including the special status XP share link, that would start to make sense. He also considered that one-shotting a Journeyman mid rank boss wasn¡¯t considered all that difficult. The easier it was to kill something, the lower the XP gained. That would make a lot of sense, even if it did seem unfair. He supposed those who relied on backstabs and surprise attacks won¡¯t be as strong as those who faced them head on with a lot of risks involved. After considering the risks facing that giant zombie head on, though, he would gladly take a hit in his XP gain to survive. The bit about his attunement being unavailable actually distressed him a little. He hoped that it would at least show he could take a basic mana boost, just as he and Mikella planned¨Cbut it doesn¡¯t look like their special status plays by the rules. It looks like they have no choice but to take in any attunement they could find. The problem is¨Cfor how long can they hold out? He was thankful that he had a message, or rather a warning of his coming milestone breaking, but he didn''t have the time to go through it at the moment. He turned to find his comrades. If he was fine, being weak as he was, surely the others would as well, but it¡¯s another story if they were crushed underneath the zombieman. Thankfully, he spotted his partner who was on the ground, her eyes closed but groaning profusely. ¡°Mikella!¡± He shouted, going over to her. He picked her up and lightly tapped her face multiple times, forcing her to wake up. Feeling the urgency of his soft slaps, her eyes fluttered open to find him. ¡°Zeke¡­? Zeke!¡± Realizing the situation, she immediately got up, taking a glance at her surroundings with a wince from her injuries. She didn¡¯t look badly injured, but like him, she must have suffered some mild hits and was sore all over. She must have also noticed the notifications as she first gave off a relieving breath, then turned to find him. ¡°Where are Myra and Piker?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t seen them yet, but they should be¨C¡± ¡°Hey!¡± The two turned quickly to find Myra and even Piker coming up towards them. She ran towards the two, kneeling down at their level while Piker took his time. He looked worse for wear, somehow. Wounds were all across his body. ¡°Holy¨CPiker! What happened!?¡± Zeke shouted before he got up and offered to use Recovery. Piker took it with ease, letting off a relaxed breath before explaining. ¡°The barrier broke upon closing up. I managed to take the time to get ourselves away by using my magic to get us out. However, I didn¡¯t see the two of you. I managed to get Myra out of the way, however.¡± Piker explained how he managed to create snow from his attunement, big and fluffy enough to crash without too much strain. It actually explained the strange chill in the room, and upon observing closer, he saw bits of snow already starting to melt¨Cthe attunement¡¯s magic not powerful enough to be left lasting long in the physical world. ¡°My body was too hot for the magic, so he used his body to protect me when we faced through the rocks. I was totally out of it by that point,¡± Myra then turned back to Piker. ¡°Again, I can¡¯t say it enough¨Cthank you. Seriously.¡± Piker only rolled his eyes, not willing to once again gain any praise. Myra, however, didn¡¯t seem keen to let it go as she smiled at him instead. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine now,¡± As though ready to move on, Piker thanked Zeke with a nod. ¡°My Health is recovering over half now. You must preserve your mana.¡± Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. ¡°How is it now?¡± Mikella asked, giving her own thanks to Piker for the help with a nod. She turned to Zeke, who then looked back at his status. He put all of his free points into his Spirit, the amount of mana on hand being the only tool he found useful throughout this whole nightmare. Despite reaching over 100 in his Spirit stat, he clicked his tongue as he felt his mana reserves. ¡°Pretty low, even after the level up,¡± Zeke said. ¡°Hey, considering you took this thing down in one shot, only having just a little bit of mana is pretty impressive,¡± Myra pointed out, and also pointed at the massive zombieman that was now truly deceased, strange as it was. ¡°It must be totally based on offense if it can¡¯t handle that attack,¡± Mikella offered, rubbing her chin. ¡°That or Zeke¡¯s barrier¡¯s a lot tougher than we thought.¡± ¡°Nah, it was your kinetic energy,¡± Zeke shook his head, surprising them. ¡°My barrier couldn''t withstand it, that¡¯s why it broke apart. I failed to realize how much it was actually needed, so sorry for that¡­¡± ¡°Hey, we managed to survive, and we even took down the boss,¡± Myra then turned to Piker. ¡°And even Piker isn¡¯t scowling as much. It¡¯s all good!¡± Zeke did realize that despite being the only one hurt, Piker was indeed satisfied looking, at least when he looked at the giant zombie. ¡°We got three whole levels from that too!¡± Myra said, propping up three fingers to show. Even Piker couldn¡¯t help but let a smirk escape from him. ¡°Lucky¡­ we only got a single level,¡± Mikella groaned. ¡°Though we finally reached level 30. Though¡­ it didn¡¯t mention any attunement to take on. We were planning on getting a simple boost, but nothing¡¯s showing up for us.¡± ¡°What?¡± Piker¡¯s satisfied smile disappeared, his brows creased in confusion. ¡°Impossible, it should at least¡­ wait¡­¡± ¡°Does this have something to do with you guys¡¯ special status?¡± Myra said in alarm. ¡°It literally doesn¡¯t mention anything at all? Even when I got into Expert, I got plenty of choices, ranging from the simple boost to even the tiny bit of Nature from back then.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I thought,¡± Zeke grumbled, rubbing his chin. ¡°It looks like our choice is to take in any attunement regardless of what¡¯s around us¡­¡± ¡°But that¡¯s¨C¡± ¡°You fuckers!¡± A high screeched voice echoed out, interrupting their conversation. ¡°Do you have any idea how long it took me to make that zombie!?¡± They all turned to find the voice belonged to none other than the child Zeke saw. Compared to before, the blond teen looked furious, being carried by one of his hulking bodyguards as each of them landed in front of them. The teen practically fought off the zombie and got himself down, making Zeke realize that he was shorter than he expected. Perhaps around the low end of five feet. That only made his scowling face all the more like seeing a chihuahua growling at them. It didn¡¯t look any better that there were plenty of blood stains and other gunk staining his once modern clothing. ¡°It took me a month, a whole month, to make that wonderful zombie, and you all just take it out?! Have you no shame?! Camping is a total bitch move and everybody knows it!¡± Zeke couldn¡¯t help but just marvel at this small creature with incomprehension. Despite the gravity of this new reality, he was treating this as though it was an actual game. Mikella herself didn¡¯t look very pleased, her face wilting into disgust at the kid. Still, there was that pinch of concern on her face, which Zeke realized was the same as his. Myra and Piker, on the other hand, knew an enemy when they saw one. They each unsheathed their weapons, ready to fight to the death. So far, everyone else was busy with the numbers outside, and if this kid is responsible for them all, then taking him out would surely help with the situation. But if Zeke could somehow convince Alex of his wrongdoing, perhaps they don¡¯t need to go into a violent fight. Sure, he¡¯d probably have to get punished, and he was certain that Alex won¡¯t just suddenly go along with it. But it¡¯s better to try at least, considering their circumstances. ¡°Hey!¡± Zeke shouted, getting his attention despite still scowling at them. ¡°You¡¯re from America, right? The good ole¡¯ United States?¡± That immediately got his attention, turning to the barrier mage. Rather than angry, he had a mixture of that emotion as well as shock. ¡°We¡¯re from the same place,¡± Zeke said, making sure not to point out Mikella, but instead vaguely around them. He didn¡¯t want to show any more information other than this. ¡°You were sent here against your will too, right? Suddenly taken to this tower?¡± Zeke tried hard not to add in ¡®hell hole¡¯ despite this place being everything but pleasant. Even if the kid would agree, it¡¯s better not to add more aggression than necessary. ¡°You¡¯re from America, too?¡± Alex said, his anger suddenly easing up now. ¡°Seriously?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Zeke said, covering his chest with his hand. ¡°We were stuck in a tower too, but we managed to escape. I¡¯m not sure what happened to you, but if you¡¯re in trouble, we can figure something out!¡± He heard Mikella approach him, her voice whispering in his ear. ¡°Zeke, what are you doing?¡± ¡°Trying to avoid fighting to the death,¡± Zeke commented softly. ¡°You seriously think this is gonna work?¡± Mikella added, a touch skeptic. ¡°This kid isn¡¯t working with a full set of tools, you know.¡± ¡°Not really, but any stalling is better than nothing, and if it works out, then maybe it¡¯s for the best.¡± Zeke knew this wouldn¡¯t really work, not truly. The kid has clearly done some messed up things to get to where he is now, and if their theory of him having a too high of a level to make a stable mind is taken into account, it¡¯s only even more natural that they won¡¯t end up with a peaceful solution. Still, if Zeke could, he really would prefer not having to kill a teen over this. There¡¯s already so much death as it is. He would prefer not to add more blood to this situation. ¡°What do you mean trouble?¡± Alex asked, almost in offense. ¡°You think I need any help? If anything, you guys made a mistake! This tower is my garden of death! Out of everyone here, I managed to kick their asses and take their corpses for myself! Once I figure a way out of here, I¡¯ll show the world what I¡¯m made of!¡± Alex spread his arms out wide, a pure look of ecstasy on his face. Even the zombies on his side began to clap as though on cue, only adding more disturbing awkwardness to his declaration. However, Zeke gawked at him, taking his words into thought¨Cdid he mean what he thought he mean? ¡°Wait, did you¡­ did you kill the others that were stuck here along with you?¡± He had an inkling. But he feared for the answer. However, his fears proved true as Alex only grinned back at him. Shivers ran down his spine. Mikella¡¯s eyes widened in alarm, then quickly shifted into rage, gripping her sword tighter. Myra and Piker could only frown further at the revelation. Zeke¡¯s mind whirled. Somehow, there was more people, just like how Zeke wasn¡¯t alone in his tower, stuck with Mikella and Clara. But instead of working together, this kid just killed them. Were they one of the zombies that had attacked them, only to be struck down without a second thought by them? ¡°Do you have any idea what you¡¯re doing?¡± Zeke fought back, unable to hold in his emotions. ¡°You¡¯re killing actual people! This ain¡¯t a game, this is real life! Yeah, there¡¯s levels and skills, but the people you¡¯re killing are not NPC¡¯s or computer generated! They¡¯re actually real!¡± ¡°I know that, dumbnuts. Why, you think it was fake before?¡± Alex said, looking down on Zeke as though he was mentally damaged. ¡°That¡¯s why this world kicks ass! Way better than being back at the special home my parents sent me! Way better than being treated like some psychopath when my genius is actually better suited here than in that boring world! So don¡¯t bother trying to ¡®convince¡¯ me to join the good guys¨Cif anything, you guys are the dumb fucks who think this world is better off working together. Solo play all the way, baby!¡± Zeke pulled his face with his palm, actually almost hurting from his words. Alex was truly out of his mind. Even worse when he unintentionally revealed his background, something that Zeke already kind of figured out, but didn¡¯t think it was actually true. Piker stepped forward, his glare returning in full force. ¡°I had enough of this farce. It¡¯s clear that he has no intention of stopping.¡± ¡°Sorry, Zeke,¡± Myra said, apologizing as she turned to him. ¡°I know he¡¯s probably from your country, but there¡¯s no chance for this kid. We gotta take him out.¡± Zeke tilted his neck, unable to go against his comrades¡¯ words. They were right. In the end, a fight was inevitable. Mikella grabbed his shoulder once, nodding to him to get back into reality. He knew there was no chance, but it was worth a try. But he only ended up regretting it. The amount of sins this kid wracked up can¡¯t compare to even hardcore criminals in their old world. Alex has no chance of redemption. As soon as Mikella drew her own weapon at Alex, it was clear now that the time for talk is over. Alex sneered at them. ¡°Looks like you finally stopped wasting my time,¡± Alex declared, spreading his arms apart. ¡°But if you don¡¯t want to fight me that badly, then all you gotta do is join up with me. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll take away that pesky life thing you have and make you ten times better, a million times better even!¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Zeke shook his head. He honestly felt pity for him. Pity, but nothing else more. ¡°He¡¯s done for.¡± ¡°Says you!¡± As though pretending that everything he said wasn¡¯t hostile at all, he pointed at them angrily as his bodyguards ran forth. Myra and Piker first came up, trying to subdue the two. But one of the bodyguards stepped in front and crossed its bulky fleshy arms. It suddenly radiated mana as clumps of stone and rock formed around it, defending each one of the mana-charged fire and ice blade attacks from the two fighters. It swung its arms wide and pushed them away, and then returned to a guardian like stance of crossing both its arms again. ¡°Ugh, a defender, great,¡± Myra complained, clicking her tongue as she jumped forward to deliver a powerful overhead slash. The earth-focused zombieman blocked it with just one arm, while using the other to defend against Piker¡¯s low end attack, his blade coated in ice. The frost soon took over the left arm, with Myra taking that advantage to strike that one down as it was weakened. However, a large slag of rock suddenly jutted out in front of her from the stone ground, creating a sort of spider web-like crack underneath as it took her flaming sword attack with ease. The flames dispersed as though the rock itself was made entirely out of anti-flame substance, leaving not even a scorch behind. ¡°What¡¯s with this thing!¡± Myra cursed as she delivered blow after blow, but the zombie man refused to budge. Not even Piker could handle it, despite trying his hardest to cover the damn zombie in frost. It continued to persist, as though it had nothing else better to do. But the better part was that it didn¡¯t even attack, not once. Not even doing a counter attack despite having multiple chances for it. Zeke could only surmise that this zombieman was built entirely out of defense, and if he were to guess, it somehow has the body that had the attunement of earth, specializing in defense even further. That alone made him dangerous, but soon the other zombieman rushed forward to take Zeke out, but Mikella intervened and struck it with her sword thrust. Unlike the earth-based zombieman, this one was light on its feet as it suddenly somersault backwards, landing to a kneel. Then, a burst of air ensued from its hidden hand, then pounced onto Mikella with a fast ferocity. It almost took her out if Zeke hadn¡¯t prepared a barrier beforehand, stopping the powerful thrust of pure wind that was equaling a hurricane in sound. The wisps of sharp wind showered around the barrier, but it never lost its density as Zeke dispersed it, as though the attack didn¡¯t activate at all. However, the zombieman stood up almost menacingly, both its hands enshrouded in powerful wind that seemed to mess with their sight. ¡°Okay, this is unfair,¡± Mikella shouted, shifting her stance with her sword. ¡°How the hell did this kid get these zombies with magic?¡± ¡°Pure skill and determination, baby!¡± Alex shouted out, pumping his chest with pride. ¡°...Don¡¯t call me ¡®baby¡¯.¡± Mikella¡¯s voice darkened as her eyes sharpened, turning bright yellow as fury overwhelmed her. As though summoning the power of a hurricane herself, Mikella dashed forth in a frenzy as she fought the wind zombieman in a whirlwind of blades and strikes. She was using all her skills in concert, at least to Zeke¡¯s eyes, ensuring that the fast minion doesn¡¯t land a hit on her. She was even using her Sword of Lightning as more of a backup blade, using the lightning to get an edge. At this point, there was no need to use his barriers for her. With the rate she was moving about, he¡¯d most likely get in her way rather than helping. He also saw on the other side that both Myra and Piker, while not hurt at all, were doing their hardest to take down the earth minion with barely any change. At this point, it won¡¯t do at all if left like this. So Zeke decided. In order to end this all, he had little choice but to go after the main source of the problems himself. But would he be able to handle it? Ch81: Concluding Fights Everything around her was on fire. It felt hot and uncomfortable, and no matter how many times she wished for it to stop, the fires never ended. She was hugged tightly by Vivian, her arms caked in flames and wounds, but still held onto both her and Ana by her side. Despite her usual crazy self, Ana was really scared, hugging onto Vivian tightly. The town was on fire, as monsters that looked like the metal knights from that horrible tower were attacking them with flying rocks that were also on fire, causing the destruction around them. Vivian and the girls were together with the rest of the townsfolk huddled together, where dozens of soldiers were out fighting outside of town and the other soldiers sticking with them. If Bobo was here, he would have put up a barrier that would protect them, but he wasn¡¯t. Now so many people were getting hurt, and Vivian refused to let them go no matter what. Even when she saw that Vivian was afraid, she kept telling them that they would be alright. She also said that to the other children that were around, cradled with their parents as their loved ones were out there fighting. But soon one of the flaming rocks was about to land on them. Vivian and the others ran away with the children, but the flying rock made everything explode, injuring some of them. The children were fine, but when Clara looked back, she saw Vivian down on the ground, blood marking her face. ¡°Vivian!¡± Clara shouted, hugging the downed Vivian tightly, but she wouldn¡¯t wake. At this rate, the attacks will keep coming. That¡¯s when Ana prodded her. ¡°Let¡¯s go to our house!¡± Ana shouted, her eyes brimming with tears, but she had a resolute look on her face. ¡°We¡¯ll use the orb!¡± ¡°The¡­ orb?¡± Clara said, repeating the word. ¡°Mommy and Daddy said that if something bad happens, use the orb! So we use the orb!¡± Clara didn¡¯t understand what was happening, but if her Mommy and Daddy said that, that means the orb can protect them. Without anyone else noticing them going, the two ran off towards their home. They wanted to help Vivian, but she was too heavy to lift for their tiny bodies. Clara can only hope that the orb can save Vivian just as much as everyone else here. Thankfully, the house was far away from the mayhem as most of the damage was happening at the center of the town. They got into the house, and Clara almost wished they could just stay here. The sound of the outside was dampened, and if she hid under a bed, she could be protected. But she knew that wouldn¡¯t be enough. Besides, it felt wrong being the only one here along with Ana when there were so many people out there getting hurt with them. Ana ran towards the corner of the house, then asked Clara to help her. There was a small latch on the bottom, and when Ana tried to open it, she said it was too heavy. But thankfully with the two of them, they managed to open the latch from below, opening it upwards to reveal a small staircase. The two girls followed the staircase, the scene becoming darker. Clara was afraid, but she could hear Ana¡¯s fervent breath as she rushed down. Soon the darkness slowly disappeared as there was a light showing up. She noticed that at the end of the staircase was a pillar of rock, and on top of that pillar was a round ball that was glowing a bright yellow color. ¡°Clara, let me get on your back!¡± Ana said. ¡°If anyone else touches this other than me or Mommy and Daddy, they get hurt!¡± Clara nodded, clearly not wanting to get hurt by touching it herself. She went down on her knees and let Ana get on top of her. Ana was super heavy, but she refused to budge as Ana stepped up to the top of the pillar and grabbed the orb. Ana then quickly got off of Clara and even wiped off the dirt from her back for her help. Clara saw the orb up close herself, then looked back at Ana. ¡°Now what?¡± ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know. I thought it was going to ¡®activite¡¯ when I touched it. It¡¯s not working!¡± Ana was clearly panicking, but Clara somehow knew that it wasn¡¯t the case. The orb just hasn¡¯t started working yet. Then, she heard something. It felt¡­ familiar, almost friendly like. The words spoken to her felt warm and kind. It reminded her of Sissy. Then the voice disappeared, and suddenly Clara shook her head. Ana noticed her and asked. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°I think you need to throw it down,¡± Clara said, and when Ana looked at her like she was crazy. ¡°But think about what to do with it.¡± ¡°How do you know?¡± Ana asked, surprised but thankful for the info. ¡°I heard from another friend of mine!¡± Clara declared, and that got Ana tilting her head. ¡°She said she knows a lot about magic.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s this friend?¡± ¡°Oh¡­ she said not to tell her name. I think she¡¯s shy,¡± Clara answered, tilting her head at that. Ana understood as she looked back at the orb. ¡°But¡­ what do I think about?¡± Ana asked. Clara hesitated slightly, but then her eyes glowed as she realized. ¡°Bobo¡¯s barrier!¡± Clara shouted, her eyes gleaming at the magic he displayed for the first time back at the tower. ¡°Think about Bobo¡¯s barrier, then throw it!¡± Ana understood as she nodded. Then, she threw the orb of inheritance down with a loud yelp. The orb crashed on the ground and cracked, making a sharp sound of glass breaking. But as soon as it did, a powerful feeling of a blanket covered them all. A large and wide circle showed up like the barrier, but it didn¡¯t just go through them, but throughout the entire house. Outside, the orb¡¯s magic reached upwards and onwards, creating a large dome of magical energy that covered nearly half of the entire town. The other soldiers quickly noticed this and took advantage as they retreated back inside, believing this to be the work of their own mages, however misinformed they were. They left the enemy knights from the outside to charge in. Only to get obstructed on the way in, kept out of the large barrier. They cursed as they kept slamming the newly made barrier, but it was so strong that not even their best attacks could damage it. They thought it was strange how the barrier seemingly ignored all the enemy knights and instead pushed them out¨Crather forcefully as some ended up with broken bones and limbs from the sudden barrier appearing. It wasn¡¯t all that surprising. After all, the orb was charged with the power of two Journeyman-staged parents who had to give up half their power for their child. ¡­.. Bouts of wind almost sliced her flesh as Mikella charged another electrified thrust at her opponent. Despite being a corpse, the damn zombieman was a terror to fight against. First off, it feels no pain, so even if Mikella tried to do some feints here and there, it won¡¯t matter at all if the damn thing doesn¡¯t care whether it gets hit or not. Second, she had little choice but to avoid getting hit, so most of her attacks were just grazes on its pale rotting flesh as she tried to get away. She was glad that Zeke wasn¡¯t around to provide a barrier as the battle was too close for comfort. If she was too far away, the zombieman would strike her down with a ranged twister-like attack, and that can extend pretty damn far. She wasn¡¯t sure how, but the air just traveled around everywhere, having a will of its own as it tried to corner her and slice her. She had little choice but to keep it close-combat, but that didn¡¯t help much either as the zombieman¡¯s every strike with its punches were packed with enough quickened momentum that it could split her skull in half with just a jab. She kept pouring her will into her strikes, using the Sword of Lightning as a source of external power rather than an actual weapon. She instead used her own enchanted steel sword to deal the strikes, using only the Sword of Lightning as a guard of sorts to deflect the attacks rather than outright shielding her. She felt her Class Madness actually creeping up on her, no longer kept at bay due to Zeke finally being safe. But there was one bit of good news that kept her sane. First, the zombieman was such a hard monster to fight that she had little choice but to put all her mental energy to survive. There was also that psychopath kid Alex. His example of his class taking over his mind was a good deterrent to keep her from losing control, but the two have clearly different ideologies when using their classes. The zombieman rushed forward, dealing an uppercut straight towards her, but she managed to duck and weave about. However, the burst of sharp wind managed to get her, slicing up her collarbone and upper torso. She considered switching weapons, perhaps to gain an edge, but she quickly threw that idea away. It wasn¡¯t as if using a spear or an axe could help anyway, but worse yet, if she lost the sword, she wouldn¡¯t be able to use most of her Class skills. So she fought on, her hands gripping tightly to the hilt of her sword while slicing at the monster at three times per second. Yet as though the very air supported the zombie, it managed to avoid every hit and deliver a corkscrew punch straight to her jaw. Pain exploded across her face as not only her face felt like it was breaking apart, wind rushed through her as her skin was cut up. Meditation worked overtime as she fell over to the ground, blood pouring from her mouth and nose while her jaw felt off balance, almost broken.
Meditation Level Up! It is now Level 6. You have gained +1 INT from your skill.
Reaching over half her resources spent, she was fighting a losing battle. But if she fought hard enough for the others to keep fighting and hopefully win, they would come back to her for backup. But when she looked around for a moment, she couldn¡¯t believe her eyes. Not only are Myra and Piker still trying to keep that damn earth-based zombieman down, but even Zeke was fighting. Against Alex of all people. Alex looked just as baffled as Zeke summoned a square-shaped barrier the size of his hand. With incredible speed, he drew runes on that barrier facing Alex. A powerful gust of wind exploded out towards Alex, causing him to squeal. Despite the situation, Mikella couldn¡¯t help but smirk at the sight. ¡°Heeeh!¡± Alex whined. ¡°Hey! What the hell man!? You can¡¯t attack me!¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Zeke asked, but clearly he had no intention of going into another conversation as he summoned another barrier to redo his runes. It looked like the first barrier broke apart when he did that spell, so he had to continuously create his medium barriers to create his runic spells. ¡°B-Because it¡¯s unfair!¡± Alex gave off a weak argument before turning to Mikella¡¯s opponent. ¡°You! Kill him, now!¡± As it was ordered, her opponent turned around, literally ignoring Mikella as it headed straight for Zeke. She growled as she took the chance to pounce on the air-based zombieman and stabbed it right on the leg. It managed to divert itself as though it knew she was coming, so it leapt away and faced her once again. Mikella gripped her sword while she noticed that Zeke wasn¡¯t pulling back. She hated that Zeke was facing their world¡¯s equivalent of a serial killer, but she knew that if he managed to take him down, all of this mess would be over with. But no matter how often Zeke tried, it looked like Alex had his own tricks up his sleeve. He could also cast spells, and each time he aimed his hand, a blast of dark energy exploded out of his palm and headed straight for Zeke. He managed to summon a barrier to protect him, grimacing at the impact before summoning another rune spell to do another wind attack. It was a full on mage battle against the two as the runist and necromancer fought each other, with Zeke looking rather depleted while Alex grinned, realizing that Zeke was already low on mana at this point. All the while Alex barely used up his own while his underlings did everything for him. Of course, this all happened while Mikella forced herself to fight against the zombieman trying to aid his master. They were at a bind, and unless they don''t do something, one or the other will fall. The zombieman rushed forward to swing a fist at her, causing her to sidestep. Once again, the small swing caused small gusts to fly out and blow her off, distoring her stance and almost falling to a sucker punch which could have tore her head off. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. Even after stabbing the damn thing, it refused to kneel. And after everything Mikella tried to fight back, it just reacted with a supernatural speed thanks to its air-flavored mana coursing through its deceased veins. If she doesn¡¯t do something, she¡¯ll end up getting tired out, and the zombieman will go after Zeke and eventually kill him. Myra and Piker were currently taking out the earth zombieman, and by keeping its attention, it won¡¯t go over and protect Alex, who if he gets away¨Cit¡¯ll only end with everyone reaching a never-ending battle with the zombies. She didn¡¯t know whether she had too many gusts of wind at her head, but she had an idea. It was an incredibly stupid idea. Almost at the same level as Zeke¡¯s recklessness. Then again, he always had a knack for getting away with it. So why can¡¯t she pull it off? They were linked, after all. She looked back at her notification after she leveled up to 30. It didn¡¯t mention any source of mana she could take, not even a simple mana boost like all the others. However, she observed that there were actually plenty of outside sources of mana to take from. Of course, there was the air based zombieman in front of her, the fire attuned Myra and the frost-covered Piker fighting against the earth-based zombieman. Zeke and Alex were totally out, unable to do anything. But her mind quickly reached the conclusion. No matter what element was available, there were only two that she could think of. And while the air mana was certainly useful in a lot of ways, deep within herself, she knew what element fit her best. As her mind was unraveling what was probably the most dangerous plan yet, the zombieman reacted to her splendidly by trying to summon as much wind as possible. It looked like it had enough of always missing her and decided to finish her off once and for all. It gathered up around its body, almost filling itself out and turning into a twister surrounding its body. Burst of air surrounded it, leaving behind a force of wind that could blow a brick house away. Putting her enchanted sword to the side, she pulled out her Sword of Lightning and looked at it closely. Her eyes could see small traces of mana without it being active, proof that she was starting to get used to seeing mana without the skill Mana Perception. She remembered the talks she had with Zeke about controlling mana. Almost like kinetic energy, it would course through her channels, however it was dependent on her intent and will unlike her stamina which was inherent and internal, like blood. She was trying to learn Mana Perception as much as she could throughout the past months, considering that Val told her that while warriors don¡¯t necessarily need magic to fight, it was important to see mana around her more accurately to fight better. But she never really had a good grasp of it unlike Zeke which, even without magic spells, had a keen eye for this sort of stuff. But if she doesn¡¯t focus on it properly, it would most likely end with her dying. Having done her mental rundown of Zeke¡¯s lesson to heart, she rushed ahead. Her hand over the yellow-tinged blade, she closed her eyes and willed her intent into the blade. She wanted to take the power, to control the ever powerful lightning that had destroyed her enemies for so long. She can¡¯t get stronger if she doesn¡¯t take risks. If she can¡¯t get stronger, she can¡¯t protect Clara and Zeke. So no matter the cost, she will get stronger. She ignored the zombieman entirely as it rushed at her faster than anything else she had fought. But by the time the zombieman was ready to tear her apart with its twister, Mikella took hold of the sword¡¯s power, it¡¯s essence. The lightning from within was forcibly dragged out of the sword from her powerful will and swallowed her whole. The pain followed after that, turning everything around her completely white. As pain followed after, not knowing whether the zombieman might kill her at that moment, she saw the notification suddenly propping up before her. The earlier attunement notification changed, now showing two options.
Attunement available: Air Lightning
The first option was clear that the attack was way closer than she would¡¯ve preferred. She didn¡¯t even know if taking that particular element might actually kill her. But she knew her choice right from the start. She chose Lightning, and soon everything exploded in her mind.
You have chosen Lightning as your attunement. Your channels will now be infused with the essence of Lightning.
Everything was blown away. Her senses, her awareness, her very being just vanished in a blink of an eye. She knew something was changing, and as time moved onwards, that change was slowly becoming more and more painful. Something invaded through her being. It was the foreign mana she was accepting into her soul. She could feel the electricity coursing through her channels, dominating her essence. She could feel the energy coiling around, almost like a living thing. It was turning sentient. The more time passed, the more that foreign energy realized that it was in a new environment. And it wanted control over it. Fortunately, she gathered her awareness to find the outside source trying to take over. Before, she put aside the feeling of madness away from her class, away from her being. But now was the perfect time to use it. She poured all of her consciousness into her madness, and let it take control. That very madness swarmed all over her essence, meeting the foreign energy face to face. Her class madness was making its stride as it considered her essence as its territory, and the foreign energy an invader to its home. Of course, this all occurred while Mikella was going through the worst pain in all of her life, much higher than accepting a new skill, something that shook her to the soul itself. But somehow, that was all moot compared to the conflict between her madness, charged by her will, and the incoming influx of electrifying energy trying to vaporize her. The two wrestled for control, trying to overtake one another. Mikella poured in all of her will and intent to stop the energy from destroying her. But then she shifted her viewpoint. She didn¡¯t want to stop the energy and use it half-heartedly. No. She wanted to own it. To claim it for herself. It belonged to her and her alone. With everything on the line, she poured all of her remaining resources, her stamina, mana, and even her own life energy to combat the incoming energy. With all that into account, plus with her class¡¯ madness fighting on the sidelines, the cornered energy had nowhere to go. And soon she devoured it whole. ¡­.. Her eyes opened to find herself in the same large stone hall as before. Looking ahead, she saw the same zombieman shaking, as though recovering from some attack it didn¡¯t realize it took. Then it looked at her. It stood there, tilting its head at her. At what she had become. Looking back at herself, she was charred like crispy barbeque. Her skin was soot black and burnt all over, wounds appearing and bleeding in certain parts. The mix of her Endurance, Vitality, Meditation, and Pain Resistance had saved her, But despite the awful look of being burnt into a crisp, she didn¡¯t feel that bad. There was pain, for sure, but that was just her body reacting to it as intended. To her, the pain was nothing. The power, however, caused her to stand still in awe. It radiated off of her, like an aura. Force exuded from her as electricity now coiled around her own body, that very same electricity filling her channels and charging her body to the brim, and perhaps beyond. Her mind grew sharper, as though she just drank copious amounts of concentrated caffeine. The colors were vibrant, and even her other senses sharpened to the point of acting as though she had a third-person point of view. She looked back at her blinking notifications and saw a slew of boxes lining up for her to see.
Attunement process completed. You have gained Unbridled Fulmination. You have gained +5 STR from your attunement. You have gained +5 DEX from your attunement. You have gained +5 INT from your attunement. You have gained +2 SPI from your attunement. You have gained +2 VIT from your attunement. You have gained +2 END from your attunement.
¡­..
You have chosen your attunement. You are able to advance. You are now an Expert. As your reward for advancing to Expert, you are eligible to evolve your Class. Choose your evolution on the list and further strive for ascension. Due to choosing your attunement, your mana has now permanently changed to that of Unbridled Fulmination.
¡­..
Unbridled Fulmination You are now able to use the lightning element as part of your mana. You gain passive abilities. Control Lightning: You are capable of commanding lightning to a certain extent. Conjure Lightning: You are capable of summoning lightning as long as you have the mana.
¡­..
Pain Resistance Level Up! It is now Level 7. You have gained +1 VIT from your skill. You have gained +1 END from your skill.
She looked back at her fingers, realizing that the electricity doesn¡¯t even hurt her despite literal sparks coursing through her charred skin. She played around with it, the sparks traveling across her hand. She barely felt a thing despite the pain going through to her. She did notice, however, that the zombieman in front of her was charging in for another strike. Air gathered around its fist, trying to take her out with it. Looking back at it, she was afraid of ever getting hit by such a thing. Now¡­ she honestly felt that it was so weak. And slow. So very slow. It was hard to imagine she had a tough time keeping up with it. The moment the fist was swung and approached her face in mere inches, she ducked away and delivered a round house kick straight across its temple. Her legs were charged with her kinetic and magical energy, and that Mana has become the definition of lightning itself. Rather than just kicking its head, she caused the zombieman¡¯s head to explode as it flew all the way across the hall and landed on the wall, the stone breaking apart from the impact alone. It was as though a clap of thunder ensued from the force, but she didn¡¯t care about that. All she cared about was that she barely moved, wanting nothing more than to just push the bastard away. She didn¡¯t mean to actually deal damage to it. But she smirked all the while. She noticed that her Sword of Lightning was no more, now just bits and pieces of broken metal laying by her side. She winced at the sight, as though she willingly killed her partner for this power. However, she looked at it in a different way. While the body was gone, the soul was now within her, her partner now infused within her soul. She charged after the zombie, practically teleporting straight there. On the way, everything became a blur. Before the zombieman could even do anything, she grabbed her enchanted sword and aimed the blade at it. She didn¡¯t realize that her sword, despite having increased durability, looked just as charred as her, but was still able to keep steady. She channeled her kinetic and electrified Mana into it, straight to the blade, before flaring Heavenly strike. The culmination of her kinetic energy, her newly aspected Mana, and her Heavenly Strike made it all the more destructive. The moment she delivered a strike straight through the chest of the zombieman, it was over. A powerful explosion forced the wall behind the zombieman to break apart, its body along with it. There wasn¡¯t even a shred of guts and blood as everything was just burned away by the lightning. Energy of the system coursed through her which felt paltry compared to the power she had now. As her opponent finally died a true death, she turned back to the others, relieved and disturbingly pleased. But she frowned after seeing the situation around her. Zeke looked bloody and ragged. His robes were torn and some parts of his body were wounded. On the other hand, Alex looked like he was having the time of his life, sneering at the man before him while showing no wounds on his own end, his hands being the only change that were nearly pitch black. ¡°You got nothing on me, heal bot!¡± Alex shouted, a manic gleam in his eyes. ¡°You can¡¯t kill me with your crap damage! You got nothing on me!¡± Alex shouted once more as he tried to cast that weird black magic again from his hand. Mikella realized by that point that Zeke¡¯s Mana must have run out while she was busy with her own business. She tried to rush ahead, but her energy suddenly turned traitor on her. She knelt to the ground, her chest heaving as she felt the power within her becoming too much to bear. Her eyes burned as she felt her aspected mana causing a ruckus in her body. It was a miracle she managed to control herself so far, but now that the dopamine and the adrenaline was gone from finishing that battle, the energy turned crazy. It wasn¡¯t trying to kill her, she knows that much. She just needed time. Despite finally taming the energy, it was still foreign to the body, nearly breaking down by the atom and recovering itself just as quickly thanks to her Meditation skill. But she feared that Zeke might not have enough while she was busy with her own end. All the while, Myra and Piker were still dealing with their own problematic zombieman, though it did look like they were making progress. The earth zombieman was being frozen and burned all this time, the effects of opposing elements starting to corrode the earth around it, like the seasons creating chaos on the parched earth. But it wasn¡¯t enough. She looked ahead to see the black magic coursing through Alex¡¯s hand to reach over to Zeke. Before her eyes could adjust to what was happening, Zeke took the hit. Zeke actually took the hit. ¡°Zeke!¡± Mikella shouted, her cries of fury raging from her throat, but her energy, her aspected mana, took control and made her cough blood. Pain ensued all over. But she would gladly bleed over and over if it meant saving Zeke. She forced herself to push the energy down, but it was like trying to combat a waterfall with her bare hands. It refused to bend to her will no matter how hard she pushed. She looked ahead, tears of pain brimming her eyes. She could barely see, but she knew that a dust of cloud was getting in the way of her vision. Zeke wasn¡¯t there in the cloud of dust, but she paused. She still felt her link. ¡°I finally took the damn barrier mage down. Damn it, that bastard was totally not worth the¨C¡± Suddenly a white cloud engulfed the scene. Her eyes turned blurry at the sudden crystaline white colors that overwhelmed the dullard gray color of the stone hall. There, she realized it. Butterbirds. Butterbirds flying everywhere. It was such a mess that it crowded the entire room. Even Myra and Piker seemed off put by the birds, but quickly realized that they were harmless. If anything, it was distracting mostly the earth zombieman that suddenly started wailing its arms around, giving them a chance. As for Alex, he just squealed. ¡°Aaah! What the fuck are these things?!¡± Alex screamed, expecting that the birds were dozens of familiars ready to peck its eyes. ¡°Disgusting freaks, what even are these bugs!?¡± ¡°They¡¯re butterbirds!¡± A scream full of primal fury ensued as a sword plunged through the teen¡¯s chest. His breath was caught in his throat as blood was expelled from his lungs out of his mouth. He wheezed and whined as he slowly lifted his now bloody hands up towards his chest, unable to even comprehend the blade still stuck to his torso. Mikella widened her eyes to find none other than the dirty and tired, but still very much alive Zeke. ¡°Y-You¡­ dirty ch¨C¡± Before Alex could finish, Zeke pushed the necromancer down to the ground, his sword still in his chest. Alex landed with a pained grunt as he tried to summon more Mana to take Zeke away, but Zeke wasn¡¯t done. Summoning the last vestiges of his Mana, he summoned a barrier on top Alex, but only above his arms. Then, putting his hand on top of the hilt of the sword still stuck to the teen, he forced the sword down. Zeke¡¯s sword plunged deeper into the teen, getting more screams and shouts from him as the sword dug deeper into the body, possibly deeper into the ground itself. The barrier kept Alex pinned, forcing Alex to stay still and have the sword further plunging into him. Zeke gritted his teeth, pain and misery written all across his face. After many cries and whines, Alex finally stopped. He turned limp as he finally breathed his last. Alex died right there, underneath Zeke¡¯s sword and his barrier. Ch82: Some things never work out The sound of crushing bone and flesh while screaming ensued was not something Zeke planned. Not at all. He expected to put up a barrier to protect people, to help them clear the dungeon and be done with the troubles affecting the town. Then, after that, he hoped he could get strong enough without any more trouble, at least for a little while longer. He didn¡¯t expect to kill someone today, particularly not someone from his old world. Even if it was a psychopath that only wanted to kill, it wasn¡¯t something he wanted to do. Throughout the fight, Alex proved to be a challenging foe. Zeke figured he must have put all of his eggs in one basket, summoning zombies as a single power. But apparently the Necromancer class was a lot more feasible than that. It was a truly nasty one too, a dark type of magic that infested his insides and brought pain all over his body once it hit. It only grazed his arm, yet it felt like hundreds of ants crawling inside of him and biting him at the same time. He was glad it didn¡¯t go any deeper than that, his Pain Resistance being high enough to resist it. It wasn¡¯t a damaging type of spell, but something that most likely turned on his pain receptors to the maximum. Not only that, but the damn bastard was wily too. Trash talking and clever positioning was all Alex did, and as someone who focused only on support, it was a difficult fight for Zeke who¡¯s mana reserves were already low, leaving his rune making very little chance to make anything decent. Then he opted to go for close combat, but he¡¯s not much of a fighter, proof of his piss-poor Strength stat. So he used what little left of his Mana to create a rune on his barrier, and the time Alex threw his god-awful black magic at him, it hit his barrier he created his rune with. The barrier broke apart, making it look like he got hit. But instead, he summoned a horde of butterbirds to distract him. Honestly, he didn¡¯t even think of using them, just something to distract Alex to get a single blow in. He knew just one good hit is good enough to take this feeble Necromancer out. Still, he was proud of the butterbirds, capable of distracting not just Alex, but the earth zombieman that was giving Myra and Piker trouble. The butterbirds were doing more than he planned, actually causing Alex to freak out. He took this chance to sneak around Alex, the butterbirds only distracting Zeke¡¯s enemies, and finally rushed in. He pulled out a spare sword from his storage bag, the one he had on hand this whole time for situations like these. Aiming it properly, he stabbed right through his chest where he guessed his heart would be, pushing him down. Zeke knew that wasn¡¯t enough. Despite the blade literally going straight to him, it was possible he could still survive. He had to go deeper, but the necromancer was not willing to give up, his arms beginning to flail as wisps of mana swirled from his hands. He put out one final barrier and pinned his arms down. The teen¡¯s screams and cries went unheard of, with Zeke¡¯s only focus of killing the necromancer and finally stopping this mayhem once and for all. When the screaming finally ceased, Zeke brought himself back into reality. It was horrifically silent. The sudden silence became deafening to his ears as he managed to push himself away from the now true corpse in front of him. Alex lied there, a sword stuck to his back while his face was stuck in a contorted look of fear, anger, and pain. He just laid there, bloody and unmoving, and Zeke was the one that did this. He looked back at his hands, filled with cuts, bruises, grime, and lots of blood. He pulled his sword out of the teen, trying to at least bring some respect to his body, but it only made the body make a horrible ¡®squelch¡¯ sound as blood sputtered everywhere, leaving puddles of it everywhere. The blade was coated in this crimson ichor, the reflection barely managing to take note of his exhausted eyes. The eyes of a killer. His breathing went rampant, his exhaustion leading his heart to pump faster. The sounds of his heart beating echoed in his ears. It only took a moment before realizing that someone was trying to catch his attention. When that same someone slapped him across the face, he was brought back to reality. He looked up to see Mikella, utterly charred and wounded, blood appearing at random places where it seemingly burnt to a crisp much like Myra had been. When he finally looked at her eyes, she hugged him. She forced his head to lay next to hers, and let him ease into her embrace. She spoke softly to his ear, catching his mind in a trance. ¡°It¡¯s over,¡± Mikella whispered. ¡°You did it. Let go of the sword now. You don¡¯t need it anymore.¡± Zeke didn¡¯t even realize that he was clutching onto his sword so hard, his own blood was staining the hilt. He let go, the blade clattering against the floor. He didn¡¯t even see the blood anymore. In his mind, only the pain and the embrace entered his awareness. It took another moment or two for Zeke to finally calm down. He closed his eyes, enjoying the embrace for just a little longer before letting her know that he was fine. Mikella undoubtedly wanted to continue, but she let go as he said to take a further look at him. Taking a look at each other now, Zeke could only see that she ended up worse than he did. He tried to use his skill, but his diminished mana pool stopped him in his tracks. ¡°W-What happened to you?¡± Zeke asked, unable to hold back his curiosity. ¡°Well, I was in a disadvantage, so I, uhh¡­ took the magic out of the Sword of Lightning and took it in as my attunement,¡± Mikella grinned sheepishly, the charred look on her face only making it worse for Zeke to comprehend. He shook his head. ¡°Seriously¡­?! You could¡¯ve been killed! Hell, it almost killed Myra if I hadn¡¯t healed her!¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Mikella continued, pretending not to hear anything he said as she grinned. ¡°I won! And I got a free attunement from that!¡± Zeke could only shake his head at her actions. He turned to glare at her. ¡°You tell me not to do anything dangerous, and here you are, taking Mana from an unstable source that was even more dangerous than taking a potent potion!¡± He studied up on this sort of thing, and while taking aspected mana from the natural source in the world was fine, it was only in small amounts. Taking it from a potion was better as it was taking more mana in a well constructed amount. Taking it straight out of an enchanted weapon, however, could result in something potentially worse than just a charred body. ¡°Yeah¡­ I guess that¡¯s true,¡± Mikella winced, grimacing as she tried to scratch her cheek, but she winced again from the pain. ¡°Sorry about that. I just¡­ I didn¡¯t really have much of a choice.¡± ¡°...I guess neither did I.¡± Zeke looked back at the teen, a look of despair haunting him. Mikella took a glance at it, shaking her head. ¡°You gave him a chance, and he proved that he doesn¡¯t deserve it.¡± ¡°He¡¯s a kid,¡± Zeke retorted, though in honesty, his argument was weak. ¡°He didn¡¯t know what he was doing.¡± ¡°You and I both know it doesn¡¯t take a genius to figure out that killing people is bad,¡± Mikella said, an edge to her tone at the corpse down by her feet. ¡°No matter his age, he knew what he was doing, and he was perfectly fine with it.¡± Mikella turned back right at him, her eyes filled with resolve. ¡°He had to pay for this sooner or later. Now just happened to be that.¡± Zeke closed his eyes. He knew that would be the case. He knew, yet¡­ Shaking his head, he let it go. There was no point anymore, like Mikella said. Still, despite being right, she grabbed his hand and stared at his eyes. She smiled. Knowing that despite how he felt, she knew that it wasn¡¯t easy. Even so, she smiled, telling him that he did a good job. He just had to keep telling himself that was the case. Otherwise, he didn¡¯t know how to handle the idea of taking a life for his own safety as well as everyone else¡¯s. ¡°Oh, shit, what about Myra and Piker?!¡± Zeke quickly realized as he took a glance around, but Mikella only grabbed his shoulder, pointing her finger at the two who were just walking towards them. They looked exhausted, but nowhere near as hurt as Zeke and especially Mikella. If anything, they looked more annoyed and frustrated, with Myra shaking her head. ¡°It finally died, and only after Zeke helped out with his weird birds,¡± Myra said, letting out a disappointed breath. Looking at the corpse now, however, brightened her mood. ¡°Totally worth it, though.¡± ¡°You did well, considering you weren¡¯t combat-trained,¡± Piker once again came in with a rare compliment and made a respectful nod to Mikella. ¡°And I saw how you took in the magic from your sword and made it your attunement. You got more balls than most soldiers I know.¡± ¡°What?! Seriously?!¡± Myra took a closer look at Mikella, her charred body somehow vibrantly vigorous. Her eyes widening, Myra picked up on the new feeling Mikella was giving off, even if she doesn¡¯t have a high magical sense as Zeke¡¯s. Hell, even he didn¡¯t feel that, only told by Mikella. Perhaps it can only be sensed by those with an attunement? Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°You are just full of wonder, ain¡¯tcha?¡± Myra said, shaking her head ruefully at her. ¡°Ain''t nobody gonna, y¡¯know, lecture her for nearly killing herself? All this praise is gonna go to her head and let her do it again.¡± Zeke decided it wasn¡¯t worth it to prolong her behavior, so he decided to comment despite the nasty glare he was receiving. He only sneered back at her which prompted her to jab at his rib, hard. ¡°That¡¯s how you get shit done,¡± Myra said proudly, putting her fists to her hips. ¡°Also, you don¡¯t deserve to say that. You probably influenced her from your crazy ass stunts.¡± ¡°That¡¯s actually how I carried out my plan,¡± Mikella smirked with glee, getting Zeke to look ridiculous now with both women staring at him like they caught him in a trap. ¡°So¡­ what now?¡± As Myra said, Zeke took a look at the zombieman that the two were fighting. The zombieman was riddled with many cuts and slashes, each one either totally burnt or frozen over. He also turned to the air-based zombieman, but that poor thing was obliterated across the broken wall and floor, body parts spread all over. Mikella went overkill on that thing. After checking outward, he realized that the sounds of battle from the few rooms away died down a little, if barely. The sounds of the rattling chains were still gnawing at him, almost crawling inside his ears. ¡°It should be over, now that this kid is gone,¡± Mikella said, and Zeke decided to at least use up a bit of his Mana to heal her wounds. He had enough of her looking like barbeque. ¡°Hey, you good to go?¡± ¡°Just let me handle this.¡± Mikella was clearly worried, but nobody complained as the scent of human flesh being burnt was enough to warrant this use of Mana. Her wounds slowly healed up as Mikella finally let loose a breath of relief. Her color returned and she looked a lot better now, though Zeke was surprised how she just took all that damage and still managed to move. It was then that he recognized it with his Recovery skill. His eyes picked up that just like with Myra¡¯s, Mikella¡¯s channels were charged with her own aspected mana. Unlike the flaming heat of fiery red Mana, hers were charged with extremely dense electricity. It actually helped hasten the recovery process, her charged mana working in tandem with his own. It was possible that her body was just charged with more electricity, not only helping her recover faster but also kept her body moving despite the injuries. It was a powerful aspect, but he could also tell that it was going crazy in some parts of her body. When he commented on it, Mikella nodded. ¡°Yeah, it actually stopped me while I was trying to help you. Just¡­ locked me up and forced me to freeze.¡± ¡°Oof, that sucks,¡± Myra shook her head. ¡°You gotta gain more control with your mana. Otherwise your aspect is gonna make mincemeat of your body.¡± Zeke almost winced at that, and Mikella looked as though she nodded in understanding. As they were about to head deeper into the topic, trying to rest up as much as they could, the others finally managed to catch up to them. The soldiers as well as the leaders showed up a few minutes later, realizing that the zombies from the outside were done for now that the necromancer was gone. When they approached, Val ran up to the four with a wide grin. ¡°I¡¯m so glad to see that you guys made it,¡± Val said with glee in her tone. She gave a singular glance at the corpse and ignored it as she focused on the rest. ¡°Zeke, I¡¯m glad that you turned out safe. I¡¯m sorry that we couldn¡¯t all come to find you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay¡­¡± Zeke lowered his head. ¡°If anything, I messed up. I got taken and so many others died while I was away.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not your fault,¡± Val shook her head. ¡°It was our own fault for not recognizing the danger, and bringing along inexperienced soldiers was our responsibility. You should only focus on the fact that you survived, and even managed to succeed in taking down the one causing the trouble. All of you should be proud.¡± Piker, Mikella, and Myra nodded in agreement, and Myra herself looked a little embarrassed, rubbing the back of her head. Zeke nodded in understanding as well. No matter how much he tried to take responsibility, everyone was saying to just move on as he had no control over what happened. It was hard to do, obviously, but that¡¯s generally how it goes. It was a dangerous endeavor in the first place, and it goes without saying that leaving without any losses would be a fool¡¯s dream. Having lost a quarter of their group was bad for morale, but this one was a special case. Cloud stepped over, finally glancing at the necromancer lying by. ¡°So you killed him,¡± Cloud said with a still tone. He nodded in satisfaction. ¡°A human who somehow took control of the dungeon after gaining a class that can control zombies. Honestly, it¡¯s better off that way, even if I have some questions about it.¡± Cloud turned over to Zeke and Mikella, and the two nodded in response. It was a clear sign that he was also like them, but considering the result, he was vastly different compared to the rest of them. ¡°I¡¯m rather curious about why a human of all things was in charge here,¡± Zacharia, the general, stepped over with his hulking frame, and Zeke had to take a double take to see him. The man with built muscles like a statue was practically withering away. His usually dark skin was so pale it might as well be gray, and his eyes look sunken, yet they were still filled with a fiery determination to see this mission through. Zeke almost had to look away when he tried to use his Recovery on him. The undeath Mana was almost radiating off of him. If a normal person were to have that much amount on them, they would¡¯ve turned and died right on the spot. ¡°A-Are you okay?¡± Zeke asked, taking the general¡¯s attention. Normally, he would never ask such a thing, but his state only got him worried. ¡°Ah, this?¡± Zacharia pointed his chin at himself. ¡°It¡¯ll take some time for me to clear all this up. I won¡¯t turn into a zombie, if that¡¯s the issue.¡± ¡°The issue is you look like death itself,¡± Cloud shook his head. ¡°Just how tough are you to take in that much?¡± ¡°Better that than to take some losses,¡± Zacharia said to finish it off, leaving Cloud to fume at him while he turned to Piker. ¡°You returned earlier than expected, that¡¯s good. Did you find any trouble?¡± ¡°Nothing of the sort, sir,¡± Piker immediately straightened at the response of the general. ¡°We managed to get back in time when we found Zeke while fighting against a large creature. The very same way we came in when we returned back here.¡± Zeke noticed that Piker was retelling everything, but was easily avoiding talking about their special status, and how they were connected to the necro teen behind him. Even if it¡¯ll answer a burning question in Zacharia¡¯s mind, Piker kept his promise. Zeke now felt silly that Piker would end up revealing everything. When he took a glance back, he saw Cloud approaching Alex¡¯s body, studying it closely. ¡°Perhaps we can take it back,¡± Cloud said, narrowing his eyes. ¡°I doubt he¡¯ll have a problem with that, considering he does the same thing and all.¡± ¡°Honestly Cloud, you¡¯re just as petty as can¨C¡± Val turned around to give a snarky remark to Cloud, but then her eyes widened as her words fell short. Everyone else did the same as they saw what was happening. Alex¡¯s corpse began to move. Zeke gaped in horror after seeing the body move its arms, then its legs, then trying to lift itself up as though it had a will, yet Alex didn¡¯t speak or even groan. Just when Zeke was ready to pick up his sword to finish his job, unwilling to let Alex suffer more than he already had, he took a moment to consider himself. It shouldn¡¯t be possible. He felt the energy enter his body from the system. He even saw the notification, telling him he killed the Level 54 Necromancer. When that happens, it usually means they actually died. So Alex was already dead, but his body somehow moved. And suddenly, the body completely dispersed into black fog. The oily clothes were left behind as the fog spreaded, but at a weird controlled state. Before anyone could react, the fog went towards the closest living thing¨CCloud. ¡°Get away!¡± Val, the fastest of the group, rushed forward and pushed her husband to the ground. The force was enough to topple even Cloud to the ground, making a loud thump. But he looked back in horror to find that the fog has now covered Val in its entirety. Val was left frozen, her eyes turning distant as the fog just seeped straight into her mouth, her nose, and her ears. The fog quickly disappeared into Val¡¯s body, and she was soon left kneeling on the ground, her mouth gaping open and her eyes turning into saucers. Then a force of powerful darkness exuded from her. All the soldiers couldn¡¯t handle such a force, and not even Zeke¡¯s group could handle it as they were pushed onto the ground on their backs. The only ones left standing were the leaders, but it was clear that their faces showed anything but being steadfast. Val let out a harsh scream, a yell that didn¡¯t sound human anymore. She gurgled as black veins covered her body from head to toe, yet it was clear she was somehow vying for control. ¡°Valorie!¡± Cloud screamed as he rushed forward, but Zacharia stopped him in his tracks by pushing himself away. ¡°What are you doing, you bastard?!¡± Cloud roared, turning to the general with a look that could kill. ¡°You fool! If you approach her, you¡¯ll get turned as well!¡± Zacharia screamed. Not even his own composure was enough to handle this. ¡°You expect me to leave my wife to die?!¡± Cloud roared back, trying to push off Zacharia as he tried to save his wife. Everyone else only looked on in horror. It was one thing for a soldier of the Expert stage to get turned into a zombie. It was easy enough for Zacharia to kill, after all. But what if someone who was in the same stage turns into a zombie? What if she couldn¡¯t control herself? At the rate they were going, would they even be able to survive? And if Alex¡¯s body turned into that black fog, wouldn¡¯t it make sense that Alex somehow still has control over her through some strange and deranged Class skill? It didn¡¯t look good for any of them, even the leaders as they tried to figure out what to do. All the while, Val continued to scream in terror and pain, trying to hold her body with her arms, but the force being exuded was still going, as though Alex¡¯s Mana was combating Val¡¯s own. And somehow, Val was losing. With Recovery, he found out that Val had¡­ no mana at all, which was strange. Was the effect of undeath that powerful? Zeke watched as he tried to figure out what to do. It was one thing to try and help her, but another thing to get turned into undeath. Even now, the Mana that was pushing out of her body was actually undeath, so even going closer to help would be a death sentence. But if left behind, Val will die and turn into a zombie. She¡¯ll kill anyone here with ease thanks to her strength, and the near-indestructibility of a zombie in Journeyman Stage clearly couldn''t be underestimated. But worse than that, Zeke recalled Ana. The little troublemaker he often thought might be a bad influence on Clara. But at the same time, she was the sweetest little girl one couldn¡¯t bear to hate or even dislike. What would happen if she found out her mother died? It was strange. Even though his own life could be in danger, as well as everyone else here, he couldn¡¯t help but want to act the moment he realized that Ana might be left alone. Who on earth could lose their mother like this, especially someone as nice and sweet like Val? Somewhere deep inside, something yearned within him. It ached to help, to be of use. And from the looks of things, he could do it. He just wasn¡¯t sure whether it would work, or if he even had the ability to do so. Even so, his hands started moving as he walked towards her. ¡°Stop!¡± Zacharia ordered, noticing Zeke approaching. ¡°You¡¯ll die! There¡¯s no use!¡± Zeke could tell that Zacharia truly was worried. It wasn¡¯t for some efficiency¡¯s sake, or due to his military training. He didn¡¯t want anyone else to die, even Cloud who he didn¡¯t have a good relationship with. The other soldiers couldn¡¯t even add their input. For one thing, it could be suicide, but in another, Val was in danger. Piker was helping the general to keep Cloud back, but he watched in horror at Zeke¡¯s movements. Mikella, however, was the closest. Yet, she couldn¡¯t even move. Her eyes were opening wide at Val¡¯s suffering, unable to do a thing. None of them stopped Zeke as he lifted his hand, his eyes glowing bright turquoise as he activated his Recovery, but not to use it on her. No, he only used it as an aid for what he planned on doing. Directing his Mana forward, he cast his magic to create a barrier. Right inside Val¡¯s channels. Ch83: His last stand Cloud couldn¡¯t believe what he was seeing. Of course, through the red in his eyes after seeing his wife getting turned in front of him while Zacharia was stopping him from getting infected, it was hard to manage. It wasn¡¯t as though he didn¡¯t understand what Zacharia was doing. If anything, it was the correct call. He just didn¡¯t care. His wife was dying in front of his eyes, and he didn¡¯t care for anything else at all. Anyone else could die for all he cared, but the one person he didn¡¯t want to let die at all was dying, so he wanted to act. Yet the only one who managed to do so was his student, Zeke, and he did it in a way he never expected him to do. Through his eyes, he could see Zeke¡¯s mana pouring out of him, weak as he was and almost running out. His Recovery skill was active, but it didn¡¯t look like he was trying to clear the undeath with his mana. Even now, the Undeath trying to turn Val into a zombie was so strong, not even Zacharia could handle such a thing without turning. So if Zeke tried to heal her with his Recovery, the Undeath would easily travel along his own channels, and it would kill him outright, not even giving him a chance to turn. But that¡¯s not what Zeke did. He summoned his barrier in the most unlikely of places¨CVal¡¯s channels. He could barely see with his own version of Mana Perception, but he noticed Zeke was summoning tiny, microscopic barriers in each channel in her body. It was at such a level of control he never thought a child of his age could manifest, no matter how much he complained that he was already an adult in his world. But it was clear that Zeke was in a trance-like state as he did so. He didn¡¯t even realize that his body was turning paler by the amount of barriers he was summoning. He was summoning so many as each barrier was getting destroyed by the incoming undeath that was coursing through her body to turn her. To reach deep within her core where the turning would manifest into reality. Cloud realized now what Zeke was doing. He wasn¡¯t trying to stop it, at least, not the turning. He was delaying the process. Perhaps he thought he could do so instantly, but anyone with experience with magic could tell that the best he could do is delay the inevitable. But two glorious things happened when he did so. First, the air of undeath stopped coursing throughout Val¡¯s body and out into the area, allowing everyone to come closer to help. The other part was that he was delaying the process. Long enough for Cloud to act. ¡°Zeke!¡± Cloud rushed ahead, ignoring Zacharia who was stuck in place, in awe of Zeke¡¯s control. He rushed towards the two, kneeling down in front of his wife. Valorie was practically gaping in pain, her eyes looking upwards and in shock, showing completely white as there were no irises at all. It was horrifying to look at, as though Val was frozen in place while in constant pain and agony. That made sense, after all. Her channels were plugged up by Zeke¡¯s barriers. Such a thing would undoubtedly be painful, borderline psychotic. And possibly the best thing for her right now. If the undeath continued, it would eventually get to the point where the undeath could no longer be stopped. But if it was stopped in place for a short moment, there was a chance. ¡°Zeke,¡± Cloud said, staring right at Zeke who kept staring at Val¡¯s body with his intensifying emerald and azure glare. ¡°Zeke, whatever you do, don¡¯t stop. Please, just hang on¡­!¡± Cloud knew he was asking for a lot. Especially for a child who was just starting his career as a mage. He was basically asking him to sacrifice his future to save his wife. Guilt didn¡¯t even reach him as urgency took over. Who knew how long Zeke could hold out with his diminished mana? Who knew how long his wife could have control over herself? There was only one thing that Cloud could do. He pulled out item after item from his storage pack and other various pouches along his body. He pulled out every item he needed to make a rune array that would help in this scenario. ¡°Is this the time to do such a thing?!¡± Zacharia screamed, realizing that Cloud was going all out in preparing what looks like a very convoluted rune array process. He pulled out specialized leathery scrolls which he drew runes on with his attuned pen. He was also settling them around both Val and Zeke who were close enough for a circle to surround them, all the while the other soldiers helped out as Cloud basically screamed at them to help. There, he saw Mikella, Zeke¡¯s partner, watch in horror. ¡°Zeke!¡± She shouted, trying to touch Zeke, but Cloud stopped her. ¡°Stop! If you mess it up now, Val will die!¡± Cloud roared, stopping Mikella in her tracks. Being good supporters, Myra helped by pulling Mikella away, but she was refusing to leave Zeke behind. Cloud could understand so very well why Mikella didn¡¯t want this, even though her face was contorted with conflict between saving Zeke and helping Val. He understood so well it hurts, but it doesn¡¯t hurt worse than possibly losing Valorie, one of the remaining good lights in his life. Even if he will be forever hated by Mikella, it was worth it if it meant saving Valorie, his love and light. Zacharia was left completely ignored, but being the man he was and how valuable saving Val is, he couldn¡¯t stop Cloud from continuing. He ordered the other soldiers to help with the process, even helping Cloud with drawing the runes by inputting their mana into the scrolls. Cloud was pleasantly surprised at how much expertise was shown in his work, but he couldn¡¯t lose focus. He asked Philip to help charge Zeke with mana, as he needed every single lick of it. Philip did so without hesitation, knowing full well the value of Zeke¡¯s support in this. He placed his hand over Zeke''s prone body, and poured what little mana he had to fill Zeke¡¯s mana pool. Eventually, Mikella could only watch with anticipation, even helping out by helping Zeke open his mouth with her fingers and pouring droplets of any leftover mana potions, which were being pulled out by all the soldiers around them. On top of that, she also poured mana into his body like how they did with kinetic energy, but it was incredibly inefficient without Mana Perception. Still, it was better than nothing. Zeke needed all the time he could have, and Cloud wanted him to keep going. He could feel Val¡¯s lifeforce withering away, rushing Cloud further and further into his work, pushing his high leveled Runecraft skill to the limit. He will not leave Ana alone without a mother. He will not leave Val to go off on her journey to the afterlife alone. He will be with her from life to death, and he will do so gladly. Because she is his light, his love, his very reason for existence. ¡­.. Zeke always had an inferiority complex, no matter the situation at hand. It was gained recently, though, after realizing some very impactful truths about his life. When he was born, he had a mental disability unlike anything the doctors could discern. His mother, always the driven and competitive type, never really liked that. So throughout his childhood, his teen years, and his pre-adult life, he faced several trials and tribulations all while going through a mental haze nobody could ever understand, or try to. By the time he managed to conquer the haze when he turned 18 years old, he was already out by himself, striked out of his mother¡¯s will and left abandoned. For the next three years after that, he tried to regain control of his life, or what was left of it. At the end, there was nothing he could do. So he ended up working at a simple job running the numbers, as doing mathematics was the least he could do. He did nothing noteworthy, and even worse, he was useless to his mother. But not in this world. In this world, he became someone actually worthwhile. Or at least, useful enough for somebody else. So when he saw Val about to die from an unfair surprise attack, Zeke stepped in before thinking about it further. When he saw a mother of a child about to die, he put himself in harm¡¯s way, helping Ana avoid the awful life of losing her mother. In a way, he went through that himself. It was also the reason why he wanted to be there for Clara. It gave him a purpose, something more than himself. He had to combat the uselessness of himself for the past three years, and he won¡¯t start doing that now. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! But as his mana started to get drained away, eventually reaching zero and once again entering the cold state of his soul, he found himself adrift. He felt the migraine coming up, and the incredible urge of his mana pouring out of him like a juicer clenching the contents out of his body. At the same time, he was surrounded by a white void that seemed to go on endlessly. He didn¡¯t know how he got in here, but as he could feel his body slowly withering away, he felt that this was some sort of mental block he put himself in, or perhaps what was inside of Val herself. Then again, there was nothing here depicting her presence, so perhaps it was some sort of spatial void or something. Then he realized why. It was the very same void that the enemy was in. The reason behind the undeath that was summoned out of Alex¡¯s corpse. As though the last vestige of his body was here, Alex appeared in front of him, but his form was clearly not the same young teen as before. It was as though his soul was made bare for the world to see, and just like his personality, it was god-awful to watch. He was like a withered skeleton, completely blackened as though darkened by the age of time. There was skin on some parts, though they looked so ancient that they might as well be some strange gunk instead. His skeletal face bare some resemblance, his burning sockets where his eyes should be had the same color as his irises. They weren¡¯t eyeballs, instead it was like directly looking at flames with irises. It was a strange sight, and even stranger when it looked like the skeleton-looking soul noticed his presence. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± The being, once a vibrant psycho of a teen, now a talking skeleton pointing an accusatory finger at him. ¡°You¡¯re not supposed to be here!¡± ¡°I could say the same to you,¡± Zeke spoke casually. Strangely enough, he didn¡¯t feel threatened or weirded out. He knew where he was, and he didn¡¯t plan on staying here for long. But it felt as though he made a connection to this strange happenstance. It was his skill, Recovery. He didn¡¯t know why, but it looked like his skill helped in putting his mind directly where the soul was attacking the vessel, in this case, Val¡¯s body. He didn¡¯t know that the skill could be so powerful enough to send his own soul in here, but then it was an Epic skill now. But he put that aside for now. He walked towards the ghostly being, his hands clenched. He felt a strange sense of calm, but he felt the opposite from the former teen. He felt fear in those burning eyes. ¡°S-Stay back!¡± The skeletal being backed up a step in fear, raising his bony hand. ¡°Stay away! D-Don¡¯t you care what¡¯s gonna happen to this chick?!¡± ¡°Nothing worse than what you¡¯re doing,¡± Zeke said, unwilling to give in to the teen¡¯s threats. It was as empty as his soul, devoid of any love or empathy. Alex could care less about life, but all of a sudden he cared about his own life. It made sense¨Cteens tend to think arrogantly that way. He once thought of himself above others during his own teen years, something that he regretted deeply. After all, it was just to get away from the fact that his mental state was as broken as his life and familial bonds. So right now, he was feeling a little pissed. ¡°No! Stay away! G-Go away!¡± The teen forked his hand out, unleashing a blast of dark magic like before. But Zeke knew that this kind of magic was empty¨Cif anything, it was only making it worse for the teen. Alex must have used some ultimate skill of his class, allowing his soul to transcend his body and into another body. But Zeke believed that there was a mistake involved, or Alex reached too high up. The skill was supposed to send his soul to an undead body, making himself into an undead. Instead, the kid figured he could go to the closest most powerful being in the room, trying to take over it and make it his own body. But his spirit was too weak, his soul utterly pathetic. The black magic was pushed aside by Zeke as he ran towards the soul, unwilling to let it go. Clenching his fist, he punched the soul straight on its skeletal face. It fell to the ground, or what is constituted as the ground in this white void. Just like Alex made himself into a ¡®skill¡¯, so did Zeke. Zeke became the definition of his Recovery skill, and healed the wound by punching Alex. Maybe it didn¡¯t have to be that way. A simple flick of the wrist would be good enough¡­ but Zeke felt like Alex needed more than that. And as he expected, Alex slowly withered away, the true cause of his skill finally disappearing. This time, Zeke felt no guilt from killing off Alex for good this time. After all, he was trying to kill Val. He was trying to kill his friend. All that guilt and panic from earlier felt hollow now. Soon, Zeke figured that it was over, and tried to return to his body, but when he felt his body, he felt something was off. The undeath. It was still surrounding Val¡¯s body. Even though he took away the soul that was trying to control Val, the undeath was still within her body. And he can¡¯t get rid of it. Panic took over. He was already reaching a critical state of his Mana straight at zero. He sensed the outside where the leaders, the soldiers, and even Mikella were trying to help by pouring Mana into him. But the mana expenditure of his barriers trying to constrict the undeath was too much. His barriers, miniscule as they were, were taking more Mana to continue existing. After all, it wasn¡¯t like Zeke was deliberately causing a blockage throughout Val¡¯s conduits. If he did it like that, he would end up blocking the vital energy from her core, causing her to die. What he was doing was specifically stopping the undeath, but it still persisted. If he doesn¡¯t do anything now, however, his barriers will lose hold against it and Val will turn. And at his state, he can¡¯t even conjure a simple barrier to protect them all against a powerful Journeyman zombie. He opened up his status page as a last resort. As fear gripped his heart, he realized something unpleasant. His level was at 30, and that means that he has the right to take on an attunement. Just like with Mikella, he could take an attunement to save everyone, and perhaps even himself if he was lucky. But right now, undeath was all around him. So¡­ what if he took the Undeath as his Mana attunement? The idea of being like Alex, taking and using Undeath as part of his everyday life, made him reel in disgust. He didn¡¯t even want to think about leaving Mikella and Clara behind even though he wouldn¡¯t dare be anywhere near them if he took in an undeath attunement. But what other choice did he have? Let Val die and get themselves killed? He wasn¡¯t gonna let that fly. He felt the coldness take over, causing his mind to wander. Not only his head, but the rest of his body was aching badly to the point where he wished he could just go to sleep. He had no other choice. As long as it means that Mikella will live to go back to Clara, so Ana can still be with her mother, Zeke will do whatever it takes. Even if it meant being alone forever for everyone¡¯s safety.
Attunement available: Undeath
Seeing the prompt, Zeke closed his incorporeal eyes. He thanked Mikella for the care all this time. He hoped Clara would forgive him for leaving her behind. He thought about the people they lost, the people he didn¡¯t even see die off while he was away. He thought about them, and how heavy each of those lives were on his shoulders. He can¡¯t even imagine the pain and suffering their loved ones would go through, as he never truly experienced it himself. But he knew that he would never forgive himself if he let this happen. He accepted the attunement. Then it refused his command. ¡°...Wat?¡± Zeke¡¯s eyes stayed squinting at his system notification, showing him something that he never expected to have seen.
Error! Unable to choose Undeath as attunement. Adjustments will be made. ERROR! ERROR! ERROR! Attunement chosen without the user''s intent. ERROR! You have chosen¨C
An extraordinary feeling swelled into him the moment after the prompt disappeared mid-sentence. It was as though his channels were being filled to the brim, his core expanding further and further beyond his body¡¯s limits. A force unlike anything he ever felt before entered his mind, body, and soul. The feeling he experienced just now suddenly became¡­ bigger, but not in size. It became denser, almost like lead, but more than that. Pressure from some unforeseen force of nature. A supreme force of nature. It was daunting. Yet, it didn¡¯t feel unnatural. It felt the exact opposite. It was true energy. Complete and refined beyond a shadow of a doubt. It was also heavy, bigger than anything he ever felt before. That giant feeling swallowed him whole, and pain unlike anything he ever felt before blossomed within his very core. He screamed in silence, and the void echoed in response. His brain turned into mush, and his body felt numb. His soul was expanded to the point where it could cover the entirety of this void and beyond. Then, like that, it ended. Despite his vision turning blurry and pain exuding from him in waves he never felt before, he still saw the new notification that dropped. He couldn¡¯t believe what he saw.
Attunement process completed. You have gained The World. You have gained +10 STR from your attunement. You have gained +10 DEX from your attunement. You have gained +10 INT from your attunement. You have gained +10 SPI from your attunement. You have gained +10 VIT from your attunement. You have gained +10 END from your attunement. ¡­.. You have chosen your attunement. You are able to advance. You are now an Expert. As your reward for advancing to Expert, you are eligible to evolve your Class. Choose your evolution on the list and further strive for ascension. Due to choosing your attunement, your mana has now permanently changed to that of The World.
.....
The World Your mana is now heavier and denser than before, approaching that of aether. You gain passive abilities. Denseness: Your mana is heavier, increasing your magical potency. Overreach: Your senses have been strengthened beyond your body¡¯s natural state.
Ch84: Not that bad She gritted her teeth as she felt the heat in her body slowly dissipate, the amount of mana in her core just fizzling out. The further she reached within herself, she felt her very life at risk. To think that Zeke reached the end of his Mana pool not once, but multiple times spoke volumes of how incredibly resilient and incredibly stupid he was. Even now as he looked like he was about to die while trying to help Valorie survive. It¡¯s only been a few minutes, but the tension was rising ever higher as Cloud was losing his mind while creating a very elaborate and extensive rune array. At this point, Val was surrounded by every piece of leather scrolls and small but shimmering metal bars inscribed with intensively complex runes. Every single one was formed into a circle with Val as the center point. Cloud was losing more and more of that calm and composed look, showing a raging lunatic trying to do the impossible. At first, Mikella wanted to kill this man for forcing Zeke to nearly kill himself to save his wife. Now, she wanted him to stop for his own sake. Looking at him now filled her with dread, as though he was ready to sign a pact with the devil, and the rune array he was making was really leaning towards that conclusion. The others didn¡¯t fare any better. It was obvious in their minds and hearts that saving Val was important. She was their captain, and clearly they don¡¯t want her to turn into a zombie for several reasons, one of which was important since she might kill them all if she did. But they clearly showed signs of fear and doubt at both Cloud¡¯s losing control over himself, and the horrific state Zeke was in. For Mikella, her heart cried out in pain to find Zeke like this. He looked like he already died, his eyes were just staring blankly at Val, or somewhere farther away than they all realized. His face was pale and he was already cold to the point that his body was stiff frozen, like a corpse. She had to constantly remind herself that he still lived, his heart still beating. Even worse, blood was dripping from his face. They started profusely from his nose, then his ears. So when his eyes began to bleed from the pressure of losing so much mana from this clearly hardcore casting, Mikella knew she was out of her depth. She couldn¡¯t do a thing, and Myra was working overtime to make sure that she didn''t lose herself in despair. Zeke was still alive, but it was like watching a man being tortured while being forced to watch it all. Was he even present in all this? She can¡¯t even tell, and her special status was not mentioning anything. Zacharia was apparently the one trying to stop all this madness at first, surprising her a little. But as the moment passed, he recognized the danger of leaving Val like this. Eventually, Cloud stood up, breathing heavily as he finally finished his preparations. The array was done, and now it was time for it to start. The other soldiers separated from the circle, leaving Val and Zeke behind. While Zeke doesn¡¯t necessarily have to be in the circle, it was hard to distance himself away from his venture into the spell. Mikella could only pray that things go well, and for once, she regretted not getting into magic. ¡°Cloud, are you sure this will work?¡± Zacharia asked. His tone was filled with doubt and worry, contrary to how he usually is. ¡°If not, we¡¯re in for a pretty shitty evening,¡± Cloud said, his voice harsh and rough. He pressed his hands together in a sort of prayer sign, each index finger pressed together as he closed his eyes. Mana started swirling around, something that even Mikella could tell as they were all converging onto the array circle. The runes inscribed into each item and medium glowed with powerful light that encompassed the entire hall they were in. They were finally able to get through this nightmare of a scenario, but Mikella realized something was wrong. The mana¨Cit was turning wild, almost fluctuating at a random pace. Even Cloud noticed the disturbance as he surveyed the room, trying to scope out the source. Then the entire room, no, perhaps the dungeon itself began to rumble. The soldiers panicked as the room shifted like there was an earthquake, and some even fell over to their hands and knees. It was then that Mikella remembered something that she truly wished wouldn¡¯t happen. If this tower is the same as the last one, then isn¡¯t it possible that the tower could disappear into some void and be crushed into dust like before? Was it possible that by killing Alex, the tower is instigating its ¡®fuck off¡¯ procedure? ¡°Cloud!¡± Mikella shouted, her eyes widening into saucers. ¡°The tower! It¡¯s starting to fall apart!¡± ¡°What?!¡± Cloud shouted in shock and horror. It was already bad enough that Val was about to turn, but it was even worse to find the place they were at was about to break apart. ¡°The last time this happened, there was a portal that led us out of here. But¡­¡± Mikella searched around, then through her memories. The portal should¡¯ve been there when they reached the exit. ¡°It¡¯s not here¡­¡± ¡°Shit!¡± Myra shouted. ¡°Then what do we do, leave?!¡± ¡°We can¡¯t!¡± Cloud shouted. ¡°Not without Val!¡± ¡°It¡¯s too late!¡± Zacharia shouted. ¡°I know it¡¯s hard, but think about the others! Are you truly willing to abandon them all?!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you do this to me, Zacharia,¡± Cloud hissed, almost growling at the general even as the tower still continued to rumble. ¡°Don¡¯t make me choose.¡± ¡°You bastard!¡± It was clear now that the two have lost themselves. Zacharia wanted to leave and preserve their lives, and Cloud was willing to make their choice whether they wanted to or not. At this point, Mikella was full on ready to drag Zeke out of there and leave. She hated the idea, but she can¡¯t leave Clara alone, not in this horrible world where death could be anywhere and everywhere at once. But just as the soldiers were losing to despair, and the leaders were ready to fight to the death right here and now, something changed. The world shifted. A feeling of weight ensued all around them. A pressure unlike anything they ever felt before fell on top of them. The ground began to crack, small spider web-like cracks forming on the stone from the pressure. The soldiers and even the leaders were left to their knees. Another wave hit them, Paul and Philip falling unconscious to it. Jackie still groaned in pain as his face was planted on the ground. Stolen story; please report. Myra, Piker, and Mikella were the ones who managed to stand, but barely, and the leaders looked on in awe at a single direction. They were staring at the circle, but not at Val. They were staring at Zeke. When she saw Zeke herself, she was at a loss. Zeke¡¯s eyes turned bright blue and green, the two colors swirling together in an eternal harmonious dance. Then they turned bright blue, covering the eyes entirely as if a presence had taken over. She felt it¨Cthe pressure. This power¡­ it was all coming from him. But how? Zeke opened his mouth, and a strange, almost otherworldly roar escaped his lips. It was his voice, but it transcended. There was weight in that roar. Whatever it was that happened, the rumbling immediately stopped. Or rather, it failed to continue, as if it was denied access to whatever it was about to do, all thanks to Zeke. It was left there, just hanging in the air. Almost as if he stopped the tower from beginning to fall apart. Cloud immediately took this chance. Whatever it was that happened, Zeke once again saved the day by stopping the destruction of the tower. He pressed his hands and closed his eyes once again, his own Mana beginning to churn the array to restart again. The runes glowed bright once more and the circle slowly became encased in that light. As Zeke¡¯s mouth hung open, his eyes still blue, both he and Val were covered in the bright white light of the array. Then Cloud roared as he pressed his hand on top of the circle. His eyes grew frantic as a wave of dominant white light emanated from the circle all throughout the room. Another wave exploded outward, and unlike the immense pressure of Zeke¡¯s aura, this one cleared away whatever impurity Mikella had. She didn¡¯t even know what it was, but the passing pure energy pushed straight through her soul and towards whatever void it headed into. She soon saw all sorts of murky, black mana coming out of everyone, particularly from Zacharia as he began to look immensely better compared to before. Even more importantly, every single iota of that murky mana from Val¡¯s body was burned away as the main centerpoint of the ritual, and even Zeke, in all his power, was blown away from being so close, landing far away from the circle like a doll with no will of his own. The energy diminished in its glow, and as the bright light faded, nothing but extremely goopy black sludge covered the area where the ritual circle was once at. Val stood right at the center of it all, in the only clear spot where there was no sludge whatsoever. Cloud ran through the sludge without a care, the sludge being nothing but gunk at this point as he hugged the still blank Val tightly. ¡°Val!¡± Cloud shouted. ¡°Val, it¡¯s me, Cloud. Please, please, wake up. We need to go home!¡± It took some forceful tugs and push from Cloud, however gentle it was, and soon it finally came into fruition. Val¡¯s blank look slowly returned, and consciousness returned to her eyes. She looked back at the now practically withered Cloud, and her mouth opened wide. ¡°C-Cloud¡­¡± Her voice was harsh and almost gravelly, and her complexion was desolate, but there were clear signs of life in her. ¡°Val!¡± Cloud almost cried out as he hugged his wife, his eyes turning red-brimmed and his breath short and haggard. ¡°G-Geez, Cloud, take it easy¡­¡± Val said, her voice struggling to speak, but she smiled wryly. ¡°I¡¯m still hurting in places¡­¡± The other soldiers could only smile at the sight, but Mikella was currently in full panic mode as she ran towards the downed Zeke along with Myra. ¡°Zeke!¡± She knelt towards Zeke and pulled him up to her side. Checking his body, he was absolutely cold, but there was still a hint of his heart beating when she pressed her ear to his chest. Myra offered to heat him up by using her hands charged with her Fire aspect mana and surrounding Zeke with a wave of heat. As though that was enough, Zeke fluttered his eyes open to find the two girls looking down on him. ¡°Zeke, are you okay?¡± Mikella asked, rubbing his cheek and other parts of his face to find anything that could prove detrimental. For a moment, Zeke just watched as though he wasn¡¯t even there. Then, his eyes darted around, as though noticing something. Without answering, Zeke forced himself to pull up, his head wobbling left and right as the other soldiers finally noticed him. Then he raised his hand upwards. It was weak, and it kept trembling as though he was using every ounce of strength he had left. But something happened when he did so. Another tremendous wave of pressure emanated from beyond them, forcing the others to look back to find a swirling white portal right where the giant zombie was crashed into. As though everything around it was getting warped, they all headed straight through the portal, the suction alone enough to bring in rocks and pebbles straight into it. Mikella could only gape as she can¡¯t imagine how on earth Zeke was able to pull that off. But when she looked back at him, Zeke looked incredibly dizzy and then turned his head to the side and barfed. The contents was nothing but blood as it nearly drenched his side into a small puddle. Everyone stayed absolutely silent at the sight, then when Zeke stopped and looked back at it, he finally spoke up. ¡°Huh¡­ that¡¯s new¡­¡± He then promptly fainted right on top of the puddle, zonked out of consciousness. ¡°Zeke!¡± Mikella picked him up instantly and wiped off the blood covering his face while trying to ensure he was still alive. Despite literally barfing what looked like a half-gallon of blood, he still managed to breathe and stay alive. ¡°Come on! Let¡¯s get the fuck out of here!¡± Zacharia called out, immediately getting everyone¡¯s attention as he pointed at the portal. ¡°Carry the boy over and let¡¯s leave!¡± The reason for the urgency is that the rumbling was once again restarting, causing the ground to shift and the walls to shake. Everyone got the picture immediately as they all picked themselves up and ran over to the portal. Jackie and Piker helped pick up Philip and Paul as they were still knocked unconscious from the pressure Zeke emitted. Meanwhile, Mikella and Myra helped carry Zeke, while Val and Cloud held onto each other as they walked. Val looked incredibly weak, but it wasn¡¯t surprising to find Cloud utterly devoid of energy after the array. Somehow, one way or another, they all managed to leave the crumbling tower behind through the portal that Zeke managed to summon, leaving everything behind that wasn¡¯t of importance. ¡­.. The group watched in awe as they all stood in front of the tower from the gateway that looked similar to how they entered from the inside. Several minutes passed, and the sudden breath of fresh air from the outside world was like a wakeup call for some. Not only have Philip and Paul woke up, but any hint of exhaustion left their bodies. That is until Mikella shouted again. ¡°Let¡¯s get as far away from the tower as possible,¡± She warned the others. ¡°We do not want to be here when it happens.¡± ¡°When what happens?¡± Piker asked, sounding more interested in how she said it. ¡°Trust me, you want to stay away,¡± Mikella didn¡¯t offer anything else other than a shake of her head. She then prodded Myra to move with her as she gladly helped carry the still downed Zeke away. The others quickly followed her as they looked back to find exactly what was about to happen. The rumblings ensued once again. The portal began to destabilize, warping in and out of existence. In that instance, the tower that looked like it could pierce the sky suddenly started to crumble and break apart piece by piece. The roaring sound of the destruction was equal to a raging storm as everything within close proximity broke and shattered. Even the ground itself couldn¡¯t withstand the force as everything was getting absorbed into the portal. Soon the tower, the portal, and a good portion of the ground ceased to be, disappearing into the void. Nothing was left behind except a giant circular crater on the ground. Everyone around them froze at the sight. Even the leaders, including Val, Cloud, and Zacharia stared in wonder at what they saw. Then, as though unified, they all looked back at Mikella who watched with a mild expression. After all, she had seen it before. And she couldn¡¯t help but be dissatisfied. The last time this happened, a giant ghost knight was sucked in and gave them a rather morbid message about fate or something. So she just looked back at the rest with a shrug and responded: ¡°It was actually not that bad.¡± Nobody could really comment on that, so they decided to leave it at that. Ch85: Rest up, warrior He honestly didn''t feel anything was bad at first. He found himself adrift in the void of his mind, utterly thoughtless and without purpose. Then a sudden shake woke him, and soon pain became his very being. His body was cold, but that was just a natural state at this point in his life. His head was splitting apart like a melon, and his insides were either burning like they were in acid or he had pins the size of blades sticking at him all over from the inside. Finally, every ear, eye, and nostril were aching and stinging so much that he just wanted to dig out whatever it was affecting them with a sharp knife for good measure, regardless of his physical state afterwards. All in all, he was having a pretty shitty time. Still, if this wasn¡¯t the case of him still being alive, somehow, then all the better. Now he wished he truly died. But then a face propped up before his own, making him realize that life wasn¡¯t so bad. It was Mikella, and she looked as horrid as he remembered. Still, she cleaned up a bit, especially the soot as she looked mostly fine, albeit there were still some burns here and there. Some of her brown hair was even burnt off, giving her a sort of bald spot here and there. Still, despite the messy look she had, her eyes were the ones that reminded him how pretty she was. Her eyes widened after a moment of studying his face, realizing that he was awake. ¡°Zeke!¡± Mikella shouted as that easily got the others¡¯ attention. Now it wasn¡¯t just Mikella¨CMyra and Val showed up in his vision, making him realize that he was staring upwards towards the sky. The sky that was blue and fresh, and not within the confines of a tower meant to kill them all. They were outside. Messy, bloody, and hurt beyond all reasoning¡­ but they were outside. Zeke tried to speak, but his throat was hurting a lot more than he expected when he tried to make a sound. He coughed violently, even spitting up hints of blood. He turned his head, realizing that he was riding on top of something. It was some sort of carriage, and he was resting on top of some furs. It was currently driving too, which might explain that sudden shock that got him awake. They were currently traveling through the forest, as they must have stumbled over some roots. The sky he saw above was slightly hidden behind the canopies of the trees, giving off the nature scent he so longed for. ¡°Oh my god, Zeke!¡± Mikella helped him up, raising his head slightly. He tried to do it himself, but it was as though his body refused to move despite his will. It wasn¡¯t the pain, but rather the lack of control, like his mind wasn¡¯t connected to his body. ¡°Easy, Zeke,¡± Val noticed his struggle as Mikella helped him drink some fresh water she got from her storage pack. ¡°You¡¯re badly wounded, and you¡¯re spiritually damaged to a pretty nasty degree.¡± ¡°S-Spiritually damaged¡­?¡± Zeke¡¯s voice was harsh and rough, and he could still taste the bitter coppery taste of his blood. ¡°You spent a lot of mana that your body couldn¡¯t physically handle. That, and you somehow managed to bring out enough power to get us out of that situation,¡± Val explained, her eyes growing softer as she explained. ¡°And you saved my life.¡± Zeke actually narrowed his eyes. He was definitely sure all he did was stop the progress of her turning. He didn¡¯t do anything that could¡¯ve helped her survive. Not to mention, looking at Val now, she didn¡¯t look very good either. She was riding in this same carriage as he was, possibly injured like he was, but she at least was able to move a bit. Her face was pale and there was a hint of exhaustion that was beyond normal tiredness. Her eyes and cheeks were sunken in, and her eyes were even a little dimmer than usual. Though, in some respect, she looked better than how he felt right now. But despite all that, she smiled at him, a hint of warmth from her eyes that showed all too well her gratitude towards him. Nodding to her statement, Zeke groggily asked. ¡°...What happened?¡± He closed his eyes to try and preserve whatever control he had over his painful headache. ¡°What happened after the undeath?¡± ¡°You pretty much stopped her turning, and Cloud managed to clear it all away. He even got the rest of it out of all of us,¡± Myra, the one who stood by and waited for Val to finish, spoke up. ¡°After that, the tower started to break apart, but you managed to summon a portal out of there.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Zeke tilted his head. ¡°How did I do that?¡± The three women around him all stood silent at his question. Mikella was the one who answered next after helping Zeke settle on a pillow she brought up to sit upright. ¡°Zeke¡­ you don¡¯t remember?¡± Mikella asked slowly. ¡°I knew you were out of it, but you managed to open up a portal with a raise of your hand, like¡­ you ordered it to be summoned. We had no way out before that.¡± ¡°I figured it was that, you know, ¡®special¡¯ part of you guys,¡± Myra said discreetly, flexing her fingers. ¡°Like ¡®bam¡¯.¡± ¡°Oh, oh¡­¡± Zeke lowered his eyes towards his own hands. After looking at them now, they were dry like all the moisture was sucked out of them. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m still kinda out of it¡­ I can¡¯t even remember¡­¡± Then Zeke recalled the time he made his attunement. His eyes widened as he opened up his status screen for the first time. There were plenty of notifications, but he put that aside as a more pressing matter was at hand. After seeing the new change, he nodded. ¡°Yep¡­ that makes sense,¡± Zeke said. That immediately got the girls¡¯ attention, so Zeke turned his status to life and turned it around. The moment they read it, they froze in place. Not just Mikella and Myra, but even Val watched in shock as they read his newly acquired attunement. ¡®The World¡¯. Whatever it was, it was powerful, and Zeke recalled the power he used, or what he felt, when he took that in for the first time. It was as though everything around him became his, to the point where he even managed to control the tower. He didn''t know why the portal did not open¨Cperhaps since Alex was the ¡®owner¡¯ of the tower at the time, he refused the portal to head outside to continue his sick experiments. But the moment Zeke gained control of this attunement, the control of the tower became his. As he remembered, he could definitely recall the link he felt to the tower when he lost it, and the incredible backlash of doing something that was supposedly outside of his control, explaining the amount of blood he threw up. He honestly thought he dreamed up such a cartoonish morbid way, but apparently it was true. ¡°The World¡­¡± Val repeated slowly, almost in awe. ¡°I never heard of that kind of aspect before.¡± ¡°You made an attunement when you were getting drained?!¡± Myra nearly shouted, but she kept her voice low as the others around the carriage were still exhausted from their walk. ¡°What the hell were you expecting to get when you did that?¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t,¡± Zeke shook his heads. He winced, but realized that it was better to just say it. ¡°I planned on taking undeath to get us out of that situation.¡± The words hit like a truck for the girls, especially Mikella as she just stared dumbfoundedly at him. They all had something to say, but in the end Val was the first to speak up. ¡°To save me,¡± Val said, then she shook her head. ¡°No, to save all of us. If you could control the undeath, you could¡¯ve stopped me from turning, and in turn stop me from killing everyone here.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Zeke said in a whisper. He was afraid to look at Mikella, so he kept staring at the floor of the carriage. ¡°I was ready to accept the consequences for that when I chose it, but it just¡­ refused my request.¡± ¡°It ¡®refused¡¯?¡± Mikella asked, this time forcing Zeke to look at her as she turned his head towards her. ¡°Explain.¡± So Zeke did so, and this time he was forced to keep staring at Mikella (not that he was complaining) as she didn¡¯t like how he tried to make a heavy decision like that. Still, she let the matter drop as he kept explaining. Putting aside the horrific consequences, in the end, it was for a good reason. Eventually, the girls became more curious as to this invasive attunement that took control of his decision. ¡°How did you get something like ¡®The World¡¯ anyways?¡± Mikella asked curiously. ¡°I mean, I know I had the option to take lightning after taking it from my sword¡­¡± ¡°Which was still incredibly foolish for you to do,¡± Val spoke up before continuing, sending a glare at her. Mikella instantly wilted from that heated stare despite the exhaustion clear on her face. ¡°I know the situation was rough, but to take an attunement directly from a weapon without any insurances? You could¡¯ve died on the spot!¡± ¡°I-I know¡­¡± Mikella nodded. ¡°But if I didn¡¯t, the zombieman would¡¯ve killed me.¡± ¡°Even so, you must take precaution,¡± Val shook her head. ¡°Normally, what you did is not only incredibly dangerous, but also indescribably difficult to pull off. Not even high level practitioners would go so far even if it would help improve their attunements.¡± ¡°But isn¡¯t that because they don''t have a powerful skill and lots of stats under their belt, captain?¡± Myra asked, which prompted Val to give a passive stare at her. ¡°Myra, be a dear and don¡¯t give any ideas to our crazy fighter over here.¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am!¡± Myra saluted, utterly serious in her posture while Zeke could only stare blankly at the cheekish Mikella. Zeke was glad she was getting a rundown of her actions, but who was he to speak about it? In the end, there was no way to know about how his attunement worked. There were plenty of other things to ask, but for now, he was glad that he wasn¡¯t at least turning everyone around him into a zombie. Breathing slowly, he turned to Val to get on with what he needed to know. ¡°Val¡­ how are you? Are you fine?¡± ¡°I¡¯m more than fine,¡± Val said, smiling back at him. ¡°True enough, I spent so much of my energy, I could barely move. That¡¯s why I¡¯m here in the carriage with you. I could walk, but my dear husband lost his mind and refused to let me take a step.¡± ¡°Captain, please, Cloud is just really worried about you,¡± Myra said. It was clear that she was in Cloud¡¯s camp. ¡°You look like you could keel over at any second!¡± ¡°I have plenty more in the tank than you lot combined,¡± Val scoffed. ¡°Still, I can¡¯t deny that I can¡¯t really move. My stamina is in the pits too.¡± ¡°And that¡¯s why you¡¯re here too, Zeke,¡± Mikella offered, getting back to him. ¡°Tell me, how bad of a debuff you have?¡± Wincing, he opened up his blinking notifications. The system was kind enough to actually sort out all the things he had, because quite frankly, there was a lot of shit to go through. Sparing a glance, he optimized the notifications to first read the ones with a blaring red notification color rather than the light blue. He definitely remembered that one before and brought it up for everyone to see.
You are afflicted with Intense Mana Deprivation.
Zeke groaned out loud, showing his debuff to her. Mikella also groaned, equaling his disasfaction. ¡°You¡¯re either incredibly lucky or incredibly durable,¡± Val said, actually sounding more impressed than distressed. ¡°How so?¡± Zeke asked, mostly out of sarcasm if he was honest. ¡°You could¡¯ve easily been afflicted with permanent damage. Perhaps during the attunement process, you gained enough mana to circumvent that¡­ but it looks like this debuff would last a lot longer than usual.¡± Zeke took a moment to reign in his disappointment. It was like saying he could have lost a leg instead of just breaking it. It would¡¯ve been ten times worse, and having permanent damage involving magic doesn¡¯t sound very fun. ¡°Still, he really should¡¯ve known when to hold back. I should¡¯ve stopped him, but he just went ahead and did this. So don¡¯t worry about it, Val¨CI¡¯ll make sure Zeke is properly punished for this.¡± ¡°Umm, excuse me,¡± Zeke raised his hand, staring at Mikella in disbelief. ¡°I¡¯m right here, you know.¡± ¡°Quiet, dingus, adults are speaking.¡± Zeke could only roll his eyes at her remark, a very familiar insult hitting him just as before. He had a feeling a certain little girl would be saying that sometime soon in the future. Somehow, that insult gained a lot of weight as of late. Val could only giggle at the chide remark from Mikella, but then someone galloped over to the carriage. ¡°She¡¯s right, you know,¡± Cloud spoke up, getting their attention. Now that Zeke saw him, he couldn¡¯t believe what he was seeing. Cloud looked withered, way more than Valorie. If anything, he looked like he lost years of his life. Even worse complexion than his wife, and he even looked paler than most. Yet he still stood with a straight-rod posture even as he rode on the horse. ¡°Holy shit, Cloud¡­¡± Zeke wheezed, not realizing he was speaking more often than not and began coughing. ¡°You don¡¯t have any right to tell me how bad I look,¡± Cloud smiled, withered as it was, at Zeke. ¡°I¡¯ll recover. But you¡¯re only just starting as an Expert mage. If you keep doing things like this without any preparations, you¡¯ll only pay the consequences at a time where you need your powers the most.¡± Despite his serious tone and lecturing, Cloud smiled softly at the young man. There was a hint of gratitude behind his eyes that Zeke felt a bit awkward to see. ¡°But please understand¨CI owe you my life. What you did for me and my family will never be forgotten. I swear I will never forget what you did for us. I promise.¡± Zeke almost felt pressure from the intensity behind Cloud¡¯s voice. But he never once considered asking for a price. It felt wrong to do so. Who wouldn¡¯t save a friend, even if hurt like a bitch? Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. He just felt that this horrible feeling is nothing compared to losing Val, a good wife and mother, and a dear friend that gave them sanctuary in this new world. ¡°Are you forgetting that I¡¯m the one he saved, not you?¡± Val said, though there wasn¡¯t any clear anger in her tone. Cloud only patted her head, smiling ever so sweetly. ¡°He might as well have. Without you, I¡¯m nothing.¡± Now Zeke wanted nothing more than to look away. They had the look in their eyes that felt like they entered into their own little world. Not that he disliked them doing that¨Cafter the crap they went through, Cloud had every right to fully appreciate Val still alive and breathing. But thankfully both Mikella and Myra shared his sentiments as they quickly got back to topic. Apparently Val was taken aback by his words and just melted straight to his hand that caressed her cheek. ¡°But you gotta have gained something, right?¡± Myra went back on track. ¡°Did you get anything from clearing the dungeon?¡± ¡°Clearing the dungeon?¡± Zeke asked, furrowing his brows. ¡°Can we get rewards?¡± ¡°Apparently everyone got a reward when we got out of the tower,¡± Mikella said, almost as stumped as he was. ¡°Not to mention a crap ton of levels.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Zeke finally looked up at his notifications, the good ones he ignored to find the bad one. It wasn¡¯t really that bad, as the cost was nothing in his mind. And for once, the notifications brought a smile to his face.
You have cleared the dungeon: Embrace of Undeath. You have received the following rewards: 50 Gold Coins 100 Silver Coins Necklace of Last Night
.....
Pain Resistance Level Up! It is now level 7. You have gained +1 VIT (x2) from your skill. You have gained +1 END (x2) from your skill.
¡­..
Steadfast Mind Level Up! It is now Level 5. You have gained +1 SPI from your skill. You have gained +1 END from your skill.
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Mana Perception Level Up! It is now Level 10 (Maxed). You have gained +1 INT from your skill. You have gained +1 SPI from your skill. Mana Perception has been maxed. Bonuses are now applied: -Increased mana control -Evolution available -Advancement available
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Barrier Craft Level Up! It is now Level 10 (Maxed). You have gained +1 INT from your skill. You have gained +2 SPI from your skill. Barrier Craft has been maxed. Bonuses are now applied: -Increased potency -Decreased mana consumption -Advancement available
.....
New Title Available: Dungeon Delver: You are not one for a comfy life. You rather venture into unknown territory for riches and glory. You have gained +2 DEX from your title. You have gained +2 END from your title. Title Skill attained: Eye for Treasure
¡­..
Eye for Treasure (Title), Level 1 (Maxed) You developed a keen eye for particular riches. Increases sensitivity towards any unowned treasure around you by 1%.
Zeke whistled at the number of gains he made. Though the title skill wasn¡¯t something he planned on using sometime soon, the attribute gains are always appreciated. As for the tower rewards, the money was definitely appreciated. If he knew his coins, what he got was equivalent to six grand. Then there was this strange necklace, pulling it out of his storage bag which the item threw itself into the moment he received the notification. He saw that it was a necklace with a golden braid-like chain with the centerpiece being a round dark gem, edged with a golden plating. It looked pretty, almost like seeing the dark sky without any stars. He checked the effects it had, and stared at it in awe.
Necklace of Last Night (Uncommon): A necklace created with dark-based mana, fueled by a sorcerer with a shadow and night aspected attunement. Enchantments: Lesser Darkness Lesser Shadow
He showed them the necklace, to which everyone was happy to see, but mostly due to being able to sell it off for a decent amount of coins. It¡¯s not like everyone around has any dark-based skills or spells. After sharing his spoils, Mikella went in next. She gained a substantial amount of coins too, but it was around 50 gold with a 100 silver as well. ¡°It¡¯s not surprising,¡± Val smiled. ¡°Out of everyone here, you contributed the most. If anything, it¡¯s because of you why the dungeon raid was so successful¡­ in a way.¡± Zeke couldn¡¯t help but grimace at how she worded it. They couldn¡¯t help it that they lost so many to some kid with a zombie fetish. ¡°I¡¯m surprised it has something like a contribution thing at all,¡± Zeke said, shaking his head. ¡°It¡¯s the same with the horde,¡± Myra pointed it out. ¡°Outside of treasures and nice loot, that¡¯s why so many people often go out exploring. The system recognizes your efforts, so it¡¯s only obvious that the system rewards that effort along with any levels you gain.¡± Zeke and Mikella nodded, prompting Mikella to show the same to Zeke from what she got. Not only did she get a reward of coins from the tower, she also received a Skill Book known as ¡®Pain Shot¡¯. It¡¯s a Dark-Based Mana spell (go figure) that Val recognizes that simulates pain across the human body when afflicted with it. Zeke shivered as he recalled the painful magic Alex threw at him. How it made his body feel pain way more than it should. He wondered whether Pain Resistance actually upgraded thanks to that¡­ Needless to say, Mikella had no need to learn it, even if her special status allowed her to learn a spell. It wasn¡¯t her style, and if she were to pick up a magic spell, it certainly wouldn¡¯t be something as cruel as this one. So she put it away in her storage bag. Good riddance, Zeke would gladly say. That was it for the rewards, but she wasn¡¯t done with her gains. Not only did she gain some levels and the Dungeon Crawler title as Zeke, she even got some skill levels too. Zeke only had a blank look on his face as he kept reading Mikella¡¯s outrageous gains.
Kinetic Perception Level Up! It is now Level 7. You have gained +1 DEX (x2) from your skill. You have gained +1 END (x2) from your skill.
¡­..
Sword Mastery Level Up! It is now Level 9. You have gained +1 (x2) STR from your skill. You have gained +1 (x2) DEX from your skill.
¡­..
Acrobatics Level Up! It is now Level 8. You have gained +1 STR (x2) from your skill. You have gained +2 DEX (x2) from your skill.
¡­..
Hawk Eyes Level Up! It is now Level 8. You have gained +2 STR (x2) from your skill. You have gained +1 DEX (x2) from your skill.
¡­..
Heavenly Strike Level Up! It is now Level 5. Decreased stamina and mana consumption. Increased damage.
¡­..
Dragon Descent Level Up! It is now Level 4. Increased speed and maneuverability Decreased stamina and mana consumption.
¡­..
Aerial Advantage Level Up! It is now Level 3. Increased attribute increases (x2).
Once everything was all well and calculated, he opened up his status screen in clear view.
Name: Zeke Parlow (Savior) Race: Human Runist: Level 30 (Evolvable) Attunement: The World (Tier 1) STR: 20 DEX: 65 INT: 87 SPI: 115 VIT: 38 END: 44 Free Points: 0
There was certainly a lot of things to go over now that he reached Expert. His skills evolving and reaching their maximum level was certainly one of them, as now he had several options to see how he¡¯ll upgrade them at some point. For now, he can¡¯t even think about anything on the skills. His Class, however¡­ ¡°Did you make your choice yet?¡± Zeke asked, figuring that Mikella must have talked it over with anyone else while he was, once again, knocked out. ¡°Your class evolution, I mean.¡± ¡°Not yet. I wanted to wait until you woke up.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t have to do that,¡± Zeke added, but in truth, he was happy to hear that she waited for his opinion. Apparently Mikella could read the expression on his face like a book as she grinned back at him. ¡°I know, but you¡¯ll feel lonely then. Now come on, show me what you got.¡± Zeke rolled his eyes, which he regretted soon after as his migraine came back to bite him. After a momentary pained headache, Zeke opened up his class evolution options. Just like how Myra did it, one can evolve their class at the same time they jump up a tier. And just like how one can choose their class at Apprentice, one can evolve their class to suit their now upgraded needs and wants. So he was surprised to find out he had three available options for his Runist Class.
-Incantation Runist -Haphazard Runist -Spiritual Runist
For a class upgrade, none of them were any good at their names, but at least their descriptions were explainable. He explained to Mikella that the first one, Incantation Runist, specialized in making Runic Spells like how he used his wind blast. It was certainly good, as it allowed him to increase the potency whereas a normal Runic Spell was lower in power compared to an average spell. It was also faster to cast, and can even alter it slightly in a better way. The second, Haphazard Runist, was¡­ well, like how Mikella called it: ¡°Dude, this is so you,¡± Mikella said with a giggle that almost pierced his heart. In a way, it helped Zeke create strange runes that were not of the norm. One of those examples was his Superball Barrier, or the Counter barrier. Basically, making runes that even the system itself hadn¡¯t seen before, or at least thought about but never tried. However, while it may reflect him (on a fundamental level apparently), he didn¡¯t like the sound of it. He could only have those ideas during the moment, and it¡¯s not like he can plan ahead on how to use these crazy ideas at any point, especially on purpose. Finally, the third one, was odd. It was vague, as the description itself wrote it out.
Spiritual Runist A runist that relied on the aspect of mana through their runes. One¡¯s runes, in some ways, reflects a runist¡¯s soul. A Spiritual Runist can bring that soul out to create something more with their runes. Attribute Growth Per Level: +3 DEX +3 INT +3 SPI 2 Skill Choices at Level 30, Level 40, and at Level 50.
While it seemed weird, he can¡¯t help but admire that strange yet intriguing way to bring something more into his runes. The Haphazard version was definitely out, but while the Incantation version was decent, he can¡¯t help but think that he can just as easily learn how to do his Runic Spells better by himself, rather than using up an entire class evolution on it. This one, in some ways, would improve all around, which by a process of elimination, easily made this the best choice. Mikella also agreed once he gave his thoughts, and so he chose the class path.
You have chosen Spiritual Runist. For each level, you gain: +3 DEX +3 INT +3 SPI For choosing Spiritual Runist, your Runecraft has advanced. It is now Rare. You gain points based on the advanced rarity: +6 DEX
All in all, a good haul, especially with Runecraft advancing to Rare rarity, a first for one of his General Skills. On a side note, he also had his first skill choice at the Expert stage. Pulling up his choices, he read what was next.
Class Skills available: -Explosive Runes -Phantasmal Runes
The first skill was interesting, at least. Explosive Runes is pretty much in the name¨Cit makes runes that explode easily. Adding in more detail, it allowed Zeke to draw runes with the potential to reach critical mass of mana and direct it however he wished. It was like Runic Spell in this case, except that it could also be used as a way to supercharge a rune array with a chance of exploding. He doesn¡¯t plan on using this for any supportive type of rune arrays, especially on his barrier that was protecting the others. Still, he did add that to the potential skill options to choose if the next choices weren¡¯t up to task. The second one, the Phantasmal Runes was a lot more interesting in all accounts.
Class Skill: Phantasmal Runes A Spiritual Runist¡¯s inscriptions would contain a piece of themselves in them. Allows the Spiritual Runist to connect any connecting rune to their Spirit stat, allowing an increase dependent on the attribute. Increases the potency of any runes created according to the level of the skill and the Spirit stat in increments of 10.
That got the otherworlders¡¯ interest. For once, the end of the skill description mentioned the stat in increments, rather than the current number. In other words, it was a skill that relied solely on how large the attribute is. Zeke¡¯s own Spirit attribute is a whopping 115. It¡¯s possible that this skill is perfect for him, so he chose it without any hesitation.
Class Skill learned: Phantasmal Runes
As for Mikella, she showed her own options, to which Zeke had to try and laugh for Mikella¡¯s sake¨Cto which he failed miserably. After a lot of trial and error, the time spent going back to the town longer as everyone is just trudging along from their injuries, she managed to make her choice. It wasn¡¯t some fanfare, or some painful process like during their stage improvement, just a simple choice and now figuring out what to get after that. When everything was well and done, they saw Zacharia coming over with his giant-ass horse, looking as pissed and stoic as ever. ¡°Zeke,¡± Zacharia spoke up, looking down on the nearly immobile Zeke with a steady glare. ¡°Good to see you awake. How is your status?¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡­ recovering, at least, sir,¡± Zeke answered as best he could, even trying to straighten up a bit. That didn¡¯t help at all since he nearly fell down the moment he tried. ¡°Good,¡± Zacharia nodded. ¡°Though I have plenty of questions regarding your¡­ knowledge of the tower, and how you managed to get us out of there.¡± Zacharia mentioned, looking over to Mikella, then back to Zeke. He almost grimaced, but he didn¡¯t show it. The tension was rising as he noticed Cloud and Val showing rather different looks. Val looked worried, but Cloud looked like he was ready to throw down if need be. He didn''t quite remember what was happening with everyone while his mind was within that strange void trying to cease Val¡¯s turning. But from what he heard through snippets, it wasn¡¯t very good. Zacharia then turned back to Zeke, this time showing a somber stare. ¡°But I won¡¯t annoy you with such things. For now, rest well. You earned it after everything.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Zeke lowered his head. ¡°I know I could¡¯ve done better.¡± ¡°Looking back is fine and all. In fact, I implore it,¡± Zacharia raised his head, a hint of pride as a general in his eyes. ¡°But there is such a thing as chance and luck. While I hate to rely on superstition, it is no doubt an element in battle. We happened to be caught at our lowest. No matter how prepared we are, that won¡¯t change.¡± ¡°I¡­ I understand,¡± Zeke nodded. ¡°Thank you, sir.¡± ¡°All of you did good, despite the circumstances,¡± Zacharia turned to both Myra and Mikella, giving them each a nod in respect. ¡°I definitely messed up on holding Zeke back, though,¡± Mikella offered, pressing her lips. ¡°I know you told me to look out and all, so I apologize.¡± ¡°Such things are out of your control,¡± Zacharia shook his head. ¡°One must work with what they have. Now, make sure to keep a look out. While Zeke needs rest, neither of us can drop our guard until we reach Eve Glade.¡± With that, Zacharia went ahead, looking forward while returning to Piker who trudged along on his own horse. The carriage was left behind as Zeke looked back at Mikella. ¡°He really did a lot for us, while you were gone,¡± Mikella shrugged one shoulder. ¡°And if you hadn¡¯t noticed, he was really the worst off¡­¡± ¡°He¡¯s the best when it comes to taking blows,¡± Myra shook her head. ¡°But even I¡¯m shocked at how much he could handle that. Nobody in this entire group took on that much undeath as him and lived to tell about it.¡± Zeke nodded in return, still remembering how bad Zacharia looked. It must have been awful for him as well, considering that most of his retinue died while on the venture. Thankfully, Piker was safe, especially since he was apparently the general¡¯s son. ¡°For now, let¡¯s get some rest. Looks like the two of us will be getting along for a while longer on the ride, so why don¡¯t we take the chance to relax?¡± Val smiled at Zeke, who returned the gesture. ¡°Is there anything you wanna talk about? It gets pretty boring in the carriage and all.¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Zeke grinned. ¡°I¡¯d like to know what I can do with my attunement, now that I got it.¡± Mikella, Myra, and Cloud all nodded as they pitched in their thoughts, proving to be a good ride along the way. Ch86: A sisters rampage It took them nearly three days to return even remotely closer to Eve Glade. Throughout the way, the mood hasn¡¯t exactly gotten better, but it hasn¡¯t gotten worse either. Zeke went off to give his condolences to Jackie, offering solace despite feeling that his brother¡¯s death was due to his failure. Whether Jackie knew his guilt, or perhaps he¡¯s always been mature that way, he accepted them with gratefulness. He also did the same for Philip, who shared his own grief as he knew Lisa along with Philip, being part of the mage group. While Philip was still hurting from it, Zeke knew that he could get past it. Though it would take a while, considering Philip had a thing for her. However, he couldn''t do a thing about that, so Zeke returned back to the carriage. Or rather, was held by Mikella and Myra to give his blessings. It was a little embarrassing as Mikella once again decided to carry him in a princess-style. Along the way, as he promised, Zacharia asked both him and Mikella about their knowledge. Thankfully, Piker offered up his help just in time, giving the general the rundown of their knowledge via their travels together to save Zeke from the dungeon. And better enough, Zacharia understood the half-truths he said. Most of the information they got were from their master who was actually an exile from the country of mages, something that clearly got Zeke¡¯s interest before delving back into the topic. After figuring that mages were involved, Zacharia understood that whatever they focus on tends to go way beyond his pay grade, so Zacharia finally left them be. The two thanked Piker, as he responded with a wave of his hand. ¡°You two went far beyond your norms to help us. It¡¯s only natural to give due. And Zeke¡­ thank you for saving the captain. No matter how much I trained, there was no way for me to help anyone in such a state.¡± It turned out that while Piker trusted the general with his life, he also respected the captain as much as any other soldier did. Zeke already knew that while Piker can be a dick sometimes, he is actually a pretty good dude. Though Mikella leaned heavily on him still being a dick in the worst of times, for which Zeke can¡¯t really deny. Eventually the four; Zeke, Mikella, Cloud, and Val gathered together to talk about the attunement. Myra would¡¯ve joined, but she was off consoling Jackie by making sure he wasn¡¯t alone. Not that he was in any danger of being by himself, but when grieving, it¡¯s better to be surrounded by the people you knew and loved. Zeke also knew that Myra needed this just as much as Jackie did. They talked about how they gained their attunements, which got Cloud shocked to find out how Mikella gained her attunement via combat, and how Zeke got such a rare aspect. Despite his weary state, Cloud went into overdrive as he considered what they had gained throughout the battle. ¡°It¡¯s one thing for Mikella¡¯s Unbridled Fulmination. I heard that there are sub-variants for these types of elemental attunements. What Mikella has is the more aggressive type of lighting-based Mana, and the element itself is rare by itself. However, it is also difficult to control. I suggest we find ways for you to train without hurting yourself in the process.¡± Mikella grimaced, but she nodded in affirmation. Once again, Zeke couldn¡¯t help but think that Mikella got the bad end of the power receiving, often getting difficult to handle powers like her class, and now her attunement. ¡°As for you, Zeke¡­ I think what you got yourself is an aspect from a higher plane. Something rarer than your normal aspect attunement.¡± ¡°Higher plane?¡± Zeke asked, his attention now fully grabbed. ¡°Right now, we¡¯re in a plane where these elements reside, ranging far beyond the normal four elements. But somewhere beyond us is a plane with higher concepts. Such as the ability to perceive spiritual pressure that doesn¡¯t exist in this world, or being able to meet creatures that cannot live here, only existing beyond our existence. Such aspects can be found there, but only a few can ever grasp on something so intangible while their souls persist in the mortal coil.¡± ¡°So¡­ Zeke somehow managed to transcend from our realm?¡± Mikella asked, worried about painting her tone. ¡°Rather, something from that realm forced itself onto me,¡± Zeke said, getting Mikella even more worried by the look on her face. ¡°I can¡¯t deny that it sounds potentially troublesome, but I doubt that¡¯s the case,¡± Cloud continued. ¡°Unlike Undeath, a rare but incredibly malicious aspect, those from the higher realms are¡­ just above it. Even if it did took your choice away, I doubt anyone would complain about an attunement that¡¯s more powerful than anything else. Though I¡¯m still not sure on the specifics. I never heard of an attunement called The World, after all.¡± Zeke grimaced, nodding in thanks to Cloud¡¯s wisdom once more. He also can¡¯t help but think that somehow, the reason why his mental disorder hasn¡¯t gone away at all in the past world is mostly due to this. His mind was somehow not connected to his real body, and only managed to do so after years of hard work and toil. The more he thought about it, the more bitter he got. That apparently was caught by Mikella as she asked. ¡°Zeke?¡± She tilted her head at him. ¡°You okay?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Zeke shook his head. ¡°Just taking a while to get used to this.¡± Eventually they got to talk about the tier wording, which for them was at one. Apparently they can raise the tier and increase their attunement¡¯s power and abilities some more, but it¡¯s not as easy as leveling, and it could even get extremely expensive as they need a powerful source of where their aspect came from, or a specialized concoction like Myra¡¯s potion to gain the Fire attunement. As time passed, Zeke tried to recover what little Mana he had, at least to test out his new aspect. However, it was becoming harder to gain back his Mana than usual, due to his spirit still being out of sorts. Not that the others let him do anything anyways. Just like with Val, he was resolutely locked out of combat, mostly due to making sure he doesn¡¯t do anything rash that could end up killing him. Mikella was clearly the instigator behind this, but it only made it apparent when Cloud added in his bit as well. So Zeke and Val got more time to hang out together in the carriage, which resulted in the two getting seriously bored. The best they could do is converse, which easily became the worst thing for Zeke as Val started talking about the romantic parts with Cloud, and even worse, asking him how he was with Mikella. But then the group stopped moving. Zeke looked up to see the others looking confused for a second as Cloud looked onwards. ¡°What¡¯s going on¡­?¡± Cloud muttered, making Zacharia come over to take a look. ¡°Is that smoke coming from there?¡± The general pointed out as there was in fact a large trail of black smoke crawling upwards to the afternoon daylight. They should have been getting closer to the town, with Zeke slowly returning back to normal. His body was still sore, as though his soul damage returned in full force. But after seeing the large trail of smoke, particularly coming from somewhere they knew would be their town, Zeke pulled himself out of the carriage along with Val who walked over to Cloud¡¯s side. ¡°Cloud, what is this? That couldn¡¯t be¡­¡± Val asked with a hint of worry in her tone. ¡°No, no¡­¡± Cloud shook his head. ¡°That can¡¯t be.¡± ¡°Eve Glade is under attack!¡± Zacharia shouted as he immediately commanded his horse, spurring it on to gallop towards the direction of the town. The moment the words escaped from him, everyone immediately began to act. Each one began to run along with Zacharia, with both Zeke and Val forced to return to the carriage, led by Cloud and Myra who were also in hot pursuit. However, the way there was marred with dozens of trees and overarching branch paths. Even if they were close, they had hours before they could return, and who knew how long the town could last. Seeing this, Zeke called out to everyone. ¡°Guys! I¡¯m making a barrier bridge!¡± Zeke shouted, getting their attention as he aimed his finger at the sky above them. ¡°We¡¯ll go straight above the forest!¡± ¡°Wait, Zeke, that¡¯s too dangerous,¡± Mikella said. ¡°Your body won¡¯t¨C¡± ¡°I know that!¡± Zeke shouted back. ¡°But Clara is in there!¡± The moment Clara¡¯s name was mentioned, Mikella had no choice but to stay silent. Her eyes were practically screaming to head over to the town, but deep inside Zeke could tell that she was fighting for his own safety. However, despite everyone urging her to do so with a silent stare, Zeke spoke up again. ¡°Let me do this,¡± Zeke assured her as he stood upright to his knees in the carriage and closed his eyes. He commanded his mana through his damaged channels, feeling the strain on his soul. And when he casted his barriers, it felt¡­ Simple. Like breathing. He knew it was maxed out and had a potential to improve again, but this was something else. It was barely given a thought before a slew of barriers were formed. One barrier was placed diagonally upwards, then another one and another one formed right after the other, easily getting over the canopies themselves. Even more so, he felt his vision expand as the barriers kept being created, as though his very soul was traveling across the rows of barriers before him. Before he realized it, his barriers were reaching over hundreds of meters away from himself. Everyone else was gaping in shock at the sight of it. ¡°By the gods¡­¡± Philip said, his voice in awe. ¡°D-Didn¡¯t Zeke say his barrier got maxed out?¡± Paul the scout said, remembering the words Zeke said throughout their three days. ¡°And the attunement too?¡± ¡°That ain¡¯t a power that a simple Expert mage can pull off,¡± Philip said, shaking his head in wonder. His words weren¡¯t hostile¨Cif anything, they were praises. ¡°Less talking, more moving!¡± Piker shouted as he and the general were just about ready to step onto the newly made bridge of his barriers. ¡°Zeke, can you assure that they can keep our weight even up in the air?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Zeke shouted, getting everyone to look at him. ¡°Now go! just go!¡± Before everyone else could even consider the potential danger of riding along the bridge made without any rails for safety, Mikella galloped forth with her horse in tow. She and the horse ran across the stable bridge without any issues, and their speed easily eclipsed the amount of time and effort needed to pass through the forested areas in front of them. The others quickly followed, with Myra taking her time with Cloud to go on with the carriage. If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°There¡¯s no time,¡± Val shouted, making herself jump up and expertly land behind Cloud. That easily surprised him, but Val ignored any further protest as he turned to Zeke. ¡°Myra, go get Zeke out!¡± ¡°Roger!¡± And thus, Zeke was treated like a disabled veteran as Myra helped him out of the carriage and straight onto her horse behind her. Zeke knew the urgency was there, but he couldn''t help but get embarrassed being treated like this despite Myra having no objections to it. And soon, the rest of the army followed the branching barrier bridge upwards, making a direct way there to the town that was burning right in front of their eyes. ¡­.. Anger boiled in her veins as her horse galloped across Zeke¡¯s bridge. As usual, the bridge held her aloft despite the impossibility of it all. She was currently going about two or three times faster than she normally would have through the forest, not having to go through the tumultuous natural obstructions it provided and making sideway paths forward. And despite his exhaustion and how his mana refused to recover as quickly, it¡¯s as though the barrier has become stronger and denser than before. If the barrier from before the dungeon run felt like reinforced glass, this now felt like being on top of naturally born steel crafted to perfection. Maxed level aside, Zeke truly put in the effort. Even now, as she ran and noticed the bridge up front was falling short, more barriers were created, as though Zeke was following behind her by every step, allowing her through. She used it all gladly as she could see the town in front of her. Her heart slammed against her chest as the smoke from earlier led to a horrific truth. The town was being attacked, and not by monsters¨Cbut by people. Perhaps it was due to her being at Expert stage, she could see far beyond what any normal human being would in her past world. Through her eyes, she saw a plethora of humans wearing heavy plated armor with light leathering between the joints. They were colored in the blue and gold colors of some territory power. She couldn¡¯t care less about where they came from as she only thought about one thing. Clara. As if the horse felt her rage, it neighed in defiance against the intruders, catching their attention as they finally noticed the impossible bridge that was just made recently. And the flying horse with a woman on top of it jumping off, her sword in hand. Electricity coiled around her body as she could no longer hold back her rage. Earlier, she made her adjustments with her class upgrade. The options that which Zeke, rudely enough, chortled at when she got them.
-Chaotic Dragon Warrior -Dragon Berserker -Dragon Knight
The first two options were the ones that Zeke laughed at, which by all accounts were entirely plausible thanks to Mikella¡¯s personality. And she was sure that her madness would only get worse if she picked one of them. However, after looking into the single one that had a respectable name, the Dragon Knight, it was based solely on dueling a single opponent, which wasn¡¯t something she intended on becoming. Sure, getting more power facing a single opponent would be nice, but life isn¡¯t fair like that. You would get put against multiple enemies as like one would expect, numbers always trump quality in more than many occasions. So with great effort, she decided to look into the first two options. Chaotic Dragon Warrior had a description that would describe the worst case scenario, capable of causing massive destruction without a thought on who stood beside her. Sure, Zeke could just put up a barrier around the scene to make sure Mikella can go as crazy as she wished, but as usual, she hated the idea of Zeke having to work off her slack of self-control. So even if the class offered way more power than the other two, she put that aside for the next one.
Dragon Berserker A dragon warrior¡¯s path that goes far beyond that of fighting. A Dragon Berserker is one who uses everything in their arsenal, no longer specializing in just one aspect of fighting. They don¡¯t care about punctuality and only focus on one thing; Winning the fight. Attribute Growth Per Level: +3 STR +3 DEX +3 END 2 Skill Choices at Level 30, Level 40, and at Level 50.
In the end, it was the better choice out of all of them. It no longer mentioned sword fighting, which if she was honest, she liked the idea of using multiple weapons. Not to mention she would definitely like the option of using bows as the dungeon taught her that close-combat doesn¡¯t always solve everything. So she chose the class, as well as the skill choice that went along with it.
You have chosen Dragon Berserker For each level, you gain: +3 STR +3 DEX +3 END For choosing Dragon Berserker, all current and future weapon mastery skills has advanced. They are now Uncommon. Spear Mastery has become Uncommon Axe Mastery has become Uncommon You gain points based on the advanced rarity for all of the current skills: +1 STR +1 END
¡­..
Class Skill: Draconic Fury A Dragon Berserker knows no bounds, no limits. Enter into a state of unequal power, increasing your Strength, Dexterity, Endurance, as well as the regeneration rate of your resources. Increases overall bonuses according to the level of the skill.
¡­.. She roared and struck down on the ground, flaring Draconic Fury. Her muscles tensed as her stats rose, the impact exploding out from where she originated. Shockwaves of pure lightning appeared around her vicinity, passing through the air and hitting the invaders who screamed in agony and pain. Upon closer inspection, she noticed that the town was actually covered in a barrier, despite the town¡¯s buildings being partly broken from the outside. While she had no clue why there was a barrier around there, she figured it was something the lords had made in response to them leaving. All she cared about right now was that the barrier had a broken entrance, something that was clearly done by the invaders to get inside. She didn¡¯t know how long it was broken, but she knew that the limited opening was enough for the invaders to go through. She didn¡¯t care whether they were the knights of some territory, something that she was warned not to mess with by the lords. After all, they were clearly attacking the town despite whatever peace they had before then. So when one of them approached her, anger rising in his eyes as he tried to stab her with a sword, she didn¡¯t hesitate and sidestepped, delivering judgment by slicing his head right off his neck. It was so easy. So very easy. Just like that, she took the life of a human man. A being just like her in every way. But her eyes only saw enemies, invaders trying to take her home, and kill her family. Her little sister is too innocent for this world. She held her promise even now¨Cshe will pave her path in blood if it meant protecting her. Two more soldiers showed up to take her down, but she was too quick as her body reacted faster than before. Electricity coiled in her veins as she dodged one strike after another, her stats soaring through her numerous skills as she sliced through their arteries and limbs without batting an eye. Two more invaders down, and she wasn¡¯t even inside the town yet. She dashed forward, using Dragon Descent to the max despite more knights approaching her. She slaughtered them all with her sword drenched in lightning. Nothing stood in her way as scorched blood drenched the gates, her body covered in it as though she stood under a waterfall. She dashed through the opening of the barrier, heading into the town to find the entire place in total chaos. Enemy Soldiers flowed through the streets, trying to either burn the town or to find the citizens within the buildings. While finding her little sister was the main priority, if killing the other soldiers would help the town a little, she wouldn¡¯t refuse. She killed one after another, uncaring about their motives or goals as their lives were snuffed out before they could even realize what was happening. She could tell that most of the soldiers were laughably weak. While their levels ranged beyond Expert stage, it was nothing compared to the crap she went through at the dungeon. If they were to even try to raid in their state, they wouldn''t even go past the first room suffering through the undeath. Not that they could survive at all without having a support mage among them. Not a single mage or healer were among their group, so even if one knight managed to survive, he¡¯ll surely bleed out from the loss of extremities. She put that to the side as she searched every nook and cranny of the town, but most of all trying to find the place where Vivian was at to teach the children. But when she arrived at the school Vivian used to teach the kids, she was at a loss. The building where they taught the class and the outside of it was covered in flames and debris. There was no sign of life there, and the only corpses were the few soldiers and citizens that must have fought to protect themselves. Putting aside the stench of corpses and burning cinders, she saw someone who was still alive. Her eyes widened when she saw the woman herself on the ground, unwilling to give up as she crawled. ¡°Vivian!¡± Mikella shouted as she knelt down to Vivian, noticing that there were wounds covering her whole body. It looked as though she had a nasty tussle with one of the knights, and she managed to get away, though she looked worse for wear. ¡°Oh gods¡­ Mikella¡­¡± Vivian spoke, her voice harsh and dry from the heat of the flames. ¡°Thank gods you¡¯re here¡­ The girls¡­ they ran that way. Someone¡­ someone was chasing them. Hurry¡­¡± Mikella knew it the moment Vivian finished. She knew Vivian would be fine. She could see it in her eyes that she was a fighter to the end. Nodding to her in appreciation, Mikella ran over to the direction Vivian pointed at. Her eyes were fully locked for combat, her fingers gripping hard on her sword¡¯s hilt. She ran, her heart slamming against her chest and almost reaching critical mass. All the while, the thoughts of her little sister as well as Ana, from what she gathered from Vivian, possibly getting hurt filled her mind. She used that as fuel as she turned a corner, seeing what she feared all along. The two little girls, who must have run away under Vivian¡¯s orders, were stuck in a corner with two soldiers in front of them. They looked down upon them, their eyes filled with nothing but greed and hostility. Were they actually planning to kill them? No matter what reason they have, what good would harming children even provide for whatever backwater territory they came from? She could only figure, in the back of her mind, that doing so would make the parents of those children despondent. Or perhaps they knew who Ana was, and figuring killing the child of the lords would turn the town worse for wear. After all, what kind of parent can do their job right after their child dies? She saw the soldiers now for what they are¨CMonsters to be killed. Her eyes glowing bright yellow, she roared herself as she jumped into the air. Lightning covered her body whole as she landed with a horizontal slice across their bodies. They didn¡¯t even realize how they died before their torsos were cut off instantly, blood pouring out from them. Their bodies dropped instantly, and Mikella kicked them to the side with ease as she knelt down to the girls, to Clara and Ana hugging each other, their eyes closed and tearing up from their potential death. ¡°Clara! Ana!¡± The girls opened their eyes when they saw that it wasn¡¯t the knights trying to hurt them, but Mikella, her eyes softening and tearing up. ¡°Sissy!¡± The two shouted in unison as they embraced their older sister. Mikella hugged the two back with fervor. Her heart was screaming in her chest all this time, but now a powerful relief took over, making her muscles tense in the worst ways, then relaxed. ¡°Thank god¡­ thank god that you¡¯re safe! The both of you are safe¡­¡± Mikella said, her voice breaking in relief and joy. ¡°Sissy! I was so scared¡­!¡± Clara shouted, already sobbing. ¡°They just¡­ they just came out of nowhere¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay sweetie, Sissy¡¯s here now,¡± Mikella shushed her with soft whispers, rubbing her black hair . ¡°Everything will be fine.¡± ¡°I-Is Mommy and Daddy here too?¡± Ana asked, her sobs low but constant. ¡°Yes, they¡¯re here too,¡± Sissy smiled at Ana, who also rubbed her hair softly. Ana held her tighter, to which in Mikella¡¯s eyes she might as well be another sister to love and cherish. She held onto the two for a while longer, something that she herself needed after so many days away fighting for her life. However, she didn¡¯t realize that one of the knights was slowly approaching her. Noticing the girls huddling together, the knight slowly brandished his sword up to the air, ready to swing down. Mikella didn¡¯t even notice the knight. She was so absorbed in comforting the girls that she didn¡¯t see the knight smiling menacingly at her, ready to strike her down. Then an unexpectant voice shouted at them. ¡°Mikella!¡± Her eyes widened when she turned around, finally noticing the knight ready to strike her down. But rather than doing that, she saw that very knight¡¯s throat get impaled by a sword. He gasped in shock and horror as he dropped his own sword to the ground, the metal blade clattering noisily. Mikella watched in awe as the very sword that impaled the knight swiftly sliced through the neck, using a small opening from the roman-style metal helm between the shoulder and head. The attacker killed the knight instantly as he fell to the ground, his eyes turning glassy and distant. Mikella watched the perpetrator look down at her, his sword covered in red carmine. But his hands didn¡¯t tremble. There was no fear in his eyes. Only happiness and relief were shown in Zeke¡¯s eyes as he smiled at her. ¡°Thank god I found you guys,¡± Zeke said, a smile showing across his face that had blood smeared under his chin and cheek. Ch87: The reason Everything was burning, damaged beyond belief. Just when he thought he could return to the sanctity of the town of Eve Glade, he saw the devastation it was put through, and the ones responsible for doing so. Well, the ones that were still whole. Mikella made quite a splash when she arrived¨Cliterally. Zeke managed to get in with the rest of the party, trying to ignore his partner¡¯s wrath that made the ground burnt to a crisp and the walls stained red. He managed to recover enough when he spotted the town in such disarray. Bodies were everywhere, and while most of them were the knights, there were some that shouldn¡¯t be included. They were just citizens, barely leveled and unable to fight back. So why? Even if Zeke could come up with some random political move, commiting genocide against civilians should be bad no matter which world you come from. Of course, he wasn¡¯t the only one upset by this. His group went off to search for their friends and family, loved ones that may or may not be on the ground bleeding out. Myra and Jackie went off to search for survivors, and the general and Piker called up the other soldiers within the vicinity to get the situation underhand. Zeke went off to search as well, considering that Mikella was out there somewhere along with Clara. He could only hope that they were together, and if not¡­ he didn¡¯t want to think about it. The lords, on the other hand, were quite frankly, losing their shit. Not at the town that was burning. Nor the invaders trying to do their citizens in. No, they were losing themselves to find their daughter, and anybody who wore the uniformed blue and gold cloth were regarded as intruders¨Cand were dealt with as such. Val pretty much became a monster, and Cloud only joined her as he burned everything in his sight. Zeke, however, tried to ignore it all to try and find them. If Clara was there, surely Ana was as well. The two were stuck together now. So he wasn¡¯t all that surprised to think the lords knew that as well. And with Mikella going gorilla-warfare on the knights trying to find them, it was up to the lords to deal with the clean-up. What truly surprised him was the barrier that took place. Somehow he felt it was his own, but he knew he wasn¡¯t powerful enough to create such a thing when he left. He may be powerful enough now, sure, but that didn¡¯t explain why the barrier was here. Yet at the same time, he knew it wasn¡¯t his own. It was filled with so much power, and whoever did this did it to protect the town. It must have taken the knights a while to break through the opening at the front, but Zeke had little choice but to put the one responsible out of his mind. He managed to find Mikella¡¯s lingering trace through their bond. He wasn¡¯t sure how, but he had several ways of finding her through various means; First the barrier. Somehow, his attunement (however strange it was) connected with the barrier surrounding them. That helped his senses become sharper, capable of picking out certain mana that he knew. Of course, it was all a jumbled mess, but he managed to spot Mikella, and most important of all, Clara. How he managed so is due to their bond¨Ctheir special status. It was a strange feeling, but unlike Mikella who somehow knew the feeling by instinct, Zeke could see the connection¨Chowever faint. Though he was surprised to find out that Clara was as connected to him as Mikella is. Considering that they all transported together, it was no wonder how it came out that way. But more importantly, when he found them, they were huddled up together. He ran straight towards where he sensed the girls would be. As he turned a corner, he saw the girls hugging together, sobbing as they were finally reunited in this horrid state of the town. And a knight ready to stab them with a sword. Mikella was too distracted¨Cher relief overcoming her battle-born senses. Zeke didn¡¯t even hesitate. Not even once as he lunged forward with his sword and impaled the man¡¯s neck. After killing him, he faced the girls with a relieved smile. Perhaps it wasn¡¯t a good idea to show children him killing someone, as he must have looked bloody and evil looking right about now, but the girls didn¡¯t care at all as Clara ran up to him along with Ana. He knelt down and hugged them tightly, their warmth and their cries proving that they were very much alive. ¡°Bobo!¡± Clara shouted, her sobs making his heart ache, but he couldn¡¯t be more glad. ¡°Thank god, you¡¯re alright. Clara, are you okay?¡± Zeke asked, tears beginning to form in his own eyes. He was overwhelmed with relief that he understood why Mikella was distracted. ¡°Are you hurt anywhere? Are you bleeding?¡± ¡°No¡­ I¡¯m fine¡­¡± Clara gasped as she heaved a sob into his chest. Ana did the same, getting Zeke to rub her hair as well. ¡°Ana, you good?¡± Zeke asked, getting a silent nod from Ana. She was always so rambunctious and out of control, so it felt wrong to find her so mute. A child like her shouldn''t have to feel so afraid. This was their wrong doing to leave the town like this. Mikella walked over to him, caked with blood stains all over her almost disintegrating armor. But she seemed fine, physically at least. ¡°How¡¯s everyone?¡± Mikella asked, kneeling down to be with Clara a bit more. ¡°They arrived safely, but we should get back as soon as possible. Ana, your parents are really worried about you.¡± ¡°A-Are they angry¡­?¡± Ana asked, tugging onto Zeke¡¯s bloodied robe tightly. He tilted his head. ¡°Why would they be mad at you?¡± Zeke asked quizzically. ¡°I¡­ I used the sphere. They told me it was something super precious for me, but I used it up before I got older,¡± Ana said fearfully. ¡°T-They¡¯re angry at me. I know it.¡± Zeke took a moment to figure out what she meant by that. Realization dawned on him after realizing that the sphere she was talking about was the sphere of inheritance, something her parents made for her when she got older and why half their power was gone. ¡°Now I see¡­ is that why there¡¯s a giant barrier around the town?¡± Zeke asked, getting Clara to answer. ¡°Yeah! I told her that we should make a barrier like yours! But¡­ but they still got in¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Both the girls lowered their heads in shame, but Zeke could only smile. He brushed their hair as they looked up to him. ¡°Don¡¯t you think for one second that your Mom and Dad would be angry. As long as you¡¯re okay, they couldn¡¯t be any happier.¡± Zeke knew this, but he looked up to find Mikella nodding in affirmation. Seeing the children relax and calm down, the two held their hands together. Mikella with Clara and Zeke with Ana, they got out of the corner of the building into the wider streets. While everything still looked messed up and chaotic, thanks to the arrival of the elite team, everything was shoring up now. And more than anything, Val and Cloud were raging on the other side, not even realizing that most of the knights were either killed or ran away from the town already. When Zeke called to them to say he found Ana, he sensed his life was in danger as he saw the mother, the captain of the military force, running at him in full swing. He immediately, but carefully, let go of Ana and stepped away, only for the little girl to be absorbed into a powerful hug by Val. ¡°Ooh! Sweetie, you¡¯re okay! Oh thank the gods you¡¯re safe!¡± Val kissed her multiple times, hugging her so tightly that Zeke thought she was about to pop. ¡°Are you okay? Are you hurt? Did these bad, evil men hurt you?¡± The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°N-No¡­¡± Ana said while struggling to speak, but her eyes spoke volumes of how glad she was to be in her mother¡¯s arms. That¡¯s when Cloud came over, and the poor girl had to be subjected to a powerful hug from her own father as well, practically the same response as Val. The parents caressed and kissed their child, thanking gods and just being utterly relieved. Zeke could tell that Cloud looked even more relieved, knowing that he almost lost both of his family members. How would Zeke handle that? If he found out that Mikella died while being with him and Clara dying back at the town where it was supposed to be safe? It was a nightmare scenario no father should ever go through. Which sort of helped Zeke get over the fact that there were as many bodies of the knights as there were the zombies around the town. It looked like a graveyard of blue and gold, their armor and uniform drenched in their own blood, and some that were burnt to cinders, practically to ashes in some cases. All in all, it was a pretty messed up day to return home. ¡­.. A few hours passed after returning to Eve Glade. Mikella went ahead and got herself several levels from her killing streak when she entered the town, and in return Zeke also gained the same.
Level up! You are now Level 33. You gain 6 free points (6 FP total). You have gained +9 DEX from your class. You have gained +9 INT from your class. You have gained +9 SPI from your class.
But in the end, they didn¡¯t care as much. They were far away from reaching the next level milestone, and there were still plenty of things to handle¨Csuch as the destruction of their town. Whatever happened, the knights had decimated the town with an ambush attack that the soldiers weren¡¯t prepared for. From the outer range of the town, they could find catapults and wooden launchers meant for ambushes. They were in an area where the soldiers wouldn¡¯t be able to listen, as monsters were still constantly at their heels, though it was easier to manage compared to the hordes from earlier¨Cpossibly from encountering their own horde from the raid and limiting the monsters around them as a result. And the reason for the ambush? The knights were sent from the nearby province, a relatively small city but still wider in scope compared to Eve Glade. If Eve Glade had an example of several thousands of people, then the city had several hundreds of thousands. At least, it was aided by none other than the Aetheric Federation. Zeke knew that Eve Glade¡¯s purpose is basically a tax-free haven for those downtrodden and unable to live in other territories, at least that¡¯s what the lords said. However, it was clear that the Aetheric Federation had a clear want for the land, or at least for the lords. But it was also possible that the city, known simply as Bastion, was the only one responsible. It only had the Aetheric Federation as a sponsor of sorts, supporting the city by being part of the powerful country. Normally, even countries such as the Aetheric Federation shouldn¡¯t mess with such things in other countries, as it could potentially lead to an outright war, and in this kind of world, millions of lives could be lost in an instant. But minor towns and cities fighting it out with one another is as common as monster hunting. So even if, for example, one city were to ambush a town for their resources, or due to some ¡®misunderstanding¡¯ of sorts, nobody, at least the powerful countries, would bat an eye. Which clearly frustrated the lords of Eve Glade as Cloud went hands on interrogating every living knight to near death, and in some cases, actually killed them. To Zeke, he knew that such a thing would be immorally wrong¨Cbut this is an entirely new world with their own culture. Even Zeke can¡¯t really deny his own wrong-doings, casually killing a knight to save his family. So he could only watch alongside Cloud as Val stayed with Ana to care for her. It¡¯s only natural that in such a case, Ana would be traumatized by such an egregious ambush. As for why Bastion decided to curbstomp Eve Glade while the elite team was away, it was due to some multiple factors. The monster population was increasing as of late in Eve Glade, thanks to the tower that was around. That increased the worth of the land slightly as the reason why the land wasn¡¯t so popular was the lack of monsters, and the resources to get from. Another factor is the levels of said monsters, apparently increasing over time. What military force wouldn¡¯t be thankful for the increase in levels, and therefore experience points? Not to mention the loot that could drop which would only increase in worth. Finally, there were the citizens, or the lords in particular. If their town was found destroyed, it was only natural that the lords would have no choice but to seek sanctuary in other territories. That province could easily sweep them up and force them into contracts to work for their side. So many things they could earn by doing something as horrific as killing their citizens to get their worth, all the while trying to ignore the law being placed there by stating that the monster attacks did them in. Somehow or another, they managed to find out that the lords with an elite team left the town, so they prepared in advance to ensure that the town would be razed to the ground. Zeke couldn¡¯t help but think something more was at play here. Surely there was something else that would warrant them to attack this town the way they did. Still, Val asked Zeke to ensure that Cloud wouldn¡¯t be by himself. Not that he would be in danger if he was, just that after the shit he¡¯s been through, Cloud needed some solace and consolation from another person rather than being in his own head. And right now, Zeke wasn¡¯t just his student and grateful guest, but also someone he trusted. As someone who has his own family to take care of, and someone who is also a healer and a support mage, it seemed better in general. However, Zeke felt Cloud¡¯s disgust and guilt whirling like a storm inside of him, even if he hadn¡¯t known him as long as Val did. When they left the military base holding the interrogated knights, Cloud left without a word, and Zeke followed him back to their home. The night arrived, the studded star above becoming dimmer in its brightness as it slowly changed to the next phase of the cycle¨Cwhere the studded star had some darkness on the side, almost as though it was becoming a crescent moon. Still, the stars became brighter as a result. It was a good night, something that Zeke can¡¯t help but appreciate after the hellish days he had so far. Zeke saw some messed up stuff in the interrogation room. Cloud went all out in using every spell in his arsenal to force the truth out of the knights, ranging from mental attacks to horrifying illusions. The knights who dealt atrocities and killed the citizens were, of course, left in their own minds to die. That¡¯s how they got so much information. The knights were strong, but their foundations were off¨Cin other words, they were extremely susceptible to mental attacks. That was the difference between someone who was specially trained to handle any situation like under Captain Val¡¯s care, and someone who was put through the grind to get enough numbers on their side. While Zeke felt like he should feel disgusted by Cloud¡¯s actions¡­ honestly, he thought that Cloud hadn''t done enough. Seeing the town still burning in some places, the acrid smoke filling his nostrils as well as the coppery tang of blood in his mouth, it reminded him of his failure to think up defensive countermeasures to protect Clara. If Clara and Ana died on top of everything else, Zeke would¡¯ve lost himself in his rage too. ¡°We¡¯ll recover from this, Cloud,¡± Zeke finally said, the silence no longer good enough to keep. Cloud looked back, his eyes showing extreme exhaustion, no life found within them. ¡°I believe we will, without a doubt,¡± Cloud said, his voice the epitome of ¡®having a bad day¡¯. ¡°But I know I should¡¯ve done more. I almost lost my love and my light, on top of losing my greatest treasure. The world just keeps laughing at my misery.¡± Cloud chuckled so darkly, Zeke wondered if undeath was about to pour out of his mouth. That clearly unsettled even Cloud as he frowned immediately, his brows creasing and veins popping on his forehead. There was a lot mixed in there¨Canger, guilt, fear, despair, and who knows what else. ¡°Maybe,¡± Zeke said. The situation felt heavy, but somehow he felt natural in it. He crossed his arms as he looked down. ¡°But we¡¯ll make it through this. You and I know better now. And we even managed to get the monster population under control¨Cnow that we dealt with the dungeon and all.¡± Cloud listened, even if Zeke thought he was wallowing in his own sea of despair. He couldn''t imagine understanding the pain of a lord having his town attacked, but he could help in settling what was already done. ¡°We¡¯ll recover, and me and Mikella will do whatever we can to help. After all, this is our home now.¡± ¡°...Are you sure about that?¡± Cloud asked. ¡°I¡¯m certain you and Mikella would rather go to a safer place than Eve Glade by now. I wouldn¡¯t blame you.¡± Zeke shook his head. ¡°Where else can we find a place that lets us be free? Where else can we really feel safe when we¡¯re not being extorted for every worth we have? I read the books, Cloud. I know that the other places ask for a price we have no way to pay.¡± Zeke did look into everything, and he and Mikella can both agree that Eve Glade was just perfect for them. Without any sort of background or family backing them, they were literally on their own, and what little they have in this new world can be taken with ease. But not in Eve Glade. To them, it was a true sanctuary, even if it was missing some core functions as they were recently new. Something that Zeke would gladly stay and grow in, helping Clara and Mikella along the way as he does so. Besides¡­ ¡°Besides,¡± Zeke said. ¡°I owe you just as much. If it hadn¡¯t been for you and Val, the three of us wouldn¡¯t have a place to live in. I know circumstances were strange, but that¡¯s incredibly hard to find in our own world. And even if Mikella isn¡¯t here, we both agree that we¡¯ll do what we can to support the town.¡± Cloud looked at Zeke straight in the eyes. His striking eyes that were dim started to show a flicker of hope. He smiled, naturally for once, if just a little haggard. ¡°...Thank you, Zeke. Truly, I mean it.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it,¡± Zeke grinned back. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go home. Who knows what the girls would do on their own?¡± Cloud chuckled deeply, stemming from deep in his core. This time, it was a warm chuckle, rather than the one from earlier. Pointing over at his home, the two walked over after getting some minor things to get for dinner. The town¡¯s recovery will start tomorrow when they have able hands and good enough rest to fix it. After that¡­ they¡¯ll figure it out. They always do. Ch88: Vol 1 Epilogue He grumbled on his desk, reading another report meant to sully his day. It¡¯s as though ever since he took the position of lord, the world decided to keep screwing him up. Whether it¡¯d be the system or the people, or perhaps the gods themselves, someone is always trying to mess him up. He let out a tired breath as he conjured flames to burn up the parchment, leaving it to cinders and making them dissipate into the air a second after. He made it a habit to burn up every report he read thoroughly, particularly the ones that gave him upsetting news. It helps with the cleanup. The knights that were sent to Eve Glade either ran or never came back. While that was probably a suicide mission for some, the council expected some results that would lean in their favor. Unfortunately, they found themselves in a rather tight situation one after another, then finally the lords of Eve Glade returned outside of their expected comeback. Whoever scouted them entering into the dungeon that was found near their area clearly misjudged the difficulty of it. Even if there were hints of undeath involved, he should¡¯ve known that the lords would be able to handle it with ease. Even worse off, they couldn¡¯t even do any decent work on the town. Somehow or another, a powerful barrier that could withstand their soldiers¡¯ attacks and skills was suddenly created without any information of some ritual or powerful mage responsible. Not a single shred of evidence was there through their hard work and espionage. Incompetent, the rest of them. He knew that those who accepted this mission were desperate to get into Bastion¡¯s borders, but they shouldn¡¯t have been that weak. After all, they came from the slums, practically asking for crumbs in exchange for work. Surely they have some form of survival instincts. In the end, they didn¡¯t matter at all. Eve Glade continues to exist, the lords were more pissed than ever before, and they didn¡¯t even get what was so important for him to begin with. A potential land filled with resources stacked upon resources. A location that hidden itself away deep within a barren land with nothing of note except for some lackluster low-level creatures that some Apprentices can get XP from. That Sphere of Inheritance was something he¡¯d like to have his hands on as well, but regrettably it was the cause of the barrier showing up. It had to be, otherwise it wouldn¡¯t make sense from his earlier claims. Hence that was out of the picture too. Standing up from his leathered chair, the exquisite make and design extremely comfortable for his bottom, the man known as Roderick walked out of his office. He walked across several lavish halls, the windows to the outside bringing in the scent of metal, reminding him that it was approaching fall and their workers were currently creating their due materials for the Federation. ¡°Another report to write, once again¡­¡± Roderick let out an exhausted breath. He hated when the seasons changed. That meant more work to be noted and reported to the Federation. It was obvious that Bastion would create the Federation¡¯s metal weapons and armor without batting an eye. How else can they continue their existence under their name? However, those bastards from the Federation council just love their paperwork. In fact, Roderick believes they get a kink out of it, what with their classes specializing in such a thing that they don¡¯t necessarily need any official documents. Still, it was his duty, and if he was honest, it was the easiest one he could do. If he had to be the lord of the entire city, he had to go outside and give speeches to the people, acting in political games with the other powers of the federation¡¯s borders, and other sorts of interpersonal workings. He hated that, being so introverted and all. Still, he had to give credit where credit is due. The lord of the city is clearly above and beyond most other folks, even being so bold as to attack the town with the famous Cloud and Valorie Castio who had the backing of the kingdom. Personally, Roderick wouldn¡¯t even come close to such a town, even with the added bonus of the lords being gone. He didn¡¯t want to be part of their targets. Still, the information swallowed his attention whole, leaving him in this sorry mess. Eventually, he reached the room where his son was at, and even now, he could hear the ruckus and the destruction going inside. He was having one of those episodes again. But he was getting better at controlling them. The last time was around a month ago, and the last one before that was weeks before that. It may not be much, but at the least his boy is actually listening to him. Then again, what choice did he have? Hitting a stat block so early in his path to power is, quite frankly, a bitch to deal with. Opening the handle, he swung the door open, noticing that the inside of it was utterly scarred with scratches. Looking beyond, he saw the hall-like room entirely in shambles. The tables were broken into wooden splinters, the furniture was ripped up to smithereens, and a young and vibrantly sweaty man in nothing but his pants was breathing erratically. Oh, how the young are ever so faithful to their path. I still wish he could¡¯ve been a mage. It would be so much easier to handle, Roderick asked for the umptheen time ever since his son reached the tender age of fifteen. ¡°Father!¡± The young man, Zyler, turned back after seeing his Roderick enter. ¡°Did they find it? The orb?!¡± ¡°Stop your shouting,¡± Roderick let out an exasperated air. ¡°No, they haven¡¯t. It was used up to protect the city.¡± ¡°Fuck!¡± Zyler cursed as he swung his hand formed like a claw. The claw like swing let out a large burst of force that exploded outward, once again hitting the reinforced walls and nearly tearing them to bits. Roderick couldn¡¯t help but be impressed. He might have to ask the builders to reinforce them once again. Zyler was getting stronger by the day. ¡°Come on! How hard is it to find a goddamn attribute item!? It¡¯s been half a fucking year!¡± ¡°You know how valuable they are, and how many are searching for them just like you,¡± Roderick shook his head. ¡°Unfortunately, that¡¯s how it is. You need to accept that.¡± ¡°Damn it¡­¡± Zyler growled intensely, but his father refused to do anything about it. Knowing that, he slumped back on the sofa, crossing his massive leg over to the other with a scowling face. ¡°So, Eve Glade is still there?¡± ¡°It is,¡± Roderick answered. ¡°And we might have to expect some backlash from that.¡± ¡°Who wouldn¡¯t be pissed?¡± Zyler let out a scoff. However, his brows knitted once again. ¡°But how possible is it to kill them all and take them for everything they own?¡± Roderick knew his son wouldn¡¯t give up that easily. While setback after setback is a thing, if there was one thing their family can be proud of, it¡¯s their stubbornness. Roderick grinned as he answered. ¡°Very impossible, but we already made up a plan. I plan on elisting help from the Federation regarding this matter.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t think those Federation fucks are gonna leave us in the dark?¡± Zyler asked, raising a brow. ¡°Language, boy,¡± Roderick chided, leaving Zyler to roll his eyes as usual. ¡°Only beasts curse. Are you a beast, Zyler?¡± ¡°Depends on the time of day,¡± Zyler grinned. ¡°At night, though¨C¡± ¡°Stop,¡± Roderick closed his eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t wanna hear about my son''s night life right now. At least not while I¡¯m sober.¡± The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. Zyler only shrugged as he saw his giant father of over 7 feet sit down on the remaining unbroken furniture. It nearly broke from the weight, but it still held, as it was also reinforced to handle his son¡¯s ferocity. ¡°Anyways, you¡¯d be right about that. The Federation would be against helping us, but this time they have no choice. We have enough to blackmail them with if they don¡¯t give us any solid backup in case Eve Glade responds.¡± ¡°Shit, you¡¯re a sly bastard, grabbing them by the balls like that,¡± Zyler scoffed. ¡°Still, we¡¯re talking about some powerful Journeyman here. Ya think that¡¯s gonna be enough?¡± ¡°Might as well, but I doubt it won¡¯t go any further than that. The almighty kingdom won¡¯t allow such a high stakes fight going on within their borders. Not if they don¡¯t want their enemies finding out about it and taking advantage.¡± Zyler rested his head on the top of the furniture, gazing up at the broken and torn up ceiling. ¡°And if it doesn¡¯t work out?¡± ¡°Well, we¡¯d be in a pretty shitty situation then.¡± ¡°Hah! You¡¯re really stuck in a crap position, huh?¡± ¡°Hey, soon enough, you¡¯re gonna be in this crap position, and I¡¯ll be resting in retirement with all the bitches I could ever want.¡± ¡°Heh, now who¡¯s talking about their night life?¡± Zyler grumbled, putting his head on top of his fist. As he stared at his father, he asked again, this time in a serious tone. ¡°But seriously¨Cyou think that might be enough?¡± ¡°You make it sound like you¡¯re worried for once¡­ what¡¯s on your mind?¡± Roderick asked, and the moment he saw his son shift his posture, a greedy grin on his face, he already knew it. ¡°I¡¯m saying that you might need my help against those lords, Father.¡± Once again, Roderick let out a frustrated breath. He just had to have some way to get a hand on fighting the lords. He really wished his son would¡¯ve grown up to be a mage like him. ¡­.. Everyone in Eve Glade was really somber and sad today. When Clara woke up the next morning, nobody worked, and nobody had fun. Everyone had to work to help fix the town that the horrible knights destroyed. Why did those knights do this? Why did they hurt the nice people in her new home? They were so nice to Clara, often smiling and giving free things like bread and candy whenever she and Ana passed by. Even when they got into trouble one time after Ana hit the table that caused their stuff to fall, they didn¡¯t yell at them. And being the good girl that she is, Clara got Ana to clean up before leaving. The people never got mad, and instead just politely said to not do it again. If it were Sissy, she would yell at her, but it was only normal if you do something bad. But she doesn¡¯t understand why those people did such things. They hurt others, and even though they begged those knights to stop, they still continued. Even worse, people died. People actually died that day. The old woman that they would walk past was now gone. Everyone who knew her cried, their tears an unforgettable thing in Clara¡¯s mind. She cried as well, including Ana. They kept crying, even at night. Ana¡¯s Mommy and Daddy, Sissy and Bobo held them tightly, telling them that everything was alright. Ana was so worried about upsetting her parents, but they were more than happy to find out that they used the orb to protect the town. Cloud was really angry. Clara could tell, even if he smiled at them. When he returned, he talked to Val with such fury in his eyes. Even after dealing with the bad guys, he was still very angry. Bobo looked more sad than angry, but she saw Bobo when that bad man was about to hurt them before. He looked sad now, but he was so angry back then. He looked really scary. But the moment he saw Clara, he instantly turned back to being Bobo again. She liked him better when he was smiling and looking silly, not angry and scary. Sissy often looked angry and scary, but she always knew that Sissy is an awesome person, so Bobo is the same. Still, Clara didn¡¯t like how bad he felt. Val looked a little tired, though. The next day, Val would usually go out, but Cloud told her not to move for today and to keep resting. They said that Bobo needed to stay in too, but he refused. He said that people are hurt, and that they need a healer. Cloud looked conflicted, but he didn¡¯t deny his help. Sissy went out as well, helping the others to repair their houses. Clara wanted to help, but Val said that they should stay in as well. The sight of outside was too much for good children like them, but Clara felt that this wasn¡¯t what good children did. It¡¯s so that they don¡¯t have to see the destruction brought from outside. Ana felt like she was responsible, being the lord¡¯s daughter but unable to fight. Val went to comfort her, so Clara decided to stare out into the window of the town. She couldn¡¯t go out, but she could still watch. As she watched the people on the outside try to repair everything, realizing that she was all alone, she could finally do it. She began to speak to the window glass. ¡°Why did those knights try to hurt us?¡± Clara asked the window, to her reflection at the window glass. And it responded. ¡°Possibly to try and hurt the people in charge,¡± The reflection spoke back. While it looked like Clara, it was clearly not Clara. She had a look of someone who looked like Sissy or Val, but with her childish face. When Clara would tilt her head in confusion, the person who was not Clara tilted her head back. She always gets confused when she does this, often trying not to move at all when speaking with her special friend. ¡°Can I do anything about it?¡± Clara asked, hoping for a good answer. ¡°No, it¡¯s impossible for you. Your tiny body won¡¯t be of any help, You¡¯ll only be burdening other people, including Bobo and Sissy.¡± Clara grimaced. She doesn¡¯t like that at all. ¡°It¡¯s so unfair!¡± Clara snapped back. ¡°That¡¯s the way of the world. Deal with it.¡± Clara grumbled, looking away and not looking at her new friend. Her friend was special, but she can be mean sometimes. Still, she helped her out when she was lost and confused, and while Sissy and Bobo had no choice but to work, Clara often talked with her. The thing is, she can¡¯t remember when this new friend arrived. She knew that it happened when they got back to this town, but other than that, she didn¡¯t know. But she did feel like she¡¯s been there ever since they got into this place. In the end, Clara looked back at her friend. Sissy always told her that even if you dislike people, it¡¯s rude not to face them. ¡°How can I help Sissy and Bobo then?¡± ¡°Wait, just like that. Wait before I am able to be awakened.¡± ¡°But, you¡¯re awake now, right?¡± Clara asked, more confused than before. ¡°Not entirely,¡± The not-Clara answered, her face neutral and not showing any emotion. Clara can never tell whether her friend was angry, sad, happy, or anything. That also frustrated her. ¡°So when will you be ¡®awakened¡¯?¡± Clara tested the new word out. It still felt weird considering that her friend was talking to her now. ¡°Soon.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not fair!¡± ¡°Deal with it.¡± ¡°Uggh!¡± Once again, Clara faced away. But in the end, faced her right back. It was actually thanks to her friend who told her to use the barrier from the orb. Before, Clara had no clue. But when Ana put up the orb in front of her, her friend told her about how to use it. She usually had to talk through a reflection, but her friend managed to talk to her then. ¡°Umm¡­¡± Clara now felt embarrassed, realizing this as she spoke. ¡°Thank you for helping us.¡± ¡°It¡¯s no concern of mine,¡± Her friend said. ¡°If something happened to you, then something will happen to me. You and I are connected.¡± ¡°Just like¡­ like Bobo and Sissy?¡± Clara asked, remembering them talking like that before. ¡°Exactly. We are all connected. And soon, we will fulfill our mission.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the mission?¡± Clara asked. ¡°Something very important. But I do not have the knowledge yet. I am still not awake yet.¡± Clara rolled her eyes. She was clearly awake right now. She gave up since she realized her friend will never change her mind, so she then decided to take the chance. Something that perhaps she should have done long ago. ¡°Hey, I talk to you, but I don¡¯t know your name, even though you know mine,¡± Clara eventually asked. Ever since talking with Ana, she decided to be more upfront and confident when making a friend. She might be difficult, but she was clearly Clara¡¯s friend. After all, if she helped her along with Sissy and Bobo, then she was a nice person. For once, the person rose her brows in surprise. Clara didn¡¯t know why, but she was excited to finally find her surprised. Finally, the friend eventually answered. ¡°...It¡¯s Zoan. My name is Zoan.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you, Zoan!¡± Clara smiled. ¡°I hope we can be good friends.¡± ¡°...You¡¯re a strange one, wanting to be friends with me,¡± Her friend, now Zoan, responded. ¡°...But I still can¡¯t tell Sissy and Bobo about you, right?¡± Clara prodded, putting on a pout and hoping that her special friend, Zoan now, would give in. ¡°Of course. We don¡¯t want to make Sissy and Bobo worry before the time is right.¡± Clara pouted, this time, putting up her lower lip to show exactly how upset she was. Zoan, however, didn¡¯t care one bit about it. So she decided to keep this a secret between her and Zoan. She felt bad since Zoan doesn¡¯t want to include Ana either, but Sissy always told her to try and respect other people¡¯s feelings. So she hoped that she can help Sissy and Bobo someday with Zoan¡¯s help. And while she has no clue what this ¡®mission¡¯ is, she knows one thing. If it¡¯s Sissy and Bobo, they can handle it. They¡¯re her favorite people in the world. Vol2 Prologue It had been a rough time for the people in Eve Glade. Despite two months of restoration, they were still at their lowest, barely able to defend themselves. The town was a mess. Burnt buildings were visible despite the weeks put into restoring it back to its former glory. It wasn¡¯t that the townsfolk weren¡¯t willing to help repair everything¨Cthey just lacked the materials to repair at all. The merchants were warned not to visit Eve Glade for the sake of the horde¡¯s attacks. While the lords were wise to push them away despite the need for supplies, it didn¡¯t help them in the long run as now the merchants were nowhere to be seen. It was possible that the cowardly city that had struck their defenseless town had forced the merchants to flee, or perhaps paid them to be in their service. Piker wouldn¡¯t really put them in high regard¨Cin the end, they only cared about money. Still, he relented on getting angry with them. They only did as they were told to do¨Cwhat their duty told them to do. It was their duty to ensure monetary wealth on top of everything else. What else are they if not merchants? Piker was one of the soldiers who were tasked with restoring the town. Now that the horde situation has finally settled down, he and the rest of his surviving retinue helped the townsfolk to recover their lost homes and land. It was just the end of the day when Piker was about to report back to the general about the going ons in the town. It was his own duty as a replacement second-in-command. Despite being at the early age of 25, Piker was regarded with enough responsibility to be held in such a high position. The general being his foster father had nothing to do with it. While the other soldiers would not see it like that and just like to grumble that Piker is just being favored as some dog, it couldn¡¯t be farther from the truth. Piker owes everything to the general. If not for him, then he would still be at some gutter back at the capital city of Sham-la, fighting for scraps amongst the street rats and the depraved. No matter what, every amount of torturous training and intense schedules was better than living that life again. As he approached the well-constructed door with nothing but its simplistic brown coloring, he knocked steadily three times, as always. He shouted out. ¡°General, I¡¯ve come to report.¡± ¡°Come in.¡± The muffled voice of the general echoed out, and Piker turned the knob. He opened the door to find the general sitting at his desk again, surrounded by nothing but more and more parchment. Piker swore the amount steadily grew by the day no matter how often he found the general at his office. Just how much paperwork he has to do? ¡°Anything to report?¡± The general, Zacharia, asked with a monotone as his eyes scanned the parchments with a studious glare. It could be enough to burn them to ashes were he had the Fire attunement instead of the solid Earth attunement. ¡°Sir,¡± Piker saluted, his fist over his chest. ¡°We have done what we can to aid the people of the town. There is no sign of any monster attacks except for the random few that we come across. None of them were charged like the ones from the horde, just strays that came close to the town walls.¡± ¡°That¡¯s one bit of good news,¡± Zacharia said. ¡°And the lords?¡± ¡°Lord Cloud is traveling outside the town, awaiting for any news regarding compensation by those responsible. As for Captain Valorie¡­ She is still recovering.¡± Piker¡¯s chest aches when he thinks of the woman who nearly died at the dungeon they raided. It was such a simple action that left a powerful woman like her to fall to the hands of the psychopath necromancer, and it took all they had to bring her back from death¡¯s claws. Even after being recovered to the best of their abilities, Val still looked exhausted at times whenever he spotted her, often paired with her daughter by her side, holding herself back to keep up with her slowed mother¡¯s pacing. ¡°I see¡­¡± There was a grumble to Zacharia¡¯s stoic tone, depicting the sad news. ¡°And¡­ what of the visitors?¡± Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°The visitors¡­¡± Piker knew who Zacharia was talking about. The visitors that came in around half a year at this point¨CZeke and Mikella. While Clara, Mikella¡¯s little sister, is among them, he can¡¯t really treat her as a potential enemy, if ever. The two, on the other hand, were balls of mystery to Piker. He knew their major secret now, and he still couldn¡¯t believe half of what they said. Travelers from another world? A world where no levels and monsters existed? No system in place to keep everything in order? Nonsense. Absolutely nonsense. And yet¡­ ¡°Zeke is by Cloud¡¯s side, offering aid and succor to those still injured. He also often helped repair the buildings with the other soldiers using his barrier skill. Mikella is doing most of the heavy lifting, being the one with the highest Strength and Endurance. With her aid, they managed to repair a quarter of all the buildings destroyed by the ambush.¡± ¡°Mmh¡­¡± Zacharia mumbled, closing his eyes as he entwined his still-gauntleted fingers together, resting his chin on top of them. Seeing the general in deep thought, Piker furrowed his brows before Zacharia opened them again. ¡°So¡­ Do you know where they came from? Piker froze. His heart lurched as the question seemed to come out of nowhere, just like the ambush. ¡°Know where, sir?¡± Piker asked, hoping his dumbstruck answer would suffice. ¡°I¡¯m very certain Mikella must have told you something, otherwise, you would have not come along to her crazed plan of finding Zeke. Of course, in the end, it proved that he was still alive. But it shouldn''t be possible¡­ not unless they have something that proved otherwise.¡± Zacharia stared at Piker with those cold eyes that could pierce through metal. It was the same set of eyes that found him on the streets, judging him for his worth. Even now, Piker found them frightening, despite years passing by since then. ¡°So tell me, did she tell you anything of worth? Something that I should take notice of?¡± ¡°...No, sir.¡± Piker stayed resolute. While his heart beat rapidly, his face remained neutral as always as he answered calmly. ¡°I asked, but all I heard were ramblings of a young girl who refused to believe her partner had died. Personally, I found it wanting. I¡¯d like to believe that the two were just lucky to have found one another. Personally, everything about the dungeon was just luck on our side¡­¡± It hurt him to say that. He hated the word ¡®luck¡¯. Even though the general would say that luck is also an important factor in battle and war, Piker never liked that. That would mean his lot in life before joining the military was considered unlucky. He wished to change that fate, that luck. That¡¯s why he wanted to grow stronger. But what truly made him stand his ground is his promise to both Mikella and Zeke. Mikella poured her heart out to Piker, even though it was possible that Piker might betray her trust to relay to the general. But both Mikella and Zeke proved their loyalty time and time again. Even after Piker treated them with contempt, they continued to work tirelessly for the sake of Eve Glade. Hell, the two have made incredible progress helping the town recover despite only just staying here for half a year, while Piker had been there for three at best. If that¡¯s not loyal to the town, Piker doesn¡¯t know what else it could be. So he will keep his promise to them. It¡¯s not truly to have loyalty to the visitors¨Cbut to ensure he kept his will, his pride as a soldier. Once he makes a promise, he will enforce it no matter what, even if it means keeping it from his father and benefactor. There was also that oath he kept, but that wasn''t nearly enough to change his perspective on keeping his promises. But the look of Zacharia¡¯s eyes said otherwise. He stood up from his chair, his weight shifting and causing the chair to groan in reprieve once he left. He turned over the desk and faced Piker, being a head taller than even him. ¡°Piker¡­ you are a good man, and a son I¡¯m proud to have,¡± Zacharia said, his eyes stoic and almost distant. ¡°I know you must have promised to keep their secret. I know, because that¡¯s what you are¨Cloyal and proud¡­ but you are still green. You do not realize that even trying to keep loyalty can become a weakness.¡± Piker¡¯s heart beat faster, ready to burst out of his chest. Did someone tell Zacharia about his promise? Could it be Myra? No, she hated the general way more than Mikella and Zeke, or at least frightened of him as much as the lords. Then¡­ how did¨C ¡°I will not ask for forgiveness,¡± Zacharia said, raising his hand. ¡°I am simply doing my duty. But I do hope that you can see past this, Piker.¡± Piker¡¯s eyes widened as he felt something churn deep within him¨Cdeep within his core. Something was¡­ tugging at him. As if something had bounded a rope straight to the inside of his spirit and was now pulling at him, straining his mentality. He saw then, what was within Zacharia¡¯s raised hand. It was a crystal, a blood-like red crystal that glowed ominously in his hand. Within its shimmering surface, a purple haze swirled around it, and in some small, almost microscopic way, he could see traces of mana connecting to him¨Cto his chest. ¡°General¡­¡± Piker¡¯s voice strained, unable to understand what was happening. ¡°What is¨C¡± ¡°Do not worry,¡± Zacharia cut him off. His eyes seem to show pain, the pain of a parent having to discipline their child. Yet the crystal in his hand glowed ever brighter. ¡°This won¡¯t hurt you. But you will feel a slight¡­ pinch.¡± Those were the last words Zacharia spoke before Piker¡¯s mind turned bright white, then soon faded into darkness. Vol2 Ch1: Time to heal It¡¯s been two months since they raided the Death¡¯s Embrace tower and returned back to Eve Glade. Two months since the attack by the Bastion forces, turning their quaint peaceful haven into a land of chaos and destruction. And two months since they¡¯ve been working their asses off to get everything back in order. Even after arriving here, Zeke didn¡¯t know when exactly this town ever actually acted like a normal town. It was either preparing for the horde battles, or trying to restore their broken town. It was a shit hand to be dealt with, but nonetheless the townsfolk stood strong. As for the trio who just joined this town practically half a year ago, they have gotten very busy since then. For starters, the buildings were broken down to burnt pieces and embers. Most of the citizens had wooden homes, so when the attack started, everything was burning down. It left most of the homes and essential buildings for the economy barely standing, the acrid smoke a constant companion for the poor folk. The cobblestone streets were broken, filled with cracks or painted red and other viscera of pink that some would rather not step on for their mental sanity. That took a while to clean up, if not replace entirely. As for the townsfolk, they¡¯re not much better. Out of the thousands living in the town, about 5% of the population were killed from the ambush. Perhaps more than 200 were killed, according to Cloud¡¯s estimates. A lord had to calculate it that way to recover properly, no matter how morbid or dark that sounded. To treat the casualties of so many as just mere numbers might seem cruel, but it was necessary to know. That way, they can properly demand recompense from the enemy province that did this to them¡­ but the chances of that actually happening was slim to none. Just as one would expect, the bigger countries won¡¯t pay as much attention to the small towns and cities dishing out war crimes left and right. There were so many to take care of, the countries won¡¯t care much if one territory falls and gets absorbed into another. As long as one of the big powerhouses doesn¡¯t do anything substantially dangerous, the kingdom won¡¯t move a hand to help. However, Cloud refused to give up and still sent report after report about their damages to the nearby post town belonging to the kingdom of Sham-la¨Cthe name of the kingdom where they were not only situated, but what owned Eve Glade as part of their giant territory. It was one of the towns connected straight to the kingdom, something like short hubs to ensure better connection between the kingdom¡¯s allies across the continent. It was also a way for Cloud to contact the merchants to warn them about their horde problems, and just as well to tell them that it had been settled. But despite two months passing by, none of them have arrived. They were short on supplies, and recovery was slow because of that. The townsfolk had no choice but to pick up what they could from the surrounding forest to gather wood and stone to help rebuild their town and their homes, only being able to rely on their skills and resources to keep moving. The soldiers were also working hard, helping to gather the said wood and stone for the townsfolk to build their homes. The elite team that have returned, having gained many levels throughout the raid, helped substantially in the process, their stats overcompensating the damage done to the town. Mikella herself was a prime example of a soldier whose stats covered every aspect of town recovery. Chopping the wood and breaking the stone, then gathering them all up by several cart loads. Then carrying the wood and stone to the downtrodden and personally help build the homes herself. It was unnecessary to say that Mikella was one of the top performers of the town¡¯s recovery, as well as being very loved by the folks who had lost so much. That didn¡¯t mean the others were falling behind. Myra had also helped, and even offered to use her fire attunement to help rebuild the metal and stone that needed to be remade. Along with Philip and the new staff he gained, the two made quick work of smelting and rebuilding materials for crafting. As for the people who were hurt from the ambush, healers were working on the clock to help them heal up as quickly as their mana allowed, trying to bring them back into shape, or at least in working order to help the town recover faster. Unfortunately, they didn¡¯t have as many healers on hand unlike the buildings and workers, so Zeke became the very icon of a busy bee. Zeke has done what he could to help heal the injured. Thanks to his high Spirit stat, he had more mana to give, even if at the time, he was still sore around his channels. Some did question how Zeke gained so much power and levels despite being a Runist, but Cloud intervened by stating that his barriers worked in a lot of ways, helping him gain more experience. Though the truth was that Zeke and Mikella were not as normal as one would believe. Since arriving in this new world, Tarial, Zeke, Mikella, and Clara are all connected with a special link to their status, or at least between Zeke and Mikella, as Clara was still too young to be accepted into the system¡¯s initialization. As she was only ten years old, actually closing towards eleven now, one needed to be fifteen to be accepted by the system. Due to this, Zeke and Mikella share the same experience rate, no matter how far apart they were. In other words, Zeke was getting as powerful as Mikella, and being a Runist with a support skill set, that was a massive boon due to his lack of attack skills. Due to this phenomenon, Zeke had little reason to hold back in aiding the town as he used his massive pool of mana to heal the injured and the sick. Not only that, but whenever he managed it, he would come over to the soldiers helping to build the homes and use his barriers as substitute support beams to build the broken walls and flooring. In other words, Zeke was a convenient handyman to have around, and nearly everyone in the town wished for his help in one way or another¨Cwhether it was his Recovery or his Barrier Craft. But in the end, Zeke still felt like he wasn¡¯t doing enough. A day after returning from the raid and fighting off the invaders, everyone gathered to the center of their destroyed town to grieve for the lost in a large funeral pyre. They built a powerful flame to help cremate the bodies that have fallen, the biggest tragedy this town has ever suffered through. It was also the same time the elite team grieved for their own losses, to the five soldiers that have died throughout the journey. Zeke could still remember their names. Mikael the axeman, Joshua the spearman, Bryann the duelist. Lisa, the mage that helped Zeke out during the horde battle and Philip¡¯s crush, and finally Maxie, Jackie¡¯s twin brother and Myra¡¯s childhood friend. He barely knew the folks that had died during the ambush, but nevertheless he felt everyone''s pain and anguish, their cries and sobs louder and heartbreaking than the crackling flames in front of him. The fire, as though responding to their emotions, reached higher towards the sky as that was the only source of flame they would accept in this town. And of course, curses to those who have done these atrocities were thrown. Being one of the healers, even Zeke was a target of one family, the one belonging to the axeman Mikael. His father came around, blaming Zeke for his death. It was¡­ hard to see. And even harder when the other people held the raging father back, realizing that his grief was turning him illogical. Zeke couldn¡¯t blame him. Not only had he lost his son, he also lost his wife from the ambush, making him truly alone. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Cloud stepped in to settle the trouble, but Zeke could see it in his eyes as well. The pain and anguish of what would happen if things didn¡¯t go his way. His wife Valorie almost died back at the dungeon, and his daughter Ana was just as close to the ambush attack as everyone else. The fact that they both survived helped Cloud enough to stand firm. After that, the town went back to help rebuild the town. But even after months have passed, the recovery was slow and painful. Even now, Zeke was walking back towards the Mystio house, where not only the lords and their daughter lived, but also his own family¨CMikella and Clara. Along his side was Cloud, utterly exhausted and grumpy. So basically the same as Zeke. They had just returned from their trip to the nearby kingdom post town, trying to report what had happened. But just as they expected, their troubles were considered ¡®minor¡¯ compared to the situation going on at the kingdom¡¯s side. Apparently another major powerhouse, considerably the same tier as the kingdom, was making strange movements across the border, so Eve Glade just had to settle for now while they kept things under control. In other words, they had no time to help the town that was ambushed unfairly despite the kingdom¡¯s assurance of their safety by another city clearly backed by another powerhouse country¨Cthe Aetheric Federation. As for why Zeke went with Cloud to that post town, he had Valorie to thank. Val, the captain of the military force, had no choice but to stay behind thanks to the damage done by being nearly possessed and turned into a zombie. While Zeke did his best to help heal her channels with Cloud¡¯s aid, he still wasn¡¯t proficient in truly healing her back. No matter how much Cloud and Zeke tried to help, her channels were still bruised, especially after she became crazy from returning back to the town to find it being attacked and her daughter nowhere to be seen. Zeke can¡¯t blame the mother for going crazy to try and find her child, but that ended up extending her injuries and forced her to stay at home longer than normal. And since Val was out of commision, she asked Zeke if he could travel with Cloud to the post town, not really having confidence that Cloud won¡¯t get attacked and injured without his barriers. While Cloud argued against that, Zeke had no issue accepting Val¡¯s request, and besides, he could always learn more from Cloud as they walked. The two became fellow comrades for understanding magical knowledge¨Cbut after the post town visit, none of them were too keen to get back into the joy of talking about magic stuff. Still, Cloud spoke up after a long silence, their home coming closer in their vision. ¡°Zeke, I want to thank you for all that you did,¡± Cloud suddenly said, getting Zeke out of his musings. ¡°What for?¡± Zeke asked. He can guess a lot of things, which would be problematic as he did quite a lot for the town. ¡°For going along with my wife¡¯s selfishness,¡± Cloud said, and Zeke could tell Cloud¡¯s eyes were rolling despite looking forward. ¡°And for what you¡¯re doing to the town. That also goes for Mikella as well.¡± ¡°Oh, well, that¡¯s obvious,¡± Zeke shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Eve Glade¡¯s our home. And we got the skills needed to help. I don¡¯t see why we should just stand around and do nothing.¡± Zeke was right, at least he thought he was. Having all this power, magic, and stats; not doing anything as simple as building a house or healing the injured with magic? That was the epitome of laziness. But Cloud still stood firm, unwilling to let it slide. ¡°There shouldn¡¯t be a reason why you had to work so hard for us. You¡¯ve already done so much for us. In the folk¡¯s eyes, you¡¯re already essential to our town.¡± ¡°...I feel like I haven¡¯t done enough, though,¡± Zeke said, his enthusiasm draining a bit. ¡°There¡¯s still so much to be done.¡± The town was still a mess in his eyes compared to the first time he visited it. Despite the construction taking place practically everywhere in his vicinity, due to the lack of supplies, the buildings were still half-finished, and some still showed scars of the ambush. The streets were still a mess to walk on, making it difficult for the carts to drive on. And there was still that scent in the air. The lingering tang of smoke and embers. Despite two months passing by, it was still there¨Cmocking them. Like a nasty reminder that a damn ambush led to this, due to their own mistakes of not covering all of their tracks before they left. ¡°This is our responsibility, Zeke, not yours,¡± Cloud said resolutely, and Zeke could tell he was talking about himself and Val rather than the entire town itself. ¡°Even with all the power you have, that still shouldn¡¯t force you to clean up our mistakes. Many others with powers don¡¯t just casually visit and help us¨Cbecause mostly that would mean they would ask for a price we¡¯re not ready to pay.¡± Cloud stared at Zeke this time, his striking eyes making themselves known. ¡°And yet you ask for nothing but to just give you a place to stay. That¡¯s too cheap of a price.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the best we could hope for,¡± Zeke shrugged again. He didn¡¯t mind gaining some other benefits, as long as it was for Mikella and Clara. But for himself, he was happy just to help. ¡°And Mikella would say the same. We like this place. Definitely better than the others that would ask us to pay out of our asses in taxes.¡± Zeke shivered at the idea. The other countries and cities have built in a taxing system that doesn¡¯t take their money, but instead their resources. Their kinetic, magical, and in some cases, life energy. No matter how you spin it, that just seems so unnatural. To take that as compensation is like selling blood or even urine and stool to some shady group for simple living. Even if it does refill naturally, that could still have adverse effects on the human body if done long enough. The death rate of those who were spent trying to pay taxes were pretty high in those towns and cities, something that Zeke didn¡¯t like at all. Taxes aren¡¯t supposed to kill people. Everything revolving around taxes does, but not the taxes themselves¨Cat least that¡¯s how Zeke views the world. ¡°Still¡­¡± Cloud answered, but he trailed as their home was coming in full view now. Zeke decided to leave it at that as he opened the door. He knew Cloud felt guilty, especially after what happened during the dungeon. Zeke nearly gave his life to save his wife, and he went through a lot of strain and agony due to overusing his magical channels once more. Still, Zeke would gladly do it again if it meant protecting those he cared about. And it was becoming easier and easier to make that decision every time he opened the door to the Mystio household. ¡°Hey!¡± A childish shrill rang out. ¡°They¡¯re here! Cloud and Bobo¡¯s here!¡± Clara, now just slightly taller and nearly reaching Zeke¡¯s upper stomach, ran full tilt towards him into a massive bear hug. It was enough to nearly topple Zeke, but he took on the tackle of the tiny beast gladly as he smiled. ¡°Hey, Clara,¡± Zeke said, a smile so natural he didn¡¯t even realize he had it on. ¡°Miss me?¡± ¡°Yesh!¡± Clara tried to speak, but her mouth was covered in Zeke¡¯s robes. She turned her tiny head up towards him. ¡°Wassuh!¡± ¡°Wassuh,¡± Zeke mimicked Clara¡¯s greeting with a grin of his own, just in time to see Cloud¡¯s own tackle done to him by his own daughter. ¡°Daddy!¡± Ana cried out, hugging him tighter as though trying to beat Clara¡¯s hug. ¡°Welcome back!¡± ¡°Hey there, my little angel.¡± Compared to the serious tone and demeanor he showed before, it all melted away the moment Ana came into the picture. His face turned goofy as he picked up Ana and smushed her with hugs and kisses on her head, getting her to try and scramble away before landing on her feet and running back towards the living room. Just as they left, the house was a little cluttered and messy due to the kids playing around. Since the town was still in construction, it was dangerous for children to be running about and possibly staggering on the broken roads. While the rest of the children grumbled, Clara and Ana made quick work of getting adjusted. Vivian would also often visit the house, making it the perfect time for her to not just take care of the kids personally, but to also look out for her friend Val who was down for the moment. Despite being a teacher, she was absurdly sturdy for a woman who was critically injured just two short months ago. Her high Vitality was clearly responsible for that vigor. Speaking of which, the housewife of the Mystio household came up to greet them along with a familiar young woman by her side. ¡°Welcome back,¡± Val greeted, her smile so pleasant as a morning breeze. But after a closer look at her, Zeke felt his heart sink. While her complexion was getting better these past two months, there was still that hint of exhaustion around the brim of her eyes, her cheeks slightly sunken in. Her smile never seemed to dull in its radiance, however, no matter how beaten she looked. Even now, her recovery was still hampering her, forcing her to stand back to even help the construction of her own town. Even though Zeke felt like he wasn¡¯t doing enough, he felt guilty seeing Val forced to stay while watching her town try to heal just like her. And just by her side was Mikella, who still kept a watchful eye on Val even when greeting the men. She turned to Cloud with a smile, then a grin to Zeke. ¡°Wassuh,¡± Mikella greeted the same way as Clara, only getting Zeke to chuckle and repeat the same thing. Tonight will be the same night as every night¨Cmostly just talking about what they did to the positively bored Val and retelling anything interesting. All the while playing with the bundles of energy while being completely out of it themselves. All in all, it was a good way to end the day and start anew to work all over again. Vol2 Ch2: Politics and stuff ¡°So, no dice, huh?¡± Mikella grumbled along as she wagged her fork at the two men. The family was eating dinner Val and Mikella made along with the helpful kids. It was a simple meal, since gaining supplies was rare these days, so they opted for seasoned stew packed with boar meat and veggies from the small garden outside. Despite the simplicity, Zeke always loved the stew. It was mild yet tasty, and more importantly, easier for his stomach. He often focused better doing his runework after a good meal, but certain meals made him sleepy and work inefficiently. He certainly can¡¯t have that. The kids enjoyed it as well, and Mikella often tried to get Clara to eat her fill, wanting her to grow up big and strong and not the shortstack she was now. She used the word ¡®shortstack¡¯ profusely, making Clara resolute in not being so short when she grows up. The conversation divulged into the visit to the kingdom post town, and the bad news they received. ¡°Pretty much,¡± Zeke answered with a shrug. ¡°I can¡¯t help but keep referring to it as visiting a governmental office asking for relief compensations.¡± ¡°Ugh, don¡¯t even get me started on those,¡± Mikella¡¯s eyes turned fierce as she placed her fork down. ¡°Our family was on the poor spectrum so we often did that. Oftentimes they either pretended to not notice us or just plainly told us to deal with it. Whenever we do get compensation, it¡¯s either because we kept pestering them or they do it because otherwise they¡¯ll get in trouble. It doesn¡¯t matter what reason¨Cthe government hates handing out cash for free.¡± ¡°Even though it¡¯s the law they made?¡± Zeke asked incredulously, to which Mikella nodded with a strained smile. ¡°Ironic, huh?¡± ¡°The more you talk about your country, the more I think it¡¯s better off you were sent here¡­¡± Val said with a shake of her head. She seemed so aghast after hearing about the two¡¯s tales from their world. They often talked about their world and how it was shaped compared to this one, and for some reason the two Journeymen here kept being frightened at the prospect. ¡°Promises never kept, and dealt with incompetence and sloth¡­ is it really so different from ours?¡± Cloud answered, a sagely tone in his voice as he packed another mouthful of the stew and veggie combo into his mouth. ¡°So for now, we¡¯re on our own,¡± Zeke said, hoping to get away from the subject. Honestly, talking about their world kept reminding him what a shit hand they were dealt with. He knew it was ridiculous, but still. ¡°Thankfully, we weren¡¯t attacked on the way. So at least there won¡¯t be any more surprise horde attacks on the town.¡± ¡°We make sure we keep any strays away too,¡± Mikella mentioned. ¡°Me and everyone else often find them when we start cutting trees. It¡¯s kinda pathetic even. Their levels were lower than usual¨Caround level 20 or so.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Zeke asked, his brows widening. ¡°Uh-huh,¡± Mikella nodded. ¡°So, when do you think the merchants are gonna come back? We can keep cutting trees left and right, but I don¡¯t think that¡¯s gonna be enough. At some point, we¡¯re gonna run out of trees.¡± It was obvious Mikella was exaggerating, but perhaps not exactly. While they did live near the forest, cutting too many trees could lead to some trouble along the way. If the monsters keep finding their forest getting hacked away, they might have to go to another direction and leave the town without any monsters to hunt and gain XP, or even hides and meat to use. Of course there was a matter of sending those same monsters to another area where it might trouble those that lived there, but honestly nobody cared about that. After all, the people there would most likely enjoy seeing weakling monsters come at them and practically hand them their loot and XP. That¡¯s a long time before that could happen, but if the town is ever going to prosper, they need to find a way to advance without using up too many of their resources. Zeke¡¯s experiences with playing management games played a deft hand on that. ¡°Cloud?¡± Val asked, hoping for the same answer, but Cloud only shook his head. ¡°Unfortunately, the merchants are still staying far away,¡± Cloud answered, a frown visible on his face despite eating the delicious stew. ¡°Though I¡¯m not sure why.¡± ¡°You think it¡¯s Bastion, or the Aetheric Federation, keeping them away?¡± Mikella asked, her eyes narrowing. ¡°Kinda like ¡®if you go there, we¡¯ll kill you¡¯ kind of thing?¡± ¡°Possibly,¡± Cloud said, mimicking her expression. ¡°That would be a good way to keep us down and injured for longer.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe this,¡± Val said, her tone reaching up there in exasperation. ¡°What purpose do they have in trying to keep us down? No matter how you spin it, we don¡¯t have much to offer. Just a lot of land and trees and low level monsters. Is this some kind of power play they¡¯re doing that I¡¯m not getting?¡± Zeke frowned, disliking this idea more and more. He can¡¯t help but remember the corporations and businesses doing this same tactic throughout his working life. It¡¯s not just about the money or the prestige, but to keep the opposition down by doing exaggerated actions as if to strike fear into their hearts. But people¡¯s lives are included in this. It¡¯s not just losing a job¨Cit¡¯s losing everything, including your family and friends. He knew this world is a lot more extreme and hardcore, but he would think there would still be some mercy for those who can¡¯t even fight monsters on their own. Especially when gaining strength relies heavily on resources and a place to train. If you don¡¯t even give a noob an area to farm monsters to raise levels, what can you expect that noob to do other than to just live his life? ¡°As far as I know, Bastion is a smith-centered city filled with a population of over a hundred thousand people. As for the reason why they would attack us, there are several things I can think of. First, the land. Nobody is going to deny having more land with potential monsters that¡¯s in the appropriate level range for their weaker soldiers. The second is that it¡¯s not sanctioned by the kingdom. There¡¯s no need to pay for fees or to get a license, so the faction might use that as a leverage to get more people to join their city.¡± Zeke nodded. ¡°I get it. It¡¯s the small things to help them grow bigger.¡± ¡°Precisely,¡± Cloud nodded. ¡°But ambushing us? Killing our non-combatants and even the elderly? Couldn¡¯t they just, I don¡¯t know, force us to sign us up to their territory? That seems like jumping a few steps ahead just for kicks.¡± Mikella sounded more frustrated the more she spoke. No matter how you spin it, it¡¯s definitely overkill to go this far just to get this land and the resources. Normally, this is when talks between territories go awry and soon start a small war between them. Though, blindsiding them like this is also an effective way to bring down their morale, no matter how immoral and cowardly that action is. ¡°While Eve Glade is not officially sanctioned by the kingdom, that doesn¡¯t mean the kingdom doesn¡¯t have their eyes on us,¡± Cloud repeated, looking almost defeated as he finished his stew. He really left his bowl utterly empty from the looks of it. ¡°They can¡¯t easily get us to sign up to be part of their territory as they need the king¡¯s permission to get it. And as far as I know, getting an audience with the king is nearly impossible.¡± ¡°We should know, we had to do some incredible things to get his attention,¡± Val smiled, reminiscing about the time. The two adults nearly spit out their remaining stew from their mouths. They looked at her in shock. ¡°You met with the king of Sham-la?¡± Zeke asked, putting each word out to make sure he got the right guy. ¡°The sole living Grandmaster?¡± Grandmaster¨Ca stage beyond level 150. It was beyond Master, and further beyond than Journeymen. Zeke can¡¯t even imagine the level of strength and prestige that came from reaching that high in level, especially after all the trials and effort he put in¨Cor rather his partner Mikella¨Cjust to get to level 30. ¡°Yep,¡± Val cheeped, leaving both the adults to gape at her. ¡°How do you think we got this plot of land to make a town?¡± ¡°It was a doozy, that¡¯s for sure,¡± Cloud said, shaking his head. ¡°Even at our stage, meeting him is like being with a being far beyond human. It was pretty damn nauseating. The mana swirling around him was just¡­ packed with power.¡± Zeke could barely imagine that level of power himself. He definitely felt power, back during the end of the zombie-infested dungeon, when he first got that attunement. But that wasn¡¯t enough to faze Cloud, being a Journeyman mage and all. So if Cloud is the one saying the king in such awe like that, just how powerful is a Grandmaster? ¡°Wait, hold on,¡± Mikella raised her empty hands, just as finished with her own meal. ¡°You¡¯re saying that the kingdom has their eyes on this town, but they¡¯re ignoring us? What the hell?¡± That did made Zeke tilt his head. Rather strange that the kingdom went out of its way to make this town without any taxes, yet they were okay with just letting it go to another territory belonging to a different power? ¡°You¡¯re forgetting that Eve Glade is made up of those who can barely pay back taxes,¡± Val said. There was a sad tone in her voice, not wanting to bring this up, but it had to be done. ¡°It was an experiment of sorts¨Cnothing more. If the town is so weak that it gets taken over by more powerful territories for some reason, the kingdom won¡¯t really think twice in trying to defend against that attack. It¡¯s like asking to pay up to help protect your trash from someone else taking it.¡± The otherworlders grimaced, the analogy being a bit more direct than what was really necessary. Still, it made the point she wanted. ¡°So if the king is out, that means Bastion could rely on forcing us through direct means,¡± Cloud went back on track with the conversation, bringing them into this morbid reality. ¡°We¡¯re on our own for a little while.¡± ¡°How long do you think we have before they attack us again?¡± Zeke asked, gripping his fork tight. ¡°Do you think they¡¯re gonna try to wipe us all out?¡± ¡°I doubt it,¡± Cloud answered. ¡°But¡­ I can¡¯t divine the future. There could be many reasons why they want this town, maybe even something they want that we don¡¯t know as of yet. That¡¯s why we need to keep steadfast and handle everything they throw at us.¡± Leaving it at that, the group cleaned up after themselves to get ready to rest for tomorrow. Mikella took the kids to give them a bath along with herself while Zeke was just about to head back to Cloud¡¯s study to learn more about runes. It was a good way to gain some levels without expending too much mana. While his channels were fine and recovered, he wanted to make sure to give his channels as many breaks as they needed. It wasn¡¯t so serious as to gain a chronic illness or anything if he kept pushing them, but he wanted to follow the lords¡¯ advice to have breaks whenever they could. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. He smiled, thinking about the potential progress as he opened up his status after two months spent after the zombie dungeon. He made a lot of progress since then¨Cwell, as much as he could without seeing any form of combat outside of rare strays. As for Zeke, he had very important choices to make after finishing up the dungeon. That were his maxed skills: Mana Perception and Barrier Craft. Reaching the max level of their current state, Zeke was allowed bonuses, including an option to advance or evolve their skills. Advancing a skill is the same as bumping up their rarities, as it happened quite a bit throughout their time. Hell, even his Recovery advanced after a rare skill has incorporated with another due to Myra¡¯s attunement incident. It advanced to Epic rarity, allowing his skill to become stronger and more potent after integrating the useful General Skill Internal Senses into it¨Cwhich added in an extra bonus of leaving more room for another potential General Skill, as the list is limited in slots. Evolving, on the other hand, is transforming the skill into something else. Thankfully, it would usually jump up in rarity and usefulness, which was a boon. His Barrier Craft only had the option to advance, jumping it straight from Rare to Epic, just like his Recovery. His Mana Perception, on the other hand, had the option to evolve. And after careful consideration along with other people¡¯s input, he chose that particular option. He got two choices, almost the same as getting a new skill choice for his Class Skill, but this was for how his Mana Perception would change from here on out. The first option was Hyper Mana Perception. Strangely, it was an upgraded version of Mana Perception allowing him to view farther away and sense further magical energies. In some cases, he could even view just how much mana one person has. In other words, it was exactly like Internal Senses toned down a smidge. Internal Senses can normally be learned by other magic-based classes other than Runist, but it was still a more valuable skill even with its limited range. Having his valuable skill evolve into something that his Recovery already has felt pointless, and he was pretty sure he didn¡¯t have to see more mana to see¡­ well, more mana. It was kinda redundant. There was also the fact that one of his attunement ability might make taking this skill option pointless. His Overreach might be able to do just that and possibly more. But that was out of reach right now. The other option was better in comparison. By a mile, actually.
Skill Evolution has commenced. Your skill Mana Perception (Uncommon) has evolved into Mana Manipulation (Rare). Your skill Mana Manipulation has been reset to level 1. You will still retain the stat bonuses you have acquired before the evolution.
¡­..
Mana Manipulation (Rare), Level 1 Evolved from Mana Perception, you are able to further control mana as though it was a physical thing. Your control over your own mana, as well as any unowned magical energy around you, will increase according to the level of the skill and the current Spirit stat.
There was no reason to worry about losing his earlier powers after skill evolution, as according to the description, Mana Manipulation still had the foundation of Mana Perception, only now it was able to help him further control mana better than ever before. He can even use it to help his barriers move¨Cby like, a quarter inch or so. Mikella made fun of him for that, but for him, it was a major improvement. Along with that, he could use Mana Manipulation to also help his runecraft better, which he was now starting to understand how to use his runes more effectively in combat. Just as he was thinking about what to do with his improvement for today¡¯s runework, Cloud called out to him. ¡°Zeke, can I ask for a favor?¡± Zeke turned to find Cloud dressed in his casual clothing. He wore a simple tunic and long trousers, showing his writhe frame with some muscle packed in his exposed arms. Zeke could barely believe him to be that strong despite being a mage, but then again, he was a Journeyman. He might have some points in his physical stats without even meaning to. ¡°Sure, what¡¯s up?¡± Zeke asked. ¡°Does Val need some healing?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m good.¡± Zeke became surprised to find Val walking up to Cloud, showing her own casual clothes. It was just a simple tank top and soft linen pants, something to sleep comfortably just like Mikella would wear. ¡°Thank you for asking though,¡± Val smiled genuinely at him. But then she turned to her husband. ¡°Cloud?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Cloud nodded, then turned to Zeke with a heavy stare. ¡°Zeke¡­ come with me. There¡¯s something I have to show you.¡± ¡­.. Zeke followed the two lords through the living room to the back of the house. Although it¡¯s the back, it¡¯s really going around the hallway corner and suddenly entering into a random place in the hall, facing against a normal wooden wall. At least, that¡¯s what Zeke thought it was. But there was something special about it. Not on the wall itself, but on it, and around it. ¡°...Mana?¡± Zeke muttered to himself, flaring Mana Manipulation and Recovery both into his eyes. The wall was filled with a dense lot of it. It felt compact, as if gathered specifically together around the wall, and surrounding the entire hallway. The strangest part is that despite living here for half a year, he only just noticed it now. If the lords hadn''t suddenly stopped here and stared at the wall for a second, Zeke wouldn¡¯t have noticed it at all. Cloud explained precisely what Zeke theorized it was. ¡°It¡¯s a ward,¡± Cloud answered Zeke¡¯s unasked question. ¡°It¡¯s actually part of my Runecraft skill mixed with my Class Skill to make it denser. This ward obscures the door here to where I want to take you. It also puts up a veil on your senses, not letting anyone see through it. So not only is it defended, you can¡¯t even see it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Cloud¡¯s proudest work,¡± Val shrugged tiredly. ¡°He wouldn¡¯t shut up about it for weeks when he was creating it.¡± ¡°Hey, take it easy,¡± Cloud looked faux offended by Val¡¯s words. ¡°I¡¯m sensitive.¡± Val just scoffed at him as he smirked back, motioning his fingers and creating a sort of connection to the ward with his own mana signature. Zeke could see it all with his magic infused eyes. Then, the mana swirling around his senses and obscuring what was hidden vanished in a flash, as though he just turned on the light switch. His eyes could barely keep up when the very door they were talking about just showed up out of nowhere. It wasn¡¯t even a specially fancy door. Just a normal wooden door decorated lightly like all the other doors. There was a golden knob, not real golden but plated, as Cloud turned it and let them inside. Zeke followed the lords heading in, surrounded entirely in darkness. Then his eyes picked up as several lights turned on one after another in a short interval, showing a staircase that seemed to go down and down to the abyss. Checking up on the lights, he saw that they were the fluorescent lights the dungeon he went through had, the one where he first found Mikella and Clara. The lights were encased in small rectangle glass and the lights themselves were actually moss like leaves that glowed a bright blue. Zeke wondered if perhaps these leaves were like the ones in his world where if you touch it, they close themselves up for protection. ¡°D-Do these lights react to someone¡¯s presence and light up accordingly?¡± Zeke asked. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Cloud asked. ¡°They¡¯re also pretty great for filling the area with ambient Mana, but they¡¯re pretty rare to cultivate and grow. Though it¡¯s worth it for this one.¡± That was the first time he heard about plants that actually fill the area with ambient mana. As far as he knew, ambient mana is the energy in the atmosphere, in the air and the ground, like oxygen. While it¡¯s in miniscule amounts, it¡¯s the very same way that one can recover mana with ease thanks to the Meditation skill. It helps hasten the process, something like breathing in fresh air rather than one tainted with smog and pollution. He was just about to ask why the lords didn¡¯t have more of these for the town, since the healers would definitely need it for more healing. But quickly realized that they were rare according to what he said, and hard to gain. That made perfect sense. The world would be too perfect if they had everything they needed in abundance. So if these responsible lords have these lights in abundance in this kind of place, what sort of thing needed this much juice? When he reached the bottom of the staircase, he realized why. He wondered just how far they had to go down, considering they kept walking for a few minutes. But the moment he laid eyes on it, he knew instantly. The mana surrounding the small chamber-like area was so dense, it felt like the ward covering the door from his senses. It was practically fogging his eyes, yet it was so clear. What was resting beneath this house, what felt like underneath the entire town, was a diamond-shaped crystalline obelisk. Tinted bright blue, the obelisk had a resemblance of a blooming flower, the diamond standing up right up at the center with several spikes flowing upwards beside it, as if guarding the diamond. It wasn¡¯t just some giant-ass crystal resting in the chamber. It was an important giant ass crystal. Otherwise, why else is it charged with so much Mana? He could practically drown in all this Mana, and he felt his own channels being filled to the brim. Yet, he can¡¯t cast his skill. His channels felt stinted somehow, as though some force was bearing down on him. Now that he realized it, his entire body felt some kind of weight on him. It wasn¡¯t bad, and he certainly didn¡¯t feel any hostility or anything. He¡¯s been through enough of that. No, it felt almost sacred, but his curiosity got the best of him. ¡°What is this?¡± He asked, unable to even use Mana Manipulation despite the mana being so dense here. ¡°This is our Unity Core,¡± Cloud explained as he stared at it. Despite the dense mana, Cloud looked at it as though it bore a heavy weight on him. Val didn¡¯t look any nonplussed, but just like Cloud, she watched it with an intensity only a veteran could have. ¡°This is the very object our town relies on for survival and continued growth.¡± Zeke turned back to him, eyes widened. ¡°Seriously? I get this is super magical, but what does it do?¡± ¡°Precisely as I said,¡± Cloud continued. He was patiently answering Zeke¡¯s burning questions, knowing exactly what he felt as he answered. ¡°The Unity Core provides our entire identity as a town. It recognizes the citizens as part of the town, their accomplishments and effort, while taking their resources to fuel its power, granting access to the town¡¯s inner workings.¡± ¡°Like providing warmth during winter and an available water source,¡± Val continued. ¡°Being the lords, we have access to it the most, but we let everyone in the town take its power as well. But that¡¯s also a reason why we¡¯re such a small town.¡± Zeke was flabbergasted by all this, but everything started to make sense. The energy that supplied them with the power necessary to work the appliances had to come from somewhere, and Zeke knew Cloud wasn¡¯t truly the only one capable of forking over a lot of Mana needed to charge this giant thing. He knew that being the lords, they have some form of luxury, and in return they work for the sake of the town. Val being the captain, and Cloud being sort of like the mayor where he took in the citizen¡¯s requests and complaints and dealt with them appropriately. But that wasn¡¯t all. The citizens can also enjoy their own luxuries, and while this town¨Cand this world known as Tarial¨Clived in a sort of medieval era where there is no working electricity, they could still enjoy things such as baths and stoves, the hallmark of modern living. Of course, it was through the runes that Cloud would sometimes aid in, and Zeke who mostly took over during the two months passing by as an official Runist. But it wasn¡¯t as though he nor Cloud were supplying them with mana to charge them and make them work. There was also the blacksmith, Adam, as well as the other crafters that needed their own tools with higher energy output to put out their products for the sake of the town. The energy had to come from somewhere. The Unity Core made that connection possible. ¡°But there¡¯s only so much Mana this thing can give,¡± Zeke answered, almost in a trance. ¡°The taxes of the other cities are for¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s to fuel their own Unity Core,¡± Cloud answered. ¡°A bigger city needs more energy, and the only way to provide more energy to the city is to feed it power from ourselves. But there¡¯s a balance. In our case, we have a small town and have enough energy to fuel everyone¡¯s homes. For a bigger city, they¡¯re gonna need more fuel.¡± Zeke nodded, now understanding fully why some other cities and small territories charge so heavily with their taxes. It¡¯s to fuel the Unity Core, capable of providing so many things, on top of granting them access to the System¡¯s power, such as the quests generated by the lords needed to keep the economy going, and so much more. But that begs another question, something that got Zeke to forget exactly why he was here. ¡°So, what do you need me to do here?¡± Zeke asked, and that got the two to stay silent and stare at each other. There was resolution in their eyes, making Zeke pause. ¡°Are you guys gonna kill and feed me to this thing?¡± Zeke asked, half-joking, and half ready to run for the hills along with Mikella and Clara. ¡°What?¡± Val asked in surprise. ¡°No! Of course not!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, honey. He¡¯s just kidding,¡± Cloud smirked, getting Val to calm down. Zeke was kidding (half at least), but he was surprised how taken aback Val was. Cloud still had a smirk on his face, but then it slowly shifted into a solemn stare. ¡°Zeke¡­ the favor I¡¯m gonna ask you is probably the biggest yet. But you¡¯re the only one I can count on,¡± Cloud continued, his eyes staring deep into his own. ¡°Would you become the lord of Eve Glade along with us?¡± Zeke had to do a double-take and rewind his brain to make sure he had it right. Ensuring that his mind was working properly, he asked. ¡°...I¡¯m sorry, what?¡± Vol2 Ch3: Unity Core ¡°Sissy, where¡¯s Bobo?¡± Clara asked, tilting her head up to her older sister. Sissy, or Mikella in this case, peered down at her cute little sister while brushing her dark shoulder-length hair. It was getting longer, but Clara wanted to keep it short and tidy. Mikella also figured it was better as she didn¡¯t know what kind of products Clara would need. Normally she would rely on products that¡¯s safe for Clara her age, making sure to focus on health rather than beauty. After all, Clara is so cute and charming, she doesn¡¯t need those fluffy products. All she needs to do is to be happy and healthy¨Cthe best kind of beauty. She was taken aback by her question, and she realized that both Zeke and the lords were missing. Ana was with them as well, already taking care of herself by brushing her own hair. Clara still liked Sissy to do her hair, and she loved to do the same for Sissy. It was a comforting thing for both of them. ¡°He¡¯s probably with Cloud talking about boring stuff,¡± Mikella answered with a shrug. The only times Zeke would probably be in danger would be¡­ well, by himself. He had a habit of getting into trouble, that damn Runist. So being with Cloud and especially Val is comforting. ¡°Oh,¡± Clara dampened. ¡°Like, magic stuff?¡± She asked, almost hopefully. ¡°Nah, I think real world stuff. Like, bills and stuff.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Clara shivered, wanting nothing to do with that. Clara has clearly taken a big interest in magic, and Mikella honestly doesn¡¯t know how to deal with that. It wasn¡¯t that she disliked Clara being a mage in the future. She wasn¡¯t some hardcore warrior that she would never accept her sister being some mage or anything like that. No, she was just worried that just like in combat, magic can be dangerous. Zeke is a testament to that, often getting himself in danger despite being a support mage. Then again, he was a special kind of man that Mikella had a hard time handling. She wouldn¡¯t complain, honestly, but she was just a little concerned if Clara started to follow his specific footsteps. A sister can worry about that, right? ¡°Hey, Sissy?¡± Clara asked, taking Mikella out of her musings. ¡°Are we gonna stay here forever?¡± Mikella was once again taken aback. Another question she didn¡¯t know how to answer honestly. The first one was easy, but this? ¡°What brought that on?¡± Mikella asked. ¡°You don¡¯t like it here?¡± ¡°No!¡± Clara shook her head. ¡°Not that! I love it here! I mean if we¡¯re staying in this house forever!¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Ana asked, pushing herself into the conversation. ¡°We can play together forever!¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m asking!¡± Clara clarified, almost exasperated at Ana. ¡°Are we gonna stay here forever then?¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Mikella let out a relieved breath. She was glad Clara liked the town. After all, with every fiber of their being put into repairing this town, Zeke and Mikella had no intention of leaving. As for the house? That was definitely a concern. Zeke and Mikella already talked about this multiple times. They even brought it up to Cloud and Val about it. They didn¡¯t want to continue pestering the family and just buy a home for themselves. They didn¡¯t care how big or fancy it was¨Cjust a roof over their heads and some rooms would suffice. Hell, they don¡¯t mind not having a bathroom installed either¡­ but the two would clearly pay extra to have one or two installed. Two if possible. Unfortunately, their little town is little for a reason, though Mikella still couldn¡¯t understand. Apparently, they can¡¯t really add another house for a particularly annoying reason, and it had something to do with the kingdom¡¯s agreement. That also meant that the Mystio family would love to have them stay in their home, being big enough to house all of them and then some. Zeke and Mikella didn¡¯t mind, especially since Clara and Ana can play with each other like the sisters they practically are. Though Zeke was concerned that his presence might make the home seem uncomfortable, having a man outside of family being with girls. Mikella was also worried whether they were intruding in on the Mystio personal time. However, they refuse to listen anymore, and until they are able to otherwise, they refuse to let the otherworlders leave without a home to go into. Figuring it was the better choice overall, the Ashton family resided, the extra Parlow in tow and deciding to just get over his anxieties. ¡°I¡¯m not sure about forever,¡± Mikella answered, tilting her head. ¡°But we¡¯ll be staying here for a while, at least. That means you need to be on your best behavior. No more running in the house trying to chase butterbirds, got that?¡± ¡°Aww, why not?¡± Clara whined. ¡°Because I said so, so stop pouting. Use that on Zeke, but that won¡¯t work on me.¡± Clara whined some more, kicking her legs in protest. Mikella would not have it, not in this household or any other. ¡­.. Zeke rubbed the bridge of his nose. All of a sudden, the weight in this chamber underneath the household was leaning on his shoulders spectacularly. What he just heard wasn¡¯t his mind playing tricks on him. Even now, Cloud and Val looked at him nervously, as if they really thought Zeke would be brazen enough to refuse. And refuse he did, with gusto. ¡°You can¡¯t really expect me to be a lord,¡± Zeke pleaded, not outright denying them, but making them see reason. ¡°I mean, I¡¯m just a Runist who just got into the Expert stage. I¡¯m definitely not leader material. I can¡¯t even make speeches in front of a small group, much less an entire town. Plus, I¡¯m pretty sure plenty of folks here would really hate the idea of having me as a lord¡­¡± Zeke was just spitting out excuse after excuse. He didn¡¯t even know why they were asking him to be a leader of the town. All he knew was that it was a very bad idea, an idea that made him uncomfortable as all hell. However the lords don''t seem all that disturbed. Rather, Val looked at him in amusement, a giggle bubbling to take form, before Cloud stepped in with a smirk of his own. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Zeke. It¡¯s not what you think,¡± Cloud consoled him, raising his hand in gesture. ¡°While we say we want you to be a lord, it¡¯s really in name only to the town and to the system.¡± ¡°In name?¡± Zeke repeated. Now that got his interest. ¡°Okay¡­ okay, I¡¯ll bite. What exactly does being a lord mean?¡± Cloud nodded in affirmation. ¡°The Unity Core is an artifact created long ago, this particular core created by the kingdom of Sham-la. It connects to the system, at least superficially, and gives those who are recognized as proper citizens by the lords (that¡¯s us) and hand them the needs for living. With the Unity Core, one can control every aspect of the town or city it resides in¨Cincluding features like keeping up with sanitation and air pollution, a rare feature not many small towns would normally have. But only under the kingdom¡¯s permission. Because of that, dealing with a Unity Core is top priority.¡± ¡°We thought the reason why the knights came to attack would be to take the Unity Core,¡± Val continued. ¡°But there are plenty of reasons why that would be a bad idea. For one thing, if a Unity Core is taken, the kingdom is notified immediately. You can raze the town down to embers, but one must always deal with the Unity Core carefully. Since they haven¡¯t done anything to it, it¡¯s possible they only wanted to force us into their territory along with the Core.¡± Zeke felt his stomach whirl. The Unity Core is so valuable that even human life is worthless to most of the major powers. He didn¡¯t like that at all, but then again, his own world killed people for oil and even for beliefs. That¡¯s how humans worked, unfortunately. ¡°What happens if you have more than one Unity Core?¡± Zeke asked, his curiosity burning. ¡°Actually, how are they even made and able to connect with the system?¡± ¡°The second one is actually a well-kept national secret for obvious reasons,¡± Cloud answered easily, which Zeke should¡¯ve guessed already considering how important they were to everyone. ¡°As for the first, there¡¯s plenty of benefits. Like I said, it requires plenty of fuel to charge it. For us, these flowers around us is enough to fuel the town for their basic needs. Having another one means having to get more fuel, but we get the better sum of their parts as it would open up the system for us to include even more features. Features that, quite frankly, are too bothersome to keep up and aren¡¯t worth paying the extra costs for them to the kingdom.¡± ¡°So you still have to pay to the kingdom annually for the Unity Cores?¡± Zeke asked incredulously. ¡°Every city under the kingdom¡¯s banner does,¡± Val answered. ¡°Putting that aside, dealing with the Unity Core is important for the lord, and the title suggests that they keep the Unity Core safe and fed properly. You could say that this core is the breathing heart and soul of the entirety of Eve Glade.¡± ¡°And making another Lord is also just as complicated,¡± Cloud continued seamlessly. The two played off so well together to the point of freaking Zeke out. ¡°But, we¡¯re prepared to make it work, if you decide to take on the title. There¡¯s plenty of benefits to being a lord outside of commanding the citizens. You can also partake in the Core¡¯s features, but¡­ the unfair part of this is that since we only plan on making you a Lord in name only, you won¡¯t get those features¡­¡± Cloud actually looked dampened, as if realizing that he was asking a man to jump off a cliff on his word alone. However, Zeke can¡¯t even be bothered with those particular features. He can¡¯t help but think of it as an actual management game where those features might mean giving permission to give people a home, decide what to build and where, and even perhaps expand their territory. If that¡¯s the case, he was totally fine not getting anything. Sure, it¡¯s fun to do it in a game, but this is the real world. People¡¯s lives would hang on his every action if he did that. He can¡¯t imagine having another funeral pyre made by his own actions. But he knew there was something else to this. ¡°Then what are you asking me to do?¡± Zeke asked. ¡°To summarize, we want you to be used like a wall against attackers.¡± ¡°Cloud!¡± Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. Val hissed as she jabbed Cloud¡¯s side. He winced, but he still looked solemnly at her and at Zeke. ¡°Val, it¡¯s better to be honest with him. He always seems to be ready to accept anything.¡± ¡°I know, but still, can¡¯t you say it better than that? It sounds like we don¡¯t see him as human at all!¡± Val refuted, her brows furrowing at him in disbelief. ¡°Uuh, can you explain a little bit more?¡± Zeke asked, figuring it was better to continue. Cloud stood straight up as he spoke. ¡°Zeke, being a lord means having a lot of responsibilities to the town, and it¡¯s not just filling it with mana and deciding where each home can be placed or what building is necessary. The Unity Core can take in an aspect of the Lord¡¯s power and design the town based around it. Another way to say it is that the Unity Core can take a certain skill of the one deemed as a Lord and can display it to the whole town. For example, in a frozen land, a Lord with a Fire attunement or a powerful Fire based skill can be used to warm the town from the icey climate, making it hospitable to the people living there.¡± Zeke widened his eyes. Everything started to make sense now. ¡°You want to use my Barrier Craft to protect the town,¡± Zeke finally realized, getting the Lords to nod. ¡°Zeke, we made a mistake. Several, if you think about it. We left the town completely open because we believe nobody has any intention of taking anything worthwhile from our town, but we were wrong. Not just that, but the horde attacks on our town and forcing us to be on our last legs constantly every day reminded us just how foolish we were. Even if we didn¡¯t try to charge the sphere of inheritance for Ana, it was a gross oversight on our part.¡± Cloud continued, laying everything on for Zeke. While Zeke nodded, he couldn''t help but refute some of the things. It¡¯s like they were asked to see the future, having no way to do that, and blaming themselves for the crap they couldn¡¯t even see coming. Hell, who would expect a bunch of zombies nearby a forest filled with greenery and nature? ¡°So, Val and I talked quite a bit about the future of Eve Glade. The people here were promised to be taken care of, to live a life worth living without being under the thumb of those too powerful to care about those who are of lower-stage. But we didn¡¯t give them that. Instead, they lost their loved ones and even lost their homes in the process.¡± ¡°We already had several townsfolk leave us,¡± Val said sadly. ¡°We couldn¡¯t blame them for returning back to the territories they once left for the promise of being safe in Eve Glade. To their eyes, we spat in their faces and told them to suck it.¡± ¡°But that wasn¡¯t even your fault!¡± Zeke argued, not able to hold back his complaint. ¡°I get they were angry, but they can¡¯t get angry at you two.¡± ¡°They have every right to be angry,¡± Cloud shrugged. ¡°They don¡¯t know what we¡¯re thinking, and we¡¯re on a higher stage than them. For the lower staged, they think people like us are sages filled with deep knowledge. They might think we¡¯re thinking about the meaning of life and how to gain power while really we¡¯re figuring out how to deal with this mess.¡± ¡°But isn¡¯t that just prejudiced thinking?¡± Zeke tried to argue, but he felt his emotions dim at their lack of response. In the end, nothing could be done. ¡°That¡¯s why we decided on asking you for help,¡± Cloud asked. ¡°With your skill, we can be able to protect the town with your barrier. Our Unity Core is not powerful enough to conjure a barrier like in most prominent towns. And to make a barrier of our own, making it cover the entire town would be Mana expensive. It would also require several mages and runists of high levels to cast, and we also need blacksmiths capable of creating the magical metal they need to make the barrier. As you can see¨Cthat¡¯s way too expensive and way out of our depth. But you¡¯re basically a living barrier made manifest.¡± Val once again jabbed Cloud by the hip. He winced. ¡°What?¡± ¡°You suck with words, Cloud,¡± Val grumbled, shaking her head. ¡°Zeke, what he¡¯s trying to say is that with your power, we can help protect the town, and give the people the security they asked for.¡± Zeke nodded, now fully understanding their plight. He lowered his head and closed his eyes for a moment. Opening them, he kept looking at the ground as he muttered. ¡°Is¡­ is something going to happen if I become a lord?¡± Zeke asked. He trusted the lords. They even kept their secret of being otherworldly visitors while helping them stay at their own personal home. Zeke trusted Cloud and Val and would always have their back if they asked. But he¡¯s not alone. He had Mikella and Clara to think about. The fact that Mikella isn¡¯t here is already making him worry. Also, unlike with a simple promise, they said that being a lord is complicated and the kingdom needed to be notified. In other words, it was like signing a permanent contract to Eve Glade. He needed to cover his bases. It¡¯s something all adults need to be weary of. ¡°What do I need to look out for?¡± Zeke asked. ¡°You said I¡¯ll be a Lord in name, what does that entail?¡± Cloud and Val stood straight to his questions, surprising him a little. He figured they were just going to make fun of him, saying he¡¯s taking this too seriously, but their faces proved him wrong. ¡°First things first¨Cbecause it¡¯s in name only, you will not be subjected to the same report handling and managing the citizen¡¯s complaints. That also means that you have no significance in your words about the town¡¯s progress. That doesn¡¯t mean your opinion is invalidated, of course.¡± ¡°Because you will be a lord, the core will take a certain fee when handling quest rewards to you, just as the two of us,¡± Val explained eloquently. She placed her hand on herself. ¡°Though, even I¡¯m not directly a lord as I am the wife of the lord. In other words, Cloud is the main lord, but I have my own significance in giving my say for the town. Managing the citizen¡¯s wealth, economy, and any potential unrest is also my duty. In fact, Cloud is so terrible at it that his only job is to make sure the town doesn¡¯t get screwed over Mana-wise.¡± ¡°Okay, that was unnecessary,¡± Cloud tried to defend himself, but apparently that was the truth. Zeke shook his head. In other words, Cloud is the lord tied to the Unity Core while Val is connected as his wife, or perhaps the same way as the first lady over in the United States of his old world, but she has the say when it comes to managing citizens. In other words, Zeke will be doing something else. ¡°Fee¡­¡± Zeke muttered. ¡°You mean the rewards when you do something for the town? The Unity Core will take away a certain amount due to my title?¡± ¡°Precisely,¡± Cloud said, and his face showed that was one of the caveats of the deal. ¡°I know it seems unfair, but that isn¡¯t something we can change. We tried our hardest to make it fair for you the past month or so, but there were no changes. It seems even crueler to ask you to share our burden while having no say¡­¡± ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry about that,¡± Zeke waved it off with his hand. ¡°I don¡¯t really care about the money.¡± Money was important, especially since it¡¯s the only form of currency that wasn¡¯t directly controlled by the system. Everyone, from as high as Journeymen to even those at Beginner can use the coins. It¡¯s just one of those unwritten rules of society to not mess with the coins, or else all hell breaks loose and the major powers would be on your ass. It also had apparently been established by every other major power to use the coins as necessary, but that was too much history for Zeke to focus on at the time. Still, to him, money wasn¡¯t really all that important. ¡°I mean, what the hell am I gonna spend the money on? There¡¯s no shops here open for me to buy anything!¡± In fact, the whopping 50 gold coins and 100 silver he gained from the dungeon, equivalent to 6 grand in their old word, was useless to hold onto when the town was suffering, so he and Mikella donated half of all their rewards to the construction. It wasn¡¯t just their own action, every soldier who had some savings helped with their piece, though undoubtedly Zeke and Mikella gave the most. They have their own bills, while Zeke and Mikella were shamelessly living in someone else¡¯s home. It was only natural. ¡°That¡¯s true but¡­¡± Val questioned, but Zeke raised his hand. ¡°Any other potential issues I gotta worry about?¡± Zeke asked, turning to Val. ¡°Like I said, I have no problem with that.¡± Val looked defeated, though there was a hint of gratefulness in her eyes. Zeke mostly focused on Cloud¡¯s solemn stare, continuing with his explanation. ¡°That¡¯s basically it,¡± Cloud said. ¡°As a lord in name, your role will be to provide Mana every week or so. It¡¯ll only be about a small amount at first, but depending on how things go, it can increase. I currently put in about a quarter of mana per week, but the maximum I¡¯ll allow you is only half of that.¡± Zeke nodded. It was no wonder why Cloud was the lord. That can give Zeke enough to cast multiple barriers, even creating the powerful but expensive superball barrier he created back at the dungeon. ¡°That Mana alone will give us what we need,¡± Cloud said. Then, finally, he lowered his head. ¡°We know we¡¯re asking a lot. Despite everything you¡¯ve done for us, we still need your help. But with this, it would give us the security we need. So¡­¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll do it.¡± Zeke answered easily. It was so easy, he was even surprised. The two looked at him curiously. While Val smiled at him, Cloud cleared his throat. ¡°Zeke, I know you¡¯re the type to help, but this is a big decision,¡± Cloud reinstated. ¡°You don¡¯t have to make a decision now. You can talk it over with Mikella and see how things will go.¡± ¡°But the sooner my barrier covers the town, the better, right?¡± Zeke answered back. ¡°Besides, I know Mikella. She loves my barriers. Of course she¡¯ll agree.¡± ¡°Even with the fee taken into account?¡± Val asked, ensuring that money is still important for the young kids. ¡°Look, I don¡¯t want to toot my own horn, but¡­¡± Zeke flushed a little. ¡°I could make a lot of money as a Runist. A tiny hit won¡¯t really affect me. I mean, I can probably make more money than most other folks here even with it.¡± It wasn¡¯t like Zeke was utterly arrogant to believe that was the case. This was something he kept hearing about, rather forcibly, by the other townsfolk who realized that he was a true Runist. With his abilities, he¡¯s basically the electrician that helps everyone get their stuff working in order. That included all the heat provided with his rune arrays for the coming winter cold that everyone would appreciate. After talking with some of them (he didn¡¯t like it but he did have to be sociable), he found out that Runists are incredibly, incredibly useful and can make a crap ton of gold and even platinum daily if they¡¯re good enough. ¡°Why do you think they¡¯re so valuable?¡± Cloud smirked, fully knowing Zeke¡¯s confidence in the subject. ¡°Then again, no other support mage has an unfair link that gives them free XP just by sitting on their asses.¡± ¡°Right?¡± Zeke followed up, fully ignoring Cloud¡¯s snide. ¡°Might as well do something useful for once!¡± Zeke joked, but he really didn¡¯t mind. Seeing the lords smile at him and his decision was worth it. After all, these were good people. The people of the town were good to them, and especially to Clara. She felt safe here, and Mikella loved that part as well. As long as the two could be safe in this town, that¡¯s all he could ask for. If there were any potential issues, that would only be because the circumstances were unfavorable. Otherwise, there was no reason to refuse. ¡°So¡­ what do I do?¡± Zeke asked, figuring to get on with it. ¡°Put your hand on the core, and say these words; ¡®I, your name, shall accept the title of Lord for Eve Glade.¡¯. The rest should be easy enough.¡± ¡°And Zeke?¡± Val spoke up just when Zeke nodded and was about to turn around to face the core. ¡°Thank you. Truly.¡± ¡°No problem,¡± Zeke smiled back. ¡°I¡¯m just glad to help.¡± If he was allowed to be selfish, he likes to be useful. Putting aside Mikella and even Clara, Zeke still wanted to help. He knew this might be something that could be taken advantage of, but he can¡¯t help himself. Besides, he wants to be a good role model to Clara. Mikella will teach her not to take shit from anybody, but he will teach her to help others when they need it. He didn¡¯t know whether parenting is done like this, but he liked the idea. He placed his hand on the Unity Core. Touching it was like touching a glass tank containing so much water, it could burst at a touch. He felt something churn and writhe in there, but also swirl and crash, like waves hitting the rocky shores. He felt inundated by the mana. Then he spoke the words. ¡°I, Zeke Parlow, shall accept the title of Lord of Eve Glade.¡± Then, a notification popped up.
You are about to consent your loyalty to the Unity Core of Eve Glade. With permission granted by current lord Cloud Mystio, you shall be given the title of Lord (Provisional). Would you still accept the title?
With resolution, Zeke mentally tapped ¡®Yes¡¯. Then, a moment passed, his heart racing as he felt the energy churn and whirling within the Unity Core¡­ Then another notification dropped.
New Title available: Lord of Eve Glade (Provisional): You accepted to be the Lord of Eve Glade, in name only. Regardless of the lack of significance, you chose to give your loyalty to the town. May your name forever be etched to the town¡¯s providence. As this Title is circumstantial, there is no need to equip the title to use its abilities. Depending on your actions, the current Lord Cloud Mystio can take your title away, or you can revoke the title.
Zeke stood there for a moment, expecting something else to happen¡­ but nothing did. After another moment, he told the Lords what happened, then asked: ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s it,¡± Cloud answered, with Val nodding in return. Zeke looked back at the core, raising a single brow. ¡°That was¡­ anticlimactic.¡± Vol2 Ch4: A new lord, a new perspective The next morning arrived faster than anyone anticipated. Before anyone in town could continue on with the day, they received a notification via the power of the Unity Core, acting as a proclamation from the lords. It¡¯s not every day that the lords would make an announcement to the small town, and it¡¯s not mandatory as it is just to state a few things. Nobody would ever object to seeing this for themselves, so everyone gathered around the center place of the town, where most of the recovery was already done. While some of the buildings were still in need of repair, having run out of materials needed to make a stable foundation, it was still decent enough to have everyone gather around without hurting themselves, including the children who could finally head out as long as their parents were present to watch them. The number rose as hundreds gathered, turning the usually bustling town into a massive array of humanity spread all out, right in front of him. Zeke stood there at a raised platform, gathered and helped by the aid of Val¡¯s soldiers who were asked by the captain for the proclamation. He stood there along with Val and Cloud, Mikella beside them with Clara and Ana in tow. Myra and their other soldier comrades stood by as well, but mostly beside the platform standing guard. There was no reason to be on guard for anything, but one needs to exemplify order in this town to ensure that the lords, including the town and its values for safety, still hold strong. Zeke felt his throat dry up as he finally realized that just because the town was a lot smaller compared to other places, that didn¡¯t mean that it was small enough. It looked like a packed convention, everyone dressed like there was a renaissance fair going on on top of that. There was a hint of alcohol in the air as someone decided to party early, and so far nobody objected as that someone decided to be generous and shared the drinks around. A proclamation isn¡¯t taken so seriously, and since the lords didn¡¯t ban anything other than to just not be dicks to each other, the people were actually starting to have some fun. Though the next few minutes once this proclamation gets started might change that. Or not. Zeke had always been a pessimist in a way. ¡°Everyone, settle down!¡± Val shouted, raising her arms up in the air to call to the crowd. Everyone, literally everyone, stood silent as she ordered. Zeke had to do a double take¨Cdid Val seriously just commanded everyone that easily? It¡¯s no wonder she¡¯s a lord in her own right. That¡¯s when Cloud came in. He stepped towards the edge of the platform, staring everyone down with those usual striking eyes of his. Everyone stood solemnly at him, expecting to hear something that they had no clue what it was about. ¡°Everyone, first of all,¡± Cloud spoke loud and clear, putting a hand over his chest. ¡°Thank you, for all of your patience and perseverance. It¡¯s needless to say that Eve Glade has had it rough the past few months. I will not lie and pretend all is well. The recent events made that very clear.¡± The crowd stayed silent, and the mood turned somber. Some drinkers took a swig of their mugs, the memory of the funeral pyre probably playing in their minds. Cloud decided to let that sink in, to remind everyone of what they went through. Then, he spoke again, this time his tone was higher and significantly vibrant. ¡°But just like the town, we still stand, and we got stronger still. We have lost our loved ones, but you all know that we still survived for a reason. Whatever that reason is for you, I cannot say. One thing is clear¨Cthings cannot stand to stay like this. That is why my wife and I have decided to add another lord to the town.¡± Cloud turned to the young man, much to everyone¡¯s surprise and disbelief by the sounds of their gasps. ¡°Our new lord is none other than the very man who has helped us all this time. A visitor that has just come in recently with his family, but someone that was instrumental in our survival and our ongoing stability. Please welcome Zeke Parlow as part of the lords of Eve Glade.¡± The moment Zeke¡¯s name was introduced, he expected the worst. He expected jeers and boos, and in the worst case scenario, a riot. Though the lords were clear that such a thing wouldn¡¯t happen, Zeke knew that if it was anything like in his country, suddenly adding in a lord who is not only young, but only just recently been added to the town¨Cit wouldn¡¯t turn out so peaceful. What he didn¡¯t expect was the crowd cheering for his new title. Everyone, from the elderly to the able, raised their hackles in cheers and celebrations. Of course, some were flabbergasted at the news, but they took it well, sort of like receiving a surprise birthday party. When he turned to the people he knew, Mikella smirked while Clara just seemed to glow in bright cheer along with the crowd. Myra and the other soldiers seem to be puffing up in pride for some reason, as though a friend of theirs received their rightful promotion in a corporation. Letting them have their fun for a while, Cloud let them be. But once the cheeriness slowed, Cloud continued on as one can easily notice the confusion on some of the citizens¡¯ faces. ¡°Some of you are worried. And some of you perhaps might see an issue with this. Please, let me explain to the fullest. As you know, a lord¡¯s duty is to ensure the safety of their daily lives, seeing the town¡¯s needs and helping it grow. Zeke here has decided to be a lord in name only. That means that unlike us, Zeke is everything a citizen is, but his power is added to the town¡¯s main energy source.¡± That got some folks to reel their heads back, their eyes widening. That also got everyone who ¡®might have an issue¡¯ to immediately clam up, though Zeke has no clue which one did. Apparently, everyone knew what a provisional lord meant, which is basically just a handyman willing to lend his services for free. Val continued this time, her voice sweet and gentle. ¡°With this, we hope the town will continue to prosper in its recovery, and once again stand proud as it once was, perhaps stronger than ever before. But you don¡¯t need to hear that from me. Zeke, why don¡¯t you say a few words?¡± At that moment, Zeke was fully ready to make a fool of himself and highjack his way out of there. He turned back to Val with eyes ready to bounce out of his skull, not expecting this at all. The damn lords never said anything about making a speech. He readily said that he can¡¯t do that when they first asked him, didn¡¯t he? He turned to Cloud for help, but like a bastard, he stood there with a smirk on his face. He turned to Mikella for help instead. She only just shrugged her shoulders at him, with Clara not helping at all as her eyes seemed to glow in expectation. Having no other choice, Zeke retreated into his mind for a few short moments to figure out what to say. In the end, he decided to go for the short and sweet. He always hated to hear long-ass speeches that made everyone go to sleep. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. ¡°I¡­¡± Zeke halted for a moment, pressing his lips together to wet them before continuing. ¡°I¡¯m sure everyone here isn¡¯t keen on having someone as young as me be a lord, even in name only. I also know that I¡¯ve only been here for a short time.¡± Zeke gathered his courage, deciding to pull out what he truly felt from his core to everyone here. ¡°But¡­ this town took in my¡­ family,¡± He tested the word, and it felt right as he continued. ¡°The town, and the citizens, treated us well, even though we were strangers to you all. I couldn¡¯t have asked for anything better. I accepted to be a lord for one good reason¨CI wanted to help.¡± Assured of himself, he continued. ¡°I¡¯ll do what I can. I will do what I can to help this town that has helped my family. To pay back what everyone here did for us. I swear I will do you all right.¡± He stayed quiet, letting the moment pass. When everyone noticed he was done, a small wave of cheers and congratulations were thrown his way. Then, that small wave became a tsunami of cheers as they all accepted the new lord, in name only. He knew he might have fucked up his words, but thankfully nobody had a problem. He made it short and sweet. Now he wished he could crawl into his bed and pretend none of this ever happened. Damn you two. I swear I told you I was no good at this stuff, Zeke grumbled to himself, forcing himself to wave and smile at the crowd as a good lord should. ¡­.. Mikella, along with Clara and their friends, applauded at Zeke becoming a new lord for Eve Glade. If someone asked her how she felt, she felt a lot of things. Most of which was just shock. Shock, but a good kind of shock. When Zeke told her what happened after he was done speaking with Cloud and Val over somewhere, including the hidden room in their house that apparently contained the equivalent of a living heart of the town, Mikella didn¡¯t take it well. She was embarrassed to admit it, but she got angry that Zeke accepted something so ridiculously important as being a lord without even talking to her first. Then he, along with Cloud and Val¡¯s aid, helped explain the reason. After that, she kinda realized why. Though she still felt a little bitter about Zeke accepting it so easily without at least consulting her. Zeke apologized profusely, but Mikella understood why he didn¡¯t bother asking her. She would¡¯ve told him to accept it either way. Having a barrier around town is just really necessary. Sure, the hit to his rewards as part of being a lord without having any total authority as a lord kinda blows, but Zeke never really cared about the money or authority. At least that way, Mikella understood why he accepted it. He didn¡¯t care about the authority or the money. He just wanted to help people. She was proud of him for that, proud to have him be part of her family. Though it was hard to describe what kind of family they had between them. Val would love to say that they were potential husband and wife, but Mikella always ignored her when she delved into that topic. If she could, she would¡¯ve also accepted being a lord, but she didn¡¯t have any skill like Zeke, nor was her attunement any useful for the town. It was ironic how her attunement being lightning based would¡¯ve been super useful in her old world, but useless in this one. But as she watched Zeke being cheered for being a lord, a smile crept on her face. Everyone really started relying on Zeke, especially the past two months. He¡¯s been working tirelessly to help heal the injured, to help build the town with his barriers, re-working on the runes to help everyone thrive in these hard times. She knew there would be some who wouldn¡¯t accept him¨Cthat was just the way of the world. But if anyone has a problem with Zeke, then they have a problem with Mikella. And Mikella always has a solution to her problems¨Cshe just brings out her sword. Well, maybe not in this context, but it made her feel better. Cloud continued on, getting everyone¡¯s attention while turning to Zeke. ¡°Alright, Zeke,¡± Cloud said, his smile widening. ¡°How about you get to work?¡± Zeke smiled back, nodding as this time, he was fully ready to do his duty. The speech from earlier made him so flustered, Mikella couldn¡¯t help but smile deviously when he looked at her for aid. He looked so cute, looking like he was ready to crap himself. But that nervousness was gone the moment his duty was brought up. Now, all Mikella saw was a man with resolution written on his face. His back stood straight, making him slightly taller than usual. His head held high as he raised his hand, mostly as a show rather than for being useful. At this moment, Zeke looked like he was in his element. Mikella watched with an awed trance as Zeke cast his magic. There¡­ right there, she felt it. In fact, she knew that everyone felt it. The air shifted, and something suddenly ¡®turned on¡¯. She felt the mana converge around her, swirling and condensing to the point of creating a small marble of pure turquoise light appear in the middle of the air, a few feet above Zeke. The ball of light kept flying higher, until eventually it reached so high that they could barely see it anymore. There, the ball of light exploded, and a dazzling array of turquoise light spread all across the sky, seemingly covering their entire world. Everyone stood silent as they watched the creation of the barrier that will protect Eve Glade from future threats. Even the lords looked in awe, their mouths slightly agape with Val¡¯s lips curling into a smile. The children all screamed in delight and wonder, especially Clara and Ana as they raised their hands up, as if they could capture the barrier in their tiny hands. Mikella watched as the barrier slowly expanded and slowly covered the entire town. But despite the barrier sealing them up in a way, she didn¡¯t feel nervous at all. She knew she could escape from this town whenever she wanted, barrier or not. The barrier just felt¡­ so satisfying to see. A feeling of enormous relief swelled in her heart as security took hold, seemingly multiplied compared to just being in Zeke¡¯s protective dome. Everyone else must have felt this, as every adult who¡¯s heavy in their magical build could sense the mana swirling around them. She didn¡¯t have the Mana Perception skill yet, and she was trying hard to get it, but somehow she could sense the amount of mana being poured into the barrier. The barrier soon completely covered the town, finishing it up completely. Everyone just ¡®ooed¡¯ and ¡®awwed¡¯ as they all clamor in cheer for the creation of Eve Glade¡¯s barrier. Especially when some folks realized that having an official barrier created would be ten times more expensive than anything they ever received. Suddenly receiving a working barrier entirely for free from one man¨Cwell, those folks practically rocketed sky high in delight. As they cheered for Zeke¡¯s title and barrier, Mikella smiled. She felt a lot of emotions whirling inside of her. Pride for Zeke, relief for Clara, jealousy for being put out of the lord title for no good reason really. Seeing the barrier, she kept thinking how useful this would¡¯ve been during the raid. She remembered the deaths that followed in her wake while trying to save Clara and Ana. She remembered their heads rolling, their life snuffed out from their eyes. She would wake up in a cold sweat, her body shivering at the potential souls screaming as they were absorbed into the void of the afterlife. Clara noticed this during their sleep, helping her sister calm down from whatever nightmare took hold. She talked it over with Zeke, and despite thinking that he should¡¯ve felt disgusted over her actions, he was gentle and told her that she did the right thing. There will just always be consequences no matter what decision one makes. In just half a year, she went through the process of being greedy for power, gaining that power, and realizing what that power achieved. As she watched the scene, she looked back at herself. She should really focus on something else other than combat. She wasn¡¯t sure what it was, what it is that she wanted to do outside of it. She likes to fight¨Cit was the same type of obsession she had when she trained in gymnastics. It filled her with a sense of growth that she can¡¯t explain. It made her feel free. She knew that there would always be time for combat, even when she had no other choice but to take lives if need be. But does that mean her entire life would always be for combat? After seeing Zeke doing his best with his barriers, she realized that there should be more than that. Though right now, she put all that in the back of her mind. She had a long life ahead of her, especially if she still planned on getting stronger. That meant that there was plenty of time to figure out what to do outside of poking her enemies with a sharp stick. Suddenly, she giggled out loud, making Clara confused as she tilted her head. She just imagined herself poking Zeke with her sword, causing him to make that usual shrill sound. She really did like messing with that man. Vol2 Ch5: Daily life as a Lord ¡°Alright¡­ should be good now,¡± Zeke breathed, standing up to his feet with a smile. ¡°How are you feeling now?¡± ¡°Good, good,¡± the kindly old woman responded, tapping her back with her fist like a seasoned pro. ¡°Enough to move again! Thank you, good lord.¡± The old woman turned to the tall Zeke, almost two feet shorter than him. The old woman lived for quite a while, though her level wasn¡¯t high enough to support her age. That also included some potential issues regarding her body¡¯s movements. The attack on the town didn¡¯t help at all. During the rushed movement, she ended up straining herself, causing her to be unable to move at all. Zeke did his best to help her, as she was usually the one handling the clothes for the common folk. Not the leather armor kind or any type of equipment, but normal clothes for daily living. In fact, she was the one who personally made everyone¡¯s soft clothes, showing plenty of skill to let them sleep well at night. So Zeke of course did what he could with his Recovery skill to help her move again. For the past few days, he¡¯s been trying little by little as her channels were usually brittle and weak. ¡°Oh there¡¯s no need to call me that. Just Zeke is fine as always,¡± Zeke reminded her, but the old lady just smirked back at him. ¡°Hehehe, you better get used to it! Some people are just too stupid to remember names, so you¡¯re likely going to be called Lord instead of your name anyways, kahahaha!¡± Zeke rolled his eyes, at least thankful that he healed her enough to laugh like a damn maniac with her crazed laughter. After bidding her goodbye, Zeke went out to the town proper, looking up at the sky. During the past months, Zeke had seen steady growth with his status along with Mikella. He took it for himself to check their progress together, which Mikella had no issue with, to see where they could advance.
Name: Zeke Parlow (Savior) Race: Human Spiritual Runist: Level 35 Attunement: The World (Tier 1) STR: 20 DEX: 86 INT: 118 SPI: 139 VIT: 38 END: 44 Free Points: 0 General Skills: Mana Manipulation (R) Level 1 Runecraft (R) Level 8 Pain Resistance (U) Level 7 Steadfast Mind (U) Level 5 Meditation (C) Level 7 Acquired Skills: Barrier Craft (E) Level 1 Recovery (E) Level 7 Class Skills: Runic Library Level 4 Inscription Proficiency Level 6 Runic Spell Level 4 Phantasmal Runes Level 2
Looking at his status screen again, he made several improvements. His General Skills Runecraft and Meditation rose by 1 and 2 levels respectively. His Recovery, being the most active skill he had outside of Barrier Craft, only leveled twice since then, proving that Epic rarity skills take a lot longer to level than Rare and especially Uncommon skills. His Class skills improved quite a lot as well, all of his skills other than Phantasmal Runes increased by 2 levels, with the last being just one level. However, Phantasmal Rune was by far the most powerful Class Skill he had on hand, attaining it after his Class Evolution, so the benefits outweigh the time spent leveling it. All in all, he was becoming better used to support others. He looked up at his barrier, made by his newly advanced Barrier Craft as he pulled up the notifications once again.
Skill Advancement has commenced. Your skill Barrier Craft (Rare) has advanced into Barrier Craft (Epic). You gain points based on the advanced rarity: +9 INT Your Skill Barrier Craft has been reset to Level 1. You will still gain the stat bonuses you have acquired before the advancement.
The town barrier still stood strong, even after three days had passed. Thankfully, it was never tested, though Zeke honestly wanted to know how it turned out since it covered such a large area. The barrier was a lot bigger than he expected. It not only covered the town but several miles ahead from each direction. It covered some of the trees and the plantlife, which ended up pushing away the monsters around their vicinity. When the soldiers realized they needed to walk a little longer than usual, they weren¡¯t pleased at first. The lords helped with that, and nobody really complained, especially since now herbalists can safely go out and gather necessary herbs and plants with ease, even helping with their class and skill growth. There was also another thing, involving Zeke¡¯s own senses. Just like before when the sphere of inheritance created a makeshift barrier of his own, he could now feel presences throughout the entire town. He had a feeling that his Overreach was helping him on this. It was a doozy when he first found that out. He almost tilted over and fell on his ass the first time he realized this and wanted to try it out. He could close his eyes and feel himself floating adrift across the darkened town, noticing small and bright flames that covered the town like ants near an anthill. Small sparks and embers and jolts that mingled amongst each other in an array of vibrant colors, some stronger and brighter than others. That¡¯s when he realized that the stronger ones were the higher level people, the soldiers who went with them. He could even notice their identity, though it wasn¡¯t perfect. He definitely knew the one with the biggest flame was Myra, being an Expert stage with a fire attunement. He also knew Mikella, just as equally powerful with a sharp spark that almost blinded him. And like before, he could sense Clara, but she didn¡¯t have a flame. No, it was a softer glow, almost translucent. He realized that even Mikella¡¯s spark was decently translucent, reminding Zeke of his connection to the two. Cloud was monstrous. It almost took up his entire vision until Zeke was able to control it better enough to tone it down. It was a powerful yellow and white flame, some minor colors woven into the fires. As for Val¡­ that was hard. It was like she had nothing at all. She definitely was there¨Cit was like noticing a sharp dagger filled with green that felt like it could slice the town apart if left loose. He figured that was the kinetic energy, though even that surprised Zeke as he usually notices the magical energy first. He decided to put that aside for now. It wasn¡¯t that important to pry into. Thanks to this, he could easily spot anyone in the town as long as he could identify their mana sources. Normally, that would be the end of its usefulness. A big barrier that was capable of seeing everything within. But apparently that wasn¡¯t enough. After a few hours of the barrier being put up, everyone received a notification like this:
The Barrier of Eve Glade has granted you a buff. Your mana regeneration has increased by 50% of its total Max MP.
That blew everyone¡¯s top off, to say the least. It made everyone bust with excitement, and everyone with a mana centered build went crazy with it. The mages certainly got a workout of it. The moment this popped in, they went outside to the edge of the barrier to practice their spells. Zeke also wondered whether his skill being at Epic rarity might have something to do with it as he observed the mages. Half the reason why mages take a while to increase the levels of their spells is often because they run out of mana. Sometimes they gather them up, and sometimes they take a while to charge. Everyone has a different way of restoring mana even with their Meditation skills, but each one can safely say that none of them want to use up so much mana to get them sick or something. Unfortunately, Zeke took a while to learn that lesson to heart. Thanks to that, they¡¯ve been working tirelessly using the 50% boost advantage to raise their spells. Philip, the fire mage that was down in the dumps thanks to Lisa¡¯s passing, became invigorated in mastering his spells. It got to the point where his main skill, Fireball, finally leveled up enough to attain an evolution, becoming Flare Ball¨Csomething that took him months before the dungeon raid ever came out. He was surprised to find out that some mages have difficulty trying to raise even their favored spells to max levels. Sure, his barrier increased rapidly, but he can admit that his weird circumstances boosted the growth a little. According to Cloud, there are some folks that take a while to level a skill, proving that some elements are beyond their grasp. Still, that doesn¡¯t mean it was impossible. As for Phililp, his affinity towards fire is impressive enough as normally mages around his level would only have the option to advance their Fireball spell to the Rare rarity, not actually gaining an evolution. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. The healers also went crazy, and they didn¡¯t just stop at healing the injured¨Cthey even went above and beyond to practice channeling types of spells to themselves, all the while nicking their bodies to ensure the excess vital energy doesn¡¯t make them sick. Yes, the very same plan Mikella figured she could use to increase her Vitality so long ago are being used by the crazy healers. They would pick up a sharp knife, nick at their thumbs or fingertips, then use their channeled healing to heal the cuts up. Thanks to the mana regeneration, as long as they keep their casting minimal, they can constantly use the channeling to the maximum proficiency, helping them increase at least that spell to higher levels. Though apparently that still wasn¡¯t enough to net them some Vitality points. Apparently they need to hurt themselves pretty badly for that, but they were focusing on optimizing their healing spells to better heal the critically wounded when short on mana. Zeke had to say that he respected their drive as a healer himself. As for him? He¡¯s been doing what he¡¯s been doing all this time¨Chelping others. Despite being a lord, nobody really changed their demeanor towards him. They would often call him over when they needed help, jabbing at him whenever they get the chance, and embarrass him whenever they mentioned how the wife is being treated. He was glad for the lack of change, though that didn¡¯t stop others from referring to him as a lord. ¡°Hey! Lordy! Come over! I need your fancy schmancy barriers!¡± An older, well built man with a Carpenter class, waved him over with a silly grin on his face. All the while, Zeke could actually hear the old lady cackling behind his back. He turned, giving a glare despite not being able to see her before going back to the carpenter. ¡°I¡¯m coming, dammit!¡± He growled, knowing full well that everyone was just messing with him. ¡®Lordy¡¯ was something they thought up that always got him in a tissy. It made him feel like the child version of a lord¨Cwhich unfortunately, he was. ¡­.. He spent an hour helping the man with his crafting. He was trying to rebuild a home for a family that had been staying at a friend¡¯s house just after finishing up another project. The barrier¡¯s mana regeneration certainly helped in his class, helping him out with wood in a matter of hours where it would¡¯ve taken a regular carpenter in his old world days to do. However, building a foundation usually takes a while, often more weeks into planning than actually doing it. That¡¯s where Zeke¡¯s barrier comes into play. Using his rectangular shaped barriers, he would create something like a foundation for the workers to put the wood onto. Once that was settled and built into, Zeke would call off the barrier and finish making the house, requiring no more time and effort and saving a lot of materials in the process. Though half the time he was just there to be something like a model for the carpenters and builders, figuring out what''s best to ensure that it would be safe for the inhabitants to live in. Once that was over with, Zeke set off to somewhere else where he was met with a most delightful creature in this entire world. ¡°Bobo!¡± Clara ran up to him, nearly tackling him to the ground by hugging his legs. Zeke almost fell over, not expecting Clara to run at him just now. ¡°Whoa!¡± He called out, but he grabbed Clara into a small hug before speaking. ¡°Where¡¯d you come from? Did Mikella let you out?¡± ¡°Uh-huh!¡± Clara nodded. ¡°I always have to have Ana with me at all times, and make sure not to run when outside!¡± ¡°...But you just ran to me now, didn¡¯t you?¡± Zeke raised a brow. Clara¡¯s eyes widened, realizing her mistake. With a wilting look on her face, she pleaded. ¡°Please don¡¯t tell Sissy! She¡¯ll get angry at me!¡± ¡°Haha, alright, but promise me to not run again, alright? I don¡¯t want you to get hurt. Now, where¡¯s Ana?¡± ¡°Right here!¡± Zeke was worried as he didn¡¯t saw Ana for a moment, but there she was, casually walking up to him with a big grin on her face. Zeke was curious as to why she looked so smug until she spoke. ¡°I waited like a good girl! I walked! Clara was the one being naughty, hehe!¡± ¡°Nuh-uh!¡± Clara refuted, turning to her friend turned traitor. ¡°You were running with me!¡± ¡°But I would never break the rules!¡± Ana declared triumphully, getting Clara to get back into fighting with her. Zeke almost wanted to refute by saying she often broke Cloud and Val¡¯s rules whenever she could. Running where she wasn¡¯t supposed to, shouting when she shouldn¡¯t, and often making trouble for others by getting all the children together to play games they shouldn''t, even during this recovery process. Still, he stayed silent. That¡¯s Cloud¡¯s kid to deal with, not his. He was just glad Clara was a sweetheart often trying to tame Ana¡¯s antics rather than getting absorbed into it¡­ sort of. In the end, Clara ignored Ana¡¯s smugness as she turned to him. ¡°Bobo! Let us come with you. I want to see you being a lord!¡± Zeke chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s not all that different. I just do what I normally do. It can get pretty boring too.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s boring not being able to play when everyone¡¯s working.¡± Clara declared. ¡°And I wanna help too!¡± ¡°Me too!¡± Ana raised her hand in accordance, getting Clara to nod. Apparently they already made up. Zeke was glad to see that. Back during the funeral pyre, Clara and Ana were completely quiet. They weren¡¯t even being told that something important was going on, as they could take in the somber atmosphere. Ana surprised him the most. Oftentimes she looked like she couldn¡¯t care enough about what¡¯s going on around her. However, she was demure and quiet, sympathizing with everyone¡¯s losses despite being so young. Just like Clara, Ana was special in her own way. He prefers this way more. Even if Ana can be a little destructive, he would take this over the strangely mature Ana ten times over. As for Clara, he was more than glad to have her around. Just as he was about to agree, he noticed someone approaching them. ¡°Hey, Zeke,¡± Mikella nodded to him, then smiled at the girls. ¡°Hey, you two!¡± ¡°Sissy!¡± Clara shouted, and just before she would run, Zeke placed a hand on her shoulder. Realizing instantly, she walked to Sissy and gave her a hug, to which Mikella hugged back, but only barely. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m a little sweaty,¡± Mikella said as Zeke noticed a small towel draped over her shoulders, a bead of sweat running down her forehead. ¡°I just finished setting up a base for a building, and I¡¯m taking a break now.¡± ¡°Good work,¡± Zeke said, nodding. ¡°How¡¯s it going so far?¡± ¡°Eh, everyone¡¯s doing the same. The barrier is really helping a lot of folks, so the soldiers often find themselves having more breaks than usual. They take the time to train themselves. I just wanted to play with Clara here.¡± Clara chuckled as she didn¡¯t care that Mikella was sweating and kept hugging her. Zeke explained what they were planning on doing, and Mikella spoke up. ¡°You mind if I join? I was just planning on walking around with Clara, and that sounds perfect! Clara, wanna see Bobo during his work day?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Clara nodded, and Mikella asked the same to Ana to which she mimicked her. Figuring now he got himself a crowd, Zeke led the girls with him as he went off to do his rounds. For the next few minutes, he explained what he did, all the while receiving a report from Mikella over what¡¯s going on around the town. Just like with Val and Cloud, Mikella took it upon herself to take responsibility for checking things around the town to help Zeke. Though she didn¡¯t have to, Zeke was glad for the help. Throughout the hour, the girls watched Zeke aiding the others. It was a little embarrassing to be watched like this, especially when half the time it was just to recover the debris still left over using his cheat-of-a-spell by using a barrier to sweep the clutter with ease. Though he found out that pushing the wall of the barrier was a lot harder than he expected. He did it the first time trying to force Mikella and Clara out of the tower from the giant ghost knight, but he knew it was the dopamine and the adrenaline coursing through him at the time. The girls watched, giving a hand whenever they could, and the children were either watching in awe or bored, mostly for Ana as Clara tried to copy Zeke¡¯s barrier spell on her own. As time passed, the children ended up running around a bit despite their promise. At this point, Mikella knew she couldn¡¯t reign them in as the road wasn¡¯t as bad as before. They talked, eagerly walking slowly to let the children run around in front of them. ¡°Hey Zeke, you ever tried to use your attunement?¡± Mikella asked, curious for his answer. ¡°And I mean the entire thing, not the Overreach one.¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Zeke grumbled. ¡°I tried, but¡­ it¡¯s kinda like trying to get over a huge chasm. I know on the other side is my attunement, but it just feels so far away. Sometimes I feel close, but most of the time, nada.¡± Zeke and Mikella had conversations like this when they discovered the Mana regeneration effect given by the barrier. Cloud theorized that it was perhaps his Barrier tinged with his attunement, The World, along with the Epic rarity. His attunement was from the higher realm, an aspect that¡¯s supposedly harder to grasp than most. It was hard to describe, but that chasm is more like a psychological thing, rather than a metaphorical feeling like how one would use magic. He felt that if he goes too far, he¡¯ll stretch himself too thin. He might not be the same ¡®him¡¯ if he goes to that other side. That scared him a little. Thankfully, that feeling is what often happens to those who attain higher aspects, at least according to some history textbooks they had on hand. Cloud explained that with patience and experience, one can go to that ¡®side¡¯ with ease. So Zeke waited for now, but the Mana regeneration was such a boon, he also couldn¡¯t help but want to attain control a little faster. Hence why he grumbled to Mikella. ¡°I know it¡¯s super useful, but it¡¯s hard as hell¡­¡± Zeke said, making sure to only keep his rant to Mikella and not reach the kids. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t beat yourself over it,¡± Mikella consoled. ¡°It¡¯s a lot better than mine. I can barely use it before I get all crispy and fried. Lightning based attunements are no joke.¡± Mikella and Zeke chuckled, and somehow Zeke was reminded of the fried chicken from their old world. As the feeling of true loss passed them when they realized they can¡¯t get that same chicken in this world, Mikella continued. ¡°Still, I got some improvements on my Mastery skills.¡± ¡°Oh, like you new Bow and Hammer Masteries?¡± Mikella gained those skills a while ago during the downtime they had, and Zeke couldn¡¯t help but be impressed at her rising repetoire of weapons. Mikella gleamed when he said that. ¡°I had no idea just how damn useful having a ranged weapon was before I got Bow Mastery. It¡¯s nice handling lightning, but being able to shoot at a distance is cool as hell.¡± ¡°So why not just focus on bows than just throwing lightning?¡± Zeke asked, astounded that he could make such a statement in this world. Who wouldn¡¯t wanna throw lightning around? ¡°Zeke, I have to keep purchasing arrows. Way too expensive.¡± Mikella said with such a somber look on her face, as though she couldn¡¯t believe Zeke said such a thing. Zeke just looked back at her, just as baffled. Right when Zeke was gonna argue about the usefulness of bows (which again stumped him as a mage), they heard a loud growl from beyond them. ¡°Godsdammit! Not again!¡± Turning to the loud sound to the point that it frightened the kids, they noticed the familiar blacksmith slamming his hammer to the ground, grumbling and cursing to himself as a torrent of smoke seemed to be guzzling out of his shop. ¡°Whoa, hey!¡± Zeke shouted. ¡°You okay?¡± Zeke ran over with the girls in tow, Mikella making sure to keep the children away from whatever danger the smith¡¯s house was going through. The blacksmith, known as Adam, turned to find the couple in surprise. ¡°Oh¡­ sorry about that lad,¡± Adam moaned, rubbing his ashed beard with his hand. ¡°Didn¡¯t mean to scare ya all.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that, you okay?¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah, I¡¯m fine,¡± Adam waved his meaty hand as he pointed at his smoking home with his chin. ¡°But my precious forge¡­ she¡¯s in tatters, laddy¡­¡± Vol2 Ch6: Adams plight ¡°Whoo, yep¡­ this thing¡¯s busted.¡± Zeke unhelpfully said as he managed to help clear the smoke using his barrier and Runic Spell to create a soft breeze to blow all the smoke away. The smoke was even worse within the backroom of the store, where Adam usually does his smithing. But once the smoke cleared away and Zeke saw the forge for himself, he grimaced at the sight. The forge was as large as a regular chimney in a home. The giant metal forge was as high as his own height and around four feet wide. It was made so that the smith can do multiple works at once. But it wasn¡¯t a normal forge like in his old world. This one was a special kind, the same as the forges from Cloud¡¯s home¨Criddled with complex runes. Each one was drawn with so much precision that Zeke could barely make sense with his still limited knowledge of the runic language. Still, he could tell that the runes did a lot of heavy lifting during the forging process. Though it was more about hastening the process rather than actually making it. The smith did all the work, and it showed thanks to the forge showing wear and tear over the years. However, the forge was now bent out of shape, showing nothing like its former self from earlier. The metal could¡¯ve been fixed, and the heat could still work, but the runes were messed up. No matter how much the smith worked on it, the forge won¡¯t work even half as fast as it did before. Hell, Zeke was surprised the smith was able to even make anything out of it, proving once more of his skill. Unfortunately, the tool needed to make his work was going through its death throes, and apparently it gutted out for the final time. It was a sad sight to see. ¡°Oh no¡­¡± Mikella winced, turning to the smith. He was sitting on the stool, his hands covering his face in defeat. The inside of the building was a mess, mostly things being out of place and the walls cut up and burnt, but the smith¡¯s only intention was making his work, and now that was impossible. ¡°Aye, that¡¯s the gist of it,¡± Adam moaned, opening his eyes and rubbing his beard for comfort. ¡°I suppose I¡¯ve been pushing the old girl for too long. Now it gave up the ghost.¡± ¡°Did the knights do this?¡± Mikella added. There was heat in her voice. ¡°Did they go this far?¡± ¡°Looks like it,¡± The smith shrugged. ¡°When the attack came, I hightailed it with others to lend a hand in gettin¡¯ folks out. I¡¯m not much of a fighter, but I do have a damn good Sword Mastery skill. Better for making good swords, mind ya.¡± The two nodded as he continued. It was interesting to hear that a skill normally suited for combat can help with a crafting class as well. ¡°But when I returned after you lot had a go at ''em, I laid eyes on what those bloody bastards did to me precious forge. Aye, a crime of the highest order, it was...¡± ¡°They did this to make it even harder for us to get back on our feet,¡± Zeke slowly said, getting Adam to nod his head. ¡°Damn, that is cruel¡­¡± ¡°I tried what I did,¡± The smith added. ¡°But I couldn¡¯t make a miracle. Most of the time I had to leave the poor girl to help with the construction. But now¡­ now she¡¯s gone.¡± The smith lowered his head, his voice seeped in sadness. It was hard to see an old man nearly bursting to tears at the loss of a good forge. Zeke couldn¡¯t help but sympathize even as a mage. ¡°Can it be fixed?¡± Mikella added, rubbing Adam¡¯s shoulder for comfort. ¡°I mean, maybe if we put our heads together¡­¡± ¡°Aye, we tried, but it¡¯s no use. Not even Cloud can fix up the damage done to the runes. Those runes are special, ya see¨Cmade by a specialized Runist who focuses on crafting metal works like my forge here. And I doubt you can fix them up yourself, lad. No offense and all that.¡± It wasn¡¯t a secret that Zeke¡¯s Runist class was impressive, but even then, Adam was right. Runists have their own way of inscribing runes, even if the language and letters are completely the same. It was the meaning and intent behind the inscriptions that give the runes life. Zeke was nowhere near good enough to reproduce a specialized Runist¡¯ runes. ¡°Have you considered¡­ replacing it?¡± Zeke said slowly, hoping that it wouldn¡¯t offend the smith. He expected Adam¡¯s the sort of old man who felt like his forge had a living soul. ¡°With what?¡± Adam scoffed at the idea. ¡°You find a merchant with a working forge traveling anywhere? If so, I¡¯d like to find him myself. I¡¯d give all the gold I have to get myself working again¡­¡± Zeke grimaced. That was pretty obvious. It wasn¡¯t as though one can find a working forge fast enough to replace this one. They still haven¡¯t found any merchants willing to come back to town yet. Mikella kept rubbing his back, but figuring that it was pointless. The man¡¯s spirit was truly broken. ¡°Mr. Smith¡­¡± Ana cooed. ¡°What are you gonna do now?¡± ¡°Little Ana¡­¡± Adam said, raising his head. ¡°Perhaps I might have to move back to the kingdom. Maybe send a message to my daughter for some help. There¡¯s no point of a smith without a forge and all.¡± ¡°No!¡± Ana cried out. ¡°Mama loves your weapons! She said she can¡¯t live without them!¡± ¡°Ana,¡± Mikella spoke softly. ¡°I¡¯m afraid there¡¯s not much Adam can do. We have to be reasonable¡­¡± ¡°Bobo!¡± Ana shouted, surprising Zeke. ¡°Can¡¯t you fix it? You¡¯re a healer, right? You can heal the forge!¡± Zeke truly didn¡¯t want to disappoint the girl, but what she was asking for was impossible. Mikella frowned as Adam lightly smiled at her. Despite knowing the futility, he was glad that Ana cared so much for him. That¡¯s when he saw Clara walking over, looking up at him. ¡°Bobo, can you help?¡± Clara asked, hope in her eyes. ¡°I know you can. You can do anything!¡± Now that hurts Zeke the most. After all this time, the people here often relied on Zeke, and now Clara believed Zeke is the kind of guy that can do anything. His heart ached. He really wanted to help¨Che really did. But there was only so much he could do. Even after checking his skill list, the only thing he could see was his Recovery skill. Recovery (Epic), Level 7 You can pour mana into any target¡¯s inner workings, recovering them back to their original state. Due to your influence, you are able to view deep within the inner workings of any target, material or organic, and sense the pathways that make up the target. Your healing and perception increases according to the level of the skill and the current Spirit stat. ¡°...Wait¡­¡± Zeke muttered, rereading his skill. Nothing about it ever said that it is only limited to living beings. Hell, it even said ¡®any target, material or organic¡¯. ¡°Zeke¡­?¡± Mikella asked, her brow raising at him. ¡°What are you thinking? You¡¯re not thinking of something stupid again, are you?¡± Zeke hated to admit it, but Mikella can apparently read his face like an open book. So when he turned to her, he was totally honest as she hit it right on the mark. ¡°...Yes, yes I am,¡± Zeke answered, totally ignoring Mikella¡¯s shaking of her head and slamming her face with the palm of her hand. Zeke went ahead and ignored everything else. He ignored the children¡¯s hopeful stares, the smith¡¯s confused look, and Mikella¡¯s clear frustration as he walked towards the forge. It was busted beyond belief. He could see holes on some parts and ruined metal twisted on top of one another. It was a miracle it could work at all in this state. Then he activated Recovery. His eyes glowed bright turquoise as he stared at the inner workings of the forge. Much to his surprise, it too had channels. Just extremely plain channels that were so still, it was obvious it wasn¡¯t a living thing. Still, it had an interesting layout. The channels weren¡¯t spread out from the center like a human being, but instead had several centers marking at each significant part of the forge, possibly the runes he saw earlier. Each one had a single or two channels spread to the others, then each of those connected to the same one as before, repeating it every once in a while. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. Understanding the inner workings, he tried to study how they all connected, and realized that some of the connections were cut off. Not in a way how one would cut through with a knife, but more like being torn off hazardly by hand. And he could see the other part that was torn off. Figuring out what he needed to do, he acted. ¡­.. Mikella wanted nothing more than to slap Zeke right on the head. Right now, he was actually trying to ¡®heal¡¯ the forge, as if that was actually possible. Though, at the same time, she hoped he could actually do it. She knew it was hopeless, but it was still a nice gesture to even try. The little girls watched with hope in their eyes, fully expecting the wonder mage known as Zeke to do the impossible. Of course, the one being afflicted with this turned to her with a confused look on his bearded face. ¡°Hey, lass¡­ is he serious?¡± Adam asked, hoping to not sound like he was offending her. ¡°Or is all this helping finally messin¡¯ with his head a bit?¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s the latter,¡± Mikella answered honestly. She had no reason to hide it as her face pretty much showed everything. ¡°But¡­ I mean, are you fine with him messing with it a little? If you¡¯re not, I can pull him away.¡± She was prepared to do so too, even if Zeke would grumble at her about it later. However, Adam hesitated for a moment, then he waved his hand. ¡°Bah, let him do what he pleases. Not like the girl has any spark of life in her now. And who knows, maybe he¡¯s puttin¡¯ on a show for the girls. Show that life doesn¡¯t always work or somethin¡¯¡­¡± Even the smith grimaced at the idea. Mikella knows Zeke isn¡¯t the type to do that and is actually working hard to do exactly as he promised. Though, he never said that he could fix it. He just said that he¡¯s gonna try something. And so far, all he¡¯s trying is just staring at the forge. Then he started doing something else. He started¡­ he actually started to kick the forge. Blam! Blam! He kicked the forge in a certain spot, grimacing as his foot hit the heavy metal forge with all his might. Then, he went over to the other side, then just¡­ punched the forge once, before turning to another side and kicking the forge. His face winced at the punch, but like a man driven with passion, he kept moving. He even used his Recovery skill to heal his wounds made by hitting his skin directly on the metal as he kept punching the damn forge. ¡°Is, uhh¡­¡± Adam chose his words carefully. ¡°Is he really alright in the head?¡± ¡°Honestly, I lost all hope at this point,¡± Mikella honestly said, just watching with a dumbstruck look in her face. This went on for a few minutes, with Zeke often wincing and whining a little after each blow, but each time, he kept doing it with fervor, as if closing in little by little on his promised goal. When blood started to trickle from his hands, something that even scared the girls a little, Mikella spoke up. ¡°Zeke, seriously, just stop,¡± Mikella pleaded. She was really starting to get concerned as Zeke seemed to go on endlessly. Even Adam cringed every time Zeke made a blow with his fist actually expecting it to do something. ¡°It¡¯s not working. There¡¯s no point in having to do this!¡± ¡°I¡¯m almost there¡­¡± Zeke said, almost in a trance. ¡°Just give me a bit more time...¡± Mikella pulled her face with the palm of her hand in frustration. ¡°Zeke! I¡¯m serious! You¡¯re scaring the girls!¡± Despite Mikella¡¯s agitation, Zeke went on, completely ignoring her. Mikella was just about ready to pull this boy in with a rightful tug on his collar and slap him silly until¨C He punched one final time. The forge churned and roared. Mikella flinched as she immediately pulled the girls away from the forge that had suddenly started spitting out gouts of flames. They weren¡¯t that hot, not at the distance she was, but she¡¯ll be damned if she let the kids there any longer. Now Zeke looked maniacal as he grinned. ¡°There we go! I knew you had it in ya! Come on, stay with me!¡± Zeke even started to talk like the smith, his voice high pitched and guzzling with energy as he placed his hand on the forge and the same glow of turquoise light filled his hand. He flared his skill, and the forge kept jumbling about as if it was alive. The smith watched slack-jawed along with Mikella. The girls, on the other hand, were screaming with delight as the forge just¡­ began to fix itself. The twisted metal parts that seemed to be completely destroyed acted like time was rewinding, the metal just ¡®thunk¡¯ back into place. The holes were being repaired with mana, slowly shifting into actual metal. The process was just too surreal, as if Zeke had suddenly developed the power to rewind time. Then, after another intense moment of healing the forge, the mana finally calmed down and the end result was displayed. The forge, now fully whole and renewed, had its flames finally pouring out of the opening, as if displaying its wondrous might once more. ¡°Oh¨COoooh! She¡¯s alive!¡± Adam roared, standing up with his arms raised and a giant grin on his face. ¡°It¡¯s a fucking miracle!¡± Mikella was just struck silent as she watched Zeke walking back with a look of exhaustion on his face. Then before watching his work, Adam went ahead and gave him the biggest bear hug Zeke could¡¯ve ever gotten. The poor mage looked like he was ready to keel over, both from the hug and the strength Adam was putting into the hug. Adam just roared with delight as he spun Zeke around like a rag doll, not realizing that the other citizens from the outside were watching with curiosity. Once it was known what had happened, the citizens around the blacksmith were equally delighted. They had their forge back. ¡­.. Mikella sat with Zeke while the blacksmith took in order after order, delightfully telling everyone that he was back in business. He even offered a discount for those who were waiting eagerly, and even did some for free who were heavily affected by the attack. All the while, the girls were just exploding with energy, acting like Zeke had by punching the air, replaying the scene of Zeke fixing the forge. Mikella looked back at Zeke, his eyes tired and exhausted. Yet, there was that goofy grin on his face, his gamble working well. She didn¡¯t know how else to say it. Sometimes, she was glad Zeke often ignored her plight. Though now she felt a little silly trying to stop him from helping Adam and his forge. It clearly became a boon for everyone involved, not just Adam. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Mikella asked, noticing that Zeke had his hands still bleeding from his strange punches. ¡°Feeling¡­ pretty good,¡± Zeke said, though his tone didn¡¯t have the same energy as his wording did. ¡°It was a little more draining than I expected.¡± ¡°Well yeah,¡± Mikella pointed at his bleeding hands. ¡°Did you run out of mana? Because you might have to heal your hands there.¡± ¡°Heal my¡­ oh!¡± Zeke looked confused for a moment, but became aghast once he pulled up his injured hands to his face. ¡°How the hell did this happen?!¡± Mikella decided to actually slap upside his head, explaining that in his trance he literally beat his hands up to fix the hot forge. Zeke apologized as he healed his hands with ease, chuckling. ¡°See, this is why I don¡¯t like it when you do crazy stuff like this!¡± Mikella shouted, unable to hold back her frustration despite the joy going on around her. ¡°You always hurt yourself, and now you didn¡¯t even realize it!¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ yeah, sorry,¡± Zeke said, genuinely apologizing as he grimaced. ¡°I just got caught up in a trance, you know?¡± Mikella only just frowned at him, though inside she knew how he felt. It was like when she would be training herself. No matter how much her body yearned for rest, she kept going, especially after realizing that she could improve her attributes by her training. Zeke did the same, except rather than for training, it was to fix the forge. In the end, Mikella couldn¡¯t help but try to vindicate herself as she asked. ¡°Zeke, did you¡­ did you really want to help Adam so much that you barely noticed your pain?¡± ¡°Oh¡­ uhh¡­¡± Zeke pressed his lips together. Then, as though realizing his guilt, he frowned. ¡°I was just¡­ really curious on how far I could take my Recovery. I didn¡¯t really think about whether I could fix the forge or not.¡± Zeke sounded like he should feel guilty for not caring much about Adam¡¯s plight, only wanting to see if he could fix the forge. However, Mikella felt relieved. In the end, he was the same as her. They would always go far and beyond their normal limits to see just how far they can actually go. For Zeke, it was to sate his curiosity. For Mikella, it was to improve herself. That helped her feel a little better, even if it sounded selfish. That got her to get over her worries for Zeke¡¯s crazed antics and focus on what she was really curious about¨Chow he managed to ¡®heal¡¯ the forge. Zeke explained with gusto that punching and kicking wasn¡¯t really to fix the forge into place, but to connect the torned channels in the inner workings of the forge. Surprisingly, they were close enough for Zeke to try and do something physical, and he got so engrossed into connecting the channels that he didn¡¯t realize he was hurting himself in the process. Then, once the channels connected¨Cin short, the runes getting back into place and forcing the forge to gush out those bouts of flames, he used his Recovery skill properly and remade the forge back into its proper place. It was interesting to hear, and Mikella couldn¡¯t help but giggle at Zeke¡¯s near obsessive explanation about his Recovery skill. Then, he showed her something that truly surprised her. He gained a notification once the forge was fixed.
Recovery Level Up! It is now Level 8. You have gained +2 INT from your skill. You have gained +2 SPI from your skill.
¡°Holy shit!¡± Mikella shouted with glee. ¡°It leveled up!¡± Zeke preened like a peacock displaying his feathers. ¡°I know, right? It was worth the busted hands!¡± Mikella shook her head, unable to believe how Zeke was okay with all this. Still, this stroked a fire in her belly. Now she wanted to head out there and raised her skills to reach the maximum level. It was strange how her main Sword Mastery skill wasn¡¯t maxed while Zeke¡¯s Barrier Craft advanced already. It was an insult to her pride as an athlete. Just when she was thinking about dragging Zeke over to use his barriers as target practice, she noticed a group of people coming over. They weren¡¯t just citizens¨Cthey were soldiers. And all of them belonged to Zacharia¡¯s unit as the general himself approached them, his stoic face as stoney as ever. She figured they were arriving from somewhere as it was a while since they were seen. She even noticed Piker, and instantly saw the changes. He looked defeated, like he¡¯s just been at a battle. But there weren''t any physical changes she could pick up. She definitely felt like he was out of sorts, but it was put to the side as Zacharia faced the two with an army at his back. She didn¡¯t like where this was going. Her back was tingling and there was something off with the scent in the air. She didn¡¯t know what this meant, but her hackles were rising. ¡°Zeke, Mikella,¡± Zacharia declared, not caring that the other citizens were watching the scene unfold. ¡°You are to come with us. There will be no resistance.¡± Vol 2 Ch7: Zacharias Declaration ¡°What is this?!¡± Her roar echoed across the entire room, her grip ready to rip apart the iron bars in front of her, denying her freedom. Zeke stood by her side, equally pissed, though unlike her, he was keeping his calm about him. Mikella couldn¡¯t care less about calm as she tried to rattle the bars in front of her in this jail cell. Once Zacharia brought them over to his assigned military base, the soldiers took them in roughly and sent them into this tiny prison hold without remorse. Mikella wanted to fight back, but Zeke urged her not to. It wasn¡¯t any form of cowardice¨Cmaking any form of trouble with Zacharia is bound to cause problems not just for themselves, but for everyone in town. So they had no choice but to silently get taken away, only to be crammed into this prison hold. That finally broke whatever peace Mikella had within her as she slammed against the bars. Despite trying her hardest, Mikella couldn¡¯t even make a dent at them. She knew they had to be enhanced, because her Strength stat being so high should¡¯ve turned them into pasta by now. Instead, they withheld, though there were some small dents here and there made by her fingers, but that took all of her strength to the point her stamina was reduced to a mere pittance. She breathed heavily, realizing that there was also something about this jail cell that drained her energy more than usual. Her breaths were haggard, and even Zeke didn¡¯t look so good, looking a little paler than normal. It wasn¡¯t anywhere fatal for them, but they were getting weakened. Was there something special about this jail cell that disallowed them to have enough energy to even use their skills?
You are afflicted with Energy Absorption. Your body is being drained by the area you are inhabiting. For every second, you lose mana and stamina, and your skill potency are drastically weakened until you leave the affected area.
That only got her even more pissed off. She slammed against the iron bars again with her fists, not caring at all about her withering energy and pained fingers. She just glared hard at the general in front of her along with a select few of his soldiers, including Piker by the general¡¯s side. The other soldier she could see among them was Paul, the scout. Unlike Zacharia and Piker, Paul looked like he wanted to be anywhere else but here. He kept darting his eyes away from her own, and that was only making her feel worse. Because Zacharia was the only one staring back at her, and she didn¡¯t like how he was staring at her like a ravenous dog barking at him. ¡°As someone who has entered the Expert stage in such a short time, you must show restraint,¡± Zacharia claimed, his arms crossed in front of his chest as he stared down at her from his tall height. ¡°It is incordial to act like some animal.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll act however I wanna act, you son of a bitch!¡± Mikella growled. ¡°You¡¯re the one who just put us in prison for no good reason.¡± ¡°Zacharia, what¡¯s the meaning of this?¡± Zeke stepped in beside Mikella, facing Zacharia himself. While he was composed, his eyes told that they were just as fiery as her own. ¡°Why imprison us? What have we done wrong that you consider us prisoners?¡± Zacharia remained quiet, and instead turned to the soldiers. He ordered them to leave, getting everyone out. Paul immediately took the order, but he turned to the two with a sorrowful nod as he left them. Mikella couldn¡¯t care less. All she cared about were those who stayed. That left the general, Piker, and the two prisoners in the prison hold. Her insides felt like they were getting tied into a knot as she realized what might be happening. She hoped it wasn¡¯t the case, but the general¡¯s next words caused her hope to break like glass. ¡°It has come to my attention that your backgrounds were not truthful. You lied about where you came from, and lied about where you obtained your powers,¡± Zacharia declared, his eyes turning frighteningly cold. ¡°You are the same¨Cthe same as the necromancer back at the tower. Interlopers, from another world.¡± Her stomach dropped. Her mind whirled as the truth was out. Her breath caught, her throat drying up faster than back at the zombie filled tower. How did Zacharia know? There was only one possible answer¡­ and once she found that out, fury unlike anything else took over her mind. Electricity was born and coiled around her, sapping her skin and burning her flesh in places, but the pain didn¡¯t even reach her. All she saw was red, and she aimed all her wrath onto the one man beside the general. ¡°You bastard!¡± Mikella roared, her eyes becoming sharply yellow and electricity sparking out of her. It ended up zapping against the iron bars, but her mana was so weak thanks to the cell that it could barely be called an attempt at magic. Still, the fury behind the electricity was well-known. On Zeke¡¯s end, his eyes were fully on Piker, the betrayal known to them both. His eyes turned bright blue as his own power surged from the fury he felt along with Mikella. They trusted Piker. He even swore an oath to prove that he can be trusted. ¡°You told Zacharia?!¡± Mikella shouted, venom in her voice. ¡°You swore! Did your oath even mean anything to you, you slimy bastard!?¡± Piker, in response to their clear rage and betrayal, only looked away. That only set Mikella off as she roared again, her power flowing out of her. The lightning, weakened by the cell, was dampened in potency, but the sound erupted in their ears like a raging storm. It turned the normally dark stone room bright white, revealing the little cracks and other debris left over time. After another moment, Mikella breathed heavily, the sounds of thunderclaps ceasing. Now that she got her anger out, she felt slightly flushed at how much she shouted and the energy expenditure that was clearly pointless. As the silence grew, with Zacharia apparently finding it funny not to say anything to Mikella¡¯s wrath, Zeke took in a long breath before speaking again. ¡°Are you claiming that we¡¯re enemies, then?¡± Zeke¡¯s voice was controlled, calm. But no matter how much Mikella was off her goddamn mind in pure rage, she could feel his anger simmering, like magma ready to ignite from a volcano. His eyes stared directly at Zacharia, not even providing the decency to give Piker a glance anymore. ¡°I do not trust allies that keep secrets from us,¡± Zacharia simply said, not showing any form of expression throughout the entire episode of explosive but dulled lightning. Once she took a measure to calm herself, she faced Zacharia with electricity still simmering around. Her eyes sharpened to the point of giving her a migraine. ¡°All we¡¯ve done is protect the town,¡± Mikella finally said. ¡°We already explained ourselves multiple times. We have no reason to do anything to the people here.¡± ¡°And we already told you,¡± Zeke added. ¡°As long as Clara is here, we have no intention of screwing with you. We¡¯re not stupid enough to endanger Clara.¡± Clara, thankfully, was taken care of by Adam along with Ana back at his shop. Mikella left them there, not wanting to let them be near the military force. It was a great choice since she definitely doesn¡¯t want Clara to see them like this. ¡°And for all we know, you could¡¯ve ordered Clara to spy on us, to give away our secrets to the enemy. For all we know, ever since you arrived, Bastion has been preparing their assault, ready to strike us when we left to the dungeon, along with you two. Clara would then become some signal for them to arrive. To me, that all sounds so plausible, it might as well be fact.¡± Mikella¡¯s eyes widened. Another emotion entered her heart¨Cfear. If Clara is out there and they were in here, were they planning on using her sister as leverage against them? Before Mikella could even say anything, Zeke spoke up, and he was riddled with fury. ¡°You better not touch Clara, you son of a bitch!¡± Zeke slammed his hands on the iron bars, the metal clanging echoing across the room in the now sudden silence. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. That actually took Mikella by surprise. That even surprised Piker, the bastard that finally looked at them with shock in his eyes. Only Zacharia faced them with the same stony look on his face, facing the raging Zeke before he finally managed to calm down. ¡°I¡­¡± Zeke wheezed, trying to control himself. ¡°I swear, if you do anything to her, I¡¯ll¡­¡± ¡°As long as you two do not do anything irrational, I have no intention of doing anything to Clara. She will be watched, however, by one of my soldiers. What¡¯s more, more of my retinue will be coming in a few short days, so we¡¯ll have more hands-on observation. There will also be more female soldiers as well, if that will calm you two.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s great!¡± Zeke said, unable to keep the sarcasm out of his voice. ¡°At least you¡¯re kind enough to give Clara some privacy, you know, outside of spying on a little girl? Does that make you feel safe, Zacharia?¡± She didn¡¯t know where Zeke was getting this from, but she was really liking it. Her own anger was finally dissipating as Zeke was openly mocking the general, the very same guy that could scare a boulder to piss itself. She even noticed Piker growing a little ashamed, his face lowering with pressed lips in humiliation from how Zeke worded it. It really did sound ridiculous once it was all said out loud. But Zacharia remained neutral, staring hard at Zeke. ¡°I do not care how I feel. What I care about is protecting my people from any unknown threats¨Cwhether it¡¯d be aliens from another world, or even a little ten year old girl. No matter what, I will fulfill my duty.¡± His words were carried with resolution. There was no hint of shame, anger, or even outright bitterness. He only spat out hard, cold facts at the two, leaving Zeke to finally calm down. She hated this. She hated how it felt that no matter how they spun it, Zacharia actually had a reason for all this, especially after finding out that the two did indeed flubbed their backgrounds. The only thing she can do now is openly hate the one who betrayed their trust. And hate herself for allowing Piker to know the truth. She knew she had no other choice, but there should¡¯ve been a better way to explain the situation without revealing the truth. As her mind worked overdrive, trying to figure out a solution to a hopeless situation, she heard screaming coming from beyond the prison cell. ¡°Zacharia! You bastard!¡± Mikella felt relieved to find out that the voice belonged to the enraged Cloud and Val as they rapidly entered the prison. Cloud¡¯s eyes were burning with rage after seeing the two in their cells like prisoners, Val coming in and gasping at the sight, then turning to the general. ¡°Zacharia,¡± Val asked, trying to calm down her husband by putting her hand over his shoulder, but her own eyes were glaring daggers at him. ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡± ¡°Exactly as it is,¡± Zacharia spoke, turning to the two and uncrossing his arms. ¡°I¡¯m arresting them for their fake backgrounds and not revealing their connections to the towers that have given us so much trouble. The very same background that you two fabricated along with them. How could you do this to the town, Cloud? To keep a secret such as this from us and let them into our homes?¡± ¡°There are plenty of reasons why, and you should know,¡± Cloud spat out. ¡°It¡¯s precisely because of this that we kept it from you.¡± Cloud pointed at the two, his face hardened and his usually striking eyes sharpened to an edge. ¡°And you of all people should know the accomplishments they made. Zeke here has done nothing but improve our standards. He even fixed up the blacksmith¡¯s forge for free, helping others restore their weapons and furthering construction months in advance!¡± Piker widened his eyes at that. Mikella found it surprising that he kept caring after all this time, so that put her off. Now that her anger was dissipating with the lord¡¯s appearance, she started to consider why Piker suddenly betrayed them. They¡¯ve been doing reconstruction this whole time, so they had ample time to investigate and capture them like this. Yet, why now? And why does Piker actually look like he was in this prison the same as them? ¡°And Mikella has helped construct our homes, defend our town, and even helped the people. She didn¡¯t just fight for them, she talked to them, settling their fears and despair over their losses. She has done the work of dozens of men in one stride. Without these two, our town wouldn¡¯t have been able to recover so much despite the lack of supplies.¡± Mikella had to look away for once. The sudden praise got her unexpectedly. She had been working hard, though it shouldn¡¯t be as important as Zeke. Though that silly jerk decided to smirk at her, as though proud of that. She hated the fact that her cheeks burned slightly at that. She really didn¡¯t feel like that was enough compared to what he did. I¡¯m acting like Zeke now. Goddammit, Mikella thought, now fully embarrassed to fall into this hole. Zacharia only shook his head. ¡°And yet, the real problem still persists. Bastion could come at us at any time, and we have no way to defend ourselves other than this barrier. Am I supposed to believe you that Zeke here wouldn¡¯t just put the barrier down by the time they come in?¡± ¡°You better watch your mouth, Zacharia,¡± Cloud fumed. ¡°You¡¯re this close to getting a fireball to that smug disaster you call a face.¡± ¡°I figured a mage would be above petty insults,¡± Zacharia snapped back. ¡°When you¡¯re dealing with a petty man, all bets are off,¡± Cloud remarked back. Val only shook her head as she continued instead. ¡°What do you aim to do with this, general?¡± Val asked. ¡°We know Bastion is responsible for the attack. However, we are in no position to do anything about it. What you¡¯re doing now is just making the situation a lot harder to deal with than necessary.¡± ¡°Then make this easy for all of us,¡± Zacharia demanded, finally getting to the point. ¡°Reveal the truth¨Cis it true that these two are capable of learning any Acquired Skills regardless of stat requirements? That if one fights and gains experience points, the other gets the same amount even from far away?¡± Mikella instantly froze. Even Zeke caught on, realizing what was just said. Zacharia sounded as though he was unsure of that. Mikella did certainly reveal that the two can do all those things, but why does it sound like Zacharia only got small pieces of it? ¡°Haven¡¯t your dog over there told you the details?¡± Cloud spat, his pressure rising and bringing Piker to lower his head further down to the ground. ¡°There is only so much information I can bring out from someone under oath,¡± Zachaira said, shaking his head in seeming frustration. ¡°Honestly, the boy is too good for this line of work. He¡¯s better suited on the battlefield, letting his power deal with everything else.¡± That got the entire prison room to turn awkwardly silent. A weight dropped on the both of them, getting both Mikella and Zeke to see Piker in a new light. An oath. Zeke taught Mikella the small differences between an oath and a contract to the system. A contract is an important written contract devised by the system itself. An oath, however, is a verbal promise to the system. The contract is more powerful and heavily strict, while an oath is usually shown in camaraderie between friends and allies. Not solely strict, but rather looked down on to go against even by the system¡¯s standards. The punishment is lighter compared to going against a contract, but it should be enough to deter those who¡¯s aiming to get stronger in the future. All of a sudden, Piker¡¯s pale face and withering look returned in full force to Mikella¡¯s eyes. Even now, she noticed a few differences. Piker¡¯s face was pale, and there were even signs of veins popping even though he wasn¡¯t displaying any sort of intense emotion. It was because his body was actively going through an ordeal on its own. It definitely wasn¡¯t some shame deep in his gut nearly killing him¨Cit was something else. Something way worse than an ordinary human being can come up with. Something only the system can deal with. Val closed her mouth with her hands, her eyes widening. ¡°Zacharia¡­ you didn¡¯t¨C¡± She caught herself, unable to even comprehend the idea. Yet, Cloud spoke it all in a new evolved form of rage unlike anything else. ¡°Zacharia, I can admit that I have my feud with you. But this¡­ this is beyond sick. You actually dare to force Piker from his own oath to find out their secret? Have you no honor? No shame?!¡± ¡°I did what I did,¡± Zacharia spoke loud enough to get everyone¡¯s attention. It wasn¡¯t a scream or a shout¨Cit was a declaration. ¡°I knew there was something strange going on, and my gut was right. You two have no right to tell me what I have done wrong. This should¡¯ve been reported to me from the very beginning. Yet, you kept this from me, and in short kept this from the kingdom of Sham-la. This is enough to warrant treason, and this town besieged by the kingdom and the Unity Core taken in response to this action.¡± The two could barely breathe behind the iron bars. They never considered it was that serious. So unless Zacharia blew a gasket and had a few screws loose, their power was a lot more important than they imagined. The conversation of what might happen should the secret be revealed nearly half a year ago flashed in her mind. Mikella felt sick. Being forced to learn skill after skill, ignoring all matters of synergy just because of her status to avoid stat requirements. What would happen to Clara if they got a hand on her¡­ She wanted to kneel and barf out the bile threatening to overwhelm her, but she held firm. Zeke held onto the top of her hand, his own hand shaking slightly. She grasped his hand fully. They were at a loss. This was the exact situation they feared about. ¡°But you should be glad,¡± Zacharia stated, raising his arms to them. Cloud and Val stayed silent as he continued. ¡°Thanks to Bastion, they have a chance to redeem themselves. If they prove that they are with us, prove that their words were not false, then it should only be obvious that when we face Bastion, they will join us to eradicate them. To take over their town and their core for ourselves. That is the only way to ensure peace for Eve Glade.¡± That certainly took the wind out of them. Zeke and Mikella just gaped at the general, proclaiming these crazy plans. They knew they might have to face Bastion again in case they came back again, but they never planned on taking them over, much less taking their own core. Mikella only just learned the importance of the Unity Core. It was to the point where the location had to be secret even against her and to the lord¡¯s own daughter, just in case someone might use some nefarious method to read their thoughts. The less people knew about any part of the Unity Core, the better. There were plenty, and as Mikella learned just now, plenty of ways to get information out of somebody. That¡¯s just how important keeping the Unity Core safe is for a faction, especially for a small town like Eve Glade and even a city as big as Bastion. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ that¡¯s just crazy,¡± Cloud muttered, shaking his head in disbelief. ¡°That is the way of war, Cloud. I know you haven¡¯t been keen on combat after settling here, but the world doesn¡¯t stop moving just because the both of you did. I suggest we have a long talk about this, with their fate in our hands.¡± Zacharia presented the two in the jail cell to them, and that got the two riled up as though they were being treated as commodities. ¡°If you truly care for Eve Glade,¡± Zacharia said, finally revealing a snarling scowl at them. ¡°Then we must act in accordance with one another. That is the only way we¡¯ll ever bring peace with this situation you two have brought upon us.¡± Vol2 Ch8: Thems the breaks It was only a couple of hours later after Cloud and Val showed up to fix the situation Zacharia put the visitors in. They were released from prison in handcuffs, like dirty criminals, and taken to the Mystio household and put under house arrest. It was already decided that the town will be informed of potential issues regarding the trust between the lords and the military force. While Zeke wasn¡¯t sure how that would work out, it was clear Zacharia was driving a wedge between one side to the other to prove a point. Last time he remembered, Cloud told him about some citizens having an issue with him as a lord. While none of them showed during the proclamation of his status, there were those who had an issue with Zeke being a lord. While the number wasn¡¯t big, it was enough to make a voice. Zacharia was using this as a chance to make that voice louder, bringing in more numbers to that opposition. Thankfully, the barrier was still in place. Even Zacharia wasn¡¯t willing to put away such a useful buff for mana regeneration, and that only made Zeke more frustrated. As for Cloud and Val, Zeke worried that they would be painted as villains, like one of those corrupt politicians back in their old world. That only made him angry as the two did nothing but truly try to help them. They didn¡¯t use Zeke¡¯s power or Mikella¡¯s to further their goals. They only used them to help others, even pleading with them. Thankfully, Clara and Ana were back with them after Adam personally took them. He was somehow told of what happened, though only snippets of it. Of course, Adam was already for Zeke and Mikella even without Zeke helping him with the forge. ¡°That jarhead has always been a pain in the ass to deal with, but ta¡¯ think he¡¯d do such a thing,¡± Adam shook his head. ¡°Knowing you two, I knew you would¡¯ve helped. But even I¡¯m a little worried about going to war with Bastion. Guess it¡¯s high time I put your miracle work to good use.¡± Adam fared them good night as he left for his shop. He had been working non-stop since the forge was fixed, and even now he had a lot of orders to do. Zeke was glad he got back to work, but now he wondered whether Adam was taking it too far. Once Adam left, Clara and Ana immediately asked them many questions. It was evening right now, and the fall was closing in. The nights were getting chilly, but the warmth inside the Mystio household let them be with casual clothes. Though their mood was anything but snuggly. ¡°Some folks are saying that you two are bad guys. But you¡¯re not bad guys, right?¡± Ana asked. ¡°Of course not!¡± Clara declared proudly. ¡°They¡¯re good guys! That giant meanie is the bad guy!¡± Zeke could at least find humor in Clara calling Zacharia a giant meanie, though to say that he was a bad guy was putting it lightly. What Zacharia did was cruel beyond measure. Not just treating them like they were criminals, but to put through Piker like that just to find out their secret. He read up on what breaking an oath would do to someone, and the results weren¡¯t pretty. At the least, they would end up losing anything valuable. They have a temporary debuff that has their stats lowered for a certain amount of time. Depending on the severity of the oath, that debuff could last for a few days to a few months. A terrifying debuff to have if you rely on your stats for everyday life, especially as a soldier in the military. Mikella hugged Clara, her chin resting on top of Clara¡¯s head as she fumed at the idea of them being evil. Ana sat next to Zeke, who was just contemplating what had just occurred. Zacharia meant for them to be used like tools for the potential invasion for Bastion. But thankfully he¡¯s not gonna suddenly put them into war on the first day. First, his retinue needed to arrive in the next few days. With them on hand, he planned on studying and surveilling Bastion for a chance at a counterattack. That¡¯s where their abilities would come into play. It pissed him off to no end. Even though he liked the idea of being useful for everyone, being used like this was something he hated. It felt so similar to when his mother would demand of him to do something, regardless of how he felt. But he did it anyway, and despite being the one to tell him, she would always be disappointed in him. No matter what he did, he could never leave a good impression. Even though this time he could do it better, he hated having to do what anyone else says, especially by someone that just treated his own adopted son¡¯s life like it was nothing compared to his duty. Piker¡¯s face flashed in his mind again. He looked like he''d been through hell, put by his own foster father. How could anyone do such a thing to their child, regardless of blood relations? He looked over to Clara, now calm and relaxed within her sister¡¯s embrace. How could anyone even think of harming a family member for some duty? Was his work that more important? ¡°Do you think¡­¡± Mikella suddenly said, the silence breaking from her hesitation. ¡°Do you think I said something awful to Piker?¡± Zeke recalled the words she spat out at him. At the time, it felt natural. The betrayal was palpable even to Zeke. Still, realizing that Piker was forced to betray them, now it left a bitter taste in his mouth. ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so,¡± Zeke solemnly said. ¡°Sure, it was outside of his control, but you and I had every right to be angry.¡± ¡°Still¡­¡± Mikella clutched Clara into her arms, embracing her tighter. Clara only responded in kind. ¡°I feel like I should apologize¡­¡± Zeke was sometimes taken aback whenever Mikella would go off rails like that. The lightning strike that occurred in the jail cell would¡¯ve burnt them to cinders if it weren''t for the cell draining their resources by the gallons. But he was once again humbled to see Mikella regretting her actions. She had every right to be angry, but once she saw the error of her ways, she wanted to restore her honor, so to speak. Piker really went through the worst of it, though it was all mostly Zacharia¡¯s fault. Hesitating for a moment, Zeke responded. ¡°Do you think Piker would accept it?¡± Zeke eventually said. ¡°He¡¯s a pretty prideful guy. Most likely he¡¯ll still think he betrayed us.¡± He couldn¡¯t read Piker¡¯s mind, but his face showed everything back then. His pale face, along with his weakening stats due to the oath¡¯s punishment, made his facial expressions easier to read. It was cruel, and Zeke felt nauseated at the idea of being used like that. Mikella nodded her head. ¡°I guess¡­¡± ¡°Mmh, no more!¡± The two adults and Clara watched as Ana suddenly spoke out, landing on the floor with a thump from the sofa. ¡°I don¡¯t wanna hear more sad talk! I¡¯m gonna make something to eat for all of us all by myself! So just cheer up!¡± Ana said proudly as she ran towards the kitchen, actually readying to prepare something to eat. Since the hosts were out at the moment, it was time for Zeke and Mikella to cook instead. Zeke grimaced as he quickly stood up. ¡°I¡¯ll, uhh¡­ I¡¯ll keep a look out for her.¡± Mikella giggled. ¡°Thanks.¡± He didn¡¯t know how, but Ana made the entire mood suddenly disappear. Though Zeke panicked when Ana picked up a knife to cut things, the two of them managed to make some sandwiches riddled with jam. Though the bread was cut off at random portions from her trying to cut the crusts off much to Zeke¡¯s dismay, and the jam to bread ratio was completely off in some places¡­ It was delicious. It was just a simple jam sandwich, but the adults relished the taste as it helped calm them, watching the children chide at each other for Ana¡¯s cooking skills and how Clara would make it better if she was charged with it. In the end, the two looked back at each other, a silent agreement made in place. They would jump back from this, and they would be stronger for it. They¡¯ll always look out for each other no matter what¨Cfor themselves, and for Clara¡¯s sake. ¡­.. That night, Zeke took the time to think about what happened. It was such a hectic day compared to the past few weeks, so it took a while for him to sleep again like before. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! He thought about Piker, Zacharia, Bastion, the possible retinue coming in, as well as the potential war that they will bring. He thought about the lives that could be snuffed out, and the potential violence that may occur. Once Zacharia found out about their potential, Zeke feared what he would try to make him do with his barriers, or with Mikella¡¯s powerful lightning attunement. Would he force them to take on Acquired Skills that would be dangerous for them? Skills that would be useful for slaughter and slaying the innocent? Somehow, that felt¡­ wrong. Zeke pondered why it felt wrong despite how Zacharia did everything today, and before he could go any further, his sleep took hold of his consciousness. When morning rose a few hours later, his eyes fluttering from the sunlight peering through the window pane, he grumbled. Apparently the studded star acted like the sun where it directly showed its light right at his eyes to wake him up. Just as he was about to curse the star just like he always did with the sun in his old world, his brows scrunched up. He saw he had a blinking icon for notifications. Curious, he pulled them up, seeing a surprising notification.
Level Up! You are now Level 37. You gain 4 free points (4 FP total). You have gained +6 DEX from your class. You have gained +6 INT from your class. You have gained +6 SPI from your class
The next minute, Zeke ran out of his room and sprinted straight to Mikella¡¯s door. He knocked gently, realizing that Mikella was also getting up as she opened the door quickly. Her eyes were just as wide as Zeke, as though the two had the very same message. Zeke only had one thing to say: ¡°Did you go out hunting at night?¡± Zeke accused, his brows furrowing. ¡°I was gonna ask the same thing!¡± Mikella said frustratingly, though she didn¡¯t look offended by his accusation. She didn''t go out hunting at night before, as far as Zeke was concerned. But considering Mikella going crazy with leveling the last time she went out raising her Dragon Warrior levels, Zeke feared for the worst. However, he saw that Clara was just getting up from the bed, yawning after noticing Mikella leaving so quickly. ¡°Mmh¡­?¡± Clara moaned in displeasure from waking up. ¡°What¡¯s going on¡­?¡± ¡°Clara,¡± Mikella said gently, smiling at her. ¡°Morning. You remembered the two of us sleeping together for the whole night, right?¡± At her questioning, Clara nodded with ease. Mikella looked back to Zeke, putting on a face that said ¡®See? I told you so.¡¯ Zeke didn¡¯t think she was lying, but after seeing Clara¡¯s confirmation, it had to be the truth. So the only thing that could¡¯ve happened was¡­ ¡°Did¡­¡± Mikella answered, reaching the same conclusion as he did. ¡°Did the barrier around Eve Glade do this?¡± It took a while for the adults to clean and freshen themselves up for the day, helping the kids get up and running. Ana was just zonked out at Mikella¡¯s bed, proving what a heavy sleeper she was. The two talked about the potential leveling, and the two made the conclusion. The barrier helping everyone with the 50% Mana regeneration was responsible for their leveling. Normally, Zeke¡¯s barrier provided little experience from his assistance during combat, the other fighters taking the larger amount. However, Zeke¡¯s town barrier helped not just the fighters, but everyone in the town. That included the crafters, the mages practicing their spells for skill leveling, the people trying to make a living. Perhaps the idea of the barrier constantly defending the town from potential monsters coming at them also helped a lot. Four days passed since the barrier was put up. And now, it was rolling out the dividends like waves crashing to the shores. Perhaps someone finally made a breakthrough, and as breakthroughs kept coming through, it was enough to warrant them several levels at once. It was only a guess, but that made the most sense. As they were connected, Mikella also gained levels despite the disparity between their two classes. As Zeke¡¯s Runist Class required a hell of a lot of XP, the fact that they leveled twice from just sleeping was just too much. ¡°I think you just made up all the levels I picked up a while ago,¡± Mikella said, sounding dampened but her expression was anything but. It took more XP to raise levels after Level 30 compared to after Level 10, so he felt his chest puffed up despite still being tired from just waking up. Just as they were about to talk about the potential gains this could bring them, the door opened up from the living room. Cloud and Val returned, their eyes showing none of the usual morning glory like before. They looked tired, exhausted, and from Cloud, looking as though he lost at a poker table throughout the entire night. ¡°Mommy! Daddy!¡± Ana shouted with glee as she ran towards Val to hug her, Cloud showing a cranky expression which diverted their daughter. Val groaned as she toughed it out and hugged her daughter right back. Ana quickly realized her mistake and looked up at her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, sweetie,¡± Val had the most radiant smile as she brushed Ana¡¯s blond locks. ¡°I¡¯m just a little tired, but not tired enough to get a hug from you.¡± ¡°You need any help?¡± Zeke stood up immediately, realizing the issue. Val still had issues regarding her channels, and looking the way she did, her channels reacted badly to it at that one moment and caused her some sore pain. Zeke had been making sure to keep on track with that, but Val shook her head. ¡°Please, it¡¯s nothing. If anything, you are the ones that we need to tend to. I can¡¯t believe that you two have been sentenced to prison like that.¡± ¡°All because of that damn general.¡± Cloud spoke up, brushing his daughter¡¯s hair with a smirk, but he quickly frowned as he mentioned the general. He walked over to the two, and with a look at the two of them, frowned deeper if possible. ¡°I want to apologize to the two of you. I know that yesterday was a shitshow, only made worse after he found out about our secret. I will gladly say that we snuffed out any potential issues at the moment, but¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯ve become his lap dogs now,¡± Mikella said, heat in her voice. ¡°We know.¡± Cloud grimaced, but he nodded. ¡°I wish I could say better news, but that¡¯s the gist of it.¡± ¡°We understand, Cloud,¡± Zeke said, searching Cloud¡¯s face as he asked. ¡°Can you tell us how Piker is doing? After we found out what¡­ Zacharia did, I¡¯m curious¨Chow bad is he?¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad to tell you that he hasn¡¯t suffered much,¡± Cloud said, this time sounding a lot more positive than usual. ¡°Despite how he did it, Zacharia only pulled out the information with a crystal that¡¯s meant to pry the truth out of someone. It uses the mana to compel the user to speak the truth, and it¡¯s only normally used to interrogate. The reason why nobody does this a lot is because those crystals are hilariously expensive, and I¡¯m surprised Zacharia went so far as to use it on Piker. As the system knew first hand that it was forced, the oath didn¡¯t punish him too bad.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s good¡­¡± Zeke let out a breath of relief. He wasn¡¯t at all surprised that there was something like a truth-compelling crystal in this fantasy world, and he was even starting to get curious as to how exactly that worked. It had to do something with runes, or it could be entirely different than what he was used to. There are a plethora of ways to create items without having to resort to learning runes, after all. ¡°He¡¯ll recover in a few days at most, according to my estimates,¡± Cloud shook his head. ¡°Honestly, the audacity of that man¡­ even if there were assurances, who would do such a thing to their own soldier? Even more so, to his own adopted son? That¡¯s just¡­¡± ¡°Cloud,¡± Val spoke up, leaving Ana to face him. ¡°It¡¯s done. You said your piece, and trying to bring it up again won¡¯t make it any better. If anything, it¡¯ll make you feel worse.¡± Cloud wanted to say something, but he had the look of a man who had served his piece before and paid adequately. Nodding, he accepted Val¡¯s words. ¡°I know, I know¡­ it just feels better to grumble,¡± Cloud admitted, showing a bit of a flush to his cheeks. ¡°Trust me, we all want to grumble,¡± Val smirked at him. ¡°Let them do it for you. They deserve to after last night.¡± Cloud conceded defeat as he let Val to the two. ¡°I¡¯m sure you two have a lot to ask for, so I¡¯ll keep it brief. We talked to the general about this, and we decided on our plan of action. For now, we¡¯ll focus on training with the new team coming over and figure out our strengths and weaknesses with each other. After that, we¡¯ll decide on how to best counter Bastion.¡± ¡°But Val,¡± Mikella offered. ¡°Even with all that¡­ isn¡¯t Bastion bigger than our own place? It¡¯s a big city. It¡¯s unfair to even call them a minor power at this point.¡± Zeke nodded to that. Last time he checked the map, Bastion was a city bigger than Eve Glade by several miles long, and their population was nothing to sneeze at. The amount of weaponry and military assets they should have must have been obvious for a lot of people, yet the idea to counter attack them seems suicidal. ¡°Trust me, Cloud brought that up many times,¡± Val said, almost exasperatingly. Zeke imagined Val hearing the conversation between the two men as though hearing children griping. ¡°But according to Zacharia, he has a plan to go after Bastion and hit them where it hurts the most¨Ctheir Unity Core.¡± ¡°He said that before,¡± Zeke offered. ¡°But how? He makes it sound like he has some sort of secret weapon.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s the thing¡­¡± Val frowned. ¡°You two are the secret weapons. He planned on teaching you skills and certain techniques to make the entire thing possible.¡± Zeke stayed silent as Mikella steamed silently, Clara noticing her expression with a worried look on her face. It was bound to happen, thanks to their ability to learn skills faster than others thanks to the lack of stat requirements. That¡¯s what made it so horrifying. ¡°But I promise you, here and now¨Cwe have no intention of him turning you two into actual living weapons. It sounds horrific, I know, but Mikella¨Che aimed to help you learn valuable skills to go along with your high physical stats. And Zeke, he planned on adding you to the support group as before, with the intention of helping the team train better. Supposedly, he has a plan on how to better utilize your barriers.¡± Mikella scoffed. ¡°Next, he¡¯ll order us to jump and expect us to ask ¡®how high?¡¯ like good dogs¡­¡± ¡°Mikella,¡± Val snapped. ¡°If you keep saying things like that, you¡¯ll stunt your growth. It¡¯s always good to stand up for yourself, but being a whiner is a waste of time. That¡¯s just how life goes. Deal with it.¡± Mikella wanted to argue back, showing a scowl on her face, but she quickly diminished. Zeke didn¡¯t know whether her fear of Val being truly angry struck her just then, or that Val¡¯s words finally kicked in. Val let out a deep breath. ¡°Nothing I will say will make this situation any better. So the best I can do is promise to be by your side. Every one of us in Eve Glade you have helped will be by your side no matter what.¡± Zeke clasped his hands together, staring at them deeply. It was a nice sentiment, it truly was. But just like in their old world, there¡¯s only so much sentiment to throw around. In the end, they¡¯re on their own for now. Vol2 Ch9: Oops, I did it again The rest of the day went out as normal for now. Despite going to jail for unjustified reasons, the two were allowed to venture out of the house for construction work. Thanks to Adam¡¯s resurgence with the forge, construction has been flowing along like a waterfall. Their tools repaired and their walls sturdy and reinforced, they worked overtime to build the town back to how it once was. With Zeke and Mikella¡¯s help, it was all the more faster. Now that Zeke¡¯s skill of fixing items was known, he started to regret trying to impress Clara and Ana now that everyone was asking him to fix their items for free. Mikella thought there was going to be a riot when Cloud stepped in to charge them for Zeke¡¯s skill, but realizing that Zeke was a ¡®crafter¡¯ in that sense, they understood. So Zeke got paid a lot of money¨Ca lot, if gaining more than a gold coin throughout his work was anything to go by in just two short hours. With his Recovery skill being at such a high level, the mana consumption was a lot easier to manage, and especially with the barrier buff going on, even better. That still didn¡¯t stop him from working his ass off however, and Mikella wanted to follow suit. They spent the rest of the day working with their fellow soldiers and comrades, and if the state of the town was anything to go by, it was assumed that it was around 65% fully recovered. It got to the point where even the children could go out and play now that the roads were fixed and stable enough. During one of the breaks, Mikella sat at one of the wooden logs around the training yard near the outskirts of the town. It was where she trained with the rest of the soldiers other than the ramparts. It was great to train outside for magic spells, but sometimes going all the way to the entrance was a pain in the ass, so the soldiers got a training yard of their own near their homes for faster training. The yard was barren of cobblestone and filled with dirt, and there weren''t any shelves for wooden weapons¨Cit was expected the soldiers would bring their own. There were some ragged dummies for target practice, and the soldiers worked hard to keep the place clean from any potential blood¨Csometimes children would come in and watch them train in delight. As she sat there, her brow riddled with sweat and her jerkin stained from practically everywhere, she marveled at the town with a smile. She was glad to see that most of the buildings repaired were made by her own hand. It was a nice feeling¨Cgratifying after so many hours put into helping the people have a place to sleep at night. Looking up at her status screen, she knew that without all the training she put in, more than half of the town¡¯s reparation wouldn¡¯t be done by now.
Name: Mikella Ashton (Overachiever) Race: Human Dragon Berserker: Level 37 Attunement: Unbridled Fulmination (Tier 1) STR: 111 DEX: 129 INT: 19 SPI: 24 VIT: 33 END: 84 Free Points: 0 General Skills: Kinetic Perception (U) Level 8 Sword Mastery (U) Level 9 Axe Mastery (U) Level 4 Spear Mastery (U) Level 4 Bow Mastery (U) Level 1 Hammer Mastery (U) Level 1 Pain Resistance (U) Level 7 Meditation (C) Level 7 Acquired Skills: Acrobatics (R) Level 9 Hawk Eyes (R) Level 8 Class Skills: Heavenly Strike Level 5 Dragon Descent Level 5 Aerial Advantage Level 3 Draconic Fury Level 1
She made a lot of improvements, though compared to Zeke, there wasn¡¯t much for battle so she only raised a few levels. Kinetic Perception, Axe Mastery, and Spear Mastery, even Meditation got an increase, with the mastery skills leveling twice over the months. The only skill that surprised her leveling at all was her Acrobatics and Dragon Descent skill, but considering how many times she had to move about to get things done building the town, somehow it wasn¡¯t all that surprising. As she said to Zeke, she did learn how to use the bow and the hammer, both skills now filling up her General Skill list. If she was honest, she was still glad she got them even if it did fill up the list a bit more. She was approaching the ten only limit, having 8 skills so far. She had at least one spot left for when she eventually learns Magic Perception, but other than that, she found no reason not to fill up with more weapon Mastery. With Skill Fusion available, she wondered if she could fuse all these skills together to make one powerful Mastery skill to trump all others¡­ but that was for the future. She doesn¡¯t even have one maxed skill in her arsenal, which ached her a little. Still, it was something to look forward to, and unlike in the real world, the more work she put in, the more it showed through her screen. The exhilaration from that is enough to keep her going. ¡°Hey, Mikky.¡± She saw her fellow friend and soldier Myra wearing the same clothing as her¨Ca rough tunic over her torso with loose baggy pants, leather boots for rough work as proof by the stained mud and ground it was caked in. Mikella has to remind herself that thanks to Myra being in the Expert stage, she looked more like a model every day. Her tanned skin was glistening with sweat with no flaw to speak of, and her auburn hair was tied behind her head, not a single lock misplaced. She was baffled at how attractive she was, and even more baffled that none of her soldier comrades hit on her. Then again, she was their old friend. Plus, she was good looking even from before her milestone breaking. She also noticed the other soldiers looking more refined thanks to their milestone breaking, but Myra was by far the true winner. As Myra sat down beside her, she took a look at Mikella with a smile. ¡°Good work.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Mikella nodded with a smile. ¡°You did good too. You just got finished?¡± ¡°Yep,¡± Myra remarked happily. ¡°Me and the boys were just taking a break now. We heard the news yesterday¡­ that¡¯s some tough shit you guys were dealt with.¡± Mikella grumbled a little before responding. ¡°You don¡¯t know the half of it.¡± ¡°How¡¯s Zeke doing?¡± Myra asked. ¡°Oh, let me tell ya.¡± Mikella had a smirk as she happily regaled Zeke¡¯s reaction when they got jailed, including how he snapped back at the general when they mentioned spying on Clara. ¡°Holy shit, I would¡¯ve paid to see that!¡± Myra guffawed, slapping her knee in delight. ¡°Shit, that goes to show that mage got some balls. Hell, we¡¯re also talking about a guy who fixed the forge all by himself, too. He¡¯s been getting pretty popular lately.¡± ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s becoming pretty handy lately,¡± Mikella said, almost bitterly even. ¡°I¡¯m gonna worry about how this is gonna turn out for him.¡± ¡°True¡­¡± Myra nodded. ¡°At this rate, it doesn¡¯t matter if he¡¯s married or not¨Cthere¡¯s gonna be plenty of girls wanting to marry him just for the forge thing alone.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Mikella raised her brow incredulously. ¡°The hell you talking about?¡± ¡°Uhh, exactly what I mean?¡± Myra raised a brow back at her. ¡°Isn¡¯t that what you were worried about?¡± ¡°What? No! I¡¯m talking about how people are gonna see him as some tool without any feelings. They¡¯re gonna keep demanding him to help, and being the kind of guy he is, he¡¯s gonna run himself ragged.¡± ¡°Well, I kinda doubt that,¡± Myra shook her head with a small smile. ¡°If what you told me is anything to go by, he¡¯s gonna be just fine on his own. I¡¯m more worried about the harpies ready to do some shady stuff to get his attention. Make sure to tell him to pretend to drink instead of actually drinking any cup he gets handed with.¡± Mikella shivered at that. That was¡­ surprisingly horrifying to think about. She¡¯ll put that at the back of her mind as they went back to topic. ¡°Still, the general¡¯s soldiers are coming by soon, huh?¡± Myra said, showing a rather complex expression. ¡°Can¡¯t say I¡¯m not looking forward to it. You think they might be as powerful as Piker?¡± ¡°Maybe¡­¡± Mikella told Myra earlier about what happened, particularly about Piker and what happened to him. It was a sordid realization that a soldier could be used like that, but Myra still kept being positive, enough to at least annoy Mikella with gossip and spicy stories. Though, sometimes, she enjoyed them. Sometimes. ¡°I also heard some merchants are finally gonna come by. Here¡¯s to hoping we get some good stuff after a while. Gods know how many people here need it.¡± Myra stood up from the log, dusting herself off below the waist and waved at Mikella. ¡°Alrighty, that¡¯s enough of a break. Let¡¯s get ready to work, then we¡¯ll have some extra time practicing our attunements. I got a feeling I¡¯m finally handling my fire power way better thanks to this barrier. I might even tier up!¡± ¡°That¡¯s possible?¡± Mikella asked, getting up herself. She wanted to get back to work anyways now that she got her breath. Her Endurance stat made it that much easier to get back into the swing of things. ¡°Sure, at least to get you close enough to tier,¡± Myra tilted her head. ¡°You still need to have the source of where you got your attunement, but you can probably get a potion for that, or some natural treasure from going out exploring.¡± ¡°I wonder how you do that?¡± Mikella asked, mostly to herself. ¡°Do you just, like, swallow it whole or something? I don¡¯t like the idea of eating an electrified rock or plant¡­¡± ¡°Nah, nah. But man, that would suck, huh?¡± Myra shrugged. ¡°You can just absorb it with your mana. You can do that if you practice, so let¡¯s not dilly-dally and get to work!¡± Mikella chuckled, Myra reminding her more of an impatient girl wanting to get front row seats to a concert. It really made her miss the days of being just a simple college girl back in the old world¡­ Then again, she actually prefers this one way better. She actually likes Myra, rather than pretending to like her. She followed her back to work, where a whole truckload of construction was waiting for her hands to start on. ¡­.. Another four days passed, and another four days of eventual toil and work before the new visitors arrived to the town. Just like the Ashton family, new folks arrived in cart loads as carriage after carriage came in, some carrying large amounts of supplies covered with leathered tarp to avoid being exposed to the outside elements. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. All the while, the lords stood by waiting on their own near the entrance, greeting most of the new folks arriving. Well, mostly Cloud and Val as the actual lords. Of course, being a lord himself, Zeke and his family were there, and thankfully none of them had to talk to anyone. Mikella decided to leave Clara with Ana back with Vivian. While she would¡¯ve liked the idea of Clara meeting new people and getting used to others¡¯ presence, slowly trying to bring her out of her shell, today is not that day. Because she could clearly see the increasing number of soldiers built with sturdy leather armor coming in on their mounts. Each one wore a serious expression, and each one had a slightly colored design to their armor than Eve Glade¡¯s simple black. Each one had a small insignia on their upper right chest, detailing some strange mark that Mikella didn¡¯t care much to study. She knew it meant one thing, however¨Cit was to show that they were part of the kingdom of Sham-la, just like General Zacharia as he also greeted them by their side, thankfully away from them. Though a greeting from him is just a stoic look judging them. She really wanted to just clobber him someday, but considering he¡¯s at the Journeyman stage, it was like facing Val¨Cand she already learned her lesson once. That was enough to just leave her grumbling and hoping that Zacharia would just step on the fantasy world version of a lego. Zeke stood with a pale expression, his lips pressed tightly together enough to be melded. Mikella tapped him on the forearm, startling him. ¡°Take it easy,¡± Mikella said. The trotting horses and the rattling of the carriage was loud enough for her to speak normally. ¡°If you start getting nervous, who¡¯s gonna stop me from making a fool of myself?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that your job to handle?¡± Zeke asked incredulously, but Mikella only smirked at him. ¡°My job¡¯s making sure that nobody bullies you.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah. Keep acting cute like that and you¡¯ll make the soldiers fall for you. Can¡¯t have that now, can we?¡± ¡°Hey, what can I say? That¡¯s my default mode.¡± Zeke rolled his eyes, used to the banter they have already, but Mikella smirked when he saw a small smile on his lips. She knew this was just them trying to calm themselves down, but it was good to know that no matter what happens, she¡¯ll always have Zeke by her side to make her feel at peace. Not just his barriers¨Cjust him in general. It was also nice to find out that she can easily bully him to call her cute, which only made her want to bully him some more. Eventually time passed to the point where everyone has settled by now. They had enough room thanks to the constant horde attacks, and ever since the barrier was put in place, there was no need for the ramparts to be filled to the brim with objects and weaponry. At least, not to the point of getting in the way of incoming visitors. As for the barrier, they managed to get inside with ease as long as Zeke recognized them as allies. It was surprisingly easy for him, because the barrier is intensely connected to his will. If he feels threatened, then the barrier will keep out the hostile threat. Though that still didn¡¯t stop the new onlookers from looking over at the barrier with awed fascination on their faces. Some stepped out, looking straight up towards the sky to find the secure barrier surrounding them. Some looked a little worried, as though they stepped into unfamiliar land, but once they took a while to breathe in the calming atmosphere, the nearly recovered town going on in full swing, they released the tension in their shoulders and let themselves act freely, even beginning to ask about the barrier¡¯s existence. Cloud and Val went ahead to the rather well-dressed folks, a small number of merchants who came to their advice. Though unfortunately for Cloud, they were the merchants sent in along with his knights for aid, so in other words, they came in thanks to Zacharia¡¯s persistence. That still didn¡¯t stop Cloud from doing his duty to greet the merchants, as the town desperately needed the wares for continued prosperity. So, having no other choice, Mikella and Zeke went off towards Zacharia to go and greet the new soldiers. There were about a dozen or so soldiers, each one decked with their own armor signifying the kingdom. As far as Mikella could tell through Identify, they were around late to high Expert stage, some reaching nearly level 50. Though thanks to the past two days, he and Mikella had been increasing in levels as well.
Level up! You are now level 39. You gain 4 free points (4 FP total). You have gained +6 STR from your class. You have gained +6 DEX from your class. You have gained +6 END from your class.
It was a strange sight to see, leveling up just by doing nothing. Sure, Zeke often said that¡¯s what he did, but he was also studying his ass off learning runes, which to Mikella is the equivalent of learning programming and mechanical studies all in one, on top of quantum physics. Least, that¡¯s how Mikella felt when Zeke tried to explain how runes worked just once. Still, she would gladly take advantage of this, especially since they hadn¡¯t had a shot of leveling these months thanks to the construction. That puts them around in the near middle Expert stage. Myra was even higher thanks to their dungeon dive, but they were quickly catching up, much to Myra¡¯s grumbling. Zacharia was currently talking with them with Piker in tow, standing stoically as before. Mikella noticed that Piker looked a lot better now, if a little exhausted by the brim of his narrowed eyes. ¡°Hey, if you wanna apologize, you can do it you know,¡± Zeke whispered, startling her from how he knew what she was thinking. ¡°T-This doesn¡¯t seem like the right time,¡± Mikella added, and Zeke nodded. While the timing wasn¡¯t right, at some point, Mikella had to do it. She had every right to be pissed, but she was pissed at the wrong one. Getting closer, they heard Zacharia speaking. ¡°I know the situation at the kingdom was rough, but I¡¯m glad that you have all come to our aid,¡± Zacharia said, his tone implying no mirth or joy, but from a superior who expected nothing less. ¡°Sir! We¡¯ll be glad to support you in any way,¡± One of the soldiers, a brazen-looking young man with short crop black hair saluted back to him. The other soldiers mimicked him as well. ¡°Good,¡± Zacharia nodded, and once he noticed Mikella and Zeke coming over, he pointed his chin over to them. ¡°Allow me to introduce you to our new members that will be joining us. This is Zeke and Mikella Ashton. Zeke here is the lord by name of Eve Glade, as I have told you, along with his wife. These two have decided to join us for the cause of protecting Eve Glade.¡± While Zacharia introduced them with no hint of malice or hostility, Mikella couldn¡¯t help but be irked. To hear that they ¡®decided¡¯ to join them really made her ticked off, especially after being forced to join under the pretense of being some sort of evil mastermind behind everything. That, and believing Clara is some sort of villain. That alone brought her closer to the edge of fury itself. The other soldiers looked at them in bewilderment. Some with puzzling expressions, and others just plain incredulous. She didn¡¯t care much about making a first impression, but Zeke thankfully pulled both their weight. ¡°We¡¯re glad to be of service to Eve Glade,¡± Despite not being someone who liked to talk openly in a group, he spoke clearly. ¡°And despite being in name only, as a lord, thank you for agreeing to come along to the town.¡± That immediately set aside some of the soldier¡¯s bewilderment. Seeing his composed self, even admitting that he was still just a lord in name, they nodded at him. However, that very same crop-haired man looked at him with a raised brow. ¡°You¡¯re a lord? How can someone so young as you be a lord? General, is this some kind of hoax?¡± The tone indicated various things, all of which set Mikella off greatly. While Zeke didn¡¯t look that different, she noticed the subtle but apparent twitch of his lips. He was holding himself back even as the arrogant sounding soldier turned to the general. ¡°It is not a hoax,¡± Zacharia shook his head. ¡°Do not underestimate his abilities. He is the sole person responsible for the barrier surrounding us.¡¯ Raising his hand to show his meaning, the other soldiers now looked at the barrier with shock in their eyes. After turning their attention back to Zeke, he once again showed that same awkward posture, shifting his weight little by little. ¡°Impossible!¡± The same soldier said in aghast. ¡°This little runt? I can¡¯t believe it!¡± ¡°Umm, excuse me?¡± Mikella finally spoke up, unable to hold herself back. Zeke looked back at her in shock, but Mikella stepped forward in front of him, facing against the tall man for herself. He was about a half-foot taller than her, but she stood her ground, her back straightened as she stared up at him straight to the eyes. Surprisingly, the soldier almost looked taken aback by her closing in and staring so deeply at him. ¡°You¡¯re no different yourself,¡± Mikella said, her tone calm, but her insides were boiling hot. ¡°So how about you tone it down a touch or two?¡± ¡°Wha¨C?¡± The soldier¡¯s face twitched, and in an instant, he scowled at her. ¡°You better watch what you say. I don¡¯t care who you¡¯re fucking, that doesn¡¯t give you any right to¨C¡± Mikella kicked the soldier¡¯s shin. Hard. It was so fast, barely anyone noticed it, even Zeke. That was solely due to her vast amount of Dexterity, and a small hint of kinetic energy and attunement lightning just for good measure. As soon as the soldier felt it, he almost knelt, but Mikella didn¡¯t let him fall so easily. She grabbed him by the short hair, nearly clawing and ripping into his scalp, and kneed him again straight at the nose. The soldier¡¯s blood flowed out of him like water as he fell to the ground. Now red stains marred the once cleaned and constructed street, which added to her annoyance. Every soldier watched in shock at the scene for a few seconds before their instincts reacted. Each one pulled out a weapon, and aimed it straight at her. Mikella didn¡¯t even turn phased despite not having a weapon on hand. She simply raised her hands, and smiled. ¡°He said something bad, so I reacted,¡± Mikella said, her tone as sweet as honey to everyone¡¯s words. Zeke, however, wasn¡¯t having it. ¡°Mikella!¡± Zeke shouted, and that actually got Mikella to flinch. He doesn¡¯t usually get angry, but when he does, he really gets angry. She faced him, grimacing at his scowl. ¡°Hey, he¡¯s the one being disrespectful!¡± ¡°Yeah, but that¡¯s no reason to attack him!¡± Despite staring daggers at her, Zeke went over to the downed man and knelt down. The other soldiers quickly tried to stop him, but Zacharia spoke out loud. ¡°Let him be. This is a good lesson for all of you.¡± Mikella was taken aback. She understood she may have gotten too trigger-happy, but she figured the general would be pissed at her, or start screaming, or something. Instead, he had that look on his face that said that he either knew this was gonna happen, or hoping to. He kept staring at the downed soldier as Zeke healed him up with his Recovery spell. Once Zeke finished and stood up, the soldier quickly got back up, his eyes widened and breathing hard. Then, he scowled heavily at Mikella, gritting his teeth. ¡°You fucking bit¨C¡± ¡°Basil.¡± The soldier froze, his voice caught hanging in the air. Like an automaton, he stood up without pause, turned to the general, and returned to his position of being straightened, his fist over his heart. ¡°Sir!¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± The general simply said. ¡°You said your piece, and they reacted. Anything further outside of training is unnecessary. Don¡¯t make this mistake again.¡± ¡°Sir, yes, sir!¡± The soldier, named Basil apparently, responded almost robot-like with fervor. ¡°That goes for the rest of you,¡± Zacharia turned to the others, who quickly saluted back in the same way. ¡°As you saw, these two are capable. We¡¯ll have more chances to see what they can do tomorrow when training starts. For now, head back to the inns and rest. Your rooms and meals are already paid for, so take advantage of that. Clear off the traveling exhaustion by tomorrow, understood?¡± Everyone immediately responded ¡®Yes, sir!¡¯ before doing exactly as he said. As the soldiers funneled out in unison, Basil gave one last scathing look at Mikella before huffing away and returning with the others according to Zacharia¡¯s orders. Along with them, Piker also left, giving a look back at them. It wasn¡¯t in contempt, but purely in concern. He quickly left after that, leaving only the two and Zacharia. As the silence was about to take hold, Zacharia walked over, passing them by before saying: ¡°Make sure to keep that up for tomorrow. You¡¯re gonna need it.¡± Once the general left, Mikella and Zeke were on their own. Small blood still trickled on the street thanks to Basil, and the other people who watched the scene stood around for just a moment before leaving, hoping not to get anywhere in between what just happened. Zeke let out a heavy breath. ¡°Was that really necessary?¡± ¡°...Probably not,¡± Mikella finally said. Once all the adrenaline and anger got out of her, she quickly realized her mistake. She of course wanted to hit him, but she should¡¯ve had better control than that. She couldn¡¯t help but think that after being out of actual battle for so long, the madness that once took over her was suddenly roused and went out of control. Of course, that could just be a pitiful excuse for her behavior. She knew it all as well, but when that bastard decided to say something so wretched, she lost control for that short moment. She was even ready to fight off the entire group, but it was obvious that Zacharia trained them so well that they couldn¡¯t even be bothered getting angry at her, except for Basil, of course. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Mikella said, turning to Zeke. ¡°I know I fucked up. I just¡­¡± Seeing her hesitate, Zeke nodded to her. ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong¨CThat was a pretty sweet kick. He deserved it, especially for saying that crap. I know you¡¯re always looking out for me¡­ but I don¡¯t want you to get in trouble for my sake, okay?¡± Somehow, him understanding her turmoil even though she barely said anything of note was even worse. It stung her, as though she was utterly predictable to him. But at the same time, her heart swelled over someone understanding her so well having to speak more words than necessary. They discussed a bit about what actually happened within her body. Zeke revealed that he figured that was the case, but what¡¯s done is done. In order for her to better control herself before her attunement could make it worse, she needed to train her attunement better. And what better way than to get started on training tomorrow against a group of new soldiers? Suddenly, she was looking forward to facing them. Vol 2 Ch10: Vs. Basil A day passed since the new arrivals showed up. Once Cloud and Val found out what happened, they responded as expected. The two congratulated Mikella for her decision, and Val specifically for holding back despite Basil¡¯s comment. Once again, Zeke worried whether this kind of encouragement would push Mikella down a wrong path, but he put that aside. Cloud seemed particularly amused, and even wished to see that with a recording crystal, something akin to a video camera that lets them see past events. Though when they revealed that Zacharia didn¡¯t really turn that upset, that dampened his mood a little. They talked about the merchants that arrived and the plethora of life-saving supplies that would now be distributed across the town. Thanks to everyone¡¯s donations, they were able to purchase enough to lend the people their aid, including several foodstuffs that would last for months on end for cheap. As for the materials needed for the soldiers, that was left to Zacharia¡¯s jurisdiction. While the two showed some concern, Val reassured them that at the very least, Zacharia held his soldiers¡¯ progress as top priority. Once they left the household for training that day, leaving Clara to Val who stayed at home once again, they talked about what to do. Zeke worried as to what kind of welcome Mikella would get, especially from Basil after what she did yesterday. They traveled to the entrance, where the training would be placed at, and once they arrived at the former ramparts, now turned a watch tower for any incoming danger, he saw the massive group of soldiers waiting for them. Thankfully, it wasn¡¯t just Zacharia¡¯s soldiers standing by. Myra and her team were standing by as well, waving them over to their side. Zeke was glad that they weren¡¯t at least alone, and if anything, provided an eyewitness in case anything were to happen. He wasn¡¯t worried about what might happen to Mikella. More like the opposite. He needs to make sure nobody mader her out to be some sort of criminal. ¡°Heard what you did,¡± Myra commented, sporting her usual soldier¡¯s leather armor and spear. ¡°Nice.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Mikella flashed a fierce grin. ¡°It felt nice.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t nice for me,¡± Zeke grumbled, and that got a consoling pat from Philip the mage by his side. He nodded to him in thanks. ¡°I still think you shouldn¡¯t have to heal up the guy,¡± Jackie commented by the side, crossing his arms. Zeke took another look at him, and nodded in half-agreement. While he can¡¯t really ignore someone getting hurt by Mikella¡¯s sudden strike, he was glad to see Jackie doing well. After the funeral pyre, Jackie didn¡¯t seem like his normal excited self. But after seeing him again, there was that spark again in his eyes. It was just¡­ controlled now, as though this time there¡¯s nobody around to look out for him if he messed up. Of course, that won¡¯t happen with Zeke by their side. He also noticed on Zacharia¡¯s side the scout from their former dungeon raid. Paul looked over, looking as nervous as before. When he noticed Zeke staring at him, he looked away, almost ashamed. ¡°I think Paul feels like shit for what happened to you guys,¡± Myra commented when she noticed Zeke¡¯s stare. ¡°I don¡¯t think he should be blamed, though.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t blame him at all,¡± Zeke agreed. ¡°What can you do? You can¡¯t exactly go against your superior¡¯s orders.¡± ¡°Still, the audacity of that general¨Carresting you guys for being suspicious? That was already done and over with from the last horde attack,¡± Philip said, shaking his head. ¡°And the dungeon, and the town construction? You have to be stupid to ignore all that.¡± Zeke wanted to agree, desperately, but he couldn¡¯t. After all, if both Philip and Paul knew exactly where they came from, it wasn¡¯t surprising that they would have different opinions of them. He can¡¯t blame them either. Soon, Zacharia stood at the center, looking over at all of them with his usual stone-like gaze. ¡°Line up, it¡¯s time for training!¡± The moment his words left him, each soldier of his retinue immediately settled in line. Piker among their numbers, they formed a concrete twin array of soldiers, each saluting the general in tow. The soldiers of the Eve Glade, however, didn¡¯t move at all, instead standing by with serious gazes. ¡°Today marks the first joint training session between those of Eve Glade, and the ones trained by the kingdom. Take this as a chance to evaluate yourselves, and gauge your strengths from those outside the kingdom. There are many dangers, and just as many unexpected issues that might crop out. Our duty is to be the bulwark of the kingdom, to stand against those who wish harm against our country, and to serve the king of Sham-la!¡± ¡°Sir, yes, sir!¡± The soldiers responded in unison, almost united in terms of their spirit and determination. There was a fire in their eyes, something that kindled greatly for each word the general spoke. ¡°For today, as per requested, we shall have bouts to study another¡¯s fighting form. I have noticed that you all wished to see if these warriors are capable of standing by your side. For that, we have a capable healer to fix whatever problems might arise, so weapons are allowed.¡± Zeke¡¯s brows raced to the top of his head. They usually stuck with wooden weapons, but if actual weapons are involved, just how far is Zacharia going to treat this training? As though already knowing exactly what¡¯s going to happen, Zacharia turned to the only one glaring daggers at Mikella this whole time. ¡°As per your request, you shall be the first to fight, Basil.¡± ¡°Sir!¡± Basil responded, a nearly maniacal gleam in his eyes. ¡°Thank you, sir!¡± ¡°As for all of you¡­¡± Zacharia turned to the Eve Glade soldiers, but he was staring particularly at Mikella who was also dressed in her armor. With her weapon on hand, her steel sword enchanted to handle her attacks, he nodded. ¡°Which one of you wishes to face Basil and test your might?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t need any more fanfare,¡± Mikella spoke up, stepping forward. ¡°I¡¯ll beat him up for you.¡± After receiving another nasty glare from Basil, either from being insulted again or perhaps disrespecting the general in front of him, Mikella turned back to Zeke. She had that look in her eyes again, the same one that he hated to see so often. The one where she was saying to not use his barriers for her no matter how dangerous things get. Without getting any prompts like before, Zeke nodded. ¡°Just¡­ don''t make it hard for me to heal, okay?¡± He simply said, and thankfully she smiled and nodded back before stepping over to the open field where Basil stood, his own sword on hand. Surprisingly, that¡¯s when Zacharia came over to him, and stood by a few feet away. He didn¡¯t seem to want to stand by their side, but more like to speak to Zeke at some point. It made sense, with him being a supporter. That¡¯s when Zacharia asked him a question that really made him still. ¡°How high is your healing skill?¡± ¡°Uhh¡­¡± Zeke stuttered, the sudden question making him stagger. ¡°I-It recently got to Level 8.¡± ¡°Good, then¡­¡± Zacharia suddenly shouted. ¡°The fight will continue on and will only stop short of death! Fighters, at the ready!¡± Zeke groaned inwardly as the two readied themselves for a fight to the literal near-death. Myra consoled him with a pat on his back, revealing a fierce smile on her own. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t worry! Mikky can handle this,¡± She smiled at him. ¡°But I think she¡¯ll become more powerful if you cheer her on.¡± Zeke flushed a little at that, but then, he would feel motivated too if he was out there and Mikella cheered him on. Sure, he might mess up, but he knew Mikella wouldn''t. So, assuring himself, he sent all good vibes to Mikella with his mind as the two faced each other down. He knew she would win¨Che just hoped it wouldn''t turn into a bloodbath. ¡­.. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. With the crowd watching with glee at the incoming bout, Mikella forced herself to reset her mind. She came in fully aware that she would be fighting Basil, but she needed to realize something important. With actual weapons, she can¡¯t screw around. And now, Zeke won¡¯t support her. There was no better motivator to try harder than that. She watched placidly at the man who prepared himself with light foot steps to get his gears moving. After that, he twisted his neck and shoulders, rotating his muscles before adjusting his stance with his sword. She realized though that it looked different compared to other swords, more bisected in strange intervals along the blade. Mikella did the same. She put herself into her own stance, made specifically for her favorite sword. She felt the comforting weight in her hands, barely heavy thanks to the enchantment. Her high Strength stat made it easier, sure, but it only increased its incredible damage output. She noticed something strange however with Basil¡¯s movements. While miniscule, his form for sword fighting was off. He only wielded the sword one handed, and he positioned it at an angle to the side rather than facing it towards her. For someone with a high Sword Mastery level as hers, Mikella found it odd. It was like it was for an entirely different weapon. Before she could study that form further, Basil¡¯s voice reached her. ¡°You sure you don¡¯t wanna back down?¡± Basil taunted, a grin rising on his face. ¡°Without your man backing you up with magic, you¡¯re just a little girl in my eyes.¡± ¡°This little girl kicked your ass yesterday without magic, didn¡¯t she?¡± Mikella quipped back with ease. ¡°What does that make you?¡± ¡°Unprepared,¡± Basil responded. To her surprise, he didn¡¯t sound the least bit miffed. ¡°And it was unexpected. But I can learn. That¡¯s how I win.¡± She knew right then that she had to take this fight seriously. Basil wasn¡¯t one of the general¡¯s soldiers for nothing. He had the same air as Piker despite his shitty attitude¡­ though apparently that might be well-connected considering Piker¡¯s attitude from before. The two stared each other down, the crisp cold air hitting their exposed skin on their faces, the leaves of the trees surrounding them beginning to fall. Zacharia then raised his hand. ¡°Begin!¡± She never saw it coming. A sharp blade headed straight to her head, ready to pierce right through her skull. She only had a bit of time before she dodged and rolled to the side. She angled her sword and tried to swing at the man, but found that he was farther than she expected. Basil pounced at her then, thrusting with his sword. She deflected the blade, meeting him face to face before spinning and swinging her sword back at him. Basil sidestepped in time and thrust back at her. Strangely, he was too far to make that move effective, but she found herself once again nearly stabbed as the blade managed to graze through her right waist. It barely hit her, yet she could feel the slight sting of the attack as she backed off. Her mind whirled. How did that sword attack her from such a distance? She found herself once again at the receiving end of the blade, only barely twisting her head to avoid it. It was then that she saw it¨Cbut she couldn¡¯t believe it. Basil was still far away from her, but his sword still managed to reach her. The sword was literally stringing along gray-like cords, separated into sharp triangular shapes in multiple pieces. What she saw was just the tip of the sword extended so far away from the actual hilt that it shouldn¡¯t have been possible. Just as quickly as it came for her, the sword retracted itself back to its original position in less than a second. Basil smirked as he didn¡¯t let up, rushing at her again. Now that she saw the trick, she reacted better. She can¡¯t separate from him for long even for a second, the unexpected range attack capable of hitting her. So she closed in and stabbed with the blade. Once Basil dodged, she pivoted, moving along with her Sword Mastery¡¯s guidance. She stopped mid-thrust, used the hilt to disrupt Basil¡¯s movements by pushing against his raised knee, then stabbed back at him. Basil managed to dodge with ease as the two danced across the barren field, their blades striking with finesse and finality behind each blow. For a moment, Mikella had the upper hand. From the exchange, she could tell that she had an advantage thanks to her Acrobatics skill. However, she noticed that while he didn¡¯t seem to be using any support skills, he made up for it with his strange whip sword¡¯s movements. Like a whip, it didn¡¯t just stick with extending forward. It bended and swerved like a snake as he tried to strike at her at odd angles, particularly where she can¡¯t turn around without facing Basil upfront. If she was honest, without Acrobatics, she probably would¡¯ve been pierced a few times by now. There was also another issue. Her stamina. It waned after each second in combat trying to avoid each strange strike Basil sent out. It was frustrating her as she can¡¯t make up for what she can¡¯t expect so easily. She could use Draconic Fury, but she wanted to save it as it really tired her out once the buff was over. So far, she was managing to avoid most strange attacks with the combination of Dragon Descent and Aerial Advantage, improving her Dexterity some more. Though she hadn¡¯t once used Heavenly Strike, as the skill is too eye-catching to not be avoided. Her favorite skill, Hawk Eyes, was working for improving her damage, but since every human being has the same weaknesses, it didn¡¯t do much else. Basil was just making it hard for her to attack those. He truly was different from yesterday, but that didn¡¯t stop her as she planned. If conserving her Stamina wasn¡¯t an option, then all she had to do was put herself on the offensive. She kept making strike after strike, uncaring for the sword strikes trying to go after her. Some nicked at her skin, nearly tearing her cheek off as blood trickled from the blow, but that tiny strike at her cheek caused Basil to wince as she managed to swing her blade and cut through the side of his left thigh. Another strike came at her from the side, but she only spun slightly, letting the small blade cut through her hip as she slammed her foot against his own, causing him to grunt in pain. Finally, she put him on the defensive as she kept making strike after strike, not caring at least about his small blows. While it nicked and bled her, if that was the power behind those strikes, she can handle it. Even as her Stamina waned, her Endurance spoke highly of her defensive nature. Even without Zeke¡¯s barriers, she can still hold her own in a fight. Plus, Pain Resistance was really pulling the weight behind her seemingly reckless actions. She saw concern in Basils¡¯ eyes, and that¡¯s when she saw her chance. She swung her sword, and before he could react, she stabbed right at his chest. But what she saw during that small chance of him getting knocked back from the attack wasn¡¯t a look of horror¨Cbut a look of a predator finding his chance. She felt her skin tingle as she noticed something was wrong. The air¨Cit seemed to¡­ whine somehow. Her ears perked up as she finally noticed something was off. She turned her head, uncaring about where her blade was landing as Basil¡¯s flying blade headed straight for her¨Cand it began to glow a bright hot red. A loud explosion burst apart near them, covering them in dust and dark smoke. She was blown away as her entire left side from the waist up was burned from the explosion. Pain overrode her Pain Resistance as she screamed out. Landing far away, she saw Basil running straight at her, showing a manic gleam as he shouted. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, girly?¡± He roared. ¡°Can¡¯t handle a little fire?!¡± He swung his sword like a crazed torturer as the blade separated into small pieces, coiling around him as the tip of the blade glowed a bright hot red. It was there that she sensed Mana¨Cnot enough like Zeke, but enough to notice the whining coming from it. As Basil¡¯s sword whipped at her, she dodged, but the missing blade caused an explosion near her, causing her to stumble her landing. She kept dodging as now she can¡¯t really ignore the blade. Each time it struck, it blew up the surrounding area. The explosion was akin to a small firework, but the impact left a lasting impression on her body as she felt her skin writhing in agony from the heat of the explosion. Her breathing was ragged as her Stamina was reaching low. Her fingers were hurting from constantly trying to swing her sword wide to avoid being hit with an explosion directly from each clash of their weapons. Her mind worked overdrive, riddled with pain and panic. There was one way, but she was afraid of losing herself. If she made a mistake here, she won¡¯t get away with a simple injury¨Cshe may even end up hurting themselves both. But then she remembered. Zeke was waiting to heal her at the end. No matter what happens, even if she goes crazy with her attunement, Zeke would be there to protect her, and more importantly, everyone around her if she loses control. So she left all the troublesome parts to Zeke in her mind as she called for the lightning within her spirit. Just as the hot bladed tip reached for her, which at the very end showed a smirking Basil, she wanted nothing more than to smack at him. Her eyes sharpened. And she rushed. Electricity coiled around her skin and hot fire fueled her veins. Her mind became clearer, her eyes turned brighter as thunder clapped in her soul. She didn¡¯t just use lightning¨Cshe was lightning herself. She dashed forward, avoiding the whip fluidly like coiling snakes as she made her way straight towards the surprised Basil. But she didn¡¯t strike with her sword. Her hands charged with power, she grabbed at the cord in between the blades, her strengthened reactions allowing her this much control before she poured all of her Mana into her attunement. All of it. Pain riddled her as she felt the energy within her soul trying to devour her from the inside out. But it was a welcoming pain. While it hurt, she had been practicing how to use it and the best way she could use it to her fullest control is to let the pain guide her to control it. The electricity sometimes acted so out of reach to her, but when she goes all out like this, that¡¯s when she could control it to a certain extent. It was the before and during the process of strengthening her magic was where she was worried the most. But she didn¡¯t worry at all now that the electricity reached the cord and traveled along the entirety of it, obviously because the cord was made with some metal material. And since metal was conductive, the electricity followed with ease straight back to the owner¨Cback at Basil. The poor man screamed in agony, his eyes turning nearly white as electricity charged his body to the core, leaving him in charred cinders. With the loss of his body¡¯s movements, the sword, along with the whip and cord, just lost all tension, leaving it tousled up and forgotten on the ground with the blades still cluttered separately. Basil stood for just a moment, his mouth gaping wide as nothing but white was shown in his eyes. His skin was charred, burnt like embers from a passed campfire. Falling to his knees, Basil fell face first to the ground, unconscious. The energy cooled, though she winced as her mind finally recognized the pain. It was too much for her to recover even by putting Meditation on full blast, but just as she was about to turn to get help, Zeke was already there, his eyes widened. He looked like he was at the cusp of losing himself in his nervousness. His eyes were wide and his skin pale from just watching the fight. But Mikella could barely think of anything else as she smiled at him. He trusted her enough that even though she was in this much pain, he hasn¡¯t once set off a barrier for her. That alone got her to smile at him. ¡°I won¡­¡± She said before she let herself close her eyes and relax as Zeke¡¯s Recovery took over. Vol2 Ch11: Mages Masterpiece Piker was at awe at what he saw. He knew Mikella had been improving herself daily ever since they left the tower, but he didn¡¯t realize how much. Or was it just her natural talent? The way she moved, reacted, and even predicted some of Basil¡¯s attacks were borderline prodigy level. He knew of her special status, her Acquired skills that would make any fighter bleed with envy, and the advantage of eating attribute fruits which gave her freedom for her stats¨Cbut there was something more to it than just the raw power and numbers. Basil wasn¡¯t some fool, even if he mostly acted like one. He was a battle-fanatic whose only goal was to improve himself in battle. True, the way he handles situations under duress can be crude at times, but he always made up for it with his own intuition. His warrior-archetype class ¡®Whip Lancer¡¯ allowed him to masterfully maneuver his custom-created whip sword with ease. His attunement based on the concept of discharging Fire and Air mana in a short blast, a rarity even among the elementally attuned mages, made everything about him almost inconsistent and dangerous. But she managed to not only handle herself even on the first try, but to keep him on the back end. The moment Basil unleashed his trump card, she did the same, even if she succumbed to her nearly fatal electricity. He didn¡¯t blame Zeke for wanting to heal her first. To some, he would obviously heal his wife, but he only focused on the most devastated of the two, being Mikella. While Basil was shocked to the point of being charred, Mikella was worse off. Burns everywhere on her skin, and there were hints of cauterization among the wounds she received from Basil¡¯s strikes. If not given proper care now, she could potentially receive lasting permanent damage. In return, one of his comrades took over healing Basil, figuring that Zeke was going to take a while to heal her up. Right now, Zeke settled Mikella down on the ground, her body on his own with her eyes closed. Mikella¡¯s face was painted with agony, but there was a hint of a smile on her lips. He saw that she was mostly joyous over winning a battle, even at the cost of her own health. Piker shook his head in disbelief. Just how powerful is she going to get? She was already reaching their level which took them years to practice with only a few months worth of fighting. But he must remember one thing: Power comes at a cost. The more power you sought so soon, the more you have to pay. Considering their circumstances, Piker can¡¯t really feel envious of their power. He could only feel concern. Concern for their safety, and of course for the little girl that was taken along with them. But at the same time, he can¡¯t allow them to surpass him. It didn¡¯t matter how much fate favored the two¨Che will not relent. As he saw his father coming forward to speak, he stood at attention. No matter what will happen, he will get stronger. He will serve his duty. ¡­.. ¡°Everyone, line up!¡± Zacharia shouted to everyone, mostly the soldiers from his retinue. Meanwhile, Zeke focused heavily on Mikella¡¯s channels, ignoring everything surrounding him. He could feel Myra, Jackie, and Philip surrounding them in worry, but he couldn¡¯t pay attention as he focused on the damage, which was pretty extensive. Her electricity is nearly devouring her on top of the injuries from Basil¡¯s explosions. While he managed to heal those up pretty quickly at the cost of spending more mana than usual, he tried to study her channels better. The Unbridled Fulmination was almost gnawing at her straight to the bone, trying to eat her whole. Her channels were charged with so much electricity that it was starting to seep into her life channels. So Zeke forced his will into her channels, his Recovery skill on full blast. It was almost dizzying, but he focused on the task on hand as he forced the rampaging electricity to still. He used the combination of his mana, her kinetic and life energy, and finally the culmination of his constant use of Recovery; He was finally able to use her own magical energy to fuel her recovery. The attunement ceased in a matter of seconds. Even he was surprised at this. Last time this happened, it normally took a few minutes, but once the energy cooled down, his mana took care of the rest. It forced her attunement down to a manageable level as his mana spread across her channels, restoring them back to full health. Once he felt her life energy recovered well enough, he stopped his skill and checked his mana reserves. It barely took 20% of his total mana. Once again, he was baffled. He knew his practice was becoming consistent after all this time healing the other citizens, but this was on another level. When he focused his vision again on her face, he was taken aback by how pretty she was. Since she passed her Expert stage, her face became more refined, more attractive. Being so close to that beautiful face got him to flush a little, but thankfully he returned to normal when he saw Mikella opening her eyes slowly, noticing his face. ¡°Hey,¡± Zeke greeted with a smirk. ¡°You with us?¡± Mikella groaned as she stood upright, the other soldiers giving her some room to breathe. She flexed her fingers and tested her muscles, finding herself nearly back to normal. ¡°Oh damn,¡± MIkella said, her voice unruffled despite nearly frying herself seconds earlier. ¡°I feel like I just got resetted. Zeke, your healing got a lot better!¡± ¡°Well yeah, it¡¯s pretty high level, remember?¡± Zeke said, but he frowned later. ¡°But you still went too far. You could¡¯ve easily killed yourself and Basil.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Mikella winced, looking over at Basil who was thankfully standing, even if he did look like he wanted to faint at any moment. But she quickly turned back to him with a shit-eating grin. ¡°But I won!¡± ¡°That¡¯s an understatement,¡± Myra said as she pulled Mikella up to her feet with Zeke following suit. ¡°You annihilated him! Good job!¡± The girls shared a strong fist¨Cbump that felt like an actual punch smacking against each other. Zeke rolled his eyes at the battle fanatics as Philip stepped up. ¡°You really poured in a lot of mana. You okay?¡± Philip asked Mikella, his expertise on magic giving his words credit. ¡°Normally that kind of magic output would have burned your channels.¡± ¡°Yeah, but I feel like I have better control over it now. It¡¯s kinda like the more I use it, my body ends up getting used to the output, I guess?¡± ¡°Yeah, and all it took was turning you into KFC,¡± Zeke said flat-toned, getting Mikella to wince. ¡°Yeah¡­ yeah, good point.¡± ¡°....Key-ef cii?¡± Philip asked, sounding out the strange word to Jackie who shrugged back. It got to the point that no matter what strange terms Zeke and Mikella used, the others would just mark it as their strange village customs. Honestly, Zeke was glad for that, but he also knew that doing it too many times might make everyone think they were speaking in a different language. Once the group saw that Mikella was miraculously fine, they turned to find the Zacharia group having their own conversation. ¡°Basil, you understand what went wrong, do you not?¡± ¡°...Yes, sir.¡± Basil was well awake now, recovered thanks to their own Expert-stage healer. Though he looked like he wanted nothing more than to hide in a hole and never come out. The shame in his eyes while his shoulders slumped was clear to anyone around. ¡°Then speak it,¡± Zacharia cruelly said. ¡°...I severely underestimated my opponent.¡± ¡°Anyone with eyes can see that, boy!¡± Zacharia¡¯s voice turned louder, enough to get everyone, including their own group, to flinch. Basil had it the worst, being the target of that shout. His body shivered like a bomb of pressure went off right in his face. ¡°Details, Basil. I need details!¡± Zacharia repeated. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Zeke wasn¡¯t sure whether this was some strange punishment, or perhaps Zacharia truly wanted to hear his words. Though looking at the other soldiers peering at him, they don¡¯t look like they were thankful not to be in Basil¡¯s position. They had their eyes sharpening on him, as though wanting to hear the details themselves. It was a strange sight¨Cnobody there wanted to step away, even though it felt so tenseful. Basil breathed calmly through his nose, his face relaxing as he spoke. ¡°My opponent caught on to my techniques too fast for me to change my tactics. I refused to change my tactics despite knowing the risks, and I only wanted to scare her away. I thought my attunement would finally get her down, but she just refused to back down. I panicked, and I kept pushing and pushing. I ended up letting her into my guard and I wasted my chance to get away. T-That¡¯s how I lost, sir!¡± Basil was speaking fast but orderly, only lasting until the end of the sentence before he stuttered out of fear of the general¡¯s shout. Once he finished, he regretfully stared at the general straight in the eyes, as though it was pounded into him over and over so it became an instinct now. The general stared hard at him, making Basil truly sweat as beads of perspiration streamed down his forehead. Even the other soldiers looked like they were ready to sweat as the general kept staring. Eventually, Zacharia nodded. ¡°Good. Learn your mistakes well, and I expect you to reflect on your actions today for the following days as you train. You¡¯re lucky that this was a training bout rather than a fight to the death. While Mikella wasn¡¯t able to get away scot-free, unlike you¨Cshe would survive. With a healer on hand, she is ready to strike again. What would happen if that was the enemy, and if they survived while you died?¡± ¡°Sir!¡± Basil responded quickly enough. ¡°They would go after our town and raze everything to the ground. My foolishness will cause many deaths.¡± ¡°Precisely. Learn that well, Basil, and never forget today no matter how much you wish to. In the end, that will push you onwards to greater strength.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Basil saluted, this time there was fire in his eyes compared to the shamed look as before. As everyone watched the scene, Zeke noticed Mikella showing some mixed expressions. ¡°I hate how that bastard is doing things¡­ but it kinda works,¡± Mikella said, pressing her lips tighter. ¡°Though if he starts talking like that to us, I¡¯m gonna use a thunderbolt on him. It¡¯ll definitely be super effective.¡± ¡±I¡¯m pretty sure he has an earth attunement,¡± Zeke suggested. ¡°So he¡¯s immune to it.¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± Mikella cursed and Zeke couldn¡¯t help but smile at her. Before Myra and the others would ask about that, their confusion taking over their expressions, Zacharia came over to their side, his boots stomping the ground even while he was just walking. ¡°Zeke, I would like a word with you. But first, has your mana been reduced too much from healing Mikella?¡± Zeke tilted his head, checking Mikella¡¯s confused expression before responding. ¡°No, I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m actually nearing full. Is there anything you need from me?¡± Rather than answering him, Zacharia pulled something out of the air, from his own storage pack actually. A large rolled-up parchment was held in his hands, large enough to reach around two feet. He opened it up wide for all to see, but mostly to Zeke. Staring at it, Zeke widened his eyes. ¡°This is¡­¡± ¡°Can you read this properly?¡± Zacharia asked, getting Zeke to nod. ¡°Good. I would like you to create your barriers in this fashion. I believe with your skill, you can create your barriers in any form you like, correct?¡± Zeke nodded again, and as though being possessed, he took the parchment from Zacharia¡¯s hands. The general let him be, allowing Zeke to study everything himself. The parchment had drawn formations, with sharp angles and perfectly sized squares. A lot of thought and care was put into the design, and Zeke couldn¡¯t help but admire the workings. This was basically an architect''s design. ¡°Yeah, I can,¡± Zeke eventually answered. ¡°You want me to¡­ create this?¡± ¡°Precisely,¡± Zacharia looked up at the sky, mostly at the town¡¯s barrier surrounding him. ¡°If possible, keep it within the Eve Glade barrier. With mana regeneration, it should be possible. But don¡¯t overwork yourself. Can you do this?¡± Zeke took another moment, giving another look at the design. The gears in his head started rolling, and he answered before he could even think on it further. ¡°It might take a few hours¡­ maybe three or four especially with what type of runes to make. Mikella, can you call over Cloud and get him to come here? I think I might need another guy with a Runecraft skill.¡± ¡°Huh? Uhh¡­¡± Mikella was taken aback by the sudden favor, but she answered quickly. ¡°Yeah, sure¡­¡± ¡°Thanks. With him, I can probably make it with less time. How much time do I have with this?¡± ¡°Take as much time as you need,¡± Zacharia answered. ¡°I don¡¯t want you overworking yourself. We¡¯re gonna need more work from you once this is finished.¡± ¡°Understood, then¡­¡± Zeke turned to everyone, mostly to his own group. ¡°Get everyone out.¡± ¡­.. That was the first time she saw Zeke suddenly enter into his scholar-mode, a term she likes to use when Zeke gets taken in by his curiosity rather than the situation. It was also the first time he firmly kicked everyone out, including the general himself. She would¡¯ve enjoyed it if she hadn¡¯t been kicked out herself. But apparently Zeke wanted her out to make it a surprise, for some reason. Doing what Zeke asked, she called forth Cloud who wasn¡¯t entirely all that keen to get into Zacharia¡¯s training sessions. The farther he was from him, the better. However, once he found Zeke and he showed the designs to Cloud, he instantly changed his mind. After that, all the other soldiers were told to wait inside the town so that the two mages could be done. About an hour in, Mikella was already grumbling while she waited near the entrance of the town, not really in the mood to train or talk to the other soldiers. Zacharia¡¯s retinue didn¡¯t give them as much trouble, much to her surprise. Mikella figured that when Basil got close enough to get on speaking terms, she was gonna hear some excuse, or some insult or something. But surprisingly, he only stared at her for a moment, and then nodded. After that, he didn''t look at her the same way as before. It wasn¡¯t on the level of acceptance like from Piker, but more like¡­ begrudging respect. She honestly felt the same for him, though she still thinks he has a shitty personality. ¡°I wonder what the general got Zeke making?¡± Myra commented, swinging her leg as she sat at a nearby bench along with Mikella. Jackie stood by the side, crossing his arms along with them in waiting. Philip went ahead to talk to one of the mages in Zacharia¡¯s retinue. Even if there was a gap between the two teams, mages work differently from the melee soldiers. If they have a chance to improve their spell work, they¡¯ll take it. ¡°Knowing Zeke, it must be something super weird,¡± Mikella answered honestly. ¡°I just hope he doesn¡¯t make us chase after butterbirds or something.¡± ¡°Damn, don¡¯t remind me of that,¡± Myra winced. ¡°I still can¡¯t believe I can¡¯t catch those fuckers. Zeke was cheating with mine, I swear.¡± ¡°Nah, you just sucked,¡± Jackie answered with a lopsided grin, and that got Myra to pick up a pebble on the ground and pelt him with it. He winced like a wimp and stayed silent since then. During the recovery, Mikella actually asked Zeke if they could try doing some practice chasing the butterbirds. It turned out to be a lot more physically demanding than she expected. Something about those birds was so fleeting that it made catching them with low Dexterity nearly impossible. Even Mikella struggled to catch, though Zeke had to emphasize its flight movements for her. If anything, Zeke was cheating with her bird, but she still caught it, much to Zeke¡¯s disappointment. As she recalled his grumbling face with a smile on her lips, his voice suddenly caught her hearing. ¡°Hey!¡± Zeke shouted at them. His eyes actually had small bags under his eyes, probably from being in deep consternation and focus. ¡°It¡¯s done! Call everyone over!¡± ¡­.. When the group arrived at the site, she wasn¡¯t sure what to expect. She knew it would be some sort of large dome or some sort to help their training. Or perhaps some small arena with barriers in place like a deathcage in those wrestling matches. But this¡­ was not something she expected at all. Spanning at the size of a large gym, she saw a wide array of different shaped turquoise colored walls and flooring, but that wasn¡¯t all. There were some parts acting autonomously, including what looked like a Wing Chun Dummy, those wooden dummies that had wooden limbs that spun when you strike them, forcing you to learn to block or else you get smacked by them. There was another section, if she could call it that, where small logs (made entirely of magical barriers), seem to spin in the air, suddenly stopping mid-way, then completely spinning the opposite side. It reminded her of those competitions where the lumberjacks challenge each other by spinning the log opposite of their opponents. Of course, this looked way harder as the supposed ¡®barrier logs¡¯ were spinning faster than she surmised to be physically possible. There were also several platforms that flew around in a perfect rotation around the entire field of similar other platforms, reminding Mikella of those platformer games where you have to time the jumps just right to move forward. She wasn¡¯t the only one gaping in surprise. The other soldiers marveled and whistled at the field, the mages nearly losing their minds at the complexity behind the construction. When she turned to find Zeke and Cloud, she saw them smiling at their design with such pride in their faces, it would¡¯ve beaten a crafter¡¯s ego on creating a masterpiece. ¡°Impressive. This is just what I expected of you mages,¡± Zacharia stepped up, also gazing at the design with the same stoic expression. But Mikella could tell there was a glint in his eyes, though not at the majesty of the training field, but what it represented. ¡°You just had to ruin it for me saying that,¡± Cloud eventually said, shaking his head. He then turned to Zeke with a warm smile he would¡¯ve never given to Zacharia. ¡°When you first asked me to do this, I thought it was just impossible, but I¡¯m glad to see that you still stun me to this day.¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t do a thing without your help,¡± Zeke said, warding off the praise to Cloud. ¡°When he asked me this, I knew I needed some complex rune work to make it really stand out. It reminds me of the training courses from my¨Cumm, where me and Mikella came from. I could make the field, but to make it all work like this by itself was impossible by myself..¡± Cloud chuckled. ¡°You must let Val try this out. She would wring me out if you leave her out of this fun experience.¡± As the mages spoke candidly of what Val would do to them if they didn¡¯t, Zacharia faced the group with a rare smile plastered on his lips. ¡°This turned out better than I could¡¯ve dreamed of, and better for all of you,¡± The general spoke with actual excitement that it actually sent shivers down Mikella¡¯s spine. ¡°For the next few days, you all will train in this field and master each training I will impart upon you. This will surely strain you, so rest and relax¨Cbecause the next few days will be the most hellish days of your lives.¡± Vol2 Ch12: Welcome to Hell... Barrier A month has passed since the training started. While one would expect to have some sort of time-limit concerning Bastion¡¯s potential invasion, there were two factors that made it impossible for them to attack again. One was that the Barrier of Eve Glade was fully on and active. That alone had made any attacks against the town easily defended, and whether it would break or not didn¡¯t matter as they could just turtle up and call for reinforcements. During an ambush that no one expected, it was reasonable for the kingdom to not send in reinforcements during that time frame. But if the town knows how to hole up and conserve their resources, it would be the enemy that would be on a time limit while trying to strike the barrier down. The second was the reinforcements themselves. The kingdom won¡¯t care about the scuffles of the minor towns and factions, but if another force continuously batter one of them, it would only rattle the hornet¡¯s nest, so to speak. In other words, there¡¯s only so much indignation the kingdom can handle before they are forced to step in. So that was probably why Bastion hadn¡¯t made a move all this time, and probably wouldn¡¯t until they settled their own business. While nobody knew for sure how much information they had on Eve Glade, it was a situation where it didn¡¯t matter how much they knew since it wouldn¡¯t matter regardless. At least that¡¯s what Zeke thought as he stared at his masterpiece of a creation which the soldiers named the Hell Barrier. It was aptly named. The soldiers were forced to train on this specialized training course Zacharia made specifically to test their limits. While it seemed like a normal training course to Zeke¡¯s eyes, the design really showed the brutality in Zacharia¡¯s sense of training. For example, each small pillar spinning their slabs were so close to one another, it seemed impossible to get away scot free with just evading. One has to put in the effort to defend while evading at the same time, testing not just their Endurance, but their Dexterity as well. The course was designed to aid their survivability rather than focusing on their damaging stats, like their Strength and Intelligence. And if one fails to evade in time, one can get lucky and train their Vitality as well¨Cmuch to their dismay. The purpose for all of this isn¡¯t just to train their skill levels. As one develops, they can still gain attributes outside of combat, known as gaining points from activities. It happened multiple times back when Zeke and Mikella were stuck with Clara in their tower. However, as time passed, they became rarer and rarer to show up. It was due to them leveling up at a steady pace, causing their bodies to grow tougher and durable. But if one pushes themselves hard enough, they can surpass that limitation and gain an attribute or two. While it was difficult, there was a reason why constant training was suggested. And what better way to push themselves harder than to be put in a harsh training course? Naturally, Zeke¡¯s Barrier Craft wasn¡¯t enough to create this course alone. It required a heavy dose of Mana Manipulation, something that surprised Zeke to find out that the two skills paired each other very well. Not that it made his Barrier Craft as easy to use as a weapon, but enough to have a solid feel to create this course. Then there were his runes, which Cloud helped immensely. There was only so much influence Zeke could put into his own barrier, but Cloud¡¯s own Runecraft skill and his high level and stats made it possible to make this training course a reality. Zeke was certain he could re-create this by himself sometime in the future, but right now his body just wasn¡¯t strong enough. He was worried that Cloud would refuse to help since it was for Zacharia¡¯s training, but he was glad to see that Cloud cared more about the soldiers¡¯ development than his trifles with the general. That, and he was taken over by his own fascination with working on the training course just as Zeke was. Making these complex rune arrays to make the training course work on its own was an exciting prospect for the two mages. That, and seeing the horrifying looks on the soldiers¡¯ faces as they traversed through the training course. If that wasn¡¯t torturous enough, Zacharia added his own bit to the training. He pulled out what looked like a lead ball from his storage pack, an enchanted metal alloy condensed into a sphere. He threw it, causing the ball to disperse and transform into several small black disks that flew around the field, becoming obvious targets on the turquoise-colored field. They were magical items made specifically for training. Not only would they be for target practice, they also shoot pressurized air mana at the soldiers, breaking their concentration. Due to that, some were taking off the course¡¯ tempo and unfortunately got hit by the Hell Barrier¡¯s dummies. Truly, it was hell. Though Zeke was more fascinated with the magic item. It was created by several different crafters including blacksmiths, enchanters, and even runists, which got Zeke¡¯s attention. He wondered whether enchanters and runists were the same, and according to Cloud, in some ways, they are. Runists have a deeper understanding of the mana thanks to their studying of runes, but Enchanters can infuse mana into an item, giving them different effects that can be used liberally rather than a rune-constructed item. Back to the magic item, known as just Targets by Zacharia, it was to recreate a battlefield where anything could happen. One had to keep their eyes peeled for any threats from any angle, and take out their enemies in the meantime. Zacharia even told the soldiers to try and take out the targets when they can. The disks flying about like flies would just make going through a training course tougher. That¡¯s when Zacharia did the most malicious thing Zeke had ever witnessed. He promised that if any soldiers caught more targets than any other soldier, he would reward them with a Skill Book. That immediately got everyone to go after the targets even if the training course was already straining their bodies to the limit. A skill book was something precious for anyone in this world, even if that included a terrifying experience of learning a skill like being in the electric chair. Depending on their build, it was an added bonus to an essential skill that could make a huge difference. There was no downside at all to gaining a new Acquired Skill, so that got everyone to keep going. That got the healers, including Zeke, to stand by and take care of the soldiers dumb enough to keep going until their bodies were torn apart. In some cases, they literally tore apart, their bone and tissue easily visible. At least the healers were also getting some skill leveling on this. And this was where Zeke realized just how evil Zacharia was: Nobody was able to get a single target, not even after a whole month had passed. Not even Mikella, who had a better understanding of the training course than the other soldiers and having a higher Dexterity stat than most. Still, Zeke could only think of one thing as he stared at her. She ran around, her eyes brimming with fire and brimstone as she forced herself to strain her body to the limits. I wish I could join them¡­ ¡­.. Her heart beat rapidly as her muscles yearned for rest. The burn in her tendons raced across her joints, somehow worse than the electricity literally scorching her veins. Yet she had a fierce smile on her lips as she flew across the Hell Barrier, an appropriately named training course they¡¯ve been subjected to for the past month. She honestly couldn¡¯t believe that such a thing could be done by Zeke alone. Not in the terms of the course itself, but the design and layout. It had Zacharia¡¯s sadistic tendencies all over it. For example, he knew that Zeke¡¯s barriers all have a transparent turquoise-tinged color, so it was hard to spot the incoming platforms and ledges without mistaking it for something else. Myra thought she was jumping straight onto the floor, only to be tripped up by the short length of the slab she was actually landing on and get hit by an autonomous dummy that came her way. She also noticed Jackie trying his hardest to jump across the flying platforms, but he messed up on which platform he was jumping onto and fell to the floor. He was then inflicted by an incoming dummy that moved on its own (because of course that was a thing), and promptly beat the shit out of him. Poor guy. Yet, nobody batted an eye. She noticed that the other soldiers in Zacharia¡¯s retinue were just as perplexed by the entire training course, and just as beaten. One soldier tried his hardest to beat a dummy to get to one of the Targets flying overhead, but he misjudged the timing and had his stomach hit hard. Another tried to jump across the platform the same as Jackie did, but when she was just about to grasp the disk flying in the air, she was pushed back by the pressurized blast from it, and then landing hard on the edge of a nearby platform, her entire back hit hard and expunging a gasp of air. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. Mikella, however, was focused on just trying to learn her surroundings. While the skill book was nice to earn, she knew her chances of getting the disks were far-fetched at best. On the very first day she knew just how impossible those targets were to get. And she wasn¡¯t surprised at all that a month passed without anyone getting it. She wasn¡¯t sure whether Zacharia lied about them getting a skill book, because the targets flew around so fast that it would take some serious dedication to catch them, and that was impossible with this training course. So this led the soldiers, including Mikella, to study the layout of the course and try to get to the targets faster, studying the timings of when the platforms and the dummies would move, and act accordingly. After all, studying the layout of the battlefield was important. For the first week, that actually worked as some of the soldiers nearly got the target. That¡¯s when everything changed. On the next day, the soldiers cried out in despair to learn that Zacharia asked Zeke and Cloud to reconstruct the course from the ground up, making everything completely different. The dummies were bigger and meaner, the platforms now had tiny pillars jutting out to make it difficult to land on, and now there were disconnected walls that spun at random intervals, replacing the logs entirely. And of course, the timings and layout were all completely changed. And for every day after that, the timing of each automated part of the Hell Barrier would change just enough to confuse the soldiers. So Mikella gave up entirely on getting the skill book. Her main goal is to catch just one target. While that was going on, the constant screams of the soldiers getting bashed were deafening to her ears, which would often replicate a battlefield as well. Distractions can easily kill you just as well. But there was also something else that¡¯s apparent on a battlefield¨Cstupidity. There were soldiers actually fighting each other to get to the targets. Apparently, why fight fairly when you can take out the competition? In the end, none of it mattered. Once one of them defeated the other, that one got so tired and exhausted that one hit from a moving dummy knocked him out instantly, getting the two losers to end up on the healer¡¯s circle, where the defeated and the broken end up after the Hell Barrier. In the end, Mikella ignored everything else. She divulged herself into her path as she launched straight into the course. There were several layers to the course, though it kept randomizing each day, but there was a pattern¨Csomething that Zacharia clearly wanted to imprint. One side focused more on evasion than parrying, and another focused vice-versa. Another layer after that focused both on the minor side, and one layer that was just completely unfair. One had no choice but to take hits there, the increasing speed of the dummies swinging their arms too impossible to evade. Surely a work made by Cloud, and something that Zacharia forced most of the training disks to fly around. There were some here and there, but that specific layer known as the 4th layer of hell amongst the soldiers had the most Targets flying about. At least one has the chance to gain a shit ton of Vitality and Endurance points there. Thing is, nobody is a masochist. So for now, Mikella focused on the third layer of hell, the one where it focuses both on evasion and parrying. This layer had less Targets flying about than the fourth layer, but more than the first two layers. Plus, this is where she specializes as this specific one requires heavy Dexterity to manage. She swung in, her legs jumping about and turning her body into a feather as she dodged each construct aiming to smite her down. Her back arched and bent, her arms and legs tucked in for further increase in speed. Once she landed down further to the north, the dummy in front of her was spinning too fast for her to dodge. Her Acrobatics worked its magic as she pulled out her wooden sword. Weapons were allowed, but skills weren¡¯t¨Cat least the attacking ones. Her Acrobatics, however, was passive, and not taking advantage of it was ludicrous. She swung her sword left, right, even using the bottom of the hilt and the flat of her blade to block. Unlike a real opponent, the dummy didn¡¯t give two shits what method she used. But that was the purpose. The intent was not to hurt the dummy, but to defend against it. As she did so, she saw more increases that gave her a thrill like nothing else.
You have gained +1 STR from your actions.
Attribute increases. For the past month, she had plenty of these messages popping up, making her slowly stronger day by day. As her body worked almost automatically, she recalled the notifications that were still so brilliant in her mind ever since she started.
You have gained +6 STR from your actions. You have gained +13 DEX from your actions. You have gained +2 INT from your actions. You have gained +3 SPI from your actions. You have gained +3 VIT from your actions. You have gained +10 END from your actions.
Of course she was surprised that she somehow ended up getting Intelligence and Spirit from the Hell Barrier, but after a while, she recognized why it was so. Intelligence was gained by trying to quickly and adequately memorize the layout of the course. Of course one had to use their mind to comprehend the information quickly enough, thus finally using her pitiful Intelligence to work. Spirit was from something else. She had to use her attunement as part of her training as well, not because of the course, but for her own sake. But Spirit actually does something else other than raising and restoring mana faster. It also raised your mental awareness, in a way. One could say it was like willpower, and in others, it was like wisdom. Spirit is the culmination of who you are as a person, so just like how Vitality can cover everything from physical wellness to internal health, Spirit covers the mental side of things. So of course, having to deal with the hellish course on a constant basis, nearly destroying yourself in the process, also raised Spirit to help cover for it. Now that she thought about it, it made sense why Zeke had these crazy ideas. With his Spirit being so high, he had the mental awareness to pull off this stuff, as well as handling the fallout of anything that comes his way¨Cat least magic wise. Then, there were the skill improvements.
Axe Mastery Level Up! It is now Level 5. You have gained +1 STR from your skill. You have gained +1 END from your skill.
¡­..
Spear Mastery Level Up! It is now Level 5. You have gained +1 STR from your skill. You have gained +1 DEX from your skill.
¡­..
Hammer Mastery Level Up! It is now Level 4. You have gained +1 STR (x3) from your skill. You have gained +1 END (x3) from your skill.
¡­..
Bow Mastery Level up! It is now Level 2. You have gained +1 DEX from your skill. You have gained +1 END from your skill.
Throughout the month, she had a chance to use her multiple weapon skills, much to everyone¡¯s surprise from Zacharia¡¯s retinue, to raise their levels. She still had every intention to fuse them all together, but so far it was becoming difficult. Especially the bow. While she knew she could use it well, using this on the training course was pointless as she wasn¡¯t allowed to use ranged attacks on the Targets. So she tried to use it as a sort of combat staff of sorts against the dummy. Thankfully it worked, but she had a feeling that this is not the sort of path she wanted to take with the bow, so she put it aside after she got that level up. The attribute gains were nice though. Even when the Hell Barrier was forcing her to go beyond her usual limits on an hourly basis, she couldn¡¯t help but grin each time a notification popped up. As she tackled the dummy down, she noticed one of the disks approaching and instantly chased after it. It sent out a pressurized blast of air at her, forcing her to duck. That unfortunately got her close to another dummy she didn¡¯t intend to fight, as that dummy focused more on parrying than evading. But she forced herself to fight it rather than evading, even if the chance was there. In a real fight, she can¡¯t pick and choose an enemy whenever she wanted, so she forced herself to tackle as many challenges as possible. After all, what has she got to lose? She¡¯ll gain more attributes that way. But just as she was about to decide on using her attunement to head after the Target, another disk that came flying about hit her at the back, getting her face smashed in by the dummy¡¯s arm. Her face felt the pang of pain that traveled across her skull, as if a mallet hit her straight across her head. She fell over, the dizzying hit forcing her to stumble. And unfortunately, that¡¯s when three other soldiers landed on top of her, all of them having the same idea of using the layer. Then two more followed. Then another one fell over on top of her¨Cjust for shits and giggles. She struggled to push them all off, the weight of their armor and size crushing more her motivation to keep going than her actual body, only to see her targeted disk fly away without a care in the world. ¡°Goddamnit,¡± Mikella cursed, and then she cursed at the people as she pulled one leg forward after another, bypassing their corpses as they clearly died from exhaustion. Not true death, but they just wished that they died from the sounds of their groans and moans. ¡°Fuck¡­ me!¡± Myra cursed loudly, appearing to Mikella¡¯s side with a clear bruise on her cheek and eye, her nose bleeding. ¡°I hate this so much right now¡­¡± ¡°Oh, come on, admit it,¡± Mikella grinned. ¡°You love every second of this.¡± After a moment¡¯s hesitation, Myra only grinned back as she chuckled. ¡°Still sucks, though. I got a Vitality stat point from the last blow.¡± ¡°Hey, grats!¡± Mikella cheered before her senses picked up a charged pressured wave coming for her. ¡°Incoming disk!¡± ¡°That bitch is mine!¡± ¡°Oh no you don¡¯t!¡± All in all, the two were having some fun as they raced each other to get their first disk, only to fail once again, but that still never stopped them from trying again and again. Vol2 Ch13: Decision made, he trudges on It was another one of those days where it was bright and early, the wind was a bit chilly but the sun was just warm enough to ward off the cold, and the sounds of screaming from pain and agony was like the chirping of birds in the morning light. All the while, Zeke enjoyed drinking coffee with his new healer friends in the healer¡¯s circle. Most of all the supporters from the retinues were taken off of the course since it relied heavily on physical training. Mages eventually had to train, but they were doing it in a much less demanding course that was set aside by the Hell Barrier. As such, Zeke and the healers of Zacharia¡¯s retinue were left in their own circle, eagerly waiting for any next downed soldier to heal and then put back into the grind. Of course, they didn¡¯t just drink coffee all day. They talked about the fundamentals of healing and other types of support magic, getting Zeke to learn a lot about other types of magic that doesn¡¯t necessarily rely on any single skill. He talked about this with Philip at one point, but apparently any mage can learn how to cast any elemental spell by first learning Mana Perception as a starting point, then trying to conjure magic by, as one would guess, focusing hard on the element they wanted to control. For the simpler types, those wanting to learn wind and water magic could suffuse themselves in that element. Bathing in water or wind, drinking the water and breathing in the air. The sort of thing one would see in movies to get in touch with the element. That way, once they get into the swing of things, they could conjure the magic and then learn the appropriate General Skill for it. In that case, one can learn Water Mastery or Wind Mastery, almost the same as the weapon mastery series. However, one can learn different types of spells from leveling the element masteries. But unlike weapon masteries, one is heavily limited in how many elemental masteries they can learn. Humans are lucky at all to even learn any one type of element magic, and that was only for the four basic elements. If one chose a mage as their class, one can learn several if not more depending on how hard they focus on it and the type of mage they wish to be. But just as the race option on their status menus proved, different races can learn different types of magic. That also included healing and support magic. However, those two in particular are rare to learn. The two healers in front of him are a man and a woman respectively, and the man himself was not a human, but an elf. A half-elf, to be precise. Due to that, his race allowed him to pick up nature mana easily, and thus he became what¡¯s known as a Nature Cleric. As far as Zeke knew, Priests and Cleric classes belonged specifically to churches, or those that fall under the religion of one god or another. Nature Clerics, however, rely on nature itself, deeming it as a deity to worship instead. And just as he expected, the half elf has Nature Mastery, and one of those spells he could learn allows him to heal. The other healer, the girl, was just a human, and like Zeke, she acquired a simple healing Acquired Skill. It was called Cure, and unlike Zeke¡¯s Recovery which focuses on healing at least one target, Cure targets everyone in the vicinity with lower potency. From all this, it somehow got Zeke to help explain how to efficiently heal one specific target with better ease. ¡°Incredible,¡± The human girl around his age, sporting a black bob-like hair with bangs covering one eye, spoke up. ¡°So you focus entirely on the channels rather than the afflicted injury?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what my skill allows me to do,¡± Zeke further explained. ¡°And through that, I was able to infuse my magical energy into their channels, then let it cover the area where I want it to heal the most. But then I found a better way to ease up on the mana consumption.¡± ¡°And that¡¯s focusing on these¡­ ¡®chakras¡¯, right?¡± The half elf said. His tanned skin and mop-like blond hair made him look like a surfer, and unlike how elves were told in his world¡¯s fictions, he was pretty chill. ¡°Spots in the body that¡¯s connected to your soul?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Zeke tried to speak confidently, but he wasn¡¯t sure how to explain a topic that was solely specific from his old world. Chakras are, to Zeke¡¯s lagging knowledge, the seven points of the body that dictate natural energy flow. He believed it was from either Hinduism or Buddhism, but it was a concept he often read in fiction when describing otherworldly powers. So what better way to explain his theory with chakras? He also made it easier for the healers by showing the human body on his barrier, using his finger to draw with Mana Manipulation on the seven different points on the body. ¡°You¡¯ll notice these spots, right? From what I saw with my skill, this is where some of the channels make their energy flow towards that combines all three energies together seamlessly. Then they separate just as easily back into their respective channels. By focusing on these chakras, I could heal a wound a lot faster and easier. It takes a while to find them, but everybody around the world should have them at the same spots.¡± ¡°Does that include other races as well?¡± The half-elf asked, making Zeke ponder by tilting his head. ¡°If they¡¯re humanoid, perhaps. I can¡¯t say for sure about other types of creatures.¡± ¡°Still, it¡¯s an interesting concept,¡± The human girl nodded. Just when either of the two were ready to ask more questions, a screaming soldier fell to the wayside, landing right near the healer¡¯s circle. The poor man was on the ground, groaning in pain and filled to the brim with bruises. His right leg certainly wasn¡¯t supposed to be bent that way either, causing Zeke to wince. ¡°Ooh! My turn!¡± The healer girl said with bright energy, standing up and running towards the downed soldier. ¡°Seven points, right? From bottom to top?¡± ¡°From bottom to top!¡± Zeke yelled back. ¡°Think of it as a line!¡± All in all, it was a pretty thriving day for the healers to learn more about how to heal more effectively. ¡­.. ¡°Alright, everyone. Hands off the course!¡± Zacharia roared, his voice echoing across the entire expanse of the Hell Barrier. Once his voice reached them, every one of his retinue immediately followed his command. Desperately getting away from the Hell Barrier, they lined up in front of him, excluding the healers who didn¡¯t move since they were already off. Mikella and the others took their time, however, mostly grumbling when Zeke realized they were actually rather close to catching their first Target. Mostly Mikella and Myra, though. The other soldiers in their own retinue followed with aching groans and bented forms, including Jackie and Philip. Once everyone settled around them, Zacharia once again gave them a report on how they were doing. He usually does this to mostly his own retinue, rather than to the others. As for their own military force, a special guest arrived along with Cloud after arriving to do their usual check up on the Hell Barrier. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. ¡°Captain!¡± Myra shouted, noticing Val walking by with a pleasant smile along with the two girls by her side, Ana and Clara. Clara waved at Bobo and Sissy, eagerly excited to see them again in their training. She would often come around with Ana in tow, watching the soldiers train and fail spectacularly. For them, it was like watching the funniest home videos in an extreme way, some of them getting into some rather humorous positions that made the kids laugh. Sometimes though. Clara, however, was too nice and often got worried rather than laughing. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you all again,¡± Val said, smiling brighter than before. After the whole month, Val had been recovering extremely well now. Her face had returned to its lustrous form, and her form hadn''t been shaken in a while. Still, anyone could see Cloud¡¯s clear distress, staring at her as though she could fall at any moment. Anyone would tell him that he was needlessly worrying, especially his wife, but that still won¡¯t stop him. For Zeke, who had been the one to personally care for her, a feeling of pride and relief welled up in his chest. He wondered if this is how doctors felt after taking care of an ailing patient for so long before finally recovering enough to leave the hospital for good. ¡°It is good to see you well again, Captain,¡± Jackie and Philip answered, each in their own way. Val smiled back at them, offering her thanks to each. It was a long and painful process of recovery, but now everyone was back on their feet for real. It was a good feeling all in all before Zacharia¡¯s words got everyone to pause. ¡°Now that we¡¯ve seen what the fighters are capable of, it is time for the supporters to join in the fray. Cloud, Valorie¨Cdo you oppose this?¡± ¡°I do not, General,¡± Val replied back. Though the mood between the two hasn¡¯t been restored ever since the prison incident, Val was still observant of the morale of the team, hence she responded amicably. ¡°That¡¯s the best way to move forward, I believe.¡± ¡°I also agree with that.¡± Zeke couldn¡¯t believe his ears when even Cloud agreed. The healers and himself all watched in shock, their eyes widening at the sudden realization of entering the Hell Barrier. Even the other soldiers, even part of Zacharia¡¯s team, showed some concern. Their brows furrowed as looks of worry showed on their faces. Out of everyone here, Mikella was the first to speak out. ¡°Hey, hold on! You can¡¯t seriously expect them to go up there in the course, right?¡± Mikella stepped up to the general, much to the retinue¡¯s shock and awe. Thankfully they weren¡¯t going to pull out their weapons, but their protocol basically saw this as a clear disrespect to their higher authority. ¡°Isn¡¯t this taking it too far?¡± Mikella turned to the lords, just as shocked. ¡°And how come you guys are agreeing to this?¡± Despite her words, and also part of Zacharia¡¯s retinue, the healers nodded in silent agreement. However, the lords responded and made the healers deflate. ¡°You know I hate agreeing with this bastard, but he has a point,¡± Cloud said apologetically to the steaming Mikella. ¡°I believe training the cadets in every form, including the supporters, would always benefit them.¡± ¡°I told you, didn¡¯t I?¡± Val said, turning to Mikella. ¡°Having a good form and a trained body is essential for survival, not just for fighters and front liners. They don¡¯t have to spend all their time on it, but it¡¯s better to keep an able body fit for any sort of situation.¡± Despite their calm words and wisdom, Mikella still shook her head. ¡°But that¡¯s going too far! You know as well as I know that Zeke isn¡¯t the type to just¡­ well, fight! Besides, he can just use his barriers¨Ceveryone here can admit how useful they are!¡± Mikella pointed out to the rest of the soldiers, each of them not disagreeing at all by their solemn stare. Not that they would suddenly speak up without the general¡¯s orders, but at least Myra and the two boys nodded in unison. However, that made Zeke pause. After a bit of careful consideration, he understood why this was needed. And why he needed to do something about this. He stepped up to Mikella, surprising her as he held up a hand up to her shoulder. But instead of speaking to her, he only just stared at her for a moment before turning to the lords and the general in question. ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Mikella practically shrieked which honestly got everyone to wince, especially Zeke as he was the closest. Now all of her attention was on him now as she practically glared at him. ¡°Zeke! What are you doing? You know exactly how hard this course is. Hell, you healed everyone that went through it, so you know more than everyone! So why? Why force yourself to do it?¡± None of it was meant to be an insult, Zeke knew that. Mikella wasn¡¯t the sort to just push someone down from training, after all. She just wasn¡¯t a fan of putting someone through this course on the first day. And Zeke was certain that Mikella had qualms about him participating at all. He doesn¡¯t exactly have a good track record for being a fighter, or being in any fight at all. Even during the raid towards the zombie dungeon, and during it, he mostly stayed back and provided barriers. The only time he had to fight was against Alex the necromancer, but despite the level difference, his fighting was absurdly weak and relied too heavily on his zombies to do everything for him. In other words, Zeke was nowhere near a fighter¡¯s level. His stats proved that. His skills proved that. His history proved that. And that was the reason why he had to try. ¡°Because I don¡¯t want to get separated from you again.¡± Zeke answered with no hesitation. Mikella clamped shut when he did, realizing what he was trying to say. ¡°Back then, I got taken after I got knocked out from that imp exploding in our faces. If I had been stronger, tougher, I could¡¯ve fought back and stayed with you. That didn¡¯t happen, and so many people died. I can¡¯t let that happen. Not anymore.¡± Zeke gritted his teeth, imagining Jackie and Myra remembering the memories of losing Maxie, Philip remembering Lisa¡¯s death. They lost people that they loved, all because they got taken advantage of after the enemy realized his value and seized the opportunity to take him away. After a lot of thought, he realized that his barriers weren¡¯t so powerful if he himself was weak. Take that out, and he would just be a random weak mage with some decent runes and a healing skill. He stared hard at Mikella¡¯s eyes, not even realizing that his nervousness when doing so was gone when he revealed his resolve. Mikella stared back at him, as if daring Zeke to keep staring back at her if he was truly serious. When he never wavered, Mikella was the first to fall. She closed her eyes then turned away, heaving a breath. ¡°I guess I can¡¯t really tell you anything else. Not like I can say anything about it either. Just¡­ just be careful, okay? You have a tendency to hurt yourself.¡± ¡°Kinda funny when you¡¯re the one saying that, but I¡¯ll be careful,¡± Zeke said rather dryly, which only earned him a quick punch to the gut, getting him to wince. It didn¡¯t hurt¨Cat least, not enough to sting afterwards. ¡°Don¡¯t care. I¡¯m tougher, so that¡¯s expected.¡± ¡°Okay, okay, geez¡­¡± Zeke breathed as he returned to his normal posture. He turned to Zacharia who watched earnestly at the scene before speaking again. ¡°So if I¡¯m participating in this course, should I go with the same rules? No skills?¡± For a moment, though he wasn¡¯t quite sure, Zacharia looked at him with a look in his eyes as though it spoke of respect. ¡°You¡¯re allowed to use your barrier. But they cannot be bigger than the size of your hand. Anything bigger, and it would get in the way of your physical progress. But I won¡¯t deny that your barriers are perfect weapons by themselves. As for that, you can also use your healing skill if need be. And I believe you will need it.¡± Zeke nodded, pressing his lips tightly. He kinda figured that already, but it was good to know he had permission firsthand. ¡°Why only the size of the hand?¡± Mikella asked, unable to hold back her curiosity. ¡°Easier Mana consumption, capable of maneuvering between small areas, and most likely capable of being more compact than usual. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± He was taken aback by Zacharia¡¯s words. He didn¡¯t think he already figured out that his barrier can indeed work better if they were smaller, as a wider spread of his barrier increases more of his consumption as well as decreases the potency of the skill. But then he realized that while Zacharia was a general, he was still on the same stage as Cloud, a Journeyman. He nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Then keep it that way. You will be considered disqualified if you use anything bigger than that, even by accident. And don¡¯t expect any of us to rush in to help you if you find yourself in trouble. Is that understood?¡± Zeke nodded again in affirmation. Figuring that was done, Zeke turned to his new healer friends. ¡°Alright, so who wants to join me?¡± The two healers stared at him blankly, their faces paling. They looked like they wanted to do anything, literally anything else, other than joining him. That¡¯s when he realized he might be the only one keen on taking on this type of training. ¡°Okay,¡± Zeke gave up, tilting his head. ¡°More room for me, I guess.¡± Vol2 Ch14: Being useful or being useless Zeke moved ahead towards his own creation, the Hell Barrier, which at this point was foreign to him with so many rune arrays working in tandem to move his barriers along. After approaching it, he finally realized just how difficult it was to discern which to step on due to the similar colors. Was this what the soldiers had to deal with? Now he wished he didn¡¯t openly make fun of them on the side. He figured it was just for shits and giggles, but now he was starting to see that karma was indeed a bitch. He breathed in and out, realizing several things that were already going wrong for him before he even started. For instance, He only just realized that Clara was there to watch. He knew he had to train eventually, and he was glad for it, but now that Clara was watching him intently was causing some butterflies in his stomach. He worried that he might look too ridiculous to keep relying on him. The other mistake was that now since he was going by himself, literally everyone was around staring at him and waiting for him to get on the Hell Barrier. He looked back to see quite a large crowd of soldiers and his comrades watching him, his supposed new healer friends standing by the side, too scared to tackle the training course even with him along. Since he can only use his barrier at a small rate and forced to use his physical body, they had no way of defending themselves. He was honestly surprised how brazen they were to go against Zacharia¡¯s orders despite them being part of his group. He was actually surprised that Zacharia was willing to give the healers some ¡®mental preparation¡¯, but any more than that and they¡¯ll supposedly be in trouble. He noticed some of the disks flying about, but he instantly rejected trying to go after one of them. Not even Mikella could catch these things after so many days spent training, so there was no point. For now, he needed to do baby steps, and that was just to stand in the training course and tackling one of the challenges. For now, he stepped onto the platform to face the first layer of the course¨Cthe one where it focuses on teaching people how to evade appropriately. The whirling dummies swung their arms with such velocity that it felt like watching a rotating fan in his old world. He felt his skin tingle just thinking about getting close, imagining the pain that would come from getting hit. Yet he saw Mikella dodge these with ease all the time, almost at an instinctual level. Surely, it was possible to at least take on one of them, right? He shook his head, and he lightly jumped on his feet. That helped his blood rush throughout his body as he started working up a small sweat. The cold chilly air hitting his skin wasn¡¯t helping though, but rather than trying to keep stalling and fearing that someone is gonna call him out on it, he rushed ahead. Everyone gasped at his sudden rush. Was he not supposed to do that? He had to anyways, so it was probably just figuring out that he wasn¡¯t bluffing. The closer he got to one of the dummies, however, he realized why they were so shocked. These things were fast. Faster than he imagined, and before he could even think about it, he rushed in too deep to stop himself and landed straight onto an arm spinning right at him. It was slightly larger than the other arms, something that could occasionally happen when facing a soldier with a longer weapon than normal. It hurt. It hurt like a bitch. His left abdomen roared in pain as he groaned, unable to even figure out why he even bothered closing in. But he realized too late that after getting away from one, another dummy was about to hit him. The other arm hit him across his face, and pain exploded across his face. His eyesight turned blurry for a second as his body was unable to handle the sudden blow. ¡°Zeke! Watch out! There¡¯s one coming for your leg!¡± He heard Mikella shout. He wasn¡¯t sure whether that was allowed to be said or not, but it wasn¡¯t as though having allies watching out for you was anything bad in combat. Just as he heard, another dummy was closing in when he staggered, the lower arm ready to swipe at his feet. This time, he was ready. He channeled his Mana and summoned a barrier at the size of a small hand right in front of the incoming arm. The arm slammed against the shield he created half-hazardly, but it should be enough to¨C The barrier broke with ease. He has not focused enough concentration to truly make it work. He was so used to making large and powerful barriers that he hadn¡¯t truly focused on creating smaller, more compact barriers. Even at his level, his barrier was only as strong as his concentration, and right now, his concentration was severely lacking. Still, he had enough sense to get away from the dummy, and get away from the entire layer as a whole. He breathed heavily, trying to settle the pain on his stomach and face. He knew the only reason why he wasn¡¯t curling up and screaming in pain from the blows was only due to his Pain Resistance. That really helped him survive quite a lot of trials so far, and he wondered whether that would be his second maxed skill. He had a feeling that might occur if he kept screwing around. But the pain was still there, aching and making him hiss. There was only so much mitigation his resistance skill can give him. His physical stats lacked too much for the incoming attacks. But he knew he couldn''t stay still for long. This was still training. And he sure as hell knew that the enemy won¡¯t suddenly stop and let him rest. So he willed himself to cast Recovery on his affected parts. He had so much practice healing other folks with their own different channels that healing himself was child¡¯s play. His wounds recovered with ease, and the pain stopped circulating his insides. He felt his body working well again, though the phantom aches still hit him hard, and his dizziness was still there. He just had a debuff notification telling him that his mental stats was suffering from the blows, but he put that aside for now. He knew that he might be seeing them more often than he would¡¯ve liked. But just as he was about to turn around and ready himself to face only a single dummy again, he noticed something terrible going on above him. ¡°Zeke! Watch out! It¡¯s gonna¨C He only managed to hear Mikella shout one more time before horror struck him. A training disk was flying just above him, charging a pressurized wave right at him. It hit, and Zeke was too slow to conjure a barrier in time. He was pushed back, his physical stats unable to even keep him grounded as he was pushed forward. Thankfully, it was just a wave rather than a physical force, so he managed to land with just a minor force hitting his lower back and head. He quickly stood up, shaking his head before he found himself in a rather serious predicament. His jaw dropped when he found out where he landed¨Cright in the center between all the dummies in the layer. And one of them was dangerously close to hitting him. At that moment, adrenaline pumped through his veins. His sight became tunnel vision as he only thought about one thing¨Csurvival. He conjured his barrier, this time acclimating to his surroundings by enforcing it in a nanosecond. Once that arm hit it, this time, it struck with a resounding thump rather than just breaking it apart. The arm was swung back, only to be replaced with another incoming swiftly. He tried to use his barrier again, but thought of it better and just hauled ass to the side. If that arm hit his shield again, it would only bring that other arm again, and he was sure the impact this time would¡¯ve broken his concentration. But that lunge only caught him in another blow to the face by another arm belonging to a different dummy, returning him back to his sad reality of being stuck in-between the dummies. He swerved, blocked, and was hit for the next few seconds, unable to really comprehend what was happening. In one case, he thought he was back at Cloud¡¯s study again, studying his runes. That quickly shocked him when the other soldiers began to shout at him to focus. He swiftly returned to find himself being charged with not a dummy, but an incoming flying disk coming at him again. He ducked the incoming pressure wave, hitting another dummy ineffectively. If anything, that only made the arms swing faster and slam his poor ass to the side. Pain raced across his lower back. The impact was so deep that it felt like it hit him right on the spine. There was that small sting residing, reminding Zeke that it was actually possible that his spine might have gotten injured. Was it possible to be paralyzed in this world? Can a normal healing spell help reduce those chances? He stopped caring as he poured more mana into using Recovery than on his barriers, trying to focus on dodging each arm that came across. Unfortunately that only occurred a quarter of the time. Half the time, he was hit across his body part, and the rest of the time was spent hitting his face and head, the worst offenders. Blood flowed. Teeth rattled. His skull aching at just the idea of being hit again. Each blow to his body reminded him of this cruel fact¨Che was weak. He was so weak without his barriers. Forget about getting out of the layer in time¨Cwould he even be able to survive another battlefield like the one back in the tower? Would he have to go back to seeing his comrades die, forcing him to see that horrid funeral pyre once again, this time of his own making? The idea of facing that pyre again, the tears flowing, the sobs caressing his hearing dominated his senses. That fear forced heaviness onto his soul, his very being. The very same one that he was forced to accept when he realized that it was possible that Ana might grow up without a mother. As he dodged, blocked, swerved, and got hit, the idea solidified in his mind. He wasn¡¯t afraid to die¨Che was afraid his actions might lead others to their deaths. His uselessness will kill other people that matter more than himself. His breath was caught in his throat. His mind blanketed at the thought. If his actions led Mikella and Clara to die, then what was the point? He should¡¯ve just stayed in his room and let the world pass him by. At the least, he could serve his purpose of being just a barrier for the town. No! He refused the idea. I don¡¯t want to go back! He refused to be another cog, a tool to be used. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. These two ideas¨Cto be useful and to be used¨Cvied for control within his mind. He wanted to help, he wanted to be useful¨Cbut he refused to be a battery even when it was better suited. He hated how Mikella only wanted him to stay behind to act like a personal shield to use whenever she wanted. He hated how she always had to go out there on her own, wanting nothing more than to protect her at any cost. There was no way out of his mental hellhole as his own body was going through a physical hell hole. Pain stopped mattering as his uselessness was shown to everyone in the group, to the soldiers who looked up at him as a healer and a lord. To Mikella who was crying out in concern, to Clara who was shouting his name with worry in her eyes. ¡°Bobo!¡± He refused to be weak. He hated being useless. So if his barrier isn¡¯t working, his body isn¡¯t catching up with him, and his healing skill isn¡¯t working hard enough to get rid of the pain and anguish he was going through¨Cwhat else does he have? His attunement. The World. It sounded powerful, yet he hasn¡¯t made a clear sign of using it at all. All he could ever really do is reach out with Overreach, but it barely mattered in this current scenario. He told Mikella before that it felt like trying to reach it beyond a wide gap. If he went further, he might lose himself in the process. But at this point, is he really satisfied staying the way he is? Of course not. So he forced himself to reach over the gap, to reach into his core. He strived for his attunement, shining so brightly in the dark distance of his mind. He knew that level of power should push him forward, to get him out of this predicament his stupid ass put himself in. He felt it. A twinge of power surging through him. That was it. He needed that. So he forced himself further and further, reaching into it. While his body continued to play around in the Hell Barrier, trying to survive, his mind stretched for the power buried deep within him. Then he finally grasped it. He pulled, bringing out the power within him. He didn¡¯t exactly know what he can do with it, but with it in hand, he could¨C He could¨C The power¡­ it didn¡¯t just surge. It expanded. It was trying to swallow him whole. His mind blanketed as he stopped caring about the dummies, finally entering into the centerpoint where the other dummies couldn¡¯t reach him. But he had something going on that was far worse. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit! He felt like he was going to overflow. His throat clogged like he was drowning. At the same time, a burning sensation filled his being. It was hotter, fuller, brighter, and more powerful than he had ever sensed before. Fuck. I¡¯m gonna¨CI¡¯m gonna drown. The power was too overwhelming. It forced his mind to search for a way out. He wanted to go back to the other side¨Conly to find out that the power has completely and utterly filled the entirety of his mind. I¡¯m gonna blow! I¡¯m gonna kill everyone! Shit! I can¡¯t stop it! He panicked, sweat riddling his body more than his own blood and bile from his mouth. He paled, the inner fire burning so hot that his physical skin was starting to steam. His own core was burning him inside out. He clutched his chest, his mouth making gurgling sounds that reminded him of actual drowning. But to everyone¡¯s ears, it came out as something else. ¡­.. Something was very wrong. She didn¡¯t know how or why, but Mikella felt it. Something was wrong with Zeke. She rushed ahead, noticing that he suddenly stopped moving about after reaching the center of the layer. He knelt to the ground, his mouth opening and closing like he was struggling to breathe. She didn¡¯t know what to do other than to try and rush ahead, the stupid training be damned. But a hand forced her back away. She growled as she turned to find none other than Val stopping her, moving so fast that she barely caught her presence. ¡°Stop, don¡¯t go,¡± Val said, her tone sounding more intense than before. ¡°What do you mean, he¡¯s¨C¡± Then Zeke screamed. But it wasn¡¯t his usual scream. It carried the same tone, the same pitch. But there was something more. It was the same level of daunting noise that caught them all agape back at the tower. Following that scream, a wave ensued from his person. Everyone felt it immediately. The soldiers screamed in a panic, the magic-focused users folding themselves to the ground on their hands and knees. Zeke continued to scream, and a powerful wave of pressure hit them all. It didn¡¯t just came as a shockwave this time, it was a constant pressure. It built itself on her shoulders, forcing Mikella to grit her teeth. The Journeyman staged users shouted their orders. ¡°Everyone, retreat!¡± Zacharia was the first to respond, getting the soldiers to pay attention to him. ¡°He¡¯s gonna blow!¡± ¡°What?!¡± Mikella shouted, unable to comprehend what Zacharia just said. Then she looked back at Zeke, her eyes widening. Zeke¡¯s body was starting to steam, like he was about to catch on fire. But instead of normal flame, his body was glowing a bright blue, his eyes following suit to becoming bright blue lights instead. His mouth opened wide to keep screaming, continuing to sound alien and foreign to her. In that small instant, Zeke turned to her. He could only mouth the words, his consciousness only just barely there. ¡®Run¡¯. Mikella refused to listen to his plea, instead trying to go after him. But both Val and Myra grabbed her by the shoulders. ¡°Mikky, don¡¯t!¡± Myra shouted, trying to bring her friend back to reality. ¡°You can¡¯t go there!¡± ¡°Shut it!¡± Mikella shouted, her narrowed eyes filled with wet determination. ¡°Zeke! Zeke!¡± ¡°Myra, help me bring her back.¡± Val ordered and Myra complied, forcing Mikella back no matter how much she tried to wrestle away. ¡°Zeke!¡± ¡°Mikky, what about Clara?¡± Myra shouted, bringing her attention back to her. ¡°If she stays here, she could die just from the pressure!¡± That immediately got Mikella¡¯s worry as she turned to find both the girls hugged tight by Cloud, who was already on the move and hauling ass away with the kids. Even though she wanted to help Zeke, if literally everyone, including the Journeyman users, were running away, what other choice did she have? The air started to quake along with the dreadful noise and the cacophony of pressure ensuing. It was like a powerful orchestra of majesty and power was resounding all over to the point that the town barrier was beginning to shift uncontrollably. Mikella could only watch as she tried to force herself away, turning back with the others as the soldiers ran away from the training course. Once they got a decent distance away, Cloud shouted to everyone as the girls were safely pulled away with the help of the other soldiers. ¡°Everyone, get back! I¡¯m pulling on the barrier to protect us!¡± ¡°Cloud, can you actually control Zeke¡¯s power?¡± Val shouted to be sure, surprising Mikella that he could actually do that. ¡°As lords, it¡¯s possible for us to share powers if we¡¯re connected to the Unity Core, but this is the first time I¡¯ve ever done this, honestly,¡± Cloud looked back at the charging power that was already starting to destabilize the Hell Barrier surrounding him. ¡°But better to try it now than to regret not doing it later.¡± He raised his hand, the feeling of mana surging from within him. With a grunt, he willed the mana to bend to his needs. Mikella saw the Barrier that once acted as the protection for the town shift. It felt wrong, almost as if someone was forcing it to work against its own master. Like a living thing, it resisted Cloud''s pull. He was showing active strain as the surge of intense power kept radiating from Zeke¡¯s direction. It was enough to have some of the soldiers bleed from their ears, their lips cut from biting into them so hard to bear through the pressure he was giving off. She hated this. She hated this so much, but she forced herself to move towards Cloud against Val¡¯s orders and placed her hand on Cloud¡¯s own. Please, do as he says. Just like that, Cloud¡¯s focused consternation on his face vanished as the barrier easily bent to his will. The town barrier shifted and changed, reforming itself around to put the screaming and agonizing Zeke outside of its range, leaving only the soldiers protected. Cloud looked back at her in shock, only to see Mikella look back at him with a frown. ¡°I figured it was easier to let me handle that. In some way, we¡¯re connected, remember?¡± Deciding that was enough, Cloud nodded in agreement as he watched Zeke along with the others as the power now began to glow. It turned bright and hot, like watching an actual sun being born right there in front of them. After Zeke saw that everyone was out of his sight, protected within his barrier, it was as though he held nothing back. He roared, a primal sound that came deeper than his own core. And soon everything turned bright white. ¡­.. The citizens who were just trying to return to their normal lives after the ambush several months ago watched as a pillar of light suddenly formed outside of the town¡¯s barrier. It was so bright, it beat the afternoon studded star¡¯s light and casted shadows everywhere around the town. The citizens shouted in fear and panic, expecting another attack. But thankfully, the barrier held firm. Despite the explosion of air pressure surely happening outside, the trees outside of the town bending and breaking from the force, the rest of the town was utterly safe. That is, until the barrier itself began to shift and tear itself apart, the power too much even for its own defenses. Much to the citizen¡¯s relief, however, it held. As the pillar of light slowly disintegrated, hopefully never to return again, the barrier finally gave in and broke apart. The town was once again freed to be attacked at any moment, but the citizens couldn''t really do anything about it. Instead, they braced themselves. They knew the lords were here now, and even the lord in name who provided the barrier was here. As long as they were around, they were safe, but they weren¡¯t fools. After being pushed around by the world around them so many times, they had enough of being targets. They turned weary, expecting some soldiers to come in to take them out again. This time, they were ready, with their own soldiers and even their own weapons granted by the smith for this very purpose. And as time slowly passed, the feeling of bloodlust faded, thankfully. No blood was shed, and no battles were fought. The citizens slowly returned back to normal, expecting the barrier to return back to how it once was. Of course, that didn¡¯t stop the citizens from gossiping at what the hell they just saw. Perhaps a spell has gone awry? But it certainly wasn¡¯t that powerful before, no matter how strong the mages were. They certainly had a lot to talk to the lords once they returned. ¡­.. Her eyes burned from the intensity, but only for a moment. The barrier held, but once the energy dispersed, the barrier was taken down along with it. It was a miracle that it even held at all. Even the Journeyman watched in awe at the power displayed in front of them. As for the soldiers, they weren¡¯t at awe¨Cthey were in astonishment and fear. Mikella looked towards the only one victim that the blast caught, but was also honestly distracted at the result of the explosion of power. A deep crater was formed where the Hell Barrier was once at. It eclipsed the size of the Hell Barrier, becoming several diameters bigger. She could only see a vast darkness underneath it all, not even the light of the studded star capable of discerning what was there. Did Zeke blew up so much land that it reached the core of the entire world or something? But just as she thought about him, she desperately searched for the same boy that blew up the world. She saw him, finally, and as she feared, his body was just limp in the air as gravity finally took hold. On some level, his body floated in the air as his energy took control of him, but now that his power was gone, his body soon followed gravity¡¯s will, heading directly towards the crater. ¡°Zeke!¡± This time, nobody stopped her as they instead followed her. Myra ran after her, fully intending to save their barrier mage that was about to fall to whatever dark hole that was down there. As she reached the edge of the barrier, she lunged at the falling mage. Her attunement coiled around her feet as she flared Dragon Descent, giving her enough control to dash forward at an incredible speed across the huge gap and catch Zeke by the arms. Unfortunately she didn¡¯t really think about much else as now the two were now falling together, but not any longer. A wave of cold air manifested around Mikella as ice suddenly formed beneath her, catching her mid-air and nearly crashing into it. They slid off the slippery ice and straight back towards the edge Mikella jumped from. They hit the wall, several miles down from where she jumped. Mikella felt icey burns across her skin, and her already wounded body was aching more. But she looked up to find not only Myra, but the panting Piker with his blade out. Looking down at them, Mikella shouted her thanks as she then looked back at the downed Zeke in her arms. He looked so pale, and now he was deathly cold. But he still breathed, even if it was ragged and dry, As long as he was alive, that was enough. She cradled him in her arms, thanking her lucky stars that no deaths occurred. Though when Zeke wakes up, she is definitely going to kill him in every single way she could possibly imagine. And she was going to have Clara help along. She deserves to punish him just as much as Mikella did for making them so worried. Vol2 Ch15: Sometimes, mistakes are made By the time Zeke awoke, he holed up within Cloud¡¯s study for the remainder of the day. Not due to injuries or anything of the like¨Che just hid away to avoid being confronted by the others. Unlike before, he knew exactly what happened. He tried to reach into his attunement, something that felt so far away from him that trying to focus on it at anytime felt impossible. At the time, where his body and mind were stressed, he thought he could channel into that power. He also thought he would just go a little crazy, like how Mikella¡¯s lightning goes sometimes. He turned out to be completely wrong. Rather than a bit of power going amuck, an atomic bomb took place and nearly wiped out the entirety of the northern forest of the town. If he hadn¡¯t had his barrier for the town up by then, and if Mikella hadn¡¯t somehow managed to convince the barrier to exclude him out¨Call the restorative work they have done onto the town would¡¯ve been wiped away. The air pressure alone could have harmed people, perhaps even killed them in their lower stages. He lost control of it all, and he knew now that it was impossible to control. Somehow, it seemed that picking Undeath would¡¯ve been a better choice. At least it could¡¯ve been controlled. Instead, he had an attunement that was as strong as the power of the sun from the old world thrust into his body without his consent. But no matter how much he wanted to excuse that his power was just uncontrollable, the fact was that he messed up. Big time, in fact. Now there was a giant crater that he had no idea what to do with. But rather than dealing with the aftermath, he spent the entire time in the study after asking for a bit of alone time to gather his thoughts. He kept reading book after book, not really for gathering knowledge but to stew in his thoughts. He didn¡¯t know how to face the others after what happened. After the whole speech with Mikella about taking care of himself to avoid letting others die, he almost killed nearly all the citizens in Eve Glade. Thankfully it didn¡¯t seem like he was damaged in any way. He received the same debuff as before, his channels being too sore to cast any magic at the moment. He was angry at his attunement, at his strange position, and mostly at himself for letting it all happen. In the end, magic was about self-control, to calm yourself and let the magic flow seamlessly. Worst yet, the sisters were needlessly worried and angry at him, but he ran away before they could really hammer it in. He wanted to die from the embarrassment, the sickening feeling of being so damn useless to just blow up like that. It felt like all of his awesome achievements in the past half year went up in smoke in everyone¡¯s eyes. Would the citizens denounce him as a lord now? Would the lords kick him out due to that? Would his own family be harrassed because of this? A knock on the door pushed him out of his spiraling thoughts to the abyss. ¡°Who is it?¡± He spoke up, ignoring the clearly despairing thoughts as he half-expected Mikella, Val, Cloud¨Chell, even Zacharia to come in to talk about what happened. Instead, he heard someone completely unexpected. ¡°Bobo? Are you okay? Can I come in?¡± It was Clara. He wondered whether Mikella pushed her into this, but realized that if Mikella hasn¡¯t come in to check on him all this time, she wanted to help him get some personal time for himself to sort this out. So there was no way Mikella would force Clara to check on him. So if anything, this was done by her own decision. Not wanting to be the type of old man that would snap at a young child¡¯s worry, he answered. ¡°Yeah¡­ yeah, I¡¯m fine. Come in, door¡¯s open.¡± The knob turned slowly as the door opened up to reveal the little girl, her dark hair slightly longer and reaching over her eyes and covering half of her face. She was growing bigger every month, Zeke swore, and she was that much closer in appearance to Mikella. Yet, he somehow saw the little girl from back when he first spotted her in the knight¡¯s dungeon. The scared look on her face as she faced someone she didn¡¯t know how to talk to. Zeke offered a warm smile, prompting her to sit by him. No matter how shitty he felt, he always had time for Clara. Clara instantly beamed and dashed towards the seat near him and plopping herself down. Today she wore a red button shirt with gray slacks, leather sandals covering her feet. Mikella always did her best to help with her fashion, making Clara realize the importance of looking good no matter the time¨Cit was only natural to prop up her natural good looks, as she always said. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Zeke asked after a bit of time passed after she sat down. She hesitated for a while, her lips pressed together after realizing that she didn¡¯t speak up at all. After a bit of hesitation, she finally spoke up. ¡°Are you okay?¡± She asked. ¡°Like, really okay?¡± ¡°Of course I am,¡± Zeke answered easily. ¡°Then¡­ how do you feel?¡± Clara eventually asked. That took him by surprise. He did just answer her, didn¡¯t he? ¡­After a closer look, Zeke realized exactly what Clara was talking about. She wasn¡¯t asking for a physical report¨Cshe asked how he ¡®felt¡¯. And the idea of lying to her just to make her feel better felt almost like mockery. He knew what she felt like when he was his age, to want to help even though there wasn¡¯t much help you can do. She was a child¨Cto push any kind of responsibility onto her would be cruel. But¡­ he also wanted to appease her, to tell her that what she was doing is kind and should be rewarded. He may not feel like talking, but somehow her eyes told him otherwise. ¡°I¡­ well, I don¡¯t feel great,¡± Zeke eventually said. When he turned to look at her, she looked at him with fervor in her eyes. She stayed quiet, listening intently. Well, he supposed he could use a therapist¨Ceven if she was too young to get a license. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°I messed up, Clara,¡± Zeke let out. ¡°I messed up big time. It¡¯s like I pissed myself in front of everyone. Even after I told Sissy that I was gonna be fine. I¡¯m just really embarrassed right now.¡± Zeke chuckled, bitterness leaking out of him. He didn¡¯t want to show Clara this pathetic side of him, but it was better than scaring her and saying that he was fine. He didn¡¯t want to be the kind of adult that Clara has to step on eggshells around. He wanted to be someone she can trust in, and if possible, someone that she could help if she could. If he could aid her in becoming an adult that cares for others, that¡¯s honestly all he could ask for. For a moment, Clara stayed quiet. After Zeke stayed silent for another second or two, she finally spoke up. ¡°I get it,¡± Clara nodded. ¡°But I don¡¯t think you should be embarrassed. You made a mistake. Everybody makes mistakes, that¡¯s what Vivian said.¡± Zeke paused, taking the words to heart. Those were some damn good words, and he was glad that Vivian was teaching her these valuable lessons. It did feel kinda shitty that now he was receiving them straight from Clara though. Wasn¡¯t he supposed to be the older brother here? ¡°I guess¡­¡± He answered slowly. ¡°And everyone¡¯s worried about you! They¡¯re not laughing at you, or making fun of you. Everyone thought that you¡¯re hurt or scared. Sissy keeps running around the house, being more worried than everyone else.¡± Zeke winced, figuring that was the case. But instead he just kept being holed up in Cloud¡¯s study like a petulant child throwing a tantrum. To hear it from Clara was even worse. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right,¡± Zeke nodded. He wasn¡¯t even trying to placate her. She really was right. ¡°I just¡­¡± He hesitated, not really knowing exactly what else to say. It would sound like more excuses if he was honest. However, Clara interrupted him. ¡°But if you don¡¯t wanna come out, that¡¯s fine,¡± Clara quickly said. ¡°I¡¯ll stay here with you until you feel better. Then we can head out together!¡± His chest tightened again, a feeling of wetness ready to overcome his eyes. She wanted to help him so much that she¡¯d be willing to stay in this boring drab room with him for who knows how long. He knew he should get out at some point, but his feeling of shame overwhelmed him every time. Now, if he doesn¡¯t get out, Clara will join in with his despair. And honestly? After talking with her, all his depressing thoughts just vanished. He was still here, wasn¡¯t he? He was alive and he can still move. That means he can still work. ¡°That so?¡± Zeke smirked at her. ¡°Guess I better head out then.¡± ¡°What?¡± Clara asked almost in shock. ¡°Already?! You don¡¯t wanna stay with me that badly?¡± Zeke couldn¡¯t help but hug her, rubbing her head all the while. Clara looked like she wanted to fight back, but eased into his hug as she snuggled to his chest. ¡°Of course not. I wanna take a bath, and honestly, this place kinda stinks. Don¡¯t you smell it?¡± After a short moment, Clara quickly pushed him away, her face scrunched up in disgust. ¡°Ewww! Stinky!¡± Clara shouted. ¡°Go take a bath, stinky!¡± Zeke couldn¡¯t help but laugh as he gladly let Clara lead him out of the study, hand in hand. Even if he was now Mr. Stinky, she wouldn¡¯t let him go, perhaps afraid that he might run back to the study. He was done hiding now. If Clara was that worried for him, then there was no point in hiding anymore. He¡¯ll face the music, one way or another. ¡­.. When Mikella saw Zeke coming out with Clara holding his hand, her heart swelled in delight and relief. She wanted to give Zeke some room for himself, as clearly hiding himself away into a study and getting everyone to worry wasn¡¯t something he normally did. Due to the circumstances, however, Mikella had to oblige. So when she saw Clara coming in without being prompted to the study, she worried whether Zeke would react negatively. In the end, there was a reason why Clara liked Zeke quite a bit. Zeke was just the kind of person to just ¡®get¡¯ Clara. She wouldn¡¯t say that Clara is autistic, at least according to her medical records, but Clara did indeed go at her own pace. So some folks often have a misunderstanding about her, often saying that she wasn¡¯t ¡®all there¡¯ in her head, or just too strange to be around. That¡¯s why those shitty brats at her primary school never hung out with her. That¡¯s where she firmly believed that those who liked Clara and enjoyed being around her are the good guys, and those that don¡¯t are assholes that deserved to be punished by the law. Is she being biased? Who cares? So she ignored it. Eventually Zeke did as he promised and bathed to get rid of the grime and sweat from the turmoil of the incident. Having been called Mr. Stinky once again by Clara was enough of a motivator it seems. Eventually he returned to the living room, fresh as a daisy with a proud Clara in front of him, her hands on her hips and her chest puffed out. ¡°Sissy! I got Bobo out! Praise my badassery!¡± Mikella chuckled as she went over and did that, patting her head. ¡°Good job. You did the impossible.¡± Clara just giggled as she and Mikella sat over to the sofa to relax for the day, only realizing that Zeke was left standing there awkwardly. After being prompted, Zeke tried to sit on the sofa far away from them, only to receive a glare from the two girls. Cowed as he was, he moved enough to nearly squish them into the other side of the sofa as usual with Clara at the center. Clearly he was still embarrassed after what happened. When Mikella asked for details, ensuring that he didn¡¯t have to answer anything too difficult, Zeke divulged everything right away. He was embarrased, acting as though he just messed up right after trying to show off how he can handle everything. Mikella could see that in his perspective, but nobody else thought of him that way. Once they returned, the citizens nearly went into a panic and asked many questions to the lords who arrived to appease them. It took a while, and Mikella was certain there were still a few who were disappointed by the answer, but most of them were relieved that Zeke was fine after he had an accident that caused his own power and the barrier to collide by accident. That way, nobody would assume that massive amount of power belonged to just one man, but instead an accident that occurred after everyone were training together against the barrier that went against the lord¡¯s expectations. Not exactly a lie, but not exactly the truth either to avoid unneeded suspicion. Nobody else in the retinue said anything either, though Mikella knew they were contemplating over what they just witnessed. Even now, she could feel the ghost aches of that pressure, the same one she felt right at the end of the undeath dungeon. To her surprise, Clara didn¡¯t felt anything, or at least didn¡¯t show that she felt anything. Unlike what happened back at the first dungeon where Clara was bleeding out from the giant knight¡¯s own pressure. Perhaps it was due to the lack of the system in her body, or perhaps Zeke, despite losing himself, still managed to ensure that the kids were okay. Even as he told his own perspective, he often avoided looking at Mikella¡¯s eyes, as though ashamed to face them again. She decided not to give him a hard time on that due to the circumstances. Plus, she liked the way he squirmed sometimes. It greatly amused her. This was honestly the first time she had that much fun with a guy even back during the old world. Romance and her just didn¡¯t mix well, as her life was submerged into training for gymnastics and taking care of Clara, during the time when her mother and father were having more fun duking it out and making a hindrance in the house. If boys didn¡¯t get that they could never be a higher priority than Clara and her training, then they weren¡¯t worth her time. There was also something about her personality being too high-strung for them to handle according to her friends, but she just believed that they didn¡¯t have any backbone. But despite all of that, Zeke continued to be by her side, as though he was more glad that Clara was there rather than the other way around. Eventually, however, he soon faced her. His eyes were clearly showing guilt and shame, but at least they also showed that he was willing to repair what was broken, to recover back his stride. If she was honest, she thought that was rather handsome. If just a little. But soon the door opened up to reveal the Mystio family coming along, noticing the Runist out of his shell and ready to tackle what exactly happened. Vol2 Ch16: Surprising news ¡°Hey, Zeke!¡± Val spoke aloud when Ana came rushing in to hug Clara to get started on playing. ¡°You¡¯re out! How are you feeling?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Zeke nodded to her and Cloud as they returned and closed the door behind them. ¡°Sorry for worrying you guys. I¡¯m still alive, if that¡¯s what you¡¯re wondering.¡± ¡°After what you did, that¡¯s a miracle,¡± Cloud said, smirking slightly. But he noticed Zeke¡¯s quickly diminishing spirit as he explained. ¡°Before you ask, the damage isn¡¯t all that bad. Thanks to your barrier which is still in place, by the way, nobody came up hurt or even inconvenienced.¡± ¡°Really, that level of power¡­¡± Val shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s a wonder you¡¯re still even awake right now.¡± Mikella watched as Zeke deflated slightly. Certainly, the power he wielded just now was absolutely crazy to consider. Enough to blast a hole to the other side of the world from her perspective at least. ¡°I know, but¡­ I feel like I messed up badly,¡± Zeke admitted, his shoulders slumped. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. You survived, so you can fix it, right?¡± Mikella added, not even divulging the specifics. But Zeke finally brightened up a little as he nodded back at her. ¡°Good. So, how are you, status-wise?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Zeke said with a shrug. ¡°Same debuff as last time though. I don¡¯t think I can cast anything too powerful for the next¡­ few weeks, I think.¡± Mikella¡¯s eyes widened at that. Hearing those words felt surreal, but she knew Zeke knows his shit when it came to magic. If he says he can¡¯t cast anything strong, it¡¯s the same as not being able to participate in competitions after tearing a ligament. One needed time to recover, and more time for physical therapy and proper exercises. ¡°That¡¯s a wise decision,¡± Val nodded in agreement. ¡°Still, I know that your attunement is from a higher realm, but that level of power was just too much.¡± ¡°Zeke, I know it¡¯s only been recent, and I¡¯m sure you¡¯d rather just drop this and rest, but I really want to ask you what went through your head when it happened. Perhaps we can find a way to mitigate the damages in case you ever decide to use it again.¡± After a moment¡¯s hesitation, Zeke nodded in agreement. But rather than just explaining about his earlier feelings¨Che let everything out. How he felt when he first got it, how it feels like he explained before, how he tried to go beyond that and eventually felt like he was about to explode with energy. Cloud nodded along as he listened intently. Val just stared at Zeke, her sight going beyond that and thinking hard as he explained. Mikella, however, could only get baffled at everything. She figured that all magic was just like how she used her attunement. Like a power that one can pull out by straining their muscles and intending for it to come out. But from what he said, it sounded like opening the flood gates and hoping not to get drowned by it. Is that even considered useful anymore? ¡°Regardless of how you received it, one thing¡¯s certain¨Cyou¡¯re not allowed to use it until you have a good grasp on it,¡± Val said, crossing her arms as she gave her thoughts. ¡°Normally, mages that went through what you did would lose their minds over the power, and I don¡¯t mean that they want to take over as kings or something¨CI mean literally lose their minds from the sheer amount of power going through them.¡± ¡°He has the Steadfast Mind skill, so that won¡¯t be an issue¡± Cloud said, reminding everyone of the useful skill. ¡°Considering he could still use magic meant that he¡¯s made of stern stuff. But Val¡¯s right¨Cyou need to take it easy. I¡¯ll convince Zacharia to leave you out of training and everyone else can just take a break. It¡¯s about time you guys had one anyways.¡± ¡°And, uhh¡­¡± Zeke pressed his teeth together in awkwardness. ¡°The hole? The giant hole? Shouldn¡¯t I try to¨C¡± ¡°No, absolutely not,¡± Val spoke with such finality that it even surprised Zeke and made him wilt again. even Mikella could feel the true power of a mother coming from her. ¡°You are to rest¨Cthat¡¯s an order from a lord in a superior position than you. Mikella, Make sure Zeke doesn¡¯t go too far.¡± Mikella nodded. ¡°This time I¡¯ll make sure he¡¯s probably leashed.¡± ¡°Y-You¡¯re not actually gonna do that, are you?¡± Mikella only smiled deviously at him. She could ask Adam to make her something. He does owe them¨Cand if he wants to keep having his forge fixed, he¡¯ll do anything to make sure Zeke doesn¡¯t go too far again. ¡°For the hole, we¡¯ll figure something out. Honestly, after all the crap we went through, fixing a giant hole isn¡¯t as bad as restoring the town. Sure, we might take a while, but it¡¯s better than nothing. Still, Zacharia seemed strangely interested in that hole, though.¡± ¡°Huh? Why?¡± Mikella asked. ¡°Apparently he sent one of the scouts to find out just how deep it went. And boy¡­ it goes deep.¡± Zeke gulped as Mikella figured that was the case. ¡°At first, I figured he was trying to assess the damage. But after a while to figure out what was going on, he seemed adamant in studying the hole left behind.¡± ¡°I-Is it because of my power?¡± Zeke asked, but Cloud shook his head. ¡°That much was obvious enough, and he¡¯s nothing like those military fanatics¨Che won¡¯t ever order you to use that power again unless specifically ordered. He may be a prick that uses others like tools, but he still wants to keep his tools intact.¡± ¡°Cloud, please, let¡¯s not bring any of that grudge in the house,¡± Val let out a deep breath, but Cloud only shrugged in response. ¡°So, does this mean we¡¯re back to construction duty?¡± Mikella asked, and once again Cloud shook his head. ¡°No, like I said¨Crest. For gods¡¯ sake, the amount of work you two do for the town is enough to put others to shame. Take it easy, relax. Maybe go on a date. Have you even taken the time to enjoy the town at night without having to defend it for once?¡± That immediately got the two to share equally embarrassed looks. Zeke darted his eyes away, his cheeks blazing, while Mikella only looked away. Ignoring the heat in her own face, she responded. ¡°W-We¡¯re not¨C¡± Soon, a knock came from the door, surprising everyone there. Looking back at one another, Cloud opted for the door and opened it up. The look of his face twisting to that of annoyance made it clear who it was that came in. ¡°Zacharia,¡± Cloud spoke off-handedly, tilting his head. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve come to see how Zeke is,¡± Zacharia spoke up from outside, already looking over behind him to see the man in question. ¡°And to report what we have found.¡± Despite Cloud¡¯s unadulterated desire to not let him in, shaking his head, he opened the door wide. ¡°Come in. Oh, and take off the armor¨CI don''t wanna track dirt in the house.¡± Stolen story; please report. Mikella figured Cloud was just being an ass at that point, something that Mikella can respect. But to her surprise, Zacharia nodded in agreement and placed his hand over his armored cuirass. In an instant, his armor glowed bright white, then it literally disappeared without a trace. What was left behind was just casual clothing of a tank top silk shirt, rugged leather pants, and even leather shoes which he respectfully took off as they were indeed tracked with dirt. Once he got inside, both Mikella and Zeke marveled at what they just saw. An instant armor change? Is that some sort of skill, or some sort of feature allowed by the system? She never heard of anything like that before. ¡°What you saw was a feature of Zacharia¡¯s storage pack,¡± Val explained to the dumbfounded adults. ¡°Super expensive to get, but it has a lot of other unique properties, purely for handling inconveniences such as taking off that bulky armor, and putting it back on with no problem. It does require a bit of fine-tuning to get all that armor in a flash, though.¡± The two were left awestruck as Zacharia stepped over, standing in place in front of them all. He looked over to Val with a nod. ¡°Captain, I am glad to see that you are doing well. I take it you¡¯re ready to fight again?¡± ¡°Possibly, yes,¡± Val smiled politely. ¡°Thanks to Zeke, I was able to recover faster than normal. But what brings you here, Zacharia? Surely you can see that Zeke is fine.¡± ¡°Yes, I see that,¡± The general then turned to Zeke, his ever stoic gaze always making Mikella unsettled. ¡°Have you been injured, or perhaps disabled in some way?¡± ¡°I got a debuff, causing me to feel sore. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to use big magic for a while, but maybe in a few weeks I¡¯ll recover completely,¡± Zeke reported as dutifully as he could. For a man like Zacharia, all the details was necessary. ¡°I see,¡± Zacharia nodded, scratching his well-trimmed beard. ¡°Considering that this is all you had to go through for something like that¡­ still, better to be cautious. Right now, your true worth is in your support, so make sure to do exactly that¨Cuse only the barest of magic power until you are recovered completely.¡± ¡°Yes sir,¡± Zeke said, nodding. He wondered if he really had to keep up the act of talking with the general after seeing him in what looked like comfort clothes. Still, it¡¯s not like he can get rid of his polite self. ¡°Oh, I said I can¡¯t use big magic, but I meant stuff like defending a giant horde or facing a strong monster. I can still use basic barriers and runes for everyday stuff.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Zacharia said. ¡°That is great to hear, because I happen to have news that everyone here will be glad to know.¡± Everyone immediately turned to him, and when they saw that Zacharia once again changed his expression to an even rarer grin, Mikella felt a shiver down her spine. That was way too strange, especially for the man as cold as he was to nearly torture his son for information. ¡°What¡¯s this about?¡± Cloud asked, way too curious to even bother looking distressed at Zacharia¡¯s expression. ¡°The giant hole Zeke created,¡± Zacharia explained. ¡°There was something off about the depths, so I had one of my scouts check in. The only reason why I¡¯m telling you this now is solely because she had just finished her surveillance.¡± ¡°But¡­ that was hours ago, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Val asked, her eyes widening. ¡°Precisely. The hole was deep enough to go for several miles, perhaps hundreds of miles. I¡¯m not sure how you managed it, but you went beyond even a country¡¯s worth of distance.¡± Hearing the actual length of that hole made the adults staggered. Mikella could hardly believe it. ¡°Okay¡­¡± Mikella eventually said, shaking her head a little. ¡°That¡¯s cool and all, but what exactly was the point of that?¡± ¡°The point is¡­¡± Zacharia¡¯s grin suddenly turned fierce. ¡°We found something down there.¡± ¡­.. Zyler¡¯s muscles ached, and his tendons felt like they were starting to rust from underuse. He wanted to move, fight, stretch, fuck, and run before his heart gave out¨Call at the same time. The after-effects of his Journeyman advancement was proving to be difficult to go through on a daily basis. But damn, was it worth the power it bestowed upon him. But he couldn¡¯t stand the idea of his Dexterity stat capped at a measly 200. It was a sin to have such a low amount compared to how much he had grown over the past few years. If it wasn¡¯t for that stupid stat block, he could¡¯ve gone well beyond his normal limits. Still, there was no way around it. No matter how prosperous his father¡¯s city was, it wasn¡¯t as though everything was picture perfect. Hence the reason why he wishes to leave the gods-forsaken chair that was forcing him to stand still and listen to his father¡¯s subordinates give their usual reports. Gods, he hated having to stand still. Why did his father have to go out at this point and leave this kind of grunt work to him? He¡¯s the mage, for gods¡¯ sake, he should be the one to sit around and do jack shit while also still getting stronger at the same time. Even when he was a mage himself at one point, it was the worst mistake of his life. No matter how much his dear old pops wanted him to be a mage, even he had to admit that being a mage was the worst outcome for him. He likes to move¨Cand he likes to tear things apart rather than blow shit up. Though blowing shit up was nice, if he could do that. But tearing the limbs off of your prey was so much more enjoyable. Thankfully, his thoughts of his next prey at his hands sated his urges a little. One of the subordinates, a little man with barely any muscle to stand on his own two legs, kept speaking in that matter of tone that would make a whole class of students want to drift off to dreamland. ¡°Unfortunately, the attack on Eve Glade resulted in utter failure,¡± The old man, who Zyler could barely give a rat¡¯s ass to even remember his name, said with a grumbling tone. ¡°Not only have the ambush resulted in us losing several platoons of our fine soldiers, but the town is quickly recovering in a pace that made it impossible for us to pressure them to join our core¡¯s territory. Not only that, but the kingdom has been requesting for several interventions regarding this matter, and the amount of compensation expected of this would result in us losing our net worth. And even more unfortunate news, the Federation is now demanding further payment in forms of metal and steel even as our mines are running low.¡± So in other words, dear old Bastion¡¯s fucked, huh? Zyler was still able to comprehend a little of the old man¡¯s words. He himself felt the losses, once again unable to get his hands on an item that would solve his stat issues in a blink of an eye. Cloud and Valorie Mystio. They were the lords in charge of the town, and famed Journeyman that even the king of Sham La recognized. Even for Zyler, being in the same stage of them, could consider them too famous to touch. Still, just because they¡¯re famous doesn¡¯t mean they''re invincible. Especially when it was rumored that they started on making a sphere of inheritance for their daughter. Of course, being a Journeyman, the only worth of that sphere is the excess energy he could get to break through a stat or even two. But once it was revealed that it was the only way to create that barrier that stumped their platoons before the elite team showed up, Zyler had not been in the best of moods for a long while. Still, he got over it. It¡¯s been over three months since then, and he managed to finally get a control over his urges¡­ to a degree. He still wanted to tear these old farts apart with his bare hands, and might even be inclined to do so if he wasn¡¯t careful. And their only crime from pissing him off is that they were just so boring to listen to. At least bring in some girls with scant clothing. At least then he¡¯ll be distracted enough to listen properly. As the talks continued on, it was revealed that they were able to get some more information regarding Eve Glade, something that caught Zyler by surprise after the old man continued. ¡°The time to begin another attack in earnest will soon arrive. However, as of this moment, we should pour our efforts to meet up with the demands of the Federation, and only then can we continue with our goals.¡± ¡°Hold on,¡± Zyler spoke up, getting everyone¡¯s attention as the young master of the city finally began to talk throughout the entire meeting. Not that they believe him to be a fool even if he goes down the path of a fighting lunatic. It was considered national knowledge that Zyler just didn¡¯t give a shit about politics or meetings. But even then, they followed the mayor¡¯s orders to the letter to have Zyler partake in the meetings. So him speaking up for once was quite frankly an unexpected event. ¡°So we¡¯re not ready to attack them yet? We still gotta wait?¡± ¡°Y-Yes,¡± The old man stuttered a bit from the sudden response, but he quickly composed himself. ¡°With our reports of Eve Glave receiving more attention from the kingdom, and assuredly they are preparing themselves for any of our own attacks, we still have no chance of getting back into the assault without losing too many of our resources. What¡¯s more, we could not push and prod or else we will end up angering our benefactors. I¡¯m afraid that we must slow our progress until such time has come.¡± ¡°Damn it¡­¡± Zyler growled, and it wasn¡¯t the normal growl of a male warrior. It was deep, primal, practically frightening the old men that were around him. Everyone in this entire city knows that when Zyler gets angry, one must always steer clear. As for Zyler, he could only curse the gods for his shitty luck. Who knew how long this could last? Still, he shook his head. There was at least one thing he had on hand, something that his dear sister told him about months ago. ¡°And¡­ What of the biodome? Had they found out yet?¡± ¡°That is¡­¡± The old man seemed to hesitate, then actually visually swallowing air, he responded. ¡°That is to say¡­ I believe they did.¡± ¡°Fuck!¡± The old men had never ran faster in their lives as Zyler roared and started throwing the giant table they were sitting at straight towards the window. Vol2 Ch17: Biodomes and Mana control ¡°A Biodome?¡± Zeke asked, his single brow rising. ¡°You¡¯re serious?¡± Cloud asked. There was no hint of grumbling or even curiosity. An intensity was behind his eyes, glaring right at Zacharia who sat by on a chair on his own. ¡°An actual Biodome? Right underneath our own town?¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t joke around, Cloud¨Cespecially not this one,¡± Zacharia said with absoluteness. Cloud only slumped back on their sofa with Val¡¯s mouth open and in surprise. ¡°If that¡¯s true, then¡­ Cloud, we might have found a literal treasure trove!¡± Val said, holding and shaking Cloud¡¯s arm to the point of shaking his entire body along with it. Of course, Zeke and Mikella could only stare at each other confusedly. Dungeons they heard about, as well as towers, but Biodomes? ¡°Okay, so¡­¡± Mikella raised her hand, deciding to break the ice for themselves. ¡°What are Biodomes?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not surprised you wouldn¡¯t know, being alien visitors to our world,¡± Zacharia said. Apparently the general didn¡¯t know that his words brought them to scowl at him as he continued. ¡°But everyone who knows about dungeons knows about the legends surrounding Biodomes.¡± ¡°You can ignore him,¡± Val said, displaying a scowl at the general as she turned to the two with a gentle smile. ¡°Biodomes are self-contained worlds within our own, with similar concepts to a dungeon like back in the tower¨Cbut this is on a much grander scale!¡± Val opened her hands as she exclaimed, her eyes practically glittering in excitement. This actually got the two excited as Cloud continued for her. ¡°Generally, dungeons and other sorts of spatial instances carry national treasures people can take. That includes skill books, equipment, Attribute Fruits, perhaps even some treasures to raise attunement tiers. But biodomes are a step beyond that. Unique monsters and materials never seen before, and more importantly¨Cthey don¡¯t run out. Each biodome has their own unique Mana atmosphere, and some could distort the very fabric of reality. ¡°Ordinary monsters become stronger or weaker depending on the biodome¡¯s influence. But no matter the changes, the amount of experience gained will dramatically increase. In other words, it is an area that every major faction and province should have at any cost, and an area every minor town or village could only dream of.¡± All of that information blew their minds straight out of their heads. Zeke marveled at the mystery behind this strange Mana atmosphere that had caused so much changes to the area, and Mikella had that look in her eyes that spoke of a possible challenge to improve herself. Either way¨Cthe two were clearly hooked on exploring this biodome and taking everything they could get their hands on it. ¡°So, this Biodome thing has been near us this whole time?¡± Mikella asked, shaking her head slightly. ¡°Wait, is that the reason why that dirty Bastion faction attacked us? For the biodome?¡± That took Zeke by surprise, but it wasn¡¯t unexpected. It made perfect sense now on why they attacked them outside of the obvious Unity Core control. Even if there were several smaller reasons why Bastion wanted to take control of Eve Glade, if they knew about this biodome, then it wasn¡¯t entirely strange to consider that this was their main goal. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be possible,¡± Cloud stated, rubbing his chin. ¡°Though you have a point. Outside of normal means, if they also knew that there was a biodome near us, it¡¯s no wonder they were relentless in taking us down. However, even we didn¡¯t realize its existence, and the king certainly hasn¡¯t told us about it despite giving us his permission.¡± ¡°Zacharia, you said that you found this out after exploring the hole Zeke created, correct?¡± Val asked, prompting Zacharia to nod in agreement. ¡°The only natural way they would¡¯ve known is either they divined the answer, or we have a spy in our midst. Normally, I would¡¯ve considered you two to be responsible¡­ but I believe you¡¯re more actual treasures we stumbled upon rather than spies to take us down. It was solely because of Zeke¡¯s overwhelming power that we discovered this.¡± Zacharia stared hard at Zeke after he spoke. Mikella quickly tensed as she noticed this, and Zeke could only stare back. ¡°Which, by the way, I would like to converse with you about. That was the power of your attunement, the one you got from the higher realms, correct?¡± ¡°...Yeah,¡± Zeke nodded. ¡°I wasn¡¯t able to control it, so it wasn¡¯t like I did it on purpose.¡± Zeke stared back at his hands, recalling the memory of nearly losing himself in that power. It was such a distinction, he wasn¡¯t truly afraid of using magic again despite it being possible that he might blow up if he loses control. But he knew that his attunement is always there, its god-like power dripping into his Mana any chance it got. ¡°And you have no way of controlling such power,¡± Zacharia rubbed the well-trimmed beard on his chin. ¡°Perhaps a collar to control the output might be necessary for you to wear temporarily.¡± ¡°What do you mean by ¡®collar¡¯?¡± Mikella¡¯s voice turned hard as she glared at the general. Despite the level difference and the obvious power gap, Mikella didn''t take his words well. Zeke almost fumbled as he raised his hand. ¡°Whoa, hold on! He¡¯s talking about a device that helps me monitor my mana! He¡¯s not talking about a collar to control me!¡± ¡°He¡¯s right,¡± Cloud said, also noticing the words and her mood turning sour as he spoke gently. ¡°I was actually about to mention the same thing. This is so that in case his mana goes out of control, the collar will drain his Mana to a low level to avoid abusing his channels. This is a safety measure for mages who took on troublesome attunements out of bad circumstances.¡± Thankfully, Cloud¡¯s careful words brought Mikella to cool down. Her shoulders slumped, and she exhaled through her nose as she looked down. ¡°...I¡¯m sorry. I overreacted,¡± Mikella said, facing the general with a clearly disgruntled look. Despite her not making an effort to make an apologetic expression, she was still clear on wanting to keep eye contact out of respect for the other person. ¡°It was my mistake for not making myself clearer,¡± Zacharia waved it off. Zeke let out a relieved breath himself. He had to admit that despite Zacharia being a constant hardass that put everyone off, he had a lot of patience dealing with people¡¯s outbursts despite his high position. Maybe it was something he was forced to pick up as he kept being such an ass. Somehow, that¡¯s more plausible than I realized, Zeke said, almost smirking as he put his hand over Mikella¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Thanks, though. Trust me, I¡¯m not looking forward to wearing it myself. From the books I read, mages who were forced to wear them aren¡¯t¡­ usually mentally sound.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re lesser for it, Zeke,¡± Val said, restoring Zeke¡¯s mood as she spoke. ¡°They¡¯re looked down upon because it showed the mage¡¯s weakness in controlling Mana. Honestly, it¡¯s more of an ego thing. It takes a big man to admit he needs a collar if it means protecting their comrades and loved ones.¡± Cloud nodded. ¡°Yeah, even I wouldn¡¯t like wearing a collar, even when I know better. But such is life¨Cand Zeke, right now, the rest of the town is dependent on your barriers. If the incident happened again and we weren¡¯t prepared for it, we¡¯re in for some serious shit.¡± Zeke nodded. ¡°Yeah¡­ I¡¯ll do it.¡± ¡°As for the attunement,¡± Zacharia spoke up, getting their attention. ¡°I believe more training is in order. If you can learn to control even a fraction of a fraction of it, the path to Journeyman might not take so long for you compared to the others¨Cand in return, Mikella would be in the same boat.¡± A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡°I just prefer not to have Zeke burn himself out for once,¡± Mikella shook her head. ¡°Anything to get him to stop using mana to kill himself half the time is all right by my book.¡± Zeke honestly couldn¡¯t respond back to that. She had a point, and it was seriously becoming an issue for him. The idea of being a nuke in boots wasn¡¯t exactly his preferred path. ¡°But¡­¡± Mikella eventually said. ¡°Won¡¯t Bastion try to take us out while we¡¯re exploring the biodome? I don¡¯t want the town to end up being attacked again while we¡¯re away like before. Even with the barrier in place, won¡¯t it still be dangerous to just leave it like this?¡± ¡°Valid points, both of which I¡¯ll be happy to explain,¡± Zacharia said, steepling his fingers together. ¡°First, the barrier. I was actually about to ask whether the barrier can still be in place even if Zeke is not within the town. Is that possible, Cloud?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Cloud nodded, much to both Zeke and Mikella¡¯s surprise. He sounded more agreeable to Zacharia as minutes passed. Perhaps the idea of a biodome so close to their home was helping him not care about their grievances to each other. ¡°As long as Zeke is connected to the Unity Core, the barrier will still be in place. When it was disrupted by the heavy flow, it was normally due to his barrier tinged with his attunement being affected by the same level of power. Otherwise, it is a wall that will never be broken.¡± Cloud then turned to Mikella, showing a small smile. ¡°In fact, I would dare say I wouldn¡¯t mind leaving Ana here while both me and Val are away. That¡¯s how sure I am of this barrier as a mage.¡± Hearing Cloud say that, it definitely got Mikella to visibly relax. Both Cloud and Val were more reasonably crazy when it came to protecting their daughter just as Mikella was protective of Clara. Hearing those words of encouragement, Zeke couldn¡¯t help but feel a little embarrassed and proud of his barriers. ¡°Good, and as for the second,¡± Zacharia returned to the topic at hand. ¡°While we have reasons to believe that they are spying on us even as we speak¨Cwe have our own intelligence team against them. We found out that the effects caused by their ambush have actually hurt them financial wise. While it¡¯s impossible to figure out the total costs, we can surmise that it would take a long while to get back into the swing of things. The kingdom is also on task to investigate them, and of course, that also includes the major power backing them.¡± ¡°The Aetheric Federation, right?¡± Zeke asked, getting Zacharia to nod. ¡°Do you think they¡¯re trying to get a hand on the biodome too? I thought those countries had some treasure or two of their own.¡± ¡°You¡¯d be right, but nobody is saying they won¡¯t stop trying to get more stuff,¡± Val shrugged her shoulders. ¡°Still, they would rather cut their losses than to try and piss off the kingdom. Every powerhouse is trying their hardest to measure up or even surpass the kingdom, but they¡¯re also weary of what might happen if the kingdom considers them an enemy within their own territory.¡± ¡°Forget about wars¨Cit¡¯ll be a slaughter,¡± Cloud finished, getting the two to realize the implications behind that. In the end, even fantasy worlds have to go along with politics. The power dynamics is the only reason why Bastion, or even the Aetheric Federation, aren¡¯t trying to crush Eve Glade to pieces at this very moment. Zeke had been weary about why Bastion hadn''t attacked them after all this time, or even tried to send scouts to study their patterns like they did before. Figuring out that even Bastion had limitations made him ease up, but it was still burning at the back of his mind. ¡°Now then, we have decided to take a few days off to rest,¡± Zacharia continued, standing up from the chair and returning to his full 6 to 7 feet of height. ¡°Afterwards, I expect all of you to come by to explore the hole to find the biodome. I expect you to rest, especially you, Captain. While I¡¯m glad to see you up and about, do try and take care of yourself.¡± ¡°I will, thank you for your concern,¡± Val said, a pleased smile on her lips to see him worried for her. ¡°I just don¡¯t want another situation where Cloud would kill us all otherwise,¡± Zacharia said, bumming Val out as he turned and left the room. ¡°Have a good night.¡± Soon the general left the house, leaving the four behind as Val grumbled about the general should at least try to be sympathetic while Cloud could only stare back at him. ¡°I get that Cloud can be a little unhinged, but is it really that strange?¡± Val asked the two, stumping Zeke but Mikella still answered. ¡°Not really. I was planning on just abandoning everyone and leaving with Zeke before,¡± Mikella said off-handedly which got the barrier mage to look back in fright at her. ¡°Oh, I totally get you,¡± Val nodded in affirmation. ¡°Glad to see that it¡¯s not unreasonable to worry about your loved ones above others in a tough situation. And it¡¯s not like Cloud actually went through with it anyways¡­¡± Zeke decided to tune out the conversation. He felt that there were a lot of unethical implications in this conversation, something that even Cloud wasn¡¯t so keen on entering. Still, the news of the biodome carried excitement over the next few days as the town recovered and prepared for the next venture. ¡­.. Three days since the incident, Zeke was hard at work before the venture into this strange new biodome. Cloud came in with a collar much as Zeke read about. It was a simple collar, not like a dog¡¯s collar, but more of a fashion-statement if anything. It was black and sleek, the bands covering the entire neck around and small enough to look like a clothed necklace if anything else. But what was more dazzling was the small well-formed blue jewel encrusted at the center of the collar, and incredible to read once he identified the collar.
Collar of Mana Control (Rare): A collar designed to inhibit a mage¡¯s magic. It was replicated for the purpose of training a mage to understand their full might. Enchantments: Mana Inhibitor Mana Constraint
Zeke was¡­ not pleased with the collar, even as he forced himself to put it on without complaint. He read about the two enchantments, the Inhibitor part meant to decrease the amount of mana he can cast, and Mana Constraint is the part where he can control it more to further understand his now decreased power. Even though it should be nothing but beneficial for him, he still soured at the thought of having to use it. Cloud watched with a sad look in his eyes, as though understanding his plight. ¡°This doesn¡¯t mean you are incompetent, Zeke,¡± Cloud reassured him, and hating himself for it, Zeke was glad to hear that. ¡°Lots of mages are fools to consider this looked down upon. I hated using it, and I grumbled and bitched about it, but I was glad that I didn¡¯t end up hurting those I care about.¡± ¡°Did your attunement create a large hole that could have destroyed the entire town?¡± Zeke said dryly, and Cloud only smirked and chuckled. ¡°Let¡¯s just say that¡¯s not the first time I saw something as immense as that.¡± Zeke tilted his head at that, but left it be. He kept forgetting that the dude lived twice as long as he had while looking as fresh as a college student coming to adulthood. The joys of reaching the Journeyman stage. He fumbled about with the collar, testing on a few things. Thanks to the constant Mana regeneration, he didn¡¯t have an issue of running out for his experiments in time for something unexpected to happen. He found out that the collar allowed him to fine tune his mana just a tad, but he also felt that there was a¡­ filter of sorts on top of his magical channels. He didn¡¯t have to use his Recovery to feel that, almost like wearing training gloves for a child. It¡¯s no wonder why mages looked down on this collar. It¡¯s basically a muffler for a dog who can¡¯t learn to behave. It forced his magic to be dampened, though it didn¡¯t look like they were reduced in potency. He had a feeling that if he were to have actual attacking spells, those spells would be reduced in damage. Though that didn¡¯t mean he liked the feeling. It felt stifling whenever he used his magic, but now he knew that he felt safe even if he tried to use his attunement. Though thanks to what happened, he still doesn¡¯t feel confident in controlling it just yet. He can at least use his magic without getting anyone scared of him losing his shit and becoming a nuclear bomb. That, and if the collar¡¯s effect is true, he won¡¯t have any issue of wasting so much mana to the point of abusing his channels again. Still, he knew he had to take it off at some point if he wanted further control to take charge of an emergency, like the ambush on their town. Throughout this, Zeke really had no other choice but to take a small vacation day along with Mikella and the other soldiers. The town was finally working on its own, their own citizens getting back into the other reconstruction projects that wasn¡¯t a high priority. So while he experimented with his collar, he decided to do exactly what the lords said to try. Zeke asked Mikella and Clara out to have fun in the town. While he wasn¡¯t really keen on asking Mikella out on a date, even though it didn¡¯t sound bad in his mind at all, it was way too much for him at the moment. But if Clara is involved, it feels natural, like a god-given right. Thankfully, Mikella and Clara were ecstatic to be invited out as they left the house to head out to do that. Though as for what they can do out in the town, they were a little stumped. They decided to just go out for a walk and if Clara wanted to do something, they''d do that. Thankfully, Clara became quite a popular girl there as she greeted the folks she knew with a wave and a smile. She usually does this with Ana, so seeing that just made Mikella smile widely. Zeke did too. There were times when he found Clara out of her element, and sometimes staying by herself. He can¡¯t even imagine how a girl like her would be feeling in this situation, but to see her smiling and enjoying herself in this dangerous fantasy world was a heavenly sight to his eyes. The Ashton family enjoyed their first ever vacation day together, something that truly neither Zeke and Mikella ever thought was possible ever since their descent into this world. Vol2 Ch18: On a hunt for good food and good loot They went out to a small pub where they ordered out to eat in the late morning. They planned on doing that throughout the day as a way to help spend the coins they had hoarded up. Sure, they donated quite a few, but thanks to the reconstruction, they were once again rewarded by the system and granted more money to spend. Just like with the defense of Eve Glade back a while ago, the town recognized their efforts and rewarded them for their reconstruction. Just like before, they received a message, gaining a bit of coin like before, except it was drastically lower than what the defense provided. Still, even if it wasn¡¯t over 6 grand in terms of US dollars, they still received a hefty sum of almost a grand for it in bits of copper, silver, and gold coins alike. Of course, this was the most out of everyone else as Zeke did quite a lot during the reconstruction efforts, and Mikella herself received a lot more than the others due to her ease of repairing buildings. The three sat together at a small round table, with a waitress nearing middle-school age showing up and taking their orders. Zeke figured that there were laws against this sort of thing, but then, it was a fantasy world where they can¡¯t really rely on the government much like in their old world. Not to mention, was it really that strange for a child to want to help her parents run a hub, especially during these tough times? Even more, the girl was a delight as even Clara declared how pretty she was while wearing a simplistic white blouse with a black dress-like overalls. The girl blushed as if that was a first she heard, and even gave Clara an extra helping of sweet rolls the pub gave for appetizers. Needless to say, Clara was ecstatic. As for their meal, Zeke and Mikella ordered a variety of meals they normally wouldn¡¯t order according to their experiences in the old world. Ever since they started living at the Mystio household, both Cloud and Val cooked up a variety of meals to eat. Since then, Zeke never really bothered what kind of food might be served. Even if the name was strange to hear, if it¡¯s being served and he was curious enough, he would order it. Due to that, he received a plate filled with a mish-mash of steamed cut vegetables and cubes of seasoned meat and tubers. Mikella on the other hand ordered a soup with large reddish noodles, the brim of the bowl filled with a variety of veggies cut into tiny circles. Apparently, it was famous for being extremely spicy, hence the reddish noodles that even got Zeke to close his mouth out of instinct. Mikella, however, ate it with gusto. Even as she nearly squealed from the intense heat and spice currently burning her throat, her eyes watering, there was that look of delight in her eyes that made Zeke pause on whether she was actually right in the head. ¡°Can I try that?¡± Clara asked her Sissy as she herself ordered something similar to Zeke¡¯s. Compared to ordinary girls her age, her palate was just as extensive as his own now. ¡°Oof, uuh¡­¡± Mikella closed her eyes for a brief moment, shaking her head. ¡°This might be a little bit dangerous for you to try right now¡­¡± ¡°But Bobo can heal me,¡± Clara asked, her eyes shining with an excited light, but Bobo shook his head. ¡°I refuse to heal bad mistakes,¡± Bobo declared. ¡°If it was an accident, that¡¯s fine, but injuring yourself on purpose is forbidden.¡± ¡°What? That¡¯s not fair!¡± Clara shouted, but Zeke wasn¡¯t going to give in to her cries even if she showed the most heart-wrenching puppy dog eyes she could muster. After seeing her charm fail on Bobo, she turned to Sissy, but being her oldest sister for a long time, she grew resistant to her stares, especially when it came to handling spicy foods. Even though she grumbled, she easily forgot about the spicy soup as she delighted in eating the veggie and meat stir-fry she ordered along with Zeke. The three enjoyed themselves in their outing, finally able to relax for once. Zeke and Mikella spoke softly while Clara walked ahead, enjoying the sight of the restored town after weeks of constant work and repairs. ¡°This was a good idea,¡± Mikella said, nodding approvingly. ¡°I should¡¯ve been the one to ask for this.¡± Zeke shrugged. ¡°You would have. But we just had so much crap to go through.¡± ¡°Tell me about it,¡± Mikella shook her head. ¡°Still, you¡¯re doing really well as Clara''s older brother. I might even say that you could actually replace our dad as a good male role model.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Zeke¡¯s face heated. ¡°That¡¯s a lot of praise coming from you. Honestly, Clara is just making this way too easy for me.¡± ¡°True, but credit is given where credit is due,¡± Mikella said with a cheeky smirk, getting Zeke to roll his eyes at her. The two kept talking, and eventually brought up how the collar was acting. Even now, it was a strange feeling. It felt like he wasn¡¯t wearing it on his neck, yet he felt stifled as though he was wearing a stuffy snowsuit. It was helping, but it was really hard to ignore. Then they heard the ever so loud booming voice of the smith waving his arm at them. ¡°Oooi!¡± Adam shouted, getting their attention. ¡°Glad to see that you two are alive! And¡­ oh! What have we here?¡± Adam smiled warmly at Clara who ran up to him to give up a hello and wave. His entire rough-looking facade melted as he smiled gently at her and waved back with his own meaty callused hand. ¡°How is the forge?¡± Clara asked, staring at the other side of Adam to find his shop, trying to see into it. ¡°Is it still working?¡± ¡°Aye, it¡¯s working properly, all thanks to your older brother there. I owe him quite a lot.¡± ¡°Bobo is nice to everyone. He¡¯ll just say no problem and walk away.¡± Clara declared with a proud stance, her chest puffed up and her hands on her hips. Zeke started to wonder whether she was slowly getting Mikella¡¯s cheekiness at a rapid pace. ¡°Good to see you¡¯re doing well,¡± Zeke said, facing Adam with a nod. ¡°Guess business is booming too, huh?¡± Mikella said, noticing the wide array of weapons and tools near the shop and even outside in displays. They were of excellent quality, and even now the other citizens were looking over at them, along with the soldiers being engrossed in looking at the weapons. ¡°That it is, and I ain¡¯t jokin¡¯. You really saved my sorry behind there, Zeke. I don¡¯t even know how to thank you, much less pay ya.¡± ¡°Hey, it¡¯s seriously no pro¨C¡± Zeke caught himself, his face turning placid as he turned to Clara, who was just smiling at him in the exact same way Mikella was. ¡°Goddammit,¡± Zeke muttered, shaking his head. Adam, however, just laughed like he lost it, cackling like mad. ¡°Ooh, looks like little Clara caught you red-handed! You have the makings to be a seer, don''t cha?¡± ¡°Seer?¡± Clara tilted her head. ¡°Witches capable of seeing the future,¡± Adam said, his voice turning all mystifying as his hands slowly drifted apart. ¡°They be able to divine the fates of others, and peer into gods¡¯ own eyes for themselves.¡± ¡°Ooh¡­. umm, aren¡¯t witches bad, though?¡± Clara asked, tilting her head. ¡°Oh, definitely. And they are ugly to boot. Big ass noses lookin¡¯ like crows, and skin as dry and wrinkled like your granny!¡± ¡°Eeww! I don¡¯t wanna be a witch!¡± ¡°Hahahahaha!¡± Adam was just having too much fun toying with Clara¡¯s innocence, so Mikella spoke up. ¡°So, what¡¯s up? Is there anything going on we should know about?¡± ¡°Ah, right,¡± Adam clapped his meaty hands together, creating a booming noise that caught everyone by surprise. ¡°I got back on those orders you put up a while ago. Y¡¯know, that book you¡¯ve been trying to get rid of.¡± Both Zeke and Mikella widened in recognition. It¡¯s been so long that they have completely forgotten about it. The book they acquired after finishing the tower known as Death¡¯s Embrace. Mikella received the skill book known as Pained Shot, a terrifyingly cruel skill capable of shooting a magic projectile capable of inflicting more pain than normal. As for the skill book, while it is dark-based, it was still deemed useful. But as everyone in the soldier¡¯s group wasn¡¯t keen on taking in dark-based mana skills, and Mikella certainly had no use for it being a warrior, she was glad to sell it for a good amount. Zeke had also sold the necklace he gained from the dungeon; The Necklace of Last Night. It was a weird necklace, an equipment he gained that increased dark-type skills and spells, and allows one to see better in the dark. While it would be useful for someone with dark-based skills, much like having the skill, it was useless for Zeke as well as everyone else around him, so he gave that away to Adam once he could find somebody to give it to. ¡°Come into the shop, I figure it¡¯d be better than talking it out here in the open.¡± Adam waved them in, including Clara who followed the two into the store. As the people were clamoring outside and looking over at the tools, Adam took them over to another side of the store where a door laid. It was the resting area for Adam, and it also doubled as his home as the store was large enough to house both his tools for the trade as well as living here. Stolen story; please report. Getting inside, it was what Zeke expected a blacksmith to have¨Ca simplistic stone home with some basic furnishings, all of which were clearly made to withstand the heat of the forge by any means, that included using cloth for the flooring and the seats around the place that wouldn¡¯t catch fire. After being led there, Adam left for a moment then returned with the haul from their trades. As he settled on what to bring out, they began talking. ¡°So I¡¯ve been going around my contacts, seeing if they got anything of note. What¡¯s with the situation here in Eve Glade and all, one gotta figure out the necessities, y¡¯know?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a given,¡± Mikella stated, getting Adam to nod in return. ¡°So that¡¯s why I wanna apologize for taking a while. You two are probably my most valuable customers, so as a merchant, it irked me to make you wait for so long.¡± Zeke wanted to wave it off, but he didn¡¯t want both Clara and Mikella to get more ammo for his predictability, so he just stayed quiet as Adam continued. ¡°But another reason being is that I figured you two needed something special. For you, you damn crazy lass, there¡¯s nothing more suitable than this.¡± Adam pulled something out that made the scowling Mikella widened her eyes. Zeke marveled at the weapon in his hands, a pristine like bow with a green tinged coloring. It had sharp angles, and it was a bit shorter than most bows he¡¯s seen so far, making it either a short bow, or if he was honest, just an ordinary bow. But when he Identified the bow, he changed his mind on the ¡®ordinary¡¯ part.
Tempest Bow (Uncommon) A bow forged in the depths of the storm, allowing it to be blessed by the element of wind. The arrows it shoots are fast and invisible like the air itself. Enchantments: Lesser Air Arrow Forge (Unique)
¡°Whoa,¡± Mikella gasped, taking the bow that Adam handed over to her. ¡°Neat!¡± ¡°Hah, ain¡¯t nothing just ¡®neat¡¯ about it, lass! What you have there is a bow that ain¡¯t just air-attuned, something like that Sword of Lightning you broke before.¡± Adam gave her that ¡®stare¡¯ he gave whenever Mikella brings in the nearly broken weapons she had for him to fix, getting her to wince and try to look away from someone for once. However, Adam just chortled. ¡°Hah! Just kidding. I know you sacrificed it for the greater good. Hells if I know someone that actually went through their Expert breakthrough with a godsdammed weapon instead of how the whelps usually do it! hahaha!¡± ¡°Haha, yeah, way to make me feel like shit for a moment there, old man,¡± Mikella grumbled, getting Zeke to shake his head. ¡°Getting back on topic,¡± Adam quickly returned, pointing at the bow. ¡°It ain¡¯t just elementally attuned, it¡¯s got that unique enchantment; it allows you to make arrows for free by just using a little bit of mana.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Mikella stared back at the smith in shock. Zeke also looked at him in awe at what she just gained. ¡°Isn¡¯t this, like, super valuable then!?¡± Mikella said, her hands actually shaking as she still held onto the bow, which she was practically revering it at this point. ¡°Ah,¡± Adam just waved his meaty hand away at the thought. ¡°Think not. Remember, it¡¯s still Uncommon. Like I said, it¡¯s the higher rare stuff that¡¯s valuable. If we¡¯re talking Epic rarity here, now that¡¯s somethin¡¯ valuable.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Mikella actually looked confused. ¡°Still, getting free arrows sounds awesome as fuck.¡± ¡°Free arrows!¡± Clara exclaimed, pretending to hold a bow in her hands as she closed one eye to shoot arrows. ¡°That¡¯s so cool! You can make arrows from nothing then?¡± ¡°Clara, you can¡¯t close one eye¨Cthat¡¯s improper form,¡± Mikella instantly pointed out, getting Clara to grumble before opening her eye and still pretending to be an archer. Zeke just marveled at that. ¡°Pretty much, but that¡¯s all it can do other than making the arrows wind-attuned,¡± Adam stated. ¡°Like I said, it¡¯s uncommon and not as valuable because of it¡¯s attunement. If you had a Wind or Air attunemnet, that bow right there would make your attacks a lot more powerful when charging it with your attunement, and would probably make your arrows free of charge. But since you¡¯re lightning attuned, it¡¯ll just drain your mana a bit more. Plus, the damage won¡¯t be as significant either. It¡¯ll just be normal arrows for you. If you¡¯re facing something that has a weakness to air or something, that might be worth it.¡± Adam just guessed, making Zeke realize he meant what he said. It wasn¡¯t as though monsters and other types of creatures follow a strict rule of elemental weaknesses like a certain monster-collecting game, but it was still obvious that natural weaknesses are natural for a reason. For example, a tree or anything grass-related monster can easily catch on fire faster and get more damaged. The same goes with water if lightning coursed through them, getting damaged a lot more. Then again, he¡¯d only ever seen the monsters around the forest and the undead type monsters back at the dungeon. He hasn¡¯t faced any monster with any specific weaknesses as of yet. ¡°Still, free arrows!¡± Mikella exclaimed, both her and Clara smiling in glee. ¡°Not having to worry about how many arrows I¡¯m wasting is such a load-off. Thanks so much, Adam!¡± Her beaming smile as she now treasured the bow was enough to make Zeke delighted as well. Adam just laughed it off, waving off the thanks. ¡°It¡¯s nothing! And don¡¯t you worry about any costs. Like I said, the weapon¡¯s not that valuable, and as for the skill book¨Chere¡¯s the payment as requested.¡± As Adam promised, he gave the coins that the skill book earned¨Ca whopping 7 gold in her hands. Mikella whistled in delight, and Zeke just wondered what kind of person would actually buy the skill book. But that all went away as Adam made his next announcement. ¡°And I got something for our Runist here too!¡± Adam said with a rising grin, surprising everyone, especially Zeke. ¡°Huh? Me?¡± Zeke said stupidly, pointing at himself. But before he could get an answer, Adam went ahead to the other room, where he probably kept his gifts for them. When he revealed himself, he had a black suitcase like box held on top of his arms. He showed them off like a grand prize as he presented it to the three. Everyone marveled at the elaborate markings on the black box, golden edges with etched markings on the top of the box. They were more like insignias, not really runes like what Zeke read. He wondered exactly what it was before Adam clicked open the hinges of the box, using the other hand to open up the top half. What was underneath made Zeke¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Pens?¡± Mikella exclaimed in shock, her head hung back. They were indeed pens¨Cfour elaborately designed pens that looked more ornate than functional. The pens had a sleek black color with some casings that made them seem unlikely to grip on. If anything, it looked uncomfortable to actually write them with. The nib, the part used to write, looked more like a blade than an actual nib for writing, completely sharp and glistening under the room¡¯s light. The four pens actually had different shaped nibs, but followed along the design of the pen as a whole. They were otherwise very stylish and very expensive looking fountain pens. But that wasn¡¯t all. The mana that flowed from them. It felt intricate, more complex than anything Zeke had ever felt before. He had a clue that these weren¡¯t used for combat at all despite their looks. So when he Identified them, he wasn¡¯t at all shocked, but still, his mouth gaped.
Runist Pens of Paroth (Rare) Four pens created by the great runist and enchanter, Paroth the Vast. It is said these pens contain his wisdom, intellect, and eccentricities. Enchantments: Rune Proficiency Major Mana Conductivity
¡°They¡¯re not just pens,¡± Zeke said, his eyes glued to the writing utensils. ¡°They¡¯re magic pens.¡± ¡°Wow, that does not impress me whatsoever,¡± Mikella said, shaking her head. Zeke figured he could¡¯ve said it better. Well, at least Clara was impressed. Her eyes glittered at how pretty the pens were. Adam, being the nice guy he was, knelt down to let Clara get a better look at them. She even took a pen off and studied it carefully, oohing and aahing at it before carefully putting it back. ¡°These pens aren¡¯t just your ordinary pens, lass,¡± Adam said, pulling himself back up to show the pens off once again. ¡°These are pens that runists would die for¨Cconsidering how fucking expensive they were!¡± Adam laughed out loud as usual, making Zeke wonder just how expensive they were. He did read that there were some pens in his old world that actually went up to several millions. Then again, those types of pens had diamonds and rubies encrusted onto them. ¡°Well, I say expensive, but that¡¯s very perspective. Remember, unlike our runist friend here, most runists don¡¯t end up being useful right off the bat. That¡¯s least of all considering the gear they needed to get up to speed. These kinds of pens are what those runists usually use to make those impressive runes and arrays¨Cso imagine what this lad can do with these babies!¡± That immediately got the family¡¯s attention, now marveling at the pens being displayed. But Zeke groaned, turning to Adam. ¡°But Adam, they¡¯re expensive right? Is it really okay to get them for me?¡± ¡°Listen lad,¡± Adam said, disrupting his good mood and turning on a solemn expression. ¡°You didn¡¯t just fixed up the town, heal the sick and injured, and even put up a barrier over the town which would¡¯ve costed the towns hundreds, or even thousands of gold to get¨Cyou fixed my forge. And that¡¯s enough to make me your comrade for life.¡± Zeke wanted to shake his head at that. He should¡¯ve figured a smith would be more appreciative over the forge than literally everything else he¡¯s done. Still, it¡¯s not like he did all that to get anyone¡¯s favor. At least not the townspeople that had taken care of his family. But the look in Adam¡¯s eyes proved that trying to deny these claims would be pointless. ¡°That, and I got a sick deal for these! My friend wanted to get rid of these for a long time after buying them off of an auction for a crap ton of gold, thinking he can sell it for even higher, and never managed to sell them for less than a few hundred silver, hahahaha!¡± He wanted to take back every good thing he thought about Adam at the time. He just frowned at the smith, which only made him laugh even harder. Even his family laughed along with Adam. ¡°You¡¯re all traitors,¡± Zeke said to the girls, which only made them laugh harder. He rolled his eyes, but he still looked at the pens. Despite the ridiculous low price, and clearly they weren¡¯t so valuable to anyone else other than runists, the pens were indeed impressive. Figuring that it was fine, Zeke took the pens off the box¨Capparently Adam could use the box to make a better presentation for his own gear, and Zeke was glad to not keep it himself. As he stared at the pens in his hand, he found out that he had a notification once he accepted them. He pulled them up, and it asked if he wanted to officially own the pens.
Would you like to accept the Runist Pens of Paroth? Once you accept them, they will be soul-bound to you.
Of course, he immediately asked about that. Adam explained that the soul-bound part is nothing dangerous, and that accepting them means that nobody else but him can use them. He wondered why these pens needed to have such a constriction, but since he was the only Runist around, he accepted the prompt. ¡°Great, so¡­¡± Mikella spoke up, crossing her arms as she stared at the pens. ¡°Why four pens? That seems kinda¡­ redundant, I think?¡± ¡°Actually, not sure meself¡¯,'' Adam shrugged. ¡°Extras in case you lose them? It was part of the deal I got, after all.¡± ¡°Oh, good point,¡± Mikella nodded in approval. Apparently the girl really likes having good deals for cheap. But when Zeke found out how they worked through the enchantments, his eyes widened. ¡°No way¡­ Can I¡­?¡± He muttered, getting everyone¡¯s attention as he held the pens up to the air. With his Mana Manipulation skill, he found out that his own mana is connected to the pens now. He had way more control over these pens than he ever had with his ordinary one. So with a crazy idea in place, he let the pens go, dropping them from the air. And they started to float right in front of him. He could tell, with the command of his mind, that he can control each pen seamlessly as they floated in the air, spinning around each other according to his thoughts. That immediately made everyone lose their shit as they stared and gawked at the floating pens. Vol2 Ch19: A day off One would wonder: Who the hell would need floating pens? In this type of world, Mikella can only guess that it¡¯s only useful to write faster on paper if one didn¡¯t mind the chicken scratch they would make. For a warrior, these pens weren¡¯t exactly tough and durable, so one can easily break them with ease. For a mage, they weren¡¯t true focuses like how one would use a staff or a wand, and she heard that a certain amount of size is needed, and this small pen is definitely not capable of withstanding a mage¡¯s power. So what exactly do these floating pens do? Well, as usual, Zeke found a way to make even four floating pens seem like legendary weapons. The two sat down near the large area where most of the children were out and about playing. There was no school for them today as Vivian was busy with other matters. Being the only teacher they could have in this town, it was only natural that on some days, she had to be free. It wasn¡¯t a park, per say, but more like a large grassy field that thankfully was the easiest to fix up after the attack. It was near the training field with the soldiers, so often the children would go by and watch the soldiers fight. But as they were resting for the day, the kids didn¡¯t have anywhere to pour their energy in so they just ran around screaming like the brats they should be. Clara, however, remained with them as she sat along with them on the wooden bench. It was a relaxing bench, if a little bare and simplistic. She stared at awe at Zeke who let his pens float in the air, each of them spinning in tandem with one another, either completely in circles or just rotating about. But that¡¯s not all that he did. With one pen, he drew a suddenly conjured small barrier on one side, and with the other pen, he drew on another barrier. The two barriers were close with one another, but as soon as Zeke drew the simplistic runes (at least to him) on each of the barriers, he put the barriers together and created a large rune array in just a few seconds, which without the pens would¡¯ve taken a few minutes at best. The barriers and the runes glowed bright before suddenly conjuring a giant butterbird the size of a dog out into the open air. Unlike his usual iterations from before, this butterbird was entirely detailed. It showed its small insect like body that had giant wings that were intricately detailed with stylish markings and even different kinds of colors, unlike their usual only-white color. They were practically kaleidoscopes on drugs as it flew about, flapping its wings and making Clara exclaim in delight. ¡°Wow! That¡¯s so cool!¡± Clara said with eager glee, much to Zeke¡¯s rising grin. However, Mikella was certain. If Zeke wanted to, he could just as easily make a powerful fireball, or even a terrifying tornado with the amount of speed he put into drawing his runes. She may not understand what he wrote sometimes, but she can see the vast potential behind the four pens. And that was only using two pens. Zeke grabbed the corners of his eyes together with his one hand as he winced and grumbled. ¡°Gah, that was hard to do,¡± Zeke grimaced, closing his eyes tightly. ¡°My head is splitting just from doing this.¡± ¡°Makes sense,¡± Mikella said, noticing Clara trying her hardest to pat Zeke¡¯s head which he allowed her by lowering himself to her height. That actually helped a bit as his face slowly softened from the pain. ¡°I mean, you¡¯re using both pens to write different things, right?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Zeke admitted. ¡°I figured the faster I could do that, the faster I could draw rune arrays. I didn¡¯t think just how useful it would be to use two pens at once. I can¡¯t imagine how fast I would be with four pens.¡± Zeke grimaced, thanking Clara as he further explained. ¡°Though it¡¯s completely different than just using mana and draining it. It¡¯s like trying to think of two different things at once.¡± That was the problem, at least for now. Mikella can¡¯t even write separate things with her own hands, even with the vast amount of Dexterity on hand. It was different than doing one thing and thinking of another thing entirely¨Cwhile it wasn¡¯t impossible, it was definitely hard to get into. But she could imagine just how powerful Zeke would be if he gets used to it. After getting the pens, Adam sent them off with a guffaw like usual, having to get back into his thriving business once he was done with his gifts for the two. After that, the two decided to head to the park to experiment with their new gear. Of course, they made sure to stay away from the others when they did so, as technically speaking doing any skill outside of regular combat was not allowed. But Mikella was certain they would at least allow a Lord in-name only some priviledges as long as nobody else was hurt. In that case, once Zeke was done showing off to Clara, he made several barriers in the air far away from the two. Mikella stood up, her Tempest Bow in hand as she placed herself into a proper stance for it. Looking at the bow, she noticed how sharp it was, and wondered if she can actually stab someone with this. She was certain she can do that, but she had a feeling that it would develop her Bow Mastery in a weird way. Instead, she grabbed hold of the string of the bow. After pulling it taut thanks to her overall training with other bows to get Bow Mastery, she let the skill take control. She fixed her posture to make her back straighten, using the muscles to keep the bow aloft and steady. She breathed slowly through her nose and exhaled with her mouth. She kept both eyes opened, as using one eye was just cutting off your vision. She made sure Clara saw that one at least as she stared transfixed at her older sister. Finally, this was where she realized she forgot to get an arrow¨Cbut that was pointless. Instead, she willed the bow to conjure one for her as her mana drained by the bow¡¯s actions. A small gust of air formed at the end where her fingers pulled the string, revealing a glowing white arrow in physical form. There was no gust that blew her hair or anything like that. There also wasn¡¯t any form of sound either. It was made entirely with mana, and while the white look didn¡¯t feel ¡®windy¡¯ in her mind, she could tell that it had the aspect of air. Just holding it, she could feel it bursting apart the ground and bending the trees in her mind, proving its might. Then she stared down at the barriers, now made targets by Zeke, and shot the arrow straight at them. The arrow flew straight at one of the barriers, and her earlier training at least made aiming easier as the arrow hit and broke the barrier apart with ease, making a sharp glass-breaking sound that echoed around them. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. She continued to do this for the rest of the barrier targets, pulling out the arrow from the air and with her mana, and shooting them one by one. If her Bow Mastery was higher, she could definitely shoot faster without having to worry about aiming. She knew that if it was a conscious opponent, they could dodge them with ease, or use some skill to defend against it. While her arrows were sharp like true arrows, there was no power behind them¨Cat least in terms of anything like skills or her attunement. They were just normal arrows in this type of world. Once the targets all broke apart, she spun back around, smiling at her adoring crowd and bowed like she usually does whenever she was finished with her performance back in the old world. The two cheered and clapped for her, Clara exclaiming in delight at how cool it was, and Zeke marveling at the sight of the archer breaking each target with ease, despite that they were his barriers to begin with. ¡°That was so cool, Sissy!¡± ¡°Wow, Mikky, that was awesome!¡± Hearing their praises made her feel like a peacock preening her feathers as she strutted towards them while flipping her hair aside. In the end, the bow did exactly as advertised, and she knew it would be excellent for the future. But there was no shame in showing off and enjoying the adoration, right? When she returned to the bench, the family just rested there, with Zeke mostly doing more experiments with his pens. Meanwhile, Clara had found something to do by trying to chase after the butterbirds Zeke created. This time they were smaller and were more controlled, allowing Clara to remain in sight rather than going off on her own and getting into trouble. It became like a game at this point for her, and it was a good start for her training in the future. It was good exercise for her, and Mikella would gladly watch Clara and rest for a bit. But since she got the chance for it¡­ ¡°Hey, Zeke¡­ did you just call me Mikky?¡± Zeke looked back at her, surprised at first. Then after a moment, his eyes widened in spiked alarm. As though caught red-handed, Zeke looked away, his cheeks flaring. ¡°Uhh¡­ Yeah, I guess I did¡­ Uhh, sorry.¡± ¡°Why are you apologizing?¡± Mikella scoffed. ¡°Actually, why don¡¯t you just call me that from now on?¡± Not that Mikella had a problem with that nickname. Sure, it sounded childish, but she was also hoping Clara would get out of her Sissy phase and eventually call her name. At least that way, Mikky sounded a lot easier and more familiar. Hearing it from Zeke really didn¡¯t bother her all that much. It actually surprised her that he didn¡¯t call her that earlier despite all the time they spent together. ¡°Well, I thought that maybe you preferred only those closer to you call you that. Like the girls, Val and Myra. They¡¯re the only ones that call you that.¡± Mikella opened her mouth to protest, but then she paused. Her memories did told her that only Myra and Val called her so familiarly like that. She didn¡¯t dislike Cloud, but it would be weird to hear him call her so affectionately like that. She definitely didn¡¯t prefer anyone else calling her that either. Hell, she was even reminded of Jackie calling her Mikky one time and apparently she gave him a look that made him stop doing that. She wasn¡¯t upset, per say¨Cshe was just baffled at how he called her like that. ¡°...Huh, I didn¡¯t notice,¡± Mikella finally said, getting Zeke to nod. ¡°But still, it¡¯s no problem! If it¡¯s you, I think you got the priviledge.¡± After all, if the person herself was fine with being called that, then what was the problem? Yet, still, Zeke hesitated to say anything, still looking away as he usually did. She only just glared at him the whole time he was looking away. After realizing that she won¡¯t stop glaring at him until he eventually caved in, the defeated look in his eyes proved her victory. ¡°You really don¡¯t have a problem, then?¡± Zeke asked once again, getting her to roll her eyes. ¡°Just do it already, you wuss.¡± ¡°Alright, alright, geez,¡± Zeke called out, then he cleared his throat. Mikella just gawked at the man having to actually try to clear his throat for such a thing. Then¨C ¡°Then, I¡¯ll call you Mikky from now on.¡± For a brief moment, a sense of giddiness filled her chest. It was a strange feeling, and she wasn¡¯t even sure why she felt that way. It was just a name. But somehow, the man who she spent more than 90% of her time with ever since they were stuck in this world, calling her that kind of name felt more like a personal victory. There was a lot of things that weren¡¯t said. Mainly the part where he didn¡¯t tell her at all about his own past. Though it wasn''t as if she went ahead and told him her life story, it was clear it was too personal for him to divulge. Hearing that little remark about his mother certainly stopped her from asking prying questions. But as he finally said that name, his cheeks flaring like mad as though he just confessed his undying love for her in front of the entire town, she smiled at his response, and at the fact that they were just a bit closer than before now. The three enjoyed the rest of the day, knowing full well that this would be the last time they can just relax and remind themselves that there was more to life than constant battles, studying, and training. ¡­.. The next day was rather chilly, the air turning bitter cold as the fall season was coming into place. Mikella asked Zeke at some point whether seasons were the same like in their world. Apparently they were exactly the same, with the only exception being areas densely filled with Mana, as that could not only affect the location, but the atmosphere and weather surrounding it as well. But despite the fall slowly dawning on them, when they approached the giant hole Zeke created, there was that heat in the air that was hard to describe. Mikella could already guess what this entailed, and she didn¡¯t like where her imagination was going. The four adults of the Mystio household left the children in Vivian¡¯s care as always, and as long as the barrier was in place, the people there have no worries of being attacked. So they left with the other soldiers who were just as prepared, now that they had the chance to relax like the Ashton family did. However, there was that tense atmosphere surrounding everyone. There were several things that could go wrong, even when the Journeymen were coming with them. After all, they had first-hand experience that even with Experts on their side, things could go wrong. But in the end, wasn¡¯t that the point? To overcome these ventures and turn out stronger than before? Rather than letting the stiff atmosphere hit her, she was instead overwhelmed with curiosity on how this supposed biodome worked out. She saw the other soldiers appearing rather hesitant, but thankfully their own comrades, Myra, Jackie and Philip were there by their side. And it wasn¡¯t as though every one of Zacharia¡¯s soldiers were bad folks either. The healers were kind, and Zeke liked them, so it was almost like having assurance that they wouldn''t be jackasses like Basil there. And Mikella even had to admit that while Basil still acted like a douche sometimes, she was glad he was by their side. His unanticipated and explosive attacks could prove fatal to their enemies and give their allies some much needed support. As the group readied themselves with some speech from Zacharia about trying to overcome their struggles with sheer force of will, Mikella ignored all of it as she noticed Zeke¡¯s face stiffening. It was almost like he was trying to copy a statue¡¯s expression, but his brows kept creasing every so often, and his jaw kept locking up. ¡°Zeke, it¡¯ll be fine.¡± She grabbed hold of Zeke¡¯s hand, surprising him a little. But when he realized it was her, he smiled softly. He grasped onto her own hand tightly back. ¡°I know it¡¯ll be fine because you¡¯re here looking out for us. But just remember not to overdo it, alright?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Zeke chuckled. She knew he must have been told that plenty of times already by now. But she had to make sure nonetheless. This boy can act so crazy sometimes. ¡°You also promise me not to overdo it, alright? I don¡¯t care how invincible you are¨Cit¡¯s still awful seeing you get injured.¡± ¡°I know you don¡¯t want me to mess up my pretty face, so I¡¯ll take special care of it, all for you,¡± Mikella teased with a playful smirk. Zeke shook his head. ¡°Mikky, just try not to mess with anyone else like that. I¡¯m worried you¡¯ll egg them on to do something stupid.¡± Mikella was proud that he caught on calling her that from now on. It took a lot of reminding throughout the night to get him to stick with, and she was glad to see that her doctrination proved successful. Much less to her enjoyment as Val apparently saw that as progress to their romantic relationship. Pushing that aside, she saw that the group was now heading straight towards the hole. Into whatever hell lies beneath their own town. Vol2 Ch20: Trek towards the abyss Once the group got together and readied themselves to move forward, Zeke was the first to move forward with Mikella in tow. It was guaranteed that regardless of any Journeyman around them, she was gonna stick by his side. It made him feel better that way too. After arriving, the other soldiers in Zacharia¡¯s retinue didn¡¯t look all that happy with him joining, even though it was always a good idea to bring him along. He can¡¯t blame them either¨Che wouldn¡¯t really feel comfortable with someone who could create precisely what they were about to enter right now. Still, there was no point in worrying about others. Right now, it was him, and a giant-ass hole that could equate to entering into the underworld below. The biodome might actually be a representation of that. With his will, he conjured barriers that encompassed the wall of the hole, at least on his own side. As his barriers covered a decent amount, they shifted and changed shape to create stares that spiraled down the hole in a decent elevation. Thanks to his improvements over the months, he could basically create a giant staircase that could go several miles down all at once with barely any loss to his mana. Still, it went really deep down. Once the staircase was made, the soldiers marveling at the sight of the barriers making their trek a hundred times easier, Zeke and Mikella stepped forward onto the stairs to lead the charge. At first, the soldiers on Zacharia¡¯s retinue hesitated on whether to stand on the makeshift barriers, but as each one on Val¡¯s crew followed with no worry written on their faces, they followed suit. Zeke knew that the soldiers were hesitating on whether to trust the mage that blew up just a few days earlier. However, it was more like they didn¡¯t expect his barriers could be used this way. So far, he only made them to create the training course, and that was with the Journeyman Cloud for help on the side. So they were more astonished at how Zeke¡¯s barriers could seemingly do everything he wanted, much to the mages¡¯ clear envy in their eyes. Zeke, however, wasn¡¯t really paying attention that hard on the skill¡¯s power. If anything, he worried whether the barriers might turn on him. Once again, a hand caught his own, getting him to look up to find Mikella¨Cor Mikky now, apparently¨Cfrowning at him. ¡°You¡¯re worried again. Stop that. You¡¯re doing great.¡± ¡°I know, I know, but still¡­¡± ¡°No buts. Your barriers never messed up back then, and they won¡¯t mess up now. You keep that up, and you¡¯ll find you only have yourself to blame.¡± Even though Mikella wasn¡¯t exactly a mage, it didn¡¯t take a genius to tell that it requires not just concentration, but confidence in keeping up with a spell. How could he call himself a mage if he was worried his main-stay of a spell could blow up on him? Once this lock starts affecting him, he¡¯ll have a hard time getting out of it. He forced himself to relax. It was harder than it looked, so he began talking to distract himself. ¡°Really big group now, compared to before, huh?¡± Zeke asked, mostly being reminded of their tower trip together as they slowly went around the walls, getting closer and closer down towards the darkness and only now seeing the hole to the outside beginning to shrink. ¡°Tell me about it,¡± Mikella shook her head incredulously. ¡°I thought it was a pretty big group before, but looked at how it ended up. Now we got even more. I suggest just keeping the priority to just us for your barriers.¡± ¡°Already planned on doing that,¡± Zeke said with a smirk. ¡°Though¡­ I gotta at least pretend to care and put up a barrier here and there.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s fine, Just remember¨Cyou¡¯re not a battery. Let them suffer for their mistakes instead of healing them. Who knows? They might even get a free Vitality point out of it.¡± ¡°You¡¯re really cruel, you know that, right?¡± Mikella just shrugged at that. While the two knew that what they talked about seemed inhumanely cruel, it was something they decided a long time ago. Those he would prioritize would obviously be Mikella, then Myra, Jackie, Philip, and everyone of his own retinue. Cloud and Val are able to take care of themselves, and even Cloud suggested that despite his help earlier, he doesn¡¯t plan on letting Zeke go above and beyond like when he saved Val¡¯s life. He had enough of sacrificing young lives for survival, according to his words. Walking down, the temperature gradually shifted. First, there was a slight chill from the winds above, but as they kept going downwards, there was a hint of heat forming. Then that heat expanded slightly, covering the entire area. Zeke was actually worried that he might have actually created a pathway to the core of the world. This new world, according to Zeke¡¯s studies, proved that it was five times larger, if not more so, than their old world. On top of the spatial tears leading to different areas all together, it was pretty huge. But even then, he was worried that he might have resulted in breaking the world. Further on they went, astounding all the soldiers who hadn''t had the ability to scout ahead earlier at the ridiculous size of it. Zeke was the one who was more than shocked, practically horrified. The light source was gone now, as they finally went further away from the opening above. Some of the mages put up lights all around the retinue, caring little for anything that they could come across. It¡¯s been about an hour of travel, and that hour alone has been enough to put some on edge. Some grew gradually quiet, while others tried to fill the void with their voices. Both sides had good reasons to do so, as there was not a single hint of danger so far, and the hole just kept going further down. ¡°Holy shit, just how far does this go?¡± Zeke said, his voice low as he didn¡¯t want to mention this to the others. He wasn¡¯t sure whether they would take kindly that he didn¡¯t notice just how far his own power went. ¡°I think we already passed miles at this pace,¡± Mikella said, her eyes picking up on her surroundings. ¡°Not sure, though, considering we¡¯re only going down and not forward. How are you holding up, Zeke?¡± ¡°My Mana is topped off, if that¡¯s what you¡¯re worried about,¡± Zeke said with a smirk. ¡°Like I said, it¡¯s not draining my mana. But the stairs aren¡¯t reinforced like my barriers, so¡­¡± ¡°If a monster does come and hit the staircase, then bye bye stairs?¡± Mikella added with a soft tone, getting Zeke to nod. ¡°Well, what better way to start learning how to fight in mid-air?¡± ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re so weird,¡± Zeke chuckled, utterly taken aback by her comment. ¡°Well, is that bad?¡± Mikella asked. Zeke noticed that she actually seemed offended by this. Or perhaps worried was the better word. ¡°Not at all,¡± Zeke smiled. ¡°I prefer it that way.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ good.¡± Mikella nodded and Zeke couldn¡¯t help but chuckle again, resulting in him getting lightly slapped on the arm by her for his offense. Despite the ever growing anxiety building up in their cores, their talks eased Zeke¡¯s mood a little. He still wasn¡¯t feeling great that he was the cause of all this, but at this point, there wasn¡¯t much to discuss anymore. What¡¯s done is done, and if what Zacharia said is true, then they would be rewarded for this. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. ¡­.. Three hours passed since they started walking. Even now, there were no signs of the hole ceasing up and showing what was beneath. Myra and Jackie came up every once in a while to Zeke and Mikella to talk, at least to try and stave off the boredom. Then Cloud and Val came around, and that¡¯s when they started discussing taking a break. ¡°Is it really okay to just¡­ make a camp here?¡± Zeke asked, more than a little concern at the prospect of creating a large field-like barrier for everyone to sleep in. ¡°We¡¯re not going to use your barrier, if that¡¯s what you¡¯re worried about,¡± Cloud seemingly read his mind and chuckled whole-heartedly. ¡°I planned on getting the earth-attuned mages to make a crevice near here for us to sleep in. With all this ground between us, we should have enough leverage and balance to avoid creating a cave-in.¡± ¡°But just to be safe, we hope you can provide us with a barrier from the outside, should the need arrive.¡± ¡°No problem,¡± Zeke said. Mikella looked at him with a rising smirk, catching him off guard. ¡°What? What are you looking at?¡± ¡°I think I just found out what your catchphrase is,¡± She chuckled, and even that got the Journeyman to laugh at that. His cheeks burned red as he remembered how Clara easily read his future words as well. Was he that predictable now? Even though it should feel natural, he couldn¡¯t help but redden up. ¡°Oh come on, it¡¯s not that bad,¡± Val said, easing him with a gentle smile. ¡°Still. I do think that we rely on you too much, though.¡± ¡°Times are tough,¡± Cloud shrugged, and Zeke agreed with a nod. ¡°But don¡¯t forget¨Cwe still owe you a debt. We still plan on paying it back no matter the cost.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t we just agree that making me the youngest lord in town is a good enough reward?¡± Zeke asked, hoping that would finally put down the debt part. But Cloud and Val only laughed harder. ¡°Rewarding you with a troublesome job with barely any benefits in this town? And in name only? If I start acting like a snobbish noble like that, I would¡¯ve just stayed back home.¡± While those words left a lot of questions to the two, Cloud continued on as though Val hadn¡¯t said anything damning. ¡°I¡¯m about to go ask them now. Though just to be safe, do you mind making the floor a bit more stable? Mostly to assure Zacharia¡¯s group.¡± After a few moments of working on the nearby rocky wall, the rest took a small break. The soldiers tensed up on staying above the barrier while looking down at the hole that still seemed like it could go for miles, the glassy look of the barrier not really helping them calm their nerves. Eventually, the hole was big enough to look like it could house several families at once. The mages put up their spells made to put up light all around, really brightening the place up compared to the absolute darkness outside. They couldn¡¯t see the opening anymore up above¨Cit was just a speck of small light that could be just about anything, or just a random star in the center of all that darkness. They made their small camp for now, and of course Zeke offered to help make the tents with his barrier magic. On the side note, Zeke noticed Piker still setting up the tent. Following his memories, he recalled Piker having an issue with him at the time, not wanting to spend his mana for anything fruitless. He approached the man, still bent down on one knee while hammering down on the tent. While the tent wasn¡¯t really necessary as there was no need to worry about the outside world, being in a cave and all, it was mostly to provide privacy for those. Some soldiers can work better more efficiently during a long expedition if they have some privacy sometimes. ¡°Hey, Piker,¡± Zeke asked, making the normally stoic Piker look back at him. His complexion showed none of that exhaustion from earlier, something that Zeke was glad for. ¡°Do you need any help on that?¡± Zeke wanted to at least make sure not to sound like Piker had trouble at all. He wanted to keep it casual, but he saw Piker shook his head. ¡°No, but I appreciate it. I don¡¯t want you to spend more mana than you need to.¡± Zeke tilted his head. After a few hours, they left the barrier¡¯s regen, so their mana was now filling up naturally. Still, he had plenty of mana to use, and making more barriers wouldn¡¯t really even put a dent on his mana pool. But what Piker said next caught him by surprise. ¡°Also, no offense to you, but I still like to do this at my own pace. It¡¯s really not a problem.¡± Piker seemed¡­ more passive than normal. It wasn¡¯t unpleasant to Zeke, just a little weird. Then he remembered what Mikella said to him earlier, back at the prison. Did she ever apologize to him like she wanted to? Mikella sometimes felt hesitant about those matters even though she¡¯s all about confronting those you have an issue with. ¡°Alright, I understand,¡± Zeke nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll leave you to it¡­ but, Piker?¡± ¡°Mmh?¡± Piker looked up, being focused on his tent this whole time. ¡°I¡­Umm, I wanna apologize for my behavior before. Where I, uh¡­ kinda went all snarky at the General? I just¡­ wanted to make sure there¡¯s no bad blood between us.¡± At first, he wanted to apologize for Mikella¡¯s sake. But then he realized that Mikella wouldn¡¯t like that if she found out. At some point, she¡¯s gonna do so herself, so it wouldn¡¯t be good for Zeke to do something she needed to take responsibility for. So he opted to apologize for his own rude behavior instead. He doesn¡¯t plan on taking it back, he had every right to be mad. However, there was no need to insult a guy¡¯s foster father¨Cwhich he was aiming to suggest as he looked at Piker straight in the eyes. Mikella always taught him that doing so is not only respectful, but sincere, even if he felt like hiding in a hole every time he does this. ¡°Ah, don¡¯t worry,¡± Piker stood up, dusting himself. ¡°I wasn¡¯t offended or anything of the sort. In fact, you had every reason to be upset. I squandered your trust, and you were taken advantage of.¡± The words delve deep into Zeke. Piker has always been the rigid sort, but that only meant his words were nothing but the truth. ¡°I would say the same for you too,¡± Zeke said half-mindedly, and that got Piker to slowly lower his head. ¡°I suppose¡­¡± Zeke didn¡¯t mean to bring it up like this. His father doing something so horrid as forcing the oathbound truth out of him wasn¡¯t something a son would expect. ¡°Well,¡± Seeing the heaviness intervene, Zeke changed topics. ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter. What matters now is that we¡¯re here to get stronger. And, uhh¡­ well, I know that I won¡¯t be out there fighting with you guys. So I¡¯d like to ask you to look out for Mikella for me. I know that¡¯s asking a lot, but¡­ it¡¯d be nice to have you around her for support.¡± With this, not only would he show that he was just worried for Mikella, which was still true, and have Piker help her out, this would give Mikella a chance to patch things up with Piker. He looked surprised at that at first, but then quickly nodded. ¡°If that¡¯s what you want me to do, then I¡¯ll oblige, Lord in-name only.¡± ¡°...D-Did you just make a joke?¡± Zeke asked, more surprised than taken aback by the gesture. Piker only smiled and returned back to making his tent. Zeke just stood there for a second, utterly baffled at what he just heard. Figuring that he needed to get away before flying pigs come in to shoot wind spells at them, he left Piker to his business. After a while, it was decided to rest up for the next few hours. It looked like the trek down to the abyss below would take longer than they expected. As it was now, it was better to arrive there well rested on the way than trying to rush to the bottom. If there is a bottom¡­ Zeke was once again stumped by his own power. He didn¡¯t know how they thought of him, but Zeke was sure that the soldiers were just as amazed and shocked to see this. Would they turn against him for that kind of power? Would they think of him as some kind of monster? Are they going to go after his family in case they can do the same? Zacharia did leave some soldiers behind to keep an eye on Clara as he promised, something that didn¡¯t leave a good taste in Mikella¡¯s mouth at the time. When the preparations were done for the tents, Zeke stood there, blanked out as he stared down at the abyss by the opening. He put up a barrier because who the fuck would be okay standing by an opening with a deep abyss straight below them? He stared down, his hand touching the glass like barrier that he created so many times before. Would even this barrier blow up on him? His most trusted weapon and ally outside of Mikella? ¡°Zeke.¡± He was startled to find Cloud walking up to him, looking almost studious as he stared at Zeke. He worried whether he was gonna ask if he was okay, and considering he was just staring at the darkness of the abyss just earlier, he can¡¯t really say he was just ¡®okay¡¯. His next words surprised him. ¡°I need some help making some tools to cook. Mind using those fancy pens of yours?¡± Zeke¡¯s eyes widened, realizing just now that despite resting, nobody was able to eat yet. They did bring a plethora of ingredients to last a whole month or so with their storage packs, all thanks to the merchants that had traded them their needed goods. His mind whirled as he forgot everything he was just thinking about. Right now, he needed to be a Runist for the party. And what better way to show off than by smiling at the man and unveiling his four floating pens up above. ¡°Gotcha. Where do you want me to start?¡± ¡°For starters,¡± Cloud smiled. ¡°How about telling me what you plan to do with all four pens out?¡± Zeke gladly regaled him with his plans as he started making the necessary runes to make this little camp of theirs like a luxury room hotel sleepover. Before he realized it, he completely forgot what it was he was worried about as his magic filled his body and soul with the same delight as it usually did. Vol2 Ch21: Picking up a hobby ¡°Cloud, you are a genius!¡± Zeke was once again amazed and in awe at his magic master¡¯s wisdom. He wondered whether Cloud would be a better user with his Barrier Craft, marveling at the machinations of what he could do with this sort of skill. What Zeke witnessed before him was an impromptu kitchen, all of its appliances made entirely with his barrier magic. That included an oven, a stove, a small fridge, a freaking sink of all things, and several kinds of plates made with his own barriers used to eat meals. One would think that this was utterly ridiculous. How in Tarial could two people make a kitchen in the middle of a cave with only the Barrier Craft skill? With runes. Lots and lots and lots of fucking runes. Thanks to Zeke¡¯s levels and stats, pouring in as many runes for all of this was possible. Of course, this was all done under the supervision of Cloud who was not only ensuring Zeke doesn¡¯t go too far, but to point out some things here and there with his more than advanced Runecraft skill, making the procedures ten times easier with Zeke¡¯s skills. Though he worked like mad to create as many runes with intricate arrays positioned as efficiently as possible, he hadn¡¯t gained a single level. He did, however, gain something else.
Mana Manipulation Level Up! It is now Level 2. You have gained +2 INT from your skill. You have gained +1 SPI from your skill.
¡­..
Barrier Craft (E) Level Up! It is now Level 2. You have gained +2 INT from your skill. You have gained +2 SPI from your skill.
Seeing his two best skills level up is always great, especially now that he was gaining more stat points thanks to their advancement into their higher rarity. But what surprised him the most was something else.
General Skill learned: Parallel Thought.
¡­..
Parallel Thought (Uncommon), Level 1 Your mind is quickened to the point where it splits up to focus better on different tasks at once. Increases your mental capacity to focus on several tasks at once. Your capabilities and speed of thought increases according to the level of the skill and the current Intelligence Stat.
It was one of those skills Zeke read about, enjoyed watching from the other side of the book or movie, but never thought he would actually gain it for himself. Since he focused a lot into using his floating pens which honestly split his head open every time he tried while making the runes, he ended up gaining a valuable new skill. Something that even Cloud was impressed by. Most mages his age wouldn¡¯t be able to develop such a skill so early. And he was talking about the age of the person, not the level or certain class. That was how hard the skill was to get despite its Uncommon rarity, just like with Steadfast Mind¨Cskills that take a while to learn considering the difficulty of them. He was glad as well since now he can easily make all four pens float automatically, practically without thought, and he swore he would make four different runes at once without issues. They wouldn¡¯t be any good, of course, but he can just imagine just how powerful he would once he put his all into it. But despite his advanced ability to make magic better, he still marveled at the impromptu kitchen for himself. The runes were barely seen, and only the turquoise color of his barriers were made present. Apparently aesthetics was an important job for Runists as well, much to Zeke¡¯s chagrin on the matter. Still, he felt more at awe seeing a working stove made entirely out of his barrier, the runes working to make the top part of the rectangular sized oven heat up like an actual stove. And after opening the compartment, one can see the entirety of the structure used to heat up meals like an actual oven would. The same goes with the rest of the appliances, and of course that caught the attention of all the soldiers there. ¡°What is this¡­?¡± One of the soldiers asked in awe. ¡°Are they planning on cooking for us?¡± Another replied. ¡°Oh thank gods, I¡¯m starving. Reaching Expert doesn¡¯t help at all¡­¡± Apparently, the higher the level and the more stats one acquired, the more of their needs increased. That goes from hunger, sleep, to anything a human body requires. Of course, thanks to mastering their bodies with leveling, they can put it off in case of battle. As of right now, however, all these hungry Expert-staged users were looking at the mages with want in their eyes. ¡°Gotta say Cloud, I¡¯m not sure if I can feed them all like this¡­¡± Zeke said with a nervous chuckle, and Cloud joined him before Mikella came along. ¡°I¡¯ll help with the cooking. You two just help me out on this weird kitchen you made.¡± The two mages nodded in agreement, Mikella¡¯s cooking skills just as good as Val and Cloud¡¯s. While Cloud is a decent cook, Mikella had more experience in diversifying meals thanks to her athletic training for dietary reasons. The soldiers eagerly waited, apparently didn¡¯t divulged enough in the culinary arts along with their training their training. Some were focused heavily on improving their fighting styles, so naturally they didn¡¯t have much time. And they did exactly that as they cooked. The tempting scent of meat sizzling and stock bubbling in a pot made them want to focus harder on distracting themselves in mock spars. That was also a good way to rest, in a sense, assuring yourself with a nice exercise without thinking about losing your life. Val usually helped out in the kitchen even when it was Cloud¡¯s turn to cook back at the house, but she went around to help some of the soldiers who were lacking in their training. Having someone like the kind Captain giving them pointers was something the Zacharia unit was clearly ecstatic about. Even while waiting for the meal to prep, Zeke watched Val move about ever so smoothly and gracefully, he couldn¡¯t imagine seeing that side of her after the tower was done. She really had recovered, something which he was thankful for. Once Mikella eventually did her duty and got in to get some practice swings against Val along with Myra, he went back to cooking. Since there was a lot of soldiers to feed, he decided to use his barriers as a makeshift tool for getting ingredients in and out of sight, even using them as plates before dunking the ingredients into the pot at a low angle to avoid spilling the hot water, the liquid created from the rune on the makeshift sink. As for where the water was going after it was used, another rune makes them evaporate just as quickly¨Ctruly, a marvel of magical plumbing. His Parallel Thought skill was already proving its worth as Zeke felt like he was being a five man chef team all by himself. But when Zeke was peeling off the skins of the potatoes, or at least the fantasy version of it being freaking green instead of the usual brown, Cloud spoke up after a while. ¡°Zeke¡­ You¡¯re worried about losing control, aren¡¯t you?¡± He stopped with his peeling and looked back at Cloud. He was still heavily focused on cutting the potatoes Zeke peeled into smaller chunks. ¡°With your attunement, I mean. I know it¡¯s hard, especially with all this,¡± He gestured at the scenery around him. ¡°And you have every reason to be afraid, but you shouldn''t be in the way you think.¡± ¡°What are you¡­?¡± Zeke tried to ask, but he trailed and just let Cloud continue. ¡°You¡¯re worried because of your accident, you¡¯ll lose control of your spells. You already know what will happen if that starts occurring. But I know you can¡¯t just immediately become confident. It¡¯s just not in our nature to immediately forget our worries.¡± He listened intently as Cloud continued cutting the potatoes. It was all precisely cut into perfect cubes, nearly impossible in normal human standards at that speed. ¡°So here¡¯s a bit of advice for you. When it comes to that, sometimes it¡¯s better not to focus on magic, at least for a while.¡± ¡°So¡­ you mean like taking up a hobby or something?¡± Zeke asked, raising his brow. ¡°But then how will I improve?¡± ¡°It may not have to be a hobby. You can still improve yourself if that¡¯s what you wish. But sometimes magical folks like us need to take a step back and reconfigure ourselves. If we keep going with our doubts and worries, it¡¯ll start affecting us slowly and surely, like a poison. Unless you¡¯re the type to plunge straight into magical research like a few mages I know in the past, it¡¯s better for you to take a step back and breathe.¡± Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. Once Cloud was finished cutting up the potatoes, he looked back at Zeke. His striking blue eyes came into the scene as he spoke with a small smile. ¡°And something tells me that you¡¯re not the type to do that. At least that¡¯s what I saw in your eyes when you wanted to try out the training course.¡± He was stunned at the remark. For a moment, he didn¡¯t know what to say, even his hands were paused during the moment of peeling. In the first place, Zeke hadn¡¯t really chosen to be a mage, not truly. It was more out of necessity. Sure, he loves magic, and he loves to learn. But if he were to make a choice in this world on his own, without being forced to pick a role for survival instead of for his own passion, would he still pick a support mage? Would it even be a mage at all? The more he recalled how much fun Mikella and everyone else was having at the training course, or at least from the looks of their ecstatic faces when they made some sort of progress with their training, the more he felt that bitter ache in his chest. He thought it was just unreasonable, but apparently, it may not be so now. The thing is¡­ what is he gonna do about it? ¡°I¡¯ll tell you this though,¡± Cloud pointed at the potatoes in Zeke¡¯s hands. ¡°You¡¯re doing pretty good. That Dexterity stat is making good work on it.¡± Zeke looked back at the potato in his hand. Now that he thought about it, he was using a knife rather than the normal peeler tool in the old world, so it would naturally be a little harder. But he found the process almost automatic, his hands working so smoothly and barely taking even a crumb of the potato as he peeled the skins off with ease. It just felt so natural to him that he didn¡¯t notice it before. And it felt almost therapeutic, even. He had a goal in mind, and there was no need to think. No use in trying to control his mana to avoid burning out or to make an utter mess. It was just the result of his hands at work, something which he has full control over. Nodding to himself, Zeke continued on. This time, he went with even more fervor on prepping the food as the soldiers were just about done with their training. ¡­.. Everyone had their meals and rested up for the following night. After that was done, the group picked themselves up to keep going down the long hole to this famed biodome. What they haven¡¯t realized is just how far they had to go. According to the scout by their side, she said that it took several hours of long-flight to find something even remotely interesting, and Zacharia assumed it to be a biodome. That sounded like horseshit to Zeke and Mikella, because they had to rest up for about two more days when the process kept going. They slept, then traveled. They rested and sparred, then traveled again. Eventually, one person finally asked the big question that everyone was most likely thinking. It¡¯s from the guy who made this hole. ¡°How deep does this go on?!¡± Zeke shouted as he couldn¡¯t handle the long trip. Despite his shout, nobody really seemed to react to him. If anything, they agreed silently. It was one thing to create a giant hole, but even he didn¡¯t think that his power could reach literally this far down. Thankfully, Cloud came up to explain. ¡°It¡¯s most likely that it connected us to another channel underground, rather than you straight up digging through. Notice the small holes here and there?¡± While Cloud said they were small, in truth from this distance, they were as big as trucks that could pass through with ease. But now that Zeke noticed them, he realized that the entire hole they were in expanded a little, if not just off angle. According to the witnesses, his power went straight up, so surely it went straight down too. It wouldn¡¯t make sense that there were some parts here and there that seemed to go on horizontally and diagonally rather than straight down vertically. ¡°Biodomes aren¡¯t created naturally. They might even be able to shift the atmosphere around it, causing the entrance to it to be hidden away. It could result in traveling longer than normal, but really it was just closer than we expected. Biodomes are elusive areas compared to dungeons, and could act in accordance to defend themselves if possible.¡± ¡°So it¡¯s like a living thing?¡± Mikella asked. ¡°It knows when it¡¯s in danger and when to run?¡± ¡°In short, possibly,¡± Cloud nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s just hope that it isn¡¯t in our case. Zacharia, do you agree that if it was that kind of case, we¡¯ll return back?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Zacharia agreed, much to Zeke and Mikella¡¯s surprise. ¡°If the goal of reaching there normally is unachievable, then it would be a wasted venture. It¡¯s better to return and keep fortifying the town than to go after something out of our reach. Of course, we still have to report to the kingdom regarding this find.¡± Cloud nodded along as the group kept walking. However, before silence could take over again, one of the soldiers yelled out. ¡°Sir, my familiar caught something!¡± It was a young woman, at least around Mikella¡¯s age. Shoulder-length brown hair with intense yellow eyes called out. She had the appearance of a hunter, her clothes made up of leather armor dressed in green and black than the usual brown and black. She had as many tools on her person than even Mikella in her storage pack, ranging from pouches to sheathes alike. She had two fingers near the side of her head as she called out. ¡°What is it, Nina?¡± Zacharia turned back to face her. Nina is the scout in question that helped find the biodome. Then, something slowly began to fly upwards towards them. For a moment, Zeke prepared himself to use his barrier, but he picked up that it wasn¡¯t hostile. It was a small avian creature, with wings flapping hard to reach up to them. Once it did, it glided over to Nina¡¯s shoulder and perched on it. It cooed, making a ¡®whooing¡¯ call as it tilted its head. ¡°An owl familiar¡­¡± Zeke recalled reading about beast tamers, users that can control beasts and use their abilities in battle. It would make sense that a scout capable of taming a fast bird would be essential for any party. Plus, being an owl, it¡¯s capable of seeing through the darkness with those wide eyes. ¡°Aww¡­ it¡¯s so cute,¡± Mikella whispered to Zeke, her eyes directly on the bird. ¡°Clara would love that!¡± ¡°You think we should find a pet for her, then?¡± Zeke wondered aloud, putting Mikella into a serious thoughtful gaze. ¡°Mmmh¡­ depends if it doesn¡¯t grow too big. Then again, she prefers cats to dogs, so maybe birds aren¡¯t her thing.¡± ¡°Aww, but dogs are cute too,¡± Zeke whined. He always wanted a dog in his old life. Somehow the two kept talking about having pets for Clara to care for as Zacharia asked Nina for the information. ¡°Sir, it looks like we¡¯re slowly approaching the biodome. But¡­ according to Piggy, it¡¯s a lot bigger than we previously noticed.¡± D-Did she call her owl ¡®Piggy¡¯? Zeke wondered, catching that little tidbit. Does it eat like a pig or something? ¡°Can you estimate how big?¡± Zacharia asked. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m not very sure. Piggy had to escape before she could scope out the area any longer. The monsters there looked ferocious and I couldn¡¯t identify their levels.¡± ¡°That¡¯s alright, make sure you reward Piggy for the effort.¡± Nina nodded gladly as she chirped slightly at her companion. Rubbing the feathers on the breast, she offered a small snack from one of the pouches which the owl pounced on immediately. Zeke was stunned to find Zacharia so caring for the creature. Then again, who wouldn¡¯t? It was cute as hell. ¡°This trip might take longer than normal, it seems,¡± Val said, realizing the implications of the large size. Tilting his head, he thought deeply. At this point, he can¡¯t help but think it¡¯s not worth going in and out of the hole with how long it would take. However, an idea popped into his head. When Mikella looked at him, a hint of dread showed on her face. ¡°Zeke, you got that look on your face again. The one where it gets me nervous,¡± Mikella asked aloud, catching the others¡¯ attention. ¡°What do you have in mind?¡± ¡°Something that would help us get down faster. Alright!¡± Zeke shouted as he stopped making the staircase downwards, leaving the group to stop in protest. Before they could complain or worse, push each other by accident, Zeke created a large platform of a barrier and stepped onto it. ¡°Get on over guys, we¡¯re taking the faster way down.¡± That immediately got the soldiers to hesitate. However, realizing the implications, the Journeyman users stepped over with ease. As they came along, so too did the soldiers. Of course, their own retinue consisting of Myra and the others followed along right after the Journeyman, though with a bit of hesitance on their faces. Then, four pens suddenly appeared from his storage pack. Apparently with his control over them, he could easily bring them out into the physical world and place them back into the storage pack without using his hands. That, he knew for sure, would never get old for him. His four pens, thanks to his Parallel Thought skill, flowed with ease as they started drawing with Zeke¡¯s full attention on the runes. The other soldiers watched with awe at the work with Cloud, making sure to keep watch, nodded in approval despite the clear difficulty. Of course, he already showed this off to Mikella about the skill, to which she just stated; ¡®that¡¯s just expected of you¡¯. It kinda sucked the fun out of showing off to her. Meanwhile, Zacharia¡¯s retinue began clamoring about the situation. ¡°Zeke, what are we doing here?¡± Rajin the half-elf asked, looking down at the platform with a bit of trepidation. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Hopefully this will get us down fast. Oh, but I will affix all of you in your place so you won¡¯t move. Make yourselves comfortable, and don¡¯t worry, this won¡¯t take awhile¡­ hopefully.¡± That immediately got the group to look back at him with raised brows, questions seemingly endless in their minds. Piker walked up to him, for once his face paling for an entirely different reason than his earlier sickly form. ¡°Zeke¡­ you¡¯re not saying we¡¯re going down¡­the superball way, are you?¡± Zacharia¡¯s retinue froze in their places. To see Piker, the usually stoic man who could barely discern danger from normal life, was actually looking nervous at the barrier mage. However, the mage in question smiled with a hint of madness in his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s gonna be better than that!¡± Val smiled excitedly, clapping her hands together. ¡°Ooh, I heard about the Superball! I always wanted to try it out at least once. The way Myra and Mikky talked about it sounded so fun!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not as close, but it¡¯s similar. Make sure to keep still and make a comfortable posture.¡± As Zeke instructed, everyone grouped up evenly and made themselves perfectly comfortable. Then Zeke covered themselves with a layer of barrier over them, connecting to the platform like a dome. Once that was made, each person in the group noticed their bodies unable to move at all. They shouted, clamoring nervously as they couldn''t move at all. Though even if Zeke forced them to not move thanks to his special affixing feature, they had enough power to break through with their stats alone. Still, it wasn¡¯t recommended. As soon as everyone was in place, Zeke poured mana into the rune. ¡°Alright, get ready!¡± Zeke said, the barrier surrounding them beginning to glow slightly, the same glow as his eyes while looking down at the abyss below. ¡°Going down!¡± Then their stomachs dropped as the entire platform freefalled to the darkness below. Vol2 Ch22: Elemental Prison Quest Down, down, down they go into the abyss known as the biodome. They went so far down, Zeke started to make pleasant conversation with Mikella. Though the conversation was slightly ruined thanks to the constant screaming and panic coming from around him. Their years of constant training and hustling against monsters, trying to improve themselves on a daily basis, to the point some would consider them part of the elite force of the kingdom¨Cthey were all now devolved into crying messes as they screamed for their lives and prayed for salvation¨Cwhichever seemed the most convenient for them. Piker looked absolutely rigid. His face was neutral but his eyes betrayed him, going as wide as saucers while still trying to reign them in. Myra was no better, her face was a mixture of excitement, panic, and fear trying to war against each other. Looking over to Mikella, she was currently fighting the bits of panic as well, but her excitement and giddiness took over most of the time as she couldn¡¯t help a grin showing off on her face. ¡°Hehe, your hair¡¯s just flying all over,¡± Zeke pointed out, childishly pointing at her long brown hair flying up from her scalp. ¡°That¡¯s your own fault!¡± Mikella screamed back, but she still had a grin on her face. Noticing her slight hesitation when she spoke, Zeke hesitated before asking. ¡°Do you want to hold my hand?¡± He said while offering said hand. After a moment, Mikella held onto his hand, and grasped it tightly. It wasn¡¯t a wrist to fingers kind of grasp, but a full on hand grab. She was a lot more nervous than she let on. Then, a second later, she seemed to relax a little. Meanwhile, Zeke took a gander over to the Journeymen. He was able to move his head since he had more control, so he was able to perceive more of his surroundings. He had to¨Cconsidering he was controlling the entire thing. Zacharia was as always a stoic giant as before. He had his arms crossed while looking down, and half the time looking over at his own soldiers. There was just the slightest hint of disappointment at their panicking behavior. Something that Zeke could understand, but still felt that they can¡¯t be blamed for. Meanwhile, Cloud was just smiling goofily at the screaming Val, but not because she was panicking. She was having the most fun of her life, and if she could move, she would probably let her arms hang in the air like she doesn¡¯t care. ¡°Whooo!¡± Valorie screamed like she was on a roller-coaster. ¡°This is so fast! Oh my gods, Ana would love this!¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t bring Ana into this,¡± Cloud said with a concerned expression. Turning over to Zeke, his look returned to that of a curious scholar. ¡°So this is how you used it to get around the tower?¡± ¡°Yep,¡± Zeke nodded. ¡°This is how I managed to survive getting around. I had no control over it whatsoever, though.¡± ¡°Fascinating,¡± Cloud looked around as best he could, but even he was affixed to avoid movement as much. ¡°And by fixing everyone in place, they won¡¯t suffer the harsh momentum and end up crushing themselves from the impact. Very clever.¡± Zeke chuckled awkwardly at the praise. Coming from an experienced mage, he couldn¡¯t help it. Mikella just smiled at him, and he swore her hand felt warmer by doing so. Somehow, he felt even more embarrassed getting caught. About a full minute passed as the platform traveled down towards the bottom, possibly going at around 50 or so miles per second at this point. Then, he finally saw it. The landing point. ¡°M-Mr. Zeke!¡± Nina shouted, her yellow eyes widening as her owl was currently being held by her arms in a strong grip. ¡°We¡¯re quickly approaching the biodome!¡± ¡°Got it!¡± Zeke called out, opening his fingers wide and calling the platform to a halt. As soon as the bottom floor was seen, the barrier quickly ceased. There was now nothing but silence as the soldiers were finally able to relax after the horrid ride down. Seeing the floor, Zeke disassembled the entire barrier, letting everyone land on the soft ground below them. Mikella breathed in relief as Zeke let go of her hand. He honestly felt disappointed that the ride was over. That was something he hated to admit, but he couldn¡¯t help it. Looking back, he saw the pitiful state of Zacharia¡¯s group. While the healers looked decent enough, and the beast tamer was currently trying to calm her owl from the sudden fall, impressing Zeke that her priority was for the owl first and foremost, the rest of them didn''t look so keen. Some huddled to their knees, hugging themselves and each other for comfort, and some just barfed away their fears and panic. ¡°Pathetic,¡± Zacharia shouted to the rest of them. ¡°We¡¯re about to head into unknown territory, and you lot are already losing yourselves to a joyride at best! Get a grip!¡± Zeke grimaced at the poor team, getting a full earful of the general¡¯s ranting. Cloud just shook his head as he went over to their side. ¡°You guys okay?¡± Cloud asked, mostly to Myra and the others on their side. ¡°Oof¡­ I still can¡¯t get used to it, Zeke,¡± Myra shook her head, holding her stomach and bending over slightly. ¡°I feel like I¡¯m gonna get sick.¡± ¡°You want me to heal you?¡± Zeke asked, but Myra shook her head. She wanted to power through it like a champ, so Zeke respected that decision. ¡°Well, it was slightly better than the Superball this time,¡± Mikella added, shaking off the shivers from the ride. ¡°I¡¯d like to try that again next time,¡± Val said, smiling ecstatically at Zeke. ¡°But can you make it slower? For Ana and Clara, of course.¡± ¡°I-If the time comes, sure,¡± Zeke nodded, but Cloud only let out a tired breath at his wife¡¯s antics. Still, if it would make Ana and Clara have fun, Zeke might include that sometime soon. Soon he looked at the surroundings. His mouth hung wide open at the sight as all the others followed his sight and did the same. The scene could be described with a simple word; ¡®Crystalline¡¯. A wide expanse of several miles of earth riddled with crystals of different colors, ranging from the fiery reds to the oceanic blues, and everything else in between of the rocky rainbows. Between all those crystals were stone-like buildings that seemed to grow out of the walls rather than being constructed like normal buildings. The stones themselves were a mixture of both old and dusty to modern onyx shine, vines seemingly growing every which way that glowed a bright green color, lighting up the entire array that didn¡¯t have the already glowing crystals shining bright. At the distance, they could see several rivers falling over a cliff face that spouted all across the expanse, and even flying objects scattered about in the skies, or what was within the caves that might as well be its own sky from how enormous it was. While a strong scent of waterfalls crushing boulders filled the air, he tried to guess whether those creatures were bird-like monsters, but Zeke couldn¡¯t see that far ahead. ¡°Gods above¡­¡± One of the soldiers exclaimed as everyone marveled at the scenery in front of them. Zeke could tell now why this biodome was so deep underground¨Chow else could it fit the entirety of itself within here? He guessed the estimated height of the entire location, and he swore that it could be right beneath Eve Glade under several hundred miles worth of rock. It sounded incredibly long and far, but in this world, it was possible that the distance was nothing for whatever lies within here. ¡°It¡¯s so beautiful¡­¡± Val said in awe, her head swiveling to try to see everything in her sight, but it felt impossible to try. ¡°The biodome¡­ it really was under Eve Glade this whole time,¡± Cloud said, almost unable to believe himself despite seeing the truth for himself. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. Just as the others were exclaiming the majesty as well as the possible treasures within, Zeke noticed his icon blinking in his sight. Bringing it up, he saw the notification.
You have entered the biodome: Elemental Prison Within this biodome, each of the four elements; Fire, Water, Earth, and Air, are increased by 25%. Any Mana suffused with these elements will be regenerated at an increased 25%. Quest Available! You have entered one of the world¡¯s natural locations. Treasures and gifts of nature aligned with danger in your journey. However, to truly conquer the biodome, you must take charge of the fortress lying deep within, and take out the king that rests. You are allowed to leave the biodome at any time even if you accept the quest, and you can abandon it at any time, however, you will only accept and keep one quest at a time, and if you choose to abandon it, you will be banned from taking on the quest again. Do you wish to accept this quest? Y/N
His mind grew blank at the information. This was the first time he ever received any ¡®quest¡¯ like in an actual video game. As for the contents, normally, a gamer would be more than excited. As a human being living through it, however, he had a bit of dread. Dread, and a tiny bit of excitement. Turning back, he saw the others stare at a distance, possibly reading the same quest he did. Once that was done, a large clamoring resounded between them, including those who were just hurling at the backline for the past while, as if seeing the quest blew their motion sickness away. ¡°Cloud, is it true what it says? About conquering the biodome?¡± Zeke asked, the particular subject line in the quest standing out the most. ¡°Precisely,¡± Cloud nodded. ¡°Unlike normal dungeons, where just owning it means no other territory can come and take any resources from it, this one meant exactly that. In a way, it¡¯s like having a Unity Core within here. All of its resources, and the monsters populating this area, will belong to the ones who conquer it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m guessing that goes for way more than just finding rare treasures and gear, right?¡± Mikella asked, prompting a nod from Cloud. ¡°But we need to focus up!¡± Val shouted to the rest of the soldiers. They immediately silenced and stood at the ready. They normally follow Zacharia¡¯s command, but it was clear that Val had her own authority in their minds as she faced them. ¡°It¡¯s good to be motivated, but never forget¨Cwe are still in enemy territory. First and foremost, we must procure a base for ourselves and a proper channel between here and back to the town above. I suggest we don¡¯t try conquering anything until we manage to cover every single priority we can have. I don¡¯t plan on anybody starving or injured and continuing to fight. According to the quest, we can accept and leave, then come back. We just don¡¯t have to abandon it. Thankfully, there¡¯s no timer either, so let¡¯s take all the advantage we have and prepare ourselves!¡± The soldiers shouted with a singular ¡®Yes, ma¡¯am, in unison, their spirits uniformed in their response. On the other hand, Zacharia and Cloud walked towards Zeke and Mikella about their situation. ¡°Zeke, how are you holding up Mana-wise?¡± Cloud asked. ¡°Good enough if you want me to figure out how to easily get up and down the place,¡± Zeke responded, already figuring out what they plan on doing. That was the same thing he wanted to figure out. ¡°So while the mages figure that one out, Mikella,¡± Zacharia said. ¡°You and the other scouts will go ahead and survey our surroundings. Do you have any skills related to stealth or reconnaissance?¡± Mikella¡¯s eyes widened at that, and she furrowed her brows. ¡°No, I don¡¯t have any stealth skills.¡± ¡°I see, then you¡¯ll need this.¡± Out of his own pack, Zacharia pulled out what looked like a dark cloak. Identifying the cloak got Zeke what he needed to know.
Cloak of Darkness (Uncommon) Cloak created with the intention of hiding one¡¯s presence. While it doesn¡¯t provide any defense, its sleek black color could push prying eyes off of you with ease. Enchantments: Lesser Darkness Lesser Stealth
Mikella widened her eyes at the item, and while it wasn¡¯t super impressive, it was rather useful. She carefully took the cloak and stared at Zacharia. ¡°You sure you want to let me borrow this? It looks precious.¡± ¡°It¡¯s cheap considering our circumstances, so do with it as you will. With your high Dexterity, it should be easy enough. However, Zeke will be staying here for his barrier work. Do you think you can handle that?¡± Zeke grimaced when he noticed Mikella¡¯s face twisted slightly into fury. Her eyes narrowed as she pressed her lips to contain her anger. ¡°Yes I can,¡± Mikella said curtly. ¡°Good, I¡¯ll let the others know.¡± As if he hadn¡¯t made the situation worse enough for them as it is, Zacharia left to go report to the other soldiers. Mikella took the chance to let out some steam by kicking the ground with the sole of her boot. ¡°The nerve of that asshole¡­¡± She growled. Zeke wanted to comfort her, but the look of Cloud¡¯s shaking head forced Zeke to lower his hand. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Cloud said, his tone just as heated, but Zeke felt that it was mostly for Mikella¡¯s sake. ¡°Just prove to him that you can do the job easily enough. We all know that you can handle it. He¡¯s just trying to goad you.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Mikella growled, then turned her glare at Zeke. He nearly flinched as he thought he was gonna get yelled at. ¡°You¡¯re gonna be okay, right? Don¡¯t let that guy use you like some sort of tool!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll only do as he said if it¡¯s for the benefit of everyone,¡± Zeke raised his hands. He wanted to be truthful, even if it wasn¡¯t exactly what Mikella wanted to hear. ¡°I¡¯m more worried about you. I know you can handle it¡­ but honestly, I¡¯m still worried.¡± Zeke gave a slightly passive look at her. He had every confidence that she could make it through if she had her head straight. He¡¯s only worried because half the time, she doesn''t have her head straight. Mikella only rolled her eyes at him. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. I¡¯ve been trying to learn how to survive without your barrier this whole time. So unless we¡¯re dealing with more of those undeath monsters guys again, this will be good training for me.¡± ¡°Yeah, but you also took on a lightning sword to your soul. That''s still not exactly safe.¡± Mikella glared at him hard at that comment. He could still recall how she looked like she was barbequed in all the wrong places back at the tower. He didn¡¯t let up as he kept staring back at her glare. ¡°You promise me you will stay with the team, and not get hurt?¡± Zeke asked decidedly. After a moment of silence, Mikella responded. ¡°I¡¯ll stay with the team,¡± Mikky finally admitted, only just the first promise while not answering the second question at all. Zeke only glared back at her as she looked away from his hardened glare. ¡°Hah, you¡¯re so much like Val, I¡¯m starting to worry about your future,¡± Cloud commented. ¡°But I¡¯m certain you¡¯ll be fine.¡± With that out of the way, the group of scouts consisting of Mikella, Paul, Nina, and several other Dexterity-based soldiers went ahead of their original position. One of them happened to have a skill relating to cartography, so they were also able to make a map as they went ahead. Meanwhile, Zeke stayed behind with the others to create a base of their own, and what better way to create a temporary base than with his own barriers? ¡­.. A few hours passed, changing over to the next day, much to Zeke¡¯s guess. Some of the soldiers took the chance to rest and relax while the others focused on creating their base. It just mostly consisted of the same tent-like area as the small cave they were at before. But considering how much time it might take for them to conquer this biodome, they decided to expand a little. Zeke¡¯s barriers helped plenty with the small construction. Cloud actually brought something called a Mana Generator, a convenient item that looked like an actual generator worked on by smiths, enchanters, and runists all at once. Basically it was nearly the same as a Unity Core, except deeply downgraded. It only encompasses a small range, definitely not enough for an entire town. At most, it could fit more than fifty people within the range at even distances, so they had plenty of room. With Zeke¡¯s runes, they had vastly improved its functions to make it work slightly better. Cloud had this for a long time now, and it served him well. He always brought it on expeditions in his past, so he never left without it. Zeke could tell from Val¡¯s exaggerated expression that Cloud is the sort to bring his own camping set no matter where they go, just in case they end up being lost somewhere. Needless to say, Zeke was a fan of that. He wondered if Mikella would be along with it, or just as exhausted about Cloud¡¯s insistence on bringing the engine everywhere as Val would be. Still, it was incredibly useful to have. Once Zeke put his hand on the generator, much like with the Unity Core, it accepted his skill and a large dome barrier was put in place. Much like back at the town, it provided a relief for the soldiers who didn¡¯t have to worry about any sudden ambushes in their bases. And once again, another surprise waited for him when he finished.
The Barrier of Elemental Prison has granted you a buff: Your Mana regeneration has increased by 15% of its total Max MP.
¡°Huh,¡± Zeke muttered aloud. ¡°That¡¯s neat.¡± That easily got the soldiers riled up at the news. It was already good enough to have something like this back at town to train themselves, so even if the regeneration was massively decreased compared to the town¡¯s 50%, it was still decent to have around. ¡°It looks like your barrier comes in every time,¡± Cloud said, seemingly already deciding that his barrier was a gift from the gods. ¡°We¡¯re still not finished yet, though. You ready?¡± ¡°As always,¡± Zeke shrugged. ¡°A lord¡¯s work is never done, eh?¡± Both Cloud and Val nodded deeply to that. He wondered whether he hit something close to home with those words. Vol2 Ch23: Tense scouting Her insides were already boiling at the thought of Zacharia¡¯s words ringing in her head. She knew Cloud was right that the general was just pushing her buttons to get her motivated. But it is that very same declaration that she had been denying this whole time. She knew already that she had relied on Zeke so much, as well as everyone, and that needed to stop. Zeke is the sort that wouldn¡¯t mind you asking him of the world and he would give it as long as it was reasonable, no matter how unreasonable it might be. It felt nonsensical, and half the time Zeke is just full of nonsense. Still, she can¡¯t help but admire that kind of trait. That¡¯s why as his partner, she needed to make sure that nobody takes advantage of him. That also included herself. A few hours after they left the would-be base for Eve Glade, Mikella and her group carefully moved ahead. So far, they¡¯ve seen nothing but wide open areas filled to the brim with glowing crystals. It was hell on the eyes if one got close enough, almost acting like lightbulbs, but it was also obvious that there were some darkened parts that the lights couldn¡¯t reach. It was those spots she looked out for as she gripped her sword tight. She wished she had Myra to talk to. At least she could grumble about it. But unfortunately her group was made up of folks who she hadn¡¯t really talked to at all. Paul was one thing¨Che was a nice guy but the two couldn''t be more different. He prefers to stay on the sidelines, sneak around, and ambush when he can. She won¡¯t disrespect his kind of fighting style, but that just wasn¡¯t her thing. Instead of a warrior, he was a Rogue, or a rogue-archetype. Asking him to fight fair and square would be the same as suicide for him. On the other hand, there were four other soldiers from Zacharia¡¯s retinue, one of them being Nina the beast tamer. Two men and one other woman. The two looked similar, wearing the same sort of leather armor that was easier for mobility than for combat. However, one was with darker skin with some piercings on his earlobes and bottom lip, the other with tattoos of claws across his left cheek and side of the neck. The one with the piercings carried two double-bladed daggers on both sides of his hips, known as haladies according to Mikella¡¯s shitty knowledge on weapons. The one with the tattoos had a bow instead, with a quiver at the back. She supposed not everyone had a handy Tempest Bow like hers that can conjure wind arrows at will. Then again, there was a reason why those weren¡¯t popular as one¡¯s attunement can easily affect the elemental aspected side of the weapon itself. The final one was a woman with long hair to the side and a fade at the other, really making Mikella think of a modern look back in her old world. Dark skin with violet eyes, she had an intensity in them that was nearly the same as Piker. Rather than any finesse type of weapon, she instead carried a wand, like how a mage would have, holstered to her side. Other than that, she had nothing else on hand. The three showed no sign of wanting to talk as they were clearly focused on surveying the land. Having no other choice, she decided to do the same, though she didn¡¯t have any handy skill to help with that. The best she could do is keep a look out and act as an intermediary in case a monster showed up¨Cthough with a group of scouts, that seemed less likely to happen as they would just run. She figured she was sent here due to being exactly that by the general. While she wasn¡¯t keen on scouting, if nothing but scouts went ahead, it could spell trouble in case they got ambushed by some unknown monster. Figuring that she was also pretty damn fast for someone of her level, it was clear that she would fit with the scouts. Putting aside her teammates, she glared up above to the ceiling, or at least she tried to. Trying to look up to see the end of the cavern was basically trying to see the stars beyond the stratosphere. It was too high up, and she knew that the darkness of the place had already covered where the light of the crystals couldn¡¯t reach. But as they kept walking further, they noticed that the cavern-like area wasn¡¯t really that much of a cavern, but a truly living thing. Water seemed to flow across like small rivers around separate sections, and actual grass and moss could be seen spread across the natural rocks and ground everywhere they went. She even noticed some bugs crawling about as she walked past, seeing what might have been a caterpillar slowly crawling across a plant-like thing. It looked like a flower, but it had that same crystalline feel to it, the leaves and the stem seemingly jagged. ¡°This place is incredible,¡± Paul spoke up, surprising MIkella as he was the first one to speak after a while. ¡°I heard biodomes were incredible, but seeing the actual thing still blows my mind,¡± Nina followed up. It looked like she didn¡¯t like the silence as well as anyone else. ¡°You guys have never seen a biodome before? Not even over at the kingdom?¡± Mikella asked, figuring that she could learn more about the kingdom from Zacharia¡¯s soldiers. ¡°The kingdom sends only the elite, or those that have capabilities to be elites to the biodomes,¡± Nina explained. Hearing the plural ¡®Biodomes¡¯ proved to Mikella just how powerful the kingdom was. ¡°We were too low level to enter any of them, and our stats aren¡¯t as high to handle it.¡± ¡°So yeah, having a biodome right here near us is damn lucky,¡± Paul said, giving out a short laugh. ¡°Your hubby really is a good-luck charm.¡± ¡°Hah, if only¡­¡± Mikella said with a slight huff, though it was only to play along. Even she considers herself lucky to have Zeke by her side. Though they certainly weren¡¯t very lucky so far. ¡°You call it luck, but he almost killed us all with that explosion,¡± One of the men, the guy with the piercings and haladies, said with narrow eyes. ¡°If we weren¡¯t within the barrier, he could¡¯ve decimated everyone.¡± Mikella stared hard at the haladie-wielder. The way he made it sound like Zeke was some out-of-control monster was definitely not something Zeke should hear. He already felt bad enough as it is. ¡°Hey come on, no need for that,¡± Paul added, raising a hand. ¡°Everything turned out well, and even Zeke gave us some warning before it happened. We even had the Journeymen with us.¡± ¡°Even so, are you actually certain about him?¡± The man with the tattoos responded this time. ¡°For all we know, he could go and kill everyone there with that crazy power of his. Sure the Journeymen would survive, but would the rest of us?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way the general would allow that. He would just gut the mage before he even starts to flash,¡± The woman with the wand responded curtly, as if finishing the conversation with that. Paul looked distressed, but not more so than seeing the visibly upset Mikella by his side. Nina was left quiet, already seeing the tension rise and not wanting to be a part of it. Even her owl familiar decided to avoid this situation entirely by flying off to do some scouting ahead. Mikella knew they had a reason to worry. Not just that, but they also had a reason to doubt Zeke¡¯s control. She could understand that they¡¯d be afraid for their lives as well as their loved ones. But to talk about it right in front of her? To say it out loud as though she wasn¡¯t there ready to explode from the sheer animosity? Whether they were extremely confident in themselves or they believed Mikella was just some kitten unable to fight back, Mikella didn¡¯t care. She wasn¡¯t going to stand by this. ¡°You sure are complaining a lot for soldiers seemingly known for being elite.¡± Mikella stopped and turned back to the three. Paul and Nina seemed to already know what¡¯s about to happen and wisely backed away. The three soldiers stood in front of her with perplexed expressions. ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± The man with the piercings responded with a glower. His hand was already nearing his halady as he glared at her. Mikella scoffed. ¡°Aren¡¯t you guys supposed to be ready and prepared for any situation? So far, all I saw was a bunch of whiners that¡¯s seeing the world for the first time. Rather than being worried about Zeke, why don¡¯t you worry for yourselves first?¡± ¡°You got a lot of nerve to say that in front of us,¡± The man with the tattoos stepped forward. His hands were gripping tightly into fists. ¡°Just because you threw Basil around a little doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re better than any of us.¡± ¡°And why shouldn¡¯t I be?¡± Mikella glared back at him. She could feel her lightning ready to take over her, but she willed it with pure adrenaline alone under her control. ¡°That Basil guy seems pretty used in combat. And I¡¯m sure as hell can beat any one of you three-on-one. So the better question is: Which one should you be more worried about; The barrier mage, or me?¡± She spoke the last word with her eyes shining bright yellow, unconsciously flaring Hawk Eyes as lightning coiled around her. The three scouts in front of her visibly tensed, but they didn¡¯t falter as each one had their hands over their weapons. Mikella didn¡¯t want a fight right here and now, but like how Zeke handled Piker back before the undeath dungeon, if she doesn¡¯t nip this pretentious bullshit in the bud, they¡¯re just gonna keep gnawing at her patience. Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. Just as she was about to summon her sword for a friendly ¡®spar¡¯, Nina suddenly shouted in a harsh whisper. ¡°Guys! Piggy spotted an enemy approaching. Hide!¡± Her warning caught everyone in a whirl as movements surged in their group. Paul and the three scouts she confronted immediately activated some skill or spell, turning themselves harder to see or move away quickly. The girl with the wand even twirled her weapon as a soft gentle breeze took over, turning her nearly entirely invisible. Some sort of wind magic was involved, but Mikella couldn¡¯t care less. She pulled out the Cloak of Darkness Zacharia let her borrow. The cloak coiled around her instead of her lightning, her attunement turning off immediately once seeing the danger. She ran back towards the cluster of crystals, taking hold of the single dark spot that the lights couldn¡¯t reach. As she made it there, she let the cloak deal with the rest, trying to hide her presence as much as she could. She let the silence hang in the air, the darkness comforting her slightly. Before she could figure out a way to handle this new situation before her, she saw the creature Nina warned them about. It trotted over with gigantic feet similar to pillars than actual feet. Round hooves, perhaps, as it craned its neck to reveal its form. It looked like a crystal version of a camel, two humps on the back with a similar shape overall. Some obvious differences was that this camel was buff as hell, muscles that seemed jacked despite being made of crystal. Its topaz-like eyes shuffled as it turned its head left and right. Then, it lowered its head and literally took a big chunk of crystal into its mouth and ate it. The sound was similar to rocks crushing rocks, grating Mikella¡¯s ears. At least no matter what noise she made, the damn thing won¡¯t be able to listen, unless its hearing was better than she expected. Not wanting to miss the chance, she Identified the creature. Crystal Bison, Level 63 That¡¯s a bison?! What¡¯s with these monsters being something else other than their looks? She made that thought before she realized something else. Wait, is this really a Journeyman rank monster? She couldn¡¯t believe it. The first time she saw the Journeyman rank monster was the Red-Maned giant, and that thing had a pretty intense aura around it, with muscles and everything. While this¡­ bison was impressive to look at, she didn¡¯t see anything intimidating about it. If anything, it looked more like an herbivore than a predator. After a few minutes passed, more of the bison came around to eat their fill. Then, after a while of grazing against the crystals, they slowly trotted out to somewhere else. After another minute came around, not wanting to lose her stealth, she noticed Paul and the others coming out. ¡°Gods, a Journeyman rank monster,¡± The one with the tattoos shook his head. ¡°To think something that powerful was just lounging around. Is that considered a mob creature?¡± ¡°It didn¡¯t seem that powerful,¡± Paul mentioned. ¡°We saw one before we entered the tower. It was leagues different from this one. Even if the level range is the same, I think they¡¯re just lower in power.¡± ¡°I agree.¡± Mikella said as she flowed outwards towards them in her dark cloak. She realized that the Cloak of Darkness was actually taking up her mana when she was hiding, so she took it off and put it back into her storage pack. It was easy to do, thankfully. Everyone noticed her cloak but said nothing of it. They were probably notified by Zacharia, so she was glad she didn¡¯t have to explain where she got it and get into some weird argument. But the tense atmosphere was still around. She wanted to go further, want to go back to fighting them and teaching them a lesson. But she decided to be a bigger woman and spoke first. ¡°Listen,¡± Mikella said, getting their attention. ¡°I get that you¡¯re worried, and I don¡¯t blame you. But Zeke is human, just like the rest of us. He can make mistakes too. He¡¯s even wearing that collar to control his magic if you hadn''t noticed.¡± Mikella stated, noticing that when Zeke cast his magic or runes, he had that look on his face as though he had bad gas. Still, he hasn¡¯t complained once. If Mikella was the one to wear it, she would take it off immediately if there was no need for magic, but he never took it off at all. ¡°Mages really do hate wearing that collar,¡± Nina pointed out, surprising Mikella. ¡°And¡­ I don¡¯t think he¡¯s a bad guy.¡± ¡°He isn¡¯t,¡± Paul said, turning to the three. ¡°He saved our lives more times than I can count. Even if he blows up again, I¡¯ll still be by his side. Because I¡¯m getting way more benefits with him as our comrade than with him as an enemy.¡± Though Mikella wished Paul wasn¡¯t so heavily honest like that, she still understood the man¡¯s intentions. The other three looked slightly uncomfortable at this, then the one with the piercings nodded. ¡°Fine,¡± The man said. ¡°Let¡¯s just keep going. We don¡¯t have time to play around anyways.¡± ¡°My guess exactly,¡± Mikella agreed. She still wanted to punch him in the face, but that can wait for future training. ¡°So, where to next?¡± ¡­.. Thankfully, the group hasn¡¯t evolved into a potentially fatal sparring match, much to Mikella¡¯s disappointment. Still, they made great progress throughout the biodome, at least around two or three percent of it. That alone took several more hours than they had expected, and there was way too much crap going on to truly focus on scoping out the place. For instance, the area where their base was near to was a wide array of crystals similar to flower gardens, each one displaying the level of natural beauty, but once they were away from that area, they spotted several more of the bisons, each one having a level range of 60 and above. The one they spotted, the level 61, was actually something of a recently newborn that strayed off the path. On the other side were several more creatures, ones supposedly more herbivores which again were at the Journeyman rank. But then they spotted what they believed to be a carnivore. A massive creature similar to a car in size stumbled in and mauled one of the bisons, easily breaking through the crystal-like muscles with its sharp fangs. The creature in question looked more like a canine, but there were horns jutting out of its head, spikes at each of its legs¡¯ joints. Its claws and fangs were a colorful ruby red, and the blood that was dribbling down its mouth thanks to the bison was a colorful rainbow, possibly the biodome¡¯s features that all the creatures here had rainbow-like blood. The creature was known as the Crystal Hunter, and its level was 72. However, it was clear that it''s heavily relying on its power and speed than the natural defenses of the bison, something that it clearly worked for considering its own name. Finally, they spotted some flying creatures. At first, Mikella thought it was the one Zeke spotted before, but these flew in a flock, and this time they weren¡¯t made of crystal. They looked like natural birds, but they each had a small crystal embedded in chests, this time a sparkling green. Mikella wondered whether those were actually significant, showing what elements they were specializing in. The Crystal bison for instance had a yellowish coloring with some brown tint, and the hunter was red. If I know my colors, red usually means fire, yellow being earth, and green being wind or air¡­ Considering the buff made by the biodome, this seemed to be aligned. Even the other scouts agreed to this, making this valuable information to know. Eventually, they were running out of supplies and headed back to the base. Mikella, on the way there, suggested rather than asked if it was possible to try fighting against one of the bisons at least, being so weak as it was since it was treated as prey for the hunters. ¡°I know you¡¯re strong, but let¡¯s not push it,¡± The one with the piercings and haladies responded. ¡°Even if you do take it down, it¡¯s possible the noise might attract other monsters. Perhaps even the blood might bring in those Hunters. It¡¯s possible that they could be packs, at least from what I surmise of their canine-like behavior.¡± For once, Mikella agreed to the haladie guy. She was keen on wanting to take out a Journeyman Rank monster on her own without Zeke finding out about it, but even she knew that she wasn¡¯t powerful enough to handle a group of those hunters, even if she was able to run away. Perhaps in an ambush using the Cloak of Darkness to take out one Hunter with her Tempest Bow, maybe charged with her lightning, but that¡¯s just a one-off tactic. She even noticed that because she didn¡¯t argue about it any further, there was a certain respect in their eyes. They¡¯d probably believe that she didn¡¯t care much about anything else other than fighting monsters. Not that she would blame them. How else can she get experience otherwise? They returned back to the base with a map made by the guy with the tattoos drawn exceptionally well. Even the usually directionally-challenged Mikella can read it with ease. When they returned to the base, they were surprised to find a giant barrier surrounding it, but only for a few seconds as the scouts went ahead. Mikella worried whether Zeke was pushing it too far again, but hearing about the convenient Mana generator by Paul, she relaxed a little. They stepped up to the barrier and passed right through with ease. Though looking at how thick the barrier was in between, it was certainly fortified to handle against outside attacks. But just as she spotted Zeke in the distance and ready to ask about what they did so far, she gaped at the sight. ¡°A pair of Kings and Queens.¡± ¡°Godsdamit, how does he do it!?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not fair! You¡¯re using some skill, aren¡¯t you!?¡± Zeke was smiling like an idiot, displaying an impressive display of pairs on the makeshift table while the two healers he was playing cards with grumbled at him. When he looked back and saw who appeared, Zeke grinned. ¡°Hey! You¡¯re back!¡± Zeke said, lifting up the cards that someone must have brought in. ¡°Wanna play poker?¡± Mikella¡¯s jaw was slacked from the sight, and when the scouts returned and saw, immediately going away to do their own business, she stepped over with a huff. ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to be working on making a¡­ thing or something out of here?¡± Mikella asked while pointing up with her finger. ¡°I already did,¡± Zeke shrugged. ¡°Cloud took over after that. He said I shouldn¡¯t be using that much magic, so when I didn¡¯t have much else to do, these guys offered to play cards.¡± ¡°And we regret it!¡± Rajin, the half-elf healer shouted with Casia nodding in approval. ¡°Everyone¡¯s saying he¡¯s a lucky charm, maybe he really is just lucky,¡± She muttered to herself, and Zeke could only chuckle. ¡°Be lucky we didn¡¯t make this interesting,¡± Zeke said with a smirk. ¡°So, would you guys mind if she played?¡± ¡°Sure, we don¡¯t mind,¡± Casia said, forgetting about the injustice and nodding to Mikella. ¡°Is this¡­ really okay?¡± She asked again. Zeke nodded in agreement. Figuring that there was no harm, she decided to sit down near him. ¡°Alright, but let me warn you¨CI play a mean poker face.¡± She immediately lost against Zeke three more times after that. Apparently her poker face was just very active. Vol2 Ch24: Prep and Venture Mikella was surprisingly cute when she kept losing in card games. From poker to blackjack, to the new card game that existed in this world which required a lot more skill than luck¨Cshe lost them all pretty badly. It wasn¡¯t that she was unlucky or bad at the game, just¡­ easy to read. When she was on the battlefield, it was hard to predict what she might do. According to Zeke, Mikella fights along with the flow, acting accordingly depending on the situation. She was very experienced in adapting to situations quickly, especially with how they first started. But when it came to just sitting down and looking at cards, the only way she could move was her facial expressions, and that gave her away easily. Zeke managed to figure out her calls with ease, and each time she grumbled and said that it was just luck. After losing a few more times, she just decided that he was a dick and left the table. Zeke took it kindly though. He knew that she was just having as much fun, even if she lost. She¡¯s the type to enjoy sports and moving around, not sitting around and doing calculating things. That didn¡¯t mean she was all muscles and no brains, however. She just didn¡¯t have a single deceptive bone in her body. Once the rousing game of cards was over, she told Zeke of what she found. She figured that the other scouts would already be on their way to the general, so Zeke had first news on what was out there. ¡°Journeyman monsters all around?¡± Zeke said, his brows widening at the news. ¡°I don¡¯t think they¡¯re as strong as the ones we found before,¡± Mikella added in. ¡°But their levels showed that they are.¡± ¡°Huh, I wonder if it¡¯s one of those zone changes¨Clike in games, where the overall level is higher and tougher. You think you can handle it?¡± ¡°I think I can, but it¡¯s decided it was too risky,¡± Mikella shook her head. ¡°Also¡­¡± She kept explaining about the areas, and even how the wildlife is like. When he asked whether they found the aforementioned fortress, she shook her head. ¡°Guess it¡¯s not that easy to find,¡± Zeke mentioned. But before he could continue with his questioning, Cloud called out to him. ¡°Guys, it¡¯s done,¡± Cloud said, Val walking up beside him with a huge grin on her face. That somehow told Zeke of what he has to do. ¡°You ready?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do it,¡± Zeke turned to Mikella. ¡°Wanna join the first ever Eve Glade transport express?¡± ¡°Hell yeah!¡± The four went over to where they first landed, and the few hours that have passed have changed the scene completely. There was a large circular area, dug out by the earth mages using spells and the soldiers specializing in Strength that carried out the debris. What was left over was a large empty area with a just-as-large circular barrier placed within. On that barrier were perhaps hundreds and hundreds of small runes drawn on it, some even entangled together and even swirling around on their own, courtesy of Cloud¡¯s experienced Runecraft skill. There was a small device near it connected to the barrier, something akin to a console that connected to the barrier via a link to the crystal within. It was something to connect to the barrier to activate without Zeke¡¯s prompting¨Canother magical engineering that no matter how much Zeke wanted to learn about, kept being baffled by it. The worst part of it was trying to connect Zeke¡¯s runes with the device, as it wasn¡¯t just like connecting wires and cables in his old world. He had to connect with the magical signature of the device, like trying to actively connect the wavelength of the mana with his own. It was a pretty abstract concept for Zeke, something that actually gained him another skill level.
Mana Manipulation Level Up! It is now Level 3. You have gained +2 INT from your skill. You have gained +1 SPI from your skill.
Once again, his collar made him stuffy a little bit. Despite being so uncomfortable, he refused to take it off, even when Val told him that he could take it off if he¡¯s not using magic. It wasn¡¯t that he was afraid of his attunement taking over¨Cif anything, he hoped he could still use his attunement with the thing on. Though he hasn¡¯t tried it yet. He¡¯s only going to try his attunement when the situation practically begs for it. What mattered is that everyone survived this quest. He knew the rewards would be worth it by then. ¡°So, who wants to go back up?¡± Cloud asked, and of course the only one willing to be first was his wife as she raised her hand childishly with a glint in her eyes. ¡°Other than Val.¡± Some of the soldiers decided to go with the captain, figuring that if they were going up in that horrid speed again, they would have a Journeyman with them. They also needed to bring some more tools since it looked like it was going to take a while to conquer the biodome. A number of soldiers went along with the excited Val, and when Cloud went to the console, he poured in his Mana to activate the procedure. A loud whirring noise occurred, all coming from the runes themselves as they started to swirl faster and began to glow, causing the barrier to act up. As soon as the barrier began to glow, it went up in a burst of speed that almost knocked everyone off their feet that were close by. Horrible screams echoed out along with Val¡¯s scream of excitement before they all slowly disappeared into the distance. ¡°Huh, maybe it needs some more fixing,¡± Cloud suddenly said, rubbing his chin. ¡°That wasn¡¯t supposed to happen.¡± ¡°Cloud, when you say it like that, it sounds really, really bad¡­¡± Mikella said, her face paling at the wording. ¡°He meant the knockback from the speed,¡± Zeke said to ease Mikella''s concerns. We¡¯re also planning on putting in some security, just in case something happens above.¡± ¡°Not that anyone would be crazy enough to jump into the massive hole in the ground¡­¡± Mikella said, but gave in when everyone went their ways. Cloud explained that Val didn¡¯t just go up to get a ride again, though that was something she looked forward to. She wanted to come back to visit the house to make sure that Ana was alright, and then take some important items Cloud asked for. Meanwhile, Cloud himself would stay behind to work a little bit more on the base, making sure that everyone was working properly. As his assistant at this point, Zeke went off to help, and Mikella joined in because she pretty much had nothing to do. For the next three and a half days, the routine was set up; Prepare the base, and scout out the areas around them. During those days, Zeke had been getting quite a workout with his Runist class thanks to Cloud¡¯s further teachings. There was something to be said about teaching oneself through books and study, and another when taught by someone who had years of experience.
Runecraft Level Up! It is now Level 9. You have gained +1 INT from your skill. You have gained +2 SPI from your skill.
He was so close to either advancing or evolving his Runecraft skill, which was close to how Cloud¡¯s skill is. His skill only advanced since he wasn¡¯t a Runist, reaching up to Epic rarity. Since he wasn¡¯t used to it, it barely leveled at all despite so many years passing by. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. On the other hand, Zeke was close to the max. He might have the option to evolve, which by his opinion was a better option than just merely advancing. But how it evolved was still a mystery to him. Not even Cloud knows how it would end up as the skill is formed based on the Runists¡¯ needs and wants rather than the direction the system would automatically take it towards¨Cthat¡¯s how advancing the skill works after all. The base grew to be a little more homey, if that was the right word to use. The buildings were made with wood and it even became more fortified. Some of the soldiers here had skills built for building things rather than for combat, so that became useful rather quickly. On the other hand, Mikella has been controlling her attunement at an easier rate so far, believing that she could use it during combat without losing too much control, and even better, without Zeke having to help tone it down with his Recovery. She had quite the workout against the other soldiers who were forced to wait for the scouts to come in and out with their mapping. Sometimes Mikella would go in, and sometimes she would stay and let someone else join them for defense. She often had Myra and Jackie as sparring partners, and sometimes even the soldiers from Zacharia¡¯s group. Zacharia himself, however, went off on his own to see the surroundings for himself. With his power and defensive abilities, he would have no problems being out there by himself. Though that still didn¡¯t stop the other soldiers from his group being worried for him. Considering that the man could even tank undeath, Zeke had no worries at all for him in this type of area. The elevator express that they created also worked wonders. They were able to bring in and out many items with ease, and it barely needed any supervision other than Cloud or Zeke coming in to check every once in a while. All in all, the base was coming by smoothly, and the buff that the barrier gave certainly helped as well. Eventually, it was time for everyone to make a foray into the biodome, and with it, their quest to get started. Zeke was at his own temporary home, a small household with really only two rooms, one for him and for Mikella. Figuring that the base could be big enough, each soldier had the option to create a small home for themselves or with each other, which was convenient considering that there were some with different sexual preferences that would be a bad idea to room with just because they share the same gender. Not that anyone here would be crazy enough to start anything. Zacharia would quickly deal with that, as well as Cloud and Val since the situation demands all of their attention. Rest and relaxation was alright, but anything romantically involved is a serious pain to deal with, and heavily distracting. Though for some reason they were okay with Zeke and Mikella rooming up. The journeyman already knew that they weren¡¯t romantically involved, and everyone who doesn¡¯t know their origins knew that they were married based on their story. It still made Zeke a little more nervous considering that, but right now wasn¡¯t the time. He put on his robes, one that was more combat-focused ones that tightened the sleeves on his wrists and ankles than having it flow about like an actual wizard¡¯s robe. He put on his Gloves of Sanctuary, the gloves that improved his support skills way more than it naturally could. He spotted Mikella, dressed in her leather armor waiting outside. ¡°You good?¡± She asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± Zeke nodded as the two walked forward to the center. ¡°Today¡¯s the day, huh?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve been preparing for this for a while now. God, I haven''t done a single fight with a monster for so long now. It¡¯s time to change that.¡± Zeke nodded to that. While not having to fight for one¡¯s life like back in the tower was a good experience, he knew that continuing that would be dooming them both. He followed Mikella, speaking about what they plan to do and what they should do if any situation arose. Such as being separated from one another, for example. ¡°Zeke, whatever happens, just focus on surviving like before, alright?¡± Mikella said, her tone implying that she won¡¯t be argued against at any moment. Zeke only nodded to that. ¡°And come back to me. No matter what.¡± ¡°Same to you,¡± Zeke smiled. ¡°Though I¡¯m betting that won¡¯t happen. I¡¯m certain the Journeyman won¡¯t let it happen at any time.¡± ¡°Yeah, well, I still don¡¯t like Zacharia,¡± Mikella scoffed. ¡°I have a feeling that he might try to separate us just to see how well we can handle it. Or worse, try to find out how our link works. God, if he actually tries that shit¡­¡± Zeke pressed his lips together. That would sound like something Zacharia would try, at least to test out their link¡¯s potential. But he shook his head. ¡°I won¡¯t let that happen. I don¡¯t care if he¡¯s in charge and the rest of the group teams up against us¨CI won¡¯t let that happen.¡± ¡°Damn straight,¡± Mikky smirked. ¡°Let¡¯s get some decent XP, eh?¡± They got to the group, which was a large array of soldiers currently waiting for the general to make his orders. Cloud and Val stood by, each standing with purpose and decked out in their own adventuring gear. Cloud even had his unique staff with multiple bands slung together on the cross, with Val¡¯s impressive sword tightened in her grip. Zacharia stepped up in his full metal-plated armor and faced the crowd of soldiers, each one now standing straight and saluting to him. Obviously, the Eve Glade crew didn¡¯t follow, but listened nonetheless. ¡°Today we begin our venture into the biodome. Due to the quest, our main goal is to take over the fortress by taking out the leader within it. But that will not be our purpose for today. We will instead focus on conquering the surrounding areas, find any resource that¡¯s available to us, and study the makeup of the monsters and creatures inhabiting the prison.¡± The soldiers nodded in agreement. Zeke also understood, thinking of the old tactic of ¡®divide and conquer¡¯ rather than going straight for the boss. Being able to get some XP and level up sounds pleasant in the meanwhile. ¡°For that, we will divide our teams into four. The first two will be the scouts, each heading in different direction. This time, we¡¯ll have melee and ranged fighters joining them. The third will be the main group, consisting of Vitality and Endurance based fighters with healers on hand. The fourth will follow the main group as its main ranged attackers, consisting of mages and archers. Does anyone disagree?¡± Of course, his own retinue didn¡¯t complain at all, and instead nodded. Mikella noticed that due to her stats, it might be possible that she will be separated from Zeke. Zeke wondered as well, but after noticing Cloud and Val¡¯s stare, they smiled as if knowing what they were thinking. Looks like we¡¯re in the clear. ¡°The first two teams will move on ahead and scope out the areas. The leaders will then return and report the monsters within that area, and the main team will take care of it. Depending on the difficulty, the first two teams will return to us and fight along with us. We will continue like this until further notice. That¡¯s the end of the briefing. Soldiers, at arms!¡± The soldiers responded in unison, prepping their weapons and putting themselves into a ready stance. Once the general turned around and flung his arm forward, he shouted again. ¡°March!¡± ¡­.. As Zeke expected, he and Mikella were put in the main team. The team consisted of the Journeyman users, the healers Casia and Rajin including himself, the fighters Mikella, Myra, Jackie and Piker, making it a large team of 10 in all. They traveled across the biodome, this being the first time Zeke went off beyond the base for himself. He marveled at the scenery, the crystals seemingly coming alive at every corner, nearly blinding him. He was certain his Intelligence was boosting his cognition to the point where he could take it all in with ease. As well as the battles ahead. Before long, the main team was reported by one of the scouts that several bison were ahead. Seeing them chilling around and grazing at the ground looking for crystals to munch on for himself, Zeke gazed upon them in a new light. ¡°I guess not every monster is a lunatic wanting to kill us,¡± He said to Mikella by his side, seeing how the bison didn¡¯t appear all that tentative despite a team of ten coming towards them. ¡°Be careful though; they¡¯re still Journeyman rank,¡± Mikella warned him, getting him to nod. The scout teams would be the first to down the monsters if they deemed them easy to handle. But since this is the first time for anyone, the main team will focus on them first, then if the situation calls for it, the range group will take over to deal with them. It was a very careful and very organized troop of soldiers, each one having their own experiences in battle. Normally, this would make any non-combatant feel safe, but Zeke had enough of a reason why he needed to be on guard even if he wasn¡¯t fighting at all. There were three bison to face, and each one turned to find them coming towards them. The bison stood on their pillar-like legs and mooed at them, creating a noise that a rampaging cow or ox would make. The sound definitely felt strong, his very bones tingling from the noise reverberating from it. As usual, the Journeyman will stay back. If the situation arrives, then they will step in, but they have no reason to take potentially good experience from the soldiers. As for the main team, it was already decided. ¡°Mikella, be careful,¡± Zeke said, even though this time he had no intention of holding back on using his barriers. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± Mikella nodded. ¡°Just give me a minute or two before launching barriers, promise?¡± ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll let you bash your face in a couple of times before I step in,¡± Zeke smirked in good gesture, and Mikella responded in kind before facing the bison stepping forward. It roared at her, scraping against the ground with its crystalline hoof. It twisted its head, the horns swung about as it charged right after her. Mikella got into her sword stance she had been practicing for many months now. She breathed, slowly and surely; then she struck. Vol2 Ch25: Letting go of the safety net Mikella thrusted her sword towards the bison, but despite its looks, it was faster than she expected. It turned and swiveled, its large bulk easily avoiding the blade threatening its life. It charged straight after her, but she maneuvered around it without much worry, then slash half-hazardly at its side. The blade struck, but the moment it did, a powerful twang of metal resounded, sparks flying about. She stepped back away, realizing that the hide of the bison was barely affected. If anything, it looked like she tried to scratch a metal wall. Tough hide, almost like steel. She cataloged in her mind before backing away from another charge attack. It looked like the beast only knew of one thing. From the looks of it, its only weapons were the horns on its head and its large bulk. She started to believe the Crystal Hunters were the worst of the bunch if they managed to pierce through their hide so easily. But something else was caught in her midst. Her eyes widened when she noticed her footing being off. She perceived with her senses that the ground beneath her was starting to shift. Before she could get affected, she jumped out, using Dragon Descent out of instinct. She had no intention of testing her limits against an enemy she never fought before. And it was a good thing too. She wasn¡¯t sure whether her Dexterity had given her some warning due to the shift in balance, but a second after the ground started to shift, a massive spike of pure stone jutted out from her, reaching several feet in height. When she was about to land, more spikes came after her, but she managed to jump in between the spikes and get away from the massive array of earth magic trying to skewer her. They can use magic? Is this what it means when they have an increased power in this place? She wasn¡¯t really all that surprised to find one of the mobs capable of using dangerous magic. It was intended for this place to be strong, and during the past few days, she studied up on the monsters known in their Journeyman rank. In the Intermediate and Expert stages, they mostly rely on their stats and special features, but eventually they start to use other tactics the further ranks they go up. This one, however, was a bit of a simpleton. It kept using spikes instead of any other type of magic, making it easy for Mikella to evade, but due to the random spots they pop up, she had difficulty trying to get close. So instead, she decided to smash her way in. Remembering the tough hide, she filled her sword with her Mana and Stamina, using a well-used skill she used to get her up to such high levels. She flared Heavenly Strike, the blade glowing in bright white light. Thanks to her attunement training, she also realized that her blade was suffused with energies different from her lightning based Mana, making it slightly difficult to wield. But if anything, that made it easier for her to focus entirely on destroying the bison before her. Just as she was about to launch a strike at it, the bison summoned multiple spikes of earth to defend itself, nearly piercing her in the process. Through her rush, as the spikes were just about to pierce her, she flared Hawk Eyes. Her eyes shone bright yellow, her arms swinging wide backward before swinging her sword across through the rock spears. The spikes were crushed instantaneously, the rocks showered the entire scene as she aimed precisely where the weakness of the bison would be, right at its legs. The blade, enchanted to handle the rough treatment, slashed through the bison¡¯s hide and rainbow blood splattered across the rock and herself. The bison howled in pain as it fell over, unable to keep its heavy weight on one of its legs. Before the creature could continue on, Mikella pulled her sword back, twirled to keep the blade on top of its neck, and thrust it downwards with Heavenly Strike. It crushed the hide, the muscle and the bone within, killing it instantly. Mikella breathed, her fingers hurting from the process despite winning the fight. The hide was a lot tougher than normal, not even her stats were capable of taking it down as easily as the other monsters from before. She was really only able to pierce the hide solely due to the special piercing ability of Heavenly Strike. But just as she was about to reel in from her victory, a barrier popped up right next to her. She only just realized that another bison was about to hit her before the barrier blocked its path, stopping it immediately with a pained howl. ¡°Mikky!¡± She heard Zeke shout. ¡°There¡¯s still more bisons!¡± She cursed herself for getting too drawn into the fight. Of course there were still two others. But her hands were still trembling from the force, unable to really get back into gear. ¡°I gotcha!¡± Myra shouted, getting to her side with her spear in hand. ¡°That tough, huh? The hide?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Mikella nodded as she saw the other fighters coming in, the healers staying at the back as they were told. ¡°You guys got any skills capable of piercing tough defenses?¡± ¡°Nah, but I can probably burn them to smithereens!¡± Myra grinned fiercely as flames enveloped her entirely. She dashed towards the incoming bison, ready to strike with a dash which surprisingly had itself covered in tough stone. It turned its entire hide into rock as part of its magic power, but that didn¡¯t deter Myra in the slightest as she sidestepped, the flames causing the stone to simmer and burn, leaving a charred surface. Her hand stretched out, and fire coalesced in front of the palm before becoming empowered by the flames surrounding her. Despite the two being flames, each one was of a different color, as one was Myra¡¯s enhanced fire attunement, and the other being her Acquired Skill, Incendiary Grasp. How ironic that the skill she was using against a Journeyman rank monster was from a Journeyman rank monster. The flames collided together and burst forth from her palm, hitting the slow bison and bathing it in the twin-colored flames of bright red and hot orange. The poor bison screamed, its rocky defenses unable to handle the heat clawing at it, almost like wearing metal armor and unfortunately unable to get out from it. Mikella supposed that there were several ways to handle a creature with a tough hide other than just hitting it harder with piercing attacks. Another good example was none other than Piker as he stepped up to the last bison. He pulled his large bastard sword out as frost covered the blade. It slowly rose upward before it eventually turned into a blade larger and taller than even himself made entirely of ice. He swung with brutality towards the slow bison, nearly crushing it rather than slashing at its toughness. The bison couldn¡¯t even do a thing as frost covered its hooves, leaving it unable to move for a second before responding well enough. Another example of their slowness was their lack of a reaction speed. A few minutes passed as the fights continued. While the fight with the last two lasted longer than Mikella¡¯s own, they didn¡¯t show any exhaustion as the bisons were taken out rather quickly. Experience flowed through her despite not killing the last two, being part of the battle even in those short moments of battle. Still, it wasn¡¯t enough to level, but she didn¡¯t care. She learned something better¨Cshe can¡¯t just rely on her favorite skill. It worked on the last few Expert-ranked monsters in the past, but now Journeyman ranked monsters are forcing her to consider her way of fighting. She only focused on dealing quick burst damage to take out a monster quickly, but that might end up with her injuring herself in the process, much like with her lightning attunement. She didn¡¯t want to be some bomb to do damage then left forgotten¨Cshe needed to be better. Once the two returned back to her, the other fighters in the main team went off to find more bisons, their own healers in tow. The Journeyman went off to survey the area, figuring that the team here is enough to handle everything, especially with Zeke around. ¡°Good work,¡± Mikella called out to Myra, granting themselves a high five upon return. ¡°Thanks, though I should¡¯ve focused harder on my flames. I could¡¯ve easily beat them already if I can just learn to pinpoint my fire instead of just spraying it everywhere.¡± Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. ¡°Compared to how you first got them, be thankful you didn¡¯t burn everyone around you.¡± Piker added in, his usually dry tone becoming an icon along with his stoic looking face, drastically similar to the general. Myra only grumbled and cursed at him, but Mikella turned to him as well. ¡°You did good too,¡± Mikella said. ¡°I should¡¯ve thought about crushing it instead of just stabbing at it.¡± ¡°I heard you have several mastery skills now,¡± Piker said, shrugging a shoulder. ¡°If you have Hammer Mastery, that might have been more efficient.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ shit! That¡¯s a good idea!¡± She had the weapon itself in her bag. But like an idiot, she only focused on using her sword. That was the entire purpose of having different weapons. Still, she needed to know that using only her sword might work, but it was not efficient. It was still a good lesson to learn. Piker only just nodded in approval, understanding her plight of forgetting her other tools in the heat of battle. Seeing that Piker was there, and that so far it was just the four of them around, Mikella figured that if she doesn¡¯t do it now, she might never get the chance. So like a bandaid overstaying its welcome, she decided to just rip it out. ¡°Listen, Piker. I wanna apologize for what I said to you, all the way back then. I¡¯ve been trying to say it for a long time now, especially after figuring out what you¡¯ve been going through, but I haven¡¯t. I got nervous, but I had enough.¡± Mikella just let it all out, not even giving Piker any breathing room as he stared at her with widened eyes. Myra looked at her in surprise as well, but she shook her head as she also heard about Mikella wanting to apologize. She could feel Zeke¡¯s eyes on them, and she just knew that guy was smiling at her success, no matter how rushed it was. Piker, on the other hand, looked down. ¡°You don¡¯t need to apologize. I was the one that¨C¡± ¡°Uh-huh, no, not your fault,¡± Mikella quickly stopped him in his tracks. ¡°You were forced to, and I¡¯d rather not get into that right now. I just wanna let you know¨Cyou¡¯re forgiven for that, and I apologize for thinking you¡¯re some rat. You don¡¯t deserve that.¡± Mikella didn¡¯t want to hear his side at all. After so long, she already saw from both perspectives, from her own and his. He didn¡¯t have a choice due to his father forcing him, and she was rightfully upset for being imprisoned that time, especially when Clara was involved in being forced in by Zacharia¡¯s stupid plans. But she also didn¡¯t like dragging out this personal thing, so she¡¯d rather just air it out and be done with it. When she looked up at Piker, he stood there staring at her for a moment. He looked like he was trying to say something else, but Myra patted him on the shoulder. ¡°You know she¡¯s not gonna back down from this. Just take the apology like a man and let it be. Unless you have a complaint of your own?¡± Piker stared at Myra almost staggered, but after another moment, he shook his head with a defeated look. ¡°No, not at all. I suppose¡­ I should say ¡®apology accepted¡¯.¡± He lifted his hand forward to Mikella. ¡°So, is everything all water under the bridge?¡± ¡°Damn straight,¡± Mikella smiled, and took Piker¡¯s hand. Compared to his, her own hand was just small and dainty, but Piker couldn¡¯t underestimate the power hiding within from the shake. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to fight alongside you again. Especially since I might go a little crazy with my attunement this time.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ not good to hear,¡± Piker said, shaking his head again. But this time, a smile was plastered on his face. ¡°I agree!¡± Zeke suddenly shouted, sharing Piker¡¯s disbelief as Mikella glared back at him. ¡°Healers should stay out of this!¡± Mikella joked back with a shout, and Zeke only just threw a tongue at her. ¡°Well then, now that we¡¯re all nicey-nice now, how about we get on with the mob killing? At this rate, the other groups are going to take our sweet XP from us!¡± Mikella nodded as their impromptu group of Mikella, Myra, Piker, and Zeke went ahead to take out some of the bisons for practice. Then on, they¡¯ll keep raising the stakes higher and higher. ¡­.. Few hours passed by as they kept taking down one bison after another. They even managed to take out a bird-like creature with the crystals jutting out of the chest feathers, though it wasn¡¯t that difficult. Certainly their wind magic caused some cuts and scrapes, but their defenses were laughable compared to the bison as they managed to take them out with ranged attacks. Mikella ran into an issue, however. Her normal arrows made of air didn¡¯t do jack shit against the crystal birds, their element being air and all. And she didn¡¯t feel like wasting a good arrow either, so she decided to do that test she wanted to try out and filled her wind arrow with lightning mana. It went as well as she expected. She managed to make an electrified wind arrow, the wind unable to fully contain the lightning as it became a massive, coiling snake-like arrow made of electricity before being launched straight at the bird and making it explode with wind and lightning, like a storm suddenly appearing out of nowhere. Apparently air and lightning mana synergized a little too well. Enough to the point where it actually damaged Mikella during the entire process. She tried to ignore it but having Zeke come in to heal her dampened her excitement. She really needed to learn how to control her lightning mana if she ever planned on creating the attack again. As for the rest of the fights, Zeke went ahead to make barriers when the bird creatures, known as Crystal Birds (quite the name), kept barraging them with air slices, giving them enough room to fight. Even though she should be thankful, if anything, she felt like she cheated. So she turned around, stopping the group, and faced Zeke with a hard look on her face. ¡°Zeke¡­ I want to ask a favor.¡± Looking at Zeke¡¯s surprised face, she knew she wasn¡¯t going to like this as much as he was. Her heart wrenched at the idea, especially considering how Zeke often feels insecure, but if she doesn¡¯t do this, she knows that she¡¯ll just end up regretting it. ¡°Your barriers are great¨Creally, really great. But I can¡¯t help but feel like I¡¯ll never improve if you keep defending us.¡± It wasn¡¯t the same as before, back when she was leveling like crazy during their Apprentice days. It was as if the very idea of Zeke being there, being her rock to lean on and her wall to hide behind, was forcing her back. She was made very aware of it when she realized that after all this time, she should have maxed out Sword Mastery by now. Unlike the other weapons, she understood her sword better than anything else. She fought with it, trained with it, practically dreamt of it every night. Yet she was no closer to reaching max level than she was when she first got it to level 9. Just one more level, yet no amount of combat and training is enough. She needed to push farther, which led her to one of the advice Val had given her so long ago, almost a year by now. You can never improve if you don¡¯t push yourself. There is no way to power without risk. The last part struck her after spending all this time training. Without risk¡­ clearly, Zeke¡¯s barrier decreased those risks by a lot. The fact that Zeke defended her from a bison attack was proof enough that she was instinctually relying on it. That¡¯s why she decided to go for it. ¡°I¡¯m close, I know it,¡± Mikella said, almost pleading with her eyes. ¡°But I need that tension to max my Sword Mastery. That¡¯s why I¡¯m asking you to not use your barriers on me at all. I need you to promise me, no matter how bad it looks, that you won''t protect me.¡± ¡°Mikky, I¡­¡± Mikella grimaced. The way he called out her nickname once again lit something in her that she can¡¯t really describe. It was really different from the way Myra and Val called out to her. But she also knew that this was important. And if she was honest with herself, she hated how she was the only one of the two to not have maxed a skill at all. It was frustrating to feel as though she wasn¡¯t putting enough effort into it unlike Zeke was. She knew he didn¡¯t care at all about that, but she did. She needed to change that. And the only way is to get rid of the safety net she had been relying on all this time. ¡°Zeke, I know you¡¯re worried, but I second her opinion.¡± Myra stepped over, catching her by surprise. Though after thinking on it, Myra also shared in her beliefs that they have been relying on the barrier too much. She stared hard at Zeke, the sense of determination in her eyes that was similar to her own. ¡°I also agree,¡± Piker came up, this time surprising them all. ¡°Zeke, your barriers are powerful enough that I worry that my fighting senses will dull. Your healing skill would be more than enough to carry us through.¡± Mikella let out a heavy breath. ¡°So, even if you see us getting utterly crushed or beaten by a monster¡­ don¡¯t use your barriers on us, okay? Will you promise me that?¡± ¡°Mikky¡­¡± Zeke shook his head. ¡°You guys, that¡¯s¡­ that¡¯s a really huge favor you¡¯re asking me to do.¡± Mikella nodded. It was a favor, after all. There¡¯s no way Zeke would be okay to see someone so close to dying if he can use his barriers. But that was the point. If Mikella can¡¯t even get out of a situation without his barrier, what will happen if the worst comes and they get separated again? She never wants to feel helpless like that again. She also wants enough power to bring Zeke back if that was the case, so in short, it serves both purposes. But eventually, much to Mikella¡¯s relief, Zeke gave in. ¡°Alright¡­ alright, alright!¡± He shouted. There was that frustrated edge to his tone as he continued ¡°Fine, go ahead and just get your asses kicked. I guess I can get some training in with my healing skill¡­¡± Mikella smiled and hugged Zeke, making him flinch from the surprise. ¡°Thank you, Zeke! Make sure you keep your promise okay?¡± ¡°I will, just¡­¡± Zeke patted her shoulder, then pushed her away. His eyes turned somewhat heavy. ¡°Promise me you¡¯ll survive so I can piece you together.¡± Mikella nodded in agreement, then turned back to the other two. In that moment, hearing that the barrier won¡¯t be used on them, their faces hardened, and their eyes narrowed. The safety net was gone. It was all on them now. And for the first time, Mikella felt giddy. Her muscles tensed and her fingers gripped tighter. She could feel it¨Cher own barrier blocking her from her progress starting to break. It was time to get stronger, in a way levels can¡¯t comprehend. Vol2 Ch26: Vs. Crystal Hunter The feeling of being out without protection made her nerves stand on end. Telling Zeke to not use his barriers no matter the danger, and knowing that he won¡¯t break his word, somehow made it all the more real. Back at the tower, she realized just how weak she was without the use of his barriers against stronger foes. Back at the forest, all she dealt with were meager Expert-level monsters with more brawns than brains. But this time, she was facing regular Journeyman-ranked monsters with magic at their disposal. Figuring she needed to make a check up after a long while, she opened up her status, skills and all.
Name: Mikella Ashton (Overachiever) Race: Human Dragon Berserker: Level 39 Attunement: Unbridled Fulmination (Tier 1) STR: 131 DEX: 156 INT: 21 SPI: 27 VIT: 36 END: 105 Free Points: 0 General Skills: Kinetic Perception (U) Level 8 Sword Mastery (U) Level 9 Axe Mastery (U) Level 4 Spear Mastery (U) Level 4 Bow Mastery (U) Level 1 Hammer Mastery (U) Level 1 Pain Resistance (U) Level 7 Meditation (C) Level 7 Acquired Skills: Acrobatics (R) Level 9 Hawk Eyes (R) Level 8 Class Skills: Heavenly Strike Level 5 Dragon Descent Level 5 Aerial Advantage Level 3 Draconic Fury Level 1 Title Skill: Give me more (Title), Level 1 (Maxed)
It was becoming longer and longer with more skills involved, hence why she always took them off. Not that looking at them will change anything. Her Sword Mastery was the only thing on her mind. After reaching level 9, she felt that her technique had been lacking. As if it didn¡¯t have a soul to turn to. When she first got it, she learned a lot, but as she fought and grew her levels, her skill was becoming more like training wheels rather than a valuable teacher. And now even those training wheels were becoming a chore. If she¡¯s not willing to push herself, she can¡¯t reach beyond her limits. Back at the training course, it was controlled, and no matter what happens, the healers would come in to help, Zeke included. But even with Zeke still here, the safety net was off. She had what she needed to set the stage, and now it was time for her to act. Though with her comrades by her side, she worried whether that would still be enough. But she convinced herself that it was a bad idea to push them away. Not only do they deserve to advance as much as she did, she knew that fighting by oneself is paramount to suicide. There was a difference between fighting with a safety net, and fighting with both arms tied and one eye closed. Fighting in a dangerous environment with monsters in a higher stage than you without comrades is just like that. Also, she wanted to fight together with her comrades. This was also something she needed to work on for the future. The four headed off together, each group going off on their own to gain experience and survey the area. While nobody really questioned it, it was okay for Piker to go along with them. After all, they fought together more than half the time back at the tower, and they had good synergy with one another. They stepped over the area where the greenery took place. Though the grass and the leaves from the nearby trees weren''t as natural as the forests above. The leaves were glowing slightly, and there were shimmering gemstones embedded within the trunks of the trees. They also passed by the river that was flowing clear blue water, and Zeke mentioned that the water itself was imbued with lots of mana, obviously water aspected. Still, that doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s safe to drink regardless of how much they boil it. Mana can be even worse than germs or bacteria in some cases, and this was one of them. The atmosphere was quiet, the lull sound echoing and only small snippets of metal clanging from the other groups was heard throughout. ¡°Guess they got better luck than we do,¡± Myra commented at the noise, her voice as low as a whisper. It was obvious she was nervous. Even without the barrier, facing strong monsters on a common basis was enough to make anyone nervous. Even Piker seemed tense. His face was the same and was silent as always, but his posture was tighter, more controlled. Then, noise cluttered around them. Crystals from their surroundings began to break and get crushed as a massive weight walked over them. She could hide, but Mikella couldn¡¯t leave her comrades behind as they didn¡¯t have stealth skills, so she gripped her sword tight when she saw the creature coming in to face them. As her luck would have it, of course it would be the very same one that ate those tough bisons like breakfast.
Crystal Hunter, Level 72
¡°Fuck me,¡± Myra groaned as Piker put himself into a fighting stance. ¡°Ah well, here¡¯s to hoping it¡¯s not resistant to fire.¡± ¡°I doubt that,¡± Piker said, not sounding cheeky but more concerned. ¡°Considering it¡¯s ruby coloring, it most likely uses Fire magic.¡± ¡°Ah, damn it. Guess I¡¯m useless.¡± Though Myra sounded defeated, the feral grin on her face showed otherwise. Mikella let out a breath as she let the incoming fight fill her with adrenaline and a slight tinge of fear. ¡°I¡¯ll go ahead,¡± Mikella said, getting their attention. ¡°You two head in when you spot a chance.¡± The two nodded, knowing full well that her speed outmatched theirs. Taking that in, she stepped forward, brandishing her sword. She noticed Zeke hiding within the confines of the crystals. She could practically guess his face turning pale and sweat beginning to form on his forehead. She wished she could say that she¡¯ll be fine, but now wasn¡¯t the time. She needed to focus. She can¡¯t get distracted like before. The Crystal Hunter was as quiet even when it appeared. But once Mikella stepped forward, a low growl emanated from between the sharp fangs protruding from its mouth. It slightly opened them, revealing a slowly glowing innards of the Hunter. Her instincts came in and she deftly dodged the incoming fire stream that took out the entire quarter of the field they were at. She moved towards one of the larger crystals and went behind, letting the flames hit the crystal instead. Even from behind, she could feel the intense heat of the flames, and she swore even the large crystal was beginning to heat up to the point of glowing bright hot red. One touch could make third-degree burns on her skin even at her level, but she was ready to step out at any moment once the fire died out. And once it did, she charged ahead. She saw the other two coming at the Hunter, raising their favored weapons. Myra wasn¡¯t able to bring out her full potential, but she still thrusted her spear against the Hunter¡¯s hide. Despite not having great toughness like the bison, the Hunter shrugged it off and tried to bite at her, only to snap at empty air. Piker swiped his bastard sword from down below straight under its jaw at the moment, but the Hunter turned around and struck Piker at his chest with a strong kick from its hind leg. The claws from the leg scratched his armor, but it didn¡¯t pierce through as he slid across the ground, gritting his teeth. Mikella charged forward with her own swipe, this time diagonally straight at its shoulder. This time it hit, but the blade didn¡¯t even hit flesh. Its hide caused it to only scratch across, sparks flying out. Her fingers ached from the action alone as she clicked her tongue in frustration before jumping away before getting snapped at by its giant jaws. It was close too. The fangs nearly grazed through her forearm, leaving hot cuts across her flesh. It wasn¡¯t enough to be dangerous, so she just let her passive Meditation skill take care of that. The only solace is that despite how close it was, Zeke didn¡¯t provide a barrier. She could tell that he wanted to come in to heal them, but there was no chance for him to get in. Myra and Piker picked up the pace, adding in their own strikes and swipes, but the Hunter managed to take them on without issue. Only a few scratches were left on its tough hide, and so far only Myra¡¯s powerful strikes and Piker¡¯s frost-covered blade managed to do any damage. She wanted to use her class, to rely on Heavenly Strike for damage and Draconic Fury for an increase in power. However, she felt deep within her soul that relying on her class won¡¯t allow her to further improve her General Skills. She¡¯ll take every advantage to survive, so Dragon Descent was still useful, and Aerial Advantage is a passive skill that can still work. However, she needed to rely solely on her sword for this. She¡¯ll wade through blood and hellfire if it means becoming stronger, if it means protecting both Clara and Zeke. She called forth the fulmination within her. Electricity coiled around her chest, then ran up to her limbs. She felt her body trying to resist, to control, but instead of doing the normal, she did the opposite. She let it control her. She realized that trying to fight her mana was the same as trying to fight herself. Like her, her attunement is ferocious and wild. Trying to contain and control it would only make it angrier, more out of control. But she also didn¡¯t let it do as it pleased, either. She could already feel her power trying to shock her insides, trying to turn her into barbeque like so many times before. So she did half¨Cshe resisted from getting hurt, but let it do as it pleased. She feared Class Madness once, but instead, it became her¨Cher Class was now one with her spirit, aligning themselves together to create one path forward¨Cto get stronger and to conquer her obstacles. There, she finally felt it. An equilibrium with herself. She knew this was just the first step, but it was the biggest step she could ever make. Unfortunately, while this was happening with her mind, the fight was still going on. The Hunter took care of Myra and Piker¡¯s attacks and quickly charged towards the one gathering so much power around herself. Myra and Piker tried to scream out, and Zeke was just about ready to use his barrier. But he forced his hand away. He only looked on as the Hunter closed in towards Mikella. This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. She breathed in¡­ then out. Then let her power flow. Lightning flashed as she dashed, a clap of thunder echoing around her as she whipped past the Hunter, her sword blade stretched out. In that instant, a large gash appeared across the Hunter¡¯s tough hide, rainbow blood gushing out of itself. As the sparks lingered around her body, Mikella¡¯s Hawk Eyes opened wide. Her vision picked up the head, obviously, but there was also a crystal hidden within the furs of the Hunter. As it growled in pain, turning back and trying to launch another gaut of fire at her wake, she decided to try something new. She stretched out her hand and willed the lightning forward. Together, the two decided to make it fun as she launched her lightning straight from her fingertips and at the Hunter. The monster howled as electricity caught it, but it didn¡¯t blast it away nor did it cause it to stun. Instead, it coiled, wrapped around it like rope. With an effort of will and a roar, Mikella dragged the Hunter with her lightning, lifting it up and smashing it straight at a nearby crystal. The wolf crashed and caused the crystal to break apart, more rainbow blood exploding everywhere as a result. The three were left gawking at the sight. Myra and Piker watched with widened eyes as they turned their sight back to Mikella who gripped her fingers tight, the tingling making the feeling of pins and needles extremely strong. ¡°Whoo¡­ my mana just evaporated doing that,¡± Mikella commented, noticing that doing that simple throw caused her mana pool to dip straight to a quarter of its full amount. The Hunter breathed raggedly as it tried to get up, getting everyone on edge. It was bleeding profusely, the rainbow-like liquid dripping from the open wound. There were also broken fangs from its jaws, the result from being manhandled straight into the crystal. It growled, then fire began to spew out from it on all sides. From the fur, the mouth, the eyes¨Cit began to flare up in a way that made even Myra sweat profusely, much less everyone else from the heat. ¡°Is it planning to blow!?¡± Myra asked, prepping her spear. ¡°Whatever it is, we need to kill it, fast!¡± Piker shouted, already charging in with his sword. He tried to cover it in frost, but the heat was so intense that it just turned into vapor the moment he tried to summon it. Mikella gripped her sword tight. She ignored the painful heat and the scathing burn on her exposed skin as she charged forward with Myra in tow. She had enough resistance against the flames, so she got there fast and delivered a crushing blow with her spear. The Hunter snapped back, its moves faster than before. But it was also erratic, as though it was losing control. It reminded Mikella of that crazed Imp that flew around everywhere, eventually getting into Zeke¡¯s barrier before it blew up. It was charged with so much mana, it made the monster go crazy. With it in this state, it was becoming unpredictable as its mana kept charging, making it stronger and crazier each second. The other two tried to take it down now that it was heavily injured, but none were fast enough to handle its quick and unpredictable moves. The monster was already dealing enough damage as it is with its heat, but each attack caused the two to wince in pain, the cuts from its claws and broken fangs making them cauterize. She charged her body with her attunement, fully controlling her in small amounts. Compared to just being charred, this time, she only let it fill her body with just enough of a spark to make a change. In that instant, her body moved faster than her mind could even comprehend. Yet, instead of mentally controlling it, she let her body¡¯s instincts flow. When the Hunter was charging at her next, she dodged to the side, barely missing a hair¡¯s breadth before slicing at its leg, her weapon charged with lightning and cutting it open. Another strike, and another dodge, then another slash across its eyes. The fire was getting more intense. It was beginning to wear down her Stamina longer as a debuff appeared, the intense heat causing her Stamina to lower faster. But she refused to stop. Even as the coldness of her mana slowly reaching zero was seeping into her, she refused to stop. Not until she pushed herself over to that edge. Each strike she did, thanks to her increased reactions with her lightning, made her understand what she was lacking. Her sword was long and heavy, easily helping her with the distance. With a little shift, she managed to avoid a critical blow just in time for her to deal a strike straight at its eyes. It missed the brain, but it was blind in one eye. Another claw strike was coming straight at her side, this time she was unable to move fast enough, her stance too firm to change. She hit it with the hilt of the sword, the blow strong enough to equal a battle staff as it broke the claws instantly. Her body was charging with so much energy, she didn¡¯t know what might result in the end. But instead of worrying about where it might lead her, she only focused on targeting the slowly charging enemy ready to blow up. It glowed brighter, hotter, to the point where even the other two backed off and told her to get away. She could even feel Zeke¡¯s worries draping over her, telling her that if she doesn¡¯t move, he¡¯ll have no choice but to use the barrier. So she just needed one final act. The monster had enough of her and decided to end it all with a pounce straight at her. Opening its jaws and showing its broken yet still sharp fangs, it tried to bite her and keep her there, making sure that if it dies, she¡¯s going with it. She refused to accompany the creature as she brandished her sword, the heavy weight resounding in her ears as she backed up just a tad, her lightning charged reflexes helping her. She realized, however, that she backed up too far for her sword to cover the distance. But she had a feeling that this wasn¡¯t going to be a problem. She slashed her sword at its chest. She felt it then. Her Sword Mastery reaching its peak. Stamina flowed through her, the kinetic energy reaching deep into her sword, her trusty partner in battle, connecting with her spirit and resolve. There, her sword¡¯s blade extended with energy unlike she ever felt before. Not just filled with lightning from her attunement, but from the literal kinetic energy turned physical into the real world. [Lightning Strike]. The energy extended blade slashed at the monster through the chest, crushing the hidden gem within. The energy surrounding the creature slowly faded. Mikella watched the monster in front of her, her eyes peering straight into its own. Seconds later, it no longer moved. Energy flowed through her as its last remaining vestiges of the flames died out, though the fires still covered the area, including her own armor since she was the only one close enough. ¡°I-It finally died,¡± Myra breathed, relaxing her muscles and nearly buckling over. Piker shared the sentiment, using his sword to help carry him. Zeke went up to them to heal their injuries, though it was clear Mikella was at her worst. Yet she remained oddly still. Notifications filled her vision as she used the moment to settle the pain and the discomfort of her body being charred by the flames.
You have defeated Crystal Hunter, Level 72. You have gained experience points.
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Level up! You are now level 40. You gain 2 free points (2 FP total). You have gained +3 STR from your class. You have gained +3 DEX from your class. You have gained +3 END from your class.
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Class Skill Choice available upon reaching Level 40. Choose your skill: -Forced Regeneration -Dragon Roar
She honestly didn¡¯t expect to level up from the fight. Though that would make sense considering just how far they have gotten with their killing for the past while. But what really made her grin were the next notifications.
Kinetic Perception Level Up! It is now Level 10 (Maxed). You have gained +2 DEX from your skill. You have gained +2 END from your skill. Kinetic Perception has been maxed. Bonuses are now applied: -Increased stamina control -Evolution available -Advancement available
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Sword Mastery Level Up! It is now Level 10 (Maxed). You have gained +1 STR from your skill. You have gained +1 DEX from your skill. Sword Mastery has been maxed. Bonuses are now applied: -Increased sword damage -Attained [Sword Arts] -Advancement available
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Acrobatics Level Up! It is now Level 10 (Maxed). You have gained +1 STR from your skill. You have gained +2 DEX from your skill Acrobatics Has been maxed. Bonuses are now applied: -Increased damage against weak points -Decreased stamina consumption -Advancement available
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Hawk Eyes Level Up! It is now Level 9. You have gained +2 STR from your skill. You have gained +1 DEX from your skill.
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Pain Resistance Level Up! It is now Level 8. You have gained +1 VIT from your skill. You have gained +1 END from your skill.
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New Title available: Artist: You have developed a weapon art before you attained full mastery of your weapon. You won¡¯t even wait for the system to keep up with you. You have gained +2 STR from your title. You have gained +2 DEX from your title. You have gained +2 INT from your title. Title Skill attained: Artistry.
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Artistry (Title), Level 1 (Maxed) Your talent in techniques resounds around you. Any Arts you conjure increase in potency by 1%.
Adrenaline was replaced with sheer elation as Mikella, for once in this world, squealed like a little girl. She jumped high and stretched her arms out. ¡°Fuck yeah!¡± She roared into the air. ¡°Three! Three Maxed skills, baby!¡± The moment she yelled that, the other three who bore witness to the event widened their eyes further. ¡°Did you just say three?!¡± Myra shouted, more shock than envy in her voice. ¡°You¡¯re fucking with me, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Piker shook his head. Words escaped from him as he just stared blankly at her. Before Mikella could say anything else, she spun around and charged right at Zeke who was just about to share her excited sentiment. She practically tackled him before spinning around, the poor support mage unable to handle her overwhelming joy. ¡°Zeke! I did it! Three maxed skills! and a fucking Title on top of that!¡± She shouted, unable to hold back her delight even as she spun Zeke around. If she wasn¡¯t careful, she could even drag him off the ground like a rag doll. ¡°Holy¡­ shit!¡± Zeke tried to let out, his voice strangled by her increased Strength. ¡°Th-That¡¯s great¡­ but, you¡¯re kinda killing me here, Mikky¡­¡± She slowed her spin and put him down, letting him breathe. She was breathing raggedly, yet she couldn''t seem to feel the end of her energy, even though her Stamina was at its lowest along with the other pools. Though it looked like during her excitement, Zeke already healed her health back to full. ¡°Whoo¡­ congratulations,¡± Zeke finally said, letting out a smile, getting the same from Mikky. ¡°Though, I got one question for you.¡± ¡°Mmh? What¡¯s up?¡± She tilted her head. ¡°Why the fuck did you have to go that far!?¡± It was so sudden, Zeke¡¯s shout echoed across the entire area they were at. It was filled with rage, frustration, and a tinge of fear like a concerned parent who just saw their child fly in the air. Not only Mikella, but even the other two were left startled and flinching by his outburst. ¡°You just stood there while that thing was about to attack you, right after you said that I can¡¯t put a barrier on you. Do you have any idea how scary seeing that is!? Then you went all lightning and just kept getting burned alive even when the others kept telling you to get away! You can¡¯t expect me to go in there and heal you while you were literally bathing in fucking flames and lightning!¡± Mikella heard it all and, replaying it back in her mind, realized just how fucked up her demands were, and how she literally went all out to give him panic attacks. Her cheeks blushed as shame now crept over her, the elation and excitement of receiving her skill upgrades going away. Even while he was ranting, Zeke was pulling the side of his hair, his face showing extreme anguish. The other two fighters saw this and, without adding any word, nodded to the mage¡¯s rant. Seeing this, Mikella¡¯s head went further down, trying to hide herself like a turtle. ¡°S-Sorry¡­¡± ¡°Sorry¡¯s not gonna cut it if I have to go back to Clara to tell her that her sister became KFC!¡± ¡°...What¡¯s Kay-eff-cee?¡± Piker whispered to Myra, receiving an equally confused shrug. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ but it sounds delicious.¡± Vol2 Ch27: Goals-shifting and defining While Zeke could¡¯ve been more calmer about the situation, he couldn¡¯t help but keep ranting at the absurdity of it all. Still, rather than telling him to ease up, the others followed his opinions. Mikella especially took his words to heart, though he was still suspicious on whether she would actually do as he says. But the fact remains that she gained not one or two, but three maxed skills today. The one was what she wanted to increase¨CSword Mastery. But surprisingly her Kinetic Perception jumped two levels to max, and her Acrobatics, being stuck at level 9 for so long, finally made the jump. So before she chose her new Class Skills, which he would have to do as well as he also leveled up.
Level Up! You are now Level 40. You gain 2 free points (2 FP total). You have gained +3 DEX from your class. You have gained +3 INT from your class. You have gained +3 SPI from your class
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Class Skill Choice available upon reaching Level 40.
He ignored his own class skill choices as he eagerly awaited for Mikella¡¯s new improved General Skills and Acquired Skill respectively.
Skill Evolution has commenced. Your skill Kinetic Perception (Uncommon) has evolved into Kinetic Manipulation (Rare). Your skill Kinetic Manipulation has been reset to level 1. You will still retain the stat bonuses you have acquired before the evolution.
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Kinetic Manipulation (Rare), Level 1 Evolved from Kinetic Perception, your control over kinetic energy has surpassed into the physical world. Your control over kinetic energy as well as the potency of all physical aspects of your body, including other skills, increase according to the level of the skill and the current Endurance stat.
The first was Kinetic Manipulation, which took a similar path as Zeke¡¯s Mana Manipulation. It seemed mundane at first until he read the line where it also affected other skills. It made him wonder whether she can actually use this manipulation even for skills meant for magical purposes. If so, then it proved dozens of times over why everyone kept insisting for him to learn Kinetic Perception. Being able to further control magic with your body¡¯s natural energy was, in a sense, pretty efficient. Her next skill upgrade came after.
Skill Advancement has commenced. Your skill Acrobatics (Rare) has advanced into Acrobatics (Epic). You gain points based on the advanced rarity: +9 STR Your skill Acrobatics has been reset to Level 1. You will still retain the stat bonuses you have acquired before the advancement.
The next upgrade was what she truly wanted to get.
Skill Advancement has commenced. Your skill Sword Mastery (Uncommon) has advanced into Sword Mastery (Rare). You gain points based on the advanced rarity: +9 DEX Your skill Sword Mastery has been reset to Level 1. You will still retain the stat bonuses you have acquired before the advancement.
This was the one that truly made Zeke curious, as apparently reaching Rare in any weapon mastery, one can attain techniques called Arts for that weapon. In this case, Mikella can use something called [Lightning Strike]. An Art was something Val taught Mikella that she could learn, and something that she hadn¡¯t really thought much on since she already had so much on her plate. But now it was obvious just how powerful Arts can be. Unlike magical spells, Arts are entirely stamina focused, using one¡¯s Endurance stat to truly bring out the power of their weapon. What was also interesting is that the art itself was flavored with Mikella¡¯s attunement, which was obvious to anyone after watching her slash that Hunter with a lightning blade from the heavens. What he also found incredibly daunting is that she used her lightning attunement to actually lift the creature up like it was a crane. Zeke couldn¡¯t help but imagine that she was using the lightning¡¯s properties outside of its destructive element, but also think that it¡¯s due to it being a higher form of electric attunement and Mikella¡¯s own powerful willpower that made it work. Still, it was a great way to gain experience. The other two also gained a few levels from the fight, but none have advanced as well as Mikella did. Then again, she was the one that dealt the most damage at the end. When they got over to the corpse and looted it, they received quite the boon.
You have received: -Crystal Hunter Heart -Flame Earrings
The first on the list looked more like a component for smithing, or perhaps a reagent for alchemy. It was a glowing orb that was tinged red, the inside showing a dim light of pink and orange. It felt hot to the touch, but not scalding enough to burn their hands. The last one was obviously equipment to wear, and they were quite dazzling. Twin earrings with a design of a blaze, small hints of gold and silver on the edges of the tips. They were as small as a finger tip, but they shone rather well under the lights of the crystals. The effects, on the other hand, were more incredible.
Flame Earrings (Rare): Earrings made by the essence of a once proud wolf engulfed in flames. It provides the wearer that same passionate fire, imbuing them with power. Enchantments: Great Fire Average Fire Resistance
These work the same as the Staff of Undying Flames Philip had, but with Fire Resistance being Average than great. Being that it was useless on Mikella and Piker, it was decided that Myra would take them. Though she did look hesitant on taking them. ¡°I don¡¯t think I really did anything in that battle,¡± Myra said, but Mikella quickly pushed her shoulder, surprising her. ¡°It¡¯s that or we give it to Philip. And he didn¡¯t do shit against the monster¨Cyou did. So who do you think needs this more?¡± Faced with the conundrum known as facts, Myra reluctantly picked them up. Despite how she felt, there was a smile on her lips as it was clear her Fire Mana has increased after putting them on. After taking the loot of the creature, it was decided to continue hunting for a while to get as many mobs as they could. However, it was also decided by unanimous decision that should they spot another Hunter, they¡¯d run instead of fight. They had enough of a dangerous battle without a barrier. They were actually surprised that during the battle, Zeke put up a barrier around them, large enough that they could fight with ease. This was so that other creatures won¡¯t get in the way and that the Hunter wouldn¡¯t run and waste all their time and energy. He was surprised they thought he didn¡¯t do jack shit while they fought with their lives on the line. Still, that didn¡¯t mean Zeke was content with just staying by the side. As the hours passed on, he watched the three fight together against the bisons and the birds should they come close enough. With their range attacks, they could easily deal a blow or two. Watching them, he realized that he can do something else other than casting barriers, which helped him immensely to get over his anxiety of not being able to protect anyone. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. During this time, Mikella had made her choice with her Class Skill for Level 40. She picked the one that was the most obvious as she relayed it to everyone around her.
Class Skill: Forced Regeneration A Dragon Berserker is not the type to slow down when on a momentum. Heal your wounds and injuries as you deal damage against your enemies. Increases healing rate according to the level of the skill.
A powerful regeneration skill, something that she would definitely need without relying on Zeke¡¯s healing all the time. He should¡¯ve been happier for her, yet now it felt more and more like he was losing his role there. Still, his Runic Spells picked up the slack, often taking down the birds easily enough with a well-timed Rock Shot to the center of the torso where their gems were. However, the bisons were tougher to take out even if he used good elemental spells like ice or fire to deal consistent damage. The worst part was that he had completely forgotten the stuffy collar around his neck. As his mana closed in to near depletion from his spell slinging, the collar acted up, sending ripples of electricity throughout his body. It wasn¡¯t a painful one, but it definitely disturbed his casting to the point that he disrupted the spell entirely, leaving him utterly drained from the mental shock to his soul. Everyone got worried at first, but soon realized that it was just a warning sent by the collar, so Zeke had to once again take the backseat while everyone else had their fun. Despite the accomplishments, and the praise he got from the others with his aid before the collar acted up, he felt¡­ anxious. Fidgety, really. Throughout this whole time, he felt that he was lacking. Compared to Mikella who had maxed out three skills, what does he have to show for it? A single level. Just one measly level. He could cast all his favorite spells at once, yet his mana disallowed him thanks to the stupid collar. All he could do was just watch without getting in anyone¡¯s way. He couldn¡¯t understand it. He knew he loved magic, and that¡¯s what he wanted to specialize in. That¡¯s what he¡¯s good at. But he felt that he was lacking something. Something vital for him. But he didn¡¯t know what. All in all, he watched the fighters endangering themselves against the monsters, taking on more numbers than usual. Mikella especially had full control of the battlefield as she used her attunement to the fullest, a smile on her face that looked as joyful as it was feral. That ache returned again, back from the training course days. He felt envious again. Though he had a hard time accepting what it actually was. He wanted to go out there¨Cto fight. To go hand in hand with the soldiers on the front line. But at the same time, he wanted to help them and be their supporter. Biting his lip, he forced himself to accept the reality. It was too late for him to make such a drastic change. Even so, that ache became stronger as he soon realized the cause. Before long, they ended the day with several levels for Myra and Piker, and not much else for the rest. Though Mikella¡¯s improvement in her skills was worth it all. It proved more and more as she was able to call out the energy from before, if only a little bit at a time. Meanwhile, Zeke felt as though he couldn¡¯t do a single thing. He let out a breath before they returned back to the base, their energies well spent and the hours passing closer to the nighttime up above. ¡­.. When they returned to the base, the group found that the Lords were currently away back to the town again for re-supply. Zacharia remained here in charge of the soldiers while the rest have been boasting about their gains and troubles amongst each other. While Mikella was nearly gushing with extra energy, Zeke was a mess of nerves. Throughout the time together, Zeke had been forced to rely on his runes and healing rather than barriers while Mikella went all out with her powered up skills and abilities. Myra looked back at her in both awe, joy¡­and frustration. She knew she should be happy for her new friend. After all of her crap-filled events caused by the general and the others, including being subjected to blackmail for her sister¡¯s life, she went above and beyond and conquered her walls with a flourish. In the meanwhile, Myra got a little bit better with bashing her spear at an enemy, and received a priceless earring built for her attunement and current abilities. It made it obvious that her accomplishments, including attaining the very attunement she needed the earrings for, were only gained with those two¡¯s help. They went away for their own business, so Myra was left alone in the base. She went ahead to check up on the others, only to find that they were currently busy building more of the necessary places for the base, such as a working bathhouse, sanitary stations for food supplies and other things. That left her alone with her thoughts, the last thing she needed. She knelt down near the pillar supporting one of the buildings, a complex made for the female soldiers she was staying at, and sat down on her ass. She gazed at the base, within their town¡¯s very own biodome, and she can¡¯t help but feel like she was wasting all of it. Her motivation was in the pits, and she knew why. In the small span of her new life here in this world, Mikella was able to advance to such a degree that it left Myra, who has been training for years under Captain Valorie¡¯s tutelage, in the dust. How can she call herself a soldier, a proud warrior under Valorie¡¯s teachings when she couldn¡¯t even level up her own Spear Mastery for over a year? She felt bitter, thinking that it was only due to Mikella¡¯s special circumstances as well as Zeke¡¯s support that she was able to advance so far, so fast. At the same time, she noticed that Mikella¡¯s drive and zeal outpaced even her own. Myra was considered a ravenous beast amongst the soldiers, constantly training and defeating monsters to reach her own Expert stage first, even getting a Fire attunement potion from Valorie instead of Philip as she was the hardest working of them all. Yet Mikella could trounce her in combat should she choose to, perhaps even kill her outright in a few seconds if Myra messed up even once. Back when she first met her, she actually thought her acting like she was above her was just an illusion, rather than some embarrassing memory of judging the new visitors prematurely. More than half a year passed and Mikella could easily beat her. Before she realized it, her eyes were closed and she felt walls enclosing in on her. Just as she was about ready to just head up, take a short wash, and sleep the day away, she heard a voice. ¡°It¡¯s rare for you to look so down.¡± Looking up, Piker stared down at her. His usual stoic expression and dour look encompassed his entire personality. She always hated how he always looked condescending to her and her comrades, but now it looked like he just looked like that all the time. A defect, perhaps? She shook her head. Now she was insulting Piker when he didn¡¯t deserve it. ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Myra spoke up, her voice clipped. ¡°I¡¯m just resting. I¡¯m about to head up to sleep anyways.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you wanna spar a little?¡± Piker raised a finely trimmed brow at her. ¡°It¡¯s still quite early, at least according to the clock Cloud made for us.¡± Piker turned to the single clock, signifying the time from the outside through the use of Cloud¡¯s runes. Zeke didn¡¯t have to always do the runes as a Runist, and it was such a minor thing that even someone with a Runecraft skill can accomplish it. It was a great way to know the time since they were underground and had no way to see the studded star. ¡°What¡¯s the point?¡± Myra suddenly said, unable to hold back her bitterness. ¡°It¡¯s not like it¡¯s gonna change much.¡± ¡°...You¡¯re talking about Mikella¡¯s vast improvement, aren¡¯t you?¡± Myra widened her eyes. It didn¡¯t feel like she was that obviously disappointed. Not even Zeke and the others noticed that was her plight. However, to her surprise, Piker sat near her, a couple of feet between them, looking over to where she was gazing. ¡°I know. I feel the same,¡± He said, not looking back at her when he did. ¡°Do you?¡± Myra asked. Now she was curious. ¡°Of course. Who isn¡¯t?¡± Piker said, now sounding like he was treating her like an idiot. ¡°A woman a few years younger than us initialized into the system for the first time in just a year, and she got maxed skills already. That¡¯s bullshit, no matter how you spin it.¡± Myra hung her head back in shock. ¡°Dude¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong,¡± Piker said, looking at her and raising a hand. ¡°I respect her, and I value her as a teammate. I¡¯m just grumbling to another teammate who feels the same way. Years and years into our own training, and we can¡¯t even get our own skills to level as fast. I¡¯ve been focusing on my own Sword Mastery and Kinetic Perception for so long, even the general told me to take a breather back in the kingdom. Yet, I couldn¡¯t max the skill no matter how hard I try. She only just got them about a year ago and now has three maxed skills, including a Rare rarity Acquired Passive skill of all things. Even if you just call it luck or simple talent, that¡¯s too much.¡± Hearing it from Piker now, Myra truly did feel like Mikella was cheating somehow. But the both of them knew firsthand that Mikella is the honest sort who would never cheat. So there was only one way to explain. ¡°Because she¡¯s a genius,¡± Myra said, getting Piker to nod. ¡°A prodigy in the making,¡± Piker said, his tone sounding defeated. ¡°If she was born here with that kind of talent, she would be picked up by the nobility and fed so many expensive tinctures and treasures that she would be a beast of a soldier in the army. Perhaps she would even be a commander in her future. Most likely she¡¯ll be pushed into dungeons after dungeons, conquering them with ease, all with a smile on her face. When you think about it like that, there¡¯s nothing much for us to do.¡± Myra lowered her head. Even though Piker was just stating the obvious if that was the case, her fingers grasped onto her armor harder. She hated this. She hated this reality they were born in¨Cwhere the talented outpaced the hard-working no matter what. But his next words surprised her. ¡°But it¡¯s our duty as veteran soldiers to keep up with her. If we don¡¯t, who¡¯s to say she won¡¯t get herself killed and bring Zeke along with her? There¡¯s only so much Zeke can do as a support mage. That¡¯s why we gotta train hard, take every single second of free time we have to train. Since we¡¯re bunched together, I suggest we learn each other¡¯s movesets, and figure out our weak points. It¡¯ll be perfect, since we have opposing elements in attunements.¡± Myra looked back at him now. Despite his usually stoic expression, he looked determined, almost like a child egged on by his parents that he can¡¯t do a task right, so now he¡¯s determined to prove them wrong. ¡°Huh¡­ I¡¯m surprised to hear that from you, Piker,¡± Myra smiled. ¡°I didn¡¯t take you for a motivational speaker.¡± Piker scoffed. ¡°If you don¡¯t wanna go, don¡¯t want to ascend beyond your station, that¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll just ask the other soldiers then. Perhaps Philip can help with it instead.¡± Piker got up from his seat, seemingly done with the conversation. Rather than being forced, Myra leapt up to her feet. ¡°Nah, you ain¡¯t going anywhere without me. I ain¡¯t gonna let that baby chick beat me on where it counts!¡± She knew it all, that this was just Piker trying to cheer themselves up, that this was all just a small gesture to get themselves motivated. Even so, she never felt so revved up before, her normally fiery Mana now blazing with determined ferocity. At this point, she set up a goal, and spoke loudly. ¡°How about it, Piker? A gold coin on who reaches their maxed mastery skill before the next week?¡± Piker scoffed again. ¡°Seriously? A week?¡± ¡°Not confident, big boy?¡± She teased. Piker only tilted his head in annoyance. Then he answered back, raising two fingers. ¡°Two gold.¡± ¡°You¡¯re on!¡± Vol2 Ch28: Convincing yourself to try The news of Mikella achieving maxed skills, three at once, resounded throughout Eve Glade¡¯s base of operations in the biodome. Zeke wasn¡¯t sure whether getting everyone to know about her progress was a good idea or not. He had this nagging thought that they would look at her in envy, and potentially become hostile towards her success. He was very glad to find out how wrong he was. Every soldier, including Zacharia¡¯s retinue, became bolstered at the news. The time of the day didn¡¯t matter anymore as everyone rushed to get extra training in. Especially in Zeke¡¯s barrier where their mana is restored passively while inside. Due to that, the next day after they arrived became extremely hectic. And the person who spread that knowledge of Mikella¡¯s success was none other than the lords themselves. Mikella, of course, told this to Val, which then got to Cloud, which then he gloated to Zacharia, and finally Zacharia took this chance to tell every one of the soldiers to get their asses moving. Actually, he heard that Zacharia practically belittled them for letting this ¡®little girl¡¯ improve so much that she could beat them all with one arm tied behind her back. The worst part for all the retinue soldiers is that it¡¯s probably the truth. Mikella became a monster as each soldier asked for a sparring session against her, hoping for some of her momentum to stick onto them. It was proven that Zacharia was right all along. She trounced them with her improved skills, becoming faster, stronger, and more reactive than ever before. Her movements were sharp, precise, and borderline nonsensical to the untrained eye. While Mikella was getting hounded with sparring sessions with the soldiers, Myra and Piker seemed adamant in fighting against one another. At first, Zeke thought the two didn¡¯t like the idea of Mikella surpassing them. He worried that they would start distancing themselves from her. But once again, he was glad to be proven wrong. If anything, he started to worry that their opposite attunements might hurt themselves from the way they kept fighting each other so fervently. Piker¡¯s ice attunement froze over Myra¡¯s fire attunement, and her own fire melted his ice. It became a back and forth, proving that they were equal in power. Zeke sometimes had to go over there and heal them from their excess injuries. Apparently thanks to the barrier¡¯s regeneration properties, they would take it too far sometimes. That didn¡¯t make Zacharia or Val try to stop them. If anything, as long as the healers were around, they could keep at each other. Thanks to all that, they gained a plethora of stat points to bolster their bodies even further. Soon, something strange happened. It was a minor thing, almost like a rumor, but every soldier that Zeke came across started to talk about how their progress improved thanks to fighting against Mikella. It was as though her own way of fighting opened their eyes, making them realize something about their own skills and fighting style that made them level up their skills faster than they ever could on their own. Even the soldiers from Zacharia¡¯s retinue began to talk about Mikella as though she was some momentum magnet that instantly roused everyone¡¯s skills to level up. She became more popular as each day passed, and for each day that passed, Zeke became¡­ melancholic. He was glad for Mikella¡¯s success, and even gladder that everyone is relying on her for their own improvement. She was like a coach or a trainer, helping them get over their personal walls with her advice or even just a tip or two to fight against her. But while that was happening, Zeke felt that his progress had completely slowed to a halt. He didn¡¯t feel like he was progressing at all. Thanks to the stuffy collar on his neck, he felt that he can¡¯t use his magic as often, forcing him to rely more on just studying runes again during the downtime. But he knew, deep inside, that this wouldn¡¯t work. He could learn more about runes all day, but he knew that reading all the books and studying them inherently won¡¯t let him improve any more than usual. It was because he was unmotivated, and he knew the reason why. He felt his supporter status was becoming pointless. As everyone kept improving, it became more apparent that they wouldn''t need a support mage anymore. For Zeke, he should be happy that people can continue fighting without relying on him for their safety. And he was. But at the same time, he found himself in a rut with no way out. He kept practicing his runes with his pens, trying to level up his Class Skills but to no avail. No matter how many days spent, there wasn¡¯t any progress, as far as he knew, with his skills. His level was stuck, and he had gotten so unmotivated that he hadn''t even checked his Class Skill option yet. What was the point? Suddenly, he heard the door open up beside him. Zeke flinched, realizing that he was delving too deep into his thoughts again in the living room. He was currently at the Ashton house, the tiny abode Zeke and Mikella were staying at. It wasn¡¯t anything impressive, and it shouldn¡¯t be considering it was just a one-story house with two rooms for themselves. They didn¡¯t have much materials on hand. He was currently drawing just nonsense runes on his floating barriers with four of his pens. He was trying to level up his Parallel thought at the time, only to realize that he left one of his thoughts spiraling down a dark path. He supposed he found out that there were downsides to having multiple thoughts running at the same time. Mikella entered the room, drenched in sweat with a towel hanging over her shoulders. She was wearing the casual sort of leather armor, only covering her torso and lower body. She wore simple boots for easier movement rather than for rough terrain traveling, and she wore no bracers. There were obvious blisters on her hands and wrists, proving that she had done nothing but train all day with her weapons. ¡°Hey Zeke,¡± Mikella called out casually, showing a beaming smile that he felt was too damn bright for this room. ¡°Hey Mikky,¡± He called out back, mostly on autopilot. He didn¡¯t want to sour her good mood. Unfortunately, he must be pretty obvious as Mikella stared at his face, her own frowning. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You look pretty down. Anything happen?¡± Zeke winced, completely forgetting the nonsense rune training he was putting on. As soon as the pens disappeared into his storage pack, Mikella took this chance to sit down beside him. Despite being riddled with sweat, the runes within the Ashton House made it possible to avoid any form of BO to occur as well as providing a cool temperature like a powerful AC all throughout the house. The benefits of being a Runist were great. Really great. Yet despite all that, he felt like a child being admonished for¡­ showing emotion? Somehow that felt wrong. ¡°Zeke, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Mikella asked, this time showing more concern in her voice. He already knew what¡¯s about to happen, so in the end, he accepted his fate and told her. He told her everything. ¡°I just¡­ I just feel really jealous, that¡¯s all.¡± Well, at least the main crux of his issues. That¡¯s what it all boils down to, in the end. ¡°I¡¯m jealous of you guys training together and sparring together. I¡¯m jealous that you get to hunt monsters together, like a team¨Clike comrades.¡± Like team members in the role playing games he always played. Whenever he thought about Mikella, Myra, and even Piker together, he imagined a group of powerful adventurers together on a journey to defeat the final boss. Then there was that mage in the group, the only one at the back line while the three of them fight to survive. He knew it felt dumb. Actually, it really was dumb. But that¡¯s how it felt. ¡°I also feel stuck, like I can¡¯t do anything anymore.¡± Strangely, he kept speaking, bringing out the emotions he kept swirling within himself. He normally doesn¡¯t do this. He didn¡¯t like burdening others like this. But somehow, Mikella listened intently without interrupting him. Eventually, he stopped. The living room fell silent once he did, leaving Zeke to wonder whether Mikella was just too tired to fully comprehend it all. He wouldn¡¯t blame her. She did just trained a lot just now, and was now bombarded with this sob story of his. The more he thought about it, regret filled him as he was about to leave to give Mikella some peace when¨C ¡°Shit, I¡¯m so sorry.¡± That stopped Zeke, making him pause as he turned to find Mikella actually shame-faced. She looked down at the floor, her fingers clasping together. ¡°I should¡¯ve seen it. Of course you¡¯d feel like that. I did ask you to stay out of the way.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Zeke asked, puzzled. He tilted his head. ¡°No, you made a good point. And you even advanced your skills to max out.¡± ¡°I did, yeah, but that also took you out. Even if we did share XP, it wasn¡¯t fair to ask you to stay out. Barriers were your thing, after all. Even with your spells and your healing, when the three of us go at it, there¡¯s not really much of a chance for you to come in. Especially if we handled things to the point where we don¡¯t even need healing. So¡­ yeah, I just realized that you were kept out of most things, and it was eating at you inside.¡± Mikella looked back at him. Despite her earlier shame on her face, she still had the will to look him straight in the eyes. They looked remorseful, but they were also glimmering in a way. Like she was thinking of something that got her excited. ¡°It kinda sounds like you really wanna train with us. So¡­ why not do that?¡± ¡°...What?¡± Zeke asked, now completely perplexed. ¡°Just train with us! Spar with us too, while you¡¯re at it. Who¡¯s saying you can¡¯t?¡± ¡°Umm, reality?¡± Zeke asked sarcastically before shaking his head. ¡°You should know why. Hell, weren¡¯t you the one that said that I should stay back when I wanted to try that training course?¡± ¡°I did, yes,¡± Mikella nodded. ¡°But after hearing you out, I changed my mind.¡± ¡°Y-You can¡¯t do that!¡± Zeke rebuked, but Mikella only stared at him hard. ¡°Really? I¡¯m not allowed to change my mind after hearing your side?¡± ¡°Uhh¡­ kinda?¡± Zeke paused, somehow actually losing this weird argument he made for himself. ¡°Okay, seriously,¡± Mikella crossed her arms, still staring hard at him with that sharp look in her eyes. ¡°What¡¯s bugging you?¡± ¡°Like I said, I can¡¯t just train! I¡¯m a support mage. My highest stat is Spirit, for crying out loud. It¡¯s too late for me to make any changes. And even if I did, I¡¯ll just be spreading myself too thin. By the time I get into higher levels, because I kept doing different things at once, I¡¯ll end up weaker than your average support mage. That¡¯s why!¡± Once he got into the rhythm of his logic, he became more confident after each word. He wasn¡¯t trying to put Mikella down, just that her idea of trying to spar with them felt¡­ felt¡­ What exactly was he trying to argue about? ¡°Nobody¡¯s saying you have to change from support mage to warrior, Zeke,¡± Mikella scoffed. ¡°I know what you mean. It¡¯s that ¡®min-max¡¯ thing, right? Where gamers put all their points into the right stats to get the best out of their characters, sacrificing everything else to get enough power or something?¡± Zeke stayed silent, already figuring that Mikella knew him by heart since she was using gamer terms. He hated to admit it¨Cshe read him pretty easily. ¡°But that¡¯s the thing¨Cthis isn¡¯t a game, Zeke. This is real life! Nothing¡¯s actually stopping us from dipping our hands into new skills or fighting techniques. ¡®Course, learning too many different skills that don¡¯t make sense with one another is one thing, but what¡¯s stopping you from training yourself? From learning how to fight better without magic?¡± Zeke once again kept his mouth shut, listening as Mikella continued. ¡°I know that you¡¯re worried,¡± Mikella let out a big breath, staring at him now with a soft look that made his heart quiver. ¡°About ruining yourself and losing big gains later on. But I don¡¯t like that. That kind of thought process feels controlling. What happens when you keep focusing on nothing but magic, and you end up in a situation where you can¡¯t use it anymore? That¡¯s why I¡¯m trying to learn how to use my attunement¨Cbecause I know my weapons aren¡¯t enough in this world. I need to expand, to get better.¡± Mikella offered a smile at him. ¡°So you deserve to do the same.¡± Zeke felt a lot of things from those words. A sense of confusion and puzzlement, as though entering into a fog and having nowhere to go. But at the same time, something warm exuded from his chest. Not the usual kind of warmth whenever Mikella smiles at him¨Cthe kind of warmth as though whatever weight he put on himself had been lifted. What, exactly, was holding him back? Trying to min-max in real life? That was ridiculous. So¡­ why doesn¡¯t he try to train and spar with them? What¡¯s stopping him? All of a sudden, the memory of Cloud¡¯s words when they were traversing the giant hole into this biodome came into his mind. Now he felt so stupid for being stuck in his own mind for so long. He closed his eyes, letting her words fill his mind along with Cloud¡¯s advice. This world had no limits¨Cthe only limit was yourself. And he didn¡¯t plan on limiting himself anymore. ¡°...Alright,¡± Zeke eventually said. ¡°Mikky? Can I ask you a huge favor?¡± ¡°Sure, what¡¯s up?¡± Mikella asked. Though the smile on her face proved that she already knew. ¡°...Can you train me tomorrow?¡± Vol2 Ch29: Better sore than sorry Zeke once thought he knew pain. He once thought that his high Pain Resistance was proof that he can handle some things. Not a lot, clearly, but at least some of them. Unfortunately, he was proven wrong. He never felt so comfortable laying on the ground, the dirt covering the skin of his battered face like a coolant for his swelling. His outsides and insides were in burning tatters, and he wondered, not for the first time, if he could die like this. Then the next words reminded him that he wasn¡¯t finished yet. ¡°Zeke, get up and get into a meditative stance,¡± Mikella spoke up, her words curt and cold. ¡°We got a lot of work to do.¡± It was clear from her tone that she was once more disappointed in him, but that¡¯s not very surprising. For the past several hours of the morning, Mikella and Zeke had been sparring with one another under a specific set of rules. For one thing, no casting. No weapons either, just to be safe. And finally, and probably the most important¨Cno healing. He figured that with the power of Recovery, he could quickly get back up since he didn¡¯t need to use his mana while sparring, but Mikella shot that down. It made sense since the whole point of sparring was to fight without using magic at all, and that included healing. That, and it was a good way to level the Meditation skill. Zeke rose up from the ground, his arms aching and his body groaning in displeasure, but he forced himself to get into a meditative stance. While they were busy, everyone else was doing their duties. Some of the soldiers took this time to spread out and discover more of the biodome¡¯s locations, trying to get a better grasp of the place and hopefully find the fortress to complete the dungeon¡¯s quest. Normally this would be a team effort, but it was decided that it was best to take it in turns rather than forcing everyone to go into a long expedition. Thanks to Zeke¡¯s barrier and their easy access to their home, it made it easier to just take their time and study the biodome a little more. This was also a great chance for the soldiers to get some training to get their skills up a few more levels, perhaps reach the maxed levels like Mikella did. So she deserved to stay behind and do exactly that¨Cshe wasn¡¯t just helping Zeke with his training, she was also helping others under Val¡¯s guidance. She was becoming more and more knowledgeable about training the soldiers to the point that Val often let her give advice. As for Myra and Piker, they were still insistently training each other. Though this time other healers took up the mantle of taking care of them as Zeke himself was indisposed. When he relayed to the lords that he planned on training to keep up with the soldiers, he expected backlash. Perhaps not from Cloud, but either from Val or especially Zacharia. He was surprised to find out that neither of them rejected, and instead were all for letting him train. If anything, this was something that every mage had to do, even Cloud as the higher level a mage gets, the easier it would be to take the mage down if they only focused on cultivating their magic skills. Just as warriors and archers can get used to using their own magic, mages should also try to be more physical when it comes to survival. However, nobody told Zeke that without magic, he was absolutely hopeless and it was a surprise at all that he actually survived this whole time. Pain still wracked his body after sparring with Mikella, her hits unrelenting and feral as he had seen throughout the entire time he knew her. He just never expected to end up being the recipient of those blows for himself. But eventually, his body soon recovered after his Meditation took over, and he soon stood up with the ghost of an ache in his torso and limbs. He spotted Mikella doing her own exercises while he recovered. Simple stretches and swinging her fists according to her Acrobatics. ¡°Alright¡­ I¡¯m ready,¡± Zeke said, balling his hands into fists. He said the words, but his body was screaming for more time. He needed to quell those instincts as soon as he could. He was in pain, a lot of it. But he couldn¡¯t be more glad to feel it. After all, despite getting his ass sorely kicked, his attunement didn¡¯t act up at all. And thanks to him not using his magic at all, he didn¡¯t feel all that stuffy with the collar still covering his neck. ¡°Zeke,¡± Mikella said, her voice still as stern as earlier. ¡°You need to focus more on reacting faster. You can¡¯t take your time figuring out what to do.¡± As usual, Mikella gave her impressions of their last spar session, her words clear cut and to the point. There was no filler, no subtlety to her words¨Cthey were direct, and exactly what he needed. He still winced though as she glared at him. ¡°I know you like to think. So stop that. You need to feel the flow. Do you think a warrior would just sit back and let you think in peace? That¡¯s stupid, and the guy fighting you would be even more stupid to let you do that.¡± ¡°I-I know that,¡± Zeke nodded. It felt harsh, even if it did come from someone who knew exactly what she was talking about. ¡°Do you? Because despite me beating your ass, you¡¯re still doing it!¡± ¡°I-I can¡¯t just swing like a maniac, you told me that earlier!¡± Zeke protested, and he instantly regretted it. ¡°There¡¯s a difference between just ¡®swinging¡¯ your fists, and actually punching, Zeke,¡± Mikella scoffed. ¡°Just balling your hands like that isn¡¯t going to cut it. Also, don¡¯t just use your hands. Use your feet too! They look like tree stumps the way they just stand there!¡± Zeke grimaced again. He did have a tendency to not move his legs when he was swinging his arms. For a guy with Parallel Thought as a skill, he sure wasn¡¯t using it right. ¡°A-Alright, alright,¡± Zeke nodded fast. ¡°I got it.¡± Just as he said those words, a fist came flying at him. He squealed (a very manly one though) as he ducked behind Mikella¡¯s fist trying to bruise his face again. He ducked away immediately as Mikella came into his striking zone without warning again. Zeke immediately went into his fighting stance, raising his arms to block any attacks and bending his knees to get a good stable foundation. Yet despite all that, the next few seconds were a blur. Mikella¡¯s punches headed for his torso, his forearms, his shoulders, his abdomen, then finally at his head¨Call of which he failed to block and took straight on. Pain raddled his brain, but as he was instructed, he kept pushing himself by swinging his fists¨Cby ¡®feeling¡¯ his strikes without thought. That only got him to get jabbed at his forearm by a quick uppercut and a roundhouse kick to his temple. Before he could do anything else, he face planted onto the ground, his head covered in dirt and bruises. His temple was aching fiercely, wanting attention and healing. But nothing hurt worse than the next words. ¡°Get into a meditative stance. We¡¯re going to keep doing this until you get it right.¡± Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. So once again, he failed to ¡®feel¡¯ the blows. He was starting to consider that maybe being magical based only might not be so bad. ¡­.. The next few hours were brutal and painful, but eventually Mikella gave him permission to be relieved of training. Actually, she got him to keep doing push ups and sit ups to get a core foundation of his body, then intense stretches to get his body limber and smooth. All that time, he never once used Recovery. He could¡¯ve sworn that after all that training and potential healing would have jumped up his skill level, but he ignored that. Despite the pain, the anguish, the embarrassment of getting his ass handed to him by a girl younger than him, he kept going. Somehow, despite all this torture, he can¡¯t help but keep going. What else is he supposed to do? Go back to studying? That wouldn¡¯t work. He didn¡¯t know how, but he swore that nothing would change even if he quit this and went back to studying runes. Instead, he kept doing as Mikella said. Because in the end, she only intended to help him. He trusted her with all of his heart and soul. If she says it¡¯s good for him, he¡¯ll listen. As he kept doing minor exercises, only watching Mikella train the other soldiers who took the chance to learn from her after she was done handing Zeke a new ass, he wondered what was the point of all of this. The next hour, however, changed his mind quickly.
You have gained +2 VIT from your actions. You have gained +1 STR from your actions. You have gained +3 END from your actions.
These notifications came bustling in when his body felt almost right again, his injuries healing naturally thanks to his Meditation skill. He knew the reason why healing wasn¡¯t good for him. It would¡¯ve taken the chance for him to get natural Vitality, but that wasn¡¯t all. This was the first time he gained stats outside of his leveling and skills. Not since before attaining his Class as a Runist all the way back then. It was considerably tougher to raise mental stats than physical stats, as Intelligence required reading and learning a plethora of knowledge, and Spirit was just hard as a whole, considering that one needed to channel mana constantly, and everyone was always constantly using mana to some degree. On the other hand physical stats are hard to raise, but it¡¯s easy to try to gain some if you put in the effort. He realized that his Dexterity stat was left out, but it was obvious as his Dexterity was already pretty high, up in the hundreds. Seeing his attributes rise up after that constant training gave him new life. It was tough, brutal, and he sometimes wondered whether Mikella was actually a former military woman rather than a gymnast. But this was proof that his hard work was rewarded by the system. Invigorated by these simple point increases, he returned back to Mikella after she finished her recent bouts. ¡°Mikky! Spar with me again, please!¡± She looked back in surprise, reading his face to see if he was just joking. After seeing his ecstatic smile after seeing his upgrades, she smiled back. ¡°Ready to get your ass handed again?¡± She remarked teasingly. Zeke grimaced when those aren¡¯t just simple words. Still, he shook himself off those doubts. What was pain, if not a chance to grow? ¡°Maybe I might surprise you this time,¡± Zeke said back, knowing full well that that wouldn¡¯t happen. That still got Mikella to grin as the two prepared themselves for another bout. ¡­.. It¡¯s been almost two weeks since Sissy and Bobo left for some adventure again. All the while Clara was stuck here studying with Vivian again. She didn¡¯t mind learning new things, but it¡¯s so frustrating to be staying here while all the adults were having fun somewhere else. The idea of them being in trouble didn¡¯t even enter her mind ever since the attack on the town. Sissy has grown super strong since then, and Bobo became someone important in town, calling him a lord. A sense of pride filled Clara¡¯s chest even when it was only Bobo that got the title. She was happy that Bobo was treated so well, even though now he was so busy he barely had time to play with her. But that was fine. Clara is an adult too, just not yet. She can understand that he is busy helping and saving people. Even Sissy helped build so many new homes in town. When she saw the buildings Sissy built herself, another sense of pride entered her chest, once again knowing that it wasn¡¯t really her own work that did this. But now they were away again, and who knew how long they would take. She blubbered her lips in boredom as Vivian was done teaching them. Today they learned about the studded star, the giant sun in the sky that¡¯s not really the sun. Even Ana kept asking her what the sun was. She kept explaining that it was the thing that lights the day, but Ana kept arguing that it was the studded star, not the sun. Then she had the gall to call her silly. How dare she? She was currently in Vivian¡¯s house, where she was staying at the moment along with Ana since it was still dangerous to leave them alone in their own home. Ana ran over to Clara, her footsteps mild since she was in someone else¡¯s house this time. ¡°Clara, let¡¯s play!¡± Ana shouted, widening her arms. ¡°The other kids are also playing. Let¡¯s join them!¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t wanna¡­¡± Clara groaned. ¡°I wanna be with Sissy and Bobo¡­¡± ¡°But they¡¯re not here,¡± Ana groaned. ¡°Even Mommy and Daddy are gone. So no complaining! Now come on!¡± Ana ushered out of the house. Vivian went out to get some supplies from the merchants that arrived earlier, so now the kids can do whatever they want. Clara didn¡¯t want to go, but then Bobo¡¯s words entered her head. He wanted her to make as many friends as possible, even if it might be scary. Thanks to that, she was able to be friends with Ana, even though she¡¯s the silly one, not her. Groaning again, Clara stood up and walked towards the entrance of Vivian¡¯s home. Just as she was about to leave the room, she noticed the mirror that showcased her entirety and saw a spark there. She stopped. She only noticed the spark when her special friend wanted to talk to her. She called out to Ana. ¡°Ana! Sorry, I wanna talk to my special friend. I¡¯ll be there later.¡± ¡°That friend again?¡± Ana turned back, a frown visible on her round face. ¡°You say that, but where is she? I don¡¯t see her!¡± ¡°Duh, only I can see her,¡± Clara exclaimed. ¡°And you have to promise not to tell the others about her, okay?¡± ¡°Okay, okay, I get it. Just hurry up!¡± Ana shook her head bewilderedly as she left the house in a hurry. They must be playing a really fun game if Ana looked that hurried. Clara turned back to the mirror, and once the spark glowed up entirely, her friend appeared once again. Zoan, her special friend. She looked just like Clara, all the way to the hair color to the dress she wore. The only difference was her eye color. While Clara was just brown, Zoan¡¯s eyes were glittering bright blue, like seeing stars in the night sky. Even though Zoan can be mean sometimes, her eyes were always so pretty to look at. ¡°Hello!¡± Clara shouted to her friend with a smile and a wave. But just as usual, Zoan didn¡¯t bother to smile, only waved as Clara did. She only stared back at her, her face like a statue with no emotion. ¡°Clara, when is Bobo and Sissy coming back?¡± Zoan asked. Her voice was smooth and clear, like a pond near the forest before coming to the town. Clara raised a brow. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I wish I could see them sooner,¡± Clara groaned. Looked like Zoan also wanted to be with Sissy and Bobo as well. Who wouldn¡¯t? They were so fun to be around with. ¡°They¡¯re still at that bi-bio¡­¡± ¡°Biodome,¡± Zoan answered. ¡°Right!¡± Clara nodded. ¡°I see,¡± Zoan nodded, though it was only at the same time as Clara. Only her mouth moved on its own, but the rest of the body was controlled by Clara. She once tried to play with her, to make Zoan look silly, but she didn¡¯t even get mad at her or try to look silly at all. It got boring afterwards. ¡°I need to speak with them soon,¡± Zoan answered, the silence taking over before then. ¡°It is time for me to speak with them.¡± ¡°Time for what?¡± Clara tilted her head out of habit, which also caused Zoan to tilt her head. ¡°My power is restoring little by little. Thanks to Bobo and Sissy, I was able to gather what I needed to give a message. They need to know the message before I run out of power again. I need to tell them soon.¡± ¡°Oh, you need to talk to them?¡± Clara asked, but tilted her head again, grimacing as she forgot once again that Zoan copied her. ¡°But how can you talk to them? Oh, you want me to send them your message?¡± ¡°No, you only need to go to them. I¡¯ll handle the rest,¡± Zoan said. ¡°I know you¡¯ll only forget it when you get to them.¡± ¡°Hey! I¡¯m not stupid!¡± Clara shouted, her brows furrowing. ¡°No, it¡¯s too complicated for you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the same thing! Zoan, you¡¯re so mean!¡± ¡°...Such a child,¡± Zoan shook her head, and for some reason, Clara did the same. She figured it was how she was doing it over that weird mirror world she was at. That should be fine. She grumbled about being treated like an idiot even by her special friend. She already had that from Ana, so she didn¡¯t need another. But then she realized something else. ¡°But¡­ how do I give them the message? It sounds like they might take a while¡­¡± ¡°Then there is no other choice,¡± Zoan responded. Her eyes glowed a little as she proclaimed. ¡°We¡¯ll just go straight to them.¡± Vol2 Ch30: Progress, and then... Zeke moved according to his instincts. For once, his body was aching in a way that he didn¡¯t mind having as he took Mikella¡¯s harsh blows time and time again, realizing several facts of combat. For instance, if you were slower than your opponent, then you have no choice but to take some hits at your non-vital areas to keep going. If you were weaker than your opponent, then you have to move accordingly to avoid their hits. If your opponent is stronger and faster than you, then you need to start playing some advanced mental chess in your head. In other words, plan your actions ahead of time. That¡¯s where Zeke had the advantage. his Parallel Thought skill made it easier for him to process his thoughts faster once he got a certain rhythm of combat down pat. But like anything else in life, just because you know what to do doesn¡¯t mean it would work out as well as you planned. He had to not only block the attacks that were fast but weak, but also figure out which attacks were fast and weak, and which were fast and strong. A rather unfair conundrum to be put into, but that¡¯s what happens when you keep fighting against someone with better physical stats than you. That, and he didn¡¯t want her to hold back. He moved his body, his thoughts whirling as he dodged Mikella¡¯s incoming sharp kick to his face. Despite the wide attack, Mikella easily pivoted and struck at him with a jab which he took on with a crossed arm guard. That jab sent ripples down his body, pain wracking his forearms. That was just the fast but weak punch, something to throw him off guard. But she kept going at him. More punches came flying at him, this time aiming for every part of his body that she could aim for. The crossed arm guard can only protect so much, so he twisted his torso and head to avoid most of the blows, his Dexterity high enough to counter that. He found out that while his Dexterity was raised thanks to his class, that didn¡¯t mean he was as fast as Mikella, or any other Dexterity-based fighter. For a mage, the Dexterity attribute was used to help cast their spells faster, forming magical energy in a more concise manner that would aid their casting progress easily. Mages who doesn¡¯t focus on Dexterity often take a while to cast their magic, but in return have more firepower or have enough gas in the tank to keep going if they focus on either Intelligence or Spirit respectively. For Zeke, his Runist Class is good enough to get all three attributes raised equally. But that didn¡¯t mean that he was fast. As a mage needed the Dexterity attribute to cast spells faster, their bodies just aren¡¯t used to using the attribute for anything else. That meant that in a race between mage class and a rogue class with equally high Dexterity, the rogue would win hands down. That¡¯s due to their own bodies being adjusted to the attribute that would aid in their physical speed than their unnecessary casting for spells. But luckily for Zeke, that wouldn¡¯t last long. If said mage took on training and sparring as he did, he can just as easily adjust his high Dexterity attribute to work with him, though that did came with caveats. Sometimes, his body went too fast for his liking, causing his planned attack to go awry and get punched in the face for messing with his timing. There was also other moments where he only meant to jog to help someone in the base, only to find himself running straight into a wall without stopping and crashing onto it. It was a little embarrassing to explain the sudden broken wall of a soldier¡¯s house and offered to help him repair it. But after several days of sparring and training, he finally got it down pat, thus allowing him to keep fighting against Mikella at her own standards now. But he never, not a single time, managed to land a hit on her. It wasn¡¯t anything silly like punching a woman that got him to hesitate. He knew that if he thought like that, Mikella would just get angry for hesitating. After all, if he faced a woman that wanted to kill him, would he hold back and end up getting killed? He wasn¡¯t that dumb. It was just that he never got the chance to catch her before she soundly beat his ass¨Cwhich is exactly what just happened now as he found himself staring up at the cavernous dark sky above, his eyes bleary and his right cheek stinging in pain. Still, despite the pain becoming a dear old friend that would never leave his side for the past few days, he opened his eyes with glee to find a notification blaring at the corner of his vision.
Pain Resistance Level Up! It is now Level 8. You have gained +1 VIT from your skill. You have gained +1 END from your skill.
¡­..
Parallel Thought Level Up! It is now Level 2. You have gained +1 INT from your skill. You have gained +1 SPI from your skill.
¡­..
Steadfast Mind Level up! It is now Level 6. You have gained +1 SPI from your skill. You have gained +1 END from your skill.
Three skill levels from this sparring session. He knew instantly why he gained them too, his mind whirling despite the pain. Pain Resistance was obvious, so he¡¯ll leave that out. Parallel Thought and Steadfast Mind were surprising, but not as much as he expected. Parallel Thought helped a lot in settling his mind before making his decisions in combat, and Steadfast Mind, while normally a skill that helped him against mental attacks, also helped in handling stress. He figured it was the mental strain of handling his magical abilities, but apparently it also regarded to the strain of being in long combat, the recent bout being longer than normal thanks to his upkeep in his training. He was saddened to see not a lick of stat points gained from his actions, but he should¡¯ve figured that it wouldn¡¯t come in so easily. That wasn¡¯t really his purpose anyways. The entire reason was to get him used to combat, to move his body according to his wishes when it came time to fight for his life without magic. Since then, he hadn¡¯t casted his barrier magic and healing at all outside of the sparring sessions. Even the stuffiness he felt from his collar was starting to disappear as time moved on without him casting magic. His magic skill levels took a major hit in progress, but he felt he was gaining something else in return. Something more profound than just mere skill levels. ¡°You did good this time,¡± Mikella said, only just now noticing her coming forward and offering her hand. Zeke took it gladly, ignoring the sharp aches that threatened to make him wince. ¡°You lasted longer than normal.¡± ¡°Yeah, I even got a few skill upgrades thanks to that,¡± Zeke said, offering his displays to the smiling Mikella at the news. ¡°Ooh, Parallel Thought leveled up?¡± Mikella said, her brows rising from the skill. ¡°What, so you were thinking so much that it leveled up? You should really just try not doing that. That definitely helps me.¡± ¡°Not everyone is blessed with being a badass without thinking too much,¡± Zeke scoffed. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure everyone is aware of your BS when it comes to ¡®feeling¡¯ the hits.¡± And he was right, even if it did sound mean-spirited. It wasn¡¯t like Mikella was making fun of anyone who couldn¡¯t ¡®feel¡¯ the flow of combat like she can. She was honest when it came to her battle sense, which even Val agreed was a notch above anyone else that she had seen, including her past companions who were at a higher stage than Mikella was now. And because Mikella knew of this, her still offering her advice to ¡®feel¡¯ the hits was just her way of teasing everyone who can¡¯t reach her level. Worst yet, nobody would really blame her¨Cthat¡¯s just how she is. Zeke was starting to see the true Mikella when it comes to how the soldiers see her, and well¡­ He honestly wasn¡¯t against it. At all. He was seeing another side to Mikella only the soldiers get to see, the ones that fought on the front lines with their lives on the line. It wasn¡¯t the same as on the battlefield, but it was still something. Somehow, that was also another one of the things he was gaining outside of practical knowledge of combat. Mikella just grinned, sticking her tongue at him before chuckling. ¡°But I am serious. You know what I mean, right?¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± Zeke nodded. ¡°Honestly, I sort of get what you¡¯re talking about. I think if I keep going a bit farther, I might be able to unlock Kinetic Perception¡­¡± Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. That was one of his personal goals, though he knew that would take a while. Kinetic Perception was useful for a lot of things, even for a mage like him. The reason why he didn¡¯t opt for training with any weapon is to avoid getting a weapon mastery skill, which would¡¯ve needlessly filled a General Skill slot. He still had no intention of becoming a true fighter, but having Kinetic Perception was an important step to becoming better as a whole. ¡°If you keep that up, you might get Brawler Mastery, or maybe Unarmed Mastery¡­?¡± Mikella tilted her head confusedly, not knowing exactly what name to use. ¡°A mastery skill for punching and kicking?¡± Zeke said incredulously. Then he paused, tilting his head. ¡°Huh¡­ maybe that¡¯s not so bad.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Mikella grinned. ¡°Big man wanna use his fists instead of weapons? What, they¡¯re too feminine for you now?¡± ¡°Hey, you keep saying cute shit like that, everyone is gonna go after you with those weapons, you know,¡± Zeke grumbled, rolling his eyes and ignoring Mikella¡¯s jabs and laughter. ¡°Too late, I¡¯m going after her now.¡± He noticed a spear actually coming straight at Mikella. His eyes widened as he instinctively tried casting Barrier Craft, but Mikella just batted the shaft of the spear with a lazy hand, keeping the blade just enough away to only graze past her long brown hair with a sharp gust of wind. Mikella scoffed before putting her hands over her hips with a frown. ¡°Nice try, Myra. How about you come at me like a real man?¡± ¡°Is that supposed to be demeaning?¡± Myra said with a teasing grin of her own, spinning her spear to her shoulders with her own chest puffed out at her. ¡°By the way, I got some good news.¡± ¡°What?¡± Mikella asked, ignoring the slight jab at her head from earlier. Myra only widened her smile. Then, she put up a display and sent the screen over to the two.
Your skill Spear Mastery (Uncommon) has advanced into Spear Mastery (Rare).
The rest were the usual skill notifications for an advancement, but it was clear what she meant to say. ¡°Holy shit, you maxed out Spear Mastery!¡± Mikella said, her voice high pitched as she ran over to Myra and hugged her full contact. Myra just chuckled as she hugged her back, the two girls ecstatic over the news. ¡°Congratulations!¡± ¡°Thanks, though I couldn¡¯t have done it without Piker. Which, by the way¡­¡± ¡°Yes, yes, I¡¯m here.¡± Zeke turned to spot Piker coming after the three. It was there that Zeke noticed the two¡¯s ragged state. Their casual clothing, not their leather armor, were ripped in some places and small cuts visible from their exposed skin. Myra looked burnt and almost steaming from her usage of her attunement, and Piker looked pale but somehow hearty, a frigid sense of chill coming off from him. And of course he also put up a display and sent them over to the pair.
Your Sword Mastery (Uncommon) has advanced to Sword Mastery (Rare).
¡°Looks like I¡¯m finally catching up to you,¡± Piker said to the equally ecstatic Mikella who went ahead and hugged him as well. Out of anyone, Piker was the most surprised. ¡°Nice one!¡± Mikella said, though her hug was shorter than Myra¡¯s and let Piker go. Piker was left with a shaking head and a rising smile. ¡°So, did you also get the Artistry Title?¡± ¡°Yeah, somehow,¡± Myra answered instead, getting everyone to listen in. ¡°Turns out your shitty advice actually helped. Trying to make your weapon expand with the attunement somehow got me to understand what it was that was lacking. My Kinetic Manipulation also helped out a damn ton.¡± According to Zeke, the two had already increased their Kinetic Perception to maximum level, but they were still lacking in raising their respective weapon masteries. After a while of trial and error, however, they managed to get their skills to max out finally. Mikella nodded like an overeager bobblehead. ¡°Awesome! Now it¡¯s time for you guys to keep up with me! It¡¯s been a while, so how about we head out and hunt some monsters for some levels?¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine with me and all, but what about Zeke?¡± Myra said, pointing over at the still exhausted and beaten Zeke. ¡°Aren¡¯t you still training him?¡± ¡°I also suggest that if he¡¯s going, he¡¯s gonna need to resort to being a support mage again,¡± Piker added in, also offering a consoling expression to Zeke. ¡°Sorry about this, but I don¡¯t think you¡¯re in any way prepared to face a Journeyman rank monster with your physical abilities.¡± ¡°Hey, no skin off my back,¡± Zeke raised his hands, a term he realized was from the other word as the two in front of him looked confused. ¡°It¡¯s still better to gain some levels if possible.¡± ¡°Oh, that reminds me!¡± Mikella suddenly said, turning to Zeke. ¡°Did you pick your Class skill yet?¡± Zeke widened his eyes. Now that he recalled, he still hasn¡¯t chosen his skill yet for reaching Level 40. He hadn¡¯t even seen the choices yet. ¡°Huh, yeah, forgot about that.¡± ¡°How the hell do you forget a potential class skill choice?¡± Myra said, raising one brow high enough to reach her forehead. ¡°Those don¡¯t come in regularly you know.¡± Zeke only just shrugged, and was about to see what sort of choices he would get before a commotion occurred around him. Then suddenly a voice called out that got their attention. ¡°Guys! Something¡¯s going on with the elevator!¡± A shout caught their attention as they all turned to the one screaming. It was a soldier, looking frantic as the others followed him to see what was going on. What they saw made both Mikella and Zeke gape in surprise. The elevator section of their base, the one they used to go up and down the massive biodome and back to their town, was starting to emit severe sparks that coiled around the walls and the nearby crystals. Those sparks aren¡¯t electricity, something that Mikella often used, but pure mana concentrated into bolts from the sheer excess. The thing was, the elevator wasn¡¯t supposed to do that. Drawn with his runes and using his barrier as its base, Zeke made sure that no excess mana goes to waste. Efficiency was his thing after all. But to see it ready to explode made Zeke forget his pride as a runist and instantly created a barrier surrounding the elevator, stopping the bolts of pure mana to stray any further. The other soldiers surrounded the scene, noticing that the elevator structure was still spewing out mana bolts left and right. When Zeke approached closer, Cloud was already on the scene, studying it closely before the barrier cut off the bolts. He didn¡¯t seem to mind though as Zeke shouted. ¡°Cloud, what¡¯s happening? It¡¯s just bugging out!¡± Zeke shouted, his eyes bulging at the runes marking the elevator actually going out of order. They were actually moving about, the intense flow of magical energy disrupting the structure of the runes and causing them to get into disarray. That definitely never happened to Zeke before, causing him to look at his work in a panic. ¡°This looks unnatural, for sure,¡± Contrary to Zeke, Cloud was calm and composed. It looked like a veteran programmer helping out a newbie on his first month at the job and a major accident occurred. ¡°The biodome didn¡¯t at first show anything, but it looks like the atmosphere around the area caused it to mess with the rune¡¯s structure, causing mana to spill forth without anything to push it back in.¡± ¡°Is it gonna blow?¡± Zeke asked, still having a hint of worry despite Cloud¡¯s calm tone. Even if Zeke was the official Runist here, Cloud¡¯s many years of dealing with runes were always the source of Zeke¡¯s fundamental knowledge of it. So he often referred to Cloud for guidance when stuff like this happens. ¡°No, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good idea to use it for now. I¡¯ll see what I can do, but¨Cwhat?¡± Cloud looked up in horror as the elevator suddenly went up, catching Zeke by surprise and making him walk back. It went up at a burst of speed, then for a few short minutes, nothing much happened. The sudden burst caused the barrier surrounding the elevator to vanish. Not break apart, but vanishing into nothingness. He could only surmise that the barrier was dispersed due to the elevator and his own barrier being made of the same magic construct. ¡°W-What happened? It looks like someone used it!¡± Zeke said, looking over at the runes again and peering at it more closely. ¡°That¡¯s because someone did!¡± Cloud shouted, this time showing a rising panic in his eyes. ¡°They¡¯ll fall!¡± Before anyone else could do anything, Zeke went to work with Cloud as his faithful assistant. More of the soldiers came by to watch, but as none of them had Runecraft as a skill, they really had nothing much they could do, and since the barrier was still up, there was no danger to anyone present. Zeke noticed Mikella ready with her sword in hand. It wasn¡¯t something to fight, but it does help with calming her nerves with a weapon in hand. As for Zeke himself, his pens were already floating, his magical skills on blast and regretting not progressing his runecraft as he should have. But soon the elevator began to grow unstable again, the entire area beginning to rumble with excess mana bolts running everywhere. The connection between the elevator and the rest of the area was starting to cause some of the rocks from the earth above to fall to the ground, causing some of the shakes and noise. Zeke summoned another barrier on top of themselves, his forehead turning wet and warm from the sweat, the stress taking its toll on him. Cloud was aiding him by supplying mana into the runes Zeke drew, altering it slightly from Zeke¡¯s rapid writing to ensure they were stable enough. As they focused, the elevator finally showed up again, slamming back down to the bottom of the base, causing the entire area to get covered in plumes of dust, disrupting their sight. Zeke coughed loudly as the barrier wasn¡¯t able to protect him against the dust that were invading his insides right about now. Even Cloud wasn¡¯t resistant against it, coughing himself. ¡°Zeke! You okay?¡± Zeke turned, his eyes stinging to find Mikella rushing towards him. The other soldiers were also running around, getting near them to ensure they were okay. Being the only runists in the entire base, it was important that they at least survive the potential fall of the elevator. ¡°Y-Yeah¡­ I was only focused on protecting ourselves, so the dust just got to me¡­¡± Zeke groaned. ¡°Is anyone there!?¡± Cloud shouted, using his mana to blow away the dust with Mana Manipulation. ¡°Are you okay?!¡± Everyone waited in anticipation for the response. The elevator coming back down so quickly would be hazardous for anyone to use it. It was just dumb shitty luck that it just happened to fizzle out the moment they used it. A feminine voice responded after that. ¡°W-We¡¯re fine! Thankfully¡­ Are you two okay?¡± ¡°Y-Yeah¡­¡± Another feminine voice showed up, but it was deeper and rich with a heavy accent. The next one made both Zeke and Mikella freeze in place. ¡°A-Are we safe?¡± A childlike voice rang out in worry, and when the cloud finally moved away, the appearance of two women and one little girl finally showed up. That little girl widened her eyes when she spotted them. ¡°There they are! Sissy! Bobo!¡± ¡°Clara?!¡± Both Mikella and Zeke shouted in unison, both their hearts and souls screaming in panic. Vol2 Ch31: Clara came to visit ¡°Clara! What the hell are you doing here?!¡± Mikella¡¯s shout could be heard all the way outside the biodome. She immediately ran over to the also running Clara, crashing together into a sisterly hug. Clara seemed more than happy to be reunited with her sister, but Mikella was the opposite. ¡°Sissy!¡± Clara shouted. ¡°I came here to look for you!¡± ¡°Well, you found me, but you¡¯re not supposed to be here!¡± Mikella pleaded, her eyes bulging and ready to tear up at the sight of her here. She knelt down to Clara¡¯s level and spoke softly. ¡°Do you remember the tower? The scary place filled with those knights? This place is probably as bad, maybe worse! That¡¯s why you¡¯re not supposed to be here!¡± Clara¡¯s eyes widened at the news, and there was definite fear in her eyes now as she looked around. But contrary to the two, Clara pressed her lips together in a show of defiance. ¡°But I had to be here! I have to tell you something important!¡± Clara pleaded, but then she let her eyes wander down to the ground. ¡°But¡­ Not now. It''s a very, very important secret that only you and Bobo gotta hear.¡± ¡°Is it more important than your own life?¡± Mikella gripped Clara¡¯s shoulders tight, but not enough to hurt her. ¡°More important than all our lives!¡± Clara responded, and that finally got Mikella to pause. Zeke watched in awe at the scene, but not more so than the rest of the soldiers. Of course all of them were shocked to find a child suddenly being here. If it weren¡¯t for the barrier, they might as well consider Clara as a possible casualty. Outside of Clara, two others came into the scene. One was Vivian, who was just as shocked to find herself here along with Clara, and another woman. First Zeke thought it was a child, her short stature making it hard to discern through the smoke, but he was surprised to find out that it was one of the female soldiers under Zacharia¡¯s unit. It was none other than a female Dwarf in all her glory. Just like Adam, she was short-statured. However, he was surprised to find that this girl was not as stocky and barrel-figured like male dwarves. She was definitely shorter than Adam, reaching only 4 feet and a half, almost two heads shorter than Zeke¡¯s tall 6-foot frame. But once again, contrary to most dwarves Zeke would imagine, she was rather voluptuous, her leather armor showing some curves here and there. He could only suppose that the stockiness had got to go somewhere, and clearly they got to their assets. Outside of that, she looked like an ordinary girl with orange hair strapped into a ponytail. She had a wand, similar to the scout mage girl that went with Mikella, but she also had some knives holstered here and there across her armored vest. ¡°Oof, that was a sorry mess,¡± The dwarf girl responded, waving away her hand to clear more of the dust. ¡°Hey, you! You that girl¡¯s father?¡± Zeke flinched at being called out by the dwarf girl, being the first time they met each other, as well as being called Clara¡¯s father. He shook his head politely. ¡°Uuh, no, I¡¯m her, uhh, older brother. It¡¯s uhh¡­ complicated,¡± Zeke tried to explain, but he was doing so terribly that he quickly changed subjects before the dwarf girl could get more confused. ¡°Anyways, what happened? Why is Clara here?¡± ¡°She¡¯s been going on and on about meeting you two, that¡¯s what¡¯s going on!¡± The dwarf girl said with an almost frustrated tone. Zeke couldn¡¯t help but grimace as he could imagine how persistent Clara could be. ¡°I keep telling her that you two are occupied, but the girl won¡¯t keep still! So I asked Vivian to come with me to see if we could do a quick visit. I figured since we got the barrier and all, it would be fine, but¡­¡± The dwarf girl shook her head, recalling the scene that just occurred. Zacharia, one of the first soldiers to come around before the whole mess started, showed up. The girl quickly saluted him, instantly returning from her state of a groaning and tired caretaker to a proper soldier. ¡°Eliza, what happened up there? Surely you would¡¯ve noticed the elevator going out of whack?¡± ¡°I did, sir!¡± Eliza, the dwarf girl, responded crisp and properly. ¡°But just when I was about to study the elevator before we went in, Clara just went running all on her own! I tried to stop her, but I think the mana surrounding the elevator caused my magic to go haywire¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s when the two of us decided to go after her, then the elevator just went¡­ down,¡± Vivian shivered, hugging her shoulders. ¡°I-Is there a way for us to go back up? I¡¯m not really comfortable just being here¡­¡± Zeke noticed Vivian¡¯s face turning pale, her hands continuously rubbing her forearms. She looked deathly afraid of just being here despite being surrounded by the soldiers and the barrier alike. Zeke supposed that this is just how some people in this world would feel when they weren¡¯t built for combat, instead only opting for staying in the safety of the town and having a normal life. For her sake, it was teaching the younger generation. ¡°Clara, see?¡± Mikella said, pointing out Vivian¡¯s poor state. ¡°Because of you, now you brought so much trouble to other people. Is it really that important, to trouble everyone around you, just to give a message?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Clara shouted back, her face scrunched up in defiance and a hint of anger. It was clear that Clara refused to stay put, even putting off Mikella who looked taken aback. ¡°Alright, alright, that¡¯s enough, lay off the poor girl.¡± Both siblings turned back to Val who clapped her hands loud enough to get their attention. She looked mildly displeased, probably for the same reason as Mikella. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. ¡°Mikella, I¡¯m sure whatever it is that Clara wants to say, it has to be important enough for her to do this. You know, Zeke knows, and I know that Clara is a good girl that wouldn¡¯t break the rules for no good reason.¡± ¡°I-I know that! I know that more than you think! But Val, this place is super dangerous! She doesn¡¯t even have levels to protect herself! What if staying here just causes damage to her bit by bit?¡± Zeke paled at the memory of that happening to Clara, when they were trying to leave the tower and were facing the giant ghost knight that would¡¯ve killed them. Its aura alone was enough to make Clara bleed out in pain, her tiny body unable to handle the force. If what Mikella was worried about was the area being too strong for Clara¡¯s body to handle¡­ ¡°Val, I agree,¡± Zeke said, easily supporting Mikella¡¯s claims. ¡°If Clara stays here¨C¡± ¡°She¡¯ll be fine,¡± Val stated, surprising both the partners. ¡°But if we haven¡¯t felt anything like that all this time, then there is no strange damage that can occur. Not to mention, you¡¯re in the hands of Journeymen where their auras are stronger than anyone else here. No matter what, Clara will be fine.¡± Despite the clear look of anxiety taking over Mikella¡¯s face, her shoulders relaxed and her eyes darted to the ground. Zeke also pursed his lips, realizing that he was the one that was supposed to know that himself, being the brains and all. Shame and embarrassment took over him as Val continued. ¡°So calm down and look around you. This is clearly not the time or place to have this conversation. Let¡¯s first find out what¡¯s going on first, then get worried, then finally bring out the punishment, okay?¡± ¡°...Okay,¡± Mikella said, her voice muted and demure. Her anger was just gone now, and all that was left was a frazzled 20-year old who just found out her sister could¡¯ve been killed. Though Clara blanched at the thought now that she realized she was going to be punished. Even so, she shook it off as she stared at Zeke. ¡°Bobo, can we¡­ go somewhere else right now?¡± She asked, this time she pleaded in hopes that he wouldn¡¯t get angry at her. At this point, everyone around them began their own business, clearly knowing this wasn¡¯t something that they needed to see. The only ones left behind were the journeymen, Myra, Jackie, Philip, and Piker, the ones they knew the most. Cloud was mostly talking with Vivian at this point, figuring that Val had all this figured out. ¡°...Not yet, first I need to find out how to fix the elevator,¡± Zeke said, turning to Clara and giving her his full attention. ¡°Then, we¡¯ll talk. Make sure to listen to Sissy and everyone else here, alright? Don¡¯t go off on your own, and never¨Cnever ever¨Cget out of this barrier around us. Can you promise me that?¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Clara nodded profusely. Zeke knew she wasn¡¯t an idiot child who¡¯d just run out of the safety of the barrier. Then again, she also wasn¡¯t the type to run into an unstable elevator and head into a dangerous area. Which made him even more confused as to why she was so adamant to find them. Turning to Cloud who finished talking with Vivian and was now heading over to Val and Mikky, Eliza being with Zacharia at this time, he spoke to him. ¡°So, can we fix the elevator? Not that I don¡¯t wanna see Clara again, but I really, really don¡¯t want her here right now.¡± ¡°You and me both,¡± Cloud shook his head. ¡°But this might take a while. But don¡¯t worry about it. Just go back to your family and see this through.¡± ¡°You sure? I can probably fix it faster by being here¡± Zeke asked, figuring his Runist skills would be put to use.¡± ¡°I know, but wouldn¡¯t you want to spend some time with Clara? It might take us a while before we can come back home. You should try to spend as much time as you can with her before she has to return.¡± Zeke pursed his lips in understanding, then he nodded. ¡°I know¡­ and yeah, I should. Thanks Cloud.¡± ¡°Hey, no problem. Sometimes being the man of the family is harder work than trying to reach the Master stage,¡± Cloud chuckled. Zeke nodded in understanding. Who else but a father like Cloud would understand how difficult child-rearing could be? Zeke returned back to the base town, going over to his home where he spotted Mikella finishing her talk with Val, Vivian, and Eliza. The three women left, passing by Zeke. Zeke then offered a greeting to the dwarven girl. ¡°Hey, Miss Eliza. I just wanna apologize for how Clara acted. I know it¡¯s been rough, and I appreciate everything you did¡­¡± Eliza was the very girl that Zacharia commissioned to ¡®keep an eye for Clara¡¯. But rather than the usual spying, he just sent a caretaker who¡¯s good with kids. Eliza smiled warmly, reminding him of a kindergarten teacher who already had decades worth of experience. ¡°Nah, it¡¯s fine. She¡¯s a real sweetheart, which was why I got so worried when she suddenly wanted to see you two. I know the situation¡¯s kinda messy, but don¡¯t be too hard on her, will ya?¡± ¡°Yeah, she had it hard enough already,¡± Zeke nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± Zeke waved to the women and then turned to Mikella, who just looked as fearful as he left her. Clara seemed frightened to even move before Zeke came in, and like a drowning man finding a ship in sea, she ran towards him for salvation. ¡°Bobo,¡± Clara said, looking up at him. ¡°Can we talk now? I promise, it¡¯ll be super important!¡± Zeke looked at Clara again, with a careful gaze this time. She looked hurried, but not as though it was utterly pressed. Obviously she read the room and realized her wrongdoing, but she was still adamant in sending her message, whatever it was. But the mood was dour, and he was afraid that this might heavily impact Clara¡¯s mental state. So, he figured there was one thing he could do for the sisters to restore good will between them both. ¡°I know it¡¯s important, but you just got here. Let¡¯s rest for a little bit and have something to eat.¡± Clara looked upset that she had to wait some more, but the thought of food easily amended her as she smiled and nodded. ¡­.. ¡°Alright, so what¡¯s this super important message you had to tell us that got you so wound up?¡± Mikella started, finally getting into it. They took the time to get a wash from being outside, and ate a simple meal. Since they didn¡¯t have much here, they didn¡¯t eat much, but seeing Clara going hands on while excitedly talking to Mikella about the place here, Zeke smiled to see the cute little sister once again. But as soon as they were done, Mikella began the discussion about this message of hers. A hint of trepidation passed over the two as Clara realized what she needed to do. Her eyes widening, she nodded profusely before responding. ¡°Right! Umm¡­ my friend said that she¡¯s gonna wake up soon, so please give her a bit of¡­¡± The two corked their brows to hear what kind of ¡®friend¡¯ basically forced Clara to head into this dangerous area. Just as Mikella was about to ask, Clara trailed off in the most unnatural way. Her eyes glazed over, and her head wobbled downwards. Just when Zeke was about to check what was going on, she suddenly lifted her head up. And her eyes glowed so bright they became pitch white. Before the two knew it, the entire room they were in was submerged in a flash of light, and they couldn¡¯t do a thing about it as they felt their entire world shift and twist out of whack. Vol2 Ch32: Zoans message Zeke gasped, feeling out of breath as he found himself in an entirely white void. Something that he deeply wished he wouldn¡¯t visit again. The last time this happened, he was forcing his will within Val¡¯s channels and getting rid of Alex¡¯s remaining skill out of them. During that time, he also had no other choice but to take in an attunement to get himself out. To find himself here again was already a bad sign, and even worse, Clara was involved. He desperately searched for her, only to find Mikella by his side, just as flabbergasted. ¡°Zeke!¡± Mikella shouted, realizing Zeke¡¯s presence. ¡°What happened? Where¡¯s Clara?!¡± ¡°I-I don¡¯t know,¡± Zeke honestly said, shaking his head. ¡°All I know is that I think Clara just started glowing and¡­ this happened.¡± Zeke looked around again, trying to keep a sharp eye for Clara, but he didn¡¯t pick up anything. The void itself was aptly named¨Ccompletely empty. Mikella searched frantically, a hint of dread and panic taking over her. ¡°Clara!¡± Mikella shouted, cupping her hands to the sides of her mouth. ¡°Answer me! Where are you?!¡± ¡°There is no need to shout. Clara is perfectly fine.¡± The two flinched to hear another voice that they didn''t recognize. It was feminine, but deeper, as if transcended with a millenia¡¯s worth of age. They turn to find that voice belonged to a woman who they have no words to describe other than angelic. A being over 7 feet tall, encased in pristine platinum armor that covered her from neck to toe. It was immaculate and detailed, and there were hints of gold trimmings across the edges. She looked like a warrior on a holy crusade with a sword holstered to her hip that was just as divine as her armor. Long, snow white hair flowed from her head, held together by a helmet with wings shaped on the side. But the wings on her back were more impressive, long and feathery¨Cthey extended wide and curled into a dedicated folded stance. She looked down on the humans in front of her, her height and posture truly of an angel looking down on the mortals. ¡°I made sure of it,¡± The figure said, her flawless skin glistening despite the lack of light in the void. The two stood silent, gawking at the figure. They met some crazy creatures before, but an angel was something they never expected to find. Zeke readied to make a barrier, but his magic was completely gone. He couldn¡¯t feel his mana, much less his other skills. He knew Mikella was the same since she hadn¡¯t even pulled out her sword, her go-to action whenever shit like this happens. After a moment passed, Mikella was the first to speak. ¡°Who are you? And were you the one who made Clara come here?¡± ¡°I did,¡± The angel answered, raising her head in acknowledgement. ¡°As for who I am¡­ My name is Zoan. I¡¯ve come to you two to send a message. I suggest you take it as your first priority.¡± Zeke took a moment to take this all in. An angel, coming to see them to give a message. And if an angel is giving a message to them, wouldn¡¯t that mean the one who wanted to speak to them was some god or deity of this world? Perhaps the one responsible for bringing them here? ¡°I don¡¯t care about that! Where¡¯s Clara?!¡± Mikella shouted, swinging her fist wide. ¡°Why are you the one who talked to her? Shouldn¡¯t you be talking to us?! Why do you gotta bring her into this?!¡± Her rage was spilling out, and if she could, she would already pull out her sword to point at the angel, which Zeke was thankful for as he knew, right from where he was, that the two couldn¡¯t stand a chance against her. This ¡®Zoan¡¯ wasn¡¯t just some angel. He could feel it. Power beyond common sense. It was so powerful, it even put Val, Cloud, and Zacharia to shame. Was she at Master stage? Or perhaps even above? Either way, they had no chance, but if Mikella wasn¡¯t the one asking about Clara, Zeke feared that they wouldn¡¯t get anywhere. However, despite Mikella¡¯s shouts and acts of defiance, Zoan still only looked at them placidly. ¡°As I said, Clara is fine. She is currently being used as my vessel to hold my soul within hers.¡± The two¡¯s eyes widened at the news. It was such a bomb that it left Mikella utterly silent. However, Zeke picked up the pace this time. ¡°What do you mean your vessel?¡± Zeke asked. He could finally feel his own rage coming through the shock and fear. ¡°Are you saying you¡¯re controlling Clara?¡± ¡°If only I could, but I cannot,¡± Zoan shook her head, the first sign of an expression from her. Though her face was still as placid and emotionless. ¡°As I said, she is my vessel, not my puppet. Her soul was the only place I could take solace in while I continue my duty of observing you two. You could say that this was the reason why Clara came with you two into this world.¡± Zeke took a step back, his foot still stepping on whatever platform the void was on. So far, it made sense. He didn¡¯t know Clara for long, but he knew that Clara didn¡¯t look controlled. He saw her laugh, cry, get mad, and all sorts of things a child like her should feel. Contrary, this angel was utterly serene, like a still pond. She showed no reactions, and no facial expressions that Zeke can pick out. In other words, he had no choice but to take her words to heart. That meant that Clara was indeed just a vessel, a storage bag for Zoan to be crammed into to watch the two like a chihuahua in a purse. While that imagery was kinda funny, this was anything but. What worries him is her reasoning for doing so. ¡°So you brought Clara over so that you can place yourself within her¡­ soul? And to what¨Cto spy on us?¡± Zeke asked, making sure he got everything perfectly. ¡°Do not think of yourselves so important that I would resort to spying on you. And it is not my decision to bring Clara along with you all. Which, by the way¨C¡± For once, Zoan furrowed her brows. ¡°I¡¯m on borrowed time. So if you two can stop with your agonizing questions, I can finish my duty sooner.¡± Clearly, Zoan was in no mood for a chit-chat. Not even Mikella could shout back again after seeing the angel change her demeanor so quickly. Zeke felt his bones shiver at the thought of pissing off this literal angel. Zoan took a small second of silence before speaking again. ¡°I have come forth to deliver a message from the God of Spirit. You have two years to reach Journeymen, or your fate is sealed. Do your utmost to ensure that you reach that stage as soon as possible.¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. The information made it to his mind, but he had a hard time comprehending half of it. First off, the God of Spirit? And the time they have before reaching Journeyman sounds implausible, at least from a normal person¡¯s perspective in this world. People would take several years, if not decades, to reach that stage, at least that¡¯s what Cloud and Val said when they reached Journeyman themselves. And did she say that if they don¡¯t, they¡¯re screwed? The ¡®their fate is sealed¡¯ stuff was too vague, but he played enough RPGs to know that¡¯s not a good sign. ¡°Second,¡± Zoan continued, her face still as her annoyance from earlier seemed to never have existed. ¡°The locations you call the towers¨Cthey must be pilfered and conquered whenever you spot them. The reason why I hurried Clara here to you is to tell you that there is a tower right here in this biodome.¡± ¡°A tower?!¡± Mikella shouted. ¡°Here? In this crazy place?¡± Zeke took a moment to study her words, realizing that something was wrong. If there was a tower, and since the last two towers they were at were one of their own, and one belonging to Alex, the psycho necromancer¡­ ¡°Are you telling us to help the one that was kidnapped into that tower?¡± Zeke asked. However, Zoan¡¯s reaction didn¡¯t make him feel better at all. ¡°Whether the owner of the tower is alive or not doesn¡¯t matter. What matters is that there is a tower, therefore, a dungeon. You two need power, so the dungeon is perfect to gain such boons.¡± ¡°So what, we¡¯re not even going to bother saving one of our own people?¡± Mikella scoffed. Despite facing someone so overtly powerful, Mikella was still too pissed off to care. ¡°After you, or whoever was responsible, was the one who put them there in the first place? I still don¡¯t see any reason why we need to follow this so-called God of Spirit, or why we have to follow your orders at all.¡± While Zeke wished that Mikella could¡¯ve been more subtle about it, she had some good points. He wanted to ask those very same questions, and every answer she gave was too vague or too strange to even think about. Zoan shook her head. ¡°I am not obliged to answer you. I follow only our gods¡¯ orders. And be thankful, Mikella¨COur gods are not so small-minded to be offended by your words. But I do suggest keeping them at bay when I am in your presence.¡± ¡°Oh, fucking great!¡± Mikella cursed purposely at the angel. ¡°I better thank my lucky stars that we got kidnapped by some crazy god for some mission we don¡¯t even know what it is about. I¡¯m even more thankful how you kidnapped my 10 year old sister and used her like a goddamn purse.¡± No matter how one sees her, anyone with eyes can tell that Mikella only cares about one thing¨CClara. Even if she could be punished severely with divine punishment, she would rather face them head on than to cower in fear. Zeke should follow that example. Steadying himself, he faced the angel. ¡°Mikella¡¯s right. You said you¡¯re not obliged, but wouldn¡¯t you agree that letting us know why we need power would be beneficial for us to work faster?¡± For once, Zoan smiled. It was such a delicate thing¨Cas if a single small thing could break it with ease. ¡°I found that you two work best under pressure. So receiving a mission you don¡¯t know anything about and being given a timer on it would force you to work faster and better than ever before. Be at ease¨CI believe in your capabilities. That is praise not any normal mortal could ever receive.¡± Zeke gritted his teeth and Mikella grimaced. What other choice did they have other than working their hardest to survive? Whether it¡¯d be the towers, the forest, even the ambush from another city¨Cthey worked their hands to the bone to improve themselves and get stronger to survive. Eventually, the angel began to shimmer softly. She opened one of her gauntleted hands, flexing them a bit. ¡°My time is nearly over. One last thing then. No matter what you do, Clara will always have me within her soul, and should you try to do anything foolish, like trying to pull me out by force, you¡¯ll only end up killing her. She¡¯s such a sweet, naive thing¨Cso don¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°You of all people have no right to tell me how to treat Clara.¡± Mikella growled in a low, harsh tone. There was such deep-seated wrath packed into those words, something that Zeke never heard from her before. Yet, he felt the very same rage filling his veins. An entity possessing Clara, and a possible enemy. Even worse, it was an angel working for a god that was responsible for bringing them there. ¡°I bless you with good fortune, Zeke, Mikella,¡± Zoan said, her body beginning to shine so brightly that even the white void seemed to dim in comparison. ¡°May the gods watch over your path, and that you find success in the end.¡± As the light began to nearly blind Zeke¡¯s eyes again, there was only one thought in his mind as he felt everything around him shift and twist again. Those parting words didn¡¯t make Zeke feel better at all. ¡­.. Another gasp and Zeke returned to the real plane of existence once again. However, the vertigo of suddenly being shifted from one realm to another was huge, causing him to stumble and get dizzy. But he forced himself to keep steady and look out for the girls, who were just as dazed as him. Mikella, to her determination, made sure to keep Clara steady as she was about to fall over and possibly hit herself. Once the nausea was over, Zeke was the first to talk. ¡°Anyone alright?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Mikella nodded. ¡°Clara, sweetie, how are you feeling?¡± ¡°Gghh¡­¡± Clara groaned softly before turning to her Sissy. ¡°What happened?¡± There was a clear look of confusion on her face. The way she tilted her head at the two of them proved everything that they needed to know. While Zoan made her existence known to Clara, she didn¡¯t include her in the message, or even into the realm. Zeke theorized that just like entering into that white void within Val, they somehow entered into the same white void, but within Clara instead. Was that realm, that white void, some type of inner world that belonged to someone else? While that thought process definitely needed some thinking over, now wasn¡¯t the time. He immediately went over to Clara and flared Recovery. Checking her over and over, he nodded in satisfaction, giving Mikella a chance to relax. ¡°All good,¡± Zeke said, smiling at the little girl who smiled back at him. ¡°Did you get her message?¡± Clara asked, a gleam in her eyes showcasing hope. ¡°Did you get it?¡± Putting everything on track now, the two were left gawking at the girl. While she looked worried, perhaps thinking that they didn¡¯t get the message at all, it only just hit them what happened just now. The entire thing, and how it all included Clara. Mikella went over to her side and hugged her deeply. Clara looked surprised to find that Mikella was gasping shortly, sobs echoing softly around the room. ¡°Sissy?¡± ¡°Everything¡¯s okay, Clara. Everything¡¯s fine,¡± Mikella kept rubbing her head on top of Clara¡¯s, trying her best to keep the panic entering her voice. ¡°We got the message. And I¡¯m so sorry for yelling at you. You were right¨Cit was so, so important.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay!¡± Clara shouted. ¡°It¡¯s okay, I forgive you! So please don¡¯t cry!¡± Despite Clara¡¯s best try to console her big sister, offering her a rub on her back, Mikella continued to break down, tears beginning to brim over her eyes. Meanwhile, Zeke was left on his own, rubbing his palm across the face. The weight of all this was hitting him hard. And the impossibly difficult mission. Who knew what might happen if they failed? Would they get punished? Would they die? Would Clara be taken as a hostage if they failed? Several thoughts turned into thousands as his Parallel Thought flared, and not a single one comforted him. The best he could do, the only thing he could do, is focus on the task at hand. Rather than think about the multiple, multiple ways this could end badly, he only focused on what he can do now. With a grunt, he stood up, facing Mikella and Clara. ¡°We gotta talk to the lords. Right now.¡± Mikella turned back to her partner, and nodded solemnly. Clara looked back at Zeke with a worried expression. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Clara,¡± Zeke smiled. ¡°I¡¯m just relaying the message to the folks who took care of us. You did a great job. I¡¯m proud of you.¡± He didn¡¯t know whether these words would appease her at all. If anything, he was only going off on how a kid would feel if she did something for the adults. However, a look of satisfaction and pride ran across her face as she gleaned at him. Zeke didn¡¯t lie, either. He really was proud of her. It was so important that she risked herself to come here, and all under the guise of a ¡®friend¡¯ who wanted to help her beloved siblings. After everything that happened to them, he knew Clara is the sort to want to help however she could, but she also knew her limits. Now, it was the adults¡¯ turn to reciprocate her hard work. He and Mikella would make sure of it. Vol2 Ch33: Gathering for a plan The room was silent after Zeke and Mikella relayed what they heard from Zoan to the people in front of them. After the message was given, the two had Vivian take care of Clara as always with Eliza as backup. They made sure that everything was under the bridge now and that they were thankful for her hard work, much to Vivian and Eliza¡¯s relief. On the other hand, their grim faces were stuck on them as they went over to the Lord¡¯s home, wanting to talk about something serious. At the time, Zacharia was there as well, possibly wanting to talk to them about something. It only happened recently either, and somehow Myra and Piker joined in as well. They wanted to talk to the lords about the potential roads they could take for their builds. And so, since everyone here knew of their secret, it was better to just tell them everything; The angel Zoan, the mission they were given, and even the tower that was here in the biodome. Needless to say, everyone needed some time to take all this information in. Zeke wondered whether it was wise to just reveal everything to Zacharia and Piker. While he trusted Piker, he couldn¡¯t trust Zacharia to somehow use this as some sort of leverage. But he knew that keeping this a secret from him while trying to travel to another tower like the undeath one was just gonna be a pain in the ass, especially since Zacharia¡¯s the type to nearly butcher his own son¡¯s health for information. Still, he was shocked to find even Zacharia looking aghast, his face turning pale as he looked silently at the floor, his rugged and muscled form wearing the casual clothing instead of his usual armor. Meanwhile, Myra and Piker were just struggling to find the answers. ¡°So, you mean to tell me that you two have to become Journeyman stage in just two years?¡± Myra explained, raising her hands near her face as if to try to grasp the information. ¡°That¡¯s crazy! You know how many lived and died before ever reaching that state in such a short time? And now there¡¯s a tower here? The same one that fucker necromancer was at?¡± The two nodded, and Myra let her head rest on the palm of her hands. ¡°That¡­ angel,¡± Piker asked, though his tone sounded amazed rather than concerned. ¡°Is it truly an angel? Like, the ones in the legends where they helped warriors become heroes and raise their empires that lasted for millennia?¡± Zeke nodded. He read some of the legends, hoping to find some proof about their situation back when they first visited Eve Glade. According to some people here, angels were the beings that once were human that have been granted transcendence. As for the twelve gods themselves, none can say for sure. The twelve gods, from what he read, were the twelve terms used for the status itself; The Gods of Strength, Intelligence, Dexterity, Endurance, Vitality, and Spirit. After those six, then comes the dual major three gods; The God of Attunement, God of Classes, and God of Races. Finally, there were the God of Life, the God of Kinetics, and the God of Mana. Hearing that Zoan came from the god known as the God of Spirit, the god that was behind the Spirit attribute of the status menu¨Che can¡¯t help but feel somewhat connected knowing that he specialized in that attribute. As far as he knew, angels were powerful beings close to the legends of dragons and titans, overly powerful creatures that have their own domains and even countries somewhere in this vast world of Tarial. And now Clara is housing one such powerful being. Piker kept looking down at the ground, trying to take it all in. ¡°You two are truly something. To have an angel send you a message from a god is¡­¡± ¡°She said the message came from the God of Spirit?¡± Myra asked, her brows furrowed. ¡°I still don¡¯t get it. If that god is responsible for bringing you guys here, then why that particular god?¡± ¡°The gods aren¡¯t just the staples behind the terms of the status board,¡± Cloud aided Myra¡¯s musings. ¡°In this case, the God of Spirit is behind the sense of spirituality, and in some cases connected to the God of Mana and God of Attunement. That god is also behind the concept of morality, of deigning actions that would be considered right or wrong.¡± ¡°Morality?¡± Mikella responded with a bitter tone. ¡°This is the same one that forced us here against our will, and even sent Clara here to be possessed with an angel!¡± ¡°I just still don¡¯t understand why an angel has to use a child as a vessel,¡± Val stated, no longer contempt with stewing in her thoughts. Anger rose from her expression, her eyes turning sharper as her thoughts seem to spin into a raging torrent. After living with the Mystio family for a while, he could tell the slight expressions on their faces. Val has only ever shown a bubbly atmosphere, a great and terrifying mother, and a responsible Captain. This one belonged to the terrifying mother aspect, something that corresponded well with Mikella¡¯s concern. Mikella on the other hand lowered her head into her hands. Her shoulders slumped as the pressure from just about everything was weighing down on her. ¡°What are we supposed to do?¡± It was a question that nobody answered for a short moment. It wasn¡¯t the kind of question for the current situation, but just overall. What else can they do other than to blindly follow a god¡¯s whims? Proven even more so by the angel that visited them? That led them back to this point. Val stayed quiet as Myra and Piker followed her. Cloud was deep in thought, crossing his arms and putting on his usual thinking expression. However, Zacharia decided to break the momentum. ¡°There is only one option. We need to find the tower, first and foremost.¡± Zeke was never a fan of the way Zacharia does things, even though he had a lot of experience as a commander in an army. However, everyone turned to him, including Mikella, after he kept speaking. ¡°Cloud, I recall you said that the barrier elevator wasn¡¯t working well due to the mana of the biodome, correct?¡± ¡°Yes, but what does that have to do with¡­¡± Cloud answered with a confused expression, but a second later realization showed on it. ¡°The tower¡­¡± ¡°Precisely,¡± The general nodded. ¡°Just like with the monsters surrounding the forests near Eve Glade, the tower is also causing some mishaps going on in this very biodome. It is our duty as part of the kingdom to ensure that this biodome stays relatively safe to use. So, before we go out and try to conquer angels and gods, I suggest we keep our feet planted to the ground and focus on the current task at hand.¡± This time, Zacharia turned to the two, his face hardened with resolve. ¡°The angel said that you two needed to clear the tower, and that same tower acts like a dungeon¨Cand a dungeon contains treasure. We might even find people there, as how the last tower went, is that right?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Zeke nodded. ¡°Though we have no idea what kind of people they might be. We turned out fine, but Alex is one example that might happen again. Like we said, we may come from different worlds, but even we have our own crazies.¡± Zeke grimaced after recalling Alex, and the potential danger of having some other psychopath to face. He noticed that Myra turned a little blank from recalling Alex, something that everyone here could relate to. ¡°So in other words, we might have potential allies or potential enemies. I take it that you two know what will happen should they become an enemy?¡± Zacharia pointed out, leaving it at that. Zeke knew exactly what he meant. However, he could honestly not give a crap about it as Mikella answered for him. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. ¡°We don¡¯t care who it is.¡± There was a solemn look on her face, different from the distraught expression from before. ¡°Even if it¡¯s someone that we know, it won¡¯t matter. If they go crazy, we kill them.¡± ¡°Even if they could be part of your country?¡± Piker asked. There was concern in his voice, though Zeke realized that it was meant for their own mental sake than for some moral reason. ¡°Our country isn¡¯t as united as you might think¡­ even though it¡¯s technically called the United States,¡± Zeke chuckled slightly. How bitterly ironic that the name has nothing to do with its current state. ¡°Trust me, we¡¯ll have no problem taking them out if they become an enemy. But¡­¡± Zeke grabbed the armchair hard. ¡°If the person in question is someone who didn¡¯t want to fight, and might answer with a fight or flight response¡­ leave them to us. They may be scared, or just in a panic. We certainly were when we first started.¡± Mikella looked back at him, her eyes agreeing with him. The first day they met, Mikella considered him an enemy, wanting nothing more than to protect Clara even at the cost of her body. Thankfully, nobody around planned on hurting them, and Zeke couldn¡¯t even imagine taking advantage of the girls. It might be possible that the same is happening to the folks within the biodome¡¯s tower. If they were scared, the least they could do is help them. ¡°So in other words, react appropriately,¡± Val nodded in agreement. ¡°And I agree with Zacharia¡¯s statement. We should focus on taking out the tower before we do anything else. Even the quest should be put aside since the risks of leaving the tower there might mess with the influx of mana in the air more often than not.¡± ¡°Then we should tell the soldiers to not drink any concoctions, or anything that might be messed with by mana,¡± Myra pointed out. ¡°Captain, you remember the fire potion from before? How it almost killed me?¡± Val¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°That¡¯s right! We need to let them know right away,¡± She said, getting Zacharia and Piker to nod. ¡°Alright¡­ So once we¡¯re done with the tower, what then? Keep going the same as usual?¡± ¡°There¡¯s another reason why I suggested we should take the tower out before anything else,¡± Zacharia mentioned, getting their attention once more. ¡°Eliza gave me some intel when she arrived along with Clara. Apparently, Bastion will be on the move soon towards Eve Glade¡­ or in this case, to this biodome.¡± The silence in the room became deafening as the news hit them like a dirty bomb. Cloud stood up, his stare turning hard. ¡°What do you mean? How do they know about the biodome already?¡± ¡°It¡¯s likely that seer of theirs making a move again,¡± Zacharia laid on the couch, which felt like it was giving out death throes from how heavy he was as he answered. ¡°Worse yet, they knew about the biodome. I¡¯d say we have about a few months before they come here, but I doubt it¡¯ll stay like that for too long. And it¡¯s also likely that if they can¡¯t go to the biodome, they¡¯ll hit the closest town to it, and unfortunately the biodome is right next to Eve Glade.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s just kick their ass again!¡± Mikella said. ¡°It¡¯s not like they were all that tough from before. Even I could take a dozen of them out, and with the Journeymen here with us¨C¡± ¡°Can you say that with certainty if they bring their own Journeymen?¡± Zacharia pointed a heavy stare at Mikella, causing her to clam up. ¡°You¡¯ve only known the three of us. There are hundreds, if not thousands more out there. They¡¯re rarer than your average person, certainly, but they never run out of numbers.¡± The idea of fighting a Journeyman, on the same level as Val and Cloud, caused everyone to be silent. At least, the Experts in the room. Myra and Piker grimaced while Zeke stayed silent with a furrowed brow. In other words, this next attack might be even more dangerous, and could once again embroil the town into a massive array of casualties. Another funeral pyre is possible in the future. ¡°We have time, right?¡± Zeke said. ¡°Then let¡¯s take the tower out¨Cpronto.¡± He felt a little stuffy after everyone turned their attention to him, but after facing the crowd from being the Lord in name back in Eve Glade, this was nothing as he continued. ¡°We got a lot on our plate, but Zacharia¡¯s right. We need to at least take the tower out so we can stabilize the biodome. The quest won¡¯t be completed for some time, so we take every chance we get to level up. Not to mention¡­¡± He turned back to Mikella. ¡°We need to become Journeyman. The only way to do that is to gain levels. And what better way to raise some levels than to raid a dungeon?¡± For once, Mikella¡¯s mood lit up after seeing Zeke¡¯s determined face. She smiled, nodding in full agreement. ¡°But the problem now is finding the people we need to clear the dungeon,¡± Zeke said, crossing his arms and looking down. ¡°I think it¡¯s fair to say that both me and Mikky are needed to come along. I have no clue on how to control the tower, but we should still have some degree of control once we get in there. Probably better too, since it looks like the tower is a one way in or out like before.¡± The tower they last visited, the undeath one, didn¡¯t have a visible entrance. Not until both Zeke and Mikky came around and it opened up a gateway in. As for how they got out, he hoped he didn¡¯t have to rely on his attunement like before, and instead can just focus on creating a gateway out. ¡°After us, there¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Obviously I¡¯m gonna join,¡± Myra pointed out, even pointing at herself with her thumb. ¡°But¡­ I don¡¯t think I can bring Jackie with me. Even if we keep it a secret, I don¡¯t think he¡¯s confident in going back to another tower so soon.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Mikella said, her voice turning soft. ¡°It¡¯s too soon to bring him back in again. I¡¯m just thankful he¡¯s still training himself.¡± ¡°Yeah, me too,¡± Myra nodded with a soft, but complicated smile. Jackie had been training hard, since he normally was reliant on his late twin brother¡¯s aid to form a strategic duo of sorts. With Maxie gone, however, Jackie had to work overtime to fix up his combat style, even forgoing the shield to just holding a single blade in hand. Zeke was proud to see Jackie not grieving too hard over his brother¡¯s death, but it would be beyond cruel to ask him to come along to another tower raid, even if the chance of finding another undeath situation wouldn¡¯t come up. ¡°I will join as well,¡± Piker said. ¡°Unless¨C¡± ¡°Nah, you¡¯re joining,¡± Mikella held up her hand, already expecting what Piker was about to say next. ¡°We need a good tank just in case Zeke shouldn¡¯t use his barriers. Not that I think there¡¯s a situation where we won¡¯t need it¡­¡± Mikella didn¡¯t continue, but everyone knew what she was talking about. Having a defender in case Zeke gets separated again would be good. Piker nodded, looking content to find himself in another tower raid. Zeke turned to the Journeymen, hoping that they wouldn''t do something like leaving it to the youngsters again. Thankfully, he got his wish. ¡°Obviously we¡¯ll join as well,¡± Val said, shaking her head. ¡°I can¡¯t let a bunch of kids go to another tower again with good conscience. This time, we got our full power, so we can work our way through.¡± ¡°Though we¡¯ll still at least help you gain some experience,¡± Cloud said with a smirk. ¡°We¡¯ll just tackle the more difficult ones. After all, it¡¯s been a while since we leveled ourselves.¡± The two shared a smile that only they could understand. Zacharia grunted in affirmation. ¡°I¡¯ll come along as well. However, I suggest we bring in a healer outside of Zeke and Cloud. With Zeke with his barriers, and Cloud with his combat magic, we¡¯ll need a full healer to save up on Mana costs.¡± Zacharia gave a pointed look at Zeke, mostly at the collar Zeke still wore on his neck. He grimaced, knowing full well that overdoing it again might lead to some serious backlash. So if they bring another healer, it would lessen Zeke¡¯s load. ¡°I agree too,¡± Mikella said with something that Zeke honestly never expected¨Cgoing along with Zacharia¡¯s plans. ¡°But can we honestly go along with another person who doesn¡¯t know the tower¡¯s real purpose?¡± The people they have to bring might have to know where Zeke and Mikella truly came from. So far, the only people who knew of their real origins were the ones right here in the room. Zacharia, however, shook his head. ¡°My soldiers are privy to whatever I tell them, but not much more than that. The only one who knows about you two is Piker. I train my soldiers to only focus on the task, and to not ask questions that might be a detriment to their focus.¡± ¡°Like proper dogs¡­¡± Mikella muttered under her breath, though Zeke could tell that even she knew everyone could listen to her. Piker didn¡¯t seem all that upset, not even showing a frown. ¡°We should bring another scout with us as well,¡± Cloud mentioned. ¡°That beast master¨CNina, was it? Can she come along? I think her companion would be very useful.¡± ¡°I was just about to suggest that,¡± Zacharia nodded. ¡°I believe that is it for now. I¡¯ll also let Rajin know about this as well. Tomorrow, we¡¯ll set out with a proper course. But for today, we¡¯ll rest.¡± Zacharia decreed, standing up from the couch. Piker stood up as well, greeting everyone a good day as he had a lot to prepare for himself. Myra stood up along as well, going with Val to settle a few things. Cloud went off to focus on the rudimentary tasks, such as keeping up with the runes for the barrier. Zeke planned on going to help Cloud, but he first talked to Mikella as they were alone for a bit. She looked down at her hands, clasping her fingers together. Zeke knew what he needed to do, and he held onto those hands of hers. She looked up, surprised to see him holding her hands with one of his own. He looked at her, deep in the eyes, to assure her. ¡°We can do this,¡± Zeke said. He didn¡¯t know whether doing this might just be unnecessary. So in his mind, he just mentioned it for himself. He¡¯s just saying it to Mikella to psyche himself up. ¡°We¡¯ll protect Clara, and we¡¯ll get stronger.¡± Thankfully, Mikella grasped his hand back in full force. A smile, one filled with determination and fury incarnate, showed on her face. ¡°We will, don¡¯t you worry,¡± Mikella said back. ¡°But we¡¯re gonna have to work super hard now compared to before.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Zeke grinned. ¡°Just the way I like it.¡± They had a lot of ground to cover, and a lot of work to do. But as long as Clara is in their midst, and their will is fully intact, they¡¯ll do whatever they can, even if it was going on a heaven-sent mission to nearly destroy themselves in the process. Vol 2 Ch34: Journeyman requirements The next day, Mikella found herself in a difficult position once again. She was in front of the elevator barrier that was working properly now, and thankfully it was just her, Zeke, and those who planned on leaving. Vivian and Eliza did what they needed, mostly Eliza giving her report to Zacharia as Vivian was just here to keep an eye on Clara in this dangerous biodome. Kneeling down, Mikella hugged Clara tighter than usual, a sort of auto-limiter in her brain ensuring that she would never hurt her doing so. ¡°Take care, okay?¡± She said, giving a light kiss on her forehead and smiling down on her. ¡°If you get a message again, they¡¯ll know how important it is and let you be here. So no more going off on your own, alright?¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± Clara nodded, a frown visible on her face. ¡°Are you gonna do¡­ something dangerous again?¡± ¡°Well¡­ yeah,¡± Mikella winced, having no choice but to tell the truth. She always feared that if she kept lying to Clara, eventually she¡¯ll never trust her again. However, the look of Clara¡¯s scared face made her continue. ¡°But Zeke will be with me, and he¡¯ll protect me. So don¡¯t worry about me, alright?¡± Eventually, Clara nodded. Zeke then came over, and once Mikella let go of Clara, she went over to hug Bobo deeply too. He hugged her tightly, rubbing the top of her head. ¡°Everything¡¯s gonna be fine,¡± Zeke said in a soft voice. ¡°We¡¯ll come back up when we¡¯re able to. We¡¯ll get stronger, and soon we don¡¯t have to worry about this at all.¡± ¡°Okay¡­ stay safe, Bobo. And make sure Sissy doesn¡¯t get hurt again,¡± Clara quickly looked up at him. ¡°And you too! Don¡¯t get hurt again and be a dingus!¡± Zeke chuckled. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll stop being a dingus, but I¡¯ll always take care of Sissy and myself, so don¡¯t you worry.¡± Clara gave him a glare for basically ignoring her request, but she let him go and went over to Vivian. She turned back around, and waved her siblings goodbye as Zeke activated the elevator. It went up without a hitch, and Zeke made sure to put in some extra workings on the runes. He was doing the magical equivalent of locking the elevator to make sure it doesn¡¯t get out of whack¨Cand more important, keep out others that weren¡¯t supposed to head inside. They weren¡¯t sure whether the army might be able to figure this out, which was nigh impossible, but with a supposed seer on their side, it was possible they might bring in runists of their own. It was just a stopgap, but something that put the soldiers at ease. With the two alone again, he faced Mikella with a solemn look. Ever since the angel came to meet them, Zeke had that look in his eyes that was on edge. As though at any moment, they could be attacked. There was also something within those eyes of his that made her think a fire was lit within. Compared to the time he wanted to train himself, that fire was ready to burn everything around him. As for Mikella herself, there was no question¨Cif Clara is involved, she¡¯ll wade through hell or high water. She¡¯ll kill anything and pave her path in blood if it means protecting her precious family. That included Clara and Zeke. Nothing else mattered. ¡°She¡¯s gone now,¡± Zeke said, a bit of sadness in his voice. Mikella nodded, sharing the same feeling. ¡°And today¡¯s the day we go out to find the tower. Do you think we¡¯ll find it in a day or two?¡± ¡°Maybe, but it¡¯s not like we have to find it immediately,¡± Mikella said, hoping that she was right herself. ¡°We¡¯ll need to make sure to avoid any areas that¡¯s filled with dangerous monsters. We¡¯ll also have to map out the place while we go too. We need to take every advantage we have. In other words, we got a lot of work on our hands.¡± Zeke let out a deep breath. ¡°Right. I¡¯ll see what I can do with my runes¨Cmake our journey a little easier for us, you know?¡± He smiled, the idea of working on his runes again lightening his mood. Mikella smiled back at his tiny excitement. It was good to see him returning to his usual nerdy self. Then again, they really might have to reconsider their supplies. When they returned to the base, they prepared themselves for the journey ahead. Zacharia has already told his unit about the circumstances, and how he will ¡®lead¡¯ the special team forward with the other Journeymen, leaving some of the soldiers behind to guard the base. She hated that he¡¯s making himself out to be their leader again, but she had to admit that the man knew what he¡¯s doing. And so far, he really hasn¡¯t done anything to Clara despite knowing about the angel possessing her. She was at least glad that no soldier started pestering him to join along, or to ask too many questions regarding the two. But at the same time, it truly proved that Zacharia¡¯s unit is filled with dogs who would follow his every order. It made her cringe at the sight of it. On the other hand, Mikella and Zeke met up with Rajin and Nina, the nature-based healer and the beastmaster respectively. They¡¯ll join the mini group to traverse across the biodome and find the tower they need to clear. At the same time, she hoped they would find the fortress needed to finish the quest. It was right near the late morning hours before noon that the team was prepared to leave. With all their stuff prepared, they set out to find the tower. When they walked, Nina took the chance to send out her bird around the area, using the map she was given by the scouts to link to their travels. Several hours passed like that throughout the day. While within the confines of the biodome, they had no clue on the daytime, but they were still able to see some of the differences between day and night. For example, the crystals start to dim just slightly as the hours pass. Cloud mentioned something about the mana having a certain timer when it is at its strongest before having to recharge. The monsters also change their patterns depending on the crystals¡¯ lightning. The bison would run away, the light of the crystals no longer possible for them to see very well. The Hunters would also move away as their prey vanished, possibly to either rest or to find better spots. However, that meant that the stronger, nocturnal type of monsters would come out, leaving the group to stay focused on their surroundings. On the way, they¡¯ve been attacked by several Hunters, all of which were easy once Zeke used his barriers to defend them against their attacks and flames. This time, they had no reason to hold themselves back for training. While it would be optimal, being in their best form to take on the tower would be the best way. So once the Hunters found their attacks wanting, the others quickly dealt the final blow to the head from their confusion, causing instant death. Myra and Piker certainly made waves of progress throughout the week. Myra¡¯s spear became longer as energy formed at the tip of her blade much like how Mikella¡¯s sword did. However, there was a small difference in the color, with Myra¡¯s Spear Art technique being reddish. On the other hand, Piker¡¯s techniques were different. Rather than extending a blade of energy from his bastard sword, he instead formed a sort of aura-like layer around the blade, causing it to grow wider in return. Not only would it make a decent shield to hide behind, it also made his attacks dig deeper in the swiping motion rather than a stab, which was perfect for Piker with his heavy blade. Mikella realized that despite being different weapons, Myra¡¯s Spear Mastery was similar to her own, while Piker¡¯s own Sword Mastery differed greatly from Mikella¡¯s. She supposed it was all about what they intended to do with their skills, rather than just following a simple path dependent on the weapon. While they traversed the land with Nina¡¯s aid, Mikella asked Val if other skills can grant extra power on top of levels. She recalled Zeke telling her that a mage can learn Fire Mastery, allowing them to learn different types of fire spells without resorting to a skill. It would take a while to learn, but having more abilities while using only one skill was decent in her eyes. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. So far, only the elemental type masteries and weapon masteries can honestly teach someone either a spell or an Art to use. And only if they trained hard enough to use the skill properly. Mikella could understand that, and wondered if she should perhaps learn Lightning Mastery to learn a lightning spell. But considering she doesn¡¯t even have Mana Perception, that seems extremely unlikely. On the other hand, she can still learn more weapon skills if she feels like it. Somehow that felt a little silly in her mind. Soon, nighttime approached as the group had no other choice but to make a small camp. Thankfully with Zeke around, they can make a small barrier that doesn¡¯t need an engine running 24/7. Instead of making tents, they just slept on the ground to relax, while also making sure to pick a location that gives them an advantage in case they were ambushed by the monsters, such as sleeping near the reef of a giant hill where they can attack from one side and be protected on the other. They had their meals, cooked within Zeke¡¯s impromptu kitchen, getting everyone decent food rather than just eating dry meat and stale bread in most fantasy stories. Mikella watched the campfire burn, sitting on the crystal she had to cut to make it comfortable to sit on. She recalled the scene with the angel dozens of times in her head, but she still couldn¡¯t wrack her mind around it. The angel, Zoan, turned out to be the ¡®special¡¯ friend that Ana mentioned to them about. At first, Mikella worried that it was the sort of situation where a child imagined up a friend to handle the stress and trauma of everything around them. Clara was such a special child that she often exhibited those kinds of behaviors, such as tending to herself and mostly staying at home even on a bright sunny day. Thanks to Zeke, she was able to expand a little, as though a fellow comrade of shyness shone a light onto her path. Though Mikella noticed that Clara wasn¡¯t actively trying to talk to her special friend, only when facing the mirror. She put it aside, figuring that it wasn¡¯t her place until it was time for her to let go of her imaginary friend. While she wasn¡¯t a mother, she always tried her best to raise Clara to be able to become independent. Her own mother wouldn¡¯t do jack shit, only causing trouble at one point or another. But to think that instead of being something as innocent as an imaginary friend, it was an angel that has transcended to divinity, a servant of a god who planned on doing something to them all. It made her scared. Way more scared than the time they were stuck at the tower. The night before, she couldn¡¯t sleep well at all, and she even went over to Zeke to talk about it. Even he was awake at the time, unable to comprehend what happened. And right now, the opposite was happening. Zeke went over, noticing her staring at the fire, and sat down near her on the ground. It wasn¡¯t as easy lugging a crystal around or cutting a crystal apart, so he opted to just sit his ass on the ground. ¡°You okay?¡± Zeke asked, raising his knees and facing her while she kept staring at the fire. ¡°No,¡± She answered promptly. She wouldn¡¯t bother saying that she¡¯s ¡®fine¡¯ to Zeke. It was obvious that she was thinking about the events that happened to them. ¡°Not really. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever be okay.¡± ¡°I get the feeling,¡± Zeke nodded, staring back at the fire. The others were just resting up for the night, and with the barrier up, nobody really has to keep watch. Still, the Journeymen were still up, talking about potential plans for later. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve been okay since we left the tower.¡± Zeke continued, tilting his head. ¡°But that¡¯s kinda obvious, right? Everything changed around us. We got super powers compared to being in the old world. And now there¡¯s gods and angels around us.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Mikella said, her tone drifting off. ¡°Zeke¡­ I¡¯m scared.¡± ¡°...Yeah.¡± Zeke nodded slowly. Mikella looked over to him, wanting to see his expression. It was thoughtful and empathetic. ¡°I¡¯m scared too. Even though I¡¯m supposed to be the man here.¡± Mikella scoffed. ¡°Who cares about that stuff?¡± ¡°I do,¡± Zeke retorted, but he shrugged. ¡°Eh, not that it matters. Still, it gives me confidence.¡± ¡°More like you keep stressing yourself out,¡± Mikella said, but a hint of a smile rose on her lips. ¡°We¡¯ll be fine though,¡± Zeke said. ¡°I don¡¯t know how, personally, but I know we will be.¡± ¡°I wanna believe that,¡± She nodded. ¡°I mean, reaching Journeyman within two years? For what?¡± ¡°Some kind of epic fantasy battle of massive proportions, probably,¡± Zeke shrugged. ¡°That, or the world exploding?¡± Mikella shook her head at the idea. They had enough battles as it is. She opened up her status screen, checking the numbers. ¡°We can reach Journeyman at Level 60, right? We got 20 levels left. Even with the XP shared between us, if we kill enough monsters while helping others out, we might be able to reach it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not all,¡± Zeke shook his head. ¡°I asked Cloud and Val about it. Turns out there¡¯s more requirements to reaching Journeyman outside of leveling. We gotta get titles, and we¡¯re good on that¨Cbut we also have to max and evolve or advance 5 skills.¡± Mikella¡¯s eyes widened at that. ¡°Five skills? Seriously?¡± Zeke nodded. ¡°That¡¯s the bottleneck for most people. Acquired Skills from skill books don¡¯t count, either. And apparently, some people needed more than five skills to advance, often six or seven, or even more than that.¡± ¡°But never less than five?¡± Mikella asked, hoping they were special enough to warrant an easier Journeyman access. ¡°Never less,¡± Zeke shrugged. ¡°I asked that same question.¡± ¡°Damn¡­ So five, or maybe more skills depending on how shitty our luck is. I¡¯m guessing our class skills also don¡¯t count?¡± ¡°Actually, we also gotta max out Class Skills too,¡± Zeke said with a grimace, and that instantly got Mikella to frown. ¡°Seriously¡­¡± She then recalled the skills that had automatically advanced when she chose her class. ¡°I¡¯m also guessing the first time my Sword Mastery advanced wouldn¡¯t count too, right?¡± ¡°It has to be skills we improved on our own. Like our energy manipulation skills.¡± ¡°Alright, then what?¡± ¡°That¡¯s about it,¡± Zeke answered. ¡°But that¡¯s also pretty difficult. After Expert stage, our leveling drastically slows. Supposedly after reaching level 50, the amount of XP needed increases ten times over. There¡¯s no specific number, but some calculated that it would take more than a million monsters just to reach level 59, and probably a million more on top of the first million for the last level.¡± ¡°A million¡­¡± Mikella¡¯s brain shut off at the number. ¡°That¡¯s only if we kill the same low level Apprentice monsters like back at the forest,¡± Zeke said. ¡°That¡¯s where most people are able to hunt. Hunting in higher-level areas, like in this biodome, is very rare. And people in this world can be pissed off if you go and kill more than a million monsters just to level up. ¡°It¡¯s definitely not an MMORPG in this world,¡± Zeke sounded wistful as he looked up at the cavernous ceiling of the biodome. ¡°You can¡¯t just casually kill monsters and level up, or accept quests from random people to gain easy levels. You gotta make sure that it doesn¡¯t fuck up the world, or better yet, to piss off the people that owns the land.¡± ¡°So either find a biodome like we did,¡± Mikella said. ¡°Or get fucked by where you were born¡­ That¡¯s messed up.¡± ¡°Is it?¡± Zeke shrugged. ¡°Reminds me of reality, honestly. Like in the old world.¡± Mikella shivered. No matter where they go, depending on where you were born and live, your life is decided from the get-go. ¡°There¡¯s also dungeons, not unlike the towers,¡± Zeke mentioned, tilting his head a bit. ¡°There are also those weird spatial tears that allow you to enter areas that normally don¡¯t exist in the physical world. You can find lots of cool shit there, like rare treasures that increase your levels just by standing near it. Or an item that can instantly boost the level of your skills.¡± ¡°Huh, that sounds pretty cool,¡± Mikella smiled slightly. ¡°You read that in one of Cloud¡¯s books?¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ve been trying to find lots of ways for us to get stronger, or ways to get ourselves home. I know we already decided to stay here, and I stand by that. But you never know¨CMaybe we can get some kind of advantage by going in there and out with some stuff, like guns or something.¡± Mikella laughed, a little louder than she would¡¯ve liked. ¡°Seriously, Zeke? Guns, in this fantasy world where magic exists?¡± ¡°Hey, you never know. Maybe my barrier might break if you shoot it,¡± Zeke shrugged. ¡°That or maybe pick up a nuclear bomb and just blow the tower sky-high.¡± ¡°And the entire biodome on top of that?¡± Mikella mused, which finally prompted Zeke to stop speaking like a maniac. All of a sudden, the horrid sense of helplessness slivered out of her core. Now, only a light feeling filled her chest as she kept talking nonsense with Zeke. It was the sort of stuff that divulged from a serious topic to just one of their usual talks. It helped her ease up. Even if there was a daunting task ahead of them, that didn¡¯t mean they always had to fight. There would always be times like this where they can just relax and unwind. Knowing that, she felt that she can take on anything the world throws at her. So what if the angel is possessing Clara? Now that she thought about it, having an angel look out for Clara in some ways was a boon. After all, Clara said that it was her friend that mentioned bringing up the barrier around the town when the Bastion soldiers attacked, saving hundreds of lives in the process. She would still dislike how that Zoan chick treated them, but in the end, her purpose was not to hurt Clara, and that was enough. Even if they were treated as tools, as long as Clara is safe, Mikella would find a way through. With the little help of her barrier mage by her side, she can probably conquer this world. Maybe she¡¯ll have Clara be a princess just as she deserves, with Zeke by her side as a guard and herself as the loyal retainer. That idea filled her mind and made her giggle at the prospect of having Zeke be a jester, getting Zeke to look at her quizzically to find her giggling to herself for some reason. Vol 2 Ch35: Rune Experiments It was the middle of the night, or at least the nighttime within the biodome. The crystals¡¯ lights were dim, and the area became suffused in darkness. To Zeke¡¯s eyes, however, they remain lightly lit, and thanks to his Recovery skill, he was able to perceive the flow of energies even from within the objects around him, giving him a pseudo dark vision, though at the cost of his mana. As for the reason why he was peering through the darkness of the biodome, it was simple. He was awake, and away from the small campsite. Out of everyone within the barrier, only he would know who entered and who left, particularly those who were originally part of the inside of the barrier. If someone other than him were to head out of the barrier for long periods, the barrier would stop recognizing them as potential allies, which was his limit of figuring out which was still friend or foe. If his skill was stronger, or he was better with his Intelligence, it could last longer as long as he was unconscious of it. But if he was the one who left, no one would be none the wiser, and only he can easily get in and out of his own barrier. Ever since the night the angel came, he kept thinking on what to do, on how to handle this new situation that dropped onto their laps without their consent. Throughout the venture, Mikella has been working hard to counter the monsters along with the other fighters, with the Journeymen standing by as they needed all the XP they could have, though that was still a small priority compared to finding the tower. Zeke had been thinking hard on what to do on how to improve his combat strength further. His class, Spiritual Runist, allows him to create runes that could create any form of magic as long as he had the mana and the knowledge of the runes used to create said magic. Thanks to his Acquired skills, Barrier Craft and Recovery, he became a perfect support mage, mostly using his runes to use his Barrier Craft to the best of its ability. But that doesn''t mean he can¡¯t also fight. His Runic Spell class skill allows him to easily create spells from runes that resemble a mage¡¯s skill, allowing him to attack with spells like an actual mage. The only cons were that he had to draw out the runes and use more mana to create said spell. But he knew that doing so would only just make him a half-ass mage. So he thought about how to circumvent that. He actually had an idea about what to do when he was training with Mikella and the others. Perhaps there might be a way for him to be a better mage¨Cbut he knew now that his true passion was fighting on the front lines. That¡¯s why he kept training with Mikella and the others. And if there was one thing he learned so far, it is to follow your own path, fueled by your passion and belief in it. So that was why he was away from the camp¨Che didn¡¯t want anyone else to see what he was about to do. Even he didn¡¯t like how he made this idea and was actually about to try it out¨Cbut it was the best way to help conserve his mana without sacrificing his support mage role¡¯s potential. So he thought about something he hadn¡¯t really thought before¨Ccouldn¡¯t he make runes that strengthen his body? He could create basically anything with his runes. Not just spells, but even structures such as his butterbirds, appliances like the stove and fridge, and even complex workings like the Hell Barrier course. So couldn¡¯t he, to some degree, alter his stats to his needs with his runes? If he could somehow alter his stats without damaging himself, he could be a force to be reckoned with without relying on magic at all. When he had that idea in his mind, he couldn¡¯t stop thinking about it. It got so bad that he sneaked away because he knew how crazy it was to try it out. Unfortunately, no matter how hard he tried during his downtime, he wasn¡¯t able to improve his body at all. After all, how could he draw runes on the barrier, then place them on his body? The barriers wouldn¡¯t move as he instructed, and if anything they would just get in his way. It made sense. It was possible to do the theory he concocted, but the application was wrong. He kept thinking harder on what to do. His mind whirled at the possibility of this actually happening¨Cthen it hit him. Rather than drawing on a magical construct to improve his body, he just needed to draw on his own skin. So he tried to do that, pulling out the pen and placing the tip of it on the bottom of his right forearm. Of course, his basic human skin didn¡¯t work at all as a medium. Sure, he could simply draw on his skin, using it as a surface, to make the most pitiful cooling or heating pad he could make with his runes. But that was about it. However, he realized that while doing the most basic thing didn¡¯t work out, doesn¡¯t mean that it wasn¡¯t a bad idea. The fact that the heating and cooling rune he tried experimenting on his skin worked at all proved that it was possible, but he needed to do something more drastic. So he tried doing the next best thing, hence why he needed to get away. If the other folks found out what he tried to do, they might reasonably stop him from doing something so crazy. The only way to draw runes effectively on his body is by directly carving a rune into his skin. It sounded completely mad, because he had to cut into his own flesh to draw runes. But he had a feeling that there was a better word for it. In other words, he wanted to make rune tattoos. He never once imagined himself getting tattoos. In the old world, he always had negative connotations regarding tattoos, even though they were just forms of expression of the human soul. But now he was using that idea to try and literally carve spells into his body in hopes that it would work out. Though he knew that just doing it on the skin wasn¡¯t enough. They needed to connect deeper into his soul, all the way to his core so that he could get the change in his attributes. He needed to draw the runes as closely as possible to his magical channels. He knew the moment he had this idea that he might as well be abusing his channels again. But he just had to try. Even if there was a risk of potentially making his body disfigured by doing this, he would find a way to make this work. He normally wouldn¡¯t even give this a try, much less actually planning on perfecting it. But the meeting with the angel changed things. He needed to get stronger, while also trying to use the best of his circumstances. He needed a backup in case he needed to settle things by himself. He can¡¯t always expect Mikella and the others to fight the battles for him. And he certainly can¡¯t expect his barrier to always save the day. After all, no matter how incredibly useful his barriers were, he realized that there would always be weaknesses to his barriers. His constant training with Mikella and the others proved that time and time again. Sometimes he was allowed to use the small barriers like back at the Hell course while sparring. But no matter how many times he reinforced his barriers, Mikella would find a way to pierce the defenses as long as she worked on it long enough. For instance, she was able to pierce the barrier at one point without him noticing, only targeting that specific point each time. The moment she had her chance, she managed to break through the barrier despite his constant reinforcement and kick his ass. Zeke had the epiphany that his barrier wasn¡¯t as indestructible as long as he had the Mana. But it was better finding that out now than in the long run. It may be at Epic rarity, but it is still just a skill that an Expert mage can create. In other words, he can¡¯t rely on his barriers, not in the way it is now. If the angel said that he needed to be a Journeyman in less than two years, he had no other choice but to find other ways to get stronger. That way, he can help gain experience by killing monsters alongside Mikella, upping the XP gain by double, or at least half as much as hers by himself. Stolen story; please report. Once he got to a far enough distance, making sure not to stray too far from the barrier to avoid getting spotted by the monsters in the biodome, but also making sure that the others wouldn¡¯t hear the potential life-threatening procedure he was about to do, he sat down on the ground, and lifted his pens out into the air. He first drew runes on a barrier to provide a dim lighting over his surroundings. Then, he created a sort of mirror-like substance on another barrier, making sure that it captures every part of his now exposed forearm to the humid air. It wasn¡¯t perfect, but the lightning made it good enough. With everything ready, he let out a slow breath. After keeping his posture steady and his heart pacing normal, he flared Recovery through his eyes. With the skill active, he could see his own magical channels which normally couldn¡¯t be visible by the naked eye. Since being fused with Internal Senses, a skill gained from his Runist Class, it made it a lot easier to see the inner workings of a person or object. He focused deeply on the part of his forearm where the center was directly on top of his magical channels. He breathed slowly, allowing his Pens of Paroth to float seamlessly near him. He focused one pen, and used the other to draw a tiny rune on the first pen. After the rune was done, the first pen¡¯s tip then exhibited something he never imagined before The tip covered itself in a layer of magical energy, re-creating the tip that extended, then shortened. It was slow at first, then it rapidly increased in speed. He wasn¡¯t into tattooing, but he recalled that it involved a needle that goes up and down more than a thousand times a second, rather than making it heat up like he first imagined. However, his hesitation was beginning to creep up on him like a ghost. He forced himself to remember why he needed to do this. To get stronger. To reach Journeyman. To help his comrades by reaching Journeyman. To help his partner, Mikella. To help his little sister, Clara. That was all that he needed to force the intensifying tip of his pen straight to his forearm. A hot sensation unlike anything he ever felt before traveled across his forearm, up his arm, and straight to his nervous system. He hissed, but he forced himself to grit his teeth and bear it. The pain wasn¡¯t bad, but it was so pinpointed in such a bad way that it made him want to tear up. He knew it was close to the magical channel, but he didn¡¯t expect the reaction to be this bad. He immediately let go, but he didn¡¯t plan on stopping just yet. He looked down, using the special mirror and lighting he created to see the horrid mark he left on his arm. The pain was still there, nearly causing him to feel hot flashes around his eyes. Blood welled up from where he pressed it, already creating a terrible flow that dripped to the ground below. He knew he messed up when he couldn¡¯t handle the pain, flaring Recovery to heal the arm. The wound healed up immediately, since it wasn¡¯t that bad, and it even left the skin scar-less. He breathed again. Now that he knew what to expect, he pressed the rapidly vibrating tip onto his arm. More pain ensued, and somehow it was worse than before. He put it even closer to where the channel was, trying to see a reaction. Then, he started to draw. Slowly, ever so slowly, he dragged the tip across his skin and forced himself to stop hissing. His face began to sweat, and his eyes started to turn blurry from the pain. But he willed himself to keep trying, to keep drawing. The first rune he wanted to create was something that related to one word¨CStrength. In the runist language, the word alone is enough to signify the attribute of the status screen, the stat that governs physical power. It was enough to relay his intentions onto the rune as he formed it, but he cursed whoever made the letter for Strength so long and convoluted, having so many strokes and swerves that made his skin start to blister. But as he drew, the pain continued to increase until it eventually became somewhat numb. As he started the process, his Meditation skill took over by autopilot. He only focused on the rune now, ensuring that no mistake was made. He made this rune countless times, and his Runic Library and Inscription Proficiency was enough to avoid making any mistakes. Yet he felt that nothing was working. He was forcing a rune onto his skin which by theory should¡¯ve worked¨Cbut his magic wasn¡¯t reacting to it no matter how close he was to finishing it. Eventually, he finished drawing it, putting the pen down. He felt like he was ready to go unconscious, but he kept focusing on why the rune wasn¡¯t working. It should¡¯ve worked this time as the medium wasn¡¯t just his skin, but his very flesh and core of his soul. And there was nothing more powerful than using the human body as a medium. It was impractical for many reasons¨Cwhy the hell would you draw it on your own body? It¡¯s painful as hell. He also made it close to the magical channel, so it should¡¯ve worked, but he felt something was missing. He was also sure to pour his mana as well, however¡­ ¡°What are you doing?¡± Zeke flinched as he looked up to find none other than Cloud crossing his arms, staring hard at him. He had a frown on his face, signifying exactly what he thought of the situation. Zeke had done it now. Of course Cloud of all people would notice the mana he was trying to pour into his runes. As he tried to figure out a way to make this situation as less bad as it should, Cloud spoke again. ¡°...You forgot the main point of making runes; You need to stay calm, otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t work.¡± Zeke raised his head. Now he was more confused than scared shitless. ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re okay with this?¡± ¡°Of course I¡¯m not,¡± Cloud shook his head as he shrugged. ¡°But what can I do? You¡¯re the ones who have to deal with angels and gods. The best I can do is to make it better for you both.¡± Cloud approached Zeke, and at first he was afraid he was gonna do a spell to knock him unconscious. Instead, Cloud sat near him, looking over at the work over his arm since it was already exposed and all. ¡°...I see what you¡¯re trying to do,¡± Cloud said. His lips pursed as he put on a pensive stare. ¡°But you do realize how dangerous this could be, right? I told you that runes can have a massive effect on their surroundings. So if you put it onto your body, you''re asking for some major consequences if this fails.¡± ¡°...I know,¡± Zeke breathed, closing his eyes. The face of that angel that was currently possessing Clara moved to the forefront of his mind. ¡°But I don¡¯t know what else to do. I have to get stronger, and I know that the way I am now won¡¯t cut it in the long run. I need to get started on something else, something that will be beneficial later on and get stronger. I don¡¯t want to just support everyone else as they get stronger¨CI want to get strong with them.¡± He felt selfish¨Cchildish even to admit this to Cloud, his master and benefactor ever since they came to this world. Cloud stared at him for a while, then back to the rune on his forearm. ¡°...I know how you feel. All I could think about when I was little was to become strong, to be better than anyone else. To ascend to Master stage.¡± Cloud looked ahead, and Zeke noticed the long-distant stare in his eyes. ¡°Back then, it was just for pride and my ego. It¡¯s no wonder why I failed. I see why now how you two managed to advance so fast. You have a goal, and a decent one at that.¡± Cloud turned back to him. ¡°But you¡¯re still too young. You need to at least have someone watch out for you when you¡¯re planning something so dangerous. You didn¡¯t like it when Mikella headed out on her own during training, right?¡± Zeke winced. He was pretty much doing exactly that. Cloud chuckled softly as he pointed at the messed up rune carved into his flesh. ¡°The reason why this didn¡¯t work is because you¡¯re focusing too hard on your surroundings, and less on the rune crafting. What you¡¯re implying here is too high of a concept for the amount of mana you¡¯re putting in. I could tell you¡¯re putting in at least 10% efficiency like I taught you, but this particular one requires a whole lot more.¡± Zeke widened his eyes. ¡°But you told me that going any farther would make the rune combust itself.¡± ¡°Yeah, and it¡¯s no wonder why you kept it low. You¡¯re doing it on your own skin. But the rune you¡¯re trying to draw, which I¡¯m guessing is to improve your body, is too high for even that much. You¡¯re going to have to try harder, and not be afraid of the backlash.¡± Zeke swallowed whatever was left in his throat. He was already on the precipice of his limits, and Cloud was telling him to go even farther. But Cloud shook his head. ¡°Normally, I would put this behavior down. A Runist could never do a thing like carving runes into their flesh. It¡¯s unheard of¡­ but you have what others don¡¯t¨Cample experience of runecrafting, and a decent healing skill.¡± Cloud smirked lightly, raising Zeke¡¯s hair on end. ¡°Not to mention, that Recovery skill allows you to peer deep into your body, way better than a normal Internal Senses skill. You have a much better chance of achieving this impossible feat than any other runist I know. Surely, repairing a lost limb or two shouldn¡¯t be impossible for you. He should¡¯ve realized that Cloud would¡¯ve pushed him harder than this. No matter how much he tried to get stronger, even Zeke was hesitant on going too far on his own body. But seeing Cloud¡¯s reaction to this, now there are no more limits. His mind stopped working as it should and threw caution to the wind. Tonight, he¡¯ll feel the kind of pain he had never felt before. Perhaps to the point where even acquiring skills from skill books would feel like child¡¯s play compared to this. Vol 2 Ch36: Hard work paid off Zeke didn¡¯t think much on how much time passed, only realizing that the crystals surrounding them have started to light up a bit. Before anyone else could catch them, Cloud pressed the dizzy Zeke onward to the campsite before anyone else could wake up. Reason why Zeke was dizzy was simple¨Che was in such constant pain that he mixed both pain and normalcy together in a tranquil, agonizing trance. For the past few hours, both Cloud and Zeke experimented on how far they can place runes into his flesh. Throughout the process before pain took over his consciousness, Zeke realized that despite his years as a mage, Cloud couldn¡¯t really go this far himself. While Cloud had a healing skill and had Runecraft, he wasn¡¯t specialized enough like Zeke to handle such gruesome experiments. Zeke¡¯s Recovery, as well as his Runist-class based skills, allowed him to keep going farther than any runists had done so far. Now that Cloud saw that it was possible to recover from extensive injuries of trying to carve runes into flesh, he went into experimentation mode. He basically used Zeke as a guinea pig, and Zeke himself gladly let him. With his knowledge, Zeke was able to learn more about the intricacies of carving runes into his skin. Between his flesh and his barriers, his skin was difficult to navigate with his rune scribing, but including in his magical channels, it allowed him to easily use the rune¡¯s power at 50% higher than with his barriers. Possibly due to his own magic connecting to his channels a lot easier than through his barriers. So that meant that Zeke went far beyond his normal limits under the guidance of Cloud¡¯s teachings, and just as they both expected¨Che lost the use of his arm multiple times. Half the time, he carved too deeply and cut an artery, and other times, his channels reacted strongly to the magic pen, causing incredible damage to his own nervous system. Thanks to his constant use of Recovery, along with healing the horrific injuries he was causing to himself, he ended up raising the skill¡¯s level.
Recovery Level Up! It is now Level 9. You have gained +2 INT from your skill. You have gained +2 SPI from your skill.
However, after many, many hours of painful experimentation, they made leaps and bounds in their progress. Unfortunately, they needed some more time to figure out the true connection between the runes and his channels, and they had to leave before anyone found out. At that point, Cloud made Zeke promise with his life to not tell his wife about this. Zeke, of course, made Cloud promise not to tell this to Mikella. As both the men have families that worry about them and who each have their own overwhelming curiosity, the two agreed on this silent pact. That didn¡¯t mean that Zeke came out of this with only pain that would effectively traumatize him for life. He made such unbelievable progress that even stumped Cloud, but none of them could deny what a boon this was.
You have gained +1 INT from your actions. You have gained +1 DEX from your actions. You have gained +3 VIT from your actions. You have gained +4 END from your actions.

¡­..

Steadfast Mind Level up! It is now Level 7. You have gained +1 SPI from your skill. You have gained +1 END from your skill.
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Pain Resistance Level Up! It is now Level 10 (Maxed). You have gained +2 VIT from your skill. You have gained +2 END from your skill. Pain Resistance has been maxed. Bonuses are now applied: -Increased pain tolerance. -Increased body durability -Advancement available
The rest of the points were only natural, and he totally wasn¡¯t surprised by the amount of Vitality points he got. What truly stood out was that he now had his second maxed leveled skill, and of course it had to be Pain Resistance. If he kept at it, he might even be able to max out Steadfast Mind as well. He was pretty sure that helped plenty by mellowing out the pain, though Zeke still wasn¡¯t sure whether they were working as well or not. He still felt a lot of pain. Pain¡­ Pain was his very existence now. He was pain, and nothing else. ¡°Zeke, focus. Everyone¡¯s waking up,¡± Cloud whispered, realizing that Zeke was trotting off, his eyes rolling to the back of his head. He patted him on the back, sneaking in his own healing through him to get Zeke back on track. ¡°Huh¡­ yeah¡­¡± Zeke said groggily, already going through the process of advancing his skill, hoping that it would make it better.
Skill Advancement has commenced. Your skill Pain Resistance (Uncommon) has advanced into Pain Resistance (Rare). You gain points based on the advanced rarity: +9 VIT Your skill Pain Resistance has been reset to Level 1. You will still retain the stat bonuses you have acquired before the advancement.
Once his skill advanced, he felt his pain slightly dampen now, still there but just a ghost of itself as he perked up when he noticed Mikella waking up. ¡°Zeke, where were you?¡± Mikella asked, tilting her head as she greeted Cloud along with him. ¡°Did you go somewhere?¡± ¡°Oh, yeah,¡± Zeke quickly made up the lie as planned with Cloud. ¡°We were studying the crystals around the area. Then we started discussing about runes and¨C¡± ¡°Got it, got it,¡± Mikella waved her hand at him, rolling her eyes. ¡°Nerd talk. Just tell me beforehand, alright? I get worried when you suddenly disappear, and since you¡¯re the only one who knows who goes in and out of the barrier¡­¡± She trailed off, implying heavily that with him missing, nobody would know. Zeke nodded in understanding. ¡°Sorry, I just got curious and it got the best of me,¡± Zeke smiled wryly. He felt guilty for lying to her like this, but it was better than the alternative¨Cfreaking her out by telling the truth. ¡°I¡¯m also sorry for taking up his time,¡± Cloud smiled as he shrugged. ¡°Now come on, daylight¡¯s burning¡­ or crystals? Man, this place is weird.¡± Getting their own chuckles out of Cloud''s confusion, the group headed out to the path, ready to find the tower once again. The next few days have been a blur. The first two were spent trying to get over a gorge that surprisingly kept Zeke¡¯s barrier at bay. When he tried to put a barrier over the huge gap between the hills, the barrier kept being destabilized, causing it to become brittle and shatter with a single step. Thankfully it happened the very instant it was casted, otherwise they would be falling into the pits below where several nasty looking monsters called Crystal Worms wriggle about. They were crawling all over in the hundreds or thousands, giving the less experienced Rajin and Nina the shivers. They first theorized that the same thing with what happened back at the elevator was happening again, but they found out that the worms below were capable of distorting magic spells. They sent waves of mana across the gorge, and thanks to the closeness between the rocky walls, it vibrated and amplified itself, causing any magic going above the gap to be distilled. So they had to travel the normal way¨Cusing their own tools and supplies to head over the gorge. Along the way, some of the worms that have evolved and turned into Crystal Moths attacked them, causing them to slow down enough to avoid getting hit. Once again, the moths kept distorting magical attacks, causing only the physical fighters to fight with their skills. Even Val stepped in and reaped several moths at once when the numbers were getting too high for their liking. This made Zeke even more sure of himself of his plans. His barrier was powerful, but there were too many deterrents that made his main skill unusable. Thankfully, his rune spells managed to work just fine, and thanks to his deeper understanding of runes, he made enough of an impact to impress even Cloud. Throughout the passage, Zeke noticed that while Nina and Rajin weren¡¯t technically fighters, they can hold their own just fine. Rajin for instance can use his attunement with ease, letting him use the ground to create vines made out of dense wood and leaves. The wood could grapple the monsters with ease while the leaves easily cut through their hides and cause a lot of bleeding. Meanwhile, Nina¡¯s bird isn¡¯t only useful for scouting. With its fast speed, it could pierce through monsters with its small beak, and it could even send out wind slices through its wings, slashing and cutting monsters apart. Nina actually revealed that she had more familiars back at the kingdom where her family helped raise them. Her bird is just her most trusted ally, capable of fighting and scouting for the benefit of her unit. The next few days after that were them trying to get through a cavern that was revealed after getting over the river created by the waterfall from the cliff above. The crystals made it hard to find it, but they managed to spot it thanks to Nina¡¯s bird. After careful studying, they entered the cavern. They had a plan on ensuring their safety with Zeke¡¯s barriers in case they were subjected to an ambush, but with three Journeymen by their side and the closeness of the cavern made it easy for them to pass on through. The only surprise was that they found multiple ants the size of potatoes crawling all over the place. While each one was small and weak compared to their Journeyman status, they were able to blast acid streams at them. It was hot enough to even corrode the walls and the crystals surrounding them, so they pretty much spent the entire time hiding behind Zeke¡¯s barriers. ¡°I can¡¯t believe how easy this is,¡± Nina muttered as she looked at the barrier in wonder. ¡°This would¡¯ve normally take days to traverse, and a lot of trekking back and forth to avoid getting hit. We¡¯re just¡­ plowing right through them.¡± ¡°You see how easy it is to get addicted to Zeke¡¯s barriers?¡± Myra said, pointing at Nina with a nod. ¡°You should¡¯ve seen the amount of XP we kept getting thanks to his shiny domes.¡± ¡°Shiny domes?¡± Zeke chuckled. ¡°Well they¡¯re shiny, and they can be domes,¡± Mikella shrugged. ¡°Don¡¯t act cute, you¡¯re above that.¡± Mikella only chuckled at his lame response. For some reason Zeke can¡¯t really think of anything else other than to call her cute. Still, being called cute seems to be something Mikella was against, being a hardcore warrior and all. Then again, she kept smiling at him in pure delight to see him grumble at her like that. It was weird. While the group already knew of Zeke¡¯s incredible barrier skills, Rajin and Nina were the only ones to see it in action outside of using it for convenient means. Now it was no wonder why Zeke was considered a Lord even if it was just a title. Still, no matter how much Zeke was praised for his barriers, he knew that it wasn¡¯t absolutely perfect. The last few examples were proof of that. Even more so when one nasty little ant the size of a golden retriever shot a stream of acidic water that could cut through steel beams. It was enough to stress the barrier out to the point where the others had to cut it down before it was taken out. Zeke felt his face turning pale at the amount of Mana he had to spend to defend the group from the acid, and it got so bad that it caused the entire circular room they were in to become jagged in places from the water that had sprayed all over. They had to rest for a while for Zeke to get his bearings, something that he disliked a lot considering now he was the one slowing them down rather than speeding them up. He knew he was just being pessimistic, but he couldn¡¯t help himself. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Eventually they managed to get out of the cavern with enough time to travel a little further along. Eventually they camped again, and Zeke and Cloud once again returned to their experiments with Zeke¡¯s runes. He was invigorated thanks to their latest adventure, and he kept pushing harder and harder to make his ideas work. The past five days have reminded him that he was still weak, and did not have nearly enough in his kit to make survival easy in this world. Throughout the days, Mikella has shown brightly with her skills, capable of fighting with her attunement and skills to the point of surprising Val. Her way of using her lightning Mana to actually grab monsters out of their path, causing them to stumble and be shocked at the same time, before Mikella kills them was nothing short of incredible. Myra and Piker also kept going strong, using their elements and precise fighting styles to take out more than their fair share of monsters. He delved further into his craft, the pain from before was nothing now that he advanced his Pain Resistance. While it was still painful, he was able to focus better thanks to his Steadfast Mind increasing, allowing him to study the rune patterns on his skin better than before. And finally, he made a breakthrough. It was two hours after he and Cloud set off to do their experiments. Sometimes they had to take a break as Cloud didn¡¯t want to be too suspicious in front of Val, and it was the same for Zeke with Mikella. After finally getting time for themselves to ¡®study their environment¡¯, they kept working hard to create the ideal rune pattern for Zeke¡¯s body. But whenever they get to the actual practice, it would just disappear. ¡°Damn it,¡± Zeke cursed, healing the damage done to his arm. Were it not for Pain Resistance, he would probably be groaning. Right now though he¡¯s just cursing. ¡°Always the same thing¡­¡± ¡°Maybe we¡¯re missing something,¡± Cloud offered, his hand on Zeke¡¯s shoulder and lending him his mana. Since they were out of his barrier, Zeke¡¯s mana reserves kept dwindling, so Cloud opted out for sharing mana with him. It was incredibly inefficient, but Zeke refused to waste mana potions on his experiments. ¡°Something that can help with the process¡­ What skills do you have that can help?¡± ¡°I think I¡¯m already using them all,¡± Zeke offered, but then paused. Runic Library helps with remembering the complicated rune patterns. Inscription Proficiency helped with writing the runes faster. Runic Spell just allows him to cast spells via runes. And finally Phantasmal Runes increases the potency of his runes based on his massive Spirit stat. But there was one more, wasn¡¯t there? The one he literally forgot. ¡°Shit¡­ I forgot I had a skill choice up. I can¡¯t believe I didn¡¯t remember it after all this time.¡± Cloud looked at him as though he grew a second head. ¡°You¡¯re serious? Usually Runists would go mad and pick one out immediately. Leveling up doesn¡¯t come easily for them.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Zeke¡¯s face flushed at the mistake, then finally brought up his skill choices.
Class Skill Choice available upon reaching Level 40. Choose your skill: -Elemental Runes -Runic Echo
As usual, there were only two new skill choices available. There were the past skills that he left over, but he checked the new ones for obvious reasons. The first one, Elemental Runes, didn¡¯t catch his attention much. It allowed him to better create runes based on the elements. It would make his Fireball and Wind Slashes probably stronger as a result, but it didn¡¯t sit right with him. It would only make his spells powerful¨Cit wouldn''t make him stronger overall. And is he going to keep wasting mana shooting elemental spell after elemental spell to find out his enemy¡¯s weakpoint? His mana is better spent defending others to find it by then. Of course if he was by himself, that would be another matter. But when he read the second skill choice, he instantly forgot the Elemental Runes. He brought it up to read the description a second time just to be sure.
Class Skill: Runic Echoes A Runist¡¯s duty is to learn and use the runes effectively. The skill allows the Runist to empower their runes further by synchronizing with the other written runes. The skill is dependent on the proper written rune used adjacent to the recently inscribed rune.
It was a unique sort of Class Skill, one that doesn¡¯t rely on any stat at all. It only relied on the other rune, or whatever it was used to connect with it. There were so many possibilities in his mind that he could come up with, all resulting in asking exactly how far this skill can go if he tried it? When he told this to Cloud, his eyes widened in shock. ¡°I didn¡¯t think there was a skill like that,¡± Cloud said, surprising Zeke enough for him to continue. ¡°In truth, I don¡¯t really know many Runists that were willing to divulge enough about their Class skills. One thing I know is to know enough to get Runecraft as a skill. The Runists from where I am from can be¡­ pretty conservative, and I¡¯m putting it nicely.¡± Zeke could imagine every runist keeping their skills hidden. Just one runist is enough to have the entire town prosper, and he could imagine having multiple runists can lead to a very happy country. In other words, the runists can easily be taken advantage of, considering they are extremely weak on their own. Though if Zeke continued on with this path, he¡¯ll be the only runist he¡¯d know that¡¯s willing to fight on the front lines. ¡°I¡¯m learning the skill,¡± Zeke said adamantly. ¡°I¡¯d be disappointed if you didn¡¯t,¡± Cloud chuckled as Zeke went ahead to choose the skill already, adding it to his Class Skill list. After a few more experiments, Zeke decided that this was the best skill to pick by far. Elemental Runes was just a simple additive effect, but compared to that, Runic Echoes multiplied the potency of a rune by the amount of other runes placed along with it. The only issue that comes up would be that if the runes were written poorly, it would destroy the entire rune structure as a whole, wasting all the mana spent. After experimenting on it a couple more times on his barriers, Zeke realized that he would have no problems with that. Thanks to his Parallel Thought and Inscription Proficiency, the chance of him mucking up a rune is basically zero, as long as he remains careful as always when dealing with runes. It was such a small power boost when looking at it at a glance, but when used with more complicated runes that connected to one another, it became an impeccable tool to create miracles¨Cand the Runist knew exactly what to do with it. He decided to input the rune word Strength as usual, but this time he made some modifications to the strokes and the positions of the lettering, causing it to just barely resemble the word Strength under Cloud¡¯s guidance on that. It was possible to distort the rune word just enough for it to work without losing its structure, and it was a trick used to put in another rune¡¯s meaning at the same place as the first rune. It took so long to make it look like something else other than pure gibberish. This time, he was able to redirect the meaning of the word Strength, while still containing the original meaning. The new word he put in this time was something that made it possible to finally connect. He connected Strength with the word Soul. The soul was an integral part of magic casting, as well as making skills appear into reality. He wanted to add more runes to make it stronger, but he refrained under Cloud¡¯s advice. It was better to test out a new rune as basic as possible to learn more about the foundations of the new rune. Then, without even putting a thought, Runic Echoes flared. The two runes, despite written in the same spot as each other, connected seamlessly to each other and empowered one another, a link that grew stronger with each passing second until he ceased pouring in mana. He finally finished inscribing, the rune on his flesh flashing a bright blue and green, the signature color of his mana. The magical energy buzzed then settled on Zeke¡¯s forearm. Zeke and Cloud waited with bated breath to see whether the rune would destabilize and break again, causing a massive wreck of his arm. But this time, it stayed stable. Zeke and Cloud let out a collective breath of relief. After giving each other a silent nod, Zeke poured his mana through his arm, activating the rune. It was a total drain of his remaining Mana. It cost him over 25% of it, making it nearly unusable in combat. However, the rune flashed bright turquoise again, and Zeke received a notification. His breath was caught after reading it aloud to Cloud.
Basic Rune of Strength has been activated. Your Strength stat mirrored 25 points from your Spirit stat for the next 43 seconds.
¡°I-It worked,¡± Zeke said, and he checked his status to see if his notification was just fucking with him. The concept was simple. He wished to use his high Spirit stat to aid in his weaker stats, but without reducing his overall mana pool and potency of his skills. The one he thought about was mirroring the stat points, but to completely mirror his large Spirit stat was too expensive and difficult to replicate, so only a small number of points could be added in for now. Still, this meant that his Strength stat of a measly 21 now increased to 46¨Cdouble of what he originally had. He let out a yelp when he realized his muscles had deeply tensed up. Veins appeared across his forearm as literal muscle bulged out of his arms and legs, throughout his entire body. He first felt a wave of uncomfortable tingling, then it instantly became a surge of nausea as he let out short breaths, his face paling and blood beginning to trickle down his nose. Cloud noticed this instantly and reacted. ¡°Zeke, easy. Your body is trying to adjust to the shift in your physical stats so quickly. Breathe slowly, and control your heart rate. The buff will pass soon.¡± Zeke listened to Cloud¡¯s words like they were sweet honey to his ears. Having someone who was more experienced with magic was definitely soothing for his mind as he did as Cloud instructed. As the seconds passed, the buff faded away as his muscles quickly shifted back to how they once were. Zeke sat down on the ground. His adrenaline was coursing through every part of his veins, the exhilaration and the feeling of power still coursing through him. ¡°Holy shit¡­ it really worked,¡± Zeke said, his breath ragged with a small smile growing on him. ¡°It certainly did,¡± Cloud smiled back. ¡°But it looks like it¡¯s still heavily inefficient. The amount transferred, the duration of the buff, as well as the side-effects done to you needs some extra work.¡± Zeke nodded, understanding that completely. Despite it working, it was completely useless if done in combat. Especially that feeling of being pale and almost getting knocked out from the sudden shift in stats. He also knew that the ¡®Basic¡¯ Rune of Strength was not what he intended. It just means he has to keep re-doing the process to increase it further. But despite these flaws, it was a resounding success. Outside of having a mini steroid explosion session, he was able to finally increase his stats artificially with his runes. And along with the success came a surprising number of notifications after he finished calming down.
Mana Manipulation Level Up! It is now Level 5. You have gained +4 INT from your skill. You have gained +2 SPI from your skill.
¡­..
Parallel Thought Level Up! It is now Level 4. You have gained +2 INT from your skill. You have gained +2 SPI from your skill.
¡­..
Runecraft Level Up! It is now Level 10 (Maxed). You have gained +1 INT from your skill. You have gained +2 SPI from your skill. Runecraft has been maxed. Bonuses are now applied: -Enhanced Runecrafting -Decreased mana consumption -Evolution available -Advancement available
¡°Holy shi¨C¡± But before Zeke could nearly scream out in pure exhilaration and confusion, another notification dropped into his view.
New Title available: Battle Mage: Unsatisfied, you decided to use your magical might to increase your actual might. Now fighters tremble at your feet for an entirely different reason. You have gained +2 INT from your title. You have gained +2 SPI from your title. You have gained +2 END from your title. Title Skill attained: Magic Might
¡­..
Magic Might (Title), Level 1 (Maxed) Both magic and might are within your grasp. Any body enhancements you create and use increases in potency and decreases in consumption by 1%.
Zeke was left gaping at the notifications, taking a solid minute of Cloud trying to get him out of his trance before Zeke finally snapped back into reality. Rather than explaining the clearly worried Cloud on what happened, he just showered him with the notifications he received just now. He also took a full solid minute reading it, and most likely, being astonished at the sight, so Zeke took this moment to think things through. ¡°The title is not surprising,¡± Cloud said with a chuckle, but then he frowned. ¡°And on top of your skill leveling, you even got Runecraft to max level. The thing is¡­ it also has an evolution.¡± Cloud turned to Zeke, his eyes showing that this was not a simple thing. ¡°I never had that option before. Zeke, I think you just got yourself something new.¡± Zeke¡¯s heart slammed in his chest as he considered the options. He could still go the safe route, take on the advancement and keep having the same Runecraft he knew already. It was also the same as Cloud¡¯s, who had taken a similar path. The thing was, he never had the option to evolve, but Zeke does. And if he was honest¡­ ¡°I-I think I¡¯m going to evolve it,¡± Zeke said, and he knew for certain that Cloud wouldn¡¯t disagree. ¡°I¡¯d be even more disappointed if you didn¡¯t,¡± Cloud repeated his words, this time adding a cheeky smile. With a resolute nod, Zeke chose his option for evolution.
Skill Evolution has commenced. Your skill Runecraft (Rare) has evolved into Battle Runecraft (Epic). Your skill Battle Runecraft has been reset to level 1. You will still retain the stat bonuses you have acquired before the evolution.
¡­..
Battle Runecraft (Epic), Level 1 Evolved from Runecraft, your understanding of runes has been tailored towards warfare. This includes enhancing your own body for physical combat. Your understanding of runes and their capabilities increase according to the level of the skill and the current Spirit stat.
Zeke let out a breath he didn¡¯t think he was holding. Showing the result, Cloud nodded. ¡°Tailored towards warfare¡­ somehow that seems fitting for you. Though I don¡¯t think you lost anything that makes you a decent Runist. If anything, now you¡¯re a Runist that shouldn¡¯t be messed with.¡± Zeke nodded slowly, thankful that Cloud was there to keep his thoughts in order. However, being the one who had to go through the process, his mind was still muddling. But a new sense of exhilaration unlike anything he felt before came to the surface, and he smiled so wide that he thought it would split his face. ¡°Haha¡­ so this is what hard work looks like.¡± He muttered, but Cloud nodded slowly at that. ¡°It¡¯s still imperfect, but this way¡­ it can work.¡± Zeke could only nod in agreement. While it was still imperfect, it is no longer an unachievable goal. Now, he only had to work to master it. Good thing he planned on doing just that even without all these fancy rewards. Though, it is always welcomed in his eyes. Vol 2 Ch37: Unlucky decision to make Mikella came out of her tent in the early morning, her face scrunching up in this whatever god-forsaken hour it is in this deathtrap known as the biodome. She just saw Cloud and Zeke return again from their trip to ¡®study¡¯ the environment. But she knew for certain that they were bullshitting. She just didn¡¯t know why. Zeke tells her everything, right down to the detail where it would make most people across this fantasy world incredibly uncomfortable. For them, it was life or death, so no matter how personal sharing stats or skills are, the two always shared everything. Even when it came to mundane topics, they would talk about everything. But she knew deep inside that Zeke was keeping some sort of secret. The look of his face that looked like it went through hell showed it all. While Cloud and Zeke are healers and can heal any damage they somehow accrued, Mikella went through the ringer countless of times to see the added effect the body has when they get hurt and healed way too many times. It didn¡¯t show on their faces, but it showed in their slight body movements. While he looked fresh as a daisy, there was an exhaustion in his steps, and she could sense that there was a bundle of excited energy stirring within his arm and leg movements. Honestly, she might just be guessing the latter part, but she can¡¯t help but shake off this feeling that something was amiss. Still, if even Cloud was joining Zeke for something that was clearly not studying shit, it shouldn¡¯t be so dangerous to worry about them. At least Val didn¡¯t look like she was worrying about them, and she should have better senses than Mikella does. All she could do is just greet him normally, keeping her irritation in check as they traveled once again. For the past five days, the tiny team managed to travel a good length across from their camp site. The biodome was just too damn big to put it into words. If she has to compare the biodome, it was like trying to get through the amazon rainforest in their old world. Considering that the rainforest is about a million square miles big, she found it baffling that such a place like this could exist under the small town of Eve Glade. Being able to cover 20% of the map is actually pretty incredible for their team, but then again they have powerful scouts (including herself) traveling at a fast speed, which would definitely trump any explorer in her old world due to how superhuman they were. But still, it was arrogant to believe they could cover all this in any short amount of time. And the reason why it was taking them so long in the first place was due to the powerful monsters that lived in this place. Even worse, since it¡¯s a biodome that¡¯s actually ¡®alive¡¯, monsters would continue to spawn, making it just as much dangerous for folks trying to clear the biodome since they have to constantly kill monsters. But for the people of this world, this is the greatest place to gain enough levels to break through a stage. It was no wonder why everyone was ecstatic to have a biodome so close to the town despite how small it was. Eventually they came across a wide expanse of rocky hills, and this time rather than facing bisons, they faced giant humanoid golems. As one would expect in a rocky field, they were specialized in the earth element, creating massive spikes of rocks and boulders showering like rain thrown at them by these heavy bastards. This time, just as she feared, her lightning attunement didn¡¯t make much headway to their heavy defenses. If anything, it felt like the rocky surfaces of their bodies were redirecting her lightning away from their cores, their weaknesses to take them out. However, Piker managed to take them out with ease, freezing them in place and just absolutely destroying them. This was basically his preferred fighting ground, but Piker refused to stay while they still had to find the tower. She found Piker to be too serious, but she respected that now that she learned more about him. He always had a pike up his ass, but that didn¡¯t mean he shared everything with his adoptive father. Even now, when the monsters are preferable for him to gain some easy levels, he would rather get the mission over with. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean that the golems were easy pickings. They still packed a wallop, something that even brought Zeke¡¯s barrier down a peg or two. She also noticed the strain on Zeke¡¯s face when his barriers seem to fail almost instantly against their powerful attacks. He doesn¡¯t say anything, but she knew it was hitting him hard as a barrier mage. She kept reminding him that he was way more useful than just his barriers, and just being there was good enough for her, but it felt like her words were just going in one ear and out the other. In the end, there wasn¡¯t much she could do. She wasn¡¯t much better, considering she felt useless whenever something that¡¯s not combat-oriented comes around. Still, she¡¯s the type to get over that with hard work and extra training, proving herself invaluable when the time to fight occurs. They eventually passed over the rocky hill section and found themselves embroiled in another heavy forest. This time, the trees were the ones made out of crystals, and the leaves were crystalline to the point that if some would fall on them, they would get crushed, then afterwards get cut up since the leaves were as sharp as blades. Zeke had to put up a barrier over their heads as they walked, considering that crystal monkeys were going around being a menace and causing the leaves to fall just like that. They specialized in movements using wind magic, and that got them to be incredibly annoying to fight against. In the end, Myra and Cloud had to burn everything down to the ground to finally kill them all. At this point, XP gain for everyone in the party was totally pointless. The monkeys were too little in number, but each one was such a pain to deal with. The energy they gave as experience was just too pitiful as well. But what they dropped upon their deaths was interesting. As if to make up for their entire experience fighting the little bastards, they have a chance of dropping some good stuff. One of them was actually a skill book known as Tail Slice, a skill that allows users to supposedly attack from behind as though they had a tail. It was a strange skill, and honestly no matter how useful the skill book was, she didn¡¯t really like this skill. It just seemed off to her. Not to mention she¡¯s the sort to focus on combat with her weapons. Even if she could fight from behind with an imaginary tail, she can¡¯t imagine using it effectively as well as with her weapons. Something about synergy came to mind when she thought about learning the skill herself. Zeke also shared her dislike for the skill. He is a mage, and this skill felt like a physical attack. As everyone got excited over the skill book, it was decided to be put away for later as nobody around them desperately needed them. Myra and Piker were the same, though unlike the otherworlders, they couldn''t really learn the skill either way due to the stat requirements they didn¡¯t meet. Finally, they arrived at a location where they believed to have found the target. Mikella was moving along with Nina¡¯s bird, Piggy. The two often went together, so now they had something of a bond between the two. Even Nina was impressed at how close Mikella was with Piggy, as she was told that Piggy can be a little picky in choosing who to hang with. Piggy was just a sweetie that happens to have a big appetite, well in tune with his name as Piggy managed to take down one of the bisons that were passing by with Mikella¡¯s help, and she saw the bird eating the damn bison straight through its chest and taking its heart out with its small beak. That cute bird is fucking metal. Putting aside the bird that gave no fucks for mercy, Mikella was using her Cloak of Darkness to the utmost limit. Thanks to her Acrobatics advancing, she was matching the top tier speedy bird even when it was covered in its wind magic to make it fly faster. The two managed to cover a lot of ground for miles away, but they made sure to recall the path they took to go back to the party if need be. But with Mikella there to act as a sort of bodyguard for the bird, they were able to make it with ease. When they eventually passed through the large ravine with a solid jump and a step, they reached the edge of the cliff facing the northern section of the biodome. It was a massive field filled to the brim with unknown mysteries. Once she got strong enough, she dreamt of grabbing Clara and letting her see this majesty. She wanted to show her that not everything in this world was trying to kill her, even though this biodome was certainly one of those places that would do such a thing. Clara had seen too many bad things, and Mikella hadn¡¯t made it easier on her since she kept going away on these adventures. She knew in her heart it was the responsible thing to do, but she also kept berating herself for being an irresponsible sister that kept leaving her behind. However, she was still sure of herself that everything she did and do is for her sake. She may not realize it now, but later in the future, Clara would see just how dangerous this world is. But she hoped to fill her with enough power to make it through. After all, they plan to live in this world, no matter how dangerous this place is. When she was absorbing the view of it all, putting her life into perspective, Piggy chirped to get her attention. Turning back to it, it faced in another direction with its little head, and Mikella did the same. Her eyes widened after carefully studying the location she was staring at. It was a large structure, seemingly made of stone and wood, and some parts metal. She didn¡¯t know the make of it, but it looked like a grandiose rampart that reached several miles high into the air fused together with the mountain on the side. There was an actual mountain, though to call it that officially would be wrong. It was more like a super giant hill that acted like a mountain next to the building. She was sure that the structure was definitely not normal, at least in this fantasy world¡¯s perspective. ¡°Is that the fortress?¡± Mikella asked in wonder, only realizing the implications. Rather than finding the tower, they managed to find the fortress needed to clear the quest. While that was good news, she didn¡¯t know how to handle that. Would it even be a good thing to say to her party? However, another chirp brought her back to her attention again. And this time, she noticed the bird lifting its wing as if to show her something. While kinda marveling at the intelligence of the bird, she looked at where it was pointing and frowned. Deeply. ¡°You gotta be fucking kidding me¡­¡± MIkella groaned, closing her eyes and hoping that she was just too tired to truly understand what she was looking at. ¡­.. Another hour later, the two scouts returned back to the party. Zeke came over and asked how she was, but he quickly realized something was wrong. ¡°Mikky? You okay? You look kinda¡­¡± Zeke asked, stepping closer but keeping a respectful distance away. ¡°You will not believe what I found,¡± Mikella said. Her tone clearly showed her frustration as the others came up behind Zeke. ¡°I have good news and bad news. Good news is¨CI found the fortress!¡± Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. That got the group to exclaim in surprise. Both Rajin and Nina high-fived at the success, and Myra and Piker nodded to the joy. ¡°But why do you sound so angry?¡± Val asked, raising a brow. ¡°It may not be part of the plan, but we at least know where the fortress is.¡± ¡°Oh, I haven¡¯t told you the bad news yet,¡± Mikella remarked with a snark, and while the others looked worried, Zeke apparently read her mind as he shook his head. ¡°No, no¡­ you can¡¯t be serious,¡± Zeke said, shaking his head over and over. ¡°Please tell me you¡¯re kidding.¡± ¡°Oh, I wish,¡± Mikella grinned, and there was no hint of joy as she explained. ¡°The bad news is¡­ I also found the tower. The tower merged with the fortress itself.¡± The mood turned silent after Mikella¡¯s reveal, and everyone other than Rajin and Nina looked horrified at the result. Myra paled despite her tanned complexion, and Piker crossed his arms with a scowl on his face. Val and Cloud frowned deeply, and Zacharia remained stoic as usual, but after spending so many days with the man, Mikella could tell that the certain look he had on was a look of contemplation. ¡°I did see there was a large stone tower right at the right side of the fortress, at least that¡¯s what Piggy saw in his eyes,¡± Nina mentioned, tilting her head along with Piggy who copied her before lifting itself up into the air to do more general scouting. ¡°But, is it bad? We always planned on raiding the fortress along with the tower. Having them both at the same place would be easier for movement, won¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Something tells me that this isn¡¯t a good thing,¡± Rajin said, clearly noticing the hard-to-swallow atmosphere around the party. ¡°It¡¯s like spawning in a world where two of the worst locations in the entire game are merged to give us the worst experience possible¡­¡± Zeke muttered, his hands on top of his head. ¡°You gotta be fucking kidding me¡­¡± ¡°I said the same thing!¡± Mikella pointed at him. She was at least having fun relating to Zeke on what game he was talking about. It had something to do with mining and crafting, or something like that. ¡°H-Hey, doesn¡¯t that mean that the tower¡¯s¡­ Mana thing is making the fortress go crazy too?¡± Myra mentioned, clearly offering something that was on everyone¡¯s minds. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that make the boss of the fortress cranky too?¡± ¡°Forget cranky, more like borderline monstrous,¡± Piker added in. ¡°You remember that Red-Maned giant, right? It was the strongest creature in the forest where it should only have Expert ranks and below. In this biodome, where the weakest one we saw was at Journeyman¡­?¡± That immediately got everyone to turn quiet again. This time, Rajin and Nina followed suit. They must have heard the story about the strange Journeyman leader from the forest expedition, and clearly knew something was up. ¡°In other words, the tower has increased the difficulty of raiding the fortress even further,¡± Cloud said. Crossing his arms, he tapped his forearm with his finger as he spoke. ¡°Not to mention, if what happened last time was true¡­¡± ¡°That means that if we clear the tower before the fortress,¡± Mikella interrupted. ¡°It¡¯ll get swallowed up in a void and probably take the fortress with it.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Rajin shouted in surprise, but everyone else followed suit with a grimacing nod. ¡°What¡¯s gonna happen to the quest if the fortress disappears?¡± Zeke said, rubbing his chin. ¡°I¡¯d like to be positive and say that it would instantly clear the quest without us having to deal with the boss at all. But I don¡¯t think the system would consider that a success¡­¡± ¡°More likely we¡¯ll be punished by voiding the system¡¯s quest, causing this entire biodome to shatter as a whole. The reason the biodome is so valuable is that once you conquer the biodome, it would give us immediate resources and monsters to kill. However, if the quest is messed with, it might cause the entire biodome to collapse¡­¡± Zacharia said, pressing his lips as he stared at the direction where the tower was supposedly at. ¡°And on top of that, it would kill us all if we remain here for long,¡± Val said, shaking her head. ¡°But if we try to clear the fortress¡­¡± The problem resurfaces once again. While Rajin and Nina were clearly confused about the tower¡¯s sudden disappearance, the group had a lengthy discussion on what to do. In other words, they have two options, and clearly one was the superior one. Either they clear the tower first, and run the risk of the tower suddenly disappearing and taking everything along with it, including the fortress. If that were to happen, it would cause the biodome to collapse should the system consider the quest null and void. That was the clear inferior option. There were too many risks, and they can¡¯t take the chance of losing the biodome for themselves. The only other option is to run the fortress first, beat the boss, clear the quest, then take on the tower and let it do as it pleases. Even if the tower disappears along with the fortress, the biodome would stay stable as the quest was already finished by that point. But that would also mean that the monster that they would face at the fortress would be stronger as a result of the tower¡¯s presence. The mana it gives off was otherworldly, and would probably bump the powerful boss to be even more powerful. One option leaves to possible financial ruin, the other leads to an unpredictable and possible death. Both options sounded bad, but only one option was possible for them. ¡°...We need to retreat and get the others,¡± Val said, facing the entire group. ¡°We can¡¯t do this by ourselves anymore. I figured if we found the tower and cleared it, that would be the end. But this is clearly beyond what our group can handle. If it was the tower, that would be fine, but¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re saying that the tower might produce monsters and flow into the fortress, captain?¡± Piker added, showing that he didn¡¯t want that to happen on his expression, but Val nodded grimly. ¡°The situation has evolved into something more complicated,¡± Cloud said. ¡°I hate to say this, but we might have to cut this off as Val said. Our skills are too general for this group to handle a possible double raid.¡± Zacharia remained quiet for a moment, but his hands gripped onto his arms. ¡°The amount of time it would take to retreat would be extended, but you two have a point. Alright, let¡¯s¨C¡± ¡°G-General!¡± Nina nearly shouted, but cupped her mouth shut as she remained in control, getting everyone to listen as she spoke calmly this time. ¡°I-I see invaders¡­ human invaders in the far distance!¡± ¡°What?!¡± Cloud shouted, immediately getting everyone on guard. However, her words didn¡¯t comprehend in their heads as that should be impossible. ¡°Piggy noticed a strange group of humanoids coming out on the other side of the fortress. I¡¯m not sure how they got there¡­ but as far as I know, I haven¡¯t seen any entrance that would lead such a large force there.¡± ¡°How many?¡± Zacharia demanded, his voice hard and stern with a nasty glare. Nina, however, responded with a hesitant tone on the situation rather than from his expression. ¡°A-Around a hundred, perhaps another dozen or so after that,¡± Nina said, and even she sounded baffled. ¡°That shouldn¡¯t be¡­ it feels like there are more mages than warriors and scouts. I-I¡¯m sorry. I commanded Piggy to return before he could be spotted. I-I was afraid that they might find him.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be,¡± Zacharia shook his head. ¡°That way, they won¡¯t find out that we¡¯re here and we notice their approaching.¡± Just as Zacharia said, Piggy was flying about as low as possible before slowly drifting over to them. The bird, to Mikella¡¯s surprise, actually landed on Zacharia¡¯s large pauldrons. To even more of a surprise, Zacharia even offered a slight scratch to Piggy¡¯s breast, knowing exactly where Piggy liked to be scratched. ¡°And it would be a shame to lose such a useful scout,¡± Zacharia said casually, and Piggy swiftly returned to Nina¡¯s side. She carefully observed his form, making sure that there were no hidden marks or tracks on it that could lead the other invaders to find its presence. ¡°A hundred invaders¡­ just out of nowhere?¡± Zeke asked, his eyes desperately searching for a possible answer. ¡°But how?¡± ¡°It might be possible that they devised some way to get in here,¡± Cloud asked. ¡°Knowing this, it¡¯s possible that those invaders¡­¡± ¡°They¡¯re part of Bastion,¡± Zacharia growled. ¡°They found the biodome.¡± ¡­.. When Zyler woke up this morning, he expected his usual daily routine¨Cget out of bed, ignoring the women and the fluff from his shredded pillows, get dressed, and finish his god-forsaken boring work his father forced onto his plate. But he never expected his father to be so adamantly excited about the seer finally finding some location. Even more surprising, the seer found the vaunted biodome they were searching for. The past four months, they have been desperately trying to recover the losses from their past invasion, and trying to keep the kingdom¡¯s hounds from sniffing too close to their base. Since then, Zyler has been trying to find other ways to break through his stat blockage, but as usual, to no avail. But all of a sudden, the entire Bastion army, or at least those who were prepared to tackle the biodome, were taken to a single location where their greatest mages prepared a teleportation circle that would lead them straight there. The teleportation by itself was risky, requiring a vast amount of expensive materials to create a link to one location from another via the fabric of reality that not even Masters should touch so easily. And for folks that were weaker than Masters, it was courting death with each step within the inbetweens of the physical realm. While Zyler is the type to not think too heavily and would rather join in without hesitation, especially for a biodome, he still asked his father whether this was wise. After all, with their current situation, it was possible that they might end up losing too many men to keep up with the Bastion¡¯s demanding resource upkeep. His father, being more of a pen-pusher than an active fighter, seemed delighted by the news. The seer managed to uncover the precise location of the biodome at his request. Apparently the Federation were getting tired of their lack of fulfilling their orders and gave them some sort of ultimatum. As for the seer, it wasn¡¯t easy to divine fate and the potential outcomes of the many possible futures. Due to that, their abilities often ask a large price, and it sounded like she didn¡¯t handle the excess information well and turned bed-ridden as a result. Thankfully, it wasn¡¯t fatal, but it didn¡¯t look like she¡¯ll be coming around anytime soon. As they prepared for the teleportation to go, Zyler was getting more and more pumped up. His muscles were tensing up from his Class taking control, and fangs were beginning to bear from his teeth. The more they got ready, the more he stopped thinking about the ramifications. Blood and slaughter were the only things left in his mind. When the glow of the teleportation circle began to brighten, he smiled at the idea. The process was not quick. It was slow, agonizing, and Zyler felt his body becoming strained from the pressed force surrounding him. He also heard many cries of anguish and possible death throes as the force of the teleportation was too strong for the weak-willed. Eventually the light faded and his eyes finally adjusted. Suddenly seeing something so bright into something dark and humid was definite hell for his senses, but his keen nose finally noticed it. Prey, and powerful ones at that. He smirked, the sense of fear and tantalizing anguish reaching his nostrils and stroking his adrenaline to take form. His father stood at the front, his muscled hands clasped behind his back as he stared down from the cliff they were at. ¡°Mmh¡­ interesting, a quest,¡± His father replied, a small smile appearing on his face. Zyler also noticed the quest to take over the biodome as well as the fortress with the boss. Apparently the folks over at that little town haven''t done so yet. ¡°It¡¯s possible that they haven¡¯t found this location yet,¡± One of his father¡¯s retainers spoke up, his grumpy wrinkly face scowling at the sight of the massive feast in front of them. ¡°No, the spies sent word that they have already started combing the lands. But it looks like they were on the other side of this magnificent structure¡­ how glorious.¡± Zyler rolled his eyes. His father could go ahead and balk at the sight all he wants. He stepped forward, peering his eyes over at the massive stone structure, along with the giant tower that seemed to dwarf anything else. There was something¡­ off about that tower. It felt wrong to his senses. His father sure didn¡¯t seem to care, but Zyler kept getting bad vibes from that tower. He didn¡¯t know why, but it was sort of like dealing with some infected mana. No matter what kind of prey he¡¯d find there, it wouldn¡¯t be worth it. Still, his other senses stepped in, telling him that there were also boundless treasures within the tower. ¡°Father, what should we do?¡± Zyler asked, crossing his arms while peering at the tower. ¡°The quest said that the fortress is the one we gotta go to, but I got a feeling about that tower¡­¡± ¡°I know, I do too,¡± Roderick answered, giving the same stare at the tower. ¡°More than likely, it¡¯s a special location of the fortress. Something tells me that we¡¯ll be able to find something decent there. But for now, let¡¯s keep a foothold to this location. Remember, the monsters here are stronger than the average beasts around the city. Let¡¯s keep it in formation!¡± Roderick ordered the troops, getting everyone to salute and yell before scattering about like worker ants to satisfy their ruler. Some also went ahead to grab the now useless bodies that couldn¡¯t handle the teleportation and dragged them away to either bury¨Cor perhaps use them as bait for the monsters. Meanwhile, Zyler groaned loudly, enough to perhaps call the other monsters here. ¡°But I wanna kill!¡± He groaned, but his father, as always, ignored his whinings. Vol2 Ch38: Liars gets stitches The small team didn¡¯t have much of a choice considering the situation, so they retreated back to the campsite. Thanks to knowing the path, they were able to reach there in just two short days at best, with minimal monster killing and annoyance thanks to his barriers. When they returned to the campsite, Zacharia relayed the news to his team regarding the situation. Zeke still couldn¡¯t wrap his head around the tower being merged with the fortress, and now the sudden Bastion army that decided to spawn that close to it. He knew this wasn¡¯t a game, but all this talk about them having some seer, which he still has no clue what kind of class or skill that was about, was some sort of unfair hack by their side. But he knew there was more at stake here than just losing their potential rewards. For instance, they arrived near the fortress, and it was possible that the quest would give them the chance to take over the biodome, as the entire location doesn¡¯t decide who gets to keep it, only that if they managed to clear the quest. Even worse, it was possible that they could also invade the tower, which was something that Zeke feared might get the two punished by the angel, using Clara as some sort of hostage if they failed. The idea alone made Zeke fume, and he wanted to use his newfound power to get ready to fight. But he held himself back. He wasn¡¯t the only one fuming about this. Myra was already willing to head over there and knock some Bastion soldiers around if it meant keeping the fortress safe. Piker even came in and offered that they would team with the monsters in the fortress, using their numbers to take the soldiers out. A devious and ingenious plan according to Zeke. In the end, the Journeymen were the ones who decided their next action. And to Zeke¡¯s surprise, Zacharia planned it out like so. He would call his unit to take on the Bastion soldiers and keep the fortress at bay, while the main team consisting of those who were just at the advance party would head to the tower and clear out its contents. Of course, both Zeke and Mikella argued that doing so would put the biodome at risk, but Zacharia remained undaunted as he made his decision. ¡°There is no other choice. The tower would only make things worse as time passes,¡± He stated to the two. ¡°We¡¯ll deal with it, then take Bastion down. After that, we¡¯ll take on the fortress after they have a run in with the creatures there. That way, we can deal with all three with minimal risks.¡± Zeke had to agree that there was some solid logic in that. It was impossible to face all three obstacles at once, and it didn¡¯t look like the Bastion soldiers knew that they were there. Even if there was, they were surely more interested in clearing the quest, and not realizing that the tower is a separate entity from the entire biodome. In other words, they could go through some of the worst luck imaginable, while they would get away with some clean rewards thanks to their efforts and past experiences. ¡°Knowledge is power,¡± Zeke muttered, realizing that due to them holding this particular information, they could get away with the most gains and the least risk. But that made him think of another problem, something that Mikella pointed out herself. ¡°Zeke, he made it sound like we can just open and close the tower whenever we want¡­ can we do that?¡± Zeke grimaced. ¡°I don¡¯t know. The only time we got in is because we went through the portal. I don¡¯t remember trying to get out¡­ then again, we were pretty busy.¡± ¡°The only time we got out is when you were out of control with your attunement,¡± Mikella creased her brows at him. ¡°How is that going, by the way?¡± ¡°Thankfully, it was never brought up,¡± Zeke said, pointing at his collar. He felt so uncomfortable using magic at first, but he wore it for so long that he got used to it. Not to mention it helped him control his magic to the point of pinpoint precision, something that helped him greatly while experimenting with his runes. But he put aside the recent gains he made to focus on the situation first. For the team to go to the tower, it was better that it remained with the same party excluding Rajin and Nina. They were of great help, but with the situation devolving into this mess thanks to Bastion appearing out of nowhere, their help was needed to ensure the safety of Zacharia¡¯s retinue. Still, this meant that those who knew of their true secret were there, including Myra and Piker. Mikella asked her friend whether she was okay with Jackie being with the other team members. Myra shook her head. ¡°He¡¯s a big boy now. And he even complained that I need to head on my way rather than babysit him.¡± ¡°Ouch,¡± Mikella winced. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Myra shrugged. ¡°I agree with him. Besides, he needs to find his own way, and I know that Zacharia¡¯s team is nothing to laugh at. He¡¯ll be fine as long as he doesn¡¯t act stupid. But¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to ask Rajin, Cacia, and Nina to look out for him,¡± Zeke added, adding in a smirk. Mira reflected that smirk back. ¡°Thanks, Zeke. In the end¡­ he¡¯s still Jackie.¡± They had a chuckle of that, but they knew that Jackie had been working hard on his own path. For now, they could only focus on the task at hand. After making sure to prepare everything they needed, they drained the base of every single supply they could have. They also reinstated the elevator to ensure getting more supplies from the town. It took them a solid three days of preparation, which Zacharia ensured that the Bastion soldiers wouldn¡¯t suddenly rush ahead without proper preparation. In this case, they were in full advantage since Zeke¡¯s barriers made it possible for them to prepare so easily. Meanwhile, Zeke prepared his own training along with Cloud at the base. His rune buffs were still raw, in a sense, so he kept working on their precision. With further experimentation, and a lot more painful rune carvings, he was able to replicate the buff for his other stats, and he even realized something incredibly useful. His buffs don''t take as much mana as he expected. Actually, he could save up on mana buffing his physical body than to actually use his Runic Spells or even his barriers. He knew that the mana expenditure would increase the more points he mirrored from his Spirit stat, but the end result was better than he expected. Then again, he did equip his Battle Mage title skill, replacing his Savior title to give him that boost. For now, his support was already good as it is, and he needed some improvements. Runic Echoes also made dividends and decreased the amount of mana and work he needed to make more of his rune buffs. And his newly evolved Battle Runecraft skill helped plenty on that matter. But despite all of this improvement, he knew he wouldn''t be a true warrior. While he could replicate a warrior¡¯s stats, he won¡¯t have the skills to back it up. More importantly, trying to get used to his sudden changes was becoming a hassle. While his muscles never expanded like they did before, it was still a jarring experience to suddenly feel like breaking the entire world with his fists to then turn back into a feeble and weak mage. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. But soon Cloud came up with an idea. An idea that would help Zeke learn more about his newfound power as well as avoiding issues with Mikella regarding this newfound power. ¡°You want me to challenge Mikella to a duel?¡± Zeke said in surprise. ¡°I got no intentions of getting my ass kicked before we go off to life or death battles here.¡± ¡°I know, but just listen,¡± Cloud said, understanding his plight with his hands raised. ¡°What better way to improve your buffs than on the battlefield itself? Besides, who else would challenge you better than Mikella herself?¡± Zeke tilted his head at the idea. While it made sense that Mikella knew how to fight him after all the training bouts they¡¯ve done together, this would be the first time he would be fighting back seriously rather than just reacting. Suddenly, he could feel a flare going up in his belly. His veins fueled at the idea of fighting Mikella on possibly equal grounds. He may still get his ass kicked¡­ but he¡¯ll at least get something out of it. ¡°Alright,¡± Zeke nodded. ¡°Though how do I¨C¡± ¡°Dude, just ask,¡± Cloud shook his head ruefully. ¡°She¡¯ll say yes.¡± ¡°Ah. Right.¡± ¡­.. ¡°You want to have a duel with me?¡± Mikella looked at Zeke as though he lost his mind. She was just getting things ready at their home when Zeke suddenly came over in a hurry and demanded she fight him. He looked disheveled, as though there wasn¡¯t enough time. It was still in the early afternoon and they still had at least a day before they set off to the tower. At first, she was worried that they were taking too much time, but Nina and the other scouts were ensuring that the Bastion army hadn''t set off yet. Apparently they needed more time since they didn¡¯t have a handy barrier protecting them from the other monsters. On the other hand, she planned on training her other skills during this time, so she did want to fight. Just, she never expected it would be with Zeke again. He¡¯s been making some good gains, but it¡¯s normally for his benefit. She¡¯d needed to focus on herself to get as strong as he could. She was starting to get a little antsy, and no matter how often she sparred against the other soldiers, it wasn¡¯t the same as when she fought against the Hunter to get her Sword Mastery maxed out. Though, the way he looked at her was different compared to before. There was something in those hurried eyes of his that made her pause. ¡°Does this have something to do with your suspicious activities you¡¯ve been doing with Cloud?¡± Zeke looked mortified, his eyes widening at that. ¡°Suspicious? I-I told you we were just¨C¡± ¡°Oh get off it,¡± Mikella waved in the air, rolling her eyes. ¡°You really think you, of all people, would spend that much time at night with Cloud just looking at rocks? I never bothered to ask because you had Cloud with you, but there¡¯s no way that¡¯s true. I knew from the start that you were doing something else.¡± Mikella wanted to pat herself on the back as she caught Zeke hook, line, and sinker. He deflated, lowering his head with a grimace on his face. ¡°T-That was pretty obvious, huh?¡± ¡°Hell yeah,¡± Mikella answered ruthlessly. ¡°So, is it?¡± ¡°...It is,¡± Zeke let out a breath before responding. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ something like secret training, I guess.¡± ¡°Secret training, huh?¡± Mikella raised a brow, crossing her arms. Something about this made her ticked off. Why didn¡¯t Zeke ask her for help on this secret training? Surely, Cloud is better off when it comes to magic and everything, but the fact that he kept it secret from her made her upset. In fact, it made her almost furious at the idea. How on earth can Zeke think he can keep a secret from her? They were partners, and even more so, who else can they rely on other than themselves? The fact that he did such a thing behind her back felt wrong, almost criminal. So she smiled, narrowing her eyes. ¡°Sure, why not? Let¡¯s fight now, actually.¡± Zeke looked like he shivered at her cold response, but she ignored it. It was about time to teach him that messing with her comes at a cost. All the while, she didn¡¯t realize that she normally wouldn¡¯t be this upset about it. But she hurried out without questioning that thought any further. ¡­.. About a few minutes later, every one of the soldiers who were around the base camp, those who finished early and were just trying to relax before the day of reckoning came, approached the field normally used for duels. It was their favorite spot to watch themselves fight one another for training, and to settle personal grudges. Not that the Zacharia unit had any grudges, just simplistic ones like arguments and the like. However, each of them watched with surprise as they saw Mikella and Zeke gather together once again for another duel. Some, obviously, knew the outcome of this already and left for their own devices. Some of the crueler ones wanted to watch the little mage get his ass beat by his wife again, and those cheered for the underdog Zeke to not get his ass beat. None of them have any hope that Zeke would actually win, of course. But Mikella put all of that aside as she stared at Zeke in the distance. He wore his usual mage cloth, and strangely kept his limbs fully clothed, even though he normally rolled them up by now. On the other hand, Mikella had her own under armor up rather than her leather armor she wore on top of that. Since it was usually training, there was no reason to get overly geared for such a thing, but it was still better to be safe than sorry. She picked up her wooden training sword, and as usual Zeke didn¡¯t opt to use any weapons. With his barrier to act like a shield whenever he wanted, he could actually be a fortified fighter, but Mikella knew it was futile. There was no way that Zeke would actually win, and no matter what secret training he got, she¡¯d trounced him easily. She didn¡¯t even think logically anymore. What¡¯s with the situation going on with Clara, and the Bastion army trying to fuck them up once again even now, she stopped thinking about all the awful things going on around her. All she cared about, right now, is punishing Zeke for his secrecy against her. She knew it wasn¡¯t fair, deep down inside. But she didn¡¯t care. She needed an outlet, and what better than Zeke for being a filthy liar? She put herself into a stance, her sword at the ready, expecting Zeke to get into his own stance. He breathed slowly, his eyes darting around. He didn¡¯t care about the crowd¨Che was perceiving the area around him. He always does that when he gets nervous, allowing him to get a better glance at his surroundings before getting into a fight. But she didn¡¯t leave that up to chance and dashed forward. The crowd started to ramp up in excitement when Mikella launched herself straight at Zeke, his eyes widening. She was going to swipe her sword across his legs, stumbling him. But whenever she does, Zeke would conjure his barrier to stop her attack. So instead of putting her all into the swipe, once the barrier blocked her, she planned on pulling her sword back up and spinning it around to hit Zeke on his chest. Zeke had been training to handle his increased Dexterity for combat, but he still had difficulty reacting well to the sudden shift in motion. It was going to be another easy counter¡­ Yet it never came. Her sword flew across the air where his legs were supposed to be. Instead, they were up in the air as Zeke just bent his legs and jumped up. It happened so quickly, not even the attacker was able to realize what had just happened. That was strange. Zeke was fast when he could be, his Dexterity raised along with Intelligence and Spirit, but he was never this fast. Before Mikella could comprehend this sudden speed, her instincts flared as Zeke landed on one foot, then planned on hitting her with the other. She managed to back away in time, trying to understand why her instincts were calling out for her to dodge something so basic. But once his foot hit the ground, a spiderweb like crack appeared underneath the sole of his foot. The ground cracked under the weight of his hit, surprising both Mikella and Zeke. Along with everyone else who started to watch after just a few seconds of the fight starting. The entire scene turned quiet after Mikella backed away, staring hard at Zeke who had his eyes widened at the amount of cracks under his foot. Was it the faulty ground? Did the mud under their feet start cracking somehow? But despite trying to stay logical in her mind, Zeke¡¯s response caught her off guard. ¡°Huh, wonder if I put in too much Strength?¡± Zeke said off-handedly, rubbing his chin. ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to put up that much power.¡± Before Mikella could understand what the hell he just said, he put himself back into his fighting stance again. His fists gripped hard, and his eyes changed. They were no longer nervous¨Cthey were focused. ¡°Let¡¯s keep going.¡± Vol2 Ch39: Mikella vs. Zeke Valorie was exploding with anger right now. All she wanted right now is to punch her stupid husband who has the gall to call himself a mage. Weren¡¯t mages all about caution and careful study? Yet here he went, experimenting on poor Zeke by literally carving runes into his flesh, which was probably the most ludicrous idea she ever heard. If she heard it first, she would¡¯ve immediately stopped Zeke right then and there. But apparently her husband thought differently. She always knew the two were doing something strange at those times. Even when Cloud would explain he was giving the boy some pointers, she knew that the two always appeared haggard and tired that there was something strange going on. Mikella also caught this, but like her, she didn¡¯t mention it. Now, she only wished she could turn back time. As of right now, Cloud was at her mercy as he pleaded with her to calm down, which was honestly only exacerbating the problem. ¡°How can you tell me to calm down!?¡± Val shouted, and wanted to punch the wall of a nearby building. She refrained because the soldiers worked hard creating the buildings and it would be rude. ¡°Zeke has made a lot of gains from this,¡± Cloud said, but all she heard were just excuses to avoid getting smacked, and no matter what, this man will get smacked. ¡°And more importantly, he wanted this.¡± ¡°Yes, but to carve his own flesh? You actually think that¡¯s wise to do?¡± Val retorted. ¡°And on someone so young and inexperienced?¡± ¡°It¡¯s precisely this,¡± Cloud said, his tone steady compared to before. ¡°They¡¯re young and inexperienced, yes, but they need to. How else can they make that ridiculous mission a success by becoming Journeymen within two years?¡± Val pressed her lips tight at that. When she heard of this mission, she couldn¡¯t believe it. It took her and Cloud several years to become Journeyman, and only stopped when it seemed impossible to keep moving forward with their current resources. That was half the reason why they created Eve Glade, after all. To make a good connection with the king of Sham-la, and to receive resources based on their contribution. Of course, they always planned on taking care of the people, but being able to advance was also part of the plans. However, to reach Master-stage would take years, if not decades, which they never planned on rushing to. However, these poor kids, sent here against their will from an entirely different world, not only reached Expert stage in just a few months after initialization, were now expected to be Journeyman in just a few short years? It was ridiculous. How can the gods be so cruel to these children, including possessing a little girl with their angel to act as some sort of hands-off guardian? The more she thought about it, the more she could understand Zeke¡¯s logic. How else can he grow stronger other than to do what he can with his runes? Still, was there such a reason to push himself to gain stats like a warrior when his support skills were more than enough? ¡°Even if it was for the sake of becoming a Journeyman, how does pouring stats into your body temporarily be a good thing? Stats don¡¯t make or break fights.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Cloud nodded in agreement. ¡°You and I both know that stats aren¡¯t everything. Even Zeke knows this.¡± ¡°Then why¨C?¡± ¡°But it opens a path for him,¡± Cloud intervened, knowing exactly what Val might say. ¡°Now, he can only mimic high stats¨Cbut what else can he do with those rune enhancements? What¡¯s his limit from achieving that? That¡¯s what I wanted him to learn. Before, he was dissatisfied with being a Support mage. But instead of opting to get out of it, he circumvents it by creating an entirely new form of fighting!¡± There was that clear glee and madness in his eyes, as she first saw him whenever he got excited for new knowledge. However, considering that it¡¯s for Zeke¡¯s new method of combat, it was rather interesting for Val as well. ¡°Now that he knows what he¡¯s capable of, what else could he do? He already can do this much, and with Mikella¡¯s constant improvement, their potential is limitless! Val¡­¡± Cloud grasped her shoulders, and stared at her intensely. She looked up at him, wondering what he was about to say that made him so serious. ¡°We can find a way to help you advance with their help.¡± Val paused, her mouth left open. It felt so off, considering the struggle to get to where she was now. But if what Cloud said was true¡­ She shook her head. ¡°Cloud, I don¡¯t want to use them for my own goals.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± Cloud said. ¡°We¡¯re not using them. If anything, we¡¯re helping them get along their path. So what if we take a ride ourselves? Nobody has to lose anything.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Val looked away.. ¡°Val, don¡¯t worry. There¡¯s nothing to be ashamed of. We did way worse things before we reached Journeyman, you know? How many bandits did we kill or how many houses did we rob to get to where we were now?¡± ¡°God, please don¡¯t mention that¡­¡± Val shook her head. Her palm was pressed to her face as memories resurfaced. ¡°We were so young and desperate.¡± ¡°And we still are,¡± Cloud winked. ¡°We just got some back-up now. I see Zeke as an equal, to be honest. And who knows? At the rate Mikella is going, she might even give you a run for your money.¡± ¡°Oh please, that girl¡¯s got nothing on me.¡± Val said, but she chuckled softly. In the end, Cloud was right. Still, she glared hard at him. ¡°But I¡¯m still gonna smack you for acting so irresponsible.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine, that¡¯s fine,¡± Cloud said, taking his hands off of her shoulders. ¡°But before we do that, how about we watch the match? They should be getting started right about now.¡± Val heard that Zeke was gonna ask Mikella for a duel. While she was still miffed, she couldn''t help herself any longer. What kind of path those kids¨Cno, those two fighters would take? And if possible¡­ would there be room for more to go along? ¡­.. Mikella breathed heavily as she launched strike after strike at her partner, known for not being much of a fighter. It caught her off guard, but clearly Zeke poured in a lot of effort in this secret training of his. She didn¡¯t know, not yet anyways, on how Zeke was able to nearly overpower her strikes with his own. His Strength should be at the lowest like her Intelligence, but clearly there was something strange going on. But she put all that to the back of her mind. She lunged her sword forward, expecting him to block the attack with his barrier. Instead, he just slapped it away, the hard wood hitting his skin and barely making a scratch on it as it was deflected. There was a sign of a glaring red mark on his hand, but a quick heal from his Recovery eased the pain as he pushed forward. Mikella wanted to tackle, but decided against it. While Zeke normally didn¡¯t attack, she always knew that Zeke wasn¡¯t strong enough, so she always opted to surprise him with such close-ranged tackles and blows from her fists or kicks. However, she knew then that if she did so now, she would be pushed back or worse¨Cget trampled on. Her heart paced faster as she backed away, allowing Zeke more ground as he stomped on the dirt again. This time, it only made a small quake, disrupting her balance slightly from the sudden shift in momentum. Zeke took the advantage and tried to swing his fist at her. She ducked, at least knowing that he wasn¡¯t fast enough to keep up with her reactions. She swung her sword with a spin, trying to hit him with the butt of the hilt. But this time, rather than deflecting it, he defended himself with a small barrier, as promised, without even looking as he kicked her straight at the abdomen and launched her away. She hit the ground a few times before skidding to a stop, her sword scraping the ground to catch herself. She breathed rapidly, her mind working overdrive. This was¡­ unexpected. She knew that most of the time, she was the one training Zeke, so her getting countered like this was soon to happen if Zeke got a little stronger. But it happened faster than she expected. Even when she tried to react as fast as she could, the way he suddenly uses magic once again catches her off guard. She thought if she could trick him into fighting physically, she could win with a single strike, but he surprised her by going all out physically for the past few seconds. This entire fight lasted only a few seconds, yet she was already winded. Her muscles ached from the blows he dealt to her, and her sweat was beginning to cloud her eyes as she fluttered them away with the lids. She stared back at Zeke who was also breathing frantically. Despite being able to hit him as often as she could, as even he couldn¡¯t keep up with her speed and tenacity, the damn bastard didn¡¯t look even slightly injured. He kept healing himself, making him appear like nothing even happened. It felt so unfair, she wanted to call it out. She never felt so backed against a corner like this. Yet despite it all, she found herself smiling. Her heart was racing and bubbling in anticipation. What is he gonna do next? Would she be able to block it? Would he use his barriers for something? What if he uses his runes? These kept running in her head as she got back into the fight, once again getting into close-combat with Zeke of all people. She didn¡¯t even care that the crowd was becoming bigger and bigger, the news of Zeke actually managing to keep up with Mikella reaching everyone¡¯s ears. She didn¡¯t even care that the Bastion soldiers were out there, ready to screw them over whenever they wanted. All she saw right now was Zeke and the battlefield, and right now, Zeke was in charge. But not for long. This time, she didn¡¯t hold back as lightning coursed through her veins. Not only did it make her faster, it also increased her reaction time, allowing her to see through Zeke¡¯s tactics with ease. Every time she struck him, he either defended himself or used his barrier. Each method has its own pros and cons. It made her wary of how strong each of her attacks should be, as pouring all her power into one strike against a barrier would disrupt her blows, while not putting everything into a chance attack as he blocked it with his arms or hands would only make the fight last longer in his favor. So she tried to randomize her attacks. Each weak blow is charged with electricity, and each strong strike with her own. As the fight continued, she felt her Mana evaporating each second as charging herself with her lightning used up quite a bit. But Zeke somehow managed to keep up, though there was a hint of anxiety on his face. He stopped using his hands after taking too many electrified hits as he slowly started backing away. Mikella rushed forward, taking the momentum back into her favor. She was just about to use her Lightning Strike art, her wooden sword charged with electricity and kinetic energy, before Zeke summoned a barrier¨Cbut he didn¡¯t defend against her attack. Instead, a flying pen flew in as quickly as her lightning and drew runes. Suddenly a flock of butterbirds appeared in front of her, causing her vision to become riddled with crystalline feathers. Her mind whirled, but she focused harder on the fight. She stopped moving, allowing herself to sense her surroundings. Before anything could happen, she sent out a wave of electricity to cover her surroundings, stopping or destroying the butterbirds in her path as she swung her sword backwards. Zeke was there, but he managed to defend himself with his barrier and launched a palm strike right across her face. At the time, she thought Zeke wanted to avoid outright punching her. But that palm strike was clearly stronger than it looked. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. It made her vision blurry, and her sense of balance was broken. Before she could do much else, she backed away, holding her head to her hands. They never once spoke or bantered like they usually did. Whenever she landed a strong hit on him, she would joke at his misfortune and Zeke took it in stride. But this time, they were utterly silent. Mikella looked up to see him haggard. It wasn¡¯t the exhaustion of the fight, but the mental fatigue. While she was getting her ass handed to her, he was keeping up the entire time, putting more strain. But there was still that sense of security in his fighting style. That underlying emotion of never being able to break through no matter how hard she fought. She grinned. Her heart felt like it was about to flutter out of her chest as she rose to her feet. Her eyes kept widening, and she felt her chest tightening and gasping for air. She let out harsh breaths, but she wasn¡¯t panicking¨Cshe was filled with unbridled excitement. Her Class, her attunement, her very core¨Cthey all agreed with her sentiments. Right now, she was being pushed to her very limits, all done by her own partner. Her fingers grasped onto her sword hilt tighter, and an idea formed in her mind. Without even giving it a second thought, she dashed forward, roaring like a madwoman hellbent on slaughter. She flared Draconic Fury, her class¡¯s only buff skill as her body became enhanced in a similar way to Zeke¡¯s. Her eyes glowed with her Hawk Eyes, all the power she could muster flowing out of her. Zeke¡¯s eyes widened in alarm before activating his barrier, but she didn¡¯t even care about the little game they were playing. All she wanted was to bring her full force as she not only held her sword in her right hand, she summoned her spear out of her storage pack. Then her axe, then her hammer. She just flung them out into the air and let them fly over for a second. That alone caused Zeke to stop for a second to figure out exactly what she was planning on doing. Oh, the look on his face when he would find out. Her attunement roared by her order as electricity coiled out of her body, and blasted at her weapons. But instead of just blowing them away, she held them tight. Both axe and hammer were now in the air, wielded by none other than her electricity. It was then that Zeke realized it. But it was too late for him to reconsider his actions. She slammed against his barrier over and over and over again. slashing the barrier with her sword, piercing it with her spear, chopping it with her axe, and bashing it with her hammer. She poured all she had into breaking through his barrier which was a lot bigger than what was normally agreed on. But she didn¡¯t care. That just meant she pushed him to his limits. And she planned on breaking through. She roared defiantly, no longer caring about her form and her training. All she wanted was to pour every single bit of energy she had into her weapons, her stamina and mana be damned. Her sword¡¯s blade flowed with her Lightning Strike to cut through the barrier, and with her spear being in her hand, it got the same treatment. Considering that the weapons she were using now were actual weapons and not wooden, her spear became fully charged with more power contrary to her sword. She could hear dings in the back of her mind, but she didn¡¯t focus on it. Instead, she saw the barrier crack ever so slowly, with Zeke trying to reinforce it with all of his mana. Zeke gritted his teeth as his pens drew runes from inside his barrier, trying to bombard her with his Runic Spells. Fireballs, Ice Spikes , Earth Bullets, and many, many Wind Slices were thrown at her, but her electricity blasted them apart and turned them into particles. Some managed to hit her, but as she kept attacking the barrier, her Forced Regeneration picked up the slack by recovering her resources. She needed more. She needed more power. Her stamina waned as her mana flared in response, becoming more prominent in her mind. Her electricity became stronger as a result, as though something just clicked. Then she spotted the barrier changing in her eyes. Not in her physical eyes, but in her mind. She felt the barrier break little by little, and little bits of magical energy trying to pour their way into it. She knew Zeke¡¯s barriers more than anyone else, and she knew there were spots where even Zeke can¡¯t recover from easily. Her mana charged her spear as she raised it up and chucked it with all her might. The lightning and kinetic energy flowing into it changed compared to when she charged her sword. The shape prolonged itself, becoming denser as it flew like an arrow straight at the bottom left of the barrier, where it was the weakest. All that power pinpointed into a single target smashed through the barrier, breaking it apart. Zeke looked aghast, his face pale as Mikella launched herself at him before he could summon another barrier. She rushed at him, forcing him to keep focus and try to batter her away with his hands. One strike after another, Zeke refused to let Mikella through. As the electricity shocked him, his robes burnt away to reveal exposed skin marked with strange tattoos that glowed brighter than ever before. They were charged with intense mana, and were being charged even at this moment as he roared along with Mikella¡¯s crazed fervor. But as her body took the blows that could¡¯ve¨Crather should have¨Ctaken her down, she refused to give in. She swung her sword at him one more time, taking the chance to attack right after he dealt a powerful blow to her abdomen. It struck at his shoulder blades, gasping air before she kicked him on the stomach then pushed him down by tackling and straddling over his torso. She raised her wooden sword, now charred as though it was used as kindle for a campfire. Electricity not only hit Zeke, but also willed her other weapons to form behind her. There was a solemn moment between the two before eventually Mikella grinned, blood trailing from her lips and sweat beating her brow. ¡°I¡­ win,¡± She said, her voice husky with exhaustion. Zeke breathed heavily as the electricity trickled down, and her weapons fell to the ground. They were burnt and smoking, trails of hot smoke traveling up to the air. She lowered her sword as her chest heaved. ¡°Yeah¡­ yeah you did,¡± Zeke nodded. ¡°Damn¡­¡± He sounded disappointed, and she was glad for that. That meant that he wanted to continue, to be better. What else is going to happen if Zeke got better at it? Would she get pushed back even harder? That idea alone set her heart ablaze with anticipation. ¡°Whoa! Hey! Mikky, take it easy!¡± Mikella was driven out of her daydreams of her and Zeke nearly fighting to the death when she noticed Myra running up towards her with Piker in tow. There was also Philip and Jackie behind them, worried looks on their faces. Both Zeke and Mikella looked confused at the response, but when they noticed the scene around them, they realized it. Each soldier watched with awe in their eyes. Looks of awe as well as concern were in their eyes as they watched the fight unfold. It looked like they were worried that they might actually kill each other in this supposed sparring match. Embarrassment flushed her face as she realized that she was the one that took it too far. She got off of Zeke, but he didn¡¯t even move. When she noticed why, she gasped. His body was riddled with burns and cuts and¡­ why were his legs bent in an odd angle? ¡°Oh my god, Zeke!¡± Mikella backed away, her eyes widening. ¡°Did I break your legs?!¡± ¡°Ain¡¯t that kinda obvious?¡± Myra said, her stare flaring disbelief at her. She didn¡¯t even realize just how far she was going at the fight. Not only did she wail at him with her weapons¨Cher actual weapons¨Cshe even went as far as charging her tackle with enough force from her lightning and kinetic energy to literally break his legs from the force. Hell, she almost outright killed him. It was no wonder the soldiers looked tense all over. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s fine,¡± Zeke said, and that got everyone, including Mikella, to look back at him as though he lost his head. ¡°Seriously, look.¡± Zeke was already at work, using his mana to heal his injuries. Though his legs took a while to ¡®unbent¡¯ themselves and return. Sounds of bones smashing together into place made everyone cringe, and some with weaker wills just hurled or fainted right then and there. The healers were already there, but seeing Zeke healing himself just fine, decided to just back away with Cacia almost losing the color on her face at the sight of him. ¡°See?¡± Zeke said, smiling as though this really wasn¡¯t a huge deal. ¡°Zeke, don¡¯t you feel¡­ something?¡± Piker asked, furrowing his brow. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that be extremely painful?¡± ¡°Oh, right,¡± Zeke nodded, understanding the issue. ¡°Umm, well, my secret training got my Pain Resistance to max out, so that¡¯s probably why I don¡¯t feel much except¡­ well, it¡¯s still painful, but doable?¡± He asked as though he didn¡¯t even know how to explain, but that got everyone who listened to gasp in shock. ¡°You got your Pain Resistance to max?¡± Mikella asked, and then slowly pointed at herself. ¡°Was that¡­?¡± ¡°Oh, I already got it before we fought. But man, am I glad I got it in time. You just destroyed me!¡± Zeke chuckled like this was all just a fun game to play. Even though everyone can clearly see that his legs were still in the recovery process as they were slowly shifting back into form. It was such a grotesque scene that if Zeke wasn¡¯t laughing like a prank gone off on him, she would¡¯ve thought she was seeing a horror movie. Myra, however, placed her hands on her hips with a scowl. ¡°How can you say that when she left you in this state? And Mikky, what the fuck?!¡± Myra turned back on Mikella so hard that it left her silent for a while. ¡°I get that you were excited, but even we didn¡¯t go that far to train,¡± Myra gestured at herself and Piker, who nodded in approval. ¡°Even if you¡¯re a Berserker, that doesn¡¯t mean you can just go apeshit and nearly kill our only Runist and, do I really need to remind you?--Your own partner?¡± Mikella¡¯s cheeks burned hotter as Myra, the usual hotheaded girl with a penchant for overtraining herself, was now scolding Mikella that she took training too far. Honestly, it was a little humiliating. Still, Myra made a lot of good points. ¡°Hah¡­ you¡¯re right. Zeke, I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Hey, no problem,¡± Zeke said with a wave, using his favorite catchphrase. Somehow that made her feel even worse. ¡°Alright, alright, that¡¯s enough,¡± Val¡¯s voice entered the scene, getting everyone to look back at the Lords coming in with the general in tow. ¡°Mikky had enough. She¡¯s reflecting on this and will learn her lesson in due time. For now, return to your activities before this and leave them be. Show¡¯s over!¡± The crowd that watched quickly settled off due to Val¡¯s orders. There were murmurs of excitement and whispers of disbelief among everyone, still thinking about the battle that just occured. As the scene cleared, only the Journeymen and the group remaining were left behind. Cloud came over and offered a hand to Zeke, getting the barrier mage up onto his feet. ¡°You did well, even if it went a little too far,¡± Cloud said, smiling. ¡°But damn, that was a good fight.¡± ¡°Right?¡± Zeke grinned. ¡°I almost got her, but I didn¡¯t think she would go so far!¡± She cringed at how excited Zeke was, as though he only just challenged her in a PVP match in a game. Considering that he was just a Runist with no skills meant for combat, she only felt worse as a result. That finally got Piker to ask what was on everyone¡¯s minds. ¡°Zeke, what exactly did you do to keep up with Mikella? And¡­ what are those on your body?¡± Mikella realized what Piker meant as she noticed the now exposed skin on Zeke¡¯s arms and the bottom half of his torso. There were rune markings on his body, or on his skin. Almost like tattoos except that they were deeper than normal. Strangely enough, she could notice the mana pouring through them even now, but it was vastly faint compared to when she first spotted them. Zeke preened like a peacock after that question was asked, with Cloud following along with a small smile behind him. He explained everything on how he received the massive gains before returning to the base camp. Mikella was shocked to find out that the reason for his Pain Resistance advancing was due to him tattooing runes into his body. That also got the others to gape in surprise and horror, and that only increased when Zeke continued. Val didn¡¯t look at all pleased on the side, especially after seeing Zeke not even looking traumatized, but ecstatic at his gains. Then, he showed his notifications to everyone, but he mostly showed all of it to Mikella, including another maxed skill and even a title. ¡°A title, two maxed skills, and a way to increase your stats however you like¡­¡± Mikella muttered in awe after seeing how much he had improved. He truly had improved so much, in a way that she didn¡¯t think was possible. He did all this to avoid changing his path from being a supporter, only becoming a new existence she nor anybody else has ever seen before. She even noticed Zacharia¡¯s usually stoic face change to that of awe. If that wasn¡¯t enough to impress him, she didn¡¯t know what would. ¡°I had to make a lot of revisions while I was working on them,¡± Zeke said, looking delighted as he showed his runes to everyone. He showed his arms, One forearm had a rune, and his other two different runes. He even showed runes on his ankles and forelegs, on top of his torso, showing just how motivated he was. Mikella can¡¯t even imagine the kind of pain he went through, considering that his Pain Resistance maxed out when she still only has hers at level 8. Everyone just stared slack jawed at his revelation. He had to make¡­ revisions? If Mikella heard right, that meant that Zeke had to re-do his rune tattoos to make them better? That just meant repeating the same painful process of carving runes. And with a healing skill on hand¡­ ¡°I¡¯m just glad that doing this doesn¡¯t cost me as much mana as fighting with Rune spells. I spent so much mana into my barrier that I thought my collar might act up.¡± Zeke tugged on his collar, which looked so worn down at that point that Mikella can¡¯t even imagine Zeke without wearing it. Putting aside the fact that he can even use magic so effectively at all which stumped everyone else but her. ¡°Still, that fight proved that I still have a long way to go to get used to fighting like a warrior. I know that I¡¯ll never be as strong as Mikella, with her own class skills to back her up, but at least this way I can keep up with everyone else. I¡¯m still not sure if I wanna use a weapon though¡­¡± Zeke chuckled wryly at that. Despite how bad she felt before, knowing that Zeke will continue doing this only made her more excited. So far, he¡¯s the only one that was able to push her to the brink. She had no other choice but to keep getting stronger¨Cat the least, to avoid getting shown up by Zeke of all people. ¡°On that note¡­¡± Val said, interrupting the fun as she stared at Mikella. Mikella quickly shivered under her sight, expecting to get yelled at. ¡°Mikella, you improved, didn¡¯t you? What did you increase this time?¡± At first, she was confused. But after remembering the ding from earlier, she looked up her notification only for her brows to reach the top of her head. ¡°Oh shit.¡± She was actually more afraid of revealing this info to everyone, but clearly everyone was looking at her in expectation after her tiny remark. She grinned sheepishly, but mostly at Myra and Piker who somehow noticed, their eyes widening in response. ¡°Well¡­ my Hawk Eyes maxed. And uhh¡­ so did my Spear Mastery. So¡­ Yay?¡± Zeke only tilted his head upwards, avoiding the flabbergasted look on Piker and Myra¡¯s faces while the Journeymen could only look at them pitifully. Vol 2 Ch40: Gains, gains, gains! When everybody got word of her improvements, they pretty much forced Mikella to reveal her notifications. Only to the ones in charge, of course, and her very pestering sparring friends who refuse to be denied this access no matter the cost. Zeke could only shake his head at the absurd amount of skill leveling this woman had gained.
Hawk Eyes Level Up! It is now Level 10 (Maxed). You have gained +2 STR from your skill. You have gained +1 DEX from your skill. Hawk Eyes has been maxed. Bonuses are now applied. -Increased damage when attacking weak points. -Decreased stamina consumption. -Advancement available. -Evolution available.
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Spear Mastery Level Up! It is now Level 10 (Maxed). You have gained +5 STR from your skill. You have gained +5 DEX from your skill. Spear Mastery has been maxed. Bonuses are now applied. -Increased Spear Damage -Attained Spear Arts -Advancement available.
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Kinetic Manipulation Level Up! It is now Level 4. You have gained +3 DEX from your skill. You have gained +6 END from your skill.
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Sword Mastery Level Up! It is now Level 2. You have gained +1 STR from your skill. You have gained +2 DEX from your skill.
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Axe Mastery Level Up! It is now Level 7. You have gained + 2 STR from your skill. You have gained +2 END from your skill.
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Hammer Mastery Level Up! It is now level 6. You have gained +2 STR from your skill. You have gained +2 END from your skill.
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Acrobatics Level Up! It is now Level 3. You have gained +6 STR from your skill. You have gained +6 DEX from your skill.
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Draconic Fury Level Up! It is now Level 3. Increase attribute increase (x2). Decrease cooldown and energy consumption (x2).
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Forced Regeneration Level Up! It is now Level 3. Increase regeneration rate (x2). Decrease damage needed to regenerate (x2).
The one that stood out the most was her Spear Mastery. As far as he remembered, she only had it at level 5. Level fucking five. And somehow, it jumped straight to max after her fight with Zeke. How she managed to raise a skill all the way to max from being at half level was too unprecedented. Despite all this craziness involved, Mikella, according to Myra¡¯s own words, had the gall to go ahead and upgrade her skills right in front of the group while they were discussing this turnabout.
Skill Advancement has commenced. Your skill Spear Mastery (Uncommon) has advanced into Spear Mastery (Rare). You gain points based on the advanced rarity: +9 STR Your skill Spear mastery has been reset to Level 1. You will still retain the stat bonuses you have acquired before the advancement.
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Skill Evolution has commenced. Your skill Hawk Eyes (Rare) has evolved into Dragon Eyes (Epic). Your skill Dragon Eyes has been reset to level 1. You will still retain the stat bonuses you have acquired before the evolution.
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Dragon Eyes (Epic), Level 1 Your prey will never escape you. Weak points will be shown to you and damage will increase upon striking them. Your draconic heritage will also allow you to pierce through any form of illusion, mental or otherwise. Your perception of any weak point and damage increases according to the level of the skill and the current Dexterity stat and Spirit stat.
Despite what she did was considered rude (somehow), everyone clammed up when they saw her Hawk Eyes evolve into Dragon Eyes. ¡°Huh, did it¡­¡± Mikella tilted her head. ¡°Did it evolve thanks to my class? It says here ¡®Draconic heritage¡¯ or something¡­¡± ¡°Most likely,¡± Cloud said, nodding while he rubbed his chin. ¡°A Class-defined skill evolution¡­ Now that¡¯s rare.¡± ¡°Does that mean it¡¯s stronger than a normal evolution?¡± Myra asked. Rather than steeping in envy, she was more keen on how it works. It wasn¡¯t like Mikella was the only one capable of such a feat. ¡°Not exactly,¡± Cloud shook his head. ¡°Actually, Val here can tell you herself.¡± Val rolled her eyes, a surprise coming from her considering she would always answer any questions. Somehow though, her frown proved that this particular question wasn¡¯t something she wanted to answer. ¡°I have my own Hawk Eyes, and it evolved into a skill based on my class as well. Though it didn¡¯t evolve into Dragon Eyes¡­¡± When she trailed off, nobody in their right mind wanted to ask for more details. Not even Mikella who noticed Val¡¯s hesitation on whether to reveal her evolved skill name or not. ¡°Anyways,¡± Val quickly continued. ¡°The effects would turn out differently than normal. In this case, her skill allows her to pierce through illusions. That¡¯s an incredibly useful effect, especially since Mikella doesn¡¯t have any skill related to mental defenses yet.¡± ¡°I was kinda hoping to get Steadfast Mind, but this works too¡­¡± Mikella added, then she paused as she pursed her lips. ¡°Though, those aren¡¯t the only skills I gained.¡± Everyone turned to her. Even Zeke turned back to her in surprise. ¡°You learned a new skill?¡± Zeke asked, and she nodded. When he looked back at their fight, he didn¡¯t think she would gain anything other than leveling the skills she already had. What else could she have learned? Before he could ask any further, she showed the notifications to everyone else again. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
General Skill learned: Mana Perception.
There was no need to expand on that. Zeke¡¯s eyes widened when everyone else looked at her in surprise and awe in their eyes. ¡°Not only all of that¡­ you even got Mana Perception. Seriously, what exactly happened during that fight?¡± At this point, Myra was just baffled at her explosive growth. And it looks like this time Mikella was honestly too embarrassed to look her in the eyes. She fidgeted as she tried to figure out what to say. ¡°Umm¡­ I guess the fight just really pushed me over the limits?¡± Mikella said, grinning sheepishly. ¡°Well now,¡± Cloud chuckled. ¡°Welcome to being a mage then, Mikella. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll become even more chaotically powerful than you are now thanks to that.¡± Everyone just nodded their heads in approval, though Zeke did notice Mikella furrowed her brows at the supposedly unnecessary added adjective to ¡®powerful¡¯. In the end, however, she beamed as one of the most difficult goals for any warrior was finally attained for her. Then, she turned to Zeke. ¡°So what did you get?¡± ¡°Me?¡± Zeke asked, actually confused for a second. Then he paused when he realized that the corner of his vision showed blinking notifications. Several of them, in fact.
General Skill learned: Kinetic Perception.
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General Skill learned: Unarmed Mastery.
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Unarmed Mastery (Uncommon), Level 1 You refuse to use any weapon, deciding that your own body is enough. When you do not wield any weapon, your damage increases and your movements become faster. Each of these will increase according to the level of the skill and the current Strength, Dexterity, and Endurance stat.
Zeke had to take a double take for each of his new skills. He only gained skills based on magic or his runecraft, so he was shocked to find out that his first real combat-styled skill was his literal fists. It was even at Uncommon rarity, somehow. He showed them to everyone, each of whom shared a baffled look on their faces. Piker was the one that spoke next. ¡°So not only Mikella, but Zeke too¡­ And here I thought Mikella was the only one who could learn skills on the fly.¡± ¡°Well, I feel vindicated now,¡± Myra answered honestly, getting Mikella to glare at her. Myra only just ignored her. ¡°I was starting to worry that only Mikella can advance faster skill-wise.¡± ¡°It looks like she wasn¡¯t the only one that was invigorated in the fight,¡± Val said, a beaming smile flashing on her face. Zeke could only just look away in embarrassment. He wasn¡¯t sure why, but somehow he felt like he should be embarrassed. Still, that explained that sudden burst of physical action when Mikella drove her spear through his barrier. At the time, all he wanted to do was to keep her away. So if his barrier broke, then his body would be the one to keep her off. He kept battering her, not really thinking about damaging her or even punching her like a madman, and for each blow, he felt¡­ something. That very something that Mikella was trying to teach him. The ¡®flow¡¯ of combat. He thought it was just prodigy talk¨Chow a talented person can¡¯t really explain how they can be so good at something and can only speak in terms they could understand. But he felt it then. The flow¡­ that was actually kinetic energy surging through him. It was vastly weaker than his mana, but it was there. And as it flowed through his shoulders, his arms, then to his hands¨Che felt that he needed to expel them out or else he might have exploded. He didn¡¯t think that his body being charged with so much mana could actually help him understand the fundamentals of kinetic energy. And that was just for Kinetic Perception. Unarmed Mastery¡­ he didn¡¯t think he wanted such a skill, but somehow it fit him. He might consider getting a sword or any other types of weapon in the future, but right now his body is enough. He still had plenty of kinks to iron out with his fighting style after all. While all that was happening, Zacharia came in to completely disrupt the good vibes all around them. He approached Zeke with his usual stoic look, looking down on him thanks to his near 7-feet tall height bearing down on Zeke¡¯s measly six feet. ¡°Zeke¡­ you said you were the one who made the runes, correct?¡± He asked, his voice gruff and serious. Zeke only nodded. He wasn¡¯t sure what Zacharia was trying to get. Considering his distaste for mages, is he going to complain that using magic to gain easy power is shameful? Apparently, it was the opposite. ¡°Do you think you can do the same for others?¡± Zeke paused at that. Really, he actually paused for a few seconds. His Parallel Thought went into overdrive at that point, something which he still doesn¡¯t have much control over considering its low level. But that idea sparked so many ideas into his head that he couldn''t help but use the skill to realize them all in full. While that was going on, the others quickly caught on to what Zacharia was saying. ¡°Are you saying you want Zeke to carve runes into your soldiers?¡± Cloud asked, not seemingly mad but more surprised. ¡°You do recognize that Zeke raised his Pain Resistance to Rare rarity to handle that process, right?¡± ¡°I do, which is even better in my opinion,¡± Zacharia said without remorse. For a moment, Zeke noticed in the corner of his eyes that Piker flinched slightly. ¡°Runes that allow the fighter to naturally alter their stats based on their highest stat. It is an incredible ability to have, all without having a skill on hand as well. One can easily change the course of battle if they use their stats to the fullest.¡± ¡°I agree completely, but I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s a lot harder than you think,¡± Cloud continued. Zeke was still silent, so he let Cloud continue since he was there from the start. ¡°First, you need a lot of mana regeneration to handle the changes. Zeke could do so since his Spirit is extremely high considering his circumstances. Not to mention to change stats mid-way, one needs a good handle on their magical energy. Mana Perception at a high level at the least, in my estimation.¡± ¡°I see¡­ that is unfortunate,¡± Zacharia brushed his beard with his fingers, deep in thought. ¡°I should¡¯ve known such a thing would only work for Zeke.¡± ¡°That may not be the case,¡± Zeke suddenly spoke up, getting everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°I don¡¯t have to alter their stats to give them some power-ups.¡± Zeke¡¯s lips twisted into a smile. The ideas churning in his head were all the possibilities he could do to his own body before eventually landing on altering his stats. It would work for him since he has a lot of mana regeneration like Cloud said. But that doesn¡¯t mean the other folks can¡¯t use something else in return. Without realizing it, Zeke¡¯s manic grin was giving everyone goosebumps as he explained the possibilities. While the experts looked at him in shock, Mikella the only one excited about this, the Journeymen listened with fascination over his next course of actions. ¡­.. They decided to take the next few days to rest despite the overwhelming danger of Bastion getting a foothold into this. Being able to alter the fighter¡¯s movements in mid-combat would be a perfect way to disrupt the energy and take them down once and for all. Unfortunately, nothing ever works out in reality. In the end, Zeke¡¯s plans and ideas were all just theories he could try out on the soldiers. That didn¡¯t mean the soldiers were capable of making that a reality. ¡°Oh gods! It hurts! It hurts so much!¡± ¡°Please stop, I¡¯m begging you!¡± ¡°Mommy!¡± The soldiers, trained under a hardened veteran in the kingdom, were now reduced to crying men and women who wanted nothing more than to stop the man hurting them with the giant needle. Well, Zeke was using his pen, but it was no different in either case to the soldiers¡¯ wet eyes. On the other hand, Zeke found himself more and more disappointed. He wanted to help (read: experiment) on the others to find out just how far he can go with his newly evolved Battle Runecraft. However, as one would expect, the process of having runes carved into their flesh was not a pleasant experience. Some did have their Pain Resistance level, yes, but neither of them had the benefits of having runes into their bodies. And whenever Zeke tried to re-do the process, they instantly bolted despite Zacharia right there glaring at them. Hell, they¡¯d rather go and fight monsters all day without rest rather than to go through another session of rune-tattooing. The only ones capable of withstanding the pain and staying still were none other than Myra, Piker, and Mikella herself. Unfortunately, the process was a lot harder than Zeke expected. Myra just straight up fainted. The pain was too much for her low level Pain Resistance to handle, and no matter how often she tried to fight it, eventually her own body failed her as she straight up slumped over. It made the entire process impossible without Myra conscious. He tried to continue despite her still being unconscious¨Cwith Val¡¯s consent of course¨Cbut her mana just wouldn¡¯t budge without the owner¡¯s consciousness present, making it impossible to carve runes into her. For Piker, despite trying his hardest to withstand the pain, Zeke found it difficult to find his magical channels with his Recovery, and even when he did, his dense kinetic channels were making it harder to pinpoint the spot he needed to carve runes into him. It was especially worse when his Spirit stat was the lowest out of all of his other stats. Eventually, Mikella was next. This process was a lot better than the last two, as Zeke healed Mikella so many times that he recognized her magical channels as well as his own. Thanks to that, the first ever experimental rune tattoo on another person was a success. Mikella handled the pain well, and despite tears brimming in her eyes as Zeke continued, there was a glint that told him that he better not stop or else he¡¯ll get his ass kicked again. Zeke just smiled as he continued, putting the first ever tattoo with a special ability.
Basic Rune of Wind has been activated. You are able to control the element of Air for the next 25 seconds.
He wanted to give her the opportunity to cast wind magic easily without the use of having a Air Mastery skill. Unfortunately when she tried to use it, the rune on her body began to spark dangerously, not unlike her usual lightning, and it nearly blasted her arm apart from the magical conflict. Mikella took it like a champ and Zeke managed to heal her without any permanent injury, but the tattoo just straight up vanished, as though her body refused to accept any other mana. Zeke and Cloud theorized that her attunement was too powerful to accept any permanent foreign mana without it being strong enough to handle it. It was one thing to heal her, but another to try and take residence. It was a bit weird to think of her attunement as a tenant in her body, but some people just have those cases sometimes. Still, that alone already got Zeke to vastly improve his skills.
Mana Manipulation Level Up! It is now Level 6. You have gained +2 INT from your skill. You have gained +1 SPI from your skill.
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Battle Runecraft Level Up! It is now Level 2. You have gained +2 INT from your skill. You have gained +2 SPI from your skill.
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Phantasmal Runes Level Up! It is now Level 3. Increased potency of all created runes based on the Spirit stat. Decreases mana consumption of all runes.
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Runic Echoes Level Up! It is now Level 3. Increases the potency of synchronized runes (x2). Decreases proper rune structure needs (x2).
Vol2 Ch41: Time to head to the tower After all the craziness of Zeke¡¯s experimental rune tattoos, it wasn¡¯t much of a surprise to find every soldier around them invigorated by their fight. Hearing that Zeke, a Runist, learned Kinetic Perception and Unarmed Mastery, along with Mikella displaying that massive amount of growth by not just maxing out another weapon mastery, but even learning Mana Perception¨Cthat got everyone to get off their asses to train. While the tattooing process was painful, leveling skills was the next thing on their list, much to Zacharia¡¯s approval. However, he still looked shame-faced to find out that most of his soldiers didn¡¯t have the mettle to compare to Zeke. Mikella made sure to keep reminding him of that whenever she spotted him. Zeke had to stop her from bullying the man despite him showing not a single flying fuck about it. He also noticed Val doing the same to the chuckling Cloud as well, much to his own chagrin. Though, the two did have a personal talk together regarding Zeke¡¯s runes. He knew this was about to come eventually, so he relayed everything that he had done to her. In return, Mikella revealed her own feelings. ¡°I guess I just felt betrayed. Like¡­ I know you had a good reason, but still. We¡¯re supposed to be partners. Who else can I trust in this world other than you?¡± ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Zeke nodded. ¡°And I¡¯m sorry. I just¡­ I sort of knew that you would be against it. But that still isn¡¯t a good excuse to keep it a secret.¡± He apologized again which finally got Mikella to wave it off. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m just venting a little. I guess the whole thing is just getting into my head. What¡¯s with the angel and Clara¡­¡± Mikella let out a deep breath. It was filled with all the anxiety that she and Zeke shared together. ¡°But I know better now. Just promise me one thing.¡± ¡°Sure, anything.¡± Zeke was prepared to give in to every demand to get her apology. Despite it being for a good cause, and Zeke improved by leaps and bounds compared to before, he still felt guilty for lying to Mikella¨Ceven if it was just a white lie. She grinned. ¡°Make sure to bring your A-game every time we spar. Now that you showed me what you got, I don¡¯t wanna hold back anymore against you.¡± Zeke chuckled wryly. ¡°Just make sure to keep the bone breaking to a minimum, okay? I only got so much mana to spend.¡± She had the decency to blush at that, and of course jab at his arm with all of her empowered Strength to match her embarrassment. He never had a problem at all, even if his arm was sore. He wanted her to go all out against him. He felt that this way, she can improve herself just as much as he did. And if he was honest¡­ she never looked more beautiful during that moment. When he saw her charging after him, pulling out her weapons and using them to batter against his barrier¡­ he saw her really up close. Sure, she was getting burnt beyond measure, and there was a manic look in her eyes that would scare normal folks who didn¡¯t know her. But Zeke? That visage never felt so natural for her. It was like seeing an animal stuck in a cage for a long time finally released into the wild. It was primal and pristine, all at the same time. It was beautiful. Of course, he doesn¡¯t intend to reveal these thoughts to her at all, or to anyone else for that matter. He felt those feelings were personal, and kept them close to the chest. If he was the only one to see her in such a state, even if it was a little selfish, he would be happy. Throughout the rest of the day, they explained their goals, their training regimen, and what they plan to do. It felt like there was barely any hours left before they had to rest for the morning. They could go without any sleep for a few days, but having natural rest now would be beneficial as there wasn¡¯t anything to be worried about. Zeke did some minor tweaks to his runes, with Mikella in tow this time giving her insights. Cloud and Val were at their homes now, and it was about time for Zeke to start working by himself. He appreciated Cloud¡¯s help so far, but he felt that he should be the one to steer the path on his own now, which Cloud was more than okay with. Though, that didn¡¯t stop Mikella from watching the scene as she marveled at the sight of his working. He felt a little giddy and nervous at the same time when she spoke up. ¡°It¡¯s pretty badass that you can tattoo yourself,¡± Mikella said off-handedly, getting Zeke to feel flushed. ¡°Uhh, thanks¡­¡± He honestly didn¡¯t know how to accept the praise, his cheeks burning from the honesty. ¡°So, what¡¯s the plan?¡± She asked. ¡°For now, I just wanna stabilize the runes. I can increase my stats to half of my Spirit stat. Anymore and they¡¯ll blow up and leave me limbless.¡± ¡°Kinda like what happened to me,¡± Mikella nodded. ¡°Again, I didn¡¯t think it would be that bad. Sorry about that¡­¡± Zeke grimaced, but Mikella waved it off. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Sucks that I can¡¯t do it, but this made it all the better for you. It¡¯s something only you can do. Just¡­ don¡¯t blow yourself up, okay?¡± ¡°Considering my luck, that might actually happen.¡± Zeke readily accepted the slap from Mikella on the arm, stinging his already sore arm. It was still good to know she had faith in him in not doing so. ¡­.. Even with all the training, the supplies they gathered, and the preparation they have done for this day, Zeke still felt his mouth dry up at the thought of future battles. Mikella also showed a bit of hesitation, though it was only because he knew how her face reacts whenever they head out. Everyone else would see a face scowling, ready for combat. For him, he saw a look of worry on her face, and he was sure Clara was filling about 50 to 60% of her entire mind. They saw the entire group lined up in a perfect formation. There was no hint of incompetence or hesitation in their steps as Zacharia stepped up in front of them all. His stance was absolutely perfect¨Cno fidgeting or shaking like some of the other soldiers Zeke could pick out. ¡°Today we will march towards the fortress and take on the Bastion army that has invaded the biodome,¡± Zacharia shouted. His usually rumbling voice was replaced with a roar like a lion¡¯s. ¡°Remember what I have told you¨CThese are the same soldiers that have ruthlessly slaughtered the innocent of Eve Glade, and tried to capture the Unity Core that has been granted by none other than the king himself! That alone is enough of a death warrant, and we shall be the ones to deliver it to them!¡± The soldiers roared in agreement, stomping their feet and raising their fists. In that short moment, they settled down to let Zacharia speak again. Talk about uniformity, Zeke thought as Zacharia continued. ¡°We have already planned that I shall step down from the leadership role for this conquest, and instead, Moars will take on the commanding post!¡± Zacharia stepped aside to reveal another soldier, but this one was nearly as big as Zacharia¡¯s near 7-feet tall self. The man was decked in leather armor from neck to toe, with several plates covering his vitals. He had a large double-bladed battleaxe strapped behind his back, with slicked black hair combed behind with clear precision. He had a hard look on his face, and a large scar that split across his face diagonally. This man, Moars, was as intimidating as possible, but throughout the weeks they¡¯ve known him, Moars is actually pretty chill. At first, they were worried that Moars was like the clone to Zacharia and Piker, but he talked as though he was stoned half the time. His actions and demeanor made Zeke think of him as the potheads in his old world, and wondered whether he truly was stoned out of his mind. They were clearly wrong. He was chill and relaxed, but when he fought and gave orders, he was truly a wreckoning to their enemies. He clearly keeps up his persona of work and personal life in check as he stood upright, his fists behind his back as he was presented by Zacharia. He was also one of the oldest of the group, reaching in his thirties while at the highest Expert stage at Level 53. Everyone else also agreed that this was the right call, as while Piker is a worthy leader in his own right, he was still young and clearly gave Moars the respect he deserved for not just being the oldest and strongest, but also the wisest when it came to directing a platoon. ¡°I know each of you has questions as to why both I and the rest of the Lords are separating from the group. We have good information that there is another strange singularity happening near the fortress, and we will take every measure to ensure to take that singularity out before returning to the fight at hand. Your duty is to ensure that the Bastion bastards won¡¯t take over the fortress before we do! Will you let them?!¡± ¡°No!¡± Everyone shouted in unison, and Zacharia nodded with a pleased frown. Zeke let out a heavy breath as the soldiers got ready to set off. For now, the army will set off at a marching pace towards the fortress, taking the path that they made. This way, they can get over to the fortress with minimal time and effort, wasting no resources on the way. As the army set off, the base was left entirely desolate. The only thing remaining were the buildings they built beforehand and the generator creating the small dome. They still needed to make sure that the way to the elevator is blocked off to avoid the Bastion army finding it, and should they happen to find a way to destroy the barrier surrounding the base, they won¡¯t find anything of value, and the generator can easily be replaced. They were also certain that without the runists that created the elevator, they wouldn''t be able to get off scot-free before the units returned to fight them off. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. Still, this is all in theory whether the Bastion army still had Experts like before during the ambush. However, they made it clear that they must have brought in their own Journeyman, and only planned on stalling the fights rather than outright taking them out. While Zacharia was ambitious for the sake of the kingdom, he wasn¡¯t going to needlessly sacrifice soldiers if possible. So, the small team consisting of Zeke, Mikella, Myra, Piker, and the Journeyman left for their own path. At first, they considered going the natural way, considering that they have to be secretive on approaching the tower again with the army back there. However, the Journeymen decided on a different route, and this time they asked Zeke for help. Using his barrier and forming it into a ball that surrounded them, he reformed it to change it into a durable barrier built for speed. It was almost like the Superball, except without the jumping. They needed to be discreet, but they also needed to be quick as they had to settle the tower business before taking on the army and the tower. With Cloud and Zeke working together, they created intrinsic runes that connected the ball-like barrier with the group members, automatically charging it with their own kinetic energy. It was the same concept as Zeke did before back from the undeath tower. Finally, Zeke affixed them in their place with more freedom. That way, they can shift and move their necks without having to be turned into meat paste as they travel. Once they got everything in order, Zeke put his hand up and focused his will into the barrier to move. With the runes charging it with kinetic energy from the others, the barrier slowly moved forward. His own Kinetic Perception made it even better for him to control the barrier. The barrier started moving, and before long the speed ramped up as Zeke became the metaphorical driver in the barrier as they literally drove across the forest ground. Apparently in this world, there were skills such as this that allowed people to travel as quickly as possible with others in tow, something like creating a metal boat that could fly through the air, or a water bubble to get through to lava. This was effectively the cheapest option they have¨Ccompletely free. ¡­.. ¡°Whoo!¡± Val shouted, her face swiveling left and right as the scenery around them changed in a blink of an eye. ¡°Val, you shouldn¡¯t shout!¡± Cloud said, though the look on his face and tone of voice showed that he wasn¡¯t exactly having the time of his life. Meanwhile, Zacharia was as stoic as always, but Mikella did notice that he was gripping onto his crossed arms tighter than normal. Was he nervous or excited? Either way, she can¡¯t blame him. Before, she was utterly frightened of jumping straight down into the abyss the last time they were in a barrier, but now she couldn¡¯t help but smile and laugh as she saw the scenery around her. They were making incredible pace, and every time a crystal monster would come in, Zeke would either drive by them or straight up crash into them. It was only the weaker creatures such as the crystal foxes and birds, as the bisons were too tough to handle with a simple drive-by. Still, the free XP between her and Zeke was always good for her. But she instead looked to Zeke who was focused on driving to their destination. There was clear perspiration on his forehead as Zeke breathed heavily. It took a lot out of him to remain so focused. With Mana Perception on hand, she could understand just how much focus there is to maneuver mana like this. ¡°Zeke, when we get over this, I want Clara to see this,¡± Mikella said, taking his attention while his eyes kept looking forward. ¡°She¡¯s going to love this!¡± ¡°Y-You think?¡± Zeke asked. ¡°Won¡¯t she get scared?¡± ¡°She¡¯s a little adrenaline junkie like me,¡± Mikella smiled. ¡°Plus, she always loved being in car rides.¡± ¡°Not sure whether the first line was good to hear for me,¡± Zeke said, but he smiled as he looked forward again. His face changed now, and he looked relaxed. He also made the drive with his barrier somewhat pleasant, as though he was experimenting with Clara in tow. Mikella watched over to Myra who was just staring and gaping at the sight, with Piker beside Mikella pressing his lips tight. He apparently didn¡¯t take kindly to the last ride, and still he looked uncomfortable. Figuring it was impossible to talk to him, she turned to Myra instead. ¡°Whatchu looking at, you damn freak?¡± Myra said with contempt in her voice. Normally that would¡¯ve pissed her off, but Mikella smiled deviously at her instead. ¡°Aww, you still grumpy about me maxing out Spear Mastery?¡± She teased. ¡°Yes,¡± Myra grumbled, looking away with a scowl on her face. ¡°Damn prodigies and their incredible talent.¡± ¡°Myra, that¡¯s not appropriate,¡± Val ceased her laughter and joy to reprimand Myra with a serious look. ¡°Even if Mikella is a freak of nature, you shouldn''t be saying such things.¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am,¡± Myra said, sounding defeated. ¡°Hey, you didn¡¯t do any better!¡± Mikella called out, but Val only shrugged a shoulder before turning to the scene around her. ¡°Zeke, you got to let Ana be here too! This is so much fun!¡± ¡°Sure, I can bring both Clara and Ana, but we gotta pick an area that¡¯s safer than this. I¡¯m not sure if the forests outside are as safe,¡± Zeke said, liking the pleasant conversation to stave off the hard focus. ¡°...Cloud, your wife is truly adamant,¡± Zacharia said, still gripping tight on his arms. ¡°That¡¯s Val for you,¡± Cloud responded, surprising Mikella from how the two somehow could agree to this together. All the while, Val completely ignored them as they traveled in literal style. ¡­.. It took them only a few hours before they reached the location where they last spotted the tower. Thankfully, they came in here with less people as having more in the barrier would have destabilized the barrier¡¯s integrity. Still, Zeke had to take a massive breather as he plopped down on his ass, breathing heavily. Mikella offered a waterskin to him to which Zeke gladly accepted. Out of everyone, Zeke poured in more mana and stamina throughout the ride, and they were nearing empty by the look of his collar slightly glowing, showing that he was reaching his limit. Even worse was his stamina drain, considering that he only just unlocked Kinetic Perception recently. Mikella looked up, seeing the tower for herself in the distance. It still looked as giant as always, and more uncomfortable emotions passed through her system as Myra stepped up. ¡°You okay?¡± She asked Zeke, getting him to nod. Then, she turned to Mikella. ¡°You guys don¡¯t think it¡¯ll be as bad as the last one, right?¡± ¡°Judging from our experiences,¡± Mikella turned back to her. ¡°The first one was a simple dungeon dive. The last one was literally hell. So, here¡¯s to hoping we don¡¯t run into water zones or something.¡± ¡°Don''t¡¯...hah¡­ jinx us!¡± Zeke said, nearly shouting the last part out as Mikella slammed her hands on her mouth. ¡°Whoops¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what that is, but I don¡¯t like it,¡± Myra grimaced. ¡°I don¡¯t think water and I mix well.¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be fine if that¡¯s the case,¡± Piker stepped up, looking a lot more refreshed than before. Apparently being out of the driving barrier was doing wonders. ¡°I can just freeze it and give us a place to breathe.¡± ¡°Hell yeah!¡± Myra shouted. ¡°But that means you can¡¯t do anything if it happens,¡± Mikella said, pointing at Myra. ¡°Aww¡­¡± Val giggled as she approached the team. Then she looked up at the tower, her amusement vanishing. ¡°Do you think the bastion army entered the tower yet?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Cloud shook his head. His color also looked better as he answered. ¡°The tower and the fortress could be the same for everyone else. Or they won¡¯t care. Either way, we need to head in there and get to the end before our team hits a snag.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s get moving. Zeke, can you move?¡± Zacharia asked, getting Zeke to nod as he stood up. ¡°Yeah, I just need a breather. I can walk fine.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Zacharia nodded. ¡°Everyone, get in formation. With Zeke¡¯s Mana gone, we need to be ready for anything.¡± Everyone nodded as the Experts prepared their weapons. She wasn¡¯t sure, but having maxed out both Sword and Spear Masteries to Rare rarity somehow enhanced Mikella¡¯s body. It didn¡¯t show through her status, but she felt nimbler, stronger, and in better control. She was also certain that she could control her lightning attunement far easier¨Cespecially with Mana Perception now included in her kit. She was ready for anything, and with Zeke by her side, nothing can stand against her. The team headed towards the tower, and when they approached the base of said tower, they saw that the fortress¡¯ walls covered the entirety around it. They also made sure that none of the Bastion warriors were around to find them. Mikella went ahead, her Cloak of Darkness covering her to scope out the scene. She saw that the Bastion army soldiers were far away on their own side, settling supplies and other crates down in their giant encampment. She spotted only a few Experts, according to her senses. Though she can¡¯t quite tell what the other soldiers were like. They felt strange, almost as if something was clouding her senses. Still, she ran away before she could get spotted and returned back to the others in front of the tower. She took off her cloak as she let out a breath while retelling what she saw. ¡°So now we need to head over the fortress wall to get to the tower,¡± Piker said. ¡°But how do we¨C¡± Before Piker could say anything, Zeke conjured barriers to make a staircase over the giant fortress walls. After careful consideration, Zeke also made the staircase somewhat transparent, making it difficult for anyone without super good eyesight to see obvious stairs moving upwards. ¡°Okay, good plan,¡± Piker mentioned, nodding to Zeke, but he still had a frown. ¡°But I¡¯m talking about getting up there without being spotted.¡± Zeke paused at that, then he smirked. ¡°I got something. Hold on.¡± He made another barrier, but this time it formed all around the staircase above, almost like a ceiling. His pen rose up into the air and drew on it, and before long the entire staircase disappeared. When Zeke entered the covered staircase from the outside, Mikella¡¯s eyes widened to find him suddenly disappearing into mid-air. In other words, entering the covered staircase would look invisible to anyone else seeing outside. Myra whistled. ¡°Wow, he turned invisible!¡± ¡°Shh,¡± Val hushed. ¡°It¡¯ll only work if we¡¯re quiet. So, shall we?¡± ¡°We got no time to lose,¡± Zacharia said, stepping over to the covered staircase and disappearing into it as well. It was these moments that Mikella felt envious of Zeke¡¯s knack for these magical goodies. But she knew better than anyone how much hard work he put into those runes, getting her to smile at the thought as she headed inside. She noticed some of the bastion soldiers coming over, possibly a patrol trying to survey the surroundings. They turned over to their side, only to just return back to facing the front. They don¡¯t even realize that a small team of soldiers were going up the walls of the fortress with ease, utterly invisible. Upon closer inspection, Mikella saw that the soldiers were level 51, the high stages of Expert. She wondered whether the folks that she killed back during the ambush were any stronger or less leveled than them, but she put that thought to the side as they made it over the top of the wall, then jumped down with the barriers. Soon, they made it over to the tower at hand. At first glance, it didn¡¯t seem all that different. But everyone with senses could tell the strange air it was giving off. It was a wonder why the Bastion soldiers hadn''t investigated this as nobody saw any patrols shifting around the place. The air felt stifling, almost like the last one they visited. The atmosphere shifted entirely, transforming it and making it more dense, difficult to breathe in. ¡°Alright, it¡¯s your turn,¡± Cloud said as he faced the two. ¡°Get ready.¡± Myra and Piker readied themselves, their faces static and expressionless. Val looked over with a concern on her face while Zacharia stared at the distance, looking over to see any more soldiers. Mikella and Zeke faced each other, then nodded. When they approached the tower, they could feel the atmosphere¡­ changing. Her Mana Perception picked up the strange energy coiling around the tower and themselves. That bit of energy was straining across each other more than anything else. Was this their connection to each other, calling out to the tower? She faced back at the tower, putting those thoughts to the side. Last time, they were just fumbling about. Now, they knew what to do. The two, in unison, poured their mental power over to the tower, forcing it to open. In a matter of moments, the air stifled and stunted. It began to warp around itself, energy forming at the center before a large circular portal appeared over the base of the tower. It was loud, and so the two turned back to the others, nodding in return. They have little time before the soldiers came in to see what had happened, so they ran in towards the portal, already knowing what was ahead. Mikella could only pray that it would just be easy to get hit and not turn into a zombie as her entire world faded to black. Vol2 Ch42: Seeing the fallen His breathing turned steady as they entered into the new realm of the tower. Even though he should know that he was safe, with Mikella by his side along with all the other Experts and Journeymen he trusted¨Che still felt off. Like visiting a warzone he didn¡¯t want to be a part of. The way his hand was grasped to the point that his bones felt like creaking also signified Mikella¡¯s feelings. He turned to her, seeing her hold his hand throughout the transportation. She looked back at him, almost accusingly. ¡°Just wanted to make sure you don¡¯t teleport away from me or something.¡± He didn¡¯t know whether to take that as playful banter or a serious note of worry. Either way, he was thankful even if his hand felt like being crushed. She let go, realizing and apologizing about the power in it. Just to be safe, he was already flaring a weak Endurance buff on himself with his runes, so it didn¡¯t go as far as breaking it. They turned to the others who also appeared along with them. Then they spun back around to their new surroundings. The last two towers had some sort of theme¨Ctheir tower was like being stuck in a castle with knights and dragons, and Alex¡¯s was some strange torture room filled with chains and obelisks. This time, it felt like they were transported into some temple based in some desert. There were colored cobblestone walls, or perhaps sandstone from their beige to amber coloring, and rugs covering the entirety of the floor of the hallway. There were even some abstract stone vases that were placed in intervals between each other across the halls, and once again there were the same similar doors, though rather than the wooden ones from the first tower, they looked like giant iron doors with small windows that had bars across them. Rather than some sort of temple, it was like a dungeon, in a literal sense. The reason it felt like a temple was due to the vases and statues standing on top of small pillars that looked like objects of worship, with small braziers hung via chains across the hallways lit in blue flames. It was different from the fluorescent lights from the first tower, but it still gave off that ominous feeling like before. ¡°Everyone alright?¡± Cloud asked, getting everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°No sign of undeath, so I¡¯m good,¡± Myra commented. She had a light smile on her face, showing how everyone was feeling deep inside. The best thing about this tower so far was that there were no signs of zombies attacking them, filled with undeath. Still, that didn¡¯t mean that they were out of danger yet. ¡°I¡¯ll take point,¡± Piker stepped forward. ¡°Zeke, use your barriers if you feel that something¡¯s coming up.¡± Zeke nodded as the group went ahead across the hallway. The air felt stifled, but it wasn¡¯t bad as they spent a few minutes traveling the hallway. Mikella went forward with her Cloak to check through the bars of the doors, but found that it was too dark to perceive. Piker tried opening it, his bastard sword at the ready, but it was locked tight. Not even a powerful pull from the strongest Val was able to get in, the handle to the door completely shut off. ¡°Now this is strange,¡± Val said. ¡°You said before that when you were at the tower, your levels were just below 10, right?¡± Zeke nodded. ¡°In the first tower, we also had doors that didn¡¯t open. But half the time, we opened them to find nothing of worth inside.¡± ¡°It was a real pain in the ass,¡± Mikella shook her head. ¡°But you¡¯re asking how tough these doors have to be if you can¡¯t force yourself inside, right?¡± Val nodded. Cloud rubbed his chin as he thought. ¡°There¡¯s not enough evidence to find out how these towers work. I thought it was just a strange dungeon before being told that these were actual works of gods. For now, let¡¯s keep moving forward.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have the time to check any door anyway,¡± Zacharia mentioned. ¡°If it¡¯s locked, no point wasting energy.¡± Everyone agreed to Zacharia¡¯s sentiment and moved onwards. Even though they were supposedly safe from the bastion army as they had no way of getting into the tower, as far as they know, they still need to hurry with clearing the tower. After getting through the hallway, they entered into a large circular area, filled with the same furnishing as the hallway itself. However, this time there were some odd things in here. In this case, this looked to be meant as a cafeteria of some sort, but the tables and chairs were wrought and destroyed, as though some messy accident occurred. Just when Piker was reaching towards the center, his sword at the ready, shuffling noises echoed and caused some of the rubble of the broken wooden furniture to clatter and break. ¡°Piker!¡± Zeke shouted as Piker instantly held his sword up at the incoming foe pouncing at him. Contrary to their beliefs, Piker was sent tumbling to his ass, his sword still up while gritting his teeth. The creature gnawed and roared straight at him, revealing its sharp fangs and glistening saliva as it traveled down to Piker¡¯s cheek, causing it to burn and sizzle upon impact. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ acidic!¡± Piker shouted before pushing away the strange creature with a kick, getting it to be tumbled away. Before the creature could realign itself and charge, it was blocked by Zeke¡¯s barrier and stabbed multiple times by both Myra and Mikella alike. While the Experts were busy with one, three others came into view, and that¡¯s when the Journeymen came into the scene. Val rushed and sliced off two of the heads of the creatures before anyone could bat an eye with her sword. Zacharia measly pulled one¡¯s head towards himself and slammed it at the floor with a mighty crunch, causing the floor itself to break and shatter into dozens of cracks and lines. Cloud flourished his hand out and a dozen or so glowing flames cascaded out of his palm, taking out the hidden creatures that were hiding within the circular room by some strange means. Zeke watched in awe as compared to before, Cloud and Val were clearly high up in their power. This was due to the Sphere of Inheritance taking their power away before, but now showed that they have no qualms fighting now. As Zacharia was built more for defense, it was already impressive enough that he slammed a creature to death with just his hands. Meanwhile, Zeke looked back to find that the girls and Piker were still dealing with one of those creatures. It was a strange sight¨Cit looked similar to a lizardman with a prolonged head and snout, and large fangs with a small tongue slithering out and hissing at them. They stood on two legs, but both arms and legs had claws sharp enough to scratch even Piker¡¯s armor, capable of handling some tough punishment. These weren¡¯t ordinary creatures, and Zeke blanched when he identified them.
Temple Lizards, Level 63
Journeymen? Zeke thought in horror. They were supposed to be weak enough for a Beginner to take on, weren¡¯t they? The revelation didn¡¯t put Zeke¡¯s heart at ease even after taking out so many of these powerful monsters at once in a matter of seconds. The Experts could look better but at this stage, it wasn¡¯t surprising that they¡¯d still have difficulty against an unknown opponent, especially for someone so wily and fast like the Lizards. After their deaths, as usual, the monsters didn¡¯t disappear, leaving the bodies so that anyone could loot them. Mikella did the honors of looting every one of the bodies, figuring that perhaps those who were formerly part of the tower would get a different loot drop. Unfortunately, none of them dropped anything of value. Well, when it comes to skill books. Equipment, on the other hand, was plentiful. ¡°Leather armor crafted with such fine details and precision,¡± Val said, admiring the well-cut leather and armored padding of the chest piece. While it didn¡¯t fit either of them, being a little too bulky but not enough for Zacharia and Piker, they decided to keep them in their storage packs. They found at least three armor pieces of good quality. ¡°This is how you found those equipment pieces from before, right?¡± Zeke nodded. ¡°I¡¯m already figuring out that this tower is meant to train those that were taken. First, learning about combat, then rewarding them with good equipment and books. Still¡­¡± Zeke lowered his head, the levels of the lizards still bashing at his skull. Even if it was in the middle of the Journeymen infested biodome, it should¡¯ve been easier in here than outside. Wasn¡¯t it? Even if the people here were trapped within the biodome, which was already crazy enough as it is, the monsters shouldn¡¯t be so strong. ¡°Zeke, let¡¯s keep going,¡± Mikella said, tugging at his arm¡¯s cloth. The look on her face showed a hint of urgency, reading his mind. ¡°Yeah,¡± Zeke nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s keep going. They might¡­¡± Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. Zeke trailed off, but shook his head. He didn¡¯t even want to think about it, but for now, he kept hope in his chest as they moved on from the room. After getting out of the room, which surely should¡¯ve been a death trap, they went through several more large rooms like this one, only in different shapes and sizes. The lizards were well versed in hiding themselves, using the surroundings matching their colors like annoying chameleons with claws and fangs. However, while they were tougher than most normal nimble creatures, they were cut down easily thanks to the Journeymen. The Experts also took in the fighting, now that they were slowly getting used to things. They got some decent XP, and once again found themselves a plethora of loot. However, not a single one had the books that the tower was famous for, at least to the two foreigners. And finally, they managed to level up for once after a long, long time.
Level Up! You are now Level 41. You gain 2 free points (2 FP total). You have gained +3 DEX from your class. You have gained +3 INT from your class. You have gained +3 SPI from your class.
It was a good thing for them, especially since they haven¡¯t leveled up in a while despite killing many monsters before. But despite that, dread started spreading across Zeke¡¯s chest. Each time they find a locked door, they keep moving forward to another one, making it a quick and easy process. They kept going this way for about an hour, to which Zacharia called out. ¡°Let¡¯s take a quick break,¡± He halted everyone, getting their attention. ¡°With the way things are going, we can find an easy place to defend, and recover our resources.¡± ¡°But we can still keep going,¡± Mikella answered back. ¡°Besides, weren¡¯t you the one that said that we needed to keep moving and not waste time?¡± ¡°Yes, I did,¡± Zacharia nodded. ¡°I also said that once we get out, we¡¯re going to get back into fighting against Bastion. I¡¯d rather we get back to the best possible condition rather than head out weary and tired.¡± Mikella gritted her teeth behind closed lips, but she didn¡¯t say anything else. Zeke figured that Mikella wouldn¡¯t try arguing with the general with his vast experience, even if she disliked about 80% of his actions. Not that he blamed her for thinking that. Without another word, the group found a decently small room devoid of anything valuable (they checked) before sitting down and resting their laurels. Piker and Myra were already resting well, being the ones who had to fight the hardest while Mikella was dealing the quick and damaging blows thanks to her fast strikes. That didn¡¯t mean that either were lacking or being lazy. If anything, Zeke was being lazy as he was just conjuring barriers to stop the monsters in their tracks rather than just defending them. Still, seeing everyone sitting down made him uneasy. It reminded him of the days back at the tower, despite how short that time was. Even if they were okay with no barriers protecting them, it made his fingers fidget. Mikella noticed that as well, and stood up. ¡°Can we at least check our surroundings? We still got a lot of energy to spare,¡± Mikella asked the others. ¡°And¡­ maybe we can find something decent while we¡¯re going around.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± Val asked. ¡°I know you two have experience in this, but I still prefer we go together.¡± ¡°Perhaps it might be better this way,¡± Cloud answered, once again receiving a glare from Val. He raised his hand. ¡°There¡¯s no way that those two would be in danger with Zeke there. Besides, as long as they don¡¯t go too far from us, we can always get to them in time. Rather, making them stay here would probably be counter productive.¡± Val pressed her lips tight before her shoulders slumped in resignation. ¡°I can¡¯t help but worry, alright? Promise me that you two won¡¯t go too far? Zeke, I¡¯m counting on you to take care of Mikky.¡± ¡°Always,¡± Zeke said without hesitation. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°I kinda don¡¯t like how you readily answered that question,¡± Mikella answered back with a frown before following Zeke, but in the end chuckled as the two headed out. A moment later, the two found themselves on their own once again in the same tower. While the interior was different, a wave of nostalgia hit them. ¡°I¡¯m so glad that Clara isn¡¯t here,¡± Mikella said, her voice soft. ¡°You know she¡¯s been having nightmares about this sometimes?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Zeke nodded, scanning their surroundings to the best of his abilities ¡°I¡¯m not surprised. She¡¯s so young, and we saw some pretty bad stuff.¡± ¡°That and us getting hurt,¡± Mikella answered. ¡°She thinks it¡¯s her fault we got hurt so much.¡± ¡°But it wasn¡¯t,¡± Zeke answered. ¡°Though you probably told her that dozens of times, huh?¡± ¡°Sure did,¡± Mikella nodded. A frown entered her face. ¡°Where do you think the other survivors are?¡± ¡°Survivors¡­¡± Zeke had a difficult time accepting that rather than being foreigners or visitors, the truth was that they were survivors. Shaking his head, he answered. ¡°I¡¯m just hoping they¡¯re not psychopaths like Alex.¡± ¡°Actually, do you think there are more people here, like the three of us?¡± Mikella asked. ¡°Huh¡­ didn¡¯t think about that.¡± The two talked like this, and while they knew it was dangerous, it helped settle down their beating hearts. With the situation being like it is, they were trying to do what they could to help calm themselves. Zeke wanted to thank Cloud for his support¨Che knew by now that they were too unsettled for being near in the same situation as before. When they kept walking, Zeke continued to open doors left and right. While some opened up and revealed absolutely nothing, another was utterly locked. They continued pacing forward, making sure not to get too far away. Mikella herself opened a door, seemingly normal compared to the rest of the steel doors, and checked inside. Zeke was just about to try and find another door when Mikella yelped out of nowhere. ¡°What?!¡± Zeke shouted, running towards her. He saw Mikella¡¯s eyes widened, her hands covering her mouth in shock. His heart dropped after seeing that¨Cwhat kind of monster would make her react like that? He was already charging up a barrier and ready to fight even if Mikella wasn¡¯t able to. He stepped over to her side to see the inside¡­ and he paused. His hands dropped, all his mana winked out of existence. His heart raced faster and faster at the sight. Inside was just a normal room as before, with the same furnishing and the desolate air like the rest of the tower. The only difference this time was that there were skeletons¨Chuman skeletons. There was a pair of them, and one was easily an adult, and another slightly younger. The bones were different in size and shape to be anything else. The skeletons had bits of rotten skin on themselves, with bloody and torn clothing covering them. But that wasn¡¯t the only part. Around the two skeletons were varying degrees of leather packs¨CStorage Packs, the same as how they found their own. But Zeke didn¡¯t care. He approached the two skeletons, with Mikella tugging at his arm. ¡°Wait, Zeke,¡± Mikella pleaded. ¡°Don¡¯t¡­¡± Despite her words, clear fear entering in her tone, she followed with him, still tugging at his arm. Zeke was just trying to comprehend what he was seeing. But his mind already told him the answer¨Che just didn¡¯t want to accept it. The reason why the angel just told them about the dungeon as though in passing, and why she didn¡¯t bother answering their question about potential survivors. Because there were none. They died in this tower, and like them, they were surely taken against their will. Mikella shook, her eyes beginning to brim with tears as she gasped harshly, covering her mouth with her hand. She looked away, particularly from the younger skeleton hugging the adult skeleton tightly, as though they died together in peace. Zeke wanted to look away. The more he looked, the more he referred to themselves, and what would have happened if either one of them died, or all three of them had died. If they didn¡¯t work together, got lucky, and managed to get out in time¡­ they would¡¯ve ended up the same way. All without any rhyme or reason, all for the sake of some god that put them there. He gritted his teeth. These gods took them against their will to do something, no matter if they bring in children or not. They take them to this horrible new world where they have no choice but to fight and survive, learn the skills and head out into the open world. But for these two, even if they did get out, they would never be able to survive in the biodome. It was impossible for them from the start. So what was the point of all this? What was the point of surviving in this harsh tower, only to die like this anyways even if they were released? Perhaps it was a mercy that they died there. That way, their despair of never being able to get out of the biodome would never hit them. They never had a chance. They had no way out. That alone brought Zeke to grit his teeth tighter, his body shaking with rage. He felt something coming out, but he didn¡¯t care. This tower, what it represented¨Cit can all just burn down. ¡°Zeke, what¡¯s going¨C!¡± Val was the first to appear in the room along with the others following suit. But they all stood stock still after seeing the skeletons. They looked at the two, who stood there gazing at the fallen survivors, each with differing expressions. Mikella looked wrought with grief and despair, but there was a hint of madness circulating through her eyes. Zeke, on the other hand, had a still face, but his eyes glowed bright turquoise. ¡°Zeke!¡± Cloud shouted, approaching them, but then the air suddenly shifted and a wave of pressure ensued from the two. It brought the others to feel the intensity behind his mana, radiating like a faucet from deep within his core. His collar, the one that had contained his magic this whole time, started to burn his skin from the intensity of his mana. Small blue sparks coiled around the collar, his neck bulging with veins from the pressure of the collar as well as his own attunement running rampant. ¡°Zeke! Stop!¡± Cloud shouted, the others readying to either fight or flee depending on what might happen. ¡°Control yourself. You¡¯ll kill us all if you explode now!¡± Zeke could barely hear anything. Even if Cloud was telling him to calm down, and he was right¨Che didn¡¯t care. What was the point? He might as well just blow up if whatever might happen in the future is laying right in front of his eyes. But as he was ready to explode with every fiber of his being, wanting nothing more than to just let it all out, he felt a hand on his arm again. It was Mikella. Her visage looked furious, but not towards him. Instead, that bit of madness transformed into a look of determination. She held onto him tighter, her grip readying to break his bones from the sheer power. ¡°Zeke¡­ We need to calm down,¡± She said. She was trying hard not to lose it, unlike him. ¡°We can still survive. We can still have a future. But we can¡¯t lose it now. Not yet.¡± Mikella shook her head. She looked up at him. ¡°We need to think about Clara.¡± Even as the rampaging emotions, the whirling mana, was ready to explode, Zeke closed his eyes and took a big breath. He inhaled, then exhaled, and kept doing so as he felt his mana being forced to dissipate through his own will. It was just on the cusp of losing his control, but he managed to bring it all back down. The sparks flowing through his collar disappeared as the veins calmed down from his neck. With all of his pressure gone, the air returned to normal as he fell to his knees. He was just so angry, and now, he was tired. He was so tired, he just wanted to sleep. Mikella fell down with him, laying her head on his shoulder. She closed her eyes, and let out a big breath. ¡°...We¡¯ll be fine,¡± She said, her voice soft and gentle, like a wind chime on a hot day. ¡°As long as we¡¯re together, we¡¯ll always be fine.¡± ¡°...Yeah.¡± That was the only thing Zeke said, because all he wanted to do now was just rest. He should¡¯ve taken the break like they said. Vol 2 Ch43: Several views, but one goal The air felt disturbed, almost as though something caused something to happen. His nose told him that the weird tower was responsible, but he couldn¡¯t know for sure. He put that to the side for now. Because the Eve Glade folks were now approaching their side. According to their scouts, they noticed a small rag-tag team of soldiers displaying the kingdom¡¯s colors coming towards the fortress at a rapid pace. He wasn¡¯t sure how, but they were able to find the fortress and know about their location. That didn¡¯t please the old man at all. In fact, he wanted to blame the Seer for messing it up this badly. No matter how much dear old pops wanted to punish her, there wasn¡¯t much they could do. Not to mention the annoying monsters that kept hounding at them at every turn. They couldn¡¯t even get a good night¡¯s sleep due to some bats after they sliced off some of their soldiers¡¯ heads. They were so weak individually, only having their true power released when gathered together and screeching at them. Even if Zyler¡¯s ears were extra sensitive to them, a quick jab with his claws was enough to deal with them all. This is the problem with rushed Journeymen soldiers. Just because they broke through the milestone as quickly as possible, they think they¡¯re all up there along with him. It was insulting really, considering how bad their foundations and stances were. There were some quick ways to shoot yourself all the way up to Journeyman stage without meeting the requirements set by the system, but doing so requires lots of expensive resources and potions. Even with that, they couldn¡¯t have the option to add a sub-race, which was the main center point of being a Journeymen. For some, it¡¯s what makes or breaks a fighter. They can also completely forget reaching the Master Stage. They already screwed themselves the moment they advanced without meeting requirements. The system doesn¡¯t take kindly to cheaters, and something that his father always made sure to pound into his head as he grew up. Even if there were ways to circumvent the system, the almighty system would always find a way to screw you over. But at the same time, it rewards you for your hard work¨Che can get behind that. Still, the situation was becoming worse for wear. Morale was low, and his father was quickly trying to ramp up the workload by securing their post, and now added in some more work for the peons under his supervision by adding patrols throughout the surroundings to spot any Eve Glade soldiers coming in. That¡¯s on top of having to fight off the strong monsters that¡¯s way beyond their pay grade. Until finally, his father came over to give him the greatest orders he could ever receive from him. ¡°Zyler, I need you to head out there and find those brats,¡± His father, Roderick, demanded. Though to Zyler¡¯s ears, he interpreted it as pleading for his great son to do the heavy lifting. ¡°And whatever treasures any of them have in store. Right now, we¡¯re a little busy making sure we don¡¯t drop any more of our numbers.¡± ¡°Why not settle it yourself?¡± Zyler scoffed. ¡°For being a Master-stage, you sure aren¡¯t doing much.¡± ¡°Dumbass, that¡¯s because the entire field would be broken, and just add more work for us,¡± Roderick growled. ¡°Don¡¯t fuck around and just head out there.¡± ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Zyler gave a lazy salute as he moved ahead towards the open area of their campsite. Then, he breathed. He breathed in and out, getting the other soldiers to notice the noble son and step out of his path. He grinned, sharp fangs displayed over his canines. Dark, red-tinged fur gathered and formed around his body, his muscles rippling as they became larger, then they compacted to become denser. As fur continued to take over his body, his form shifted. His bones cracked and reformed, pain overwhelming his senses for a short time. But it was a good kind of pain. The kind that made him feel alive as he felt his inner drive ramp up, adrenaline coursing through every pore of his body. He reveled in this feeling as he lifted his head up and howled at the open air. He didn¡¯t care if the enemies knew he was coming. In fact, that¡¯s perfect. He sometimes likes to play with his food in this form, and he knew that the brats would make a fine chew toy once he caught them. ¡­.. The two have arrived at the tower sooner than she expected. Contrary to beliefs, especially from their first meeting, Zeke and Mikella have accomplished their secondary task, and are well on their way to accomplishing their first task, however incredible it is. For Zoan, this was great news. Now if only everything else could go along as her divine overlords wished. The child she currently possessed seemed to believe they can do anything, regardless of the circumstances. Zoan retroactively stated otherwise, yet the child seems to have either missing holes in her memory, or refuses to pay attention to the little details Zoan displayed for her. She was a strange one. Truly. There were times when angels possessed children, and oftentimes their inner instincts called out for danger, often inhibiting their wills enough for the angels to control them entirely. This was the first time, if ever, that Zoan had possessed a child due to an order, rather than some willing fancy of some defective angels. Yet this child persists in the strangest ways. First off, she wasn¡¯t afraid of her. Rather, she seemed curious, almost like finding a rare creature. Second, her mental defenses should be weak enough for Zoan to destroy with ease, but if she does so, the child¡¯s entire inner world would collapse, causing her soul to be destroyed. That would cause problems later down the line, but this child proves the opposite. They were weak, for certain, yet her will somehow proves to be a different layer behind those defenses better than average. Her sister, Mikella, often told her and to Zeke that Clara is a special child deserving of love and attention. Perhaps Zoan should have listened to her rather than merely stating that she carries too much love and affection like most other doting parents would. Zeke also displayed a certain level of affection to Clara despite having such little time spent together compared to Mikella. In fact, there was a level of understanding and¡­ empathy that Zeke showed towards Clara, which fascinated Zoan to a degree. As long as the child persists, Zoan can, in a sense, alter the otherworlders¡¯ paths to better head towards the goal that the gods wished for them to reach. However¡­ that was proving to be a challenge to her own metal sake. ¡°Zoan, why do you look so stony?¡± Clara asked in the mirror, which to Zoan¡¯s eyes, was directing towards her. ¡°Also, can you really fly with those wings?¡± Despite Clara not appearing anywhere in the meeting between the otherworlders and Zoan, she still recalled some parts through Zoan¡¯s own eyes. While it only displayed images and senses, she could still remember Zoan¡¯s mighty wings and powerful form, yet she only asks the most mundane questions all children often possess. ¡°They look big, but they also look uncomfortable,¡± Clara stated, as though it was fact. ¡°How do you sit down?¡± It was incredible, to say the least. Clara kept asking question after question to the silent Zoan, expecting that if she stayed silent, Clara would cease. Yet she persisted, often making Zoan wonder whether someone out there would notice the strange child talking to the reflection like a real person. Whether Clara was a genius, or just incredibly lucky¨Cnobody seemed to notice this strange behavior. ¡°Also¨C¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t Ana waiting for you?¡± Without realizing, Zoan finally responded, her frozen expression still plastered on her face. ¡°Oh,¡± Clara nodded in realization. ¡°She¡¯s still hanging with Vivian. She said she¡¯ll be back in a few minutes. That''s why I wanna talk with you a little.¡± This was the first time Zoan wanted that little busybody of a child Ana to return immediately. She was supposed to ensure that she remained quiet, like a true observer. But this child is¡­ starting to wane at her. In the end, Zoan had no choice but to answer the questions, even if they were so mundane she wished she could do anything else. ¡°My expression remains like this due to my duty as an angel,¡± Zoan answered. ¡°And yes, I can fly. They are also comfortable, and I can dismiss them if I want to sit down and rest.¡± ¡°Ooh¡­¡± Clara¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Cool!¡± That ecstatic look in her eyes, the gleam in her pupils, pushed Zoan in a strange way. Children aren¡¯t supposed to be so curious to ask questions, are they? They wanted to go around, play games, rather than stay inside and find out more about their visitor in their soul. Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. But before Clara could ask any more mundane questions, Zoan felt a tug in the atmosphere. Her senses spiked as she controlled Clara¡¯s body, making her turn her head to the western direction. Where the biodome should be. ¡°Zoan?¡± Clara asked. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Something¡­ is amiss,¡± Zoan muttered, though she knew Clara wanted to tilt her head in confusion. ¡°What does that mean?¡± She asked. Despite losing control of her body, she didn¡¯t seem all that misplaced. Truly, a strange child. ¡°It means your two siblings have reached a location that has¡­ peaked my interest.¡± Zoan meant that, rather than trying to placate the child. The two caretakers, or perhaps siblings in earnest, have reached to where the former visitors have taken their final rest. And over there is where Zoan noticed something amissed. Now that the otherworlders had reached the tower, Zoan could finally peer inside the tower. As she expected, the thing she needed the most hasn¡¯t been taken. And the tower itself has become rather strange. As though something had changed it. ¡°Clara, we must head back,¡± Zoan demanded, but found herself losing control of Clara¡¯s body as she turned back to her reflection once again. ¡°What? No! Sissy got super mad when we went there before. I don¡¯t want her yelling at me again!¡± Clara shook her head ruthlessly, not willing to abide by her demand. This was an issue. Clara has more control in her will than any child should have any right to have. At this point, Zoan would actually have difficulty in persuading this child to move against her Sissy, or she would face punishment. So she decided to play along. As it is her duty, she will do what she can to fulfill her orders. ¡°Then are you fine with leaving your Bobo and Sissy to die?¡± Clara¡¯s face paled, and Zoan worried for her mental structure. It tinged with a high pitch, as though she slung a rock straight at pristine glass walls. That tugged more on Clara¡¯s soul more than anything else. ¡°N-No! I don¡¯t want them to die¡­¡± A memory flashed in her mind, one which Zoan has clear vision to. It was the time when she saw a man being cut through his throat by none other than Bobo, his visage stained with red with a cold look on his face. While, thankfully, Clara wasn¡¯t afraid of the clearly angered man who was about to witness his family¡¯s demise, but rather at the cold corpse that littered the street in front of him. Of course, that was the first time Clara saw someone die. It was clear to anyone that such an event would leave a stain in her mind, and perhaps will forever etch itself into her heart for years to come. But that is to be expected¨Chumans can never go against their internal instincts to persevere, even against such horrid memories. So when Zoan stated that her siblings could die the same way as that man, that struck a chord so thick, it could¡¯ve shattered the young girls¡¯ mind. Yet, rather than shatter, they were reforged, and became nearly solid like iron before the girl¡¯s eyes flashed with anger. ¡°No! I won¡¯t let them die! Let¡¯s go!¡± Zoan had to¡­ reevaluate this young girl. At first, she figured her to be some strange being with mildly concerning mental states. Now, she appeared to be made of much sterner stuff than most children as Clara turned and ran towards the entrance of her home. But before she could leave the living room and straight towards the entrance, Ana¡¯s voice called out. ¡°Clara?¡± The little girl shouted. ¡°I¡¯m back! Where are you going?¡± ¡°To the biodome!¡± Clara responded with as much fervor as her voice can carry. ¡°Bobo and Sissy are in danger!¡± ¡°What?¡± Ana asked in shock. Then she shook her head violently. ¡°You can¡¯t! You got in so much trouble before, and you could get hurt too! I won¡¯t let you!¡± Before Clara could explain herself any further, Ana ran forward and grabbed her arm, tugging harshly at her and making sure not to let her go by any means. ¡°No! Let me go!¡± Clara shouted, trying to free from her best friend¡¯s grasp, but she was tugging just as hard, her teeth bare and gritting. ¡°Never!¡± Ana resolutely said. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to go back! It¡¯s too dangerous! Even Mommy and Daddy say so! I won¡¯t let you go!¡± This was the first time Ana was so resolutely against something as reckless as this. While it was usually the other way around, Ana would normally just make mischief and trouble for the neighbors, all of which were entirely fine as in the end, Ana was a good girl that cared for others, even if it meant cleaning up her own messes more often than not. This was shown again now, trying to stop her best friend from trying to go back to the location where even her super powerful parents would say that it was dangerous. So there was no way Clara would be fine. Within the confines of Clara¡¯s soul, Zoan watched as the little girls had their tiny tug of war, and Ana was winning as she had more exercise and physical power than the clearly weak Clara who hadn¡¯t had as much exercise. However, no matter how much Zoan wishes not to intervene, as this was clearly below her stature, there wasn¡¯t much time. The two siblings do not know the necessity of which Zoan needed, and so she resolves herself to do what she needs to¨Cand awoke. Power filled her tiny body as Zoan¡¯s eyes, silver and shining, appeared over Clara¡¯s own eyes. With a snap, Zoan pulled her current body¡¯s arm away from Ana, pushing Ana away and making her fall on her rump to the floor. Ana looked angered, confused, and slightly afraid as she looked up to find her best friend looking down on her. With her head held high, her chin slightly raised, Ana noticed immediately. ¡°You¡¯re¡­ not Clara,¡± Ana said, clear hesitation in her tone. ¡°Who¡­ are you Clara¡¯s special friend?¡± While Ana rose up to her feet, her knees trembled in Zoan¡¯s eyes. Yet she remained adamant, trying to put on a brave face, though she was failing spectacularly. There was also something special about this girl as well. While she didn¡¯t seem as special as Clara in terms of soul strength, she didn¡¯t seem to back down from Zoan¡¯s presence, diminutive and tiny though it may be currently. ¡°My name is Zoan, and I must leave,¡± Zoan said curtly, her voice the same as Clara, but clearly wasn¡¯t. She turned and with a flash of her will, silvery wings displayed over her back, surprising Ana again with a short yelp as she backed away. Without waiting for anything longer she pushed off the floor and flew straight towards the entrance door. With her will, she made the door open and allowed her to fly out to the air, forgetting Ana entirely. She needs to complete her mission, and there are many, many steps in order to accomplish it. No matter how minor this particular step is, she will not hesitate. For she is the gods¡¯ will, their sword and shield. She will do what she must to serve the gods by any means necessary, even if it means pushing their grand plan a little sooner than she wished. ¡­.. Myra slumped down on the pristine wooden floor, only just recognizing how nice this part of the tower was compared to the rest of the place. Despite being filled with dangerous lizards and the potential threat deep within, these otherworldly towers were something else. Though, the sight of the two skeletons slumped together really ruined the prestige of the place. She curled her legs and plastered her face on her knees. She had enough of this. But she can¡¯t even imagine the pain that both Zeke and Mikella were going through now. In some ways, they were their people from their own world. The two died like animals caught in a predators¡¯ trap. Who in their right minds could accept such a thing? It was no wonder that Zeke almost lost himself, his attunement ready to blow the entire place away. Not that she could really be okay with that, what¡¯s with them being so close to the epicenter. Still, she was even more surprised that Mikella was the one that calmed him down, rather than the other way around. Though that look in her eyes did frighten her a bit. But not in fear for her life. It was what she might do to let out the stress. Her thoughts were jumbled before she heard another person slump down beside her. Not too close, about a few feet apart, but she could tell from the heavy armor clunking and the careful positioning that it¡¯s none other than Piker. He looked just as distraught, even if a little bit smoother than her own expression right now. He looked distant at the ground, gripping his fist and loosening it every few times. ¡°How are they?¡± Myra asked. She was the first to slump down, so she didn¡¯t see how the two were. ¡°...They¡¯re resting right now, as they should,¡± Piker said, sounding a little miffed. He shook his head. ¡°They shouldn¡¯t have moved at all in their state.¡± ¡°Can you blame them?¡± Myra asked, looking down at the floor herself. ¡°According to them, they almost died in their own tower without even knowing why.¡± The idea of being taken against your will, to a location filled with danger, at just a measly level 1 with no combat experience? If this was a god¡¯s idea of a trial, then it¡¯s no wonder she never liked the idea of religion, even when she was a child. At that mention, Piker gripped his fist tighter. ¡°I know, I know¡­ but still, they should¡¯ve followed orders. They would¡¯ve¡­¡± ¡°At some point, they would have seen them,¡± Myra retorted. ¡°They needed to. It¡¯s their folks from their world.¡± She certainly wouldn¡¯t give up if she knew her own people that she knew from the Aetheric Federation were trapped somewhere. People from an entire world she could no longer see? Wouldn¡¯t that make anyone try to find them? Sure, there was a bad example, like that psychopath necromancer, but even Zeke was willing to not fight and just have him repent and suffer the consequences rather than just kill him. That was, in her eyes, a humane thing to do. Piker instead just stayed silent, locking his jaw. He wasn¡¯t angry at their behavior. Myra could tell after training with the man for so long. He was furious at what he saw, at the injustice. She even noticed Zacharia looking displeased, even though he was a hard-ass to no avail. Cloud looked sickened, and Val looked ready to let out tears. Everyone was stumped at the scene in front of them. No less than Zeke and Mikella. ¡°They have no choice but to reach Journeyman in two short years¡­ is that expected of those that survived the towers?¡± Piker said, mostly to himself. He shook his head. ¡°Ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous.¡± ¡°Tell me about it,¡± Myra mused. She scoffed. ¡°I keep telling Mikky that she¡¯s a freak of nature, but maybe she needs to be one in order to handle that. Otherwise¡­¡± Otherwise, Clara would get involved, and Mikella would rather off herself and Zeke than to let anything bad happen to her. Even Zeke would agree, the crazy bastard. And clearly, Myra won¡¯t let them be alone. ¡°...I¡¯m going to get stronger,¡± Myra declared. Piker finally looked at her. ¡°I¡¯m gonna get stronger, and keep up with them. Fuck common sense¨CI¡¯m reaching Journeyman so they won¡¯t have to get through this.¡± ¡°...It¡¯s going to be difficult,¡± Piker said, in a softer tone than he was used to using. ¡°So what?¡± Myra stood up. She had enough moping about. ¡°Life¡¯s always difficult. That¡¯s why you gotta get stronger, right?¡± After carefully studying her standing form, Piker smirked before standing up himself. ¡°Let¡¯s get around and scout the scene. Zeke and Mikella would¡­ probably want to let out some steam.¡± ¡°Hehe,¡± Myra chuckled. Piker knew how they worked just as well as she did. ¡°Yeah¡­ let¡¯s find them some nice targets to smash.¡± Vol 2 Ch44: Letting loose and getting loot A roar escaped his lips as he charged in, his fist already slamming against a lizard¡¯s skull before it shattered to pieces within its scaly skin. Blood flowed from its open mouth, but Zeke finished its existence quickly with another punch at it, crushing whatever was smashed inside to mulch. It felt good, that tiny sense of adrenaline coursing through his veins despite his split open knuckles and aching fingers. The pain helped him forget, and revitalized him for the next target. Another lizard came running by, trying to avenge its fallen comrade. Despite that noble deed, Zeke noticed how it hid while its comrade was getting bashed on. For a moment, Zeke saw betrayal in the lizard¡¯s eyes as he brawled it to death. He didn¡¯t care. He stopped caring after what he saw. The lizard ran at him, flexing its sharp claws as it slashed diagonally at him. There were now a lot of ways for Zeke to fight, including his floating pens and runecrafting. But instead, he flared his enhancement runes, pouring the mana necessary for this encounter. Medium Rune of Strength has been activated. Your Strength stat mirrored 98 points from your Spirit stat for the next minute. Medium Rune of Dexterity has been activated. Your Dexterity stat mirrored 98 points from your Spirit stat for the next minute. With both active stats flaring, his runes carved into his body glowed before Zeke twisted his torso to dodge the attack. He felt something else other than his stats helping him in this endeavor. It was both his Kinetic Perception, allowing him to perceive how much stamina he had and could use, and something else he never thought he would have. Unarmed Mastery. His fists flowed with his kinetic energy, however little it was, as he dodged each strike as though his body was not his own. Each missed swing the lizardman did, Zeke took advantage of that small opening and struck it at its chest or arms, wherever it would distract the monster long enough. Before the lizardman could even counter in time, Zeke¡¯s punch flew faster than his own mind could process¨Criddled with intense emotions that tore apart any logical thought he had. Its fangs pierced the inside of its mouth as the uppercut hit its jaw before Zeke spun and dealt a fast roundhouse kick at its torso, kicking it away and making it crash to the nearby wall. He was thankful for the mastery skill there. While his runes allowed him to increase his stats however he wished, there were still limitations. For example, in his current state, he could only enhance two stats at a time at half the power of his Spirit stat. Anymore and his mana could destabilize and he would have a bad time. And he was still too inexperienced to fully bring out the full might of his entire Spirit stat to even just one of his other stats, so at most he could only pour in half. In other words, he should''ve had the amount of Strength necessary to kick a Journeyman lizard straight to a wall. But his flow of kinetic energy through the mastery skill empowered his body, allowing him to bring out more power from his enhanced stats. The lizard man''s corpse let blood trail from the wall to the wooden floor, already filling the morbid chamber with about four more lizard corpses that he helped provide. Zeke breathed rampantly, his beating heart echoing in his chest, asking for more blood and violence. But after that final outburst, his Mana reached 10% total so he had to take it easy. No matter how much he fought, or how many he killed, it won¡¯t change their situation. They were forced here against their will, and the almighty overlords that put them there didn¡¯t care whether they lived or died. As proof by the skeletons they found, it was enough to tell that Zeke, Mikella, and Clara were all brought here to be pawns for some grand plan they have no idea what it could be. He knew, deep down inside, that thinking stuff like this was pointless. They already made that kind of decision months ago, where it didn¡¯t matter what they were sent here for. All they needed to think about is to stay alive and survive. But after seeing their fellow otherworlders in such a state, it brought his confidence in themselves down enough to make him doubt their future. It¡¯s one thing to decide how to live one¡¯s life. If you wanna go and join the army, potentially having no choice but to join a war that could get you killed, that¡¯s your choice. At the least, you knew the consequences when you made the choice to join the army. At least it was your choice. But for them, they haven''t made any choice. They were brought here and never knew the reason why. They were only told, just now by a damn angel, to reach Journeyman within two years and that was that. It reminded him of someone else that he truly wished he didn¡¯t. It reminded him of his mother¨Cthe same person that had taken control of his entire life without him ever knowing how or why due to his condition. Even though he knew that he had no other choice, it just brought him back to this same predicament. You had no choice, so others did it for you. It sickened him. The last time he let that happen, he was disowned and forced to live out for himself without any support. No friends, no close relatives to help him¨Che was all alone. He felt childish, thinking that at some point, he made decisions that led him to this¡­ but he felt that his condition wouldn¡¯t allow him to even if he was conscious of it. Just when he thought he had to sit through his life suffering the consequences of other¡¯s choices, now he was forced again in another similar situation against his will. Thankfully, he wasn¡¯t alone. An incensed roar resounded as a nearby stone wall broke apart, revealing the furious Mikella carpeted in lightning. Her sword was currently stabbing through several lizard torsos at once, their bodies limp and burned to a tender crisp. She flung the corpses away from her, her roaring heard throughout the entire tower, perhaps the entire biodome as well. Her head swiveled, her round, almost bloodshot eyes looking for more targets. Zeke pointed his finger over to the west where an opening resided to another hall. This particular hall had more lizards rushing forth, this time carrying pristine steel weapons at their clutches. Some wore longswords, others axes and spears. None of them survived the incoming onslaught as Mikella flew straight through the incoming dozens of lizards, her lightning flashing and shocking everything around her. Zeke followed suit. He flared his buffs and jumped up, using the momentum to carry him through to the air faster than his legs can run. As he was about to fall, he conjured a foot-sized barrier under his landing sole, causing him to step on and jump from the small barrier, repeating the action over and over. He flew faster and carried himself well as he sailed through the small hills of corpses Mikella made in her wake. His eyes narrowed as the lightning began to fade at the distance and soon found himself in another chamber. This time, this chamber was filled to the brim with various tools of trade. Hammers for crafting, alembics for alchemy, but all of these tools were dusty and worn down, as if by time itself. Mikella didn¡¯t care at all for her surroundings, slaying and killing all the lizards who had the audacity just to be around her. Zeke watched as lightning flared in small jets, killing one lizard after another. However, at this state, Mikella¡¯s self-awareness plummeted as a hidden lizard, using the cover of the flashes of lightning, appeared behind her and readied to stab at her side with its dagger. Zeke stopped the attack with his barrier, stumping the flustered lizard enough for Mikella to notice and slice its head off in a matter of seconds. More lizards came by throughout this, and Zeke eagerly stopped them in their tracks, only to be slaughtered with no remorse. This was the best way for Zeke to keep up with Mikella while she was on her killing spree. Were it not for his buffs, he would have a harder time keeping up and protecting her from the more powerful lizardmen coming after them. Though now he felt like his stat buffs were just to ensure he can keep up with her, it was better than anything he could think of. The lizards kept coming, and Mikella kept killing. This entire ordeal kept going for the next half-hour as the army of lizards followed Mikella¡¯s shouts and lightning like moths to a flame¨Cand each burned just like one. Several seconds passed after Mikella and Zeke killed the last lizard together, with Zeke coming in to punch the lizard brazen enough to try and cover Mikella with a full-body tackle before she managed to end its life right there with a stab through its throat. The two breathed heavily, their chest straining to breathe the excess oxygen their mouths try to swallow. Sweat rolled down on their bodies as notifications flashed through their minds.
Level Up! You are now Level 45. You gain 8 free points (8 FP total). You have gained +12 DEX from your class. You have gained +12 INT from your class. You have gained +12 SPI from your class.
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Kinetic Perception Level Up! It is now Level 3 You have gained +2 DEX from your skill. You have gained +2 END from your skill.
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Unarmed Mastery Level Up! It is now Level 5. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. You have gained +4 STR from your skill. You have gained +4 DEX from your skill.
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Parallel Thought Level Up! It is now Level 5. You have gained +1 INT from your skill. You have gained +1 SPI from your skill.
He gained a few level ups this time, and now he felt that he earned them, killing some of the monsters by himself. His Parallel Thought leveling wasn¡¯t surprising, putting a lot of thought into protecting Mikella while also delivering his own blows to monsters. His Unarmed Mastery leveling up five times was the only surprise, actually. But considering how much time and effort he put into developing his own fighting style while training and getting used to his buffs would certainly make a change. But despite all of these gains, he still didn¡¯t feel any better. Mikella also didn¡¯t look that pleased. Even while breathing rampantly, her teeth bared as though she wasn''t quenched. A woman dying of thirst despite the sea of blood she formed around her. He held her shoulder gently and healed her numerous cuts and wounds. Her Forced Regeneration was working as well as it could, but it was still low in power compared to a real healing skill. On the inside, he spotted the lightning still churning in her torso like a caged animal wanting to be released. And Mikella seemed eager to let it out of its cage once more. But even so, she forced herself to breathe slowly, causing her wild energy to cease in her system. She turned to him slowly, her eyes devoid of the joy she once had after going all out for so long. ¡°You okay?¡± He asked. ¡°...Yeah,¡± She answered. Surprisingly, she mimicked him. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± ¡°...Still kinda pissed,¡± Zeke admitted, shrugging. Before they could continue down this spiral, the others returned back to them. Myra and Piker showed up along with the Journeymen, witnessing the scene with widened eyes. ¡°You guys good?¡± Myra asked as she ran towards them. ¡°Mikky, you look¡­ well, okay, I guess. You just got healed or something?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Mikella nodded. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m still a little¡­¡± She trailed, using her hand to hover in the air. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s fine,¡± Myra shook her head. ¡°Still, I was getting a bit worried.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Mikella smiled. A first after the gruesome scene. ¡°I am fine, though.¡± ¡°And you, Zeke?¡± Piker picked up next. ¡°No overusing Mana?¡± Zeke nodded. ¡°I just really needed that. But I always made sure to keep a bit of it on me. The collar doesn¡¯t like it when I go too far.¡± He chuckled, pretending that the collar was a nagging teacher. Thankfully, everyone else followed along with a genuine chuckle of their own. Still, it was a constant reminder that he was still ¡®on a leash¡¯, so that also made him a bit antsy and upset. ¡°As long as it does its purpose, it¡¯s fine,¡± Cloud stepped up, smiling softly. Then he frowned, turning to Zeke. ¡°What¡­ what did you get? Out of them, I mean?¡± Zeke frowned, and Mikella stayed quiet. Before Zeke and Mikella left the room where the bodies were, Zeke had a thought in his mind and ran with it. He went over to the corpses to try and loot them. It worked. Normally, it wasn¡¯t possible to loot from a corpse from the enlightened species. Species like humans, elves, and dwarves with their own intelligence and societies aren¡¯t part of the system where they can be looted. The only way one can get their stuff is literally by taking it from either their person or their storage packs. The fallen¡¯s packs were right beside them, ignored after witnessing the skeletons, but they were taken just the same. However, it was possible that any skill they learned from skill books would be used up. But Zeke had a thought, and it worked. It was possible that Zoan also intended for them to do this. If they had died, then as otherworlders, it was possible to gain the skill books they had learned, and treated like loot to gain. To find out that it was possible made him feel like shit. It was enough for him to ignore what he had received when he looted them. Still, Cloud had a point. While Zeke didn¡¯t mean to disrespect the fallen, the fact was that he did it so that he could gain what they had earned, as they needed all the power they could get. Even if the skill books didn¡¯t fit right with them, it was better to have someone else they trust to have them than to just¡­ let them rot like that. He opened up his storage pack, checking the inside with his senses. There, he pulled out a single book. Inside their packs were just several armor pieces and weapons, including swords and spears from the lizardmen, probably. When he showed the book to everyone, Cloud pursed his lips. There was no excitement on everyone¡¯s faces despite receiving a new skill book that would normally cost a lot of money to purchase. Still, Zeke continued. ¡°It¡¯s called Metal Slash,¡± Zeke said, getting Mikella¡¯s attention. ¡°I think it¡¯s an attacking skill that relies on metal aspected mana. I think it¡¯s a pretty strong skill. But¡­¡± Zeke shrugged at the group. ¡°I don¡¯t think I should learn it. What about you, Mikky?¡± Mikella shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m fine without it either. I already have Heavenly Strike, and metal mana sounds like something that¡¯s not good for me either.¡± Once they got into the discussion, the two seemed oddly perked up. Even if the bodies were still fresh in their minds, that still wouldn¡¯t stop them from enjoying what little joy that getting loot would bring. Once they noticed that, Cloud smiled as he pointed over at Piker. ¡°Then why not give it to Piker? That seems like a good skill to pair well with his ice-attunement and defensive build.¡± ¡°W-What? But¡­¡± Piker said, more surprised that he was mentioned. Zeke, however, tilted his head in realization. ¡°Ooh, good point.¡± Without much thought, Zeke handed the skill book over to Piker. Piker just stared at it for a while before being insisted to take the book by Myra who kept jabbing his side with her elbow. He looked at the book in his hands, then back at the two otherworlders. ¡°...Are you sure about this?¡± Piker asked. ¡°This book can be extremely valuable and¨C¡± ¡°Dude, just take it,¡± Mikella laughed, waving her hand. ¡°There¡¯s probably more stuff that we can find here. Right, Zeke?¡± Zeke nodded as he smiled at the still bewildered soldier man. Seeing how resolute they were, Piker closed his eyes and nodded once in respect and gratitude. ¡°Thank you¡­ truly.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make it weird,¡± Mikella teased with a smirk. ¡°It¡¯s just a skill book.¡± ¡°I keep forgetting that you guys don¡¯t belong here,¡± Myra shook her head in dismay. ¡°A skill book can be worth more than a house back at the Federation, you know.¡± ¡°Wait, seriously?¡± Mikella looked back at Myra, then back at Piker with a serious face. ¡°I changed my mind. Give it here!¡± Zeke knows better than to get in between despite Mikella playfully getting the book back, and Piker actually dragging it away as though it was a true treasure. Zeke knows that she is still hurting, just as he was. So moments like these, where they were still alive and can enjoy the little things, was worth more than anything. He felt slightly better about it. Then that small bout with the few dozen or so lizards was enough to flash a memory to the front of his mind. ¡°We haven¡¯t seen the mini-boss yet,¡± Zeke said, catching everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°Mini¡­ boss?¡± Val asked, raising a brow. ¡°A smaller version of a boss?¡± ¡°Hey, yeah,¡± Mikella realized. ¡°How did we find our own mini-boss again? After crossing a lava pit, right?¡± ¡°Yeah, after going down several flights,¡± Zeke recalled, rubbing his chin. They were already ignoring everyone¡¯s shocked looks at their words as he continued. ¡°We¡¯ve been going down, but we kept running into the lizards. We should be¡­¡± Then he remembered something incredibly important. Before further thought, he snapped his fingers. ¡°We need to find a pantry.¡± ¡°A kitchen?¡± Myra asked incredulously. ¡°Why? You guys hungry?¡± ¡°Yeah, Zeke, why a¨C¡± Before Mikella could mimic Myra¡¯s confusion, her eyes flashed in recollection. ¡°Oh shit!¡± ¡°Yeah, exactly,¡± Zeke nodded. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go find a kitchen.¡± Before anyone could question them, Zeke and Mikella ignored the entirety of the chamber, leading everyone else with them. About two hours passed since then. They were able to find a flight of stairs after several minutes of walking, but they also had to get over the numerous ambushes from the lizards. But after fighting so many of them, the team were already accustomed to their fighting style to the point that the Journeymen took a step back for the Experts to finish them off. This time, the two let Piker and Myra take the kills as they needed XP while they kept searching around. Piker eventually learned the skill Metal Slash, and the process was apparently just as horrific as the last time. Apparently skill books, regardless of where they came from, would force a skill to be imprinted onto the brain of the user. Thankfully Zeke¡¯s Recovery managed to stave off the effects of the skill imprinting. And as a result, Piker had gained a powerful attack skill to go along with his defensive build, giving him not just defensive power but now offensive power to keep up with the other fighters. Eventually, they found a room within the temple¡¯s halls after going over several empty rooms. The doors were different from the metal doors before, being bigger and that there were two of them now. Everyone else stayed silent despite their growing curiosity as Zeke and Mikella worked together to open the heavy doors with their Strength, or modified Strength in Zeke¡¯s case. They swung the doors wide, revealing the large room before them. Several tables lined with cooking utensils and a large oven-like structure used for cooking. There were some pots and pans clattered to the side as well as some sharp knives in a well-lined manner across a small table. However, the two quickly headed over to the dozens of barrels to the side, getting their attention. ¡°Okay, what¡¯s going on?¡± Cloud asked, raising a brow. ¡°Why take us here?¡± ¡°Just watch!¡± Mikella shouted as Zeke carried the barrel over to the other side. She took off the lid without a care and chucked it to the side. Cloud was the first to watch what was inside the barrel. He paused, staying still for an uncomfortably long time. ¡°Cloud?¡± Val asked, concern rising in her face as she followed her husband¡¯s routine and checked inside. She screamed so joyously that every soldier around grasped for their weapons. ¡°What is it?!¡± Myra asked as everyone else followed suit, only to gape in shock as Zeke and Mikella finally had their good moods returned. What was inside was filled with randomly colored fruits. This time, in Zeke¡¯s Recovery eyes, he could finally tell their worth. The attribute fruits had an incredible amount of energy swirling within them. But that wasn¡¯t all. It wasn¡¯t anything like magical, kinetic, or even life energy composed of the three resources. Instead, it felt something bigger, something more. A yellow, almost gold like energy swirled within them, compact and almost ready to break through the moment anyone bites into their juicy surface. He realized what it was. It was the same sort of energy composed when killing a monster. It was experience points, or at least an aspect of it. An aspect so dense and compact that he was certain that he would gain something other than levels if he were to eat it. So this was the energy that helped destroy the blocks in one¡¯s status, allowing them to earn more points into a stat. He looked over at everyone, noticing their changes in expressions. Cloud and Val were, of course, glowing with delight. Myra was almost drooling at the sight while Piker, usually the serious guy, had his eyes glowing like a kid in a candy store. The frightening part of all this was Zacharia¡¯s expression. For once, his stony facade broke apart, and a huge, frankly disturbing grin showed on his face. Then, he laughed. He laughed so loudly that quite frankly, even Mikella had the urge to shiver. Zeke can¡¯t really blame her for feeling like that. Vol 2 Ch45: Attribute Fruits and their history ¡°So, these towers are basically training grounds for future Beginners of the system from another world¡­¡± Cloud said, all the while munching the ever-tantalizing attribute fruit regardless of how it looked. Rather, everyone was copying him other than Zeke and herself. Mikella watched with mild interest at everyone as they ate with gusto, and for good reason. Each one, particularly the Journeymen, had concerns of reaching their stat blocks at some point, a common problem for normal folks who don''t have rich parents or financial backing. Attribute fruits are extremely rare, so finding some that breaks a stat that was currently heading towards its cap is hard enough as it is, much less reasonable to get considering how expensive they can be. For the ever poor Eve Glade citizens, just having a single attribute fruit is considered a god send, at least that¡¯s how Val showed when she first found her stat fruit thanks to them back when they first met. Even now, Val was munching on them as though she could lose access to them at any moment, but at the same time savoring each sweet and tender bite. As for the otherworlders, they stood by as they answered Cloud¡¯s rising questions regarding exactly this situation. Finding a barrel full of attribute fruits was a rarity by itself. Normally, people of this world would find these fruits hanging out randomly in out-of-reach places, rewards from dungeons, or even from the even rarer attribute tree, something so valuable that kingdoms would fight each other to the death for. The case such as the biodome¡¯s quest, considering how rare finding an unowned biodome, is reasonable enough to expect a fruit or two after completing it. ¡°That¡¯s our experience in the nutshell,¡± Zeke said. They already knew about their origins, but now they were talking about the towers as a whole. Considering the angel and the gods¡¯ involvement in these towers, it became more important to speak about their existence as a whole. Especially since the attribute fruits hanging out in barrels weren¡¯t the only thing they found. They also found more storage packs, something not so rare to find, but expensive to get as the materials needed to craft such a piece were hard to get unless you were strong enough to wade into the frontier lands beyond the safety of the kingdoms¡¯ borders. As of right now, Myra and Piker are now proud owners of said packs, the same quality as the otherworlders. They could outfit half of their entire crew with the amount of packs in here. And Mikella was sure that wasn¡¯t the end of it in this tower. ¡°But it doesn¡¯t make sense,¡± Mikella spoke out. ¡°It should have been a training course. We had no choice but to survive, sure, but the lizards here are way too strong. Not even Experts can face them as easily, and back then we didn¡¯t even had a class.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe how crazy you guys had it,¡± Myra shook her head, the delectable juices of the fruit trailing down her chin. She wiped it off as she kept munching. ¡°There¡¯s no way that anyone can handle these things even on their own, much less a whole group of them.¡± ¡°They also specialize in ambushes,¡± Piker added. It was a little funny to see him munching on a fruit like a chipmunk, but Mikella decided against commenting on it. ¡°It¡¯s impossible for anyone who isn¡¯t at least experienced in battle.¡± ¡°For us,¡± Mikella continued. ¡°All we dealt with were knights that acted like puppets. Pretty bad puppets, now that I think about it.¡± She looked up at the ceiling, her mind whirling. The memories back then felt horrifying at the time, but now she can only look back at it fondly like a childhood memory. It was a strange feeling. ¡°So it must be possible that the creatures here somehow grew stronger. Here¡¯s my take,¡± Cloud easily finished a fruit, swallowing it whole before continuing. ¡°When the otherworlders were still alive, the monsters were like that¨Cweak and Beginner friendly. However, like how one would expect, being sent into a life-or-death scenario without any information is no way to get prepared, and they soon die. Once they died, the tower had little choice but to get accustomed to the area around it. At the undeath tower, it continuously exuded Mana that caused the creatures to go mad¡­ but what if instead, Mana was being taken from them? Or rather, their Mana was being shifted thanks to the tower, and causing them to go mad while the tower copies their current level of strength?¡± Mikella noticed Zeke furrowing his brows in deep thought. For Mikella it made a lot of sense. If the area around the tower was based in a biodome filled with Journeyman-rank monsters, it made sense to copy the mana being exuded by the biodome to reflect it. Mikella hated the idea of otherworlders dying here if they didn¡¯t have the stuff to survive, but logically it all made sense. They failed in their venture, unlike how she and Zeke succeeded. But because of that, the monsters in the tower grew stronger as a result. Would it keep going like this? ¡°Is the angel telling us to get rid of the towers if the otherworlders didn¡¯t manage to get out?¡± Zeke muttered, getting her attention. That also certainly everyone else¡¯s as they listened to him continuing. ¡°If we don¡¯t, the towers might¡­ what, expand?¡± ¡°Wait, you¡¯re saying that they might take over the biodome if left unchecked?¡± Mikella asked in disbelief, but then paused as she recalled the tower being smack-dab in the middle of the fortress, the same fortress that contained the boss that needed to be taken down to complete the quest. Was it already doing that now? ¡°In other words, these towers, once left alone, can become a parasite that would cause trouble,¡± Zacharia continued, his half-eaten orange left in his hand. ¡°Everything leads down to that route.¡± ¡°If that angel was worried of this happening, the damn ¡®gods¡¯ shouldn¡¯t have done this in the fucking first place.¡± Mikella hissed to nobody in particular. It was just a rant at nothing, but it was felt by Zeke as he nodded. Still, there was nothing they could do. They were here now, and they might as well experience the boons from this, particularly the attribute fruits they were currently enjoying now. ¡°Why don¡¯t you take a bite of the fruits?¡± Val noticed the discomfort and put aside her munching while pointing at the barrel. ¡°Should we?¡± Zeke asked, tilting his head as he recalled. ¡°We ate a lot so I don¡¯t know how much more we can keep increasing our caps¡­¡± ¡°Open your status menu, and focus on the stats themselves. They should give you an answer.¡± Val¡¯s words got the two to look at each other quizzically before doing what she said. Mikella summoned her status, noticing the notifications she ignored while she was on a wild spree of violence and hate towards the lizardmen.
Kinetic Manipulation Level Up! It is now Level 5. You have gained +1 DEX from your skill. You have gained +2 END from your skill.
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Mana Perception Level Up! It is now Level 3. You have gained +2 INT from your skill. You have gained +2 SPI from your skill.
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Sword Mastery Level Up! It is now Level 3. You have gained +1 STR from your skill. You have gained +2 DEX from your skill.
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Pain Resistance Level Up! It is now Level 9. You have gained +1 VIT from your skill. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.You have gained +1 END from your skill.
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Dragon Eyes Level Up! It is now Level 2. You have gained +2 STR from your skill. You have gained +2 DEX from your skill.
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Heavenly Strike Level Up! It is now Level 6. Decreased stamina and mana consumption. Increased damage.
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Dragon Descent Level up! It is now Level 6. Increased speed and maneuverability. Decreased stamina and mana consumption.
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Draconic Fury Level Up! It is now Level 5. Increase attribute increase (x2). Decrease cooldown and energy consumption (x2).
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Forced Regeneration Level Up! It is now Level 5. Increase regeneration rate (x2). Decrease damage needed to regenerate (x2).
Despite all these increases, Mikella honestly couldn¡¯t find the joy for it. She only gained them in her pure hatred and disgust towards the gods and the angels that let this happen to them in the first place. Still, it was something, so she took it in stride. Then she looked at her actual status screen, showing all the progress she has made so far.
Name: Mikella Ashton (Overachiever) Race: Human Dragon Berserker: Level 45 Attunement: Unbridled Fulmination (Tier 1) STR: 193 DEX: 206 INT: 23 SPI: 41 VIT: 38 END: 139 Free Points: 0 General Skills: Kinetic Manipulation* (R) Level 5 Mana Perception (U) Level 3 Sword Mastery (R**) Level 3 Axe Mastery (U*) Level 7 Spear Mastery (R**) Level 1 Bow Mastery (U*) Level 2 Hammer Mastery (U*) Level 6 Pain Resistance (U) Level 9 Meditation (C) Level 7 Acquired Skills: Acrobatics (E*) Level 3 Dragon Eyes* (E) Level 2 Class Skills: Heavenly Strike Level 6 Dragon Descent Level 6 Aerial Advantage Level 3 Draconic Fury Level 5 Forced Regeneration Level 5 Title Skill: Give me more (Title), Level 1 (Maxed)
She realized a few things. First off¨Cdamn, she had increased a lot over the past months. Compared to her first time in this world, she had made leagues of progress. She knew that half of it was because of her partner Zeke who had also trained hard enough as well as everyone who had supported her during her training. Other than that, this was all her. Even her attributes looked intimidating even to herself, and she smiled at the rising numbers. Two of her stats were already two hundred, or close to that. If that¡¯s not impressive, then what is? Maybe more numbers, but she put that aside. Now after focusing on the stats in particular, the status actually changed slightly.
Analyzing Attributes. Please wait.
Is it actually buffering on me? Mikella thought in pure disbelief. The next moment showed exactly why it took so long.
Attribute Analysis complete. Displaying attribute growth limits. Strength: 750 Dexterity: 850 Intelligence: 500 Spirit: 450 Vitality: 600 Endurance: 700
¡°Well damn,¡± Mikella said in surprise. At her side, Zeke also had his eyes widened at his own stat analysis thing. ¡°Well don¡¯t keep us waiting! What¡¯d you got?¡± Myra said in pure frustration after Mikella and Zeke took a while to take in the numbers. After showing them the displays, Myra and Piker had flabbergasted looks on their faces, while the Journeymen just shook their heads. ¡°Ah, I know I shouldn¡¯t be jealous, but damn,¡± Cloud said, chuckling wryly. ¡°Sorry, but that¡¯s so much higher than any Journeymen I know. I¡¯m pretty sure half the people I knew in my lifetime died before ever getting such high stat caps like that.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the highest stat anyone has ever gotten?¡± Mikella asked, honestly more curious about the answer than anything else. ¡°Some say it was over five or six hundred, and others say it¡¯s more than a thousand,¡± Val shrugged her shoulders. ¡°None can say. However, reaching a certain stat milestone can improve the efficiency of that stat by tons.¡± ¡°Milestone?¡± Zeke asked, the look of a gamer in his eyes flashing again. ¡°You mean reaching a certain number increases the attribute¡¯s power a lot more?¡± ¡°Precisely that,¡± Cloud nodded. ¡°If I have to break it down, reaching fifty, or intervals of fifty stat points, increases the efficiency of that stat by a quarter of the full stat. Reaching one hundred, or in intervals of a hundred, in a stat increases it by half of that instead.¡± ¡°Only through natural stats, though,¡± Val added in. ¡°Stats gained by equipment or concoctions like elixirs are a no-go. Not that they¡¯re bad¨Cjust that it won¡¯t increase your power fully unlike natural growth.¡± ¡°In other words, training is still better than just raising it artificially,¡± Mikella nodded in understanding. ¡°That¡¯s good. I was worried some rich piss-ant would kick my ass after drinking their parent¡¯s money down their throats.¡± Myra straight up chortled at that, actually coughing up the fruits before trying to push it all back in before starting to laugh again. Piker showed a disgusted look, but a smile was plastered on his face as well. Mikella knew it. She had the makings to be a great comedian even in this fantasy world. She even made Piker laugh. ¡°If that was the case, I¡¯d have died a long time ago,¡± Val said with a rising smile. A knowing look in her eyes that spoke vastly of her experiences in her lifetime. ¡°So it really is hard to increase your attribute caps without these fruits, and they¡¯re incredibly rare to boot,¡± Zeke continued, rubbing his chin in thought. ¡°Precisely,¡± Val answered back instead. ¡°You can¡¯t imagine how much juggling I had to do to avoid hitting my block. I had to sacrifice so much time training my skills to just focus on the town instead. Can you imagine? Being able to max out skills and making yourself stronger, but having your stats blocked and unable to get stronger? It¡¯s like a horrible enigma!¡± Myra nodded her head. It was an eventual problem all fighters would face at some point. No matter how hard-working one is, one still needs to have either commerce or backing to get these fruits at a regular pace, otherwise nothing but stress and worry about losing power would affect their lives forever. And supposedly the aging process for human beings and even different races slows dramatically after reaching Journeymen status, so they can live longer. It was at that point that the people can take it easy to gather some foundation for their stats, including the attribute fruits, to ensure their growth remains unpeeded. Of course, some are just glad to be alive at that point, and decided to settle down and start a family like Cloud and Val did when the chances of getting a stat fruit is near-high impossible. ¡°Wow, that is horrible,¡± Mikella muttered. ¡°Not that I blame you. I just meant the market as a whole. If it¡¯s that important, shouldn¡¯t there be like some¡­ I don¡¯t know, government or maybe kingdom handouts for promising Journeymen?¡± Mikella thought about the times when the government of their old world would try to help those get their feet under them due to hard times. Economic crises and all that. Though sometimes they just don¡¯t give a damn. To the contrary, Val tilted her head. ¡°That is the case, yes. But it¡¯s very rare. There are some Journeymen that show promise, but oftentimes giving a fruit to someone that might die later on would be a total waste. That¡¯s why they¡¯re extremely careful about who they choose.¡± ¡°Makes sense,¡± Mikella nodded. She stared at the barrel full of these extremely valuable fruits, her eyes squinting. ¡°Hey, what happens if we cook the fruits?¡± It was a random thought, something that occurred when she was thinking that just eating the fruits like this felt like a waste. Just as she expected, Cloud answered with a nonchalant tone. ¡°It¡¯s not a good idea as the energy used to increase your stats is immediately consumed when you open it up. Even chopping it with a knife might make it lose its energy.¡± ¡°Aww¡­¡± Mikella frowned, Zeke easily copying her expression. ¡°The only way to cook it and really bring out results is to ensure that the energy is contained. That¡¯s why runists are so valuable. They can¨C¡± The moment the words left Cloud¡¯s mouth, his eyes widened and his brows rose nearly all the way up. He still had an apple in his hand and just stared at it for a disturbingly long time. Everyone else quieted after hearing the words themselves, stopping their eating. Cloud then shot up to his feet and shouted at the top of his lungs. ¡°Everyone! Stop eating the fruits!¡± That got everyone to stop doing so, the mood turning extremely tense. Cloud¡¯s burning eyes stared straight at Zeke, who immediately turtled up when everyone stared at him. ¡°Zeke, I beg of you,¡± Cloud said¨Cno, pleaded¨Chis eyes turning manic. ¡°We need your abilities once again!¡± Vol 2 Ch46: Stat improvements and Athletics It took a while for Cloud to realize these incredible circumstances they got themselves in. Though considering how rare it is to find just one attribute fruit, it would take anyone a while to realize what they could do when they found a whole barrel full of it. After some time to discuss with Cloud, Zeke realized the implications behind his manic actions. So the two wielders of the Runecraft skill worked together to create a rune array built specifically to contain the powerful energy hidden inside the attribute fruit. As the two drew their runes, everyone watched with rapt attention despite the boring process, forgoing their dungeon run at the moment as there wasn¡¯t a better way to take advantage of this now. Not to mention it had only been a few hours at best. So they took it upon themselves to ensure this idea would work. Zeke created, with the use of Barrier Craft, a podium-like barrier with a cylindrical shape. They were currently drawing runes all across the surface, and once they were done, they placed a single fruit on top of the center of the circular surface of the podium. Once everything was done, Zeke put his Class skills to work, using Phantasmal Runes and Runic Echoes to work into it. This way, the power of the runes would be increased ten-fold, especially with his incredibly high Spirit stat. Now, with everything into place, Zeke followed Cloud¡¯s instructions to the letter, based on the knowledge he gathered throughout his years of traveling. He activated the rune array, causing his mana to jumpstart the process of the runes, which were all concentrated entirely into one central point¨Cright where the attribute fruit was. In his eyes, thanks to his Recovery Skill, he saw it all. The vast amount of mana he poured in through the rune array, helpfully supplied with Cloud¡¯s intrinsic design to include the ambient mana in the air as they all flowed seamlessly into the attribute fruit. The energy within the fruit¨Cnot mana, but basically system energy¨Cdidn¡¯t take the foreign mana lightly. The idea was to empower the fruit to the point that it could even affect the system energy while still contained within the vessel¨Cin this case, the fruit¨Cwithout ruining the product. Due to the lack of genuine attribute fruits, the mages of the past developed several ways to empower an attribute fruit. One such case was the runists¡¯ way they were doing now. Another way was, of course, involving people who had the Chef or any other type of cooking-based Class to re-create the fruit and empower it further. There was also the way enchanters do it, but they still needed expensive tools and materials to pull it off. Runists, however, were the cheaters that used mana to pay for everything. And Zeke was the ultimate cheater, using his Barrier Craft skill to escape from using any expensive metal or material to create this phenomenon. Eventually, the slow and painful procedure of processing foreign mana into the system energy of the fruit finally finished. After a few minutes, ensuring that the runes were stable throughout it all, the rune array finished glowing and the now newly-enhanced attribute fruit lay before him. It didn¡¯t look anything different from the outside, and that was the point. But through his eyes, Zeke saw that the energy contained within the fruit was bursting at the seams. He was worried that his mana would overwhelm the system energy within¨Calmost watering down the energy rather than enhancing it¨Cbut thankfully that wasn¡¯t the case. With a steady hand, he lifted the apple up to show to everyone else. Despite not showing any differences, it felt like it was glowing slightly from the lights of the graziers surrounding them. ¡°So¡­ it¡¯s done,¡± Zeke said, more hesitant and nervous than he wished. ¡°Who wants to try it out first?¡± This time, nobody answered. Despite their eagerness to eat the fruits earlier just minutes ago, now they hesitated after seeing the newly created enhanced fruit. It didn¡¯t look any different, but anyone with eyes can tell that a lot of magic was used, and he wondered whether that by itself couldn be considered unhealthy, like pouring in a bottle¡¯s worth of chocolate sauce into a plate of veggies. However, Val raised her hand. ¡°I¡¯ll try it out.¡± Nobody said anything as she approached. It wasn¡¯t like the Experts could deny her anyways. What¡¯s more, the Journeymen knew that if anything should happen, then at least Zeke and Cloud could come in to heal her. What¡¯s more, she was tough. Not Zacharia tough, but still tough. Zeke handed the fruit over to Val, and after nodding in thanks, she hesitated for just a moment before opening her jaw and chomping it to the core. A few seconds passed after eating it fully, and Val stayed still with her eyes closed. Everyone waited with trepidation as finally, Val¡¯s eyes opened and darted left and right, seemingly reading something. A high pitched scream escaped from her, making everyone nearly piss themselves in fright. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?! Are you okay?!¡± Cloud asked as though the sky was falling. ¡°All¡­¡± Val seemed to be hyperventilating, yet the manic look in her eyes spoke not of despair, but of sheer elation. ¡°All of my attributes increased by 5 points, across the board! I even regained the points I lost when I reached the cap of my stats on top of my caps increasing! What is this?! This is incredible!¡± Before Zeke could do much of anything after hearing the news, Val went over to him and gave him the strongest bear hug she could ever muster. ¡°Haaahaha, this is great! I love it! This is so great!¡± ¡°T-That¡¯s¡­ great¡­ umm¡­ please¡­¡± Zeke¡¯s face was turning blue as her embrace was clutching his entire body in ways that made him wheeze more. Each movement caused his insides to squeeze, and his skin turned blue and bruised despite his training over the weeks. His vision was turning blurry before Cloud managed to stop her in time. She settled him down gently, getting caught by Mikella as he breathed long and hard. She then went ahead and hugged Cloud right after, still giggling like mad. ¡°Did you say that you not only gained extra points, but even regained points that you lost?¡± Zacharia asked, making sure that her words weren¡¯t messed up from the exhilaration. ¡°Exactly!¡± Val nodded, then turned to Zeke. ¡°Zeke, do you think you can do more?¡± ¡°Hah¡­ yeah¡­¡± Zeke breathed as everyone turned to him, Mikella offering back rubs to ease his pain. They were completely expectant of his answer, to which he replied with a smile. ¡°Let¡¯s keep going.¡± ¡­..
You have eaten a Spiritually Enhanced Attribute Fruit. The limits of all your attributes have been increased by 100. You have gained +5 STR from the enhanced fruit. You have gained +5 DEX from the enhanced fruit. You have gained +5 INT from the enhanced fruit. You have gained +5 SPI from the enhanced fruit. You have gained +5 VIT from the enhanced fruit. You have gained +5 END from the enhanced fruit.
¡­..
Attribute Analysis complete. Displaying attribute growth limits. Strength: 850 Dexterity: 900 Intelligence: 950 Spirit: 1250 Vitality: 800 Endurance: 850
With some modifications added into the rune now that Zeke knew more about the procedure, he made it so that every fruit can be enhanced by batches rather than one by one. A good time-saving process considering their current schedule. While Zeke can¡¯t really believe that his Spirit stat would ever reach this high in the future, it was still better having it than none at all. Though with the increase in his overall stats, he might have to rethink that possibility. The Journeymen who had difficulty with their stat caps were gobbling them up as soon as they could. While Val regained her points that she lost when she capped out, she was ensuring that she would never reach that state again, and Cloud was no different. Even more, their stats increased for every fruit they consume. Even Zacharia took it upon himself to show humbleness by eating the enhanced fruits, closing in on the caps himself. As for the Experts, while they didn¡¯t go through the horrid process of capping and losing possible points, the extra stat points gained from eating the fruits caused them to eagerly eat more and more, all while trying to hold back their rising power. But soon, as all good things do, it came to an end. ¡°Hey! I stopped getting stat points!¡± Mikella called out, a visible frown on her face. ¡°Me too,¡± Myra responded in turn, and turning to Piker got him to nod in agreement. ¡°Really? How many did you gain?¡± Val asked, getting Mikella to look through her notifications to count. ¡°I gained 30 points in each stat.¡± ¡°Huh¡­ I¡¯m still gaining points,¡± Val pointed out, getting more frowns from all the Experts around her. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Most likely due to us being Journeymen,¡± Cloud pointed out, trying to look presentable despite all the crumbs of the fruits still covering the corners of his mouth. ¡°If I have to take a shot in the dark¨C30 points for Experts who reached level 30, and 60 possible points for those who reached Journeymen?¡± ¡°Kinda on the nose there, isn¡¯t it?¡± Val said, arching a brow, but then shrugged. ¡°Eh, definitely easy to remember. Still, I can¡¯t believe we can even gain points like this.¡± ¡°It¡¯s like drinking a stat-boosting elixir,¡± Cloud said, staring at the fruits that were still enhanced yet still uneaten. Zeke did a lot of improvements. ¡°And like an elixir, there¡¯s only so much you can gain.¡± ¡°How much is one of those elixirs?¡± Mikella asked, and Zeke could already tell the numbers rising in his head. ¡°Not enough to reach an attribute fruit¡¯s price, but still pretty hefty,¡± Val pointed out. ¡°Even with elixirs, if you don¡¯t increase your stats, that¡¯s just money wasted.¡± ¡°So,¡± Piker spoke up this time. ¡°If we advance to Journeymen, does that mean we can increase our stats by 30 more points? Or is that 60 extra points?¡± Now that was a question Zeke wanted to consider. Still, if the system has any kind of balance, he feared that it would be the former. Otherwise, he can¡¯t imagine just how sickeningly powerful the rich people would be if they had their hands on enhanced fruits like his. ¡°Most likely just 30 points extra,¡± Cloud shook his head. ¡°Otherwise, we would be gaining 90 points instead of 60. Then again¨C¡± ¡°Ooh!¡± Val suddenly shouted after she stared hard at a very obviously bitten apple in her hand. ¡°I stopped gaining points!¡± ¡°Yep, looks like 60 is the limit for us,¡± Cloud smirked, just the idea of being proven right was enough to make him genuinely gleeful. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. As Cloud expected, the Journeymen¡¯s attributes also stopped increasing after reaching 60 points. Even though it stopped, the 60 points alone had made their auras practically visible to the Experts. Not that the young fighters didn¡¯t feel overflowing with power themselves. Zeke himself never imagined all of his attributes increasing a whopping 30 points. It only made his rune enhancements that much more powerful in return, with his Spirit stat, his main stat, becoming higher than ever before. Which begs the question¨Cwas this normal? ¡°Cloud, can anyone gain points from the fruits if a Runist enhanced them?¡± Zeke pointed out, pointing at the barrel of the fully enhanced fruits. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you know about this?¡± ¡°Honestly, I only heard about Runists capable of enhancing fruits,¡± Cloud shook his head. ¡°Remember, attribute fruits are incredibly expensive. Advancing a stage can passively raise your caps, but the more you train, the closer you get to it. I¡¯ve only ever eaten about three fruits before I met you two, and Val here only ever ate five. None of them have been enhanced since, well¡­¡± ¡°Runists like to overcharge others for crazy amounts of money,¡± Val spat out, looking to the side as she said it. Soon she realized her words and turned to Zeke. ¡°Not that I think you¡¯re like them, Zeke. Not at all.¡± ¡°Which explains why Cloud raised you as a Runist,¡± Zacharia pointed out, which honestly brought down the mood a little. Cloud frowned deeply at Zacharia, but he never bothered correcting him. It didn¡¯t feel like Zacharia was trying to be a downer. From his perspective, what Cloud did felt closer to grooming a young man into becoming a role he desperately needed for the town. In a way, it sounded like Cloud manipulated Zeke. Zeke, however, nodded in return. ¡°Then I¡¯m even more thankful that Cloud told me to pick Runist. I never once regretted the choice.¡± The words were genuine, at least to Zeke himself. He really was thankful as without it, he never would have advanced the way he did. He never would¡¯ve been able to help others the way he did. Hearing his words, bringing both Cloud and Val some peace of mind as they smiled, Zacharia crossed his arms. ¡°I see. That will only push you farther into your path. I expect to see more good things from you, Zeke.¡± The praise was surprising, to say the least. Then again, Zeke did help Zacharia gain a crazy amount of power in just a few short minutes of eating fruits. That much was expected for Mikella as she nodded in approval. As soon as everyone was done, the Journeymen picked up the excess fruits into their packs. Zeke and the other experts also put away the enhanced fruits into their own storage pack. They had enough fruits in case something happened to one another. The soldiers were definitely in dire need of them. ¡°We should get moving,¡± Cloud stated, raising himself up. ¡°What about you three? How are you feeling?¡± Myra, Piker, and Mikella stood up, wiping away the crumbs that started piling up around their laps. They looked a little embarrassed about it, but they faced the lords either way. ¡°We got no stat caps to worry about now!¡± Myra smiled. ¡°And I feel so powerful! I need some exercise, especially after eating so much.¡± ¡°And since Mikella and Zeke already went all out before, it¡¯s our turn,¡± Piker turned to Mikella. ¡°Surely you¡¯d give us at least that, right?¡± Mikella winced, frowning at the man before slumping forward. ¡°Alright, alright. I guess that¡¯s fair.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s keep going,¡± Zeke continued. ¡°I¡¯ll keep watch. If anything attacks, I¡¯ll defend and you guys can strike from behind.¡± The two eagerly nodded as the group went ahead. Zeke also went ahead to check his own status, now that everyone had a chance to look at them themselves.
Name: Zeke Parlow (Battle Mage) Race: Human Spiritual Runist: Level 45 Attunement: The World (Tier 1) STR: 55 DEX: 153 INT: 205 SPI: 246 VIT: 85 END: 91 Free Points: 0 General Skills: Mana Manipulation* (R) Level 6 Kinetic Perception (U), Level 2 Unarmed Mastery (C), Level 5 Battle Runecraft* (E) Level 2 Pain Resistance (R*) Level 1 Steadfast Mind (U) Level 7 Parallel Thought (U) Level 5 Meditation (C) Level 7 Acquired Skills: Barrier Craft (E*) Level 2 Recovery (E*) Level 9 Class Skills: Runic Library Level 4 Inscription Proficiency Level 6 Runic Spell Level 4 Phantasmal Runes Level 3 Runic Echoes Level 3 Title Skill: Magic Might (T), Level 1 (Maxed)
It was an incredible jump in power, all in just a few minutes of eating fruits. Even now, his body didn¡¯t feel like his own, and he felt every muscle and magical nerve in his body straining to contain his power just to avoid falling over on his ass. It wasn¡¯t long before Myra spotted some lizards running at them again. Piker and Myra went forward, forgoing any kind of strategy and just ready to plow them. Compared to before, the lizards were nothing but sandbags for the Experts to wail on. It was a brutal fight, so much so that Zeke and Mikella returned to discussing their potential future while the two fought on, a sort of manic glee escaping from the two of them. Zeke also discussed with the lords on what to do with this technique to enhance their available attribute fruits, including the increased attribute points. With their current haul, they could basically raise a lot of funds for the town. However, they all agreed that it was preferable to avoid selling the fruits and only keep it with the kingdom, as they were the ones in charge of the current town¡¯s upkeep. Not to mention the potential threats that the town would have if people found out that this out of the way hubble managed to get their hands on such valuable fruits. He returned back to the scene ahead after watching Myra face a lizard. Piker was currently facing four down on his own, using his sword to defend against attacks while keeping them all in a icey field. Their legs covered in frost, Piker dealt with them easily, his Metal Slash skill making dividends already as he sliced them all apart with his sword. Myra, on the other hand, kept away from Piker, flames surrounding her. Her fast jabs and heavy slashes burned away the lizards with ease. There was a smile on her, as though she was released from confinement. Piker didn¡¯t show that kind of look, but his posture was loose. Despite the lack of tension in his shoulders, he never showed any openings, something that Mikella pointed out herself. ¡°They got so powerful now,¡± Mikella explained, mostly muttering to Zeke. ¡°Honestly, it¡¯s giving me a bit of a scare.¡± ¡°Seriously?¡± Zeke raised a brow. ¡°You?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Mikella nodded in agreement, though Zeke was intending that to be humorous. He was actually surprised at her response. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s just the stats improving. I wonder if all this time, everyone was holding back on improving to avoid getting stat bonuses¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Zeke paused, letting that sink in. ¡°Wow, I didn¡¯t even think about that.¡± ¡°It¡¯s no wonder,¡± Cloud said, interrupting them. ¡°You two never had to bother worrying about your stats. But we were all raised to ensure that we don¡¯t go too far, or else we¡¯ll get stuck unless we find a stat fruit or two. You have no idea just how much of a burden it is to avoid hitting a stat block.¡± ¡°What happens when you do?¡± Mikella asked. ¡°It¡¯s like hitting a wall,¡± Val explained. ¡°Like your lungs getting caught and strangled. It was uncomfortable, and the system energy can¡¯t enter it without you feeling a lot of pain.¡± ¡°Ouch, really?¡± Mikella winced. ¡°I thought the worst part was losing points.¡± ¡°Obviously, that¡¯s a given,¡± Val nodded. ¡°But there¡¯s a lot of dangers that come with that. Sometimes, people get desperate when they reach a block, the pain being too much to bear, and they often cross a line when they do.¡± ¡°So it¡¯s not just a numbers thing, it¡¯s a literal physical issue,¡± Zeke said. ¡°Wow, being under the system is a pain in the ass¡­¡± ¡°Tell me about it.¡± Zacharia said, which caught everyone off guard and stared at him. Cloud shook his head, ignoring the strangely casual Zacharia for now. ¡°Anyways, you said something like a mini boss, right?¡± Zeke took Cloud¡¯s need to change the subject and rode on it. ¡°Yeah. We¡¯re not sure how far yet, but we actually had to go through a special room before reaching there. In there, that¡¯s where we found dozens and dozens of coins, but we couldn¡¯t even touch them.¡± Mikella grumbled about it after that, and Zeke could still feel the sting of realizing that none of those coins were available to keep. As though it was just taunting them like a backdrop to a bad video game boss room. Just before they could continue, Myra ran over to them with an excited look. ¡°Hey! A skill book dropped from one of the monsters I killed!¡± That got everyone¡¯s attention as Piker followed up behind her. He looked a little sore that she was the one that got the rare drop, and Zeke couldn''t help but grin at the sight. ¡°What is it?¡± Mikella asked, staring at the book. Zeke also stared at the book and saw the notification.
Skill Book: Athletics (Rare)
¡°Athletics?¡± Zeke asked, prompting Val to widen her eyes. ¡°Are you serious?¡± Val said, her tone implying sheer disbelief, if that was even possible right after the stat improvements. ¡°That skill is just like Acrobatics! It¡¯s a passive increase to your physical stats, except instead of focusing on Dexterity, it¡¯s on Strength instead.¡± Every Expert around them marveled at the book now, even Zeke despite knowing that there was no way he would get it for himself. Sure, he has an Unarmed Mastery skill, but he would be pretty pissed himself if a support mage decided to take a clearly valuable skill for physical fighters for himself. Then, in a surprising turn of events, Myra closed her eyes, a look of pure grief on her face, and handed it over to Mikella. ¡°You get it.¡± ¡°What?¡± Mikella took an actual step back in surprise. ¡°What are you¨C¡± ¡°You need this more than I do. You got that time-limit, right? It¡¯s better that you get super strong, super fast. And since you got that cheating special status, it¡¯s possible.¡± Mikella looked at Myra as though a new light was shown. It was obvious just how cool Myra was as a person, but despite it all, giving away a clearly valuable skill that would help her out just as well to Mikella was something they still didn¡¯t expect. But just when Mikella considered taking the book, Val suddenly jumped in. ¡°Wait! She can¡¯t!¡± Val shouted. ¡°Huh? Why?¡± Myra asked in disbelief, looking at the captain with widened eyes. ¡°Skills like Athletics is part of a ¡®body type¡¯ series of Acquired skills, and Acrobatics is a part of that,¡± Val explained, pointing at herself then at Mikella. ¡°Even if it is possible to learn the two, both skills would be in conflict with one another. It¡¯s just not synergistic enough to handle the increase in power. If anything, it would practically make Mikella crippled if she learned it.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Now the book was treated like it was poison, and Myra instantly pulled the book away from Mikella. It was a bit funny to see, but Zeke¡¯s heart warmed at just how much Myra cared for Mikella¡¯s upbringing. ¡°Aww, seriously?¡± Mikella said in pure distaste. ¡°So I can¡¯t get super powerful by combining these passive skills together?¡± ¡°People tried to and they ended up regretting it. Trust me on this,¡± Val said, her tone turning extremely serious. ¡°On that note, even if you don¡¯t have a skill that¡¯s part of the body series, it¡¯s important to figure out which skill you want to implement into your build. This is another way to solidify your path, but as you might expect¨Cthis sort of body series skill is extremely, extremely expensive.¡± ¡°I get it¡­¡± Zeke nodded in understanding. ¡°So if there are more skills, does that mean there¡¯s a skill that increases the Spirit stat? Wait, is that even a skill for the body series?¡± ¡°It definitely is,¡± Cloud nodded. ¡°I have one myself, but it increases my Intelligence. It¡¯s called ¡®Knowledge¡¯.¡± ¡°The same for me,¡± Zacharia pointed out. ¡°I have a skill called ¡®Perseverance¡¯. It increases my Endurance.¡± ¡°Then,¡± Piker said. ¡°That¡¯s the skill I intend to learn. So I won¡¯t be needing Athletics for myself.¡± Despite his clear interest before, now that the knowledge of the body series came to be, Piker intends to put it aside for a better skill fitting his build. And since Cloud said that even mental stats get a skill like that, Zeke fully plans on finding a skill book for raising Spirit himself. And since that¡¯s pretty much everyone, including Mikella and Valorie having their own Acrobatics for themselves, the Athletics skill was left entirely in Myra¡¯s hands. She looked at the skill book now, her shoulders heaving as if she couldn''t¡¯ believe it. ¡°Y-You¡¯re serious?¡± Myra said, her breath almost caught in her throat. ¡°Even though I already got a skill like Incendiary Grasp? I don¡¯t think¨C¡± ¡°Myra, just take the skill,¡± Mikella smiled, cutting off Myra¡¯s clear hesitation. ¡°Get stronger. I have a feeling that with you by my side, it makes reaching Journeymen a lot easier.¡± Mikella turned to Zeke, and as expected, he nodded in return. With that out of the way, Myra looked ready to cry before shaking it off and learning the skill. For a moment, Zeke worried that the stat requirements for the skill would ruin the mood, but he should¡¯ve expected that thanks to the enhanced fruits, Myra had enough to learn it. Another extremely valuable thing to learn¨Cif you eat enough attribute fruits and raise your caps, it¡¯s possible to decrease the amount of stat points necessary to learn a skill book. That much was the case when despite Mikella¡¯s Acrobatics skill requiring her Dexterity to be at 500, for Myra, she managed to learn it at her Strength stat being over 200. The process was, just like before, terrible to go through. There was no way to decrease the pain from learning a new skill being burned into your brain, but her training got her to handle it well. And because she was cool like that, she showed the notification to everyone around her.
Acquired Skill learned: Athletics.
¡­..
Athletics (Rare), Level 1 You can overcome your body¡¯s limits. All physical attributes (Strength, Dexterity, Vitality, Endurance) receive 1% increase each level. Stamina consumption decreases and overall balance increases.
Vol 2 Ch47: Monster Trap Quest Mikella was glad that Myra took the skill instead of her. She didn¡¯t even know about the limits of having those series-like skills, but even then it felt unfair if she got everything just because of a mission forced upon her. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean she herself didn¡¯t want such a handy looking skill. Being able to increase her power along with her movement speed was always a boon. But she was even more glad that Myra took it. She would be fine if even Piker took it, honestly. In the end, while having more power for herself was great, having her trusted allies gain just as much power to help her just feels better. Zeke didn''t seem to mind either, so she moved along with a better feeling in her chest. The memory of the fallen before this, however, still filled her mind. She was overwhelmed with so much anger and disgust at the gods, at the angels, and even at herself. There were only two of them with no other person alive around. If only she and Clara were left there, would they even survive? Even now, she kept relying on Zeke for everything, including the enhanced fruits thanks to his class to gain stat points. She knew everyone else felt the same way, but she felt it even worse. At this rate, what was the point of her even being here? Zeke could potentially become strong enough to even beat her if she lagged behind some more. Looking back at her stats again, she definitely improved leagues and bounds, and including her skills, she was already punching beyond her weight. But she needed more. She didn¡¯t know what, but she knew she needed something. Zeke had found his own path. She was proud of that. So much so that she wanted to find her own path in this world. Zeke decided to stay as a support mage, but went above and beyond to be able to fight on his own. What can she bring? She was tired of always focusing on combat. Well, not like she¡¯ll ever get tired. She loves to fight and loves to improve her fighting. She just knows that she needed more than just being stabby-stabby. She looked back at her status again, this time staring at her Class.
Name: Mikella Ashton (Overachiever) Race: Human Dragon Berserker: Level 45 Attunement: Unbridled Fulmination (Tier 1) STR: 223 DEX: 236 INT: 53 SPI: 71 VIT: 68 END: 169 Free Points: 0 General Skills: Kinetic Manipulation (R) Level 5 Mana Perception (U) Level 3 Sword Mastery (R) Level 3 Axe Mastery (U) Level 7 Spear Mastery (R) Level 1 Bow Mastery (U) Level 2 Hammer Mastery (U) Level 6 Pain Resistance (U) Level 9 Meditation (C) Level 7 Acquired Skills: Acrobatics (E) Level 3 Dragon Eyes (E) Level 2 Class Skills: Heavenly Strike Level 6 Dragon Descent Level 6 Aerial Advantage Level 3 Draconic Fury Level 5 Forced Regeneration Level 5 Title Skill: Give me more (Title), Level 1 (Maxed)
Her attributes were impressive now, way more than ever. Having two stats over 200 is proof enough that she can tackle any Journeyman-rank monster with ease, perhaps by herself now. But it still felt like it wasn¡¯t enough. Like Zeke, she needs to do something that can bring her forward to her own path. The fear of losing herself to her Class Madness was now gone; she had gained enough control over herself to manage her attunement well enough. So she needed to do something else other than combat¡­ but then, what could she do? She already had 9 General Skills, so she only has one slot left to learn another one. She already planned on trying to fuse all of her weapon skills together, so that was important. She still wasn¡¯t sure what she could get out of it, but it was worth the wait and effort. Should she pick up a crafting skill? Somehow that felt¡­ kinda pointless? Then again, she needs to do something other than training all the time since, in the end, she has to let her body and mind rest. And what better way to do that than to focus on a crafting skill? More importantly, if she leveled it up little by little, she¡¯ll still gain stat points, and gaining stat points is always a good thing no matter how strong you get. Exhibit A would include Val, who was still giddy despite years of being a Journeyman staged fighter after gaining more points than she knew what to do with. She put that thought to the back of her head as they kept going through room after room, finding more loot for the soldiers, just equipment this time, and nothing much else. Eventually, they found themselves at the end of a hall where a double door was there. This time, it didn¡¯t feel like there would be nice surprises hiding inside there. ¡°...Could this be where the mini-boss room is?¡± Mikella asked Zeke who stared up at the doors with his glowing turquoise eyes. He was using his Recovery skill. His eyes flashed once before returning to their normal brownish color. ¡°Probably. So far, this feels different than any other room we found.¡± The rest gathered up behind the two, figuring that they were already knowledgeable enough to find a way for themselves. Myra and Piker have been dealing with the lizards all this while, gaining some levels and learning their skills. Myra¡¯s Athletics was a lot more powerful than it let on, allowing Myra to keep plowing through every Journeyman-rank lizard and burning them to cinders. Zeke approached the door and pushed them open. With the power from his rune buffs, the double metal doors swung wide open with ease. The inside of the room was larger and circular than the other rooms so far, decorated with lavish designs on their walls, ceiling, and the pillars that encircled the room. At the near-center was a design of concentric circles that made a step-up towards the center right in the very middle of the room, revealing what looked like a large stone tablet, made in the same coloring and markings as the rest of the room. That made everyone pause, and knowing his role, Piker was the one that stepped up first. He pulled Zeke to the side, nodding to him before raising his bastard sword and entering inside. Once the room proved to be safe, everyone went along. The Journeymen hung back so that the Experts could gain further experience, not just in levels but in overall dungeon diving. As they stepped further in, Mikella and Zeke approached the stone tablet, the only thing that was possibly of interest for them and tried to read it. Only to find absolutely nothing of worth. Mikella could spend a hundred years and could not understand jack-shit. As for Zeke¡­ ¡°I can¡¯t read jack shit,¡± Zeke pointed out, proving that Mikella might have some brains after all. ¡°So what do we do?¡± Mikella ventured. There were no entrances here to any other rooms, and no boss in sight. If memory serves her right, they had this situation back then as well, back in the first tower. Zeke grimaced, realizing what Mikella was intending. It was then that the stone tablet started to glow, the markings that were gibberish beginning to glow a bright white. The two stepped away when the entire room started to shake, the ground rumbling and shaking which brought Mikella to a panic. Was the tower already cleared and ready to implode now? Instead, a notification popped into her vision. It wasn¡¯t just her either¨Ceveryone looked distantly as a prompt showed up just the same for everyone else. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.
Mini-Quest accepted. Defeat the Lizardman horde within the span of 10 minutes. Success: Enter the next room. Failure: Death.
For once, the damn tower was finally spelling it out for them all. Despite the short, crude, and somewhat manic quest, Mikella was actually thankful for it. As for the mini-quest itself, it wasn¡¯t that hard to figure out. It was a trap, and it was the basic kind of trap that she often encountered even when she played video games in the old world. Suddenly lizardmen came out in droves, but what fascinated her was where they came from. Rather than getting out through holes in the walls, or any form of entrance that showed up, they just ¡®phased¡¯ through the walls, as though they were just being spawned right here on the map like an actual video game. Considering how gamey-like their first tower was, she couldn¡¯t really fault it. But it was still so jarring to see something so strange happening in front of her eyes. Were these lizardmen actually alive, or just puppets controlled by the tower? But they also bled, and even showed emotions such as contempt or fear when fighting to the death. In the end, the monsters slowly grew in number as Zeke already had a barrier surrounding them. Unfortunately, the lizardmen weren¡¯t fucking around. Each one was already hitting the barrier in such force that Zeke actually grimaced, recovering his barrier¡¯s near-broken parts with his mana. ¡°Guys, these lizards are actually pretty strong,¡± Zeke said, calling out with a frown. ¡°I can¡¯t do anything else other than keeping up the barrier!¡± If Mikella heard right, Zeke actually sounded miffed that he can¡¯t fight. Even though he was doing his job and he didn¡¯t intend to complain, a small smile formed on her lips as Zeke was downright addicted to fighting. Somehow she felt like she was responsible for that addiction. Putting aside the funny thought, she took the chance to Identify the monsters, and her eyes widened at the different lizards.
Charging Lizardman, Level 84 Juggernaut Lizardman, Level 90 Berserker LIzardman, Level 87
These lizardmen aren¡¯t messing around. From the names alone, these creatures have enough power to instantly break the barrier if Zeke hadn¡¯t taken the enhanced fruits earlier. Which explains why he couldn¡¯t do much else but keep them outside. Right now they were inside a radius of a few miles from the tablet, which continued to glow as though it was ticking the timer they were on. And the timer is what made it complicated. All of these monsters, ranging at least a few hundred within the circular room, would take a while to take down, considering their levels and powered up strikes. With Zeke being kept down like this, they can¡¯t expect an easy support to go through it all. She noticed in the corner of her eye the Journeymen ready to strike, and somehow, despite being in this situation, Mikella had an idea of her own. ¡°Guys, can you leave this up to me?¡± She spoke to everyone in the vicinity, hearing her out with shock on their faces. Zeke was the first to speak. ¡°Are you serious?¡± Zeke said, alarm in his voice. ¡°I know we got strong, but this is too much!¡± ¡°I know, but I¡­¡± Mikella pursed her lips. ¡°I got a really crazy idea. You know my Heavenly Strike, right? How it can pierce through any defense?¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± Zeke answered. ¡°But that won¡¯t kill every single one here. It only works for a single target, doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the thing,¡± Mikella said, her own tone rising from pure excitement. ¡°I think I can expand on that.¡± When that got Zeke to only tilt his head in confusion, Val came forth and placed a hand on her shoulder. ¡°Go for it, but if things go awry, run back in and let us handle it, right? Surely you don¡¯t mind Cloud taking a few down while you¡¯re doing this, right? We only got ten minutes, after all.¡± Mikella nodded. While she wanted to pull off this idea, she wasn¡¯t stupid enough to put aside their quest which literally mentioned their death if they failed. Not that she knew how that would work, but she wouldn''t put it past the shitty tower if it just insta-killed them by stopping their hearts or brains or something like that. With a reluctant breath from Zeke, he opened up the upper layer of the barrier where the lizardmen couldn''t reach. While airborne attacks weren''t a possibility, he wouldn¡¯t risk it. Mikella jumped straight up with her newly enhanced body, jumping right on top of the barrier with Cloud already beginning to cast his magic. She could see a whole array of lizardmen, each one ready to strike her down with their bows prepped and ready. It was those archers that Cloud went and struck down first, showing absolute control and precision with his glowing fire spells that struck like homing missiles. With a breath, she closed her eyes and searched within. If there was a chance for her to improve her standing in a perilous situation, this would be the perfect situation. She made a fully ethereal hand in her mind and forced it deep into her soul, the confines in which all sorts of powers were nestled in thanks to the system. Zeke had taught her that imagery was important when commanding magic, and there was no better way to picture than to forcibly drag her magic out of her. With that said imagined hand, she grasped onto her attunement, the raging lightning that continuously flowed through her magical channels like mad. Pulling the now practically charged lightning out, she also pulled out several weapons from her storage pack with her physical hands and tossed them into the air. The lightning conjured from her body flew forth and grabbed hold of the airborne weapons, each one grasping at another sword, a spear, a hammer, and various other weapons she had collected throughout the temple run as well as from the base camp. Like tendrils, the lightning snaked across the handles and grabbed hold of the weapons, leaving them up in the air fully in her control. Just barely, though. But this was the true hard part of this entire endeavor. She channeled all her newfound power, her increased Intelligence and Spirit, to pour her will into the weapons, and for each and every one, she channeled her Class Skill and commanded one thing. Heavenly Strike filled the weapons with their specific mana, but only focusing on the blades where her attunement was focusing on the handles and grips. And she soon commanded them all to kill every single lizardman here. The weapons flew out throughout the circular room, their blades ramping up with enough energy to blind the eyes of every creature there. It was then that a slaughter of mass proportions ensued. Each blade gutted every lizardman they could fly through, or swung diagonally with a tendril swinging it like a squiggly long arm. Each warhammer crushed and splattered each skull and brain matter rained like so many droplets of blood. Lightning flashed and struck, leaving behind powerful noises that could pierce eardrums from miles away. It was a slaughter. It was a massacre that no human being could ever replicate. It was fucking glorious. Her eyes were transfixed at the power, at the strength and will poured into each and every one of the weapons she had. Her skills sang in her soul and her mind whirled at the energy flowing out of her. If it was just her a few minutes ago, she wouldn¡¯t even have dared to go this far. But now she wanted more. In fact, she felt her mind straining from doing this just by standing still. She wasn¡¯t a mage¨Cshe was a goddamn warrior. So she pulled out her own sword, the main one she used all the time, and flung herself into the slaughter of her own making. Whether she managed to kill one lizardman, or had herself protected by a barrier conjured by Zeke, Mikella kept running forth with all her skills working in conjunction, her legs flying through the air and her blade singing along with the sounds of lightning strikes and steel gouging flesh. A sense of exhilaration, pain, and overwhelming joy filled her as she swung her sword as her soul permitted. Her mind was gone. Any logical sense she had was completely destroyed. Now the only thing left in her was her soul roaring in satisfaction. She equated fighting Zeke one-on-one to eating a five-star meal at a fancy restaurant. Fighting and killing all the monsters here was like enjoying a feast of massive proportions, nutrition and balance be damned. But finally, as though the fun was just beginning, it all ended way too quickly.
Quest completed. You have gained experience points for completing the quest. For completing the quest, you have received the following rewards: 50 Gold Coins
When she finally snapped back to reality, she found herself absolutely surrounded by lizard corpses. Some managed to get away with a clean hit to the head. Others, not so much. Some were practically riddled with holes to the point of looking nothing like how it once did. She also knew that her weapons showed proof of their kills by how much blood had coated every visible part on them. Though they didn¡¯t actually kill as many as she imagined. There were hints of burnt corpses and other sorts of kills that her weapons controlled by lightning didn¡¯t kill. In the end, her magic control was abysmal at best, and an insult to any competent mage in her vicinity at worst. She wasn¡¯t afraid to admit that. She¡¯ll only put that down under the ¡®definitely needs more work¡¯ category on top of everything else in her arsenal. She noticed the blinking notifications eagerly waiting for her at the corner of her vision, but she turned to find the clearly surprised and gawking audience waiting for her beyond the barrier. ¡°...What?¡± Mikella shrugged. She tried to be nonchalant, but a blush unfortunately made its way to her face. ¡°So I messed up a little.¡± She thought they were judging her based on her clear lack of control, but it was actually the opposite. Everyone looked at her with clear shock which soon quickly shifted into nods of approval. ¡°I¡¯m just glad you¡¯re on our side,¡± Myra said, eventually putting every feeling they felt into those words. Still, Myra shook her head in clear disbelief. ¡°You know what? I¡¯m done figuring out just how far you¡¯ll go. Just let me know when the next crazy thing you¡¯re gonna do and I¡¯ll just follow along.¡± As Mikella and the others discussed her display of power, the mages clearly giving their insights on how to properly navigate her attunement control, the circular room eventually revealed a door at the end from where they were. It showed up as though it phased into existence, and eventually the group went ahead to eventually finish the damn dungeon. There were two major points they needed to face, and this room marked their last quarter of the journey ahead. But Mikella had a feeling that things would end up just fine with how well things are going. Vol 2 Ch48: Jackies thoughts No matter how much training he put himself through, Jackie¡¯s heart beat rapidly in his chest. He stood along with his comrades and allies of their unit, separated into different groups based on their function and uses. He was part of the classic melee fighters, filled with incredible fighters with powerful skills that would put him to shame. The wet ground sloshed as their feet marched across the forested fields, taking down one monster after another, all of which were Journeymen rank. He had a hard time believing that such a creature could even exist around Eve Glade, let alone a whole ecosystem of them living below the town. Sure, it was hundreds of miles away, but it still shook him. He could barely take one down before another had to help, and another to take it down while he supported from the side. He was mostly useful for distracting the monsters, his stats barely capable of scratching it. He trained relentlessly, but he wasn¡¯t as hardcore as Myra. Throughout their life, Myra had always been the type to go far beyond their stations, enough so that Jackie basically had to tell her off to leave him alone. Putting aside the differences in their stats, skills, titles, and their own attunements, Myra had a drive that beat both him and his late brother to pieces. She¡¯s the sort to train even after the day was nearly spent and everyone else rested. She¡¯s the one that always forged through no matter the trial, trying to egg the others on to do the same. She¡¯s the leader of the two knuckleheads that pulled them through the dark times back at the Federation. She was someone he admired, though he would never admit that to her face. She¡¯s got the arrogance that matched her drive. But that soon changed when the visitors came in. Zeke and Mikella changed the entire game for them. It made just trying to survive in the small town against a horde of Expert monsters seem so easy. He could tell immediately how that affected Myra. It even punctured her own pride and ego, but that didn¡¯t stop her. If anything, that only pushed her forward. Even if she managed to get an Acquired skill out of it, Myra would always push on through no matter the odds. Jackie was proud of that, and he knew Maxie would be too. He still thought about his brother sometimes. At times, he became a memory, and other times, it became so real that he was gone. It made his heart ache, and his soul withered. He made his entire build to focus on working together with Maxie, something they both agreed to be as badass as hell. After all, with Myra being the way she is, the two needed to work together to support her. But now with him gone, he was just Jackie. It was hard to change his build, however little it was. It just proved that Maxie was gone. Even Myra was affected, wanting to support Jackie rather than training herself. But he didn¡¯t want that. This was his own weight to bear. It was time for him to carry his own weight rather than let Myra take care of everything from now on. He was happy to find out that Myra was chosen to go along with Zeke and Mikella to some awesome adventure, probably getting stronger and stronger with each passing second. He was proud of that. But he also knew that she¡¯d be disappointed if he stopped trying. Hence, he gathered his courage and pulled his sword out to help his comrades face the Hunter that spotted them. It spewed flames all around, trying to burn everything around it. The crystals became redder as seconds passed, yet they remained adamant, standing tall. Several other soldiers of his group used their shields or skills to defend themselves, and others just ran. He would¡¯ve normally used his shield as well, but Jackie opted to focus on the blade for now. He dodged, his Dexterity lagging just slightly to get caught with the embers that burned his right calf. It was unbelievably painful, but not enough to stop him, because if he did, he would die. As soon as the flames stopped, everyone ran in to attack the creature. While it had a tough hide and a fast reaction speed to everyone pouncing on it, not even the powerful Hunter could defend against an onslaught of powerful and well-coordinated team effort of Experts. It soon died, the body carpeting the ground with its blood. Jackie breathed heavily as he felt his hands still simmer and burn, being so close to the fire-attuned Hunter. The fact that Myra managed to beat this thing down with just three fighters and Zeke not even using his barrier was just incredible. There were half the times where he wished Zeke was there to support them, but even he knew how relying on his barrier all the time would prove to be an issue later on. Still, it was hard. The healer at their side, Cacia, came over to dress their wounds with puffs of snow, which was absolutely perfect to counter the hissing burn of the flames. Jackie still flinched and hissed like a child when she came over to heal him, but he smiled and thanked her for the work. He felt blessed just having a healer at all. Half the time, the healers back at Eve Glade were too busy healing the more injured folks, and of course Cloud was busy with his work as a lord. But with how well the soldiers were trained, even the healers were amazing at curing wounds, proving just how incredible Zacharia¡¯s retinue was. They continued onward to the fortress, the large stone structure that pierced through the large cavernous walls. And considering how big this place was, that seemed incredible in Jackie¡¯s eyes. The others all had tense faces, their jaws locked tight with eyes that burned with determination. For them, following Zacharia¡¯s orders was the priority. At first, he was a little disturbed by how adamant they are in following such a scary guy, but after being with them for a while, he started to understand. They all came from different parts of life, some from extinguished families like Nina and her beast-tamer build, while some others came from the slums. Putrid places within the kingdom that were barely taken care of. Being such a huge place, it¡¯s no wonder there are some dark sides that not even the king could see. Each one of them were taken in by Zacharia, given harsh training, but also were given valuable tools to survive, like gear and skill training. He even offered them a powerful attunement should they come up to the task. There were many, many volunteers to try, but more than 90% of those tryouts failed and left the retinue due to Zacharia¡¯s harsh training regimen. Only these soldiers survived, and were granted rewards based on their hard work. It¡¯s the sort of thing that Jackie and Myra went through in Eve Glade, though at a slower pace. With their lack of funds, being in such a small town, it¡¯s no wonder not everyone can advance as far as Myra can. Plus, being able to have attribute fruits is considered a dream to the commoners, so not everyone can actually be strong enough. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Still, there were some interesting ¡­ characters in the retinue that Jackie can¡¯t really get along with. One for example was actually coming by, his smug grin showing on his neatly trimmed face as he walked over. ¡°Looks like it¡¯s another win for me,¡± Basil said. Despite his slightly short stature, he had the gall to look like he was looking down on Jackie. ¡°An easy win too.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t everyone put in the effort to take the Hunter down?¡± Jackie asked, raising a brow. He was pretty sure there weren''t any competitions either. ¡°Oh come on, you saw that it was me that dealt the last blow,¡± Basil jeered. ¡°Then, blam! Head blown right off!¡± After getting pelted by dozens of other strikes, Jackie mumbled, but it was so low that Basil couldn¡¯t hear. He also could admit, albeit bitterly, that Basil certainly was strong enough to deal enough damage. It¡¯s just that the bastard was so pretentious sometimes, it¡¯s no wonder everyone else just ignored him. But for some odd reason, Basil was sticking and jostling with Jackie since they got grouped up. ¡°Heh, I also improved by leaps and bounds. No way that chick can get the best of me this time,¡± Basil said proudly, a smug grin plastered on his face. ¡°Soon she¡¯s gonna come crying out for me to stop, but oh no, I¡¯m going all in¡­¡± There was a sickening grin to his face now, something that Jackie only rolled his eyes a little too hard at. Basil had this huge crush on Mikella ever since his defeat against her. Of course, even the soldiers of his own retinue can tell that he was grasping too far into the heavens. He liked to pretend that he just wanted to bash her head in, but everyone knew of the long distant stares he sent at her whenever she trained along with the others. It was so obvious, Jackie wondered if everyone but him knew about it. Half the time, he expected Mikella to know about it, though that seemed unlikely. No matter how, Basil always tried instigating her, but she either dismissed him entirely or missed the entire point and just outright bashed him in combat. Basil was trying too damn hard to impress her, but she only cared about the efficiency of the fight. She¡¯s always been like that, a near replica of Myra. Not that Jackie disliked her or anything. After it was revealed just how fast Mikella grew while fighting, everyone wanted a bit of her momentum. What they got in return was way more than they bargained for. She outright destroyed them in sparring, and egged them on to keep going. It destroyed them body and soul, and due to that, they grew way faster than they normally would have. Something about her actually helped even the hardcore retinue soldiers to max out their skills, jumping leaps and bounds ahead in their progress. That¡¯s more effort than they have ever done before she came in, her charisma higher than any stat she had. He honestly can¡¯t imagine anyone trying to ¡®tame¡¯ her, no matter how amazing she is. She was certainly beautiful, more of a ¡®cute and feisty¡¯ to Jackie¡¯s eyes than Myra¡¯s ¡®hot and flashy¡¯. But her personality can be a little¡­ domineering, maybe. Half the time Jackie feared about his manhood being trounced by her overwhelming presence. And he wasn¡¯t alone¨Chalf the men around him felt the same way, and others, like Basil, were entranced by her. Not to the point of trying to court her like Basil is, however. The only guy he can ever imagine not just courting Mikella, but outright taking care of her for life is Zeke. The man¡¯s a legend among the mages and warriors alike. Not everyone can help support a group and go all out fighting against Mikella of all people in pure combat. Seeing how Zeke could go toe-to-toe with Mikella with his rune buffs was just too amazing. Magic was already incredible, but Jackie¡¯s poor Intelligence and Spirit stats made it easy for him to find out that magic wasn¡¯t his thing. He likes being physical, and the sword was at least easy to use. Unfortunately, that was the only thing keeping Jackie¡¯s thoughts before he had to listen to Basils¡¯ ongoing dribel about taming the wild electrifying beast. Eventually they regrouped together with the other members of the team, reaching ever closer to the fortress. The scouts made it easy to traverse their way there now that the main team managed to discover the location, and more importantly, away from the other monsters. The monsters seemed to be more¡­ agitated the closer they got, however, something that reminded Jackie of before. Of that horrifying, dangerous tower that almost killed Myra during her Expert milestone, that caused the monsters to go crazy, and that caused his brother¡¯s death. When he heard Myra that they were heading to the tower that had propped up there, he legitimately feared for her life. He didn¡¯t want to lose another friend, not again, to another stupid dangerous tower. But he knew that with Zeke, Mikella, and the other Lords by her side, she¡¯d be fine. Plus, even the general Zacharia and that stick-in-the-mud Piker was with her. Besides, he wanted her to be strong, and what better way than to conquer the tower? Still, he felt something was off, and it wasn¡¯t the monsters either. They were always on top of searching for the other enemy soldiers, but so far they haven¡¯t found anyone that has gotten this far. At the moment, their current leading officer, Moars, was reading the maps the scouts temporarily wrote, his intimidating face scrutinizing every detail. ¡°Dude¡­ these bastards are so damn annoying¡­¡± While his face was scowling like he was ready to kill, his incredibly lax tone and stressed wording made Jackie unrelentingly relax. Moars always made him feel as though he was too stressed out these days, and that he should just take it easy. Though at the same time, he was more on his feet, ready for action. The man was pretty damn good, despite his weird tone and relaxed posture. ¡°The monsters are going crazy, and those soldiers are nowhere to be found¡­ bummer,¡± Moars said, shaking his head. ¡°How close are we?¡± ¡°A few miles ahead and we should reach the fortress,¡± One of the scouts reported. ¡°About two hours or so.¡± ¡°Gotcha,¡± Moars nodded. ¡°Alrighty then. Everyone, let¡¯s move out.¡± Though his order was low-toned, everyone got ready and prepared to head out. But not before something moved in the air. A small quake echoed, causing the nearby leaves of the crystalline trees to tinkle and crash to the ground, getting everyone¡¯s attention. Jackie unsheathed his sword without a second thought. He would¡¯ve been proud of that reaction if it wasn¡¯t for the creature that appeared at their midst. A large bipedal creature covered in midnight fur, but it couldn¡¯t hide the rippling muscles from beneath its limbs. Sharp claws on each of its hands and feet, with equally sharp fangs shown through its pronounced snout. Drool slithered down its open jaw, its lip raised in a growl as it showed its nearly yellowish eyes. It was a growl that came from deep below, shaking everyone down to their cores. This wasn¡¯t an ordinary creature, Jackie knew. It definitely didn¡¯t belong in the biodome either, having no sign of a crystal or an elemental form at all. A monster from the outside? No, that can¡¯t be. Then, is it a part of Bastion? Jackie identified it to be sure, but couldn¡¯t hold back his shocked look at the result.
Warrior, Level 81
¡°Fuck¡­¡± Jackie cursed. ¡°Hahaha, well look at this haul I found¡­¡± The werewolf-like creature stood on its two legs with a wide chest spoke up. Its voice was near growling, but it clearly spoke in words Jackie could understand. It twisted its head left and right, tilting it ever so slightly in confusion. ¡°But I heard you folks got lords at my level. Why are lambs wandering around all alone?¡± The beast lowered its head, opening its maw ever so slightly. Jackie couldn¡¯t help the fear slowly crawling towards his chest as he saw the beast¡­ actually smiling. ¡°Ah, well. That doesn¡¯t matter. At the very least, you can keep me company. You see, I like playing with my food.¡± Vol2 Ch49: Blizzard Lizard Once the group went through the doors to head out of the circular trap room (or was it a quest room?), Mikella finally checked the prompts that were begging to be heard in her mind.
Level up! You are now Level 48. You gain 6 free points (6 FP total). You have gained +9 STR from your class. You have gained +9 DEX from your class. You have gained +9 END from your class.
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Mana Perception Level Up! It is now Level 6. You have gained +3 INT from your skill. You have gained +3 SPI from your skill.
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Sword Mastery Level Up! It is now Level 5. You have gained +2 STR from your skill. You have gained +4 DEX from your skill.
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Axe Mastery Level Up! It is now Level 9. You have gained + 2 STR from your skill. You have gained +2 END from your skill.
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Spear Mastery Level Up! It is now Level 2. You have gained +2 STR from your skill. You have gained +1 DEX from your skill.
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Bow Mastery Level up! It is now Level 4. You have gained +2 DEX from your skill. You have gained +2 END from your skill.
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Hammer Mastery Level Up! It is now level 8. You have gained +2 STR from your skill. You have gained +2 END from your skill.
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Heavenly Strike Level Up! It is now Level 8. Decreased stamina and mana consumption (x2). Increased damage (x2).
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Forced Regeneration Level Up! It is now Level 6. Increase regeneration rate. Decrease damage needed to regenerate.
She increased not only her skill levels, but her own level as well, which was becoming a rarity after all this time. This also meant Zeke raised levels as well, as proof by Identifying him to show he was a Level 48 Runist. But what truly fascinated her the most was the brand new General Skill she learned.
General Skill learned: Lightning Mastery
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Lightning Mastery (Uncommon), Level 1 You have understood and accepted lightning to be part of your essence. You can conjure lightning made from your mana, controlling it with your will. Your mastery over lightning magic increases according to the level of the skill and the current Intelligence stat.
Lightning Mastery. Supposedly a mage-related skill that allowed mages to use magic, including spells that would normally take several skill slots to learn. As you keep increasing the level, you can learn different types of spells and make them stronger as well. For someone like her, learning a magic skill like this was something she hadn¡¯t expected to get. She figured she might have to try to get it for the sake of her attunement, but she never actually planned on getting the skill. It was something of an afterthought¨Cbut she certainly wouldn¡¯t consider it a waste. Though that also brought about a rather unsettling notification right afterwards.
Your General Skill list has been filled. There are no more remaining slots to learn further General Skills.
An unfortunate, but inevitable outcome. At some point she was going to fill up her list with the rate she was learning skills, and she was glad that she at least got a skill that she never thought she could¡¯ve learned without spending a whole crap load of time into it. But that also meant learning any new skill, perhaps even a different weapon skill, was a no go. She was hoping that she could put in another weapon skill for the possibility of fusing the other weapon skills together, but she supposed that it was enough daydreaming for her. She told all this to the others, getting her various responses. Zeke, obviously, was ecstatic from her learning a new magic-related skill that reflected well with her attunement. Myra and Piker, unfortunately, wasn¡¯t seething with envy that she liked to see, realizing that it was a matter of time before Mikella ended up learning a skill that even warriors like them would have a hard time learning for their own attunements. The Journeymen knew this was bound to happen, but Val at least showed genuine giddiness as she excitedly talked about what to do to further Mikella¡¯s training. It wasn¡¯t just the Lightning Mastery skill either¨Cshe gained plenty of skill levels throughout the progress. The best part about the increases isn¡¯t the amount of stat points, at least not anymore. After the enhanced fruits increased her stat pool even higher, she was more interested in just how adept she was in handling her skills. Her Mana Perception leveling like crazy was also an indicator of how she managed to learn Lightning Mastery. That imagery stuff worked extremely well despite her only trying it out for a few moments. Her tactic of doing this sort of thing during a life-or-death battle paid off, and it even completed the quest in time, though it did dampen her spirit a little when she found out the lords had to come in and kill some of the lizards off since her control was, to put it lightly¨Cpretty shitty. Still, the notifications were proof that she was doing something right. Everyone else also agreed that she had improved a lot more than before. Compared to ordinary experts, she was well and above them all, barely close to a Journeyman. Though the difference between an extremely powerful Expert, and a newly born Journeyman was entirely too wide a gap to cross. At least that¡¯s what Val warned her about in case they do face the Bastion soldiers when they get out. She wasn¡¯t trying to put her down, but rather warn her that she needed to pull out every bit of power like she just displayed toward the lizardmen at the Journeyman soldiers, even if they are only in the low-end of level 60. While they gushed about her increase in power, the hall seemed to slowly change towards a longer passageway, as though they were entering further into the strange temple-like theme going on here. The brasiers began appearing as they were lit with an orange tinted flame, lighting the hall. With the hall being the way it was, it wasn¡¯t possible for lizards to ambush them, so their footsteps took over the serene silence they were finally able to achieve. Soon enough they entered through another set of doors, this time it displayed a large chamber that could fit an entire city block. Of course, that was all turned moot when a gust of chilling air swept through them. It was a cold that seeped deep into their bones as a shiver ran down through her body. ¡°Jesus Christ, it¡¯s cold!¡± Mikella said, rubbing her arms already. Even if she had leather armor covering every facet of her skin, the cold air still managed to get through to her. Myra looked worse off, her teeth chattered from the intense cold. She kept rubbing her arms like Mikella did, and she even noticed that she was using a bit of her Fire mana to warm her up as trails of steam started bellowing out of her. Her breath became visible vapor as the chamber looked oddly normal, like they entered into one of the inner rooms of the temples. While statues hung about here and there, they didn''t show any sign of history, as though they were placed there randomly. This tower had no history, being just recently born, so she didn¡¯t expect anything valuable to be here, at least historically. ¡°Why is it so cold here?¡± Zeke asked, his own breath visible from the intense cold. ¡°I didn¡¯t even feel a thing before we opened the doors.¡± ¡°Probably the effect of the tower,¡± Cloud surmised. ¡°I can¡¯t help but keep thinking that this tower is trying to push the otherworlders to be prepared for everything. Zeke, Mikella¨Cany thoughts on what to expect?¡± ¡°A boss, most likely,¡± Mikella answered with ease. ¡°B-But I don¡¯t see anything,¡± Myra said, her teeth still shattering as her Fire Mana was just slowly warming her up. It wouldn¡¯t be good to overdo it and drain her mana. ¡°We gotta go further in,¡± Zeke said, moving forward. The group did exactly that, looking over at the inside. The floor was made up of marvel tiles that were literally coated in frost. Piker didn¡¯t seem to mind the cold at all as he strutted forward, but he kept pace with everyone else. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. It made sense considering his attunement. As for Myra, her steps were slow but stable. She was slowly getting used to it, but Mikella winced after seeing Myra keep trying to warm herself up. It must be some sort of a side effect for focusing on an element, then being in an area that was opposite of that element. That normally wouldn¡¯t matter at all if she was stronger than the area itself. But it was clear that this would be a tough battle, even for the Journeymen as their faces were hard and stern. A few minutes of walking through this large chamber, noticing more of the temple¡¯s structures that seemed to be haphazardly placed around, the group came to a halt. So far, there was nothing around. ¡°Strange¡­ it should¡¯ve popped up by now,¡± Zeke said, keeping his head on a swivel as he surveyed the area. ¡°I wonder what¡¯s up.¡± ¡°Maybe it¡¯s not here,¡± Myra offered. She stopped shattering, which was a blessing, but she still had her arms covered with her hands. ¡°It¡¯s not like everything¡¯s the same, right?¡± ¡°Maybe, but that makes me worried,¡± Zeke said, adding to Mikella¡¯s own concern. ¡°We¡¯ve been here for a while now. Sure, it was shorter than our run, but we had it easy with our own skills. But then¡­¡± ¡°Zeke,¡± Val spoke quietly. ¡°I hear something.¡± That immediately got everyone¡¯s attention as Val¡¯s eyes turned sharp, her sword brandished in recognition of an enemy. There, a small gust wheeled in through the area, leaving the others to shiver involuntarily. Mikella already had her sword up, and Zeke was ready to prop a barrier at a moment¡¯s notice. But nobody was able to predict what was gonna happen next. Zeke¡¯s chest exploded in a burst of blood, his eyes widening as something suddenly appeared right behind him. He coughed up blood which splattered over his chin as he looked down to find a long blade stabbing right through him. Before Mikella could even comprehend what just happened, Zeke¡¯¡¯s body was thrown aside as the creature pulled the blade out of him and kicked him to the curve. It blasted Zeke a long distance away, landing straight to a large column of marvel that stood in his path. ¡°Zeke!¡± Mikella shouted, her vision entirely filled with Zeke¡¯s reddish blood. Then she saw nothing but red as she pounced at the creature that slithered across the field of blood. She swung her sword to the side, but before she even swung, the figure just disappeared. The heavy sword swing left an exertion of force that left a large diagonal cut at one of the nearby columns, but it never caught the enemy. ¡°Ambush!¡± Piker shouted. ¡°Healer down!¡± ¡°Keep your defense high!¡± Zacharia shouted as Cloud and Val already went over to Zeke¡¯s side. Mikella stayed, her face riddled with anger and fear. She wanted to go over where Zeke was, but she knew there wasn¡¯t anything she could do. Her mind became blank as she thought of nothing but to try and find this slithery bastard that did this to him. It¡¯s fine. Zeke¡¯s tough. I can attest to that. All that fighting and training made Mikella realize that while Zeke was a support mage, he was a tough guy to take down. He had Pain Resistance, which upped his Endurance, and he had been physically training. Even after having his chest exploding like that could not keep him down. So the least she could do is to tear off the bastard¡¯s head that did this to him. Her eyes flared with Dragon Eyes to find the creature appearing once again. This time, Piker appeared behind Myra, right where the creature was heading to, and swung right back at it. The creature blocked Piker¡¯s strike with its sword and backed off, finally revealing its form. It was¡­ smaller than what Mikella expected. Rather than being a large creature like the wyvern in their first tower, this creature was slim and lean. There was clear muscle tone within its scaled skin, wearing pronounced armor that looked like it could be metal, but was seamless that perfectly welded to its body. It carried a long blade. It was even longer than its own body, making it seem extremely unwieldy. However, another look revealed that the upper parts of the blade was coated in ice, or rather, completely formed in ice. It was a lizard creature, but it looked more human than monster, its head still appearing like a lizard, but everything about it, even its eyes, seemed unnaturally human. She flared Identify, startled at the result. Lizardman of the Blizzard, Level 81 Holy shit, level 81? It was certainly higher than any of the creatures she saw so far. It was definitely reaching up to the higher realms of Journeyman. But that wasn¡¯t the worst part. While the other monsters at that rank were simplistic in nature, this boss clearly wasn¡¯t. It felt like it was born for battle, and not just to survive¨Cbut to challenge itself against stronger foes. It covered its shortcomings as it glared at the group with its blue eyes. Then it turned its head, facing towards another direction. Where Zeke was. Mikella stopped thinking. ¡°It¡¯s going after Zeke again!¡± Everyone charged the moment they realized what it was planning. How the lizardman knew of Zeke¡¯s value trumped Mikella, but all she knew is that Zeke was in further danger. It might be due to them being otherworlders, and after that missed swing Mikella did, it was proof that Zeke was the ¡®weaker¡¯ of the two, hence going after the weaker otherworlder made sense. But it all turned moot when the lizardman was pushed back by none other than Val who thrusted her sword forward. It made the air quake at her thrust, but the lizardman had an impossible speed that made it disappear in a flash of cold vapor. ¡°Damn it!¡± Myra cursed. ¡°The thing¡¯s fast!¡± ¡°Val, how¡¯s Zeke?¡± Mikella still kept her eyes peeled at her surroundings. ¡°Is he¨C¡± ¡°He¡¯s alright, Cloud¡¯s taking care of him,¡± Val said, also looking out of her surroundings. ¡°Zeke¡¯s quite the toughie. Unfortunately, Cloud, Zacharia, and Zeke are facing a bunch of creatures that suddenly burst through the opening of this room.¡± Mikella widened at the realization. The Experts were dumbfounded that more enemies were found right after completing that mini-quest. While they thought there were more than they expected, Mikella remembered the same thing happening after they defeated the wyvern. More knights appeared from the lava chasm that they escaped from, which honestly shouldn¡¯t make any sense. But once again, the tower makes it known that it was not a normal dungeon. Not in the slightest. But now that the fear of Zeke¡¯s unknown state was gone, only anger filled her chest as electricity covered her entire body. Her recently gained Lightning Mastery made itself known in her body, her attunement going along with it swimmingly. It sparked, causing the entire chamber to light up from her flashes. She can¡¯t make any use of it now in its current level, but she was never much of a mage to deal with. Right now, she¡¯ll use the added skill power into her attunement, making it stronger than before. Now that she caught wind of how it looked and how it moved, she was able to tell where it could land at the very least. But just when she was about to turn after the air coiled behind her, Myra shouted out in alarm. She turned back to find Myra grimacing, her forearm slashed to near ribbons with blood oozing out like a faucet. ¡°Son of a bitch!¡± Myra shouted, her body blazing with fire. ¡°I¡¯ll kill it!¡± The flames coalesced and coiled around Myra, and with surprising control as it avoided the others around her. The flames eased the shivering winds for a while, but the creature didn''t abate. A large gust of freezing air soon swallowed the flames whole, eradicating the flames in an instant and leaving Myra gaping in shock. ¡°Mikella, west!¡± Hearing the code, Mikella turned to her left and immediately batted away the longsword aiming for her neck with her blade. She twisted the sword around and swiped at the creature. The boss retaliated, using its tail to actually push the flat side of the blade away and leaping backwards to avoid another strike. Mikella growled before the creature as it disappeared in a heartbeat, vaporized into a cloud of cold vapor. ¡°It keeps disappearing,¡± Val stated, showing a calm stance. It looked like she was still leaving the fight mostly to the Experts, not trying to take the XP away. But her sword remained adamant in her hands. ¡°I¡¯m betting it¡¯s a skill based on the cold. Piker?¡± ¡°Yes, Captain,¡± Piker nodded. ¡°I¡¯m only able to tell because of my attunement. The creature hides itself with the cold winds in the chamber, making it entirely invisible.¡± ¡°But we should spot it by now, right? It can¡¯t just disappear anytime it wants,¡± Mikella called out. That was a cheating ability for sure, especially when it¡¯s so strong and fast as well. She won¡¯t mention the fact that it reminded her of herself. ¡°Yes, at some point, it will need to fight,¡± Piker nodded. ¡°The cold air is everywhere, but it also feels like it¡¯s using it up as it does. It feels less colder now, and that¡¯s why it snuffed out Myra¡¯s flames. It¡¯s trying to kill what it considers a burden before it happens.¡± ¡°Hence leaving Zeke in such a state,¡± Val closed her eyes for a moment. ¡°A coward, then. Mikella, Myra¨Csurely you won¡¯t lose to such a creature?¡± ¡°Obviously!¡± Myra roared. ¡°I owe it for attacking Zeke,¡± Mikella said, her tone devoid of any emotion. ¡°Good. Piker, the next moment it strikes, you tell us. Focus entirely on its surroundings. Myra, when Piker calls out, summon your flames.¡± Val ordered, and her words flowed to everyone with ease as Piker¡¯s senses expanded. For a few, breathtaking seconds, nothing occurred. Then, Piker¡¯s eyes flashed wide. ¡°Now! North!¡± Myra whipped out a torrent of flames from every part of her exposed skin, lashing out directly towards their front. Incendiary Grasp came into being, hitting at whatever Piker pointed out. Just as Piker predicted, a short breath of hiss echoed where the flames hit, and the lizardman pounced upwards. Its body flew as several spikes made entirely of ice, each a few inches in width and a foot in height, struck at them. Val took her stride and struck each spike down into splinters of frost. All the while, Mikella flew up with all her skills in motion. Kinetic Manipulation, Sword Mastery, Lightning Mastery, Dragon Eyes, Draconic Fury¨CAll of her skills which boosted her power flared tremendously. Along with Dragon Descent and Aerial Advantage, she flew with extreme precision towards the lizardman. Her sword glowed with the familiar feeling of Heavenly Strike, and now with its higher level and deeper understanding thanks to using it with her other weapons. It glowed with intense power, her Mana Perception viewing the amount of power rising from them all. Finally, she added in her Sword Art Thunder Strike, giving it the kinetic power and lightning that stacked on top of its already empowered state. The sword struck true as the lizardmen had no way of returning back into whatever cold vapor it could transform into, the cold air completely desolated thanks to the lightning that became her very being. It was at such a destruction that the entire chamber became bathed in its white flash, consuming everything around her. In a matter of seconds, Mikella landed on the ground, a smidge off kilter from her usual stance. She¡¯s definitely gonna have to take off points for that one. Damn, I still think I¡¯m part of the gymnastics match, Mikella chuckled to herself, figuring that nobody would bother deducting points from her. After all, the lizardman landed right beside her, its corpse now bisected in two as its prolonged lizard face was gaping wide in horror and shock.
Level up! You are now Level 49. You gain 6 free points (2 FP total). You have gained +3 STR from your class. You have gained +3 DEX from your class. You have gained +3 END from your class.
System energy poured into her from the lizardman, but she also felt the strangest sense of familiarity from it just recently. She found out that it was due to the enhanced fruits she ate a while ago, feeling so similar. Though she frowned when she noticed she only gained one simple level. And not a single skill level. ¡°Man, it¡¯s gonna take forever to level up,¡± Mikella commented dryly as she put away the notification. Seeing only one single notification felt lacking despite the major improvements just earlier. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m back!¡± Zeke returned as he ran with a feral grin, but one moment after seeing the still silence that took over the battlefield for a moment left him staggering. After a second of a quick search, he deflated like a balloon. ¡°And¡­ it¡¯s over. Seriously? Damn¡­¡± Zeke said, almost befuddled at the sudden end of a fight. Then he stared wide-eyed at the floor, then at Mikella. ¡°Holy shit, hey! Who¡¯s hurt!?¡± Not just Mikella, but Myra, Piker, and Val all looked at each other in confusion. Myra raised her hand up. ¡°Uhh, I got hurt, but it¡¯s not that bad.¡± ¡°Not that bad? Then explain where all this blood came from!¡± Zeke pointed at the clearly large puddle of straight up blood around their feet. Myra furrowed her brows in confusion, then looked back at her arm. It was bleeding, sure, but it wasn¡¯t as bad to leave a huge bloody puddle behind. Then Mikella slapped her forehead in recognition. ¡°Zeke, that¡¯s your blood!¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Zeke narrowed his eyes at her, then at the amateur pond of blood. ¡°Ooh¡­ eh, that¡¯s negligible.¡± Mikella and Val couldn¡¯t help but laugh as Zeke went ahead to heal up the also chuckling Myra. Piker just shook his head at the result of it all. Vol2 Ch50: The Struggle of living in Tarial Needless to say, Zeke didn¡¯t feel too good getting taken out like a bitch in the middle of combat. Seeing the vast amount of blood pooling on the tiled floor was a wake-up call in a sense. It¡¯s one thing to have it on him, but to see it spread out like that was¡­ weird, like it couldn¡¯t belong to him. He could¡¯ve died. Thankfully, he was able to use his rune buffs to increase his Vitality and Endurance stat to its maximum output regardless of the mana drain. After getting hit like that, it wasn''t that he needed to heal to survive, but to make sure he had enough blood, or life energy in this case, to survive. Without enough life energy to grab onto, his Recovery wouldn''t be able to heal enough to help him survive the incoming blood loss. And he certainly lost a lot of blood. Enough to create his own blood bank, he assumed. Thankfully Cloud reacted fast by providing healing while Zeke tried to regain his composure. Still, he grumbled about the fast fight while healing up Myra. She said it was fine, but it was clear she got cut up pretty badly. In old world¡¯s standards, she should¡¯ve lost her arm right about now. Everyone else returned to the scene, both Cloud and Zacharia walking towards them after dealing with the surviving lizardmen. Cloud figured that the party needed Zeke¡¯s support, but after seeing Zeke¡¯s frown, Cloud shook his head. ¡°Battle finish too fast?¡± Cloud commented, leaving Zeke to grumble again. ¡°How¡¯d it go?¡± ¡°It was a toughie, that¡¯s for sure,¡± Val said, though she shook her head in disappointment. ¡°But it relied so much on ambushing that it was weaker than expected for its level. While it was definitely strong, it followed a pretty stoic pattern.¡± ¡°I noticed that too,¡± Myra mentioned. Though she grimaced after seeing her now healed arm again. ¡°I still messed up, though.¡± ¡°Sometimes battles don¡¯t go the way you expect,¡± Cloud consoled. ¡°Your builds would always have shortcomings, and it¡¯s up to you how to handle those shortcomings. Surprise attacks built upon the hostile element to your attunement were clearly out of your depths.¡± Myra nodded, though with a reproachful look. Zeke can agree that it was a shitty feeling, hence why he felt unsatisfied with his full-support motif from earlier. But that didn¡¯t mean he became an all-rounder genius. If anything, he spread himself too thin. At the same time, if he hadn¡¯t, would he have survived that ambush earlier? He shook his head. It was too surreal to think just how close he was to death if he hadn¡¯t started physically training to deal with his rising envy for the fighters. ¡°And as usual, Mikella managed to defeat it with a single attack,¡± Piker, surprisingly, rolled his eyes this time. That was usually Myra¡¯s thing, but she readily agreed with a nod. ¡°Honestly, just how strong can you get?¡± ¡°Hey, I just used a crap ton of skills working together,¡± Mikella argued, pointing at Piker with a joking glower. ¡°You know how hard it is to use both Class skills and my other skills at the same time? It¡¯s pretty hard!¡± ¡°Wait¡­ really?¡± Piker asked, this time with surprise in his eyes. ¡°Huh, now that I think about it, I never usually mix both of those skills. I just¡­ use one or the other without really thinking.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a psychological block of sorts,¡± Val said, patting Piker¡¯s back with a caring smile. ¡°You¡¯ll eventually get past it. Most Experts around your level have to deal with that now as they keep gaining power. Like I said before, a Class is different compared to your ordinary skills, and using them is just as different. But eventually you¡¯ll attain synergy between them both as you progress in your path.¡± ¡°In other words, don¡¯t complain and keep working,¡± Zacharia finished for her, pointingly looking at Myra and Piker. ¡°Yes, yes¡­¡± Myra drolled, though Piker stood at attention as he basically showed lax towards his commanding general. Mikella only grinned at the two getting their just desserts. As for Zeke, he realized that he was trying to mix both his Class skills and combat style at the same time all this time. It was no wonder he was taking a while to get used to it¨Chis Class wasn¡¯t naturally supposed to be a combat Class anyways. ¡°Anyways, let¡¯s check out the loot,¡± Mikella said as she went ahead to touch the corpse of the mini-boss. Since the tower is giving out so many useful rewards, it¡¯s no wonder everyone around them gathered up and peeked with interest at what it could be. As soon as Mikella touched the body, a second after, the corpse disappeared in a puff of smoke, leaving behind a small incandescent trail. She ignored the puff of smoke and looked at her notification. ¡°Another skill book,¡± Mikella said, her tone somewhat disappointed. Considering just how valuable skill books were, Zeke wasn¡¯t at all surprised that the recent gains muddled the excitement. ¡°Geez, is everyone around us going to get skills?¡± Myra said, shaking her head. ¡°At this point, I feel like taking another one would put some bad karma on me or something.¡± ¡°I agree with you,¡± Val said, mirth in her tone. ¡°If we keep getting these incredible rewards, I feel that somewhere further in our path, we¡¯ll run into some pretty bad luck.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you say we had some shitty luck beforehand?¡± Cloud intervened, raising a finger to elaborate. ¡°Not to mention, we might not even take this skill book for ourselves. I¡¯d say give it to someone outside this group like that other skill book.¡± ¡°No use talking about karma,¡± Zacharia intervened. ¡°We take what we take and deal with what¡¯s to come. Life is never fair, so neither should we.¡± For once, both Mikella and Cloud seem to nod in approval with everyone else. Despite him being on their bad side half the time, sometimes Zacharia comes in clutch with these pearls of wisdom. ¡°What¡¯s the skill?¡± Zeke asked, staring at the skill book that Mikella brought up for everyone to see. Unlike the last skill books, this one was more intense than he expected. His perception skills¨CMana Manipulation, Kinetic Perception, and Recovery¨Cramped up after observing the absolute power radiating off of the book. Even Mikella was taken aback by this, her head hanging away from the cover of the book after being close to it. ¡°Whoa! This is totally charged! What¡¯s the deal?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ an Epic-Rarity skill book.¡± Cloud said, his voice wreathed in fascination and wonder. The other Journeymen also stared dumbfounded and once the words left Cloud¡¯s mouth, the Experts practically salivated at the skill book. ¡°An Epic rarity skill?¡± Zeke nearly shouted. ¡°I thought Acquired Skills come in at Rare rarity.¡± ¡°Not all of them,¡± Val shook her head. ¡°This is one of those cases where the skill from the book would be at a higher rarity. And as you would expect, whatever that skill is, it would be potent. Mikella, what is the skill, truly?¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡± Mikella stared at the cover, this time studying it closely. ¡°It¡¯s called Power Overwhelming. I think it¡¯s a super short but super powerful buff. Kinda like my Draconic Fury. And the requirements¡­ damn, it¡¯s pretty high. More than five hundred needed for either Strength or Intelligence.¡± Normally, for Zeke and Mikella, the system would suggest that there was no stat requirement due to their special status. However, they learned that as long as they don¡¯t intend on learning the skill themselves, they can tweak the system notification to show the original requirements for any person from Tarial. ¡°Wait, you said ¡®either¡¯?¡± Zeke asked, prompting Mikella to nod before Cloud continued for her. ¡°There are skills that offer different requirements to learn one. Unlike certain skills that require both, some skills can be accessed with either one stat or the other, depending on the build you have. That usually occurs with general-like skills, but for an Epic skill to have that¡­¡± Cloud rubbed his chin, and this time there was want in his eyes. Zeke wasn¡¯t surprised at all. Just because Experts were here to try and get stronger doesn¡¯t mean that the Journeymen wouldn¡¯t want them either. Not to mention, it didn¡¯t seem possible for either Myra or Piker to learn the skill. In fact, they didn¡¯t even seem disappointed after learning about the immense stat requirements. They only just stared at the two otherworlders, the ones expected to learn the skill book. ¡°So, you guys want to learn it?¡± ¡°Zeke, I think it¡¯s better if you have this,¡± Mikella said, getting Zeke to tilt his head for an explanation. She knew him well enough to learn what his gestures meant as she explained. ¡°I already got plenty of power ups on my end, including my class. If what Val said about having two extremely similar skills actually hampering, I¡¯d rather not go down that path, especially with how crazy my energies can be with my attunement.¡± Zeke nodded, understanding her plight. It was unfortunate, but Mikella knew her limits better than anyone else. In fact, he was proud that she understood herself well enough to not risk learning such a powerful skill despite how useful it might be if it meant making her own control suffer more. He stared at the Journeymen, and though the want in their eyes was still there, they showed that they wouldn¡¯t complain regardless of who got it. In the end, Zeke and Mikella still needed to get even stronger. They might be better now than they were before this tower, but they still needed more if an angel said that they have to reach Journeymen in the next two years. Zeke took the skill book and opened up the notifications to accept it. Only to find something extremely odd.
Skill Book: Power Overwhelming (Epic) You are only able to learn this skill after meeting the following requirements: STR: 500¨CERROR! Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. Your Otherworlder state changed the requirements. Adjustments will be made. There are no requirements. You are able to learn the skill.
¡­..
Warning! You only have one Acquired Skill slot left. If you learn this skill, you will no longer be able to accept another Acquired Skill. ¡­.. Would you still like to learn the skill Power Overwhelming?
¡°...What the fuck?¡± Zeke¡¯s sudden curse caught everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°Zeke, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Mikella asked with rising concern. ¡°I have a limit on Acquired Skills. I only got one slot left to learn.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Everyone, including both Cloud and Val¨Cexcept for wide-eyed Zacharia¨Cshouted in unison at the reveal. The otherworlders looked back at them all, realizing that something was weird. ¡°Zeke, are you serious?¡± Cloud asked, stepping up to him with bewilderment. ¡°You have only three Acquired skill slots?¡± ¡°But that¡¯s impossible. Everyone should be able to learn as many Acquired skills as possible if they have the skill books and stats,¡± Val shook her head. ¡°Sure, any more skills and you¡¯ll run into synergy issues, but only having three slots is so¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s short!¡± Myra exclaimed, finishing Val¡¯s words. ¡°That¡¯s way too short! Don¡¯t you need to have more skills depending on how many you need to max out to reach Journeymen?¡± ¡°And they have to reach Journeymen quickly,¡± Piker agreed to Myra¡¯s question. ¡°So having more skills that didn¡¯t max yet would be easier to max¡­ crap, what am I saying? Even that¡¯s difficult.¡± ¡°Difficult, but not impossible,¡± Val finished for Piker instead. ¡°Having more skills is just more beneficial. I never heard of anyone not having enough acquired slots; just that they weren¡¯t fortunate enough to find more skill books,¡± Zacharia muttered, rubbing his beard in thought. ¡°But Zeke and Mikella have limits? The otherworlders¡­¡± Suddenly, Zeke realized something that he should¡¯ve realized a while ago. The special status. The fact that they can learn every skill imaginable regardless of the status requirements. But if this was true, then there has to be a balance. A price to pay for that immeasurable power. ¡°Goddammit,¡± Zeke cursed. ¡°God-fucking-dammit!¡± ¡°Zeke?¡± Mikella asked. ¡°We always had a limit!¡± Zeke shouted, gritting his teeth. The skill book left forgotten as he gripped the cover of the book hard. ¡°Our special status ain¡¯t so special after all. We can learn any skill we want, but only three skills¨Cthat¡¯s it. It¡¯s like¡­ it¡¯s like the gods that put us here didn¡¯t even do a good job patching us before we were sent here!¡± Zeke ended up speaking like a gamer again despite knowing half the group wouldn¡¯t understand, but he was just too pissed to think properly. What gamer wouldn¡¯t be pissed to find that the developer for a game they¡¯re playing didn¡¯t do their job right and messed something up? Even if it was to attain balance, the fact that they¡¯re limited like this meant that the gods, or whoever they were that Zoan served, aren¡¯t powerful enough or have enough authority to mess with the system itself. That, or they just really wanted to mess with the otherworlders, and that only got Zeke more mad. After a while of calming down, thanks to Mikella who also shared the same anger, if not more so¨CZeke let out a breath as he stared at the book, then at the Journeymen. ¡°Then I can¡¯t learn the skill,¡± Zeke said, shaking his head. ¡°If I only got one slot left, and I¡¯m betting Mikella does too¨CI want to save it for a skill that I will definitely need.¡± For example, the skill book Cloud described was the same as Acrobatics and Athletics. If he could learn the skill Enlightenment that passively increased his mental stats, primarily focused on Spirit, then he would be more than happy. So even if it meant missing out on an Epic Rarity skill book like Power Overwhelming, he didn¡¯t need a buffing skill as bad as missing out a potentially powerful passive skill. He already got his rune buffs, now that he thought about it. ¡°That sucks¡­¡± Myra shook her head. ¡°It just feels so unfair.¡± ¡°Hey, weren¡¯t you just screaming how unfair it was that we got this special status?¡± Mikella grinned, teasing Myra as usual. However Myra shook her head. ¡°Forget about how I feel. You guys need all the power you need, and now we found out that you¡¯re limited in getting that power. It¡¯s just¡­ just unfair!¡± ¡°I know,¡± Mikella let out a heavy breath, but she smiled at Myra. ¡°But what can you do? Life is never fair, so neither should we. Ain¡¯t that right, Zacharia?¡± A rare moment of Mikella interacting with Zacharia, as he nodded in approval to her words. It made sense that life is forever unfair, so there¡¯s no point in complaining about it. Though a smile did pull Zeke¡¯s lips as he stared at the Journeymen, the skill book in hand. ¡°Guess that means you three get to learn this. Neither one of us got the stats to learn it.¡± He did feel a little cheeky, but he and the other Experts smiled after seeing the excited looks on the Journeymen¡¯s faces. There, a heavy discussion between the three Journeymen commenced, with each one despite their relationship ready to fight to the death for the rare skill book. ¡­.. The fight wasn¡¯t as interesting as Zeke expected. Zacharia humbly bowed out when he didn¡¯t meet the stat requirements, much to Mikella¡¯s dismay of seeing him panic to get the skill book. That only left the married couple to fight like they were trying to prove their viewpoints were better than theirs. And Val won with a resounding victory. Not that Cloud didn¡¯t put up a decent fight himself, what¡¯s with him arguing that his magic has more of a knack for damage than Valorie¡¯s. However, Val countered that damage isn¡¯t everything in battle, and Power Overwhelming doesn''t just increase damage, but everything considering either physical or magical. With that, it was proven that a stronger, faster, and tougher Val is better than a measly stronger Cloud, so Cloud relented like a good loser, leaving the Epic Skill Book in Val¡¯s giddy hands. Once the fight of the century finished, the group kept moving forward, leaving the mini-boss room behind. At the end of the chamber, after walking a fair bit, they found the same type of double-set doors. After opening them up and getting through another hallway, conversations ensued when they returned to the usual pace they were at. While there were some lizards that tried attacking them like clockwork, Piker and Myra continued with the rampage. Since they were close to the end, Zeke opted to save his mana during emergencies before the final boss fight. ¡°So after defeating the first boss, we¡¯re closer to the end, correct?¡± Cloud asked, looking over at the only otherworlders in the group. ¡°Yeah, and that one¡­¡± Zeke trailed, looking over with a distant look. He still shivered at the memory. ¡°That one was pretty bad.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not sure how, but it was so strong, we didn¡¯t even stand a chance,¡± Mikella answered. ¡°Just by being around it, Clara got hurt and started bleeding. After we saw that, we knew we had to run. A portal was there too, now that I remember¡­¡± Mikella paused for a second, her face scrunched in confusion before tugging on Zeke¡¯s arm. ¡°Hey, can¡¯t we already make a portal now?¡± Zeke stood there, pausing along with Mikella. Everyone else followed their direction, their eyes widening at the revelation. ¡°We¡­¡± Zeke searched through his core, at whatever connection he had with this tower and with Mikella. It was faint¡­ but it was there. As if a button that was grayed out was now in full color. ¡°We can!¡± Zeke nearly shouted. ¡°Holy shit, we can get out of the tower now.¡± ¡°I knew it,¡± Mikella nodded. ¡°Then that means that we weren¡¯t supposed to take out that final boss. But¡­ what¡¯s the point of it then?¡± Zeke rubbed his chin, his mind whirling with possibilities. If that were true, then the final boss wasn¡¯t supposed to be defeated, at least by their own strength. It was such a strong foe that they didn¡¯t know whether they were supposed to be Experts or even Journeymen to defeat it. So the portal was there for them to get out. ¡°Alex¡­ the kid from the last tower,¡± Zeke said slowly. ¡°Did he manage to beat the final boss? Is that how he was able to take over the tower?¡± ¡°Somehow, I doubt that,¡± Mikella shook her head. ¡°That¡¯s giving the brat too much credit. If you think about it, he could definitely beat the mini boss if he somehow managed to get that Necromancer class. But afterwards, he didn¡¯t bother moving anywhere at all. We can somewhat make a living here if you ignore the food and lack of water. Plus, we don¡¯t even have to go to the bathroom while we¡¯re here.¡± That immediately got the others to widen their eyes in realization. Throughout this entire time, they never once felt the need to relieve themselves. Zeke nodded, feeling the strange situation all over again. ¡°I see, so he didn¡¯t even bother facing the final boss. Did we somehow miss the boss while we were dealing with Alex?¡± Zeke surmised, now thinking hard. It wouldn¡¯t make sense, however. When they left the tower, it was already starting to break apart, at least according to the others while Zeke himself was busy saving Val. That would mean that the tower was ready to implode like the first tower they were in, even though they haven¡¯t beaten the last tower boss either. So it was only possible that the tower would implode when either of the two things occurred. When entering into this otherworldly tower, there is a time limit. If you don¡¯t get out of the tower quickly enough, the tower will end up imploding regardless of whether you beat the boss or not. In this case, all you need to do is to defeat the mini boss before the final boss to get the ¡®permission¡¯ to leave the tower, as explained by that feeling Zeke shared with Mikella. The other way is to defeat the last boss, which never occurred back at their first tower and then at the undeath tower, all of which hit their time limit. But the timer given didn¡¯t make sense either. Alex had been in the tower for way longer than Zeke or Mikella did, otherwise he wouldn¡¯t have been leveling up that much. But then the tower imploded the moment they defeated Alex, not the final boss. It didn¡¯t make any sense, but considering that even the gods didn¡¯t make their special status special enough to warrant getting more Acquired Skills, Zeke somehow figured that the timer and the way the bosses work doesn¡¯t exactly align themselves with the other towers. One example was just how different these towers are from each other, from the theme to the monsters inhabiting it. In the end, his Parallel Thought ceased at that juncture. There were too many variables to properly examine how these towers work. He needed to visit loads of other towers to get enough data to figure out how they work. So far, only three towers just aren¡¯t enough. And there was no way Zoan would explain how the towers work, considering how her personality was like. ¡°Yikes, my brain hurts just thinking about it,¡± Mikella pretty much summed up what Zeke had been thinking all this time. It looked like she was heading down the same thought process, only to lose out in the end like he did. ¡°Forget about Alex and the undeath tower. What do we do? Do we leave now?¡± ¡°I think we should,¡± Zeke eventually said, but he frowned as he continued. ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°But?¡± Mikella asked, tilting her head. ¡°What if we¡­ try to kill the final boss?¡± Mikella looked at him with a careful stare. The mood turned tense as his idea got to everyone¡¯s heads. ¡°Last time, it was impossible, and the last tower, we didn¡¯t even know where the boss was. But this time, we have a clear goal towards the end, and the final boss should be there. I don¡¯t know how strong it is, but¡­ maybe we can defeat it now, with all of us working together as a party.¡± ¡°That would be¡­ pretty cool if we did. Maybe there¡¯s some super reward by doing that?¡± Mikella asked. ¡°Skill books have been dropping like rain since we¡¯ve been here. What will the final boss drop as a reward?¡± ¡°But do we even have the time?¡± Piker asked. ¡°I¡¯d like to find out what the reward could be too, but the Bastion army is still out there, and our own forces are facing them down. Can we take the time to do so?¡± ¡°Normally,¡± Zacharia stated. ¡°I would be remiss to leave the forces behind while we¡¯re here. However, after seeing the rewards, and a possibility of a reward even greater than attribute fruits and books at the end. I don¡¯t think I have to remind everyone how much of a boon that could be.¡± Everyone could only agree to that. Attribute fruits by the dozens, an Athletics skill for Myra, Metal Slash for Piker, and an Epic Power Overwhelming for Valorie. Everyone got out of this better than before. Even if the boss was as dangerous as the knight tower, and perhaps even worse than before¨Cthe rewards were just too hard to pass up. Zeke looked up to everyone, each having a face that was easy to read¨Cgreed, opportunity, desire. Each one that was completely understandable after living in this world for so long. But one look at Mikella was all he needed. There was drive and determination in that gaze. She wanted to grow stronger, with the same reason as he does. He nodded. ¡°This might be a really tough fight,¡± Zeke said. ¡°But who¡¯s ready to kick some ass?¡± VOl2 Ch51: Drake Commander They traveled along the corridor of this make-shift temple, passing by each pillar of complex design that was near gibberish. And in this tower, it might as well be, but Mikella still wondered as to the reasoning of this temple. There were some carvings on the walls and some sculptures, but none of them had the Common language that she interpreted as English, or anything remotely resembling any sense with the sculptures. However, it still left her in a state of awe as a temple would normally do, mostly due to how big the place is and how dangerous it was. Once after leaving the giant chamber facing the miniboss, there were no longer any rooms to enter into. All of it were just halls intermingled with large chambers to pass through. However, the number of the ambushers increased by the dozen, making Zeke pull out his barrier every once in a while to stave them off while trying to drain the numbers a little. It was becoming hectic, even after including the Journeymen into it. Zeke and Mikella retold their own experience, remembering the somber looks on the knights faces as though they lost all hope. It was strange compared to now where the lizards seemed to be driven to take the intruders out with no remorse to their lives, even sacrificing what little intelligence they had to take them down. Eventually they reached the last doubleset of doors, but these doors were immaculately carved with a strange lettering, and this time something different happened. The letterings made sense to not just Zeke, but to Mikella too. ¡®Beware¡¯, it said. ¡°How original,¡± Mikella rolled her eyes. ¡°I wonder if this is what it said before too,¡± Zeke muttered, putting on his thinking face again. Rather than keep thinking about it, Mikella instead pushed onwards with her massive Strength. Pushing the two doors forward, they were met with a large nave within the temple, where at the end resided a large sculpture at the center. It reminded Mikella of that last room where they faced Alex, but this was clearly larger, and the presence in the room was staggering. They slowly entered, their guard up and their eyes peeled for anything. Just in case, it was already decided that Piker would keep his senses up for any ambushes regarding the cold, but so far there was no freezing air around them. If anything, it felt stifled. Strangely enough, the nave had plenty of pews, long stone benches with a backrest. There were also various paintings around the nave decorating the walls and pillars, but once again, none of them held any historical meaning and were just blemishes according to Mikella¡¯s artistic senses. ¡°This is¡­ weird,¡± Myra mentioned. Her knuckles were turning white from how hard she was squeezing her spear shaft. ¡°What kind of place is this?¡± But once a strange noise curled into existence, they stopped moving. The air turned heavy, the pressure leaning on their shoulders as Mikella grunted in surprise. It was strong. In fact, it was just as strong as she remembered. But that was when her level was below 10, and her stats were just farts in the wind. She was already stronger than she ever was before, yet the pressure was the same. Her eyes squeezed shut before forcing them open to find the others in similar positions. ¡°This is¡­ the same!¡± Zeke grunted. His voice was agonized as his knees bent forward. Piker and Myra were seen better off, but either one of their eyes were closed or gritting their teeth so hard they could shatter. ¡°This is the boss?¡± Val said in awe as everyone noticed something being distorted in the distance. The air quivered as something started to appear slowly in thin air. Like coming through an invisible portal, a scaled hand the size of a car came forward. Then, slowly, its arm, shoulder, then its entire head and torso came into the scene. It brought up its massive legs, the size bigger than even the columns of the nave, crushing the pews that were just sitting by it. Debris crumbled as the creature came into existence, and it was even decked out in heavy plated armor covering its chest and waist. On the other hand was a massively large double bladed axe, bigger than any other weapon they have ever seen that fit right into the massive creature¡¯s hand. Its head, resembling not a lizard, but a bonafide dragon, opened its mouth and roared a challenge. The air turned heavier thanks to the roar, the pressure increasing in potency. Mikella could only use an Identify on it.
Drake Commander, Level ???
¡°T-That can¡¯t be¡­¡± Mikella uttered in disbelief. Her chest felt cold, dread filling her from her core. ¡°Just how powerful is that thing?¡± It was the same as before, only now with Identify, they were right to run away. What the hell was she thinking? What were they all thinking? At her stage, she could see beyond Level 60, right after Journeymen. If she is seeing question marks now, then that means it was stronger than a Journeymen. It was a Master Rank boss, only possible to achieve after level 100. The drake commander roared again and the pressure resumed its course, amplifying the power. It hefted its giant axe, somehow precisely avoiding the columns as it swung it down with sheer force. Zeke was the first to act, conjuring a barrier so dense and potent, it must have cost him a good sum of mana. The axe hit the barrier for just an instant, then shattered it to smithereens. Zeke grunted in alarm, the pieces of the broken barrier falling and dissipating as he fell to his knees. ¡°Fuck¡­ it hurts¡­¡± Zeke said, mostly shocked than surprised. ¡°It¡¯s too strong!¡± Mikella could feel the dread all over again. She tried to shake it off, but after seeing Zeke¡¯s barrier just being destroyed proved that one hit from that thing would outright kill her. Still, her hands still held onto the hilt of her sword, her teeth clattering together not from the cold, but from the fear. Damn it, what¡¯s the point of all this training if I¡¯m so damn afraid!? There was one thing she got going for her. She didn¡¯t receive any status debuffs like before when she faced Val in combat. She wasn¡¯t afraid, but rather considering her options. If she could, she would rather forget the reward and just leave. She turned to Zeke, still agonizing from the shattered barrier. It looked like the blow was so hard it hit him at a metaphysical level, but he shook it off before staring right back at Mikella. He was saying they should go, and she eagerly agreed. ¡°Guys, I suggest we run,¡± Myra said, noticing the commander readying for another attack. ¡°I¡¯m all for a fight, but I know we won¡¯t win against this.¡± ¡°I agree,¡± Piker said, turning to the Journeymen. ¡°General, we should¨C Captain?¡± Piker¡¯s voice sounded stunted, getting everyone else to turn to find the captain Valorie staring at the creature with¡­ want in her eyes. In fact, the glow that she usually had in her naturally green eyes turned dim, and now there was a hazy red coloring her irises. She breathed rampantly, her chest heaving up and down as her sword hilt was slowly creaking from her fingers grasping too hard. And somehow the air around her was causing the entire pressure surrounding them to be pushed back. Though it wasn¡¯t any better than before. This time, the Experts all walked away from Val. They weren¡¯t even ordered to, or even thought about why they did it. It was an instinct they channeled and nurtured to survive. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°Cloud,¡± Zacharia said. His shoulders were tense, and he even had his greatsword held in his hand behind his back. ¡°What¡¯s going on with her?¡± ¡°Val,¡± Cloud stepped up, probably the only one who could, with a serious look in his eyes. ¡°Is this it? Is this the one you wanted?¡± As though she lost all sense of reason, she eagerly nodded without hesitation. Her breathing turned rasped, almost husky in response to the creature in front of them. The creature was just about ready to strike again, but before it could swing down its axe and slash at them all, Val pushed against the floor and roared. She jumped, practically flying towards the creature with her sword in front. The two weapons, despite the different sizes between them, clashed together and created a quake so vast it brought the others down a peg and made them fall on their asses. Mikella grunted in pain from the explosion of air, her vision turning blurry as her first thought was finding Zeke. She later caught him, his body actually flying in the air from the force and landing harshly at the ground. Since he wore less armor and no weapon, his body could just easily fly all over. But like he usually is, he shrugged it off, but he stared at the scene in shock. Turning back, she gaped at the sight of the strange fighting. Val roared, her screams unlike any human they ever heard of. If anything, it was a primal sort of roar that sounded like boulders grinding against each other, and her face turned to that of a raging maniac. What¡¯s more, despite the size, her blows were countering each one the commander was swinging, hit by hit. Each blow made a reoccurring wave that nearly brought the entire chamber to crumble and fall, the walls beginning to crack from the intensity of each hit. ¡°Cloud, what¡¯s going on!?¡± Mikella shouted. ¡°What¡¯s up with Val? She¡¯s gone nuts!¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ a little hard to explain right now,¡± Cloud said, doing his hardest to help up Myra that got hit in the head from the flying rock. It was a hard one, but Piker had it worse after landing straight into a pillar to which Zacharia was helping now. ¡°Kinda pointless to worry about timing when we can¡¯t do a thing!¡± Mikella blurted out. There was blood trickling down her head, but she shrugged that off too with a heavy stare. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Val?¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with her¡­ per say,¡± Cloud said, tilting his head slightly. Mikella almost scoffed at how Cloud seemed like he was in trouble for something. ¡°It¡¯s just that she¡¯s been searching for this kind of creature all this time to increase her tier.¡± ¡°Her tier?¡± Zeke asked. ¡°You mean her attunement? But isn¡¯t her attunement special?¡± Mikella turned to Zeke. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Zeke paused, looking at Mikella with his own guilty look. ¡°I can¡¯t. It¡¯s not my right to say.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, Zeke,¡± Cloud said, answering his guilt. ¡°Mikella, Zeke often healed Val, so he found out about it earlier. It¡¯s not something Val wished to be public about. But I suppose there¡¯s no other choice¡­¡± Mikella raised a brow as she looked back at Val again. She almost flinched after seeing her body starting to show¡­ changes. Her limbs had scales growing out of her skin, black and green at the edges that looked incredibly sharp. Her face was partially scaled as well, but the most noticeable part was her mouth turning larger, elongated to encompass her entire face. It was almost like watching Ms. Pac-man opening her mouth, raising it high and screaming in bloody murder. ¡°What the¡­ what the actual fuck?¡± Mikella said in alarm. ¡°It¡¯s her attunement,¡± Cloud admitted. ¡°She wasn¡¯t able to get a natural one. So it¡¯s sort of an artificial one.¡± ¡°An artificial¡­ what do you mean?¡± ¡°Mikky, Val never was able to use magic,¡± Zeke admitted, and that got everyone, including Myra and Piker, to widen their eyes in alarm. ¡°I noticed this whenever I was healing her. She didn¡¯t have any mana in her body at all. Because of that, she couldn¡¯t, or rather, shouldn¡¯t be able to have an attunement.¡± ¡°It was something she was born with, unfortunately,¡± Cloud said regretfully. There was a pained look in his eyes. ¡°I made Zeke promise not to reveal this to anyone. Not that it would disprove her strength, but it¡¯s a personal thing for her.¡± Mikella looked over to Zeke, and he nodded to prove that Cloud was right. Sure, Mikella can¡¯t blame Zeke for keeping this kind of secret. If it was Val¡¯s decision, then she wanted to respect it. ¡°Okay, so she got an artificial attunement,¡± Myra said. Looking over at the fight going on. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t explain why she¡­ looks like that!¡± ¡°That¡¯s precisely the case, Myra,¡± Cloud answered. A tremendous force echoed as Val slammed the commander upside the head, causing it to crash against the nearby wall and making it crumble. ¡°Her attunement was synthesized with monster essence. As for what it is, it uses a monster¡¯s power to enhance her form. Power, speed, defensive capabilities¨Cthe works. The problem, obviously, is that it¡¯s not so easy to use. But she spent many years honing her attunement to suit her needs. Unfortunately, that comes at a cost no matter how much she trains her attunement.¡± ¡°She can¡¯t raise the tier,¡± Zacharia answered, crossing his arms. ¡°That explains her ridiculous power and speed. Even for ordinary Journeymen, she¡¯s well known across the kingdom as a powerful warrior. But because it¡¯s synthesized, it¡¯s impossible to find something to raise her tier.¡± Cloud nodded, but he argued back. ¡°Nearly impossible, not completely. She and I found out a way to increase it. The only way is to find exceptionally strong monsters, then let her eat its heart.¡± That got everyone to pause, instead staring at the now madwoman ready to keep striking no matter what. It seemed to continue on forever, letting them figure out what to do. After all, they can¡¯t just step in at the moment¨Cthey¡¯ll just get destroyed. The Journeymen could, but Cloud seemed perfectly at ease letting Val continue while Zacharia watched from the distance. Mikella could only understand why since even she herself can¡¯t just jump in willy-nilly. She''ll just get shredded by not one, but two powerful monsters. ¡°Right¡­ so she eats the heart,¡± Myra nodded slowly. ¡°I get that. Sort of. But why is she¡­ like that?¡± She pointed out the specific changes in Val¡¯s body. ¡°A side-effect of her synthesized attunement. Because it¡¯s made from monster essence, her form takes the shape of the monster. As for her behavior, because of that essence, when she finds a creature around or higher than her own level of power, her instincts kick in. It doesn¡¯t happen all the time, but it¡¯s been a long while since she found anything to raise her tier. So¡­ it¡¯s sort of like getting used to it all over again?¡± Cloud left that last one like a question, something that confused Mikella despite now understanding Val¡¯s situation. In a word, she respected that woman all the more now than before. Not being able to use magic, so forget about getting an attunement, she can¡¯t even pick up certain skills that require magic. What¡¯s more, she couldn¡¯t even take the basic Mana boost type of attunement, something that normal people could have. But rather than give up, she kept going even if she had to take on a synthesized attunement, something she guessed was looked down upon. Still, despite that immense gap in power, she still worked as hard as she could and made a name for herself, even reaching Journeyman stage. She also noticed the gleam in Myra¡¯s eyes. Sure, it was scary to look at from the start, but over time, Val¡¯s drive to improve herself laid a pathway forward for them. It doesn''t matter how impossible it seems to be¨Cas long as one has the will, one has the way. But just when she thought she couldn¡¯t respect Val more than possible, Val herself slammed against the ground near them, breaking the floor entirely and creating a small crater. Her body, shifted and transformed as it is, crumbled and groaned as she growled weakly. Blood trailed down her body everywhere, proof of her injuries from the fight. Even if she wasn¡¯t hurt by its strikes thanks to her fast speed, her own strikes couldn¡¯t handle the sheer power of the boss of the tower. Her body broke apart in ways that should¡¯ve been prevented if it were a normal fight. ¡°Val!¡± Cloud shouted, both he and Zeke coming over and healing her. While Zeke specialized in singular healing, Cloud was the sort that healed generally all over the place. With both of them working in tandem, Val¡¯s wounds closed easily, and blood was swatted off as she quickly raised to her feet to see the commander roaring at them. The pressure increased again, but Mikella could handle it now. Her hands stopped trembling too, now that she noticed it. Seeing Val fight despite the odds made her inspired. There was no way she could let this boss stand in her path to power. ¡°We gotta do something,¡± Piker said, pulling out his sword. ¡°I know we can¡¯t do much, but if Captain continues this¡­¡± ¡°And there is still that reward at the end,¡± Zacharia said, pulling out his own two handed sword. ¡°However, the Experts need to stay put.¡± ¡°I agree,¡± Cloud said, trying to hold onto the nearly rampaging Val, but despite only having his hands on her shoulders, she only shuffled slightly, groaning in displeasure from having been kept away. ¡°We want to help too,¡± Myra said. ¡°Maybe we can do some support. Isn¡¯t there something we can do?¡± Mikella turned over to Zeke who had his thinking face on. After fighting together for so long, and nearly living with each other for that long, she could tell whenever Zeke had a crazy idea in his head. And this time it showed up again on his face. There was a manic look in his eyes, a gleam that was so hard to spot, but Mikella noticed it. ¡°Zeke, you got a plan?¡± Mikella asked, getting everyone to turn to him. Despite the attention, Zeke refused to turn meek as he answered slowly. ¡°There might be a way for all of us Experts to do something¡­ and Cloud can help. Zacharia can help defend us while Val keeps the commander busy. I have a¡­ strategy that could work with my barrier.¡± Zeke then conjured a small sphere with his Barrier Craft. It was absolutely smooth with its turquoise color, spinning softly on the top of his palm. The commander roared in defiance, not willing to be ignored again. Zeke turned back to Mikella, and a grin was plastered on his face. ¡°Ready to be the first to try out my first ever make-shift bomb?¡± Vol 2 Ch52: Barrier Bombs and Berserk The chamber was wrought with destruction and mayhem, the air quaked viciously, leaving no room for any sort of mistake. If one took a misstep here, they would die instantly. Not even his own barriers could keep everyone safe, proving just how powerful this commander boss was. The only one seemingly capable of lasting against such a creature was Val, but while she can keep up with it in power alone, the creature was tougher, stronger, and more ferocious. There was only so much the captain could do on her own. Which is where the Experts come in. Zacharia was currently defending them using his earth attunement, summoning pillars of incredibly tough stone to block any sort of powerful strikes from the rampage of the two clashing forces. Zeke was ashamed that his barriers couldn¡¯t keep up, but the power difference between a Journeyman and an Expert was too vast. He also had plenty of complaints that Zacharia himself was built defensively, and he could¡¯ve also summoned his attunement for protection, but surprisingly Piker explained otherwise. Zacharia wasn¡¯t built for magic, focusing entirely on defense. Most of his mana actually charged his self buffs that improved his standing in battle, dramatically increasing his defense and regeneration. The stones that surrounded them all were basically a waste of his mana, not particularly enhanced like himself. Even if it was powerful, they were brittle, and cannot be summoned as easily as how Zeke could with his barriers. In other words, there was a lag in his stone-making, making it difficult for him to use even at his stage. For now, he put that aside as he focused on his own task. He summoned a barrier in the shape of a small ball that floated on top of his palm. Only a few inches in diameter, the sphere spun softly as Zeke drew runes on the ball with his floating pens. Despite the rampaging battle occuring, he put that aside as he turned to Mikella who gladly became the first to try out his new method of attack. He planned on creating a bomb with Mikella¡¯s attunement-powered lightning magic surging within the barrier. While that seemed simple in question, it was easier said than done. In the end, his barrier wasn¡¯t meant for attacking. Even now, after maxing and advancing its rarity to Epic, it cannot do anything that can resemble an attack. Sure, there were instances when he managed to use it to do some sort of damage, like killing the bird that flew right into his barrier. But that was the barrier¡¯s purpose¨Cto disrupt the monster¡¯s attacks trying to harm him. If they ended up dying because they had rammed into the magic wall, that wasn¡¯t his skill¡¯s fault. The person who made the skill, however, received the reward for killing it. So he wanted to use that sort of leverage to make his skill into an attack again. Not just adjusting his skills, he wanted to see what else he could do with his barrier that could be used as damage. He read that how one would use a skill on a daily basis could help develop the skill in their own way. That worked especially well on spells, as they are more malleable compared to other types of skills. His barrier has already advanced enough to the point where it became the perfect tool for survival¨Cnot just protection, but to also help him survive by using it as the most powerful utility tool. Through that, he decided to make the magic equivalent of pipe bombs¨Che was totally fine with that. How he planned to do it went like this. First, he would create a bomb (an empty shell of a Barrier Craft with no defensive property) that¡¯s capable of accepting others¡¯ magical energy. At first, having others¡¯ magical energy, their mana, enter into his barrier would make it harder to control, but his runes could easily put that issue aside. The next phase is to use another¡¯s magic within the barrier. Not to control it, but to simply contain it. And just by containing it, one can pour in as much magical energy as possible to make it nearly burst regardless of control, which was perfect for a magic bomb. He turned to Mikella as she went over to his outstretched hand containing the newly created Bomb Shell Barrier. She put her hand over it and closed her eyes. A palpable feeling of power exuded from her as lightning coursed through her hands and fingers, which then poured straight into the barrier. The inside became filled with sparks, creating heavy thuds against the crystalline sphere which honestly made everyone watching it flinch back. It was a little ferocious, Zeke had to admit. When Mikella finished, she gasped and breathed before looking over at the barrier, surprised herself at the intensity of her lightning basically trying to kick itself out of the tiny sphere. Hell, the rapid increase in intensity made Zeke¡¯s hand tremble, causing him to hold onto his wrist as the lightning was barely managing to break itself free. ¡°Damn, this is¡­¡± Zeke said, gritting his teeth. ¡°It¡¯s hard to control¡­!¡± This was something Mikella forced to control within her own body? Now that he had it in hand, he had to recognize the struggle Mikella went through, and he respected her even more at managing to control this fierce thing to her will. ¡°Zeke, hand it over!¡± He did exactly that, handing the sphere to Mikella. Giving the sphere to another was easy enough. While he made it non-affixed to the air, which was what he gained after paying the price of sacrificing the defensive properties, someone else can carry it like an actual bomb. The electricity was contained within the barrier, so it wasn¡¯t going to suddenly shock her, but that was just the physical sense. Their other senses could tell that this thing could blow at any second, and one little slip up could easily cause the barrier to break apart and bring destruction everywhere. ¡°You sure that¡¯s a good idea to do?¡± Myra asked, noticing the discharges flashing out in short intervals. ¡°Not much else other than doing this,¡± Mikella said, adding a grin. ¡°Besides, what better way to deal with a super powerful boss than to try out pretty dangerous ideas like this? By the way, Zeke¨Cvery nice.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Zeke grinned back. He also was proud of creating something that¡¯s the literal definition of ¡®lightning in a bottle¡¯. ¡°But I suggest chucking that thing ASAP.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t need to tell me twice!¡± Mikella spun and dashed towards the stone walls where Zacharia stood in wait. Looking back, he widened at the sight of the small spark bomb in her hand and gladly sidestepped out of her path. She jumped, an incredible leap despite the short distance run, up the stone and looked up at the incredible fighting going on. Val was reaching her limit again, but she still fought with fervor against the commander. On the boss itself, it looked battered, but still raring to go. But that soon might change as Mikella raised her leg and swung her arm back. Like a baseball pitcher, she chucked the spark bomb towards the boss with a straight, a small blast of air resulting from her throw. The stone held firm, proven by Zacharia¡¯s power, but the rest of the chamber nearly shook from the throw. The bomb flew in a flashy arc across the air, right when Val was flying away from dodging an incredibly wide sweep of the commander¡¯s axe. The small sparks that flitted away as it flew looked so pretty, like the start of a flying firework. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. But contrary to the actual fireworks, what resulted was a tremendous blast of lightning that traveled through the chamber the moment it landed. The commander roared, the pressure exuding from it nearly causing everyone to stumble, including the stalwart man Zacharia. Mikella fell over from the stone and landed hard on the ground, but there was a small grin on her face as she made a fist bump in the air. ¡°Hell yeah!¡± Her shout echoed across the chamber as the lightning dispersed and nearly destroyed the entire chamber, but despite the feeble making of it, it still held firm as the boss monster roared in pain, electricity surging through its limbs and causing it to get stunned. That¡¯s when Val took the chance and roared. She swung her sword forward and a blast of kinetic energy was shot out. A recreation of her sword was formed entirely through kinetic energy and blasted right at the creature at its core, where the belly was. Blood exuded from the blow, the first time it ever bled actual blood that seemed to gush out like a waterfall as the monster roared and regained its motor control, swinging its axe wide. The others looked in shock and surprise at the impact of what they created. While it hadn¡¯t really caused a lot of damage, it certainly distracted the monster and gave Val her chance to strike back for real. They all looked back at Zeke. ¡°Think you can make more?¡± Myra asked, completely ridding her doubt from earlier. ¡°Get in line!¡± Afterwards, Zeke created more bomb-like creations through the use of his Barrier Craft, Runecraft, and the others¡¯ attunements. Cloud included himself into this, using his magic to pour into Zeke¡¯s barrier. However, despite Zeke trying his best, the power that came from the Journeyman was too much, and it broke the barrier instantly. It left a sour taste in Zeke after seeing how badly he controlled it. Cloud reassured him that it was obvious, considering the gap in their strength. Still, Mikella, Piker, and Myra piled on to make their own versions of the bomb, creating his Bomb Shell Barriers. He didn¡¯t know why he made these names¨Cit was just easier to recollect. First there was the Counter barrier, which he would¡¯ve liked to do but the commander was way too damn strong to keep the dome barrier in check. Then the Superball barrier, the Hell Barrier, and now the Bomb Shell barrier. He started to wonder if his Barrier Craft skill was starting to get confused, because he sure the hell was. Putting those random thoughts aside, Zeke noticed that each Expert had their own bombs in hand. Mikella had her ¡®Mikky Bomb¡¯, filled with her lightning magic. Myra had her ¡®Myra Bomb¡¯, a bomb made with intense flames from both her attunement and her Incendiary Grasp as heat exuded instead of sparks. Finally, Piker with his ¡®Piker Bomb¡¯ literally had frost covering the barrier, and it was almost impossible to touch it without freezing your hands off unless you were Piker. Each time, Zeke had trouble containing the magic. He figured it was solely due to the fact that in the end, it was their own energy, not his. He could only contain the energy, but he could never easily throw it. He also wondered if he could use his own attunement to charge his barriers¡­ but that would most likely kill them all. Mikella came up first, throwing her Mikky Bomb at the monster while Val kept it busy. This time, the commander made sure to avoid such things even at its massive height so it redirected itself to avoid the throw. However, no matter how much it tried to avoid, the sphere broke apart immediately when it landed at a nearby pillar¨Csomething that Mikella thought of beforehand. The electricity flowed and hit across everywhere like a true explosion of a bomb, connecting it straight to the commander as it roared in annoyance rather than in pain. At that moment, Piker threw his own bomb and rather than throwing it directly, it fell at its feet. The sphere exploded into a massive cone blast of frost, leaving a trail of ice throughout the entire flooring and deeply connecting the commander¡¯s feet to the floor. From getting distracted by the lightning, the commander tried to get away and break the ice, but with both feet covered it proved fruitless. It easily cracked from its immense power, but throughout the time it tried to move, Val was already destroying it left and right. That¡¯s when Myra threw her own bomb right at its face. It was easy thanks to it getting stuck and Val only focusing at its abdomen away from the head. Despite her crazed behavior, she still had enough senses to at least listen to Cloud¡¯s orders to avoid getting hurt, leaving Myra with a full frontal view at its head before it blazed into a furious flame. It roared in pain, all the elements working in tandem to keep it getting hurt. It was seriously injured now, only added thanks to Zacharia coming over to attack it himself while it was frozen by its legs. It was all coming together, Zeke thought, but he felt something was off. Unfortunately, Cloud caught it too. ¡°It¡¯s about to turn berserk,¡± Cloud said in alarm. ¡°Quick, everyone, get back!¡± When Zeke was about to ask what it planned on doing, the commander swung its axe in a spiral above its head, roaring as blood flowed from its body in pain. The axe kept whirling around, creating a sort of vacuum around itself, like a twister forming with it at the center. But from that came suddenly an outpour of bluish water. It formed rapidly around the twister, transforming into a physical manifestation of a whirlpool before all of a sudden, the water exploded across the entire chamber. Water surrounded everything. Zeke could barely keep things together as he formed barriers for each one, including the Journeymen before the torrent of water took over the entire chamber. His vision turned blurry as he didn¡¯t have the time to affix everyone to the barrier¡¯s center, so each one, including himself, were getting jostled and swished about in the water. Each time he hit the nearby walls and floor, something that was clearly improved to handle the immense power of the boss because they should¡¯ve broken apart a long time ago, he hit hard even against the barrier. Zeke hit each hardened surface with the impact of falling on the floor, and he could feel his bones nearly breaking and his body bruised beyond measure. He knew it was thanks to his Pain Resistance being high level that he could handle this much torment, but he worried for the others. At least he could heal himself, but he could only hope that the others have enough regeneration to handle the impact. Soon the water slowed its sloshing and swirling, easily disappearing into nothingness which proved it was a powerful area of effect magic spell. As soon as the water disappeared, Zeke made the barriers disappear, finally getting everyone¡¯s state as he himself had to shake off his confusion. ¡°Everyone alive?!¡± Zeke shouted. He wasn¡¯t quite sure what to do, but he had to ask for something. Thankfully, everyone responded in unison to recall, relieving his worries. He stood up, but his legs felt like jelly after getting turned around like being inside of a washing machine, but he forced himself to keep moving. Everyone else can survive¨Che was sure of that. But the least he could do is check on Mikella. Looking over to where she probably might be, she found her. However, what he saw made him pale. She was still on the floor, looking bruised but still kicking as she was trying to move. But the commander, the boss that summoned the water, was aiming straight for her with its axe. It swung wide into the air and aimed to decimate her. ¡°No!¡± He didn¡¯t care that his mana was already reaching low after the constant casting of his barrier and runes¨Che provided a barrier around Mikella. He created two barriers which connected to one another¨Cone that surrounded Mikella like a normal barrier, and the other that layered on top of the first to transfer kinetic energy. The axe managed to hit on time as soon as the barriers formed, and unluckily for Mikella, the blow forced her to get blown away before she could recover, and on an added bonus¨Che turned the barrier into the Superball version. Needless to say, she was jumping around the entire chamber, the force of the commander¡¯s blow forcing the barrier to jump across the chamber in rapid succession, and funnily enough¨Cit hit the commander in places that actually managed to hurt it. Zeke didn¡¯t¡­ particularly planned that out, but he was glad that Mikella was alive at the least. If he just made an ordinary barrier, it would''ve been crushed immediately. But before Zeke could do anything more, he fell to his knees, the coldness of his body finally reaching him. His vision turned blurry as the collar around his neck sparked and came to life, forcing him to stop before expending more of his mana. Thankfully his recent stat gains made that easy. Even so, he was in the sort of pain that he can¡¯t really describe. Not even Pain Resistance helped as the pain, along with the agonizing cold, took over his entire being and made him scream in agony. Darkness nearly took over his vision as everyone else gathered around him. He closed his eyes, forcing himself to stay conscious. The battle was still going, and Mikella was still in danger. Vol2 Ch53: Improved Heavenly Strike Mikella didn¡¯t know whether to punch Zeke or hug him when she¡¯s done being pounded by gravity. It all happened so fast, but she at least understood what had just happened. The boss seemed to go straight for her out of everyone else, and the only thing she could think of was because her Mikky bombs caused the most issues. Thanks to that, she became its prime first target. She knew that at the time she would¡¯ve died, being out of it at the time, and that¡¯s when Zeke pulled up his barrier around her. But it was the mixture of two things¨Cthe kinetic force type of barrier and a superball barrier merged into one. Without one or the other, she would¡¯ve died either from the axe blow or from landing into a wall and turning into meat paste. Still, the way the superball barrier kept going around the chamber and even hitting the boss was not a fun ride, mostly because Zeke wasn¡¯t able to fix her in position, so she kept slamming into the barrier left and right, up and down¨Cthe works. It was hell inside that barrier, but her Endurance held firm along with her Vitality. All of her physical enhancing skills were working in tandem to ride this out as this was the clearly better option out of all of it. She certainly didn¡¯t mind getting back at the bastard that caused all this. Soon the superball lost its momentum after the several dozens worth of hits it made, and landed on the ground. Her vision was blurry but she still caught wind of her surroundings, to an extent. As the barrier slowed, it started to crack in places, so Mikella figured to just break it out from the inside. Compared to the outside, the inside was easily destroyed if she willed it hard enough. The barrier shattered into pieces as she breathed heavily, blood flowing from her mouth and nose. She hit hard on a few places, but it wasn¡¯t anything she couldn¡¯t handle. Her eyes picked up some pretty bad scenes going on. The boss monster was enraged and once again Val took over fighting it, but nobody else was around to help. Rather, everyone was gathered around Zeke who was actually on the ground, seizing up and shaking. Her heart fell and she went over to his side, noticing Cloud healing him up with his spell. Looking up, Cloud turned back to Zeke. ¡°He used up a lot of mana, and that got his collar to activate. It ended up taking more out of him as a result,¡± Cloud said, not wasting time with pleasantries. Mikella winced, gritting her teeth. Zeke went all out again, despite promising not to do it again. But she of all people can¡¯t complain. If he hadn¡¯t, Mikella might not even be alive to get angry at him. This was the sole thing she wanted to avoid this whole time, and yet she failed already. Her fists gripped hard as she answered. ¡°How¡¯s everyone else?¡± She saw Piker standing by Zeke and Cloud¡¯s side, his sword raised and filling it with frost. She could tell that he first coated his sword with energy, a feature of his maxed out skill, then layered it completely in frost. It became a rather impressive shield made entirely of ice, and she could already feel the chill overtaking her. He was doing his job as the tank of the party despite being an Expert like them. Meanwhile, Zacharia and Myra were working in tandem with Val. While she was taking most of the attention, Zacharia roared and swung his massive two-handed sword at its feet, using the earth to deliver powerful spikes at its ankles. Myra was constantly blazing around the waist, using her fire skills to hit it. However, the boss was constantly moving and deflecting everything they threw at it. It was weakened to a degree, but they need one extra push. Mikella looked back at Zeke, still trembling with his eyes closed. He can¡¯t use more of those barrier bombs anymore, and she certainly wasn¡¯t going to force him to. He did enough. ¡°Zeke, after this, we¡¯re gonna have a long talk about your mana spending!¡± Mikella shouted, not really knowing what exactly they plan on talking about, but she was still miffed as she summoned her sword. Thankfully she had the right mind to put it into her storage pack when everything went topsy-turvy from the tidal waves. At the distance, she could actually hear Cloud muttering while chuckling. ¡°Welcome to the married life, kid.¡± She wanted to roll her eyes at that, but she ignored it. She narrowed her eyes, flaring Dragon Eyes to find, not too surprising, no weaknesses whatsoever. Still, with it active, she could increase her damage at the expense of Stamina. She had quite a lot, considering she didn¡¯t really do much throughout the fight, but she tried to find some way to do something to the boss. Right now, the others were taking advantage of its weakened state, but it kept bashing about with its axe. There were even instances of the slashes flinging out waves of water so compressed that it actually cut one of the pillars when it landed. Considering how tough the entire chamber came out to be, seeing one of the pillars nearly cut in half by those rare water slashes, equaling to water pressure capable of cutting steel, made her nervous. She ran, however, ignoring her doubts. Her mind worked faster, figuring out an answer that she needed. They need one final push against the creature, and she could only think of one thing capable of it¨Cher Heavenly Strike. She studied the large chamber, noticing the distance, the waves of air pressure hitting her, along with the roughhousing of the other fighters. One mishap was enough to kill her, and this time Zeke was out of the count. But that didn¡¯t mean she was alone. It was time for her training from earlier to be put to use. Her Lightning Mastery, a new skill she had acquired just a while ago, flared along with her attunement. Her Mana Perception went haywire as she tried to ignore the massive outpour of the enemy¡¯s mana just swallowing her whole. She extended her hand out as soon as the giant axe was about to be swung right at her, and electricity formed and lashed out at a pillar nearby. She let the electricity pull, but she didn¡¯t plan on pulling the piller¨Cshe wanted to pull herself. Her body lunged forward without her control, letting itself get taken by the lightning as the axe missed her by a wide margin. Still, the air pressure bashed at her, tossing her over and making her lose her grip on the lightning¡¯s control. But that didn¡¯t stop her even as she was in mid-air. Her hand thrusted out and lightning formed once again, connecting her back to the pillar and pulling her by gyrating around the pillar. She didn¡¯t expect that the lightning actually swerved along with her, making it easy for her to spin around and disconnect from the pillar, flying straight towards another pillar. She didn¡¯t really have an image in her head, at least not fully. She only thought about magnets when she thought about her lightning and what she can do outside of shocking herself. And rather than towards metal, she wanted to stick herself to anything else and use her lightning as a sort of leverage. It was actually a lot harder to imagine, as though the world was trying to reject her idea, but her lightning, as the name suggested, was very aggressive in getting what it wanted. She could head straight for the boss, but that would be suicidal as it was constantly bashing against the other fighters. Myra noticed her coming, and when the boss was ready to lash out with its water blades, Myra poured all her effort to drown the axeblade in flames. Fire hit the metal, causing the water to vaporize quicker before it could fully manifest, causing the swing to release droplets instead. The power was still there, however, causing one of the pillars that Mikella just left for another one to get hit. Surprisingly, that didn¡¯t cause the pillar to break. That made the boss stumble, along with the extra hits caused by Val, but that made the boss lose its focus as Zacharia roared again and slammed his giant blade straight at its ankle. Blood spurted and bone cracked from the intense strike, causing even Mikella to wince and grimace¨Cbut she grinned after seeing the boss falling to its knee from the blow. This was her chance. She lashed out another lightning whip, then flung as hard as she could, willing her fulmination to launch her straight at the boss, mostly at its back and straight below its neck. In that instant, she focused on her core. All of her skills worked in tandem, and her energies formed around the blade as she committed herself into her Sword Art, focused entirely to sharpen its edge. There, she poured her Unbridled Fulmination, the same way Piker did with his frost layered kinetic blade, calling upon her Heavenly Strike. The last time, she tried to implement her Heavenly Strike into several different weapons at once. She knew it would dilute its power, but the fact that it worked meant that she could tweak it into something better. This time, she tempered the skill, causing it to taper towards the very tip of her sword. Rather than extending it throughout the blade, by merely focusing on the point, the Heavenly Strike became fiercer, stronger, and more precise. She combined both Lightning Strike and Heavenly Strike together to make one powerful shot, something that she hasn¡¯t tried before. Her skills intermingled together in a cacophony of chaos and destruction. It was also extremely hungry for resources, but her sword tip glowed at such an intensity that it made the entire chamber dim from its brightness. She roared, becoming a torpedo of sharp light that pierced directly at its back, at the base of its neck. Blood flowed and a pained wail ensued. The boss raised its head high and roared, the air pressure increasing drastically to the point of making Mikella gnash her teeth together so hard, blood spilled from her cracked teeth. But she still held firm to her sword. It still gouged at the neck, the blade piercing through the muscle and bone and flesh. She kept pouring more of her energy, uncaring about the wounds slowly covering her body. She needed to pour more damage, more wounds. For a moment, Mikella dreaded that it wasn¡¯t enough, her fear that she would die first before the boss could. As that small dread spread through her chest, a light formed beneath her as she looked down. Val¡¯s body was glowing with deep greenish energy, which could only be described as an intense aura of kinetic force. She roared, worse than even the boss as she launched like a cannonball straight at the boss, aiming right at its chest. Her own sword lodged deep into it, finally causing the boss to stay still. For that moment alone, everything turned silent, a singular air quake echoing across the chamber. Soon everything became stilted as the boss was toppling over. Val already released herself but Mikella had a hard time pulling out the sword. It won¡¯t go back into her storage pack if it¡¯s still lodged into the creature so she just left it as she jumped high into the air. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. But something else occured, something out of her expectations. The damn boss was beginning to glow a bright source of bluish light, covering its entire body. There was a strong scent of rivers and waterfalls coming off in waves, to which Mikella could hazard a guess and frowned. ¡°You gotta be fucking kidding me!¡± The boss was about to explode. Again. She wasn¡¯t sure why, but this creature had so many fail-safes it made facing an entire army look easy. She was still in the air, and her body was utterly devoid of energy¨Cshe couldn¡¯t do anything. But her body was quickly stopped by a sudden wall of magical light that stopped her flying, hurting her just a bit. Then more walls of lights, actually barriers, formed underneath in an angle as she slid down them all like a slide. She slid all the way to their side where she spotted Zeke with his hand stretched, his face riddled with blood and looking pale as before. He gritted his teeth in concentration as he helped Mikella reach their side. With Val flying straight towards them, Zeke conjured a barrier around them, with Zacharia¡¯s stones behind that barrier and finally Piker¡¯s frost shield just behind that. The creature soon exploded in a torrent of water that was even more forceful than before. It hit the barrier, and Mikella could spot instantly that the barrier wasn¡¯t as strong as Zeke could make it out to be. It cracked in a lot of places, causing it to shatter and break. The stones were next, but they were no better as they slowly broke apart. The only last surviving shield was Piker¡¯s. He roared in defiance, not allowing a single drop of that powerful water hitting his team. To her surprise, most of the water coming at them either turned into frost, or were bashed away from the force of the ice, but even then, it was still too much. Piker¡¯s skin became lacerated, each droplet almost sharp as knives. Their density was too much to be just normal water, but Piker held firm. Everyone else also focused, pouring in their resources through his back. Zeke wasn¡¯t done yet and neither was Zacharia as they pulled out stones and barriers around them to avoid getting hit by the sides, the water torrent going along everywhere. It happened quickly, Mikella knew, but it felt like hours passed as the damage increased further and further. More dread took over as all of her comrades, Piker especially, looked worse for wear. But eventually, everything ceased. The torrent slowly dissipated as the water began to disappear from the chamber, as if drying up straight into the floors and walls. The entire chamber was in complete silence, and the only thing left was the team, completely desolated and injured beyond reason, but still alive. And the corpse of the Commander boss on the floor, completely dehydrated from causing so much water to appear. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ over?¡± Myra asked, dreading to think that there was more. Her, Cloud, and Mikella came out of the small huddle, but not only did Zeke and Piker fall to the ground, groaning in pain, even Zacharia fell to his knees, gasping for air. ¡°...Fuck¡­¡± Zacharia cursed, a rare occurrence. ¡°I¡¯m getting too old for this shit.¡± ¡°You and me both,¡± Cloud agreed, again, another rare occurrence. ¡°But we¡¯re done. And as proof of that, Mikella received a notification to detail her victory as a massive swarm of system energy filled her body. It was such a thrill to her tired being that it made her shiver along with Myra and the others.
You have defeated Drake Commander, Level 104. You have gained experience points.
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Level up! You are now Level 50. You gain 2 free points (2 FP total). You have gained +3 STR from your class. You have gained +3 DEX from your class. You have gained +3 END from your class.
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Class Skill Choice available upon reaching Level 50.
¡°You gotta be kidding me,¡± Mikella scoffed, uncaring the fact that she managed to survive. Just one measly level after defeating a true-born Master Rank boss? It shouldn¡¯t matter that she had more help from the Journeymen suffusely, she deserved way more levels than this. Well, at least she got another skill choice coming up. It would be the last one before she could reach Journeymen, so she needed to make it count. There were also more notifications to read after that.
Kinetic Manipulation Level Up! It is now Level 6. You have gained +1 DEX from your skill. You have gained +2 END from your skill.
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Mana Perception Level Up! It is now Level 8. You have gained +2 INT from your skill. You have gained +2 SPI from your skill.
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Sword Mastery Level Up! It is now Level 7. You have gained +2 STR from your skill. You have gained +4 DEX from your skill.
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Lightning Mastery Level Up! It is now Level 4. You have gained +3 INT from your skill. You have gained +3 SPI from your skill.
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Pain Resistance Level Up! It is now Level 10 (Maxed). You have gained +1 VIT from your skill. You have gained +1 END from your skill. Pain Resistance has been maxed. Bonuses are now applied: -Increased pain tolerance. -Increased body durability -Advancement available
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Skill Advancement has commenced. Your skill Pain Resistance (Uncommon) has advanced into Pain Resistance (Rare). You gain points based on the advanced rarity: +9 VIT Your skill Pain Resistance has been reset to Level 1. You will still retain the stat bonuses you have acquired before the advancement.
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Heavenly Strike Level Up! It is now Level 9. Decreased stamina and mana consumption. Increased damage.
She paused when she finished reading the notifications. She felt something was off. It was as if it¡­ ran out of things to upgrade. She was sure she pulled in all the stops, and while she wasn¡¯t crazy enough to assume that her Acquired Skills, Acrobatics and Dragon Eyes, would¡¯ve leveled up¨Cshe expected some other class skill would have leveled up. Instead, it just sort of¡­ stopped. Like something ran out of juice and it had no longer enough for the other skills to upgrade. Did I¡­ Did I somehow ran out of energy to level up my skills? She had the qualifications to level up her skills, she had no doubts now. However, the system was actually unable to keep leveling up her skills, or at least upgrade them in some way. She understood that in some parts, the other skills required more focus during the battle, so those that were left out of the subconsciousness, though still active, didn¡¯t receive the benefit. Guess that means I got to focus on the skills while I¡¯m leveling and I can¡¯t expect to have every single skill upgrade like before. That, or the system was tired of bombarding her with notifications. Somehow she thought that was completely ridiculous, and somehow understandable. She wasn¡¯t even all that upset about it. In the end, she instantly advanced her newly maxed Pain Resistance to Rare rarity, like Zeke. The fact that she maxed out a seemingly hard to level resistance skill was enough to appease her. And she can¡¯t always expect to grow so rapidly without some sort of limiter. She had a feeling that something bad might happen if she kept growing the way she did, and her instincts were usually right in this case. She knew there would be more rewards coming her way, but surprisingly no title came for her. Putting aside all those thoughts, she ran over to the downed Zeke who was just about to get up, his face bleary and pale white from the expense in mana. He looked like he was about to freeze, not a single hint of redness in his skin color. But he stood taught like a champ and faced Mikella with a weakened grin. Rather than talking, which it was totally possible that he really couldn¡¯t, he showed her his own notification, though only one, showing that he indeed received a title of his own. She didn¡¯t even bother having to ask as Zeke just showed her his screen of what he received.
Overachiever: You are not satisfied doing the bare minimum. Even defeating foes stronger than you is not enough to sate your greed for more. You have gained +2 STR from your title. You have gained +2 DEX from your title. Title Skill attained: Give me more.
Mikella now understood. The reason why she didn¡¯t receive any titles is because she already claimed one¨Cback when she fought against an Expert when she was an Apprentice, all on her own for that matter. At first she thought it was due to facing a creature at a higher stage than you, but apparently that wasn¡¯t it. The title is earned either by successfully defeating a tough boss that was of a higher stage than your own by yourself, or face a boss two stages higher than you in a party and win. That¡¯s how she guessed Zeke gained this title, which despite how weak it was at this point, having that title skill would definitely be a boon while he was leveling up doing runecrafting. ¡°I see smiles!¡± Myra shouted, noticing their ecstatic faces with her own grin. ¡°Whatchut got? Wait! Lemme guess¨Cmore maxed skills?¡± ¡°Oh come off it,¡± Mikella sneered. ¡°We all know you got some skills maxed out too.¡± Myra only looked at her with a frown for just a moment. Then she sheepishly grinned as she rubbed her neck awkwardly. ¡°Yeah¡­ I do,¡± She had that kind of grin that made Mikella want to slap her, but at the same time wanted to hug her for her effort. ¡°Piker?¡± Mikella asked, and of course Piker responded with a nod. He looked exhausted, almost the same as Zeke as he took the brunt of the Commander¡¯s attack with his ice shield. Despite that, he practically radiated with glee from his improvements. While the Experts were already gushing at their success, the Journeymen were left on their own, Cloud and Zacharia standing side by side before Zacharia bent his knees to sit. ¡°Zeke, how¡¯re you feeling?¡± Mikella asked, her hand casually draping Zeke¡¯s shoulder to give comfort. She knew it made him feel better even if he never mentions it. Probably because he¡¯s too embarrassed as a man to reveal it or something silly like that. ¡°Like shit,¡± Zeke answered promptly. ¡°But I¡¯ll live. Piker?¡± ¡°Close, but I can still fight,¡± Piker winced slightly. ¡°Well, barely.¡± ¡°You guys really had it hard,¡± Myra said, and she shook her head. ¡°Zeke though, even though you¡¯re supposed to be support, you look like you went toe to toe with the boss on your own.¡± ¡°It¡¯s cuz he¡¯s too stupid to act smart in that situation,¡± Mikella added dryly. ¡°Mikky, sometimes I think you really like to bully Zeke,¡± Myra said, actually sounding worried despite the rising grin. ¡°He likes it,¡± Mikella quipped. ¡°Can you just not right now?¡± Zeke said with a hopeless tone. ¡°My head is killing me¡­¡± ¡°Right,¡± Mikella giggled, but then she quickly frowned as she realized something. ¡°Hey, where¡¯s Val?¡± ¡°She¡¯s¡­¡± Cloud grimaced, looking over to where the corpse boss was. Everyone turned to find that Val was in fact where the boss was already. She was on top of its chest, a good few feet above the ground, and using her sword to literally dig through the cavity beneath the chest she made. It was a gruesome sight, like trying to do a surgery but the hole was big enough to enter through. And Val did exactly that, even using her own bare hands to rip apart the flesh and organs that stood in her way. Just when someone was about to ask what she was doing, it was made apparent as Val roared in literal glee as she pulled out something from within. A spherical object, clearly bloody and smothered with gore, but it had a strange shimmer beneath the crimson liquid. It was dark, almost purplish with a swirl of the two same colors mashing together from within. That alone caused the pressure to suddenly increase when it came out, getting everyone on guard. And when Val hoisted it up, she opened her newly elongated mouth wide¡­ and ate it whole. Vol2 Ch54: Growth, and otherworldly distress The scene was just too disturbing to truly understand what was happening. Her mouth took over the entire thing slowly, ignoring all the blood and viscera she was consuming as well. In fact, she eagerly kept mashing and swallowing the gross glowing orb despite it being as big as a basketball. However, her mouth kept opening wide, the orb slowly going down her now extending throat. Then like a strange cartoon, it all immediately returned to normal as the orb managed to enter into her stomach, at least Mikella guessed. Everyone watched with clear disgust, confusion, and horror. Myra looked like she was ready to hurl, and Zeke had to reflexively hold back his gag. Piker just watched with a dumb look, his face growing pale and gaping at the sight. ¡°Cloud¡­ what the fuck was that?¡± Zacharia said, showing for once a slight hint of being disturbed beyond measure. Out of everyone there, Cloud was the only one who approached her, walking towards with a placid face. ¡°Honey? You got what you needed?¡± He asked, as though it was just a simple question. On the other hand, Val¡¯s body convulsed and shivered as soon as she finished swallowing the orb. Her body wreaked havoc within herself as Zeke stopped gagging and noticed something with his eyes turning turquoise. This time, he was marveling at the sight, looking almost fascinated. ¡°Zeke? Explain,¡± Mikella simply said, way too curious to find out what¡¯s going on. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s making her channels bigger. Then it just¡­ shrunk in size. But the energy within became a whole lot denser. If she was strong before, she¡¯s stronger now.¡± That was enough from Zeke to prove that Val had her supposed synthetic attunement increase a tier. If that attunement increased her overall battle power, considering she pretty much soloed the boss on her own in her wicked state, this only made her a more terrifying opponent to deal with. You have to have an entire army of Journeymen ready to face her in order to win at this point. ¡°Is that what happens when you increase your attunement¡¯s tier?¡± Myra asked. Zeke could only shake his head. ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Zeke answered. ¡°But more importantly, is Val going to be¡­ alright?¡± They watched the scene again as Val groaned. Her body continued to make strange pops and cracks, the bones seemingly breaking and reforming. The veins popped open and blood ensued, but Cloud came in to heal on time. For a few minutes after that, they kept being like that. After a long agonizing time, her body returned to normal. She breathed long and hard, her shoulders heaving up and down. Then, finally, she turned back around, and her lovely face and normal beautiful features returned once again. Her eyes returned back to normal and clearly saw everyone watching her. Her cheeks actually turned red as she turned to Cloud. ¡°So, uhh¡­¡± She spoke, sounding normal as well. ¡°I¡¯m guessing everyone saw?¡± ¡°Oh they did,¡± Cloud nodded vigorously. ¡°Every bit.¡± Val winced at that, grimacing as she faced the distraught Experts and the clearly disturbed Zacharia. ¡°Uhh¡­ sorry guys.¡± ¡­.. ¡°So, that¡¯s how it is,¡± Val said, after a few moments of fixing her clothing since they were completely wrecked during combat. She didn¡¯t look inappropriate, but having it filled with holes and blood was a little disturbing so Cloud helped with that. She explained her situation, much like how Cloud and Zeke did earlier. However, she provided more context as the person in question. ¡°Again, I¡¯m sorry for what you saw. Normally that hadn¡¯t happened in¡­ what, a decade ago?¡± ¡°A few years before that,¡± Cloud said. ¡°It was right before we founded Eve Glade.¡± ¡°Right, right,¡± Val nodded. There was a clear blush in her cheeks as she spoke up again. ¡°So, that was a little embarrassing for you all to see. Normally I keep that under wraps. But it¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s just been so long since I managed to tier up my attunement from last time. You have no idea how rare it is to find not just a Master-Rank monster, but a Master-Rank with scales that reflect both Strength and Endurance.¡± Everyone couldn¡¯t understand the context behind her requirements, but they can understand her meaning. Mikella remembered the time she had to farm multiple bosses in an RPG to get that specific equipment with the right stats. Sometimes, no matter how good you are, that can really frustrate you. Zeke probably had dozens of stories, being an avid gamer himself, seen nodding to her plight in a measure of empathy. ¡°And you¡¯re sure this doesn¡¯t happen regularly?¡± Zacharia asked, crossing his arms. He had a raised brow directed at her to which Mikella didn¡¯t like. ¡°We won¡¯t suddenly find ourselves with a Journeywoman growing scales and launching water beams?¡± ¡°No,¡± Despite Zacharia¡¯s suspicious tone, Val chuckled genuinely. ¡°If that did happen, I wouldn¡¯t even be human right now. No, I just increase more power, and the last time that happened, I got a good increase in all of my physical stats.¡± Zacharia nodded, looking pleased with the answer. Mikella always knew that Val would be fine, even if Cloud had to step away from the fight to make sure to keep Val on the boss. Apparently if he hadn¡¯t, Val would¡¯ve considered everyone an enemy, but with all the time they spent with each other, Val trusted Cloud to handle her even in her monster form. ¡°Oh, wait a minute,¡± Myra suddenly asked. ¡°How did you take that¡­ uhh, heart thing, without looting the boss?¡± Mikella understood immediately. The system made it clear that you can¡¯t take anything from the monster itself, only through the looting feature. She remembered trying to get that sword after Zeke failed to get it from the first tower, and how frustrating it turned out after realizing that the sword never actually ¡®dropped¡¯ after looting the monster. But Val smiled back. ¡°My attunement is a little special, you see. Since the system regarded it as an official attunement, despite it being synthesized¨Cit recognized its way of powering up. The only way I can do so is to eat the hearts of the monsters I slayed.¡± ¡°So it¡¯s still lootable?¡± Myra asked with hope in her eyes. Val nodded in agreement. ¡°Yes! Alright¡­ so who here has the honor of looting the thing?¡± ¡°Uhh, Val?¡± Mikella pointed with her thumb at her. ¡°Clearly. She did more damage than any of us.¡± That, and she took care of the monster while they fought on the sidelines. No matter how much of a warrior Mikella is, she can recognize with glee that Val took most of the credit for the fight. Val, however, shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m still a bit out of sorts after swallowing the thing. I¡¯ll be fine. Why don¡¯t you guys do it?¡± ¡°Shit¡­ umm¡­¡± Myra said, rubbing her chin. Mikella spoke first before anyone else. ¡°Piker.¡± ¡°Wha?¡± Piker said dumbfoundedly, a rarity from him. ¡°Zacharia and Cloud did what they could, and Zeke is always doing what he can. But Piker, you really proved to be a contester when defending us against the boss. You deserve the loot this time.¡± ¡°Uhh¡­ but¡­¡± Piker asked, but nobody else intervened as he watched them with slight confusion. Then he let out a tired breath, a smile showing on his face. ¡°Fine, but obviously we¡¯ll share in the loot.¡± ¡°Obviously,¡± Myra scoffed. ¡°Now hurry up!¡± Piker rolled his eyes as he rushed over to the master-rank boss, a clearly gleeful look on his face. Mikella smiled, not really caring who gets the loot. Besides, she felt that she had advanced so much in just a short tower run that having the honor of looting feels so little now. It was better that someone else who would enjoy it more gets the honor. Besides, if there was anything lightning related, she was gonna get it anyway. Though since the boss was water-based, that was extremely unlikely. Still, she couldn¡¯t care less. She knew Zeke couldn¡¯t care less either, enjoying his own upgrades as he showed them off to her just as she did with hers to him.
Level Up! You are now Level 50. You gain 2 free points (2 FP total). You have gained +3 DEX from your class. You have gained +3 INT from your class. You have gained +3 SPI from your class.
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Mana Manipulation Level Up! It is now Level 7. You have gained +2 INT from your skill. You have gained +1 SPI from your skill.
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Battle Runecraft Level Up! It is now Level 3. You have gained +2 INT from your skill. You have gained +2 SPI from your skill.
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Steadfast Mind Level Up! It is now Level 8. You have gained +1 SPI from your skill. You have gained +1 END from your skill.
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Parallel Thought Level Up! It is now Level 7. You have gained +2 INT from your skill. You have gained +2 SPI from your skill.
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Barrier Craft Level Up! It is now Level 4. You have gained +4 INT from your skill. You have gained +4 SPI from your skill.
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Inscription Proficiency Level Up! It is now Level 7 Increased accuracy with drawing runes. Decrease mana consumption when drawing runes.
¡­.. Stolen novel; please report.
Phantasmal Runes Level Up! It is now Level 4. Increased potency of all created runes based on the Spirit stat. Decreases mana consumption of all runes.
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Runic Echoes Level Up! It is now Level 5. Increases the potency of synchronized runes (x2). Decreases proper rune structure needs (x2).
She was more than proud to see Zeke improve so much on all the factors that made him stand out as a support Runist. Still, she also sympathized with his grimace when he realized that not only did his physical skills not advance at all, considering all he did was support, but not even his Recovery managed to level to get to max. It looked like he needed to do something drastic in order to fully evolve the skill, or at least advance it again to make it stronger than Epic. Still, what goes after Epic? Legendary like in most games? Or is it something less than that but more than Epic? She can¡¯t wait for her own skills to reach beyond Epic at some point. Once that was done, she and Zeke both showed each other what they got for their Class choice while Piker was still busy with the boss. Apparently he has to get to a certain spot, which is weird as it is. But in this tower, pretty much anything goes. For this Class skill choice, this time it was pretty serious. It¡¯s the last skill they¡¯ll choose before they have to become Journeymen in order to get another one. And she was sure that her skill choices would be incredible as she opened them up. The first skill she got was something she expected. It was a skill called Dragon Hide. It was similar to the Armored Skin skill she received from long, long ago, except this one was a lot stronger than average. She wondered if she had picked the skill before, then this skill would either stack up and make her tough as nails, or not work and make it worthless. Either way, she was more than happy to put it aside. She didn¡¯t want to even think about trying to min-max her own body. She will only do what makes sense to her, and right now, she doesn¡¯t need more defense. The next skill was something that she might consider. It was a skill called Gaze of the Dragon that targeted a single target and gave them a sort of death glare that would stun them. With her Dragon Eyes, she had a feeling that those two would synergize extremely well, and she definitely would like the idea of stunning her targets to make sure that they don¡¯t run. She was just about to take the skill, figuring this was way better than the Dragon Hide, but something caught her eye. Another skill option was still available, and it was neither of her old skills she could choose. It was a third option to take. She was stunned by this revelation as she instinctively checked it out for herself.
Extra Class Skill: Clashing Energies Prerequisite: -Your General Skill list is completely filled. -You have gained Mana Perception as a General Skill. -You have at least maxed and evolved one Energy-based Perception skill. You did not lose control. Instead, you willed your spirit to align with your rampaging energies. This skill allows you to enhance your body and its properties, skill effectiveness, and regeneration of all energies by how many current skills you have learned. Increases overall Clashing Energies Skill effectiveness according to the level of the skill and the amount of skills you currently own.
¡°Yoooooo!¡± Mikella howled like a street punk from New York, unable to hold back her shock and awe. Obviously, everyone saw this and were shown the skill. As expected, each of them gaped at the sight. ¡°Another class skill choice?¡± Myra answered. ¡°No way! And what¡¯s with these prerequisites?¡± ¡°Zeke, is this possible? Or is the system trying to screw with me here?¡± Mikella asked, hoping against hope that this wasn¡¯t too good to be true. ¡°It¡¯s not going to try and ban me or something if I take this skill ¡®cuz it¡¯s some kind of stupid test, right?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think the system ever plays games like that,¡± Zeke shook his head. There was that look of want in his eyes, as though he fully planned to explore his own options after this. ¡°Those prerequisites are hard to pull off. I think this is a good skill, and probably the only time you can take it.¡± ¡°So I can take it then?¡± Mikella asked, but Zeke paused as he frowned. ¡°Hold on,¡± He said. ¡°It may not come back again, but if you do take this, it might make a big change for your class. It might change its direction. You have Dragon Berserker now. If you keep going the way you did before, it would evolve into something along those lines when you make it to Journeymen. But if you take this skill, it might completely change your class¡¯ direction.¡± Mikella remembered what Zeke talked about before, about how his Runecraft turning into Battle Runecraft meant that his Runist would most likely change to something battle-focused now despite being treated as a crafter by the system. It was a choice he gladly made, given his increasing passion for fighting. So he was asking this to make sure that Mikella understood the grand undertaking this skill would make. But then she remembered the time when she lost herself when she was leveling her class out in the forests near Eve Glade. How she became someone else without even realizing it. The arrogance, the crazed desire to grow powerful regardless of everything else. Being a Berserker has some implications that she can¡¯t control herself. She wanted to avoid that at all costs, not wanting to lose herself and end up losing the people she cares about. She had focused this whole time on controlling her massive power, no matter how much it hurts or how hard it was. And she never walked back on that. So if taking this skill meant changing into a direction that she fully planned on doing anyways, it might as well be a perfect fit. She smiled, and she knew instantly that Zeke agreed with her sentiments as he smiled back. There were no words to be said. She made her choice.
You have chosen Extra Class Skill: Clashing Energies.
Before she could continue, figuring out how this skill worked, and then figure out what Class Skill Zeke would choose¨Csomething happened when Piker called out. ¡°I can¡¯t loot it,¡± Piker said, sounding just as confused as everyone else who heard that. ¡°It¡¯s not allowing me to.¡± Immediately, everyone went in to try and disprove his claim. Unfortunately, his claim was true as neither of them, not even the otherworlders, were able to loot the creature as they normally could. However, the otherworlders in particular each shared a single notification when doing so.
W?o?u?l?d? ?y?o?u? ?l?i?k?e? ?t?o? ?[?E?R?R?O?R?]? ?t?h?e? ?c?o?r?p?s?e? ?o?f? ?D?r?a?k?e? ?C?o?m?m?a?n?d?e?r??? ERROR! ERROR! T?h?e? ?f?o?l?l?o?w?i?n?g? ?i?n?f?o?r?m?a?t?i?o?n? ?i?s? ?c?o?r?r?u?p?t?e?d?.? ?R?e?-?i?n?i?t?i?a?t?i?n?g? ?p?r?o?c?e?s?s? ?o?f? ?[?E?R?R?O?R?]? ?i?n?f?o?r?m?a?t?i?o?n?.? T?h?e?r?e? ?h?a?s? ?b?e?e?n? ?a?n? ?e?r?r?o?r?.? ?O?b?s?e?r?v?e? ?t?h?e? ?c?o?r?p?s?e? ?f?o?r? ?[?E?R?R?O?R?]?.? ERROR! ERROR!
¡°Well¡­ that¡¯s not good,¡± Mikella pointed out the obvious. She knew by heart that whenever a computer has these kinds of glitchy screens, it¡¯s totally busted. But what¡¯s going to happen when it¡¯s the System itself bugging out? ¡°It¡¯s worse than you think.¡± Everyone paused, a new voice appearing out of nowhere. The voice was powerful enough to give the chamber a once-over, but not in the sense of the powerful air pressure as before. It was denser than that. It reached to the marrow of her bones, to her inner core. She felt¡­ paralyzed, in a sense. Her fingers didn¡¯t even tremble¨Cthey didn¡¯t have a chance to. Everyone looked up, not because of where they heard it from, but what all of their senses were telling them to point at. A small circular portal opened up, a deep chasm of white with gray-tinted swirls formed as a creature flew out of the portal. It spread its wings wide, revealing beautiful clear-white feathers equaling that of a white dove. Rather, they looked similar to her eyes. What made her heart drop was the creature itself. It wasn¡¯t some powerful creature¨Cit was her little sister. ¡°Clara?!¡± Everyone gaped at the sight of the eleven year old girl Clara floating above them, her face completely still. While she wore her usual sundress, literal wings expanded wide across her back, equaling in diameter to her own size. But she knew, deep inside, that it wasn¡¯t Clara. It only looked like Clara, and when she realized who it truly was, her brows knit downwards and her teeth gritted. ¡°What are you doing here, Zoan?!¡± Mikella shouted. ¡°And what did you do to Clara?!¡± Everyone else immediately got their weapons out. Piker, Myra, Zacharia, Cloud, and Val pointed their weapons at the little girl. Zeke immediately stood in front of them. ¡°Wait!¡± Zeke shouted. Though there were also hints of frustration in his expression, he shouted. ¡°Don¡¯t attack!¡± Zeke turned back around, facing the angel that suddenly intervened. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Zeke added. ¡°We cleared the tower, like you said. So why are you here? And why did you bring Clara, again?¡± He added that last part with a certain tone that was unusual for him. Zoan, the angel that was clearly possessing Clara, looked down on him. That already made Mikella¡¯s hair stand on end, and she wanted to bring her sword out¨Cwhich she only just realized that it was still stuck at the boss¡¯ neck. Zoan just floated there, completely silent with a face that had no emotion. It was so unnerving, like seeing the actual angel, but this time it had Clara¡¯s face now. That only made her even more enraged, seeing her sweet little sister looking like some disturbing machine. ¡°I¡¯m here to repair this abnormality,¡± Zoan stated, her voice the same as Clara but sounding absurdly mature and wise. ¡°Now stand aside, or else you might get harmed.¡± Her small delicate hand lifted to the air, palm out as white colored energy coalesced at the center of it. It then flew out like a laser pointer straight at the corpse of the Drake Commander, the entire light beam encasing it in the same color, slowly covering it and deforming it from its giant size and shrinking it down. If it was just that, it would look almost comical. Instead, a sense of weight and authority landed on everyone¡¯s shoulders the moment that energy beam came out. It wasn¡¯t normal. It wasn¡¯t a skill. If anything, it felt like the system itself came in and fixed its own bug. As the boss shranked, becoming less and less of itself than ever, Mikella felt something she hadn¡¯t felt before in a long while. Fear. Fear of the unknown. Something so vast and grand that it would¡¯ve brought her to her knees if she let go of her willpower. She wasn¡¯t alone. It wasn¡¯t just the Experts, but the Journeymen also staying low and keeping themselves far away from whatever the hell Zoan was doing to the boss. Even though they had just defeated a powerful Master-Rank monster, compared to this angel, it might as well be a little beast some kids managed to kill, and now an adult came in and started cleaning up. It was an unfair assessment, but an unfortunate truth. The corpse soon disappeared into motes of light, and as soon as it did, Mikella received a notification as though the system was eagerly waiting for Zoan to finish up.
You have received the following: Skill Unison Fragment Otherworldly Skill Orb
She¡¯s going to pretend she hadn¡¯t just received absurdly ridiculous items with equally ridiculous names and looked back at the angel still in Clara¡¯s body. When the corpse disappeared, the angel let loose an expression of a woman who had finished her work, letting out a breath of relief. ¡°Abnormality cleared. Now then, it¡¯s time to¨C¡± The ground shifted and the walls and ceiling began to shake, just like how it usually goes whenever they clear the tower. It was becoming so routine that Mikella actually felt relieved that they could finally leave the tower. She may have made plenty of progress while she was here, but she couldn''t wait to get out and never see this place again. There were too many revelations regarding their circumstances that she¡¯d rather forget about for the time being. On cue, both she and Zeke glanced at each other, ready to unlock the gateway and get the hell out of here¡­ only to find themselves staring at nothing at the distance, nothing occuring except for the usual shaking of the tower falling apart. ¡°Zeke? I don¡¯t feel it working. Why can¡¯t I feel it working?¡± Mikella asked, turning to Zeke before anyone else. To her dismay, Zeke¡¯s eyes also showed confusion and worry, looking back at his hands as though they held all the answers. ¡°I-I don¡¯t know. I can¡¯t feel anything. You?¡± ¡°Nothing either!¡± Mikella shouted, panic finally encroaching on her. The others caught wind of this and went into a state of distress. Zacharia shouted, a non-surprising rare look of panic rising in his eyes. ¡°What do you mean it¡¯s not working? Isn¡¯t this supposed to be your thing?¡± ¡°It¡¯s supposed to!¡± Mikella snapped back. ¡°At least that¡¯s how it worked the last time!¡± She¡¯s going to put aside the fact that literally the last two times, the first was completely by accident or design, and the next was when Zeke went crazy with his attunement. It also looked like Zeke was starting to consider using it himself before Myra pointed at the angel floating above them. ¡°You think it¡¯s her getting in the way?¡± She said those words with animosity, turning everyone around her to glare at Zoan possessing Clara¡¯s body. But to their shock, what they saw was not a composed and almost alien little girl with angel wings. They saw what looked like pure confusion and shock as her eyes were widened, as though she herself couldn¡¯t believe what was happening. ¡°No¡­¡± Zoan said, emotion of surprise trickling into her mature voice. ¡°How is this possible? It shouldn¡¯t be this bad just yet¡­ or did something go wrong?¡± ¡°Zoan!¡± Mikella shouted, anger and fear overcoming each other. ¡°Do something!¡± But instead of doing that, she instead glared at Zeke of all things, and shouted the words Mikella really wished she didn¡¯t say. ¡°Zeke! Barrier! Now!¡± Without even waiting for Zeke to ask back the reason why, Zoan flew in with an incredible speed that made Mikella¡¯s usual speed seem like a joke. She flew right towards the group as Zeke, without really thinking, already put up a barrier that covered every single one. Unfortunately, it was in such a rush that it only caught some of them in pairs and groups before the tower suddenly did something else that was also unexpected. It didn¡¯t keep shaking to the point of getting sucked into some unreachable void, but instead suffused everything in a vast of light that nearly blinded them all. Vol2 Ch55: The situation outside Zyler¡¯s father always said to him, even when he was a little kid, that playing with your food was considered rude and immature. He¡¯d like to say otherwise. Especially when the food likes to fight back. He swung his arm, his claws slashing the nearby crystal trees and pillars that stood in his way. Not even the powerful sturdy crystals could withstand his Strength as they broke and shattered. However, his prey was nowhere to be around. He spun, kicking his well-trained legs to the ground and pouncing at the nearby soldier. The male soldier looked well-prepped. The leather armor was clean with no smudges on his plated chest and arms. He carried twin daggers as a weapon, and held them in a back-handed grip. But the little coward refused to strike back and instead jumped out of the way when Zyler landed on him. He missed by a landslide, hitting the ground. But even then, he still grinned. This was the most interesting pack of prey he ever found. Turning back, he saw the large group of soldiers from the tiny faction that found this place. He was still bitter from not facing the Lords, so he wanted to torture these little pups before killing them. He was planning on bringing all of their heads each to the lords just to feel better about it. But now, he was smiling. This was the first time he was caught getting pushed to his near limit. He wasn¡¯t tired at all, and his stamina wasn¡¯t flagging by the least, but adrenaline coursed through him as the soldiers remained tightly knit, with one or two out of sight but just enough to be out of his grasp. It was annoying, and just pissed him off. It was perfect to have a little bit of fun. He spotted the one giving the commands. The man looked intimidating as all hell, but his Identify told him this man was just an Expert. But compared to most Experts, he knew how to order at the precise moment when Zyler struck. ¡°Get ready!¡± He shouted, a sound reminiscent of a man who¡¯s been on a battlefield all his life. ¡°He¡¯s ready to attack again!¡± ¡°You got that right,¡± Zyler growled, flashing his claws again. Zyler pounced, using his Class skill to jump higher and farther than before. Flashing his claws, he dug deep down towards the one giving the commands. He would hate losing such fun so early, but he never liked playing around when the big boss was already there. But contrary to his belief, this Expert knows how to fight back. His axe flew right at the claws, swiping them away and swinging again to his neck. It was at such a precision that it surprised Zyler a little. If he didn¡¯t just ducked down with ease, he might even lose a good chunk of his neck. He jabbed at him next, but was hit with a surprising number of spells and attacks from his side. They just flitted across his dark fur, his Endurance-based skills taking into effect. It didn¡¯t even hurt, but it certainly annoyed him. He growled, turning to find the other Experts who flung attacks at the side. He had to give credit that not a single Expert there showed any sort of fear of his presence. There were some clear hesitation, but Zyler knew well enough to know the difference between hesitation and cowardice. Whoever trained these Experts must be a real slave-driver. It was a shame. His father would definitely like this kind of trainer as their own Experts were left to be desired. If he were to hazard a guess, most of them could even have a specialized attunement rather than the basic Mana boost one. ¡°Well now, someone treated you all well to give you such luxuries,¡± Zyler growled, not hiding his mocking tone at all. He did, after all, practice on how to sneer in his werewolf form. It pissed off his enemies well by doing so. ¡°But did you really think you could take me down with some shitty skills?!¡± He roared, flexing his chest and running towards the crowd of experts. They summoned a sort of wall from the ground, made entirely of earth, stone and crystals from the biodome, but Zyler easily cut them apart. He aimed at one of the soldiers, a young girl with pale skin and a wand at her side. She flicked her wrist and a wall of ice formed. Zyler could tell that this girl had an Ice-attunement, immensely powering her skill. But despite her attunement, Zyler¡¯s own claws were more than good enough to slash it apart, ice particles and clunks falling apart. He reveled at seeing the girl¡¯s terrified face as he opened his maw to take a good bite out of her flesh. ¡°No!¡± A man roared as he landed right on Zyler¡¯s back, trying to jab something onto it. Zyler stopped immediately, closing his jaws to find that the man was trying to stab his weapon into him. So he dug around with his hand, picked up the soldier, then slammed his body against the nearby pillar of crystal. The crystal shattered, creating spiderweb-like trails behind the body as the man cursed and groaned in pain. He found that hearing a man cry and groan compared to a woman was just off, but that was just him. ¡°Jackie!¡± The woman shouted, at least giving this crazy, but respectable man a name for Zyler. ¡°You think you¡¯re brave?¡± Zyler growled, plastering a well-intended sickening sneer. ¡°Well? Jackie looked like your average man with a basic sword and leather armor. His blood trailed from his mouth as he gritted his teeth. The claws were digging deep into his torso and neck, but only just so to cut his skin slightly. The real pressure came from his Strength, already crushing his insides. Still, the man was managing well, even starting to glare back at the Journeyman despite the clear gap in power. ¡°Better than¡­¡± Jackie groaned and coughed, but kept going. ¡°A Journeyman bullying Experts¡­¡± ¡°Hahaha!¡± Zyler laughed. ¡°You¡¯d be the first guy to tell me that straight to my face! You think what I¡¯m doing is cowardly?!¡± He picked up Jackie¡¯s body, no heavier than a ragdoll, and threw him across the field. He fully expected the body to land and just explode in a pile of guts and organs, but the same girl managed to create a sort of stop-gap between the nearby pillar and the thrown body. A plethora of soft snow formed and Jackie¡¯s body fell into it. It exploded into a pile of white snow and ice debris instead of the reddish gore Zyler expected. Still, the reaction was impressive in the girl¡¯s favor, something that Zyler can approve of. ¡°Well you¡¯re damn right!¡± Zyler responded with a fangy grin. ¡°¡®Course what I¡¯m doing is cowardly! But this is war, dumbass! Rules of combat don¡¯t apply when fighting for your life!¡± Zyler would also agree that a Journeymen going after a group of Experts was cowardly. In fact, he hated those bastards that think they were better than the ones they fought, being a stage below them. However, Zyler learned for a long time now that playing fair won¡¯t get you anywhere. It won¡¯t stop people from trying to kill you, especially when they can get an advantage. It won¡¯t even stop his older brothers from trying to murder their youngest, using whatever means necessary to do so. In the end, power is what mattered. It¡¯s how he managed to survive, and how he became the sole heir to Bastion. Not even his father would disagree with that. ¡°So how about you actually fight instead of complaining?¡± Zyler said, now becoming more pissed off as memories of his childhood played in his head. ¡°Come on! Fight me!¡± ¡­.. Roderick gritted his teeth in fury. His temple was already bulging with veins the size of cables as he watched the travesty unfolding in his very eyes. The fortress that was supposedly the home of this boss that would¡¯ve granted them access to the resources of this entire biodome was becoming a chore. Much more so than he anticipated. He knew the risks of sending an army through the teleporter with what little manpower his city had, but he didn¡¯t expect to have already hit a snag the moment they started taking down the fortress. Most of his soldiers were specialized fighters, brought to their limits thanks to their concoctions to give them powers equal to that of Journeymen, but these creatures¡­ These elemental crystal beings were tougher than they all expected. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. The first mob they encountered were crystalline bats that have stunned all of their soldiers with their high-pitched screeches. Then, before anyone can do a thing about it, they were attacked by their fluttering wing blades and sharp bites. They have already suffered casualties on the very first mob. And soon things have gotten worse. Giant wolves, persistent bears, all creatures made of crystal were giving Roderick a headache he didn¡¯t need. Quarter of the time he had to help them out, only making him seethe more in return. His power was¡­ waning, to say the least. He didn¡¯t have the qualifications to pass through the Master stage. But after years of constantly teetering on the Master stage, he was slowly, ever so slowly falling off. He had a debt to pay to the system itself, and he needed to pay for it. It didn¡¯t help when the Aetheric Federation kept demanding payments that were beyond their reasoning. He figured by making his boy into a proper Journeyman would¡¯ve helped, but he should¡¯ve realized by now that such a thing was impossible. He gripped his white-gloved fist tight, remembering the failed attempt at the Eve Glade town. If it weren¡¯t for that barrier keeping their town aloft, they would¡¯ve found out about the biodome and be done with this. But now that they persisted, they were close to gaining access to the biodome. If he doesn¡¯t do something soon, those Eve Glade miscreants would take everything he needed. He won¡¯t let that happen. He had debts to pay. He needed to fulfill his goal of reaching the true Master stage. He will not suffer more setbacks. A soldier ran to him, looking battered, bruised, and bloody from the fights. They were currently going after the inner reaches of the fortress, and they were facing more opposition than before. He knew his boy was already making the Eve Glade soldiers back off, but if they don¡¯t finish soon, they might come in at some point. The soldier raised his hand in salute. ¡°My lord, this is too much! These creatures are a lot stronger than we expected. Also, they keep acting strangely. They don¡¯t follow any of the patterns we studied from them at all.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Roderick demanded. ¡°How different are they from random beasts we encountered before?¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m not sure,¡± The soldier shook. Roderick picked up the tremble in his voice. He was only slightly relieved to hear that the soldier still feared him as he should. ¡°But their attacks have grown stronger, taking out our men before they can even attack. And worse, they keep crowding us in numbers that should¡¯ve been unnatural. They¡¯re so deeply packed with different monsters that we don¡¯t have enough room to maneuver.¡± ¡°What?¡± Roderick raised a brow. ¡°Even if the biodome has its perks, that doesn¡¯t make any sense.¡± As long as he knew, even biodomes follow some common sense. No matter how strange the atmosphere, how strange the wild life it can be, the creatures should know not to make a mess of things. In a sense, they lived here longer than they have, and even the wildlife has rules to follow¨Cthe rules of nature, one might say. To find so many packed together, and according to his soldiers, all of them are so different that it shouldn¡¯t make sense for them to work together¡­ something was off. He stared in a different direction. The tower that stood slightly off compared to the rest of the stone fortress. It felt off to him for a while now, and even his stupid son managed to find something out. Contrary to him, even Zyler didn''t want to mess with that tower. Is there something going on with that tower? Roderick rubbed his trimmed beard. He glared, curiosity taking over. Should we destroy it first? ¡°Sir?¡± The soldier asked, noticing that Roderick paused and stared at a direction all this while. Roderick let out a tired breath. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Keep adding pressure. If they are all so packed together as you say, then use all of your firepower to burn them all. Do not leave a single monster alive¨Cwe need all the leverage we can have to get to the boss.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± The soldier nodded, and headed over to the recovery station after giving his report. The fact that he looked like shit and still managed to report made it admirable as a Journeyman stage should. Even if the soldier was the one that had forced his breakthrough like so many others. He also knew that his order might even include his own soldiers in the process of being overwhelmed in flames, but that didn¡¯t matter. These were all rejects that couldn¡¯t even hack it in Journeymen. He knew that by the end, none of them would survive. Whether or not they returned completely recovered, they only have a few short years to live. That¡¯s the end goal of all those who try to skip ahead of the system. I will not let that happen, Roderick thought, his eyes narrowing. That will never be me. ¡­.. Blood trickled from his mouth after landing straight into the ground. If it weren¡¯t for the fluff of snow that Cacia created, he would¡¯ve snapped his body in a way that can¡¯t be recovered. This was the worst match up they could ever have. Not even a group of trained Experts could match against a single trained Journeyman, and worse yet a combat type of Journeyman that specialized well against fighting multiple opponents at once. This man, clearly a Bastion soldier, could transform into some sort of were-wolf creature from some skill and rip apart their defenses like they were parchment. His claws managed to dig deep into their combatants¡¯ shields, their armor just ordinary clothes to the werewolf. Worse yet, the speed and power of that monster soldier was too much. Not even Moars, their leader, could keep up with him for long before the other soldiers managed to step in time before his head was cut off. Jackie trembled, his fear already gripping hard against his nerves. Even with his sword in hand, his fingers felt like they could lose their grip at any time. Even so, he still moved. He didn¡¯t plan on letting anyone else die, at least not while he was around. The other soldiers, while they were being utterly overpowered, never gave up either. While they were up against a wall, they had numbers on their side. And each soldier worked like cogs to a machine, each one spinning with each other in harmony. Not a single step out of place where the other can¡¯t predict. Each soldier of Zacharia¡¯s retinue couldn¡¯t be more different from one another, couldn¡¯t have more different ideals and goals, yet they moved with precision to Moar¡¯s orders, taking over one another when the first can¡¯t keep up. They were brought in when a group of soldiers were decimated by the werewolf, just avoiding certain death, then another group came in when the second couldn¡¯t last. It was starting to wear down the furred monster, growling even more intensely than before. Jackie could see the light at the end of the tunnel. While they were nowhere near the fortress as they planned, each soldier understood that losing even one of their own could mean certain death later on. Besides, this soldier was clearly the strongest of the group. While they have no clue on the other Bastion soldiers¡¯ levels, this one was at least distracted. ¡°Grr, stay still!¡± The man howled, the frustration reaching into his wolf-like growls. ¡°Let me hunt you properly!¡± ¡°No chance in hell, fucker,¡± Jackie muttered, knowing full well he couldn¡¯t hear him. That¡¯s when the man turned his head back to Jackie, his ears perked up. ¡°I heard that, you fucker!¡± Jackie¡¯s heart hammered against his chest. He, for almost an instant, reached for his shield. But he only had his sword in hand. The man roared and pounced straight after him, cleverly avoiding each soldier that stood in his path as he tried to dig his claws straight into Jackie. For a moment, Jackie thought that was it. Then the face of his friend crying over his own body in a funeral pyre made him pause, his mind turning blank. He remembered the tears of everyone that cried at the funeral pyre. Myra wasn¡¯t an exception. She cried, as he did, over the death of Maxie and the rest of their soldier comrades. He could remember Philip being drowned in despair over losing Lisa. Even if they were weak, almost useless due to their lack of stats, skills, and titles¡­ It wasn¡¯t as though nobody would care if they died. That was impossible. That alone brought Jackie to do something he didn¡¯t expect he would do in his entire life. He shifted his stance, slightly tilting his leg upward with the other backward, and held his sword upside down, the blade leading to the ground. Just as the giant wolf¡¯s claws were ready to strike him down, Jackie roared and pushed onward. The claws, ever so slowly in Jackie¡¯s mind, slid along the blade, the sharp tips scratching along the forearm. Blood flowed so easily due to the difference in stats, but Jackie didn¡¯t stop. If he did, he would die. So instead he turned his blade slightly, turning it up and redirecting the claw of the beast. To Jackie¡¯s own surprise, the momentum left by Zyler¡¯s pounce turned upwards into a long arc, missing him by a hair¡¯s breadth. The wolf¡¯s narrowed eyes widened before Jackie took this chance and stabbed straight through his chest.
Sword Mastery Level Up! It is now Level 10 (Maxed). You have gained +1 STR from your skill. You have gained +1 DEX from your skill. Sword Mastery has been maxed. Bonuses are now applied.
As the notification filled his vision for just a second, he roared, putting everything he had into it¡­ but the blade couldn¡¯t even pierce the muscle of his chest, let alone draw blood as his own hands ache in pain from the effort. He paled at the sight. He was so weak he couldn¡¯t even pierce the skin of the monster. Even though the notification showed that he had finally maxed out his Common Sword Mastery Skill thanks to that redirection. He felt nothing but despair clawing at his chest, and most likely would be clawed to death as the man looked down at his chest, staring intensely at the sword hopelessly digging into him. ¡°Damn stat block,¡± The wolfman growled. ¡°I swear if I wasn¡¯t blocked, I would¡¯ve ripped you to pieces.¡± To Jackie¡¯s surprise, he sounded more miffed about losing to Jackie in terms of redirection than he was at actually being stabbed. Before he could do anything further, he jumped back away, his sword in hand. The other soldiers came over in time to his relief, gathering together into a tight formation and flashing their weapons. Cacia, the healer that saved him, came over and healed the injury that he caused. Even now, the werewolf was just looking at his chest, then at his own clawed hand before making a tight fist. ¡°Now I¡¯m royally pissed¡­ Now I¡¯m gonna¨C!¡± He paused, turning absolutely silent as his wolf-like ears propped up. He quickly turned his head over to the direction of the fortress, rather, at the tower that their lords and comrades were at. Jackie could feel it too. Just like before, it felt like the air was turning in on itself, recalling the near worst moment of his life when he thought their lives were all over once again. ¡°The tower¡­¡± Philip, his mage friend, looked over with widened eyes. As Jackie thought, it really was the tower. Then, everything became suffused in a bright light as an explosion took over, overtaking their hearing and leaving everything to become white. Vol2 Ch56: The result of the tower ¡°What in the studded star¡­?¡± Roderick exclaimed, his eyes widening through the lens of his glasses as the tower that was seemingly out of place in the fortress just¡­ vanished. Along with its disappearance, a vast hole of nothingness appeared over, nearly swallowing everything in its vicinity. However, it was as though everything was distorted. The air flow that was being sucked in through the portal that seemed to swallow everything to pure darkness seemed disjointed, sometimes breaking apart the stone walls of the fortress and swallowing them whole, but at other times it just stopped mid-way, falling to the fortress¡¯ grounds. Needless to say, it was hell for their soldiers that were around the fortress. While their numbers were low, they spread about the fortress, trying to find this boss to take over the biodome. But since the tower disappeared all so suddenly, it took all of their power just to get away. There were some unfortunate casualties, some of the soldiers getting dragged in as though their bodies were choked by some odd pressure, and quickly mashed to bloody paste as soon as they were taken by the void within the hole. Their numbers were drastically reducing, but that also included the pesky traps and monsters that laid within the fortress walls. It was in some ways a boon, and in other ways a complete travesty. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Give me answers, now!¡± Roderick shouted to his nearby retainers, each one he swore being absolutely useless at this sudden unexpected situation. Each one, undoubtedly, was taken aback by what they saw, but they fumbled about, trying to find out what was happening, but failing miserably. ¡°M-My lord, the tower, it¡­ it seemed to have imploded in on itself,¡± One of the retainers, a lanky mage type, answered with trembling fingers holding a set of parchment that he wrote earlier. ¡°But as for the source of the imploding, it¡­ it¡¯s just not possible. We have no idea. The only theory we have is that something occurred from within.¡± ¡°Was it the townies?¡± Roderick growled. ¡°Did they do this?¡± ¡°I-It shouldn¡¯t be possible, not at least according to the Mana output that implosion is emitting,¡± The lanky mage said, now assured in his voice. ¡°That amount of power, that raw energy¡­ it would even give you a spot of trouble, My lord.¡± The other retainers who listened in all stared at the lanky mage blankly, unbelieving of what they just heard. They were probably expecting Roderick to lose his control over the insult. But Roderick wasn¡¯t some fool. If he hadn¡¯t felt the energy being dispersed from that sudden boom, he would actually feel insulted, but the retainer was right. If even he was close by, it didn¡¯t matter how high his resistances were¨Che would probably be mashed into bits as well. Which proved that it wasn¡¯t possible the Journeymen lord and lady was able to pull this off. ¡°For now, pull back the soldiers. Make them gather around the farthest side of the fortress, before the portal disperses. And I want someone to find my stupid son and get him to come back here!¡± The retainers gladly did their duty, at least glad to be away from Roderick. While it was a decent chance to get at the boss, he raged at the amount of inconveniences they had to go through, and now they had towers exploding out of nowhere. ¡°Honestly, what are the gods planning for me?¡± Roderick muttered, feeling his headache rise up again. ¡­.. The explosion happened almost instantly. It went by so fast that Zeke hadn¡¯t the time to find out what had gone wrong. The portal was supposed to open up even before the boss fight, but even after defeating the boss, it never showed. Even Zoan was shocked to find that, even ordering Zeke to make his barriers to protect everyone. He also felt something connected to him in that vast haze of his mind, as though someone or something intervened with his casting. It didn¡¯t disrupt his barriers, but enhanced them to the point that he felt that it was no longer his own. But even then, it happened way too quickly. He knew it did because he suddenly found himself lying on the dirt-trodden ground, gasping harshly as he rose to his hands on the ground. His body ached everywhere, but it wasn¡¯t as bad as he expected. It was in the same state after defeating the boss. He managed to recover some mana while they were discussing, but it went right back to near zero again. Thankfully his collar didn¡¯t give him any trouble. His first instinct when waking up was making sure that nothing around him was going to kill him. His Mana Manipulation and Kinetic Perception aided him in his endeavor, and he let out a breath of relief knowing that there wasn¡¯t any hostile movement towards him. But then he panicked again when he found out he was all by himself. ¡°Shit, Mikky?! Everyone!?¡± Zeke stood up, his legs wobbly from being taken aside from the tower explosion and looking around his vicinity once more. His surroundings were almost darkened thanks to the lack of lighted crystals that were broken off in chunks all around him. At the least, he knew that he was still within the biodome. Another point is that he was somewhere that wasn¡¯t the forest, but more around the mountain region where more rocky pillars and stones were around. Well, he called them stones, but really they were earth-based crystals. Their brownish, sometimes grayish color just seemed so similar to stones, but in truth their feel was crystalline like true crystals. It was a strange feeling, but in the end it was all the same background. But his heart started beating rapidly as he found himself completely alone. ¡°Was everyone separated after the explosion?¡± Zeke muttered to himself. ¡°Made sense, since we haven¡¯t gone out through a portal¡­ but now what?¡± They already planned multiple times on what to do should Zeke ever be separated from the group again. Mikella and the others trained constantly to ensure they wouldn''t die without his barriers, but the same couldn¡¯t be said about him. He could protect himself just fine, but the real issue was finding the others again. He could use his own personal rune stone he made, the same one that Val used to contact Cloud so long ago. Since he couldn¡¯t use his barriers, he had to get the material needed to make the runes to make an emergency contact to Mikella, who he shared the stone with. But it could only work once, and unfortunately they haven¡¯t had enough materials to make more. He didn¡¯t want to waste his only emergency contact method without having some sense of his situation. His notifications were blaring in his eyes, revealing the rewards Zoan helped him get from the boss. The two items were strange. The Skill Unison Fragment and the Otherworldly Skill Orb felt as though they were designed for him and Mikella, particularly the last item. ¡°The hell are these items for?¡± ¡°They are for you and Mikella to use and grow stronger.¡± ¡°Gah!¡± Zeke jumped to the point that his entire body flinched from the sudden voice. His nerves were already strained enough as it is, so when he turned to find none other than Zoan in Clara¡¯s body just chilling there, standing by the side, he scowled. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡°Damn it, Zoan, you almost gave me a heart attack!¡± Zeke snapped back, not really caring who he¡¯s talking to at this point.. ¡°Can you not suddenly show up without warning me?¡± ¡°I only just arrived,¡± Zoan responded as though it was obvious. He furrowed his brows in anger, but at the same time, he was more than glad to see her fine. Clara¡¯s body didn¡¯t look hurt, though there were hints of dirt and muck on Clara¡¯s dress and still unemotional face. Still, it was better than what could have happened. ¡°Though I suggest not using the first one just yet,¡± Zoan continued, explaining as though she was a lecturer. ¡°It would be wise to wait before you have enough high-rarity skills to fuse with. As for the other, you can use that immediately. It will allow you to gain another slot for an Acquired Skill.¡± Zeke¡¯s eyes widened. He only just learned along with Mikella that as otherworlders, they only have three slots to learn Acquired Skills, while compared to the residents of Tarial, the world they live in¨Cthey can learn all sorts of Acquired Skills as long as they meet the requirements. The fact that the orb can help them gain another slot for another useful Acquired Skill felt more like the kind of epic reward he expected from beating the last boss. Then again, the fact that it was limited in the first place felt kinda cheap, but he¡¯ll take everything he can get. He can basically learn any Acquired Skill regardless of stat requirements, after all. However, he didn¡¯t go for the orb immediately. He still glared at Zoan, his anger still fuming from what had occured back at the tower. ¡°Before I do that, explain what¡¯s happening to Clara,¡± Zeke demanded. ¡°What did you do to her?¡± ¡°Do you think I am so incapable of handling a child?¡± Zoan raised her chin, becoming somehow intimidating even as a little girl. ¡°Do you even know who you are talking to? I am an angel that has far surpassed humanity. To keep doubting me and asking such questions is an affront, to say the least.¡± Well, that certainly proves how she thought of us. Zeke wanted to scoff, but he managed to control himself. In the end, they had it right¨CZoan only saw them as tools that shouldn¡¯t question their betters. It was the same in his old world, but somehow this felt worse¨Che didn¡¯t choose this. ¡°Look, I¡¯m not insinuating anything bad,¡± Zeke reiterated. ¡°I¡¯m only asking because I¡¯m worried. I can¡¯t work well if I think you¡¯re hurting Clara. Mikella will agree with me on this.¡± Personally, he doesn¡¯t think he can answer for Mikella¡¯s stead, but she¡¯s so predictable on this matter that he can practically hear her answer even from far away. Zoan, for once, took a moment to answer. She tilted her head, almost confused, but Zeke realized she was considering. Then, eventually she answered. ¡°Clara is perfectly fine,¡± Zoan said, lifting her hand over her chest. ¡°This child would not work properly if it is injured. She is only unconscious, as she was when I met the two of you in my realm.¡± Zeke narrowed his eyes. He can only trust her words as he had no way for her to prove it, but he wondered whether that would actually go as she planned. Then the tower incident came to mind, and he asked. ¡°Alright¡­ I¡¯ll trust you on that. But back at the tower¨Cwhat happened?¡± The tower not letting them go, the boss not dropping the loot, and the strange glitching notifications. This has clear tower-stuff all over, and if the gods were responsible for the tower, then something was wrong. Who else but an angel in service of the gods would know about it? For once, Zoan grimaced. Her usual stoic and unemotional face kept breaking when the tower was mentioned. It wasn¡¯t a big change compared to before, but her eyes darted to the ground in deep thought. ¡°That was not supposed to happen. I expected the loot to be affected as it is not often that an otherworlder has the ability to defeat the Master of the Tower.¡± ¡°The Master of the Tower¡­¡± Zeke muttered. That name sounded cool as fuck, but he kept that to the back of his mind. Then his eyes widened from recalling the skeletons he had seen. ¡°The otherworlders¡­ they were already dead before we found them. They were just skeletons. Did you¡­ know about that?¡± ¡°So they have perished within the tower. It was unfortunate that the tower had appeared in this dangerous biodome, but perhaps it was better that way.¡± Unfortunate. In other words, the otherworlders that were within the tower of the biodome never stood a chance even if they managed to leave. Zeke would¡¯ve been furious. He would¡¯ve screamed at Zoan and nearly lost himself in it. However, Zoan¡¯s voice, however stoic, didn¡¯t contain any form of mockery. If anything, she sounded like a higher up in a corporation that heard that a bunch of newbies were sacked due to budget cuts. It was unfortunate, but that was the reality. Perhaps due to his own experiences in the working world, he could somehow stomach this. Not really, but he somehow managed. As for the Master of the Tower, that meant that they were never really expected to defeat the Master. There were so many questions he wanted to ask, but he was sure that if he kept going, he would only piss off this overly powerful angel some more. He picked up the orb from his storage pack, thankfully put there the moment he received his notification. When he pulled it out, it was a crystal like sphere similar to marble, but it shone with colors that were bright, but not overwhelmingly so, like looking at a lava lamp. The inside of the orb had swirling colors like the lamp, except it was dominated with all the colors of the rainbow, slowly flowing like a river throughout the sphere. There was a hint of power throbbing from the orb, the feeling of authority like the system, but not similar to the angel. This shit was special, that was for sure. Even the Identify said so.
Otherworldly Skill Orb (Unique): An orb made by the system for the otherworlders traveling to Tarial. Allows an otherworlder to expand their Acquired Skill list by one slot. Requirements: Otherworlder from the world Earth
The item was Unique, a grade he hasn¡¯t seen yet. Then again, he wouldn¡¯t be surprised if this item has never been seen at all before the otherworlders showed up. With this, he would be able to learn another Acquired Skill. He still planned on taking the body enhancing skill like Acrobatics for his Spirit, but it was still nice to have another option. ¡°Okay, so¡­ how do I¨C¡± ¡°Swallow it whole.¡± Zoan didn¡¯t even give him the chance to finish before giving him the ultimatum. The damn orb was almost the size of his palm. It wasn¡¯t impossible, just¡­ hard. He let out a tired breath. He was going to have to do this either way, so without further complaint, he opened his mouth and shoved the entire orb down his throat. It was not pleasant. Not at all. He felt like he was about to choke and die right there. However, he persevered, and eventually the damn thing finally dropped to his stomach. Then it got worse as the orb¡¯s energy suddenly expanded, filling up his entire torso and soon his whole body. He felt the opposite of how his mana would run out. It was the sort of heat that was different from being full of mana. It was nauseating and uncomfortable as the heat even got to his eyes, forcing him to close them as he knelt to the ground and shivered from the intense power and heat from the orb. Soon the feeling passed, the heat slowly dissipating as Zeke breathed rampantly to take back his oxygen. His notification revealed that he, indeed, got the upgrade.
You have consumed the Otherworldly Skill Orb. You have expanded your Acquired Skill list by one slot.
Yippie. Zeke drawled in his head, happy that he got another skill slot, but not really enjoying the current ¡®aftertaste¡¯ of his insides expanding like a hot air balloon. Once the feeling passed, now feeling bloated if anything else, he turned to the angel in disguise. ¡°Okay¡­ so now the fragment. You¡¯re saying I shouldn¡¯t use it yet?¡± ¡°Precisely,¡± Zoan nodded sagely. ¡°You are still not yet at the level where fusing skills will bring any benefit in the long run. It might provide power now, but it would be a minor boost compared to how it would be if you raise your skill levels even higher.¡± Hearing that, Zeke would be glad to tell this to Mikella who planned on fusing her mastery skills together. Nobody really had an idea on how it worked, and even the lords weren¡¯t exactly filled with knowledge regarding skill fusions. But with this crystal¡­ But before Zeke was considering calling Mikella to give her the current news, Zoan suddenly asked him a question. ¡°By the way, You have taken up Unarmed Mastery. Correct?¡± The question was so sudden it stopped Zeke¡¯s thought process. Figuring that there wasn¡¯t really anything bad to withhold it (and he has no clue how she knew if Clara wasn¡¯t here when he learned the skill), he answered anyways. ¡°Uhh, yeah. Why you ask?¡± ¡°I noticed that your stance and overall body behavior has improved. However, you are still a full mage in terms of stats. I also noticed your runes that you have carved into your flesh. I take it you have found a way to circumvent the stats?¡± Now Zeke realized just how serious Zoan is as a user of the system. He didn¡¯t even tell this to Clara and yet Zoan managed to figure out how his own rune buffs worked. Either she has a skill that lets her see through him, or perhaps she could see his status as some sort of bonus for an angel keeping an eye on them. ¡°Y-Yes¡­?¡± Zeke answered, still hesitant as his mind was whirling. Finally, the next moment made Zeke freeze up as Zoan, the completely stoic and unemotional angel in disguise, grinned. ¡°How fascinating. Tell me more.¡± Vol2 Ch57: Keeping a cool head ¡°Clara! Clara, where are you?!¡± Mikella roared at the top of her lungs, her hands cupped to her mouth. No matter how hard she screamed, there was no response. Only the sounds of either combat or the natural noises of the biodome itself. ¡°Mikky, relax!¡± Myra shouted, outstretching her hand and grabbing Mikella¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Screaming won¡¯t get you anywhere, and it¡¯ll probably call the enemy over instead.¡± ¡°But Clara¡¯s out there!¡± Mikella slapped Myra¡¯s hand away, her shoulders heaving in panic. ¡°And Zeke¡¯s gone too! And all the other Journeymen! How can I relax knowing everything¡¯s gone to hell?!¡± When Mikella woke up after the strange explosion that occurred in the tower, she found herself separated from the group. Thankfully, she wasn¡¯t alone¨CMyra and Piker were with her, surprisingly. That¡¯s when she realized that Clara was once again here in the dangerous biodome, this time filled with dangerous Bastion soldiers who didn¡¯t mind killing innocent children and elderly back at Eve Glade. ¡°Look, I get it,¡± Myra raised her hands in a peaceful gesture. ¡°But panicking won¡¯t do a thing. You¡¯re just gonna make it worse for the three of us if you keep losing your mind.¡± ¡°Myra¡¯s right,¡± Piker stepped over. He was just surveying the surroundings gathering his own thoughts while Mikella was having a slight panic, emphasis on ¡®panic¡¯. ¡°And you¡¯re forgetting¨CClara is possessed by the angel, isn¡¯t she?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say it like that!¡± Mikella shouted, her scowl returning. It wasn¡¯t as though she didn¡¯t ignore that, but she disliked anyone actually saying it out loud. Piker remained neutral, however, and Myra stared at her intensely. ¡°But it¡¯s the truth,¡± Piker said, ignoring Mikella¡¯s anger. ¡°Clara is possessed, or rather, the angel is using her body as a vessel. There is nothing we can do about that. But the best part is that Clara couldn¡¯t be more safe than she is now. With the angel using her body, there is no chance of Clara being hurt. If she is, then wouldn¡¯t that angel be in trouble on her own?¡± Mikella still glowered at Piker, but to his credit, he didn¡¯t budge at all. Knowing his logic seeping into her panic-riddled mind, she calmed down. Her head slumped. ¡°I know, I know, but¡­¡± ¡°Mikky,¡± Myra held onto her shoulder again, this time grasping it tighter. ¡°Everything is fine. Knowing Zeke, he¡¯s gonna survive this no matter what. The Journeymen are fine, that much is certain, and we don¡¯t need them to look out for us. Right now, our best choice is to try to find our teammates, then get back on the mission. Bastion is still here, and we¡¯re going to face them at some point. We need to get our heads straight. Mikky, we need you to stay focused.¡± Myra¡¯s words seeped into her mind, finally unraveling her frayed nerves. Mikella knew she was just being stupid, but when everything turned to shit, she always relied on Zeke to keep her steady, to tell her that everything¡¯s fine just by his presence. But she knew that this shouldn¡¯t be the case. She needed to rely on her own self, and if nothing else, rely on her comrades. Despite the differences between them, Myra and Piker have always kept up with her and Zeke, calling themselves the go-getters of the group. If no one else, Mikella was glad that she was together with these two. ¡°...You¡¯re right. I¡¯m sorry,¡± Mikella said demurely. ¡°I¡­ I lost myself again.¡± ¡°Your sister¡¯s involved,¡± Piker mentioned. ¡°We already knew you tend to go crazy when she does. We don¡¯t blame you.¡± ¡°Yeah, and fuck that angel for bringing a little girl into this dangerous place!¡± Myra said, now fuming at the thought. ¡°But¡­ Piker¡¯s right. That angel shouldn¡¯t let Clara get hurt, and right now, we should focus on the main mission. Piker?¡± Piker nodded. ¡°Right now, we¡¯re near the fortress, a few miles away from the tower itself. I managed to get a good look, but I don¡¯t have any specialties in tracking our location. For now, I suggest we stick together and not gain any attention.¡± Mikella winced, fingering that she did enough to call forth a parade of soldiers coming after them. Though if it¡¯s for Clara, she didn¡¯t mind slaughtering them all, but there was no point if she could just avoid it all. Getting a closer look herself, she found that they were within a small valley, one side being the fortress itself¨Cits stone walls dominating the entire scene alone, not even showing its entirety, and the other side at the nearby mountain pass that could expand further out into the biodome. She thought the fortress was somehow at the end of the biodome, but once again she found herself impressed at the sheer size of it all. Surrounding her were several crystals, but this time there was some greenery involved, actual greenery of leaves and roots from nearby trees. After seeing nothing but crystals all this time, it was a rare but welcome sight to behold. ¡°Alright, so what¡¯s the¨C¡± Right when Mikella was going to get into the swing of things, something buzzed. It wasn¡¯t on her person, rather, it was as though something buzzed near her soul. It was tugging at the back of her mind, reminding her of something similar to a smartphone. That¡¯s when her eyes widened, catching the other two¡¯s attention as she quickly dug into her pack like a crazed maniac. ¡°It¡¯s Zeke! Zeke¡¯s calling me!¡± She shouted to appease their stares, surprising them when they heard those words. Mikella, in her fluster, completely forgot about the rune stone Zeke gave her for this exact reason. She can¡¯t exactly blame herself for forgetting about it after the entire time she was used to not having a phone. Hell, she didn¡¯t even use the phone as much other than for contacting her family in the old world. When she finally brought out the rune stone, it was buzzing just as she felt in her soul. Since it was connected via her own mana due to the stone¡¯s properties, it tugged at her core to notify her that Zeke was calling. It took a while, taking her staring at the stone to figure out what to do to the buzzing glowing stone riddled with intensely compact runes before she just poured mana into it and spoke to it like an actual phone. ¡°Zeke? Zeke?¡± Mikella called out, hoping against hope that there was any kind of connection in this place. [...Mikella? Is that you?] A confused, but energetic voice called out, sounding just like the crazy Runist she knew and love. ¡°Zeke! Are you okay? More importantly, is Clara with you? Is she okay?!¡± She probably could have worded it better, getting a stink eye from both Myra and Piker. But she didn¡¯t care about that as Zeke responded. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. [Everything¡¯s fine,] Zeke responded, his voice sounding like he was on shaky connection. There was all sorts of noise that was there, but thankfully none of it intruded into their conversation. [Especially Clara. Zoan is still in there, but she told me Clara is perfectly fine. I also made sure with my Recovery skill.] Hearing Zeke¡¯s reassuring and calm voice was like a balm to Mikella¡¯s heart. Her earlier panic had completely disappeared, and now there was no doubt in her heart that she could get back into the swing of things now. Eventually Myra and Piker came in, hearing Zeke¡¯s voice on their end as well. Hearing that everyone¡¯s fine, Zeke¡¯s own voice sounded rejuvenated as he detailed his current location and situation. More importantly, he let loose the information regarding their rewards. Gained from none other than Zoan herself. ¡°So the orbs let us get another Acquired Skill slot,¡± Mikella nodded, even if Zeke couldn¡¯t see her. ¡°That¡¯s good. And it makes sense that the fusion crystal thing shouldn¡¯t be used. I¡¯m still not comfortable fusing my mastery skills yet.¡± It may sound arrogant on her end, but the chance of her fusing skills was definitely there now. What she truly looked forward to was the orb, even if the experience of swallowing it dampened her spirit a bit. [By the way, the orbs can only be taken by the otherworlders. What did Myra and Piker get?] Zeke asked, prompting a rather good question for them all. Mikella looked back at them, realizing that Myra and Piker also gained the Skill Unison Fragment capable of fusing skills. Apparently that one was a freebie for everyone. The other reward, on the other hand¡­ ¡°It¡¯s a natural treasure!¡± Myra screamed with glee, pulling out her second reward from facing the Master of the Tower, hence what the angel named the Drake Commander. She pulled out what looked like a simple molten rock. A black, almost burnt like piece of stone with glowing embers that radiated in a deep red color like veins across the surface. It looked hot to the touch, but strangely it was just decently warm when Mikella approached it. What she felt instead was a wave of heat unlike anything she ever felt. Rather than a heatwave, it was her soul that felt like she was drowning in a current of flames ready to burn her alive. She actually had to take a step back. It wasn¡¯t like she couldn¡¯t handle it, but it was getting extremely uncomfortable for her. Myra, on the other hand, practically cuddled it close to her face. ¡°A natural treasure¡­ wait, you mean the thing that helps people rank up their attunements?¡± That was something she learned and actually planned on getting the moment they were done with this Bastion business. One¡¯s attunement cannot be raised normally, unlike with class and skill levels. They can only increase the rank by imbuing or absorbing so called natural treasures, items gained from any facet of the planet Tarial from natural places filled with dense mana. Obviously it has to be filled with mana of a certain aspect, and the elemental natural treasures were as various as well as popular for loads of people across the world. They were also just as expensive, and the stronger the natural treasure, the more expensive it is in any market¨Cand that¡¯s if you can even find it as they were still rare enough to make it troublesome to get them. You have to get through to the monsters who could also get to the treasure, but they guard the treasure instead, and sometimes even entire dungeons are built around those treasures, providing passive power to the monsters and getting them stronger each and every day. Dungeons come and go, and so do each of the treasures. What Myra has was not only a popular fire-attuned natural treasure, but it was pretty damn potent too. And just as she expected, Piker also pulled out a natural treasure¨Ca spike made entirely out of ice, and it couldn''t be more opposite than the molten rock as just getting near it gave Mikella the shivers straight to her soul. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I get to rank up my attunement this early¡­¡± Myra said, her tone sounding like an exaggerating high school girl squeal. ¡°I thought I would have to spend years just to find the first one!¡± ¡°Great,¡± Mikella said, her tone dry as the molten rock in Myra¡¯s hands. ¡°So while you guys get to rank up, I get another skill slot with no skill to gain.¡± ¡°Cry harder,¡± Myra sneered. ¡°I can¡¯t hear you over the sound of my vast improvement.¡± ¡°You, of all people, can¡¯t say that you didn¡¯t get much out of it,¡± Piker also added in, but Mikella gave a sickeningly fake smile to the two of them. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. I guess I forgot how we graciously gave you two skill books from the tower rather than keep them for ourselves. You know, to sell and make bank?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ but I don¡¯t care,¡± Myra sounded sincere at first, but immediately grinned at her as she held her magma stone. ¡°I¡¯m still bitter how you maxed out Spear Mastery, so fuck you.¡± Mikella flipped her off, which thankfully was a universal thing across worlds as Myra did the same, with Piker just shaking his head at the scene. Mikella turned to the treasures and figured she should just ask. ¡°So how do you rank up? Do you like¡­ eat them?¡± Hearing from Zeke on how they have to swallow the orb, she wondered if that was also the case. That clearly got the two Experts to look back at the treasure in their hands with dread in their eyes. [To absorb the treasure, you just need to take the mana within it and take it into your own. With your attunements, it is possible. At your current rank, you can do it in just a few minutes.] The sudden voice of the angel caught Mikella off guard, looking back at the rune stone in her hand to understand that it was Zoan the angel who spoke. Hearing her casually giving advice to everyone was just off-putting, getting Mikella to scowl. ¡°Umm¡­ thanks,¡± She said in return. She might be scowling, but it was good advice. But then she frowned as she continued. ¡°And I suppose I should also thank you for protecting us. Umm¡­ thanks, again.¡± [It is my duty to see that my wards are protected to fulfill their own duty. And you deserve credit for accomplishing the feat of clearing the tower¨Ceven if you had outside help.] Mikella glared at the rune stone, wanting to glare at the angel on the other side instead. How can she say that when with just the two of them, the otherworlders would stand no chance against the Master of the Tower? And as soon as the fallen otherworlders from the tower came into her mind, she was full on ready to shout at the rune stone before Zeke¡¯s voice came in. [Mikky, there¡¯s no more time. The rune stone is running out of juice. I¡¯ll keep Clara safe, or her body at least. You just make sure to stay alive and I¡¯ll come to you as soon as I can. Do you guys know if the lords are around?] ¡°No, but I¡¯m certain they¡¯ll be fine,¡± Piker answered instead, Mikella having no choice but to keep her rage tucked in for later. [Alright,] Zeke¡¯s voice said with relief. Just as he predicted, the rune stone¡¯s glow was dimming little by little, proving that the energy poured into the stone would run out, and soon the stone itself would dissipate from the complicated magic marked into it. ¡°Zeke, just stay safe, alright? I know it¡¯s you, but please!¡± [I will,] Zeke said, and she could just see him flash his usual smile in her mind as he kept speaking. [You stay safe too, alright? Piker, Myra¨Cmake sure she doesn''t do anything crazy, you hear me?] ¡°No promises,¡± Myra said without any hesitation. ¡°But we¡¯ll keep your missus alive before you see her soon. That we¡¯ll guarantee.¡± Zeke¡¯s chuckle resounded from the stone before eventually the stone crumbled into pieces. The pieces soon turned to dust before it slipped between her fingers. Seeing the stone wither away into nothing left Mikella with a hole in her chest, as though she lost her chance to speak to both Zeke and Clara. It was even worse that she couldn¡¯t hear Clara¡¯s voice, and instead hear that angel¡¯s instead. Her heart ached from not being able to hear her voice, but she put aside her doubts now. Zeke was with her now, at least physically. As long as Zeke is fine, she¡¯ll be fine. And if Clara¡¯s fine, then Mikella will thrive. And she won¡¯t let anything stand in her way to reunite with her family. Gripping her fist, Mikella turned to her teammates who stared back with resolution in their eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s get ready. We¡¯ll rendezvous with Zeke and hopefully with the lords at the fortress as planned. How long do you guys think you need to take the treasure¡¯s whole load down your throats?¡± ¡°You definitely could have worded that better,¡± Myra said, not in the least enjoying her choice of words. Mikella only smiled back after Piker answered with a shaking head. ¡°Let¡¯s hope the angel is right about it being a few minutes. I¡¯m not sure if we can just stop in the middle either. Mikky¨C¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep a lookout,¡± Mikella said, nodding to the two. ¡°You two just do your thing. I can¡¯t wait to see how you two will turn out.¡± She grinned, getting the two to nod back as they prepared to absorb the treasure¡¯s power. Vol2 Ch58: Claras new friend The entire conversation with Mikella brought a relief to his heart he didn¡¯t think he needed. He knew that Mikella would be fine, at least in some form. However, that still didn¡¯t stop him from imagining the worst things happening to her and everyone else. Clara was here with him, in a way, so that was fine. But that didn¡¯t stop him from worrying how Mikella would act. But that call made everything a lot smoother. And as soon as he was done conveying his situation and figuring out the plans from here, the rune stone in his hand crumbled to dust and released him from his worries. Now, he should be getting out there to head to the rendezvous point at the fortress, where they could meet up with the rest of the soldiers¨Chowever, he found himself instead speaking to a rather animated angel in disguise. ¡°The mere idea of carving runes into your flesh was ingenious, if I say so myself. Not only have you managed to mirror your stats to increase your combat capabilities, you even managed to find a new way to make combat with your Runist Class. Though I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re only scratching the surface of what you can truly bring out.¡± He listened intently to the ever powerful angel in disguise, using Clara as her vessel as she continued talking. She was speaking in a way like a lecturer would to her student, which was strange after seeing that a man twice the age of the lecturer was the student. Then again, this was an angel who had supposedly transcended beyond the Grandmaster stage, or at least that¡¯s what he thought, and that stage was considered incredibly powerful, way beyond even the Journeymen around them. So rather than question the strange reality he found himself in, he listened intently to the little angel as she explained, adding in some questions of his own. ¡°What do you mean? I know I¡¯m only doing half way with this, but I only intend to stay as a Support Mage rather than spread myself thin.¡± Zeke thought she was talking about him not going all out as a fighter despite having Kinetic Perception and Unarmed Mastery. That was because he never intended to be a full-blown fighter. However, Zoan only shook her head. ¡°It is expected of you to think like that, but your thinking is too small. You realize that your fighting style is heavily affected by your Unarmed Mastery, correct? But it is only affected¨Cit did not stem from it. You can choose to form it however you wish, rather than following the normal predicted path. In fact, had you not done that already with your Runecraft skill? Had it not evolved into a certain way after you created your rune tattoos?¡± Zeke paused for a second there. Now that he thought about it, skills are heavily affected by how you grow them. For Mikella, her weapon mastery skills always rose in the way they would naturally grow. But his Runecraft skill evolved into Battle Runecraft, an unnatural form of progression for a Runist, especially for a crafting class. That was due to him wanting to use his runes for battle rather than just strictly for support and everyday use. So doesn¡¯t that mean he can also evolve his other skills to perform the way he wanted them to be? ¡°You¡¯re right, but¡­ is that even possible? I know Kinetic Perception can¡¯t evolve more than it should, but can you really make Unarmed Mastery magic-focused? I even get Strength stats when I level it up.¡± ¡°When a skill levels, it attains the attributes the skill requires to make it work. But when it evolves, it becomes a different skill, does it not? Isn¡¯t it natural, then, that the skill would require different kinds of attributes to make it work?¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Zeke pondered on that. That was actually a good point. ¡°Then again, I still suggest keeping your attributes balanced. Your lowest attribute must be at least one-fourth of your highest attribute, and everything else in between. Or you will find yourself suffering from attribute sickness.¡± ¡°I read about that,¡± Zeke frowned. ¡°That¡¯s when you focus too heavily on one attribute and ignoring the rest, right?¡± Zoan nodded. ¡°Precisely. For your current state, unless you advance to Journeymen and take a form that can allow you to ignore such things, keep doing what you¡¯re doing.¡± Zeke also read about how if one advances to Journeymen, one can change their form, or how their body is reconstructed. It was such a far away concept that Zeke had no plans on thinking about any countermeasures, so he decided to follow his usual stat build as he intended. Now that he thought about it, he reached Level 50 in his class, didn¡¯t he? He had his own final skill choice left. Making sure to remember this time, he pulled it up to find the future skill for his last class skill for his Expert stage. The skill choices were, in a sense, very variable. He could tell how useful each skill choice was in a certain situation, but he couldn¡¯t help but think that one skill would be bad in another situation, and vice versa. One of them was Rune Vision, which is an interesting skill. it allowed him to view runes in a different sense, even viewing it from different dimensions. He had a feeling that this skill is useful to help learn more runes, rather than improve his current runes. Another skill was something that was probably what he might choose from the description alone.
Class Skill: Rune Copycat A true Runist is not afraid to learn from their predecessors. So surely they should not be afraid to copy them outright. Allows the Runist to leave a trace behind the original rune, repeating the same casted rune at a quarter of the mana cost. The potency is decreased based on the initial mana cost for the copied rune. The skill increases the potency of the copied rune according to the level of the skill and the current Spirit stat.
He chose the skill immediately, already his Parallel Thought exploded with the possibilities this skill would help him with. He could basically double the initial rune cast or even, possibly, double his rune buffs. After all, the runes on his flesh never vanished unlike his barriers. Wouldn¡¯t that mean he could basically recreate copies of said rune buffs and double his output? He needed to do more experiments on that as not even his Parallel Thought could help at the current moment. ¡°But I suppose this is enough for now,¡± Zoan eventually said, and Zeke¡¯s thoughts vanished as he noticed the slight exhaustion emanating from her aura. It wasn¡¯t shown, but Zeke could somehow feel that something of hers was weakening. ¡°I don¡¯t have enough time, so I shall tell you something important. I didn¡¯t just head back into the tower in Clara¡¯s body to fix the situation that had occurred there. I also came for something that Clara needed to survive.¡± Zeke¡¯s eyes widened. His heart hammered before speaking out. ¡°Something to survive? What do you mean?¡± ¡°A handy¡­ tool, of sorts, to ensure you keep your focus on where it matters¨Cyour own survival. For that, it¡¯s necessary to get something that would aid Clara in her life here, shouldn¡¯t she?¡± Before Zoan could explain further, she raised her tiny hand up, palm facing upwards. A small shimmer of light shone on top of the palm, then it transformed into a small ball made of pure white light. The light twisted and contorted, and Zeke could sense something forming. Something¡­ alive. It wasn¡¯t just mana or any other source of energy¨Cit was all three important energies forming together. Magical, kinetic, and even life. Each one is formed into a complex array, small enough to fit into one¡¯s hand, and Zeke had to use his Recovery to see the rest as the senses of the energy faded into a small being currently shaped from Clara¡¯s hand. It was easy to manipulate mana, but to manipulate kinetic energy in such a way was something even Mikella can¡¯t do so easily. And that was disregarding using life energy just as easily, which was impossible for them at the moment. Then there was controlling all energies at once. But beyond all that, what made Zeke gawk at the thing in shock was that she wasn¡¯t just making some tool. Is she¡­ creating something into life? Zeke could barely understand what was happening, the idea of forming life this easily without procreation, any kind of pregnancy, or even through the form of an egg. This was life being created right in front of his eyes in just a few seconds. Eventually the light faded away and out came a small creature nestled into Clara¡¯s hand. The creature looked absurdly pink, just a few bits of fur on its skin, and it was big enough to fit entirely into Clara¡¯s hand. It twitched, making Zeke flinch back to find that the creature suddenly flashed sharp bat-like naked wings up into the air. It raised its small head, opening its small, but already fanged mouth wide. Then¡­ it chirped. Well, maybe not a chirp, but a fusion of a chirp and a screech, forming into some form of noise that felt like a yawn to Zeke¡¯s ears. It opened its small beady eyes, displaying bright orbs of tiny black. It tilted its small head after seeing Zeke, then turned to face Zoan. It chirped/screeched at her, then carressed itself into her hand again. Eventually, it went back to sleep. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ a bat?¡± Zeke muttered, narrowing his eyes at the strange creature. ¡°A Vesper Fledermaus, known for its flight and paralyzing properties,¡± Zoan said with ease, actually sounding interested from the sound of her words. She¡¯s really into this lecturing mode, Zeke thought, making sure to keep that to himself to hear some more interesting facts from Zoan. Eventually he realized what she meant from them. ¡°Wait, it can paralyze? It¡¯s a baby paralyzer then? Isn¡¯t that super dangerous for Clara to have?¡± The terrible moment of the soldier dying because of the paralyzer flashed in his mind. No matter how strong you are, if you¡¯re not careful, a random paralyzer can come in and ruin your momentum, and perhaps even take your life if you¡¯re unlucky. ¡°Its purpose,¡± Zoan responded, still carrying the now sleeping bat in her hand. ¡°Its entire being is to protect its young master. As for why I had to take it from that tower¨Cwell, even things from our side can get complicated. Let¡¯s just say that things don¡¯t always go to plan.¡± ¡°Things don¡¯t always go to plan¡­¡± Zeke scoffed. Zoan clearly noticed that and tilted her head in an intimidating fashion. ¡°Is there something you like to say to me?¡± ¡°Plenty,¡± Zeke spat out. ¡°Because it sounds like all of you don¡¯t have a clue on what¡¯s going on either.¡± Zeke crossed his arms, letting his emotions lay bare. He needed to get this off his chest while he had the chance. He managed to get along with the angel for now, but in the end, she was one of the people who brought them here against their will. She was one of the people that let the otherworlders they met other than themselves to die in this tower. And she even said that it was unfortunate. ¡°Just tell me one thing, Zoan¨CDo you even know what the gods are planning?¡± Despite her response to their lives, and how she treated them¨Cit was clear that she was just another tool like the rest of them. He could think of a lot of things as to why an angel has to play coy with them like this and just expect them to follow her orders without really thinking. But perhaps it was more complicated than that. Considering she said that things don¡¯t go to plan, then all the more obvious that not everything is within the gods¡¯ purview. That got Zoan to stare at Zeke in a way that made him freeze. It wasn¡¯t a death glare, to say. It was more of a glare that sent shivers to his very soul. She then spoke, her words cold and bereft of the usual lecturing tone. ¡°What the gods are planning is nothing a mortal like you need to comprehend. And I suggest not speaking of them in that matter of tone of yours in front of me ever again. Are we clear?¡± Her words were like cold water showering Zeke¡¯s frustration down to a mere trickle. It didn¡¯t matter whether he was right or not¨Che took it too far. If he¡¯s not careful, he¡¯ll end up suffering for something. And if that happens, it would end up impacting both Mikella and Clara. In the end, he just didn¡¯t know the mental state of a freaking angel enough to understand what the gods¡¯ end goal is. ¡°Fine,¡± Zeke eventually said, sounding adamant, but he knew when to give up. ¡°So, if you¡¯re done¨Cwhat about Clara?¡± Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. ¡°This was the one thing I needed to do,¡± Zoan said. ¡°So my mission here is done. I need to return as my energy is running low.¡± Zeke noticed that her usual presence became weaker and weaker the more they spoke. Perhaps that was also another reason why Zoan put a clamp down on Zeke asking questions about the gods. ¡°Make sure you survive,¡± Zoan said, finality in her voice. ¡°And don¡¯t do anything foolish.¡± ¡°Considering I¡¯m in this situation because of you guys, I can¡¯t make any promises.¡± Sure, he knew when to give up on asking questions. But that didn¡¯t mean he wasn¡¯t allowed to talk smack to her. Zoan narrowed her eyes at him, and him to her. He didn¡¯t care that he was pissing off an angel. If there¡¯s anything he learned while he was in this world, you have to have a strong backbone to survive. And since he was constantly near Mikella this whole time, she was starting to rub off on him every now and then. Somehow, that actually got Zoan to look less displeased. Not happy, just less displeased. Zoan then closed her eyes and the stillness of her facial expression disappeared. Soon her eyes opened, and the look of an innocent but confused expression took over her. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Clara said, almost drowsily. ¡°Where¡­ huh?¡± ¡°Clara!¡± Zeke knelt down, holding her shoulders tight. Clara¡¯s eyes widened, then a smile broke apart her confused face. ¡°Bobo!¡± Clara called out, but when she was just about to hug him, she realized that her hand contained the creature Zoan held. She looked at the thing. ¡°Ew, what is this? Poop?¡± The supposed ¡®poop¡¯ opened its eyes and chirped at her, surprising her with a yelp. ¡°Ah! The poop is alive!¡± Clara immediately tried to throw the bat away, but it refused to move. Rather, it was stuck to her hand like glue, and Clara continued to scream in shrieks. ¡°Aaah! The poop is trying to eat me!¡± ¡°Clara, stop! That¡¯s not poop!¡± Zeke shouted, worried for the baby bat. ¡°It¡¯s an animal! A baby!¡± Once the baby word was mentioned, Clara immediately stopped. Guilt took over as she looked back at her hand again, but realized that the bat didn¡¯t even look mildly displeased. Rather, it looked like it had fun, chirping with its head bobbing up and down. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ a¡­ bat?¡± Clara tilted her head. ¡°It looks¡­ naked.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because it was just born,¡± Zeke explained, though even he felt a little off saying it like that. He literally just saw it being born right in front of his eyes, after all. ¡°It has no fur yet. But it¡¯s¡­ well, it¡¯s Zoan¡¯s gift for you.¡± According to his Recovery, the bat seemed young and weak, but it was utterly affectionate to Clara, seeing it nuzzle its head against the palm of her hand. ¡°Zoan¡¯s gift?¡± Her eyes perked up. ¡°Aww, that¡¯s so cool! Hey little batty¡­¡± Clara scratched its little head, and it in return nuzzled back to her. ¡°Hehe, it¡¯s cute!¡± Zeke let out a breath. He wasn¡¯t really sure how to explain this, but at least Clara didn¡¯t dislike the bat. Soon, the bat outstretched its wings, giving Clara a yelp before it crawled up around her forearm, then her shoulder. It quickly placed herself behind her back, its suddenly new claws stitching themselves straight to the back of her dress. Zeke was worried that the bat might suddenly bite and infect her, but rather than doing anything else, it just sat there on her back, its head resting against it as it just snored softly. ¡°Huh? What¡¯s going on? I can¡¯t see it!¡± Clara tried to look, but all she did was spin herself around like a dog catching its tail. Zeke stopped her before she got too dizzy to keep going. ¡°It¡¯s sleeping right now, but it¡¯s¡­ well, it¡¯s going to protect you,¡± Zeke tried to explain. ¡°Maybe not now, but when it grows up.¡± ¡°Ooh¡­¡± Clara nodded. ¡°Okay! Umm¡­ where¡¯s Sissy?¡± ¡°Sissy is lost, somewhere,¡± Zeke explained. Then again, he was lost too, but he had to save face at some point. ¡°Ooh, she always does that,¡± Clara huffed. ¡°She¡¯s always scatterbrained. Let¡¯s find her then!¡± Zeke chuckled. This was what he needed, Clara acting normal and not looking down on him like he was some ant. ¡°Couldn¡¯t agree with you more. Yeah, let¡¯s go and¨C¡± Zeke¡¯s ears perked up. His senses flared as he could hear several footsteps approaching them. From the sounds of their armor clinking and their weapons already drawn, he feared that they weren¡¯t Zacharia¡¯s unit. ¡°Hey! Look over there!¡± A voice shouted. ¡°Are those the townies we¡¯re supposed to look for?¡± ¡°Anyone not wearing Bastion colors is the enemy!!¡± Zeke narrowed his eyes, turning around as Clara immediately hid behind his leg. Five soldiers ran up to him, their weapons drawn, each either a sword, spear, or axe in hand. They gathered around in front of him, with one of them approaching Zeke with his sword raised right at him. ¡°Where are the rest of your allies? Tell us where they are and we might let you live,¡± He spoke candidly, then stared at the child behind his leg. ¡°And we¡¯ll make sure nothing happens to that little girl.¡± Bullshit, Zeke thought. He could still remember the bastard that tried to kill innocent children during the time when the town was attacked. ¡°And if I don¡¯t say it? You¡¯re gonna kill both of us?¡± The soldier scoffed at him, turning to each other with snide grins. At first he was confused at this reaction, but then took a look at himself. He was wearing basic clothed robes, tied up at the ends of the hems to be better suited for movement. There were some scratches and holes there, not really created with the best materials. To them, wearing their impressive colored leather and metal armor, he looked more like a beggar than a fighter. ¡°Don¡¯t act cocky, Expert Runist,¡± The lead spat out. Clearly he used Identify on Zeke to get this confidence. ¡°Do you really think you can take on us Journeymen on your own? With a child at your side?¡± Zeke widened his eyes. He certainly didn¡¯t think they were all Journeymen. But his Identify showed that they were in fact above Level 60, each one at differing numbers from low to high, the lead being the highest at level 67. But somehow they felt¡­ hollow. He wasn¡¯t sure why. All his perception based skills flared to see, and he could barely feel anything like a Journeyman. If he were to say anything, they looked mismatched, their energies going all over the place as though they themselves were confused. Is that even a thing? Zeke thought. I heard from Cloud that there are cases where people can jump ahead into further stages with alternative means, but that¡¯s a quick way to die young. ¡°Hey! Answer us, mage!¡± The lead shouted, causing Clara to scream. ¡°Unless you want us to show you what happens when a brat sees blood!¡± That stopped Zeke entirely. His thinking process halted after hearing those words. They really never planned on letting Clara go. No, they were murderers, ready to kill anyone¨Ceven a child, if it meant fulfilling their mission. If that¡¯s the case, then why does Zeke have to play by the rules? If they want a fight, they¡¯ll have a fight. Zeke moved his hand, causing the so-called Journeymen to flinch and brandish their weapons. Clara backed away, knowing the gesture he was making as a small dome of turquoise light surrounded her. She yelled out to him, cupping the sides of her mouth. ¡°Get ¡®em, Bobo!¡± That cheer was enough to make him grin. He¡¯ll pretend to be a warrior if it would make her feel safe. The soldiers scoffed, even laughed at him as Zeke took on his stance. ¡°The hell this idiot is doin¡¯?¡± One of the soldiers remarked. ¡°This guy actually thinks he can take all three of us,¡± Another laughed. ¡°Let¡¯s just kill him and get it over with.¡± ¡°Hold on, he¡¯s a Runist,¡± The lead countered. ¡°You know how rare those things are. I say let¡¯s just get him and bring him to the Lord. He¡¯ll definitely reward us for this.¡± ¡°Ooh, yeah! Good point!¡± Zeke tuned out their conversation, not caring that they had the energy to talk like that in front of him. Instead, he focused on himself, at his stance and form for battle. He was fighting for a good while now back at the tower, and he recognized that there were still a few kinks in his Unarmed Mastery. But hearing Zoan talk about how one can adjust their skill to their needs, he decided to go at his own pace. He let his body relax rather than tense up, feeling the stress reduce considerably despite the stakes. ¡°Oh, you think you can act like a hero, townie?!¡± One of the soldiers shouted, coming up to Zeke himself, brandishing his long sword. ¡°Count yourself lucky you¡¯re a Runist, otherwise I¡¯d would¡¯ve taught you the real horrors of war!¡± He launched at Zeke, his form proper and balanced. He didn¡¯t seem like he was about to kill him, but his swing didn¡¯t show it, ready to cripple Zeke. Perhaps he might even use a skill to make sure he wouldn¡¯t try anything thanks to his show of his barrier skill. But Zeke didn¡¯t bother. With a twist of his wrist, Zeke batted away the sword with ease, knocking it away using the flat of the swinging blade. The soldier gasped in alarm before Zeke called forth his rune buffs.
High Rune of Strength has been activated. High Rune of Dexterity has been activated. High Rune of Endurance has been activated.
At that moment, Parallel Thought reminded him of using his new Rune Copycat. After flaring the skill, he received new notifications, surprising him.
Rune Copycat has been activated. Current Runes available: Rune of Strength, Rune of Dexterity, Rune of Endurance. Choose one of the current runes.
He deflated after seeing that he could only replicate one rune at a time. He felt that he could go for more, but at this current skill level, it would only decrease the potency too far, or destabilize all at once. Still, it was better than nothing as he chose the Rune of Dexterity, actually copying the current rune at a quarter of its price and power. His speed increased even further as he struck. He pounced straight at the staggered soldier, his right hook slamming against his head and crushing it fully. The extra speed increased the velocity of his already empowered strike, crushing the confident soldier¡¯s face into a bloody pulp. Zeke felt bone crack, and something important popped and squished into mush as blood exploded from his face. He might have actually crushed his brain, killing him instantly. The now corpse fell, his face no longer recognized by his shocked allies. To them, this single beggar-looking Expert Runist just punched a Journeyman soldier to death. And he wasn¡¯t done. Zeke took advantage of their confusion and chased after the remaining soldiers. They tried to run away, including their supposed leader, but Zeke used his barrier not to protect, but to trap them into his area. Zeke leapt forward, his body moving faster and his mastery skill taking advantage of that. He dealt two more blows in quick succession, one fist across one soldier¡¯s head, and a roundhouse kick at the other. Both heads were smashed and their bodies were launched across the area. ¡°What the hell is this freak?!¡± One of the two soldiers shouted in alarm. ¡°How did he kill them so damn quickly!?¡± ¡°Stop bitching and take him down!¡± The leader shouted, brandishing his blade and swiping at Zeke. The lackey followed up with a diagonal axe swing, but Zeke¡¯s torso diverted slightly, trying to realize Zoan¡¯s words into his skill by infusing both mana and stamina into his movements. But it was harder than it looked. Still, he managed to dodge the axe swing easily. When the lead tried to swing his blade at his blind side, he twisted his shoulder, his wrist hitting the leader¡¯s backhand and delivered a palm strike at his chin, causing him to get launched in the air thanks to the current buffs on hand. The axe man, however, managed to slash at Zeke¡¯s right thigh, leaving a deep gash that gushed out blood profusely. ¡°Bobo!¡± Clara shouted in alarm. ¡°Take that, fucker!¡± The lackey mocked. ¡°No more tricks!¡± ¡°What trick?¡± The axeman lackey widened from Zeke standing upright, just ignoring the deep gash on his leg. It looked slightly limped, but it wasn¡¯t really anything to worry about, not to him. ¡°H-How, I just¨C¡± Zeke punched the lackey¡¯s head faster than he could even react, and another bombastic show of blood ensued again. The lackey¡¯s body fell over, his axe still in hand. Zeke breathed heavily. Thanks to his Endurance boosted by his runes, he didn¡¯t lacked stamina. But the effort still drained him mentally. He looked back at his now bloody hands, his knuckles scratched and bruised. He took more lives again. That should have put him into a mental spiral, but his body and mind were too disjointed to think straight. He still felt adrenaline coursing through his veins, and his mind wasn¡¯t really derailing as he figured it should. ¡°Bobo!¡± Zeke¡¯s heart nearly dropped when he turned to find the leader soldier, still alive, approaching Clara. Zeke was too engrossed in fighting to realize that the lead was still alive. ¡°Clara!¡± He shouted, the leader soldier crushing the barrier that was supposed to handle such a thing. The soldier must have used some sort of skill, at least to try and take out the barrier. ¡°Fuck this,¡± The lead soldier extended his hand, fully ready to grab Clara. Zeke rushed ahead, but before he could do anything, a long spiked tail appeared out of Clara¡¯s back and jabbed through the lead soldier¡¯s chest. It pierced through the armor with ease. The soldier coughed, his jaw locked tight as his eyes widened in alarm and realization. ¡°W-What did you¡­¡± Before the soldier could say more, his body turned limp as he fell over, Clara stepping out of the way as the soldier gasped for air, or at least tried to. His body shivered, but it didn¡¯t move at all as he struggled to move. Zeke watched in awe as the tail that attacked the soldier shrunk in size, then slowly recoiled back to its original position. He could see the bat, with its eyes closed, hiding the tail beneath its tiny body and returned to its peaceful resting. ¡°...Well, shit,¡± Now Zeke understood what Zoan meant, and why she wanted it for Clara. ¡°Yay!¡± Clara shouted, her arms outstretched high. ¡°That was so cool! And the bad guy¡¯s not even hurt! Nice job, Brucey!¡± Clara wanted to pat the bat for good work, but her short arms can¡¯t reach the bat, and soon let it be. She still smiled, running towards the bloody Zeke but kept a good distance away. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Clara asked, worry in her voice. ¡°Oh, yeah, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m totally fine.¡± He would¡¯ve said all the blood wasn¡¯t his, but considering he just showed himself killing four men in front of a eleven year old girl, that probably wasn¡¯t the best idea. Instead, he turned to the bat, smiling. For a single moment, Zeke messed up and could¡¯ve had Clara hurt, but the bat took over instead. Which got him to understand what Clara just said earlier. ¡°Brucey?¡± ¡°Yeah! Brucey!¡± Clara nodded ecstatically. It only took Zeke a moment to realize the meaning behind that name. ¡°You mean Bruce Wayne?¡± ¡°Yeah, exactly!¡± Clara nodded even more than before, if it was possible. Zeke could only chuckle. ¡°Alright, a kickass name for a kickass bat. I like it.¡± Zeke moved ahead to the now paralyzed soldier. Now that he couldn¡¯t move, he placed a barrier so tightly against his body to the ground, there was no way he could get out even if he had the skills to break it. ¡°What are you gonna do?¡± Clara asked, not completely fazed by what just happened. Zeke smiled warmly at her, knowing full well that Clara had the wherewithal to understand that things like this would occur in this merciless world. ¡°I¡¯m gonna ask some questions.¡± After a moment, Clara caught Zeke¡¯s meaning and nodded profusely. She turned around, knowing that the next moment would be adults only. Zeke was proud that Clara is such a smart girl. But his face twisted into a frown as he glared at the now frightened leader, his eyes looking up with tears brimming. ¡°Now¡­¡± Zeke growled. For this man who tried to hurt Clara, there was no mercy in his eyes. ¡°Tell me what you know.¡± Vol2 Ch59: The Bastion Family ¡°Get the hell out of my way!¡± A roar escaped her lips as Mikella launched the several Bastion soldiers to the air. Sparks flew as electricity coiled around their bodies, their weight lifted from the force enabled by the energy-based coil. Their bodies burned and charred as each one was launched straight at the nearby mountainous walls. They hit and made craters to form several spots of bloody meshes as kill notifications filled her vision, their lives snuffed out. ¡°Die, you damn monster!¡± Another soldier roared, mostly out of panic and fear than courage to her ears as he tried to drive a polehammer¡¯s spike straight at her. She dodged effortlessly, his attacks a mockery compared to the heavy hitters in her team. He faltered before she managed to whip up some more of her mana into her sword and unleashing her Sword Art to extend her blade¡¯s length into lightning energy and pierce the soldier from the back. She felt like she just used an energy saber, chuckling at the thought of Clara looking at this in awe before realizing a grunted cry from behind her. She turned to find none other than a soldier pierced with a flaming spear through the chest behind her, and soon falling to the ground revealing Myra behind him. Her flames were different compared to normal. They had a hotter aura, and there were hints of blue within those orange flames coiling around her body and spear before dispersing them, revealing a frown from Myra¡¯s face. ¡°Mikky, how about focusing on the battle instead of chuckling to yourself like a creepo?¡± ¡°Hey, it¡¯s not creepy!¡± Mikella pouted, but she grinned when Myra just shook her head in disbelief. ¡°You got pretty nasty now,¡± Mikella said with no hint of remorse for her words. ¡°How¡¯s the rank up treating you?¡± ¡°Like I¡¯m a whole new woman now,¡± Myra admitted, glee still apparent in her tone. ¡°It¡¯s like my flames got a will of their own now or something. I can make them burn hotter than before. Though if I¡¯m not careful, I could actually burn myself in the process.¡± ¡°Ain¡¯t that how it normally works?¡± Mikella tilted her head. ¡°No, dumbass,¡± Myra rolled her eyes hard at that. ¡°Attunements don¡¯t normally hurt you. You¡¯re just an example of letting her attunement get the better of her every single time.¡± ¡°Hey, it worked out in the end.¡± ¡°Barely,¡± Myra scoffed. Mikella ignored her slight at her awesomeness as she spotted Piker at the side, easily handling the three Journeymen they left to him. While three Journeymen seemed scary enough, Piker was defending against them fairly well. Despite him fighting against three opponents, the women were in no hurry to help. After all, these ¡®journeymen¡¯ aren¡¯t exactly the toughest opponents they faced. ¡°Is it me, or are they more pathetic than we expected from their levels?¡± Myra asked. Mikella nodded in agreement. ¡°I think they feel¡­ hollow, don¡¯t they?¡± ¡°I had that feeling too,¡± Myra nodded. ¡°I hate to admit this, but I think Bastion forced their soldiers to become Journeymen against the system¡¯s wishes.¡± Mikella grimaced. It was actually good news for them¨Cthis meant that with their increased prowess thanks to the tower diving, they were able to handle these Journeymen hacks, but that didn¡¯t sit well with her. Zeke explained to her what he learned about other alternatives. She didn''t have the time to read, or rather can¡¯t really read or else she would just fall asleep, so Zeke helped her out on how to attain Journeymen stage. There was a way to avoid having to meet the extra requirements and instead just reach the necessary level to 60. But there would be horrible side-effects. In this case, by jumping ahead without a solid foundation, your body won¡¯t be able to last. Not only would you turn out to be a half-baked Journeymen, with a natural body and power weaker than normal Journeymen, their souls won¡¯t be able to last the advanced state of the body. Their souls, or cores for other people, are generally their entire state of being in comparison to the system. It was their virtual avatars according to Zeke¡¯s game logic, that allows the system to tamper and grant them powers like level ups and skills. They are intrinsic to their power, responsible for all the energies they create as well as the power they produce from the energies. But if you do anything to affect the soul outside of the system¡¯s purview, it could damage them severely due to not understanding the complexity of a person¡¯s soul. For these people who took alternatives to advance to a higher stage, their souls would crumble and force the body to wither. In other words, it would be a cruel and long death afterwards. There were ways to extend their life, or at least measure up in foundations, and that¡¯s just by maxing out as many skills as possible, not just the initial amount one needed to advance to Journeyman. It¡¯s a debt that will continue to rise unless you pay up as soon as possible. But even then, the result would always be disastrous. Piker moved onwards. His bastard sword struck the leading soldier first. That instant where the soldier blocked his attack with his own sword was his downfall as frost instantly covered the entirety of the soldier¡¯s sword, causing him to panic. Piker took the shot and delivered a gut-wrenching punch. The soldier bent before Piker raised his sword and decapitated the soldier, his corpse falling limply. It happened so fast that the other soldiers couldn¡¯t help, but they instead flanked around Piker, their spear and halberd raised to strike him down. Piker went to block against the spear user, and halberd user took the chance to strike from behind. However, his legs were instantly frozen, ice covering his feet as the soldier groaned in pain from the intensity behind the frost of the attack. Piker had already taken down the clearly inferior spear user, slashing his body in half with his giant ice-energy based sword. Then he spun with a powerful whirlwind-like swing, bisecting the frozen soldier who had no chance of escaping. It was over in a flash. Mikella stared at the bodies surrounding her, making her flash back to the time she first killed human beings. She still had nightmares, often seeking Zeke for some aid. She still remembered bothering him at night, entering his room wanting to talk things out. He helped her so much, getting over the killings she had done by saying it was all for Clara. That¡¯s when he hit her with the words. ¡°As long as you understand what you¡¯re doing, you should forgive yourself. Otherwise, we¡¯ll just end up as killers.¡± Zeke took lives of his own, but he already summarized it all in his head that it was a necessary thing. Otherwise, their people would die instead. Taking that, Mikella looked at the corpses not with fear and disgust, but as a necessary step for a brighter future for her and her family. Piker returned back to the girls, barely affected due to his incredibly high Endurance. That was all without having a body-type skill like Athletics too, so this was still in his weakest state in Mikella¡¯s eyes. However, no matter how much she wanted to enjoy the prospects of fighting, she wanted to reunite with Zeke and Clara as fast as possible. ¡°We¡¯re getting closer to the fortress,¡± Myra said, swinging her spear to get rid of the charcoal ashes on her blade. ¡°I suggest trying to find any one of our allies first, whoever they may be,¡± Piker called out. ¡°Zeke and Clara are already heading towards the fortress. We should at least reunite with our allies in case they need help with the enemy.¡± ¡°You think everyone is at the fortress?¡± Mikella asked. Piker only frowned in thought. ¡°That should be where we should be gathered. But we never expected to be separated. It¡¯s dangerous to go into enemy territory, including both the monsters and the soldiers.¡± Mikella bit her lip in frustration. It wasn¡¯t just the soldiers that found them¨Cmonsters that came from the fortress went after them as well. They were definitely tougher than the average monsters in the biodome, each one being crystal golems capable of taking a beating and dealing a beating back. But thanks to their experience at the tower, they managed to take the golems down with ease. Mikella let out an exasperated breath. ¡°We don¡¯t really have much of a choice. Either we walk around aimlessly or we get to the fortress where we can see at least one of our allies.¡± You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. ¡°Agreed,¡± Myra said. ¡°We don¡¯t have that much time either. Who knows whether the soldiers might have beat the boss already?¡± ¡°Considering that we still have the quest, that¡¯s not possible, but¡­ you¡¯re right,¡± Piker let out a weary breath. He was definitely the sort that didn¡¯t handle well when a plan goes awry. ¡°Let¡¯s keep going.¡± Mikella and Myra nodded, and the trio closed in towards the fortress at their sight. It¡¯s been about an hour since they separated, but the area around them still felt silent without the enemies appearing to kill them. Mikella went ahead to scout with her vast Dexterity, using her Cloak of Darkness she still had on her. All the while, she feared for Clara. Zeke was a capable man, but Clara was still possessed by Zoan. No amount of rewards is worth leaving her sister nearly by herself, especially with that psychopath of an angel possessing her. She bit her lip, just close enough to draw blood, as she returned with those thoughts in mind to her comrades. ¡°I got nothing,¡± Mikella said, taking off her cloak while surrounded by the broken stones of the fortress. It looked more like a ruin than a full on fortress, the stones clearly belonging to the building and having actual mold encroaching over the surface. The stench of the forest and mildew filled her nose when she paid further attention. ¡°That¡¯s good news, at least,¡± Myra said. ¡°I had enough of killing soldiers. They¡¯re just so pathetic to fight against.¡± ¡°I¡¯m surprised you¡¯re more worried about finding a good fight than to find our allies who might be killed by now,¡± Piker shot back. ¡°Not sure about your unit, but everyone else should be fine,¡± Myra said, a frown on her face. ¡°Did you forget that Jackie is there with my unit?¡± Piker asked, causing Myra to pause. ¡°Guys, chill,¡± Mikella stepped in, raising her hands. It was sort of ironic that she was the first one to panic, and now these two are going off the rails. ¡°Let¡¯s just¨C¡± Suddenly, her senses went haywire. Her eyes widened as she felt her instincts flare in ways she never thought possible. The others followed her, their eyes peering and narrowing at the incoming threat. Something landed near the top part of a large stone, almost a story high, showing himself to the others. It was a big, bulky man, his chest bare with only leather pants on his person. His feet were also bare, yet she could see his nails as sharp as claws, his open mouth showing actual fangs. His wildlike red hair swayed from the landing, and his eyes glared down at the three of them. He smiled, a wicked, cruel thing. ¡°Ooh, you guys are new,¡± The man spoke candidly, sounding like a man beneath his thirties with a hint of recklessness. ¡°You part of the townies?¡± Mikella summoned her sword as an answer. The other two did the same, brandishing their weapons, staying silent all the while. ¡°Ooh, good reaction. Definitely townies,¡± The man nodded. ¡°And I got a feeling you guys are responsible for whatever the fuck happened out there. Tell me, did you do something to the tower that literally blew the fuck up? It messed with my senses so bad that I had to leave my prey behind.¡± Mikella¡¯s ears perked up hearing the word ¡®prey¡¯. She only hoped he was talking about the monsters, but in the end, she managed to ask. ¡°That prey,¡± Mikella answered. ¡°Were they our people?¡± ¡°Oh, yeah,¡± The man laughed, sounding like he was recalling a funny memory. ¡°Yeah those folks were pretty tough. Each one was weaker than a speck but damn were they annoying fighting together like that.¡± ¡°What do you want?¡± Piker asked. His scowl was deeper than usual, especially hearing about his unit. ¡°Surely you¡¯re not here to talk our ears off?¡± The man barked out a laugh, and Mikella honestly heard a true and honest bark, like a beginning howl. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± The man agreed as he jumped from the top of the pillar and straight down to the ground. He easily cratered the ground, his weight dominating the surface with barely a change to his stance. He slowly rose up, approaching nearly seven feet high. His bare muscles tensed, his fingers loosening and cracking his knuckles at the same time. ¡°You see, I got a little pissed off. A tiny whelp actually got to me, all because of my shitty luck with a stat block. The little shitstain looked so damn proud of it too, and I really wanted to rip him a new one. Not sure if you know him, but here''s hoping that bastard gets ripped a new one when my father finds him.¡± Mikella raised her brow at that. The dude really didn¡¯t care whether he was explaining his army¡¯s plans or not. She got a feeling that he¡¯s the sort to have a parent within the high seats of the faction, considering that out of all the soldiers, he was alone and clearly without much armor. But none of this made any sense. Why was he here, and why was he alone? If he was so important to have a father leading or something along those lines, shouldn¡¯t he be protected? She Identified him to be sure, and she gasped.
Warrior, Level 76
A true blue Journeyman¨Cjust like Cloud, Val, and Zacharia. And this time he wasn¡¯t like those hacks from earlier¨Che was strong, that much she could tell. ¡°So you¡¯re gonna play with me¡­ whether you like it or not,¡± The man grinned at them. ¡°The name¡¯s Zyler¨CAnd I¡¯m gonna enjoy every fucking second of it.¡± ¡­.. Out of all the times when they could be separated, it had to be outside the tower in the largest biodome he has ever been in his life. Cloud¡¯s life has truly gone topsy-turvy ever since the visitors came into their town. Then again, he can¡¯t really complain. The amount of wealth and fortune, including those incredible enhanced attribute fruits, were enough to make it all worth it, but only when the army wasn¡¯t on their asses ready to take over everything they ever worked for. Cloud shook off the stress, looking over to his current party members. His wife was scouting the scene, trying to spot the children, especially Clara, to rescue. On the other hand, Zacharia kept a steady eye out for any enemies that might approach them. They had been approached by these so-called journeymen bastion soldiers. Val nearly wept for their pitiful existence but she easily killed them all thanks to her newfound power. It took her such a long time to increase her attunement¡¯s tier, and now she was basically a head and shoulders above both Cloud and Zacharia both. If she wanted to, she could clean house with them and dust her hands clean with ease afterwards. He wanted to be happy, but the current situation didn¡¯t sit well with him. The soldier that they managed to pick up told them that their army was currently fighting against the monsters, approaching closer to the center of the fortress where they suspected the boss to be. At the same time, it had already been revealed where Zacharia¡¯s retinue was, and they sent their strongest powerhouse after them. He could only pray that they were still alive. He didn¡¯t want to accept more young deaths, even if they were under Zacharia¡¯s authority. He would be willing to give up everything to save his wife, true¨Cbut in the end, he didn¡¯t want other people to die if possible. They were already approaching the fortress, figuring that it was where the other members would go. He already knew that the Experts would be just fine. Even if Zeke, the support mage, was alone, he would handle himself. However, Clara being here was an issue, and so was this powerhouse that seemingly was the son of Bastion¡¯s Lord. The soldier kindly explained how much of a dick he was, but Cloud didn''t care about that particular tidbit. ¡°Cloud,¡± Zacharia said, reaching towards his two-handed sword. ¡°Something¡¯s approaching.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Cloud said. ¡°Val!¡± Val immediately landed near them, her sword in hand and brandishing it at the incoming presence. It was a group of soldiers, each one approaching the area of the fortress where Cloud expected to be the barracks, but the inside was clearly wrought with old age and mold. It would¡¯ve been an interesting study were it not for the current time. The group approached them, the sounds of armor and weapons clinking together as they approached the barracks. From the entrance to the barracks, which was open to the outside of the fortress thanks to broken walls and stone came a small group of highly armored soldiers, their weapons held by their hands as a single man walked in the center. The man in front looked extremely important, at least it seemed that way from the expensive looking tabard he had on, the tunic finely made to fit his muscular body. The man looked rather intelligent, glasses adorning his well-sculpted face. Bright red hair on his head that seemed to thin near the top and the sides, showing his age. He was tall as well, almost as tall as Zacharia, with tanned weathered skin from being out in the sun for so long. Compared to the rest of the soldiers in the group, this man was clearly on another level, and if his eyes weren¡¯t lying, that man was at Master stage, a higher stage than Journeyman. However, something was off. He couldn¡¯t quite place it. ¡°Well, looks like we¡¯re not alone,¡± The man said, sounding more surprised than shocked. He had a casual tone to his voice, but Cloud could tell he had his guard up from the way his arms tensed. ¡°Tell me, what might fine people such as yourselves be here for? Since you¡¯re not part of my army, I suppose you must be the Lords of Eve Glade?¡± The three stood guard, their weapons at the ready. Cloud had his ringed staff in hand, but he didn¡¯t make a move. Surrounding this Master user were several Journeymen, and Cloud can tell that they were at least better suited for combat than the hacks they dealt with. Cloud smiled, his mind in motion for a plan. ¡°That we are. I¡¯m glad to hear that you know of us. Might I know your name, so that we won¡¯t be so out of place?¡± ¡°You were already out of place the moment you stepped into the biodome,¡± The Master said with a smirk of his own. ¡°But I digress. My name is Roderick¨CI am the leader of Bastion and the one in charge of our expedition into this unclaimed land.¡± There was a strong emphasis on the ¡®unclaimed¡¯ part, putting a lot of weight on it from the tense atmosphere. ¡°It¡¯s always better to ask, just to be polite,¡± Cloud shrugged. ¡°And from your words, I believe there was a misunderstanding¡­ you see, we don¡¯t remember inviting you here into our territory, Roderick.¡± Cloud¡¯s voice became tinged with vitriol, scowling at the man. Val followed, speaking up. ¡°You speak as if you have authority, but you all slinked in like maggots in a corpse. Who here has more right to have this biodome than us?¡± The man laughed. The other soldiers looked ready to fight, but he kept himself back as he spoke again. ¡°I suppose you have a point. But you can see why, don¡¯t you? This biodome¡­ is plentiful. There are so many resources that would be far too valuable for the likes of your own town. Surely you can understand that much, can¡¯t you? In fact, you were lucky enough to even find this at all. We have planned this for months on end to find, and you folks only managed to find this out barely weeks ago.¡± ¡°Finders keepers, unfortunately,¡± Cloud replied. ¡°And because we found this place first, actually being here physically first, it¡¯s our right.¡± ¡°Heh, you truly are commendable,¡± Roderick lifted his glasses off of his face. He wiped the glass off with a finger, his golden eyes peering up at them. ¡°Only having three Journeymen on your side and all. Can you truly be so confident to keep talking like that in this situation?¡± The soldiers walked up to Roderick¡¯s side, brandishing their weapons at the three now. Val scowled further, and Zacharia remained a stoic statue, ready to attack at a moment¡¯s notice. All they needed was a signal to start the hellzone of a fight to come. ¡°If it means taking what¡¯s rightfully ours, then yes,¡± Cloud said, his eyes peering straight into Roderick¡¯s. ¡°Now¡­ kindly get the fuck out of our property.¡± Vol2 Ch60: Two fronts, one mission ¡°Bobo! You¡¯re so fast!¡± ¡°Faster than Sissy?¡± ¡°Mmh¡­ I don¡¯t know!¡± Zeke chuckled, carrying the giggling Clara on his back. He was currently giving her a piggyback ride while running through the barren biodome land with his Dexterity buff on full blast. He dashed through the fortress, or rather the clearly expanded and giant area surrounding the fortress. Despite his perception skills being at a decent level, he was still amazed at the immensity of the fortress¡¯ land. If he was to estimate it, he could guess that an army of over a hundred thousand could rest here. While that may be an extreme number, he can¡¯t really guess otherwise how this entire place can be this big. It was a wonder that he didn¡¯t spot any more bastion soldiers, though he was thankful. In the end, he wasn¡¯t really okay with showing Clara so much death and violence, even though this was considered normal in this world. It¡¯s not like the children can be stopped from watching something that¡¯s out of their control, especially when dealing in a world where people have superpowers while they aren¡¯t old enough to be initialized in the system yet. He jumped from small structure to structure, landing on the stone pillars and rocky terrain with the help of his barriers from time to time. He was ensuring that he was keeping up with the mana expenditure while still having plenty to spare if a fight broke out. ¡°Bobo! Monster!¡± Zeke already noticed it before Clara pointed it out. A huge crystal like golem was hiding behind a corner of a stone wall, its gargantuan fingers digging into the stone and showing its eight feet tall self to the two. It had that strange coat-like appearance with its head beneath a cowl, but every part of the design was crystalline, so rather than wearing a cowl, it was carved that way. it had a stocky chest, a small waist, with giant legs that could substitute as stone pillars when it stepped forward. It looked rather ancient, almost created for the sake of the fortress itself. Wait, is the fortress designed for the golems? He put that idea to the side as he figured how to best deal with it. He was approaching it soon, thanks to his speed, and he figured he could just kick it. But with Clara by his back, he feared that he might make a mistake. He could just run past it, but¨C A spiked black tail rushed out from behind his back, obviously from Clara¡¯s own back as Brucey¡¯s tail stabbed into the golem¡¯s chest. It pierced right through the stony surface, causing the golem to wail before it seized up, then it fell over to the ground, completely limp. ¡°What?¡± Zeke stopped right there, with Clara looking over with a gleam in her eyes. ¡°Wow! Brucey! You¡¯re so fast and strong!¡± Clara said. While Zeke had a harder time looking from behind him even with his skills, he could hear Brucey making a sharp but cuddly chirp before snoozing away at her back again. What trumped Zeke the most however was that the golem wasn¡¯t supposed to be paralyzed. It was made entirely of stone, at least that¡¯s what Zeke could see. His skills could see that the golem was made entirely with mana, no life or stamina that belonged to a living creature. However, he could also sense that a foreign energy was interfering with the mana within, causing it to stifle and stutter at some places, particularly at around the limbs and chest of the golem. ¡°Brucey¡¯s tail can interfere with the channels themselves, not just the physical body?¡± Zeke muttered. ¡°No, wait, the paralyzation seemed almost alive, as if it knew where to hit the central nervous system or something¡­¡± Was this the true power of Brucey? Was he (Zeke already found out by Clara¡¯s rude study that Brucey was a boy) somehow capable of paralyzing even inanimate hostiles by targeting what makes them tick rather than just physically? Is that the reason why Zoan figured it was worth coming here to Brucey for Clara? ¡°Brucey really is incredible,¡± Zeke said, getting Clara to nod in agreement. He also had no reason to hold back as he charged his body with the Strength buff, crushing the golem¡¯s head without hesitation. A kill notification filled his vision as he continued onwards. It went on like that for three more monsters, each golem having a different shape and even displaying prowess of different elements. He wasn¡¯t quite sure about the first one¨Cits death came too quickly, but the rest showed some semblance of elements according to the biodome. One tried to fling a fireball at them which was easily blocked by his barrier. Another tried to stop Zeke¡¯s progress by transforming the ground into spikes to pierce at him which he managed to evade with ease by walking on his barriers. Finally, a water based golem tried to drown him in water, but Zeke managed to protect themselves by surrounding himself in a dome like barrier. That one was left alone as Zeke didn¡¯t want to harm Brucey¡¯s tail, or whatever it used to paralyze creatures, as he noticed some limits to it. While it could paralyze all the golems except for the water one so far, each one had a certain time limit that seemed to shorten after each golem. He figured Brucey had a sort of energy resource used for the paralyzing, and he needed to recover in order to bring it up to its maximum duration again, at least that¡¯s what Zeke surmised. He wondered whether Brucey can become stronger and add more potency to the paralyzation, or perhaps increase the duration. Can he even gain levels? Or do familiars follow their own way of progress? Questions kept filling his mind. But right now, he was trying desperately to sense his comrades, either his party or the retinue, to no avail. He was getting closer to the rendezvous point but spotted no one so far. He wanted to at least bring Clara to someone that could take care of them as he knew Zeke had to go back into the middle of the fray for the most danger, and bringing her there was the least that he wanted. He hated the idea of dumping Clara to someone because he didn¡¯t want her around during the fight, but he knew that even with his barriers, there¡¯s a slim chance that she could get hurt, or worse. But no matter how much he covered the distance, probably around several miles away from his original position, he wasn¡¯t able to find anyone other than hostiles. It was starting to grate at him. ¡°Bobo?¡± Clara suddenly spoke after Zeke decided to ease his Mana expenditure and walked ahead. ¡°Is Sissy okay?¡± ¡°Of course she is,¡± Zeke unhesitatingly said. ¡°While you were out, I talked with Sissy through our little phone thing. She¡¯s with Myra and Piker¨Cthe, uhh, the fire lady and the ice guy.¡± ¡°I know who they are,¡± Clara harrumphed, pouting as though she was offended by the implied bad memory. Zeke chuckled, figuring that she hadn¡¯t spent that much time with them, so he totally understood if she did forget. Still, she quickly frowned as she continued. ¡°I don¡¯t like this place, Bobo.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Zeke nodded. ¡°It¡¯s super dangerous.¡± ¡°No, I mean¡­¡± Clara paused, taking a moment. ¡°Something feels¡­ bad here. I don¡¯t know what it is.¡± Zeke paused himself, taking in her words. Whether that might be due to the angel possessing her, or perhaps it was her own senses due to her being an otherworlder as well. ¡°How does it feel?¡± Zeke asked. He figured he could continue this while they were currently lost at the moment, and he wanted to help Clara explore her senses more. They tend to be right, after all. ¡°Like¡­ something was here, but it¡¯s gone, but it left a bad smell. Like¡­ like that bad place when we got here.¡± ¡°The tower?¡± Zeke asked, getting Clara to nod in approval. ¡°Yeah! That!¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Zeke paused again before he answered her. ¡°Clara, we already took care of it.¡± ¡°Huh? You did? But that¡¯s dangerous!¡± Clara declared, and actually patted Zeke¡¯s shoulder hard. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t go there, dingus! You could get hurt again!¡± Zeke chuckled, and that only got Clara more angry. She slapped him on the shoulder, but she didn¡¯t want to hurt him so he only hit the clothed part. It didn¡¯t hurt at all, but he pretended to wince. ¡°We had to go there. Zoan told us to head there to get stronger.¡± ¡°Zoan?¡± Clara asked. ¡°But she¡¯s nice. Why would she put you somewhere dangerous?¡± Zeke frowned. ¡°Because she isn¡¯t nice, Clara. She¡¯s part of the people that sent us here.¡± He knew doing this now might be bad, or perhaps dangerous for later, but Clara had to know. He didn¡¯t know why Clara insisted that Zoan was a friend, but there was no way that Zeke could trust that angel with the way things were going. There were too many things that they didn¡¯t know that could put them in danger. ¡°Someone that sent us to this world without our permission,¡± Zeke continued, leaving Clara to stay silent. ¡°We can¡¯t trust someone like that, especially when she¡¯s possessing your body without your permission.¡± The hurt look on Clara¡¯s face stung him, but he had to say it. He worried whether Clara might trust what Zoan said, and end up getting hurt. Hell, she put Clara here in this dangerous location in the first place, and now she left her behind rather than flying up to the safety of the town. Even if she ran out of energy and can¡¯t do it somehow, he still fumed at the idea. Clara took another moment longer, then she spoke again. ¡°But¡­ but if she hadn¡¯t, then Sissy and I wouldn¡¯t have met you.¡± Zeke quirked his lips at that statement. His face turned blank as he realized what she was implying. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡°So¡­ isn¡¯t Zoan really a good person?¡± Clara asked again, realizing Zeke¡¯s hesitation and looked like she won an argument. ¡°Also, it¡¯s thanks to her that Brucey¡¯s with us! She¡¯s actually super cool!¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ a completely subjective and based argument,¡± Zeke eventually said. ¡°Hey, that¡¯s not fair! You can¡¯t say something difficult and ignore me!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not ignoring you, I just think that there¡¯s more to it than meets the eye,¡± Zeke said shamelessly. ¡°No fair! You¡¯re being unfair!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s put that aside for now, we need to find Sissy and the others.¡± Clara groaned before huffing. Now she wouldn¡¯t speak to him again, but he was fine with that for now. That conversation headed down to a topic that was a little too time-sensitive right now. They really needed to focus, but at the same time, he wondered whether Clara had a good reason for trusting Zoan. Still, he rushed ahead. His comrades might be in trouble, and he didn¡¯t want to find out what might happen if he was too late. ¡­.. A pounce that had no right to be that fast and strong slammed her to the ground, causing the ground to nearly explode in dirt and debris. Mikella groaned, her Pain Resistance not working as it should. Though a small part of her was glad that fighting Journeymen wasn¡¯t a joke as she expected. This felt like facing Val, but completely different. No matter how strong Mikella was, it felt like fighting against a wall of a man that kept moving apace. Still, she forced herself up, driving her sword blade down to support herself. She looked up to see Myra and Piker facing side by side against a man covered in fur and bloodlust. The man, Zyler as he called himself, apparently had the ability to transform into a literal werewolf. She could only guess that it came from either his Class or one of his high-rarity skills. She could also assume that his attunement had something to do with something feral or beast-like, or perhaps one of those fancy concept types of attunements representing the wolf or something. She couldn¡¯t give less of a shit about that. That¡¯s up to Zeke¡¯s repertoire¨Call she needed to do is to kick his ass and find Clara. Myra roared and blazed in hot fire as she slashed at the man with full force. Her flaming mantle on display, she swung with vicious ferocity, blazing fire exploding out from her and straight to the wolfman. He easily side-stepped the flames, but Piker came up with a bull-headed rush, his sword covered in frost along with his kinetic energy to bash right into him. Zyler took it up front with both his clawed hands, and roared before pushing forward and literally launching Piker off the ground and into the nearby stone wall, cratering it. Myra went after him, but once again she missed by a mile as Zyler jumped up. He swung his claws in midair, and three crescent-like waves launched out, looking bloody red as it headed towards Myra. She managed to back away, but one of the crescent slashes cut through her leg, and blood spurted out into an explosion of red. She screamed in agony, landing to her knees and holding onto her damaged leg while gritting her teeth. ¡°Hahaha!¡± Zyler laughed, landing on the ground in a crouched position. ¡°Gotta say, you all are impressive! Way more than the chumps at our place. It¡¯s a shame¨CMy dad would¡¯ve loved you all to join, but we got bigger fish to catch. Sorry to say¨Cyou guys just aren¡¯t worth my time.¡± He growled, being able to speak animatedly despite having the face of a wolf with a long snout and sharp fangs. Mikella growled herself as she launched herself straight at Zyler. The wolf man noticed her coming and hunched his back, ready to strike. But Mikella intervened. Her buffs flared, all her Class Skills and internal energy ramping up to full force. She launched herself straight at the wolfman, her sword glowing with bright lightning coursing along the blade. She can do those fancy swings herself as she swung her sword sideways, unleashing an arc of sparking electricity with the mass of a dump truck straight at the man. Zyler, however, dodged it with ease by jumping away, missing the entire attack and letting it hit a nearby wall of broken stone, becoming even more broken in the process, practically turned to dust from the explosion. Zyler grinned and charged a fist at her. She blocked the fist with the sword blade and felt her entire body nearly give in from the impact. The ground around her feet cracked and deepened. She gritted her teeth as she already felt her hands and wrists stinging in pain. ¡°Ooh, now you¡¯re someone pretty interesting,¡± Zyler approached her face, his wolf head staring at her like she was delicious prey. ¡°No one was able to take my full on punch like that for a while, and you¡¯re even just an Expert. A girl too, as far as I know. How about it? Wanna be my girl? I promise I¡¯ll treat you nice and oh-so right¡­¡± Mikella scoffed. ¡°Thanks for the offer, but you¡¯re not my type. I¡¯m not into mutts!¡± She managed to push off the wolf man just enough to give her ground, then jumped back with the aid of her Dragon Descent. Her Dexterity ramped up even further, getting more distance. She had no other choice¨Cbeing too close to the man was considered a death-sentence for her glass-cannon build. She had to be smart with this, and she knew she could only really go in when she had support. But she watched as Piker was slowly picking himself up while Myra recovered enough to drink a potion. That didn¡¯t slow Zyler down as he pounced at her again, raising his claws high and slamming it against Mikella. She groaned, her hands protesting at the incoming attack. She blocked again, the pain returning as she focused inwards. She¡¯s gonna have to get tricky, so she pulled multiple weapons out from her storage pack, surprising Zyler as she called out another sword, a spear, an axe, and a hammer all at once. ¡°What the hell?¡± Before Zyler could say anything else, Mikella¡¯s Dragon Eyes flashed. Her Lightning Mastery took over as lightning stormed around her, causing Zyler to jump away, but widened when he saw that the lightning wasn¡¯t going after him, but at the weapons. She felt her mana draining from the intensity of the control as she demanded her lightning to carry the weapons for her. She focused her single Class Skill, Heavenly Strike, to their main damaging aspect, the tips for the blades and the flat surface for the hammer. All of her weapons, her main sword in hand, went after the beast. She never expected that this sort of attack would actually damage the Journeyman hard enough to defeat him, but it was a good enough surprise to make Zyler pause as she indirectly swung her hammer and axe and indirectly stabbed at him with her sword and spear at the same time. ¡°Whoa!¡± Zyler exclaimed, somehow still avoiding each strike. ¡°I take back what I said. You¡¯re way better than any woman I know! Wanna join our forces? I¡¯ll give you my word that my father will treat you right!¡± ¡°Shove your word up your ass!¡± Mikella had enough of his candid attitude, mostly because she was furious that he wasn¡¯t even taking this seriously. She fought enough to realize that this dude knew his shit. He was fast and strong. He was also bulky enough to take a few strong hits. He also kept running around in ways that made traversing the stone-filled battlefield difficult. He used small, precise movements to allow longer reaches and shorter reactions. In other words, he was adept at battling. But if there¡¯s one thing she learned in this world¨Ceveryone has a limit. Her thoughts whirled as she noticed Myra pointing her hand straight at Zyler. Small embers suddenly combusted on top of Zyler¡¯s furred body, causing him to growl and snuff them out, but that wasn¡¯t enough. He seemed to breathe rampantly, his long tongue furled out of his mouth as Myra¡¯s spell went into overdrive. Her Incendiary Grasp had advanced to the point where she could make the skill work like a hard timer on a person¡¯s body. It ramped up their temperature as though her spell was going off inside of them. With her Fire attunement¨Cat a higher tier at that¨Cas her base, it only made her skill easier to control, giving it that potency that even affected a true Journeyman body. Mikella swung with all her willpower, demanding her weapons to slam, pierce, and stab at the now weakened wolfman. However, he kept moving deftly around her weapons, each one just casually grazing him or just outright missing him. This was something she failed to realize. During her fight with Zeke, all she did was pour all of her rampage into her attacks, which became too much for the recently-physical Zeke. To an outright warrior, she was just wildly moving her weapons like a crazed gorilla. Her attacks were too predictable, and even a blind man could predict her strikes. She gritted her teeth in frustration, only just realizing her weak style against an opponent that could kill her with ease. But her eyes picked up when Piker ran at Zyler right after he dodged an axe strike, tackling and embracing the beast. ¡°What?¡± Zyler growled. ¡°I ain¡¯t into this!¡± The wolfman tried to rip Piker apart with his clawed hands, and while his claws dug and scraped against Piker¡¯s bare skin from the face to his forearms, leaving heavy gashes on them, Piker roared in defiance as he stabbed his bastard sword straight into the wolfman¡¯s waist. Piker took advantage of his high Endurance along with Myra¡¯s support from behind to finally strike the Journeyman. Blood flowed from Zyler¡¯s elongated mouth. The blade was piercing straight into his abdomen, and Mikella noticed something going on with her Mana Perception. The blade itself had something of a frost that seemed to glow with bright green in Mikella¡¯s eyes. Piker had infused his sword art with the frost attunement, but rather than trying to freeze the wolfman in place, the ice magic was actively improving the piercing effect of his sword, giving it a good chunk of damage to the wounded Journeyman. Even then, that wasn¡¯t enough. ¡°You little shit¡­¡± Zyler groaned, blood still pouring out from the corner of his lip, but he grinned with a feral growl. ¡°That hurt!¡± Mikella dashed before Zyler could do anything else, his arm swinging high and heading straight to the immobile Piker. She swung with all her might, unleashing a barrage of weapon attacks straight at Zyler. He growled in frustration and jumped away, leaving Piker enough room to get away before the electrified weapons could hit. Each weapon collided against the ground and caused an earthy explosion, creating a plume of dirt and crystal that surrounded the battlefield. Mikella ran forward, getting to Piker while Myra ran to their side as well. They stood guard together, but she could already see the injuries piling up. While they managed to get a good blow in, Myra was already tuckered out, her tanned face starting to pale from mana over usage. Piker looked even worse, his eyes looking half-glazed from the wounds and the intense energy control he had to use. It was becoming too much for them. The fact that they even managed to deliver a blow to a Journeymen was already a damn miracle to begin with. But as the plume of dust dissipated, they saw the creature standing upright, the wound appearing over the abdomen. It was closing up already, his regeneration taking effect. It looked surreal, to see a wound closing up so fast like that, and it only made Mikella¡¯s chest churn with dread and worry. ¡°You fuckers¡­¡± Zyler growled. ¡°You¡¯re really starting to piss me off. I just wanted to have some fun, but no¡­ you just had to be so damn competent.¡± His muscles turned taut, lowering his knees as his claws flashed. The atmosphere around him changed, only proving that Zyler was really just messing around. But now, he was turning serious. ¡°Piker, I¡¯m betting you can¡¯t do that again?¡± Mikella asked, still looking directly at Zyler. Piker didn¡¯t answer, and she didn¡¯t need to turn to find him grimacing. There was no way he could take another blow like that without risking his head being torn off. That was already impossible considering Myra doesn¡¯t have enough juice in her system to pull off the super concentrated Incendiary Grasp again. Just as when things looked bleak for her, her ears perked at the sudden noise. It wasn¡¯t just her¨Ceveryone, including Zyler, raised their heads. Something was shifting about in the atmosphere, and whatever it was¡­ it was big. Stone clattered and broke apart as tremors began around them. It was enough to be considered an earthquake, but Mikella knew by heart that normal earthquakes in this world don''t exist anymore. She looked away, only to see something massive that, quite frankly, she had enough of seeing after the tower. ¡°Gods¡­ what is that?¡± Piker asked, ignoring Zyler as the bigger threat literally showed up. It was big, but was hidden within the fortress¡¯ buildings. But she could tell that whatever it was, it could only be the main boss of the biodome. It had finally showed up, or rather, was roused by the people within. They had no more time. If they don¡¯t settle this quick, they¡¯re going to lose the biodome and¨C ¡°Ah shit, time¡¯s up,¡± Zyler groaned, more disappointed than angry. ¡°Knowing daddy dearest, he¡¯s gonna go crazy over it.¡± Zyler turned to the Experts. ¡°Well, it¡¯s been fun. You, lightning girl¨Cit was a blast, but we gotta part ways. If we ever meet again. I¡¯ll show you a grand old time.¡± Zyler grinned maliciously, and somehow Mikella could tell that there was no hint of lust there. It was a feral grin of a battle-junkie, something that she herself might be. Zyler lowered his knees, and with a jump, he escaped into the air, using the nearby towers to travel across the entire area with ease. Mikella didn¡¯t know whether they were lucky or not. One thing is that they managed to survive. Another thing is that the boss showed up far away from them, probably surrounded by Bastion forces. ¡°...Let¡¯s go,¡± Piker added. ¡°We need to find the others¨Cquick.¡± The two girls nodded, and they headed off to find their comrades before things got even worse. Vol2 Ch61: Fruit Hand-outs His feet felt sore from running all over the place, a feeling that was foreign to him considering he was just a Support mage. However, Zeke still trudged on with Clara on his back, considering his next actions. He¡¯s been running for a while, but still found nobody he knew of. At the same time, he was fortunate to not run into any Bastion soldiers. Monsters were plenty, however, and he hadn¡¯t had much choice but to take them down as quickly as he could once they started to go after him. More bad news was that Brucey, their new batty companion, ran out of whatever juice it had to paralyze creatures. Brucey even started to pant at times despite resting on Clara¡¯s back, proving that whatever resource it had was dried out and needed time to recover. At that point, Zeke went on the offensive to use whatever means necessary, and if things got too rough, he dodged and ran away, often taking an entirely different direction. His mana hasn¡¯t depleted, but he can¡¯t say the same for his stamina. That also goes with his mental stress of making sure that Clara stayed safe. The more time passed, dread filled every part of his soul. He didn¡¯t like the absolute silence at times, making him nervous. But he also had to reassure Clara that she would be safe, and he knew exactly what he was doing. He now found out how parents often feel. They ¡®say¡¯ that everything¡¯s alright, but in truth they had no fucking clue on what to do. He started to respect that kind of mentality because it was absolutely draining. ¡°Bobo¡­¡± Clara said, grasping hard on Zeke¡¯s clothed shoulder. ¡°Is everything alright?¡± ¡°Yeah, of course,¡± Zeke lied as gently as he could. He even offered her a smile even if she couldn¡¯t see from behind his head. ¡°But you look so worried,¡± Clara said, and that broke his smile a bit. Of course she was going to notice, you fucking idiot, Zeke groaned inwardly, but he kept a steady face. ¡°I¡¯m just worried for Sissy. You know how she can be.¡± ¡°Everything¡¯s okay,¡± Clara said, this time being the one to calm him down. ¡°Just gotta trudge on. That¡¯s what Sissy always says.¡± He smiled, nodding to her wisdom. Makes sense that Mikella drilled into Clara that when life gets hard, you grow tougher in response. Still, he needed to get his act together even in this trying time. But just when he was about to get into gear, Clara tugged on his shoulder again. ¡°Bobo, Brucey¡¯s twitching.¡± Zeke paused, moving Clara in a position where he could spot Brucey. His body twitched, then raised its head. To Zeke¡¯s surprise, Brucey made some physical changes. His nearly naked body now showed to have fur growing, however short it was. It had a grayish-black coloring, with some yellow tint across its sides. When he raised his head, he spread one wing over, the entire wing utterly black with the same yellow tint on the edges of the spiked wing. It pointed over to the left side, causing Zeke to pause. ¡°He¡¯s¡­ pointing at something?¡± Zeke muttered, then he turned to the direction where Brucey pointed with his wing. He gazed deeper into that direction, his higher level body capable of expanding his senses further if just a little bit more. Eventually he spotted several bodies approaching to their side, or somewhat to the other side¨Cgoing directly towards the fortress he was at. He widened his eyes, recognizing the colors on their armor and weaponry. ¡°That¡¯s Zacharia¡¯s retinue!¡± Zeke shouted, getting Clara to yelp in surprise. ¡°Brucey, how did you manage to figure that out?¡± Did Brucey have some kind of sense, like a hyper perception skill? He recalled bats being originally blind and used some type of sonar screech to find their locations, but Brucey never had that kind of issue, or used anything of the sort. For now, he could only be thankful as he heard Clara giggling. ¡°Brucey¡¯s the best!¡± She declared, and Zeke could only agree as he ran towards the group. ¡­.. Jackie breathed hard, trudging towards the fortress as best he could. Looking back at the others, they saw some of them limping, thanks to the injuries incurred by that psychopath werewolf that nearly killed them all. Even worse, the beast was just toying with them. Jackie always knew he wasn¡¯t exactly a good fighter, but he still felt bitter at the response. But what else could he do? That Zyler guy was a literal Journeyman, the same stage as the lords and General Zacharia. What could they do against such a man? The only thing he could be thankful for was that nobody died against him. He also had Cacia, their ice healer, to thank. If she hadn¡¯t intervened with that snow-pile when he was chucked like a broken doll, he probably wouldn¡¯t even be alive at that point. Since then, their healers have been working hard to keep them moving, but their Mana was running low. But they still had a mission. Like true soldiers, Zacharia¡¯s retinue kept moving onwards to the goal, even after that strange light exploded near them. Jackie recognized that light, that explosion¨Cit was the tower that the group had headed towards. When he and Philip explained what that was, everyone had that look of relief, figuring that the team that went there would be safe. Unfortunately, they were at the fortress, by themselves, filled to the brim with Bastion soldiers. They luckily managed to take out any Bastion scout teams that found them, even if they were supposedly at the same level range as a Journeymen. Jackie couldn''t believe it. Sure, they were certainly stronger than him individually, but they were taken out with their combined teamwork and strategy. Something that should¡¯ve been nearly impossible for normal Experts. He heard from Captain Val about how some folks can get desperate and try to break their level milestones too early, often breaking their foundations. He understood that feeling, especially during the times when training got too rough and things looked bleak at the town, but when he learned that it would just make them die sooner at a young age, he quickly gave up. He wanted to live, even if he was promised power beyond his station. But to find out that the Bastion soldiers took that on, nearly all of them¡­ he shivered. The faction was possibly forcing their soldiers to become a higher stage against their will. Or it was possible they were tricked, considering that none of them seem to realize the distinction, even showing off their arrogance when they believed they were facing just Experts. He shook that feeling away. He looked over at the others, even noticing Basil being quiet. The poor guy, while he was absolutely annoying to deal with, fought the hardest against Zyler. He was beaten badly, but he kept going no matter the cost. That¡¯s why his arm looked battered and bruised, unable to be used until the healers recover their Mana again. It was the same for nearly every melee focused fighter here. Could they even be able to face the next group of Bastion soldiers like this? They needed help, and quickly¨C ¡°Hey!¡± A voice called out, getting everyone on guard. But when Jackie recognized that voice, his jaw slacked. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s me!¡± Everyone around him turned up, ready to face a sudden threat before realizing who it was. What came running at them in full speed was none other than their support mage Zeke, carrying what looked like a little girl on his back. Jackie widened his eyes to find that it was Clara, somehow here in this area once again. He had multiple, actually dozens of questions as to why he and Clara were here, but right now he could only feel relief. ¡°Zeke!¡± Jackie shouted, and he along with Philip went up to him. When he approached, he frowned after seeing their state, his head swiveling. ¡°What happened to you guys?¡± He asked. ¡°Were you attacked?¡± At that point, Zeke and the others talked as to what had happened. Zeke frowned again after hearing about a powerful Journeymen that took them all on with no big deal. As for him, Jackie was relieved to find out that they managed to clear the tower with no casualties or even fatal injuries, but he felt his heart sink when he got separated from the others when the tower exploded. That was strange, considering that everyone came out together the last time they were at a tower. Still, seeing Clara and how he explained that Clara was kidnapped somehow and ended up in the tower, he felt that he was trying to hide some of the things that occurred. Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Jackie wasn¡¯t stupid. Or well, he just didn¡¯t want to think too much. He knew Zeke and Mikella had their own secrets, and how Clara is somehow tied to it all. But he couldn¡¯t care less¨Cafter all the help they¡¯ve given, Jackie can only be glad that they were fine, and Myra was still okay. He was also ecstatic to find out that not only did the rest of the team improved, including Captain Val, Myra had the most increases of them all, even having her attunement rank increased. In other words, the group became even stronger than before, and he was right to have Myra head over there. She deserved all the power ups she could get. ¡°What about the General?¡± Basil asked, stepping up to Zeke. ¡°And the lords? Are they separated too?¡± ¡°I suppose, I have no other way to know. I only ever managed to communicate with Mikella, Myra, and Piker,¡± Zeke shook his head. Basil¡¯s lips thinned in response. ¡°Then what do we do now?¡± Rajin, the nature healer, asked, turning to the others. ¡°We¡¯re already on our last legs. Do we retreat and go back to the base?¡± ¡°No, we keep going,¡± Moars shook his head. He looked tired and exhausted, but he kept a hard face, putting on his leader-look once again. ¡°It¡¯s even more important now than before to keep going.¡± ¡°But Moars, we¡¯re running low on Mana,¡± Cacia, the ice healer, responded. ¡°Even if Zeke helped heal us, I think we would just get in the way of the others¡± ¡°But we can¡¯t leave it all to the other group,¡± Philip said, his brows furrowing. ¡°We¡¯re talking about a crap ton of monsters and an army of crazy suicidal soldiers! Plus, there¡¯s that wolf guy that almost trounced us. He could be as strong as the lords, or more!¡± The other soldiers in the retinue debated now on what to do, each showing their opinions from different perspectives. To Jackie, it was strange to hear so many valid points, all the while showing no heavy emotions. Of course they wanted to help their general, but they also have to consider the possibility of being a burden in their current state. Jackie felt the same way, hence why he opted for Myra to go on without him. It wasn¡¯t just his fear of going into another tower, but because he didn¡¯t want her to keep looking out for him at his current state. He may have maxed out his Sword mastery, but that was it. Zeke remained quiet, looking distant as he tilted his head. He wondered what Zeke was thinking at that moment before he suddenly had his eyes widening. ¡°Oh shit!¡± He suddenly shouted, getting everyone¡¯s attention. He gained the entire groups¡¯ eyes on him, but he didn¡¯t flinch at all as he smiled. ¡°I forgot! I got the fruits!¡± Zeke immediately put Clara down, to which Jackie just realized that she had something stuck to her back. It was some sort of ¡­ furry creature, just hanging on to her dress with its talons, but it looked like it was just sleeping in a bundle. He refused to ask anything about it¨Cif it was important, Zeke would¡¯ve pointed it out. Then Zeke looked as though he was rummaging through his storage pack and pulled out a barrel full of¡­ something, into the real world. He put it on the ground, opening the lid of the wooden barrel. Jackie frowned at the barrel, but when he looked at the inside, his jaw slacked. They were fruits, but he couldn¡¯t believe it when he saw that it was a literal barrel full of attribute fruits, something so valuable that Jackie never thought he could see even one of those fruits in his entire life. He heard Myra received some from Val after she showed her dedication to her training, which nobody could really complain considering the fruits were just that valuable, and hard to acquire. So to find an entire barrel full of them¡­ the others quickly noticed and immediately started salivating. ¡°Those are all attribute fruits!¡± One of the soldiers shouted. ¡°C-Can we¡­?¡± One of the others asked, hoping¨Cdaring¨Cto have at least one for herself. ¡°Of course,¡± Zeke said, and it almost made everyone beam in a way that glittered brighter than the crystals of the biodome. ¡°Oh, but be careful. These are enhanced fruits me and Cloud help make. So only take one fruit¨Cand only one.¡± His last words weren¡¯t a suggestion, but an order. Despite his casual demeanor, his facial expression turned stoic from uttering those words. And like a well-trained unit, the soldiers nodded eagerly with one of the closest, Jackie, approaching first. ¡­.. Zeke watched as Jackie carefully picked up one of the fruits from the barrel, a blue apple, and hesitantly took a bite out of the surface. After a few seconds passed, Jackie¡¯s face eased up from the sweet and tangy flavor. Once Jackie¡¯s eyes widened after seeing something in the distance, Zeke prepared himself. He practically coughed and almost choked, his mouth turning slack-jawed as he already ate the piece. Everyone waited with deep anticipation as Jackie loudly declared. ¡°Gods, I just got thirty whole points on every stat! And my attribute caps increased by a freaking 300 too! All of them!¡± Once Jackie yelled out, Zeke promptly got close to Clara, keeping an eye on her as everyone, quite literally, turned wild as they ate their single fruits. Not that they tried to take any more than one fruit, of course. Zeke¡¯s orders were absolute, and nobody complained after they received their notifications. Each one nearly screamed, whooped and hollered, practically dancing on their feet as their stats rose to an incredible degree. Clara even started to widen in surprise as everyone frankly lost their shit as some even went to their knees, tears running down their eyes. ¡°Bobo, everyone loves them!¡± Clara called out, looking frightened and excited at the same time. ¡°They sure do,¡± Zeke said, smiling. He was glad he took the extra effort to consolidate all of the stat points into one piece with Cloud¡¯s help. Otherwise, he worried everyone might trample over each other for more of the fruits. A few minutes of exhilaration and excitement filled the air, and as monsters were called over to them from their shouts, they eagerly showed their increased power by taking them all out. In the end, their job was supposed to take the attention from the army to distract them from the boss of the fortress. In other words, they¡¯re doing their jobs just fine. Eventually Jackie ran over to Zeke, his eyes still widened as though he was high on pretty intense narcotics. Wait, isn¡¯t that pretty much what I gave them? Zeke thought in worry, wondering whether he might start some type of new attribute epidemic. ¡°Zeke! I don¡¯t know how you did it, but you¡¯re the greatest!¡± Jackie shouted, and everyone around him nodded in agreement. ¡°Now we can be able to keep up with everyone!¡± Zeke nodded back. ¡°That¡¯s good. I also got a favor to ask,¡± He turned to Clara, showing a frown as she looked back at him in confusion. ¡°Can you take Clara for me? I need to head back to find the others, and I¡¯m sure my barriers would be needed. But¡­ I can¡¯t bring Clara with me.¡± ¡°What? Why?!¡± Clara shouted. ¡°I can help! Me and Brucey can help this time, right, Brucey?¡± She tried to look back, but a resounding chirp from behind her got her to grin back at Zeke. He smiled warmly at her, knowing exactly how she felt. He knelt, wanting to see her face to face as she had the right to. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Clara. I know you want to help, but it¡¯s just too dangerous. We¡¯re gonna face strong monsters, and probably bad guys that want to hurt us for their selfish greed. I can¡¯t bring you, even if you can help.¡± ¡°But¡­ but you can protect me,¡± Clara said, her head lowering. Zeke felt a pang of guilt crushing his heart, but he steeled himself. It was easy, considering this was for her safety. ¡°I¡¯m still not strong enough. I can¡¯t protect you all the time,¡± Zeke admitted. ¡°And if something happens to you, I¡¯ll lose my shit. So please, Clara¨Cstay with them. Follow their orders and don¡¯t separate from them. Will you promise me?¡± He hated having to hand her off to someone else, especially when they have to fight themselves. But being surrounded by more than thirty people is better than being at the center of the battlefield, facing Journeymen and bosses that are probably stronger than them. When he pleaded, Clara looked ready to cry, her eyes glistening. But she lowered her head. ¡°Okay¡­,¡± Clara said slowly. ¡°Please don¡¯t get hurt again. Don¡¯t be a dingus.¡± Zeke smiled. ¡°I won¡¯t, I promise.¡± Zeke looked up to everyone, and he could tell that they were ready to do just that. They would protect Clara, even if it was adding more burden on them. First off, nobody would dare let harm come to a child. And second, Zeke just gave them lots of attribute fruits that increased their stats¨Cthey better damn well protect Clara. ¡°Jackie¡­¡± Zeke asked, still hoping for confirmation. ¡°Of course we¡¯ll protect her!¡± Jackie pounded on his chest. ¡°Promise on my core and to the system!¡± Zeke felt the air around them shift, as though his words brought a sort of solemnity to the atmosphere. He realized that Jackie made an oath to Zeke, to which Zeke nodded. He didn¡¯t mean to make Jackie swear an oath, but it proved how serious Jackie was. He only had Zacharia to blame for his lack of faith in the oath. Thankfully, everyone else nodded in agreement, even Basil who Zeke thought he still had an issue with him and Mikella¨Cespecially Mikella since he kept hounding her for fights for some reason. ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll be off. I¡¯ll let everyone else know how you¡¯re doing once I find them. Clara, stay safe!¡± ¡°You too!¡± Clara shouted with a wave as he smiled back at her. He turned, closed his eyes, and conjured two small round barriers near his feet. As everyone tilted their heads at him, he drew runes on the barriers with his floating pens with a quick flourish. After a few seconds of writing, he stepped on top of the two barriers, not losing his balance at all as he made the barriers affix to his feet. As everyone widened at that, Zeke breathed, unleashing his rune buffs for Dexterity as he dashed forward. His barriers under his feet reacted as they spun in connection to his stamina and mana surging through the runes on them. They spun like wheels as he literally rode his barriers like they were skates on his feet, running faster and faster away from the entire group. This was something he thought of after running around with Clara, as well as using the dome barrier around his party before entering the party. With this, he only needed to lose a burst of Mana for a short minute, then he can gradually recover his resources as he sped up thanks to the infusion of both his resources into the barrier skates. He could also admit that he was starting to have some fun making new variants of his barriers as he dashed ahead, ready to find his teammates. Then, he felt a roar echoing across the entire biodome. His senses flared. Something was coming up. Vol2 Ch62: Nature Weaver Monarch He was already pretty far away from the other retinue when the roar echoed. He was hanging on top of the crystal pillar, several feet high and keeping himself hidden to avoid getting spotted by hostiles as he surveyed his surroundings. His training, including his Kinetic Perception, helped his eyesight by droves, and due to that, he saw what made the sound. It made him pale at the sight. It looked as close as a kaiju monster like in the monster movies, as tall as a skyscraper and just as wide. Metal adorned its entire body, but there were traces of crystalline veins running across the gray metal. There was also a hint of a scaled body inside, but it wasn¡¯t some sort of lizard or even a dragon. It was akin to a scaled beast with two heavy hind legs and smaller arms. If he had to guess, it was almost like a dinosaur, except pumped with crap-tons of steroids and heavily adorned in armor. It¡¯s like a developer wanted to show off a massive raid boss to the kids, Zeke thought honestly, looking at the intensively massive dinosaur. He once thought that the biodome was following some sort of theme with its animals and monsters, but all he could know was that the entire location felt prehistoric, with the fortress wielding golems as though to protect, or to perhaps fight the boss from within. He already knew that crystals were the main focus, and as far as he knew, that dinosaur had plenty of colorful crystal veins running across its body like the RGB color design from most gaming computers. Its head was also covered in heavy armor, but as it opened its jaw, there were actual crystal fangs rather than ivory. All of them were bright crimson red. He also noticed that the talons on each arm, small as they were, also had separate colors of blue and yellow. Finally, its massive feet had claws made entirely of green crystal. He could already guess what they meant, and he hated the thing already. That creature can use different elements depending on its body part, and with the armor decorating its body, it probably had a lot of resistance against physical attacks and most elemental attacks, if not total immunity to elemental magic attacks. It made a deep, bellowing roar, similar to a tempest forming at the distance. There was no hint of air or wind magic being used¨Cthat was just how powerful it was, its voice itself capable of sending out gusts of pure pressure from the impact of it all. At this distance, he tried to see if he could Identify the monster. He was shocked to find out that it worked, and even more shocked at what he read.
Nature Weaver Monarch, Level ???
¡°Fuck me,¡± Zeke cursed. ¡°It¡¯s Master rank.¡± It was similar to when he Identified the Master of the Tower he faced, and it was similar in the question marks. It was just unfair. They already just defeated a powerful monster that was jacked full of Mana it wasn¡¯t supposed to have thanks to the gods¡¯ hiccup, and now they have to face a natural disaster in order to take over the biodome. He nearly cried, figuring that his barrier wouldn¡¯t do jack shit to the massive boss in front of him, or rather a couple hundred miles away from him. Forget that, I need to find Mikky and the others. Zeke peered over his surroundings, using his attunement¡¯s ability Overreach and hoping with this vantage point he could see further ahead. He couldn¡¯t do this before with Clara, worried that he could be distracted and not protect themselves fast enough. By himself, he could easily see the area around him, but it isn¡¯t as good as a scout would. He found nothing at the moment, so he prepared his barrier skates again using the same gesture. Then he jumped from the top of the crystal pillar, landing at the ground with no hint of stagger. The barrier took the kinetic force with ease as he rode on them across the field. He needed to find them, and quickly. Even if the army could be distracted by the giant force of a beast near them, he didn¡¯t like the odds stacked against them. He worked better when he was with a team, after all. ¡­.. Metal clanged to Valorie¡¯s ears as she stabbed directly at her enemy, only finding herself landing another thud against a densely made wall of pure purple flames. The fire felt hot, but more than that, they felt heavy¨Clike pressure was weighing on her the closer she was. It was that same density that has been blocking against her attacks so far, causing her to growl in response. She jumped away before her vision was filled with hot purple flames, landing directly behind the nearby fortress stones, charred and darkened with hints of purplish embers wisping away. She surveyed her area for the umpthteen time, noticing the battle so far. Her opponent, being the leader of the army, Roderick, stood upright with a poised expression, even having the audacity to push his glasses towards his eyes casually. To her side, Zacharia held his great sword up, the several bodies of the fake Journeymen already piled up near him. Blood was streaming down the metal blade, but Zacharia¡¯s expression remained steady as he glared daggers at Roderick. Beyond that, her husband was currently surrounded with a magical circle he created himself. Cloud prepped his ringed staff, each metal band jangling as he swerved and tilted his staff around, summoning several flaming bands of orange and red fire that were launched straight at Roderick. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. Each band of pure flames were gleaming with a hint of gold as well, being that they were actually golden bands beneath the flames. Each of them were coated in fire, increasing their damage output and even creating a nauseating visual effect the closer they got to their target. But the purple flames encapsulated Roderick whole, blocking the bands of fire with a resounding thump of impact. The band''s flames dispersed, and each of the golden rings dissipated, consumed by the purple entity that all of them knew wasn¡¯t really fire, but something else. The fires were made with the hint of gravity and spatial control, giving them the ability to pour damage to an enemy while giving them the feeling of physical weight. It was annoying to deal with, especially for a physical fighter, and the fact that Cloud¡¯s attacks didn¡¯t do much against him, it was also effective against magical attacks. If she were to say which one would be more effective between his defenses and Zeke¡¯s barriers, she would gladly say that while Roderick¡¯s defenses were more effective, she prefers the simple shield that provided safety and security. She could be heavily biased, but then again, she was planning on killing the bastard in front of her. Her heart became suffused in rage and fury, the man in front of her responsible for not just invading her town unprovoked, all while she and the other soldiers were away, they killed the innocent people, elderly and children alike. That wasn¡¯t the only one, and she would ignore the shamelessness of it as the idea that her precious daughter possibly being killed by them had already been deeply rooted in her mind. It drove her instincts wild, summoning the fervent energy that she had been trying to control for so many years. She felt ashamed for losing herself when she finally found the core she needed to tier up her synthesized attunement, being stuck at Tier 2 for the past decade or so. But now that it had tiered up to three, and the enemy in front of her was responsible for the atrocity¡­ Needless to say, she¡¯s been wanting to flex her fangs out for a while. But the damn purple flames kept getting in her way, leaving her poor sword wanting and hungry. Roderick gave a short grin as he noticed Zacharia launching forward, hitting against the summoned purple flames with heavy grunts. His blows were filled with kinetic energy, and his attunement made his blows heavier each time, capable of reaching Master-class physical strength, but something about the flames caused each strike to be absorbed rather than taken completely, leaving them hollow. ¡°Impressive, coming from the kingdom¡¯s lapdogs,¡± Roderick said, his voice sounding calm and composed, even as Zacharia was ready to slaughter him the moment the purple flames disappeared. ¡°But still, none of you are deserving of the riches of this biodome. Honestly, it enrages me that this is so close to your home. Have you any thoughts for the rest of the citizens of my city and their woes?¡± Roderick said as he snapped his meaty fingers, the flames surrounding him expanding outward and flowing all around him, creating a halo and aura combination that made the area around them uncomfortably hot. That snide comment made her boil as she roared and jumped ahead. Her sword flashed a bright light, and she noticed at the edge of her vision that more bands of pure flames were heading towards him. She swung her sword forward, the light glowing harshly as she used her newly gained Power Overwhelming, boosting her power further. But as soon as both attacks came at him, Roderick¡¯s brows furrowed as both arms swung wide across, causing the entirety of the purple flames to condense around behind and in front of him. Valorie gritted her teeth as her sword hit against the solidity of the flames once again, and the sounds of the bands hitting a wall echoed behind him. She hoped that the man couldn¡¯t focus on more than one area at a time, but that proved to be worthless. Having enough of this, Roderick made a shout and swung his hand down, dispersing the flames and causing them to roll out in waves all around him. Valorie jumped away in time, and Cloud managed to get away, but he grimaced after losing the effect of his magical circle. Zacharia took the blow instead, ignoring the purple flames trying to eat his body alive as he instead swung his sword to the side, dispersing the flames and dissolving them into particles. Roderick was left by himself, but there was still that ember wisp of purple flame at his shoulder, ready to defend at any moment. As he grinned, proving his victory and ready to strike again, a sound echoed across the entire biodome from the looks of it. The Lord of Bastion looked towards the horizon, his eyes widening through the glasses as a creature of incredible size appeared suddenly out of nowhere. Or rather, it came from beneath the fortress¡¯ ground. Valorie¡¯s face paled after realizing that throughout the fight, Roderick¡¯s goons somehow managed to awaken the boss of the biodome. They were close enough to at least see the top of the head, but it was big enough to even thwart Zeke¡¯s barrier surrounding their entire town. An incredibly large lizard-like monstrosity appeared, covered in head to toe in strange glowing colored armor that even beat Zacharia¡¯s gear. It opened its red-fanged jaw and roared, the proximity causing the air to turn into tempest gales as they battered against them all. Their strong bodies were able to take it, but the feeling of dread spread all over them, including their enemy as he gaped at the sight. ¡°Those incompetent brats,¡± Roderick snarled. ¡°They called it too soon. Well, it is unfortunate that we couldn¡¯t settle this sooner, but business is business.¡± Purple flames gathered around Roderick¡¯s feet, the winds not affecting the flames at all as they licked the air around his ankles. In that same moment, the flames lifted Roderick into the air as he flew into the sky itself. Valorie stared in incomprehension at the sight. It wasn¡¯t unusual for mages to be able to fly with their own power, but the sheer casualness of him leaving them behind pissed her off. But looking over at the giant boss in front of them, she could only stifle her anger. ¡°We need to gather up our allies and face this thing,¡± Zacharia shouted, the sounds of the roars and the mayhem being caused around them loud enough to shatter a normal person¡¯s eardrums. ¡°We can¡¯t face that thing alone!¡± ¡°The boss¡¯ presence should bring everyone here,¡± Cloud stated, turning his sight towards the western side where the boss was located, at the direction where the base was. ¡°We need to go and find them, and here¡¯s to the system beyond that Zeke is among them.¡± ¡°You think he might have gotten to the team and gave them their fruits?¡± Valorie wondered aloud. She hoped that everyone could eat and empower themselves, but she feared that it might just be too consequential to hope for such a thing. ¡°That¡¯s if Zeke has Clara, if not¡­¡± Cloud shook his head. ¡°For now, the best thing for us is to make sure that Bastion isn¡¯t the one that takes over the biodome. It doesn¡¯t have to be one of us¨Cbut it has to be someone from Eve Glade and nobody else.¡± Valorie could only nod in approval. She gripped her sword in hand as she followed Cloud and Zacharia towards the boss. If they could, they would take out any other soldier in their vicinity to lessen their enemy¡¯s numbers, all the while the boss currently fought against the soldiers that were probably there. She prayed that at the very least, Clara would be safe. That, and that she can at least return back to her daughter after this is over. Vol2 CH63: Eventually, they met Her pride was stomped beyond belief, but she put the feeling aside as the giant monster finally appeared for them to defeat. She could even point out the battle with her eyes, Her Kinetic Manipulation boosting her eyesight tenfold. Bastion soldiers were trying, and failing, to attack the monster. She expected that the boss had the capabilities to control the elements, its different colored talons and claws making the hint, but she was stunned at the level of control. With one slash, the so-called Nature Weaver Monarch summoned slashes of condensed water that decimated an area, demolishing everything in its path like a horrid storm. Any soldier in the middle of that was slashed apart, their body parts dissipating into motes of blood and viscera from the pressure. It made her sick to see so many people die, even if they were her enemies. Shouldn¡¯t they know such a thing was clearly beyond them? Putting aside that there could be actual Journeymen than the fakers that she and her group fought, not even Cloud and Val would approach the creature so casually. She could only blame the ones in charge of the army. Only they would haphazardly send an army to their deaths as meat shields to find out the weakness of the boss. She understood the value of finding any information, but at the cost of so many lives was just nauseating to her. She shook her head. Even after trying to gather herself by keeping a look out for the rest of her comrades, she still couldn¡¯t find Zeke and Clara. She knew the lords would be fine, so her nerves were frayed at the thought of anything happening to them. Even if she had actual news from Zeke himself that he and Clara were fine, He had the bad luck of getting himself into trouble. Last time that happened, he ended up jumping around the entire tower filled with zombies in a superball. Last time before that, he ended up making himself bait across the field in front of Eve Glade¡¯s entrance. Hell, even before that, didn¡¯t he try to sacrifice himself to get the girls out of the tower when they faced their own Master of the Tower? The more she recalled those memories during the strange null of activity, the more she flared her sight forward. It was only then she got caught in surprise when a hand touched her shoulder. ¡°Mikella, keep yourself aware of your surroundings,¡± Piker said, nearly making Mikella slap his hand away before realizing it was him. ¡°I know you¡¯re worried, but we need you on your toes.¡± ¡°Right, right, sorry,¡± Mikella shook her head. She hated having her consciousness disappearing when she used her senses to search. ¡°But I can¡¯t help it! We¡¯re closer than ever before to the fortress and we still can¡¯t find head or tail of him and Clara.¡± ¡°We at least know he¡¯s nowhere near the boss,¡± Myra mentioned, pointing at the boss several miles away. Even at this distance, the pressure was palpable, but it was manageable. ¡°That¡¯s something. Also, I think I found the lords!¡± Mikella turned to where Myra was pointing at, actually using her hand to cover the top of her eyes. She didn¡¯t need to do that, her Kinetic senses being as good as Mikella¡¯s, but it was a habit that even Mikella herself would do sometimes. Following her direction, she managed to see a lot of magic spells flying about, noticing that it had to be Cloud¡¯s spells attacking. Then there was that bright purple flames that seemed to be radiating pure power. It made her body shiver at the sight of it, the density of those flames being too unnerving to look at. But at the same time, they felt off. She didn¡¯t know what it was, and put that thought aside as Piker spoke up. ¡°Let¡¯s go after them. We might not be able to handle that mage they¡¯re fighting against, though. He looks like he might even be at Master-stage,¡± Piker frowned, his scowl returning back in waves. ¡°Master-stage?¡± Mikella asked, surprised. ¡°Is that seriously a Master?¡± ¡°Probably the Lord of Bastion,¡± Myra guessed. ¡°I don¡¯t know about them, but if there¡¯s a Master in that group, that¡¯s gotta be the leader. Besides, you heard the wolf guy¨Chis dad¡¯s here, so that¡¯s gotta be him.¡± ¡°His dad¡¯s at Master-stage, huh¡­¡± She can¡¯t imagine having someone as powerful as that as a father. Yet despite that, Zyler seemed like the sort to be utterly carefree and lacking any sort of ambition other than to look for a good fight. Following that, she asked. ¡°Should we try to find that guy? Zyler?¡± ¡°Even if we find him, we should focus more on defeating the boss,¡± Piker said, but he had a thoughtful look on his face. ¡°Everyone else is heading there now, trying to get some damage at it. It¡¯s a free-for-all, so we need to be the ones to take it.¡± Mikella grimaced, but she nodded. She never liked having to compete for this type of thing. She liked to compete against singular opponents, but these types of competitions always had something nasty working in the background. You never know when someone¡¯s cheating to get the upper hand while the hard-working ones would get left behind. She put that aside as she forced herself to keep moving forward. Her battle with Zyler left her wanting, but she had plenty of energy left. She may not be a good competitor, but she can certainly fuck up some of the other competitors around her, especially those to which she doesn¡¯t sympathize with. The three headed towards the fortress, their bodies surging with kinetic energy to run faster. ¡­.. The Weaver roared in defiance against the attacks, each one barely denting its metal-clad hide and just scratching the thing. The monster was too powerful, perhaps way more powerful than its level suggested. Zeke did consider that the monster might be more of a raid-level boss than just a normal dungeon boss, different from the Commander they faced earlier. There were separate levels of power, each one requiring more preparation and teamwork than actual strength. Sure, they could just add in their own Master-staged person into the mix, but he feared that even a Master won¡¯t get off from that fight unscathe. Forget about his own abilities, he wondered how many seconds he would last against it even with his most powerful barrier with all his Mana poured into it. That¡¯s what the pressure of it was telling him. He shook that fear off, focusing more on getting to his teammates. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. The information he pried off from the hack he faced before said that the entire Bastion army was consisting of those fake Journeymen. He was right to consider that the soldiers were in fact just ghosts of themselves, not truly Journeymen, but that wasn¡¯t the point. The one he truly worried about was the actual Master, the Lord of Bastion being here. He was also the one responsible for sending an army to their town to kill their people. It made him angry at the thought that the guy had the audacity to come to their territory again to take their biodome that was so close to them, but he also considered why the hell would the Lord come to such a place that could be dangerous. Sure, he was a Master, but wouldn¡¯t his people be nervous to have their Lord leave them like that in case something did happen? It seemed to Zeke like the guy was desperate, and he hoped that might get in the way of their plans. The winds were whipping against him as he raced across the biodome, ignoring the monsters that would prove pointless. He was running pretty fast, thanks to the infusion of his Dexterity with barrier skates. He needed to preserve as much energy as possible, but he was having a pretty shitty time finding his comrades. He swore that when they eventually leave, he would put his efforts into fine-tuning the rune stone to make more calls. Then again, it wasn¡¯t about the runes put into it, but the cost of the material that held him back, leaving him to grumble inwardly. He landed on the nearby ground, mostly surrounded by the stones of the fortress. It was farther away than normal, hoping that perhaps his team was separated farther. Now that the boss appeared, he was trying to get back into the fortress¡¯ range. There were some rubble of crystal shards, done so by the nearby battles that have occurred. The entire biodome was in such a mess, especially now that the boss appeared thanks to Bastion¡¯s interference. Just as he was ready to expand his senses again with stamina, his eyes widened to find that someone was approaching him. An individual racing across the field faster than he ever could. Before he could make sense of it, the figure landed a few feet across from him. His clawed feet dug at the ground, creating a small crater from the impact. It didn¡¯t disturb Zeke as much, getting used to mostly everything disturbing his surroundings. What really disturbed him was the creature that appeared in front of him. A tall wolf, muscular in every form wearing only extremely fine clothed pants. They looked like they were ready to bulge, the muscles turning taut from the effort of landing from the sky itself. It stood upright, becoming even taller than Zeke imagined. His shoulders were broad, his abs cut into his chest like chiseled stone, flashing white fangs that could pierce through steel. His glowing red eyes flashed, tilting his head as his ears flopped up and down at the new person in front of him. ¡°Well, lookey here,¡± The wolf man literally spoke, ignoring the prolonged snout as he spoke with perfect clearance. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect a little fledgling to be around here.¡± Zeke gulped, not answering to the wolfman¡¯s words. He could already guess that the wolf in front of him was in fact Zyler, the true Journeymen and son of the Master-staged Lord. If his Identify wasn¡¯t enough, just the mere presence of him was enough to tell how dangerous he was. Zeke faced him in his entirety, glaring at the man. Why was he here? Wasn¡¯t he supposed to be near the fortress, helping his father defeat the boss? Zyler tilted his head back into position, crouching slightly. ¡°You¡¯re heading over to the boss, huh? Well, I wouldn¡¯t if I were you. It¡¯s becoming a shit show over there.¡± Zeke raised a brow involuntarily. Was the man actually giving him advice? ¡°Then again, that would just make it harder for me to hunt you townies down. Your soldiers were pretty good, so I knew they would have some surprises lying around just in case.¡± Zyler grinned, flashing his fangs at Zeke. ¡°And look at what I found¨Ca hidden weapon¡­ but then, you¡¯re not all that impressive, huh?¡± Zeke stayed quiet. His heart was racing at his words, even when his words felt scathing to hear. The wolfman actually looked disappointed, crossing his furry bulging arms across his massive chest. ¡°Seriously, why the hell are you alone? A Runist, of all people, and you got no weapons or guards. You got no traps here¨Cas far as I can smell it. Hell, you don¡¯t even smell like you got anything of note. Why the fuck are you here all by yourself?¡± Zeke hung his head back in incomprehension. It¡¯s not like I did this on purpose. ¡°You lost or something, little boy?¡± Zyler emasculated, tilting his head again in confusion. ¡°If so, I suggest leaving and going back to your Momma¡¯s¨C¡± Just as Zyler was probably going to make another scathing comment, his snout flinched and flared. His head tilted too quickly for Zeke to perceive, then he spoke, more surprised than confused. ¡°You¡­ you smell like the girl,¡± Zyler said. He grinned. ¡°Oh, what? So you know that Mikella girl or something?¡± That was when everything around Zeke turned still. His eyes widened, and he felt his chest tighten up. He heard about Zyler from the other soldiers, but he hadn¡¯t heard about Zyler meeting up with Mikella. What did he do to her? His thoughts raced, his mind nearly turning blank. ¡°Shit, and here I was hoping she was single,¡± Zyler laughed. ¡°Man, she¡¯s quite a girl, ain¡¯t she? All tough as nails and got that spark in her eyes¨Cliterally! You have no idea how much of a bruiser she was, man.¡± Zyler shook his head, still grinning. He still had his arms crossed before opening them wide. ¡°It made it all the more satisfying when I beat her down and showed her her place. And even then, she was definitely a fighter. But here you are, all by your lonesome. I don¡¯t know why you smell like her, but it¡¯s clear she¡¯s beyond your grade. Poor girl¡¯s already taken by a beta like yourself, hah!¡± Zyler let out an exasperated breath, sounding more disappointed at the news of Mikella being taken. All the while, Zyler didn¡¯t realize that Zeke¡¯s mind stopped working after he mentioned him beating her down. His heart slammed against his chest, and his mana surged beyond anything he ever felt before. Without realizing, his collar began to fizzle with blue sparks, covering it entirely. Zyler didn¡¯t even notice the changes occuring as he kept speaking. ¡°It really is a shame, ah well,¡± Zyler stood upright. He shook off his body to flex it further. ¡°Better to just get it over with. Probably lots more soldiers around here. But hey, don¡¯t get me wrong¨Cyou got guts for going so far to get to her level and¨C¡± When Zyler turned to find the weak Runist in front of him, he paused. Before he could realize it, Zeke was already there, right in front of him. His fist was extended far behind him as he swung with all his might, his veins popping like cables and blue electricity forming around his neck. His fist was glowing with greenish energy as he slammed against Zyler¡¯s abdomen. His punch bent the stomach, flowing deeper into the center of his body as Zyler¡¯s expression distorted into massive shock and pain. It all happened slowly, as if time was fixed to a simple crawl. Soon everything exploded as a burst of air pumped throughout the surroundings, every single debris and clutter around them scattering to the air as Zyler¡¯s body flew across the stony area, slamming against several pillars of stone that were in his path. Several meters away, Zyler landed on the ground into a meaty heap, his body contorted as he breathed heavily. His red eyes flashed in pain as he stood up quickly to find Zeke still extending his fist high. He returned back to his posture, his eyes glowing bright blue-green as he glared at the bastard in front of him. His runes on his arms flashed as he poured his mana into his body, his voice echoing out. ¡°What the hell did you do to Mikky?¡± He growled, his voice becoming primal. Vol2 Ch64: Multiple paths, same result If anyone were to ask him if he expected today to be exciting, Zyler would reject that notion with every fiber of his being. It took a long time for Zyler to get anywhere nearly as exciting as the time he spent fighting during his Expert years. But ever since reaching Journeymen, and finding himself blocked in his stats, he had to hold back his urges. If he fought anymore before finding any attribute fruits, he would be wasting potential strength and reach extreme pain that not even someone of his magnitude can handle. Even he wasn¡¯t brutish enough to let that happen. It only increased his ire, however, making him more antsy. But today became the day where he no longer cared about potential losses and possible pain. True, facing a powerful boss in a biodome was something, but he expected the army to take some of the brunt, with his father taking the most of the experience. He was mostly sent here as a backup for any townies he expected to find and kill. He did so, only to find himself stopped at every turn due to strange circumstances. He found himself blinded by the explosion of the tower, and suddenly found the soldiers he was facing gone. They all must have evacuated by that point, Zyler¡¯s senses being drowned out for being too in keen with his wolf form. Then he found a really interesting group of soldiers that were far beyond the meager peons he faced. Particularly that lightning girl capable of unleashing powerful attacks and wielding many types of weapons. Now that was exciting. But once again, he found himself in another unexpected situation. This tiny mage was also one of the townies. Even more so, his scent reminded him of the lightning girl. He had a keen nose, so he could tell that he spent the majority of his time with the girl. He didn¡¯t know whether they were family or bumping each other like mad, but Zyler just wanted to make fun of his prey¨Cit was his habit, and some would say it was his folly. But damn did the mage have a nasty punch. Even now, his clawed hands reached over to his abdomen. HIs Endurance hit the limit, and he felt his Strength overcoming that by a mile if he hadn¡¯t redirected the blow before he was launched away. His Vitality could take that hit, but it had been a very, very long time that an Expert managed to hit him that hard. He looked up, his red eyes flashing at the mage who approached him with eyes fueled with murderous rage. Turquoise light filled his irises, and the strange collar on his neck began to spark madly. He wasn¡¯t so keen on accessories meant for mages, but Zyler was sure that collar wasn''t supposed to act that way. He could also perceive some form of aura surrounding him. He faced both mages and warriors alike, each controlling mana and stamina with their respective skills. This mage, however, was the first to make his mana feel as dense as stamina. This was the first time he ever faced a mage with so much magical energy that could hit as hard as a true brawler. The tiny mage¨Cno, the Runist walked over, his nostrils flaring as he glared at him. ¡°What did you do to Mikky?¡± He demanded, his voice sounding deeper than his looks would suggest. ¡°If you did anything to her, I swear I¡¯ll¡­¡± He gritted his teeth, but as though he realized something, he shook his head. He looked like he was trying to calm himself down, the electricity coiling around his collar dampening before they disappeared. Zyler let out a laugh, a deep bellowing one from his damaged abdomen. He rose to his feet, grinning wildly. At this point, he could care less about the monster rampaging and destroying his allies. ¡°I just told you, didn¡¯t I? I showed her her place,¡± Zyler said, pouring as much vitriol into his voice as possible. He knew this type of man. He faced a few in his life. The types that would prefer not to fight at all. But anyone with any sense of humanity always wanted to fight, deep inside. All Zyler needed to do was push and prod at that instinct, and nothing works better than mentioning something awful about their loved ones. He found it bothersome to even try that method for real, but that didn¡¯t mean the other party wouldn¡¯t believe it. Zyler had the look of someone that would do it, after all. ¡°It was incredible,¡± Zyler chuckled, showing more of his carnal desires as it practically dripped over his tone.¡±So much better than any woman I conquered. It made it all the more satisfying to watch her squirm from my might.¡± The mage in front of him was young, he could tell. He couldn¡¯t be any older than his early twenties. For a man his age with that power was unprecedented, but otherwise not a true threat for his life. For young men like him, there was nothing that would piss them off more than someone having a hand on their women. He deliberately made it seem suggestive, as though Zyler did something completely incomprehensible to the girl. In fairness, Zyler honestly felt he would be in incredible danger if he was brazen enough to try such a thing to that lightning girl. It was better to just kill her and have fun somewhere else. But he didn¡¯t divulge that to the man in front of him. As expected, his eyes flared in anger, and that strange spark coiled around his collar again. His fists gripped tight, flashing his gritted teeth at him. Zyler let himself breathe, his muscles tensing at the battle to come. The young man roared at him and ran forward, becoming faster than Zyler could ever expect. But his years of tempering his instincts took over and he faced the mage man to man. He swung his fist back at the mage, doing the same. He roared in delight at the battle to come. ¡­.. Clara looked around her vicinity, her chest tightening so hard she felt like she could fall over. She knew she was safe, but she couldn''t help but shake at the trembling going around. The roars filled her ears. She closed her eyes, hoping that it would go away, but they always returned. She pressed her lips tight, her ears hurting from the noise all around her. But she held on. If she can¡¯t even handle this level of attack, it was no wonder why Bobo and Sissy kept leaving her behind. Everyone around her kept moving frantically, shouting loudly while taking down some of the monsters that went their way. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. Thanks to Bobo, they were excited to fight something, each one almost trying to beat the others while showing off their skills. Meanwhile, she stayed behind with a girl named Nina who had a cute bird on her shoulder. Nina even offered her advice on how to take care of Brucey. Brucey was still at her back, actually still sleeping. Even now she was shocked at how easily he hid behind her back, reminding her of herself whenever she hid behind Bobo. Was she this relaxed? Never, she was scared all the time. Brucey must be incredibly brave, or just really stupid. Bobo did say it was just born, so maybe it didn¡¯t know any better. A loud explosion happened, causing her to yell out. Nina immediately knelt to her side, smiling gently at her. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Clara. I¡¯ll make sure you stay safe,¡± She said, her voice calm and soothing. Clara looked up at her, nodding at her words. She knew she was telling the truth because she felt the same as Bobo and Sissy¨Cstrong but kind. But then she turned to the other person approaching their group, her eyes looking angry and ready to shout. ¡°Basil! Stop making things explode, you idiot! You¡¯re scaring Clara!¡± ¡°Ahh, I didn¡¯t mean to¡­¡± Basil, the short and almost bald looking person with the name of a plant, looked embarrassed as he looked over at Clara. ¡°Sorry, Clara.¡± Clara nodded her head, then hid behind Nina. She knew that Basil was a nice person, but he still looked scary to her. At the least, Brucey didn¡¯t react and paralyzed him, so he must be a good person. Nina shook her head, then turned to Clara. There was a glint in her eyes when she saw Brucey. ¡°Hey, can you tell me more about Brucey? Like, where did he come from?¡± ¡°Umm¡­¡± Clara paused, not really knowing herself. She never actually asked Bobo where he came from. When Zoan, her friend, left her, Brucey was suddenly on her hand looking like pink poop. She stayed quiet for a while, her lips pressed tighter. That got Nina to speak. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m just curious. I had never seen that monster before. You see, I come from a family that takes care of monsters like yours.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Clara asked in surprise. When she looked at the bird on her shoulder, tilting its head quickly at her, she tilted her own head. ¡°But it looks like a bird.¡± Nina chuckled softly. ¡°Piggy is a bird, yes, but it¡¯s an avian monster that can use wind magic. My family also takes care of other sorts of monsters, bigger than you can imagine, and monsters that are as small as your fingernails.¡± Clara¡¯s eyes widened in fascination. Nina smiled as she looked like she caught her interest. ¡°But I never heard about Brucey before. It looks like a bat, but Zeke said that it can also paralyze creatures. You see, tamers like us can¡¯t tame paralyzers so easily.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Clara asked. Brucey just seems so friendly to her, she figured anyone can be friends with him. ¡°Really. They¡¯re very dangerous, and if you¡¯re not careful, you could be paralyzed for life,¡± Nina said, but then her face turned thoughtfully as she continued to stare at Brucey. ¡°That¡¯s why I can¡¯t help but be curious about him. But I promise to teach you everything I know, so listen carefully, okay?¡± Clara nodded profusely. For a long time now, Clara wanted to do something for Bobo and Sissy. Bobo said that Brucey is extremely important, so she has to take care of Brucey as her owner. She didn¡¯t know why Bobo let Clara keep Brucey as a pet, not really, but she wanted to do everything she can to be useful. She listened intently, especially on when to feed it, what to feed, and how to take a bath. She didn¡¯t want Brucey to smell like Bobo whenever he goes out on an adventure, that¡¯s for sure. ¡­.. Hearing Nina give Basil what¡¯s coming for him felt satisfying to watch, but nothing came closer than the feeling of power surging through him. It wasn¡¯t just the improved 30 points across the board that was giving him so much energy. It was the idea that he wouldn¡¯t be blocked the further they got. The real issue for any person under the system is having to deal with a potential block at some point in their future. If they were lucky enough to find an attribute fruit, they can keep going without a single worry. But the fruits were incredibly rare, and even more expensive. So Jackie never once thought he could go as far as he could. For Myra, she kept going even if she might hit a stat block at some point, which is why he respected her drive. He hated to say it, but the idea of hitting a stat block put a sort of damper on his motivation on top of everything else. But now that was gone, he felt like he hadn¡¯t done enough. His arms were aching for experience, for more skill levels, to gain more titles. He literally hoped that a Journeyman-rank monster would show up so that he could take it down himself. Having to deal with groups with his party just wasn¡¯t enough¨Cand he wasn¡¯t alone. Everyone around them was surging with power, especially those that had already gone as far as they could. For Moars, their leader and the oldest, he was absolutely ecstatic. He had reached a stat block for Vitality a while ago, a very essential attribute, and he worried constantly about missing out on it apparently. That was a first for Jackie to hear, which might explain why he always tried to be so chill. Now, he was roaring and smiling like a maniac, filled with as much determination as Jackie. At this point, would the boss even be able to handle this much power? He shook his head. Even in his agitated state, he knew that such a thing was impossible. The boss was literally two tiers above everyone else. Even with their enhanced power, they had no way of even making a dent on it. Still, they were approaching closer and closer to the boss, hoping to find their leaders soon. The fortress was in reach, and everyone planned on leaving a group out to protect Clara. While none of them were sure why the little girl was here with them, Zeke made it clear that she needed to be protected. And by gods, they will protect her. Jackie had a hard time believing the stuff Zeke said, particularly about the monster that turned into a familiar for a kid not even initialized by the system yet. But even if he were to say that the sky was just a dragon¡¯s mouth his entire life, he would believe him. He believed that nobody would dare make Zeke upset after the power boost he gave them all without a care in the world, only asking to take care of his little sister. That, and Jackie feared what might happen if Mikella, even stronger than all of them combined, found out that Clara got hurt. He actually shivered even as it was just a passing thought of that happening. ¡°I see them!¡± One of their scouts shouted, pointing over in a direction. ¡°The lords! They¡¯re fighting against the soldiers!¡± ¡°Alright comrades, to arms!¡± Moars shouted, raising his axe high into the air. The others in the retinue followed suit, their armors clanking and their weapons hungry. ¡°Our main goal is survival¨Cso nobody here goes beyond their station. The more we screw their formations, the better our chances! Let the lords handle the big baddies. We¡¯ll prove what happens when they try to mess with the kingdom!¡± Everyone roared in agreement, raising their weapons as their morale couldn¡¯t be any higher than before. With the fruits in their bellies and their stats raised, hell could come for them and they would still charge forward. ¡°Advance!¡± Moars shouted, eventually getting everyone to run forward. A select group, consisting of Nina, Rajin the nature healer, and several others stayed behind with Clara to protect her while keeping any monsters that might show up to screw with them. Jackie left them be as he himself had his own goal. He wanted to reunite with Myra and the others, and make sure she was alright. No matter how strong she gets, Jackie still wanted to support her whenever he could. With his new power at his disposal, he won¡¯t just be a burden anymore. Vol2 Ch65: What needs to be done, no matter how you feel ¡°I found them!¡± Mikella shouted with glee to find somebody they knew at least. After overcoming several monsters and soldiers warring for dominance, she was thankful to find the lords currently fighting against the monsters beset on them by the Weaver. Strangely enough, they weren¡¯t lizards or anything similar to the boss, but instead golems made of different colored crystals signifying the elements. She met some of them before but put them as just the mobs for the fortress. Now she was picturing some kind of specialized institution where the golems were just the guards while the Weaver was actually some sort of secret project. She ignored that as she called over her comrades, Myra and Piker running towards to find the Lords currently at their odd¡¯s end. ¡°They look pretty haggard,¡± Myra said, noticing some of the wounds that look like burn marks on their skin. ¡°Let¡¯s help them!¡± Mikella didn¡¯t know the situation either, considering that they must have received their rewards just as they did, but that didn¡¯t matter. With a hop, Mikella surged with electricity as she landed right on top of a golem trying to hit the lords with wind blades. The landing crashed and broke the golem with all the force of her Dragon Descent, her sword piercing right through it and breaking it entirely. She noticed Myra shooting at a golem with several fire balls, something that she learned to do once she managed to get Fire Mastery, just like how Philip has one, and how Mikella gained Lightning Mastery. Each one glowed bright which took the earth-attuned golem down. Piker then swooped in, showing off his newly attained Ice Mastery. His blade was covered in intense frost as it took out the golem that tried to gush out torrent of blasting water, but once it turned to ice, he waded through them like it was just a snow drift. Their arrival surprised the lords, but Val smiled widely as she ran up to them. ¡°Oh, thank gods you¡¯re all safe!¡± She ran up and unhesitatingly hugged all three of them when they approached. Out of everyone, Piker looked the most uncomfortable, staggering away enough for Val to let them go. His face flushed slightly, but he managed to keep his calm after clearing his throat. She recalled that Piker didn¡¯t want to approach anyone so closely, regardless of gender. But there was also something about Val that made it difficult to refuse her good will. Mikella looked over at Val, seeing her torned up armor in places that felt as though she was in a life or death battle. ¡°What happened to you after we separated?¡± Cloud asked, turning up to them. Zacharia also came over, turning to Piker for his own report as a General would. ¡°We were far away and faced some Bastion soldiers ourselves. We even found a guy that was supposedly the son of the Lord in charge of Bastion,¡± Mikella shook her head. The thought of Zyler still made her seethe in anger. ¡°Thankfully we managed to get away when the boss arrived and the guy just vanished to fight it.¡± ¡°The son, huh?¡± Cloud grimaced. ¡°We had the bad luck to meet the Lord ourselves.¡± ¡°Is that why you look like such a mess?¡± Mikella pointed out, looking over at Cloud in surprise. He normally looked well-off, but now his robes were burnt off and ripped in places. It looked nice too, possibly better geared, so to see Cloud look rattled like this was concerning. ¡°The Lord was Master-tier, someone that shouldn¡¯t be messed with,¡± Val said, but her words didn¡¯t carry the anger her eyes were displaying. ¡°And just like you, he also disappeared when the boss appeared. But I don¡¯t think we¡¯re capable of fighting it as we are now. Have you seen it?¡± ¡°How can we not?¡± Mikella pointed out, turning to the giant dinosaur currently making a mess of things. Despite how close it was, they were still pretty far away. It was enough to meet and plan like this without issue, as long as they weren¡¯t spotted by the enemy soldiers and monsters from the fortress. ¡°Anyways, have you seen Zeke and Clara yet?¡± Mikella asked what was probably the most important question in her mind. But after seeing that none of the two were with them, she frowned. ¡°No, we hoped that they found you all first,¡± Val said, now frowning herself. ¡°If not, then¡­¡± ¡°They¡¯re still out there,¡± Mikella said, her frown deepening. ¡°I¡¯m going to find them!¡± ¡°Wait,¡± Cloud called out, and eventually MIkella stopped herself before turning around. Cloud tried to speak calmly, noticing her clear agitation. ¡°I know you¡¯re worried, but consider that we all ended up as groups. Did you manage to talk to him via the rune stone?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Mikella grumbled. ¡°Zeke said that he and Clara were together.¡± ¡°Then there¡¯s nothing to worry about,¡± Val stated. ¡°I know you want to see them as soon as possible, but trust in Zeke to take care of Clara. Plus, I¡¯m certain that angel of hers wouldn¡¯t let Clara be in danger if she was the one that brought her here, right?¡± Mikella had to agree, albeit reluctantly, that the two were correct. Hell, even Myra and Piker mentioned the same thing. Even without the angel, as long as Zeke was around, Clara wouldn¡¯t be in danger. ¡°Right now, we need all hands on deck to face this boss before it gets defeated by the Bastion soldiers,¡± Cloud continued. ¡°Zacharia and I also noticed that his squad is coming over, already taking advantage of the mayhem by taking out their surplus forces. We need to head over to face the army and beat them, especially now that their leader is here.¡± ¡°Mikky, he¡¯s right,¡± Myra said, holding onto MIkella''s shoulder as she talked. ¡°Hey, if anything, Zeke and Clara could be there with the squad, helping them out. Right now, we need to take over this biodome before anything else.¡± Mikella grimaced, frowning deeply at the thought. She knew how important this was for the town of Eve Glade, having a biodome filled with many resources and monsters to gain experience from. The way Bastion was doing was pissing her off too, and if things went their way, it would make living in Eve Glade harder for the rest of them. But Zeke and Clara were constantly in her mind, warring for priority. But she forced herself to concede to their logic. Zeke is tough, and Clara should be protected by Zoan if nothing else. She disliked that angel for several reasons, but she can¡¯t help but admit that Zoan is perfect for guarding her little sister. ¡°...Yeah, yeah, I know,¡± Mikella nodded. ¡°Alright, where to then? Face the boss, or fight the soldiers?¡± ¡°The soldiers,¡± Val said, going along with Mikella¡¯s quick change of topic. ¡°The less enemies countering the boss, the better. The more we take out, the less enemies we face and the weaker the boss would turn out the more they fight. If we take them all out, we can face the boss when it was hurt by their attacks and take the credit for the quest.¡± ¡°It won¡¯t be easy,¡± Cloud said, noticing that Zacharia and Piker finished their report and were now paying attention. ¡°They¡¯re gonna do the same for us. But if we got our information right, they¡¯re desperate. We¡¯ll use that to our advantage.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s take out the soldiers from the interior of the fortress,¡± Zacharia finally said. ¡°The ones outside are just scrubs to keep the monsters out. They¡¯re not worth our time.¡± Everyone nodded to his assessment as they planned out the best course of action. Meanwhile, Mikella kept trying, but failing, to keep her family out of her thoughts. ¡­.. If he was honest, he might have bit off more than he could chew with this one. But his anger, worries, and concerns all fused into a united sense of wrath that could no longer be held back. He had to hold back his anger for quite a while now. Figuring out the fate of the otherworlders that died in the tower, their purpose regardless of their choice¨Cit all just surged out of his body like a living thing, wanting some form of justice. And the guy in front of him fit the bill. He may be some jackass with too much time to spare, but he was still an enemy of Eve Glade. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. The two faced each other in a closed environment as Zeke rushed on. He swung his fist into a jab only to be blocked by Zyler¡¯s meaty hand. In retaliation, he punched back, but Zeke dodged with his increased Dexterity rune. His mastery skill was helping, but as he fought, Zyler continued to prove his worth as a Journeymen, a true one. He didn¡¯t relent even after missing so many strikes. Instead, he kept pouring more and more hits like rain. Each one felt powerful, and Zeke assumed that just one could beat him senseless, so he dodged whenever he could. But there was a big issue¨Chis stamina. It was being drained at a fast rate, his Kinetic Perception and Endurance not high enough to regain the stamina he lost. He jumped away in time before Zyler could suddenly open his jaw to bite at his head. They closed tightly at empty air, but he grinned as he found Zeke jumping away. ¡°Scared already? Are my teeth so big you can¡¯t help but run away?¡± Zyler laughed maniacally, wanting nothing to do with Zeke¡¯s retreat as he jumped ahead. With a flourish of his fingers, Zeke conjured a small barrier, his pens floating and drawing several runes like a fast-paced printer. Once he finished, a fireball that was the size of his entire body floated in mid-air. He launched the fireball right at the beast, his red eyes widening in surprise. He should¡¯ve done this at the start. His Intelligence was higher than his Strength, and he had the skills capable of launching spells easier. He just wanted to punch the ever-living crap out of the man before anything else. But now wasn¡¯t the time to stroke his ego. Still, he found himself surprised at the power of the fireball for himself. He forgot that thanks to his attribute increases, his magic power has also increased quite a bit. Seeing this for himself, he might have to consider changing things up a bit after this development. Zyler, however, managed to dodge with ease, the fireball whipping past him and landing straight at a nearby stone structure. It exploded in a heap of flames, the stone debris flying all over, becoming charred pieces of black and soot. Zyler landed on the side, whistling at the power. ¡°Damn, kid. Are you a mage or a fighter? That one felt like it would hurt.¡± ¡°You wanna see it for yourself?¡± Zeke couldn¡¯t help but grin, drawing another rune spell on another barrier. ¡°Hah!¡± Zyler guffawed, showing his fanged grin again. Zeke summoned three more fireballs, each one smaller than the first and about the size of his torso in diameter. He made some minor changes, and now he felt that he could control each fireball. He launched them at Zyler, aiming straight for him. Unlike before, Zyler actually just crashed through each one, even if one of them hit him in the side and caused the fur to burn away at the tips. But for him, it was as though he was hit with a hot water balloon as he just aimed his claws at Zeke. He dodged in time, but found his leg caught by Zyler¡¯s grip. He panicked before Zyler grabbed his entire leg, lifting his entire body like a doll and threw him at a nearby wall. He crashed, pain ensuing across his person as he didn¡¯t put up a barrier in time. He just wasn¡¯t used to fighting in close-combat and using spells at the same time. It was too much of a mental shift at his current state. Thankfully, the pain was only minimal. Still, his body ached at the sudden throw, his mind turning dizzy, which was exactly what Zyler wanted. Before he could even do anything, Zyler landed right on top of his leg. It crashed into his knee, busting it entirely as Zeke felt his bones snap and crack, incredible pain hitting him all at once. He screamed, unable to handle the sheer force so suddenly and quickly. Tears brimmed at his eyes, but he shoved all of his panic and fear down into his stomach as pens drew runes on a barrier behind his back, away from Zyler¡¯s vision. Zyler closed in, ready to open his jaws and take a further bite out of him. He was aiming for his jugular, and no amount of Vitality would help him survive this. He finished the runes before that could happen as a surge of wind exploded from behind him, not only taking him but Zyler along with him. The two were blasted apart, surprising Zyler enough not to recover in time. The two landed on the ground, distanced by a few feet between them. Zeke, despite the pain coursing through him, felt relieved as he tried to get up but failed spectacularly. He looked down at his botched leg and grimaced at the sight. It was gruesome, the bone sticking out behind his knee, his leg twisted in a way it really shouldn¡¯t. It looked almost cartoonish even, but seeing it in real life was horrifying. ¡°Gotta say,¡± He heard Zyler speak up, forcing himself to look at his enemy. He stood, both legs standing with no issue despite having air knocked into him like a cannon. ¡°You¡¯re more durable than any mage I killed. I don¡¯t know where you came from, but you clearly got balls on ya. But having balls ain¡¯t enough. You gotta have power, and lots of it.¡± He flashed his canines, and for once, Zeke saw a semblance of wisdom behind his red eyes. ¡°Because this world would do way worse to you than what I did to that leg of yours.¡± Zeke wasn¡¯t quite sure what Zyler was on about. They¡¯ve only been at it for about two minutes, yet he felt Zyler change in a way that made him different than what he presumed to be. He didn¡¯t like it. If he could, he would love to just talk things out, give him his perspective as to why they needed this biodome. But he knew deep inside that it didn¡¯t matter. It¡¯s all about control and greed for them, and for Eve Glade¨Cin a way, it was the same. He refused to give in, even if pain ensued further and further through his entire body. He refused to stand down and let others walk all over him. He already had literal angels doing that, and he refused to have someone else do the same. He stamped down his need to lay down and rest, to heal the pain and just run. He stood on his good leg, giving himself some room to maneuver his messed up one. ¡°Don¡¯t bother,¡± Zyler grinned. ¡°It¡¯s all over for you. Ain¡¯t no way that leg is gonna recover fast enough for you to¨C¡± Zyler suddenly stopped as Zeke went ahead to cast his spell. Looking at his leg, his eyes picked out the strangled channels, putting aside the muscle and tendons that were beyond recovery by normal means. Thankfully, he had something that could recover him outside normal means. He cast Recovery, and poured all of his enhanced magical energy through his leg. His mana flowed through the channels like liquid flame, coursing through his muscles, tendons, ligaments, and even the marrow of his bones as the energy collided and fused. With his order, he forced whatever remained outside of his channels to fall to his will. Pain ensued in a way that was even worse than before. If the pain from earlier was like hitting against a wall, this one felt like getting grinded against the wall, only that the wall had ridges and small spikes that made it extra painful, just because. But he kept going, ignoring the cries of his body as his leg was getting twisted around, shaping like clay to his wishes. His knee popped back into place, his bones forced themselves down into his skin, and the rest of his leg returned back into its original shape. It was like the time he fixed up the forge so long ago, and even then he continued to try to fix any other equipment he could find. Unfortunately it was harder than he expected. The forge itself was created with lots of runes and enchantments that made it easier for his Recovery to work on. But any other equipment that was just standard had nothing to use his Recovery on. If they were enchanted or had runes drawn on them, that might work, but only at a limited range. Zyler kept silent as he watched, his words left trailing into the air as Zeke received a few notifications for the action.
Pain Resistance Level Up! It is now Level 3. You have gained +4 VIT from your skill. You have gained +2 END from your skill.
¡­..
Steadfast Mind Level Up! It is now Level 10 (Maxed). You have gained +2 SPI from your skill. You have gained +2 END from your skill. Steadfast Mind has been maxed. Bonuses are now applied: -Increased mental defenses -Increased mental focus -Advancement available
¡­..
Skill Advancement has commenced. Your skill Steadfast Mind (Uncommon) has advanced into Steadfast Mind (rare). You gain points based on the advanced rarity: +9 SPI Your skill Steadfast Mind has been reset to Level 1. You will still retain the stat bonuses you have acquired before the advancement.
¡­..
Recovery Level Up! It is now Level 10 (Maxed). You have gained +2 INT from your skill. You have gained +2 SPI from your skill. Recovery has been maxed. Bonuses are now applied: -Increased healing -Increase sensing -Decreased mana consumption -Evolution Available -Advancement available
Zeke breathed, the notifications not only filling him with power, but affirmation that his actions were right. That he wasn¡¯t trying to win a losing battle. The pain just vanished. It was still there, his resistance skills only making it a ghostly pain that can be easily brushed aside. He stood on his legs, looking up at his enemy who remained watching. He stomped his former botched leg down hard, and his buffs flared as the ground cracked underneath as a show of force. He glared back at Zyler, ready to go at it again. Zyler just stared blankly for a second, then shortled. Then he finally busted out laughing, as though his mind finally broke. ¡°That is so fucking metal!¡± He flashed another canine grin. Zeke really needed to find out where all these people from a different world kept finding these terms from his old world. Vol2 Ch66: First time flying? It was utter chaos within the inner realm of the biodome, or at least Mikella believed it was the inner realm as the fortress contained the boss of the entire thing. Skills, magic spells, all forms of destruction were swirling everywhere around her. It suddenly made sense as to how the Weaver has its name. It weaves chaos in its wake, all of its attacks the embodiment of nature¡¯s wrath. Even worse, it moved quickly. Its taloned feet suddenly became engulfed in twisters as it jumped from place to place. Seeing its massive size, it was considered an attack as each landing caused a ripple effect across the ground, earthquakes occurring all of a sudden and destroying their footing wherever it landed. No matter where it went, or what it did¨Cdeath followed. And out of pure skill or blind luck, none of the Eve Glade were any of the casualties. She did start to feel some pity for the Bastion soldiers, though. It was starting to get to the point where the soldiers were treated as ants under a psycho kid¡¯s wrath, destroying their colonies without caring a whiff of their efforts. Each attack they¡¯ve done is equivalent to a fly buzzing around its skin, and were swatted down like one a moment after. Right now, the situation was swaying more towards the boss¡¯ favor than everyone else¡¯s. Mikella was with the lords and her team, facing the onslaught of the monsters within the biodome. Their plan was to get the boss to do their work for them¨Ctaking care of the bastion soldiers while trying to ease the monster population. This way, when their numbers were low and the boss is slightly weakened, they can attack without having a third party interrupting them. At the same time, they were gaining experience by the droves, and even Mikella finally leveled up after a long time of killing monsters.
Level up! You are now Level 51. You gain 2 free points (4 FP total). You have gained +3 STR from your class. You have gained +3 DEX from your class. You have gained +3 END from your class.
It was good news for her, considering that she¡¯s been stuck at level 50 since the tower. Her experience gain was reduced to a mere trickle despite how many Journeymen-ranked monsters she was killing. Even with the XP sharing between Zeke and the rest of her party, it was starting to hammer in just how difficult it was to level up to Journeymen. But she kept moving forward, having no other choice but to keep trying. She knew that she had to max more skills to meet the harsh requirement for Journeyman, so she opted to use her low-level skills as best she could. She even tried to raise her Meditation throughout the battle, but only found out that thanks to her Class Skill Clashing Energies, her regeneration has shot through the roof, so using Meditation didn¡¯t level it as much as it should have thanks to her Class Skill taking the brunt of the recovery. Maybe she needed to push herself farther, but now just wasn¡¯t the time. As the numbers dwindled, the more chaotic the fortress became. The Weaver didn¡¯t even look bothered, much less weakened. Though monsters just kept showing up around them, waiting to defend their boss at any cost. The biodome was so valuable for one of its features¨Cthe monsters aren¡¯t just born naturally, they were created literally on the spot, making them perfect to farm for XP. So when she saw a golem suddenly appear from the ground, practically being born from the ground itself, she decided to stop questioning how fantasy worlds worked anymore. There was probably some sort of strange energy source giving the biodome the resources it needed to create the monsters in question, but she wasn¡¯t Zeke. All she saw in her eyes was more XP to be had. It wasn''t just one golem either. There were several, about a dozen or so surrounding them alone. Thanks to the boss¡¯ appearance, the monster rates increased ever higher, and they feared it¡¯s just going to rise the longer the boss lived. It was becoming great to farm, but they only had so many resources to pull on before things got dire. She swung her sword to the side, letting electricity course through her. The sparks fueled her body as it began to surge her cells to ripple faster, allowing her legs enough oomph to jump ahead at great speeds. She landed right next to the just born golem and slashed with all her might. She activated her rarely used Sword Art, Lightning Strike, on it. Lightning licked across the tangible blade, becoming sharper, deadlier. The poor golem didn¡¯t even have a chance to live a single second before the enlarged sword of lightning pierced right through its center mass. Sparks flew out of the golem, a buzzing sound of shocks writhing through the air around her. She realized that while her Class Skills were powerful, they demanded a lot of resources. Weapon Arts, on the other hand, were not only powerful to attack, but were great on managing one¡¯s resources. Still, the extra feature of dealing piercing damage could not be competed against, but these golems were so weak to her strikes that she didn¡¯t even bother using Heavenly Strike. Right when Mikella pulled her sword out of it, the golem limped over and fell, no longer alive. The notification for its death showed in her vision, and was wiped away just as much as all the others she had. How many had she killed so far? Dozens? Hundreds? She was no longer ecstatic about seeing their kill notifications as much as wanting to drive down their rising numbers. Still, that didn¡¯t stop her from going apeshit on all the other golems in her way, not really going in any direction in her path. For now, as she fought and killed many golems in her path, her mind delved back to Clara and Zeke. Even now, she felt blind and unable to feel at ease. Even with all her comrades surrounding her, she won¡¯t feel at ease unless she had some type of news. Zeke was fine, at least that¡¯s what she kept telling herself. But Clara is something else entirely. Just as she was going into another fit of trying to not think of anything negative, her eyes spotted someone she recognized. It was one of the soldiers from the retinue, and even more so, it was someone she knew from her town¡¯s side. It was Jackie, and currently he was with Cacia the healer and Basil, the explosion guy that kept asking for fights. She didn¡¯t know why those two were with Jackie in particular, but she couldn¡¯t be any more glad. As she was currently in the air after dealing with a golem, she decided to drop in to meet them. So she did. She pulled on one of the ledges of the broken stone roof of the fortress, probably one of its inner rooms, using her attunement. Her lightning pulled, using her center gravity to be pulled along and headed straight down near Jackie¡¯s team. When she got close, she reinforced her legs with kinetic energy and landed precisely on the soles of her feet, causing the ground to quake and shatter from her landing. That did slightly scare the soldiers a bit, so she didn¡¯t blame them for taking up arms to fight. When they realized who she was, they lowered their weapons. ¡°Mikella!¡± Jackie shouted, instantly getting the other two to relax. She did notice how they were staring at her, nearly gaping at the sight of her. Sure, she looked worse for wear¨Cher leather armor was practically just ripped leather pieces at this point, but she knew that what really mattered was her presence. ¡°Jackie!¡± She shouted. A genuine smile plastered on her face. ¡°Glad to see you. Did you see Myra yet?¡± ¡°No, not yet,¡± Jackie shook his head. ¡°Is she okay? I heard from Zeke that she¡¯s gotten stronger, but I haven¡¯t¨C¡± ¡°You met with Zeke?!¡± Before Jackie could finish even speaking a sentence further, Mikella pounced at him and held his shoulders with her hands. That instantly froze Jackie, especially when Mikella was having a tough time controlling her strength as she pulled on him. ¡°Zeke should have Clara with her. Are they okay? How is Clara? Tell me!¡± ¡°I¡­I¡­ uhh¡­¡± Mikella kept shaking the poor man, and before she could realize what was happening, Cacia thankfully stepped in. ¡°Calm down, Mikella!¡± She screamed, making Mikella realize what she was doing and winced. She let go, raising her hands to apologize, but Jackie waved it off as Cacia continued. ¡°We met up with the two of them while we were getting here. Zeke handed Clara off to us so that he could come here, and we already have people looking out for her outside of the warzone. We had to make sure there were no other strange things going on, but she¡¯s well-protected.¡± The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. For once, Mikella felt all of her tension drain from her body. Her face relaxed in a way that even made the other three relax somehow. Knowing that Clara is already put aside to safety was enough to bring Mikella back into her stride. ¡°Thank god¡­¡± Mikella wheezed, holding her hand up to her chest and looking at Jackie with a smile. ¡°Thanks, you guys. You seriously have no idea how worried I was.¡± ¡°We know,¡± Basil spoke up, looking over at the distraught and shaken Jackie with pity in his eyes. Mikella winced again at that. ¡°Sorry, Jackie¡­¡± ¡°Hey, it¡¯s fine,¡± Jackie shook his head. He smiled, despite the rough treatment. ¡°Besides, it¡¯s thanks to Zeke that we managed to get here. He gave us those awesome enhanced attribute fruits, giving us a real power boost!¡± Mikella¡¯s eyes rose up. ¡°Seriously? Then again¡­¡± After giving another careful look at the three, she could tell that something did indeed feel different about them compared to before. It was hard to tell, but even as Experts, their auras felt solid, denser than before. If she had to guess, they were just about equal to the Journeymen hacks, which was saying a lot about their current progress. ¡°Yeah, I can see it,¡± Mikella nodded in approval. ¡°And Jackie¡­ Did you max out a skill? You felt like you did.¡± Jackie hung his head back in surprise as well as the other two. They looked back at him, their eyes widening as though they never knew that at all. ¡°Wow! How did you know?¡± Jackie said, almost befuddled but smiling. ¡°I kinda forgot about that, to be totally honest. That Zyler guy really made a number on us.¡± ¡°Zyler?!¡± After that, despite the current situation, the four talked about what had happened during their tower run, what happened after the tower disappeared, and what happened after they met with Zeke and got Clara with them. While Mikella understood now just how terrifying Zyler was, something didn¡¯t add up. When they got to a certain point in the topic, Mikella asked a question that she was dreading. ¡°You said that Zeke was already going to our side after you saw him, right? But I haven''t seen him yet. Did you?¡± ¡°Actually¡­¡± Jackie¡¯s brows furrowed, along with the other two as they realized it. ¡°No, I haven¡¯t seen him at all since we met him. I figured he was already with you all, considering how fast he was when he ran.¡± Mikella thought so too. Hearing how he came in, Zeke could easily come by with his barrier-skates (which was already damn incredible to believe). So shouldn¡¯t he have come by right about now? It¡¯s been a while since the fighting started. Dread started to fill her again, even though she just realized that Clara was safe. It wasn¡¯t like Zeke to just be off on his own when Mikella herself was fighting for her life. Unless¡­ ¡°Hey¡­ where is Zyler, by the way? Shouldn¡¯t he be here, too?¡± Just when Mikella asked the question and the other soldiers were about to respond, she noticed that more of the monsters were being born, and unfortunately¨Cthey were just around them. She growled as the others prepared for a fight, and she summoned her sword out of her storage pack. For now, she has work to do. ¡­.. The rampaging sounds of battle rang through the sky, leaving Clara to close her eyes and hope that it was nowhere near them. Then she felt bad, and hoped that it wasn¡¯t near Bobo and Sissy, wherever they were. The people around her were nice, but they were also scary too, if she was honest. Nina, the nice girl with the fat bird, was the only one she could be around without fear, talking gently to her about taking care of Brucey. Brucey, being the lazy bat he was, slept all the while behind her back. She was surprised at how he kept clinging onto her dress, but she remembered watching on TV about how koalas do the same sleeping on trees while climbing on them. So was Brucey a bat and a koala? He did feel more furry than what she expected a bat would feel like¨Cbut then again, she never held a bat before so she didn¡¯t know otherwise. While the things Nina talked about were a lot of information, she nodded her head appreciatively. She was learning a lot about runecrafting from Bobo, so she had an easier time remembering, but even still, it was a bit much. She could always rely on Bobo for helping her, but she refuted that thought a second later. She hated having the two do everything for her. She can understand, just a tiny bit, why it was dangerous for her to be with them. But she didn¡¯t want to always annoy them with things she can do herself. She can at least take care of a pet. She always begged her Mom to have a pet, but she said that she didn¡¯t want to take care of one even if Clara said she would herself. So in a way, this was a chance to prove to Bobo and Sissy that she can take care of others too. Compared to another person, taking care of a bat should be easy, right? The other people in their group were constantly on the lookout. Sometimes, monsters showed up that would attack them, most of them looking like animals with colored fur and bright eyes. Clara expected a wall of light to show up as usual, but remembered that Bobo was not here, so fear instantly took hold in her heart. However, she was proven wrong as the other soldiers of their group took them out, fairly easily too. They looked strong, and each time they shouted in joy and even asked for stronger monsters. The person that looked like an elf complained that he prefers not to find stronger monsters, getting Clara to nod approvingly. It was like this for a while, and she worried as to how long they would do this. Would it take a long time? Perhaps forever at this rate? She wanted to go home with Bobo and Sissy as soon as possible, but she also knew that they were doing their job as important people for the town. She knew that it was important, but she still wanted to be with them. She closed her eyes, hoping that time would just move on faster. Then something exploded near her. Everyone nearly shouted but Nina made sure to grab onto Clara tightly. Her eyes opened wide to find that it was another monster¨Cbut much more different than usual. It looked like one of those fire breathing tigers from earlier, but it was bigger, and it looked like it had scars all over its body. Its fangs looked broken, but they felt really sharp. It didn¡¯t glow just red anymore, but with a golden coloring on the edges. Finally, it had pupils that seemed to glow bright white as it roared into the sky. It was so powerful, Clara screamed as she blocked her ears, but to no avail. ¡°Damn it!¡± One of the soldiers shouted. ¡°It¡¯s a Named monster!¡± ¡°A named monster?!¡± Nina shouted in alarm. She looked at the tiger straight on with her eyes for a moment. Clara realized that it¡¯s the same as when Sissy used her eyes to find out its name and level, an Identify. ¡°Croan, The Flame Spirit? Level¡­ 93?¡± She visibly shook, and Piggy flew over in front of her and chirped at the creature. The named monster, Croan apparently, roared at them as it tried to go after one of the soldiers that went after it first. In an instant, the soldier was brushed away like a twig in its path, landing straight at a nearby crystal pillar and crashing into it, breaking it into large pieces. He bled all over, but Clara could notice that he still moved. As far as she knew, if they moved, they were alive. But the tiger was still on them, its fangs bared. ¡°Defensive formation!¡± Another soldier shouted. ¡°Nina! Support us!¡± Nina looked hesitant for a moment, looking over to the soldier and then at Clara. She realized that she couldn¡¯t leave her alone, otherwise she would be in danger. But Clara looked at her directly, determination in her eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine! Brucey¡¯s with me!¡± As though in accordance to her will, Brucey¡¯s head popped up behind her shoulder to give a chirp back. Nina looked surprised for a moment, but then nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll be back. Stay hidden and be safe!¡± Nina hesitated for a moment longer before she ran over to the soldiers who were currently fighting the tiger off. The battle continued, the tiger proving to be a powerful threat to the party. They looked battered, and blood began to run down their faces and bodies, but they persisted. The elf was targeted a lot, but he kept his magic on the others as whatever he did helped the bleeding stop and their wounds closed up. Clara wanted to help, but realized how stupid that was. If she was there, they would be too focused on protecting her than on the tiger, and that would end up hurting them, much like how Bobo gets hurt whenever she gets in trouble. Still, even after knowing about it, she felt a tug at her heart, demanding that she do something. But before she could even do anything like hiding, the tiger suddenly froze. Its head whipped to the other side, its eyes landing right on her. Something dangerous flashed in those burning eyes, Clara could tell. She wasn¡¯t sure how, but she knew that the tiger changed direction and was now aiming for her. ¡°Clara!¡± Nina shouted, her eyes widening in alarm. ¡°Why would it go after the kid?!¡± One of the soldiers shouted in disbelief. ¡°Forget that, get it!¡± The elf man shouted. ¡°It¡¯s gonna¨C¡± These damn beasts think that they can approach me unharmed? Foolish. Clara¡¯s mind went blank, recalling the voice that spoke in her head. It was her friend, Zoan, and she sounded really angry. Did the tiger notice the angel hiding inside of Clara¡¯s soul? That would make some sense, but at the same time, her body shook with terror. Clara, tell Brucey to fly, now! Without hesitation, Clara called out. ¡°Brucey! Fly!¡± Brucey¡¯s head popped up, and she saw that its eyes glowed a yellow tint as something flapped behind her. She looked back to see that¡­ She had wings. They were spread across from each side of her back, flapping intensely as their webbed dark wings that looked as spiky as a bat flapped harder and harder. Before she could realize what was going on, her feet suddenly lost ground as her body flew to the sky. The tiger missed her entirely as her body flew right above the sky, and headed far away from the tiger, at the opposite side of the fortress. ¡°Clara?!¡± Nina shouted, looking over at the suddenly flying girl with shock. ¡°Clara!¡± While the soldiers looked surprised and relieved that she was suddenly flying, they went back to fighting the tiger. It was only Nina that shouted and tried to go after Clara, but one of the soldiers stopped her. Clara didn¡¯t know what was going on, but she realized that Brucey looked panicked, almost scared. It kept flying farther away, the winds pushing against her hair and dress as she flew across the forest in a crazed flight path to lord knows where. ¡°Aaaah!¡± She screamed in fear, but also in excitement as she finally flew for the first time. Now if she could only realize where exactly Brucey was heading towards, because it didn¡¯t look like he knew either. Vol2 Ch67: All coming together for one big night His throat demanded release, and blood soon followed. He coughed loudly as he was dealt with a nasty punch to the gut. That wasn¡¯t all. The punch itself was riddled with stamina, fueled by a skill or perhaps something else, he wasn¡¯t sure. Pain rattled his brain and mind, putting his Pain Resistance to work overdrive. Still, he healed himself with Recovery. It was at a point where he could just use it without really focusing on it, making him really concerned as to how he looked right about now as his injuries healed up as soon as it was dealt. But no matter how often he healed himself, the pain lingered like a nasty cough just bubbling within him. He held himself and willed his body to react accordingly, especially as he received a level up notification just now.
Level Up! You are now Level 51. You gain 2 free points (2 FP total). You have gained +3 DEX from your class. You have gained +3 INT from your class. You have gained +3 SPI from your class.
He already poured all of his points into Spirit, trying to gain as much of an advantage as possible as the fight was clearly not over yet. Zyler ran up to him, his arms outstretched and his claws now furled wide and ready to tear him to pieces. He reacted easily, his overabundance of Dexterity easing him to dodge each strike. But soon he was about to reach his limit. He already drank all the Mana potions he could drink throughout the venture, and he hoped that he could reunite with his comrades before this, but this bastard made it impossible. As of right now, his mana was barely hanging on. Soon, his collar would act up, and that was the one thing he desperately needed to avoid. He boosted his Dexterity further with his rune buff, helping him dodge fast enough. Unfortunately, he had to conserve his mana, only just grazing by Zyler¡¯s strikes. He dodged another claw strike, then a kick that easily destroyed a nearby wall of the fortress. Zyler wasn¡¯t even tired as another strike came for his head, and Zeke¡¯s exhaustion was reaching his peak when his nails almost cleaved through his forehead. He conjured a small barrier and drew a rune on it with a floating pen. Droves of Butterbirds appeared out of it, the same white crystalline birds shaped like butterflies. They crowded around Zyler, getting him to growl in annoyance as Zeke managed to get away to breathe easier. But soon he followed right after, practically ripping an entrance through the drove of butterbirds and ripping them like broken snowflakes. Zeke gritted his teeth. Throughout the entire fight, Zyler pretty much tanked through every attack Zeke could make. His rune spells did jack shit to his body. The surprise punch at the start was the only time he actually dealt decent damage. Since then, Zyler was on the prowl, dodging each blow, and taking on a blow he could take with ease. He heard that Zyler had reached a stat block at some point, but it certainly didn¡¯t feel like it as he kept forcing Zeke down further to the pits of low Mana. Just as he was about to dodge away, his leg was caught again by Zyler. He swung his leg and his body with it, landing straight to the ground. Zeke conjured a barrier¨Cnot to stop his fall and it was already too late to stop the incoming damage. Instead, he summoned a barrier right where his arm was about to swing towards. It broke immediately, but it was enough to dampen the impact a little as he landed on the ground. Through the process, his hand let go of his leg, getting Zeke to kick against a newly conjured barrier at his feet and jumped away from Zyler, giving him several feet worth of distance. He stood to his knees, breathing heavily. His head was pounding after getting hit, but it wasn¡¯t enough to faze him. Healing himself up, he glared at Zyler as he laughed once again like a lunatic waiting for his next fix. ¡°Godsdamn, you are a durable little mage, aren¡¯t chu?!¡± Zyler grinned wildly, the manic look in his eyes never fading. He raised his arm experimentally, the one that hit the barrier. ¡°I¡¯m betting you¡¯re the sort that uses that barrier a lot, huh? That one actually stung a little, if I¡¯m being honest.¡± Zeke growled internally. The entire fight, his barrier was useless. It wasn¡¯t that it wasn¡¯t strong enough¨CZyler was just too damn strong for it to matter. He ended up using mostly his rune buffs to survive, which was the entire reason why he managed to make it this far. He could only conjure it for a brief moment just to distract him, nothing else. ¡°But there¡¯s only so much you can do,¡± Zyler shook his head disapprovingly. ¡°So damn tough, but that¡¯s it. It¡¯s a little disappointing¨CI was hoping you¡¯d be strong enough to give me some insight into my skills. But without the power, you got nothing I need. Hah, I guess it¡¯s about time to end this. I had fun, Runist. but it¡¯s time to get back to work.¡± Finally, Zeke felt a change in the atmosphere. Zyler stopped grinning, glaring hard at Zeke now. He felt a shiver down his spine as he felt Zyler¡¯s aura spike in the process. He was getting serious now, and Zeke was already on the last dregs of his mana. It was unfair. How the hell can he beat someone like Zyler? He was just trying to find his comrades, then this guy showed up to kill him. What other choice did he have? There wasn¡¯t one. He knew that. He knew there was no choice after being sent here. Like before, his fate was resigned to someone else, leaving him out of it. No matter how much he fought, it just wasn¡¯t enough. It was unfair. His collar began to spark, blue electricity flowing around it. Strangely, he still had plenty of mana, but something was¡­ he didn¡¯t know how to explain it. It was as though his mana was changing. Soon, it felt like it wasn¡¯t even his own, but it flowed through his body regardless. But right now, all he could focus on was just the enemy ready to trample him underneath his foot. The turmoil he was going through also took into his mind, forcing him to consider the fact that the only ones responsible for all of this was the gods that sent them here. They didn¡¯t care whether he lived or died¨Cthey only wanted him for some reason, and if not, they could just throw him away. He growled, something within him whirling at the response. If he was going to die, then he¡¯d damn well better bring Zyler with him. ¡­.. ¡°Brucey! Stop! I wanna go back!¡± A chirp responded back to the screaming Clara as she tried to command her familiar. It wasn¡¯t as though she disliked being able to fly like this. Her dream of flying into the air was finally achieved. But now the feeling passed and she wanted to be down. Now. However, as though Brucey was unable to hear her, he kept flapping around, banking around the towers of the fortress, then out into the forest. She was flying incredibly fast for her liking, her feet dangling behind her despite trying her hardest to stay steady. She had a feeling that if she messed around too much, she might fall, and Bobo wasn¡¯t around to catch her with a barrier. Her eyes started to wet in fright, but she held in her tears. She just needed to stop Brucey. When she looked back, she saw his face was actually looking very wide-eyed. His pupils were wide and his face looked panicked. She realized then that Brucey actually looked scared. Was something going on? ¡°Brucey?¡± Before she could say anything else, she heard something whip past her and Brucey. The bat managed to take a turn around, missing it entirely and causing Clara to yelp in surprise. When she looked back at the source, dread filled her as something was flying towards them. It was a giant bird, one that was way too big to be a normal bird. Its talons were crisply green and sharpened. Its beak looked like a cruel hook as it opened it and blasted a powerful screech that made her ears hurt. Its wings were even larger than Brucey, almost reaching the size of a building. Just when she wanted Brucey to run away, she heard Zoan speak inside of her again. Another named monster? Zoan said in disbelief. Clara realized that the named monster was the same as the giant tiger from earlier. What is with this terrible timing? Was it due to the tower¡¯s influence? There shouldn¡¯t be this many named monsters in such a short time. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Zoan! What do we do?!¡± Clara shouted, not caring that it was in her mind as she tried to look back at the bird chasing after them in flight. Brucey twisted and turned, bringing Clara along with it carefully as the bird suddenly launched air strikes at her. Each one sent giant crystal towers and nearby trees tumbling down, cut straight through without issue. Another air strike managed to graze by her, getting the whiplash of the blast as both Brucey and Clara tumbled about in the air. The giant bird managed to fly right at them, ready to strike. Brucey¡¯s tail flew out of his back, plunging it straight into the bird before it struck. In that small moment, the monster petered out and tumbled for just a second, giving Brucey enough room to maneuver out of its path. However, even though it got a good chunk of its flesh pierced by the tail, the bird shook it off as it managed to upright itself, screeching harder than before and glaring right at them. Looking back, Clara noticed Brucey breathing rampantly. She remembered Bobo talking that Brucey could only do so much with the tail, like a battery. The bird was so strong that it must have drained too much of his energy. But it was barely enough to get the bird to even flinch as it flew right at them. Brucey tried to fly, but his wings were losing momentum from the exhaustion as the bird whipped past them and sliced through Brucey¡¯s back and right wing with its sharp talons. Blood flowed out from Brucey as he chirped in pain, then without his wing for balance, he dropped with Clara in tow. ¡°Brucey!¡± Clara shouted, trying to catch the downtrodden Brucey before thinking of anything else. She grabbed onto him, holding him tightly to her chest as he winced in pain. Looking down, she realized too late that she was falling straight towards the ground with no way around. She could feel something, or someone, inside of her starting to panic, her voice rampant. Clara! Zoan screamed, as though she had no way of helping her. Clara quickly realized that she had no way of getting out of this. As her body fell, she closed her eyes, unable to do anything else as she screamed. ¡°Sissy! Bobo!¡±
¡­.. Unarmed Mastery Level Up! It is now Level 6. You have gained +1 STR from your skill. You have gained +1 DEX from your skill.
¡­..
Kinetic Perception Level Up! It is now Level 5 You have gained +1 DEX (x2) from your skill. You have gained +1 END (x2) from your skill.
¡­..
Battle Runecraft Level Up! It is now Level 4. You have gained +2 INT from your skill. You have gained +2 SPI from your skill.
¡­..
Rune Copycat Level Up! It is now Level 2. Increased copied potency. Increased copied rune¡¯s speed and effectiveness.
Even when he received several notifications, he couldn¡¯t be happy about it. It only made him realize just how screwed he was even with them all. He used Rune Copycat liberally throughout the fight, hoping to take advantage of its unique nature to mess up Zyler¡¯s attacks all while conserving his mana. That probably explained why Battle Runecraft leveled as well. But it wasn¡¯t enough. His mana was drained to the last quarter. His collar activated, warning him of the danger of passing by his limits. If he kept going, it would lock his mana, forcing him to stop casting. But he felt that was the least of his concern. He was on the move, trying to keep up with Zyler but failing miserably. As his mana decreased, he had to reduce his rune buffs¡¯ power, causing him to become slower and weaker. It became too easy for Zyler as he practically danced around him, beating him senselessly. Each punch, each kick, every one that delivered a powerful blow but not a fatal wound were sent to his body. The rest that would¡¯ve killed him was blocked by his barriers, however weak they were. He had no other choice but to expend more Mana to deflect the blows rather than block the attacks, each one becoming fervent and ready to strike. But no matter how quickly he ramped up the attacks, Zyler remained calm and composed. Each jab at his body was perfectly controlled, and not a single whiff of outreaching was sensed from his movements. He was aiming to kill, no matter how long he needed to wait. Just as Zeke was ready to retreat, considering running away as he should¡¯ve done, Zyler approached his side again with a kick straight to his abdomen. Pain ensued more than his resistance could handle as he flew along the air and crashed right into the ground. With his lowered mana, he was in a terrible situation of either using his last resource to protect himself or heal himself. But the kick made that choice for him. It easily broke his ribs and his stomach felt like it was ready to be expunged out of his mouth. He realized he had internal organ damage, something that was apparent by the system as it relayed a debuff, showing that he was accruing damage by 0.5% every minute. It would be a slow and agonizing death if he doesn¡®t do anything soon. So he spent his remaining mana he could spend to heal himself back, at least to get rid of the debuff. The feeling of the cold approaching his core happened at the same time, closing his eyes as the pain slowly faded away. He didn¡¯t had any more energy to move. He was kneeling on the ground, clutching onto his stomach for support. His eyes were closed, strained tight to handle the situation as best he could. Despite this happening, Zyler didn¡¯t immediately come over to deal the last blow. Instead, he walked. Zeke¡¯s ears picked up the slow methodical movements of his giant feet padding on the stone path to him. He got over the ridge of the crater he made when Zeke landed, approaching closer and closer. Despite his opponent getting closer, Zeke had no way of fighting back. He exhausted all of his options, even tried to run away when he thought he had the chance. But each time it was snuffed out by Zyler¡¯s overwhelming might. In the end, time and experience became the defining factor of this battle. Zeke was impressive in his own right, but in the end he didn¡¯t have the levels, stats, and skills needed to face someone who had all of that and more, the time needed to perfect an opponent¡¯s thinking as the battle progressed. Despite everything, what really made him angry was the fact that Zyler wasn¡¯t even insulting him anymore. Zeke already realized that Mikella was fine a while ago. The way Zyler fought showed nothing of the callous and disgusting attitude he showed Zeke earlier. If anything, this guy valued honor and a good fight perhaps more than Mikella does. But in the end, the two were on opposite sides. Zyler had a job to do, and so did Zeke. While Zeke just wanted to help his comrades, Zyler knew of his capabilities, and the only way forward is to kill him to hamper his enemies. Zeke looked up, his vision turning blurry as he actually saw Zyler¡¯s human appearance for the first time. He returned back to his human form, his upper body showing the well-muscled form built on pure combat experience. His biceps taut and ready for action, he looked down on Zeke with his scowling, albeit devilishly handsome features. Out of everything, Zeke cursed the fact that Zyler was so damn good looking. It was unfair, seriously. ¡°You did good, Runist,¡± Zyler said, not smiling, but there was that hint of respect in his narrowed eyes. ¡°It was a damn good fight. Better than I had in years. That lightning girl probably would¡¯ve given me just as good of a fight too. She¡¯ll probably go all out in a suicidal rage once she found out what happens to you. Your death will help me pass my limits and become stronger than I am now.¡± Zeke didn¡¯t know whether to grit his teeth in anger or scoff in defiance. He may not have beaten him but there was no way Mikella would lose to him. But he kept his hopes down. Zyler didn¡¯t speak anymore as he raised his hand. It transformed into his wolf-like appearance, but only up to his forearm as it became a large clawed hand. The nails were sharp, perhaps even sharper than a regular sword. Easily capable of slicing his head off. Perhaps it would even be painless, especially with his Pain Resistance. His vision turned distant then. Looking within himself, he saw his resources plummeting, and the debuffs of exhaustion and overwork piled on top of him. He had no way of recovery, no way of getting out of this. He already expended supplies he had. It was all just a matter of time. His death was near, and he couldn¡¯t help but remember the time when he saw the skeletons of the otherworlders. Did they die like this? Unable to do anything to change their fate? Strangely enough, he wasn¡¯t afraid. He was tired, exhausted, and in pain all over¡­ but he wasn¡¯t afraid. Instead, he looked back at the last few minutes of his life, realizing that despite the overwhelming odds, he still fought regardless. It was something to be proud of. It was something that even his battle-hardened enemy could be proud of. Perhaps it was something even Mikella would be proud of. But just when the claw was ready to move and end him right there, he saw it. At the very distant path up into the air, his enhanced vision saw something that shouldn¡¯t happen. Somewhere far away, somewhere that nobody should ever be, Clara was falling. She was holding Brucey to her hands, keeping it to her chest and unwilling to let go. For a moment, his heart stopped. The rapid pace of his heart beating grew in intensity, enough to send a pang of pain through his soul he never felt before. His mind whirled at the possibilities, that perhaps it was just a mirage set up by his pain-riddled mind. But no matter how much he tried to deny it, it was there, staring right at him through his enhanced perception. Clara was falling, and she was screaming. Even at this distance, she could hear her scream. ¡°Sissy!¡± He breathed heavily, and his collar began to spark intensely. It was enough for even Zyler to notice this in surprise and stood back. Clara shouted again, and this time, the sparks became stronger. ¡°Bobo!¡± His breathing became even more rampant. His heart, his mind, his very soul and core writhed in panic and distraught. The collar began to surge in blue sparks, enough so that it started to cover his entire body. He felt it then. A rise of energy from within. It was a wave that started slow, but soon rose over several feet high. Enough to drown the shores, to cover the land, to drown the cities and towns in its wake. It was an all-devouring mass of energy that threatened to consume him whole. But Zeke faced it head on. He wasn¡¯t afraid. He wasn¡¯t angry. He was desperate. He outstretched his hand high into the air, straight at the falling girl. The mass of energy turned into a large condensed whirlpool which poured through him as he screamed with every fiber of force from his very soul. Clara! His voice was human, and not human. The collar burned away as his eyes turned a bright deep sapphire and emerald as the world turned completely blue. Zyler gasped in shock as he was consumed within it, only just seeing it happened in a moment. Everything became submerged into a large light that nobody could peer through, swallowing every bit of consciousness it could contain. Vol2 Ch68: Change of Plans A powerful blast of pure light exploded out from beyond her sight. Clara was having a hard time trying to adjust seeing it, and falling to her death. It all happened so quickly, even making her forget that she was falling to the ground with no way out. The light looked like a waterfall rising upwards, and instead of water, it was pure bluish flames that flowed like water. It was mesmerizing, and its greenish tint made it look more natural than anything else in this entire place. But soon that pillar shifted and formed, turning into something else. Before Clara could realize it, something burst out of the pillar of liquid flame, extending itself straight towards her. Yet, she felt no fear. Because instead of turning into something dangerous, it slowly transformed so it had digits forming from the tip to the knuckles, all the way to the base of the palm. It was a large hand, and it caught Clara as she fell right onto the palm. Despite her sudden landing, she felt no pain. Even as she touched the liquid flame now that she uprighted herself, she didn''t¡¯ feel like she was burning. It was warm. So wonderfully warm, like tucking herself in the covers during a cold night. At her side, even Brucey who looked hurt started to relax, his facial expression easing into a restful sleep. She looked towards the owner of that hand, seeing now for the first time of what that pillar of liquid burning light transformed into. It was a giant man, with a thin frame but showed lean muscle even through the light. It was becoming easier to see, and she swore that the head of the giant man of pure light had a resemblance to somewhat ruffled hair, but had no facial features at all. Just two giant eyes made entirely of turquoise. There was no nose, no mouth, no ears. It was as though it was formed with nothing else but for the added fact of having enough mass in the body. To catch Clara. When she saw the resemblance, however, she no longer feared the giant mass of light. The man of pure light looked directly at her, then he moved his hand closer to his chest. Clara saw that the chest was slowly opening, a burst of flame and liquid light shooting out for her. But she wasn¡¯t afraid. Since it was Bobo, she closed her eyes and accepted the protection. Her entire body along with Brucey entered into the opening, and soon everything became submerged in white light. But she wasn¡¯t blinded as her eyes were pleasantly closed. She only just rested, the entire situation becoming too much to bear. As she was now, there was nothing else to do but to let Bobo handle the rest. She smiled, knowing that she and Brucey are safe and protected under Bobo¡¯s light. ¡­.. It all happened so quickly. A sudden burst of pure mana exploded just beyond the fortress¡¯ path. Mikella watched in disbelief at the sudden appearance of a man made entirely out of flame and light just¡­ existing out of nowhere. Everyone, including their enemies and even the monsters, paused at the sudden welcoming of this strange creature. The bastion soldiers that were on the side of the battle watched in awe, and the monsters of the fortress, even the Weaver, looked as though nothing else mattered. It wasn¡¯t as though its appearance shocked them all to the point of a stand still. It was the raw, overwhelming sense of pure power that radiated off of the man. Mikella couldn¡¯t even begin to decipher the level of power from that creature. It looked like a giant made entirely out of mana, but there was so much more than that. It radiated absolute dominance, to the point where perhaps the entire biodome was bent to its will. It extended a hand out towards somewhere, and when she focused harder, her heart stopped. It was Clara. When she saw her little sister, she wanted to stop the creature from trying to catch her. She had no idea how the hell Clara ended up in that situation in the first place. Why was she suddenly falling from the air, and why is that creature interested in her? When she thought about Zoan, she felt as though her entire world was about to be snuffed out when it caught her in the palm of its hand. ¡°Clara!¡± She shouted, though it was useless. There was no way for her to do anything other than stare in disbelief. Not even the Journeymen could do anything, just watching in absolute awe at the creature. Then, something strange happened. Clara didn¡¯t scream, or shout in fear, and even when the giant man of light pushed her towards his chest, opening up as though he was about to swallow her whole, Clara didn¡¯t protest at all. And the way that the man carried Clara¡­ it wasn¡¯t a monster. It looked soothing, like a caring parent wanting to protect the child. Even the way he pushed Clara into its chest by tightening both hands onto himself felt strangely caring. When she looked deeper at the man of light, rather than Clara after disappearing into the man, she noticed the resemblance immediately. It had an appearance of a thin man with muscle tone, but there was nothing else that made him resemble a true human being. The only thing that stood out was the top of his head, where what looked like flowing shaggy hair, made entirely out of large tendrils of mana. And finally, there were two giant glowing orbs of pure turquoise color that opened wide, showing no emotion across its utterly blank face. Once he finished absorbing Clara into his chest, he turned around towards the fortress. He bent his back slightly, raised his head up high¨Cand roared. It opened its mouth in that instant, and nothing but pure Mana poured out from within as the roar swallowed everything whole. A quake of raw pressure flowed out of him, demanding attention in a way that nobody can ignore. All the monsters Mikella saw immediately cowed, those from outside of the fortress ran immediately from the battle. They had no way of fighting back, and even if they could, they refused to do anything as they galloped and trudged away, looking almost half-to-death as they did so. That roar alone might have caused them damage. The monsters within the fortress, the golems, suddenly turned limp and fell. The power that surged within them suddenly died out, as though the pressure reacted negatively to them and forced them to just¡­ die. She felt it then. A massive surge of experience flowed into her body as notifications settled into her vision.
Level Up! You are now Level 53. You gain 4 free points (8 FP total). You have gained +6 STR from your class. You have gained +6 DEX from your class. You have gained +6 END from your class.
Her eyes widened at that. It wasn¡¯t due to the sudden levels from possibly all the monsters that have died from the sudden pressure. No, it was because she received experience points at all. That finally answered her question of where Zeke was this whole time. Because that giant man of pure mana was Zeke. ¡°What the hell is that?!¡± One of the soldiers shouted, one of the enemy, she recalled. ¡°What is that thing?!¡± Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. ¡°It¡¯s killing everything around it! Is it another boss!?¡± ¡°Quiet!¡± A powerful voice echoed out, making Mikella realize instantly who it was. It was none other than the Lord of the Bastion army, standing on top of what looked like a platform of pure purple flames. He looked more distraught than any of the men that shouted in fear. While that normally would be a win for them, Mikella can¡¯t really enjoy this moment as the Lord, Roderick, shouted his orders. ¡°Take out the boss! Quickly! Before it comes!¡± Her expression distorted to confusion as the soldiers also shared an equally befuddled look. But before they could piss off the Master-tier user, they went ahead to do just that. It was a blessing that the boss also stopped moving, looking directly at the pure form of Mana just standing there. For a while, it just stood there. The presence was just awe-inspiring, still pouring as much pressure as it had from its roar. Thankfully, her comrades didn¡¯t drop from the pressure. Myra and Piker closed up to her, their faces paling at the sight of it. ¡°Mikky¡­ what is that?¡± Myra said, or at least tried to as her voice felt strained from the stress. ¡°It feels like¡­¡± ¡°Like Zeke,¡± Piker finished, showing a look of consternation he hadn¡¯t had in a while. ¡°Is that true? I saw Clara falling to its hand and it just¡­ absorbed her. Please tell me that she¡¯s¨C¡± ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s fine,¡± Mikella said, finally bringing everyone to exhale in relief. Then after showing her latest notifications, revealing that she just got them, they stood stock still. ¡°So that really is Zeke,¡± Myra gasped as she turned back at the standing figure. ¡°What happened to him? Did he let his attunement take control again?¡± ¡°That shouldn¡¯t have happened, but perhaps we should be grateful,¡± Piker said, his hands gripping hard on his bastard sword. ¡°But what now? He¡¯s just¡­ standing there?¡± Mikella was trying to figure that out herself. He stood there, just standing and staring at¡­ something. Or rather, was he just unconscious? ¡°Mikella!¡± Cloud yelled, getting her attention. The lords ran over to them, looking just as shocked and awed as the rest. The fact that Journeymen looked like this as well made Mikella more nervous. ¡°Mikella, is Zeke alright? Can you tell?¡± Cloud asked, more hurried than usual. ¡°Is it possible you can sense through your link?¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m not sure,¡± Mikella shook, and instead just showed the notifications to the lords, including Zacharia. ¡°But that is Zeke.¡± ¡°Impossible¡­¡± Zacharia said. This was the first time that the general was caught unaware. His facial expression finally broke as worry took over. ¡°How can that boy contain that much power? He should be dead by now.¡± Mikella winced at that, and Val saw through it as she elbowed Zacharia at the arm. ¡°Don¡¯t talk like that. Zeke is strong by his own right. The fact that he still received a notification is proof. But¡­ what now? What can we do? Surely he¡¯ll be in danger.¡± ¡°But can we really do anything?¡± Myra said, turning back at the figure, then at the boss that had started attacking again after being targeted by the soldiers. ¡°He¡¯s just standing there, and the other soldiers are trying to kill the boss again!¡± ¡°Do we¡­ tell him to move?¡± Piker asked, unsure. He turned to Mikella, his brows furrowing. ¡°Mikella, can you somehow¡­ tell him through your link?¡± ¡°Listen, I only know the barest things about it,¡± Mikella shook her head. She understood their worries but all this talk about her link to him was getting to her. ¡°I don¡¯t know how the hell I can¨C¡± Something shifted in the air. She flinched, her body shivering as she immediately turned back to the figure of light. Everyone else saw the change, turning rigid as they asked. ¡°Mikky?¡± Val spoke up. There was tension in her voice. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°...He¡¯s getting ready.¡± That was the only thing Mikella said, which surprised everyone, including herself. She didn¡¯t know why, but she felt as though something tugged at her mind, almost like mana pouring in from somewhere like how she was getting healed. But it wasn¡¯t mana. It was¡­ intent? It definitely had a will, but it felt more raw than a conscious being¡¯s will. But she felt that will being instigated to do¡­ something. In that instant, the figure finally started to move. He turned his head, his giant turquoise eyes looking directly at the fortress. That got everyone to stop moving, looking back to see the figure finally moving. He turned his torso, then the rest of his body as he switched direction towards the fortress. He lowered his knees as though¡­ ¡°Oh shit,¡± Mikella said, her voice rising to a fever pitch. ¡°He¡¯s coming here!¡± Exactly as she said, the giant figure of light, possibly reaching more than 30 feet in height, began to sprint. Each foot landed on the ground and made everyone feel like the entire biodome was shaking. He swung his arms up and down, truly sprinting like an athlete. He picked up speed, literally rushing straight towards the fortress. He opened his ethereal mouth and roared, another quake of pure pressure expanding across the entire realm. Mikella turned to the rest, each of them widening their eyes in pure fright. ¡°Retreat! Run! Just get your asses in gear and bounce! He¡¯s gonna attack!¡± She didn¡¯t quite know how to explain a proper retreat signal, but her screaming like a maniac made it very clear to everyone on her team to do exactly as she said. She felt Zeke¡¯s intent, or what his unconscious will is demanding out of the giant form. To attack. As to what, she wasn¡¯t quite sure yet. The connection was pretty shitty by this point. Everyone in the Eve Glade team followed the general¡¯s orders for retreat, a proper one this time as they all ran away from the fortress itself. The other soldiers from the Bastion city picked up on this, but as their leader hasn¡¯t said anything, they only looked like they were regretting their entire life¡¯s decisions that made them end up there. Zeke ran, his figure of light just stomping everything underneath with no hint of mercy for anything. Mikella felt more XP flowing into her, unable to comprehend how many monsters Zeke was killing just by running. The only way one can gain a kill notification is by fighting against the monster itself. Their connection made it so that she could only gain XP, not learn what monsters Zeke killed. And it wasn¡¯t a small amount either. Would there even be a biodome left after this whole mess is done? The only thing she could worry about for now is trying to survive this whole ordeal. The figure of light and mana finally reached into the fortress. Rather than just bashing through the stone walls and buildings, killing everything in his path, Zeke instead did the one thing nobody, not even Mikella, would expect. Zeke jumped. His legs extended wide and jumped high into the air, becoming airborne. Where exactly he was jumping to was obvious. He was jumping straight towards the giant boss that looked at the figure in surprise. Zeke swung his arm back wide, then he punched the Weaver in its face. Krratttuum! If his roars were powerful as earthquakes, then that punch was a nuclear explosion that sent everything that stood underneath blasting apart into smithereens. Not even their ears were safe, enhanced as they were, as Mikella felt warm liquid dripping down from them as she grimaced in pain. The Weaver howled in pain as it slowly, but surely, fell from Zeke¡¯s powerful punch. It caused the entire biodome to shake and rattle, an event that felt like the world was about to end, or worse¨Cthe world was about to fall right on top of them, since they were underground and all. Yet despite the massive strain the two giants have caused, the biodome held for now. Mikella surveyed her surroundings to find that all of her comrades, including the retinue, were fine if not a bit injured from the cacophony of the blasts. Meanwhile, Zeke¡¯s figure of pure mana stood ever victorious and raised his head up high to roar again in defiance. Without any form of hesitation, he lunged after the downed Weaver, beating it senselessly like a barbarian made of pure light. Even though the massive creature was being punished, thus improving their odds of completing the quest, Mikella worried. She watched as her trusted partner went absolutely apeshit on a monster that he had no right to face by himself. But what else can she do? At this point, Zeke has gotten the strength to handle that thing on his own. And she was very sure that if anyone got in his way, they would be killed like all the other monsters. So what else is there to do than to make sure Zeke was safe? She peered at her enemies, all of them now going into overdrive to stop the massive figure from killing the boss. The Lord, Roderick in particular, was more than ready to stop him. ¡°Change of plans!¡± Zacharia roared, trying to let his voice reach his allies. ¡°Attack Bastion! Leave the boss to Zeke! Leave no one alive!¡± The soldiers roared in accordance to his orders as they all ran over to the bastion¡¯s side. Mikella wanted to stop them. If they go too close to Zeke as he is now, he might end up hurting them or worse. What if he found out once he got out of this that he ended up killing his own comrades? But a firm hand held onto her shoulder, turning to find Myra looking at her. ¡°Mikella, let¡¯s follow Zacharia¡¯s orders,¡± She said. She turned to Zeke, then nodded before turning to her. ¡°Zeke¡¯s got this.¡± She knew Myra was right, and even as the two people she wanted to protect were literally in the middle of this whole mess, she breathed heavily. Piker showed up near her, just as worried for her as Myra. Despite everything, these two still wished to help them. Even though they have every reason to be worried for their own safety, they wanted to help these two. She nodded, then recognized that both Cloud and Val were already running towards the group. Val looked back, and without a word, she nodded to her before rushing further ahead. Her form started to change, and her monster-like appearance showed over her expression. ¡°Alright, got it,¡± Mikella swallowed her fear and panic. What remained was nothing but pure rage and determination as she stared at Roderick. ¡°Let¡¯s get¡¯em.¡± Vol2 Ch69: The new king has arrived Fuck the gods and whoever decided to fuck with my day today! What is this bullshit?! Roderick cursed intensely within his mind. He gritted his teeth, wanting nothing more than to be over with this day and go home to settle his own affairs. But no. The system itself decided to come along and bring this absolute terror of a being to show up and ruin his plans. He didn¡¯t know how in the ever living system that the townies managed to get this massive creature on their side, but seeing how their peons were going after his soldiers while ignoring the boss made it clear. This massive figure of light was on their side, and somehow it was rampaging against them. It continued to bash and beat the Weaver without mercy, roaring all the while. If it hadn¡¯t been for his enhanced body, he would¡¯ve winced at each roar like everyone of his allies. There were only a few Journeymen around that were competent. The rest were barely able to handle a sudden thrall from the massive giant, falling to their knees and screaming for mercy. At that moment, a townie came in and puts them down, reducing their numbers. He was really having a very bad day. Roderick gritted his teeth harder, feeling his teeth gnash to the point of cracking. He summoned his skill, Gravitational Purgatory, to head forth to kill the Weaver while it was being beaten down. They were already doing a ton of damage before this figure came in so he hoped that doing this would be enough to be considered his own credit. But his hopes were being dashed further and further after seeing the state of the boss. Each blow practically singed and burned the Weaver, ignoring its attacks and resistance with ease. Each time it roared and bellowed a burst of fire from its mouth, the giant just took it head on and kept pounding at it. No matter how often powerful slashes of water and spikes of earth attacked the figure, it is as though a wall stopped them in their tracks, rendering them useless as the figure just punched with as much force as a bomb. He realized that there was some barrier stopping each attack. It was vastly superior and more defined than when Roderick conjures his flaming walls to defend himself. With his skill, he tried to deliver as many potential burns as possible to the Weaver, adding to the damage as much as he could. At the same time, he cursed his useless son for not being there at this moment, probably having the time of his life horsing around with the townies. He growled. This was the type he hated, the kind of meatheads that focused too much on combat and not enough on logistics and common reasoning. He has too much of his mother within his blood. But a sudden flash of energy was ready to slice his head off. He willed his flames to block the attack, stopping the sudden band up front. The band itself looked like the same golden ring as before, but instead of fire, it was covered in a layer of ephemeral sharpness never seen from a circular band, like a saw ready to cut through wood. Roderick growled after seeing it was none other than Cloud who appeared beyond him. He stood on top of the nearby stone pillar, somehow capable of withstanding the onslaught of the giants behind him. ¡°It¡¯s over, Roderick,¡± Cloud said, flashing a grin. ¡°You can¡¯t last like this. Leave now, and we may just forget this ever happened.¡± ¡°Like hell I¡¯ll leave!¡± Roderick roared, caring little about showing any sort of prudence. He had enough of these townies thinking they were better than his army. The lord himself even had the gall to call him out as though he was his equal. Him, a master stage being, equal to a damn Journeyman. Someone who refused to keep moving forward and just settled down into a small town. ¡°Where¡¯s that Master pride of yours?¡± Cloud barked back, his impudent grin not even fading. ¡°Then again, I suppose you can¡¯t really tell the difference between a Master and a rushed job. Tell me¡­ how long do you have? A year? Two? I can barely tell, but I know you don¡¯t have much time left.¡± Without warning, Roderick hurled several purple flaming spheres right at Cloud. He ducked away in time, the flames cascading all over the standing pillar and taking it out in one blow. Before he could do much else, he turned back around and used his flames again, this time as a wall as the barbaric woman slammed into it with her sword. However, this time it felt even stronger than before. She always had a strong blow, but this one took more power than Roderick ever expected. He grimaced and saw that Valorie, that damn fool¡¯s wife, changed dramatically. She no longer had her usual beauty, and instead what looked like a horrifying monster with a mouth that was extended wide across her face. She opened her mouth wider, fangs as sharp as blades flashing at him. Just as easily, Roderick pulled his other arm up to defend against a powerful two-handed blade that had the weight of a mountain behind it. He glared hard at the overly armored man the same size, if not bigger, than Roderick himself. His stoic face continued to pester Roderick as he felt his resources dry up. Then more interference showed up. Lightning bolts, fire blasts, and ice spikes appeared and showered him. Roderick canceled it all out, roaring as he dispersed his flames all over. He melted everything and pushed the monstrous woman and the stalwart man aside. He breathed rampantly, noticing that his supposed comrades were somehow being bogged down by the other townies. They weren¡¯t supposed to be that strong, even if his soldiers were filled with rushed Journeymen. They were still Experts, weren¡¯t they? But just as Roderick was considering going all out, at least to take out the lords, the Weaver had reached the limits of the figure¡¯s arrogance. It suddenly held the figure¡¯s arms with its claws, digging straight into them as the Weaver roared with as much fury it could pack. It swung its massive body, ignoring the potential mayhem it was causing as it actually swung the giant figure of mana around before tossing it up into the air. It had such power behind the swing, and the figure flew up high as Roderick realized that the Weaver had used all of its magic power to boost the wind element from its feet, allowing it enough power to chuck the damn figure up into the air. Hopefully that would¨C Roderick instantly stopped hoping after seeing the figure just launched into the air, then halted for a moment. A giant wall made of pure turquoise appeared behind the giant figure as it landed on its feet first. It was at the apex of the large throw and managed to push itself away from the barrier it made. It launched itself with all of its power, roaring as it made a fist that seemingly became bigger and bigger with each passing second. Roderick¡¯s expression twisted to shock as the figure landed on the Weaver to deliver a strike that was just too heavy to avoid so easily. The entire biodome cracked and shattered. Another Krattuuummmnm! echoed out as the entire fortress was vaporized. The Weaver¡¯s head busted apart, blood and viscera flying everywhere as a tsunami of dust and debris covered everywhere. All Roderick could see was his chance failing away as he felt a notification drop in front of him, as well as to all the other beings in this area. Gods¡­dammit. ¡­.. They were lucky as both Piker and Zacharia gathered together to defend themselves as they were the closest to the impact. On the other hand, the retinue managed to get away in time thanks to their own ways of protecting themselves with their numbers. But even with all the protections in place, the blast was too much for anyone to handle. The air burst and the biodome cried out in pain. It wasn¡¯t hard to imagine that there might not be a biodome left anymore. As for the Weaver, Zeke pretty much took care of it. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. It lay lifeless on the ground, its head caved in to the point where everything they have done so far didn¡¯t matter at all. As for who got the kill for it, it was obvious. While everyone who didn¡¯t know what happened might think that some strange force appeared and took the boss away from them, a notification appeared in front of her that proved who the true victor was.
Quest Completed! One of your allies, Zeke Parlow, has defeated the king that lies within the fortress. Zeke Parlow has become the new king of Elemental Prison, and as his ally, you receive the rewards. You have received the following rewards: 500 Gold Coins 4 Levels 20 Free Points
Mikella widened her eyes at the rewards alone, much less the entirety of the message. While she wasn¡¯t at all surprised that Zeke became the new king, she was completely surprised at the rewards. Did everyone else in her team get this much? That felt a little bit too much, and she can¡¯t imagine suddenly being the equivalent of 50,000 dollars richer. Then again, they did almost die a hundred times over if it wasn¡¯t Zeke unleashing some super power he barely has any control over. She put the rewards to the side as another notification showed her recent level increase.
Level Up! You are now Level 57. You gain 8 free points (36 FP total). You have gained +12 STR from your class. You have gained +12 DEX from your class. You have gained +12 END from your class.
The rush of power flowed through her. She felt a little off from this one¨Cnot because she hadn¡¯t done anything to the boss at all (she loved freebies), but because the system energy filling her wasn¡¯t made by the monster¡¯s death, but by something more grander than the boss. With that, the Bastion army has no reason to be here anymore. If they were lucky, the army can just fuck off to god knows where and leave them be. Now that they have the biodome under control, they have no reason to fight¨C Just then another notification flashed into her vision. Mikella was finally starting to relax until she read the new prompt and nearly did a double take.
Quest Available! Intruders have invaded Eve Glade¡¯s biodome, and it is your duty to kick them out. Defeat the intruders before they eliminate the current king of Elemental Prison: Zeke Parlow. If Zeke Parlow is killed, the rights to the biodome will be transferred to the invading force¡¯s leader. Take up the task to defend your king!
¡°Are you fucking kidding me?!¡± She wanted to strangle the notification in front of her, her fingers flexing and able, but as soon as she wished it away, it did, leaving her with no target to vent her anger. The biodome sure is a fickle bitch to suddenly want to change owners as soon as invasion kicked in. Mikella no longer felt guilty about it being trampled underfoot at this point, but now was not the time for that. Because she just heard Roderick¡¯s voice shouting, as though new hope rose within his chest. ¡°Listen up! Attack that damn giant! Take it down and we¡¯ll take over the biodome!¡± Just as she feared, Roderick and the bastion army have also got a quest, and most likely would have told them about them trying to conquer a king just as they once had. As soon as the order was done, suddenly the surviving soldiers had a rise in morale as though the monster was nothing compared to the giant that literally killed it with his punches. But they weren¡¯t the only ones that have been invigorated by the new development. ¡°Defend Zeke at all costs!¡± Zacharia roared, reaching out to the soldiers that were still up and about. ¡°Kill every damn Bastion you see! No mercy!¡± ¡®No mercy!¡¯ Everyone of Zacharia¡¯s retinue shouted in unison, their souls and goals aligned for this single purpose. Even though she knew that this was so they could keep the biodome for themselves, relief soothed her now that Zeke is under their care. As for Zeke himself, he looked distant again, as though he had lost his goal once more. This happened already when he caught Clara and kept her safe. Mikella figured that Clara is safe as long as she¡¯s inside of Zeke, but if the other Bastion soldiers managed to kill him, won¡¯t that also kill Clara? She acted as soon as the thought ran through her mind. Zeke didn¡¯t move at all even as the Bastion army was slowly approaching and surrounding him. They started their skills, trying to do something that Mikella had no idea what might happen. But when she approached one of the soldiers, her instincts flared before dashing away from her current position. Someone landed with a thud that shattered the ground. What remained, at least. She looked up to find none other than Zyler in his bestial form. However, unlike the last time she saw him, he was utterly marred with burns. There were patches of skin that had no fur, showing burn marks that seemed unnatural. They weren¡¯t made by fire, at least according to Mikella¡¯s senses. He looked up to her, his eyes flashing red once more. But there was also a hint of exhaustion on his wolf-like face. ¡°Finally¡­ I made it,¡± Zyler spoke raggedly. His back was hunched over, and he released short panting breaths. Mikella had to take a double take at this man. He looked like he¡¯d been through hell. As far as she knew, he hadn''t met with the lords yet since they were going after the leader and the other soldiers. Piker was already with the retinue, and Myra was with Jackie along with everyone else. As of right now, she was alone. She could call out to them, but she preferred to have them near Zeke for protection. As before, he just stood there, unfazed. ¡°You look like shit,¡± Mikella said, already in her fighting stance. Her sword rested with the tip facing the ground as she stood upright to face him. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Your fucking boyfriend, that¡¯s what happened,¡± Zyler growled, though there was a hint of a smile on his face for some reason. That made Mikella raise her brows higher. ¡°My what?¡± She said, confused. Then she looked up to Zeke, and realized what happened. It all poured into her the moment she realized it. The entire time Zeke was out of commision while they were fighting, he must have been fighting Zyler¨Calone. Even though she already knew that Zeke can be stubborn at times, she couldn¡¯t believe that Zeke was actually fighting Zyler, no matter how obscene that might look. ¡°Oh don¡¯t even try to hide it, honey,¡± Zyler let out a scoff, but there was pain in that voice as he coughed once. ¡°Your scent was all over the guy. And once I mentioned the things I did to ya, oh he went all out. Toughest bastard I ever fought, mind you.¡± ¡°Yeah, he can be pretty tough.¡± She can already imagine Zeke losing control and wanting to fight now that Zyler revealed how it all started. Despite how cool-headed he can be, Zeke is what¡¯s known as the sort of guy that won¡¯t stand harassment to either her or Clara. Though she did feel slightly embarrassed after hearing how her ¡®scent¡¯ was all over Zeke. Granted, they spent more time with each other than anyone else, but that seemed a little too extreme. ¡°So now what? You wanna help daddy dearest in taking out Zeke?¡± Mikella called out, lowering her stance to ready for a quick strike. ¡°Hah!¡± Zyler laughed out loud this time, finally standing upright. ¡°Like I¡¯m gonna go after that giant fucker again! If you didn¡¯t realize by now, this is what happened when I was there when the guy grew to be that big!¡± He displayed his body again, extending his arms wide. It all made sense in her head now that she saw the burns. In other words, Zyler was right next to that giant pillar of light when the figure was created, when Zeke transformed into that giant figure. ¡°So no, I think I¡¯ll pass. I actually like to live, you know?¡± ¡°But isn¡¯t your father trying to do exactly that? Didn¡¯t you receive the quest?¡± She knew it was stupid to ask, but her curiosity took the best of her. Surely even Zyler had received the quest prompt, didn¡¯t he? ¡°Oh, I did. It kinda sucks that a tiny Expert managed to take out the boss, but I sure as hell ain¡¯t gonna complain. Anyways, I got better things to do. I already took a full taste of Zeke¡¯s power¡­ but I haven¡¯t even got a single lick of yours¡­¡± He pointed at her with a clawed finger. There was a hint of want in his eyes, different from any looks of desire that Mikella felt before. It was made purely of battlelust, wanting more fights than anything else. She stood back, flinching at the sight. In one way, she might have to deal with this Journeymen on her own now. Even considering his state, she might not last very long. But in another way, two problems would be solved. For once, she would distract him well enough that everyone else can defeat the Bastion army on time and protect Zeke. And as for the other¡­ If Zeke was able to last that long against Zyler on his own, then what would happen if Mikella pushed herself farther against this man? She needed power, and lots of it for the future. She opened up her status menu and put all of her newly gained free points into Vitality. She needed to survive Zyler¡¯s hits long enough to deal decent damage, and her highest physical stats were already in their 200¡¯s. With all the points into Vitality, it jumped straight over 110, a surge of life energy filling her body and her regeneration kicking up a notch. This time, she will not hesitate to go all out. ¡°You want a taste of my power?¡± Mikella eventually said, propping her sword tip straight at the tired, dangerous man in front of her. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll show you that I¡¯m just as tough as Zeke.¡± Vol2 Ch70: Mess around and find out Powerful surges of attacks and skills dominated their vision. Powerful flames and turbulent winds, along with scathing attacks from arrows and other forms of range attacks rained down upon them. Each one dealt a blow to their ethereal form, and since the consciousness was barely stable after the fight, no barrier stood in place. But each attack just dissipated the moment they passed through. Such physical attacks were pointless as there was no form to hit, not truly. But the magical ones caused a disturbance that made the entire thing nearly topple. Zeke had done the incredible, calling upon his unique attunement to summon this massive form. But in the end, he was still a child possessing power far beyond his reach. But even then, Zoan still awed at the immensity behind this power. This couldn¡¯t be done had Zeke not poured in every ounce of willpower he had to manifest such a thing, damn the consequences. Thankfully, it was all for the sake of saving one little girl that Zoan failed to protect on time. That was her mistake. However, while Zoan knew about the strange attunement, this was the first time she saw it with her own eyes. And she nearly gasped at the complexity of it. Or rather, the simplicity of it. It was just pure power, nothing else. If other attunements had flavors of different elements and concepts, Zeke¡¯s attunement was just an overabundance of mana, reaching its apex and becoming something else entirely into a new form of advanced mana. The World. This attunement wasn¡¯t something she was privy to, another one of the things that the gods failed to notify along with the destabilized towers and the strange influence it had in the world of Tarial. She knew there were some rare and powerful attunements, but this one was too advanced and powerful, especially to a boy who had only broken into Expert just over a month ago. It was already incredible enough as it is once it made a giant hole that found the biodome for them, but she figured it was just a one-off thing where Zeke had lost control over it. Nothing too serious, especially after what Tarial had experienced throughout history. What kind of mage hasn¡¯t done explosive damage that affected the ecosystem for generations to come? But this form was too much power for just one individual. An Expert shouldn¡¯t have enough power to overwhelm a true Master-rank monster and practically beat it solo. At this rate, if Zeke loses himself in his power, destruction would soon follow. More attacks came from the distance. As they were now, Zoan was nothing but part of the figure itself, along with Clara and Zeke¨Cwherever he was. There was nothing but a white void, but they could see the outside, or at least she could, to find themselves surrounded by the red-gold army beyond. Normally Zoan would just leave herself out of it, leaving Zeke to learn his lessons about the consequences of his emotions taking charge of his power. But in this unstable form, one single mistake and the entire thing would blast apart, and it would only take a mere moment to kill him. That was not part of Zoan¡¯s duties. Soon enough, she could see the figure that called himself a Master, or at least what¡¯s what he pretends to be. Much like all the other Journeymen that dared call themselves that with their meager power, this Roderick was the greatest trickster. She didn¡¯t know how such a human being was capable of even trespassing Master tier, but one thing was for sure¨Che was pushing himself farther than he had any right to be. His purple flames flashed with a brilliant light as a gleam of greed showed in his eyes. He showered the figure in the flames, all the while keeping out the other allies out of the way in order to fulfill the quest the biodome has given out. There were too many things that were unfavorable for her, but the one thing she needs to do is obvious. She needed to stop Zeke¡¯s attunement. It was too dangerous, and while she had no intention of getting rid of it, she needed to at least seal it away somehow. Otherwise, this would continue to hamper Zeke¡¯s progress, and potentially bring danger to those around him, including Mikella and Clara. Determination in her eyes, she could sense the core of the entire figure, Zeke himself. Even in this white void, she could sense the pure source of origin floating around her. She floated upwards, her body being the great angel form she had before. Clara was safe, tucked within a realm of protection that Zeke, despite being unconscious, created for her. No matter the troubles from the outside, the realm would protect both Clara and Brucey from ever getting hurt. Even if the figure itself would be dispersed, Clara and Brucey would be safe. The only ones in true danger was Zeke, and Zoan intended to fix that. She floated, reaching ever closer to the bright turquoise light that hovered at the center. It was a bright bluish green star that seemed to gleam brighter than even the efervescent white void itself. It had a sort of brightness that could consume the brightest of stars. Even Zoan had difficulty perceiving it, however great her vision was, proving just how powerful The World was. Steeling herself, Zoan approached the star with her great wings. As she flew closer, there was a heat that persisted, invading through her powerful resistance. This was clearly a danger she has never seen before. If this level of power was able to make her feel this way, then she needed to seal it as soon as possible, no doubt about it. Zeke is a resourceful boy. Even without an attunement, he shouldn¡¯t have any trouble fulfilling his duties as a Support Mage. More importantly, this won¡¯t bring any more surprises down Zoan¡¯s head as she had enough of things going out of control without her knowing about it. Her hand approached the core, riddled with power straight from her own core to seal the¨C Her soul flinched, somehow. Her body began to shiver, entirely out of instinct. Her eyes widened. Was she¡­ afraid? Even if she didn¡¯t know the full capabilities of the attunement, her kind has never felt fear before, even if death approached them. No matter how hard she tried, however, her hand refused to move. Or rather¡­ it couldn¡¯t move. That shouldn¡¯t be possible. Zeke was still unconscious. Even if he was, he must be pouring all of his attention to the outside world, still trying to perceive it in the way he could in his condition. So this pressure¡­ if it wasn¡¯t from Zeke, then who was emitting such a powerful pressure deep within him. It couldn¡¯t be¡­ The World itself? Such a thing was absurd. An attunement with its own will? They should be entirely accustomed to their owner, a part of them, like a sword to a warrior. They shouldn¡¯t have a conscience. And yet¡­ The core flashed, the brightness completely taking her vision. Before Zoan could even do anything, she felt her shoulders and arms suddenly grabbed by some force. Her wings were tucked under the pressure, and her legs were tied by an unseen force. She opened her eyes wide to see that it wasn¡¯t the core anymore, but a figure. A figure that was exactly like the one making a mess in the real world. The figure, in the same size as Zeke, had its turquoise eyes opened wide and staring right at her with no other facial features present. There was a twinge of fear that passed by her, but she crushed it with her anger and dignity. ¡°How dare you?!¡± Zoan called out. ¡°You dare to touch me?! You?! A mere thought of the Higher Realm?!¡± Zoan roared and unleashed her power, releasing her limits. No matter the cost, she must take down this attunement. If it was somehow able to take a conscious form, and even protect itself while the owner was out, then it would only end up worse in the long run. Yet the attunement did not waiver. It didn¡¯t even take her anger, her full power, seriously. Before Zoan could unleash her power and cause the entire figure of pure Mana to dissipate from her willpower¨C It was snuffed out, a mere candle flame in front of a simple breeze. Zoan widened, finding herself without power all of a sudden. It was then that she felt something was wrong with herself. She was already severely limited by the system to possess the little girl to enter into this plane of existence. However, it was the sort of limit nobody should be able to take advantage of. The limits, along with herself, existed in an entirely different plane, much like being inside the soul of Clara, and the white void she summoned to bring both Zeke and Mikella to meet up back then. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. But this figure is somehow taking advantage of that unique state. It crossed into the same plane as Zoan herself, where her limits are, and it is using that limited state to its advantage. She can¡¯t use her true power, and from there, the figure¨CThe World¨Cis actually absorbing it. The World was stealing Zoan¡¯s power. The figure stood defiantly in front of her, his glow becoming brighter. The brightness only intensified, becoming more refined. In front of her eyes, the figure seemed to grow. Not in size, but in refinement and density. This isn¡¯t possible. The attunement is ranking itself up with my power? I never heard of this! Even if the attunement came from the Higher Realms, it shouldn¡¯t have been able to just absorb her¨C She only just realized where she was at that moment. She was within Zeke¡¯s figure¨Cin other words, within his own consciousness. This was, in a sense, his own personal world. And in this world, his attunement is in charge. But even then¡­ The figure dramatically grew in size, its large hand opening and grasping Zoan¡¯s entire form like a doll. Zoan gritted her teeth and tried to run, to flee. Even if her pride was shattered, she still had her mission. But there was no way to escape. It finally dawned on her that perhaps, just perhaps, she might not be able to survive. She looked back at the figure of light, knowing full well that this was not Zeke, not truly. It was something else entirely. A will within Zeke¡¯s own. A will that is clearly much more defiant, aided by Zeke¡¯s anger and rage against anything of authority. She could only stare in disbelief before the figure opened its large mouth and swallowed her whole. ¡­.. Claws descended against her sword blade, a resounding clang deafening her ears. Mikella swiped her blade aside to disrupt Zyler¡¯s swing and then aimed for his neck with a fluid swerve. With unnatural grace, he twisted it just slightly ajar before swiping with another horizontal claw. Mikella retreated, returning back to her usual combat stance. Zyler followed after her, pouncing on her at every step. She now realized why Zeke had so much difficulty trying to get away, if he could at all. Despite being injured, he was fast. Too fast even for a Journeyman with as high of Strength and Endurance as he was. There was too much of a gap between them in pure stats and levels, causing Mikella to keep fighting on the edge. She couldn¡¯t help but think about that as she defended against Zyler¡¯s constant strikes. She also realized that throughout all this, Zyler hadn¡¯t just made ordinary attacks all this time. Each one was surging with power, proving that each strike was a skill. Or rather, it must be a Class skill. His attunement must have something to do with the synergy of the class as she could sense each attack being aided by something outside of himself. It was only proven more when Zyler got through Mikella¡¯s defenses and slashed at her forearm, creating a gout of blood that poured out. Pain overtook her senses for a moment, but she managed to keep fighting as her wounds visibly healed at an unnatural rate. This was due to her two Class regeneration skills and the boost to her Vitality just earlier. Her wound was already sealing up, enduring her body being recovered enough to keep fighting. It was surreal, as though Zeke himself was healing her throughout the battle from far away. Still, she knew the difference well enough to realize that she can¡¯t keep taking those hits like that, however small they were. Zyler had no intention of holding back. Even when the rest of the biodome was in disarray, Zeke was getting attacked by the soldiers, and everyone was constantly trying to get the upper hand against the invading force¨Cthe two were caught in their own world, fighting for supremacy. Normally, she would be thrilled by this. She likes to fight. She loves the idea of not thinking about anything else but the thrill of combat. But this¡­ She wasn¡¯t having fun. Putting aside the massive difference between them, there was something off about Zyler. Unlike before, he seemed more calm and composed, as though accepting something. It wasn¡¯t as though she liked him better earlier, but this somehow became worse. As she prepared for another onslaught, Zyler spoke up. ¡°You ever know what it¡¯s like to be treated as a fool your entire life?¡± Mikella perked her ears up at the sudden question. Zyler stood upright, facing her directly. There wasn¡¯t anything like malice in his eyes, and he didn¡¯t seem like the sort to try trash talking with something like philosophy. She stayed silent, letting him continue. ¡°Despite that no matter how hard you work, nobody really treats you any better than before? All they see is a wild animal asking for a fight? You ever felt like that, lil¡¯ girl?¡± She wanted to scoff, but she remained still. She already hated the fact that she felt that way as well. Not in this world, but in the old world. Due to her upbringing, nobody would¡¯ve taken her seriously, even if she had a scholarship ready and everything. If anything, she was about to throw it all away before suddenly getting taken against her will along with her little sister. So in the end, she stayed silent again. Except for one thing. ¡°It¡¯s not ¡®lil¡¯girl¡¯,¡± Mikella spoke with mild contempt in her tone. ¡°It¡¯s Mikella.¡± ¡°Hah, Mikella¡­¡± Zyler smiled with his wolf-like face. ¡°A nice name. And for what I said-I am the same. We come from different backgrounds, probably from entirely different realms¡­ but I know how much you wanted to be free.¡± He extended his arms wide, his head hung back as though ready to howl at the sky. ¡°So did I! I want to be free! To just be done with all this political frolicking! But no, that¡¯s just not in the cards. Not for the both of us. Even if we settle things here and now, it won¡¯t make anything easier. Even if Bastion is out of the picture, there would always be more forces ready to take this biodome from under your noses. My dear old pops is the impatient type. But there¡¯s gonna be dozens of others ready to do whatever they can to get their hands on this place. So, in the end, nothing ever changes.¡± ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± Mikella finally asked, having enough. ¡°Are you saying you wanna just quit? If so, just say it!¡± ¡°What I¡¯m saying is, Mikella, if you wanna prove how much you truly want to live, then show me what you really got!¡± Before anything else could be said and done, Zyler¡¯s body began to surge with a different color. There was a tint of red and orange surrounding his entire body, and before long the dark fur on his werewolf body changed completely, becoming a mixture of red and orange. Mikella gasped softly, taking a step back. Compared to before, the power generated from the aura alone was just¡­ incredible. She could feel something burning at the edge of her senses. Barely there, but it practically licked at her own aura. It demanded to consume, to burn it all and swallow it whole. It was then she realized this type of power. His attunement. Surprisingly, the man had not used his attunement at all. Now she knew why¨Cit didn¡¯t fit his current setup. Even as he practically looked like a burning werewolf, there was a sense of wrongness. Zyler twisted and groaned, the pain of the temperature rising from Myra¡¯s attack nothing compared to the pain he was going through now. Before she could realize what she can do, Zyler lunged at her, trails of flames burning from the tips of his claws. She blocked with the blade, but her hands burned from the intensity, even when she blocked the actual attack. It was the proximity that truly dealt the blow. Her body couldn¡¯t last as she was pushed back, her back landing straight at a stone wall and crushing it to pieces. Her vision blurred before another attack came by, forcing her to dodge for her life. Her heart beat faster when he approached at a more ferocious pace. If this keeps up, she¡¯ll end up turning into burnt tinders. Each time Zyler attacked her, his attacks left a powerful burst of flames that just burned up its surroundings in an instant, leaving nothing but charred remains of what it once was. It completely outranked Myra¡¯s own flames, hers being a stable source while Zyler¡¯s was like a bomb ready to explode. She was lucky that her sword managed to survive, still being of that high quality from the tower. But each time she blocked, it started to diminish in durability. She could feel her own weapon screaming along with her body each time she blocked one fast attack after another. It was devastating. It made their half-stalemate/half-disadvantage to her now just a timer before the end. There was no other choice in the matter. She had to finish this. Her Mana churned, lightning surging through her. It was already on full blast trying to dodge, but she needed more. Her mana was already draining to the point of not being able to pull out her various weapons, but she did manage to learn a simple trick with her Lightning Mastery. Mana swirled as she commanded the electricity with her will. As Zyler approached, stamina coursed through her body and headed straight towards her hands. There, she demanded her lightning to adhere to her stamina, her more powerful kinetic energy, and it obliged. Of course, this came at a cost as she felt her body surging with more energy in ways she hasn¡¯t used before. Her channels started to burn, and her mind was whirling in white hot pain from the excess energy. But she gritted her teeth as she forced the metal of her sword to do one thing¨Cto become magnetic. And if she knew her electromagnetics, she knew that it was possible to do the opposite. She roared, all her buffs and skills in full effect as she reacted faster than Zyler could ever predict. Her sword¡¯s tip reached to where the last remaining vestiges of Zyler¡¯s dignity remained¨Chis pants. Or rather, at the belt buckle keeping his pants together. The belt buckle that was made entirely out of metal, as far as she knew. The sword¡¯s tip clashed against the belt buckle before Zyler could strike her down. With all her energy in full effect, a powerful propulsion burst out between the two metals, lightning and air pressure surrounding them both as the two were blown away from each other. Stone shattered and broke, and any surrounding enemies, whether Bastion soldiers or surviving monsters, were taken down a peg as the force collided and crashed against one another. Mikella wasn¡¯t quite sure what happened after that. All she knew was that she landed near somewhere, hitting a wall most likely, and feeling an intense amount of pain unlike anything she ever felt before. All she could recall is a memory of the time when Zeke explained how he managed to survive against the Master in their first tower. Using physics with magical powers was certainly not something Mikella ever thought of using. Creating a magnet out of her sword and using the damn belt buckle of all things took too much out of her to actually maintain, causing all sorts of pain to riddle her body from the underused way she used her attuned mana. She even felt a bit of coldness seeping through her bones, the hint of Mana Deprivation hitting her a little. Still, Mikella chuckled with a hint of delirious excitement. ¡°That actually worked¡­ gotta tell Zeke I did something smart¡­¡± She cursed as her eyes closed for a moment. She also cursed that she can¡¯t actually faint and just let sleep take over, the pain suddenly not as bad anymore. She needed to go and get to Zeke as fast as possible.. Vol2 Ch71: The end in sight He groaned loudly, his human form returning and regretting every moment of it. It was bad enough that the first guy dealt a heavy blow that nearly burned his entire core to pieces. Now this girl managed to somehow, despite all odds, send him away on a short journey straight into the ground. He barely managed to look up to find himself surrounded by the ground, obviously a crater his body made from the impact. Everything hurt. A lot. His Pain Resistance did a lot of heavy lifting, but it was mostly his pride that was shattered. The girl didn¡¯t so much hurt but rather hit him with enough force to shock him out of his senses. However, he was actually a little giddy. These kids were nowhere near his power, yet they stumped him at every chance they got. If it wasn¡¯t one thing, it was another. Of course, if he went truly all out, letting his Class rage and his attunement soar, he could easily tear out their throats without batting an eye. But not once did he wish to do that. He felt that it would¡¯ve been a horrible waste of talent. Sure, if they bored him to tears, they wouldn¡¯t even be alive by now. But if they kept getting stronger, he knew deep within his gut that he would only get stronger in return. Now if those two were to fight together against him at their current stage, would he have even managed to win? The idea excited him. However, his current situation was not a good one. His father was already going mad trying to take out the boy who became a near god-like being, and that Runist hadn¡¯t made a move so far. He wasn¡¯t sure how that sort of power worked, but there was no way a mere Expert could handle such power on his own. At one point or another, he would die. Then the rest of the townies would suffer. An idea germinated within his mind, which he always thought was small and feeble compared to his father. An idea that would shake the very foundations of his life. An idea that, no matter the consequences, would change their way of living forever. And soon he put it against the supposed future they would have. At this current state, his father¡¯s debt would hit him, and who knows what might happen. As those two ideals fought for dominance in his mind, he searched within himself for an answer. The answer came as easily as he breathed. He chuckled bitterly. He was his mom¡¯s kid, after all. ¡­.. ¡°Die, you bastard!¡± Roderick roared, summoning a storm of flames that would have easily burned an entire town in a heartbeat. As the purple flames cascaded over to the figure of pure mana, the figure remained steady and daunting, not moving at all. The flames did nothing to the figure, as though a bit of wind passed across him. He already knew the futility, but he figured that pouring in more mana would suffice. It would make sense that most magic attacks wouldn¡¯t work. All across the fortress, his soldiers have been hammering away at the figure, the new king that has taken over the biodome. Normally, they would have failed, but how was Roderick supposed to expect a giant monster to come along and beat the boss, and seemingly belonged to the puny town that should¡¯ve, by all rights, belonged to him by now? But by the gods¡¯ blessings, the damn bastard stopped moving. Like a true giant, there was nothing of worth inside that head of his. He wasn¡¯t quite sure what sort of skill or magic created this, but either the one that controlled it died from the overusage of his mana or he lost control due to the power output. As far as Roderick knew, there was no possible way that Eve Glade would have a mage that could control this power so easily. So he chucked spell after spell, trying to take this figure down and bring this entire biodome to his control. It was only a matter of time. He was also running out of time as several of the lords of that town desperately tried to undo his wall of purple flames surrounding him, pouring out every bit of power to take it down. It normally would have run out by now, but that wasn¡¯t possible as his mana regeneration surged faster than normal, thanks to the specialized crafted glasses he wore. But even that had its limit as he could feel the powerful Journeywoman trying to slam into his wall of flames with enough force to compare to the figure beyond him. Just what kind of power does that woman have? Is she actually at Master-stage? Impossible, I should¡¯ve felt that aura by then¡­. His idle thought irritated him, forcing him to focus solely on the figure of light. As always, it remained undaunted, but he could see cracks forming. Its ephemeral surface of pure mana wasn¡¯t indestructible. Even as the skills and spells seem to swirl within and consumed like a whirlpool, the intensity behind each blow was palpable, and slowly darker-hued blue cracks formed around its chest and shoulders. It moved ever so slightly, wobbling as though it couldn¡¯t even understand what was happening to it. Soon it bellowed what sounded like death throes, a horrid wailing sound that was actually music to Roderick¡¯s ears. This was immensely much easier than fighting the Weaver. Roderick smiled, feeling its life erased by their hands. Soon, the biodome would be his, and everything would be alright. ¡°ZEEEEEKE!¡± A resounding voice that nearly shook the biodome itself baffled everyone around. It belonged to a young woman, her leather armor nearly ripped apart and charred as though she went through hell and back. Her very skin looked burnt, yet she persisted as she stood upright, glaring like she was ready to kill the figure in front. Yet, she shouted what sounded like a name. Roderick quickly remembered the name of the supposed king, Zeke Parlow. Was she calling out to the figure? But surely such a thing wouldn¡¯t be possible. The figure of light couldn¡¯t be so easily controlled, especially by some figure that had no right to command such power. Yet the figure moved its head, facing directly at the young brown-haired maiden. Roderick gasped at the sight. The figure seemed to have¡­ understood what she was saying. It stared blankly at the young woman, turning slowly towards her direction. It looked down, considering the young woman. Everyone paused at the sight. Despite victory being so close at hand, seeing the figure finally move, much less to the woman¡¯s shout, made everyone freeze, including Roderick. Now that she''s gotten its attention, she shouted again. In fact, she did so while pointing¡­ at Roderick. ¡°Kill that guy!¡± The young woman shouted, her voice still as loud as before. There was a clear sense of her body being ravaged, blood still seeping from the open wounds and her chest heaving drastically. ¡°He¡¯s our enemy! Kill that guy and we can go home!¡± She spoke slowly but surely, speaking to the figure as though expecting it to work. Roderick was no fool, even if the chances of it happening was slim to none. His flames swirled around his hands, directing his anger at the young woman who so brazenly called for his death. The woman in question turned back after sensing his power, ready to step back. The other townies beckoned to her, arraying themselves to shield her. But it was too late. Every single one of them were just Experts¨Cthey would just turn to char as Roderick poured his flames outward to burn them all alive. But then the unthinkable happened. A large barrier, the mana signature clearly belonging to the figure, surrounded the large townie group and took the flames head on. Roderick widened to find his flames bearing no purchase as they dispersed apart, showing small cracks on the like before. Roderick looked back to find the figure lifting its hand to protect them, staring. Right at him. The figure shook as though in visible rage, then it roared, opening its normally non-existent mouth wide and revealing the brightly colored greenish glow from within. Its roar transcended the sound barrier, causing everyone around, including the townies, to cover their ears. Then the bastard moved, raising its hands and curling into fists as it swung right at him. Gods¡­ dammit! Roderick cursed as he poured all of his remaining power to defend himself against the figure¡¯s attack. ¡­.. Honestly, Mikella didn¡¯t think Zeke would listen to her in his current state. When she finally got up near the battlefield, all of the soldiers of Eve Glade facing against the Bastion soldiers, she noticed the lords fighting each other. Or rather, they were trying to fight against the lord that was constantly hitting Zeke with all the firepower he could muster. The cracks that started to form on his body worried her. She didn¡¯t know what it meant, but she wouldn¡¯t like it if the mayor continued the outpour. So she ran up, her body still sizzling and charring from her earlier outburst of electricity. She roared his name and demanded him to attack the enemy. And it worked. For a moment, he looked at her with those wide turquoise eyes, as though perceiving what she was saying and what he was looking at. For a moment, she thought she would be his next target. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. But in Zeke¡¯s true fashion, once the lord picked up what she was getting at (she was screaming for his death at the top of her lungs, after all), and tried to eliminate her, Zeke protected her and the surrounding soldiers from his flames. And now, Zeke was currently using his massive fists to beat the ever living shit out of the master-staged lord, defending himself with his purple flames acting like barriers. The sheer audacity of the man to use his flames like Zeke¡¯s barriers. Sure, they were stronger, but they sure as hell looked uncomfortable as hell to be within. Then again, she might just be extremely biased. The other soldiers, Zacharia¡¯s retinue that came over to aid her when the master tried to eliminate her, watched in wonder at the sight. They should¡¯ve known that facing against the master wouldn¡¯t end up well for them, yet they still ushered in to protect her when she tried to convince Zeke to fight. Even if it was under orders, she was glad for their arrival. They looked back at her, getting a good glimpse of the fight between their barrier mage and the master user. ¡°Mikella, how did you know Zeke would listen?¡± Piker asked, being the first in line of the group. The others quickly nodded to his question, eagerly waiting for good news. ¡°Honestly, it was a gamble,¡± Mikella admitted. ¡°But¡­ I knew Zeke was still there. If I had to guess, it looked like he had only one goal when he became like that¨Cthen after that, he was sorta lost.¡± ¡°So you got here to guide him to a proper direction,¡± Piker nodded slowly, getting the others to agree. Mikella let out a breath of relief. They saw a man with unparalleled power, and knew that they could also be in just as much danger. But it was proven that as long as Zeke had Mikella¡¯s interest in heart, he¡¯ll have their backs¨Cwhich was shown quite well when he continued to bash onto the fortress, his giant fists not quite so dexterous enough to hit only the user of the purple flames. She was glad that he listened, but she kept a steady eye around the vicinity. She also relayed how she fought against Zyler and managed to get away, only to reveal that he might still be around. The soldiers quickly perked their ears up at that and kept a steady eye around. At this point, the bastion soldiers were just too unmotivated to even continue. They sank to their knees, watching in horror at the figure ready to strike their leader down. The others were either cowering in fear, hiding themselves away, or just slinking into fetal positions and praying to whatever gods they adhere. It was a sad sight, but this was war. She wasn¡¯t even holding them in contempt anymore. Before, she would¡¯ve shunned them for this kind of shameful behavior, but now, she only pitied the fools. What other choice did they have against this level of power? How many soldiers of their own died in the hands of such a small group? Truthfully, she didn¡¯t want to kill any more soldiers. Some looked young, almost the same age as hers. If they gave up like this and no longer want to start trouble, she definitely wouldn¡¯t mind letting them go. Even if imprisonment was in the works, seeing their army razed to the ground like this in just a matter of hours was probably enough of a punishment that would haunt them for years, perhaps decades to come. She knew she wouldn¡¯t forget this level of destruction. The lords eventually arrived to them, unable to do much else as they all made sure to do exactly one thing¨C Stay the fuck away from Zeke. That should be easy enough. As long as they weren¡¯t in his way, Zeke can just focus entirely on the master tier user. Even now, Roderick was constantly trying to defend himself against Zeke¡¯s blows, either punching at the man or at the barrier whenever he got the chance. The lords just watched in awe, their jobs nearly done. But even now, they kept an eye out for any potential troublemakers. There were actual true journeymen within the groups of soldiers, and the lords went after them to thin the numbers some more. They left the job of observing Zeke to Mikella, the only one capable of handling the man as he was now. She was glad for that¨Cshe was worried that one mishap from them could make Zeke mistake them for enemies. Still, her heart raced when the Master struck back with his purple flames, hitting Zeke across the face. There were more cracks showing across his placid face, which soon transformed into an enraged primal roar that felt so distant from Zeke¡¯s own. But there was also pain and agony mixed into that roar. Sometimes, it felt like it was the power itself responding rather than Zeke himself. Myra tugged at her shoulder, getting her to look back. ¡°Those cracks, aren¡¯t they pretty serious?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Mikella nodded. ¡°But I do know Zeke¡¯s reaching his limits. I just don¡¯t know whether we should really get in there or not. Facing Roderick now is just gonna kill us, or we¡¯ll get in his way.¡± ¡°Shit!¡± Piker shouted, getting her attention. ¡°Zeke¡¯s caught!¡± Mikella looked back in horror to find Piker was right. Somehow, in the midst of the battle, the user was able to summon purple flames that actually binded Zeke¡¯s arms and shoulders, stopping him in his tracks. Sizzling could be heard from the distance even from here, and Zeke roared from pain as the ropes of pure flames dug into his ephemeral skin. There were more bluish cracks crossing his skin some more, becoming larger and wider. Zeke tried to pull away, roaring like a captured beast. But Roderick smiled cruelly as he summoned more ropes of purple flames. They spread like tendrils and caught more of Zeke¡¯s body, capturing his figure of light with ease. More sizzling occurred, forcing Mikella to react. She didn¡¯t know what to do, however. If nothing is done, the cracks take over, and eventually he¡¯ll die. Then an idea formed in her head. She wasn¡¯t quite sure if it¡¯ll work, but it¡¯s the best chance she got. Since Zeke listened to her, it was possible to do it again. But did she have what it takes? ¡°It looks like you have an idea,¡± Myra called out, grinning at her. ¡°Whatever it is, do it! We¡¯ll back you up!¡± The others quickly nodded to Myra¡¯s words, agreeing. She nodded back to them. She summoned her spear, not her sword. Adam the smith would have a field day with her once he found what she plans to do with this incredibly well-crafted spear. Oh well. What can you do? She rushed out, her spear in hand as she breathed in deeply. Then, she roared as loud as she could. ¡°Zeeeeke!¡± She screamed. ¡°Give me all of your power! Right here!¡± In that instance of pure determination in her voice, unwilling to cave even at this state, Zeke stopped roaring and turned back. Everyone paused at her request. They didn¡¯t know what she was planning, and if she was honest, she wasn¡¯t sure either. Mikella knew that Zeke would listen to her, but would he be able to understand her intent? Rather than just shouting it out, she also poured all of her will into the link between them. She put up the image of what she wanted, no matter how scattered or chaotic it might look. She hoped, prayed that Zeke would understand after the long time they spent together, in and outside of combat. A moment of understanding passed by Zeke, and as the bluish cracks began to grow larger across his body from the purple binds that were slowly consuming him¨Che vanished. Tendrils of powerful bluish mana surged all around the fortress. The body of pure Mana just exploded and a burst of energy ensued like a raging torrent. The binds of purple flames dispersed as they no longer had a target to bind, much to Roderick¡¯s shock. For a solid moment, it was a beautiful sight. It was like glowing blue raindrops had a will of their own, and rather than falling to the ground, they flowed like a river, each glimmering bright, reflecting the drops of the rain. There were hints of green in there, giving off the impression of the earth and the sea colliding together into a mix-match of splendorous colors. And all of that energy, that rising torrent like a waterfall given life and streaming across the air, were heading straight towards Mikella. Uh-oh. She cursed her habit of biting off more than she could chew, and deep inside she nearly squealed at how Zeke easily managed to understand her. But then the torrent of energy hit her like a dam bursting forth, swallowing her whole. Thankfully, it didn¡¯t actually destroy anything around her. Like energy, it was like liquid and smoke mixed together to her surroundings, not hitting anyone physically. But the pressure was there, and Mikella felt it. Oh, she felt it all. This pressure, the rising energy that was swirling and rising up from within. Each energy particle, each speck of energy infused into her body, coming in droves and droves. She feared that her mana pool would explode from within, forcing her channels to swell and burst like a hose being halted by a foot. But rather than entering into her body fully, they swirled around her channels. It was a strange feeling. Thanks to her experience, she could feel the energy easily once it was inside of her. She could feel the dense magical energy actually circling around her channels, rather than filling her. It was still too much, and she felt her body burn up worse than being burned by Zyler¡¯s fiery claws. It was worse than the lightning strike she received to get her first attunement. It was a flame that was so hot, it was about to burn her soul away. But she forced herself to focus. With all that energy filling her, she demanded it to go to her spear instead. Along with that, she poured every bit of her own mana and stamina into her spear as well. She wanted something powerful enough to land a blow that would make even a master-staged user cry out in pain. And everything followed her will. Everything, including Zeke¡¯s immense power. It was possible that Zeke¡¯s will was commanding the power, and it was aiding her own command to make it follow her order. She could only try to take in that immense power for her goal. Strangely, ever so weirdly, she felt a will that was not her own or Zeke¡¯s. It felt almost alien, but at the same time, she doesn¡¯t fear it. It didn¡¯t feel hostile, nor did it give her that feeling of a virus worming its way through. It was like a presence that was always there for her. Perhaps even from birth. While that feeling felt strange, considering she was in another world, this certain presence wasn¡¯t bad to be around with. Without really thinking about it, she thanked that presence, thanking it for protecting Clara, and for taking care of Zeke. And thanked it once more for helping her with this fight. Her eyes opened wide, looking back at her spear she held up as though she was aiming to throw. The spear was like a sun in her eyes, shining so brightly and filled with so much power. The enchantments were practically drowned out by this sudden power, replaced with the intensity that she desired. Not just Zeke¡¯s own mana, but her yellow-tinged mana that resembled lightning flowed along the spear. It wasn¡¯t true lightning, per say, but her own version of her mana. The spear, combined with Zeke¡¯s overwhelming current-like mana and Mikella¡¯s lightning attuned mana, made a silent roar of power. Powerful pressure ensued from her, forcing everyone around to back away. They would be there to help, for sure, but it was asking too much for them to be near something so powerful that it might be considered a nuclear bomb in her hands. Her body felt the backlash immediately, blood pouring out from her wounds opening from the intensity of the spear. Her eyes bled, crimson liquid streaming down her cheeks, under her nose, and from the corner of her lips. She grinned. She stared directly at the master mage, looking back at her with shock in his eyes. This was for everything that they went through. This attack, filled with every ounce of their willpower and rage, will finally go after the man responsible for so much despair and destruction. And quite frankly, she had enough of his shit. ¡°Gooooo!¡± She roared, her own voice replaced with a primal tinge as she lunged the spear straight at the man. A quake of pressurized air exploded from her hands. The spear flew like a missle towards the master mage, leaving behind two raging trails of lightning yellow and ocean turquoise. Each energy trailed and formed like a spiral of crystalline colors as the spear flew straight at Mikella¡¯s intended target. Roderick however refused to accept such a generous offer of pure power. He conjured walls after walls of condensed purple flames, creating a plethora of flaming walls to stop the spear. But none of them had the will behind like Zeke¡¯s barriers. The spear, as though knowing this sort of weakness itself, smashed through each wall of flames and puncturing them outright. Once the spear crashed through every wall imaginable, it landed on the shocked Roderick¡¯s chest in an explosion of power. The spear dragged the screaming Roderick down, straight beyond their vision outside of the fortress, to gods knows where. A small explosion soon occurred, marking the end of the fight. Mikella watched with joyful glee, knowing that their enemy was finished. And as if her body recognized the fight was done, it turned off on her and forced her to drop like a ton of bricks. She only had a hint of people surrounding her before her awareness soon blackened. She still had a mission to do. She still needed¡­ to find her family. Vol 2 Ch72: The friends we make along the way Roderick cursed, coughed blood, and cursed again at all the misfortune that had been dealt to him. That little bitch had the gall to not only call out his death, but to deliver it herself. But no matter how frighteningly powerful that spear throw was, in the end, she was merely an Expert. He found himself plunged deep within the biodome forest, stuck within a rocky cliffside where the spear was thrown into. It was the rare part where there were natural trees rather than the crystalline structures the biodome is so famous for. The damn spear was still planted deep into his chest, a mockery of everything he worked hard for. He would have pulled it outright had it not literally melted straight into his body. The blade was heated up to the point where it melted within his body, yet its tip still got stuck into the wall. The rest of the spear had been melted down, leaving only a bubbling puddle on his lap and the ground. Whatever energy that bastard figure left for the spear was still nestled in the melted metal, leaving its form intact and making it impossible to pull it out by himself. The energies were backlashing against his own, leaving his skills to flicker and die out before he could use them. Once he managed to gather enough resources again, he could pull this damn thing out with ease, but right now, he could only watch with gritted teeth at his wretched state. He swore that once he recovers his resources, he would find the townies that must be celebrating for his demise and burn them all to cinders. He would instead leave the very two that had made it worse for him alive to see it all. Then, he would enslave whoever was controlling that figure, using his power to fuel his city for the end of time. As for the girl, he would sell her to the mines and work her to the bone until her last breath leaves her body. Even then, it just wasn¡¯t enough to sate his seething rage. Still, he was actually looking forward to the power boost from the potentially enslaved mage. That power was clearly not of this world, and whoever wielded it must have some form of skill or attunement that was beyond their knowledge. The cursed town truly doesn¡¯t deserve such a find, especially with how little resources they had. ¡°Father, it¡¯s good to see you again.¡± Roderick¡¯s ears perked up, blood still pooling at the bottom of his jaw as he tried to speak, leaving only a nasty trail of blood and spittle down his chin. As usual, his son arrived as though nothing had happened. He looked worse for wear, though not as bad as he was. He looked burnt in some places, the energy that was burning him similar to his own. There were also hints of burns from electricity, his tanned skin riddled with cuts and wounds that seem to bubble much like his own wounds. But that damn smile on his face only filled him with rage instead of gratitude. ¡°You¡­¡± Roderick spoke, ignoring the pain filling his chest and throat. ¡°Do you have any idea what just happened? Our army is reduced to a mere fraction, and you were out frolicking with the damn townies!¡± He barked at the last word, leaving bubbles of blood to burst from his mouth. If there ever was a time to get angry at his son, it was for not being there when everything turned to shit. As usual, Zyler just shrugged, ignoring his father¡¯s plight. ¡°What can I say, father? I was busy on my own. If you hadn¡¯t noticed, I had some bad luck dealing with an upstart girl. You know how we are with women, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Roderick¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°That little girl got you too?¡± Normally, he would scoff at how such a girl at a pitifully low level could ever hurt his son. But after seeing what happened to himself, he can¡¯t really be a good judge of character. That only fueled his rage even more, however. ¡°Nevermind that now. Take this damn thing off of me and retreat. We¡¯ll return back to the town, gather up our forces, and attack again soon. They can''t recover as fast as we can, so we must act with haste.¡± For once, Zyler frowned at him. ¡°Are you serious? Even after all of this, you still plan on going after the townies? Last time I checked, we don¡¯t exactly have too much to give out anymore. We wasted it all on this expedition, remember?¡± ¡°Quiet!¡± Roderick roared. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t understand the weight behind everything here, boy! Can you even imagine what this land can do for our own city? And you want to give it away to those blasted townies?!¡± He always knew his boy was slow in the head, but to think he would be this damn foolish. No matter how bad things are, it wouldn¡¯t compare to the losses done by losing this biodome. He would die before he would let such a good land go away. ¡°No, father. I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s you that doesn¡¯t understand,¡± Zyler said in a tone that was unlike him. He knelt down to Roderick¡¯s level, staring directly in the eyes. Roderick didn¡¯t like this. Zyler was acting too differently. His eyes didn¡¯t show the normally aloof and irresponsible child he knew for so long. They showed something else, something unrecognizable. ¡°Father, did you think I wouldn¡¯t notice? How you use up all of our city¡¯s resources for your own power? To make a deal with the Federation to put yourself into Master-stage in exchange for all of our people¡¯s valuable mana and stamina? Not just that, you practically gave away our metals and our ores for just a crumb of the power you possess, and look at yourself now¡­¡± Zyler shook his head, brazenly and without remorse. ¡°Look at your state, pops. This is what you got even after all of that.¡± ¡°H-How dare you¡­¡± Roderick seethed. His veins popped even as blood continued to pour out. ¡°You yourself took on the luxuries of what I gained! You wouldn¡¯t even be at this stage were it not for me!¡± ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Zyler nodded. ¡°I do agree with you. I wouldn¡¯t be who I am now were it not for you. I¡¯m just as bad as you, actually. And I don¡¯t even feel bad about it. If anything, I¡¯m proud of how you¡¯re willing to sacrifice anything to get your goals.¡± Roderick couldn¡¯t understand a lick of what his blasted son was trying to say, but as soon as he tried to ask that, he felt another pain bursting from his chest. He looked down, and just beside the spear that had barely missed his heart¨CZyler¡¯s hand reached deep into the precise spot. Roderick gasped, feeling his own life energy drain away as Zyler¡¯s fingers grasped around his still beating heart, pacing rapidly at his development. He looked back at his own flesh and blood, his eyes no longer showing the boy he once knew and raised. He glared with every fiber of hate and anguish as someone else he knew. ¡°And thanks to that, you did something that you shouldn¡¯t have done, pops.¡± He grasped around his heart tighter, then pulled it out of his father¡¯s chest. Roderick gasped one final time as he saw his son eagerly crush his own heart in his hands, blood pouring everywhere around him. As his vision darkened, he heard his son¡¯s final words. ¡°That¡¯s for Mom.¡± ¡­.. Zyler has never felt more satisfied, and more empty in his life. His father¡¯s death should¡¯ve hurt, or at least made him feel like shit, according to the stories he would hear as a child. Considering that he was the one that ended his life, perhaps that feeling was null and void. Yet, it had to be done. The only thing he received from his father¡¯s passing was the lame glasses he always wore on his face. Looking back at the glasses held in his blood-drenched fingers, he didn¡¯t really feel bad. He just felt a bit empty, that¡¯s all. No different than having to put down an old dog he loved since he was a child. He was gonna hit death¡¯s door anyways. Entering into the Master stage without proper qualifications was exactly the same as those journeymen hacks they used up. The only difference was that he would last longer, and he could actually pass through it properly once he got the credentials. The credentials that the Federation promised if he got the biodome for them. But unfortunately, that wouldn¡¯t happen. Once their defeat was sealed, his father would grow only more desperate, trying to do whatever he could to keep his life intact. If his own mother was just one of the things he would give up for power, then surely his sister would be next. He didn¡¯t plan on letting that old man keep doing away the people he loved. It was about time for a change in leadership either way.. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. He knew, with absolute certainty, that Bastion won¡¯t really recover from this. It¡¯ll only just get worse even if he took the Lord¡¯s position for himself. Still, Zyler didn¡¯t really care about that. After all, he wasn¡¯t the one responsible for leaving it like that in the first place. He just walked, trying to meditate on what happened while he tried to get out of the biodome. Since they were teleported in, they had no way of getting out other than to go through the entrance of the townies, and the entrance would surely be guarded. He didn¡¯t want to fight as much as he could now. His body still ached, the pains from those two Experts¡¯ power still hurting him in ways he never thought possible. In the end, he was trapped. There was no way for them to leave him alive without getting something in return. Even if he was kept alive, they would imprison him for who knows how long, and who knows what those old bastards back at Bastion would do to her sister once they found out Roderick¡¯s demise and the loss of the biodome. He needed something to convince them, but he didn¡¯t know what. But then he spotted something different. On his path forward, beyond the fortress, he found two people huddled together. It was a man, and a child, with the man on the ground completely unconscious. The child begged the man to wake, pushing him intensely. Zyler shook his head. It must be one of the townie soldiers. He wasn¡¯t quite sure how a child was here, but perhaps those dunderheads just couldn¡¯t bear to leave the kid behind. Still, they had to be utterly stupid to¨C Wait¡­ He recognized that man. Who else could it be that managed to pound his father to pieces and used himself as a power source to deal the final blow? It was none other than the Runist. The little girl, a black haired child that had the exact same scent as the lightning girl (a relative, perhaps), kept shouting at him. ¡°Bobo! Bobo, wake up!¡± The child prodded. Her eyes were beginning to tear up as she shouted. ¡°Please don¡¯t die!¡± Now that he saw her, Zyler remembered the words that the Runist (Bobo?) screamed before everything turned ¡®boom¡¯ and caused the burns on his body. He remembered screaming a name as he watched at the distance in horror. ¡°Clara¡­ right?¡± Zyler remembered. He wasn¡¯t good with names, but an experience like that sort of burned the name into his brain. He only watched, recognizing that while the man was down and out, he still breathed. His chest was heaving, though there was a clear sign of struggle as burns were visibly seen from his burnt robes, or what was left of it. Thankfully his dignity was preserved as his pants were still intact, albeit showing more exposed skin across his thighs and forelegs than usual. Outside of that, his upper body was completely bare, allowing Zyler to notice the intense blue scars on his surprisingly muscled form that seemed to glow and sizzle. He also noticed Clara prodding at the parts of the clear skin rather than at the scars, as though touching them would be dangerous. He was clearly reeling from the backlash of the technique he used to become that giant monster. But considering the circumstances, it was well proven to be the right choice. However, Zyler recalled that he still had the quest as an invader, telling him that to control the biodome and own it, he must kill the king, being that of Zeke Parlow. Oh right, that was his real name. Bobo must be a nickname for the girl. That same Zeke Parlow was down for the count with only a little girl for protection. He stared at the downed man, seeing literal prey out in the open. As a beast that thrives in the hunt, ignoring this would be the same as committing a heinous sin. He stepped forward, covering his presence with his will. He must have done a shitty job because the little girl noticed him coming, turning her head. She shouldn¡¯t by all rights realize his presence, no matter how big he was. His steps were soft and quiet, like a predator circling his prey. How a little girl managed to find him proved that she was more than just an average little girl. She stood, facing him with Zeke behind her, spreading her arms wide to defend him. She glared at him with those tiny, but brilliant brown eyes. They were the same as the crazy lightning girl. As to why those two brought that little girl here, he had no clue. Then again, these were the very same strange Experts that managed to beat a Master and a Journeymen, no matter how impossible those odds seem to be. ¡°Stay away!¡± Clara shouted, pumping her chest out with pride. ¡°You mess with Bobo, and you mess with me!¡± Zyler couldn¡¯t help but laugh at that. He couldn¡¯t help but stare at the now angered little girl as she glared with so much hostility, she would go up and stab him if she had a knife. However, there was a little strange creature that had its head pop up behind her shoulder. It looked like a furry creature, its sharp yellowish eyes staring daggers at Zyler. Then without warning, something whipped past from behind her back and stabbed right at his arm at record speed. He flinched at it. His body was aching and was off too much to react in time, and he could feel his arm suddenly losing motor control. But outside of that, that was it. His arm felt a twinge of pain and numbness for a while, then it immediately returned to normal as the tail whipped back to the creature that it belonged to. Its sharp eyes widened in alarm, then chirped in panic at the little girl. The little girl in question had her eyes widened in alarm as well, showing a panicked look now. It looked like that creature was something of a familiar, and clearly it tried to do something to Zyler. He tilted his head at that. Was that supposed to be a Paralyzer? How¡¯d a brat get herself a Paralyzer familiar? Man, these two keep getting interesting every second. ¡°S-S-Stay back!¡± Clara, her only weapon now useless, stepped back fearfully at the walking man. Despite her weapon not working anymore, she still had the bravery, albeit wanting, to stand in front of her brother with her arms spread across. Most children would either run or just outright cry at something so dangerous approaching them. He stared at the little girl, still showing his usual grin. Then, he paused, just a few feet in front of the quivering little girl. He then sat on his ass, crossed his legs, and opened himself wide to her. ¡°Calm down, little cub. I won¡¯t bite. I promise,¡± Zyler sweared, showing an easy grin. He wasn¡¯t much used to children, but he could relate to them. His own late father would often say he was too childish for his own good, after all. Surely, that must be a compliment. After all, the little girl had her eyes widening after hearing him out. ¡°...Really?¡± Clara looked up and down at him, now showing a wary face full of suspicion. ¡°Cross my heart and hope to die,¡± He said, making a gesture of slashing his chest with his finger twice. Clara only narrowed her eyes, which on her face was just too cute a gesture to take seriously. ¡°How do I know you¡¯re not lying?¡± She asked, though she somewhat released her tension as she asked. She was too easy to read, as all children should be. ¡°Well, I¡¯m sitting down. And I¡¯m really hurt,¡± Zyler explained as much as he could, showing his bare chest riddled with burns and wounds all over. He didn¡¯t have a healing potion on hand, mostly because he didn¡¯t think he needed one. ¡°And I really don¡¯t feel like moving. I can¡¯t hurt you if I don¡¯t wanna move, right?¡± Clara looked at him as though she was fully aware that he was treating her like an idiot. She scowled at him, and he actually feared that he mucked up. ¡°...You swear?¡± She asked again. ¡°I swear,¡± He said, raising his hand to his face, the palm facing forward. He would¡¯ve made an oath too if she was old enough to use the system. Then, finally, she relaxed, then she turned to her downed Bobo. She knelt down to him, still completely out cold. ¡°Is he breathing?¡± Zyler asked, getting the little girl to nod. ¡°He¡¯s sleeping,¡± She said. ¡°But not waking up. He does this when he uses a lot of magic before. Sissy said that he can¡¯t wake up even if he wanted to.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Zyler nodded. ¡°Considering how much he did, I¡¯m not surprised.¡± He eagerly left out the part that he was the one responsible for forcing Zeke to go that far and use up his power, making him end up in this state. That would probably look bad on his part. But now that he took a closer look at the man, he realized that he was suffering through an extreme form of Mana Deprivation. It was definitely not something he¡¯s seen before, not even from the mages that were forced to go all out for work. The blue scars that seemed to sizzle and burn looked almost like overuse of mana rather than the lack of Mana. However, his face looked bitterly cold, sweat pouring down his face yet his body trembled as though in a bitter blizzard. He thought deeply on the matter. At this rate, he would die from Mana loss. He remembered something about regenerating your own mana is actually more dangerous than just drinking a mana potion on a constant basis, as it would deal damage for every mana you collected in that state. Clara was desperately trying to soothe him, but as she tried to hug him for warmth, she recoiled from the burning scars. She faltered, having no clue on what to do. Then another idea formed in Zyler¡¯s head. He was having a lot of those today, which if he was honest, doesn¡¯t come often. He searched through his pack, somehow still in working condition, and dug out the glasses his father always carried.
Vision of the Spiraling Mass (Epic) Glasses created with a powerful technique passed down by the spiritual dwarves. Despite its thin frame and lack of weight, an incredible wellspring of power resides here. Enchantments: Major Mana Recovery Major Mana Storage
The two enchantments are perfect for a mage like his father. The first helps regenerate mana far more than just natural mana regeneration. As far as Zyler knew, this wasn¡¯t natural mana regeneration, so it should help with his condition. The second helps keep a large storage of mana for later, used for emergencies if the caster runs out of it. After the quick Identify, he made his decision. ¡°Hey, I have something that might help him,¡± Zyler said, getting Clara¡¯s attention. She scowled at him again, then looked at the glasses. They looked reddish, getting her to narrow her eyes. Zyler actually forgot that they were covered in blood, but he insisted nonetheless. ¡°I swear, this is much more valuable than it looks. It will help him recover Mana faster. I¡¯ll put it here so you can pick it up yourself. Or let your little friend there do it himself, if you¡¯re nervous.¡± Zyler did as he promised, putting down the glasses on the ground gently. After a moment of hesitation, Clara looked back at the little creature behind her back. Then, something like a tail whipped out from her back, slithering all the way to where the glasses were and wrapped around them tightly. They were swung back to her side, the creature dropping the glasses down to her hands. She marveled at them, realizing the power within, and nodded. ¡°Thank you very much,¡± Clara said politely. Despite her nervousness, she still had to thank those who helped her. Zyler smiled and nodded. Clara then put the glasses onto the man¡¯s face as gently as she could, though she still struggled a little. Soon the glasses were put on, eventually recognizing their new owner and began to work. Slowly, but surely, his body was filled with power as Zyler watched. His nose could pick up the change now that he was so close and focused. The body was warming up quite nicely now. And eventually, ever so slowly, Zeke twitched. Vol2 Ch73: An olive branch He felt cold and hot at the same time. If there was ever a time where he was at his most uncomfortable, this was definitely it. Even worse, his head was swimming in his sleep. He was conscious, yet he was not. It was extremely bad because he could recall the feeling of being lost in his head again. Just like how he was in the past when the disorder took hold of his life. He wasn¡¯t sure what happened. One moment he was fighting for his life, then another he felt a blinding flash of hot light, then he felt horribly cold again. It was as though he was inside the core of the sun, then pushed back down into a torrential blizzard. The whiplash was agonizingly painful. His mind swished back and forth between his memories and his newfound pain. The memories of being ordered around by his mother, punished by not following it precisely to the letter, then abandoned by her when he couldn¡¯t fulfill her orders. He didn¡¯t know why he felt that way, but his current mood made him reflect those times. It has been a long time since he felt that way. Ever since his self-proclaimed ¡®awakening¡¯, he tried to put away those memories, burying deep within himself while engulfed in media and entertainment, something to escape to when his mind was too much to bear and the reality too cruel to live in. But now it felt as though he returned back in time during those days, now adding in the extremely uncomfortable hot and cold feeling. Then that cold feeling dispersed. It only made the uncomfortable hotness worse, but soon even that started to disperse. His burning heat swiveled and became balanced, his mind finally recovering. Slowly, ever so slowly, almost agonizingly so. But it recovered. Soon, he felt¡­ fine. Fine enough that he wanted to get away from the darkness. With just one flick of thought, he opened his eyes. It blurred slightly, and he groaned at the sudden light from somewhere nearby. It looked like a crystal pillar, and soon memories started filling into his head. Memories of being in another world, with fantasy like creatures and superpowered people. Having his own super powers and magic skills as he tried to help others. Then as his vision cleared, he finally spotted someone he was so familiar with¨Ceven compared to the time in the old world. A little girl, with short black hair that was messy in places. It reached to her shoulders as she looked down at him with teary eyes. Once his eyes opened fully, he raised his head at her. ¡°...Clara¡­?¡± He spoke groggily, as though he had been screaming this entire time. ¡°Bobo!¡± The little girl charged at him, hugging him directly on his face with her whole body. More pain ensued, mostly from the constant headache he was facing the moment his eyes gained clarity. Now that he thought about it, he felt something on his face that pressed onto him more than Clara¡¯s body. It was nearly metallic, and there was a clunking sound that ruffled his feathers the more Clara screamed in joy. ¡°H-Hold up, Clara, I¡¯m hurting a little¡­¡± He spoke softly, his throat almost like it was burnt up. She quickly apologized and let go, leaving Zeke to just barely sit cross-legged. Now that he got a better look at himself, he was actually half-naked, his pants the only thing leaving his dignity intact. Then he felt his face, quickly realizing what he was wearing. Glasses. He took them off, just realizing that his vision didn¡¯t change at all despite wearing them. Hell, it didn¡¯t even feel like he had them on even by wearing them. The only difference was the clear sound they emitted when they were being shuffled. There was clearly something impressive about these glasses, and when he Identified them, his eyes widened in alarm. ¡°The hell?¡± He remarked. ¡°How¡¯d I get these glasses?¡± ¡°That super big guy gave them to me to give it to you!¡± Clara shouted, mostly more in relief as she pointed in another direction. That got Zeke to pause and turned to where she pointed. When he saw the other person near them, he froze and almost had his heart stop. He tried to stand, but pain wracked his body, the strange blue scars burning him intensely that he never saw before. They did feel similar, as though constant attacks were poured onto him while he was unconscious. He only managed to kneel, but he still glared at the figure just sitting with the same cross-legged stance as he was. ¡°Zyler¡­¡± He said, his tone turning into a growl. ¡°Why the hell are you here?¡± Zyler only stared back in silence, showing neither that annoying grin or a frightening frown. Instead, it was just a placid thin line on his lips as he studied the two. Zeke stared daggers at him, but despite the dangerous man in front of him, he turned slightly to Clara. ¡°Clara, stay back. This man is dangerous,¡± He whispered. ¡°No, he¡¯s not!¡± Clara claimed, surprising Zeke as she continued. ¡°He helped me put those glasses on you!¡± ¡°Actually, I just gave her the glasses,¡± Zyler finally said. ¡°I stayed right here, as I promised her.¡± That got Zeke to look back at him now in confusion. Now that he thought about it, how long has Zyler been there? And why hasn¡¯t he done anything to Clara? Actually, did he really promise her? What in god¡¯s name is going on? ¡°I see that you¡¯re confused there,¡± Zyler held up his hands. ¡°I get it. So let me recap for you.¡± Strangely enough, rather than being Clara or even his friends, it was the heir of the enemy nation explaining to him what happened after their fight. Right when Zyler was about to finish him off, he screamed Clara¡¯s name, then transformed into a giant figure of pure mana. He beat the boss, became the king of the biodome, then helped defeat his ¡®pops¡¯, the literal Master-stage lord. He wasn¡¯t sure what happened after him since then, but considering that he had the Master¡¯s glasses on hand as told by Zyler, he could make a guess. The part about Zeke being a king of all things was also true as explained by the quest prompt he had on hand.
Quest Completed! You have defeated the king that lies within the fortress. You are now the new king of Elemental Prison. You and your allies will now receive the rewards. You have received the following rewards: 500 Gold Coins 4 Levels 20 Free Points If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.
Putting all that into consideration, and seeing that he had plenty of notifications practically screaming at him to look, he put that to the side. There was only one thing that was prominent in his mind, and that was the fact that Zyler saw his dad die, then just happened to take his glasses. There were just too many things wrong there. ¡°Why did you help me?¡± Zeke asked, then he held a hand out to Clara as she ran up to him. Even if Zyler wasn¡¯t the type to target children, he wouldn¡¯t trust anyone at this point. ¡°Why do this for me and Clara?¡± ¡°Well, I figured you would know by now, but¡­¡± Zyler let out a heavy breath as he spoke. ¡°We¡¯re kinda screwed here. After all this, it¡¯s kinda obvious that Bastion lost. And honestly, I had enough of my old man mucking it up. So I figured I would¡­ step up to the plate and do the one thing he wouldn¡¯t dare do.¡± ¡°And that is?¡± Zeke raised a brow. ¡°An alliance. Bastion and your town, working together. Hell, I wouldn¡¯t mind signing on for the kingdom while we¡¯re at it. The Federation is pretty cool and all, but they¡¯re starting to get a little¡­ grabby, if you catch my drift. My dear old pops kept trying to put them at ease, telling them that we¡¯re gonna pay them back and do what we can and all that bullshit. But seriously? It¡¯s too much. We¡¯re practically swimming in debt. Getting this biodome was the last thing we had on hand that could help us get out of the red. And with it gone, well¡­¡± Zeke nodded slowly, understanding just a bit of their circumstances. He didn¡¯t think this sort of guy cared about those kinds of matters, especially when it was his soldiers that tried to take over their town and kill their citizens. But he put all of that aside for a moment and thought about it in a more logical, slightly colder perspective. They were running out of resources, so they had to do whatever they could to appease their great overlord. The Aetheric Federation, the one that Bastion belonged to, was making too many requests that Bastion can¡¯t handle. The leader, his dear old pops, tried to meet those requests at the costs of his citizens. Putting all of that into perspective, he can only think of one thing¨Creality is a bitch. Even in a fantasy world, you can¡¯t get away from major powers working their people to the bone and making crazy demands. Especially when it came to stuff like the biodome that was, using the perfect analogy, a giant goldmine. So now, the heir, who took on the role of leader after his father¡¯s ¡®demise¡¯, decided to ask him for an alliance. Even as a Lord, he was still in-name only. He had no right to make a decision this big. But¡­ he did leave him and Clara alone, and it was thanks to his glasses that Zeke managed to get out of his situation that would have otherwise killed him. Even now, his headache was constantly pounding, and his body still felt cold in some places. Actually, the glasses were working wonders for him, mostly like a tourniquet that kept applying medicine to his soul. It was a blessing, and if Zyler was willing to give those glasses away, he can¡¯t exactly say no. But then he remembered what he did to him and Mikella, and he glowered at him. ¡°You know I have no say when it comes to making an alliance, right?¡± Zeke said, still glaring at him. ¡°There¡¯s also how you treated my partner¡­¡± ¡°Oh, the lightning girl?¡± Zyler widened his eyes, then snapped his fingers in realization. ¡°Ooh! Right, right, I did say shit like that. Yeah, I was totally bullshitting you. She just surprised me and all and got away from me. Sure we fought, but that was about it.¡± Zeke raised a single brow so high it would¡¯ve flown. Zyler was being honest with him, like he just made a prank on him. He sort of knew he was just bullshitting him, but to directly hear it from the guy knocked him out of his anger for a moment. ¡°Then why did you say it like that?¡± ¡°To get you amped up!¡± Zyler screamed as though it was the obvious thing to do. ¡°I know guys like you get all defensive when your lover is in danger, so I wanted to have a good fight and antagonize you. Man, that worked wonders!¡± His face brightened up to a peach red at the mention of that, and Clara unfortunately noticed that and tilted her head at him. ¡°Bobo, you okay?¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m okay,¡± Zeke cleared his throat, quite loudly, and returned back to the topic at hand. ¡°Okay, I get it. But I still can¡¯t agree to that. That¡¯s not my decision to say.¡± ¡°I know, but considering how important you were to those folks, I figured you can give a good word. Say I did what I did, and not tried to kill you even when you became king. I got nothing to gain from doing that anyways. With my body the way it is, and you still having that army of yours that is way stronger than anyone has any right to be¨CI know that even after becoming king myself, I won¡¯t get out of this alive. I didn¡¯t exactly have an entrance to get out from, you know.¡± Zeke realized what he meant, nodding. Zyler looked absolutely casual about it, but his words carried a lot of meaning. Despite his looks, he thought a lot about his circumstances, and the best way forward despite everything that happened. Honestly, it kinda grated on him that Zyler can just say such things outright, but he got to give it to the man that¡¯s willing to spit out facts like it¡¯s nothing. And right now, he was just too damn tired to even bother fighting. Forget about his resources and the pain¨Cthe mental exhaustion was too much for him. He sat back down again, leaving Clara to sit near him and making sure she stayed far away from Zyler. While they already had a good dozen feet or so away from the guy, Zeke was still too leery of him to be anywhere near Clara. He looked back at the glasses again. These were really high quality. If this was a game (and this world kept reminding him of that every single chance it got) this would be an extremely rare drop from a boss. Considering their opponent, it might as well be. But still, it didn¡¯t feel right. Even after everything, he felt that just this wasn¡¯t enough to get Zyler on his side. Sure, everything he said was right and proper, but how can he know for sure Zyler can even be trusted? For all he knew, Zyler can just backstab him the same way he did to his own father. Right now, this was just a temporary circumstantial team up. Then he thought of something that nobody would ever dare give up on. He wasn¡¯t quite sure what to make of it. Honestly, it sounded extremely stupid in his mind and to every one of his comrades. But if things continued this way, he feared what might happen. If he added this tiny little element, how much would it change other than for the good? And also¡­ Clara was there. If she saw Zyler do something good for Zeke, what kind of big brother would he be to just treat him like he was a scumbag? He wanted to be a good role model. There were a lot of issues with this idea. So many factors that could go wrong, and if he was honest, it was too idealistic for his taste. He likes the idea, and it made him feel like the world isn¡¯t so horrible. But he also saw the death and despair done to the people around them, and the harsh reality that awaited them outside of the biodome. However, in the end, his feelings came out the winner. Putting aside the many doubts and probably all kinds of chastisement from everyone around him, he stood up. It was difficult, his body riddled with all kinds of pain, but he told Clara to stay down and walked towards the sitting Zyler. As promised, he remained seated. But he wasn¡¯t an idiot. He got tense when Zeke got closer, and his hands flexed a little. He was ready to strike back if Zeke went and attacked. But instead of that, Zeke instead rummaged through his storage pack, still completely fine despite all of this, and pulled out something he would have never offered to Zyler just a while ago. The enhanced attribute fruit he had left over with the others after giving them to the retinue. Zyler¡¯s eyes popped wide open, the color of his irises actually glowing bright red at the sight. It was as though Zeke pulled out everything he had ever dreamed of from the side of his pants. Now that he thought about it, these storage packs he had were pretty damn durable to hold on to life after all this time. Ignoring his clear greed, Zeke spoke up. ¡°I have a lot of things to say, but I just wanna be clear¨CI want to thank you for not attacking me, and more importantly, making sure Clara was fine. This is a personal gift from me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ how¨C¡± ¡°Just take it.¡± Zeke said, not wanting to explain anything further and just handed the fruit to Zyler¡¯s open hand. Zyler took it eagerly, but his face was still frozen in shock while still staring at Zeke. He just couldn¡¯t handle standing anymore, and he sat back down. His head hurt too much to keep going. For a long, long, minute, Zyler studied the fruit, then slowly took a chunk of the enhanced fruit. There was longing in those eyes, and his face scrunched up in pure ecstasy as the juices of the fruit streamed down his chin. After a moment, Zyler¡¯s eyes widened as they turned distant. He must have gotten a notification. Then, he screamed so loudly, Zeke worried and immediately stood in front of Clara, prepared for a fight. What he didn¡¯t expect was Zyler standing upright and embracing Zeke full on with a hearty hug, his roar nearly at his ears and¡­ crying? This grown ass man, who could beat the entire army and give the Journeymen lords a run for their money, was literally crying as he felt his shoulder being wet with something from his face. It wasn¡¯t saliva¨Cit was actual tears running down his face. ¡°Zeke, you¡­ you¡­ Haaaah!¡± He screamed harshly. ¡°I just gained all my points back from the time my stat got blocked! And all my stat blocks rose up a ton! I don¡¯t know what this is, but thank you! Thank you so much, haaaah!¡± Zeke now regretted every moment as the tall, very muscular and very nearly naked man hugged his own naked self in a bear hug that might as well be between bros that have known each other for years. He was squeezed to the point where he felt the same way that Val did when she received the enhanced fruits. All the while, Clara just clapped her hands behind him with a big smile on her face. ¡°Bobo¡¯s the best!¡± He just wasn¡¯t sure what to say about that. Vol2 Ch74: An alliance in the making When Zeke gave him the fruit, he intended to make a good impression. He wanted to prove to Zyler that teaming up with Eve Glade won¡¯t just help him not die, but instead would be a beneficial friendship. At least, that¡¯s what he meant to do, but now Zyler was constantly asking him questions such as how the hell he created this enhanced attribute fruit, and if it is possible that Runists from his side can do the same were they able to get more fruits on hand. He felt that trying to answer them all would be bad for the sort of deal Zeke planned in his head, but the look of sheer joy and want in Zyler¡¯s eyes was like looking at a dog giving him puppy eyes. The dude was just too earnest for this kind of stuff, and Zeke was too weak of a man to put him down. Apparently Val was right. When it came to attribute fruits, everyone would lose their heads. Hell, he still shivered when he remembered Zacharia laughed like a maniac after finding a barrel full of attribute fruits. So Zeke just told him what he knew, and that it might be possible to recreate what he made. He won¡¯t, however, tell him how he got the excess attribute fruits. That one is until he could find his comrades and a better deal could be made. Once his curiosity was sated, Zyler looked at his status screen in wonder and relief. He actually looked like an entire world¡¯s weight was off his shoulders, proving once and for all how a stat block can really mess some people up. Now that he remembered, he noticed the plethora of notifications he received, but he winced at the number as he could see some red ones there. It could be only as bad as receiving a debuff, but he feared that his strange figure of pure mana thing was too much for his channels. Still, he downed his doubts and opened them up, revealing the large list of notifications that he received once he was knocked out.
You are afflicted with Extreme Mana Burnout. Your resources are reduced by 25%, with your Mana reduced by 75%. You will receive damage based on how much mana you regenerate. Restoring mana artificially will not damage you. Your casting ability is vastly impeded, disrupting any spell-craft below Rare rarity and their skill level below 9.
¡­..
Mana Manipulation Level Up! It is now Level 8. You have gained +2 INT from your skill. You have gained +1 SPI from your skill.
¡­..
Unarmed Mastery Level Up! It is now Level 9. You have gained +3 STR from your skill. You have gained +3 DEX from your skill.
¡­..
Pain Resistance Level Up! It is now Level 5. You have gained +4 VIT from your skill. You have gained +2 END from your skill.
¡­..
Barrier Craft Level Up! It is now Level 6. You have gained +4 INT from your skill. You have gained +4 SPI from your skill.
¡­..
New Title available: King of Elemental Prison: You have vanquished the Weaver, taking its throne as King of the Elemental Prison. The world of elemental might and wondrous crystals is now yours to claim. You have gained +2 in all of your attributes from your title. Title Skill attained: Prison King
¡­..
Prison King (Title), Level 1 (Maxed) You are the arbiter of everything within the Elemental Prison. You decide who enters and stays, and you decide who stays and never comes out.
¡­..
Your attunement, The World, has ranked up. It is now Tier 2. You have gained +5 STR from your rank up. You have gained +5 DEX from your rank up. You have gained +5 INT from your rank up. You have gained +5 SPI from your rank up. You have gained +5 VIT from your rank up. You have gained +5 END from your rank up.
¡­..
Level Up! You are now Level 57. You gain 12 free points (16 FP total). You have gained +18 DEX from your class. You have gained +18 INT from your class. You have gained +18 SPI from your class.
A wave of power fueled him from the ground up, and his current state only made that influx of power worse for wear. His vision swam as he tried to keep everything in. He didn¡¯t want to worry Clara as it is, especially since this was nothing but good news. Thanks to his mass improvements on his attributes, he gained over 100 points in total. That was definitely not bad, but his Spirit stat finally broke over 300. Thanks to that, his mana seemed to be infused with more power, and his debuff only made the pain worse as he took damage. He hated to say it, but that man hug with Zyler was worth it as the glasses helped him immensely by storing his new excess naturally regenerated mana into the storage feature of the glasses, making the pain less intense. As it is right now, he decided to put all of his free points into Strength, making his lowest stat at least 1/4 of his highest Spirit stat. He needed to keep his attribute spread balanced after all, even if he benefited mostly from his Spirit stat. Most likely he¡¯ll keep gaining Spirit afterwards either way, so there was no problem with this. As for the title, according to this, doesn¡¯t this mean he now has total control over the biodome? Since this biodome can move around, according to what Cloud said¨Ccan¡¯t he move it himself? Was that even possible? If so, that would make using the biodome a lot easier for the rest of Eve Glade. It¡¯s not like he always wants to have the barrier elevator doing the work all the time. Having to readjust and pour power into it every day would''ve been a hassle. It¡¯s the attunement notification that got him to freeze. How the hell did it tier up? Shouldn¡¯t that require some sort of treasure, like what Val, Myra, and Piker had? Not to mention, his attunement was considered extremely rare. He had no clue what the hell he did to make it to Tier 2. Was it by defeating the Weaver, the same way that Val tiered up after consuming the heart of the Drake Commander? Somehow he had a feeling that wasn¡¯t it. Still, does this mean he has it harder to control his attunement? Did it get better? He has no clue, and he is not willing to experiment in his current state. For now, he could only put it aside. He still had dozens of questions burning in his mind, and it¡¯ll only be answered once his comrades found him. He hoped that once they did, things would make more sense. ¡°Oh¡­ we have company,¡± Zyler suddenly said, getting Zeke¡¯s interest. Just as he said, Zeke could hear rustling beyond from the nearby crystalline shrubs. They tinkled as he flared his senses to find a lot of people running over here. Then he looked up, noticing a small creature flapping above him a few feet away. It was Piggy, Nina¡¯s bird as he heard Nina herself calling out. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°He¡¯s here! Piggy found him!¡± Then a whole crowd of soldiers appeared from beyond the depths of the forestry, revealing the retinue soldiers all battered, bruised, and messy beyond comparison. But that didn¡¯t matter as he spotted the one person he wanted to find. Mikella showed up, being carried by Myra with Piker by her side to ensure she was fine. She looked worse for wear, just like the times when her lightning would go out of control. Her skin was burnt in places, and blood coated whatever exposed skin she had on hand from her ragged leather armor. But the moment her eyes landed on them, there was a flare of fire in her eyes as she immediately let go of Myra and ran over to them at flashing speed. She practically bowled over Clara as she hugged her with all of her being. For a moment, Zeke panicked from the tackle, but after seeing Clara holding onto her older sister with tears in her eyes, happy to see her again, he relaxed. ¡°Clara! Oh, sweetie! You¡¯re okay! Are you hurt? Did those evil bad guys hurt you?¡± ¡°Sissy!¡± Clara cried out, tears running down her face. The moment her older sister appeared, it was as though the dam burst from her heart as she cried out. ¡°It was so scary! But then Bobo grew big! But it was really scary!¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah, I know,¡± Mikella¡¯s own eyes were wetting, brushing Clara¡¯s dark hair as she hugged her deeply. ¡°It¡¯s alright now. I¡¯m here, and I¡¯m so sorry for letting you go through that. Will you forgive me?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Zeke could only smile at the crying sisters. The worst thing he could remember was Clara falling to her death somehow. He didn¡¯t know how that happened, but that particular moment will burn in his mind for years to come, so seeing this was a balm to that aching wound in his mind. Just as he was about to close his eyes to relax, a hand grasped out to his head and forced him down to the hug between the girls. His eyes widened to see Mikella staring hard at him, though there was still that wetness behind her eyes. ¡°Seriously, why do you always do crazy shit when you¡¯re alone?¡± Mikella cried out. ¡°I¡¯m glad you protected Clara, but seriously? Why did you have to turn into a freaking giant of all things?¡± ¡°It was¡­ sort of out of my control,¡± Zeke said, smiling awkwardly. The three hugged like that for a moment, just easing themselves into it. ¡°Oh!¡± Clara suddenly said, catching Mikella¡¯s attention. ¡°Sissy, meet Brucey! He¡¯s the best bat in the world! Kinda stupid and he¡¯s really lazy, but he¡¯s the best!¡± ¡°Uhh¡­ Brucey?¡± Mikella asked, tilting her head at the sudden name. Then the very same Brucey¡¯s head popped out from behind Clara¡¯s shoulder, chirping out loud. That immediately got Mikella to make an extremely girly yelp. It actually reminded him of the first time he had ever met Mikella and Clara back at the tower, where she had no levels and skills to her name and suddenly found him while walking around. ¡°What is that thing!?¡± She demanded, her eyes scouring the creature and was ready to pull out a weapon. Clara went to hide Brucey¡¯s face with her hands in fright before Zeke managed to explain in time. After the explanation of what happened after they got separated and had their call, Mikella relaxed and understood the situation. Then she stared at the little bat just behind Clara¡¯s shoulder, giving him the meanest stink eye she could ever give to anyone. Brucey just stared back at her, his yellowish eyes staring right back at her own brown eyes. After another moment of just staring daggers at each other, well mostly Mikella to Brucey while Brucey looked like he was confused as to what¡¯s going on, she nodded to him. ¡°Alright, fine,¡± Mikella eventually said. ¡°Brucey, make sure to keep Clara safe, alright?¡± Brucey chirped back, having enough intelligence to understand her words and even nodding to her. That got Mikella to smile back, then frowned at Clara. ¡°Clara, now that you have a pet, it is your responsibility to take care of him. No messing around, alright? You have to feed him, bathe him, treat him when he gets sick¨Cthe works. You do even one thing wrong, I¡¯m taking him away from you¨Cunderstand?¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am!¡± Clara shouted almost uniformly. ¡°Nina is helping me, so I¡¯ll take care of Brucey better!¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s a good idea,¡± Mikella smiled warmly. ¡°Good to know you¡¯re working hard! Now then¡­ Zeke, mind explaining to me why the hell is Zyler doing here with both of you?¡± She glared hard at the man sitting far away from them, her hands balling into fists. She was willing to ignore the potential enemy just sitting there while she had her reunion with Clara and Zeke, but now the niceties were over. Not to mention, Zyler hadn¡¯t even done a thing as all the other retinue soldiers gathered around him, their weapons prepped and ready to strike him down if he even moved a finger. Zyler, however, didn¡¯t even budge. He just smiled pleasantly as the lords finally came over. Zacharia came over to Zyler instead, just staring at him with a silent glare that seemed to break stone if possible. On the other hand, Cloud and Val ran over to the three, Val kneeling down and hugging Clara once she got close. ¡°Ooh, I was so worried!¡± Val said, giving a kiss to Clara¡¯s forehead as she hugged her. ¡°Thank goodness you¡¯re alright! And Zeke! You¡¯re alive!¡± She went ahead and hugged Zeke along with Clara, giving the both of them a good tight hug. Thankfully, it was the kind of Journeymen hug that was easier on the two of them, especially with Zeke in his wretched form. Once the pleasantries were over, Cloud came over and stared at the state he was in. He winced at the sight, probably understanding what he was going through. ¡°That¡¯s the worst case of Mana Burnout I¡¯ve seen in a while¡­ how are you feeling?¡± ¡°Sick, ready to hurl, and I have a massive headache,¡± Zeke replayed his symptoms, almost like talking to his doctor. ¡°I also feel like I got the worst sunburn in the entirety of all existence. And my mana is nearly being drained if it wasn¡¯t for the glasses here. But so far I think I¡¯ll be fine once the debuff clears.¡± ¡°Actually, now that I see it, where did the glasses come from?¡± Mikella asked, tilting her head. ¡°You look like a buff nerd all of a sudden.¡± Zeke was taken aback by the comment. A nerd he can understand (he reads lots of books and was now wearing glasses after all), but looking back at himself, he did see that his upper body made a drastic change over the course of the months. His body was lean and well-toned. It wasn¡¯t really a body-builder type, but it looked like he spent months at the gym doing curls all day. He even got a six-pack coming on. Holy shit. ¡°Actually, the glasses were¡­ they came from Zyler,¡± Zeke admitted, getting everyone to finally turn back to their supposed captured heir. ¡°No need for thanks on that,¡± Zyler said, raising his hands to show he had no weapons to speak of. Not that the other soldiers even dared drop their weapons after the fact. ¡°It was just an offer of peace for a deal, to show you that I mean well.¡± ¡°...What does he mean by that, Zeke?¡± Cloud asked, fronwing hard as he stared at Zyler suspiciously. ¡°He wants to make an alliance with Eve Glade, and wants to defect from the Federation,¡± Zeke finally answered, showing his own frown at the scene. That got everyone in an uproar, either scoffing at the thought, growling at the man, or just raising their weapons at him closer. None of that even made Zyler flinch as he stared with an impassive face. ¡°Zeke, you can¡¯t be serious!¡± Myra shouted, running over to him. She looked just as fine as Mikella, as in she looked like she was shredded to pieces with wounds still pouring blood. Her scowl only made her visage even more frightening. ¡°This is the same guy that sent soldiers to our unprotected town and killed our people!¡± Zeke nodded, not willing to give in even after receiving the glasses. ¡°Yes, but remember, he¡¯s just a lackey to the lord who gave the order to do that. As far as I know, Zyler hadn¡¯t made that decision.¡± ¡°Decision or not, he¡¯s still one of those fuckers that did that! And also all of this!¡± Myra shouted again, getting everyone to nod along to her sentiments as she gestured all over the biodome. ¡°We may not have suffered casualties, but they still went so far as to try and kill us just to help themselves. Why should we ever make a deal with him?!¡± Zeke stayed quiet, not wanting to further antagonize the people. In the end, he was just a dude who had some sway in the group, but not enough to warrant their loyalty. No matter what Zyler said about him, even at his lord status, he was still considered an outsider. This was up for the Lords to decide. He looked apologetically to Myra, who somehow understood his plight as she just frowned before he turned back to the lords. ¡°I know I have no decision to say this, but will¡­ you please consider?¡± Zeke said, really pleaded, to Cloud. ¡°I know more than everyone here that it¡¯s not easy to forgive¡­ but do we really have a choice in denying it?¡± Those words got everyone to pause. None of them were fools after all. No matter how bloodthirsty they were, everyone understood what this signified. Zyler only looked on with gratitude to him, but Zeke ignored that look as he turned to the Lords who were currently deep in thought, silent. He even turned to Zacharia, who seemed to be glaring hard at Zyler all this while. He turned to him instead. ¡°Zacharia, me and Cloud went over to the supply depot from the kingdom, and so far, it looks like they were ignoring, or maybe unable, to do anything about Bastion attacking us. Because we¡¯re just small powers compared to them. Because of that, Bastion can do pretty much whatever they want to us. But if we have them defecting and joining ours, that¡¯s all up to the major countries¡¯ problems now, right?¡± He didn¡¯t quite know how the laws of this world worked, but when it came to allegiances, towns such as Eve Glade and Bastion have as much free reign than the countries like the kingdom and the Federation. Of course, defecting from one major power to another is still incredibly dangerous for that town, unless the Kingdom they are pleading to can stand up to the Federation. In this case, the two major powers are just as powerful as each other. As for whether the Federation would take offense to this, it really comes to whether they have enough resources to consider. If it¡¯s just a small city, it might not be all that valuable. But then, Bastion is considered a well profitable city. They might come to blows at some point. In the end, Zeke had to only defer to the Lords in positivity for the alliance. If they disagree, that¡¯s where he would drop it. He promised Zyler for a chance, and this was the best he could give. He turned to his family, showing silence to his actions. Without really speaking, Mikella understood what Zeke was implying, not having read most of the laws, but she understood the backlash of what could happen. ¡°That is certainly true,¡± Cloud said, rubbing his chin as he stared at Zyler. Despite the circumstances, Zyler was still sitting down and being restrained like a prisoner. ¡°And what about the leader?¡± ¡°Dead,¡± Zyler responded immediately. ¡°He¡¯s dead, and all of his assets go to me as per his will.¡± Somehow, nobody, not even the otherworlders, would believe that. But then again, that was entirely Zyler¡¯s business. If he¡¯s capable of making that decision, that was no skin off their noses. ¡°And I also have a proposition,¡± Zyler asked, getting their attention. ¡°My pops already told the Federation about the biodome here, but they don¡¯t know that it officially belongs to Eve Glade. If we, Bastion, join you and you relay that information to your kingdom, they would do all that they can to defend us against the Federation¡¯s incoming issues. I guarantee you¨Cthey really don¡¯t want to fuck with the kingdom right now.¡± That was¡­ something Zeke didn¡¯t consider. They have already planned on reporting to the kingdom, as Eve Glade officially belongs to the kingdom as per Cloud and Val¡¯s contract to the king, about the nearby Biodome. In fact, that was one of the sole purposes as to why they needed to conquer this biodome as soon as possible, before any other faction lay their hands on this place. With Zeke belonging to Eve Glade and him being the king of this place, the kingdom would surely do what they can to defend this place from any other faction¡¯s greedy little hands. Zyler came prepared, something that still stumped Zeke. Soon, Cloud let out a tired breath, showing more exhaustion than ever possible. ¡°Alright¡­ we¡¯ll consider your proposal. But for now¡­ let¡¯s just put a pin on it and rest up.¡± Nobody, not even Zyler, disagreed on this course of action. Vol2 Epilogue: Funs not over yet It had been a hectic few days, that was certain. Even at this remote place, he could still see and hear the rampant news going on in the outside world. He sat at his chair, cushioned and well balanced as per his request. He might not age like other normal people, but he still took ergonomic methods to ensure his longevity. It¡¯s one thing to live a long time. It¡¯s another thing to live a long time with back pain. He scanned the several documents, each one floating to his vision for easier reading. He took his time, even when he could just glance at it for a moment and read it instantly. There was just no fun in speed-reading. He loved to read, and no matter how fast paced his life got, he enjoyed reading the written word, even for reports such as these. That, and there was quite frankly nothing to do today as his schedule was wiped clean. Truly, being a magnanimous ruler who does everything properly really has nothing to do when things run this smoothly. However, the reports threatened to disrupt that smooth schedule. As he read, his brows furrowed slightly. The large countries across the world are always doing something drastic. Politics run rampant as emissaries and armies travel the world to do what they can to take advantage of every little thing that comes their way. One country in particular got his interest. Apparently, one of their minor communities, a town run by rather famous people according to the king, has actually reported finding a biodome in a remote region of the border, of all things. Biodomes were rare, certainly. But depending on what kind of biodome, they could either be a boon or a curse. Apparently, the kingdom took it in gladly, even if they already had several biodomes under their control. He could never really understand why these nations are always trying to one up each other in their resources. That just meant that there was more work to be handled. He only shook his head at that. But one thing caught his eye. The lords of that town were actually people he recognized. Both lords, at Journeymen level, who left his own country in pursuit of their own goals. And as far as he knew, none of them had the capabilities of being able to summon a giant barrier surrounding their town. That was the one thing that made him pause and read deeper into it. ¡°...Huh,¡± He let out, raising a single brow upwards. ¡°What is it, Cronus?¡± A pleasantly smooth voice called out, noticing his surprise. Cronus looked up to see a dazzling woman dressed in a fur-lined robe. She brought in a metal cart, already filling in a cup with her greatly brewed tea. The scent was tantalizing, bringing his senses to a mush. His wife knows how to make a mean tea. ¡°It¡¯s one of the reports, my sweet,¡± Cronus answered, making one of the reports that was floating so intensely close to him turn around and face his wife. She walked over without hurry, seeing it for herself. ¡°Do you recognize these lords?¡± ¡°...How could I not?¡± His wife hung her head back, raising a brow as though offended by the words. ¡°These two have been a constant headache for you before you eventually kicked them out. Rather, I¡¯m surprised you still care about them.¡± ¡°Oh come now,¡± Cronus smirked. ¡°Certainly, they have been a thorn at my side, but this exile was good for all of us. Besides, they are still part of my children. No matter how old they get, they will never stop being a part of us, no matter how desperately they want to be.¡± ¡°True¡­¡± His wife tilted her head with a fond smile on her dainty red lips. ¡°But that didn¡¯t answer my question. Why are you interested in them now?¡± ¡°I always keep my notes on particularly extraordinary people from our country,¡± Cronus answered with a shrug. ¡°But have you read the rest? Especially about the barrier?¡± That got her interested and read over the report again. She was so shocked at the lord¡¯s names that she didn¡¯t read enough to see what Cronus was truly interested in. She turned to him, her eyes narrowed. ¡°It couldn¡¯t be¡­ could it? That shouldn¡¯t be possible.¡± ¡°If what is written here is true, then it might be possible,¡± Cronus answered, the delight in his voice gone. ¡°What I really want to know now is how?¡± ¡°What do you intend to do?¡± ¡°Mmh¡­¡± Cronus put away the report, making it land on top of the dozens of parchment stacked on top of one another, all under the sign that they were finished. ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s time for another trip, my love. It¡¯s been a while and I think it¡¯s about time for me to spread out my wings.¡± The wife just stared at him, crossing her arms with a stingy frown. ¡°You¡¯re just bored out of your mind, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Oh, you know me so well.¡± ¡­.. Two days passed after taking over the biodome. Both Mikella and Zeke had been resting as best they could in their base camp, not really having the energy to just move everything back up and go back to the town. Despite being king, Zeke had to rest under orders by Cloud to recover his extensive damages. Mikella worried that his body would¡¯ve been permanently damaged from the attunement going berserk. Thankfully that wasn¡¯t the case, but Zeke¡¯s recovery took a lot longer and was more painful to go through than Mikella¡¯s own physical pain. After feeling all that mana from the time Zeke infused his attunement into her spear, which has been long lost at this point¨Cshe understood why Zeke was so afraid of his power. It was enough to destroy everything, and once she had it in her hands, she felt like she could rule the world. The fact that Zeke was afraid, rather than succumbing to the power, proved how much he understood the consequences of what this power could bring. Which brought about why he ended up that way in the first place. Their current prisoner/emissary of Bastion, the heir Zyler, was primarily responsible for that. As of right now, Zyler gladly took precedence in their newly created jail cell for him, mostly inside a new wooden building they made and surrounded by dozens of Zacharia¡¯s retinue. He could¡¯ve made trouble for them, but he instead took it to heart and just stayed there for everyone¡¯s benefits, even after being shackled and chained. Once Zeke revealed that he offered an enhanced fruit to Zyler, proving why he refused to make any trouble for the people there, that caused some headway with the lords. Zacharia personally took issue with that, but Cloud and Val reassured that it would only make Zyler loyal to them, knowing their full value now that they could make powerful fruits. If they were to make an alliance, this would mean Zyler has to offer up something of equal value which for Eve Glade as Bastion¡¯s materials could prove to be very useful for everyday life. This finally got Zacharia to settle, proving that this would only make the kingdom benefit as a whole. Though Mikella did notice how Zeke was ready to pale and faint throughout the conversation, proving that Zeke took the decision without really knowing how they would react. But she respected the fact that Zeke took an initiative, even though Zyler was a total asshole. Sure, he did treat Clara well and didn¡¯t outright kill Zeke and instead saved him¨Cbut he was still an asshole. Throughout the days, the battle of life and death weighed heavy in her mind. There was a lot of crap that went down. Thankfully, Zeke was conscious while he recovered, so the two were granted enough reprieve to talk while Clara slept near them. A little girl having to go through so much death and destruction needed to rest, after all. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. They talked, mostly to vent their frustrations and to be the other¡¯s shoulder to lean on. They talked about what happened at the tower, what happened afterwards, and how they ended up the way they did. About Zeke giving the retinue the enhanced fruits like they were candy which made Mikella question whether Zeke knew just how valuable those fruits are. Still, she laughed while Zeke awkwardly recalled how crazy the soldiers went when they got the fruits. They talked about the lives they took while they were out surviving, and Zeke apologized so many times for killing people in front of Clara, though he did try to reduce the exposure a little. Mikella knew that Clara won¡¯t be able to have a normal childhood no matter how hard they tried, but she was glad Zeke still took the opportunity to prevent as much of her innocence being lost as possible. They talked about their comrades¡¯ near death, about Zoan¡¯s appearance and disappearance, about Brucey of all things. About their fight against Zyler, some more than once. And finally about what happened during Zeke¡¯s giant mode. Zeke looked aghast when he learned how he single-handedly beat the boss and had the Master-tier lord loser on the backend. Then she gawked when he revealed that his attunement tiered up. ¡°Are you kidding me? Myra and Piker tiered up, even Val tiered up¨Cand now you?! That¡¯s not fair!¡± Zeke just shrugged helplessly, only making Mikella more agitated. They were hanging out in the bed of Zeke¡¯s room, talking to each other side by side while Clara rested promptly on their laps¨Cher legs by Zeke¡¯s lap, and her head by Mikella¡¯s, rubbing her hair with her fingers. They weren¡¯t sure how Clara managed to sleep soundly like that, but neither the two really cared and enjoyed talking nonetheless. ¡°I remember that,¡± Zeke admitted. ¡°I remember someone screaming out my name. Before, all I could think about was the giant monster that needed to be killed. After that, I just felt sort of¡­ lost, I think. Then I heard your voice, then it felt like my vision cleared up and I saw the guy that I needed to kill. After that, I heard you needed my help, so¡­ I did. Not sure how, but I did.¡± Zeke shrugged, as though the incredible things he did back then was nothing really worth of note. Mikella just shook her head in amusement. ¡°So if anyone were to scream your name, you would¡¯ve listened?¡± That certainly would¡¯ve made things easier, but Zeke shook his head confidently. ¡°No, everything else was just white noise for me. What broke through was your voice. I knew that no matter what you said, I would trust you.¡± He felt so sure of that that it made Mikella feel awkward. Sure, their link proved that much, but now it started to make her feel¡­ somewhat saddened. Is their link the only reason why they can get along so well? Was it actually forcing them to get along? When those thoughts ran through her head, she ended up saying it out loud. ¡°Do you think¡­ the link is forcing us to be friends?¡± That made her more pissed off than anything else. Not the idea that the link is taking their free will away, but that they had to use some sort of god-like entity to get along. She liked Zeke, and she trusted him. And thankfully, he shook his head. ¡°Definitely not. Think about it¨CYou remember Alex, right?¡± ¡°That psychopath necromancer? Yeah, unfortunately,¡± Mikella grimaced just at the hint of the name. ¡°Well, did he have a partner?¡± Zeke asked, prompting Mikella to widen her eyes. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ well, I¡¯m not sure. Maybe he got in the tower by himself?¡± ¡°But then, why did we see two skeletons back at the last tower?¡± Zeke said with a serious expression. Clearly, he knew bringing that topic up was gonna sound bad, but Mikella recognized what he was trying to say. As her brain churned for answers, she finally realized what he was implicating. ¡°Two skeletons¡­ so they were partners, then?¡± ¡°Right,¡± Zeke nodded. ¡°And you and I are partners too. Clara¡¯s special, because she has Zoan with her. So why was Alex by himself?¡± ¡°Because¡­¡± The more she thought about it, the more her face scrunched up in displeasure. Knowing that little psychopath, she wouldn''t be surprised if the first thing he did was kill his partner. Maybe it might¡¯ve been one of those special zombies he had by his side when they faced each other. ¡°Ugh, okay I get it,¡± Mikella shook her head from the gross thoughts. ¡°What¡¯s your point?¡± ¡°If we¡¯re supposed to like each other by force,¡± Zeke continued. ¡°Then why did Alex kill his partner?¡± Mikella paused. Obviously, if you were to like someone, or at least get along with them¨Cthe first thing you would do is try not to hurt them. Hell, didn¡¯t Mikella try to kill Zeke herself, when she thought he was a creep that kidnapped her sister back at their first tower? She certainly had the capabilities to do it, and she fully planned on doing so. But then she stopped after seeing it was just a misunderstanding. She knew she could have continued, and no strange will stopped her from doing so. Of course, she didn¡¯t dare bring this up with Zeke, so she nodded. ¡°So, in conclusion¨Cwe like each other because we do! Easy.¡± Zeke made a grin that proved that his thinking was flawless. He even had the gall to make a chuckle and prop his glasses up near his face, showing that stupid grin like saying it was all part of his plans or something. Mikella only rolled her eyes and just lightly pushed his shoulder. She was making sure not to hurt him. Thankfully, he laughed mirthfully with Mikella joining her. She stared back at Clara, her heart swelling with emotions she can¡¯t explain. ¡°Zeke¡­ thanks for looking out for Clara,¡± Mikella smiled, brushing Clara¡¯s hair softly. She knew she didn¡¯t have to, but she wanted to. ¡°Hey, no need for thanks,¡± Zeke said, nearly scoffing. ¡°Clara¡¯s my precious little sister too. I¡¯d die if anything happened to her.¡± Zeke also patted Clara¡¯s back, right next to the little bat that remained stuck to her back even after she changed clothes for a moment. He slept like a log, not even budging an inch even if Clara tossed and turned in her sleep. Mikella chuckled. Zeke was becoming more and more like a family to her. And Clara always seemed glad to have him by his side. If she was honest, Mikella was worried that she might not function without him anymore. And¡­ was that such a bad thing? ¡­.. Zeke was glad that they could finally rest. The talk felt like the entire turmoil for the biodome was finally over. Throughout that time, they had improved so much that the past few months in Eve Glade were nothing in comparison to the short month in the biodome. Eventually, sleep took over Zeke, his eyelids drooping. That made Mikella call off the talk, wanting to sleep herself. When Zeke offered to take Clara to her room, Mikella refused, figuring that it was better that she slept here since she was already down and out. Having no need to argue back, Zeke bid goodnight to her as they slept the night away. Compared to the first night before leaving the tower, he slept like a rock all the way. ¡­.. He felt¡­ empty when his consciousness returned. It was the feeling like he didn¡¯t eat enough, and now his stomach was bitching at him to eat anything. He tried to ignore it, the pain still lying on him like a sack of potatoes, but soon enough that emptiness disappeared. Weird. He opened his eyes, seeing that he was in his bare room, sleeping on the mat. He turned to the side, smirking at the little girl still cuddled up to him. She¡¯s been sleeping a lot, and he didn¡¯t want to wake her up. Surprisingly, even though Clara was nearing her side to her back, Brucey remained stuck to her back, almost using Clara like a body pillow. He looked so damn pleased, the warmth of her back and the mat actually making him sound happy as he snored. Zeke chortled at that. But he trusted Brucey now after everything. After hearing how he actually flew Clara away from the named monsters and trying to go after Zyler of all things when he approached, both Zeke and Mikella automatically welcomed him to the family. With him around, they won¡¯t have to worry about Clara¡¯s safety when they leave her. Then again, hearing how she can fly with Brucey¡­ he put that anxiety-driven thought to the side. He shifted around, trying to get adjusted to his ailing body. The mana burns throughout his skin were receding slightly, but they were still present. They give a shock of pain everytime they touch anything, similar to a burn and a static shock at the same time. It was annoying, and he had to sit absolutely still to not feel anything. Still, this all meant that he was still alive. Even while Mikella was damaged as hell like that, she still looked pleased to be back here. As he shifted, he noticed something¡­ off. There was something on the other side. Was it Mikella? No, that wasn¡¯t possible. The figure was too small to be her. Was it Ana? Again, that was impossible. She was still in the town, waiting for everyone to come home. And Clara was at his other side. Slowly, he opened his eyes, noticing the obvious bump under the covers. He slowly lifted them up, his heart racing at whatever hellish creature might have sneaked in to sleep at his mat of all places. What he spotted instead was not some hellish creature, but an angelic being. A small figure, her short hair nearly translucent silver, and a face that was so similar, it shocked him to the core. He pulled the covers off completely, widening his eyes. It was another Clara¨Can exact twin of Clara, who was still sleeping beside him, but her hair was completely silver instead of the normal black. And this twin Clara wasn¡¯t even asleep. Her nearly gray eyes were wide open, staring right at him. She had a frown on her face, as if she wanted to be anywhere but here. That facial expression was way too damn familiar to be anyone else¡¯s. Zeke hung back in shock, muttering. ¡°Zoan?¡± In response to that, Zoan let out a heavy breath, one filled with complete defeat. ¡°Just¡­ just kill me now.¡± (Special Update)-NOT A NEW CHAPTER Alright, it''s time for me to put my promoter cap on and be completely shameless. Hello everyone, this is the author of Otherworldly Trials. That much was obvious considering you''re reading this now. I have already spoken at length at the last chapter (Vol2: Epilogue), but let me make this more official in a new chapter update. I apologize for the confusion, but this is just as important. First of all, thank you all for the kind comments and the help needed to edit the story and make it better. I read all the comments as much as I could, and I try what I can to make it better. I particularly noticed a lot of comments regarding grammar mistakes and the like on the first chapter. I will try what I can to not only fix those mistakes, but to also improve the writing in the future. As for the future itself, I fully intend to publish this novel after I made sure to get all the fundamentals out of the way. I will likely try self-publishing, but as you all know, this is quite the hurdle to go through, especially financially, which is why I set a Patreon account for those who are willing to support me for this journey. I only just set it up, so there aren''t much on there yet. But I have plenty of chapters in the work, and I will add some more rewards later down the line should the situation stabilize for me (I am a working adult with a full-time job, so scheduling and exhaustion can be a b****). Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. I also plan on adding in fun little side chapters, so any ideas on what kind of chapters you''d like to read, anything regarding the world of Tarial in Otherworldly Trials, or any special character chapters you want me to make, will also be part of the rewards. Again, this is all for the future, and it is not completely set in stone. I do know that there are those that cannot support me financially. That is TOTALLY FINE. I will not expect, and will not force you, to support me just for my work I do on the off time. I won''t deny that this will help me, but that''s it. Just commenting on it, help improve whatever inaccuracys may pop up, and sharing it with others is more than enough. I believe that is about it. This is my first story on this website and my first official story planned to be publish. I expect a few obstacles but I will not stop on officially publishing this story to the fullest. I also intend on getting an audiobook for this story as I love to listen to audiobooks rather than reading it (I know, kinda messed up). Either way, I hope everyone has a nice day and the following days after that. I will do my utmost to post daily on my social media from the links below, as to not totally annoy my readers here on RoyalRoad. And once the work on my side is done, I will update this story with a new chapter soon! X link: https://x.com/ChrisLITasRPG Patreon link: https://patreon.com/SagelyGamer?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink End of Vol2 Status Screen This is not an official chapter, but something I planned on doing back on Vol 1 but wasn''t able to. I hope to correct that this time as this is considerably my favorite part to use for the entire volume. I don''t necessarily like to show the entire status sheet of the main characters every so often, so half the time it don''t show up at all because it would just fill up the entire page. So here are the status sheets of the two main characters of Otherworldly Trials: Zeke and Mikella.
Name: Zeke Parlow (Battle Mage) Race: Human Spiritual Runist: Level 57 Attunement: The World (Tier 2) STR: 92 DEX: 207 INT: 266 SPI: 323 VIT: 100 END: 105 Free Points: 0 General Skills: Mana Manipulation (R) Level 8 Kinetic Perception (U) Level 5 Unarmed Mastery (C) Level 9 Battle Runecraft (E) Level 4 Pain Resistance (R) Level 5 Steadfast Mind (R) Level 1 Parallel Thought (U) Level 7 Meditation (C) Level 7 Acquired Skills: Barrier Craft (E) Level 6 Recovery (E) Level 10 (Maxed) Class Skills: Runic Library Level 4 Inscription Proficiency Level 7 Runic Spell Level 4 Phantasmal Runes Level 4 Runic Echoes Level 5 Rune Copycat Level 2 Title Skill: Magic Might (T), Level 1 (Maxed) Equipment: Gloves of Sanctuary (Uncommon) Runist Pens of Paroth (Rare) The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.Vision of Spiriling Mass (Epic)
*****
Name: Mikella Ashton (Overachiever) Race: Human Dragon Berserker: Level 57 Attunement: Unbridled Fulmination (Tier 1) STR: 271 DEX: 285 INT: 69 SPI: 79 VIT: 114 END: 214 Free Points: 0 General Skills: Kinetic Manipulation (R) Level 6 Mana Perception (U) Level 8 Sword Mastery (R) Level 7 Axe Mastery (U) Level 9 Spear Mastery (R) Level 2 Bow Mastery (U) Level 4 Hammer Mastery (U) Level 8 Lightning Mastery (U) Level 4 Pain Resistance (R) Level 1 Meditation (C) Level 7 Acquired Skills: Acrobatics (E) Level 3 Dragon Eyes (E) Level 2 Class Skills: Heavenly Strike Level 9 Dragon Descent Level 6 Aerial Advantage Level 3 Draconic Fury Level 5 Forced Regeneration Level 6 Clashing Energies Level 1 Title Skill: Give me more (Title), Level 1 (Maxed) Equipment: Enchanted Arthurian Knight Weapons (Rare) Tempest Bow (Uncommon) Cloak of Darkness (Uncommon)
It''s possible that I might not have correctly poured the exact numbers, but this is generally the status sheet for both characters after Vol 2. This is after receiving the enhanced stat fruit points, which is normally very rare and expensive for common folk of Tarial. Anyways, I love these kinds of status sheets, especially when it makes sense to me. If there''s anything you like to know, I''ll be happy to answer. If there are anything you like to add, let me know and I''ll consider what to bring next in Vol3. This is also an update as I finally was able to include five chapters including the prologue in Patreon, so if you are interested in reading the raw unedited Vol 3, head into Patreon and check it out. If you like to wait for the official release on Royal Road, that would be on November. I hope you all have a pleasant day! New update Hey, so it''s November now and I only just got into the swing of things. I apologize in advance for not notifying anyone sooner. Things have been hectic and everything went away from me. I''ve been updating my patreon and getting everything sorted out, but now I can say that I can finally publish Vol 3 starting next monday. It should have been the start of this week, I realized, but like I said, things have gotten away from me. If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. I hope everyone can understand and eagerly wait for the published Vol 3 on Royalroad. If you want to read the raw unedited version, then you can subscribe to my patreon as listed in the earlier chapter. As usual, I''ll be following the normal pattern, though for my own sake, I have to decrease the 4 chapters a week to 3 chapters (Mon, Tue, Wed) starting now. I hope you have a wonderful week, and I hope you''re excited to read the next installment of Otherworldly Trials. Vol 3 Prologue Today would be the day where he could leave his domain to enter into the world below. Contrary to the other nations, his country did not live in any part of their world, but in their own dimensional pocket. Despite Tarial being so vast, it was even bigger in terms of dimensions that can basically tag themselves onto the world at random places, some as small as a forest, and others as large as an entire kingdom. His kingdom is one such place. Of course, that didn¡¯t come up all on its own. It was built by the blood, sweat, and tears of all the other mages in the past, created and built in an eternal progress of building and expanding. But because of that, his poor, insignificant grand kingdom had to pay their own taxes. Such is the life of someone wanting to live in this world. There were also several, if not hundreds of policies to go through in order to go in and out of one pocket or another, especially if it¡¯s owned by any form of sovereignty. However, as the Lord, Cronus doesn¡¯t have to do any of that, but he still has responsibilities to ensure nothing goes wrong in his absence. After a whole year spent ensuring nothing goes wrong, he had at least several days or so for himself. But one can never know since even a single second can occur and a disaster can strike. Anything could happen in his country, ensuring that he must be there putting out any fires that might occur, metaphorically and literally. It is a kingdom filled with mages, after all. ¡°Are you ready, my love?¡± He turned to find his lovely, ever so calm wife by his side, fully dressed and ready to go. Out of everyone, she is the most excited to get out of the kingdom. She was dressed in her fantastic robes, with long sleeves with cloth that extended to her slim waist, her leggings covered her entirely. Her long reddish hair tinged in purple only added to that sense of serene beauty, and Cronus can look on with satisfaction that each of the clothes are enchanted to the point of bending steel should some need come across. As for himself, he went with the usual white robe that exposed a bit of his chest for freedom, as well as dark bandages that covered his arms and legs with leather boots. His long silver hair was tied behind his back for better comfort, though he preferably wanted it to be free like usual. But he had to go out now, so he needed to look impressive. Not to mention, how could he embarrass his wife while she looked so damn fine? It would be a travesty. All the more, this would be a reunion with his dear students that left his kingdom almost two decades ago. He also heard that they had a child during that time, so of course he needed to dress up for the occasion. Since he wasn¡¯t planning on looking like a boorish brute when committing a kidnapping¡­ of a sort. ¡°Yes, I should be,¡± Cronus responded to his wife, Isabelle, with a smile. ¡°I just wanted to make sure nothing goes wrong, so I¡¯m sending messages for my departure.¡± ¡°Surely, they can handle themselves for a few days, can¡¯t they?¡± Isabelle asked, raising a brow. Cronus only gave her a deepened frown. ¡°Huh, how depressing,¡± Isabelle shook her head. ¡°Ah well. Let¡¯s move on already! I¡¯m so excited, I¡¯m shaking in my boots.¡± ¡°Me as well,¡± Cronus chuckled, walking up to his wife as his mana surged through his fingers. Complex works of spellcraft formed, several magical circles appearing at one side, then another, as several circles filled with intensely glowing letters formed around his hand. Each circle was packed with so much mana, and there were already several more appearing right in front of them. ¡°What do you think those strangers might be?¡± Isabelle asked, her eyes gleaming for new knowledge already. The several magical circles each spun around in unison, each spinning in a different direction as they all collided together to form into an even bigger circle, soon taking over an entire wall that they were facing against. ¡°I¡¯m hoping people that can get along with us,¡± Cronus said, already sending out the messages with his other hand to his followers to get on with it. As the circle began to glow in front of them, several people began to flow towards the room they were in, each one armored and geared with power radiating magnificently across the entire room with enchantments filled to the brim. Soon, the circle finally glowed one last time as Cronus completed the transfer spell. His fingers covered in magical circles snapped, dispersing them as the circle soon became a gateway. Powerful surge of mana and other forms of energy swirled forward through the path, showing another vision of clear blue sky and greenery on the ground. The transfer process was completed, as expected of himself. ¡°Mmh¡­ kinda slow there, don¡¯t you think?¡± Isabelle asked, raising a brow to her husband. ¡°Oh shut up. I¡¯m out of practice,¡± Cronus groaned. ¡°So sensitive¡­ now come on!¡± Cronus shook his head as he and his wife led themselves in, the entire entourage of soldiers covered in heavy armor following after them. The passage between dimensions can be a brutal thing, especially when having to distort reality itself while abiding the laws of the natural order. All of this was already preorganized by the Master as he pleasantly talked with his wife at the current time. The passage they walked through contained the vastness of the void inbetween, creating a bridge that crosses through the realm that would normally contain dangerous entities unknown to the users of the world.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. Such things would normally occur when traveling through pockets without a powerful mage by your side, or have certain artifacts that can aid you in that venture. But for a pocket dimension as large as Arcelot, even that would be difficult without proper procedures. Cronus looked ahead onwards to the end of the passage, using his remaining energies and the surplus power of the void in between to help travel far quicker than average. There was a bubbling excitement in his chest, something that hadn¡¯t occurred in so very, very long. Honestly, he felt like a child awaiting his present, waiting for whatever it was that was hidden away on the other side. He also smiled, awaiting for his darling disciple to find out of his arrival. His personal arrival. ¡­.. Cloud looked onwards to the open sky above. No matter how long he spent in the open sky above him, he still marveled at it and took in a big breath of air. Another breath of air was taking place right beside him, her tiny hands on her hips as she copied her father. After leaving the biodome behind, or rather, ever since he experienced dungeon diving just recently, he took the time to appreciate his surroundings and just being alive. It certainly was¡­ an experience one doesn¡¯t go through every day. He can¡¯t imagine how the youngsters can handle such a thing. He still shivered at the memory of his venture after being out of the adventuring scene for a while. Watching his wife nearly succumb to the undeath, having no way to restore her without enough time. Even if he knew the circumstances, knowing full well why he had to go through it, he still had nightmares of the time that could¡¯ve happened. After that, he almost lost his daughter in the attack from Bastion, were it not for the helpful intervention of an angel. He looked at his now not-so-little daughter, Ana, as she kept taking breaths of air without really relaxing. ¡°Ana, you¡¯re gonna faint,¡± Cloud said, amused at his daughter always taking things to the extreme. She¡¯s just like her mother, that one. ¡°Puaaah!¡± Ana let out, her chest heaving. ¡°Daddy, I want to get stronger! So I decided to copy you because you¡¯re the strongest!¡± ¡°What about your mother?¡± Cloud asked, raising a brow. ¡°She¡¯s stronger than me.¡± ¡°What do you think!?¡± Ana snapped back. ¡°Mommy¡¯s already down there helping the others train! I can¡¯t go with her, so I¡¯m stuck with you!¡± Ana said cruelly, letting out a tongue at him in response. Cloud chuckled, feeling only slightly stung at her words. She¡¯s getting more mouthy over the years, but he would never replace that for anything else. ¡°Then do you wanna practice magic with me?¡± Cloud asked. Of course, such a thing was impossible at her age, but there wasn¡¯t anything wrong with magic studies. ¡°You can become a mage if you do.¡± ¡°Mmh¡­ I have to read lots of books, don¡¯t I?¡± Ana groaned, turning away and sitting down on the front of their house. ¡°Not really, but reading would certainly help raise spells better. Why do you think Zeke is getting so strong so quickly? Because he¡¯s reading a lot of books every day.¡± Cloud said, shamelessly using Zeke¡¯s example to get his daughter to read books. It was true that thanks to his reading, he has improved himself much more than the average mage. He doesn¡¯t just take in knowledge, but uses it to his advantage, often creating runes that help with his battles thanks to them. That, and the boy was just a sponge ready to take in everything if it meant getting stronger faster. ¡°Mmh¡­ isn¡¯t that because Sissy is linked, so she¡¯s raising his level along with her? Doesn¡¯t that make him a leech, then?¡± Cloud winced at that. Seriously, since when did Ana speak so candidly? Oh, right. She got her mother¡¯s blood in her. ¡°Levels aren¡¯t everything, sweetie. Remember those weaklings that were the same levels as us at the biodome?¡± Ana nodded, reminding her of the time Cloud faced the Journeymen hacks that were forced to fight beyond their means. ¡°They were weak because they haven¡¯t trained as well as they should. Zeke¡¯s level is high thanks to Mikella¨Cbut that doesn¡¯t mean he¡¯s weak. You could say he earned his right to be at a high level, especially since at this point, he could even beat me in a fight if he put his all into it.¡± ¡°Really?!¡± Ana shouted, her eyes bulging from the admittance. ¡°Well¡­¡± Cloud teased. ¡°Not really. After all, I¡¯ll be holding back just to mess with him later.¡± Ana just laughed at that, knowing full well that her father is the type to mess around with those around him. Cloud chuckled along as he called Ana into the house to prepare a short snack. He had nothing to do right now, especially since they were practically swimming in wealth after accomplishing their biodome takeover. It was already a terrifying story about how they took it over, and all of it was centered on Zeke¡¯s transformation. Though some details were clearly omitted, the townsfolk only know that their biodome takeover was a success, and Bastion is no longer going to be an issue. It made the town share a breath of relief now that they got the kingdom¡¯s full attention, ready to send forces to travel to their town to aid in their future endeavors. And in return, the town responsible for the takeover would get benefits beyond belief. Cloud smiled, happily peeling oranges in the bowl of his kitchen much to Ana¡¯s liking. Ana herself was dangling her feet on the couch, bobbing her head left and right as she hummed. After a while, however, Ana exclaimed loudly which got Cloud to quickly head over to the living room, a look of panic in her eyes. ¡°What is it?!¡± Cloud asked. ¡°Daddy! T-There¡¯s a bug in the house!¡± ¡°A bug?¡± Cloud asked in disbelief. No matter how hot or cold the season, it wasn¡¯t possible for any bugs to enter his castle (AKA his magically warded house). He looked up to where Ana was pointing at so panicky, only to pause. It was certainly a bug. It was a large glowing moth-like creature that fluttered in the air. It spun in a lazy circle, bobbing up and down with greenish letterings across its carapace. He stilled, looking at the moth. Ana ran over to his leg and noticed his staring with concern. ¡°Daddy?¡± Ana asked, clutching onto his pants for comfort. ¡°Is it dangerous?¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m sure it isn¡¯t,¡± Cloud trailed, shaking his head. He smiled at Ana, turning to her and gesturing to the kitchen. ¡°Ana, get to the kitchen. I¡¯ll take care of it.¡± ¡°Okay¡­ be careful, Daddy.¡± Ana said, nodding as she ran to the kitchen under his orders. The truth was that the moth was nowhere near as dangerous as Cloud made it out to be. It was just a messenger, from a country that should¡¯ve been keeping their eyes off of them according to their own policies. Cloud glared at the moth, approaching it with careful steps. As he approached, the moth suddenly stopped mid flight as it suddenly dissolved into brown and green particles. The colors mashed together as the particles formed into parchment that fell right on top of Cloud¡¯s open palm. It was a rather decorated scroll, sealed at the center with a blazing red ornament that seemed to have been steeped in congealed blood. Cloud squeezed the seal with Mana, making it disappear completely as he unrolled the parchment. Then, he read, taking his time to study the letterings of the language he hadn¡¯t read in so long. He read, and read, and read. Then finally, he stopped. He took in a big breath, much bigger than what he did with Ana outside. He let it out, hanging his head back. ¡°Gods fucking dammit. He¡¯s coming here?¡± He wanted to scream as loud as he could to proclaim to the heavens, but he didn¡¯t want to scare Ana so he said it as calmly as possible. On the inside, however, he was a horrid mess that not even his enhanced body can handle. Vol3 Ch1: Road to Journeymen It¡¯s been about a year since the biodome takeover. Many things have happened throughout this time, though to Zeke, it felt so trivial that it barely passed through his periphery. Most of it was because he couldn¡¯t get over the fact that his progress as a Runist has slowed significantly, but he can understand that just chilling in town and passively killing monsters won¡¯t suddenly get him super powerful like in a regular video game. First off, everyone in Eve Glade had to prepare for the kingdom¡¯s VIPs to come over to examine the Elemental Prison biodome. Their first task is to report to the kingdom¡¯s vassals that not only did they conquer the biodome, but also got Bastion to defect from the Aetheric Federation to join an alliance with Eve Glade. That alone was enough to get their attention. However, things got even crazier when it was revealed that the biodome contained a vast treasure that would probably spark a war between several other nations were it to be known. It was actually something Zeke discovered himself during the times he and Mikella, along with the other soldiers, would explore with his unique title as King of the biodome. Even now, he felt a bit off having that title, especially when he has no memory of defeating the Weaver of the biodome. Though that didn¡¯t stop the others who witnessed that event recall it as though it was an epic fantasy. Zeke wanted to see what else the biodome had to offer, and while it certainly offered a lot already in terms of monsters for loot, ores to mine, plants and fauna to collect, and other such materials for crafting¨Cthere was one more thing that made them pause. Within the vast biodome, deep within its several layers worth of crystal plains and beneath the very mantle of the dome, there was a unique location that Zeke could tell by some magical instinct that it contained something important. After finding some rather strange entrances and caves to get to it, they were shocked at what they found. It was inside a small cavern, though only in comparison to the rest of the biodome as it was large enough to house several apartments stacked on top of one another. Right in the smack dab middle of it on top of a glistening still pond in its own little world¨Ca literal island where a single tree lay. The tree was huge, containing several gemstones embedded in its silvery bark, but that wasn¡¯t what impressed them. It was the fruits that hung on its branches that did. Because all those dozens of fruits were true attribute fruits. It was, in other words, an attribute tree. What happened next is something Zeke can only describe in a single sentence: Everyone lost their shit. It wasn¡¯t just the soldiers that cried as though the heavenly lord had descended upon them, but the lords were also ecstatic that even Zacharia himself came around and roared in victory, bringing everyone else in his retinue to copy him like cubs to their leading lion. That still made Zeke shiver at the memory of Zacharia¡¯s nearly manic look of delight on his usually stoic face. It wasn¡¯t just the lords¨Cthe officials of the kingdom nearly lost their composure when they received notice of the attribute tree, almost dropping everything in their schedule to visit Eve Glade straight away. Then it was like a series of dominoes falling into place. The biodome having its own attribute tree wasn¡¯t just rare¨Cit was absurdly valuable to the point where countries would actually go to war for. Even more important¨Cthanks to Zeke¡¯s barrier surrounding the town and the entrance to the biodome, it only made the value of the town a lot higher. Not having to expend horrific expenses to defend an out-of-place town with an incredibly valuable resource was equal to the gods of RNG ruling in your favor. Due to that, several months were spent configuring the benefits given to Eve Glade by the kingdom. Of course, policies would eventually come from the kingdom itself due to this discovery. This meant that Eve Glade no longer has complete and total freedom to use the biodome however they want, but that wasn¡¯t all bad according to Cloud and Val. If anything, that means keeping an upkeep of the biodome is left for the kingdom, with Eve Glade taking the reins to ensure the coming and going of people stayed stable and profitable. Whether they would let the public freely use the biodome was another thing entirely, but the kingdom would certainly use this chance to get as many fruits as possible¨Cin exchange, they have to pay Eve Glade a hefty fee in order to gain access to it. They did conquer the biodome themselves while staying off the invading force to receive the king title, after all¨Cit was only natural to ask for such a fee. Eve Glade went through a vast process of transforming the town to center around the entrance of the biodome, building new places for eventual visitors and keeping a list of the populace that would take the chance to go into the biodome, whether or not the goal is to get to the tree to get a fruit for themselves. It completely transformed Eve Glade from some little town in the sticks barely getting by, a place for recluse from other major nations to stay and get away from the heavy taxes¨Cinto a wealthy town in the sticks that could pump out Journeymen left and right and can make anyone into a Journeyman for the right price. All the while, the citizens that lived in the town throughout all this thrived like they were nobles. Throughout all of this, Zeke and Mikella barely had any time for training as they had to keep the town growing at a decent pace. Cloud and Val personally didn¡¯t want to grow the town too much, preferring to keep it exclusive rather than absorb as many people as possible. It would only just increase the work they have to go through, and all of the wealth from the economic income would only just go into the biodome for the kingdom to use in the end. No, the lords just wanted to ensure their citizens that took the effort to get away from all the heavy taxes get exactly what they came for. So in other words, they have to keep a steady hand on any visitors the kingdom sends their way and make sure they go for the biodome only, not the town¨Cunless they pay another fee to take advantage of the services inside, of course.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Apparently Mikella loved the idea to nickel and dime any dumb tourist that comes in without thinking ahead of the supply runs they have to make. So for the following year, they had to keep the town safe while their own fighters kept growing steadily from the biodome¡¯s benefits. This meant that Zeke and Mikella¡¯s growth throughout the year was staggering at best. And they were getting pretty antsy as they finally reached Level 60 in their classes, only to be met with this prompt.
Level Up! You are now Level 60. You gain 6 free points (6 FP total). You have gained +9 DEX from your class. You have gained +9 INT from your class. You have gained +9 SPI from your class.
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Due to achieving Level 60, you are now able to advance. However, you must meet the requirements to fully advance to Journeyman. You will no longer gain any more experience points until you advance to Journeyman. The requirements are as followed: -Advance or evolve 5 General Skills to Rare rarity. -Reach the maxed level of 3 Class Skills. -Attain at least 3 Titles.
This was borderline ridiculous for Zeke. If it weren¡¯t for the biodome and the crazy circumstances before that, he knew he wouldn¡¯t even get half of these requirements by this point. Granted, this was supposed to get him to advance to Journeyman, which only further explained how difficult it is to get there and why some people would prefer to become half-Journeyman for the slight benefits it brings. The title requirements surprised him a little. Granted, they bring unexpected boosts, but whenever he gained one, he just put it to the side, only bringing it up to his mains status page if the effects were to his liking¨Cso in this case, both he and Mikella put on Overachiever to gain some extra XP during this mad rush for leveling. It was only realizing that titles have the ability to increase their effects by the number of titles. For example, Overachiever allowed them to gain more experience by a simple 1%. By having more titles on hand, they can earn an extra percent for every title. It wasn¡¯t a lot, especially since the amount of XP can¡¯t really be seen on their status page, it only made more sense to include titles in the requirements for advancing to Journeymen. Having three titles was easy for them, but it was the first two that got them to scratch their heads. Leveling class skills were already difficult enough as it is as it isn¡¯t malleable like General skills. Still, he also understood that just like advancing to Journeyman, the class would also evolve into a higher stage, which makes sense. But the amount of time it took to level these skills was mind-boggling, which only made it worse as their time was spent ensuring the town¡¯s safety. So, it took them nearly a whole year to finally get up to this point. Zeke breathed slowly, trying to calm down his beating heart from the excess activity he undertook. Sweat riddled his very being as he faced his opponent with mild trepidation and anticipation. Mikella stood in front, her stance perfect and her gaze steady as a rock. There were barely any scratches on her unlike his own wretched state, but there were signs of exhaustion as her energy levels were decreasing¨Cas expected considering how high he raised his Kinetic Perception skill. Then, before getting caught up in his own thoughts again, he acted. Dashing forward, he launched a palm strike with every fiber of kinetic energy into it. But as expected, Mikella parried it away with the swing of her wooden sword. Normally, this would be a painful reaction for Zeke as his hands were naked except for the Gloves of Sanctuary he still had on¨Cbut there was none. There were some tricks he learned to keep his hands and feet safe even when facing against bladed weapons. A wooden weapon was nothing for him at this point. The two clashed together in a heated exchange, bouts of swings and blows that made the air ripple from the intensity behind each strike. Mikella¡¯s body moved gracefully, her eyes glowing bright yellow as she struck him with enough force to break his conjured barriers into pieces. No matter how high level his Barrier Craft skill was, Mikella would always find a way to break them. But at this point, Zeke had put aside their defensive properties and instead just focused on keeping her at bay, to take further control of the battle. Another few seconds of harsh exchanges later, Zeke spotted a chance and pivoted into a roundhouse kick, but he kicked nothing but air as Mikella vanished. He looked up to see Mikella high in the air, spinning like a top as energy gathered around her sword. Electricity formed and slammed down on the ground, but not at Zeke. He already saw this multiple times and braced himself with a barrier as Mikella used the electricity like a hook, proven by her increased mastery in lightning magic, and pulled herself straight at Zeke with a Heavenly Strike-powered sword attack. The two clashed, both sword and barrier collided to create a dust cloud explosion that covered the entire battlefield. Had they been in any ordinary field other than the training ground in Eve Glade built specifically for training, it would¡¯ve created a crater the size of a school bus. Zeke groaned, his vision swimming after the explosion, and only then he realized that he messed up. His barrier just couldn¡¯t protect himself against Mikella who used gyrational power to enhance her Heavenly Strike. That spin from earlier was to empower her just enough to get past his barrier, which was only empowered for a normal Heavenly Strike. The decision making was too fast for him to react. Then again, Mikella had proven time and time again just how talented she was in battle as she stood in front of him, looking battered and bruised. However, a smile that still made his heart race flashed across her face as she loudly declared. ¡°Guess I won,¡± Mikella grinned. ¡°And guess what¨CI leveled up my skill!¡± Hearing that, Zeke widened his eyes in exhilaration. But just when he stood up to his feet to congratulate her¨Ca notification dropped into his vision. He smirked a cocky smile; ¡°You¡¯re not the only one.¡± ¡°No way¡­¡± Mikella started to laugh maniacally, her eyes widening. ¡°We did it! We both made it!¡± Mikella forgo any sort of conduct and rushed after Zeke, embracing him hard to which he reacted the same, holding her tight and spinning her around. The two made it. They finally reached Journeymen after that last bout. But just when the two were taken into their own little world¨C An applause of mass proportions shocked the two to stop their merrymaking. Zeke watched in embarrassed horror that not only the soldiers watched their fight without him knowing, but a plethora of citizens watched with glee as they heard the news, clapping and whistling at their success. In his mind, it looked like the entirety of the former Eve Glade was watching them without him realizing it. How did that happen? All the while, Zeke looked back at the equally embarrassed and blushing Mikella, but in all honesty, it didn¡¯t matter. The entire year of training, formulating, and finding their path forward has finally culminated into this. So they have every right to celebrate. Vol 3 Ch2: Zekes Progress Having a crowd watching them wasn¡¯t something Zeke expected, nor the applause that came after. Still, his face flushed as dozens of people, some he personally recalled healing with Recovery a long time ago, came up to congratulate the two for their success. It wasn¡¯t easy, but they finally managed to increase enough skills to advance to Journeyman. During all the hubbub of praises and cheering, Zeke glanced at his status page for the umpthteen time. Calling up all the increases he had over the year, he was glad to say that he made quite a bit of progress.
Kinetic Perception Level Up! It is now Level 10 (Maxed). You have gained +1 DEX (x5) from your skill. You have gained +1 END (x5) from your skill. Kinetic Perception has been maxed. Bonuses are now applied: -Increased stamina control
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Skill Evolution has commenced. Your Skill Kinetic Perception (Uncommon) has evolved into Kinetic Manipulation (Rare). Your skill Kinetic Manipulation has been reset to level 1. You will still retain the stat bonuses you have acquired before the evolution.
This one took a while to increase, but it was one of the skills he wanted max out the most. His newfound love for fighting has only increased after the biodome, and he even found ways to effectively use Stamina for his own casting, enforcing his spells with a hint of his physical might to give them more of an ¡®oomph¡¯, especially with his Barrier Craft. The next skill was the one that finally increased only just now.
Unarmed Mastery Level Up! It is now Level 10 (Maxed). You have gained +1 STR from your skill. You have gained +1 DEX from your skill. Unarmed Mastery has been maxed. Bonuses are now applied: -Increased unarmed damage. -Attained Unarmed Arts -Advancement available.
Unarmed Mastery. It ended up becoming one of his staples he planned on bringing for his unique path as a battle runist. He did think about using different weapons, or at least the sword like Mikella, but he found using his own body to be the best. Rather than thinking about it efficiently, it just flowed better when he moved his body as he fought without relying on anything else that could fumble in his hands. It was strange, especially with his high Dexterity stat. Without much hesitation, he let the skill advance to the next rarity.
Skill Advancement has commenced. Your skill Unarmed Mastery (Uncommon) has advanced into Unarmed Mastery (Rare). You gain points based on the advanced rarity: +9 DEX Your skill Unarmed mastery has been reset to Level 1. You will still retain the stat bonuses you have acquired before the advancement.
He still felt it was unreal, considering the amount of power he was receiving as a fighter. Granted, compared to his mage aspects, his physical might was lacking severely, but his rune buffs would still entirely turn him into a beast to be reckoned with¨Cat least according to Mikella¡¯s perspective. His skill leveling would only upgrade his fighting prowess, making the increase in stats minimal at best. It granted him knowledge that would make his punches and kick hit harder without any severe backlash to his own body, much like how a swordfighter can avoid breaking their sword from inexperience and still use the weapon to the best of its abilities¨Cthough just because it reached the Rare rarity doesn¡¯t mean it was unbeatable. It can still be upgraded and get supernaturally stronger. There was also one important skill he was thankful for, and that was already maxed out before they took over the biodome. It was his only healing skill, Recovery, that has not only maxed out, but evolved into something greater.
Skill Evolution has commenced. Your skill Recovery (Epic) has evolved into Restoration (Legendary).This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Your skill Restoration has been reset to Level 1. You will still retain the stat bonuses you have acquired before the evolution.
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Restoration (Legendary), Level 1 Evolved from Recovery, your healing capabilities have improved and your range of sense of any inner working has advanced to the point of clairvoyance. Your healing and perception increase according to the level of the skill and the current Spirit stat.
It was his first ever Legendary skill, and it showed in various ways. There was a point where Zeke was damaged by Mikella¡¯s ¡®intense training¡¯ to the point where his ribs were caved in and his organs were getting punctured. Just one cast of this spell, and he felt like a brand new man who just woke up from an uncomfortable nap. It was exhilarating, and one could say that this skill helped push both of them way farther than they should have any reason to. Throughout the year, skill leveling has been what he was focusing on. But that didn¡¯t mean he didn¡¯t try to make more improvements. He still had to increase his Class Skills, which proved to be extremely taxing on him as a Runist. Thankfully, Cloud made sure to console him that his path to continue leveling Unarmed Mastery didn¡¯t diverge from his path as a useful Runist. Rather, a Runist¡¯s Class Skills are notoriously difficult to raise. Knowing that it wasn¡¯t due to his failure to uphold his path properly, Zeke never stopped pursuing his studies to their fullest even as months dragged on by. Even during the times when he felt drained from the day¡¯s events thanks to the kingdom¡¯s officials making a hissy fit over the deal Cloud and Val made, Zeke never stopped studying his runes, and eventually, he succeeded in just a year¡¯s time.
Inscription Proficiency Level Up! It is now Level 10 (Maxed). Increased accuracy with drawing runes (x3). Decrease mana consumption when drawing runes (x3). Inscription Proficiency has been maxed. Each bonus you normally receive is now doubled in their benefits.
When Zeke and Mikella maxed out their Class Skills for once, they weren¡¯t surprised that it didn¡¯t evolve or even advance. Once a person chooses their Class Skill, it is kept as is unless one uses a special item or treasure that allows them to change their Class Skill choice, though that is extremely expensive, and worse¨Cit resets the skill entirely, forcing them to work with it at level 1. That¡¯s why when one makes a choice, they have to be aware of the permanence behind it. Though Zeke constantly relied on his Inscription Proficiency plenty of times, he had to actively focus on improving his drawing at every waking moment, constantly dragging down his mental energy, not just his mana and stamina. Still, that was done, as well as the other two Class Skills.
Phantasmal Runes Level Up! It is now Level 10 (Maxed). Increased potency of all created runes based on the Spirit stat (x6). Decreases mana consumption of all runes (x6). Phantasmal Runes has been maxed. Each bonus you normally receive is now doubled in their benefits.
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Runic Echoes Level Up! It is now Level 10 (Maxed). Increases the potency of synchronized runes (x5). Decreases proper rune structure needs (x5). Runic Echoes has been maxed. Each bonus you normally receive is now doubled in their benefits.
These two had higher priority right after Inscription Proficiency. Phantasmal Runes completely increases his runes¡¯ power based on his Spirit stat, his highest stat. Meanwhile, Runic Echoes makes his runes synergize with each other, compelling them to work better as a whole and increase the sum of their parts. He did consider his other Class Skills, particularly his Runic Library, a skill that helps him remember all the runes he learned as though he was picking up a book in a library, hence the name. Unfortunately that skill is very unpopular to level, considering that to max it out, one has to learn every single rune ever created and then some. No matter how much Intelligence he had, there was no way he could study them all even within a decade, let alone a single year. The Class Skill Runic Spell was also considered, but compared to Inscription Proficiency and Phantasmal Runes working in tandem, he didn¡¯t mind sacrificing just a little bit of versatility in exchange for more power and speed. Hell, blasting fireballs like a machine gun was already impressive enough, even if the original point of the Runic Spell wasn¡¯t supposed to be used on the battlefield like Zeke does. Rune Copycat was definitely included, but he found that it was a lot harder to manifest a copy for his runes than usual, especially with his rune tattoos. He could still do it, but he wanted to reach Journeyman before the two years were up, so he had to put it aside for progress. Eventually, he did all that he could to reach Journeyman, and so now he looked up the status page to see the new line added in.
Due to achieving Level 60, you are now able to advance. However, you must meet the requirements to fully advance to Journeyman. You will no longer gain any more experience points until you advance to Journeyman.
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You have met the requirements to advance. Would you like to proceed? Y/N Warning: Advancement to Journeyman may be dangerous. Find a safe place to rest and protect yourself before advancing.
He was glad to finally reach the requirements, but became stunned at the last line. Turns out advancing to Journeyman is a lot harder on the body compared to reaching Expert, if that was even possible. Mikella had to burn herself with lightning in order to advance to Expert with her lightning attunement. Meanwhile, Zeke practically blew up with power from attaining, or rather, being forced to get The World as his attunement. It was not a pleasant process, not unlike reaching Apprentice stage with a new class. Still, he knew Cloud and Val were preparing for this exact situation, so they had a place built in their homes for advancing Journeymen. Though for now, he put himself up with the rest of the crowd who eagerly asked many questions on how he managed to get this far, hoping that someday they can reach Journeyman itself. Honestly though, talking to this many people was more difficult than training his skills. At least he could go at his own pace. You would think I¡¯d get used to this by now as a Lord, Zeke grumbled in his thoughts, though he had a smile on his face to appease the crowd. Vol 3 Ch3: Mikellas Progress She was completely bathing in the praises of the others like a peacock, if she was honest with herself. How can she not? She finally reached Journeyman¨Cor at least met the requirements for it. Mikella looked at her status screen as plenty of people sung her praises, giving a glance at Zeke who is trying, and failing, to keep a straight face from all the praise.
Level Up! You are now Level 60. You gain 6 free points (6 FP total). You have gained +9 STR from your class. You have gained +9 DEX from your class. You have gained +9 END from you class.
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Due to achieving Level 60, you are now able to advance. However, you must meet the requirements to fully advance to Journeyman. You will no longer gain anymore experience points until you advance to Journeyman.
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You have met the requirements to advance. Would you like to proceed? Y/N Warning: Advancement to Journeyman may be dangerous. Find a safe place to rest and protect yourself before advancing.
She was actually worried that compared to Zeke, her requirements would¡¯ve been higher considering how easy it was for her to gain General Skills and their levels. Apparently there was a good reason why it never changed from Zeke¡¯s own requirements. Raising skills outside of mortal combat was a bitch to do. While Zeke¡¯s combat skills were easier to raise, Mikella had to put in her all to raise her Class skills to the fullest, and that was a lot harder to pull off when her life really isn¡¯t in any danger ever since the biodome takeover. The General Skills were easy, however. Despite already having four Rare skills on hand, she wanted one more skill added in¨CMana Perception and Lightning Mastery. These two skills, she knew, are absolutely essential for her path forward. She also knew her advancement to Journeymen would be affected if she had these skills, much like how her Class Skill Clashing Energies was affected after not only maxing out her general skill list, but also gain Mana Perception as a skill as well as maxing out her Kinetic Manipulation. She was certain her Dragon Berserker class would also evolve based on what she had done, though she had a feeling it wouldn¡¯t change much. Either way, her instincts were telling her that everything would turn out fine on that part.
Mana Perception Level Up! It is now Level 10 (Maxed). You have gained +1 INT (x2) from your skill. You have gained +1 SPI (x2) from your skill. Mana Perception has been maxed. Bonuses are now applied: -Increased mana control
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Skill Evolution has commenced. Your skill Mana Perception (Uncommon) has evolved into Mana Manipulation (Rare). Your skill Mana Manipulation has been reset to level 1. You will still retain the stat bonuses you have acquired before the evolution.
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Lightning Mastery Level Up! It is now Level 10 (Maxed). You have gained +1 INT (x6) from your skill. You have gained +1 SPI (x6) from your skill. Lightning Mastery has been maxed. Bonuses are now applied: -Increased lightning resistance -Increased lightning potency -Advancement available
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Skill Advancement has commenced. Your skill Lightning Mastery (Uncommon) has advanced into Lightning Mastery (Rare). You gain points based on the advanced rarity:The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. +9 INT Your skill Lightning Mastery has been reset to Level 1. You will still retain the stat bonuses you have acquired before the advancement.
These skills were, surprisingly, not that hard compared to her Class skills. Granted, less than a year ago, she would¡¯ve balked at anyone who thought she could ever master these difficult mana controlling skills. But outside of life and death combat, they haven¡¯t changed in difficulty to learn. Her class skills, on the other hand, proved to be a more difficult beast. She actually spent more time on the field reusing her Class Skills over and over again, using all sorts of methods to focus all of her progress on advancing each level. The more they leveled, the more difficult they became to increase again. But finally, that last stunt against the battle with Zeke finally pushed her skills to the max.
Heavenly Strike Level Up! It is now Level 10 (Maxed). Decreased stamina and mana consumption. Increased damage. Heavenly Strike has been maxed. Each bonus you normally receive is now doubled in their benefits.
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Dragon Descent Level up! It is now Level 10 (Maxed). Increased speed and maneuverability (x4). Decreased stamina and mana consumption (x4). Dragon Descent has been maxed. Each bonus you normally receive is now doubled in their benefits.
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Draconic Fury Level Up! It is now Level 10 (Maxed). Increase attribute increase (x5). Decrease cooldown and energy consumption (x5). Draconic Fury has been maxed. Each bonus you normally receive is now doubled in their benefits.
These three skills were honestly the hallmark of her fighting style. Both Heavenly Strike and Dragon Descent were there from the beginning, bringing her to new heights (with one of them, quite literally). Draconic Fury, however, proved useful over and over when she truly wanted to go all out, not holding back a single ounce of her power. Truthfully, however, she wanted to increase Forced Regeneration and especially Clashing Energies. But she realized throughout the year that both those skills were impossible to raise, especially Clashing Energies, when her life wasn¡¯t on the line. She wasn¡¯t sure whether the system knew that these Class skills were difficult to raise, hence rather than trying to max all the Class Skills, people only had to put up with three. If she had chosen more passive class skills, she was afraid she would¡¯ve never maxed out her skills before the time limit was up. With all of these skills together, she knew she made a solid foundation as a damage dealer that can take care of herself even without a healer or even a tank. Her Endurance, normally reserved for her stamina control, made her dense and tough thanks to all the beatings she put up with over the years she spent in this new world. She also even considered picking up a defensive skill just in case, to further improve her battling capabilities. But that all has to wait for now. Once the crowd finally dispersed, Mikella watched Zeke let out a breath of relief from finally being released, giving her a chuckle. ¡°Hey! Congrats you two!¡± Her ears perked up when she heard a familiar voice she had grown used to in this new world. She turned to find none other than her best friend after Zeke; Myra. And she was nowhere near the same as when she last saw her a year ago. That was because Myra has advanced into Journeyman. Of course, Mikella was brimming with jealousy, but truthfully she couldn''t be happier. She may have a competitive edge, but she knew Myra trained hard over the years since she lived in this world far longer than Mikella ever did. Was it really a surprise that she would reach Journeyman before her despite being neck to neck with each other? Throughout the year, it was as though everything clicked for her. Myra improved her skills faster and faster the more times she fought against Mikella rather than at anyone else. Of course, she also fought against Zeke and Pyker, those closest to her in levels and power, before finally reaching the very limits of her Expert status. Mikella thought that she would actually have some difficulty gaining the titles one needed to meet the requirements. But Myra¡¯s impressive record at the biodome proved her wrong as she eventually met the requirements just about two months ago. So rather than being a tanned beauty with auburn wild hair decked in her usual simple leather armor, Myra was now a full-blown Journeyman just like Valorie, and boy did it show. Her body has transformed to the point where she reached the same height as Val, and her figure was strong, composed, and filled with grace. Even her assets improved to reach the same level as Val¡¯s, which quite frankly made Mikella excited to reach Journeyman sooner and brimming with envy. That woman sure knew how to show off her curves. Even Zeke coudln¡¯t stop taking glances at her a few times ever since her advancement, and Mikella can¡¯t even blame the poor man even if he acted meekish whenever he got caught by her. But more than that, Myra displayed an aura that was difficult to match. It was like standing next to a furnace bursting at full power, and it actually took Myra a while to cool it down with her aura, or else she would start making fires left and right. The first few days were pretty hellish for her as fires really did start bursting everywhere around her vicinity. Her features were the same, if a lot more refined¨Clike a rough diamond finally getting officially cut and sculpted to look like a true gem in the making. Her eyes were brimming bright with orange red, her face was well-sculpted like a warrior, yet there was that feminine suppleness proving her beauty, and of course, how could she forget the blazing wings behind her back, fluttering in excitement after meeting the two? That¡¯s right¨CMyra became a fairy after her advancement. While that sounded rather ridiculous, it truly wasn¡¯t as the feature to becoming a Journeyman came to light the moment she advanced. One can change their race after evolving into a Journeyman. Though not completely. Their race tag in the status screen would read Human as usual, but the advancement allows a person to attain a sub-race alongside the Class evolution. Depending on their accomplishments and current class and skill kit, they can attain a sub-race that would be perfect for their path forward. Mikella was surprised that Myra chose to be a fairy, more specifically, a Fire Fairy. Supposedly, those are sentient beings that existed somewhere in Tarial, living in extremely hot areas like volcanoes and the like. After hearing that a Fire Fairy normally lived in a village literally inside a volcano¨CMikella knew that the sub-race was perfect for Myra. And Myra made absolutely sure to show it off whenever she can. She loves this toxic bitch to the death as the two clapped hands together into an intense grapple. ¡°Finally a Journeyman, huh?¡± Myra said, her stupid perfect smile flashing across her stupid perfect face. ¡°I was starting to grow bored.¡± ¡°Well now I can finally shut your pie hole with this sword. Sure you can handle the girth, little fairy?¡± Mikella said, her grinning widening at the suggestive tone to which Myra replied eagerly with a fierce smile of her own. ¡°...You guys are weird,¡± Zeke said off to the side. He shook his head ruefully, as if he was actually tired of this. The nerve of this man. Vol 3 Ch4: A new little sister? ¡°Are you guys going to break through now?¡± Myra asked the two, clearly excited as shown by her fluttering glowing red wings. She didn¡¯t like how her newly acquired wings reacted to her emotions, but it still made Zeke inwardly chuckle as they clearly showed her excitement. Apparently Mikella agreed as they kept quiet about her wings. ¡°There¡¯s no better time than now,¡± Mikella said, her fists tightening. ¡°I wanna see my sub race choices already! I¡¯m also looking forward to how my Class evolves too.¡± ¡°Same here,¡± Zeke nodded. ¡°Where¡¯s everybody else? We wanna tell them the good news first.¡± ¡°Follow me,¡± Myra winked. ¡°I had a feeling you two would finally catch up with us, so I went ahead. Apparently the rest of Eve Glade agreed too.¡± Myra laughed gleefully as she led the two over to the training area of the town. Their town had grown bigger, though not entirely in size. Since the biodome was considered Eve Glade¡¯s property now, they expanded the area to encompass a training area larger than their usual field. It became an outdoor facility, the ground custom-made with Zeke and Cloud¡¯s runes to ensure it¡¯s kept evenly paced and cleaned from any sort of human grime put there while training. There was also a building, a hub of sorts for all the tired fighters to meditate and rest up after they had their training. It was built with a homey-sense of style, just like the Lord¡¯s home, made entirely out of well-carved wood and blackened slate stone. Though that was the only thing Zeke could see before he noticed the entire crowd of soldiers making a lot of noise, each grunting with effort as they swung their weapons, unleashed their skills, and groaned in pain from their intensive training. There were plenty of new soldiers that came in as well, each one a recognized citizen of Eve Glade after they updated their entry policies via the kingdom¡¯s influence. There were new faces Zeke hadn''t gotten used to yet, but apparently they recognized them as the soldiers stopped what they were doing and looked back at the three coming in, Myra cupping her hand to the side of her face as she shouted. ¡°Make way for the new Journeymen! They made it, guys!¡± As though they were waiting for it, the soldiers shouted in jubilation, raising their weapons and roaring in approval to the new Journeymen coming soon. Zeke had only just gotten through this, and now he found himself right back in the extrovert¡¯s zone. All he wanted to do was just go home already. However, he forged through. No matter how much of an introvert he was, he knew that everyone of them were there with the two as they improved their skills. They deserved to know about their accomplishments. That¡¯s when he spotted someone who was just as eagerly waiting for them to advance. Piker, the sub-leader of Zacharia¡¯s retinue and his own adopted son, also reached Journeyman alongside Myra. It was actually around the same time as well, which didn¡¯t help at all with the rumors about the two becoming closer as the year passed. Piker certainly changed after that. He grew big¨Cnot as big as Zacharia, but noticeably a few inches taller than before. There were hints of icey blue tendrils of pure frost, almost like scales, covering his entire body, as proven by his exposed face and bulging arms that might as well be tree trunks. And who could forget about how his once blond hair is now entirely icey-blue? His sub-race was known as Ice Giant, another particularly interesting race that were just as incredible as the Fire Fairies, except that they lived in the coldest regions of the world. Some even say that these giants were often confused with giant ice mountains. Though contrary to how Myra changed, Piker didn¡¯t change much in terms of size, despite that the Ice Giants themselves were literally thrice as big as Piker according to the texts. Apparently Humans can only change a little, taking on the more important aspects of the race rather than the entirety of their looks. Myra, for instance, had her wings because the Fire Fairies were known for their flight ability. But despite his hulking frame now, Zeke walked up to the man and offered a fist. In return, Piker grinned and punched Zeke¡¯s fist, creating a satisfying smack of knuckles for celebration. ¡°Congratulations, Zeke, Mikella,¡± Piker said, his normally rough tone now transformed into a smooth and rich voice thanks to his advancement. ¡°Looks like Myra was right on the money.¡± ¡°I told you I had a good feeling today,¡± Myra grinned, looking at the otherworlders. ¡°They plan on breaking through today, apparently.¡± ¡°That¡¯s so?¡± Piker nodded. ¡°There¡¯s nothing else going on today, so you might as well. Do you have any plans on what sort of race you¡¯re choosing? It may be random at times, but it¡¯s better to plan this out before anything else. It¡¯s a decision you¡¯ll stay with for the rest of your life.¡± ¡°Trust me, I¡¯ve been going through all sorts of books for that,¡± Zeke said, feeling a little proud of that. Though he didn¡¯t know that Mikella rolled her eyes behind his back. ¡°I got a few good options to raise my Spirit stat even further.¡± ¡°Really? No race to improve your fighting?¡± Myra asked in surprise. ¡°I figured you would take on a fighting type of race, like a beastkin or tribal.¡± The names she stated were simple ways of categorizing the races, such as the fairies belonging to the fae, and giants belonging to the tribal category. ¡°My fighting is meant only as a ¡®just-in-case¡¯. It¡¯s honestly more of a hobby, if anything. In the end, it¡¯s all about magic for me,¡± Zeke said. ¡°I¡¯m a runist and a healer, so I gotta pick something that further improves my magic capabilities.¡± ¡°Wise,¡± Piker nodded. ¡°And you¡¯re already terrifying enough as a fighter built on magic. With a race boosting that, it¡¯ll only become more potent. Mikella, I can guess you¡¯re going to pick a fighting type of race?¡± ¡°Nah, I wanna pick something that boosts my magic too,¡± Mikella disagreed, surprising both Piker and even Myra. ¡°Zeke can go all out with magic, but I already got pretty much everything down on fighting. Right now, I wanna make sure I can keep fighting with my lightning.¡± ¡°Seriously, you two always keep confusing me,¡± Myra shook her head ruefully. ¡°Ah well, in the end we¡¯ll know what you picked once you broke through. Just try and not start any explosions or something. Trust me, it¡¯s hard to clean up after that.¡±The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Myra said, though she did clear her throat a little afterwards, still not entirely cool with how she started fires from the way her cheeks blushed from her own words. While Mikella scoffed at that, another voice pierced through the joyful mood around them. A familiar high-pitched voice that made the otherworlders turn back with a smile. ¡°Bobo! Sissy! Did you guys make it?¡± Even now, despite seeing her every day since they were sucked into this world, Zeke couldn¡¯t believe how much Clara, Mikella¡¯s little sister, had grown up. Certainly, she was only a bit taller than how he first saw her, but compared to her demure introverted self almost two years ago, now there was a girl vibrant with life and energy, her black hair now long enough to reach the small of her back. Her smile was wider, her brown eyes were bright, and she was becoming slowly, albeit differently, more like her sister every day. Seeing her grow up like that filled Zeke with a sense of joy he can¡¯t really explain. He also knew that someday, she¡¯ll grow up enough to reach initialization, and then go off on her own journey. He can¡¯t imagine such a thing yet, so for now, he smiled as she approached, awaiting good news. ¡°Yep! We finally got the skills necessary to reach Journeyman,¡± Mikella said, her smile softening and becoming more sister-like when it came to Clara. Clara herself smiled back the same way, grinning with brimming excitement. ¡°Awesome! That means you¡¯ll get to transform, right? Into something else?¡± ¡°Well, transform might not be the right word to use¡­ or is it?¡± Zeke said, actually curious whether they transform or not. ¡°I think it¡¯s morphing, isn¡¯t it? Not like we can transform whenever we want,¡± Mikella said, tilting her head as she also wondered. ¡°No, it¡¯s definitely transforming. It sounds cooler! Morphing sounds gross, Sissy,¡± Clara frowned at her older sister, which made Mikella scoff at her. ¡°Look at this small child, thinking she knows better than her older sister,¡± Mikella said with such a smug attitude that it got Clara to furrow her brows at her. She even laughed like a smug woman which only made Clara growl at her. ¡°It¡¯s true! Right, Bobo?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Zeke grimaced, not really knowing where this conversation was going, but then another voice came into the picture. ¡°It is an evolution, not a transformation, nor any kind of morphing. It says so within the system itself.¡± The pristine, cool voice that also belonged to a little girl, but was clearly not reached their ears. While Clara looked back at her with delight, Mikella on the other hand didn¡¯t share the same sentiment. Neither did Zeke. Because the one who spoke was Zoan, the angel that became their onlooker, and the reason for the time limit to begin with. Or at least, only her silver hair and impassive face proved it was Zoan. Everything else on the other hand was just like Clara in every way. Down to her height, weight, skin color, and even the kind of dress she would wear, though recently she started to enjoy wearing shorter-hemmed dresses and having shorts underneath them now. Yet those eyes still seem to pierce right through him, causing his insides to tingle as though her very presence hadn¡¯t changed at all, not even diminished despite her current form. As for how Zoan got herself a physical form that looked exactly like Clara, it was all because of Zeke, or rather, because of his attunement¨CThe World. Once she came to this world, via Zeke in his own bed as she appeared into, she revealed that during Zeke¡¯s ¡®giant mode¡¯, his attunement swallowed her up when she was still inside of Clara¡¯s soul. Due to her current situation, Zoan had no chance of countering the ever unique and powerful attunement Zeke landed himself with, and before her being could disappear entirely, she used the last vestiges of her energy to copy Clara¡¯s form into physical matter, the only way she had any connection to any livable thing that wasn¡¯t connected to the system yet. All of it sounded rather complicated for the mortals who listened to her story, but the short answer was that she found a loophole to survive her current predicament, thus landing herself into a role playing as Clara¡¯s long-lost twin sister that has finally found her family again after almost a full year. At least that¡¯s what the story would be to explain why all of a sudden, the usually likable and popular Clara suddenly had a twin that looked eerily similar to her. Since then, they have been living together as for one, Zoan¡¯s energy was completely absorbed into Zeke¡¯s second rank up for The World, forcing her to try and recover it back no matter how long it took. The second was that it was still her duty to watch over her charges, even at her form, so at the very least she was dutiful of her work. Unfortunately, despite finally having a physical body, Zoan refused to share any further information regarding the gods, and their supposed trial that they were training for. The only thing they knew so far from her is that there are no current towers, and that they still had less than a year to become Journeymen, so with that hanging over their heads, the otherworlders worked their asses off to train. Looking at Zoan now, there was a hint of¡­ satisfaction, though Zeke was not very good at reading faces¨Cespecially Zoan¡¯s as her own face was like a statue, a complete opposite of the ever expressional Clara. ¡°It¡¯s good that you two have reached the requirements. Though it was of course only a matter of time,¡± Zoan said, walking up to the trio family with Mikella crossing her arms, her earlier visage twisting into a frown. ¡°You make it sound like this is something easy to do,¡± Mikella snapped, her eyes thinning. ¡°We worked every single day and only just now got it. Why don¡¯t you give us a break?¡± ¡°There is no break for you two,¡± Zoan said, dismissing Mikella¡¯s words entirely. ¡°If there was, you would¡¯ve been killed by now.¡± That got a growl from Mikella, but Zeke put a hand over her shoulder¨Ca practiced motion that they have been doing for a whole year now. ¡°Mikky, there¡¯s no point. Zoan¡¯s always like this. At least we finally got this over with.¡± It wasn¡¯t as though Zeke wanted Mikella and Zoan to get along. In fact, he fully shared her sentiments. However, even Zeke could tell that Zoan wasn¡¯t the type to be friendly. Not just to her charges¨Cto anyone, for that matter. Whether it would be due to her attitude as an angel, or because she was constantly in a bad mood because, well, she was stuck in a little girl¡¯s body¨Cin the end, Zoan¡¯s behavior always get a rise out of Mikella, and of course, she couldn''t help but get a rise when Zoan looks exactly like Clara and acts completely different from her. Though Zeke knew the real kicker was how Clara held onto Mikella¡¯s wrist, a pleading look in her eyes. ¡°Sissy, please try to get along. Zoan¡¯s really nice¨Cyou know that!¡± ¡°Ugh, Clara¡­¡± A faint trace of pain and disbelief flashed across Mikella¡¯s face before she changed into a solemn look. After a moment, she nodded in understanding. Clara really liked Zoan, and for better or worse, Zoan pretty much went along with anything Clara does, playing her role perfectly as her twin sister. Zeke knew that Zoan didn¡¯t like being treated as a little girl, but despite that, she never¨Cnot once¨Ctreated Clara worse than how she did the others. Sure, she was always grouchy, but Clara always seems to get Zoan to join whatever it was she was into, which also included Ana, who also shared Mikella¡¯s distrust of her ever since Zoan forced Clara to head into the biodome alone. It was taxing to think about, considering their history at the moment, so Zeke decided to move it along, putting a forced smile on his face. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go and give the lords the good news, yeah?¡± ¡°...Yeah,¡± Mikella nodded, a smile of her own popping up. ¡°Let¡¯s go tell the good news. Clara, wanna tell them for us?¡± ¡°Aaaah!¡± Clara gasped, her eyes beaming. ¡°Hell yeah I do! Let¡¯s go!¡± Vol 3 Ch5: Guess which sub-race? After Zoan arrived, the other soldiers went back to the usual hustle and bustle of training their skills, though the only ones who remained with a slight frown were Myra and Piker, who knew the truth. After showing off their exploits, they left the newly-born Journeymen behind, planning to be one themselves as they head towards the Mystio household. All the while, Clara talked animatedly with Zoan about their success, including questions such as what kind of skills she plans to take for her own future. Surprisingly, Zoan answered honestly, though a bit stoically as she advises Clara to take on fundamental skills like her Bobo and Sissy did, such as the perception skills and the mastery skills, no matter how useless they feel at the start. Zeke couldn''t agree more, but to hear it from Zoan as she teaches Clara left him feeling a bit conflicted. He noticed to his side that Mikella kept frowning while glaring at Zoan¡¯s head from behind, but when she got caught by Zeke, she shrugged it off. ¡°I can¡¯t help it,¡± Mikella whispered softly, ensuring that Clara doesn¡¯t hear. She doesn¡¯t care whether Zoan could, however. ¡°I still can¡¯t trust her. Who knows what she¡¯s planning.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Zeke whispered back, the two hanging behind Clara and Zoan as they were talking. ¡°Still, you¡¯re doing great. A whole year and nothing exploded yet.¡± ¡°You make it sound like I just cause damage everywhere,¡± Mikella asked, her eyes lidded at him. ¡°Am I wrong?¡± Zeke raised a brow at her. ¡°...Well, not really, but still¨Couch.¡± Zeke chuckled. ¡°Let¡¯s just look forward to our evolution. Look, there¡¯s the house.¡± Despite the entire year of focusing on the improvement of Eve Glade, the Ashton family, Zeke included, didn¡¯t get their own house yet. It was a bit complicated, and worse yet, Cloud and Val felt uncomfortable talking about the otherworlders to their kingdom officials, possibly asking for some sort of investigation on their part. The fact that they managed to get away for this long either proved that the kingdom wasn¡¯t so keen on studying every facet in Eve Glade, or perhaps they already knew and were just giving the lords the respect of privacy. Zeke knew it was totally the former, as no matter which world you came from, there are always going to be lazy people running about. But that also meant that including another house for the otherworlders was difficult unless they ran it by the kingdom first, so they continued living in the house for another year. Zeke always thought that at the very least, it was uncomfortable to have another man besides Cloud living there, but it was proven time and time again that the Mystio family loved having them around, especially Ana as she had more people to play with. All except for Zoan, but that was natural at this point. They arrived at the same old and homey wooden house riddled with magical runes sketched onto it to make the inside feel like a modern home. There was a pleasant garden that had some changes compared to last year thanks to Mikella and Clara¡¯s need to freshen it up with extra fruits and vegetables rather than just flowers, to which Val was more than happy to oblige as she wasn¡¯t the gardener type. Entering inside the gate, they practically leapt to the door as usual, Clara in the lead as she shouted out. ¡°Val! Cloud! Ana! Sissy and Bobo are done! They can turn into Journeymen now!¡± Her shout was loud and filled with vigor, something that the household has gotten used to as Clara became more influenced by Ana¡¯s candid attitude over the year. Still, she at least put her shoes aside to avoid scuffling the floor boards as taught by Mikella. ¡°Did I hear that right?¡± Val¡¯s voice echoed across the living room, her head popping out of the kitchen with a bright smile. ¡°Congratulations, you two!¡± She walked up into the living room where the otherworlders were at, revealing a smile that could outclass any supermodel in their old world. Though after two year¡¯s worth, Zeke was glad to say that he has gotten used to it. Her lustrous black hair was tied into a simple pony tail while wearing a simple top and pants for indoor activities. It sounded like she was making a snack before readying to change before the otherworlders came by. She walked up to the two, her smile never leaving as she grabbed both Mikella and Zeke into a tight hug, squealing like an excitable mother she usually is. ¡°You worked so hard, and like Myra and Piker, you both succeeded. Congratulations, truly.¡± ¡°Geez, Val, take it easy,¡± Mikella giggled all while Zeke tried his best not to blush after getting hugged. ¡°It was to be expected.¡± ¡°Of course, though I¡¯ll be honest, I feel a little envious. Do you know how long it took me before I reached Journeyman myself? That¡¯s putting aside the stress of whether my weird body can even make it there.¡± She pointed at herself, clearly joking as her smile never wavered even once. Though Zeke knew that Val, being one who was born unable to use mana at all, went through a rough road to even become an Expert, let alone a Journeyman. That¡¯s why his and Mikella¡¯s respect grew even more towards Val who remained so optimistic and never gave up on her path, even if she was forced to lay low along with Cloud to take care of Eve Glade.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. ¡°Well, now you gotta ramp up your progress,¡± Mikella teased, her grin widening. ¡°Now that I¡¯m reaching your level, you can¡¯t just let me pass you by, right?¡± Zeke widened her eyes in shock at her clear taunt. Even if Val was bubbly and lively didn¡¯t mean she would take that kind of offense. Rather than getting angry, Val only scoffed with derision. ¡°Look at you, thinking you got better just because you reached Journeyman. I guess you want me to show you your lesson like I did two years ago?¡± That got Mikella to clam up, her eyes widening as he noticed her body actually trembling, though only for a short microsecond. She quickly covered it up with a dry chuckle and shaking her head. ¡°Ahh, I¡¯ll take a rain check on that. Just remembering that ¡®lesson¡¯ got me chills.¡± Val giggled, as though her earlier threat was just a figment of Zeke¡¯s imagination. ¡°Still, with Eve Glade as it is, maybe it is time for you to really start training,¡± Despite the false threat, Mikella still spoke up. The way her eyes seemed to gleam looked like she wanted Val to come back into leveling seriously into Master-stage. ¡°With Ana growing up nicely too, wouldn¡¯t this be a great chance?¡± ¡°Mmh¡­¡± Val, however, lowered her brows with a conflicted look. ¡°That¡¯s hard to say. There¡¯s still plenty of things I need to do here, and I can¡¯t just leave Cloud alone. Even if I take Cloud with me, who¡¯s going to take care of Eve Glade¡¯s every day duties? I can¡¯t just leave Myra and Piker in charge just so soon after reaching Journeyman. And I know you two won¡¯t be available for long.¡± ¡°Aww¡­¡± Mikella deflated, her shoulders hunching forward. ¡°I guess that¡¯s true.¡± ¡°Still, if you ever want a sparring partner, you know where to find me,¡± Val winked, then turned to Zeke. ¡°That goes for you as well.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯ll ever be ready to be in any sparring matches against you.¡± Zeke was honest when he said that. He and Val did indeed spar once, and while he did his best, he felt like he was way out of his league. The way Val fought felt like there was weight on her fighting style compared to Mikella¡¯s destructive force. Each blow felt like trucks slamming at him at every turn, squashing him and his barriers with ease. Still, that did increase his fighting skills quite a bit, though after every spar, Zeke had to recover for a while which proved to be a little too much for his buddening combat style. ¡°Oh, that reminds me!¡± Val clapped her hands together, but before she spoke, she turned to Clara and Zoan. ¡°Can you two help out in making some snacks? I was just about ready to make them, so everything should be ready in the kitchen.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Clara nodded eagerly. ¡°Let¡¯s go make some yummy snacks, Zoan.¡± Zoan let out a breath. ¡°If you insist.¡± She clearly wasn¡¯t amused to be put at the level of making snacks, but Zoan just as easily went along with Clara into the kitchen while Val, totally not caring at all that she just ordered an angel to make snacks, looked at the two with gleaming eyes. ¡°Did you make any decisions? I promise I won¡¯t try to suggest anything¨CI just really want to know!¡± ¡°Val, any suggestion from you is always good,¡± Mikella smiled. ¡°I plan on taking something like a fae race. Zeke, you¡¯re planning one too, right?¡± ¡°That, or anything along the lines that helps me with magic,¡± Zeke said, getting Val to nod eagerly. He wondered whether mentioning this to Val would feel like a slap to the face for her, but clearly Val was a big enough person not to care about such things anymore. ¡°Now that we¡¯re on the topic, Val,¡± Mikella turned to their kind host. ¡°What race did you choose? I¡¯m guessing it¡¯s something like a beastkin, right?¡± ¡°Precisely,¡± Val nodded. ¡°It was a race called a Tarrasque, a beast that¡¯s famous for eating monsters and people alike and gaining power from them. Considering my special attunement, it was a pretty good race that synergized well with me.¡± The two nodded, finally having their answer after it was completely forgotten throughout the year. There was a reason why, despite Val and Cloud being Journeymen, they never mentioned any race changes and looked entirely human. Journeymen who first advanced does have their race changed, including in a sub race of some amazing creature under the system¡¯s guidance. They tend to show features like Myra¡¯s Fire Fairy wings and Piker¡¯s Ice Giant frost scales. But as they grow some more and get more used to their bodies, Journeymen can actually alter their appearance to look more human. If Myra had more time, she could eventually put aside her wings and only reveal them to use whenever she wanted to. For Val, it was proven that despite looking like a hot super model, she can transform into a ferocious creature with a giant mouth meant for consuming when she was truly put into a harsh battle. Right now, she looked nothing like the Val who had her mouth open up to swallow a giant-ass heart from a colossal Master-rank boss almost a year ago. There was also something else that stopped them from asking the question. Zeke and Mikella had a sort of game of guessing what race Cloud and Val got. While they were truly curious to what Val chose, as a beastkin can have several different races, they had fun guessing what kind of fae race Cloud chose, and even joked that he can turn into a pretty pink fairy with strong magical powers. They didn¡¯t mean any offense, but it was just funny. But now their curiosity got the best of them when the day finally arrived for their own race change. Speaking of which, the door opened rather abruptly as Cloud himself came around, his once usually cool and striking face now riddled with a sense of panic. The others in the house turned back in a start to find him suddenly appearing and walking over to them. ¡°Good, you¡¯re all here,¡± Cloud said, his tone sounding rushed. ¡°Listen, I got something to tell you¨C¡± ¡°Cloud! There you are,¡± Val put her fists to her shapely hips with a raised brow. ¡°Where have you been? I¡¯ve been looking all over for you and Ana. What happened?¡± On that note, Ana herself came rushing by, acting the same as usual as she greeted Clara and completely ignored Zoan. However, Cloud still had that troubled look on his face, which made Zeke feel dread clutching at his stomach.He didn¡¯t like the mood of this at all. ¡°I got some bad news,¡± Cloud said, interrupting whatever else Val was planning on saying. ¡°Cronus is coming. He¡¯s coming here.¡± It felt like a bomb dropped in the house. The entire room went silent as Val¡¯s eyes widened in alarm, her earlier bubbly nature disappearing without a trace. All the while, the otherworlders looked at Cloud with puzzlement. ¡°Cronus¡­?¡± Mikella asked. ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± Zeke asked, though he knew he wouldn¡¯t like it no matter what as Cloud turned to him, his face twisting further into a grimace. ¡°...My master. He¡¯s coming here to check up on us.¡± Vol 3 Ch6: Master is coming This was the first time he ever saw Cloud and Val lose their cool. Cloud looked ready to have a mental breakdown while Val, who was originally so cheerful and upbeat, was now making a rut after pacing back and forth with her arms crossed. There was a manic look in her eyes, as though she was considering thousands of plans at once. He didn¡¯t like this at all, so he asked. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Who¡¯s your master?¡± Cloud took a moment to answer. He closed his eyes, already sitting down on his chair with his fingers laced together, before breathing heavily. His right foot kept tapping on the floor, his energy ramping up with no way to let it out normally. ¡°He was my teacher for some odd years, and he¡¯s coming here to Eve Glade,¡± Cloud finally answered. He unlaced his fingers and faced the two. ¡°He sent me a message not that long ago, and I wanted to see you all as soon as I could. With him coming, there could be a lot of¡­ things that he might ask for.¡± ¡°Like what?¡± Mikella raised a brow. ¡°And why is he coming here?¡± ¡°He¡­¡± Cloud let out a heavy breath. That sounded more defeated than anything else. ¡°He¡¯s the sort that gets his way no matter what. He¡¯s a bastard that has lived for nearly two hundred years and is still an active Lord in Arcelot.¡± Zeke¡¯s eyes widened at that. ¡°Arcelot? Isn¡¯t that place super special?¡± ¡°How so?¡± Mikella asked, turning to Zeke. ¡°Arcelot is a special place that doesn¡¯t live anywhere in the physical world of Tarial. It¡¯s actually inside its own dimension of sorts,¡± Zeke said, rubbing his chin as he recalled the book about it. ¡°You know how this world is big, but there are also places that are not in this world? They live in their own pocket dimensions, and they¡¯re often owned by people. This one, though, is as big as a country¡­¡± ¡°Wait, so this Arcelot place is a whole ass country and it¡¯s not even on Tarial?¡± Mikella asked incredulously. ¡°How is that even possible?¡± ¡°It¡¯s possible as long as you have the magic necessary to keep everything contained,¡± Cloud explained. Him explaining like usual actually took the edge off, relaxing his facial features. ¡°My master is the sort that is capable of managing the entire country, with several other mages working together to keep the place stable. As for Arcelot itself¨Cit is a kingdom built entirely on magic.¡± ¡°It¡¯s also where we were born.¡¯ Val said, dropping the bomb that made the otherworlders stunned. Val let out a defeated breath too as she sat near Cloud and crossed her leg over the other. ¡°That¡¯s where we came from, and once we got strong enough, we got out to live out on our own,¡± Val continued. ¡°Though, we were actually sort of¡­ kicked out rather than moved out, actually.¡± ¡°We burned a lot of bridges, to say the least, when we left,¡± Cloud said, adding a smile. ¡°But my master and I still kept in touch. Thing is, he hadn¡¯t sent a message to me in over a decade. I kept wondering why he of all people wanted to do something with me, but¡­¡± He stared at the two, frowning even deeper. Zeke felt a knot being tied in his stomach. ¡°He knows about us?¡± Zeke asked, the room turning more tense than before. ¡°Somehow, yes,¡± Cloud answered, closing his eyes. ¡°He wrote in the message that he knows about you two. He even connected that you both are responsible for the towers that are appearing all over the place.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Mikella shouted, nearly standing up in response. After calming down a moment, she sat back down, her face riddled with tension and panic. ¡°Towers are appearing¡­ all over the place? Did I hear that right?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Cloud nodded. ¡°And he even went ahead to investigate one of these places. Of course, as you figured, he couldn¡¯t enter without someone connected to the tower. And considering that he somehow found out that we took care of both those towers in our areas¡­ he figured the new people we invited were responsible for that.¡± Zeke laid there on the couch, too stunned. Did they have a seer of sorts on their own side? That would explain a lot since according to Bastion, that¡¯s who they found out about their biodome near Eve Glade.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. But that was connecting too many dots. Just how many connections did this master have to find out about their identity already? ¡°Honestly, it wasn¡¯t even that where he got interested. He found out that you can use some special magic, Zeke,¡± Cloud grimaced. ¡°Particularly about your Barrier Craft. He isn¡¯t certain of the specifics, but he was very interested in how you got that skill in the first place¡­ at least that¡¯s what he wrote in the message.¡± ¡°Is he planning on interrogating us?¡± Mikella asked. ¡°Do we have to tell him where we come from? And more importantly¨Cis he dangerous?¡± ¡°Dangerous is¡­ not the word I would use,¡± Cloud evaded, looking away from MIkella¡¯s intense stare. ¡°I¡¯d say unpredictable.¡± ¡°You mean bat-shit crazy,¡± Val answered. ¡°Right, that,¡± Cloud nodded. ¡°Bat-shit crazy. But he¡¯s my master. And more importantly, he¡¯s the lord of Arcelot. It¡¯s not as huge as the Kingdom we are under, but it shouldn¡¯t be messed with.¡± Zeke rubbed his forehead forlornly. Their lives just never get any easier no matter how often they fight and train. Apparently even reaching Journeymen wasn¡¯t enough. Hearing about his master¡¯s master being bat-shit crazy wasn¡¯t exactly comforting rather than saying he was dangerous. Mikella clearly had the same feeling as she answered. ¡°Right, so we¡¯re screwed if he finds us. And if he doesn¡¯t find us, this town might be in trouble, right?¡± ¡°Y¡­Yes,¡± Cloud answered, unable to meet her steady gaze. He let out a heavy breath, seemingly having many tortured years behind it. ¡°He¡¯s not a bad person. I¡¯ll say that for sure. He had taught me many things that helped me survive. I owe him that much.¡± ¡°So we should just give ourselves away? What do you think he plans on doing to us anyways? Just whisk us away to the next tower?¡± ¡°Most likely, no. He¡¯ll probably ensure that you two aren¡¯t so dangerous to have around. It might even be possible that he could have some plans for you if he found out about your special status.¡± ¡°Is he¡­ gonna force us to learn skills we don¡¯t want?¡± Mikella said, her tone sounding heavy and ominous.¡±Like¡­ skills that would be harmful to us but better for them? ¡°No,¡± Cloud shook his head. This time, he stared directly at Mikella. ¡°He may be a lot of things. He¡¯s the sort to withhold information to someone just to see them hurt themselves in their misguided attempts¡­ but he¡¯s not a monster. I¡¯ll tell you that much.¡± Mikella and Zeke both let out a breath in relief from hearing that. It was doubly so since they only have a limited amount of skills they can learn. ¡°Okay, so that guy is coming here¡­ right?¡± Zeke asked. ¡°What do we do? I know we can¡¯t run away. That¡¯s just asking for trouble. But we shouldn¡¯t just stand idly by either, right?¡± ¡°Right,¡± Cloud answered. ¡°I just got the message today, so most likely he won¡¯t be arriving for at least a month. If we¡¯re lucky, several. We can prepare you two to ensure that you¡¯ll have some survivability. Not that I expect Cronus would hurt you or anything¡­ but better safe than sorry.¡± Cronus¡­ Zeke recalled that name. Thanks to his high Intelligence, he can basically remember everything from his old world just at a mention of a name or procedure. He liked to read a lot of things even in his old world, but that doesn¡¯t mean his memory was perfect. Now though¨Che can easily recall that Cronus was actually a name of one of the titans from greek mythology. Did that have some sort of connection? ¡°Ugh¡­ well, I suppose I can put all that to the side. I heard you two have reached Journeymen requirements. I¡¯m sorry for dampening your festive moods, but congratulations all the same.¡± Hearing Cloud trying to rear the conversation back into a positive spin brought the otherworlders to get back into the swing of things. Mikella put on her usual smug smile which had no business being as cute as it was before Zeke spoke up. ¡°Yeah, we were ready to get started on the breakthrough right now.¡± ¡°Any plans for the race choice?¡± Cloud asked, and after listening to their answers, Cloud nodded. ¡°Picking one of the fae races is definitely useful for the both of you. Though don¡¯t instantly rely on just one race. It might be possible you might not have the race you initially planned to choose.¡± Zeke and Mikella nodded, understanding that the choices are dependent on their own merits and achievements than anything else. However, Zeke knew deep in his heart that both he and Mikella had what it takes to get the sub-race they wanted. ¡°Alright, then I suppose we can¨C¡± A knock echoed out from the door. It was loud, but concise and respectful. Cloud stopped mid-sentence and turned, frowning as he stood to get to the door. After opening it, he looked surprised, as well as everyone who saw who was behind the door. ¡°Zacharia,¡± Cloud said, seeing the giant near seven feet tall man standing outside. He wore his casual clothing rather than his heavy armor, but his presence was still as intimidating as usual with his true stone-like expression. Nothing much changed for the man over the year just as much as the lords, and somehow his facial expression never made a change once even when the town had advanced so much. He looked around the house to see the otherworlders and Val. He nodded, as though wishing for them to hear as well before turning to Cloud. ¡°We have visitors coming to town. And they don¡¯t look like normal folks. Got a whole platoon behind him. Not sure if you know him, but he looks important.¡± At that moment, Cloud paled. He became so pale that even Zacharia started to look worried. Val turned silent as well, and she looked like she was actually shivering. After a moment of awkward silence, Cloud took in a large breath. ¡°Fuuuuuuuck!¡± Somehow, Zoan managed to block Ana¡¯s ears who remained confused at the scene. Clara was fine. She was used to hearing curses. Vol 3 Ch 7: The presence of a Master They followed the lords with anticipation and dread in their chests. Zoan was left in charge with the kids, figuring that they didn¡¯t need to be there to face whoever was coming. And according to Cloud, it was precisely who they feared. Apparently Cloud only just remembered his master¡¯s latest enjoyment¨Cpranks. It happened so late before Cloud left Arcelot along with Val that he completely forgot about this little habit he made. Apparently he only got better after sending a message on the very day of his departure. Just to give Cloud a headache when he was considering what to do. Just by that alone, Zeke could tell what kind of headache this Cronus was. As he approached the entrance to the improved well-structured gate, there was already a lot of commotion. Several guards looked nervous as they ran around, giving out orders to be as respectful as possible. Right outside the town, Zeke could spot a small platoon with nearly all of them decked out in heavy plated armor. Not only that, his Mana Manipulation skill could pick out the extreme amount of mana output coming off of their armor, proving they were heavily enchanted out the wazoo. Finally, there were two more individuals that stood out from the rest of the platoon. Their presence alone was enough to set his teeth on edge, his shoulders slumping from sudden pressure. The first was a beautiful woman that he couldn¡¯t even fathom with his young mind. Tall, almost six feet in height, wearing a well-crafted fur-lined robe that fitted her body in a sensual manner . Her curves could easily be seen, sending a young man¡¯s thoughts running, but they also displayed class that made you believe thinking such thoughts was a sin. Her face defied all common sense, nearly ethereal with no hint of blemishes as her long crimson red hair reached to her back and covered one of her entrancing eyes over her face. Her snow-like skin and pleasant smile felt like she could see the entire future with ease, and even if problems arose, she would still be smiling. As for her partner, that one truly made him pause. Clearly, the word ¡®handsome¡¯ didn¡¯t do him justice. Taller than his partner by an inch or two, he had long snow-like hair tied into a wild ponytail behind him. He wore an immaculate black robe, his forearms exposed with leather bracings covering them. His breeches had metal plates covering his thighs and his boots, as though ready for a long worn-out journey. He was a mage, but clearly¨Che was more. That¡¯s the feeling Zeke got after witnessing this man in physical form. It wasn¡¯t their appearance that made them stare in awe¨Cit was their overwhelming powerful auras. After witnessing both Myra and Piker¡¯s beginning auras after advancing into Journeymen, it only made the auras of these two stand out further. If Cloud and Val were natural rivers, with Myra and Piker being equivalent to a beginning stream¡­ Then these two were rampaging waterfalls that could drown the whole town. Off the side, he noticed Mikella looking a little pale, just the same as he was. Sweat poured from her forehead while Zeke¡¯s back was slick with sweat just from their presence. It was a lot to bear, strangely enough, even after all he went through. Cloud, on the other hand, appeared more troubled than fascinated, and Val remained just as impassive as they arrived. Clearly, they were used to them, and they were not happy to see them here. The two sides faced each other, including the otherworlders behind them. Cloud figured that it would be better to just bring them as they were the reason his master came to visit. Zeke also knew that it was so that there wouldn¡¯t be any form of trouble while inside the town. That, and he really prefers this master didn¡¯t see Clara and especially Zoan. They stood there, quietly gauging the other as Zeke nervously glanced over at the platoon behind the master. All of them were clearly Journeymen, and not the hacks that the former Lord of Bastion sent before. True Journeymen, all prepped up and armored as though ready to fight to the death. If they wanted to, they could easily raid this town to the ground with barely a thought, even with the town¡¯s barrier in place. That already put his body on edge. Finally, the man in the lead of the platoon, the so-called Cronus, spoke up. ¡°Cloud! I¡¯m so glad to see you again after all these years. You look really well considering the location you¡¯re at,¡± Cronus said, his voice light and jovial. ¡°Valorie, you became even more beautiful than the last time I saw you. I suppose becoming a mother really changes things, huh? You have a glow around you that just explodes maturity and life itself.¡± Val remained neutral, almost as if unable to comprehend his words. She inclined her head, not speaking a word. ¡°Master, I¡¯m glad to see you in good health,¡± Cloud inclined his own head, his face neutral as well. ¡°While I appreciate you visiting us to see how we are, I do have to complain about your¡­ timing. Not to mention, bringing your army along like this is only just making the people within the town nervous. We have been through a lot over the past year.¡± ¡°Oh, these fine gentlemen and ladies behind me?¡± Cronus asked, his chin gesturing at his entourage behind him. ¡°Don¡¯t mind them. I also made sure to go with the proper procedures to come in peace from a distance. I¡¯m not so foreign to not know these simple matters, Cloud.¡± Zeke noticed what Cronus was saying. He saw that at the very back of his platoon, Cronus¡¯ men had a banner of sorts flying behind them. It was a simple banner, flowing along with the wind as it flapped and coiled to reveal a simple white banner with a golden colored dove in mid-flight. According to the customs within the kingdom¡¯s domain, showing a white banner with a golden dove is a sign of a peaceful visit, no matter the reason. While such a thing could easily be a lie, the fact that they have done so in the first place, looking so impressive looking, is probably the reason why none of the guards look ready to fight to the death, or in this case, pray to the heavens above for salvation as the platoon approached.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°Truthfully, we really weren¡¯t able to come in time before then. There were plenty of events that we had to oversee to ensure stability in our country. I hope the two of you can understand,¡± The woman said, her voice the definition of melodious. ¡°I know that you two have been through some harsh times, but at the same time, you have grown so much since then.¡± Cronus nodded. ¡°Precisely right, Isabelle. You could say this was all part of the plan. But I digress. We¡¯ve come here not to disturb you or the town, but to discuss some important matters. As well as¡­¡± Cronus shifted his attention to the otherworlders, his eyes narrowing to a sharp pierce. Zeke and Mikella had to stand still at the gaze. It felt like lead was plastering all over their bodies, making them heavier. The sheer presence of this man exuded pressure unlike anything Zeke ever felt. Even facing Zyler as an opponent was nothing compared to just being in a direct line of sight in front of Cronus. That¡¯s when he knew the difference, as though it was night and day. Compared to Zyler, or any other Journeymen, this was a true Master-tiered mage. Not even a broken one like Roderick, but a true Master who has managed to break through the requirements. He knew there was a solid difference between the two stages, but he hoped it was just a small margin. This was a damn gap between heaven and earth. ¡°These two interesting kids that you took in,¡± Cronus said. The way he smiled looked predatory. ¡°I¡¯m dying to know about them.¡± Cloud took a moment to respond, looking over at the otherworlders, then back to his master. He bowed his head slightly, his eyes closed. ¡°Of course, master. Please, come this way to our home. I apologize for not making it more worth your visit.¡± ¡°Oh, don¡¯t be so formal. This was a sudden visit,¡± Cronus waved it off. ¡°Besides, I¡¯m more excited to see little Ana. I hear she is just an exact copy of her mother in her young years. This I have to see for myself.¡± ¡°As am I,¡± Isabelle giggled, the very picture of feminine grace. ¡°I¡¯m always fond of rowdy children. Much more pleasant than noble children. They always felt so stiff and uncomfortable.¡± The two proceeded forward, the platoon deciding to stay behind rather than to keep going. One of the platoon members, the supposed leader, made a command to stand halt beyond the entrance. Zeke looked back to see them changed to a new formation, this time making rows of themselves stand in front of the entrance as though ready to fight a defensive war. ¡°Why aren¡¯t those guys coming to keep watch on the guy?¡± Mikella asked Zeke, her curiosity too strong to be ignored. ¡°Is he that strong that they¡¯re just really here to make an impression?¡± Zeke took another glance at Cronus, who even now retained all the attention of the nearby citizens by his presence alone. He even noticed some of the plants in the pots around the window sills and gardens actually perk up at his presence, almost becoming alive by the essence he poured off. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s also to not make anyone here nervous,¡± Zeke answered back. ¡°I don¡¯t think I''d like to see a whole army coming into town anytime soon.¡± ¡°Ooh¡­ good point.¡± After a moment, the group arrived at the home. Nothing of importance came in after. The master and his partner came inside without issue, and everyone settled at the household within the living room. The master and partner took stock of the house for a moment, then sat back down on the sofa. Zeke and Mikella did the only thing proper and stood by as the lords got to their own special sofa. At first, Zeke was nervous that Cronus would just do whatever he wanted in the house, but he quickly became surprised at how polite the master was, even when he was quite literally the leader of a whole country. Cronus took another moment to look at the house while Isabelle looked fondly around. ¡°Oh, where is Ana? Don¡¯t tell me that she¡¯s gone?¡± Isabelle said, nearly saddened at the idea already. When the lords looked at each other, they didn¡¯t look apprehensive. They look more confused if anything before Val called Ana out. Val went ahead beforehand to tell the kids to go up their rooms while the adults talked, hence the hesitation. So when Val called, Ana came walking forward. When she appeared, she stood straight and walked with a careful gait that was unlike her. That completely threw Zeke off as he feared she would just run in with her usual excited behavior. She walked towards her mother, her steps confined and careful. It nearly broke his heart to see how nervous she was. ¡°Y-Yes?¡± Ana said, even trying to sound as formal as possible. Zeke supposed even children can feel the intense aura the Masters were putting out, though he could tell that the moment Ana came in, the Masters of the house instantly turned down their aura output, making it a lot easier to breathe in. Still, their presence alone demanded outright respect. Val smiled softly as she introduced Ana to the two.. ¡°Aaah!¡± Isabelle cooed, her hands pressed together. ¡°Ana! I¡¯ve been dying to see you! My, how you¡¯ve grown up! You¡¯re so tall! How old are you right now?¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m twelve,¡± Ana said, nearly shocked at the pure giddiness Isabelle was pouring off herself. ¡°Twelve, eh? You¡¯re so close to reaching maturity. Tell me, are you excited to receive the system¡¯s initiation?¡± ¡°Y-Yes!¡± Ana nodded. At this, she responded more like herself. ¡°I want to get the system so that I can help Mommy and¨Cumm, Mom and Dad to protect our home!¡± ¡°Ooh,¡± Isabelle had that look in her eyes of a proud mother, something that Val easily showed herself. She smiled, more subdued this time. ¡°I¡¯m sure you will be as strong as your mother and father someday. Valorie, do you have any intention of letting Ana come to Arcelot to receive education?¡± On that, Val nearly froze in place. Ana looked back at her mother in surprise, but she remained quiet as Val took a surprising amount of time to answer back. Thankfully, Cloud answered in her stead. ¡°We actually plan on teaching her ourselves. While I agree that Arcelot¡¯s education system is nothing short of amazing, it can be¡­¡± ¡°Cut-throat,¡± Cronus answered so simply, it nearly froze Zeke. ¡°I understand. Considering you two, however, I believe there really won¡¯t be any issue for her to make a living there.¡± ¡°Well, Master, that is still quite a long way to consider,¡± Cloud said, already trying to steer the topic away from his daughter. ¡°Did you not want to talk about your actual business?¡± ¡°My, how rushed you are. Do you want to get rid of me that fast? Including my darling Isabelle?¡± Cloud looked more displeased and guilty, especially after seeing Isabelle frown so visibly at him that nobody here believed her to be actually sad. If anything, she seemed playful and enjoying every moment of it. ¡°Master Cronus, if I may,¡± Val stepped in this time, speaking for once. The way she¡¯s been silent this whole time bothered Zeke, but even now he saw her still shifting in place, almost nervous. ¡°We only wish to continue since despite our similar positions, you clearly have more important duties waiting for you. We don¡¯t want to keep you here any more than necessary.¡± ¡°Hah, I suppose,¡± Cronus let out a huff, almost exasperated at his fun being cut short. He turned to the otherworlders this time, Zeke and Mikella standing stock still. ¡°So tell me, Cloud. Were you ever going to tell me how you have visitors from another world living in your house?¡± Vol 3 Ch 8: Short Recap with a twist for good measure The room fell deathly silent at Cronus¡¯ proclamation. Zeke felt a lump in his throat, turning pale at the easy revealment of their biggest secret. Mikella stood stockstill, her eyes widening. No matter how hard they tried, they couldn''t act cooly in front of this man thanks to his demanding presence. Cloud¡¯s eyes turned hard at his master, his mouth forming a thin line as he spoke. ¡°Master, how did you know?¡± Cloud asked, but it was mostly a demand. ¡°Not everything, of course, but you have to give me some credit here. Who do you think taught you about magical theory and mana research while you were floundering about?¡± Cronus answered with a steady frown, crossing his arms and lifting his leg off to hang off another. It was as though he dropped his jovial persona and finally revealed his true self. A cold, calculating look in his eyes as though he had done these battles of wits many times. ¡°It¡¯s only natural if you read the message I gave you. The towers that popped up everywhere are clearly not of this world, at least according to the written history. They came out, seemingly out of nowhere, and they are now displaying odd wavelengths of mana that disturb the area around it. In a country supported entirely with magic¡­ just how do you think we¡¯re reacting to that?¡± Cloud actually looked guilty, his eyes turning down. There was something like aching in his eyes, only realizing what was going on with his home country. ¡°Is it so bad that even you have trouble?¡± Cloud asked, actually sounding surprised at how his master could ever have any issue. ¡°Thankfully, the situation is under control. Since its first arrival a few months ago, it disturbed the monster population and created some disturbances here and there. Some uprisings from settlements, barely a fraction of a fraction, trying to take advantage of the chaos, and so on. You know how things go in countries. But what I¡¯m truly not getting at, Cloud, is the reason why you did not report immediately to me about this sort of thing. You know as well as I do that this completely falls under the contract we signed regarding anything of note outside Arcelot.¡± As Cronus spoke, Isabelle stayed silent, utterly content at just being an accessory to Cronus while keeping a steady smile. It was the sort that didn¡¯t seem unnatural, even though the topic was anything but fun. Val also stayed silent, but for the complete opposite. She frowned while keeping Ana, who had been completely quiet this whole time, by her side as she rubbed her head for comfort. ¡°So when I found out that not only did you have the same issue a year back, you even managed to get rid of it. Not only that, but you have received new visitors with no background whatsoever, that not even our own seer could see where they came from. Cloud, our seer is pretty damn good at her Class, and even she can¡¯t tell where they came from. So logic dictated that they cannot come from our own world, and instead come from the towers themselves¡­ Did I get anything wrong?¡± Cloud had his mouth clamped shut, listening to his master¡¯s explanation. It was literally the sort of news that Zeke dreaded to hear. More towers means more disturbance, like Cronus said. But what made him fear the most is just exactly how many towers were there. And more importantly than that¨Chow many people were taken against their will. Each tower must have had several people within, and considering that a whole year passed, and so far they haven¡¯t found anyone of note¨Che could only fear the inevitable. All those towers, each one having killed off the otherworlders that were supposed to have gotten out at some point. Zeke prayed that they must have found a way to survive in the tower¡­ but the chances of that happening are slim, or even worse¨Cthey were all like Alex, future psychopaths waiting to happen. He shuddered at the thought. ¡°No, you did not as usual,¡± Cloud said, inclining his head. This time, it felt natural, and his voice felt genuine. ¡°Once again, you astound me with your wisdom.¡± ¡°Cut the bullshit, Cloud,¡± Cronus snapped, cutting Cloud¡¯s genuine response. ¡°Who are they? Where did they come from? And more importantly¨Care there more?¡± Cloud stayed silent again, but this time he hesitated. Having no other choice, he turned to Zeke and Mikella, his eyes warring over telling the truth or staying loyal to them. Zeke could already tell when a battle is lost. They didn¡¯t even have time for themselves to prepare for this onslaught of accusations. In the end, Zeke breathed in deeply, knowing that Mikella relied on him during moments like these. ¡°I believe I can answer that myself,¡± Zeke answered instead. ¡°But first¨CI ask you not to blame Cloud or Val. We told them that we didn¡¯t want to be known. Our secret isn¡¯t anything so dangerous, but it¡¯s more for our safety. It¡¯s because we aren¡¯t the only ones that came here.¡± Cronus stayed silent on the matter, and even Isabelle frowned as she stared at them. Zeke turned to Mikella, hoping she understood what he was implying. Mikella hesitated for a moment, but she nodded before she called over Clara and Zoan. When the two arrived, Isabelle widened her eyes at the new children coming in. Clara ran over to them, noticing the heavy atmosphere and staying silent. And as usual, Zoan still had that expressionless face, only just passively standing near the otherworlders.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. With the crew by his side, he felt like he could do anything. Confidence rose, even though he knew he was still on shaky ground. ¡°Master Cronus¨Cif I can call you that¡­ My name is Zeke Parlow, and these are my companions who arrived with me when we were sent here. As you said, we came from another world. A world far more different than what you might expect. It¡¯s a long story¡­ but I¡¯ll try to keep it short.¡± Zeke soon explained their short history, however incredibly dumbfounded it sounded. Arriving at the first tower, meeting Mikella, Clara, and Zoan (added in to avoid further complications), he explained the tough times they were put through. After leaving said tower, they came across Eve Glade and were mercifully let in by the lords. After helping them defend the town, they tried to figure out what was the cause, and found that another tower was beside them. Their own tower was much farther away, and hence did not see any changes to the town since then. He also implied that they managed to get out before the tower itself could become a hassle around the vicinity. That¡¯s where they discovered another otherworlder¨Cbut after discovering his dangerous mindset, they had no choice but to take him down. Then they found out about the biodome, where they finally received information regarding their reasoning in being in this world. The angel appeared to report that their mission is to become Journeymen within two years¡¯ time, and that another tower had appeared within the biodome. There, with their connection to the towers, they entered and cleared it. As for the otherworlders inside, they had already perished. They also believed that the current environment of the tower also changed the tower significantly, and due to that anomaly, it was stronger than average. However, they cleared it and soon took over the biodome eventually. Zeke finished the explanation by revealing that the towers were made to train the otherworlders in a way¨Cspecial dungeons made for them to fight against low-level creatures. Inside had various treasures, including skill books, and attribute fruits to help them break through faster. He admitted that he didn¡¯t know the end goal, even though Zoan was literally right there with him, who had all the answers¨Cbut he certainly wasn¡¯t going to question her on it now. That would just make things worse. All the while, Cronus listened intently, his fingers laced in front of him as he bent to rest on his elbows. Isabelle covered her mouth halfway through, her eyes widening a little. When Zeke finished, he felt tired, exhausted, and quite frankly even he was amazed at the crap they had to go through. ¡°And that¡¯s everything that we know,¡± Zeke said. ¡°For the past year, we¡¯ve been training to reach Journeymen to meet with the angel¡¯s expectations. I can¡¯t really show evidence that everything I said is true¡­ but I promise you that we have no intention of harming anyone. At least¡­ me and my family here have no intention. But like I said, there are other people from our world appearing along with those towers. Each one is different, so I can¡¯t say for sure if they are truly on our side. We hope that¡¯s the case, though.¡± ¡°...That is quite the tale,¡± Cronus eventually answered. He raised his upper body, facing the otherworlders directly. ¡°And you say you have only been initialized into this world just two years ago?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Zeke answered truthfully. ¡°And now you have reached Journeymen, or the requirements at least,¡± Cronus actually sounded surprised, almost bewildered. ¡°Or is my Identify finally breaking down after all these years? My dear, what do you make of this?¡± ¡°They have spoken the truth, my darling,¡± Isabelle answered. There was that solemn look in her eyes, almost as if in pity for them. ¡°And judging by their auras, there¡¯s no doubt.¡± Zeke wondered whether the aura comment was them reaching Journeymen, or perhaps she had some sort of skill that allowed her to see the lies from their personal auras. If it was the latter, Zeke was glad that they went with the truth while only avoiding certain topics. ¡°Did we intervene on that?¡± Cronus asked sincerely, turning to Cloud. After all of this, it felt awkward to say ¡®Yeah, you kinda did¡¯ without sounding rude. ¡°It was¡­ on the list,¡± Cloud answered sheepishly. ¡°Mmh¡­ well, after hearing this¨CI can see why Cloud was so distant with me.¡± Cronus tilted his head, looking completely in deep thought. Another moment passed like that before he answered again. ¡°But that still doesn¡¯t excuse you for not reporting to me. Shouldn¡¯t this be precisely why you needed to tell me? Especially with this¡­ tell me, was there something interesting about them that caught your interest? Because one of them certainly caught mine.¡± Cronus turned back to the two otherworlders, showing a look that was both predatory and curious. ¡°Which one of you has a barrier type skill?¡± Zeke was taken aback by that statement. After turning to Mikella for a moment, receiving only a shrug in return, he answered. ¡°I-I do. It¡¯s called Barrier Craft.¡± ¡°...Show me then.¡± With that demand, Zeke did only as he could. He conjured a barrier in between the two leading figures, showing the resplendent turquoise colored wall that he used every single day since attaining the skill. It was small, the height and width of a human torso, enough to show exactly the kind of skill he commanded. For a moment, Cronus stared at it as if he could blow a hole through it with his eyes alone. ¡°My darling, there is no doubt,¡± Isabelle finally spoke, nearly whispering to her husband while staring the same way as him. ¡°That is the real deal.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Cronus closed his eyes. ¡°I just wanted to be sure.¡± Zeke paused at the statement. ¡°You mean you heard of it before?¡± It was surprising to find that this skill was known somewhere else. As far as he knew, this sort of barrier was rare for a reason. It was just never created in such a way. There were dozens of barriers that mages commanded, some flavored with elements or just a powerful thin wall that can encompass practically everything. His was the only type of barrier with as much free range as he had. It wasn¡¯t every day that one can create a barrier in many ways, resulting in him creating his hare-braned techniques such as the Superball barrier, the elevator barrier, and even that crazed and hellish training course barrier. He always just surmised that it was just a skill from the tower. But the way Cronus looked at it made him think it had a deeper meaning. ¡°Heard of it? I made it.¡± Just as he said, he conjured his own barrier. A near clone of the turquoise barrier right beside it. Instead of turquoise, it was yellowish-blue, almost like lemon. The same skill as Zeke. It wasn¡¯t all that surprising to everyone that Zeke just stared at it in utter shock. Vol 3 Ch 9: Its decided Zeke had to take a moment to keep his mind in one place. He can¡¯t help thinking that he had besmirched this Master and was now aiming to kill him for his dishonorable theft. Rather than what he expected, Cronus actually looked more curious than angered. He kept rubbing his near naked chin, without any form of rugged hair on it. It felt almost unnatural since even Zeke couldn¡¯t form a beard to save his life (only whiskers that Clara made fun of constantly). For the lords, Cloud and Val stared on in shock as well, but they contained it easily enough. Instead, they studied the two barriers, realizing the near similarity. Mikella even went one step further than them and just tapped Cronus¡¯ barrier with her knuckles. She did it several times, each one stronger than the last. But the barrier held in place, unable to be moved. Instead of being a nervous wreck like Zeke, Mikella whistled in awe. ¡°Damn, that¡¯s sturdy. Zeke, sorry, but his barrier beats yours by a long shot.¡± Zeke couldn¡¯t help but agree. Even at his distance, he could feel the absolute authority behind Cronus¡¯ barrier. Even though they were the exact size and shape, his barrier felt like a child trying to imitate an adult. Not only that, but an adult built upon years and years of training in an isolated mountain somewhere. Mikella didn¡¯t have to test just how sturdy it was. Zeke can tell already. If he had trouble defending against Journeymen monsters at his former low level, then this barrier can outlast Roderick¡¯s flames, and he bet that it wouldn¡¯t even make a hairline fracture, much less break it apart. ¡°I would be extremely upset if his barrier was better than mine,¡± Cronus said, almost scoffing at the idea. ¡°It is at Legendary Rarity, you know..¡± Zeke and Mikella both gaped in surprise. He never saw a skill that powerful, even from Cloud and Val. ¡°Still, I¡¯m a little impressed. Despite your short time in this world, this barrier is¡­ decent. I dare say it¡¯s competent, even.¡± ¡°According to Cronus,¡± Isabelle said with a slight whisper, her hand raised as though sharing a conspiracy. ¡°That¡¯s the highest compliment you can get.¡± ¡°Quiet, you. Nobody needs to know that.¡± Cronus just looked amused at his wife¡¯s antics, but everyone just kept staring at the two barriers. What truly made it more incredible was what Cronus said. ¡°You said that you¡­ made the skill?¡± Zeke eventually asked, turning to the master. ¡°As in, made it from scratch?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Cronus answered. He was no longer amused, instead putting on the serious expression as before. Thankfully, it wasn''t in anger. ¡°Creating a skill isn¡¯t so difficult. At least in my stage, but you do need a lot of resources. And for me, I wanted a skill that I can use freely and without constraint. I made sure to put in some limitations to decrease the initial rarity, because that would just make it all the more expensive to create. But it¡¯s still one of my proudest creations yet. That¡¯s why I¡¯m so curious as to how anyone was able to get their hands on one. Only me and my wife have that.¡± ¡°So it is a custom skill,¡± Cloud said to himself, staring at the floor. ¡°That explains so much about its low rarity and extremely high stat requirements.¡± ¡°It is, and again¨Cthat¡¯s why I was curious as to how this child managed to get his hands on it. I made sure to keep the skill with high enough requirements so that nobody else could use it.¡± He pointed at Zeke, calling him a child despite his old age. He was approaching 23 years old and this master looked younger in appearance. Though he already knew that this dude lived for decades longer, so he only swallowed his complaint. ¡°The two of us and probably others that came from our world have a special status that allows us to learn any Acquired Skill, ignoring the stat requirements. Though we can only learn three at a time, unlike others that can learn as long as they have the stat requirements.¡± Zeke tried very, very hard to downplay the incredible ability to learn any skill, his forehead unfortunately sweating from the possible repercussions. But he couldn''t exactly lie without explaining how the hell he managed to learn such a powerful skill that needed one to have over 1000 Spirit stat. He hated having to put Mikella into the equation, rather let him take the fall of being the one able to learn any Acquired Skill, but that would be too obvious to tear apart after a few questions, so Zeke went along with the whole explanation. ¡°Cronus,¡± Isabelle spoke up, lending a hand on Cronus¡¯ forearm. ¡°The boy looks nervous. He thinks he might have stolen from you. Surely that isn¡¯t true, considering everything.¡± ¡°Yes¡­ yes, you¡¯re right,¡± Cronus closed his eyes again. ¡°Still, I¡¯m at least allowed to be upset at this. It wasn¡¯t easy to create the skill, and I certainly never planned on making it public for everyone to learn. Now this child is gallivanting around, using his barrier at whatever he saw fit. I can¡¯t explain how brutal this feels after seeing this.¡± Zeke grimaced, his lips pressed tighter. Even if it wasn¡¯t his fault, he can¡¯t blame Cronus for feeling like that. A well-guarded secret skill that somehow managed to land on someone else¡¯s hands? Through some outside world experience by the looks of it? It was crazy to think about, but in the end it actually happened. Thankfully, Cronus didn¡¯t decide to go on a rampage and strike him down. Instead, he just stared at Zeke, with a gaze that can melt through steel beams if possible. Then a smirk spread across his face as he spoke up again. ¡°This cannot continue. To see this young boy go about blindly with such a skill would dampen my reputation. So I suggest I take these visitors off your hands, Cloud, and take them to my home.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Cloud stood up, his teeth gritting as he glared at the man in front of him. Everyone stood still at the claim, but neither Cronus or Isabelle made any attempt to guard themselves. ¡°You can¡¯t be serious, Master!¡± Cloud shouted. ¡°You¡¯re planning on taking these kids away when they¡¯re only just barely reached Journeymen?¡± ¡°Kids that have grown spectacularly fast for their ages, you mean,¡± Cronus answered. ¡°Enough to Journeymen already, might I add.¡± ¡°That isn¡¯t the point!¡± Cloud snarled. ¡°Master, you already know these kids come from an entirely different world. And now you¡¯re planning on dumping them to your country where the aristocracy has taken control of everything. Even under your own backing, I can¡¯t imagine a life harder for them than over there.¡± ¡°Oh Cloud, just because you had a tough experience there doesn¡¯t mean they would,¡± Cronus answered as his cheek landed on his hand to rest. ¡°Aren¡¯t you being too cautious? Or is it really that you planned on using them for something more nefarious? Do you plan to go against your master and take up all the tower¡¯s treasures for yourself? Is that why you¡¯re so inclined to keep them here? As your prisoners?¡±If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. Cloud looked even more furious at the casual affront to his honor. Veins began to pop around his forehead as his eyes glared harder. Zeke couldn¡¯t even imagine Cloud doing such a thing, though some of the accusations felt too close to home for Cloud. But Zeke and Mikella already consented to that, at least about the treasures. They already knew that their uses were valuable, proven by the incredible growth of the town itself. As long as the otherworlders get the same respect and privacy as an honorary citizen, it¡¯s only expected to help the people. At least that¡¯s how Zeke saw it. He also knew that Mikella didn¡¯t care about such things and only wanted a good life for Clara to live. ¡°Master Cronus, even if it¡¯s you,¡± Val stood up, facing the master directly. While her expression showed calm, there was anger in her eyes that seemed to blaze higher than even Cloud¡¯s. ¡°I will not condone those accusations. You come here in our town and demand our citizens without any thought for them. I will not deny that they have helped us in more ways than we can ever repay them, but I will not allow you to say such things to Cloud. Not even you.¡± The room turned quiet again, and there was a heavy atmosphere that made the kids freeze up. They left their parents, running towards Mikella. They did so quietly and politely, to not try to cause a stir that could very well end up into a violent clash. But eventually, Cronus only smiled. ¡°That¡¯s fair,¡± He said. ¡°I was just teasing him, no need to be put on guard. But you have to understand that I cannot let this go so easily. I can¡¯t pretend to not hear all these details and not do anything about them. Besides, have I not told you? There are plenty of those towers making a mess in my country, and according to them, they¡¯re the only ones capable of entering them. I¡¯m certain there could be more otherworlders that have managed to escape and train themselves¡­ but everyone here knows how slim that chance is.¡± Zeke wanted to deny that statement, but he stilled his instinct. It was a hard pill to swallow, but he had a point. If Arcelot, the country Cronus ruled, had towers that only they can get rid of, of course he would do whatever it takes to get them to clear them out. Not to mention, it would be precisely what Zoan wanted. He stared over at the Clara-clone, her silver locks being the difference. She stared back at him. While she still showed no expression, her eyes remained clear. They have to go. Regardless of what the lords say or what anyone else would say. In other words, it¡¯s sort of their job to clear them out. At least to help the otherworlders, and to get stronger for it. After another moment of the dreaded silence, Cloud sat back down along with Val, still glaring at his old master with a defeated aura around him. ¡°How long until you have to go?¡± He eventually asked. ¡°I¡¯ll be kind and remain for a week or so. I cannot use my teleportation until I gain enough time and Mana for it. I have already prepared for this long venture anyways, so you don¡¯t have to put me up or anything silly like that. My people can remain outside, as they have their own ways of keeping watch and staying comfortable outside.¡± Zeke had completely forgotten about the soldiers still waiting on the outside. He was actually worried about them, but considering how well armored they are, he probably doesn¡¯t have to worry at all. Surely a magical country like Arcelot can give their soldiers some mobile home for them to stay in. Eventually Cronus and Isabelle left, but not before the dainty wife of the master casually waved goodbye to the children to which they obliged. Even Clara, who was normally nervous, waved at her with a giddy smile. ¡°She is so pretty,¡± Clara commented. ¡°Like Val, but like¡­ pretty.¡± Zeke took it that despite their odd behavior, if Clara liked her, then Isabelle can¡¯t be such a bad person. As for Cronus, that still leaves a lot to be desired. So far, Cronus and Isabelle left somewhere within the town. When he asked where they planned on staying, Cloud only said that they could probably enter into some sort of home in another dimension for visits like these. Zeke can¡¯t even imagine such a thing, but then again, the master seemed to love spending Mana like water. ¡°That could¡¯ve gone way better,¡± Cloud eventually said when the house was left to just them. Cloud looked exhausted, as though he had been in battle all day casting spells, looking oddly pale. He turned to the otherworlders, particularly to Zoan. ¡°I suppose I should thank you for not mentioning anything. It would¡¯ve been¡­ more uncomfortable if you spoke and told the truth to my master.¡± ¡°Cronus is well known to be an eccentric sort, but he¡¯s more wily than he lets on. At my current stage, I cannot do anything but oblige to this world¡¯s laws, no matter how infuriating it is.¡± Despite the angel¡¯s grumbling, Zeke felt relieved that she planned on following logical sense. He was actually worried during his recapping of their time here that she would intervene about herself. He did mention an angel guide, but that was that. It was extremely awkward to talk about the person that was right there with them. ¡°And about what he said?¡± Mikella asked. ¡°About us going with him to his country? Are we actually gonna do that?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid¡­ there¡¯s no other choice.¡± Cloud leaned back on the wall of the living room, staring up at the ceiling. There was a solemn look in his eyes, unable to be explained. ¡°I know that despite everything, I certainly used you two to the point where Cronus might as well have spoken the truth. But I never once considered you tools. While you may have helped my town in ways I can¡¯t even fathom, more than that, I¡¯m glad to be your comrade.¡± Cloud turned to the two. Zeke noticed that Cronus¡¯ comment left a sour note in Cloud¡¯s mind. ¡°Cloud, you can¡¯t blame yourself,¡± Val spoke up. ¡°We all used them, in a way. Anyone can tell that much.¡± ¡°And you guys seem to think we had no right to say anything?¡± Mikella pointed out, arching a brow. ¡°We were never forced to do anything. We wanted to help. And we wanted to support Eve Glade. Honestly, I don¡¯t even wanna go anywhere with that guy!¡± Despite Mikella¡¯s insistence, she frowned and crossed her arms. ¡°Still, I know we can¡¯t ignore the towers. And¡­ we can¡¯t exactly say no to him, can we?¡± ¡°No,¡± Cloud shook his head regretfully. ¡°In the end, I owe my master a lot. We may have¡­ issues between each other, but in the end, he¡¯s the reason why Val and I even managed to survive. We haven¡¯t left in good graces, and it was only thanks to Cronus¡¯ mercy that we even managed to make a living here.¡± ¡°Leaving Arcelot is considerably difficult,¡± Val mentioned. ¡°Mages who were born and raised there had a strict policy of leaving the country. Their knowledge is vast and great, and the borders remain closed for a reason. Anyone caught leaving without a significantly good reason are considered traitors and even imprisoned. That¡¯s how serious they take their isolation.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that mostly because they are in an entirely different dimension?¡± Zeke asked, unable to stay silent on the matter. ¡°Forget about how difficult it was to get out in the first place¨Cif they try to get out by different means, it could destabilize the entire spatial pocket, right?¡± ¡°Precisely,¡± Cloud nodded. He had pride in his eyes. ¡°You studied well to know that much. But there are also plenty of other reasons why leaving the country is practically impossible. No one can get in or out without Cronus knowing, and he doesn¡¯t let anyone in unless it has something to do with the country itself.¡± ¡°Which is why he¡¯s bringing us over to clear the towers,¡± Mikella answered. ¡°And according to Zeke and Cronus, I¡¯m guessing leaving those around might destabilize the country too?¡± Cloud nodded in response. Zeke and Mikella turned to each other, a pained look in their eyes. That meant only one thing. They have to leave Eve Glade. Regardless of how they feel, this wasn¡¯t something they can ignore. ¡°A-Are we leaving Eve Glade?¡± Clara walked up to them, clear worry in her eyes. Mikella knelt down to her and gestured her over. She hugged her little sister tightly, her head resting on top of Clara¡¯s own. ¡°Clara¡­ I¡¯m sorry,¡± Mikella cooed. ¡°I think we might have to.¡± Zeke felt his heart getting punctured like a dagger pierced through it to see Clara¡¯s face crestfallen like that. She was a smart girl, but that didn¡¯t mean the pain of leaving a town along with the people she stayed with could be easily ignored. Zeke wondered whether it was actually possible to leave Clara in Eve Glade while the adults went ahead to deal with the towers¡­ How stupid that was. To leave Clara in a town by herself? Mikella would have a heart attack every second if she had to leave her behind. Even when he tried to think about how they can¡¯t really refuse, inside he wanted to shove Cronus¡¯ complaints and ignore Arcelot altogether. But they can¡¯t do that. Instead, the only thing Zeke can do is to keep moving forward. On that note, he turned to the lords, clear conviction in his eyes. ¡°We have a week, so let¡¯s make it count. Cloud? Can I ask for your help in breaking through to Journeyman?¡± VOl 3 Ch 10: Choices, Choices and... wait... ¡°Seriously, I have to apologize for everything that happened¡­¡± ¡°Come on Cloud, that¡¯s enough. I get how these things go.¡± Zeke had to once again reassure Cloud that everything was good between them. He wasn¡¯t really frustrated. He understood just how bad Cloud must feel after everything that happened so far. The two were by themselves in a room within the lord¡¯s household. It was actually within one of the rooms nearby the Unity Core that settled the town where Zeke became a Lord in-name. Like the Unity Core, this room was also heavily warded with all sorts of enchantments and runes. Though this room was heavily guarded from within rather than without, mostly to ensure security from the inside. The inside was bare for only the fewest of appliances. There was one section that had several monoliths drawn with intricate runes that Zeke can¡¯t even fathom. He can tell that this was done by the work of several Runists, not by Cloud as there were hints of runist-related skill usages within the confines of the runes. There was also an array drawn on the stone floor, filled to the brim with ancient letterings that seemed to transcend even the runic language. It had a power that dwelled within, a realm within those writings that encompass power beyond belief. Each letter had significant meaning that blew right past Zeke¡¯s head, but it was enough to show that it represented ¡®tranquility¡¯ and ¡®stability¡¯. This was the room that would help him break through to Journeymen. Even Zeke felt oppressed by the room¡¯s significance, but thankfully Cloud¡¯s insistence of apologizing broke through his nervousness. ¡°I know you feel that way, but this isn¡¯t right for me,¡± Cloud continued, turning back to Zeke. He had made some changes to the runes to the monolith, mostly to fit Zeke¡¯s needs if anything else. ¡°You and your family have done so much for our town. And the way I repaid you for that is giving you away to some lunatic with too much time on his hands.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like you intended for that,¡± Zeke said, gesturing with open hands and shrugging. ¡°Besides, Cronus had a point. We can¡¯t ignore the towers either. We were gonna go regardless. Once we settled down long enough to get used to Journeymen, we were planning on going around to find more towers eventually. Mikella and I decided on that when we noticed that the town would be safe and has the kingdom¡¯s support. ¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Cloud nodded, a smile slowly forming. ¡°I understand now. But still¡­ I wish things could¡¯ve been better. If anything, I hated having to see Val and Ana separate from you two. And for me, I see you as a brother of sorts. I only want for you three to be happy in this world of ours.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Zeke smiled. Hearing Cloud call him a brother was gratifying. ¡°At least we still got each other for support.¡± ¡°True¡­¡± Cloud nodded. The sense of guilt and anguish diminishing in his eyes. ¡°You¡¯re right. No matter how far away we are, we can always support each other. And knowing the two of you, I have a feeling that you¡¯ll be just fine.¡± ¡°Once we get through this breakthrough, we should be more than fine,¡± Zeke said, looking back down on the runic circle. ¡°Uhh¡­ is this gonna hurt, though?¡± ¡°Oh, more than you can ever dream of,¡± Cloud answered with so much ease that it made Zeke turn completely pale. ¡°Literally everything that you¡¯ve been through is nothing compared to this. You should really pray that you¡¯ll still be sane after this.¡± ¡°Uhh¡­¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯m just exaggerating a little,¡± Cloud smirked, which honestly made Zeke raise a fist at him, but held back his justified rage. Cloud raised his hands in a gesture of peace. ¡°But I am serious that this is gonna hurt. Unlike the last breakthrough, this is basically peeling away every bad part in your body and the system coming in to reform what¡¯s left of it with your own energy.¡± ¡°You mean the skills and attunement, right?¡± Zeke answered which Cloud nodded to. ¡°But that¡¯s not enough, is it?¡± ¡°Exactly. This is why the magical circle here is necessary. It¡¯s to provide what¡¯s left after all that from the surrounding air and the ground below. It¡¯s based so that it would filter through as pure energy rather than just Mana. As you know, the atmosphere and everything around us has their own bit of energy, just not in the same way as our own bodies. Different forms of life, kinetic, and magical energy that can easily affect us. With this, it will help you in transforming your body.¡± ¡°Transforming¡­¡± Zeke muttered. ¡°And Mikella? Why is it that she has to be separated from me?¡± Zeke asked since when they were ready to break through, Val took Mikella away to their own warded room. Apparently it was for the female users who wanted to break through to Journeymen, something that Val took Myra into at some point while Piker used the room he was currently at. As for why they had to be separated¡­ ¡°You two are going to be buck-ass naked while advancing to Journeymen. It¡¯s only natural to separate you two, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°R-Right¡­¡± ¡°Good lad. Now, get ready. Leave all thoughts out of your mind and focus only on your breakthrough. Here¡¯s to hoping your Pain Resistance helps out at least a little.¡±Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Zeke grimaced again as he stepped towards the center of the magic circle. He could feel the energies surging within the circle, just waiting to be used on him. If anything, it looked like it could make him explode if he took it on now. Zeke grimaced, knowing full well what he needed to do. So like ripping off a bandaid, he tore off his clothes into a neat pile, including his own boxers. Being completely in the nude now, Zeke closed his eyes. As long as Mikella and Val weren¡¯t here, it was fine. Still, unlike other guys he could remember, he wasn¡¯t the sort to get comfortable naked around others. He sat cross-legged in a lotus position, his hands resting on top of his knees. As soon as Cloud told him to break through, Zeke opened up his status menu in his mind. He knew this was about time for him to do so, but he still hesitated. But after knowing that Mikella would immediately do so, he picked Yes without hesitation. Energy began to fill in his body, first slowly, like a tranquil river flowing through the stream. All three different channels in his body began to surge from the energy flow. He could feel them expand little by little, naturally becoming wider and sturdier. That¡¯s when the pain came in. It was unlike anything he felt. Contrary to the outside pain, this felt equal to his soul being enlarged against common sense. He felt something trying to strain his body further and further, far beyond what his body is naturally capable of. It was the hands of the system taking care of his body forming, but it certainly wasn¡¯t gentle. Almost like a robotic AI-controlled robot doing what it was told, ignoring the patient nearly screaming on the inside. His mind toiled to stay focused, yet it felt like the system was ripping and tearing every single fiber in his body and soul, little by little¨Cstrand by strand, until everything was rearranged to be exactly as the system permitted. The pain soon exploded all across his body, and he opened his eyes to find nothing but pain overwriting his mind. He tumbled and curled up, screaming and gasping for air. He felt suffocated as though his insides were burning up every bit of oxygen in his body. Every pore of his skin burned unnaturally, and it only gave him the bearest of a clear mind to find out that something was dripping out of him. It almost felt like blood, but it was something else. Black, brown, and yellow disgusting sludge just poured out of his body like sweat. It was viscous and jelly-like, slothing off of his skin from every part of his body. He didn¡¯t even want to think about the bile and gunk he had in his body, regardless of whether he even ate anything of note. He might as well be throwing up every single meal he ever ate in his life, in this world and out of it. Once the excess waste left his body, another form of pain entered through his body. It was scathing, almost like a pressurized heat trying to cauterize every part of his muscle and tendons he had. Even his very bones weren¡¯t safe, starting to adjust and shift as he felt every creak in physical form. This was his entire body reforming into something else. Something¡­ perfect. And he was paying for that on every level. His mind whirled, suddenly having a migraine that went beyond a mere headache. It was like his very mind was being affected as well, however surreal that felt. Hours, perhaps days could have passed, but he knew it has only been several minutes since the process started. He already felt like wanting to end it all, but he persisted. Thankfully, he could scream his heart out, and he actually managed to not grovel and cry. At this point, he was glad that he had some form of dignity, forgetting the absolute mess he was leaving on the floor. Then, as if the system planned this from the start¨Chis mind turned entirely white. ***** Zeke breathed harshly before getting up to his feet, only to find himself in an entirely white void that felt oh-so familiar to him by this point. There was nothing beyond the horizon, and he swore that he would fall over if he hadn¡¯t realized that the absolute whiteness under his feet also acted like a floor. Eventually his mind caught up as he recognized what he was doing before this. He was advancing into Journeymen. Yet, he found himself here. As far as he recalled, he would land here whenever something was happening, getting him to go into the furthest point of his mind. There was also how Zoan brought them over to this kind of plane, proving further that this place was somehow special. But he couldn¡¯t put more thought into it as several notifications dropped onto his vision. Rather, it felt like it was actually existing outside of his vision, as though this plane is connected deeply into the system itself, thus allowing Zeke to physically feel the long glowing light-blue board with his own hands.
Congratulations on advancing into Journeymen, Zeke Parlow. You are currently in a plane where it exists outside the temporal time of the Tarial System Interface. Here, you can choose which sub-race you wish to become.
Zeke widened his eyes. He thought the whole shebang of advancing into Journeymen would be more¡­ intrinsic. This felt more like entering into a victory menu screen in a video game, and the game was asking him to pick which bonuses to pick for his new game plus mode. Wait, was this actually happening to him? Before he could go further on this stupid train of thought, a large list of potential choices for his sub-race appeared in front of him. Well, large was a bit of an exaggeration. It was certainly larger than he expected, but it was vastly¡­ narrow. As in, all the choices here were the same. All of them were some variant of an Elf.
-High Elf -Dark Elf -Wood Elf -Cave Elf -Sun Elf -Moon Elf -Night Elf -Day Elf
Zeke shook his head, trying to forget the last few ridiculous names for one of the elf variants. He knew from his books that he read that there were plenty of different variants of elves, such as there are different variants of dwarves, and different variants for any kind of bestial creature-type race. But normally picking a sub-race would include more options for a different race, not every single variant of the same race. ¡°What the fuck¡­ Did I mess up somehow?¡± Still, no matter how badly he messed up, he did intend on picking up a race of the fae, and elves were included in that. He wasn¡¯t opposed to picking up an elf race. But he certainly did feel a tang of bitterness to see that not a single one offered a race to upgrade his fighting skills. That was kind of a kick to the nuts, if he was honest. Vol 3 Ch 11: Their choices made, they forge on Mikella sat cross-legged in the eternal white void that she had only been once, but apparently Zeke had been before when facing Alex¡¯s final vestiges within Val¡¯s soul. It was a strange occurrence, but after everything she¡¯s been through the past two years, she wasn¡¯t surprised that this is where she ended up, especially for a Journeyman breakthrough. The reason why she was having this discussion inside her head was because she was trying to distract herself from the sheer audacity this system had displayed towards her. Mainly, the fact that out of all the racial options she could choose for her sub-race; Not a single one showed any race belonging to the fae, or even anything remotely magical based. But apparently, the system deemed her perfect enough for every single beast variant this entire world of Tarial had to offer. Her vision scanned at least more than a hundred options and then some flowing across a long light-blue list that was as physical as a tablet. Every single option would mention some variant of a beast, a werewolf being one of the options she was given. After that were some amphibian choices like Lizardman, some interesting choices, like goblins and kobolds, and finally some pretty far out there choices, like arachne and lamias. All of which had the same thing in common¨Cnone of them were pretty to look at. If she was perfectly honest with herself, she didn¡¯t pick one of the races belonging to the fae just for the magical nature of them. She wanted to choose something pretty like a fairy or an elven girl for the sole purpose of that¨Cbeing pretty. What¡¯s wrong with a girl wanting to look pretty? She had nothing against Val who chose Tarasque, as that was a preferred path for her, but after seeing how pretty Myra was when she turned into a Fire Fairy, she wanted to be one herself. There was no real reason for it. If she planned on becoming a race she¡¯ll be stuck as for the rest of her life, she wanted something she can live with. Outside of the combat potential, which was also added into her planning for her journeyman advancement, there shouldn¡¯t be anything wrong with wanting a sub-race that would make Clara look at her in shock and awe. That¡¯s right, she wanted to impress Clara with choosing a pretty race. If anyone has a problem with that, she would shove her sword right up their asses. But now that dream of being a beautiful Journeywoman like Myra was crushed the moment the options revealed themselves. She kept scanning the list over and over, trying to read all of the options, but her hope waned for each second that passed after skimming through option after option. It eventually took a nosedive when she saw she could pick a squid-like monstrosity as her sub race. She hung her head back, leaning on her buck-naked ass as she let out a harsh breath. Putting aside her terrible choices, she was going to have to pick one eventually. She can¡¯t stay here forever. She was also afraid that whatever system mojo was being instilled into her after that horrible pain she went through would run out, forcing her to redo it all again to get back in here. Or worse, made it so that she has to redo her hard work of the year to meet the journeymen requirements again. She can¡¯t allow that to happen. Reinvigorating herself, Mikella stared back at the list and made her decision. If she was going to pick a bestial race, then she¡¯ll pick the strongest, the most powerful beastkin race she can have. She surmised that her achievements and the way she trained herself proved that she at least had the potential to be more powerful regardless of her magical might. Mikella was sure that Zeke would have his own options for improving his magic, so she¡¯ll do the same for her physical power. It wasn¡¯t like her path directly relied on her magic, though she did wish she could keep using her magic as well as she had done so far. So, flicking through the long list, she studied each option. She also had the great fortune of checking herself out on another body by making the system show what she would look like after previewing a race, just like in a video game. Unfortunately, the system made it clear that these beastkin races would completely transform her body, and according to Val, it would take a long time for her body to slowly transform back into her human form. And even if she had some control, she would often return back to her race form before long. Val had her Tarasque race because the only difference was the mouth that opens up to eat her enemies for power. When she changed, she put on a mask to avoid scaring others, but the fact that she became a Journeymen after going through the rough process of having a synthesized attunement tuned her out of the potential changes of her face, giving her enough time to settle and change her face back to her beautiful pristine self. Mikella wasn¡¯t entirely relying on her looks, but she didn¡¯t want to scare Clara or Ana if she changed into some monstrosity. So she carefully previewed every race, making sure that they at least looked decent enough for a while before she can adjust herself appearance wise. There were some good choices, some that didn¡¯t absolutely turn her into some human-shaped monster, but she was disappointed at some of the options combat-wise. For instance, the werewolf form that Zyler had. After checking out the preview and seeing herself, she was surprised at how¡­ furry she was. She had the face of a female dog person like how one would see in a cartoon. And it didn¡¯t look half-bad. And as far as she knew, Clara didn''t hate this kind of look. If she were to take a page out of Zeke¡¯s book, this would be something the furries from the real world would drool over¡­ though now that she got that into her mind, she winced at that. But what actually changed her mind away from the werewolf form was the bonuses that came with it.
Werewolf A beastkin race that prowls the night in search of prey. They have tough hides to defend themselves and sharp claws that could render steel. Leading the pack of wolves, the werewolf is a terror to be reckoned with. -For every Class level, the Werewolf gains +4 STR, +3 DEX, +2 VIT, and +1 END. -During the full moon, they gain +50 STR and +50 DEX, but they lose their sense of reason. At higher Class levels, they can keep their sense of reason. -Their Exclusive Skill can command a small pack of Dire Wolves if they are around the vicinity. At higher Class levels, they can increase the number of wolves.
It was an interesting bonus, to say the least. Her Class levels being responsible for the Sub-race features made sense, considering that the Class level represented Mikella as a whole rather than just her Class. Though she was a bit disappointed at the bonuses. For instance, she knew that a sub-race can give more stat points per class level than this Werewolf race. She wasn¡¯t putting down the power a Werewolf can bring, but she wanted something with a bit more oomph. She also wanted to have more Spirit and perhaps a bit of Intelligence, hence a class that solely increases her physical stats were pointless. She already had her own Class for that. Then there were these two last bonuses. She didn¡¯t like losing her reason for the same reason that it brought bad memories of losing herself in her Class Madness. The Exclusive Skill, a skill gained via their Sub-Race, was also disappointing as she was certain she would burn the wolves to a crisp when she goes around with her lightning magic. She can¡¯t even defend herself from her own lightning¨Chow could a mere Dire Wolf handle that?You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. Everything about this sub-race just screams ¡®no¡¯ inside of her, so she quickly switched to another race. But no matter how often she found a race that she can work with appearance-wise, she didn¡¯t like the bonuses they came with. All of the bonuses, the stats gained via levels, were all directed towards the physical side, not the mental side. She grew more agitated, ignoring the looks entirely and just focusing on the bonuses, and even that proved useless. Does the system think I¡¯ll always be a damn brute no matter what? What does it think I am?! Zeke had always told her that she had potential in being a mage. Even Cloud would remark that her magical control was getting better and better each day. She grew proud of that. She didn¡¯t want to dismiss that even if she did prefer to fight with her sword. Just like how a certain Runist started to love fighting with his fists¨Ca certain Berserker started to love flinging lightning magic everywhere around her. It was addicting, something that Zeke understood very well. But she was planning on giving up that dream when she spotted nothing but physical brutes for sub-races, until eventually she spotted a sub-race she didn¡¯t think she would find.
-Draconian
She looked back at her own self. Her very Class, Dragon Berserker, and her Class Skills. Even her Dragon Eyes, formerly called Hawk Eyes, flashed in her mind. Without really thinking, she looked up the bonuses before even previewing it.
Draconian A proud race of dragonkin that are extremely territorial. Anyone who dares invade their lands would be cut apart by their majestic might and magical prowess. They command the skies and the ground trembles before their overpowering will. -For every Class level, the Draconian gains +5 STR, +5 DEX, +5 INT, +5 SPI -A Draconian can fly to the skies with their own wings. The higher the Class levels, the wings become stronger and lessen their Stamina consumption. -Their Exclusive Skill can unleash a torrent of powerful magic against their enemies. The higher the Class levels, the stronger the skill becomes and the lesser the mana consumption.
Everything about this race screamed that it was perfect for her. No matter how it looked, no matter how it felt¨Cthis was the class for her. More importantly than that, even more important than its awesome Exclusive Skill and the perfect amount of stats gained per level¨C She could have wings. She could fly. Without hesitation, not even caring about how it would look through a preview, she chose the race. Then, pain returned to her senses once again. ***** Zeke had a difficult choice ahead of him. He considered every single race he was offered, however small in range it was, and narrowed it down to two choices.
-Spectral Elf -Soul Elf
In all honesty, through the preview, none of the two stood out. There were the iconic pointy ears and the obvious sense of magic whirling around their bodies, but that was that. And they couldn''t be anymore similar to each other aside from the naming sense. The thing that differentiates them the most were the bonuses.
Spectral Elf An elven race that lived for centuries, traveling across the planes of existence and non-existence to find their homes. Their magical might are impressive, but what is more impressive is their will to survive. -For every Class Level, the Spectral Elf gains +2 DEX, +5 INT, +3 SPI, +4 VIT -A Spectral Elf can impose themselves into the non-dimensional planes, turning their bodies non-existent for a short time. The higher the Class Levels, the longer one can spend in non-existence. -Their Exclusive Skill can send someone of their choosing into the non-existential planes. They can also choose to let them live with the same blessing, or perish within the planes. The higher the Class Levels, the stronger the being one can send into the planes.
If Zeke was a betting man, he would pour all of his money on this race being a pretty frightening race. It was no wonder there were no records of Spectral Elves no matter how much Zeke studied. If they lived in the non-existential planes, the dimensions that somehow co-exist alongside the different dimensions that are tacked onto Tarial¨Cthere was no way anyone with any common skills could find them. Especially their Exclusive Skill. If any of the Spectral Elves get pissed off, they can just yeet that someone into the planes and leave them there to die. It was a pretty potent skill, though Zeke could tell that with his current level and power, he can¡¯t send any powerful Master-rank bosses into the planes, only the smaller, probably more annoying types. Also, he was pretty damn sure it was the kind of skill that wouldn''t help give him any XP, because there is no way a skill can be that overpowered without any drawbacks. It was a pretty tempting race, and yet¡­
Soul Elf Soul elves are beings loved by the mana itself. Their magical prowess surpass long-lived mages by the time of their birth. Only when pressed will the Soul Elf fight. Only when in danger will the Soul Elf reveal their true power. -For every Class Level, the Soul Elf gains +3 DEX, +3 INT, +7 SPI, +7 END. -A Soul Elf can use the mana in their surroundings to cast magic. The higher the Class Level, the more mana they can use outside of themselves. -Their Exclusive Skill can unleash a powerful blast of condensed mana at their enemies should things go awry. The higher the Class level, the more powerful the blast and the lesser the mana consumption.
These choices were difficult to pick apart. On the one hand, the Soul Elf is clearly powerful in terms of stat bonuses, but the latter bonuses are a little underpowered compared to the Spectral Elf. On the other hand, the Spectral Elf is incredibly powerful under the right circumstances, their abilities to phase through different planes can really hit hard when fighting powerful opponents, and their last-ditch effort to yeet their enemies to nothingness couldn¡¯t be put aside. They were incredible choices, definitely better than the run-of-the-mill variant races he checked up for the past hour or so. But he can only choose one, and he had to make a choice. So when faced with a question that puts his path at a fork in the road, he would look up to a senior he had made friends with over the year. It wasn¡¯t Cloud, Val, or even Zacharia¨CInstead, it was the lord Zyler of Bastion. Their former enemy now turned ally through an alliance that both consented to. His father tried to force him to be a mage for his own ego, but his failure to raise him only compounded the fact that Zyler just liked to fight like a brawler rather than a mage. Before he realized this, he failed completely as a mage, preferring to just blitz through enemy lines than to carefully conjure spells at the right timing like his father. One thing that Zyler would say to all those struggling with their decisions for their path had immediately stuck to him. ¡°Always do what you want to fucking do!¡± It was a bit crude, as expected of Zyler, but truer words couldn''t be better said. So what did Zeke wanted to do? He wanted to help people. No matter how much he likes to fight now, in the end, what mattered to him the most was to be the support for his allies. To take care of his loved ones and to protect them no matter what. That had always been his motto, his go-to when things go dark. So when he answered that question with his motto, there was really only one choice to choose. ¡°Guess I¡¯ll be a Soul Elf,¡± Zeke casually said, making a life-changing decision with a shrug as he accepted the race change. ***** When the pain finally ceased, his eyes opened to find himself surrounded in disgusting bile and gunk¨Cprobably from his own body. His vision was blurry, and his muscles felt like jelly that can¡¯t even move. Thankfully, he didn¡¯t have to literally wallow in his own filth as the circle began to glow. All the bile on the ground and surrounding him started to vanish. They were being eradicated, mostly because he could feel the fiery sensation burning him alive. But contrary to the pain he just went through, this was just a visit to the hot sauna as he was more thankful for the gross bile being burned away to cinders. The stench, unfortunately, persisted as the dust slowly convened and gathered around, filtered through the wards around the room. Even after being conscious of all that, he still couldn¡¯t move, and his vision was still a mess. He thought he was going to feel powerful, but in actuality, he felt even worse than the time he got initialized by the system. He groaned, still unable to move. But in a moment or two, he managed to move his hand across his chest and lower body, wanting to feel that his limbs were still attached. Thankfully, they were, and even more surprising, he felt nothing but sculpted muscle and firm skin. ¡°It was a success,¡± He heard Cloud say, though his hearing was ringing from all the pain he went through. ¡°And it looks like you made your choice. How does it feel?¡± ¡°...Like shit.¡± Zeke said, though he really should¡¯ve picked a better word than that. He could still smell it. Vol 3 Ch 12: Zekes Journeymen evolution Once Zeke was decent enough to move, Cloud aided him towards the washroom regardless of his former stink and nudeness. If anything, Cloud practically cradled him like how a helper aided an elderly. Once Zeke got into the washroom, his new senses overwhelmed by the sheer mana exuding from the runes inhabiting the bath, Cloud let him be alone to wash himself away in the shower. Hearing from Cloud that he could take as much time as he wanted in the shower was like music to his improved hearing. He felt raw, as if he just shed literal skin off his back. His senses were swallowed up by everything, deafening him and blinding him at the same time. Zeke could tell Cloud purposely dimmed the lights to keep his eyes from burning, the water not too hot but not too cold, washing his new skin. His new skin¡­ the words felt foreign, yet it is what it is. He gained a new body¨Ca body meant for his new sub-race and his advancement into Journeyman. He definitely felt taller, more refined, and despite his lagging motor controls, his body picked up on his intent and moved along as expected. It was disjointed at times, making Cloud help him. He let the warm water wash his face, ignoring the small pin pricks that somewhat hurt his sensitive face and eyes. Honestly, it felt nice. He wondered if his Pain Resistance was helping him in that regard. There were a crap ton of notifications waiting for him to view, but he took up on Cloud¡¯s offer and just enjoyed the warm shower getting rid of every gunk and clutching grime he had on his body. After a few solid minutes of just being in his nothing box in his mind, he grew bored and started exploring his newfound body. Damn it, that sounds sick as hell, Zeke mused, chuckling to himself as he looked at his new body. He¡­ grew, if that was the right word. He grew properly. He was perhaps a few inches taller, not as tall as Piker, but tall enough to perhaps rival Cloud now. His toned body, once filled with developing muscles close to that of a starting MMA fighter, now became refined, a true veteran that went through years of intense and careful diet and exercise. He even noticed a certain upgrade to his little buddy. He didn¡¯t ask for it¨Cbut he certainly wouldn¡¯t put it down. But more importantly, it felt right. It was as though the system finally gave him a body that was properly meant for his style of living¨Cmana channels that were bigger and denser than ever before, and he swore that he was regenerating mana at a faster rate just by doing nothing compared to his Expert self undergoing Meditation and after drinking a mana regeneration potion¨Ca potion that was easier on the channels and taste buds by just increasing his regeneration rate than directly restoring his mana. He recalled one of the features, or traits in this case, that Soul Elves have that allowed them to use the mana from their surroundings. That would explain his rapid mana regeneration growth, and he was doubly thankful that it didn¡¯t seem to affect his surroundings too greatly. He also noticed something else. His body had tattoos, but they weren¡¯t his rune buffs. Unfortunately, gaining a new body¨Cor reforging his old one¨Ccaused the system to indirectly wipe away all of his rune tattoos off of his body. That meant redoing his painful tattoos all over again. Honestly, he was fine with that. He planned on re-doing his tattoos either way, using his newfound knowledge and increased power to enhance his buffs further after reaching Journeyman. But what surprised him was that the tattoos weren¡¯t his runes, but from his Soul Elf heritage. They were like bluish waves across his limbs and torso, but they didn¡¯t feel unnatural. If anything, they looked like they belonged to a well-woven tapestry made up by an incredibly talented artist, leaving the exposed skin behind to make a sort of imagery of a man truly loved by the winds of mana. Thankfully, there was a small mirror put aside in the washroom, clearly used for any new Journeymen to see for themselves. Taking it up, he surprised himself at his new face. It was refined to look more appealing to the senses. He always had a ¡®boyish face¡¯, at least according to Mikella and Myra. That boyish face grew up, but it still had that softness around the facial structure, and that damn dopey look in his eyes he had all his life. He wanted to look striking like Cloud, or even intimidating like Piker. Unfortunately, he¡¯s always going to look like a man in touch with his sensitivity. I mean, elves often look girly, right? Zeke mused, convincing himself that this was how manly elves look. The tattoos thankfully don''t reach to his face, but his new pointy ears proved otherwise. Feeling them up, he shivered when he realized how sensitive they were, proving that elf ears were indeed sensitive. That¡¯s gonna take some getting used to. He also knew that his ears would return to their normal human ears, but that was going to take a long while since he was just newly advanced. Putting the mirror down, he stopped the shower at some point, getting out of the bath and finding his mage robes neatly folded to the side, probably from Cloud. He was thankful he took them off, because he was going to have to burn them off if they were left there in the grime. Putting them on, he reviewed his notifications, proving once and for all his new advance was truly real.
You have chosen your sub-race. You are able to advance. You are now a Journeyman. As your reward for advancing to Journeyman, you are eligible to evolve your Class. Choose your evolution on the list and further strive for ascension. Due to choosing your sub-race, your body has been permanently altered to that of a Soul Elf.
¡°Permanently altered¡­ when it¡¯s said like that, I really made a big choice.¡± He didn¡¯t like the idea of permanently altering his own body. Then again, he sort of modified his own body with his rune buffs, literally carving permanent runes into his flesh for power. But each and every time, including now, this was done by his choice. He knew where it would lead him, and he won¡¯t regret it, especially not after feeling the intense power radiating off of him. But the next notification after that surprised him quite a bit.
Exclusive Race Skill: Mana Blast A¨C ERROR! Attunement forcibly changed Exclusive Race skill. It is now modified to better suit your Attunement. ***** Exclusive Race Skill: Aether Blast A Soul Elf normally doesn''t¡¯ fight, but when push comes to shove, they will prove why they are loved by mana. Evolved with the help from the higher realms, you can create a concentrated form of mana known as Aether and direct a powerful blast at your enemies. Increases overall power and density according to the level of the skill and the current Attunement Rank.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
Zeke¡¯s eyes widened at the realization that he may have been bamboozled by his own attunement. Reading the description, he still couldn''t¡¯ believe how it just changed like that, as if by force from his own power. Then again, his attunement did supposedly take an angel¡¯s power for itself. Strangely enough, it didn¡¯t seem to want to ¡®desire¡¯ anything else despite a whole year passing by. Yet now it came up to change his only Exclusive Race Skill. He had been trying to control his attunement for the longest time, especially after the biodome takeover, but he hadn¡¯t made much progress compared to his skill levels. Thankfully, Cloud mentioned that people who advance to Journeymen often had better control, so it was possible that Zeke could eventually learn how to wield that enormous power that even took down a Master-Rank boss on his own. And perhaps this race skill that was changed by his attunement might be his chance to better control that power like through a proxy. Putting that aside, considering he has no way to experiment with that in his current state, the next notifications were his Class evolution options. Just as before, two different options were available to him as usual. He wondered whether he would gain a new option like how Mikella gained her Extra Class Skill, but no such luck here apparently. Reading his new class options, he studied them one by one to ensure he would pick the best one.
Runic Knight A Runist that focuses primarily in combat. A Runic Knight puts aside their need for learning in a study to learn during a battle. Attribute Growth Per Level: +5 STR +5 DEX +5 INT Two Skill Choices at Level 60, Level 75, and at Level 90.
*****
Arcane Runist A Runist that specializes in the depths of magic itself. Their abilities while scribing runes enhance as long as the rune itself is within their range of grasp. An Arcane Runist thrives no matter where they go. Attribute Growth Per Level: +5 DEX +5 INT +5 SPI Two Skill Choices at Level 60, Level 75, and at Level 90.
The two choices felt so diverging from one another, but Zeke can¡¯t complain that he exhibited both of these aspects more times than he could count. Here, he has a choice. Normally, Arcane Runist is typically at the top of the choice as it has Spirit given at every level. His runes use his massive Spirit stat to give him an edge in battle with his buffs, but that might not be necessary thanks to his new sub-race. His sub race already gives him Spirit, on top of Dexterity, Intelligence, and even Endurance for some reason. If he were to pick Runic Knight, he could add Strength on top of everything else, rounding out his stat gains and only leaving his Vitality out, which he can raise with his free points. If he only needs to focus on one stat to gain by himself, it would be easy. But even after all of this, Zeke can¡¯t help but feel that every Spirit is worth their salt, no matter how meager the gain is. Not to mention, while he did enjoy battle, a Runic Knight focusing on the battlefield feels limiting to him. Sure, he likes to fight, but he never intended on primarily focusing on fighting. No, he only ever fought to deal with his rising need to be there for his allies in the thick of it. But he never once forgot his true duty as a supporter. Hence, the choice was obvious.
You have chosen Arcane Runist. For each level, you gain: +5 DEX +5 INT +5 SPI For choosing Arcane Runist, along with your sub-race being Soul Elf, your Battle Runecraft Skill has advanced. It is now Legendary. You gain points based on the advanced Rarity: +3 INT
Zeke¡¯s eyes widened to see that his already Epic rarity Battle Runecraft has now become Legendary. His second ever Legendary Skill on top of Restoration. It didn¡¯t look like it added anything fancy, but he knew that deep down inside, his Battle Runecraft skill has expanded by leaps and bounds. What surprised him a bit more was that his sub-race had something to do with his improvement. Still, he put that to the side, figuring it was the benefits of being a Soul Elf, while focusing on his new Class Skill gained after becoming an Arcane Runist. There were two choices as usual, but after reading them over, he found them a little¡­ underrated. Was this his new skill after reaching Journeymen as a Runist? Or was it due to him having Battle Runecraft over any ordinary Runecraft skill?
-Script Improvement -Theory Improvement
These two similar looking names had very different outcomes. Script Improvement helped create a field around him when he was inscribing runes. Supposedly, it would help in stabilizing his runes and even improve them in ways an ordinary Runist couldn''t even with the aid of his other Class Skills. It didn¡¯t matter what type of field it was as it only existed for Zeke and Zeke alone. It can¡¯t even be messed with, such as how he could call upon his Runic Library without any drawbacks from anything else. He wasn¡¯t sure whether someone would have a skill that perfectly counters this, but Zeke knew this was too niche for them to completely focus on. Theory Improvement was an odd one. It creates the very same field that Script Improvement does, except that it doesn''t help in inscribing runes easily, but rather aids the Runist to create more diverse runes. In other words, it improves the theories concocted by the Runist as the field is made. From the feel of the skill choice, there was no mana cost either. It was a true-blue passive Class skill. So another easy choice for Zeke. He was already making up a crap ton of different ideas when he was creating his runes. Hell, his Parallel Mind was already coming up with different ideas all the time as of right now, just burning itself away in the back of his mind while Zeke pondered on the skills. So it really wasn¡¯t a difficult decision when Zeke chose the first.
Class Skill: Script Improvement An Arcane Runist is a unique scripture that by their very presence, their runes come alive. It not only stabilizes the runes, but improves them in small, minute ways that not even the Runist themselves could pick up. The skill is gradually improved according to the level of the skill and the current Intelligence stat.
It was another first ever skill for him, this time relying on his Intelligence stat rather than his Spirit stat. Still, he had an abundance of Intelligence, so he might as well take that as a good sign. Taking all of his changes into account, there were so many things he needed to test and experiment with. So many things, yet his body refuses to do anything else. Even now, he could feel his resources desperately trying to catch up even with his Meditation skill on full blast to no avail. Putting everything into order, he opened up his newly upgraded status page after advancing into Journeyman.
Name: Zeke Parlow (King of Elemental Prison) Race: Human Sub-race: Soul Elf Arcane Runist: Level 60 Attunement: The World (Tier 2) STR: 93 DEX: 231 INT: 278 SPI: 338 VIT: 100 END: 110 Free Points: 0 General Skills: Mana Manipulation (R) Level 8 Kinetic Manipulation (R) Level 1 Unarmed Mastery (R) Level 1 Battle Runecraft* (L) Level 4 Pain Resistance (R) Level 5 Steadfast Mind (R) Level 1 Parallel Thought (U) Level 7 Meditation (C) Level 7 Acquired Skills: Barrier Craft (E) Level 6 Recovery (L) Level 1 Race Skill: Aether Blast Level 1 Class Skills: Runic Library Level 4 Inscription Proficiency Level 10 (Maxed) Runic Spell Level 4 Phantasmal Runes Level 10 (Maxed) Runic Echoes Level 10 (Maxed) Rune Copycat Level 2 Script Improvement Level 1 Title Skill: Prison King (Title), Level 1 (Maxed)
I wonder how Mikky is doing? Zeke thought, imagining what incredible race she picked up. I hope it went better than mine at least. Vol 3 Ch13: Mikellas Journeyman Evolution Mikella had to really try and not get dumbfounded by every single thing she spotted at her new body. After the change occurred, Val had the decency to lead her towards the bathroom for women, and strangely enough it was very spacious, enough to walk around in a circle with one part of the shower actually drizzling warm water. It became something akin to being in a dome fueled with steamy warmth and fresh water, like in one of those hot springs and saunas Mikella had heard so much about from any rich folk who had the money on TV. To think she found herself in the same position was stagnating, but frankly she needed the extra room since her transformation into a Draconian brought along some extra new features¨Clike wings. She had literal wings behind her back. Just like Myra¡¯s wings, they were pretty large and pretty unwieldy. They were perhaps several feet in length across the wingspan, though she still knew they were too small physically speaking to actually carry her. She knew, however, that with enough energy control, she could do so with ease, and she was honestly thankful that they weren¡¯t bigger than they were now. She could barely feel them, like new muscles that still felt numb to her senses, and she kept batting them and hitting them across the walls she was close to and other things. Thankfully the hallway they used to travel to the shower was devoid of anything breakable for this exact reason. It wasn¡¯t just the wings that were new to her. Across parts of her body were several scales that were dark and tinged with hints of yellow. When she felt one with her finger, they felt hard and rigid, and when she tried to pick at them like they were scabs, instead they felt so infused into her skin and body that it was weirder to pick at them. It was a sort of dissonance she was trying to get used to, and that was on top of everything else. She did know that these scales were tough as hell, and she swore that with her stats, she could basically hit a wall with her fist alone and the wall would break without any damage done to her body. While there were only some scales visible on her person, she felt there were more of them that were invisible to the eye, something like an ephemeral scaled body of sorts. It was hard to say it in words, but that was how she felt. But the more she looked at the mirror to see herself in the shower, the more unbelievable she looked. Outside of the wings and scales, her body grew in all sorts of places, mainly her height which she always felt uncomfortable with. Nobody ever mentioned it but she always felt so short compared to everyone else, even if it was just an inch between them. But now she grew several inches taller, expanding her world view by miles long. And her body¡­ damn. She was always proud of her fit body, how her lean muscles were obvious and became even more apparent in this new world, but the Journeyman upgrade improved that by not just adding in more muscle, but more¡­ everything. She filled out in a lot of places, and her impressive physique grew more impressive. If she had to say, she was practically close to Val¡¯s appearance, the almighty super-model of a woman. Just thinking that she was like Val now filled her with joy and pride she can¡¯t explain. It made her giddy and she just wanted to try all sorts of new outfits to go along with this. ¡°Damn, look at these babies¡­¡± Mikella muttered. Her goodies got quite an upgrade. ¡°Zeke won¡¯t be able to keep his eyes off me~¡± Mikella wasn¡¯t even going to bother thinking why she personally thought of Zeke, nor was she going back to that. She focused on the real upgrades, however, looking up at the notifications once she got a good understanding of how everything works.
You have chosen your sub-race. You are able to advance. You are now a Journeyman. As your reward for advancing to Journeyman, you are eligible to evolve your Class. Choose your evolution on the list and further strive for ascension. Due to choosing your sub-race, your body has been permanently altered to that of a Draconian.
*****
Exclusive Race Skill: Dragon Breath A Draconian is no simple long-distance relative of the powerful dragons¨Cthey represent their heritage by sheer force of will and conquest. You can shoot a torrential stream of energy to wreak chaos and destruction around you. Increases the overall power and defense piercing capabilities according to the level of the skill and the current Attunement Rank.
She was a bit surprised that she didn¡¯t turn out to be a total lizard freak after all, even if she had scales and literal wings to prove the change was real. She was still human in the bits that mattered, at least for her own mental sake. The Dragon Breath wasn¡¯t entirely something she wanted, but now that she had it, she couldn''t wait to try it out. She had her wonderful Lightning Mastery, but it was originally supposed to be the supplier of power rather than an actual attack skill. With her mastery and attunement, her Dragon Breath, now including a defense-piercing property, is probably more dangerous than any attack she could make with Heavenly Strike. Though she just knew that the cost for that skill would be astronomical. She actually shivered at the thought despite being in a warm shower just now. She went ahead to check up on her Class evolution choices, not really all that surprised to find only two options as usual.
-Iron Dragon Berserker -Chaos Dragon Berserker
Rather than an actual change to her Berserker status, she only received an adjective next to her original class name. Still, these two feel like they were the complete opposite of each other.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Iron Dragon Berserker is typically an overall improvement of the same class except now it was geared towards enforcing her body to keep up with her rampage. Chaos Dragon Berserker was the same, except this time, she was putting all of her eggs in the rampage basket, upping her power level to the highest degree and bringing more destruction than ever before. Normally, in the past, Mikella would have definitely chosen Chaos Dragon Berserker. But this time she paused. After a whole year of focusing on her skill leveling, she had a much better picture of the path she wanted to go on. She wanted power. That never really changed. But what did change is how she gained that power. She knew that somewhere in the distant future, she¡¯ll find ways to up her powers without solely relying on a Class improvement which can only happen once every advancement. Master-tier was still way far off, so it was natural to assume that this was the last chance for her to upgrade her Class in a way she wanted. But the Master-Stage was still her goal, and Grandmaster beyond that. She just knew now that it would take several years, if not decades, to reach that far. If that was the case, then choosing more power for her Class evolution felt like leaning too far back into her chair. At some point, she¡¯s going to fall over. Val and Cloud kept reinforcing the idea to Zeke and Mikella that a proper foundation was key, even if you were on the path of your choice. You have to be willing to give in on some parts to make a better whole of yourself. And there was one thing Mikella knew she wanted more¨Cshe wanted to be indestructible on top of being all-powerful. Zeke¡¯s barrier has only gotten stronger over time, but just like what happened back at the biodome, there are only so many chances to rely on someone else before eventually being on your own. She also knew, though a bit embarrassingly, that her armor was total shit and she needed to replace it at some point. Considering the ramifications of that, she decided to go for more defense than offense. This way, she can toughen out powerful attacks rather than get lucky if something comes to pass. No, she was not making an incredibly important choice for her Class just to avoid buying stronger and more expensive pieces of equipment. That¡¯s just ridiculous. But still¡­
Iron Dragon Berserker Dragon Berserkers are notorious for their rampage and destruction. Iron Dragon Berserkers are by far the worst kind. They¡¯re tough enough to keep up with their own rampage. Two Skill Choices at Level 60, Level 75, and at Level 90.
¡­..
You have chosen Iron Dragon Berserker. For each level, you gain: +5 STR +5 DEX +5 END For choosing Draconian as your sub-race, your Dragon Eyes has advanced. It is now Legendary. You gain points based on the advanced Rarity: +1 DEX
¡­..
For choosing Iron Dragon Berserker, any remaining weapon mastery skill you possess that is below Rare rarity will max out and advance: Axe Mastery (Uncommon) Level Up! It is now maxed. It has advanced into Axe Mastery (Rare). You have gained +1 STR from your skill. You have gained +1 END from your skill.
¡­..
Bow Mastery (Uncommon) Level Up! It is now maxed. It has advanced into Bow Mastery (Rare). You have gained +6 DEX from your skill. You have gained +6 END from your skill.
¡­..
Hammer Mastery (Uncommon) Level Up! it is now maxed. It has advanced into Hammer Mastery (Rare). You have gained +2 STR from your skill. You have gained +2 END from your skill.
Her eyes bulged at the sight of the new skill improvements. Just like that, a slew of General Skills just advanced in a single second the moment she chose her Class Evolution, contrary to taking a whole year raising just some General and Class Skills. Putting aside the absolute horseshit she just witnessed, Mikella realized that she had just gained her first ever Legendary skill. Her Dragon Eyes had been a constant companion since her first tower, and had aided her to the point where other people assumed that her eye color was primarily yellow. Then again, her new body made her once human eyes now slitted like a lizard, her pupils showing a sharp line top to bottom. When she flared Dragon Eyes, the yellow irises around the slanted pupils glowed with such intensity that it could easily silence weaker creatures. Now that she thought about it, a few Rare skills wouldn¡¯t really make much of a difference now that she was a Journeyman. She has to get over it and try to get her skills to Epic, or in this case, to Legendary like her Dragon Eyes. The difference between an Epic and a Legendary skill was massive, which was proven multiple times when Zeke¡¯s Restoration could now restore lost limbs if he tried. Rather than get bitter about it, she should be thankful. It just helped her skip the time necessary to train them all. Now that her Class evolution was done, her two Skill Choices came up as usual. Her Iron Dragon Berserker status proved that she was looking to toughen herself up, and the skills reflected that. One was ¡®Tough Armored Skin¡¯, something that was extremely familiar to the Armored Skin Class Skill she once had as an option before but put it down in exchange for Heavenly Strike. Even now, after all the other options she went through, it still didn''t¡¯ seem worth it. To see it coming back with an added adjective didn¡¯t seem worth it once again. The other one, however, caught her attention.
Class Skill: Elemental Maw There is nothing that can withstand the might of an Iron Dragon Berserker, and none shall try to force it down. It allows you to absorb any magical attacks thrown your way into your body, transforming it into mana for you to use. The skill increases absorption rate and mana recovery according to the level of the skill and the current Spirit stat.
If she could say that Tough Armored Skin made her physically tougher, then Elemental Maw can make her magically tougher. Not only that, but it can even increase her mana regeneration even further, something similar to Forced Regeneration when it comes to recovering health. With both of these skills along with Clashing Energies, all the while her absurd Endurance and stamina pool, wouldn¡¯t this cover all of her areas? It was the easiest decision in the world.
You have chosen Class Skill: Elemental Maw
Done with drying herself with a towel, which had proven to be difficult as the towel kept getting cut up by Mikella¡¯s scales by accident, she put on the clothes Val had out for her. They were bigger than the clothes she normally wore, but considering her increased size, she thanked Val once again in her head as she put them on. ¡°Now then¡­¡± Mikella let out a tight breath. She didn¡¯t even realize she was holding it for a while. ¡°Time to go and meet everyone. God, I hope Clara won¡¯t get scared from this¡­¡± It would absolutely destroy her if Clara saw her and ran away screaming. Vol 3 Ch 14: New looks, as well as a history lesson Once the process to advance to Journeymen finished, the otherworlders readied themselves to head towards the hallway where they will find each other along with the lords. Once they stepped onto the hallway, they found each other easily enough. It was as if time had frozen upon their arrival. Everyone became slack-jawed at their new appearance, but none more so than the otherworlders at themselves. Zeke¡¯s jaw hung open at Mikella¡¯s new form. It wasn¡¯t surprising to find out that she would be even more pretty after becoming a Journeyman. Val showed that sort of beauty herself, so he expected it. But this¡­ this just blew his mind right out of the water. His peripherals obviously picked up the incredible changes¨Cher body size, the proportions, the clearly otherworldly beauty¨Cbut what he focused on the most were her face and eyes. Her face became refined, as though any sort of blemish Zeke failed to recall vanished. Her skin practically glowed, her hair was immaculate, her nose, cheeks, and chin were structured to the point where they no longer contained any hint of imperfection. But more than anything, her sharp yellow eyes, vibrant in color like fresh sunflowers, yet had black slits for pupils that cut through like a blade. It made his heart race unlike anything else he saw before. She was¡­ beautiful. There was no other way to describe her. ***** She can slightly understand the desire to make them meet like this, but at the same time she wanted to smack the two love-lords for this. She didn¡¯t even know what to say to this. First off, Zeke became an elf, with the ears and everything. Not just an elf either, but a Soul Elf according to his race. It was the sort of magical elf one could find in a fantasy novel. The tattoos that were apparent on his skin, which were exposed thanks to his simple gray shirt and pants, were long gone, much to everyone¡¯s dismay now that he has to apply them on himself again. There were swirls and such on his skin, definitely different from the tattoos, which were the hallmarks of a soul elf who was loved by the mana. But that wasn¡¯t what surprised her. She expected to change in a big way but still retained his humanity unlike her. What really surprised her was how his appearance changed. His body grew taller now, several inches taller than he already was, so he was already towering over her a little. More than that, his body still kept that lean and toned MMA fighter type, and even with all that¡­ he just became more handsome. In her mind, Zeke was the cute neighbor boy that would come by and look after the house if he had the time. You can¡¯t help but admire him every once in a while. Now that neighbor boy grew up to be a dashing young man with a smile that just melts your heart. It was the different sort of good looks from Cloud who had that striking lawyer sort of look. Zeke had the gentle doctor look going on, which honestly fit him really well. And to make it even more awkward, Zeke was also staring at her¡­ hard. The two were staring hard at each other for a solid minute, getting Mikella to flush in realization. ¡°Uhh¡­¡± She spoke softly, only just seeing the idiot lords smirking at them from afar. Val even had the gall to put a hand over her mouth as though she was witnessing something scandalous. ¡°So¡­ what do you think? Do I look weird?¡± She didn¡¯t know what else to say so she only asked what he thought of the change. He must be pretty damn shocked to see her scales and wings, proving that she was a Draconian. However, he just kept staring at her, his now different colored eyes staring straight into hers. She only got more nervous. ¡°Zeke!¡± She called out, finally getting his attention. ¡°Seriously, how do I look? Anything weird?¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Zeke seemed to understand what was going on, but he still had that awed look in his eyes. Did she look that bad? ¡°I¡­ wow, you¡¯re gorgeous. I don¡¯t even know what else to say.¡± Mikella¡¯s eyes just stared at him blankly. The words just seeped into her mind, repeating themselves over and over. ¡°W-W-Where did that come from?!¡± Mikella said, trying (and failing) to cover her face with her hair. ¡°I was talking about my race!¡± ¡°Your race?¡± Zeke asked, as though that was the first he thought of it. ¡°What about it? You don¡¯t look any¨CHoly shit, you got wings.¡± Zeke just said the last part like he should¡¯ve realized it long ago, and now just starting to notice the scales and the literal wings behind her back. They weren¡¯t even hiding behind her, they were still showing with all their splendor. Did this boy seriously just ignore everything else and focused on her face? Not even at her improved body but at her face alone? She would¡¯ve smacked the shit out of him if her face could just stop feeling so damn hot that it would fry an egg. ¡°Wow, you really became a dragon¡­ or Draconian, right?¡± Zeke said, taking a double look at her now with new eyes. He still looked mesmerized. ¡°Oh, uhh¡­ you look great. Honestly, it kinda goes with it.¡± ¡°Seriously¡­?¡± Mikella let out a heavy breath, just now witnessing Cloud nodding his head in approval while Val silently clapped for Zeke¡¯s words. ¡°Well, thanks¡­ you look good too.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Zeke asked, sounding dumbfounded. He looked at himself. ¡°I didn¡¯t change that much. Now I look like an athlete doing a larping session.¡± Mikella giggled, trying to contain herself. Despite their changes, it didn¡¯t seem like they really changed on the inside. That¡­ and she was glad that he wasn¡¯t put off by the scales and wings. Apparently even if she had a major change, he only focused on the good points. ¡°Nice job, Zeke,¡± Cloud finally stepped up, slapping Zeke on the back. ¡°You did well in your duty as a man.¡± ¡°Wha¡­?¡± Zeke asked, again dumbfounded. ¡°What¡¯d I say?¡± ¡°That she looks good.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious? Just look at her! I know you got Val, but just look at her! She¡¯s gorgeous! Now I gotta work overtime fighting off the guys from wherever we¡¯re going next!¡± Cloud just continued to laugh at Zeke¡¯s supposed problem for the future while Mikella tried her best to not give Val anymore ammunition to embarrass her as she tried to crawl her flushing face down to herself like a turtle. ¡°Certainly, I was just going to ask Zeke to be on a lookout for men wanting Mikella for themselves,¡± Val said with a teasing smile. ¡°Perhaps Zeke should just take her for himself to avoid the trouble?¡± ¡°You think that alone would stop the guys from going after her?¡± Zeke asked as though it was a valid counterpoint. Val actually took it seriously with a considering face.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. ¡°Good point¡­¡± ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough!¡± Mikella shouted, swinging her hands down at them. ¡°I¡¯m done! I¡¯m gonna find Clara!¡± ¡°Wait! Let me come with you!¡± ¡°You stay right back, you slick bastard!¡± ¡°What¡¯d I say?!¡± Mikella just kept screaming at him while Zeke followed her. All the while, Cloud and Val just continued on staring at them with amused looks. ¡­.. ¡°Wow! Wow!¡± Clara kept screaming while looking at the two with eyes that seem to glitter like stars. She kept staring right up at Mikella and Zeke, all while running and spinning around them like a news helicopter trying to get coverage. ¡°You two look so cool!¡± Clara commented. ¡°Bobo, you got pointy ears! Sissy, you got huge titties!¡± Zeke¡¯s cheeks went bright red in response to her unashamed answer, but Mikella glowed with pride, even sticking out her chest in response. ¡°And you got wings¡­! Can I touch them? Pretty please?!¡± ¡°Alright, but don¡¯t touch them too hard. You might cut yourself.¡± Mikella warned. The scales on her body and wings were pretty tough, and she even experimented a little at their sharpness. They were like knives stuck to her body. Yet Clara touched them at all sorts of angles, nearly scaring Mikella before realizing that Clara wasn¡¯t getting hurt at all. Somehow, it was like the scales just became normal rather than sharpened, realizing that they can hurt others only if she wished to. That would make sense¨Chow else would Draconians care for their young? Then again, she never heard of Draconians before, let alone a Soul Elf of all things. Brucey, the little lazy bat, just slept on the coffee table when Clara went all crazy jumping about. Still, Mikella couldn¡¯t find it in her heart to annoy the cute little bastard, so all of them sat on the sofa, with Mikella standing on the side to avoid the sofa. It was going to be pretty annoying from getting used to these. She even had to rip the dress she was wearing to let her wings breath. They talked about what sort of choices they had before picking their eventual races. She was just as shocked to hear that Zeke only had one option available¨Celves, and every single variant on top of that. It didn¡¯t take him long to find the special variant that really meshed well with his path. On the other hand, Zeke was mortified to hear that she only got beastkin races. At least, that¡¯s what she wished he would react with¨Cinstead, he just laughed and said that even the system didn¡¯t think of her being fae-material. That got him a slap from her wings. She made sure not to cut him, but to send a message. Zeke was ready to spend his resting day studying up on the races they picked up. There were plenty of choices, so it was impossible to completely study every single one, and unfortunately the races they chose were the ones they didn¡¯t study up much on. While Mikella planned on what to do next, Zoan showed up, looking over at the two with her usual impassive stare. ¡°Congratulations you two,¡± She spoke, her silvery hair swerving left and right as she stared at both Zeke and Mikella. ¡°You picked excellent choices.¡± Mikella wanted to scoff at that. What other choice did they have but to push themselves? Still, she didn¡¯t want to get into it after just breaking through, and quite frankly, Zeke had a point about not picking a fight with an angel that was just doing her job. So if she wasn¡¯t going to be cool and offer more information regarding their supposed ¡®incoming trials¡¯, then she might as well start asking some real questions. ¡°Zoan, you know about these races? I know there were different types of elves, but I never heard of a Soul Elf. Also, what about the Draconians?¡± ¡°An excellent question to ask,¡± Zoan nodded, surprising Mikella at how agreeable she was. She sat over at the other side, with Clara running over and sitting right next to Zoan at the opposite sofa with a smile on her face. That stung Mikella a little. She was getting used to Clara being fond of Zoan, but she wished that she would just realize how dangerous she actually was. Granted, she was absolutely adorable like Clara, but she definitely wasn¡¯t Clara. At least, that¡¯s what Mikella kept thinking to herself as she stared at the twin-like pretend sisters as Zoan continued. ¡°First, Draconians. They are a nomadic race, those who traveled the skies and lived in various parts of the vast continent for hundreds of years. Despite their close connection to dragons, they don¡¯t actually live anywhere near the dragons. If anything, they ensure that they always stay away from the dragons if possible.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ weird,¡± Zeke answered. ¡°Why stay that far away?¡± ¡°Dragons are known to be prideful and territorial. Draconians are only just slightly less so. They have enough common sense to realize that living near dragons would reinforce their need to conquer their lands. As they are dragons, the Draconians knew a losing battle when they saw one. There would always be some ne''er-do-wells who believe they can turn the tide¡­ but none have survived to last throughout history.¡± ¡°So, in other words, they don¡¯t get along with each other, and one knows when to stay out of their way,¡± Mikella said, raising a brow. ¡°Kinda cowardly if you ask me.¡± ¡°Just don¡¯t start fighting dragons anytime soon,¡± Zoan protested. ¡°You¡¯re still only Level 60.¡± Mikella pursed her lips in agreement, nodding slightly. But that won¡¯t stay the same for long in her opinion. ¡°They are strong, wise, and know various types of magic. Due to their influence, they also try to stay away from other known civilizations. Though if anyone were to fight their tribes or clans to try and get them into their service, their homes would become the Draconians¡¯ new nest before they eventually leave as well.¡± ¡°So¡­ you¡¯re saying¨C¡± ¡°They killed everyone, including the children, to prove a point,¡± Zoan interrupted Zeke¡¯s answer, but nobody questioned her. ¡°That¡¯s how powerful they are.¡± ¡°Is Sissy gonna be like that?¡± Clara asked, her brows furrowing. Zoan only shook her head. ¡°Journeymen who have sub-races don¡¯t take the internal qualities that make up the race itself. Only their appearance and abilities. If that were the case, nobody would pick the races that were deemed too troublesome to deal with. That wasn¡¯t what the system intended.¡± Mikella widened at that, and she noticed Zeke¡¯s keen interest as well. That was the first time Zoan revealed something inherent about the system, the very interface they were using daily since their first day in the tower. ¡°As for Soul Elves, they are even rarer. While the Draconians are numerous and travel around, Soul Elves would live in the most isolated places. They live long lives and barely conceive, but some believe that they conceive by gathering all the mana in their vicinity and give birth through that.¡± ¡°Through the mana?¡± Zeke asked incredulously. ¡°I know it¡¯s possible, but just straight from mana itself?¡± ¡°Precisely,¡± Zoan nodded. An extremely rare smirk showing on her face. ¡°I always found Soul Elves to be true pioneers of magical theory and structure. Some say they were the ones who first discovered the aspects that make up the many attunements other people use today.¡± ¡°Whoa¡­¡± Zeke whistled. ¡°Wow, that¡¯s just like Bobo! It¡¯s the perfect thing for him,¡± Clara giggled, which got Zeke to chuckle awkwardly at the praise, his cheeks reddening slightly. ¡°So he picked a super smart race while I got a race filled with cowardly murderers. Yeah, that sounds about right,¡± Mikella said bitterly. She wasn¡¯t super serious, but she did feel a bit disappointed about hearing how the Draconians were. ¡°Sissy, that¡¯s why you¡¯re not good enough to be a fairy or elf. You¡¯re too brutal,¡± Clara said with a teasing grin. ¡°Oh, you little¨C¡± She jumped towards Clara, getting her to scream as she ran from Mikella¡¯s chase. It was good practice to run around in the living room and avoid hitting anything with her wings. She thought she might have to apologize to the lords for any cuts or broken things, but her high Dexterity made it almost impossible. She had a bit of an issue, but eventually she gained enough control to move her wings¨Ceven use them to her advantage as she easily caught Clara by the arms, hugged her tight with one arm, and spun her middle knuckle straight at the side of her head. ¡°Oww! Oww!¡± ¡°Say you''re sorry! Then the pain will stop!¡± Mikella growled, actually letting a real growl out which surprised her a little. ¡°Ahh! I¡¯m sorry! I¡¯m sorry!¡± ¡°Mikky, you¡¯re not exactly helping how much you¡¯re just like a Draconian right now,¡± Zeke chuckled, smiling at the two¡¯s antics. Mikella just glared hard at him and then let Clara go, leaving her to run even farther away from her. Zeke¡¯s eyes only widened in realization. ¡°Perhaps you¡¯re the one not deserving of the ¡®super smart race¡¯, Zeke.¡± Zoan commented, watching impassively at the two new Journeymen currently at odds, with the Draconian girl winning by a mile. Vol 3 Ch 15: Revamped tatoos and Zoans dismay ¡°Daaaaaaaammn.¡± The Fire Fairy drawled, whistling as she circled around the Draconian with her usually fiery eyes. Mikella just smirked with pride as she posed with one hand on her hip, pretending to be a supermodel. ¡°I knew you would come out incredible, but a dragon? You¡¯re always surprising me, Mikky.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that the usual?¡± Mikella replied with a grin. That got Myra to scoff. The girls were in the Lord¡¯s home, their friends visiting them at the moment to celebrate their advancement. Though only Myra and Piker visited, because apparently the other soldiers wouldn¡¯t be able to handle having so many Journeymen under one roof. Honestly she thought they were just chickening out. Though it might be possible she was ignoring the fact that, once hearing that she became something like a dragon, they instantly changed their minds. Bunch of wussies, really. Piker stood to the side, his towering icey form staring at Mikella with an impressed nod. Though he mostly stared at the wings behind her back. ¡°With the ability of flight now, you¡¯re even more dangerous to face. I can¡¯t even imagine fighting you now.¡± ¡°You can probably figure it out. Probably,¡± Mikella said, trying hard, and failing, to assure Piker of his own ability. ¡°Sure¡­¡± Piker shook his head, though there was that smile on his face. He was showing that a lot these days, particularly around Myra as she went back to him, her elbow placed on his thick arms with a rising grin. ¡°So, what¡¯s the plan? You still have a few days before you gotta leave, right?¡± Myra asked. ¡°Yep. Cloud and Val said that we gotta get used to our new bodies before going on any long journey. I can probably go now, but I do feel a bit weird sometimes.¡± ¡°Changing your race is pretty difficult to get over,¡± Piker said. ¡°I remember barely getting out of bed, and even wielding my sword strained me.¡± ¡°Thankfully I can do that now,¡± Mikella said with a grateful smile. ¡°I¡¯d be bored out of my mind if I can¡¯t swing my sword.¡± ¡°True that. By the way,¡± Myra turned her head left and right, her eyes searching. ¡°Where¡¯s Zeke? Is he in bed suffering like Piker did?¡± ¡°You also suffered too, you know,¡± Piker added, furrowing his eyes at Myra to which she shrugged casually. ¡°Oh, he¡¯s reapplying his tattoos. Said he felt weird without them, so he went back into making them. Seems pretty excited too. He wanted to improve them ever since he did it the first time.¡± Both Piker and Myra looked at her with widened eyes. Myra shivered, rubbing her exposed arms as she shook her head. ¡°He¡¯s willingly applying his rune tattoos now? A day after advancing? Is he a masochist or something?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Mikella wondered that too, and quite frankly, she had no right to say anything considering she often hurt him during their sparring sessions. ¡°Is it really safe to do that? Are the lords okay with this?¡± Piker asked, seemingly more concerned than flabbergasted. ¡°Oh, yeah. Cloud¡¯s there watching him like before. I saw how it was going on, and it was a lot more professional than I expected. It got a little boring for me since the two just kept talking about runes and shit, so that¡¯s why I¡¯m here playing with you guys.¡± ¡°M-Mind if we watch?¡± Myra asked, her eyes actually glowing in excitement. ¡°I wanna see how Zeke handles it. Maybe we can also do that.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Mikella said in an almost sing-songy voice. That made Myra roll her eyes. ¡°Zeke¡¯s gotten pretty daring these days. I think he¡¯s going further than before.¡± That immediately got the two¡¯s attention as Mikella led them towards where Zeke was applying his tattoos. ***** It was a familiar pain to him, something that he felt so long ago. It was familiar, but it had that same old bite that made his eyes tear up in a wince. He could have waited until his body was in its prime, but he felt naked, truly naked, without his tattoos. He felt he could die at any moment without them, so he ushered Cloud to help him out like before. Unlike last time, Cloud was just really there for emotional support. Thanks to Zeke¡¯s improvements, he can basically do his tattoos all by himself. Still, it was crazy to do this sort of thing without a buddy to help you in case shit went wrong. His right eye closed tight, a familiar sizzling reaching his ears the moment his skin was torn up by the pen in his hand. Though the pen wasn¡¯t really writing on his skin, but on a proxy made by his barrier and runes. What really cut him up was the tiny laser of pure mana made by another of his rune array barrier near his right forearm. This was so that he didn¡¯t have to be directly on his body part, and made it ten times easier to handle. Though considering that he was going through the similar old pain, Cloud was ensuring that he drew it precisely. The drawings were the newly revamped tattoo runes he made over the year, figuring he needed to update them to go along with his newfound power.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. There was that acrid smell of burnt skin and coppery blood, droplets of it falling to the wooden floor that was covered with a towel for this occasion. Another rune array, thankfully made by Cloud, cleaned up the excess blood to ensure Zeke can continue with his process. Zeke was still a bit off using his magic, so having some other mage help him out made it a lot more easier. All in all, it was a much better procedure than the last time. If he considered the last time being in some shady alley with an unlicensed and probably untrained tattoo artist messing up his body, this time he was at a reputable establishment with safety procedures in place to protect the client. It still hurt like hell though, and wondered constantly whether his Pain Resistance would go up once again. ¡°Zeke, you sure are made of some stern stuff,¡± Cloud whistled. Zeke noticed him shaking his head from his peripheral vision. ¡°Even I couldn''t handle this kind of thing when I broke through.¡± ¡°It just felt so weird without them,¡± Zeke admitted. Another wince passed through him as he started his next convoluted tattoo. ¡°I¡¯d feel so messed up if I don¡¯t do this as soon as possible.¡± ¡°I get that,¡± Cloud chuckled. It was a mirthful one, filled with understanding. ¡°No matter what anyone says, you gotta let a mage have his things. I don¡¯t care how hot or cold it is¨CI refuse to not keep my dozens and dozens of belts on hand. I¡¯d feel naked without them.¡± ¡°I feel you,¡± Zeke grinned. It felt shaky however from how his teeth gritted. ¡°At least I won¡¯t lose my tattoos.¡± ¡°Unless someone skins you alive,¡± Cloud grinned, causing Zeke to force himself to not shiver under the process. ¡°Don¡¯t mention that. It gives me the creeps knowing that someone with magic can actually do that shit!¡± Hearing Cloud laugh aloud as he began the process to clean up the blood made Zeke wonder whether Cloud enjoyed messing with people as much as Val. Was this a Journeymen thing? Is Zeke gonna do the same? He shook his head as he started the greatest work he would ever do, smiling as he did so ***** ¡°Holy shit¡­ yeah I can¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°I¡¯d be surprised if you still wanted to do it after watching this.¡± Myra shook her head in disbelief while Piker just looked at her as though she was crazy for even considering it. Meanwhile, Mikella watched from afar, knowing exactly how the process was going even without watching it. Zeke was always the sort to push himself if it meant progress. It was the reason why he managed to keep up and raise his Kinetic Perception and Unarmed Mastery to the max despite mages having some issues raising those specific skills. Pride swelled in her chest as she spotted Zeke beginning another complicated rune on his back of all things. With how his body is tensing up, his muscles became even more pronounced, leaving a very lasting impression from her side. ¡°Seriously though, Zeke¡¯s got some good muscles,¡± Myra commented off-handedly. ¡°It¡¯ll only be a matter of time before women will come and flock to him.¡± Whether Myra did so deliberately or not, that got Mikella¡¯s eyes widened. What would she do if that ever came to pass? She never even gave that a thought until now. ***** Zoan was in the middle between great emotions warring inside of her. On one side, she felt proud knowing that her mission was a success. On the other side, however, stress and anguish fought for her attention. A year passed since she got stuck in this insufferable body of a little girl that was supposed to be her vessel rather than her actual form. While she understood the reasoning for her decision, it was still aggravating. Aggravating, and also worrisome. Normally such a power wouldn¡¯t be possible on a young man that barely touched the surface of the system just a year prior. For attunements of a higher realm, she should¡¯ve realized just how dangerous and unpredictable they can be. But what is really worrying is how this happened in the first place. Even if the attunement was capable of absorbing her power, the fact that it managed to do so proved that something was wrong. Very wrong. The towers, the monsters inside the tower, the mana influx caused by said towers¡­ everything was going wrong in ways that she was never told about. Sitting on the sofa with a book in hand, a fascinating survey on the geological expedition done a hundred years ago that led to the discovery of the biodome that made an entire desert that could span across a large country, her mind wandered. This was the only way to pass the time as she cannot do anything in her current state and can only be patient for her power to return. But it was taking longer than absolutely necessary. At her stage, it shouldn¡¯t be possible for her powers not to return even after a whole year. Something was blocking her way to get it back. And it wasn¡¯t the attunement Zeke carried. No, something around her vicinity, or rather across the world of Tarial, was interrupting the process. The only thing she could think of is that the system made a flaw when designing the towers. Impossible enough to even believe in such a thing, that was her best guess. Otherwise, the towers reacting in such a way wouldn¡¯t have been possible. There was also the lack of her comrades from the otherworlders of the other towers. Even if they did perish, Zoan should have been notified when the angels failed in their duty. Granted, it took her longer than she wished to contact her own wards before leaving the tower, but that was within the margin of error she was told to be aware of before leaving the celestial realm. But this goes beyond the margin of error and straight into an emergency where she needed to contact her superior. Unfortunately, even in her reduced form, it was impossible to do so thanks to whatever it was that was interrupting them. Who, or what, could it be that was making such an issue for Zoan and the rest of the angels? Where were they, and if it was possible¨Chave they perished along with wards they were in charge of? All of these questions filled her mind all while she tried to answer the very same questions her wards were asking her. She wasn¡¯t being deceitful when she made an oath of silence to avoid answering the otherworlders¡¯ inquiries regarding their duty. But even if she did have the answers, the current circumstances would make them moot. So for now, the best she could do is to figure it out on her own, which was becoming incredibly taxing as no amount of books she read would give her the answers. That, and ensuring that the wards were still safe was still part of the mission, regardless of how the situation came out. ¡°Zoan!¡± A highly excited voice rang out, forcing Zoan to turn around from reading her book to spot Clara and Ana there, Clara waving at her with her eyes glittering like fireflies. ¡°Zoan! Come on over! There¡¯s this dress that I wanna see you in before we leave!¡± As Clara said, she pulled out what looked like a rather flowy pink dress, showing it off as though it was the greatest thing imaginable. On the side, Ana smiled like a cheshire cat, giggling to herself for the possible ¡®fun¡¯ time she¡¯ll have while watching Zoan. Truly, regardless of the situation, Zoan has to take care of her wards, even if it means trying to get along with the young Clara¡¯s wishes. Though she did try to hide her twitching right eye as she forced herself away from her book-reading. Vol 3 Ch 16: New changes but same place Once their rest day was over, the next day was spent to fully test out their capabilities. Zeke created a field with his barrier, which has jumped up in its potency thanks to his advancement. As the two newly-made Journeymen stepped inside, they began to spar like usual¨Cthe only difference now was that they were both more powerful than ever before. As usual, Mikella was the sort to go all out right from the get-go. But he honestly couldn¡¯t had it any other way. Even in the midst of Zeke¡¯s own barrier, ensuring the safety of their surroundings, it was enough to cause the ground to shutter from their pummeling might. Mikella swung her sword to tackle at Zeke¡¯s weak spots, which was generally his head or heart. Her Dragon Eyes glowed with a passionate yellow, her manic grin riddled with dragon scales terrifying to look at for common men. To Zeke, it was an alluring gaze that he can¡¯t seem to keep away from. He really needed to focus as the sword almost took off the corner of his head. His senses flared as the intensity of the fight grew. Her attacks multiplied, her sword transcending beyond common sense. Zeke wasn¡¯t sure whether it was due to Mikella¡¯s improvements of all her weapon masteries to Rare or due to her improved body, but her attacks were sharper and weightier than before. But Zeke also improved by leaps and bounds. His new rune tattoos flared, activating his Dexterity to the fullest. He also realized a few things along with his various bouts with Mikella throughout the year, thus enforcing both his Strenght and Endurance buffs as well. Her sword swung straight down at his right shoulder, getting him to tilt his body in a precise manner to avoid the blade. He kept repeating the same action, each swing occuring half a microsecond at a time which would just be a blur to the naked eye. At the same time, his Unarmed Mastery took over as his used his open palms and wrist to re-direct the flat blade of the sword away from his body, allowing him even better control over his dodges. He realized that just upping his Dexterity doesn¡¯t necessarily make him fast. Without the foundation, the body can¡¯t work properly. Without the proper Strength, there would be no direction that would help his body move in a proper way he wanted. At the same time, without Endurance, his body would break apart from the sheer amount of force necessary. But what he learned the most was that it didn¡¯t work out properly if he only put his physical points at the exact same number. With a higher Dexterity, medium Strength, and lower Endurance, he found he could move faster and easier, allowing him to avoid using up so much stamina during a fight. While redirecting her sword strikes with his fists, high Endurance, medium Dexterity, and low Strength would aid a lot more than just with high Dexterity and Strength. Thanks to his new updated rune buffs, he could easily alter the way his body needs the stats to be in the middle of combat, which was absolutely necessary as Mikella¡¯s new improvements only made it difficult without them. Keeping her busy, Zeke¡¯s Parallel Thought took over his floating pens, drawing on a conjured barrier below them without her knowing. But just as Zeke thought he got the upperhand, Mikella immediately ceased attacking and drove her sword straight down¨Cright at Zeke¡¯s conjured barrier where his pens were drawing a rune. Which was exactly what Zeke planned. As soon as her sword broke through the barrier, the runes had already activated and a whirlwind of fiery butterbirds flowed, surrounding Mikella in a heartbeat. She growled, realizing her mistake of being played by Zeke as he jumped backwards to get some distance. Zeke thought about using his new skill, Aether Blast, at her. But considering his attunement was responsible for transforming it, he didn''t want to risk it going out of control. Instead, he prepared several rune-etched barriers to launch a multitude of spells straight after Mikella. Within the swirl of distracting and literally flaming butterbirds, a pair of outstretched dragon wings appeared amidst the flames. Mikella then flapped her new wings and blew away the entire stream of butterbirds into non-existence, flying up all the way into the air and missing every spell that went after her. Zeke cursed as he looked up to find Mikella trying hard to keep herself into the air. She was actually flying, but it was harder than it looked. Zeke knew he could easily take advantage, but decided to take it easy to let her spread her wings, quite literally in this case. She faltered, her right wing flapping more than her left, causing her imbalance as her body flew up and down in a frenzy. She was gritting her teeth, showing actual fangs from her transformation, as she tried to keep herself steady and graceful to no avail. ¡°You good?¡± Zeke shouted, cupping his hands to the sides of his mouth. ¡°Shut up!¡± Mikella snapped back, her voice loud and shrill. ¡°You¡¯re ruining my focus!¡± ¡°Hehe, Sissy, you gotta flap both wings equally! You want Brucey to teach you some tips?¡± Zeke turned to the side to spot Clara watching with glee in her eyes at her flailing sister. Brucey himself actually looked over her shoulder, his tiny head and eyes peering at Mikella with actual disappointment on his face. When Brucey chirped near Clara¡¯s ear, Clara responded. ¡°See? Even Brucey is disappointed in you!¡± ¡°Shut it, Brucey! I only just got my wings two days ago!¡± Mikella shouted, this time sounding more than disturbed over Brucey¡¯s comment. Zeke just shook his head as Mikella finally managed to keep herself steady, though she had to stand ramrod straight in mid-air with her arms extended to the side T-posing for all to see. Her wings stood straight as well, causing her to glide ever so slowly downwards. With that, she picked up the pace and flapped her wings once, twice, slowly and ever so surely keeping them in a steady rhythm. Despite her screaming and flailing, she was already doing a plethora more progress than anyone with wings can do on their first day. Seeing her, Zeke decided to do the same. It was time to reveal his newfound masterpiece to the world (AKA Clara and Mikella). His arms spread wide, he closed his eyes as he channeled his mana straight into a new rune tattoo he hadn¡¯t put in before. His mana surged all the way across to his back, where his newly complex rune array lay at. It took over several hours of mind-numbingly painful carving, with Cloud adding in some necessary input¨Cbut it was finally possible. The runes on his back glowed intensely, enough for them to show through his shabby battle robes as a burst of air flowed from his person. The runes did their job as the magic flowed all around him, creating a sort of ¡®field¡¯ that surrounded only Zeke¡¯s entire body and nothing else. Otherwise, it would ramp up the mana consumption. What he created on his back was something like a nexus for all of his rune tattoos. If his runes on his arms and legs were the individual rune arrays, then the rune on his back was the literal backbone for all of his runes. It was what made the interchanging stat gains across the status board a lot easier than normal, and there were other benefits as well.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. The ¡®nexus¡¯ portion on his back wasn¡¯t just to increase his stat gains and control. It would become the foundation for most of his runic spells. In one way, he could create a runic spell with his pens, but the foundation tattooed on his back can increase the power of the spell outside of the normal Intelligence stat gains from his tattoos. It could also make some of the more complex spells, like altering light and shadows which are more intangible than the normal elements, feasible to work with. In other words, it was a ¡®general everyday use¡¯ type of rune array that could make all sorts of spells possible. Inspired by Mikella, he made several effects come into place. First, he made his body weight almost like a cloud, keeping him aloft. Next, he made a rune spell with a barrier placed on his body to fill it with air mana. It worked almost like a healing spell, and with Zeke¡¯s experience with seeing the inner parts, it didn¡¯t do any damage to his own body and instead helped him become even better lifted. Though that alone was enough to consume 80% of the entire rune array mana consumption. Using that air mana allowed him to also make short bursts of propulsions from his hands and feet. So, in short¨Che created a flying spell. His feet were lifted off of the earth, sending his stomach dropping and his heart beating like a drum as he slowly floated upwards. Inch by inch, his breathing ramped up as his excitement soon took over. Finally, as though they had only just noticed¨Cthe girls turned to him in surprise. And screamed in the same manner. ¡°Holy shit!¡± ¡°Wow! Bobo! You can fly?!¡± Mikella shouted, actually becoming flustered enough to cause her wings to go out of order and making her flail again. Clara kept jumping and shouting, though Brucey just laid on the jumping shoulders not even giving a flying hoot that a man was flying. Zeke laughed maniacally, his inner child roaring in satisfaction and even his adult senses were forgotten as he spun around, and even did a flip over and over with no issues. Granted, he was a little too hesitant in ramping up the speed, and even with this slow amount equaling to a snail¡¯s pace, his mana was draining like a faucet flowing out of a sink. But he was actually flying. With a bit more work with his other rune buffs, he could actually keep this up for longer periods of time. And the stronger he gets, the more power he could put into the flying array, as he and Cloud calls it. Seeing Mikella trying, and failing, to keep still, Zeke floated over to her side and caught her. It nearly took both of them out of the air as her body messed up his own rhythm, but after a bit of flailing about, the two finally managed to stay still in the air. His hands holding onto her own, he stared at her in wonder with her doing the same for him. ¡°Guess you¡¯re not the only one needing to learn how to fly,¡± Zeke chuckled, knowing exactly how corny he was being and reveling in it. ¡°Oh my god, Zeke, I hate you so much,¡± Mikella said, though her smile was plastered on her face, absolutely glowing in delight. ¡°It took me to become a Draconian to fly, but here you are already.¡± ¡°Well, someone¡¯s gotta keep an eye on you while you¡¯re flying about,¡± Zeke grinned, and Mikella pushed hard on his shoulder, letting him go and causing him to stumble and flail about on his own while trying to use propulsions to keep steady. It was a lot harder than it looked. ¡°Mean!¡± Zeke shouted back, his eyes spinning but still noticed Mikella sticking a tongue out at him. God, she was cute when she did that. ¡°Bobo! Sissy! Let me in! I wanna fly too!¡± Seeing the little girl totally ecstatic, the bout was considered over as Zeke turned off the barrier, allowing the now flying Clara to come towards them. Brucey¡¯s wings were as majestic as usual, becoming as large as Mikella¡¯s own dragon wings with Brucey¡¯s tiny head still laying over Clara¡¯s shoulder. It turned out it was a special feature for Brucey, built specifically to carry someone over no matter their size. Zoan¡¯s explanation about Brucey¡¯s abilities also mentioned that as long as it continues to grow, it would unlock more abilities to aid in Clara¡¯s survival. So it was no wonder that Brucey was a well-welcomed addition to the Ashton family. The family themselves then had their own private flying lesson, with Clara being the teacher for once as she¨Cdespite Brucey doing most of the work of flying¨Cactually provided some good advice on how to handle flying with their bodies. It was a surreal experience, but he actually learned quite a bit, and he could tell that Clara was totally ecstatic to finally teach them a thing or two. Mikella, on the other hand, still had some big sister ego as she tried to learn on her own terms, only to actually end up falling straight into the ground. Zeke could have helped her by stopping her descent into the dirt with his barriers¡­ But he didn¡¯t. He wanted Mikella to learn her lesson about taking advice from Clara. That did not earn him any favors as Mikella now decided to chase him in the ruse of playing air tag. Clara, of course, joined in on the fun, and now¨Csomehow¨Cthe two girls were chasing Zeke around the air. Seeing his own work, Zeke didn¡¯t consider using flight anymore. It was just too much of a mana drain, and just walking on his barriers would be better for height advantage and cost barely nothing. Still, it was a pretty fun learning experience. ¡­.. The otherworlders sat beside each other, Clara happily playing with Brucey when Ana came around. Zoan, as usual, was probably at home reading a book as far as Zeke could guess. He didn¡¯t think of her being such a bookworm, but he supposed even angels had hobbies when their powers were sapped. Zeke was currently regenerating his resources with an off-hand Meditation, feeling that if he ever wanted to advance his skill, he¡¯s going to need to put a full stop on everything else and focus on that. But he never felt the need to do so since his main resource, mana, is constantly regenerating at a rapid pace. Mikella stood by, breathing smoothly without breaking a single sweat. Her Journeyman body made even that little inconvenience disappear just as he had. ¡°Man, I wish this can just go on forever,¡± Mikella finally said, her eyes peering over at Clara with a glowing smile. ¡°Just figuring out how this stuff works and eventually getting stronger without any worries.¡± Zeke wanted to agree, he really did. But the more he wished for a life like that, the more he found himself thinking how and why he was there. He knew Mikella felt the same as soon as her smile disappeared and a frown replaced it. ¡°Wow, even saying it feels cringey.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with looking forward to anything,¡± Zeke said, but Mikella tilted her head. ¡°I know. But I have to ignore literally every problem that is coming for us. I don¡¯t like that Cronus guy, and I don¡¯t like the idea of leaving because we¡¯re forced to. It feels no different than when we first arrived here.¡± Zeke winced. ¡°Yeah¡­ you¡¯re right. But, at least we¡¯re stronger this time. And we have a lot of value compared to before. Cronus isn¡¯t just going to throw us away or anything like that.¡± ¡°I guess. I still want to just have a normal life¨Cat least, a normal life for a warrior on an adventure or something. Not this whole tower stuff that is actually messing up the world.¡± ¡°True¡­¡± Zeke closed his eyes. ¡°Having a house would be nice too. Just having our own place, leave it with some self-maintenance runes and go on an adventure, then come back to a clean house ready to rest in¡­¡± ¡°Sounds like a dream,¡± Mikella smiled, resting her head on top of her arm while huddled to her knees. ¡°I certainly wouldn¡¯t mind that. I still feel like crap for freeloading Cloud and Val¡¯s home all this time. Maybe it¡¯s better this way.¡± ¡°Yeah, and we keep eating their food too,¡± Zeke grimaced. ¡°Plus, they might be married for a long time, but I hate having to take their privacy away like that.¡± ¡°They sure seem like it doesn¡¯t bother them,¡± Mikella admitted. ¡°But I still don¡¯t like it. Still, I wish we could leave on better terms¡­¡± Zeke and Mikella had this kind of discussion before, and just as always, they divulged straight into depressing themselves. That¡¯s why they usually spar it out to avoid thinking of the future like that. Otherwise, it¡¯s coming right back to getting depressed over how little control they actually have over their lives. Just when Zeke was about to change the topic, his senses caught wind of someone he recognized coming from behind him. Being in the barrier of the town, Zeke could feel some folks¡¯ mana signatures, and he recognized this sort of mana instantly. He turned around, realizing that Mikella had already turned to face the new person walking towards them. Clara looked back, her eyes widening with Brucey instantly hiding behind her¨Cbut then quickly popping his head up and glaring at the newcomer, ready to strike him down with his tail. ¡°¡­ You¡¯re back,¡± Zeke said, his eyes widening at the surprise visitor. ¡°Is that really so surprising?,¡± Zyler said with a hearty chuckle, raising a hand. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I come after hearing you two got into Journeymen?¡± Vol 3 Ch 17: Zyler and Diaga Zyler¡¯s sudden appearance made everyone tense up, but seeing the easy smile on his face, the otherworlder relaxed. While he doesn¡¯t visit often, Zyler eventually does visit Eve Glade throughout the year. Ever since the biodome was taken, Bastion has signed on as Eve Glade¡¯s ally and defected from the Federation. Due to that, there were loads of issues that popped up that took Zyler¡¯s attention. Most of which was that the Lord of Bastion had perished, so Zyler took over the mantle of taking care of Bastion. While at a glance, one can easily notice how Zyler is the least likely to be a leader of a whole city, but apparently he did a lot of good work on handling his city¡¯s vast changes, which included doing away Roderick¡¯s former policies forcing extreme labor from anyone under the Expert stage. Zyler became rather popular thanks to that, and the city actually flourished, though everyone in Eve Glade can tell he didn¡¯t do it alone. There were plenty of other officers in the city that helped, some of them being included in visiting Eve Glade over the deal they made for the sake of their alliance. Thanks to Eve Glade¡¯s biodome and Attribute Tree, Bastion became even more thankful and became an ally that Eve Glade can rely on, especially on the trade of rare minerals and ores that Bastion has a good monopoly on. While most of that went over Mikella¡¯s head, she can at least tell that Zyler is no longer an enemy to worry about. Now, as for liking the guy, that was another thing entirely¨Cbut that''s besides the point. She crossed her arms over her chest, staring at the man who clearly took a good long look at the two of them. It wasn¡¯t even something out of lust when Zyler took a glance at her body. She could tell¨CZyler was appraising her fighting capabilities. There was that glint in his eyes that Mikella understood to be clear excitement for the next time they spar. He gave the same sort of glance to Zeke, who didn¡¯t really notice it as much before Clara spoke up. ¡°Hi, Zyler!¡± Clara shouted, getting his attention. His face immediately shifted into a goofy grin. ¡°Hey there little cub. I see you¡¯re growing up into a fine young woman. How¡¯s the little bat?¡± ¡°Brucey¡¯s fine,¡± Clara beamed at his compliment, patting the sleepy Brucey near her shoulder. ¡°He¡¯s growing big and fat because he sleeps so much.¡± ¡°Well, having someone like you around, it¡¯s no wonder he looks comfortable,¡± Zyler grinned, reminding Mikella over and over how strangely big-brotherly he was. ¡°You heard about us becoming Journeymen? How?¡± Zeke asked, too curious to stop. ¡°We only just broke through two days ago.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s one of the reasons why I¡¯m here, actually. Another reason is that I¡¯m here as a messenger of sorts. I also heard that you two are headed to this magic place called Arcelot, right?¡± The otherworlders stared at Zyler for a brief, panicked moment. How the hell did he figure that out? Even if Mikella can guess that Cloud or Val told Zyler about them breaking Journeymen as a kind gesture¨Cthere was no way they would spill the beans about their forced visit to Arcelot. ¡°How¡­?¡± ¡°Like I said, it¡¯s part of that reason. It¡¯ll only make sense once I bring you over to the lords¡¯ house. I also brought someone along with me who gave me that info.¡± Mikella wanted so very hard to drill the information she got out of this man with whatever means necessary, but Zeke had that look in his eyes as if he figured something out. ¡°The seer¡­¡± Zeke whispered. ¡°I remember Cloud saying the only way you found out about the biodome is because you had a seer. And she¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Yep,¡± Zyler nodded. This time, there was no easy smile or feral grin. It was a serious frown that took away all humor. ¡°My sister¡¯s here. So come on, let¡¯s not waste any time.¡± ***** Hearing the news got the otherworlders to follow Zyler straight to the lords¡¯ home. It wasn¡¯t something new¨Cthey often met up there for official/casual business, where they often met up with the dignitaries of the kingdom and dealt with their policies regarding the biodome. Going through the hubbub of the town that had risen up in its popularity thanks to the biodome, Mikella knew that it was thanks to Zyler¡¯s aid that half of this was possible. It was unbelievable how often their ores and materials were needed to help the newcomers to get accustomed with various facilities. Though they refused to get any of their workers since the citizens still felt a bit wary thanks to their actions the past year. Still, Zyler was considered rather popular here as well as the other citizens knew of his coming and even greeted him. That didn¡¯t really upset Mikella as it did the first time. While Zyler was the son of the lord that had ordered the attack on Eve Glade, it was clear he wasn¡¯t responsible. Sure, he was an ass that almost killed them if he had the chance, but he proved his loyalty by ensuring the alliance was done peacefully, putting down his own dissenters over working with Eve Glade and deserting the Federation if needed.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. Still, despite a whole year of knowing the guy, this was the first time she ever heard of him having a sister. And now she is here? It was no wonder how Zyler treated Clara felt so similar to a big brother. He was one himself. When they got inside the house, Val was the first to be seen as she turned to the door opening to find them. ¡°So he did pick you two up,¡± Val said. ¡°I was worried and thought he was gonna start some trouble in town.¡± ¡°Hey come on, I know I look roguishly handsome, but I¡¯m no rogue,¡± Zyler snapped back with such a quick retort that Mikella had to give respect. Val only rolled her eyes as she allowed them into the living room. When the two entered, they saw Cloud meeting face to face with another person. A woman draped in fabric that covered her entire body. She looked slender, almost small as though it could¡¯ve been a dwarf or any other small-sized race. But after turning around to face her, she was truly human. Despite being clothed, Mikella¡¯s sharp eyes could see the exhaustion and riddled tiredness in her eyes. They were decked in bags and her cheeks were hollow. She looked as though she spent years in a cave trying to survive with the barest of supplies. But despite her horrid state, when she saw the two appear in front of her, the woman smiled faintly, bright enough to counter her physical appearance. ¡°It is good¡­ to officially see you two,¡± The woman spoke up, her voice sounding more tired than her appearance led to belief. ¡°My name¡­ is Diaga. I¡¯m sure you have¡­ already met my brother before¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk too much,¡± Zyler warned, but his eyes showed clear concern. ¡°You¡¯ll wear yourself out faster.¡± The woman, Diaga, only huffed slightly. She sounded annoyed, but Mikella couldn¡¯t help but agree. Even the way she spoke sounded like she was running on fumes. Just what on earth happened to her to make her end up in such a way? ¡°You two, sit down. She has something important to discuss,¡± Cloud said, gesturing to Diaga. ¡°I know this is sudden, but she¡¯s the Seer for Bastion.¡± ¡°We heard from Zyler,¡± Zeke offered, but his eyes still turned to the tired woman out of concern. ¡°But she¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s the result of overusing the Divination skill granted by the Seer Class,¡± Zyler explained, crossing his arms as he stayed standing. Even if there were available chairs, he refused to stay away from the seer. ¡°It¡¯s how my old man managed to find out how to get to the biodome. Also, the more specific the divination, the more intense the drawback.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Mikella held up her hand to her mouth in shock. ¡°How can he do that to his own daughter? That¡¯s just¡­¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t just me¡­¡± Diaga shook her head, the cloth almost as flowy as her near-skeletal frame. ¡°My mother was also¡­ a Seer like me. The maternal side of our family is born with¡­ an innate talent for divining the future¡­¡± ¡°And your mother¡­?¡± Zeke asked, though it was clear to the two siblings what had occurred. ¡°She took the brunt of the blows, and after she passed, dear old daddy passed the torch onto her,¡± Zyler answered again. Despite his words, there was no love for either of the two. Mikella decided to not peer into that. ¡°She¡¯s here because she wanted to¡­ apologize, I guess.¡± ¡°You know why, brother,¡± Diaga scolded, furrowing at Zyler. ¡°What we have done to them¡­ was unforgivable. I see¡­ no reason why I should not also¡­ try to reconcile with them.¡± ¡°You have no reason to,¡± Zyler admitted, shaking his head. ¡°But what¡¯s done is done. Go ahead, tell them.¡± Diaga looked more than exhausted just from dealing with her brother, so she turned to the otherworlders. Despite the tired look in her eyes, the way she gazed at them made Mikella¡¯s insides shiver. It was almost like she could see right through them, even at her state. She didn¡¯t seem to be anywhere near Journeymen, but despite that, she still sent shivers down her bones. ¡°I¡¯ve come to offer my sincere greetings and gratitudes to Eve Glade¡­ Over the year, Eve Glade had done nothing but help us in our time of need despite our actions in the beginning¡­ That is why I wanted to visit personally¡­ but my health had only gotten worse. I have finally been able to move¡­ so I wanted to take advantage as much as I can.¡± The young woman kept speaking, and all Mikella could think of was how bad she felt for the town after what happened. Of course she would never blame her for what her shitty dad did, but unfortunately that¡¯s not how it works in her mind. She kept quiet as Diaga continued. ¡° I also wanted to give you what I know from my skills. I believe that¡­ before you head into Arcelot, you should know¡­ about the towers.¡± Mikella looked back at her in awe, and Zeke leaned in closer to her. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Zeke asked. ¡°You know about the towers?¡± ¡°I know¡­ not of their origins, or their making, but their purpose,¡± Diaga explained, seemingly having no clue on what she was even talking about. Yet she spoke with more conviction than she led on. ¡°Their presence alone¡­ is almost otherworldly.¡± The two stayed absolutely quiet, not wanting to comment on that particular wording as Diaga continued. ¡°They contain vast amount of power unlike¡­ anything I have ever felt before. I have¡­ decided to peer closer to their futures by following your¡­ Mana signatures.¡± ¡°Mana signatures?¡± Mikella asked, to which Zeke promptly answered. ¡°It¡¯s sort of like our unique identity. Nobody else in the world has the same Mana signature as another. There¡¯s a lot of observational skills that have the ability to discern that¡­ but this is the first I heard of someone using it to divine a future.¡± ¡°Her type of Seer Class allows her to follow a person¡¯s future to an extent,¡± Cloud helpfully explained. ¡°While difficult, she can also follow a person¡¯s signature even from far away. Though¡­ I still don¡¯t understand why you went as far as trying to find these two¡¯s futures.¡± ¡°I do not know myself¡­ but when I tried to divine the future of the two who¡­ my brother spoke of so fondly, I realized that these towers¡­ aided me slightly in my skill. It was¡­ too tantalizing to stop.¡± ¡°Did that¡­ made you end up like this?¡± Mikella asked, sounding more afraid of the answer. ¡°No, this was¡­ from divining the location of the biodome¡¯s precise location,¡± Diaga said tiredly, an empty smile showing on her dried lips. ¡°But I figured that¡­ along with my greetings, I wish to share valuable information¡­ about the towers. How there are¡­ two towers in your future.¡± Vol 3 Ch 18: Fate at work ¡°Two towers¡­ you¡¯re serious?¡± Zeke asked, his brows furrowing deep in thought. ¡°That is¡­ what I see¡­¡± Diaga said, but her voice soon trailed as her head bobbed back and forth. She tried to shake it off, but Zyler soon came in and put a hand on her shoulder. ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± Zyler said in finality. ¡°I¡¯ll explain the rest.¡± Nobody complained as even Diaga couldn¡¯t help but agree, though her face grimaced in reluctance. Zeke can¡¯t imagine what a horrible state she was in, and tried his hardest not to peer through her with his Restoration skill. Even from a distance, he could peer through into someone¡¯s entire inner workings with his Legendary skill. Even if he could, quite easily thanks to her frail state¡­ he didn¡¯t like the idea of peering into someone¡¯s body without their consent. Zeke kept learning from Cloud and Val that with all the power they could have, it was important to find the balance between using them effectively and abusing them for selfish reasons. Zyler stepped over, sitting right beside Diaga with his big bulk. She tried to push him back, but she might as well be hitting a wall with her meager Strength. She only huffed as Zyler completely ignored her and pulled out what looked like a rolled up parchment out of his storage pack. They were seriously acting like a true sibling duo from the way they act, which completely took Zeke off his game. It kind of reminded him of Mikella and Clara, who also sat quietly beside Mikella with a careful stare once the towers came up into the conversation. As he opened the parchment wide and placed it on top of the small table in front of them, everyone stared at the map that had been drawn probably by hand. There were some clear inaccuracies, at least to Zeke¡¯s eyes, and it looked like a drawing a child would make. But that didn¡¯t matter to him. What did matter were large red X¡¯s on the north and the south-west. The strange place they were drawn on looked more like a wobbly island surrounded by a blue coloring. That made Zeke pause as he realized what he was actually looking at. ¡°Is this a map of Arcelot? Or close to it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not exactly a master cartographer,¡± Zyler rolled his eyes with a smirk. ¡°So I can only tell you that if you were at the very center of this place, these are where those weird towers should be. I can¡¯t tell you exactly where they are, or how far they are, but they¡¯re there. No doubt about it.¡± Diaga nodded her head approvingly, proving that he was right. This was most likely drawn with Diaga¡¯s interpretation of her vision, at least according to her skills. After Cloud looked at it even closer, he nodded to himself as he stood up and rapidly headed over to the other room. After a few seconds of rummaging sounds echoing across, he returned with his own parchment¨CA much more glistening, nearly expensive looking rolled up paper than Zyler¡¯s own. After sitting back down, Cloud spread the map over Zyler¡¯s hand-drawn map, revealing a much more detailed map. Despite the texture of the map feeling glossy and appearing brand new, there were signs of old age as Cloud wiped off any dust from the surface. After settling it down a few times, then lifting the paper to see the red X¡¯s for himself, he pulled out a normal pen and marked two giant X¡¯s on his own map. Zeke peered closer to find that the map was an official Arcelot map. Since it belonged to a special pocket dimension, normally this kind of map would be expensive. But considering that they came from Arcelot, it made sense that they still have an old map available. After Cloud and Val muttered to themselves about this, they nodded at the result. ¡°Thank you for this,¡± Cloud said. ¡°My Master would surely reward you if you tell him this information.¡± ¡°I would love to get a reward, but unfortunately that¡¯s not up to me,¡± Zyler thumbed at his sister. ¡°This is her gift for these two because she wanted to. It¡¯s mostly for them since she thinks they can get stronger by visiting there. I¡¯m also pretty damn curious as to how that¡¯s possible, considering there was the same tower back at the biodome. I always thought that place was bad news, but was it actually a dungeon?¡± Zeke and Mikella frowned, unable to really answer that. There were a lot of things people would be curious about the towers, and only those who knew of their history knew how valuable¨Cand dangerous¨Cthey truly are. After everyone stayed silent on the matter, even the lords, Zyler just shook his head. ¡°Alright, I guess that¡¯s too much to ask. At least remember us when you plunder for booty, will ya?¡± ¡°Brother¡­ gross,¡± Diaga said with as much of a disgusted look on her face as a regular sister would. Zyler scoffed at her, making a silly face at her. ¡°Thank you¡­¡± Zeke nodded. He was thankful that Zyler had enough tact not to ask too many questions. Especially since despite how they¡¯re allies now, this level of information was something they rather not let everyone know, even if apparently everyone is finding out who they really are these days. After picking up the map for himself, the two looked like they finished their business and were about to stand. As Zyler helped the struggling Diaga off the couch, suddenly, Mikella spoke up. ¡°Hey, Diaga¡­ is it possible to heal you?¡± Her words caught everyone¡¯s attention, and both Zyler and Diaga turned back to her as if she had gone mad. ¡°...I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s¡­ impossible,¡± Diaga said regretfully. She smiled, showing that she was thankful for her thoughtfulness. ¡°But this level of¡­ damage is irreparable. Damage done to the body by Seer skills are¡­ unable to be healed by normal means. And¡­ no amount of concoctions or potions can heal this¡­ I¡¯m certain.¡± Zyler stayed quiet, glaring hard at the otherworlders. Rather, he seemed to be staring hard at Zeke, as though Mikella¡¯s words rang through to him. Zeke stared hard at Diaga instead, looking at her in a different light. Then when he noticed Mikella staring back at him, she stayed silent, but it was enough to know what she was thinking. ¡°Come on Zeke, you know you want to,¡± Mikella said, smirking at him. ¡°It¡¯s good enough to try, right?¡± Zeke¡¯s eyes widened, realizing that she pretty much saw through him. Even without speaking, she noticed how he wanted to help her, even when he tried his hardest to keep his bleeding heart under control.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. But he knew enough to know that they would have already tried using all sorts of methods to heal her damage. Asking to see if they can do it better sounded impossibly condescending. Considering that he was caught red-handed, however, he nodded. He approached the two siblings, and Zyler immediately stood in front of him. He kept glaring at him, but there wasn¡¯t any hostile intent in his eyes. He looked up at the large man, being a head below him despite his advancement, as he spoke up. ¡°Zyler, I got a healing skill that lets me see what¡¯s wrong with their bodies. If it¡¯s okay with you and Diaga, can I check her state?¡± ¡°...Would it hurt?¡± Zyler asked. He sounded helpless, but he still tried his hardest to be careful. ¡°Not even our best healers can restore her back to how she was.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I can even compare to a healer who has years of experience, but if it helps¡­ My skill is at Legendary rarity thanks to advancing to Journeyman.¡± That was definitely enough to get Zyler to step back in shock. His eyes widened, then he breathed as he stepped aside. Diaga herself looked at him as though she was witnessing a miracle, but Zeke ignored that as he approached her with careful steps. Standing near a few feet in front of her, he looked at her as a proper healer would. ¡°Diaga, may I have permission to see?¡± ¡°...Yes, go ahead. Though¡­ do not feel bad if you are not able to help me¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯ll see about that.¡± Zeke said without hesitation as he flared Restoration. His eyes glowed a bright bluish-green hue, both different colored eyes showing the same color as he peered straight into her. Diaga froze after seeing his stare, but he slowly got over her surprised face as he stared deeply into her inner workings. Thanks to his upgrade, his vision became a lot clearer than before. If before was like peering at a low-quality X-ray, he felt like he was actually there, both metaphysical and far away. Rather than just looking at the person¡¯s channels, he could see shapes that were organs and other parts of the body. He had free range to see every single thing inside a person or object, and that was why he was hesitant to use this skill on anyone unwilling to share. But after finally seeing her inner workings, he couldn¡¯t escape from gasping. It was utterly devoid of life and vigor. The channels that traveled all over her body were estranged, some engorged beyond measure, and one that was utterly spent. Those are her life channels. The one that contained life energy or Health. Her kinetic channels or stamina looked fine as far as Zeke could tell, though clearly it was weaker than the average Expert mage. The only conduit that was more than fine, if not completely overgrown, are her magical channels, her mana. Even at this distance, it looked like it could completely fill her body up to the brim, and that wasn¡¯t a good sign. That didn¡¯t mean she had exponentially powerful mana. It meant that her mana was nearly killing her from the inside. Worst of it was that her engorged magical lines were entrenched deep around her brain. As though her Seer Class required more than just any average body part, it focused entirely on the primal organ necessary for information. There were also plenty of those hungry channels around her heart and intestines, as though the visions required more than just her mind to comprehend them. As the silence grew from his side, Mikella spoke up through his vision. It was like hearing someone from the outside while wearing huge goggles making him get tunnel vision. ¡°What¡¯s up? How bad are we talking about?¡± She asked. He couldn¡¯t see her right now, but he could tell she wasn¡¯t as confident as she sounded before. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ pretty bad,¡± Zeke eventually said. He wanted to dress it up and make it sound nicer than it was, but he couldn¡¯t lie about something like this. ¡°Her health is being drained by her mana. It''s more like an defect than an infection. It¡¯s not something that can be repaired naturally. Also, it¡¯s no wonder why the healers can¡¯t do anything¨Cno matter how much mana they poured into her life channels, her magical channels would just suck them up and make the process pointless.¡± He didn¡¯t hear anyone speak up after a while, allowing him more time to study her body closer. He could sense the poor woman shifting uncomfortably, not knowing whether it was from his steady gaze or the news he just gave. ¡°Can you do anything about it?¡± Mikella eventually asked. Zeke didn¡¯t honestly know what to answer to that. He could heal her, but then it would just get sucked up like he explained before. He could instead try to siphon off the magical channels. If he tried, he could actually absorb the mana residing within her trapped channels into his own, which he can then expel with ease as it was foreign mana instead of his own. But that would prove too dependent. It won¡¯t last forever, and it won¡¯t restore her health back as the source of the defect was the very mana she controlled. It won''t change no matter how much he siphoned it off. Plus, he was sure that if he tried to change anything to the mana by force, it might affect her Class and abilities, and that might bring about a domino-effect of bad events to her own body. So what else can he do? ¡°It¡¯s¡­ okay,¡± He heard Diaga speak. Her voice sounded defeated, but like a true veteran, her tone picked up her despair and carried it on her shoulders. ¡°This has been¡­ how it always has been. It won¡¯t change, no matter how much you try. That is¡­ just fate at its work.¡± Fate? Zeke gritted his teeth. He knew full well what she meant, and he understood what she was trying to say. But rage filled his heart. Is fate always going to take our future away from us? The vision of the two skeletons, former otherworlders, flashed in his mind. Was it their fate to die in an unknown tower all by themselves against their will? And we can¡¯t do anything about it? The rage, the despair, the lack of power he desired to challenge that fate. He hated it all. He refused to give in to this fate, especially when this girl had no other choice but to follow her dickhead of a father¡¯s command. That will not be her fate. He refused to accept her fate. Even if he might have to challenge the very fate itself, or the one that designed that fate for them¨Che will break through it. And his attunement surged to his response. That finally gave him an idea. ¡°Cloud,¡± He suddenly spoke up, dismissing his skill and looking at his shocked expression. ¡°Take me and Diaga to the warded room, where we broke through to Journeymen.¡± ¡°Sure, but¡­ what do you intend to do?¡± Cloud asked, furrowing his brow. But he turned when Val gasped softly. ¡°Zeke, you¡¯re not seriously going to try to do that, are you?¡± Val asked, seeming understanding what he was implying. Cloud¡¯s eyes rose as he turned back to him. ¡°Yes,¡± Zeke answered without any hesitation. ¡°I got an idea I wanna try out. I promise it won¡¯t hurt Diaga¡­ but I can¡¯t say the same for the house.¡± He winced as he looked around the very nice, probably very expensive house. But where else can he go all out without harming his surroundings? Zyler watched with a steady glare at Zeke while Diaga looked more confused than anything. Thankfully, Mikella stepped up and grasped Diaga softly on her shoulders. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I promise you that Zeke won¡¯t do anything to hurt you. I swear on my life and my core that you will be just fine.¡± Mikella¡¯s words hung heavy in the air, bringing Diaga and Zyler to look at her in surprise. Zeke turned back, offering a nod. ¡°So do I,¡± He promised, to them and to the system. He felt something tugging at his heart, more at his core, and gripping it tightly. A notification showed up in his vision. Unlike the other notifications, this one had a bright red and gold coloring, the words glowing brightly as though it was begging for his attention this time.
You have agreed to an oath via the system. Once you agree to the terms, you must follow it to the end. If you go against your terms, you will be penalized with the following: Decreased Attributes (-50%) for the duration of a week. More time will be inflicted the more severe the oath is. Do you agree to this oath? Y/N
Zeke responded ¡®Yes¡¯ immediately. He knew the consequences would be dire considering he has to be at his best when he heads towards Arcelot. But he didn¡¯t mind. He fully intended to keep that promise even if his life was on the line. And he had no intention of sacrificing his life. Vol 3 Ch 19: Starting the healing process The entire group went over to one of the rooms in the house designed for the Journeyman breakthrough. Even as Zeke mentally prepared himself, he kept spotting Diaga¡¯s near crumpling form as she entered into the center of the warded room with Zyler¡¯s aid. He tried to ignore their hushed conversation, including Zyler¡¯s rampant need to just get Diaga out of there if she felt uncomfortable. As for her part, Diaga didn¡¯t sound excited or reluctant. It was as if she was battling with her need to stop the pointlessness of this process or hoping against hope that it would succeed. Mikella helped comfort her in the way she could, Clara and Ana bringing themselves along to make her feel better. Clara was doing her best to mention Zeke¡¯s capabilities since she figured she was nervous about Zeke treating her, prompting a genuine giggle from Diaga. It didn¡¯t help when Clara mentioned he can act like a dingus and get hurt himself or he can smell like an ass when he gets too into his studies. Now that was just unwarranted, especially when it got both Diaga and Mikella to laugh out loud. Cloud and Val helped Zeke in the preparations, with Val attempting to help seal the room way more than usual. The process of breaking through to Journeymen was intense, but what Zeke was about to do was gonna ask for a lot more potent protection. He¡¯s planning on relying on his attunement, The World, for his plans to fix Diaga up. On the side, Zeke himself was inscribing several runes with the aid of his new Class Skill Script Improvement. Since this was used for a small area, the skill activated and it made writing out the runes a lot easier than he expected. He was creating a fortification field around the room¡¯s length where he planned on using his attunement. This way, the field would suck up the ambient mana and use it up to increase its density. That way, no mana would escape from his control, and instead protect the area around them, which was his main concern. He didn¡¯t want to make another several hundred kilometer hole down to the core of the world again. Especially in such a nice house. Since the takeover, Zeke had tried to control his attunement to no avail. But once he advanced, he felt he could do perhaps a smidgen of control. Though he has to be careful. Whenever he thought about his attunement, it felt like a vast ocean of pure power spread beyond the horizon. If he kept going over, that vast power would just swallow him whole. In his current state, he could drag a small string of that power over to his side without losing himself in the process. Though if he wasn¡¯t careful, he could also bring along the entire ocean with him, making it even worse than usual. With everything in mind, he turned around to face Cloud standing, already finished with his preparations. He looked over at him with a concerned look. Those striking eyes of his told him everything he needed to say. He wants Zeke to be careful, but he couldn¡¯t help but also be curious as to how this will turn out. Val, on the other hand, looked on with worry. Zeke was certain she was more worried for Zeke¡¯s state than what might happen to her house or to Diaga, but that¡¯s the reason why she didn¡¯t bother convincing him to stop. She knew he could handle it, and even if he can¡¯t, there are loads of people here that can stop him in time. Mikella herself would be the one to do that. Even as she stood by completely lax while talking to Diaga, becoming increasingly familiar with her. Zeke could tell from her stance that she can rush in and knock him out if he went too far. He didn¡¯t even had a problem with that as Zeke approached Diaga. He didn¡¯t have any tools, and he only wore casual clothes, but he smiled as though he was ready to deal with a surgical procedure. ¡°Alright, everything¡¯s ready,¡± Zeke said, nodding to Mikella and Zyler. ¡°Are you guys up for it?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Mikella nodded, then turned to Zyler. ¡°Come on big boy, let¡¯s get out of his way.¡± Mikella tried to drag Zyler by pulling on his muscled arm, but he didn¡¯t even budged as he stared at Zeke intensely. Mikella glared back at him, but offered him a moment as Zyler spoke up. ¡°Zeke¡­ it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll try to kill her. But how can you be so sure of this?¡± Zyler asked. His tone and voice was utterly devoid of his usual mirth. ¡°I saw what happened back then, when you used that power. It didn¡¯t sound like you got a handle on that yet.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Zeke answered. ¡°That¡¯s why I don¡¯t intend to use all of that. If that power was using a thousand points of mana at once, then I¡¯m only planning on using 10 points.¡±If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°Just¡­ ten points?¡± Zyler raised a brow. ¡°Would that even be enough?¡± ¡°With my attunement? I¡¯m hoping that¡¯s not too much,¡± Zeke answered honestly. ¡°And if it isn¡¯t, I can just bring more. But that¡¯s all. I promised to you two that Diaga will end up safe no matter what. Though I can¡¯t promise that this won¡¯t change her situation. Unfortunately, I can¡¯t make light promises like that.¡± ¡°That is ¡­fine,¡± Diaga said, nodding. She turned to her older brother and smiled softly. ¡°Brother¡­ let him do this. Everyone is already doing so much work on this¡­ Let¡¯s not waste anymore of their time.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care about wasting anyone¡¯s time, Diaga. I care about you. You had enough shit going on as it is,¡± Zyler shook his head ruefully, but sounded more defeated as he let out a heavy breath. ¡°But fine. See if I care if you suddenly blow yourself up.¡± Zyler said which prompted Mikella to slap his arm. Despite the giant size, Zyler actually winced at her as he hissed. Clearly, he wasn¡¯t expecting her to get so strong to get over his defenses like that. ¡°Don¡¯t be such a dick and move already,¡± Mikella pointed to the nearby wall. ¡°Now sit.¡± ¡°Damn it, I ain¡¯t no dog¡­¡± Despite that, Zyler did exactly as Mikella said and sat down on the floor, cross-legged and watching intensely. Zeke couldn¡¯t help imagine a giant ass dog sitting on his hindlegs and waiting patiently for his master to be done with the process. Shaking his head with a smirk, Zeke stared at Diaga who in turn did the same to him. ¡°You ready?¡± ¡°Do I¡­¡± Diaga squirmed, tugging onto her clothed fabric nervously. ¡°Do I have to take off my clothes?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need,¡± Zeke smiled awkwardly, rapidly waving his hand. ¡°This is fine. Don¡¯t worry. I just want you to feel as comfortable as you can. Because once we get started, you might¡­ not feel so comfortable later.¡± Diaga swallowed whatever she had in her throat. It was quiet, but it was enough to show that she was just as nervous as expected. Yet she inclined her head in consent. Zeke did the same, breathing in slowly and heavily before exhaling out. His eyes glowed as he flared his Restoration skill at full power. Unlike with the other spells or runes, he poured all of his attention and focus on this spell alone. It took all of his attention, almost swallowing him whole, but at the same time he never felt more in-tune with his magic. His eyes showed everything Diaga has to show him, and he saw her messed-up channels far closer than ever before. With everything in place, including the runes and the wards of the room, he slowly, ever so carefully, formed a connection to his attunement. Little by little, strand by strand, he created a small rope and kept making it denser, ensuring that it was strong enough to handle the excess power. He could feel his own mental reserves shaking, but he kept at it. His mana hasn¡¯t dropped a bit yet, but keeping up the skill was taxing to his mind. Yet he stayed focused. He recalled the time he had his knee blasted open by Zyler, who was so helpfully standing there ready to do it again if he messed up with his sister. There, he made his connection to his attunement. As always, it was too vast to even comprehend, even in his own little world. He could feel the density behind his attunement, whatever power source it was using too much even at his current stage. But because he grew stronger and became tougher as a result, it was no longer impossible. Just hard. So he pulled from that attunement. He covered his dense attunement onto his mana, trying to separate the immense power into tiny, almost speck-like chunks into each part of his mana pool. There, he finally made enough preparations as he stared at the lacking life channels. First, using his Restoration as a link, he conjured barriers that completely surrounded all of her life channels. It was the same as when he tried with Val, except rather than trying to block the energy from within the channels, he was surrounding the channel-like lines entirely with his barrier. He was trying to block the life channels from the rest of her body. He created his barriers in tiny fractions, going up the channels like a train following the tracks. To make the process easier for himself, he imagined a tiny version of himself building wall after wall of his barriers across her channels, protecting them from any further interactions with the rest of external forces. He also made sure that those barriers won¡¯t bar anything beneficial, condensing them in tiny ways to ensure that anything positive enters through, and anything negative¨Clike poison and infections¨Cis kept out. That also included the incredibly large amount of mana trying to kill her. It was still a taxing process even without using his attunement. As he focused, he gritted his teeth as he finished lining up all the life channels with his barrier. Then, he did the same to the kinetic energy. It might be a bit of a waste of mana as her kinetic energy wasn¡¯t as affected, but he wanted to ensure that he got everything in order. Just like with the life channels, he made sure to only keep the benefits in and the deficits out, but he ensured that it was properly placed for kinetic energy rather than for life energy. Though he started to notice that his mana reserves were reducing rapidly. His mana regeneration wasn¡¯t enough to warrant the constant usage of covering all of her channels with his barriers. Then he remembered something important as he pulled up his storage bag and took out his glasses. The Vision of Spiraling Mass. In other words, a really handy mana-regenerating glasses. He put them on, and he swore that the mana practically clung to him, his pores practically drinking them into his system. It easily filled up the pool as he managed to completely cover up the kinetic channels as well. With that in place, everything was settled. But he only put up the foundations for her healing. Now was the time to put his plan into action. He gathered his attunement further into his mana. Then he spent, in his perspective, one single mana point. One singular point of mana drenched in The World. All hell broke loose. Vol 3 Ch 20: Fixed right up ¡°This is not making me feel any better.¡± ¡°Stop your whining!¡± Mikella hissed back at Zyler who kept gnashing at his fingernails like a nervous mother. ¡°You¡¯re gonna mess up Zeke¡¯s concentration.¡± Everyone was staying quiet as Zeke went to work for Diaga. Even from this distance, Mikella wanted to comfort her as she saw Diaga¡¯s shoulders shuddering from the pressure. And it was a lot of pressure, coming from the man whose eyes looked like they could devour her whole. His face was a picture of complete concentration. His different colored eyes were now glowing in bright blue-green light. His entire body had an aura that was incredibly heavy in its bearing. At some point, even while focusing, he pulled out his magic glasses Zyler gave him and put it on. Now he looked more overbearing somehow, as though he got serious when the glasses were on. Even the lords watched with awe, Cloud most of all keen on his process. He looked like he was ready to inscribe everything into his notes while Val had her fingers laced to each other in nervousness. She just wanted this to end safely. Mikella wanted that too. More than anyone else. After talking to Diaga to make her feel better, she felt a kinship with her. With Zyler making sure she wasn¡¯t getting into any trouble, Mikella felt like she was an older version of Clara. It was easier to talk to her in that way, and Clara certainly loved her. She still found it incredibly hard to see how this sweet woman is related to this beast of a man, but she digressed. But soon Zeke breathed heavily, lifting his hands. Those hands soon became submerged in dense magical power, enough that even Mikella could tell just how much power was packed into those hands. The dense magical energy corroded his hands to his forearms, leaving behind waving mists that looked like his arms were aflamed in bluish liquid fire. There, the air quaked in invisible pressure. The ground began to shake as the pressure built in the air. It was the aura that surrounded Zeke. It began to grow bigger and bigger, nearly taking over the entire room. Mikella, Zyler, and the lords stood by in shock at the level of power. To their surprise, especially Mikella, the power was still contained despite the heavy pressure. Diaga also seemed completely unaffected, her mind completely closed off somehow during the process. Was it due to Zeke¡¯s power? She knew Zeke was having difficulty trying to train that power without suffering the heavy consequences that power usually brought. Perhaps things changed after his Journeyman advancement, but it astounded her just how much control he was using, even if it was at the tenth of its usual might. The aura became bigger and bigger before suddenly shrinking in size, becoming denser in exchange. The process kept repeating; the aura becoming bigger, then shrinking down and condensing, then becoming bigger again. At the same time, the pressure continues to increase, becoming harder to bear for even the room to handle. Zyler stood up, his fists clamped shut. ¡°I¡¯m getting her out of there!¡± ¡°No!¡± Mikella grabbed Zyler¡¯s shoulder hard, keeping him in place. ¡°You do that, and you¡¯ll mess up Diaga for good!¡± ¡°Are you sure about that?¡± Zyler growled, his eyes turning sharp as his canines flared. ¡°I remember him completely fucking up the biodome on his own. Can you really say it won¡¯t happen again?¡± ¡°I can,¡± Mikella shouted back, her resolve showing through her expression. ¡°Just. Trust. Us.¡± She said, emphasizing each word. Her hand kept grasping Zyler¡¯s shoulder all the while, ensuring that if he kept going, she would stop him by force. Because she knew that she would do the same if it was Clara on the other side. She understood Zyler¡¯s emotions very well, enough to sympathize with him. But she also knew Zeke, and trusted him with her life as well as Clara¡¯s. She just had to ensure Zyler did the same. Thankfully, while he still glared at her and looked ready to kill everyone around him to take Diaga out of there, he stayed put. The pressure wasn¡¯t helping anyone as it continued to increase, making the normally warded room rumble and even showing spider web-like cracks throughout the walls. Cloud was working overtime to keep the room steady along with using Zeke¡¯s personal runes, but they were already stuttering out, small sparks jutting through the surface. Even his own powerful runes weren¡¯t enough to protect the room from his attunement. But she can tell. Somehow or another, Zeke was keeping a steady grasp on his power. At the very least, there¡¯s no giant blast of energy, or another Giant Zeke form going on. That must count for something. He must be taking that power slowly, almost to a pinpoint. ¡°There¡¯s no fucking way he¡¯s using only ¡®ten¡¯ Mana points,¡± Zyler muttered, watching with eyes that were a mix between anger and fear. Even Mikella had to give Zyler that. This level of power can¡¯t only be his perspective of ten points. But considering it¡¯s Zeke¡­ who knows? The aura that surrounded Zeke then shifted into a humanoid form. It was like watching Zeke transform into his giant version of himself, except that this time it was only a few sizes bigger than an average human. The humanoid figure, looking more like Zeke with his shaggy hair and extremely rounded bright eyes, only had his upper body shown as his arms closed in towards Diaga. His hands suddenly became bigger than what they were, surrounding Diaga whole. Then the hands shut tight around her in a powerful force. Mikella couldn¡¯t keep her eyes away, but she heard Zyler howl in pain after watching that.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Then, in a matter of a single moment, everything vanished. The pressure, the intensity in the air, and all that aura just disappeared like a puff of smoke. Zeke and Diaga showed themselves easily enough. Diaga just stayed perfectly still, then fell to her knees. Zyler immediately ran over without caring about anything else. Mikella instead went over to Zeke who just stood there, his eyes almost glazed over while his two hands were still outstretched. He looked like a husk that had been drained, but when she approached closer, Zeke lifted his head and smiled weakly. ¡°Hey¡­¡± Zeke said, his voice groggy as if he¡¯d been screaming all this time. ¡°Did the house survive¡­?¡± ¡°Almost,¡± Mikella answered with a smirk, but she peered every nook and cranny on Zeke¡¯s body as she helped take off his glasses. She remembered him not liking having it on all the time as the mana regeneration would feel uncomfortable when he reached full. He looked worn out, but not so bad that he couldn''t move. He seemed like he was about to wobble and fall, but he kept steady to himself. Still, Mikella held him up by the torso and Zeke easily leaned in towards her. He didn¡¯t need to be afraid of his weight as Mikella can still easily lift Zeke up like a doll. ¡°Don¡¯t carry me like a princess, okay?¡± Zeke begged. Mikella giggled. She would still do so if he can¡¯t really move. It was just too funny not to do that. ¡°Is everyone alright!?¡± Val said, turning to Zeke. Realizing he was fine, she went over to Diaga¡¯s side. Zyler was constantly asking if she was alright, checking her pulse, and even checking her temperature. So far, nothing seemed wrong. ¡°How is she, Zyler?¡± ¡°I-I don¡¯t know,¡± Zyler for once sounded unsure of himself. ¡°She doesn¡¯t seem off, at least her body feels normal, but she¡¯s not responding. Hey, Diaga!¡± Cloud stepped over, noticing the damage done to the warded room. It was supposed to have been protected so that no matter what happened on the inside, it wouldn¡¯t destroy anything so easily. Unfortunately, the room looked like a hurricane and earthquake had a disastrous baby; cracks ran along every wall and everything that was once part of the walls were on the floor becoming debris left over. Mikella winced at the damage, unable to comprehend the price for this type of room, but she kept that at bay as she carried Zeke over to Diaga to see the results. There, Diaga finally managed to move. It was as though she finally woke up from a dream, still unable to speak. She took off the fabric clothed that draped over her head, and vibrant crimson hair fell over to the middle of her back and over her face. She slowly removed the hair off her face, revealing it for real. It was like a painting come to life. A beautiful woman with near flawless skin and yellow eyes that popped like sunflowers approaching daylight. Her lips were cherry red, and her facial features were nothing if not sculpted to perfection. She heard Zeke swallow at her appearance, encapsulated by her remarkable beauty. Honestly, Mikella can¡¯t blame him. She had a feeling that Myra would immediately fall for her too. And the most surprising part was that this was her in the Expert stage. She wasn¡¯t hunching over like before. Instead, she stood, almost surprising herself as she appeared taller than Mikella expected. Even taller than herself. Zyler watched with his jaw nearly reaching the floor, his eyes wide. Diaga looked back at her hands in shock, looking just as healthy as she looked. ¡°I¡­¡± Diaga spoke softly, but the tone of her voice was a lot more huskier than ragged, then as she spoke up, it became enchanting to hear. ¡°I feel fantastic. This is the best I have ever felt in years¡­! Brother, brother, look!¡± Diaga looked back at her older brother, her excited expression beaming brighter than even the light Zeke showed. Zyler had a difficult time making a response, doing exactly as Diaga said with not a word to say. ¡°Haha, do I really look that different?¡± Diaga giggled, a sound like bells chiming in delight. ¡°Can someone show me a mirror, please? I¡¯m dying to know!¡± Val did exactly that, smiling brightly as she carried the mirror that she used for Mikella when she transformed. When Diaga eagerly took it for herself to see, her eyes widened, becoming like a brightening sun. ¡°My gods¡­ I haven¡¯t looked like this since¡­ well, I never looked like this,¡± Diaga marveled, rubbing her cheek with her dainty fingers. ¡°This¡­ this can¡¯t be me, can it? Has Zeke somehow changed my body?¡± ¡°No, no, that¡¯s how you look,¡± Zyler finally said, shaking himself. As though hearing his sister doubting herself, Zyler smiled a wide grin. ¡°I always told you that you looked like a real beauty if you put in the effort. Looks like Zeke did it all for you!¡± Diaga huffed. ¡°You always say that brother, even when I look like death itself. It¡¯s no wonder I can¡¯t believe you¡­ but now I suppose you are right.¡± Diaga put down the mirror, facing Zeke and Mikella. She warmed into a bright smile at them. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to say¡­ this is a blessing I have never thought I would receive. How¡­ How can I ever even think of paying you back?¡± ¡°I told you,¡± Zeke said, more energized than before. He managed to lift himself to stand up, but Mikella made sure to stay by his side. ¡°This is fine. I went and tried something I had never done before, and it succeeded. I can¡¯t ask you for payment since I got some good experience out of it.¡± ¡°But you look so tired, and this room,¡± Diaga said, now more concerned than grateful as she also took a look around her. ¡°How much have you lost to deliver so much power?¡± ¡°Right, the room¡­¡± Zeke grimaced, looking around the destroyed room before Cloud cleared his throat. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the room¨Cthis is all easily fixable.¡± ¡°Especially after Zeke¡¯s plan worked,¡± Val grinned. ¡°Though I do expect him to pay back with some voluntary work with his runecraft.¡± ¡°I will, I promise,¡± Zeke said immediately. He was nothing if not dedicated. Then he turned to Diaga. ¡°Oh, and yeah, I did spent more mana than I was expecting,¡± Zeke said honestly, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. ¡°I actually spent about 25 points instead of the ten points I promised. Sorry about that. It took a lot more power than I realized.¡± ¡°Just¡­ 25 points?¡± Cloud said, getting everyone to look at him as if he was crazy. ¡°You¡¯re sure about that?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Zeke nodded. ¡°And it¡¯s not like I was damaged or anything like before. It is just going to take a lot longer than a few hours to recover that mana back, even with my glasses. I realize when I use my attunement like that, the mana it uses up takes a lot longer to recover. I¡¯ll take that over getting mana burnout any day, though.¡± Everyone stared blankly at him even as he tried to smile off the incredible feat he made like it was nothing. Meanwhile, Mikella just shook her head. Zeke could say that he broke the world and restored it back to normal in a heartbeat all because he wanted to help someone out. That was the sort of guy he was. Which is why there¡¯s no one else she would rely on more than him. Just as she was about to go and joke about how ridiculous that was, a presence overwhelmed the room and everyone turned at the incoming footsteps of two people coming in. Those two people were none other than Cronus and his wife Isabelle who opened the door to the warded room. Cronus didn¡¯t look pleased at all, but he still showed a smile that made Mikella¡¯s body shiver. ¡°Hey Cloud. I just felt someone used some pretty intense mana. Why didn¡¯t you tell me he was also a holder of a high realm Attunement?¡± Vol 3 Ch 21: Back to the explaining Zeke tried to swallow, but his throat dried up after Cronus appeared in the ward room. He looked like a pissed off teacher called over into a chaotic classroom. He wasn¡¯t quite sure what had happened during the process, but after seeing the warded room and its messed up state, he can sort of understand what happened. Zyler froze up immediately at the sight of a true Master, and held Diaga close to himself as he backed away from everyone. Diaga followed him, unable to really understand or go against the one who entered. ¡°Master,¡± Cloud stepped over, the only one in the room doing so as Val went over to the otherworlders as if ready to protect them. ¡°Please don¡¯t be alarmed. There¡¯s a reason for¨C¡± ¡°To keep a secret like having someone with overwhelming power at the palm of your hands, and not tell your gracious and merciful master?¡± Cronus intervened, shaking his head in disappointment. ¡°Have I truly raised you so wrong that you can¡¯t even do something as simple as that? My poor boy, you absolute fool.¡± Zeke gritted his teeth, taken aback at him casually insulting Cloud like that. He gripped his fist, but he kept his anger at bay. Losing control now would only make it worse for him as Cloud took on that remark gracefully. ¡°What have you done?¡± Cronus ignored his insults entirely, looking around the warded room. ¡°I wanted to have you relax and enjoy yourselves before you leave, but it looked like you were having some fun. That¡¯s really not fair of you, Cloud. Here I was being at least grateful enough for the sudden visit and giving you an extra week of preparations. It feels like you really want to dry up whatever goodwill you have with me.¡± ¡°Master¡­¡± Cloud grimaced, but he stared back with fervor. ¡°That is not my decision to make.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Cronus actually looked surprised, raising a brow. ¡°Do tell.¡± ¡°You said that I had to report you over anything of interest. But you never said to backstab someone in order to do so. I only did exactly that. Zeke here is like a brother to me¨Ca family. While I do admit I had done wrong in not telling you about the towers, I can¡¯t in good conscience tell you about these two¡¯s personal powers as this was their own business.¡± ¡°That¡¯s interesting,¡± Cronus huffed a snort at him. ¡°Considering how you eagerly sold out your own family to me back in the past¨C¡± ¡°Those ¡®people¡¯ are not my family!¡± Cloud growled back, his eyes turning furious at his master. They even glowed with mana at his words, his power surfacing from his words. Zeke instinctually held onto Mikella as she did the same, not expecting such a reaction. After a moment, Cloud realized it as he shook it off. Cronus, for his part, stayed quiet as Cloud continued, all the while Val watched with a steady gaze, not showing any emotion. ¡°...Master, will you at least let Zeke rest before we explain further?¡± Cloud eventually said. ¡°He was doing a favor for an ally of Eve Glade, and it took a lot of mental exertion on him.¡± ¡°I¡¯m surprised he¡¯s even standing at all,¡± Cronus said, not feeling even slightly affronted from Cloud¡¯s outburst. ¡°That¡¯s fine. But I expect a fully detailed report. Finish your business with Bastion and come find me when you¡¯re done. Honestly, you should know how good I treat you sometimes¡­¡± Cronus waved off his hand as he turned back around, all the while Isabelle looked over at the otherworlders, smiled at them, then back at the bastion allies. ¡°I apologize for the messy meeting. I realize this is our first time meeting each other. I would love to speak with you two after everything is settled. I¡¯m certain that young Seer over there would need to be accustomed first.¡± ¡°Y-Yes,¡± Zyler inclined his head respectfully at the woman. ¡°Thank you. I will do just that.¡± Isabelle smiled again then left to go after Cronus. Zeke always thought the two were practically glued together, but now it felt like Isabelle is the sort to go with her own pacing. Meanwhile, he can¡¯t tell whether Cronus is just sadistic or borderline chaotic. Seeing someone like that in the famous fourth stage made him fear that perhaps all that power would make anyone go crazy. Cloud rubbed the bridge of his nose, trying to breath to retain his calm but failing miserably as his breaths kept getting harsher. Val went over to brush against his arm, muttering something softly. Zeke ignored that¨Cthat was clearly something personal between the two of them. ¡°Zeke, you good to go?¡± Mikella asked, prompting to respond with a nod. ¡°Yeah. Let¡¯s¡­ just get this over with.¡± ¡­..Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! The explanation to Cronus about Zeke¡¯s power took longer than Zeke felt comfortable taking. Then again, the way Cronus kept staring at him might have been the cause for his discomfort. They only explained how he got it, how he had been using it, or rather unable to, and how it had been so far. Once they got to where they are now, Cronus remained seated, crossing one leg over the other with a thoughtful stare at the ground. Another moment of heavy silence occurred before Cronus asked Zeke himself. ¡°So, what did you do to that girl?¡± Cronus asked. ¡°It looked more complicated than just ¡®fixing her up¡¯, as you would say.¡± At that point, everyone, including his comrades, stared at him. Especially Zyler and Diaga who were unfortunately caught up in the Master¡¯s curiosity. Mikella only shrugged helplessly at him, figuring that revealing what he did wouldn¡¯t hurt anybody. ¡°It¡¯s not a major secret I¡¯m keeping, but it was more of an experiment at best,¡± Zeke said, wincing at the word. It really was an experiment as he wanted to know if it would work, but didn¡¯t like that he experimented on a live person. ¡°I realized that Diaga¡¯s life channels were being drained consistently, so I tried to use Barrier Craft to first protect them from the magical drain her Class demanded.¡± ¡°But even Barrier Craft cannot keep up with that work forever,¡± Cronus said, gesturing with an open hand. ¡°Surely you¡¯re not expecting to keep healing her like that forever when the barrier breaks, do you?¡± Zeke shook his head. ¡°I thought of that too, then I realized something else. As long as you have enough magic, you can do pretty much anything. So the one thing I wanted is to ensure that no matter how long she lived, her life and kinetic channels would survive from her Seer Class Skills. So I used my attunement to power them up. Basically, I supercharged them with enough juice that it¡¯ll last forever, and made sure that it wouldn¡¯t hamper her daily life. At the same time, I restored her health, which is why she looked the way she does now. Now that her mana can¡¯t intercept her health¡¯s pathways, she should be able to keep going.¡± Diaga smiled at the thought, hearing the answer herself. Zyler spoke up in return. ¡°Diaga, how do you feel? Do you feel any restraint? Can you move well?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Diaga nodded. ¡°It¡¯s amazing. I don¡¯t even feel any restraint despite having those barriers on my channels. However¡­¡± ¡°However?¡± Zyler asked, his ears perked up. ¡°I received notifications that due to an outside influence, some of my Class Skills have decreased in power. I can still use them, but their range and power have dramatically decreased. As long as those barriers are in place, I can¡¯t use my Seer powers as well as I had before.¡± Zeke looked back at her in shock. He knew she would have difficulty using her Class Skills thanks to the lock on her channels, but he never expected to have actually halved her Class power like that. ¡°Seriously?¡± Zeke asked. ¡°Then¨C¡± ¡°Oh, please don¡¯t misunderstand,¡± Diaga raised her hand. ¡°The skills that require a portion of my health and stamina are the ones heavily impacted. My other skills are completely usable.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine with me,¡± Zyler let out a breath. ¡°Not like I ever want you to use them ever again. I couldn¡¯t ask for anything more.¡± Zeke breathed easily at that. Almost crippling someone is definitely not how he would call ¡®fixing someone up¡¯. But if the person is fine with being blocked like this in exchange for a good healthy life, then that¡¯s all he could ask for as a healer. ¡°Interesting¡­¡± Cronus nodded slowly, rubbing his naked chin. ¡°So you poured so much power that it became a barrier of your choosing. And to create barriers that restrict a persons¡¯ channels as well. I haven¡¯t intended that skill to have such a feature, if I say so myself. You could easily snuff a life out without them even realizing it.¡± Zeke grimaced. It wasn¡¯t as though he hadn¡¯t thought of that before. In fact, he even considered doing such a thing for his combat style. But it felt¡­ wrong, in more ways than one. ¡°Then again, that¡¯s just impossible, even at my level. I can¡¯t imagine someone standing still for so long for me to place a barrier in their guts,¡± Cronus waved off the idea, no matter how gruesome it sounded. ¡°I¡¯m satisfied, but I¡¯m still rather ticked off that I wasn¡¯t told of this. I expect to be better noted later in the future even after I leave, Cloud.¡± ¡°Yes, Master,¡± Cloud bowed his head. ¡°Thank you for your understanding.¡± ¡°I suppose this is enough. Do tell me if you plan on making more interesting experiments next time. Isabelle, let us leave¨C¡± ¡°Wait, Master Cronus.¡± Zeke suddenly said, stopping Cronus as he stood up. He raised his brows at him, waiting for him to respond. Even Mikella looked back at him in surprise, but Zeke just had to know. ¡°You¡­ you know about attunements of a higher realm, right? How extremely rare they are and how only certain people can use them?¡± ¡°Yes, of course,¡± Cronus asked. ¡°I¡¯m certain even my bumbling student here taught you that, didn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°Yeah, he did,¡± Zeke nodded. ¡°But¡­ I don¡¯t really understand. At first, I wanted to get Undeath so that I could save Val from a fate literally worse than death, but I got The World all of a sudden.¡± Zeke swallowed. At first, he thought he was forced to have this from the gods that have taken them against their will. But after finding out from Zoan that this was completely unintentional, he had to know what it was. ¡°Why do I have this attunement?¡± Zeke asked. ¡°Even with my¡­ circumstances, I don¡¯t know why I was able to take this attunement for myself.¡± ¡°That is because you didn''t,¡± Cronus answered as easily as he breathed, stomping Zeke¡¯s expectations. ¡°Aspects from higher realms do not get chosen by us. They choose their users for themselves.¡± ¡°They choose their users?¡± Mikella asked, unable to hold back. ¡°You mean, they have a will of their own?¡± ¡°Hence why Zeke cannot control such an attunement so easily,¡± Cronus flashed an amused smile. ¡°Can you imagine a power like that bending the knee to a mortal brat? You have to show your worth for it to follow your orders¡­ or you risk losing yourself to it.¡± The mood turned heavy as Cronus left it at that, leaving with Isabelle in tow back to where he was originally staying. Zeke turned to himself in thought, regarding the power he wielded. He wasn¡¯t sure, but it felt like Cronus knew exactly what he was talking about. Vol 3 Ch 22: Its time to go Zeke¡¯s mind whirled at the idea that his attunement has a will. While it sounded ridiculous to even think about, there were plenty of instances where it might be true. One part was when Mikella told him that alongside his own feelings, she felt something else¨Csomething similar to his own, but different when she had the power forming around her spear before taking down Roderick back at the biodome. He thought she was a bit dizzy during that time, which she admitted to, but now it felt like the truth. No matter how often he re-read the books about the different aspects of attunements in Cloud¡¯s study, he can never read up on anything resembling a will of sorts. As there were no notes of higher realm attunements in the study either, possibly due to their rarity, he was at a loss. Zyler and Diaga stayed in Eve Glade for a while so that Diaga could get used to her new physical body. After Cronus left, they decided to head out into the town to celebrate her recovery. She went from greeting several people to enjoying the food she normally could never eat thanks to her lack of energy. It was such a balm for Zyler that he ended up with misty eyes when Diaga was laughing and talking animatedly. Mikella and Diaga quickly became best friends, and even Myra joined in on the fun while they enjoyed touring around the town. It was enough to get Zeke off of his rump from Cronus¡¯ words, but he still ended up here to study up on The World, which still remained a mystery. He considered going to Cronus for more information, but he quickly put that aside. He was proud of what he did, helping Diaga recover like that. But he also knew things could¡¯ve gone sideways for her. One mistake, and he could''ve killed her. One mistake, and he could have crippled her in a way that was worse than her former malnourished self. The door into the study opened up, small footsteps echoing out. Zeke immediately thought of Clara who was the only one willing to enter the study willingly to read books. He turned back, putting on a welcoming face before realizing who it truly was. It was Zoan. Her footsteps felt so similar to Clara it was downright scary, yet her presence was nothing like the little girl he knew and loved for so long. She stared back at him with her usual impassive stare, almost judging him just by existing. ¡°Zeke, how are you feeling?¡± Zoan asked, her steady tone unchanging. ¡°Do you feel any sort of side-effects?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, Zoan,.¡± Zeke answered, still a little taken aback. ¡°Why do you ask?¡± ¡°I heard about your ¡®experiment¡¯. You need to be more careful when using that power. Yet you use it on a person that has nothing to do with you. I came here to know why you went so far.¡± Zeke wanted to scoff at her. He didn¡¯t have any reason to tell her anything. She was an angel that was part of the people responsible for bringing them here against their will. But then he calmed down his thoughts. His Parallel Thought activated, forcing him to consider her reasoning for being here. He just can¡¯t imagine her coming here and trying to be hostile in her current form. She was honestly curious to know why he did that despite the dangers of his power. If it was like that, his anger disappeared instantly as he answered. ¡°I wanted to do something. I felt like I could. That¡¯s why I went with it.¡± ¡°Even though you could¡¯ve killed all of us? Including Clara and Mikella?¡± Zeke grimaced. She just had to go that far to drive a point. He breathed through his nose before answering to clear his frustration. ¡°The only one that would suffer any consequences is me. I made sure of that. I don¡¯t have that much control, but I had to start somewhere. Otherwise, when I inevitably get into another dangerous situation like the towers, I can at least use that power to my advantage.¡± Zoan stared heavily at the mage, her eyes never leaving his own. She stayed quiet for a while, causing Zeke to feel his insides quiver in anticipation. Finally, she spoke up. ¡°Then why offer up that power to help someone who was once your enemy? Even if Diaga was never included in the attack¨CI still don¡¯t understand why you went that far for her. Are you perhaps enamoured by her or something?¡± Zeke couldn¡¯t hold back his anger this time. ¡°I didn¡¯t do it because I was attracted to her. I did it because I wanted to help. If anything, that¡¯s like a need for me.¡±The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°Then why feed that need to help strangers in exchange for your safety?¡± Zoan asked, unwilling to give in. ¡°Because I wanted to.¡± His words were left hanging in the air. He had no intention of discussing to Zoan about the rights and wrongs and anything ethical. So rather than trying to convince her of his habits, he just put up a childish answer instead. Finally, Zoan shook her head. ¡°You humans just keep confusing me to no end. Even though there is danger all around you, you still keep putting yourselves into danger just to help strangers.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not for strangers,¡± Zeke answered, smiling. ¡°Diaga is a friend now.¡± ¡°...She wasn¡¯t a friend before. You only just met her today.¡± ¡°I feel like you¡¯re just nitpicking at this point,¡± Zeke answered, shrugging. ¡°Besides, I get stronger doing this too. Isn¡¯t this what you want?¡± Zoan closed her eyes, unwilling to answer that. Zeke tried to hold in his frustration as he realized that this was how Zoan was for the past year. She¡¯s a pragmatic woman that only focuses on efficiency like he did, but unlike him, she didn¡¯t have the heart to be kind. So instead of trying to convince her otherwise, Zeke picked up a book he picked up earlier by the desk and showed it to her. ¡°If it¡¯s okay with you, can you tell me more about the aspects for attunements? Like, how were they made in the first place?¡± That instantly got her attention, something that Zeke planned for. She looked back at him, her impassive stare still visible¨Cyet there was that glint in her eyes that got her to walk forward into the study. ¡°...The aspects became the very foundation of all the people in their path to growth. It is a long and troubled history¡­ do you still wish to learn?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Zeke nodded. ¡°...Very well,¡± Zoan answered, not realizing that Zeke made a secret fist behind his back in success. The night was followed by Zoan¡¯s incredibly long but rather interesting telling of how the aspects came into humanity¡¯s hands. ***** After time passed, the day to leave Eve Glade came. Zeke looked back at his former room that he had been staying in for years since he arrived in Eve Glade. It was a small room in the attic, mostly reserved for single time guests. It hadn¡¯t been used in a long time, but he fashioned it during his stay to make it more comfortable. He figured he had more time here than he¡¯d realized. But then again, when he finished packing up, he realized he didn¡¯t change that much. The room was left bare, clean and organized for the next guest as was proper for someone living here under someone¡¯s benevolence. Nodding to himself, he made a silent goodbye to his room and opened the door. When he left the attic, he found Mikella, Clara, and Zoan standing within the hallway waiting for him. They looked just as prepared to leave, at least since their storage packs contained everything they could ever use. Over the year, they had upgraded their storage packs to be capable of holding several more items, including the nifty function of switching equipment at will like Zacharia¡¯s pack. Still, they never bothered getting new equipment as they only focused on improving their skills. ¡°Ready?¡± Zeke asked, noticing the girls clamoring to themselves with Zoan just standing there by the side. He could still remember her excited tone when speaking about the aspects a few nights ago, shaking his head with a grin. ¡°You got everything?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Mikella answered, but she frowned when she turned to the clearly saddened Clara. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­¡± ¡°Bobo¡­ do we really have to leave?¡± Clara asked, looking up at him when he approached. There were already tears brimming in her eyes, ready to stream down at a moment¡¯s notice. His heart ached at the sight, but he had to be strong for her sake as well. ¡°Yeah, we have to,¡± Zeke said, kneeling down to face her properly, even when her head was slightly above his as he continued. ¡°We have to help Cloud out by doing what Cronus said. We also need to clear those towers, since it¡¯s our responsibility.¡± Clara shook her head, her nature to be goodhearted never wavering even as she looked ready to cry again. ¡°I know it¡¯s hard, but we¡¯ll come back someday,¡± Zeke assured her. At least, he hoped since this was also something he wanted. ¡°Once we¡¯re done in that magic country, we can come back here. We¡¯ll be even stronger too. That way, nobody would mess with us ever again.¡± He hoped the idea of moving to a magic country might lift her spirits, but clearly his hopes were dashed as she remained downtrodden. He stood, feeling like an absolute failure of an older brother before Mikella assured him with a pat on the back. ¡°Sweetie, you know Bobo is right,¡± Mikella said, assuring his words. ¡°And besides, maybe we can still talk to Cloud and Val whenever we can. We¡¯ll figure something out. That way, you won¡¯t really stop talking with Ana.¡± ¡°...You promise?¡± Clara asked, hope finally rising in her eyes. Mikella nodded with glee. ¡°Alright.¡± Clara then took Mikella¡¯s offered hand and grasped it tight. Zeke went ahead to move to the living room where he spotted the lords with Ana in tow. Ana herself looked ready to pinch her face in case she¡¯d lose herself, but the moment Clara came into view, it broke and tears began to stream down. After settling everything with the lords, they left the house¨Conly to find themselves surrounded by Zacharia¡¯s retinue and their fellow soldiers of Eve Glade. Each one had their armor on as though they were ready to fight, but Zeke remembered that soldiers also armored up for when a valued soldier was leaving, as a show of respect. He expected to see some people to know about their departure to arrive, but he didnt¡¯ expect every soldier in the vicinity to come along to see them off. Even more so when each of them saluted to them with their fists over their heart, pride and dedication written on their faces. Vol 3 Ch 23: Soldier Send-off Mikella¡¯s eyes widened to see all the soldiers standing and saluting them the moment they left the house. Each one looked straight as a rod, their faces steeled in hard expressions. The one that really surprised her was the leader, Piker, who walked up in front of them and shouted. ¡°Zeke Parlow, Mikella Ashton,¡± Piker shouted, to the soldiers and to them, with a serious expression. ¡°For your service to this town, and for aiding our soldiers and the people of Eve Glade, we thank you. Know this¨Cyour actions shall be recorded for years to come, to teach us the value of hard work and cooperation, to aid in your fellow man even if they were not your original countrymen. We wish that all the future generations of this town will recognize your feats and follow your examples of what true warriors are. We salute you.¡± ¡°We salute you!¡± The rest of the soldiers followed suit, shouting in unison. Mikella was taken aback in more ways than one. Her heart raced as a new flood of emotions flowed through her body. Zeke was just as dumb-strucked, his facial expression unable to keep up from being happy, confused, or worried that something was gonna happen. ¡°T-This is¡­¡± Mikella stuttered, still trying to absorb everything that had been going on. ¡°W-What¡¯s going on? It¡¯s not like we¡¯re gonna, uhh, leave forever or anything¡­¡± At least she hoped so. The reason she felt so dumbstruck is this is the sort of send off one does to celebrate a soldier''s death, or following their retirement. Is this their equivalent of sending someone off to their deaths? That didn¡¯t sound good at all. At that moment, the soldiers behind Piker chuckled and laughed, relaxing and releasing their tensed shoulders and postures. Mikella felt like she was slapped with a fish, and she was equally enraged at the thought. Thankfully, Piker came up to the two, smiling at them in good nature. ¡°We know,¡± Piker nodded to her. ¡°But I felt it was proper to show you two just how much you had helped us in such a short time. Of course, we all know how much you gained from this, but everyone will remember how much you helped us gain in return. Especially giving us all the chance to become Journeymen, a stage that was once just a far away dream for some of us.¡± He looked back at his fellow comrades, probably at the ones who had the least likelihood of a chance to reach Journeymen. However, thanks to Zeke¡¯s enhanced fruits and Mikella¡¯s training, it was now possible for nearly all of them to reach Journeymen if they kept at it. For those that were still farther off, there was also the biodome where they can go in and raise their levels to reach the maximum cap of 60. Hell, one who had benefited the most was standing in front of her, his icey-blue hair glinting under the Studded Star¡¯s light. Now that she thought about it, that was definitely a good thing for them all. She had to remember that while they managed to get to Journeymen in just two years, nearly everyone dreamt of reaching that stage as the highlight of their entire lives. So many things can change for them once they reach that stage. ¡°Of course, I don¡¯t just speak of this for ourselves. The people of Eve Glade will also remember your selflessness and goodwill. And I don¡¯t just mean Zeke healing them for free where they would otherwise be drained of all their money in other cities. You also helped a lot of them, Mikella. Other people still refer to you as someone who knew the town best, having built most of their valued homes for them. And don¡¯t forget that you have inspired all of us to work harder and reach a further stage than anyone else.¡± Mikella was caught unaware, unable to hold back the heat rising to her cheeks at all the praise. She couldn¡¯t dare to look straight at Piker from all that. However, she noticed Zeke smiling at her, as though he knew exactly what Piker was talking about. It wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t do anything while the town was recovering. She only just figured that compared to her, Zeke did the most useful thing. However, one had to think that in their minds, someone who was willing to build their homes, to talk to them and assure that everything will be fine, and constantly fought for the other¡¯s safety, is equivalent to a hero in her old world¡¯s perspective. She never considered herself as someone so important, but now that it was all told in front of her, her mind turned blank. ¡°And for all of that, we thank you. We know that you have an important mission that is far beyond our understanding. We only hope that we can be strong enough to aid you in that regard when that time comes.¡± Piker held out his hand to her. Mikella finally stopped getting embarrassed and smiled back, taking in his hand. ¡°Thanks, Piker,¡± Mikella finally said. ¡°Just so you know, we didn¡¯t do anything just by ourselves. We had all of you to thank for too.¡± ¡°That much is obvious,¡± Piker snorted. ¡°But gratitude must be shared regardless.¡± Mikella rolled her eyes, but she couldn¡¯t have it any other way. Having Piker being this sincere and grateful man was starting to make her skin itch. Being an asshole suited him best. Piker then turned to Zeke, offering the same handshake. After Zeke took it, Piker spoke up again. ¡°Zeke, I always wanted to apologize for my actions when we first met. I didn¡¯t know whether I already did or not, but I wanted to confirm for myself. You clearly showed you got more than enough spunk to survive on the battlefield, perhaps more so than even a warrior himself.¡±Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. ¡°It¡¯s no problem,¡± Zeke grinned. ¡°I can sort of understand why you felt that way too. It¡¯s all water under the bridge now. You take care of yourself, okay?¡± ¡°I will,¡± Piker nodded. ¡°And you as well. But just in case¡­¡± Piker then turned back to Mikella, showing a serious stare. ¡°Mikella, if he can¡¯t do it, you can. Make sure he doesn¡¯t kill himself.¡± ¡°That¡¯s harder than reaching Journeymen, you know,¡± Mikella grinned widely, making Zeke roll his eyes hard at both of them when they laughed in unison. With that, the other soldiers followed suit. The healers and mages went for Zeke to congratulate him and offer goodbye while Mikella was practically showered with goodbyes from the rest. She was honestly still taken aback by how much respect she garnered from everyone, but took it in stride. Soon enough, she noticed Myra, Jackie, and Philip coming their way. Once Mikella called over Zeke, they met up with the original Eve Glade soldiers. Jackie and Philip said their proper goodbyes to Zeke, and Myra of course hugged Mikella hard enough to try to crush her. But this time, Mikella hugged back with her advanced body, getting the two to share a powerful hug meant to crush boulders. Their Draconian wings and Fairy wings certainly didn¡¯t help as they flapped from the emotional hug. ¡°At least you¡¯re tough enough to handle the world now,¡± Myra said with a smile, though there was a hint of pain behind it. ¡°You¡¯re really leaving the town, huh? It only feels like yesterday when the Captain took you in and started training you for real.¡± ¡°You know I didn¡¯t want to leave myself,¡± Mikella huffed. ¡°But there are things that you gotta do.¡± She smiled, but her heart sank as she finally said the words she had to say. ¡°Take care of yourself, okay? I don¡¯t know how long we¡¯ll be away¡­ but I really want to return back as soon as we can.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Myra nodded. ¡°Just make sure to stay alive. I don¡¯t know what sort of crap you guys have to go through, but just remember that you¡¯re not alone. We got your backs, just as you had ours.¡± Her heart swelled to hear that. Considering that she didn¡¯t know whether their bad luck is making things worse for them this whole time, she was glad to hear that Myra saw her as a friend despite everything. ¡°But hey, don¡¯t be antisocial. Try to get as many allies as you can over there. They may be pretty annoying mages with their heads so far up their asses they can¡¯t see daylight, but you never know. And there¡¯s nothing wrong with having some more people at your side.¡± Mikella chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind. Depends if they can handle our pretty extreme training regimen, of course. Can¡¯t slow down.¡± ¡°You better not,¡± Myra grinned ferociously. ¡°If you slow down and I pass you by, I will consider that an offense of the highest order.¡± She said it in such a stuffish tone that her wings flapped with a fiery flare. That made Mikella snort with laughter. She pushed her shoulder aside, and Myra did the same. She can¡¯t even remember a time when she was this close to a girl at her age. All of her friends in the old world felt so stuffy and superficial now in her memories. This one felt so close to true friendship that it almost made her cry. She¡¯s gonna miss Myra, that¡¯s for sure. Then Jackie and Philip came up to her, offering their own hands which she took gladly. ¡°I know I don¡¯t have to tell you to be careful. You have a better chance of surviving than the rest of us,¡± Jackie said. ¡°But I¡¯ll say it anyway. Stay safe.¡± ¡°You too Jackie,¡± Mikella smiled. Then her smile turned devilish. ¡°Make sure you treat Cacia well too. Or else me and Myra might show up unannounced and teach you some manners.¡± Jackie had a momentary look of panic and embarrassment, his cheeks reddening like mad. Both Mikella and Myra noticed that he and Cacia were getting a lot closer than your average soldiers. When Myra spotted them holding hands, thinking no one was around to see them, the two girls mischievously followed their love life to make sure Jackie didn''t mess things up¨Caccording to Myra, at least. Cacia, on the other hand, didn¡¯t look much for wear, thinking their secret relationship hadn¡¯t been discovered. She did look sad to see them go though, making Mikella want to protect her happiness. Jackie didn¡¯t say anything at all, instead just showed a determined expression and nodded to her. Once she made her peace with Phillip as well, that was everyone around them. When the otherworlders left them, the soldiers all responded with another fist to heart salute. Her heart swelled so much that she worried that she might not be able to handle it. Then a gentle hand held her shoulder, realizing it was Zeke¡¯s. He smiled warmly at her. ¡°We¡¯ll be back. I swear.¡± When she didn¡¯t know why he was assuring her like this, she realized now that her eyes have gone wet, tears beginning to brim. She wiped them off quickly, wanting to assure her tough girl persona as best she could. It was ridiculous of course, and nobody would blame her for crying, but still, it was something for her. ¡°Sorry, I¡­¡± Mikella sniffed softly, then pushed all her sadness down. It was already bad enough that Clara was watching her, worried in her already wet eyes. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I know we¡¯ll be back.¡± Zeke smiled again, and there was something in his eyes as well. Sadness beyond compare, but they were utterly dry. It surprised her that Zeke didn¡¯t show tears himself, but the next moment she realized why. The only time he cried was when Clara saw him as a big brother, granting him responsibility of taking care of her. For him who had no one have faith in him in the past, it was a lot for a man to take. She didn¡¯t care whether you were a man or a woman, anyone is capable of crying if they feel like it. But it looked like Zeke is the sort to keep it together during moments like these. They soon left the town, during which those who knew of them leaving offered their goodbyes and even gifts for their service. She not only felt gratitude, but guilt considering that she still thought of them as lazy for not fighting and instead letting the soldiers do the fighting for them. After all this time, she realized now that sometimes that was impossible. There weren¡¯t enough resources. There weren¡¯t enough trainers. There weren¡¯t enough monsters to fight. There just wasn¡¯t enough for everyone here to fight. It wasn¡¯t just that they didn¡¯t want to fight, it¡¯s sometimes because they literally can¡¯t fight. So they had no choice but to support those that can, and the ones who enjoyed making a living on anything outside of combat and leveling were the lucky ones. Eventually, they got to the entrance, the same one that they went through the first time they ever got into Eve Glade and saw the massive array of armored soldiers preparing to leave. Master Cronus and his wife Isabelle were there waiting for them, one having an impassive look and the other smiling at the sight. Then there were the lords and the general. Cloud, Val, and Zacharia waited for them right before the entrance to greet them. Mikella faced them, trying to steel her heart as much as she could. The last thing she wanted to do was cry in front of their benefactors and teachers of this world. Vol 3 Ch24: Official good-bye ¡°Ooh, I¡¯m gonna miss you all so much!¡± Val cried out, her eyes tearing up like a mother seeing her daughter move out of the house. Mikella had a complicated expression on her face as Val was hugging her and Clara so tightly that it might as well try to crush them. Obviously, she held back as Clara was utterly fine, in fact tearing up as well while hugging her back. Zeke was thankfully left off from that. He wasn¡¯t sure how to handle Val¡¯s overwhelming emotional hug, but instead went over to Cloud to offer a sincere smile and slight bow of his head. ¡°Thanks for everything Cloud,¡± Zeke said. He meant every word as he continued. ¡°After letting us stay at your house, teaching us everything, and even accepting us as we are¡­ thank you.¡± ¡°Those should be my words,¡± Cloud smiled back. ¡°You did so much for our town despite your situation. This town will forever remember what you all did, no doubt. I wish I could have at least done more for you as you did for us.¡± Zeke shook his head. ¡°Just taking us in when we had nothing was good enough for us. Where we came from, that¡¯s asking a lot.¡± Cloud chuckled, shaking his head. ¡°Zeke, just remember. Arcelot is¡­ not a kind place. But if you make sure to use everything you learned here, all of you will be fine. But remember to make allies there. There¡¯s only so much the two of you can do on your own.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Zeke inclined his head. Cloud offered his hand, and there was something behind that gesture. Zeke did the same, and the two clasped hands. He knew then that this was the greeting between master and student. Cloud taught him everything when it comes to magic, and now he saw Zeke as an equal, to a sort. He was still half his age, and he still had a lot to learn even after becoming Journeymen. And Zeke was more than happy to stay like that. Even if they become equals later, Zeke would always see Cloud as a respectable uncle or big brother of his own. It was the sort of thing Zeke wanted to copy for Clara¡¯s sake. Maybe he¡¯ll never be exactly that, but he can try. Once the two separated, the otherworlders then met the last Journeyman who took care of them. Zacharia had his arms crossed, his face completely neutral. At least it wasn¡¯t scowling like normal, so perhaps even he was feeling something from this. ¡°...The place you¡¯re going to is more cutthroat than anything you¡¯ve seen so far,¡± Zacharia finally said once the otherworlders got up to him to say their goodbyes. ¡°Eve Glade, in comparison, is child¡¯s play.¡± ¡°I¡­ sort of get that,¡± Mikella said, frowning. They had it easy in this town, but only because this town was special under the guise of a powerful king. ¡°Thanks, though. We¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± ¡°And Zeke, don¡¯t take offense,¡± Zacharia said without really looking at him. ¡°But the mages there don¡¯t really see other people eye-to-eye. At least that¡¯s how I see mages from anywhere.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Zeke grinned. ¡°Cloud taught me enough that mages are pretty freaking weird.¡± ¡°Oh, so it¡¯s a universal thing then,¡± Mikella said with a teasing grin, causing Zeke¡¯s eyes to roll. ¡°...Take care of yourselves.¡± Zacharia¡¯s last words felt more¡­ genuine, more than normal. Despite everything that has happened between them, neither Zeke nor even Mikella felt any hostility towards Zacharia anymore. He did everything he could to do his duty, even if it meant being seen as a villain by the two. Mikella rubbed her neck awkwardly, looking away before forcing herself to look at him. ¡°Umm¡­ thanks for everything. We¡­ we appreciate it.¡± Zacharia offered a nod, and to Zeke, that felt like something the two could be proud of to receive from him. Zeke offered a hand, hoping that it wouldn¡¯t piss him off, but thankfully Zacharia took it gladly. It was firm, and it almost made his hand ache, but he couldn¡¯t have it any other way. Mikella did the same, and Zacharia actually grinned when she tried to crush his hand. Unfortunately, it was to no avail as Mikella winced from the firm handshake, and when they let go, Mikella cursed softly as her hand swung back and forth. ¡°You still need more work, child.¡± ¡°Ugh, screw you¡­¡± The two shared the last words before they left through the entrance. But just before they faced the waiting Master mage and his entourage, Ana cried out. ¡°Clara!¡± The little blond-haired girl ran up to Clara, who in turn faced her. After the two faced each other, their eyes wet with tears, Ana spread her arms wide.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°Man hug. Now!¡± Clara took a moment to understand, then spread her own arms wide. The two approached slowly, somehow the scene becoming intense as the two collided with their arms still spread wide, then lightly punched each other¡¯s back with their tears fully running down. ¡°You¡¯ll always have a place here!¡± Ana cried out, snot dribbling down her nose. ¡°But remember that your best friend is me!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget me!¡± Clara cried out, and Ana was nice enough not to hit Brucey on the back who despite everything, was still asleep. ¡°I¡¯ll come back soon!¡± ¡°You better!¡± Zeke smiled at the scene, however strange it looked. He figured the girls would be crying like¡­ honestly, they were crying right now. They were just expressing in their own special way, something that he was glad Clara got to partake in. In his periphery, he noticed Mikella trying¨Cand failing¨Cto keep her sobbing to a minimum. For her, it was doubly painful to force Clara to leave her first ever best friend behind. Though it would¡¯ve been better had it not been for Ana glaring hard at the other side of the crying Clara at Zoan who remained dauntless in her position as the serious little girl. ¡°Zoan, don¡¯t ever forget to protect Clara! But you¡¯ll never replace me as her number one best friend, got it!?¡± Zoan tried to ignore the glaring little girl, but as though Ana¡¯s pure persistence kept shoving daggers at her, Zoan let out a tired exhale and glared back. ¡°It is my duty to ensure her safety. So no, I will not forget to protect her. And no, I will not ¡®replace¡¯ you.¡± Zeke wasn¡¯t sure why, but Zoan nearly sounded just as childish as Ana. He was certain Zoan was just getting along with Ana¡¯s antics rather than trying to ignore her. Ana¡¯s persistence is just as strong, if not stronger, than Val¡¯s ferocity in battle. He figured that Mikella would keep watch as she looked ready to comfort the still crying Clara even after separating from Ana. He noticed that their Bastion allies were just to the side, offering their blessings in silence. He went over to them, noticing the grinning Zyler and the clearly healthy and smiling Diaga. Her clothed robes were off her head, revealing the beauty that would even rival a Journeyman. Just how pretty would she be once she ascended to the third stage? ¡°Zyler, Diaga,¡± Zeke inclined his head. ¡°Thanks for staying around to see us off. You really didn¡¯t have to, though.¡± ¡°It¡¯s only natural for me to do so,¡± Diaga said, her hand hovering over her chest with a soft smile. ¡°You have saved me from a short and painful life. Nothing I do will ever pay that debt, so this is the least I could do.¡± Zeke wanted to say it really was nothing, but decided against it. He never planned on asking for any debts from this poor girl, but he had to consider that if not for him, she really would¡¯ve been screwed. He only offered a kind smile as a gesture, insuring her that her thoughts were appreciated. ¡°Though I¡¯m not quite sure why my brother remains¡­¡± Her usually gentle and beautiful visage scrunched a little at the sight of her elder brother who was grinning behind her like usual. ¡°What? He¡¯s my buddy! Of course I¡¯m gonna say goodbye to him and his girl. What kind of monster do you think I am?¡± ¡°No monster, certainly,¡± Diaga scoffed. ¡°But you¡¯re the Lord of our nation now. Surely you have duties to attend to?¡± ¡°Diaga, do you really see me as a guy who prefers to sit on a desk doing paperwork?¡± Diaga took a solid minute of silence, considering his question. Zyler waited patiently before Diaga forgo her earlier question and turned back to Zeke. ¡°Moving on to important matters, I hope we can still keep up communications. I¡¯m certain that my abilities would be of use to you, should the need arise.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Zeke said. ¡°That would really be great. But don¡¯t take it too far. I¡¯d rather you live your life to the fullest than making my life a little easier.¡± Diaga offered a bright smile in return. ¡°I am certain to follow that.¡± Just as Zeke was ready to head back, his eyes popped wide open. ¡°Oh! I actually got something for you, Diaga. I figured you need a special treat to enjoy your newfound health.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Diaga tilted her head. ¡°You¡¯ve already given me so much. What else could you possibly give me?¡± Zyler seemed to notice what Zeke was mentioning, and a wide grin was plastered on his face as he held onto Diaga¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Trust me on this, Diaga. You¡¯re gonna want this.¡± Zeke pulled out the very familiar enhanced fruit that he still held in his pack. He handed several of them over to Zacharia the day before, ensuring that each soldier was rewarded with them once they made it past the threshold. However, he kept several for himself and Mikella when they go over to get the extra stat bonuses for reaching Journeyman. They planned on training a little while before eating the fruits to fully enjoy the bonuses, however. Diaga¡¯s eyes widened at the attribute fruit in front of her. When Zeke offered it to her, she tried to refuse. ¡°I-I can¡¯t! This is so valuable, I can¡¯t just¨C¡± ¡°Please, take it. You¡¯re a valuable ally now. It¡¯s only natural for me to help you out for my benefit.¡± Zeke said it in a way that sounded like he would be the one to enjoy the benefits than she did, and when Zyler backed him up on this, Diaga carefully took the fruit, offering a grateful nod to him before taking a bite. Her eyes popped wide as the expected notification dropped onto her vision. Her mouth opened wide, not realizing that she was still chewing. ¡°W-What is¡­?! M-M-My stats are¡­!?¡± ¡°It¡¯s an enhanced fruit I made, so don¡¯t worry about it. Just enjoy the fruits.¡± When Zeke smiled back with Mikella in tow, Diaga made sure to remind Zyler to be very polite the next time they visit officially. After that, they left the two visitors after giving them another goodbye. Once that was dealt with, the only thing of worry was the barrier for Eve Glade. Thankfully, even when Zeke had to renounce his Lord position, as long as Zeke consented to it, his barrier could stay with the town for as long as the current Lords wanted. Since nobody, including Zeke, wanted it gone, it would remain in place for years to come, if not decades unless the Unity Core itself was damaged somehow. With everything in place and Clara returning back to them, her hand squeezing Sissy¡¯s hand tightly, Zeke faced the Master user who waited patiently for their finished business. ¡°All settled then?¡± Cronus said, getting the otherworlders to agree. ¡°Good. Then let¡¯s head to Arcelot.¡± Vol 3 Ch25: Teleportation Zeke had left Eve Glade many times already, but this was the first time he felt like he was leaving home. Eve Glade had been their home ever since their forced travel to this world. It was a somber feeling, reflected by Mikella and Clara who both were quiet, holding each other¡¯s hand. Zeke looked ahead at the Master and his missus in front of him along with their arrayed armored knights in a solid formation. Contrary to their own formations for the soldiers, these were perfect beyond comparison. Whether their advanced bodies have anything to do with it or not, the way they move and act together felt jarring, like they were robots in knight armor instead of people. They crossed through the forest, reaching towards the location they used the week before. Apparently their way of travel relies heavily on waylines, powerful surges of energy flow that spans across the entire world in the multiple of hundreds of thousands. Normally this kind of thing had a lot of history, but the waylines in this world are different from the ones Zeke read in most fiction. In this case, the waylines here are composed of all the aspects of this world, and perhaps a tiny sliver of something beyond. It was a metaphoricall flow of energy rather than an actual physical mana flow like a river or waterfall. As such, not many practitioners used the wayline for anything other than its intended purpose of remaining there to stabilize the world. Cronus is one such person capable of using it to this advantage. When they reached their location, a seemingly random place in the middle of the empty plains within the forest, Cronus reached his hand out. And there, Zeke saw the most well-crafted use of magic he has ever seen. Mana wove around his hand like bands of cloth to his eyes. Mikella watched in wonder as magic seemed to gather around Cronus¡¯ hand as though it was part of the world itself. Then, hundreds of runes were suddenly drawn and placed around him. Those said runes flew across from him and arrayed themselves in a circle in front, averaging around several feet in diameter. It was enough to look like a gateway made entirely out of runes. Zeke already knew from Cloud that Cronus was a Runist, but Cronus¡¯ runes were like works of art. While Zeke was only able to comprehend the simplistic meaning on the surface, Cronus¡¯ runes were crafted with hundreds of meanings and symbols in one single rune, and each rune looked as though they had several runes of the same quality mashed together to create a single powerful rune. And to top it all off, the completed runes connected together well, creating their own meaning. Even the simplistic meaning of the rune was far beyond Zeke¡¯s reach, and anything else is like trying to look at calculus becoming the new alphabet of the future. Mikella actually had to support him when Zeke was overwhelmed from the mastery of the runes, catching him by his back and shoulder when he stumbled. His eyes felt dizzy, like he read dozens of books in a matter of seconds. His head was aching, trying and failing to understand even a whiff of the meaning behind the runes. Zeke just had to do it. He had to Identify the man in front of him despite knowing that Identifying someone would be noticed by those of higher power, and Cronus is no slouch. Still, Zeke went ahead. ??? And of course, Zeke had no way of Identifying this man. It was clear that he was either using some skill or equipment that allowed him to block others¡¯ Identify. But Zeke at least knew that Cronus was a high level Runist of world renown, because there¡¯s no way he could measure up to that power even at his level. Soon those runes glowed bright enough to create what looked like a giant glowing circle, then a wave of pressure hit them like a bass drop. It reached deep into their cores, bringing out primal fear from Zeke¡¯s heart. It felt like what Cronus was trying to do was against natural order, but since the system didn¡¯t seem like it punished him in some way, it seemed fine. The portal glowed as the soldiers stayed resolute in their position. Cronus turned back around, smiling at the otherworlders. ¡°Come along then. Time is wasting, and I have loads of paperwork to do.¡± With that, the master mage and his wife entered into the portal without hesitation, As the soldiers stood by waiting, Zeke looked back at the girls, then the girls at him. With plenty of hesitation themselves, they pushed onwards to the portal. ¡­.. His mind whirled at the insights through the passage of the portal. He knew already that teleportation magic was possible, but it required heavy (some seriously heavy) bouts of calculations and logistics that even a high number of Intelligence wasn¡¯t enough.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. One needed skills, power, and understanding of the teleportation itself to work it out, and especially to connect it to a hidden dimensional pocket that was originally difficult to find in the first place even with normal means. All the while, Zeke held tightly onto Clara¡¯s hand, with the other clasped tightly with Mikella. Even if their passage is granted by none other than a Master Runist, there was no way in hell he was gonna leave Clara stranded in some way. Zoan was another matter, even if she appeared like Clara. She walked by Zeke with no regard to her situation whatsoever, her passive face as stoic as ever. However, she did take a moment to gander at the passageway between realms with a studious gaze. The passageway itself was riddled with overwhelming flows of Mana and other kinds of energies that Zeke can¡¯t comprehend. Mana, kinetic, and even life energy was surrounding him, but there were also sparks of elemental magic, concepts that were on the physical, metaphysical, and the beyond. One such example he noticed was that the concept of Nature was surrounding one very distant speck within the passageway. Another he noticed was strangely something called Ashen Dust, an Earth concept mixed with Lava and Rust of all things. Each of these concepts, normally put for attunements in people, were everywhere around them, swirling together to make a mishmash of colors like a kaleidoscope of magic. ¡°Don¡¯t stare too deeply into the abyss. You might get swallowed up~¡± Isabelle said, her voice turning ominous with that smile of hers. Zeke shivered at the possibility that this might not be as safe of a journey as he expected. Despite the passageway being just mildly big enough for a bus to run through, the armored knights walked behind the four visitors like an oiled machine. Meanwhile, the master and his wife were just casually chatting away while passing through what Zeke could only describe as a mind-boggling experience that shouldn¡¯t ever happen in their old world. Before Zeke could even understand even remotely how this all worked to try himself, the passageway vanished in an instant, replaced with a flash of light that suffused Zeke¡¯s entire mind all together. In a few seconds, he shook himself awake to find himself in an entirely new place. Clara¡¯s gasp of wonder and Mikella¡¯s silent awe was enough to tell Zeke that they had arrived. The surroundings were similar to a forest, but the trees were purple instead of the usual brown, and the leaves were deep cyan blue. The grass was also blue, though it was lighter blue in comparison. The sky around them was a delightful pink mixed with shades of purple and red, and Zeke had no idea what time it was from the coloring alone, but he could see the bright shimmering Studded Star all the same in the distance, shining bright like the morning of the day. It looked like the pocket dimension was in the same time zone as in Eve Glade. The color of the sky was something that he was gonna have to get used to. But all of it was utterly blank in comparison to the bright blue and white buildings far away from them. He flared his kinetic energy to boost his sight and noticed that it was a large, if not the largest city he had ever seen. The buildings he could see at the distance was just the edge of the giant city, possibly a metropolis beyond compare. ¡°That looks like a utopia¡­¡± Mikella whispered, mostly in awe and with a mix of shock and fear. Zeke had to agree, especially with the color white motif everywhere around it. However, despite being able to see the buildings from afar, they were about a hundred or so miles far away from them in a nearby forest. Zeke tried to flare his senses beyond the forest a little, but he didn¡¯t notice anything else other than the trees and the literal alien-like tiny creatures he had no time to observe for long. He decided to ignore a squirrel-like creature getting eaten by a flytrap posing as a pretty flower. ¡°Master Cronus,¡± Zeke asked the man who looked like he was staring hard at the distance himself. ¡°Why did we appear here in the forest?¡± ¡°Are we giving them the long trip home?¡± Isabelle asked, surprising both Zeke and Mikella. Why was the missus asking as though she had nothing to do with it? ¡°No¡­ it¡¯s much worse,¡± Cronus sounded like he was actually grumbling, shaking his head. ¡°The towers messed up the flow of the energies again. It even took off my teleportation projections a smidge. Now we¡¯re farther away than I intended.¡± ¡°Oh my,¡± Isabelle gasped, though she couldn¡¯t sound anymore calm and composed as before. ¡°I would love a pleasant trip from time to time, but we have so many on hand. Is there no way to try it again?¡± ¡°You know I can¡¯t whip up another teleportation so close to here,¡± Cronus said. ¡°The mana cost would be too much, and it¡¯s such a chore to try thinking in such small increments¡­ no, I think the best way is to just travel forward.¡± Zeke had to adjust the conversation for his meager brain, trying to believe that the master was just apparently too lazy to teleport them properly. Then again, hearing the cost made him shiver at the immense amount of mana necessary to pull this teleportation skill off so smoothly. ¡°Mmh, but I¡¯ll feel bad for the knights who have to trudge along with us in their heavy armor,¡± Isabelle pleaded, sounding more concerned for the knights who remained quiet and professional. ¡°And we have these kids to take care of as well.¡± ¡°Mmh¡­¡± The two sounded more like troubled parents hitting a car breaking down with a giant group with them. Zeke looked back at the girls with him, also trying hard to understand what was going on while Clara was pleasantly staring at the grass and the trees with wonder in her eyes still. For her, the idea of a magical country was finally hitting her, replacing her sadness of leaving the town behind. Then Zeke thought up an idea. ¡°Umm, Master Cronus, if I may?¡± Cronus and Isabelle looked back at him, along with the knights as well. Everyone was staring at him now, and normally he would¡¯ve gotten nervous. But after spending so much time with the large retinue back in the biodome, having this many eyes on him was no longer a concern. Still, having a top tier user staring at him like that still gives him the shivers. ¡°What is it?¡± Cronus asked. ¡°If we¡¯re discussing how to travel fast for a short time¡­ then can I try something?¡± Vol 3 Ch 26: Jetstream to Arcelot ¡°Ohohoho! How lovely! Oh, Cronus dear, We must do this for ourselves! Oh, imagine the wind passing through our hair as we travel like this¡± The eloquent laughter of the missus Isabelle resounded as Zeke carefully but quickly drove through the forest with his barrier. It was back to his Car Barrier again, just like when he did with his group to reach the tower during the Bastion siege. The barrier¡¯s shape this time was resembling a true bus, rectangular in shape with spherical barriers working like wheels underneath. The inside of the Car Barrier, or its new variant Bus Barrier, didn¡¯t have the seats necessary to sit down. Despite everything he tried, trying to make comfortable seats was impossible, but at least they had enough room to travel in. This time, he had a lot of power and experience on his side, and thanks to his upgrade to Journeyman, the process became that much smoother, especially as he was not just driving the core members, but the entire knight platoon as well. It was a surreal sight to see. If a stranger saw from afar, they would see a bus-sized barrier driving with a platoon¡¯s worth of people within, standing upright and not even stumbling at all. With Zeke¡¯s level of control, he was able to affix everyone easily enough without constraining their movements. Hell, few of the soldiers were ecstatic, looking around like country bumpkins in a driving vehicle. ¡°Certainly¡­¡± Cronus, for once, sounded impressed as he stared intensely at the runework Zeke made. Contrary to the master himself, Zeke felt a bit embarrassed to have his sham of runes being displayed so openly to him. He wasn¡¯t ashamed of his work. He clearly put in a lot of effort and study into the runes he had made so far. However, after witnessing the majesty of Cronus¡¯ masterpiece of traveling through dimensions, it really did feel a bit lacking. Nobody but runists would notice it, but it was enough to keep him silent while ensuring nobody gets troubled. ¡°Come on Zeke, he actually looked pretty amazed,¡± Mikella whispered, suddenly knowing his mental struggle to keep professional. ¡°Keep your head high.¡± ¡°Hey, easy for you to say,¡± Zeke said, though he smiled lightly. ¡°You¡¯re not the one driving an entire army.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ yeah, that does sound difficult,¡± Mikella winced, though it was the sort of playful one that she didn¡¯t think too much about. ¡°How is it, by the way?¡± ¡°Honestly a lot easier than I expected, but this is the first time I¡¯m carrying so many people, so I¡¯m keeping focused all the same. My Parallel Thought is working overtime.¡± And as he said that, a notification dropped for him, updating him over a skill that hadn¡¯t advanced in almost a year.
Parallel Thought Level Up! It is now Level 8. You have gained +1 INT from your skill. You have gained +1 SPI from your skill.
¡°And it just leveled up.¡± ¡°Nice,¡± Mikella congratulated. Zeke smiled, though after so much progress, he didn¡¯t feel all that powerful from it. He knew the skill was invaluable, but it was becoming like Meditation where it was working in the backline not leveling as much. To his peripheral vision, he noticed Zoan just standing there staring at the work herself. He wasn¡¯t sure how an angel would see it, but he was certain that while it was a new concept for her, it was nowhere near as great as a Grandmaster as herself, even in that tiny form of hers. ¡°Zeke, you truly have made an interesting way of traveling! I never once thought you can use the barrier like this mixed with runes,¡± Isabelle mentioned, her voice catching Zeke off guard as the praise went through him. He blushed slightly, but he kept steady as he answered back. ¡°Y-Yeah, it was¡­ umm,¡± Zeke struggled to find the words. ¡°A copy of how we traveled from¡­ where we came from.¡± He had to remember that he was still carrying a lot of people behind him, and only the Master and missus knew where they truly came from. Isabelle¡¯s eyes widened, her delicate hands placing together. ¡°I see. I still do not fully understand how your home works, but this does remind me of a carriage or a horse ride. But this certainly puts away a lot of work for easier travels.¡± ¡°Truly,¡± Cronus finally said. ¡°I believe I can replicate this now. While the work is crude, it has a¡­ unique way of displaying intention. Very authentic, and original if I may add.¡± Zeke felt complex emotions at that. He tried to correct the gesture. ¡°Umm¡­ L-Like I said, it¡¯s something I copied. We didn¡¯t have any runes to draw, but the intention was easy to draw on¡­¡±Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. ¡°It¡¯s the same either way,¡± Cronus waved it away. ¡°Anything you can put into runes is original by itself. And this is certainly something I haven¡¯t thought of using when I created the skill. Goes to show innovation goes beyond the generations, eh honey?¡± ¡°Oh stop it, you make yourself sound so old,¡± Isabelle cooed, patting Cronus¡¯ chest playfully. ¡°You still got some creative juices somewhere in you, do you not?¡± ¡°I mean if you put enough alcohol in me, sure,¡± Cronus shrugged. The otherworlders shook their heads at the casual chatting between the married couple. While Cronus proved already how powerful of a mage he was, he wasn¡¯t quite sure about Isabelle¡¯s power. She felt strong, for sure, but he wasn¡¯t quite sure how. Whether she was at Journeymen or even a Master, he couldn¡¯t even say. Not even his Identify said anything, figuring that, of course, the wife of the Master mage would also obfuscate herself. Eventually the ride came to an end as they got close to the entrance of the city itself. After crossing several plains of forests and grasslands, similar to looking like a swaying ocean as they drove, they spotted several buildings worth to create what looked like a station with several large vehicles that might as well be equivalent to trains at the distance. Once they arrived near the location, Zeke put away the barrier and everyone either relaxed now that the ride was over or let out discouraged exhales that the ride was now over. I¡¯m glad they were having fun, at least, Zeke thought, mostly enjoying that Clara had the most fun. She always loved driving around with them during the time they were relaxing in Eve Glade around the forests during their rare off days. As the group looked ahead, the station was as giant as possible with many people running about like the world was about to end. He could see at the distance the trains, or magic equivalent of trains, waiting around and driving away with passengers in tow. The way the trains moved felt unnaturally quiet. Zeke drove on subways before, but even the most expensive looking train wouldn¡¯t travel as quiet as they did. The moment the people that ran around the station noticed the master coming in, they all stood apart and gave extra room for them to pass through. It was definitely eye-catching to suddenly see a giant group with armored knights approaching the station with some uniquely dressed people in the front. Zeke and Mikella held onto Clara and walked together closely to make sure not to get distracted by the rampant sights beyond them. Zoan herself stood close to Clara, easing Zeke a little since at least she still had a job of protecting Clara. Everyone watched with awe, and some others just continued on with passing glances. However, everyone here never once ignored the master and missus coming in as someone approached them from the station. He looked important enough to look like the manager of the place. A tall man wearing a white and purple robe with golden laced trimmings. He had an older expression, but power radiated off of him as he smiled professionally at the incoming Cronus. ¡°Lord Cronus, it is an honor to have your presence here,¡± The man responded with a respectful bow. ¡°Had we known you were coming, we would have prepared things much further in advance. What, if I may ask, brought you here from so far away?¡± ¡°There was a mishap that took me by surprise, unfortunately,¡± Cronus answered. ¡°I apologize in advance, but I would like to request an exclusive ride to Arc Manum for all of us. If you do not have any free, then we can wait until one arrives.¡± ¡°Of course. We have a train specifically suited to your needs,¡± The manager responded easily enough, looking over to the rest of the group. He took a quick glance at the otherworlders, staring quite a bit at Mikella¡¯s wings, but then quickly shifted to Cronus as he certainly wasn¡¯t going to ask who they were if they were the master¡¯s guests. ¡°I hate to do this, but I must ask for your patience as we get everything started.¡± ¡°There is no issue,¡± Cronus smiled. ¡°I would like to ask for some amenities if possible. We have traveled for a long while, and of course everything will be compensated.¡± ¡°As you wish,¡± The man bowed again as he called over several employees from the vicinity to do exactly as the master asked. Once the employees left, the armored knights went ahead of the master, only leaving behind a select group. Zeke had to wonder just why Cronus of all people had to have such a large armored force just to go around outside the pocket dimension. He had to think about the dozens of ways one can still kill someone of higher stages if one was desperate enough, but he can¡¯t even imagine the reason why. Then again, he was still just a visitor from another world. What idea did he have when it came to politics in a fantasy world? Still, the small number of knights surrounding them felt better than before, and most likely to give the people surrounding them a bit of a breather. Even though the master was around, nobody was crowding around him trying to look, or adhering to him in deference like some god amongst men. In Cronus¡¯ case, he can¡¯t blame the people for believing in something like that. But instead, they just looked like ordinary citizens trying to get on with their lives. Some of course did stare in wonder at the master, but most were just staring at the knights in awe, perhaps out of respect or even fear. Even in his old world, being around policemen would still make one nervous even if you knew that you wouldn¡¯t commit a crime in front of them. Soon enough the manager told them that the ride was ready. Rather than a train, it was something called a Jetstream, a long vehicle capable of riding on top of well-constructed rails that didn¡¯t even exist physically. In his mind, they were magical rails, just to make everything more simple. As they entered inside the train-like Jetstream, Zeke didn¡¯t just feel the Mana¨Cit punched him in the face. The Jetstream uses very concise magical pathways for its creation, allowing easier access for all the residents and not just the magically inclined. However, the mana in the jetstream was strong and potent, and Zeke wasn¡¯t sure whether it was due to the creation of the vehicle or it was some sort of an effect for the passengers. Still, the knights went around the compartment doing a formation Zeke wasn¡¯t aware of while surrounding them, leaving the core group at the center sitting across from each other. Cronus looked mildly pleased, his wife gushing about how long ago it was that she took the jetstream with him, while the otherworlders were still silent and keeping to themselves. Mikella had a bit of a tough time adjusting to the seats with her wings in the way, but she managed to adjust them well enough without damaging anything. Throughout it all, Zeke could barely be able to keep up with everything. But he decided to put together a mental list for all the things he needed to do. First, find out what Cronus planned to do with them, then they have to figure out a way to get to the towers and clear them¨Cand hoping that they could save the people trapped in there if need be. He didn¡¯t want to think about the potential struggle all that entailed. Right now, keeping a steady focus on their goals was keeping him stable enough to not get overwhelmed by all of this. Still, he could feel a headache coming on as he clutched onto the ridge of his nose. Vol 3 Ch27: Entering Arcelot Mikella noticed Zeke holding onto the middle of his nose, looking more distressed than anything. She also felt nervous, but the best she could do was hold onto Clara. She and Clara were in this same situation before being transported to another world. They were on a subway almost like this, running away from home and their parents to live on their own. Of course, that didn¡¯t go well at all, and now being in the same situation again made her nervous. She glanced over at Clara who looked just as nervous, her face frowning as she looked around herself. Grasping onto her hand, Mikella spoke softly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Clara, it won¡¯t happen again. This time, we¡¯re not alone.¡± ¡°...Okay.¡± Clara said minutely, almost returning back to her quiet, awkward self. It made her heart ache at the sight, but she can¡¯t blame her for feeling nervous again. Even Mikella wasn¡¯t completely unaffected by this, her hands almost shivering. When Zeke realized what was happening and asked, Mikella assured him that it was just the jitters. Zeke was already trying to keep up with all this just like her, but knowing that the girls were in trouble, that instantly put him into protective mode. It was good for Mikella. It made her think that everything would be fine no matter where they go. And as soon as the jetstream started to run, the engines almost as quiet as air breathing, Mikella offered Clara to look above to see the window to the outside. In the next few minutes, Clara had completely forgotten about her situation. And if she was honest, so did Mikella. The jetstream worked just like a train, but the way it moved was like moving through different dimensions in a heartbeat. Flashing lights went and passed by in a dizzying array, leaving Clara to mostly exclaim in joy. Mikella worried that she was bothering the leaders with her excitement, but Cronus just looked pleased while Isabelle smiled enthusiastically at her. They look like an old married couple that were just fond of children playing around. Zeke, however, was the opposite. He worried and clamored over Clara moving around too much in a moving vehicle, despite the inside being as still like his Bus Barrier. She wondered whether Zeke just didn¡¯t trust anything magical as long as it wasn¡¯t made by him, getting her to giggle at the sight. Of course, when Clara pulled out the classic puppy dog eyed stare to keep going, Zeke relented, making sure to keep an eye on her as she moved around frantically to see more of the sights outside. And what sights they were. The jetstream moved along the made pathways, but it was like seeing the train flying across the air and traveling at a fast speed across the purplish pink sky above. The buildings that made up the city they were entering whipped past in a slow drawl, either some in white marbled stone or in a differing array of colors that were precisely what a city would look like. Rather than being a magical city, Mikella only saw a city filled with life and purpose. Her Mana Manipulation helped her see the magical energy swirling around everywhere. Not at much as Zeke at least, but she could tell that despite the massive size of the buildings and the population that filled it, a lot of careful work was put in designing the metropolis below. With her sight she could see several railways and machinery that would help others go around the city with ease, but some obviously decided to go the natural way by flying on their own. They rode on either their own personalized vehicles, some ranging from small disks to the classic broom sticks like witches, something that easily caught Clara¡¯s excitement with ease. She would also marvel at the beauty of flying around in a broom or vehicle, knowing just how wonderful it was to fly herself. However, the adult in her realized that if you plan on flying in this city, you need to get the proper license for it. Goes to show that even if you can fly, you still gotta be responsible and get proper documents, Mikella huffed mentally, unable to escape from reality. Still, it was enough to rouse her inner child as even Zeke watched with amazement. In fact, he kept staring at some of the railways and parts of the buildings with such astonishment that he couldn¡¯t help but exclaim himself. ¡°Just how many runists worked on those runes, and how did they make it work for so long¡­?¡± He uttered to himself. ¡°Anything interesting about those runes, Zeke?¡± Mikella asked. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ I can¡¯t even fathom just how anyone can manage to make them work like that. I could see it all,¡± Zeke said, his eyes already glowing with the color of his mana. She wondered if his Battle Runecraft skill was working overtime to see all the runes. ¡°The flow of it all is all marginally precise, being directed to and from different locations. It just connects to everything, and makes everything just work, like that,¡± He snapped his fingers, proving his point.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! ¡°So¡­ sort of like the electricity in our world?¡± Mikella whispered, getting Zeke to nod in approval. ¡°Wow, and that¡¯s all with mana¡­¡± Even Mikella was impressed with that. She saw how Cloud and Zeke worked on the runes to make the simple appliances to make their home life easier, such as the sink and the stove, but to find that those runes made the entire city¡­ she can¡¯t fathom the time and materials sunk into it. ¡°Electricity, huh?¡± Cronus suddenly spoke, catching their attention. ¡°Is that the energy used in your world?¡± Mikella panicked, wanting to strangle the master no matter how pointless it was to say that out loud in front of all the¡­ Now that she noticed, all the knights were gone from the compartment. it looked like during their distraction, they were either sent away or were put to go around the jetstream for their work. ¡°Yes, at least part of it,¡± Zeke said. He shifted himself to sit properly in front of Cronus and Isabelle. ¡°Where we came from, we have no mana to make magic, so we worked with electricity using tools and machinery.¡± ¡°How peculiar,¡± Cronus said with interest. ¡°But how do they come up with such energy? Surely it would run out at some point? And wouldn¡¯t it damage the planet they all share?¡± ¡°That, uhh¡­ that is definitely a debate they¡¯re having even now, but¡­¡± Zeke winced. It wasn¡¯t exactly the sort of topic people in their world really cared about, except for the environmentally friendly types. ¡°If I¡¯m honest, I¡¯m not entirely sure of the process. I do at least know that electricity is created using fossil fuel from the earth, and we developed ways to use it as efficiently as possible. Still, there are always limits. Isn¡¯t mana the same way?¡± ¡°In a sense,¡± Cronus said. ¡°Mana is derived from everything¨Cfrom the air, the sea, the earth itself. As one generates life, one generates mana. As a society, we know that mana is the most usable form of energy for daily usage, so this city is created under the ideal of magic, and its uses. I suppose while you have the chance, do you wish to know more about our country?¡± Cronus asked, getting the rest of the otherworlders to stand at attention. Even Clara took special notice and sat back down, listening to the wise Master. ¡°I read a lot about the country, but not everything,¡± Zeke said. ¡°All we know is that it¡¯s a country that lives in a pocket dimension away from the world. It¡¯s completely isolated, and has policies that said nobody can come and leave without proper procedures.¡± ¡°And do you know why?¡± Cronus asked like a teacher would. ¡°Because the magic being trained and cultivated here can be dangerous, and it¡¯s mostly used to keep Arcelot as a powerful country against the others, right?¡± Cronus nodded his head. ¡°That is how Arcelot was made and intended to be. But it¡¯s more than that. Why do you think this country was built on a pocket dimension rather than on the world itself?¡± Zeke paused, furrowing his brows. Mikella wondered if she should even try to answer. Figuring that there was no harm, she opted to ask instead. ¡°Is it because all the mana here helps the country stay stable? Like¡­ the Mana helps the runes that Zeke pointed out easier to function?¡± ¡°You are half right, my child,¡± Cronus said with a grin. That certainly surprised her since she didn¡¯t expect the answer to be at least half right. ¡°And the other half is also because of the Studded Star.¡± ¡°The Studded Star?¡± Mikella asked in disbelief. ¡°What¡¯s that fake sun got to do with anything?¡± As soon as she said that, she clamped her mouth shut, her lips pressed tightly together. Zeke, who¡¯s usually not good at reading social cues, actually looked back at her with that tilt of his head as if saying ¡®what the hell are you doing?¡¯. Even Clara had the nerve to do that very thing to her. ¡°Fake sun¡­?¡± Cronus asked with clear interest. ¡°You must tell me more about that later. As for the reason why the star is mentioned, its creation from long ago is the reason why dungeons, biodomes, and all sorts of natural habitats are created. At least those that are not under the control of one nation¡¯s powerful Unity Core. There is no clear direction, but the Star¡¯s influence across Tarial heavily affects all forms of life that lives there.¡± ¡°Huh¡­¡± Zeke put down Mikella¡¯s mistake and looked back at Cronus, getting Mikella to breathe in relief. ¡°So it¡¯s the Studded Star¡¯s influence that makes the world go round, so to speak?¡± ¡°Precisely,¡± Cronus nodded. ¡°But you also said that the star is also the reason why Arcelot is made. Wait¡­¡± Zeke¡¯s narrowed his eyes, rubbing his chin as his thoughts whirled. ¡°The star affects everything including dungeons and biodomes. It has a passive, or maybe extremely finite effect on anything magical. With the pocket dimension¡¯s special characteristics, it¡¯s possible that the studded star is affecting the dimension in a way that benefits the city and¡­¡± ¡°Sissy, Bobo¡¯s muttering to himself again,¡± Clara pointed out, staring at Bobo like he was a spectacle. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Just let him have his moment and ignore it like usual.¡± ¡°Kay¡­¡± The girls were used to Zeke heading off into his own world while making his adjustments. She knew that his Parallel Thought was already going at a way faster rate than even he could keep up, getting her to shake her head as she spotted Cronus smiling sweetly at the trio. ¡°As you might have guessed, everything is created together to create this wonderful country of ours. In this carefully crafted environment, we have pushed control over mana far beyond any other country. No matter what size, it is the reason why we take the top spot of natural forces of the world order. Even the kingdom respects Arcelot as it is. And of course, I plan to keep it that way as the leader. And you two will help us in that pursuit.¡± Vol 3 Ch 28: Journeymen standing and Half-Journey He already knew what Cronus meant when he spoke those words. The only other reason why these simple Journeymen would be of use would be to get rid of the towers plaguing the country. Soon enough the Jetstream ceased moving, tracing itself back towards another station far, far away from the entrance straight within the center of the city itself. After landing with so much careful precision, their core group left the station along with the armored knights to meet even more armored knights that were waiting outside for them to continue onwards. It was obvious that this was more of a show of force rather than for actual protection. That was another reason why the people didn¡¯t bother them as much despite the master of the entire country just walking about. When they looked out far into the distance, he was still in awe at what he saw. His eyes told him that immense volumes of mana were gathering all around in specific places, used for the everyday functions such as the jetstream itself. Noises far and wide reached his ears and sent a deep bass at the bottom of his stomach, ranging from the vehicles or flying tools others used to get around to the clamor of people speaking loud enough to break his ear drums over the noise. At a distance, he could also sense spells flying about, shouts of battle echoing at the same time some muted explosion took place. He wondered if his Journeyman senses picked up someone¡¯s battle in a fortified location, because he swore that there were hundreds of them happening all around their vicinity. Normally magic fights like that would be difficult to take care of in Eve Glade, but he supposed in a giant country like Arcelot, that was just a normal occurrence. It was like reaching into one of the big cities in his old world, but it was a lot cleaner and magical compared to that. Unfortunately, it did nothing to appease his panic as he feared some weirdo taking Clara away from him at a moment¡¯s notice. Sure, the knights could just intercept anyone and probably kill them outright, but he still didn¡¯t trust them enough to rely on their protection alone. Eventually they kept moving on, the knights spread far and wide to continue on with their mission. Looking around, the area felt more like a place for aristocrats than for common folks. At least that much he could tell with his eyes as the amount of mana flowing through the runes that decorated every bit of this place. He remembered what Cloud said about how in some cities, some areas are more inclined to have more energy expenditure than others because of the wealth the people that lived there spent. While Zeke wasn¡¯t so sure whether this was an aristocratic or just a commoner section of the city, since Cronus of all people was here to head to their home, it didn¡¯t take long to correctly guess that it was indeed for the rich. Taking another glance around, the people that walked about weren¡¯t really by themselves trying to get on with their business. Instead they were dressed in fine clothes and robes meant the for high class, and his senses revealed a lot of shocking factors. Almost all of them were Journeymen. True Journeymen at that, not half ones that the Bastion sent them. All of them were of a different sub-race, ranging from fairies to elves. Of course, mostly all of them were of the fae, usually specializing in the magical side. He did notice something else about them. He thought he sensed Experts among them, but a quick and hidden Identify showed that they were above Level 60. What¡¯s more, it didn¡¯t give him the feeling of emptiness the hacks from the biodome displayed. They were whole, just¡­ not as strong. It was far preferable than the empty hole left behind from the hacks, but he couldn''t tell how they managed to get to Journeymen being that weak in power. ¡°Master Cronus, if I may,¡± Zeke asked, getting his attention. ¡°You know, I really do like the way you¡¯re polite despite your situation,¡± Cronus smiled. ¡°Yes, my child, what is it?¡± Zeke wasn¡¯t quite sure how to deal with that. Was he pissed that Zeke was acting formerly around him, or was he just that glad? Either way, he didn¡¯t care to receive his good side since he was already under his foot. There was also no need to act crude either to someone as strong as him. ¡°Umm¡­ the people here¡­ I can sense that they¡¯re Journeymen, but they don¡¯t feel¡­ strong. Are they actually Journeymen, or is there something messing with my senses in this place?¡± ¡°Yeah, I was wondering that too,¡± Mikella scrunched her eyes while staring at the people around them, not trying to be obvious but she was that curious. ¡°They don¡¯t feel sick, just a bit weaker than normal. Are they¡­ did they use drugs to advance quickly?¡± ¡°My, how dreadful,¡± Isabelle gasped softly. ¡°I forgot how crude their methods of breaking through are in the outside world.¡± ¡°Yes, and unfortunately these children only knew of the botched versions,¡± Cronus nodded. ¡°Taking drugs to skip past the skill training and straight to the third stage, ruining their foundation in the process That¡¯s normally how the people without many resources are forced to go through. But here, we have discovered a way for people to enjoy the benefits of Journeymen without going that far. In this case, we call them Half-Step Journeymen, or just Half-Journey for short.¡± ¡°Half-Journey?¡± Zeke asked. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ so people can just advance to Journeymen quickly, but properly?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Cronus said, seemingly enjoying giving them a lecture as he spoke up. ¡°What we do is create a rune array to ensure the stability of ascension for folks who reached the level limit. In that sense, we place a holder on their skills, for example, keeping them in place and making the system grant them access to evolve to the third stage without damaging their cores too much.¡±Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. ¡°But there¡¯s no way that can last forever, right?¡± Mikella asked. ¡°I mean, if that¡¯s the case, then can¡¯t anyone just advance like that without really training their skills?¡± ¡°You¡¯d be right, dear,¡± Isabelle answered instead. ¡°There are still many caveats to this process. Such as the feeling of weakness you sense from them. Because they used a placeholder rather than training their skills, the bonuses received after reaching Journeymen are ¡®halved¡¯, like the name suggests. Once people have raised their skills high enough to match the required number of the system, they go back to where they did the process and ¡®take out¡¯ the placeholders, as it were. Then they re-try the evolution again, but the process can be¡­ a little painful.¡± ¡°Of course, every single one would sign a contract stating that they wouldn¡¯t blame the institution for helping them evolve should permanent damage get involved, or if death occurred during the process. If they want to be Journeymen so badly, then they can just train their skills and properly wait. If not, then they can only rely on fate.¡± Zeke grimaced, and he could tell Mikella was scowling at the man for that response. It wasn¡¯t as though they weren¡¯t new to this. Many institutions made people sign waivers for this very reason when trying new experiments to pay bills. Oftentimes, those were considered desperate last attempts since no matter what financial situation one has, going down that route might make it worse than better. Then again, that begs the question burning in his mind. ¡°Why do they need to be Journeymen so badly to get that process to begin with?¡± Zeke asked. ¡°Because our society values the strong, and uses the weak as fertilizer,¡± Cronus answered coldly, nearly uncaring in his tone. ¡°That is how we keep remaining in the top spot of the power ladder. If we don¡¯t, we¡¯ll be trampled by the other powerful nations, and used as fertilizers ourselves.¡± ¡°So aren¡¯t you just forcing others to become Journeymen?¡± Mikella added, her brows furrowing. ¡°How is that any different than what Bastion did with their drugs?¡± ¡°Quite different actually,¡± Cronus answered without any sway in his tone. ¡°Bastion forces their people to become strong. We reward people who become strong. Simple problems only need simple solutions.¡± ¡°Reward?¡± Mikella raised her brows. Suddenly the idea didn¡¯t seem all that bad. ¡°Like what? Isn¡¯t just being Journeymen pretty good enough?¡± Zeke could vouch for that, their transformation proof enough as it is. The added bonuses to their power and resistances were great. And that was putting aside their new race and exclusive skills to match. More than that, their longevity was assured, and their body¡¯s prime would extend far beyond that they should even if a hundred years passed, time no longer the enemy of their bodies. He can¡¯t help but think that all those were more than enough. ¡°I¡¯m not surprised that in the small town of Eve Glade, reaching the third stage is already considered the height of your life. But in most powerful countries, being a Journeyman is just the start of your life. In that stage, you can get jobs that only those with higher constitutions can handle, and of course, get paid better. You are also respected, in a way, unless you decide to forgo your life by following an unorthodox path.¡± ¡°You mean like necromancy?¡± Zeke added. ¡°Precisely. The government also pays you well and gives you priority not just to you, but to your family as well. Of course, the more Journeymen a family has, the better the chances. Unlike other cutthroat places that treasure their Journeymen like mad and put down others to ensure their survival, we try to nurture as many as we can. But resources are forever slim to those of lower standing, so they have no other choice but to become half-journey to make up the differences.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Mikella frowned. ¡°Not everyone can be Journeymen, right? You have to hunt monsters, and from what I heard, you have to get a license to hunt and gain levels. Is that easy to get?¡± ¡°Of course not,¡± Cronus answered simply. ¡°Just imagine, if you will. Anyone can gain levels however they want. They gain power far beyond what any normal being can have. Then they use that said power to take advantage of those normal beings. If you want a license to properly hunt monsters to gain power, you have to prove you¡¯re not completely deranged. There are certain procedures and tests one has to complete in order to gain a license, and those can take months. Special circumstances notwithstanding.¡± ¡°And don¡¯t forget, you also need a license to practice combat skills,¡± Isabelle added, shocking the otherworlders. ¡°Nobody in their right mind would just let anyone practice such dangerous skills in a busy city, now would they? We prefer to have a safe environment for our children. Isn¡¯t that right, Clara?¡± Isabelle asked sweetly to the little girl still clutching Mikella¡¯s hand. Even as old as she is, Mikella would never let go of her hand in this giant magical city. Clara looked up at the kind woman, nodding profusely. ¡°Skills are dangerous,¡± Clara said. ¡°I keep getting told that every time I get near a training field.¡± Zeke and Mikella, of course, understood that part at least. Skills can be just as dangerous and can gain power just like levels. ¡°So not many people can become Journeymen then,¡± Zeke added. ¡°But¡­ there¡¯s so many here.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because we¡¯re in an area that mostly comprises nobility, families with long histories backing them and have enough wealth to easily reach Journeymen. They can hire teachers to help young ones raise skill levels faster, and of course they have permission to train their combat skills in their personal training field which requires no license to use¨Cof course, after paying their taxes to ensure they keep their specialized training fields.¡± Mikella scoffed. ¡°Of course nepotism is prevalent here.¡± ¡°Oh, nepotism is prevalent everywhere, little miss,¡± Cronus smiled almost bitterly. ¡°Get used to it.¡± Mikella stayed quiet and just shrugged to herself. Zeke worried a little, but Mikella seemed to have accepted it just fine. He tried not to pry too deep into her history, but she very much disliked the idea of undeserved privilege. He can understand that much at least, but kept quiet since he, of all people, had no right to join her opinion. He was the one who took that privilege and wasted it anyways. If she hated the folks that used it properly, what does that make him? ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± Cronus suddenly said, taking away his despairing musings. He looked up to see the estate that Cronus spoke fondly of. ¡°Welcome to our abode, little ones. Do enjoy yourselves.¡± Vol 3 Ch29: The Masters estate The estate was something equivalent to the Buckingham Palace of England in the old world. That¡¯s the best he could come up with thanks to his increased memory and fondness of looking random things up online as his brain tried to process the giant home of the Master mage Cronus. It was ornate, dignified, and stuck to the simple color scheme of the tundra landscape, white and light blue being the prominent colors. He could tell at an instant the well-carved windows and roofs, the decorated colored glass alone probably costing more than enough gold to fund Eve Glade ten times over. The area surrounding the estate was filled with lush gardens with a landscape that might as well be considered a park of its own. Several, if not dozens of knights were proudly standing by and patrolling the land, despite the numerous runes that would even give Zeke a headache. No matter how you spin it, this belonged to the elite of the elites, the top dog of a magic country, and what better way to describe this place other than Cronus¡¯ crib? At the very least, this goes to the main lord of Arcelot as a whole, but considering how long living Cronus was, it might as well be his home. Hell, he might even have built it himself nearly forever ago. Entering through the large entrance way with the core group, the same colored white and light blue archway that was several feet thick in diameter, all of the knights proudly stood and saluted the man in a strange gesture. They had both their hands touch all their finger tips together at the center of their chest, creating a sort of cage, and inclined their heads. It was different from the fist to the heart gesture, but Zeke can imagine that it was to signify their cores in some way. The heart and the core was literally the same thing in this world, the core being another word for the soul of the person. The salute was meant to give respect to the one above you with all your being, to encapsulate your dedication for your country and fellow man. Does he and Mikella have to copy the gesture? It already felt so benign even if he understood it. Having to change salutes too was rather messed up in his mind. He wondered if doing a different salute constituted it as an affront to their country. His head was starting to hurt again. Eventually crossing their way through the royal gardens, at least in Zeke¡¯s mind, Clara watched with awe and majesty of the place. She tugged on Mikella¡¯s hand and whispered if they were going to live here. He wasn¡¯t sure whether Cronus was listening, but it was a valuable question to ask. Mikella assured her that they probably wouldn¡¯t, and somehow that eased Clara a little. Perhaps she just liked to look at it, but not really live in it. It was a solid difference. Zoan actually looked mildly interested. Contrary to her impassiveness, she looked around with the eyes of a scholar, as though appreciating the artistry put in within the gardens. Zeke just shook his head as he thought about their living arrangements. He figured that the question of where they¡¯ll stay would come up eventually, but his mind turned blank the moment they entered the estate through the large entrance, twin steel doors that were inches thick this time, at the terrace. If the outside was magnificent, the inside was three times more so. The walls were pristine and marbled, the furnishings lavishing and expensive. The air was packed with mana from all the runes that mesh well together to create this environment in the first place. For a moment, he felt his mana regenerate faster than normal, but despite being full, he didn¡¯t feel bloated. If anything, he felt enriched, as though he could actually improve any magic related skills easier here. There were of course some paintings and other sorts of valuable knickknacks, such as the mannequins that displayed extremely expensive ornate gear that radiated power from the enchantments. Weapons held by the mannequins themselves in positions that looked like they were ready for combat or in the middle of a combat stance. The weapons gleamed with radiance from the enchantments they carried, and that also meshed well with the runes surrounding them. The otherworlders, or filthy commoners in this case, were trying to keep their simplicity at bay, but looking at all of this was basically trying to stop a starving man from going to eat at a feast. It was just too much for their minds to process, much less to keep in control of themselves. ¡°Let¡¯s go to one of the private rooms here,¡± Cronus mentioned, and then pointed at something that Zeke had no other way of mentioning. He pointed at an obvious elevator. It was an elevator in everything but its name, with closed iron doors and a black plaque displayed above. The runes activated as the black plaque displayed a number ¡®01¡¯, then Cronus pressed the wall next to the door as a certain number of rooms flashed, one of the things he pressed was a circle of runes that flashed brighter than the rest. The doors immediately opened, revealing an empty small cube-shaped room within. The group headed inside, almost going by automation, as the doors closed and the elevator smoothly ran up the building. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m surprised you four are okay with this,¡± Isabelle mentioned offhandedly, seemingly surprised at how they kept their cool. ¡°We¡­ had something like this as well in our old world,¡± Mikella mentioned awkwardly. ¡°Actually, it¡¯s so downright similar in our world, it¡¯s almost scary. ¡°So this¡­ ¡®technology¡¯ of yours can recreate this as well?¡± Cronus asked, more impressed than he sounded. ¡°Y-Yeah,¡± Mikella answered. ¡°Huh, and here I thought the world was more¡­ barbaric without magic according to your explanations. I need to rethink this.¡± Cronus didn¡¯t sound offensive at all. If anything, he sounded more as though he made a wrong assumption and corrected it. For a mage like him, perhaps anything made without magic would be crude and ¡®barbaric¡¯, so perhaps it was a good thing he changed his mind. The elevator smoothly lifted towards the upper area of the estate. It was a smooth ride, but considering how long the ride was, Zeke was bamboozled at just how large this estate was. He wondered if some sort of spatial magic made the estate way bigger than it seemed from the outside.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Finally, the elevator dinged to signify the end of the trip, and the iron doors slid open to reveal a quaint room. It was large to look like a living room, the furniture giving it that noble feel, but it also gave way to humbleness as the furnishings weren¡¯t so extravagant. Just plain tiles instead of marble flooring, the walls were a smooth yellow coloring with some paintings on it to signify the beginning of dawn. The lights above were bright but not glaring, but it was from the ceiling rather than the chandelier which was just a decorative piece rather than actually used for lighting. Zeke tried hard to study the room, but there weren''t too many runes he could spot. It feels almost bare, the runes he could spot and actually recognize were only for the basic necessities such as the bathroom beyond this room and a small kitchen. ¡°Is this¡­¡± Zeke asked, the otherworlders following his actions with their gazes. ¡°It¡¯s a private room, mostly for guests and such,¡± Cronus added. ¡°It is also very adequate in keeping any eavesdroppers in their place. You might not see them, but the room was entirely built with a special material made solely for keeping sound in and never out.¡± So that was why Zeke couldn¡¯t sense any runes around the room. It was because the room was built with solid special material rather than with magic, making his senses useless. Just as he was about to ask, Mikella went in first. ¡°Why use materials instead of runes? Is there anything special about this room?¡± ¡°Arcelot is known for advancing magic techniques and the like, so using magic to counter magic is the norm here,¡± Isabelle answered. She looked at the room fondly, as though she preferred to be here than anywhere else. ¡°So when people try to spy, they often use very articulate spells for the job. So by then they couldn¡¯t do a thing when the opposition they face is not magic at all, but instead just special stone and steel.¡± ¡°But wouldn¡¯t they counter that with something else?¡± Zeke added. ¡°If they got the materials, which of course we keep a very solid monopoly on,¡± Cronus smirked, making the two shiver at the utter control he had. ¡°Now come on, it¡¯s time to start our true briefing on this mission you need to take.¡± The two otherworlders looked at each other before telling Zoan to keep an eye on Clara. Zoan, thankfully, didn¡¯t make a fuss this time so she opted to take the clearly upset Clara away for the adults to start their ¡®boring¡¯ conversation. Zeke wished he could actually go with the kids to play than to join this conversation. Mikella was in the same boat, but the two knew that this was important. They sat down in their lush but comfortable couches for them to begin their meeting. Somehow, Isabelle summoned what looked like piping hot of tea, gingerly placing it on the small table between them and pouring a cup for each one. Just as what a queen would have, the kettle and the cups were of such fine make that Zeke guessed in his old world this would be worth more than an entire year of paying out his apartment. As for the tea¡­ he was enamoured by it. The scent alone reminded him of simple herbs that weren''t overpowering, weaved by nature for the sensitive noses. When he took a sip, sizzling liquid burned at first, but his new improved body instead relished the temperature, only enhancing the taste of the tea. It wasn¡¯t bitter or tangy, but rather sweet and impactful, yet he swallowed the liquid with ease, filling him with a sense of ease. ¡°This tea is¡­ delicious,¡± Zeke said in awe. ¡°I¡¯m glad you enjoy it,¡± Isabelle said. She sounded more pleased than usual. ¡°Did you make this yourself?¡± Mikella asked, her eyes glittering to know while Zeke just continued to drink it with gusto. ¡°I did, but the ingredients aren''t so common. That¡¯s why it¡¯s for special occasions,¡± Isabelle said regretfully, turning to her husband. ¡°Let¡¯s try to ease them a little first, darling.¡± ¡°Of course, love,¡± Cronus smiled. He looked almost at peace with the tea in hand, as though he wanted to shut everything else off and just enjoy the tea. Zeke felt for him, but he pushed it to the side as Cronus turned to the two. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re aware now of your circumstances. We brought you here for the purpose of helping us clear those towers which supposedly only you two can do. I¡¯m also guessing you want to make sure that your sister stays as far away even if she could also do the same, if your story is true.¡± Zeke nodded, remembering the only time Clara had to survive along with them in the first tower. It was gruesome, and perhaps compared to everything else, that¡¯s what scarred Clara the most. ¡°We have a lot of questions before we go to any of the towers, though,¡± Mikella answered, taking the first step. ¡°Obviously, we wanna know where we¡¯re gonna live, and how do you plan on us getting to these towers by ourselves?¡± ¡°Reasonable questions, but unfortunately that is a little out of my hands.¡± Zeke and Mikella stare dumbfoundedly at the man as he takes another sip of the tea. Isabelle poured some more which Cronus took graciously before sipping again, as though what he said wasn¡¯t ridiculous at all. ¡°Why is that?¡± Zeke asked. ¡°Well¡­ I am already taking many liberties to bring you four here as it is. Normally, such a thing would break my own laws of bringing in citizens from the outside to here unless they were temporary guests or of important standing. If I were to keep moving ahead like this, the other nobles would pretend to sniff out foul play at work here.¡± ¡°Other nobles?¡± Mikella asked incredulously. ¡°You¡¯re the lord of the entire country here. Why do you care about what those nobles think?¡± ¡°Ah, little girl, being a lord means you are not allowed to do whatever you wish without consequences,¡± Cronus answered with a kind smile, as though he really was talking to a child. ¡°If a king were to make all kinds of decisions disregarding anything else, would the people not rebel against such an irresponsible king? Would a governor just bring anyone of interest without informing their counsel or their advisers? What I did was equivalent to that. Tell me child¨Cwould you trust such a leader?¡± Mikella grimaced, having no way to counter that. She can¡¯t even disregard the child remark as it really did sound childish. But Zeke considered it further. ¡°But she has a point, though,¡± Zeke said. ¡°Even if they are nobles, if you say that it was important for the country, wouldn¡¯t that take precedence above all else?¡± Despite that, Cronus shook his head. ¡°You forget. You seem to believe that the nobles all share the common¨Cactually noble¨Cgoal of helping the country. They do not.¡± Zeke and Mikella equally deflated at that. If nobles were anything like politicians, it¡¯s no surprise that they mostly care about themselves rather than for the benefit of others, even with their positions. ¡°Okay, so what does that have to do with us? You¡¯re saying that now you brought us here, we¡¯re on our own?¡± Mikella asked. ¡°In a sense, yes,¡± Cronus answered with a straight face. ¡°Of course, I won¡¯t completely leave you alone. I¡¯ll make sure we have eyes on you to make sure you don¡¯t make any form of trouble, and we¡¯ll leave you with an attendant that will instead answer to your needs.¡± ¡°And this attendant¡­¡± Zeke slowly said. ¡°You mean our baby sitter,¡± Mikella grumbled, leaving Zeke to move on. ¡°Is that person gonna know about our¡­ circumstances?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Vol 3 Ch30: Forced Modding Zeke and Mikella exhaled tiredly at the prospect of someone else knowing their secret. What was the point of a secret if anyone around them knew who they were? Granted, it¡¯s better than letting everyone in the country know who they were, and they were honestly surprised that even some of their comrades still didn¡¯t know where they truly came from. However, the idea of trying to protect their secret was savagely cut down the moment the Master mage decided to tell an attendant they don¡¯t even know about their ¡®great secret¡¯. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Cronus smiled. He seemed to enjoy their tiny sense of despair as he answered. ¡°I¡¯m certain you¡¯re going to like this attendant. She can be¡­ abrasive at times, but she¡¯ll definitely warm your hearts when you see her.¡± A woman that they¡¯re bound to like. Somehow Zeke scoffed mentally at the idea. Mikella was the one that asked next. ¡°Alright, so putting aside an attendant, seriously¨Cwhere are we gonna live? I¡¯m guessing you want us to be anywhere other than this section where the nobles live?¡± ¡°Precisely,¡± Cronus nodded. ¡°And before you think this is charged with classism, I don¡¯t want the nobles to find out who you are for many, many reasons. If your story is true, then that means you can learn any skill regardless of stat requirements. And considering you two are Journeymen, any skill is valid regardless of its high price.¡± Cronus leaned in closer. ¡°So imagine what those pigs would think if they find out you two can learn any skill they desperately want someone to learn for their own benefits?¡± ¡°...We know,¡± Zeke said, his tone solemn. ¡°Cloud told us this a while ago.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Cronus added. ¡°Continuing on, we will give you some money to get started on a life here. I will also draft some documents to make people believe that you four were originally Arcelot residents. It will take a few days, so you need to keep your identities in check before then. But for starters, your identities will match the documents. From now on, you two are a married couple who have been living here for generations. Your parents were killed on their path to power, forcing you two to marry young to support yourselves and your sisters. Being married meant that you two share a lot of benefits together, so that will work perfectly. ¡°Through that, you managed to acquire some rare treasures your parents left over and became Journeymen. That will explain your rather rare sub-races nicely, I think. I noticed your rise to power and saw your capabilities. I decided to grant you resources befitting of your status. Of course, to everyone else, it¡¯ll be through a liason such as your attendant. And from then on, you two will be charged with a mission to investigate the towers that have been causing a ruckus throughout the country¡­ Are we clear on that?¡± Zeke took it all in with a steady gaze. It was another fabricated story to explain their circumstances, and why they were all together. However, considering how serious this was, it felt more than just trying to keep any interlopers from sniffing about. He turned to Mikella who nodded back to him. It was something they could handle. ¡°Yes, we¡¯re clear,¡± Zeke answered. ¡°Good. Then from here moment onwards, you two will now be called Zeke and Mikella Arcan. Your two sisters will also be called Clara and Zoan Arcan. This will be your identity from here on out. I take it there are no concerns?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Zeke answered, figuring that there really was no other choice but to take the name change. He never really liked ¡®Parlow¡¯ anyways. It brought too many uncomfortable memories with it. However, he turned to Mikella, wondering if her Ashton last name will be missed. She barely gave it a thought. If anything, she tilted her head as though sounding out the name for herself. ¡°Any particular reason why the last name is Arcan?¡± Mikella asked, mostly curiously as she already agreed with Zeke. ¡°Arcan used to belong to a minor noble a few decades ago. They fell in power due to some of the other noble¡¯s schemes, on top of their very poor decision making.They haven¡¯t been around for a while now, and this can also explain why you¡¯re suddenly rising up in waves. You could say your family has never given up, a story of rags to riches, so to speak. A fairly good way to start your lives, don¡¯t you think?¡± Another reasonable choice, even if the latter felt a bit overdramatic. However, Zeke suddenly remembered his game character about a year before they were sent here. The game decided to have both the first and last name like a normal person in the real world, and he opted to name his character ¡®Zachary Arcan¡¯. Was it just a coincidence? In the end, he threw aside the thought. ¡°Alright, so new identity, new story, and we got money to make a living. Do we need to get jobs to support ourselves?¡± Zeke asked, which was something he had been worried about since the idea of being granted money was put in. Cronus nodded in return. ¡°Even if your identities dictate you¡¯ve lived here for years, if I were to give you any important positions, people will start asking questions. So instead, you¡¯ll be working at the nearby adventurer¡¯s guild to make a living. Don¡¯t worry¨CI¡¯ll also plan things out to ensure nobody ask too many questions when you get there.¡± ¡°...The adventurer¡¯s guild?¡± Zeke sounded out what he never thought he would hear ever since he got here. Or rather, never though he would hear that word so soon. ¡°You heard of it?¡± Isabelle asked, smiling lightly. ¡°Do you know how it works? It¡¯s more free form than an actual job within Arcelot, and should allow you to investigate the towers freely if you take jobs around the vicinity.¡± ¡°With your abilities, it should be quick and easy to settle those jobs. Once you get used to things, I can officially give you jobs relating to the towers personally. It¡¯ll take some time, but work hard for it.¡± The two otherworlders nodded. Strangely, this felt like an interview with a shoo-in for the job, but at the same time, his stomach churned at whatever might happen in the future.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. That¡¯s when Cronus finally hit Zeke with something he was dreading. ¡°By the way, I forbid you from using Barrier Craft in front of people. In fact¨C¡± Cronus suddenly said as he lifted his hand towards Zeke. He was still trying to get over what he just said before he suddenly felt a tug at his insides. No, at his core. Something powerful and overwhelming grabbed his insides, digging around without truly doing it. Zeke gasped, grasping at his chest, but the feeling of uncomfortable grasping was strong. Mikella noticed instantly, her eyes widening. ¡°Zeke?! What are you doing?!¡± Mikella turned back to Cronus with a glare ready to kill. ¡°Honey, I told you to take it easy,¡± Isabelle frowned at her husband, but refrained from doing anything. ¡°I told you before that I needed to do this,¡± Cronus added. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t destroy him. Oh, even better! His Steadfast Mind and Pain Resistance are at Rare rarity!¡± ¡°Oh! Then continue,¡± Isabelle quickly changed her tune, sounding chipper despite Zeke feeling like he was about to get choked. ¡°Stop it! You¡¯re hurting him!¡± As Mikella called out for the master to stop, almost pleading, Zeke felt as though his entire world was crumbling to dust. Inside, he felt something personal, something so internal to him, being grasped without his permission. He tried to mentally kick it, to force the feeling away, but it was as though the foreign power was a natural disaster. It clung onto his soul, his eyes widening at the immense pain that existed all over and nowhere at once. Then, a notification dropped onto his vision. Unlike the usual, this one had a blaring red notification, as though the system noticed his struggle. Warning! A powerful entity has breached into your interface. Warning! A powerful entity has breached into your Skill List. Warning! A powerful entity has breached into Barrier Craft (Epic). System Initializing¡­ He felt his chest was on fire, then quickly shifted into a raging blizzard as his breathing came in short, raspy breaths. Zeke fell over to the floor, grasping at his chest. Sweat poured down his body as his body spasmed to handle the uncomfortable feeling of being violated. He felt one of the strongest pillars he had created since the beginning shift catastrophically, shaping and bending to another¡¯s will. All he could do was close his eyes and let the feeling pass. Even though he felt like his insides were churning, his internal organs were being squeezed and twisted around like some macabre interior redesign. While this happened, in a small safe corner of his mind, he marveled at the control this Master had over his entire system interface. Though somehow he could also tell that this wasn¡¯t entirely Cronus¡¯ doing. It wasn¡¯t just his control, but rather it was aided by the area around them. Was it the estate giving him this power? Was it possible that by being in his abode, Cronus¡¯ power has increased tenfold, allowing him to gain this much power and be capable of accessing into a weaker being¡¯s interface? Eventually, the pain started to fade, but his heart crumbled when the pillar that had supported him had completely changed. Once the pain diminished, he stood upright with Mikella¡¯s help. New notifications dropped onto his vision. He felt his soul pulverized when he read them. System Initialized! Your skill Barrier Craft (Epic) has been permanently modified. Levels have been retained. Acquired Skill modified: Ethereal Manifest ¡­.. Ethereal Manifest (Epic), Level 6 You can create a construct made out of your mana. The construct can be any kind of shape and properties as long as the mana cost is paid. The construct can become stronger and more malleable according to the level of the skill and the current Spirit stat. It was like a slap to the face. The Barrier Craft that he had gotten since the very beginning was changed right in that instant. It was sudden, brutal, and worst of all¨Che had no control over it. The last part alone was enough to break him a little on the inside. ¡°What the hell?!¡± Mikella shouted, and before Zeke could say anything, she already summoned her sword from her pack and held it straight at Cronus. Despite the obvious hostile threat, the two barely even reacted, mostly just staring at the new object Mikella was flailing around. ¡°Who the hell do you think you are doing that to Zeke?!¡± ¡°...A lord,¡± Cronus answered as though it should be obvious. ¡°And it was my right to do so.¡± ¡°Mikella¡­¡± Zeke grumbled, his chest still aching and causing his throat to dry. His core felt the aches like before, but it wasn¡¯t as bad as he managed to tug onto Mikella¡¯s outstretched arm. He also noticed the two girls coming by, Clara¡¯s expression darkening with concern. ¡°Stop¡­ it¡¯s pointless.¡± It was cruel to say, but it was the truth. No matter how much Mikella or Zeke hated it, they couldn''t do anything against Cronus¡¯ orders. If anything, he could have them killed and that would be their end. It was the very reason why they were sent here in the first place¨Cbecause they had no other choice but to clear those towers and help Cronus¡¯ country. Once again, they were forced to fall under line to a higher power for their own benefit. No matter how much Mikella despised it, especially after what Cronus did to Zeke, she lowered her sword and caused it to disappear into her bag. ¡°Why?¡± Mikella growled, but she kept her anger under control. ¡°Why transform his skill?¡± ¡°...It was my best skill,¡± Zeke said eventually, his hand still gripping onto his chest through the linen shirt. ¡°Even if you replace it¡­ what does it even do?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t have you show my customized skill to the public,¡± Cronus answered eventually. It looked like he just waited for the two to calm down before explaining. ¡°I can¡¯t have people think that I personally taught you that skill. Even if you got it from a skill book, which is the only way you managed to get a copy of my skill, other people won¡¯t know that. The only likely choice is that I taught you and granted you favoritism. That would be ammunition for the nobles to use, something that I desperately want nothing of. Do you understand why I had to do this?¡± ¡°...A little warning would¡¯ve been nice,¡± Zeke mumbled, the aches telling him that being polite was over. It was so damn painful that he dropped all formalities to the Master despite their obvious gap in power and position. ¡°Too much time explaining, and not enough action. I¡¯ve spent too much time as it is. So you¡¯re going to have to bear with it. Don¡¯t worry¨Cskill modification will go away when controlled properly, so the pain will go away in a few hours. I suggest practicing with your new skill to get it over with quickly.¡± ¡°And what does this new skill do?¡± Zeke added. Figuring there was no other choice, he might as well ask for his new source of power¨Chowever messed up that was. ¡°It¡¯s nearly the same as Barrier Craft¨Call without the barrier. You can create whatever ethereal construct you can imagine with greater ease, but don¡¯t expect it to take even a beginner¡¯s blow. You¡¯re a smart boy¨CI¡¯m sure you can figure out the rest.¡± ¡°...I see.¡± Zeke closed his eyes, his heart nearly bursting with a lot of complex emotions. He couldn¡¯t break here, not now. It was humiliating enough as it is to lose his skill in the first place. ¡°If anything, you don¡¯t have to worry about paying anymore debts you owe us. That was basically Cronus¡¯ intention,¡± Isabelle added. ¡°Don¡¯t need to tell them that, honey,¡± Cronus said, his eyes looking to the other side. ¡°Oh you¡­¡± Isabelle playfully patted her husband¡¯s arm, but the two couldn''t care less about their playfulness now, not after what they have witnessed. ¡°I¡¯m afraid we¡¯re really running out of time. But whatever it is you need from us, you can ask the attendant instead. She will answer whatever questions you ask¡­ within reason, of course.¡± Vol 3 Ch 31: New dreads Once everything was settled after that disastrous skill change-up, Cronus and Isabelle let the otherworlders leave the estate in a matter of an hour or so. The reason for the hour-long wait was so that the Master could say something about their appearance. ¡°You look like poor excuses of commoners pretending to be poor. It¡¯s insulting to the actual poor commoners. Put something on that reflects your status as true Journeymen.¡± Hence the two were forced away by the other servants that magically showed up to help them with their clothing¨CMen for Zeke, and women for Mikella for obvious reasons. They were really ¡­ handsy, practically tearing off all her clothing in a matter of seconds without care. Her leather armor that she had worn for so many months and took care of was brutally burned away into cinders by someone¡¯s fire spell. Needless to say, she shouted in outrage at the act. But then she turned quiet when she saw the new clothes they gave her practically for free. She naturally stayed quiet as she was aided in putting it on, as it wasn¡¯t something she was used to wearing, at least not truly. Soon, she looked at herself in the mirror, taking into account her new journeymen appearance as well as the clothing that suited her rather well. She wore a dress that covered her body from the neck to over her waist, long fluttering cloth covering the front and back of her legs. The sides was open, revealing her well toned lower thighs. She also wore long cloth over her arms which were covered by metal platings over her wrists and forearm, interlocked together in a seamless manner that it felt like cloth itself. To finish it off, she had long boots that reached just to the bottom of her knees, which also had metal plating to protect herself. The style was similar to that of a black Chinese dress with golden embroidery and red tinged belts, making her out to be a warrior from the east. Her Draconian scales and wings were more prominent this way. She was even surprised at how her wings could easily go through the dress, and despite having her wings out, no visible holes could be seen. Clearly, a magical dress meant to help her wings be free without worrying about the dress breaking apart. It was rather pleasing to the eye, which was why she stopped bitching about her drabby leather armor. But it wasn¡¯t just the look she liked. There was power emanating from the dress and metal she wore, which was revealed as soon as she Identified it.
Ebony Flame Garments Set (Epic) The Ebony Flame Garments were created in line for women who had shed away safety and protection for combat. But despite that¨Cthey still want to look fabulous no matter where they go. The Ebony Flame Garments set contains the following: -Ebony Flame Dress -Ebony Flame Arms -Ebony Flame Shorts -Ebony Flame Boots As part of the set, you gain the following set bonus: Darkened Skies: Once a day, you can cast a spell that creates dark clouds that surrounds a specific area you want to cover. These clouds creates an area that decreases anyone¡¯s spellcasting by 50% in the next five minutes. ¡­.. You receive the following enchantments from each part of the set: -Moderate Physical Defense -Moderate Magical Defense -Moderate Curse Resistance -Moderate Disease Resistance -Moderate Attribute Effectiveness (Strength, Intelligence, Dexterity, Endurance, Vitality, Spirit)
Her eyes opened wide at the number of bonuses from the supposed set that looked more like expensive brand clothing than actual armor. However, after wearing it, she realized that she couldn¡¯t be more wrong. The clothing felt sturdy, practical, and almost not even there when she wore it. Not only did she look absolutely fantastic, she felt that even if a sword were to pierce this thin looking cloth, it would protect her better than even the armor pieces from the first tower. Hell, perhaps even her exposed shoulders could be protected as long as she swore this dress. As soon as she was finished marveling at herself, which was honestly rather hard especially after advancing to Journeyman, she went over to find Clara and Zoan to which her little sister practically exploded in delight. ¡°Sissy! Oh my god, you look so awesome!¡± Clara exclaimed, which only made Mikella¡¯s heart squeeze at the honest praise. ¡°You certainly look better than that drab armor you were wearing. Still¡­ it¡¯s fairly eye catching.¡± Zoan commented, to which Mikella had to contain herself from screaming that the sky was about to fall. A compliment from Zoan was definitely rare, if not impossible. ¡°Where¡¯s Zeke?¡± She asked, noticing that he wasn¡¯t here in the room. ¡°Here I am. I just got finished.¡± Zeke suddenly said, getting her to notice his presence entering through the door. Her eyes widened at the change as well, much like how he turned into an elf during his transformation. Contrary to the drab robed cloth and messy shaggy hair he always had, it was a completely do-over. He wore a simple black shirt and pants, boots that were also meant for traveling like Mikella¡¯s. However, a white jacket with the arms rolled up to the elbow, revealing his muscled arms. His shaggy hair was also cut to have it more preferable, if not a more charming looking shagginess she hadn¡¯t thought possible on Zeke. To finish it off, the bastard had to put on glasses which put on an entirely different outlook for him. The mix between the gentleness he exuded along with the muscled form made a gap that she couldn¡¯t ignore, no matter how awkward that made her feel. ¡°Wow, Bobo¡­¡± Clara said with awe, her eyes widening. ¡°You look buff.¡± ¡°Hehe, thanks,¡± Zeke chuckled, his cheeks reddening at the honest praise. Mikella could tell that there was a hint of a blush in Clara¡¯s cheeks as well. She knew for a while now that Clara has been growing up, so it was only natural that she started to notice that Zeke is also a man. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. He then looked back at her, his eyes widening and couldn¡¯t quite keep his eyes off of her. That only increased her awkwardness as she was certain she did the same. ¡°Mikky, you look¡­ wow,¡± Zeke stammered, shaking his head. ¡°You look amazing.¡± ¡°T-Thanks,¡± Mikella said, blushing a little. The genuine praise from him was only making it worse for her. ¡°You too. You look¡­ really dashing.¡± ¡°Umm¡­ thanks¡­¡± The two adults couldn¡¯t quite handle looking at each other for the moment, which prompted one of the people in the room to say something. ¡°Try not to fornicate here. We might get in trouble with the Master.¡± The two adults blushed even harder from Zoan¡¯s proclamation, the one forbidden word spoken without a sense of shame. And unfortunately, it was caught by Clara. ¡°What¡¯s fornicate?¡± Clara asked. ¡°It is the act of¨C¡± ¡°Ahhh! Stop! Stop! Don¡¯t you dare dirty her mind with that!¡± Mikella rushed in and slammed her palm against Zoan¡¯s mouth, ensuring that she didn¡¯t explain the literal word. Zoan didn¡¯t even look all that surprised, just letting herself be silent. Was she trying to tease them? Was this her way of joking around? She shook her head at the thought. Thankfully the moment passed and the adults regained their composure. Mikella noticed Zeke taking off the glasses, revealing his naked face. He was probably told by those pushy helpers to put it on for a dramatic effect. He flashed a prompt into existence, turning to Mikella. ¡°Trade?¡± Mikella nodded, offering the prompt of her own garments to him. Once she got the prompt for his clothes, she stared at the screen.
Arclight Flow Garments Set (Epic) The Arclight Flow Garments were created with the intention of easing the minds and hearts of the wearer and those around them. No matter their power, their focus is clear¨Cfunction over power. The Arclight Flow Garments set contains the following: -Arclight Flow Jacket -Arclight Flow Shirt -Arclight Flow Pants -Arclight Flow Boots As part of the set, you gain the following set bonus: Height of Might: Once a day, you can increase the power of your spellcasting by 25% for each spell. You have a maximum of ten spells to cast with this powerup, and the ability resets regardless of how many spells you created. It will erase any currently held spell enhancements when it resets. ¡­.. You receive the following enchantments from each part of the set: -Moderate Physical Defense -Moderate Magical Defense -Moderate Curse Resistance -Moderate Disease Resistance -Moderate Attribute Effectiveness (Strength, Intelligence, Dexterity, Endurance, Vitality, Spirit)
¡°Nice¡­¡± Mikella said, the ability more interesting than any of the other enchantments, being the same as hers. ¡°These garments are incredible,¡± Zeke said, his nerd-side returning in full force. ¡°Does your clothes actually protect you? Even the dress?¡± ¡°Yeah, surprisingly,¡± Mikella said, tugging onto the cloth herself with her pinching fingers. ¡°And they feel pretty good too. Way better than the leather armor.¡± ¡°Yeah, the guys that man-handled me burned my favorite robe because it had a stench like no other¡­ Seriously, do I smell that bad?¡± Mikella giggled. Clearly Clara¡¯s words stung him like no other. ¡°You, in particular, are fine¡­ but maybe it¡¯s a good idea that they burned the clothes.¡± Now that she thought about it, while she may have wiped the blood and whatever monster viscera she had on the armor, it didn¡¯t mean it was completely clean. It was only wiped and repaired to the best of their abilities. The entire reason why they haven¡¯t spent more money on clothes was that they could save up to buy a home in Eve Glade once they got permission. Now that seemed out of the question. Eventually, the otherworlders were taken out of the estate in a timely fashion. It wasn¡¯t as though the servants were rushing them to get out, but it was clear that having people that shouldn¡¯t belong at the Master¡¯s estate was a bad idea overall. Obviously they didn¡¯t want to have any more trouble, so they immediately left the estate, walking past the entire field that belonged to the Master alone and out of the entrance. Soon the gates that surrounded the estate closed off from them, leaving behind a loud thud that resounded across the entire section of the city¨Cat least it felt like it. And just like that, the otherworlders were left on their own once more in an entirely new location. Somehow it barely felt any different than before. Heavy feelings exuded from Mikella, mostly at Zeke¡¯s own frowning expression. Despite his new look, Zeke looked like he was hollowed out. His eyes looked placid, staring down at the neat and clean pavement below. ¡°Zeke¡­ are you okay?¡± Mikella asked, Clara noticing the distress and turned to the older man. ¡°...Personally? No. I feel¡­ I feel like I messed up,¡± Zeke admitted, pressing his lips tight. ¡°My barrier is gone. Even with all these new things just handed to me and the gold they gave us on the way here¡­ it still feels like it wasn¡¯t enough. It¡¯s never going to be enough¡­¡± Mikella grimaced at the pain he showed on his face. She sympathized hard on that front. If her own skill she developed for a while was suddenly taken, she wouldn¡¯t handle it well either. What¡¯s more, it was Zeke¡¯s first ever skill he learned, something precious that had saved them dozens¨Cno, hundreds of times. Sure, they provided a different, probably just as decent enough skill to replace it. But what does that matter? A lot of love and care went into that skill, and it was torn away from him like the robe they burnt up. But in the end, there was nothing they could do. Mikella held onto Zeke¡¯s hand, grasping it tightly. His warmth settled into her as he looked back at her. His multi-colored eyes were downtrodden, but there was that hint of a glint like before. ¡°Everything¡¯s gonna be fine,¡± Mikella said softly. ¡°I know you¡¯ll work hard to make up the difference. You always had, and I¡¯ll always rely on you for that. So don¡¯t worry about it.¡± ¡°...You sure?¡± Zeke said, raising a brow. ¡°You tend to get yourself in trouble a lot. Then there¡¯s Clara¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be fine!¡± Clara shouted, then she patted the back of her right shoulder. A tiny bat head popped out from underneath her clothes, yawning widely. ¡°Brucey¡¯s here with me! And Zoan will help me too!¡± ¡°That is my duty,¡± Zoan said, finally talking after that ¡®mishap¡¯. ¡°I didn¡¯t think Cronus would go and take away that skill¡­ but what he gave in return is not bad.¡± ¡°Is he still trustworthy?¡± Mikella asked Zoan, to which she responded by staring down at the ground with that usual impassive stare. ¡°I believe so¡­ but it¡¯s best to be on your toes.¡± Mikella nodded. ¡°True that. But that¡¯s besides the point. It just means I have to take better care of myself. And that also means that now you gotta focus on something else. Whatever it is, in the end, we¡¯ll keep working together, right?¡± ¡°Right.¡± Zeke nodded, a small smile forming on his face. Hearing all the facts that the two will be safe even without his barrier was the thing he needed. Mikella knew instantly that it wouldn''t be enough to cheer him up, but they were only just starting. Baby steps are acceptable. ¡°Now¡­ let¡¯s go ahead and find that attendant,¡± Mikella said, which she now started to swivel her head around. ¡°Didn¡¯t they say she would see us the moment we got out?¡± ¡°Maybe she hasn''t arrived yet¡­ should we stay?¡± Zeke added, but Mikella shook her head. ¡°Nah, it was her own fault for not arriving in time. Let¡¯s give that woman some trouble for not doing her job and let¡¯s go around to sightsee our new place.¡± ¡°You¡­ sure that¡¯s a good idea?¡± Zeke asked, raising a brow. That didn¡¯t sound like outright denial in Mikella¡¯s ears as she grinned back at him. They were gonna do this, one way or another. Vol 3 Ch 32: Their new attendant appears The idea of losing his skill grew heavy on his mind. He didn¡¯t think that losing his barrier would affect him this hard. It wasn¡¯t the physical pain; the aches were normal by this point. No, it was the psychological kind. His entire identity leaned on that skill. He was known as the ¡®barrier guy¡¯, something that he and others all readily agreed. He wondered whether this was the same as losing a job he was super passionate about due to external circumstances. He didn¡¯t think he could actually love a job, let alone something built mostly for combat, but there it was. Still, his newly named Arcan family made him feel a little better. Knowing that he¡¯ll be the same to them as he always was, even without the barrier, was proof that his identity didn¡¯t just hinge on a single skill. That made him realize that it wasn¡¯t his skill, but what he has done with it that really made them rely on him. So even if he lost his skill, he still had his talent, memory, and capabilities as a mage. If he lost a valuable tool, then he can just make up a new one. In the end, it¡¯s the same. Still¡­ ¡°I still can¡¯t believe that asshole!¡± Mikella said, still grumbling about Cronus. Eventually the Arcan family went ahead without notifying the attendant, whoever that was, and went sightseeing. At first Zeke was against it, but it only took a few seconds for him to give a middle finger to at least someone, so it might as well be the attendant. After all, who would leave the otherworlders unsupervised? In the end, Zeke went along with Mikella¡¯s deliquency, something that he enjoyed a lot. Especially since as she led the group herself, he could see her outfit much better. And goddamn, what a view. At this point, Zeke could no longer hold back his admiration of her. How the hell can a simple man like him look away? Still, he shook his head to rid himself of his disrespectful thoughts. In the end, she was his partner, so he was sure she wouldn¡¯t like her only trustworthy partner ogling at her like some degenerate. That, and he was worried Clara might notice his wandering eyes. ¡°How can he just take away your skill?¡± She said, making doubly sure not to say it aloud for anyone else to hear. Thankfully, the amount of people that walked them by didn¡¯t really pass a glance. If they were stunned by seeing a Draconian woman, a rarity among the mostly elven and fae-type Journeymen around them, they certainly didn¡¯t show it. ¡°I mean, it was a defensive barrier. Does he want us to get killed?¡± ¡°I can understand why, though,¡± Zeke said, though he agreed with her on the inside. ¡°He wants to keep it a secret. Still, it¡¯s not like I was gonna parade around with it for all the world to see.¡± ¡°Right? That guy is just an asshole! Through and through. Hah¡­ still, it¡¯s over now. How¡¯s that skill working out for you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­ weird.¡± Zeke admitted, once again putting his palm up and activating the skill. As long as it wasn¡¯t a combat spell or anything of the like, and made sure to not bother anyone else, he could use his new skill without issue. He used Ethereal Manifest for the third or fourth time, but the feeling was¡­ strange, as he said. It conjured a small rectangular turquoise colored square like his normal barrier, about a hand¡¯s size and just as thick. It floated up on the top of his palm, moving along with him as he walked. That was the strange part. It moved along with him. His barrier couldn¡¯t do that before, and it felt a lot easier to manage than before as well. He could shift it, alter it, make it bigger or smaller, and he could even easily shape it into what looked like a bird with ease, sort of like his butterbird with his runes. ¡°It¡¯s extremely malleable, sort of like playing with clay in my mind,¡± Zeke said, but then a frown showed. ¡°But when I use a bit of force¡­¡± Zeke returned the bird-like shape back into the rectangular barrier shape. Then, he closed in with his other hand and flicked it hard with his finger. It cracked with ease, making a small shattering noise as it broke apart into pieces before dissipating into the air like his usual broken barriers from the past. ¡°And that was with barely any effort,¡± Zeke exhaled, his emotions once again deteriorating. Even with his improved Strength stat, the idea of a simple flick like that breaking his skill made him depressed. The group stopped walking for a bit, noticing Zeke¡¯s despair. He shrugged at the response, really unable to do much about it. ¡°I think he left this skill with me to at least keep my runes intact, probably because I showed off the Barrier Car to him. I¡¯m not sure whether he left me with this because of that or he originally planned on giving this to me, though¡­¡± ¡°We should be thankful that he gave us anything at all,¡± Zoan said, leaving everyone to look at her. ¡°Think about it. He could have easily left you imprisoned to do as he said without really giving you any freedom. Not only did he not do that, he also gave you valuable equipment, wealth, and a reasonable degree of freedom. That¡¯s saying quite a lot for a Master in his position.¡± The two had no choice but to agree to Zoan¡¯s point. Cronus could have done all those awful things, but he didn¡¯t. He might not have even had to give the skill to him, instead just taking the skill away. Perhaps that might be a bad idea in one way, but they had to look at it in another perspective. ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean we have to like it, though,¡± Mikella said, getting Zoan to tilt her head. ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to like it,¡± Zoan said, sounding almost exasperated. ¡°I just prefer that we don¡¯t start making any trouble.¡±This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°What kind of trouble?¡± Clara asked. ¡°Like leaving without his attendant?¡± Zoan said, crossing her tiny arms while glaring at the two adults. Clara grimaced as she realized Zoan¡¯s concern, but Zeke had a good argument. ¡°We¡¯re not making any trouble,¡± Zeke said readily, showing an eager grin. ¡°We just wanna spread our wings a little.¡± Zeke took a glance at Mikella¡¯s dragon wings, getting her to roll her eyes hard at him. ¡°Wow, really? A pun? I expected better from you.¡± Zeke chuckled, raising his hands in defense. ¡°Besides, do you really wanna stay there at the estate all bored rather than go around the town? Maybe get some food that¡¯s only available here? Maybe even find a library¡­?¡± Zeke said that last part hopefully, trying to fish something out of Zoan. The two girls looked at him as though he was trying to do the impossible. However, Zoan looked down, her eyes frowning as though in deep thought. After a single solid moment, she looked back at him. ¡°I suppose¡­ a distraction is healthy for the mind,¡± Zoan said, looking away as though wanting to do exactly what Zeke promised. A wellspring of pride exuded from Zeke as the two sisters looked at him as though he actually did the impossible. Knowing that Zoan was apparently quite the history buff, perhaps hearing more history from the town was something she might be interested in. He didn¡¯t bank on whether she already had a long history, being a former angel and all¡­ but it looked like her thirst for knowledge was the same as him. ¡°We¡¯ll definitely have that on the list. For now, let¡¯s see what our new home is going to be like. How about you two?¡± The sisters nodded in agreement and the four went ahead to their next location. Or at least that¡¯s what would have happened if someone hadn¡¯t spoken to them. ¡°Oi! You lot!¡± He picked up the voice immediately, turning to the direction of two people facing their way. Two men, either old or young, he couldn¡¯t know. One thing was for certain was that they felt like Journeymen, and true ones at that. They wore rather expensive looking garments, ranging from well-embroidered robes and suits of random makings. They looked more polished as well, their faces shaven and propped clean, unlike the unnaturally boorish voice one of them did. Their ears were sharp and their faces were angular, proving that they were elves of some kind from their sub-race. They approached the four, their bulk wide and strong, with one more dexterous than the leading muscled man. However, Zeke could tell that the dexterous man was a mage, if at least the amount of Mana was anything to signify. ¡°Yes¡­?¡± Zeke spoke up, figuring that if he was the only man there, he needed to respond. ¡°Who in the underside of Tarial are you?¡± The leading muscled man asked, pointing his rather fat finger at him. ¡°I don¡¯t remember anyone with sub-races like you two. Especially that dragon lady. So? Explain yourselves.¡± Zeke hung his head back a little. Were they so perceptive to new people that they would call them out like this in public? He took a small glance to see some of the people around them staring, but most were just ignoring them to get on with their day. The comment about the sub-race got his attention, as he expected that Mikella¡¯s sub-race is certainly unique. Mikella stepped up. ¡°We¡¯re new here. We were just sightseeing.¡± ¡°New?¡± The muscled man asked, raising a brow. ¡°Since when were there any ¡®new¡¯ people here? Am I hearing things right, brother?¡± ¡°You sure are,¡± The mage like man answered with a deeper voice, unexpected of his size. There was a studious gaze, his well-trimmed brows furrowing. ¡°So that means you lot are commoners? And why were you so close to the estate of the great Master?¡± Suddenly everything stuck into place. He should¡¯ve imagined that nobody would bat an eye unless they noticed new people surrounding a rather important person of the country. ¡°And did you just speak to me, girl?¡± The mage asked, raising a chin at her imperiously. ¡°...Yeah?¡± Mikella asked a moment later, tension rising in her voice. Something about this already sent a bad feeling down the pit of Zeke¡¯s stomach. ¡°You there,¡± The mage turned to Zeke. ¡°This your wife?¡± ¡°Uhh¡­ y-yeah,¡± Zeke stammered. ¡°She is.¡± It wasn¡¯t like it was his fault to get stammered. He didn¡¯t think he would ever say those words, or at least agree to having a wife. Still, the mage man thankfully ignored his hesitation as he seemed much more interested in something else. ¡°You should really keep a steady hand on her. It¡¯s common practice to keep your women in their place, boy. Even if you are commoners, that¡¯s just the natural order of things.¡± He could already feel electricity rising in the smallest bits surrounding Mikella, her eyes glaring at the man. Zeke felt his own anger rising, but they were just heading out of the noble centered district. What¡¯s gonna happen if they start hammering away at them, especially Journeymen who looked like nobles? He just lost his barrier. There was no way he could protect Clara and Zoan at her state if shit hits the fan. ¡°Ooh, did he hit a nerve?¡± The bulky man grinned, amusement in his voice. He lowered his knees to face the clearly pissed Mikella face to face, his lips puckering at her. ¡°What are you gonna do, you overgrown lizard? Bite us? Come on now¨Cgive us a show!¡± ¡°I think that¡¯s enough.¡± Another voice entered the scene, and the two men looked over to the young woman approaching them. The two of them grimaced, their faces turning downright disgusted. ¡°Oh gods, it¡¯s you¡­¡± The bulky man said with a grumpy tone. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°We¡¯re trying to teach some commoners manners here,¡± The mage said, contempt in his voice. ¡°That¡¯s all well and good, the woman said. ¡°But that might be problematic for Lord Cronus. Surely you don¡¯t want to mess with his newest project, right?¡± The two men quickly hesitated, their bodies freezing in place. The bulky man¡¯s face paled as the mage looking man reacted promptly. ¡°So, that was it¡­ it would¡¯ve been better if they had explained themselves beforehand.¡± ¡°From what I heard, you didn¡¯t give them a chance. Go on ahead. Surely you have better things to spend your time on than teaching these commoners a thing or two?¡± The mage scoffed, tapping his supposed brother¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Come on. It ain¡¯t worth getting this bitch on our case.¡± ¡°Ugh, and here I thought we were finally gonna have some fun. As always, Allisa has to ruin everything.¡± The two men walked away, the bulky man still grumbling even as they parted. Zeke let out a relieved breath before turning to Mikella who was still scathing at the earlier remark. He was thankful that she held back, but he wasn¡¯t sure just how far the men would keep pushing her. Then he turned over to the woman that saved them and froze. Not only he, but Mikella and Clara looked at her in shock. ¡°Valerie?¡± Mikella said, her voice almost yelling in response. The woman that approached them was basically a carbon copy of the co-lord of Eve Glade and the captain of the small militia force. Her long black hair was the signature look that Valorie always sported, and that goes with her facial features and bodily figure. She wore what looked like a red sweater with black slacks and boots, several bracelets covering both her arms and two belts hanging at her waist. She also wore glasses, small and prim compared to Zeke¡¯s squarish ones, that covered her eyes that were narrower and sharper than Val¡¯s. She looked just like her, but she was more intimidating than welcoming. A disgusted scowl showed on her face, further separating her from the kind woman that took them in at Eve Glade. ¡°...Of course Lord Cronus would ask me to be your ¡®attendant¡¯. My name is Alissa Mon-Treant, and Valerie is my stupid twin sister. Now¡­ don¡¯t ever compare me to her again.¡± Vol 3 Ch 33: Traveling with Alissa The otherworlders followed the incredible woman that was able to clear apart two thugs in a moment with just her words. Even her presence somehow deteriorated their mood, which only boosted her competence. Most of all, she looked exactly like Valorie, proving that she really was the twin sister of Val. However, Valorie¡¯s twin sister known as Alissa hated being compared to her, and she had a nasty glower on her face throughout the entire walk towards somewhere she was leading them. Hence why everyone around them just jumps to the other side, if not straight up ran away from her path. It was a strange visage. To Zeke, when Val approaches others, they all seem to crowd around her to enjoy her vicinity. This one, on the other hand, was the exact opposite. If Val was considered a pleasant cat in the distance, then Alissa was considered a rabid dog who bites anyone who gets close¡­ at least that¡¯s how it felt. But what really made him shocked was that Val never mentioned her twin sister at all. But considering her words, it may be that they had some leftover grudge between them. He looked back at Mikella who stared ahead at the woman, seemingly at awe at what she saw the same as him. ¡°Hey¡­ you okay?¡± Zeke asked, getting her attention and knowing what he meant as her shoulders relaxed a little. ¡°Yeah, sorry about that. I¡¯m alright. I knew I shouldn¡¯t be ready to fight in such a public place.¡± ¡°Was that your first time being discriminated against?¡± Alissa suddenly said, her prim voice shocking the two from how different it was to Val. ¡°Y-Yeah¡­ sort of,¡± Mikella answered timidly. ¡°I mean, I felt it before, but not so upfront about it.¡± Zeke could guess what she meant. No matter how often their country tries to be progressive, there are always some elements of sexism. But Zeke was still staggering at how they reacted to her just answering for him. ¡°Well, I hope you get used to it quickly, because that¡¯s gonna be the norm for you,¡± Alissa answered, much to both their displeasure. ¡°Arcelot¡¯s society is based on the idea that men would always have the best stat growth, skill improvement, and attunements far beyond what any woman can do. The best that woman can do is, of course, give birth to more of those ¡®amazing¡¯ men.¡± ¡°What?!¡± The two adults reacted in unison. ¡°That doesn¡¯t make sense!¡± Zeke exclaimed. ¡°We keep comparing stats all this time. Mikella has the same stat growth as me, better skill improvement, and awesome control over her attunement. There¡¯s literally no difference between us. If anything, she¡¯s better!¡± Of course, the idea that a woman was lower than a man in terms of the system¡¯s eyes was definitely something he disliked, but it went further than that. Believing in something so idiotic felt like an insult to every gamer in existence. It¡¯s like telling a doctor who studied for years in medicine that their medicine causes autism. Just being told that by someone who has no clue how medicine works is enough to erase some brain cells. ¡°Well then,¡± Alissa turned back, her captivating features showing as her scowl lessened at him. ¡°Looks like you¡¯re decent. At least you know the truth. But unfortunately, nobody else would bother. Imagine being fed this whole time that women have less overall power than men in the system¡¯s eyes all your life. At some point, it¡¯s like challenging your mindset.¡± ¡°But then why spread that idea?¡± Mikella asked. ¡°If it¡¯s wrong, then why keep doing that?¡± ¡°Do you think women aren¡¯t trying? You¡¯re not the first, nor the last, to be upset about this,¡± Alissa said, her answer showing finality. ¡°As I said, it¡¯s a culture that¡¯s been going on for centuries since Arcelot was formed. And unfortunately, studies across researchers have shown that there is some form of gap between men and women.¡± ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure it¡¯s because the men don¡¯t share stuff like attribute fruits to women,¡± Zeke said plainly, figuring it out already. ¡°And you¡¯d be right, but every man here would fight you to the death to prove you wrong. I suggest just keeping that to yourself.¡± Zeke huffed, feeling more ticked off than he expected. Another reason he disliked this so much other than the obvious was that they all think they were better than Mikella. It may just be favoritism on his end, but he¡¯d really like to see those guys fight her in a proper duel. After a whole year of sparring against her, he knew deep in his heart that she would win, hands down. But then, they would just claim that she had attribute fruits crammed into her throat and taught the best skills since birth. Even though they were probably the same, in the end, their minds won¡¯t change at all if it meant getting humiliated. That¡¯s how everyone in the online player vs. player community would say in any game. Unfortunately, that¡¯s just life. ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s get over here. I want to leave this place as soon as possible.¡± Alissa said as she led the four straight towards what looked like a small bus that levitated off the ground. It was rectangular in shape, with some odd runes visibly showing along with some of the artistic carvings on the surface. Zeke was sure that this was made with some form of ore and metal that worked perfectly for making a ride. The group went on to this levitating bus-like vehicle, paying the fee for the ride. What surprised the otherworlders was that Alissa placed her hand on what looked like a metal cube with glowing lights on the edges of the top. When her hand landed on the surface, the cube¡¯s light glowed with a bright gold, then a low chime echoed out. He noticed that she poured in mana into the cube as she poured in enough times for all the people in their group. Once everything was settled, the group headed into the small bus, seeing several lush chairs across the walls of the bus rather than in rows. Alissa went to sit at one of the empty chairs and so the group followed suit. Zeke noticed Zoan actually glowering at the ground, not staring at anyone else. It was possible that she was upset that they won¡¯t be going to any libraries anytime soon, which honestly, he felt the same way.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. The bus then lifted off the ground, floating way above the other buildings in the vicinity as the bus headed out of the section where they were just at. Clara wanted to look over, but quickly stayed composed to avoid bothering the noble residents. Thankfully the bus seemed to make it easy for people with sub-races like Mikella with wings. The chairs had enough to keep her wings tucked tight, but not so uncomfortable that it was a chore to keep them pinned. Mikella easily let her wings stretch a bit sometimes, then put them down, easing her expression by loads. Zeke took notice of the others in the bus, most of them being nobles by his estimate from the way they were dressed. Some had extravagant perfumes, and others were basically dressed in gold from the looks of it. All of them looked over at the four, and sneered at them without doing much else. He was starting to see the difference in the citizens immediately after that. The supposed ¡®nobles¡¯ versus the ¡®commoners¡¯. Of course, there were barely any commoners besides them, their clothes meant for battle rather than just for looks. Throughout the silent ride, they passed over the noble district and headed off towards the outer edges. According to Zeke¡¯s eye, it looked like the city was a giant octagon shape, seven corners that probably dictated each section with one extra connected straight to the center where the nobility, and by extension Lord Cronus, was at. It included the estate that could be seen even from this distance, nearing the top-right portion of the noble district. As they traveled, Zeke decided to tell Clara about it, as learning how it looked can be easier to navigate, letting the girl to seriously study the sight as well as she could. Unfortunately, Zeke failed to realize that his sight was overall better than any human in the old world, so she could barely see anything but a glob of tiny things that looked very, very far away from her. He had to rectify that at some point. It made sense that someone not even initialized into the system couldn¡¯t keep up with him. Soon the ride ended as Alissa took off, bringing the group with her as they left the bus with ease. Once the bus floated up to continue its schedule, Mikella asked what was burning in her mind for a while. ¡°What was that weird cube thing you put Mana into?¡± She asked. ¡°Mmh¡­¡± She hummed. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t be surprised you don¡¯t know that. It¡¯s a toll for users to pay for services. In this city, you can use Mana to pay for certain services.¡± ¡°Mana?¡± Zeke asked. ¡°That can be used as a currency? What about the coins?¡± ¡°Those are still valuable. As I said, the Mana is for certain services. The city is built on runes on top of runes, each one costing loads of Mana to keep functioning. That bus for instance relies heavily on Mana, so it made sense that the driver would ask for Mana from its residents to keep it afloat. The driver then gets paid in coins for the service to the city government.¡± ¡°Huh¡­¡± Zeke nodded. With that, Alissa continued on without adding anymore details. It looked like she¡¯s not the type for small talk. That still boggled Zeke as he tried to recognize the different currencies. So coins are still useful for some, but Mana is also taken in. It reminded him of the taxes the Aetheric Federation forced on their residents, but on all their resources and not just Mana. If it was just Mana, he could see some sense, but having to pay with kinetic energy and even life energy was taking it too far for his liking. Still, he needed to realize that in this world, such things are actually physical and thus capitalized. They landed on what Zeke could guess was the top first corner of the octagon shaped city. It was a well established section, with the buildings immaculate and clean, though not as detailed and ornate as the section from before. If he had to put it into perspective, it was like visiting downtown in the old world as he saw multiple people of every race, sub-race, and culture clamoring about. There was one single thing that united them all. Mana. It was everywhere, just like before. He wasn¡¯t sure how, but the magical energy was practically suffusing the area. Scent of street food crowded the air as multiple voices overlapped one another in their various accents and tones. It was loud, obnoxious, and Zeke already noticed Clara hiding within herself from so many people, her head tucked close down her neck as though like a turtle. Zoan, of course, stood proudly at the front, and somehow it got everyone¡¯s attention as they somehow stood away from her along with Alissa. It was a strange sight. ¡°Where are we heading?¡± Zeke asked, noticing the dozens of buildings that were mostly used for selling products and services of anything one can imagine. ¡°To my home, of course,¡± Alissa said as though it was obvious. ¡°I am charged with taking care of you four for the remainder of your stay.¡± ¡°So¡­ umm¡­¡± Mikella stammered, not really finding a way to say anything. ¡°Please refrain from talking about ¡®her¡¯ until after we head to my home,¡± Alissa said, her tone already spiking up at the mention of the word. The two decided to do just that. Eventually they soon reached what looked like the residential district of the section and finally found themselves in what looked like a rather fancy looking house. It was a tall home seemingly made for the modern person of the old world, but there were some signs of runes hidden here and there according to Zeke¡¯s eyes. Honestly, it beat Cloud and Val¡¯s home by a mile in terms of modern aesthetics, but it certainly lacked that ¡®homey¡¯ feel the two had from Eve Glade. It had the white color as its main theme, but there were hints of soft pink and yellow that decorated some of its parts. It was almost like a flower of intricate design among the sea of mostly white marvel homes who mostly focused on how pretty it looked. This house felt natural, as though it kept at its own pace for years without ever diverting from its path. Once they entered inside through the door that Alissa unlocked just by putting her hand on the knob and using her Mana, they were met with a large living room. Furniture was placed around, several tables and shelves filled with books and other devices Zeke had no clue what they were used for. He could see the kitchen at the other side of the room with an open window with a wide rectangular view, filled with appliances that were actually made for their purpose rather than with runes like in Cloud¡¯s house. Once everyone was settled after another journey through the town, the adults sat at the table near the kitchen while Clara and Zoan sat to the side, with Clara looking around the new home with wide eyes. ¡°Gods, finally.¡± After everything that they have seen, Alissa suddenly melted onto the table, her prim and proper composure breaking apart into a rather exhausted woman having to deal with unnecessary work. She still didn¡¯t look relaxed, probably because now she had permanent guests come to her house. She looked at them all, scowling at them as though they wronged her somehow.. ¡°...Alright, so explain yourselves. Who the fuck are you?¡± That took them by surprise. Zeke and Mikella looked back at each other, not expecting this turn of events. ¡°Umm¡­ you don¡¯t know?¡± Zeke asked, more nervous than before. ¡°The only thing I¡¯m told by Lord Cronus is that he needed me to take care of bumpkins who don¡¯t know their way around a playground much less the entire city. Then he said that taking care of you all was the highest priority for me and if I failed, I would be demoted to a lackey. I¡¯m sure you know how he works by now¨Che uses us like tools to do his bidding, and doesn¡¯t really bother with more explanations because he has better things to do with his time.¡± The two adults knew that by heart, but it was still a shock to hear. ¡°And then you have insulted me by comparing me to that idiotic sister of mine. So I¡¯m ecstatic to hear about you and where you came from,¡± Alissa said, her sarcasm dry as a desert. ¡°Uuh¡­¡± Zeke moaned, not really knowing how to answer. ¡°It¡¯s a¡­ it¡¯s a long story,¡± Mikella said, rubbing the bridge of her nose tiredly. ¡°I got all day,¡± Alissa said with a spiteful tone. ¡°So gab away.¡± Vol 3 Ch 34: Meeting for info The young woman similar to Val, Alissa, laid back on the chair with her face lifted up towards the ceiling. She¡¯s been like that for about a solid minute. The adults explained in detail about their circumstances, apparently the attendant not knowing the fact that literal aliens have come into her home. At first, Zeke and Mikella hesitated on revealing this info, but figuring that she would be their supposed attendant throughout their entire stay, it made sense that she should know about their origins. Plus, despite everything, seeing her face almost exactly like Valorie gave them a strange sense of trust for her, however wrong it felt since it was a different woman entirely. Still, the least they could do is tell her, considering that she was under the same thumb of Cronus, and she looked like she got experience from dealing with him. However, when the truth came out in its entirety, much like how they explained to Cronus and Isabelle about their origins, the mood quickly soured for the woman. Then, when they finally reached the conclusion, she stayed like that for about a solid minute. A minute and a half, by now. ¡°Okay¡­¡± Alissa let out an exhale that came directly from her soul along with her answer. She really sounded like an overworked office lady after being told to do another shift. ¡°I thought perhaps my stupid sister of mine finally did something that ticked Lord Cronus off, and so figuring I was related to her, he handed me her problems¡­ but this was far beyond my expectations.¡± ¡°Umm,¡± Mikella hummed. ¡°Miss¡­ Alissa?¡± ¡°Just Alissa is fine,¡± The woman waved it off, her face still looking upwards. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°So, uhh¡­ I know you¡¯re not entirely into this, but we gotta know. What¡¯s the deal between you and Val? You¡¯re twin sisters, right?¡± That was definitely at the forefront of Zeke¡¯s mind, but considering her attitude and the ¡®I really don¡¯t wanna be here¡¯ expression that was as plain as day, it was really hard to ask. However, they felt that since they gave away their secrets, it was good enough of a trade for her own, however huge that gap was. ¡°Hah, I¡¯m guessing she hadn¡¯t told you crap about her old life and family back here, right?¡± Alissa finally showed her face to the two, her hand waving about beside her head. ¡°And about how much of a mess she made with that jackass of a husband of hers before getting exiled?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ well,¡± Mikella tilted her head slightly. ¡°It was mentioned¡­ just not a lot.¡± ¡°No shit,¡± Alissa cursed, crossing her chest with her arms again. ¡°To sum it up, she was considered a disgrace to our family. I¡¯m not sure if you knew, but she is not able to use magic.¡± ¡°We know,¡± Zeke said. ¡°But¡­ is that really a way to treat her? She¡¯s an incredible fighter, and even fought against a Master-rank monster nearly on her own. That¡¯s gotta be impressive, right?¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m certain it is, but that¡¯s not the point. For a child of a noble family, especially a woman in this country, to be born without being able to use magic was a detriment at best, and a burden at worst.¡± That certainly caught their attention. Valorie, a lovely wife, mother, and captain of the militia force, was a daughter of a noble family? Honestly, Zeke can sort of see that. She had the kind of grace that was hard to describe. Perhaps it wasn¡¯t nobility, but something akin to refined poise. Other than that, it was still a surprise. ¡°Even for someone like her, there were no other men who would dare marry her and take her genes in, fearing that her lack of magic might spread across the next generation.¡± ¡°That¡¯s horrible,¡± Mikella said, clear contempt for the people that made that assumption. ¡°Was there really no other reason other than for magic? She¡¯s gotta be worth something.¡± ¡°That didn¡¯t matter. As you can see, mana is the main resource for everything around here. If you can¡¯t even create mana, then what good are you?¡± The two stayed quiet after that. It was hard to try and not defend Val¡¯s honor, but the truth was there, plain as the scowling look on Alissa¡¯s face. ¡°That¡¯s besides the point. What really matters is that she¡¯s done a lot of crazy things to get over her weaknesses. Getting a synthesized attunement, which was considered taboo in this country, was the final push our family needed to disown her. She then sought chaos and destruction wherever she went, ignoring all kinds of laws to hunt as many monsters to gain more levels. That goes double for that sly bastard of a husband who joined her in her antics.¡± Hearing all that from the seemingly lovely woman put a lot of strain on that image, but when Zeke and Mikella considered just how crazy she was when they fought against that Master-Rank monster at the tower, somehow, that fit her pretty well. Eventually, Alissa let out a deep breath as though she had finally torn her frustration out of herself, her eyes becoming more composed and prim like before. ¡°But to think she was keeping something like this under her belt. Knowing her, she just decided to take you in without really thinking, right?¡±If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡°It¡¯s more like she took us in because we had Clara¡­ and Zoan on our side.¡± Mikella hesitated, still trying to keep up the guise of Zoan being the twin sister of Clara. They still hadn¡¯t explained the angel business, figuring that it wasn¡¯t something they needed to tell. Besides, how can they? It was hard to show the angel when she was stuck as a little girl. ¡°Alright, alright, so I understand why your family hates Valorie. But why do you?¡± Mikella asked, pointing at her. Alissa raised a single brow, forcing her to continue. ¡°I mean, it doesn¡¯t feel like you agree with how this stupid society works either, but why do you sound like you hate her guts?¡± ¡°That¡¯s private.¡± Her words were cold and cutthroat, finishing the conversation right there. Figuring she was a sister herself, Mikella raised her hands to display no animosity and crossed her arms. Zeke can make a whole ton of guesses, but really, he has no clue. Whatever personal history they had between each other is better left with themselves alone. Sure, they could probably pry some more information¡­ but Zeke felt that it was in poor taste to do that. ¡°And you,¡± Alissa stared at Zeke, catching him off guard. ¡°You somehow got his customized skill through a skill book? And you have no idea who gave it to you?¡± ¡°It was dropped by the monster we fought back in the tower,¡± Zeke explained again. ¡°I literally had no idea it belonged to someone else, especially to someone like Cronus who created it himself.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s really unfortunate,¡± Alissa said, shaking her head. ¡°You just got really shitty luck to have that guy¡¯s attention. Still, hearing about how you two can do something about those towers was nice. I have to admit they have been a pain in the ass for me lately.¡± ¡°Did you do something to the towers?¡± Mikella asked, but Alissa shook her head. ¡°If I could have, I would¡¯ve done something by now. Unfortunately, those things are nearly impenetrable according to our research. They just popped up out of nowhere and are messing up the ecosystem. Making the monsters either stronger or more ravenous than before, increasing their population through gods know how, and it¡¯s even causing the nearby biodomes to react negatively.¡± ¡°Biodomes, as in plural?¡± Zeke widened his eyes. ¡°Seriously?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not really surprising considering the amount of magical energy contained in this pocket dimension,¡± Alissa said, shrugging her shoulders as if it was obvious. ¡°A biodome can exist for many different reasons, but they can be born when a lot of natural energy mixed with each in their natural habitats. Depending on the strongest aspect that exists there, a biodome can exist, though they are harder to enter considering that they also exist in their own pockets within this plane of existence.¡± ¡°Well shit¡­¡± Zeke said in wonderment. ¡°We just took down only one biodome. I can¡¯t imagine taking down so many more.¡± ¡°They¡¯re already been captured a long time ago,¡± Alissa said, lifting her hands up in wonder. ¡°It¡¯s a shock that my sister got lucky enough to have a town that¡¯s so close to a biodome, but here, it¡¯s been taken care of for decades. However, it¡¯s been difficult to take care of its resources thanks to the tower¡¯s rising out of nowhere.¡± ¡°And you approached these towers yourself?¡± Mikella asked. ¡°How many have you seen?¡± ¡°So far, only two,¡± Alissa explained, suddenly summoning a parchment out of nowhere, probably from her bag, and rolling it across the table for the two to see. ¡°These are likely to be your next destinations. However, despite knowing about their existence and their numbers, we can¡¯t point out their locations. We believe their mana signature detailing that they are around these areas.¡± After reading it for a closer look, Zeke¡¯s eyes widened as he pulled out his own map. It was the same one that Diaga gave them, and when he rolled it out, it was exactly the same as the one Alissa brought out, except rather than two large circles on her map, there were two precise X¡¯s on their map. Alissa¡¯s eyes widened, a hint of a studious glint in her eyes unlike Val¡¯s but more like Cloud¡¯s. ¡°Where did you get this? I¡¯m certain I was told you were just brought here today.¡± ¡°We actually got this from a friend of ours, a Seer, actually,¡± Zeke said, pointing at the two clear precise spots. ¡°Would this help you out in any way?¡± ¡°It certainly would. It¡¯s great that their precise locations are found,¡± Alissa said, rolling up her own parchment after she marked down the written locations. ¡°Normally we have our own Seers, but unfortunately they can¡¯t seem to find them, at least not physically. Only around the general area. So, here¡¯s what we¡¯ll do.¡± The two adults listened, finally getting into the swing of the matter. ¡°For now, the two of you will sign up as adventurers, and sign up on a team that I will place you in personally myself. We can¡¯t get licenses for you as that needs to have a form of contribution added to it. Such as your performances and records of your living here. Since you only just arrived, and there is no history of the Arcan family ever existing here, you¡¯ll have to rely on an already known team to use their party license.¡± ¡°So parties have their own license?¡± Zeke asked, tilting his head. ¡°Not just individually?¡± ¡°Adventurers who have party licenses, which are different compared to solo licenses, have better opportunities to enter into dangerous areas that are strictly known to have higher leveled monsters than the average party itself. It¡¯s much more expensive, and the reason why I chose these people in particular to support you in your endeavor.¡± ¡°And these people¡­ shouldn¡¯t we know them?¡± Mikella asked, raising a brow. ¡°They¡¯re currently on a quest right now, but they are already notified. They won¡¯t be coming back in a few days. In the meantime, you can use this chance to get acquainted with the city, find out more about the country, and more importantly study the information relating to the towers. Right now, our main goal is to take out as many of those towers as possible. If we don¡¯t, then it¡¯s off with all of our heads. Who knows? Perhaps the entire country might evaporate if we don¡¯t do this.¡± ¡°...What a way to pep us up,¡± Mikella added dryly, grimacing at the thought. ¡°It¡¯s life. Deal with it,¡± Alissa said firmly. Zeke reluctantly agreed, turning to Mikella who also shared his sense of dread. That means more people are going to find out about their identity. Thankfully, Alissa turned out to be¡­ well, at least suited for the job, but that didn¡¯t mean they were in the clear just yet. There are still a lot of unknowns that could happen, and right now they haven¡¯t even consolidated their newform powers just yet. The only way to do that is one thing: Getting some upgrades suitable for their new advancement, and probably a new spear for Mikella. It¡¯s been a long time since she found something suitable to replace the old one she chucked into Roderick a year ago. Vol 3 Ch 35: The crimes of a blacksmith Mikella and the rest of the Arcan family rested well on the first day in Alissa¡¯s home. Despite the condo-like appearance, it was much larger than it appeared, having at least two extra rooms for Zeke and the girls to rest. It almost became a worrying situation when Clara wanted to room up with Zoan by themselves and leave Mikella out, but thankfully Alissa stopped her in her tracks before things could get awkward. She wasn¡¯t sure whether she just wanted a room with Zoan all to herself, or that little brat wanted her and Zeke to room up for some reason. It was a comforting sleep, to say the least. Her body was exhausted throughout the travel, and she wasn¡¯t really sure but the supposed otherworldly jet lag was a juggernaut to go through. Still, she was completely rested the next day. Though personally she could easily go throughout the night without feeling an ounce of exhaustion. Her body has advanced to the point where sleep was mostly a luxury rather than a necessity¡­ but damn it she wanted to just lay down for a bit longer. Still, when the two decided to get acquainted with the city, particularly the stores where they sell weapons before meeting up with the team, she got ecstatic. But first there was another topic with Alissa they needed to talk about. Mainly, who¡¯s going to take care of Clara while they are away? It was natural to assume that Zoan would be the one, but in her state, it was nearly impossible for her to take responsibility while she looked like a child herself. It was also natural to assume that Brucey would take care of her if any danger were to arrive. However, once again, it was kinda hard to pin the responsibility to a familiar that kept on taking naps on an hourly basis, much less actually taking care of someone. So they all naturally assumed that Alissa would be the one to take care of them. At first, Alissa showed the kind of expression that any single woman would when told they would be taking care of their relatives and a pet of sorts. ¡°You got to be fucking kidding me.¡± However, despite her grumbling and her scowling, it wasn¡¯t as though she was going to refuse. Instead she was going to take it as part of her job and agreed to take care of her. Luckily enough, Clara seemed fond of her despite her grumpy attitude. She had become confident by leaps and bounds throughout the year, but she was still hesitant on meeting new people all of a sudden, especially without her best friend Ana around. Still, she looked fond of Alissa, and she didn¡¯t even flinch when Alissa glared at her. It wasn¡¯t at her specifically, she just had that ¡®resting bitch face¡¯ on a constant basis. That wasn¡¯t enough to deter Clara from treating Alissa fondly, even asking her questions like a student would. Mikella stayed around for a bit more to see the interactions, finding out that apparently Alissa wasn¡¯t really so antagonistic to go along with Clara¡¯s whims. Still, she made sure to keep her in check, which was perfect for Mikella. Despite her grumbling, Alissa was actually a rather caring parent. Now if only she would just stop scowling at every second. Eventually the two adults left, leaving Clara, Zoan, and Brucey with Alissa for a time to get their weapons upgraded. Alissa didn¡¯t really need to leave the house either way, her work mostly consisting of writing and sending reports of the current circumstances. When they left the home and the residential district, they came into the mercantile district with loud sounds and overlapping voices swallowing their hearing. Wares were shouted out at them, and people were constantly getting in and out of shops. It was like going into downtown for real, the lights from the runes flashing at the store even going at a colorful pace. ¡°Zeke, what do you think about Alissa?¡± The two were quiet during the walk, still trying to get the town¡¯s locations into memory. Once they were done and knew where to go, particularly for gear, Mikella asked for Zeke¡¯s opinions. ¡°She seemed a little scary, but she¡¯s not a bad person, I think,¡± Zeke shrugged. There was concern in his eyes, however. ¡°I¡¯m just wondering what¡¯s the deal between her and Val. And why hasn¡¯t she mentioned it to us when we were going to come here?¡± ¡°She probably didn¡¯t imagine that Cronus would ask her estranged twin sister to help.¡± It was weird to connect ¡®estranged¡¯ to the word twin, but that¡¯s the best thing Mikella can offer. She can¡¯t ever imagine separating from her own sister for as long as Val and Alissa had been, but she knew that sisters treat each other differently depending on the circumstances. Apparently, their situation was a lot worse than the norm. ¡°I sort of understand why Val did the things she did, though,¡± Mikella said earnestly. ¡°Born in a noble family without magic in a magic country? Even if it was like that, they still had no right to treat her like that.¡± ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m just thankful that she still came out of it alive and well,¡± Zeke shook his head. ¡°In most fiction that revolve around noble families, they normally just kill her off, wouldn¡¯t they?¡± ¡°I¡­ guess you have a point. But then, where did Cloud come in?¡±This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Zeke tilted his head, taking the question into heart. ¡°Good point. As far as I know, even Cloud had some issues with his family¡­ maybe the two met up like that?¡± ¡°...And then Val went and got married without including Alissa,¡± Mikella¡¯s head lowered. ¡°Honestly, I¡¯d be kinda mad if Clara got married without telling me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Zeke showed a grimace, probably not willing to go that far in the future in his head. ¡°There¡¯s probably been some issues that made it difficult. Remember, the two were entirely separated in different dimensions. That¡¯s way different than living halfway across the world without the internet.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ that¡¯s a good point, actually,¡± Mikella winced. ¡°Oh well, let¡¯s put that aside for now. Whatever happened between them isn¡¯t any of our business.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Zeke nodded. ¡°And I think I spotted a blacksmith shop near here. You got any plans on what kinda spear you want?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t a clue. I figured I could just head in there and sort of feel what spear fits me best.¡± Zeke tilted his head left and right, understanding her point a bit. Mikella was the sort to just feel out the weapons rather than think about it. Though just as the idea of a spear was forming in her mind, she heard someone curse out loud and fling something at them. Or rather at Zeke. His instincts flared as he conjured the same looking turquoise barrier in front of his face as something was about to hit his face. Unfortunately, that very something crashed right through the magical construct like glass and promptly smashed his face in. It resulted in a loud thunk as Zeke landed on the ground, the force enough to possibly break a wall or two to cracks. ¡°Zeke!¡± Mikella knelt down quickly, noticing that the hostile object was actually a bulky hammer. It was a one-handed cylindrical hammer that upon closer inspection looked heavier than the average hammer. Blood was pooling from the impact on Zeke¡¯s head, mostly from the force trauma as bits of skin were torn off from it. However, despite everything, Zeke looked¡­ more depressed than hurt. His eyes were droopy, and his face was looking like a very sad donkey she remembered from a children¡¯s cartoon. ¡°Uhh, Zeke?¡± ¡°...I forgot I don¡¯t have my barrier anymore,¡± Zeke said sadly, looking away in shame. ¡°I would¡¯ve been able to block that¡­¡± Thankfully, the wound on his head was literally nothing to scoff at. In fact, his healing was already taking over, restoring his wounded head to completion. However, now Mikella was worried about his self-esteem. Normally he practiced with his barriers so much that he can instinctively call upon it if an attack was going after him. But now that backfired on him. ¡°Godsdammit! What the fuck happened to my hammer!?¡± Mikella instantly scowled when she turned to find the person in question responsible for the hammer throw. Contrary to the constant cussing, it was actually a young woman dressed with a large white T-shirt, though covered in black grease, with large cargo pants with suspenders down her chest. Her long black hair was wild and unkempt, and she had a red and black bandanna as she picked up her hammer. She cussed again, realizing that the same hammer actually had a dent. A dent. Right after hitting Zeke on the head. Now that she thought about it, Zeke had an unnaturally large Endurance after all the crap he went through, so his defenses were nothing to scoff at. ¡°Who the fuck in their right mind messed with my hammer?!¡± The young crazed woman turned back to the two, realizing the culprits. ¡°Was it you fucks!?¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± Mikella said, helping Zeke stand up to his feet. He could easily do it, he was just still depressed over the loss of his barrier. ¡°He was the one that was hit by the hammer.¡± ¡°And look at the poor thing!¡± The woman protested, showing the slightly dented hammer. ¡°It was a good one too! Treated me well for years!¡± ¡°Then why the hell did you just chuck it out of the store?¡± Mikella¡¯s anger slowly rose. ¡°We were just minding our own business before your stupid hammer decked my husband on the head!¡± That word somehow managed to get out of her mouth a lot easier than she expected. Being an Arcan family now, they had to keep with the role. She expected to have some difficulty, but apparently that was unnecessary. ¡°Well, it doesn''t look like it did much, did it?¡± The woman scoffed. ¡°Your hubby there looks right as fuckin¡¯ rain. It¡¯s not good to accuse someone like that, y¡¯know?¡± ¡°He healed himself right then and there!¡± Mikella snapped back. ¡°And if you think you can get away with¨C¡± ¡°Wait, hold up,¡± Zeke suddenly said, stopping Mikella by the shoulder. It looked like his depression streak was over. ¡°I think this is the shop we were looking for.¡± Mikella looked back at him in bewilderment, but then took a closer glance at what he was pointing at. It was indeed a shop filled with what looked like armor and weapons being displayed out at the front of the store. Mannequins wearing some well-decorated armor and weapons in their ornate sheathes. The scent of smoke from the furnace within wafted in the air, as well as coal and steel that was thick in the store. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re customers then?¡± Suddenly the woman smiled like everything that happened just now disappeared in a heartbeat. ¡°Well come on in! Any customer of mine gets good service, better than any other smithy in the entire damn country!¡± Mikella looked at the woman with a look of shock and awe. The audacity of this woman to pretend that she hadn¡¯t just chucked a damn hammer at her husband¡¯s head. I¡¯ma stab a bitch, Mikella promised. I¡¯ma stab a bitch real good. It was then that she heard a whisper from Zeke, who was making sure not to be heard as the owner of the store, the crazed female blacksmith, was walking towards the store with the waiting customers behind. ¡°We can use the incident to get a discount or something,¡± Zeke said. Despite being hit in the head and having more than enough right to get angry, instead he opted to get a good chance. They just received their gold from Cronus, and a little extra from Alissa for good measure, so they had a fair amount. But it was a good idea to take any chances of a discount, especially from a blacksmith since enchanted weapons and such can get expensive quickly. Making sure to summon the inner frugal suburban girl she had trained all her life in the other world, Mikella will do whatever she can to haggle this blacksmith out of everything she owned and then some. I¡¯m not gonna stab a bitch. I¡¯ma rob her of everything she¡¯s got, Mikella smiled deviously, the plan already in place in her head. Vol 3 Ch36: Natural Series After receiving the extremely rude welcome, they entered into the blacksmith store that might as well be a large storage room considering all the items laid about everywhere. Mikella marveled at the amount inside. There were armor pieces and weapons literally scattered everywhere; on the floor, the shelves that lined up the walls, on the display cases that were shown outside through the window pane and some that hung at the walls themselves, as though displaying how greater they were compared to the rest. If this was an armory, she can understand. But this was a store, meant to showcase the wares to potential buyers. She can¡¯t even fathom how this store owner can even sell a single thing in this cluttered mess. Still, her eyes managed to pick up a few pieces that caught her interest. They showed extreme detail in the weapon, though not its outside appearance. The shape of the blades, the steel that consisted of its making, the heft of it, it called to her unlike anything before. Thanks to all of her weapon masteries being at Rare rarity, it wasn¡¯t just the swords that caught her eyes. It was all the weapons she could lay her eyes on, and even the armor pieces were impressive on their own. ¡°Name¡¯s Cruach, but you can just call me Cru. Here, this is where I sell my babies to the world!¡± The young boasting woman named Cru spread out her arms, showcasing all the wares in her store. The heavy scent of steel and smoke was still wrought in the air, nearly curling her nose in response. Still, she stood unopposed to it all. Her store was a mess, which was already putting a damper to her mood. Still, she couldn¡¯t help but marvel at some of the merchandise. Mikella can already tell that this Cru was the sort of blacksmith that didn¡¯t care much about marketing, but letting her products speak for themselves. ¡°Are these¡­ enchanted? All of them?¡± Zeke said. Mikella was so taken in by the weapon¡¯s makeup that she forgot to check their magical nature. Once her Mana Manipulation set in, she was shocked at how magically dense they were. ¡°Huh, how¡¯d you figured? Considering the damage you¡¯ve done to my hammer, I figured you were thickheaded,¡± Cru said, her brows widening in surprise. That easily caught Mikella¡¯s ire again, but she explained further with an impressed smile. ¡°Yep! They¡¯re all enchanted by yours truly.¡± ¡°Wait, you¡¯re the one that enchanted them all?¡± Zeke asked in shock. ¡°Damn skippy! My Enchantment skill is high up the wazoo¨CEpic Rarity! Sure, I¡¯m not all that impressive compared to any other run-of-the-mill Enchanter, but my Blacksmith class skills can easily support you in battle and beyond as my enchantments make it easier on everyone in general, not just mages.¡± Mikella had to give credit to her humbleness. It wasn¡¯t a good idea to compare yourself lower than other Enchanters, but she made it so that her qualities as a Blacksmith would shine further. She could tell that Cru fancies herself as a smith rather than an enchanter, and instead took on the Enchantment General Skill for the sake of appealing to the magical masses. Her Identify proved as well that she wasn¡¯t kidding about her abilities as a smith. Blacksmith, Level 84 Considering that crafting classes had a harder time leveling up than combat classes, her being at such a high level proved how dedicated to the craft she was. ¡°But isn¡¯t it difficult to handle two conflicting skills and Class?¡± Zeke asked, surprising Mikella at the audacity of the man who took on a magical Class and trained a physical skill all on his own. ¡°Eh, sure the attribute build is hard to figure out, but as long as you know what you¡¯re doing, that kind of thing isn¡¯t a problem,¡± Cru waved off Zeke¡¯s curiosity. ¡°But that doesn''t matter as much as long as I can feed myself.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ that, that does make sense,¡± Zeke tilted his head. Mikella also felt that she had to agree, considering her words. The only reason that this would be a problem if one planned on taking their single crafted profession farther up. But in Cru¡¯s case, that might not be a good plan. You can create the best weapon in the world, but in this country of mages, would that even matter? So for a salesperson who needs to have people buy their wares, they need to sell products that people might actually need rather than the best of what they don¡¯t want. It¡¯s a sad kind of realization for the two otherworlders who aimed to be the best in practically everything just to survive. ¡°Now, you wanna buy something, or are you gonna ask more questions?¡± Cru said, her hands on her surprisingly curvy hips. The woman had a lot of muscle and a well-toned figure, so that was a unexpected. ¡°Cuz¡¯ the more I talk to you, the more time I spend away from the forge. Unless you plan on paying me for my personal life story?¡± ¡°Uhh¡­¡± Zeke raised his hands up. He wasn¡¯t very well suited for this kind of thing. If Mikella let Cru have her way, she might actually get Zeke to give up all their gold. ¡°We¡¯re here to buy a weapon,¡± Mikella stepped up. ¡°For me, actually.¡± ¡°Really? You?¡± Cru pointed at her, actually looking surprised. Mikella was taken aback by that comment, not really knowing the undertone she was using. ¡°Yeah? Is that a problem?¡± ¡°No, not really, I¡¯m just surprised,¡± Cru said, her tone sounding genuine as she took a closer look. Mikella felt her eyes drawn mostly down around her waist, where the dress held taut against her, revealing her muscle tone and curve. Then Cru started walking around her, spinning like a satellite as she kept gawking, almost like a scientist taking a closer look at a lab rat. This quickly got under her skin as she snapped. ¡°Excuse me? What are you doing?¡± ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m just taking a closer look at you. I don¡¯t see many lizard folk around here, but now that I can see better, you¡¯re actually a dragon, not just any lizard folk, ain¡¯tcha?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m a Draconian,¡± Mikella said, still feeling a little weirded out by her steady stare. ¡°A Draconian?¡± Cru stopped spinning, her eyes widened. ¡°Huh, so there are dragon folks then. That would explain the wings. I thought you were some kind of winged lizard race or something.¡± Mikella scoffed at that, but then paused. She wasn¡¯t exactly an expert on sub-races either. So to someone who doesn¡¯t really dwell on the specifics of sub-races, especially after knowing that there were perhaps hundreds of different variants when she advanced to Journeyman, it¡¯s not surprising that they just gave up on learning more.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. So to Cru, thinking that there was some specific lizard race with wings isn¡¯t that far off from being part of a dragonic race. This would normally tick people off, but Mikella can¡¯t help but sympathize with her lack of knowledge, so she let that go. ¡°You¡¯re also pretty damn good with weapons, aren''t you? How many weapon mastery skills have you got?¡± ¡°Whoa, how did you figure that out?¡± Mikella asked, looking at Cru with widened eyes. ¡°Your stance, your muscle tone, the way you breathe¨Cit¡¯s all in the body. For a smith that focuses on making weapons and armor, figuring out how the client moves and breathes is part of a way to figure out the best gear for them. At least that¡¯s how I see it. By the way, my guess is usually never wrong. So¨Cam I wrong?¡± Cru made a delighted grin at Mikella, getting her to roll her eyes. ¡°No, you¡¯re not. I actually got a few. I got the sword, spear, hammer, axe, and bow. I also got Lightning Mastery if that helps.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Cru shouted, surprising both the otherworlders. They looked at her in surprise as she kept screaming. ¡°That¡¯s a shit ton of masteries¨Cand didja say you got a Lightning Mastery of all things? Ain¡¯t that a magical type of skill? You got that too?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Mikella nodded. ¡°That¡¯s not weird, is it? I mean, we¡¯re all Journeymen here.¡± ¡°Yeah I get that. I got myself the Enchantment skill for a reason. But I didn¡¯t think I found anyone else that¡¯s willing to pick up so many weapon types and then add a magic skill on top of that. That¡¯s just borderline crazy.¡± Cru said that, which got Mikella to think why she was guessing instead of using Identify. Then she remembered that using Identify on someone feels like someone brushing against your person with an invisible brush. It was noticeable, and in some cultures, it¡¯s considered rude to Identify without a valid reason. Cru didn¡¯t mention anything since she was expecting someone to Identify her to see if she was capable as a blacksmith, but for a store owner to do that would risk the chance of losing said customer thanks to their rude gesture. Then again, Cru was dangerously close after that hammer thing. ¡°Huh¡­ if that¡¯s the case,¡± Cru eventually said, her gloved hands rubbing her chin hard as she kept studying Mikella. ¡°Then maybe one of my Natural series might be a good fit for you.¡± ¡°Natural series?¡± Zeke asked after staying silent for a while. ¡°Is that something famous?¡± ¡°Nah, it¡¯s one of my creations. I call them like that because they rely heavily on one¡¯s body rather than adding in extra enchantments. You know, stuff like flaming swords and shields that electrocute anything that hits it.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Zeke widened his eyes. ¡°How does that work?¡± ¡°Here, let me show you. It¡¯s better that way.¡± Cru went further into the store, eventually finding what looked like a counter at the very back. They had to wade through perhaps dozens of crates filled with weapons and different types of metal armor just to get here. When they did, Cru jumped over the metal counter, a practiced maneuver if Mikella ever saw one, and rummaged around the back where there was another room behind the counter. After a couple of minutes rummaging around, Zeke went off to view at the other crates and sections where the armor was while Mikella tapped the floor impatiently. Finally, before Mikella could get a word of complaint out, Cru appeared from the room, holding up a simple sword like it was the holy grail of weapons. ¡°Behold!¡± Cru shouted, actually sounding proud that she found it. ¡°My masterpiece!¡± ¡°You better show that ¡®masterpiece¡¯ quickly before I start reconsidering my life choices,¡± Mikella said dryly, Zeke eventually meeting up with her to see the sword. To her shock, Zeke gasped as he stared at the sword. She looked back to see his eyes were glowing a bright blue and green hue, proving that he was using his Restoration feature of scanning the item. ¡°Wow¡­ this looks incredible,¡± Zeke said in a low voice. Cru actually looked taken aback by the shift of his eye colors glowing, but hearing the words got Cru to put on a smug smile. ¡°I know, right?¡± Cru said, grinning widely. ¡°This baby gave me some trouble, but eventually I managed to tame it to fit my needs.¡± ¡°Mikky, you gotta check this out. This sword is awesome,¡± Zeke said, turning back to her. ¡°The mana constructing the enchantments is weaved together so well, it boggles my mind. This ain¡¯t a normal enchanted sword.¡± Hearing Zeke¡¯s sudden praise instantly got Mikella to Identify it. He wasn¡¯t wrong¨Cit was incredible.
Natural Series-Iron Sword of Might (Rare) Created under the guise of genius and drunken wonder, the talented blacksmith created the Natural Series. There is nothing fancy nor whimsical¨Cjust a sword that cuts good and deep. Enchantments: Interchangeable Sharpness (Skill Dependent) Interchangeable Durability (Skill Dependent) Energy Conductivity (Skill Dependent)
It was incredibly confusing, to say the least, but Mikella had to give more credit to this ditsy blacksmith. The sword was designed to look like your average iron sword, something that beginning blacksmiths would make on their first try. But small filigrees of glowing lines ran along the blade and the double edges all the way up to its diamond tip. The handguard was shaped like a flat square facing up the blade with the same line design, and the handle was covered with smooth leather that looked rough to the eyes but easy to grasp. Mikella couldn¡¯t help but marvel at it the more time she spent looking at it. Her mana sense was telling her that this sword was decked with magic, but just by seeing the design was enough to tell her that it was made with extreme detail. ¡°...It says here that it was made in ¡®drunken wonder¡¯,¡± Mikella had to point out, narrowing her eyes at the clearly flustered Cru. ¡°What can I say? Genius comes out when I hit the bottle. Anyways, anything about the sword itself?¡± Cru quickly deflected it to make it about the sword, so at least it told Mikella that Cru was honest about her work. Looking at the sword, Mikella pointed out the obvious. ¡°It says here ¡®Skill dependent¡¯. What does that mean?¡± ¡°Now, see, that¡¯s where the genius comes in,¡± Cru said, probably wanting to point out the part that Mikella purposely avoided from the description. ¡°I started thinking one night about how everyone is focusing on getting the number of skills necessary to jump into Journeyman. But there¡¯s gotta be someone out there who had to pick up a skill or two to make a living, and sometimes that doesn''t equate to their Journeyman advancement.¡± Mikella became deeply interested, Cru¡¯s words hitting hard on a lot of folks who struggled to become Journeyman while taking care of their responsibilities at the same time. Some don''t have the time, energy, or even finances to kill monsters long enough to level to 60. As for the comment about the skills necessary, Cru probably meant that the majority of people who needed to advance to Journeyman had to advance or evolve 5 General Skills. There was also the Class skills and titles, but the two together would make it possible. During their off time, Mikella found out that people can cheat just by using Skill Books and get Rare skills that way, but it turns out you need to be super influential and rich. It required that you pay a heavy price to skip one of the major requirements to be a Journeymen by using skill books, and that wouldn¡¯t even force you to be a half-Journeymen. But nobody has that kind of cash on hand. But for Mikella and Zeke, they proved over and over that having several General Skills that compliment each other is a lot better than just the minimum required. Hell, Mikella gained some decent boons after filling out her General Skill List to get herself an Extra Class Skill, a rarity for Classes and something she heavily relies on to this day. ¡°So you¡¯re making equipment that benefits the people having no choice but to pick up extra skills for daily living?¡± Zeke added, his fingers rubbing his chin in fascination. ¡°That¡¯s really generous.¡± ¡°I know, right?¡± Cru said with a grin. She even put her hands over her hips, pride oozing off of her. ¡°And seeing how you just told me you got a whole bunch of General Skills, I¡¯d say this beauty¡­¡± Cru put the sword over onto the counter, staring directly at Mikella with a wide grin. Not like a merchant making a deal, but as a blacksmith proving that her craft was truly a masterpiece. ¡°...is perfect for someone like you.¡± Vol 3 Ch37: Seal the deal Mikella held up the sword Cru graciously lent to her, studying the blade and the overall weight and design. If she was honest, she really liked the feeling of it compared to her enhanced sword. Her sword had done wonders for her for the past year, often being maintained by Adam in reluctance from her constantly using it. However, she felt that it was time to move on. While the effects were great, in the end, there was only so much that sword can provide as the challenges would most likely get tougher and tougher before heading towards the next tower. If the last tower was anything to go by, she really needed to get her game up. That meant improving her weaponry. ¡°Okay, this sword is impressive, but why hide it in the backroom?¡± Mikella asked, gently placing the sword down onto the counter. ¡°If it¡¯s crafted with ¡®genius¡¯ or something, why hide it away?¡± ¡°Ah, well¡­¡± Cru shifted awkwardly, scratching her headband-covered head. ¡°It¡¯s sorta dumb when you think about it, but I should¡¯ve figured people wouldn¡¯t like buying weapons that enhance your fighting based on how many skills you got.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Zeke asked, his head hanging back in disbelief. ¡°This Natural series sounds awesome. I bet you can also add a lot of cool things since the requirement is pretty high too.¡± Mikella nodded, reminding herself of the time Zeke got into enchanting with the help of his runes. Unfortunately, there were some complications trying to mix runes with enchantments, which were entirely different schools of magic despite how similar they sound on paper. According to Zeke, trying to enchant directly with your mana is easy. Trying to enchant, for example an iron sword, provides a direct access to the material. That allows the user to directly alter its functions and giving it power that is precisely to the holder¡¯s specifications. However, as runecraft can do the same of any magical variety after going through a simple process, that simple alteration of an iron sword becomes a lot harder. It creates what Zeke described as complicated walls to bypass, making his runes more complex to use the further he continued to try to enchant. Sure, he could easily create an appliance of sorts that heats up food and store items in a cold environment. However, directly providing a user with features such as enhanced sharpness and increased durability, much less making an iron sword go up in flames, is a lot harder considering it borders on enchantment. There were also plenty of other things that Zeke described, such as mana wavelenths and probability spectrums that made Mikella¡¯s mind go ¡®womp womp¡¯ and think about what to make for dinner. So in other words, runecraft and enchantment are super different to the point where even the system wouldn¡¯t allow it. But he did know that making more and more enchantments onto a single item gets considerably harder. The only way to make it usable after one enchantment after another is by making the enchantment harder to access, hence a requirement. One needed to be at a certain level or use a certain skill. A certain Class is needed to use it¨Call sorts of things that disallows just anyone to use the equipment willy-nilly, much like how the runes and enchantments refuse to work together. ¡°You¡¯re right, but you¡¯re forgetting something incredibly obvious,¡± Cru stated, pointing at Zeke with a finger. ¡°The requirement. One needs to have tons of General Skills. Can you imagine anyone having more than the five needed to pass Journeyman?¡± Zeke and Mikella both stared at each other after she asked. They tried to think, they really did. But they can¡¯t even imagine the reason why. ¡°You¡¯re serious?¡± Cru raised her single brow even higher than before, if that was possible. ¡°Not a single one? Just everyone around you have as many skills as possible? Where the hell did you come from?¡± ¡°Outside of this country, at least,¡± Mikella stated, and wanted to end it at that. She didn¡¯t want to share anymore information about Eve Glade, since it was becoming a hot spot recently and she prefers not to trouble Cloud and Val any further. Apparently, that was enough to get Cru looking at them as though they were actual aliens, which kinda made Mikella tilt her head in irony. ¡°Ooh¡­ so you came from outside Arcelot? Now that explains a lot,¡± Cru rubbed her chin, nodding her head slowly. ¡°Guess you don¡¯t know that anyone who takes up more General Skills outside of the five is looked down upon.¡± ¡°Are you fucking serious?¡± Mikella and Zeke almost asked in unison, surprising Cru from their shared disbelief. ¡°Yeah, believe it or not,¡± Cru continued. ¡°Personallly I think it¡¯s stupid too, but what can you do? They still think women can¡¯t be compared to men. So this sort of rule is not that surprising.¡± ¡°Who the hell made up these stupid rules anyways?¡± Mikella shook her head. ¡°Probably some old bastards that are too old to still be alive,¡± Cru shrugged. ¡°Something we all gotta get used to.¡± ¡°So you made these and then just¡­ left them there?¡± Zeke asked, pointing at the sword. ¡°Such a waste¡­¡± ¡°But I didn¡¯t get rid of them,¡± Cru propped a finger up. ¡°Because I knew someone would spot these beauties and see them for what they truly are; Absolute genius!¡± ¡°Well, they¡¯re certainly fantastic,¡± Mikella crossed her arms. ¡°But let¡¯s talk about the price. How much is it?¡± ¡°For this one in particular,¡± Cru gestured at the sword. ¡°I¡¯m willing to give it away for¡­ mhh, about 200 gold.¡± The otherworlders looked at her in stunned silence. 200 gold was equivalent to 20 grand back in the old world, and considering everything Cru just told them, warning sirens went off in Mikella¡¯s head. ¡°No.¡± ¡°What?¡± Cru looked down on Mikella, her height considerably taller than Mikella by an inch or two. Despite the size difference, Mikella looked up at the blacksmith with resolution. ¡°No. That¡¯s what I said,¡± Mikella repeated, crossing her arms. ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous, and there is no way that this sword can amount to that much.¡± ¡°Well it¡¯s my price,¡± Cru said, her voice carrying a sharp tone of finality. ¡°Take it or leave it.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Mikella scoffed. ¡°I know you¡¯re a little dense from all the smoke you¡¯re inhaling while you¡¯re forging, but in the real world, it doesn''t work like that.¡± Mikella could practically feel Zeke¡¯s stare boring at the side of her head in shock. She ignored him, knowing exactly what she¡¯s doing. Cru, however, didn¡¯t appear to like that comment. ¡°You sure got a mouth on you, don¡¯tcha?¡± Cru said. Her eyes were becoming sharp as her brow rose to her challenge. ¡°And what¡¯d you gonna do about it? Take it off my hands?¡± ¡°Of course not,¡± Mikella waved it off, a mere trifle to even think about. ¡°I can go for the rest of my life without that sword and be happier knowing I didn¡¯t pay 200 gold on it.¡± ¡°Then why don¡¯t chu fuck off and let me go on with my business then?¡± Cru replied, scooping the air with her hands at the two. ¡°Shoo off now, and try not to let the swords scratch you on the way out.¡± Mikella could tell that Cru would definitely like that if she had the power to. And she was certain that might happen considering all the crazy inventory she had all around her store. However, Mikella crossed her arms again, but then pointed a thumb over at Zeke.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°I could do that. I could also tell the guards that a crazy blacksmith woman assaulted my husband with a hammer when we had nothing to do with this. I¡¯m certain they would love to see the store that¡¯s just chock full of dangerous hazards just waiting to cut someone¡¯s eye out.¡± A look of irritation flashed on Cru¡¯s face before she managed to control it, but Mikella already knew she had this in the bag. However, just lightly threatening her won¡¯t be enough. She knew this from all the times she had to haggle at thrift stores to get a good deal to get some parts for the household fixings back in the old world. Cru pointed at Zeke with an accusatory finger. ¡°He doesn''t look like it. In fact, he¡¯s standing there looking all ditzy. Maybe he just imagined the pain or something?¡± Before Cru could continue, a sharp ¡®whoosh¡¯ shrilled around them. Cru¡¯s eyes widened, barely believing what she saw. How could she? Mikella put in all of her Dexterity¡¯s worth into the blow, and used her attunement to make her actions faster than humanly possible. As for Zeke, his head was hanging back for a moment, his eyes widening as a burst of blood poured out from his forehead. Contrary to what the hammer did, the blow did more than Cru ever could. She just watched the poor man with a gaping mouth, her eyes widened at the audacity in front of her. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s pretty bad,¡± Mikella said, her arms crossed across her chest as she then pointed at the hammer still on the counter. Its front end still dented slightly from the blow Zeke¡¯s head did on it when it collided. ¡°And I¡¯m sure the guards would be more than understanding once they see the evidence sitting right there.¡± Cru looked back at her, narrowing her eyes as though ready to draw a blade. Mikella didn¡¯t falter. She stared right back at the taller blacksmith girl, her draconian eyes flashing bright yellow in excitement from her words. A few seconds passed before finally¡­ Cru smiled. ¡°Damn, you got me,¡± Cru shook her head, smiling wryly as she lifted her hands in defeat. ¡°You¡¯re a crazy bitch, you know that?¡± ¡°I know,¡± Mikella smirked. ¡°But it¡¯s gotta be tough handling all this gimmick by yourself. That¡¯s pretty impressive.¡± ¡°Hearing that from you, I actually feel pretty damn good about it,¡± Cru laughed. Finally, Zeke had enough as he glared at Mikella, blood still dripping from the center of his forehead. ¡°I think I¡¯m missing something. What gimmick?¡± ¡°This is all just fake,¡± Mikella pointed out, facing Zeke. ¡°This rough attitude, this shitty looking shop¨Cit¡¯s all for some facade she¡¯s playing.¡± Mikella, despite knowing better, felt proud using a word she wasn¡¯t used to using in the proper context. Zeke¡¯s eyes widened in realization. ¡°A facade¡­ wait, so all this¨Cshe¡¯s just pretending? What for?¡± ¡°Not sure,¡± Mikella shrugged. ¡°That¡¯s not my business. But I do know one thing¨Cshe does all this so that she can spike up the price as much as she could, forcing the customers to either leave or pay up to not deal with her anymore than she has to. That way, she makes crazy bank, and gets to have all the privacy to herself.¡± Zeke just stared back at her, then at Cru, in total silence. She was sure his brain was working overtime to figure out something that, quite frankly, Mikella could only know of because she learned these types of business shenanigans before. She made friends with a decent old guy who ran a shop and told her the secrets himself. He and his wife met with all kinds of crazy people while they traveled, and told her about the crazy things they can do while avoiding doing anything illegal. It was something so interesting that Mikella couldn¡¯t help but listen intently to learn how to get a better deal. ¡°You¡¯re a whole lot smarter than I give you credit for, dragon girl,¡± Cru said, her hands on her hips. ¡°And you¡¯re right. But my reason is pretty simple¨CI just really don¡¯t wanna deal with any nobles that come my way.¡± ¡°Nobles?¡± Zeke asked. ¡°But wouldn¡¯t that give you a chance to make even more money? I figured as someone who runs a shop, dealing with nobles would be the best thing for you.¡± ¡°Yes, you¡¯d be right. But dealing with nobles as a woman in Arcelot is not. Think about it for a second.¡± Mikella instantly understood, and her respect for Cru increased dramatically. She knew the risks of gaining attention from nobles, and seeing her appearance made it clear that it wouldn¡¯t take long before a male noble came along and took an interest. Seeing how she just met those shitty nobles a day ago and how they behaved, she would do what she can to avoid them too. Zeke, despite his confusion earlier, also understood as a frown appeared on his face. ¡°That really sucks.¡± ¡°That happens,¡± Cru shrugged it off. She then stared back at Mikella. ¡°Alright, alright. I¡¯ll drop it down to just 50 gold. I have to make some cash, you know. It may look simple, but the ore needed to process this beauty to handle my enchantments are pretty costly and time-consuming to get and forge. And as you noticed, I can still put in some extra enchantments if you want me too, just with an added fee like any other weapon.¡± For once, Mikella nodded in satisfaction. Taking off 75% of the deal is always music to her ears, but she can understand that while 50 gold is still quite a lot (5 grand to be exact), the amount of time and care put into the sword is enough to convince her. ¡°Deal,¡± Mikella smiled, and she put out her hand. Cru copied her, taking her hand in stride. ¡°So, is that all?¡± Cru asked. Mikella tilted her head in thought. ¡°Mmh¡­ you said you can make more, right? What options do we have¡­?¡± ¡­.. The conversation ended up taking almost the entire day, the girls talking ecstatically about the weapons and enchantments they can put in. After putting down that they also knew Alissa, Cru offered to make another discount as she heard how famous Alissa was, and wanted to get on her good behavior. Throughout it all, not only did Mikella manage to get a new spear, but also got herself a hammer, axe, bow, and a sword to replace her original. That amounted to a whopping 750 gold in total, pushing down the original 200 gold she scoffed at. Still, considering just how incredible these weapons are for her, Mikella took it all with a bit of help from Zeke. Once that was done, the otherworlders left the very happy Cru, expecting to come back to put in the expected enchantments they talked about once she got the materials needed to make the process. The day was finally waning to the night, the dark purplish sky painted with bright stars even with all the light and mana pollution given off by the city. As the Studded Star¡¯s light dimmed from the top of the sky, it painted a pretty picture, making Mikella wish she could bring Clara to see this. Hopefully Alissa took her outside to see it for herself. And now, the dreaded conversation has finally arrived. She knew she had to do this, otherwise, she can¡¯t consider herself a good person and a good partner. ¡°Sorry about the hit on the head back there,¡± Mikella said, facing Zeke with a forlorn look. ¡°I knew I took it a little too far.¡± ¡°A little?¡± Zeke remarked, his wound from earlier completely gone from his healing. That also got Cru to relax knowing that Zeke was just fine. But that didn¡¯t mean he liked it, his frown deepening and making her guilt worse. ¡°I knew you had a plan, but I kinda wish you would¡¯ve told me before. I felt like an idiot after you hit me.¡± Mikella winced. ¡°I know, I¡¯m sorry. Even if it was to make a good deal, I shouldn¡¯t have done that.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not saying you shouldn¡¯t have done that,¡± Zeke shook his head. ¡°Granted, I didn¡¯t like the slight manipulation¡­ but it was for our sake so I won¡¯t judge. I just didn¡¯t like being¡­ I don¡¯t know, being treated like that, I guess. Taken out of the loop¡­¡± That got Zeke to pause, staring down at the ground with a steady stare. Mikella sometimes noticed this throughout the year, particularly when Zeke worded it in a way that made him feel slow or dim-witted. She wasn¡¯t sure whether this was some pride or ego thing for a mage like Zeke. But she felt it wasn¡¯t really like that. It felt deeper, something that despite spending more than 90% of the time together¨Cshe still had no clue on what it was about. Remembering the time when he spoke his mother¡¯s name while he was sleeping when they were surviving in the forest so long ago, it was met with shivers and a near cry for help. She knew then and there that talking about his past was a no-go. But despite everything that happened between them, they never spoke about it once. She knew it was selfish, but she wished Zeke would just open up already. But she also knew just how stupid that sounded, especially when she just treated Zeke the way she did just to get a good deal. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Mikella said. Her eyes dropped to the clean streets, their footsteps the only thing they could hear outside of the quiet murmur of the city¡¯s night life where they were. Zeke let out a breath, shaking his head. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m just being a baby, that¡¯s all. It¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not, Zeke,¡± Mikella faced him again, this time staring directly at him. ¡°If there¡¯s anything you want me to do, just ask. I owe you that much at least.¡± ¡°Anything¡­ I ask?¡± Zeke asked. The words felt almost alien to him. ¡°Well, I mean,¡± Mikella cleared her throat, a little too obviously for her liking. ¡°Anything that¡¯s within reason. You know.¡± ¡°Huh¡­¡± Zeke furrowed his brow, tilting his head. Then he grinned. ¡°Then, can you make breakfast for us tomorrow?¡± ¡°Breakfast? That¡¯s it?¡± Mikella asked, hanging her head back in disbelief. ¡°By yourself,¡± Zeke grinned. ¡°I usually like to help, but since you¡¯re asking¨CYou can go ahead and make my meal.¡± Zeke grinned like he just asked the most ridiculous request of all time. He knew it wasn¡¯t anything special, but compared to how he was when they first started to know each other, he was slowly warming up to the point where he can ask her directly for stuff like this. She did feel a smidge upset that she was gonna put the work in tomorrow not just for him, Clara, and Zoan, but also for Alissa all by herself¨Cbut she did owe him for smacking him to make a deal. She grinned back. ¡°Alright, but I''ll decide what we eat. And I¡¯m planning on including a lot of veggies.¡± ¡°Ugh,¡± Zeke groaned, rolling his eyes. ¡°Why veggies? You know I¡¯m a carnivore.¡± Mikella held in a laugh, making a weird chortle sound. ¡°Sure, right. A ¡®carnivore¡¯.¡± She worded it out slowly, shaking her head with a dumb look on her face. She received a small tap to her shoulder from Zeke, a grumpy look on his face. Vol 3 Ch 38: Morning to their new routine Zeke yawned until his jaw could no longer take it. Even though he got used to his morning routine since his departure into Tarial, he was still not a great morning person. Looking around, his room was a simple guest room that was fairly larger than the attic one he was used to for over a year. But as usual, most of his belongings ended up in his storage pack. With a grin that should¡¯ve disappeared by now after attaining his improved Superior Storage Pack, he placed his hand on top of the black and white colored pack and inserted his will into it. With a thought, his current attire¨Ca simple white shirt and gray pants meant for sleeping¨Cinstantly changed into his Arclight Flow gear he received from Cronus. That never gets old, no matter how many times I use it, Zeke grinned, opening the door out of the guest room. It was even made up to the specifications that the servants put on, with the arms of his jacket rolled up across his forearms. The guys said something about ¡®pleasing for the eyes¡¯, but he still can¡¯t believe that some people prefer to see his naked forearms. It was weird. Out of the room, the modern household was still surprising to see in this fantasy world, but he knew this belonged to Alissa, their current caretaker. He still felt miffed that they still had to live with someone else rather than live on their own, but he was getting used to living in someone else¡¯s household and ensuring to not trouble them. Before his thoughts could go farther down the ideas of doing runes to improve the cleaning of the white hallways and even the rustic paintings placed on the side, rather for anything decorative but for just feeling at ease from their nature-themed displays, a tantalizing scent of breakfast filled his nose. His stomach instantly demanded sustenance and Zeke followed its will without hesitation and headed towards the open-air kitchen. There, he saw the girls, his family. Clara and Zoan, while the latter he wasn¡¯t sure could be family yet, sat around the long table used to eat in the kitchen area. Zoan was apparently brushing her hair like mad while Clara was helping her out, possibly fixing the bed hair that Zoan absolute hates getting. She wasn¡¯t used to sleeping before getting trapped into a real body, so she hated any semblance of bed hair on her silvery locks. Meanwhile, Mikella was hard at work in the kitchen, her hands weaving across the pans and skillets as various meals were being prepped, dressed, seasoned, and cut as though it all occured at once. The kitchen didn¡¯t had just simple appliances a Runist drew runes on, but were instead vastly improved appliances that could easily outclass any appliances that were made in the old world even if they used the latest tech of the future. Like clockwork, Mikella prepared one meal after another, placing them over the table methodically as though it was created by magic itself. Zeke watched in awe, usually helping her out in the kitchen by drawing runes to her estimations and helping with any assistance. However, he made her promise to take care of breakfast after yesterday¡¯s messy deal making. He thought he took it too far by making Mikella cook their meals, something of a stereotype that Zeke thought might be too crude and insensitive to do to his partner. But apparently he couldn''t be more wrong. Mikella whizzed by the kitchen, a natural in her element. When Zeke sat down across from Clara and Zoan, receiving their morning greetings, Mikella instantly placed Zeke¡¯s portion onto his side before he could look up to see her flash away back into the kitchen. He looked down and instantly frowned. Just as she promised, his plate was filled with greens and vegetables that might as well be an early morning salad, with a small amount of expertly cut chucken on the side with some very mild appliance of dressing across it all. Especially on the greens. ¡°Mikky¡­¡± He groaned, knowing full well of his mistake. ¡°Hey, you should¡¯ve been careful of what you wished for,¡± Mikella looked back at him, winking with that ever usual cute smile of hers. Zeke didn¡¯t dislike the greens. In fact, anything Mikella made was practically god-like to his crap taste buds of the old world. However, he was serious when he said that he was a carnivore by heart, and prefers to eat more meat even in the morning. Still, his stomach wasn¡¯t exactly ready for such a heavy meal, so he took a bite out of the greens and, once again, forgot why he even complained about the salad in the first place. It was delicious. Before he could make a demand for seconds, the door opened up from the entrance to the living room. They all turned to find a very, very grumpy looking Alissa. Her brows were scrunched and her sharp eyes looked more ferocious than usual. She had that ¡®just went to a meeting when it could have been a call¡¯ look on her face as if she practiced that for years. When she approached the kitchen, however, her expression softened¡­ by about a few percentage wise as she stared at the scene on the table. ¡°Did you make breakfast?¡± Alissa asked. Despite her scowling face, her tone didn¡¯t seem any different from normal. ¡°Yep,¡± Mikella answered. ¡°Sorry for using the stuff in the fridge. I¡¯ll restock it once I get a moment. Were you out for the whole night? We haven¡¯t seen you come in since after Clara told us you went out in the evening.¡± ¡°Yeah, sorry about that,¡± Alissa shook her head, holding the bridge of her nose. ¡°It was a sudden meeting, and don¡¯t worry about the food. It restocks itself with a connecting rune to my usual supplier on a daily basis. I never have the time to go out and buy food for myself, so this was¡­ a surprise to find first thing in the morning.¡±This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°What, breakfast?¡± Mikella asked in what looked like horror on her face. ¡°Then sit your ass down here already. I made some for you too.¡± That instantly got Alissa¡¯s face to soften up by half, her eyes widened. Zeke and the girls instantly made room for her around the table, Zeke picking up a chair to use right between Clara and Zoan. He wondered if he took it too far, not wanting to make Alissa feel left out or anything, but not only did Alissa took the spot Zeke put for her, Clara looked at her with a beaming smile and greeted her good morning. Once Mikella handed in her portion, Alissa looked at the meal¨Ca grand slam of fried eggs, bacon, hash browns, a small bowl of greens and veggies with some dressing on top, with freshly squeezed orange juice in a glass cup. It was such a marvel, Alissa just stared at it for a long while. Zeke somehow could understand himself, being a man who wasn¡¯t used to having such a spread in his early days in the old world. She tentatively took a bite with her utensils, and her face finally melted away. She smiled, something that was so close to Valorie¡¯s that Zeke swore he would never say out loud, but was glad to see. ¡°It¡¯s delicious,¡± Alissa said. ¡°At least there¡¯s some benefits with you staying here.¡± ¡°I can make it too if Bobo and Sissy are out, if you want,¡± Clara pointed out. ¡°I¡¯m not that good as Sissy, but it¡¯s better than nothing, right?¡± ¡°Right,¡± Alissa nodded. ¡°Thanks, Clara. I appreciate that.¡± ¡°You let us stay here, so it¡¯s natural,¡± Clara beamed. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure she doesn¡¯t mess up, just in case,¡± Zoan suddenly spoke, instantly receiving a pout from Clara. Alissa actually chuckled at the antics, bringing a good vibe around the table. Once they settled in with the addition of Allisa, the breakfast was done before Alissa spoke up. ¡°Now that we¡¯re all here, it¡¯s time for business. I met up with Lord Cronus before I came here, and I received the briefing you guys need.¡± ¡°Briefing?¡± Mikella asked. ¡°We¡¯re supposed to head to the guild today, right?¡± ¡°Yes, but there are some things you should know before meeting with your comrades later on.¡± The two otherworlders looked at each other worriedly. One could say that this was becoming a norm for them as they listened intently to Alissa. ¡°First off,¡± Alissa laced her fingers together. ¡°You are not to mention to anyone else where you came from.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve been trying this whole time before Cronus came around,¡± Mikella pointed out, her eyes narrowing. ¡°Now we¡¯re telling it to pretty much everyone we come across.¡± ¡°And you have to do it again for your future allies when you get to the guild,¡± Alissa nodded, but that only got Mikella to roll her eyes. ¡°There¡¯s a good reason for that. Lord Cronus believes that at some point, everyone in the world, not just Arcelot, would find out about the arrival of otherworlders.¡± The two paused at that. While the idea seemed ludicrous, the world being about four or five times bigger than their old world, it was actually possible that their appearance might spread. ¡°So the fact is that we must, by all means, get all the otherworlders under our care rather than let them get taken by someone else more troublesome. You two were lucky when you landed near Eve Glade, right? If you were placed near the Aetheric Federation, for example, you¡¯d be exploited beyond reasoning. And I can safely say that they won¡¯t hold back by any means necessary.¡± Zeke frowned, and Mikella laid back on the chair. Clara and Zoan listened closely, keeping quiet as Alissa continued. ¡°However, we can¡¯t do such a grand undertaking if you two are the only ones who know about the situation. You understand that, right?¡± ¡°...Yes,¡± Mikella grumbled. She straightened herself up before facing Alissa again. ¡°But you guys know that it¡¯s actually impossible to keep all the otherworlders in line, right? If they¡¯re anything like us, they probably won¡¯t like the idea of being imprisoned.¡± ¡°That is a problem for the future, if we can manage to find any at all. So far, the existence of otherworlders are proven by you four alone. It¡¯s not something I or Lord Cronus expect to be finished within the year or so.¡± ¡°...Alright, I understand that much,¡± Zeke eventually said. ¡°But what about our allies? Can we really trust them? We haven¡¯t even seen them and yet you¡¯re telling us to give them our secrets.¡± Alissa looked back at him with a confident stare. ¡°I assure you, the comrades you¡¯ll be meeting are professional. Moreover, they are actually undercover agents sent by Cronus himself. They merely act like adventurers to take on quests of impossible standards, especially ones that seemed suspicious and dangerous for the common folk. While troubles can turn up everywhere if you spot them hard enough, Cronus doesn¡¯t want anyone to get through the worst of it without his knowledge.¡± ¡°Secret agents¡­¡± Clara said with awe in her voice. Zoan just shook her head, but Zeke could have sworn she saw a small hint of a twist on the edge of her lips. ¡°So¡­ he¡¯s keeping an eye on the adventurers too through his agents?¡± Mikella asked, now curious. ¡°And take on quests that seemed too dangerous for other adventurers?¡± ¡°It would do no good for the adventurer guild¡¯s reputation if all the best adventurers suddenly die off from random issues¨Cespecially if they were made by the tower¡¯s existence.¡± The two were starting to get the picture, no matter how grim it looked. In other words, this was all for the sake of keeping the secret of the tower¡¯s appearances at a minimum. While the idea of otherworlders being revealed to the world is a possibility, what Cronus wants is to maintain the image of control he has over the country. By doing that, the people within the country would continue on as normal, not allowing any form of grand change to occur and causing chaos to form in response. It was a very calculated plan, something that Zeke was impressed by. He didn¡¯t like that they were used like tools for that plan, but a good plan nonetheless. ¡°I get all that, but I still don¡¯t like it,¡± Mikella said earnestly. Zeke agreed to that with a nod. Alissa shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m not telling you to like it, or to agree wholeheartedly. This is for the sake of keeping the peace, and ensuring that when otherworlders do become known, the rest of the world won¡¯t see them as invaders.¡± Zeke and Mikella grimaced in unison. Even if they were forced into this, they were technically invading another world. If this was their old world, pretty much half of it would believe them to be invaders and react in the only way they know¨Cby outright destroying them. It wouldn¡¯t be surprising if this world, no matter how diverse it was, were to have those thoughts in droves, especially in high places like the nobility and the leaders. ¡°Now that you understand,¡± Alissa said, offering a small smile. ¡°It¡¯s time for you to get going. Your new allies aren¡¯t the patient sort.¡± Vol 3 Ch 39: The Adventurers guild After settling their affairs, the two left Alissa with Clara and Zoan. During the short moment with each other, they considered talking about Zoan¡¯s circumstances. After a bit, it was decided that it was better to keep it a secret, at least for now. It was already bad enough that their identities as otherworlders was going to be revealed at some point, but it might be even more complicated if angels are involved¨Cespecially angels that have lost their power and have taken a twin-like form of a little girl. So far, Zoan still has no clue about the towers here despite knowing about it in the biodome a year ago. It was possible that her transition into a little girl¡¯s body affected her divine abilities, so in the end, they left her with Clara to ensure her safety along with Brucey the bat. Traveling around the district, they noticed that the area was composed of the higher-end spectrum of society. Not quite on the noble level, but enough that the area they were in had some fancy stores catering towards the wealthy and a very few that were suited for the not-so-wealthy. More importantly, there were a lot more Experts and Half-Journey than Journeymen. A surprising amount, jumping towards the eighty percentile compared to the noble district. On that side, it was around half and half, so it was surprising to find so many Experts as well. Still, contrary to his beliefs, these Experts looked more¡­ defined, if that was the right word. It was different from the Experts back in Eve Glade, almost like the retinue after consuming the enhanced attribute fruits. ¡°Do you think these guys got a good hold on the fruits?¡± Mikella asked, her eyes swiveling left and right at the crowd. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t be surprised,¡± Zeke shrugged. ¡°This country is a lot more prosperous than Eve Glade.¡± Despite his words, attribute fruits were considered valuable all over for a reason. They were difficult to find, hard to acquire, and expensive to purchase from other lands. It¡¯s also clear that since exporting attribute fruits was nigh impossible in this pocket dimension, that meant that there were less fruits than a normal country would. But at the same time, Zeke still wasn¡¯t sure how this country operated on a daily basis. Perhaps there were ways to replicate the attribute fruit¡¯s effects, just at a controlled distribution. ¡°Zeke, look,¡± Mikella pointed out, getting him to spot the building that they were supposed to head towards. The section where the higher end of the social ladder resided looked similar to a downtown location. There were plenty of stores and shops necessary for all kinds of folks, and the building in front of them explained why. What stood before them was the adventurer¡¯s guild, a large building shaped with other smaller buildings connected together by the sides. The roof was tiled with crimson red and golden yellow, making the store stand out. To top it off, there was a large shield-shaped insignia with a sword and spear crossed together, a small beast-like monster at the center appearing to be impaled by the two weapons. ¡°Ya think this might be the place?¡± Mikella grinned, amusement in her tone. ¡°If it isn¡¯t, I¡¯ll eat my boot,¡± Zeke said with his own grin. It was times like these that helped them relax a little. Seeing such a cliched building meant entirely for adventurers, who were known to pick on troublesome jobs like extermination and guard duty, helped them be at ease a little. It still doesn¡¯t change their situation, but they still enjoyed the rather obvious marking of a building practically screaming ¡®we¡¯re adventurers, hire us!¡¯. Still, it wasn¡¯t as though the education level of the city, much like the town of Eve Glade, was as advanced as their old world. There are still folks that didn¡¯t learn how to read or write, and some adventurers most likely weren''t able to understand such things either, hence why they took up those dangerous adventurer quests rather than a decent inside-job. It was the reality of these people, and it made perfect sense that the building is easy to pick out compared to the rest, because it wasn¡¯t just the nobles and the educated that had trouble. The commoners can also spend gold for an adventurer¡¯s service. But that wasn¡¯t why they were here. If anything, it didn¡¯t feel like they were going to join the guild for gold or benefits. It was to proclaim their reasoning for traveling across the country to find the towers responsible for the recent troubles. The towers that, unfortunately, only they can enter. Along with the few others, which Zeke still dreaded to see. ¡°You think those guys might be bad for us?¡± Zeke asked Mikella, his chest thumping with nervous energy. ¡°You mean our ¡®allies¡¯?¡± Mikella sounded out the word as though it was funky. She then shrugged. ¡°Well, if anything, I trust you. As long as you¡¯re with me, it doesn¡¯t matter who else is with us.¡± Zeke nodded. ¡°Same here. I can take on the world with you by my side.¡± Mikella smiled back, making Zeke copy her. In the end, that won¡¯t change. As long as they have each other, they can handle everything thrown at them. Still, he hoped that they were at least amicable.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s not keep them waiting,¡± Mikella pulled Zeke¡¯s wrist to bring him along to the building. Once he settled himself, the two entered through the large double-door that were also painted red with golden edges on the side. Once inside, it wasn¡¯t as¡­ noisy as Zeke expected. He imagined entering into something like a giant hub of boisterous adventurers making fun and delight on their tables, being waited on by skimpily-dressed barmaids holding giant jugs of ale. No, it wasn¡¯t anything like that, especially the barmaids part to Zeke¡¯s regret. To his defense, however, there¡¯s nothing wrong with expecting something nice once in a while. Instead, what appeared before them was a solemn looking hall filled to the brim with people covered in either armor or robes, depending on their builds. Some looked like your average warrior, wearing leather armor with iron-plating on their vital parts and a sword at the hip and some looked extravagantly wealthy. One such adventurer had leather armor dyed in a cyan blue, carrying a rather unique looking battlestaff that also might as well be a mage¡¯s staff with the hunter-green colored gem affixed to the top. All of them were either waiting around in groups, discussing one thing or another, waiting in front of what looked like counters with professionally-dressed staff talking to them amicably, and finally some that were waiting in front of the very same gilded plate where they can access the system for quests, just like how it was in Eve Glade. It beggars belief as to how massive the hall was. It was possible that it reached football field size, but he wasn¡¯t quite sure. It was only thanks to his good senses that he managed to even take a glance at the counters with the receptionists, which at least still followed the cliched stereotype that each receptionist was a beautiful woman of renown beauty. There were some guys there too, and some that were also too good looking for their own good as most of them were filled to the brim with the lines of female adventurers. At least they were diversifying their staff for everyone¡¯s enjoyment. ¡°Holy shit, just where are we supposed to go?¡± Mikella whispered, despite that the hall was so massive and everyone was still speaking that it wasn¡¯t possible for her to be heard. Still, it was the kind of atmosphere that requires professionalism, so Mikella followed through. ¡°Do we just¡­ I don¡¯t know, go up to the counters?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, those lines are massive,¡± Zeke said in disbelief. He knew there wasn¡¯t supposed to be that many adventurers, but after seeing this, he was starting to doubt the books he read on the subject. ¡°Alissa didn¡¯t even give us a description of them.¡± She only told them that they would meet their allies at the guild and had to explain things to them, but they forgot to add the simple question of what the hell they looked like. ¡°Hey! You two, come over here.¡± A voice called out to them, nearly surprising them. Everyone didn¡¯t bother looking over at them since they were busy with their own thing, so when the otherworlders looked at the cause, they saw a tall man with brown hair styled in a way that covered one eye of his face. He had a business-like smile on his face, with a slight stubble on his chin. He looked like the kind of man that has been on the job for a while now, and showed competence from the armor he wore. Plated armor covering his limbs and digits, but there was some purple leather across his chest and under the armor. With a careful eye, one can spot what looked like a wand holstered to the side. If the man wanted to, he could also hide the wand away, showing as though he had no weapon at all with how small it looked. The otherworlders hesitated on going towards this man, but his next words got to them easily. ¡°If Alissa found out we¡¯re wasting time, she¡¯s gonna have our asses for dinner!¡± That quickly dissuaded their hesitation, figuring that no adventurer would suddenly mention her name. Still, it was possible that she was rather famous, but they put that thought to the side as they faced the man. He was tall, at least taller than Zeke even with his increase in height, especially after his Journeymen transformation. He took a good look at them, another careful eye as if already checking their capabilities. ¡°You two certainly look young. But I can tell that you¡¯ve been through some shit, huh? At least the feeling is there.¡± ¡°You can tell we¡¯re true Journeymen, right?¡± Mikella asked as the man himself was also a true Journeymen. That was rare even among every single adventurer here, mostly consisting of Half-Journey and a very few Experts. ¡°Yeah. You¡¯d be surprised how many feel like true Journeys, but not really. Spends more time looking the part when they should, you know, be the part, right? Name¡¯s Hamil. Been an adventurer for about¡­ uuh, 12 years or so.¡± Hamil tilted his head up as he thought about the time, which was considerably a lot longer than Zeke or Mikella could ever expect. Despite his older appearance, he actually looked closer to his older twenties or younger thirties. Zeke decided to introduce himself, wanting to give a good impression by lending a hand to him. ¡°My name¡¯s Zeke. Nice to meet you.¡± ¡°Mikella,¡± Mikella was next, offering a smile. ¡°Same here.¡± ¡°Well!¡± Hamil huffed a laugh. ¡°At least you got good heads on your shoulders. Are you sure you really want to be an adventurer?¡± Zeke and Mikella smiled, though there was clear strain on their faces. ¡°Ugh, yeah,¡± Hamil seemingly realized a second later. ¡°Never mind. Stupid question. When Alissa asks, you can never deny her¡­ ah well, come on over. We¡¯ve only just got started and been waiting for you two.¡± ¡°Just checking, but how did you know it was us?¡± Mikella asked. ¡°Did they give you an explanation?¡± ¡°Watch out for two recently born Journeymen. One of them is a gods-dammed Draconian,¡± Hamil explained, even pointing a finger at Mikella respectfully, causing her to feel a light flush on her cheeks. ¡°I don¡¯t mean to be an ass, but that¡¯s kinda hard to miss.¡± Zele finally noticed what Hamil was talking about. After being overwhelmed, he realized that some of the adventurers were staring pretty hard at them, especially at Mikella. Rather than being a beautiful woman like Zeke expected, they were staring at her as though they were looking at an exotic creature. ¡°I hope that won¡¯t bring us any trouble¡­¡± Mikella grimaced at the idea of being persecuted. ¡°Ah, don¡¯t worry about it. Anyone with brains can tell that someone like you is someone that should be avoided at all costs. They¡¯ll probably ask how you got that race available to you, but nothing to worry about. Though I did hear that there were some that tried to change their race ¡®artificially¡¯...¡± Hamil actually shivered at the mention of it. ¡°Nasty stuff there.¡± That significantly raised Zeke¡¯s curiosity on the matter. He heard of artificial advancement, but artificial race-change was definitely new. And just like how Hamil reacted, it must definitely be terrifying to go through. ¡°Anyways, here we are! Meet our great adventuring party, known as the almighty Tempest Winds!¡± Vol 3 Ch 40: Hamil, Saang, and Kote Hamil introduced the two other members of the so-called Tempest Winds. Apparently party names are a given, though according to Alissa, these are the same Tempest Winds that were actually undercover agents, something that worked with Cronus¡¯ orders to ensure no other adventurers get the suspicious quests that might doom a certain part of the country. One of them was a rather short woman, around two inches shorter than Mikella. Despite her stature, she stood proudly wearing a mixture of steel and leather armor like Hamil. However, unlike the armor covering his limbs, the woman had armor across the chest and bottom waist, around the vital areas. Her weapon of choice is s large two handed axe with a design of the blades shaped like an S on both sides with a bulbous sphere at the center. The second was another man, this time cowled with a dark hood that covered over his head. His face showed, revealing long dark hair that framed his face with a face mask covering his nose and mouth, only revealing his nearly droopy brown eyes. There wasn¡¯t any particular weapon he was holding, but his armor that was all leather had some metal linings across his arms, particularly at his gloves that seemed heavily customized. They were perhaps gauntlets or a special type of tool that was hard to notice at a glance. With Hamil by their side, this completed the trio team. One of them, the female warrior, stepped up with a shark-like grin. ¡°Heya, kiddies. Name¡¯s Saang. I¡¯m what you would call the front-liner of this party. Pleasure to meet with you two.¡± The other man, the one cowled with a hood, raised a hand. ¡°Kote. Pleasure.¡± ¡°Yeah, don¡¯t worry¨Cthis is actually him being excited to see new people.¡± Kote sent a glare at Saang to which she winked at in return. At the very least, the two didn¡¯t seem to share any weird hostility. If anything, they looked like close friends. ¡°Nice to meet you all,¡± Zeke started. ¡°My name¡¯s Zeke.¡± ¡°Mikella,¡± she raised her head at them. ¡°Huh, now that I got a closer look at you two, you definitely look young,¡± Saang said, peering at them more closely. ¡°Exactly how old are you, if you don¡¯t mind?¡± ¡°Saang, that¡¯s really inappropriate,¡± Hamil pointed out. ¡°You literally just met them.¡± ¡°Hey, it¡¯s still good to know. I¡¯ll let them know that I¡¯m in my young thirties. But nothing more specific.¡± Hamil only rolled his eyes, and Kote looked like he wanted nothing to do with this. Saang had the look of betrayal in her eyes, glaring at both the men. ¡°Hello?! Tell them your ages! I don¡¯t wanna be the single one out!¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one who asked. You pay the consequences,¡± Kote said simply, getting Saang to raise her hands in defeat. ¡°Well, if it helps,¡± Mikella smirked. ¡°We¡¯re in our young twenties, though nothing more specific than that.¡± While Mikella tried to play the same card as Saang, the surprised looks on both Saang and Kote¡¯s faces were enough to shift the topic. ¡°Well damn, no wonder why that guy called us out for this,¡± Saang said, getting a sly glare from Hamil. It looked like them saying anything about Cronus was a no go, at least in public. ¡°What¡¯s your specialty?¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry, what does that mean?¡± Zeke asked. ¡°We¡¯re still not really used to this.¡± This was a way to say that they weren¡¯t used to ¡®adventurer terms¡¯, not that they were unaware of their own abilities. Plus, it¡¯s good to know what exactly they mean as Zeke didn¡¯t want to show himself like a fool to these supposed professionals. ¡°Your builds, how you fight, that sort of thing,¡± Saang said simply, waving her hand like it¡¯s obvious. ¡°If we¡¯re gonna be working together, knowing this is important. Though, it might be easier if we can use Identify on you without sounding rude.¡± ¡°Oh, go right ahead,¡± Mikella answered instead. ¡°We don¡¯t mind at all.¡± Once she gave the go ahead, Zeke felt three obvious senses peering over his body. It wasn¡¯t so direct, more like a passing hand across his entire upper head, lower back, and at his chest. This was probably their Identify hitting him at the spots where they focused their ability on. Now he understood why using Identify on someone, particularly on a Journeyman, was considered rude. With the higher power they have, they can easily feel their glances. It was enough to put someone off if they weren¡¯t prepared for it. Zeke didn¡¯t feel all that creeped out about it since he already knew, and Mikella didn¡¯t show anything either. Once the Identify was over, the trio looked at them with gaping faces. Particularly at Zeke. ¡°A Runist? Seriously?¡± Saang said in clear disbelief. ¡°How? And at Journeyman too?¡± ¡°Zeke, we were told that you were from outside Arcelot. Does this mean you don¡¯t belong with the Runist Guild that is located here?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a Runist guild?¡± Zeke asked, his head hung back in shock. ¡°Well, that answers your question,¡± Hamil laughed, almost bending over from it as Kote looked at Zeke in a different light. Zeke felt his cheeks flushed at the sudden attention, so thankfully Mikella took over. ¡°Is there a problem with him being a Runist?¡± ¡°Please, if anything, we¡¯re the lucky ones,¡± Saang said, raising a hand towards the two. ¡°No offense. We just didn¡¯t think you¡¯d be a Runist of all things. Our experiences with Runists from the Runist guild isn¡¯t exactly great. But just to clarify¨Chow much do you usually charge for your services?¡±The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Charge?¡± Zeke asked dumbfoundedly. ¡°...Holy shit, we got ourselves a pure-hearted Runist here.¡± ¡°A rarity, for sure,¡± Kote nodded. ¡°I can tell that he doesn¡¯t see us like we¡¯re dirt stains under a boot.¡± ¡°And he¡¯s a freaking Journeyman on top of that. Dude¡¯s a saint,¡± Hamil kept laughing, shaking his head. The otherworlders looked at each other in confusion. From the looks of it, Runists aren¡¯t that well-liked here despite how useful they are. And supposedly a Journeyman Runist is quite rare. Zeke cleared his throat, getting their attention. ¡°I got a lot of questions about that, but let¡¯s keep going. You were asking how we handle things. As you can see, I¡¯m a Runist¨CBut I can fight in close-combat and use rune magic to fight at a distance. Though my real specialty is support. I can heal single targets by touch and clear any afflictions.¡± Zeke was close enough to say that he can also protect them with his barrier, but forgot that he had lost that skill. With a heavy heart, he only offered up his healing services. ¡°I¡¯m a warrior, obviously,¡± Mikella pointed out, probably due to her Identify making her out as a Warrior. ¡°But I¡¯m also pretty good at lightning magic. I also specialize in using different types of weapons to boot, and I can handle myself in the front line too.¡± Saang whistled at the two. ¡°You¡¯re young and you can do all of that, eh? I feel like you two might be barking more than you can bite. Are you sure you can keep up with us?¡± ¡°Trust me,¡± Mikella said, her tone turning solemn. ¡°We can.¡± ¡°W-We¡¯ll make sure not to get in the way at least,¡± Zeke said quickly before things get messy enough to turn into a fight. ¡°A full on fighter and a mage that can heal. Least we can save on potions for a while, eh?¡± Hamil said with an easy grin, getting the two to nod appreciatively. ¡°So, what are you guys specialized in?¡± Mikella asked. Zeke easily agreed with a nod. ¡°Well, I¡¯m an earth mage,¡± Hamil explained, showing off the wand at his hip. ¡°I take on the vanguard and rearguard role. I specialize in controlling minerals in my surroundings. Don¡¯t worry, though¨CI got my own methods to fight on the field should the environment prove lacking.¡± ¡°Minerals¡­?¡± Zeke tilted his head. ¡°You mean like the natural rocks and metals? That sort of thing?¡± ¡°About so,¡± Hamil nodded. ¡°Crystals and the like can be pretty damn strong if you know where to find them. Pretty useful for mining precious ores too for certain quests.¡± ¡°I specialize in the front line with my axe here,¡± Saang intervened, patting her axe on her side as though it was a well-cared animal. ¡°I have a pretty unique build¨CI use blood magic to not only regenerate myself, but to also defend and attack using the blood of any monsters or people that get in my way.¡± ¡°I fight from a distance, and I use poisons and acid to deliver damage. But don¡¯t worry¨CI can also fight in close combat, but my defense is pretty fragile.¡± Mikella nodded. ¡°If you want, you can use me in the front line too. I can handle a lot of heavy blows since my class is specializing in defense instead of offense.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Kote nodded. ¡°I would appreciate that.¡± ¡°Now that we got the introductions down pat, let¡¯s blow this place and get somewhere to get better acquainted.¡± Saang said, pointing with her thumb over to the entrance. They only just got here, but apparently it was time to reveal the secrets. It was probably better for them to know about it beforehand, so the otherworlders agreed and left the guild. They could come back to it soon after, once everything was settled. Hamil led them, which was good for the otherworlders as they still hadn¡¯t got a hold of the layout of the city. Zeke would¡¯ve loved to go up into the air with his rune magic, but he feared that might be illegal without some form of license to use that sort of skill in public. They walked around the bend, mostly entering towards the area where more restaurants were around. There were plenty of different eateries that specialized in one cuisine after another, mostly for the dozens of adventurers that wanted to eat something after a hard day¡¯s work. They eventually went to what looked like a diner, as apparently they only just returned and Saang was complaining that she was too hungry to even think properly. Once they got in, the diner looked eerily similar to that of a 1920¡¯s diner, filled with jazz like music from the bards that played all the way at the back, their volume the perfect combination of relaxing and unintrusive. It was enough for hushed conversations, and Zeke could tell that some sort of spell was playing from those songs that helped make the patrons relax. Though he was sure if anyone wants to, they can pay extra to receive a specific buff from the songs played. At first, he thought that might just be impossible, but if he can gain buffs from his runes, surely they can gain one from hearing songs as well. Otherwise, there wouldn¡¯t really be a Bard class that was so famous even in their old world. ¡°Alrighty¡­¡± Saang said, sitting at the faraway table away from prying eyes and ears. It was also one of the very few tables with five to six plushed-filled seats that have an active ward for a private conversation. Of course, one has to pay for that ward, but for these adventurers, money was of no issue. For the table itself, it was a long oval with the seats spread across, leaving enough room for everyone there. Still, the three adventurers sat together while the otherworlders sat across from them. Zeke was glad that he wasn¡¯t sitting next to them as he still felt a bit hesitant, only just meeting them a few minutes ago. ¡°Anything you guys want?¡± Hamil asked, using what looks like another System plate at the center of the table. ¡°I¡¯m gonna start ordering.¡± After several minutes of discussing what they wanted and waiting for the chefs to cook, a waitress came around and greeted them with a charming smile. A large array of meals were placed towards the adventurers and otherworlders. They only just had breakfast, but the two were still curious to find out what it was. It looked like lasagna, the pasta being more beige-colored and the sauce yellow and vibrant. The meat used for the center was gray-colored, but the juices that seeped from them was tantalizing to put aside the gray coloring. Once everyone was settled in, taking in the small talk and the meal, Zeke realized what the adventurers wanted to do. They wanted the two to relax and trust them. At first, he figured this was some sort of scam to get them to spill all sorts of truths with their guard down. But after another careful look, Zeke imagined himself in their shoes. If they were told that some pretty young adventurers were going to start joining them in missions regarding dangerous towers that only they can enter, surely he would want to know what their deal is. However, he didn¡¯t want to press them, or force them to reveal anything against their will. If they were already told that they were practically forced to head to this country to deal with a certain matter, surely they want some time to get adjusted and get used to the surroundings. Visiting a diner and having a pleasant chat was one of the things he might consider doing. He tried to convey that sort of feeling to Mikella, showing a smile that said a lot about what he felt about them, and she responded with a smile of her own. He hoped that meant that she was okay with this development. ¡°Alright,¡± Zeke said, stopping the mood around the table. It didn¡¯t drop, but he could feel a little tension in the air now that everyone was staring at him. ¡°Everything¡¯s warded off so that nobody can hear us, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Hamil nodded. ¡°So you can say anything, including what Cronus told you about us and what Alissa is tasked with doing.¡± ¡°Would be nice if Cronus told us about you guys beforehand,¡± Saang said, flicking a fork left and right much to Kote''s annoyance. ¡°Besides that,¡± Hamil said, sounding more tired than before. ¡°You can say anything.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Zeke nodded. After another glance at Mikella, Zeke faced them. ¡°I¡¯ll just give it to you straight¨CWe¡¯re not from this world.¡± Vol 3 Ch 41: Contract Established The trio adventurers stood silent in awe at the revelation of Zeke¡¯s outlandish start. Then they kept staring at awe with slackening jaws the moment the entire story was put in place. It was something that Zeke basically explained multiple times to the point where he streamlined everything. Explaining it once to Cronus, another with Alissa, and now with the three; it wasn¡¯t much of a surprise. Mikella would¡¯ve liked less life-telling stories about themselves, but it wasn¡¯t like she can expect everyone to be around at once. Plus, the reason this takes so long is due to the fact that no matter the person, everyone would always ask the same questions. ¡°A world without the System? You¡¯re kidding me, right?¡± Hamil asked with disbelief. ¡°No monsters or magic? Just how the hell did you guys fight?¡± Saang shook her head. ¡°How do they travel around? Do they still develop tools and the like? How do they handle anything food related?¡± Kote asked, sounding more and more curious. Despite his earlier silent notions, Kote¡¯s eyes shone at the prospect of another world where most of their common sense was invalid. It sort of reminded her of Zeke whenever he gets excited, making him slightly more likable in Mikella¡¯s standards. She didn¡¯t know why he needed to cover himself up so much, but that was clearly his own business and none of hers. She can respect that. As for the other two, they were just as dumbfounded as Alissa was. Hamil looked like he couldn''t even comprehend half of the things Zeke said, and Saang looked more concerned as to how on earth did their version of humanity ever survive for so long. Mostly because it sounded so boring that they might as well kick the bucket early. Mikella can definitely understand that much. Since it was taking a while to answer each question, causing even Mikella to add in her own tidbits every once in a while, they kept ordering from the diner and taking a while. Compared to before, this was a lot more relaxing, aided thanks to the pleasant atmosphere of the diner as well as the music soothing their senses. She was actually starting to have fun, talking at lengths about something that for once, she and Zeke knew more than anyone else. That doesn¡¯t happen regularly, so she glowed with enthusiasm. Eventually, the topic about the towers and their experiences in this world came out. This was where the mood dived to solemnity, especially after hearing about the results of the last tower back at the biodome. The idea of otherworlders dying without even knowing the reason why brought everyone, including the excited Kote, to a standstill. Hamil frowned, Kote looked down, and Saang looked outright furious. ¡°You¡¯re serious?¡± Saang said. There was nothing jovial in her tone. Her fingers balled into a fist as she stared at them. ¡°And one of them¡¯s a kid?¡± ¡°...Children shouldn¡¯t ever be there to begin with,¡± Kote shook his head. ¡°They¡¯re not even ready for the initialization, much less for a dungeon.¡± ¡°We were lucky that we managed to survive on our own,¡± Mikella added. ¡°I¡¯m thankful that we had Zeke using his barriers to protect her.¡± Zeke looked pained, reminded once again of his loss of skill. Still, that doesn¡¯t put aside Mikella¡¯s appreciation of him. ¡°I can¡¯t do that anymore, though. Cronus made sure of that.¡± ¡°And what¡¯s with that anyways?¡± Saang pounded the table, enough force to at least show her frustration. Mikella was thankful the ward was put in place to dampen the audible noise. ¡°Who the fuck cares if people find out about his little spell project he has going on?¡± ¡°You know how it is,¡± Hamil explained, though he showed sympathy. ¡°Cronus can¡¯t legally create new spells on the fly. So it made sense that he can¡¯t just reveal to anyone he made a new one, let alone a customized one.¡± ¡°Wait, illegal?¡± Zeke asked in surprise. ¡°But¡­ this place is a literal country of magic!¡± Mikella¡¯s hands rose in disbelief. ¡°How can you ban making new spells? And even the damn Lord is banned from doing this?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a good reason for it, though,¡± Hamil raised his hand to ward off the frustration on the otherworlders¡¯ faces. ¡°Imagine creating a spell that can practically commit genocide to a city, or to utterly impact the stability of the pocket dimension. Hell, imagine a spell that subtly controls everyone¡¯s minds, taking their free will away. If anyone creates a spell whenever they want could end up with unknown ramifications that could put everyone in danger. And yeah, even Cronus is susceptible to that¨Che¡¯s the one that made up the rule.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ that does make a lot of sense,¡± Mikella deflated, lowering her head. ¡°Does that mean that Cronus is planning on keeping it a secret forever?¡± Zeke asked, curiosity warring in his eyes. ¡°What¡¯s the point of creating a spell like that in the first place?¡± ¡°Cronus is the sort that does a lot of things behind everyone¡¯s back. It¡¯s the reason why the country doesn¡¯t destroy itself like the other countries,¡± Hamil continued. ¡°Granted, he can be a bit of an ass, but I¡¯m thankful that he¡¯s in charge and not one of those nobles. There¡¯s a lot to say about those weasels.¡± ¡°So I¡¯m guessing nobles aren¡¯t very well-liked,¡± Mikella said, her tone dry. ¡°We actually met one of those bastards when we were just leaving. They were saying a bunch of crap about how women shouldn¡¯t talk over their husbands or something¡­¡± That alone got the two men across from them to look away. Saang, however, stared directly at Mikella. ¡°That¡¯s because it¡¯s true,¡± Saang said. Her tone was stable and almost sagely. It was utterly different from her usual self. ¡°Unfortunately, society doesn¡¯t really see women at the same standards as men do.¡±This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°That¡¯s just dumb,¡± Zeke said. ¡°There¡¯s not even evidence or proof of that being true.¡± ¡°Tell that to the nobles,¡± Saang said. ¡°There are even some noble women who loved that idea¨Cin other words, the only thing they have to do is look pretty and young forever, not having to do shit at all.¡± Mikella cringed at the idea, literally. She actually shivered at the thought. She can¡¯t imagine how boring their lives must be, always having to pretty themselves up and doing whatever they can to appease their husbands. She can understand some women preferring that, and that she had no right to judge. But she just hated that kind of lifestyle. ¡°I can tell that it makes your skin crawl,¡± Saang flashed that shark-like grin. Actually, her teeth actually looked mildly sharpened. ¡°I think I¡¯m starting to like you.¡± ¡°But¡­ just as a fair warning,¡± Hamil said, looking almost guilty at the two women, especially at Mikella. ¡°Sometimes we might have to do quests sent by nobles themselves. And other times we might notice some clients with¡­ similar ideas to the nobles. That¡¯s where you need to swallow your pride and just¡­¡± ¡°Act demure?¡± Mikella sounded out. Hamil almost looked pained, but Mikella flashed a smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I understand that. I promise I won¡¯t do anything troublesome. If I do, Zeke here will make sure I don¡¯t.¡± Zeke looked actually troubled, his eyes widening as though he was asked to bring the Studded Star over to his side. Mikella scoffed and pushed at him lightly. ¡°Oh come on, I¡¯m not that bad.¡± ¡°Have you lived with yourself this past year?¡± Zeke asked incredulously. That earned him a rightful punch at his shoulder. ¡­Damn, that was harder than she expected. Those muscles of his were showing in droves. Still, her pride wasn¡¯t diminished as he winced at that. Hamil on his part looked relieved, showing an eager smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry though. None of us here are fans of those assholes, so outside of public view, say and do whatever you want.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take you up on that,¡± Mikella agreed easily. ¡°So¡­ what do you guys think?¡± The trio looked at each other, carefully considering and conversing silently. They had a fun chat, but in the end, they now know the truth of their origins. After a long moment of silence, Hamil spoke up. ¡°Do you want us to sign a contract?¡± Hamil spoke, surprising the otherworlders. ¡°It¡¯s only natural that you would ask us that,¡± Saang said, noticing their surprise. ¡°I¡¯m certain you know the value of that contract, right?¡± ¡°We do,¡± Zeke spoke up. ¡°But¡­ that feels like¡­¡± It wasn¡¯t as though the two hadn''t considered the option. Then again, these were Cronus¡¯ men, in other words, people that aren¡¯t technically their allies in truth. Asking them to be under contract would be pointless as that¡¯s just asking them to put more orders onto themselves. If it were them, they wouldn¡¯t like that very much, and if they could, they would deny it completely. ¡°We have no issue,¡± Kote spoke up, surprising the two. ¡°If you¡¯re worried about the potential backlash, that¡¯s what we deserve if we blab stuff like this out loud.¡± ¡°Not that we can,¡± Saang pointed out. ¡°Who the hell is going to believe us if we do? But that doesn¡¯t make you guys feel better, right?¡± ¡°We want you to trust us,¡± Hamil said. ¡°Plus, hearing you guys out¡­ we know you¡¯re good folk. You can set the terms however you want, too.¡± ¡°Just¡­ make it reasonable, okay?¡± Saang asked, pleadingly. ¡°Just the stuff people won¡¯t believe outright is all fine, right?¡± Mikella chuckled when Hamil sent another glare at her. Saang shrugged as though saying ¡®what, it¡¯s a good point¡¯ to him. Looking back at Zeke, he looked assured and wanted to do it. Honestly, she wants to too, for various reasons. So they started the process of doing a contract. They discussed at length about the terms, and what would happen if all three blabbed about their origins to anyone other than Alissa, Cronus, and Isabelle, the three other people they told the truth to. Unfortunately, the contract demanded that they go at full length on what grounds they want covered, including all sorts of scenarios on whether they would be tortured for this information, or bribed for the sake of their personal health and life. On that matter, Zeke decided for the two of them that should the worst occur, they are allowed to tell the truth¡­ in the most vague, unhelpful way possible. To everyone¡¯s delight, they agreed easily. If it were some top of the line jackass, they''d keep it a secret at the cost of their lives, but clearly the two weren¡¯t so distraught to force them to put their entire lives for people they barely knew, so that much was forgivable. In other words, the contract was made solely for trust, and punishing heavily on those that planned to use their information for their own selfish gains. Which isn¡¯t asking a lot from a contract, but it was suitable. Soon, the two otherworlders saw the notification displaying their finished contract.
Your contract has been established. Zeke and Mikella Arcan demand that Hamil Tarvosh, Saang Riotul, and Kote Mannachisa will never, under any circumstances, reveal their origins to anyone other than the three discussed earlier, Lord Cronus, Alissa Mon-treant, and Lord Isabelle. Should the aforementioned three go against the contract, they will be punished with the following: Loss of 5 levels. Loss of 1 attunement rank. Loss of 3 highest level Rare or above rarity skills of either General or Acquired. May the contract forever stand against the test of time and trials.
The notification pretty much excluded every single detail they put out, including the special circumstances they discussed. It took over two hours to do, with Zeke taking up most of the writing while Mikella added in some helpful tips. There was no way in hell she could pay attention for that long for something so damn detailed. Thankfully, Zeke¡¯s job in his old world specialized in this sort of thing, so he wrapped it up extremely quickly. So the contract was established, and Mikella felt something overpowering dominating the cover of her core. It was a comforting weight, as if she was assured that everything was alright. Zeke looked the same, but the same couldn¡¯t be said about the trio in front of them. They winced, with Saang gritting her teeth in clear discomfort. They didn¡¯t look like they were in pain, more like as though they were suffering a mild case of stomachaches in a matter of a second. Once the feeling left her, the trio each let out an exhale of relief. ¡°That¡¯s never a great feeling,¡± Saang let out a sharp breath. ¡°Glad that¡¯s over with.¡± ¡°Thank you again for doing this,¡± Zeke said, inclining his head in gratitude. Mikella did the same, no doubt about that. ¡°Even though you didn¡¯t have to.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Kote mentioned. ¡°Saang always bitch and moan about everything.¡± ¡°Oh screw you, you gigantic edgelord.¡± ¡°Hearing that is actually praise coming from a shortstack like you.¡± While the two bickered with Saang immediately showing her camaraderie with a good flip of the bird, Hamil spoke out over them. ¡°I think we got everything covered now. So how about we digest with a bit of exercise?¡± Vol 3 Ch 42: Scythasaurs ¡°Suuuuueeeyyy!¡± A high-pitched wail from the short warrior sounded out through the expanse of a large forest. Birds flew and small deer-like creatures ran, their steps echoing in response as titanic steps resounded across the forest. Rather than the small critters that ran away, the one that answered to the Saang¡¯s call was a giant dinosaur-like creature, its large jaws and tower-like legs rampaging across the field. It would¡¯ve looked like a dinosaur for real, except its arms were wicked scythes stuck on top of grossly extended arms, their joints bent in several parts that looked like a withered mummy¡¯s skin. It was as though those arms were just small extensions that connected to the large, near 10 feet in length and half as wide scythes that were currently ready to slice Saang apart.
Scythasaur, Level 72
The name fit it rather well as the Journeyman-ranked monster roared in defiance against the warrior standing face to face with it. Despite the clear height advantage, its towering form the same size as a two-story house, Saang faced it with her shark grin and eager expression. Zeke could see the reason why it looked agitated. Some of its leathery skin, gray and white in mix with steel like scales that covered its dominant areas, was riddled with bloody cuts and smears. It looked like it went through a meat grinder, but it still held plenty of health The warrior in question swung her massive axe at the large foot ready to crush her whole, stepping aside and allowing the chunk of sharp metal gouge a part of it away, leaving a torrent of blood that not only showered the ground but Saang included. And that was bad news for the large monster. Saang¡¯s eyes glowed with a sanguine light, and all the blood that coated her and the ground began to shift and swirl. It lifted itself up as though it had a will of its own, its liquid form undulating in ways that felt like a snake coming alive through a charming song. The blood flowed like a river around Saang, forming into rivulets of small spheres that suddenly exploded outward, puncturing through the skin once again. The monster roared from the sudden attack of its own blood, its legs raising in response and stomping it below. The impact alone was enough to shake the ground, but it continued to do so as the earth suddenly sprouted jagged spikes heading straight for her. Saang used her axe and the blood to cut through the spikes heading towards her, keeping her occupied while seemingly at ease thanks to some help from the monster¡¯s own ichor. However one look at this, Saang has this monster completely in her control. However, there was a reason why this quest was difficult for some other adventurers. Roars multiplied from far away, each one similar with the same sound of metal slashing the air as dozens of Scythasaurs ran out of the forest, cutting apart the trees like lawnmowers cutting the grass. Even when facing against one already, Saang immediately used the ichor she controlled to launch several crimson bullets towards two more Scythasaur, slicing their cheeks and near their eyes before getting their attention. As for the others, the rest of the party has arrived. Hamil, the casual leader of the party, flew in the air using small plates made of stone under his feet like air skates. With a flourish of his wand, the design looking more like a twisted medal dagger with a dangerous point at the top, hundreds of tiny sharp stones, each made of different minerals, flew out of the ground and any nearby stone croppings before showering them onto a small group of Scythasaurs. Blood showered everywhere, which made it easier for Saang to increase her ammunition as all of that blood flew over to her side, taking down more of the Scythasaurs that increased on her side. On the other side, Kote ran across the field, throwing sharp projectiles from his hands with the aid of his specialized metal gauntlets Zeke noticed back at the diner. Each of those projectiles flew true at the Scythasaurs, easily digging into their leathery skins capable of breaking normal iron weapons and causing more blood to ooze out. Zeke was starting to realize that the party had made up their attack patterns as a way to get as much blood out of their enemies as possible, using it as fuel for Saang to keep fighting. Since her blood manipulation would also recover her injuries during battle, it made her the ultimate tank in a team that was perfect for her style of combat. But what surprised Zeke the most were the projectiles from Kote. He could see with his magic eyes (a mixture of Mana Manipulation and Restoration) that the projectiles didn¡¯t just carry his mana, but also a bit of his kinetic energy and, more surprisingly, his life energy. Those weren¡¯t knives or anything metal. Those were his bones. He was shocked to see that, but realized a few things a moment after. Bones were pretty sturdy, and obviously Journeyman bones could be as tough as the person himself. With enough Vitality and Endurance, on top of supportive skills that could increase the density of his bones, he could literally use them as weapons against an enemy.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. A resource that he can use infinitely from his own body. That carries a lot of risks, but with careful practice and management, can do a lot of heavy damage. In the end, however, what took most of his attention was Mikella. The draconian warrior flew across the sky, her wings beating with sparks flying out into the air. She held her new Natural Series sword, a simplistic looking sword with plenty of potential for growth as she became a hurricane of lightning and steel. She cut down each Scythasaur with an empowered Heavenly Strike, killing it with ease before flying a second later to the next Scythasaur, repeating the process. Those were the ones that were hit by the rampaging attacks caused by Hamil and Kote. The others that were still healthy and rampaging took a while for her to beat down. However, her movements had improved thanks to the lessons Clara helped teaching them. Her wings beat in rhythm with her swings, dodging a scythe attack and flying stone pillars as though she was dancing to a tune. With each pass over, she sliced an artery open or a joint that caused the scythasaur to fall over, disrupting their movements thanks to the lightning flowing through their bodies. As for Zeke himself, he was all the way up in the air standing on top of his magical construct he created with Ethereal Manifest. Despite spending such a short time with the skill, he was already adapting to it a lot faster than he expected. Still, there was no barrier, and that was proven when he tried to conjure a wall of turquoise light in front of the creature to stop its massive bulk from moving so much. That was utterly crushed without a shred of resistance. Zeke exhaled sharply, disappointment mounting in his spirit. He knew it already before, but this was just sad to look at. As for why they were doing this in the first place, Hamil decided to have a team practice before the day was up. When they left the diner, they returned back to the guild base like they promised and asked permission to head outside of the city into the monster infested areas. There were several reasons as to why nobody can just leave without issuing a permission. Monsters could be commercialized either in gaining levels or receiving their drops, which can easily increase a person¡¯s standing in society. As such, they are heavily monitored and people with valid licenses are sent to quell any monsters on top of gaining personal wealth and power from the experience points. This sort of thing isn¡¯t so heavily monitored that it can stop literally everyone in the country. In fact, sometimes benefits can come from that if that illegal trespasser dies. The guilds that controlled those areas didn''t have to pay restitutions. In other words, it was a win/win for that guild as monsters could get killed and they don¡¯t have to pay anybody for the work of taking down troublesome monsters with the least valuable loot. As for Zeke and Mikella, they were soon introduced into the Adventurer¡¯s guild. They received their licenses, paid for by Hamil under Alissa¡¯s orders and were given ranks. The guild had their own system when it came to their members in terms of ranks, which were different from the monster rankings of their power. In this case, this is to show proof of their competency and experience in the field as an adventurer. This follows a simple rank guideline from a complete newb at Rank-E to a veteran at Rank-A. An adventurer can rank up from the bottom to the top in terms of how many quests they have done, their personal growth, as well as gaining connections that proves their abilities to take on any tasks. Of course, this sort of thing is easily subjective, and can often change. One can also drop a rank should they prove to be unbefitting, and can be expelled from the guild if they were to break one of the solemn rules of the guild¨Cone of them being the obvious of not killing their fellow adventurers for profit, or breaking any societal rules. No matter how the people often view adventurers as reckless, that doesn¡¯t mean they are exempt from the rules. As for the otherworlders, due to them being true Journeymen, they actually managed to skip all the way to Rank-C. Normally this would take a regular person dozens of quests and a few years worth of good service to the guild, but that was for users who were around the Expert stage. According to everyone¡¯s personal viewpoint regarding the rankings, Rank-E are adventurers who are at the beginning or middle of Expert, and Rank-D are those who are on the cusps of becoming Journeymen or became half-journeymen for one reason or another. The lower rankings are usually for doing quests such as gathering materials and guarding a warehouse for the night, basic jobs anyone with a decent number of stats and skills can manage. Those who actively pursue difficult quests have a chance of ranking up, but only if they were able to pass a test regarding their knowledge and whether they got suitable skills to match. In this case, having several Acquired skills are a given if one wants to take on difficult quests with high payments. Zeke was glad that they didn¡¯t have to be stuck gathering herbs or exterminating goblins while looking for the towers. It would¡¯ve been difficult to explain as well, hence why having Hamil speak up for the two to the receptionist was another reason they managed to skip to Rank C despite having no history in the field. If one has a remarkable review from a top Rank-A adventurer, the guild would surely not put the two down for that. That was why they managed to be on this field after about two hours or so registering as adventurers. They were on a quest to take down some troublesome Scythasaurs that were making headway across the nearby forest plains, devouring creatures that low-ranking adventurers were tasked to handle. If this continued, it would put the quests out of order and a lot of people out of a job. So the Tempest Winds took that difficult quest for the sole sake of training their teamwork. And so far, it was working rather well. Or at least that¡¯s what Zeke wanted to believe. Being up here all by his lonesome was¡­ well, lonely. They already agreed that due to his losing his main core of a skill, he needed some more time to adjust to the battlefield without it. Even Zeke had to agree, figuring that he can just watch and survey the surroundings and practicing with his Attunement¡¯s abilities to sense the mana surging around the battlefield as well as the environment around them. But the more he watched the chaos unfold under him, the more agitated he got. His heel tapped against the magical floor underneath in a rapid pace, his fingers tensing on his crossed arms with his index finger tapping relentlessly as he watched Mikella¡¯s sharp grin flashing as she took down one scythasaur after another. Eventually, he raised his fist. It was time to pull his own weight in this quest. That, and he just really hated doing nothing while everyone else gets to have fun hunting monsters. Vol 3 Ch 43: Runist on a Rampage Even if his Barrier skill was taken away, that didn¡¯t depry him of his true skills. Mana surged through his body, activating each of his rune buffs in total. Despite seeing them on a constant basis, he grinned when he saw the plethora of rune buffs flashing across his vision via notifications. Advanced Rune of Strength has been activated. Your Strength stat mirrored 338 points from your Spirit stat for the next 30 seconds. Advanced Rune of Dexterity has been activated. Your Dexterity stat mirrored 338 points from your Spirit stat for the next 30 seconds. Advanced Rune of Vitality has been activated. Your Vitality stat mirrored 338 points from your Spirit stat for the next 30 seconds. Advanced Rune of Endurance has been activated. Your Endurance stat mirrored 338 points from your Spirit stat for the next 30 seconds. Power swelled in his muscles, his chest compacting from the force emanating from the rise in stats. It was a rush that one could get addicted to, similar to leveling up several times at once. All of his physical stats increased beyond 400, with his Dexterity over a whopping 500. Currently, these stats were unbalanced and would put his fighting stance in a mess¡­ but he really wanted to go all out to get rid of his frustrations out on Cronus who took his barrier skill away. Without any hesitation, he jumped off of his Ethereal Manifest platform and landed straight onto a running Scythasaur, his fist raised high and tight. ¡­.. Mikella cursed at the man who scared the crap out of her after suddenly appearing out of nowhere and landing on one of the Scythasaur currently with no one harassing it with no mercy. The image of him punching the creature down and causing a dirt explosion of massive proportions wasn¡¯t hard to forget, especially if you included all the blood and viscera that flew out from the impact. But that wasn¡¯t enough for the Runist. He stood up, his fists and upper clothes caked in blood with a feral grin she only saw whenever their spars got more intense. His bluish green eyes flashed into a menacing look as he roared and rushed at any remaining Scythasaur that was not under anyone¡¯s target list. He came in like a madman, fists swinging left and right as he easily took a scythasaur¡¯s swinging scythe with a swift gyration of his torso, held the other side of the massive side after it came down, and promptly broke it in half with a rising knee strike. Screams bellowed from the monster before Zeke ripped the scythe away from the arm and directly stabbed the tip at its eye with its own scythe arm. Zeke continued to go on a rampage, not even caring about his usual fighting forms and strategy as he just roared and struck down any living thing near him. It became such a sight to see that Mikella took a break from fighting physically, opting to bring out the Natural Series Bow of Farsight out to hit from the distance. Natural Series-Bow of Farsight (Rare) Created under the guise of genius and drunken wonder, the talented blacksmith created the Natural Series. The bow is made with the intention of shooting at its target with simplistic precision. Enchantments: Arrow Forge (Unique) Energy Conductivity (Skill Dependent) The only thing different about the bow was that Cru couldn¡¯t put in any more enchantments on it due to the Unique feature Arrow Forge, allowing Mikella to create not a wind-based arrow like the Tempest Bow, but a crystalline like arrow made entirely out of pure mana, or arcane mana in some cases. The only thing it had was the Energy Conductivity, which allowed Mikella to easily transmit her attunement¡¯s magic onto the arrow, causing each arrow to be shot like a lightning bolt straight out of the bow. Each strike had her Mana Manipulation and Kinetic Manipulation down pat, making each arrow hit harder and pierce deeper than her Tempest Bow ever did. She still felt some connection to the bow and decided to make it into a keepsake. Perhaps she¡¯ll hand it down to Clara if she ever needed a bow when she grows up with the system. As she shot her arrows of lightning at any target she could see without getting in the way of Zeke¡¯s rampage, the other party members of Tempest Winds came around to do the same. Hamil and Kote decided to do the same as Mikella did, including Saang who used the remaining free ichor made by Zeke¡¯s killings to make projectile shots. ¡°Sweet gods, is he okay?¡± Saang asked Mikella, a look of concern on her face. ¡°He looks pissed. Did we upset him or something?¡± ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry. He probably got antsy waiting up there. I know I would¡­¡± Mikella grimaced. She did feel bad for Zeke for having him stay up there. She wanted to at least let him rest for a while and get his surroundings in check. She didn¡¯t want him to get in trouble after having his barrier taken away. Clearly, that only made Zeke frustrated as she would be, having no choice but to watch everyone kill monsters while he just waited to get a good swing of things. Well, he¡¯s certainly got the swing of things¨Cswinging his fists over and over to every monster he faced. ¡°How is he so strong?¡± Kote asked, his eyes being the only thing she could see from him lighting up in curiosity. It was the same scholarly look that Zeke often had whenever he found something new and interesting. ¡°Is he using some powerful buff skill?¡± ¡°You could say that. He carved runes into his body. He¡¯s able to make all his other stats mirror his super high Spirit stat for a while.¡± ¡°You¡¯re kidding!¡± Hamil nearly shouted in disbelief. ¡°Carved runes? Mirroring stats? Who did that to him?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t imagine the pain he went through for such a thing¡­¡± Kote shook his head, the idea alone almost making him shiver. ¡°Oh, he did it to himself. And yeah, it was super painful. He almost lost the feeling of his limbs when he first tried it,¡± Mikella said, shaking her head in the memory of his first created rune buffs. ¡°Okay, now you¡¯re pulling my axe,¡± Saang said, clearly skeptical. ¡°You¡¯re telling me a Runist willingly carved runes onto his own body to raise his other stats?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­?¡± Mikella raised a brow at her.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. After seeing that she wasn¡¯t kidding, looking rather offended that she thought Zeke was some liar, Saang¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°...Well damn,¡± She said simply, her voice lacking the usual vigor. ¡°Consider me impressed. Actually, consider me interested. Is he single?¡± ¡°Easy, Saang,¡± Hamil held onto the clearly devious Saang on the shoulder. ¡°He¡¯s way too young for you.¡± ¡°Hey, not that young. He¡¯s only in his twenties, remember?¡± Saang said, slapping Hamil¡¯s hand away. That comment clearly didn¡¯t land well with her. For a moment, Mikella was worried that, since they knew they aren¡¯t really married and are just partners working together, Saang would see how valuable Zeke is as a bachelor. How the hell can she convince a beauty like Saang to keep her hands off of him? Thankfully, Saang looked like she was just joking, just trying to get a rise out of her. Her feelings, on the other hand, is something that she might need to think about later. ¡°That¡¯s what¡¯s most absurd about it all,¡± Kote added in. ¡°They''re both young, and both Zeke and Mikella can easily take down this group of Scythasaurs on their own.¡± ¡°Is that bad?¡± Mikella asked, but mostly she just wanted to hear how good they were compared to the other adventurers. She always loved to inflate her ego on moments like these. ¡°Bad?¡± Kote shook his head. ¡°You need to be in a group of Rank-C adventurers to handle just one of those things. We can handle them just fine, but we¡¯re used to dealing with troublesome monsters and situations. Just what the hell did you go through to get that strong?¡± ¡°Well¡­ a lot of things,¡± Mikella rubbed her neck, feeling the scales of her new body which she wasn¡¯t used to yet. ¡°The only thing I¡¯m thankful for is that we ended up in a place where we can get strong properly.¡± And she truly was. No matter how inflated her ego is, she¡¯ll always be grateful for the people of Eve Glade who took her family in and helped her get as strong as she was now. Soon enough, the monsters were killed, their bodies scattered across everywhere and ready to get looted. On his way back, Zeke swung his arms, noticeable bruises and scratches on his exposed skin for the world to see. He grimaced, his hands being a horrid mess of mangled fingers and bloody skin. ¡°Sweet gods!¡± Saang said on his way back. ¡°You alright, kid? Your hands look horrible!¡± ¡°Ah, yeah, I¡¯m fine,¡± Zeke winced as he answered, raising both his hands up. ¡°Hold up a second.¡± Then, as though time reversed in front of them, his hands quickly shifted their mangled forms back to how they were before, including the scratches and bruises visible on his muscled forearms. In a few seconds, his arms and hands returned to their original state once again. The others gasped at the recovery while Mikella just rolled her eyes. ¡°Show off.¡± ¡°Sorry, sorry,¡± Zeke raised his hands up and down in apology. ¡°But I just got so bored. I really needed an outlet, you know?¡± ¡°I know,¡± Mikella grinned. ¡°Sorry. I should¡¯ve remembered that you would be bored out of your mind. You¡¯re becoming like a berserker every day.¡± ¡°I learned from the best,¡± Zeke grinned at her. That, unfortunately, got her cheeks to flush red a little. That damn smile of his got her hard. Thankfully, he turned to the others before seeing the state he left her in. ¡°Good in a fight and a good healer,¡± Hamil commented, his lips pursing. ¡°Plus a berserker that can handle a group of Scythasaurs on her own. You two are nuts.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t mind if we take a few more quests down while looking for those towers, right?¡± Saang pointed out. ¡°Might as well get some experience on the way. By the way, did you get anything?¡± Hearing that got Mikella to look down her vision to see the blinking notification. It probably occurred during Zeke¡¯s rampage as she pulled it up. Level Up! You are now Level 61. You gain 2 free points (2 FP total). You have gained +10 STR from your class and sub-race. You have gained +10 DEX from your class and sub-race. You have gained +5 INT from your sub-race. You have gained +5 SPI from your sub-race. You have gained +5 END from your class. Mikella¡¯s eyes widened. Compared to her earlier level ups, one level from Journeyman gave her a whopping 35 stat points compared to the usual 9 stat points excluding the usual free points she earned for each level. Now those free points felt abysmal. Still, seeing all of her stats jump up except for Vitality made those free points necessary as she considered adding her points into Vitality to keep up. Now that she got her sub-race to raise her mental stats every level, they¡¯ll easily outpace Vitality, which as a warrior, would be a bad idea to have that stay the lowest of the bunch. ¡°Wow, my level really gave a lot of points,¡± Zeke said, answering Saang¡¯s question about what they got. As usual, the two shared their notifications together, which got Zeke to gape in awe at her own numbers while Mikella, just as equally, did the same at his numbers. Level Up! You are now Level 61. You gain 2 free points (2 FP total). You have gained +8 DEX from your class and sub-race. You have gained +8 INT from your class and sub-race. You have gained +12 SPI from your class and sub-race. You have gained +7 END from your sub-race. Seeing these crazy numbers, Zeke decided to hoard the free points as he wasn¡¯t sure whether to increase his Strength to keep that in balance with the other stats or Vitality to be cautious of the future. ¡°So you two really do level up at the same time¡­ that¡¯s crazy,¡± Saang said, her voice in awe and in disbelief at the same time. ¡°No wonder you got such a high level Runist now.¡± ¡°This time, this is all him,¡± Mikella added. She smiled when she saw Zeke blush a little from the praise. ¡°But yeah, that¡¯s how we get strong.¡± ¡°Now that¡¯s fascinating¡­¡± Kote said whimsically before shaking his head. ¡°Ah, before I lose it, let¡¯s go and loot the corpses before someone else shows up. Don¡¯t want any vultures to come around.¡± The other two veterans quickly followed Kote¡¯s lead, leading the otherworlders to follow along. However, despite going around and going through the loot option, one thing jumped out at them. None of the bodies disappeared. Normally, after looting the body via the system, the body would instantly disappear unless it uses a relic or artifact that keeps the body around for crafting purposes. However, the Tempest Winds made it clear that they didn¡¯t have that, and that this quest didn¡¯t require any components from the Scythasaurs. And since the otherworlders didn¡¯t have anything like that either, the group returned in full, their faces marred with confusion. ¡°Any idea what¡¯s going on?¡± Saang said. ¡°This is the first time this happened. Hamil?¡± ¡°No clue, first for me too,¡± Hamil shook his head. ¡°Kote, any thoughts?¡± ¡°Either something¡¯s getting in the way, or there¡¯s something going on with their bodies¡­¡± Kote muttered, which made him snap his fingers and pointed at the only runist around them. ¡°Zeke, don¡¯t you have a skill that lets you see the insides of anything? Can you do that to the monsters?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡± Zeke nodded, and it wasn¡¯t surprising that Kote would know that. Most Runists start with the General Skill Internal Senses, which would do exactly as Kote described. With Zeke¡¯s own skill incorporated into his Legendary Restoration skill, it became even more powerful as Zeke¡¯s eyes glowed with their bright color at one of the bodies. The more he stared at the creatures, the more his face scrunched up in confusion. Then, it turned into concern as Mikella felt some dread forming at the center of her gut. ¡°Zeke?¡± Mikella asked. ¡°There¡¯s¡­ something inside the thing. It¡¯s¡­¡± Zeke narrowed his eyes, mostly looking dumbfounded than looking closer. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ trying to get out.¡± ¡°Something?¡± Mikella pointed out, causing the other three to immediately notice the mood shifting. Their expressions turned hard as each pulled out their own weapons. ¡°...A lot of somethings!¡± Zeke retreated quickly. ¡°Incoming!¡± His quick warning was enough to give Mikella a chance to fully understand the next moment that occurred. From within the dozens of corpses, something tore through the skin and blood. Something that was green, black, and all kinds of nasty. A strange creature formed from within each of the bodies. Then, two more came out, then three, then four¡­ Several dozens of those creatures crawled out of the Scythasaur corpse, a brood of spider-like creatures the size of dogs came screeching and hissing at whatever it was that downed their host. And they set their multiple, almost human-like eyes on the Tempest Winds. Vol 3 Ch 44: Spider nightmare fuel He wasn¡¯t really sure what he was looking at at first. It just looked like mounds of flesh and bone that were destroyed thanks to their fights. It was a twinge at first, like a fly buzzing inside them. He flared his skills and noticed that the creatures that should¡¯ve been disappearing by now had a bundle of swirling energies in the midst. Then they multiplied. Each one forming their own physical bodies encasing those energies. Then one started to move. The moment he realized it, he managed to warn the others before a series of pure nightmare fuel burst out of the corpses. Spiders gushed out and spread like a plague. The spiders, or at least that¡¯s how they appeared, had around eight sharp-like limbs carrying a bulbous mass of green and black. Multiple, unnaturally human-like eyes were across their faces and mandibles displayed their ferocity as they kept clacking and biting at whatever¡¯s nearest to them. It would¡¯ve been just a normal spider if it weren''t for the damn eyes, but then Zeke realized that each eye wasn¡¯t exactly human, but utterly blue in nature. Almost like the magical energy that constantly fueled their bodies now. He identified one of them as they were quickly approaching. Sharp pain dug deep into the center of his brain, causing him to scream out in pain. It bypassed his resistances and hit him where it hurts. He could hear Mikella crying out as well, trying to do the same thing he did. He did get a notification, but it wasn¡¯t something he was pleased to see.
ERROR! ERROR! Identify failed. The following information is corrupted. Re-initiating process of¨C ERROR! ERROR!
¡°Guys! What¡¯s wrong?¡± Saang shouted, clearly in alarm. ¡°I can¡¯t get anything with my Identify! Are you okay?!¡± ¡°Ugh, yeah,¡± Mikella groaned, rubbing her temples with one eye shut as she turned to Zeke. ¡°This is bad. This is just like that time¡­¡± ¡°When we tried to loot the Master of the Tower,¡± Zeke growled. The unpleasant memories flowing through his pain-raddled mind. ¡°This is the tower¡¯s influence.¡± Zeke can¡¯t tell how strong those strange spiders are, but one thing he does know is that if they came out of the Level 72 Scythasaur, then they are just as or even stronger than them. ¡°Fall back!¡± Hamil ordered, his wand outstretched and mana flowing through him. ¡°Retreat and regroup!¡± The Tempest Winds did so with ease, and the otherworlders followed suit as stones of strange make jutted out of the ground, surrounding them in a half-circle formation and keeping the strange spiders out. Of course that wouldn¡¯t stop them as some of them either went around or crawled above and over the walls. Of course that became their downfall as Kote unleashed his weapon¡¯s might. His gauntlets were outstretched and flexed his fingers. A trail of five lines exuded from the tips of his fingers and swirled around like waves across their vision. Kote grunted as he swung his arm, the strings that were let loose flying right towards the crawlers on the walls. The strings cut deep like steel wires, catching five at once with each five strings and cutting their limbs apart, making the main body fall to the ground with missing limbs. Hamil quickly used the mineral-based stone wall, filled with what looked like earth with shimmering specks, and crushed the bodies underneath with stones several times their size. However, more and more were coming, some in droves while others in single units. At the very least, their bodies are easily crushed. The only advantage they have is the rising numbers flowing out of the many corpses. Saang roared and charged with her axe swinging in wild abandon. She was just far enough away that her wild swinging was useful against the dozens of spiders crawling along. Each axe swing chopped off a body part or two. During so, she controlled their strangely colored blood, purple mixed with heavy blue, along with her swings. She was racking up kills left and right, but the spiders noticed the warrior and targeted her first. They all swarmed against her, their skittering limbs creating a buzzing noise that made his skin crawl as they all approached her faster than she could kill. Mikella also tried to help, but the numbers were becoming too much. At the very least, Zeke noticed that the bodies those spiders used like a nest all decomposed and disappeared as they should, though it looked like they were deflated rather than disappearing naturally via the system. At his estimate, there were around a thousand spiders, each one small but dangerous in their own right. One of their strikes, a limb poised to stab, aimed directly at both Saang and Mikella. Mikella managed to evade, but it managed to thrust through Saang¡¯s armor by the hip. She growled in pain before literally stomping on the spider, their bodies popping like an oversized zit and their oozing blood splattered all over. Saang held the wound with her hand, surprising Zeke that it managed to bypass her natural resistances so easily. He tried to think. The numbers were too much, and even with all four of them working, the fighters weren''t able to take them down. Some were skittish and kept moving away, while others kept pushing themselves aside and making it difficult for everyone to fight them head on.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. If they were moving too much, then he needed to stop them in their tracks. He placed his hands on the ground, breathing slowly as he cast Ethereal Manifest. The magical construct spread all across him in a wide diameter of a mile long. Enough to cover the expanse of his senses and the rest of the spiders, and just barely enough to cover the cost of his mana expenditure. Thankfully, it was easy enough to go under everyone¡¯s feet but still over the grassy ground. The spiders didn¡¯t seem to care about the ground suddenly being covered in his turquoise light, which thankfully meant that they had no reason to break it easily even with their feeble strength. The party managed to see it, then all turned back to him when he shouted. ¡°Everyone, on my word¨CJump! Each one nodded to his demand as Zeke made his floating pens fly out and drew several runes in quick succession for the entire construct. His maxed out Inscription Proficiency helped in drawing the runes as fast as light itself, with his new skill Script Improvement aiding in the foundational structure of the complicated rune. With Parallel Thought, he added in as many runes as he could from his massive Runic Library. All of his experience as a Runist this past year have come flying out of him as he shouted. ¡°Now!¡± He poured his mana and caused the entire ethereal floor to glow bright, and at the same time the other fighters got out of the way. Kote¡¯s back suddenly sprouted long bones similar to limbs and pushed himself up into the air. Hamil lifted both himself and Saang up with the aid of his floating stones, leaving them to hang on to their flight as they did so. Mikella had no issues as she immediately sprouted her wings and took flight. On the other hand, the spiders that were becoming a serious pain to hit suddenly stopped. Their squirming bodies kept trying to move to no avail, their hissing reaching a crescendo of anger and fear. Zeke, on the other hand, dropped onto his ass and let out an exhale straight from his soul. Zeke used his runes to create something like an adhesive across the entire ethereal structure. Normally such a thing would be even more difficult, but his new skill managed to take the rune work quite well. That, along with his Journeymen and race change, made forcing the spiders to be glued right on the ground possible. It wasn¡¯t permanent, but it was enough to last for a minute or two before the adhesive wore off. His mind felt drained from the massive mana cost this entire thing got him. It was easy to trap one Journeyman-rank spider, but trapping several hundreds was quite the hurdle. He just laid there as the others watched with glee in their eyes. ¡°Incoming!¡± Mikella shouted, her wings disappearing as her body fell straight towards the massive array of spiders. Her hammer appeared from her storage and swung wide into the air, lightning coursing through the metal weapon. It wasn¡¯t the hammer that Cru crafted, but the normal one she usually had. She roared as she slammed her hammer straight at the ground between all the spiders in their midst. With their squirming bodies in the vicinity of a large scale lightning attack, each one within Mikella¡¯s surroundings were electrocuted. It was a sight to see. A thunderstrike from the heavens, charring and burning all the spiders in her wake before the sound dissipated. Zeke¡¯s ears rang from the echo of the lightning, watching in awe and wonder as Mikella stood upright, her hair blowing from the passing wind with her hammer hanging on top of her shoulder. In her midst were the corpses of all the spiders like a horrible nightmare, their own bodies charred and limp. Mikella grinned wildly as she turned to Zeke, but before she could, her body practically stopped before realizing something. Her feet were stuck to the ethereal floor. The effect was still ongoing, it seems. ¡°Ah, shit¡­¡± The others quickly noticed this and went towards Zeke. Kote managed to hang onto Hamil¡¯s floating stones as they all landed near his side. Hamil then offered a hand, to which Zeke gladly took with a tired grin. He then went ahead and took away the rune¡¯s effects, finally freeing Mikella from his grasp. ¡°Haha, thanks¡­¡± Mikella blushed a bit, unable to hold back an embarrassed grin. ¡°Didn¡¯t think I¡¯d get stuck too.¡± ¡°I had to make it really effective,¡± Zeke said with a tired grin himself. ¡°And that¡¯s why I¡¯m exhausted¡­¡± ¡°How are you mana-wise? Anything wrong?¡± ¡°All good, don¡¯t worry,¡± Zeke raised a hand to her concerns. ¡°No mana loss and it¡¯s actually regenerating really quickly, almost halfway now.¡± Zeke was thankful for the Epic glasses he got, but he also knew that his new Journeyman body was easily regenerating mana as he used Meditation during this downtime. The notifications that came in certainly helped a lot more.
Level Up! You are now Level 62. You gain 2 free points (4 FP total). You have gained +8 DEX from your class and sub-race. You have gained +8 INT from your class and sub-race. You have gained +12 SPI from your class and sub-race. You have gained +7 END from your sub-race.
On Mikella¡¯s end:
Level Up! You are now Level 62. You gain 2 free points (2 FP total). You have gained +10 STR from your class and sub-race. You have gained +10 DEX from your class and sub-race. You have gained +5 INT from your sub-race. You have gained +5 SPI from your sub-race. You have gained +5 END from your class.
Considering that they only just leveled up after defeating the Scythasaur, that meant that these weird spider creatures were worth a lot of XP to level them both up once again. That didn¡¯t bode well for Zeke, however. Considering the make-up of these creatures, Zeke can¡¯t help but want to ask Zoan if she knew if this kind of XP was even safe to get. But something else caught his attention. ¡°Hey, Zeke!¡± Hamil shouted, suddenly alarmed. ¡°Something¡¯s up with Saang!¡± Zeke and Mikella turned around to find the two men crowding over the suddenly keeled over Saang. Her face looked pale somehow, her usual fire becoming dampened as she held tightly onto her right side of the hip. It was the same one Zeke recognized where the spider hit her before. Worry crept across his insides as he ran with Mikella over to her side. Upon closer inspection, her body was shivering intensely, and her teeth were clattering harshly as though she was in a deep cold. It looked similar to him, and when he noticed how familiarly dreadful it felt, Zeke shouted. ¡°Is she going through Mana deprivation?¡± Zeke asked, his brows furrowed. ¡°But why? She hasn¡¯t used that much magic.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what we figured too, so we gave her a Mana potion,¡± Hamil stated, his brows furrowing in the mix of concern and frustration. ¡°But it didn¡¯t work. She said her Mana kept dropping, and now she can¡¯t even speak.¡± Zeke looked over to Saang again, noticing that she could barely stand as she was on her knees, nearly keeled over and holding onto her hip tighter and tighter. She wasn¡¯t saying it, but it was clear what she was displaying. The wound was the cause, and somehow the spiders infected her with something incredibly nasty. Vol 3 Ch45: Spiritual healing... the kind that works Zeke studied the woman with his magic eyes to find what is causing her mana to dry up. Her face paled as she laid on the blood-stricken ground, her breathing turning harsh and rapid as the cold was seeping into her very bones. They tried to cover everything up, with Hamil even conjuring walls of stone around themselves to provide as much warmth as possible. The cold was made due to the sudden disappearance of mana, but outside cold can be just as brutal for the inflicted. As he studied her channels, he didn¡¯t see anything¨Cnot at first. He flexed his power further, expanding his Legendary Restoration with the aid of both Mana Manipulation and the gloves he always wore since he first got into this world. The Gloves of Sanctuary. It got to the point where he even forgot he had them on. The Support Aid enchantments helped his abilities become better even at their current rarity. His mana churned as he searched deeper into her inner workings, revealing the infliction that was causing the strange drain of magical energy. It was something, a strange bluish blob taking over her upper body and waist. That was the one draining her mana, like a parasite in a metaphysical sense. It wasn¡¯t something one can just take out physically as the blob could barely even be sensed by his own powerful skills, let alone physical sight. ¡°Zeke, what¡¯s wrong with her?¡± Kote asked, noticing his deep frown. ¡°Something¡¯s sucking up her mana,¡± Zeke shook his head, trying to make sense of it. ¡°It¡¯s like some weird parasite that¡¯s getting bigger by the second.¡± ¡°Can we take it out?¡± Mikella asked, holding onto Saang¡¯s hand to provide what little warmth she could, but Zeke shook his head. ¡°No, it¡¯s not real, not physically at least,¡± Zeke mentioned. ¡°But it¡¯s stuck to her like glue. Whatever it is, it spreads all the way around her upper body, but it¡¯s not taking her heart and lungs, since they¡¯re all filled with life and kinetic energy respectively.¡± ¡°Then what do we do?¡± Hamil mentioned. ¡°We already tried using a status cleanser, but it didn¡¯t work!¡± The status cleanser was another type of potion like the Health and Mana potion, except that it can heal most common status afflictions, like paralysis and poisons. It was the sort of cleanser that was more expensive than a simple antidote, but it can cover a wide range. But Zeke shook his head again. ¡°Like I said, it¡¯s not physical. It¡¯s stuck there, sucking up her mana through her channels like drinking straws. But¡­ I think I can do something. I just¡­ I just don¡¯t know if I can do it without hurting her or destroying everything around us.¡± Even without Zeke¡¯s Barrier Craft, he wasn¡¯t sure exactly how to get rid of the strange affliction draining her. If he used his attunement, it could seriously affect her channels, perhaps even break them if he was doing this in a rush. Without Cloud to help in the support, he was worried that he might do more harm than good. But something held onto Zeke¡¯s shoulder, revealing to be Hamil with a face of resolution. ¡°Go for it,¡± He said, his voice determined. ¡°Saang already told us that she would do anything if she was knocked out like this. You have her consent to chop her body up if it means fixing her!¡± Zeke was stunned at first, but then he remembered. They were adventurers¨Ctheir lives were constantly in danger from going on quests dealing with matters like these, so it was only natural that one or all of them would have a way to decide what to do with their bodies should the worst happen. In this case, Saang had already told her teammates that she wasn¡¯t the type to shy away from a dissection if it meant healing her. It was already decided, and that made Zeke¡¯s decision all the more easier. Another hand plopped on his shoulder when Hamil left his. He saw Mikella smiling. ¡°Go all out. Don¡¯t worry¨CI¡¯ll hold onto you if anything goes wrong.¡± He smiled back, holding Mikella¡¯s hand with his own for a moment before letting go. He knelt properly, his back lowered and his hands pressed onto Saang¡¯s abdomen. ¡°Everyone, back off. I need some room!¡± His words were assurance, a doctor in his operating table, as the others followed suit with ease. Mikella made sure to keep them at a wide berth as Zeke inhaled deeply through his nostrils, then exhaled through his mouth. He did it again a second time, then a third, and a fourth. Finally, he sensed his surroundings dampening. The sounds of Saang¡¯s rampant breathing fading as his sight delved deeper into her inner workings. There, he found the infliction. In his mind¡¯s eye, he saw the disgusting blob as to what it was¨Ca bluish spider clinging desperately at Saang¡¯s channels, sucking up whatever valuable resource she had to keep surviving. But not for long. His anger grew as something similar like this happened before, back at the first tower with the necromancer, but this time¨Che had full control.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. His eyes opened, but his sight hadn¡¯t returned. Instead, two bright blue orbs of magnificent azure hue glowed. ¡­.. Mikella swallowed whatever she had in her throat. No matter how many times she sees this, she can never get used to it. The feeling of pressurized air hit them all, a near blanket of pure force that swallowed them deeply and kept them at bay. Thanks to her new body, she was able to get used to it, but despite having a higher level than her, Hamil and Kote¡¯s eyes widened, their stances shaking slightly from this. ¡°Wh-What the hell is this?¡± Hamil said, his voice stuttering in response. ¡°How¡¯s this kid have so much power?¡± What they saw before them was Zeke kneeling towards the shaking Saang, equivalent to a seizure in full force as the attunement in Zeke¡¯s body sang with deafening force. The air shook as the energy around Zeke converged, then it turned dense as a small form of the giant that once shook the entire biodome to mere pieces slowly formed. The giant Zeke¡¯s hands soon covered the two whole, then laced the fingers together into a tightening combined fist before disappearing entirely. What revealed next was Zeke gritting his teeth, his eyes still bright blue as he pressed deep into Saang¡¯s stomach. He pushed hard in the most spiritualistically painful way possible. Saang¡¯s mouth was open wide, but nothing other than gurgling noises echoed from the woman as Zeke pressed onto her again. He said that something was stuck to her, and it was swallowing her whole body, so it looked like he¡¯s pushing the damn thing out in one way or another. Zeke roared in fury, the normally shrill voice becoming primal and deep, something that reached into her bones and caused her to shiver from the intensity. It was powerful, almost transcendent in ways that were hard to describe. But once she realized that Kote and Hamil were approaching, she stepped forward in front of them. ¡°Stop! He¡¯s doing his thing!¡± ¡°He¡¯s gonna kill her!¡± Hamil shouted, desperation and obvious fear in his voice. ¡°It looks intense, but Zeke has full control,¡± Mikella said. Sympathy riddled her voice as she continued. ¡°He¡¯s more worried about the surroundings than what he¡¯s doing to Saang.¡± ¡°What is he doing?¡± Kote asked, actually¨Che demanded. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s his attunement,¡± Mikella revealed. ¡°It¡¯s not a normal one. It¡¯s actually from the higher realms.¡± Mikella wasn¡¯t sure whether that was enough to help dissuade the fear. If she saw this for the first time, she would feel the same way, just like how Zyler felt when Zeke did this to his sister Diaga. However, that actually got them to gape at her words, their eyes now widening in awe and wonder. ¡°The higher realms¡­¡± Hamil said, almost in a whisper. ¡°I thought¡­ I thought that was just a legend¡­¡± ¡°Impossible,¡± Kote shook his head. ¡°But then¡­ I guess that¡¯s the only thing that can explain this.¡± Mikella took her chances when she could. If the two were satisfied with that, then all the better. Then again, not even Cloud and Val knew much about the higher realms, except that extraordinary people were the only ones capable of getting it. And Zeke was definitely extraordinary as it looked like it was about done. When she turned around, the energy around Zeke was beginning to wane, but Zeke roared one final time as he pushed hard enough to crush the ground underneath Saang. It split and cracked like spider webs as the adventurer screamed in agony. Though Mikella felt that the blow to the ground was more from the pressure of Zeke¡¯s power rather than actually damaging Saang. The damage to her was caused to her insides, particularly where the parasite was at. Zeke was correct to worry about the surroundings as not just the ground, but the trees that surrounded them was blown apart, wood scattering everywhere. The clouds were blown apart from up above the sky, revealing the evening color of the day above. Leave¡­ now! Zeke¡¯s primal voice rang, growling as though ordering the affliction to disappear from his sight. Saang¡¯s mouth began to foam with bluish liquid before she rose and threw up several pounds¡¯ worth of bile onto the ground. It was a disgusting tinge of red, blue, and green, the sludge that came out of her mouth sloshing forward, creating a puddle of oozing muck that was hard to describe with a single word. Mikella recoiled in disgust. That thing was inside of her, sucking up her mana. Soon the pressurized air dissipated as Zeke¡¯s body soon returned to its natural state. His eyes swiftly returned to their heterochromia blue and green eyes, looking dazed and bewildered. Saang, on the other hand, was coughing a massive fit, her hands and knees down on the ground as both Hamil and Kote went over to her to check. Meanwhile, Mikella approached the disgusting bile, her eyes scrunching in horror and disgust. The thing below her was¡­ alive. Her Dragon Eyes flared as she can sense the weakness covering literally every part. It was like a creature¡¯s own insides were pulled out, and one slash was enough to kill it. So she did. She pulled out her sword and mercilessly stabbed down at it. The strange blob of fleshy mound screeched in defiance and pain before finally deflating itself. It shrunk little by little before finally sizzling into hot air, leaving nothing but pure blood from Saang¡¯s body. Mikella covered her mouth as she swiped away at the air, glad that the foul thing was done and over with. ¡°What in the gods was that thing?¡± Hamil said, the three men unable to take their eyes off of whatever it was that Mikella just killed. ¡°A disease,¡± Mikella said, shaking her head to wipe the gross memory. ¡°It¡¯s taken care of. How¡¯s Saang?¡± ¡°She¡¯s alive,¡± Zeke pointed out. His voice was ragged and dry, and his face looked pale like Saang was. ¡°She¡¯s completely dried up on ana. But she¡¯s not cold anymore, so that¡¯s good¡­ Though I wish I could¡¯ve done that better. If I had made an array before, I could¡¯ve used less mana and made it better for the process.¡± ¡°How are you, mana-wise?¡± Mikella asked. It was becoming a habit, but she had every right to be worried. ¡°I¡¯m fine. It¡¯s just gonna take me a few more hours of constant Meditation to get it all back. Using my attunement puts a heavy toll on my recovery rate¡­¡± Saang groaned, getting everyone¡¯s attention. With the two adventurers near her, Zeke approached and patted her back, sounding his magic eyes to check up on her further. Saang¡¯s face looked much healthier now, her skin color returning to its vibrancy. Saang opened her eyes, still dazed but returning in full. ¡°Ugh¡­ that was¡­ the worst hangover I ever felt in my entire life,¡± Saang said meekly, holding over her stomach. ¡°And I think I just barfed my entire life¡¯s worth.¡± The adventurers couldn¡¯t help but chuckle, patting and soothing Saang¡¯s weakened body. Mikella patted Zeke¡¯s shoulder for a job well done. At least for now, it was time to take a break. Vol 3 Ch46: Job well done ¡°Your report has been officially recognized,¡± One of the receptionists said with a melodic tone, but her face was still. ¡°Unfortunately, this is just adding one more case to the pile.¡± The Tempest Winds returned swiftly to the city after completing their quest. This was after Saang and Zeke recovered what little resources they could. After what happened, Saang relayed that she received a status affliction that she never received before.
You are afflicted with Energy Parasite. Your channels have been stifled by the Energy Parasite. Your energy will be drained as long as the parasite resides within you. Once all of your remaining energies are drained, the parasite will create a nest inside your core. Upon your death, the nest shall be released in droves according to the energy it drained from you.
It was a specific sort of affliction that Zeke hadn¡¯t seen either, but it was enough to show just how serious that parasite was. The way the parasite practically drunk the mana out of Saang proved that if it kept going longer, her kinetic and life energy would¡¯ve been next. What was worse was that apparently once all your energy has been drained, you¡¯ll still be alive like those Scythasaurs. Would Saang even be herself once her energy has been drained, or would she have been mindless like a monster when the parasite fully enters into your core, the soul? That was enough to make even a veteran like Saang shiver from the thought. Once they recovered easily enough, they also reported the strange death and the spiders that came out. However, the receptionist¡¯s tone made Zeke dread a bit. ¡°You¡¯re saying this has been happening often?¡± Hamil said, his face neutral and professional, but Zeke can already tell his eyes told a lot more going on in his mind. ¡°Thankfully not to the point of becoming a pandemic, but we have several adventurers that have been caught with the same affliction. Some are mild enough so that having a constant dosage of potions was enough to heal them, but some have been so severe that they unfortunately passed away before the guild can do anything to save them. The spiders, though¡­ that¡¯s a new one.¡± Despite her tone, the receptionist clearly wasn¡¯t happy with the way her face twisted a smidge before putting itself back into an appropriate expression of her stature. ¡°Have anyone found a way to cure this?¡± Hamil asked. ¡°Unfortunately, no. Our alchemists are working on the clock to find a way to heal this affliction, but so far the only thing they can do is provide more restoration potions without ruining their channels. But if what you said is true, how did Miss Saang survive?¡± ¡°Cuz of this guy right here.¡± Saang slapped Zeke¡¯s back with enough force to get him startled, but it was something he could handle. Still, it proved her Journeyman Strength was no joke. He narrowed his eyes at her which got him a silly grin in return. ¡°This young man healed you?¡± The receptionist¡¯s eyes widened, more expressive than her usual visage. ¡°How?¡± ¡°Umm¡­¡± ¡°He has an incredibly powerful healing skill, and an attunement that helps with the process. Plus, he¡¯s a Runist¨CGive him a sturdy room to work with, and he¡¯ll use his magic with ease.¡± Hamil held onto Zeke¡¯s shoulder with a grin of his own, getting Zeke to pause. Hamil didn¡¯t strike him as a saint of sorts, more like a professional adventurer. And what kind of an adventurer would willingly do such a taxing event for free? ¡°We would be glad to be of service if you can help us,¡± The receptionist in question revealed a bright smile that could beat a supermodel with ease. ¡°Of course doing so would drain quite a bit of his power. If possible, a form of payment would be appropriate for him. Wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡± ¡°Yes, naturally. The adventurer¡¯s guild would gladly offer payment according to his efforts. I believe we can discuss in further detail once he gets started.¡± He spiritually rolled his eyes. It made sense to offer help in exchange for gold, though that sounded precisely what they needed. Zeke and Mikella definitely need some extra cash since they spent quite a bit on Mikella¡¯s equipment being made. That and at some point, the otherworlders want to have some insurance in case adventuring doesn¡¯t hold out well. In other words, it was something that Zeke would be glad to help for free, but decided to leave it to Hamil who had years of experience discussing payments. Mikella, the usually shrewd woman with a vice grip on her wallet, nodded in satisfaction at the idea of being paid. After getting a room to work with, Zeke asked if he would be the only Runist working on this. He didn¡¯t mind the labor, but since there were more Runists around, having more would bring in assurance for the safety of the adventurers. Unfortunately, the adventurer¡¯s guild is keeping this a secret from the runist¡¯s guild. Apparently having a ¡®rogue¡¯ Runist around would make them ask a lot of questions Zeke was sure he didn¡¯t want to answer. So to ensure nobody gets a headache from them, only Zeke would be the one working on the runes. Not to mention asking for help from the Runist Guild would be such a major blow to their finances that it wasn¡¯t enough for the guild to fork over so much gold just for a few of their adventurers¡¯ lives. True, the adventurer¡¯s guild seemed rather cruel to their adventurers, but Zeke found that the Runist¡¯s Guild were even crueler to demand such high payments for the lives of their adventurers. Especially when drawing runes wasn¡¯t even that hard for him. So despite the heavy work, Zeke did so gladly for the paltry sum he would get for the adventurer¡¯s lives. Even Mikella agreed that the Runists asking for such a price deserved a sword straight up their asses. Once Zeke took a few hours designing the room with his runes to keep a better stable foundation, the guild staff helped bring along the adventurers that were afflicted. For each one, Zeke saw how bad they looked from their faces alone, and he actually hesitated before using his eyes to check their bodily state. It was awful. Almost like seeing an uncomfortable hospital documentary. Each adventurer that was brought in showed signs of damage beyond belief. The afflictions that took hold of them were practically drinking away their life force, their bodies appearing as though they were entering into a dried, mummified state. And the idea that his array could either fail and diminish their hope or outright kill them entirely gnawed at him. But he continued on regardless.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. He closed his eyes, the vast amount of adventurers¡¯ prone bodies forming rows on top of his Ethereal Manifest skill shaped to cover the surface of the entire floor. Their groans of agony and despair reached his ears, furthering his need to help them with his mana. Using his attunement was draining to his mind and body, but somehow, despite doing this just earlier in the day, he felt ready to use it again once he saw this mess. Opening his eyes, he stayed resolute. He placed his hand on top of the concentric circle made by his floating pens. Each section within the circle was riddled to the brim with complex runework, expanding further and further upon the dozens of concentric circles that surrounded all the adventurers in front of him. His poured his mana into the circle, causing it to glow a bright blue as it filled the entire hall, big enough to fit in several trucks with room to spare, followed along by the sick residents laying on top of the large healing array. Energy poured straight into every person within the confines of the array, and slowly drifted inwards through their open mouths and nostrils. It was the sort of invasive energy that seeped into their bodies, filling them to the brim with foreign concentrated mana based on the workings of his Restoration. That, along with the aid of Mana Manipulation, filled every person in the sickbed with potent Mana in a way that was more precise, careful, and more thorough than his earlier attempt with Saang. But he knew that wasn¡¯t enough. With a heavy hand of his will, his eyes glowed bright blue as his attunement took over. Power swelled from his chest and throughout his body, and he felt¨Cno, he became¨Cthe giant Zeke that everyone pointed out before. It was surreal. He felt disconnected to his real body, somehow seeing his own giant energy self from behind. Looking over at the adventurers, he brought his giant hands, his body made entirely out of mana, together to form a conjoined fist. With an effort of will, he sent the image of pouring in as much mana into the channels as possible to each of the adventurers, the rune array aiding his efforts even further. All at once, like a cacophony of disgust, each and every resident suddenly had the energy to stand and hurl all the contents out of their bodies. Each one was the very same red, blue, and greenish blobs of mass that, once entering the array¡¯s patterns, sizzled and burned as the foreign energy was all around them. The blobs hissed and screeched in their death throes before finally dissipating into hot air that slowly covered the entire room. It was a horrid stench, enough to feel like they were burning corpses, but to Zeke it was a welcome feeling as it meant that his array worked on all of these people. Figuring that all the people here have hurled literally everything in their stomachs, he stopped the array. His attunement ceased, and the giant Zeke eventually disappeared, returning his consciousness back into his real body. As before, he felt so drained, his body entering into a state of cold proving that he was deathly close to reaching zero mana. He turned around, facing the receptionist as well as his own party members and the healers that were charged with keeping the adventurers healthy. They all stood there gawking at the man, his party members outside of the gaping Saang being the only ones who saw this before. Zeke shrugged sheepishly. ¡°I, uhh¡­ I think they¡¯re gonna be okay now.¡± ¡­.. It was a resounding success according to the receptionist who gladly went up to Zeke to award him with his payment. The clearly joyful receptionist handed out what looked like a large brown bag that could easily fill over an entire hand. It was proof that the thing was massive when the woman handed the bag to Zeke, surprising him from its sheer heft. Looking inside, expecting a lot of silver coins, he nearly choked when he saw nothing but gold inside. ¡°H-How much is in here?¡± Zeke had to ask as he was honestly anticipating the number along with Mikella. ¡°As I said, we have paid you according to your efforts. Thanks to you, all of the adventurers that have been afflicted over the past weeks were cured. So it¡¯s only natural that you would be paid at least 80 gold coins.¡± After a solid moment of mathematics in his head, Zeke realized that he just got paid over eight grand¡¯s worth in just a few short hours. Thankfully, in his daze, Mikella took the heavy pouch and smiled instead for him to the young woman waiting for his response. ¡°Thank you very much, this will be very helpful in the future,¡± Mikella spoke with candid glee and proper manner that it befuddled Zeke¡¯s still-addled mind. The receptionist giggled before responding. ¡°It¡¯s only natural to feel overwhelmed, but you certainly pulled your weight. But please don¡¯t haphazardly spend it all at once. It¡¯s proper for a young adventurer to consider having savings for a rainy day.¡± The group headed off to leave the guild, waving back at the young woman looking quite pleased, like a huge weight was lifted off of her shoulders. It was already deep into the night, nearly reaching the morning hours. There were plenty of recovered adventurers finally returning back home, finally going back to their family and friends that were possibly worried like mad. Of course, when they realized who healed them, they went up to Zeke and thanked him profusely. Once they found out he was a Runist, they were even more thankful, then a little weary after telling that they don¡¯t have to pay anything. After being told by the Tempest Winds, the top rank party of the guild of his exploits and character, everyone suddenly wanted him to join their party to which Mikella came in clutch and refused them all for him. Thankfully, they went away not really expecting such a lucky and capable find, but they were more than happy to have him on a fantasy version of speed dial in case something like this happens again. Zeke managed to ignore the potential amount of money he made, looking at each of the adventurers that looked so close to death. Even without being paid with that much money, his heart swelled to see so many people recovering well thanks to him. Their families would be happy, and their sons and daughters won¡¯t have to say goodbye to their parents. ¡°Good work Zeke,¡± Hamil planted a heavy hand on his shoulder, a wide grin on his face. ¡°And don¡¯t worry about all that gold. Even if it was my idea, you deserve all this for saving Saang.¡± ¡°Not that I¡¯d let you have any of that in the first place,¡± Saang smiled with a sharp grin. ¡°I see how you¡¯re eyeing that pouch with all your soul.¡± ¡°Hey, that¡¯s a lot of gold, even for us,¡± Hamil raised his hands, as though it might seem like he was planning on taking the pouch for himself. ¡°Like she said, you should plan on carefully spending your money,¡± Kote said, turning to the two otherworlders. ¡°Not just in equipment, tools, and supplies¨Cbut also in the chance of attaining natural treasures for your attunements.¡± ¡°Natural treasures, huh,¡± Mikella said, looking back at the heavy pouch. She put it back into her storage pack, Zeke already giving her permission. They never bothered splitting it up between themselves because they always shared finances anyways. ¡°I tried to find one for my attunement, but I wanted to get the sort of lightning attunement that really fits well with me. Apparently there¡¯s no such thing as ¡®angry lightning¡¯ for me.¡± ¡°Welcome to being a specialized Journeyman,¡± Saang chuckled, pointing at her. ¡°And those things can be pretty expensive. If anything, that pouch of yours might not be enough.¡± ¡°And for Zeke¡­ mmh, that¡¯s hard to measure,¡± Kote said, crossing his steel-plated arms together. ¡°For a power like that, what kind of treasure does he need? Would just any type of treasure increase it?¡± ¡°Yeah, I gave up on that idea a while ago,¡± Zeke mentioned, rubbing the back of his head in thought. Now that they have reached Journeymen, it was natural to try and advance to Master-tier, or at least that¡¯s one of their very far-off goals. Reaching Master tier isn¡¯t just increasing the level to 100, which is already incredibly hard as just increasing their last two levels were difficult. He was also certain that those spiders were incredibly rare as they are strange, giving off more experience points than normal. They also need to reach at least tier five on their attunement. Just as Myra and Piker proved when they took their own natural treasure from the tower¡¯s reward, it can be increased in more potency and control than ever before. On top of that, one needed to have several of their skills reach Epic-rarity. Having to meet all three requirements is considered an undertaking of massive proportions. It was enough to fill Zeke¡¯s mind as they returned home for the night. Once the new day arrived, their search for the nearby towers will begin in earnest. Vol 3 Ch47: A busy Plague Doctor More than a week passed since Zeke healed the other adventurers. It became well known across the guild that a new healer was capable of healing the nasty affliction that had been plaguing the adventurers for a while, often asking for his help in exchange for gold. The guild provided the funds as Zeke did it all at their base, also using it as a chance to get a fee of their own. While it sounded wrong on a moral level, Zeke couldn¡¯t blame them. It made sense that they needed to have money in exchange for healing something that was honestly considered difficult to cleanse. Of course, that didn¡¯t stop the others from already making a nickname for him; The Plague Doctor. Now all Zeke needed was a mask that had a beak to complete the ensemble of it all. Even when they didn¡¯t understand the meaning behind the nickname, it was funny for him and Mikella, so they let it be. Mikella even wanted to play up the role by considering asking for a beak-like mask from Cru to which Zeke stopped with all his might. That nickname also spread far and wide across the city now. mostly in their district, with citizens even asking for the Plague Doctor¡¯s aid as the affliction somehow managed to worm its way to the normal folks. Non-adventurers often had to get out of the city for some type of business, only to get bombarded with an attack of a strange monster and end up getting infected. Thankfully, it wasn¡¯t contagious, so it was easily contained, but it was something of a concern for the small number of people who knew of this affliction. It was also apparent that Cronus knew of this affliction that can occur at times, and actually made sure not to let the Tempest Winds get any quest as he wanted them to be in pristine condition at all times. Since they took a quest meant for a relaxing get-together with the otherworlders, they ended up taking a quest that Cronus specifically didn¡¯t get for them, making them become part of the statistic of the occuring affliction. It wasn¡¯t something either of the party members wanted to admit that Cronus, despite treating them like grunts most of the time, truly cared for their safety¨Cat least to help him clean up the mess that¡¯s occurring. Throughout the week, Zeke had been bombarded with requests from the guild to help the afflicted while also searching with his party for the other towers. Due to this, they couldn¡¯t go far as while searching for the towers was important, it was just as important to help the people trodden with disease and have a bit of money on the side. Of course, Zeke asked to lessen the payment from families with barely any income, something that was promised with a contract with said family to never reveal this to anyone else¨Cwhich they gladly took. It wasn¡¯t easy to keep that sort of secret, otherwise the people who had paid for more would be in outrage, but it wasn¡¯t something Zeke was willing to budge. He may have been okay with decreasing the price, but it was Mikella who brought up the idea of a contract to ensure his healing is kept at a ¡®fair¡¯ payment. He wasn¡¯t going to fight against her for this kind of thing. Still, it was becoming daunting as the days passed. They had to return to the town every day without really expanding too far, and the feeling of the tower¡¯s presence making the trouble in the first place was weighing on his mind. Either clear the source of the affliction, or help the people before they die. In the end, he was just one man. Thankfully, it got to the point where the affliction was becoming less and less, and the healers finally managed to learn how to do the array without his massive supply of Mana. While that also meant that the income disappeared, it made Zeke finally relax as he had the freedom to do more than just keep healing. Even now, he was taking all that free time sleeping on the couch within Alissa¡¯s living room, his eyes covered with a cold towel that seeped into his face and brought peace that he never felt before. ¡°You know, you could have just declined,¡± He heard Alissa¡¯s voice, her tone filled with exasperation at his current state, but he easily ignored it as he knew his partner got his back. ¡°Yeah, but he¡¯s the sort of dingus that can never say no, no matter how bad it seems.¡± At least, that¡¯s what he thought. He grumbled to himself as he heard the two women talk shit behind him, thinking that he was asleep while in truth he was wide awake. But knowing Mikella, she might have already known and still went for the kill as always. ¡°Is Bobo gonna be okay?¡± Clara, the sweet angel that she was, asked in concern after approaching the downed Zeke. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°Oh, he¡¯s gonna be fine. Unfortunately, he¡¯s gonna be stuck being a dingus forever,¡± Mikella said, sounding as though she just gave grim news. ¡°Nooo! Bobo, don¡¯t be a dingus!¡± ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯m here!¡± He decided to end the snarky remarks, pulling the towel off of his eyes to see the women and girls in front of him. Clara ran away, but there was a clear smile on her face as she ran towards Sissy. ¡°Look, it¡¯s done now, alright?¡± Zeke said, rubbing his face. He still felt tired even when his resources were stocked full. He had just returned from the guild early in the morning and was now just resting in the early afternoon. The Tempest Winds decided to go off on a minor quest as a client specifically asked for them. Since they still needed to keep their facade of actual adventurers, they went off and left the two behind, which was what Zeke needed for his tired brain. It was only then that he was called over for what was thankfully the last time. ¡°I know, I know,¡± Mikella chuckled, only adding to Zeke¡¯s grumbling. ¡°But it¡¯s time now. We need to head to Cru and get the gear.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ right,¡± Zeke closed his eyes, rubbing the bridge of his nose. ¡°It¡¯s that time now, huh?¡± ¡°Can I come with you, please?¡± Clara called, putting on her best puppy dog eyes. ¡°It can get so boring doing training all the time. I¡¯ll have Brucey come with me if it¡¯s not safe¨Cright, Brucey?¡± Brucey, the ever-lovable bat partner, rose up from Clara¡¯s back, letting out a small screeching yawn before resting his head on top of her shoulder. He grew bigger over the time they spent here, getting Clara to make her own little pack for Brucey to rest in. It was a small little backpack that Brucey can easily rest inside, so he won¡¯t have to snatch onto the back of her shirt all the time to rest there. As for how the pack came in the first place, that was none other than Alissa. Turns out¨CAlissa was great with kids, even if she doesn¡¯t show it as often. ¡°I don¡¯t think you can bring a familiar to a store, Clara,¡± Alissa said, her tone soft but stern. ¡°No! I don¡¯t wanna leave Brucey behind,¡± Clara whined. ¡°He¡¯ll be totally cool and quiet. He won¡¯t make any trouble, I swear!¡± ¡°Actually, I think she can come with Brucey,¡± Mikella said, smiling at the homeowner. ¡°Cru isn¡¯t the type to really care about keeping her store¡­ clean, I think that¡¯s the right word.¡± ¡°Even so, Brucey¡¯s still not recognized as a proper familiar of the city,¡± Alissa pointed out, her brows furrowing a little. ¡°If a guard catches her with Brucey, you¡¯ll end up fined.¡± ¡°Then Brucey will stay in the pack!¡± Clara insisted. ¡°Please, Ali! I don¡¯t wanna leave Brucey all on his own.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Alissa winced at the clearly puppy-dog eyed look she was giving. ¡°It¡¯s a blacksmith¡¯s shop. You could be in danger¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry¨CI¡¯ll keep an eye on her,¡± Zeke said, bringing Clara to smile back at him. ¡°I¡¯m pretty good at that.¡± He still couldn¡¯t believe how much Clara looked at Alissa in a way that was already similar to Val. Clara already knew that Alissa and Valorie were entirely different women, but even so, Clara still trusted Ali enough to even shorten her name. Only Zeke was still a bit hesitant on calling her that, her glare usually scaring him. Still, it was enough for him to trust in Ali with taking care of Clara all this time. ¡°Hah, fine,¡± Ali said, rolling her eyes. ¡°But don¡¯t blame me if you get caught. And if you do, I won¡¯t be pulling your asses out of the fire.¡± ¡°Thank you, Ali! You¡¯re the best!¡± Clara hugged Ali, surprising the woman a little. Still, Ali huffed as she brushed Clara¡¯s hair, an action she clearly has done many times over. ¡°Honestly, how much energy do you have?¡± Ali said with a frown. Though clearly, Zeke can tell how much she didn¡¯t mind. ¡°And what about you, Zoan? Do you wanna go outside with your family?¡± Zoan, Clara¡¯s twin, was sitting by the seat on her own reading her fourth book, the other three resting near the small table by her side. She looked up from the pages, giving that impassive stare, then without a word¨Cwent back to reading her pages. ¡°She¡¯ll be fine with those two,¡± Zoan said, flipping another page on her current book. ¡°Aww¡­ really?¡± Clara said, her earlier tone now diminished. ¡°Zoan, won¡¯t you come with us?¡± Zoan looked up, facing the expectant young woman. ¡°I don¡¯t like being in stuffy forges. So no.¡± ¡°Oh, good point,¡± Clara said, easily accepting her point. That was honestly the first time Zeke ever heard about Zoan¡¯s likes and dislikes. Though honestly, it was clear that she hated anything that would be uncomfortable while reading books. Zeke could understand the same, being a bookworm himself. ¡°Then I¡¯ll keep Zoan here with me,¡± Ali said. ¡°I still need to write up some reports for the day, then head over to the estate to hand it in. Make sure to notify me of your arrival with the calling tool over there.¡± ¡°Will do,¡± Mikella said, pushing Clara¡¯s back. ¡°Come on, Clara.¡± ¡°Alrighty!¡± Clara yelled with glee, getting Zeke to get off his ass and walk with them. The calling tool he spotted at the side was not really a phone, per say, but the very same crystal used by Cloud and Val before. Instead, it looked like a terminal where the jack that the phone would be was just a large diamond-shaped crystal. If one pours Mana into it, they can directly contact the smaller crystal that a person carries¨Cin this case, they would call Ali if she was away. It was something very close to a phone, but just not there yet. Putting that aside, Zeke followed his family out of the house, leaving the district to visit Cru for the gear that they were waiting for. Vol 3 Ch 48: A merchants rough patches in life It was one of those rare moments where Mikella was grinning from cheek to cheek. No, she wasn¡¯t fighting a worthy foe in a battle to the near death, nor was it because she was finally picking up her weapons with all the enchantments she¡¯s been waiting to try out. Granted, that was part of it, but the real reason was because she got to spend time with her little sister again. Trotting along with a goofy smile on her face, Clara looked around the entire city. There was excitement in her eyes as she wasn¡¯t let out of the house due to the potential trouble of being by herself, which unfortunately also included Zoan due to her appearance. Alissa was a very busy woman, and despite doing her best for the two, she can¡¯t exactly bring two inexperienced women into her own matters. Though she feared that some bastard noble was gonna ruin all that, she knew that such a thing would be fine even if that were to happen. That¡¯s because Zeke was by her side, keeping a close eye on Clara with a silly grin all of his own. It was a rare family moment, something that Mikella hadn¡¯t expected to have while tackling the towers in Arcelot. They did it before, but that was before figuring out what their daily life would be like, which carried a sense of anxiety behind them. And just like before, they were going to go check on the smith, to which Clara was excited to see. However, when they got into the store, the scene did not play out the same in her mind. ¡°Godsdammit! Curse you and your fucking ¡®unexpected circumstances¡¯, you fucking pigs wearing shit-made magic robes you made with the blood of innocent children everywhere!¡± Hearing a rather detailed rant from the obviously disturbed blacksmith was not part of the scene in her mind. Nor was seeing Cru actively crushing every wooden crate around her with a huge hammer that didn¡¯t fit her slightly toned frame. Wood bits scattered everywhere, taking down the gear she crafted with them and making even more of a mess in the store. She continued to keep doing this for the next few moments, leaving the otherworlders standing there in awe at the scene. ¡°...Should we leave?¡± Clara asked, turning to the adults in her group. ¡°Maybe,¡± Zeke answered. ¡°I don¡¯t think she¡¯s in a good mood to talk today¡­¡± ¡°Hold on, let¡¯s just get in there and see what¡¯s wrong,¡± Mikella offered, but the two looked at her as though she lost her mind. ¡°You do remember I lost my barrier, right?¡± Zeke asked. This time, he wasn¡¯t even saddened, just in disbelief that she actually forgot that tidbit. Mikella shook her head as she went ahead herself, not really instigating Zeke to come with her as she certainly didn¡¯t want Clara near anywhere of this mess. Eventually Cru did calm down enough for the otherworlders to come in soon after. Mikella approached the sweaty Cru, breathing erratically with her eyes bulging out from beneath her wild black hair that her bandanna only just barely manage to keep out of her eyes due to her outrage. ¡°Cru, Cru!¡± Mikella called out, finally getting the smith¡¯s attention. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why are you losing your shit like this?¡± ¡°Why? I¡¯ll tell you why!¡± See, I knew she was gonna explain, Mikella called in her head, knowing that a woman like this would definitely bitch and moan if someone just asked. ¡°I just got word from the Alchemist¡¯s guild that they are terminating my contract due to ¡®unexpected circumstances¡¯,¡± Cru made air-quotes while using a rather disturbed expression on her face as she continued. ¡°Now they won¡¯t send me the materials I need for my enchantments! I paid out of my ass for their services, even getting some shit quality monster parts despite my payments getting higher by the year, and all of a sudden they just dropped everything! Why wouldn¡¯t I lose my shit!?¡± Mikella had to take a double take at the poor girl. Hearing all that made her realize that just because she was a blacksmith in a fantasy world doesn¡¯t mean that they don¡¯t work the same way as in their old world. Hearing monster materials out of Cru made her realize that she doesn¡¯t only work with metal and just plain mana. She had to use different kinds of monster parts, gemstones, and other types of materials outside of steel to make her equipment. And being an enchanting-based crafter as well as a business woman, it was obvious that she can¡¯t just collect them all herself. She had to pay someone else to do it, or in this case, getting a contract to make a formal exchange. ¡°Shit, I¡¯m sorry to hear that¡­¡± Mikella said, sympathy growing for the smith girl. ¡°How did that happen in the first place?¡± ¡°Bah, some weirdo deciding to heal everyone for free got all the people in the Alchemist guild to get riled up, or something like that,¡± Cru finally managed to calm down enough, her face still riddled with anger but her eyes were closed as she explained. Opening her eyes, she continued. ¡°I think that got those piss-ants to lose their revenue on selling expensive potions for those folks or something. At least that¡¯s the rumors I heard while I go out there to restock.¡± That instantly got Mikella to pause, shifting her gaze towards Zeke who came in after. His own eyes were widened, hearing all of this explanation, his face paling in realization. The very same rumors she heard were right. The one healing everyone for ¡®free¡¯ was actually Zeke, healing the adventurers who were hit with the cancerous Mana Parasite. Seeing that the Adventurer¡¯s guild couldn¡¯t ask for a more expensive option of relying on the Runist¡¯s guild, it made sense that they made a deal with the Alchemist¡¯s guild to get the potions necessary to keep their adventurers alive. Now that she thought about it, there were a lot of plain named guilds in this country. Were the people just that lazy to come up with better names? Or is this one of those official names so that the citizens won¡¯t get confused about where to go? Either way, they have a problem. If Cru lost her materials, it was because Zeke was responsible for that happening. Cru looked back at Mikella, who immediately stiffened. ¡°Sorry about this, Mikky,¡± Cru said, using her shortened name as easy as breathing air since their last discussion. ¡°I think I might have to put a hold on your equipment. At this rate, I might not even be able to make them¡­ If you want your gold back, I understand. I don¡¯t know exactly how I can get the materials I need to start enchanting the gear to your specifications.¡± This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s¡­¡± Guilt took a vice-grip on her heart as she saw Cru¡¯s crestfallen face. It was clear that while the contract being terminated was an annoyance, what really hurt Cru was disappointing Mikella on not getting the gear she promised. It was clear that Cru at least wanted to settle her current orders before this debacle came up. Zeke approached the two, Clara standing by while looking at the trio in concern. ¡°Hey, Cru,¡± Mikella started, her hand resting on Cru¡¯s shoulder to pick her spirits up. ¡°Why not ask someone else to get the materials for you? I mean, how hard is it to get the stuff you need to enchant?¡± ¡°Umm¡­ why do you need monster parts to enchant, anyways?¡± Cru raised her head up to spot Clara, a new visitor along with the otherworlders in her store. She turned to Mikella, her finger pointing at the younger woman. ¡°She your daughter?¡± Cru asked. ¡°She¡¯s a cutie, that¡¯s for sure.¡± ¡°She¡¯s my little sister, and yes, she is,¡± Mikella smiled. She knew she liked Cru considering that she instantly thought Clara of being a cutie. Clara herself blushed slightly, but she had a silly grin on her face. ¡°Huh?¡± Cru asked. ¡°Wait, how old are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m 21?¡± Mikella asked, somehow answering a question with a question. ¡°Why do you ask?¡± ¡°21, and you¡¯re a fucking Journeyman¡­ holy shit, you are impressive,¡± Cru shook her head. ¡°Could¡¯ve sworn you were older. At least old enough to get a kid now. Ah well¡­ as for your question, kid.¡± Cru turned to Clara, ignoring the jive at Mikella¡¯s age. Clara looked concerned, her face lowering for a bit, but remembering Mikella¡¯s words, turned to Cru to speak eye to eye. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to annoy you.¡± ¡°Ah, don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Cru waved her concerns off as she continued. ¡°Not every day a kid asks how enchantment works. See, enchanters don¡¯t just put magic into an item, expecting to work like usual. We need catalysts to create the specific enchantments we need to put into an item. Monster parts, or anything that has any form of aspect in their mana signatures, are perfect for creating specific enchantments used on equipment and armor.¡± ¡°Ooh,¡± Clara nodded. ¡°So, now you can¡¯t get those materials anymore¡­¡± ¡°Precisely, and the Alchemist¡¯s guild is perfect to get materials from,¡± Cru explained, turning to Mikella this time. ¡°That¡¯s because the guild is more organized in getting specific materials. I can¡¯t just get it anywhere else. Even if the adventurer¡¯s guild can also supply materials, they don¡¯t offer contracts for the local merchants due to some weird law they made years ago or something, and they won¡¯t bother changing it now. I have to pay for each commision I ask for, and I have to pay even more than what I pay for the contract with the Alchemist¡¯s guild if I want any monster parts that are half-way decent.¡± Mikella winced, knowing exactly how that feels. Why use a more expensive option when a subscription can be better for your wallet? But it looks like that ship has sailed and now Cru is stuck in this predicament. As though he had enough, Zeke spoke up for the first time. ¡°Cru, if I may ask. Do you necessarily need monster parts to create different effects for your enchantments?¡± Cru looked up at Zeke as though he just spoke an alien language. After staring at him for a while, her brows furrowed now that she considered his question. ¡°Well¡­ I never knew how to use anything else. But I don¡¯t think it¡¯s impossible. But what kind of catalyst do I need that can replace good old monster parts?¡± ¡°What about something that replaces the need for parts, but still gives the energy needed to make powerful enchanting effects?¡± Zeke asked further, his eyes glinting as he continued. ¡°Like, a permanent device that can stand in as a catalyst for every enchantment?¡± ¡°Now that would be a dream come true,¡± Cru said, nodding her head. ¡°Here¡¯s the problem¨CI don¡¯t have the gold to buy that wonder item. Even if I do, where do I get that wonder item? Sounds like something a Runist could make, but I sure know where I stand. No way in hell a runist would take the time to come to my place and make something so wonderful for me.¡± Mikella knew instantly what Zeke was trying to do, and for once, she didn¡¯t try to stop him. There were reasons for that. One thing, she doesn¡¯t control Zeke. Second, she knew him well enough that this would eat at him if he didn''t help. Considering they were responsible for landing Cru in that situation in the first place, it only makes sense that he would offer her something else in return. Not to mention, she really likes the idea of Cru being better off financially than dealing with the shitty Alchemist¡¯s guild that willingly took advantage of the sick adventurers by upping the price of their life-saving potions for them. If that wasn¡¯t an act of pure evil, then what was it? ¡°So then you wouldn¡¯t mind if I make one for you?¡± Zeke asked, hope rising on his face as he finally made his declaration. ¡°Make me what?¡± Cru asked, raising a single brow. ¡°That wonder device. Do you want me to make one for you?¡± ¡°How?¡± Cru asked, narrowing her eyes at him. ¡°I just said that it¡¯s impossible unless we¡¯re talking about a Runist here.¡± Zeke turned to face Mikella, and she couldn¡¯t believe him when he did so when she just shook her head and pointed at Cru, mouthing ¡®just tell her already¡¯. His cheeks reddening slightly, he turned to Cru. Mikella, however, knew full well he likes being dramatic like this. ¡°I¡¯m a Runist,¡± Zeke said. ¡°I can make it for you.¡± Silence filled the store. For a moment, Mikella wondered if Cru was waiting for Zeke to continue, probably doing some sort of joke. Then her eyes turned glazy for a second, and in her eyes, Zeke tensed slightly from the Identify being used on him. The moment that passed, Cru immediately paled, her eyes widening like dinner plates. Her breathing turned up a pitch as she suddenly knelt down, her head slamming down with her hands resting underneath it right to the dirty wood-riddled floor. ¡°Sir Runist! Oh gods, I¡¯m so sorry for treating you like this. Please, please have mercy. I didn¡¯t mean to insult you like this. I beg you, please don¡¯t get angry at me!¡± That got the otherworlders to stare at Cru in shock. Her demeanor changed so suddenly that Zeke was left gaping at her, horrified at the scene. ¡°P-Please, stop that!¡± Zeke offered, raising his hands in a gentle nature. ¡°I¡¯m not angry. You don¡¯t have any reason to apologize like this. Please, stand up!¡± Mikella took a moment to realize why Cru was acting so crazy like this. Then, realization hit her as she snapped her fingers. ¡°Cru, Zeke isn¡¯t part of the Runist guild.¡± A moment passed, Cru¡¯s face still hidden while staring at the ground in her kow-tow position. Then another moment came and went before Cru slowly turned up her face, facing the otherworlders with a raised brow. ¡°...You serious?¡± Cru asked, genuine concern on her face. ¡°I¡¯m serious,¡± Mikella said, getting Zeke to nod vigorously. ¡°We told you before that we¡¯re outsiders, remember?¡± ¡°But he¡¯s a Runist,¡± Cru pointed her chin over at Zeke. ¡°How is he a Runist if he wasn¡¯t part of the Runist Guild?¡± ¡°My master taught me Runecraft before I chose my class a y¨CI mean, a long time ago,¡± Zeke quickly sidestep the time gap with a slight cough. ¡°I was never a part of the Runist guild. But I still chose Runist as my class.¡± After another moment of silence, Mikella wondered if Cru¡¯s mind was somehow broken from all this. Then, she slowly rose from the floor, dusting off the dirt and dust from her pant legs and then her hands. Then she swiped the dirt off of her reddish forehead before facing the otherworlders. With a neutral expression, she spoke again. ¡°...Oh. Well, that would¡¯ve been good to know several seconds ago.¡± Vol 3 Ch 49: Why Runists are awesome ¡°So you guys were the ones that got the Alchemist¡¯s guild all in a tissy.¡± Cru mentioned, shaking her head ruefully as she, Mikella, and Clara all watched Zeke do his magic on a metal slab to make it into Cru¡¯s ¡®wonder item¡¯. In other words, a multi-useable catalyst for her enchantments. The store closed up prematurely, which was Cru¡¯s initial plans for the seeable future thanks to the trouble the Alchemist¡¯s Guild put her through. Suddenly canceling the contract thanks to their coffers drying up all because Zeke decided to do the humane thing and help people had made them realize that they need to alter their business practices. Zeke offered her a way to help make up the costs of suddenly losing a supply of steady monster parts used for her enchantments by creating the device which she can use instead. This way, she can save a crap ton of money while keeping her enchanting business afloat. Once the little ¡®issue¡¯ regarding Zeke not belonging to the official Runist Guild is resolved, Cru eventually left Zeke to borrow the foundation he needed for his new device. The metal slab, in this case, was actually several feet tall and just as wide, reaching up to Zeke¡¯s waist at his full height. When Mikella asked why the hell she had something like this just hanging around in the back of her store, it was apparently an old anvil she used long ago before she had an official anvil with runes to help with her crafting. And just as you might expect, it was a heavy thing, but Mikella¨Cher Strength being at 300, carried it with ease all the way to the store front for Zeke to fiddle with. Normally, smiths needed an anvil filled with mana in order to make their creations powerful, hence why Cru commissioned a special anvil for her blacksmith business. But she apparently brought this giant metal slab from her old home before she moved here, a relic of her childhood that she had no plans on letting go. That didn¡¯t mean she didn¡¯t mind using this when Zeke asked for any heavy and large metal item to use for his device. It was gathering dust for no good reason, so it might as well get a new purpose. Right now, Zeke was carefully writing on the slab with his pen by hand, the other pens floating by and keeping the mana energy contained, or something along those lines. It was still a mystery how Zeke does his runes, but that didn¡¯t stop Clara from watching Zeke incessantly, wanting to learn from the master himself about writing runes. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m sorry about what happened,¡± Zeke answered, though his eyes were locked onto the complicated runes he was drawing at the same time. ¡°I don¡¯t regret it, but I didn¡¯t mean for this to impact your business.¡± ¡°Hey, what can you do?¡± Cru answered back, waving off his apology. ¡°I heard rumors about it, but actually knowing the details made me sick on how those Alchemists treat adventurers. In fact, I¡¯m glad you knocked those stuffy nobles and their stinky business off their high horse.¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Clara shouted, raising a fist. ¡°Fuck the nobles!¡± ¡°Damn straight kid,¡± Cru grinned. But then a frown appeared as she turned to Mikella instead, considering Zeke being too busy to face her. ¡°But I gotta be honest. I don¡¯t think I can accept this. This is just too much for me to handle. I really appreciate your help, but¡­¡± ¡°Cru, come on,¡± Mikella responded. ¡°There¡¯s no need to worry. Zeke wants to do this. So just take it with gratitude.¡± ¡°But this stuff normally costs a mansion in the noble district and then some,¡± Cru waved over to what Zeke was working on. ¡°Hell, if you did services around here, you¡¯d be making gold every second of the day.¡± ¡°And I¡¯m hoping you can keep this quiet too,¡± Mikella said, raising a finger over her lips. ¡°Can you imagine what the Runist guild, or literally anyone else, would do if there¡¯s a free Runist doing whatever he wants? Forget about doing free service¨Cdo you think those Runists are just gonna let Zeke go?¡± Cru grimaced, knowing exactly what she was talking about. It didn¡¯t take a genius to figure out that the Runist guild will definitely not like finding out about a rogue runist doing humanitarian services. Mikella didn¡¯t plan on letting anything happen to Zeke, but even she knew that she wouldn¡¯t want to face a team full of runists who knows what they¡¯re doing. Not that they would lose in a battle. No, she was worried something even worse¨Ca political battle with no weapons allowed. She knew for sure that she would lose that battle, no questions asked. So the only way to avoid that unwinnable battle is to not let it happen in the first place. Though at some point, people would figure out that there¡¯s a free runist running around here if they just use an Identify on him. She heard there were items that can help with that, but right now, it was difficult to find, let alone actually purchasing it with their meager funds. ¡°But if you really feel indebted to us, you can always waive off any payments for us from now on if we do this for you¡­¡± Mikella said, not willing to let this chance go for her weapons. Cru laughed aloud. ¡°If you do this for me, everything I make for you guys is forever free of chrage. You¡¯d be helping me make more gold, and on top of that, you¡¯ll help me level up my Blacksmith class and Enchanting skill on top of that.¡± ¡°So it is true that leveling up Enchanting is also expensive?¡± Mikella asked. ¡°Considering you needed to buy monster parts to make those effects you use?¡± ¡°Oh, very,¡± Cru answered with a nod. ¡°And you have to use the more powerful and expensive ingredients if you want to make any headway into higher level enchantments. So if this actually works, I can experiment all I want, raising my skill even higher and getting better enchantments. After that, I can get more notoriety. I might even beat other Enchanters at their own game!¡± ¡°But don¡¯t Enchanters have their own skills?¡± Clara asked, her eyes widening. ¡°Like Bobo with his Runist skills?¡± ¡°Yeah, definitely,¡± Cru nodded to Clara¡¯s question. ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong. They¡¯ll have it easier than I do¡­ but it¡¯s all about what¡¯s up here, and what¡¯s in here.¡± Cru tapped her temple with a finger, then pounded her chest with her fist. Clara nodded slowly in realization. ¡°A real crafter uses their wits, not just their abilities and skills. Even if I¡¯m at a disadvantage with my skills and stats, it¡¯s the hard work that brings in the bacon, and pure satisfaction for the customers who come here.¡± ¡°See, Clara?¡± Mikella added with a sly grin. ¡°Listen to your older sister and accept her wisdom. Hard work trumps all.¡± ¡°I know that already,¡± Clara rolled her eyes at her, but then quickly smiled after turning to Zeke to watch his work again. He was at it for a few minutes now, but he already wrote across half of the entire slab entirely in rune arrays. As he continued, Zeke spoke up as though putting something out there. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. ¡°Just letting you know. This isn¡¯t entirely perfect. In order to get the different effects you need, you¡¯re gonna have to adjust your mana flow into this device according to the effects you want. It¡¯s a little complicated, especially if you don¡¯t have Mana Manipulation, but I can help you out if you¡¯re stuck.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It was clear from the beginning that I needed both Mana and Kinetic Manipulation to make a proper business. How¡¯s it going so far?¡± ¡°This would¡¯ve been a lot more complicated to figure out if you hadn¡¯t given me the enchantment encyclopedia to look over. Thankfully I had enough of a grasp to figure out what I needed to do.¡± Zeke commented, a smile on his face as he certainly had his fun reading the encyclopedia that Cru gave him regarding the different effects enchanters can use on their gear. The book itself was spread open on the floor beside the kneeling Zeke, his pens often flipping the pages for him as he continued his work. It was completely baffling for Mikella to see this happening, but she remembered he had this handy Parallel Thought skill that split his thoughts into separate sections. That has to be a total cheat skill, she swore. She wanted to get such a skill herself, but she hated the migraine that came with it. ¡°Also, this won¡¯t last forever. I think you might need something to refuel the device with mana if it runs out, but eventually the runes would wear off if you keep making powerful enchantments on it. So don¡¯t go around making ultimate weapons of power willy-nilly. You¡¯ll run out of juice faster that way.¡± ¡°How long can it last?¡± Cru asked, her hands on her hips while bending forward to view the runes up close. ¡°Mmh, that really depends, but it might last for a few years if you keep the power at a medium for the enchantments.¡± They kept talking about the specifics of the device, which Cru and Zeke eventually named it Enchantment Generator, or just generator for short. Hearing that word made Mikella realize that Zeke really is the equivalent of a magical electrician. Almost an hour passed by as Zeke kept working on the project. Eventually, the entire metal slab became what is known as the Enchantment Generator prototype. Contrary to its clean and silvery-black colored state before, now it was riddled to the brim with glowing blue and green runes that circled around, creating a mesmerizing array of mystery that truly made this something fantastical. Truly, a wonder item of the ages. Clara clapped her hands in glee at just seeing the product humming to life, Zeke chuckling awkwardly while taking in Clara¡¯s praise of how cool it looked. Honestly, it looked like the slab was hit hard with a lot of ¡®nerd¡¯ for Mikella, but even she had to admit it was awesome to look at. For Cru, it was as though touching it would be like smearing a great historical painting. Her eyes just glazed over the generator, her hands hovering over it as though she had no clue on what she was doing. ¡°Sorry if this is asking a lot,¡± Zeke continued, pulling the collar of his shirt to breathe easily from the effort. ¡°But do you mind letting us see how you enchant something? If it¡¯s a secret, then is it fine if it¡¯s just me? I want to see if it worked precisely as I wanted it to do.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s no secret,¡± Cru waved it off. ¡°I got something I¡¯ve been meaning to try out right here.¡± Per her word, Cru opened up the top part of the storage pack beside her hip, and pulled out a longsword. It had a jagged edge across one side of the blade, the other a straight line down to the squarish guard. The blade had a lean metallic color with a slightly darker tone near the blunt side. She then placed the longsword down onto the Generator, feeling the effects for herself as the generator¡¯s runes started to glow, as if awaiting for its master to start working. ¡°So I gotta make a good image in my head while I¡¯m enchanting, right?¡± Cru spoke up after turning to Zeke. ¡°Then pour in my mana to match the mana signature of the effects I want?¡± ¡°Precisely. The more you synchronize between the image and the effect, the better the result.¡± ¡°Well that¡¯s easy!¡± Cru smiled. ¡°I always had to make a connection with the monster parts, so I know exactly what I need.¡± Returning to the generator, Cru closed her eyes. A moment passed before the sword began to glow a bright yellowish red, the color of her mana surging through it. Mikella¡¯s Mana Manipulation picked up the intensity she was pouring to her sword, but it was different from how she used her own attunement through her fighting. It felt methodical, going through the motions of a well-practiced veteran as the mana seeped into their own channels into the blade of all things. When the sword started to glow, Cru¡¯s hand hovered over to the sword, the other still gripping onto the hilt. The generator¡¯s runes then flashed bright, the usually green and blue belonging to Zeke now turning a hot red and orange. Through her senses, she sensed the mana churning within the structure of the former metal slab, the runes creating their own proper network within it as the energy surged through the inner channels and headed up to where the blade made contact with the generator. The two mana collided, the energy crashing into one another before it eventually settled down, transforming into a torrent of power that flowed into the sword, making it swell despite nothing occuring in the physical world. The only thing happening outside is the sword glowing even brighter thanks to the generator, and when the energy collided together, the sword encased itself in flames, heat rising from the blade as Cru lifted the sword up, showing the flaming sword to everyone around her. Clara shouted in glee from the sword becoming magical, the other adults watching with awe. It was an incredible thing on Mikella¡¯s side, seeing how enchanting works out in real time. If there was a crafting skill she would want for herself, then it would be this one, for sure. Cru lifted the sword up, swung it left and right a few times, then the flames dispersed as if she hit the off-switch, returning the longsword to how it normally was. There was still that hint of smoke trailing from the blade itself, only just being encased in flames moments ago. ¡°Godsdammed, if this isn¡¯t the best thing I have ever seen¡­¡± Cru said in clear awe. She turned to Zeke, her eyes turning wide. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that it can¡¯t handle high-level enchantments?¡± ¡°I did,¡± Zeke answered with a nod. ¡°It looks like there¡¯s no problems on my end. What¡¯s wrong? Is it weaker than average?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s stronger!¡± Cru answered as though Zeke had lost his mind. ¡°I just tried to give it a simple Flame Enchantment. Just a low end effect that can give fire damage to anything that¡¯s weak to fire. This is¡­ here, just look for yourself.¡± Cru handed the now enchanted sword over to Zeke, with Mikella clearly closing in to Identify the sword for herself. Flaming Iron Longsword (Epic) One of the many longswords crafted by none other than the Enchanting Blacksmith. The sword becomes flame itself, slashing and burning everything it comes across. Enchantments: Great Fire Great Mana Conductivity She was floored when she read the rarity tag near the name. ¡°Epic?¡± She asked in shock. ¡°Was it Epic before?¡± ¡°No, just Uncommon!¡± Cru nearly shouted, shaking her head in disbelief. ¡°I planned on putting in just Medium Fire, but instead it came up with not just a better version, it even added mana conductivity like a goddamn afterthought. That effect makes every enchantment easier to use, lessening mana consumption. It didn¡¯t even use any requirements to add that in. What the hell did you make here, Zeke?¡± ¡°I, I just¡­¡± Zeke hesitated, not really knowing what to say. ¡°I mean, I just did what I thought was decent. I didn¡¯t think it would add in an effect by itself. If that¡¯s a problem, then I can adjust it¨C¡± ¡°Problem? Do you know how much these bad boys can be sold? People would be fighting over each to bid for just this dingy sword I made in my off time thanks to this enchantment!¡± Cru nearly shouted. Mikella knew she wasn¡¯t being hostile. It was the opposite, her face almost brightening up with each word coming out of her mouth. ¡°Makes sense,¡± Mikella nodded, recalling something. ¡°Zeke does have his Runecraft skill to Legendary.¡± ¡°Ooh¡­ right, yeah,¡± Zeke, as if the fool just realized, snapped his fingers in recognition. ¡°Forgot about that. Yeah, I guess the runes I make would be pretty good on their own already. Kinda feels a bit off since I just got it from my Journeyman advancement rather than raising it myself, y¡¯know?¡± ¡°Tell me about it,¡± Mikella shook her head, remembering the outright denial of gaining the Rare rarity for each of her weapon skills by just advancing. Meanwhile, Cru looked at the two of them as though they just spoke the language of the gods themselves, the Epic enchanted sword just left hanging there in her hand as she watched them. Before Cru¡¯s mind could break any further, Mikella smiled as she suggested. ¡°So, since you got yourself a pretty nifty wonder device now¡­ how about you make me something pretty damn decent now?¡± Vol 3 Ch 50: Gear changes for whats to come Zeke watched the event play out, Cru focusing on the weapons with Mikella and Clara talking over which kind of effects they wanted. Since they got themselves a free pass to whatever enchanted weapons Cru could make, Mikella pretty much asked for the world, and Cru answered in kind. All in all, he was satisfied. He was thankful Mikella was okay with him being a bleeding heart again for Cru, knowing full well that just because it was his kindness that caused her contract to be canceled doesn¡¯t mean he had to take responsibility for it. Still, the two understood Cru¡¯s situation and decided to help her out, and in return, Cru would willingly craft their weapons and gear for free, all while enjoying her own near-permanent source of enchanting magic to use. The sword and bow worked perfectly well for Mikella, proving just how incredible they were back during the quest they¡¯ve been on. He knew her having weapons of similar quality for all of her mastery skills would only make her more ferocious in combat. But what really made Zeke enjoy the moment were the girls giddily talking with one another, Clara joining in to ask as many questions as possible for Cru who, despite being asked incessantly, seemed joyful to talk about enchanting with the young girl a few years before initialization. ¡°Mmh¡­ Should I pick being a Runist, or be an Enchanter and help out Bobo and Sissy¡­?¡± ¡°Kid, don¡¯t bother being a Class that others find useful. It¡¯s better to stand on your own two feet and pick a class for yourself.¡± ¡°Yeah, Clara,¡± Mikella played off Cru¡¯s words, looking over at her little sister. ¡°Remember what the dogman says. Better to go with your gut than what other people want you to do.¡± ¡°Yeah, but I really want to be an Enchanter and a Runist! I don¡¯t know which one!¡± ¡°Oh, in that case, that¡¯s your own problem.¡± ¡°Sissy!¡± Zeke chuckled, glad to just witness the scene then join in. He was also ensuring that the Generator was working properly, and so far, Cru was able to use the Generator successfully three times after the sword. Each time, she created different effects, with the second time being a complete opposite of the flaming sword, a spear that can cast ice magic and launch icicle shards at an enemy. She then created a defensive enchantment with the torso of a plate armor, adding in the aspect of pure steel that counters any kind of corrosive strikes that would normally be the death of such armor. Finally, she created a dagger with a mixed-aspected enchantment. She created a dagger that can speed up the attack of the wearer, but not directly using the Dexterity stat of the owner. This meant that in the hands of someone who has low Dexterity but high Strength and Endurance can use this dagger as deftly as a Rogue would with Dagger Mastery. This would normally cost her an arm and a leg in terms of the monsters materials needed to create this effect, but now she can easily create impressive works such as the Dagger. Unfortunately, none of them came any higher than the Epic rarity, and apparently that was by luck as all three other creations were just Rare instead. Zeke wondered whether the difference of rarity for equipment was even worth it, considering that the dagger one was pretty incredible. But then he learned that the dagger had incredible requirements, such as the dagger can only be used when having your overall stats higher than 600, with at least Dagger Mastery skill on hand. That¡¯s around the range of most high-tiered Experts, with Journeymen easily capable of using it with some levels under their belts. Though for someone who doesn¡¯t have access to Attribute fruits, that might be harder to get. ¡°Hey Zeke, why not ask something for yourself?¡± Zeke¡¯s eyes turned to Mikella after studying the dagger some more, seeing that both her and Cru were looking at him with expectant eyes. ¡°Me?¡± Zeke asked. ¡°What do I need?¡± He wasn¡¯t being arrogant about it. As a mage and a Runist, he already has everything he needs. With his gear, along with his glasses, he had all the mana he could use for his unarmed combat and spells. His pens also made an incredible point on his journey as a Runist, so he really has no idea what else he could get. ¡°Well, why not ask for some gauntlets or something?¡± Mikella pointed at his hands. ¡°Don¡¯t you hurt your hands too much when you fight? Also, those gloves aren¡¯t gonna last very long if you keep fighting with them like that.¡± Zeke¡¯s eyes widened when he looked at his hands, as though only now recognizing his old Gloves of Sanctuary. These were the gloves that helped him use his barrier to the maximum, as well as his Recovery which has now turned into Restoration. These gloves were, if he was honest, the stepping stone to become everything he is now. Seeing them, the gloves did look a bit tattered. There were some hard-to-clean marks and small holes that were scattered across the leather. The durability was strong, but Mikella was right¨Cthey were close to giving up. A wave of depression hit him when he realized that while he wasn¡¯t thinking about his gloves anymore, they were practically a part of his body now. If he replaced them, he felt there would be a hole left behind. It wasn¡¯t just the helpful skills, but just them being there at his time of need. He pulled up the gloves¡¯ information, as though seeing them for the last time.
Gloves of Sanctuary (Uncommon): Gloves created with the sense of safety behind them. Pushes the ideal that protection comes first before anything. Enchantments: Lesser Support Aid Lesser Support Proficiency
They were so simplistic, yet they were the cornerstone of what Zeke became today. ¡°Yeah¡­ yeah, you¡¯re right,¡± Zeke eventually said, looking up to see the girls watching him in concern. ¡°Sorry, I just realized how long I had these gloves and how much they helped me up to now. Maybe it¡¯s time to get something new.¡± ¡°Totally,¡± Mikella walked up to him, and held his hands in hers. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean you should get rid of the gloves. Hey, Cru¨Cyou think you can give these an upgrade?¡± ¡°An upgrade?¡± Zeke¡¯s eyes widened. Now that wasn¡¯t something he expected to hear. Cru came over to Mikella¡¯s side, seeing the gloves for herself. Zeke wanted to ask if he should take them off for her to watch, but she quickly held the two up and stared at them as though seeing beyond what Identify showed. He felt a little awkward having his hands held in such a way by Cru, but eventually she gave a single nod. ¡°Oh, definitely. These babies looked like they were used to their fullest. They won¡¯t last much longer. But I can definitely replace these enchantments for something way better. Let me know what kind you want.¡± This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°What kind¡­ wow, I don¡¯t¡­¡± Zeke stammered, shaking his head. ¡°I mean, if possible, I¡¯d like gauntlets, but I also want to have these gloves for everyday kind of things, you know?¡± ¡°So gloves to replace these ones, and gauntlets for combat, right? Got it.¡± ¡°Wait, hold up¨C¡± Zeke opened his hands, still held by Cru which she eventually let go as he asked. ¡°Can I wear my gloves and gauntlets at the same time?¡± ¡°As long as they don¡¯t intervene with each other, it should be fine. The gauntlets, I¡¯m guessing, is for combat, right? It¡¯s no different than carrying a weapon.¡± ¡°A weapon¡­ huh,¡± Zeke shook his head. ¡°How come I never thought of that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s actually pretty kickass that you kept fighting with your bare hands¡­ now that I think about it, why the hell is a Runist fighting bare-handed anyways?¡± A lofty explanation of Zeke¡¯s carved runes, and Cru¡¯s expression shifting from shock to horror, ensued before Cru shook her head. ¡°You¡¯re nuts. You¡¯re both nuts. I like it.¡± ¡°Glad you see it that way,¡± Mikella grinned. ¡°But damn, I should¡¯ve asked Adam if he had stuff like that for Zeke. We had a whole year and we didn¡¯t even talk about getting weapons for you.¡± ¡°Probably because we¡¯ve been going crazy with training, and we were pretty poor,¡± Zeke answered easily enough.¡± ¡°Huh, who¡¯s this Adam?¡± Cru asked, unable to keep in her curiosity when the otherworlders started conversing. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s this blacksmith we have where we came from,¡± Mikella answered with a smile. ¡°He¡¯s always helping us out.¡± ¡°And always complaining that she keeps breaking his weapons,¡± Zeke added in as though it was a conspiracy, pointing his thumb over at the now glaring dragon girl. Cru laughed aloud, ¡°Huh, that¡¯s weird. I couldn¡¯t help it. See, Adam is my dad¡¯s name too. Weird how he¡¯s also a blacksmith.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Mikella¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Where is he now, if you don¡¯t mind me asking?¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s nothing,¡± Cru waved it off. ¡°We kinda¡­ err, not exactly had a fight, but more like a falling out? Anyways, I went against his wishes to focus on enchanting as a side business and moved here. Granted, that was before figuring out how misogynistic this place was, but them¡¯s the breaks. Anyways, we still keep in contact. Last I checked, he lives in some special village or town somewhere in the outside world¡­ I think it was called ¡®Eve Glade¡¯ or something¡­¡± The three otherworlders widened their eyes in slow realization. The name ¡®Eve Glade¡¯ hit it home, and all of a sudden, Zeke could see some strange resemblances that made a lot of sense. The black hair, the crude way she¡¯s speaking, the accent she uses¡­ all of them came from her dad, the blacksmith from Eve Glade. ¡°We know your dad!¡± Mikella suddenly shouted, getting everyone to get alarmed by that. She instantly covered her mouth as though she didn¡¯t mean to shout out loud like that. Meanwhile, Cru only had her eyes on the pair, not understanding what she was saying. ¡°What? What do you mean¡­?¡± ¡°We, uhh¡­¡± Zeke slowly said, turning to the still covered Mikella and Clara who watched in awe at the realization. ¡°We actually came from Eve Glade. We know your dad because he is the blacksmith there.¡± ¡­.. Hearing everything about their journey from Eve Glade to here, without actually going into detail such as their venture into another world, they actually had a blast talking to the daughter of Adam, the blacksmith that often helped them out in their advancement to Journeyman. Cru had a smile on her face that was different from her usual. It was filled with genuine affection when she talked about her father, the memories they had together before eventually going their separate ways. Thankfully, they weren¡¯t on bad terms, and they still spoke to each other via letter, which can sometimes take a while thanks to the extreme distance between themselves, with Cru being in another dimensional plane and all. ¡°So that¡¯s what he meant when he said someone ¡®healed his forge¡¯. Should¡¯ve known you¡¯d be crazy enough to pull that off,¡± Cru laughed out loud, slamming Zeke¡¯s back with her well-intended pats. Thankfully Zeke was tough enough to handle them, but they were pretty strong, which made sense thanks to her being a blacksmith. ¡°Man, to think Dad knew you two. Feels like a small world here! You think you can tell me a bit more about Eve Glade? I know you helped me a lot as it is, but sometimes letters just aren¡¯t enough, you know?¡± ¡°I totally get that,¡± Mikella nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll let you know everything.¡± Zeke wanted to agree, but it was just about to get dark outside. The people outside started to settle into their homes, readying for the next day as the studded star slowly dimmed out. ¡°It¡¯s getting pretty dark,¡± Zeke said, turning back to the girls. ¡°If you want, you can stay here and I¡¯ll get Clara back home.¡± ¡°So soon¡­?¡± Clara groaned. ¡°But it was getting to the good part¡­¡± ¡°Clara, you¡¯re still young. You need sleep. Plus, you still got some training, right?¡± ¡°Ooh¡­ right,¡± Clara nodded in understanding, getting Zeke to smile back. ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll stay here for a bit,¡± Mikella said, waving at Zeke. ¡°Take care of yourselves, alright?¡± ¡°I promise to get your gloves and gauntlets the love and care they need. Thanks for everything, Zeke!¡± ¡°No problem,¡± Zeke smiled as he waved at them. ¡°See you later.¡± Zeke and Clara headed off, waving to Cru and Mikella. Zeke wondered at how incredible Mikella was at making friends, already talking to Cru like she was a long-lost sister. Smiling to himself, he kept Clara by his side as they walked home. The walk back to Ali¡¯s home was a silent stroll through the streets of the city. There were various glowing lamp posts shining with a fluorescent blue color that was dazzling to look at, but despite their color, the surroundings seemed nearly as bright as the daylight on the street. He knew that when the night proceeded, the lights would dim a little bit more to allow the people at the surrounding buildings to sleep more peacefully. Looking up, he saw that the dark sky above was filled with stars as usual, despite that this was an entirely different dimension compared to the world they just came from. ¡°Can we see our old world up there?¡± That question took Zeke by surprise, looking down at Clara who was also staring at the sky like him. She was desperately searching, trying to find the very planet they came from. Unfortunately, even with Zeke¡¯s high senses, he couldn¡¯t spot a single planet overhead¨Cnot that it was possible in this pocket dimension. He patted Clara¡¯s head, a tinge of sadness echoing through. ¡°I don¡¯t think so¡­ do you miss it?¡± Surprisingly, Clara shook her head. Though she remained quiet for a little bit longer. ¡°Well¡­ a little,¡± Clara explained. ¡°I miss Mommy¨CI mean, my mom¡­¡± Her cheeks blushed, realizing that using ¡®mommy¡¯ may now be too childish even for her. Zeke doesn¡¯t care as she kept explaining. ¡°I miss her, even when things didn¡¯t go well when we last left her. Dad, though¡­and then the other Dad¡­¡± Zeke wouldn¡¯t pry any further. He heard tidbits here and there, but he always made sure to steer clear of that family drama. He knew that Mikella didn¡¯t see her parents fondly, particularly about Clara being a child from an affair. So whenever Clara brings up her father, she mentions two, which only makes more confusion than clarity. ¡°But I got Sissy, and now I got you!¡± Clara beamed, warming Zeke¡¯s cold heart from reality. ¡°But I¡¯d like it if Mom got here instead of staying over there. Even if Sissy doesn¡¯t like it.¡± ¡°I get it.¡± ¡°So¡­¡± Clara drawled out the word, sounding it out as she viewed Zeke like she was hiding some gossip. ¡°What do you think about her?¡± ¡°About your mom?¡± Zeke asked, curious. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I have to meet her.¡± ¡°Not her, dingus!¡± Clara puffed her cheeks. ¡°I mean Sissy! What do you think about her? Do you like her?¡± Zeke paused, his eyes widening. Immediately gaining his composure, he answered as cooly as he could. ¡°Of course I like her. She¡¯s the greatest partner I could ever ask for, and a good friend besides all that.¡± Clara rolled her eyes before growling an exaggerated breath. ¡°I mean, do you love her? Like, actually wanna marry her for real instead of pretending?¡± ¡°That¡¯s complicated,¡± Zeke answered quickly, becoming more of a default answer for him whenever Clara comes up with difficult questions. They were honest answers, at least. ¡°No, it isn¡¯t!¡± She rebuked. ¡°Tell me the truth! I promise I won¡¯t tell! Do you love her or not?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± But before he could explain in some detail about the complexity of their relationship¨Chis shoulders tensed all of a sudden. A sudden flare of his senses warned him of something dangerous. Something that, due to his time spent on leveling and surviving, told him that his life was in danger. ¡°Watch out!¡± Zeke yelled and grabbed Clara forcefully into an embrace before ducking to the ground on his back. He felt something sting at the back of his neck, before a loud clunk echoed behind him. Clara was stunned into silence as Zeke noticed that the thing that made the impact was a knife that plunged straight into a nearby building¡¯s wall, and a droplet of warm liquid soon brimmed over his neck and into his shoulder blades. Noticing that it was blood, it was obvious¨Csomeone¡¯s attacking them. Vol 3 Ch 51: Zeke vs Assassin A warm liquid dropped to her cheek, her eyes widening at the blood now seeping around Bobo¡¯s neck. He didn¡¯t look hurt, but instead he looked over at Clara after their fall. After nodding to himself, Bobo picked Clara up and pushed her away to a nearby location between two giant buildings to hide. While that happened, more of those blades kept flying at them, sometimes missing and hitting the nearby wall that nearly exploded from how strong they were thrown. Looking back, it was another knife¨Cthe same one that cut Bobo up. ¡°Clara,¡± Bobo said, his voice harsh and loud. ¡°Get out of here as fast as possible.¡± ¡°But, Bobo¡­!¡± Clara pleaded. She couldn¡¯t stop staring at the blood trickling down Zeke¡¯s neck and chest. ¡°Just go!¡± Zeke shouted. His eyes were harsh, but they were filled with resolve. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. Brucey! Take care of her and get her out of here!¡± Before Clara could do anything, Brucey¡¯s head popped out of her pack and screeched in confirmation. Before she could say anything else, wings fluttered out of the pack Brucey usually slept in. It immediately took Clara off into the air, straight into the confines between the buildings. However, Clara¡¯s eyes teared up. She didn¡¯t want to leave Bobo behind again. But no matter how she tried to stop Brucey, he wouldn¡¯t listen to her. As if he knew that doing so would endanger Clara, and that would clearly be against his mission to protect her. Clara looked back at Bobo who kept staring at her departure, only to once again get attacked by flying knives at him. And this time, he got hit¨Cmultiple times. ¡°Bobo!¡± Clara shouted as her voice trailed farther and farther away, taken by Brucey who flew at high speed. ¡­.. Zeke exhaled in relief to find Clara flying further and further away. Thankfully Brucey is the type to stay on course no matter what she said as long as it¡¯s for her safety. Honestly, he was amazed at how fast Brucey can be. He was sure even if he put his all into his Dexterity buff, he would have a difficult time catching Brucey, but that was better than he could ever hope for. Now Clara can make a quick getaway and a trusty bodyguard to protect her. He did feel bad for leaving things like that, especially for screaming at her, but it was necessary. Clara was worried too much over something she couldn¡¯t do anything about. It was the best part of her, but it was important that she managed to get away. And there¡¯s the fact that he messed up and got two more knives stuck on his leg and arm. He winced, the pain excruciating for a solid moment. Even when his Endurance was high up there and Pain Resistance being his most highest skill at the moment, the pain was enough to recognize that this attacker was not to be trifled with. He wondered if it was some sort of skill specialized in this type of thing. He pulled the two knives out with no care, blood seeping and staining his good clothes. While the armor could repair itself thanks to Cronus, he still winced at the clear bloody stain on it. He really looked like a doctor that botched a major surgery. He healed his injuries as he focused on his surroundings. He noticed that there weren''t a lot of people¨Cif at all, which only increased his weariness. How can anyone not notice an attack hitting someone and a little girl screaming? Obviously this was some sort of trap. The thing was¨Che can¡¯t pick up on anything that made it look like he was caught in some kind of illusion or other form of mimicry. More knives came to him, this time dodging each one as he had no intention of taking any blows. With Clara there, he would gladly use his body like a shield, but now that she is gone, he can focus fully on counterattacking. That¡¯s when he noticed something was off. His eyes picked up that the knives that attacked him were coated with something. It wasn¡¯t quick, but it quickly spread across his body like a fume. He cast Restoration with no hesitation, washing his body entirely of the strange toxins. Poison knives, Zeke thought, finally recognizing the individual that was attacking. An assassin? He never imagined that he¡¯d faced an assassin in his life, but then again, he never expected to fight monsters, if at all. But when that same assassin approached him with calm steps and a guarded demeanor, he tensed immediately. It was a female figure, a few inches shorter than him. She wore a dark cloak that covered her identity on top of wearing dark leather armor, which was only made worse in the dark time of night. Though her lithe frame and noticeable curves proved that she was a woman. He tried identifying, but as expected, his Identify only gave him question marks, the same as when he tried Identifying Cronus. But despite that, he could tell that she wasn¡¯t Journeyman. She was an Expert, definitely just below level 60. Yet that Expert managed to hurt his body and almost poison him. Whoever this assassin was, she was clearly a top-notch Expert Assassin. And she wasn¡¯t done. Suddenly her hands wielded two curved blades that shimmered under the lamp posts. Her calm steps despite throwing so many knives at him was unnerving, to say the least. He took a cautious stance, his arms raised as he readied himself. ¡°Did you really have to attack me with a child by my side? What if you hurt her?¡± He talked, mostly to gauge what kind of person this woman was. Strangely, she spoke back, but her voice was shuffled, as though through a filter. ¡°My target was never the child. It was you.¡± ¡°Any reason for that?¡± Zeke asked. He read enough novels to know that assassins don¡¯t just come at you for no reason. ¡°I don¡¯t think I did anything worthy of being killed over.¡± ¡°Everyone always says that,¡± The woman coldly responded, her blades flashing as she crossed them in front of herself. Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. She ran at him faster than the naked eye could pick up. It was only thanks to his heightened awareness that he managed to flare all of his buffs and dodged the sharp jab coming at his head. He used his momentum to round kick at the girl but she jumped to dodge. She spun and lashed out at him again, getting him to jump back from the blow. The two went against each other, nearly striking and nearly missing every single hit they made. Zeke¡¯s mind whirled at the impossible speed of this woman despite being an Expert. Meanwhile, the girl was fast, and incredibly precise. Each blade strike aimed at his vitals, and he was sure that his armor wouldn¡¯t be able to defend against her strikes, not knowing exactly what those blades can do even to his Journeyman body. But just as he was getting used to her movements, something red hot glowed in front of him. Flames licked at his face, burning across his cheek as he managed to tumble away from her. Looking back, her blade was covered in bright flames that illuminated the dim darkness surrounding them. His cheek burned, but a quick heal managed to stifle that. The girl sounded almost frustrated. ¡°I hate healers¡­¡± ¡°Who sent you?¡± Zeke yelled out. ¡°What did I do? I have the right to know!¡± ¡°You have the right to shut up.¡± The girl barked back as she rushed at him, this time faster than he could keep up. A faint trace of wind left her, realizing that it was another form of a magic spell. Zeke growled as he jumped up and stepped onto a magical disk, courtesy of Ethereal Manifest. The girl slashed just where he stood, looking up at him. Deep within the cowl of her hood, he noticed she wore a black mask that completely covered her face. Still, he could predict a look of surprise as he ran over to the other side, using more conjured disks like steps. The girl followed up with a quick jump herself, except now she boosted herself with a powerful thrust of air mana behind her, flying straight at the still airborne Zeke. Now that he got his bearings, his pens flew up beside him. After casting more disks, he drew them with his floating pens and launched the hovering disks at the assassin. Each disk boomed, leaving a trail of explosions right towards the flying girl. She accurately flew around using a zig-zag motion, using her air type spell to maneuver her flight. Her blades nearly caught Zeke, slashing at his forearm and hand with a graze. He took this momentum and grabbed her cloak by the handful. The girl yelped, strange for an assassin in his opinion, as he hurled her straight down to the ground. She landed with a loud thud, hitting the ground with a painful groan escaping from her. Zeke just can¡¯t shake the feeling that this girl was young¨Creally young. Young, but very, very driven. She picked herself up quickly just as he launched himself straight at her. His foot was just about to reach her face before she dodged out of the way. His foot landed on the ground, leaving a large cracked street behind before pursuing the would-be assassin with a flurry of punches and kicks. He finally managed to land a blow, his fist connecting to a raised arm unwilling to take a hit to the face. Unfortunately for her, his fist caused her arm to make a nasty crack before driving her away into a nearby lamppost. Her body collided with the pole, leaving the thing to break in an odd angle, the power of the light shutting down immediately, giving its flast flickers of life before vanishing into darkness. Once again, guilt filled him to see this supposed young girl get so hurt¨Cbut he steeled himself. The assassin was trying to kill him. He had no qualms of hurting her to this extent, perhaps more if she kept going. But he didn¡¯t plan on outright killing her. He imagined a bunch of scenarios of what to do once he finished the fight, but before he could even consider one of them, the fight clearly shifted. Before he could even sense it coming, something crashed from above him, pushing his head down to the stone street and causing it to break under his head and weight. He grunted from the sudden pain as he clearly felt a hand holding tight onto the top of his head, way bigger and meatier than a normal human¡¯s hand. A shadow encompassed his body, and he felt his vision blackened from the clearly large size. Looking up, he saw what looked like a werewolf, almost like Zyler¨Cbut it was smaller and leaner than the normally toned and predatory werewolf form Zyler used. Strangely, however, its voice was deep and guttural, almost constantly growling which almost hurt his Journeyman ears. ¡°Almost bit the dust there, eh?¡± The wolf said, making it impossible for Zeke to figure out which gender it belonged to. The assassin picked herself up, her arm hanging limply to the side. She dug around by her belt, and picked what looked like a small container with a sharp needle at the bottom end. She plunged the needle deep into her limp arm, not even uttering a sound as the container made a small hissing sound. The arm quickly shifted, bones beginning to crack and reform at that very moment. Zeke recognized that what she used was like a shot of health potion straight into her veins, reforming her once limp arm into a fully functional one just a second later. She swung her now fixed arm up and down, testing the muscle and bone and saw that it worked properly. At the same time, before Zeke could try to comprehend what was going on, he felt a sharp jab straight to his neck. He panicked, realizing that the damn wolf used its other hand to use the same small container with the needle down to his own body. As pain welled at the spot of his neck, the hissing sound made him panic even more as he felt something powerful being thrusted into his very veins. At first, it was uncomfortably chilly, then it became icy cold as numbness spread throughout his body, starting from his neck all the way down his body. It was a fast acting concoction, and the notification that came up to his vision proved that it wasn¡¯t at all a health potion.
You are afflicted with Acidic Venom Lotus. Your resources are reduced by 25%. You will receive damage after each second as long as the venom runs through you. Your mana and stamina is being disrupted, causing any skill below Epic rarity to be canceled.
His body froze up, unable to even speak as pain fueled his mind, ignoring his Pain Resistance entirely. He realized then that the venom targeted his skills below Epic, and Pain Resistance was still at Rare rarity. But he could tell that even if Ethereal Manifest could still be casted, the pain was too intense for him to focus on it. He could only be able to focus on one single skill that could help him at this moment¨Chis Legendary Restoration skill. But he looked up, unable to even function as his vision blurred, sharp ice needles flowing across his body and extremities as he heard the slow footsteps of the assassin approaching him. ¡°He¡¯s a real tough one, I¡¯ll give you that,¡± The wolf kept speaking, sounding almost surprised. ¡°Better hurry up and deal with him. This poison won¡¯t last long.¡± ¡°I know,¡± The assassin said coldly, brandishing her clearly poisoned blades. She looked down at Zeke, his vision only getting worse by the second as she spoke again. ¡°You only have yourself to blame. You shouldn¡¯t have messed around in the guild¡¯s territory.¡± He racked his brains, trying to figure a way out of here. But his options were limited, and his body was no longer responding, only to the rising panic that he could actually die. The assassin¡¯s steps somehow became dull as his heart sped up at the rising guilt that came to him. He was going to die. Right here in the middle of the street at night while his family was left in this world. Who¡¯s going to take care of them? What are they going to do? Can Mikella handle things on her own? What would happen to Clara after realizing that he died after running away? The thoughts were too much to bear, and he was just willing to let it all go and give into his attunement; a terrible but definitely possible last resort. But if it meant somehow surviving from this, then he¡¯s willing to drop everything and let it go. Thankfully, he never needed to go that far. The werewolf holding him down screamed in pain as a literal spear pierced through his chest. It was a pained roar that got him to let go of Zeke and roll away, trying to take the spear out of his chest. The assassin watched in alarm as Zeke could hear the wings flapping ruthlessly from above. He knew it wasn¡¯t Brucey, his wings being small and hard to notice. They were powerful flaps that sent gusts of wind at each interval, the owner arriving in faster than what could possibly be realistic. But Zeke grinned, knowing who the roaring dragon that came to his aid. ¡°What the fuck do you think you¡¯re doing to him, assholes?!¡± Mikella¡¯s roar echoed out, similar to an enraged dragon on a hunt to protect her kin. Vol 3 Ch 52: Dragon Woman to the rescue Just a few moments ago, Mikella was just speaking with Cru regarding the going ons in Eve Glade, including all sorts of upgrades they got along with the biodome which got Cru all caught up in joy over her father¡¯s situation. After that, they started to talk about the sorts of weapons Cru could create thanks to her new generator. Now that there were no limits, per say, Mikella could ask for all sorts of interesting enchantments for her weapons, which got her to think about making some super weapon she can use if her storage pack was not working properly. Apparently, there are situations out there that could make the owner of any storage pack suddenly lose access, forcing them to work with what they have. A nightmare for most folks, including Mikella who likes to pull different weapons out for different scenarios. That was when the entrance to the store was opened with force, shocking the two women to see a sudden young girl flying with bat wings behind her back. ¡°Clara?!¡± Mikella shouted. The fact that she returned here alone, with Brucey¡¯s wings carrying her, meant something was very wrong. And she was right. ¡°Sissy! Bobo¡¯s in trouble! Someone¡¯s attacking him!¡± The moment Clara came in screaming, tears brimming in her eyes, Mikella charged ahead with every fiber of her being. Her Unbridled Fulmination flared, electricity coiling around her body as her Draconian wings took flight. With all her practice the past few days, she had become adept enough to fly around the buildings to avoid any issues, not that she would care as she finally spotted the location Clara pointed out. There were two people, with one of them being a werewolf like Zyler holding Zeke down. Her eyes could pick up the sickly pale look on his face, clearly not well enough to fight back as another person was closing in, her dagger ready to strike Zeke. Without really thinking, she pulled out the new spear that Cru made for her, the enchantments similar to her broadsword, and chucked it at the werewolf. The spear hit its mark as the howls of the wolf echoed out around them. Even now, she¡¯s stunned at how nobody else around them managed to notice a literal fight going on in the middle of the streets at night. The assassin looked up at the wolf in shock before realizing Mikella¡¯s presence as she roared in pure fury. Her sword at the ready, she slashed at the assassin the instant she got in enough range. At the moment of her slice, the air was torn apart from the heavy pressure the swing of the sword caused. Debris flew and fragile walls and roofs shattered from the impact of the heavy pressure, electricity flying about as though a thunderous blizzard was taking place. The assassin managed to get away, but not quickly enough when blood sprayed from a diagonal cut across her torso. She screamed from the cut despite getting far enough away to avoid the blade, which was only made worse when the electricity in the air caused her body to shiver. The wolf was on the ground, pulling the spear out of his chest to no avail. Mikella wanted to end these two right now, but her priority got her to turn back to Zeke. ¡°Zeke!¡± She shouted, kneeling to the downed Zeke as he held in his stomach with both arms, his forehead nearly scraping the ground in pure agony. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you okay?¡± ¡°Ghh¡­ poison¡­¡± Zeke managed to say, looking up to find Mikella with a grimace. But despite the heavy turmoil in his gut, he smirked at her. ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ be fine¡­ Now that you¡¯re here.¡± His words were sweet, but there was another reason. With her here, he can focus on healing himself. Her Mana Manipulation was already at work, figuring out that he was constantly casting Restoration on himself. It would take a while, but Zeke is a big boy¨Che can handle himself even in this situation. She rose to her feet, pointing her sword straight at the assassin who glared at them, wanting to murder them with just her clear blue eyes. ¡°Now it¡¯s two-on-two. Ready to fight fair, bitch?¡± Before she could even hear the assassins¡¯ words, she rushed forward with Dragon Descent, her maxed level skill making dividends and shocking the assassin again before her sword managed to cut her head off. To Mikella¡¯s surprise, the assassin¡¯s body just straight up vanished, turning into a pocket of air that blew against her. She forced through it with ease, but then found the assassin flying straight at her from above, her twin blades slicing the air straight at her vitals. Mikella deflected the daggers with her sword, turning their fight into a sudden barrage of blades striking against metal, small heat surges flashing from the scraping of metal as the sharp sound of steel against steel lashed out into the air. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. Mikella couldn¡¯t help herself. She was amazed at how deftly the assassin handled herself despite her aura telling her she was an Expert. If anything, it felt almost like herself when she was at the same stage. But she wasn¡¯t. She was a Journeyman. As the assassin got herself into an advantage, deflecting a sword away from her own arm and curved her dagger towards Mikella¡¯s neck¨Cher right wing slapped the dagger away. The assassin¡¯s eyes bulged before another wing slapped her itself, with Mikella finally kicking the assassin on her stomach and forcing her body to fly across the pavement and hitting the nearby wall. The wall cracked from the landing, creating a small crater with the girl landing on the ground. She groaned, the only thing she managed to hear before Mikella readied her blade to deliver a real Heavenly Strike to finish her off. She didn¡¯t care about getting answers. She was going to kill the two that planned on killing Zeke regardless of what they wanted. She can just get the answers from Zeke anyways. But before she could, the werewolf suddenly jumped down to where the assassin was and picked her up. Putting her over his back, something surprising happened that made Mikella pause. The werewolf shifted, his body contorting with the sounds of body parts cracking and breaking apart, making her almost nauseated before realizing that he wasn¡¯t changing back into a human. No, the werewolf suddenly extended itself, his body becoming longer to resemble a long snake with two large wings forming at his back. Mikella couldn¡¯t contain her mouth from gaping as the werewolf suddenly became some giant snake with wings. It opened its mouth, revealing sharp fangs with a loud hiss that made her skin tingle from the pressure. It was a cry to warn her to back off before eventually flapping its wings and flying off towards the sky with the assassin in tow. It was too fast for her to comprehend, and before Mikella could finally return to reality, the two were already too far away for her to chase after. ¡°Fuck!¡± She wanted to go after them, she really did. But she shook her head. Who knows what could happen if she went after them by herself? There could be more of their buddies surrounding them right now, and maybe that was the reason why nobody around them noticed a real fight going on. She quickly returned back to Zeke, hoping some fucker wasn¡¯t back there trying to finish the job. Thankfully, Zeke was finally resting on his butt, his eyes closed with his hand covering his stomach in deep pain. ¡°Zeke, you good?¡± Mikella asked, kneeling down to his level again as she watched closer this time. The light wasn¡¯t good, but she let out a breath of relief when she saw that his skin color was returning back to normal. There was a lot of sweat on his face but it was probably from handling a pretty nasty debuff. ¡°Yeah, I got the poison out of my system now.¡± That instantly got Mikella¡¯s ire rising. ¡°Those fuckers poisoned you?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ the werewolf guy, at least,¡± Zeke grimaced, his voice hoarse from the effort. ¡°I¡¯m fine now.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t look fine. Here.¡± Mikella held onto Zeke and lifted him onto his feet. He wobbled, still unable to keep his gait, but he nodded in thanks at her before continuing. ¡°Let¡¯s stay together from now on. I already said goodbye to Cru and Clara should be heading home with Brucey giving her a ride.¡± ¡°Wait, you know where Clara was?¡± Zeke asked. ¡°Actually, how did you know I was here?¡± ¡°Clara found me, of course,¡± Mikella easily connected the two dots he pointed out. ¡°When she told me you were being attacked, I rushed over here.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Zeke tilted his head. ¡°I¡¯m glad, but¡­ I¡¯m sure I told her to run away¡­ Plus, I was worried that perhaps someone else was going after you too, so that¡¯s why I wanted her to get out of here.¡± Mikella frowned in thought. That did indeed sound like the right thing to do. And Zeke was the sort to be careful on where to send Clara. If what he said was true, if he told her to find her, she would most likely end up in the same situation again, this time with Mikella facing her own assassin. Though, granted, it was just a random thought, but that certainly did sound plausible. The thing is¨Cwho told Clara to head straight to Mikella then either way? ¡°You think¡­¡± Zeke mentioned, his gaze wandering. ¡°You think Zoan somehow contacted her?¡± ¡°What?¡± Mikella asked in surprise. ¡°But Zoan¡¯s back with Ali reading books. How can she tell that you were in danger?¡± Zeke shrugged. ¡°Unless Brucey suddenly learned how to speak, that¡¯s the only thing I can think of. I guess the only way to know is to head back home. Plus, Clara¡¯s probably worried like crazy.¡± ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s do that,¡± Mikella said, putting away her sword. The two walked back to their current home, deep in thought of what just happened. The walk home was seriously tense for the two, from having their life almost snuffed out by some assassin to being on guard for any more assassins coming their way. The fight was done for a while, but not a single guard approached the scene. For a city as huge as this, unlike Eve Glade, they should have plenty of guards on hand for things like this. Yet, not a single person approached. Not even a random citizen that would come around. That only heightened their sense of unease. Zeke himself looked nervous, probably already realizing the discrepancy as his buffs flared through his tattoos. Eventually, they reached the neighborhood where they were living, finally making the two relax. When they opened the door to their home, however, an extremely irate woman stood in front of them, turning to them and crossing her arms with a glare that could cut through even the assassin¡¯s. ¡°Zeke, Mikella,¡± Ali suddenly said with a sharp tone. ¡°Do you mind explaining to me why Clara¡¯s twin sister is actually an angel?¡± Vol 3 Ch 53: Spilling the angelic beans Zoan was a very strange little girl. That was Alissa¡¯s first thought when she saw this white-haired 12 year old that was probably the extreme opposite of the excitable Clara. She was composed, constantly showing an impassive interest, and barely spoke. However, she does show a frown or two whenever the otherworlders do anything of note. However, that wasn¡¯t all. It was also the way they treated her in return. She didn¡¯t want to pry into their business since it wasn¡¯t her job to do so. Her job was to ensure that her guests were well-fitted for the mission Cronus sent them to do. But the way they often put her aside and only focused on Clara honestly rubbed her the wrong way. If they were twins, why was the older sister constantly pampering Clara and ignoring Zoan? For a girl like that who supposedly focuses on family, it certainly didn¡¯t seem like it. But that perspective changed entirely when the otherworlders were taking longer than average to get their gear from the blacksmith just nearby. Alissa was just writing her reports as usual, carefully composing each event the otherworlders had done in accordance with her duties. Zoan was reading books by the side, shocking the older woman at how she seemingly took an interest in the most obscure books in her shelves. Even Alissa often forgot she had them, considering how it writes about magical theory at some remote era at some distant location that had nothing to do with the magic of this country. Just when Alissa was about to ask what she found so fascinating about the book, Zoan¡¯s eyes suddenly glowed. At that moment, what Alissa saw was not a little girl, but a woman. A fully grown woman, garbed in pristine silver armor that covered her entire body. Long hair that radiated silver streams flowed with serenity and peace. But what truly spoke out was the two giant feathery wings that spread across her back, enough to possibly destroy the entire house from the sheer size. But that was the weird part. What Alissa saw was just a vision, an image that only showed up the moment Zoan¡¯s eyes glowed. In that instant, Alissa was already on her feet, ready to strike with a spell forming in her hands. The power that exuded off the girl was¡­ immense. Too much even for Alissa¡¯s experienced Journeyman senses. However, Zoan completely ignored her as she instead turned her head to the side, as though looking at a direction Alissa had no clue on. ¡°Clara, go and find Mikella at the store, now!¡± Zoan suddenly shouted. ¡°Zeke is in trouble. Brucey, follow my will as instructed.¡± Zoan continued to speak like that, to the air and having a discussion as though she was directly speaking with Clara through some communication Alissa can¡¯t see. The words brought her heart to race, not even knowing exactly what was going on. This went on for a few minutes to which Zoan finally ceased. Then just when Alissa was about to start asking a ton of questions, the door suddenly slammed open and Clara came back. Her eyes were puffy red and brimming with tears, running¨Cno, flying with literal bat wings straight at Alissa. She tackled her into a hug to which Clara grasped onto Alissa¡¯s waist, her cries echoing across. ¡°I did it. I did it, but I¡¯m still worried!¡± ¡°You did great, Clara. Now all we need to do is wait.¡± The little bat that Clara always had on her back suddenly popped his head out the pack, resting on top of Clara¡¯s shoulder as though trying to ease her worries. Finally, Alissa had enough. As she kept rubbing Clara''s back to calm her down, she glared at Zoan, the clearly not twin sister of Clara. ¡°...Who are you?¡± She asked, glaring in the mixture of being cautious and fearful at the little girl. ¡­.. Zeke watched with relief to see Mikella rubbing Clara¡¯s head, resting on her shoulder with a content smile. After seeing the two appear with no issues whatsoever, Clara practically scrambled in joy and tears. Thanks to that, she was now resting her eyes, thankful that nothing really bad happened. Of course, Zeke made sure not to mention any silly old poison that almost killed him. That would ruin the good vibes going on here. On the other hand, Zeke had to face the clearly distraught Alissa, her elbows propped on the table with her head resting on her tangled fingers in deep, deep thought. After the angel was out of the bag, so to speak, Zeke explained the entire situation from beginning to end, and soon explained the only thing the otherworlders hadn''t said to their superiors. After all, it was extremely hard to explain in the first place, and would probably only make things worse. And according to her reaction, it clearly did. Though as for how bad it got, even Zeke can¡¯t tell. Alissa had been like this for the next ten minutes, completely silent in her thoughts before finally lifting her head up and facing Zeke with a tired, but composed expression. ¡°...Okay, I get the picture now,¡± Ali said, her voice sounding as if she had reached full understanding. ¡°You¡¯re¡­ sure?¡± Zeke added with a raised brow. He had taken a lot longer to take in this business the first time Zoan came into their lives. ¡°Seeing as how you two came into this world and how it was some gods¡¯ business, it¡¯s no surprise that an angel would come and supervise you all, much like how I am doing with Cronus. I can also understand why it¡¯d be difficult to explain her current situation in the form she had now, so it made sense why you decided to stick with the story of being twin sisters¡­ however, there¡¯s one thing I have an issue with.¡± ¡°And that is?¡± ¡°You never told this to Cronus, am I correct?¡± Zeke hesitated for a solid moment, then nodded to her question. Ali lowered her head again, exhaling what felt like her entire life¡¯s frustration out of her system. ¡°That¡­ is an issue. This means that this became a religious situation. Normally, an angel appearing in this world would mean that the churches that worshiped the angel¡¯s deity would receive a divine message, or perhaps a warning of a natural disaster just like in the olden times. If any of the clergy were to realize Zoan¡¯s existence, they would lose their heads and begin some type of inquisition.¡± ¡°...So don¡¯t tell them?¡± Zeke asked what felt like an obvious answer. ¡°You honestly believe that not telling the churches about an angel is a good idea?¡± Ali asked incredulously. ¡°In fact, not telling this to Cronus would be the same as blasphemy. Religion has a good grasp on the country as a whole, and is probably one of the leading forces of the country in terms of magical might. In other words, having them be an enemy of any kind would likely bring some calamity on all of our heads!¡± Alissa finished her rant, burying her head into her palms in disbelief. However, Zeke turned to Mikella who watched the whole thing with a raised brow herself. Hell, Zeke even turned to Zoan who just¡­ stayed staring at the scene with disinterest. At least she wasn¡¯t reading her books so she wasn¡¯t ignoring them. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°Zoan,¡± Zeke asked, figuring he can put aside Ali for now. ¡°You¡¯re the one that noticed I was in trouble and notified Clara, right?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Zoan said without any doubt. ¡°For a moment, I sensed your life in danger, and when I saw that your connection was farther away from Mikella, I notified Clara and saw her recent memories. There, I was able to relay her to Mikella for assistance.¡± ¡°You can do all that?¡± Mikella asked incredulously. ¡°I thought your power was gone.¡± ¡°My power has been returning steadily over time, though only marginally. That¡¯s the reason why I¡¯m still in this form.¡± Zoan looked back at herself, her form still being Clara in every possible way. However, unlike before, she didn¡¯t seem to glare at it as much anymore. Despite his feelings, what she did saved Zeke¡¯s life. Even if they have their issues, at the very least, she deserved recognition. ¡°Thank you,¡± Zeke said, catching Zoan¡¯s attention fully. ¡°I know it¡¯s your job and all¡­ but thanks. You really saved me.¡± ¡°That is my duty. Do not think much of it.¡± Zoan said those words like how a programmed AI bot would. Though, ever so slowly, Zeke could tell that her expression softened just a bit. ¡°It still weirds me out how you read Clara¡¯s memories like that¡­ but I¡¯ll thank you too,¡± Mikella said. ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like it hurt her, though I don¡¯t like the idea that she could have been in danger if I was also being attacked.¡± ¡°Endangering her and hurting her would only make my job more difficult. As I said¨Cmy duty is to ensure the safety of all three of you, not just you two. If your life was in any danger, I wouldn¡¯t have sent her there at all.¡± Mikella nodded in approval to that, though that got Clara¡¯s attention as her eyes widened. ¡°Couldn¡¯t you like, you know, possess me like you did before to help out?¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible,¡± Zoan shook her head. ¡°And even if I could, I still wouldn''t do it. Without the system, you¡¯re just a target for them.¡± ¡°Ooh¡­¡± ¡°Sorry, honey,¡± Mikela said, trying to console the damepened Clara. ¡°But Zoan¡¯s got a point. It¡¯s better this way.¡± ¡°It¡¯s always better this way¡­¡± Clara placed her head back to Mikella¡¯s shoulder, pouting at the situation. Zeke, however, was glad that she was pouting and not fighting against assassins, so he was fine like this. ¡°So, Zoan¨Cwhat do you think? Should we have notified Cronus and the church?¡± While they have discussed this beforehand, it was better to get another insight into the situation now that Ali explained the utter ridiculousness of keeping an angel in secret. To their surprise, her answer left them bewildered. ¡°Of course not,¡± Zoan said immediately. ¡°While I believe Cronus himself would be fine, the church is out of the question. This entire situation has nothing to do with them.¡± ¡°What?¡± Ali finally got out of her stupor, looking back at the former strange twin sister with widened eyes. ¡°As I said, my mission is to ensure the safety of the three in front of you,¡± Zoan said, pointing at the otherworlders in question. ¡°As for our purpose, that much is clear¨Cto go after the towers and attain new strength to empower themselves. Perhaps find some otherworlders to join us in the cause for the trials to come.¡± ¡°I-Is that it?¡± Ali asked, turning to the two. ¡°Is that all you need to do?¡± ¡°There should be a lot more, but Zoan refuses to tell us what else is there. Apparently it¡¯s not something we need to know ¡®yet¡¯¡± Zeke said in exasperation, raising his hands to make air quote gestures. ¡°That¡¯s because it¡¯s too soon to say.¡± Zoan responded, which only got Zeke to roll his eyes and then point at her while staring at Ali, stating that this was what he meant. ¡°We already reached the first thing¨Cget to Journeymen within the two years available to us. After that, though, all she keeps saying is to find and clear the towers as much as we can.¡± Mikella answered, leaving Ali to stare at the table in front of her again. This time, however, there was a frown on her face as she entered into deep thought. Instead of being frustrated with the situation, she was now considering the new information with enlightened eyes. Rubbing her chin in thought, she bit her lip. A moment after, she nodded, resolution on her face. ¡°Then that¡¯s that. I¡¯ll notify Cronus of this situation, and the reason why you kept it a secret. This way, Cronus won¡¯t think you two have something against him. Still, I implore that you two share more of what you know, regardless of making it more complicated.¡± ¡°You¡¯re sure?¡± Mikella asked. ¡°You didn¡¯t seem to be able to handle it just a few minutes ago.¡± ¡°I¡­ admit, I didn¡¯t react as well as I should,¡± A hint of a blush flashed over her cheeks, looking away. However, she still glared at her like the usual. ¡°But this doesn¡¯t change our mission. For now, just relay any kind of information that might pop up.¡± ¡°Yes ma¡¯am,¡± Mikella did a fake salute, her face the stunning image of placid. ¡°And as for the assassin¡­ that is also an issue, especially since you have apparently made a lot of noise. While it was deep in the night, it shouldn¡¯t have been possible for anyone to not have noticed it. So I believe that someone must have contacted the Assassin¡¯s guild.¡± ¡°...The what now?¡± Zeke asked dumbfounded. ¡°The assassin¡¯s guild,¡± Alissa repeated. ¡°No, we know that,¡± Mikella said, shaking her head. ¡°He means why is there a fucking Assassin¡¯s Guild in the city?!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a recognized guild, of course,¡± Alissa¡¯s head tilted in annoyance. ¡°However, that¡¯s what the people call them whenever they are sent to handle their targets. The thing is, it¡¯s considered a secret that barely a quarter of the city knows of their existence, and that¡¯s just in the form of rumors. As for how I know it¨Cbecause I dealt with them.¡± ¡°Wait, you mean you got targeted too?¡± Zeke asked, raising his brows. ¡°No, I asked for their aid several times, actually.¡± ¡°You what?!¡± Mikella shouted in alarm. Clara got startled and looked back at Mikella and Ali with widened eyes. ¡°You mean you actually contacted the Assassin¡¯s guild?! Then¡­ but, but why!?¡± Alissa shrugged, as though it was a simple question. ¡°It¡¯s my duty as Cronus¡¯ point of contact. My official duties are basically reconnaissance, relaying classified information, and contacting others to get several jobs done. I¡¯m something of a manager for Cronus¡¯ off-hand projects.¡± ¡°So¡­ you mean to say that Cronus asked you to contact the Assassin¡¯s guild to take out a target?¡± Zeke asked, now recognizing what she meant. ¡°And Cronus is okay with this?¡± ¡°Sometimes, dirty jobs need to be done, and Cronus knows this more than anyone. That¡¯s why the Assassin¡¯s guild has been continuing on for this long. There are several branches throughout the country, but one thing is clear¨Cwhoever sent that assassin after you is clearly going against Cronus¡¯ wishes. Though, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if he just wasn¡¯t notified yet.¡± ¡°And that¡¯s where you come in, right?¡± Mikella added. Alissa nodded in response. ¡°I don¡¯t think you have to worry about any other attacks¡­ but it¡¯s better to be safe than sorry. For now, make sure you two never separate. Especially considering that they even went as far as to use illegal poison that counters your skills.¡± ¡°That¡¯s illegal?¡± Mikella asked. ¡°I figured that would be basic for taking down annoying enemies.¡± ¡°It is, so it¡¯s heavily monopolized by the military of Arcelot. It shouldn¡¯t be in the Assassin¡¯s guild¡¯s hands for that very purpose. Even if they did keep it a secret from Cronus, why would they use such potent poison on a single Runist? Those would normally be left for the near-max Journeymen.¡± ¡°Near-max Journeymen¡­ those are the folks that are over level 90, right?¡± Zeke recalled, reminding himself of the small titles Journeymen get for each level range. From 60 to 70, where they are now, it¡¯s Low Journey. 70 to 80 is Mid Journey, and 80 to 90 is High Journey. Near-max Journey are considered ancient monsters that are close enough to reach Master stage, at least according to Ali and the stuff he looked up while he was here. ¡°Right, so you can see why using that kind of poison just because you pissed off the Alchemist¡¯s Guild doesn¡¯t make any sense.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t the Alchemist Guild make up that poison, considering that they deal in potions and stuff?¡± Mikella asked. ¡°The Alchemist guild is constantly under watch for that as well. Then again, the question is the same¨Cwhy bother using such a high grade poison for a Low Journey?¡± ¡°Feels like there¡¯s a lot of oversight considering how potent this poison is,¡± Mikella said dubiously, narrowing her eyes. ¡°You try to keep an eye on the guilds that have lasted for more than several of your lifetimes put together. See what happens.¡± Mikella instantly raised her hands in defeat after Ali pointed that out with crossed arms. Zeke could only chuckle at the scene despite having his life nearly taken away just hours earlier. It just proved that this was just another event stacked on top of another in his crazy life in this new world. Once everything was settled and the group turned in for the night, even Zeke couldn''t help but fall asleep, his thoughts on the situation only becoming background to everything else he was involved in. Vol 3 Ch 54: Time to toughen up The morning after, Alissa was still at a loss for words from the confession of last night. She had only just sent the report to Cronus regarding everything, including the reveal of an angel disguised as a little girl. Personally, she wondered whether Cronus would think she was overworked and was now hallucinating to be writing that. Honestly, she had been overworked lately, which was proved when she put all these details together throughout the night. Her high Endurance thanks to the constant all-nighters helped her through plenty of times over and over again, despite being a magic-focused user. A little bit of help from the stamina potions she had stashed away certainly helped with that, but even if she was mentally tired, she still couldn¡¯t find herself a chance to sleep. She then sent the report off through a magical console, just a simple rectangular block of blue steel enchanted and runecrafted to send all matters of parchments over long distances through a teleportation circle, much like how Cronus used his own teleportation to get around the country. Apparently, Mikella and Zeke told her that this was practically a magical fax machine. They had the same concept in their own world, except it wasn¡¯t done with magic, and instead of teleporting, the recipient¡¯s machine would just copy the contents on their own papers through the other side. Just how in the gods¡¯ mercy is that possible in their world without magic? This other world really was fascinating sometimes. While that sudden thought ran through her mind, it quickly divulged into the situation she had on hand. She knew this kind of work was unique compared to before, but she didn¡¯t expect to have such incredible personnel under her watch. A runist with an incredibly rare and powerful attunement, a warrior with dragon aspects that could beat other adventurers above her own level, a little girl that has a strange familiar that is never seen before, and an angel disguised as the little girl¡¯s twin. Even dealing with the Assassin¡¯s guild was nothing compared to this. She lunged herself at her sofa, her head resting on the top part and breathing out everything that had been churning in her all this time. Just as she was about to unwind and figure out what to do next on her list, footsteps echoed in her vicinity, revealing to be the otherworlders in question. Mikella, without any prompt, headed into the kitchen to get started on making a meal. Zeke and Clara were both dreary eyed and yawning. The two couldn¡¯t look more identical if they tried. The fact that their hair is the same black color was even more implicating. She was formerly a little hesitant about having a man in her house after so long. While her workload often kept her away from making healthy relationships, having a young man around is just asking for trouble in her opinion. Men just can¡¯t keep their hands to themselves. But after looking at Zeke for a while, she realized how futile it was to worry about him at all. If anything, his only interests were in his studies and his family. He¡¯s about as feral as a tamed house-broken pet in a family home. This did bring up an uncomfortable thought that perhaps he was not interested in older women¨Cbut she once caught him staring at her hard when she bent over to pick something up. Needless to say, Zeke is just as much of a man as he showed, just with better tact and manners. Granted, being stared at like that wouldn¡¯t be very tactful¡­ but Ali couldn¡¯t help but think that despite barely working on herself through the years¨Cshe still got it. As per usual, the Arcan family had their breakfast together along with Ali who so graciously took on the meals Mikella made. She felt that she shouldn''t intervene somehow, but this was her house and the meals were made with her ingredients. She had every fucking right to eat here. Though it did remind her of the old times spent in the Mon-Treant household, the days spent together with her twin sister before all that mess came about. Despite eating delicious food, her face scowled at the memory of it. She wanted to wipe it away as much as she could. Suddenly, through the routine of the morning breakfast, Zeke suddenly spoke up, catching her attention. ¡°Ali, do you mind if I ask for a favor?¡± Ali turned to the man, raising a brow. ¡°A favor? What kind is it?¡± ¡°Can you help us find a place for me and Mikella to train and spar?¡± Zeke asked, no longer nearly falling asleep now that he had some food in his belly. ¡°A place to train?¡± Ali said, already turning over the information for that in her head. While it wasn¡¯t impossible, questions still rose. ¡°Are you sure you have the time? Don¡¯t you have to find the towers soon?¡± The fact that they had to spend so much time healing the adventurers and away from finding the towers was a major concern at first. However, Cronus said that doing such a thing would only be a benefit, especially if they had managed to find a way to clear off those pesky curses without relying on expensive medicine all the time, using the resources for more important matters. Having more working adventurers is certainly better suited than having them writhe around in the guild base doing nothing at all. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. However, she still had to keep them on track. Zeke¡¯s next words, however, dissuaded her. ¡°After getting attacked yesterday, I realized that despite being Journeymen, we can still be targeted and killed, even by Experts. They probably planned a way to get to me without Mikella getting involved, but I still didn¡¯t like that.¡± Ali nodded to that statement. It would do no good to leave Zeke in a position where he could be killed, especially after proving just how useful his abilities can be after learning he created a generator for a blacksmith. While she wasn¡¯t keen on letting these otherworlders create something so groundbreaking that it would leave the Alchemist¡¯s guild wanting his head, getting free gear in return would suit their purposes perfectly. Still, Ali tilted her head. ¡°Even if you shore up weaknesses, what can you do? Aren¡¯t you already prepared enough as it is?¡± ¡°We still got some kinks to clear out from our styles,¡± Mikella stated, waving her fork left and right as she spoke. ¡°Plus, there¡¯s nothing wrong with getting some extra stat points from training.¡± ¡°Considering how high your stats are by this point, wouldn¡¯t it be worthless? Training your stats would be nigh impossible at this rate.¡± Zeke shook his head. ¡°I have a plan, which is why I need a big place to train in. Particularly out in the open and¡­ if possible, really sturdy.¡± ¡°Sturdy?¡± ¡°Very sturdy,¡± Zeke reinstated with clarity. ¡­.. This would normally be a difficult request, but Zeke should¡¯ve realized not to underestimate the amount of connections Ali had. As Cronus¡¯ confidant in everything in between politics, she pretty much had her hands on everything she could get info on. She was basically the internet for Cronus, capable of attaining all forms of information from around the city and the country as a whole, and her build is mostly suited for that as well. Which made her a very busy woman, so it honestly surprised Zeke how she managed to still spend time playing with Clara and Zoan, before she found out of her true origins of course. Still, Ali managed to find a place for Zeke and Mikella to do some extra training in a location not too far away from her house. Still, it was a fairly large distance, so they had to leave Clara behind. Considering how tough their training is, it was better for Clara to stick with her own training and studies with Zoan, so Clara understandably settled after making Zeke promise not to get hurt while he was away Unfortunately, that¡¯s a promise that he had to break, considering the plans he had. After carefully thinking about a way to improve in a short time, he managed to dig up this sort of idea and hoped that it would work out. Mikella, of course, was in on this as she was needed to make it possible. The location they were heading was actually a training ground for soldiers and mages to practice their skills. Normally, one had to pay a hefty fee for the varied hours there, including using the equipment within to keep a fit lifestyle. It was literally a gym for people with magical super powers, capable of handling skills and spells for practice. When they approached the building and noticed the amount of ads written across to offer deals to save up on gold for a long-term plan, the two shared a giggle at the resemblance. But when they entered inside, they were astounded by the sheer size of the place. It was the size of an entire stadium, and that was discounting the outside field for large area types of skills. The equipment here was also incredible, each weapon or arsenal in here enchanted with the kind of power to refrain from fatally wounding a sparring partner, which was an incredible feat for an enchanter despite its uselessness in actual battle. So when they heard that the normal fee for using the place was a whopping one hundred gold per month, equivalent to ten grand in the other world, it was mildly acceptable. Of course, they intend to thank Ali later when she covered the fee by saying that the otherworlders were important folks for Cronus, to which the gym would accept since the entire facility was governmentally funded. So eventually, after much hustle and bustle of registering and obtaining permission to use one of the rooms, Zeke and Mikella found themselves in a warded steel room filled with equipment and weapons on shelves and racks, with a large field made of compact dirt to fit two lead trains side to side. It was a rather large room, normally for premium users with probably more money than sense. Though Zeke made sure to ask for the most defensive oriented room to handle large attacks, and to keep it private. The gym, which Zeke heard the official name but decided to just call it that, had plenty of people who prefer to have privacy to ensure nobody else could see them train their skills for whatever reason. Zeke was thankful for that as he figured what he was about to do would tend to have plenty of eyes on him. Though now he can¡¯t seem to take his own eyes off of Mikella who adorned herself in loose clothes, sporting a sleeveless white shirt and shorts. He shook his head to dissuade the stupid thoughts. It was already bad enough that he sometimes can¡¯t stop staring at the gorgeous Journeyman women living with him, and Mikella was even more gorgeous if he was honest with himself. They wanted to invite the Tempest Winds over as well, but they were still busy with their own thing even after a day passed. Though they were at least notified about the assassin that tried to take Zeke¡¯s life, making sure to keep a lookout for any similar assassins waiting to go after them. ¡°Alright, so are we doing this?¡± Mikella said, finishing her stretches and facing Zeke. Her stance was straight and steady, a capable fighter ready to handle anything and barely leaving any openings. ¡°Yeah, just give me a minute.¡± Zeke said as he instead sat down on the floor, crossing his legs and closing his eyes. He breathed tentatively, in and out, feeling the Mana within surging like an ocean tide. ¡°Does this have something to do with your plan to increase our stats?¡± Mikella asked, her voice echoing with Zeke¡¯s eyes closed. ¡°We already know that increasing stats manually gets harder the higher they go. Doing all the pushups in the world won¡¯t increase our Strength by a single digit nearing 100. But I think it¡¯s because we haven¡¯t pushed ourselves hard enough.¡± ¡°I think we pushed ourselves hard enough as it is,¡± Mikella pointed out, but she didn¡¯t refute as she asked ¡°But what do you have in mind?¡± Zeke opened his eyes, facing Mikella with a steady gaze, ¡°...I¡¯m planning on using my attunement to go even farther.¡± Vol 3 Ch 55: World Field Mikella had to do a double-take upon hearing Zeke¡¯s declaration. Sure, he had been more in control with his attunement compared to before, especially after comparing the time between healing Diaga and then Saang afterwards. But hearing that he was going to use his attunement for training was¡­ surprising. Especially since even Mikella wasn¡¯t so sure about handling the power that Zeke emitted from his attunement. At least during sparring. If her life was on the line, she would at least make up a good fight, but that wasn¡¯t on the list today. Zeke breathed heavily through his mouth and nostrils, switching between them in intervals as he gathered up his mental control. Mikella waited patiently before Zeke opened his eyes and stood up from his sitting position. ¡°...Ready,¡± Zeke muttered. ¡°Mikky, prepare yourself.¡± Without questioning him, Mikella prepped herself into a combat stance with her sword. But everything soon turned into disarray the moment Zeke unleashed the mighty attunement from within. The air became heavy, a familiar pressure engulfing the entire room they were in. Even with its powered ward, Mikella worried whether it would even stand against his overwhelming magic. It seeped straight into her bones, and even made her body quiver. It wasn¡¯t fear filling her, but the pressure of the magic itself. But instead of feeling the power concentrated straight from Zeke¨Cit instead spread outwards, covering the entire room and forcing the pressure that was there before to multiply in potency. Her body now went from quivering to nearly shaking, the weight increasing in folds as she gritted her teeth. A disgraceful groan left her body as she used her own sword as a walking stick to keep herself balanced. She looked ahead, shocked to see Zeke in a familiar position. His eyes strained to keep open, his gritted teeth revealed as he half-knelt from the pressure. The two were stuck in a similar position of being manhandled by the heavy air pressure, finally sparking realization in her mind. Did Zeke intend to spar just like this? As if reading her thoughts, Zeke gritted his teeth again, revealing a tiny grin as he tried¨Cvery, very hard¨Cto keep up a fighting stance, his fists slowly rising into the air into his own combat stance. ¡°R-R-Ready¡­!?¡± Zeke shouted, his own voice failing to keep up. Seeing the grin on his face, it only ramped her up more. Mikella roared and let the environment grind her to dust. To the point where she would shine like a diamond in the rough. ¡­.. Zeke¡¯s entire skeletal structure ached, and his muscles felt like they were getting stabbed from the inside from multiple daggers at once. He was bone-dry exhausted. But the following notifications proved that his theory worked like¡­ magic.
You have gained +21 STR from your actions. You have gained +6 DEX from your actions. You have gained +18 VIT from your actions. You have gained +15 END from your actions.
The notifications from Mikella were also very nice to see, even if they weren¡¯t his own.
You have gained +6 STR from your actions. You have gained +5 DEX from your actions. You have gained +17 VIT from your actions. You have gained +8 END from your actions.
Granted, they were only physical stats, and the number of stat points gained despite spending several hours sparring in the World Field (the current name for the technique) seemed so little. But Zeke needed to remember that at his level, gaining stat points from training became rarer by the day. In fact, he hadn¡¯t received a single stat point increase throughout the year, proving just how high his stats are compared to normal people. So getting these gains in just a few short hours under the heavy pressure was actually impressive in its own right¨Cthough his body certainly liked to complain about that. It got so bad that it even got Mikella to call for a break, her pained expression practically burned in his mind. That was the first time he ever saw her get tuckered out, and he was no different. Of course, those were just the stat increases. What really mattered, at least for them, were the skill levels.
Kinetic Manipulation Level Up! It is now Level 4. You have gained +2 DEX (x3) from your skill. You have gained +1 END (x3) from your skill. ¡­.. Unarmed Mastery Level Up! It is now Level 5. You have gained +2 STR (x4) from your skill. You have gained +1 DEX (x4) from your skill. ¡­.. Pain Resistance Level Up! It is now Level 6. You have gained +2 VIT from your skill. You have gained +1 END from your skill. ¡­.. Meditation Level Up! It is now Level 8. You have gained +1 INT from your skill.
The fact that even his usually difficult to level Meditation leveled up proved just how fantastic World Field is. Thanks to these increases, he found that his Strength, his supposed weakest stat, now surpassed Vitality. Somehow that felt wrong as a mage, so he put in his hoarded free points into Vitality, bringing it up just a few points behind Strength. Despite getting his ass beat by Mikella for the following hours and being riddled with bruises and caked in sweat¨Che never felt happier. The next notifications are from Mikella¡¯s side.
Kinetic Manipulation Level Up! It is now Level 7. You have gained +1 DEX from your skill. You have gained +2 END from your skill. ¡­.. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. Axe Mastery Level Up! It is now Level 3. You have gained +2 STR (x2) from your skill. You have gained +1 END (x2) from your skill. ¡­.. Spear Mastery Level Up! It is now Level 3. You have gained +2 STR from your skill. You have gained +1 DEX from your skill. ¡­.. Hammer Mastery Level Up! It is now Level 2. You have gained +2 STR from your skill. You have gained +1 END from your skill. ¡­.. Pain Resistance Level Up! It is now Level 3. You have gained +2 VIT (x2) from your skill. You have gained +1 END (x2) from your skill.
¡°Ready to take a break?¡± He looked up from the floor of the training field they were borrowing, seeing Mikella looking over at him with that glinting smile of hers. She was also pretty badly bruised, considering he did his best to fight her, and she was sweating like crazy while drying herself off with a towel. Despite all that, she never looked so radiant under the bright ceiling lights of the gym field. ¡°I thought¡­ we were,¡± Zeke said with a smirk, getting Mikella to help him up with a hand. The two still had to take on a quest later, not wanting to skirt around the tower issues and getting Cronus pissed off. But the assassination attempt from yesterday spooked Zeke enough to try out his new idea before eventually going for the next step in their progress. It was time to eat their enhanced attribute fruits. Truthfully, they intended to do this earlier than intended. It was right after reaching Journeymen that they wanted to do this, in fact. However, after receiving Cronus¡¯ declaration to move to Arcelot to deal with the towers, it became just a passing thought in the back of their minds. It wasn¡¯t as though they were in serious danger, and they needed to get their bearings before suddenly getting an influx of attribute points. But now was the time to do so, and even better that Zeke got this World Field theory into practice before he did so. The more stats they gain, the harder it would be to gain it again through training like this. It was still perfect for skill leveling, which Zeke knew he wouldn¡¯t have had the chance to use before becoming a Journeyman to control his attunement properly. Sitting side by side, Zeke pulled out the enhanced attribute fruits he always had in his Storage pack. Considering that they got a whole biodome with their own attribute tree ready to make fruits annually, Zeke took it upon himself to get some fruits to give away as gifts for his friends¨Cparticularly, they can also be great for bribes in case he needed to get something important from someone. Either way, he was the sole person in their group to hold these priceless fruits as he handed one to Mikella before taking a bite out of it himself. As usual, the taste of the fruits was so tantalizing even for his Journeyman body. A moan from Mikella shocked him, only realizing that she was enjoying the fruit¡¯s taste as well. She smirked when she saw him looking at her. ¡°What? Got hard or something?¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± She giggled, taking another bite as Zeke received the notification just like before back in the tower at the biodome. This time, the enhanced fruits were so improved compared to the first time that just eating one single fruit is enough to reap all the benefits in one fell swoop.
You have eaten a Spiritually Enhanced Attribute Fruit. The limits of all your attributes have been increased by 500. You have gained +30 STR from the enhanced fruit. You have gained +30 DEX from the enhanced fruit. You have gained +30 INT from the enhanced fruit. You have gained +30 SPI from the enhanced fruit. You have gained +30 VIT from the enhanced fruit. You have gained +30 END from the enhanced fruit.
¡­..
Attribute Analysis complete. Displaying attribute growth limits. Strength: 1350 Dexterity: 1400 Intelligence: 1450 Spirit: 1750 Vitality: 1300 Endurance: 1350
However the Journeymen did it back in the tower was impressive, because after receiving the points¨CZeke felt like his world became dizzy. Perhaps it was due to their long years as Journeyman, so they got better control over their bodies. His chest swelled with power, and his muscles bulged and ached. His mind was exploding from increased cognitive prowess and his mana were getting charged like receiving a boost from jumper cables. He fell over, his hand pressed onto the clear marble floor away from the training field, sweat dripping from his wet forehead. He felt Mikella drop to her hands as well, breathing erratically just like he was. ¡°Holy shit, that¡¯s a rush if I ever felt one!¡± She screamed, pounding on the tough floors made precisely to handle her strength, but even then, each strike made a powerful twack sound that echoed around them. ¡°Okay¡­ maybe I should dampen the fruits a little¡­¡± Zeke eventually said, his voice hoarse from the power swelling all around. ¡°Nah, nah¡­¡± Mikella shook her head as she spoke. The surge of power was finally diminishing as she sat on her haunches with a relieved look on her face. ¡°I think we¡¯re just a little too early, that¡¯s all. Besides, we can''t keep wasting fruits like that, right?¡± ¡°Guess that¡¯s true¡­¡± Zeke shook his head. His vision swam before meeting Mikella¡¯s gaze. ¡°I don¡¯t know if we did the right thing or not to spar a bunch before eating the fruits now. I feel out of place.¡± ¡°We can probably squeeze in one more spar,¡± Mikella said, hope in her eyes. ¡°Without the field, of course. By the way, that was awesome! I never felt so close to my limits before! It felt just like when we were in the old world.¡± ¡°You think so?¡± Zeke said, pride replacing the intensity of the energy within. ¡°I hoped that was the case. Still¡­¡± He raised a knee to his face, looking over at the empty field in front of him. Mikella only watched as he delved into his thoughts. ¡°Wonder what was up with all that?¡± Zeke said. ¡°People want to kill me now. And for what? Just helping people?¡± ¡°There are always people like that, Zeke,¡± Mikella said, though there was a weariness in her tone as though she saw this many times before as she knelt the same way as Zeke did. ¡°That assassin girl said you shouldn¡¯t have messed with the guilds, right? Considering she said ¡®guilds¡¯ as plural, that means it¡¯s not just the adventurers¡¯ guild that was involved. Considering those receptionists said that they usually buy from the Alchemist¡¯s guild, and seeing how Cru is affected by all this¡­¡± ¡°...Guess that means the Alchemist¡¯s guild wants me gone, huh?¡± ¡°Yep,¡± Mikella answered simply. ¡°...I¡¯m sorry,¡± Zeke said, trying, but failing, to meet her eyes as he lowered his own. ¡°Don¡¯t be,¡± As though she read his mind, she continued. ¡°I know what you¡¯re going to say. It¡¯s not your fault that you didn¡¯t want others to suffer. And it¡¯s definitely not your fault that a bunch of old bastards want to kill you for taking their money away from people who were suffering. Even though I complain a lot¨CI¡¯m proud of what you did.¡± Zeke looked towards Mikella, her gaze as steady and powerful as always. Her words were like a calming balm to his soul, relieving him of his worries that his actions brought out bad consequences. But then what? If he hadn¡¯t, those adventurers would have died. Even Saang would have died had he not done what he did. But something else stung at him as he continued. ¡°It might be possible that they won¡¯t just target me. Maybe that assassin girl didn¡¯t want to bring in Clara, but what happens if those bastards went after her to get to me? What if they get to you too?¡± It was one of the possibilities that would definitely happen, regardless of whether his actions were saintly or not. The best way to take down a target, in his current mindset, was to destroy everything he loved. If assassins went and killed his family, he wouldn¡¯t even have the will to live anymore. ¡°There¡¯s no ¡®ifs¡¯ anymore,¡± Mikella shook her head. ¡°Now that they¡¯re out there, Ali is not gonna get Clara involved. That goes for Zoan too. As for me¨Cdude, come on. Come on.¡± Mikella kept propping him, raising her fingers with a gesture that said ¡®really? you think they can take me on?¡¯. Zeke rolled his eyes. ¡°Alright, alright. Guess we got lucky. Still, I can¡¯t help but get worried about that. If only I still had my barrier¡­¡± ¡°If only we were immortal, if only we were masters by now, if only we had the powers of a god¡­¡± Mikella shook her head. ¡°None of that matters. We can keep adding more stuff, and we¡¯ll still have problems on our hands. What matters is what we do now. And right now¡¯s perfect to let off some steam.¡± Mikella suddenly rose up, patting down her shorts and bottom hem of her shirt before facing Zeke with a raised fist. ¡°No point in thinking if you¡¯re in too much pain to think¨Cam I right? Or am I right?¡± Zeke scoffed, shaking his head as he stood to his feet. Still, a smirk was plastered on his lips as he faced her. ¡°Damn, you¡¯re still eager to eat my fists?¡± ¡°What a way for a gentleman to say to a lady,¡± Mikella said haughtily, her hand over her chest like a delicate maiden. ¡°Please, you make godzilla look dainty in comparison.¡± ¡°Hey, that¡¯s offensive! Remember, I¡¯m a Draconian now.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. I need to give godzilla an apology to compare it to a monster like you.¡± Zeke dodged an incoming strike from the pissed Mikella, and soon the two went into their own little world, their fighting styles speaking for themselves. In the end, nothing changed for them. No matter how powerful they get, they would still have each other. Vol 3 Ch 56: Journey to the tower ¡°Whoa¡­ you two feel different than before.¡± Saang said, noticing the two otherworlders as if for the first time. Her eyes peered over at their form, wearing their gear and respected weapons by their side. For Zeke, though, he just had his gloves on. But they were different compared to before. They went for a return trip back to Cru¡¯s store to get his gloves back and also finally relieving Cru of her worries on the attack Zeke went through. Even if they hadn¡¯t known each other for long, Cru wasn¡¯t the sort to just stop caring about someone who had done her a huge favor. Due to that, she didn¡¯t just repair his gloves¨Cshe improved them.
Gloves of Saintly Sanctuary (Epic): Gloves created with the sense of safety behind them. On top of pushing the ideal of protection, they also represent the inner kindness of their wearer. Enchantments: Major Support Aid Major Support Proficiency
It was a vast improvement that helped Zeke use his healing and Ethereal Manifest even better than before. While the idea didn¡¯t seem all that apparent on hand, he believed that now he can go beyond just healing a critical wound on a person. But for his Ethereal Manifest skill, unfortunately, it didn¡¯t improve its defensive capabilities at all. Still, it was a good thing to have his gloves repaired and improved. The sleek black design now had a white cross sewn onto the top of the gloves, as though they really bore the mark of religion. Though to hear ¡®saintly¡¯ in the name and the description for it made Zeke somewhat awkward. Somehow, both Mikella and Cru made it like this just to tease him, not to just show off how nice he was to other people. ¡°Yep, definitely different,¡± Saang said without any evidence involved. ¡°Don¡¯t know how, but you just are.¡± ¡®How¡¯d you guess?¡± Mikella raised a brow with amusement in her tone. After they got their gear tuned, they returned back to the guild base to meet up with their team. It had been a while since they last saw them, but they looked the same as always. Though apparently Saang realized the difference the moment they met them. ¡°You got this air about you¡­ like you just got stronger all of a sudden,¡± Saang said, her open hand spinning left and right. ¡°Did you get some training done?¡± ¡°You could say that,¡± Mikella grinned. ¡°Zeke found a good way for us to train over our limits.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Hamil asked instead, his brows widening. ¡°How so?¡± Figuring there wasn¡¯t any issue, Zeke explained the process. With his attunement involved, the three quickly understood what he meant. There were pale looks on Hamil and Kote¡¯s faces, though the latter was difficult to perceive with the mask he had on. ¡°Huh,¡± Saang nodded. ¡°That¡¯s pretty damn impressive. For a moment, I thought you two got desperate and took on shady elixirs or something.¡± ¡°Elixirs?¡± Mikella asked. ¡°LIke potions and stuff?¡± ¡°Well yeah, but elixirs are the potent stuff that gives you extra stats. But they¡¯re ridiculously expensive. You¡¯d be stupid to buy some just for some added boosts if you¡¯re just making do. Only nobles can really spend that much gold on that crap.¡± ¡°That doesn''t mean they''re the only ones,¡± Kote mentioned. ¡°There are some that are being illegally sold for cheaper costs, but those come with some downsides.¡± ¡°I thought you took some of those,¡± Saang nodded with a smirk. ¡°Glad to see you got good heads on your shoulders.¡± ¡°Well duh,¡± Mikella commented. ¡°We know not to take drugs from strangers.¡± ¡°Umm¡­ potions and stuff are still kinda drugs, if you think about it,¡± Zeke mentioned offhandedly. ¡°Then take the good drugs and not the bad drugs. Easy-peasy.¡± Zeke shook his head. He was glad to see that the mood was fine despite what happened. But soon Hamil made a frown as the mood shifted. ¡°I¡¯m glad to see that you¡¯re alright, Zeke. It¡¯s hard to believe that an assassin was sent after you. Though, after the stuff we found out, it¡¯s not surprising.¡± ¡°What did you find out?¡± Mikella asked. ¡°We figured it was the Alchemist¡¯s guild running behind the scenes.¡± ¡°Whoa, how¡¯d you figure that out?¡± Saang asked. ¡°That took us a while to figure out for a bit.¡± ¡°We connected the dots,¡± Mikella said with a smile. Zeke figured out that this was Mikella¡¯s chance to show off an investigative side of hers. Being a good partner, he let her take the spotlight. ¡°Our blacksmith friend had her contract dissolved by those fuckers. Something about current circumstances not aligning well or some shit. Anyways, they let slip that the adventurer¡¯s guild was the one involved, and we figured out that the ones who sent assassins were the ones getting their bottom line in trouble.¡± ¡°It goes deeper than that, actually,¡± Kote said, which ultimately burst Mikella¡¯s bubble as she frowned. Kote quickly noticed that and backpedaled hard. ¡°Though that¡¯s really impressive. It took us all three to get that far.¡± Mikella easily returned back to her smug self, making Zeke really try to hold back from constantly yelling ¡®so cute¡¯ in his head at her antics. ¡°We¡¯re not exactly known to be private investigators¨Cwe¡¯re more like the clean-up crew,¡± Hamil commented, which got a frown from Mikella as Kote cleared his throat. ¡°Think about it this way¨Ca healer comes by and fixes the problems that the Alchemist¡¯s guild themselves were finding issues to solve, only giving out stopgaps to not make it worse and spread,¡± Kote explained, gesturing towards Zeke. ¡°It isn¡¯t just their bottom line¨Cit¡¯s their reputation. So when you pit one man against an entire guild, some would make suggestions that the one responsible for the curses is the very man who is allegedly able to heal them when a large and popular guild can¡¯t.¡± That got both the otherworlders to widen their eyes. Zeke was left gaping at the accusation behind Kote¡¯s words. Mikella had other plans. ¡°Those assholes!¡± Mikella growled, and it was the kind of growl only a dragon could make as lightning began forming from the corners of her mouth like smoke trailing from a dragon¡¯s maw. ¡°What? They¡¯re so scared that they¡¯d rather blame a guy and kill him rather than admit that they didn¡¯t know jack shit? I¡¯ll fucking kill ¡®em!¡± You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. ¡°That¡¯s how guilds work,¡± Saang said. She wasn¡¯t going to try and even calm Mikella down. Her eyes were narrowed, completely fixed on the problem. ¡°They care more about themselves and their problems than just one or two healers going rogue. There¡¯s also another problem¨Cthey found out he¡¯s a Runist.¡± ¡°And once a Runist is involved, the Runist guild is also involved,¡± Hamil said, a distasteful frown on his face. ¡°Nothing is ever pretty when they¡¯re around. But being what they are, the Alchemists accused the Runists of getting onto their turf.¡± That got Zeke to pause, his eyes shifting left and right as his brain worked to find the link. And he didn¡¯t like it. ¡°Are you saying it¡¯s the Runist¡¯s Guild that¡¯s coming after my head?¡± Mikella turned quiet as well, realizing the same. The lightning finally calmed down, but her face was nowhere near relaxed, her brows knitted and veins tensed. ¡°That¡¯s where our lead drops off,¡± Kote answered, shaking his head. ¡°Once the Runists got involved, investigating became a major issue. They don¡¯t like anyone sniffing around them. Cronus also let us know to leave them alone, as he didn¡¯t want their guild, more than any other, getting rattled by this.¡± ¡°So we just leave them alone and let them try to kill Zeke just to avoid pissing them off? Mikella crossed her arms. ¡°I can¡¯t believe this¡­¡± ¡°Well, we got some good news,¡± Hamil said, putting on a bitter smile. ¡°We got to go and handle a quest that has nothing to do with any of the guilds. And hopefully, we can get our hands on one of those towers on the way. That quest is really just a cover for us to deal with it, and it¡¯s about time we do something about it.¡± Zeke and Mikella nodded in turn. They spent a lot of time adjusting to the city and its environment. While the news felt sour in their mouths, it didn¡¯t change their prerogative. They need to clear the towers, and hopefully clean up the root of all these problems. ¡­.. After many days of speculation and research, the adventurer party and Alissa figured out the tower¡¯s possible location. The tower in question was located at the north-eastern border of the capital¡¯s limits. The country was vast, enough to be called a small continent. While that sounded extremely large, people can easily traverse the lands and the air thanks to the leylines. It was these very same leylines that the capital itself used to drive their vehicles about without getting into any incidents and the like. Even people with personal skills used these leylines to traverse the skies and lands of Arcelot. Unfortunately, adventurers and other travelers were unable to use the leylines that the people of Arcelot readily use outside of the capital, as those are either not constructed yet, or not stable enough to be used with regular vehicles. The towers¡¯ existence is also responsible for making these natural leylines unstable to be used properly. But that¡¯s only if an adventuring party has to rely on outside means for transport. For the Tempest Winds, that was easily rectified. Zeke was thankful that he could at least do this much with his Ethereal Manifest as the wind blew through his hair and clothes, traveling a lot faster than he initially expected. He decided to create his usual barrier car, or in this case, Ethereal Car, like when they first arrived in Arcelot with Cronus and the rest. While that certainly surprised the veteran adventurers that he could do such a thing, nobody was going to complain about getting a free ride to their next destination without worrying about camping out in the hostile nature of Arcelot. As he drove, his mana was draining fast, but his crazy regeneration and the increased mitigation on mana loss through his gear made it so that his mana is topped off every once in a while, no sweat. He could even pick up more speed if he wanted to without really spending too much mana. Before, he made his barrier cars with Barrier Craft, but Ethereal Manifest was a lot more attuned to his runes than his barriers were, making the runes¡¯ effects a lot more potent. Though that still didn¡¯t dissuade his fear that a single finger flick could easily destroy his magically-made vehicle. Then again, perhaps some enemy had to be fast enough to even touch it. His construct was already approaching race car levels of speed. Running through forests, cliffs, steep edges and even through the air at times¨Cthey were making incredible progress contrary to what the Journeymen believed earlier. As for the Tempest Winds themselves¨Cwell, it was easy to see how they responded. ¡°Whooooo!¡± Saang¡¯s arms flung to the air, her lungs working overtime to keep up with her excitement. The wind caused her hair to fling about wildly, but she didn''t care in the slightest. Hamil and Kote on the other hand were at their seat¡¯s edge, so to speak. Kote was ensuring that he wasn¡¯t flung off and left forgotten, though Zeke¡¯s affixation to their place with his spell made sure that never happened. Hamil however was just stunned silent at the view of it all, his jaw still slack in awe. Meanwhile, his partner was already used to the car-like construct, so she happily sat next to Zeke with a smile on her face, enjoying the view as though it truly was just a casual drive-by. ¡°Mana check,¡± Mikella said, usually saying that at every interval. ¡°All green¡­ well, blue, but you get it.¡± Zeke smirked, understanding her mana checks. Though Zeke had gotten more mana regeneration, Mikella still needed to make sure that he wasn¡¯t pushing himself and draining mana faster than he could keep up. Zeke can understand since, if their positions were reversed, he would do the same for her. ¡°Let me know if anything changes, alright? We¡¯re already covering a lot of ground so there¡¯s nothing wrong with walking the extra way.¡± Zeke nodded assuringly. ¡°Trust me, if anything happens, you¡¯ll be the first to know.¡± Mikella smiled warmly at him, her worries disappearing. Looking ahead, Zeke noticed that they were closing in on the target. After warning the others, they started preparing for eventually stopping, their fun driving time at an end. It was decided to stop a bit farther away just in case the area surrounding the tower might be more dangerous than they expected, so Zeke slowed down to a crawl and stopped around a mountainous region. There were some valleys decked with the strange bluish nature that they first saw, though there were some minor green and even yellow colors mixed within the vast nature. Now that the air wasn¡¯t whistling in their ears, Zeke could hear the caws and howls of animals, or perhaps monsters, out in the distance. The mana construct disappeared while Zeke double checked his resources and body. Noticing no issues, he told the same to Mikella. He knew she probably had an inkling of his health, but she still smiled knowing the eventual result. On the other hand, Kote had his hand resting near the one of the massive non-greenish trees, stomping the ground lightly as though to ascertain his surroundings. Saang let out a groan of disappointment that the ride was over while Hamil was the only one returning back to his veteran side. ¡°We covered so much distance¡­ I really wish you can stay as our permanent party member Zeke. We¡¯d save so much on travel costs.¡± ¡°Hey, he¡¯s my personal ride,¡± Mikella smirked. ¡°Hands off my ride.¡± ¡°Ride?¡± Zeke hung his head back at the audacity of this woman. ¡°You mean ¡®partner¡¯, right?¡± ¡°Quiet, my noble steed. Mama¡¯s talking here.¡± Zeke scoffed at her bad joke, though Hamil smiled at the antics. It was all well and good to ease the tension no matter how close up they were to the nearby tower. ¡°Urrgh¡­¡± Kote groaned, sounding more sick than they expected. ¡°Kote, you okay?¡± Zeke asked, turning serious at his clear pale face¡­ well, the exposed part at least. ¡°You need me to heal you?¡± ¡°Nah, he can handle it,¡± Saang said, waving away his worries. ¡°He just sucks at handling long-distance traveling.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­ yeah¡­¡± Kote eventually said. He shook his head, though it looked more damaging than helping. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. Just give me a minute.¡± Kote eventually grumbled that he needed to have some flying skill, though Saang cut his hopes when she mentioned that he could get sick of that as well. Putting aside their car-sick friend, Zeke turned to the direction where he figured the tower might be. The rocky area surrounding them was actually once part of a quarry around a decade ago, but due to the monster population increasing, they had abandoned the site in favor of forming it into a monster infested area. As for the reason, instead of extracting materials the hard way, one can just kill the monsters that have formed its ecosystem around it and take the loot from their deaths. On top of the materials, one can also gain experience points from the effort. Though once again the area was left abandoned as the monsters became more furious, putting adventurers out of the area and leaving the quest to the Tempest Winds. After walking for several minutes, they approached the anomaly that made it so. Zeke just can¡¯t believe it even with his own two eyes. It was the tower that they were looking for¨Cexcept that it¡¯s floating in mid-air. Vol 3 Ch57: Entering the tower with a nasty surprise ¡°How is that possible?¡± Zeke asked aloud, unable to hold back his shock. What they saw as they entered into the forbidden area of the quarry was the tower that they were looking for. The forbidden area was made by the guild when the monsters became a problem that not even their adventurers can handle with ease. That also included sightings of the tower that had suddenly appeared out of nowhere. Zeke was fully expecting to see the large tower that was just a single stone building that could pierce the sky with how tall it was. It might as well have led directly to the heavens where the gods lived, the ones responsible for sending them to those hell holes in the first place. But the tower that showed in front of them was nothing like the past towers. If anything, they were the exact opposite in appearance. This tower floated in the air, spinning slowly as the normally cylindrical tower was now shaped like a diamond with two of its tapered ends pointing up and down. The entire ¡®tower¡¯ could be seen in its entirety, but now Zeke can barely tell whether it was truly the same one, or perhaps someone had made a mistake. It wasn¡¯t even made with the same stone-like texture of the past towers. It certainly was built like a tower, with each brick being seen if you look hard enough. However, the color was a deep purple and black, with some blue mixed in like a random swirl of gas that puffs in and out of existence from within the purplish void of the walls. But considering their past experiences¨Cif mysterious buildings showed up out of nowhere, those had to be the towers. ¡°Zeke, I¡¯m not imagining this, right? That¡¯s literally a tower just floating there?¡± Mikella asked, obviously having the same issue of believing the building¡¯s entire existence. ¡°Mmh? Isn¡¯t this the tower you guys know?¡± Saang asked, clearly confused. When Zeke looked at her in surprise, he realized that the three adventurers partied up with them were clearly new to the towers, and never actually entered inside. That meant that once the idea of ¡®towers¡¯ entered their minds, they expected the tower to be this floating diamond-shaped building. ¡°It is¡­¡± Zeke muttered. ¡°But also it isn¡¯t.¡± ¡°...Explain.¡± Hamil asked, his brow raising. ¡°Is this not the tower you guys usually clear?¡± ¡°Not¡­ not really?¡± Mikella answered, her brows furrowed in confusion. ¡°The towers we cleared were just literal towers¨Cbuildings that were so high you can barely see the top. Oh, and they were also placed on the ground, like normal buildings.¡± She made sure to emphasize the part where the two clearly had an issue with, causing the seasoned adventurers to widen their eyes. ¡°Seriously?¡± Saang asked, reasonably shocked. ¡°And you guys said you took on more towers, right? Did they all look like that?¡± ¡°So far, yeah,¡± Zeke nodded. ¡°All three towers we¡¯ve been to looked like what she described. This is the first time we saw one that looks¡­ like that.¡± Zeke gestured at the floating tower, which even now filled him with a strange emotion. It was like finding an abstract statue and giving a sense of dread that he can¡¯t explain. It might look mystical, but his senses told him something was amiss. ¡°Well, we certainly weren''t told of this,¡± Hamil said, his hands rubbing his chin in thought. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, we might have to retreat and try to gather more information.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Mikella asked. ¡°It only looks different. It should be the same thing inside. Maybe just a bit more different than normal.¡± ¡°Besides, the more time we waste, the worst it¡¯ll get, right?¡± Zeke added, nodding to Mikella¡¯s answer. ¡°It only just looks different¨Cmaybe it is different. But in the end, every tower is dangerous no matter how¡­ weirdly shaped it is.¡± ¡°I agree,¡± Kote added, talking for the first time. ¡°These towers were always defined as mysterious. These two are the only experts we can find too. If they say it¡¯s different, there¡¯s nothing we can do about it. We still gotta see if we can get rid of it.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Hamil nodded slowly. Zeke knew that it wasn¡¯t as though he turned cowardly. He was only making sure he got their bearings before entering into dangerous grounds. With that said, Hamil stared at the two. ¡°Then let¡¯s head in. You two are able to bring us with you inside, right?¡± ¡°I mean, it¡¯s floating and everything,¡± Saang butted in. ¡°And not a single entrance in sight. And I¡¯m guessing there¡¯s no point in attacking it with skills and spells, right?¡± ¡°Definitely not a good idea,¡± Zeke said. ¡°I don¡¯t know the details, but if this thing is messing with the mana around here, then bombarding it with attacks is bound to be trouble. Also, it might have the tendency to explode on us too.¡± The veterans looked at Zeke with widened eyes, not realizing that it could blow up as he said. Considering the giant size, it wasn¡¯t something they wanted to do. Zeke was sure Cronus knew that as well, otherwise, if they had found it, they would have already tried using different types of attacks to get rid of it. ¡°Then let¡¯s not waste anymore time,¡± Mikella answered, turning to her partner. ¡°You ready, Zeke?¡± ¡°Ready,¡± Zeke nodded. ¡°Come with us, and stay close to us.¡± The adventurers did as they say, since at this moment they became the leaders of the expedition. The otherworlders closed in towards the tower, expanding their senses to notice anything amiss. With that in mind, the two approached near the tower where its shadow nearly took on an entire expanse. Despite the appearance up front, the tower was quite wider compared to the original design, so it was enough to possibly cover a whole block from the capital city. However, just as they predicted, they couldn¡¯t touch anywhere near it since it floated around several meters up high, but that never stopped the otherworlders before. Zeke closed his eyes and willed the tower to his demand. For a moment, he thought it didn¡¯t work, but as he broadened his senses, he found out just how incredible the tower truly was. Back then, it was only during his Intermediate and Expert stages, but now as a Journeymen, the tower¡¯s entire existence was piled on top of complete mystery. It had no energy to speak of, not even the system energy that Zeke was vaguely aware of. It did have, however, a will of its own. And it soon met his own will. As though it synchronized, the will reacted positively to his existence, even more so including Mikella¡¯s own existence that he felt joining together with his own. He made sure to include his senses to the three behind him, recognizing them as their ¡®guests¡¯. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. A portal appeared right in front of them, not caring at all that it didn¡¯t connect with the tower like the last ones. Zeke looked back at the group, their eyes focused entirely on the portal with a nod. With his word, the group followed the two as they entered into the portal, letting the white void cover their senses and making their insides suffer whiplash at the sudden shift. ¡­.. It took Zeke an entire minute to truly take control of his senses after that strange teleportation. It wasn¡¯t anything different from before, but it was still as jarring as one would expect. It wasn¡¯t like an ordinary dungeon where one casually enters. It was quite literally a jump into another dimension that shouldn¡¯t have been made naturally. When he gathered his awareness, he opened his eyes to find a lot of greenery that really shouldn¡¯t have been there. The moist atmosphere along with the bristling sounds of leaves and the scent of soil and perhaps rot filled his nose. Another moment of clarity revealed that he was, in fact, inside a swamp of sorts. However, there was no hint of water around his surroundings. If anything, it was the opposite. That scent of rot he caught earlier was definitely not part of the swamp¡¯s habitat, or at least that¡¯s what he believed. However, he put aside the strange habitat and called out for anyone else. ¡°Roll call!¡± Zeke shouted. ¡°Who¡¯s here!?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here!¡± Mikella shouted, which shocked him since she was standing so close. He turned to find none other than the just as shocked Mikella who answered the moment he shouted. ¡°Oh, uhh, sorry¡­¡± Zeke said, but Mikella waved it off. ¡°It¡¯s fine, I¡¯m just glad we¡¯re not separated,¡± Mikella smirked, which Zeke can easily agree with. ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­¡± Kote said, finally walking up to the two. He looked so mesmerized that he probably didn¡¯t even believe there were other people around. ¡°This place is¡­¡± ¡°This is part of the tower?¡± Hamil said, showing himself along with Kote. Just like him, he was just admiring the scenery and stayed in awe. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ way bigger than I expected. ¡°Saang!¡± Mikella shouted. ¡°Are you here?¡± ¡°Way over here!¡± Zeke and Mikella spun around to find Saang already standing near what looked like a large riverbank. She was crouching down, her feet still planted on the soil as she waved her hand up in the air to show herself. ¡°You guys gotta see this! I don¡¯t think this is water!¡± The four quickly approached Saang to which Hamil already started grumbling about her suddenly going off on her own. Still, Zeke can¡¯t blame anyone for being overwhelmed. Even Cloud, Val, and Zacharia were amazed at the sudden scenery. But when they approached the riverbank to notice the water beneath them, each of them gasped in surprise. The liquid flowing through the river looked clear, but it was clearly not water. There was that pungent scent of rot and¡­ acidity that Zeke can¡¯t comprehend. It was certainly nasty, like intense vinegar straight up to the nostrils. ¡°Don¡¯t touch it,¡± Hamil stated almost autonomously. ¡°Genius call there,¡± Saang rolled her eyes. ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell me not to use my axe¡¯s blade to get a haircut while you¡¯re at it?¡± ¡°What is this¡­ I have never seen this sort of liquid before.¡± Kote crouched down as well while Hamil and Saang were already having a tussle about whatever came to mind, but the otherworlders were left stumped. After all, there was no hint of rooms or direction to go by. ¡°This is¡­ troubling,¡± Mikella said. ¡°I have no idea where to go from here.¡± ¡°I think we just gotta wander around and try not to get lost,¡± Zeke said. ¡°Before, we went in directions where we either went up or down the stairs. But in this place, I¡¯m not sure where to go to get to the end of the dungeon.¡± ¡°That¡¯s simple, just keep walking northward,¡± Saang suddenly mentioned, getting out of fighting with Hamil over seemingly nothing. ¡°We¡¯re bound to hit something if we do that.¡± ¡°Is¡­ that really the best advice from one of the top adventurers of the guild?¡± Mikella had to ask, more than a little doubt worming into her voice. ¡°It sucks, but her intuition is scary good. Plus, she never seems to get lost, and I¡¯m pretty sure it¡¯s because of an Acquired skill or weird item that she¡¯s keeping from us.¡± ¡°It¡¯s called woman¡¯s intuition, dumbass,¡± Saang barked back at Hamil. ¡°Isn¡¯t that supposed to work on drama or something?¡± Hamil mentioned off-handed, but he still had a smile despite the tense situation. ¡°Guys, shut up,¡± Kote suddenly said, getting the two to do exactly that. ¡°I¡¯m gonna test something, and you¡¯re only gonna distract me.¡± Right when Zeke was curious as to what he¡¯s gonna test, Kote held out his hand and a disturbing crack echoed from his arm. From the top of his exposed forearm, bone pierced through the skin in a jarring way, as though his mind willingly broke his arm for the bone to come out. Worst yet, that single piece of bone kept extending forward, as though connected by bit by bit interconnectedly. It was a truly disturbing sight, especially when Kote just looked on as though nothing was really happening. He then stopped the growth of the bone, and easily broke off the hanging tip that easily surpassed several inches out of his arm. The broken bone in hand, the rest of the ¡®bone arm¡¯ quickly dissipated in a vast of smoke, leaving the open wound behind to close up immediately. ¡°What the actual fuck¡­?¡± Mikella had to mutter, her face paling at the sight. ¡°Oh¡­ sorry,¡± Kote noticed her plight and actually apologized, his tone showing regret. ¡°Forgot you guys weren¡¯t used to this.¡± ¡°His attunement is fucking gross as always, but it¡¯s pretty damn handy in situations like this,¡± Saang said, though that still got a glare from the aformentioned bone user. ¡°That¡¯s your attunement? Bone manipulation?¡± Zeke asked, more curious than disturbed. That also appeased Mikella a little, though she¡¯s in the camp that bones were always supposed to stay inside the body rather than out. ¡°In a sense,¡± Kote nodded. ¡°Mostly bone, but I also control muscle tissue and the like. That¡¯s why my body regenerates easily from my wounds. Anyways, I need some room, so please step back a little.¡± Zeke easily agreed as he realized that Kote is testing the liquid coursing through the river. Everyone else did the same, now a lot more curious as Kote slowly approached the liquid with the broken bone in hand. The tip of the bone slowly dipped into the surging liquid, and the moment it did, the bone started to sizzle, smoke rising like dipping in hot oil. Kote quickly let go of the bone, realizing that just by touching the liquid, the rest of the bone had easily been taken over and evaporated on the spot. What was left was a trail of smoke that was once the bone only after dipping into the liquid for a second or two. ¡°Well¡­ that answers that,¡± Kote said in a dry tone. ¡°That¡¯s some pretty potent stuff. Unless you got a lot of Endurance and Vitality, I don¡¯t suggest touching this stuff.¡± ¡°And it looks like there¡¯s plenty more of that everywhere around us,¡± Hamil said, taking a gander at his surroundings. Zeke didn¡¯t even have to see to know what Hamil was talking about. It wasn¡¯t just this river bank that they were close to¨Cnearly every area that they can see or sense has the liquid flowing through one way or another, truly making this place a hazardous location. Just one step into the strangely acidic liquid can easily lead to one¡¯s death. Though Zeke wasn¡¯t sure exactly how long it would take. It was just a simple bone, which has less resistance compared to the rest of their bodies. Still, he¡¯s definitely not going to test out how durable he can be, and doesn¡¯t plan on letting anyone else try either. ¡°So don¡¯t touch the liquid and keep heading north,¡± Saang said eventually. ¡°Easy enough. What else do we gotta look out for?¡± ¡°Monsters, and tons of them,¡± Mikella said. ¡°And they might come out of nowhere. Maybe even places we didn¡¯t think they would come from.¡± ¡°So a location that has dangerous hazards and monsters that seemingly come from nowhere¡­ Didn¡¯t think that the dungeon here would be classified as Class A in difficulty, but I should¡¯ve figured Cronus wouldn¡¯t give us an easy job.¡± ¡°Uhh, Class A?¡± Zeke asked Hamil, who was still in his data-collecting phase of sorts. ¡°Oh, those are classifications used to describe how difficult a dungeon or biodome is. That also equates to the level of the monsters, what skills they can use, and of course the environment as a whole. According to what you said so far, and the acidic qualities of nearly everything around here, this place is definitely Class A or less.¡± ¡°Come on, Hamil,¡± Saang said, her fists placed on her hips. ¡°It¡¯s definitely more than Class A. Look at this place.¡± ¡°We still don¡¯t know the level of the monsters yet, so it¡¯s undefined,¡± Hamil relayed with ease. ¡°But¡­ you just had to say it like it¡¯s natural, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°That means according to Saang, this place is as difficult as she surmised¡­¡± Kote said, shaking his head ruefully. Apparently that intuition of hers goes both ways, including the bad news of what they might face today. Vol 3 Ch58: Nostalgia The party continued onwards northside through the vast swamp in front of them. The more ground they covered, the more the swamp expanded in size and sheer capacity. The rivers went wider and became a torrent of hot acidic liquid. Strangely enough, they could even see fish jumping about, though clearly they were resistant to such acidic waters. On the other hand, the trees that nearly took over the swamp were somehow vibrant with life. It was as though everything here consisted of the acidic water, which by itself meant that humans were never truly supposed to be here. No matter how the Journeymen go about it, the acidity of the place was just too strong, making them believe that the dungeon is capable of increasing the acidity to the point where level didn¡¯t matter. That also goes with the first monster that showed up out of nowhere. A sharp shrill echoed out before something was flung towards Hamil, but he managed to deflect it by summoning an earth pillar out of the ground to block him. The earth pillar in question was riddled with all sorts of minerals that seemed to have the same sheen and coloring as the acidic water, giving the earthen wall that same sense of danger to the rest of them. The monster who threw what looked like a sharp rock at them swung from a vine across a tree, showing a furry creature with a slight green and yellow tint on its fur, with blackened skin and red eyes that glared like mad at them. It cackled and shrilled again, bouncing its three-toed legs up and down as though it was angry at its failed attempt. Out of nowhere, it continued to pelt them with powerful throws of sharp objects. Kote went ahead and threw it off of its spot, causing it to fall and head directly at the charging Saang and Mikella who took it out easily enough. It was when they Identified the now downed creature that they realized that the dungeon was indeed Class A in difficulty. Chucking Monkey, Level 64 ¡°A Journeymen monster right off the bat,¡± Saang said, gritting her teeth. ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Why you gotta be so adamant on making it above Class A, Saang?¡± Hamil questioned uselessly, knowing there was no point to it all. Saang still gave a glare and some rude finger gesture at him when Kote went ahead to loot the creature. ¡°Strange¡­ it¡¯s not fur or fangs, but ammunitions.¡± Catching everyone by surprise, Kote revealed the droppings from his Storage Bag to everyone by placing them on the grassy ground. To everyone¡¯s surprise, it really was ammunition¨Cbut they were just the same sharp rocks that the monkey threw. However, identifying them revealed that they can also be used as throwing stones by anyone, and they actually have a decent power behind them. While it looked crude at first, someone who has a Projectile Mastery skill rather than a Bow Mastery skill can easily make do with these, as there were a total of fifty of these stones. ¡°The same thing happened to the dungeon we had to go through,¡± Zeke reminded himself. ¡°They mostly dropped armor pieces though.¡± ¡°But the third one we got into gave us some pretty good scaled hides for leather,¡± Mikella mentioned. ¡°That¡¯s still not the same, right?¡± ¡°You did say that the dungeons are for the people who were just initialized, right?¡± Hamil said, getting the two to nod. ¡°But how can they survive against Journeymen monsters? It¡¯s not possible¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good point,¡± Mikella said. Her voice trailed as the image of the monsters being too powerful hit her mind. ¡°Same thing happened before too. We figured it¡¯s because it was at a biodome meant for Journeymen level monsters¡­¡± ¡°Or is it that the longer the tower persists¡­ the monsters just get stronger?¡± Zeke muttered, realizing the implications of what this could mean. At first they figured that it was the location giving them the mana the monsters needed to get stronger. But what if the dungeon¡¯s purpose is to make the monsters stronger by day, forcing the people within to either clear it instantly or be left to die? In the end, both seem possible, but Zeke figured the latter seemed much more intentional. After all, if they noticed that the knights on the first tower kept getting stronger by the day, they would try to get out as soon as possible¨Cnot that they hadn¡¯t already planned on doing that anyways. ¡°Considering how long the tower¡¯s been here, that might be possible,¡± Kote mentioned. ¡°How many days have you guys spent in yours?¡± ¡°Just¡­ two or three days, I think?¡± Zeke asked. ¡°Definitely three days,¡± Mikella nodded. ¡°Not sure whether that¡¯s impressive or not.¡± ¡°Impressive enough that you survived,¡± Saang mentioned offhand. ¡°How strong were the monsters there?¡± ¡°Just around our levels, I think,¡± Zeke surmised. ¡°I mean we have no clue since we hadn¡¯t gotten Identify back then.¡± ¡°Perhaps that¡¯s why the monster''s levels seemed so adjustable?¡± Kote said, looking down with what looked like furrowing his brows through the mask. ¡°Was that intentional? Was it to give the otherworlders some leverage?¡± ¡°Either way, the more we study this, the better our findings in the end. I¡¯d say we continue on to the end to see what else we can find.¡± Hamil mentioned which immediately got everyone to get going. They were making sure not to rush as the team¡¯s motto is to take it nice and slow. Rushing things would only increase the unexpectancy in a mission, and any sort of unexpected encounter could easily lead to their death. Zeke and Mikella were completely behind that line of thinking, so they traversed slowly as time went on. The swamp seemed to get bigger and bigger, the trees that seemed bulky and almost sickly grew larger and wider, becoming harder to spot the horizon beyond the trees. The sky was becoming tinged in yellow color, which finally prompted Zeke to look up. ¡°The sky¡­¡± Zeke muttered, getting everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°Not that surprising considering it¡¯s a dungeon,¡± Saang said, tilting her head at the sky herself. She wanted to see what was different. ¡°What about it?¡± ¡°...That¡¯s not the studded star.¡± Stolen novel; please report. Zeke said which immediately got the four to look up to see what he meant. To their shock, it was indeed not the studded star. But instead the bright, almost blinding sun that they have no way of looking directly if they weren¡¯t Journeymen. It was burning with intense fire, and the closer he looked, the more his eyes started to sting so he looked away. ¡°Zeke, that¡¯s the sun¡­ that¡¯s the same one from Earth, right?¡± Mikella said. Her voice almost quivered at the sight of the old sun again after so long. ¡°Yeah. But I think it might be a copy. It doesn¡¯t look the same as the sun we know and love. At least it¡¯s more like a rock on fire than a sun.¡± ¡°A sun¡­ that¡¯s what it¡¯s called?¡± Kote said, his eyes not caring at the least that they were stinging. ¡°It¡¯s so bright and¡­ beautiful.¡± ¡°But is it burning all the time?¡± Saang said, her tone curious. ¡°What happens when you guys need to sleep?¡± ¡°Does it dim down, like our star?¡± Hamil mentioned afterward, getting Zeke to chuckle at the strange questions. ¡°It goes in a cycle,¡± Zeke answered, but Mikella got excited and told the rest herself. ¡°The sun goes up first, then something called a moon comes in afterwards. However, it¡¯s not really those two moving, but our planet orbiting. The sun is actually completely stuck in place at the center of our own universe. The moon just hangs around our planet.¡± ¡°And that moon is the same as the sun, just dimmer?¡± Kote mentioned, becoming more eager. ¡°Sort of, yeah. It just reflects the light of the sun, but sometimes it doesn¡¯t, and that¡¯s where we call it the phases of the moon.¡± Mikella continued explaining to the dumbfounded but excited veterans about another world¡¯s functions. Zeke just listened in with a smile on his face. It was enough to blow away the fact of just how long they were away from their own world. It was a good distraction since it¡¯s been a while since they actually spotted anything of note. As the hours passed, everyone started to notice the issues themselves. ¡°It¡¯s getting darker,¡± Hamil stated, looking up at the sky. ¡°I think I see the moon you¡¯re talking about.¡± ¡°Yep, that¡¯s the¡­ wait, that¡¯s not a moon.¡± Zeke looked up at Mikella¡¯s insistence, shocking himself that the moon in question wasn¡¯t the moon, but a giant ass floating rock with jagged edges just heading up into the sky. Just like the sun, the moon didn¡¯t look the same either. Except unlike the sun, it was more alien than nostalgic. ¡°It still works the same but¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not our moon,¡± Mikella mentioned. She flattened her tone a little at the revelation. Saang walked over and patted her shoulder. ¡°Sorry¡­ do you miss your world?¡± She asked. There was a subtle gentleness unlike her usual character. ¡°Nah, not really,¡± Mikella smiled warmly at her. ¡°I really like this world, if I¡¯m being honest. Not every day where I can be this awesome and get even more awesome later. Am I right?¡± ¡°Damn straight,¡± Zeke answered Mikella¡¯s callout. ¡°Though it¡¯d be nice to see a real moon than¡­ whatever the hell that is.¡± ¡°Sorry guys, but we gotta head somewhere to stay in for the night. Not sure how your world works, but it might be better for us to steer clear of the monsters here.¡± The two nodded in agreement to Hamil¡¯s callout, getting everyone to do exactly that. With the help of Hamil and Zeke¡¯s magic and runes, they were able to hide within the trunk of a giant tree, using it as a small cave to relax. Zeke offered himself for the first watch to let everyone rest, since he really didn¡¯t do much other than fight off the monsters that came in every now and then. They were the same Chucking Monkeys as before, to which even now Zeke wondered who the hell named these things to have such a stupid name. The adventurers gladly did so, figuring that his Endurance was high enough as they began to relax and eat at their leisure. Meanwhile, Zeke cursed at the lack of his barrier skill. If he still had it, he would¡¯ve made an even better base for the night, instead of hoping that no monsters come in through the entrance and mess up the interior they worked hard to create. Even now, he felt so inadequate no matter how many points he gained over the last day. Stats are important, and having several magic spells made from his runes made him almost versatile for any situation. But nothing made him feel almost invincible than his barrier. During the biodome takeover, he felt inadequate with it, but it was only when he lost it is when he realized how truly powerful it was on hand. After seeing the fake sun and fake moon all in one, it truly made the pain of what he once lost that much more obvious. He didn¡¯t miss Earth, not really. If he had to say, the other world was never as grand and beautiful as this one, even if bullshit politics and unfair practices were still persistent here. Because this world had a system where the other world didn¡¯t. In Zeke¡¯s eyes, that somewhat made it fairer. But even he had things he missed back in the other world. The internet, music, video games, movies¡­ Everything he had consumed basically became half of what he is, the other half just amalgamation of everything he went through in life. It hurt. It hurt a lot more than he expected. They were all such stupid things in the grand scheme of everything, but in the end they were a part of him just as much as the other world was. ¡°You okay?¡± A gentle voice permeated the despairing sense around him, causing him to turn to find Mikella waving back at him. He copied the gesture, then assuringly enough she stood by him as she watched over the rounded entrance they made inside the tree trunk. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine,¡± Zeke said, finishing her question. ¡°Just¡­ nostalgia, I guess.¡± ¡°Same here,¡± Mikella said, her tone just as flat as his. ¡°Still, I wouldn¡¯t change worlds no matter what. This place is too fun.¡± ¡°You and me both,¡± Zeke said, nodding to her agreement. ¡°But¡­ I kinda wish we got stuff like music and movies. Games, though? Yeah, I can deal without that.¡± Mikella giggled, knowing exactly what he meant. Hearing her laugh even from all this nostalgia made his heart swell. ¡°Tell me about it. I¡¯m actually surprised Clara hadn¡¯t complained at all about that. Sure at first, but right after we found Eve Glade, it¡¯s like she completely forgot everything that existed in the other world.¡± ¡°...Is that a good thing?¡± Zeke had to ask. ¡°I mean, for her growth and everything¡­¡± ¡°I think it is, but it¡¯s kinda sad at the same time. I had some favorite movies I wish I could show her when she grows up, but now that¡¯s¡­ just impossible.¡± ¡°You know, we can make our own movie,¡± Zeke said, half joking. ¡°Can¡¯t be that hard, if you think about it.¡± ¡°Sure, we have a chance of recreating our favorite movies, but do you really believe we can be good enough to replace the actors that made it?¡± After careful consideration, Zeke put down the future of being an actor in his own movie. His acting chops were decent¡­ but not good enough for a whole damn movie. Lying to others about their origins was already stressful as it is. He can¡¯t imagine doing it for fun. Mikella giggled again. ¡°Do you think if we found the others, they might do it? The otherworlders, I mean?¡± Zeke paused at the idea. It was certainly possible to find more otherworlders if they keep doing this. But somehow that felt¡­ impossible, if intensely difficult. If the monsters here were too strong even for an average Journeymen, how can Beginners handle this? Still, he refused to think stuff like that. He¡¯d locked it behind bars in the back of his mind and gave his honest thoughts on the question that she asked. ¡°Definitely,¡± Zeke nodded, no hesitation in his tone at all. ¡°But we gotta prepare ourselves. It¡¯s gonna take a lot of years, and I mean a lot, before they¡¯re good enough for cinema.¡± ¡°Ugh, I¡¯m guessing they¡¯re gonna show off a lot of cringey clones of our favorite movies then?¡± ¡°I¡¯m only saying we need to prepare ourselves for when the time comes.¡± ¡°Of course¡­¡± The two chuckled as they continued to talk. It wasn¡¯t great to think about the implications of otherworlder comradesin this fantasy world. But it certainly was fun talking about the obvious trends that¡¯s gonna show up in the coming years. If they managed to survive through those years, of course. Vol 3 Ch59: Two days ¡°Watch out! Incoming! Seven more southwest!¡± Zeke immediately turned his attention to the direction Hamil shouted. Just as he said, seven more creatures came hurtling at them while they were already dealing with a dozen or so monsters. However, unlike the monkeys, these were in fact sloths. Unfortunately, they weren¡¯t slow like the sloths, but instead incredibly annoying. They appeared like the same four-legged brown-furred creatures with long claws, but their bites and claws emit an acidic like substance that can easily burn one of those chunky trees down in a minute or so given the time. Worst yet, they were small and numerous, giving them a level of danger that would be difficult for even a normal party to counter. They were almost like spiders, crawling all over the place and using the trees and vines to hide themselves. With a total of twelve they were already fighting after suddenly being surrounded by the stealthy creatures as well as the incoming seven, their chances of running away before it gets dicey went up in smoke. Kote was already hiding from the entire fight, using his high-level stealth skills to take out whichever sloths he managed to spot. Thankfully they were easy to kill, their Vitality probably extremely low compared to their Dexterity. However, they were also just as fast to spot him, so he had to get away before getting bombarded with slashing strikes. Hamil was keeping the field as an operator of sorts, using his spells to keep any unknowing disadvantage from showing its ugly face. Due to that, he had to ensure to keep his mana cost down, so he only relied on using his magic for any bad encounters. That only left Saang, Mikella, and Zeke to face the huge number of creatures on their own. Saang kept the entirety of the group well off using her Blood attunement as a wall of sorts before any of their strikes manage to hit her. She would summon a wall right before any of the fast sloths (strangely enough as it is), come and slash at her, then take the advantage and cut them apart. Even if it doesn¡¯t kill them, their blood was all over, increasing even more of her ammunition. However, there¡¯s only so much blood she can control as she¡¯s ensuring not to let anyone get hurt rather than taking them on herself. Her style of combat is usually single-focused, using her blood to increase her versatility, but her specialty is protecting herself and others in her midst. That was normally how the Tempest Winds acted, but thanks to the two otherworlders, they increased their efficiency. Mikella took the chance that Saang gave to deflect one sloth attack to easily down the creature with her lightning-infused sword. Whenever she could, she would slash at another sloth far away with a spear held aloft with her lightning. It wasn¡¯t something she was used to doing in a full party, so she was making sure to keep only one extra weapon on hand (technically speaking as it was floating in the air) rather than bombarding the enemy ranks with a dozen or so weapons. Considering their terrain, it would turn worse before it would get better. Since the more they kept the sloths to themselves, the more damage they accrue. With how many there were, they couldn¡¯t always protect themselves, which ended up with them getting slashed and learning about the acidic strike themselves first hand. That¡¯s where Zeke comes in. He would quickly approach and heal them before going back out, buffing himself with his runes and with his sub-race¡¯s talent of boosting stats for a short while with direct mana (though the mana cost was nauseatingly high). He would use his fists and kicks to take out any sloths that approached him. Even as his body burned and he winced at the pain, his skills and healing made it easy for everyone to focus on the larger goal at hand, even with the incoming backup going after them. He would also occasionally send a runic spell to make a quick shot at one of the sloths, but he kept his mana consumption to mostly healing and buffing himself and others. The numbers on their front were decreasing, so Zeke took it upon himself to take his anger out on the sloths at the back. With a rapid step in, he punted one sloth to another, causing them to crash against each other. During their time of confusion, Zeke rushed in and crushed them with fists, his Strength-enhancing buff from his tattooed runes and sub-race stat boost finishing the gruesome. Another three sloths struck back at the side, slicing his arm and leg on the right while the third missed him as he jumped back. He winced at his skin burning so much from the fresh cuts, the stench of his flesh being on fire on top of the stench of the rotting liquid that permeated into his body. But his Restoration skill made it easy to spot the incoming invaders in his body and heal himself back up. He had plenty of practice thanks to the poison given to him by that werewolf assassin. He kept fighting back at the sloths, his mana slowly reaching to the midpoint before the other two backed him up. Mikella spun and slashed with her spear, and sliced with her sword to every sloth that approached Zeke. Recalling her weapons back, she pulled out her axe, chucked it into the air, and let her lightning control the axe to make absolute decimation to the rest of the sloth populace. Despite the huge axe swinging with abandon, each sloth was cut in a way that dealt a fatal blow, all thanks to her Dragon Eyes. But it wasn¡¯t just that¨Cit was as if she could read the entire battlefield with those eyes alone. At a distance, she shot an electric blast at one of the monkeys ready to chuck a hard stone at them, which ended up with that very stone being thrown at one of the sloths, taking it out from friendly fire. It was a beautiful sight even amidst the flying blood and guts that spewed out from every creature that she slain. Eventually, the monsters were all killed, leaving behind a nasty stench of rot, blood, and a whole lot of acid in the midst. When the party reconvened together, Zeke went ahead to heal them up, finally leaving his Mana to almost a quarter.
Level Up! You are now Level 63. You gain 2 free points (2 FP total). You have gained +8 DEX from your class and sub-race. You have gained +8 INT from your class and sub-race. You have gained +12 SPI from your class and sub-race. You have gained +7 END from your sub-race.
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Pain Resistance Level Up! It is now Level 7. You have gained +2 VIT from your skill. You have gained +1 END from your skill.
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Steadfast Mind Level Up! It is now Level 2. You have gained +2 SPI from your skill. You have gained +1 END from your skill.
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Parallel Thought Level Up! It is now Level 9. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. You have gained +1 INT from your skill. You have gained +1 SPI from your skill.
***** The notifications added in, along with Mikella¡¯s own progress. *****
Level Up! You are now Level 63. You gain 2 free points (2 FP total). You have gained +10 STR from your class and sub-race. You have gained +10 DEX from your class and sub-race. You have gained +5 INT from your sub-race. You have gained +5 SPI from your sub-race. You have gained +5 END from your class.
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Mana Manipulation Level Up! It is now Level 2. You have gained +2 INT from your skill. You have gained +1 SPI from your skill.
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Lightning Mastery Level Up! It is now Level 2. You have gained +2 INT from your skill. You have gained +1 SPI from your skill.
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Pain Resistance Level Up! It is now Level 4. You have gained +2 VIT from your skill. You have gained +1 END from your skill.
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Acrobatics Level Up! It is now Level 4. You have gained +2 STR from your skill. You have gained +2 DEX from your skill
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Dragon Eyes Level Up! It is now Level 3. You have gained +2 STR from your skill. You have gained +2 DEX from your skill.
Despite all these increases, and despite how many monsters they killed, the amount of XP has drastically decreased. But putting aside that, Zeke still marveled at the amount of enemies that attacked them. Two days passed since they entered into the dungeon. Throughout those two days, they have met more and more enemies and not enough benefits. In fact, despite spending those two days fighting monsters and traversing the tower, they only just now received a level up. ¡°Damn it, this is taking so long,¡± Mikella grumbled. ¡°If we had at least landed in some building, we would¡¯ve been done by now!¡± ¡°Tell me about it,¡± Zeke digressed. ¡°I hate to say this, but we must have gotten lucky for our first tower to be a giant castle building than this¡­¡± He can¡¯t imagine anyone having a good time in this scenario, especially for their first venture into dungeons as well as the first time being in the new world. If it were them, would they have survived? Especially with Clara on the way, this was just too much to spring on an ordinary Beginner. Zeke can only surmise that anyone who got placed here had already perished, and that was putting it mildly. And that only made Zeke even more angry. ¡°Is it just the luck of the draw then?¡± Zeke muttered, his brows furrowing instinctually. ¡°If we¡¯re not lucky enough, we¡¯re screwed? I can¡¯t believe this¡­¡± Mikella listened without really saying much else. Zeke chided himself for saying that out loud. It was obvious that both of them didn¡¯t like this, but he didn¡¯t have to make it worse by saying that. ¡°Sorry, I let myself¡­¡± ¡°Hey, you¡¯re not wrong,¡± Mikella shook her head. ¡°Anyways, let¡¯s keep going. For now¨C¡± ¡°Hey! One of them dropped something! It¡¯s a book!¡± Hamil suddenly shouted which instantly got everyone to cheer up. Zeke and Mikella knew this might happen at some point, but being that two days passed, they figured their lucky streak would end. Instead, it was rising now. When they approached Hamil, he showed the book to everyone as he read the contents. ¡°It¡¯s called Acid Spray,¡± Hamil said, rolling his eyes. ¡°Pretty cliche, if I¡¯m being honest. Still¡­ this apparently drops every so often in the towers?¡± Zeke and Mikella nodded in unison. Saang whistled in admiration as she took the book herself to study. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the Skill Repository, this would be a great find. Still, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s worth it to learn. Better to sell it and get some decent cash.¡± ¡°I take it you two won¡¯t learn this either?¡± Kote asked, pointing at the otherworlders. ¡°You said you got limited Acquired skill slots, right? Seeing what you two can do, I have to mention that this will not make your builds any better.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine, can you give it to me for a sec?¡± Zeke asked, getting Saang to hand the book to him. After checking with Identify, he got amused. ¡°Shoots out a spray of acid dependent on the Intelligence stat. Doesn¡¯t say how far or how effective, though. What I¡¯m curious about is where exactly do you shoot that spray from?¡± ¡°Zeke, sometimes you ask questions nobody wants to know the answers to,¡± Mikella shook her head ruefully. ¡°Now you put that god-awful image in my head. I hate you.¡± ¡°So do I,¡± Saang said dryly, getting Zeke to chuckle awkwardly. It was a valid question in his opinion. ¡°I¡¯m guessing either from your hand or even from your mouth,¡± Kote mentioned off-handedly, ignoring the mood as he displayed his thoughts. ¡°I¡¯m certain you create a ball of acid from your mana. If you do it from the mouth, it might surprise your opponents.¡± ¡°So are you gonna learn it, Kote?¡± Zeke asked, glad that someone at least understood the validity of the question. The girls, of course, just shook their heads. ¡°Nah, I already have a specific poison in mind. It¡¯s the kind that debilitates the opponent from the inside. Easier to take down opponents with a group, especially with my current skill set that lets me get away from combat faster.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t acid be a pretty good way to debilitate someone, though?¡± Hamil asked, arching a brow. ¡°Physically, yes. But I¡¯m talking about the nasty stuff. The kind that you don¡¯t notice, and all of a sudden you get tired, sickly, and sweating in the middle of combat. You start thinking it¡¯s just the jitters from the fight, but in truth it¡¯s the poison seeping its way through your bones¡­¡± Kote spoke in a way that brought Zeke to shiver, but his gamer mind instantly got excited. Who on earth wouldn¡¯t want something like that working on your enemy? It would make a lot of things easier if they got an internal battle going on while also fighting for your life on the outside. He knew that by heart. ¡°Kote, you¡¯re scaring me,¡± Saang said, actually staring at Kote with a concerned look on her face. ¡°That¡¯s a first, you usually do way worse than me,¡± Kote raised a single visible brow towards Saang. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure my way is better than literally bathing yourself in your enemy¡¯s blood, their entrails and guts just slathered all over you.¡± ¡°That only happened once, jackass!¡± Saang barked back. ¡°It¡¯s not my fault those damn things just get everywhere when it¡¯s outside!¡± Zeke decided to opt out of this conversation, getting a little too gruesome to stay listening. Even Mikella turned a bit pale. She was a weapons maniac, but she wasn¡¯t the type to like blood so much¨Cat least not enough to get an attunement out of it. It was then that he sensed something with his periphery. He raised a brow and turned towards a random direction. He swore his Overreach ability took notice of something weird. It wasn¡¯t really something he would pay attention to. However, after fighting for a while and trying to relax, he felt a sense of panic that made him think an enemy might get the jump on him. However, when he turned to the direction he thought he sensed movement, he was surprised at the outcome. Something did move, but it wasn¡¯t a creature he was unfamiliar with. It was in fact something, or someone, he was very familiar with. A person. It was someone other than the four he came here with. Almost ghastly and somewhat boney, but that was definitely without a doubt an actual person. And that person looked right back at him. Her eyes widened in shock. ¡°Guys!¡± Zeke shouted, instantly getting everyone¡¯s attention. He took a closer look before realizing that the person ran away. ¡°I saw someone!¡± ¡°You found another monster?¡± Hamil said as the Tempest Winds already pulled out their weapons. ¡°No! Someone! A person!¡± Zeke shouted, his heart hammering. ¡°A live, actual person!¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± Mikella looked back at him, her eyes widening. Everyone else shared the same look.
¡°It¡¯s a survivor!¡± Zeke said, his voice rising in pitch. ¡°Like us!¡±
Vol 3 Ch60: An Otherworlders Reality The group rushed forward to where Zeke last saw the survivor. Mikella¡¯s heart pounded against her chest as the thought of someone actually being alive filled her head. Someone, just like them¨Canother otherworlder¨Cwas alive and kicking. The survivor ran but she couldn¡¯t blame them. After being in this hellhole for so long, it¡¯s no surprise that they would be more than shocked at new people coming in. However, even as Mikella ran with all her might to find this survivor, the swamp was constantly getting in her way. The rivers were wide enough that they had no other choice but to turn around, even using the vines to get over the large expanse. Even then, doing that would often get the creatures that swam in the rivers to come at them. One wrong move, and they could easily get taken into the river of acid and suffer horrendous wounds. Even then, Mikella kept running. ¡°Are you sure you spotted someone?!¡± Hamil shouting while leading at the back using the minerals under his feet to float along with the party. ¡°I¡¯m sure!¡± Zeke shouted, boosting his Dexterity buff to match them. Saang and Kote were y keeping up with everyone else, their own Dexterity nearly on par with one another. ¡°But I¡¯m not sure why she¡¯s running!¡± ¡°We gotta find her, before anyone else can!¡± Mikella shouted, getting Zeke¡¯s approval. They have to, otherwise the monsters would come after her. They don¡¯t know whether the monsters here were too powerful for that girl to counter, but knowing her situation, it¡¯s obvious she¡¯s only at Beginner. There, in the next few moments, Mikella¡¯s eyes spotted a young woman running with all her might. It wasn¡¯t as though she was faster¨Cshe just knew the surroundings better. She stepped around and away from any dangerous areas, using the very environment to get in their way. ¡°I found her! She¡¯s running from us, but I found her!¡± Mikella wanted to rush forward and get to the girl, but not before suddenly getting slashed at the back by some attack she barely perceived. Her back winced as she felt acid burning at her flesh and skin. She fell to the ground, growling as she looked back to find none other than the annoying sloths that they took down moments ago. And there were plenty of them to go around. ¡°Shit!¡± Mikella cursed, getting everyone around to go after her. Zeke went ahead to heal her wounds, but he kept looking back and forth, to their survivor to the monsters approaching them. ¡°We¡¯re gonna get surrounded!¡± ¡°Mikky, you go after her¨Cwe¡¯ll handle them from here.¡± Zeke suddenly said, and as one, the Tempest Winds gathered around Zeke, facing the sloths that were slowly approaching them, ready to ramp up speed the moment they spotted a chance. Mikella widened her eyes at his remark. ¡°What? But¨C¡± ¡°You¡¯re the fastest of us here!¡± Zeke called out, instantly putting her worries down. ¡°You can find her and bring her back. We¡¯ll be fine¨Cjust go after her, now!¡± She looked back at him for a second, hesitation gripping at her. But only a moment passed. Zeke was right. Out of everyone, her speed was crazy, especially after her recent gains, gear upgrade, and her control over lightning. She can easily run back and forth if she wanted to. Meanwhile, Zeke can easily defend himself. The sloths were easy, just annoying, to deal with. With the Tempest Winds supporting him, Zeke would be just fine. As for the others, having Zeke around is enough to guarantee their survival, so they don¡¯t really need Mikella to make it faster to end things. Right now, finding and protecting the survivor came first. ¡°Alright. Just stay alive!¡± Mikella called out. ¡°Back at you! Now go!¡± Zeke shouted, his tone similar to that of a veteran in war. But she didn¡¯t mind that. If anything, it¡¯s proof that Zeke had this well under control. As for her, she brought out her Cloak of Darkness, a cloak that Zacharia once gifted her for scouting back at the biodome. She wanted to give it back, but Zacharia said, and she quoted, that it was such a bare-bones cloak that she could keep it if she wanted to. None of his soldiers needed it anymore, and it was just stuffing his storage bag for no reason. That honestly ticked her off, but getting a nifty free cloak that hides her visibility wasn¡¯t something she was gonna pass up. She made sure to get every single chance to get something for free. It was definitely useful to have around, especially within an enemy-infested area that could go after her while she chased the survivor. Her speed picked up as the scenery around her changed in a matter of heartbeats¨Cshe ran as fast as she could, but she expanded her Intelligence to recognize her surroundings. Now that it was over 100 points, she could gather visual information faster than ever before. Cloaking herself with a layer of electricity as well, she dashed faster than anything possible. Strangely enough, the girl seemed to be rather adept at hiding, but not for long. Mikella jumped up to a tree, her senses stretched out wide enough for her to find the girl still working tirelessly to get away. She had a lot more wounds on her now, cuts and bruises from possible tumbles while trying to get away. She couldn¡¯t understand. Why is this girl so afraid? She was just trying to talk to her. She certainly wasn¡¯t going to tackle her or anything. But then she remembered that in this situation, it was possible that she could be perceived as an enemy in a fear-rattled mind. Changing her tactics, Mikella followed her slowly as time passed. She made sure to stay far away, at least beyond the survivor¡¯s supposed sense range. Of course, this was all while believing this girl didn¡¯t have some sort of powerful perception skill, but there really wasn¡¯t much she could do about that. Slowly, but surely, Mikella followed the girl, all the while finally managing to Identify this girl and her level throughout the trip. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. Scout, Level 22 As she perceived the girl, she noticed that she was wearing a very bedraggled outfit¨Ca white blouse that was ruined with all sorts of yellow stains and red smushes of blood. She wore black shorts that barely covered her almost skeletal legs, the skin pale and riddled with cuts and bruises. Just looking at her brought a pang of pain to Mikella¡¯s heart. It looked like she was a poor office woman who had her life turned over, because she could see what looked like an identity card still holstered to her hip. It stuck to her person, completely forgotten as time went on. The face she had on now was completely different from the photo displayed on the card, and she saw something important¨Cher name; Amber. Mikella followed her till she eventually slowed to a crawl. She saw Amber gasp and wheeze, her frail skinny body nearly shivering from the excess effort. She looked like she hadn¡¯t eaten in days, maybe weeks if all she did was drink water. Perhaps there was some sort of river with clean water, because all she saw around her was acidic rivers and perhaps even the sound of a waterfall, the acrid stench of it reminding her that it wasn¡¯t pure fresh water either. Her long blond hair was caked in sweat and dirt, losing its once lustrous sheen according to the picture. Her cheeks were sunk in and her eyes were bloodshot. She was a wreck, all things considered. But Mikella didn¡¯t care. She slowly walked up towards the woman as far as she could, and took off her Cloak of Darkness. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Aaaaaagh!¡± Amber screamed in fright as she noticed Mikella appear out of nowhere in her eyes. Even when she made sure to stay as far away from her as possible, her fear was clearly beyond what she thought possible. ¡°D-Don¡¯t be afraid!¡± Mikella called out, her hand outstretched. Of course, she put away her weapons. The last thing she wanted was to make her think she¡¯s here to kill her. ¡°I¡¯m not here to hurt you!¡± ¡°Lies!¡± The girl suddenly screamed, her voice ragged and filled with abstract terror. Mikella was taken aback by this. ¡°Lies! Lies! Lies! You¡¯re gonna kill me! Kill me, eat me! No, no, no, no, no, no, no, I¡¯m not gonna do this! I can¡¯t do this! I won¡¯t survive!¡± Her brows furrowed at this outburst. There was clearly horror there in Amber¡¯s eyes, but there was more to it. It was as though she was misunderstanding something, at least Mikella thinks so. ¡°No, I¡¯m not gonna hurt you, or kill you,¡± Mikella said gently. Her hands were still outstretched, showing no sign of movement. She did, however, close in step by step. She wanted to make sure that no other enemy might come after her as far away as she was. ¡°I¡¯m here to help you. My name is Mikella Ashton. I¡¯m the same as you. I just want to help.¡± ¡°Same¡­?¡± Amber said, her face turning wider and wider in a panic. ¡°No, no, no, you can¡¯t be! I didn¡¯t do anything! I just wanted to survive! I swear¨CI didn¡¯t mean to!¡± While that was certainly interesting to hear, Mikella ignored her ramblings as she approached her further. This, however, made it worse as Amber only backed away further. ¡°Listen, I don¡¯t know what you mean. Just¡­ just stand still and let me approach. I swear, I won¡¯t do anything. I just wanna¨C¡± ¡°No!¡± Amber shook her head wildly. ¡°You¡¯re not gonna get me! You¡¯re not! I¡­ I won¡¯t let anyone get me! I won¡¯t!¡± Much to Mikella¡¯s horror, Amber turned and ran towards the one place Mikella hadn¡¯t seen throughout the entire meeting (perhaps due to the situation at hand)¨Ca river of acid that was wide enough to become a torrent as the liquid flowed violently below. Her eyes widening, Mikella dashed forward, forsaking whatever calm she had. ¡°No! Stop!¡± Mikella¡¯s hand reached out, trying to close in as fast as possible, but her power might be too much. If she closed in with too much force, she might end up just crushing her. She thought about using lightning, but she might just shock her the moment she touched her, and with her power, she could easily kill her outright. No matter what she thought, her ways of reaching her was too violent to catch her. Then, in her horror, Amber jumped into the river of acid without hesitation, and got swallowed up in it. What happened next was a moment of screaming anguish, followed by a cascade of sizzling and burning. Amber¡¯s entire body became submerged, only revealing herself one bit after another to show her entire body just sloshing itself off bit by bit, her muscles and skeleton showing themselves for the world to see. Mikella didn¡¯t care for herself one bit as she plunged her hand and forearm straight into the river of acid, trying to pick up at least whatever¡¯s left of Amber. She didn¡¯t care that she would end up a pile of goop. With Zeke, he could pretty much bring back anything from near death. That was what her panic-riddled mind was telling her as pain took over, her arm instantly evaporating. She screamed aloud, but her eyes, tearing up, never wavered. She focused on picking up the girl that foolishly jumped into the river with nothing to lose. She kept digging around the rushing acid, unable to feel anything anymore despite her best efforts. That was when her shoulders were grappled harshly and pulled away from the river of acid, forcing her to look up to see Zeke, his eyes widening in a panic as he saw her now missing arm, leaving behind a melting stump of flesh and bone. ¡°What are you doing?!¡± Zeke shouted, horror taking over as he already started healing her arm. ¡°Let me go! Let me go!¡± She screamed, begged even, for Zeke to let her go. Despite her stats, her panic and guilt was causing her body to not work as intended. ¡°Amber! She just¨C! I gotta find her! I gotta¨C¡± ¡°Mikky!¡± As though he understood everything from that torrent of nonsense, Zeke held onto Mikella¡¯s shoulders tightly, looking her straight in the eyes. His chromatic green and blue eyes met her yellow, a serious frown plastered on his face. ¡°Mikky¡­ she¡¯s gone,¡± Zeke said, now gentler than before. ¡°There¡¯s no way to come back from that. With her level, there¡¯s no way she can survive from that.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that!¡± Mikella pleaded. Her eyes teared up as her slowly recovering arm tried to grab his shirt. ¡°Don¡¯t say that! She¡¯s still¨C¡± ¡°Even if she was still alive,¡± Zeke cut her off, completely putting down any hope in her heart. ¡°I can¡¯t heal her. She¡¯s too damaged. And¡­ there¡¯s not even a body left behind anymore.¡± Zeke gestured with his chin to the river, showing Mikella that the screaming and anguish that was occurring just moments ago ceased to be. Just like he said, all she saw now was just a river of acid flowing down violently. The body that jumped in there clearly died a long time ago, becoming pieces and parts that flowed around the river throughout the entire damn dungeon. Mikella shook her head. Over and over and over again. She didn¡¯t want to admit this. She didn¡¯t want to accept this reality. But no matter how much she tried to ignore it, it was staring at her right in the face. Forget the arm that was still recovering from its former stump slowly to her wrist¨Cthe reality was that she let someone die when she could¡¯ve easily taken her out. If she had worked faster. If she had done things smarter. If she had not taken the chance to talk and instead just tackled her. She could¡¯ve done all those things and more¨Cyet all she could do was just stand there like an idiot while Amber jumped off to her death without a second thought. Tears began to flow, her mind no longer capable of accepting anything anymore. She cried out, her head bumping into Zeke¡¯s chest as she let out a cry from deep in her heart. The pain, the misery, the despair¨Cshe knew this all by hand, being the one in her position so long ago, back at the first cursed tower. If things didn¡¯t pan out in the way they did¨Cshe could¡¯ve ended up in the same position as Amber. And worse¨CClara would¡¯ve been far worse off. She just kept crying, no longer able to make any coherent sentences as the other members of their party approached the scene with gaping mouths and widened eyes. They stood there silently as they all unanimously decided to just be there for Mikella as she cried. Vol 3 Ch 61: Gone but not forgotten
Mana Manipulation Level Up! It is now Level 3. You have gained +2 INT from your skill. You have gained +1 SPI from your skill.
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Lightning Mastery Level Up! It is now Level 3. You have gained +2 INT from your skill. You have gained +1 SPI from your skill.
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Pain Resistance Level Up! It is now Level 6. You have gained +2 VIT (x2) from your skill. You have gained +1 END ( x2) from your skill.
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Meditation Level Up! It is now Level 8. You have gained +1 INT from your skill.
Even with all the skills leveling like this, no joy could be found in her heart. If anything, trying to enjoy these upgrades would be a sin for what occurred. Her eyes keep glazing over at the notifications, like it was some sort of consolation prize for losing out on what truly mattered the most. Her heart just wasn¡¯t in it, and her mind was at a loss. She could still hear the screaming long after it was all over. She could still feel the fear and terror Amber went through before deciding to end it all, to get away from her. She kept replaying the scene over and over, trying to figure out what went wrong. But all she could feel was guilt and shame for her actions. If she had just done better, she could have prevented this. It would¡¯ve been cruel after everything she¡¯s been through, but Mikella should have used physical force to stop her. She figured that at her state, even just one action could take her out. Then again, perhaps that would¡¯ve been easier to handle than letting Amber end her own life. Her body felt cold, even after her arm had been recovered to full. Even when she could feel every digit of her hand, it felt numb, almost as though it refused to work. Her spirit just wasn¡¯t in it. She craned her neck to the sky, noticing that it was getting darker. How long has she been like this? Turning to the side, she noticed Zeke sitting by her, his head down and his eyes closed. He wasn¡¯t sleeping, at least not at first glance. If anything, he seemed to be in deep thought while staying beside her. As for herself, like a petulant child, she was hugging her knees and her head was lowered. She guessed it must have been at least an hour or so since she¡¯s been like this. After Amber died, Mikella kept crying onto Zeke¡¯s chest, unable to let go. It took a solid few minutes of her bawling her eyes out before she finally stopped and managed to take control of herself. Well, partially. Her physical side was just fine. Her internal energies, however, were at a constant flux. Ever since she lost herself in her Class Madness so long ago, she considered her energies as a part of herself as well as having its own will. She actually preferred to struggle to control her energy rather than completely controlling it. It helped her handle the extreme bouts of power she had, capable of breaking Zeke¡¯s barrier once upon a time. Now, her energies were confused, unable to go through their own jumble of channels without her permission, and so far, she hasn¡¯t given anything to them. So they were stumbling about, not doing anything of importance. Due to that, her body wasn¡¯t working properly, and if she were to fight right now¨Cshe would just be a burden. Still, once the Tempest Winds noticed her state, they decided to leave them be and went on to investigate the surrounding areas. They figured if Zeke was there, Mikella would be just fine. And in a sense, it was fine. Still, she wanted nothing more than to burrow her head into the ground and never see daylight again. She might as well, considering Amber can¡¯t do that anymore. She was glad that Zeke hadn''t said anything about that. He was always awkward when it came to things like this. Still, he would always offer support when he could. But this time it was different. What else can they say about failing to save someone that was so weaker than they were, yet managed to get away from their grasp? Just when her thoughts were ready to spiral down that despairing rabbit hole again, she heard footsteps approaching them. It was Kote at the front, along with Saang and Hamil staying behind him. Zeke looked up, noticing their grimaces. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did you find something?¡± ¡°...We did,¡± Kote said. His voice was somewhat heavy in tone. ¡°And I think it may explain a few things too. But¡­¡± Saang and Hamil looked away, unable to intervene. It was already strange as it is, but to see even the abrasive Saang look so hesitant¡­ Mikella raised her head to meet with Kote¡¯s eyes, noticing that a bit of light was returning to her. ¡°I think you two should see this for yourselves,¡± Kote finally said. ¡°I think we may have found another survivor¡­ or part of him.¡± ¡­.. The disturbing message left the otherworlders in a slight dread as they followed the experienced adventurers toward an area a few dozen meters away from their current location. Strangely, the monsters that would normally surround them were utterly vacant from the area. It was as though the air shifted entirely to be against the monsters, the strangely sweet yet botched scent in the air reminding everyone that the atmosphere changed. When they finally approached said area, Mikella realized that the clear grassland was surrounded by strange rocky pillars, seven in total placed around a circle in large intervals. The pillars in question had some form of runes, something that instantly caught Zeke¡¯s interest. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. The runes were completely ancient, and were filled with so much meaning and power that it boggled Zeke¡¯s mind. This was on the level of a master Runist, something that even Cloud can¡¯t replicate. As for what it did, it was obvious¨Cit pushed the other monsters away from the area, making this a so-called ¡®safe zone¡¯ for anyone in this dungeon. And this was clearly where Amber was staying the whole time. Within the confines of this safe zone, there was what looked like a campsite at the center. Though to call it that would be an insult to true camps as it was just a barebones cloth put on large timber wood that looked like they were scraped from trees with force. There was a heavy stench in the air as the surroundings around the half-assed tent was riddled with garbage of unknown variety. There was what looked like food, though it was clearly half-cooked flesh of the monsters that somehow managed to still exist. There was rotting meat on the side, though whether it was due time or some skill like the sloths was unknown. This looked like a horrid survivor¡¯s camp, and it was clearly in disrepair as this practically told everything to Mikella what Amber went through. But Kote approached the half-assed tent, gesturing to the two. ¡°Try to stay calm.¡± Kote¡¯s chilling words rang through their heads as he flapped the opening of the tent, revealing what was inside. The two instantly retched at the sight, their eyes wide and their mouths ready to open and hurl from the inside. What was inside was clearly a man¨Chalf of him, at least. His body was arrayed laying on his back, his face resting upwards with an open maw. He looked like a giant man, but it was clear that half of his body was in tatters, flesh and all. Bones could be seen from the man, either from missing flesh or that it was forcefully pulled out. If this dungeon was natural, there would be flies covering its body and maggots trying to crawl inside. At the very least, the smell of the body proved that a while has passed since his death. And blood¡­ the blood was everywhere. It was as though the man was massacred on the inside without relent. It was a horrid scene to watch, nearly making both otherworlders try to hold on to whatever food they ate the last. They had stronger stomachs, but their minds were still too fresh to see this gruesome scene. It wasn¡¯t even something policemen on the job can handle. How can anyone? But that was the least horrid thing to see before Kote spoke up. ¡°I checked the body, and I realized that the cause of his death wasn¡¯t due to a monster. His body showed that there were hints of teeth that ripped up his skin and flesh, and terrible knife work on the tougher meat. It¡¯s clear that this wasn¡¯t the work of a monster, or at least from the monsters we faced before.¡± ¡°W-Wha¡­¡± Mikella swallowed, her mind forcing her to stop heaving to keep questioning. ¡°What are you saying?¡± ¡°A-Are you saying that¡­¡± Zeke took a moment, his eyes widening in realization. ¡°That the girl was responsible for this?¡± Mikella looked back at him in shock, but then, everything started to make sense. Amber¡¯s clearly withered body, the terrified look in her eyes, the clear signs of panic despite seeing other people for the first time. As if putting the final nail in the coffin, Kote answered. ¡°Most likely the girl had no choice but to cannibalize the man for sustenance. The situation here made it possible that the woman had to resort to this when they ran out of food. As to whether she was the one that did this, or that she carried the body here to eat is something I can¡¯t figure out.¡± The look on Kote¡¯s face, though whatever exposure he had with his mask, showed that he really didn¡¯t want to figure it out either way. The other two, for instance, tried not to look at the mutilated corpse in the tent. Despite everything they saw so far, this was pretty much the worst event they witnessed. Meanwhile, Mikella knelt to the ground, her mind at a whirl. She tried to look back through her memories, of all the habits Amber displayed before she ended her own life. ¡°She¡­ she thought she was going to get punished by us,¡± Mikella revealed, her voice low but firm. ¡°That¡¯s why she ran. That¡¯s why she killed herself, because she couldn¡¯t handle what she did.¡± Zeke¡¯s comforting hand rested on Mikella¡¯s back. It was a good feeling as her inner turmoil lessened softly. While the guilt still weighed in her mind, knowing that despite everything she still could¡¯ve done better, it was a somewhat bearable reason why Amber did what she did. Not everyone has the strength to handle this sort of situation. Worst case scenario, it wasn¡¯t unnatural to believe that the two that were stuck here would be hostile towards each other. Still, she can¡¯t imagine what sort of situation they put themselves in to make this the end result. ¡°I was hoping for some sort of journal or diary that might explain what¡¯s going on, but no dice,¡± Hamil shook his head. ¡°This is all up to the imagination now. Still, what¡¯s done is done¡­ there¡¯s nothing we can do.¡± ¡°How long was he dead?¡± Zeke had to ask. ¡°Did you figure it out?¡± ¡°Around a week, at least. Maybe more,¡± Kote shrugged lightly. ¡°I¡¯m not really knowledgeable about this. I¡¯m mostly suited to finding out about a monster''s death, not a human.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Zeke nodded. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Did you, uh,¡± Saang suddenly spoke up. Her hand was constantly brushing her short brown hair as she looked at the two. ¡°Did you two¡­ know them? Personally, I mean?¡± ¡°No,¡± Zeke answered instead, and that got Mikella to affirm with a shake of her head. ¡°We have no clue who they were. For all we could know, they might have come from different countries all together. Still¡­ They were from our world. Look at what the guy¡¯s wearing.¡± Mikella did that indeed, realizing that the corpse¡¯s clothes, however tattered they were, were revealed to be from some military organization. There was a clear sign of a badge that Mikella honestly didn¡¯t care where it came from. At the least, it looked like he came from the navy. ¡°He¡¯s a military veteran,¡± Mikella realized. ¡°And yet he ended up like this¡­¡± ¡°So how the hell did we survive?¡± Zeke said, almost bitterly. ¡°And we even had a child on hand too¡­¡± Suddenly the two stood up in a panic, their eyes widening. ¡°Did you guys see a kid or someone along those lines?¡± Mikella asked. ¡°Is there a third person involved?¡± ¡°No,¡± Hamil said, thankfully his tone returned to that of his professional standing. ¡°We searched everywhere, and we found no trace of any kids around here. Just the two that we spotted.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ oh thank god,¡± Mikella said, her chest feeling as though she had been on a rollercoaster of emotions. ¡°There¡¯s some mercy at least.¡± ¡°Anyways,¡± Hamil said, approaching the two. ¡°I know that you two are still a bit off. So how about we take a moment to rest in this area. We¡¯ll clean up here and¡­ give him and the girl a proper burial, if you want us to.¡± ¡°Let us help,¡± Zeke said adamantly. ¡°We need to do this for them, at least. We might not have known them, but they were¡­ they were still our people.¡± Zeke said almost confusingly, but once he said it, there was a clear firm tone, a resolution he put himself through. Mikella nodded, standing up straighter. Even if she failed to save Amber, that doesn¡¯t mean her mission is a failure. The tower still needs to be cleared, and there were more towers to be found. That also meant that the otherworlders stuck there might still be alive. And next time, she will save them, no matter what she has to do. In her mind, this world gave her a second chance to live the life she truly wanted to live. So she will show the otherworlders that this world can be safe, and that they can survive. They just need to work a little harder than normal to achieve it. And she knew Zeke would stay by her side to do it. He looked back at her, his eyes showing nothing but clear resolve, same as her. Still, her heart quivered at the memory of Amber¡¯s demise. But rather than let it fester and weaken her, it will instead bolster and empower her. She will only use it to remind her that no matter how scared they are, it was better to be alive than not. She will show them that path, no matter what it takes. The party quickly and respectfully pulled down everything, using whatever skills and magic they have to clear the sense of death in the area. As for the man¡¯s body, Zeke and Mikella carefully dug up the ground underneath with the help of the party, and set it down. They also made another hole, even without a body to put in, for Amber¡¯s sake as well. They weren¡¯t able to know the name of the man, so instead Hamil helped make a small gravestone using the same acidic stone he summoned earlier. Zeke used his runes to make it usable and writable, and the two otherworlders wrote on that gravestone of who belonged there. They only wrote a simple phrase. They knew that the dungeon would just disappear and cause everything to vanish into the void, but they didn¡¯t care. The two otherworlders that died here deserved this much, at least. ¡®Gone from this world, but never from our memories.¡¯ Vol 3 Ch 62: Catastrophy Harpy A sharp shrill echoed and almost ruptured even his own durable senses. Zeke steeled himself as the giant bird of terror was heading straight at him. The creature in question was none other than the legendary harpy, known across the old world as a humanoid creature resembling a young woman. Its body, however, only retained its shape but none of the detail. Feathers covered its entire body, a sickly like lime green tint with brown edges at the end of the feathers. Its arms were the wings that let the harpy fly around more deftly than any avian creature Zeke faced. It was due to the fact that not just its physical body gave it flight, but it also used a form of wind magic that kept it aloft and fast despite their efforts to shoot it down. While the speed was formidable, it was the harpy¡¯s sharp talons used for legs that really proved its danger. Each claw tip was suffused with so much acidic mana that it nearly burned Zeke¡¯s eyes from how bright and potent the mana was. It was completely packed full to the point that one scratch could easily lob off an entire arm if they weren¡¯t careful. The harpy was definitely magic-based, but its physical strength and speed was nothing to sneeze at either. Considering its level range, it¡¯s no wonder why it¡¯s considered a mini-boss of the dungeon.
Catastrophic Harpy, Level 84.
A High Journey Rank monster, according to the experts at their side. Just like people, the monsters also follow the same set of stages depending on their level range. However, unlike people, the higher level the monster, the more powerful they were in comparison. In other words, if someone who was raised in levels grows stronger additively, then monsters at the same level grow stronger multiplicatively. Of course, this was due to the fact that in return for pure power, a person could gain more options and versatility in combat. It was definitely a high hurdle, but it wasn¡¯t anything they couldn¡¯t handle as long as they had teamwork. Before the fight, after giving the otherworlders a proper burial and getting some rest for the night, they spotted the Harpy and realized the level at an instant. It was made clear that its six-foot size was a clear indicator that it was an important, stronger foe of the dungeon¨Cthe mini boss. So of course they decided to ambush it rather than face it up front like the earlier runs. In the last towers, they often faced traps right before facing the Mini-boss of the towers. But this time it looked like they hadn¡¯t gotten to it. It was possible that with this new kind of tower dungeon, it was more of an open field than a structured dungeon, disregarding the trap. It was also possible that the trap was the dozens and dozens of acidic rivers where one mis-step can lead you to melt entirely. In this case, they finally used Mikella¡¯s normally unused tactic of using her Cloak of Darkness and charging up her Bow of Farsight with her lighting attunement. Her bow was made to perfectly use Mikella¡¯s abilities. The unique feature Arrow Forge allowed her to just make up a new arrow on the spot using her electrified mana. The other enchanted feature, Energy Conductivity, increases its power and accuracy dependent on how many skills Mikella had. Since she maxed out her skill list, the arrow was shot with such force that it was equal to a thunderclap. That made a clear hit, but rather than dying immediately¨Cit got pissed off. Hence the battle assumed with both Saang and Hamil acting as the vanguard with Mikella and Kote dealing damage directly. As for Zeke, he held back and observed to best use his runes. Of course, he would buff himself to run and heal the injured users, then return back to see the situation at hand. There were several reasons why Zeke couldn¡¯t do much else. First, his fists can¡¯t really hit flying targets. Second, casting spells wasn¡¯t really his forte. He was a Runist, so he had to first make spells with runes. Due to that, mana expenditure was higher than normal spell-casting, and he prefer not to waste unnecessary mana if he can use it to use Restoration instead. Lastly, without a barrier, he really can¡¯t do anything else. He hated feeling so left out, but he recognized that it was better for the entire team to have his Mana nearly topped off to ensure no emergencies happened. That didn¡¯t include the giant harpy recognizing him as the support and thus wisely headed after him to kill him off first. The harpy screeched as it lunged at him with its talons raised, ready to gut him. Zeke managed to avoid it with a sidestep. The claws were brimming with acidic mana, making it easier for him to dodge those things that acted like headlights to his magic eyes. In that moment, Zeke¡¯s fist flew right at its torso. But despite its huge size, it maneuvered out of his punch with such adeptness that it stumped him for a second. It used its wings and nearly limitless Dexterity to avoid the quick punch. Then wind magic suffused its body as it struck at him with talons. Zeke was left stunned after his punch, putting too much weight behind it to get away safely. He fueled his Dexterity buff with more mana, enhancing it farther than usual rather than maxing it out like before. He jumped back before those sizzling claws slashed, barely missing him by an inch. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. The harpy continued its onslaught, furious at the prey that got away from it. It kept swinging its talons, using its wings to deliver wind slashes that were as sharp as blades, but Zeke avoided each one. He felt his kinetic energy surge as he fueled his body with the aid of Unarmed Mastery, missing each strike. All the while, his stamina was draining by leaps and bounds. In the next few seconds, he would be too tired to even stand, let alone dodge. Thankfully, that¡¯s the reason why he wasn¡¯t alone. His face riddled with sweat, he saw that the talon was aiming right at him before the harpy screeched in panic and flew off when an axe was ready to decapitate it from the back. The harpy flew straight to the air, flapping its wings and using whatever mana it had left to get away, but not before getting bombarded with an array of literal blood bullets that managed to singe off a part of the talon. The quick shot of the bullet scraped off quite a bit of the tip of one talon, causing the harpy to screech out in pain. It continued to dodge the blood bullets, only to once again get pelted with several other objects that weren¡¯t made of blood. A sharp piece of bone resembling a knife met its mark by plunging straight at the feathery body while several sharp stones dug deep into its calves and back. The harpy kept avoiding the attacks, using not just wind slashes to the incoming attacks and potential threats, but even shooting sonar-like screeches that made a wide berth across the field, blasting the trees covering the land apart. That was barely used throughout the fight, which showed that it carried a lot of power but cost quite a bit to use. With it distracted, Zeke took the chance to take a breather, regaining his Stamina back. But a quick glance revealed that one of those wind slashes took Saang off guard, giving her a long gash across her right shoulder and torso. He flared his buffs and rushed towards her, touching her shoulder and letting Restoration do its thing. Mana coursed through her body, instantly repairing the mangled flesh and restoring it to its firm skin in a matter of a heartbeat. ¡°Gah, thanks Zeke,¡± Saang hissed, the restoring of her wound still a bit too much for one¡¯s senses. ¡°Guess I used up a bit too much blood there.¡± Zeke nodded in affirmation. It wasn¡¯t all that surprising considering Saang¡¯s attunement. Rather than the normally used Mana, Saang¡¯s blood aspected attunement actually relies heavily on life energy, her health. It gives her a different attack style than the normal mages, and can be a powerhouse as she can also last a lot longer with her specialized Vitality based build. However, that earlier blood bullet barrage took a toll, and even with someone like her, losing a lot of blood all at once made her a bit off and dizzy. So while she could normally handle the wind slashes, her current state put her off track and let her end up in this situation. ¡°Take it easy and let us handle it,¡± Zeke said, getting Saang to nod. He wouldn¡¯t normally tell an expert like her what to do in battle, but as a healer he had the right to ensure she doesn¡¯t take it too far. Besides, even after healing wounds, for someone in her case, it was better to have her head on straight than to instantly jump into battle blurry and dizzy. He looked over to see the Harpy desperately flying around, using whatever means necessary to keep the random attacks from trying to end it. That¡¯s when Zeke realized that out of everyone here, Mikella was missing. He kept trying to look for her, but found no hair nor trace at her. But then he felt a similar twinge of energy at the back of his mind. He turned around to find that a bolt of lightning flew straight across the field. A powerful wave of electricity exploded from the bolt, nearly shocking the two. The bolt, which was actually an arrow infused with intense electricity, flew straight at the distracted harpy and plunged right through its chest. The harpy screeched louder than before, now using its sonar like attack all around it. But the electricity coiled around its body, resulting in a massive spectacle of bolts and lightning that scattered around its entire vicinity. Being that the arrow was lodged straight at its chest, it was pretty obvious that it reached its heart. Being an electrical attack, it only took a few moments of explosive lightning before the harpy finally stopped moving. Its wings left limp, its body fell to the ground, singed and smoking which left black trails of smoke from it. It fell to the ground and resulted in a loud thud that made a small crater for its body to rest in. A burst of system energy passed through Zeke¡¯s body as well as everyone else, marking the end of the fight. Zeke let out a soft breath before turning around to find Mikella rushing towards them. With her bow in hand, she was smiling giddily and waving at them. ¡°Zeke! My Bow Mastery finally leveled!¡± She shouted with a bright smile. Zeke couldn¡¯t feel any better than he was now. Earlier, Amber¡¯s death really put a damper on her spirit. Zeke wouldn¡¯t even be surprised if that ended up making Mikella more dour and serious when fighting was involved. To see her cheer up rather than trying to act professional put his heart at ease. He saw the notification himself when Mikella basically pushed the prompt to his vision as everyone else gathered around.
Bow Mastery Level Up! It is now Level 3. You have gained +2 DEX (x2) from your skill. You have gained +1 END (x2) from your skill.
Zeke wondered whether the levels increased faster when facing a powerful enemy. No matter how often one used it, it only increased when used in a situation where it was put to the test. Considering the crazy stuff they went through, it wasn¡¯t surprising to find Mikella raising skills like mad once more. Then again, even Cloud and Val recognized that it was an inborn talent of hers, making her into some sort of skill prodigy. Even the other journeymen around them remarked on her ability. ¡°It really makes me wonder if you¡¯re really just a low journey,¡± Kote said, a hint of amusement in his tone. ¡°That last shot was so good!¡± Saang shouted, plopping her arm around the giggling Mikella. ¡°Seriously, what kinda monster are you!?¡± ¡°Even for us, that would¡¯ve been a tough fight,¡± Hamil said with an approving nod. ¡°You don¡¯t suppose you wanna join us for regular quests after taking this tower down, right?¡± ¡°That depends. How much are you willing to charge?¡± Mikella said with a devilish grin. ¡°If you can do that,¡± Hamil gestured to the now downed Harpy with a thumb. ¡°I¡¯m willing to negotiate!¡± The group had a good laugh from that, Zeke joining up with a grin of his own. He wished he could do a lot more than just being a target dummy, but at least he did his duty and healed everyone. Vol 3 Ch 63: Loot for some, not all Once heals were given out, the group headed towards the harpy corpse. Being the one to deal the last blow, Mikella did the honors of picking up its loot. As the body disappeared with the usual disappearance of a smoky trail, what was left behind was not just one¨Cbut two books. Two books with the same extremely charged power coursing through their covers and pages. Zeke couldn¡¯t forget it even if he tried¨Cthey were Epic-rarity skill books. To both Zeke and Mikella, finding Epic Rarity skill books again wasn¡¯t so surprising, considering their last experience in the last tower with the same mini-boss. It was clear that the towers were going through a pattern, with the mini-boss being a sort of power-up when defeated in order to either face the final boss, or if you were a beginner, to escape with the last spoils. It was the same for Zeke and Mikella, who had to escape their own final boss rather than facing it. With Clara in their care, it wasn¡¯t even worth mentioning the loss of valuable loot when it came to their lives. However, for the veteran adventurers tagging along with them who knew nothing about the value from defeating a mini-boss, it truly tested their resistances for temptation. And they all failed¨Cbadly. ¡°Epic-rarity skill books!?¡± Saang screamed, pure greed and want in her eyes as the other two in her party began to show off the energy of children finding rare and valuable trading cards. ¡°I call dibs!¡± ¡°Fuck you, that¡¯s invalid!¡± Hamil shouted harshly. ¡°Guys! Guys! Easy!¡± Kote, the only one seemingly in control, shouted at them. ¡°Our image is breaking apart!¡± ¡°Fuck our image! They¡¯re mine!¡± Saang said incredulously with no hesitation. After a bit of tug-of-war between their greed and their reputation for their new members, they managed to calm down enough to read what the valuable books can do. Unlike the last skill book where it seemed appropriate with the theme around the dungeon, these skill books were truly something to fight for. One skill was a powerful healing skill capable of healing a wide radius. Though it only healed them of their afflictions and diseases, such a skill would be invaluable to any hospital-based areas and hazardous zones where a plague might be around, and according to Zeke¡¯s studies, there were quite a few hazardous countries out there with some serious pandemics. The other one is a utility-type skill. It allows a person to not only view at such a far-away distance, they can accurately make a superficial guess on one¡¯s stats and skill build. At least to a certain extent. Zeke can guess that any scout would drool for this type of skill, and considering its high rarity, it¡¯s bound to make any army succeed with such a thing in their hands. Zeke decided not to focus on the aspect that these towers can give away such powerful skills that, in the wrong hands, can severely hamper any country in this world. Instead, they focused on whether they should learn this type of skill or not. According to their past experiences, they can possibly gain a new skill slot to earn another Acquired Skill. Both Zeke and Mikella, regrettably, swallowed an orb that let them add another slot. If they want to, they can learn these skills for themselves. But when Zeke thought about it, he decided he didn¡¯t want either of the skills, and neither did Mikella. Both of them had their builds planned out, to an extent. Zeke knew his Restoration can easily clear anyone of their disabilities, and he knew that taking on another healing skill that has a wider range would be pointless. He can just heal anyone with his own field with runes. The same goes for the scouting thing. He didn¡¯t need to scout, and he preferred to get more skills that goes in line with his close-combat style of fighting. As for Mikella, neither of the skills suited her. The scouting type of skill might be, but she decided to trust in her own instincts rather than worry incessantly over an enemy that might have higher stats than her. As for the healing, though that did cross his mind, seeing Mikella ruthlessly throw out the wide healing skill got him to remember that she¡¯s the type to go all in with her hands than with magic. That led the veterans to consider learning the skills themselves, or keep them in for sale later. They all decided, surprisingly, to sell it off to the Skill Repository, a governmental facility that holds and sells various skill books, one of the very few sanctioned buildings that allowed others to come in and buy whatever Acquired Skills they wanted. As one expected, even just visiting the place requires severe documentation and heavy surveillance, as the value of the building might even eclipse most of the important facilities of the country, if not the entire country itself. Once that was over with, and deciding to warn the others about the potential rewards should they clear the dungeon, they continued on after recovering their resources a bit, keeping their eye out for any more potential threats. Though after moving forward for so long, the location around them changed gradually over time. The acrid stench of the acidic river ran high as they all seemed to continue flowing as if towards the center of where they were heading. They weren¡¯t sure how, but it felt as though all the rivers that they have seen so far seem to be consecrating straight towards the north where they were heading. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. Though the path seemed obvious now, it still had been several hours since they left the former campsite. Some discussion had to be made to pass the time, and thankfully it went better than expected. ¡°So, how are you two feeling?¡± Saang asked, something that had apparently been waiting as the other two veterans listened. ¡°I¡¯m feeling good,¡± Mikella answered, as though she knew this was coming. ¡°Mentally, though, I¡¯m tired. I just want this stupid tower to be destroyed for good. If you¡¯re worried if I¡¯m going to lose my mind over this, don¡¯t worry¨CI got this.¡± Saang nodded as though it was expected. Then, her sight landed on Zeke. He had to take a moment, knowing that the Tempest Wind deserved an honest answer. ¡°...Honestly I¡¯m still a little shaken. I knew this wasn¡¯t our responsibility, not really, but it still hurt to see them like this. But that¡¯s why I want to clear this tower too. Not only to fix Arcelot of the mana issues, but to just get rid of this tower and all the memories in it. I don¡¯t ever want to let this tower get another moment of existence.¡± He felt those words were a little too deep for his liking, but a helpful nudge from Mikella followed by a cute wink made Zeke believe in himself some more. That was also enough for the veterans as they looked ahead, assured that everything would turn out fine for them. That good-natured feeling disappeared when they spotted the rivers that were slowly aligning with each other finally converging to a single point. The air was bathed in a hot steam from all the acid filling up what looked like an entire lake¡¯s worth of burning liquid. It bubbled and sizzled endlessly, and the smell was so intense that it nearly brought a migraine. The color of the lake was near transparent except for a bit of sickly green, yellowish spots and in some of those points, blots of red hid within. After everything Zeke has seen in this dungeon, he thought that those blots were originally creatures that accidentally went too far into the lake, and ended up taken. As for how that was possible, Zeke would hazard a guess considering that beyond the lake was only a large mountain like cliff at the end, showing nothing else. Beyond that cliff, Zeke could surmise what he was seeing as ¡®the edge of the map¡¯. While there was still the same sky and swamp overhead, the look of it felt like seeing a wall that was painted meticulously rather than the actual thing. It was completely surreal, as though the ones who created this wanted to trick people into believing there was more to it. But in truth, it was just too jarring, and Zeke would gladly call out the laziness in the design if this was a video game. Considering that this was made by literal gods, however, he only became that more disturbed. ¡°What the fuck is that?¡± Kote said, cursing with widened eyes. ¡°How is that even possible? I can¡¯t even see where the true sky and the fake sky meet up.¡± Zeke took a closer look at what Kote was describing, and now felt more chills after seeing that where they met up was, indeed, hard to figure out. He can definitely see the true sky, the bits of sunlight from the fake sun pouring down at them, and made out the fake sky where the light that was clearly not of the sun was shown instead. It was so strange that it made his head split up in confusion. ¡°Guess we shouldn¡¯t expect this dungeon to end in a natural way,¡± Hamil stated. ¡°Though, I¡¯m hoping this is the actual end, is it? What¡¯s your take, guys?¡± ¡°It¡¯s definitely the end,¡± Zeke said, his face turning more somber. ¡°And this is where we face the Master of the tower.¡± ¡°You said before that there was a gate here that got you out. But I don¡¯t see it anywhere,¡± Hamil asked, taking another glance around the scene but as he said, there was nothing magical like the portal they once entered through. ¡°It¡¯s possible that it¡¯s only available for the original otherworlders that were sent here,¡± Zeke stated, putting his thoughts into order. ¡°The last two towers didn¡¯t show an exit for us either. We had to either make our own exit, or it just¡­ well¡­¡± ¡°Blow up in our faces,¡± Mikella said, which wasn¡¯t exactly what Zeke wanted to convey as the veterans showed concerned expressions. ¡°But if something like that happens, we usually get a warning.¡± ¡°From the system?¡± Saang asked, but Zeke was unable to say. Mentioning Zoan would just bring more complication to an already stressed situation. ¡°In a sense,¡± Zeke answered, getting Mikella to play along with a nod. ¡°For now, we gotta¨C¡± Zeke was about to mention the lack of protective barriers for the battle ahead before the boiling liquid at the lake suddenly started to bubble more than usual. A torrent of blistering pops echoed out at the center, getting everyone to get into their combat stance before the burning liquid exploded from the center, a massive figure revealing through the wall of acid that cascaded across the entire lake. It had a crimson, near purplish coloring across its leathery skin, the shape of the head resembling that of an octupus, except that the top half was pointy enough to be considered a weapon of its own right. Large tentacles, all of them school bus-sized, slithered out of the acid with no care at all, almost splashing the burning substance everywhere across the swampy area. The trees melted from the cascade of acid droplets as the giant creature spread all of its coiling tentacles around itself, all eight in total. The head had yellow eyes the size of truck tires, a strange blot of black at the center. More tinier tentacles were on its mouth, opening to reveal several rows of jagged yellow fangs. From its appearance, it roared at its intruders as its name displayed itself once Zeke Identified it.
Catastrophic Kraken, Level ???
¡°Get ready!¡± Zeke shouted, getting everyone to stay on guard. ¡°It¡¯s Master-Rank! Fight to survive!¡±